794、“石磨的响声在你中间决不能再听见”表示那些因教义和照之的生活而处于这种宗教说服的人，不寻求、探究和确认属灵真理，因为他们所接受和确认，从而植入的虚假挡住了道路。“石磨或推磨的响声”只表示对属灵真理的寻求、探究和确认，尤其来自圣言的属灵真理。石磨或推磨的响声之所以表示这一点，是因为所磨的小麦和大麦表示属天和属灵的良善，因此粗面粉和细面粉表示源于这良善的真理；因为一切真理都源于良善，不是源于属灵良善的一切真理，都不是属灵的。经上说“石磨的响声”，是因为在整部圣言中，器具类的东西，也就是自然界的终端，都是指属灵事物；例如，杯子、小瓶、瓶子、盘碟，以及其它许多器具，是指属灵的真理和良善(参看AR 672节)。“小麦”表示来自圣言的教会良善(AR 315节)；从小麦中磨出的“细面粉”表示源于这良善的真理(AR 778节)。
“磨”表示对属灵真理的寻求、探究和确认，可参看以下经文，马太福音：
耶稣说，在时代的完结，两个人在田里；取去一个，撇下一个；两个女人推磨，取去一个，撇下一个。(马太福音24:40, 41)
“时代的完结”是指当最后的审判施行时，教会的末期；“田”表示教会，因为庄稼在田里；“推磨的女人”表示教会中那些寻求真理的人；“取去的”表示那些找到并接受真理的人；“撇下的”表示那些既不寻求也不接受真理的人，因为他们处于虚假。耶利米书：
我要把欢喜的声音和快乐的声音，新郎和新妇的声音，推磨的声音和灯的亮光，从他们那里夺走。(耶利米书25:10)
在这段经文中，“推磨的声音”，与启示录此处的这节经文所表相同。
申命记：
你不可拿磨或上磨石作当头，因为他拿灵魂作当头。(申命记24:6)
“磨”在此被称为“灵魂”，因为“灵魂”表示智慧和信仰的真理(AR 681节)。在反面意义上，“磨”表示对虚假的探究和确认，这一点从以下经文明显看出来；耶利米哀歌：
他们把少年人带去推磨，孩童倒在木柴下。(耶利米哀歌5:13)
以赛亚书：
巴别的女儿啊，你坐在尘土中；要拿磨磨面；揭去帕子，露现大腿，趟过江河，让你的裸体露出，让你的羞辱被看见。(以赛亚书47:1-3)
“拿磨磨面”表示为确认虚假而寻求和探究虚假。
794. "And the sound of a mill shall not be heard in you anymore." This symbolically means that those caught up in the Roman Catholic religion because of its doctrine and a life in accordance with it do not inquire into, investigate, or confirm spiritual truth, because the falsity they have accepted, affirmed, and so enrooted in themselves stands in the way.
The sound of a mill symbolizes nothing else but an inquiry, investigation, and confirmation of spiritual truth, especially that drawn from the Word. This is the symbolic meaning of the sound of a mill or milling because wheat and barley, the grains milled, symbolize celestial and spiritual goodness, and wheat flour and barley meal symbolize the truth springing from that goodness. For all truth originates from goodness, and every truth that does not spring from spiritual goodness is not spiritual truth.
It is called the sound of a mill because spiritual entities are designated here and there in the Word by devices consisting of the most external things of nature, such as spiritual truths and goods by cups, bowls, wineskins, dishes, and many other kinds of vessels (see no. 672 above).
That wheat symbolizes the goodness of the church from the Word may be seen in no. 315; and that flour milled from wheat symbolizes truth springing from that goodness, no. 778.
[2] That a mill symbolizes an inquiry, investigation, and confirmation of spiritual truth can be seen from the following passages:
(Jesus said,) "(At the end of the age) two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be milling: one will be taken and the other left." (Matthew 24:40-41)
The final period of the church is meant by the end of the age, when the Last Judgment takes place. The field symbolizes the church, because that is the place of harvest. The women milling symbolize people in the church who inquire into truths. The people taken symbolize people who find and accept those truths, and the people left symbolize people who do not inquire into or accept truths, because they are caught up in falsities.
I will take from them the sound of mirth and the sound of gladness, the sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride, the sound of mills and the light of the lamp. (Jeremiah 25:10)
The sound of mills has the same symbolic meaning here as in this verse of the book of Revelation.
No man shall take in pledge a mill or millstone, for he would be taking the person's life in pledge. (Deuteronomy 24:6)
The mill here is called a person's life, because the life or soul symbolizes the truth of wisdom and faith (no. 681).
[3] In an opposite sense a mill symbolizes an investigation and confirmation of falsity, as is apparent from these passages:
They took away young men to mill, and youths collapse under the wood. (Lamentations 5:13)
...sit on the dust, O... daughter of Babylon... Take the mill and grind meal. Uncover your hair..., uncover your thigh, pass through the rivers. Let your nakedness be uncovered and your shame be seen. (Isaiah 47:1-3)
To take the mill and grind meal means, symbolically, to inquire into and investigate in order to confirm falsities.
794. 'And the voice of a mill shall not be heard in thee any more' signifies that those who are in that form of religion by virtue of its doctrine and a life in accordance therewith do not have any searching into, examination and confirmation of spiritual truth, because the untruth received and confirmed, and thus implanted, stands in the way. By 'the voice of a mill' nothing else is signified but a searching into, examination and confirmation of spiritual truth, especially out of the Word. This is signified by 'the voice of a mill' or by grinding because by the wheat and barley that are ground is signified celestial and spiritual good, and consequently by fine flour and meal is signified the truth derived from that good; for every truth is derived from good, and every truth that is not derived from spiritual good is not spiritual. 'The voice of a mill' is said because throughout the Word spiritual things are denoted by the instrumental things that are the ultimates of nature, just as spiritual truths and goods [are denoted] by cups, phials, bottles, plates and many other vessels, as may be seen above (672). That by 'wheat' is signified the good of the Church out of the Word [may be seen] (315); and that the truth derived from that good is signified by fine flour from wheat (778).
[2] That 'a mill' signifies the searching into, examination and confirmation of spiritual truth can be seen from these passages:
Jesus said, In the consummation of the age two [men] shall be in the field, one shall be taken and the other left; two [women] shall be grinding at the mill, one shall be taken and the other left. Matthew 24:40-41.
By 'the consummation of the age' is understood the end of the Church, when there is the last judgment; by 'the field' is signified the Church because the harvest is there; by [the women] 'grinding at the mill' are signified those in the Church who search for truths; by the ones 'taken' are signified those who find and receive them, and by the ones 'left' those who neither search after nor receive them because they are in untruths.
I will take away from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride, the voice of the mill stones and the light of the lamp. Jeremiah 25:10.
By 'the voice of the millstones' in this passage a similar thing is signified as here in the Apocalypse.
[3] Thou shalt not accept a mill or a millstone as a pledge, for it is accepting the soul as a pledge. Deuteronomy 24:6.
'A mill' here is called 'the soul' because by 'the soul' is signified the truth of wisdom and faith (681). In the opposite sense by 'a mill' is signified the examination and confirmation of untruth, as is plain from these passages:
They have led the young men away for grinding and the boys fall down at the wood, Lamentations 5:13.
Sit upon the dust, O daughter of Babel, take the mill and grind meal, uncover thy locks, uncover the thigh, pass over the streams, let thy nakedness be uncovered and let thy shame be seen. Isaiah 47:1-3.
'Take the mill and grind meal' signifies that they may search after and examine untruths in order to confirm them.
794. And the voice of a millstone shall not be heard anymore in thee, signifies that they who are in that religious persuasion from doctrine, and from a life according to it, make no inquiry after, examination of, and confirmation of spiritual truth, because falsity received and confirmed, and thus implanted, stands in the way. By "the voice of the mill," nothing else is signified but the inquiry after, examination, and confirmation of spiritual truth, especially from the Word. The reason why this is signified by the voice of the mill or by grinding is because wheat and barley which are ground signify celestial and spiritual good, and therefore meal and fine flour signify truth from that good; for all truth is from good, and all truth which is not from spiritual good, is not spiritual. It is said "the voice of the mill," because things spiritual throughout the Word are denoted by things instrumental, which are the ultimates of nature; as for example, spiritual truths and goods are denoted by cups, vials, bottles, platters, and many other vessels, as may be seen above, (672). By "wheat" is signified the good of the church from the Word, (315[1-2]); and by "fine flour of wheat" is signified the truth from that good, (778).
[2] That "a mill" signifies inquiry after, examination, and confirmation of spiritual truth, see the following passage:
Jesus said, In the consummation of the age, two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left; two shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left, (Matthew 24:40-41).
By "the consummation of the age" is meant the end of the church, when the Last Judgment is executed; by "the field" the church is signified, because the harvest is there; by "them that grind at the mill" are signified those in the church who search after truths; by "those that are taken" they who find and receive them are signified; and by "them that are left," those who do not search after nor receive them, because they are in falsities:
I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride, the voice of the mills, and the light of a lamp, (Jeremiah 25:10).
By "the voice of the mills" in this passage the like is signified as here in Revelation:
[3] Thou shalt not take the mill nor the millstone to pledge, for he taketh the soul to pledge, (Deuteronomy 24:6).
The mill is here called the soul, because by "the soul" is signified the truth of wisdom and faith, (681). In the opposite sense, the investigation and confirmation of falsity is signified by a mill, as is evident in these passages:
They led away the young men to grind at the mill, and the boys fell down under the wood, (Lamentations 5:13).
Sit in the dust, O daughter of Babel; take the mill and grind meal; uncover thy locks, uncover thy thighs, pass over the streams, let thy nakedness be uncovered, and let thy shame be seen, (Isaiah 47:1-3).
"Take the mill and grind meal" signifies to search after and investigate falsities, for the sake of confirming them.
794. "Et vox molae non audietur in te amplius," significat quod illis qui in Religioso isto ex doctrina ejus et ex vita secundum illam sunt, non sit aliqua inquisitio, scrutatio et confirmatio veri spiritualis, quia obstat falsum receptum et confirmatum et sic implantatum.--Per "vocem molae" non aliud significatur quam inquisitio, scrutatio et confirmatio veri spiritualis, imprimis, ex Verbo. Quod haec per "vocem molae" seu per molitionem significetur, est quia per triticum et hordeum, quae moluntur, significatur bonum caeleste et spirituale, et inde per similam et farinam significatur verum ex bono illo: omne enim verum est ex bono; et omne verum quod non est ex bono spirituali, non est spirituale. Dicitur "vox molae," quia spiritualia per instrumentalia, quae sunt ultima naturae, passim in Verbo designantur; sicut spiritualia vera et bona per poculos, phialas, utres, patinas, et plura alia vasa (672). Quod per "triticum" significetur bonum Ecclesiae ex Verbo (315); et quod per "similam ex tritico", significetur verum ex illo bono (778). Quod "mola" significet inquisitionem, scrutationem et confirmationem veri spiritualis, videri potest ex his locis:
Jesus dixit, In consummatione saeculi, "duo erunt in agro; unus assumetur et alter derelinquetur: duae erunt Molentes; una assumetur et altera derelinquetur," (Matthaeus 24:40-41);
per "consummationem saeculi" intelligitur finis Ecclesiae, quando Ultimum Judicium: per "agrum" significatur Ecclesia, quia ibi messis; per "molentes" significantur qui in Ecclesia inquirunt vera; per "assumptos" significantur qui illa inveniunt et recipiunt, et per "derelictos" qui non inquirunt nec recipiunt quia in falsis sunt.
"Abrogabo ex illis vocem gaudii et vocem laetitiae, vocem sponsi et sponsae, vocem Molarum, et lucem lucernae," (Jeremias 25:10); 1
per "vocem molarum" hic simile significatur quod hic in Apocalypsi.
"Non in pignus accipies Molam aut Molarem, quia animam ille accipit in pignus," (Deuteronomius 24:6);
"mola" hic vocatur "anima," quia per "animam" significatur verum sapientiae et fidei (681).
In opposito sensu per "molam" significatur scrutatio et confirmatio falsi, ut patet ex his locis:
"Juvenes ad Molendum abduxerunt, et pueri in ligno corruunt," (Threni 5:13);
"Sede super pulvere, filia Babelis, sume Molam et Mole farinam, revela crines tuos, revela femur, transi flumina; reveletur nuditas tua, et videatur opprobrium tuum," (Esaias 47:1-3);
"sume molam et mole farinam" significat ut inquirant ac scrutentur, ut confirment falsa.
Footnotes:
1. Jerem. pro "Esaj."