763.启18:7.“她怎样荣耀自己,怎样奢华,也要怎样给她痛苦悲哀”表死后,照其内心因着统治而欢喜雀悦,以及心智和肉体因着财富而得意忘形的程度,他们会因被推翻和嘲弄,以及贫苦和悲惨而遭受内在悲伤。“她怎样荣耀自己”表示照内心因着统治而欢喜雀悦的程度,因为他们以此为荣耀。“怎样奢华”表示照心智和肉体因着财富而得意忘形,以及由此而来的快乐和满足的程度(759节)。“给她痛苦”表示由于统治被推翻和那时所受的嘲弄而经受的内在悲伤。他们死后的痛苦唯源于此。“给她悲哀”表示由于贫苦和悲惨而经受的内在悲伤,他们死后的悲哀即源于此。
出于自我之爱统治主的一切事物,也就是天堂和教会的一切事物之爱的快乐,死后就会转化为这种痛苦;对那些具有上述统治之爱的人来说,以由财富而来的奢华填充心智和身体之爱的愉悦,死后转化为这种悲哀。因为从爱发出的快乐和愉悦构成每个人的生命;因此,当这些转为对立面时,就有痛苦和悲哀产生。这些就是圣言中地狱的“痛苦”所表示的报应和惩罚;因此,那里的“火”表示对主、对天堂和教会的一切事物的仇恨。在先知书,类似的话论及巴比伦或巴别,如:
我必在你们眼前报复巴比伦人在锡安所行的诸恶。(耶利米书 51:24)
行毁灭的要临到巴比伦,因为耶和华是施行报应的神,必定施行报应。(耶利米书 51:55,56)
你的威势下到阴间,你下面铺的是蛆(内在悲伤的折磨);你心里曾说,我要升到天上,我要高举我的宝座在神众星以上,我要与至高者同等;然而,你必坠落阴间;凡看见你的都必说:使大地战抖、使列国震动的,是这个人吗?(以赛亚书14:11,13-17)
这段话论及路西弗,路西弗在此就是巴比伦;这一点从以赛亚书(14:4,22)明显看出来。
763. 18:7 "In the measure that she glorified herself and worked her pleasure, in the same measure give her torment and grief." This symbolically means that to the degree of their elation of heart due to their dominion, and of their exultation in mind and body due to their riches, to the same degree they will experience after death an inner anguish owing to their being cast down and becoming objects of derision, and owing to their poverty and wretchedness.
In the measure that she glorified herself means, symbolically, to the degree of their elation of heart due to their dominion, for it is owing to this that Roman Catholics glorify themselves. In the measure that she worked her pleasure means, symbolically, to the degree of their exultation in mind and body due to their riches and consequent delights and gratifications, as in no. 759 above. To give her torment symbolizes an inner anguish owing to their being cast down from their dominion and then becoming objects of derision, their torment after death having no other cause. And to give her grief symbolizes an inner anguish owing to their poverty and wretchedness, which is the reason for their grief after death.
[2] The delight of a love of exercising dominion arising from self-love over everything that is the Lord's, which is everything connected with heaven and the church, is turned after death into such torment, and the gratification of a love of filling mind and body with delights gained from wealth is, in the case of people caught up in the aforesaid love of exercising dominion, turned into such grief. For feelings of delight and gratification resulting from loves constitute everyone's life; consequently, when these are turned into their opposites, they become feelings of torment and grief.
These are the retributions and punishments meant in the Word by torments in hell. And hatred for the Lord, therefore, and for everything connected with heaven and the church, is what is meant by fire there.
Similar statements are made regarding Babylon in the Prophets. As for example:
I will repay Babylon... for all the evil they have done in Zion in your sight... (Jeremiah 51:24)
...the plunderer shall come... against Babylon... For Jehovah is a God of retributions; He will surely repay. (Jeremiah 51:55-56)
Your magnificence is brought down to hell... The worm is spread under you (the torment that is an inner anguish).... You have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...; I will be like the Most High." Yet you shall be brought down to hell... Those who see you... will say: "Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble (and so on). (Isaiah 14:11, 13-16)
The last is said of Lucifer, referring there to Babylon, as is apparent from verses 4-22 in that chapter.
763. [verse 7] 'As much as she was glorified herself and lived luxuriously, give unto her so much torment and mourning' signifies that in proportion to the elation of heart resulting from dominion, and to the exultation of mind (animus) and body resulting from riches, after death they have internal grief as the result of casting down and mockery, and of destitution and misery. By 'as much as she has glorified herself' is signified in proportion to the elation of heart resulting from dominion, for they glorify themselves on this account. By 'as much as she has lived luxuriously' is signified in proportion to the exultation of mind (animus) and body resulting from riches, and the delights and pleasures therefrom, as above (759). By 'to give unto her torment' is signified internal grief as the result of casting down from dominion, and mockery then. Their torment after death is from no other source. And by 'to give unto her mourning' is signified internal grief as the result of destitution and misery, their mourning after death being therefrom.
[2] The delight of the love of having dominion derived from the love of self over all things of the Lord's, which are all things of heaven and the Church, is turned after death into such torment; and the pleasure of the love of filling the mind and body with the luxuries obtained as the result of opulence, with those who are in the said love of having dominion, is turned into such mourning. For the delights and pleasures proceeding out of the loves make everyone's life; and therefore when those are turned into opposite things it becomes torment and mourning. These are the retributions and penalties that in the Word are understood by the 'torments' in hell; and consequently hatred against the Lord and against all things of heaven and the Church is understood by the 'fire' there. Similar things are said of Babel in the prophets, as:
I will repay to Babel every evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes. Jeremiah 51:24.
The waster shall come upon Babel, for Jehovah the God of retributions repaying will repay. Jeremiah 51:55-56.
Thy pomp has been brought down into hell, under thee has spread the worm (the torment that is internal grief); thou hast said in thy heart, I will climb the heavens, I will exalt my throne above God's stars, I will become like the Most High; nevertheless thou hast been brought down to hell; those seeing thee shall say, Is this the man shaking the land, making kingdoms tremble? etc. Isaiah 14:11, 13-16.
These things are concerning Lucifer, who there is Babel, as is plain from verse 4, 22 there.
763. Verse 7. As much as she hath glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much torment and mourning give her signifies that in the degree of their elation of heart from dominion, and according to their exultation of mind and body from riches, they have after death internal grief from being cast down and derided, and from want and misery. By "as much as she hath glorified herself" is signified in the degree according to their elation of heart from dominion; for they glorify themselves from this. By "as much as she hath lived luxuriously," is signified in the degree of their exultation of mind and body on account of riches, and the delights and pleasures therefrom, as above, (759). By "giving her torment," is signified internal grief at being cast down from dominion, and then derision; their torment after death is from no other source; and by "giving her mourning" is signified internal grief from want and misery; their mourning after death is from these.
[2] The delight of the love of having dominion from the love of self over all that belongs to the Lord, which are all the things of heaven and the church, is turned after death into such torment; and the pleasantness of the love of filling the mind and body with delights derived from opulence, with those who are in the aforesaid love of having dominion, is turned into such mourning. For the delights and pleasantnesses proceeding from the loves make the life of everyone; wherefore when these are turned into the opposites, there arise torment and mourning. These are the retributions and punishments which are meant in the Word by the torments in hell; and thence hatred against the Lord and against all things of heaven and the church, is meant by "the fire" there. Similar things are said of Babel in the prophets, as:
I will render unto Babel all the evil which they have done in Zion before your eyes, (Jeremiah 51:24).
The waster shall come upon Babel, for the God of retributions, Jehovah, recompensing will recompense, (Jeremiah 51:55-56).
Thy magnificence is brought down into hell; the worm is spread under thee (torment which is internal grief); thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will become like the Most High; nevertheless thou shalt be brought down to hell; they that see thee shall say, Is this the man that shook the earth? that made the kingdoms tremble? etc. (Isaiah 14:11, 13-16).
This is said of Lucifer, who there is Babel, as is manifest from Isaiah 14:4, 22.
763. (Vers. 7.) "Quantum glorificavit se ipsam, et deliciata est, tantum date illi cruciatum at luctum," significat quod in gradu secundum elationem cordis ex dominio, et secundum exultationem animi et corporis ex divitiis, post mortem sit illis internus dolor ex dejectione et subsannatione, et ex egestate et miseria. -Per "quantum glorificavit se ipsam" significatur in gradu secundum elationem cordis ex dominio, ex hoc enim glorificant se; per "quantum deliciata est" significatur in gradu secundum exultationem animi et corporis ex divitiis, et inde jucunditatibus et amoenitatibus, ut supra (759); per "dare illi cruciatum" significatur internus dolor ex dejectione a dominio, et tunc subsannatione; cruciatus illorum post mortem non aliunde est; et per "dare illi luctum" significatur internus dolor ex egestate et miseria; luctus eorum post mortem inde est. Jucundum amoris dominandi ex amore sui super omnia Domini, quae sunt omnia Caeli et Ecclesiae, vertitur post mortem in talem cruciatum, ac amoenum amoris implendi animum et corpus deliciis captis ex opulentia, apud illos qui in dicto amore dominandi sunt, vertitur in talem luctum; nam jucunda et amoena procedentia ex amoribus faciunt vitam cujusvis; quare cum illa vertuntur in opposita fit cruciatus et luctus. Haec sunt retributiones et poenae quae in Verbo intelliguntur per cruciatus in Inferno; et inde odium contra Dominum, et contra omnia Caeli et Ecclesiae, intelliguntur per "ignem" ibi. Similia de Babele dicuntur apud Prophetas; ut "Retribuam Babeli omne malum, quod fecerunt in Zione coram oculis vestris," (Jeremias 51:24);
"Veniet super Babele vastator, Deus namque Retributionum Jehovah, retribuendo retribuet," (Jeremias 51:55-56); 1
"Demissa est in Infernum magnificentia tua; sub te substratus est vermis" (cruciatus qui est internus dolor); "dixisti in corde tuo, Caelos ascendam, super stellas Dei exaltabo thronum meum, similis fiam Altissimo: verum tamen ad Infernum demissus es; videntes te dicent, Num hic vir commovens terram, tremefaciens regna" etc. (Esaias 14:11, 13-16);
haec de Lucifero, qui ibi est Babel, ut patet a vers. 4 et 22 ibi.
Footnotes:
1. 55 pro "5"