520.“天上就有大声音说，世上的国成了我们主和主基督的，祂要掌权，世世无穷”表天使的祝贺，因为天堂和教会成了主的，如起初那样，还因为现在它们成了其神性人的国度，因而主将在这两方面（即神性和人性）统治天堂和教会，直到永远。“有大声音”表示天使的祝贺；“说，世上的国成了我们主和主基督的”表示天堂和教会成了主的，如起初那样，现在它们也成了其神性人的国度；“祂要掌权，世世无穷”表示主在其人性和神性方面统治它们。“天上的大声音”表示对主的祝贺，因为祂现在取得祂的大能，这一点从17节明显看出来，那里概括了“这些大声音”。“主”在此是指永恒之主，也就是耶和华；“基督”是指祂的神性人，也就是神的儿子（路加福音1:32，35）。
就其神性人而言，主也将掌权，这一点从下面这些话看得很清楚：
父已将万有交在子手里。（约翰福音3:35）
父赐给子权柄管理凡有血气的。（约翰福音17:2）
父啊，凡我的，都是你的，你的也是我的。（约翰福音17:10）
天上地上所有的权柄都赐给我了。（马太福音28:18）
论到祂的神性人，主还说：
父与祂为一。祂在父里面，父在祂里面。（约翰福音10:30，38；14:5-12）
对此，需要补充的是，若主的人性不被承认为神性，教会必灭亡，因为在这种情况下，主就无法在人里面，人也无法在祂里面，如祂自己所教导的（约翰福音14:20；15:4-6；17:21，23）；这种结合便构成教会之人，因而构成教会。
“基督”之所以表示主的神性人，是因为“基督”就是“弥赛亚”，而“弥赛亚”就是被期望来到世上的神的儿子。“基督”就是“弥赛亚”，这一事实从以下经文明显看出来：
我们遇见弥赛亚了，弥赛亚翻出来就是基督。（约翰福音1:41）
妇人，我知道弥赛亚，就是那称为基督的，要来。（约翰福音4:25）
在希伯来语，“弥赛亚”是指“受膏者”，如“基督”在希腊语中的意思。“弥赛亚”就是“神的儿子”，这一事实从以下经文明显看出来：
大祭司问祂是不是基督（即弥赛亚），神的儿子。（马太福音26:63；马可福音22:67；约翰福音20:31）
你是基督，神的儿子，就是那要临到世界的。（约翰福音11:27）
彼得说，我们已经信了，承认你是基督和永生神的儿子。（约翰福音6:69）
就神性人而言，主是神的儿子：
天使对马利亚说，你要怀孕生子；祂要为大，称为至高者的儿子。圣灵要临到你，至高者的能力要荫庇你；因此你所要生的圣者必称为神的儿子。（路加福音1；31，32，35等）
由此明显可知“世上的国成了我主和主基督的”表示什么。
520. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" This symbolizes celebrations on the part of angels, that heaven and the church had become the Lord's, as they had been from the beginning, and that they had now become those of His Divine humanity, thus that the Lord would reign over heaven and earth as regards both aspects of Him to eternity.
"There were loud voices in heaven" symbolizes celebrations on the part of angels. "Saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ,'" means, symbolically, that heaven and the church had become the Lord's, as they had been from the beginning, and now had become those of His Divine humanity. "And He shall reign forever and ever!" means, symbolically, that the Lord would reign over them as regards both aspects of Him.
Loud voices in heaven symbolize celebrations of the Lord for having now taken His great power, as is apparent from verse 17 following, where the substance of those great voices is presented.
The Lord here means the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, and the Christ here means His Divine humanity, which is the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35).
[2] That the Lord will reign even as regards His Divine humanity is clearly apparent from the following passages:
The Father... has given all things into His (the Son's) hand. (John 3:35)
(The Father has) given (the Son) authority over all flesh... (John 17:2)
(Father,) all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine... (John 17:10)
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18)
In reference to His Divine humanity the Lord also says that the Father and He are one, and that He is in the Father, and the Father in Him (John 10:30, 38; 14:5-12).
Furthermore, if the Lord's humanity is not acknowledged to be Divine, the church perishes, since the Lord cannot then be in man and man in the Lord, as He teaches in John 14:20; 15:4-6; 17:21, 23; and it is this conjunction that makes a person a person of the church, thus that makes the church a church.
[3] The Christ means the Lord's Divine humanity because the Christ is the Messiah, and the Messiah is the Son of God whose coming into the world was awaited by the Jews.
That the Christ is the Messiah is apparent from the following passages:
We have found the Messiah, which, if you translate it, is the Christ. (John 1:41)
The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ." (John 4:25)
The reason is that Messiah in Hebrew means Anointed, as does Christ in Greek.
That the Messiah is the Son of God is apparent from the fact that the high priest asked Him whether He was "the Christ (i.e., the Messiah), the Son of God" (Matthew 26:63, Mark 14:61, cf. John 20:31). Also from the following:
...You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. (John 11:27)
(Peter said,) "We believe and acknowledge that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:69)
That the Lord is the Son of God in respect to His Divine humanity:
(The angel said to Mary,) "You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son... He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born of you will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:31-32, 35)
And so on in many places elsewhere.
It is apparent from this what is symbolically meant by the statement that the kingdoms have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
520. 'And great voices were produced in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world have become our Lord's and His Christ's, and He shall reign for ages of ages' signifies celebrations by the angels, that heaven and the Church have become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning, and that now also they have become [the heaven and Church] of His Divine Human, thus that the Lord as to both [the Divine and the Divine Human] is now going to reign over heaven and the Church to eternity. 'Great voices were produced' signifies celebrations by the angels; 'saying, The kingdoms of the world have become our Lord's and His Christ's' signifies that heaven and the Church have become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning, and now also they have become [the heaven and Church] of His Divine Human; 'and He shall reign for ages of ages' signifies that the Lord is going to reign as to both [the Divine and the Divine Human]. That 'great voices in heaven' signify celebrations of the Lord, that now He has attained His great power, is plain from verse 17 (following), where those 'great voices' set themselves forth in a summary (in summa exstant). By 'the Lord' here is understood the Lord from eternity, Who is Jehovah, and by 'Christ' is understood His Divine Human, which is the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35).
[2] That the Lord is going to reign even as to His Divine Human is quite plain from these statements:
The Father has given all things into the hand of the Son. John 3:35.
The Father has given the Son authority over all flesh. John 17:2.
Father, all Mine are Thine, and Thine Mine. John 17:10.
All authority has been given unto Me in heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18.
Of His Divine Human He also said:
That the Father and Himself are one. That He is in the Father and the Father in Him. John 10:30, 38; 14:5-12.
Add to this, that unless the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine the Church must perish, for in that case the Lord cannot be in the man and the man in the Lord, as He himself teaches (John 14:20; 15:4-6; 17:21), and this conjunction makes the man of the Church, thus the Church.
[3] The Lord's Divine Human is understood by 'the Christ' because 'the Christ' is the Messiah, and the Messiah is the Son of God Whom they expected to be coming into the world. That 'the Christ' is the Messiah is plain from these passages:
We have found the Messiah, which is, if you interpret, the Christ. John 1:41 [Schm. 42].
The woman said, I know that the Messiah shall come, Who is said to be the Christ. John 4:25.
For 'Messiah' in the Hebrew language is 'Anointed,' as 'Christ' is in the Greek language. That 'the Messiah' is the Son of God [is plain] from these:
The chief of the priests asked whether He was the Christ (Messiah) the Son of God. Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; John 20:31.
Thou art the Christ the Son of God, Who is going to come into the world. John 11:27.
Peter said, We believe and acknowledge that Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God. John 6:69.
That the Lord as to the Divine Human is the Son of God:
The angel to Mary; Thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bring forth a son. He shall be great and be called the Son of the Most High. The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the virtue of the Most High shall overshadow thee, whence the Holy thing that is being born out of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:32, 35, and more elsewhere.
From these statements it is plain what is signified by 'the kingdoms have become our Lord's and His Christ's.'
520. And there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's and He shall reign for ages of ages, signifies celebrations by the angels, because heaven and the church are become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning; and that now they have also become the kingdom of His Divine Human, thus that the Lord as to both will now reign over heaven and the church to eternity. "There were great voices" signifies celebrations by the angels; saying, "The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's" signifies that heaven and the church are become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning, and that now they are also the kingdom of His Divine Human; "and He shall reign for ages of ages" signifies that the Lord, both as to His Human and Divine, will reign over them. "Great voices in heaven" signify celebrations of the Lord, because He has now taken His great power, appears from verse 17 where "those great voices" are extant in a summary. By "the Lord" is here meant the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah; and by "Christ" is meant His Divine Human, which is the Son of God, (Luke 1:32, 35).
[2] That the Lord as to His Divine Human also will reign, manifestly appears from these words:
The Father hath given all things into the hand of the Son, (John 3:35).
The Father hath given the Son power over all flesh, (John 17:2).
Father, all Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine, (John 17:10).
All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth, (Matthew 28:18).
Of His Divine Human he also said that:
The Father and He are one. And that He is in the Father and the Father in Him, (John 10:30, 38; 14:5-12).
To this may be added, that unless the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine the church must perish, for in that case the Lord cannot be in man and man in the Lord, as He Himself teaches, (John 14:20; 15:4-6; 17:23); and this conjunction makes the man of the church, and thus the church.
[3] The reason why the Lord's Divine Human is meant by "Christ" is because Christ is the Messiah, and the Messiah is the Son of God, who was expected to come into the world. That Christ is the Messiah appears from this:
We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ, (John 1:41).
The woman said, I know that the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ, (John 4:25).
For "Messiah," in the Hebrew language, is the Anointed, as Christ is in the Greek language. That the Messiah is the son of God, appears from the following passages:
The high priest asked Him, whether He was the Christ (Messiah) the Son of God, (Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; Luke 22:67; John 20:31).
Thou art the Christ the Son of God, which should come into the world, (John 11:27).
Peter said, We believe and acknowledge that Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God, (John 6:69).
That the Lord as to the Divine Human is the Son of God:
The angel said to Mary, Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son; He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, that Holy One that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God, (Luke 1:31-32, 35; and many others).
From these things it is plain what is signified by "their becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ."
520. "Et factae sunt voces magnae in Caelo, dicentes, Facta sunt regna mundi Domini nostri et Christi Ipsius, et regnabit in saecula saeculorum," significat celebrationes ad Angelis, quod Caelum et Ecclesia facta sint Domini, sicut fuerunt ab initio; et quod nunc etiam facta sint Divini Humani Ipsius, ita quod Dominus nunc quoad utrumque super Caelum et Ecclesiam regnaturus sit in aeternum. - "Factae sunt voces magnae" significat celebrationes ab Angelis; "dicentes, Facta sunt regna mundi Domini nostri et Christi Ipsius" significat quod Caelum et Ecclesia facta sint Domini, sicut fuerunt ab initio, et nunc etiam Divini Humani Ipsius; "et regnabit in saecula saeculorum" significat quod Dominus quoad utrumque super illa regnaturus sit: quod "voces magnae in Caelo" significent celebrationes Domini, quod nunc potentiam Suam magnam adeptus sit, patet a versu sequente (17), ubi "voces illae magnae" in summa exstant. Per "Dominum" hic intelligitur Dominus ab aeterno, Qui est Jehovah; et per "Christum" intelligitur Divinum Humanum Ipsius, quod est Filius Dei, (Luca 1:32, 35). Quod Dominus etiam quoad Divinum Humanum Suum regnaturus sit, patet manifeste ab his:
"Pater dedit omnia in manum Filii," (Johannes 3:35); Pater dedit Filio "potestatem omnis carnis," (Johannes 17:2);
Pater, "omnia Mea Tua sunt et Tua Mea," (Johannes 17:10);
"Mihi data est omnis potestas in Caelo et in Terra," (Matthaeus 28:18).
De Divino Humano Suo etiam dicit,
Quod Pater et Ipse unum sint; quodque Ipse in Patre et Pater in Ipso sit, (Johannes 10:30, 38; 14:5-12).
Accedit, quod nisi Humanum Domini agnoscitur Divinum, pereat Ecclesia, quoniam tunc non Dominus in homine et homo in Domino possit esse (Ut Ipse docet Johannes 14:20; 15:4-6; 17:23); 1
et haec conjunctio facit hominem Ecclesiae, ita Ecclesiam. Quod per "Christum" intelligatur Divinum Humanum Domini, est quia Christus est Messias, et Messias est Filius Dei, Quem venturum in mundum exspectaverunt. Quod Christus sit Messias, patet ex his:
"Invenimus Messiam, quod est si interpreteris, Christus," (Johannes 1:41); 2
"Dixit mulier, Scio quod Messias veniet, Qui dicitur Christus," (Johannes 4:25);
"Messias" enim in lingua Hebraea est Unctus, similiter "Christus" in lingua Graeca. Quod Messias sit Filius Dei, ex his:
Princeps sacerdotum interrogavit, num esset Christus (Messias) Filius Dei, (Matthaeus 26:63; Marcus 14:61; 3(Luca 22:67); Johannes 20:31);
"Tu es Christus Filius Dei, Qui in mundum venturus est," (Johannes 11:27);
Dixit Petrus, "Credimus et agnoscimus quod Tu sis Christus, Filius Dei Viventis," (Johannes 6:69).
Quod Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum sit Filius Dei:
Angelus ad Mariam, "Concipies in utero, et paries Filium; Hic erit magnus et Filius Altissimi vocabitur. Spiritus Sanctus veniet super te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit te; unde quod nascitur ex te Sanctum, vocabitur Filius Dei," (Luca 1:(31,) 32, 35; et pluries alibi).
Ex his patet quid significatur per "Facta sunt Regna Domini nostri et Christi ipsius."
Footnotes:
1. 23 pro "9"
2. 41 pro "42"
3. 14:61 pro "11:27"