209.（6）圣言因其属灵之义而产生神奇的效果。在尘世，圣言并未产生神奇效果，因为属灵之义在世上并不明显，并且人们也没有从内心照它本来的样子去接受。但在灵界，圣言所产生的神奇效果是显为可见的，因为灵界所有人都是属灵的。属灵之物影响属灵之人，如同属世之物影响属世之人。在灵界，圣言所产生的神奇效果有很多，我谨在此描述一二。在那里，摆放在圣殿圣所中的圣言本身在天使眼前闪耀如大星，有时如太阳，它周围的灿烂光芒则产生最美丽的彩虹。圣所一打开，这种效果就会显现。
我能从以下事实证实，圣言中的每一个真理都闪闪发光：若将一节圣言写在纸上，然后把纸抛到空中，这纸本身就会发光，并显现出它被切割成的形状。因此，灵人能用圣言制造各种闪光形状，包括鸟和鱼。更神奇的是，当有人用打开的圣言擦脸、手或所穿的衣服，触摸到字迹时，他的脸、手和衣服就会闪闪发光，仿佛他就站在光芒笼罩的星辰中。我经常看到这种景象，并对此惊叹不已。这也让我明白，摩西从西乃山带着两块刻有十诫的石版下山时脸上为何发光。
除此之外，圣言在灵界还会产生许多更神奇的效果。例如，若充满谬念的人仰望摆在圣所中的圣言，黑暗就会遮蔽他的双眼，结果圣言在他看来是黑的，有时就像蒙上了一层烟灰。若这人触摸圣言，就会产生巨大的爆炸声，把他震到房间的角落里，他会在那里躺上好一会儿，如同死了一样。若充满谬念的人将圣言里的东西抄在一张纸上，并把这纸抛向天堂，在他的眼睛与天堂之间的空中同样会产生爆炸声，这纸会被撕成碎片，并消失不见。若把这纸朝附近的天使扔去，结果也一样。这种事我已经见过很多次了。
这清楚向我表明，那些对教义持有谬见的人无法藉圣言与天堂建立联系。他们的阅读在上升的路上就会分崩离析，并消失不见，就像点燃后被扔到空中的鞭炮。而那些通过圣言从主那里获得对教义的正见之人则完全相反；他们对圣言的阅读会一路上达天堂，与那里的天使联结起来。而天使本人从天而降，下来履行职责时，周围会有小星星围绕，尤其是头部。这种迹象表明，他们拥有来自圣言的神圣真理。
此外，灵界有类似世上的事物。不过，其中每一个事物都有一个属灵的起源。因此，那里也有金银，以及各样宝石。这些事物的属灵起源就是圣言的字义。这就是为何在启示录中，新耶路撒冷城墙的根基被描述为十二样宝石。因为其城墙的根基表示新教会源于圣言字义的教义。这也是为何亚伦的以弗得中有名为“乌陵和土明”的十二样宝石，并且回应就是通过这些宝石从天上得来的。此外，圣言还产生许多其它效果，这些效果与其中真理的力量有关。这力量如此巨大，以致没人相信对它的描述。在那里，它的力量足以倾覆大山小冈，把它们带到远处，扔进海里，等等。简言之，主从圣言所发出的力量是无穷的。
209. (6)因其屬靈意義, 聖言有令人驚奇的效果。
在物質世界, 聖言並未造就非凡的效果, 因為屬靈意義在此並未顯露, 屬靈意義的真實屬性並未被人們從內心接受。然而在心靈世界, 聖言會產生奇異的效果, 因為在那裡的一切都是屬靈的, 屬靈事物影響屬靈之人, 正如屬世之物影響屬世之人。在心靈世界, 發生許多因聖言而起的奇異事件, 在此舉幾個例子。
在心靈世界中, 聖言擺放在教會聖所中閃耀光芒, 在天人眼中如同巨星, 有時像太陽, 光芒四射,效果如同無比絢麗的彩虹。當聖所一打開時就有這樣的效果顯現。
[2]聖言中每一條和所有的真理都會閃耀發光。在心靈世界中我眼見為實, 當某人從聖言中的經句摘抄在一張紙並扔向空中時, 會照著紙的形狀發出光芒。因此, 靈能運用聖言製造出各種發光的形狀, 例如鳥和魚。
更奇特的事情是, 當某人用臉,手或穿著衣裳去摩擦翻開的聖言, 將文字部分對著它們, 他的臉,手和衣裳會閃閃發光, 就像他身處一顆星星中間,星光環繞四周。我常見到如此令人驚訝的現象。這也讓我明白, 為何摩西從西乃山帶著兩塊石版(上面刻有十誡)下山時臉上發光。
[3]除了這些以外, 聖言在心靈世界造就的奇異效果還有很多。例如, 滿腦子錯誤觀念的某人望向擺在聖所的聖言時, 黑暗便會遮擋他的視線, 聖言對他來說看起來變黑了, 有時像塗過黑煙灰。若是此人去摸這聖言, 就會發出響亮的爆炸聲, 並把他震到牆角, 癱死在那裡好大一會, 如同死人。滿是錯誤觀念的任何人若是從聖言中摘錄經句到一張紙上, 然後把這張紙扔向天空, 會有類似的爆炸聲出現在眼前, 紙會被撕碎並完全消失。如果把這紙扔向附近的天人, 結果也是一樣。我多次看到這樣的情景。
[4]這讓我清楚看到, 對教義持有錯誤觀念的人無法藉著聖言來與天國建立聯繫; 對聖言的曲解會爆炸並消失, 如同一顆爆竹點著在空中爆炸。而那些通過聖言從主領受了正確的教義觀念之人則相反, 當他們讀聖言時, 能踏上通往天國的道路並與那裡的天人們建立聯結。
而天人自己, 當他們從天降下來履行某個使命時, 如同眾多星星環繞著他們, 特別是環繞他們的頭部。這表明在他們裡頭有從聖言而來的神性真理。
[5]還有, 心靈世界裡有著與物質世界類似的事物, 只是每件事物都有個屬靈的起源。因此那裡也有金銀, 有各樣的寶石。這就是為何在『啟示錄』中描繪, 新耶路撒冷城牆的根基有十二樣的寶石。因為新耶路撒冷城牆的根基代表著新教會信仰建立在聖言的文字意義基礎上。這也是為何在亞倫的以弗得上有被稱為"烏陵和土明"的十二樣寶石。通過這些寶石來求問天上來的答案。
聖言在那裡還造就出更非凡的效果, 都和那裡真理的能力有關。其能力如此巨大, 以致于無人會信。聖言在那裡的能力能翻轉大小山岡, 將其移到遠處, 扔進大海, 等等。一句話, 源自聖言的能力是無窮的。
209. 6. The Word has amazing qualities because of its spiritual meaning. In the physical world, no amazing things happen because of the Word, since its spiritual meaning does not appear here and the true nature of that spiritual meaning is not being accepted at any deep level within us. In the spiritual world, however, amazing things do happen because of the Word, since all who are there are spiritual, and spiritual things affect spiritual people the way physical things affect physical people. There are many amazing things that happen in the spiritual world because of the Word; here I will mention just a few.
In the sanctuaries of church buildings in the spiritual world, the Word itself shines like a giant star before the eyes of the angels. Sometimes it shines like the sun. The glow around it causes exquisitely beautiful kinds of rainbows. This happens as soon as the sanctuary is opened.
[2] Each and every truth in the Word shines. This has been made clear to me by the fact that when anyone writes a verse from the Word on a piece of paper and throws it up in the air, the piece of paper generates a glowing form that takes the shape of the cut paper. As a result, spirits are able to use the Word to produce various light-emitting shapes such as birds and fish.
Something that is even more amazing is that when people rub the open Word - the writing itself - on their face or hands or the clothing they have on, their face, hands, or clothing shines as if they themselves were standing in a star and were surrounded by its light. I have very often seen this and I have been amazed. This made clear to me why Moses' face was shining when he carried the tablets of the covenant down from Mount Sinai [].
[3] In addition, there are many other amazing things that happen in the spiritual world because of the Word. For example, if people who have false beliefs look at the Word as it lies in its holy place, thick darkness overwhelms their eyesight, making the Word look black to them, sometimes as if it were coated with soot. If those same people touch the Word, there is an explosion with a loud bang, and they are thrown to the corner of the room and lie there as if dead for quite a while.
If people who have false beliefs write something from the Word on a piece of paper and toss it up toward heaven, when it is in the air between their eye and heaven a similar explosion takes place. The piece of paper is blown to bits and disappears. The same thing happens if the piece of paper is thrown toward an angel who is standing nearby. I have often seen this.
[4] This has made it clear to me that people who have a body of false teaching have no communication with heaven by means of the Word. On the way to heaven, their reading of it blows apart and comes to an end like a firecracker lit and thrown in the air. The opposite happens to people who have a true perspective from the Lord through the Word. Their reading of the Word penetrates all the way into heaven and forms a connection with angels who are there.
When angels come down from heaven to carry out some task below, they look as if they are covered in little stars, especially around their heads. This is an indication that there are divine truths from the Word inside these angels.
[5] The same things that exist on earth exist in the spiritual world, except that there they have a spiritual origin. So gold and silver and all kinds of precious stones exist there. Their spiritual origin is the literal meaning of the Word. This is why the Book of Revelation describes the foundations of the New Jerusalem's wall as being twelve precious stones. The foundations of its wall stand for the beliefs of the new church that are based on the Word's literal meaning. This is also why there were twelve precious stones called the Urim and the Thummim on Aaron's ephod. Answers from heaven came through these stones.
Many other amazing things happen with the Word in the spiritual world. They relate to the power of truth there, which is so immense that if I described it, it would exceed belief. The Word has so much power that it overturns mountains and hills there, moves them far away, throws them into the sea, and more. Briefly put, the power of the Lord that comes through the Word is infinite.
209. (vi) REMARKABLE EFFECTS PRODUCED BY THE WORD FROM ITS SPIRITUAL SENSE.
In the natural world the Word does not produce any remarkable effects, because the spiritual sense is not evident there, and is not inwardly accepted by a person in its real form. In the spiritual world, however, remarkable effects can be seen produced by the Word, because all the people there are spiritual, and spiritual things affect people just as natural things do natural people. There are many remarkable effects produced by the Word in the spiritual world, a few of which I shall describe here.
The Word itself kept in the sanctuaries of churches there is seen by the angels shining like a great star, at times resembling the sun, and the most beautiful rainbows are to be seen produced by its radiance. This happens as soon as the sanctuary is opened.
[2] I was able to establish that every single truth in the Word shines from the fact that, if a verse from the Word is written out on a piece of paper and the paper is tossed into the air, the paper itself shines, outlining the shape into which it has been cut. Spirits are therefore able to use the Word to make various shining shapes, including birds and fishes. Something even more remarkable is that when anyone rubs his face, his hands or the clothes he is wearing with the open Word, putting the writing against them, his face, hands and clothes shine, as if he were standing in a star with its light streaming round him. I have often seen this happen to my astonishment. This showed me how it was that Moses' face shone when he carried down the tablets of the covenant from Mount Sinai.
[3] Apart from these there are many more remarkable effects in the spiritual world produced by the Word. For instance, if someone who is full of false notions looks towards the Word as it lies in its holy place, thick darkness descends upon his eyes making the Word look black to him, at times as if coated in soot. If the same person touches the Word, there is a loud explosion and he is hurled into the corner of the room, where he lies for some time as if dead. If anyone full of false notions copies out anything from the Word on a piece of paper, and then tosses the paper up towards heaven, then there is a similar explosion in the air between his eye and heaven, and the paper is shredded and disappears. The result is the same, if the paper is thrown towards the angel 1 who stands near by. I have seen this happen many times.
[4] This has made it plain to me that there can be no communication with heaven by means of the Word for those who have false notions about doctrine; their reading falls apart on the way up and vanishes, like gunpowder wrapped in a screw of paper, set alight and tossed into the air. The opposite is the case with those who have true ideas about doctrine, learned from the Lord by means of the Word; when they read the Word it reaches all the way to heaven and makes a link with angels there. The angels themselves, when they come down from heaven to perform a duty below, appear to be surrounded by small stars, especially round their heads; this is a sign that they possess Divine truths from the Word.
[5] Moreover, the spiritual world contains similar things to those on earth, but every one of them has a spiritual origin. So there are gold and silver there too, and precious stones of all kinds. The spiritual origin of these is the literal sense of the Word. That is why in Revelation the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem are described as of twelve precious stones. The reason is that the foundations of its wall mean the teachings of the new church derived from the literal sense of the Word. That too is why the ephod of Aaron contained twelve precious stones called Urim and Thummim, and replies were given from heaven by means of them.
In addition, there are still more remarkable effects produced by the Word, relating to the power of truth there, which is so immense that no one would believe a description. Its power there is enough to overturn mountains and hills, carry them to a distance, throw them into the sea, and other things. In short, the Lord's power derived from the Word is boundless.
Footnotes:
1. An emendation for 'corner' (reading angelum for angulum); cf. 164, 6-7.
209. (6) Wonderful things in regard to the Word arising from its spiritual sense. In the natural world no wonderful things arise from the Word, because the spiritual sense is not there apparent, and such as it is in itself is not inwardly received by man. But in the spiritual world wonderful things from the Word appear, because all there are spiritual beings, and a spiritual man is affected by spiritual things as a natural man is by natural things. The wonderful things arising from the Word in the spiritual world are many, a few of which I will here mention. In the shrines of the temples there the Word itself shines before the eyes of the angels like a great star, sometimes like a sun; and also from the bright radiance round about it there are seen as it were most beautiful rainbows. This happens as soon as the shrine is opened.
[2] That each truth and all truths of the Word shine has been made evident to me by the fact that when any least sentence from it is written out upon paper, and this is thrown into the air, the very paper shines in the form in which it has been cut. Thus by means of the Word spirits can produce a variety of shining forms, also the forms of birds and fishes. Again, what is still more wonderful, when anyone rubs his face, his hands, or the clothing he has on, with the open Word, touching them with the writing, the face itself, the hands, and the clothing shine as though he were standing in a star encompassed by its light. This I have seen very often, and wondered at it. Thus it was made clear to me how it was that Moses' face shone when he brought the tables of the covenant down from Mount Sinai.
[3] Besides these there are many other wonderful things there which are from the Word; for instance, if anyone who is in falsities looks towards the Word as it lies in its holy place a darkness comes over his eyes, and in consequence the Word appears to him to be black, and sometimes as if covered with soot; and if he likewise touches the Word an explosion follows with a crash, and he is thrown to a corner of the room, and lies there for a brief hour as if dead. If something from the Word is written on a paper by one who is in falsities, and the paper is thrown up toward heaven, a like explosion follows in the air between his eyes and heaven, and the paper is torn to shreds and vanishes; the same thing happens if the paper is thrown towards an angel standing near. This I have often seen.
[4] It has thus been made clear to me that those who are in falsities of doctrine have no communication with heaven through the Word, but their reading of it is dissipated on the way and is lost, like gunpowder wrapped in paper when ignited and thrown into the air. The opposite occurs with those who are in truths of doctrine from the Lord through the Word; their reading of the Word penetrates even into heaven and effects conjunction with the angels there. The angels themselves, when they descend from heaven to discharge any duty below, appear surrounded with little stars, especially about the head; which is a sign that Divine truths from the Word are in them.
[5] Furthermore, in the spiritual world things exist similar to those on earth; but there each thing and all things are from a spiritual origin. Thus gold and silver exist there, and all kinds of precious stones, and the spiritual origin of these is the sense of the letter of the Word; and on this account in the Apocalypse the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem are described by twelve precious stones. The reason of this is that the foundations of its wall signify the doctrinals of the New Church, which are derived from the sense of the letter of the Word. For the same reason there were twelve precious stones called Urim and Thummim in Aaron's ephod, by means of which responses were given from heaven. There are many other wonderful things proceeding from the Word that have relation to the power of the truth within it. This power is so great that if described it would surpass all belief; for it is such that it overturns mountains and hills there, and removes them afar off, and hurls them into the sea; and many things besides. In short the power of the Lord proceeding from the Word is infinite.
209. (8) SOME WONDERFUL THINGS CONCERNING THE WORD FROM ITS SPIRITUAL SENSE.
In the natural world wonderful appearances do not proceed from the Word because the spiritual sense is not manifest there; nor is it interiorly received by man, as it is in itself. In the spiritual world, however, wonderful things do appear from the Word, for there all men are spiritual, and spiritual things affect the spiritual man just as natural things affect the natural man. I will now mention a few of the many wonderful things that arise in the spiritual world from the Word. The Word itself placed in the shrines of the temples there, shines before the eyes of the angels like a great star, and sometimes like a sun, and from the bright radiance which surrounds it there also appear as it were beautiful rainbows. This happens whenever a shrine is opened.
[2] I was also able to observe, that all the individual truths of the Word cast a radiance, from this fact that when any verse from the Word is written upon a piece of paper, and the paper is thrown into the air, the paper shines with a radiance in the form in which it has been cut; so that spirits by means of the Word can produce various shining forms, including those of birds and fish. But what is still more wonderful, if any person rubs his face, his hands, or the clothes he is wearing, against the open Word, so as to touch the writing with them, his face, hands and clothes shine as though he were standing in a star, encompassed with its light. This I have often seen to my great wonder; and it was thus evident to me why the face of Moses shone, when he brought down the Tables of the Covenant from Mount Sinai.
[3] Besides those wonderful things that appear in the spiritual world arising from the Word, there are many others of a different nature. For instance, if any one who is principled in falsities looks upon the Word as it lies in its sacred place, darkness rises up before his eyes, and the Word appears to him black, and at times as if covered with soot; while if he touches the Word, a loud explosion follows, and he is thrown into a corner of the room, where he lies for a time as if dead. Again, if a passage from the Word is written upon a piece of paper by a person who is in falsities, and the paper is thrown up towards heaven, then a similar explosion follows in the air between his eye and heaven; the paper is torn into shreds and disappears. The same thing happens if the paper is thrown towards an angel 1 standing near by, as I have often witnessed.
[4] In this way it has become clear to me that those who are in falsities of doctrine have no communication with heaven by means of the Word, but that their reading of it is dissipated on the way, and vanishes like gunpowder enclosed in paper, when ignited and thrown into the air. The reverse happens with those who are in truths of doctrine from the Lord through the Word. Their reading of the Word penetrates even into heaven and effects conjunction with the angels there. The angels themselves, when they descend from heaven to discharge any duty below, appear surrounded with little stars, particularly about the head, for this is a sign that they are principled in Divine truths from the Word.
[5] Moreover, in the spiritual world there are things similar to those on earth; but all things there have a spiritual origin. Thus there are gold and silver, and precious stones of all kinds; and the spiritual origin of these is the sense of the Letter of the Word. This is why, in the Revelation, the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem are described as twelve precious stones, for the foundations of its wall signify the doctrines of the New Church derived from the sense of the Letter of the Word. For the same reason also, in Aaron's ephod there were twelve precious stones, called Urim and Thummim, and by means of these stones responses were given from heaven. Besides these, there are many more wonderful things arising from the Word, which have relation to the power of its indwelling truth. This power is so great that a description of it would surpass all belief. It is such that in the spiritual world it overturns mountains and hills, removes them to a distance and casts them into the sea. Many are the other wonders it performs, for in short, the power of the Lord by virtue of the Word is infinite.
Footnotes:
1. si charta illa projicitur ad augulum, reading angelum for angulum.
209. VI. MIRABILIA DE VERBO EX SENSU SPIRITUALI EJUS. In Mundo naturali non existunt aliqua Mirabilia ex Verbo, quia Sensus spiritualis ibi non apparet; nec intus ab homine recipitur, qualis ille in se est; at in Mundo spirituali apparent Mirabilia ex Verbo, quia omnes ibi spirituales sunt, ac spiritualia afficiunt hominem spiritualem, sicut naturalia naturalem. Mirabilia, quae in Mundo spirituali ex Verbo existunt, sunt plura, ex quibus pauca hic memorabo. Ipsum Verbum in adytis Templorum ibi lucet coram oculis Angelorum sicut magna Stella, quandoque sicut Sol, et quoque ex jubare circum circa apparent sicut Irides pulcherrimae; hoc fit ut primum aperitur adytum.
[2] Quod omnia et singula Vera Verbi luceant, hoc mihi constare potuit ex hoc, quod quando aliquis versiculus ex Verbo super Charta exscribitur, et Charta projicitur in aerem, ipsa Charta luceat in tali forma, in quam secta est, quare possunt Spiritus per Verbum producere varias formas lucentes, et quoque avium et piscium. Tum, quod adhuc mirabilius est, quod dum aliquis fricat faciem, aut manus, aut vestes, quibus indutus est, Verbo aperto, applicando ejus scripturam illis, ipsa facies, manus et vestes, luceant, sicut staret in Stella luce ejus circumfusus; hoc persaepe vidi et miratus sum; inde constabat mihi, unde erat, quod facies Mosis luceret, quum Tabulas foederis e Monte Sinai deportaret.
[3] Praeter illa dantur plura alia Mirabilia ibi, quae ex Verbo sunt, ut, quod si quis in falsis est, spectat ad Verbum in loco sancto jacens, oboriatur Caligo oculis ejus, et inde Verbum illi apparet nigrum, et quandoque sicut fuligine obsitum; si autem idem tangit Verbum, fit explosio cum fragore, et ille projicitur ad Angulum conclavis, et per horulam ibi jacet sicut mortuus. Si aliquid ex Verbo super charta a quodam qui in falsis est, exscribitur, et Charta projicitur versus Coelum, tunc in aere inter oculum ejus et Coelum fit similis explosio, et Charta discerpitur in floccos et evanescit: simile fit, si charta illa projicitur ad angelum, 1 qui in propinquo stat; hoc saepius vidi.
[4] Exinde patuit mihi, quod nulla communicatio cum Coelo per Verbum sit illis, qui in falsis doctrinae sunt, sed quod lectio illorum diffluat in via, et pereat sicut pulvis pyrius Chartae inclusus, dum accenditur et ejicitur in aerem. Contrarium fit apud illos, qui in veris doctrinae per Verbum a Domino sunt; lectio Verbi ab illis penetrat usque in Coelum, et facit conjunctionem cum Angelis ibi. Ipsi Angeli, cum descendunt de Coelo ad aliquod munus obeundum infra, apparent circumobsiti stellis parvis, imprimis circum caput, quod signum est, quod Divina vera ex Verbo in illis sint.
[5] Praeterea in Mundo spirituali dantur similia quae in terris, sed omnia et singula ibi ex origine spirituali, ita quoque datur aurum et argentum, et dantur Lapides pretiosi omnis generis, et horum origo spiritualis est Sensus literae Verbi; inde est, quod in Apocalypsi fundamenta muri Novae Hierosolymae describantur per duodecim Lapides pretiosos; causa est, quia per Fundamenta muri ejus significantur doctrinalia Novae Ecclesiae ex sensu literae Verbi; inde etiam est, quod in Ephodo Aharonis etiam fuerint duodecim Lapides pretiosi, Urim et Thumim vocati, et quod per illos responsa e Coelo data sint. Praeter haec, sunt adhuc plura Mirabilia ex Verbo, quae concernunt potentiam Veri ibi, quae tam immensa est, ut si describeretur, excederet omnem fidem; potentia enim talis est, ut evertat montes et colles ibi, illos transferat in longinquum, et projiciat in mare, praeter plura; in summa, Potentia Domini ex Verbo est infinita.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: angulum.