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392. The souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. That this signifies those who were rejected and hidden on account of the Divine truth, and their confession of the Lord, is plain from the signification of the slain, as denoting such as are rejected by the evil, and concealed by the Lord, of whom we shall treat presently; and from the signification of the Word of God, as denoting the Divine truth. What the Lord speaks is called the Word of God, and this is Divine truth. The Word or Sacred Scripture is nothing else; for all Divine truth is contained therein, but the truth itself does not there appear in its glory except before the angels, because the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual and celestial, come within their perception, and also constitute their wisdom. Therefore by the Word of God, in the genuine sense, is signified Divine truth, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself, who spoke it, for He spoke from Himself, or from His Divine, and what proceeds from Him is also Himself.
[2] That the Divine proceeding is Himself, may be illustrated by this circumstance. Around every angel there is a sphere called the sphere of his life; this puts itself forth to a great distance from him. This sphere flows out, or proceeds from the life of his affection or love, therefore it is an extension of the life, such as it is in him, outside of him. This extension is effected in the middle atmosphere or spiritual aura, which is the aura of heaven. By that sphere an angel is perceived at a distance by others according to the quality of his affection; this it has also been granted me sometimes to perceive. But about the Lord there is a Divine sphere, which near Him appears as a Sun, which is His Divine love, from which that sphere proceeds into the whole heaven and fills it, and constitutes the light there; this sphere is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, which in its essence is Divine truth. A comparison is here made with the angels for the sake of illustration, in order that it may be known that the Divine proceeding from the Lord is the Lord Himself, because it is the proceeding of His love, and the proceeding is Himself outside of Himself; and from the signification of testimony, as denoting confession of the Lord, and the Lord Himself, of which we shall speak presently.
[3] That by the slain are here meant those who were rejected by wicked spirits, and concealed by the Lord, or removed from the eyes of others, and reserved to the day of the Last Judgment, is evident from what was said in the article above, and also from what follows in the two verses that treat solely of them. In the article above it was observed, that the former heaven which passed away, consisted of those who lived morally in externals, but yet were not spiritual, but merely natural, or who lived as it were a spiritual life, only from the affection or love of fame, honour, glory, and gain, thus for the sake of appearance. These, although they were inwardly evil, were still tolerated, and constituted societies in the higher places in the spiritual world; these societies, taken together, were called heaven, but the former heaven which afterwards passed away. Hence it came to pass, that all those who were spiritual, that is, who were not only outwardly but also inwardly good, could not be together with such, but withdrew from them, either of their own accord or from compulsion, and were subjected, where found, to persecutions; therefore they were concealed by the Lord, and reserved in their places to the day of Judgment, in order that they might constitute a new heaven; these, therefore, are those who are meant by the souls of the slain seen under the altar. Hence it is evident that by the slain are signified those who were rejected and hidden, for they were hated by the others on account of Divine truth and the confession of the Lord; and those who are hated are called the slain, for to hate is spiritually to kill. That they are meant by the souls of the slain, is evident also from what follows in the two verses where it is thus said concerning them:
"And they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, who art holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenue our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until both their fellow-servants and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."
That those here spoken of are meant by the slain, no one can know except he to whom it has been revealed; for who, except from revelation, could know of whom the former heaven, mentioned in the Apocalypse 21:1, consisted, and of whom the new heaven was formed; and that those of whom the new heaven was to be formed, were in the meantime concealed and reserved by the Lord? And unless these things had been revealed to some one, all the things contained in the Apocalypse in the internal sense must have remained hidden, because they principally treat of such things as were to take place in the spiritual world before the Last Judgment, also of those things that occurred during it, and after it.
[4] That by testimony is signified confession of the Lord, and the Lord Himself, is evident from the passages in the Word which follow. This signification thus derives its origin because the Word, in all things in general and particular, testifies concerning the Lord; for, in its inmost sense, it treats of the Lord alone, and in the internal sense, of the celestial and spiritual things that proceed from the Lord, and in the particular sense the Lord testifies concerning Himself with every one who is in the life of love and charity. For the Lord flows into the heart and life of such, and teaches them, especially concerning His Divine Human, for He gives to those who are in a life of love, to think of God under a human form, and God under a human form is the Lord. Thus do the simple think in the Christian world; and thus also do the Gentiles think, who live in charity according to their religious persuasion. Both of these are astonished when they hear the learned speak of God as not to be perceived under any human form, knowing that, in such case, they would see no God in their thought, and hence that they would have but little faith in the existence of a God, because the faith which is a faith of charity desires to comprehend in some way what is believed, for faith pertains to the thought, and to think what is incomprehensible is not to think, but only to know and thence to speak without any idea. The angels, even the wisest, do not think of God except as in the human form. To think otherwise is impossible to them, because their perceptions flow according to the form of heaven, which is the human form from the Lord's Divine Human (on which subject see the work concerning Heaven and Hell 59-86); also because the affections from which their thoughts come are from influx, and influx is from the Lord. These observations are made, in order that it may be known why it is that testimony signifies the Lord, namely, because the Lord testifies concerning Himself with all who receive His testification, and they are such as live a life of love to the Lord, and a life of charity towards the neighbour. The reason why these receive the testification and confess Him, is, that the life of love and charity opens the interior mind by the influx of light from heaven; for the life of love and charity is the Divine Life itself, for the Lord loves every one, and does good to every one from love; therefore, where that life is received, there the Lord is present, and is conjoined to him, consequently, He flows into his higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, and by light from Himself opens it.
[5] That testimony signifies the Lord, and with man confession of the Lord from the heart, and specifically the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine in His Human, is evident from this fact, that the law which was prescribed on Mount Sinai, and written upon two tables, and afterwards deposited in the ark, is called the Testimony; whence the ark also was called the ark of the testimony, and the tables also were called the tables of the testimony. And because this was most holy, therefore, the mercy-seat was placed over the ark, and over the mercy-seat were sculptured two cherubim, between which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, spoke with Moses and Aaron. Hence it is clear that the testimony signifies the Lord Himself; otherwise the mercy-seat would not have been placed over the ark, nor would the Lord have spoken with Moses and Aaron between the cherubim which was over the mercy-seat. When Aaron also entered within the veil, which he did once every year, he was first sanctified, and afterwards he burnt incense till the smoke of it covered the mercy-seat, which unless he had done, it is said that he would have died. From these things it plainly appears, that the testimony which was in the ark, and which was the law promulgated on Mount Sinai, and written on two tables of stone, signified the Lord Himself.
[6] That that law is called the testimony, is plain in Moses:
"Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee" (Exodus 25:16).
"He put the testimony into the ark" (Exodus 40:20).
"The mercy-seat that is upon the testimony" (Leviticus 16:13).
"Leave the rods of the tribes before the testimony" (Num. 17:4).
That the tables and the ark were thence called the tables and the ark "of the testimony" (Exodus 25:22; 31:7, 18; 32:15). That the mercy-seat was placed over it, and over the mercy-seat two sculptured cherubim (Exodus 25:17-23; 26:34). That the Lord spoke with Moses and with Aaron between the two cherubim (Exodus 25:16, 21, 22; Num. 17:19, and elsewhere). That they sanctified themselves before they entered thither, and that the smoke of the incense covered the mercy-seat lest they should die (Leviticus xvi.).
[7] That the testimony signifies the Lord, is also plain from this fact, that what was over the ark was called the mercy-seat; and the Lord is the Propitiator. The ark also, from the testimony in it, was the Holy of Holies, both in the tabernacle and in the temple, and hence the tabernacle was holy, and also the temple. The tabernacle and also the temple, represented heaven, and heaven is heaven from the Lord's Divine Human; whence it follows that by the testimony is signified the Lord as to His Divine Human. (That the tent of assembly represented heaven, may be seen, n. Heaven and Hell 126-140). Hence it is that, after it is said that the Word was with God, and the Word was God, it is also said in John:
"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (verses 4, 9, in that chapter).
[8] From these things it is also evident that the Lord is meant by the testimony; for the law written on two tables, which was called the testimony, signifies the Word in its whole extent, and the Lord is the Word. That the law, in a broad sense, signifies the Word in its whole extent, in a sense less broad the historical Word, and in a strict sense the ten precepts of the Decalogue, may be seen, n. 6762. This law was also called a covenant, and hence the tables on which it was written, were called the tables of the covenant, and the ark also was called the ark of the covenant (see 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6864, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632. The reason why that law is called both a covenant and a testimony, is, because when it is called a covenant, the Word is meant, by means of which there is conjunction; and when it is called a testimony, the Lord Himself who conjoins is meant; also on the part of man, confession of the Lord, and acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human, which conjoin. From these things it can be seen why it is that, in the church, the Word is called a covenant; the Word which was before the Lord's Advent, the old covenant, and that which was after His Advent, the new covenant; it is called also the Old and New Testament, but it should be called Testimony.
[9] That by testimony is signified the Lord, and, on the part of man, confession of the Lord, and acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human, is plain also from these passages in the Word. In the Apocalypse:
"They overcame" the dragon "by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony. And the wrathful dragon went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (12:11, 17).
And elsewhere:
"I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (19:10).
By the testimony of Jesus being the spirit of prophecy is signified, that confession of the Lord, and the acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human, are the life of all truth, both in the Word, and in doctrine from the Word.
[10] And in another place:
"The souls of them that were slain with the axe for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, have not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand" (253.
[11] In the same:
"Jehovah hath set up a testimony in Jacob, and a law in Israel" (Psalms 78:5).
By Jacob and Israel is signified the church; by Jacob the external church, and by Israel the internal church; and by the testimony and the law is signified the Word; by the testimony that which therein teaches the goods of life; and by the law that which therein teaches the truths of doctrine. Because those who are in the external church are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine, and those who are in the internal church are in the truths of doctrine according to which the life [is formed], therefore, the testimony is said of Jacob; and the law, of Israel.
[12] In the same:
"If thy sons will keep my covenant, and the testimony that I shall teach them, thy sons shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore" (Psalms 132:12).
These things are said of David, but by David is there meant the Lord; by his sons are meant those who do the Lord's precepts; of them it is said: "If thy sons will keep my covenant" and My testimony; by covenant the same is meant as above by the law, namely, the truth of doctrine; and by testimony the same as above by testimony, namely, the good of life according to the truths of doctrine. Similar things are signified by covenant and testimonies in David (Psalms 25:10).
[13] Testimonies are mentioned in many passages in the Word and at the same time the law, precepts, commandments, statutes, and judgments; and by testimonies and commandments are there signified those things that teach life; by the law and precepts, those that teach doctrine; by statutes and judgments, those that teach rituals; as in the following passages in David:
"The law of Jehovah is perfect, recreating the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple; the commandments of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart; the precept of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the judgments of Jehovah are the truth, they are altogether just" (Psalms 14:7-9).
And in the same:
"Blessed are the sincere in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. Thou hast taught thy commandments to be strictly kept. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy precepts. I will confess to thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice" (119:1-7; similarly in verses 12-15, 88, 89, 151-156; and elsewhere).
392. The souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held, signifies those who were rejected and concealed because of Divine truth and because of their confession of the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "those slain," as being those who were rejected by the evil and concealed by the Lord (of whom presently); also from the signification of "the Word of God," as being Divine truth. What the Lord speaks is called the Word of God, and that is Divine truth. The Word or the Sacred Scripture is nothing else; for in it all Divine truth is contained, but it is only before the angels that the truth itself in its glory is manifest in it, because to them the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual and celestial, become manifest and also constitute their wisdom. "The Word of God," therefore, signifies in the genuine sense Divine truth, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself who spoke it, for He spoke from Himself, or from His Divine, and what proceeds from Him that also is Himself.
[2] That the Divine proceeding is the Lord may be illustrated by this: About every angel there is a sphere that is called the sphere of his life; this spreads abroad to a great distance from him. This sphere flows out or proceeds from the life of his affection or love; it is therefore an extension outside of him of such life as is in him. This extension is effected by means of the spiritual atmosphere or aura, which is the aura of heaven. By means of that sphere the quality of an angel in respect to affection is perceived at a distance by others; this has been granted me sometimes to perceive. But about the Lord there is a Divine sphere, which near Him appears as a sun, which is His Divine love, and from this that sphere proceeds into the whole heaven and fills it and constitutes the light that is there; this sphere is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, which in its essence is Divine truth. This comparison with angels is made as an illustration, to show that the Divine proceeding from the Lord is the Lord Himself, because it is a proceeding of His love, and the proceeding is Himself outside of Himself. The above is further evident from the signification of "testimony," as being the confession of the Lord, and the Lord Himself (of which presently).
[3] That "those slain" here mean those who were rejected by evil spirits and concealed by the Lord, or removed from the eyes of others and preserved to the day of the Last Judgment, can be seen from what was said in the article above, also from what follows in the two verses in which they alone are described. In the article above it was said that "the former heaven" that passed away consisted of those who in externals lived a moral life, and yet were merely natural and not spiritual, or who lived a sort of spiritual life merely from the affection or love of fame, honor, glory, and gain, thus for the sake of appearance. Although these were inwardly evil, they, nevertheless, were tolerated, and constituted societies in the higher places in the spiritual world. These societies, taken together, were called a heaven, but "the former heaven" that afterwards passed away. From this it came to pass that all those who were spiritual, that is, who were inwardly as well as outwardly good, not being able to be with these, withdrew from them, either voluntarily or being driven away, and wherever found they were persecuted; on this account they were concealed by the Lord and preserved in their places until the day of judgment, that they might constitute "the new heaven." These therefore are those that are meant by "the souls of those slain seen under the altar." This makes clear that "those slain" signify those who were rejected and concealed, for they were hated by the others, because of Divine truth and because of their confession of the Lord; and those who are hated are called "those slain," because to hate is spiritually to slay. That such are meant by "the souls of those slain," can be seen further from what follows in the two verses where it is said of them, "And they cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth? And there were given to every one of them white robes; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled." That those above described are meant by "those slain," no one can know but those to whom it has been revealed; for who can know, except by revelation, of whom "the former heaven" (Revelation 21:1) consisted, and of whom "the new heaven" was formed; and that those of whom the new heaven was to be formed, were in the meantime concealed and preserved by the Lord? And unless these things had been revealed to someone, all things contained in Revelation in its internal sense must have remained hidden; for in it such things as were to take place in the spiritual world before the Last Judgment, and while it was going on, and after it are chiefly treated of.
[4] That "testimony" signifies the confession of the Lord, and the Lord Himself, can be seen from the passages in the Word that follow. This signification has its origin from this, that the Word in each and every particular testifies respecting the Lord; for in its inmost sense it treats of the Lord alone, and in its internal sense of the celestial and spiritual things that proceed from the Lord, and in particular the Lord testifies respecting Himself in everyone who is in the life of love and charity; for the Lord flows into their heart and life and teaches them, especially respecting His Divine Human; for He grants to those who are in a life of love to think of God under the human form, and God under the human form is the Lord.
The simple in the Christian world so think, as also the heathen who live in charity according to their religious principle. Both these are astonished when they hear the learned speak of God as not to be perceived in any human form, for they know that thinking thus they could not see any God in thought, and therefore could have little belief in the existence of a God, since the faith which is the faith of charity wishes to comprehend in some way what is believed; for faith is of thought, and to think what is incomprehensible is not to think, but only to have knowledge and to speak from that without any idea. Angels, even the wisest, do not think of God otherwise than as in the human form; it is impossible for them to think otherwise, for the reason that their perceptions flow according to the form of heaven, which is the human form from the Lord's Divine Human (on which see Heaven and Hell 59-86); and for the reason that the affections from which are their thoughts, are from influx, and influx is from the Lord.
This has been said that it may be known why "testimony" signifies the Lord, namely, because the Lord testifies respecting Himself with all who accept His testimony, and these are such as live a life of love to the Lord, and a life of charity towards the neighbor. These receive His testimony and confess Him, because a life of love and charity opens the interior mind by the influx of light from heaven, for a life of love and charity is the Divine life itself; for the Lord loves everyone, and does good to everyone from love; consequently where that life is received the Lord is present and is conjoined to the man, and thus flows into his higher mind which is called the spiritual mind, and by light from himself opens it.
[5] That "testimony" signifies the Lord, and with man the confession of the Lord from the heart, and in particular, the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine in His Human, can be seen from this, that the law which was given on Mount Sinai and written upon two tables, and afterwards placed in the ark, is called the "Testimony;" whence also the ark was called "the ark of the Testimony," and the tables also were called "the tables of Testimony;" and because this was most holy, the mercy-seat was placed upon the ark, and over the mercy-seat were sculptured two cherubim, between which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, spoke with Moses and Aaron. This makes clear that "the Testimony" signifies the Lord Himself; otherwise the mercy-seat would not have been placed upon the ark, nor would the Lord have spoken with Moses and Aaron between the cherubim which were upon the mercy-seat. Moreover, when Aaron entered within the veil, which he did once every year, he was first sanctified, and afterwards he burnt incense till the smoke of the incense covered the mercy seat; it is said that unless he did this he would have died. From this it is clearly evident that the Testimony that was in the ark, and that was the law given on Mount Sinai and inscribed on two tables of stone, signified the Lord Himself.
[6] That the law is called "the Testimony" is evident in Moses:
Thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony which I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16).
He put the Testimony into the ark (Exodus 40:20).
The mercy-seat that is upon the Testimony (Leviticus 16:13).
Lay up the rods of the tribes before the Testimony (Numbers 17:4).
That the tables and the ark were therefore called the tables and the ark of the Testimony (Exodus 25:22; 31:7, 18; 32:15).
That the mercy-seat was placed upon it, and over the mercy-seat two sculptured cherubim (Exodus 25:17-22; 26:34).
That the Lord spoke with Moses and with Aaron between the two cherubim (Exodus 25:16, 21-22; Numbers 17:4 and elsewhere).
That they sanctified themselves before they entered thither, and that the smoke of the incense covered the mercy-seat lest they should die (Leviticus 16:1-34).
[7] That "the testimony" signifies the Lord is evident also from this, that what was upon the ark was called the mercy seat [propitiatorium], and the Lord is the propitiator; the ark also, from the testimony in it, was the holy of holies, both in the tabernacle and in the temple, and from this the tabernacle was holy, and also the temple. The tabernacle represented heaven, and also the temple, and heaven is heaven from the Lord's Divine Human; from this it follows that "testimony" signifies the Lord in respect to His Divine Human. (That "the tent of meeting" represented heaven, see John 1:1) John 1:14).
The Word is the Lord because the Word signifies Divine truth, and all Divine truth proceeds from the Lord, for it is the light in heaven, that enlightens the minds of the angels and also the minds of men, and gives them wisdom; this light in its essence is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun (of which light, see John 1:4, 1:9).
[8] This makes clear that the Lord is meant by "the Testimony;" for the law written on the two tables, which was called the "Testimony," signifies the Word in the whole complex, and the Lord is the Word. (That "the law" in a broad sense signifies the Word in the whole complex, in a sense less broad the historical Word, and in a strict sense the ten commandments of the Decalogue, see Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632.)
This law is called both "a Covenant" and "a Testimony," because when called "a Covenant" it means the Word by which there is conjunction; and when called "a Testimony" it means the Lord Himself who conjoins; and on man's part, the confession of the Lord and the acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human, which conjoin. From this it can be seen why the Word is called in the church "a Covenant," the Word before the Lord's coming "the Old Covenant," and that after His coming "the New Covenant;" it is called also "the Old and the New Testament," but it is to be called "the Testimony."
[9] That "Testimony" signifies the Lord, and on man's part the confession of the Lord and the acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human, is evident also from these passages in the Word. In Revelation:
They overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of the testimony. And the dragon was angry, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed, that keep the commandment of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11 17).
I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" signifies that the confession of the Lord and the acknowledgment of His Divine in His Human is the life of all truth, both in the Word and in doctrine from the Word.
[10] And elsewhere:
The souls of those slain with the axe for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand (253.
[11] In the same:
Jehovah hath set up a testimony in Jacob, and a law in Israel (Psalms 78:5).
"Jacob" and "Israel" signify the church, "Jacob" the external church, and "Israel" the internal church; and "testimony" and "law" signify the Word, "testimony" that in the Word which teaches the goods of life, and "the law" that in it which teaches the truths of doctrine. Because those who are in the external church are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine, and those who are in the internal church are in the truths of doctrine according to which is the life, so "testimony" is predicated of Jacob, and "the law" of Israel.
[12] In the same:
If thy sons shall keep My covenant, and the testimony that I shall teach them, their 1sons shall sit upon the throne for thee forevermore (Psalms 132:12).
This is said of David, but David here means the Lord; "his sons" mean those who do the Lord's commandments; of these it is said, "if thy sons shall have kept My covenant and My testimony," "covenant" meaning the like as "law" above, namely, the truth of doctrine, and "testimony" the like as "testimony" above, namely, the good of life according to the truths of doctrine. Like things are signified by "covenant" and "testimonies" in David (Psalms 25:10).
[13] "Testimonies" are mentioned in many passages in the Word, together with "law," "precepts," "commandments," "statutes," and "judgments;" and "testimonies and commandments" there signify such things as teach life, "law and precepts" such as teach doctrine, "statutes and judgments" such as teach rituals, as in the following passages in David:
The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The commandments of Jehovah are right, making glad the heart; the precept of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether (Psalms 19:7-9).
In the same:
Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah. Blessed are they that observe His testimonies, that seek after Him with the whole heart. Thou hast enjoined Thy commandments to be strictly kept. O that my ways may be directed to keep Thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all Thy precepts. I will confess to thee in uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of Thy righteousness (Psalms 119:1-7 manner in verses 12-15, 88-89, 151-156, etc.).
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "thy," but Hebrew has "their," as also AC 6804.
392. "Animas occisorum propter Verbum Dei et propter testimonium quod habebant." - Quod significet qui rejecti sunt et abditi sunt propter Divinum Verum, et propter confessionem Domini, constat ex significatione "occisorum", quod sint illi qui rejecti sint a malis et abditi a Domino (de qua sequitur); ex significatione "Verbi Dei", quod sit Divinum Verum: ("Verbum Dei" dicitur quod Dominus loquitur, et hoc est Divinum Verum; Verbum seu Scriptura Sacra non aliud est, nam omne Divinum Verum ibi continetur; sed ipsum Verum ibi in sua gloria non apparet nisi coram angelis, quia interiora Verbi, quae sunt spiritualia et caelestia, ad illos perveniunt, et quoque faciunt sapientiam eorum: quare per "Verbum Dei" in genuino sensu significatur Divinum Verum, et in supremo sensu Ipse Dominus qui id .locutus est, nam locutus est a Se seu a Divino Suo, et quod ab Ipso procedit hoc quoque Ipse est.
[2] Quod Divinum procedens sit Ipse, illustrabitur per hoc:Circum unumquemvis angelum est sphaera quae vocatur sphaera vitae ejus; haec ad multam distantiam ab eo se effundit. Haec sphaera effluit seu procedit ex vita affectionis seu amoris ejus; quare est extensio vitae qualis est in illo extra illum: extensio illa fit media atmosphaera seu aura spirituali, quae est aura caeli; per illam sphaeram percipitur angelus qualis est ad distantiam ab aliis quoad affectionem, quod etiam datum est mihi aliquoties percipere: at circum Dominum est sphaera Divina, quae prope Ipsum apparet ut Sol, qui est Divinus Amor Ipsius, ex quo procedit illa in universum caelum, et implet illud, et facit lucem quae ibi; haec sphaera est Divinum procedens ex Domino, quod in sua essentia est Divinum Verum. Haec comparative cum angelis propter illustrationem dicta sunt, ut sciatur quod Divinum procedens a Domino sit Ipse Dominus, quia est procedens amoris Ipsius, et procedens est Ipse extra
Se:-) et ex significatione "testimonii", quod sit confessio Domini et Ipse Dominus, de qua sequitur.
[3] Quod per "occisos" hic intelligantur illi qui rejecti sint a malis spiritibus et abditi a Domino, seu ab oculis aliorum semoti, et reservati ad diem ultimi judicii, constare potest ex illis quae in superiori articulo dicta sunt, et quoque ex illis quae sequuntur in binis versibus in quibus unice de illis agitur: in superiori articulo dictum est quod "prius caelum" quod transivit, constiterit ex illis qui moraliter vixerunt in externis, sed usque non spirituales verum mere naturales fuerunt, seu qui vitam quasi spiritualem egerunt solum ex affectione seu amore famae, honoris, gloriae, lucri, ita propter apparentiam; hi tametsi interius mali fuerunt, usque tolerati sunt, et constituerunt societates in locis editioribus in mundo spirituali. Hae societates simul sumptae dictae fuerunt caelum, sed "prius caelum" quod postea transivit. Inde factum est quod omnes illi qui spirituales fuerunt, hoc est, non solum exterius sed etiam interius boni, non simul cum illis esse potuerint, sed ab illis secesserint vel sua sponte vel profugati, ac ubi inventi persecutiones passi sint; quapropter illi a Domino abditi sunt, ac in suis locis reservati ad diem judicii, ut "novum caelum" constituerent. Hi itaque sunt qui intelliguntur per "animas occisorum visas sub altari." Inde patet quod per "occisos" significentur qui rejecti et abditi; erant enim odio habiti a reliquis propter Divinum Verum et propter confessionem Domini; et qui odio habentur illi dicuntur "occisi", nam odio habere est spiritualiter occidere. Quod illi intelligantur per "animas occisorum", constare etiam potest ex illis quae sequuntur in binis versibus ubi de illis ita dicitur, "Et clamabant voce magna, dicentes, Usque quo Domine, qui Sanctus et Verus, non judicas et vindicas sanguinem nostrum de habitantibus super terra? Et datae singulis stolae albae; et dictum eis ut requiescerent adhuc tempus parvum, usque dum complentur et conservi eorum et fratres eorum, qui futuri interfici sicut et illi." Quod illi de quibus nunc dictum est, per "occisos" intelligantur, nemo scire potest nisi cui revelatum est; quis enim scit, nisi ex revelatione, ex quibus
"prius caelum" (de quo in Apocalypsi 21:1)
constiterat, et ex quibus "novum caelum" formatum est? et quod illi ex quibus novum caelum formandum est, interea a Domino reconditi et reservati fuerint? Et nisi illa alicui revelata fuissent, latuissent omnia illa quae in Apocalypsi in sensu interno continentur; nam ibi agitur principaliter de talibus quae futura erant in mundo spirituali ante ultimum judicium, tum quae in illo, ac post illud.
[4] Quod per "testimonium" significetur confessio Domini et Ipse Dominus, constare potest ex locis in Verbo quae sequuntur. Significatio illa trahit inde originem, quia Verbum in omnibus et singulis testatur de Domino, in sensu enim ejus intimo agitur de solo Domino, ac in sensu interno de caelestibus et spiritualibus quae procedunt a Domino; et in particulari testatur Dominus de Se apud singulos qui in vita amoris et charitatis sunt, influit enim Dominus in illorum cor et vitam ac docet, imprimis de Divino Humano suo; nam dat illis qui in vita amoris sunt cogitare Deum sub Humana forma, et Deus sub Humana forma est Dominus: ita cogitant simplices in Christiano orbe, ita quoque gentiles qui in charitate secundum religiosum suum vivunt; hi et illi obstupescunt quando audiunt eruditos loquentes de Deo quod percipiendus sit non in aliqua forma Humana, scientes tunc quod nullum Deum cogitatione videant, et inde quod parum fidei de existentia Dei habeant, quoniam fides, quae est fides charitatis, comprehendere aliquo modo vult quod creditur; nam fides est cogitationis, et cogitare incomprehensibile non est cogitare, sed modo est scire et inde loqui absque idea. Angeli etiam sapientissimi non aliter de Deo cogitant quam in Humana forma; aliter cogitare illis impossibile est, ex causa quia perceptiones eorum vadunt secundum formam caeli, quae est forma humana ex Divino Humano Domini (de qua re videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 59-86), tum quia affectiones, ex quibus cogitationes eorum, sunt ex influxu, et influxus est a Domino. Haec dicta sunt ut sciatur unde est quod "testimonium" significet Dominum; quod nempe, quia Dominus de Se testatur apud omnes qui recipiunt testificationem, qui sunt qui vitam amoris in Dominum et vitam charitatis erga proximum vivunt. Quod hi recipiant testificationem, et confiteantur Ipsum, est causa, quia vita amoris et charitatis aperit interiorem mentem per influxum lucis e caelo, est enim vita amoris et charitatis ipsa vita Divina: Dominus enim amat unumquemque et benefacit unicuique ex amore; quare ubi illa vita recipitur, ibi est Dominus praesens, et ei conjungitur, proinde influit in mentem ejus superiorem, quae mens spiritualis vocatur, et per lucem a Se aperit illam.
[5] Quod "testimonium" significet Dominum, et apud hominem confessionem Domini ex corde, et in specie agnitionem Divini Domini in Humano Ipsius, constare potest ex eo, quod Lex quae lata fuit in Monte Sinai, et inscripta duabus tabulis, et dein posita in arca, dicatur "testimonium"; unde etiam arca vocabatur "arca testimonii", et quoque tabulae vocabantur "tabulae testimonii"; et quia hoc sanctissimum erat, ideo propitiatorium datum fuit super arcam, et super propitiatorio sculpti erant duo cherubi, inter quos Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus locutus est cum Mose et cum Aharone. Inde patet quod "testimonium" significet Ipsum Dominum; alioqui propitiatorium non positum fuisset super arcam, nec locutus fuisset Dominus cum Mose et Aharone inter cherubos qui super propitiatorio. Cum etiam Aharon intraret intra velum, quod fiebat semel quotannis, primum sanctificabatur, et dein suffiebat usque ut fumus suffimenti obtegeret propitiatorium; quod nisi fecisset, dicitur quod moriturus esset. Ex his manifeste constat quod testimonium, quod in arca, quod erat Lex lata super Monte Sinai, et inscripta duabus tabulis lapideis, significaverit Ipsum Dominum.
[6] Quod Lex illa dicatur "testimonium", constat apud Mosen,
"Dabis in arcam testimonium quod daturus sum tibi" (Exod 25:16);
Dedit testimonium in arcam" (Exodus 40:20);
"Propitiatorium quod super testimonio" (Leviticus 16:13);
"Relinque" baculos tribuum "coram testimonio" (Numeri 17:19 [B.A. 4]).
Quod tabulae et arca inde dictae fuerint tabulae et arca testimonii (Exodus 25:22; 31:7, 18; 32:15).
Quod propitiatorium positum fuerit super illud, et super propitiatorio sculpti bini cherubi ( 1
Quod Dominus locutus sit cum Mose et cum Aharone inter duos cherubos (Exodus 25:16, 21, 22; Numeri 17:19 [B.A. 4); et alibi).
Quod sanctificarent se antequam illuc intrarent; et quod fumus suffimenti tegeret propitiatorium, ne morerentur (Levit. 15).
[7] Quod "testimonium" significet Dominum, etiam constat ex eo, quod id quod super arca erat, vocatum fuerit propitiatorium, et Dominus est Propitiator. Arca etiam ex testimonio in illo erat sanctum sanctorum tam in Tentorio quam in Templo, et inde Tentorium erat sanctum et quoque Templum. Tentorium repraesentabat caelum, et quoque Templum, ac caelum est caelum ex Divino Humano Domini; inde sequitur quod per "testimonium" significetur Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum suum. (Quod Tentorium conventus repraesentaverit caelum, videatur n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 2
10545: quod similiter Templum, supra, n. 220: et quod caelum sit caelum ex Divino Humano Domino, in opere De Caelo et Inferno 59-86.) Quod Lex e Monte Sinai promulgata dicatur "testimonium", est quia Lex illa in lato sensu significat totum Verbum, tam Historicum quam Propheticum, et Verbum est Dominus, secundum haec apud Johannem,
"In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum ac Verbum Caro factum est" (1:1, 14):
quod Verbum sit Dominus, est quia Verbum significat Divinum Verum, et omne Divinum Verum procedit a Domino, est enim Lux in caelo, quae illuminat mentes angelorum et quoque mentes hominum, ac illis dat sapientiam; est illa Lux in sua essentia Divinum Verum procedens a Domino ut Sole (de qua Luce videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 126-140); inde est quod postquam dicitur quod "Verbum esset apud Deum, et Deus esset Verbum", etiam dicatur apud Johannem,
"In Ipso vita erat, et vita erat Lux hominum... erat Lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in mundum" (vers. 4, 9, ibi).
[8] Ex his etiam patet quod Dominus intelligatur per "testimonium", quoniam Lex super duabus tabulis scripta, quae vocatur testimonium, significat Verbum in toto complexu, et Dominus est Verbum.
(Quod "Lex" in lato sensu significet Verbum in toto complexu, in minus lato Verbum Historicum, et in stricto decem praecepta Decalogi, videatur n. 6752.)
Lex illa etiam vocabatur "foedus", et inde tabulae quibus inscripta fuit vocabantur "tabulae foederis", et quoque arca vocabatur "arca foederis" (Videatur 3
Exod. 34:28; Numeri 14:44; Deuteronomius 9:9, 15; Apocalypsis 11:19; et alibi);
et hoc ex causa, quia "foedus" significat conjunctionem, ac Verbum seu Divinum Verum est quod conjungit hominem cum Domino; non aliunde est aliqua conjuncto.
(Quod "Foedus" significet conjunctionem, videatur n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632.) Quod Lex illa dicta sit et foedus et testimonium, est quia cum illa dicitur "foedus", intelligatur Verbum per quod conjunctio, et cum illa dicitur "testimonium" intelligatur Ipse Dominus qui conjungit, et a parte hominis confessio Domini et agnitio Divini Ipsius in Humano Ipsius, quae conjungit. Ex his videri potest unde est quod Verbum in ecclesia dicatur "Foedus", illud Verbum quod fuit ante adventum Domini "Vetus Foedus", et quod post adventum Ipsius "Novum Foedus"; dicitur etiam "Testamentum" vetus et novum, sed dicendum est Testimonium.
[9] Quod per "testimonium" significetur Dominus, et a parte hominis confessio Domini et agnitio Divini Ipsius in Humano Ipsius, constat etiam ex his locis in Verbo:In Apocalypsi,
"Illi vicerunt" draconem "per sanguinem Agni, et per Verbum testimonii:... et iratus draco... abivit, ut faceret bellum cum reliquis seminis ejus, qui tenebant mandata Dei, et habent testimonium Jesu Christi" (12:11, 17):
et alibi,
"Conservus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum habentium testimonium Jesu:... testimonium Jesu est spiritus prophetiae" (19:10);
quod "testimonium Jesu sit spiritus prophetiae" significat quod confessio Domini et agnitio Divini Ipsius in Humano Ipsius sit vita omnis veri tam in Verbo quam in doctrina ex Verbo:
[10] et alibi,
Animae securi percussorum propter testimonium Jesu, et propter Verbum Dei non acceperunt characterem super frontem suam et super manum suam (20:4):
sed de his in explicatione in sequentibus.
Apud Davidem,
"Hierosolyma aedificata sicut urbs quae cohaeret sibi una; et eo ascendunt tribus, tribus Jah, testimonium Israeli, ad confitendum nomini Jehovae; quia ibi sedent throni ad judicium" (Psalms 122:3-5):
per "Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia quoad doctrinam; quae "aedificata" dicitur, cum instaurata a Domino; "sicut urbs quae cohaeret sibi una" significat 4
doctrinam, in qua omnia in ordine ("urbs" est doctrina); "eo ascendunt tribus, tribus Jah", significat quod in illa sint omnia vera et bona in complexu; "testimonium Israeli, ad confitendum nomini Jehovae", significat quod ibi agnitio et confessio Domini; "quia ibi sedent throni ad judicium" significat quod ibi Divinum Verum secundum quod judicium; quod "throni id significent, videatur supra (n. 253(a)).
[11] Apud eundem,
Jehovah "erexit testimonium in Jacobo, et legem... in Israele" (Psalms 78:5):
per "Jacobum" et "Israelem" significatur ecclesia, per "Jacobum" ecclesia externa, et per "Israelem" ecclesia interna; ac per "testimonium" et per "legem" significatur Verbum, per "testimonium" quod ibi docet bona vitae, et per "legem" quod ibi docet vera doctrinae: quoniam illi qui in externa ecclesia sunt, in bono vitae sunt secundum vera doctrinae, et illi qui in interna ecclesia in veris doctrinae sunt secundum quae vita, ideo de Jacobo dicitur "testimonium", et de Israele "lex."
[12] Apud eundem,
"Si custodiverint filii tui foedus meum, et testimonium quod docebo eos, etiam filii 5
eorum in aeternum sedebunt super throno tibi" (Psalms 132:12):
haec de Davide, sed per Davidem ibi intelligitur Dominus; per "filios" ejus intelliguntur qui faciunt praecepta Domini: de his dicitur, "Si custodiverint filii tui foedus meum et testimonium meum"; per "foedus" simile intelligitur quod supra per "legem", nempe verum doctrinae, et per "testimonium" simile quod supra per "testimonium", nempe bonum vitae secundum vera doctrinae.
(Similia per "foedus" et "testimonia" significantur apud Davidem, 25:10.)
[13] Pluribus in locis dicuntur "testimonia", et simul "lex", "praecepta", "mandata", "statuta" et "judicia"; ac ibi per "testimonia et mandata" significantur quae docent vitam, per "legem et praecepta" quae docent doctrinam, per "statuta et judicia" quae docent ritus; ut in his sequentibus, apud Davidem:-
"Lex Jehovae perfecta, recreans animam; testimonium Jehovae firmum, sapientem reddens simplicem; mandata Jehovae recta, laetificantia cor; praeceptum Jehovae purum, illuminans oculos... judicia Jehovae veritas, justa sunt simul" (Psalms 19:8-10 [B.A. 7-9]):
apud eundem,
"Beati integri Via, ambulantes in lege Jehovae; beati custodientes testimonia Ipsius, in toto corde quaerunt Ipsum:... Tu praecepisti mandata tua ad custodiendum Valde: utinam dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendum statuta tua; tunc non pudefiam quando respicio ad omnia praecepta tua: confitebor Tibi in rectitudine cordis, quum didicero judicia justitiae tuae" (Ps. 119:17 6
; pariter ibi vers. 12-15, 88, 89, 151-156; et alibi).
Footnotes:
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