----中文待译----
1087. Until the words of God shall be consummated. That this signifies even to the last state of the church, when judgment takes place, and afterwards a new [state], is evident from the signification of being consummated, as denoting to have an end, specifically, when there is no longer any good and truth of doctrine and life remaining; thus, when it is the last state of the church. That consummation signifies the last state of the church may be seen (n. 624, 911). And because, when it is the last state of the church, the Last Judgment comes, and after that a new church is established by the Lord, therefore by being consummated is signified the last state of the church, when judgment [takes place], and afterwards a new [state]. And from the signification of the words of God, as denoting predictions in the Word. Therefore by the Words of God being consummated, is signified when the predictions are fulfilled. The reason why it is said, that those who are signified by the ten horns of the beast would devastate the whore, devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and that they would give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated is, that then those who have altogether withdrawn from Babylon and rejected her profanities, are also devastated as to all the goods and truths of heaven; or, because they have equally falsified the Word, not from a principle of domination over the holy things of the church and over heaven, but from a principle of separation of works from faith; after which separation it is no longer possible to live from the Lord, but to live from self and from the world; this life is one of evil from falsity. Therefore by, then the words of God shall be consummated, is also meant, when they also are devastated.
Continuation concerning the Word:-
[2] Now because in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is called the literal sense, are all interior things, that is to say, the spiritual and celestial things that are in the Words of the three heavens together - for those things are there that are in the Word with the angels of the third heaven, in its inmost contents; and those that are in the Words of the angels of the lower heavens, in its mediate contents, and these are encompassed with and included in such things as exist in nature in our world - the literal sense of our Word is from the latter and the former. Hence it is evident that the Divine truth in the literal sense of our Word is in its fulness.
That is called full which contains in itself all prior things from the first, or all things higher from the highest, the ultimate being that which includes them. The fulness of the Word may be compared to a common marble vessel, wherein are innumerable smaller crystal vessels, and in these still more numerous made of precious stones, in which and around which are the most exquisite delicacies of heaven; these are for those who from the Word perform excellent uses. That the Word is of such a quality is not seen by a man while he is in the world, but it is seen when he becomes an angel.
[3] Because the Word in ultimates is such, it follows that it is not fully the Word before it is in that ultimate, thus before it is in the literal sense. For if that were not the case the Word would be like a temple in the air and not on the earth; or like a man with flesh without bones. And whereas Divine truth in its ultimate is in its fulness, and also in its power, for while it is that it is also in all, therefore the Lord never operates except from primaries by means of ultimates, consequently in fulness. For He does not reform and regenerate a man except by means of truths in ultimates, which are natural. And it is from this that such as is a man's quality in the world, such he remains after his departure out of the world, to eternity. It is from this also that heaven and hell are from the human race, and that, angels were not immediately created; for a man in the world is in his fulness, therefore he can be conceived and born there, and afterwards be filled with knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, and become an angel. To create angels otherwise is not possible.
[4] Because the Lord does all things from primaries by means of ultimates, and in ultimates He is in His power and in His fulness, therefore it pleased the Lord to take upon Him the Human, and to be made Divine truth, that is, the Word; and thus from Himself to bring into order all things in heaven, and all things in hell, that is, to execute a Last Judgment. This the Lord could accomplish from the Divine in Himself, which was in primaries, by His Human, which was in ultimates, and not from His presence or abode in the men of the church, as formerly; for these had entirely fallen away from the truths and goods of the Word, in which the Lord had His habitation with men previously. This was the primary cause of the Lord's Advent into the world; and also that He might make His Human Divine. For by this means He had the power of keeping all things in heaven and all things in hell in order for ever. This is meant by sitting at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). The right hand of God is the Divine Omnipotence, and to sit at the right hand of God denotes the being in that by means of the Human.
That the Lord ascended into heaven with His Human glorified even to the ultimates, He Himself witnesses in Luke:
Jesus said unto his disciples, "See my hands and my feet, that I myself am, feel me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." (24:39).
These things the Lord said just after His resurrection. Flesh and bones are the ultimates of the human body, on which the strength of it depends.
1087. Until the words of God shall be consummated, signifies even to the last state of the church, when there is a judgment, and after that what is new. This is evident from the signification of "to be consummated," as being to have an end; or specifically, when there is no longer any good and truth of doctrine and of life remaining, that is, when the last state of the church has come. (That consummation signifies the last state of the church can be seen in n. 624, 911.) And as the Last Judgment comes in the last state of the church, and after that the New Church is established by the Lord, so "to be consummated" signifies the last state of the church when judgment takes place, and afterwards that which is new. Also from the signification of "the words of God," as being predictions in the Word; therefore "the words of God shall be consummated" signifies when the predictions are fulfilled. It is said that those signified by "the ten horns of the beast" will "make the harlot desolate, eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire," and "will give the kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated," because those also who have wholly withdrawn from Babylon and have rejected her profane things are then devastated as to all the goods and truths of heaven, that is, they have equally falsified the Word, not from the principle of having dominion over the holy things of the church and over heaven, but from the principle of separating works from faith, and when these have been separated there is no longer any living from the Lord, but only a living from self and the world, and that life is a life of evil from falsity, therefore "the words of God shall be consummated" also means when these, too, have been devastated.
(Continuation respecting the Word)
[2] Now since all interior things, that is, the spiritual and celestial things that are in the Words of the three heavens, are together in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is called the sense of the letter, (for in its inmosts there are the things that are in the Word with the angels of the third heaven, and in its middle parts the things that are in the Words of the angels of the lower heavens, and these are encompassed by such things as exist in the nature of our world and are included in these), so the sense of the letter of our Word is from all these. From this it can be seen that the Divine truth is in its fullness in the sense of the letter of our Word. That is said to be full which contains in itself all things prior, even from the first, or all things higher even from the highest; the ultimate is what includes these. The fullness of the Word is like a general vessel of marble, in which are countless lesser vessels of crystal, and in these still more numerous vessels of precious stones, in and about which are the most delightful things of heaven which are for those who perform noble uses from the Word. That the Word is such is not evident to man while he is in the world; but it is evident to him when he becomes an angel. Because the Word is such in ultimates it follows that it is not the Word until it is in that ultimate, that is, until it is in the sense of the letter. The Word not in that ultimate would be like a temple in the air and not on the earth, or like a man having flesh but without bones.
[3] As the Divine truth is in its fullness and also in its power in its ultimate, for when it is in that it is in all things at once, therefore the Lord never works except from first things through ultimates, and thus in fullness. For He reforms and regenerates man only through truths in ultimates, which are natural. And this is why a man after his departure out of the world remains to eternity such as he has been in the world. For the same reason heaven and hell are from the human race, and angels are not created immediately; for in the world a man is in his fullness, consequently he can there be conceived and born, and afterwards be imbued with knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, and become an angel. To create angels in any other way is not given.
[4] Because the Lord works all things from things first through ultimates, and is in His power and in His fullness in ultimates, therefore it pleased the Lord to take upon Him the Human and to become the Divine truth, that is, the Word, and thus from Himself to reduce to order all things of heaven and all things of hell, that is, to execute a Last Judgment. This the Lord could accomplish from the Divine in Himself, which was in things first, through His Human which was in ultimates, and not, as before, from His presence or abode in the men of the church; for these had wholly forsaken the truths and goods of the Word, in which the Lord had previously had His dwelling-place with men. This was the chief reason for the Lord's coming into the world, also for making His Human Divine; for by this He put Himself into the power of holding all things of heaven and all things of hell in order to eternity. This is meant by:
Sitting at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
"The right hand of God" means the Divine omnipotence, and "to sit at the right hand of God" means to be in that omnipotence through the Human. That the Lord ascended into heaven with His Human glorified even to the ultimates He testifies in Luke:
Jesus said to the disciples See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself, handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye behold Me have (Luke 24:39).
This the Lord said just before 1His resurrection. "Flesh and bones" are the ultimates of the human body, on which its strength depends.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has ante before, the Latin editor gives post after.
1087. "Donec consummentur verba Dei." - Quod significet usque ad ultimum statum ecclesiae, cum judicium, et postea novum, constat ex significatione "consummari", quod sit finem habere, in specie dum non aliquod bonum et verum doctrinae et vitae amplius superest, ita cum ultimus status ecclesiae est; (quod consummatio significet ultimum statum ecclesiae, videatur [supra,] n. 624 [b] , 911); et quia cum ultimus status ecclesiae est, venit ultimum judicium, et post illud nova ecclesia a Domino instauratur, ideo per "consummari" significatur ultimus status ecclesiae, dum judicium, et postea novum; ex significatione "verborum Dei", quod sint praedictiones in Verbo; quare per "consummari verba Dei", significatur cum praedictiones impletae sunt. Quod dicatur quod illi qui per "decem cornua bestiae" significantur, "devastaturi sint meretricem, carnes ejus comesuri, et illam igne combusturi", et quod "daturi sint regnum bestiae, usque dum consummentur verba Dei", est quia tunc illi qui prorsus recesserunt a Babylonia, ac ejus profana rejecerunt, etiam quoad omnia vera et bona caeli devastati sunt, seu quia illi aeque Verbum falsificaverunt, non ex principio dominationis super sancta ecclesiae et super caelum sed ex principio separationis operum a fide, post quam separationem non amplius datur vivere ex Domino, sed vivere ex se et ex mundo, quae vita est vita mali ex falso; quare per "dum 1
consummentur verba Dei", etiam intelligitur dum etiam illi devastati sunt.
[2] (Continuatio de Verbo.)
Nunc quia in ultimo sensu Verbi, qui sensus litterae vocatur, sunt omnia interiora, nempe spiritualia et caelestia, quae in Verbis trium caelorum sunt, simul, – sunt enim illa quae in Verbo apud angelos tertii caeli in intimis ejus, et sunt illa quae in Verbis angelorum inferiorum caelorum in mediis, et illa circumcincta et inclusa sunt talibus quae in natura nostri mundi existunt, – ex his et ex illis est sensus litterae nostri Verbi. Inde constare potest quod Divinum Verum in sensu litterae nostri Verbi sit in suo pleno. Plenum dicitur quod in se continet omnia priora usque a primo, aut omnia superiora usque a supremo; ultimum est quod concludit illa. Plenum Verbi est sicut vas commune ex marmore, in quo innumerabilia vasa minora sunt ex crystallis, et ex his innumerabiliora ex lapidibus pretiosis, in quibus et circum quae sunt deliciosissima caeli, quae sunt pro illis qui ex Verbo nobiles usus faciunt. Quod tale sit Verbum, non apparet homini dum in mundo est, sed apparet ei dum fit angelus. Quoniam Verbum in ultimis tale est, sequitur quod non prius Verbum sit quam dum in eo ultimo est, ita quam cum in sensu litterae est; si non in illo, foret Verbum sicut templum in aere et non super terra, aut sicut homo in carne et non simul in ossibus.
[3] Quia Divinum Verum in suo ultimo est in suo pleno, et quoque in sua potentia, nam dum in illo est simul in omnibus est, ideo Dominus nusquam operatur nisi ex primis per ultima, consequenter in pleno; non enim reformat et regenerat hominem nisi quam per vera in ultimis, quae sunt naturalia: ex eo est, quod qualis homo est in mundo, talis post excessum e mundo maneat in aeternum: ex eo etiam est quod caelum et infernum sint ex humano genere, et quod non sint angeli immediate creati; homo enim in mundo est in suo pleno; quare ibi potest concipi et nasci, et dein imbui scientia, intelligentia et sapientia, ac fieri angelus; creare angelos aliter non datur.
[4] Quoniam Dominus omnia operatur ex primis per ultima, ac in ultimis est in sua potentia et in suo pleno, ideo placuit Domino suscipere Humanum, ac fieri Divinum Verum, hoc est, Verbum, et sic ex Se in ordinem redigere omnia caeli et omnia inferni, hoc est, ultimum judicium facere: hoc potuit Dominus ex Divino in Ipso, quod erat in primis, per Humanum suum, quod erat in ultimis, perficere, et non ex praesentia aut mansione Ipsius in hominibus ecclesiae, ut olim; hi enim a veris et bonis Verbi, in quibus fuerat habitaculum Domini prius apud homines, prorsus defecerant. Haec fuit primaria causa adventus Domini in mundum, et quoque ut Humanum suum Divinum faceret; per id enim in potentiam Se immisit, ut omnia caeli et omnia inferni in aeternum posset tenere in ordine: hoc intelligitur per
Sedere a dextris Dei (Marcus 16:19):
dextra Dei" est Divina omnipotentia, et "sedere a dextris" est in illa esse per Humanum. Quod Dominus cum Humano suo usque ad ultima glorificato in caelum ascenderit, testatur Ipse apud Lucam,
Dixit Jesus ad discipulos, "Videte manus meas, et pedes meos, quod Ipse Ego sim; palpate Me et videte; nam spiritus carnem et ossa non habet sicut Me videtis habere" (24:39):
haec dixit Dominus mox 2
post resurrectionem; "caro et ossa" sunt ultima corporis humani, ex quibus robur ejus pendet.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.