427.启9:5.“有命令赐给它们，不许蝗虫杀死他们，只叫他们受痛苦五个月”表按照主的圣治，他们不能夺走那些未处于仁之信的人理解并意愿真理与良善的官能，只能短时间内造成精神麻痹。“有命令赐给它们”表示这是按照主的圣治，如前所述；“不许蝗虫杀死他们”表示不能夺走那些未处于仁之信的人理解并意愿真理与良善的官能，因为一旦夺走这种官能，人的灵性就被杀死了。“受痛苦五个月”表示短时间内造成精神麻痹；“五”表示少许，或短时间；“受痛苦”表示造成精神麻痹，因为这就是“蝎子”所表示的（425节）；“像蝎子的痛苦”，如下文所述（428节）。理解并意愿真理的官能，或理性与自由不能从人身上被夺走，这一点在《圣治》（73，74，82-86，92-99，138-149，322节）一书已经充分说明。
“五个月”之所以表示少许，或短时间，是因为这就是“五”的含义；时间，无论是小时、天、周、月，还是年，并非表示时间，而是表示状态；而数字则确定这个状态的性质（4，10348，947节）。“五”表示某种事物，以及少许，这一点可从以下经文明显看出来：
一人叱喝，必令千人逃跑。（以赛亚书30:17）
五个人要追赶一百人。（利未记26:8）
耶稣说，天国好比十个童女，其中有五个是愚拙的，五个是聪明的。（马太福音25:1-2）
“十个童女”表示教会中的所有人；“五”表示其中的一部分或一些。在以下寓言中，“十”和“五”所表相同：
交给仆人银子去做生意，一个用一锭银子赚了十锭，另一个赚了五锭。（路加福音19:13-20）
“十锭”表示大量，“五锭”表示少许。此外还有其它地方（如以赛亚书17:6；19:18-19；马太福音14:15-21）。
427. And it was given them not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. (9:5) This symbolically means that owing to the Lord's Divine providence it was impossible for them to take away from those without the faith accompanying charity their faculty for understanding and willing truth and good, but only to be able for a short time to induce a mental numbness.
Its being given them means, symbolically, that it was owing to the Lord's Divine providence, as said just above. Their being unable to kill the men lacking the seal of God means, symbolically, that it was impossible for them to take away from those without the faith accompanying charity their faculty for understanding and willing truth and good; for if this faculty were to be taken away from a person, it would kill him spiritually. To torment for five months means, symbolically, to induce a mental numbness for a short time. The number five symbolizes a little something or for a short time, and to torment means, symbolically, to induce a mental numbness, because this is the symbolic meaning of a scorpion (no. 425), and of torment like the torment of a scorpion, as said next in no. 428.
That the faculty of understanding truth and willing it, or rationality and freedom, cannot be taken away from a person, is something we showed many times in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Providence, nos. 73 74, 82-86, 92-99, 138-149, 322.
[2] "Five months" means, symbolically, a little something or for a short time because this is the symbolic meaning of the number five. For periods of time, whether they be hours, days, weeks, months, or years, do not signify a period of time, but a state, and numbers define its character (nos. 4, 10348, 947).
That the number five symbolizes something, and also a little, can be seen from the following passages:
A thousand shall flee... at the threat of five... (Isaiah 30:17)
Five... shall chase a hundred... (Leviticus 26:8)
(Jesus said that) the kingdom of heaven (is like) ten virgins..., five (of whom) were prudent, and five foolish. (Matthew 25:1-2)
The ten virgins symbolize all in the church. Five of them symbolize a part or some.
The like is symbolically meant by the numbers ten and five in the parable in which minas were given to some servants with which to do business, and one of them used his mina to earn ten minas, and a second used his to earn five (Luke 19:13-20). Ten minas symbolize much, and five minas a little. So, too, elsewhere, as in Isaiah 17:6; 19:18, Matthew 14:15-21.
427. [verse 5] 'And to them it was given that they should not kill those, but that they should torment them five months' signifies that it is of the Lord's Divine Providence that they are not able to take away from those who are not in faith and charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, but that they are only able for a short time to induce stupefaction. By 'to them it was given' is signified that it is of the Lord's Divine Providence, as just above. 'Not to be able to kill them' signifies not to be able to take away from those who are not in the faith of charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, for when this faculty is taken away a man is killed spiritually. By 'to torment them five months' is signified to induce stupefaction for a short time, 'five' signifying something little or for a short time, and 'to torment' signifying to induce stupefaction, because this is signified by 'a scorpion' (425) and by 'as the torment of a scorpion,' as it follows on (428). That the faculty of understanding what is true and of willing it, or rationality and freedom, cannot be taken away from a man, has been shown many times in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE PROVIDENCE 73-74, 82-86, 92-99, 138-149, 322.
[2] That 'five months' signify something little and for a short time, is because this is signified by 'five,' for times, whether they be hours, days, weeks, months or years, do not signify a time but a state, and the numbers determine the quality thereof (4, 10, 348, 947). That 'five' signify something, and also a little, can be established from these passages:
A thousand shall flee at the rebuke of five. Isaiah 30:17.
Five shall pursue a hundred. Leviticus 26:8.
Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like ten virgins, five of whom were prudent and fire foolish. Matthew 25:1-2.
By the 'ten virgins' are signified all in the Church, by 'five' are signified a certain part or some. Similar things are signified by 'ten' and 'five' in the parable:
That minas 1were given to the servants that they might trade, and that one with his mina gained ten minas, and another five. Luke 19:13-19.
'Ten minas' signify much, and 'five minas' little. Besides elsewhere, as Isaiah 17:6; 19:18-19; Matthew 14:15-21.
Footnotes:
1. In the AV this Greek word is translated 'pound.
427. Verse 5. And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months, signifies that from the Divine providence of the Lord, they are not able to take away from those who are not in the faith of charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, but that they should only be able to induce stupor for a short time. By "its being given them," is signified that it is from the Divine providence of the Lord, as above; "not to be able to kill them," signifies not to be able to take away from those who are not in the faith of charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, for when this faculty is taken away, man is spiritually killed. By "tormenting them five months," is signified to induce stupor for a short time; "five" signifies a little, or a short time, and "to torment" signifies to induce stupor, because this is what is signified by "a scorpion" (425); and by "the torment like that of a scorpion," as follows, (428). That the faculty of understanding truth and of willing it, or rationality and liberty, cannot be taken away from man, is amply shown in the Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, (73, 74, 82-86, 92-99, 138-149, 322).
[2] That "five months" signify a little, and a short time, is because that is signified by "five;" for times, whether they be hours, days, weeks, months, or years, do not signify time but state; and the numbers determine its quality, (4, 10, 348, 947). That "five" signifies something, and also a little, may appear from these passages:
A thousand shall flee at the rebuke of five, (Isaiah 30:17).
Five shall pursue a hundred, (Leviticus 26:8).
Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins, of whom five were prudent and five were foolish, (Matthew 25:1-2.
By "ten virgins" are signified all in the church; by "five" are signified a certain part or some of them. The like is signified by "ten" and "five" in the parable:
There were given unto the servants talents that they should trade, and one with his talent gained ten talents, and another five, (Luke 19:13-20).
"Ten talents" signify much, and "five talents" a little. Besides other places (as in Isaiah 17:6; 19:18-19; Matthew 14:15-22).
427. (Vers. 5.) "Et datum illis ut non occiderent illos; sed ut cruciarent menses quinque," significat quod ex Divina Domini Providentia sit, quod non possint illis qui non in fide charitatis sunt, auferre facultatem intelligendi et volendi verum et bonum, sed modo quod possint ad breve tempus inducere stuporem. - Per "datum illis" significatur quod ex Divina Domini Providentia sit, ut mox supra; "non posse occidere illos" significat non posse auferre illis, qui non in fide charitatis sunt, facultatem intelligendi et volendi verum et bonum, hac enim facultate ablata homo spiritualiter occisus est; per "cruciare menses quinque" significatur stuporem ad breve tempus inducere; "quinque" significant aliquid parum seu ad breve tempus, et "cruciare" significat stuporem inducere, quia hoc per "scorpium" significatur (425), et per "cruciatum sicut scorpii" ut sequitur (428). Quod homini non possit auferri facultas intelligendi verum et volendi illud, seu rationalitas et libertas, multis ostensum est in Sapientia Angelica de Divina Providentia 73, 74, 82-86, 92-99, 138-149, 322. 1Quod "menses quinque" significent aliquid parum et ad breve tempus, est quia id per "quinque" significatur; tempora enim, sive sint horae, dies, septimanae, sive menses, anni, non significant tempus, sed statum, ac numeri determinant quale ejus (4, 10, 348, 947) - Quod "quinque" significent aliquid, et quoque parum, constare potest ex his locis:
"Mille coram increpatione Quinque fugient," (Esaias 30:17);
"Quinque persequentur centum," (Leviticus 26:8);
Jesus dixit, quod "Regnum caelorum simile sit decem virginibus, quarum Quinque erant prudentes et Quinque stultae," (Matthaeus 25:1-2);
per "decem virgines" significantur omnes in Ecclesia, per "quinque" significantur quaedam pars aut aliqui. Similia significantur per "decem" et per "quinque" in parabola, quod Datae sint servis minae ut negotiarentur, et quod unus ex mina acquisiverit decem minas, et alter quinque, (Luca 19:13-20);
"decem minae" significant multum, et "quinque minae" parum.
(Praeter alibi, ut Esaias 17:6; 19:18-19; Matthaeus 15-21). 2
Footnotes:
1. 99 pro "98"
2. 21 pro "22"