356.启7:7.“西缅支派中受印的有一万二千”表那些将要属于主的新天堂和新教会之人所具有的属灵之爱，也就是对邻之爱或仁爱。在至高意义上，“西缅”表示天命（providence）；在属灵意义上，表示对邻之爱或仁爱；在属世意义上，表示顺服和听从。在前两个次序中，经上论述了那些在主的属天国度中的人；但在这个次序中，经上论述了那些在主的属灵国度中的人，他们的爱被称为属灵之爱，也就是对邻之爱和仁爱。在圣言中，西缅及其支派之所以代表并因此表示这爱，是因为他在流便之后、利未之前出生，而流便、西缅和利未这三者依次表示认知中的真理或信仰，意愿中的真理或仁爱，行为中的真理或好行为；彼得、雅各和约翰同样表示这些。因此，为叫西缅及其支派代表意愿中的真理，也就是仁爱和顺服，他以“听”而得名，“听”表示理解并意愿或顺服真理；当经上说听见某人时，就是理解它；当经上说听从某人或听从时，就是意愿并顺服它。
在此有必要说说对邻之爱或仁爱：对邻之爱就是对遵从主诫命之爱，主要是十诫第二块石版所包含的那些诫命，即：不可杀人，不可奸淫，不可偷盗，不可作假见证，不可贪恋邻舍的一切。人若因它们是罪而不做这类事，就是爱邻；仇恨邻舍，并出于仇恨想要杀害他的人不爱邻舍；想与邻舍之妻通奸的人不爱邻舍；想偷窃并掠夺邻舍财物的人不爱邻舍，等等。这也是保罗下面这些话所教导的：
爱人的就完全了律法。像那不可奸淫、不可杀人、不可偷盗、不可贪婪、或有别的诫命，都包在爱人如己这一句话之内了；所以爱就完全了律法。（罗马书13:8-10）
356. Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed. (7:7) This symbolizes spiritual love, which is love for the neighbor or charity, in those people who will be part of the New Heaven and of the Lord's New Church.
In the highest sense Simeon symbolizes providence; in the spiritual sense, love for the neighbor or charity; and in the natural sense, obedience and giving ear.
In the first two series the subject was people who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom. In this series, now, the subject is people who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. Their love is termed a spiritual love, which is love for the neighbor and charity.
Simeon and his tribe represented this love and thus symbolize it in the Word because he was born after Reuben and was the next before Levi, and these three - Reuben, Simeon and Levi - in that sequence symbolized truth in the intellect or faith, truth in the will or charity, and truth in practice or good work, like Peter, James and John. As Simeon and his tribe consequently represented truth in the will, which is both charity and obedience, therefore he was given a name derived from a word meaning to hear, and to hear symbolizes both to understand truth and to will it or obey - to understand it in the phrase to "hear someone," and to will it and obey in the phrase to "listen to someone" or hearken.
[2] We will say something here about love for the neighbor or charity. Love for the neighbor is a love of obeying the Lord's commandments, especially those in the second table of the Ten Commandments, namely, you shall not kill, you shall not commit whoredom, you shall not steal, you shall not bear witness falsely, and you shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's. A person who wills not to do these things because they are sins, loves his neighbor. For someone who hates his neighbor, and who out of hatred wishes to kill him, does not love his neighbor. Someone who wishes to commit whoredom with his neighbor's wife, does not love his neighbor. Neither does someone who wishes to steal and plunder his neighbor's goods love his neighbor, and so on.
Paul, too, teaches this in these words:
...he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit whoredom," "You shall not kill," "You shall not steal," "You shall not be a false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ...Charity therefore is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)
356. [verse 7] 'Out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand sealed' signifies spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour or charity, with those who will belong to the New Heaven and the Lord's New Church. By 'Simeon' is signified in the highest sense Providence, in the spiritual sense love towards the neighbour or charity, and in the natural sense obedience and hearing. In the previous two series it treated of those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom. Now in this series it treats of those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, whose love is called spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour, also charity. Simeon and his tribe represented this love and consequently signified it in the Word, because he was born after Reuben and next before Levi, and by those three, Reuben, Simeon and Levi, in their order, was signified truth in the understanding or faith, truth in the will or charity, and truth in act or good work, in like manner as by Peter, James and John. That Simeon and his tribe might therefore represent truth in the will, which is both charity and obedience, he was named from 'to hear,' and 'to hear' signifies both to understand truth and to will it or obey, to understand it when to hear someone is said, and to will it and obey when to hearken to someone or to listen is said.
[2] Something shall be said here about love towards the neighbour or charity. Love towards the neighbour is the love of obeying the Lord's commandments, which are chiefly the ones contained in the second table of the Decalogue, these being, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit whoredom, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet the things that are thy neighbour's. The man who is unwilling to do such things because they are sins, loves the neighbour; for he who hates him, and by reason of hate is willing to kill him, does not love the neighbour; nor does he who is willing to commit whoredom with his wife love the neighbour; nor does he who is willing to steal and plunder his goods love the neighbour, and so on. Paul also teaches this in these words:
He who loves another has fulfilled the Law. For the command, thou shalt not commit whoredom, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not be a false witness, thou shalt not covet, and any other command there may be, is summed up in this saying, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: therefore the fulfilling of the law is charity, Romans 13:8-10.
356. Verse 7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand, signifies spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor or charity, with those who will be of the Lord's New Heaven and New Church. By "Simeon," in the highest sense, is signified providence; in the spiritual sense, love towards the neighbor or charity; and, in the natural sense, obedience and hearing. In the two foregoing series they are treated of who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom; but in this series they are treated of who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; the love of the latter is called spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor, and charity. The reason why Simeon and his tribe represented this love, and therefore signify it in the Word, is because he was born after Reuben, and immediately before Levi, and by these three, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, in their order, is signified truth in the understanding, or faith; truth in the will, or charity; and truth in act, or good work; in like manner as by Peter, James, and John. That Simeon and his tribe might therefore represent truth in the will, which is both charity and obedience, he was named from hearing, and to hear signifies both to understand truth and to will or obey it; to understand it when it is said to hear anyone, and to will and obey it, when it is said to listen to anyone, or to hearken.
[2] Here something shall be said concerning love towards the neighbor, or charity: love towards the neighbor, is the love of obeying the Lord's commandments, which are chiefly those contained in the second table of the Decalogue, and which are, thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit whoredom; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not covet the things which are thy neighbor's. The man who will not do such things because they are sins, loves the neighbor; for he does not love the neighbor who hates him, and from hatred wishes to kill him; he does not love the neighbor who desires to commit whoredom with his wife; nor does he love the neighbor who wishes to steal and plunder his goods, and so on. This, also, Paul teaches in the following words:
For he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit whoredom, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is comprehended in this word, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; therefore charity is the fulfilling of the law, (Romans 13:8-10).
356. (Vers. 7.) "Ex tribu Simeonis duodecim millia signati," significat Amorem spiritualem qui est Amor erga Proximum seu Charitas, apud illos qui e Novo Caelo et e Nova Ecclesia Domini erunt. - Per "Simeonem" significatur in supremo Sensu Providentia, in spirituali Amor erga proximum seu Charitas, et in naturali Obedientia et Auditus. In seriebus binis prioribus actum est de illis qui in Regno caelesti Domini sunt, in hac nunc serie agitur de illis qui in Regno spirituali Domini sunt; horum amor vocatur amor spiritualis, qui est Amor erga proximum, tum Charitas. Quod Simeon et ejus Tribus hunc amorem repraesentaverit, et inde in Verbo illum significet, est quia natus est post Rubenem, et proxime ante Levim; et per illos tres, Rubenem, Simeonem et Levim, in suo ordine, significatum est verum intellectu seu fides, verum voluntate seu charitas, ac verum actu seu bonum opus; simile quod per Petrum, Jacobum et Johannem: ut itaque Simeon et ejus tribus repraesentaret verum voluntate, quod tam est charitas quam obedientia, ideo nominatus est ab Audire; ac audire significat et intelligere verum, et velle illud seu obedire; intelligere illud cum dicitur audire aliquem, et velle illud et obedire cum dicitur audire alicui, seu auscultare. Hic aliquid dicetur de Amore erga proximum seu Charitate: Amor erga proximum, est amor obediendi praeceptis Domini, quae imprimis sunt quae in secunda tabula Decalogi continentur, quae sunt, non occides, non scortaberis, non furaberis, non false testaberis, non concupisces illa quae proximi sunt. Homo qui talia non vult facere quia peccata sunt, ille amat proximum; non enim ille amat proximum qui odio habet illum, et ex odio vult occidere illum; non ille amat proximum qui vult scortari cum ejus uxore, nec ille amat proximum qui vult furari et depraedare ejus bona; et sic porro. Hoc quoque docet Paulus his verbis:
"Qui amat alterum, Legem implevit; nam illud non scortaberis, non occides, non furaberis, non falsus testis eris, non concupisces; et si quod aliud mandatum, in hoc verbo comprehenditur, amabis proximum sicut te ipsum; plenitudo ergo Legis est Charitas," (Romanos 13:8-10).