862.我们说过，“他们围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城”表示他们要努力摧毁新教会的一切，包括它的真理和良善，以及关于主和生命的新教会教义本身，如上一节所述。之所以表示这些，是因为“圣徒的营”表示该教会，也就是新耶路撒冷的一切真理和良善。就灵义而言，“营”表示教会中与其真理并良善有关的一切事物；这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
日月昏暗，星辰收回其光辉。耶和华在祂军旅前发声，因为祂的营兵甚大；遵行祂命令的是强盛者。（约珥书 2:10，11）
我必因敌军在我家的四围安营。（撒迦利亚书9:8）
神把那安营攻击你之人的骨头散开了，因为神弃绝了他们。（诗篇53:5）
耶和华的使者在敬畏祂的人四围安营，搭救他们。（诗篇34:7）
神的使者遇见雅各，雅各说，这是神的营地，于是给那地方起名叫玛哈念，就是两个营地的意思。（创世记32:1，2）
此外还有其它地方（如以赛亚书29:3；以西结书1:24；诗篇27:3）。在圣言中，“军队（经上或译为军旅等）”表示教会的真理和良善，也表示教会的虚假和邪恶（447，826，833节）；“营”所表相同。
由于以色列众子，以及他们的十二支派表示教会的一切真理和良善（349，350节），所以他们被称为“耶和华的军队”（出埃及记. 7:4；12:41，51）；他们在驻扎和集合时，就被称为“营”（如利未记4:12；8:17；13:46；14:8；16:26，28；24:14，23；民数记23，2，3，4:5等；5:2-4；9:17到结尾；10:2-8；11:31，32；12:14，15；21:10-25；33:1-49；申命记23:9-14；阿摩司书4:10）。从这些事明显可知，“他们围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城”表示他们要努力摧毁新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷的一切真理和良善，以及它关于主和生命的教义。路加福音的这段经文所表相同：
你们看见耶路撒冷被军队围困，就可知道她的荒凉近了。耶路撒冷要被列族践踏，直到列族的日期满了。（路加福音21:20，24）
这论及世代的末了，也就是是教会的末期；“耶路撒冷”在此也表示教会。“歌革和玛各”，也就是那些处于脱离内在敬拜的外在敬拜之人，将侵袭教会，并努力摧毁它，这一点在以西结书（38:8，9，11，12，15，16；39:2）有所论述，那时将会有一个来自主的新教会（以西结书39:17-29）。
862. We have said that the nations' surrounding the camp of the saints and the beloved city means, symbolically, that these people attempted to destroy everything connected with the New Church, both its truths and goods and its fundamental doctrine regarding the Lord and life, as stated in the preceding number. This is the symbolic meaning because the camp of the saints symbolizes all the truths and goods of the church which is the New Jerusalem.
That a camp in the spiritual sense symbolizes everything connected with the church with respect to its truths and goods can be seen from the following passages:
The sun and moon grew dark, and the stars diminished their brightness. Jehovah uttered His voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for numberless are those who obey His Word. (Joel 2:10-11)
I will encamp for My house some of the army... (Zechariah 9:8)
...God has scattered the bones of them who encamp against you..., because God has rejected them. (Psalms 53:5)
The angel of Jehovah encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. (Psalms 34:7)
(An angel of God met Jacob, and said to Jacob,) "This is God's camp." Therefore he called the name of that place Mahanaim (Two Camps). (Genesis 32:1-2)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 29:3, Ezekiel 1:24, Psalms 27:3.
That an army or host in the Word symbolizes the church's truths and goods, and also its falsities and evils, may be seen in nos. 447, 826, 833; and so, too, does a camp.
[2] Since the children of Israel and their twelve tribes symbolize the church in respect to all its truths and goods (nos. 349, 350), they were therefore called the armies or hosts of Jehovah (Exodus 7:4; 12:41, 51), and the places where they stopped and assembled were called camps, as in Leviticus 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Numbers 1; 2; 3; 4:5 ff., 5:2-4; 9:17-23; 10:1-10, 11-28; 11:31-32; 12:14-15; 21:10-15; 33:1-49; Deuteronomy 23:9-14; Amos 4:10.
It is apparent from this now that the nations' surrounding the camp of the saints and the beloved city means, symbolically, that these people tried to destroy all the truths and goods of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, and also its doctrine regarding the Lord and life.
The same symbolism is found in these verses in Luke:
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near... (At length) Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:20, 24)
This is said in reference to the end of the age, which is the final period of the church. Jerusalem here also symbolizes the church.
That Gog and Magog, that is, people who engage in external worship divorced from any internal worship, will then invade the church and try to destroy it, is something we are told also in Ezekiel 38:8-9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 39:2, and that the New Church will then be established by the Lord, Ezekiel 39:17-29.
862. It has been said that by 'they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city' is signified that they would endeavour to destroy all the things of the New Church, both its truths and its goods and the doctrine itself concerning the Lord and concerning Life, as was stated in the preceding paragraph. The reason why these things are signified is because by 'the camp of the saints' are signified all the truths and goods of the Church that is the New Jerusalem. That 'a camp' its the spiritual sense signifies all the things of the Church which have relation to its truths and goods can be established from these passages:
The sun and moon have been blackened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining. Jehovah has uttered His voice before His army because His camp is very great, for those doing His Word are innumerable. Joel 2:10-11.
I will encamp about My house because of the army, Zechariah 9:8.
God has scattered the bones of those encamping against thee, because God has rejected them. Psalms 53:5; [H.B. 6].
The angel of Jehovah encamps around those fearing Him, and delivers them. Psalms 34:7; [H.B. 8].
The angels of God were meeting Jacob, and Jacob said, This is God's camp, therefore he called the name of the place Mahanaim (the two camps). Genesis 32:1-2 [H.B. 2-3]; besides elsewhere, as Isaiah 29:3; Ezekiel 1:24; Psalms 27:3. That by 'an army' in the Word are signified the truths and goods of the Church, also its untruths and evils, may be seen (447, 826, 833); therefore [this] also [is signified] by 'a camp.
[2] Since by 'the sons of Israel' and their twelve tribes is signified the Church as to all its truths and goods (349-350) those tribes were called 'the armies of Jehovah' (Exodus 7:4; 12:41, 51), and where they used to halt assembled together they were called 'the camp' (as in Leviticus 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Numbers 1; 2; 3; 4:5; 5:2-4; 9:17-23; 10:1-28; 11:31-32; 12:14-15; 21:10-15; 33:1-49; Deuteronomy 23:9-14 [H.B. 10-15]; Amos 4:10). From these considerations it is now plain that by 'they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city' is signified that they would endeavour to destroy all the truths and goods of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, and also its doctrine concerning the Lord and concerning Life. A similar thing is signified by these words in Luke:
When you shall see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know that the devastation is near: at length Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations shall be fulfilled. Luke 21:20, 24.
These things are concerning the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the Church. By 'Jerusalem' here also is signified the Church. That 'Gog and Magog,' that is, those who are in external worship separate from internal worship, are then going to invade the Church and endeavour to destroy it is said also in Ezekiel 38:8-9, 11-12, 15-16; 39:2, and that then there will be the New Church from the Lord (Ezekiel 39:17-29).
862. It was said that by "they encompassed the camp of the saints and the beloved city," is signified that they would endeavor to destroy all things of the New Church, both its truths and its goods, and the doctrine itself concerning the Lord and concerning life, as is said in the preceding article. The reason why these are signified, is, because by "the camp of the saints" are signified all the truths and goods of the church which is the New Jerusalem. That "a camp" in the spiritual sense signifies all things of the church which have relation to its truths and goods may appear from the following passages:
The sun and moon were blackened, and the stars withdrew their shining; Jehovah uttered His voice before His army; for His camp is very great, for numberless are they that do His Word, (Joel 2:10-11).
I will encamp about my house because of the army, (Zechariah 9:8).
God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, because God hath rejected them, (Psalms 53:5).
The angel of Jehovah encampeth about them that fear Him, and delivereth them, (Psalms 34:7).
The angels of God met Jacob, and Jacob said, This is God's camp, therefore he called the name of that place Mahanaim (the two camps) (Genesis 32:2).
Besides other places, as Isaiah 29:3; Ezekiel 1:24; Psalms 27:3. That by "an army" in the Word are signified the truths and goods of the church, also its falsities and evils, may be seen, (447, 826, 833); the same is also signified by "camps."
[2] Since by the sons of Israel, and their twelve tribes, is signified the church as to all its truths and goods, (349-350), they were therefore called "the army of Jehovah" (Exodus 7:4; 12:41, 51); and when they halted and were assembled, they were called "the camp" (as in Leviticus 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Numbers 1:1-2; 4:5, seq. ; 5:3-4; 9:17-23; 10:3-8; 11:31-32; 12:14-15; 21:10-25; 33:3-49; Deuteronomy 23:9-14; Amos 4:10). From these things it is plain, that by "they encompassed the camp of the saints and the beloved city," is signified that they would endeavor to destroy all the truths and goods of the New Church which is the New Jerusalem, and also its doctrine concerning the Lord and concerning life. The like is signified by this passage in Luke:
When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know that the devastation is near; at length Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations shall be fulfilled, (Luke 21:20, 24).
This is concerning the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the church; by "Jerusalem" is here also signified the church. That "Gog and Magog," that is, they who are in external worship separated from internal worship, will then invade the church, and endeavor to destroy it, is also said in Ezekiel 38:8-9, 11-12, 15-16; 39:2; and that then there will be a New Church from the Lord, (39:17-29, to the end).
862. Dictum est quod per "circumdederunt castra sanctorum et urbem dilectam" significetur quod conarentur destruere omnia Ecclesiae Novae, tam vera quam bona ejus, et ipsam doctrinam ejus de Domino et de Vita (ut in antecedente articulo dictum est); quod illa significentur, est quia per "castra sanctorum" significantur omnia vera et bona Ecclesiae, quae est Nova Hierosolyma. Quod castra In spirituali sensu significent omnia Ecclesiae, quae se referunt ad vera et bona ejus, constare potest ex his locis:
"Sol et Luna atrati sunt, et stellae contraxerunt splendorem; Jehovah dedit vocem coram exercitu Suo, quia multa valde Castra Ipsius, quia innumerus faciens Verbum Ipsius," (Joel 2:10-11);
"Castrametabor ad Domum Meam de Exercitu," (Sacharias 9:8);
"Deus dispersit ossa Castrametantium contra te, 1quia Deus rejecit illos," (Psalm 53:6 (B.A. 5));
"Castrametatur Angelus Jehovae circa timentes Ipsum, et liberat eos," (Psalm 34:8 (B.A. 7));
Occurrebant Jacobo Angeli Dei, et dixit Jacob, "Castra Dei haec; ideo vocavit Nomen loci istius Machanaim" (Castra bina) (Genesis 32:2). 2
(Praeter alibi, ut Esaias 29:3; Ezechiel 1:24; Psalm 27:3).
Quod per "exercitus" in Verbo significentur vera et bona Ecclesiae, tum falsa et mala ejus, videatur 447, 826, 833; inde etiam per "castra." Quoniam per Filios 3Israelis ac duodecim Tribus eorum significatur Ecclesia quoad omnia vera et bona ejus (349, 350), quare illi vocabantur "Exercitus Jehovae," (Exodus 7:4; 12:41, 51);
et ubi congregati consedebant vocabantur "Castra" (ut Leviticus 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 414:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Numeri 1; 2; 3; 4:5, 5seq.; 5:2-4; 69:17 ad fin; 10:2-28; 711:31-32; 12:14-15; 21:10-25; 833:1-49; 9Deuteronomius 23:10-15 (B.A. 9-14); Amos 4:10).
Ex his nunc patet quod per "circumdederunt castra sanctorum, et urbem dilectam," significetur quod conarentur destruere omnia vera et bona Ecclesiae novae, quae est Nova Hierosolyma, et quoque doctrinam ejus de Domino et de Vita. Simile significatur per haec apud Lucam:
"Quando videritis circumdatam ab Exercitibus Hierosolymam, tunc scite quod prope sit devastatio: tandem erit Hierosolyma conculcata a gentibus, usque dum implebuntur tempora gentium," (21:20, 24);
haec de consummatione saeculi, quae est ultimum tempus Ecclesiae; per "Hierosolymam" etiam hic significatur Ecclesia. Quod "Gog et Magog," hoc est, illi qui in Cultu externo separato a cultu interno sunt, tunc invasuri sint Ecclesiam, et conaturi destruere illam, dicitur etiam apud Ezechielem 38:8-9, 11-12, 15-16; 39:2;
et quod tunc Nova Ecclesia a Domino, (39:17 ad fin.). 10
Footnotes:
1. te pro "me"
2. 2 pro "2, 3"
3. Filios pro "Filio"
4. xiii. pro "xii."
5. 5 pro "4"
6. 2-4 pro "2 ad 20"
7. 2-28 pro "1 ad 11, 29"
8. 21:10-25 pro "19:19 ad 25"
9. 1-49 pro "2 ad 58"
10. 17 pro "16"