8211.“到了晨更的时候”表那些沉浸于邪恶所生虚假之人的黑暗和毁灭的状态，以及那些处于源于良善的真理之人的启示和得救的状态。这从“晨更”的含义清楚可知，“晨更”是指一种启示和得救的状态，在反面意义上是指一种黑暗和毁灭的状态。“晨更”之所以具有这种含义，是因为在来世，信与爱的状态就像世上一日四时，即早晨、中午、晚上和夜间；因此，这些时间段也对应于这些状态（参看2788，5672，5962，6110节）。这些状态也几乎以同样的方式发生变化。这些变化的结束和开始是“早晨”，尤其是“黎明”，因为这时黑夜结束，白昼开始。在早晨所对应的状态下，善人开始在信之事物上被启示，在仁之事物上变得更温暖；相反，这时恶人开始被虚假遮蔽，被邪恶冷却；因此，对他们来说，早晨是一种黑暗和毁灭的状态；而对善人来说，早晨是一种启示和得救的状态。
天上的这些状态会在地上产生光和热的状态，以及黑暗和寒冷的状态，这些状态每年、每天都会循环往复。因为凡存在于自然界的事物都从存在于灵界的事物那里获得自己的起源和原因，因为整个自然界无非是代表主国度的一个舞台（3483，4939，5173，5962节）；对应关系由此而来。诚然，地上光影，以及热冷的变化归因于太阳，也就是说，是由于太阳每年和每天在天空中的不同高度，以及在地球的不同地区。但这些近似并存在于自然界中的原因是照着那些存在于灵界中的事物而造的。后者是在先的有效原因，也就是存在于自然界中的在后原因的原因。因为处于秩序状态下的事物若不从灵界，也就是经由灵界从神性获得自己的原因和起源，就不可能存在于自然界。
由于就善人而言，“早晨”表示启示和得救的开始，就恶人而言，则是黑暗和毁灭的开始，所以经上在此说：到了晨更的时候，耶和华眺望埃及人的营，使它混乱；然后又使轮脱落，把埃及人倾覆在海中间；另方面，祂救了以色列人。由此可见圣言中的以下经文在灵义上表示什么：
在你使植物生长的日子，种子开花的早晨。（以赛亚书17:11）
同一先知书：
看哪，晚上的时候有惊吓，未到早晨他就没有了。（以赛亚书17:14）.
又：
耶和华啊，求你每早晨作他们的膀臂，遭难的时候为我们的拯救。（以赛亚书33:2）
以西结书：
主耶和华如此说：有一灾，独有一灾，看哪！临近了！结局来了，结局来了！这地的居民哪，早晨临到你；哄嚷的日子近了。（以西结书7:5-7）
何西阿书：
伯特利啊，因你们的大恶，你们必遭遇如此。到了黎明，以色列的王必全然剪除。（何西阿书10:15）
诗篇：
求你使我清晨得听你的慈爱；耶和华啊，求你救我脱离我的仇敌。（诗篇143:8，9）
创世记：
天明了，主救了罗得，将硫磺与火如雨般降与所多玛和蛾摩拉。（创世记19:15，24）
“早晨”因表示善人启示和得救的状态，以及恶人黑暗和毁灭的状态，故也表示最后审判的时间；这时，那些处于良善的人就要得救，而那些陷入邪恶的则就要灭亡。因此，它表示一个前教会的结束和一个新教会的开始，这些事在圣言中由最后的审判来表示（900，931，1733，1850，2117-2133，3353，4057，4535节）。这就是以下经文中“早晨”的含义：
他对我说，到二千三百个晚上和早晨；然后圣所才能正宗化。（但以理书8:14）
西番雅书：
早晨，耶和华将在早晨显明祂的公平，无日不然；我要剪灭列族，他们的城角楼必荒凉。（西番雅书3:5，6）
以赛亚书：
有人从西珥呼问我，守望的啊，夜里如何？守望的啊，夜里如何？守望的说，早晨将到，黑夜也来。你们若要问就可以问，可以回头再来。（以赛亚书21:11，12）
在这些经文中，“早晨”表示主的到来，那时的启示和拯救，因而也论及一个新教会；“夜”表示那时人类和教会的状态，他们将沉浸于邪恶所生的纯粹虚假。
经上之所以说“晨更”，是因为夜间被分成几更，其中夜间最后一更和白昼第一更就是晨更。这些守望者都在墙顶上，查看是否有敌人来，并通过呼喊告知他们所看见的。就内在的代表意义而言，他们表示主，他们的守望表示主的不断同在和保护（7989节），如诗篇：
守望你的必不打盹！看哪，以色列的守望者，也不打盹，也不睡觉。耶和华是守望你的；耶和华在你右边荫庇你。白日，太阳必不伤你；夜间，月亮必不害你。耶和华要保护你，免受一切灾祸；祂要保护你的灵魂。（诗篇121:3-7）
此外，在以下经文中，“守望的”表示先知和祭司，因而表示圣言：
耶路撒冷啊，我在你的城墙上设立守望的，他们终日终夜必不静默。呼吁耶和华记念。（以赛亚书62:6）
耶利米书：
有一天，守望的人要在以法莲山上呼喊，起来，让我们上锡安，到耶和华我们的神那里去。（耶利米书31:6）
Potts(1905-1910) 8211
8211. And it was in the morning watch. That this signifies a state of thick darkness and of the destruction of those who are in falsity from evil, and a state of the enlightenment and salvation of those who are in truth from good, is evident from the signification of "the morning watch," as being a state of enlightenment and salvation, and in the opposite sense, a state of thick darkness and destruction. The reason why "the morning watch" has this signification, is that in the other life states of faith and love are like the times of the day in the world, namely, like morning, noon, evening, and night; and therefore these times also correspond to those states (see n. 2788, 5672, 5962, 6110). Moreover states vary in much the same manner. The end and the beginning of these variations is "morning," and specifically, "daybreak," for then the night is ended, and the day begins. In the state to which morning corresponds, the good begin to be enlightened in respect to the things which are of faith, and to grow warm in respect to the things which are of charity, and conversely, the evil then begin to be darkened by falsities, and to be chilled by evils; consequently to them morning is a state of thick darkness and destruction, while to the good it is a state of enlightenment and salvation. [2] From these states in heaven arise the states of light and heat, and also the states of thick darkness and cold on earth, which states succeed each other every year and every day; for whatever exists in the natural world has its origin and cause from things which exist in the spiritual world, because universal nature is nothing else than a theater representative of the Lord's kingdom (3483, 4939, 5173, 5962); whence come the correspondences. The variations of light and shade and also of heat and cold on earth are indeed from the sun, that is, from the difference of its altitudes, every year and every day, in the several regions of the earth; but these causes, which are proximate, and in the natural world, were created according to the things in the spiritual world, as by their prior and efficient causes, which are the causes of the posterior causes that exist in the natural world. For nothing which is in order ever exists in the natural world that does not derive its cause and origin from the spiritual world, that is, through the spiritual world from the Divine. [3] As, relatively to the good, "morning" signifies the beginning of enlightenment and salvation, and relatively to the evil, the beginning of thick darkness and destruction, therefore it is here said that in the morning watch Jehovah looked forth to the camp of the Egyptians and troubled it, and then that He took off the wheel of the chariots, and shook out the Egyptians into the midst of the sea; and on the other hand that He saved the sons of Israel. From all this it can now be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by the following passages in the Word:
In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow, and in the morning thy seed to blossom (Isa. 17:11). About the time of evening behold terror; before the morning he is not (Isa. 17:14). O Jehovah be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of distress (Isa. 33:2). Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, An evil, an only evil; behold it cometh. An end is come, the end is come. The morning is come upon thee, O inhabitant of the land; the day of tumult is near (Ezek. 7:5-7). So did Bethel to you because of the wickedness of your wickedness; in the morning shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off (Hos. 10:15). Make me hear Thy mercy under the morning; deliver me from mine enemies, O Jehovah (Ps. 143:8, 9). Also that when the dawn arose the Lord saved Lot, and made it rain sulphur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:15, 24). [4] As "morning" signifies the state of enlightenment and salvation of the good, and the state of thick darkness and destruction of the evil, therefore also "morning" signifies the time of the Last Judgment, when they are to be saved who are in good, and they are to perish who are in evil; consequently it signifies the end of a former church, and the beginning of a new church, which things are signified in the Word by the Last Judgment (n. 900, 931, 1733, 1850, 2117-2133, 3353, 4027, 4535). This is signified by "morning" in these passages:
He said unto me, Until evening, the morning, two thousand three hundred; and then shall the holy thing be justified (Dan. 8:14). In the morning, in the morning, will Jehovah give judgment for the light, it will not be lacking; I will cut off nations, their corners shall be devastated (Zeph. 3:5, 6). One crying unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night; if ye are seeking, seek ye, return, come (Isa. 21:11, 12). In these passages "morning" denotes the Lord's coming and the enlightenment and salvation then, thus a new church; "night" denotes the state of man and of the church at that time, that they would be in mere falsities from evil. [5] It is said "the morning watch," because the night was divided into watches, of which the last of the night and the first of the day was the morning watch. These watchmen used to be upon the walls, spying whether an enemy was coming, and by a cry announcing what they saw. By them, in the internal representative sense, is meant the Lord, and by their watch His continual presence and protection (n. 7989), as in David:
Thy watchman will not slumber. Behold, the watchman of Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Jehovah is thy watchman; Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, or the moon in the night. Jehovah shall guard thee from all evil; He shall guard thy soul (Ps. 121:3-7). Moreover by "watchmen" are meant prophets and priests, consequently the Word, in these passages:
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem; in all the day and all the night they shall not be silent, making mention of Jehovah (Isa. 62:6). It is a day, the watchmen shall cry in Mount Ephraim, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, unto Jehovah our God (Jer. 31:6).
Elliott(1983-1999) 8211
8211. 'And so it was in the morning watch' means a state of thick darkness and perdition for those steeped in falsity arising from evil, and a state of enlightenment and salvation for those guided by truth springing from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the morning watch' as a state of enlightenment and salvation, and in the contrary sense as a state of thick darkness and perdition. The reason why 'the morning watch' has this meaning is that states of faith and love in the next life are like the times of day in the world. That is to say, they are like morning, midday, evening, and night; and these therefore also correspond to those states, 2788, 5672, 5862, 6110. The states also change in almost the same ways. Whenever change takes place morning, and in particular twilight, is an end and a beginning; for night comes to an end and day begins. In that state to which morning corresponds the good begin to be enlightened in matters of faith and to grow warmer in aspects of charity. The opposite also takes place, for then the evil begin to be overshadowed by falsities and to be chilled by evils. Consequently morning for the latter is a state of thick darkness and perdition, but for the former a state of enlightenment and salvation.
[2] These states in heaven are what give rise to the states of light and heat on earth, and also the states of thick darkness and cold, which come round in turn each year and each day. Whatever arises in the natural world has its origin and cause in those things that arise in the spiritual world; for to be sure the whole natural order is nothing other than a theatre representative of the Lord's kingdom, 3483, 4939, 5173, 5962. And this is the reason for correspondences. Variations of light and shade on earth, also of heat and cold, are indeed attributable to the sun, that is to say, to its different heights in the sky each year and each day, and in different parts of the earth. Yet these causes, which are proximate ones and exist in the natural world, were created in accordance with those things that exist in the spiritual world. The latter are the prior efficient causes from which the former, their posterior causes, arise in the natural world. For nothing in a state of order can ever exist on a natural level if its cause and origin do not lead back to a spiritual level, that is, to the Divine operating through that level.
[3] Since 'the morning' means the beginning of enlightenment and salvation in respect of the good, and the beginning of thick darkness and perdition in respect of the evil, it therefore says here that in the morning watch Jehovah looked out onto the camp of the Egyptians and troubled it, and then that He took off the wheels of the chariots, and overturned them into the middle of the sea, while on the other hand He saved the children of Israel. All this now makes plain what is meant in the spiritual sense by the following texts in the Word: In Isaiah,
In the day you will cause your plant to grow, and in the morning your seed to flourish. Isa 17:11.
In the same prophet,
Around evening time, behold, terror! Before the morning, he is no more. Isa 17:14.
In the same prophet,
O Jehovah, be their arm every morning, also our salvation in the time of distress. Isa 33:2.
In Ezekiel,
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, An evil, a single evil; behold, it has come. An end has come, the end has come; the morning has come on you, O inhabitant of the land, a day of tumult is near. Ezek 7:5-7.
In Hosea,
Thus He did to you, O Bethel,a on account of your great wickedness;b in the morning the king of Israel will surely be cut off. Hosea 10:15
In David,
Cause me to hear Your mercy in the morning; deliver me from my enemies, O Jehovah. Ps 143:8, 9.
Also in Gen 19:15and following verses, stating that when dawn ascended the Lord saved Lot and rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah.
[4] Since 'morning' means a state of enlightenment and salvation of the good, and a state of thick darkness and perdition of the evil, 'morning' also means the time of the last judgement, when those governed by good are to be saved and those ruled by evil will perish. It consequently means the end of a former Church and the beginning of a new Church, which are meant by a last judgement in the Word, 900, 931, 1733, 1850, 2117-2133, 3353, 4057, 4535. This is the meaning of 'morning' in Daniel,
He said to me, Up to the evening [when it is becoming] morning two thousand three hundred times, and then the sanctuary will be made correct. Dan 8:14.
And in Zephaniah,
Jehovah ... in the morning, in the morning He will bring His judgement to light; He will not fail. I will cut off nations, and their towersc will be devastated. Zeph 3:5, 6.
Also in Isaiah,
One was calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, Morning comes, and also the night. If you are inquiring, inquire, return, come. Isa 21:11, 12.
In these places 'morning' stands for the Lord's Coming, and for enlightenment and salvation then, and so has reference to a new Church. 'Night' stands for the state of mankind and the Church then, that they are steeped in utter falsities arising from evil.
[5] The term 'the morning watch' is used because the night was divided into watches, the last of the night and the first of the day being the morning watch. The watchmen were on top of the walls, looking to see whether an enemy was coming and declaring what they saw by shouting it out. In the internal representative sense they are used to mean the Lord, and His keeping watch to mean constant presence and protection, 7989, as in David,
Your watchman will not slumber; behold, the watchman of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Jehovah is your watchman; Jehovah is your shade on your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon in the night. Jehovah will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul. Ps 121:3-7.
'Watchmen' is used in addition to mean prophets and priests, consequently the Word, in Isaiah,
Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have placed watchmen; all day and all night they will not be silent, calling Jehovah to mind. Isa 62:6.
And in Jeremiah,
It is a day [when] the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, Arise in order that we may go up to Zion, to Jehovah our God. Jer. 31 :6.
Latin(1748-1756) 8211
8211. `Et fuit in custodia matutina': quod significet statum caliginis et interitus illorum qui in falso ex malo, et statum illustrationis et salvationis illorum qui in vero ex bono, constat ex significatione `custodiae matutinae' quod sit status illustrationis et salvationis, et in opposito sensu status caliginis et interitus; causa quod `custodia matutina' id significet, est quia status fidei et amoris in altera vita se habent sicut tempora diei in mundo, nempe sicut mane, meridies, vespera, et nox, quare etiam haec illis correspondent, n. 2788, 5672, 5962, 6110; variantur etiam status paene similiter; variationum illorum finis et principium est mane, et in specie diluculum, nam tunc finitur nox (c)et incipit dies; in illo statu cui mane correspondet, incipiunt boni illustrari quoad illa quae fidei sunt, et incalescere quoad illa quae charitatis, (c)ac vicissim, nam tunc mali incipiunt obumbrari a falsis, et frigescere a malis, consequenter mane his est status caliginis et interitus, et illis status illustrationis et salvationis. 2 Ex his statibus in caelo existunt status lucis et caloris, tum status caliginis et frigoris in terris, qui quovis anno alternantur et quovis die; nam quicquid in mundo naturali existit, hoc ortum et causam ducit ex illis quae existunt in mundo spirituali, {1}quippe universa natura non est nisi quam theatrum repraesentativum {2}regni Domini, n. 3483, 4939, 5173, 5962, inde correspondentiae; (s)variationes lucis et umbrae, tum caloris et frigoris in terris, sunt quidem a sole, nempe ab ejus {3}altitudinis differentia quovis anno et quovis die, {4}ac in regionibus terrae; verum {5}hae causae, quae sunt proximae et in mundo naturali, creatae sunt secundum illa in mundo spirituali, ut per suas causas priores efficientes causarum posteriorum quae in mundo naturali {6}existunt; nam nihil usquam in naturali quod {7}in ordine datur, quod non ducit causam et ortum a spirituali, {8}hoc est, per spirituale a Divino.(s) 3 Quia `mane' significat principium illustrationis et salvationis respective ad bonos, (c)ac principium {9}caliginis et interitus respective ad malos, ideo dicitur hic quod `Jehovah in custodia matutina prospexerit ad castra Aegyptiorum, (c)et perturbaverit illa, ac tunc dimoverit rotam curruum, et excusserit illos in medium maris'; et vicissim, quod `salvaverit filios Israelis' {10}; ex his nunc patere potest quid in sensu spirituali significatur per haec in Verbo quae sequuntur: apud Esaiam, In die plantam tuam crescere facies, et mane semen tuum efflorescere, xvii 11:apud eundem, Circa tempus vesperae ecce terror, antequam mane, non est, xvii 14:
apud eundem, Jehovah esto brachium illorum singulis matutis, etiam salus nostra tempore angustiae, xxxiii 2:
apud Ezechielem, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Malum, unum malum ecce venit, finis venit, venit finis, venit mane super te, habitator terrae, propinquus dies tumultus, vii 5-7:
apud Hoscheam, Sic (x)fecit vobis Bethel, propter malitiam malitiae vestrae, in matuta exscindendo exscindetur rex Israelis, x 15:
apud Davidem, Fac me audire sub matuta misericordiam Tuam; libera me ab hostibus meis, Jehovah, Ps. cxliii 8, 9:
tum quod Dominus Cum aurora ascenderet, salvaverit Lothum, et super Sodomam et (x)Amoram pluere fecit sulfur et ignem, Gen. xix 15 seq. 4 Quia `mane' {11}significat statum illustrationis et salvationis bonorum, ac statum caliginis et interitus malorum, ideo etiam `mane' significat tempus ultimi judicii, quando {12}salvandi qui in bono, et perituri qui in malo; consequenter significat finem Ecclesiae prioris et principium Ecclesiae novae, quae per {13}ultimum judicium in Verbo significantur, n. 900, 931, 1733, 1850, 2117-2133, 3353, 4057, 4535; hoc per `mane' significatur apud Danielem, Dixit ad me, Usque ad vesperam, mane, bis mille trecenta, et tunc justificabitur sanctum, viii 14:
et apud Zephaniam, Jehovah in matuta, in matuta judicium dabit in lucem, nec deerit; exscindam gentes, et devastabuntur (x)anguli eorum, iii 5, 6:
{14}tum apud Esaiam, Ad Me clamans e Seir, Custos, quid de nocte? custos, quid de nocte? dixit custos, Venit mane, etiamque nox; si quaeritis, quaerite; redite, venite, xxi 11, 12;
in his locis `mane' pro Adventu Domini, (c)ac tunc illustratione et salvatione, ita de nova Ecclesia; `nox' pro statu hominis et Ecclesiae tunc, quod in meris falsis ex malo. 5 `Custodia matutina' dicitur quia nox divisa fuit in custodias, quarum ultima noctis (c)et prima diei fuit custodia matutina; custodes illi {15}fuerunt super muris, speculantes num hostis veniret, et per clamorem annuntiantes quid viderent; per illos in sensu (t)interno repraesentativo {16}intelligitur Dominus, et per `custodiam Ipsius' praesentia continua et {17}tutela, n. 7989, ut apud Davidem, Non dormitabit custos tuus, ecce non dormitabit neque dormiet custos Israelis, Jehovah custos tuus; Jehovah umbra tua super manu dextra tua; interdiu sol non percutiet te, aut luna in nocte; Jehovah custodiet te ab omni malo, custodiet animam tuam, Ps. cxxi 3-6, 7:
et quoque per `custodes' intelliguntur prophetae (c)et sacerdotes, consequenter Verbum, apud Esaiam, Super muros tuos, Hierosolyma, constitui custodes; tota die, et tota nocte, non tacebunt, commemorantes Jehovam, lxii 6:
et apud Jeremiam, Dies est; clamabunt custodes in monte Ephraim, Surgite ut ascendamus Zionem ad Jehovam Deum nostrum, xxxi 6. @1 nam$ @2 coeli$ @3 altitudinum I$ @4 tum secundum regiones distitas ab extremis terrae$ @5 harum$ @6 apparent$ @7 naturale$ @8 et$ @9 caligationum$ @10 i quia tunc erant in pratis$ @11 After malorum$ @12 perituri qui in malo, et salvandi qui in bono$ @13 diem judicii$ @14 et$ @15 erant$ @16 intellectus est$ @17 tutela Domini, (m)videatur n. 7989; inde(n)$