540# 既然经上说“有烟从坑里往上冒，好像大火炉的烟”，并且到目前为止已经说明，“烟”表示密集的虚假，那么也很重要的是要说明，“火炉”表示尘世和肉体之爱的邪恶，因而“好像大火炉的烟的烟”表示来自这些爱的密集虚假。“火炉”表示这些爱也是由于灵界的表象；因为当这些爱盛行的地狱被观之时，它们看似燃烧着火的火炉；烟出现在它们上面，像是从火炉和火灾之地冒上来的那种。正因如此，在圣言中，“火炉”要么表示地狱，要么表示这些爱和混乱的欲望在里面掌权的一群人或人自己，或也可说从他们身上流出的邪恶盛行的地方。
这就是以下经文中“火炉”和“烤炉”的含义。马太福音：
人子要差遣使者，把一切叫人跌倒的和作孽的从祂国里挑出来，丢在火炉里。在时代的完结，天使要出来，把恶人从义人中间剪除，丢在火炉里，在那里要哀哭切齿了。(马太福音13:41, 42, 49, 50)
显然，此处“火炉”表示地狱；“时代的完结”表示当审判发生时的教会末期。“使者要把一切叫人跌倒的和作孽的挑出来”、“他们要把恶人从义人中间剪除，丢在火炉里”表示那时，恶人必与善人分离，并被投入地狱。地狱被称为“火炉”，是因为它由于对自我和世界的爱而看似着了火。“地狱之火”表示由这些爱产生的痛苦或折磨(可参看《天堂与地狱》，566–575节)
玛拉基书：
看哪，那日来到、燃烧着像烤炉，一切傲慢犯罪的、一切作恶的，都必成为碎秸；那要来到的日子必放火烧灭他们。(玛拉基书4:1)
这些话也论及教会的末期和那时的最后审判；“那要来到的日子”表示这两者。“烤炉”表示那些通过教义确认虚假，出于尘世和肉体之爱通过生活确认邪恶的人所在的地狱；“一切傲慢犯罪的、一切作恶的，都必成为碎秸；烤炉必放火烧灭他们”表示他们将因自己的爱而灭亡，“一切傲慢犯罪的”表示那些通过教义确认虚假的人，“作恶的”表示那些通过生活确认邪恶的人。
何西阿书：
他们以其邪恶使君王欢喜，以其谎言使首领喜乐。他们都是通奸者，像被烤饼师点着的烤炉；从抟面到发酵，伙夫都停止。因为他们埋伏的时候，头脑变得像烤炉；他们的烤饼师整夜睡觉，到了早晨像火焰的火燃烧起来。他们都热如烤炉，吞灭审判官；他们所有的君王都倒下了；他们中间无一人呼求我。以法莲是没有翻过的烙饼。(何西阿书7:3–8)
这些话在灵义上描述了雅各的子孙，他们出于对自我和世界的爱而将一切良善都变成邪恶，由此将一切真理都变成虚假。他们以邪恶使之欢喜的“君王”表示来自邪恶的一切虚假，因为“君王”表示来自良善的真理，在反面意义上表示来自邪恶的虚假；他们以谎言使之喜乐的“首领”表示主要虚假。“他们都是通奸者，像被烤饼师点着的烤炉”表示他们出于自己的爱扭曲良善和真理，“通奸”表示扭曲良善，由此扭曲真理；这通奸被比作“被烤饼师点着的烤炉”，是因为他们将支持他们爱的虚假聚拢起来，如同揉成一块面团；由于邪恶和虚假没有与来自圣言字义的良善和真理分离，而是粘在一起，所以经上说“从抟面到发酵，伙夫都停止”，“发酵”表示分离，在此表示它们没有分离，因经上说：“从抟面到发酵，他都停止。”“以法莲是没有翻过的烙饼”所表相同，“以法莲”表示对真理的理解。“烤饼师整夜睡觉，到了早晨像火焰的火燃烧起来，他们都热如烤炉”表示因此，将只剩下属于虚假所支持的这些爱的邪恶。这些人被比作“烤饼师”和“烤炉”，是因为他们从虚假中形成教义，就像烤饼师在烤炉中制作烤饼和烙饼；“吞灭审判官；他们所有的君王都倒下了”表示他们就这样摧毁他们从圣言所拥有的一切良善和真理，“审判官”表示真理之良善，“君王”表示真理本身。“他们中间无一人呼求我”表示这就是他们渴望凭自己，而不是从主变得智慧的结果。仅从平常的直觉可以看出，这些话表示类似事物，但细节却表示并描述了这些事物，也就是说，“君王”、“首领”、“审判官”、“通奸者”，以及“烤炉”和“烤饼师”表示刚才所说的那些事物，这一点只有通过内义才能看出来。此外，那些将真理或虚假联结起来，好叫它们连贯一致的人，在灵界看起来就像揉面的烤饼师，旁边还有个烤炉。
耶利米哀歌：
因饥荒的风暴，我们的皮肤黑如烤炉。(耶利米哀歌5:10)
这是对真理丧失和虚假泛滥的哀悼；“饥荒”表示真理的丧失和缺乏(参看AE 386e节)；“饥荒的风暴”表示彻底的缺乏，以及虚假的泛滥，因为哪里没有真理，哪里就有虚假；在圣言中，“风暴”与泛滥具有相同的含义。“我们的皮肤黑如烤炉”表示属世人没有真理之光，因而处于虚假的黑暗；“烤炉”在此也表示从虚假，而不是从真理制订教义。不过，前面更充分地解释了这一点(参看AE 386e节)。
540b.以西结书：
以色列家在我看为渣滓；他们都是炉中间的铜、锡、铁、铅，都是银渣滓。看哪，我必将你们聚集在耶路撒冷中间，就是聚集银、铜、铁、铅、锡。我必将你们聚集到炉中间，在它上面吹火，熔化它；照样，我要在我的怒气和愤怒中聚集你们，把你们留在那里，熔化你们。银子怎样在炉中间熔化，你们也必照样在那中间熔化。(以西结书22:18–22)
这些话描述了犹太人和以色列人从圣言字义中汇集起来、只应用于自己和自己的爱的虚假教义。这些教义被称为“银渣滓”，因为“银”表示圣言的真理，“渣滓”表示没有真理，或从真理抽离出来、被弃绝的东西。“铜、锡、铁、铅”表示那些属于圣言字义的事物，因为这些事物表示属世人的良善和真理；包含在圣言字义中的圣言的事物是供给属世人的。由于他们从字义构建他们的虚假教义，也就是传统，所以经上说，它们必一起被熔化；由于它们被应用于他们的爱，也就是对自我和世界的爱，所以经上说“祂必将他们聚集到炉中间，在它上面吹火，熔化它”，“火”表示这些爱。由于他们的教义被熔化，所以经上说“祂必将他们聚集在耶路撒冷中间”，“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会，因而也表示教会的教义。
摩西五经：
日落幽暗出现的时候；看哪，有冒烟的火炉和火把从那些肉块间经过。(创世记15:17)
“冒烟的火炉”和“从那些肉块间经过的火把”在此表示从犹太和以色列民族的污秽之爱中涌出的邪恶之虚假和虚假之邪恶，这一点可见于前文。事实上，亚伯拉罕渴望他的后裔统治整个迦南地，并且由于主预见，教会将在这个民族中间建立，所以祂与亚伯拉罕立约。尽管如此，这个异象仍预言了他们的品质将是什么样。
那鸿书：
你要打水以备围困，要坚固你的堡垒，踹土和沥青或泥，修补砖窑。在那里火必烧灭你，剑必剪灭你。(那鸿书3:14–15)
这些话描述了邪恶之虚假对真理的摧毁；“以备围困的水”表示虚假，他们努力利用虚假来摧毁真理；“坚固堡垒”表示通过诸如看似真理的那类事物来巩固虚假；“踹土和沥青”表示使它们看上去连贯在一起，“沥青”表示来自进行结合的邪恶的虚假；“修补砖窑”表示修补从被歪曲的真理和虚构中形成的教义，“砖”表示被编造出来，与真理不一致的虚假。“火必烧灭你”表示他们将被他们的爱之邪恶毁灭，“剑必剪灭你”表示他们将被虚假毁灭。
耶利米书：
要用手拿几块大石头，藏在法老家门口旁边的砖窑里。我要领巴比伦王来，在你所藏的这些石头上，我要安置他的宝座，他要来攻打埃及地；我要在埃及神的庙中使火着起；最终他要披上埃及地，好像牧人披上外衣。(耶利米书43:9–12)
这些事物代表通过基于被错误应用的知识或科学的推理而对真理的亵渎。“藏在砖窑里的几块大石头”表示被源于自我聪明的虚构歪曲的圣言真理，“石头”表示圣言的真理，“砖窑”表示从虚构的事物中形成的教义。“法老家”表示就其中的知识或科学而言的属世人；“门口”表示感官知识或科学，通过这些感官知识或科学才能进入属世人，歪曲也是通过它们而造成的。“巴比伦王”表示对真理的亵渎；“在这些石头上，祂要安置他的宝座，要攻打埃及，在其庙中使火着起”表示通过属世人的知识或科学，他将扭曲并亵渎教会的一切真理。“他要披上埃及地，好像牧人披上外衣”表示就属世人中的一切事物而言，他要使属世人服从他自己，这种事是通过对来自知识或科学的虚假的确认发生的。“我要在埃及庙中使火着起”表示属世人的一切事物都将这样被尘世和肉体之爱的邪恶毁灭。
由于“埃及”表示就其中的知识或科学而言的属世人，而“铁炉”具有相同的含义，所以在圣言中，埃及被称为“铁炉”。如耶利米书：
在我把你们从埃及，从铁炉那里领出来的那天。(耶利米书11:4)
摩西五经：
祂把他们从埃及，从铁炉那里领出来。(申命记4:20)
列王纪上：
是祂从埃及，从铁炉中间领出来的。(列王纪上8:51)
诗篇：
我要除去以色列肩头的埃及重担；他的手放下筐子。(诗篇81:6)
“铁炉”表示知识或科学方面的属世人，“炉”表示属世人，“铁”表示知识或科学，在此表示虚假的知识或科学，因为经上说：“他们被领出来。”事实上，除非属世人被属灵人引领，否则它就会处于虚假和邪恶，因为它没有来自天堂的任何光，而来自天堂的光通过属灵人流入属世人，并进行光照、教导和引领。当属世人不在属灵人的指导之下思考和行动时，情况就完全不同了；在这种情况下，一个人会处于奴役状态，因为他出于来自地狱的虚假和邪恶思考和行动；因此，在论述救以色列人出埃及时，经上也说，他们从为奴之家被领出来。事实上，思考和行动的一切自由都来自属灵人，因为属灵人从主出于天堂思考和意愿，被主引领就是自由。由此可见，为何埃及被称为“铁炉”和“为奴之家”；“我要除去以色列肩头的埃及重担”也表示这种奴役。“铁”表示属于属世人的知识或科学(可参看AE 176节)。
圣言中的大多数事物也有反面意义，“烤炉”也是如此。如在以赛亚书：
那有火炉在锡安、有烤炉在耶路撒冷的耶和华说。(以赛亚书31:9)
“火炉”表示爱之良善，“烤炉”表示来自这良善的真理，因而表示教义真理；“锡安和耶路撒冷”具有相似的含义，“锡安”表示爱之良善方面的教会，“耶路撒冷”表示教义真理方面的教会。在摩西五经，“烤炉”具有相同的含义，在那里，经上说：
素祭必须要么在烤炉中，要么在铁鏊上，要么在煎盘上制备。(利未记2:4–5, 7)
《属天的奥秘》解释了这段经文。启示录中前面的“火炉”具有相同的含义：
人子的脚像擦亮的铜，仿佛在炉中发光。(启示录1:15)
对此，参看前文(AE 69节)。
540. Since it is said that the smoke arose out of the well like the smoke of a great furnace, and it has been so far shown that smoke signifies dense falsity, it is of importance also to show that a furnace signifies the evils of earthly and corporeal loves, and thus that smoke as the smoke of a great furnace, signifies dense falsities from those loves. This signification of a furnace is also from appearances in the spiritual world. For when the hells in which those loves reign are looked into, they appear like furnaces glowing with fire, and smoke appears over them like that which ascends from furnaces and from places on fire; hence it is that, in the Word, furnaces signify either the hells, or a company of men, or man himself, in whom such loves and disorderly desires reign, or what is the same thing, where the evils are which flow from them.
[2] These things are signified by furnaces (fornaces et amini), and ovens (furni et clibani) in the following passages;
thus in Matthew:
"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. In the consummation of the age the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Heaven and Hell 566-575).
[3] So in Malachi:
"Behold, the day cometh, burning as an oven; in which all who sin insolently, and every worker of wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them on fire" (4:1).
This also is said concerning the last time of the church, and the last judgment then to take place, both of which are signified by the day that cometh. An oven also means the hell where those are, who confirm themselves in falsities, by doctrine and by a life in evils from earthly and corporeal loves; that they will perish from their own loves, is meant by all who sin insolently, and every worker of wickedness shall be stubble, and the oven shall set them on fire. All who sin insolently are those who, by doctrine, confirm themselves in falsities; and the worker of wickedness, signifies those who by life confirm themselves in evils.
[4] So in Hosea:
"They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers; as an oven heated by the baker, the raiser ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented. For they have turned their mind like an oven while they lie in wait; their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning he burneth as a flaming fire. They all wax hot as an oven, and they will devour their judges; all their kings will fall; there is none among them that calleth unto me. Ephraim is a cake not turned" (7:3-8).
By these words, in the spiritual sense, are described the sons of Jacob, and that from the love of self and of the world they turned all good into evil, and thence all truth into falsity. The king whom they make glad by their wickedness, signifies all falsity from evil, for a king signifies truth from good, and, in the opposite sense, falsity from evil; the princes whom they make glad with lies signify the chief falsities. That from their loves they perverted goods and truths, is signified by, They are all adulterers as an oven heated by the baker. To adulterate denotes to pervert good and thence truth, and this is compared to an oven heated by the baker, because falsities that favour their loves they combine together as it were into dough. And because evils and falsities are not separated from the goods and truths derived from the sense of the letter of the Word, but cohere together, it is therefore said, the raiser ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented. Fermentation denotes separation, but here non-separation, for it is said, "He ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented." The same is signified by Ephraim is a cake not turned, Ephraim denoting the understanding of truth; that hence there remains nothing but the evils which pertain to those loves that falsities favour, is signified by, their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning he burneth as a flaming fire, they all wax hot as an oven. A comparison is made to a baker and an oven, because they combine doctrine together from falsities, just as a baker makes bread and cakes in his oven; that thus they destroy all the goods and truths which they derive from the Word, is signified by, they will devour their judges and all their kings will fall, judges denoting the goods of truth, and kings, the truths themselves. That this is the consequence of their desiring to be wise of themselves, and not from the Lord, is signified by, there is none among them that calleth unto me. That similar things are meant by those words may be seen merely from common intuition, but that the details signify and describe such things can be seen only by means of the internal sense; thus that kings, princes, judges, and adulterers, as well as an oven and a baker, signify such things as have been stated. Moreover, those who combine truths or falsities together so that they cohere, appear in the spiritual world like bankers kneading dough, with an oven near them.
[5] So in Lamentations:
"Our skins are blackened as an oven, on account of the storms of famine" (386:15), and the storms of famine signify extreme want and also the inundation of falsity, for where there are no truths there are falsities, and storms in the Word have the same signification as inundation. "Our skins are blackened as an oven," signifies that the natural man is without the light of truth, and thence in the darkness of falsity; here also an oven signifies the fabrication of doctrine from falsities and not from truths. But this is more fully explained above (n. 386:15).
[6] So in Ezekiel:
"The house of Israel is become dross unto me; all they are brass, and tin, and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they have become the dross of silver. Behold, I gather you into the midst of Jerusalem, a gathering of silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin." I will gather you "into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof" (22:18-22).
By these words are described the false doctrinals which the Jews and Israelites put together from the sense of the letter of the Word, and which they applied to themselves alone, and their own loves. Such doctrines are called the dross of silver, because silver signifies the truth of the Word, and dross, nothing of truth, or that which is withdrawn from truth that is rejected. Those things which are of the sense of the letter of the Word, are signified by brass, iron, tin, and lead, because these things signify the goods and truths of the natural man, for whom are the things contained in the sense of the letter of the Word. And because from this sense they put together their false doctrinals which were traditions, it is said that they shall be melted together; and since they were applied to their loves, which were the love of self and the love of the world, it is said that Jehovah would gather them into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it, fire signifying those loves; and since their doctrinals also are meant, it is said that he would gather them together into the midst of Jerusalem, Jerusalem signifying the church as to doctrine, thus also the doctrine of the church.
[7] So again, in Moses:
"The sun went down, and there was thick darkness, and behold a smoking furnace, and a torch of fire that passed between those pieces" (Genesis 15:17).
That the falsities of evil, and the evils of falsity bursting forth from the filthy loves of the Jewish and Israelitish nation, are meant here by the smoking furnace, and by the torch of fire which passed between the pieces, may be seen in the article above. For Abraham desired that his posterity should rule over the whole land of Canaan, and because the Lord foresaw that the church would be instituted with that nation, He therefore made a covenant with Abraham. Nevertheless what their quality would be, is predicted in that vision.
[8] So in Nahum:
"Draw thee waters for the siege, strengthen thy strongholds, enter into the mire, and tread the pitch, make strong the brick kiln. There shall the fire devour thee, the sword shall cut thee off" (3:14, 15).
These words describe the destruction of truth by the falsities of evil; the waters for the siege denote the falsities by which they endeavour to destroy truths. By strengthening the strongholds, is signified to fortify them by such things as appear like truths; by going into the mire, and treading the pitch, is signified to make them appear to cohere together, pitch denoting falsity from evil conjoining. By making strong the brick kiln is signified to repair doctrine formed of falsified truths and fictions, for bricks signify falsities invented and not cohering with truths. By fire shall devour thee, is signified that they shall perish by the evils of their own loves, and by the sword shall cut thee off, is signified that they shall perish by falsities.
[9] Again, in Jeremiah:
"Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in the brick kiln, which is at the door of Pharaoh's house. I will take the king of Babel, and will set his throne upon these stones that thou hast hid. He shall come and smite the land of Egypt. And I will kindle a fire in the houses [of the gods] of Egypt and he at length shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment (43:9-12).
By these things was represented the profanation of truth by reasonings from scientifics falsely applied. The great stones hidden in the brick kiln signify the truths of the Word falsified by fictions originating in [man's] own intelligence, stones denoting the truths of the Word, and the brick kiln, doctrine formed of things fictitious. The house of Pharaoh signifies the natural man as to the scientifics therein; the door denotes the Sensual Scientific by means of which there is entrance into the natural man, and by means of which falsifications are contrived. The king of Babel signifies the profanation of truth his throne being set upon these stones, and his smiting Egypt, and kindling a fire in the houses thereof, signifies that by the scientifics of the natural man he would pervert all the truths of doctrine, and profane them. That he would subject the natural man to himself as to all things therein, which takes place by means of confirmations of falsities from scientifics, is signified by his arraying himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; that all things of the natural man would thus perish by the evils of earthly and corporeal loves, is signified by, I will kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt.
[10] Because Egypt signifies the natural man as to the scientific there, and is also signified by a furnace of iron, therefore, in the Word, Egypt is called a furnace of iron;
as in Jeremiah:
"In the day that I brought them forth out of Egypt, out of the furnace of iron" (176).
[11] As most things in the Word have also an apposite sense, so also has an oven;
thus in Isaiah:
"Saith Jehovah, whose hearth is in Zion, and his oven in Jerusalem" (69).
540. Since it is said that "there went up a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace," and it has so far been shown that "smoke" signifies dense falsity, it is important also to show that a "furnace" signifies the evils of earthly and corporeal loves, and thus that "smoke as the smoke of a great furnace" signifies dense falsities from those loves. It is also from appearances in the spiritual world that a "furnace" signifies such loves; for when the hells in which those loves prevail are looked into, they appear like furnaces glowing with fire; and over them smoke appears, such as goes up from furnaces and is seen in conflagrations. From this it is that "furnaces" signify in the Word either the hells, or a company of men, or the man himself, in whom such loves and cupidities reign, or what is the same, where the evils that flow forth from these prevail.
[2] Such is the signification of "furnaces" [fornaces et camini] and "ovens" [furni et clibani] in the following passages. In Matthew:
The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity; and shall send them into the furnace of fire. In the consummation of the age the angels shall come forth, and shall sever the wicked from the midst of the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Heaven and Hell 566-575.
[3] In Malachi:
Behold, the day cometh burning as an oven, in which all that sin presumptuously, and every worker of wickedness shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall set them on fire (Malachi 4:1).
This, too, was said of the last time of the church, and the Last Judgment at that time; both these are signified by "the day that cometh." The "oven" means the hell where those are who confirm themselves in falsities by doctrine, and confirm themselves in evils from earthly and corporeal loves by their life; that such on account of their own loves will perish is meant by "all who sin presumptuously, and every worker of wickedness shall be stubble, and the oven shall set them on fire," "all who sin presumptuously" meaning those who by doctrine confirm themselves in falsities, and "the worker of wickedness" those who by life confirm themselves in evil.
[4] In Hosea:
By their evil they make glad the king, and by their lies the princes. They are all adulterers, like an oven kindled by the baker; the raiser ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented. For they have turned their mind like an oven while they lie in wait; their baker sleepeth all the night, in the morning he burneth as a fire of flame. They are all hot as an oven, and they will devour their judges; all their kings will fall; not one among them calleth unto Me. Ephraim is a cake not turned (Hosea 7:3-8).
In the spiritual sense this describes the sons of Jacob, that from the love of self and of the world they turned every good into evil, and thence every truth into falsity; "the king whom they make glad by wickedness," signifies all falsity from evil, for a "king" signifies truth from good, and in the contrary sense falsity from evil; and the "princes whom they make glad by lies" signify the chief falsities. That from their loves they perverted goods and truths is signified by "they are all adulterers, like an oven kindled by the baker," "to adulterate" signifying to pervert good and thence truth; this is compared to "an oven kindled by the baker," because they bring together falsities favoring their loves as into a mass of dough; and because evils and falsities are not separated from the goods and truths which are from the sense of the letter of the Word, but they cling together, it is said, "the raiser ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented," "fermentation" signifying separation, here that they are not separated, since it is said, "he ceaseth from kneading the dough until it be fermented." The like is signified by "Ephraim is a cake not turned," "Ephraim" meaning the understanding of truth. That consequently there will be nothing but the evils of those loves that falsities favor is signified by, "the baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning he burneth as a fire of flame, they are all hot as an oven." Such are compared to a "baker" and an "oven," because they form doctrine out of falsities as a baker makes loaves and cakes in an oven. That they thus destroy all goods and truths that they have from the Word is signified by, "they will devour their judges, and all their kings will fall," "judges" signifying the goods of truth, and "kings" the truths themselves; that such is the result because they wish to be wise of themselves and not from the Lord, is signified by "not one among them that called unto Me." That these words have some such meaning can be seen merely from common intuition, but that the particulars signify and describe such things, that is, that "kings," "princes," "judges," and "adulterers," also an "oven" and a "baker" mean what has just been said, can be seen only from the internal sense. Moreover, those who bring together truths or falsities so that they cohere appear in the spiritual world as bakers kneading dough, with an oven also near them.
[5] In Lamentations:
Our skins are black like an oven because of the tempests of famine (386); and "a tempest of famine," complete lack, and also an inundation of falsities, for where there are no truths there will be falsities; "tempests" have a similar signification in the Word as inundation. "Our skins are black like an oven" signifies that the natural man is without the light of truth, and thence in the darkness of falsity; here, too, an "oven" signifies the framing of doctrine out of falsities and not out of truths (but see above, n. 386, where this is more fully explained).
[6] In Ezekiel:
The house of Israel has become as dross unto Me; all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead in the midst of a furnace; they have become the dross of silver. Behold, I gather you into the midst of Jerusalem, a gathering of silver and brass and iron and lead and tin will I gather you, into the midst of the furnace, to blow fire upon it to melt it; so will I bring you together in Mine anger and in My wrath, and I will leave you there and melt you. Like a casting of silver in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof (Ezekiel 22:18-22).
This describes the false doctrinals which the Jews and Israelites brought together from the sense of the letter of the Word, which they adapted merely to themselves and to their loves; these are called the "dross of silver," because "silver" signifies the truth of the Word, and "dross" nothing of truth, or what is abstracted from truth, which is rejected. The things of the sense of the letter of the Word are signified by "brass, tin, iron, and lead," because these signify the goods and truths of the natural man; and the things of the Word that are contained in the sense of its letter are for the natural man. And because from this sense they framed their false doctrinals, which were traditions, it is said "they shall be melted together;" and because they were adapted to their loves, which were loves of self and of the world, it is said that "He would gather them into the midst of the furnace, to blow fire upon it to melt it," "fire" signifying those loves. And because their doctrinals are meant, it is said that "He would gather them into the midst of Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, thus also the doctrine of the church.
[7] In Moses:
The sun went down and it was dense darkness, and behold an oven of smoke and a torch of fire that passed through between the pieces (Genesis 15:17).
Falsities of evil and evils of falsity, swarming out of the filthy loves of the Jewish and Israelitish nation, are here meant by "an oven of smoke," and "a torch of fire that passed through between the pieces," as can be seen in the article above. For Abraham was eager that his posterity should rule over the whole land of Canaan, and because the Lord foresaw that the church would be instituted in that nation, He made a covenant with Abraham. Nevertheless what they were to be is predicted in this that was seen.
[8] In Nahum:
Draw thee waters for the siege, strengthen thy fortresses; go into the mire, and tread the pitch, repair the brick kiln [fornax]. There shall the fire devour thee, the sword shall cut thee off (Nahum 3:14, 15).
This describes the destruction of truth by the falsities of evil; the "waters for the siege" mean the falsities by which they endeavor to destroy truths; "to strengthen the fortresses" signifies to fortify falsities by such things as appear like truths; "to go into the mire and tread the pitch" signifies to make them appear to cling together, "pitch" meaning falsity from evil conjoining; "to repair the brick kiln" signifies to repair the doctrine framed out of falsified truths and fictions, "bricks" signifying the falsities that are fabricated and do not cohere with truths; "fire shall devour thee" signifies that they will be destroyed by the evils of their loves, and "the sword shall cut thee off" signifies that they will be destroyed by falsities.
[9] In Jeremiah:
Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in the brick kiln which is near the entrance of Pharaoh's house. I will take the king of Babylon, and I will set his throne upon these stones that thou hast hid, 1and he shall come and smite the land of Egypt; and I will kindle a fire in the houses [of the gods] of Egypt; and finally he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd arrayeth himself in his garment (43 Jeremiah 43:9-12).
This represented the profanation of truth by reasonings from knowledges falsely applied. "The great stones hidden in the brick kiln" signify the truths of the Word falsified by fictions that are from self-intelligence, "stones" meaning the truths of the Word, and "brick kiln" the doctrine framed out of fictions; "the house of Pharaoh" signifies the natural man in respect to knowledges there; "entrance" means sensual knowledge, through which there is entrance into the natural man; it is by this that falsifications are made; "the king of Babylon" signifies the profanation of truth; "He will set his throne upon these stones, and will smite Egypt, and kindle a fire in the houses thereof," signifies that through the knowledges of the natural man all the truths of doctrine will be perverted and profaned. That he will subject to himself the natural man in respect to all things therein, which is done by confirmations of falsities from knowledges, is signified by "he will array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd arrayeth himself in his garment." That thus all things of the natural man will be destroyed by the evils of earthly and corporeal loves is signified by "I will kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt."
[10] Because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to knowledge there, and a "furnace of iron" has a similar signification, therefore Egypt in the Word is called "a furnace of iron." As in Jeremiah:
In the day that I brought you 2forth out of Egypt, out of the furnace of iron (Jeremiah 11:4).
In Moses:
He hath brought them 3forth out of the furnace of iron, out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 4:20).
In the first book of Kings:
Which He brought forth 4out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron (176.)
[11] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so does "oven." As in Isaiah:
Saith Jehovah, who has His hearth in Zion, and His oven in Jerusalem (69.
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "thou hast hid," Hebrew "I have hid," so also in AC 751 .
2. Latin has "you," Hebrew "them."
3. Latin "them," Hebrew "you."
4. Latin "He brought forth," Hebrew "Thou hast brought forth."
540. Quoniam dicitur quod "ascenderit fumus e puteo sicut fumus fornacis magnae", et hactenus ostensum est quod "fumus" significet densum falSum, interest ut etiam ostendatur quod "fornax" significet mala amorum terrestrium et corporeorum, et sic quod "fumus sicut fumus fornacis magnae" significet densa falsa ex illis amoribus.
Quod "fornax" illos amores significet, est quoque ex apparentiis in mundo spirituali; inferna enim in quibus illi amores regnant, quando inspiciuntur, apparent sicut fornaces candentes igne, ac supra illa apparent fumi quales ascendunt ex fornacibus, et quales conspiciuntur in incendiis: inde est quod in Verbo "fornaces" significent vel inferna, vel coetum hominum, vel ipsum hominem, in quibus tales amores et cupiditates regnant; seu quod idem, ubi mala ex illis scaturientia.
[2] Haec significantur per "fornaces", "furnos", "caminos" et "clibanos" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Matthaeum,
"Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, qui colligent e regno Ipsius omnia offendicula, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem, et mittent eos in caminum ignis. .... In consummatione saeculi exibunt angeli, et separabunt malos e medio justorum, et conjicient illos in caminum ignis; ibi erit ploratus et stridor dentium" (13:41, 42, 49, 50):
quod hic per "caminum ignis" seu fornacem intelligantur inferna, patet; "consummatio saeculi" est ultimum tempus ecclesiae, quando judicium; quod tunc mali separandi sint a bonis, et illi in infernum conjiciendi, significatur per quod "angeli colligent omnia offendicula, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem", et quod "separabunt malos e medio justorum, et illos conjicient in caminum ignis": infernum vocatur "caminus ignis" quia apparet ignitum ex amoribus sui et mundi; quod cruciatus ex his amoribus intelligatur per "ignem infernalem", videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, (n. 566-575).
[3] Apud Malachiam,
"Ecce dies veniens ardens, sicut clibanus, quo erunt omnes insolenter peccantes et omnis operator malitiae stipula; et accendet eos dies veniens" (3:19 [B.A. 4:1]):
haec quoque dicta sunt de ultimo tempore ecclesiae, et de ultimo judicio tunc; "dies veniens" hoc et illud significat: per "clibanum" etiam intelligitur infernum ubi illi qui confirmant se doctrina in falsis et vita in malis ex amoribus terrestribus et corporeis; quod illi ex suis amoribus perituri sint, intelligitur per quod "omnes insolenter peccantes et omnis operator malitiae erit stipula, et accendet eos clibanus"; "insolenter peccantes" sunt qui confirmant se doctrina in falsis, et "operator malitiae" sunt qui confirmant se vita in malis.
[4] Apud Hoscheam,
"Per malitiam suam laetificant regem, et per mendacia sua principes; omnes adulterantes sicut clibanus incensus a pistore; cessat excitator a subigendo massam usque ad fermentationem ejus. .... Quando converterint sicut clibanus animum suum in insidiari suo, tota nocte dormiens pistor eorum, mane ille ardens sicut ignis flammae: omnes incalescunt sicut clibanus, et comedent judices suos, omnes reges eorum cadent, non clamans inter eos ad Me. .... Ephraim factus collyra non conversa" ( 1
[5] In Threnis,
"Cutes nostrae sicut 2
clibanus denigratae sunt, propter procellas famis" (5:10):
lamentatio super deprivatione veri ac inundatione falsi; "fames" significat deprivationem et defectum veri (videatur supra, n. 386 [e]), ac "procellae famis" summum defectum, et quoque inundationem falsi, nam ubi non vera ibi sunt falsa; "procellae" in Verbo simile significant cum "inundatione": "cutes nostrae sicut 3
clibanus denigratae sunt", significat quod naturalis homo absque luce veri sit, et inde in tenebris falsi; etiam hic "clibanus" significat confectionem doctrinae ex falsis et non ex veris (sed videatur supra, n. 386 [e] , ubi haec amplius explicata sunt).
[6] Apud Ezechielem,
"Facti sunt Mihi domus Israelis in scoriam, omnes illi aes et stannum et ferrum et plumbum in medio fornacis; scoriae argenti facti sunt: .... ecce Ego congregans vos in medium Hierosolymae congregationem argenti et aeris et ferri et plumbi et stanni" congregabo vos "in medium fornacis, ad sufflandum super illo ignem ad fundendum; sic congregabo in ira mea et in excandescentia mea, et relinquam et fundam vos:.... juxta fusuram argenti in medio fornacis, sic fundemini in medio ejus" (22:18-22):
per haec describuntur falsa doctrinalia quae Judaei et Israelitae compegerunt ex sensu litterae Verbi, quem sibi solis et amoribus suis applicuerunt; quae "scoriae argenti" vocantur, quia "argentum" significat verum Verbi, ac "scoria " nihil veri seu abstractum a vero quod rejicitur: illa quae sensus litterae Verbi sunt, significantur per "aes, stannum, ferrum et plumbum", quia per illa significantur bona et vera naturalis hominis, pro quo homine sunt illa Verbi quae continentur in sensu litterae ejus; et quia ex illo compegerunt sua doctrinalia falsa, quae erant "traditiones", dicitur quod "fundentur una": et quia applicata erant amoribus eorum, qui erant amores sui et mundi, dicitur quod "congregaret illos in medium fornacis ad sufflandum super illa ignem ad fundendum"; "ignis" significat illos amores: et quia intelliguntur doctrinalia illorum, dicitur, quod "congregaturus eos in medium Hierosolymae"; per "Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia quoad doctrinam, ita quoque doctrina ecclesiae.
[7] Apud Mosen,
"Sol occidit, et caligo facta est, et ecce furnus fumi et fax ignis, quae transivit inter segmenta illa" (Genesis 15:17):
quod falsa mali et mala falsi scaturientia ex spurcis amoribus apud gentem Judaicam et Israeliticam hic per "furnum fumi" et per "facem ignis, quae transivit inter segmenta", intelligantur, videatur in superiori articulo: Abraham enim cupivit ut posteritas sua dominatura sit super totam terram Canaanem; et quia praevidit Dominus quod apud illam gentem ecclesia institueretur, ideo pepigit cum Abrahamo foedus: sed usque quales illi futuri essent, per illud visum praedicitur.
[8] Apud Nahum,
"Aquas obsidii hauri tibi, confirma munimenta tua, intra in caenum et calca bitumen, repara fornacem lateritiam; ibi comedet te ignis, exscindet te gladius" (3:14, 15):
per haec describitur destructio veri per falsa mali; "aquae obsidii" sunt falsa per quae conantur destruere vera; per "confirmare munimenta", significatur munire illa per talia quae apparent sicut vera; per "intrare in caenum et calcare bitumen" significatur facere ut appareant cohaerere ("bitumen" est falsum ex malo conjungens); per "reparare fornacem lateritiam" significatur reparare doctrinam compactam ex falsificatis veris et figmentis, "lateres" enim significant falsa quae finguntur, et non cohaerent cum veris; per "comedet te ignis", significatur quod perituri per mala amorum suorum; et per quod "exscindet te gladius", significatur quod perituri sint per falsa.
[9] Apud Jeremiam,
"Sume in manu tua lapides magnos, et absconde eos.... in fornace lateritia, quae ad ostium domus Pharaonis. .... Accipiam regem Babelis, .... ponam thronum ejus super lapides hos quos 4
abscondisti;.... veniet et percutiet terram Aegypti.... ; et incendam ignem in domibus [deorum] Aegypti.... ; tandem induet sibi terram Aegypti, sicut induit pastor vestem suam" (43:9-12):
per haec repraesentata est profanatio veri per ratiocinia ex scientificis false applicatis: per "lapides magnos absconditos in fornace lateritia" significantur vera Verbi falsificata per figmenta quae ex propria intelligentia; "lapides" sunt vera Verbi, "fornax lateritia" est doctrina compacta ex fictitiis: per "domum Pharaonis" significatur naturalis homo quoad scientifica ibi, "ostium" est scientificum sensuale per quod introitus est in naturalem hominem; per id 5
fiunt falsificationes: per "regem Babelis" significatur profanatio veri; quod "ille thronum ponet super lapides illos, et percutiet Aegyptum, et incendet ignem in domibus ejus", significat quod per scientifica naturalis hominis pervertet omnia vera doctrinae, ac profanabit illa: quod subjiciet sibi naturalem hominem quoad omnia ibi, quod fit per confirmationes falsorum ex scientificis, significatur per quod "induet sibi terram Aegypti sicut pastor vestem": quod omnia naturalis hominis sic peritura sint per mala amorum terrestrium et corporeorum, significatur per "Incendam ignem in domibus Aegypti."
[10] Quoniam per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo quoad scientificum ibi, et per "fornacem ferri" similiter, ideo Aegyptus in Verbo vocatur "fornax ferri":
- Ut apud Jeremiam,
"Quo die eduxi 6
eos ex Aegypto, ex fornace ferri" (11:4);
apud Mosen,
"Eduxit 7
vos ex fornace ferri, ex Aegypto" (Deuteronomius 4:20);
in Libro Primo Regum,
" 8
Eduxisti ex Aegypto e medio fornacis ferri" (8:51);
apud Davidem,
"Removi ab onere" Aegypti "humerum" Israelis, "manus ejus a fornace, transiverunt" (Psalms 81:7 [B.A. 6]):
naturalis homo quoad scientificum significatur per "fornacem ferri"; "fornax" est naturalis homo; et "ferrum" est scientificum, ibi scientificum falsum quia dicitur quod "educti sint"; naturalis enim homo, nisi ducatur a spirituali homine, est in falsis et in maliS, ex causa quia non aliqua lux illi est e caelo; lux enim e caelo influit per spiritualem hominem in naturalem, ac illustrat, docet et ducit: contrarium prorsus, quando naturalis nomo non sub auspicio spiritualis hominis cogitat et agit; tunc etiam in servitute est, nam cogitat et agit ex falsis et malis quae ab inferno; hoc significatur per quod dicantur "educti ex domo servitutis", dum "ex Aegypto"; omne enim liberum cogitandi et agendi est ex spirituali homine, quoniam is cogitat et vult e caelo a Domino, et duci a Domino est liberum. Ex his constare potest unde est quod Aegyptus dicatur "fornax ferri", et quod dicatur "domus servitutis"; quae servitus etiam significatur per "Removi ab onere Aegypti humerum Israelis."
(Quod "ferrum" significet scientificum quod est naturalis hominis, videatur supra, n. 176.)
[11] Quoniam pleraque in Verbo etiam sensum oppositum habent, ita quoque "clibanus"; ut apud Esaiam,
"Dictum Jehovae, Cui focus est in Zione et clibanus Ipsi in Hierosolyma" (31:9):
per "focum" significatur bonum amoris, per "clibanum" verum ex illo bono, ita verum doctrinae; similia etiam per "Zionem" et "Hierosolymam", per "Zionem" ecclesia quoad bonum amoris, et per "Hierosolymam" ecclesia quoad verum doctrinae. Similiter per "clibanum" apud Mosen, ubi agitur
De mincha preparanda vel in clibano, vel in sartagine, vel in cacabo (Leviticus 2:4, 5, 7);
(quae explicata sunt in Arcanis Caelestibus): similiter per "caminum" supra in Apocalypsi,
Pedes Filii hominis "similes chalcolibano tanquam in camino igniti" (1:15)
(de quibus supra, n. 69).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.
5. The editors made a correction or note here.
6. The editors made a correction or note here.
7. The editors made a correction or note here.
8. The editors made a correction or note here.