----中文待译----
727. A rod and staff signify power, and indeed the power of Divine Truth, chiefly for the reason that they were branches or boughs of trees, and these signify the knowledges of truth and good, which are the truths of the natural man; and as they were used to support the body, they signified power. This is yet more true with a rod of iron, because iron also signifies the truth of the natural man, and because of its hardness it signifies power that cannot be resisted. That rods and staves signify the power of Divine Truth is from correspondence. It is from this fact that the use of staffs, in the spiritual world - where all things that appear are correspondences - is representative of the power of those [who use them]; similarly in the Jewish church, which, like the ancient churches, was a representative church. This is why Moses wrought miracles and signs in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness, by stretching forth his staff. For instance, the waters smitten by the staff were turned into blood (Exodus 7:1-21). Frogs came up from the rivers and pools, over which the staff was stretched forth (Exodus 8:1, and following verses). From the dust smitten with the staff there came forth lice (Exodus 8:12, and following verses). When the staff was stretched out towards heaven there came thunders and hail (Exodus 9:23). Locusts came forth (Exodus 10:12, and following verses). The sea Suph (Red Sea), when the staff was stretched over it, was divided and afterwards returned (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26). From the rock in Horeb, smitten with the staff, waters came forth (Exodus 17:5, and following verses; Numbers 20:7-13). Joshua prevailed against Amalek when Moses lifted up his hand with the staff, and Amalek prevailed when Moses let it down (Exodus 17:9-12); also, fire went out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes which Gideon offered, when the angel of Jehovah touched them with the end of his staff (Judg. 6:21). These miracles were wrought by the stretching out of the staff, because the staff signified, from correspondence, the power of the Lord by means of Divine Truth; this power was treated of in the preceding article.
[2] That Divine Truth as to power is also signified in other parts of the Word by rods and staves, is evident from the following passages.
In David:
"Yea, when I shall walk in the shady valley I will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me; thou wilt set before me a table in the presence of mine enemies; and thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup shall run over" (Psalm 23:4, 5).
To walk in a shady valley, signifies, in the spiritual sense, an obscure understanding, which does not see truths in their light, Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me, signifies that spiritual Divine Truth, together with natural Divine Truth, shall protect, because these have power, rod denoting spiritual Divine Truth, staff natural Divine Truth, the two together meaning these as to the power of protecting; for to comfort means to protect. As rod and staff signify Divine truth as to power, these words follow: "Thou wilt set before me a table, thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup shall run over," this signifies spiritual nourishment through Divine Truth; for to set a table signifies to be spiritually nourished, to make fat the head with oil signifies through the good of love, while the cup signifies truth of doctrine from the Word, the cup being used here for wine.
[3] In Ezekiel:
"Thy mother was like a vine planted near the waters, whence she had rods of strength for sceptres of them that rule; but she lifted herself up in her stature among the interwoven boughs, therefore she was overturned in anger, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind withered up her fruit; the rods of her strength were broken off and dried up, the fire consumed them all. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst; a fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, and hath consumed her fruit, so that there is not in her a rod of strength, a sceptre of them that rule" (19:10-14).
This describes the desolation of all truth in the Jewish church; the princes, against whom the lamentation is taken up, signify truths, and the mother who became a lioness signifies the church; about these the above is said. Thy mother was like a vine planted near the waters, signifies that the spiritual church, from its establishment, had been instructed in truths, mother denoting the church in general, a vine the spiritual church, in particular, waters truths, while to be planted denotes to be established. Whence she had rods of strength for sceptres of them that rule, signifies that the church had Divine Truth in its power, and thus dominion over the falsities of evil which are from hell, rods of strength denoting Divine Truth as to power, and sceptres Divine Truth as to dominion; for the sceptres of kings were short staves, from a significative tree, here, from the vine. But she lifted herself up in her stature among the thick boughs, signifies the pride of [their] own intelligence from the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man; such pride is signified by She lifted herself up in her stature, and the knowledges of the natural man are signified by the interwoven boughs. She was overturned in anger, thrown to the ground, signifies its destruction by falsities of evils; the east wind withered her fruit, signifies the destruction of its good, the east wind signifying destruction, and fruit good; that good remaining from the Word with those who are in falsities of evil is meant; and its destruction is signified by the drying up of the fruit by an east wind. The rods of her strength were broken off and dried up, signifies that all Divine Truth was dissipated, consequently that the church had no power against the hells. The fire hath consumed them all, signifies pride from the love of self, which destroyed. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst, signifies desolation, until there is no good of truth or truth of good left. A fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, signifies pride in every particular of it; it hath consumed her fruit, signifies the consumption of good; so that there is not in her a rod of strength, a sceptre of them that rule, signifies the desolation of Divine Truth as to power and as to dominion, as above.
[4] In Jeremiah:
"Say ye, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of beauty; come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon; for the spoiler of Moab hath come up against thee, and hath destroyed thy strongholds" (Jeremiah 47:17, 18).
The daughter of Dibon signifies the external of the church, and thus the external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, and the spoiler of Moab signifies its adulteration. This makes it clear what is signified by The staff of strength is broken, the staff of beauty - namely, that they no longer possessed Divine Truth in its power, which, as it is in the natural sense of the Word, is signified by the staff of strength, and in the spiritual sense by the staff of beauty, Come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon, signifies the deprivation and want of Divine Truth; to come down from glory denoting the deprivation thereof, glory meaning Divine Truth in light, and thirst the want of it; for the spoiler of Moab hath come up against thee, signifies the adulteration of the Word as to its literal sense; and hath destroyed thy strongholds, signifies the taking away of defence, a stronghold denoting defence against falsities and evils; the literal sense of the Word is that defence.
[5] In David:
"Jehovah shall send the staff of thy strength out of Zion" (Psalm 110:2).
The staff of strength here also signifies Divine Truth in its power, and Zion the church which is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called a celestial church.
[6] In Micah:
"Tend (pasce) thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead according to the days of an age" (7:14).
Tend thy people with thy rod, signifies the instruction of those who are of the church in Divine truths from the Word, to tend signifying to instruct; people mean those of the church who are in truths, and the rod means there the Word, because it is Divine Truth. The flock of heritage signifies those of the church who are in the spiritual things of the Word, which are the truths of its internal sense; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, signifies instruction in the goods of the church and in its truths from the natural sense of the Word.
[7] In Isaiah:
"He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the impious" (11:4).
Here also the rod of the mouth of Jehovah signifies Divine Truth or the Word in the natural sense; and the breath of his lips signifies Divine Truth or the Word in the spiritual sense, both of these destroying the falsities of evil in the church, which is signified by smiting the earth and slaying the impious. "To smite with a rod" (Micah 5:1), and "to pierce through with staves the head of the unfaithful" (Habak. 3:14), have a similar signification.
[8] In Moses:
"Israel sang a song" concerning the fountain in Beer; "O fountain, the princes digged, the chiefs of the people digged out, by [command of] the lawgiver with their staffs" (Numbers 21:17, 18).
The fountain in Beer here signifies doctrine from the Word, "Beer" in the original meaning a fountain; the princes who digged, and the chiefs of the people who digged, signify those who are intelligent, and wise from the Lord, who is meant by the lawgiver. The staves with which they digged and digged out, signify the understanding enlightened in Divine truths.
[9] In Zechariah:
"There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and a man in whose hand is a staff (scipio) by reason of the multitude of days" (8:4).
Old men and old women, signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from affection for truth; the man in whose hand is a staff by reason of the multitude of days, signifies the wise who trust not to themselves but to the Lord alone; that these will be in the church, where there is the doctrine of genuine truth, is signified by In the streets of Jerusalem - Jerusalem denoting the church as to doctrine, and streets truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.
[10] In Jeremiah:
"Every man is become foolish by knowledge (scientia), every goldsmith is made ashamed by the graven image; the part of Jacob is not like these; but he is the Former of all things, and Israel is the staff of his inheritance, Jehovah Zebaoth is his name" (10:14, 16; chap. 51:19).
Every man is become foolish by knowledge, signifies by the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man separated from the spiritual; every goldsmith is made ashamed by the graven image, signifies by falsities from [their] own intelligence. But He is the Former of all things, signifies the Lord from whom is all understanding of truth; Israel is the staff of his inheritance, signifies the church that has Divine Truth, and its power against falsities; and because the subject here treated of is intelligence through Divine Truth, it is said, "Jehovah Zebaoth is his name." The Lord is called Jehovah Zebaoth from Divine truths in their whole extent, for Zebaoth means armies, and armies signify all the truths and goods of the church and heaven.
[11] When the sons of Israel murmured in the wilderness against Moses and Aaron on account of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because they were swallowed up by the earth, it was commanded that
"the princes of the twelve tribes should place their staves in the tent of assembly, before the testimony; and when this was done, the staff of Aaron blossomed, and brought forth almonds" (39, 430, 431, 657).
[12] As a staff signifies the power of Divine Truth, it signifies also the power to resist evils and falsities.
In Isaiah:
"Behold, the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the staff and the stay (scipio), the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water, the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet" (3:1, 2).
To remove the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water, signifies here to take away all the good and truth of the church, and when these are taken away there is no longer any power to resist evils and falsities, so as to hinder their free entrance. Bread signifies the good of the church, water its truth, and staff good and truth as to their power to resist evils and falsities; the words therefore follow that the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, will also be removed, and the mighty man and the man of war signify truth fighting against evil and falsity, and the judge and prophet the doctrine of good and truth.
[13] In Ezekiel:
"Behold I break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, that they may eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure and with astonishment" (4:16).
To break the staff of bread, signifies that good and truth shall fail in the church, for bread here signifies good and truth, therefore the words follow, "They shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure," which signifies a deficiency of good and truth, and thus of the power to resist evils and falsities. To break the staff of bread and of water (Ezekiel 5:16; 14:13; Psalm 105:16; Leviticus 26:26) has a similar signification.
[14] As rod and staff signify the power of Divine Truth, and thus Divine Truth as to power, therefore in the opposite sense they also signify the power of infernal falsity, and thence infernal falsity as to power. In this sense rod and staff are named in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule" (14:5).
To break the staff of the wicked signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and to break the rod of them that rule, signifies the rule of falsity.
[15] In David:
"The staff of impiety shall not rest upon the lot of the just, that the just may not put forth their hands to perversity" (Psalm 125:3).
The staff of impiety, signifies the power of falsity from evil; upon the lot of the just, signifies over truths from good, which the faithful have, and especially those who are in love to the Lord, for these, in the Word, are called the just; lest the just put forth their hands to perversity, signifies lest they falsify truths.
[16] In Lamentations:
"I am the man that hath seen misery by the rod of his fury; he hath led me into darkness, and not into light" (Lamentations 3:1, 2).
This is said of the devastation of the church; and by the rod of fury is signified the rule of infernal falsity; He hath led me and brought me into darkness, and not into light, signifies into mere falsities, and thus not into truths.
[17] In Isaiah:
"Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor" (9:4).
This is said of the nations who were in falsities from ignorance, because they had not the Word, and to whom therefore the Lord was not known. The evil with which they were oppressed, and the falsity by which they were infested, are signified by the yoke of the burden, the staff of the shoulder, and the rod of the oppressor; to break signifies to destroy these, for to break is said of a yoke, a staff, and a rod, but to destroy is said of evil and falsity, which heavily weigh upon, powerfully persuade and compel to obedience.
[18] In the same:
"At the voice of Jehovah, Asshur shall be dismayed, he shall be smitten with a staff; then every passage of the rod of foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest, shall be with timbrels and harps" (30:31, 32).
This treats of the time of a last judgment, when there shall be a new church. Asshur who shall be dismayed at the voice of Jehovah, and shall be smitten with a staff, signifies reasoning from falsities, which shall be dispersed by Divine Truth. That then the truths of the literal sense of the Word will be understood and received with joy, is signified by the words, "Then the passage of the rod of the foundation shall be with timbrels and harps," passage signifying opening and free reception, and timbrels and harps signifying the delights of the affection for truth. The truths of the literal sense of the Word are signified by the rod of the foundation, because that sense is a foundation for the truths of its spiritual sense; and as the spiritual sense rests upon the literal sense, it is said, "Upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest."
[19] In Zechariah:
"The pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart" (10:11).
The pride of Asshur signifies the pride of [man's] own intelligence, and the staff of Egypt signifies the power arising from the confirmation of its falsities by the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man.
[20] In Isaiah:
"Woe to Asshur, the rod of mine anger and the staff of mine indignation, which is in their hand. O my people, inhabitant of Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, that he smite thee with a rod, and lift up his staff upon thee in the way of Egypt" (627:10).
[21] In Isaiah:
"Rejoice not, O Philistia, that the rod of him that smiteth thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall go forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a fiery flying serpent (prester volans)" (386:3). Thus these serpents have a similar signification to that of the dragon in this chapter of the Apocalypse. That Philistia should not rejoice that the rod of him that smiteth her is broken, signifies that she should not boast that the dominion of that falsity is not yet destroyed.
[22] In Hosea:
"My people ask questions of wood, and their staff answereth them, for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their god" (4:12).
This treats of the falsification of the Word. To ask questions of wood, or of an idol of wood, signifies to consult the intelligence which is from their proprium which favours its loves. The staff answereth them, signifies falsity in which confidence is reposed, for when the proprium is consulted falsity replies; the proprium is of the will, thus of the love, and its falsity is of the understanding, thus of the thought. The spirit of whoredoms that has seduced them, signifies the desire to falsify; to commit whoredom under their god, signifies to falsify the truths of the Word.
[23] From these things it is now evident what rod and staff signify in both senses; and also the meaning of the rod of iron, with which the male child is to tend all nations, can be seen; and also of these words in the Apocalypse, "Out of the mouth" of him who sat upon the white horse proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations; and he shall tend (pascet) them with a rod of iron (19:15).
Also by these words above,
"To him that overcometh will I give power over the nations, that he may rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken" (2:26, 27).
The explanation of this may be seen above (n. Psalm 2:9).
727. "Rod and staff" signify power, and indeed, the power of Divine truth, chiefly for the reason that they were branches or boughs of trees, and these signify the knowledges of truth and good, which are the truths of the natural man; and as they also supported the body, they signified power. This is still more true of an "iron rod," because iron likewise signifies the truth of the natural man, and because of its hardness it signifies power that cannot be resisted. That "rods and staffs" thence signify the power of Divine truth is derived from correspondence. Therefore in the spiritual world, where all things that appear are correspondences, the use of staffs is a representative of the power of those that use them. It was similar in the Jewish Church, which, like the ancient churches, was a representative church. This is why Moses wrought miracles and signs in Egypt, and afterwards in the desert, by stretching forth his staff, as that:
The waters smitten with the staff were turned into blood (Exodus 7:1-21).
Frogs came up from the rivers and pools, over which the staff was stretched forth (Exodus 8:1).
From the dust smitten with the staff there came lice (Exodus 8:12).
When the staff was stretched toward heaven there came thunders and hail (Exodus 9:23.).
Locusts came forth (Exodus 10:12 seq.).
The Sea Suph when the staff was stretched forth over it was divided, and afterwards returned (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26).
From the rock in Horeb, smitten with the staff, waters came forth (Exodus 17:5; Numbers 20:7-13).
Joshua prevailed over Amelek when Moses held up his hand with the staff, and Amelek prevailed when Moses let it down (Exodus 17:9-12).
Also fire went up out of the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes which Gideon offered, when the angel of Jehovah touched it with the end of his staff (Judges 6:21).
These miracles were wrought by the stretching forth of a staff, because a "staff" from correspondence signifies the power of the Lord through Divine truth (which power was treated of in the article immediately preceding).
[2] Divine truth in respect to power is signified elsewhere in the Word by "rods" and "staffs," as can be seen from the following passages.
In David:
Yea, when I shall walk in the shady valley I will fear no evil to me; Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me; Thou wilt make ready before me a table in the presence of mine enemies; and Thou wilt make fat my head with oil and my cup will abound (Psalms 23:4, 5).
"To walk in a shady valley" signifies in the spiritual sense an obscure understanding that does not see truths from light; "Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me" signifies that spiritual Divine truth together with natural Divine truth will protect, for these have power; "rod" meaning spiritual Divine truth, "staff" natural Divine truth, the two together meaning these in respect to their power to protect, for "to comfort" means to protect. As "rod and staff" signify Divine truth in respect to power, it is next said, "Thou wilt make ready before me a table, Thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup will abound," which signifies spiritual nourishment through Divine truth; for "to make ready a table" signifies to be nourished spiritually; "to make fat the head with oil" signifies with the good of love, and "cup" signifies with the truth of doctrine from the Word, "cup" standing here for "wine."
[3] In Ezekiel:
Thy mother was like a vine planted by the waters, whence she had rods of strength, as scepters for them that rule; but she lifted herself on high in her stature among the thick boughs; therefore she was plucked up in wrath, she was cast down to the earth and the east wind dried up her fruit; the rods of her strength were broken off and dried up, the fire devoured everyone. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst; a fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, and hath devoured her fruit, and so there is not in her a rod of strength, a scepter of them that rule 1(Ezekiel 19:10-14).
This describes the desolation of all truth in the Jewish church; the "princes" against whom is the lamentation signify truths, and the "mother" who was made a lioness signifies the church; about these this is said, "Thy mother was like a vine planted by the waters" signifies that the spiritual church, from its establishment had been instructed in truths; "mother" meaning the church in general; "vine" the spiritual church in particular; "waters" truths, and "to be planted" to be established. "Whence she had rods of strength as scepters for them that rule" signifies that the church had Divine truth in its power, and thus dominion over the falsities of evil which are from hell, "rods of strength" signifying Divine truth in respect to power, and "scepters" Divine truth in respect to dominion, for the scepters of kings were short staffs from a significative tree, here from the vine; "but she lifted herself on high in her stature among the thick boughs" signifies the pride of self-intelligence from knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man; this pride is signified by "she lifted herself on high in her stature," and the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man are signified by the "thick boughs." "She was plucked up in wrath, she was cast down to the earth," signifies the destruction of the church by the falsities of evil; "the east wind dried up her fruit" signifies the destruction of its good, "east wind" signifying destruction, and "fruit" good; the good that those have, remaining from the Word, who are in the falsities of evil, is here meant, and its destruction is signified by "the drying up of the fruit by an east wind." "The rods of her strength were broken off and dried up" signifies that all Divine truth was dispersed, consequently that the church had no power against the hells. "The fire consumed everyone" signifies pride from the love of self, which destroyed; "now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst," signifies that the church is desolated until there is no good of truth or truth of good. "A fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches," signifies pride in every particular of it; "it hath devoured her fruit" signifies the consumption of good; "so that there is not in her a rod of strength, a scepter of them that rule," signifies the desolation of Divine truth in respect to power and in respect to dominion, as above.
[4] In Jeremiah:
Say ye, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of splendor! Come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon; for the devastator of Moab hath come up against thee and hath destroyed thy fortresses! (Jeremiah 48:17, 18).
"The daughter of Dibon" signifies the external of the church, and thence the external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter; and "the devastator of Moab" signifies its adulteration. From this it is clear what is signified by "the staff of strength is broken, the staff of splendor," namely, that they have no Divine truth in its power, "staff of strength" meaning Divine truth in the natural sense, and "staff of splendor" meaning Divine truth in the spiritual sense; "come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon," signifies the deprivation and lack of Divine truth; "to come down from glory" meaning the deprivation of it; "glory" Divine truth in light, and "thirst" the lack of it. "For the devastator of Moab hath come up against thee" signifies the adulteration of the Word, in respect to its literal sense; "and hath destroyed thy fortresses," signifies the taking away of defense; "fortress" meaning defense against falsities and evils; the literal sense of the Word is that defense.
[5] In David:
Jehovah shall send the staff of thy strength out of Zion (Psalms 110:2).
Here also "staff of strength" signifies Divine truth in its power, and "Zion" the church that is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called a celestial church.
[6] In Micah:
Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thine heritage; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead according to the days of an age (Micah 7:14).
"Feed Thy people with Thy rod" signifies the instruction of those who are of the church in Divine truths from the Word; "to feed" signifying to instruct; "people" meaning those who are of the church in truths, and "rod" where the Word is because it is Divine truth. "The flock of heritage" signifies those of the church who are in the spiritual things of the Word, which are the truths of its internal sense; "they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead" signifies instruction in the goods of the church and in its truths from the natural sense of the Word.
[7] In Isaiah:
He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).
Here "the rod of Jehovah's mouth" signifies Divine truth or the Word in its natural sense; and "the breath of His lips" signifies Divine truth or the Word in the spiritual sense, both destroying the falsities of evil in the church, which is signified by "smiting the earth and slaying the wicked."
To smite with a rod (Micah 5:1);
And to pierce with his staffs the head of the unfaithful (Habakkuk 3:14);
have a like signification.
[8] In Moses:
Israel sang a song respecting the fountain in Beer; O fountain the princes digged, the nobles of the people digged out, by the Lawgiver, with their staffs (Numbers 21:17, 18).
"The fountain in Beer" here signifies doctrine from the Word, "Beer" meaning in the original tongue a fountain; the "princes" who digged, and "the nobles of the people" who digged out, signify those who are intelligent and those who are wise from the Lord, who is here "the Lawgiver." The "staffs" with which they digged and digged out signify the understanding enlightened in Divine truths.
[9] In Zechariah:
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and a man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days (Zechariah 8:4).
"Old men and old women" signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from the affection of truth; "the man in whose hand is a staff [scipio] because of the multitude of days" signifies the wise who trust in the Lord alone and not at all in themselves; that these will be in the church that has the doctrine of genuine truth is signified by "in the streets of Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to doctrine, and "streets" the truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.
[10] In Jeremiah:
Every man has become brutish by knowledge, every refiner is put to shame by the graven image; the portion of Jacob is not like these; but He is the Former of all things, and Israel is the staff of His heritage, Jehovah of Hosts is His name (Jeremiah 10:14, 16; 51:19).
"Every man has become brutish by knowledge" signifies by the knowledges of the natural man separated from the spiritual; "every refiner is put to shame by the graven image" signifies by falsities that are from self-intelligence, "but He is the Former of all things" signifies the Lord from whom is all intelligence of truth; "Israel is the staff of his heritage" signifies the church that has Divine truth, and its power against falsities; and because this treats of intelligence through Divine truth it is added, "Jehovah of Hosts is His name;" the Lord is called "Jehovah of Hosts" from Divine truths in the whole complex, for "hosts" mean armies, and "armies" signify all the truths and goods of heaven and the church.
[11] When the sons of Israel murmured in the desert against Moses and Aaron on account of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because they were swallowed by the earth, it was commanded that:
The princes of the twelve tribes should place their staffs in the Tent of meeting, before the testimony; and when this was done the staff of Aaron blossomed and brought forth almonds (39, 430, 431, 657.)
[12] As a "staff" signifies the power of Divine truth, it signifies also the power to resist evils and falsities. In Isaiah:
Behold the Lord Jehovih of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the staff and the stay, the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water, the mighty one and the man of war, the judge and the prophet (Isaiah 3:1, 2).
Here "to take away the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water" signifies to take away every good and truth of the church, and when these are taken away there is no longer any power to resist evils and falsities, so as to hinder their free entrance; "bread" signifies the good of the church, "water" its truth, and "staff" the same as to their power to resist evils and falsities; therefore it follows that "the mighty one and the man of war, the judge and the prophet," who will also be taken away, "the mighty one and the man of war" signifying truth combating against evil and falsity, and "judge and prophet" the doctrine of good and truth.
[13] In Ezekiel:
Behold I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure and with astonishment (Ezekiel 4:16).
"To break the staff of bread" signifies that good and truth shall fail in the church, for "bread" here signifies good and truth; therefore it follows "they shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure," which signifies a lack of good and truth, and thus of the power to resist evils and falsities:
Breaking the staff of bread and of water (Ezekiel 5:16; 14:13; Psalms 105:16; Leviticus 26:26);
has a like signification.
[14] As "rod and staff" signify the power of Divine truth, and thus Divine truth in respect to power, so in the contrary sense "rod and staff" also signify the power of infernal falsity, and thence infernal falsity in respect to power. In this sense "rod and staff" are mentioned in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule (Isaiah 14:5).
"To break the staff of the wicked" signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and "to break the rod of them that rule" signifies to destroy the rule of falsity.
[15] In David:
The staff of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, that the righteous put not forth their hands to perversity (Psalms 125:3).
"The staff of wickedness" signifies the power of falsity from evil; "upon the lot of the righteous" signifies over truths from good, which the faithful have, and especially with those who are in love to the Lord, for these in the Word are called the "righteous;" "lest the righteous put forth their hands to perversity" signifies lest they falsify truths.
[16] In Lamentations:
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His fury; He hath led me in darkness, and not into light (Lamentations 3:1, 2).
This is said of the devastation of the church; and "the rod of fury" signifies the rule of infernal falsity; "he hath led me and brought me in darkness and not into light" signifies into mere falsities, and thus not to truths.
[17] In Isaiah:
Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his exactor (Isaiah 9:4).
This is said of the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance, because they did not have the Word, and therefore did not know the Lord. The evil by which they were oppressed and the falsities by which they were infested are signified by "the yoke of the burden, the staff of the shoulder, and the rod of the exactor," "to break" signifies to destroy these, for "to break" is predicated of a yoke, a staff, and a rod, and to destroy, of evil and falsity, which heavily weigh upon and powerfully persuade and compel to obedience.
[18] In the same:
At the voice of Jehovah Asshur shall be dismayed, he shall be smitten with a staff; then every passage of the rod of foundation upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest shall be with timbrels and harps (Isaiah 30:31, 32).
This is said of the time of the Last Judgment, when there shall be a New Church. "Asshur, who shall be dismayed at the voice of Jehovah, and shall be smitten with a staff" signifies reasoning from falsities that will be dispersed by Divine truth. That the truths of the literal sense of the Word will then be understood and received with joy, is signified by "then the passage of the rod of the foundation shall be with timbrels and harps," "passage" signifying the opening and free reception, and "timbrels and harps" signifying the delights of the affection of truth. The truths of the literal sense of the Word are signified by "the rod of the foundation," because that sense is a foundation for the truths of its spiritual sense; and as the spiritual sense rests upon the literal, it is said "upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest."
[19] In Zechariah:
The pride of Asshur shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart (Zechariah 10:11).
"The pride of Asshur" signifies the pride of self-intelligence, and "the staff of Egypt" signifies its power from the confirmation of its falsities by the knowledges of the natural man.
[20] In Isaiah:
Woe to Asshur, the rod of Mine anger and the staff of Mine indignation, which is in their hand; O My people that dwellest in Zion, fear not Asshur that he smite thee with a rod, and lift up his staff upon thee in the way of Egypt (627.
[21] In Isaiah:
Be not glad O Philistia, because the rod that smiteth thee 2is broken; for from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent (386; thus these serpents have a similar signification as "the dragon" in this chapter of Revelation. That "Philistia should not be glad because the rod of him that smiteth her is broken" signifies that she should not boast that the dominion of that falsity is not yet destroyed.
[22] In Hosea:
My people question the wood, and their staff answereth them, for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their God (Hosea 4:12).
This is said of the falsification of the Word. "To question the wood or an idol of wood" signifies to consult the intelligence that is from what is one's own [proprium] that favors its loves; "the staff answereth them" signifies the falsity in which one has faith, for when the selfhood [proprium] is consulted falsity responds; the selfhood is of the will, thus of the love, and the falsity thence is of the understanding, thus of the thought. "The spirit of whoredoms that has seduced" signifies the lust of falsifying; "to commit whoredom under their God" signifies to falsify the truths of the Word.
[23] From this now it is clear what "rod and staff" signify in both senses; and from this it can be known what is meant by "the iron rod with which the son, the male is to tend all nations;" likewise by these words in Revelation:
Out of the mouth of Him who sat upon the white horse goeth forth a sharp sword, that with it He may smite the nations; and He shall tend them with an iron rod (Revelation 19:15).
Also by these words above:
He that shall overcome I will give him power over the nations, that he may rule them with an iron rod; as a potter's vessels shall they be broken (Revelation 2:26, 27).
The explanation of this may be seen above n. Psalms 2:9).
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "a scepter to rule," as found in Arcana Coelestia 5215.
2. The Hebrew has "of him that smiteth thee," as found in 386, 581, and 817.
727.
Quod "virga" et "baculus" significent potentiam, et quidem potentiam Divini Veri, est praecipue inde, quia termites aut rami ex arboribus erant, et illi significabant cognitiones veri et boni, quae sunt vera naturalis hominis; et quia etiam suffulciebant corpus, significabant potentiam: et adhuc magis "virga ferrea", quia "ferrum" similiter significat verum naturalis hominis, et ex duritie potentiam, cui non resisti potest.
Quod "virgae" et "baculi" inde trahant significationem potentiae Divini Veri, est ex correspondentia; ex eo est usus baculorum in mundo spirituali, (ubi omnia, quae apparent, correspondentiae sunt, ) repraesentativus illorum potentiae; similiter in Ecclesia Judaica, quae, sicut Antiquae Ecclesiae, fuit ecclesia repraesentativa; inde est, quod miracula et signa in Aegypto et dein in deserto, a Mose per extensionem baculi facta sint: ut
Quod aquae percussae baculo versae sint in sanguinem (Exod 7:1-21);
Quod ex fluminibus et stagnis, super quae extensus est baculus, ascenderint ranae (Exodus 8:1, seq.);
Quod ex pulvere percusso baculo facti sint pediculi (Exodus 8:12, seq.);
Quod extenso baculo ad caelum facta sint tonitrua et grando (Exodus 9:23, seq.);
Quod prodierint locustae (Exodus 10:12, seq.);
Quod Mare Suph, extenso baculo super illud, divisum sit, et postea reversum (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26);
Quod ex petra in Chorebo baculo percussa exiverint aquae (Exodus 17:5, seq.; Numeri 20:7-13);
Quod Joschua praevaluerit contra Amalekum cum Moses sustulit manum cum baculo, et quod praevaluerit Amalek cum Moses dimisit eam (Exodus 17:9-12);
Similiter quod ignis exiverit e petra, et consumpserit carnem et azyma quae Guideon obtulit, cum Angelus Jehovae extremitate baculi tetigit illa (Judicum 6:21).
Quod illa miracula facta sint per extensionem baculi, erat quia "baculus" ex correspondentia significabat potentiam Domini per Divinum Verum (de qua potentia in mox praecedente articulo actum est).
[2] Quod Divinum Verum quoad potentiam etiam alibi in Verbo per "virgas" et "baculos" significetur, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Etiam cum ambulavero in valle umbrosa.., non timebo mihi malum, .... virga tua et baculus tuus consolabuntur me; dispones ante me mensam coram inimicis meis; et pinguefacies oleo caput, poculum meum abundabit" (Psalms 23:4, 5):
"ambulare in valle umbrosa" in sensu spirituali significat intellectum obscurum, cui non apparent vera ex luce: "virga tua et baculus tuus consolabuntur me", significat quod Divinum Verum spirituale una cum Divino Vero naturali tutaturum sit, quia illiS potentia; "virga" est Divinum Verum spirituale, "baculus" Divinum Verum naturale, utrumque simul quoad potentiam tutandi, nam "consolari" est tutari: quia "virga et baculus" significant Divinum Verum quoad potentiam, ideo sequitur, "Dispones ante me mensam, pinguefacies oleo caput, et poculum meum abundabit", per quae significatur nutritio spiritualis per Divinum Verum; nam per "disponere mensam" significatur spiritualiter nutriri, per "pinguefacere oleo caput" significatur per bonum amoris, et per "poculum" significatur per verum doctrinae ex Verbo; "poculum" ibi pro "vino."
[3] Apud Ezechielem,
"Mater tua sicut vitis.... juxta aquas plantata.... unde fuerunt illi virgae roboris, in sceptra dominantium; sed extulit se statura ejus [super] inter implexos ramos: .... quare eversa est in ira, in terram projecta est, et ventus orientalis arefecit fructum ejus; divulsae sunt, et exaruerunt virgae roboris ejus, ignis comedit unamquamvis: nunc plantata est in deserto, in terra ariditatis et sitis; exivit ignis e virga ramorum ejus, comedit fructum ejus, ut non sit in ea virga roboris, sceptrum 1
dominantium" (19:10-14):
describitur per haec desolatio omnis veri in Ecclesia Judaica; "principes", contra quos lamentum, significant vera, et "mater" quae facta leaena, significat ecclesiam; de hac et de illis haec dicta sunt: "mater tua sicut vitis juxta aquas plantata" significat quod ab instauratione fuerit ecclesia spiritualis instructa veris; "mater" est ecclesia in genere, "vitis" est ecclesia spiritualis in specie, "aquae" sunt vera, "plantari" est instaurari: "unde fuerunt illi virgae roboris in sceptra dominantium" significat quod ei fuerit Divinum Verum in sua potentia, et inde illi dominium super falsa mali quae ab inferno: "virgae roboris" significant Divinum Verum quoad potentiam, et "sceptra" Divinum Verum quoad dominium, sceptra enim regum erant curti baculi ex arbore significativa, hic ex vite: "sed extulit se statura ejus super inter implexos ramos" significat fastum propriae intelligentiae ex scientificis naturalis hominis; fastus ille significatur per "extulit se statura ejus", et scientifica naturalis hominis significantur per "implexos ramos": "eversa est in ira, in terram projecta", significat destructionem illius per falsa mali: "ventus orientalis arefecit fructum ejus" significat destructionem boni ejus; "ventus orientalis" significat destructionem, et "fructus" bonum; id bonum quod illis qui in falsis mali sunt, residuum est ex Verbo, intelligitur, cujus destructio significatur per "arefactionem fructus ex vento orientali": "divulsae sunt et exaruerunt virgae roboris ejus" significat quod dissipatum sit omne Divinum Verum, unde ecclesiae illi nulla potentia contra inferna: "ignis comedit unamquamque" significat fastum ex amore sui, qui destruxit: "nunc plantata est in deserto, in terra ariditatis et sitis, significat quod desolata usque ut non sit aliquod bonum veri et verum boni: "exivit ignis e virga ramorum ejus" significat fastum in singulis ejus: "comedit fructum ejus" significat consumptionem boni: "ut non sit in ea virga roboris, sceptrum 2
dominantium", significat desolationem Divini Veri quoad potentiam et quoad dominium (ut supra).
[4] Apud Jeremiam,
"Dicite quomodo fractus est baculus roboris, baculus decoris; descende de gloria, et sede in siti, habitatrix filia Dibonis: quia vastator Moabi ascendit contra te, et perdidit munimenta tua" (48:17, 18):
per "filiam Dibonis" significatur externum ecclesiae, et inde externum Verbi, quod est sensus litterae ejus; et "vastator Moabi" significat adulterationem ejus: inde patet quid significat quod "fractus sit baculus roboris, baculus decoris", nempe quod non illis Divinum Verum in sua potentia; "baculus roboris" est illud in naturali sensu, et "baculus decoris" est illud in spirituali: "descende de gloria, et sede in siti, habitatrix filia Dibonis", significat deprivationem et defectum Divini Veri; "descendere de gloria" est deprivatio ejus, "gloria" est Divinum Verum in luce, et "sitis" est defectus ejus: "quia vastator Moabi ascendit contra te" significat adulterationem Verbi quoad sensum litteralem ejus: "et perdidit munimenta tua" significat ablationem tutelae; "munimentum" est tutela contra falsa et mala, et sensus litteralis Verbi est illa tutela.
[5] Apud Davidem,
"Baculum roboris tui mittet Jehovah ex Zione" (Psalms 110:2):
per "baculum roboris" etiam hic significatur Divinum Verum in Sua potentia, et per "Zionem" ecclesia quae in amore in Dominum est, et inde vocatur ecclesia caelestis.
[6] Apud Micham,
"Pasce populum tuum virga tua, gregem hereditatis tuae; .... pascent Baschane et Gileade juxta dies saeculi" (7:14):
"pasce populum virga tua" significat instructionem illorum qui ab ecclesia in Divinis veris ex Verbo; "pascere" significet instruere, "populus" sunt qui ab ecclesia in veris, et "virga" ibi est Verbum, quia est Divinum Verum: per "gregem hereditatis" significantur illi ab ecclesia qui in spiritualibus Verbi sunt, quae sunt vera sensus interni ejus: "pascant Baschane et Gileade" significat instructionem in bonis eccleSiae et in veris ejus ex Verbi sensu naturali.
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"Percutiet terram virga oris sui, et spiritu labiorum suorum occidet impium" (11:4)
per "virgam oris Jehovae" etiam hic significatur Divinum Verum seu Verbum in sensu naturali, et per "spiritum labiorum Ipsius" significatur Divinum Verum seu Verbum in sensu spirituali, utrumque destruens falsa mali in ecclesia, quod significatur per "percutere terram", et "occidere impium." Simile significatur
Per "percutere virga" (apud 3
Micham, cap. 4:14 [B.A. 5:1]);
Ac per "perforare baculis caput infidelium" (Habakuk 3:14).
[8] Apud Mosen,
"Cecinit Israel canticum" super fonte in Beer; .... "Fons, foderunt principes, effoderunt primores populi, per Legislatorem, baculis suis" (Numeri 21:17, 18):
per "fontem in Beer" hic significatur doctrina ex Verbo; beer etiam in lingua originali significat fontem: per "principes" qui foderunt, et per "primores populi" qui effoderunt, significantur intelligentes et sapientes ex Domino, qui ibi est "Legislator": per "baculos", per quos foderunt et effoderunt, significatur intellectus in Divinis veris illustratus.
[9] Apud Sachariam,
"Adhuc habitabunt senes mares, et senes mulieres in plateis Hierosolymae, et vir cujus in manu scipio prae multitudine dierum" (8:4):
per "senes mares et senes mulieres" significantur intelligentes ex doctrina et ex affectione veri; per "virum cujus in manu scipio prae multitudine dierum" significantur sapientes qui nihil Sibi sed soli Domino fidunt: quod hi in ecclesia, ubi doctrina genuini veri, significatur per "in plateis Hierosolymae"; "Hierosolyma" est ecclesia quoad doctrinam, et "plateae" sunt vera doctrinae, hic genuina vera.
[10] Apud Jeremiam,
"Stultus factus est omnis homo a scientia, pudore affectus est omnis conflator a sculptili; .... non sicut illa pars Jacobi, sed Formator omnium Ille, et Israel baculus hereditatis Ipsius; Jehovah Zebaoth nomen Ipsius" (10:14, 16; 51:19):
"stultus factus est omnis homo a scientia" significat a scientificis naturalis hominis separati a spirituali; "pudore affectus est omnis conflator a sculptili" significat a falsis quae ex propria intelligentia; "sed Formator omnium Ille" significat Dominum a quo omnis intelligentia veri: "Israel baculus hereditatis Ipsius" significat ecclesiam in qua est Divinum Verum, et ejus potentia contra falsa; et quia hic de intelligentia per Divinum Verum agitur, additur, "Jehovah Zebaoth nomen Ipsius"; Dominus "Jehovah Zebaoth" vocatur ex Divinis veris in omni complexu, zebaoth enim significant exercitus, et "exercitus" omnia vera et bona ecclesiae et caeli.
[11] Quando filii Israelis in deserto murmurabant contra Mosen et Aharonem propter Korachum, Dathanem et Abiramum, quod absorpti sint a terra, mandatum est
Quod principes duodecim tribuum ponerent baculos suos in Tentorio conventus coram Testimonio: quo facto baculus Aharonis floruit et produxit amygdalas (Numeri 17:17-25 [B.A. :2-10]):
hoc factum est quia murmurarunt contra Jehovam, hoc est, Dominum, et quidem contra Divinum Verum quod ab Ipso; Moses enim et Aharon repraesentabant Dominum quoad Legem, quae est Verbum; ideo mandatum est quod "principes duodecim tribuum ponerent baculos suos in Tentorio conventus coram Testimonio"; per "duodecim" enim "tribus", et in specie per "principes eorum" significabantur vera ecclesiae in omni complexu, similiter per "duodecim illorum baculos"; et per "Tentorium conventus" repraesentatum est et inde significatum caelum, unde vera ecclesiae; et per "Testimonium" Ipse Dominus: quod "baculus Aharonis" floruerit et produxerit amygdalas, erat quia ejus "baculus" repraesentabat et inde significabat verum ex bono amoris; et quia verum ex bono amoris unice producit fructum, qui est bonum charitatis, ideo "baculus ejus floruit et produxit amygdalas"; "amygdalae" significant id bonum, similiter "tribus Levi" (videatur supra, n. 444).
Sciendum est quod tribus eadem voce qua baculus dicatur (ut Numeri 1:16; 2:5, 7);
inde per "duodecim baculos" similia quae per "duodecim tribus" significantur, nempe Divina vera ecclesiae in omni complexu. (De duodecim tribubus videatur supra, n. 39, 430 [a] , 431, 657.)
[12] Quoniam "baculus" significat potentiam Divini Veri, etiam significat potentiam resistendi falsis et malis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Dominus Jehovah Zebaoth removens ex Hierosolyma et ex Jehudah baculum et scipionem, omnem baculum panis, et omnem baculum aquae, fortem et virum belli, judicem et prophetam" (3:1, 2):
hic per "removere omnem baculum panis et omnem baculum aquae" significatur auferre omne bonum et verum ecclesiae; quibus ablatis non est amplius aliqua potentia resistendi malis et falsis, quin libere intrent; "panis" significat bonum ecclesiae, "aqua" verum ejus, et "baculus" illa quoad potentiam resistendi malis et falsis: inde sequitur, "fortis et vir belli, judex et propheta", qui etiam removebuntur; per "fortem et virum belli" significatur verum pugnans contra malum et falsum, et per "judicem et prophetam" doctrina boni et veri.
[13] Apud Ezechielem,
"Ecce Ego frangens baculum panis in Hierosolyma, ut comedant panem pondere et sollicitudine, et aquas in mensura et stupore bibant" (4:16):
per "frangere baculum panis" significatur quod deficiet bonum et verum in ecclesia, nam "panis" hic utrumque significat; quare sequitur, "ut comedant panem in pondere et sollicitudine, et bibant aquas in mensura", per quae significatur defectus boni et veri, et inde potentiae resistendi malis et falsis. Similia significantur per frangere baculum panis et aquae (Ezech., cap. 5:16; 14:13; Psalms 105:16; Leviticus 26:26).
[14] Sicut "virga" et "baculus" significant potentiam Divini Veri, et inde Divinum Verum quoad potentiam, ideo "virga" et "baculus" in opposito sensu etiam significant potentiam falsi infernalis, et inde falsum infernale quoad potentiam; in hoc sensu dicuntur "virga" et "baculus" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Confregit Jehovah baculum impiorum, virgam dominantium" (14:5):
per "confringere baculum impiorum" significatur destruere potentiam falsi ex malo; et per "confringere virgam dominantium" significatur dominium falsi.
[15] Apud Davidem,
"Non incumbet baculus impietatis super sorte justorum, ut non mittant justi in perversitatem manus suas" (Psalms 125:3):
"baculus impietatis" significat potentiam falsi ex malo; "super sorte justorum" significat super veris ex bono, quae sunt apud fideles, in specie apud illos qui in amore in Dominum sunt, nam illi in Verbo dicuntur "justi"; "ne mittant justi in perversitatem manus suas" significat ne hi falsificent vera.
[16] In Threnis,
"Ego vir qui vidit miseriam per virgam furoris ejus, me duxit in tenebris, et non in lucem" (3:1, 2):
haec dicta sunt de devastatione ecclesiae, et per "virgam furoris" significatur dominium falsi infernalis; "me duxit et deduxit in tenebris, et non in lucem", significat in meris falsis, et sic non ad vera.
[17] : haec de gentibus, quae in falsis fuerunt ex ignorantia, quia non illis fuit Verbum, et inde non notus Dominus; malum quo gravati sunt, et falsum quo infestati, significantur per "jugum oneris", per "baculum humeri", et per "virgam exigentis"; illa destruere significatur per "confringere", confringere enim praedicatur de jugo, baculo et virga, at destruere de malo et falso, quae graviter incumbunt, et potenter persuadent, et ad oboediendum compellunt.
[18] Apud eundem,
"A voce Jehovae consternabitur Aschur, baculo percutietur: tunc erit omnis transitus virgae fundamenti, super quo faciet requiescere Jehovah, cum tympanis et citharis" (30:31, 32):
haec de tempore ultimi judicii, quando etiam nova ecclesia: per "Aschurem", "a voce Jehovae consternabitur, et baculo percutietur", significatur ratiocinatio ex falsis, quae per Divinum Verum dissipabuntur: quod tunc vera sensus litteralis Verbi cum gaudio intellecturi et recepturi sint, significatur per quod "tunc erit transitus virgae fundamenti cum tympanis et citharis"; "transitus" significat patefactionem et liberam receptionem, ac "tympana et citharae" significant affectionis veri jucunda: quod vera sensus litteralis Verbi per "virgam fundamenti" intelligatur, est quia ille sensus est fundamentum veris sensus spiritualis ejus, et quia hic super illo requiescit, dicitur, "super quo faciet requiescere Jehovah."
[19] Apud Sachariam,
"Dejicietur superbia Aschuris, et baculus Aegypti recedet" (10:11):
per "superbiam Aschuris" significatur fastus propriae intelligentiae; et per "baculum Aegypti" significatur potentia ex confirmatione falsorum ejus per scientifica naturalis hominis.
[20] Apud Esaiam,
"Vae Aschur, virga irae meae, et baculus, qui in manu eorum, indignationis meae; .... ne time, popule.., habitator Zionis, ab Aschure, quod virga percutiat te, et baculum.. tollat super te in via Aegypti" (Esai. 10:5, 24, 26 4
):
per "Aschurem" etiam hic significantur ratiocinationes ex propria intelligentia, per quas pervertuntur et falsificantur vera; falsa inde, et perversiones veri, significantur per "virgam irae meae", et per "baculum indignationis meae qui in manu eorum": quod non pervertentur vera apud illos qui ab ecclesia in caelesti amore sunt et inde veris, significatur per "Ne time, habitator Zionis": quod falsum instet et excitet, ac per talia, quae sunt naturalis hominis, pervertere conetur, significatur per quod "virga percutiat te, et baculum tollat super te in via Aegypti"; "via Aegypti" significat scientifica naturalis hominis, ex quibus ratiocinationes fiunt. Quoniam "Aegyptus" significat naturalem hominem cum illis quae in eo, et ille separatus a spirituali homine in meris falsis est, ideo
Aegyptus vocatur baculus calami pertusi, qui intrat et perforat manum, quando quis super eo nititur ( 5
Ezechiel 29:6, 7; 6
quae supra (n. 627 [b]) explicata sunt.
[21] Apud Esaiam,
"Ne laeteris, Philisthaea.., quod fracta sit virga 7
percutientis te, nam e radice serpentis exibit basiliscus, cujus fructus prester volans" (14:29):
quod per "Philisthaeam" significetur religio de fide separata a charitate, per "radicem serpentis" principium illud falsum, per "basiliscum" destructio boni et veri ecclesiae, et per "presterem volantem" ratiocinatio ex falsis mali, videatur supra (n. 386 [b]); ita similia per hos "serpentes" significantur quae per "draconem" in hoc capite Apocalypseos: quod "Philisthaea non laetaretur quod fracta sit virga 8
percutientis illam", significat quod non gloriaretur quod dominium illius falsi nondum destructum sit.
[22] Apud Hoscheam,
"Populus meus lignum.. interrogat, et baculus ejus respondet illi, quia spiritus scortationum seduxit, et scortati sunt sub deo suo" (4:12):
haec de falsificatione Verbi; et per "interrogare lignum", seu idolum ex ligno, significatur consulere intelligentiam ex proprio quae favet amoribus ejus; per quod "baculus respondeat illi" significatur falsum cui fides habetur; nam cum proprium consulitur, respondet ei falsum; proprium est voluntatis, ita amoris, et falsum inde est intellectus, ita cogitationis: per "spiritum scortationum", qui seduxit, significatur cupiditas falsificandi; per "scortari sub deo suo" significatur falsificare vera Verbi.
[23] Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per "virgam" et per "baculum" in utroque sensu; inde nunc sciri potest quid significatur per "virgam ferream, qua filius masculus pasturus sit omnes gentes"; similiter per haec in Apocalypsi,
"Ex ore" insidentis Equo albo "exit romphaea acuta, ut per illam percutiat gentes, et Ille pascet eas Virga ferrea" (19:15 9
):
tum quid per illa supra,
"Qui vicerit, .... dabo illi potestatem super gentes, ut regat eas virga ferrea, sicut vasa figulina conterentur" (2:26, 27),
quorum explicatio videatur supra (n. 176). Similia itaque significantur per haec apud Davidem,
"Conteres eos Virga ferrea, sicut vas figuli disperges eos" (Psalms 2:9).
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