8764. “并且我怎样将你们背在鹰的翅膀上” 表并且他们因此通过真理被提入天堂之光. 这从 “将某人背在鹰的翅膀上” 的含义清楚可知, “将某人背在鹰的翅膀上” 是指被提到高处, 甚至被提入天堂之光; 因为 “背” 表示被提升, “鹰” 表示真理方面的理性层 (关于 “鹰” 的这种含义, 可参看3901节), 因为鹰在高处飞. 事实上, 古人将可见的天堂或天空理解为天使天堂. 简单人也认为天使在那里有自己的家; 另外, 由于高处的地方离太阳和众星更近, 所以天上的光也在那里闪耀. 正因如此, “被背在鹰的翅膀上” 表示被带到高处的那光中. 被提到那光中之所以通过信之真理实现, 是因为信之真理就是那将人甚至提到天堂, 就是信之真理所在之地的. 真理方面的理性层由 “鹰” 来表示, 是因为人的理性层是他的天堂, 属世层相对来说就像大地. 事实上, 理性层构成内在人, 属世层构成外在人.

“翅膀” 之所以是指属灵真理, 是因为 “鸟” 一般表示理性概念和思维 (40, 745, 776, 3219, 5149, 7441节); 因此, “翅膀” 是指属灵真理, 因为一切真正的理解力皆从这些真理形成. 从虚假所形成的理解力, 无论看上去多么清晰和敏锐, 都不是真正的理解力. 真正的理解力在天堂之光中观看, 天堂之光就是属灵真理, 也就是信之真理. 所以, 哪里没有信之真理, 哪里就没有光, 只有幽暗; 被置于幽暗中的理解力根本不是理解力. “翅膀” 也指属灵真理所拥有的源于其良善的能力; 因为鸟的双翅就像人的双手或双臂, 而 “臂” 和 “手” 表示能力 (878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, 8305节). 至于属灵真理所拥有的源于良善的能力, 可参看前文 (3563, 4931, 5623, 6344, 6423节).

“翅膀” 是指拥有源于良善的能力的属灵真理, 或信之真理, 这一点从圣言中的其它经文明显看出来. 因此, 当 “翅膀” 被归于神性时, 它们表示拥有全能的神性真理; 如在它们被归于基路伯的地方, “基路伯” 表示主的圣治或天命, 如以西结书:

每个基路伯都有四个脸面, 每一个都有四个翅膀. 它们的直张, 彼此相对, 每活物有两个翅膀遮体. 我听见翅膀的声音, 像大水的声音, 像沙代的响声; 活物行走的时候, 哄嚷的声音像军营的声音; 活物站住的时候, 便将翅膀垂下. 我又听见那活物翅膀彼此相碰的声音, 与活物旁边轮子的噪声. 基路伯翅膀的声音听到外院, 好像沙代神的响声. 翅膀以下有人手的样式. (以西结书 1:6, 23, 24; 3:13; 10:5, 21)

此处 “翅膀” 是指神之真理. 这一点从包含在这段描述中的细节, 以及以下细节明显可知: 翅膀直张, 彼此相碰, 它们遮体; 翅膀的声音像大水的声音, 像轮子的声音, 像沙代的声音, 以及翅膀以下有人手的样式. 翅膀 “直张, 彼此相碰” 代表所有人在神性中的团契. 它们 “遮体” 表示神性真理对发出它的神性良善来说, 是一个包裹或衣服. 因为神性良善就是一团火焰, 神性真理是这团火焰发出的光. 这光包围, 因而遮盖或包裹这团火焰. 火焰本身不会显现在天堂, 只有包含火焰的光会显现, 这火焰由此被感觉为热, 也就是爱. 声音听上去 “像大水的声音” 表示存在于天堂中的神性真理的性质; 它的声音 “像轮子的噪声, 沙代的响声” 所表相同; 因为 “声音” (sound) 和 “响声” (voice) 被归于神性真理. 这解释了为何经上说 “大水的声音”, 因为 “水” 是指真理 (参看2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8137, 8138, 8568节); 经上还说 “轮子的噪声”, “轮子” 是指教义事物的真理, 因为 “马车或战车” (chariots) 是指支持真理的教义 (5321, 5945, 8146, 8148, 8215节); 经上又说 “沙代神的响声”, 因为 “沙代神” 是指在试探和随后的安慰中进行指责的真理 (1992, 4572, 5628节). “翅膀以下有人手的样式” 表示属于神性真理的全能, 因为 “手” 是指能力, 当被归于主时, 是指至高意义上的全能

由此可见在约柜施恩座上的基路伯的翅膀, 以及翅膀高张, 遮掩施恩座 (出埃及记 25:20) 代表什么; 帐幕帘子和幔子上, 以及所罗门圣殿中的基路伯又代表什么; 以西结书 (41:18-20) 所描述的新殿周围的基路伯代表什么; 还有 “宝座周围的四活物”, 每一个周围都有 “六个翅膀” (启示录 4:6, 8) 表示什么; “站在宝座上的撒拉弗”, 各有 “六个翅膀” (以赛亚书 6:1, 2) 表示什么.

“翅膀” 在内义上是指属灵真理, 或信之真理, 这一点清楚可见于以西结书:

主耶和华如此说: 有一大鹰, 翅膀大, 翎毛长, 羽毛丰满, 彩色俱备, 来到黎巴嫩, 将香柏树梢拧去, 叼到贸易之地; 后来它取了这地的种子, 栽于制种田里; 插在大水旁, 它就抽芽生长, 成为蔓延的葡萄树. 又有一鹰, 翅膀大, 羽毛丰满. 看哪, 这葡萄树从肥田多水的旁边中向这鹰伸出根来; 它被栽种, 好生枝子, 结果子, 成为佳美的葡萄树. (以西结书 17:3-8)

这段预言描述了主对属灵教会的重建. 此处提到的 “鹰” 是指信; “翅膀大, 翎毛长” 是指信之真理; “彩色俱备” 是指记忆知识; 由此而来的成长被描述为 “来自黎巴嫩的香柏树梢”, “大水旁, 制种田里的这地的种子”; 由此产生的教会本身是 “葡萄树”. “葡萄树” 表示属灵教会 (1069, 5113节); 它也表示外在教会 (6375节); 但来自另一鹰的 “佳美的葡萄树” 是指内在教会 (6376节); 因为教会的外在被描述为一只鹰, 它的内在被描述为另一只鹰. 在这一章, 后来先知描述了建在古人中间的这个教会如何在犹太人当中堕落的.

在诗篇, “翅膀” 以同样的方式表示信之真理:

你们若安卧在羊圈, 鸽子的翅膀就会镀白银, 翎毛镀黄金. (诗篇 68:13)

“鸽子的翅膀” 是指信之真理, “鸽子” 表示信 (870节); 经上之所以说它们 “镀白银”, 因为 “银子” 是指源于良善的真理 (1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 7999节).

“翅膀” 是指神之真理, 这一点也可从以下经文明显看出来:

那等候耶和华的, 必从新得力. 他们必如鹰展翅上腾. (以赛亚书 40:31)

诗篇:

神骑着基路伯飞行; 祂藉着风的翅膀快飞. (诗篇 18:10; 104:3)

这论述的是神性真理及其能力. 又:

耶和华必用自己的翅膀遮蔽你, 你要投靠在祂的翅膀底下. 真理是盾牌圆楯. (诗篇 91:4)

“被耶和华的翅膀遮蔽” 和 “投靠在祂的翅膀底下” 表示属于信的保护和信靠. “在神翅膀的荫下” (诗篇 17:8), “投靠在祂翅膀的荫下” (诗篇 36:7; 57:1; 61:4), “在祂翅膀的荫下歌唱” (诗篇 63:7) 所表相同.

绝大多数事物也有一个反面意义, “翅膀” 也是, 它在反面意义上表示虚假, 如启示录:

有蝗虫从无底坑的烟中出来, 它们翅膀的声音, 好像许多马奔跑上阵的声音. (启示录 9:2, 3, 9)

此处 “翅膀” 是指与真理争战的虚假, 因为 “蝗虫” 是指最外围的虚假 (7643节).

3318. 'And he was weary' means a state of conflict. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'weary' or weariness as the state following conflict. Here however, because the subject is a state of conflict in which good and truth within the natural man are joined together, the state of conflict itself is meant. As regards 'weary' here meaning a state of conflict, this is not apparent except from the train of thought in the internal sense, and in particular from the fact that without conflicts, or what amounts to the same, without temptations, good is unable to be joined to truth in the natural man.

[2] So that the nature of this state may be known - though only as man experiences it - let a brief statement be made regarding it. Man is nothing other than an organ or vessel which receives life from the Lord, for man does not live of himself, 290, 1954, 2021, 2536, 2706, 2886-2889, 3001. The life flowing in with man from the Lord comes from His Divine Love. This Love, that is, the life from it, flows in and applies itself to the vessels that are in man's rational and that are in his natural. On account of the hereditary evil into which man is born, and on account of the evil of his own doing which man acquires to himself, these vessels with him are set the wrong way round for receiving that life. But insofar as it is possible for this inflowing life to do so, it resets those vessels to receive it. These vessels within the rational man and within his natural are such as are called truths. In themselves they are nothing else than perceptions of the variations in form possessed by those vessels and of the changes of state which in different ways give rise to those variations, which are produced in the most delicate of organic substances, and in ways that defy description, 2487. Good itself, which possesses life from the Lord, that is, which is life, is that which flows in and resets them.

[3] When therefore those vessels, varying in the forms they take, are set and turned, as has been stated, the wrong way round for inflowing life, they clearly have to be re-positioned to receive that life, that is, to be controlled by it. This cannot possibly be effected as long as the person remains in that condition into which he was born or which he has brought upon himself. Indeed at that time they are unsubmissive because they resolutely withstand and harden themselves against the heavenly order governing the way that life acts. Indeed the good which moves them, and to which they are subservient, is that which stems from self-love and love of the world. From the dull warmth it contains that good makes these vessels what they are. Consequently before they can be made submissive and capable of receiving any of the life that belongs to the Lord's love, they have to be softened. The only ways that such softening can be achieved is by temptations, for temptations take away the things that constitute self-love and contempt for others in comparison with oneself, consequently that constitute self-glory, and also hatred and revenge on account of that. When therefore they have to some extent been subdued and mellowed by means of temptations those vessels start to become yielding and compliant to the life which belongs to the Lord's love and which is constantly flowing in with man.

[4] From this point onwards good, first of all in the rational man and then in the natural, starts to be joined to the truths there, for as has been stated, truths are nothing else than perceptions of the variations in form which are determined by the states that are changing all the time - those perceptions being a product of the life that is flowing in. This is the reason why a person is regenerated, that is, is made new, by means of temptations, or what amounts to the same, by means of spiritual conflicts, and after that receives an inward disposition different from before, that is to say, becomes gentle, humble, single-minded, and contrite at heart. From these considerations one may now see the use served by temptations, which is that good from the Lord may not only flow in but also render the vessels subservient and so join itself to them. For truths are the recipient vessels of good, see 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269. Here therefore, since the subject is the joining together of good and truth in the natural man, and since the first stage of that conjunction comes about through the conflicts brought about by temptations, 'he was weary' clearly means a state of conflict.

[5] As for the Lord however, who is the subject here in the highest sense, He so imposed Divine order on everything within Himself by means of the very severe conflicts that went with temptations that nothing remained of the human He had derived from the mother, 1444, 1573, 2159, 2574, 2649, 3036, so that He was not made new as any other human being but was made altogether Divine. For man, who is made new through regeneration, nevertheless retains within himself the inclination towards evil; indeed he retains the evil itself but is withheld from it by the influx of the life that is the life of the Lord's love, and by an extremely powerful force. But the Lord cast out completely everything evil that was His by heredity from the mother and made Himself Divine, doing so even as to the vessels, that is, as to the truths. This is what in the Word is called Glorification.