945.启22:8.“这些事是我约翰所看见、所听见的；我既听见、看见了，就在指示我这些事的天使脚前俯伏敬拜”表约翰以为主所差给他、把他保守在灵的状态中的这位天使就是那揭示这些事的神；其实并不是，因为这天使仅指示主所显明的。显然，约翰以为所差给他的这位天使就是神自己，因为经上说他在这天使脚前俯伏要拜他；但从下一节明显可知，事实并非如此，因为下一节这天使说他与约翰同是作仆人的，并说“你要敬拜神”；这天使是主差给约翰的，这一点从16节经文明显看出来，那里有这些话：“我耶稣差遣我的使者在众教会将这些事向你们证明”。不过，这些话里面所隐藏的奥秘就在于此：主差了一位天使给约翰，好叫天使将约翰保守在灵的状态，并在此状态下向他指示他所看见的事。因为约翰所看到的，不是以肉眼看到的，而是以灵眼看到的；这一点从他说他在“灵里”和“异象”的经文（启示录1:10；9:17；17:3；21:10）明显看出来；凡他说“他看见”的地方都是如此；没有人能进入并被保守在这种状态中，除非通过紧紧依附他的天使，是天使将他们自己的属灵状态引至其心智的内层，因为人就是这样被提升到天堂之光中，在这光中所看到的是天上的事物，而非世上的事物。
以西结、撒迦利亚、但以理和其他先知有时也处于类似状态；但不是在他们说出圣言的时候；因为这时，他们不是在灵里，而是在肉身中，所听到的话乃是他们从耶和华自己，也就是主那里写下来的。务必仔细区分先知的这两种状态。先知本人也仔细区分它们；因为他们从耶和华那里写圣言时，处处都说：耶和华与他们说话，耶和华对他们说，并且经常是耶和华说：“这是耶和华说的”；但他们处于其它状态时，则说“他们在灵里”或“在异象中”。这一点从以下经文明显看出来，在以西结书，经上说：
灵将我举起，在神的异象将我带进迦勒底地，到被掳的人那里；我所见的异象就离我上升去了。（以西结书11:1，24）
以西结说：
灵将他举起，他听到身后有地震等等。（以西结书3:12，14）
还有：
灵还将他举到天地之间，在神的异象中带他到耶路撒冷，在那里见到可憎之事。（以西结书8:3等）
因此，在神的异象或灵里：
他看见四个活物，就是基路伯。（以西结书1和10章）
还看见新殿和新地，并丈量它们的一位天使。（以西结书40-48章）
他在以西结书（40:2）说，那时他在“神的异象”；灵将他举起（以西结书43:5）。
撒迦利亚也一样：
有天使与他同在，那时他看见番石榴树中间骑马的人。（撒迦利亚书1:8等）
看见四角，又看见一人手拿准绳。（撒迦利亚书1:18；2:1，5）
看见大祭司约书亚。（撒迦利亚书3:1等）
看见灯台和两棵橄榄树。（撒迦利亚书4:1等）
看见四辆车从两山中间出来，还有马。（撒迦利亚书6:1等）
但以理也是同样的状态下看见：
从海中上来的四个大兽。（但以理书7:1等）
公绵羊和公山羊的争斗。（但以理书8:1等）
我们相关章节（但以理书7:1-2，7，13；8:2；10:1，7-8）读到，他是在“异象”中看到这些事物的；他还在异象中看见天使加百利，并且加百列与他说话（但以理书9:21）。约翰在看到他所描述的事物时，也是如此，如他看见七灯台中间的人子；看见天上的会幕、圣殿、约柜和祭坛；龙，以及龙与米迦勒的争战，兽，坐在朱红色兽上的妇人；新天和新地，圣耶路撒冷及其城墙、城门和根基等等。这些事物是主所揭示的，但由天使指示给约翰。
945. 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. This means that John supposed that the angel sent to him by the Lord to keep him in a state of the spirit was the God who revealed these things, when in fact that was not the case, as the angel only showed him what the Lord presented.
Clearly John supposed that the angel sent to him was the Lord Himself, for we are told that he fell down to worship before the angel's feet. But that it was not as he supposed is apparent from the next verse, in which the angel tells him that he is his fellow servant: "Worship God." That the angel was sent to John by the Lord is apparent from verse 16, which says, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches."
But behind this lies the following secret: The Lord sent the angel to John in order to keep him in a state of the spirit and to show him in that state the visions he saw. For whatever John saw, he saw not with the eyes of his body, but with the eyes of his spirit, as can be seen from the passages in which he says that he was in the spirit and seeing a vision (Revelation 1:10; 9:17; 17:3; 21:10), thus everywhere that he says "he saw." And a person can enter that state and be kept in it only by angels who are closely attached to the person, who induce their own spiritual state on the interiors of his mind. For this raises the person into the light of heaven, and in that light he sees sights in heaven and not in the world.
[2] Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, and other prophets were at times in the same state, but not when they spoke the Word. When they spoke the Word they were not in the spirit, but conscious in the body, and the words they wrote they heard from Jehovah Himself, that is, from the Lord.
These two states experienced by the prophets must be properly distinguished. The prophets themselves also properly distinguished them, for they everywhere say when they wrote the Word from Jehovah that Jehovah spoke with them and to them, and most often, "Thus says Jehovah," or "the word of Jehovah." However, when they were in the other state, they say that they were in the spirit or seeing in a vision, as can be seen from the following: (Ezekiel said,) "The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision... of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. So the vision that I saw went up upon me." (Ezekiel 11:1, 24)
Ezekiel says that the spirit lifted him up and that he heard behind him an earthquake, among other things (Ezekiel 3:12, 14). Also that the spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven, and brought him in visions of God to Jerusalem, where he saw abominations (Ezekiel 8:3ff.). Therefore he was also seeing in a vision of God or in the spirit when he saw four living creatures, which were cherubim (Ezekiel 1 and 10). And when he saw a new temple and a new land, and an angel measuring them (Ezekiel 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48). He says that he was then seeing in the visions of God (Ezekiel 40:2), and that the spirit lifted him up (Ezekiel 43:5).
[3] It was the same with Zechariah, who had an angel with him at the time when he saw a man riding among the myrtle trees (Zechariah 1:8ff.). When he saw the four horns, and then the man with a measuring line in his hand (Zechariah 1:18; 2:1ff.). When he saw Joshua, the high priest (Zechariah 3:1ff.). When he saw the lampstand and two olive trees (Zechariah 4:1ff.). When he saw the flying scroll and the ephah (Zechariah 5:1, 6). And when he saw the four chariots and their horses coming from between two mountains (Zechariah 6:1ff.).
Daniel was in the same state when he saw four beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:1ff.), and when he saw the combat of the ram and the male goat (Daniel 8:1ff.). That he saw these sights in visions is said in Daniel 7:1-2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7-8. Moreover, that he saw the angel Gabriel and spoke with him in a vision (Daniel 9:21).
It was the same with John when he saw the sights he described, as when he saw the Son of Man in the midst of the seven lampstands; when he saw the tabernacle, 1the temple, 2the ark, 3and the altar 4in heaven; the dragon and its combat with Michael; 5the beasts; 6the woman sitting on the scarlet beast; 7the new heaven and new earth, and the holy Jerusalem with its wall, gates, and foundations; 8and more.
These sights were revealed by the Lord, but shown by an angel.
Footnotes:
1. Revelation 15:5.
2. Revelation 11:1-2, 19; 14:15, 17; 15:5-6, 8; 16:1, 17.
3. Revelation 11:19.
4. Revelation 6:9; 8:3, 5; 9:13; 11:1; 14:18; 16:7.
5. Revelation 12:7.
6. Revelation 13.
8. Revelation 21,22
945. [verse 8] 'And it was I, John, seeing and hearing these things, and when I heard and saw I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who was showing me these things' signifies that John supposed that the angel, who was sent by the Lord to him that he might be kept in a state of the spirit, was God Who revealed those things, when yet it was not so, for the angel was only showing what the Lord made manifest. That John supposed that the angel who was sent to him was God Himself is plain, for it is said that he fell down to adore at his feet; but that this was not the case is plain from the verse following, where the angel says that he was a fellow-servant of his, 'Adore God.' That that angel had been sent to him by God is plain from verse i6, where are these words:
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches.
But the arcanum that lies hidden in them is this: an angel was sent by the Lord to John that he might be kept in a state of the spirit, and that in that state he might show him the things that he saw; for whatever John saw he did not see with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the spirit, as can be established from the places where he declares himself to have been 'in the spirit' and 'in a vision' (chapter 1:10; 9:17; 17:3; 21:10), thus everywhere that he declares himself to have 'seen And no one can come into that state and be kept in it except by means of the angels who are closely adjoined to a man, who induce their own spiritual state on the interiors of his mind, for this is how a man is raised up into the light of heaven, and in that light sees the things that are in heaven and does not see those that are in the world.
[2] At one time or another Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel and others of the prophets have been in a similar state; but not when they spoke the Word. Then they were not in the spirit but in the body, and from Jehovah Himself, that is, the Lord, they heard the words that they wrote. Those two states of the prophets are to be carefully distinguished. The prophets themselves make a careful distinction, for everywhere when they have written the Word from Jehovah. they say that Jehovah spoke with them and to them, and very often, 'Jehovah said,' 'the saying of Jehovah.' But when they were in the other state they say that they have been 'in the spirit' or 'in a vision,' as can be established from these statements. EZEKIEL said:
The spirit lifted me up, and brought me back into Chaldea to the captivity in a vision of God. So the vision that I saw went up upon me. Ezekiel 11:1, 24.
He says that:
The spirit lifted him up, and he heard behind him an earthquake, and other things. Ezekiel 3:12, 14.
Also that:
The spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven and led him away into Jerusalem in the visions of God, and he saw abominations. Ezekiel 8:3 seq.; and therefore in like manner 'in a vision of God' or 'in the spirit':
He saw four animals, which were cherubs, Ezekiel 1 and Ezekiel 10.
Also a new temple and a new land, and an angel measuring them; which is treated of in chapters xl-xlviii. That he was then 'in the visions of God' is stated (chapter 40:2), also that 'the spirit lifted him up' (chapter 43:5). Much the same took place with ZECHARIAH:
In whom there was an angel when he saw the man riding among the myrtle trees, 1:8 seq.
When he saw four horns, and then a man in whose hand was a measuring line, 1:18; 2:1 seq. [H.B 2:1, 5 seq.].
When he saw Joshua the high priest, 3:1 seq.
When he saw a lampstand and two olive trees, 4:1 seq.
When he saw a flying roll and an ephah, 5:1, 6.
And when he saw four chariots coming out between two mountains, also horses, 6:1 seq.
DANIEL was in a similar state:
When he saw four beasts coming up out of the sea. And when he saw a fight of a ram and a he-goat 7 seq. 8 seq.
That he saw these things 'in visions' we read in chapter 7:1-2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7-8; and that:
The angel Gabriel was seen by him in a vision, and he spoke with him. 9:21.
A similar thing happened with JOHN when he saw the things that he has described, as when he saw:
The Son of Man in the midst of seven lampstands;
The tabernacle, the temple, the ark, and the altar, in heaven;
The dragon and his fight with Michael;
The beasts;
The woman sitting upon the scarlet beast;
The new heaven and the new land, and the holy city with its wall, foundations and gates, and more.
These things were revealed by the Lord, but shown by means of an angel.
945. Verse 8. And I John saw these things and heard them. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who showed me these things, signifies that John thought that the angel who was sent to him by the Lord, to keep him in a state of the spirit, was God who revealed these things, when nevertheless it was not so; for the angel only showed what the Lord made manifest. That John thought that the angel who was sent to him, was God Himself, is evident; for it is said, that he fell down to adore him at his feet; but that this was not the case, appears from the next verse, where the angel says that he was his fellow-servant, "adore God;" that the angel was sent to him by the Lord, appears from verse 16, where are these words, "I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." But the arcanum that lies hid in these words is this: an angel was sent by the Lord to John, that he might be kept in a state of the spirit, and in that state he might show him the things which he saw. For what John saw, he did not see with the eyes of his body, but with the eyes of his spirit, as may appear from the passages where he says he was "in the spirit" and "in vision" (Revelation 1:10; 9:17; 17:3; 21:10); thus everywhere when he says "he saw;" and no one can come into that state, and be kept in it, but by angels, who are closely adjoined to man, and who induce their spiritual state on the interiors of his mind, for thus man is elevated into the light of heaven, and in that light he sees the things which are in heaven, and not those which are in the world.
[2] In a similar state at times were Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, and others of the prophets; but not when they spoke the Word; for then they were not in the spirit but in the body, and heard the words which they wrote from Jehovah Himself, that is, from the Lord. These two states of the prophets ought carefully to be distinguished. The prophets themselves carefully distinguished them; for they say everywhere when they wrote the Word from Jehovah, that Jehovah spoke with them and to them, and very often Jehovah said, "the saying of Jehovah;" but when they were in the other state, they say that "they were in the spirit" or "in vision," as may appear from the following passages. It is said in Ezekiel:
The spirit lifted me up, and brought me in a vision of God, into Chaldea to the captivity; so the vision that I saw went up upon me, (11:1, 24).
He says that:
The spirit lifted him up, and he heard behind him an earthquake, and other things, (3:12, 14).
Also that:
The spirit lifted him up between heaven and earth, and brought him in the visions of God to Jerusalem, and he saw abominations, (8:3).
Wherefore in like manner in a vision of God or in the spirit:
He saw four animals which were cherubs, (1:10).
Also a new temple and a new earth, and an angel measuring them (chapters 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48).
That he was then in "the visions of God," he says in chapter 40:2; and that the spirit lifted him up (43).
[3] It was the same with Zechariah:
With whom there was an angel, when he saw a man riding among the myrtle trees, (1:8).
When he saw the four horns, and then a man in whose hand was a measuring line, (1:18; 2:1).
When he saw Joshua the high priest, (3:1).
When he saw the lampstand and the two olive trees, (4:1).
When he saw the flying roll and ephah, (5:1, 6).
And when he saw the four chariots going out from between two mountains, and horses, (6:1)
In a similar state was Daniel:
When he saw four beasts going up out of the sea, (7:1 seq.).
And when he saw the battle of the ram and the he-goat, (8:1.
That he saw these things "in visions," we read in chapters 7:1-2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7-8); and that:
The angel Gabriel was seen by him in a vision, and spoke with him, (9:21).
It was the same with John when he saw the things which he has described, as when he saw the Son of man in the midst of the seven lampstands; the tabernacle, the temple, ark, and altar in heaven; the dragon and his combat with Michael, the beasts, the woman sitting on the scarlet beast; the New Heaven and the New Earth, and the holy Jerusalem with its wall, gates, and foundations, and more. These things were revealed by the Lord, but were shown by the angel.
945. (Vers. 8.) "Et ego Johannes videns haec et audiens; at cum audivi et vidi, procidi adorare ante pedes Angeli, qui monstrabat mihi haec," significat quod Johannes opinatus sit quod Angelus qui a Domino missus est ad illum, ut in statu spiritus teneretur, esset Deus Qui revelavit illa, cum tamen non ita erat; Angelus enim solum monstrabat quod Dominus manifestavit. - Quod Johannes opinatus sit quod Angelus qui ad illum missus et, foret Ipse Deus, patet; nam dicitur, quod prociderit adorare ad pedes ejus; quod autem non ita esset, patet a versu sequente, ubi Angelus dicit quod conservus illius esset, "Deum adora;" quod Angelus ille a Domino ad illum missus fuerit, patet a vers. 16, ubi haec, "Ego Jesus misi Angelum Meum testari vobis haec in Ecclesiis." Sed arcanum quod in his latet, est hoc: Angelus a Domino ad Johannem missus est, ut teneretur in statu spiritus, et in illo statu monstraret illi quae vidit; nam quicquid Johannes vidit non oculis corporis vidit, sed oculis spiritus, ut constare potest a locis ubi dicit se fuisse "in spiritu" et "in visione," (1:10; 9:17; 17:3; 21:10); ita ubivis ubi dicit se "vidisse;" et in illum statum non potest aliquis venire, et in illo teneri, nisi per Angelos qui prope adjunguntur homini, qui statum suum spiritualem indunt interioribus mentis ejus; sic enim homo elevatur in lucem Caeli, et in illa videt quae in Caelo sunt, et non quae in Mundo. In simili statu fuerunt quandoque Ezechiel, Sacharias, Daniel, et alii Prophetae: non autem cum locuti sunt Verbum; tunc non in spiritu sed in corpore erant, et ab Ipso Jehovah, hoc est, Domino, audiverunt verba quae scripserunt. Illi bini status Prophetarum probe distinguendi sunt; ipsi Prophetae etiam probe distinguunt, nam dicunt ubivis cum a Jehovah scripserunt Verbum, quod Jehovah locutus sit cum illis et ad illos; et saepissime, "Dixit Jehovah," "Dictum Jehovae:" at cum in altero statu fuerunt, dicunt quod "in spiritu" fuerint aut "in visione," ut constare potest ex his: Dixit Ezechiel,
"Spiritus sustulit me, et reduxit me in Chaldaeam ad captivitatem in Visione Dei; ita ascendit super me visio, quam vidi," ((Ezech.) 11:1, 24);
Dicit quod sustulerit illum Spiritus, et audiverit post se terrae motum, et alia, (3:12, 14);
Tum, quod sustulerit eum Spiritus inter Terram et Caelum, et abduxerit in Hierosolymam in Visionibus Dei, et viderit abominationes, (8:3, seq.);
quare similiter in visione Dei seu spiritu,
Vidit quatuor Animalia, quae erant Cherubi, (1 et 10);
Tum novum Templum et novam Terram, et Angelum metientem illa (de quibus, cap. 40-48);
quod tunc fuerit "in visionibus Dei," dicit 40:2; et quod sustulerit illum Spiritus, 43:5. Simile factum est cum Sacharia,
In quo tunc Angelus fuit, cum vidit Virum equitantem inter myrtos, (Sacharias 1:8, seq.);
Cum vidit quatuor Cornua, et dein Virum in cujus manu funiculus mensurae, (2:1, 5, seq. (B.A. 1:18; 2:10)).
Cum vidit Joschuam Sacerdotem magnum, (3:1, seq.);
Cum vidit Candelabrum et duas Oleas, (4:1, seq.);
Cum vidit Volumen volans et Epham, (5:1, 6);
Et cum vidit quatuor Currus exeuntes inter duos montes, et Equos, (6:1, seq.).
In simili statu fuit Daniel,
Cum vidit quatuor Bestias ascendentes e mari, (7:1, 1seq.);
Et cum vidit pugnas Arietis et Hirci, (Daniel 8:1, seq.);
quod viderit illa "in visionibus," legitur 7:1-2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7-8; Et quod Angelus Gabriel ei visus sit in Visione, et locutus cum illo, (9:21).
Simile factum est cum Johanne, cum vidit illa quae descripsit; ut cum vidit Filium Hominis in medio septem Candelabrorum; Tabernaculum, Templum, Arcam, Altare in Caelo; Draconem et ejus pugnam cum Michaele, Bestias, Mulierem sedentem super Bestia Coccinea; Novum Caelum et Novam Terram, ac Sanctam Hierosolymam cum ejus Muro, Portis et Fundamentis, et plura. Haec a Domino revelata sunt, sed per Angelum monstrata.
Footnotes:
1. vii. pro "vi."