Trials By Fire, Trials By Water

Believers undergo two types of interior trial without which they cannot regenerate, the trial by fire (which involves love and hate) and the trial by water (which involves truth and falsehood). Here are two verses indicating the existence of these trials side by side: "Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place" (Psalms 66:12).

"And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us" (Mark 9:22).

If you do not pass these trials by fire and water, then you do not overcome; if you do not overcome, then you do not go to Heaven. If you pass the trials by fire, then you have the seal of God in your hand; but if you do not pass the trials by fire, then you have the mark of the beast in your hand. If you pass the trials by water, then you have the seal of God in your forehead; but if you do not pass the trials by water, then you have the mark of the beast in your forehead. For these marks are symbolic of spiritual things, and have nothing whatsoever to do with human science or geopolitics but rather with the age old choice between righteousness and understanding or sin and error, Heaven or Hell.

Here is a verse directly about the trial by fire: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you" (1 Peter 4:12). And here are two verses directly about the trial by water: "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me" (Psalms 69:1-2).

These trials can try individuals such as you or I; and they can try entire Churches, such as the Church of Sinai and the Christian Church. What is an example of a collective trial by fire? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walking unscathed in the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel. What are some examples of collective trials by water? Noah's ark floating upon the great flood waters. The Church of Sinai crossing the Red Sea on dry ground. What are the corresponding examples of people collectively not overcoming in trials of fire and water respectively? The Nephilim dying in the great flood waters. Pharaoh's army drowning in the Red Sea. The Babylonian guards dying when putting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fiery furnace.

What does this template look like in real life? Like the non-acceptance by the Church which was at Sinai of its Messiah, who were therefore drowned and burnt up spiritually speaking; and like the acceptance of its Messiah of a new church, the Christian one, which are like the end of one day and the dawn of another, the latter being a new bottle for new wine.

" 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.'" (Rev. 3:19) This symbolically means that those of them who do so are loved by the Lord, and it must be that they are then introduced into temptations or trials, so that they battle against themselves. It is apparent that this is what this statement means, for it says, "as many as I love," which means those people who "buy from the Lord gold refined in the fire" and who "anoint their eyes with eye salve, that they may see" [which salve here fills the place of trial by water because it pertains to eyes: understanding]. It says "I rebuke and chasten them," which means temptation or trial as regards falsities and evils -- to rebuke meaning temptation or trial as regards falsities, and to chasten, temptation or trial as regards evils" (AR215).

One could cite numerous verses pairing fire with water which varies according to local context but employs the same general senses. But here is one that is particularly lovely and consoling and thus an appropriate conclusion: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isaiah 43:2).

Godspeed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jesus and the obsessive architecture of the mind

Often, in Christianity and other religions, 'rewards' are mentioned. People often assume that if they live a good life, they will be rewarded for this. But this, while to an extent true - if we do not appropriate the merit as the Nicolaitans do, or commit hypocritical works -- misses the most important part: "The delight itself which is in the love of doing what is good without any recompense is the reward which remains to eternity" (New Jerusalem 155). We are even told, "Heaven is wishing better for others than for ourselves with all our heart and serving others for the sake of their own happiness, not for any selfish goal but for love" (Arcana Coelestia 452:4). There's only one problem. We don't start out like this. We are all of us naturally selfish -- what Christianity calls "the flesh", what the modern world calls "the ego", and what the New Church calls "the propium" -- but by working on ourselves and appealing t
Read more

The worst states of your heart and mind should become retrospectively milder

Image
People who pay attention to their faces, their interiors, while God orchestrates their several regenerations will notice the recurrence of troughs; when one uses the word "trough", one means the nastiest 'visitors' -- thoughts and feelings -- which arrive in the inside of the cup, the mind, and the inside of the platter, the heart.  If you are genuinely being regenerated, then you will certainly notice that the troughs become milder over time. Utterly vile feelings and thoughts become gradually and perceptibly milder, in such a way that the process is obvious.  For instance, someone whose head regularly filled up with sexual fantasies involving violence, death, cannibalism, absence of consent, multiplicity of partners, etc, will perceptibly notice that the worst sexual scenarios become obviously milder to the mind's eye. It is the same with other classes of sin and error. If someone was extremely contemptuous of others or bitter about the past, they should -- if G
Read more

Ephesians ch.3 especially involves careful instructions to the loving on how to interpret prophecy

A particularly useful but neglected corner of Paul is the 3rd chapter of Ephesians, in which Paul gives careful instructions to the loving on how to interpret prophecy: Ephesians 3:16-19. Paul could not be more explicit: "that they may comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ"; explicit about what? About the supposed architectural dimensions of the temples described in Ezekiel and Revelation. Those who reject living water, as Jeremiah tells, carve them out cisterns which can hold no water. Those who reject living water make much of rebuilding a physical temple, but this is a cistern that can hold no water. It does no good to someone whose needs involve learning how to become humbler and more sincere, helpfuller and less seeking for a reward; but a temple made out of LOVE that is the Church does do good to someone with these pressing needs.  So, one noted that Ephesians ch. 3 is especially instruction
Read more