401.“一切的青草也被烧了”表因而信的一切活物也灭亡了。“被烧了”表示灭亡，如刚才所述（400节）；在圣言中，“青草”表示教会或信仰的良善与真理，这些良善与真理首先在属世人里面突然产生；“田地的菜蔬”所表相同；由于信仰靠着良善与真理存活，故“一切的青草被烧了”表信的一切活物都灭亡了；并且如刚才所述，当对良善的情感和对真理的领悟不复存时，信的一切活物就灭亡了。“青草”具有这样的含义也是出于对应；所以，在灵界，那些不仅在教义上，而且在生活上将信从仁分离之人便在寸草不生的沙漠消磨时光。由于“果树”表示人对良善的情感和对真理的领悟，所以“青草”表示教会的良善与真理方面的人，教会首先在他里面孕育和出生，而“不青的草”所表相同，只是被毁了。总体而言，花园、树林、田野和平原中的一切事物皆表示教会的某种事物，或也可说，其里面的某种教会事物方面的人；原因在于，它们是相对应的。从以下经文明显可知，“草”具有这种含义：
有人声说，你喊叫吧；他说，我喊叫什么呢？凡有血气的尽都如草，草必枯干，花必凋残，因为气吹在其上；百姓诚然是草。草必枯干，花必凋残，我们神的话必永远立定。（以赛亚书40:6-8）
居民像田间的菜蔬，像青草，如房顶上的草，又如田间未长成就干焦的禾稼。（以赛亚书37:27；列王纪下19:26）
我将我的福浇灌从你所生的，他们发生在草中。（以赛亚书44:3，4；以及其它地方，如以赛亚书51:12；诗篇37:2；103:15；129:6；申命记32:2）
“青”（green），或“长青”（growing green）表示有生命的东西，或活物，这一点明显可见于相关经文（耶利米书11:16；17:8；以西结书17:24；20:47；何西阿书14:8；诗篇37:35；52:8；92:10，14）。启示录在此所描述的事同样发生在埃及，即：
因掺杂在一起的冰雹与火，田地里的一切树木和一切菜蔬都被烧尽。（出埃及记9:29-35；诗篇78:47-49；105:32-33）
401. And all green grass was burned up. This symbolically means, and thus every constituent of faith having life had perished.
To be burned up means, symbolically, to perish, as said just above in no. 400.
Green grass, in the Word, symbolizes the goodness and truth of the church or faith that is born first in the natural self. It has the same symbolic meaning as "the herb of the field." 1And because faith has life owing to goodness and truth, therefore "all green grass was burned up" means, symbolically, that every constituent of faith having life had perished. Every constituent of faith having life perishes, moreover, when there is no affection for goodness or perception of truth, as said just above.
Grass has this symbolic meaning also because of its correspondence. Consequently, people who separate faith from charity, not only in doctrine by also in life, in the spiritual world live in a desert where there is no grass.
Since a fruit tree symbolizes a person in respect to his affections for goodness and perceptions of truth, so green grass symbolizes a person in respect to that constituent of the church that is first conceived in him and also given birth, while grass that is not green symbolizes that constituent now perished.
In general, everything found in gardens, forests, fields and plains symbolizes a person in respect to some constituent of the church, or to say the same thing, some constituent of the church in him. That is because they correspond. That this is true of grass can be seen from the following passages:
A voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?"
"All flesh is grass... The grass withered, and the flower faded, because the wind... blew upon it. Truly the people are grass. The grass withered, and the flower faded, but the Word of our God shall stand forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)
Their inhabitants... became the herb of the field, tender grass, the grass on the housetops, and a field scorched before the standing grain. (Isaiah 37:27, 2 Kings 19:26)
...I will pour... My blessing on your offspring; they will spring up among the grass... (Isaiah 44:3-4)
Also elsewhere, as Isaiah 51:12, Psalms 37:2; 103:15; 129:6, Deuteronomy 32:2.
That a green plant or something green symbolizes something living or alive is apparent in Jeremiah 17:8; 11:16; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 37:35; 52:8; 92:10.
The same thing said here in the book of Revelation came to pass in Egypt, namely that by hail and fire mingled, every tree and every herb of the field were burned up (Exodus 9:22-35).
Footnotes:
1. Genesis 2:5; 3:18
401. 'And all the green grass was burnt' signifies thus every living thing of faith. By 'to be burnt' is signified to perish, as just above (400). By 'green grass' in the Word is signified that good and truth of the Church or of faith which in the natural man is born first. A similar thing is signified also by 'the herb of the field'; and because faith is alive by virtue of good and truth, therefore by 'all the green grass was burnt' is signified that every living thing of faith perished; and every living thing of faith perishes whenever there is not any affection of good and perception of truth, of which just above. That this is signified by 'grass' is also the result of correspondence; and therefore those who separate faith from charity, not only in doctrine but also in life, in the spiritual world live in a wilderness where there is not even grass. As a 'fruit tree' signifies a man as to affections of good and perceptions of truth, so 'green grass' signifies a man as to that of the Church which first with him is conceived and also born, and 'grass not green' signifies the same thing utterly lost. In general all the things that are in gardens, 'forests, fields and plains,' signify a man as to something of the Church, or what is the same, something of the Church with him. This is because they correspond. That 'grass' [corresponds in this way] can be established from these passages:
The voice said, Cry, and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and the grass withers, and the flower falls, because the wind has blown upon it; truly the people is grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, and the Word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:5-8.
The inhabitants were made herb of the field, herb of grass, grass of the roofs, and meadow land scorched before the crop. Isaiah 37:27; 2 Kings 19:26.
I will pour out My blessing upon thine offspring, and they shall sprout forth in the midst of the grass. Isaiah 44:3-4; and elsewhere (as. Isaiah 51:12; Psalms 37:2; Psalms 103:15; Psalms 129:6; Deuteronomy 32:2). That by 'verdant' or 'green' is signified what is living or alive is plain in Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47 [H.B. 21:3]; Hosea 14:8; [H.B. 9]; Psalms 37:35; Psalms 52:8; [H.B. 10]; 92 so [H.B. 11]. Something similar to what is here said in the Apocalypse came to pass in Egypt, namely that:
By reason of mingled hail and fire every tree and every herb of the field was burnt up, Exodus 9:23-35; Psalms 78:47-49; 105:32-33.
401. And all green grass was burnt up, signifies, thus every living thing of faith. By "being burnt up" is signified to perish, as just above, (400); by "green grass," in the Word, is signified that good and truth of the church or of faith, which first springs up in the natural man; the same also is signified by "the herb of the field;" and because faith lives from good and truth, therefore by "all green grass was burnt up," is signified that every living thing of faith perished; and every living thing of faith perishes when there is no affection of good and perception of truth, of which just above. That "grass" signifies this is also from correspondence; wherefore they who separate faith from charity, not only in doctrine but also in life, in the spiritual world pass the time in a desert, where there is not even grass. As "a fruit tree" signifies man as to the affections of good and the perceptions of truth, so "green grass" signifies man as to that of the church which is first conceived and also born in him, and "grass not green" signifies the same destroyed. In general all things which are in gardens, woods, fields, and plains, signify man as to something of the church, or what is the same, something of the church with him; the reason is, because they correspond. That "grass" has this signification, may appear from these passages:
The voice said, Cry; and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, because the wind hath breathed upon it; truly the people is grass. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand for ever, (Isaiah 40:5-8).
The inhabitants were as the herb of the field, and as the green grass, as the grass of the roofs, and a field burned before the corn, (Isaiah 37:27; 2 Kings 19:26).
I will pour out My blessing upon those born of thee, and they shall spring up in the midst of the grass, (Isaiah 44:3-4; and in other places; as in Isaiah 51:12; Psalms 37:2; 103:15; 129:6; Deuteronomy 32:2).
That by "green" or "growing green," is signified what is living or alive, is evident in Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 37:35; 52:8; 92:10, 14. The same as what is here described in Revelation came to pass in Egypt, namely:
By hail and fire mingled, every tree and every herb of the field was burnt up, (Exodus 9:29-35; Psalms 78:47-49; 105:32-33).
401. "Et omne gramen viride combustum est," significat sic omne vivum fidei. - Per "comburi" significatur perire, ut mox supra (400); per "gramen viride," in Verbo, significatur id bonum et verum Ecclesiae seu fidei, quod in naturali homine primum nascitur; simile etiam significatur per "herbam agri;" et quia fides vivit ex bono et vero, ideo per quod "omne gramen viride combustum" sit, significatur quod omne vivum fidei perierit; et perit omne vivum fidei, quando non aliqua affectio boni et perceptio veri est, de quibus mox Supra. Quod per "gramen" id significetur, est quoque ex correspondentia; quare illi, qui separant fidem a charitate non modo doctrina sed etiam vita, in mundo spirituali degunt in deserto, ubi nec gramen. Quoniam "arbor fructus" significat hominem quoad affectiones boni et perceptiones veri, ita "gramen viride" significat hominem quoad id Ecclesiae, quod primum apud illum concipitur et quoque nascitur, et "gramen non viride" significat id deperditum. In genere omnia quae in hortis, sylvis, agris et campis sunt, significant hominem quoad aliquid Ecclesiae, seu quod idem, aliquid Ecclesiae apud illum; causa est, quia correspondent: quod "gramen," constare potest ex his locis:
"Vox dixit, Clama; et dixit, Quid clamabo; Omnis Caro Gramen; exaruit Gramen, et decidit flos, quia ventus spiravit in illud; vere Gramen populus; exaruit Gramen, et decidit flos, et Verbum Dei nostri consistet in aeternum," (Esaias 40:5-8).
"Habitatores facti sunt Herba agri, Olus graminis, Gramen tectorum, et arvum adustum ante segetem," (Esaias 37:27; 2 Regnum 19:26);
"Effundam benedictionem Meam super natos tuos, et germinabunt in medio Graminis," (Esaias 44:3-4).
(Et alibi, ut Esaias 51:12; Psalm 37:2; Psalm 103:15; Psalm 129:6; 1Deuteronomius 32:2).
Quod per "virens" seu "viride," significetur vivens seu vivum, patet (Apud Jeremias 11:16; 17:8; 2Ezechiel 17:24; 21:3 (B.A. 20:47); Hoschea 14:9 (B.A. 8); Psalm 37:35; Psalm 52:10 (B.A. 8); Psalm 92:11, 15 (B.A. 10, 14)). 3
Simile quod hic dicitur in Apocalypsi, factum est in Aegypto, quod nempe Ex Grandine et Igne commixtis combusta sit omnis Arbor et omnis Herba agri, (Exodus 9:22-35; 4Psalm 78:47-49; Psalm 105:32-33). 5
Footnotes:
1. xxxvii. pro "xxvii."
2. Jeremias 11:16; 17:8 pro "Jeremias 17:8; 40:16" (Vide Apocalypsis Explicata 507)"
3. 11, 15 pro "11"
4. 22-35 pro "38 ad 35"
5. lxxviii. pro "lxxxviii."