535.启12:2.“她怀了孩子，在生产的艰难中疼痛呼叫”表即将诞生的新教会的教义，以及由于龙所表示的那些人的抵制而对该教义的艰难接受。“怀了孩子”表示新生的教义，因为她腹中所怀的孩子（这孩子的出生将在第五节予以论述）表示新教会的教义；稍后会看到，就圣言的属灵之义而言，“怀孩子”（或“怀孕”）、“分娩”、“生产”除了表示孕育和产生那些具有属灵生命的事物外，并非表示别的。“她在生产的艰难中疼痛呼叫”表示由于“龙”所表示的那些人的抵制而对该教义的艰难接受。这一点从本章接下来的经文明显看出来，如“龙就站在那将要生产的妇人面前，要吞吃她的孩子”，后来龙把她追到旷野。
在圣言中，“怀孩子”（或“怀孕”）、“分娩”、“生产”并非表示别的，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
耶稣说，人若不重生，就不能进神的国；从肉身生的，就是肉身，从灵生的，就是灵。（约翰福音3:3-6）
你这不怀孕、不生养的要歌唱，你这未曾经过产难的要欢呼，因为凄凉独居者的儿女比有丈夫的儿女更多。（以赛亚书54:1）
不生育的，生了七个，多有儿女的，反倒衰微。（撒母耳记上2:5）
“不生育的”表示外邦人，他们没有纯正的真理，因为他们没有圣言；“有丈夫的”和“多有儿女的”表示拥有圣言的犹太人。
生产七次的妇人衰萎而气绝。（耶利米书15:9）
这同样论及犹太人。
我们也曾怀孕疼痛，所产的竟像风一样，我们在地上未曾行什么拯救的事。（以赛亚书26:18）
锡安未曾劬劳就生产，未觉疼痛就生出男孩；大地岂能一日而生，一个民族岂能一时而产？我既使她临产，岂不使她生产呢？我既使她生产，岂能使她闭胎不生呢？（以赛亚书66:7-9）
大地啊，你在主的面前，就是雅各神的面前，要经历产难。（诗篇114:7）
唉，今日，婴孩临到生产的关口，却没有力量生产。（以赛亚书37:3）
训必大大痛苦（travail，分娩的阵痛），挪必被攻破。（以西结书30:15，16）
我听见产妇的声音，好像生头胎疼痛的声音，是锡安女子的声音，她喘着气，但开双手，说，我有祸了，我的灵魂由于杀人者发昏。（耶利米书4:31）
剧疼和痛苦必将他们抓住，他们疼痛，好像生产的妇人一样。（以赛亚书13:8）
以法莲的罪孽包裹，产妇的疼痛必临到他身上；他是无智慧之子，到了胎儿的产期不当迟延。（何西阿书13:12，13）
以法莲人，你的荣耀必如鸟飞去，必不生产、不怀胎、不成孕；耶和华啊，你要使他们胎坠乳干；即或生产，我必杀他们所生的爱子。（何西阿书9:11，12，14，16）
在这些经文中，接受出于圣言的教义真理的艰难也是以涉及产痛的许多事来描述的，在其它许多地方也一样。此外，耶和华，就是主，被称为“自母胎（或母腹）的造作者或形成者”（以赛亚书44:2，24；49:1，5）；“自母胎或母腹的造作者或形成者”（Former from the womb）表示改造者。
535. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. (12:2) This symbolizes the emerging doctrine of the New Church and the difficulty of its being accepted owing to the opposition to it by people meant by the dragon.
Being with child symbolizes the emerging doctrine because the child that she had in her womb, whose birth is described in verse 5, symbolizes the doctrine of the New Church. For to be with child, to be in labor, and to give birth means, symbolically in the spiritual sense, to conceive and give birth to such things as are matters of spiritual life, as we will show. To cry out in labor and be in pain to give birth symbolizes the difficulty of that doctrine's being accepted owing to the opposition to it by people meant by the dragon. This is apparent from the following particulars in this chapter, as that the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child, and that afterward it pursued the woman into the wilderness.
[2] That to be with child, to be in labor, and to give birth has this symbolic meaning is apparent from the following passages:
Jesus... said..., ."..unless one is born again..., he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, while that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:3-6)
Sing, O barren woman, who have not given birth! ...cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate woman than the children of the married one. (Isaiah 54:1)
...(they) ceased... until the barren woman bore seven, and she with many children became feeble. (1 Samuel 2:5)
The barren woman symbolizes gentiles, who are without genuine truths because they do not have the Word. The married woman and the woman with many children symbolize Jews, who have the Word.
She who has borne seven will become feeble; she will take her last breath. (Jeremiah 15:9)
This likewise refers to Jews.
We have conceived, we have labored, we have, as it were, given birth to wind; we have not produced the means of the land's salvation. (Isaiah 26:18)
Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child... Shall the earth labor in one day? Shall a nation be born all at once? Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery? ...Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb? (Isaiah 66:7-9)
Labor to give birth, O earth, in the presence of the Lord, in the presence of the God of Israel. (Psalms 114:7)
Oh this day! ...for children have come to the mouth of the womb, and there is no strength to give them birth. (Isaiah 37:3)
Sin shall labor to give birth and shall not 1be able to break through. (Ezekiel 30:15-16)
...I heard the voice... of an ailing woman, ...as of one laboring to give birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion. She sighs, she stretches out her hands. "Woe is me, for my soul is weary of murderers!" (Jeremiah 4:31)
Pangs and sorrows take hold of them; like a woman in childbirth they labor to give birth. (Isaiah 13:6-8)
The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up... The sorrows of a woman laboring to give birth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, for he does not spend time where children are born. (Hosea 13:12-13)
As for Ephraim, like a bird your glory shall fly away - from birth, from pregnancy, and from conception... Give them, Jehovah... a miscarrying womb and dry breasts... Also, when they bear offspring, I will kill the longed-for fruit of their womb. (Hosea 9:11-12, 14, 16)
In these places also, the difficulty in accepting doctrinal truths from the Word is described by various references to the pain experienced in laboring to give birth. So, too, in many other places elsewhere.
Moreover, Jehovah, or the Lord, is called a former from the womb (Isaiah 44:2, 24; 49:1, 5), and a former from the womb means the Reformer.
Footnotes:
1. In his later citations of this text, the writer read non erit ("shall not") for No erit ("No shall"). No (Nowe or Nuwe) was the name of the ancient capital of Egypt, later called Thebes.
535. [verse 2] 'And being with child she cried out in travail, and was in torment to bring forth' signifies the nascent doctrine of the New Church, and the difficult reception thereof on account of the resistance by those understood by 'the dragon.' 'Being with child' signifies nascent doctrine because by the child that she had in her womb, of whose birth verse 5 treats, is signified the doctrine of the New Church; for in the spiritual sense of the Word by 'being with child,' 'being in travail' and 'bringing forth' nothing else is signified than to conceive and bring forth the things that are of spiritual life, concerning which it follows on. By 'crying out in travail and being in torment to bring forth' is signified the difficult reception of that doctrine on account of the resistance by those who are understood by 'the dragon.' This is plain from the things following in this chapter, as that 'the dragon stood before the woman about to bring forth that he might devour her offspring,' and that afterwards he pursued her into the wilderness.
[2] That in the Word nothing else is signified by 'being with child,' 'travailing' and 'bringing forth' is plain from the following places:
Jesus said, Unless one is born again, one cannot enter into the kingdom of God; that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born from the spirit is spirit. John 3:3-6.
Sing, O barren, who hast not brought forth, shout, thou who didst not travail, because more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife. Isaiah 54:1.
They have delayed until the barren has brought forth seven, and she who has many children has ceased, 1 Samuel 2:5.
By 'one that is barren' the Gentiles are signified, who had no genuine truths because they did not have the Word. By 'the married wife' and 'she who has many children' are signified the Jews who did have the Word.
She who had brought forth seven grows feeble, she shall breathe out her soul. Jeremiah 15:9,speaking of the Jews, likewise.
We have conceived, we have been in travail, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought salvation to the land. Isaiah 26:18.
Before she has travailed she brings forth, before pain comes to her she has given birth to a male; has the land travailed in one day? shall a nation be born all at once? shall I break [open] and not generate, and cause to be generated and shut up [the womb]? Isaiah 66:7-9.
Thou travailest, O land, from before the Lord, from before the God of Jacob 1. Psalms 114:7.
Alas this day, sons have come to the mouth of the matrix, and there is no strength for bringing forth. Isaiah 37:3.
Sin shall travail, and No shall be for a breaking through. Ezekiel 30:15-16.
I have heard the voice of one sick, as of one travailing with her firstborn, the voice of the daughter of Zion, she sighs, she spreads her hands, Woe is me, my soul has been wearied by slayers. Jeremiah 4:31.
Pangs and pains take hold, they travail like one bringing forth. Isaiah 13:6-8.
The iniquity of Ephraim has been bound up, the pains of one in travail shall come upon him, he is an unwise son, for he stays not the time in the womb of sons, Hosea 13:12-13.
Ephraim, thy 2glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth and from the belly, and from conception; give them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying womb (vulva) and dry breasts; even when they shall have begotten, I will slay the desires of their belly, Hosea 9:11-12, 14, 16.
In these places also the difficulty of receiving the truths of a doctrine out of the Word is described by many things concerned with pain in bringing forth, and likewise frequently elsewhere. Moreover, Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is called 'the Former from the womb' (Isaiah 44:2, 24; 49:1, 5), and by 'Former from the womb' is understood the Reformer.
Footnotes:
1. The Original has Israelis (of Israel), but Hebrew has 'Jacob.' See Apocalypse Explained 721[9], which has 'Israel' in the quotation but 'Jacob' in the exposition.
2. Hebrew has 'their.'
535. Verse 2. And being with child, she cried, travailing, and pained to bring forth, signifies the nascent doctrine of the New Church, and its difficult reception on account of the resistance by those who are meant by "the dragon.""To be with child" signifies the nascent doctrine, because by "the offspring which was in the womb" (whose birth is treated of in verse 5), is signified the doctrine of the New Church; for nothing else is signified by "being with child," "in travail," and "bringing forth," in the spiritual sense of the Word, than to conceive and bring forth those things which are of spiritual life, concerning which presently. By "she cried, travailing, and pained to bring forth," is signified the difficult reception of that doctrine, because of resistance by those who are meant by "the dragon." This is plain from what follows in this chapter, as "that the dragon stood before the woman about to bring forth, that he might devour her offspring," and afterwards he pursued her into the wilderness.
[2] That by "being with child," "travailing," and "bringing forth," nothing else is signified in the Word, appears from the following passages:
Jesus said, except one be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit, (John 3:3-6).
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, shout, thou that didst not travail, for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married, (Isaiah 54:1).
They have ceased until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children lacketh, (1 Samuel 2:5).
By "the barren" are signified the Gentiles, who had no genuine truths, because they had not the Word; by "the married" and "she that hath many children" are signified the Jews who had the Word.
She that hath borne seven languisheth, she hath breathed out her soul, (Jeremiah 15:9).
Speaking also of the Jews:
We have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, (Isaiah 26:18).
Before she travailed, she brought forth, before her pain came she was delivered of a male; hath the earth travailed in one day, shall a nation be born at once? shall I break and not bring forth? and cause to be generated and shut, (Isaiah 66:7-9)?
Thou travailest, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob, (Psalms 114:7).
Alas, this day, sons have come to the mouth of the matrix, and there is not strength to bring forth, (Isaiah 37:3).
Sin shall travail, and No shall be for a breaking through, (Ezekiel 30:15-16).
I have heard the voice of one sick, as of her that travaileth with her first born, the voice of the daughter of Zion, she sighs, she spreadeth her hands, Woe is me, my soul is wearied because of slayers, (Jeremiah 4:31).
Pangs and sorrows take hold, they travail like one bringing forth, (Isaiah 13:8).
The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, the pains of one in travail shall come upon him; he is a son not wise, for he stayeth not the time in the womb of sons, (Hosea 13:12-13).
Ephraim, thy glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the belly, and from conception; give them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts; even when they have begotten, I will slay the desires of their belly, (Hosea 9:11, 14, 16).
In these passages also is described the difficulty of receiving the truths of doctrine from the Word, by many things relating to "pain in bringing forth," and in like manner in many other places. Moreover, Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is called "the Former from the womb" (Isaiah 44:2, 24; 49:1, 5); and by "Former from the womb" is meant the Reformer.
535. (Vers. 2.) Et in utero habens clamavit parturiens et cruciata parere" significat nascentem Doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae, et difficilem ejus receptionem propter resistentiam ab illis qui per "Draconem" intelliguntur. - Quod "in utero habere" significet nascentem doctrinam, est quia per "fetum quem in utero habebat" (de cujus partu, vers. 5 agitur), significatur Doctrina Novae Ecclesiae; non aliud enim per in "utero habere," "parturire" et "parere," in Verbi Sensu spirituali significatur quam concipere et parere illa quae vitae spiritualis sunt, de quo sequitur per "clamare parturiens, et cruciata parere" significatur difficilis illius doctrinae receptio propter resistentiam ab illis qui per "Draconem" intelliguntur; hoc patet a sequentibus in hoc capite, ut quod "Draco steterit coram Muliere paritura, ut fetum ejus devoraret," et quod postea "persecutus sit illam in desertum. Quod per "in utero habere," "parturire" et "parere," non aliud in Verbo significetur, patet ex sequentibus locis:
"Jesus dixit, Nisi quis generetur denuo, non potest ingredi in Regnum Dei: quod natum est a carne caro est, quod autem generatum est a spiritu, spiritus est," (Johannes 3:3-6);
"Canta sterilis quae (non) peperit, jubila quae non parturivit, quia multi sunt filii desolatae prae filiis maritatae," (Esaias 54:1);
"Cessarunt usque dum sterilis peperit septem, et multiprolis defecit," (1 Samuelis 2:5);
per "sterilem" significantur gentes, quibus non erant genuina vera quia non Verbum; per "maritatam" et "multiprolem" significantur Judaei quibus fuit Verbum.
"Elanguescet quae pepererat septem, exspirabit animam suam," (Jeremias 15:9);
haec de Judaeis, similiter.
"Concepimus, parturivimus, quasi peperimus ventum, salutes non fecimus terrae," (Esaias 26:18); 1
"Antequam parturivit, parit; antequam venit dolor illi, enixa est masculum; num parturivit terra die uno; num generabitur gens vice una; num Ego frangam et non generem, et generari faciens et concluserim," (Esaias 66:7-9); 2
"A coram Domino parturis terra, a coram Deo Jacobi," 3(Psalm 114:7);
"Heu dies hic: venerunt filii ad os matricis, nec vires ad pariendum," (Esaias 37:3);
"Parturiet Sin, et No 4erit ad perrumpendum," (Ezechiel 30:15-16);
Vocem aegrotantis audivi, quasi primogenitum parturientis, vocem filiae Sionis: suspirat, expandit manus, vae mihi, delassata est anima ab occisoribus," (Jeremias 4:31);
"Tormina et dolores apprehendunt, sicut pariens parturiunt," (Esaias 13:8); 5
"Ligata est iniquitas Ephraimi; dolores parturientis venient illi; ille filius non sapiens, quia tempus non stat in utero filiorum," (Hoschea 13:12-13);
"Ephraim, sicut avis avolabit gloria eorum, 6a partu et a ventre et a conceptione: da illis Jehovah vulvam abortientem, et ubera arentia: etiam cum generaverint, occidam desideria ventris eorum," (Hoschea 9:11, 14, 16); 7
describitur in his locis etiam difficultas recipiendi vera doctrinae ex Verbo per plura quae sunt "doloris in parturiendo;" similiter alibi pluries. Praeterea Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, vocatur "Formator ab utero," (Esaias 44:2, 24; 49:1, 5);
et per "Formatorem ex utero" intelligitur Reformator.
Footnotes:
1. 18 pro "16"
2. 7-9 pro "7 ad 10"
3. Jacobi pro "Israelis"
4. No pro "non" (Conf. Arcana Coelestia 8398.)"
5. 8 pro "6, 7, 8"
6. eorum pro "tua" (Conf. Arcana Coelestia 2584.)"
7. 11, 14, 16 pro "11, 12, 14, 16"