312、“我就观看，看哪，一匹黑马”表示在这些人中间，在真理方面，因而在教义方面，对圣言的理解彻底灭绝。前面说明，“马”表示对圣言的理解；“黑色”表示非真理或真理的缺乏，因而表示虚假，因为“黑色”是“白色”的对立面，而“白色”论及真理(AR 167, 231, 232节)；事实上，白色从光中获得自己的起源，黑色则从黑暗中，因而从光的缺席中获得自己的起源，光是真理。但在灵界，黑色有双重起源，一个来自火焰之光的缺席，这光在主的属天国度的居民中间；另一个来自亮光的缺席，这光在主的属灵国度的居民中间；后一种“黑色”和“黑暗”(darkness)具有相同的含义，而前一种“黑色”和“幽暗”(thick darkness)具有相同的含义。这两种“黑色”是有区别的，一种是可憎的，另一种则不那么可憎；它们所表示的虚假也是如此。那些出现在可憎的那种黑色中的人被称为魔鬼，这些人憎恶真理，就像角枭憎恶阳光一样。而那些出现在不可憎的那种黑色中的人被称为撒但；这些人不憎恶真理，而是讨厌它；因此，后者可比作猫头鹰，而前者可比作角枭。在圣言中，“黑”论及虚假，这一点可从以下经文明显看出来，耶利米哀歌：
她的拿细耳人比雪更白，他们的容貌比黑色更黑。(耶利米哀歌4:7-8)
弥迦书：
白昼向先知变为黑暗。(弥迦书3:6)
以西结书：
你下地狱的那日，我要使黎巴嫩向你发黑。(以西结书31:15)
启示录：
日头变黑像毛布。(启示录6:12)
耶利米书：
日月星辰都变黑。(耶利米书4:27-28; 以西结书32:7; 约珥书2:10; 3:15等)
“第三个活物”之所以显示为“黑马”，是因为它有一张像人一样的脸，而人脸表示智慧方面的圣言的神性真理(AR 243节)，因此，这个活物表明，在按顺序排在第三位的人中间不再有任何智慧之真理。
312. So I looked, and behold, a black horse. This symbolizes an understanding of the Word among them extinguished as to truth, thus extinguished as regards their doctrine.
We showed above that a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word. Blackness symbolizes a lack of truth, thus falsity, because blackness is the opposite of whiteness, and whiteness is predicated of truth (nos. 167, 231, 232). Whiteness is also the result of light, while blackness results from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light means truth.
In the spiritual world, however, blackness has a double origin, one resulting from the absence of a flaming light, the light possessed by inhabitants of the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other resulting from the absence of a bright white light, the light possessed by inhabitants of the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The first kind of blackness has the same symbolism as a thick darkness, the second the same as a gloomy darkness. The two kinds differ from each other. One is dreadful, the other not so dreadful. It is the same with the falsities that they symbolize. The spirits who appear in a terrible darkness are called devils. They also abhor truth as owls do the light of the sun. In contrast, the spirits who appear in a darkness that is not so dreadful are called satanic spirits. They do not abhor truth, though they are still averse to it, and therefore they may be likened to barn owls, but the first to eagle owls.
The fact that blackness in the Word is predicated of falsity can be seen from the following passages:
Her Nazirites were brighter than snow... Darkened more than blackness is their form. (Lamentations 4:7-8)
...on the prophets... the day shall grow black. (Micah 3:6)
On the day that you go down to hell..., I will make Lebanon dark over you... (Ezekiel 31:15)
...the sun became as black as sackcloth of goat's hair... (Revelation 6:12)
The sun, moon and stars are darkened in Jeremiah 4:27-28, Ezekiel 32:7, Joel 2:10; 3:15, and elsewhere.
It was the third living creature that displayed the black horse because it had a face like a human being, which symbolized the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its wisdom (no. 243). Consequently it was this living creature that displayed the fact that there was no longer any truth of wisdom in the people who were third in order.
312. 'And I saw, and behold a black horse' signifies the understanding of the Word utterly lost as to truth, thus as to the doctrine with those. That a 'horse' signifies the understanding of the Word has been shown above; that 'black' signifies what is not true, thus untruth, is because black is opposite to white, and white is predicated of truth (167, 231-232); white in fact draws its origin out of light, whereas black does so out of darkness, thus out of an absence of light, and light is truth. In the spiritual world, however, blackness exists out of a two-fold origin, one out of an absence of the flamy light that is the light with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other out of an absence of the shining white light that is with those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The latter blackness signifies that which is like darkness, but the former that which is like thick-darkness. These blacknesses differ from each other. The one is abominable, the other not so. The untruths that they signify differ in like manner. In the abominable blackness appear those who are called devils. Indeed they abhor truth as horned-owls abhor the light of the sun. In the non-abominable darkness, however, appear those who are called satans. These do not abhor truth, but are averse to it. Therefore the latter can be compared to night-owls, when the former are compared to horned-owls. That 'black' in the Word is said of untruth, can be established from these passages:
Her Nazirites were whiter than snow, their form has been darkened more than blackness, Lamentations 4:7-8.
The day shall grow black over the prophets. Micah 3:6.
In the day in which thou art about to go down into hell, I will make Lebanon black over thee. Ezekiel 31:15.
The sun became black as a goat-hair sack. Revelation 6:12.
The sun, the moon, the stars, became black. Jeremiah 4:27-28; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10; 3:15 [H.B. 4:15]; and elsewhere. The 'third animal' exposed the 'black horse' to view, because that animal had a face like a man, by which the Divine Truth of the Word as to wisdom is signified (243). Therefore this animal exposed to view the fact that there was no longer any truth of wisdom with those who were the third in order.
312. And I saw, and behold, a black horse, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to truth, thus as to doctrine with these. That "a horse" signifies the understanding of the Word, was shown above; the reason why "black" signifies what is not true, thus falsity, is because black is the opposite of white, and white is predicated of truth, (167[1-2], 231, 232); white also derives its origin from light, and black from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light is truth. But in the spiritual world there exists blackness from a twofold origin, one from the absence of flaming light, which light is with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other from the absence of bright light, which is the light with those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; the latter blackness has the same signification as "darkness," but the former as "thick darkness." There is a difference between these two kinds of blackness, the one is abominable, the other not so much so; it is the same with the falsities which they signify. They who appear in the abominable kind of blackness are called devils, such holding truth in abomination as horned owls do the light of the sun. But they appear in that kind of blackness, which is not abominable, who are called satans; these do not abominate truth, but are averse to it; the latter may therefore be compared to owls, and the former to horned owls. That "black," in the Word, is spoken of falsity, may appear from these passages:
Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, their form is darkened more than blackness, (Lamentations 4:7-8).
The day shall grow black over the prophets, (Micah 3:6).
In the day when thou goest down into hell, I will make Lebanon black over thee, (Ezekiel 31:15).
The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, (Revelation 6:12).
The sun, the moon, and the stars, became black, (Jeremiah 4:27-28; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10; 3:15).
The reason why "the third animal" showed "a black horse," was, because it had a face like a man, by which is signified the Divine truth of the Word as to wisdom, (243), therefore this animal showed that there was no longer any truth of wisdom with those who were the third in order.
312. "Et vidi, et ecce Equus niger," significat intellectum Verbi deperditum quoad verum, ita quoad doctrinam apud hos. Quod "equus" significet intellectum Verbi, supra ostensum est; quod "nigrum" significet non verum, ita falsum, est quia nigrum est oppositum albo, et album praedicatur de vero (167, 231, 232); 1album etiam trahit ortum ex luce, ac nigrum ex tenebris, ita ex absentia lucis, et lux est verum. Sed in mundo spirituali est nigredo ex duplici origine; una ex absentia lucis flammeae, quae lux est apud illos qui in caelesti regno Domini sunt, et altera ex absentia lucis candidae, quae lux est apud illos qui in regno spirituali Domini sunt; haec nigredo simile significat cum "tenebris," illa autem cum "caligine." Differunt illae nigredines inter se, una est abominabilis, altera non ita; similiter falsitates quas significant. In nigredine abominabili apparent illi qui vocantur Diaboli; abominantur etiam verum sicut bubones solis lucem. In nigredine autem non abominabili apparent illi qui vocantur Satanae; hi non abominantur, sed aversantur verum, quare hi comparari possunt noctuis, cum priores bubonibus. Quod "nigrum" in Verbo dicatur de falso, constare potest ex his locis:
"Albi erant Naziraei prae nive; obscurata est prae Nigredine forma eorum," (Threni 4:7-8);
"Super prophetis Nigrescet dies," (Micham 3:6);
"In die quo descensurus es in Infernum, Atrabo super te Libanum," (Ezechiel 31:15);
"Sol factus est Niger sicut saccus cilicinus," (Apocalypsis 6:12);
Sol, Luna, Stellae, atrati sunt, (Jeremias 4:27-28; Ezechiel 32:7; Joel 2:10; 24:15 (B.A. 3:15); et alibi).
Quod "tertium Animal" ostenderit "equum nigrum," erat quia illud habebat faciem sicut homo, per quod significabatur Divinum Verum Verbi quoad sapientiam (243) quare hoc Animal ostendit, quod non amplius aliquod verum sapientiae apud hos, qui in tertio ordine, esset.
Footnotes:
1. 231, 232 pro "232, 233"
2. 10 pro "20"