735.“凡住在地上名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的，见先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽，就必希奇”表那些属于天主教的人，就是所有自它建立时就意在统治天与地的人对圣言如此被弃绝，却依旧存在感到困惑。“希奇”表示感到困惑；“住在地上的”表示那些属教会的人，在此表示那些属于天主教的人，如前所述（721节）；“名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的”表示那些不信主，不信取自圣言的教义之人；就是所有自教会建立时，在此是指自从天主教建立时就不信的人（588，589节）；他们无非是那些意在统治天与地的人。“先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽”表示圣言如此被拒绝，却依然存在。从这些事明显可知，“凡住在地上名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的，见先前有，如今没有，以后再有的兽，就必希奇”表示那些属于天主教的人，就是所有自它建立时就意在统治天与地的人对圣言如此被弃绝，却依旧存在感到困惑。事实上，所有意在统治教会的神圣事物，统治天堂的人都憎恨圣言，因为他们憎恨主，即便嘴上不说，心里也恨。在世上，很少有人知道这一事实，因为他们还在肉体中；但死后就显而易见了，这时，人人都在自己的灵里。正因如此，他们对圣言依然存在感到困惑，尽管它如此被弃绝，如前所述（734节）。圣言依然存在，这是因为它是神性，主就在其中。
735. "And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, those whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." This symbolizes the astonishment of those who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, of all those who from its commencement strove for dominion over heaven and earth, that even though the Word had been thus rejected, still it endures.
To marvel means, symbolically, to be astonished. Those who dwell on the earth symbolize people who are in the church, here those people who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, as in no. 721 above. Those whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world symbolize all those people who do not believe in the Lord, and who are not governed by doctrine from the Word, from the inception of the church, or in this case, from the inception of that religion (nos. 588, 589). These people are no other than those who have striven for dominion over heaven and earth. The beast that was, and is not, and yet is, symbolically means that the Word thus rejected still endures.
It is apparent from this that the marveling of those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, symbolizes the astonishment of those who belong to the Roman Catholic religion, of all those who from its commencement strove for dominion over heaven and earth, that even though the Word had been thus rejected, still it endures. For people who strive for dominion over the sanctities of the church and over heaven hate the Word, because they hate the Lord, if not with the lips, still at heart. The reality of this is known to few in the world, because they are then in the body; but it becomes evident after death, when they are in their spirit.
This is the reason they will marvel that the Word still endures, even though it has been rejected, as said in no. 734 above.
The Word still endures because it is Divine, and the Lord is present in it.
735. And those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' signifies the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. By 'to wonder' is signified to be bewildered. By 'those dwelling upon the land' are signified those who belong to the Church, here those who are of that form of religion, as above (721). 'Whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world' signifies all who do not believe in the Lord, and are not in doctrine out of the Word, from the establishment of the Church, here from the establishment of that form of religion (588-589); and these are no others than those who aim at dominion over heaven and earth. By 'the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified that the Word thus rejected is still in existence. From these things it is plain that by 'those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. For all who aim at dominion over the holy things of the Church and over heaven hate the Word, because they hate the Lord, at heart if not by word of mouth. That this is the case few in the world know because they are then in the body; but it is made manifest after death when every one is in his spirit. It is in consequence of this that they wonder that the Word is still in existence, although thus rejected, as was said above (734). That the Word is still in existence is because it is Divine, and the Lord is in it.
735. And they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast which was and is not, but yet is, signifies the amazement of those who are of that religion, all who from its establishment have aspired to domination over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, still is. By "wondering" is signified to be amazed; by "them that dwell upon the earth" are signified those who are of the church, here those who are of that religious persuasion, as above, (721); "whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world," signifies those who do not believe in the Lord, and are not in doctrine from the Word; all since the establishment of the church, here since the establishment of this religious persuasion, (588, 589); and these are no others than they who aspire to domination over heaven and over the earth. By "the beast which was and is not, but yet is," is signified that the Word, so rejected, still is. It is manifest from this, that by "they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast which was and is not, but yet is," is signified the amazement of those who are of that religious persuasion all who since its establishment have aspired at domination over heaven and earth, that the Word, though it has been thus rejected, still is. For all who aspire at domination over the holy things of the church and over heaven, hate the Word, because they hate the Lord; if not in the mouth, still in the heart. That it is so, few know in the world, because they are then in the body; but it is made manifest after death, when everyone is in his spirit. Hence it is that they wonder that the Word still is, though it has been so rejected; as was said above, (734). The reason that the Word still is, is because it is Divine, and the Lord is in it.
735. "Et mirabuntur habitantes super terra, quorum non scripta nomina in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi, videntes Bestiam quae erat et non est, attamen est," significat obstupescentiam illorum qui e Religioso illo sunt, omnes qui ad instauratione ejus affectarunt dominum in super Caelum et Terram, quod Verbum, tametsi ita rejectum est, usque sit. -Per "mirari" significatur obstupescere; per "habitantes super terra" significantur qui ab Ecclesia sunt, hic qui ex Religioso illo, ut supra (721); "quorum nomina non scripta sunt in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi," significat qui non credunt in Dominum, et non in doctrina sunt ex Verbo, omnes ab instauratione Ecclesiae, hic ab instauratione hujus Religiosi, (588, 589), et hi non alii sunt quam qui affectant dominium super Caelum et super Terram: per "Bestiam quae erat et non est, attamen est, "significatur quod Verbum, ita rejectum, usque sit. Ex his patet, quod per" mirabuntur habitantes super terra, quorum non scripta nomina in Libro vitae a fundatione mundi, videntes Bestiam, quae erat et non est, attamen est," significetur obstupescentia illorum qui e Religioso illo sunt, omnes qui ab instauratione ejus affectarunt dominium super Caelum et terram, quod Verbum, tametsi ita rejectum est, usque sit. Omnes enim qui affectant dominium super sancta Ecclesiae et super Caelum, odio habent Verbum, quia odio habent Dominum, si non ore usque corde. Quod ita sit, pauci sciunt in mundo, quia tunc in corpore sunt; at manifestatur post mortem, dum quisque in suo spiritu est. Inde est, quod mirentur quod usque Verbum sit, tametsi rejectum ita, ut supra (734) dictum est. Quod Verbum usque sit, est quia est Divinum, et Dominus in illo.