601.“对住在地上的人说，要给那受剑伤还活着的兽作个像”表他们诱导教会之人作为教义接受信是得救的唯一方法，因为除邀功的外，没有人能凭自己行善，还因为没有人能全守律法，从而得救。“住在地上的人”表示改革宗教会的人，如前所述（600节）；“像”表示那教会的教义，如下文所述；“那受剑伤还活着的兽的像”表示教义的这一点：“信是得救的唯一方法，因为除邀功的外，没有人能凭自己行善，还因为没有人能全守律法，从而得救”，如前所述（576，577节等）。
每个教会在主面前显为一个人；教会若处于源自圣言的真理，便显为一个美丽之人；若陷入被歪曲的真理，就显为一个怪物般畸形之人。教会如此显现，乃因它的教义和照之的生活；由此可知，教会的教义就是教会的像。这一点从以下事实可以看出来：每个人都是他自己的良善和真理，或他自己的邪恶和虚假，人之为人即源于此，并非因其它源头。所以，构成教会之人“形像”的，正是教义和照之的生活；若教义和照之的生活来自圣言的纯正真理，这形像就是一个美丽之人的形像；若来自被歪曲的圣言真理，这形像就成了一个怪物般畸形之人的形像。
而且在灵界，人的确看似某种动物；不过，这只是他的情感从远处显现的样子。那些处于源自主的真理与良善之人看上去像羔羊和鸽子；而那些陷入被歪曲的真理和被玷污的良善之人看上去则像猫头鹰和蝙蝠。那些陷入与仁分离之信的人看上去像龙和山羊；那些陷入源自邪恶的虚假之人看上去像蜥蜴和鳄鱼。那些具有如此性质，却又确认教会的教义之人看上去就像会飞的火蛇。由此可见，为“住在地上的人”所作的“兽像”表示教会的教义和照之的生活。
至于是什么变成了那些“拜兽像”的人，可参看启示录相关章节（14:9-11；19:20；20:4）。就灵义而言，“像”具有同样的含义（出埃及记20:4，5；利未记26:1；申命记4:16-18；以赛亚书2:16；以西结书7:20；16:17；23:14-16）。古人当中的偶像和雕像是其宗教信仰的形像，因此缘故，它们表示教义的虚假和邪恶（459节）。
601. Telling those dwelling upon the earth to make an image of the beast that was injured by the sword and lived. This symbolically means that the clergy induce people in the church to accept as doctrine that faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfill the law and in that way be saved.
Those dwelling upon the earth mean people in the Protestant Reformed Church, as in no. 600 above. The image symbolizes the doctrine of that church, as explained below. And the image of the beast that was injured by the sword and lived symbolizes this tenet of the doctrine, that faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfill the law and in that way be saved (see nos. 576, 577ff. above).
[2] Every church appears to the Lord as a person. If it is governed by truths from the Word, it appears as an attractive person. But if it is caught up in truths falsified, it appears as a hideous person. The church appears as it does in keeping with its doctrine and in keeping with its life in accordance with that doctrine. It follows from this that a church's doctrine presents an image of the church.
This can also be seen from the fact that every person embodies his own goodness and truth or his own evil and falsity. It is this and nothing else that makes a person human. Consequently it is doctrine and a life in accordance with it which produces the image of a person in the church - the image of an attractive person if the doctrine and his life in accordance with it conform with the Word's genuine truths, but the image of a hideous person if they accord with the Word's truths falsified.
[3] In the spiritual world, moreover, a person appears as a kind of animal, but it is his affection that so appears at a distance. People impelled by truths and goods from the Lord look like lambs and doves, while those caught up in falsified truths and adulterated goods look like owls and bats. People possessing a faith divorced from charity look like dragons and goats. Those caught up in falsities springing from evil look like basilisks 1and crocodiles. And those who are of this character and yet have affirmed the teachings of the church look like fiery flying serpents.
It can be seen from this that the church's doctrine and a life in accordance with it are meant by the image of the beast which the people made for those dwelling upon the earth.
[4] But what eventually became of those who worshiped the image of the beast may be seen in Revelation 14:9-11; 19:20, cf. 20:4.
Images have similar symbolic meanings in the spiritual sense in Exodus 20:4-5, Leviticus 26:1, Deuteronomy 4:16-18, Isaiah 2:16, Ezekiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14-16.
Among the ancients, idols and carved images were symbols of their religious faith. Consequently they symbolize doctrinal falsities and evils (no. 459).
Footnotes:
1. Legendary serpents or dragons, whose breath and glance were said to be lethal. Formerly identified in English translations of the Latin Vulgate with the cockatrice, and retained as such in the King James Bible.
601. 'Telling those dwelling upon the land to make an image to the beast, which has the stroke of the sword and did live' signifies that they induce the men of the Church to receive as a doctrine, that faith is the one and only means of salvation, because no one can do good from himself unless it be merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfil the law and thus be saved. By 'those dwelling upon the land' are understood the men of the Church of the Reformed, as above (600); by 'an image' is signified the doctrine of that Church, of which below; and by 'an image to the beast which has the stroke of the sword and did live' is signified this point of doctrine, that faith is the one and only means of salvation, because no one can do good from himself unless it be merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfil the law and thus be saved, as may be seen above (576-577 seq.).
[2] Before the Lord every Church appears as a man. If it is in truths out of the Word it appears as a handsome man, but if it is in falsified truths it appears as a monstrous man. The Church appears like that by virtue of its doctrine and of a life in accordance therewith; from which it follows than the doctrine of a Church is the image thereof. This can also be seen from this fact: every man is his own good and truth, or his own evil and untruths. From this and no other source a man is a man. Consequently it is the doctrine and the life in accordance therewith that makes 'the image' of the man of the Church, the image of a handsome man if the doctrine and the life in accordance therewith is [formed] out of the genuine truths of the Word, but the image of a monstrous man if [formed] out of the falsified truths of the Word.
[3] A man also appears in the spiritual world as some animal, but his affection appears us this manner from afar off. Those who are in truths and goods from the Lord appear as lambs and doves; but those who are in falsified truths and adulterated goods appear as owls and bats. Those who are in a faith separated from charity appear as dragons and goats; those who are in untruths derived from evil appear as basilisks and crocodiles, and they who are such and yet have confirmed the doctrinal tenets of the Church, as flying fiery serpents. By virtue of these things it can be seen that the doctrine of the Church, and a life in accordance therewith, is understood by 'an image of the beast,' which they made for 'those dwelling upon the land.
[4] But what afterwards because of those who were adoring the image of the beast may be seen (Revelation 14:9-11; 19:20; 20:4). Similar things are signified by 'images' in the spiritual sense (Exodus 20:4-5; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:16-18; Isaiah 2:16; Ezekiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14-16). The idols and graven images with the ancients were the images of their religious [belief], and therefore by them are signified untruths and evils of doctrine (459).
601. Saying to them that dwell upon the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which hath a stroke of a sword and liveth, signifies that they induce the men of the church to receive for doctrine, that faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good from himself but what is meritorious, and because no one can fulfil the law, and so be saved. By "them that dwell on the earth," are meant the men of the churches of the Reformed, as above, (600); by "an image" is signified the doctrine of that church, of which below; and by "the image of the beast, which had the stroke of a sword and lived," is signified this point of doctrine, that "Faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good from himself, but what is meritorious, and because no one can fulfil the law, and so be saved," as above, (576-577, etc.).
[2] Every church appears before the Lord as a man; if it is in truths from the Word, it appears as a beautiful man, but if it is in truths falsified, it appears as a man-monster. The church so appears from its doctrine and from a life according to it; from which it follows, that the doctrine of a church is its image. This may also be seen from this: Every man is his own good and truth, or his own evil and falsity, from this and from no other source man is a man. Consequently it is doctrine and life according to it which makes "the image" of the man of the church, the image being that of a beautiful man, if the doctrine and the life according to it is from the genuine truths of the Word; but it is the image of a man-monster, if from falsified truths of the Word.
[3] Man, also, in the spiritual world, appears like some animal; but it is his affection which thus appears at a distance. They who are in truths and goods from the Lord, appear as lambs and doves; but they who are in falsified truths and adulterated goods, appear as owls and bats. They who are in faith separated from charity, appear as dragons and goats; they who are in falsities from evil, as basilisks and crocodiles. And they who are such, and yet have confirmed the doctrinals of the church, appear like fiery flying serpents. From these things it may be seen, that the doctrine of the church and life according to it are meant by "the image of the beast" which they made for "them that dwell upon the earth."
[4] But what became of those who "adored the image of the beast," may be seen, (Revelation 14:9-11; 19:20; 20:4). In the spiritual sense, "images" have a similar signification, (Exodus 20:4-5; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:16-18; Isaiah 2:16; Ezekiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14-16). The idols and graven images with the ancients were images of their religious principle, on which account falsities and evils of doctrine are signified by them, (459).
601. "Dicens habitantibus super terra, facere imaginem Bestiae, quae habet plagam machaerae et vixit," significat quod adducant homines Ecclesiae pro doctrina recipere, quod fides sit unicum medium salutis, quia nemo potest facere bonum a se, nisi sit meritorium, et quia nemo potest implere legem, et sic salvari" - Per "habitantes super terra" intelliguntur homines Ecclesiae Reformatorum, ut supra (600); per "imaginem" significatur doctrina illius Ecclesiae, de qua infra; et per "imaginem Bestiae quae habet plagam machaerae et vixit" significatur hoc doctrinae, quod "Fides sit unicum medium salutis, quia nemo potest facere bonum a se nisi sit meritorium, et quia nemo potest implere legem et sic salvari (576, 577 seq.).
Omnis Ecclesia coram Domino apparet sicut homo; si in veris ex Verbo est, apparet sicut homo pulcher; si autem in veris falsificatis est, apparet ut homo monstrosus. Ecclesia ita apparet ex doctrina ejus, et ex vita secundum illam: ex quo sequitur, quod doctrina Ecclesiae sit "imago" ejus. Id quoque videri potest ex hoc: -Omnis homo est suum bonum et verum, aut suum malum et falsum; inde et non aliunde homo est homo: consequenter est doctrina et vita secundum illam, quae facit "imaginem" hominis Ecclesiae; imaginem hominis pulchri si doctrina et vita secundum illam est ex genuinis veris Verbi, at imaginem hominis monstrosi si ex veris Verbi falsificatis. Homo etiam in mundo spirituali apparet ut aliquod animal, sed ita apparet ejus affectio e longinquo illi qui in veris et bonis a Domino sunt, apparent ut agni et columbae; at qui in veris falsificatis et bonis adulteratis sunt, apparent ut noctuae et vespertiliones; illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, sicut dracones et hirci; qui in falsis ex malo sunt, apparent ut basilisci et crocodili; et qui tales et usque confirmaverunt doctrinalia Ecclesiae, sicut praesteres volantes. Ex his videri potest, quod doctrina Ecclesiae, et vita secundum illam, intelligatur per "imaginem Bestiae," quam pro "habitantibus super terra" fecerunt. Sed quid porro factum est cum illis qui "adorabant imaginem Bestiae" videatur Apocalypsis, (14:11; 19:20; 20:4). Similia per "imagines" in Sensu spirituali significantur Exodus 20:4-5; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomius 4:16-18; Esaias 2:16; Ezechiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14-16.
Idola et sculptilia apud antiquos fuerunt imagines religiosi illorum; quare per illa significantur falsa et mala doctrinae (459).