943.“圣先知的主神差遣祂的使者，将那必要快成的事指示祂仆人”表新旧约圣言所来自的主已通过天堂向那些处于来自祂的真理之人揭示了那将来必定发生的事。“圣先知的主神”表示新旧约圣言所来自的主，因为“先知”表示那些通过圣言教导真理的人，在抽象意义上表示教会真理教义（8，173节）；在广泛意义上则表示圣言本身；“圣先知”因表示圣言，故表示新旧约圣言。“主神差遣祂的使者，将那必要快成的事指示祂仆人”表示主已向那些处于来自祂的真理之人揭示了那将来必定发生的事；“使者”（angel或天使）在此表示天堂，如前所述（5，65，644，647，648，910节）；“仆人”表示那些处于来自主的真理之人（3，380，937节）；“快”表示必定（4节），故“必要快成的事”表示将来必定发生的事。
“使者”在此之所以表示天堂，是因为主通过天堂向约翰说话，还通过天堂向众先知说话，并通过天堂向祂与之说话的每个人说话。原因在于，天使天堂总体上如同一个人，其灵魂和生命就是主；所以，主所说的一切话，都是通过天堂说的，犹如人的灵魂与心智通过他的身体说话。在一体中的整个天使天堂类似一个人，这是源于主；这一点可见于前文（5节），以及1758年于伦敦出版的《天堂与地狱》（59-86节），《圣治》（64-69，162-164，201-204节）和《圣爱与圣智》（11，19，133，288节）。
不过，我要解释一下这个秘密。主通过天堂说话，但仍然不是那里的天使说话，他们甚至不知道主说了什么，除非主通过天堂公开说话所借助的其中一些天使与此人同在，如与约翰和其中一些先知同在的天使。因为主的流注经由天堂而来，就像灵魂的流注经由身体而来一样。诚然，身体说话和行动，也感觉到来自流注的某种东西，但身体仍不能貌似出于自己凭自己做任何事，只是被作用。我通过大量经历得以知道，言语，甚至经由天堂而在人里面的主的一切流注也是如此。天上的天使，以及众天堂之下的灵人对世人一无所知，正如世人对他们一无所知；因为灵人和天使的状态是属灵的，世人的状态是属世的，这两种状态唯独通过对应相联系，通过对应相联的确使他们在情感上在一起，但在思维上并不在一起；所以，一方不知另一方的任何事，也就是说，世人不知道与他在情感上相联的灵人的任何事，而灵人也不知道世人的任何事，因为凡不在思维中，只在情感中的，都不为人所知，因为它没有显现，也看不到。唯独主知道人的思维。
943. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. This symbolically means that the Lord who gave the Word contained in both Testaments has revealed through heaven to people who possess truths from Him what must surely come to pass.
The Lord God of the holy prophets symbolizes the Lord who gave the Word contained in both Testaments, for prophets symbolize people who teach truths from the Word, in an abstract sense the church's doctrinal truth (nos. 8, 173), and in a broad sense the Word itself. Moreover, because the holy prophets symbolize the Word, therefore they symbolize the Word contained in both Testaments.
The Lord God's sending an angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place means, symbolically, that the Lord has revealed to people who possess truths from Him what must surely come to pass. The angel here symbolizes heaven, as in nos. 5, 65, 644, 647, 648, 910 above. His servants symbolize people who possess truths from the Lord (nos. 3, 380, 937). And shortly symbolically means surely (no. 4). Thus the things which must shortly take place mean things which must surely come to pass.
[2] The angel here symbolizes heaven because the Lord spoke with John through heaven, and He spoke with the prophets also through heaven. He speaks through heaven with everyone with whom He speaks. That is because the angelic heaven in general is like a single individual, whose soul and life is the Lord. Consequently everything the Lord says is uttered by Him through heaven, as everything a person's soul and mind say is uttered through the body.
That the whole angelic heaven in its entirety resembles a single individual, and that this is owing to the Lord, may be seen in nos. 5 above, and in the book Heaven and Hell (London, 1758), nos. 59 - 86. See also Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Providence, nos. 64-69 , 162-164, 201-204, and Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom, nos. 11 , 19, 133, 288.
[3] But I will explain this mystery. The Lord speaks through heaven, yet it is not the angels there who speak, who do not even know what the Lord is saying. Only some of them know - those who are with the person with whom the Lord is noticeably speaking from heaven, as He did with John and some of the prophets. For the influx of the Lord through heaven is like the influx of the soul through the body. It is the body, indeed, that speaks and acts, and that also senses something of the influx, yet the body does nothing of itself as though on its own, but is impelled to act. Such is the case with the Lord's speaking with a person, indeed with all of the Lord's influx through heaven. This I have been given to know from much empirical observation.
Angels in heaven, as well as spirits beneath the heavens, know nothing of a person, just as a person knows nothing of them, because the state of spirits and angels is a spiritual one, while that of people is a natural one. These two states are affiliated only through correspondences, and affiliation through correspondences causes them to be present together in affections, but not as regards thoughts. Consequently one knows nothing of the other. That is to say, a person knows nothing of the spirits with whom he is affiliated as to his affections, and the spirits know nothing of the person. For what is not present in a person's thought, but only in his affection, is unknown, because it is not apparent and not seen.
The Lord alone knows people's thoughts.
943. 'And the Lord God of the holy prophets has sent His angel to show unto His servants the things that must be done quickly' signifies that the Lord, from Whom is derived the Word of both covenants, has revealed through heaven to those who are in truths derived from Himself the things that are certainly going to be. 'The Lord God of the holy prophets' signifies the Lord from Whom is derived the Word of both covenants; for by 'the prophets' are signified those who teach truths out of the Word, and in the abstract sense the Church's doctrine of truth (8, 173); and in a wide sense the Word itself. And because the Word is signified by 'the holy prophets,' therefore by them is signified the Word of both covenants. 'He has sent His angel to show unto His servants the things that must be done quickly' signifies that the Lord has revealed to those who are in truths derived from Himself the things that are certainly going to be.
[2] By the 'angel' here is signified heaven, as above (5, 65, 644, 647-648, 910); by 'servants' are signified those who are in truths from the Lord (3, 380, 937); by 'quickly' is signified certainly (4); consequently by 'the things that must be done quickly' is signified that are certainly going to be. The reason why by the 'angel' here is signified heaven is because the Lord spoke through heaven with John, and He also spoke through heaven with the prophets, and He, speaks through heaven when He speaks with every individual. This is because the angelic heaven in general is like One Man, whose soul and life is the Lord; and therefore everything that the Lord speaks He speaks through heaven, just as a man's soul and mind speaks through his body. That the entire angelic heaven as one whole resembles one Man, and that this is derived from the Lord, may be seen above (5), and in the work, published at London, 1758, concerning HEAVEN AND HELL 59-86. Also in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE PROVIDENCE 64-69, 162-164, 201-204, and in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM 11, 19, 133, 288.
[3] But I will declare this mystery. The Lord speaks through heaven, but still the angels there do not speak, neither do they know at all what the Lord is speaking; unless some of them by means of whom the Lord speaks out of heaven openly are with the man, as with John and some of the prophets. For the Lord's influx is through heaven, just as the influx of the soul is through the body. The body indeed speaks and acts and also feels something as the result of the influx, but yet the body does not do anything of itself as derived from itself, but is acted upon. It has been given [me] to know from much experience that the speech, in fact all the influx of the Lord, through heaven with men, is like that. The angels of heaven, and also the spirits below the heavens, know nothing about the man, just as the man does not know anything about them, because the state of spirits and angels is spiritual, and that of men is natural. These two states are associated together solely by means of correspondences, and association by means of correspondences causes them to be together in affections but not in thoughts; and therefore the one does not know anything about the other, that is, the man does not know about the spirits with whom he is as to affections, nor do the spirits know about the man, for what is not in thought but only in affection is not known, because it does not appear nor is it seen. Only the Lord knows the thoughts of men.
943. And the Lord God of the holy prophets hath sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must be done quickly, signifies that the Lord, from whom is the Word of both covenants, has revealed through heaven unto those who are in truths from Him, the things which will certainly come to pass. "The Lord God of the holy prophets," signifies the Lord, from whom is the Word of both covenants, for by "the prophets" are signified they who teach truths from the Word, and, in the abstract sense, the doctrine of the truth of the church, (8, 173); and in a wide sense, the Word itself; and because the Word is signified by "the holy prophets," therefore by them is signified the Word of both covenants. "He hath sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must be done quickly," signifies that the Lord has revealed to those who are in truths from Him, the things which will certainly come to pass; by "an angel" is here signified heaven, as above, (5, 65, 644, 647, 648, 910); by "servants" are signified they who are in truths from the Lord, (3[1-3], 380, 937); by "quickly" is signified certainly, (4); therefore, by "the things which must be done quickly" is signified which will certainly come to pass.
[2] The reason why by "an angel" is here signified heaven, is, because the Lord spoke with John through heaven, and through heaven He also spoke with the prophets, and through heaven He speaks with everyone with whom He speaks. The reason is that the angelic heaven in general is as one man, whose soul and life is the Lord; wherefore all that the Lord speaks He speaks through heaven, just as the soul and mind of man speak through his body. That the whole angelic heaven in one complex relates to one man, and that this is from the Lord, may be seen above, (5), and in the work on Heaven and Hell, published at London, 1758 (59-86), and in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, (64-69, 162-164, 201-204), and in Divine Love and Wisdom, (11, 19, 133, 288).
[3] But I will explain this mystery; the Lord speaks through heaven, but still the angels there do not speak, nor do they indeed know what the Lord speaks, unless some of them are with the man through whom the Lord speaks openly from heaven, as with John and some of the prophets; for there is an influx of the Lord through heaven, just as there is an influx of the soul through the body. The body indeed speaks and acts, and also feels something from influx, but still the body does nothing from itself as from itself, but is acted upon. That such is the speech, yea, all the influx of the Lord through heaven with men, has been given me to know from much experience. The angels of heaven, and also the spirits under the heavens, know nothing concerning man, as man knows nothing concerning them; because the state of spirits and angels is spiritual, and the state of men is natural, which two states are consociated solely by correspondences, and consociation by correspondences does indeed cause them to be together in affections, but not in thoughts; wherefore one does not know anything of the other, that is, man does not know anything of the spirits with whom he is consociated as to affections, nor do spirits know anything of man, for that which is not in the thought, but only in the affection, is not known, because it does not appear nor is it seen. The Lord alone knows the thoughts of men.
943. "Et Dominus Deus sanctorum Prophetarum misit Angelum Suum ad monstrandum servis Suis quae oportet fieri cito," significat quod Dominus, ex Quo est Verbum utriusque Foederis, per Caelum revelaverit illis, qui in veris ex Ipso sunt, illa quae certe futura sunt.-" Dominus Deus sanctorum Prophetarum" significat Dominum ex Quo est Verbum utriusque Foederis, per "prophetas" enim significantur qui docent vera ex Verbo, et in sensu abstracto doctrina veri Ecclesiae (8, 173), et in lato sensu ipsum Verbum; et quia Verbum per "sanctos prophetas" significatur, ideo per illos significatur Verbum utriusque Foederis; "misit Angelum ad monstrandum servis Suis quae oportet fieri cito" significat quod Dominus revelaverit, illis qui in veris ex Ipso sunt, illa quae certe futura sunt; per "Angelum" hic significatur Caelum, ut supra (5, 65, 644, 647, 648, 910); 1per "servos" significantur qui in veris a Domino sunt (3, 380, 937); per "cito" significatur certe (4); inde per "quae oportet fieri cito" significatur quae certe futura sunt. Quod per "Angelum" hic significetur Caelum, est quia Dominus per Caelum locutus est cum Johanne, et quoque per Caelum locutus est cum Prophetis, et per Caelum loquitur cum unoquovis cum quo loquitur: causa est quia Caelum angelicum in communi est sicut unus Homo, cujus anima et vita est Dominus; quare omne quod Dominus loquitur, per Caelum loquitur, sicut anima et mens hominis per suum corpus. Quod universum Caelum angelicum in uno complexu referat unum Hominem, et quod hoc sit ex Domino, videatur supra (5), et in Opere de Caelo et Inferno, Londini 1758 edito (59-86); et in Sapientia Angelica de Divina Providentia 64-69, 162-164, 201-204, et in Sapientia Angelica de Divino Amore et Divina Sapientia 11, 19, 133, 288. Sed dicam mysterium hoc: Dominus loquitur per Caelum, sed usque non loquuntur Angeli ibi, qui ne quidem sciunt quid Dominus loquitur, nisi aliqui ex illis sint apud hominem, per quos Dominus ex Caelo aperte loquitur, ut cum Johanne et cum aliquibus Prophetis: est enim influxus Domini per Caelum, sicut est influxus animae per corpus. Corpus quidem loquitur et agit, et quoque sentit aliquid ex influxu, sed usque corpus non agit quicquam ex se ut ex se, sed agitur. Quod talis sit loquela, imo omnis influxus Domini per Caelum apud homines, a multa experientia scire datum est. Angeli Caeli, et quoque spiritus infra Caelos, nihil sciunt de homine, sicut nec homo de illis; quia status spirituum et angelorum est spiritualis, et hominum est naturalis, qui bini status unice consociantur per correspondentias; et consociatio per correspondentias facit quidem ut simul sint in affectionibus, sed non in cogitationibus; quare non unus scit aliquid de altero, hoc est, non homo de spiritibus cum quibus est quoad affectiones, nec spiritus de homine; nam quod non in cogitatione est, sed solum in affectione, non scitur, quia non apparet seu videtur. Solus Dominus novit cogitationes hominum.
Footnotes:
1. 5 pro "8" et 65 pro "66"