594.启13:11.“我又看见另有一个兽从地中上来”表改革宗教会中那些陷入龙关于神和救恩的教义和信仰的神职人员。至于何为龙的信仰及其性质，可参看前文（537节）。“从海中上来的兽”表示平信徒，“从地中上来的兽”表示神职人员，因为“海”表示教会的外在，“地”表示教会的内在（398，567节）；平信徒处于教会教义的外在，神职人员处于其内在。现在描述的是神职人员，这一点从接下来以灵义来理解的所有细节，以及以下事实明显看出来：这兽还被称为“假先知”（启示录16:13；19:20；20:10）；这一点从以下经文看得尤其明显：
那兽被擒拿，那在他面前曾行奇事，迷惑受兽印记和拜兽像之人的假先知，也与他同被擒拿。（启示录19:20）
本章以这些话说到这兽在另一只兽面前行奇事，迷惑他们：
又行大奇事，他因赐给他权柄在兽面前能行奇事，就迷惑住在地上的人，对他们说要给那兽作个像来拜。（启示录13:13-15）
594. 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. This symbolizes the clergy of the Protestant Reformed Church who are caught up in the dragon's doctrine and faith regarding God and salvation.
The nature of the dragon's faith and its character may be seen in no. 537 above. The laity are meant by the beast that came up from the sea, and the clergy by the beast that came up from the earth, because the sea symbolizes the external component of the church, and the earth its internal component (nos. 398, 567); and the laity are concerned with the external elements of the church's doctrine, while the clergy are concerned with the internal ones.
That the clergy are now described follows from the particulars that follow, understood according to their spiritual meaning; and clearly so from the fact that this beast is also called a false prophet (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), especially from this statement:
Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, by which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. (Revelation 19:20)
That this beast performed signs in the presence of the other one by which to lead people astray - this we are told in the present chapter in these words:
It also performs great signs... to lead astray those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs which it was granted to do in the presence of the beast, telling (them) to make an image of the beast (and to worship it.) (Revelation 13:13-15)
594. [verse 11] 'And I saw another beast coming up out of the land' signifies the clergy in the Churches of the Reformed, who are in the doctrine and faith of the dragon concerning God and salvation. What the faith of 'the dragon' is and its quality may be seen above (537). They are the laity who are understood by 'the beast coming up out of the sea,' and the clergy who are understood by 'the beast out of the land.' This is because by 'the sea' the external of the Church is signified, and by 'the land' its internal (398, 567); and the laity are in the externals of the doctrine of the Church and the clergy are in its internals. That the clergy are now described is established from the details that follow, understood in the spiritual sense; and manifestly by virtue of the fact that this beast is termed 'the false prophet' (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), and especially from these words there:
The beast was arrested, and with him the false prophet who did signs before him, by which he led astray those who accepted the mark of the beast, and those who adored his image. Revelation 19:20.
That this beast did signs in the presence of the other, by which he led them astray, is said in this chapter with these words:
And he does great signs so that he leads astray those dwelling upon the land, on account of the signs that were given him to enact in the presence of the beast, telling them to make an image of the beast and to adore it (verses 13-15).
594. Verse 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, signifies the clergy in the churches of the Reformed who are in the doctrine and faith of the dragon concerning God and salvation. What the faith of the dragon is and its quality, may be seen above, (537). That it is the laity that are meant by "the beast which came up out of the sea," and the clergy by "the beast which came up out of the earth," because by "the sea" is signified the external of the church, and by "the earth" its internal, (398, 567); and the laity are in the externals of the doctrine of the church, and the clergy are in its internals. That the clergy are now described, appears from all the particulars which follow, when understood in the spiritual sense; and manifestly from this, that this beast is also called "the false prophet" (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10); and especially from the following passage:
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that did signs before him, by which he seduced them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that adored his image, (Revelation 19:20).
That this beast did signs before the other, by which he seduced them, is said in this chapter in these words:
And he doeth great signs, and he seduceth them that dwell on the earth, on account of the signs which it was given him to do before the beast, saying to them to make an image to the beast, and adore it, (Revelation 13:13-15).
594. (Vers. 11.) "Et vidi aliam Bestiam ascendentem e Terra," significat Clericos in Ecclesiis Reformatorum, qui in doctrina et fide Draconis sunt de Deo et Salvatione. - Quid et qualis est fides Draconis, videatur supra (537); quod sint Laici qui per "Bestiam ex Mari ascendentem" intelligantur, et quod sint Clerici qui per "Bestiam e Terra," est quia per "mare" significatur Externum Ecclesiae, et per "terram" Internum ejus (398, 567); et in Externis doctrinae Ecclesiae sunt Laici, et in Internis ejus sunt Clerici. Quod Clerici nunc describantur, constat ex singulis quae sequuntur, in Sensu spirituali intellectis; et manifeste ex eo, quod haec Bestia etiam dicatur "Pseudopropheta," Apocalypsis 16:13; 19:20; 20:10; imprimis ex his ibi:
"Comprehensa est Bestia, et cum illa Pseudopropheta qui 1fecit signa coram illa, per quae seduxit eos qui acceperunt characterem Bestiae, et eos qui adorarunt imaginem ejus," (19:20);
quod haec Bestia fecerit signa coram altera, per quae seduxit illos, dicitur in hoc capite his verbis: "Et facit signa magna, ut seducat habitantes super terra, propter signa quae data ei facere coram Bestia, dicens illis facere imaginem Bestiae, et adorare illam," ((13:)13-15).
Footnotes:
1. qui pro "quae"