585# “仍旧不悔改他们手的作为”表示那些实际上没有远离诸如来自自我的那类事物的人。这从“悔改”和“他们手的作为”的含义清楚可知：“悔改”是指实际上远离邪恶(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“他们手的作为”是指诸如人出于自我所思考、意愿和实行的那些事。这就是“他们手的作为”的含义，这一点从接下来的圣言经文明显看出来，也可从以下事实看出来：作为属于意愿、由此属于理解力，或属于爱、由此属于信(参看AE 98节)；“手”表示能力，“他们的手”表示自我能力，因而表示凡从人的自我发出之物。
至于人的自我，要知道，它无非是邪恶和由此而来的虚假。自愿或意愿的自我是邪恶，由此而来的智力或理解力的自我是虚假。人主要从在一个长长系列中的父母、祖父母、曾祖父母那里获得这自我，以至于最终，遗传性质，也就是他的自我，无非是逐渐堆积和浓缩的邪恶。因为每个人都生在两种恶魔般的爱中，即自我之爱和世界之爱，一切邪恶和由此而来的一切虚假都从这两种爱，如同从它们自己的源头源源不断地涌出来；人因生在这些爱中，故也生在各种邪恶中。对此，详情可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(65–83节)。
由于人的自我具有这种性质，所以主出于祂的神性怜悯提供了使他可以从他的自我中退出的方法；这些方法都在圣言中被赐予；当人照着这些方法行动时，也就是说，当他出于神性圣言思考、说话、意愿和行动时，他就被主保持在神性事物中，由此从自我中退出；当他持守在这个过程中时，可以说一个新的自我，包括自愿的和智力的，或说包括意愿的和理解力的，在他里面由主形成，这个自我与人的自我完全分离；因此，人可以说被新造，这就是那被称为他藉着来自圣言的真理和照之的生活的改造和重生的。关于这个主题，详情可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》中的相关章节，即：关于罪的赦免(NJHD 159–172节)；关于重生(NJHD 173–186节)。悔改就是实际远离邪恶，因为每个人的品质都取决于他的生命，人的生命主要在于意愿和随之而来的行动。由此可知，悔改若只是思维和嘴唇的，同时不是意愿和由此而来的行为的，就不是悔改，因为在这种情况下，以后生命的品质和以前的一样。这清楚表明，悔改就是实际远离邪恶，并开启新生活(对此，参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，159–172节)。
585b.“手的作为”表示诸如人出于自我所思考、意愿和实行的那些事，这一点可从以下圣言经文清楚看出来。耶利米书：
不可以你们手的作为惹我发怒，这样，我就不会降灾祸给你们；然而你们没有听从我，竟以你们手的作为惹我发怒，自招灾祸。许多民族和大君王必使他们服侍；我也必照他们的作为，按他们手所作的报应他们。(耶利米书25:6, 7, 14)
“手的作为和所作的”在最近的意义，或外在意义上是指他们所铸的形像和偶像；但在灵义上，“手的作为”表示从自我之爱和自我聪明发出的一切邪恶和虚假。被称为“手的作为”的“铸造的形像和偶像”具有相同的含义，这一点可见于下文，那里解释了偶像的含义。由于人的自我无非是邪恶，因而反对神性，所以经上说：“不可以你们手的作为惹我发怒，这样，我就不会降灾祸给你们。”“惹神发怒”表示反对祂，这对人来说，是邪恶的源头；由于一切邪恶和虚假都来自人的自我，所以经上说“许多民族和大君王必使他们服侍”，这表示虚假所来自的邪恶和邪恶所来自的虚假都将占据他们；“许多民族”表示虚假所来自的邪恶，“大君王”表示邪恶所来自的虚假。
同一先知书：
以色列人以他们手的作为惹我发怒。(耶利米书32:30)
又：
因你们手的作为，就是在埃及地向别神烧香，惹我发怒。(耶利米书44:8)
此处他们手的“作为”在灵义上表示出于来自自我聪明的教义虚假的敬拜；“在埃及地向别神烧香”表示这种敬拜；因为“烧香”表示敬拜；“别神”表示教义的虚假，“埃及地”表示人的自我所居、因而自我聪明所来自的属世层。这段圣言经文在天上就是这样来理解的。
又：
至于他们，我要发出我的判语触动他们的邪恶，因为他们离弃我，向别神烧香，跪拜自己手的作为。(耶利米书1:16)
此处“向别神烧香”也表示出于教义虚假的敬拜，“跪拜自己手的作为”表示出于诸如来自自我聪明的那类事物的敬拜；“他们离弃我”表示它们来自自我，而不是来自神性。
以赛亚书：
当那日，人必仰望他的制造者，眼目看着以色列的圣者，他必不仰望祭坛，就是自己手的作为，也不看着自己指头所作的。(以赛亚书17:7, 8)
这些话论及主的降临和那时的一个新教会。那时人必仰望的“制造者”表示神性良善方面的主，他的眼目必看着的“以色列的圣者”表示神性真理方面的主。作为手的作为，指头所作、人必不仰望的“祭坛”表示出于邪恶，以及随之而来的源于自我聪明的教义虚假的敬拜。因此，这些话表示教义的一切将来自主，而非来自人的自我；当人处于对真理的属灵情感时，也就是说，当他爱真理，因为它是真理，而不是主要为了他自己的名声和名字时，情况就是这样。
同一先知书：
耶和华将亚述列王的神像都扔在火里；因为它们不是神，而是人手的作为，是木头、石头的。(以赛亚书37:19)
“亚述列王的神像”表示与人的自我一致、基于虚假和邪恶的推理；因此，它们被称为“人手的作为”；“木头、石头”，也就是木石的偶像，表示源于自我的宗教和教义的邪恶和虚假。
又：
到那日，各人必将他的银偶像、金偶像，就是你们亲手给自己所造以犯罪的，都抛弃了；那时亚述必倒下。(以赛亚书31:7, 8)
这段经文描述的是教会的建立；到那日，他们所抛弃的“银偶像、金偶像”表示他们称之真理和良善的宗教和敬拜的虚假和邪恶；由于宗教和敬拜的虚假和邪恶来自自我聪明，所以经上说：“你们亲手给自己所造的。”“那时亚述必倒下”表示那时必没有来自这类事物的推理。
耶利米书：
有银子打成片，是从他施带来的，并有从乌法来的金子，都是匠人的工作、银匠的手工；他的衣服是蓝色和紫色的；都是智者的工作。(耶利米书10:9)
这些话描述了被圣言字义所确认的宗教和敬拜的虚假和邪恶。“有银子打成片，是从他施带来的”表示字义上的圣言真理；“从乌法来的金子”表示字义上的圣言良善；这些虚假和邪恶因源于自我聪明，故被称为“匠人的工作、银匠的手工”；“他的衣服是蓝色和紫色的；都是智者的工作”表示来自圣言字义的良善之真理和真理之良善，他们用这些真理和良善确认，可以说包裹源于自我聪明的邪恶之虚假和虚假之邪恶。
此外，在圣言中，匠人、工匠、银(或金、铁)匠的工作或作为表示凡源于人的自我聪明的教义、宗教和敬拜之物。这就是为何祭坛，以及圣殿按吩咐由未经任何匠人，或工匠凿过的整块石头建成。关于祭坛，摩西五经如此说：
你若为我筑一座石坛，不可用凿过的石头建它，因你在上头一动凿子，就把坛污秽了。(出埃及记20:25)
约书亚记：
约书亚在以巴路山上为以色列的神筑一座坛，是用没有人在上头动过铁器的整块石头筑的祭坛。(约书亚记8:30, 31)
关于圣殿，列王纪上如此说：
耶路撒冷的圣殿是用石头建的，完整的就像石头被搬走一样；因为建殿的时候，房子里没有听见锤子、斧子和任何铁器。(列王纪上6:7)
祭坛，后来的圣殿，是神性良善和神性真理方面的主的主要代表，故建它们的“石头”表示教义、宗教和敬拜的真理；在圣言中，“石头”表示真理。建圣殿和祭坛的石头是整块未凿过的，代表自我聪明丝毫不可以添加到教义真理和由此而来的敬拜上，因而不可以在其中；因为匠人和工匠的作为或工作就表示这类事物；工具，还有“锤子”和“斧头”，以及“铁具”，一般表示在终端中的真理，这种真理主要被人的自我歪曲，因为这真理与圣言字义的真理是一样的。
这些话论及“人手的作为或工作”的含义；但在圣言中，在“人手的作为或工作”归于耶和华，也就是主的地方，它们表示改造或重生的人，以及教会，尤表教会的真理和良善的教义。这就是以下经文中，“手的作为或工作”的含义。诗篇：
耶和华手的作为是诚实公平。(诗篇111:7)
又：
耶和华必成全关乎我的事；耶和华啊，你的怜悯永远长存，求你不要离弃你自己手的作为。(诗篇138:8)
以赛亚书：
你的人民都必成为义人，永远得地为业；他们是我栽种的嫩芽，我手的作为，使我得荣耀。(以赛亚书60:21)
同一先知书：
耶和华啊，现在你仍是我们的父！我们是泥，你是窑匠。我们都是你手的工作。(以赛亚书64:8)
又：
那与形成他的争论的人有祸了！就是地上瓦片中的一块瓦片！泥土岂可对塑造它的说，你作什么？你所作的，怎么没有手呢？耶和华以色列的圣者，形成你的，如此说，关于我的众子，他们求问我征兆，关于我手的工作，他们吩咐我。(以赛亚书45:9, 11)
此处“耶和华，以色列的圣者，形成的”表示主，这一点从以赛亚书45:13明显看出来；“祂手的工作”表示一个被祂重生的人，因而表示教会之人。
又：
万军之耶和华赐福说，埃及我的百姓，亚述我手的工作，以色列我的产业，都有福了。(以赛亚书19:25)
此处“埃及”表示属世层，“亚述”表示理性层，“以色列”表示属世层；“亚述”被称为“耶和华手的工作”，是因为理性层就是那在人里面被改造的，正是理性层接受真理和良善，属世层则从理性层去接受。那使人重生的，则是属灵层，也就是藉由属灵流注的主。总之，理性层是属灵层与属世层之间的媒介；使人重生的属灵层经由理性层流入属世层，属世层由此被重生。摩西五经：
耶和华啊，愿你祝福他的力量，悦纳他手中的作为。(申命记33:11)
这话论及利未，利未表示仁之良善，在至高意义上表示这良善方面的主；“他手中的作为”表示藉着它的改造。
585. And repented not of the works of their hands.- That this signifies those who have not actually turned themselves away from such things as are from the proprium, is evident from the signification of repenting as denoting to actually turn away from evil, of which in what follows; and from the signification of the works of their hands, as denoting those things that man thinks, wills, and does, from the proprium. That those things are signified by the works of the hands, will be clear from the passages in the Word that follow; also from this fact, that works are of the will, and thence of the understanding, or of the love and thence of the faith, as may be seen above (n. 98), and that hands signify power, and their hands [their] own proper power, thus also whatever proceeds from the proprium of man.
[2] In regard to the proprium of man, it must be observed, that it is nothing but evil, and the falsity therefrom. The voluntary proprium is evil, and the intellectual proprium thence is falsity; and this proprium man derives principally from parents, grandfathers, and ancestors, in a long series back, so that at length the hereditary [nature], which is his proprium, is nothing but evil successively accumulated and rendered compact. For every man is born into two diabolical loves, the love of self, and the love of the world, and from these loves all evils and falsities proceed, as from their own fountains; and because man is born into those loves, he is also born into evils of every kind. More may be seen concerning this in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 65-83).
[3] Because the proprium of man is of such a nature, therefore the Lord, from His Divine mercy, has provided the means by which he may be withdrawn from his proprium; these means are furnished in the Word, and when man acts in accordance with them, that is, when he thinks and speaks, wills and acts, from the Divine Word, then he is kept by the Lord in things Divine, and thus is withheld from his proprium. And as he perseveres in this course, as it were, a new proprium as well voluntary as intellectual, which is altogether separated from his own proprium, is formed in him by the Lord; thus man becomes as it were created anew. This is called his reformation and regeneration by truths from the Word, and by a life according to them. On this subject more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, in the articles concerning Remission of sins (n. 159-172) and concerning Regeneration (n. 173-186). To repent is actually to turn oneself away from evils, because the quality of every man is according to his life, and the life of man principally consists in willing and thence in acting. It follows from this, that repentance, which is of the thought alone, and thence of the lips, and not at the same time of the will and thence of action, is not repentance, for in such case the life remains of the same quality afterwards as it was before. It is therefore evident, that to repent is actually to turn oneself away from evils, and to enter upon a new life, as may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 159-172).
[4] That the works of the hands signify those things that a man thinks, wills, and does, from the proprium, is evident from the following passages in the Word:
"Provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands, that I may not do evil to you. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands for evil to you. Many nations and great kings shall make them to serve; and I will recompense them according to their work, and according to the deed of their hands" (Jeremiah 25:6, 7, 14).
"Work" and "deed of the hands" mean, in the external sense, their molten images and idols, but in the spiritual sense, the work of their hands signifies all the evil and falsity that proceed from [their] own love and [their] own intelligence. Molten images and idols, which are called the works of their hands, signify similar things, as will be seen in what follows, when the signification of idols is explained. Because the proprium of man is nothing but evil, thus in opposition to the Divine, therefore it is said, "provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; that I may not do evil to you." To provoke God to anger signifies to be in opposition to Him, whence man has evil; and since all evils and falsities are from man's proprium, therefore it is said, "Many nations and great kings shall make them to serve," by which is signified, that evils from which are falsities, and falsities from which are evils, shall take possession of them, many nations denoting the evils from which falsities arise, and great kings falsities from which evils spring
[5] Again, in the same prophet:
"The sons of Israel provoke me to anger with the work of their own hands" (32:30).
And again:
"Ye provoke me to anger with the works of your own hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt" (44:8).
The works of their hands, in the spiritual sense, here mean worship from falsities of doctrine, which are from [man's] own intelligence, such worship being signified by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, for to burn incense denotes worship, other gods denote falsities of doctrine, and the land of Egypt denotes the Natural, in which the proprium of man resides, and consequently whence [man's] own intelligence proceeds. This passage of the Word is thus understood in heaven.
[6] And again:
"I will utter my judgments with them touching their wickedness because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and bowed themselves to the works of their own hands" (1:16).
By burning incense unto other gods, is here also signified worship from falsities of doctrine; and by bowing themselves to the works of their own hands, is signified worship from those things that are from [man's] own intelligence; and that they are from the proprium, and not from the Divine, is signified by that they have forsaken me.
[7] Thus also in Isaiah:
"In that day a man shall have respect unto his Maker, and his eyes shall look unto the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not have respect unto the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall regard that which his fingers have made" (17:7, 8).
This is spoken of the coming of the Lord, and a new church at that time. His Maker, to whom it is said a man shall at that day have respect, means the Lord as to Divine Good, and the Holy One of Israel, to whom his eyes shall look, means the Lord as to Divine Truth. The altars, the work of his hands and which his fingers have made, unto which a man shall not have respect, nor shall regard them, signifies worship from evils, and thence from falsities of doctrine originating in [man's] own intelligence. These words therefore mean that everything of doctrine will be from the Lord, and not from man's proprium, which is the case when man is in the spiritual affection for truth, that is, when he loves truth because it is truth, and not chiefly for the sake of his own reputation and name.
[8] Again, in the same prophet:
Jehovah "gave the gods" of the kings of Assyria "to the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of man's hands, wood and stone" (37:19).
The gods of the kings of Assyria signify reasonings from falsities and evils, which are in agreement with man's proprium, and are therefore also called the work of the hands of man. Wood and stone, or idols of wood and stone, signify the evils and falsities of religion and of doctrine originating in the proprium.
[9] Again:
"In that day every man shall cast away the idols of his silver, and the idols of his gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin; and then shall the Assyrian fall" (31:7, 8).
This refers to the restoration of the church; and by the idols of silver, and the idols of gold, which they shall in that day cast away, are signified the falsities and evils of religion and of worship, which they call truths and goods. And since the falsities and evils of religion and of worship are from [man's] own intelligence, therefore it is said, which your hands have made unto you. That there shall then be no reasonings from such things, is signified by, then shall the Assyrian fall.
[10] Again, in Jeremiah:
"Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder; purple (hyacinthinum) and crimson (purpura) is their clothing, all the work of wise men" (10:9).
These describe the falsity and evil of religion and of worship which are confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word. Silver spread into plates from Tarshish, signifies the truths of the Word in that sense, and gold from Uphaz, signifies the good of the Word in that sense. And because those falsities and evils are from [man's] own intelligence, therefore they are called the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder. Also the truth of good, and the good of truth, from the sense of the letter of the Word, by which they confirm, and as it were invest, the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity, which are from [man's] own intelligence, are signified by the purple and crimson of the raiment, all the work of wise men.
[11] Moreover, the work of the workman, the artificer, and the smith, in the Word, also signifies such [part] of doctrine, religion, and worship, as originates in [man's] own intelligence; hence it was, that the altar, and also the temple, were, by command, built of whole stones, and not hewn by any workman or artificer. Of the altar it is written as follows in Moses:
"If thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou wilt profane it" (Exodus 20:25).
And in Joshua:
"Joshua built an altar unto the God of Israel in Mount Ebal, an altar of whole stones, over which no man had moved iron" (8:30, 31).
Again, concerning the temple it is said in the First book of Kings:
"The temple at Jerusalem was built of stone, whole as it was brought away; for there was neither hammer, axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was building" (6:7).
The altar, and afterwards the temple, were in an especial manner representative of the Lord as to Divine Good and Divine Truth, therefore the stones of which they were built, signified the truths of doctrine, of religion, and of worship, stones in the Word also denoting truths. That nothing of [man's] own intelligence should be added to the truths of doctrine and worship therefrom, and consequently be therein, was represented by the stones of which they were built being whole and not hewn, for the work of the workman, and of the artificer, signified such things. Also the tool, the hammer and the axe, and iron in general, signify truth in its ultimate, and this is especially falsified by man's proprium; for this truth is the same as the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word.
[12] These things are said concerning the signification of the works of the hands of man; but where works of the hands, in the Word, are ascribed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, they signify the reformed or regenerated man, also the church, and, specifically, the doctrine of truth and good pertaining to the church. These things are signified by works of the hands in the following passages.
Thus in David:
The works of the hands of Jehovah "are truth and judgment" (Psalm 111:7).
Again:
"Jehovah will perfect for me; thy mercy, O Jehovah, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of thine own hands" (Psalm 138:8).
And in Isaiah:
"Thy people are all just; they shall possess the land for ever, the shoots of my plants, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified" (60:21).
Again, in the same prophet:
"O Jehovah, thou art our father; we are the clay, but thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hands" (64:8).
And again:
"Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, They asked me signs upon my sons, and upon the work of my hands they command Me" (45:9, 11).
That here Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, the Maker, means the Lord, is evident from what follows in verse 13, and the work of his hands means the man who is regenerated by Him, thus the man of the church.
[13] And again:
"Jehovah of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (19:25).
Egypt here signifies the Natural, Assyria the Rational, and Israel the Spiritual; and Assyria is called the work of the hands of Jehovah, because it is this that is reformed in man, for the Rational is that which receives truths and goods, and from this the Natural. The Spiritual, that is to say, the Lord by spiritual influx is that which regenerates. In a word, the Rational is the medium between the Spiritual and the Natural; and the Spiritual, which regenerates, flows in by means of the Rational into the Natural, and thus the latter is regenerated.
Again, in Moses:
"Bless, Jehovah, his strength, and accept the work of his hands " (Deuteronomy 33:11).
This is said of Levi, who signifies the good of charity, and, in the highest sense, the Lord as to that good; reformation thereby is meant by the work of his hands.
585. And repented not of the works of their hands, signifies who did not actually turn themselves away from such things as are from self [proprium]. This is evident from the signification of "to repent," as being to turn oneself away actually from evil (of which presently) and from the signification of "the works of their hands," as being such things as man thinks, wills, and does, from self [proprium]. That this is the signification of "the works of their hands," will appear from the passages in the Word that follow, also from this, that works are things of the will, and of the understanding therefrom, or of love and of faith therefrom (See above, n. 98); also that "hands" signify power, and "their hands" self-power, thus whatever with man comes forth from self.
[2] In respect to man's self it is to be known that it is nothing but evil and falsity therefrom; the voluntary self [proprium voluntarium] is evil, and the intellectual self therefrom [proprium intellectuale] is falsity. This self man derives mainly from parents, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers, in a long series back, so that at length the hereditary, which is his self, is nothing but evil gradually heaped up and condensed. For every man is born into two diabolical loves, the love of self and the love of the world, from which loves all evils and all falsities therefrom pour forth as from their own fountains; and as man is born into these loves he is also born into evils of every kind (respecting which more may be seen in the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 65-83).
[3] Because man, in respect to his self is such, means have been given by the Divine mercy of the Lord, by which man can be withdrawn from his self; these means are given in the Word; and when man cooperates with these means, that is, when he thinks and speaks, wills and acts, from the Divine Word, he is kept by the Lord in things Divine, and is thus withheld from self; and when this continues there is formed with man by the Lord as it were a new self, both voluntary and intellectual, which is wholly separated from man's self; thus man becomes as it were created anew, and this is what is called his reformation and regeneration by truths from the Word, and by a life according to them. (Respecting this see also the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, in the article on Remission of Sins, n. 159-172; and on Regeneration, n. 173-186.) To repent is to actually turn oneself away from evils, because every man is such as his life is, and the life of man consists mainly in willing and consequent doing; and from this it follows that repentance which is merely of the thought and of the lips, and not at the same time of the will and of action therefrom, is not repentance, for then the life remains the same afterwards as it was before. This makes evident that to repent is to actually turn oneself away from evils, and to enter upon a new life (on this see the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 159-172).
[4] That "the works of the hands" signify such things as man thinks, wills, and does from self, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Jeremiah:
Provoke Me not to anger by the work of your hands, that I may not do evil to you; yet ye have not hearkened unto Me, that ye might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands, for evil to you. Many nations and great kings shall make them to serve; that I may recompense them according to their work and according to the doing of their hands (Jeremiah 25:6, 7, 14).
"The work and doing of the hands" means in the nearest sense their molten images and idols; but in the spiritual sense the "work of the hands" signifies all the evil and falsity that are from self-love and self-intelligence. "Molten images and idols" which are called "the work of the hands" have a like signification, as will be seen in what follows, where the signification of "idols" is given. As man's self [proprium] is nothing but evil, thus is opposed to the Divine, it is said, "Provoke Me not to anger by the work of your hands, that I may not do evil to you;" "to provoke God to anger" signifies to be opposed to Him, which is the source of evil to man; and because all evils and falsities are from man's self [proprium], it is said, "Many nations and great kings make them to serve," which signifies that evils from which are falsities, and falsities from which are evils, will take possession of them; "many nations" meaning evils from which are falsities, and "great kings" falsities from which are evils.
[5] In the same:
The sons of Israel have provoked Me to anger by the work of their hands (Jeremiah 32:30).
And in the same:
Ye provoke Me to anger by the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt (4 Jeremiah 44:8).
"The works of their hands" mean here in the spiritual sense worship from falsities of doctrine which are from self-intelligence; such worship is signified by "burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt;" for "to burn incense" signifies worship; "other gods" signify falsities of doctrine, and the "land of Egypt" signifies the natural in which man's self [proprium] has its seat, and thus whence self-intelligence comes. Thus is this Word understood in heaven.
[6] In the same:
I will speak with them My judgments upon all their wickedness, that they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, and have bowed themselves down to the works of their own hands (Jeremiah 1:16).
Here also "to burn incense to other gods" signifies worship from the falsities of doctrine, and "to bow themselves down to the works of their own hands" signifies worship from such things as are from self-intelligence; that this is from self [proprium] and not from the Divine is signified by "that they have forsaken Me."
[7] In Isaiah:
In that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall see the Holy One of Israel, and he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not see that which his fingers have made (Isaiah 17:7, 8).
This is said of the Lord's coming and of a new church at that time. "The Maker to whom a man shall then look" means the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "the Holy One of Israel whom his eyes shall see" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth. The "altars, which are the work of hands, and which the fingers have made, to which a man shall not look," signify worship from evils and the consequent falsities of doctrine that are from self-intelligence. So these words mean that everything of doctrine will be from the Lord and not from man's self [proprium], which is the case when man is in the spiritual affection of truth, that is, when he loves truth itself because it is truth, and not for the most part because it gives him reputation and a name.
[8] In the same:
Jehovah gave the gods of the kings of Assyria to the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of man's hands, wood and stone (Isaiah 37:19).
"The gods of the kings of Assyria" signify the reasonings from falsities and evils, which are in accord with man's self [proprium]; wherefore they are called "the work of man's hands;" "wood and stone," that is, idols of wood and stone, signify the evils and falsities of religion and of doctrine that are from self [proprium].
[9] In the same:
In that day they shall reject everyone the idols of his silver and the idols of his gold, which your hands have made for you, a sin; and then shall the Assyrian fall (Isaiah 31:7, 8).
This describes the establishment of the church; and the "idols of silver and the idols of gold, which in that day they shall reject" signify the falsities and evils of religion and of worship which they call truths and goods; and because the falsities and evils of religion and of worship are from self-intelligence it is said, "which your hands have made for you;" that there shall then be no reasonings from such things is signified by "then shall the Assyrian fall."
[10] In Jeremiah:
Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman and of the hands of the refiner; his 1garment is hyacinthine and purple; they are all the work of the wise (Jeremiah 10:9).
This describes the falsity and evil of religion and of worship which are confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word. "Silver spread into plates from Tarshish" signifies the truths of the Word in that sense; and "gold from Uphaz" signifies the good of the Word in that sense; and because those falsities and evils are from self-intelligence they are called "the work of the workman and of the hands of the refiner;" the truth of good also and the good of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, by which the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity, which are from self-intelligence, are confirmed and as it were invested, are signified by "his garment is hyacinthine and purple, they are all the work of the wise."
[11] Moreover, the work of the workman, the artificer, and the mechanic," signifies in the Word whatever of doctrine, religion, and worship is from self-intelligence. This is why the altar, and also the temple, were built, by command, of whole stones, and not hewn by any workman or artificer. Respecting the altar it is thus said in Moses:
If thou makest to Me an altar of stones thou shalt not build it of hewn stones, for if thou move a tool upon it thou wilt profane it (Exodus 20:25).
And in Joshua:
Joshua built an altar unto the God of Israel in Mount Ebal, an altar of whole stones, on which no one had moved iron (Joshua 8:30, 31).
And respecting the temple, in the first book of Kings:
The temple at Jerusalem was built of stone, whole as it was brought; for there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was building (6 1 Kings 6:7).
The altar, and afterwards the temple, were the chief representatives of the Lord in relation to Divine good and Divine truth, therefore "the stones of which they were built" signified the truths of doctrine, of religion and of worship; "stones" signifying in the Word truths. That nothing of self-intelligence must approach the truths of doctrine and thus worship, and consequently be in it, was represented by the stones of which the temple and the altar were built, being whole, and not hewn; for such is the signification of "the work of the workman and of the artificer;" "tool," also "hammer" and "axe" and "iron," in general, signify truth in its ultimate, and such truth is falsified chiefly by man's self, for this truth is the same as the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word.
[12] Thus much respecting the signification of "the works of man's hands;" but where "works of the hands" are attributed in the Word to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, they signify the reformed or regenerated man, also the church, and in particular the doctrine of truth and good of the church. This is the signification of "the works of the hands" in the following passages. In David:
The works of the hands of Jehovah are verity and judgment (Psalms 111:7).
In the same:
Jehovah will perfect for me; O Jehovah, Thy mercy is forever; neglect not the works of Thine own hands (Psalms 138:8).
In Isaiah:
Thy people shall be all righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the shoot of My plants, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified (Isaiah 60:21).
In the same:
O Jehovah, Thou art our Father; we are the clay and Thou our Potter; and we all are the work of Thy hands (Isaiah 64:8).
In the same:
Woe unto him that striveth with his Former! A potsherd with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to its potter, What makest thou? or thy work, Hath he no hands? Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and thy 2Former, They have asked Me signs respecting My sons, and respecting the work of My hands they command Me (Isaiah 45:9, 11).
That here "Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, the Former," means the Lord, is evident from what follows in verse 13; and "the work of His hands" means a man regenerated by Him, thus the man of the church.
[13] In the same:
Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isaiah 19:25).
"Egypt" here signifies the natural, "Assyria" the rational, and "Israel" the spiritual; and "Assyria" is called "the work of Jehovah's hands" because the rational is what is reformed in man, for it is the rational that receives truths and goods, and from this the natural; the spiritual is what regenerates, that is, the Lord by spiritual influx; in a word, the rational is the medium between the spiritual and the natural, and the spiritual, which regenerates, flows in through the rational into the natural, and thus the natural is regenerated. In Moses:
Bless, O Jehovah, his strength, and accept the work of his hands (Deuteronomy 33:11).
This is said of Levi, who signifies the good of charity, and in the highest sense the Lord in respect to that good; reformation by means of it is meant by "the work of his hands."
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "his," the Hebrew "their," as also found in AE 587; AC 1551, 9466.
2. Latin has "thy," the Hebrew "his," as also found in AE 706; AC 88, 878.
585. "Neque paenitentiam egerunt ex operibus manuum suarum." - Quod significet qui non actualiter averterunt se a talibus quae ex proprio, constat ex significatione "paenitentiam agere", quod sit actualiter se avertere a malo (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "operum manuum suarum", quod sint talia quae homo cogitat, vult et facit ex proprio; quod illa per "opera manuum" significentur, constabit ex locis in Verbo, quae sequuntur; tum ex eo, quod "opera" sint illa quae sunt voluntatis et inde intellectus, seu quae amoris et inde fidei (videatur supra, n. 98); et quod "manus" significent potentiam, et "manus suae" propriam potentiam, ita etiam quicquid ex proprio hominis provenit.
[2] Quod proprium hominis attinet, sciendum est quod id non sit nisi quam malum et inde falsum; proprium voluntarium est malum, et proprium intellectuale inde est falsum; et hoc proprium trahit homo principaliter ex parentibus, avis et atavis longa retro serie, usque tandem ut hereditarium, quod est ejus proprium, non sit nisi quam malum successive congestum et condensatum: nascitur enim omnis homo in binos amores diabolicos, nempe in amorem sui et in amorem mundi, ex quibus amoribus omnia mala et inde falsa ut a suismet fontibus scaturiunt; et quia homo nascitur in illos amores, etiam nascitur in mala omnis generis (de qua re videantur plura in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 65-83).
[3] Quia homo quoad suum proprium talis est, ideo ex Divina misericordia Domini data sunt media per quae potest a proprio suo removeri; haec media data sunt in Verbo; et cum homo illis mediis operatur, hoc est, ex Divino Verbo cogitat et loquitur, vult et facit, tunc ex Domino tenetur in Divinis, et sic detinetur a proprio; et cum hoc perstat, formatur sicut novum proprium, tam voluntarium quam intellectuale, apud hominem a Domino, quod separatur prorsus a proprio hominis; sic fit homo quasi e novo creatus: hoc vocatur reformatio et regeneratio ejus per vera ex Verbo, et per vitam secundum illa. (Sed de hac re etiam videatur Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, in articulis De Remissione Peccatorum, n. 159-172; et De Regeneratione, n. 173-186.) Quod paenitentiam agere sit actualiter se avertere a malis, est quia unusquisque homo talis est qualis ejus vita; ac vita hominis principaliter consistit in velle et inde facere; ex quo sequitur quod paenitentia quae est solius cogitationis et inde oris, et non simul voluntatis et inde actus, non sit paenitentia, nam sic vita ei manet similis postea qualis fuit prius; inde patet quod paenitentiam agere sit actualiter se avertere a malis, et ingredi vitam novam. (De hac re etiam videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 159-172.)
[4] Quod "opera manuum" significent talia quae homo cogitat, vult et facit ex proprio, constare potest ex sequentibus locis in Verbo:
- Apud Jeremiam,
"Ne ad iram provocetis Me per opus manuum vestrarum, ut non malum faciam Vobis; sed non obedivistis Mihi, .... ut provocaretis ad iram Me per opus manuum vestrarum, in malum vobis. .... Servire facient eos gentes multae et reges magni, ut retribuam illis juxta opus illorum, et juxta factum manuum illorum" (25:6, 7, 14):
per "opus" et "factum manuum" in proximo sensu intelliguntur fusilia et idola; in sensu autem spirituali, per "opus manuum" significatur omne malum et falsum quod ex proprio amore et ex propria intelligentia; per "fusilia et idola", quae vocantur "opera manuum", etiam talia significantur, ut in sequentibus, ubi de significatione "idolorum" agetur, videbitur: quoniam proprium hominis non est nisi quam malum, ita contra Divinum, ideo dicitur, "Ne ad iram provocetis Me per opus manuum vestrarum, ut non malum faciam vobis"; "provocare Deum ad iram" significat contra Ipsum esse, unde homini malum: et quia omnia mala et falsa ex proprio hominis sunt, ideo dicitur, "Servire facient eos gentes multae et reges magni", per quae significatur quod occupatura illos mala ex quibus falsa, et falsa ex quibus mala; "gentes multae" sunt mala ex quibus falsa, et "reges magni" sunt falsa ex quibus mala.
[5] Apud eundem,
"Filii Israelis.... provocant Me ad iram per opus manuum suarum" (32:30);
et apud eundem,
"Ad iram provocatis Me per opera manuum vestrarum, suffiendo diis aliis in terra Aegypti" (44:8):
per "opera manuum suarum" in sensu spirituali hic intelligitur cultus ex falsis doctrinae quae ex propria intelligentia; ille cultus significatur per "suffire diis aliis in terra Aegypti", "suffire" enim significat cultum, "dii alii" falsa doctrinae, ac "terra Aegypti" naturale in quo residet proprium hominis, et sic unde est propria intelligentia; ita intelligitur hoc Verbum in caelo.
[6] Apud eundem,
"Loquar judicia mea cum illis super omni malitia illorum, quod deseruerint Me, et suffiverint diis aliis, et incurvaVerint se operibus manuum suarum" (1:16):
per "suffire diis aliis" etiam hic significatur cultus ex falsis doctrinae; et per "incurvare se operibus manuum suarum " significatur cultus ex talibus quae ex propria intelligentia; quod ex proprio et non ex Divino, significatur per "quod deseruerint Me."
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"In die illo respiciet homo ad Factorem suum, et oculi ejus ad sanctum Israelis spectabunt, et non respiciet ad altaria, opus manuum suarum et quod fecerunt digiti ejus non spectabit" (17:7, 8):
haec de adventu Domini et de nova tunc ecclesia; per "Factorem" ad quem tunc homo respiciet, intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum; et per "Sanctum Israelis" ad quem oculi ejus spectabunt, intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum; per" altaria" quae "opus manuum" et quae "fecerunt digiti", ad quae homo non spectabit, significatur cultus ex malis et inde falsis doctrinae quae ex propria intelligentia: inde per illa verba intelligitur quod omne doctrinae erit ex Domino et non ex proprio hominis, quod fit quando homo in affectione veri spirituali est, hoc est, quando amat ipsum verum quia verum, et non principaliter quia ei fama et nomen.
[8] Apud eundem,
Jehovah "dedit deos" regum Aschuris "in ignem, quia non dii illi, sed opus manuum hominis, lignum et lapis" (37:19):
per "deos regum Aschuris" significantur ratiocinia ex falsis et malis, quae concordant cum proprio hominis; quare etiam vocantur "opus manuum hominis": "lignum et lapis", seu idolum ligneum et lapideum, significant mala et falsa religionis et doctrinae quae ex proprio.
[9] Apud eundem,
"In die illo rejicient quisque idola argenti sui et idola auri sui, quae fecerunt vobis manus vestrae, peccatum; et tunc cadet Aschur" (31:7 [, 8]):
hoc de instauratione ecclesiae; et per "idola argenti et idola auri", quae in die illo rejicient, significantur falsa et mala religionis et cultus, quae vocant vera et bona; et quia falsa et mala religionis et cultus sunt ex propria intelligentia, ideo dicitur, "quae fecerunt vobis manus vestrae": quod tunc non erunt ratiocinia ex talibus, significatur per quod "tunc cadet Aschur."
[10] Apud Jeremiam,
"Argentum extensum ex Tharschischo adfertur, et aurum ex Uphaso, opus fabri et manuum conflatoris, hyacinthinum et purpura vestis 1
ejus, opus sapientum tota" (10:9):
describitur ita falsum et malum religionis et cultus, quae confirmantur ex sensu litterae Verbi; "argentum extensum ex Tharschischo" significat vera Verbi in illo sensu; et "aurum ex Uphaso" significat bonum Verbi in illo sensu; et quia falsa et mala illa ex propria intelligentia sunt, ideo vocantur "opus fabri et manuum conflatoris"; etiam verum boni et bonum veri ex sensu litterae Verbi, per quae confirmant et quasi investiunt falsa mali et mala falsi quae ex propria intelligentia, significantur per "hyacinthinum et purpuram quae vestis, opus Sapientum tota."
[11] Praeterea per "Opus fabri, artificis et opificis", in Verbo, etiam significatur tale doctrinae, religionis et cultus quod ex propria intelligentia. Inde erat quod altare, et quoque templum, ex mandato aedificatum fuerit ex lapidibus integris, et non ab aliquo fabro aut artifice caesis. De altari ita legitur apud Mosen,
"Si altare lapidum facias Mihi, non aedificabis illos caesos, quia si caelum tuum moveris super illo, profanabis illud" (Exodus 20:22[25]);
et apud Joschuam,
"Aedificavit Joschua altare.... Deo Israelis in Monte Ebal altare lapidum integrorum, super quos non moverat ferrum" (8:30, 31):
et de templo, in Libro Primo Regum,
"Templum Hierosolymae aedificatum est.... ex lapide integro prout allatus.... ; nam malleus aut securis, ulla instrumenta ferri, non audita sunt in domo cum aedificaretur" (6:7).
Altare et postea templum erant praecipua repraesentativa Domini quoad Divinum Bonum et quoad Divinum Verum; quare per "lapides", ex quibus aedificata erant, significabantur vera doctrinae, religionis et cultus; "lapides" in Verbo etiam significant vera: ne itaque veris doctrinae et inde cultui aliquid ex propria intelligentia accederet, et consequenter inesset, repraesentatum est per quod lapides "integri" essent et non "caesi", ex quibus aedificabantur; opus enim "fabri" et "artificis" talia significabat; per "caelum" etiam, "malleum", et "securim", et in genere per "ferrum", significatur verum in suo ultimo; et hoc ex proprio hominis praecipue falsificatur, nam hoc verum simile est cum vero sensus litterae Verbi.
[12] Haec de significatione "operum manuum" hominis; at ubi "opera manuum" in Verbo tribuuntur Jehovae, hoc est, Domino, significatur per illa homo reformatus seu regeneratus, tum ecclesia, et in specie doctrina veri et boni ecclesiae. Haec Significantur per "opera manuum" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Opera manuum" Jehovae "veritas et judicium" (Psalms 111:7);
apud eundem,
"Jehovah perficiet pro me; Jehovah, misericordia tua in aeternum; opera manuum tuarum ne omittas" (Psalms 138:8);
apud Esaiam,
"Populus tuus omnes justi, in aeternum possidebunt terram, surculus plantarum mearum, opus manuum mearum, ut gloriosum reddam Me" (60:21);
apud eundem,
"Jehovah, Pater noster Tu, nos lutum, Tu autem Figulus noster, et opus manuum tuarum omnes nos" ( 2
64:7[8]);
et apud eundem,
"Vae litiganti cum Formatore suo, testa cum testis terrae; num dicet lutum figulo suo, Quid facis? aut opus tuum, Non manus illi?.... Sic dixit Jehovah Sanctus Israelis, et Formator 3
ejus, Signa petierunt Me super filiis meis, et super opere manuum mearum praecipiunt Mihi" (45:9, 11):
quod hic per "Jehovam Sanctum Israelis, Formatorem" intelligatur Dominus, constat ex versu 13, seq.; et per "opus manuum Ipsius" intelligitur homo ab Ipso regeneratus, ita homo ecclesiae.
[13] Apud eundem,
"Benedicet Jehovah Zebaoth dicendo, Benedictus populus meus Aegyptus, et opus manuum mearum Aschur, et hereditas mea Israel" (19:25):
"Aegyptus" hic significat naturale, "Aschur" rationale, et "Israel" spirituale; et Aschur vocatur "opus manuum Jehovae" quia hoc reformatur apud hominem, rationale enim est quod recipit vera et bona, et ex hoc naturale; spirituale est quod regenerat, hoc est, Dominus per influxum spiritualem: verbo, rationale est medium inter spirituale et naturale; ac spirituale, quod regenerat, influit per rationale in naturale, et hoc sic regeneratur.
Apud Mosen,
"Benedicet, Jehovah, robori ejus, et opus manuum ejus accepta" (Deuteronomius 33:11):
haec de Levi, per quem significatur bonum charitatis, et in supremo sensu Dominus quoad id bonum; reformatio per id intelligitur per "opus manuum ejus."
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.