490# 启8:3.“另有一位天使来站在祭坛旁边”表示天堂与主通过属天良善的结合。这从“一位天使”和“祭坛”的含义清楚可知：“一位天使”是指天堂(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“祭坛”是指对主之爱的良善(对此，我们也很快谈到)。“一位天使”表示天使天堂，因为约翰所看到的事物具有代表性。由于天堂无法呈现在他的视野中，所以他看到的是取代天堂的天使，因而是“站在神面前的七位天使”(AE 488节)，如前所述；还有“二十四位长老并四活物”，前面(AE 313a, 332, 362, 462节)说明，它们代表天堂；此处“站在祭坛旁边的天使”也一样。约翰所看见的天使代表天堂，因为整个天堂在主面前如同一个天使-人，每个天堂社群也是如此；还因为天使从整个天堂获得他的天使形式，也就是人的形式。关于这一事实，可参看《天堂与地狱》(51–58, 59–67, 68–72, 73–77, 78–86节)，那里完全解开了这个奥秘或内层真理。因此，当一位天使代表性地出现时，他要么代表他所来自的天堂社群，要么代表在一起的许多社群，甚至代表在所论述的天堂和教会的某个特定方面的整个天堂。在圣言中，“天使或使者”表示天上的完整社群，也表示整个天堂(可参看AE 90, 302, 307节)。“站在祭坛旁边”的这位天使表示至内层或第三层天堂，因为“祭坛”表示对主之爱的良善，所有在至内层或第三层天堂的人都处于该良善。
不要因为在天上看到一座祭坛，就以为那里有什么祭坛，就是诸如以色列民族所拥有的那种；但由于圣言经常提到祭坛，它表示对主之爱的良善和出于这良善的敬拜，所以约翰看到一座祭坛，圣言也是通过约翰来写的，好叫圣言可以处处与它自己一致。由于同样的原因，他看见一座用来上香的金坛，以及香炉和香，它们也很快被提到；以及约柜(启11:19)。因为在天上，有许多代表显现给那些站在下面的人；而实际上，它们并不存在于那里，只是诸如那里的天使正在凭主的流注所思想的那类事物的代表形式；因此，所有这些事物都表示神性事物。例如，动物或活物，也就是基路伯，以及被封了七印的书卷出现了，揭开头四个印时，有马出来了，以及除此之外别的地方提到的其它类似事物。又如此处一座祭坛、一个香炉和香出现了，它们呈现在约翰眼前，因为圣言提到它们，并且它们在圣言中表示神性事物，还因为启示录的圣言也要通过类似事物来写。以色列民族使用了两种祭坛，一种被称为“燔祭坛”，另一种被称为“香坛”；这一种因包了金而被称为“金坛”。燔祭坛代表主和出于属天良善对祂的敬拜；而香坛代表主和出于属灵良善对祂的敬拜。属天良善是对主之爱的良善，属灵良善是对邻之仁的良善。至于祭坛在总体和细节上都代表并表示什么，可参看前文(AE 391节)。
490. And another angel came and stood at the altar.- This signifies the conjunction of heaven with the Lord by means of celestial good, as is evident from the signification of an angel, as denoting heaven, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of altar, as denoting good of love to the Lord, concerning which we shall also speak presently. An angel signifies the angelic heaven, because the things seen by John were representative. And because heaven could not be presented to his view, therefore angels were seen instead of the heavens, thus also, as stated above, seven angels who stood before God (n. 489); and there were also four-and-twenty elders and four animals, and that these represented the heavens was shown above (n. 313:1, 322, 362, 462); and similarly here, the angel who stood at the altar. The angels seen by John represented heaven, because the whole heaven in the presence of the Lord is as one angelic man, and similarly every society of heaven; also because an angel derives his angelic form, which is the human form, from the whole heaven. Concerning this fact see Heaven and Hell 51-58, 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86), where this interior truth is fully unfolded. For this reason when an angel is representatively seen, he signifies either that society of heaven to which he belongs, or several societies together, or even the whole heaven in regard to that special aspect of heaven and the church which is treated of. That by angels in the Word are signified complete societies in heaven, and also the whole heaven, may be seen above (n. 90, 302, 307). By this angel who stood at the altar, is signified the inmost or third heaven, because the altar signifies the good of love to the Lord, and all those who are in the inmost or third heaven are in that good.
[2] It is not to be supposed that, because an altar was seen in heaven, any altar, such as the Israelites had, exists there; but as that altar is often mentioned in the Word, and because it signifies the good of love to the Lord, and worship from that good, therefore an altar was seen by John, by whom also the Word was to be written in order that the Word might be everywhere consistent with itself. For the same reason he saw a golden altar, which was for incenses, also the censer and incenses, which are mentioned presently, and also the ark of the covenant (chap. 391).
490. Verse 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, signifies the conjunction of heaven with the Lord through celestial good. This is evident from the signification of an "angel," as being heaven (of which presently); also from the signification of "altar," as being the good of love to the Lord (of which also presently). An "angel" signifies the angelic heaven because the things seen by John were representative; and as heaven could not be presented to his view, therefore instead of the heavens angels were seen; as also above, "seven angels who stood before God" (n. 488); so also "four and twenty elders and four animals" which represented the heavens above, n. 313, 332, 362, 462); so here, "the angel who stood at the altar." The angels seen by John represented heaven, because the whole heaven before the Lord is as one angel-man, likewise each society of heaven; also because the angel derives his angelic form, which is the human form, from the universal heaven. (Respecting this see in the work on Heaven and Hell 51-58, 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86, where this arcanum is fully unfolded.) For this reason when an angel appears representatively, he represents either the society of heaven from which he is, or many societies together, or the universal heaven in respect to that in heaven and the church that is treated of. That "angels" in the Word signify entire societies in heaven, and also the whole heaven, may be seen above (n. 90, 302, 307). This angel "who stood at the altar" signifies the inmost or third heaven, because the "altar" signifies the good of love to the Lord, and all who are in the inmost or third heaven are in that good.
[2] An altar was seen in heaven not because any altar exists there such as the Israelitish nation had; but as that altar is frequently mentioned in the Word, and it signifies the good of love to the Lord and worship from that good, so an altar was seen by John, by whom the Word was also written, in order that the Word may be everywhere consistent with itself. For a similar reason he saw a golden altar, which was for the offering of incense, also a censer and incense, which are also presently mentioned; as also the ark of the Covenant (chap. 391.
490. [Vers. 3.] "Et alius angelus venit et stetit ad altare." - Quod significet conjunctionem caeli cum Domino per bonum caeleste, constat ex significatione "angeli", quod sit caelum (de qua sequitur) et ex significatione "altaris", quod sit bonum amoris in Dominum (de qua etiam sequitur).
Quod "angelus" significet caelum angelicum, est quia illa quae visa sunt Johanni repraesentativa fuerunt; et quia caelum non potuit sisti in conspectum ejus, ideo pro caelis visi sunt angeli; ita quoque supra, "septem angeli, qui steterunt coram Deo" (n. 488); tum etiam "viginti quatuor seniores, et quatuor animalia", quae quod repraesentaverint caelos, supra (n. 313 [a] , 322, 362, 462) ostensum est: similiter hic "angelus qui stetit ad altare." Quod angeli visi Johanni caelum repraesentaverint, est quia totum caelum coram Domino est sicut unus angelus homo; similiter unaquaevis societas caeli; tum quia angelus ducit suam formam angelicam, quae est forma humana, ab universo caelo. (De qua re videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno n. 51-58, 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86, ubi hoc arcanum plene evolutum est.) Inde est quod angelus, dum repraesentative sistitur, significet vel societatem caeli e qua est, vel plures societates simul, vel etiam universum caelum quoad illud caeli et ecclesiae de quo agitur. Quod per "angelos" in Verbo significentur integrae societates in caelo, et quoque totum caelum, videatur supra (n. 90, 302, 307): per hunc angelum, qui "stetit ad altare", significatur caelum intimum et tertium; quoniam per "altare" significatur bonum amoris in Dominum, et omnes qui in intimo seu tertio caelo sunt, in illo bono sunt.
[2] Quod altare visum sit in caelo, non erat quia aliquod altare, quale fuit apud gentem Israeliticam, ibi datur; sed quia altare id in Verbo Saepius nominatur, et per id ibi significatur bonum amoris in Dominum et cultus ex illo bono, ideo visum est Johanni, a quo etiam Verbum scriberetur, ob causam ut Verbum sibi constans esset ubivis; similiter "altare aureum" quod erat pro suffitionibus, tum "thuribulum" et "suffitus", quae etiam mox memorantur, ut quoque "arca foederis" (cap. 11:19). Plura enim repraesentativa apparent in caelo illis qui infra stant, quae tamen actualiter ibi non existunt; sunt enim solum formae repraesentativae talium quae angeli ibi cogitant ex influxu Domini, quae inde omnia significant Divina; sicut quod apparuerint "animalia" quae erant cherubi, quod apparuerit "liber obsignatus septem sigillis", et quod ex apertis quatuor primis sigillis exiverint "equi", praeter similia alibi; ita quoque hic quod apparuerit "altare", quod "thuribulum", et quod "suffitus"; quae ad visum exhibita sunt Johanni, quia in Verbo memorantur et ibi significant Divina, et quia Verbum per similia etiam in Apocalypsi conscriberetur. Erant duo altaria in usu apud gentem Israeliticam, quorum unum vocabatur "altare holocausti", alterum "altare suffimenti", quod quia obductum erat auro vocabatur "altare aureum"; et altare holocausti erat repraesentativum Domini et cultus Ejus ex bono caelesti, et altare suffimenti erat repraesentativum Domini et cultus Ejus ex bono spirituali. Bonum caeleste est bonum amoris in Dominum, et bonum spirituale est bonum charitatis erga proximum. Quid autem "altaria" in genere et in specie repraesentaverunt et significaverunt, videatur supra (n. 391).