515、启11:13.“正在那个时辰，就有了大地震，那城的第十部分倒塌了”表示那时发生在他们身上的一个显著的状态变化，他们与天堂猛烈分离，并沉入地狱。“正在那个时辰”表示就在他们看见“两个见证人”上了天，然而却仍留在自己虚假中的那个时间，如前所述(AR 514节)；因为“这两个见证人说预言”，也就是教导它们(启11:3)，然后被杀，并复活；他们也看见两个见证人上了天，却仍不远离他们的虚假，于是就有大地震发生。类似的事发生在新教会的两个基本要素上，一个涉及主，一个涉及遵行十诫的生活，这一点可从每一章后面的难忘事件中在某种程度上看出来。这两个教义就是此处所论述的两个见证人。“地震”表示状态的变化(AR 331节)，在此表示他们的毁灭，因为“那城的第十部分倒塌了”；“第十部分”表示那里的所有人，因为“十”表示大量和所有或一切(AR 101节)；“第十部分”或“十分之一”与“十”所表相同，就像“第四部分”或“四分之一”与“四”所表相同(AR 322节)；“第三部分”或“三分之一”与“三”所表相同(AR 400节)一样。“倒塌”表示沉入地狱，这发生在他们与天堂猛烈分离的时候；因为在灵人界，那些处于邪恶和虚假的城市，在住在其中的人被察罚、教导和警告，却仍留在自己的邪恶和虚假中之后，就会因地震而摇动，一道鸿沟通过地震而裂开，这些城就沉入其中，然后其居民觉得自己似乎在底部，可以说在一片沙漠中，他们一个一个地被送到自己在地狱中的地方。下面我们会看到，这城的情况就是这样(AR 531节)。
515. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell. (11:13) This symbolizes a considerable change of state occurring then in those people, and their being plucked away from heaven and sinking into hell.
In the same hour means, symbolically, the time when those people saw the two witnesses ascend to heaven, and yet remained in their falsities, as said just above in no. 514. For those two witnesses prophesied, meaning that they taught them (verse 3); and after they were killed and came back to life, and the people also saw them ascend to heaven and yet did not turn away from their falsities, then that great earthquake occurred.
Something similar happened with the two doctrines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning the Lord, and the other teaching a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, as may be seen to some extent from the narrative accounts appended to each chapter. These two doctrines are the two witnesses dealt with here.
The earthquake symbolizes a change of state (no. 331), here the people's destruction, because in it a tenth part of the city fell. A tenth part means, symbolically, all the people in it, for the number ten symbolizes much or all (no. 101), and so likewise a tenth part or a tenth, just as a fourth part or a fourth has the same symbolic meaning as four (no. 322), and a third part or a third the same symbolic meaning as three (no. 400).
To fall means, symbolically, to sink down into hell, which occurs when people are plucked away from heaven. For in the case of cities in the world of spirits that are filled with evils and falsities, the people there are visited, taught and warned, and after that, if they remain still in their evils and falsities, the cities are struck with an earthquake. This then causes a chasm to open into which the people sink down, and the inhabitants at the bottom then seem to themselves to be in a desert, from which they are dispatched one by one to their places in hell. That this was the case with the city here will be seen in no. 531 below.
515. [verse 13] 'And in that hour a great earthquake was brought about, and a tenth part of the city fell' signifies a noticeable change of state with those [in faith alone] effected then, and their being violently separated from heaven and sunk down into hell. 'In that hour' signifies at the time when they saw the two witnesses going up into heaven and nevertheless remained in their own untruths, as just above (514), for the two witnesses 'prophesied,' that is, taught them (verse 3), and afterwards were killed, and revived. They also saw them going up into heaven, and yet did not recede from their own untruths. Then the great earthquake was brought about. That a similar thing was brought about with the two DOCTRINES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM, THE ONE CONCERNING THE LORD, AND THE OTHER CONCERNING A LIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRECEPTS OF THE DECALOGUE, can be seen to some extent from the Memorable Occurrences after the separate chapters. THOSE TWO DOCTRINES ARE THE TWO WITNESSES HERE TREATED OF. By 'an earthquake' is signified a change of state (331), here their destruction, because in it 'a tenth part of the city fell.' By 'a tenth part' all are signified, for 'ten' signify many and all (101); in like manner 'a tenth part' or 'a tenth,' as 'a fourth part' or 'a fourth' signifies the same as 'four' (322), and 'a third part' or 'a third' the same as 'three' (400). By 'to fall' is signified to sink down into hell, which is brought about when they have been violently separated from heaven; for the cities in the world of spirits that are in evils and untruths, after those who are there have been visited, informed and warned and still remain in their own evils and untruths, are shaken by an earthquake. By means of this a deep gulf is opened into which they sink down, and then the inhabitants appear to themselves to be in the bottom as in a wilderness, out of which they are sent away one by one into their own places in hell. That it was so done with this city will be seen below (531).
515. Verse 13. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, signifies a remarkable change of state then took place with them, and they were torn away from heaven and sank down into hell. "In that hour" signifies at the time when they saw "the two witnesses" ascend into heaven, and nevertheless they remained in their falsities as above, (514); for "the two witnesses prophesied," that is, taught them (verse 3), and afterwards were killed, and revived; they also saw them ascend up to heaven, and still did not recede from their falsities, then there became a great earthquake. That a similar thing happened with the Two Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning the Lord, and the other concerning the Life according to the Commandments of the Decalogue, may in some measure be seen from the Relations after each chapter. Those two doctrines are the two witnesses here treated of. By "an earthquake" is signified a change of state, (331), here their destruction, because in it "a tenth part of the city fell;" by "a tenth part" is signified all there, for "ten" signifies much and all, (101); in like manner, "the tenth part," or "a tenth," as "the fourth part," or "a fourth," signifies the same as "four" (322); and "the third part" or "a third" the same as "three" (400). By "falling" is signified to sink down into hell, which takes place when they are torn away from heaven; for the cities in the world of spirits which are in evils and falsities, after they that dwell therein are visited, informed, and warned, and still remain in their evils and falsities, are shaken with an earthquake, by which a gulf is opened, into which they sink down, and then their inhabitants appear to themselves to be at the bottom, as it were, in a desert, whence they are severally removed to their places in hell. That it was so done to this city, will be seen below, (531).
515. (Vers. 13.) "Et in illa hora factus est terrae motus magnus; et decima pars urbis cecidit," significat tunc mutationem status apud illos insignem factam, et illos divulsos e Caelo in Infernum delapsos.- "In illa hora" significat tunc cum viderunt "binos testes" in Caelum ascendisse; et tamen in suis falsis permanserunt, ut mox supra (514) 1, nam "bini illi testes prophetarunt" hoc est, docuerunt illos, (vers. 3), et postquam occisi sunt, et revixerunt, etiam viderunt illos ascendisse in Caelum, et usque non a falsis suis recesserunt; tunc terrae motus ille magnus factus est. Quod simile factum sit cum duabus Doctrinis Novae Hierosolymae, una de Domino, et altera de Vita secundum praecepta Decalogi, ex Memorabilibus post singula capita aliquantisper videri potest. Duae illae Doctrinae sunt "duo testes" de quibus hic. Per "terrae motum" significatur mutatio status (331), hic illorum interitus, quia in illo "decima pars urbis cecidit;" per "decimam partem" significantur omnes ibi, nam "decem" significant multum et omne (101), similiter "decima pars" seu "decimum," sicut "quarta pars" seu "quartum" idem cum "quatuor (322), et "tertia pars" seu "tertium" idem cum "tribus (400). Per "cadere" significatur delabi in Infernum, quod fit quando evulsi sunt e Caelo; nam urbes in Mundo spirituum quae in malis et falsis sunt, postquam illi qui ibi, visitati, informati et commoniti sunt, et usque permanent in suis malis et falsis, concutiuntur terrae motu, et per illum aperitur barathrum, in quod subsidunt; et tunc habitatores sibi apparent in fundo sicut in deserto, e quo singillatim amandantur in sua loca in Inferno. Quod ita factum sit cum hac urbe, videbitur infra (531).
Footnotes:
1. 514 pro "314"