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397. Until their fellow-servants and their brethren, who should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. That this signifies until evils have been consummated, is plain from the signification of, they should be fulfilled, as denoting until they are consummated. And from the signification of "their fellow-servants and their brethren, who should be killed as they were," as denoting evils, for to kill them denotes evil. By fellow-servants are meant those who are in truths, and by brethren are meant those who are in goods; and by fellow-servants and brethren together are meant those who are in truths from good, for in the internal sense the two are conjoined into one. Consummation is mentioned in some passages in the Word, also when evils are consummated; but scarcely any one at this day knows what is signified thereby. In three articles above, n. 391, 392, 394, it was shown that the former heaven consisted of such as had led a moral life in externals, and yet in their internals were evil, and that they dwelt in high places in the spiritual world, and thence supposed that they were in heaven. These, because they were inwardly evil, would not tolerate among them those that were inwardly good, and this on account of the disagreement of their affections and thoughts. For all consociations in the spiritual world are effected according to the agreement of the affections, and thence of the thoughts, for angels and spirits are nothing but affections and the thoughts thence in a human form; and because those who were then on the high places, could not suffer the presence of those who were inwardly good, they, therefore, cast them out from among them, and wherever they saw them they treated them in an evil and disgraceful manner, therefore they were removed from their violence by the Lord, and concealed under heaven, and preserved. And this was taking place from the time when the Lord was in the world until this time when the judgment took place; and then those who were on high places were cast down, and those who were under heaven, raised up. The reason why the evil were so long tolerated upon high places, and the good so long detained under heaven, was that both the latter and the former might be completed, that is, that the good might amount to such a number as to be sufficient to form a new heaven, and also that the evil might fall down of themselves into hell; for the Lord casts no one down into hell, but the evil itself which is with evil spirits, casts them down (as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 545-550). This is effected at the time when evils are consummated, that is, are completed.
[2] This also is what is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew:
"The servants of the householder coming, said, Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then are the tares? And they said, Wilt thou, therefore, that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest in gathering the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into the barn. So shall it be in the consummation of the age" (Last Judgment 65-72. From these considerations it may in some degree be known why it was said to them, that they should rest yet for a little time until their fellow-servants and their brethren, who should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. By being killed is here signified the same as being slain (above, n. 392), namely, to be rejected by the evil on account of the Divine truth, and on account of their confession of the Lord.
[3] From these known circumstances it may be known what is signified by consummation, and by iniquity being consummated, in the following passages.
In Moses:
Jehovah said, "I will go down, and see whether they have made a consummation, according to the cry which is come unto me" (Genesis 18:21).
This is said of Sodom. In the same:
"For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet consummated (fulfilled)" (Genesis 15:16).
In Isaiah:
"I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of hosts a consummation and a decision upon the whole earth" (28:22).
In the same:
"A consummation is determined, justice has overflowed. For the Lord Jehovih of hosts maketh a consummation, and a decision, in the whole earth" (10:22, 23).
In Zephaniah:
"In the fire of the zeal" of Jehovih of hosts "the whole land shall be devoured; for he shall make a consummation, and indeed speedily, with all the inhabitants of the land" (1:18).
In Daniel:
"At length upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation" (9:27; and elsewhere).
By consummation and decision, in these passages, is signified the last state of the church, which is when truth is no longer, because there is no good, or when there is faith no longer, because there is no charity; when such is the state of the church, then the Last Judgment is come. The reason why the Last Judgment then is come, is also that the human race is the basis or foundation of the angelic heaven, for the conjunction of the angelic heaven with the human race is perpetual, and the one subsists by the other; therefore when the basis does not correspond, the angelic heaven is shaken, therefore there is then a judgment upon those who are in the spiritual world, in order that all things, in the heavens as well as in the hells, may be reduced to order. (That the human race is the basis and foundation of the angelic heaven, and that the conjunction is perpetual, may be seen in the work concerning Matthew 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).
397. Until their fellow-servants as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled, signifies until evils were consummated. This is evident from the signification of "until they should be fulfilled," as being until they were consummated; also from the signification of "their fellow-servants as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were," as being evils, for to kill these denotes evil, "fellow-servants" meaning those who are in truths, and "brethren" those who are in goods, and "fellow-servants" and "brethren" together those who are in truths from good; for in the internal sense the two are conjoined into one.
"Consummation" is mentioned in some passages in the Word, likewise "when evils are consummated," but scarcely anyone at this day knows what this signifies. In three articles above (n. 391, 392, 394) it is said that the former heaven consisted of such as had led a moral life in externals, and yet were internally evil, and that these dwelt in high places in the spiritual world, and therefore thought themselves to be in heaven.
These, because they were interiorly evil, would not tolerate among them those that were interiorly good, and this because their affections and thoughts were discordant, for all consociations in the spiritual world are effected according to agreement of affections and thence of thoughts; for angels and spirits are nothing but affections and thoughts therefrom in a human form; and as those who then were in the high places could not endure the presence of those who were interiorly good, they cast them out from among them, and wherever they saw them, treated them wrongfully and shamefully, consequently the good were delivered by the Lord from this violence and concealed under heaven and preserved; and this was taking place from the time when the Lord was in the world even until this time when the judgment was accomplished; then those who were on high places were cast down, and those who were under heaven were elevated. The evil were tolerated so long on the high places, and the good were detained so long under heaven, in order that both "might be fulfilled," which means that there might be a sufficient number of the good to form a new heaven, and also that the evil might sink down of themselves into hell; for the Lord casts no one down into hell, but the evil itself which is with evil spirits casts them down (as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 545-550). This takes place when evils are consummated, that is, fulfilled.
[2] This also is what is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew:
The servants of the householder coming, said, Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then are the tares? And they said, Wilt thou therefore that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest in gathering the tares ye root up at the same time the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into the barn. So shall it be in the consummation of the age (The Last Judgment 65-72.) From all this it can in some measure be known why it was said to 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;" "to be killed" has here the like signification as "to be slain" above n. 392, namely, to be rejected by the evil because of Divine truth, and because of their confession of the Lord.
[3] When this is known it can be known what is signified by "consummation" and by "iniquity consummated" in the following passages. In Moses:
Jehovah said, I will go down and see whether they have made a consummation, according to the cry that is come unto Me (Genesis 18:20-21).
This is said of Sodom. In the same:
For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet consummated [fulfilled] (Genesis 15:16).
In Isaiah:
A consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth (Isaiah 28:22).
In the same:
A consummation is determined, righteousness has overflowed. For the Lord Jehovih of Hosts is making a consummation and a decision in the whole earth (Isaiah 10:22-23).
In Zephaniah:
In the fire of the zeal of Jehovah of Hosts the whole land shall be devoured; for He shall make a consummation, even a speedy one, with all the inhabitants of the land (Zephaniah 1:18).
In Daniel:
At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation (Daniel 9:27);
and elsewhere. "Consummation" and "decision" in these passages signify the last state of the church, a state in which there is no longer any truth because there is no good, or in which there is no longer any faith because there is no charity; and when this is the state of the church, then comes the Last Judgment. The Last Judgment then comes, for the further reason that the human race is the basis or foundation of the angelic heaven, for the conjunction of the angelic heaven with the human race is perpetual, the one subsisting by means of the other; when therefore the basis does not correspond the angelic heaven totters; consequently there must then be a judgment upon those who are in the spiritual world, that all things in the heavens as well as in the hells, may be reduced to order. (That the human race is the basis and foundation of the angelic heaven, and that the conjunction is perpetual, see in the work on Matthew 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).
397. "Usque dum complentur et conservi eorum et fratres eorum, qui futuri interfici sicut et illi." - Quod significet dum mala consummata sunt, constat ex significatione "usque dum complentur", quod sit dum consummata sunt: et ex significatione "et conservi eorum et fratres eorum qui futuri interfici sicut et illi", quod sint mala, nam interficere illos est malum; per "conservos" intelliguntur qui in veris, et per "fratres" intelliguntur qui in bonis; ac per "conservos et fratres" simul, intelliguntur qui in veris ex bono sunt, in sensu enim interno duo conjunguntur in unum. Aliquibus in locis in Verbo dicitur "consummatio", tum "quando mala consummata", sed vix aliquis hodie novit quid per id significatur. Supra (in tribus articulis, n. 391, 392, 394) dictum est quod prius caelum constiterit ex talibus qui moralem vitam in externis egerunt, et tamen in internis fuerunt mali, et quod hi habitaverint in altis locis in mundo spirituali, et inde putaverint quod essent in caelo. Hi quia interius mali fuerunt, non apud se toleraverunt illos qui interius boni fuerunt, et hoc propter discrepantiam affectionum et cogitationum; omnes enim consociationes in mundo spirituali fiunt secundum concordantiam affectionum et inde cogitationum, nam angeli et spiritus non sunt nisi quam affectiones et inde cogitationes in forma humana; et quia illi qui in altis tunc erant, non potuerunt sufferre praesentiam illorum qui interius boni erant, ideo ejecerunt illos a se, et illos, ubicunque viderunt, malis et probris affecerunt; quapropter a Domino ab illorum violentia exempti sunt, et reconditi sub caelo, ac conservati: et hoc factum est a tempore quum Dominus fuit in mundo ad hoc usque tempus quando judicium factum est, et tunc illi qui super altis erant, dejecti sunt, et illi qui sub caelo, elevati: quod mali tam diu tolerati fuerint super altis, ac boni tam diu detenti sub caelo, fuit causa ut complerentur hi et illi, hoc est, ut boni tali numero essent ut sufficerent ad novum caelum ex illis formandum, et quoque ut mali ex se deciderent ad infernum; Dominus enim neminem in infernum dejicit, sed ipsum malum quod apud malos spiritus dejicit illos (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 545-550); hoc tunc fit quando mala consummata, hoc est, completa sunt.
[2] Hoc quoque est quod intelligitur per Domini verba apud Matthaeum,
"Accedentes servi Patris familias dixerunt, ... Nonne bonum semen seminasti in agro tuo? unde ergo sunt zizania?... Et dixerunt, Vis ergo abeamus et colligamus ea? At ille dixit, Non, ne colligendo zizania eradicetis simul cum eis triticum; sinite itaque utraque crescere ad messem, et tempore messis dicam messoribus, Colligite primum zizania, et ligate ea in fasciculos ad comburendum, tritica Vero colligite in horrea:... sic erit in consummatione saeculi" (13:27-30, 37-42):
"consummatio saeculi" est ultimum tempus quando judicium; "tempus messis" est quando omnia consummata seu completa sunt; "zizania" sunt mala, seu in quibus mala sunt; ac "tritica" sunt bona, seu in quibus bona sunt. (Sed de his plura videantur in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 65-72.) Ex his aliquantum sciri potest unde est quod dictum sit illis ut requiescerent adhuc tempus parvum, usque dum complentur et conservi eorum et fratres eorum qui futuri interfici sicut et illi; per "interfici" hic simile significatur quod per "occidi", supra (n. 392(a)), nempe a malis rejici propter Divinum Verum ac propter confessionem Domini.
[3] Ex his cognitis sciri potest quid significatur per "consummationem" et per "iniquitatem consummatam" in his sequentibus locis:
Apud Mosen,
Dixit Jehovah Descendam et videbo num juxta clamorem qui venit ad Me fecerint consummationem" (Gen. 1
de Sodoma.
Apud eundem,
"Quia nondum consummata (impleta) est iniquitas Emorraeorum" ( 2
15:16):
apud Esaiam,
"Consummationem et decisionem audivi a cum Domino Jehovih Zebaoth super universam terram" (28:22):
apud eundem,
"Consummatio definita, inundata justitia, nam consummationem et decisionem Dominus Jehovih Zebaoth faciens in tota terra" (10:22, 23):
apud Zephaniam,
"In igne zeli" Jehovae Zebaoth comedetur tota terra, quia consummationem et quidem festinatam faciet cum omnibus habitatoribus terrae" (1:18):
apud Danielem,
"Tandem super avem abominationum desolatio, et usque ad consummationem et decisionem stillabit super devastationem" (9:27):
et alibi. Per "consummationem" et "decisionem" in his locis significatur status ultimus ecclesiae, qui est quando non verum amplius quia non bonum, seu quando non fides amplius quia non charitas; et cum ille status ecclesiae est, tunc venit ultimum judicium. Quod tunc ultimum judicium veniat, est quoque quia humanum genus est basis seu fundamentum caeli angelici, nam conjunctio caeli angelici cum humano genere est perpetua, ac unum subsistit per alterum; quare cum basis non correspondet, caelum angelicum vacillat; ideo tunc judicium super illos qui in mundo spirituali sunt, ut omnia tam in caelis quam in infernis in ordinem redigantur. (Quod Humanum Genus sit basis et fundamentum caeli angelici, et quod conjunctio perpetua sit, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 291-302, et n. 303-310.) Ex his sciri potest quod per "consummationem" intelligatur ultimus status ecclesiae, quando non fides amplius quia non charitas;
qui status ecclesiae etiam in Verbo vocatur "vastatio", et "desolatio", et a Domino "consummatio saeculi" (Matthaeus 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.