735、“凡住在地上、名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的，见先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽，就必惊奇”表示那些属于这种宗教的人，就是自它建立以来所有渴望或旨在统治天地的人，都惊讶地发现，圣言虽被如此弃绝，却仍然存在。“惊奇”表示感到惊讶；“住在地上的”表示那些属于教会的人，在此表示那些属于这种宗教说服的人，如前所述(AR 721节)；“名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的”表示自教会建立以来，此处自这种宗教说服建立以来，所有不信主，没有处于取自圣言的教义之人(AR 588，589节)；他们只是指那些渴望统治天地的人。“先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽”表示被如此弃绝，却仍然存在的圣言。由此明显可知，“凡住在地上、名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的，见先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽，就必惊奇”表示那些属于这种宗教说服的人，就是自它建立以来所有渴望统治天地的人，都惊讶地发现，圣言虽被如此弃绝，却仍然存在。事实上，所有渴望统治教会的圣物和天堂的人都恨恶圣言，因为他们恨恶主，即便嘴上不说，心里仍旧恨恶。情况就是这样，这一点在世上很少有人知道，因为世人还在肉体中；但死后，就是当每个人在他的灵里时，这一点就变得显而易见了。正因如此，让他们感到惊奇的是，圣言虽被如此弃绝，却仍然存在，如前所述(AR 734节)。圣言之所以仍然存在，是因为它是神性，主就在其中。
735. "And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, those whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." This symbolizes the astonishment of those who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, of all those who from its commencement strove for dominion over heaven and earth, that even though the Word had been thus rejected, still it endures.
To marvel means, symbolically, to be astonished. Those who dwell on the earth symbolize people who are in the church, here those people who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, as in no. 721 above. Those whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world symbolize all those people who do not believe in the Lord, and who are not governed by doctrine from the Word, from the inception of the church, or in this case, from the inception of that religion (nos. 588, 589). These people are no other than those who have striven for dominion over heaven and earth. The beast that was, and is not, and yet is, symbolically means that the Word thus rejected still endures.
It is apparent from this that the marveling of those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, symbolizes the astonishment of those who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, of all those who from its commencement strove for dominion over heaven and earth, that even though the Word had been thus rejected, still it endures. For people who strive for dominion over the sanctities of the church and over heaven hate the Word, because they hate the Lord, if not with the lips, still at heart. The reality of this is known to few in the world, because they are then in the body; but it becomes evident after death, when they are in their spirit.
This is the reason they will marvel that the Word still endures, even though it has been rejected, as said in no. 734 above.
The Word still endures because it is Divine, and the Lord is present in it.
735. And those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' signifies the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. By 'to wonder' is signified to be bewildered. By 'those dwelling upon the land' are signified those who belong to the Church, here those who are of that form of religion, as above (721). 'Whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world' signifies all who do not believe in the Lord, and are not in doctrine out of the Word, from the establishment of the Church, here from the establishment of that form of religion (588-589); and these are no others than those who aim at dominion over heaven and earth. By 'the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified that the Word thus rejected is still in existence. From these things it is plain that by 'those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. For all who aim at dominion over the holy things of the Church and over heaven hate the Word, because they hate the Lord, at heart if not by word of mouth. That this is the case few in the world know because they are then in the body; but it is made manifest after death when every one is in his spirit. It is in consequence of this that they wonder that the Word is still in existence, although thus rejected, as was said above (734). That the Word is still in existence is because it is Divine, and the Lord is in it.
735. And they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast which was and is not, but yet is, signifies the amazement of those who are of that religion, all who from its establishment have aspired to domination over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, still is. By "wondering" is signified to be amazed; by "them that dwell upon the earth" are signified those who are of the church, here those who are of that religious persuasion, as above, (721); "whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world," signifies those who do not believe in the Lord, and are not in doctrine from the Word; all since the establishment of the church, here since the establishment of this religious persuasion, (588, 589); and these are no others than they who aspire to domination over heaven and over the earth. By "the beast which was and is not, but yet is," is signified that the Word, so rejected, still is. It is manifest from this, that by "they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast which was and is not, but yet is," is signified the amazement of those who are of that religious persuasion all who since its establishment have aspired at domination over heaven and earth, that the Word, though it has been thus rejected, still is. For all who aspire at domination over the holy things of the church and over heaven, hate the Word, because they hate the Lord; if not in the mouth, still in the heart. That it is so, few know in the world, because they are then in the body; but it is made manifest after death, when everyone is in his spirit. Hence it is that they wonder that the Word still is, though it has been so rejected; as was said above, (734). The reason that the Word still is, is because it is Divine, and the Lord is in it.
735. "Et mirabuntur habitantes super terra, quorum non scripta nomina in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi, videntes Bestiam quae erat et non est, attamen est," significat obstupescentiam illorum qui e Religioso illo sunt, omnes qui ad instauratione ejus affectarunt dominum in super Caelum et Terram, quod Verbum, tametsi ita rejectum est, usque sit. -Per "mirari" significatur obstupescere; per "habitantes super terra" significantur qui ab Ecclesia sunt, hic qui ex Religioso illo, ut supra (721); "quorum nomina non scripta sunt in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi," significat qui non credunt in Dominum, et non in doctrina sunt ex Verbo, omnes ab instauratione Ecclesiae, hic ab instauratione hujus Religiosi, (588, 589), et hi non alii sunt quam qui affectant dominium super Caelum et super Terram: per "Bestiam quae erat et non est, attamen est, "significatur quod Verbum, ita rejectum, usque sit. Ex his patet, quod per" mirabuntur habitantes super terra, quorum non scripta nomina in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi, videntes Bestiam, quae erat et non est, attamen est," significetur obstupescentia illorum qui e Religioso illo sunt, omnes qui ab instauratione ejus affectarunt dominium super Caelum et terram, quod Verbum, tametsi ita rejectum est, usque sit. Omnes enim qui affectant dominium super sancta Ecclesiae et super Caelum, odio habent Verbum, quia odio habent Dominum, si non ore usque corde. Quod ita sit, pauci sciunt in mundo, quia tunc in corpore sunt; at manifestatur post mortem, dum quisque in suo spiritu est. Inde est, quod mirentur quod usque Verbum sit, tametsi rejectum ita, ut supra (734) dictum est. Quod Verbum usque sit, est quia est Divinum, et Dominus in illo.