52. 'And out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword (romphaea) going forth' signifies the dispersion by the Lord of untruths by means of the Word and doctrine. Mention is frequently made in the Word of 'sword' (gladius), short sword' (machoera), and 'long sword' (romphaea), and by them nothing else is signified but truth fighting against untruths and destroying them, and also in the opposite sense what is untrue fighting against truths; for by 'wars' in the Word spiritual wars are signified, and these are of what is true against what is untrue and of what is untrue against what is true, and therefore by 'weapons of war' such things are signified as are fought with in these wars. It is plain that the dispersion by the Lord of untruths is understood here by 'sword' (romphaea), because it was seen to go out of His mouth, and to go out of the Lord's mouth is to go out of the Word, for the Lord has spoken this with the mouth; and because the Word is understood by means of doctrine therefrom, this is signified also. It is said, 'a sharp two-edged sword' because it penetrates the heart and soul. [2] So that it may be known that by 'sword' (romphaea) here the dispersion by the Lord of untruths by means of the Word is understood, some passages will be adduced where 'sword' (gladius) is mentioned, from which this can be seen viz:-
O sword against Babel, her princes and wise men: O sword against the liars, that they may become foolish: O sword against the mighty, that they may be dismayed: O sword against her horses and chariots. O sword against her treasures, that they may be plundered. A drought upon her waters that they may be dried up Jer. l 35-38.
These things [are said] of Babel, by which those who falsify and adulterate the Word are understood. Consequently by the 'liars' who will become foolish, 'the horses and chariots' upon which the sword [will fall], and the 'treasures' that will be plundered, are signified the untruths of their doctrine. That the waters 'upon which there is a drought that they may be dried up' signify truths maybe seen just above (n. 50).
[3] Prophesy and say, The sword is sharpened, and also furbished, sharpened to slaughter a slaughtering; let the sword be repeated the third time, the sword of those who are pierced; the sword of a great piercing, piercing the innermost recesses, that stumbling blocks may be multiplied Ezek. xxi 14-20, 28.
By 'sword' here also is understood the laying waste of truth in the Church.
Jehovah will deliver judgment with His sword upon all flesh, and the pierced of Jehovah shall be multiplied Isa. lxvi 16.
Here and elsewhere in the Word, they are said to be 'pierced of Jehovah' who perish through untruths.
The spoilers have come upon all the hills in the wilderness; the sword of Jehovah devouring from one end of the land even to the other Jer. xii 12.
We get our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness Lam. v 9.
Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock; the sword [shall be] upon his arm, and upon his right eye Zech. xi 17.
The sword upon the shepherd's right eye is the untruth of his understanding.
The sons of men are set on fire, their tongue is a sharp sword Ps. lvii 4 [H.B. 5].
Behold, they belch out with their mouth, a sword in their lips Ps. lix 7 [H.B. 8].
The workers of iniquity whet their tongue like a sword Ps. lxiv 3 [H.B. 4].
Like things are signified by 'sword' elsewhere, as Isa. xiii 13, 15; xxi 14, 15; xxvii 1; xxxi 7, 8; Jer. ii 30; v 12; xi 22; xiv 13-18; Ezek. vii 15; xxxii 10, 11, 12. [4] It can be established from these what was understood by the Lord by means of 'sword' in these places:-
Jesus said, He had not come to send peace upon the land, but a sword Matt. x 34.
Jesus said, He who does not have a purse and scrip, let him sell his garments, and buy a sword. The disciples said, Lord, Behold two swords, and He said, It is enough Luke xxii 36, 38.
All they who take the sword, shall perish by the sword Matt. xxvi 51, 52.
Jesus says concerning the consummation of the age:-
They shall fall by the mouth of the sword, and they shall be led away captive among all nations, and at length Jerusalem shall be trodden down Luke xxi 24.
'The consummation of the age' is the last time of the Church; the 'sword' is what is untrue destroying what is true; the 'nations' are evils; the 'Jerusalem' that shall be trodden down is the Church. [5] From these things it is now plain that by 'a sharp sword (machaera) going forth out of the mouth of the Son of Man' is signified the dispersion of untruths by the Lord by means of the Word. In like manner in the following passages in the Apocalypse:-
A great sword (machaera) was given to the one sitting upon the red horse Rev. vi 4.
Out of the mouth of the One sitting upon the white horse there went out a sharp sword (romphaea), that with it He should smite the nations. The remnant were slain with the sword of Him sitting upon the horse Rev. xix 15, 21.
By 'the One sitting upon the white horse' the Lord is understood as to the Word, and this is openly stated there (vers. 13, 16). The like is understood in David:-
Gird thy sword (gladius) upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One. Ride upon the Word of the truth (veritas). Thine arrows are sharp Ps. xlv 3-5 (H.B. 4-6].
These things [are said] concerning the Lord; and elsewhere:-
The saints shall exult, and the sword (gladius) of mouths in their hand Ps. cxlix 5, 6.
And in Isaiah:-
Jehovah has made my mouth a sharp sword (gladius) Isa. xlix 2.
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