595# “头上有虹”表示圣言的内层事物。这从“虹”和“头上”的含义清楚可知：“虹”是指神性真理，就是诸如圣言在灵义上的样子(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“头上”是指内层之物；因为“上”和“高”表示里面和内层，这可从以下事实清楚看出来：在天堂，当说到“内层”时，要理解为“更高”；内在天使，或内在智慧的天使所在的天堂看起来也在外在天使，或外在智慧的天使所在的天堂之上。因此，三层天堂按其高度而彼此有别，至内层或第三层天堂看起来在中间或第二层天堂之上，第二层天堂则在终端或第一层天堂之上。
“更高”之所以表示内层，或内层之物，是因为当高层事物和低层事物在一起，也就是形成同步之物，如在人的头部里面时，它们按这种秩序共存：那些按相继次序在上面的事物变成内层，或说被放在里面，那些按相继次序在下面的事物变成外层，或被放在外面。这就是为何高层事物表示内层事物，低层事物表示外层事物。这可以用在更纯净事物的中心和更粗糙事物边缘的表面的概念来说明；当高层事物与低层事物，或优质事物与劣质事物成为一体，构成同步之物时，它们就形成这样一个表面。由此也可以看出，刚才所说的“天使”，以及“披着云彩”表示什么，因为由于同样的原因，出于同样的概念，“披着”是指外面和下面，或在外和在下之物。
“虹”表示内层神性真理，就是圣言在灵义上的样子，因为天堂之光和世界之光一样，照其在物体上的入射角度及其在物体中的改变而呈现出各种各样的颜色，以及彩虹；我蒙允许有时在天使天堂也看到这些事物(可参看《属天的奥秘》1623–1625节的描述)。但出现在天使天堂的彩虹与出现在世上的彩虹的不同之处在于：天堂的彩虹来自一个属灵源头，而世上的彩虹来自一个属世源头；因为天堂的彩虹来自从显为太阳的主发出的光，由于这太阳本质上是主的神性之爱，由此而来的光是神性真理，所以呈现为彩虹的光的变化是天使的聪明和智慧的变化。由此可知，那里的彩虹表示属灵神性真理的形式和美丽；但世上的彩虹来自一个属世源头，即来自尘世太阳及其光；因此，它们只是光线因从云中降落的水而发生的改变和随之而来的变化。由于灵界有和自然界一样的颜色的表象，还由于这些表象都是对应，所以世上的彩虹与天堂的彩虹所表相同，即表示具有形式和美丽的神性真理；这些真理就是诸如灵义上的圣言的真理。
以西结书中的“彩虹”就具有相同的含义：
在基路伯头以上的穹苍之上有宝座的形像，仿佛蓝宝石的样子；在宝座形像以上有一个形像，仿佛人的样子在它上头。我从他腰以上的形状看见仿佛活炭的形状，就像它里面周围火的形状；但从他腰以下的形状看见仿佛火的形状，周围也有光辉，如下雨的日子，云中彩虹的形状，周围光辉的形状也是这样。这形状就是耶和华荣耀的形像。(以西结书1:26–28)
由于“基路伯”表示圣治和守卫，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近主，所以才会出现宝座和宝座上的人的形状；“宝座”表示整个天堂，“宝座上的人”表示主自己；活炭的形状，就像火的形状，从他腰以上的形状，表示属天的神性之爱，这爱在高层天堂掌权，因为高层天堂由它们所对应的腰以上的身体上半部分来代表；事实上，这些天堂构成大人，也就是天堂的上半部分；“仿佛活炭的火”表示这爱，“腰”也是，因为“腰”对应于那些在高层天堂的天使所拥有的良善与真理的婚姻；这就是为何天堂被称为“婚姻”，主被称为“新郎”和“丈夫”，天堂和教会被称为“新娘或新妇”和“妻子”。“从他腰以上，他看似像彩虹一样的火的光辉”表示属灵的神性之爱，这爱在低层天堂掌权，因为从腰往下到脚掌的身体部位对应于这爱；这爱因从属天的神性之爱发出，故被称为“火及其光辉”；来自爱之神性良善的神性真理就是那发光并呈现为彩虹形状的。这也清楚表明，属灵神性真理透过属世神性真理的半透明，就是那在天堂里产生这种表象之物，因而也由它来表示，如前所述。但从《天堂与地狱》一书所说的可以更清楚地理解这些事，即：它因主的神性人身而表现为一个人(HH 59–86节)；天堂的一切事物与人的一切事物相对应(HH 87–102节)；从《属天的奥秘》(3021, 4280, 4462, 5050–5062节)关于腰的对应关系的说明也能清楚理解这些事。
在创世记，“云中之弓”或彩虹也具有相同的含义：
神对挪亚说，这是我在我与你们，并同你们在一起的一切活着的灵魂之间所立之约的记号，直到一个时代的世代。我把我的弓放在云中，这就可作我与地之间立约的记号了。我使云遮盖地的时候，必有弓在云中出现；我便记念在我与你们和所有肉体里面一切活着的灵魂之间所立的约；诸水不再成为洪水，毁灭所有肉体了。弓必出现在云中，我看见它，就要记念在神与地上所有肉体里面一切活着的灵魂之间所立的永约。(创世记9:12–17)
人若不知道圣言的每个细节里面都有一个灵义，可能会以为被称为彩虹的云中之弓看似一个记号，表明大地将不再被洪水摧毁，而那弓因自然界的因素存在，是当太阳的光线照射到从云中降下的雨水粒子时，间接产生的，这表明大洪水之前也有类似的弓或彩虹。因此，由于属灵事物与属世事物之间的对应关系，诸如地上的世人所看到的那种彩虹就表示诸如灵界的天使所看到的那种彩虹，它们都是由天堂之光及其在灵界的属灵-属世领域的改变，因而由属灵神性真理及其在属世神性真理中的半透明产生的；因为在天堂，一切光都是属灵的，本质上是从主发出的神性真理。由此可见，“云中之弓或彩虹”表示透过属世神性真理半透明的属灵神性真理，那些正在被主通过神性真理和照之的生活而改造和重生的人就有这种半透明。这种半透明本身在众天堂也表现为彩虹。“立约的记号”表示主与这些人的同在和结合，因为“约”表示结合。赐予这个记号，是因为那时摧毁人类的“洪水”表示可怕的邪恶之虚假，上古教会的后代就因这种虚假而灭亡。通过与本质上为仁爱的属灵良善结合的神性真理对被称为古教会的一个新教会的恢复和建立，由天堂里的彩虹来代表性地表明，并因此由世上的彩虹来表示。不过，这些话涉及很多无法简要解释的奥秘，可参看《属天的奥秘》(1031–1059节)对它们的详细解释。
595. And the rainbow over his head.- That this signifies the interior things of the Word, is evident from the signification of a rainbow, as denoting the Divine Truth as it is in the spiritual sense of the Word, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being over the head, as denoting what is interior; for "above" and "higher" signify within and interior, as is evident from this fact, that when mention is made of "interior," then "higher" is understood in heaven. For the heavens where the interior angels, or the interiorly wise are, appear also above the heavens where the exterior angels, or the exteriorly wise are. For this reason the three heavens are distinct one from another in regard to altitude, the inmost or third heaven appearing above the middle or second heaven, and this above the ultimate or first.
[2] The reason why higher signifies what is interior, is, that when higher and lower things are together, that is exist simultaneously, as in the head of man, they then co-exist in that order; so that those things which were above in successive order, become interior, and those which were below in successive order, become exterior, consequently higher signifies interior and lower exterior things. This may be illustrated by the idea of a surface (superficies), in the centre of which are purer, and in the peripheries denser things. Things superior and inferior form such a surface, when they become one, and constitute what is simultaneous. The signification of the angel encompassed with a cloud, spoken of above, is clear from these observations, since to be encompassed, for the same reason, and from the same idea, denotes to be from without and below.
[3] A rainbow signifies interior Divine Truth, as the Word is in the spiritual sense, because the light of heaven, like the light of the world, according to its incidence upon objects, and its modification therein, produces variegations of colours, and also rainbows; these also I have been permitted occasionally to see in the angelic heaven, as may be seen described in the Arcana Coelestia 1623-1625). But the rainbows which appear in the angelic heaven differ from the rainbows which appear in the world in this, that the rainbows of heaven are from a spiritual origin, whereas the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin. For the rainbows of heaven are from the light which proceeds from the Lord as the Sun, and because that Sun is in its essence the Divine Love of the Lord, and the light therefrom is Divine Truth, hence the variegations of light, which are seen as rainbows, are diversities of intelligence and wisdom with the angels. It is from this fact that rainbows there signify the form and beauty of spiritual Divine Truth; but the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin, that is from the sun of the world and its light, and are therefore only modifications and consequent variegations of light from the waters falling from a cloud. And since there are coloured appearances in the spiritual world similar to those in the natural world, and such appearances are correspondences, therefore the rainbows of the world signify the same as the rainbows of heaven, that is, spiritual Divine truths in their form and beauty. These truths are such as those of the Word in the spiritual sense.
[4] Similar things are signified by the rainbows in Ezekiel:
"Above the expanse that was over the head" of the cherubim "was the likeness of a throne as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness of the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as it were the appearance of a burning coal, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins and upward, but from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah" (59-86); concerning the correspondence of all things of heaven with all things of man (n. 87-102); and, in the Arcana Coelestia concerning the correspondence of the loins (n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 5060-5062).
[5] The signification of the bow in the cloud, or the rainbow, in the book of Genesis is similar:
"God said" to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living soul that is with you, unto the generations of an age; I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass that in beclouding myself with a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living soul in all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I see it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul in all flesh that is upon the earth" (Arcana Coelestia 1031-1059).
595. And the rainbow above his head, signifies the interior things of the Word. This is evident from the signification of the "rainbow," as being Divine truth such as the Word is in the spiritual sense (of which presently); and from the signification of "above the head," as being what is interior; for "above" and "higher" signify within and interior, as can be seen from this, that in heaven when interior is said higher is meant; for the heavens of the angels who are interior or interiorly wise appear also above the heavens of the angels who are more external or externally wise. For this reason the three heavens are distinguished from one another by their height, the inmost or third heaven appearing above the middle or second heaven, and this above the ultimate or first.
[2] "Higher" signifies interior, because when higher and lower things are together, that is, form what is simultaneous, as in the head of man, they exist together in such an order that those things that had in successive order existed above are placed within, and those that had in successive order existed below are placed without. This is why higher things signify interior things, and lower things signify exterior things. This may be illustrated to the comprehension by the idea of a surface, in the center of which are things purer, and in the circumferences things grosser; things higher and lower form such a surface when they are let down into one and make what is simultaneous. From this it can also be seen, what is signified by the "angel," spoken of just above, "encompassed with a cloud," since for the same reason and from the same idea, "to be encompassed" means by what is without and below.
[3] A "rainbow" signifies interior Divine truth, such as the Word is in the spiritual sense, because the light of heaven, like as the light of the world, according to its incidence upon objects and its modification in them, presents variegations of color and also rainbows; these it has also sometimes been granted me to see in the angelic heaven (as may be seen described in Arcana Coelestia 1623-1625). But the rainbows that appear in the angelic heaven differ from the rainbows that appear in the world, in that the rainbows of heaven are from a spiritual origin, while the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin; for the rainbows of heaven are from the light that arises from the Lord as a sun, and as that sun is in its essence the Lord's Divine love, and the light therefrom is Divine truth, the variegations of light which are presented as rainbows are variegations of intelligence and wisdom with the angels. From this it is that rainbows there signify the form and beauty of spiritual Divine truth. But the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin, namely, from the sun of the world and its light; therefore they are merely modifications and consequent variegations of light by waters that fall from a cloud. And because there are like appearances of color in the spiritual world as in the natural world, and because these correspond, therefore the rainbows of the world have a similar signification as the rainbows of heaven, namely, spiritual Divine truths in their form and beauty; these truths are such as those of the Word in the spiritual sense.
[4] "Rainbows" have a similar signification in Ezekiel:
Above the expanse that was over the head 1of the cherubim was the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as of the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as it were the appearance of a living coal like the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins and upward; but from the appearance of his loins even downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about, as the appearance of a rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain so was the appearance of the glory round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah (Ezekiel 1:26-28).
As the "cherubim" signify providence and guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, there appeared a throne, and upon the throne the appearance of a man; "throne" signifying the universal heaven, and the "man upon the throne," the Lord Himself; "the appearance of a living coal, like the appearance of fire from the appearance of his loins and upward," signifies celestial Divine love, which reigns in the higher heavens, for the higher heavens are represented by the upper part of the body, from the loins upward, to which they correspond, for these heavens constitute that part in the Greatest Man, which is heaven; "fire like a living coal" signifies that love, so do the "loins," for the "loins" correspond to the marriage of good and truth, which those have who are in the higher heavens; this is why heaven is called a "marriage," and the Lord is called the "bridegroom" and "husband," and heaven and the church the "bride" and "wife." "From his loins downward he appeared like the brightness of fire which was like a rainbow" signifies the spiritual Divine love, which reigns in the lower heavens, for the region of the body from the loins down to the soles of the feet corresponds to that love; and because that love proceeds from celestial Divine love it is called "fire and its brightness;" Divine truth from the Divine good of love is what is bright and presents the appearance of a rainbow. This makes evident also that the translucence of spiritual Divine truth through natural Divine truth is what produces that appearance in the heavens, and consequently that is what it signifies (as was said above; but this can be more clearly understood from what is said on Heaven in the work on Heaven and Hell; that from the Lord's Divine Human it represents One Man, n. 59-86; on the Correspondence of all Things of Heaven with all Things of Man, n. 87-102; and in the Arcana Coelestia, on the correspondence of the loins, n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 5050-5062).
[5] "The bow in the cloud" or the rainbow, has a similar signification in the book of Genesis:
God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I give between Me and you and every living soul that is with you, unto the generations of an age. I have given My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be in clouding Myself with a cloud over the earth that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living soul in all flesh; and the waters shall no more be for a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I see it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul in all flesh that is upon the earth (Arcana Coelestia 1031-1059.)
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "expanse," the Hebrew "the head," as is also found in AE 253, 280, 297.
595. "Et iris supra caput." - Quod significet interiora Verbi, constat ex significatione "iridis", quod sit Divinum Verum quale est Verbum in sensu spirituali (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "supra caput", quod sit interius; nam "supra" et "superius" significat intra et interius, quod constare potest ex eo, quod cum dicitur "interius" in caelo intelligatur superius; caeli enim ubi sunt angeli interiores seu interius sapientes, apparent quoque supra caelos ubi sunt angeli exteriores seu exterius sapientes. Inde est quod tres caeli inter se quoad altitudines distincti sint; caelum intimum seu tertium apparet supra caelum medium seu secundum, et hoc supra caelum ultimum seu primum.
[2] Quod "superius" significet interius, est quia dum superiora et inferiora simul sunt, hoc est, simultaneum formant, ut in capite hominis, tunc eo ordine coexistunt, quod quae supra in ordine successivo exstiterant, interius reposita sint; et quae infra in ordine successivo exstiterant, exterius reposita sint: inde est quod "superiora" significent interiora, et "inferiora" exteriora. Hoc potest ad captum illustrari per ideam superficiei, in cujus centris sunt puriora, et in peripheriis crassiora; tales superficies formant superiora et inferiora, cum se in unum demittunt, et simultaneum faciunt. Ex his quoque constare potest quid significat quod mox supra de angelo dictum est quod "circumdatus fuerit nube"; "circumdari" enim ex eadem hac ratione et inde idea significat ab extra et infra esse.
[3] Quod "iris" significet Divinum Verum interius, quale est Verbum in sensu spirituali, est quia lux caeli, similiter ac lux mundi, secundum incidentiam in objecta, et inibi modificationem, sistat variegationes colorum, et quoque irides; quas etiam in caelo angelico aliquoties mihi videre datum est (quae etiam descripta videantur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 1623-1625). Sed irides quae apparent in caelo angelico differunt ab iridibus quae apparent in mundo, quod irides caeli sint ex origine spirituali, at irides mundi ex origine naturali; irides enim caeli sunt ex luce oriunda a Domino ut Sole; et quia Sol ille est in sua essentia Divinus Amor Domini, et lux inde est Divinum Verum, inde lucis variegationes quae sistuntur ut irides, sunt variegationes intelligentiae et sapientiae apud angelos: ex eo est quod irides ibi significent formam et pulchritudinem Divini Veri spiritualis. At irides mundi sunt ex origine naturali, nempe a sole mundi et ejus luce; et inde sunt solum modificationes et inde variegationes lucis ex aquis quae defluunt ex nube: et quia similes apparentiae colorificae sunt in mundo spirituali sicut in mundo naturali, et quia correspondent, inde per irides mundi significantur similia quae per irides caeli, nempe Divina vera spiritualia in sua forma et pulchritudine; haec vera sunt qualia sunt vera Verbi in sensu spirituali.
[4] Similia per "irides" significantur apud Ezechielem,
"Supra expansum, quod super 1
capite" cheruborum "quasi aspectus lapidis sapphiri, similitudo throni; et super similitudine throni similitudo quasi aspectus Hominis super illo superius; vidi quasi speciem prunae juxta speciem ignis intra illam circumcirca, ab aspectu lumborum Ejus et sursum: sed ab aspectu lumborum Ejus et deorsum Vidi quasi aspectum ignis cui splendor circumcirca; sicut aspectus iridis quae est in nube in die pluviae, sic aspectus gloriae circumcirca; hic aspectus similitudinis gloriae Jehovae" ( 2
1:26-28):
quoniam per "cherubos" significatur providentia et tutela ne adeatur Dominus nisi per bonum amoris, ideo apparuit thronus, et super throno aspectus Hominis; et per "thronum" significatur universum caelum, et per "Hominem" super throno Ipse Dominus: per "speciem prunae instar ignis ab aspectu lumborum Ejus sursum" significatur Divinus Amor caelestis, qui in caelis superioribus regnat; nam caeli superiores repraesentantur per superiorem corporis partem a lumbis sursum, cui correspondent; nam constituunt illam in Maximo Homine qui est caelum; "ignis instar prunae" significat illum amorem, similiter "lumbi", nam lumbi correspondent conjugio boni et veri, quod est illis qui in superioribus caelis; inde est quod caelum dicatur "conjugium", et quod Dominus dicatur "Sponsus" et "Maritus", et caelum et ecclesia "Sponsa" et "Uxor": quod "a lumbis deorsum apparuerit sicut splendor ignis, qui sicut iris", significat Divinum Amorem spiritualem, qui regnat, in caelis inferioribus; nam regio corporis a lumbis usque ad plantas pedis correspondet illi amori; et quia is amor procedit ex Divino Amore caelesti, dicitur "ignis et ejus splendor"; Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono Amoris est quod splendet et sistit speciem iridis. Inde quoque patet quod translucentia Divini Veri spiritualis per Divinum Verum naturale sistat illam apparentiam in caelis, et consequenter quod significet illud (ut supra dictum est). (Sed haec clarius possunt intelligi ex illis quae in opere De Caelo et Inferno dicta sunt De Caelo, quod ex Divino Humano Domini referat unum Hominem, n. 3
59-86: De Correspondentia omnium Caeli cum omnibus Hominis, n. 87-102: et quod in Arcanis Caelestibus, de correspondentia lumborum, n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 5050-5062.)
[5] Simile etiam per "arcum in nube", seu iridem, significatur in Libro Geneseos,
"Dixit Deus" ad Noachum, "Hoc signum foederis quod Ego do inter Me et inter vos, et inter omnem animam vivam quae vobiscum in generationes saeculi: arcum meum dedi in nube, et erit in signum foederis inter Me et inter terram; et erit in obnubilando Me nube super terram, et videtur arcus in nube; et recordabor foederis mei, quod inter Me et inter vos, et inter omnem animam vivam in omni carne, et non erit amplius aquae in diluvium ad perdendum omnem carnem; et erit arcus in nube, et video illum ad recordandum foederis aeterni inter Deum et inter omnem animam vivam in omni carne, quae super terra" (9:12-17):
qui non scit quod in singulis Verbi sit etiam sensus spiritualis, opinari potest quod arcus in nube, qui iris vocatur, appareat in signum quod terra non amplius perdenda sit diluvio; cum tamen ille arcus existit ex causis in Natura, et reproducitur mediate quando radii lucis e sole partes aqueas pluviae e nube perstringunt; unde patet quod similes arcus seu irides etiam ante diluvium exstiterint. Quapropter per irides visas ab hominibus e tellure ex correspondentia spiritualium et naturalium intelliguntur irides visae angelis in mundo spirituali, quae omnes existunt ex luce caeli et ejus modificatione in sphaera spirituali naturali ibi, proinde ex Divino Vero spirituali et ejus translucentia in Divino Vero naturali; nam omnis lux in caelo est spiritualis, et est in sua essentia Divinum Verum procedens a Domino: inde constare potest quod per "arcum in nube", seu iridem, significetur Divinum Verum spirituale translucens per Divinum Verum naturale; quae translucentia fit ab illis qui per Divinum Verum ac per vitam secundum illud reformantur et regenerantur a Domino. Ipsa translucentia etiam in caelis apparet ut iris. Per "signum foederis" significatur praesentia et conjunctio Domini cum illis, nam "foedus" illam significat. Hoc signum datum est, quia per "diluvium", quo deperditum est genus humanum tunc, significantur dira falsa mali, ex quibus posteritas Antiquissimae Ecclesiae perierat: restitutio et instauratio ecclesiae novae, quae Ecclesia Antiqua vocatur, per Divinum Verum conjunctum bono spirituali, quod in sua essentia est charitas, repraesentative sistitur per irides in caelo, et inde significatur per irides in mundo. Sed quia illa verba involvunt plura arcana, quae non paucis possunt exponi, videantur illa singillatim explicata in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 1031-1059 4
).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.