282. 'Out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation' signifies that those who, in the Church or any religion, are in truths as to doctrine and in goods as to life have been redeemed by the Lord. By 'tribe' is signified the Church as to religion; by 'tongue' is signified its doctrine, of which [more will be said] presently; by 'people' are signified those who are in truths of doctrine, and abstractly the truths of doctrine (n. 483); and by 'nations' are signified those who are in goods of life, and abstractly the goods of life (n. 483). It is plain from these considerations that by 'out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation' such things as have been said are signified, as also (n. 627). [2] Here it shall now be confirmed that by 'tongue' in the spiritual sense is signified the doctrine that is of the Church, and that of any religion. This is plain from these passages:-
My tongue shall meditate on Thy justice, on Thy praise all the day Ps. lxxi 24.
Then shall the lame man leap as a stag, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out Isa. xxxv 6.
The tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak Isa. xxxii 4.
It appears there as if by 'tongue' speech may be understood, but in the spiritual sense that which is spoken is understood and this is all the truth of doctrine which will be with them from the Lord. In like manner:-
I have, sworn that unto Me every knee is going to bow, and every tongue is going to swear Isa. xlv 23.
The time shall come for gathering all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory Isa. lxvi x8.
In those days ten men out of all the tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, because We have heard God is with you Zech. viii 23.
These passages also are concerned with the conversion of the nations by the Lord to what is true of doctrine. [3] By 'tongues' in the opposite sense, however, are signified untrue doctrines, in these passages:-
A man of tongue* shall not continue to exist in the land Ps. cxl 11 [H.B. 12].
Thou hidest them in Thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues Ps. xxxi 20 [H.B. 21].
I will bring upon you a nation, whose tongue thou shalt not recognise Jer. v 15, 16.
Sent to peoples harsh of tongue Ezek. iii 5, 6.
To a people barbarous of tongue Isa. xxxiii 19.
It is to be known that 'tongue' as an organ signifies doctrine, while as speech it also signifies religion. [4] He who knows that 'tongue' signifies doctrine is able to understand what is signified by the words of the rich man in hell to Abraham,
that he would send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool his tongue, that he should not be tormented in the flame Luke xvi 24.
'Water' signifies truth, and 'tongue' doctrine, by the untruths of which he was tormented, and not by a flame; for no one in hell is in a flame, but the flame there is the appearance of a love of what is untrue and fire is the appearance of a love of evil. * AV 'an evil speaker'.
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