86.耶和华神作为神圣真理降世，是为了实现救赎。救赎就是地狱的征服，天堂的秩序，和随后教会的建立。仅有神圣良善还不足以实现这些目标，但出于神圣良善的神圣真理却能。神圣良善就其本身而言，就象剑上的圆柄、一块钝木，或无箭之弓。出于神圣良善的神圣真理就象锋利的剑、削成尖矛的木头，或有箭之弓，所有这些都能有力地对抗敌人。就圣言的灵义而言，剑（或刀）、矛、弓表有战斗力的真理（参看《破解启示录》52，299，436节，那里对此有所说明）。若非通过出于圣言的神圣真理，整个地狱曾经所在并且恒常所在的虚假与邪恶绝无法被击打、挫败和征服；那时所建的新天堂绝无法被有序建立、形成并排列；世上的新教会也绝无法被建立起来。而且，神的一切力量、能力和权柄都属于来自神圣良善的神圣真理。这解释了为何耶和华神作为神圣真理，就是圣言（即道）降下来。故诗篇上说：
大能者啊，愿你腰间佩刀，在你的荣耀中升起，为真理之道乘车前往；你的右手将教你神奇之事。你的箭锋利，你的仇敌仆倒在。（诗篇45:3－5）
这论及主，祂与地狱争战，并战胜它们。
86. 耶和華上帝作為聖理而降世的原因是為了施行救贖。救贖就是征服地獄, 重建天國, 然後建立教會。聖善不能完成這些目標, 只有源自聖善的聖理方可。聖善就其本身而言, 就像一把鈍口的刀, 或者像一根木頭, 又或無箭之弓。可是源自聖善的聖理則如同一把鋒利戰刀, 像木頭削成的尖矛, 或像配齊利箭的強弓。事實上, 刀,矛,弓在聖言中的屬靈意思就表示用於征戰的真理(請看破解啟示錄52, 299, 436節)。
除了自聖言而來的聖理, 沒有什麼可以用來攻擊,擊敗並征服整個地獄曾擁有的和現仍擁有的偽謬與邪惡, 也沒有什麼可以用來完成上帝所做的另一件事情——創立,建設和組織一個新天國的重建, 同樣也沒有別的方法在地上建立一個新的教會。而且, 上帝的所有力量,威力和能力都是關於聖善而來的聖理。這就是為何耶和華上帝作為聖理(就是道)而降世。
就是就為何在大衛的『詩篇』中說:"願禰腰間佩刀, 哦, 大能者啊！在禰的榮耀中升起, 騎上真理之道。禰的右手將教禰驚奇之事。禰的箭鋒利。禰的仇敵將倒在禰之下(詩篇45:3-5)。這些說的, 是關於主,以及關於祂與地獄的爭戰與征服地獄。
86. Jehovah God came into the world as divine truth for the purpose of redeeming people. Redemption was a matter of gaining control of the hells, restructuring the heavens, and then establishing a church. Divine goodness does not have the power to do these things, but divine truth that comes from divine goodness does. In and of itself, divine goodness is like the round butt of a sword, like a blunted piece of wood, or like a bow by itself. Divine truth that comes from divine goodness is like a sharp sword, like a sharpened wooden spear, and like a bow with arrows, all three of which are effective weapons against enemies. In fact, swords, spears, and bows in the spiritual sense of the Word mean truths for battle (see Revelation Unveiled 52, 299, 436).
Nothing but divine truth from the Word could attack, conquer, and bring under control the falsities and evils that the entirety of hell possessed then and still possesses now. Nothing else could found, build, and organize a new heaven - another thing God did at the time. Nothing else could establish a new church on earth. Besides, all God's strength, force, and power belong to the divine truth that comes from divine goodness. This was why Jehovah God came down as divine truth, which is the Word.
This is why it says in David, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O Mighty One, and in your honor arise, ride on the word of truth. Your right hand will teach you amazing things. Your arrows are sharp. Your enemies will fall beneath you" (). These statements concern the Lord, his battles with the hells, and his conquests of them.
86. The reason Jehovah God came down into the world as the Divine Truth was so that He could effect redemption. Redemption was the conquest of the hells, the ordering of the heavens, and afterwards the establishment of a church. To achieve these aims the Divine Good is not powerful enough, but the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is. Divine Good regarded in itself is like a rounded point on a sword, or like a blunt piece of wood, or a bow without arrows. But the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is like a sharpened sword, and like a piece of wood pointed to make a spear, and like a bow with arrows, all of which are potent against enemies. Swords, spears and bows in the spiritual sense of the Word stand for militant truths; see , 299, 436, where this has been proved. There was no other way in which the falsities and evils, in which the whole of hell was and perpetually is plunged, could be attacked, defeated and conquered except through the Divine Truth coming from the Word. There was no other way in which a new heaven could be founded, formed and set in order, as was then done. There was no other way in which a new church could be established on earth. Moreover, all the strength, all the might and power of God belongs to the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good. This was the reason why Jehovah God came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in the Psalms of David:
Gird your sword upon your thigh, o mighty one, and go up in your splendour, ride upon the word of truth; your right hand shall teach you wondrous things; sharp are your arrows, your enemies shall fall beneath you, Psalms 45:3-5.
This passage describes the Lord, His combats with the hells and His victories over them.
86. Jehovah God came down into the world as Divine truth, in order that He might work redemption; and redemption consisted in subjugating the hells, restoring the heavens to order, and after this establishing a church. This Divine good is inadequate to effect; it can be done only by the Divine truth from the Divine good. The Divine good, viewed in itself, is like the round hilt of a sword, or a blunt piece of wood, or a bow without arrows; while Divine truth from Divine good is like a sharp sword, or wood in the form of a spear, or a bow with its arrows, all which are effective against an enemy. (In the spiritual sense of the Word "swords," "spears," and "bows" mean truths combating, as may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed, n. 52, 299, 436, where this is shown.) The falsities and evils in which all hell was and always is, could have been assaulted, conquered, and subjugated in no other way than by means of Divine truth from the Word; nor could the new heaven that was then constituted have been built up, formed, and arranged in order by any other means; nor could a new church on the earth have been established by any other means. Moreover all the strength, energy, and power of God belong to Divine truth from the Divine good. This explains why Jehovah God came down as Divine truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in David:
Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O mighty One, and in Thy majesty mount up; ride upon the Word of truth; Thy right hand shall teach Thee wonderful things. Thine arrows are sharp, Thine enemies shall fall under Thee (Psalms 45:3-5).
This is said of the Lord, of His conflicts with the hells, and of His victories over them.
86. Jehovah God descended into the world as Divine Truth that He might perform the work of redemption, which meant the subjugation of the hells, the bringing of the heavens into order, and afterwards the establishment of the Church. The Divine Good cannot accomplish this, but the Divine Truth from the Divine Good can. The Divine Good, considered in itself, is like the round knob of a sword-hilt, or a blunted piece of wood, or a bow without an arrow; but the Divine Truth from the Divine Good is like a sharp sword, or a spear-shaft with its pointed head, or a bow with arrows, weapons which are of use against the enemy. Truths militant are meant in the spiritual sense of the Word by swords, spears and bows, as may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed 52, 299, 438, where an explanation of this is given. For only by means of Divine Truth from the Word could the falsities and evils, which then prevailed and which still are prevalent throughout all hell, have been fought, overcome and put under subjection; nor could the new heaven, which was at that time established, have been founded, formed and set in order by any other means, nor could a new Church have been restored on earth. Moreover, all the strength, virtue and power of God belong to the Divine Truth from the Divine Good. It was for this reason that Jehovah God descended as the Divine Truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in David:
"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty; ascend in thy majesty, ride upon the Word of truth; and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things. Thine arrows are sharp, and thine enemies shall fall under thee." (A.V., variously). Psalms 45:3-5.
These words are spoken of the Lord concerning His combats with the hells, and His victories over them.
86. Quod Jehovah Deus in Mundum ut Divinum Verum descenderit, erat causa ut Redemptionem ageret, et Redemptio fuit subjugatio Infernorum, et ordinatio Coelorum, et post has instauratio Ecclesiae: ad efficiendum illa, non valet Divinum Bonum, sed Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono; Divinum Bonum in se spectatum est sicut umbo ensis rotundus, aut sicut lignum obtusum, aut sicut nudus arcus, ast Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono, est sicut ensis acutus, et sicut lignum hastile, et sicut arcus cum telis, quae contra hostes valent; per enses, hastas, et arcus, in sensu spirituali Verbi etiam intelliguntur vera pugnantia, videatur Apocalypsi Revelata 52, 299, 436, 1 ubi hoc demonstratum est; nec aliter falsa et mala, in quibus Universum Infernum fuit, et perpetuo est, potuit quam per Divinum Verum ex Verbo impugnari, vinci, et subjugari; nec per aliud potuit novum Coelum, quod etiam tunc factum est, condi, formari, et ordinari; nec per aliud potuit nova Ecclesia in terris instaurari: praeterea 2 omne robur, omnis virtus et potentia Dei, est Divini Veri ex Divino Bono: Haec causa fuit, quod Jehovah Deus ut Divinum Verum, quod est Verbum, descenderit; propterea dicitur apud Davidem, "Accinge gladium tuum super femur, o POTENS, et in honore tuo ascende, EQUITA SUPER VERBO VERITATIS, docebit Te mirabilia dextra tua, tela tua acuta, hostes tui cadent sub te," Psalm 45:4-6; 3 haec de Domino, et de pugnis Ejus cum Infernis, deque victoriis super illa.
Footnotes:
1. Cf. Apocalypsis Revelata 836.
2. Prima editio: praeterca.
3. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 45:3-5 apud Biblia Anglica.