SS12.在启示录第六章，经上说：
我看见羔羊揭开书卷的第一印的时候，有一匹白马出来，骑在马上的拿着弓，并有冠冕赐给他；揭开第二印的时候，就另有一匹马出来，是红的，有权柄给了那骑马的，有一把大剑赐给他；揭开第三印的时候，有一匹黑马出来，骑在马上的，手里拿着天平；揭开第四印的时候，有一匹灰色马出来，骑在马上的，名字叫作死。（启示录6:1-8）
只有通过灵义才能破译这些话的含义；当我们知道揭开印，马等等的含义时，就会完全解开这一切。它们描述了在对圣言的理解方面，教会从开始到结束的连续状态：“羔羊揭开书卷的七印”表示主把教会的这些状态显明出来；“马”表示对圣言的理解；“白马”表示在教会的第一个状态，对圣言真理的理解；骑在马上的所拿的“弓”表示与虚假争战的仁和信的教义；“冠冕”表示永生，就是胜利的奖赏。
“红马”表示在教会的第二个状态，在良善方面对圣言的理解被毁；“大剑”表示与真理争战的虚假；“黑马”表示在教会的第三个状态，在真理方面对圣言的理解被毁；“天平”表示对真理的估价如此之少，以至于它几乎一文不值。“灰色马”表示在教会的第四个或末后状态，对圣言的理解被邪恶的生活和由此而来的虚假灭绝；“死”表示永恒的诅咒。这就是这些事物在灵义上的含义，这在字义或属世意义上并不明显；所以若不在某个时间揭开灵义，圣言在这段经文和启示录的其它经文上仍是关闭的，并且关得如此之紧，以至于最终没有人会知道它的神性神圣性藏在何处。这同样适用于从两座铜山之间出来的“四匹马”和“四辆车”的含义（撒迦利亚书6:1-8）。
12. It says in chapter 6 of Revelation:
When the Lamb opened the first seal of the scroll a white horse came forth, and the one who sat on it had a bow and was given a crown. When he opened the second seal a red horse came forth, and the one who sat on it was given a great sword. When he opened the third seal a black horse came forth, and the one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. When he opened the fourth seal a pale horse came forth, and the name of the one who sat on it was Death. [Revelation 6:1-8]
The only way to decipher this is by means of its spiritual meaning, and it is fully deciphered when we know the meaning of the opening of seals, a horse, and so on. These serve to describe successive states of the church from beginning to end with reference to its understanding of the Word.
The opening of the seals of the book by the Lamb means the Lord’s bringing those states of the church out into the open.
A horse means the understanding of the Word.
The white horse means an understanding of the truth of the Word during the first state of the church.
The bow of the one who sat on the horse means the teachings about caring and faith that fight against false beliefs.
The crown means eternal life as the reward of victory.
[2] The red horse means the understanding of the Word during the second state of the church: in ruins with respect to what is good.
The great sword means false principles fighting against what is true.
The black horse means the understanding of the Word during the third state of the church: in ruins with respect to what is true.
The pair of scales means thinking truth has so little value that it is virtually worthless.
The pale horse means the absence of any understanding of the Word in the fourth or final state of the church, because of evil lives and consequent false beliefs.
Death means eternal damnation.
It is not obvious in the literal or earthly meaning that this is what is intended in the spiritual meaning; so unless that spiritual meaning is opened at last, the Word will remain closed in regard to this passage and the rest of the Book of Revelation - so tightly closed that no one will know where in that book anything holy or divine is hidden.
This is equally true of the meaning of the four horses and the four chariots coming out from between the two mountains of bronze in Zechariah 6:1-8.
12. The sixth chapter of the book of Revelation says that when the Lamb opened the first seal of the book, a white horse went out and that he who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given him. That when He opened the second seal, a fiery red horse went out, and that he who sat on it was given a great sword. That when He opened the third seal, a black horse went out, and that he who sat on it had a scale in his hand. And that when He opened the fourth seal, a pale horse went out, and that the name of him who sat on it was Death.
The symbolic meanings of these images can be laid open only by knowing the spiritual sense, and they are fully laid open when one knows what opening the seals symbolizes, what a horse symbolizes, and all the rest. They describe the successive states of the church in respect to its understanding of the Word, from its beginning to its end. The Lamb’s opening the book’s seals symbolizes an exposure of these states of the church by the Lord. A horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word. A white horse symbolizes an understanding of truth from the Word in the church’s first state. The bow of him who sat on the horse symbolizes a doctrine of charity and faith fighting against falsities. The crown symbolizes eternal life, the reward of victory. The fiery red horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word extinguished as to goodness in the church’s second state. The great sword symbolizes falsity fighting against truth. The black horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word extinguished as to truth in the church’s third state. The scale symbolizes a regard for truth so little as to be almost nonexistent. The pale horse symbolizes no understanding of truth owing to evil practices and consequent falsities in the church’s fourth and last state. And Death symbolizes eternal damnation.
That this is what these images symbolize in the spiritual sense is not apparent in the literal or natural sense. Consequently, if the spiritual sense were not at some time revealed, the Word would remain closed in respect to this chapter and everything else in the book of Revelation, to the point that at last no one would know in what the Divine holiness in it lies. Neither would anyone know the symbolic meaning of the four horses in Zechariah 6:1-8 and the four chariots coming from between two mountains of bronze.
12. In Revelation, chapter 6, it is said that,
When the Lamb opened the first seal of the book, there went forth a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given to him ... When he had opened the second seal, there went forth a red horse: and to him that sat thereon a great sword was given. When he had opened the third seal, there went forth a black horse: and he that sat on him had a pair of balances (statera) in his hand. And when he had opened the fourth seal, there went forth a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death. [Revelation 6:1-5, 7-8.]
What these things signify can only be unfolded by means of the spiritual sense; and it is fully unfolded when it is known what is signified by the opening of the seals, by a horse, and by the other particulars. By these things are described the successive states of the Church from the beginning to its end as to the understanding of the Word. The opening of the seals of the book by the Lamb signifies the manifestation of those states of the Church by the Lord. A horse signifies the understanding of the Word; the white horse the understanding of truth from the Word in the first state of the Church; the bow of him that sat upon that horse signifies the doctrine of charity and faith combating against falsities; the crown, eternal life, the reward of victory.
[2] The red horse signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to good in the second state of the Church; the great sword signifying falsity combating against truth. The black horse signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to truth in the third state of the Church; the pair of balances (statera) signifying the estimation of truth so small as to be hardly appreciable. The pale horse signifies the understanding of the Word nullified from evils of life and consequent falsities in the fourth or last state of the Church; and death signifies eternal damnation.
That such is the signification of these things in the spiritual sense does not appear in the sense of the Letter or the natural sense. Therefore, unless the spiritual sense were at some time opened, the Word as to this passage, and as to the rest of Revelation, would be closed so completely that at length no one would know where its Divine sanctity lay concealed. It is equally so in respect to what is signified by the four horses and by the four chariots going forth from between the two mountains of brass, in Zechariah 6:1-8.
12. In Revelation, chapter 6, it is said:
That when the Lamb opened the first seal of the book, there went forth a white horse, and that he who sat thereon had a bow, and to him was given a crown; that when He opened the second seal there went forth a red horse, and that to him who sat thereon was given a great sword; that when He opened the third seal there went forth a black horse, and that he who sat thereon had a pair of balances in his hand; and that when He opened the fourth seal there went forth a pale horse, and that the name of him who sat thereon was death (Revelation 6:1-8).
What these things signify can be unfolded solely by means of the spiritual sense; and it is completely unfolded when it is known what is signified by the opening of the seals, by a horse, and by the other things mentioned. By them are described the successive states of the church, from its beginning to its end, in respect to its understanding of the Word. The "opening of the seals of the book by the Lamb" signifies the manifestation by the Lord of those states of the church. A "horse" signifies the understanding of the Word; the "white horse," the understanding of truth from the Word in the first state of the church; the "bow" of him who sat upon that horse, the doctrine of charity and faith fighting against falsities; the "crown," eternal life, the prize of victory. The "red horse" signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good, in the second state of the church; the "great sword," falsity fighting against truth. The "black horse" signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to truth, in the third state of the church; the "pair of balances," the estimation of truth so small that there was scarcely any. The "pale horse" signifies the understanding of the Word annihilated by evils of life and the derivative falsities, in the fourth or last state of the church; and "death" signifies eternal condemnation. It is not apparent in the sense of the letter or natural sense that such is the signification of these things in the spiritual sense, so that unless the spiritual sense were at some time opened, the Word as to this and all other things in Revelation would be so completely closed that at last no one would know wherein its Divine holiness lies. It is equally so in respect to what is signified by the "four horses" and the "four chariots" that came forth from between two mountains of brass (Zechariah 6:1-8).
12. In Apocalypsi 6, dicitur,
Quod cum Agnus aperuit primum sigillum libri, exiret equus albus, et quod sedens super illo haberet arcum, cui data est corona: quod cum aperuit secundum sigillum, exiret equus rufus, et quod sedenti super illo data esset machaera magna; quod, cum aperuit tertium sigillum, exiret equus niger, et quod sedens super illo in manu teneret stateram; et quod, cum aperuit quartum sigillum, exiret equus pallidus, et quod nomen sedentis super illo esset Mors [(Apocalypsi 6:1-5, 7-8)].
Quid haec significant, solum per sensum spiritualem potest evolvi; et plene evolvitur, dum scitur quid significat "aperitio sigillorum," quid "equus," et quid reliqua. Per illa describuntur successivi status ecclesiae quoad intellectum Verbi, a principio ad finem ejus: per "aperitionem sigillorum libri ab Agno," significatur manifestatio illorum statuum ecclesiae a Domino; per "equum" intellectus Verbi; per "equum album" intellectus veri ex Verbo in primo ecclesiae statu; per "arcum" sedentis super illo equo, doctrina charitatis et fidei pugnans contra falsa; per "coronam," vita aeterna victoriae praemium; per "equum rufum," significatur intellectus Verbi deperditus quoad bonum in secundo ecclesiae statu; per "machaeram magnam," falsum pugnans contra verum: per "equum nigrum" significatur intellectus Verbi deperditus quoad verum in tertio ecclesiae statu; per "stateram" aestimatio veri tam parva ut vix aliqua: per "equum pallidum" significatur intellectus Verbi nullus ex malis vitae et inde falsis in quarto seu ultimo ecclesiae statu, et per "mortem" damnatio aeterna. Quod talia in sensu spirituali per illa significentur, non apparet in sensu litterae seu naturali; quare nisi sensus spiritualis semel aperiretur, Verbum quoad hoc et quoad reliqua in Apocalypsi, foret clausum, adeo ut tandem nullus sciret in quo Sanctum Divinum ibi lateret. Pariter quid significatur per "quatuor equos" et per "quatuor currus exeuntes ab inter duos montes aeris," apud Sachariam (6:1-8).