86# 雅威上帝以神性真理降世，为要成就救赎；救赎之事，即是制伏众地狱、规整众天堂，而后重建教会。若要成就此等事工，单靠神性良善并不能奏效，唯有发自神性良善的神性真理方能成事。单论神性良善自身，好比无锋的剑柄、钝滞的木杆，或是未配箭矢的空弓；而出自神性良善的神性真理，则如同锋利长剑、长矛，又或是搭满箭矢的良弓，足以用来对敌征战。圣言的属灵意义之中，“剑”“枪”“弓” 皆象征征战所用的真理，此事可参阅《揭秘启示录》第五十二、二百九十九、四百三十六条，其中已有完备论证。
一切地狱向来、且永远深陷伪谬与邪恶之中，唯有依托出自圣言的神性真理，方能发起攻伐、将其制伏；也唯有借着这真理，彼时方才成型的新天，得以建造、确立、规整；地上的新教会，亦唯有借此得以重建。除此之外，上帝一切的力量、能力与权能，尽皆发自神性良善的神性真理，这便是雅威上帝以神性真理，也就是圣言降世的缘由。是以大卫作诗言说：“大能者啊，愿你腰间佩刀，大有荣耀和威严！为真理、谦卑、公义赫然坐车前往，无不得胜；你的右手必显明可畏的事。你的箭锋快，射中王敌之心；万民仆倒在你以下。”（诗 45:3-5）此段经文所言，正是论及主，以及祂与众地狱交战、胜过众地狱的事。
86# 耶和华神作为神性真理降世，是为了做救赎的工作；救赎在于征服地狱，恢复天堂的秩序，然后建立教会。这神性良善不足以实现这一切，或说不能做到这些事；但来自神性良善的神性真理能做到。神性良善就其本身而言，就像剑上的圆柄，或一块钝木，或无箭之弓；而来自神性良善的神性真理就像一把锋利的剑，或带有尖矛的木头，或有箭之弓，这些武器都是用来有效对付敌人的。在圣言的灵义上，“剑”、“枪”、“弓”是指争战的真理，如在《揭秘启示录》（52，299，436节）中所看到的，那里对此进行了解释。只有来自圣言的神性真理才能对抗、战胜并征服那时整个地狱所拥有，并且现仍拥有的虚假和邪恶；那时所构建的新天堂也无法用其它方式来建立、形成，并按秩序组织起来；地上的一个新教会同样无法用其它方式来建立。此外，神的一切力量、能量或能力和权柄都属于来自神性良善的神性真理。这解释了为何耶和华神作为神性真理，即圣言而降临。因此，在诗篇，经上说：
大能者啊，愿你大腿边佩剑，在你的尊荣中登上；乘驾真理的话语；你的右手必指教你奇妙的事。你的箭锋利，你的仇敌仆倒在你以下。（诗篇45:3-5）
这论及主，论及祂与地狱的争战，以及祂对地狱的胜利。
86. Jehovah God came into the world as divine truth for the purpose of redeeming people. Redemption was a matter of gaining control of the hells, restructuring the heavens, and then establishing a church. Divine goodness does not have the power to do these things, but divine truth that comes from divine goodness does. In and of itself, divine goodness is like the round butt of a sword, like a blunted piece of wood, or like a bow by itself. Divine truth that comes from divine goodness is like a sharp sword, like a sharpened wooden spear, and like a bow with arrows, all three of which are effective weapons against enemies. In fact, swords, spears, and bows in the spiritual sense of the Word mean truths for battle (see Revelation Unveiled 52, 299, 436).
Nothing but divine truth from the Word could attack, conquer, and bring under control the falsities and evils that the entirety of hell possessed then and still possesses now. Nothing else could found, build, and organize a new heaven - another thing God did at the time. Nothing else could establish a new church on earth. Besides, all God's strength, force, and power belong to the divine truth that comes from divine goodness. This was why Jehovah God came down as divine truth, which is the Word.
This is why it says in David, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O Mighty One, and in your honor arise, ride on the word of truth. Your right hand will teach you amazing things. Your arrows are sharp. Your enemies will fall beneath you" (). These statements concern the Lord, his battles with the hells, and his conquests of them.
86. The reason Jehovah God came down into the world as the Divine Truth was so that He could effect redemption. Redemption was the conquest of the hells, the ordering of the heavens, and afterwards the establishment of a church. To achieve these aims the Divine Good is not powerful enough, but the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is. Divine Good regarded in itself is like a rounded point on a sword, or like a blunt piece of wood, or a bow without arrows. But the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is like a sharpened sword, and like a piece of wood pointed to make a spear, and like a bow with arrows, all of which are potent against enemies. Swords, spears and bows in the spiritual sense of the Word stand for militant truths; see , 299, 436, where this has been proved. There was no other way in which the falsities and evils, in which the whole of hell was and perpetually is plunged, could be attacked, defeated and conquered except through the Divine Truth coming from the Word. There was no other way in which a new heaven could be founded, formed and set in order, as was then done. There was no other way in which a new church could be established on earth. Moreover, all the strength, all the might and power of God belongs to the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good. This was the reason why Jehovah God came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in the Psalms of David:
Gird your sword upon your thigh, o mighty one, and go up in your splendour, ride upon the word of truth; your right hand shall teach you wondrous things; sharp are your arrows, your enemies shall fall beneath you, Psalms 45:3-5.
This passage describes the Lord, His combats with the hells and His victories over them.
86. Jehovah God came down into the world as Divine truth, in order that He might work redemption; and redemption consisted in subjugating the hells, restoring the heavens to order, and after this establishing a church. This Divine good is inadequate to effect; it can be done only by the Divine truth from the Divine good. The Divine good, viewed in itself, is like the round hilt of a sword, or a blunt piece of wood, or a bow without arrows; while Divine truth from Divine good is like a sharp sword, or wood in the form of a spear, or a bow with its arrows, all which are effective against an enemy. (In the spiritual sense of the Word "swords," "spears," and "bows" mean truths combating, as may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed, n. 52, 299, 436, where this is shown.) The falsities and evils in which all hell was and always is, could have been assaulted, conquered, and subjugated in no other way than by means of Divine truth from the Word; nor could the new heaven that was then constituted have been built up, formed, and arranged in order by any other means; nor could a new church on the earth have been established by any other means. Moreover all the strength, energy, and power of God belong to Divine truth from the Divine good. This explains why Jehovah God came down as Divine truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in David:
Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O mighty One, and in Thy majesty mount up; ride upon the Word of truth; Thy right hand shall teach Thee wonderful things. Thine arrows are sharp, Thine enemies shall fall under Thee (Psalms 45:3-5).
This is said of the Lord, of His conflicts with the hells, and of His victories over them.
86. Jehovah God descended into the world as Divine Truth that He might perform the work of redemption, which meant the subjugation of the hells, the bringing of the heavens into order, and afterwards the establishment of the Church. The Divine Good cannot accomplish this, but the Divine Truth from the Divine Good can. The Divine Good, considered in itself, is like the round knob of a sword-hilt, or a blunted piece of wood, or a bow without an arrow; but the Divine Truth from the Divine Good is like a sharp sword, or a spear-shaft with its pointed head, or a bow with arrows, weapons which are of use against the enemy. Truths militant are meant in the spiritual sense of the Word by swords, spears and bows, as may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed 52, 299, 438, where an explanation of this is given. For only by means of Divine Truth from the Word could the falsities and evils, which then prevailed and which still are prevalent throughout all hell, have been fought, overcome and put under subjection; nor could the new heaven, which was at that time established, have been founded, formed and set in order by any other means, nor could a new Church have been restored on earth. Moreover, all the strength, virtue and power of God belong to the Divine Truth from the Divine Good. It was for this reason that Jehovah God descended as the Divine Truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in David:
"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty; ascend in thy majesty, ride upon the Word of truth; and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things. Thine arrows are sharp, and thine enemies shall fall under thee." (A.V., variously). Psalms 45:3-5.
These words are spoken of the Lord concerning His combats with the hells, and His victories over them.
86. Quod Jehovah Deus in Mundum ut Divinum Verum descenderit, erat causa ut Redemptionem ageret, et Redemptio fuit subjugatio Infernorum, et ordinatio Coelorum, et post has instauratio Ecclesiae: ad efficiendum illa, non valet Divinum Bonum, sed Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono; Divinum Bonum in se spectatum est sicut umbo ensis rotundus, aut sicut lignum obtusum, aut sicut nudus arcus, ast Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono, est sicut ensis acutus, et sicut lignum hastile, et sicut arcus cum telis, quae contra hostes valent; per enses, hastas, et arcus, in sensu spirituali Verbi etiam intelliguntur vera pugnantia, videatur Apocalypsi Revelata 52, 299, 436, 1 ubi hoc demonstratum est; nec aliter falsa et mala, in quibus Universum Infernum fuit, et perpetuo est, potuit quam per Divinum Verum ex Verbo impugnari, vinci, et subjugari; nec per aliud potuit novum Coelum, quod etiam tunc factum est, condi, formari, et ordinari; nec per aliud potuit nova Ecclesia in terris instaurari: praeterea 2 omne robur, omnis virtus et potentia Dei, est Divini Veri ex Divino Bono: Haec causa fuit, quod Jehovah Deus ut Divinum Verum, quod est Verbum, descenderit; propterea dicitur apud Davidem, "Accinge gladium tuum super femur, o POTENS, et in honore tuo ascende, EQUITA SUPER VERBO VERITATIS, docebit Te mirabilia dextra tua, tela tua acuta, hostes tui cadent sub te," Psalm 45:4-6; 3 haec de Domino, et de pugnis Ejus cum Infernis, deque victoriis super illa.
Footnotes:
1. Cf. Apocalypsis Revelata 836.
2. Prima editio: praeterca.
3. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 45:3-5 apud Biblia Anglica.