584# 启9:20.“其余未曾被这些灾所杀的人”表示没有因前面所提到的混乱欲望而灭亡的人。这从“其余未曾被杀的人”和“这些灾”的含义清楚可知：“其余未曾被杀的人”是指所有没有灭亡的人。在圣言中，“被杀”表示属灵地被杀，也就是在永死中灭亡(参看AE 547, 572节)。“这些灾”是指前面所提到的混乱欲望，或源于对邪恶的爱和对虚假的爱，以及对通过邪恶之虚假摧毁教会真理和良善的欲望的混乱欲望；所有这些都由“从马口中喷出的火与烟，并硫磺”来表示(可参看AE 578节)。这些被称为“灾”，是因为在圣言中，“灾”表示诸如摧毁人里面的属灵生命，因而摧毁教会的那类事物；它们也表示那些造成按灵义来理解的死亡的事物。简言之，这些主要是指源于对自我和世界的爱的混乱欲望；因为这些爱就是根，一切属和种的邪恶和虚假，都是从这根生出并长大的。
这也是以下启示录经文中的“灾”所表示的：
两个见证人有权柄叫水变为血，并且能随时随意用各样的灾殃击打大地。(启示录11:6)
又：
由于雹灾、因这灾极大，人就亵渎神。(启示录16:21)
又：
在一天之内，巴比伦的灾殃，就是死亡、悲哀、饥荒，就必来到。(启示录18:8)
又：
我看见七位天使掌管末了的七灾，因为神的烈怒要藉着这些灾发尽。(启示录15:1, 6, 8)
“灾”(或灾殃、灾患、灾难、灾祸等)表示诸如给人带来属灵死亡、因而完全破坏和摧毁人们中间无论个体还是总体的教会的那类事物，这一点可见于对接下来提到灾，尤其论述末了七灾的那些经文的解释。
在以下先知书的经文中，“灾”具有相同的含义。以赛亚书：
当耶和华包扎祂百姓的损处，医治他们受灾的伤口的日子，月光必像日光，日光必加七倍。(以赛亚书30:26)
耶利米书：
你的损伤无法医治，你所遭的灾殃极其严重。因我曾用仇敌所遭的灾殃击打你。我必使你恢复健康，给你医好你所遭的灾殃。(耶利米书30:12, 14, 17)
同一先知书：
凡经过以东的人，都必因她所遭的一切灾殃唏嘘。(耶利米书49:17)
又：
凡经过巴比伦的，都必因她所遭的一切灾殃唏嘘。(耶利米书50:13)
摩西五经：
你若不谨守遵行律法的一切话，耶和华就必使你所受的灾成为奇异、又大又长的灾，又恶又久的病。又必将没有写在这律法书上的各样疾病、各样灾殃暗暗降在你身上，直到你灭亡。(申命记28:58, 59, 61)
此处“灾殃”表示属灵的灾殃，属灵的灾殃摧毁灵魂，但不摧毁身体，申命记(28:20–68)列举了这些灾殃。
撒迦利亚书以对应描述了“灾”(或灾殃、灾患、灾难、灾祸等)在灵义上表示什么：
耶和华攻击那与耶路撒冷争战的列民所用的灾殃，必是这样；各人两脚站立的时候，肉必消没，眼在眶中消没，舌在口中消没。马匹、骡子、骆驼、驴和那些营中一切的牲畜所遭的灾殃与那灾殃一样。(撒迦利亚书14:12, 15)
这些话论及那些努力通过虚假摧毁教会真理的人；“耶路撒冷”表示教义真理方面的教会，“与它争战”表示努力通过虚假摧毁这些真理。“各人两脚站立的时候，肉必消没”表示对那些试图这样做的人来说，对良善的一切意愿都将灭亡，因此他们将变成纯肉体-属世的，因为“肉”表示意愿及其良善或邪恶；“脚”表示属世人的事物，因此“两脚站立”表示只靠这些事物存活。“眼在眶中消没”表示对真理的一切理解都将灭亡，“眼”表示这种理解；“舌在口中消没”表示对真理的一切感知和对良善的情感都将灭亡。前面解释了这段预言(AE 455b节)。“马匹、骡子、骆驼、驴和一切牲畜所遭的灾殃”表示几乎一样的事物，因为这些动物所遭的“灾殃”表示对真理的一切理解的丧失，无论属灵的还是属世的；“牲畜所遭的灾殃”表示对良善的一切情感的丧失。
路加福音：
正在约翰打发人去耶稣那里的时刻，耶稣治好了许多人的疾病和恶灵的灾患，又恩赐许多瞎子得以看见。(路加福音7:21)
“恶灵的灾患”是指恶灵施加给人们的痴迷和那时的灾难状态；而这一切都表示相对应的属灵状态。因为主对一切疾病的医治都表示属灵的医治，因此主的奇迹是神性；例如，祂恩赐许多瞎子得以看见，这表示祂将对教义真理的理解赐予那些处于对真理的无知之人；强盗给一个从耶路撒冷下耶利哥的人所造成的伤口(路加福音10:30)也表示属灵的伤口或灾殃，这些伤口或灾殃就是文士和法利赛人给寄居者和外邦人注入的虚假和邪恶；对此，可参看前文(AE 444c节)，那里解释了这个比喻的灵义。
584. And the rest of the men who were not killed in these plagues.- That this signifies those who have not perished from the disorderly desires above mentioned, is evident from the signification of the rest of the men who were not killed, as denoting all those who have not perished. That to be killed, in the Word, signifies to be spiritually killed, or to perish in eternal death (morte aeterna), may be seen above (n. 547, 572); and from the signification of "these plagues," as denoting the disorderly desires above mentioned, or, the disorderly desires springing from the love of evil, and the love of falsity, also the lust (concupiscentia) of destroying the truths and goods of the church by the falsities of evil; all these are signified by the fire, smoke, and brimstone, going forth out of the mouths of the horses, (see above, n. 578). These are called plagues, because by plagues in the Word, are signified such things as destroy spiritual life with men, and therefore the church; they also signify those things that cause death understood in a spiritual sense, and these refer mainly to the disorderly desires arising from the loves of self and of the world; for these loves are the roots from which evils and falsities of every class and species are born and spring up.
[2] Such things are also signified by plagues in the following passages in the Apocalypse:
The two witnesses "have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire" (11:6).
So again:
"Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great" (16:21).
And again:
"In one day shall the plagues come to" Babylon, "death, and mourning, and famine" (18:8).
And again:
"I saw seven angels having the seven last plagues, through which must be consummated the wrath of God" (15:1, 6, 8).
By plagues are meant such things as bring spiritual death upon man, which, consequently, altogether destroy and devastate the church with men individually, and thus generally, as will be seen in the explanation of the passages that follow where plagues are mentioned, and especially where the seven last plagues are treated of.
[3] Similar things are understood by plagues in the following passages in the prophets.
Thus in Isaiah:
"The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, in the day that Jehovah shall bind up the breach of his people, and heal the wound of their plague" (30:26).
And in Jeremiah:
"Thy bruise is incurable, and thy plague is grievous. For I have smitten thee with the plague of an enemy. I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy plagues" (30:12, 14, 17).
Again, in the same prophet:
"Every one that goeth by" Edom, "shall hiss at all the plagues thereof" (49:17).
Again:
"Every one that goeth by Babylon shall hiss at all her plagues" (50:13).
And in Moses:
"If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of the law, Jehovah will make thy plagues wonderful, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and evil diseases, and of long continuance. Every disease, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, will Jehovah secretly bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed" (Deuteronomy 28:58, 59, 61).
Plagues here signify spiritual plagues, which do not destroy the body, but the soul, and which are also enumerated in that chapter in Deuteronomy (verses 20-68).
[4] What plagues signify in the spiritual sense, is described by correspondences in Zechariah:
"This shall be the plague, wherewith Jehovah shall smite all the people that shall fight against Jerusalem; the flesh of each one shall consume away so that he shall stand upon his feet, and his eyes shall consume away in their holes, and his tongue shall consume away in his mouth. And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of every beast that shall be in those camps, as this plague" (455:8),where this prophecy also is explained. Almost similar things are signified by the plagues of the horse, the mule, the camel, the ass, and every beast; for by the plague of these is signified the loss of all understanding of truth, both spiritual and natural; and by the plague of the beast is signified the loss of all affection for good.
[5] In Luke it is said that in the same hour in which John sent, Jesus "cured many of their diseases and plagues of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight" (444:13), where the spiritual sense of this parable is explained.
584. Verse 20. And the rest of the men who were not killed in these plagues, signifies who did not perish by the cupidities above mentioned. This is evident from the signification of "the rest of the men who were not killed," as being all those who did not perish. "To be killed" signifies in the Word to be killed spiritually, which is to perish in eternal death (See above, n. 547, 572). Also from the signification of "these plagues," as being the cupidities above mentioned, namely, those signified by "fire, smoke, and brimstone going out of the mouth of the horses," which signify the cupidities that arise from the love of evil and the love of falsity, also the lusts of destroying the truths and goods of the church by the falsities of evil (as may be seen above, n. 578. These are called "plagues," because "plagues" signify in the Word such things as destroy the spiritual life, consequently the church in men, and which therefore induce death understood in the spiritual sense. These in brief have reference to the cupidities springing from the loves of self and of the world; for these loves are the roots from which evils and falsities of every genus and species spring up and grow.
[2] Such also is the signification of "plagues" in the following passages in Revelation:
The two witnesses have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they will (Revelation 11:6).
Again:
Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great (Revelation 16:21).
Again:
In one day shall the plagues of Babylon come, death and mourning and famine (Revelation 18:8).
And again:
I saw seven angels having the seven last plagues, through which is to be finished the wrath of God (Revelation 15:1, 6, 8). That "plagues" mean such things as induce upon man spiritual death, consequently that wholly destroy and devastate the church with men in particular and thus in general, will be seen in the explanation of the passages that follow, where "plagues" are mentioned, and especially where "the seven last plagues" are treated of.
[3] "Plagues" have a like meaning in the following passages in the prophets. In Isaiah:
The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, in the day that Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people, and shall heal the wound of their plague (Isaiah 30:26).
In Jeremiah:
It is desperate for thy bruise, thy plague is sore. I have smitten thee with the plague of an enemy. I will make health to ascend upon thee; I will heal thee of thy plague (Jeremiah 30:12, 14, 17).
In the same:
Everyone that passeth by Edom shall hiss at all the plagues thereof (4 Jeremiah 49:17).
In the same:
Everyone that passeth by Babylon shall hiss at all her plagues (Jeremiah 50:13).
In Moses:
If they will 1not take heed to do all the words of the law, Jehovah will make thy plagues wonderful, great plagues and lasting, and evil and lasting diseases. Also every disease and every plague which is not written in the book of this law will Jehovah secretly send upon thee until thou be destroyed (Deuteronomy 28:58, 59, 61).
"Plagues" here signify spiritual plagues, which destroy the soul, not the body, and which are enumerated in this chapter of Deuteronomy (verses 20-68).
[4] What "plagues" signify in the spiritual sense is described by correspondences in Zechariah:
This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will plague all the peoples that shall wage war against Jerusalem; his flesh shall waste away as he standeth upon his feet, and his eyes shall waste away in their sockets, and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth. So shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, of the ass, and of every beast that shall be in those camps, as this plague (455.) Almost the same things are signified by "the plagues of the horse, the mule, the camel, the ass, and every beast," for the "plague" of these signifies the loss of all understanding of truth, as well spiritual as natural; and "the plague of the beast" signifies the loss of all affection for good.
[5] In Luke:
In the same hour in which John sent unto Him, Jesus cured many of diseases and plagues of evil spirits; and on many that were blind He bestowed sight (444, where this parable is explained in its spiritual sense.)
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "they will," the Hebrew "thou whilt," as also in Apocalypse Explained 696; Arcana Coelestia 2826, 6752.
584. [Vers. 20.] "Et reliqui homines, qui non occisi sunt in plagis his." - Quod significet qui non perierunt ex cupiditatibus supradictis, constat ex significatione "reliquorum hominum qui non occisi sunt", quod sint omnes illi qui non perierunt; quod "occidi" in Verbo significet spiritualiter occidi, quod est perire morte aeterna, videatur supra (n. 547-572): et ex significatione "plagarum harum", quod sint cupiditates supradictae, quae nempe significantur per "ignem", "fumum" et "sulphur" exeuntia ex oribus equorum, per quae quod significatae sint cupiditates oriundae ex amore mali et amore falsi, tum concupiscentiae destruendi vera et bona ecclesiae per falsa mali, videatur supra (n. 578). Illa dicuntur "plagae", quia per "plagas" in Verbo significantur talia quae destruunt vitam spiritualem apud homines, et consequenter ecclesiam, proinde quae inducunt mortem in spirituali sensu intellectam; quae in summa se referunt ad cupiditates scaturientes ex amoribus sui et mundi; hi enim amores sunt radices, ex quibus omnis generis et omnis speciei mala et falsa propullulant et nascuntur.
[2] Talia per "plagas" etiam signi. ficantur in sequentibus in Apocalypsi,
Duo testes "potestatem habent super aquas, ut Vertant eas in sanguinem, et percutiant terram omni plaga, quoties voluerint" (11:6);
alibi,
"Blasphemarunt homines Deum prae plaga grandinis, quia magna erat plaga ejus valde" (16:21);
alibi,
"In una die venient plagae" Babyloni, "mors et planctus et fames" (18:8);
et alibi,
"Vidi.... septem angelos habentes septem plagas ultimas, per quas consummanda erat ira Dei" (15:1, 6, 8).
Quod per "plagas" intelligantur talia quae inducunt homini mortem spiritualem, consequenter quae prorsus perdunt et devastant ecclesiam apud homines in particulari et sic in communi, videbitur in explicatione locorum sequentium, ubi nominantur "plagae", et imprimis ubi de "septem plagis ultimis" agitur.
[3] Similia per "plagas" intelliguntur apud Prophetas in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Erit lux lunae sicut lux solis, et lux solis erit septupla, .... in die quo obligabit Jehovah fracturam populi sui, et vulnus plagae ejus sanabit" (30:26);
apud Jeremiam,
"Desperatum confractioni tuae, aegra plaga tua, .... plaga hostis percussi te;.... ascendere faciam sanitatem tibi, a plagis tuis sanabo te" (30:12, 14, 17);
apud eundem,
"Omnis transiens praeter" Edomum.... "sibilabit super omnibus plagis ejus" (49:17);
apud eundem,
"Omnis transiens praeter Babelem.... sibilabit super omnibus plagis ejus" (50:13);
apud Mosen,
"Si non 1
custodias facere omnia verba Legis.... , mirabiles reddet Jehovah plagas tuas, .... plagas magnas et constantes, et morbos malos et constantes:.... omnem morbum et omnem plagam, quae non scripta in Libro Legis hujus, occulte mittet Jehovah super te, usque dum perdaris" (Deutr. 28 [58,] 59, 61):
per "plagas" ibi significantur plagae spirituales, quae non corpus sed animam perdunt (quae etiam in eo capite in Deuteronomio enumerantur a vers. 20 ad 68).
[4] Quid "plagae" in spirituali sensu significant, describitur per correspondentias apud Sachariam,
"Haec erit plaga qua percutiet Jehovah omnes populos qui pugnabunt contra Hierosolymam, contabescet caro cujusque ut ipse stet super pedibus suis, et oculi ejus contabescent in foraminibus suis, et lingua ejus contabescet in ore ejus. .... Ita habebit se plaga equi, muli, cameli, asini et omnis bestiae, quae erit in castris illis, juxta plagam hanc" (14:12, 15);
haec dicta sunt de illis qui per falsa conantur destruere vera ecclesiae; "Hierosolyma" significat ecclesiam quoad vera doctrinae: et "pugnare contra illam" est conari destruere illa per falsa: quod "contabescet caro cujusvis ut ipse stet super pedibus" significat quod apud illos qui id conantur, peritura sit omnis voluntas boni, et quod illi sic futuri mere naturales corporei, caro" enim significat voluntatem ac ejus bonum aut malum, "pedes" significant illa quae sunt naturalis hominis, inde "stare super illis" significat ex illis soliS vivere: quod "oculi contabescent in foraminibus suis" significat quod periturus sit omnis intellectus veri ("oculi" illum significant); quod " contabescet lingua in ore ejus" significat quod peritura sit omnis perceptio veri et affectio boni. (De his videatur supra, n. 455 [b] , ubi hoc propheticum etiam explicatum est.) Similia paene significantur per "plagas equi, muli, cameli, asini, et omnis bestiae"; per "plagam" enim eorum significatur jactura omnis intellectus veri tam spiritualis quam naturalis, et per "plagam bestiae" significatur jactura omnis affectionis boni.
[5] Apud Lucam,
Eadem hora qua misit Johannes, Jesus "sanavit multos a morbis et plagis spirituum malorum, et caecis multis donavit videre" (7:21):
per "plagas spirituum malorum" intelliguntur obsessiones et status calamitosi inflicti hominibus tunc a malis spiritibus, qui tamen omnes significabant status correspondentes spirituales; omnes enim sanationes morborum factae a Domino significabant sanationes spirituales; inde miracula Domini erant Divina; ut hoc, quod "caecis multis donaverit videre", per quod significabatur quod illis qui in ignorantia veri fuerunt dederit intelligere vera doctrinae, Per
Plagas quas latrones inflixerunt homini descendenti a Hierosolyma in Jerichuntem (Luca 10:30),
etiam significantur plagae spirituales, quae erant falsa et mala infusa peregrinis et gentibus a Scribis et Pharisaeis. (videatur supra, n. 444 [c] , ubi haec parabola quoad sensum spiritualem explicata est.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.