198. 主向门徒谈论世代的末了，也就是教会的末期时，声称祂预言教会末期要经历一系列状态变化：
那些日子的灾难一过去，日头就变黑了，月亮也不放光，众星要从天上坠落，天势都要震动。那时，人子的兆头要显在天上；那时，地上的万族都要哀哭。他们要看见人子有能力、有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临。祂要差遣使者，用号筒的大声，将祂的选民从四风，从天这边到天那边，都招聚了来。（马太福音24:29，30，31）
从属灵的角度来理解，这段经文不是说太阳和月亮真要变黑变暗，众星从天上坠落；主的兆头显在天上，他们会看见祂在云中，还有使者拿着号筒。此处的每个细节都表示属于教会某种属灵事物，其实论述的是教会末期的状态。因为就属灵之义而言，要变黑的“日头”表示对主的爱；不放光的“月亮”表示对主的信；要从天上坠落的众星表示对善与真的认知；“人子的兆头要显在天上”表示祂在圣言中所赋予的神圣真理要显现出来；“地上的万族要哀哭”表示丧失一切信之真和爱之善；“人子有能力、有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临”表示主在圣言中的临在和启示；“天上的云”表示圣言的字义，“荣耀”表示圣言的属灵之义；“用号筒大声的使者”表示天堂，神圣真理由此而来；
“将祂的选民从四风，从天这边到天那边，都招聚了来”表示由那些信主并照其诫命生活之人组成的新天堂和新教会。这段经文不是说日月变黑，众星坠落于地。这一点从主即将降世时，众先知对教会状态的类似陈述很清楚地看出来。如以赛亚书：
看哪，耶和华的日子临到，必有残忍、烈怒。天上的众星群宿都不发光，日头一出，就变黑暗，月亮也不放光。我必因邪恶刑罚世界。（以赛亚书13:9－11；24:21，23）
约珥书：
耶和华降临的日子，那日是黑暗、幽冥。日月昏暗，星宿无光。（约珥书2:1，2，10；3:15）
以西结书：
我要把天遮蔽，使众星昏暗，以密云遮掩太阳，月亮也不放光。我必使所有的亮光都变为昏暗，将黑暗置于地上。（以西结书32:7，8）
“耶和华的日子”表示主的降临，当教会不再存留爱之善或信之真，或对主的认知时，这事就会发生。所以，经上称那日子是“黑暗”和“幽冥”。
198. 主當著門徒們面前講到世界的末了, 也就是教會的末後日子。祂預言了最後要經歷的階段和狀態, 祂說:那些日子的災難一過去, 日頭就變黑了, 月亮也不放光; 眾星要從天上墜落, 天勢都要震動。那時, 人子的兆頭要顯在天上, 地上的萬族都要哀哭。他們要看見人子, 有能力,有大榮耀, 駕著天上的雲降臨。祂要差遣天人, 用號筒的大聲, 將祂的選民從四風, 從天這邊,到天那邊, 都招聚了來(馬太福音24:29-31)。
在屬靈意義中, 並非指太陽月亮將會變暗變黑, 星星從空中掉下來; 也不表示主會顯現在空中, 人會看見祂在雲中; 並非眾天人吹號筒。這裡描述的屬靈意義是關於教會在末後日子的狀態。
在屬靈意義中, 變黑的日頭表示對主的愛。不放光的月亮表示對祂的信。要墜落的眾星表示關於善與理的認知。人子在空中的兆頭表示祂在聖言中所賜的聖理要顯明出來。地上的萬族要哀哭表示喪失一切純真之信和良善之愛。人子, 有能力,有大榮耀, 駕著天上的雲降臨, 表示主在聖言中臨格和啟示。空中的雲表示聖言的文字意義, 榮耀表示聖言的屬靈意義。被差遣的天人, 用號筒的大聲, 表示天國,聖理由天國而來。召集選民從四風,從天這邊到那邊, 表示新的天國和新的教會, 由那些信主的並按祂誡命而活的人組成。
並非指太陽和月亮變黑變暗, 也非星星墜落到地上。這可從眾先知的預言中明顯得知, 他們說了類似的事情, 都是指主降世時教會當時的狀態。
例如『以賽亞書』:耶和華的日子臨到, 必有列怒。天上的眾星群宿都不發光, 日頭一出就變黑暗, 月亮也不放光。我必因邪惡刑罰世界(以賽亞書13:9-11)。在『約珥書』:耶和華的日子將到, 那日是黑暗,幽冥。日月昏暗, 星宿無光(約珥書2:1-2, 10; 3:15)。在『以西結書』:我要把天遮蔽, 使眾星昏暗, 以密雲遮掩太陽, 月亮也不放光。我必使天上的亮光都在你以上變為昏暗, 使你的地上黑暗(以西結書32:7-8)。
"耶和華的日子"表示主的降臨, 發生在教會之中再無仁愛之良善和信仰之真理存留,也無任何對主的認識之時。這就是為何稱那日子為"黑暗"和"幽冥"。
198. The Lord spoke to his disciples about the close of the age (or the last time of the church); at the end of his predictions about the stages and changes it would go through he said the following:
Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Humankind will appear in heaven and all the tribes of the earth will wail. They will see the Son of Humankind coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send out angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)
In the spiritual meaning, these statements do not indicate that the sun and the moon will be darkened, the stars will fall from heaven, the sign of the Lord will appear in heaven, and people will see him in the clouds and see angels with trumpets. Instead, the individual words there have spiritual meanings that relate to the church. The details that are mentioned relate to the church's state at its end.
In the spiritual meaning, the sun that will be darkened means love for the Lord. The moon that will not give its light means faith in him. The stars that will fall from heaven mean concepts of goodness and truth. The sign of the Son of Humankind in heaven means the divine truth from him in the Word that will become apparent. The tribes of the earth that will wail mean the loss of all true belief and all good love. The Son of Humankind coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory means the Lord's presence in the Word and his ability to give revelations through it. The clouds of heaven mean the Word's literal meaning; the glory means the Word's spiritual meaning. The angels sent out with a great sound of a trumpet mean heaven as a source of divine truth. Gathering the chosen people from the four winds from one end of the heavens to the other means building a new heaven and a new church that consists of people who have faith in the Lord and who live by his commandments.
It does not mean a darkening of the sun and moon and a falling of stars to earth. This is obvious from the prophets, who have similar things to say about the state of the church when the Lord would come into the world. For example in Isaiah,
Behold the savage day of Jehovah will come, a day of the rage of his anger. The stars of the heavens and their constellations will not shed their light. The sun will be darkened in its rising, and the moon will not let its light shine. I will visit malice upon the globe. (Isaiah 13:9-11)
In Joel,
The day of Jehovah is coming, a day of darkness and blackness. The sun and the moon will be blackened, and the stars will withdraw their splendor. (Joel 2:1-2, 10; 3:15)
In Ezekiel,
I will cover the heavens and blacken the stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not make its light shine. All sources of light I will cover, and I will bring darkness on the earth. (Ezekiel 32:7-8)
"The day of Jehovah" means the Lord's coming that was going to take place when there was no longer any good love or any true belief left in the church, or any knowledge of the Lord, which is why it is called a day of darkness and blackness.
198. Where the Lord speaks in the presence of His disciples about the ending of the age, meaning the last stage of the church, He says towards the end of the predictions of its successive changes of state:
Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then will the sign of the Son of Man appear in the sky, and all the tribes of the earth will wail; and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send forth angels with a loud blast of the trumpet, and they will gather His chosen from the four winds from one end of the heavens to the other, Matthew 24:29-31.
In the spiritual sense this does not mean that the sun and the moon will be darkened, stars will fall from the sky, and the Lord's sign will appear in the skies, and that they will see Him in the clouds accompanied by angels with trumpets. All the expressions here have spiritual meanings referring to the church; and they describe its state at its end. In the spiritual sense the sun, which will be darkened, means love to the Lord. The moon, which will not give its light, means faith in Him. The stars which will fall from the sky, mean items of knowledge concerning truth and good. The sign of the Son of Man in the sky means the Divine truth given by Him in the Word being made visible. The tribes of the earth, who will wail, means the failure of all truth to do with faith and of all good to do with love. The coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven with power and glory means the Lord's presence and His revelation in the Word. The clouds of heaven mean the literal sense of the Word, the glory the spiritual sense of the Word. The angels with the loud blast of the trumpet mean heaven from which Divine truth comes. Gathering the chosen from the four winds from one end of the heavens to the other means the new heaven and the new church, composed of those who have faith in the Lord and live in accordance with His commandments. It is quite plain that the darkening of the sun and the moon is not meant, nor the falling of stars to earth, because of the Prophets, where similar statements are made about the state of the church at the time the Lord was to come into the world. For instance, in Isaiah:
Behold the fierce day of Jehovah will come and the blaze of His anger. The stars of the skies and their constellations will not shine with their light, the sun will be darkened in its rising, and the moon will not cause its light (lumen) to shine, I shall visit upon the world its wickedness. [Isaiah 13:9-11]; Isaiah 24:21, 23.
In Joel:
The day of Jehovah is coming, a day of darkness and murk. The sun and the moon will be turned black, and the stars will abate their shining, Joel 2:1-2, 10; 3:15.
In Ezekiel:
I shall cover the heavens and make the stars black. I shall cover the sun with a cloud and the moon will not cause it light to shine. I shall darken all the luminaries that give light, and make darkness upon the earth, Ezekiel 32:7-8.
The day of Jehovah means the Lord's coming, which took place when there was no more good of love and truth of faith left in the church, nor any knowledge of the Lord. That is why it is called a day of darkness and murk.
198. Where the Lord talks to His disciples about the end of the age, that is, the last time of the church, He says, at the close of His predictions respecting its successive changes of state:
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth wail, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send forth the angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the end of the heavens even to the end thereof (Matthew 24:29-31).
When understood spiritually this does not mean that the sun and moon would be darkened, that the stars would fall from heaven, and that the sign of the Lord was to appear in the heavens, and that they were to see Him in the clouds, and also angels with trumpets; but by each particular word here something spiritual pertaining to the church is meant, the state of the church at its end being here treated of. For in the spiritual sense "the sun" that shall be darkened means love to the Lord; "the moon" that shall not give her light means faith in the Lord; "the stars" that shall fall from heaven mean knowledges of what is true and good; "the sign of the Son of man in heaven" means the appearing of Divine truth in the Word from Him; that "the tribes of the earth shall wail" means a failing of all truth pertaining to faith, and of all good pertaining to love; "the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven with power and glory" means the Lord's presence in the Word and revelation; "the clouds of heaven" signify the sense of the letter of the Word, and "glory" signifies its spiritual sense; "angels with the great sound of a trumpet" mean heaven from whence comes Divine truth; "the gathering together of the elect from the four winds, from the end of the heavens even to the end thereof" means a new heaven and a new church formed of those who have faith in the Lord and who live according to His commandments. That this does not mean the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars to the earth, is very clear from like statements in the prophets respecting the state of the church, when the Lord was about to come into the world; as in Isaiah:
Behold the day of Jehovah shall come, cruel and of the burning of anger. The stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its rising, and the moon shall not make its light to shine. I will visit malice upon the world (Isaiah 13:9-11; 24:21, 23).
In Joel:
The day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of thick darkness; the sun and moon shall be blackened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining (Joel 2:1-2, 10; 3:15).
In Ezekiel:
I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine. All the luminaries of light will I make dark, and I will set darkness upon the land (Ezekiel 32:7-8).
By "the day of Jehovah" the coming of the Lord is meant, which took place when there no longer remained in the church any good of love or truth of faith, or any knowledge of the Lord; therefore it is called "a day of darkness and of thick darkness."
198. In Matthew's Gospel the Lord speaks to His disciples about the consummation of the age, by which is meant the end of the Church. At the close of His predictions concerning the successive changes in its state He says:
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" Matthew 24:29-31.
These words, in their spiritual sense, do not mean that the sun and moon shall be darkened, that the stars shall fall from heaven, that the sign of the Lord shall appear in heaven, and that He shall be seen in the clouds, as well as angels with trumpets; but by all the words there are meant spiritual things relating to the Church, of whose final state they are spoken. In the spiritual sense by the sun which shall be darkened is meant love to the Lord; by the moon which shall not give her light is meant faith in Him; and by the stars which shall fall from heaven are meant knowledges of truth and good. By the sign of the Son of Man in heaven is meant the appearing of Divine Truth in the Word from Him; and by the tribes of the earth which shall mourn is meant the failure of all the truth of faith, and of all the good of love. By the Coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, with power and glory, is meant the revelation of the Lord's presence in the Word; by the clouds of heaven is meant the sense of the Letter of the Word; and by glory is meant the spiritual sense of the Word. By the angels with a great sound of a trumpet is meant heaven, whence comes Divine Truth; and by the gathering together of the elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other, is meant a new heaven and a New Church, to be formed of those who have faith in the Lord, and who live according to His commandments. That the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars to the earth, are not meant is clearly manifest from the Prophets, where similar statements are made concerning the state of the Church at the time when the Lord should come into the world; as in Isaiah:
"Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger... The stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil." [13:9-11] and Spiritual Diary Isaiah 24:21, 23;
in Joel:
"The day of JEHOVAH cometh a day of darkness and of gloominess... The sun and moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining" 2:1-2; 3:15;
and in Ezekiel:
"I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land" 32:7-8.
By the day of Jehovah is meant the Advent of the Lord, which took place at a time when there was no longer any good of love and truth of faith left in the Church, nor any knowledge of the Lord; therefore it is called a day of darkness and gloominess.
198. Ubi Dominus de Consummatione saeculi, quae est ultimum tempus Ecclesiae, coram Discipulis suis loquitur, ad finem praedictionum de successivis status mutationibus ejus, dicit, Statim post afflictionem dierum illorum Sol obscurabitur, Luna non dabit lumen suum, et Stellae cadent de Coelo, et Potentiae coelorum commovebuntur. Et tunc apparebit Signum Filii hominis in Coelo, et tunc plangent omnes Tribus terrae, et videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nubibus Coeli cum potentia et gloria multa; et emittet Angelos cum tubae voce magna, et congregabunt electos Ipsius a quatuor ventis ab extremo Coelorum usque ad extremum illorum, Matthaeus 24:29-30. Per haec in sensu spirituali non intelligitur, quod Sol et Luna obscurarentur, quod Stellae caderent de Coelo, quodque appariturum sit signum Domini in Coelis, et quod visuri Ipsum in nubibus, et simul Angelos cum tubis; sed per singula verba ibi intelliguntur spiritualia, quae Ecclesiae sunt, de cujus statu in fine, illa dicta sunt; in Sensu enim spirituali per Solem qui obscurabitur, intelligitur amor in Dominum; per Lunam, quae non dabit lumen suum, intelligitur fides in Ipsum; per Stellas quae cadent de Coelo, intelliguntur cognitiones veri et boni; per signum Filii hominis in Coelo, intelligitur apparitio Divini Veri in Verbo ab Ipso; per Tribus terrae quae plangent, intelligitur defectus omnis veri quod fidei est, et omnis boni quod amoris; per adventum Filii hominis in nubibus Coeli cum potentia et gloria, intelligitur praesentia Domini in Verbo et revelatio; per nubes coeli significatur Verbi sensus literae, et per gloriam Verbi sensus spiritualis; per Angelos cum tubae voce magna, intelligitur Coelum unde Divinum Verum; per congregare electos a quatuor ventis ab extremo Coelorum ad extremum illorum, intelligitur novum Coelum et nova Ecclesia ex illis, qui fidem in Dominum habent, et vivunt secundum praecepta Ipsius. Quod non intelligatur obscuratio solis et lunae, 1 ac delapsus stellarum in terram, constat manifeste ex Prophetis, apud quos similia dicuntur de Ecclesiae statu, quando Dominus in Mundum venturus est, ut apud Esajam, Ecce dies Jehovae veniet saevus, et excandescentiae 2 irae; Stellae coelorum, et Sidera illorum non lucebunt luce sua, obtenebrabitur Sol in ortu suo, et Luna non splendere faciet lumen suum; visitabo super Orbem malitiam, 13:9-11. 3 Apud Joelem, "Venit dies Jehovae, dies tenebrarum et caliginis, Sol et Luna atrati erunt, et Stellae contrahent splendorem suum," 2:1-2, 10; 4 4:15. 5 Apud Ezechielem, "Obtegam Coelos, et atrabo Stellas, Solem nube obtegam, et Luna non lucere faciet lumen suum; omnia Luminaria lucis obtegam, et dabo tenebras super terra," 32:7-8; 6 per Diem Jehovae intelligitur adventus Domini, qui fuit, quando non amplius erat aliquod bonum amoris et verum fidei in Ecclesia residuum, et non aliqua cognitio Domini, ideo vocatur Dies tenebrarum et caliginis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Iunae.
2. Prima editio: excandescendiae.
3. Prima editio et De Doctrina de Scriptura Sacra 14: 24:21, 23.
4. Prima editio et De Doctrina de Scriptura Sacra 14: 3:4.
5. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 3:15 apud Biblia Anglica.
6. Prima editio et De Doctrina de Scriptura Sacra 14: 22:7, 8.