244.“第四个活物像飞鹰”表圣言的神性真理的知识和由此产生的理解。“鹰”表示各种事物，而“飞鹰”表示知识，认知即源自知识。因为它们在飞翔时既知道又看见；事实上，它们拥有一双锐利的双眼，使得它们看得清清楚楚，而“眼睛”表示认知，或理解力（48，214节）。“飞翔”表示接受和教导，在指向主的至高意义上，则表示主的预见和供应。“鹰”在圣言中具有这种含义，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
那等候耶和华的，必从新得力；他们必如鹰展翅上腾。（以赛亚书40:31）
“如鹰展翅上腾”是指被提升进入真理与良善的知识，由此进入聪明。
大鹰上腾，窥看食物，岂是借你的智慧、听你的吩咐吗？他的眼睛向远处看得分明。（约伯记39:26-27，29）
认识、理解、看得分明的能力在此被描述为“大鹰”，这种能力并非出于人自己的聪明。
耶和华用美物使你口得以饱足，以致你如鹰返老还童。（诗篇103:5）
“用美物使你口得以饱足”是指由知识赐予认知，因此经上以鹰作比。
有一大鹰，翅膀大，翎毛长，来到黎巴嫩，将香柏树梢拧去，将它栽于种田里，就渐渐生长。又有一大鹰，这葡萄树向这鹰弯过根来。（以西结书17:1-8）
此处两只“大鹰”描述的是犹大教会和以色列教会对真理的认知，及其由此而来的聪明。但在反面意义上，“鹰”表示虚假的知识，认知因这知识而被败坏（如马太福音24:28；耶利米书4:13；哈巴谷书1:8，9；等等）。
244. And the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. This symbolizes the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its concepts and the understanding they afford.
Eagles have various symbolic meanings, but flying eagles symbolize concepts which lead to understanding, since when they fly, they recognize and see. They also have sharp eyes so as to see keenly, and eyes symbolize the intellect (nos. 48, 214).
To fly means, symbolically, to perceive and teach, and in the highest sense, which has the Lord as its subject, it means to foresee and provide.
That this is the symbolic meaning of eagles in the Word is apparent from the following passages:
Those who wait on Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles. (Isaiah 40:31)
To mount up on wings like eagles means to be raised into concepts of truth and goodness and so into intelligence.
Does the hawk fly by your wisdom...? Does the eagle mount up at your command...(and) spy out its food? Its eyes observe from afar. (Job 39:26-27, 29)
The eagle here describes a faculty for recognizing, understanding, and foreseeing, and the fact that this does not result from one's own intelligence.
(Jehovah,) who satisfies your mouth with good, so that you are renewed in your youth like an eagle. (Psalms 103:5)
To satisfy the mouth with good means to give understanding by means of concepts. Thus an analogy is made with an eagle.
A great eagle with large wings and long pinions... came upon Lebanon and took from the cedar a little branch... Then it took some of the seed of the land and planted it in the field of a growing crop..., and it grew and became a vine... But there was another great eagle..., to which the vine bent its roots... (Ezekiel 17:1-8)
The two eagles here describe the Jewish and Israelite churches, each in respect to its concepts of truth and consequent intelligence.
In an opposite sense, however, eagles symbolize false concepts, by which the intellect is corrupted, as in Matthew 24:28, Jeremiah 4:13, Habakkuk 1:8-9, and elsewhere.
244. 'And the fourth animal was like a flying eagle' signifies the Divine Truth of the Word as to cognitions and the resulting understanding. By 'eagles' various things are signified, and by 'flying eagles' are signified the cognitions out of whirls understanding [is derived], because when they are flying they are recognising and seeing. They have sharp eyes also for penetrating vision (ut perspiciant), and by 'eyes' understanding is signified (48, 214). By 'flying' is signified comprehending and instructing, and in the highest sense, in which the Lord is treated of, looking forward and providing. That 'eagles' in the Word signify such things is plain from these places:
Those awaiting Jehovah are renewed in strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. Isaiah 40:31.
'To mount up with wings as eagles' is to be elevated into cognitions of truth and good, and thereby into intelligence.
Is it by thine intelligence and according to thy mouth that the eagle lifts itself and searches out food; its eyes look out into the distance. Job 39:26 [, 27, 29].
The faculty of recognising, understanding, and looking out is here described by the 'eagle,' and that this is not done out of one's own intelligence.
Jehovah Who fills thy mouth with good, so that thou mayest be renewed in thy youth like the eagle. Psalms 103:5.
'To fill the mouth with good' is to give understanding by means of cognitions. From this a comparison is made with the eagle.
A great eagle, with great wings, long-feathered, came upon Lebanon, and took to itself a twig of a cedar, and planted it in a field of growing crops, and it sprouted. And there was another great eagle, to which a vine applied its roots. Ezekiel 17:1-8.
By the two 'eagles' is there described the Jewish and the Israelitish Churches, both of them in respect of cognitions of truths and intelligence therefrom. But 'eagles' in the opposite sense signify cognitions of what is untrue, in consequence of which the understanding is perverted (as Matthew 24:28; Jeremiah 4:13; Habakkuk 1:8-9; and elsewhere).
244. And the fourth animal was like a flying eagle, signifies the Divine truth of the Word as to knowledges, and thence understanding. By "eagles" various things are signified, and by "flying eagles" are signified knowledges from which understanding is derived, because when they fly they both know and see; for they have sharp eyes that they may see clearly, and by "eyes" are signified the understanding, (48, 214): by "flying" is signified to receive and instruct, and, in the highest sense, in which it has relation to the Lord, it signifies to foresee and provide. That "eagles" in the Word have such a signification, appears from these passages:
They that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, (Isaiah 40:31).
"To mount up with wings as eagles," is to be elevated into the knowledges of truth and good, and thence into intelligence:
Is it by thy intelligence and according to thy mouth that the eagle lifteth himself and searcheth out his food; his eyes see clearly afar, (Job 39:26-27, 29.
The faculty of knowing, understanding, and seeing clearly, is here described by "the eagle," and that this is not from man's own intelligence.
Jehovah who satisfieth thy mouth with good so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle, (Psalms 103:5).
"To satisfy the mouth with good," is to give understanding by knowledges; hence a comparison is made with the eagle.
A great eagle, great in wings, long in feathers, came upon Lebanon, and took a twig of a cedar, and placed it in a field of seed, and it grew. And there was also another great eagle, to which the vine applied its roots, (Ezekiel 17:1-8).
Here by "the two eagles" is described the Jewish and Israelitish churches, both as to the knowledges of truth and consequent intelligence. But "eagles" in the opposite sense signify the knowledges of what is false, from which the understanding is perverted (as in Matthew 24:28; Jeremiah 4:13; Habakkuk 1:8-9; and other places).
244. "Et quantum Animal simile Aquilae volanti," significat Divinum Verum Verbi quoad cognitiones et inde intellectum. - Per "aquilas" significantur varia, et per "aquilas volantes" significantur cognitiones ex quibus intellectus, quoniam cum volant, cognoscunt et vident; sunt etiam illis oculi acuti, ut perspiciant, et per oculos significatur intellectus (48, 214); per "volare" significatur percipere et instruere, et in supremo Sensu, in quo de Domino, prospicere et providere. Quod "aquilae" in Verbo talia significent, patet ex his locis:
"Exspectantes Jehovam innovantur robore, ascendunt alis sicut Aquilae," (Esaias 40:31; 1
"ascendere alis sicut aquilae," est elevari in cognitiones veri et boni, et inde in intelligentiam.
"Num per intelligentiam tuam et juxta os tuum se attollit Aquila, et pervestigat cibum; in longinquum oculi ejus prospiciunt," (Hiob 39:26-27, 29); 2
facultas cognoscendi, intelligendi et prospiciendi, hic per "aquilam" describitur, et quod hoc non sit ex propria intelligentia.
Jehovah "Qui saturat bono os tuum, ut renoveris sicut Aquila pueritia tua," (Psalm 103:5);
"saturare os bono" est per cognitiones dare intellectum; inde comparatio fit cum aquila.
"Aquila magna, magna alis, longa pennis, venit super Libanum, et accepit ramusculum cedri, et posuit in agro sementis, et germinavit. Et fuit altera Aquila magna, ad quam vitis applicuit radices suas," (Ezechiel 17:1-8);
per "binas Aquilas" ibi describitur Ecclesia Judaica et Israelitica, utraque quoad cognitiones veri et inde intelligentiam. "Aquilae" autem in opposito sensu significant cognitiones falsi, ex quibus intellectus perversus (Ut Matthaeus 24:28; Jeremias 4:13; Habakuk 1:8-9; et alibi).
Footnotes:
1. 31 pro "30-36"
2. 26, 27, 29 pro "26"