529# 启8:13.“我观看，听见一位天使飞在天中间”表示主在处于末期的教会状态上光照天堂里的所有人。这从“观看，听见”、“天使”、“飞”和“在天中间”的含义清楚可知：“观看，听见”是指打开理解力去感知(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“天使”是指主，在圣言中，“天使或使者”表示从主发出的神性真理，因而表示神性真理方面的主自己(可参看AE 130, 200, 302节)，在此是指在显明就对神性真理的接受而言，处于末期的教会是何品质的主；“飞”是指光照并赐予理解(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“在天中间”是指在整个天堂，或所有在天堂里的人。“在中间”表示在整体中，因而表示全部(参看AE 213节)。由此可见，“我观看，听见一位天使飞在天中间”表示在处于末期的教会状态上，对天堂里的所有人的光照。之所以表示在处于末期的教会状态上的光照，是因为这就是下文论述的主题。“观看，听见”表示打开理解力去感知，因为“观看”表示理解，“听见”表示感知。“观看或看见”表示理解(参看AE 260节)；“听见”表示感知(AE 14, 108节)。
“飞”当论及主时，表示光照，因为“飞”论及理解力，以及它的视野在周围的延伸；因此，当论及主时，“飞”表示对理解力的光照。当论及主时，“飞”表示全在(可参看AE 282节)；因此，它也表示光照，因为主出现在哪里，哪里就有光照。在诗篇，“飞”所表相同：
神骑着基路伯飞行，载在风的翅膀上。(诗篇18:10; 撒母耳记下22:11)
“基路伯”表示至内层天堂，“骑”表示赐予理解，并光照；“飞”和“载在风的翅膀上”具有相同的含义；但“骑”在此表示赐予理解，并光照此处“基路伯”所表示的至内层天堂；“飞”也表示赐予理解，并光照中间天堂；而“载在风的翅膀上”表示赐予理解，并光照终端天堂。“骑”表示赐予理解(参看AE 355c, 364b节)；“基路伯”表示至内层天堂(AE 313a, 322, 362, 462节)。“飞”表示光照中间天堂，因为该天堂是属灵天堂；在圣言中，属灵事物由各种鸟，以及它们的翅膀和飞行来表示。“载在风的翅膀上”表示光照终端天堂，因为“翅膀”是为了飞行，在此表示光照，“风”表示该天堂的属灵之物。因此，这一切事物描述了主在众天堂的全在，因而也表示对理解力的光照，因为如前所述，主出现在哪里，哪里就有光照。
529. And I beheld, and I heard one angel flying in the midst of heaven.- That this signifies the Lord enlightening all in the heavens concerning the state of the church at its end, is evident from the signification of seeing and hearing, as denoting to open the understanding to perceive, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of angel, as denoting the Lord; that angels in the Word mean the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself, as to Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 130, 200, 302); here the Lord, as to revealing what the quality of the church would be in the last times as to the reception of the Divine Truth; and from the signification of flying, as denoting to enlighten and impart understanding, concerning which also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of "in the midst of heaven," as denoting in the whole heaven, or all who are in the heavens. That in the midst signifies in the whole, and thus all, may be seen above (n. 213). It is evident therefore, that, "I beheld, and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven," signifies the enlightenment of all in the heavens concerning the state of the church at its end. Illustration concerning the state of the church is signified, because this is the subject treated of in what follows. The reason why seeing and hearing signify the opening of the understanding to perceive, is, that to see signifies to understand, and to hear signifies to perceive. That to see signifies to understand, may be seen above (n. 260); and that to hear signifies to perceive, may also be seen above (n. 14, 108).
[2] To fly, when stated of the Lord, signifies to enlighten, because "to fly" is used in reference to the understanding, and to the extension of the sight thereof round about; when therefore it is stated of the Lord, it signifies the enlightenment of the understanding. That to fly when stated of the Lord signifies omnipresence, may be seen above (n. 355, 364); and that cherub signifies the inmost heaven, may be seen above (n. 313, 322, 362, 462). To fly signifies to enlighten the middle heaven, because this heaven is the spiritual heaven, and spiritual things in the Word are signified by various birds, and by their wings and flights. The reason why to be carried upon the wings of the wind signifies to enlighten the ultimate heaven is, that wings pertain to flying, and here signify illustration; and wind signifies the Spiritual of this heaven. By all these things is therefore described the omnipresence of the Lord in the heavens, and hence also the enlightening of the understanding; for as was said above, where the Lord is present, there is enlightenment.
529. Verse 13. And I saw, and I heard one angel flying in midheaven, signifies the Lord enlightening all in the heavens respecting the state of the church at its end. This is evident from the signification of "to see and to hear," as being to open the understanding to perceive (of which presently); and from the signification of "angel," as being the Lord. That "angels" in the Word mean Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself in relation to Divine truth, may be seen above (n. 130, 200, 302), here the Lord manifesting what the church is to be in the last times in respect to the reception of Divine truth. Also from the signification of "to fly," as being to enlighten and give understanding (of which presently); also from the signification of "in midheaven," as being in the whole heaven, or all who are in the heavens (that "in the midst" signifies in the whole and thus all, see above, n. 213). From this it can be seen that "I saw, and I heard one angel flying in mid-heaven," signifies the enlightenment of all who are in the heavens respecting the state of the church at its end. Enlightenment respecting the state of the church at its end is meant, because this is what is treated of in what follows. "To see and to hear" signifies to open the understanding to perceive, because "to see" signifies to understand, and "to hear" to perceive (that "to see" signifies to understand, see above, n. 260; and that "to hear" signifies to perceive, also above n. 14, 108).
[2] "To fly" signifies, in reference to the Lord, to enlighten, because "to fly" is said of the understanding, and of the extension of its vision round about, therefore in reference to the Lord, "to fly" signifies the enlightenment of the understanding. That in reference to the Lord, "to fly" signifies omnipresence, may be seen above (n. 355, 364; and that a "cherub," signifies the inmost heaven, n. 313, 322, 362, 462.) "To fly" signifies to enlighten the middle heaven, because that heaven is the spiritual heaven, and spiritual things in the Word are signified by various birds, and by their wings and flights. "To be borne upon the wings of the wind" signifies to enlighten the ultimate heaven, because "wings" are for flight, and here signify enlightenment, and "wind" signifies the spiritual of that heaven; thus all this describes the omnipresence of the Lord in the heavens, thence also the enlightenment of the understanding; for as was said above, where the Lord is present there is enlightenment.
529. [Vers. 13.] "Et vidi et audivi unum angelum volantem in medio caeli." - Quod significet Dominum illustrantem omnes in caelis de statu ecclesiae in fine ejus, constat ex significatione "videre et audire", quod sit aperire intellectum ad percipiendum (de qua sequitur); ex significatione "angeli", quod sit Dominus; (quod per "angelos" in Verbo intelligatur Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, ita Ipse Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, videatur supra (n. 130, 200, 302); hic Dominus quoad manifestationem qualis futura ecclesia in ultimis temporibus quoad receptionem Divini Veri;) ex significatione "volare", quod sit illustrare et dare intellectum (de qua etiam sequitur); et ex significatione "in medio caeli", quod sit in universo caelo, seu omnes qui in caelis: (quod "in medio" significet in universo et sic omnes, videatur supra, n. 213): ex his constare potest quod per "Vidi et audivi unum angelum volantem in medio caeli" significetur illustratio omnium qui in caelis de statu ecclesiae in fine ejus: quod illustratio de statu ecclesiae in fine ejus, est quia de hoc in sequentibus agitur. Quod per "videre et audire" significetur aperire intellectum ad percipiendum, est quia "videre" significat intelligere, et "audire" percipere. (Quod videre" significet intelligere, videatur supra, n. 260; et quod "audire" significet percipere, etiam supra, n. 14, 108.)
[2] Quod "volare", cum de Domino, significet illustrare, est quia "volare" dicitur de intellectu, et de ejus visus extensione circumcirca; quare, cum de Domino, "volare" significat intellectus illustrationem; quod "volare", cum de Domino, significet omnipraesentiam, videatur supra (n. 282 1
); proinde etiam illustrationem, nam ubi Dominus praesens est ibi est illustratio. Hoc quoque significatur per "volare" apud Davidem,
Deus "equitavit super cherubo, volavit et vectus est super alis venti" (Psalms 18:11 [B.A. 10] ; 2 Sam 22:11):
per "cherubum" significatur caelum intimum; per "equitare" dare intellectum et illuStrare; similiter per "volare" et per "vehi super alis venti"; sed per "equitare" significatur dare intellectum, ac illustrare, hic caelum intimum, quod per "cherubum " significatur; per "volare" significatur etiam dare intellectum, ac illustrare, sed caelum medium; at per "vehi super alis venti" significatur dare intellectum, ac illustrare caelum ultimum: (quod "equitare" significet dare intellectum, videatur supra, n. 355 [c] 364 [d] : quod "cherubus" significet caelum intimum, supra, n. 313 [a] , 322, 362, 462): quod "volare" significet illustrare caelum medium, est quia id caelum est caelum spirituale, ac spiritualia in Verbo significantur per varias "aves", et per earum "alas" et "volatus"; quod "vehi super alis venti" significet illustrare caelum ultimum, est quia "alae" sunt volatus, et hic 2
significant illustrationem, ac "ventus" significat spirituale illius caeli; per omnia illa describitur omnipraesentia Domini in caelis, inde etiam illustratio intellectus; nam, ut supra dictum est, ubi Dominus praesens est ibi illustratio.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.