----中文待译----
610.That there shall be time no longer.- That this signifies that there would be no longer any understanding of Divine Truth, nor any state of the church from it, is evident from the signification of time, as here denoting the state of man as to the understanding of the Word, and therefore the state of the church, because these are the subjects treated of in this chapter. The reason why time signifies state, is, that times in the spiritual world are determined and distinguished only by particular and general states of life. The cause of this is, that the Sun in that world, which is the Lord, is fixed and stationary in the same part of heaven, which is the east, nor is it carried round as the sun in the natural world appears to be. Times are determined by the apparent revolution of this sun, and so exist in general and in particular; in general, the year and its four seasons, which are called spring, summer, autumn, and winter. These four seasons of the year also are the four natural states thereof corresponding to as many states in the spiritual world, which are its general spiritual states. In particular, within those general states in the natural world, there are fixed and stated times, called months and weeks, but especially days, which are distinguished into four natural states, called morning, noon, evening, and night, to which also correspond four states in the spiritual world. Since the Sun, in the spiritual world, as was said above, is not carried round but remains fixed and stationary in the east, therefore there are neither years, months, weeks, days, nor hours, consequently neither are there any determinations by times, but only determinations by states of life, general and particular. For this reason it is not known in the spiritual world what time is, but only what state is; for the determination of a thing gives the idea of it, and the thing is named according to the notion. This then is the reason why it is not known, in the spiritual world, what times are, although they succeed each other there, as in the natural world, but instead of times there are states and their changes; times, therefore, when mentioned in the Word, signify states. Concerning time, and times, in the spiritual world, more, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 162-169); and concerning the changes of state with the angels (n. 154-161). 1
[2] Since by time are meant those things that pertain to time in the natural world, as those of the year, and of the day, those of the year being seed time and harvest, and those of the day being morning and evening, the states of the church also are described in the Word by those things which belong to time. By seed time is described and signified the establishment of the church; by harvest, its fructification; by morning, the first time of the church; and by noon to evening, its progression. These natural states also correspond to spiritual states, which are states of heaven and the church. In regard to the church, it passes through those states in general, and so does every man of the church in particular. Every man of the church is also inaugurated into those states from his earliest days, but when the church is at its end, he can then no longer be inaugurated, for he does not receive Divine Truth, but either rejects or perverts it, consequently there can be to him neither seed time nor harvest, that is, neither establishment nor fructification, nor has he morning or evening, that is, neither beginning nor progression. These are the states meant and signified by times in the Word; and because in the end of the church those states cease with the men of the church, it is therefore said here that there shall be time no longer, by which therefore is signified, that there shall be no longer any understanding of Divine Truth or the Word, consequently not any state of the church.
[3] The same is signified by time in Ezekiel:
"The evil, one evil, behold, cometh. The end is come, the end is come; it hath watched over thee. Behold the morning cometh upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the land; the time is come" (7:5-7).
These things also are said concerning the state of the church. The end of the former church is first described, and afterwards the establishment of the new church. The end of the former church is described by these words, "The evil, one evil, behold, cometh, the end is come, the end is come;" the establishment of the new church by these words, "The morning cometh upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the land; the time is come." The morning signifies the state of a new church, or the commencement of a church, and time, its progressive state, consequently the same as seed time and harvest, and noon and evening, mentioned above, consequently the state of the church as to the understanding of truth and the will of good.
[4] So in Daniel:
The fourth beast "shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the highest ones, because he shall think to change times and the right (jus); and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times, and part of a time" (7:25).
By the fourth beast is meant the evil which was about fully to vastate the church. The falsities destroying the truths of the church are meant by the words which he shall speak against the Most High, and by the saints of the highest ones, whom he will wear out; the saints of the highest ones, in the abstract sense, signifying Divine truths. That the truths of the Word and the goods thereof, will then be changed into falsities and evils, is signified by his changing the times and the right; times denoting states of the church as to the understanding of truth. The duration of that state in regard to the end of the church is signified by, until a time, and times, and part of a time, which means a full state of vastation.
[5] The same is signified by the following words in Daniel:
"I heard the man clothed in linen when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth unto the ages of the ages, that [it shall be] for a fixed time of fixed times and a half, and when they were about to make an end to disperse the people of holiness, all these things shall be consummated" (12:7).
Time here signifies state and by time, times, and a half, is signified a full state of vastation; it is therefore said, "when they were about to make an end to disperse the people of holiness," the people of holiness denoting those of the church who are in Divine truths, and, in the abstract, Divine truths. Similarly it is said in the Apocalypse that the woman should be nourished in the wilderness" for a time and times and half a time" (12:14).
[6] Because time signifies those things which pertain to time, as spring, summer, autumn, and winter, by which are signified the states of one who is being regenerated, and of one who is regenerated; also such things as pertain to those times, namely, seed time and harvest, which signify the state of the church in regard to the implantation of truth, and the fructification of good thence; therefore similar things are also signified by the times of the day, morning, noon, evening and night, as in the following passages.
Thus in Genesis:
"During all the days of the earth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (8:22).
These words are explained in the Psalm 74:16, 17).
And in Jeremiah:
"Jehovah, giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, If those ordinances depart from before me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me all the days" (31:35, 36).
And again, in the same prophet:
"Jehovah said, if I have not appointed my covenant of day and night, the ordinances of heaven and earth, I will also refuse the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant" (33:25, 26).
Here the ordinances of the sun, of the moon, and of the stars, also the covenant of the day and of the night, and the ordinances of heaven and of the earth, have a signification similar to times, since times have their existence from those ordinances. That seed time and harvest, summer and winter, also day and night, have a similar signification to times, was shown above.
[7] It follows therefore that the same things are signified by times in these words in Genesis:
"God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and they shall be for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years" (Genesis 1:14).
The two luminaries, the sun and the moon, signify love and faith for in the spiritual sense of that chapter the new creation or regeneration of the man of the church is treated of, and those things that chiefly regenerate man, and make the church are signified by what is said of the sun and moon. The above and following words therefore describe the process by which regeneration is accomplished and afterwards the states of regeneration are described. The signification of there being time no longer is therefore now evident from these things.
Footnotes:
1. A note in the margin of the photolithograph copy says, See where it is said that "it shall be when there shall be neither day nor night" (Jeremiah 33:20; Zechariah 14:7).-TR.
610. That time shall be no more, signifies that there shall be no longer any understanding of Divine truth, nor any state of the church therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "time," as being here the state of man in respect to the understanding of the Word, and thus the state of the church, because both the one and the other are treated of in this chapter. "Time" signifies state, because times in the spiritual world are determined and distinguished only by particular and general states of life. This is because the sun in that world, which is the Lord, does not move, but remains in the same place in heaven, and that place is the east; that sun does not there revolve through the heavens as the sun in the natural world appears to do. By the apparent revolution of the sun of the natural world times in general and in particular are determined, and thus have existence; in general, the year and its four seasons, called spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Moreover, these four seasons of the year are the four natural states of the natural world corresponding to the same number of states in the spiritual world, which are its general spiritual states. In particular, within these general states in the natural world, there are determined and fixed times, called months and weeks, but especially days, and days are divided into four natural states, which are called morning, noon, evening, and night, corresponding to which there are four states in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world, because the sun, as has been said, does not revolve through the heavens but remains constant and fixed in its east, there are no years, months, weeks, days, or hours, consequently there are no determinations by times, but only determinations by states of life, general and particular. Therefore it is not known there what time is, but only what state is, for the determination of a thing is what gives the idea of it, and according to the idea is the thing named. This, then, is the reason that it is not known in the spiritual world what times are, although they succeed each other there the same as in the natural world, but instead of times there are states and their changes; this is the reason also that times, when mentioned in the Word, signify states. (But respecting time and times in the spiritual world, see in the work on Jeremiah 33:20; Zechariah 14:7.)
[2] Since "time" means the things pertaining to time in the natural world, as those pertaining to the year and the day (those of the year are seedtime and harvest, and those of the day are morning and evening), by these things pertaining to time states of the church are described in the Word, "seedtime" describing and signifying the establishment of the church; "harvest" its fruit bearing; "morning" its first time, and "noon to evening" its progression. These natural states (or conditions) also correspond to spiritual states, which are states of heaven and the church. As concerns the church, the church in general passes through these states, so does each man of the church in particular. Moreover, each man of the church from his earliest age is also inaugurated into these states, but when the church is at its end he can no more be inaugurated, for he does not receive Divine truth, but either rejects or perverts it, therefore he has neither seedtime nor harvest, that is, no establishment and no fruit bearing, nor has he morning or evening, that is, neither beginning nor progression. These states are meant and signified by "times" in the Word; and as in the end of the church these states cease with men of the church, therefore it is here said that "time shall be no more;" and this signifies that there shall be no further understanding of Divine truth or the Word, consequently not any state of the church.
[3] The like is signified by "time" in Ezekiel:
The evil, behold one evil cometh; the end is come, the end is come, it hath awakened upon thee. Behold, the morning is come upon thee, O inhabitant of the land, the time is come (Ezekiel 7:5-7).
This, too, was said of the state of the church. The end of the former church is first described, and the establishment of a new church afterwards, the end of the former church by this, "One evil, behold the evil cometh; the end is come, the end is come;" the establishment of a new church by this, "Behold, the morning is come upon thee, O inhabitant of the land, the time is come," "morning" signifying the state of a new or commencing church, and "time" its progressive state; accordingly the meaning is similar as that of "seedtime and harvest" and "morning and evening," mentioned above, consequently it means the state of the church in respect to the understanding of truth and the will of good.
[4] In Daniel:
The fourth beast shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, for he shall think to change times and the right; and they shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time (Daniel 7:25).
"The fourth beast" means the evil that was about to vastate the church completely; falsities destroying the truths of the church are meant by "the words that he shall speak against the Most High," and by "the saints of the Most High whom he will wear out," "the saints of the Most High" signifying in the abstract sense Divine truths. That the truths of the Word and its goods will then be turned into falsities and evils is signified by "he shall change the times and the right," "times" meaning the states of the church in respect to the understanding of truth. The duration of that state in relation to the end of the church is signified by "for a time and times and half a time," which means a full state of vastation.
[5] So, too, in the following words in Daniel:
And I heard the man clothed in linen, that he lifted up his right hand and his left hand unto the heavens, and sware by Him that liveth unto the ages of the ages that it shall be for a fixed time of fixed times, and a half, when they are to make an end of dispersing the people of holiness, all these things shall be finished (Daniel 12:7).
"Time" here signifies state; and "time, times and a half" signifies a full state of vastation; therefore it is said, "when they are to make a full end of dispersing the people of holiness," "the people of holiness" meaning those of the church who are in Divine truths; or in an abstract sense Divine truths. With a similar meaning it is said in Revelation:
That the woman should be nourished in the wilderness for a time and times and half a time (Revelation 12:14).
[6] As by "time" things pertaining to time are meant, such as spring, summer, autumn, and winter, these signifying the states of one who is to be regenerated, or is regenerated, also the things pertaining to these times, such as seedtime and harvest, these signifying the state of the church in respect to the implantation of truth and the fructification of good therefrom, and as like things are signified by the times of the day, which are morning, noon, evening, and night, so these times have this signification in the following passages. In Genesis:
During all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22).
This may be seen explained in Psalms 74:16, 17).
In Jeremiah:
Jehovah giveth the sun for a light of the day, and the statutes of the moon and stars for a light of the night. If these statutes shall depart from before Me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me all the days (Jeremiah 31:35, 36).
In the same:
Jehovah said, If I shall not have set My covenant of day and night, the statutes of heaven and earth, I will reject also the seed of Jacob and of David 1My servant (Jeremiah 33:25, 26).
"The statutes of the sun, moon, and stars," also "the covenant of day and night," and "the statutes of heaven and earth," have a similar signification as "times," since "times" exist from those statutes. That "seedtime and harvest, summer and winter," also "day and night," have a similar signification as "times" has been said above.
[7] It follows that "times" have the same signification in these words in Genesis:
God said, Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years (Genesis 1:14-19).
The two "luminaries," the sun and moon, signify love and faith; for that chapter treats in the spiritual sense of the new creation, or the regeneration of the man of the church, and the things said respecting the sun and moon signify the things that chiefly regenerate man and make the church; therefore these words and those that follow describe the process by which regeneration is effected, and afterwards it describes their states. This makes evident what is signified by "time shall be no more."
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "Israel," Hebrew "David," as found in 527, 768.
610. "Quod tempus non erit amplius." - Quod significet quod non ulterius intellectus Divini Veri, et inde aliquis status ecclesiae, constat ex significatione "temporis", quod hic sit status hominis quoad intellectum Verbi, et inde status ecclesiae, quia de hoc et de illo in hoc capite agitur.
Quod "tempus" significet statum, est quia tempora in mundo spirituali non aliter determinantur et distinguuntur quam per status vitae particulares et communes. Causa est, quia Sol in illo mundo, qui est Dominus, constans et status est in loco eodem caeli, qui locus ibi est oriens, nec circumfertur sicut sol in mundo naturali apparet: per circumlationem apparentem hujus solis determinantur et sic existunt tempora in communi et in particulari; in communi annus, et ejus quatuor tempora, quae vocantur ver, aestas, autumnus et hiems; haec quatuor tempora anni etiam sunt quatuor status ejus naturales, qui etiam correspondent totidem statibus in mundo spirituali, qui sunt status ejus communes spirituales: in particulari, intra communes illos, sunt in mundo naturali determinata et stata tempora, quae vocantur menses et septimanae, imprimis autem dies, qui distinguuntur in quatuor status naturales, quae vocantur mane, meridies, vespera et nox; quibus etiam correspondent quatuor status in mundo spirituali. In hoc mundo, quia, ut dictum est, Sol non circumfertur, sed manet constans et status in suo oriente, ideo non dantur anni, nec menses et septimanae, neque dies et horae; proinde nec aliquae determinationes per tempora, sed solum determinationes per status vitae communes et particulares: inde est quod ibi ignotum sit quid tempus; sed notum quid status; determinatio enim rei dat notionem ejus, et res secundum notionem nominatur. Haec nunc causa est quod tempora, tametsi in mundo spirituali aeque succedunt sicut in mundo naturali, usque non sciantur quid sunt, sed quod loco eorum sint status et eorum mutationes: inde etiam est quod "tempora", ubi nominantur in Verbo, significent status. (Sed De Tempore et De Temporibus in Mundo Spirituali videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 162-169; et De Mutationibus Status Angelorum, n. 154-161.){*}
[2] Quoniam per "tempus" intelliguntur illa quae temporis sunt in mundo naturali, prout quae anni et quae diei sunt, (quae sunt anni sunt sementis et messis, et quae diei sunt mane et vespera, ) per haec, quae temporis sunt, describuntur etiam status ecclesiae in Verbo; per "sementem" describitur et significatur instauratio ecclesiae, per "messem" fructificatio ejus, per "mane" primum tempus ejus, et per "meridiem" ad "vesperam" progressivum ejus; hi status naturales etiam correspondent spiritualibus qui sunt status caeli et ecclesiae. Quod ecclesiam attinet, haec illos status subit in communi, ac unusquisque homo ecclesiae in particulari. Quisque homo ecclesiae a prima sua aetate etiam inauguratur in illos status; at cum finis ecclesiae est, tunc non amplius inaugurari potest, non enim recipit Divinum Verum, sed vel rejicit illud, vel pervertit illud; inde non ei est sementis et messis, hoc est, instauratio et fructificatio, nec est mane et vespera, hoc est, non ei est initium et progressivum: hi status intelliguntur et significantur per" tempora" in Verbo; et quia in fine ecclesiae illi status apud homines ecclesiae cessant, ideo hic dicitur quod "non erit tempus amplius", per quod itaque significatur quod non ulterius intellectus Divini Veri seu Verbi, proinde non aliquis status ecclesiae.
[3] Simile significatur per "tempus" apud Ezechielem,
"Malum, unum malum ecce venit, finis venit, venit finis; evigilavit super te, ecce venit mane super te, habitator terrae, venit tempus" (7:5-7):
haec quoque de statu ecclesiae dicta sunt; finis prioris ecclesiae primum describitur, et instauratio novae ecclesiae postea; finis prioris ecclesiae per haec, "Malum unum, malum ecce venit, finis venit, venit finis"; instauratio novae ecclesiae per haec, "Ecce venit mane super te, habitator terrae, venit tempus", "mane" significat statum novae seu incohantis ecclesiae, ac "tempus" significat statum progressivum ejus, proinde simile quod per "sementem et messem", tum per "meridiem et vesperam" (ut supra); consequenter statum ecclesiae quoad intellectum veri et voluntatem boni.
[4] Apud Danielem,
Bestia quarta "verba contra Altissimum loquetur, et sanctos altissimorum atteret, quia cogitabit immutare tempora et jus; et dabuntur in manus Ejus ad tempus, et tempora, et partem temporis" (7:25):
per "bestiam quartam" intelligitur malum quod plene vastaturum est ecclesiam; falsa destruentia vera ecclesiae intelliguntur per "verba" quae "contra Altissimum loquetur", et per "sanctos altissimorum" quos "atteret"; "sancti altissimorum" in sensu abstracto significant Divina vera: quod tunc convertentur vera Verbi et bona ejus in falsa et mala, significatur per quod "immutabit tempora et jus"; "tempora" sunt status ecclesiae quoad intellectum veri: duratio illius status quoad finem ecclesiae significatur per "ad tempus, et tempora et partem temporis", per quae intelligitur status plenus vastationis.
[5] Similiter per haec apud Danielem,
"Audivi Virum indutum linteis, .... quod sustulerit dextram suam et sinistram suam ad caelos, et juraverit per Viventem in saecula saeculorum, quod ad tempus statum temporum statorum et dimidium, cum consummaturi essent dispergere populum sanctitatis, consummanda essent haec omnia" (12:7 1
):
per "tempus" hic significatur status, et per "tempus, tempora et dimidium" significatur status plenus vastationis; quare dicitur "cum consummaturi essent dispergere populum sanctitatis"; "populus sanctitatis" sunt illi qui ab ecclesia in Divinis veris, et abstracte sunt Divina vera. Similiter per eadem in Apocalypsi,
Quod mulier in deserto aleretur "ad tempus et tempora et dimidium tempus" (Apoc. 12:14 2
).
[6] Quoniam "tempus" significat illa quae temporis sunt, prout ver, aestatem, autumnum et hiemem, per quae significantur status regenerandi et regenerati, - tum quae illorum temporum sunt, nempe sementem et messem, per quae significatur status ecclesiae quoad implantationem veri et quoad fructificationem boni inde, - similia etiam significantur per tempora dierum", quae sunt mane, meridies, vespera, nox; ideo etiam similia per illa significantur in sequentibus locis: - In Genesi,
"Adhuc omnibus diebus terrae sementis et messis, et frigus et aestus, et aestas et hiems, et dies et nox non cessabunt" (8:22);
(quae in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 930-937. explicata videantur): apud Davidem,
"Tibi dies et Tibi nox, Tu praeparasti lucem et solem; Tu decidisti omnes terminos terrae, aestatem et hiemem Tu formasti" (Psalms 74:16, 17);
apud Jeremiam,
"Jehovah dans solem in lucem diei, statuta lunae et stellarum in lucem noctis:.... si recesserint statuta haec coram Me, ... etiam semen Israelis cessabunt, ut non sint gens coram Me omnibus diebus" (31:35 [, 36]);
et apud eundem,
"Dixit Jehovah, Si non foedus meum diei et noctis, statuta caeli et terrae posuero, etiam semen Jacobi et 3
Davidis servi mei reprobabo" (33:25, 26):
per "statuta solis, lunae et stellarum", tum per "foedus diei et noctis", ac per "statuta caeli et terrae", similia significantur quae per "tempora", quoniam ex illis statutis existunt tempora: quod per "sementem et messem", "aestatem et hiemem", tum per "diem et noctem", significentur similia quae per "tempora", supra dictum est.
[7] Inde sequitur quod eadem per "tempora" significentur, per haec in Genesi,
"Dixit Deus, Sit luminaria in expanso caelorum, ad distinguendum inter diem et inter noctem; et erunt in signa, et in stata tempora, et in dies et annos" (1 4
1419):
per duo "luminaria", solem et lunam, significantur amor et fides; in eo enim capite in sensu spirituali agitur de nova creatione seu de regeneratione hominis ecclesiae; et per ea quae de sole et luna dicuntur, significantur illa quae principaliter regenerant hominem et faciunt ecclesiam; quare per illa verba et sequentia ibi describitur processus quo regeneratio facta est, ac postea describitur status eorum. Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per quod "tempus non erit amplius."
Footnotes:
"1. [Nota ex margine:-] Videatur ubi dicitur quod ""erit quando non dies nec nox."" [ (Jeremias 33:20; Sacharia 14:7.)] "
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.