639# “立在这地的神面前”表示这些是从主发出的神性事物，在天堂和教会属于祂。这从“这地的神”和“立”的含义清楚可知：“这地的神”是指作为天地之神的主，尤指天堂和世界上的教会的神；因为在圣言中，“地”表示教会，教会既在天堂，也在世界。“地”表示天堂，也表示那里的教会，因为灵界也有陆地，和自然界一样；就外在表象而言，它们在灵界和在自然界完全一样；这就是为何“这地的神”意指天地之神，尤指天堂和世界上的教会的神。主自己在马太福音中教导，祂就是天地之神：
耶稣说，天上地上所有的权柄都赐给我了。(马太福音28:18)
“(站)立”是指来自祂的存在，因而是指在天堂和教会中属于祂的东西。
在圣言的各个地方，经上论到天使和教会之人说，他们站在神面前，他们在神面前行走；在灵义上，站在神面前表示来自祂的存在，在神面前行走表示照着来自祂的存在而生活；因为天堂和世界的一切存在都从主发出；事实上，正是发出的神性创造并形成天堂和世界的一切事物；在约翰福音(1:1–3)，这发出的神性被称为“圣言”；那里的“圣言”就是发出的神性，这神性被称为神性真理，一切事物都是从神性真理被制作和创造出来的。由于这神性围绕显为太阳的主，朝各个方向延伸，所以经上准确地说它站在主面前，因为它从各个方位和方向上都视主为它的共同中心。这神性本质上就是天堂里的主，因为它是发出的神性，凡发出之物都属于它从中发出的那一位，事实上就是祂自己；就像从太阳发出的热和光属于太阳一样。因此，所有天使，就是被称为神性真理的发出神性的接受者，都转向主，因而不断处于祂的同在。因为如前所述，发出的神性视主为它的中心，它从这中心发出，又回到这中心；天使也是如此，他们是神性真理的接受者，可以说就是形式上的神性真理。这就是为何经上说天使“(站)立在主面前”，因为严格来说，“(站)立”论及神性真理，这神性真理就围绕着显为太阳的主。
在以下经文中，“站(或立、站立、侍立)在神面前”也表示处于神性真理，从而与主同在。路加福音：
天使说，我是站在神面前的加百列。(路加福音1:19)
列王纪上：
我看见耶和华坐在宝座上，天上的万军侍立在祂右手边和左手边。(列王纪上22:19)
耶利米书：
侍立在我面前的人必终日不从约拿达那里断绝。(耶利米书35:19)
诗篇：
王后佩戴最好的俄斐金饰站立在我右手边。(诗篇45:9)
路加福音：
你们要时时警醒，使你们能算配得上站立在人子面前。(路加福音21:36)
启示录：
祂愤怒的大日到了；谁能站得住呢？(启示录6:17)
又：
众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围。(启示录7:11)
又：
我看见那站在神面前的七位天使。(启示录8:2)
撒迦利亚书：
两棵橄榄树和两颗橄榄果，这些是那棵橄榄树的两个儿子，站在全地之主旁边。(撒迦利亚书4:11, 12, 14)
以及其它地方。经上还论到主自己说，“祂站着审判”，因为这话是指着从主发出、被称为神性真理的神性说的，审判来自它。因此，经上在以赛亚书中说：
耶和华站起来辩论，站着审判。(以赛亚书3:13)
诗篇：
神站在神的会中，在诸神中间行审判。(诗篇82:1)
“神的会”和耶和华站在其中间的“诸神”表示天使，天使在灵义上表示神性真理；由于在天堂，主就是神性真理，所以经上在此说主“站着”。这清楚表明，“立在这地的神面前”表示从主发出的神性，这神性在天堂和教会属于祂；所指的是那些处于这神性的人，这一点也可从以下事实清楚看出来：“立在这地的神面前”论及“两棵橄榄树”和“两个灯台”，这些表示良善和真理，因而表示发出的神性(也可参看前文，AE 638节)。
639. Which stand before the God of the earth.- This signifies the things that are Divine which proceed from the Lord, and which are of Him in heaven and in the church, as is evident from the signification of the God of the earth, as denoting the Lord, who is the God of heaven and earth, and, specifically, the God of the church in heaven and in the world; for earth (terra) in the Word signifies the church, and the church is in heaven as well as in the world. The reason why heaven and the church also are there understood by earth, is, that there are lands (terroe,) in the spiritual world just as in the natural world, and in external appearance they are very similar in that world to what they are in this. For this reason the God of the earth means the God of heaven and earth, and, specifically, the God of the church in heaven and in the world. That the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, He Himself teaches in Matthew:
Jesus said," All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth" (28:18).
And from the signification of standing before Him, as denoting to be from Him, thus what is of Him in heaven and in the church.
[2] In various places in the Word it is said of angels and of men of the church that they stand, before God, also that they walk before Him, and in the spiritual sense, by standing before God is signified life (esse) from Him, and by walking before God is signified to live according to life (esse) from Him. For all the life (esse) of heaven and the world proceeds from the Lord, being the proceeding Divine which created and formed every thing in heaven and in the world; this is called the Word in John (1:1-3); and the Word there mentioned is the proceeding Divine, which is called the Divine Truth, from which all things were made and created. Since this extends itself in every direction around the Lord as the Sun, it is properly said to stand before Him, for from every quarter and direction it looks to the Lord as its common centre; and this in its essence is the Lord in heaven, because it is the proceeding Divine, and that which proceeds is of Him from whom it proceeds, in fact, it is He Himself; just as the heat and light proceeding from the sun is of the sun. Therefore all the angels, being recipients of this proceeding Divine, which is called the Divine Truth, turn themselves to the Lord, and hence are continually in His presence. For, as stated, the proceeding Divine looks to the Lord as its centre from which it proceeds and to which [it returns]; consequently the angels also, who are the recipients of Divine Truth, and are Divine truths as it were in form. It is from this fact that the angels are said to stand before the Lord, for "to stand" is properly used in reference to Divine Truth, because it surrounds the Lord as a Sun.
[3] To stand before God signifies also in the following passages to be in the Divine Truth, consequently with the Lord.
In Luke:
"The angel said, I am Gabriel, that standeth before God" (1:19).
In the First Book of Kings:
"I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of the heavens standing near him, on his right hand and on his left" (22:19).
In Jeremiah:
"There shall not be cut off from Jonadab a man to stand before me all the days" (35:19).
In David:
"At thy right hand standeth the queen in best gold of Ophir" (Psalm 45:9).
In Luke:
"Watch at all times, that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of Man" (21:36).
In the Apocalypse:
"The great day of his anger cometh, and who can stand?" (6:17);
"All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders and the four animals" (7:11).
"I saw seven angels who stood before God" (8:2).
In Zechariah:
Two olive trees, and two berries of olives, which are "the two sons of the olive tree, standing near the Lord of the whole earth" (iv.
[11], 12, 14); and in other places.
It is also said concerning the Lord Himself that "He stood to judge," because it is said of the Divine proceeding from the Lord, which is called Divine Truth, since judgment is from it.
Thus in Isaiah:
"Jehovah stood up to plead, and standeth to judge" (638).
639. Standing before the God of the earth, signifies which are the Divine things proceeding from the Lord, and are His in heaven and in the church. This is evident from the signification of "the God of the earth," as being the Lord, who is the God of heaven and earth, and particularly the God of the church in heaven and in the world; for in the Word "the earth" signifies the church, and the church is both in heaven and in the world. "The earth" means heaven and also the church there, because there are lands in the spiritual world, like as in the natural world, and in external appearance they are altogether similar in that world as in this; this is why "the God of the earth" means the God of heaven and earth, and particularly the God of the church in heaven and in the world. That the Lord is the God of heaven and earth He Himself teaches in Matthew:
Jesus said, All power hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
The above is evident also from the signification of "standing before Him," as meaning the being [esse] from Him, and thus what is His in heaven and in the church.
[2] In the Word it is here and there said of angels and of the men of the church that "they stand before God," also that "they walk before Him," and in the spiritual sense "to stand before God" signifies being from Him, and "to walk before God" signifies to live according to being [esse] from Him; for all the being [esse] of heaven and the world proceeds from the Lord; for it is the Divine proceeding that has created and formed all things of heaven and the world; this Divine proceeding is called "the Word" in John 1:1-3; and "the Word" there is the Divine proceeding, which is called Divine truth, from which all things were made and created. Because this extends itself in every direction about the Lord as a sun, it is properly said "to stand before Him," for it looks to the Lord as its common center, from every quarter and from every boundary. This is, in its essence, the Lord in heaven, for it is the Divine proceeding, and that which proceeds is of Him from whom it proceeds, and indeed is Himself; just as the heat and light that proceed from the sun are of the sun. For this reason all angels, who are recipients of this Divine proceeding, which is called Divine truth, turn themselves to the Lord, and thus are continually in His presence; for, as was said, the Divine proceeding looks to the Lord as its center from which it is and to which it looks; so also do the angels, who are the recipients of Divine truths, and are as it were Divine truths in form. This is why angels are said "to stand before the Lord," for "to stand" is properly predicated of Divine truth, because this stands about the Lord as a sun.
[3] "To stand before God" signifies to be in Divine truth, and thus with the Lord, also in the following passages. In Luke:
The angel said, I am Gabriel, that standeth before God (638)
639. "Quae coram Deo terrae stantia." - Quod significet quae sunt Divina a Domino procedentia, ac sunt Ipsius in caelo et in ecclesia, constat ex significatione "Dei terrae", quod sit Dominus, qui Deus caeli et terrae est; in specie Deus ecclesiae in caelo et in mundo, nam per "terram" in Verbo significatur ecclesia, et ecclesia est tam in caelo quam in mundo; quod caelum et ecclesia ibi etiam intelligatur per "terram", est quia in mundo spirituali sunt aeque terrae sicut in mundo naturali, et quoad externam apparentiam sunt in illo mundo prorsus similia quae in hoc mundo; inde est quod per "Deum terrae" intelligatur Deus caeli ac terrae, ac in specie Deus ecclesiae in caelo et in mundo; (quod Dominus sit Deus caeli et terrae, docet Ipse apud Matthaeum;
Jesus dixit, "Data est Mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra", 28:18):
et ex significatione "stare coram Ipso", quod sit esse ab Ipso, et inde quod est Ipsius in caelo et in ecclesia.
[2] In Verbo, de angelis et de hominibus ecclesiae, passim dicitur quod "stent coram Deo", tum etiam quod "ambulent coram Ipso"; et ibi in sensu spirituali per "stare coram Deo" significatur esse ab Ipso, et per " ambulare coram Deo" significatur vivere secundum esse ab Ipso; omne enim esse caeli et mundi procedit a Domino, est enim Divinum procedens, quod creavit et formavit omnia caeli et mundi; hoc Divinum procedens vocatur "Verbum" apud Johannem (cap. 1:1-3), ac "Verbum" ibi est Divinum procedens quod vocatur Divinum Verum, ex quo omnia facta et creata sunt: hoc quia circum Dominum ut Solem quaquaversum se extendit, est quod proprie dicitur "stare coram Ipso", nam hoc ab omni plaga et ab omni termino spectat Dominum ut suum centrum commune: et id est in sua essentia Dominus in caelo, quia est Divinum procedens; et quod procedit est Ipsius ex quo procedit, immo est Ipse, plane sicut calor et lux procedens a sole est solis: omnes itaque angeli, qui recipientes sunt Divini hujus procedentis quod vocatur Divinum Verum, se vertunt ad Dominum, et inde continue in Ipsius praesentia sunt; nam, ut dictum est, Divinum procedens spectat Dominum ut suum centrum a quo et ad quod; consequenter etiam angeli, qui sunt recipientes Divini Veri, ac quasi Divina vera in forma: ex eo est quod angeli dicantur "stare coram Domino", nam de Divino Vero proprie dicitur "stare", quia circumstat Dominum ut Solem.
[3] "Stare coram Deo" significat esse in Divino Vero, proinde apud Dominum, etiam in sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Lucam,
"Angelus dixit, Ego sum Gabriel stans coram Deo" (1:19);
in Libro Primo Regum,
"Vidi Jehovam sedentem super throno suo, et universum exercitum caelorum stantem juxta Ipsum a dextra Ipsius et a sinistra Ipsius" (22:19);
apud Jeremiam,
"Non excidetur vir Jonadabo...stans coram Me omnibus diebus" (35:19);
apud Davidem,
"Stat regina ad dextram tuam in auro optimo Ophiris" ( 1
Ps. 45:10[9]);
apud Lucam,
"Vigilate omni tempore, ut digni habeamini.... ad standum coram Filio hominis" (21:36);
in Apocalypsi,
"Venit dies magnus irae Ipsius, et quis potest stare?" (6:17);
"Omnes angeli steterunt circum thronum, et seniores et quatuor animalia" (7:11);
"Vidi septem angelos qui coram Deo steterunt" (8:2 2
);
apud Sachariam,
Duae oleae et duae baccae olivarum, quae sunt "duo filii oleae, stantes juxta Dominum totius terrae" (4 [4:11,] 12, 14); et alibi.
De Ipso Domino etiam dicitur quod "steterit ad judicandum", quia dicitur de Divino procedente a Domino, quod vocatur Divinum Verum, quia ex illo judicium. Ita dicitur apud Esaiam,
"Jehovah stitit se ad litigandum, et stans ad judicandum" (3:13);
et apud Davidem,
"Deus stetit in coetu Dei, in medio deorum judicabit" (Psalms 82:1):
per "coetum Dei", et per "deos", in quorum medio Jehovah stetit, intelliguntur angeli, per quos in sensu spirituali significantur Divina vera; et quia Dominus in caelo est Divinum Verum, ideo de Ipso ibi dicitur "stare." Ex his nunc constare potest quod per "coram Deo terrae stare" significetur Divinum a Domino procedens, quod est Ipsius in caelo et in ecclesia; quod hoc ac illi qui in eo sunt intelligantur, constare etiam potest ex eo, quod "stare coram Deo terrae" dicatur de "duabus oleis" et de "duobus candelabris", per quae significatur bonum et verum, proinde Divinum procedens. (videatur etiam praecedens articulus, n 638.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.