715、“人因这雹灾就亵渎神；因为这雹灾极大”表示他们因确认了这些虚假，所以就否认真理到这种程度：因源于其内在虚假和邪恶的厌恶或抵触，他们不能承认它们。“亵渎神”表示否认和不承认唯独主是天地之神(AR 571, 582, 697节)，同样否认和不承认圣言的真理；“因为这雹灾极大”表示因确认的唯信称义的教义所导致的这些可怕而残暴的虚假(AR 714节)。他们之所以因这些虚假而不能承认真理，是因为对虚假的确认就是对真理的否认。表面上看，意思好像是说这“雹灾”如此之大，以至于当这雹子落在他们身上时，他们因折磨或痛苦而亵渎神；但意思不是这样，而是说，他们因虚假而不能承认真理；这与本章前面的情况是一样的，在那里，经上说他们因热“就亵渎神之名”(启16:9)；因痛苦和疮“就亵渎天上的神”(启16:11)；对它们的解释，可参看前文(AR 692, 697节)。
715. And people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, as the plague was exceedingly great. This symbolically means, because the people entrenched such falsities in themselves, they denied truths to the extent that they could not acknowledge them, owing to feelings of repugnance springing from their interior falsities and evils.
To blaspheme God means, symbolically, to deny and not to acknowledge that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth (no. 571, 582, 697), and to deny and not acknowledge likewise the truth in the Word. "As the plague was exceedingly great" means, symbolically, owing to the aforementioned dreadful and atrocious falsities from their entrenched dogma of justification by faith alone (no. 714). They cannot acknowledge truths owing to those falsities, because an affirmation of falsity is a denial of the truth.
It appears as though the meaning is that the plague of hail was so great that the people were driven by the torment and pain of it to blaspheme God, but that is not what is meant. Rather the meaning is that they could not acknowledge truths owing to their falsities. The case is similar to ones earlier in this chapter, where we are told that they blasphemed the name of God because of the heat (verse 9), and that they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores (verse 11), the explanations of which may be seen in nos. 692 and 697.
715. 'And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail, because the plague thereof was exceedingly great' signifies that because they have confirmed such untruths with themselves, they have denied truths to such an extent that they cannot acknowledge them on account of the resistances originating from their interior untruths and evils. By 'to blaspheme God' is signified to deny and not acknowledge the Lord to be the Only God of heaven and earth (571, 582, 697), and in like manner the truth of the Word. 'Because the plague thereof was exceedingly great' signifies on account of the dreadful and horrible untruths resulting from the confirmed dogma concerning justification by faith alone (714[b]). The reason why on account of these they are unable to acknowledge [the Lord], is because the confirmation of what is untrue is the denial of what is true. It appears as if it were understood that the plague of hail was so great that by reason of the torment or pain of its impact they blasphemed God. This, however, is not understood, but that they were unable to acknowledge truths on account of untruths; in like manner as before in this chapter where it is said that 'they blasphemed the Name of God' for the heat (verse 9); and that 'they blasphemed the God of heaven' for the annoyances and the sores (verse 11), which verses may be seen expounded (692, 697).
715. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great signifies that because they had confirmed themselves in such falsities, they have denied truths to that degree as not to be able to acknowledge them, by reason of the repugnances arising from their interior falsities and evils. "To blaspheme" God signifies to deny and not to acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth, (571, 582, 697) and in like manner the truth of the Word; "for the plague thereof was exceeding great," signifies by reason of those direful and atrocious falsities from the confirmed dogma of justification by faith alone, (714). The reason why they cannot acknowledge truths on account of those falsities, is, because the confirmation of falsity is the denial of truth. It appears as if it was meant that "the plague of hail" was so great, that from torment or pain they blasphemed God when it fell upon them; but this is not meant, but that they could not acknowledge truths on account of falsities; in like manner as before in this chapter, where it is said that they blasphemed the name of God "on account of the heat" (verse 9); and that "they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their distresses and sores" (verse 11); the explanation of which may be seen, (692, 697).
715. "Et blasphemarunt homines Deum prae plaga grandinis, quia magna erat plaga ejus valde," significat quod, quia confirmaverunt apud se talia falsa, negaverint vera adeo ut non possint agnoscere illa, propter repugnantias oriundas ex interioribus eorum falsis et malis. - Per "blasphemare Deum" significatur negare et non agnoscere Dominum esse Solum Deum Caeli et Terrae (571, 582, 697), 1similiter verum Verbi; "quia magna erat plaga ejus valde" significat propter dira et atrocia illa falsa ex confirmato dogmate de justificatione per solam Fidem (714b); 2quod non possint agnoscere propter illa, est quia confirmatio falsi est negatio veri. Apparet sicut intelligatur quod "plaga grandinis" tanta fuerit, ut ex cruciatu aut dolore impulsus ejus blasphemaverint Deum; verum hoc non intelligitur, sed quod non potuerint agnoscere vera propter falsa; similiter ut prius in hoc capite, ubi dicitur quod blasphemaverint Nomen Dei "prae aestu," (vers. 9); et quod blasphemaverint Deum Caeli "prae molestiis, et prae ulceribus," (vers. 11); (quae explicata videantur, 692 et 697).
Footnotes:
1. 571 pro "551"
2. 714b pro "715"