※ (주2). The Lord’s predictions in Matthew (24 and 25), respecting the consummation of the age and His coming, and the consequent successive vastation of the church and the final judgment, are explained in the prefaces to chapters 26–40 of Genesis (n. 3353–3356, 3486–3489, 3650–3655, 3751–3757, 3897–3901, 4056–4060, 4229–4231, 4332–4335, 4422–4424, 4635–4638, 4661–4664, 4807–4810, 4954–4959, 5063–5071).
THE LAST JUDGMENT (마24:23-28)
3897
In accordance with the plan adopted it is now necessary to explain, as a preface to this chapter, what the Lord taught concerning the last judgment, or the last times of the church, in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. Before the preceding chapter of Genesis there was explained what is contained in this chapter of Matthew from verse 19 to 22. Now follows what is contained in verses 23 to 28.
23그 때에 사람이 너희에게 말하되 보라 그리스도가 여기 있다 혹은 저기 있다 하여도 믿지 말라 24거짓 그리스도들과 거짓 선지자들이 일어나 큰 표적과 기사를 보여 할 수만 있으면 택하신 자들도 미혹하리라 25보라 내가 너희에게 미리 말하였노라 26그러면 사람들이 너희에게 말하되 보라 그리스도가 광야에 있다 하여도 나가지 말고 보라 골방에 있다 하여도 믿지 말라 27번개가 동편에서 나서 서편까지 번쩍임 같이 인자의 임함도 그러하리라 28주검이 있는 곳에는 독수리들이 모일 것이니라 (마24:23-28) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo here is the Christ, or there, believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, to lead astray if possible even the elect. Behold I have told you before. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert, go not out; Behold he is in the inner chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning cometh forth out of the east and appeareth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (Matt. 24:23–28).
3898
What these words involve no one can know except from the internal sense—as that false Christs shall arise who shall give signs and wonders; and that if men should say that Christ is in the desert, they should not go out; and that if they should say that he is in the inner chambers, they should not believe it; and that the coming of the son of man shall be as the lightning which cometh forth from the east and appeareth even unto the west; and also that wheresoever the carcass is, there also will the eagles be gathered together. These things, like those which precede and that follow in this chapter, seem not to stand in any series as to the sense of the letter; but yet in the internal sense they are in a most beautiful series, which first becomes apparent when it is understood what is signified by “false Christs”; what by “signs and wonders”; what by the “desert” and the “inner chambers”; also what by the “coming of the son of man”; and lastly what by the “carcass” and the “eagles.”
[2] The reason why the Lord spoke in this manner was in order that the people might not understand the Word, lest they should profane it; for when the church has been vastated, as it then was with the Jews, if men understood it they would profane it; wherefore for the same reason the Lord also spoke by parables, as he himself teaches in Matthew (13:13–15; Mark 4:11, 12; Luke 8:10). For the Word cannot be profaned by those who do not know its mysteries; but by those who do (see n. 301–303, 593, 1008, 1010, 1059, 1327, 1328, 2051, 3398, 3402); and more by those who appear to themselves learned than by those who seem to themselves unlearned.
[3] But the reason why the interiors of the Word are now being opened, is that the church at this day has been so far vastated (that is, is so devoid of faith and love) that although men know and understand, still they do not acknowledge, and much less believe (see n. 3398, 3399), except a few who are in the life of good and are called the “elect,” who can now be instructed, and with whom a new church is to be instituted. But where these are, the Lord alone knows; there will be few within the church; it has been among the gentiles that previous new churches have been set up (see n. 2986).
3899
In what precedes in this chapter of Matthew the successive vastation of the church has been treated of—that they should first begin no longer to know what good and truth are, but should dispute about them; next that they should despise them; thirdly that they should not acknowledge them; and fourthly that they should profane them (see n. 3754). The subject now treated of is the state of the church in respect to its quality at that time as to doctrine in general, and with those specifically who are in holy external worship, but in profane internal worship; that is, who with the mouth profess the Lord with holy reverence, but at heart worship themselves and the world, so that with them the worship of the Lord is a means of gaining honors and wealth. Insofar as these persons have acknowledged the Lord, and the heavenly life and faith, so far do they profane them when they become of such a character. This state of the church is now treated of, as may better appear from the internal sense of the Lord’s words quoted above, which is as follows.
3900
그 때에 사람이 너희에게 말하되 보라 그리스도가 여기 있다 혹은 저기 있다 하여도 믿지 말라 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo here is the Christ, or there; believe it not;
signifies an exhortation to beware of their doctrine. “The Christ” is the Lord as to Divine truth, and hence as to the Word and as to doctrine from the Word. That here the contrary is meant, namely, Divine truth falsified, or the doctrine of falsity is evident. (That “Jesus” is Divine good, and “Christ” Divine truth, may be seen above, n. 3004, 3005, 3008, 3009.)
[2] 거짓 그리스도들과 거짓 선지자들이 일어나 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets;
signifies the falsities of that doctrine. That “false Christs” are doctrinal things from the Word falsified, or truths not Divine, is manifest from what has been said just above (see also n. 3010, 3732 at the end); and that “false prophets” are those who teach such falsities (n. 2534). In the Christian world they who teach falsities are especially those who have as their end their own preeminence, and the riches of the world; for they pervert the truths of the Word in their own favor; for when the love of self and of the world is the end, nothing else is thought of. These are “false Christs and false prophets.”
[3] 큰 표적과 기사를 보여 And they shall give great signs and wonders;
signifies things that confirm and persuade from external appearances and fallacies, by which the simple suffer themselves to be led astray. That this is “giving signs and wonders” will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown elsewhere.
[4] 할 수만 있으면 택하신 자들도 미혹하리라 To lead astray if possible even the elect;
signifies those who are in the life of good and truth, and are consequently with the Lord. These are they who in the Word are called the “elect.” In the company of those who veil over profane worship with what is holy, such are rarely seen; or if seen, they are not known; for the Lord hides them, and thus protects them. For before they have been confirmed they suffer themselves to be easily led away by external sanctities; but after they have been confirmed they remain steadfast, being kept by the Lord in the company of angels, without knowing it; and it is then impossible for them to be led astray by that wicked crew.
[5] 보라 내가 너희에게 미리 말하였노라 Behold, I have told you before;
signifies an exhortation to prudence, that is, to beware; for they are among false prophets, who appear in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves (Matt. 7:15). The “false prophets” are the sons of the age, who are more prudent in their generation (that is, more crafty) than the sons of light (as described in Luke 16:8). For which reason the Lord exhorts them in the words, “Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore prudent as serpents and simple as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
[6] 그러면 사람들이 너희에게 말하되 보라 그리스도가 광야에 있다 하여도 나가지 말고 보라 골방에 있다 하여도 믿지 말라 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert, go not forth; Behold he is in the inner chambers, believe it not;
signifies that what they say about truth, and what they say about good, as well as many other things, are not to be believed. That this is what is signified, no one can see except the man who is acquainted with the internal sense. That a mystery is contained in these words may be known from the fact that the Lord spoke them, and that without any other sense more interiorly hidden the words amount to nothing— namely, that if they should say that the Christ was in the desert they were not to go forth; and if they should say that he was in the inner chambers, they were not to believe it. But it is vastated truth that is signified by the “desert”; and vastated good by the “inner chambers,” or secret recesses. The reason why vastated truth is signified by the “desert” is that when the church is vastated (that is, when there is no longer any Divine truth in it, because there is no longer any good, or love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor), it is then said to be a “desert,” or to be in a “desert”; for by a “desert” or “wilderness” is meant whatever is not cultivated or inhabited (n. 2708); also whatever has little life (n. 1927), as is then the case with truth in the church. This shows that the “desert” here is a church in which there is no truth.
[7] But the “inner chambers,” or secret recesses, in the internal sense signify the church as to good, and also simply good. The church that is in good is called the “house of God.” The “inner chambers,” and the things within the house, are goods. (That the “house of God” is Divine good; and a “house” in general, the good of love and charity, may be seen above, n. 2233, 2234, 2559, 3142, 3652, 3720.) The reason why that which men say about truth, and what they say about good, is not to be believed, is that they call falsity truth, and evil good; for they who regard themselves and the world as their end, understand nothing else by truth and good than that they themselves are to be adored, and are to receive benefits; and if they breathe forth piety, it is that they may appear in sheep’s clothing.
[8] Moreover, as the Word spoken by the Lord contains innumerable things within it, and as “desert” or “wilderness” is a word of wide signification, for all that is called a “wilderness” which is not cultivated and inhabited, and all interior things are called “inner chambers”; therefore by a “desert” is also signified the Word of the Old Testament, because this is regarded as abrogated; and by “inner chambers” the Word of the New Testament, because this teaches interior things, or those which concern the internal man. So also the whole Word is called a “desert,” because it no longer serves for doctrinal things; and human institutions are called “inner chambers,” which, because they depart from the precepts and institutes of the Word, make the Word to be a “desert.” This is also known in the Christian world; for they who are in holy external and in profane internal worship, for the sake of innovations which look to their preeminence over all and their opulence above all as the ends in view, abrogate the Word, and this so far as not even to permit it to be read by others. And although they who are not in such profane worship hold the Word to be holy, and permit it to be among the people, they nevertheless bend and explain all things therein in favor of their doctrinal matters, which causes the rest of what is in the Word, and which is not in accordance with their doctrinal matters, to be a “desert.”
This may be sufficiently evident from the case of those who make salvation to consist in faith alone, and hold in contempt the works of charity. All that the Lord himself has spoken in the New Testament, and so many times in the Old, concerning love and charity, they make as a “desert”; and all the things that belong to faith without works, they make as “inner chambers.” It is manifest from this what is signified by the words, “If they say unto you, Behold he is in the desert, go not forth; Behold he is in the inner chambers, believe it not.”
[9] 번개가 동편에서 나서 서편까지 번쩍임 같이 인자의 임함도 그러하리라 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and appeareth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the son of man be;
signifies that it was with the internal worship of the Lord as with lightning, which is instantly dissipated. For by the “lightning” is signified that which is of heavenly light, and thus that which is preached about love and faith, because these are of heavenly light. In the supreme sense the “east” is the Lord; and in the internal sense, the good of love, of charity, and of faith from the Lord (see n. 101, 1250, 3249). But the “west” in the internal sense is that which has gone down or has ceased to be; thus it signifies no acknowledgment of the Lord, nor of the good of love, charity, and faith; and so the lightning that cometh out of the east and appeareth even unto the west denotes dissipation. The coming of the Lord is not according to the letter, that he is to appear again in the world; but it is his presence in everyone; and this exists whenever the gospel is preached and what is holy is thought of.
[10] 주검이 있는 곳에는 독수리들이 모일 것이니라 For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together;
signifies that confirmations of falsity by means of reasonings will be multiplied in the vastated church. When the church is without the good and consequently without the truth of faith (that is, when it has been vastated), it is said to be “dead,” for its life is from good and truth; and hence when dead it is compared to a “carcass.” Reasonings concerning goods and truths that make these out to be nothing except insofar as they are apprehended, and confirmations of evil and falsity thereby, are the “eagles,” as is evident from that which now follows. That the “carcass” here is the church devoid of the life of charity and faith is manifest from the words of the Lord in Luke, where he speaks of the consummation of the age:
그들이 대답하여 이르되 주여 어디오니이까 이르시되 주검 있는 곳에는 독수리가 모이느니라 하시니라 (눅17:37) The disciples said (referring to the consummation of the age, or the last judgment), Where Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the eagles also be gathered together (Luke 17:37).
“Body” here stands in place of “carcass,” for it is a dead body that is meant, and it signifies the church; for that the judgment was to commence from the house of God or from the church is evident from various passages in the Word. This is what is signified in the internal sense by the Lord’s words now adduced and unfolded. That they are in a most beautiful series, although this does not appear in the sense of the letter, must be evident to anyone who contemplates them in their connection according to the explication.
3901
The reason why the last state of the church is compared to “eagles” gathered together to a “carcass,” or to a “body” is that by “eagles” are signified man’s rational things, which when predicated of the good, are true rational things; but when predicated of the evil, are false rational things or reasonings. “Birds” in general signify man’s thoughts, in both senses good and bad (n. 40, 745, 776, 866, 991, 3219); and every species has a special signification. As eagles fly high and are sharp-sighted, they signify rational things. That this is the case may be seen from many passages in the Word, of which in confirmation we may adduce the following. First, where they signify true rational things; in Moses:
10여호와께서 그를 황무지에서, 짐승이 부르짖는 광야에서 만나시고 호위하시며 보호하시며 자기의 눈동자 같이 지키셨도다 11마치 독수리가 자기의 보금자리를 어지럽게 하며 자기의 새끼 위에 너풀거리며 그의 날개를 펴서 새끼를 받으며 그의 날개 위에 그것을 업는 것 같이 (신32:10, 11) Jehovah found his people in a desert land, and in emptiness, in wailing, in solitude: he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the pupil of the eye; as the eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth out her wings, taketh him, beareth him upon her wings (Deut. 32:10–11).
Instruction in the truths and goods of faith is what is here described, and is compared to the “eagle.” The very process until man becomes rational and spiritual is contained in the description and comparison. The comparisons in the Word are all made by means of significatives; thus here by the “eagle,” which is the rational.
[2] In the same: Jehovah said to Moses:
3모세가 하나님 앞에 올라가니 여호와께서 산에서 그를 불러 말씀하시되 너는 이같이 야곱의 집에 말하고 이스라엘 자손들에게 말하라 4내가 애굽 사람에게 어떻게 행하였음과 내가 어떻게 독수리 날개로 너희를 업어 내게로 인도하였음을 너희가 보았느니라 (출19:3, 4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and bare you up upon eagles’ wings, that I might bring you unto myself (Exod. 19:3–4);
denoting the same. In Isaiah:
오직 여호와를 앙망하는 자는 새 힘을 얻으리니 독수리가 날개치며 올라감 같을 것이요 달음박질하여도 곤비하지 아니하겠고 걸어가도 피곤하지 아니하리로다 (사40:31) They that wait upon Jehovah shall be renewed in strength, they shall mount up with strong wing as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isa. 40:31);
“to be renewed in strength” is to grow as to the willing of good; and “to mount up with strong wing as eagles” is to grow as to the understanding of truth, thus as to the rational. The subject is set forth here as elsewhere by two expressions, one of which involves the good which is of the will, and the other the truth which is of the understanding; and the case is the same with the expressions, “they shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.”
[3] In Ezekiel:
2인자야 너는 이스라엘 족속에게 수수께끼와 비유를 말하라 3여호와께서 이같이 말씀하여 이르시되 색깔이 화려하고 날개가 크고 깃이 길고 털이 숱한 큰 독수리가 레바논에 이르러 백향목 높은 가지를 꺾되 4그 연한 가지 끝을 꺾어 가지고 장사하는 땅에 이르러 상인의 성읍에 두고 5또 그 땅의 종자를 꺾어 옥토에 심되 수양버들 가지처럼 큰 물 가에 심더니 6그것이 자라며 퍼져서 높지 아니한 포도나무 곧 굵은 가지와 가는 가지가 난 포도나무가 되어 그 가지는 독수리를 향하였고 그 뿌리는 독수리 아래에 있었더라 7또 날개가 크고 털이 많은 큰 독수리 하나가 있었는데 그 포도나무가 이 독수리에게 물을 받으려고 그 심어진 두둑에서 그를 향하여 뿌리가 뻗고 가지가 퍼졌도다 8그 포도나무를 큰 물 가 옥토에 심은 것은 가지를 내고 열매를 맺어서 아름다운 포도나무를 이루게 하려 하였음이라 9너는 이르기를 주 여호와의 말씀에 그 나무가 능히 번성하겠느냐 이 독수리가 어찌 그 뿌리를 빼고 열매를 따며 그 나무가 시들게 하지 아니하겠으며 그 연한 잎사귀가 마르게 하지 아니하겠느냐 많은 백성이나 강한 팔이 아니라도 그 뿌리를 뽑으리라, 15그가 사절을 애굽에 보내 말과 군대를 구함으로 바벨론 왕을 배반하였으니 형통하겠느냐 이런 일을 행한 자가 피하겠느냐 언약을 배반하고야 피하겠느냐 (겔17:2-9, 15) Speak a parable about the house of Israel, and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, A great eagle, with long pinions, full of feathers, that had embroidery, came upon Lebanon, and took a twig of the cedar; he carried it into a land of traffic, he set it in a city of spice merchants. It grew, and became a spreading vine. There was another great eagle, with great and many feathers; and behold this vine did bend its roots toward him, and sent forth its branches toward him, that he might water it from the beds of its plantations in a good field, by many waters; but it shall be laid waste. He sent his ambassadors into Egypt that they might give him horses and much people (Ezek. 17:2–9, 15).
The “eagle” first mentioned denotes the rational enlightened by the Divine; the “eagle” mentioned in the second place denotes the rational from what is man’s own, afterwards become perverted through reasonings from sensuous things and memory-knowledges. (“Egypt” denotes memory-knowledges, see n. 1164–1165, 1186, 1462; “horses” the intellectual from them, n. 2761–2762, 3217.)
[4] In Daniel:
3큰 짐승 넷이 바다에서 나왔는데 그 모양이 각각 다르더라 4첫째는 사자와 같은데 독수리의 날개가 있더니 내가 보는 중에 그 날개가 뽑혔고 또 땅에서 들려서 사람처럼 두 발로 서게 함을 받았으며 또 사람의 마음을 받았더라 또 보니 (단7:3, 4) The vision of Daniel: Four beasts came up out of the sea, diverse one from another; the first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon its feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it (Dan. 7:3–4).
The first state of the church is what is here described by a “lion that had eagle’s wings”; and the “eagle’s wings” here are rational things from what is man’s own, on the taking away of which they were given rational and voluntary things from the Divine, which are signified by its “being taken up from the earth, and made to stand upon its feet like a man, and having a man’s heart given to it.”
[5] In Ezekiel, in the description of the likeness of the faces of the four living creatures, or cherubs:
그 얼굴들의 모양은 넷의 앞은 사람의 얼굴이요 넷의 오른쪽은 사자의 얼굴이요 넷의 왼쪽은 소의 얼굴이요 넷의 뒤는 독수리의 얼굴이니 (겔1:10) They had the face of a man, and they four had the face of a lion on the right side, and they four had the face of an ox on the left side, and they four had the face of an eagle (Ezek. 1:10).
13내가 들으니 그 바퀴들을 도는 것이라 부르며 14그룹들에게는 각기 네 면이 있는데 첫째 면은 그룹의 얼굴이요 둘째 면은 사람의 얼굴이요 셋째는 사자의 얼굴이요 넷째는 독수리의 얼굴이더라 (겔10:13, 14) As for the wheels they were called galgal [whirling wheels], and everyone had four faces; the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle (Ezek. 10:13–14).
In John:
6보좌 앞에 수정과 같은 유리 바다가 있고 보좌 가운데와 보좌 주위에 네 생물이 있는데 앞뒤에 눈들이 가득하더라 7그 첫째 생물은 사자 같고 그 둘째 생물은 송아지 같고 그 셋째 생물은 얼굴이 사람 같고 그 넷째 생물은 날아가는 독수리 같은데 (계4:6, 7) Round about the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind; the first living creature was like a lion; and the second living creature was like a calf; and the third living creature had a face as a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle (Rev. 4:6–7).
That the living creatures thus seen signify Divine arcana is evident; and consequently so does the “likeness of their faces”; but what arcana in particular are signified cannot be known unless it is known what in the internal sense is a “lion,” a “calf,” a “man,” and an “eagle.” That the “face of an eagle” is circumspection and consequently providence is manifest; for the cherubs represented by the living creatures in Ezekiel signify the providence of the Lord lest man should enter into the mysteries of faith from himself and his own rational (see n. 308). This shows that when it is predicated of man, the “eagle” is in the internal sense the rational; and this for the reason that the eagle flies high, and from above has a wide view of the things that are below.
[6] In Job:
26매가 떠올라서 날개를 펼쳐 남쪽으로 향하는 것이 어찌 네 지혜로 말미암음이냐 27독수리가 공중에 떠서 높은 곳에 보금자리를 만드는 것이 어찌 네 명령을 따름이냐 (욥39:26, 27) Does the hawk fly by thine intelligence, and stretch her wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? (Job 39:26–27);
it is evident that the “eagle” here is reason, which is of intelligence. Such was the signification of the “eagle” in the ancient church; for the book of Job is a book of the ancient church (see n. 3540, end). Almost all the books of that period were written by means of significatives; but in process of time the significatives have become so completely forgotten that it is not even known that “birds” in general denote thoughts, although they are so frequently mentioned in the Word and it appears quite plain that they have another meaning.
[7] That in the opposite sense an “eagle” signifies rational things that are not true, and thus are false, is evident from the following passages. In Moses:
49곧 여호와께서 멀리 땅 끝에서 한 민족을 독수리가 날아오는 것 같이 너를 치러 오게 하시리니 이는 네가 그 언어를 알지 못하는 민족이요 50그 용모가 흉악한 민족이라 노인을 보살피지 아니하며 유아를 불쌍히 여기지 아니하며 (신28:49, 50) Jehovah shall bring upon thee a nation from far from the end of the earth, as the eagle flieth, a nation whose tongue thou hearest not, a nation hard in faces (Deut. 28:49–50).
In Jeremiah:
보라 그가 구름 같이 올라오나니 그의 병거는 회오리바람 같고 그의 말들은 독수리보다 빠르도다 우리에게 화 있도다 우리는 멸망하도다 하리라 (렘4:13) Behold he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! For we are laid waste (Jer. 4:13).
16바위 틈에 살며 산꼭대기를 점령한 자여 스스로 두려운 자인 줄로 여김과 네 마음의 교만이 너를 속였도다 네가 독수리 같이 보금자리를 높은 데에 지었을지라도 내가 그리로부터 너를 끌어내리리라 이는 여호와의 말씀이니라, 22보라 원수가 독수리 같이 날아와서 그의 날개를 보스라 위에 펴는 그 날에 에돔 용사의 마음이 진통하는 여인 같이 되리라 하시니라 (렘49:16, 22) Thy boasting hath deceived thee, the pride of thy heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill; because thou makest thy nest as high as the eagle I will bring thee down from thence. Behold he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings above Bozrah; and the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs (Jer. 49:16, 22).
우리를 뒤쫓는 자들이 하늘의 독수리들보다 빠름이여 산 꼭대기까지도 뒤쫓으며 광야에서도 우리를 잡으려고 매복하였도다 (애4:19) Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles; they chased us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness (Lam. 4:19).
In Micah:
너는 네 기뻐하는 자식으로 인하여 네 머리털을 깎아 대머리 같게 할지어다 네 머리가 크게 벗어지게 하기를 독수리 같게 할지어다 이는 그들이 사로잡혀 너를 떠났음이라 (미1:16) Make thee bald, and poll thee for the sons of thy delights; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee (Micah 1:16).
In Obadiah:
네가 독수리처럼 높이 오르며 별 사이에 깃들일지라도 내가 거기에서 너를 끌어내리리라 여호와의 말씀이니라 (옵1:4) Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence (Obad. 4).
In Habukkuk:
6보라 내가 사납고 성급한 백성 곧 땅이 넓은 곳으로 다니며 자기의 소유가 아닌 거처들을 점령하는 갈대아 사람을 일으켰나니, 8그들의 군마는 표범보다 빠르고 저녁 이리보다 사나우며 그들의 마병은 먼 곳에서부터 빨리 달려오는 마병이라 마치 먹이를 움키려 하는 독수리의 날음과 같으니라 (합1:6, 8) I am stirring up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth through the breadths of the land to inherit dwelling places that are not theirs. Their horses are swifter than eagles;1 their horsemen come from far, they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour (Hab. 1:6, 8).
[8] By “eagles” in these passages is signified falsity induced by reasonings, which is induced from the fallacies of the senses and external appearances. That by the “Chaldeans” in the prophet last cited are signified those who are in a holy external, but interiorly in falsity, may be seen above (n. 1368); also that they who vastate the church are like Babylon (n. 1327); that the “breadths of the land” denote truths (n. 3433, 3434). Vastation is signified by “marching through the breadths of the land.” Their “horses” are their intellectual things, which are similar (see n. 2761, 2762, 3217). What the “eagle hastening to devour” signifies, is thus evident, namely, the desolation of man in respect to truths; for the desolation of the church is there treated of. Comparisons are here made with eagles; but as before said, the comparisons in the Word are made by means of significatives. From all this we can now see what is signified by the comparison with the “eagles that will be gathered together to the carcass.”
