1151、“歌篾、玛各、玛代、雅完、土巴、米设、提拉”是指如此多的民族，这种敬拜就存在于这些民族中间；他们在内义上表示如此多的不同教义，这些教义与他们虔诚遵守的仪式是一样的。这从圣言很清楚地看出来，这些民族在圣言的各个地方都有所提及，因为无论在何处，它们都表示外在敬拜，有时表示与内在敬拜相对应的外在敬拜，有时表示反面。它们之所以表示反面，是因为随着时间推移，各个地方的所有教会都发生了变化，甚至转向反面。此处提到的民族只表示外在敬拜，因而表示他们的教义，也就是仪式，如前所述，这一点从圣言的其它地方，尤其从先知书可以得到证实。
论到玛各、米设、土巴、歌篾，以西结书如此记着说：
人子啊，你要面向玛各地的歌革，就是米设、土巴的首领、头，发预言攻击他，说，主耶和华如此说，看哪，米设、土巴的首领、头歌革啊，我要和你作对；我要把你掉转过来，用钩子钩住你的腮，将你和你的全军、马匹和骑兵都领出来，他们都披挂整齐，成了大队，有大牌小盾，都拿着剑；波斯人，古实人和弗人与他们在一起；歌篾人和他所有的侧翼，并北方极处的陀迦玛族和他所有的侧翼也都与他们在一起。到末后之年，你必来到脱离剑从多民收回之地，到以色列已变为荒场的山上。（以西结书38:2-6，8）
这一整章都在论述教会，它变得败坏，最终将一切敬拜都集中于外在事物或宗教仪式上；因为“以色列的山”所表示的仁爱被毁灭。此处“玛各地的歌革，就是米设、土巴的首领、头”是指局限于外在事物的敬拜。谁都可以看出，所论述的主题不是歌革和玛各，因为主的圣言不论述世俗事物，而是论述神性事物。
同一先知书：
你要向歌革发预言说，主耶和华如此说，看哪，米设、土巴的首领、头歌革啊，我要和你作对；我必使你转过来，把你分成六个，使你从北方的极处上来，领你到以色列的山上。你和你所有的侧翼，并跟你在一起的人民，都必倒在以色列的山上。（以西结书39:1-2，4）
这一整章论述的主题同样是脱离内在敬拜、变成偶像崇拜的外在敬拜。这种敬拜在此由“歌革、米设和土巴”来表示，“歌革、米设和土巴”也表示人们所接受，后来从圣言字义证实的教义，他们就这样歪曲真理，摧毁内在敬拜。因为如前所述，这些民族还表示反面。
启示录：
那一千年完了，撒但必从监牢里被释放，出来要迷惑地上四角的列族，就是歌革和玛各，叫他们聚集争战。他们上到地的宽阔处，围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城。（启示录20:7-9）
此处“歌革和玛各”具有相同的含义。脱离内在敬拜，也就是脱离爱主爱邻的外在敬拜无非是“围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城”的偶像崇拜。
论到米设和土巴时，以西结书上说：
米设、土巴和她所有的群众都在那里；其坟墓在她四围；他们都是未受割礼、被剑刺死的，他们曾在活人之地散布惊恐。（以西结书32:26）
此处论述的主题是埃及，或记忆知识或事实，人们想利用它们来探究属灵事物。“米设和土巴”表示教义，也就是仪式；当缺乏爱时，它就被描述为“未受割礼的”。这就是为何他们“被剑刺死，在活人之地散布惊恐”。
论到雅完时，约珥书上说：
你们将犹大人和耶路撒冷人卖给雅完人，使他们远离自己的边界。（约珥书3:6）
“犹大人”表示信的属天事物；“耶路撒冷的儿子”表示信的属灵事物，因而表示内在事物；“雅完人”表示脱离内在敬拜的外在事物上的敬拜。由于这种敬拜离内在敬拜如此遥远，所以经上说“他们远离自己的边界”。
在以赛亚书，“雅完和土巴”表示真正的外在敬拜本身：
时候将到，我要来聚集万族万舌；他们都必来看我的荣耀。我要在他们当中立一个记号，差遣他们当中的逃跑者到列族去，就是到他施、普勒、拉弓的路德和土巴、雅完，并素来没有听见我名声、没有看见我荣耀的辽远海岛；他们必将我的荣耀传扬在列族中。（以赛亚书66:18-19）
此处论述的主题是主的国和祂的降临。“土巴和雅完”表示那些处于与内在敬拜相对应的外在敬拜，要接受关于内在事物的教导之人。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1151. Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras were individual nations who practiced this kind of worship; and in an inner sense they symbolize individual systems of doctrine, which were the same as the rituals that they devoutly observed. This is clear from the Word, where the names of these nations recur quite often. In each place, they symbolize outward worship — in one place, outward worship corresponding to inward; in another, outward worship opposed to inward. The reason it sometimes symbolizes worship opposed is that all religions, wherever they exist, have changed with the passage of time and have even become the opposite of what they were.
As noted, other passages from the Word can demonstrate that the nations listed here simply symbolized outward worship and consequently the doctrinal elements of those nations, which were their rituals. The prophets are especially full of such proofs.
[2] This is what Ezekiel says about Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and Gomer:
Child of humankind,{*1} turn your face toward Gog, the land of Magog,{*2} the chief, the head of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy over it, and you are to say, "This is what the Lord Jehovih{*3} has said: ‘Here, now, I am against you, Gog, you chief, you head of Meshech and Tubal. And I will bring you back and put hooks into your jaws and lead you and your whole army out — horses and riders, all dressed perfectly, a large assembly, with shield and buckler, all of them grasping swords. And with them will be Persia, Cush, and Put; with them will be Gomer and all its wings; Beth-togarmah — the flanks of the north — and all its wings.{*4} In the aftertime of years, you will come over a land that has returned from the sword, that has been gathered from many peoples, on Israel's mountains, which have become a wasteland.'" (Ezekiel 38:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
This whole chapter speaks of the church, which has become perverted and in the end has relegated all worship to external acts, or ritual, blotting out charity, which is symbolized by Israel's mountains. In this passage, Gog and the land of Magog — the chief and the head of Meshech and Tubal — is an outward show of worship.
Anyone can see that Gog and Magog are not the focus. The Lord's Word deals not with worldly subjects but with divine matters.
[3] In the same author:
Prophesy over Gog, and you are to say, "This is what the Lord Jehovih has said: ‘Here, now, I am against you, Gog, you chief, you head of Meshech and Tubal, and I will bring you back and destroy a sixth of you. I will bring you up from the flanks of the north and lead you onto Israel's mountains. On Israel's mountains you will fall — you and all your wings and the peoples who are with you.'" (Ezekiel 39:1-2, 4)
This whole chapter likewise talks about outward worship that has been separated from inward and turned into idolatry, which is what Gog, Meshech, and Tubal symbolize here. The same tribes also mean the doctrinal concepts that people who worship in this way seize on and then confirm by use of the Word's literal meaning. In this way they falsify truth and destroy inner worship. After all, as I said above, the same nations have a symbolism opposite to their positive meaning.
[4] In John:
When the thousand years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison and go out to mislead the nations that are at the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — in order to gather them for battle. They went up over the plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the godly, the well-loved city. (Revelation 20:7-8, 9)
Gog and Magog symbolize similar things here. Outward worship cut off from inward — cut off, that is, from love for the Lord and love for others — is just idolatry, which surrounds the camp of the godly and the well-loved city.
[5] This is what Ezekiel says about Meshech and Tubal:
There are Meshech and Tubal and its entire horde, its graves all around it, all its people uncircumcised, stabbed by the sword, because they put terror of themselves in the land of the living. (Ezekiel 32:26)
This refers to Egypt, or facts, which people want to use in exploring spiritual issues. Meshech and Tubal stand for ritual as a doctrinal matter. It is described as uncircumcised when it is devoid of love, and this is why it is "stabbed by the sword" and why there is "terror in the land of the living."
[6] Javan is spoken of in Joel:
The children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem you have sold to the children of the Javanites, to move them far away from their own border. (Joel 3:6)
The children of Judah stand for heavenly aspects of faith and the children of Jerusalem for its spiritual aspects, so they stand for inner qualities. The children of the Javanites stand for an outward show of worship detached from any inner participation. This kind of worship is distant from inward worship, which is why the passage says that they moved the children of Judah and Jerusalem far away from their own border.
[7] In Isaiah, Javan and Tubal stand for worship in its genuine external form:
[The time] to gather all nations and tongues is coming, and they will come and see my glory. And I will put a mark on them and send some of them — escapees — to the nations Tarshish, Put and Lud (drawing the bow), Tubal and Javan (the distant islands), which have not heard of my fame and have not seen my glory. And they will tell of my glory among the nations. (Isaiah 66:18-19)
This is about the Lord's kingdom and his Coming. Tubal and Javan stand for those who engage in external worship that corresponds to internal, who need to be taught about internal qualities.
Footnotes:
{*1} The Latin phrase here translated "child of humankind" is Fili Hominis (a form of Filius Hominis), which Swedenborg here and elsewhere uses to render the Hebrew בֶּן-אָדָם (ben-'āḏām). In the passage from Ezekiel quoted here, the phrase is applied to Ezekiel himself; in the New Testament it is applied to Jesus. The exact meaning of the phrase has been the subject of much scholarly debate. Traditionally it has been rendered "the Son of Man," and sometimes elsewhere in this edition "the Human-born One" or "the Son of Humankind." For its possible range of meanings, see note 1 in 39. [JSR]
{*2} The identities of the biblical Gog and Magog are obscure. From the passage in Ezekiel it would seem that Gog is a leader and Magog a land, but the meaning of the text is by no means unequivocal. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37 or 38-after 93 c.e.) identifies Magog with the Scythians, a nomadic Iranian people living in today's Ukraine (Josephus n.d., 40). A reference to Gog and Magog in the Qur'an (18:94) also seems to imply that they are a people from the north, while several historians writing in the Gothic tradition identified Magog as the founder of Sweden and Gog as the forefather of the Goths (Helander 2004, 260-261). [RS, LHC]
{*3} The origin of "Jehovih" as an alternate spelling of "Jehovah" is explained in note 3 in 16. [Editors]
{*4} The "flanks of the north" are the most remote northern areas. The "wings" here are military forces. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1151
1151. Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. That these were so many nations among whom such worship existed, and that in the internal sense they signify so many doctrinals, which were the same as rituals, which they devoutly observed, is very evident from the Word, where these nations are frequently mentioned; for they everywhere signify external worship-sometimes external worship corresponding to internal, sometimes the opposite. The reason why they signify the opposite is that all churches, wherever they were, in process of time have been changed, even to their opposites. That the nations here named signify nothing but external worship, consequently their doctrinals which were rituals, can be established, as was said, from the Word in other places, especially in the Prophets. [2] Thus, of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and Gomer, it is written in Ezekiel:
Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, the land of Magog, the prince, head of Meshech and Tubal; and prophesy against him and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, O Gog, prince, head of Meshech and Tubal, and I will turn thee about, and put hooks, into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords; Persia, Cush, and Put with them; with them Gomer and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the sides of the north, and all his hordes. In the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been made a waste (Ezek. 38:2-6, 8). This whole chapter treats of the church, which became perverted, and at length made all worship consist in externals, or rituals; charity, which is signified by "the mountains of Israel," being extinguished. Here "Gog, and the land of Magog the prince and head of Meshech and Tubal," is worship in externals. Anyone may see that it is not Gog and Magog that are treated of, for the Word of the Lord does not treat of worldly things, but enfolds within it Divine things. [3] In the same:
Prophesy upon Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, O Gog, prince, head of Meshech and Tubal; and I will turn thee about, and take a sixth part of thee, I will cause thee to come up from the sides of the north, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel; upon the mountains of Israel thou shalt fall, thou and all thy hordes, and the people that are with thee (Ezek. 39:1-2, 4). The whole of this chapter, likewise, treats of external worship separated from internal, and become idolatrous, which is here signified by Gog, Meshech, and Tubal, by whom also are meant the doctrinals which they receive and afterwards confirm by the literal sense of the Word, and thus falsify truths and destroy internal worship. For, as was said, the opposite also are signified by the same nations. [4] In John:
When the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to war. They went up over the plain of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Rev. 20:7-9);
where "Gog and Magog" have a similar signification. External worship separate from internal, that is, separate from love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, is nothing else than idolatrous, which encompasses the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. [5] Of Meshech and Tubal it is said in Ezekiel:
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; her graves are round about her; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they caused their terror in the land of the living (Ezek. 32:26). The subject here is Egypt, or the memory-knowledges wherewith men desire to explore spiritual things. "Meshech and Tubal" denote doctrinals which are rituals, and which, when there is no love, are called "uncircumcised." Hence they are slain with the sword, and a terror in the land of the living. [6] Of Javan it is said in Joel:
The sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem ye have sold unto the sons of the Javanites that ye might remove them far from their border (Joel 3:6). "The sons of Judah" denote celestial things of faith; "the sons of Jerusalem," spiritual things of faith-thus things internal; and "the sons of the Javanites," worship in externals separate from what is internal. Because this worship is so widely remote from what is internal, it is said that they have "removed them far from their border." [7] Javan and Tubal denote true external worship itself in Isaiah:
It shall come that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come, and shall see My glow. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the Isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the nations (Isa. 66:18-19). The subject here is the kingdom of the Lord and His coming. "Tubal and Javan" denote those who are in external worship corresponding to internal, who are to be instructed concerning internal things.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1151
1151. 'Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras' were just so many nations with whom such worship existed, and who in the internal sense mean just so many differing types of doctrine which were one and the same as the forms of ritual which they observed devoutly. This is quite clear from the Word where these nations are mentioned in various places, for those nations everywhere mean external worship, sometimes external worship corresponding to internal, sometimes the contrary The reason the latter is sometimes meant is that all Churches everywhere altered in the course of time, and altered indeed into something contrary. The fact that the nations named here mean nothing other than external worship, and therefore their doctrinal teachings, which were forms of ritual, becomes clear, as has been stated, from other parts of the Word, chiefly in the Prophets.
[2] Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and Gomer are referred to in Ezekiel as follows,
Son of man, set your facea towards Gog, the land of Magog, the prince, the head of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince, the head of Meshech and Tubal; and I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you back, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company, with shield and buckler, all of them wielding swords: Persia, Cush, and Put with them; Gomer and all on his flanks; Bethtogarmah, the uttermost parts of the north, and all on his Ranks. In the latter years you will come upon the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been made a waste. Ezek 38:2-6, 8.
The subject in the whole of this chapter is a Church that became corrupted and which at length focused the whole of worship in external things or religious observances once charity, meant by 'the mountains of Israel', had been destroyed. Here 'Gog and the land of Magog, the prince and head of Meshech and Tubal' is worship confined to external things. Anyone may see that Gog and Magog are not the subject, for the Word of the Lord does not deal with worldly things, but embodies Divine matters.
[3] In the same prophet,
Prophesy against Gog and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince, the head of Meshech and Tubal; and I will bring you back, and will split you into six, and make you come up from the uttermost parts of the north and bring you on to the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all on your flanks, and the peoples that are with you. Ezek 39:1, 2, 4.
The subject in the whole of this chapter is likewise external worship separated from internal and made idolatrous. Such worship is meant here by 'Gog, Meshech and Tubal' who are also used to mean the matters of doctrine which people adopt and then confirm from the literal sense of the Word, and in so doing falsify truths and destroy internal worship. For, as has been stated, those same nations also mean contrary things.
[4] In John,
When the thousand years have come to an end, Satan will be loosed from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth. Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. They went up over the breadthb of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, [and] the beloved city. Rev 20:7-9.
Here also 'Gog and Magog' has a similar meaning. External worship separated from internal, that is, separated from love to the Lord and from love towards the neighbour, is nothing but idolatrous worship which 'surrounds the camp of the saints and the beloved city'.
[5] Meshech and Tubal are referred to in Ezekiel as follows,
Meshech and Tubal are there, and all their crowd; round about it are its graves; all of them are uncircumcised, pierced by the sword, for they spread their terror in the land of the living. Ezek 32:26.
This refers to Egypt, that is, to factual knowledge by means of which people wish to inquire into spiritual things. 'Meshech and Tubal' stands for doctrinal teachings, which were forms of ritual, which are called 'uncircumcised' when love does not exist. Consequently they are 'pierced by the sword, and a terror in the land of the living'.
[6] Javan is referred to in Joel,
You have sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Javanites,c to remove them far away from their border. Joel 3:6.
'The sons of Judah' stands for things on the celestial side of faith, 'the sons of Jerusalem' for those on the spiritual side, and so for things that are internal. 'The sons of the Javanites' stands for worship in external things that is separated from internal worship; and because this worship is so far removed from that which is internal it is said that they 'removed them far away from their border'.
[7] 'Javan and Tubal' in Isaiah stands for true external worship itself,
One is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they will come and see My glory, and I will set a sign among them And I will send survivors from them to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands far off that have not heard My fame and have not seen My glory; and they will declare My glory among the nations. Isa 66:18, 19.
This refers to the Lord's kingdom and His Coming. 'Tubal and Javan' stands for those whose worship is external corresponding to internal and who are to be informed about internal things.
Latin(1748-1756) 1151
1151. 'Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech et Tiras': quod fuerint totidem gentes apud quas talis cultus, et quod per illas in sensu interno significentur totidem doctrinalia, quae eadem fuerunt ac ritualia, quae sancte observabant, constat manifeste a Verbo ubi hae gentes passim nominantur; nam per illas significatur ubivis cultus externus, nunc cultus externus correspondens interno, nunc oppositus; quod oppositus, causa est quia omnes Ecclesiae ubicumque fuerunt, temporis tractu mutatae sunt, et quidem in oppositum. Quod gentes hic nominatae nihil aliud significent quam cultum externum, proinde eorum doctrinalia, quae fuerunt ritualia, constare potest, ut dictum, a Verbo alibi, cumprimis apud Prophetas; de Magog, Meshech, Tubale et Gomere, ita apud Ezechielem, [2] Fili hominis, pone facies tuas versus Gogum, terram Magogi, principem, caput Meshechi et Tubalis, et propheta super illum, et dicas, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Ecce Ego contra te, Goge, princeps, caput Meshechi et Tubalis; et reducam te, et dabo hamos in maxillas tuas, et educam te, et omnem exercitum tuum, equos et equites, indutos perfecte omnes, congregationem magnam, scuto et clypeo, prehendentes gladios omnes eos; cum quibus Persia, Cush et Put, cum iis Gomer et omnes alae ejus; Bethtogarmah, latera septentrionis, et omnes alae ejus.... In posterioritate annorum venies super terram reversam a gladio, congregatam e populis multis, super montes Israelis, qui facti sunt in vastitatem, xxxviii 2-6, 8;agitur in toto hoc capite de Ecclesia quae perversa facta; et tandem in externis seu ritualibus posuit omnem cultum, exstincta charitate quae significatur per 'montes Israelis'; ibi 'Gogus et terra Magogi, princeps et caput Meshechi et Tubalis,' est cultus in externis: quisque videre potest, quod non de Gogo et Magogo agatur; Verbum Domini non de mundanis agit sed Divina involvit: apud eundem, [3] Propheta super Gogum, et dicas, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Ecce Ego contra te Goge, princeps, caput Meshechi et Tubalis; et reducam te, et sextabo te, faciam te ascendere e lateribus septentrionis, et adducam te super montes Israelis,...super montibus Israelis cades, tu et omnes alae tuae, et populi qui tecum, xxxix 1, 2, 4;
similiter in toto hoc capite agitur de cultu externo separato ab interno, et facto idololatrico, qui per 'Gogum, Meshech et Tubal' hic significatur, per quos etiam intelliguntur doctrinalia quae capiunt et dein confirmant e litterali sensu Verbi, et sic falsificant vera, et destruunt cultum internum; nam sicut dictum, per easdem gentes etiam significantur opposita: apud Johannem, [4] Quando consummati fuerunt mille anni, solvetur Satanas e custodia sua, et exibit ad seducendum gentes, quae in quatuor angulis terrae, Gogum et Magogum, ut congreget eos in bellum; ...ascenderunt super planitiem terrae, et circumdederunt castra sanctorum, civitatem dilectam, Apoc. xx 7-9;
ibi similia per 'Gogum et Magogum' significantur: externus cultus separatus ab interno, hoc est, separatus ab amore in Dominum et ab amore erga proximum, non est nisi quam idololatricus, qui 'circumdat castra sanctorum, et civitatem dilectam.' [5]De Meshech et Tubal apud Ezechielem, Ibi Meshech et Tubal, et omnis turba ejus; Circum circa eum sepulcra ejus; omnes praeputiati, confossi gladio, quia dederunt terrorem sui in terra viventium, xxxii 26;
ubi de Aegypto seu scientificis per quae explorare volunt spiritualia; 'Meshech et Tubal' pro doctrinalibus quae sunt ritualia, quae 'praeputiata' vocantur quando nullus amor; inde 'confossa gladio, et terror in terra viventium.' [6] De Javan apud Joelem, Filios Jehudae et filios Hierosolymae vendidistis filii {1}Javanimorum, ut longe removeatis eos desuper termino eorum, iv 6 [A.V. iii 6];
'filii Jehudae' pro caelestibus fidei; 'filii Hierosolymae' pro spiritualibus fidei, ita pro internis; 'filii Javanimorum' pro cultu in externis separato ab interno, qui cultus quia tam longe ab interno remotus est, dicitur quod removerint eos longe a termino suo. [7] 'Javan et Tubal' pro ipso vero externo cultu, apud Esaiam, Veniens ad congregandum omnes gentes et linguas; et venient et videbunt gloriam Meam, et ponam in illis signum, et mittam ex illis evasores ad gentes Tarshish, {2}Pul et Lud trahentes arcum, Tubal et Javan, insulas longinquas, quae non audiverunt famam Mei, et non viderunt gloriam Meam, et indicabunt gloriam Meam in gentibus, lxvi 18, 19;
ubi de regno Domini et Adventu Ipsius; 'Tubal et Javan' pro iis qui in cultu externo correspondente interno qui instruendi de internis. @1 Sch. has Graecorum, which may account for the unusual Heb. plural with Latin termination.$ @2 I has Puth, but 1158, 2686 and A.E. 406 have Pul.$