394.启8:4.“那香的烟和众圣徒的祈祷，从天使的手中一同升到神面前”表主对他们的保护。“升到神面前的香的烟”表示蒙接受和悦纳之物；所以大卫说了类似的话：
愿我的祷告如香陈列在你面前。（诗篇141:2）
原因在于，香的烟因构成它的香料而芳香，这些香料就是“拿他弗”（苏合香）、施嘉列（香锭）和喜利比拿（白松香）（出埃及记30:34）；而且，这些香料的芳香对应于诸如属于属灵之爱或仁爱，因而属于信之类的事物；因为天上所闻到最香的气味就对应于天使们那源于其爱的感知。因此，在圣经许多部分，经上来说“耶和华闻到馨香的气味”。所表示的是主的保护，这一点从前面所述（393节）可推知。
394. And the smoke of the incense for the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand. (8:4) This symbolizes their protection by the Lord.
The smoke of incense ascending before God symbolizes something accepted and pleasing. Therefore David says similarly,
Let my prayers be accepted as incense before You. (Psalms 141:2)
That was because the smoke of incense was fragrant owing to the aromatic substances of which incense was composed - stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense (Exodus 30:34). Moreover, the fragrances of these aromatic substances correspond to qualities connected with spiritual love, or with charity and the attendant faith. In heaven, indeed, angels experience the most fragrant aromas corresponding to their perceptions arising from their love. Consequently we also read in many places in the Word that Jehovah smelled a sweet odor. 1
That this symbolizes protection by the Lord follows from what we said just above in no. 393.
Footnotes:
1. See Genesis 8:21
394. [verse 4] 'And the smoke of the incense-offerings with the prayers of the saints went up from the angel's hand before God' signifies the safeguarding of those [angels] by the Lord. By 'the smoke of the incense-offerings going up before God' is signified what is accepted and pleasing; and therefore David says a similar thing:
Let my prayers be accepted, incense before Thee. Psalms 141:2.
This was because the smoke of the incense-offerings was fragrant from the aromatics out of which the incense-offering was prepared, and these were stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense (Exodus 30:34); and the fragrances derived from these aromatics correspond to such things as are of spiritual love, or of charity and consequently of faith. For in heaven are sensed the most fragrant odours corresponding with the perceptions of angels arising out of their love; and therefore it is even said in many places in the Word that Jehovah smelled an odour of rest. That safeguarding by the Lord is signified follows from the things that were said just above (393).
394. Verse 4. And the smoke of the incense went with the prayers of the saints, out of the hand of the angel before God, signifies the protection of them by the Lord. By "the smoke of the incense went up before God" is signified what is accepted and grateful; wherefore the like is said by David:
Let my prayers be accepted before Thee as incense, (Psalms 141:2).
The reason was, because the smoke of the incense was fragrant from the aromatics of which it was composed, which were stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, (Exodus 30:34); and the fragrance of those aromatics corresponds to such things as are of spiritual love or charity, and thence of faith; for in heaven most fragrant odors are sensibly perceived corresponding to the perceptions of the angels originating from their love. Therefore it is also said in many parts of the Word, that "Jehovah smelled an odor of rest." That protection by the Lord is signified, follows from what was said above, (393).
394. (Vers. 4.) "Et ascendit fumus suffituum precibus sanctorum de manu Angeli coram Deo," significat tutelam illorum a Domino. - Per "fumum suffituum ascendentem coram Deo" significatur acceptum et gratum; quare simile dicit David,
"Acceptae sint preces, suffimentum coram Te," (Psalm 141:2);
causa erat, quia fumus suffitus erat fragrans ex aromatibus, quae erant stacte, onyche, galbanum et thus, ex quibus suffimentum conficiebatur, (Exodus 30:34); et fragrantiae ex illis aromatibus correspondent talibus quae amoris spiritualis, seu charitatis et inde fidei sunt: in Caelo enim sentiuntur odores fragrantissimi correspondentes Angelorum perceptionibus ex amore illorum oriundis; quare etiam pluribus in locis in Verbo dicitur, quod Jehovah "odoratus sit odorem quietis." Quod significetur tutela a Domino, sequitur ex illis, quae mox supra (393) dicta sunt.