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Exodus第9章:20
Apocalypse Revealed#485
485. CHAPTER 11
1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood by, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
2. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.
3. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire will proceed from their mouth and devour their enemies. And if anyone wants to do them injury, he must be killed in this manner.
6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7. Then, when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
8. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their bodies for three and a half days, and not allow their bodies to be put into tombs.
10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell. And in the earthquake seven thousand people by name were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17. saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are and who were and who are to come, because You have taken Your great power and entered Your kingdom.
18. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time to judge the dead, and to reward Your servants the prophets and saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and to destroy those who are destroying the earth."
19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
The subject continues to be the state of the church among the Protestant Reformed and the character of those inwardly caught up in faith alone in opposition to the two essential elements of the New Church, namely, that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, whose humanity is Divine, and that people ought to live in accordance with the Ten Commandments. These two essential elements were proclaimed before them (verses 3-6). But they were utterly rejected (verses 7-10). The Lord revived them (verses 11, 12). Those people perished who rejected them (verse 13). From the New Heaven the state of the New Church was shown (verses 15-19).
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. | John was given the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world. |
| And the angel stood by, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. | The Lord's presence and His command to see and learn the state of the church in the New Heaven. |
| 2. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, | The state of the church on earth, as it is still, must be set aside and not learned. |
| for it has been given to the gentiles. | Because, owing to evil practices, the state of that church has been lost and forsaken. |
| And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. | It has dispelled every truth of the Word to the point that none remains. |
| 3. And I will give power to my two witnesses, | Those people who confess and acknowledge from the heart that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, whose humanity is Divine, and who are conjoined with Him by a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments. |
| and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, | These two - an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which are the two essential elements of the New Church - must be taught until the end and a new beginning. |
| clothed in sackcloth." | The grief experienced meanwhile over the truth's not being accepted. |
| 4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. | The love and intelligence, or charity and faith, that people have in them from the Lord. |
| 5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire will proceed from their mouth and devour their enemies. | Anyone who wishes to destroy these two essential elements perishes from a hellish love. |
| And if anyone wants to do them injury, he must be killed in that way. | Anyone who condemns the two essential elements is likewise condemned. |
| 6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; | People who turn away from these two essential elements cannot receive any truth from heaven. |
| and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, | People who turn away from these two essential elements falsify the Word's truths. |
| and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. | People who wish to destroy these two essential elements propel themselves into evils and falsities of every kind, as often as, and in the measure that, they do so. |
| 7. Then, when they finish their testimony, | After the Lord has taught these two essential elements of the New Church, |
| the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. | those people who are caught up in the interior tenets of the doctrine regarding faith alone will reject these two elements. |
| 8. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city | These two elements have been utterly rejected. |
| which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, | The two hellish loves, namely, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, loves which are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments. |
| where also our Lord was crucified. | A failure to acknowledge the Lord's Divine humanity, and thus a state in which He is rejected. |
| 9. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their bodies for three and a half days, | All those who were or who would be caught up in doctrinal falsities and evil practices at the end of the church still existing, when they have heard and later hear about these two essential elements at the beginning of the New Church, |
| and not allow their bodies to be put into tombs. | have condemned them and will continue to condemn them. |
| 10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad, | The delight of the heart and soul's affection among those people in the church caught up in faith alone. |
| and send gifts to one another, | Their consociation by love and friendship. |
| because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. | These two essential elements of the New Church, opposed as they are to the two essential elements accepted in the Protestant Reformed Church, are objects of contempt, distress, and repugnance. |
| 11. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, | As the New Church commences and grows, these two essential elements are made living by the Lord in people who accept them. |
| and great fear fell on those who saw them. | A disturbance of the mind and alarm at Divine truths. |
| 12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." | The two essential elements of the New Church raised by the Lord into heaven, where they originate and where they remain, and where they are protected. |
| And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, | Their elevation into heaven and conjunction with the Lord there through the Divine truth of the Word in its literal sense. |
| and their enemies saw them. | People caught up in a faith divorced from charity heard of these, but remained in their falsities. |
| 13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell. | A considerable change of state occurring then in those people, and their being plucked away from heaven and sinking into hell. |
| And in the earthquake seven thousand people by name were killed, | All those people who professed faith alone and for that reason made works of charity of no account, perished. |
| and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. | People who saw their destruction acknowledged the Lord and were set apart. |
| 14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. | A lamentation over the corrupted state of the church, and lastly a final lamentation, as depicted after this. |
| 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, | An examination and exposure of the state of the church after its end, at the time of the Lord's advent and the advent of His kingdom. |
| and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" | Celebrations on the part of angels, that heaven and the church had become the Lord's, as they had been from the beginning, and that they had now become those of His Divine humanity, thus that the Lord would reign over heaven and earth as regards both aspects of Him to eternity. |
| 16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, | An acknowledgment on the part of all the angels in heaven that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and their highest adoration of Him. |
| 17. saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are and who were and who are to come, | A confession and glorification on the part of the angels in heaven, that the Lord is He who exists, lives, and has power of Himself, and who governs all things, because He alone is eternal and infinite. |
| because You have taken Your great power and entered Your kingdom. | The New Heaven and New Church, where people will acknowledge Him alone as God. |
| 18. The nations were angry, | People who were caught up in faith alone and thus in evil practices were enraged, and harassed those who opposed their faith. |
| and Your wrath has come, and the time to judge the dead, | Their destruction, and the last judgment on those people who were without any spiritual life. |
| and to reward Your servants the prophets and saints, | The happiness of eternal life for people who possess doctrinal truths from the Word and live in accordance with them. |
| and those who fear Your name, small and great, | People who love things having to do with the Lord, in a lesser or greater degree. |
| and to destroy those who are destroying the earth." | The casting down into hell of the people who destroyed the church. |
| 19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. | The New Heaven, in which the Lord is worshiped in His Divine humanity, and where people live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which constitute the two essential elements of the New Church that are the means of conjunction. |
| And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. | The reasonings, disturbances, and falsifications of goodness and truth then in the lower regions. |
THE EXPOSITION
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. (11:1) This symbolically means that the Lord gave John the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world.
A reed symbolizes weak power, the kind a person has of himself, and a rod symbolizes strong power, the kind a person has from the Lord. Consequently John's being given a reed like a measuring rod symbolizes power from the Lord. That it was the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world is apparent from the events that follow in this chapter to the end.
[2] That a reed or length of cane symbolizes weak power such as a person has of himself is apparent from the following:
Look, you are relying on the staff of (a) broken reed, on Egypt, which, when a man leans on it, will go into his hand and pierce it. (Isaiah 36:6)
That... the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke and punctured all their shoulders... (Ezekiel 29:6-7)
Egypt symbolizes the natural person who relies on his own powers, and that is why it is called the staff of a broken reed.
A reed symbolizes weak power, in Isaiah:
A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not extinguish. (Isaiah 42:3)
[3] A rod, on the other hand, symbolizes strong power, which comes from the Lord, here the power to learn the state of the church, because John used the rod to measure the temple and altar, and to measure means, symbolically, to learn, and the temple and altar symbolize the church, as depicted next.
A rod symbolizes power because in olden times people in the church made wooden rods, and wood symbolizes goodness. It also substituted for the right hand and supported it, and the right hand symbolizes power. It is owing to this that a scepter is a shortened rod, and a scepter symbolizes the power of a king. Moreover, "scepter" and "rod" in Hebrew are the same word. 1
[4] That a rod symbolizes power is apparent from the following passages:
Say, "How the strong staff is broken, the beautiful rod!" ...Come down from your glory, and sit in thirst. (Jeremiah 48:17-18)
Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. (Psalms 110:2)
You punctured with his shafts the head of the faithless. (Habakkuk 3:14)
...Israel the rod of (Jehovah's) inheritance. (Jeremiah 10:16; 51:19)
Your rod and Your staff will comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)
Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked... (Isaiah 14:5, cf. Isaiah 9:4, Psalms 125:3)
My people consult a piece of wood, and their staff answers them. (Hosea 4:12)
...Jehovah... takes away from Jerusalem... the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water. (Isaiah 3:1, cf. Ezekiel 4:16; 5:16; 14:13, Psalms 105:16, Leviticus 26:26)
A staff of bread and of water symbolizes the power of goodness and truth, and Jerusalem symbolizes the church.
The rod of Levi with the name of Aaron on it, which in the Tabernacle blossomed with almonds (Numbers 17:2-10), symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, nothing else than the power of truth and goodness, because Levi and Aaron symbolized the truth and goodness of the church.
[5] That a rod symbolizes power is apparent from the power of Moses' rod: On being stretched out it turned water into blood (Exodus 7:20). It caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:1ff.). It produced lice (Exodus 8:16f.). It summoned thunder and hail (Exodus 9:23ff.). It caused locusts to come (Exodus 10:12ff.). It caused the Red Sea to be parted and the waters to return (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26). It caused water to flow from the rock at Horeb (Exodus 17:5ff., Numbers 20:7-13). In Moses' hand it enabled Joshua to prevail over the Amalekites (Exodus 17:9-12).
And an angel's staff caused fire to come forth from a rock (Judges 6:21).
It is apparent from these instances that a rod or staff symbolizes power, and also elsewhere, as in Isaiah 10:5, 24, 26; 11:4; 14:29; 30:31-32, Ezekiel 19:10-14, Lamentations 3:1, Micah 7:14, Zechariah 10:11, Numbers 21:18.
脚注:
1. I.e., מַטֶּה.
Ezekiel第20章
1
It happened in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me.
2
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
3
Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.
4
Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;
5
and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your God;
6
in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.
7
I said to them, Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and don't defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.
8
But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me; they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9
But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
10
So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11
I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them.
12
Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
13
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14
But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.
15
Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
16
because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
17
Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.
18
I said to their children in the wilderness, Don't walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
19
I am Yahweh your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them;
20
and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.
21
But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
22
Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.
23
Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;
24
because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25
Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;
26
and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through [the fire] all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.
27
Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28
For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings.
29
Then I said to them, What does the high place where you go mean? So its name is called Bamah to this day.
30
Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? and do you play the prostitute after their abominations?
31
and when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you;
32
and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
33
As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:
34
and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;
35
and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.
36
Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord Yahweh.
37
I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
38
and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
39
As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.
40
For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.
41
As a pleasant aroma will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.
42
You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.
43
There you shall remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.
44
You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.
45
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
46
Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop [your word] toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the south;
47
and tell the forest of the South, Hear the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.
48
All flesh shall see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.
49
Then I said, Ah Lord Yahweh! they say of me, Isn't he a speaker of parables?
