355# 启6:2.“我就观看，看见一匹白马”表示对来自圣言的真理的理解。这从“马”和“白”的含义清楚可知：“马”是指理解力；“白”论及真理。“马”表示理解力，这一点从《白马》这本小著所引用和说明的可以看出来；“白”论及真理(参看AE 196节)。当羔羊揭开第一印时，经上说看见“一匹白马”；当祂揭开第二印时，经上说看见“一匹红马”；当祂揭开第三印时，经上说看见“一匹黑马”；当祂揭开第四印时，经上说看见“一匹灰白马”；由于“马”表示理解力，尤其与圣言相关的，所以由此可以看出，此处以“马”来描述对来自圣言的真理的理解，以及它在教会之人身上的品质。无论你说描述的是对真理的理解，还是说描述的是那些处于其中的人，意思都一样；因为世人、灵人和天使都是它居于其中的主体。由此可知，本章和下文在内义或灵义上描述了什么，即：在理解方面的圣言。这也从本章第九节和本书第十九章明显看出来：在本章第九节，这四匹马出现，第五印被揭开之后，经上说“我看见为神的圣言被杀之人的灵魂”；在第十九章，经上说“骑在白马上的，名称为神的圣言”(启示录19:13)。“马”表示理解力，“白马”表示对来自圣言的真理的理解，这一点从前面所引用的小著《白马》中的说明可以看出来；但由于那里只从圣言引用了几段经文，以证明“马”表示理解力，所以我想在此引用更多经文，以便能有一个充分的证实，就是接下来的这些经文。
以西结书：
你们要从四围聚集来赴我为你们所献的祭筵。你们要在我桌子上饱吃马匹和战车，并勇士和一切的战士。我必这样在列族中赐予我的荣耀。(以西结书39:17, 20–21)
这论述了把所有人都召集到主的国度，尤其论述了教会在外邦人当中的建立；因为它描述了外邦人所陷入的属灵囚禁，以及他们从中的释放。“所献的祭筵”表示藉以敬拜主的一切敬拜；“在桌子上饱吃”表示饱吃一切属灵食物；由于这食物就是对来自圣言和取自圣言的教义的真理的理解，所以经上说“饱吃马匹和战车”，“马匹”表示对来自圣言的真理的理解，“战车”表示由此而来的教义。经上还说“饱吃勇士和一切的战士”，“勇士”表示摧毁邪恶的源于良善的真理，“战士”表示摧毁虚假的源于良善的真理。除非所表示的是这些事物，否则经上怎么可能会说他们要“饱吃马匹和战车，并勇士和一切的战士”呢？
同样在启示录：
你们聚集来赴大神的晚筵。可以吃君王的肉，千夫长的肉，壮士的肉，马和骑马者的肉。(启示录19:17–18)
前面的经文论述了圣言及其灵义；此处，他们现在被邀请学习真理、感知良善；“大神的晚筵”表示在真理上的教导，和由此而来的对来自主的良善的感知；“君王、千夫长、壮士、马和骑马者的肉”表示来自良善的各种真理；“肉”表示良善，“君王”表示总体上的神性真理，“千夫长”表示具体的神性真理，“壮士”表示属世真理，“马”表示理解的真理，“骑马者”表示属灵真理。这并不是指君王、千夫长、壮士、马和骑马者的肉，这一点对每个人来说都是显而易见的。
哈巴谷书：
耶和华岂是不喜悦江河？你的怒气岂是向江河发作？你的烈怒岂是向海洋发作？因你骑在你的马上，你的战车是拯救，你骑马践踏海，就是多水的泥浆。(哈巴谷书3:8, 15)
谁看不出，“马”在此并非表示马？因为经上论到耶和华说，祂骑在祂的马上，祂骑马践踏海，祂的战车是拯救。但经上这样说，是因为“祂骑在马上”表示耶和华，也就是主，在对其属灵意义上的圣言的理解里面；由于教导拯救之路的真理之教义来自主，所以经上补充说“你的战车是拯救”，“战车”表示教义；“骑马践踏海”表示耶和华，也就是主，在对其属世意义上的圣言的理解里面；因为“海”在此表示属世意义，以及属于并供给属世人的总体上的一切事物；由于那里的神性真理在其终端中，所以经上补充说“多水的泥浆”；“泥浆或泥”表示终端，真理来自终端并在其中；“水”表示真理。
撒迦利亚书：
我必剪除以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的马匹；战争的弓也必剪除；但祂要向列族讲和平。(撒迦利亚书9:10)
这论述了主的降临，以及教会在外邦人当中的建立。那时犹太人中间将没有任何教会事物存留，这一点以“我必剪除以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的马匹；战争的弓也必剪除”来描述，这句话表示将不再有任何教义上的真理，也不再有对真理的任何理解，因而不再有与虚假的争战和对它的抵制。“以法莲”表示在对真理的理解方面的教会，“耶路撒冷”表示在真理的教义方面的教会，“战车”表示教义本身，“马”表示理解力本身，“战争的弓”表示与虚假的争战和对它的抵制。“祂要向列族讲和平”表示教会在列族或外邦人当中的建立，“列族”表示所有处于对主之爱的良善之人(参看AE 331节)，“和平”表示那良善，因而表示教会的一切事物。“以法莲”表示对真理的理解方面的教会(参看《属天的奥秘》，3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6237, 6267, 6296节)；“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会(参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，6节；AE 223节)。
同一先知书：
到那日，我必以惊惶击打一切马匹，以疯狂击打骑马的；我必向犹大家睁开我的双眼，我必以瞎眼击打列民一切的马匹。(撒迦利亚书12:4)
这论述了前教会的毁灭和新教会的建立。“到那日，我必以惊惶击打一切马匹，以疯狂击打骑马的；我必以瞎眼击打列民一切的马匹”描述了前教会的毁灭。显然，“马”在此表示教会之人对真理的理解，“骑马的”表示对属灵真理的情感，理解由此而来；否则，为何经上说“以惊惶击打马匹，以瞎眼击打列民的马匹”呢？“惊惶”论及当没有对良善的感知时的理解力，“瞎眼”论及当没有对真理的感知时的理解力。“犹大家”表示在那些处于对主之爱的良善，因而处于来自圣言的真理之教义的人中间的教会(参看AE 119, 211节)；因此，经上说“我必向它睁开我的双眼”，这句话表示光照他们，使他们可以看见真理。
又：
在那日，马的铃铛上要刻上归耶和华为圣。(撒迦利亚书14:20)
这也论述了主的降临，以及邀请所有人到教会；“马的铃铛”表示知识和认知，以及由此而来的来自对真理的理解的讲道；由于对真理的一切理解，因而知识和讲道本身都来自主，所以经上说：“马的铃铛上要刻上归耶和华为圣。”由于“铃铛”具有这种含义，所以：
亚伦的袍子周围的底边上有金铃铛。(出埃及记28:34–35)
355b. 摩西五经：
但必作道上的蛇，路中的箭蛇，咬伤马蹄，使骑马的向后坠落。耶和华啊，我等候你的救恩。(创世记49:17–18)
这是父亲以色列关于但支派的预言，这个支派表示教会的终端，因而表示那些处于真理和良善的终端，被称为感官化的人；因为教会里有属灵人，也有属世人，属世人又有内在的，中间的和最外在的；最外在的是感官人，他们没有把自己的思维提升到圣言的字义之上。这些人由“但”来表示；这个预言描述了他们的品质，即：“但必作道上的蛇，路中的箭蛇，咬伤马蹄，使骑马的向后坠落。”“道上的蛇”和“路中的箭蛇”表示在真理和良善方面的感官层；“马蹄”表示对真理和良善的理解的终端；“骑马的”表示由此而来的推理；由于感官层就本身而言，看不见真理，它因不明白属灵事物而很容易陷入虚假，除非不断被主阻止、远离虚假，所以经上说：“使骑马的向后坠落。耶和华啊，我等候你的救恩。”“但”表示教会的终端(参看《属天的奥秘》，1710, 6396, 10335节)；“蛇”表示感官层，也就是理解力的终端(AC 6398, 6949, 8624e, 10313节；AE 70节)；“路”表示真理(AC 627, 2333, 10422节；AE 97节)；“蹄”表示终端属世层，或肉体属世层(AC 259, 4938节等)。至于什么是感官层，什么是两种意义上的感官人，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(50节)。
撒迦利亚书：
我又举目观看，见有四辆战车从两山中间出来，那山是铜山。第一辆战车套着红马，第二辆战车套着黑马，第三辆战车套着白马，第四辆战车套着带斑点的壮马。天使说，这些是天的四风，是从侍立在全地之主面前出来的。其中黑马出来，往北方之地去；白马出来，跟在它们后面；有斑点的马出来，往南方之地去；壮马出来，切望在遍地走来走去。他说，你看，那些出来往北方之地去的，已经使我的灵安息在北方之地。远方的人要来建造耶和华的殿。(撒迦利亚书6:1–8, 15)
任何人都不明白这个预言，除非他知道“战车”和“马”表示什么，“红”、“黑”、“白”、“斑点”和“壮”表示什么；以及“北方之地”和“南方之地”表示什么。此处论述的是要在那些因没有圣言而尚未处于任何真理之光的人中间传播的教会；“北方”表示他们所拥有的真理的模糊；“南方”表示真理的清晰；“马”表示他们的理解力；“红”、“黑”、“白”和“斑点”表示它起初的品质和后来的品质；“红”表示在良善方面，他们的理解力起初的品质；“黑”表示在真理方面，他们的理解力起初的品质；“白”表示在真理方面，他们的理解力后来的品质；“斑点”表示在真理和良善方面，理解力最后的品质；“壮”表示在抵制邪恶和虚假的能力方面，理解力的品质。由此可见，“黑马出来，往北方之地去；白马出来，跟在它们后面”、“他们已经使我的灵安息在北方之地”表示什么，即：那些出于生活的良善处于对认识教会真理的情感之人接受并理解，其他人则没有被光照。“他们已经使我的灵安息在北方之地”表示这些人被光照并接受；“有斑点的马出来，往南方之地去；壮马在遍地走来走去”表示那些出于生活的良善处于对认识教会真理的情感之人进入光明，他们抵制邪恶和虚假，并构成教会。因此，这四种马被称为“天的四风，从侍立在全地之主面前出来”；“风”表示一切神性真理，“从侍立在全地之主面前出来”表示一切真理都从祂发出。“风”表示一切神性真理(参看《属天的奥秘》，9642节；《天堂与地狱》，141–153节)；“出来”表示发出(《属天的奥秘》，5337, 7124, 9303节)。“要来建造耶和华殿的远方的人”表示那些以前远离教会的真理和良善，将要接近或进入教会的人。“远方的人”表示这些人(参看《属天的奥秘》，4723, 8918节)；“耶和华的殿”表示教会(AC 3720节)；此外，“北方”表示真理的模糊，“南方”表示真理的清晰，因此，这两个词也表示那些处于真理的模糊和真理的清晰之人(参看《天堂与地狱》，148–151节)。至于“红”和“黑”在两种意义上表示什么，可参看对6:4–5的解释，以及“白”表示什么(参看AE 196节)。战车和马匹中间出来的“铜山”表示属世人中的爱之良善；经上这样说，是因为此处所论述的民族在被光照之前，处于属世良善，而非处于属灵良善。“山”表示爱之良善(参看《属天的奥秘》，795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438节)；“铜”表示属世良善(参看AE 70节)。
约伯记：
神使她忘记了智慧，也没有把聪明赐给她。她几时把自己举到高处，就嘲笑马和骑马的人。(约伯记39:17–18)
这些话论及“鸟”，“鸟”表示来自自我的聪明，这聪明本身不是聪明；因为人从自我只看到虚假，看不到真理，聪明来自真理，不来自虚假；因此，经上论到她说，“神使她忘记了智慧，也没有把聪明赐给她。她几时把自己举到高处，就嘲笑马和骑马的人”，也就是嘲笑对真理的理解，也嘲笑聪明人。
355c. 诗篇：
心里强壮的人成了掠夺物，他们睡了长觉。雅各的神啊，你一斥责，战车和战马都沉睡了。(诗篇76:5–6)
“心里强壮的人”表示那些处于源于良善的真理之人；他们“成了掠夺物，睡了长觉”表示他们从邪恶陷入虚假；“雅各的神的斥责”表示被他们自己颠倒的状态；“战车和战马都沉睡了”表示他们的智力或理解力被哄睡着了，因为它已经变成纯属世的了。“醒”表示为自己获得属灵生命，“睡”表示有属世生命，没有属灵生命(AE 187节)。
以西结书：
雅完、土巴、米设以人的灵魂和铜器与你交易。他们陀迦玛族用马匹、马兵和骡子换你的货物。(以西结书27:13–14)
这论述了推罗，“推罗”表示属于外在和内在教会的真理和良善的知识。“雅完、土巴、米设”表示那些处于外在敬拜的人；“他们陀迦玛族”表示那些处于内在敬拜的人；故经上说，这些人“用马匹、马兵和骡子换推罗的货物”；“人的灵魂”表示在知识或认知方面的信之真理；“铜器”表示属世良善的真理；“马匹、马兵和骡子”表示对真理和良善的理解，“马匹”表示对真理的理解，“马兵”表示聪明，“骡子”表示理性。“骡子”表示理性(参看《属天的奥秘》，2781, 5741, 9212节)。人人都能看出，本章和其它地方所列举的“推罗的货物”不是指用这些事物来交易，如铜器，马，骡子和其它许多事物，而是指属灵的交易，属灵的交易通过真理和良善的知识来实现；因为圣言是神性，论述神性事物，不论述世俗事物；因此，它包含属于天堂和教会的属灵事物，这些属灵事物在终端意义，也就是字义上以对应于它们的属世事物来表达。在圣言中，“交易”和“成为商人”表示获得并交流真理和良善的知识(参看《属天的奥秘》，2967, 4453节)；“买”和“卖”所表相同(AC 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039节)。
以赛亚书：
带领他们经过深处，如马行走旷野，使他们不至绊跌的；耶和华的灵引导他，仿佛牲畜下到山谷。(以赛亚书63:13–14)
本章论述了主，祂与众地狱争战并征服它们；但此处论述了对那些处于对祂的爱和信之人的拯救。这些人被比作“旷野的马”和“山谷的牲畜”，因为“马”表示对真理的理解，“牲畜”表示对良善的情感；在圣言中，一切对比或比喻都来自对应。
启示录：
我看见天开了，见有一匹白马，骑在马上的被称为神的圣言。在天上的众军骑着白马跟随祂。(启示录19:11, 13–14)
显然，“白马”表示对圣言的理解，那些追随的人所骑的“白马”同样表示对圣言的理解。事实上，“骑在白马上的”是圣言方面的主，因为经上说“骑在马上的被称为神的圣言”，在19:16又说：“在祂衣服和大腿上有名写着，万主之主，万王之王。”主被称为圣言，因为圣言表示从祂发出的神性真理。不过，在《白马》这本小著第1节的解释中，可以更充分地看到启示录中的这些事物；还可以看到为何主被称为“圣言”(WH 14节)。由于“战车”和“马”表示来自圣言的教义和对它的理解，还由于一切真理之教义和对它们的理解都由主那里从天堂而出，所以经上论到祂说，“乘驾圣言或话语”，乘驾“云”、“天”、“基路伯”，以及“祂使……乘驾或骑马”，如以下经文。诗篇：
大能者啊，愿你大腿边佩剑，以你的威严和尊贵骑上，乘驾真理和公义温和的话语。(诗篇45:3–4)
这些话论及主。又：
你们当向神歌唱，向祂的名唱诗；歌颂那驾云的。(诗篇68:4)
以赛亚书：
看哪，耶和华驾云临到埃及；埃及的偶像在祂面前动摇。(以赛亚书19:1)
诗篇：
你们要向主，向那自古乘驾在天之天的唱诗。(诗篇68:32–33)
又：
神乘坐基路伯飞行，藉着风的翅膀快飞。(诗篇18:10)
哈巴谷书：
耶和华啊，你乘在马上，你的战车是拯救。你骑马践踏海。(哈巴谷书3:8, 15)
以赛亚书：
你就以耶和华为乐；我要使你乘驾地的高处。(以赛亚书58:14)
摩西五经：
耶和华独自引导他，使他乘驾地的高处。(申命记32:12–13)
何西阿书：
我要使以法莲骑马。(何西阿书10:11)
在这些经文中，“乘驾或骑马”表示赋予聪明和智慧，因为“战车”表示真理的教义，“马”表示对它的理解。
以赛亚书：
他们必将你们一切的弟兄从所有民族中领出来，使他们或骑马，或坐车，坐轿，骑骡子，骑独峰驼，到我的圣山耶路撒冷，作为供物献给耶和华。(以赛亚书66:20)
这论述了主建立一个新教会；因此，意思不是说，他们要使他们的弟兄或骑马，或坐车，坐轿，骑骡子，骑独峰驼，到耶路撒冷；而是说，所有处于良善的人都要在神性真理上被教导，由此变得聪明和智慧，从而被引入教会；因为“弟兄”表示所有处于良善的人；“马”表示对真理的理解；“战车”表示真理的教义；“轿子”表示真理的知识；“骡子”表示属灵的内在理性；“独峰驼”表示属世的外在理性；“耶路撒冷”表示拥有神性真理的教义的教会，该教会凭对真理的爱而被称为“圣山”。从“战车”和“马”的含义可以看出，为何以利亚和以利沙被称为以色列的战车马兵，以利沙的少年人看见那山上满了火马火车围绕着以利沙(列王纪下2:11–12; 6:17; 13:14)；即：以利亚和以利沙代表圣言方面的主，“战车”表示取自圣言的教义，“马兵”表示聪明。以利亚和以利沙代表圣言方面的主(参看《属天的奥秘》，7643, 8029, 9372节)。
355d. “战车”和“马”表示教义和对它的理解，这一点从它们的反面意义进一步明显看出来；“战车”和“马”在反面意义上表示来自败坏的智力或理解力的虚假教义和虚假知识。因为在圣言中，绝大多数事物都具有反面意义，从其反面意义可以看出它们在正面意义上表示什么。“战车”和“马”在反面意义上表示这些事物，这一点从以下经文可以看出来。以西结书：
看哪，我要巴比伦王率领马匹、战车、马兵，从北方来攻击推罗。他必用剑杀戮你在田野的女儿。因他的马匹众多，它们扬起的尘土必遮盖你，你的城墙必因马兵、车轮和战车的响声而震动。他的马蹄必践踏你一切的街道，他必用剑杀戮人民。(以西结书26:7–8, 10–11)
“推罗”表示在真理的知识方面的教会；“巴比伦王”表示通过虚假和亵渎而对真理的摧毁；他所来自的“北方”表示一切虚假的源头，尤其是地狱，虚假是从地狱中产生的；“战车”、“马”和“马兵”表示虚假的教义和由此而来的推理；他们要用剑在田野杀戮的“女儿”表示要被虚假灭绝的对真理的情感，因为“女儿”是指对真理的情感，“田野”是指这些情感所在的教会，“剑”是指虚假与真理的争战，“杀戮”是指灭绝。这清楚表明“因他的马匹众多，它们扬起的尘土必遮盖你”表示什么，“尘土”表示虚假之邪恶。“必因马兵、车轮和战车的响声而震动的城墙”表示进行保护的真理，这些真理一般是：有一位神，敬拜是神性，有永生。当这些“城墙”或这些真理通过虚假的教义和基于它们的推理而受到怀疑时，经上就说它们“因马兵、车轮和战车的响声而震动”；他用来践踏一切街道的“马蹄”表示属世人最外在的事物，这些事物被称为感官印象，一切虚假皆来自这些感官印象；它们所践踏的“街道”是指教会教义的真理，这些真理完全被摧毁了；倒在剑下的“人民”表示所有处于真理的人，在抽象意义上表示一切真理。
耶利米书：
剑哪，临到说谎的人，使他们变为愚昧；剑哪，临到勇士，使他们惊惶；剑哪，临到她的马匹、战车；剑哪，临到它的宝物，使它们被抢夺；有干旱临到她的众水，使它们干涸，因为这是雕刻偶像之地。(耶利米书50:36–38)
“剑”表示真理与虚假，并虚假与真理的争战，以及随之而来的荒废；此处它表示荒废；“说谎的人”和“勇士”表示虚假和由此而来的推理；“马”和“战车”所表相同；要被抢夺的“宝物”表示教义的一切事物；临到众水，使它们干涸的“干旱”表示真理的荒凉，“干旱”表示荒凉，“水”表示真理；由于一切虚假都来自自我聪明，所以经上说“因为这是雕刻偶像之地”，“地”在此表示异端，“雕刻偶像”表示来自自我聪明的东西。这就是“雕刻偶像”、“铸像”和“偶像”的含义(参看《属天的奥秘》，8869, 8941, 10406, 10503节)。
同一先知书：
看哪，他必如云上来，他的战车如旋风，他的马匹比鹰更快。我们有祸了！因为我们败亡了。你当洗去心中的恶，使你可以得救。罪孽的念头存在你中间要到几时呢？全地必然荒废。整个城因马兵和弓箭手的响声就都逃跑；他们进入密云，爬上磐石；整个城都被撇下。(耶利米书4:13–14, 27, 29)
此处描述了教会因邪恶之虚假而荒废；“云”表示虚假；“比鹰更快的马匹”表示从反对真理的虚假进行推理的欲望；“如旋风的战车”表示虚假之教义；“全地必然荒废。整个城因马兵和弓箭手的响声就都逃跑”表示因此，教会的一切和教会教义的一切都必灭亡；“地”表示教会，“城”表示教会的教义；“马兵和弓箭手的响声”表示从虚假进行推理并攻击，“逃跑”表示灭亡。“他们进入密云，爬上磐石”表示然后，纯粹的虚假和虚假的信仰就会掌权，“云”表示虚假，“磐石”表示虚假的信仰。此处明显描述了教会及其教义的毁灭，因为经上说：“我们有祸了！因为我们败亡了。罪孽的念头存在你中间要到几时呢？全地必然荒废。整个城都被撇下。”
又：
看哪，有一种民从北方之地而来，并有一大民族被激动，从地极来到。他们的声音像海洋咆哮；他们都骑马。(耶利米书6:22–23; 50:41–42)
此处也论述了教会因邪恶之虚假而毁灭；“北方之地”和“地极”是指这些事物的源头，“北方之地”是指虚假的源头，“地极”是指邪恶的源头；因为“北方”表示远离真理之物，“地极”表示远离良善之物；因此，“民族”论及后者，“(人)民”论及前者，“民族”表示那些处于邪恶的人，“人民”表示那些处于虚假的人(参看AE 331b节)。“他们的声音像海洋咆哮；他们都骑马”表示他们的推理。
以西结书：
你必从你的地方，从北方的极处而来；你和与你同在的许多国民，他们都骑着马。你必上来攻击我的民以色列，如密云遮盖那地。(以西结书38:15–16)
这些话论及歌革，歌革表示没有任何内在的外在敬拜；“地极”在此和前一样，表示远离良善和真理之物，因而表示邪恶之虚假的源头；由于他们从那里进行推理，并攻击和灭绝教会的真理，所以经上说：“他们都骑着马；你必上来攻击我的民以色列，如密云遮盖那地。”“骑马”表示推理，“上来攻击以色列民”和“遮盖那地”表示攻击并灭绝教会的真理；“云”是指邪恶之虚假。
但以理书：
到了末期，南方王要与北方王发生冲突；北方王必用战车、马兵和许多战船，势如暴风冲向他，也必进入各地，如洪水泛滥，横扫而过。(但以理书11:40)
本章论述的主题是北方王与南方王的争战；“北方王”表示源于邪恶的虚假，“南方王”表示源于良善的真理；所以显而易见，本章所提到的这些事物不是论及未来两王之间的任何战争，而是论及源于邪恶的虚假与源于良善的真理的争战。北方王冲向他所用的“战车和马兵”是指利用邪恶之虚假向真理发起的攻击；他们冲向他所用的“许多战船”表示知识和虚假的教义；“必进入各地，如洪水泛滥，横扫而过”表示教会由此而毁灭。“船”表示两种意义上的知识和教义(参看《属天的奥秘》，1977, 6385节)；“如洪水泛滥”表示沉浸于虚假和邪恶(AC 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853节)。
355e. 耶利米书：
我要用你分散列族，用你毁灭列国，用你驱散马和骑马的，用你驱散战车和坐在其上的。(耶利米书51:20–21)
哈该书：
我必倾覆列国的宝座，毁灭列族列国的势力，并倾覆战车和坐在其上的；马和骑马的必跌倒，人倒在他弟兄的剑下。(哈该书2:22)
这些话论及虚假和邪恶的毁灭，并非论及任何民族或国家的毁灭；因为“列族”表示邪恶，“列国”和“人民”一样，表示虚假。因为这是预言性的，不是历史的。这清楚表明“马和骑马的”、“战车和坐在其上的”表示什么，即：“马和骑马的”表示败坏的理解力或智力，以及由此而来的推理；“战车和坐在其上的”表示虚假或异端的教义和那些处于其中的人。
那鸿书：
祸哉，这流人血的城！全城充满谎言和劫掠；鞭子的响声，车轮轰轰的响声，马匹嘶鸣，战车跳跃，马兵腾跃，剑的火焰，枪矛闪烁，被杀的甚多，尸首成堆，都因那妓女多有淫行，藉淫行卖列族，用邪术卖列宗族。(那鸿书3:1–4)
此处论述的主题是向神性真理所施的暴行，以及邪恶之虚假对它的毁灭；因为这些由“流人血的城”来表示，接下来的话就论及它们(参看AE 329f节)。因此，经上也说“全城充满谎言和劫掠”，“谎言”表示虚假，“劫掠”表示虚假所施的暴行；由于“战争”表示属灵的争战，也就是真理与虚假，并虚假与真理的争战，所以属于战争的一切事物，如“鞭子”、“马匹”、“战车”、“剑”、“枪矛”表示属于属灵争战的各种事物；但此处没有必要解释其中每一种具体表示什么，只解释“马匹”、“马兵”和“战车”表示什么。“车轮轰轰的响声”表示从虚假和邪恶进行推理；“马匹嘶鸣，战车跳跃”表示摧毁真理的欲望，“马匹”表示败坏的理解力或智力，“战车”表示进行摧毁的虚假之教义。“嘶鸣”和“跳跃”表示被欲望和附属于它的快乐驱使去摧毁，“马兵腾跃”表示攻击。因此，经上说：“被杀的甚多，尸首成堆。”那些因虚假而灭亡的人被称为“被杀的”，那些因邪恶而灭亡的人被称为“尸首”；因此，经上还说：“都因那妓女多有淫行，藉淫行卖列族，用邪术卖列宗族。”“淫行”表示对真理的歪曲，“妓女”表示异端，“卖列族”表示疏远良善，“用邪术卖列宗族”表示疏远真理，“列族”表示良善，“列宗族”表示由此而来的真理，“邪术”表示使之疏远的邪恶之虚假。
哈巴谷书：
我必兴起迦勒底人，就是那苦愤、急促的民族，遍行宽广之地；她的马比豹更快，比晚上的豺狼更猛，她的马兵四散，她的马兵都从远方而来；他们飞跑如鹰急速吞食。她必完全为强暴而来；她讥诮列王，掌权的必成为她嘲笑的对象。(哈巴谷书1:6, 8–10)
“迦勒底人”表示那些亵渎真理，因而使教会荒废的人，所以他们被称为“苦愤、急促，遍行宽广之地的民族”，“宽广之地”表示教会的真理(参看《天堂与地狱》，197节)。“她的马比豹更快，比晚上的豺狼更猛，她的马兵四散，她的马兵都从远方而来；他们飞跑如鹰急速吞食”表示他们在通过基于完全远离真理的虚假的推理扭曲真理，并摧毁它们时的欲望和敏捷。“她的马比豹更快”表示欲望，“她的马比晚上的豺狼更猛”表示敏捷，“他们飞跑如鹰”表示这两者。由于这欲望和敏捷是为了摧毁真理，所以经上说：“她必完全为强暴而来。”“她讥诮列王，掌权的必成为她嘲笑的对象”表示他们嘲笑真理和良善，“列王”表示真理，“领主”和“掌权的”表示良善。
诗篇：
有人以车为荣耀，有人以马为荣耀；但我们要以我们神的名为荣耀。(诗篇20:7)
又：
君王不能因军兵多而得救；靠马得安全是枉然的。(诗篇33:16–17)
又：
耶和华不喜悦马的力量，不喜爱人的大腿。(诗篇147:10)
“以车和马为荣耀”和“耶和华不喜悦马的力量”表示来自自我聪明的一切事物，从这些事物只发出虚假；“人的大腿”表示那些来自他自己的意愿的事物，从这些事物只发出邪恶。
阿摩司书：
拿弓的不能站立，脚快的不能使自己逃脱，骑马的也不能使他的灵魂逃脱，到那日，内心强壮者必赤身逃跑。(阿摩司书2:15–16)
这也描述了自我聪明，以及由从虚假说话和推理的能力产生的信心。“拿弓的不能站立，脚快的不能使自己逃脱”表示一个知道如何从虚假的教义，以及属世人的知识和记忆快速推理的人必不因此而得救；“骑马的也不能使他的灵魂逃脱”所表相同；“到那日，内心强壮者必赤身者逃跑”表示信靠自己虚假的人必没有任何真理，“内心强壮者”表示一个信靠自己虚假的人，“赤身者”表示一个对真理没有任何理解的人(参看AE 240节)。
以赛亚书：
主耶和华，以色列的圣者说，你们的力量在于平静和信心；但你们竟不愿意，说，不，我们要骑马逃去；所以你们必逃走；我们要骑快马，所以追赶你们的，也必飞快。(以赛亚书30:15–16)
这论述了对主的信心和对自我的信心；对主的信心以这些话来描述：“主耶和华，以色列的圣者说，你们的力量在于平静和信心。”对自我的信心以这些话来描述：“你们说，不，我们要骑马逃去”、“我们要骑快马”。“骑马逃去”和“骑快马”表示贪恋和喜爱那些属于人自己的理解，以及由此而来的思维和推理的事物。“所以你们必逃走”、“所以追赶你们的，也必飞快”表示那时，虚假必闯入，并占有，“快”和“飞快”表示出于欲望或爱所做的事。
355f. 撒迦利亚书：
耶和华必使犹大家如祂战争中威严的马；房角石从他而出，钉子从他而出，战争的弓也从他而出。他们必如勇士践踏街上的泥土；他们必争战，因为耶和华与他们同在，他们必使骑马的羞愧。(撒迦利亚书10:3–5)
“犹大家”表示主的属天国度，也就是处于对主之爱的天堂和教会。论到该国度，经上说它“必如战争中威严的马”，以此表示对与邪恶和虚假争战的神性真理的理解，这神性真理必摧毁邪恶和虚假。“马”表示理解力，“威严”表示神性真理，“战争”表示与虚假和邪恶的争战，以及它们的毁灭。“从犹大而出”的“房角石”、“钉子”和“战争的弓”表示真理：“房角石”表示进行保护的真理，“钉子”表示进行强化的真理，“战争的弓”表示从教义进行争战的真理。“他们必如勇士践踏街上的泥土”表示驱散和摧毁虚假的能力，“街上的泥土”表示虚假。“他们必使骑马的羞愧”表示来自人自己的理解的推理、论据和确认的毁灭；“他们必争战，因为耶和华与他们同在”表示这必由主，而不是由他们来实现。
何西阿书：
亚述不能救我们，我们必不骑马，也不再对我们手所造的说，你是我们的神。(何西阿书14:3)
这也论述了来自自我的聪明，它不会拯救人。“亚述”表示理性，在此是指来自自我的东西；“骑马”表示来自自我的理解力的推理；“手所造的”表示自我本身。
以西结书：
阿荷拉行淫，贪恋所爱的人，就是她的邻邦亚述人，穿着蓝衣，是骑着马的骑兵。(以西结书23:5–6, 12, 23)
“阿荷拉”，在此即撒马利亚，表示歪曲真理的教会；本章所论述的“她的淫行”表示歪曲；“亚述人”表示用来歪曲真理的推理；由于“骑着马”表示从来自我聪明的虚假进行推理，所以经上说：“她贪恋亚述人，就是骑着马的骑兵。”他们所穿的“蓝衣”表示看似真理的虚假，这种表象主要来自将圣言的字义应用于虚假的原则。
耶利米书：
从但那里听见他的战马喷鼻气，他的壮马发嘶声，全地就都震动；他们来吞灭这地和其上所有的，吞灭这城与住在其中的。(耶利米书8:16)
本文在前面已经告知“但”表示什么，即表示处于其终端的真理；这是教会中包含在圣言字义里面的真理。那些只持守字义，不从应当进行指导和光照的纯正真理的教义来阅读圣言的人，都可能会被带入各种错误；“但”在此就表示那些被带入错误或虚假的人；“他的战马喷鼻气”表示由此而来的对虚假的确认；“他的壮马发嘶声”表示对真理的歪曲。它们因其信心而被称为壮，因为虚假是真理，正是由于来自圣言的字义。“全地就都震动”表示教会由此在其真理和良善上被荒废；“他们来吞灭这地和其上所有的，以及住在其中的”，“地”表示教会，“其上所有的”表示真理，“住在其中的”表示良善。
以赛亚书：
祂必竖起大旗，召集远方的列族，向来自地极的发嘶声，看哪，敏捷的人必急速奔来。他的箭锐利，弓也都拉弯了；马蹄算如坚石，车轮像旋风。(以赛亚书5:26, 28)
这也论述了那些在对真理的理解和对良善的感知方面处于终端的人。这些终端就是那被称为感官印象的，或说被称为感官事物，也就是属世人的终端(对此，参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，50节)；教会及其教义中的一切邪恶和虚假都是从与属灵人分离的这些感官事物或感官印象中涌出来的；“远方的列族”表示来自这个源头的邪恶；“来自地极的”表示虚假；“远”和“地极”表示那些远离教会的真理和良善的事物。“锐利的箭”和“拉弯的弓”表示预备摧毁真理的教义之虚假，“算如坚石的马蹄”和“像旋风的车轮”表示真理的终端，就是圣言字义中的那种，以及由此而来的虚假的论据和确认；“马蹄”表示理解力的终端，在此表示因与属灵人的理解力分离而败坏的理解力的终端；由于这些终端来自圣言的字义，所以经上说“算如坚石”；而“车轮”表示由此而来的论据和确认；由于这些看似强壮，所以经上说它们“像旋风”。
士师记：
我的心倾向以色列的立法者。骑白驴的、坐绣花毯子的、行路的，你们都当思想！星宿从它们的轨道与西西拉交战。那时马蹄擦伤；一起奔腾的壮马腾跃。(士师记5:9–10, 20, 22)
这些话包含在底波拉和巴拉的歌中；这歌论述了真理与虚假的争战，以及真理的胜利；“以色列的立法者”表示教会的真理；“骑白驴”、“坐绣花毯子”表示对良善的接受和对真理的理解，“白驴”表示在良善方面的理性层，“绣花毯子”表示在真理方面的理性层；“星宿从它们的轨道与西西拉交战”表示真理的知识，以及它们与邪恶之虚假的争战；“擦伤的马蹄”和“一起奔腾的壮马的腾跃”表示来自终端或最外在的属世层，或感官层的虚假，和由此而来的论据被摧毁。
355g. 阿摩司书：
马岂能在崖石上奔跑？人岂能用牛耕种呢？你们却使公平变为苦胆，使公义的果子变为茵陈。(阿摩司书6:12)
“马岂能在崖石上奔跑”表示岂有对真理的任何理解？“人岂能用牛耕种呢”表示岂有对良善的任何感知？所表示的是这些事物，这是显而易见的，因为经上接着说：“你们却使公平变为苦胆，使公义的果子变为茵陈。”“使公平变为苦胆”表示使真理变为虚假，“使公义的果子变为茵陈”表示使良善变为邪恶。
诗篇：
你把压迫放在我们腰上。你使人骑在我们的头上；我们进入火和水；但你却把我们领到宽阔之地。(诗篇66:11–12)
这描述的是属灵的囚禁和由此而来的解救。当心智关闭，以至于感知不到良善，理解不了真理时，就有了属灵的囚禁；当心智打开时，就有了来自它的解救；“腰上的压迫”表示没有对爱之良善的感知，因为“腰”和“大腿”表示爱之良善；“使人骑在我们的头上”表示没有对真理的理解；“人”在此表示来自自我的聪明，这不是聪明；“头”所表相同。由于所表示的是这些事物，所以经上说：“我们进入火和水。”“进入火”表示进入来自自我之爱的邪恶，“进入水”表示进入虚假；“但你却把我们领到宽阔之地”表示由此而来的解救，“宽阔之地”表示真理，如前所示。
以赛亚书：
那些下埃及求帮助的有祸了；他们倚靠马匹，信靠甚多战车，并信靠强壮的马兵，却不仰望以色列的圣者，也不求问耶和华。因为埃及是人，并不是神，他的马匹是血肉，并不是灵。(以赛亚书31:1, 3)
在圣言中，“埃及”表示属世人中的科学知识，或认识能力，因而也表示属世人；由于属世人与它里面的科学知识或认识能力没有理解，只有来自记忆的思维，也就是一种来自视听对象的想象，因为它在天堂和教会的一切良善和真理居于其中的属灵人之下，所以在绝大多数经文中，“埃及”表示一种虚假的科学知识或认识能力；事实上，当属灵人不流入时，属世人中的知识就变成纯粹的虚假，它的思维变成对虚假的确认，以及它们反对真理的推理。由此可见，“埃及的马匹和战车”表示什么，即：“马”表示虚假的知识，“战车”表示教义，反对真理的推理从这些教义发出。因此，那些具有这种品质的人不从其它任何源头，只从自己寻求真理，因为每个人的自我都居于属世人，不居于属灵人，或说不是人自己的东西居于属灵人；因此，这些人抓住虚假，而不是真理，抓住邪恶，而不是良善；他们称邪恶为良善，称虚假为真理，信靠他们自己，因为他们信靠他们自己的自我，或自己的东西。“那些下埃及求帮助的有祸了；他们倚靠马匹，信靠甚多战车，并信靠强壮的马兵”表示这些事物：“马匹”在此表示虚假的知识；“战车”表示由此而来的教义；“马兵”表示它们反对真理的推理；所以经上还说：“埃及是人，并不是神，他的马匹是血肉，并不是灵。”这句话表示它们里面的东西是纯属世的，不是属灵的，因此它们里面没有任何生命。“人”表示属世人，“血肉”表示其自我，或说它自己的东西；“神”和“灵”表示神性属灵人和由此而来的生命；由于他们信靠自己，不信靠主，所以经上说：“他们却不仰望以色列的圣者，也不求问耶和华。”
由此可见，在摩西五经中，法老的马、战车和军队表示什么：
我要在法老和他的军队、马兵上得荣耀。埃及人追袭以色列人，法老的马匹跟在他们后头，他的战车和马兵都进入海中间。耶和华使他们的车轮脱落，使他们驾车困难。摩西向海伸手的时候，水就回流，淹没了战车和马兵，连同法老的全军。(出埃及记14:17–18, 23, 25, 27–28)
出埃及记：
摩西和以色列人向耶和华唱这歌。我要向耶和华歌唱，因祂高举自己；将马和骑马的，法老的战车和军兵都投在海中。(出埃及记15:1, 4, 19, 21)
前面已经说明法老的马和战车表示什么；他的“军队”表示一切虚假，无论总体还是细节；“海”表示诅咒和地狱，在地狱，所有人都处于自我，因为他们处于与属灵人分离的属世人，因而处于各种邪恶和虚假。在摩西五经的这些话中，“埃及的马匹”所表相同：
人若说，我要立王治理我，你总要立耶和华你神所拣选的人为王；只是王不可为自己加添马匹，也不可使百姓回埃及去，为要加添马匹。(申命记17:14–16)
这些话论及王，因为“王”代表神性真理方面的主，因此“王”表示来自主的源于良善的真理(参看AE 31节)。由于源于良善的真理居于属灵人，如前所述，属世人的科学知识服务属灵人，如同仆人服务他们的主人，所以经上说：“只是王不可为自己加添马匹，也不可使百姓回埃及去，为要加添马匹。”这句话表示只要不让任何人从一个属灵人变成属世的，并引导自己，信靠他自己的自我，或自己的东西，而是信靠主，也就是说，不让属灵人的真理服务属世人，而是让属世人的知识服务属灵人；因为后者符合秩序，而前者违背秩序。圣言别处(如耶利米书46:4, 9; 以西结书17:15; 23:20)的“埃及的马匹”具有同样的含义。
355. (Verse 2) And I saw, and behold a white horse. That this signifies the understanding of truth from the Word, is clear from the signification of a horse as denoting the Intellectual; and from the signification of white, which is said of truth. (That a horse signifies the Intellectual is evident from what is adduced and shown in the small work concerning the White Horse; and that white is said of truth, may be seen above, n. 196.) It is said that a white horse was seen when the Lamb opened the first seal, and a red horse when He opened the second, a black horse when He opened the third, and a pale horse when He opened the fourth; and because a horse signifies the Intellectual, specifically as to the Word, it may hence appear that the understanding of truth from the Word, and its quality with the men of the church, are here described by horses. Whether it is said that it is described, or those who are therein, amounts to the same thing; for men, spirits, and angels, are the subjects concerned. Hence it can be known that in this chapter, and in those immediately following, in the internal or spiritual sense, the Word is described as to the understanding. This is also evident from the ninth verse of this chapter, where, after those four horses were seen, and then the fifth seal was opened, it is said,
"I saw the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God";
and also from the nineteenth chapter of this book, where it is said:
The name of him that sat upon the white horse is called the Word of God (verse 13).
That by a horse the Intellectual is signified, and the understanding of truth from the Word by a white horse, may be seen shown in the small work above cited concerning the White Horse; but in it because only a few passages were adduced from the Word, to confirm that the horse signifies the Intellectual, I desire here to adduce further passages in order that there may be a full confirmation.
[2] In Ezekiel:
"Gather yourselves from all around to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you. Ye shall be filled at my table with horse and chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17, 20, 21).
The calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom is here treated of, and specifically the establishment of the church with the Gentiles; for the spiritual captivity in which the nations were, is treated of, and their liberation from it. By the sacrifice which should be sacrificed, is signified all worship by which the Lord is worshipped. By being filled at my table, is signified with all spiritual food, which being the understanding of truth from the Word and from doctrine thence, it is said, with horse and chariot; horse signifying the understanding of truth from the Word, and chariot signifying doctrine thence. And it is also said, "with the mighty man, and with every man of war"; and by a mighty man is signified truth from good, which destroys evil, and by a man of war is signified truth from good, which destroys falsity. Unless such things were signified, what purpose would be served that they should be filled with horse and chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war?
[3] Also in the Apocalypse:
"Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them" (19:17, 18).
In the preceding passages the Word and its spiritual sense are there treated of; here, they are now invited to learn truths, and to perceive goods. And by the supper of the great God is signified instruction in truths, and thence the perception of good from the Lord; and by the flesh of kings, of captains, of mighty men, of horses, and of them that sit on them, are signified truths of every kind, which are from good; flesh signifies good; kings signify Divine truths in general; captains, the same specifically; mighty men, natural truths; horses, intellectual truths; and they that sit on them, spiritual truths. That the flesh of kings, of captains, of mighty men, of horses, and of them that sit on them, is not meant here is evident to every one.
[4] In Habakkuk:
"Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou ridest upon thy horses? Thy chariots [are] salvation. Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses, the mud of many waters" (3:8, 15).
Who does not see that by horses here are not meant horses; for it is said of Jehovah, that He rideth upon His horses, and that He treadeth the sea with His horses, and that His chariots are salvation? But this is said, because by riding upon horses is signified that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its spiritual sense; and because thence is the doctrine of truth, which teaches the way of salvation, it is added, Thy chariots are salvation, chariots signifying doctrine; and by treading the sea with horses, is signified that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its natural sense; for the sea there signifies it, and in general all things of the natural man, and for the natural man; and because Divine truths are there in their ultimate, it is therefore added, the mud of many waters, mud signifying the ultimate from which and in which [are truths], and waters signifying truths.
[5] In Zechariah:
"I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be cut off; on the contrary he shall speak peace to the nations" (331); peace signifies that good, and thence all things of the church. (That Ephraim signifies the church as to the understanding of truth, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6237, 6267, 6296; and that Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine, in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 6; and above, n. 223.)
[6] In the same:
"And in that day, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and I will open mine eye upon the house of Judah, but every horse of the people will I smite with blindness" (119, 211); therefore it is said, "I will open mine eye upon it," by which is signified to enlighten them that they may see truths.
[7] In the same:
"In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah" (14:20).
Here also the Lord's advent is treated of, and the invitation of all to the church; and by the bells of the horses are signified scientifics and knowledges, and thence preachings which are from the understanding of truth. And because all understanding of truth is from the Lord, and hence the knowledges and the preachings themselves, therefore it is said, "There shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah." Because bells signify such things, therefore also there were bells of gold upon the borders of Aaron's robe around about (Exodus 28:33-35).
[8] In Moses:
"Dan shall be a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the heels of the horse, and the rider of it shall fall backwards; I wait for thy salvation, O Jehovah" (1710, 6396, 10335; that by a serpent is signified the Sensual, which is the ultimate of the understanding, n. 6398, 6949, 8624, end, 10313, and above, n. 70; that by way is signified truth, n. 627, 2333, 10422, and above, n. 97; and that by the heel is signified the ultimate Natural, or the Natural Corporeal, n. 259, 4938, and following numbers. What the Sensual is, and the quality of sensual men in both senses, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)
[9] In Zechariah:
"I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold, four chariots going out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. To the first chariot were red horses; to the second chariot black horses; to the third chariot white horses; and to the fourth chariot grisled horses, strong. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, going forth from standing near the Lord of the whole earth. The black horses which are therein going forth into the land of the north; and the white went forth after them; and the grisled went forth into the land of the south. And the strong went forth, and sought to go that they might wander on the earth. And he said, Behold, these that go forth to the land of the north, have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north. And they that are afar shall come and shall build in the temple of Jehovah" (Heaven and Hell 141-153; and that to go forth, signifies to proceed, in the Arcana Coelestia 5337, 7124, 9303.) By them that are afar, who shall build in the temple of Jehovah, are signified those who previously were remote from the truths and goods of the church, who shall come into the church. (That these are signified by them that are afar, may be seen, n. 4723, 8918; and that by the temple of Jehovah is signified the church, n. 3720); moreover, that by the north is signified an obscure [idea] of truth, and that by the south, a clear [idea] of truth, thus also those who are in an obscure and in a clear [idea] of truth, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 148-151.)
What is signified by red and black, in both senses, will be seen in the explanations at verses 4 and 5 of this chapter, and what by white may be seen above (n. 196). By the mountains of brass, from between which the chariots and horses went forth, is signified the good of love in the natural man; this is said, because the nations who are here treated of, before they were enlightened, were not in spiritual good, but in natural good. (That by a mountain is signified the good of love, may be seen, n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438; and by brass natural good, may be seen above, n. 70.)
[10] In Job:
"God hath made her forget wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider" (39:17, 18).
These things are said of a bird, by which is signified intelligence from the proprium, which, strictly, is no intelligence; for man from himself sees nothing but falsities, and not truths; and intelligence is from truths, and not from falsities. Therefore it is said concerning her, "God hath made her to forget wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding," and that when she lifteth up herself on high, "she scorneth the horse and his rider," that is, the understanding of truth, and also the intelligent [man].
[11] In David:
"The strong in heart have become a prey, they have slept their sleep. Before thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse have fallen asleep" (187).
[12] In Ezekiel:
"Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, traded with the soul of man and with vessels of brass. They of Bethogarma traded with horses, horsemen, and mules" (2781, 5741, 9212.) Every one can see that by the tradings of Tyre enumerated in this chapter and elsewhere, are not meant tradings in such things, as vessels of brass, horses, and mules, and many others; but that spiritual tradings are meant, which are effected by the knowledges (cognitions) of truth and good. For the Word is Divine, and treats of Divine, and not of earthly things; therefore it contains spiritual things that pertain to heaven and the church, expressed in the ultimate sense, which is the sense of the letter, by the natural things that correspond to them. (That to trade and to follow merchandise, signifies, in the Word, to procure and communicate knowledges of truth and good, may be seen, n. 2967, 4453; and that to buy and sell signifies the same, 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039.)
[13] In Isaiah:
"Who led them through the deeps, as a horse in the wilderness they stumbled not. As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of Jehovah led him" (63:13, 14).
In this chapter the Lord, His combats with the hells, and His subjugation of them, are treated of; but here of those who are in love and faith towards Him. They are compared to a horse in the wilderness, and to a beast in the valley, because by a horse is signified the understanding of truth, and by a beast the affection of good; for all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences.
[14] In the Apocalypse:
"I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon it was called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses" (19:11, 13, 14).
That by the white horse is signified the understanding of the Word, also by the white horses upon which those sat who followed, is manifest. For He that sat on the white horse was the Lord as to the Word; for it is said, and "He that sat upon it was called the Word of God"; and in verse 16, "He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords." The Lord is called the Word, because the Word signifies the Divine truth proceeding from Him. But these things in the Apocalypse may be seen more fully explained in the small work concerning the Psalms 45:3, 4).
These things are said concerning the Lord.
In the same:
"Sing unto God, praise his name; extol him that rideth upon the clouds" (Psalms 68:4).
In Isaiah:
"Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a cloud, and cometh into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence" (19:1).
In David:
"Sing praises unto the Lord, who rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old" (Psalms 68:32, 33).
And again:
God "rode upon a cherub, he did fly, and was carried upon the wings of the wind" (Psalms 18:10).
In Habakkuk:
"Thou didst ride, O Jehovah, upon thine horses, thy chariots are salvation. Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses" (Habakkuk 3:8, 15).
In Isaiah:
"Then shalt thou delight in Jehovah; and I will cause thee to ride in the high places of the earth" (58:14).
In Moses:
"So Jehovah alone did lead him, and made him to ride upon the high places of the earth" (Deuteronomy 32:12, 13).
And in Hosea:
"I will make Ephraim to ride" (10:11).
In these passages, by riding is signified to give intelligence and wisdom, because by a chariot is signified the doctrine of truth, and by horses the understanding of it.
[15] In Isaiah:
"Then shall they bring all your brethren out of all nations a gift unto Jehovah upon horses, and upon the chariot, and in covered waggons upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to Jerusalem the mountain of my holiness" (7643, 8029, 9372.)
[16] That chariots and horses signify doctrine and the understanding thereof, is still further evident from the opposite sense, in which chariots and horses signify the doctrines of falsity, and false scientifics from the Intellectual perverted. For most things in the Word have an opposite sense, from which it may be seen what the same signify in the genuine sense. That chariots and horses in that sense signify such things, is evident from the following passages: In Ezekiel:
"Behold, I will bring against Tyrus, the king of Babylon from the north, with horse and with chariot, and with horsemen, he shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field. By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee; by reason of the voice of the horsemen, and of the wheel, and of the chariot, thy walls shall be shaken. With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets; he shall slay the people by the sword" (26:7, 8, 10, 11).
By Tyrus is signified the church as to the knowledges (cognitions) of truth; and by the king of Babylon, the destruction of truth by falsities and profanation; by the north from which he shall come, is signified, whence is every falsity, specifically, hell whence it arises; by chariot, horses, and horsemen, are signified the doctrinals of falsity and reasonings from them; by the daughters whom he shall slay in the field with the sword, are signified the affections of truth which shall be extinguished by falsities; for daughters denote the affections of truth, the field denotes the church where those [affections are]; the sword denotes the combat of falsity against truth; and to slay denotes to extinguish. Hence it is evident what is signified by "their dust shall cover thee by reason of the abundance of his horses," dust denoting the evil of falsity. By the walls which shall be shaken by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot, are signified protecting truths, which in general are, that there is a God, and that the Word is Divine, and that there is a life eternal. These walls or these truths are said to be shaken by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot, when they come into doubt through false doctrines, and through reasonings from them. By the hoofs of the horses with which he shall tread down all the streets, are signified the outermost things of the natural man, which are called sensual things, from which are all falsities; the streets which shall thereby be trodden down denote the truths of the doctrine of the church, which are altogether destroyed; by the people who shall fall by the sword, are signified all those who are in truths, and abstractedly all truths.
[17] In Jeremiah:
"O sword against the liars, that they may become foolish, O sword against the mighty, that they may be dismayed, O sword against her horses and against her chariots, O sword against her treasures, that they may be plundered; let there be drought upon her waters, that they may be dried up, because it is a land of graven images" (8869, 8941, 10406, 10503.)
[18] In the same:
"Behold, as a cloud he shall come up, and his chariots as a whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thoughts of iniquity abide in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a desolation. The whole city hath fled for the voice of the horseman and bowmen; they have entered the clouds, and gone up into the rocks; the whole city is deserted" (4:13, 14, 27, 29).
Here the vastation of the church by the falsities of evil is described; the falsities are signified by the cloud; and the lust of reasoning from falsities against truths, by the horses that are swifter than eagles; and the doctrinals of falsity are meant by the chariots that are as a whirlwind. That, consequently, everything of the church and everything of its doctrine shall perish, is signified by the whole land shall be a desolation, and the whole city shall flee for the voice of the horseman and bowmen; the land denotes the church, and a city its doctrine; the voice of the horseman and bowmen denotes reasoning from them and assault, and to flee denotes to perish. That afterwards absolute falsity, and the faith of falsity would reign, is signified by, "They have entered the clouds, and gone up into the rocks"; clouds denoting falsities, and rocks the faith thereof. That the devastation of the church and its doctrine was thus described, is evident; for it is said, "Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. How long shall thoughts of iniquity abide in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a desolation, the whole city deserted."
[19] In the same:
"Behold a people coming from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses" (331). Their reasoning is signified by their voice roaring as the sea, and their riding upon horses.
[20] In Ezekiel:
"Thou shalt come from thy place out of the sides of the north; thou and many peoples with thee, all of them riding upon horses. And thou shalt go up against my people Israel, as clouds to cover the land" (38:15, 16).
These things are said concerning Gog, by whom is signified external worship without any internal. The sides of the north signify here, as above, what is removed from goods and truths, and thus whence the falsities of evil are; and because they thence reason and attack the truths of the church, and extinguish them, it is said, "All of them riding upon horses; and thou shalt go up against my people Israel, as clouds to cover the land." Riding upon horses denotes reasonings; going up against the people Israel, and covering the land, signify to attack the truths of the church, and to extinguish them; clouds denote the falsities of evil.
[21] In Daniel:
"At the time of the end the king of the south shall contend with" the king of the north, "therefore as a whirlwind the king of the north shall rush in against him, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into, and shall overflow and penetrate the countries" (1977, 6385; and that to overflow signifies immersion in falsities and evils, n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853.)
[22] In Jeremiah:
"By thee will I disperse the nations, and by thee will I destroy the kingdoms, and by thee will I disperse the horse and his rider, and by thee will I disperse the chariot, and him that is carried therein" (51:20, 21).
And in Haggai:
"I will overthrow the throne of the kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariot and those who ride in it; and the horses and their riders shall come down, [every] man by the sword of his brother" (2:22).
These things are said concerning the destruction of falsity and evil; and not concerning the destruction of any nation and kingdom; for by nations are signified evils, and by kingdoms in like manner as by peoples, falsities. It is also prophetical, and not historical. Hence it is plain what is signified by the horse and the rider, and by the chariot and him that is carried in it; namely, that by the horse and the rider are signified the Intellectual perverted, and reasoning thence; and by the chariot and him that is carried therein, the doctrine of falsity, or heresy, and those who are therein.
[23] In Nahum:
"Woe to the city of bloods! the whole is filled with lying and rapine; the voice of the whip, and the voice of the rattling of the wheel, and the horse neighing and the chariot jumping, the horseman making to ascend, and the glittering of the sword, and the glittering of the spear, and the multitude of the slain, and the heap of carcases, because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot selling the nations by her whoredoms, and families by her witchcrafts" (329). Therefore it is also said, the whole is filled with lying and rapine; a lie denoting falsity, and rapine denoting violence offered thereby; and because wars signify spiritual combats of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth, therefore everything pertaining to war, as a whip, a horse, a chariot, a sword, and a spear, signifies various things pertaining to that warfare; what, however, each specifically signifies need not be shown in this place, only what the horse, the horseman, and the chariot signify. The voice of the rattling of the wheel signifies reasonings from falsities and evils; the horse neighing, and the chariot jumping, signify the lust to destroy truths, the horse denoting the Intellectual perverted, and chariot the doctrine of falsity, from which [it arises]. To neigh and to jump denotes to be carried away by lust and the delight attached to it, and the horseman making to ascend, denotes assault; hence it is said, "The multitude of the slain, and the heap of carcases," those being called slain who perish from falsities, and carcases those who perish from evils, and hence also it is said, "Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, that selleth the nations by her whoredoms, and families by her witchcrafts." By whoredoms are signified falsifications of truth, by a harlot heresy, by selling the nations is signified to become estranged from goods, and by selling families by witchcraft is signified to become estranged from truths; nations denoting goods, families the truths thence, and witchcrafts the falsities of evil whereby [they are estranged].
[24] In Habakkuk:
"I stir up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadths of the land, whose horses are swifter than leopards, and sharper than the wolves of the evening, that their horsemen may spread themselves; whence their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence; they shall all scoff at kings, and the rulers shall be a derision unto them" (Heaven and Hell 197). Their lust and dexterity in perverting truths, and destroying them by reasonings from falsities altogether remote from truths, are signified by, "whose horses are swifter than leopards, and sharper than the wolves of the evening, that their horsemen may spread themselves; whence their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat." Lust is signified by their horses being swifter than leopards; and dexterity by the horses being sharper than the wolves of the evening; and both by their flying as an eagle. Because the lust and dexterity are to destroy truths, therefore it is said, they shall come all for violence; their mocking at truths and goods is signified by their scoffing at kings, and the rulers being a derision unto them; kings signifying truths, and lords and rulers signifying goods.
[25] In David:
"These in the chariot, and those in horses; but we will glory in the name of our God" (Psalms 20:7, 8).
In the same:
"A king is not saved by the multitude of an army; a horse is a vain thing for safety" (Psalms 33:16, 17).
In the same:
Jehovah "delighteth not in the strength of the horse; his pleasure is not in the thighs of a man" (Psalms 147:10).
By glorying in the chariot and in horses, and by Jehovah not delighting in the strength of a horse, are signified all things from one's own intelligence, from which proceed absolute falsities; and by the thighs of a man are signified those things that are from his own will, from which proceed absolute evils.
[26] In Amos:
"He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot deliver himself; nor shall he that rideth upon the horse deliver his soul. But the strong in his heart shall flee away naked in that day" (240).
[27] In Isaiah:
"The Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel saith, In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; and ye would not. But ye said, No; but upon the horse we will flee; and therefore ye shall flee; and we will ride upon the swift, and therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift" (30:15, 16).
Trust in the Lord and trust in self are here treated of; trust in the Lord in these words, the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, said, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"; trust in self in these words, "But ye said, No; but upon the horse we will flee, and we will ride upon the swift." By fleeing upon the horse and riding upon the swift, are signified to covet and to love the things of their own understanding, and of the thought and reasoning thence. That falsities will then break in upon, and take possession of them, is signified by, therefore ye shall flee, and therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift; swiftness and haste signifying what is done from lust or from love.
[28] In Zechariah:
Jehovah shall set Judah "as the horse of his glory in war; out of him the corner, out of him the nail, and out of him the bow of war. And they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets; and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and them that ride upon horses shall they make ashamed" (10:3-5).
By the house of Judah is signified the Lord's celestial kingdom, or the heaven and church which are in love to the Lord. Concerning this it is said that it shall be as the horse of glory in war, by which is signified the understanding of Divine truth combating against evils and falsities, which it shall destroy. By horse is signified the understanding; by glory, the Divine truth; and by war, the combat against falsities and evils, and their destruction. By the corner, the nail, and the bow of war, which [shall come] out of Judah, are signified truths; by the corner, truth protecting; by the nail, truth strengthening; and by the bow of war, truth combating from doctrine. By their being as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets, is signified the power of dissipating and destroying falsities, the mire of the streets signifying falsities; by their making ashamed them that ride upon horses, is signified the annihilation of reasonings, argumentations, and confirmations that are from man's own understanding; that this shall be accomplished by the Lord, and not by them, is meant by, "they shall fight because Jehovah is with them."
[29] In Hosea:
"Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon the horse; we will say no more to the work of our hands, Our God" (14:3).
Intelligence from the proprium is also here treated of, and that it will not save. By Asshur is signified the Rational, in this case, what is from the proprium; by riding upon the horse is signified the reasoning of the understanding from the proprium; and by the work of the hands is signified the proprium itself.
[30] In Ezekiel:
"Aholah played the harlot, and she doted on her lovers, the Assyrians her neighbours, clothed in purple, horsemen riding upon horses" (23:5, 6, 12, 23).
Aholah, which here is Samaria, signifies the church where truths are falsified; her whoredoms, treated of in this chapter, signify falsifications. The Assyrians signify reasonings by which [truths are falsified]; and because by riding upon horses is signified to reason from falsities that are from one's own intelligence, therefore it is said, she doted on the Assyrians, horsemen riding upon horses. By the purple in which they were clothed, is signified falsity appearing like truth, which is effected principally by the application of the sense of the letter of the Word to principles of falsity.
[31] In Jeremiah:
"The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighings of his strong ones; and they have come, and have devoured the land, and its fulness; and them that dwell therein" (8:16).
What is meant by Dan has been stated above in the present article, namely, truth in its ultimate; this is the truth in the church which is contained in the sense of the letter of the Word. Those who remain in this alone, and do not read it from the doctrine of genuine truth, which should direct and enlighten, may be carried away into all kinds of errors; those who are carried away into errors or falsities are meant here by Dan; the confirmation of falsities thence, by the snorting of his horses; and the falsifications of truth, by the sound of the neighings of his strong ones. They are called strong, from their confidence, from the sense of the letter of the Word, that falsity is truth. That hence the church is vastated as to its truths and goods, is signified by, "the whole land trembled"; and "they have come, and have devoured the land and its fulness, and them that dwell therein"; the land denoting the church, its fulness denoting truths, and they that dwell therein denoting goods.
[32] In Isaiah:
"He hath lifted up a sign to the nations from afar, and hath hissed unto him from the end of the earth, and, behold! the swift shall come quickly, whose arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent; the hoofs of his horses are accounted as the rock, and his wheels as the whirlwind" (Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50); from these, separated from the spiritual man, stream forth all the evils and falsities in the church and in its doctrine. The evils thence, are signified by the nations which shall come from far; and the falsities, by him who comes from the end of the earth; afar off, and the end of the earth, signifying those things that are remote from the truths and goods of the church. By the arrows which are sharp, and by the bows which are bent, are signified falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths; and by the hoofs of the horses which are accounted as the rock, and by his wheels which are as the whirlwind, are signified the ultimates of truth, such as they are in the sense of the letter of the Word, and arguments and confirmations of falsity thereby. The hoofs of the horses denote the ultimates of the understanding - here of the understanding perverted, because separated from the understanding of the spiritual man - which, because from the sense of the letter of the Word, it is said, are accounted as the rock; and the wheels denote argumentations and confirmations thereby, which, because they appear strong, are said to be like a whirlwind.
[33] In the book of Judges:
"My heart is toward the legislators of Israel. Meditate, ye that ride on white asses, and sit upon Middim, and who walk upon the way. The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. Then were the feet of his horses bruised, the prancing of his strong ones pranced together" (5:9, 10, 20, 22).
These words are contained in the song of Deborah and Barak; in which the subjects treated of are the combat of truth against falsity, and the victory of the former. By the legislators of Israel are signified the truths of the church; by riding upon white asses, and sitting upon Middim, are signified the perception of good, and the understanding of truth; white asses signify the Rational as to good, and Middim the Rational as to truth; and to walk upon the way, and to meditate, signify the life of truth; the stars from their courses fighting against Sisera, signify the knowledges of truth, and combat from them against the falsities of evil; the feet of the horses which were bruised, and the prancing of the horses which pranced together, signify that the falsities that are from the ultimate Natural, or Sensual, and the arguments thence, are destroyed.
[34] In Amos:
"Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plough with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood" (6:12).
Shall horses run upon the rock? signifies, is there any understanding of truth? shall one plough with oxen? signifies, is there any perception of good? That these things are signified is evident, for it follows, for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood. To turn judgment into gall, signifies to turn truth into falsity; and to turn the fruit of Justice into wormwood, signifies [to turn] good into evil.
[35] In David:
"Thou hast laid oppression upon our loins. Thou hast caused a man to ride over our head; we went through the fire and the waters; but thou hast brought us out into broadness" (Psalms 66:11, 12).
Spiritual captivity, and deliverance thence, are thus described. Spiritual captivity takes place when the mind is shut up so as not to perceive good and understand truth; deliverance from it denotes, when the mind is opened. By the oppression upon the loins, is signified that there is no perception of the good of love, for the loins and thighs signify the good of love; by making a man to ride over our head, is signified, that there is no understanding of truth; by a man here is signified intelligence from self, which is no intelligence; and the same [is signified] by the head. Because these things are signified, therefore, it is said, we went through the fire and the waters; through the fire denoting through the evils from the love of self, and through the waters denoting through falsities; deliverance thence is meant by, "But thou hast brought us out into broadness," breadth signifying truth, as shown above.
[36] In Isaiah:
"Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot, but do not look unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek Jehovah; for Egypt is man, and not God; and his horses flesh, and not spirit" (31:1, 3).
By Egypt in the Word is signified the Scientific which is in the natural man, and hence also the natural man; and because the natural man, with the Scientific therein, has no understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a species of imagination from the objects of sight and hearing, and because it is beneath the Spiritual, in which reside all the goods and truths of heaven and the church, hence by Egypt in most passages is signified a false Scientific; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, the scientifics of the natural man are turned into absolute falsities, and his thoughts into confirmations of falsity, and reasonings from them against truths. Hence it is evident what is signified by the horses of Egypt, and the chariots thereof, namely, that false scientifics [are signified] by horses, and doctrinals, whence proceed reasonings against truths, by chariots. Those, therefore, who are of such a quality, do not seek truth from any other source than from themselves, for the proprium of every one resides in the natural man, and not in the spiritual; wherefore instead of truths they seize upon falsities, and instead of goods evils; and the latter they call goods, and the former they call truths, and they trust in themselves, because in their own proprium. These things are signified by, "Woe to them that go down into Egypt; and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot, because it is great; and in horsemen because they are very strong." Horses here denote false scientifics; and chariots denote the doctrinals thence; and horsemen denote reasonings from them against truths; therefore it is also said, "Egypt is man, and not God; and his horses flesh, and not spirit"; by which is signified, that what is in them is merely natural, and not spiritual, nor, consequently, anything of life. Man signifies the natural man, and flesh the proprium thereof; God and spirit signify the Divine spiritual man, and hence life; and because they trust in themselves and not in the Lord, it is said, they do not look unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek Jehovah.
[37] From these considerations it may now be seen what is signified by the horses, the chariots, and the armies of Pharaoh, in Moses:
"I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon his army, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians pursued" the sons of Israel, "and the horses of Pharaoh went after them, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. And Jehovah took off the wheels of their chariots, that they led them with difficulty. And when Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, together with the whole host of Pharaoh" (Exodus 14:17, 23, 25, 27, 28).
And in the same:
"Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto Jehovah; In singing I will sing unto Jehovah, because in exalting he hath exalted himself; the horse and his rider hath he cast into the sea, and his chariots and his host" (Exodus 15:1, 4, 19, 2 1).
What is signified by the horses and chariots of Pharaoh or Egypt has been shown above. By the host thereof are signified all falsities in general and in particular; and by the sea are signified damnation and hell, where all are in the proprium, because in the natural man separate from the spiritual, and thence in evils and falsities of every kind.
The same is signified by the horses of Egypt, in these [words] in Moses:
"If ye shall say, I will set over me a king, in setting thou shalt set over thee a king whom Jehovah thy God shall choose; only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses" (Deuteronomy 17:14-16).
These things are said concerning a king, because the Lord is represented as to Divine truth by kings, and hence by kings are signified truths from good from the Lord (see above, n. Jeremiah 46:4, 9; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:20).
355. Verse 2 (Revelation 6:2). And I saw, and behold a white horse, signifies the understanding of truth from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "horse," as being the intellect; and from the signification of "white," which is predicated of truth. (That the "horse" signifies the intellect can be seen from what is quoted and shown in the small work on The White Horse; and that "white" is predicated of truth, see above, n. Revelation 6:13). Revelation 19:13).
That "a horse" signifies the intellect, and "a white horse" the understanding of truth from the Word, can be seen shown in the small work cited above, on The White Horse; but as only a few passages were there quoted from the Word, in proof that "horse" signifies the intellect, I will here quote more, that there may be full confirmation; these now follow.
[2] In Ezekiel:
Gather yourselves from the circuit to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satisfied at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21).
This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and especially of the establishment of the church with the Gentiles; for it describes the spiritual captivity in which the Gentiles were, and their liberation from it. "The sacrifice to be sacrificed" signifies all the worship by which the Lord is worshiped; "to be satiated at My table" signifies with all spiritual food; and as this food is the understanding of truth from the Word and from doctrine from the Word, it is said, "with horse and with chariot," "horse" signifying the understanding of truth from the Word, and "chariot" signifying the doctrine therefrom. It is also said, "with the mighty man, and with every man of war," "mighty man" signifying the truth from good that destroys evil, and "man of war" the truth from good that destroys falsity. Unless such things were signified, how could it be said that they should be satiated "with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war?"
[3] Likewise in Revelation:
Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders of thousands, and the flesh of the strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them (Revelation 19:17-18).
What precedes this treats of the Word and its spiritual sense; this now is an invitation to learn truths, and to perceive goods; and "the supper of the great God" signifies instruction in truths, and the consequent perception of good from the Lord; and "the flesh of kings," "of commanders of thousands," "of the strong ones," "of horses," and "of them that sit on them," signifies truths of every kind which are from good; "flesh" signifying good, "kings" Divine truths in general, "commanders of thousands" the same in particular, "strong ones" natural truths, "horses" intellectual truths, and "those that sit on them" spiritual truths. It must be clear to everyone that this does not mean the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of strong ones, of horses, and of them that sit on them.
[4] In Habakkuk:
Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy fury against the sea? because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation, Thou hast trodden down the sea with Thy horses, the mire [or clay] of many waters (Habakkuk 3:8, 15).
Who does not see that "horses" here do not mean horses? For it is said of Jehovah that "He rideth upon His horses," and that "He treadeth down the sea with His horses," and that "His chariots are salvation?" But this is said because "His riding upon horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its spiritual sense; and since the doctrine of truth, which teaches the way of salvation, is from the Word, it is added, "Thy chariots are salvation," "chariots" signifying doctrine; also "to tread down the sea with horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its natural sense; for "sea" here signifies that sense, and in general all things of the natural man and that are for the natural man; and because Divine truths there are in their ultimate, it is added, "the mire [or clay] of many waters," "mire" [or "clay"] signifying the ultimate from which and in which are truths, and "waters" signifying truths.
[5] In Zechariah:
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be cut off; but He shall speak peace to the nations (331), "peace" signifying that good, and thence all things of the church. (That "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6237, 6267, 6296; and that "Jerusalem" signifies the church in relation to doctrine, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 6, and above, n. 223.)
[6] In the same:
In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and I will open mine eye upon the house of Judah, but every horse of the peoples will I smite with blindness (119, 211); therefore it is said, "upon it I will open mine eye," which signifies to illustrate them that they may see truths.
[7] In the same:
In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah (Zechariah 14:20).
This also treats of the Lord's coming, and the invitation of all to the church; and "the bells of the horses" signify knowledges and cognitions [scientifica et cognitiones] and preachings therefrom which are from the understanding of truth; and as all understanding of truth is from the Lord, and thus the knowledges and preachings themselves, therefore it is said, "there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah." Because "bells" have this signification:
There were bells of gold upon the skirts of Aaron's robe round about (Exodus 28:34-35).
[8] In Moses:
Dan shall be a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider shall fall backwards: I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah (Arcana Coelestia 1710, 6396, 10335; that "serpent" signifies the sensual, which is the ultimate of the understanding, n. 6398, 6949, 8624 end, 10313, and above, n. 70; that "way" signifies truths, n. Arcana Coelestia 627, 2333, 10422, and above, n. 97 [1-2]; and that "the heel" signifies the ultimate natural, or the corporeal natural, n. 259, 4938, seq. What the sensual is, and what sensual men are in both senses, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)
[9] In Zechariah:
I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold, four chariots coming out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of copper. To the first chariot were red horses; to the second chariot black horses; to the third chariot white horses; and to the fourth chariot grisled horses, stout. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth. The black horses which are therein go forth to the land of the north; and the white went forth after them; and the grisled went forth into the land of the south; and the stout ones went forth and sought to go that they might wander through the earth. And he said, See these that go forth to the land of the north, they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north. And they that are afar shall come and shall build in the temple of Jehovah (Arcana Coelestia 9642, and Heaven and Hell 141-153; and that "to go forth" signifies to proceed, Arcana Coelestia 5337, 7124, 9303.) "They that are afar, that shall build in the temple of Jehovah" signify those who were previously far away from the truths and goods of the church, who shall draw near to the church. (That such are signified by "those that are afar," see Arcana Coelestia 4723, 8918; and that the "temple of Jehovah" signifies the church, n. 3720; moreover, that "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, and "the south" [auster sive meridies] the clearness of truth, thus also those that are in obscurity and in clearness of truth, see Heaven and Hell 148-151.) What is signified by "red" and by "black," in both senses, will be seen in the explanations at verses 4 and 5 of this chapter, and what by "white," see above n. 196. "The mountains of copper, from between which the chariots and horses went forth," signify the good of love in the natural man; this is said because the nations here treated of, before they were illustrated, were not in spiritual good but in natural good. (That "mountain" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438; and "copper" natural good, see above, n. 70)
[10] In Job:
God hath made her forget wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her intelligence. What time she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider (Job 39:17-18).
These things are said of a "bird," which signifies intelligence from self [proprium], which in itself is no intelligence; for man from self [proprium] sees nothing but falsities and not truths, and intelligence is from truths, and not from falsities; therefore it is said of her, "God hath made her to forget wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her intelligence," and "when she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider," that is, at the understanding of truth, and at him who is intelligent.
[11] In David:
The stout of heart have become a spoil, they have slumbered their sleep. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse have fallen into a deep sleep (187.
[12] In Ezekiel:
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they gave to thy traffic the soul of man and vessels of brass. They of Bethogarma gave for thy wares horses, horsemen, and mules (Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741, 9212.) Everyone can see that "the tradings of Tyre," which are enumerated in this chapter and elsewhere, do not mean tradings with these things, such as vessels of brass, horses, and mules, and many others; but that spiritual tradings are meant, which are effected by means of the knowledges of truth and good; for the Word is Divine, and treats of Divine things, and not of earthly things; therefore it contains spiritual things which pertain to heaven and the church, expressed in the ultimate sense, which is the sense of the letter, by natural things which correspond to them. (That "to trade" and "to be a merchant" signifies in the Word to acquire and to communicate the knowledges of truth and good, see Arcana Coelestia 2967 Arcana Coelestia 2967[1-9], 4453; and that "to buy" and "to sell" signify something similar, n. 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039.)
[13] In Isaiah:
Who led them through the deeps, as a horse in the wilderness they stumbled not; as a beast goeth down into the valley the Spirit of Jehovah led him (Isaiah 63:13-14).
This chapter treats of the Lord, and His combat with the hells, and His subjugation of them, but here of the salvation of those who are in love and faith towards Him. These are compared to "a horse in the wilderness," and to "a beast in the valley," because "horse" signifies the understanding of truth, and "beast" the affection of good; for all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences.
[14] In Revelation:
I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God. And the armies that are in heaven followed Him upon white horses (Revelation 19:11-16).
"A white horse" evidently signifies the understanding of the Word, likewise "the white horses" upon which those sat who followed; for "He that sat upon" the white horse was the Lord in relation to the Word; for it is said, "and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God;" and in verse 6:16, "He had upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written, Lord of lords and King of kings." The Lord is called the Word, because the Word means Divine truth proceeding from Him. (But these things in Revelation may be seen more fully explained in the small work on Psalms 45:3-4).
These things are said of the Lord. In the same:
Sing unto God, sing psalms to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Psalms 68:4).
In Isaiah:
Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a cloud, and cometh into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved before Him (Isaiah 19:1).
In David:
Sing psalms unto the Lord, to Him who rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old (Psalms 68:32-33).
God rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:10).
In Habakkuk:
O Jehovah, Thou dost ride upon Thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation. Thou hast trodden the sea with Thy horses (Habakkuk 3:8, 3:15).
In Isaiah:
Then shalt thou delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee ride in the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14).
In Moses:
Jehovah alone did lead him, and made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:12-13).
And in Hosea:
I will make Ephraim to ride (Hosea 10:11).
In these passages, "to ride" signifies to give intelligence and wisdom, because "chariot" signifies the doctrine of truth, and "horses" the understanding of it.
[15] In Isaiah:
Then shall they bring all your 1brethren out of all nations an offering unto Jehovah upon horses and upon the chariot, and upon covered wagons, upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to the mountain of My holiness, Jerusalem (Arcana Coelestia 7643, 8029, 9372.)
[16] That "chariots" and "horses" signify doctrine and the understanding of it, can be seen, moreover, from their contrary sense, in which "chariots" and "horses" signify the doctrines of falsity, and false knowledges [scientifica] from a perverted intellect; for most things in the Word have a contrary sense, from which it can be seen what the same signify in the genuine sense. That "chariots" and "horses" in that sense have such a signification can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
Behold, I will bring against Tyre the king of Babylon from the north, with horse and with chariot, and with horsemen. He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field. By reason of the abundance of His horses their dust shall cover thee; by reason of the voice of the horseman and of the wheel and of the chariot, thy walls shall quake. With the hoofs of his horses shall he trample all thy streets; he shall slay the people with the sword (Ezekiel 26:7-8, 10-11).
"Tyre" signifies the church in relation to the knowledges of truth; and "the king of Babylon" the destruction of truth by falsities and profanation; "the north from which he was to come" signifies the source of all falsity, in particular, hell, out of which falsity arises; "chariot," "horses," and "horsemen" signify the doctrine of falsity and reasonings therefrom; "the daughters whom they shall slay in the field with the sword" signify the affections of truth which falsities will destroy, for "daughters" are the affections of truth, "the field is the church where those affections are, "the sword" is the combat of falsity against truth, and "to slay" is to extinguish. This makes clear the signification of "by reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee," "dust" meaning the evil of falsity; the "walls that shall quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," signify protecting truths, which in general are, that there is a God, and that the Word is Divine, and that there is eternal life. These "walls," or these truths, are said "to quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," when they come to be doubted through the falsities of doctrines and reasonings from them; "the hoofs of the horses with which he shall trample all the streets," signify the outermost things of the natural man, which are called sensual impressions [sensualia], from which are all falsities; the "streets that shall be trampled by them" are the truths of the doctrine of the church, which are wholly destroyed; the "people who shall fall by the sword" signify all who are in truths, and in an abstract sense all truths.
[17] In Jeremiah:
O sword, against the liars, that they may become foolish; O sword, against the mighty, that they may be dismayed; O sword, against her horses and against her chariots; O sword, against her treasures, that they may be despoiled; let there be drought upon her waters that they may be dried up: because it is a land of graven images (Arcana Coelestia 8869, 8941, 10406, 10503)
[18] In the same:
Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots as the storm; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are devastated. Wash thine heart from evil, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow; they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks; the whole city is forsaken (Jeremiah 4:13-Jeremiah 4:13-14, 27, 29).
This describes the vastation of the church by the falsities of evil; falsities are signified by "clouds;" and the lust of reasoning from falsities against truths by "the horses that are swifter than eagles;" and the doctrinals of falsity by "the chariots that are as the storm;" that consequently everything of the church and everything of its doctrine shall perish, is signified by "the whole land shall be a waste, and the whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow;" "land" means the church, and "city" its doctrine; "the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow" means reasoning from falsities and assault, and "to flee" means to perish. That then mere falsity and the faith of falsity would reign is signified by "they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks," "clouds" meaning falsities, and "rocks" the faith of falsities. The devastation of the church and of its doctrine is evidently here described, for it is said, "Woe unto us! for we are devastated. How long shall the thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city is forsaken. "
[19] In the same:
Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses (331). Their reasoning is signified by "their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses."
[20] In Ezekiel:
Thou shalt come from thy place out of the sides of the north; thou and many peoples with thee, all of them riding upon horses. And thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land (Ezekiel 38:15-16).
These things are said of Gog, by whom external worship without any internal is signified; "the sides of the north" signify here, as above, what is remote from goods and truths, thus the source of the falsities of evil; and because they reason therefrom and attack the truths of the church and extinguish them it is said, "all of them riding upon horses; and thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land;" "to ride upon horses" meaning reasonings, "to go up against the people of Israel," and "to cover the land," signifying to attack the truths of the church and to extinguish them; "clouds" are the falsities of evil.
[21] In Daniel:
At the time of the end, the king of the south shall come into collision with the king of the north. So the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the lands and shall overflow and pass through (Arcana Coelestia 1977, 6385; and that "to overflow" signifies immersion in falsities and evils, n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853)
[22] In Jeremiah:
By thee will I scatter the nations, and by thee will I destroy kingdoms, and by thee will I scatter the horse and its rider, and by thee will I scatter the chariot and him that rideth in it (Jeremiah 51:20-21).
And in Haggai:
I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overturn the chariot and those who ride in it; and the horses and their riders shall come down, a man by the sword of his brother (Haggai 2:22).
This is said of the destruction of falsity and evil, and not of the destruction of any nation or kingdom; for "nations" signify evils, and "kingdoms" (like "peoples") falsities. For this is prophetical, not historical. This makes clear what "horse" and "rider," and "chariot and him that rideth in it" signify, namely, that "horse and rider" signify a perverted intellect and reasoning therefrom and "the chariot and him that rideth in it" the doctrine of falsity or heresy, and those who are in it.
[23] In Nahum:
Woe to the city of bloods! the whole is filled with lying and rapine; the voice of the whip, and the voice of the rattling of the wheel, and the horse neighing and the chariot leaping, the horseman making to ascend, and the flame of the sword, and the flash of the spear, and a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses, because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries (329); therefore it is also said, "the whole is filled with lying and rapine," "lie" meaning falsity, and "rapine" violence offered by falsity; and as "wars" signify spiritual combats, which are the combats of truth against falsity and of falsity against truth, all things pertaining to war, as "whip," "horse," "chariot," "sword," and "spear," signify various things pertaining to spiritual warfare; but what each of these in particular signifies need not be explained here, only what "horse," "horseman," and "chariot" signify. "The voice of the rattling of the wheel" signifies reasonings from falsities and evils; "the horse neighing and the chariot leaping" signifies the lust of destroying truths, "horse" meaning the intellect perverted, and "chariot" the doctrine of falsity, which destroy; "to neigh" and "to leap" meaning to be moved to destroy by lust and delight, and "horseman making to ascend" meaning assault. It is therefore said, "a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses;" those are called "slain" who perish from falsities, and "carcasses" who perish from evils; therefore it is also said, "because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling the nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries;" "whoredoms" signify the falsifications of truth, "harlot" heresy, "to sell nations" signifies to become estranged from goods, and "to sell families by sorcery" to become estranged from truths, "nations" meaning goods, "families" truths therefrom, and "sorceries" the falsities of evil which estrange.
[24] In Habakkuk:
I rouse up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth into the breadths of the land; her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat. She shall come wholly for violence; she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her (Heaven and Hell 197). Their lust for and dexterity in perverting truths and destroying them by reasonings from falsities altogether remote from truths are signified by, "her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat." Lust is signified by "her horses are lighter than leopards," and dexterity by "her horses are more fierce than the wolves of the evening," and both by "they fly as an eagle." Because the lust and dexterity are for destroying truths therefore it is said, "she shall come wholly for violence;" their scoffing at truths and goods is signified by "she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her," "kings" signifying truths, and "lords" and "rulers" goods.
[25] In David:
Some in the chariot, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of our God (Psalms 20:7).
In the same:
A king is not saved by the multitude of an army; a horse is a lying thing for safety (Psalms 33:16-17).
In the same:
Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse; His pleasure is not in the thighs of a man (Psalms 147:10).
"To glory in the chariot and in horses," and "Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse," signify all things from self-intelligence, from which are nothing but falsities; and "the thighs of a man" signify those things that are from his own will, from which are nothing but evils.
[26] In Amos:
He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot escape, nor shall he that rideth upon the horse cause his soul to escape, but he that is stout of heart shall flee naked in that day (240).
[27] In Isaiah:
The Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, saith, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might; but ye would not, and said, No, but upon a horse we will flee; therefore ye shall flee; and we will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift (Isaiah 30:15-16).
This treats of confidence in the Lord and of confidence in self; confidence in the Lord in these words, "the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, said, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might;" and confidence in self in these words, "and ye said, No, but upon a horse we will flee," and "we will ride upon the swift;" "to flee upon a horse," and "to ride upon the swift," signifying to covet and love those things that are of one's own understanding, and thought and reasoning therefrom. That falsities will then break in and take possession is signified by, "therefore ye shall flee," and "therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift," "swiftness" and "haste" signifying what is done from lust, or from love.
[28] In Zechariah:
Jehovah shall set Judah as the horse of His majesty in war; out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, and out of him the bow of war. And they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets; and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses (Zechariah 10:3-5).
"The house of Judah" signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, that is, the heaven and church that are in love to the Lord; of this it is said that it shall be "as the horse of majesty in war," which signifies the understanding of Divine truth combating against evils and falsities, which it will destroy, "horse" signifying the understanding, "majesty" Divine truth, and "war" combat against falsities and evils and their destruction. "The corner," "the nail," and "the bow of war," that are "out of Judah," signify truths, "the corner" truth protecting, "the nail" truth strengthening, and the "bow of war" truth combating from doctrine; "they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets" signifies the power to disperse and destroy falsities, "mire of the streets" signifying falsities. "They shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses" signifies the annihilation of the reasonings, argumentations, and confirmations that are from man's own understanding; that this shall be accomplished by the Lord and not by them is meant by, "they shall fight because Jehovah is with them."
[29] In Hosea:
Asshur will not save us; we will not ride upon the horse; we will say no more to the work of our hands, Thou art our God (Hosea 14:3).
This also treats of intelligence from self [ex proprio], that it will not save. "Asshur" signifies the rational, here as being from self [ex proprio]; "to ride upon the horse" signifies reasoning of the understanding from self [ex proprio]; and "work of the hands" signifies the selfhood [proprium] itself.
[30] In Ezekiel:
Oholah committed whoredom, and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors, clothed in blue, horsemen riding upon horses (Ezekiel 23:5-6, 12, 23).
"Oholah," which here is Samaria, signifies a church in which truths are falsified; "her whoredoms," which are treated of in this chapter, signify falsifications; "the Assyrians" signify reasonings by which truths are falsified; and because "to ride upon horses" signifies to reason from falsities that are from self-intelligence, it is said, "she doted on the Assyrians, horsemen riding upon horses;" the "blue, in which they were clothed," signifies falsity appearing as truth, which appearance comes chiefly from applying the sense of the letter of the Word to principles of falsity.
[31] In Jeremiah:
The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; at the sound of the neighings of his stout ones the whole land quaked; and they came and devoured the land and its fullness; [the city] and those that dwell therein (Jeremiah 8:16).
What is meant by "Dan" has been told above in this article, namely, truth in its ultimate; this is the truth in the church that is contained in the sense of the letter of the Word. Those who abide in this alone, and do not read the Word from the doctrine of genuine truth, which should guide and illustrate, may be carried away into all kinds of errors; those who are carried away into errors or falsities are meant here by "Dan;" the consequent confirmation of falsities is meant by "the snorting of his horses;" and the falsifications of truth are meant by "the sound of the neighings of his stout ones;" these are called "stout" from their confidence, because it is from the sense of the letter of the Word, that falsity is truth. That the church in respect to its truths and goods is thereby vastated, is signified by "the whole land quaked;" and "they came and devoured the land and its fullness, and those that dwell therein," "the land" meaning the church, "its fullness" truths, and "those that dwell therein" goods.
[32] In Isaiah:
He hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and hath hissed to him from the end of the earth, and behold the swift one shall come in haste, whose arrows are sharp, and all his bows are bent; the hoofs of his horses are reckoned as rock, and his wheels as a storm (The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50); from these, when separated from the spiritual man, stream forth all the evils and falsities that are in the church and in its doctrine: evils from this source are signified by "the nations that shall come from far;" and falsities by "him that cometh from the end of the earth;" "far," and "the end of the earth" signifying those things that are remote from the truths and goods of the church. "The arrows that are sharp," and "the bows that are bent" signify the falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths, and "the hoofs of the horses that are reckoned as rock," and "his wheels that are as a storm" signify the ultimates of truth, like those in the sense of the letter of the Word, and arguments and confirmations of falsity by means of these; "the hoofs of the horses" mean the ultimates of the understanding, here of the perverted understanding, because separated from the understanding of the spiritual man; and because these ultimates are from the sense of the letter of the Word, it is said, "are reckoned as rock;" while "wheels" mean argumentations and confirmations by means of these, and because these appear strong they are said to be "as a storm."
[33] In the book of Judges:
My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel. Ye that ride on white asses, and sit on middin, and that walk by the way, meditate. The stars from their courses fought with Sisera. Then were the hoofs of the horses bruised; the prancing of his stout ones struck together (Judges 5:9-10, 20, 22).
These words are contained in the song of Deborah and Barak, which treats of the combat of truth against falsity and its victory; "the lawgivers of Israel" signify the truths of the church; "to ride on white asses" and "to sit on middin" signify the perception of good and the understanding of truth, "white asses" signifying the rational in respect to good, and "middin" the rational in respect to truth; and "to walk by the way and to meditate" signify a life of truth; "the stars from their courses fought with Sisera" signifies the knowledges of truth, and combat from them against falsities of evil; "the feet of the horses that were bruised," and "the prancing of the horses that struck together" signify the falsities that are from the outmost natural, or the sensual [sensuali], and arguments therefrom that they were destroyed.
[34] In Amos:
Shall horses run upon the rock? shall one plough with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood (Amos 6:12).
"Shall horses run upon the rock?" signifies, is there any understanding of truth? "Shall anyone plough with oxen?" signifies, is there any perception of good? This is plainly the meaning, for it follows, "for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood;" "to turn judgment into gall," signifies to turn truth into falsity, and "to turn the fruit of justice into wormwood," signifies to turn good into evil.
[35] In David:
Thou hast laid oppression upon our loins. Thou hast caused a man to ride over our head; We entered into the fire and the waters: but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place (Psalms 66:11-12).
This is a description of spiritual captivity and deliverance therefrom. There is spiritual captivity when the mind is so shut up as not to perceive good nor understand truth; there is deliverance from it when the mind is opened; "the oppression upon the loins" signifies that there is no perception of good of love, for "loins" and "thighs" signify the good of love; "to cause a man to ride over our head" signifies that there is no understanding of truth; "man" here signifying intelligence from self [ex proprio], which is no intelligence; and "head" the like. Because this is the signification therefore it is said, "we entered into the fire and the waters," "into the fire" meaning into the evils that are from the love of self, and "into the waters" meaning into falsities; deliverance therefrom is meant by "but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place," "broad place" signifying truth (as above).
[36] In Isaiah:
Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah. For Egypt is man and not God, and its horses flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:1, 3).
"Egypt" in the Word signifies the knowing [faculty] [scientificum] which is in the natural man, and thence also the natural man; and because the natural man, with the knowing [faculty] that is in it, has no understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a kind of imagination from objects of sight and hearing; and because this is beneath the spiritual, in which nevertheless all the goods and truths of heaven and the church reside, therefore "Egypt" signifies in most passages a falsified knowing [faculty] [scientificum falsum]; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, knowledges in the natural man are turned into mere falsities, and its thoughts into confirmations of falsity and into reasonings from them against truths. From this it can be seen what is signified by "horses of Egypt and its chariots," namely, that "the horses" signify false knowledges, and "chariots" doctrinals from which there are reasonings against truth. Such, therefore, seek truths from no other source than themselves, for each one's own [proprium] has its seat in the natural man, and what is not his own has its seat in the spiritual; such persons therefore seize upon falsities instead of truths, and upon evils instead of goods, calling evils goods and falsities truths, and trusting in themselves, because they trust in what is their own. These things are signified by "Woe to them that go down into Egypt, and stay on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong;" "horses" here mean false knowledges; and "chariots" doctrinals therefrom; and "horsemen" reasonings from them against truths; therefore it is also said, "Egypt is man and not God, and his horses flesh and not spirit" signifying that what is in them is merely natural and not spiritual, consequently that there is not in them anything of life; "man" signifying the natural man, and "flesh" what is its own; "God" and "spirit" signifying the Divine spiritual man, and life therefrom; and since they trust in themselves and not in the Lord, it is said, "they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah."
[37] From this it can now be seen what is signified by the horses, the chariots, and the armies of Pharaoh, in Moses:
I will be rendered glorious in Pharaoh and in his army and in his horsemen. And the Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and Pharaoh's horses went after them, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. And Jehovah took off the wheel of their chariots, so that they drove them with difficulty. And when Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, together with the whole army of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:17-18, 23, 25, 27-28).
And in the same:
Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto Jehovah. In singing I will sing unto Jehovah, for in exalting He hath exalted Himself; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea, and his chariots and his army (Exodus 15:1, 4, 19, 21).
What the horses and chariots of Pharaoh or Egypt signify has been shown above; his "army" signifies all falsities, in general and in particular; and "sea" signifies damnation and hell, where all are in their own [proprium], because they are in the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thence in all kinds of evils and falsities. The like is signified by "the horses of Egypt," in these words in Moses:
If thou shalt say, 2I will set over me a king, in setting thou shalt set 3over thee a king whom Jehovah thy God shall choose; only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses (Deuteronomy 17:14-16).
These things are said of the king, because the Lord in relation to Divine truth is represented by kings, and thence "kings" signify truths from good from the Lord (See above, n. Jeremiah 46:4, 9; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:20).
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "his;" see AE 175, 405, 433.
2. The photolithograph has "they shall say."
3. The photolithograph has "he shall set."
355. (Vers. 2.) "Et vidi, et ecce equus albus." - Quod significet intellectum veri ex Verbo, constat ex significatione "equi", quod sit intellectuale; et ex significatione "albi", quod dicatur de vero.
(Quod "equus" significet intellectuale constare potest ex illis quae allata et ostensa sunt in opusculo De Equo Albo: et quod "album" dicatur de vero, videatur supra, n. 196.) Dicitur quod "equus albus" visus sit quando Agnus aperuit primum sigillum, et quod "equus rufus" cum secundum, "equus niger" cum tertium, et "equus pallidus" cum quartum; et quia per "equum" significatur intellectuale, in specie quoad Verbum, inde constare potest quod intellectus veri ex Verbo, et ejus quale apud homines ecclesiae, per "equos" hic describatur. Sive dicas quod id describatur, seu illi qui in eo sunt, idem est; nam homines, spiritus et angeli subjecta sunt, in quibus id. Inde sciri potest quid in hoc capite, et in proxime sequentibus, in sensu interno seu spirituali describitur, quod nempe Verbum quoad intellectum. Hoc quoque patet ex versu nono hujus capitis, ubi, postquam visi sunt quatuor illi equi, et tunc apertum sigillum quintum, dicitur quod "viderit animas occisorum propter Verbum Dei": et quoque ex capite 19 hujus Libri, ubi dicitur quod
Nomen Ejus qui sedit super equo albo vocetur "Verbum Dei" (vers. 13).
Quod intellectuale per "equum" significetur, et quod intellectus veri ex Verbo per "equum album", ostensum videatur in opusculo supra citato De Equo Albo; sed quia ibi solum pauca loca ex Verbo adducta sunt, confirmantia quod "equus" significet intellectuale, ideo velim hic plura adducere, ut plena sit confirmatio; quae sunt sequentia:
[2] - Apud Ezechielem,
"Congregate vos a circuitu super sacrificium meum quod sacrifico vobis:... satiabimini super mensa mea, equo et curru, forti et omni viro belli;... sic dabo gloriam meam inter gentes" (39:17, 20, 21):
agitur ibi de convocatione omnium ad regnum Domini, et in specie de instauratione eccleSiae apud gentes; agitur enim de captivitate spirituali, in qua fuerunt gentes, et de liberatione ab illa: per "sacrificium" quod sacrificaretur, significatur omnis cultus quo colitur Dominus; per "satiari super mensa mea", significatur omni cibo spirituali, qui quia est intellectus veri ex Verbo et ex doctrina inde, dicitur "equo et curru"; per "equum" significatur intellectus veri ex Verbo, et per "currum" significatur doctrina inde; et quoque dicitur "forti et omni viro belli", et per "fortem" significatur verum ex bono quod destruit malum, et per "virum belli" significatur verum ex bono quod destruit falsum: nisi talia significarentur, quid foret quod satiarentur "equo et curru, forti et omni viro belli"?
[3] Similiter in Apocalypsi,
"Congregamini ad cenam magni Dei, ut comedatis carnes regum, et carnes chiliarchorum, et carnes fortium, et carnes equorum et sedentium super illis" (19:17, 18):
agitur ibi in praecedentibus de Verbo et ejus sensu spirituali; hic nunc invitantur ad discendum vera et ad percipiendum bona; et per "cenam magni Dei" significatur instructio in veris et inde perceptio boni a Domino; et per "carnes regum", "chiliarchorum", "fortium", "equorum" et "sedentium super illis" significantur omnis generis vera quae ex bono; ("caro" significat bonum, "reges" Divina vera in genere, "chiliarchi" eadem in Specie, "fortes" vera naturalia, "equi" vera intellectualia, et "sedentes super illis" vera spiritualia;) quod ibi non intelligantur carnes regum, chiliarchorum, fortium, equorum et sedentium super illis, cuivis patet.
[4] Apud Habakuk,
"Num fluviis succensuit Jehovah? num contra fluvios ira tua? num contra mare excandescentia tua? quod equitas super equis tuis, currus tui salus:... calcasti mare equis tuis, lutum aquarum multarum" (3:8, 15):
quis non videt quod per "equos" hic non intelligantur equi? dicitur enim de Jehovah, quod "equitet super equis suis", et quod "calcet mare equis suis", et quod "currus Ipsius sint salus": sed hoc dicitur quia per "equitare super equis" significatur quod Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, sit in intellectu Verbi sui in sensu ejus spirituali; et quia inde est doctrina veri, quae docet viam salutis, additur "Currus tui salus" ("currus" significant doctrinam); et per "calcare mare equis significatur quod Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, sit in intellectu Verbi sui in sensu naturali (nam "mare" ibi id significat, in genere omnia quae sunt naturalis hominis et pro naturali homine); et quia ibi sunt Divina vera in suo ultimo, ideo additur "lutum aquarum multarum" ("lutum" significat ultimum ex quo et in quo, et "aquae" significant vera).
[5] Apud Sachariam,
"Exscindam currum ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma; et exscindetur arcus belli; contra loquetur pacem gentibus" (9:10):
agitur ibi de adventu Domini, et de instauratione ecclesiae apud gentes: quod tunc nihil ecclesiae residuum fuerit apud Judaeos, describitur per "Exscindam currum ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma, et exscindetur arcus belli"; per quae significatur quod amplius non verum in doctrina, nec intellectus veri, et inde nulla pugna et resistentia contra falsum; per "Ephraimum" significatur ecclesia quoad intellectum veri, et per "Hierosolymam" ecclesia quoad doctrinam veri, per "currum" ipsa doctrina, et per equum" ipse intellectus, ac per "arcum belli" pugna et resistentia contra falsum: instauratio ecclesiae apud gentes significatur per quod "loquetur pacem gentibus"; per "gentes" significantur omnes qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt (videatur supra, n. 331), "pax" significat id bonum, et inde omnia ecclesiae.
(Quod "Ephraim" significet ecclesiam quoad intellectum veri, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 1
6237, 6267, 6296; et quod "Hierosolyma" significet ecclesiam quoad doctrinam, in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 6; et supra, n. 223.)
[6] Apud eundem,
"In die illo... percutiam omnem equum stupore, et equitem amentia; et super domum Jehudae aperiam oculum meum, omnem autem equum populorum percutiam caecitate" (12:4):
agitur ibi de devastatione ecclesiae prioris, et de instauratione novae; devastatio ecclesiae prioris describitur per "In die illo percutiam omnem equum stupore, et equitem amentia, et omnem equum populorum percutiam caecitate"; quod per "equum" ibi significetur intellectus veri apud homines ecclesiae, et per "equitem" affectio veri spiritualis unde intellectus, patet; quid alioqui foret, quod "equus percuteretur stupore, et equus populorum caecitate"? "Stupor" dicitur de intellectu quando nulla ei perceptio boni, ac "caecitas" de illo quando ei nulla apperceptio veri; per "domum Jehudae" significatur ecclesia apud illos qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, et inde in doctrina veri ex Verbo (videatur supra, n. 119, 211); quare dicitur, "Super illam aperiam oculum meum", per quod significatur illustrare ut videant vera.
[7] Apud eundem,
"In die illo erit super tintinnabulis equorum sanctitas Jehovae" (14:20):
agitur etiam ibi de adventu Domini, et invitatione omnium ad ecclesiam, ac per "tintinnabula equorum" significantur scientifica et cognitiones ac inde praedicationes, quae sunt ex intellectu veri; et quia omnis intellectus veri est ex Domino, et inde ipsae cognitiones et praedicationes, ideo dicitur quod "super tintinnabulis equorum erit sanctitas Jehovae." Quia "tintinnabula" significabant talia, ideo etiam
Tintinnabula auri erant super fimbriis pallii Aharonis circumcirca (Exodus 28:34, 35).
[8] Apud Mosen,
"Erit Dan (serpens) super via, aspis super semita, mordens calcaneos equi, et cadet eques ejus retrorsum: salutem tuam exspecto, Jehovah" (Genesis 49:17, 18):
est propheticum Israelis patris de tribu Danis, per quam tribum significantur ultima ecclesiae, ita illi qui in ultimis veri et boni sunt, qui dicuntur sensuales; sunt enim in ecclesia qui sunt spirituales, et qui naturales, ac naturales sunt interiores, medii et ultimi; ultimi sunt sensuales; hi non ultra sensum litterae Verbi quoad cogitationem se elevant: hi per "Danem" intelliguntur; quales sunt, describitur per id propheticum, quod nempe "Dan sit serpens super via, aspis super semita, mordens calcaneos equi, et cadet eques ejus retrorsum"; per "serpentem super via" et "aspidem super semita" significatur sensuale quoad verum et quoad bonum; per "calcaneos equi" significantur ultima intellectus veri et boni, et per "equitem" ratiocinatio ex illis; et quia sensuale in se spectatum non videt vera quoniam non capit spiritualia, et inde facile in falsa labitur nisi a Domino jugiter ab illis detineatur, ideo dicitur, "et cadet eques ejus retrorsum, salutem tuam exspecto, Jehovah." (Quod per "Danem" significentur ultima ecclesiae, videatur n. 1710, 6396, 10335; quod per "serpentem" significetur sensuale, quod ultimum intellectus, n. 6398, 6949, 8624 fin. , 10313, et supra, n. 70; quod per "viam" significetur verum, n. 627, 2333, 10422, et supra, n. 97; et quod per "calcaneum" significetur ultimum naturale, seu naturale corporeum, n. 259, 4938, seq.; quid sensuale, et quales sensuales homines in utroque sensu, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 50.)
[9] Apud Sachariam,
"Sustuli oculos meos et vidi, cum ecce quatuor currus exeuntes ab inter duos montes, et montes erant montes aeris: ad currum primum equi rufi, ad currum secundum equi nigri, ad currum tertium equi albi, et ad currum quartum equi grandinati, robusti. ...Dixit angelus, Hi quatuor venti caelorum exeuntes a stando juxta Dominum totius terrae: in quo equi nigri, exeuntes in terram septentrionis; et albi exiverunt post eos, et grandinati exiverunt in terram austri, et robusti exiverunt et quaesiverunt ire ad peragrandum terram:... et dixit, Vide exeuntes ad terram septentrionis, quiescere fecerunt spiritum meum in terra septentrionis:... et longinqui venient, et aedificabunt in templo Jehovae" (Sachariam 6:1-8, 15):
hoc propheticum non intelligitur ab aliquo nisi sciatur quid significant "currus" et "equi", et quid "rubrum", "nigrum", "album", "grandinatum" et "robustum", tum quid "terra septentrionis" et "terra austri"; agitur ibi de ecclesia propaganda apud illos qui nondum in aliqua luce veri erant, quia non habuerunt Verbum; per "septentrionem" intelligitur obscurum veri quod illis, per "austrum" clarum veri; per "equos" intelligitur intellectus eorum; per "rubrum", "nigrum", "album" et "grandinatum", intelligitur quale ejus in principio et quale ejus postea; per "rufum" quale intellectus eorum quoad bonum in principio, per "nigrum" quale intellectus eorum quoad verum in principio, et per "album" quale intellectus eorum quoad verum postea, et per "grandinatum" quale ejus quoad verum et bonum tandem; per "robustum" intelligitur quale ejus quoad potentiam resistendi malis et falsis; ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per quod "equi 2
nigri exierint ad terram septentrionis, et albi exierint post eos", et quod "quiescere fecerint spiritum meum in terra septentrionis", quod nempe illi recipiant et intelligant qui ex bono vitae in affectione sciendi vera ecclesiae sunt, nec alii illustrantur; illustratio et receptio ab illis intelligitur per "quiescere fecerunt spiritum meum in terra septentrionis": per quod "grandinati exierint in terram austri, ac robusti ad peragrandum terram", significatur quod illi qui ex bono vitae in affectione sciendi vera ecclesiae sunt, in lucem veniant, ac quod resistant malis et falsis et faciant ecclesiam: inde est, quod quatuor illi equi dicantur "quatuor venti caelorum exeuntes a stando juxta Dominum totius terrae"; "venti" significant omnia Divina vera, et "exeuntes a stando juxta Dominum totius terrae" significat quod ab Ipso procedant; (quod "venti" significent omnia Divina vera, videatur n. 9642, et in opere De Caelo et Inferno 141-153; et quod "exire" significet procedere, in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 5337, 7124, 9303); per "longinquos qui aedificabunt in templo Jehovae" 3
significantur qui prius remoti fuerunt a veris et bonis ecclesiae, quod accedent ad ecclesiam: (quod per "longinquos" illi significentur, videatur n. 4723, 4
8918; et quod per "templum Jehovae" significetur ecclesia, n. 3720: porro, quod per "septentrionem" significetur obscurum veri, et quod per "austrum" sive "meridiem" clarum veri, ita quoque illi qui in obscuro et in claro veri sunt, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 143-151): quid per "rubrum" et "nigrum" in utroque sensu significatur, videbitur in explicationibus ad versus quartum et quintum hujus capitis; et quid per "album", videatur supra (n. 196): per "montes aeris", inter quos currus et equi exiverunt, significatur bonum amoris in naturali homine; hoc dicitur, quia gentes, de quibus hic agitur, non in bono spirituali sed in bono naturali fuerunt, antequam illustrati sunt. (Quod per "montem" significetur bonum amoris, videatur n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438; et quod per "aes" bonum naturale, supra, n. 70.)
[10] Apud Hiobum,
"Oblivisci fecit illam Deus sapientiam, nec impertitus est illi intelligentiam: quo tempore in altum se attollit, ridet equum et equitem ejus" (39:17, 18):
haec dicuntur de "ave", per quam significatur intelligentia ex proprio, quae in se nulla intelligentia est; nam homo ex proprio non videt nisi falsa, et non vera, et ex veris est intelligentia et non ex falsis; quare dicitur de illa, quod oblivisci fecerit illam Deus sapientiam, nec impertitus est illi intelligentiam, et cum se in altum attollit, ridet equum et equitem ejus", hoc est, intellectum veri ac intelligentem.
[11] Apud Davidem,
"Praeda facti sunt fortes corde, dormitarunt somnum suum;... prae increpatione tua, Deus Jacobi, obdormivit et currus et equus" (Psalms 76:6, 7 [B.A. 5, 6):
per "fortes corde" significantur qui in veris ex bono sunt; per quod "praeda facti sint, et dormitaverint somnum suum", significatur quod a malis in falsa lapsi sint; per "increpationem Dei Jacobi", significatur inversio status eorum ab ipsis; et per "obdormivit et currus et equus", significatur quod intellectuale eorum sopitum sit, quia factum mere naturale; quod per "vigilare" significetur vitam spiritualem sibi comparare, et per "dormire" habere vitam naturalem absque spirituali, videatur supra (n. 5
187).
[12] Apud Ezechielem,
"Javan, Thubal et Meschech... cum anima hominis et vasis aeris dederunt negotiationem tuam: ex Bethogarma equos, equites et mulos dederunt negotiationibus tuis" (27:13, 14):
agitur ibi de Tyro, per quam significantur cognitiones veri et boni quae ecclesiae externae et internae: per "Javan, Thubal et 6
Meschech" significantur qui in cultu externo, et ii "ex Bethogarma" qui in cultu interno; quare dicitur quod hi "dederint negotiationibus Tyri equos, equites et mulos", et quod illi dederint "animam hominis et vasa aeris negotiationem"; et per "animam hominis" significatur verum fidei quoad cognitionem, et per "vasa aeris" significantur vera boni naturalis; ac per "equos, equites et mulos" significatur intellectus veri et boni, per "equos" intellectus veri, per "equites" intelligentia, et per "mulos" rationale. (Quod per "mulum" significetur rationale, videatur n. 2781, 5741, 9212.) Quisque videre potest quod per "negotiationes Tyri", quae in illo capite et alibi enumerantur, non intelligantur negotiationes cum talibus, ut cum vasis aeris, equis et mulis, et cum pluribus aliis, sed quod intelligantur negotiationes spirituales, quae fiunt per cognitiones veri et boni: Verbum enim est Divinum et de Divinis agit, et non de terrestribus; quare continet spiritualia, quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae, quae exprimuntur in sensu ultimo, qui est sensus litterae, per naturalia quae correspondent illis.
(Quod "negotiari" et "mercari" in Verbo significet cognitiones veri et boni comparare et communicare, videatur a. 2967, 4453; et quod simile " 7
emere" et "vendere", n. 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 8
5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039.)
[13] Apud Esaiam,
"Qui duxit eos per abyssos, sicut equus in deserto non offenderunt, sicut bestia in valle descendit, spiritus Jehovae duxit eum" (63:13, 14):
agitur in eo capite de Domino, et de Ipsius pugna cum infernis et subjugatione eorum; hic autem de salvatione eorum qui in amore et fide in Ipsum sunt: hi comparantur "equo in deserto", et "bestiae in valle", quia per "equum" significatur intellectus veri, et per "bestiam" affectio boni; omnes enim comparationes in Verbo ex correspondentiis sunt.
[14] In Apocalypsi,
"Vidi caelum apertum, et ecce equus albus, et insidens ei vocabatur.... Verbum Dei: et exercitus qui in caelo sequebantur Ipsum super equis albis" (19:11-16):
quod per "equum album" significetur intellectus Verbi, similiter per "equos albos" quibus insidebant qui sequebantur, constat; nam "insidens equo albo" erat Dominus quoad Verbum; dicitur enim "Et Sedens super illo vocabatur Verbum Dei"; et in versu 16 ibi, "Habebat super vestimento et super femore suo nomen scriptum, Dominus dominorum et Rex regum." Dominus vocatur Verbum, quia Verbum significat Divinum Verum procedens ab Ipso. (Sed haec in Apocalypsi plenius explicata videantur in opusculo De Equo Albo 1; et unde est quod Dominus dicatur Verbum, n. 14 ibi.) Quoniam "currus "et "equi" significant doctrinam ex Verbo et ejus intellectum, et omnis doctrina veri et ejus intellectus est e caelo a Domino, ideo dicitur de Ipso, quod "equitet super Verbo", "super nubibus", "super caelo", "super cherubo", et quod "faciat equitare", ut in sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Accinge gladium tuum super femur, Potens in decore tuo et in honore tuo conscende, et equita super Verbo veritatis et mansuetudinis justitiae" (Ps. 45 9
haec dicta sunt de Domino.
Apud eundem,
"Cantate Deo, laudate nomen Ipsius, extollite equitantem super nubibus" (Psalms 68:5 [B.A. 4]);
apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Jehovah equitans super nube..., et venit in Aegyptum, et commovebuntur idola Aegypti coram Ipso" (19:1, 2);
apud Davidem,
"Psallite Domino... equitanti super caelo caeli antiquitatis" (Ps. 68 [33,] 34 [B.A. 32 33]);
Deus "equitavit super cherubo, volavit, et vectus super alis venti" (Psalms 18:11 [B.A. 10]);
apud Habakuk,
"Jehovah, ... equitas super equis tuis, currus tui salus;... calcasti mare equis tuis" (3:8, 15);
apud Esaiam,
"Tunc deliciaberis in Jehovah, et equitare te faciam in excelsa terrae" (58:14);
Apud Mosen,
"Jehovah solus duxit eum et equitare fecit eum super excelsa terrae" (Deuteronomius 32:12, 13);
et apud Hoscheam,
"Equitare faciam Ephraimum" (10:11):
in illis locis per "equitare" significatur intelligentiam et sapientiam dare, quia per "currum" significatur doctrina veri, et per "equos" intellectus ejus.
[15] Apud Esaiam,
"Tunc adducent omnes fratres 10
vestros ex omnibus gentibus munus Jehovae super equis et super curru, et super rhedis cameratis, super mulis et super veredariis, ad montem sanctitatis meae Hierosolymam" (66:20):
agitur ibi de instauratione ecclesiae novae a Domino; quare non intelligitur quod adducent fratres suos super equis, super curru, super rhedis cameratis, super mulis et super veredariis, ad Hierosolymam; sed intelligitur quod omnes qui in bono sunt, instruendi sint in Divinis veris, et per illa intelligentes et sapientes facti introducendi sint in ecclesiam; per "fratres". enim significantur omnes qui in bono sunt, per "equos" significatur intellectus veri, per "currum doctrina veri, per "rhedas cameratas" cognitiones veri, per "mulos" rationale internum quod spirituale, et per "veredarios" rationale externum quod naturale; et per "Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia ubi doctrina Divini Veri, quae "mons sanctitatis" dicitur ex amore veri. Ex significatione "curruum" et "equorum" constare potest, unde est
Quod Elias et Elisaeus dicti fuerint "currus Israelis et equites ejus"; et quod puero Elisaei visus sit mons plenus equis et curribus igneis circum Elisaeum (2 Regnum 2:11, 12; 6:17; 13:14):
causa est quia uterque, tam Elias quam Elisaeus, repraesentarunt Dominum quoad Verbum, et per "currus" significatur doctrina e Verbo, et per "equites" intelligentia. (Quod Elias et Elisaeus repraesentaverint Dominum quoad Verbum, videatur n. 7643, 8029, 9372 11
).
[16] Quod "currus" et "equi" significent doctrinam et intellectum ejus, adhuc constare potest a Sensu eorum opposito, in quo "currus" et "equi" significant doctrinas falsi et scientifica falsa ex intellectuali perverso: pleraque enim in Verbo oppositum sensum habent, ex quo videri potest quid eadem in genuino sensu significant.
Quod "currus" et "equi" in illo sensu talia significent, constare potest ex sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Ezechielem,
"Ecce adducturus contra Tyrum... regem Babelis a septentrione cum equo et cum curru, et cum equitibus;... filias tuas in agro gladio occidet:... prae abundantia equorum ejus obteget te pulvis eorum, prae voce equitis et rotae et currus commovebuntur muri tui, ... per ungulas equorum suorum conculcabit omnes plateas tuas; populum gladio occidet" (26:7, 8, 10, 11):
per "Tyrum" significatur ecclesia quoad cognitiones veri; et per "regem Babelis" destructio veri per falsa et profanatio; per "Septentrionem" a quo venturus, significatur unde omne falsum, in specie infernum ex quo exsurgit; per "currum", "equos" et "equites", significantur doctrinale falsi et ratiocinationes ex illis; per "filias quas in agro gladio occidet", significantur affectiones veri quas per falsa exstinguet, "filiae" enim sunt affectiones veri, "ager" est ecclesia ubi illae, "gladius" est pugna falsi contra verum, et "occidere" est exstinguere; inde patet quid significatur per "prae abundantia equorum ejus obteget te pulvis eorum ("pulvis" est malum falsi): per "muros" qui prae voce equitis, rotae et currus commovebuntur, significantur vera tutantia, quae in genere sunt, quod Deus sit, et quod Verbum sit Divinum, et quod vita aeterna sit; hi muri seu haec vera dicuntur "commoveri prae voce equitis, rotae et currus", quando in dubium veniunt per falsa doctrinae et per ratiocinationes ex illis: per "ungulas equorum" per quas conculcabit omnes plateas, significantur extrema naturalis hominis, quae vocantur sensualia, ex quibus omnes falsitates; "plateae" quas per illas conculcabit, sunt vera doctrinae ecclesiae, quae prorsus destruet: per "populum" qui gladio cadet, significantur omnes qui in veris sunt, et abstracte omnia vera.
[17] Apud Jeremiam,
"Gladie contra mendaces ut stultescant, gladie contra fortes ut consternentur, gladie contra equos ejus et contra currus ejus, ... gladie contra thesauros ejus ut diripiantur; siccitas super aquas ut exarescant, quia terra sculptilium illa" (50 [36,] 37, 38, 37):
per "gladium" significatur pugna veri contra falsum ac falsi contra verum et inde vastatio, hic vastatio; per "mendaces" et per "fortes" significantur falsa et ratiocinationes ex illis, similia per "equos" et "currus"; per "thesauros" qui diripientur, significantur omnia doctrinae; per "siccitatem super aquas ut exarescant", significatur desolatio veri ("siccitas" est desolatio, et "aquae" sunt vera): et quia omnia falsa ex propria intelligentia sunt, ideo dicitur, "quia terra sculptilium illa"; "terra" ibi significat haeresin, et "sculptilia" significant quae ex propria intelligentia. (Quod haec per "sculptilia", "fusilia" et "idola" significentur, videatur n. 8869, 8941, 10406, 10503.)
[18] Apud eundem,
"Ecce sicut nubes ascendet, et sicut procella currus ejus, celeres sunt prae aquilis equi ejus; Vae nobis, quia devastati sumus; ablue a malitia cor tuum, ... ut, serveris; quamdiu commorabuntur in medio tui cogitationes iniquitatis?... Vastitas erit tota terra, ... prae voce equitis et sagittariorum fugit tota urbs; intrarunt nubes, et in petras ascenderunt, tota urbs deserta" (4:13, 14, 27, 29):
describitur hic vastatio ecclesiae per falsa mali; falsa significantur per "nubem", et cupido ratiocinandi ex falsis contra vera per "equos qui prae aquilis veloces", ac doctrinalia falsi per "currus qui sicut procella": quod inde omne ecclesiae et omne doctrinae ejus pereat, significatur per quod "vastitas erit tota terra, et prae voce equitis et sagittariorum fugit tota urbs"; "terra" est ecclesia, et "urbs" est doctrina ejus, "vox equitis et sagittariorum" est ratiocinatio ex illis et impugnatio, et "fugere" est perire: quod dein mere falsum ac fides falsi regnatura sint, significatur per "intrarunt nubes ac in petras ascenderunt"; "nubes" sunt falsa, ac "petrae" sunt eorum fides: quod devastatio ecclesiae et ejus doctrinae ita describatur, patet, nam dicitur, "Vae nobis, quia devastati sumus;... quamdiu commorabuntur in medio tui cogitationes iniquitatis? Vastitas erit tota terra, tota urbs deserta."
[19] Apud eundem,
"Ecce populus veniens e terra septentrionis, et gens magna excitabitur a lateribus terrae;... vox eorum sicut mare resonat, et super equis equitant" (6:22, 23; cap. 50:41-42 12
):
Similiter hic describitur devastatio ecclesiae per falsa mali "terra septentrionis", et "latera terrae" sunt unde illa, "terra septentrionis" unde falsa, et "latera terrae" unde mala; per "septentrionem" enim significatur quod remotum a veris est, et per "latera terrae quod remotum a bonis; quare dicitur "gens" de his et "populus" de illis, nam per "gentem" intelliguntur qui in malis, et per "populum" qui in falsis (videatur supra, n. 331(b)): ratiocinatio eorum significatur per quod "vox eorum sicut mare resonet", et quod "super equis equitent."
[20] Apud Ezechielem,
"Venies e loco tuo e lateribus septentrionis, tu et populi multi tecum, equitantes equis omnes, ... et ascendes contra populum meum Israelem, sicut nubes ad obtegendum terram" (38:15, 16):
haec de Gogo, per quem significatur cultus externus absque ullo interno; "latera septentrionis" significant hic ut supra remotum a bonis et veris, et sic unde falsa mali; et quia inde ratiocinantur et impugnant vera ecclesiae, et exstinguunt illa, dicitur "equitantes equis omnes, ... et ascendes contra populum meum Israelem, sicut nubes ad obtegendum terram"; "equitantes equis" sunt ratiocinationes, "ascendere contra populum Israelem", et "obtegere terram", significat impugnare vera ecclesiae, et exstinguere illa; "nubes" sunt falsa mali.
[21] Apud Danielem,
"In tempore finis collidet rex meridiei cum" rege septentrionis; "ideo quasi procella irruet in illum rex septentrionis, cum curru et cum equitibus, et cum navibus multis, et veniet in terras, et inundabit et penetrabit" (11:40):
agitur in illo capite de pugna regis septentrionis cum rege meridiei, et per "regem septentrionis" intelligitur falsum ex malo, ac per "regem meridiei" verum ex bono; quare patet quod illa, quae in eo capite dicuntur, non dicta sint de aliquo futuro bello inter duos reges, sed de pugnis falsi ex malo contra verum ex bono: "currus et equites" cum quibus "irruet rex septentrionis" sunt impugnationes veri ex falsis mali; "naves multae" cum quibus etiam irruet, sunt scientifica et doctrinalia falsi; destructio ecclesiae per illa significatur per "veniet in terras, et inundabit et penetrabit."
(Quod "naves" significent scientifica et doctrinalia in utroque sensu, videatur n. 1977, 6385; et quod "inundare" significat immersionem in falsa et mala, n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853.)
[22] Apud Jeremiam,
"Dispergam per te gentes, et perdam per te regna, et dispergam per te equum et equitem ejus, et dispergam per te currum et vectum in eo" (51:20, 21);
et apud Haggaeum,
"Evertam thronum regnorum, et perdam robur regnorum gentium; et evertam currum et equitantes in eo, et descendent equi et equites eorum, vir gladio fratris sui" (2:22):
haec dicta sunt de destructione falsi et mali, et non de destructione alicujus gentis et regni, nam per "gentes" significantur mala, et per "regna" similiter ac per "populos" falsa, est etiam propheticum et non historicum; inde patet quid per "equum et equitem", ac per "currum et vectum in eo", significatur, quod nempe per "equum et equitem" intellectuale perversum et inde ratiocinatio, ac per "currum et vectum in eo" doctrina falsi seu haeresis, et qui in illa sunt.
[23] Apud Nahum,
"Vae urbi sanguinum, tota mendacio et rapina plena;... vox scuticae et vox sonitus rotae, et equus hinniens et currus saltitans, eques ascendere faciens, et splendor gladii, et fulgur hastae, et multitudo confossorum, et acervus cadaveris, ... prae multitudine scortationum scorti, ... vendentis gentes per scortationes suas, et familias per praestigias suas" (3:1-4):
agitur ibi de violentia illata Divino Vero ac de destructione ejus per falsa mali, id enim per "urbem sanguinum", de qua sequentia dicuntur, significatur (videatur supra, n. 329(f)); quare etiam dicitur "tota mendacio et rapina plena", "mendacium" est falsum, et "rapina" est violentia per id illata; et quia "bella" significant pugnas spirituales, quae sunt veri contra falsum et falsi contra verum, ideo omnia quae sunt belli, ut "scutica", "equus", "currus", "gladius" et "hasta", significant varia quae illius belli sunt; quid autem singula in specie significant, non hujus loci est exponere, modo quid "equus", "eques" et "currus": "vox sonitus rotae", significat ratiocinia ex falsis et malis; "equus hinniens et currus saltitans" significat cupidinem destruendi vera ("equus" est intellectuale perversum ex quo, et "currus" est doctrina falsi ex qua): "hinnire et saltitare", est ferri cupidine et jucundo ad id, et "eques ascendere faciens" est impugnatio: inde dicitur "multitudo confossorum et acervus cadaveris"; "confossi" dicuntur qui perierunt ex falsis, et "cadavera" qui ex malis: et inde quoque dicitur, "prae multitudine scortationum scorti vendentis gentes per scortationes, et familias per praestigias"; per "scortationes" significantur falsificationes veri, per "scortum" haeresis, per "vendere gentes" significatur abalienare bona, et per "vendere familias per praestigias" significatur abalienare vera ("gentes" sunt bona, "familiae" vera inde, et "praestigiae" sunt falsa mali per quae).
[24] Apud Habakuk,
"Ego excitans Chaldaeos, gentem amaram et praecipitem, pergentem in latitudines terrae, ... cujus leves sunt prae pardis equi, et acuti sunt prae lupis vesperae, ut diffundant se equites ejus; unde equites ejus e longinquo venient, advolabunt sicut aquila festinans ad comedendum, tota ad violentiam veniet;... illa reges illudet et dominatores risui illi" (1:6, 8-10):
per "Chaldaeos" intelliguntur qui profanant vera et sic vastant ecclesiam, quare vocatur "gens amara et praeceps, pergens in latitudines terrae"; "latitudines terrae" sunt vera ecclesiae (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 197): eorum cupiditas et astutia pervertendi vera et destruendi illa per ratiocinia ex falsis prorsus remotis a veris, significantur per "cujus leves prae pardis equi, et acuti prae lupis vesperae, ut diffundant se equites ejus, unde equites ejus e longinquo venient, advolabunt sicut aquila festinans ad comedendum"; cupiditas significatur per quod "equi ejus leves sint prae pardis", et astutia per quod "equi sint acuti prae lupis vesperae", et utrumque per quod "advolent sicut aquila": quia cupiditas et astutia est ad destruendum vera, ideo dicitur, "tota ad violentiam veniet": quod irrideant vera et bona, significatur per quod "reges illudet et dominatores risui illi"; "reges" significant vera, ac "domini" et "dominatores" bona.
[25] Apud Davidem,
"Hi in curru, et isti in equis, nos vero in nomine (Jehovae) Dei nostri gloriabimur" (Psalms 20:8, 9 [B.A. 7]);
apud eundem,
"Non rex servatur per multitudinem exercitus mendacium equus quoad salutem" (Psalms 33:16, 17);
apud eundem,
Jehovah "non in robore equi delectatur, non in femoribus viri beneplacitum Ipsius" (Psalms 147:10):
per "gloriari in curru et in equis", et per quod "Jehovah non delectetur robore equi", significantur omnia quae ex propria intelligentia, ex qua mere falsa; et per "femora viri significantur quae ex propria voluntate, ex qua mere mala.
[26] Apud Amos,
"Non tenens arcum consistet, neque celer pedibus eripiet se; neque equitans equo eripiet animam suam, sed fortis corde suo fugiet nudus in die illo" (2:15, 16):
etiam hic describitur propria intelligentia, et fiducia ex facultate loquendi et ratiocinandi ex falsis; per "tenens arcum non consistet", et per "celer pedibus non eripiet se", significatur qui scit alacriter ratiocinari ex doctrina falsi, et ex scientia ac memoria naturalis hominis, non ideo servabitur; simile significatur per "equitans equo non eripiet animam suam": per "fortem corde" qui "fugiet nudus in die illo", significatur qui fidet suis falsis quod absque Omni vero erit; per "fortem corde" intelligitur qui fidet suis falsis, et per "nudum" intelligitur qui absque omni intellectu veri (videatur supra, n. 240).
[27] Apud Esaiam,
"Dicit Dominus Jehovih Sanctus Israelis, ... in quiescendo et in fiducia erit Virtus vestra: sed noluistis et dixistis, Non, sed super equo fugiemus, et ideo fugietis; et super veloce equitabimus, et ideo veloces reddentur persequentes vos" (30:15, 16):
agitur hic de fiducia in Dominum, et de fiducia in se; de fiducia in Dominum per haec verba", Dixit Dominus Jehovih Sanctus Israelis, In quiescendo et in fiducia erit virtus vestra"; et de fiducia in se per haec, "Et dixistis, Non, sed super equo fugiemus, et super veloce equitabimus"; per "fugere super equo", et "equitare super veloce", significatur cupere: et amare illa quae sui intellectus sunt et inde cogitationis et ratiocinationis: quod falsa tunc irruptura et occupatura, significatur per "ideo fugietis, ... et ideo veloces reddentur persequentes vos; "velox" et "festinum" significat quod fit ex cupiditate seu ex amore.
[28] Apud Sachariam,
Ponet Jehovah Jehudam "sicut equum gloriae suae in bello; ex illo angularis, ex illo clavus, et ex illo arcus belli;... et erunt sicut potentes conculcantes caenum platearum... et proeliabuntur quia Jehovah cum illis, et pudefacient equitantes super equis" (10:3-5):
per "domum Jehudae" significatur regnum caeleste Domini, seu caelum et ecclesia quae in amore in Dominum; de hoc dicitur quod erit "sicut equus gloriae in bello", per quem significatur intellectus Divini Veri pugnans contra mala et falsa, quae destruet; per "equum" significatur intellectus, per "gloriam" Divinum Verum, et per "bellum" pugna contra falsa et mala, et destructio eorum: per "angularem, clavum et arcum belli" quae ex Jehuda, significantur vera; per "angularem" verum tutans, per "clavum" verum firmans, et per "arcum belli" verum pugnans ex doctrina: per quod erunt "sicut potentes conculcantes caenum platearum", significatur potentia dissipandi et destruendi falsa; "caenum platearum" significat falsa: per quod "pudefacient equitantes super equis", significatur annihilatio ratiocinationum, argumentationum et confirmationum quae ex proprio intellectu: quod hoc fiet a Domino et non ab illis, intelligitur per "proeliabuntur quia Jehovah cum illis."
[3]):
agitur etiam hic de intelligentia ex proprio, et quod illa non salvet; per "Aschurem" significatur rationale, hic quod ex proprio; per "equitare super equo" significatur ratiocinatio ex proprio intellectus; et per "opus manuum" significatur ipsum proprium.
[30] Apud Ezechielem,
"Scortata est Ohola..., et dilexit amasios suos, Assyrios propinquos, vestitos hyacintho, ... equites equitantes equis" (23:5, 6, 12, 23):
"Ohola", quae ibi est Samaria, significat ecclesiam ubi falsificata sunt vera; "scortationes" ejus, de quibus in eo capite, significant falsificationes; per "Assyrios" significantur ratiocinia per quae; et quia per "equitare equis significatur ratiocinari ex falsis, quae ex propria intelligentia, ideo dicitur "dilexit Assyrios, equites equitantes equis"; per "hyacinthum" quo vestiti significatur falsum apparens sicut verum, quod fit imprimis per applicationem sensus litterae Verbi ad principia falsi.
[31] Apud Jeremiam,
"A Dane auditus est rhonchus equorum ejus, a voce hinnituum robustorum ejus contremuit tota terra, et venerunt et consumpserunt terram et plenitudinem ejus, (urbem) et habitantes in ea" (8:16)
quid per "Danem" intelligitur, supra in hoc articulo dictum est, quod nempe verum in suo ultimo; hoc verum in ecclesia est quod continetur in sensu litterae Verbi; qui in hoc solo manent, et non id legunt ex doctrina genuini veri, quae ducat et illustret, in omnis generis errores auferri possunt; hi qui auferuntur in errores seu falsa, intelliguntur hic per "Danem", confirmatio falsorum inde per "rhonchum equorum ejus", et falsificationes veri per "vocem hinnituum robustorum ejus"; "robusti" dicuntur ex fiducia, quia ex sensu litterae Verbi, quod falsum sit verum: quod inde ecclesia quoad ejus vera et bona vastetur, significatur per "contremuit tota terra, et venerunt et consumpserunt terram et plenitudinem ejus et habitantes in ea"; "terra" est ecclesia, "plenitudo ejus" sunt vera, et "habitantes in ea" sunt bona.
[32] Apud Esaiam,
Sustulit signum gentibus e longinquo, et sibilavit illi ab extremitate terrae, et ecce cito velox adveniet... cujus tela acuta, et omnes arcus ejus tensi, ungulae equorum ejus sicut rupes reputantur, et rotae ejus sicut procella" (5:26, 28):
etiam hic agitur de illis qui in ultimis sunt quoad intellectum veri et quoad perceptionem boni; ultima illa vocantur sensualia, quae sunt ultima naturalis hominis (de quibus videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 13
: ex illis separatis a spirituali homine scaturiunt omnia mala et falsa quae in ecclesia et in ejus doctrina; mala inde significantur per "gentes quae venient e longinquo", et falsa per illum qui "venit ab extremitate terrae"; "longinquum" et "extremitas terrae" significant illa quae remota sunt a veris et bonis ecclesiae: per "tela quae acuta", et per "arcus qui tensi", significantur falsa doctrinae parata ad destruendum vera; et per "ungulas equorum quae sicut rupes reputantur", et per "rotas ejus quae sicut procella", significantur ultima veri qualia sunt quae in sensu litterae Verbi, ac argumentationes et confirmationes falsi per illa"; "ungulae equorum" sunt ultima intellectus, hic intellectus perversi, quia separati ab intellectu spiritualis hominis, quae quia ex sensu litterae Verbi sunt, dicitur "quae sicut rupes reputantur"; ac "rotae" sunt argumentationes et confirmationes per illa, quae quia validae apparent, dicitur "quae sicut procella."
[33] In Libro Judicum,
"Cor meum ad legislatores Israelis, ... qui equitatis super asinabus albis, et sedetis super 14
middin, et qui ambulatis super via, meditamini:... stellae de viis suis pugnarunt cum Sisera, ... tunc contusae sunt plantae equorum, complosi plausus robustorum ejus" (5:9, 10, 20, 22):
haec in Cantico Deborae et Baraki, in quo agitur de pugna veri contra falsum, et de illius victoria; per "legislatores Israelis" significantur vera ecclesiae; per "equitare super asinabus albis et sedere super 15
middin", significatur perceptio boni ac intellectus veri ("asinae albae" significant rationale quoad bonum, et " 16
middin" rationale quoad verum); et "ambulare super via et meditari", significant vitam veri; "stellae de viis suis pugnarunt cum Sisera", significant cognitiones veri, et pugnam ex illis contra falsa mali; "plantae equorum quae contusae", et "plausus equorum qui complosi", significant falsa quae ex ultimo naturali seu sensuali, et argumentationes inde, quod destructa.
[34] Apud Amos,
"Num current in petra equi? num arabit bobus? quia convertistis in fel judicium, et fructum justitiae in absinthium" (6:12):
"Num current in petra equi?" significat num aliquis intellectus veri; "num arabit bobus?" significat num aliqua perceptio boni: quod haec significentur, patet, nam sequitur, "quia convertistis in fel judicium, et fructum justitiae in absinthium"; "convertere in fel judicium" significat in falsum vertere verum, et "convertere fructum justitiae in absinthium" significat bonum in malum.
[35] Apud Davidem,
"Posuisti oppressionem super lumbos nostros, equitare fecisti hominem in capite nostro; introivimus in ignem et aquas; eduxisti tamen nos in latitudinem" (Psalms 66:11, 12):
describitur ita captivitas spiritualis, et inde liberatio; captivitas spiritualis est quando mens occluditur ne percipiat bonum et intelligat verum, liberatio ab illa est quando mens aperitur; per "oppressionem super lumbos" significatur quod nulla perceptio boni amoris, "lumbi" enim et "femora" significant bonum amoris: per "equitare facere hominem in capite nostro" significatur quod nullus intellectus veri; per "hominem" hic significatur intelligentia ex proprio, quae nulla intelligentia est, et simile per "caput": quia haec significantur, ideo dicitur, "intravimus in ignem et aquas"; "in ignem" est in mala quae ex amore sui, et "in aquas" est in falsa: liberatio inde intelligitur per "eduxisti tamen nos in latitudinem"; "latitudo" significat verum, ut supra.
[36] Apud Esaiam,
"Vae descendentibus in Aegyptum pro auxilio, et super equis innituntur, et confidunt super curru sed non respiciunt ad Sanctum Israelis, et Jehovam ( 17
non) quaerunt;... nam Aegyptus homo et non Deus, et equi ejus caro et non spiritus" (31:1, 3):
per "Aegyptum" in Verbo significatur scientificum quod in naturali homine, et inde quoque naturalis homo; et quia naturalis homo cum scientifico quod in illo non habet aliquem intellectum, sed modo cogitationem ex memoria, quae est species imaginationis ex objectis visus et auditus, quae quia est infra spiritualem, in quo tamen resident omnia bona et vera caeli et ecclesiae, inde per "Aegyptum" in plerisque locis significatur scientificum falsum; nam cum spiritualis homo non influit, vertuntur scientifica naturalis hominis in mere falsa, et cogitationes ejus in confirmationes falsi et in ratiocinationes ex illis contra vera: inde constare potest quid per "equos Aegypti" et per "currus" ejus significatur, nempe quod per "equos" scientifica falsa, et per "currus" doctrinalia ex quibus ratiocinationes contra vera; qui itaque tales sunt, non quaerunt aliunde vera quam ex se; proprium enim cujusvis in naturali homine residet, et non proprium in spirituali; quapropter pro veris arripiunt falsa et pro bonis mala, et haec dicunt bona et illa dicunt vera, ac sibi, quia suo proprio, fidunt: haec significantur per "Vae descendentibus in Aegyptum, et super equis innituntur, et confidunt super curru quod multus, et super equitibus quod validi valde"; "equi ibi sunt scientifica falsa, et "currus" sunt doctrinalia inde, ac "equites" sunt ratiocinationes ex illis contra vera: quare etiam dicitur, "Aegyptus est homo et non Deus, et equi ejus sunt caro et non spiritus", per quod significatur quod mere naturale et non spirituale eis insit, inde nec aliquid vitae; "homo" significat naturalem hominem, et "caro" proprium ejus, "Deus" et "spiritus" significant Divinum spiritualem 18
hominem et inde vitam; et quoniam illi sibi confidunt, et non Domino, dicitur "Non respiciunt ad Sanctum Israelis, et Jehovam ( 19
non) quaerunt.
[37] Ex his nunc videri potest quid significatur per "equos, currus et exercitus Pharaonis", apud Mosen,
"Gloriosus reddar in Pharaone et in exercitu ejus, ... et in equitibus ejus... Et persecuti sunt Aegyptii" filios Israelis, "et venerunt post illos equi Pharaonis, currus ejus, et equites ejus, in medium maris;... et Jehovah... removit rotam curruum ejus, ut ducerent cum difficultate ... et cum Moses extendit manum super mare reversae sunt aquae, et operuerunt currus et equites cum universo exercitu Pharaonis" (Exodus 14:17, 18, 23, 25, 20
2728);
et apud eundem,
"Cecinit Moses et filii Israelis canticum hoc Jehovae;... Cantando cantabo Jehovae, quia exaltando exaltavit Se, equum et equitem ejus projecit in mare, ... et currus et exercitum ejus" (Exodus 15:1, 4, 19, 21):
quid per "equos et currus Pharaonis seu Aegypti" significatur, supra dictum est; per "exercitum" ejus significantur omnia falsa in genere et in specie; et per "mare" significatur damnatio et infernum, ubi omnes sunt in proprio, quia in naturali homine separato a spirituali, et inde in omnis generis malis et falsis. Simile per "equos Aegypti" significatur in his, apud Mosen,
"Si 21
dixeris, Ponam super me regem ponendo 22
pones super te regem quem elegerit Jehovah Deus tuus...; modo non multiplicet sibi equos, nec reducat populum in Aegyptum ut multiplicet equos" (Deuteronomius 17:14-16):
haec dicta sunt de rege, quia per reges repraesentatur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, et per "reges" inde significantur vera ex bono a Domino (videatur supra, n. 31); et quia vera ex bono resident in spirituali homine, ut supra dictum est, et scientifica quae sunt naturalis hominis ei inservient sicut servi suo 23
domino, inde dicitur, "modo non multiplicet sibi equos, nec reducat populum in Aegyptum ut multiplicet equos", per quae significatur, modo ne a spirituali homine fiat naturalis, et semet ipsum ducat, et suo proprio fidat et non Domino; ita ne vera quae spiritualis hominis serviant naturali, et non scientifica quae naturalis hominis spirituali, hoc enim secundum ordinem est, illud autem contra ordinem. Similia per "equos Aegypti" significantur alibi in Verbo (Ut Jeremias 46:4, 9; Ezechiel 17:15; 23:20).
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