8.“读的人和那些听见这预言的话又遵守其中所记载的，都是有福的”表那些照着新耶路撒冷的教义生活之人与天堂天使相交。“有福的”在此是指就灵而言处于天堂的人，他活在世上时便以这种方式与天堂天使相交，因为就灵而言，他就在天堂。“预言的话”无非是指新耶路撒冷的教义，因为“先知”在抽象意义上是指取自圣言的教会教义，在此便指为新耶路撒冷的新教会的教义。“预言”所指相同。“读，听见又遵守其中所记载的”是指渴望知道那教义，转向并行出它里面的事，简言之，就是照之生活。显然，只是阅读和聆听约翰所看到的事物并将其保存或存留在记忆中的人不是有福的（见下文944节）。
“先知”和“预言”之所以表示取自圣言的教会教义，是因为圣言是藉先知来写的，并且在天堂，人是照他的功能和职务被看待。每个人、灵人和天使在那里也由此而得名。因此，当提到“先知”时，当理解为圣言的教义，或取自圣言的教义，因为先知的职能就是记录和教导圣言。正因如此，作为圣言本身的主被称为“先知”（申命记18:15-20；马太福音13:57，21:11；路加福音13:33）。为说明“先知”是指取自圣言的教会教义，有必要引用一些经文，这一点由此可得以汇集：
在时代的末了，有好些假先知起来，迷惑多人。因为假基督、假先知将要起来，如果可能，他们连选民也要迷惑。（马太福音24:11，24）
“时代的末了”（consummation of the age）是指教会的末期，如今就是了，起来的不是假先知，而是假教义。
再如：
因先知的名接待先知的，必得先知的赏赐；因义人的名接待义人的，必得义人的赏赐。（马太福音10:41）
“因先知的名接待先知”是指因真理的缘故接受教义的真理，“因义人的名接待义人”指因良善的缘故接受良善；“得赏赐”是指照接受情况而得救。显然，没有人因先知或义人的名而接待一位先知或义人便得赏赐或拯救。不了解“先知”和“义人”各表何义，没有人能明白这些话，也不可能理解下面的话：
无论何人，因为门徒的名，只把一杯凉水给这小子里的一个喝，不能不得赏赐。（马太福音10:42）
“门徒”是指仁爱，同时也指源于主之信。约珥书：
我要将我的灵浇灌凡有血气的。你们的儿女要说预言。（约珥书2:28）
这话论及主将建立的教会，他们不是要在教会中说预言，而是要接受要预言的教义。马太福音：
耶稣说，当那日，必有许多人对我说，主啊，主啊，我们不是奉你的名说预言，奉你的名赶鬼，奉你的名行许多异能吗？我就明明地告诉他们说，我从来不认识你们，你们这些作恶的人，离开我去吧。（马太福音7:22-23）
谁看不出，他们不会声称自己说过预言，而是说他们知道并教导教会的教义？启示录：
审判死人、赏赐众先知的时候也到了。（启示录11:18）
另一处：
欢欣吧，天哪，众使徒、众先知，因为神已经为你们申雪而审判了。（启示录18:20）
显然，得赏赐的不独是先知，最后审判时欢欣的也不独是先知和使徒，而是所有接受教义真理并照之生活的人。因此，这些人才是“使徒”和“先知”所指的。
摩西五经：
耶和华对摩西说，看哪，我使你在法老面前像个神明，你的哥哥亚伦要作你的先知。（出埃及记7:1）
“神明”在此表从主所接受的神性真理，在这层意义上，天使也称为“神明”，“先知”是指教导和谈论这真理的人。正因如此，亚伦在此也被称为“先知”。别处的“先知”也是这个意思，如以下经文：
律法必不因祭司灭亡，圣言必不因先知断绝。（耶利米书18:18）
因为有不敬虔的风气，从耶路撒冷的先知中散播出来，遍及全地。（耶利米书23:15-16）
先知必成为风，道也不在他们里面。（耶利米书5:13）
祭司和先知因浓酒犯错；他们被酒吞没，在审判时跌跌撞撞。（以赛亚书28:7）
日头必向先知沉落，白昼向他们变为黑暗。（弥迦书3:6）
从先知到祭司，个个都说谎。（耶利米书8:10）
在这些经文中，“先知”和“祭司”在灵义上不是指先知和祭司，而是指整个教会；其中“先知”是指教义真理方面的教会，“祭司”是指生活良善方面的教会，这两方面都败坏了。天堂的天使就是如此理解这些事的，而世人是照字义来理解的。先知代表教义方面教会的状态，主代表圣言本身，这一点可见于《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》（15-17节）一书。
8. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it. (1:3) This symbolizes their communion with angels in heaven who live according to the doctrine of the New Jerusalem.
"Blessed is he" here means someone who in respect to his spirit is in heaven, thus someone who, while living in the world, is in communion with angels in heaven, inasmuch as he is in heaven in respect to his spirit.
"The words of this prophecy" mean nothing else than the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, for in an abstract sense a prophet symbolizes the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word, thus here the doctrine of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. The same is meant by prophecy. To read, hear and keep those things which are written in it means, symbolically, to wish to know it, to pay attention to the things written in it, and to do the things that are found in it - in sum, to live according to it. It is apparent that people are not blessed if they simply read, hear and keep or preserve in memory the things seen by John (see below, no. 944).
[2] A prophet symbolizes the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word, and the same is meant by a prophecy, because the Word was written by prophets, and in heaven a person is regarded in relation to something pertaining to his occupation or function. So, too, every person, spirit and angel mentioned in the Word. Because it was a prophet's function to write and teach the Word, therefore when a prophet is mentioned, the Word in relation to doctrine is meant, or doctrine drawn from the Word.
It is for this reason that the Lord, being the embodiment of the Word, was called a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1Matthew 13:57, 221:11, 3Luke 13:33 4).
To show that a prophet means the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word, we will cite several passages from which this may be concluded. In Matthew:
(At the end of the age) many false prophets will rise up and lead many astray... ...false christs and false prophets will rise... and lead astray, if possible, ...the elect. (Matthew 24:11, 24)
The end of the age is the final period of the church, which is the one that exists now, when there are not false prophets but doctrinal falsities.
[3] In the same gospel:
Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. (Matthew 10:41)
To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet is to accept doctrinal truth because it is true; to receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man is to accept goodness because of its goodness; and to receive a reward is to be saved in accordance with that acceptance. Obviously no one receives a reward or is saved because he received a prophet or righteous man in the name of such.
Without a concept of what a prophet and righteous man mean, no one could understand these words, or those that follow:
Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple..., shall by no means lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)
A disciple means charity and at the same time faith from the Lord.
[4] In Joel:
...I will pour out My spirit on all flesh, so that your sons and your daughters prophesy... (Joel 2:28)
This is said of the church about to be established by the Lord, in which they did not prophesy but received doctrine, which is "to prophesy."
In Matthew:
(Jesus said,) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name...?' But then I will confess to them, 'I have not known you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity!'" (Matthew 7:22-23)
Who does not see that they are not going to say they have prophesied, but that they have known the doctrine of the church and taught it?
In Revelation:
...the time has come to judge the dead and give the reward to... the prophets... (Revelation 11:18)
In another place:
Rejoice..., O heaven, ...you holy apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you... (Revelation 18:20)
It is plain that a reward is not to be given solely to prophets when the Last Judgment is about to take place, or that only apostles and prophets are going to rejoice, but that all will be rewarded and rejoice who have accepted doctrinal truths and lived according to them. These, therefore, are meant by apostles and prophets.
[5] In Exodus:
Jehovah said to Moses: ."..I have made you a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet." (Exodus 7:1)
"A god" means Divine truth in its reception from the Lord, and in this sense angels, too, are called gods; and a prophet means one who teaches and gives voice to that truth. It is because of this that Aaron is there termed a prophet.
A prophet has the same symbolic meaning elsewhere, as in the following:
...the law shall not perish from the priest..., nor the Word from the prophet. (Jeremiah 18:18)
...from the prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisy has gone out into all the land. (Jeremiah 23:15-16)
...the prophets will become wind, and the Word will not be in them. (Jeremiah 5:13)
The priest and the prophet err through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine..., they stumble in judgment. (Isaiah 28:7)
The sun is going down on the prophets, and the day is becoming dark upon them. (Micah 3:6)
From the prophet even to the priest, everyone works a falsehood. (Jeremiah 8:10)
[6] In these passages prophets and priests mean, in the spiritual sense, not prophets and priests but the entire church - prophets the church in respect to doctrinal truth, and priests the church in respect to goodness of life, both of which had been lost. These statements are so understood by angels in heaven when people read them in the world according to their literal sense.
To be shown that prophets represented the state of the church in respect to doctrine, and that the Lord represented it in respect to the Word itself, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 15-17.
Footnotes:
1. The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, "Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die." And the LORD said to me: "What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die."
2. So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."
3. So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
4. Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
8. [verse 3] 'Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein' signifies their fellowship with the angels of heaven, who live according to the doctrine of the New Jerusalem. By 'blessed' is here understood one who as to the spirit is in heaven; in this manner he is in fellowship with the angels of heaven while living in the world, for he is in heaven in regard to the spirit. By 'the words of the prophecy' is understood nothing else than the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, for by 'a prophet' in an abstract sense is signified the Doctrine of the Church out of the Word, thus here the Doctrine of the new Church that is the New Jerusalem. By 'prophecy' something similar is understood. By 'to read, hear and keep the things that are written therein' is signified to wish to know that doctrine, to turn to the things that are there, and to do the things that are there, in short to live according to it. It is plain that they are not blessed who only read, hear, and keep or retain in the memory the things that were seen by John; see below (944).
[2] The reason why by 'a prophet' is signified the Doctrine of the Church out of the Word, and by 'prophecy' something similar, is because the Word was written by means of prophets, and in heaven a person is regarded from what pertains to his office and function. From this also every man, spirit and angel is named there. Therefore when a prophet is mentioned, the Word as to Doctrine, or the Doctrine out of the Word, is understood, because the prophetic function has been to write and teach the Word. Resulting from this, the Lord because He is the Word Itself has been termed 'Prophet;' Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Matthew 13:57; 21:11; Luke 13:33. So that it may be known that by 'a prophet' is understood the Doctrine of the Church out of the Word, some passages will be adduced from which this can be gathered. In Matthew:
In the consummation of the age many false prophets shall rise up, and shall lead many astray: there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall if possible lead the elect into error. Matthew 24:11, 24.
The 'consummation of the age' is the last time of the Church, and this is now, when there are not false prophets but untruths of doctrine.
[3] In the same:
Whoever shall support a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall get a prophet's reward, and whoever shall support a just man in the name of a just man, shall get a just man's reward. Matthew 10:41.
'To support a prophet in the name of a prophet' is to receive the truth of doctrine because it is true, and 'to support a just man in the name of a just man' is to receive good for the sake of good, and 'to get a reward' is to be saved in accordance with the reception. It is plain that no one receives a reward or is saved because he has supported a prophet and a just man in the name of such. Without knowing what a prophet and a just man [signify] those words cannot be understood by any one, nor can those that follow:
That whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones as much as a drink of cold [water] in the name of a disciple, shall not lose a reward. Matthew 10:42,.
By 'a disciple' is understood charity and at the same time faith, from the Lord.
[4] In Joel:
I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh so that your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Joel 2:28 [H.B. 3:1].
This concerns the Church that was to be restored by the Lord, in which they did not prophesy but received doctrine, which is 'to prophesy.' In Matthew:
Jesus said, Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by means of Thy Name? but then I will confess unto them, I have not known you; depart from Me you that work iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23.
Who does not see that they are not going to say that they have prophesied, but that they have known the Doctrine of the Church, and taught it? In the Apocalypse:
The time is come for judging the dead, and giving a reward to the prophets. Revelation 11:18; and in another place:
Exult O heaven, O holy apostles and prophets, for God has judged your judgment. Revelation 18:20.
It is plain that rewards are not to be given only to prophets, and that not only apostles and prophets are going to exult when the last judgment is about to take place, but all who have received the truths of doctrine, and lived in accordance with them; and so these are understood by 'apostles' and 'prophets.
[5] In Moses:
Jehovah said unto Moses, I have set thee up as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be to thee a prophet, Exodus 7:1.
By 'God' is understood the Divine Truth as to reception from the Lord, in which sense the angels also are called 'gods,' and by 'a prophet' is understood one teaching and speaking this truth. It is in consequence of this that Aaron is there termed a 'prophet.' The like is signified by 'prophet' elsewhere, as in these passages:
The law shall not perish from the priest, nor the Word from the prophet. Jeremiah 18:18.
From the prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisy has gone forth into all the land. Jeremiah 23:15-16.
The prophets shall become wind, and there is no word in them. Jeremiah 5:13.
The priest and the prophet err through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stumble in judgment. Isaiah 28:7.
The sun sets over the prophets, and the day grows black over them. Micah 3:6.
From the prophet even unto the priest, each one makes falsehood. Jeremiah 8:10.
[6] In the spiritual sense in these passages by 'prophets' and 'priests' are not understood prophets and priests, but the entire Church, by 'prophets' the Church as to the truth of doctrine, and by 'priests' the Church as to the good of life, both of which had been destroyed. These things are understood in this manner by angels in heaven, while by men in the world they are understood in accordance with the sense of the letter. That the prophets represented the state of the Church as to doctrine, and the Lord as to the Word Itself, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord 15-17.
8. Verse 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein, signifies the communion of those with the angels of heaven, who live according to the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem. By "blessed," is here meant one who, as to his spirit, is in heaven; thus, one who, while he lives in the world, is in communion with the angels of heaven; for as to his spirit he is in heaven. By "the words of the prophecy" nothing else is meant than the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, for by "prophet," in the abstract sense, is signified the Doctrine of the church derived from the Word, thus here the Doctrine of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem; the same is signified by "prophecy." By "reading, hearing, and keeping the things which are written therein," is signified, to desire to know that doctrine; to attend to the things which are in it, and to do the things which are therein; in short, to live according to it. That they are not blessed who only read, hear and keep or retain in the memory the things which were seen by John, is evident (see below, 944).
[2] The reason why "a prophet" signifies the Doctrine of the church from the Word, and "prophecy" the same, is, because the Word was written through prophets, and in heaven a person is regarded according to that which belongs to his function and office. From this, also, is every man, spirit, and angel, named there. Therefore, when a prophet is mentioned, because his function was to write and teach the Word, the Word is meant as to doctrine, or doctrine from the Word. Hence it is, that the Lord, because He is the Word itself, was called the Prophet, (Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Matthew 13:57; Matthew 21:11; Luke 13:33). To show that by "prophet" is meant the doctrine of the church from the Word, some passages shall be adduced, from which this may be collected.
In Matthew:
In the consummation of the age many false prophets shall rise up, and shall seduce many. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and, if it were possible, they shall lead into error the elect, (Matthew 24:11, 24).
"The consummation of the age" is the last time of the church, which is now, when there are not false prophets, but falsities of doctrine.
[3] In the same:
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive a just man's reward, (Matthew 10:41).
"To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet," is to receive the truth of doctrine because it is true; and "to receive a just man in the name of a just man," is to receive good for the sake of good; and "to receive a reward," is to be saved according to reception. It is evident that no one receives a reward, or is saved, because he receives a prophet and a just man in the name of such. Those words cannot be understood by anyone, without a knowledge of what "a prophet" and "a just man" signify; nor can those which follow:
Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward, (Matthew 10:42).
By a "disciple" is meant charity, and at the same time faith from the Lord.
[4] In Joel:
I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, so that your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, (Joel 2:28).
This is concerning the church which was to be established by the Lord, in which they would not prophesy, but receive doctrine, which is to "prophesy."
In Matthew:
Jesus said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? but then will I confess unto them, I have not known you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity, (Matthew 7:22-23).
Who does not see, that they will not say that they have prophesied, but that they knew the doctrine of the church, and taught it?
In Revelation:
The time is come for judging the dead and for giving reward to the prophets, (Revelation 11:18);
and in another place:
Exult, O heaven, and holy apostles and prophets, for God hath judged your judgment, (Revelation 18:20).
It is evident that a reward would not be given to the prophets alone, and that the apostles and prophets would not alone exult at the Last Judgment, but all who have received the truths of doctrine, and have lived according to them. These, therefore, are meant by "apostles" and "prophets."
[5] In Moses:
Jehovah said unto Moses, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet, (Exodus 7:1);
"a god" here means the Divine truth as to reception from the Lord, in which sense the angels are also called gods, and by "prophet" is meant one who teaches and speaks it, therefore Aaron is there called a prophet. The same is signified by "prophet" in other places, as in the following:
The law shall not perish from the priest, nor the Word from the prophet, (Jeremiah 18:18).
From the prophets of Jerusalem hath gone forth hypocrisy into all the land, (Jeremiah 23:15-16).
The prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in them, (Jeremiah 5:13).
The priests and the prophets err through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger in judgment, (Isaiah 28:7).
The sun setteth over the prophets, and the day groweth dark over them, (Micah 3:6).
From the prophet even unto the priest, everyone doeth a lie, (Jeremiah 8:10).
[6] In these passages, by "prophets" and "priests," in the spiritual sense, are not meant prophets and priests, but the entire church; by "prophets," the church as to the truth of doctrine, and by "priests" the church as to the good of life, both of which were destroyed; these things are so understood by the angels in heaven; while by men in the world they are understood according to the sense of the letter. That the prophets represented the state of the church as to doctrine, and that the Lord represented it as to the Word itself, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem respecting the Lord 15-17.
8. (Vers. 3.) "Beatus legens, et audientes verba prophetiae, et servantes quae in ea scripta sunt," significat communionem illorum cum Angelis Caeli, qui vivunt secundum doctrinam Novae Hierosolymae. - Per "beatum" hic intelligitur qui quoad spiritum in Caelo est; ita dum in mundo vivit, in communione cum Angelis Caeli est, is enim quoad Spiritum in Caelo est; per "verba prophetiae" non aliud intelligitur quam doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, nam per "prophetam" in sensu abstracto significatur Doctrina Ecclesiae ex Verbo, ita hic Doctrina Novae Ecclesiae, quae est Nova Hierosolyma; simile per "prophetiam:" per "legere, audire, et servare illa quae in ea scripta sunt," significatur velle scire ,illam, attendere ad illa quae ibi, et facere illa quae ibi, in summa vivere secundam illam; quod non beati sint, qui solum legunt, audiunt et servant, seu memoria custodiunt, illa quae visa sunt Johanni, patet (videatur infra 944). Quod per "prophetam" significetur Doctrina Ecclesiae ex Verbo, et simile per "prophetiam," est quia Verbum scriptum est per prophetas, et in Caelo spectatur persona ex eo quod ejus muneris et functionis est; ex eo etiam omnis homo, spiritus et angelus ibi nominatur; quare cum dicitur Propheta, quia ejus functio fuit scribere et docere Verbum, intelligitur Verbum quoad Doctrinam, seu Doctrina ex Verbo. Inde est quod Dominus, quia est Ipsum Verbum, dictus fuerit Propheta, (Deuteronomius 18:15-20; Matthaeus 13:57; 21:11; 1Luca 13:33). Ut sciatur, quod per Prophetam intelligatur Doctrina Ecclesiae ex Verbo, adducentur aliqua loca, ex quibus id colligi potest; apud Matthaeum:
In Consummatione Saeculi "multi Pseudoprophetae exsurgent, et seducent multos: surgent falsi Christi et falsi Prophetae, et in errorem inducent, si possibile, electos," (24:11, 24);
"consummatio saeculi" est ultimum tempus Ecclesiae, quod nunc est, quando non falsi Prophetae, sed falsa doctrinae sunt. Apud eundem:
"Quisquis Prophetam susceperit in nomine Prophetae, mercedem Prophetae accipiet, et quisquis justum in nomine justi, mercedem justi accipiet," (10:41);
"suscipere prophetam in nomine prophetae" est recipere doctrinae verum quia est verum, et "suscipere justum in nomine justi" est recipere bonum propter bonum, et "accipere mercedem" est salvari secundum receptionem; quod non aliquis mercedem recipiat seu salvetur quia prophetam et justum in nomine eorum suscipit, patet: illa verba absque cognitione quid "propheta" et quid "justus," a nemine possunt intelligi; nec quae sequuntur, quod "Quisquis potaverit unum parvorum horum potu frigidae tantum in nomine discipuli, non perdet mercedem;"
per "Discipulum" intelligitur charitas et simul fides a Domino. apud Joelem:
"Effundam spiritum Meum super omnem carnem, ita ut Prophetent filii vestri et filiae vestrae," (3:1 (Bibl. Angl. 2:28));
haec de Ecclesia instauranda a Domino, in qua non prophetarunt, sed receperunt doctrinam, quod est "prophetare." Apud Matthaeum:
Jesus dixit, "Multi dicent Mihi in die illo, Domine, Domine, nonne per Nomen Tuum prophetavimus; sed tunc confitebor illis, non novi vos, discedite a Me operarii iniquitatis," (7:22-23);
quis non videt, quod non dicturi sint quod prophetaverint, sed quod sciverint Doctrinam Ecclesiae et docuerint. In Apocalypsi:
"Venit tempus mortuos judicandi, et dandi mercedem Prophetis," (11:18);
et alibi,
"Exulta Caelum, sancti Apostoli et Prophetae, quia judicavit Deus judicium vestrum," (18:20);
quod merces non danda solum Prophetis sit, et quod (non) exultaturi solum Apostoli et Prophetae sint, cum ultimum judicium futurum est, patet; sed quod omnes qui receperunt vera doctrinae, et vixerunt secundum illa; hi itaque intelliguntur per "Apostolos" et "Prophetas." Apud Mosen:
Jehovah dixit ad Mosen, "Constitui te Deum Pharaoni, et Aharon frater tuus erit Propheta tibi," (Exodus 7:1);
per "Deum" intelligitur Divinum Verum quoad receptionem, a Domino, in quo sensu etiam Angeli vocantur Dii, et per "Prophetam" intelligitur docens et loquens illud; inde est quod Aharon ibi dicatur Propheta. Simile per "Prophetam" significatur alibi, ut in his:
"Non peribit Lex a Sacerdote, nec Verbum a Propheta," (Jeremias 18:18);
"A Prophetis Hierosolymae exivit hypocrisis in Universam terram, (Jeremias 23:15-16);
"Prophetae erunt in ventum, nec verbum in illis," (Jeremias 5:13);
"Sacerdos et Propheta errant per siceram, absorbentur a vino, titubant judicio," (Esaias 28:7);
"Occidit sol super Prophetis, et nigrescit super iis dies," (Micham 3:6);
"Propheta usque ad Sacerdotem, quisque facit mendacium," (Jeremias 8:10); 2
in his locis per "Prophetas" et "Sacerdotes" in Sensu spirituali non intelliguntur prophetae et sacerdotes, sed universa Ecclesia, per "Prophetas" illa quoad verum doctrinae, et per "Sacerdotes" illa quoad bonum vitae, quorum utrumque deperditum fuit; ita intelliguntur illa ab Angelis in Caelo, dum secundum Sensum literae ab hominibus in mundo. Quod Prophetae repraesentaverint statum Ecclesiae quoad doctrinam, et quod Dominus illam quoad ipsum Verbum, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino 15-17.
Footnotes:
1. 11 pro "1"
2. Jerem. pro "Esaj."