第二十四章

翻译：觉醒

耶稣离开圣殿

1. 耶稣出了圣殿，正走的时候，门徒进前来，把殿宇指给他看。

当耶稣在众人的欢呼声中骑驴进入耶路撒冷时，人们喊道：“奉主名来的是应当称颂的。”（马太福音21:9）耶稣随即进了殿，赶出兑换银钱的人，又斥责宗教领袖的伪善行为。无论耶稣说什么或做什么，宗教领袖仍然硬着颈项，拒绝听从，也不被祂的神迹所触动。耶稣的一言一行对他们刚硬的心肠毫无影响力。即使宣告了一系列的祸患（对他们最后的规劝），也未能产生果效。他们不受教，因为他们已经铁了心。

像那些顽固的宗教领袖一样，我们里面也有一些拒绝承认主的地方。在这些地方，我们拒绝悔改。它们是一些顽固的习惯和行为模式，在我们的生活中根深蒂固，似乎永远无法抛弃。即使我们决心改变我们的生活方式，摆脱旧的习惯，我们也相信我们可以凭自己做到。我们以为只要我们有足够的“意志力”，就能克服一切毛病，无论是强迫性的嗜好、不耐烦的态度，还是无法控制的脾气。这相当于说：“我不需要主，不需要祂的真理，也不需要祂的能力。我可以靠自己。”

每当我们屈从于这种观念时，我们的低级本性仍然在控制着我们。如果主的真理不在我们心里，我们就不可能摆脱它，因为若没有主的圣言，祂就不能引导和带领我们。正如耶稣先前所说：“人子没有枕头的地方。”（马太福音8:20） ¹

当耶稣环顾圣殿，看到没有人接受祂的话语时，情况是相似的。主的教导无处可容。因此，下面的情节开始说：“耶稣出了圣殿。”（马太福音24:1）

圣殿被毁

2. 耶稣对他们说，你们不是看见这殿宇吗？我实在告诉你们，将来在这里没有一块石头留在石头上，不被拆毁了。

3. 耶稣在橄榄山上坐着，门徒暗暗地来说，请告诉我们，什么时候有这些事？你降临和时代的末了有什么预兆呢？

4. 耶稣回答说，你们要谨慎，免得有人迷惑你们。

5. 因为将来有好些人冒我的名来，说，我是基督，并且要迷惑许多人。

6. 你们也要听见打仗和打仗的风声，总不要惊慌，因为这些事是必须有的，只是末期还没有到。

7. 民要攻打民，国要攻打国，多处必有饥荒、瘟疫和地震。

8. 这都是灾难（原文是生产之难）的起头。

9. 那时，人要把你们陷在患难里，也要杀害你们，你们又要为我的名被万民恨恶。

10. 那时，必有许多人跌倒，也要彼此陷害，彼此恨恶。

11. 且有好些假先知起来，迷惑多人。

12. 因为不法的事增多，许多人的爱心就渐渐冷淡了。

13. 惟有忍耐到底的，必然得救。

14. 这天国的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。

与宗教领袖不同，耶稣的门徒真诚地想要学习祂的道。他们刚刚离开圣殿（也许是最后一次），将殿宇指给耶稣看，似乎想问：“圣殿将会发生什么？”耶稣告诉他们，圣殿将被摧毁。“我实在告诉你们，”耶稣说，“将来在这里没有一块石头留在石头上，不被拆毁了。”（马太福音24:2）

门徒很好奇，想了解更多，就来问祂说：“请告诉我们，什么时候有这些事？你降临和时代的末了有什么预兆呢？”（马太福音24:3）耶稣在橄榄山上坐着，把祂的门徒叫到一起，用极具象征意义的语言教导他们。祂的话充满了强烈的警告和大灾难的预言。祂提醒他们，有许多“假基督”要奉祂的名来。门徒绝不可相信他们。祂谈到“打仗和打仗的风声”。门徒不要被这些事困扰。祂说：“民要攻打民，国要攻打国。”门徒不要担心。“多处必有饥荒、瘟疫和地震，”祂说，“人要把你们陷在患难里，也要杀害你们。”（马太福音24:4-9）尽管如此，他们不要惧怕。

这的确会是最艰难的时期。耶稣告诉他们，人们“要彼此陷害，彼此恨恶”（马太福音24:10）。“因为不法的事增多，”祂说，“许多人的爱心就渐渐冷淡了。”（马太福音24:12）这些都是深奥的象征语言，各自包含了丰富的意义。但这一切都始于耶稣论及圣殿的预言：“将来在这里没有一块石头留在石头上，不被拆毁了。”（马太福音24:2）

在这里，有必要介绍一些历史背景。第一座圣殿是由所罗门王在耶稣出生前约一千年建造的，雇用了三万名工人，在13年内建成。如经上所记，所罗门建好了殿，“就在殿里预备了内殿，好安放耶和华的约柜”（列王纪上6:19）。这内殿被称为“至圣所”，因为“约柜里惟有两块石版，就是以色列人出埃及地后，耶和华与他们立约的时候，摩西在何烈山所放的。除此以外，并无别物。”（列王纪上8:9）

在庆祝的那一日，当祭司抬着装有十诫的约柜进殿的时候，浓密的乌云充满了耶和华的殿。所罗门就宣告说，这是耶和华所显的神迹，祂曾应许自己必住在幽暗之处。因此，充满圣殿的乌云证明圣殿将是经历神同在之处。正如所罗门所说，这将是“耶和华永远的住处”（列王纪上8:13）。

可悲的是，在基督诞生前的第六世纪，巴比伦人侵入耶路撒冷，把以色列人掳去，并把圣殿烧成灰烬。七十年后，波斯击败巴比伦，被掳的人终于可以返回耶路撒冷，回来以后，他们花了九年时间重建圣殿。正是这第二座圣殿（原本是要作主的居所），耶稣说它将被彻底摧毁，以至于没有一块石头留在石头上。

重要的是要记住，圣殿的最高目的是作为安放十诫（它们被视为“至圣”）的地方。因此，圣殿的石头代表了支持和保护诫命的许多真理，使它们可以永远为每一个想要遵守它们的人所用。在殿中服事的宗教领袖尤其有责任维护这些诫命，并教导人们遵守。

因此，耶稣预言圣殿将被摧毁，以至于“没有一块石头留在石头上”，代表当时真理已经彻底毁灭，尤其是作为圣殿主要基石的那个真理（即相信主的同在）已经毁灭。 ²

否认神的同在，并因此拒绝神圣的真理，将导致人类彻底毁灭。如耶稣所说，人们“要彼此陷害，彼此恨恶”（马太福音24:10）。没有神圣真理的指引，“不法的事将要增多”。人们将为所欲为。当没有了神圣的爱，“许多人的爱心就渐渐冷淡了”（马太福音24:12）。然而，尽管这个时期将极其艰难，但我们仍有希望。耶稣说：“忍耐到底的必然得救。”然后，耶稣又说了一个令人鼓舞的应许：“这天国的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证。”（马太福音24:14）

荒凉的可憎之物

15. 你们看见先知但以理所说的荒凉的可憎之物立在圣地（读这经的人须要会意），

尽管仍有希望，但预言是令人恐惧的。事实上，耶稣把它称为“荒凉的可憎之物”（马太福音24:15），如先知但以理所说的。这指的是叙利亚王安提阿哥·伊皮法尼斯（Antiochus Epiphanes），他在公元前168年洗劫了圣殿，并在圣所设立了外邦神宙斯的雕像。如经上所记：“从除掉常献的燔祭，并设立荒凉的可憎之物，必有一千二百九十日。”（但以理书12:11）

侵略国用自己的偶像取代被征服民族的神像来象征他们的征服，这是一个惯例。然而，对被征服的犹太人来说，这不仅仅是被征服的象征。用但以理的话说，对圣所的亵渎被认为是“荒凉的可憎之物”。同样地，当主的爱和智慧被弃绝时，可憎之物就会进来。这是因为若没有祂的爱和智慧，人心就会变成一个荒场，充满可憎之物。这就是来自荒凉的可憎之物。这正是耶稣在前一章末尾所提到的荒凉。耶稣对那些弃绝祂的宗教领袖说：“看哪，你们的家成为荒场留给你们。”（马太福音23:38）现在，在本章中，耶稣详细描述了荒凉之后的可憎之物。 ³

虽然这些可憎之物确实适用于耶稣时代腐败的宗教机构，但它们也适用于我们各人。每当我们过于关注自己，以至于完全不知道什么是真理，完全不关心邻舍的需要，完全不知道神在我们生命中的同在，我们就会陷入荒凉的状态。

这时候，我们的生活变得没有任何真正的灵性。正如安提阿哥·伊皮法尼斯洗劫耶路撒冷的圣殿，除掉所有献给真神的祭物，建立偶像崇拜一样，有时我们也会选择崇拜他神，尤其是自私、贪婪、怨恨和恐惧的神。我们为过去而烦恼，为未来而忧虑，不信靠神完美的引导。因此，我们制定自己的准则，按照自己的规矩生活，甚至在宗教活动中假装尽职尽责，并遵守民法。但事实是，在这样的心态下，我们心中没有对神或邻舍的爱。正如耶路撒冷的圣殿在宗教领袖的辖制下变得荒凉一样，人类的心在远离神而转向自我时也会变得如此。没有主的同在，人心就会变成一个荒场，没有任何真正的灵性，可憎的思想和情绪就会进来。

安提阿哥·伊皮法尼斯在耶路撒冷的殿里用宙斯的雕像取代了常献的燔祭，法利赛人用他们自私的传统败坏了敬拜，这一切都应该提醒我们，如果我们不以神的品质来填满我们的思想和心灵，我们也会思想和造作可憎之事。比起对圣殿的亵渎或法利赛人的行为，这是真正的“荒凉的可憎之物”。

逃离毁灭

16. 那时，在犹太的应当逃到山上，

17. 在房顶的不要下来拿家里的东西，

18. 在田里的也不要回去取衣裳。

19. 当那些日子，怀孕的和奶孩子的有祸了。

20. 你们应当祈求，叫你们逃走的时候，不遇见冬天或是安息日。

每当我们发现自己陷入荒凉的可憎之物（我们生命中真正的低谷），我们唯一的希望就是逃离：“在犹太的应当逃到山上。”（马太福音24:16）不能再浪费时间，必须立刻逃离，毫不迟疑：“在房顶的不要下来拿家里的东西，在田里的也不要回去取衣裳。”（马太福音24:17-18）虽然这样的描述显示出极大的紧迫性，但也有更深层次的含义。

这里描述的三种逃离依次提到了更低的高度：山上、房顶和田里。这与人类心灵的三个层次有关：最高的层次被比作一个站在山顶的人，中间的层次被比作一个站在房顶的人，最低的层次被比作一个站在田里的人。无论我们在灵性上处于什么层次，即无论是在山顶、房顶还是在田里，总的信息是相同的：逃离邪恶。 ⁴

然而，根据我们在灵性发展中所处的位置，有一些重要的区别需要注意。有些时候，我们处于灵性意识的最高点。这被比作“山顶”。在这种状态下，我们对神的旨意有一种直观的、敏锐的感知。我们因为爱主而遵守诫命，无需对诫命进行推理。在这种时候，主的旨意写在了我们心里。为了维持这种状态，不落入更低的状态，我们被告知要“从犹太逃到山上”。因为犹太是耶路撒冷（腐败的圣殿所在地）周围的地区，“逃离犹太”代表逃离我们内心所有的邪恶和虚假。因此，我们读到：“在犹太的应当逃到山上。”（马太福音24:16） ⁵

心灵的下一个层面被比作“房顶”。在“房顶”所代表的状态下，我们的注意力较少放在爱主上，而更多地放在服务邻舍上。这是心灵的“属灵”层面。我们明白圣经的真理，所以我们希望按照圣经的教导去生活。虽然主的旨意还没有写在我们心里（那是最高的状态），但它已经记在我们的思想里。虽然“房顶”不及“山顶”，但它仍是好的。它远远高于依靠自私推理的低级意识状态（下来拿家里的东西）。因此，我们读到：“在房顶的不要下来拿家里的东西。”（马太福音24:17） ⁶

最后，我们来到本系列的第三个层面——田里。虽然它比山低得多，也不及房顶，但它仍是好的，尤其是在灵性发展的初期。当我们在“田里”时，我们之所以做正确的事情，是因为这是主的吩咐。在这种状态下，我们不是从爱（山上）或领悟（房顶）出发，而是从顺服（田里）出发。当我们在“田里”时，我们对神有一种简单的、顺从的信心。我们被嘱咐不要被任何教义所误导，使我们偏离良善、顺从的生活，或回到从前怀疑的状态。因此，我们读到：“在田里的也不要回去取衣裳。”（马太福音24:18） ⁷

耶稣还提醒说：“当那些日子，怀孕的和奶孩子的有祸了。你们应当祈求，叫你们逃走的时候，不遇见冬天或是安息日。”（马太福音24:19-20）耶稣说的是，当旧的信仰体系崩溃，新的信仰体系诞生时，人的灵魂内会发生巨大的变化。当涉及如何爱神和服务邻舍的新观念在我们里面产生时，我们就像怀了一个新胎。在这些新观念的萌芽阶段，我们像是在养育它们，使其得到更充分的发展。换句话说，在灵性重生的过程中，我们正在成为新人。

这可能是一个艰难的过程，特别是如果我们试图逃离旧的生活方式。当我们对他人感到冷漠，没有爱或纯真的感觉时，我们就是“在冬天逃走”，这不是灵性成长的好气候。当我们热衷于爱自己时，我们也不会被爱或纯真所触动。当耶稣告诫我们不要“在安息日逃走”时，听起来像是在告诫我们不要在安息日做任何事情，除了敬拜神。然而，在内在含义上，祂说的是当我们处于表面虔诚和自以为义的状态时，灵性的成长会多么艰难。正如孩子的成长一样，所有的成长都是从爱和纯真的状态开始的。极端的寒冷和炎热都会摧毁新的生命。 ⁸

如同没有星光的夜晚

21. 因为那时必有大灾难，从世界的起头直到如今，没有这样的灾难，后来也必没有。

22. 若不减少那日子，凡有血气的总没有一个得救的。只是为选民，那日子必减少了。

23. 那时，若有人对你们说，基督在这里，或说，基督在那里，你们不要信！

24. 因为假基督、假先知将要起来，显大神迹、大奇事，倘若能行，连选民也就迷惑了。

25. 看哪，我预先告诉你们了。

26. 若有人对你们说，看哪，基督在旷野里，你们不要出去！或说，看哪，基督在内屋中，你们不要信！

27. 闪电从东边发出，直照到西边，人子降临，也要这样。

28. 尸首在哪里，鹰也必聚在那里。

29. 那些日子的灾难一过去，日头就变黑了，月亮也不放光，众星要从天上坠落，天势都要震动。

在描述逃离的这些画面中，耶稣指的是那些渴望行善却因外在和内在的阻挡而无法行善的人所遭受的可怕苦难。宗教领袖的错误教义、与生俱来的各种邪恶倾向，以及无处不在的地狱般的影响，使得任何人都难以做正确的事情。耶稣降生时就是这样的景况。

耶稣所描述的外在的动乱，如民要攻打民，多处必有饥荒、地震，都是代表人类灵魂的无形领域中正在发生的内在动荡和争斗。耶稣使命的核心是与这些看不见的敌对势力作战，以便人们能够再次自由地学习真理并按照真理生活。因此，耶稣必须参与战斗，对付地狱。这样，祂就能够把人类从地狱的束缚中解救出来。如果没有耶稣伟大而成功的斗争，没有人能够得救。所有这些都包含在这句话中：“那时必有大灾难，从世界的起头直到如今，没有这样的灾难......若不减少那日子，凡有血气的总没有一个得救的。”（马太福音24:21-22） ⁹

当时，因为灵性上的压倒性的侵扰，神不得不亲自以肉身降临，以对付和制服那些正在毁灭人类的邪恶。最后残存的一点爱与仁，对神的信心和对邻舍的友爱，以及对神旨意的领悟，都濒临灭绝。神的话语原是用来照亮人类的悟性，却被自私自利的宗教机构和毫无戒心的普通信徒所遮蔽和歪曲了。

因此，耶稣提醒门徒要防备假先知和假基督（马太福音24:24）。祂教导他们，真理不能在“旷野”（荒凉的宗教机构）中找到，也不能在“内屋”（个人的观点）中找到。换句话说，他们不要被世上的假师傅（“旷野”）或自己的头脑（“内屋”）所欺骗。相反，他们要相信人子的降临：“若有人对你们说，看哪，基督在旷野里，你们不要出去！或说，看哪，基督在内屋中，你们不要信！闪电从东边发出，直照到西边，人子降临，也要这样。”（马太福音24:26-27）

宗教教义和实践已经变成一块没有真理的荒地，一片干燥贫瘠的旷野。它里面没有任何生气，因此也没有什么可提供的。用来振奋人类灵性的真理的活水断绝了。旷野里只剩下尸首，为腐朽的世界提供腐烂的食物。正如耶稣所说：“尸首在哪里，鹰也必聚在那里。”（马太福音24:28）

这的确是最黑暗的时期，耶稣用深奥的象征语言来描述它。“日头就变黑了，”耶稣说，意思是一切爱与仁将被弃绝。“月亮也不发光”，意思是一切信仰都将丧失。最后，“众星要从天上坠落”，意思是人们甚至不再有一丝真实的曙光（马太福音24:29）。人们不再承认主，不再爱祂，也不再爱邻舍。邪恶和无知将完全笼罩这片土地，就像一个没有阳光的世界，一个没有星光的夜晚。 ¹⁰

天上的云

30. 那时，人子的兆头要显在天上，地上的万族都要哀哭。他们要看见人子，有能力，有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临。

31. 他要差遣使者，用号筒的大声，将他的选民，从四方，从天这边到天那边，都招聚了来。

然而，尽管这片土地将被黑暗所笼罩，一个新的光明的希望将会出现。耶稣会再来！祂称自己为“人子”，说：“那些日子的灾难一过去......他们要看见人子，有能力，有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临。”（马太福音24:29-30）

耶稣明确地说，祂将“驾着天上的云”再来。我们该如何想象这一幕呢？注释家们有不同的看法。有些人把它理解为字面意义上的驾着天上的云降临。耶稣将戏剧性地在空中显现，彰显祂的权柄和荣耀。另一些人说，祂第一次来是为了教导真理，第二次来则是为了按照神的计划和目的重新建立秩序。第一次来建立了一个属灵的国，第二次来将建立一个属世的国。

先作灵性上的拯救，再作政治上的拯救，这种观念很吸引人，但与耶稣教导的永恒原则不符。如果我们这样想，就会陷入同样的思维模式，即幸福在于世俗的成功；耶稣来，原是要救我们脱离这种思维模式。因此，我们有必要仔细思考“他们要看见人子，有能力，有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临”是什么意思。

耶稣一直表明，“人子”一词指的是祂来要带给世界却找不到“枕头之处”的神圣真理。然而，尽管耶稣离开了圣殿，但祂并没有放弃人类。祂说，人子将驾着“天上的云”再来。为了理解这个象征性的短语，我们需要记住，地上的云是由水组成的。在整本圣经中，“水”表示“真理”。因此，在圣经的形象化描述中，“天上的云”说的是天上的水，也就是属灵的真理。因此，用圣经的语言来说，神的话就是“天上的水”。或者，换句话说，圣经字面上的真理就是“天上的云”。

正如地上的云保护我们，避免我们直接接触太阳的力量和荣耀，天上的云——圣经的字面真理——也保护我们，避免我们直接接触由它们所隐藏的内在真理的力量和荣耀。真理被隐藏起来，是为了保护我们。如果我们暴露在一种我们无法承受的生活方式中，暴露在我们不能跟从的真理中，我们在灵性上就会被撕裂。因此，神满怀怜悯地将内在的真理隐藏在圣经字面意思的云彩中。然而，当我们准备好按照这些真理生活时，祂就会揭示给我们。是的，祂通过天上的云来到我们身边。 ¹¹

这就是应许的“主的再来”。祂曾经道成肉身，以耶稣基督的身份，来到人类身边。第二次，祂将在灵里，通过启示圣经的内在含义，来到人类身边。祂将作为神圣的真理而来——无限的神圣真理适应人类的悟性。这就是人子，祂通过圣经的字面真理——“天上的云”，来到我们身边。

这就是所谓的“主的再来”。这是在荣耀中再来，因为主来向我们敞开祂话语的荣耀和光辉。这也是在能力中再来——主赐给我们能力，使我们能按照祂的真理生活。 ¹²

最后，当耶稣结束这个伟大的应许时，祂补充说，人子要“差遣使者，用号筒的大声，将他的选民，从四方，从天这边到天那边，都招聚了来”（马太福音24:31）。这话包含了一个美丽的应许，即主再来时所揭示的真理将使所有愿意倾听的人团结起来，就像号筒的大声把人们招聚起来一样。正如耶和华对摩西说：“你要用银子做两支号......用以招聚会众......吹这号的时候，全会众要到你那里，聚集在会幕门口。”（民数记10:1-8）

因此，“号筒的大声”是神圣真理的声音，特别是主再来时圣经内在含义的启示。它美妙的声音震撼人心，召唤所有人在爱与智慧的内在会幕里敬拜主。神圣真理的号角向四面八方发出，传到万民万族。那些愿意听从呼召的人将全心全意地做出回应，这就是“从天这边到天那边”一话的意思。 ¹³

无花果树发芽

32. 你们可以从无花果树学个比方：当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，你们就知道夏天近了。

33. 这样，你们看见这一切的事，也该知道人子近了，正在门口了。

34. 我实在告诉你们，这世代还没有过去，这些事都要成就。

35. 天地要废去，我的话却不能废去。

36. 那日子，那时辰，没有人知道，连天上的使者也不知道，子也不知道，惟独父知道。

37. 挪亚的日子怎样，人子降临也要怎样。

38. 当洪水以前的日子，人照常吃喝嫁娶，直到挪亚进方舟的那日，

39. 不知不觉洪水来了，把他们全都冲去。人子降临也要这样。

40. 那时，两个人在田里，取去一个，撇下一个。

41. 两个女人推磨，取去一个，撇下一个。

42. 所以，你们要警醒，因为不知道你们的主是哪一天来到。

43. 家主若知道几更天有贼来，就必警醒，不容人挖透房屋，这是你们所知道的。

44. 所以，你们也要预备，因为你们想不到的时候，人子就来了。

45. 谁是忠心有见识的仆人，为主人所派，管理家里的人，按时分粮给他们呢？

46. 主人来到，看见他这样行，那仆人就有福了。

47. 我实在告诉你们，主人要派他管理一切所有的。

48. 倘若那恶仆心里说，我的主人必来得迟，

49. 就动手打他的同伴，又和酒醉的人一同吃喝。

50. 在想不到的日子，不知道的时辰，那仆人的主人要来，

51. 重重的处治他，定他和假冒为善的人同罪，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。

耶稣一直在谈论即将发生的大灾难、时代的末了，以及人子的降临。因为门徒问起这些事：“什么时候有这些事？你降临和时代的末了，有什么预兆呢？”（马太福音24:3）现在，耶稣用无花果树的比喻来回答他们。“你们可以从无花果树学个比方，”祂说，“当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，你们就知道夏天近了。这样，你们看见这一切的事，也该知道人子近了，正在门口了。”（马太福音24:32）

无花果树发嫩长叶，被用来比喻我们的生命开始时以及一个新的宗教时代开始时的良善品质。耶稣通过无花果树的比喻暗示，尽管旧的宗教体系正在结束，但新的体系即将建立。事实上，它已经处于早期阶段，刚刚开始长叶。

虽然耶稣没有让门徒深入了解复杂的宗教教义，但他们已经瞥见了最根本的东西：他们知道在某种意义上祂是神的儿子，他们知道遵守诫命是得救的必要条件，他们知道宗教生活在于履行有用的服务，而不考虑回报。虽然这只是一个大概的领悟，却是一个至头重要的开始。用圣经的语言来说，“当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，你们就知道夏天近了......正在门口了。”（马太福音24:32-33）

夏天临近，甚至就在门口的意象很有震撼力。在本章的最后一个情节中，我们被比作仆人，忙着管理家里的事务。正如我们所提到的，“家”就是我们的心灵，而主应该是我们家的主人。既然如此，我们应该不断管理好家里的一切，使之井然有序，因为我们永远不知道主何时会出现在门口。正如耶稣所说：“所以你们要警醒，因为不知道你们的主是哪一天来到。”（马太福音24:42） ¹⁴

传统上，这段经文被认为是指最后的审判——死亡的时候，我们将为我们在世上所想、所说、所做的一切受到审判。耶稣说，那日子，那时辰，没有人知道，它会在想不到的日子来到。因为耶稣说：“所以你们也要预备，因为你们想不到的时候，人子就来了。”（马太福音24:44）

当耶稣继续说比喻时，祂谈到了“恶仆”：他们的工作原是照看主人的家，为家里的人提供适当的食物，并保持警惕，以免盗贼闯入。在这个比喻中，“家”指人的心灵，适当的食物指神的话语，防止盗贼闯入指防备那些侵入并毁灭我们的邪恶欲望和错误思想。然而，由于这些恶仆以为主人“必来得迟”，就忽视了他们在家里的责任。不仅如此，他们还“动手打他的同伴，又和酒醉的人一同吃喝”（马太福音24:49）。

这样的人很可能受到突如其来的可怕的“最后审判”。如果神，家的主人，突然来到，察看他们所行的，他们就有祸了。正如耶稣所说：“在想不到的日子，不知道的时辰，那仆人的主人要来，重重的处治他，定他和假冒为善的人同罪，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。”（马太福音24:51）

无可否认，这听起来十分可怕——尤其是对于那些从小就认为愤怒的神要来审判人类并将所有人都扔入地狱的人来说——除非我们立即悔改，成为新造的人。但认为神是一位愤怒的神，这是一个旧观念。按照新的观念和耶稣来建立的新的宗教，主的降临是对人类的祝福。通过这个即将像无花果树一样发芽的新的宗教，神要来祝福我们，带领我们享受喜乐的生活。祂要来赐给我们真理，不仅指示我们当走的路，而且指明路上的许多阻碍，如遮蔽慷慨的贪婪，遮蔽信心的忧虑，遮蔽爱的仇恨。如果一个人最终进了地狱，或处于地狱般的状态，那并不是因为神的愤怒，而是因为人自己的选择。 ¹⁵

所有这一切都意味着“人子降临”，第一次是作为道成肉身的神降临，第二次是通过启示圣经的内在含义“驾着天上的云”降临。因此，主的第二次降临是一个荣耀的预言，预示着我们各人将对宗教产生新的领悟。正如耶稣所说，它将出人意外地来到我们身边：“那日子，那时辰，没有人知道。”但可以肯定的是，它会以一种我们未曾想过的方式来到。我们当作的就是做好准备——继续敬拜神，阅读圣经，按照我们的领悟遵守诫命。

在这个过程中，我们会对属灵的真理有奇妙的瞥见。我们的眼睛将被打开，看到并理解我们以前从未理解过的事情。而这些洞见对我们来说将是巨大的祝福。因此，我们读到：“主人来到，看见他这样行，那仆人就有福了......那仆人有福了，他的主人来的时候，会发现他这样做......在想不到的日子，不知道的时辰，那仆人的主人要来。”（马太福音24:44、46、50）

这样看来，对于信的人，人子降临不是一件可怕的事情。相反，我们应该怀着极大的喜悦来期待它。到那日，信徒的眼睛将被打开，从而对圣经有新的更深的领悟。寒冷、黑暗、贫瘠的冬天将会过去，履行有用服务的无花果树将要发芽。到那日，我们就知道夏天近了，主已经在门口了。

അടിക്കുറിപ്പുകൾ:

391. I saw under the altar, signifies those who were preserved under heaven. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to make manifest (See above, n. 351); also from the signification of "altar" as being, in the nearest sense, worship from the good of love to the Lord; in a more interior sense, heaven and the church, which are in that love; and in the inmost sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love. "Under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven, because it is said that he "saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held," and by these are meant those who were preserved under heaven until the Last Judgment; but as this is not yet known in the world, I will tell how it is. In the small work on The Last Judgement it has been shown that before the Last Judgement took place there was a semblance of heaven which is meant by "the former heaven that passed away" (Revelation 21:1) and that this heaven consisted of those who were in external worship without internal, and who therefore lived an external moral life, although they were merely natural and not spiritual. Those of whom this heaven consisted before the Last Judgment were seen in the spiritual world above the earth, also upon mountains, hills, and rocks, and therefore believed themselves to be in heaven; but those of whom this heaven consisted, because they were in an external moral life only and not at the same time in an internal spiritual life, were cast down; and when these had been cast down, all those who had been preserved by the Lord, and concealed here and there, for the most part in the lower earth, were elevated and transferred to these same places, that is, upon the mountains, hills, and rocks where the others had formerly been, and out of these a new heaven was formed. These who had been preserved and then elevated were from those in the world who had lived a life of charity, and who were in the spiritual affection of truth. The elevation of these into the places of the others I have often witnessed. It is these who are meant by "the souls of those slain seen under the altar," and because they were guarded by the Lord in the lower earth, and this earth is under heaven, so "I saw under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven. But these are particularly treated of in Revelation 20:4-5, 12-13, where more will be told about them; meanwhile see what is said in the small work on The Last Judgement (n. 65-72) of "the former heaven that passed away," and "the new heaven" that was formed by the Lord after the Last Judgment. This much will suffice to afford some light for understanding what is said in the two following verses, namely, that they who were under the altar "cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth? And there were given to them white robes; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled."

[2] "Under the altar" signifies under heaven, because the "altar," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, for the Lord is heaven and the church, since everything of heaven and the church, or everything of love and faith which make heaven and the church with angel and man, are from the Lord, and thence are His; but in a general sense the "altar" signifies all worship of the Lord and especially representative worship, such as there was with the sons of Israel. "The altar" signifies all worship, because "worship" in that church consisted mainly in offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices; for these were offered for every sin and guilt, also from good will to please Jehovah (these were called eucharistic or voluntary sacrifices), also for cleansings of every kind. Moreover, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices inaugurations were also effected into everything holy of the church, as is evident from the sacrifices at the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood, the inauguration of the tent of meeting, and afterwards of the temple. And as the worship of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, these also were offered daily, namely, every morning and evening, and were called in one word "the continual," besides a great number at every feast; so in the Word the "continual-offering" signifies all representative worship. From this it can be seen that worship, and particularly the representative worship of that nation, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices. For this reason the altar upon which these were made, and which contained them, signifies in the Word all worship in general. Worship means not external worship only, but also internal worship; and internal worship comprehends everything of love and everything of faith, thus everything that constitutes the church or, heaven with man, in a word, that causes the Lord to be with him.

Heaven was represented before John by an altar, for this reason also, that the whole Word was written by representatives, and by such representatives as were with the sons of Israel; in order, therefore, that the Word might be similar in both Testaments, the things in this book and that were seen by John, are like those in other parts, that is, an altar of incense was seen, the incense itself with the censers, likewise the tabernacle, the ark, and other like things. But at the present day such things never appear to any angel, or to any man whose sight is opened into heaven. The altar, the ark, and like things do not appear in heaven at the present day, because to the ancients sacrifices were wholly unknown, and after the Lord's coming they were entirely abolished. Sacrifices were begun by Eber, and were continued afterwards among his posterity, who were called Hebrews, and were tolerated among the sons of Israel who were from Eber, especially because a worship once begun and rooted in the mind is not abolished by the Lord, but is bent to signify what is holy in religion (See Arcana Coelestia 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042).

[3] That "the altar" signifies, in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love, and that in a relative sense it signifies heaven and the church, and in general all worship, and in particular representative worship, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy habitations, that I may come unto the altar of God, unto God (Psalms 43:3-4).

It is clearly evident that "the altar of God" here means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for these words treat of the way to heaven and to the Lord there; the way to heaven is meant by "send out Thy light and truth; let them lead me;" "light" meaning the illustration in which truths appear; heaven, into which it leads is meant by "let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy habitations;" "mountain of holiness" meaning heaven where the Lord's celestial kingdom is, in which the good of love reigns; while those heavens are called "habitations" where the Lord's spiritual kingdom is, in which truth from that good reigns; and as both are meant it is said, "that I may go unto the altar of God, unto God," "altar of God" meaning where the Lord is in the good of love, and "God" where the Lord is in truth from that good; for the Lord is called "God," from Divine truth, and "Jehovah" from Divine good. In the Jewish Church there were two things that, in the highest sense, signified the Lord's Divine Human, namely, the altar and the temple; the altar, the Divine Human in relation to Divine good; the temple, in relation to Divine truth proceeding from that good. These two signified the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, because all things of worship in that church represented the Divine things that proceed from the Lord, called celestial and spiritual, and the worship itself was chiefly performed upon the altar and in the temple, therefore, these two represented the Lord Himself.

[4] That the temple represented His Divine Human He teaches in plain terms in John:

The Jews said, What sign showest Thou that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:18-23; also Matthew 26:61 elsewhere).

When the disciples were showing Him the buildings of the temple, the Lord said:

That there shall not be left stone upon stone that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2);

signifying that the Lord was wholly denied among them, on which account also the temple was destroyed from its foundation.

[5] That "the altar" also signified the Lord's Divine Human, may be concluded from the Lord's words in Matthew:

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, for ye say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Also, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? For he that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by everything thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:16-22).

It is here said that the temple sanctifies the gold that is in it, and that the altar sanctifies the gift that is upon it; and thus that the temple and the altar were most holy, and that all sanctification was from them; therefore "the temple" and "altar" signify the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for from that everything holy of heaven and the church proceeds. If this is not the meaning how could the temple or the altar sanctify anything? Nor can worship itself sanctify, but the Lord alone, who is worshiped, and from whom is the good and truth of worship; for this reason it is said that the gift does not sanctify, but the altar, "the gift" meaning the sacrifices that constituted the worship; and because the Jews did not understand this, but taught otherwise, they were called by the Lord "fools and blind."

[6] Because this was signified by the altar, all who touched it were sanctified as is evident in Moses:

Seven days thou shalt sanctify [the altar], that the altar may be the holy of holies; whosoever shall touch the altar shall be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).

"To touch" signifies to communicate, to transfer, and to receive (See Arcana Coelestia 10130), here the Divine that proceeds from the Lord; and as this was signified by "touching," and those who touched were sanctified, it follows that in the highest sense the Lord Himself is signified by the "altar," for there is nothing holy from any other source. Moreover, all worship is worship of the Lord and from the Lord; and as worship in that church consisted chiefly of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, so the "altar" signified the Divine Itself from which [a quo] and this Divine is the Lord's Divine Human.

[7] It was therefore also commanded:

That the fire upon the altar should burn continually, and never be extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13);

also that from that fire the lamps should be lighted in the tent of meeting, and that they were to take from that fire in the censers and burn incense; for "the fire" signified the Divine love which is in the Lord alone (See above, n. 68).

[8] Because "the fire of the altar" signifies the Divine love, the prophet Isaiah was sanctified by it:

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, in whose hand was a burning coal, which he had taken from off the altar, and he touched my mouth, and said, This hath touched thy lips; therefore thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:6-7).

What these words signify in their series can be seen when it is known that "the altar" signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and "the fire" on it the Divine good of his Divine love; that the prophet's "mouth and lips" signify the doctrine of good and truth; and that "to touch" signifies to communicate; "iniquity which was taken away" signifies falsity, and "sin" evil; for "iniquity" is predicated of the life of falsity, that is, of a life contrary to truths, and "sin" of the life of evil, that is, of a life contrary to good.

[9] In Isaiah:

All the flocks of Arabia shall be brought together unto Thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto Thee; they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment (Isaiah 60:7).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and this is said of the Lord Himself; "all the flocks of Arabia that are to be brought together," and "the rams of Nebaioth that are to minister" signify all spiritual goods, external and internal, "flocks" signify external goods, and "rams" internal goods, and "Arabia" and "Nebaioth" things spiritual; "they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment" signifies the Lord's Divine Human, in which they will be, "altar" signifying His Divine Human in relation to Divine good, and "house of adornment" the same in relation to Divine truth. That the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is here meant is evident from the preceding part of that chapter, where it is said that "Jehovah shall arise upon Thee, and His glory shall be seen upon Thee," with what follows, which describes the Divine wisdom with which the Lord will be filled in respect to His Human.

[10] As "the altar" signifies in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human, "altar" therefore signifies also heaven and the church; for the angelic heaven, viewed in itself, is from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; from this it is that the angelic heaven in the whole complex is as one man; wherefore that heaven is called the Greatest Man (See what is said about this in Heaven and Hell 59-86; and about the church, n. 57). And as all worship is from the Lord, for it is the Divine communicated to man from the Lord, in which is the Lord Himself, thence "altar" signifies also in general, everything of worship that proceeds from the good of love; and "temple" the worship that proceeds from truths from that good; for all worship is either from love or from faith, either from good or from truth; worship from the good of love is such as exists in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and worship from truths from that good, which truths are called the truths of faith, is such as exists in the Lord's spiritual kingdom (about which see also in the same work, n. 20-28).

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified by "altar" in the following passages. In David:

How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of Hosts! My soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God. Yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house (Psalms 84:1-4).

"Altars" here mean the heavens, for it is said, "How amiable are Thy tabernacles; my soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah," and afterwards it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts;" "tabernacles" mean the higher heavens, and "courts" the lower heavens where is the entrance; these are also called "altars" from worship; and as all worship is from the good of love by means of truths it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God;" for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "King" and "God" from Divine truth; and because the heavens are meant, it is also said, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house," "the house of Jehovah God" meaning heaven in the whole complex. It is also said, "yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow her nest," because "bird" signifies spiritual truth and "swallow" natural truth, by which there is worship; and as all truth by which there is worship is from the good of love, it is first said, "my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God," "heart and flesh" signifying the good of love, and "sing for joy" worship from the delight of good.

[12] Heaven and the church are also meant by "altar" in these passages in Revelation:

There was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood and said to me, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein (Revelation 11:1).

I heard another angel out of the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments (Rev. 16:7).

In David:

I wash mine hands in innocence, and compass Thine altar, O Jehovah, that I may make the voice of confession to be heard (Psalms 26:6-7).

"To wash the hands in innocence" signifies to be purified from evils and falsities; "to compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies conjunction with the Lord by worship from the good of love; and because this is a worship by means of truths from good, it is added, "that I may make the voice of confession to be heard," "to make the voice of confession to be heard" meaning worship from truths. "To compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies the conjunction of the Lord by means of worship from the good of love, because "Jehovah" is predicated of the good of love, and "to compass" signifies to embrace with worship, thus to be conjoined.

[13] In Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts; every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres [the city of Cheres]. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside the border thereof (Isaiah 19:18-19).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man, and its knowing faculty [scientificum]; "in that day" signifies the Lord's coming and the state of those who will then be in true knowledges [scientifica] from the Lord; "five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan" signify many truths of doctrine which are genuine truths of the church, "five" meaning many, "cities" the truths of doctrine, and "the lips of Canaan" genuine doctrinals of the church; "to swear to Jehovah of Hosts" signifies those that confess the Lord; "Jehovah of Hosts," mentioned here and in many other passages in the Word, means the Lord in respect to all good and truth; for "Hosts" [Zebaoth] in the original signifies armies, and "armies" signify in the spiritual sense all the goods and truths of heaven and the church (See Arcana Coelestia 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019). This, therefore is the meaning of "Jehovah Zebaoth" or "Jehovah of Hosts;" "every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres" signifies the doctrine glittering from spiritual truths in natural, for "Ir" means city, and "city" signifies doctrine; "Cheres" means a glittering like that of the sun; "in that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifies that there shall then be worship of the Lord from the good of love by means of true knowledges that are in the natural man; "an altar to Jehovah" signifying the worship of the Lord from the good of love, "in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifying by means of knowledges that are in the natural man, true knowledges meaning also cognitions from the sense of the letter of the Word; "and a pillar to Jehovah besides the border thereof" signifies the worship of the Lord from the truths of faith, "a pillar (statue)" signifying worship from the truths of faith, and "the border of Egypt" signifying the ultimates; the ultimates of the natural man are things of the senses.

[14] In the same:

When he shall lay all the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered, the groves and sun statues shall rise no more (Isaiah 27:9).

This is said of Jacob and Israel, by whom the church is signified, here the church that is to be destroyed; its destruction in respect to the truths of worship is described by "laying the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered," "the stones of the altar" meaning the truths of worship, "as chalk stones scattered" mean as falsities that do not cohere; "the groves and sun statues shall rise no more" signifies that there shall no longer be any worship from spiritual and natural truths, "groves" signifying worship from spiritual truths, and "sun statues" worship from natural truths.

[15] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath cast off His altar; He hath abhorred His sanctuary; He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces (Lamentations 2:7).

This is a lamentation over the vastation of all things of the church; that the church has been vastated in respect to all goods is signified by "the Lord hath cast off His altar;" that it has been vastated in respect to all truths is signified by "He hath abhorred His sanctuary." (That "sanctuary" is predicated of the church in respect to truths, see above, n. 204.) That falsities and evils have entered into all things of the church is signified by "He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;" "enemy" signifies evil and falsity, "to shut up in his hands" signifies that these have seized and entered, "the walls of palaces" signifies all protecting truths, "palaces" mean the things of doctrine.

[16] In Isaiah:

Everyone that keepeth the sabbath, and holdeth to My covenant, them will I bring in upon the mountain of My holiness, and will make them glad in the house of My prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon My altar (Isaiah 56:6-7).

"Sabbath" signifies the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, thus with those who are therein; so "to keep the sabbath" signifies to be in conjunction with the Lord; and "to hold to his covenant" signifies conjunction by a life according to the Lord's commandments; "covenant" means conjunction, and a life according to the commandments is what conjoins; for this reason the commandments of the Decalogue were called "a covenant;" "them will I bring in upon the mountain of holiness" signifies that He will endow them with the good of love, "the mountain of holiness" meaning the heaven in which the good of love to the Lord is, consequently also such good of love as there is in that heaven; "I will make them glad in the house of My prayer" signifies that He will endow them with spiritual truths, "the house of prayer," or the temple, meaning the heaven where spiritual truths are, consequently also such spiritual truths as there are in that heaven; "their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon Mine altar" signifies worship from the good of love grateful from spiritual truths, "burnt-offerings" signifying worship from the good of love, and "sacrifices" worship from truths that are from that good; truths from good are what are called spiritual truths; "upon the altar" signifies in heaven and the church.

[17] In David:

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness, and with whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar (Psalms 51:18-19).

"Zion" means the church that is in the good of love, and "Jerusalem" the church that is in the truths of doctrine; therefore, "to do good in good pleasure unto Zion, and to build the walls of Jerusalem" signifies to restore the church by leading it into the good of love and by instructing it in the truths of doctrine. Worship then from the good of love is signified by "then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness and with whole burnt-offering," "righteousness" is predicated of celestial good, and "whole burnt-offering" signifies love; and worship then from the good of charity is signified by "then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar," "bullocks" signifying natural good, which is the good of charity.

[18] In the same:

God is Jehovah who enlighteneth us; bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar. Thou art my God (Psalms 118:27-28).

"To enlighten" signifies to illustrate in truths; "to bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar" signifies to conjoin all things of worship, "to bind with ropes" meaning to conjoin, "the festal-offering to the horns of the altar" meaning all things of worship, "horns" mean all things because they are the ultimates, and "the festal-offering" and "altar" mean worship. All things of worship are conjoined when externals are conjoined with internals, and goods with truths.

[19] In Luke:

The blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world shall be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple (Luke 11:50-51).

This does not mean that the blood of all the prophets from the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel, shall be required of the Jewish nation, for blood is not required from anyone but of him who sheds it; but these words mean that that nation had falsified all truth and adulterated all good; for "the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world" signifies the falsification of all the truth there had ever been in the church; "blood" meaning falsification, "prophets" the truths of doctrine, and "from the foundation of the world," meaning all that there had ever been in the church; "the foundation of the world" meaning the establishment of the church. "From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple," signifies the adulteration of all good, and the consequent extinction of the worship of the Lord; "the blood of Abel unto Zachariah" means the adulteration of all good; "to be slain between the altar and the temple" means the extinction of all good and all truth in worship, for "altar" signifies worship from good, and "temple" the worship from truth, as has been said above; "between these" means where there is conjunction, and where there is not conjunction there is neither good nor truth. The altar was outside the tent of meeting, and outside the temple; therefore what was done between the two signified communication and conjunction (See Arcana Coelestia 10001, 10025; and that "Abel" signifies the good of charity, n. 342, 374, 1179[1], 3325). It is evident that neither Abel nor Zachariah is meant here in the spiritual sense, since in the Word names signify things.

[20] In Matthew:

Jesus said, if thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave the gift before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

"To offer a gift upon the altar" means in the spiritual sense to worship God, and to worship God means worship both internal and external, namely, from love and from faith, and thus from the life; this is meant because in the Jewish Church worship consisted chiefly in offering sacrifices or gifts upon the altar, and the chief thing is taken for the whole. From this the meaning of these words of the Lord in the spiritual sense can be seen, namely, that Divine worship consists primarily in charity towards the neighbor, and not in piety without that; "to offer a gift upon the altar" means worship from piety, and "to be reconciled to a brother" means worship from charity, and this is truly worship, and such as this is such is the worship from piety. (On this see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 123-129; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 222, 224, 358-360, 528, 529, 535; and above, n. 325.)

[21] That "If thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar" signifies in all worship, is evident from the Lord's words in Luke 17:4 [Matthew 18:22, where it is said that the brother or neighbor must be forgiven all the time, "seventy times seven" there signifying always.

Because such things are signified by "altar," the altar was made either of wood or of ground, or of whole stones, upon which iron had not been moved, also it was overlaid with brass. The altar was made of wood, because "wood" signifies good; it was also made of ground because "ground" has a like signification; it was made of whole stones, because such "stones" signified truths formed out of good, or good in form, and it was forbidden to fit these stones by any hammer, axe, or instrument of iron, to signify that nothing of self-intelligence must come near to the formation of it; that it was overlaid with brass signified that it represented good in every part, for "brass" signifies good in externals.

[22] That the altar was made of wood is evident in Moses:

Thou shalt make the altar of shittim-wood, five cubits long and broad; it shall be foursquare. And thou shalt make horns for it. And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; the board-work shall be hollow (Exodus 27:1-8).

And in Ezekiel:

The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length of it two cubits; its corners, the length of it, and the walls of it, were of wood. Then he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah (Ezekiel 41:22).

Moreover, the altar was made of wood, and overlaid with brass, for the sake of use, that it might be carried about, and removed from place to place in the wilderness, where the sons of Israel then were; also because "wood" signifies good, and "shittim-wood" good of righteousness, or the good of the Lord's merit. (That "wood" signifies good, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354; and that "shittim-wood" signifies the good of righteousness or of merit, which belongs to the Lord only, n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178.) But that the altar was built also of ground, and if of stones, then of whole stones, and not hewn by any iron instrument, is further evident in Moses:

An altar [of ground] thou shalt make unto Me, that thou mayest sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offering. 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 20:24-25).

If an altar of stones be built, no iron shall be struck upon the stones (Deuteronomy 27:5-6).

[23] Thus far it has been shown what "altar" signifies in the genuine sense; from this it is clear what "altar" signifies in the contrary sense, namely, idolatrous worship, or infernal worship, which has place only with those who profess religion, but yet love and thus worship self and the world above all things; and when they do this they love evil and falsity; therefore "the altar," in reference to such, signifies worship from evil, and "the statues" which they also had, worship from falsity, and therefore also hell. That this is the signification of "altar," in the contrary sense, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look ¹ to that which his fingers have made, or to the groves or the sun-statues (Isaiah 17:7-8).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that men shall then be led into the goods of life, and be instructed in the truths of doctrine, is meant by "In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel." The Lord is called "Maker" because He leads into the goods of life, for these make man; and He is called "the Holy One of Israel" because He teaches the truths of doctrine; therefore it is added, "a man shall have respect," and "his eyes shall look;" man is called "man" from the good of life, and "eyes" are predicated of the understanding of truth, thus of the truths of doctrine. That there will then be no worship from self-love, from which are the evils of life, nor from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine, is signified by "he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look to that which his fingers have made," "altars, the work of his hands," mean worship from self-love, from which are evils of life, and "that which his fingers have made" means worship from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine; "groves and sun-statues" signify a religion from falsities and evils therefrom, "groves," a religious principle from falsities, and "sun-statues" a religious principle from the evils of falsity.

[24] In Jeremiah:

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven ² upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; as I remember their sons, their altar, and their groves, by the green tree upon the high hills (Jeremiah 17:1-2

This declares that the idolatrous worship of the Jewish nation was so deeply rooted that it could not be removed. That it was too deeply rooted to be removed is signified by "the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" deeply-rooted falsity is meant by "it is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond," and deeply-rooted evil is meant by "it is graven upon the table of the heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" it is said "upon the horns of the altars," because idolatrous worship is meant. The "sons whom He remembers," signify the falsities of evil; "the altars" idolatrous worship from evil; "the groves by the green tree" such worship from falsities; "upon the high hills" signifies the adulteration of good and the falsification of truths; for at that time, when all things of worship were representative of celestial and spiritual things, they had worship in groves and upon hills, for the reason that "trees," of which groves consist, signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, and this according to the kind of trees; and because "hills" signified the goods of charity, and spiritual angels who dwell in the spiritual world upon hills are in such goods, so in ancient times worship was performed upon hills; but this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nation, lest they should profane the holy things that were represented; for in respect to worship that nation was in externals only, their internal was merely idolatrous. (That trees signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, according to their kind, see Arcana Coelestia 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692; for this reason the ancients worshiped in groves under trees, according to their significations, n. 2722, 4552; why this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nations, n. 2722; why "hills" signify goods of charity, n. 6435, 10438)

[25] In Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit like unto himself; when his fruit is plentiful he multiplieth altars; when his land is good they make goodly statues. Their heart is smooth, now are they laid waste; he shall demolish their altars, he shall devastate their statues (Hosea 10:1-2);

"Israel" here signifies the church, which is called "an empty vine" when there is no longer any truth; its worship from evils is meant by "the altars which he multiplies;" and worship from falsities is meant by the "statues which he makes goodly;" that this is done so far as these abound is signified by "when his fruit is plentiful" and "when his land is good." That worship from evils and falsities shall be destroyed is signified by "he shall demolish their altars, and shall devastate their statues." (That "statues" signify worship from truths, and in a contrary sense, worship from falsities, thus idolatrous worship, see Arcana Coelestia 3727[1-8], 4580, 10643.)

[26] In Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the water courses and to the valleys, I bring in a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places; and your altar shall be laid waste; your sun images shall be broken; yea, I will make your slain to fall before your idols (Ezekiel 6:3, 4, 6, 13).

"The Lord Jehovih said to the mountains, hills, water courses, and valleys," does not signify to all who dwell there, but to all idolaters, that is, to all who instituted worship upon mountains and hills, and near water-courses and in valleys, which was done because of the representation and consequent signification of these; "to bring a sword upon you, and to destroy the high places, and to lay waste the altars, and to break the sun images" signifies to destroy all things of idolatrous worship by means of falsities and evils, for it is by means of these that idolatrous worship destroys itself; "the sword" signifies falsities destroying, "the high places" idolatrous worship in general, "altars" the same from evil loves, and "sun images" the same from the falsities of doctrine; "to make the slain to fall before the idols" signifies the damnation of those who perish by falsities; "slain" signifying those who perish by falsities, "idols" the falsities of worship in general, and "to fall" to be damned.

[27] In Hosea:

Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, they have made ³ for him altars for sinning (Hosea 8:11).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellect of the church, here the intellect perverted; "to multiply altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of falsities; and "to make altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of evils; for in the Word, "to multiply" is predicated of truths, and in a contrary sense of falsities, and "to make" is predicated of good, and in a contrary sense of evil; this is why the two are mentioned, and yet it is not a vain repetition.

[28] In the same:

Samaria is discomfited, her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters and the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle come up on their altars (Hosea 10:7-8).

"Samaria" signified the spiritual church, that is the church in which charity and faith make one; but after it became perverted "Samaria" signified the church in which charity is separated from faith, and in which faith is even declared to be the essential; therefore also it then signified the church in which there is no longer any truth, because there is no good, but in place of good the evil of life, and in place of truth the falsity of doctrine. This is here signified by "Samaria is discomfited;" the falsity of its doctrine is signified by "her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters," "king" signifying truth, and in a contrary sense, as here, falsity; "foam upon the faces of the waters" signifying what is empty and separated from truths, "waters" meaning truths; "the high places of Aven shall be destroyed" signifies the destruction of principles of falsity and of the reasonings therefrom of those who are in that worship, which viewed in itself is interiorly idolatrous; for those who are in the evil of life and the falsities of doctrine worship themselves and the world; "the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars" signifies that truth falsified and evil therefrom, shall be in all their worship, "altars" meaning all worship.

391h.

[29] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, that the horns of the altar may be hewn down and fall to the earth (Amos 3:14).

"To visit the transgressions of Israel upon him" signifies their last state, in the spiritual sense their state after death, when they are to be judged; it is said "to visit," instead of to judge, because visitation always precedes judgment; "the altars of Bethel" signify the worship from evil; "the horns of the altar" signify worship from falsities, thus these signify all things of worship; and that these are to be destroyed is signified by "the horns shall be hewn down and fall to the earth." It is said, "I will visit upon the altars of Bethel," because Jeroboam separated the Israelites from the Jews, and erected two altars, one in Bethel and the other in Dan; and as "Bethel" and "Dan" signify the ultimates in the church, and the ultimates in the man of the church are called natural-sensual things, or natural-worldly and corporeal, so these are signified by "Bethel," and "Dan," the ultimates of good by "Bethel," and the ultimates of truth by "Dan;" therefore these two altars signify worship in ultimates or in things most external, such as is the worship of those who separate charity from their faith, and acknowledge faith alone to be the means of salvation.

Such persons therefore, think of religion in the natural-sensual; consequently they neither understand nor desire to understand any of the things they say they believe, saying that the understanding must be under obedience to faith. Such as these were represented by the Israelites separated from the Jews, or by Samaria separated from Jerusalem, and the worship of such was represented by the altars in Bethel and Dan; such worship, insofar as it is separated from charity, is no worship, for in it the mouth speaks apart from the understanding and the will, that is, apart from the mind; apart from the understanding, because they say that men ought to believe even though they do not understand; and apart from the will because they put aside deeds or goods of charity.

[30] That such worship is no worship is signified by what is said in the first book of Kings:

When Jeroboam stood by the altar in Bethel, the man of God cried out to him that the altar should be rent, and the ashes poured out; and so it came to pass (1 Kings 12:26 at the end; 1 Kings 13:1-6).

"The altar should be rent and the ashes poured out" signifies that there was no worship whatever. Faith separated from charity was then signified by "Samaria," because the Jewish kingdom signified the celestial church, that is, the church that is in the good of love, and the Israelitish kingdom signified the spiritual church which is in the truths from that good. This was signified by the Jewish and Israelitish kingdom while they were under one king, or while they were united; but when they were separated, the Israelitish kingdom signified truth separated from good, or what is the same, faith separated from charity. Moreover, worship is signified by "the altar," because it is signified by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices that were offered upon it, in many other passages too numerous to be cited. And because idolatrous worship was signified by "the altars of the nations," therefore it was commanded that they should be everywhere destroyed (See Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3; Judges 2:2).

[31] This makes clear that altars were in use among all the posterity of Eber, thus among all who were called Hebrews, who for the most part were in the land of Canaan and its immediate neighborhood; likewise in Syria, from which Abraham came. That there were altars in the land of Canaan and its neighborhood is evident from the altars mentioned there as destroyed:

That there were altars in Syria is evident from the account of those built by Balaam, who was from Syria (Numbers 23:1).

Also from the altar in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-15).

Also from the Egyptian abominating the Hebrews on account of their sacrifices (Exodus 8:26);

Even so that they were unwilling to eat bread with them (Genesis 43:32).

The reason of this was that to the Ancient Church, which was a representative church and extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, sacrifices were unknown, and when they were instituted by Eber it looked upon them as abominable, that is, that they should wish to appease God by the slaughter of different animals, thus by blood. Among those who were of the Ancient Church were also the Egyptians; but as they applied representatives to magic that church became extinct among them. They were unwilling to eat bread with the Hebrews, because at that time "dinners" and "suppers" represented and thus signified spiritual consociation, which is consociation and conjunction through those things that pertain to the church; and "bread" signified in general all spiritual food and thus "dining" and "supping" all conjunction.

[32] (That the Ancient Church extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, namely through Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia, even to Tyre and Zidon, through the land of Canaan, on both sides of the Jordan, see Arcana Coelestia 1238, 2385; that it was a representative church, n. 519, 521, 2896; respecting the church instituted by Eber, which was called the Hebrew Church, n. 1238, 1341, 1343, 4516, 4517. That sacrifices were first begun by Eber, and were afterwards in use among his posterity, n. 1128, 1343, 2180, 10042. That sacrifices were not commanded, but only permitted, shown from the Word; why they were said to have been commanded, n. 922, 2180, 2818; that it was necessary that altars and sacrifices should be mentioned, and that Divine worship should be signified by them, because the Word was written in that nation, and the historical Word treated of that nation, n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604)

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