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258. 二十九, 天堂的文字
既然天使也有语言, 并且他们的语言同样由词语构成, 他们自然也有文字; 通过文字犹如通过语言那样表达他们心里想到的东西. 有时我会收到送给我的纸张, 上面的文字极像世上的手抄本, 有的像印刷体. 我能以同样的方式阅读它们, 但只被允许从中零星地获得一点概念, 因为通过天堂来的文字教导人并不符合神性秩序, 人必须唯独通过圣言接受教导. 事实上, 圣言是天堂与大地, 因而主与人之间交流和结合的唯一方式. 先知也见过天上所写的纸张, 这一事实在以西结书有所说明:
我观看, 看哪, 一只手由灵向我伸出来, 手中有一书卷. 他将书卷在我面前展开, 前面后面都写着字. (以西结书 2:9-10)
启示录:
我看见坐宝座的右手中有书卷, 里外都写着字, 用七印封严了. (启示录 5:1)
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258. 天國的文字
既然天人也有語言, 且同樣由詞語組成, 他們自然也有文字作品, 以此表達他們的所思所感, 正如用語言來表達一樣。有時我接到天上的書卷, 上面寫著文字, 與人間或手抄或印刷的書卷相似。我甚至能依樣閱讀, 不過我僅能零星地理解一些意思。因為上帝為我們定規的, 是通過聖言而非天上的書卷來受教。聖言是天國與人間, 主與人類, 交流和結合的唯一方式。
古時的先知也曾見過天上的書卷, 如經上所記:"我觀看, 見有一隻手向我伸出來, 手中有一書卷。他將書卷在我面前展開, 內外都寫著字, 其上所寫的有哀號, 歎息, 悲痛的話。"(以西結書2:9-10)啟示錄也記著說:"我看見坐寶座的右手中有書卷, 裡外都寫著字, 用七印封嚴了。"(啟示錄5:1)
258. Written Materials in Heaven
Since angels do have language and their language is one of words, they also have written materials; and through those written materials just as through their conversation, they express what their minds are sensing. I have sometimes been sent pages covered with writing, just like pages handwritten or printed and published in our world. I could even read them in much the same way, but I was not allowed to get more out of them than a bit of meaning here and there. This was because it is not in keeping with the divine design to be taught by written materials from heaven, but [only] by the Word, since this is the sole means of communication and union between heaven and earth, and therefore between the Lord and humanity.
We gather from Ezekiel that pages written in heaven appeared to the prophets as well:
When I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me by the spirit, and in it the scroll of a book that he unrolled in my sight. It was written on the front and on the back. (Ezekiel 2:9-10)
And in John,
I saw in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. (Revelation 5:1)
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258. WRITINGS IN HEAVEN
Because the angels have speech, and their speech consists of words, they also have writings, and by writing as well as by speech they give expression to what is in their minds (animus). At times I have had sent to me papers, with writings made on them exactly like manuscripts and also like those printed in the world. I was able also to read them in the same manner, but was not allowed to draw from them more than one or two ideas, for the reason that it is not in accordance with Divine order for man to be taught by writings from heaven, but only by the Word, since by that alone there is communication and conjunction of heaven with the world, thus of the Lord with man. That papers written in heaven were seen also by the prophets is shown in Ezekiel:
When I looked, behold a hand was put forth by a spirit unto me, and a roll of a book was therein which he unrolled in my sight; it was written on the front and on the back. Ezekiel 2:9-10.
And in John:
I saw upon the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. Revelation 5:1.
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258. WRITINGS IN HEAVEN.
As the angels have speech, and their speech consists of words, they also have writings; and by writing as well as by speech they give expression to what is in their minds. At times I have had papers sent to me, traced with written words precisely like manuscripts in the world, and others like printed sheets; and I was able to read them in a like way, but was allowed to get from them only an idea here and there; for the reason that it is not in accordance with Divine order for man to be taught by writings from heaven; but he must be taught by means of the Word only; for it is only by means of the Word that there is communication and conjunction of heaven with the world, thus of the Lord with man. That papers written in heaven were seen also by the prophets is shown in Ezekiel:
When I looked, behold a hand was put forth by a spirit unto me, and a roll of a book was therein which he unrolled in my sight; it was written on the front and on the back (2 :9, 10).
And in John:
I saw upon the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals (Revelation 5:1).
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258. [XXIX.] DE SCRIPTURIS IN CAELO.
Quia angelis est loquela, et loquela eorum est loquela vocum, ideo illis quoque scripturae sunt et per scripturas exprimunt animi sui sensa aeque ac per loquelam. Aliquoties mihi missae sunt chartae exaratae scripturis, prorsus sicut chartae manu scriptae et quoque sicut typis vulgatae in mundo etiam illas legere potui similiter, sed non licuit plura inde haurire quam unum alterumve sensum causa erat, quia non ex Divino ordine est per scripta erudiri e caelo, sed per Verbum, quoniam per hoc solum est communicatio et conjunctio caeli cum mundo, ita Domini cum homine. Quod chartae in caelo scriptae etiam apparuerint prophetis, constat apud Ezechielem:
Cum aspicerem, ecce manus a spiritu emissa ad me, et in ea volumen libri, quod explicavit in conspectu meo erat scriptum a fronte et a tergo (2:9-10):
et apud Johannem,
"Vidi ad dextram Ejus, qui insidebat throno, librum scriptum intus et a tergo, obsignatum sigillis septem," (Apocalypsis 5:1).