496.启11:6.“这二人有权柄，在他们说预言的日子叫天闭塞不下雨”表凡背离新教会这两大基本要素的人都不能从天堂接受任何真理。此处“天”是指天使天堂；所以“雨”表示由此而来的教会真理；因此，“叫天闭塞不下雨”表示他们不能从天堂接受任何教会真理；来自天堂的教会真理是指出自圣言的教义真理。经上说这两个见证人有这种权柄，其实意思和前面一样（494节，不是说他们有权柄叫天闭塞，而是说那些背离新教会的这两大基本要素之人向自己关闭天堂，因为他们仍留在自己的虚假中。“雨”表示来自天堂的神性真理，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
我的教训要淋漓如雨，我的言语滴落如露。（申命记32:2）
你们去侍奉别神，耶和华就使天闭塞不下雨。（申命记11:11，14，16-17）
我必使我的葡萄园荒废，我也必命云不降雨在其上。（以赛亚书5:6）
甘霖停止，晚雨不降，你还是有淫妇的前额。（耶利米书3:3）
雨从天降下，我口所出的话也必如此。（以赛亚书55:10，11）
锡安的子民哪，你们要快乐，为耶和华欢喜，因祂按公义赐给你们时雨，和先前一样。（约珥书2:23）
神啊，你降下大雨。（诗篇68:9）
祂必降临，像雨降在草地上，在祂的日子，义人必兴旺。（诗篇72:6，7）
耶和华必临到我们像甘雨，像滋润大地的晚雨。（何西阿书6:3）
我的言语像雨露滴在他们身上，他们等候我像等候雨水，又张口口如切慕晚雨。（约伯记29:22，23）
人子说，你是未得洁净之地，在恼恨的日子也没有雨水在其上。其中的先知同谋背叛。（以西结书22:24-25）
此处还有其它地方（如以赛亚书30:23；耶利米书5:24；10:12-13，14:3-4；51:16；以西结书34:26-27；阿摩司书4:7-8；撒迦利亚书10:1；诗篇65:9-10；135:7；撒母耳记下23:3，4）。“雨水泛滥”表示对真理的毁灭（以西结书13:11，13-14；38:22），还表示试探（马太福音7:24-27）。
496. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy. (11:6) This symbolically means that people who turn away from these two essential elements of the New Church cannot receive any truth from heaven.
Heaven here means the angelic heaven. Thus the rain symbolizes truth for the church from there. Consequently to close heaven so that no rain falls means, symbolically, that people cannot receive any truth for the church from heaven. Truth for the church from heaven is doctrinal truth from the Word.
We are told that the two witnesses have the power to shut heaven, but as in no. 494 above, the meaning here is not that they have that power, but that people who turn away from the two essential elements of the New Church close heaven to themselves, because they continue to be caught up in their falsities.
That rain symbolizes Divine truth from heaven is clear from the following passages:
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My word shall fall as the dew... (Deuteronomy 32:2)
(If) you... serve other gods..., (Jehovah will) shut up heaven so that there be no rain... (Deuteronomy 11:16-17, see also 11:11, 11:14)
I will lay waste (My vineyard).... I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it. (Isaiah 5:6)
The showers have been withheld, and there has been no late rain. Yet you continue to have a harlot's forehead... (Jeremiah 3:3)
For as the rain comes down... from heaven..., so shall My word (go) forth from My mouth. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Rejoice then, you children of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah... For He has given you seasonable rain in righteousness. (Joel 2:23)
You have caused to drop, O God, a kindly rain... (Psalms 68:9)
He shall come down like rain upon the grass of the meadow... In His days the righteous shall flourish... (Psalms 72:6-7)
He will come to us as rain, as the late... rain waters the earth. (Hosea 6:3)
...my word shall rain down on them, and they will wait for me as for the rain, and they will open their mouth for the late rain. (Job 29:22-23)
Son of man, say...: "You are a land that is not cleansed, which will have no rain in the day of wrath. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst... (Ezekiel 22:24-25)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:23; Jeremiah 5:24; 10:12-13; 14:3-4; 51:16.
A flooding rain stands for the destruction of truth in Ezekiel 13:11, 13-14; 38:22. For temptation or trial in Matthew 7:24-27.
496. [verse 6] 'These have authority to shut heaven, so that it may rain no rain in the days of their prophecy' signifies that those who turn away from these two Essentials of the New Church cannot receive any truth out of heaven. By 'heaven' here is understood the angelic heaven; consequently by 'rain' is signified the truth of the Church therefrom. Therefore by 'to shut heaven so that it may rain no rain' is signified that they cannot receive any truth of the Church out of heaven. The truth of the Church out of heaven is the truth of doctrine out of the Word. It is said that the witnesses have that 'authority,' but it is understood here, as above (494), that these do not have authority to shut heaven, but that those shut it for themselves who turn away from these two Essentials of the New Church, because they remain in their own untruths. That 'rain' signifies Divine Truth out of heaven is established from these passages:
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew. Deuteronomy 32:2.
If you shall serve other gods, Jehovah shall shut heaven, so that there may be no rain. Deuteronomy 11:11, 14, 16-17.
I will lay my vineyard waste, and I will command the clouds, that they may not cause the rain to rain upon it. Isaiah 5:6.
The showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain, but still the forehead of a harlot woman remained to thee. Jeremiah 3:3.
For as the rain comes down out of heaven, so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth. Isaiah 55:10-11.
O sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah, for He shall give you seasonable rain in justice. Joel 2:23.
Thou, O God, didst cause to drop a rain of kindnesses. Psalms 68:9; [H.B. 10].
He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, in his days shall the just flourish [Psalms 72:6-7.
Jehovah who prepares rain for the land, who makes the mountains to grow grass, who gives to the beast his food 1]. Psalms 147:8-9.
Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain He shall water the land, Hosea 6:3.
My word shall drop upon them, and they shall wait for Me as the rain, and he shall open his mouth to the latter rain Job 29:22-23.
Son of man, say, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, for which there is no rain in the day of wrath, there is a conspiracy of prophets in the midst thereof. Ezekiel 22:24-25; besides elsewhere (Isaiah 30:23; Jeremiah 5:24; 10:12-13; 14:3-4; 51:16; Ezekiel 34:26-27; Amos 4:7-8; Zechariah 10:1; Psalms 65:9-10 [H.B. 10-11]; 135:7; 2 Samuel 23:3-4). An 'inundating rain' [stands] for the destruction of truth (Ezekiel 13:11, 13-14; 38:22). For temptation (Matthew 7:24-27).
Footnotes:
1. Cf. Apocalypse Explained 507[7].
496. Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain no rain in the days of their prophecy, signifies that they who turn themselves away from these two essentials of the New Church, cannot receive any truth from heaven. By "heaven" is here meant the angelic heaven; consequently, by "rain," the truth of the church thence is signified; wherefore, by "shutting heaven that it rain no rain" is signified that they are not able to receive any truth of the church from heaven; the truth of the church from heaven is the truth of doctrine from the Word. It is said that the witnesses had this power, but it is meant here as above, (494), that they have not the power to shut heaven, but that they shut heaven to themselves who turn themselves away from these two essentials of the New Church, because they remain in their own falsities. That "rain" signifies the Divine truth from heaven, appears from these passages:
My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My word shall drop as the dew, (Deuteronomy 32:2).
If ye serve other gods, Jehovah will shut heaven, that there be no rain, (Deuteronomy 11:11, 14, 16-17).
I will lay My vineyard a desolation, and I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, (Isaiah 5:6).
The showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; but still the forehead of a harlot woman remained to thee, (Jeremiah 3:3).
As the rain cometh down from heaven, so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth, (Isaiah 55:10-11).
Ye sons of Zion rejoice and be glad in Jehovah, for He hath given you the former rain in justice, (Joel 2:23).
Thou, O God, didst make to drop down a rain of good pleasure, (Psalms 68:9).
He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, in His days shall the just flourish, (Psalms 72:6-7).
Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain irrigateth the earth, (Hosea 6:3).
My word shall drop upon them, and they shall wait for Me as the rain, and he shall open his mouth to the latter rain, (Job 29:22-23).
Son of man, say, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, on which there is no rain in the day of anger, there is a conspiracy of the prophets in the midst of it, (Ezekiel 22:24-25);
besides other places (as in Isaiah 30:23; Jeremiah 5:24; 10:12-13, 14:3-4; 51:16; Ezekiel 34:26-27; Amos 4:7-8; Zechariah 10:1; Psalms 65:9-10; 135:7; 2 Samuel 23:3-4). "An inundating rain" is for the devastation of truth, (Ezekiel 13:11, 13-14; 38:22); and for temptation, (Matthew 7:24-27).
496. (Vers. 6.) "Hi habent potestatem claudere Caelum, ut non pluat pluvia in diebus illorum prophetiae," significat quod qui avertunt se a duobus Essentialibus Novae Ecclesiae, non possint aliquod verum recipere e Caelo. - Per "Caelum" hic intelligitur Caelum Angelicum; inde per "pluviam" significatur verum Ecclesiae inde; quare per "claudere Caelum ut non pluat pluvia" significatur quod non possint aliquod verum Ecclesiae e Caelo recipere; verum Ecclesiae e Caelo est verum doctrinae e Verbo. Dicitur quod Testes illam potestatem habeant, sed intelligitur hic ut supra (494), quod illi non potestatem habeant claudendi Caelum, sed quod illi sibi claudant illud qui se avertunt a duobus illis Essentialibus Ecclesiae Novae, quia manent in suis falsis. Quod "pluvia"
significet Divinum Verum e Caelo, constat ex his locis:
"Defluet sicut pluvia doctrina Mea, stillabit sicut ros verbum Meum," (Deuteronomius 32:2);
Si serviveritis aliis diis, Jehovah claudet Caelum, "ut non sit Pluvia," (Deuteronomius 11:11, 14, 16-17);
"Ponam vineam Meam in desolationem, et nubibus praecipiam, ut non faciant pluere super eam Pluviam," (Esaias 5:6);
"Prohibiti sunt Imbres, et Pluvia serotina non facta est; sed tamen frons mulieris meretricis mansit tibi," (Jeremias 3:3); 1
"Sicut descendit Pluvia e Caelo, sic erit verbum Meum, quod exibit ex ore Meo," (Esaias 55:10-11);
"Filii Sionis gaudete et laetamini in Jehovah, quia dabit vobis Pluviam tempestivam in justitiam," (Joel 2:23); 2
"Pluviam benevolentiarum stillare facis Deus," (Psalm 68:10 (B.A. 9));
"Descendet sicut Pluvia super herbam prati; in diebus ejus florebit justus," (Psalm 71:6-7); 3
Jehovah veniet sicut Pluvia nobis, sicut Pluvia serotina irrigat terram, (Hoschea 6:3);
"Super illos Stillabit verbum meum, et exspectabunt sicut Pluviam me, et os suum aperiet ad Pluviam serotinam," (Hiob 29:22-23);
"Fili hominis, dic, Tu terra quae non mundata, cui non Pluvia in die irae; conjuratio prophetarum in medio ejus," (Ezechiel 22:24-25).
(Praeter alibi, Esaias 30:23; Jeremias 5:24; 10:12-13; 14:3-4; 51:16; Ezechiel 34:26-27; Amos 4:7-8; Sacharias 10:1; Psalm 65:10-11 (B.A. 9-10); Psalm 135:7; 2 Samuelis 23:3-4).
"Pluvia inundans" pro devastatione veri, Ezechiel 13:11, 13-14; 38:22; 4pro tentatione, Matthaeus 7:24-27.
Footnotes:
1. Jerem. pro "Joh."
2. 23 pro "13"
3. 72:6, 7 pro "147:8, 9"
4. xiii. pro "iii." et 22 pro "23"