7643.“看哪，明天我要给你的境界带来蝗虫”表虚假将占领他们最外面的部分。这从“蝗虫”、“境界”和“带来”的含义清楚可知：“蝗虫”是指最外面部分中的虚假，如下文所述；“境界”是指最外面的部分；“带来”因论及虚假，故是指占领。经上说“耶和华要带来”，但这句话的意思是说它们被带来，也就是被邪恶带来。此处的情形和“祂使法老的心发沉”归与耶和华，也就是主时的情形是一样的。而事实上，这是人造成的，是他里面的邪恶导致的，如前所示（7632节）。邪恶并非源于主，乃是出于人，因为人将从主流入的良善转到自己身上，在一切事上不关注主和属于主的东西，而是关注他自己。这种自我关注会产生统治所有人，占有他人所有一切的欲望；还产生对他人的蔑视，对那些不赞同、不友好对待人的自我之人的仇恨、报复和残忍；又产生对属于信的一切的蔑视，因为当这些从主流入时，他就把它们集中在自己身上，从而远离主。
由此可见，人将从主流入的实际良善转变为邪恶。这也解释了为何在来世，恶人尽可能地远离天堂；因为当天堂接近他们时，也就是说，当良善与真理更加强有力地流入时，他们就用更大的力量冲向对立面，也就是冲进邪恶与虚假中。邪恶与虚假增长到何等程度，他们就将真理从自己身上逐出到何等程度；他们还在同等程度上冲进惩罚所带来的邪恶中，因为在来世，邪恶与惩罚是连在一起的。
主不断重整天堂，不断添加新的天堂居民，赐给他们住处和产业。当祂如此行时，天堂就更加强有力地靠近，也就是流入，结果使得地狱灵用更大的力量冲进邪恶与虚假，冲进伴随它们的惩罚中；他们因冲进邪恶与虚假中，故给自己带来荒凉，如前所述；并且这一过程不会停止，直到他们将自己完全荒凉，深深丢进地狱。由此可见，除了良善外，没有什么东西从主发出，邪恶源于那些陷入邪恶的人自己。这一切表明当如何理解耶和华或主“使法老的心发沉”，以及此处“祂带来蝗虫”这些话，“蝗虫”表示邪恶所生、在最外面部分中的邪恶。
在圣言中，在论述恶人荒凉的地方，经上有时会提到“蝗虫”和“蝻子”（caterpillar，译者注：一种无翅的蝗虫，可能是蝗虫的幼虫）；在这些地方，“蝗虫”在内义上表示使最外面部分荒凉的虚假。因为如前所述，人的属世层分为内层和外层。“蝗虫”表示存在于属世层最外面部分中的虚假，“蝻子”表示那里的邪恶。由于“蝗虫”表示存在于属世层最外面部分中的虚假，故经上说，蝗虫将被带入“境界”，“遮满地面”，后面（10:14）又说“蝗虫上到埃及全地，停在埃及全境，甚是厉害，这蝗虫遮满整个地面”。“境（界）”和“（表）面”表示最外面和最低的部分，内层就止于其上，也就是说，它们以这些部分为边界。
在诗篇，“蝗虫”和“蝻子”就表示这些事：
祂打发成群的昆虫来他们中间，嘬尽他们，又叫青蛙灭了他们。把他们的土产交给蝻子，把他们劳碌得来的交给蝗虫。（诗篇78:45-46）
又：
祂说一声，蝗虫、蝻子就来，不计其数。（诗篇105:34）
这几节经文论及埃及，经上提到“蝻子”，但摩西五经没有提到它，只提及“蝗虫”。经上之所以也提到“蝻子”，是因为“蝻子”表示邪恶，而“蝗虫”表示虚假；它们这二者都在属世层的最外面部分。但当经上只提及“蝗虫”时，它表示在一起的虚假与邪恶这二者，因为“蝗虫”是指由邪恶所生的虚假。
那鸿书：
在那里火必烧灭你，剑必剪灭你，吞灭你如同蝻子。任你自己增多如蝻子，任你自己增多如蝗虫。你增添商贾，多过天上的星；蝻子伸开飞走了。你的君王如同蝗虫；你的军长仿佛蝗虫中的蝗虫。（那鸿书3:15-17）
此处论述的主题是“流人血的城”，“流人血的城”表示虚假的教义。由于虚假和邪恶主要在属世层的最外面部分（因源于世界和地上物体的感官幻觉，以及由各种欲望产生的感官享受在那里增多），所以邪恶和虚假的增多也由“蝻子和蝗虫”来描述，如在士师记（6:5；7:12）和耶利米书（46:23）就是如此。感官层，就是属世层的最末和最低层，完全充满幻觉和随之而来的虚假（参看5084，5089，5094，6310，6311，6313，6318，6598，6612，6614，6622，6624，6948，6949节）。
约珥书：
剪虫剩下的，蝗虫吃尽；蝗虫剩下的，甲虫吃尽；甲虫剩下的，蝻子吃尽。酒醉的人哪，要清醒哭泣；一切好喝醉的人哪，都要为甜酒哀号；因为酒断绝了。有一民族又强盛又无数，上到我的地，使我的葡萄树成为荒场，使我的无花果树成为泡沫。（约珥书1:4-7）
又：
禾场必满了纯谷，榨池必涌出新酒和油；我要将那些年蝗虫、甲虫、蝻子、剪虫所吃的补还你们。（约珥书2:24-25）
此处“蝗虫”表示使真理和良善荒凉的最外面部分中的虚假。摩西五经：
你带到田间的种子虽多，收进来的却少，因为蝗虫把它吃尽了。你栽种葡萄园，却没有酒喝，没有收成，因为虫子把它吃尽了。（申命记28:38-39）
此处“蝗虫”表示由邪恶所生的虚假。
启示录：
有蝗虫从开了的无底坑的烟中出来，到了地上，有能力赐给它们，好像地上的蝎子有能力一样。并且吩咐它们说，不可伤害地上的草，并一切树木，惟独要伤害额上没有神印记的人。有命令赐给它们，不许蝗虫杀死他们，只叫他们受痛苦五个月；蝗虫的形状好像预备出战的马一样，头上戴的像冠冕，仿佛是金的；脸面好像男人的脸面。它们有头发像女人的头发，牙齿像狮子的牙齿。它们有胸甲，好像铁甲；它们翅膀的声音，好像许多车马奔跑上阵的声音。它们有尾巴像蝎子，尾巴上有毒钩，能伤人五个月。它们有无底坑的使者作它们的王，按着希伯来话，名叫亚巴顿；按着希腊话，他名叫亚玻伦。（启示录9:3-11）
若不凭借内义，没有人能明白这一切事物表示什么。根据内义，从其中每个细节明显看出，“蝗虫”表示建立在幻觉和随之而来的虚假基础上，还有哲学论据来支持的推理。因此，“蝗虫”也表示存在于人心智的最外面部分，并比其它一切虚假更世俗和肉体化的虚假；人很容易被这些虚假欺骗和迷惑。因为人能轻松接受与感官相一致的观念，很难接受与感官相矛盾的观念。
为叫人能知道，“蝗虫”表示这类事物，让我们逐一解释一下这段经文的细节。“蝗虫从中出来的无底坑”是指地狱；“它们不可伤害的地上的草”是指记忆知识；“树”是指对良善和真理的认识；“人”是指对良善的情感；它们被吩咐可以“伤害这些人，不可伤害地上的草和树”是指真理和良善能被理解，尽管没有照之生活；“额上有印记的人”是指那些已经重生的人；额上没有神印记的人“受痛苦五个月”是指它们要使他们荒凉；“蝗虫好像预备出战的马一样”是指基于用来与教会真理争战的虚假的推理；“头上戴的像冠冕，仿佛是金的；脸面好像男人的脸面”是指推理看上去像虚假，似乎源于良善；“头发像女人的头发，牙齿像狮子的牙齿”是指属世层的外在事物，或感官层，也就是那里制造良善表象的幻觉；“胸甲好像铁甲”是指制造真理表象的外在事物；“翅膀的声音，好像许多车马奔跑上阵的声音”是指他们用来争战并为之争战的虚假；“尾巴像蝎子，尾巴上有毒钩”是指这类事物所带来的伤害；“无底坑的王”是指地狱的虚假；“亚巴顿”是指毁灭；“亚玻伦”是指基于似乎建立在真理基础上的虚假的推理，尤其如果那些被视为智慧的人用完全被滥用的哲学论据来支持这些虚假；因为对他们智慧的盲目崇拜会使人们信仰他们。
“蝗虫”在正面意义上表示基本和最为总体的真理，以及它所带来的愉悦。这就是为何约翰以“蝗虫和野蜜”为食（马太福音3:4；马可福音1:6）。它们之所以是他的食物，是因为约翰代表圣言；他以他的食物，以及所穿的骆驼毛衣服和腰束的皮带来代表外在意义上的圣言，因为外在的愉悦由“蝗虫和野蜜”来表示（参看5620节）；外在真理由“骆驼毛的衣服”和“腰束的皮带”来表示（3301节）。这解释了为何约翰被视为是那将要来宣告主降临的以利亚。“以利亚”是指圣言（参看创世记18章序言，2762，5247e节）。蝗虫也在可吃的小动物之列（参看利未记11:22）。
Potts(1905-1910) 7643
7643. Behold tomorrow I bring the locust into thy border. That this signifies that falsity will take possession of their extremes,* is evident from the signification of "the locust," as being falsities in the extremes (of which below); from the signification of "border," as being the extremes; and from the signification of "bringing," because predicated of falsity, as being to take possession of. It is said that "Jehovah will bring," but thereby is meant that it will be brought, that is, by evil. The case is the same here as when it is attributed to Jehovah (that is, to the Lord) that He made heavy Pharaoh's heart, when yet this is from man, from his evil in him, as shown above (n. 7632). That evil is not from the Lord, but that it arises from man, is because man turns to himself that good which flows in from the Lord, and instead of regarding the Lord and what is of the Lord in all things, he regards himself. Hence comes the concupiscence of reigning over all, and of possessing all that belongs to others; and hence come contempt for others, and hatred, revenge, and cruelty toward those who do not favor and be friendly to one's self; hence also comes contempt for all things that are of faith and charity, because when these flow in from the Lord they are turned to self, thus away from the Lord. [2] From all this it can be seen that man turns into evil the very good which flows in from the Lord. From this also it is that the evil in the other life remove as far as possible from heaven; for when heaven comes near them, that is, when good and truth flow in more strongly, they then rush the more strongly into the opposite, that is, into evil and falsity; and in the degree that evil and falsity increase, they expel truth from themselves, and devastate themselves; and then also in the same degree they rush into the evils of penalty, for in the other life evils and their penalties are joined together. [3] The Lord is continually bringing the heavens into order, and is constantly receiving new residents of heaven, to whom He gives dwelling places and inheritances; and when He does this, heaven approaches, that is, flows in more strongly, causing the infernal spirits to rush more strongly into evils and falsities, and into the penalties of these; and in consequence of this rushing into evils and falsities, they as before said vastate themselves; and this does not cease with them until they have completely devastated themselves, and cast themselves deeply into the hells. From all this it can be seen that nothing else than good proceeds from the Lord, and that the evil is from those themselves who are in evil. All this shows how is to be understood what is said of Jehovah (that is, of the Lord), that "He made heavy Pharaoh's heart," and here that "He brings the locust," by which is signified falsity from evil in the extremes. [4] In the Word, where the vastation of the evil is treated of, mention is sometimes made of the "locust" and of the "caterpillar," and by the "locust" in the internal sense is there meant the falsity which vastates the extremes. For as before shown, the natural with man is interior and exterior; the falsity which is in the extremes of the natural, being meant by the "locust," and the evil therein by the "caterpillar." As by the "locust" is meant the falsity which is in the extremes of the natural, therefore it is said that the locust would be brought "into the border," and would "cover the surface of the earth;" and afterward (verse 14), "the locust went up upon the land of Egypt, and rested in all the border of Egypt, and it covered the surface of the whole land." By the "border" and by the "surface" are signified the extremes and ultimates in which the interiors rest, that is, terminate. [5] The same is meant by the "locust" and the "caterpillar" in David:
He sent among them swarms, which consumed them; and the frog, which destroyed them; and He gave their produce to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust (Ps. 78:45-46). He said that the locust should come, and the caterpillar, so that there was no number (Ps. 105:34). These things are said of Egypt, and the "caterpillar" is mentioned, although there is no mention made of it in Moses, but only of the "locust." The reason why the "caterpillar" also is mentioned, is that by it is signified evil; and by the "locust" falsity; each in the extremes of the natural. But when the "locust" alone is mentioned, it signifies both falsity and evil together, for the "locust" denotes falsity from evil. [6] In Nahum:
There shall the fire devour thee, the sword shall cut thee off, it shall devour thee like the caterpillar; multiply thyself like the caterpillar, multiply thyself like the locust. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of the heavens; the caterpillar hath spread himself, and hath flown away. Thy crowned ones are as the locust, thy commanders are as the locust of the locusts (Nah. 3:15-17);
the subject here treated of is the "city of bloods," by which is signified the doctrine of falsity; and because falsity and evil are especially multiplied in the extremes of the natural, for therein are the fallacies of the senses that originate from the objects of the world, and of the earth, and also pleasures from various kinds of appetites, therefore the multiplication of evil and falsity is also described by "the caterpillar and the locust," as also in the book of Judges (6:5; 7:12), and in Jeremiah (46:23). (That the sensuous, which is the lowest of the natural, is very full of fallacies and the derivative falsities, see n. 5084, 5089, 5094, 6310, 6311, 6313, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624, 6948, 6949.) [7] In Joel:
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust devoured; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm devoured; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar devoured. Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, in that it is cut off. For a nation will come up upon My land, strong, and without number, and will reduce My vine into a waste, and My fig-tree into froth (Joel 1:4-7). The threshing floors are full of pure grain, and the vats overflow with new wine and oil; and I will compensate to you the years that the locust hath consumed, the cankerworm, the caterpillar, and the palmerworm (Joel 2:24-25);
where the "locust" denotes falsity in the extremes vastating truths and goods. In Moses:
Thou shalt bring out much seed into the field, but shalt gather little, because the locust shall consume it. Thou shalt plant vineyards, but thou shalt neither drink the wine, nor gather; for the worm shall devour it (Deut. 28:38-39);
where the "locust" denotes falsity from evil. [8] In John:
Out of the smoke of the opened abyss there went forth locusts on the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power; and it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any tree, but only such men as had not the seal of God upon their foreheads; and it was given them that they should not kill them, but should torment them five months; and the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as it were the faces of men; and they had hair as the hair of women; and their teeth were as the teeth of lions; and they had breastplates, as it were of iron; and the voice of their wings was as the voice of the chariots of many horses running to war; and they had tails like scorpions; and stings were in their tails, that they might hurt men five months. They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon (Rev. 9:3-11);
what is signified by all these things no one can see except from the internal sense. From the details clearly seen therein according to the internal sense, it is evident that by "locusts" are there signified reasonings from fallacies and the falsities thence derived, also confirmed by philosophical things. Thus also by the "locusts" are signified the falsities which are in the extremes with man, and which are more earthly and corporeal than all other falsities; and by which man may be easily deceived and seduced, for he apprehends what is obvious to the senses, and with difficulty what is opposed to the senses. [9] That it may be known that such is the signification of "locusts," the contents of this passage may be set forth in detail. The "abyss out of which the locusts came up" denotes hell; the "grass of the earth which they were not to hurt" denotes memory-knowledge; the "tree" denotes the knowledges of good and truth; the "men" denote the affections of good; their "hurting these, and not the grass of the earth and the tree," denotes that truth and good can be understood although the life is not in accordance therewith; "they who have the seal upon their foreheads" denotes those who have been regenerated; their "tormenting five months those who had not the seal of God upon their foreheads" denotes that they should vastate them; that "the locusts were like horses prepared for war," denotes reasonings from falsities, whereby there is combat against the truths of the church; "crowns upon their heads like gold, and their faces as men's faces," denotes that the reasonings appear like truth, and as it were from good; "hair as of women, and teeth as the teeth of lions," denotes the external things of the natural, that is, sensuous things, or the fallacies therein, which make an appearance of good; "breastplates of iron" denote external things which make an appearance of truth; "the voice of the wings like that of the chariots of many horses running to war," denotes the falsities of doctrine from which and for which they fight; "tails like scorpions and stings in their tails" denote the harm which such things bring; the "king of the abyss" denotes infernal falsity; "Abaddon" denotes perdition; "Apollyon" denotes reasoning from falsities appearing as from truth, especially if by those who are believed wise it is confirmed by philosophical things wrongly applied, for the blind admiration of their wisdom leads to faith in them. [10] By the "locust" in a good sense is signified ultimate and most general truth, and also its pleasantness; hence John's food was "locusts and wild honey" (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6). These were his food for the reason that John represented the Word, and by his food, as also by his clothing which was of camel's hair with a leathern girdle, he represented the Word in the external sense, for external pleasantness is signified by the "locust and wild honey" (see n. 5620); and external truth by the "garment of camel's hair" and by the "leathern girdle" (n. 3301). Hence it is that by John is meant Elias, who was to come and announce the advent of the Lord. (That "Elias" denotes the Word, see the preface to the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, and n. 2762, 5247.) That locusts are among the small animals to be eaten, see Lev. 11:22. * These "extremes" (Latin, extrema) are defined in n. 7693e as being sensuale hominis--"the sensuous of man," which is the lowest part of his mind, and therefore is the extreme or extremity of it.--Reviser.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7643
7643. 'Behold, I am bringing locusts into your border' means that falsity will take possession of their outermost parts. This is clear from the meaning of 'locusts' as falsity in outermost parts, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'border' as outermost parts; and from the meaning of 'bringing', since it is used in connection with falsity, as taking possession of. It says that Jehovah will bring the locusts, but by this their being brought - brought by evil - is meant. This is similar to the attribution made to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, where it says that 'He made Pharaoh's heart stubborn'; in actual fact it is made such by man, by the evil within him, see above in 7632. Evil does not originate in the Lord but springs from man because man diverts towards himself the good that flows in from the Lord, and instead of regarding, in every single thing, the Lord and what is the Lord's regards himself. This self-regard gives rise to a craving to have dominion over all people and to possess all that others have; it gives rise to contempt for others, and hateful, vengeful, and cruel behaviour towards those who are not disposed to apply themselves to his interests; and also it gives rise to contempt for all things connected with faith and charity, for when these flow in from the Lord he focuses them onto himself and so away from the Lord.
[2] From all this one may see that man turns into evil the actual good that flows in from the Lord. It also goes to explain why in the next life the evil distance themselves from heaven as far away as they can get; for when heaven draws nearer to them, that is, when the inflow of goodness and truth becomes more forceful, they plunge with greater force into the opposite, that is, into evil and into falsity. Then to the extent that the evil and falsity increase, they drive truth out from themselves and bring about vastation within themselves. And to the same extent they also plunge into the evils brought by punishment; for in the next life evils and punishments are interconnected.
[3] The Lord is continually rearranging the heavens, and constantly adding new inhabitants of heaven whom He provides with dwellings and inheritances. When He does this heaven draws nearer, that is, flows in with greater force, as a consequence of which hellish spirits plunge with greater force into evils and falsities, and into the punishments that go with them; and since they plunge into evils and falsities, they bring about vastation within themselves, as has been stated. This process does not stop until they have brought about complete vastation and cast themselves deeply into the hells. From this it may be recognized that nothing but good emanates from the Lord, and that evil springs from those people themselves who are ruled by evil. From all this one may now see how to understand the statement that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, made Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and the statement here that He will bring locusts, by which falsity arising from evil in outermost parts is meant.
[4] In the Word, in those places in which the laying waste of evils is referred to, the locust and the bruchusa are mentioned several times; and in those places 'locust' is used to mean in the internal sense falsity that lays waste the outermost parts. For as has been shown before, the human natural is interior and exterior. The falsity that is present in the outermost parts of the natural is meant by 'locust', and the evil there by 'bruchus'. Because 'locust' is used to mean falsity present in the outermost parts of the natural it says that the locusts will be brought 'into the border, and they will cover the surface of the land', and later on in verses 14, 15.
The locusts came up over the land of Egypt, and rested at all the border of Egypt, and covered the surface of the whole land.
'The border' and 'the surface' mean the outermost and lowest parts, on which the more internal ones rest, that is, by which they are bounded.
[5] These things are what 'the locust' and 'the bruchus' are used to mean in David,
He sent among them swarms [of insects], which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them; and He gave their crops to the bruchus, and their labour to the locust. Ps 78:45, 46.
And elsewhere,
He spoke so that the locust might come and the bruchus, so that it would be without number. Ps 105:34.
These verses, which speak about Egypt, refer to 'the bruchus', but no mention is made of it in Moses, only of 'the locust'. The reason why 'the bruchus' also is referred to is that 'the bruchus' means evil and 'the locust' falsity, both of them in the outermost parts of the natural. But when 'the locust' alone is referred to it means both falsity and evil together, for 'the locust' is falsity arising from evil.
[6] In Nahum,
There the fire will devour you, the sword cut you off; it will devour you like the bruchus. Multiply yourself like the bruchus, multiply yourself like the locust; you have multiplied your merchants, more than the stars of the heavens. The bruchus has spread out, and flown away Your monarchs are like the locust, your emperors like the locust of locusts. Nahum 3:15-17.
This refers to 'the city of blood', which means teachings that uphold falsity. And since falsity and evil are multiplied chiefly in the outermost parts of the natural (because of the presence there of the illusions of the senses arising from worldly and earthly objects, and of the sensory enjoyments resulting from various kinds of appetites), the multiplication of evil and falsity is for that reason described by 'the bruchus and locust', as it also is in Judges 6:5; 7:12; and in Jeremiah 46:23. With regard to the sensory level, which is the last and lowest of the natural, that it is utterly full of illusions and consequently of falsities, see 5084, 5089, 5094, 6310, 6711, 6313, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6621, 6624.
[7] In Joel,
What the caterpillar (eruca) left the locust has devoured, and what the locust left the beetle (melolontha) has devoured, and what the beetle left the bruchus has devoured. Awake, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine that has been cut off. For a nation will come up over My land, strong, and without number; and it will turn My vine into a waste, and My fig tree into froth. Joel 1:4-7.
In the same prophet,
The threshing floors are full of clear grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil. And I will recompense you for the years that the locust has consumed, the beetle (melolontha), the bruchus, and the caterpillar (eruca). Joel 2:24, 25.
Here 'the locust' stands for falsity in the outermost parts which is laying waste truths and forms of good. In Moses,
You will carry much seed out into the field, but you will gather little, because the locust will consume it. You will plant vineyards, but you will not drink wine or gather [anything], for the worm will devour it. Deut 28:38, 39.
Here 'the locust' stands for falsity arising from evil.
[8] In John,
Out of the smoke of the abyss that had been opened came locusts onto the earth, which were given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any tree, but men (homo) only who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them, but to torment them for five months. The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war, and on their heads there were so to speak crowns like gold, their faces being like the faces of men (homo). They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to war. Finally, they had tails like scorpions, and the stings were in their tails, so that they could do harm to men (homo) for five months. They have a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon; but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. Rev 9:3-11.
No one can see what all these things mean except from the internal sense. From each detail there viewed in accordance with the internal sense it is clear that 'locusts' means reasonings that are based on illusions and consequent falsities, and supported also by philosophical arguments. Thus in addition 'locusts' means the falsities which, being present in the outermost parts of the human mind and having a more earthly and bodily nature than all other falsities, can easily deceive and mislead people. For a person can embrace with ease ideas that agree with the senses, but with difficulty those that contradict them.
[9] To enable people to know that such things are meant by 'locusts', let the details of this passage be explained one by one. 'The abyss' out of which the locusts came is hell. 'The grass of the earth' which they were not to harm is factual knowledge, 'tree' recognition of what is good and true, and 'men' affections for what is good. Their being told to harm only men, not the grass of the earth or any tree, means that truth and good may come to be understood even when there is no living in accordance with them. 'Those who have the seal on their foreheads' are those who have been regenerated. Their being told to torment for five months those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads means that they were to lay them waste. 'Locusts like horses prepared for war' are reasonings based on falsities that are used to fight against the Church's truths. 'On their heads crowns like gold' and 'faces like those of men' mean that the reasonings have a similar appearance to truth and in origin seem to be good. 'Hair like that of women' and 'teeth like the teeth of lions' are the external things of the natural or the level of the senses, that is, the illusions there which give the appearance of good. 'Breastplates of iron' are external things giving the appearance of truth. 'The sound of wings like that of chariots with many horses running to war' means the falsities of doctrinal teachings which they use to fight with and which they fight for. 'Tails like scorpions' and 'the stings in their tails' are the injuries such things can inflict. 'The king' of the abyss is hellish falsity, 'Abaddon' destruction, 'Apollyon' reasoning based on falsities that seems to be based on truth, especially if those deemed to be wise support those falsities with philosophical arguments completely misapplied; for blind admiration of their wisdom leads people to have faith in them.
[10] In the good sense 'locust' means fundamental and very general truth, and also the pleasure it gives. This was why John had locusts as his food, and wild honey, Matt 3:4; Mark 1:6. The reason why they were his food was that John represented the Word; and by his food as well as his clothing, which consisted of camel hair together with a skin girdle, he represented the Word in the external sense. For external pleasure is meant by 'locusts and wild honey', 5620, and external truth by a garment made of camel hair and by a skin girdle, 3301. This explains why John is understood to be the Elijah who is going to come and announce the Lord's Coming, 'Elijah' being the Word, see Preface to Chapter 18 of Genesis, and 2762, 5247 (end). And Lev 11:22 states that locusts were among the small creatures which people were allowed to eat.
Latin(1748-1756) 7643
7643. `Ecce Ego adduco locustam in terminum tuum': quod significet quod falsum occupabit extrema illorum, constat ex significatione `locustae' quod sit falsum in extremis, de qua sequitur; ex significatione `termini' quod sint extrema; et ex significatione `adducere,' quia de falso praedicatur,' quod sit occupare; dicitur quod `Jehovah adducet' sed intelligitur quod adducetur, nempe a malo; hoc similiter se habet ac quod tribuatur {1}Jehovae, hoc est, Domino, quod `aggravaverit cor Pharaonis,' cum tamen sit {2}ab homine, ejus malo in illo, videatur supra n. 7632; quod non malum a Domino, sed quod existat ab homine, est quia homo id bonum quod influit a Domino vertit {3} ad se, et loco quod Dominum, et quae Domini sunt, in omnibus et singulis intueretur, semet intueatur; inde concupiscentia dominandi super omnes, et possidendi omnia quae aliorum, ac inde contemptus (d)aliorum, et contra illos qui sibi non favent et student, odia, {4} vindictae, {5}et crudelitates; inde quoque contemptus omnium quae fidei et charitatis, quia haec cum a Domino influunt, 2 {6}vertuntur ad se, ita avertuntur a Domino; ex his videri potest quod homo ipsum bonum quod {7}influit a Domino vertat in malum; inde quoque est quod mali in altera vita se removeant quantum possunt a caelo; nam cum appropinquat caelum ad illos, hoc est, cum bonum et verum fortius influunt, tunc ruunt fortius in contrarium, hoc est, in malum et in falsum; ac in eo gradu quo malum et falsum increscunt, a se expellunt {8}verum, et semetipsos devastant; et tunc quoque in eodem gradu in mala poenae ruunt, nam mala et poenae in altera vita conjuncta sunt. 3 Dominus continue ordinat caelos, et jugiter novos caeli incolas adsciscit, quibus dat habitationes et hereditates, et cum hoc facit, (t)caelum appropinquat, {9}hoc est, fortius influit; inde spiritus infernales in mala et falsa, et in illorum poenas, fortius {10}irruunt, et quia in mala et falsa, inde semetipsos, ut dictum est, {11}vastant; et hoc non cessat apud illos quam cum (t)se prorsus devastaverint, et se profunde in inferna conjecerint; ex his {12} constare potest quod a Domino non nisi quam bonum procedat, {13}et quod malum ab ipsis qui in malo sunt. Ex his nunc videri potest quomodo intelligendum quod dicitur de Jehovah, hoc est, de Domino, quod `aggravaverit cor Pharaonis,' et hic quod `adducet locustam,' per quam significatur falsum ex malo in extremis. 4 In Verbo, ubi de vastatione malorum agitur, aliquoties {14} nominatur locusta et bruchus, et per `locustam' ibi in sensu interno intelligitur falsum quod vastat extrema; est enim, ut prius ostensum est, naturale apud hominem interius et exterius; falsum quod in extremis naturalis est intelligitur per `locustam,' et malum ibi per `bruchum'; quia per `locustam' intelligitur falsum quod in extremis naturalis est, (x) ideo dicitur (m)quod locusta adducetur in terminum, et obteget superficiem terrae,' ac postea {15}vers. 14, Ascendit locusta super terram Aegypti, et quievit in omni termino Aegypti, et obtexit superficiem totius terrae;per `terminum' et per `superficiem' (x)significantur extrema et ultima in quibus {16}interiora quiescunt, hoc est, terminantur:(n) haec intelliguntur 5 per `locustam et bruchum' apud Davidem, Misit in illos colluviem quae consumpsit illos, et ranam quae perdidit illos, et dedit brucho proventum illorum, et laborem illorum locustae, Ps. lxxviii 45, 46:
et alibi, Dixit ut veniret locusta et bruchus, ut non numerus, Ps. cv 34;
haec {17}dicuntur de Aegypto, et nominatur {18} `bruchus,' tametsi nulla (t)ejus mentio fit apud Moschen, sed solum `locustae'; causa quod etiam `bruchus' nominetur, est quia per `bruchum' significatur malum, et per `locustam' falsum, utrumque in extremis naturalis; {19}at cum modo `locusta' nominatur, significatur et falsum et malum simul, nam `locusta' est falsum ex malo: apud Nahum, 6 Ibi comedet te ignis, exscindet te gladius; comedet te sicut bruchus, {20}multiplica te sicut bruchus, {20}multiplica te sicut locusta; multiplicasti mercatores tuos prae stellis caelorum; bruchus diffudit se, et avolavit; coronati tui sicut locusta, imperantes tui sicut locusta locustarum, iii 15-17;
ibi agitur de `urbe sanguinum,' per quam significatur doctrina falsi; et quia falsum et malum imprimis {21}multiplicata sunt in extremis naturalis, nam ibi sunt {22} fallaciae sensuum {23}oriundae ex objectis mundi et telluris, ac voluptates ex variis appetituum generibus, inde est quod etiam multiplicatio mali et falsi per `bruchum et locustam' describatur, (m){24}ut quoque in Libro Judicum, vi 5, vii 12; et apud Jeremiam xlvi 23;(n) quod sensuale, quod ultimum naturalis est, sit fallaciis (c)et inde falsis plenissimum, videatur n. 5084, 5089, 5094, 6310, 6311, 6313, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624, 6948, 6949:
apud Joelem, 7 Residuum erucae comedit locusta, et residuum locustae comedit melolontha, et residuum melolonthae comedit bruchus; expergiscimini ebrii et flete, et ejulate omnes potantes vinum, propter mustum quod excisum est; nam gens ascendet super terram Meam, robusta, et non numerus, et rediget vitem Meam in vastitatem, et ficum Meam in spumam, i 4-7:
apud eundem, Plenae sunt areae frumento puro, et exundant torcularia mustum et oleum; et compensabo vobis annos quos consumpsit locusta, melolontha, bruchus, et eruca, ii 24, 25;
ibi `locusta' pro falso in extremis vastante vera et bona: apud Moschen, Semen multum educes in agrum, sed parum colliges, quia consumet illud locusta: {25}vineas plantabis, sed vinum non bibes, nec congregabis, quia comedet illud vermis, Deut. xxviii 38, 39;
8 ibi `locusta' pro falso ex malo: apud Johannem, E fumo abyssi (x)apertae, exiverunt locustae in terram, quibus data potestas sicut habent potestatem scorpii terrae; dictum illis ut damno non afficerent gramen terrae, neque ullam arborem, sed homines solos, quicumque non haberent sigillum Dei super frontibus suis; datum est illis ut non occiderent illos, sed torquerent menses quinque: figurae locustarum similes equis paratis ad bellum; et super capitibus {26}illarum quasi coronae similes auro; facies (c)illarum quasi facies hominum; habebant capillos sicut capillos mulierum, et dentes (c)illarum quasi dentes leonum erant; habebant thoraces quasi {27} ferreos; et vox alarum illarum sicut vox curruum equorum multorum currentium ad bellum; caudas denique habebant similes scorpiis, et stimuli erant in caudis illarum, ut damno afficerent homines menses quinque; habent super se regem, angelum abyssi, cui nomen Hebraice Abaddon; in Graeca vero nomen habet Apollyon, Apoc. ix 3-11;
quid per {28}illa omnia significatur, nemo videre potest {29}nisi ex sensu interno; ex singulis ibi secundum sensum internum perspectis, constat quod per `locustas' ibi significentur ratiocinia ex fallaciis et inde falsis, etiam confirmatis per {30}philosophica; ita quoque per `locustas' significantur falsa quae in extremis apud hominem, et quae reliquis falsis magis terrestria et corporea sunt, (m)per quae homines facile possunt falli et seduci, nam homo illa quae sensibus obvia sunt capit, et aegre illa quae adversantur;(n) (s)ut sciatur quod talia per `locustas' 9 significentur, licet illa quae ibi singillatim exponere: `abyssus' ex (x)qua locustae est infernum; `gramen terrae' quod damno non afficerent est scientificum {31}, `arbor' sunt cognitiones {32}boni et veri, `homines sunt affectiones boni {33}; (m) quod hos damno afficerent, et non gramen terrae et arborem, est ut intelligi possit verum et bonum, tametsi {34}non secundum illa vivitur; `qui habent sigillum super frontibus' sunt qui regenerati sunt; (m)quod `torquerent menses quinque illos qui non haberent sigillum Dei super frontibus' est quod vastarent;(n) quod `locustae similes equis paratis ad bellum' sunt ratiocinia ex falsis per quae pugnatur contra Ecclesiae vera; `super capitibus coronae similes auro, et facies sicut hominum' est quod ratiocinia appareant vero similia et quasi ex bono; `capilli sicut mulierum, et dentes quasi dentes leonum' sunt externa naturalis seu sensualia, seu ibi fallaciae, quae faciunt apparentiam boni; `thoraces ferrei' sunt externa quae faciunt apparentiam veri; `vox alarum sicut curruum equorum multorum currentium ad bellum' sunt falsa doctrinalium, ex quibus et pro quibus pugnant; `caudae similes scorpiis, et stimuli in caudis illorum' sunt noxae quae talia inferunt; `rex abyssi' est falsum infernale; `Abaddon' est perditio; `Apollyon' est ratiocinatio ex falsis apparens sicut ex {35}vero, imprimis si ab illis qui sapientes creduntur, {36}confirmantur per philosophica perverse applicata, nam caeca admiratio sapientiae in illis inducit fidem.(s) 10 Per `locustam' in bono sensu significatur verum ultimum et communissimum, tam amoenum ejus; inde Johanni fuerunt `locustae alimento, et mel agreste,' Matth. iii 4; Marc. i 6; {37}quod essent illa alimento, erat quia `Johannes' repraesentabat Verbum, et per suum victum, tum quoque per amictum, qui erat `ex pilis cameli cum cingulo coriaceo,' repraesentabat Verbum in sensu externo, amoenum enim externum significatur per `locustam et mel agreste,' n. 5620, et verum externum per vestem ex pilis cameli,' et per `cingulum coriaceum,' n. 3301; inde est quod per `Johannem' intelligatur Elias qui venturus et {38}annuntiaturus Adventum Domini; quod `Elias' sit Verbum, videatur Praefatio ad Gen. xviii, et n. 2762, 5247 fin.; quod `locustae' inter animalcula sint quae comederentur, Lev. xi 22. @1 Jehovae seu$ @2 homo, hoc est, malum in illo, quod facit$ @3 i a Domino$ @4 i et$ @5 quoque$ @6 ad se a Domino invertuntur$ @7 After Domino$ @8 Verum et bonum, ita$ @9 inde etiam$ @10 irrumpunt$ @11 devastant$ @12 i quoque$ @13 sed$ @14 i etiam$ @15 After the quotation$ @16 After terminantur$ @17 in his locis$ @18 i etiam$ @19 et quia$ @20 multiplicat I$ @21 multiplicatur$ @22 i omnes$ @23 , ac ibi sunt$ @24 ita$ @25 vineam AI$ @26 earum A, illorum I$ @27 i thoraces$ @28 locustas ibi$ @29 absque$ @30 sophistica mundi$ @31 I Ecclesia$ @32 veri et boni$ @33 i quod charitatis$ @34 contra$ @35 veris$ @36 confirmatur I$ @37 quod mel agreste sit jucundum in exteriori naturali, videatur n. 5620; quod Johanni fuerint illa alimenta, erat quia repraesentabat Verbum, et per repraesentabat Verbum in litera, quod tale est$ @38 annuntiabit$