----中文待译----
36. (Verse 7) Behold, he cometh with clouds. That this signifies, that the Lord is about to reveal Himself in the Word by means of the internal sense, is evident from the signification of coming, when (spoken) of the Lord, as being to reveal Himself; and from the signification of clouds, as being Divine truths in ultimates, thus the Word in the letter; for the Word as to the literal sense, is Divine truth in ultimates; and because everything there contains an internal or spiritual sense, to come with clouds, denotes that the Lord will reveal Himself by means of that sense. That clouds signify Divine truths in ultimate, is from appearances in the spiritual world. There, clouds appear in varied light; in the inmost or third heaven in flaming light, in the middle or second heaven white light, and in the ultimate or first heaven in a somewhat duller light. Every one there knows that clouds signify Divine truth from the Lord passing through the angels; for when the Divine truth going forth from the Lord, which is itself the light of heaven, passes through the angels, it appears as a cloud, rarer or denser according to their intelligence. I have frequently seen such clouds, and I also perceived what they signified. This is why clouds, such as those seen by men in the world, signify Divine truth in ultimates; and because the Word in the letter is Divine truth in ultimates, such is the signification of clouds.
[2] He who does not know that clouds have this signification, may suppose that the Lord will come for the Last Judgment in clouds, and appear in glory, according to His words in the Evangelists, where He says:
"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and much glory" (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27).
The consummation of the age, which is the subject there treated of, is the last time of the church; and the coming of the Lord at that time is the revelation of Himself, and of the Divine Truth which is from Him, in the Word, by means of the internal sense. The Lord reveals Himself only in the Word, and by means of the internal sense. Power and glory also signify the Word in the internal sense. (That this is fulfilled at this day, namely, that the age is consummated, and the Last Judgment accomplished; and also that the Lord has come in the clouds of heaven, that is, has revealed the internal sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work, The Last Judgment, from the beginning to the end; and also in the work, Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62).
The Son of man is the Lord as to Divine truth. To sit at the right hand of power, denotes His omnipotence; to come in the clouds of heaven, denotes revelation of Divine truth concerning Himself in the Word; for He has revealed Himself, and has also fulfilled all things that are contained in the internal sense, which treats especially of the glorification of His Human.
[3] The same is signified by clouds in the following passages. In Daniel:
"I saw in the visions of the night, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven" (Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5321, 8215).
[4] Similarly in the following places:
In Isaiah: "Drop down ye heavens from above, and ye higher clouds [pour out] justice" (The Earths in the Universe 171.)
36. Verse 7. Behold, He cometh with the clouds, signifies that the Lord is about to reveal Himself in the Word through the internal sense. This is evident from the signification of "coming," as being, in reference to the Lord, to reveal Himself; and from the signification of "clouds," as being Divine truths in ultimates, thus the Word in the letter; for the Word as to the sense of the letter is Divine truth in ultimates; and since each thing therein contains an internal or spiritual sense, "coming with clouds" means revealing Himself through that sense. That "clouds" signify Divine truths in ultimates is from appearances in the spiritual world. There clouds appear in various kinds of light; in the inmost or third heaven in a flaming light, in the middle or second heaven in a bright white light, and in the outmost or first heaven in a light more dense; and everyone there knows that they signify Divine truth from the Lord through the angels; for when Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, which is the very light of heaven, passes through the angels, it appears as a cloud, purer or denser according to their intelligence. Such clouds have oftentimes been seen by me, and what they signify has also been perceived. This is why "clouds," such as those that appear before the eyes of men in the world, signify Divine truth in ultimates; and as the Word in the letter is Divine truth in ultimates, that is what is meant by "clouds."
[2] He who does not know that "clouds" have this signification, may suppose that the Lord is about to come in clouds for the Last Judgment, and to appear in glory; according to His words in the Evangelists, where He says:
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and much glory (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27).
"The consummation of the age" which is there treated of is the last time of the church; and the Lord's coming at that time is the revelation of Himself, and of Divine truth which is from Him, in the Word, through the internal sense. Elsewhere than in the Word the Lord does not reveal Himself, nor does He reveal Himself there except through the internal sense. The Word in the internal sense is also signified by "power" and "glory." (That this is fulfilled at this day, namely that the age is consummated, and the Last Judgment accomplished; and also that the Lord has come in the clouds of heaven, that is, has revealed the internal sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment, from beginning to end; also in the work on Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62).
"The Son of man" is the Lord as to Divine truth; "sitting at the right hand of power" is His omnipotence; "coming in the clouds of heaven" is the revelation of Divine truth respecting Him in the Word, for He has revealed Himself and has also fulfilled all things contained in the internal sense, which treats especially of the glorification of His Human.
[3] The same is signified by "clouds" in the following passages. In Daniel:
I saw in the night visions, and behold there came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto the Son of man (Daniel 7:13);
in Revelation:
I saw, and behold a white cloud; and on the cloud one sat like unto a man, 1having on his head a crown (Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5321, 8215).
[4] Likewise in the following places. In Isaiah:
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the higher clouds [pour down] righteousness (Isaiah 45:8);
in Nahum:
The way of Jehovah is with cloud 2and storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3);
in David:
Ascribe ye strength unto God; His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the higher clouds (Psalms 68:34);
A faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:37);
in Moses:
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in thy 3magnificence upon the clouds (Earths in the Universe 171.)
Footnotes:
1. The Greek has "the Son of man," as found also in Apocalypse Explained 906; Apocalypse Revealed 642; Arcana Coelestia 9807, 9930.
2. The Hebrew has "storm and tempest," as also found in Apocalypse Explained 419, 594; Arcana Coelestia 2162.
3. The Hebrew has "His," as also found in Apocalypse Explained 594.
36. (Vers. 7.) "Ecce venit cum nubibus." - Quod significet quod Dominus Se revelaturus in Verbo per sensum internum, constat ex significatione "venire", cum de Domino, quod sit Se revelare; et ex significatione "nubium", quod sint Divina vera in ultimis, ita Verbum in littera, nam Verbum quoad sensum litterae est Divinum Verum in ultimis; et quia unumquodvis ibi continet sensum internum seu spiritualem, ideo "venire cum nubibus" est revelare Se per illum sensum.
Quod "nubes" Divina vera in ultimis significent, est ex apparentiis in spirituali mundo; ibi apparent nubes in varia luce, in intimo seu tertio caelo in flammea, in medio seu secundo in candida, ac in ultimo seu primo in densiori; et quisque ibi novit quod significent Divinum Verum a Domino per angelos; nam cum Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, quod est ipsa lux caeli, transit angelos, apparet id sicut nubes, purior et densior secundum intelligentiam eorum. Tales nubes mihi multoties Visae Sunt, et quoque perceptum quid significant. Inde est, quod per "nubes", quales apparent coram oculis hominum in mundo, significetur Divinum Verum in ultimis; et quia Verbum in littera est Divinum Verum in ultimis, quod id per "nubes" significetur.
[2] Qui non scit quod "nubes" id significent, credere potest quod Dominus ad ultimum judicium venturus sit in nubibus, et appariturus in gloria, secundum Ipsius Verba apud Evangelistas, ubi dicit,
"Tunc patebit signum Filii hominis in caelo;... et videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nubibus caeli cum potentia et gloria multa" (Matthaeus 24:30; Marcus 13:26; Luca 21:27).
"Consummatio saeculi", de qua ibi agitur, est ultimum tempus ecclesiae; et adventus Domini tunc est revelatio Ipsius, ac Divini Veri quod ab Ipso, in Verbo per sensum internum; alibi quam in Verbo Dominus non Se revelat, nec aliter ibi quam per sensum internum; "potentia et gloria" etiam significant Verbum in sensu interno. (Quod hodie id impletum sit, nempe quod saeculum sit consummatum, ac ultimum judicium peractum, et quoque quod Dominus venerit in nubibus caeli, hoc est, revelaverit sensum internum Verbi, constare potest ex opusculo De Ultimo Judicio, a principio ad finem; et quoque in opere De Caelo et Inferno 1; tum in Doctrina Novae Hierosolyma, n. 249-266.
Quod "consummatio saeculi" significet ultimum tempus ecclesiae, videatur n. 4535, 10622; quod "adventus Domini" revelationem Divini Veri per sensum internum, n. 3900, 4060; quod "nubes" sensum litterae Verbi, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8781, 9430, 10551, 10574; quod "gloria" significet Divinum Verum in caelo, ita sensum internum, quia hic est Divinum Verum in caelo, n. 5922, 9429, 10574; quod dicatur "venturus in potentia", est quia omnis potentia est Divino Vero quod a Domino, in opere De Caelo et Inferno 228-233, 539.) Simile intelligitur per Domini verba ad principem sacerdotum:
"Jesus dixit" principi sacerdotum, "Ex nunc Videbitis Filium hominis sedentem ad dextram potentiae, et venientem in nubibus caeli" (Matth. 26:64 1
; Marcus 14:62);
"Filius hominis" est Dominus quoad Divinum Verum; "sedere ad dextram potentiae", est cui omnipotentia; "venire in nubibus caeli" est revelatio Divini Veri de Ipso in Verbo, nam Se Ipsum revelavit; et quoque omnia quae continentur in sensu interno, in quo agitur praecipue de glorificatione Humani Ipsius, implevit.
[3] Simile per "nubes in sequentibus his locis significatur:
- Apud Danielem,
"Videbam (in) visionibus noctis, quod ecce cum nubibus caeli similis Filio hominis veniebat" (7:13);
in Apocalypsi,
"Aspexi, et ecce nubes candida; et nubi insidebat similis 2
filio hominis, habens impositam capiti suo coronam" (14:14, 16);
apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Jehovah insidens 3
nubi levi" (19:1);
apud Davidem,
"Cantate Deo, laudate nomen Ipsius, extollite equitantem super nubibus" (Psalms 68:5 [B.A. 4]);
apud eundem,
"Jehovah ponit nubes currum suum; ambulat super alis Venti" (Psalms 104:3).
Quis non videre potest quod haec non intelligenda sint secundum sensum litterae, nempe quod Jehovah "insideat nubi", quod "equitet super nubibus", et quod "ponat nubes currum suum"? Qui spiritualiter cogitat, is scire potest quod Jehovah in suo Divino Vero sit, hoc enim procedit ab Ipso; consequenter quod id per "nubes" ibi intelligatur. Ideo etiam dicitur quod "Jehovah ponat nubes currum suum, per "currum" enim significatur doctrina veri (videatur n. 4
[4] Similiter in his locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Destillate caeli superne, et superiores nubes justitiam" (45:8);
apud Nahum,
"Jehovae 5
via cum nube et procella, et nubes pulvis pedum Ipsius (1:3);
apud Davidem,
"Tribuite robur Deo, cujus excellentia est super Israelem, et cujus robur in superioribus nubibus" (Psalms 68:35 [B.A. 34]);
apud Mosen,
"Non sicut Deus Jeschurun, equitans in caelo in auxilio tuo, et in magnificentia 6
sua super nubibus" (Deuteronomius 33:26);
apud Davidem,
"Testis in nubibus fidelis" (Psalms 89:38 [B.A. 37]).
Ex his constare potest quid significatur per
"Quod nubes atrium interius impleverit (Ezechiel 10:3, 4);
Et quod nubes resederit super tentorium (de quo saepius apud Mosen); tum quod
Cum Jesus transformatus fuit, visus sit in gloria, et quod nubes obvelaverit tres Ipsius discipulos, et quod e nube illis dictum sit, "Hic est Filius meus dilectus" ( 7
Matth. 17:1-10; Marcus 9:1-11; Luca 9:28-36 8
).
(Videantur etiam quae de Domino in medio angelorum viso in nube, in opusculo De Telluribus in Universo, n. 171, vita sunt.)
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