THE
APOCALYPSE REVEALED,
WHEREIN ARE DISCLOSED
THE
ARCANA THERE FORETOLD,
WHICH HAVE
HERETOFORE REMAINED CONCEALED.
Translated from the Latin of
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG,
Se'rvant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
A NEW EDITION REVISED AND CORRECTED.
NEW YOREK:
AMERICAN SWEDENBORG PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SOCIETY.
1875.




Pubhshed by THE AMERICAN SWEDENBORG PRINTING AND PUBLISHING
SOCIETY, organized for the purpose of Stereotypsmy, Printing, and
Publishing Uniform Editions of the Theological Writings of EMANUEL
SWEDENBORG, and incorporated in the State of New York A. D. 1850.




THE
APOCALYPSE REVEALED,
WHEREIN ARE DISCLOSED
HIE
ARCANA THERE FORETOLD,
WHICH HAVE
HITHERTO REMAINED CONCEALED.








.THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
-NOT a few have laboured at the explication of' the Apoca.
iypse, but as they were unacquainted with the spiritual sense
of the: Word, they could not- discern the arcana which it contains, seeing that these can only be unfolded by the spiritual
sense:. expositors: have therefore formed various'~conjectures
respecting it, in many instances applying its contents to the,affairs of empires,and blending them, at the same time, with;'ecclesiastical matters. The Apocalypse, however, like the rest,of thei WVordl, treats not, in' its spiritual sense, of mundane
things, but of such as are heavenly,!thus mnot of empires ancl
kingdoms, but of heaven and the:church.
It is to be observed that, after the last judgment, which
was. accomplished in the- spiritual world, in the; year 1757,
and, which forms the subject of a small treatise published in
London in: 1758, a new heaven was formed fromn among Chris-.tians, from -those only, however, who admitted, the: Lord to be.the G.od of heaven and earth, according to his own words  in
Mlatthew xxviii. 18,; and likewise repented'in thel world-'of
their evil works: from this heaven the New Church on.earth,
whlich is the New. Jerusalem,  descends, and will continue t.




PREFACE.
descend. That this Church will acknowledge the Lord only
is evident from these words in the Apocalypse: "There came
unto me mne of the seven angels, and talked with me, saying,
Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife;
and he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." And in another place:
"Let us be glad and rejoice, for the time of the marriage
of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready;
blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper
of the Lamb," chap. xix. 7, 9. That there will be a new
heaven, and that the New Church will descend thence upon
earth, is evident from the following words, in the same book:
"I saw a new heaven and a new earth: and I saw the holy
city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and he that sat
upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new; and he
said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful,"
chap. xxi. 1, 2, 5; the new heaven means a new heaven from
among Christians; the New Jerusalem means a new church
upon earth, which will make one with that new heaven; the
Lamb means the Lord as to the Divine Humanity.
-To this something shall be added by way of illustration.
The Christian heaven is below the ancient heavens; into this
heaven, from the time of the Lord's abode in the world, were
admitted those who worshipped one God under three persons,
and who did not at the same time entertain an idea of three
Gods; and this, by reason of a trinity of persons being received
throughout the whole Christian world: but they, who enter.
tained no other: idea of the Lord's Humanity, than as of the




PREFACE.
htmanity of another man, could not receive the faith of the
New Jerusalem, which is, that the Lord is the only God in
whom there is a trinity; these latter, therefore, were separated
and removed; it was given me to see their separation and
removal after the last judgment. For upon a just idea of God,
the universal heaven, and the church universal on earth, are
founded, and in general the whole of religion; for by that idea
there is conjunction, and by conjunction, light, wisdom, and
eternal happiness.
Any one may see that the Apocalypse could no how be
explained but by the Lord alone, since every word of it contains arcana, which never could be known without some special
illumination, and consequent revelation; wherefore it has
pleased the Lord to open the sight of my spirit and to teach
me. It must not therefore be supposed that I have given any
explication of my own, nor that even of any angel, but only
what I have had communicated to me from the Lord alone.
The Lord said, moreover, by an angel unto John: "Seal not
the words of the prophecy of this book," chap. xxii. 10; by
which is signified, that they are to be manifested and laid
oven.








A COMPENDIUM
OF THE
DOCTRINES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH AND RELIGION.
BABYLoN, or the Roman Catholic Religion, being treated of
in the Apocalypse, in chapter xvii., xviii., and xix., it is expedient, at the commencement of these explications, to say something concerning its doctrines, and that in the following order:
On Baptism; on the Eucharist or Holy Supper; on Masses;
on Repentance; on Justification; on Purgatory; on the Seven
Sacraments; on the Saints; and on Powelr.
"I. On BAPTISM, they teach: that Adam, after the sin of
disobedience, was wholly changed for the worse, both as to
soul and body; that this sin was transfused into the whole
human race; that this original sin is only taken away by the
merit of Christ; and that the merit of Christ is applied by the
sacrament of baptism; and that thus the whole guilt of original
sin is taken away by baptism; that concupiscence nevertheless
remains in the baptized as an incentive to sins, but not sin
itself; that thus they put on Christ, become new creatures, and
obtain a full and complete remission of sins. Baptism is called
the laver of regeneration and of faith. That the baptized, when
they grow up, are to be questioned concerning the promises
made by their sponsors; which is the SACRAIMENT OF CONFIRMAkJTION. That by reason of lapses after baptism, the sacrament of
repentance is necessary.
" II. ON THE EUCHARIST OR HOLY SUPPER. That immediately after consecration, the real body and blood of Jesus
Christ are truly and substantially comprehended under the
form of bread and wine, together with his soul and divinity;
the body under the form of bread, and the blood under the
form of wine, by virtue of the words: but the body itself under
the form of wine, and the blood under the form of bread, and
the soul in both, by virtue of a natural connexion and concomitance, whereby the parts of the Lord Christ are united
together, and the divinity by reason of its admirable hypostatic
union with the body and soul; thus that they are as fully comprehended under one form as under both; in a word, that the
9




DOCTIRINiS OF TITE
whole and entire Christ exists under the form of the bread and
under every part of that form; and the whole of him also under
the form of the wine and all its parts; that therefore the two
forms are separated, and the bread is given to the laity, and the
wine to the clergy. That water is to be mixed with wine in the
cup. That the laity are to receive the communion from the
clergy, and the clergy friom themselves. That the real body and
the real blood of Christ, after consecration, is in the host in the
consecrated particles; and that therefore the host is to be worshipped when it is shown and carried about. That this wonder.ful and singular conversion of the whole substance of the bread
into body, and of the whole substance of the wine into blood, is
cavled transubstantiation.  That the communication of both
forms, under certain conditions, may be granted by the pope.
It is called supersubstantial bread, and the bread of angels,
which these eat without any veils; it is called moreover spiritual food; also the antidote by which they are released from
their sins.
"III. ON IMIASSES. It is called the sacrifice of the mass,
because the sacrifice by which Christ offered up himself to God
the Father, is represented thereby under the form of bread and
wine; that thence it is a sacrifice truly propitiatory, pure, and
altogether holy. That if the people do not communicate sacramentally, but only the minister, in such case the people comnmunicate spiritually, because the ministers do it, not for themselves only, but for all the faithful who appertain to the body of
Christ. The mass ought not to be performed in the vulgar
tongue, because it contains the great learning of the faithful
people; but that the ministers may declare something concerning it on the Lord's day. That it is ordained, that some
things which are mystical should be pronounced with a lower,
and other things with a louder, voice; and, for the purpose of
giving a majesty to so great a sacrifice which is offered to God,
there should be lights, incense, garments, and other things of a
like nature for the occasion. That it is to be offered up for the
sins, penalties, satisfactions, and all the necessities of the living,
and also for the dead. That masses in honour of the saints are
thanksgivings for their intercession when they are implored.
"IV. ON REPENTANCE. That besides baptism there is a
sacrament of repentance, whereby the benefit of the death and
merit of Christ is applied to those who lapse after baptism;
therefore it is called a kind of laborious baptism. That the
parts of repentance are contrition, confession, and satisfaction.
That CONTRrION is the gift of God, and the impulse of the
Holy Ghost, not yet inhabiting, but only moving the contrite
person, therefore it is a disposing. That CONFESSION ought to
be made of all mortal sins, even the most secret, and of the;ntentions; that sins which are withhold from confession are
10




ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION.
not forgiven, but that those which after search do not' occur,
are included in confession; that confession ought to be made
at least once a year: that absolution of sins is to be given by
the ministers of the keys, and that they are remitted on theiI
saying, I ABSOLVE; that absolution is like the act of a judge
when sentence is pronounced; that the more grievous sins are
to be absolved by bishops, and the still more grievous by
the pope. That SATISFACTION is made by satisfactory punishments imposed by the minister at discretion, according to the
measure of the offence; that when eternal punishment is remitted, then temporal punishment is remitted also. That the
power of INDULGENCES is left by Christ to the church, and that
the use of them is highly salutary.
"V. ON JUSTIFICATION.  That a translation cannot be effected from that state in which man is born a son of Adam, to
a state of grace through the second Adam the Saviour, without
the washing of regeneration and faith, or without baptism.
That the second beginning of justification is from preventing
grace, which is a calling, with which man co-operates by converting himself. That disposition is produced byfaith, when
man believes those things to be true which are revealed, to
which he is freely moved; also by hope, when he believes that
God is propitious for the sake of Christ; and by charity, in
consequence whereof he begins to love his neighbour, and to
hate sin.  That justification, which follows, is not only remission of sins, but sanctification, and renovation of the inner
man; that at this time the justified are not reputed just, but
that they are just, receiving righteousness in themselves; and
because they accept the merit of Christ's passion, justification
is inserted by faith, hope, and charity. That faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and root of justification, and that this is to be justified by faith: and because
none of those things which precede justification, whether they
be of faith or works, merit the grace of justification, that this
is to be justified gratis, for there is a preventing grace; and
that still man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
That the just may fall into light and venial sins, and that still
they are just; and that therefore the just ought continually to
labour by prayers, oblations, alms, fastings, lest they should
fall, because they are born again to the hope of glory, and not
to glory. That the Just, if they fall from the grace of justification, may be justified again by the sacrament of repentance:
that by any mortal sin grace is lost, but not faith, but that faith
also is lost by infidelity, which is recession from religion. That
the works of a justified man. are merits; and that the justified,
by such, which are done by them through the grace of God
and the merit of Christ, merit everlasting life. That FREE-WILL
was not lost and extinguished after the sin of Adam; and that
11




DOCTRINES OF THE
man may co-operate, by assenting to. the calling of God; and
that otherwise he would be an inanimate body.. They establish
PREDESTINATION, by saying, that no one knows whether he is in
the number of the predestinate, and among those whom God
has chosen to himself, except by special revelation.
"VI. ON PURGATORY. That all the guilt from which men
are to be purified by temporal punishment is not blotted out by,:
justification, that therefore all go to purgatory to be purified,
before they can be admitted into heaven. That the souls there
detained are assisted by the suffrage of the faithful, and particularly by the sacrifice of the mass; and that this is diligently
to be taught and preached."  The torments there endured are
variously described, but they are mere inventions and fictions.
" ViI. ON THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS. That there are seven
sacraments-baptism, confirmation, the eucharist, repentance,
extreme unction, order, and matrimonyv; that there are neither
more nor less; that one is of greater dignity than another; that
they contain grace; and that from the work operated by them
grace is conferred: that there were the same number of sacraments of the ancient law.- Baptism, confirmation, the eucharist,
and repentance have been treated of above. ON THE S ACRA-.
MENT OF EXTREME UNCTION: That it is founded on the epistle
of James, chap. v., 14, 15; that it is to be administered to the
sick at their lives' end, whence it is called the sacrament of the
departing; that if they recover, it may be applied again; that
it is to be performed with -oil consecrated by the bishop, and
with these words:'LMXay God grant thee his indulgence for
whatsoever offence thou hast committed through the fault of
the eyes, of the nostrils, or of the feeling,' ON THE SACRAMENT
OF ORDER: That there are seven orders in the ministry of the
priesthood, which differ in dignity, and all together are called
the ecclesiastical hierarchy, which is like the order of an encampment; that inaugurations into the ministry are to be
effected by unctions, and by transferring of the Holy Spirit
upon them. That the secular power or consent, calling or autihority of the nmagistrate is not requisite for the ordination of
bishops and priests; that they who ascend to the ministry only
by the appointment of their calling, are not ministers, but
thieves and robbers, who do not enter in by the door. ON THE
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY:: That a dispensation of degrees and
divorces belongs to the church. That the clergy are not to
contract matrimony. That all of them may have the gift of
chastity, and if any one saith he cannot, when nevertheless he
had made a vow, let hint be anathema, because God doth not
refuse it to those who ask it properly, and doth not suffer any
one to be tempted beyond what he is able to bear. That a
state of virginity and celibacy is to be preferred to the conjugal
state; besides other things of the same nature.
12




ROMAN CA lfoLIG RELIGION.
VIII. ON THE SAINTS. That the saints reigning together
with Christ offer up their prayers to God for men; that Christ
is to be adored, and the saints to be invoked; that the invocation of saints is not idolatrous, nor derogatory to the honour
of the one Mediator between God and men; it is called lIatria.
That images of Christ, of Mary the mother of God, and of the
saints, are to be revered and honoured, not that it is to be
supposed they possess any divinity or virtue, but because the
honour which is paid to them is referred to the prototypes
which they represent; and that by the inmages which they kiss
and before which they kneel and uncover their heads, they
adore Christ and venerate the saints. That the miracles of
God are performed by the saints.
" IX. ON POWER. That the Roman Pontiff is the successor
*of the apostle Peter, and vicar of Jesus Christ, the head of the
church, and the universal bishop; that. he is superior to councils.; that he hath the keys for opening and shutting heaven,
consequently the power of remitting and retaining sins; that
therefore he, as keeper of the keys of everlasting life, hath a
right at once to earthly and heavenly empire; that moreover
bishops and priests have such a power from him, because it was
given also to the rest of the apostles, and that therefore they
are called ministers of the keys. That it belongs to the church
to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the. Sacred
Scriptures, and that they who oppose them are to suffer punishments established by law. That it is not proper for the laity
to read the Sacred Scriptures, because the sense of them is only
known to the church: thence its ministers boast that it is known
to them."
X. The above doctrinals are selected from their councils
and bulls, particularly from the council of Trent, and the papal
bull confirming it, wherein all who think, believe, and act contrary to what was there decreed, which in general is as above
adduced, are condemned to be excommunicated.
13




A COMPENDIUM
OF THE
DOCTRINES OF THE REFORMED CHURCH AND
RELIGION.
THE members of the Reformed Church being much treated
of in the Apocalypse, in its spiritual sense, it is expedient, before entering upon its explication, to unfold their doctrines in
the following order: On God; on Christ the Lord; on Justification by Faith, and on Good Works; on the Law and the
Gospel; on Repentance and Confession; on Original Sin; on
Baptism; on the Holy Supper; on Free-will; and on the
Church.
"I. ON GOD. Of God they believe according to the Athanasian Creed, which, as it is in the hands of every one, is not
here inserted. That they believe in God the Father as the creator and preserver; in God the Son as the saviour and redeemer;
and in the Holy Spirit as the illuminator and sanctifier, is also
well known.
"II. ON CHRIST T:HE LORD.  Concerning the person of
Christ, the same doctrine is not taught by all the Reformed.
The Lutherans teach that the Virgin Mary not only conceived
and brought forth.a real man, but also the real Son of God,
whence she is justly called, and truly is, the mother of God.
That in Christ there are two natures, a divine and a human,
the divine from eternity, and the human in time; that these two
iiatures are personally united, altogether in such a manner, that
there are not two Christs, one the Son of God, and the other
the Son of man; but that one and the same is the Son of God
and the Son of man, not that these two natures are mixed
together into one substance, nor that one is changed into the
other, but that both natures retain their essential properties,
which are also described as to their qualities: that their union
is hypostatic, and that this is the most perfect communion, like
that of the soul and body; that therefore it is justly said, that
in Christ God is man and man God; that he did not suffer for
us as mere man only, but as such a man, whose human nature
hath so strict and ineffable a union and communion with the
Son of God, as to become one person with him; that in truth
14




DOCTRINES OF THE REFORMED CHURCHI ETC.
the Son of God suffered for us, but yet according to the
properties of human nature; that the Son of man, by whom is
understood Christ as to his human nature, was really exalted to
the right hand of God when he was taljen into God, which was
the case as soon as he was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the
womb of his mother; that Christ always had that majesty by
reason of his personal union, but that, in his state of exinanition,
he only exercised it so far as he thought proper; but that after
his resurrection he fully and entirely put off the form of a
servant, and put his human nature or essence into a plenary
assumption of the divine majesty; and that in this manner he
entered into glory; in a word, that Christ is, and remains to
all eternity, perfect God and man in one indivisible person;
and the true, omnipotent, and eternal God: being also, with
respect to his humanity, present at the right hand of God, he
governs all things in heaven and upon earth, and also fills all
things, is with us, and dwells and operates in us. That there
is no difference of adoration, because by the nature which is
seen, the divinity which is not seen, is adored. That the divine
essence communicates and imparts its own excellences to the
human nature, and performs its divine operations by the body
as by its organ; that thus all the fulness of the Godhead dwells
in Christ bodily, according to Paul. That the incarnation was
accomplished that he might reconcile the Father to us, and be.
come a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, as well original
as actual; that he was incarnate of the substance of the Holy
Spirit, but that his human nature was produced from the Virgin
Mary, which, as the Word, he assumed and united to himsel'f;
that he sanctifies those who believe in him, by sending the Holy
Spirit into their hearts, to guide, comfort, and vivify them, and
defend them against the devil and the power of sin. That
Christ descended into hell, and destroyed hell for all believers;
but in what manner these things were effected, he doth not wish
them to scrutinize too curiously, but that the knowledge of this
matter may be reserved for another age, when'not only this
mystery, balt many other things also shall be revealed." These
particulars are from Luther; the Augustan Confession; the
Council of Nice; and the Smalcalden Articles. See the Formula Concordiae.
"Some of the Reformed, who are also treated of in the
Formula Concordia-, believe that Christ, according to his human
nature, by exaltation, received only created gifts and finite
power, therefore that he is a man like any other, retaining the
properties of the flesh; that therefore as to his human nature
he is not omnipotent and omniscient; that although absent he
governs, as a king, things remote from himself; that as God
from eternity he is with the Father, and as a man born in time,
he is with the angels in heaven; and that when it is said, in




DOCTRINES. OF THE
Christ God is man and man God, it is only a figurative mode
of speech: besides other things of a like nature.
" But this disagreement is adjusted by the Athanasian Creed,
which is received by all the Christian world, where these words
occur:' The true faith is, that we believe and confess that our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man; God, of
the substance of the Father, begotten before the world, and
man, of the substance of the mother, born in the world; per..
feet God and perfect man: who, although he be God and man,
yet these are not two but one Christ; one, not by conversion
of the divine Essence into body, but by the taking of his manhood into God; one altogether, not by confusion of substance,
but by unity of person; for as the reasonable soul and body is
one man, so God and man is one Christ.'
" III. ON JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, AND ON GOo0  WOR:KS.
The justifying and saving faith of the clergy is this; —That God
the Father turned himself away from the human race by reason
of their iniquities, and so, from justice, condemned them  to
eternal death, and that he therefore sent his Son into the world
to expiate and redeem them, and make satisfaction and reconciliation; and that his Son did this by taking upon himself the
damnation of the law, and suffering himself to be crucified, and
that thus by obedience he entirely satisfied God's justice, even
to becoming justice himself; and that God the Father imputes
and applies this, as his merit, to believers, and sends the Holy
Spirit to them, who operates charity, good works, and repentance, as a good tree produces good fruits; and justifies, renews,
regenerates, and sanctifies; and that this faith is the only medium of salvation, and that by it alone a man's sins are forgiven.
They make a distinction between the act and the state of justification:-by the act of justification they understand the begin
ning of justification, which takes place in a moment, when man
by that faith alone apprehends with confidence the merit of
Christ; by the state of justification they: understand the progress of that faith, which takes place by the interior operation
~of the Holy Spirit, which does not manifest itself except by
certain signs, concerning which they teach various things; they
speak also of good works manifested, which are done from the
man and his will, and follow that faith; but they exclude them
from justification, because the selfhood, and therefore the merit,
of man is in- them. This is a summary of modern faith, but its
confirmations, and the traditions concerning it, are numerous
and manifold; some of which:also shall be adduced; which are,
that men cannot:be justified before God by their own strength,
merits, and works, but gratuitously for Christ's sake, by faith;
that by this faith they believ-e that they are received into grace,
and their sins are remitted for his sake, who by his death umade
satisfaction for:us, and that God the Father imputes this to
16




'REFORMED CHURCRH.
believers for righteousness before him; that this faith, that
Christ suffered and died for us, is not only an historical knowledge, but also a cordial assent, confidence, and trust, that sins
are gratuitously remitted for Christ's sake, and that they are
justified; and that at this time these three things concur, gratuitous promise, the merit of Christ as a price, and propitiation.
That faith is the righteousness by which we are reputed just
before God by reason of the promise; and that to be justified
is to be absolved from sins, and that it may also be called a
kind of quickening and regeneration; that faith is imputed to
uas for righteousness, not because it is so good a work, but be
cause it apprehends the merit of Christ. That the merit of
Christ is his obedience, passion, death, and resurrection; that
it is necessary there should be something by which God can be
approached, and that this is nothing else but faith, by which
reception is effected.  That faith, in the act of justification,
enters by the word and by the hearing, and that it is not the
act of man, but that it is the operation of the Holy Spirit, and
that man does not co-operate any more than a statue of salt, a
stock, or a stone, doing nothing from himself, and knowing
nothing of it; but that after the act he co-operates, yet not
with any will of his own in spiritual things; in things natural,
civil, and moral, it is otherwise: but that they can so far proceed in things spiritual as to will what is good, and to feel delight in consequence, yet this is not from their own will, but
from the Holy Spirit, and that thus they co-operate, not fiom
their own powers, but from new powers and gifts begun in them
by the Holy Spirit in their conversion; and that in real conversion a change, renovation, and motion are produced in the
understanding and heart of man. That charity, good works,
and repentance, do not enter into the act of justification, but
that they are necessary in a state of justification, especially
by reason of God's command, and that by them are merited
the corporeal rewards of this life, but not the remission of sins,
and the glory of everlasting life, because faith alone, without
the works of the law, justifies and saves. That faith in act
justifies man, but faith in state renovates him; that in renovation by reason of God's command, the works reputed good, as
pointed out by the decalogne, are necessary to be performed, because it is the will of God that carnal lusts should be restrained
by civil discipline, for which reason he has provided doctrine,
laws, magistrates, and punishments; that, therefore, it is consequently false, that by works we merit remission of sins and
salvation, and that works have any effect in preserving faith;
and that it is also false, that man is reputed just on account of
the rational justice or righteoeusness he may possess; and that
reason can, from its own power, love God above all things and
perform his law; in a word, that faith and salvation are not
17                                               B




DOCTRINES OF THE
preserved and retained in men by good works, but only by t}he
Spirit of God and by faith; but still that good works are testimonies that the Holy Spirit is present and dwells in them.
They condemn as pernicious, this mode of speech-that good
works are hurtful to salvation; because the interior works of
the Holy Spirit are to be understood, which are good, not exterior works proceeding fiom man's ownl will, which are not
good but evil, because they are meritorious. They teach, moreover, that Christ at the last judgmltent will proin-ounce sentence
upon good and evil works as effects proper and not proper to
the faith of man. This faith rules at this day in the whole reformed Christian world with the clergy, but not with the laity,
except in a very few instances; fobr the laity by faith understand
nothing else but believing in God the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, and that he who lives well and believes well,
will be saved; and of the Lord that he is the Saviour; for they
are ignorant of the mysteries of justification of their preachers,
who, although they preach snch things,.et, with the laity who
hear them, they enter in at one ear and go out at the other;
their teachers, indeed, think themselves learned, from knowing
them, and labour much in their schools and universities to make
themselves masters of them; therefore it is said above, that that
faith is the faith of the clelgy. Buat yet the teachers teach this
same faith differently in thie different kingcdoms in which the
Reformed Church is established; in Germany, Sweden, and
Denmark, they say, that the Holy Spirit operates by that faith,
and justifies and sanctifies muen, and afterwards successively
yrenovates and regenerates them, but without the works of the:!law;  and  they who ale in that faith fiom trust and confidence,
are in grace with God the Father; and that then the evils which
they do, appear indeed, but are constantly remitted.  In England, they teach that that faith produces charity without nman's
knowledge, and that when man feels the Holy Spirit operate
interiorly in himself, this operation also is the good of charity;
and if hle does not feel it, and yet does good for the sake of salvation, that it may be called good, but still that it derives somewhat fiom man, in that there is merit in it. Moreover, that
such faith can operate this at the hour of death, yet they do not
know how. In Holland, they teach, that God the Father, for
the sake of tile Son, justifies and purifies man interiorly by the
Holy Spirit through that faith, but even to his own proper will,
from vwhich it turns back without touching it; some teach that
it does indeed lightly touch it, and that the evils of manl's will
do not appear in the sight of God. But a few only of the laity
know any thing of these mysteries of the clergy; the latter indeed areunwilling to publish thenm as they are in themselves,
because they know that the laity have no relish for them.
"IV. ON THE LAw AND THE GOSPEL. That the law was




-REFOK.RIED CHURCTC.
giveen by God, that it might be known what sin is, and that
thus it mniglit be restrained by threats and by fear, and afterwards by prlomise and the annunciation of grace; therefore the
principal of qce of the law is, to reveal orig'inal sin and all the
firuits of it, and to make known -to howv horrible a degree the
nature of Iran is fallen and totally depraved; by this means it
terrifies, hIumbles, and reduces man to despair of himself, and
anxiously to desire aid: this effect of the law is called contrition, wblchl is not active or factitious, but passive, and the
torment of conscience; but the gospel is the whole doctrine
concelrnlig Chlist and faith; and, therefore, concerning the remission of sins; consequently, a most joyfill messenger, not
reproving and terrifying, but comforting: by the law the wrath
of G(od aoainst all impiety is revealed, and man is condemned,
ther'eb-re it causes man to look up to Christ, and to the gospel;
they luist both be preached, because they are connected. The
gospel teaches that Christ took upon himself the curse of the
law and expiated all sins, and that we consequently obtain
remission by fhith. That the HIoly Spirit is given and received,
and the heart of man renewed, not by the preaching of the law,
but of the gospel; and t-hat thle Spirit afterwards Imakes use of
the minlistryi of the law, to teach and show in the decalogue,
what the good will and pleasure of God is; thus the Spirit
mortifies and quickens.  That a distinction is to be made between thel works of the law, and the works of the Spirit, therefore the faithful are not under the law, but under grace, for
that very reason.  That the righteousness of the law does not
justify, that is, does not reconcile nor regenerate, nor, by itself,
make men accepted of God; but when the Holy Spirit is given,
the fulfilling of the law fo)llows.  That the works of the second
table, of the decalogue do not justify, because by it we act Awith
men, and not properly wTith God, and yet in justification we
must act with God.  That Chi'ist without sin suffered the punishment of sin, and was m.ade a sacrifice for us, whereby he
took away that right of the lawv, that it might not condemn beli'evers, because he is a propitiation for them, for the sake of
which they are reputed just.
"V. ON REPENTANCE AND C(ONFESSION.  That repentance
consists of two parts; one is contrition, or terror struckl into the
conscience by reason of sin; the other faith, which is conceived
from the gospel, and by the remission of sins, comforts the conscience and delivers fiom terrors.  He who confesses himself
to be nothing but sin, comprehends all sins, excludes none, and
forgets none; thus sins are purged away, man is purified, rectified, and sanctified; because the Holy Spirit does not suffer sin
to have dominion, but represses and restrains it. That the enumeration of sins ought to be fiee, as the person may choose or
not choose; and that great stress is to be laid upon private
19




DOCTRINES OF THE
confession and absolution; therefore if any one chooses, he mnay
confess his sins, and receive absolution fiom the confessor, and
that in such case his sins are remitted. The words which the
minister is to make use of on this occasion are,'M iay God be
propitious to thee, and confirm thy faith; be it unto thee as
thou believest, and I, by the commandment of the Lord, remit
to thlee thy sins:' but others say,' I announce to thee the remission of thy sins:' that still, however, sins are not forgiven
by repentance any more than by works; but by faith. Therefore, the repentance of the clergy is only a confession before
God that they are sinners, and a prayer that they may persevere in faith. That expiations and satisfactions are not necessary, because Christ is expiation and satisfaction.
"VI. ON ORIGINAL SIN, they teach: That after the fall of
Adam all men propagated according to nature born in sin, that
is, without the fear of God, and witl concupiscences; and that
this condemns and brings eternal death upon those who are not
born again by baptism and the Holy Spirit: that it is a privation of original righteousness, and at the same time an inordinate disposition of the parts of the soul, and a corrupt habit.
That there is a difference between the nature itself into which
man was created, which exists even after the fall, antd remains
a creature of God, arid original sin; therefore, that there is a
difference between corrupt nature, and the corruption which is
inherent in nature, and by which nature is corrupt: that no one
but God alone can separate the corruption of nature from
nature itself; that this will manifestly be done in the blessed
reslrrection, because then nature itself, which encloses man in
this world, will rise again without original sin, and enjoy eternal felicity; that the difference is as great as between the work
of God and the work of the devil; that this sin did not invade
nature in such a manner, as if Satan had created any evil substantially and commixed it with nature, but that concreate and
original righteousness was lost: that original sin is an accident;
and that by reason of it, man is, as it were, spiritually dead
before God: that this evil is covered and pardoned by Christ
alone: that the seed itself fiom which man is formned, is contaminated with that sin: that hence also it is, that man receives
from his parents depraved inclinations and internal uncleanness
of heart.
"VII. ON BAPTISM. That baptism  is not simply water,
but that it is water taken by the divine command, and sealed
with the Word of God, and thus sanctified: that the Virtue,
work, fruit, and end of baptism is, that men nmay be saved, and
admitted into the Christian. communion. That by baptisnm victory is offered over death and the devil; remission of sins; the
grace of God; Christ with all his works; and the Holy Spirit
with all his gifts; and eternal blessedness to all and every be.
20




REFORMED CHURCH.
liever. Whether faith be given to infants, also, by baptism, is
a question too deep to be solicitously inquired into. That immersion in water signifies the mortification of the old man, and
the resurrection of the new; that therefore it may be called
the laver of regeneration; and the true laver in the Word; also
in the death and burial of Christ. That the life of a Christian
is a daily baptism once begun in this manner: that the water
does not effect this, but the Word of God, which is in and with
the water, and the faith of God's Word added to the water;
that hence it follows, that baptism in the name of God, is performned by men indeed, but is not from them, but from God
himself. That baptism does not take away original sin, by extinguishing evil concupiscence, but only the guilt of it.
"- But others of the Reformed believe, that baptism is an external laver of water, whereby an internal ablution from sin is
signified; that it does not confer regeneration, faith, the grace
of God, and salvation, but only signifies and seals them; and
that they are not conferred in and with baptism, but afterwards
as the person grows up; and that the elect alone obtain the
grace of Christ and the gift of faith: and because salvation does
not depend upon baptism, that therefore it is permitted to be
performed by another for want of a regular minister.
"VIII. ON Tie LORD'S SUPPER. They of the Reformed
Church, who are called Lutherans, teach that in the holy supper or sacrament of the altar, the body and blood of Christ are
really and substantially present, and are actually distributed and
received with the bread and wine; that therefore the real body
and the real blood of Christ are in, with, and under the biread
and wine, and are given to Christians to eat and drink; and
that therefore they are not simply bread and wine, but are included and bound in the Word of God, and that this causes
them to be the body and blood of Christ; for when the Word
accedes to the element, it becomes a sacramfient; but yet that
there is no transubstantiation, such as is that of the papists:
that it is the food of the soul, nourishing and strengthening the
new man: that it was instituted, to the end that faith might
repair and receive its strength, to give remission of sins, and a
new life, which Christ merited for us: that thus the body and
blood of Christ are not only taken spiritually by faith, but also
by the mouth, in a supernatural way, by reason of their sacra-r
mental union with the bread and wine: that the worthiness of
this supper consists in obedience alone, and in the merit of
Christ, which is applied by true faith. In a word, that the
sacraments of the Lord's supper and of baptism, are testimonies
of the will and grace of God towards men; and that the sacrament of the supper is a promise of remission of sins through
taith; that it may move the heart to believe; and that the Hohy
Spirit may operate through the Word and the sacraments: that
21.




DOCTRINES OF THE
the consecration of the minister does not produce these effects,
but that they are to be attributed to the sole omnniptent virtue
of the Lord. That the unworthy, as well as the worthll, receive
the real blody and blood of Christ, as it hulng upon tile cross;
but the worthy to salvation, the unw- orthy to conldelllnation;
that they are worthy mwho have faith: that no one is to 1e ilbreed
to that supper, but every one may approach when urged by
spiritual hluger.' Othlers, however, of the Reformed Church teach, that in
the holy supper the body and blood of Christ are only taken
spiritually, and that the bread and wine are only signs, types,
symbols, marks, figures, and similitudes; that Clhrist is not
bodily present, but only in virtue and operatioll firom hlis D)ivine Essence; but that in h-leaven there is a conjiunction according to the commuinnication of idiomss that the worthiness of' this
supper depends not only upon faith, but also upon preparlation:
that the worthy alone receive its virtue, but the unwnorthy
bread and wine only. Although there are these disagreements
in sentiment, yet all the Reformed agree in lthis: thlat it is
altogether necessary that they should do" t'he wolk: of repentance, who desire to receive that holy supper  worttlily; thle
Lutherans insist that if they do not do repentance fiorn evil
works, and yet approach, they are eternally condemned; and
the English, that otherwise the devil will enter into thlem as lhe
did into Judas; this is evident fiom  the prayers read bhefoire
tihe communion.
6 IX. ON FREE WILL. They make a distinction between
the state before the fall after tle fall, after the receptioll of
faith and renovation, and after the resurrection.  Thlat man
since the fall is entirely inlcapable of beginning, thinking,
understanding, believing, willinlg, opelrating or co-operatillg lay
thing from  his own power in matters of a spiritual and divine
nature; or of applying; or accommodating himself to grace;
but that his natural will is only for1' those tlings which are contrary to God, and displease him; therefore that man in spiritual
things is like a stock, but that still he has a capacity, not active,
but passive, whereby he can be turned to good by the g'race of
God; that nevertheless there remains in man since the fill, the
fiee-will and power either to hear or not to hear thle Word of
God, and that thus a spark of faith may be kindled in his heart,
which embraces the remission of sins for Christ's sake, and im-n
parts consolation.  That neverltheless the human will enjoys
the liberty of performing  civil righteousness, and of mraking
choice of such things as are witlin the province of reason.
ON.          IU THE C   That the chiurch is the congoreoation
and communion of saints, and that it is dispersed over the whole
world among tllose who have the same Christ, and thle same
Holy Spirit, and the same sacraments, whether they have siun




REFORMED. CHURCH.
ilar or dissimilar traditions: and that it is principally a society
of faith; and that this church alone is the body of Christ, and
that the good are both really and nominally a church, but the
wicked only nominally: that the wicked and hypoirites, because they are intermixed, are members of the chilch according to its external signs, provided they are not excommunicated,
but that they are not members of the body of Christ. That ecclesiastical rites, which are called ceremonies, are matters of indifference (aclicaphori), and that they are not the worshlip of
God, nor a part of the worship of God; that therefore the
church is at liberty to institute, change, and abrogate them, as,
for instance, the distinctions of vestments, times, days, rneats,
and the like; and that therefore one church ought  not to condenn another on account of things of this nature."
These are the doctrines of the RIeformed Church and Religyion
in the abstract; but those which are taught by the Schiwengfelclians, Pelagians, YManichoeans, Donatists,  Anabaptists, ALininians, Cinglians, Antitrinitarians, Socinians, Arians, and, at this
day, by the Quakers and Ml[oravians, are passed over, because
they are reprobated and rejected by the Reformed Church as
heretical.
23




THE APOCALYPSE.
CHAPTER I.
1. TmHE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto
himpto show unto his servants things which must shortly come
to pass; and he signified [it] sending, by his angel, to his servant John,
2. Who bore witness of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatsoever things he saw.
3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear, the words
of the prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be
unto you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who
is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his
throne;
5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the
first-begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the
earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in
his blood,
6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his
Father: to him be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.
7. Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see
him, and they [also] who pierced him: and'all the tribes of
the earth shall wail because of him. Even so; Amen.
8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the
end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come,
the Almighty.
9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was
in the island called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
10. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day; and I heard benind me a great voice, as of,irtrumpet,
11. Saving, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and
the Last: and, what thou seest, write in a book, and send [it]
24




Chap. i.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
to the churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto
Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto
Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12. And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me: And,
being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like
unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot,
and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14. And his head and his hairs were white as wool is white,
like unto snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15. And his feet were like unto fine brass, as if they burned
in a furnace; and. his voice as the voice of many waters.
16. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of
his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and his face was as
the sun shineth in his power.
17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And
he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I
anm the First and the Last;
18. And am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am
alive for ever and ever. Amen: and I have the keys of hell
and of death.
19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things
which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my
right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars
are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks, which thou sawest, are the seven churches.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
T'E CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. That this revelation
is from the Lord alone, and that it will be received by those
who will be in his new church, which is the New Jerusalem,
and acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth;
the Lord is also described as to the Word.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, " The Revelation of
Jesus Christ," signifies predictions from the Lord concerning
himself and his church, what the latter will be in its end, and
what it will be afterwards: "Which God gave unto him to
show unto his servants," signifies for the use of those who are
in faith originating in charity: "Things which must shortly
come to pass," signifies. that they will certainly be, lest the
church perish: "And he signified.[it], sending, by his angel, to
25




THE APOCALYPSE BEVEALEL).          [Chap. i
his servant John, signifies the things which are revealed from
the Lord thliough ]heaven, to those who are in the good of life
fiom charlitv and its tfithll: v. 2, "Who bore witness of the
Word of Godl and of the testimuony of Jesus Christ'," signifies
who fiom the heart, and so in the light, receive divine truth
fir-)m the Word, and acknowledge the Lord's Huumanity to be
divine: " Whlatsoever things he saw,' signifies their illustration
in all the thinos which are in this revelation: v. 3, "5 Blessed is
he that readletl, and they that fhear, the words of the prophecy,
and keep those things which are written therein,' signifies the
communion of those with the angels of heaven, who live according to the doctrines of the New Jerusalem:."'For the tine is
at handcl9" signifies that the state of the church is such that it
cannot endure any longer, so as to have conjunction with the
Lord: v. 4, " John to the seven churchess" signifies to all who
are in the Christian world where the Word is, and by it the
Lord is known, and who accede to the church: "Which are in
Asia," signifies to those who are in the lighlt of truth filom the
Word'l   " Grace be unto youI, and peace," signifies dcivine salutation: 6 From Him who is, and who w\as and who is to come,9
signifies from the Lord who is eternal and infinite, and who is
Jehovahl:' And fiom  the seven spirits which are before his
throne,99 signifies fiomn the universal heaven, where the Lord is
in his divine trluth: v. 5 "And fr'om Jesus Christ," signifies the
Divine }Humnanity': " Whio is tle faithful witness," signifies that
lie is Divine Truth itself: " The first-begotten firom the dead,"
signifies that lie is Divine Goodness itself: "And the plince of
the kings of the earthl" signifies fioom whom proceeds all truth
originating in good in the churclh: 6 To him that loved us, and
washed us from our sins in his blood" siTgnifies who, out of love
and mercy, reforms and regenerates men by his diville truths
from  the Word: v. 6, "And hath made us kings alld priests,"
signifies who gives those who are born of hilim, that is regelnerated, to be in wisdoml fiom divine truths, and in love fi'om
divine,goods: " Uinto God and his Father,"  signifies, and so'images of his divine wisdoni and of his divine love: " To him
be glory and mig'ht for ever and ever,!" signifies, to wmhom alone
belongs divine lmajesty and divine oninipotence to eternity:'"Amen,'  signifies divine confirmation firom the truthl thus fromn
himself: v.. 7, " Beholcl, le cometh with clouds,'" signifies that
the Lord will reveal himnself in the literal sense of tihe Word,
anld will open its spiritual sense at the end of the chulche:'"And every eye shall see himn," signifies that all wh1o are in tile
understan ding of divine truth friom affection will acknowledge
him': " And they [also] who pierced him," signlfies that tlley
also will see mwho are in falses in the churchl: "And all the tribes
of the earth shall wail because of him,'9 signifies that this will
be when the-re are no longer any goods and trulths in the church:
26




Chap. i.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
"'Even so, Amen," signifies divine confirmation that so it will
be: v. 8, " I anm the Alpha and tile Omega, the beginl:ing and
the end," signifies who is the self-subsistilg and the only-subsisting firom first principles to ultimates, friom whom all things
proceed; thus, who is the self-subsisting and only-snbsisting
love, the self-subsisting and only-subsisting wisdonm, and the
self-subsisting and only-subsisting life in himself; and consequently the self-subsisting Creator, Saviour, and Illuminator,
from  himself, and tllence the All in all of heaven and the
church l: " Saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to
come," signifies, who is eternal and infinite,  and who is Jehovahl:'Thle Arihty,'s   silgnifies, who is, lives, and has power
friom himself, and who governs all things fiom. first principles
by ultimates: v. 9,' I,, John, who also am your brother, and
compcanion9 signifies those who are in the good of chlarity, Iand
thence in the truths of faith': " In tribulation, and in the kingdoml and patience of Jesus C1hrist',"  sigllifies, whAich in the
church are infested by evils and falses, but which will be removed by the Lord at his coming: G" Was in the isle called
Pat!ios,9 signifies a state and place in which he could be illuininated:' For the Word of' God, and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ," signifies that divine truth fiom the Word might
be received at heart and so in the light, and that the Lord's
Hunmanity mighillt be acknowledged to be divine: v. 10, "I was
in tlie spirit on the Lord's day,"' signifies a spiritual state at that
time firom divine influx: "And I heard behind me a great voice
as of a trumpet," signifies a manifest perception of divine truth
revealed firom  heaven: v. 11, "Say ing, I anm the Alpha and
the Omega, the First and the Last,' signifies who is the selfsubsistiing and the only-subsisting fiom first principles, fi'om
whom all things proceed, &c., as above: IAnd whllat thou seest,
write in a book," signifies that it may be revealed to posterity:'6And send to the churches which are in Asia," siffnifies for
those. who are in tile Christian world who are in the lilght of
truth fiom the Wordl: " Unto Ephesus, and unto Smlyrna, and
unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Plhiladelphia, and unto Laodicea,"' signifies specifically according to the state of reception of each: v. 12, "'And I trnled to
see the voice that spoke with me,"9 signifies inversion of the
state of those who are in good of life, with respect to the perception of truth in tlle Word, when they turn themselves to the
Lordl: "Ancld being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks,'
signifies the New 6hurch, which will be in illustration from the
Lord out of the Word: v. 13, "'1Ad in the midst of the seven
candlesticks one like unto -the Son of lMan,"' signifies the Lord
as to the Word, from whom that church is:'" Clothed with a
garment down to the foot," signifies the proceeding divine which
is divine truth: "And girt about the paps with a golden girdle,"
27




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. i.
signifies the proceeding, and at the same time, conjoining
divine, which is divine good: v. 14, "And his head and his
hairs were white as wool is white, like unto snow," signifies the
divine love of the divine wisdom in first principles and in ultimates: " And his eyes were as a flame of fire," signifies the
divine wisdom of the divine love: v. 15, "And his feet were
like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace," signifies
divine good natural: "And his voice as the voice of many
waters," signifies divine truth natural: v. 16, "And he had in
his right hand seven stars," signifies all knowledges of goodness
and truth in the Word fiom him: "And out of his mouth went
a sharp two-edged sword," signifies the dispersion of falses by
the Word, and by doctrine thence from the Lord: "And his
face was as the sun shineth in his power," signifies the Divine
Love and the Divine Wisdorm, which are himself, and proceed
fiom himself: v. 17, "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as
dead," signifies a defect of his own life from such presence'of
the Lord: "And lie laid his right hand upon me," signifies life
then inspired from him: " Saying unto me, Fear not," signifies
resuscitation, and at the same time adoration from the most
profound humiliation: "I am the First and the Last," signifies
that he is eternal and infinite, therefore the only God: v. 18,
"And am he that liveth," signifies who alone is life, and from
whom alone life is: "And was dead," signifies that he was neglected in the church, and his Divine liumanity not acknowledged: "And behold, I am alive for ever and ever," signifies
that he is life eternal: "Amen," signifies divine confirmation
that this is truth: "And I have the keys of hell and death,"
signifies that he alone has power to save: v. 19, "Write the
things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the
things which shall be hereafter," signifies that all the things
which are now revc iled, are for the use of posterity: v. 20,
" The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right
hand, and the seven golden candlesticks," signifies arcana in
visions concerning the new heaven and the new church: "The
seven stars are the angels of the seven churches," signifies the
new church in the heavens, which is the new heaven: "And
the seven candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven
churches," signifies the New Church upon earth, which is the
New Jerusalem descending from the Lord out of the new
heaven.
28




V. 1.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               1, 2
THE EXPLANATION.
1.'WHAT the spiritual sense is, has hitherto been unknown.
That there is such a sense in every particular of the Word, is
shown in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalen concerning the
Sacred Seriptures, n. 5-26, and that without it, the Word in
many places cannot be understood: this sense does not appear
in the literal sense, for it is in it as the soul in its body. It is
well known, that there is what is spiritual, and what is natural,
and that what is spiritual flows into what is natural, and renders itself visible and sensible in those forms which are the
objects of sight and touch, and that what is spiritual, without
such forms, is perceived no otherwise than as affection and
thought, or as love and wisdom which are of the mind: that
affection and thought, or love whose property it is to be affected,
and wisdom whose property it is to think, are spiritual, is
acknowledged; that these two faculties of the mind show
themselves in the body in forms, which are called organs of
sense and motion, is well known; also, that they make a one,
and such a one as that what the mind thinks, that the mouth in
an instant speaks, and what the mind wills, that the body in an
instant does; hence it is evident, that there is a perfect union
of things spiritual and natural in man. It is the same with
every thing in the world, both generally and particularly;
there is in them something spiritual, which is the inmost of the
cause, and something natural, which is its effect, and these two
make a one; and what is spiritual does not appear in what is
natural, because it dwells in it as the soul in its body, and as
the inmost of the cause in the effect, as was observed before.
It is the same with the Word; that this is internally spiritual,
because it is divine, cannot be denied by any one; but as what
is spiritual does not appear in the sense of the letter, which is
natural, therefore the spiritual sense has hitherto been unknown; nor could it have been known before genuine truths
were revealed by the Lord, for in these that sense consists.
For this reason the Apocalypse has not been understood before.
But lest any doubt should remain, that such things are contained in it, the particulars must be explained, and demonstrated
by similar passages in other parts of the Word. The explanation and demonstration now follow.
2. The revelation of Jesus Christ, signifies predictions from
the Lord concerning himself and his church, what the latter
will be in its end, and what it will be afterwards, as well in the
heavens as upon earth. By the revelation of Jesus Christ are
signified all predictions, which coming from the Lord, are
called the revelation of Jesus Christ; that they relate to the
Lord and his church, will appear from the explanations. The
29




3                 THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             [Chap. i.
Apocalypse does not treat of the successive states of the church,
much less of thle successive states of kingdomns, as some havoe
hitherto believed, but from beginning to end it treats of the last
state of' the church in heaven and earth; and then concerning
the last judgment; and after this the New Church, which is
the New Jerusalem.  That this New  Church is the end and
object of this work, is very evident, whierefore those things
wvhich are first mentioned refer to the state of the church, as to
its quality immediately antecedent to its appearance.  But in
what series these matters are treated of, may be seen from the
contents of each chapter; and more distinctly firom the explanation of each parlticular verse.
3. Whui/h  God yCaVe unto Ai/h,   to show unto his servants, signifies, for those who are in faith derived firom charity, or in tr'ths
of wisdom derived from the good of love.  By showing is signified to 1manifest, and by servants are here signified those who
are in faith derived from  charity; to them  these things are
manifested, because they understand and receive them: by
servants, in a spiritual sense, are understood those who are in
truths; and because truths originate in good, by servants are
understood those who are in truths derived friom  good, therefore also, those who are in wisdom derived from love, because
wisdom is of truth, and love is of good; also those who are in
faith derived from  6harity, because faith also is of truth and
charity is of good; and since the genuine spiritual sense is
abstracted friom person, therefore in it by servants are signified
truths.  Now truths being subservient to good by their teaching it, therefore, in general, and properly, by servant, in the
Word, is meant what is subserviellt, or he or that which serves;
in this sense not only the prophets are called the servanits of
Godl, but also the Lord as to his I-IHumanity; that the prophets
are called the servants of God, is evident firom  the following
passages: ""Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the
prophets," Jer. xxv. 4.;' lHe revealetli his secrets unto his servants the prophets," Amos iii. 7. "6 His laws which he set before
us by his servants the prophets," Dan. ix. 10; and Moses is
called " thle servant of Jejhovah," Malachi iii. 22;* the reason is
because by a prophet in the spiritual sense is understood truth of
doctrine, as explainedc below.  And because the Lord was divin-e truth itselif, which also is the WMord, and is thence called
the Prophet; and served in the world, and serves all to eternity by his teaching, therefore, he also, in many places, is
called the servant of Jehlovah; as in the following:'  I-e shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by h's
a In th.e Hebrew Bible there are only three chapters in Malachi, and as our
aut.hor quotes from the Hebrew text, it may be necessary to observe, that this
text in our version is chap. iv. 4. In all like instances we shall alter it to the
Btate of the rlfnglish text. — DITOaS.
30




v. 1.]           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                    4
knowledge shall mly righteous servant justif~y malnly," Isaiah
liii. 11.  6" Behold, my servallt shall deal prudently, he shall be
exalted and extolled, and be very high," Isaiah lii. 13.  "Behold, my servant, whorl I uphold, miine elect, in whomll my
soul clelioghteth,  I have put mly spirit upon him,'9  Isaiah xlii.
1, 19; this is spoken of the Lord: in like mlanner David is
called a servant, where, by hiIm, the Lord is understood; as in
the following passages: " And I the Lord will be their Godc
and nmy servart David a prince among them,"' Ezek. xxxiv. 24.'David, my servant, shall be kino, over them, that they all
shall have one shepheprd," Ezek. xxx ii. 24.  "I will defend
this city to save it, for mi)iie own sake, and for my servant
David's sake," Isaiah xxxvii. 35. So also in Psalm lxxviii. 70 —
72, lxxxix. 3, 4, 20. That by David iIn these places is meant
the Lord, may be seen in tle Doctb-ie o/f th/e NXezzo Jer~usacem
concerninzg th/e Lonrd, n. 43, 44.  Thle Lord himself says the
same of hnimself: 6 Whosoever will be grelat iamiong you, let
him be your ministerI, anld whosover will be chief among you,
let him be your servant, eveii as the Son of manl came not to
be ministered unto, but to Ilinister," Matt. xx. 26, 28, Mlark x.
43-45, Luke xxii. 27, arnd so in Luke xii. 37. This the Lord
says, because by servant anld mrliister is understood one wvho
serves and ministers by teachinlg, ald, abstracted fiom person,
divine truth, whlich was Ihimself.  Since, therefore, by servant
is understood he who teaclhes divine truth, it is evident that by
servants in this place in the Apocalypse are meant those who
are in truths derived fromn go'odI or in faith derived fi'rom charity, because these can teachl from the Lord, that is, the Lord
can teach and minister by them.  In this sense they are called
servants in Alatthew: " In the consumlnmation of the age, who
then is a faithful anld wise servant, whom his Lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them their meat in clue season:
blessed is that servant wholm his Lord when be cometh shall
find so doing,"' xxiv. -15.  Anid in Luke: "Blessed are those
servants, whom  the Lorld -Tllhen lie comethi shall find watching:
Iverily, I say unto you, that lie slhall gird hlimself, and make
tllemn to sit down to imeat, alnd will conme forth and serve them,"
xii. 37. In heaven all are called servants of the Lord, who are
ill his spiritual kingdomn; but they who are in his celestial
kingdom are called milisters; tile reason is, because thley who
are in his spiritual kinlgdom, are in wisdoml from divine truth;
and they who are in his celestial king'dom  are in love firom
divine good; and good ministers and truth serves.  But in an
opposite sense, by servants are meant those who serve the devil;
these are in a state of real servitude; but they who serve the
Lord are in a state of liberty'; as the Lord also teaches in John
viii. 32-36.
4. Thinzgs w hich must shortly conze to  pass, signifies that
31




5               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i.
they will certainly be, lest the church perish. By coming to
pass shortly, is not meant that the things which are foretold in
the Apocalypse, will happen immediately and speedily, but certainly; and that unless they do happen the church must perish.
In the divine idea, and thence in the spiritual sense, there is no
time, but instead of time, there is state; and because shortly
relates to time, by it is signified certainly, and that it will come
to pass before its time; for the Apocalypse was given in the
first century, and since that seventeen centuries have now
elapsed, from which it is evident, that by shortly is signified
that which corresponds to it, and that is, certainly. The like is
also involved in these words of the Lord: " Except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the
elect's sake, those days shall be shortened," Matt. xxiv. 22: by
which also is understood, that except the church should come
to an end before its time, it would totally perish; in that chapter the consummation of the age and the Lord's coming are
treated of; and by the consummation of the age is meant the
last state of the old church, and by the Lord's coming, the first
state of the new. It was observed that in the divine idea there
is no time, but a presence of all things past and future; wherefore it is said by David, "A thousand years in thy sight are
but as yesterday," Psalm xc. 4: and again, "Iwill declare the
decree, Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day
have I begotten thee," Psalm ii. 7: this day denotes the presence of the Lord's advent. Thence also it is, that an entire
period is called day in the Wordcl, and its first state the dawning
and the morning, and its last evening and night.
5. And he szgn.ified [it], sending by his angel to his servant,ohln, signifies the things which are revealed from the Lord
through heaven, to those who are in the good of life derived
fiom charity and its faith. By signified [it], sending by his
angel, in the spiritual sense, is meant things revealed from heaven, or through heaven from the Lord: for by angel in the
Word is everywhere understood the angelic heaven, and in a
supreme sense the Lord himself; the reason is, because no angel
ever speaks with man in a state of separation from heaven; for
there is such a conjunction of each individual with all in heaven, that every one speaks from the communion, although the
angel is not conscious of it: for heaven in the sight of the Lord is
ias one man, whose soul is the Lord himself; wherefore the Lord
speaks with man through heaven, as man does from his soul
through his body with another; and this is done in conjunction
with all and every thing of his mind, in the midst of which are
the things which he speaks; but this arcanurn cannot be unfolded in a few words; it is partly unfolded in The Angelic
Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdomr:
hence it is evident, that by angel is signified heaven, and in
32




V. a.]           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                  6
a supreme sense the Lord. T1Ae reason why by angel the Lord
is understood in a supreme sense, is, because heaven is not heaven firom any thing proper to the angels, but fronl the divine of
the Lord, * from which is derived their love and wisdom, yea
their life; hence it is that the Lord himself is called an angel
in the Word. Froml these considerations it appears that the
angel did not sneak firom himself with John; but the Lord out
of the midst of heaven by him. By these words is meant, that
this is revealed to those who are in the good of life derived
from  charity and its faith, because these are understood by
Joln; for by the twelve disciples or apostles of the Lord, are
understood all who are of the church in truths from good; and
in an abstract sense, all things of the church; and by Peter, all
who are in faith, and, abstractedly, faith itself; by James, they
who are in charity, and, abstractedly, charity itself'; and by
John, they who are in the good of life fromn charity and' its
faith, and, abstractedly, good of life itself derived thence: that
these things are meant by John, James, and Peter in the Word
of the evangelists, may be seen in a Treatise concernqizqg the
Xew Jerusalem ca,nd its Hleavenly Doctr.ine, n. 122. Since good
of life, grounded in charity and its faith, constitutes the church,
therefore, by the apostle John twere revealed the alcana concerning the state of the church which are contained in his
visions. That by all the names of persons and places in the
Word are signified things of heaven and the church, is abundantly shown in the Arcanca Cmlestia.  From these considerations it may appear, that by signified [it], sending by his angel
to his servant John, is understood, in the spiritual sense, what
i, revealed by the Lord through heaven to those who are in the
good of life derived firom charity and its faith; for eharity through
faith operates good, and not charity by itself, nor faith by itself.
6. IWho bore witness of the Word of God, ancld the testimony
of Jesus Christ, signifies who, from their heart, and so in the
light, receive divine truth from the Word, and acknowledge the
Lord's Humanity to be divine. It is said of John that he bore
witness of the Word of God; but as by John are meant all who
are principled in good of life from charity and its faith, as was
said above, n. 5, therefore in the spiritual sense all these are
understood: the angels, who are in the spiritual sense of the
Word, never know any name of a person mentioned in the
Word, but only that which the person represents and thence
signifies, which, instead of John, is good of life, or good in act;
consequently all in the aggregate who are in that good: these
witness, that is, see, acknovwledge, receive cordially in light, and
confess the truths of the Word, especially that truth thereiii
* The words of our author. Divinoe Domini, may require the terms sphere, or
infinence, ar Ho]ly Spirit, to give them their full meaning: which the intelligent
reader can sanpply, or not, as he thinks best.
33                                             a




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i.
that the Lord's Humanity is divine; which may appear from
the passages quoted from the Word in great abundance in the
Doctrine of the New Jqrcscalen concerning the Lord. By Jesus
Christ and by the Lamb in the Apocalypse is understood, the
Lord as to the Divine Humanity, and by God, the Lord as to
his Divinity, from which ale all things. -With reardcl to the
spiritual signification of witnessing or testifyinq, this is predicated of truth, because in the world the truth is to be testified
or witnessed, and when it is testified, it is acknowledged; but
in heaven truth testifies of itself because it is itself the lioght of
heaven; for when the angels hear the truth, they instantly
know and acknowledge it; and because the Lord is truth itself,
as he himself teaches in John xiv. 6, le is in heaven the testimony of himself; hence it may appear, what is meant by the
testimony of Jesus Christ; wherefore the Lord saith, "Ye sent
unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth; but I receive
not testimony from man," John v. 33; and in another place:
" John calne for a witness, to bear witness of the light; he was
not that light; the Word which was with God, and was God,
and was made flesh, was the tlue light, vlwhich liglteth every
man," John i. 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, 34; and in another place: " Jesus
said, Though I bare record of myself, yet my record is true, for
I know  whence I came, and whither I go," John viii. 14.
" When the Comforter is come, even the spirit of truth, he shall
testify of me," John xv. 26; by the Comforter, the spirit of
truth, is meant the truth itself proceeding from the Lord, wherefore it is said of him, that he will not speak from himself, bult
fiom the Lord, John xvi. 13, 14, 15.
7. Thactsoever things he saw, signifies their illumination in
all the things which are in this revelation.  Bvy whatsoever
things he saw, in the spiritual sense, are not meant the things
which John saw, for they were only visions, but the thiings
which they see who are understood by John, who are such as
are principled in good of life, grounded in charity and its faith,
as was said above; these see in the visions of John, arcana concerning the state of the church, not so much when they read
themselves, but when they see them revealed. To see signifies
to understand; on this account in common discourse it is said,
that any one sees a thing, and that he sees that it is a truth;
for sight pertains as muc.n to a man's spirit as to liis body; but
man with his spirit sees spiritual things, because fiom the light
of heaven, but with his body he sees natural things, because
this sees from the light of the world, and spiritual things are
real things, but natural things ale their forms: it is the spiritual
sight of man which is called intellect.  It is, therefore, evident
what is meant, in the spiritual sense, by whatsoever things he
saw; in like manner in what follows, where it is said that he
saw themr
834




v. 3.3          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                 8
8. Blessed is he thact readeth, ancd they thcat hear the words
of th7.e pro/phecy, a.nd ceep those things which are written, therein, signlifies the communion of those with the angels of heaven,
who live according to the doctrines of the New Jerusalem. By
blessed, is here meant one who, as to his spirit, is in heaven;
thus, one who, while he lives in the world, is in communion
with the angels of heaven: for such a one, as to his spirit, is in
heaven; by the words of' this prophecy nothing else is understood than the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, for by prophet,
in an abstract sense, is signifiedl the doctrine of the church derived fiom the Word, thus here the doctrine of the New Church,
which is the New Jerusalenm; the same is signified by prophecy.
By reading, hearing, and keeping the things which are iwritten
therein, is signified, to desire to know that doctrine; to attend
to the things which are written in it, and to do themi; in short,
to live according to it: that they are not blessed who only read,
hear and keep or retain in the memory the things which were
seen bv John, is clear, see below, n. 944. The reason why prophet signifies the doctrine of the church derived fiom the Word,
and prophecy the same, is, because the Word was written by
prophets, and in heaven a person is regarded according to thlat
which belongs to his function and office; according to this,
also, is every man, spirit, and angel, named in heaven; wherefore, when the word prophet is used, his function being to write
and teach the Word, the Word is understood as to doctrine, or
doctrine derived firom the Word.' Hence it is, that the Lold,
being the Word itself; was called a prophet, Deut. xviii. 1520, Matt. xiii. 57, chap. xxi. 1, Luke xiii. 33. To show, that by
prophet is meant doctrine of the church derived firom the Word,
some passages shall be adduced, from which this may be collected. In Iatthew: " In the consulnmation of the age many
false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. There shall
arise false Christs and false prophets, and, if it were possible,,
they shall deceive the. very elect," xxiv. 11, 24; the consiu-imation of the age is the last time of the church, which is at
hand, when there are not false proAphets, but false principles of
doctrine. In the same: " He that receiveth a prophet in the
name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he
that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man,
shall receive a righteous man's reward," x. 41; to receive a
prophet in the name of a prophet, is to receive the doctrine of
truth because it is true: and to receive a righteous man in the
name of a righteons man, is to receive good for the sake of
good; and to receive a reward, is to be saved according to reception; it is evident that no one receives a reward, or is saved,
because he receives a prophet and a righteous man in the name
of such. Those words cannot be understood by any one, without knowing what a prophet and a righteous man signify;
35




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i.
neither call the following: " That whosoever shall give to drink
unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the
name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose his reward;" by disciple is understood charity, and at the same time faith from the
Lord. In Joel: " I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and
yolir sons and your daughters shall proplfesy," chap. ii. 28;
speaking of the church which was to be established by the
Lord, in which they would not prophesy, but receive doctrine,
which is to prophesy. In MLatthew: " Jesus said, Many will
say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not hpovhes/'ed in
thy name? but then will I profess unto them, I never knew you;
depart firom me, ye that work iniquity," chap. vii. 22, 23; who
does not see, that they would not say that they have prophesied,!but that they knew the doctrine of the church, and taught it? 
In the Apocalypse: " The time is come that the dead should be
judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants
the prop/ets," chap. xi. 18; and in another place, "'Rejoice
over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and proph/ets, for
God hath avenged you on her," chap. xviii. 20: that a reward
would not be given to the prophets alone, and that the apostles
and prophets wvould not alone rejoice at the last judgment, is
evident; but all who have received truths of doctrine, and have
lived according to themn  these thethefbre, are understood by
apostles and prophets. ~o in Moses: "Jehovah said unto
Moses, See, I have made thee a god of Pharaoh, and Aaron
thy brother shall be thy p3rophct," Exod. vii. 1: by God is
understood divine truth as to reception from the Lord, in which
sense the angels are also called gods, and by prophet is under-stood one who teaches and utters it, therefore Aaron is here
called a prophet. The same is signified by prophet in other
places, as in the following: " The law shall not perish from the
i —iest, nor counsel fiom the wise, nor the Word from the prowphet," Jerem. xviii. 18. "From the prophets of Jerusalem is
profaneness gone forth into all the land," Jerem. xxiii. 15.
"The prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in
them," Jerem. v. 13. "The priest and the _prophet have erred
through strong drink, they ale swallowed up of wine, they
stumble in judgment," Isaiah xxviii. 7. "The sun shall go
down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them,"
Micah iii. 6. "From the prophet even unto the priest, every
one dealeth falsely," Jerem. viii. 10; in these passages, by prophets and priests, in the spiritual sense, are not meant prophets
and priests, but the universal church; by prophets, the church'as to truth of doctrine, and by-priests, the church as to good
of life, both which were destroyed; these things are so understood by the angels in heaven;  while, by men in the world,'they are understood according to the sense of the letter. That
the prophets represented the state of the church as to doctrine.
36




v. 3, 4.J       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              9, 10
and that the I;ord represented it as to the Word itself, may be
seen in T/he -Doctrine of tle New  Jerusalem  colcerning the
Iord, n. 15-17.
9. For the time is at hand, signifies that the state of the
church is such, that it cannot endure any longer, so as to be in
conjunction with the Lord. There are two essentials by which
conjunction with the Lord, and thence salvation is effected, the
acknowledagment of one God, and repentance of life; but at this
day) instead of the acknowledgment of one God, there is an
acknowledgment of three, and instead of repentance of life,
there is only an oral confession of sin; and by these two there
is not any conjunction: unless, therefore, a new church should
arise, which acknowledges these two essentials, and lives accordingly, no one can be saved; on account of this danger the time
is shortened by the Lord, according to his own words in Matthew:'"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall
be; and except those days should be shortened, there should be
no flesh saved," xxiv. 21, 22. That nearness of time, or its
being at hand, is not understood, may be seen below, n. 947.
10. JoAn to the seven churcfAes, signifies to all who are in
the Christian world where the Word is, and by it the Lord is
known, and who accede to the church. By the seven churches
are not to be -undlrstood seven churches, but all who are of the
church in the Christian world; for numbers, in the Word, signifly things, and seven, all things and all, and thence, also, what
is full and perfect, and it occurs in the Word where any thing
holy is treated of, and, in an opposite sense, where it treats of
any thing profane; consequently, this number involves what is
holy, and, in an opposite sense, what is profane. The reason
why numbers signify things, or rather resemble certain adjectives to substa:~itives denoting some quality in things, is, because
number is, in itself, natural; for natural things are determined
by numbers, but spiritual things by things and their states:
therefore, he who is ignorant of the signification of numnbers in
the Word, and especially in the Apocalypse, must be ignorant
of many arcana which are contained therein.  Now, since seven
signifies all things and all, it may appear that by seven churches
are mleant all who are in the Christian world where the Word
is, and where consequently the Lord is known: these, if they
live according to the Lord's precepts in the Word, constitute
the true church. For this reason the sabbath was instituted
on the seuventh day, and the seventh year was called the sabbatarian year; and the seven times seventh, year the jubilee, kb-y
which was signified every thing holy in the church: for this
cause, also, a week, in Daniel, and elsewhere, signifies an entire
period, from beginning to end, and is predicated of the church.
The same is signified by seven in the following passages: asa
37




10               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. i.
By the seven golden candlesticks, in the midst of which was one
like unto the Son of nMan, Apoc. i. 13. By the seven stars in
his right hand, Apoc. i. 16, 20. By the sevenz spirits of God,
Apoc. i. 4; iv. 5. By the seven lamps of fire, Apoc. iv. 5. By
the seven angels, to whom  were given seven trumlpets, Apoc.
viii. 2. By the seven aungels having the seven last plague s, Apoc.
xv. 6. By the seven vials fill of the seven last plagues, Apoc.
xvi. 1; xxi. 9. By the seven seals with which the bookl was
sealed, Apoc. v. 1. In like manner in the followinog places:
That their hands should be filled seven days, Exod. xxix. 35.
That they should be sanctified seven days, Exod. xxix. 37. Thiat
when they were consecrated they should go clothed in the holy
garments seven days, Exod. xxix. 30. That they were not to
out of the door of the tabernacle seven days, when they were
initiated into the priesthood, Levit. viii. 33, 35. That an atonement was, to be mnade seven times upon thle horns of the altar,
Levit. xvi. 18, 19. That the altar was to be sanctified with oil
seven times, Levit. viii. 11. That the blood was to be sprinkled
seven times before the vail, Levit. iv. 16, 17.  And also seveln
times towards the east, Levit. xvi. 12-15.  That the water
of separation was to be sprinkled seven times towards the
tabernacle, Nnumbers xix. 4. That the passover was celebrated
seven days; and unleavened bread was eaten seven days, Exod.
xii. 15; Dent. xvi. 4-7.  In like manner, that the Jews were
to be punished seven times more for their sins, Levit. xxvi. 18,
21, 24, 28.  Wherefore David saith, Render unto our neig-hbour seven-fold into their bosom, Psalm lxxix. 12.  Seven-fold
is fully. Likewise in these places: "' The words of Jellovah are
pure words, as silver tried inl a furnace of earth, purified seven
times," Psalm xii. 6. 6"The hungry ceased, so that the barren
hath borne seven, and she that hath many children is waxed
feeble," 1 Sam. ii. 5. The barren is the church of the Gentiles,
who had not the Word; she that had many children is the
church of the Jews, who had the Word.  " She who hath borne
seven languisheth, she hath given up the ghost," Jeerem. xv. 9.
In like umanner: "They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall
go forth and set on fire anid burn the weapons, and they shall
burn them  with fire seven years: they shall bnry Gog, and
seven months shall they be cleansing the land," Ezek. xxxix. 9,
12.  " The unclean spirit will take with him seven spirits more
wicked than himself," Matt. xii. 45. Profanation is here described, and by the seven spirits with which he would return,
are signified all falses of evil; thus a plenary or total extinction of goodness and truth.  By the seven, heads of the dragon,
and the seven crowns upon his head, Apoc. xii. 3, is signified
the profanation of all goodness and truth. It is evident fiomn
what has been said, that seven involves what is holy or profane,
and signifies all things and fulness.
38




v. 4.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             11, 12
11. Wic/h are inz'Asic, signifies, to those who are in the
light of truth from the Word.  Since, by all the names of persons and places in the Word, things of heaven and the chlurch
are understood, as was before observed; so, therefore, Asia and
the names of the seven churches therein, signify the same, as
will appear from what follows. The reason why they who are
in the light of truth firom the Word, ale understood by Asia, is,
bec.ause the most ancient church, and, after it, the ancient,
and then the Israelitish church, were established in Asia; also,
because the ancient Word, and, after it, the Israelitish Word,
was among them; and all the light of'truth comes from the
Wordf That tlhe ancient churches were in Asia, and that a
Word which was afterwards lost, and lastly, the Word which
is extant at this day, was among them, may be seen in TLe
Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptu're, n. 101, 102, 103.  On this account it is, that by Asia are
here signified all who are in the light of truth from the Word.
"Concernino this ancient Word, which was extant in Asia
before the Israelitish Word, it is worth while to mention, that
it is still preserved among the people who inhabit Great Tartary;
I have conversed with spirits and angels in the spiritual world
who came thence, who said that they possess a Word, and have
possessed it fiom ancient times; and that in conformity to this
Word, their divine worship is established; and that it consists
of mere correspondences: they said that it contains the book
of Jaslher, which is mentioned in Joshua x. 12, 13, and 2 Sam.
i. 17, 18, and also, that they possess the books mentioned by
Moses, as 2'le Wcars of Jehovah and the Propheticals, Num.
xxi. 14, 15, and 27-30; and when I read to them the words
quoted thence by lMoses, they examined whether they were
extant there, and found them: from which circumstance it is
very clear to me that the old Word is still preserved among
them. In the course of the conversation, they said that they
worship Jehovah, some as an invisible, and some as a visible
God. Moreover they related that they do not suffer foreigners'to come among them, except the Chinese, with whom they cultivate peace, because the emperor of China is from their country; and furtherl, that they are so populous, that they do not
believe any country in the world to be more so; which is very
credible from the wall so many -miles long, which the Chinese
formerly built as a defence against any invasion from  them.
Seek for it in China, and peradventure you may find it there
among the Tartars."
12. Grace be unto you, and peace, signifies divine salutation.
Whllat is understood specifically by grace and peace, will be explained in what follows; that "peace be unnto your" was the
Lord's salutation to his disciples, thus the divine salutation,
may be seen in Luke xxiv. 36, 37; John xx. 19, 20, 21; and
39




13, 14           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. i.
by command of the Lord, it was the saliltation of the disciples
to all to whom they should entel in, Matt. x. 11-13.
13. Fromn hi?  who is, who was, and is to come, signifies,
from the Lord who is eternal and infinite, and who is Jehovah.
That it is the Lord, appears clearly firom what follows in this
chapter, where it is said that he heard a voice from tile Son of
Man, saying, "'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and
the Last," verse 11, 13; and afterwards, "I am the First and
the Last,'" verse 17; and in the following chapter, verse 8; and
afterwards, chap. xxi. 6; xxii. 12; and in Isaiah: " Thus saith
Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer Jehovah of
Hosts: I am the First, and I am the Last, and beside me there
is no God," xliv. 6; also xlviii. 12; and he who is the First
and the Last, is he who is, and who was, and who is to come.
This also is to be understood by Jehovah; for the name of Jehovah signifies is, and he who is, or who is esse itself; the same
is also he who was, and is to come, for in him the past and the
future are present; hence he is without time eternal, and without place infinite: this also is acknowledged by the churcl in
the Doctrine of the Trinity, called Athanasian, in which are
these words: "The Father is eternal and infinite, the Son is
eternal and infinite, and the IHoly Spirit is eternal and infinite;
but yet there are not three eternals and infinites, but one;"
that this one is the Lord, is demonstrated in hlbe iDocvrine of
the New Jerusalemn concerning the Lord.
14. And from the seven. spirits which are before his. th1rone,
signifies, firom the universal heaven where thle Lord is in his
divine truth, and where his divine truth is received. By seven
spirits are meant all who are in divine truth, and, in an abstract
sense, the divine true or divine truth itself; that seven in the
Word means all and every thing, lnay be seen above, n. 10; and
tlhat by throne is understood the universal heaven, will be seen
presently; therefore by being before his throne, is meant where
his divine truth is; for heaven is not heaven firom any thing
proper to the angels, but from  the divine of the Lord, as is
fully shown in The Angelic Wisdom concerninq t/he Dibvin.e Pr'ovigdezee aind thte Divinze Love. That the Lord's throne signifies
heaven, is evident firom  the following passages: "'Thus saith
Jehovah, Heaven is my throne,", Isaiah lxvi. 1.  "Jehovah
hath prepared his throne in the heavens," Psalm ciii. 19.  "HIe
that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the thr/o?ne of God, and
by him that sitteth thereon," Matt. xxiii. 22.  "Above the firinarnent that was over the heads of the cherubim, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone, and
upon it the iikeness as the appearance of a man," Ezek. i. 26;
x. 1; by the firmament over the heads of the cherubim,  is
nmeant heaven; and in the Apocalypse: "To him  that overeometh, will I glrant to sit with me in my throne," iii. 21; in
40




V. 4, 5.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             15-17
my throne, is in heaven; specifically, where his divine truth
reigns; thus also, where judgment is treated of, it is said, that
the Lord will sit upon a throne, for judgment is performed by
truths.
15. Andcfron JTesus Christ, signifies the Divine Humanity.
That by Jesus Christ and by the Lamb in the Word, is meant
the Lord as to his Divine Hunmanity, may be seen above, n. 6.
16. Who is tAe fait3hfut witnzess, signifies that he is Divine
Truth itself.  That witness is predicated of truth, and that the
truth testifies of itself, thus the Lord, who is Divine Truth itself,
and the Word, may be seen above, n. 6.
17. The first-begotten  front the dead, signifies that he is
Divine Goodness itself. What the first-begotten firom the dead
means, no one as yet knows; even the ancients disputed about
the signification of it: they knew that by first-begotten is signified what is first and primary, fiom which is the all of the
church; and it was believed by many, that it was truth in doctrine and in faith; but by few, that it was truth in act and operation, which is good of life.  That this is the first and plimary
of the church, and thence in a strict sense is meant by firstbegotten, will be seen presently; but first something shall be said
on the opinion of those who believed, that truth in doctrine and
in faith is the first and primary of the church, thus the firstbegotten. They believed this, because it is first learnt, and because a church is a church by virtue of truth, though not before
it forms a part of the life; until this happens, it is only in the
thought of the understanding, and in the mernory, and not in
the act of the will; and truth, which is not truth in act or
operation, has no life; it is only like a luxuriant tree having
branches and leaves, but no firuit; and it is like knowledge
without any application to use; and like the foundation upon
which a house is built to be lived in.  These things are first as
to time, but they are not first as to end; and what is first as to
end is primary; for habitation is the first as to end, but the
foundation is the first as to time; use also is first as to end, and
knowledge is first as to time; in like manner the first thing as
to end, when a tree is planted, is the fruit, but the first things
as to time are the branches and leaves.  With the understanding it is similar, which is formed in' man first, but to this end,
that what a man sees with his unclderstanding, he may bring
into act; otherwise the undelrstandcing is like a preacher, who
teaches well, but lives ill.  Beside all truth is sown in the internal man, and rooted in the external; wherefore, unless the
truth that is inseminated takes root in the external man,
which is effected by doing it, it becomes like a tree planted,
not in the ground, but upon it, which withers on exposure
to the heat of the sun: the man who has acted up to the he truth,
takes this root with him after death; but not the man who had
41




17               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Ch1ap. i
only known and acknowledged it now as in faith. Many of
the ancients made that which is first as to time, the first also as
to end, that is, primary; therefore they said, that first-begotten
signified truth in doctrine and faith in the church; not knowing that this is the first-begotten apparently, and not actually.
But all they who have made truth in doctrine and in faith
primary, are condemned, because in thisthere is nothing of
action or operation, or nothing of life;. thelefore Cain, who
was the first-begotten of.dclam and Eve, was condemned: that
by him is signified truth in doctrine and in faith, may be seen
in the Angelic WVsclkn, cocering' the Divilne Providence, n.
242. And Reuben also, who was the first-begotten of Jacob,
was condemned by his father, Genesis xlix. 3, 4, and his birthright taken fiom him, 1 Chron. v. 1; that by Reuben, in the
spiritual sense, is meant truth in doCtrine and in faith, will be
seen presently.  By the first-born of Egypt, which were all cut
off, because condemned, nothing else is meant in the spiritual
sense, but truth in doctrine and in faith separate friom the good
of life, which truth is in itself dead.  By the goats in Daniel
and in Matthew, none others are to be understood, but those
who are?in faith separate fr'om life, concerning whom see The
Doctrinee of the Xew Jerusacen concerning Fcaithg n. 61-68.
That they who were in faith separate from life, welre rejected
and condemned about the time of the last judgment, may be
seen in The ContinCuation conce0rning the Last Jucdgyent, n. 16,
and following ones.  From this brief account it may appear,
that truth in doctrine and in faith is not the first-begotten of
the church; but truth in act or operation, which is good of life;
for the church is not in man, unless truth is in the life, and
when truth is in the life, then it is good; for the thought of
the understanding, and the memory, do not flow into the will,
and through the will into act; but the will flows into tlle
thought of the understanding, and into the memory, and acts;
and what proceeds fiom  the will, through the understanding,
proceeds fiom affection, which is of love, through the thougllt,
which is of the understanding, and is all called good, as it enters
into the life; wherefore the Lord saith, that'l he who doeth the
ttuth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God," John iii. 21.  lBecause
John represents the good of life, and Peter the trutll of ftith,
as may be seen above, n. 5, therefore John leaned on the
Lord's breast, and followed Jesus, but not Peter, John xxi. 1821; the Lord also said of John, that he should tarry till he
came, verse 22, 23; thus to this day, which is the Lord's coiming; the good of life is therefore now taught by thle Lord for
those who are to be of his New Church, which is thle New Jerusalem. In short, that is the first-begotten which truthl first
produces from good, thus what the understanding produces firom
42




v. 5.]           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             18, 19
the will; because truth is-of the understanding, and good is of
the will: this first is primary, because it is as the seed fiorn
which proceeds every thinong else.  So the Lord is the first-begotten firom the dead, becautse he, as to his Huiimanity, is the
truth itself united to the divine good, fi'om whom all men, who
in themselves are dead., are made alive. The same is understood in David: " I will make him my first-born higher than
the klings of the earth," Psalm lxxxix. 27; speaking of the Lord's
Hfllumanity.  It is on this account that Israel is called the firstborn, Exod. iv. 22, 23: by Israel is understood truth in act, and
by Jacob truth in doctrine; and because there is no church
friom the latter alone, therefore Jacob was named Israel; but
in a supreme sense by Israel is meant the Lord. On acconnt of
this representation of the first-born, all the first-born and all the
first-'uits were sanctified to Jehovah, Exod. xiii. 2, 12; xxii. 29.
On account of this representation of the first-born, the Levites
were taken instead of all the first-born in the Israelitislh church;
and it is said that thereby they belonged to Jehovah, Numbers
iii. 12, 13 —46, xviii. 15-18: for by Levi is signified truth in act,
which is the gooc! of life; and therefore the priesthood was given
to his posterity, which will be treated of below.  For lthe same
reason a doubl-le portion of the inheritance was given to the firstborn and he was. called the betgilming of strenrth, Deut. xxi.
15-1T.  The reason why fi'st-born signifies the primaary of
the church, is, because in the Word by natural births, spiritual
births are signified, and then what first produces them in. man,
is understood by his first-bornl; for there is no church in him,
until the truth of doctrine conceived in the internal nlan is
brouglht forth in the external.
18. Aqnd the prinzce of the kirngs of the eacrth, signifies, from
whoin is derived all truth proceeding from good in the church.
This follows from what has gone before, because by faithful
witness, the Lord as to divine truth is signified; and by firstbegotten, the Lord as to divine good; therefore by prince of.the earth, is signified, that all good fiom. truth in the church
is from him; the reason why this is signified by prince of the
]ings of the earth, is, because by kings in the spiritual sense of
the Word, are meant those that are in truths'derived fiom good,
and, abstractedly, truths firom lgood; and by earth is understood
the church: that this is the signification of kings and earth,
may be seen below, n: 20 and n. 285.
19. To himz th]at loved'ts acnd washled  s from  our sins in7
his blood, signifies, who out of love and mercy reforms and regenerates mlen by his divine trulths from  the Word. That to
wash us from our sins is to purify from  evils, thus to reform
and regenerate, is evident; for regeneration is spiritual washing; but that by his blood, is not meant the passion of the cross,
as many believe, but divine truth proceeding from him, may
43o




20               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. i.;
appear from many passages in the Word, which it would be
too tedious here to adduce, but they will be adduced below, n1.
379, 653. In the mean time, see what is said and shown concerning the signification of the Lord's flesh and blood in the
holy supper, as set forth in DThe New Jeruscademn and its Ileavenly Doctrinbe, n. 212-222; and concerning spiritual washing,
which is rgo'eneration, in the same, n. 202-209.
20. Anld A/cth mrac deu s kings andpriests, signifies, who gives
to those who are born of him, that is, who are regenerated, to
be in wisdom firorn divine truths, and in love from  divine goods.
It is well known, that in the Word the Lord is called a king,
and also a priest; he is called a king fiom his divine wisdom,
ald a priest fiom his divine love; therefore, they who are in
wisdom fr'oln the Lord are called kings' sons, and also kings;
and they who aie in love firom him, are called ministers and
priests; for the l.ove and wisdom in them is not from themselves, thus not their own, but the Lord's; hence it is that they
are meant in the Word by kings and priests; not that they are
such, but that the Lord is such in them, and causes theni to be
so called. They are also called born of him, sons of the kingdom, sons of the Father, and heirs; "' born of him," John i. 12,
13, that is, born again, or regenerated, John iii. 3, and subsequent verses:' children of the kingdom," Matt. viii. 12, xiii.
38; " children of your Father which is in heaven," MIatt. v. 45;
"heirs,"' Psalmn cxxvii. 3, 1 Sam. ii. 8, MIatt. xxv. 34; and
because they are called heirs, sons of the kingdom, and born ~of
the Lord as their Father, they ale denominated kings and
priests: then also it is said that "' they will sit with the Lord
upon his throne," Apoc. iii. 21. There are two kingdoms into
which the universal heaven is distinguished, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom; the spiritual kingdom is what
is called thle Lord's royalty, and as all who are therein are in
wisdom  from truths, therefore they are meant by kings, which
the Lord will malke those men who are in wisdom  fr'om
him; and the celestial kingdoml is what is called the Lord's
priesthood, and all who are there, are in love from good, therefore they ale meant by priests, which the Lord will mlake thosb
men who are in love from him: in like manner, the Lord's
church upoin earth is distinguished into two kingdoms; concerning those two kingdoms, see the work On Heaven anCd ffell,
n. 24, 226.  HIe who does not know the. spiritual signification
of kings and priests, may be led into mistakes by many things
wvhich are recorded concerning them  in the prophets and in
the Apocalypse; as in the following instances in the prophets:
" Tie son.s of strangers shall build up thy w!alls, and their kings
shall minister unto thee; thou shalt also suck the milk of the
Gentiles, and shalt suck the breasts of kings; and thou shalt
know that I Jehovah am thy Saviour anid thy Redeemer,e" Isaiah
44




v. 5, 6.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               20
Ix. 10, 16. "<Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their
queens thy nursing  mothers," Isaiah xlix. 23; and in other
places, as in Genesis xlix. 20; Psalm ii. 10; Isaiah xiv. 9;
xxiv. 21; lii. 15; Jerem. ii. 26; iv. 9; lxix. 3; Lament. ii. 6,
9; Ezek. vii. 26, 27; Hosea iii. 4; Zephan. i. 8: by kings in
these passages, kings are not understood, but they who are in
divine truths fiom the Lord, and, abstractedly, divine truths.
fiom which is derived wisdom. Neither are kings meant by the
king of the south and the king of the north, who waged war
with each other, Daniel xi. 1, and subsequent verses; but by
the king of the south are meant those who are in truths, and
by the king of the north those who are in fialses. It is the
same in the Apocalypse, where kings are frequently mentioned;
as in the following passages: "' And the sixth angel poured out
his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof
was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be
prepared,"' xvi. 12.' The kings of the earth have committed
fornication with the great whore that sitteth upon many waters,"
xvii. 2. "'For all nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of the fornication of Babylon, and the kings of the earth
have committed fornication with her,'" xviii. 3. "Anid I saw
the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered
together to make war against him that sat on the white horse,"
xix. 19.  "And the nations of them which are saved shall
walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring
their glory and honour into the New Jerusalem," xxi. 24; and
in other places, as xvii. 9-14; xviii. 9, 10; by kings are here
meant those who are in truths, and, in an opposite sense, those
who are in falses; and, abstractedly, truths or falses; by the
fornication of Babylon with the kings of the earth is meant
the falsification of the truth of the church; that Babylon, or
the woman who sat upon the scarlet-coloured beast, did not
commit fornication with kings, but that she falsified the truths
of the Word, is evident. It appears, therefore, that by kings,
which the Lord will make those who are in wisdom from him,
it' is not to be understood that they will be kings, but that they
will be wise; the evidence of which enlightened reason can
discern. So in the following passages: "Thou hast made us
unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the
earth," Apoc. v. 10. That the Lord, by a king, meant truth,
is evident from his own words to Pilate: "Pilate said unto him,
Art thou not a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that
I am a king; to this end was I born, and for this cause came
I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth;
every one that is of the truth heareth my voice: Pilate saith
unto him, What is truth?" John xviii. 37, 38; to bear witness unto the truth, means that he himself is truth; and because from it he called himself a king, Pilate said, what is
2:.




21-23           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i
truth, that is, truth is a king. That priests signify those who
are in thle good of love, and, abstracted from person, the goods
of love, will appear in what follows.
21. Ulto God and his Father, signifies, and thus images of
his divine wisdom, and of his divine love. By God and Father,
in the spiritual sense, two persons are not understood; but by
God is understood the Divinity as to wisdom, and by Father
the Divinity as to love; for there are two things in the Lord,
divine wisdom and divine love, or divine truth and divine
good; these two are understood in the Old Testament by God
and Jehovah, and here, by God and the Father. Now because
the Lord teaches, that he and the Father are one, and that he is
in the Father and the Father in him (John x. 30; xiv. 10, 11),
by God and the Father are not understood two persons, but
only the Lord; the Divinity also is one and indivisible, therefore by Jesus Christ making us kings and priests unto God and
his Father, is signified, that they appear in his sight as images
of his divine wisdom and of his divine love; for in these two
consists the image of God in men and angels. That the Divinity, which in itself is one, is expressed by various names in the
Word, may be seen in tlhe Doctrine of the lYew Jerusalcem con,ccrnzing the Lord. Thaet the Lord himself is also the Father, is
evident fiom the following places in Isaiah: "For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given, and his name shall be
called W onderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Fat.her, the Prince of Peace," ix. 5. In the same: "Thou,
Jehovah, art our Father, our Redeemer, thy name is from
everlasting," lxiii. 16; and in John, "I If ye had known me, ye
should have known my Facther also, and fi'om henceforth ye do
know him, and have seen him: Philip saith unto him, Lord,
show us the Fcather: Jesus saith unto him, He that hath seen
me hath seen the Facther, and how sayest thou then, Show us the
Fcather? believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father
in me," xiv. 7, 8, 9, 11. See n. 960, below.
22. To hin be glory ancd mighAt for ever and ever, signifies,
to whom alone belong divine majesty and divine omnipotence
to eternity. By glory in the Word, where the Lord is treated
of, is understood the divine majesty; this being predicated of
his divine wisdom; and by might, is meant divine omnipotence, this being predicated of his divine love; and by ior
ever and ever, is meant eternity. That such is the meaning
of glory, might, and ever and ever, when spoken of Jehovah or
the Lord, may be confirmed from many passages in the Word.
23. Amenz, signifies divine confirmation from the truth, thus
from himself. Amen signifies truth; and because the Lord was
truth itself, he so often said, Amen (verily), I say unto you, as
in MIatt. v. 18. 26; vi. 16; x. 23, 42; xvii. 20; xviii. 13, 18:
xxv. 12; xxviii. 2b0; John iii. 11; v. 19, 24, 25; vi. 26, 32, 47.
46




v. 7.]           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED,                 24
53; viii. 34, 51, 58; x. 7; xiii. 16, 20, 21; xsi. 18, 25; and in
the following  passage in the Apocalypse: "'LThese things saith
the Amen, the faithful and trule witness," iii. 14; that is, the
Lord. That the Lord is truth itself, he himself teaches in John
xiv. 6; xvii. 19.
24. Behorld he coneth woith cloutds, signifies that the Lord
will reveal himself in the literal sense of the Word, and will
open its spiritual sense at the end of the church.  He who does
not know any thing of the internal or spiritual sense of the
Word, cannot know what was meant by the Lord concerning
his coiling in the clouds of heaven; for he said unto the high
priest, who adjured him  to declare whether he was the Christ
the Son of God, "Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you,
hereafter shall ve see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand
of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven," Matt. xxvi. 64;
Mark xiv. 61, 62; and where the Lord speaks to his disciples
of the consummation of the age, he says, "A-nd then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and they shall see
the Son of M3an coming in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory," Matt. xxiv. 30;  Ialk xiii. 26. By the clouds of
heaven inl which he is to come, nothing else is meant but the
Word in its literal sense; and by the glory in which they will
see him, the Word in its spiritual sense. That this is the case,
is difficult to be believed by those who do not think beyond the
literal sense of the Word; with such, a cloud is a cloud, and
thence comes their belief that the Lord will appear in the clouds
of heaven, when the last judgment is at hand; but this idea
falls to the ground, when it is known what is the meaning of
cloud, and that it denotes divine truth in ultimates, and thus
the Word in its literal sense. In the spiritual world there appear clouds as well as in the natural world; but thle clouds in
the spiritual world appear beneath the heavens, with those who
are in th]e literal sense of the Word, darker or brighter according to their understanding and reception of the Word; the
reason is, because the liht of heaven there is divine truth,
and darkness there proceeds firom falses; consequently bright
clouds are the divine truth veiled in appearances of truth, such
as the Word is in the letter with those who are in truths; and
dark clonds are the divine truth covered with fallacies and confirmed appearances, such as the Word is in the letter with those
who are in falses: I have often seen those clouds, and it was
evident whence and what they are. Now because the Lord,
after the glorification of his humiranity, was made divine truth,
or the Word, even in ultimates, he said unto the high priest,
that hereafter they should "see the Son of MIan comi-ng in the
clouds of heaven."  But his saying to his disciples, that in the
consummation of the age the sign of the Son of 1Man should
appear, and that they should see him coming in the lou ds of
4'7




24              TIME APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i.
heaven with power and glory, signifies that at the end of the
church, when the last judgment shall take place, he will appear
in the Word, and reveal its spiritual sense, which is also acconlplished at this day, because nowv is the end of the chmuch, and
the last judgment has taken place, as may appear friom the
Trecatise on the Last Jbdayment cand its (Utninuation: this,
therefore, is what is meant in the Apocalypse, by'" behold he
comneth with clou ds:" also in the following passages: "I looked,
and beholdl, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat likle unto
the Son of Man," Apoc. xiv. 14. As also in Daniel: "I saw in
the nighlt visions, and behold one like the Son of Maan with
cloutds of heaven," vii. 13; that by the Son of Man is meant the
Lord as to the Word, may be seen in the Doctrine of the ANew
-Jerzscalemr concerneiny the Lord, n. 19-28. That by cloud in
other parts of the Word, is meant, also, divine truth in ultimates, and thence the Word in the letter, may be seen in other
passages where clouds are mentioned; as in these: "There is
nosie like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the clobuds,"' Dent.
xxxiii. 26. "Sing nnto God, sing praises to his name, extol
him that ricleth upon the clouds," Psalm lxviii. 4. "Jehovah
rideth upon a light cloud," Isaiah xix. 1: to ride upon the
clouds, signifies to be in the wisdom of the Word, for a horse
si gnifies the understanding of the Word; who cannot see that
Jehovah does not ride upon the clouds?  "And he rode upon
a cherub, and made the clouds of heaven his pavilion," Psalm
xviii. 10, 11: here there is a similar signification; cherubs also
signify the Word, as may be seen below, n. 239, 672; pavilion
signifies a habitation.  "Jehovah layeth the beams of his
chambers in the waters, who naketh the c7louds his chariot,"
Psalm civ. 3. Waters signify truths, chambers signify doetrinals, and chariot doctrine, all which, because they belong to
the literal sense of the Word, are called clouds.  "lHe bindeth
up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under
themf; he holdeth back the face of his throne. and spreadeth
his cloud upon it," Job xxvi. 8, 9: this is to be understood in
like manner, "God caused the light of his cloud to shine," Job
xxxvii. 15. "Ascribe ye strength unto God, his excellency is
over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds,"' Psalm lxviii. 34.
The light of a cloud signifies the divine truth of the Word, and
strength signifies its divine power. "Thou, O Lucifer, hast said
in thine heart, I will ascend above thle heights of the clouds;
I will be like the Most High," Isaiah xiv. 14. " Forsake ye
Babylo~n, for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted
up even to the clofuds," Jer. li. 9. By Lucifer and Babylon are
signified those who profane "the goods and truths of the Word;
therefore these truths are to be understood there by clouds.
"Jehovah spread a cloud for a covering," Psalm cv. 39  "J48




v. 7.]          TEM APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             25, 26
hovah will create upon every dwelling-place of Mlount Zion: a
cloud and smoke by day, for upon all the glory shall be a "defence," Isaiah iv. 5: here, also, by cloud, is meant the Word
in its literal sense, which sense, as it includes and covers the
spiritual sense, is called a covering upon the glory; that the
literal sense of the Word is a covering, or defence, lest its
spiritual sense should be violated, may be seen in The Doctridhe
of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 33;
and that it is a defence, n. 97. Divinetruth in ultiinates, which
is the same with the Word in its literal sense, is also represented
by the cloud, in which Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai,
and promulgated the law, Exod. xix. 9; xxxiv. 5. Also by the
cloud which covered Peter, James, and John, when Jesus was
transfigured, concerning which it is written: "' While Peter yet
spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a
voice out of the cloed which said, This is my beloved Son, heal
ve him," Matt. xvii. 5; Mark ix. 7; Luke ix. 34, 35. The
Lord in this transfiguration caused himself to be seen as the
Word; therefore a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice was
heard out of the cloud, saying that he was the Son of God; a
voice out of the cloud, means out of the Word. That by cloud,
in an opposite sense, is meant the Word as to its literal sense
falsified, swill be seen elsewhere.
25. And every eye shall see Ahim, signifies that all who are
in the understanding of divine truth from affection will acknowledge him. In the spiritual sense, by eye, is not meant the eye,
but the understanding; therefore, every eye shall see him,
denotes that all who are in the understanding of divine truth
from  affection will acknowledge him, because they alone understand and acknowledge; the rest see indeed and also understand, but do not acknowledge; the former, then, are signified,
because it follows, that they, also, who pierced him will see
him, by whom are understood they who are in falses. That the
eye signifies understanding, will be seen below, n. 48..26. And they also whopierced him, signifies that they also
will see who are in falses in the church. By piercing Jesus
Christ, nothing else is meant but the destruction of his divine
truth in the Word; this, also, is understood by " one of the
soldiers piercing his side, and water and blood coming thereout," John xix. 34. Blood and water are divine truth, spirital and natural, thus the Word in its spiritual and in its natural
sense; and to pierce the Lord's side is to destroy both by falses,
as was also done by the Jews; for all the circumstances of the
Lord's passion represented the state of the Jewish church as to
the Word, on which subject, see Thie D)octrine of the 2New Jerusalem, concerning the Lord, n. 15-17. The reason why piercinig
him, signifies to destroy the Word by falses, is, because this is
said of Jesus Christ, who presently after is called the Son of Man,
49                                             b




27-29           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap.
and by the Son of tMan is meant the Lord as to the Word, there,
fore to pierce the Son of Man, is to do the same to the Word.
27. And all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of
him, signifies that this will be when there are no longer any
goods and truths in the church. That the tribes of the earth
signify the goods and truths of the church, will be seen in the
explanation of the seventh chapter, where the twelve tribes of
Israel are treated of; wailing signifies lamentation, by reason
of their being dead. The same is meant here as by the Lord's
words in Matthew: " Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven; and then shall
appear the sign of the Son of AMan, and then shall all the tribes
of the earth. mourn," xxiv. 29, 30; these things are said of the
consummation of the age, which is the end of the church; the
sun shall be darkened, signifies that there is no longer any love
and charity; the moon shall not give her light, signifies that
there is no longer any intelligence and faith; the stars shall
fall firom heaven, signifies that there are no longer any knowledges of good and truth; all the tribes of the earth shall mourn,
signifies that there are no longer any goods and truths; tribnlation, signifies that state of the church.
28. Ezve.n so, Amenl, signifies the divine confirmation that so
it will be. This is evident firom what was explained above, n. 19.
29. I am, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning amnd the
End, signifies who is the self-subsisting and only-subsisting
from first principles to ultimates; from  whom  proceed all
things; thus, who is the self-subsisting and only-subsisting love,
the self-subsisting and only-subsisting wisdom, and the self-subsisting and only-subsisting life in himself; and, consequently,
the self-subsisting and only-subsisting Creator, Saviour, and
Illuminator-, from himself; and thence the all in all of heaven
and the church. These and many more tllings besides are contained in the above words, by which the Lord is described;
that they ar'e spoken of the Locld, and, indeed, of his Humanity,
is very evident, for it follows, that John heard a voice, saying,' I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; and
1 turned to see the voice that spake with me, and saw the Son
of Mamn in the midst of seven candlesticks," chap. i. 10  13;
who, also, a little fulrther on, says, " I am the First and the
Last, I am lie that liveth and was dead," verse 17, 18; chap. ii.
8. But that all the particulars above enumerated are contained
in these words, cannot be confirmed briefly, for to confirm
them, so as to be well comprehended, would require mnany volumes; still they are in part confirmed in The Anygelic Wisdom
concerning the D)ivine Love" and the Divine  isdom. The Lord
calls himself the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the
End, because Alpha and Omega refer to his divine love, and
aO




V. 8.J         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             30, 31
Beginning and End, to his divine wisdom;'for there is, in evelr
particular of the Wordcl a marriage of love and wisdom, or of
good and truth; on which subject, see The DIoctrinze of tlhr
New Jerusalemn  concevrning the Sacered Scriptree, n. 80-90.
The Lord is called the Alpha and the Omega, because alpha is
the first letter and omega the last in the Greek alphabet, and
therefore signify all in the aggregate; the reason is, because
each letter of the alphabet, in the spiritual world, signifies
something; and a vowel, being used fbr sound, somewhat of
affection or love; from this origin, spiritual and angelic speech,
and, also, the Scriptures, are derived; but this is an arcanum
hitherto unknown; for thelre is a universal language which all
angels and spirits use; and this has nothing in common with
any language of men in the world: every man comes into this
language after death; for it is inherent in every man firom
creation, therefore they all can understand each other in the
spiritual world. It has been granted me frequently to hear that
language, and also to speak it; and I have compared it with
the languages in this wol;ld, and have found that it does not,
even in the smallest particuilar, make one with any natural language upon the earth; it differs fiom these in its first principles, which are, that each letter of every word has a sense and
signification peculiar to itself, as well in s'eaking as in writing:
therefore it is that the Lord is called the Alpha and the Omega,
which signifies that he is the All in all of heaven and the
church; and as these two letters are vowels, they have relation
to love, as was said above. Concerning this language, and the
writing of it, as flowing from the spiritual thought of the angels,
something may be seen in The Angelic Wisdonm concerning the
Divine love and the Divine WisdoVn,, n. 295.
30. Saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come;
that this signifies who is eternal and infinite, and who is Jehovah, may be seen above, n. 13, where the same is explained.
31. The Almi/ghty, signifies who is, lives, and has power
from himself, and who governs all things from first principles by
iltirnates. Since all things are from the Lord, and are created
from the first principles which are from him; and since there
is nothing made which does not thence derive its existence, as
is abundantly shown in The Angelic Wisdoyn concerniny the
Divine dove and the Divine Wisdom, it follows, that he is omnipotent. Suppose a one from whom are all things; are not
all things of that one, upon which they depend in their order,
as the links of a chain upon their hook; or as the blood-vessels
of the whole body upon the heart; or as all and every thing in
the universe upon the sun? thus do all things depend upon the
Lord, who is the sun of the spiritual world, from whom all the
essence, life, and power, possessed by those who are under that
sun, is derived; in a -word, from him we live, and move, and




89             TTHE APOCAI.YPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i.
have our being, Acts xvii. 28: this is divine omnipotence.
That the Lord rules all things from first principles by ulti-mates.
is an arcanum never before revealed; but it is now explained
in The Doctrine of the lNew Jerusalem  concerning the -Lord,
and concerning tfhe Sacred Scripture, in many places; and also
in T1he Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providene6, n.
124; and concerning The Divi~ne Love, n. 221. It is well known
that the Divine being infinite, does not fall within the ideas of
the thought of any man or angel, because these are finite, and
what is finite is not capable of perceiving the infinite; still, that
it may in some manner be perceived, it has pleased the Lord
to describe his infinity by these words: I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the End; who is, and who was,
and who is to come, the Almighty; these words, therefore, include all things that ever angel or man can think, spiritually
and naturally, concerning the Divine; which things, in general,
are what were adduced above in an universal manner.
32. I John, who also am your brother and companion, signifies those who are in the good of charity, and thence in the
truths of faith. It was observed above, n. 5, that the apostle
John represented those who ale in the good of charity; and
they who are in the. good of charity are, also, in the truths of
faith, because charity is the life and soul of faith; hence it is,
that John calls himself the brother and companion of those in
the church to whom  he wrote, for he wrote to the seven
churches: by brother, in the spiritual sense of the WTord, is
meant one who is in the good of charity; and, by companion,
one who is thence in the truths of faith; for all are, as it were,
in consanguinity by charity, but in affinity by faith; for charity conjoins; not so faith, except it be from charity: when faith
is from charity, then charity conjoins, and faith consociates;
and since they make one, therefore the Lord commanded that
all should be brethren, for he says, " One is your nmaster, even
Christ, but all ye are brethren," Matt. xxiii. 8; the Lord, also,
calls those brethren who are in the good of charity, or in good
of life; for he said, "My mother and any brethren are these,
who hear the Word of God, and do it," Luke viii. 21; lMatt.
xii. 49; Mark iii. 33-35. By mother, is meant the church,
and by brethren, those who are in charity; and as theo good of
charity is denoted by brother, therefore the Lord calls those
who are principled therein, brethren, in Matthew, also, xxv. 40,
and likewise disciples, Matt. xxviii. 10; John xx. 17; but it
is not written that the disciples called the Lord brother, because brother denotes the good which is from tihe Lord: the
case is comparatively as it is with kings, princes, and great
men, who call those who are connected with them by blood or
affinity, brethren, but yet the latter do not in their turn call
them so; for the Lord says, " One is your master, even Christ,
52




v. 9.]           THE APOCALYPSE REI:VEALED.              3:
but all ye are brethren," Matt. xxiii. 8; also, "Ye call me master
and Lord; and ye say well, fbr so I am," John xiii. 13. The children of Israel called all those brethren who were descended finom
their father Jacob: and in a more extensive sense, those also who
were descended from Esan; but such as were not descended from
them they called companions. But as the Word, in its spiritual
sense, treats only of those who are in the Lord's church, therefore
in that sense, by brethren, they are meant who are in the good oi
charity fromn the Lord, and, by companions, they who are in the
truths of faith; as in the following passages: "Thus shall ye say
every one to his comcanizon, and every one to his brother, What
hath Jehovah answered?" Jer. xxxiii. 35. " Ye have not hearkened unto me in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and
every man to his companion," Jer. xxxiv. 17.  " He shall not
exact it from his companzon, or of his brother," Deut. xv. 2.
"For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now  say,"
Psalmn cxxii. 8. "They help every one his cognpanion, and
every one said to his brother, Be of good courage," Isaiah xli. 6;
and, in an opposite sense, " Take ye heed every one of his com-r
panion, and trust not in any brother, for every brother will utterly supplant, and every companion will walk with slanders,"
Jer. ix. 4. " I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians,
and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every
one against his cormpanion," Isaialh xix. 2; and in other places.
These passages are adduced, that it may be known why John
calls himself brother and companion; and that by brother, in the
Word, is meant one who is in charity or in good, and, by companion, one who is in faith or in truth. But as it is charity from
which faith is derived, therefore none are called companions by
the Lord, but brethren or neighbour; every one, indeed, is a
neighbour according to the quality of good, Luke x. 36, 37.
33. In trib~ulation, and in the kingdom  and patience of
Jesus ChUrist, signifies which in the church are infested by evils
and falses, but which will be removed by the Lord at his
coming. By tribulation, is meant the state of the church when
there are no longer any goods of charity and truths of faith, but
instead of them, evils and falses; by the kingdom, is meant the
church; and, by patience of Jesus Christ, is meant the Lord's
advent; therefore these words, " In tribulation, and in the kingdomn and patience of Jesus Christ," when collated into one
sense, signify when the goods and truths of the church are
infested by evils and falses, but which will be removed by the
Lord at his coming. That by tribulation, is meant the state of
the church when it is infested by evils and falses, is evident
from  the following passages,  "In the consummation of the
age, they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you.
There shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
53




34-36           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap.,i
Immediately after the trilbdation, of those days shall the sun
be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven,"  Matt. xxiv. 9, 21, 29; Mkark xiii.
19, 24. That the kingdom signifies the church, will be seen in
what follows.
34. I wccs in the isle called Patmos, signifies a state and
pace in which he could be illuminated. The reason why this
revelation was madcl  to John in Patmos, was, because it wias an
island in Greece, not far from the land of Canaan, and between
Asia and Europe; and by isles are signified the nations more
remote from the worship of God, but yet which will accede to
it, because they are capable of being illuminated; the same is
signified by Greece; but the church itself is signified by the
land of Canaan; by Asia, they of the church who are in thle
light of truth friom the Word; and, by Europe, they to whom
the Word is about to come; hence it is, that by the isle of
Patmos, is signified a state and place in which he could be illuminated. That by isles in the Word are signified the nations
which are more remote firom the worship of God, but wlhich yet
will accede to it, is evident fi'om the following places: " Glorify
Jehovah in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel
in the isles of the sea," Isaiah xxiv. 15. "He shlall not fail
nor be discouraged till lie have set jidgment in the earthl, and
the isles shall wait for his law. Sing unto Jellovalh a new song,
the isles and the inhabitants thereof, let them give glory unto
Jehovah; and declare his praise in the islands," Isaiah xlii. 4, 10,
12. "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people from
far,"' Isaiah xlix. 1. "The isles shall wait upon me, and on
mine arm shall they trust," Isaiah li. 5. " The isles shall wait
for me, and the ships of Tarshish," Isaiah lx. 9. "' ] Hear the
Word of Jehovah, 0 ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar
off," Jer. xxxi. 10. "'And men shall worship Jehovah every
one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen," Zeph. ii.
11; and elsewhere. That the same is signified by Greece, is
not so evident from the Word, because Greece is mentioned
only in Daniel viii. 21; x. 20; xi. 2; as also in John xii. 20;
Mark vii. 26. That l)y the land of Canaan is meant the Lord's
church, which is thence called the Holy Land, and the heavenly
Canaan, is evident from many passages in the Word; that by
Asia are meant they in the church who are in the light of truth
from the Word, may be seen above, n. 11; and that by Europe,
they to -vhom the Word is about to come, is plain.
35. For the Word of God, and for the testimnony of Jesus
Christ, signifies that divine truth from  the Word mighlt be
received fi'om the heart and so in the light, and that the Lord's
Humanity might be acknowledged to be divine; this was explained above, 1. 6.
36. Iwas in the sp2Jit on the lord's dcy, signifies a spiritual
54




v. 10.]        nTHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               36
state at that time from divine influx. I was in the spirit, signifies the spiritual state in which he was when he was in visions,
which state will be explained in what follows; on the Lord's
day, signifies influx then received fiom the Lord; for in that
day the Lord is present, because the day is holy; from which
it is evident, that by being in the spirit on the Lord's day, is
signified a spiritual state at that time from divine influx.  Concerning the prophets it is written, that they were in the spirit
or in vision, also that the Word came to them from Jehovah:
when they were in the spirit or in vision, they were not in the
body, but in their spirit, in which state they saw such things as
are in heaven; but when the Word calne to them, then they
were in the body, and heard Jehovah speak; these two states of:
the prophets are carefully to be distinguished. In the state of
vision the eyes of their spirit were opened, and the eyes of their
body shut; and then they heard what the angels spake, or what
Jehovah spake by the angels, and also saw the things which
were represented to them in heaven; and then they sometimes
seemed to themselves to be carried from one place to another,
the body still remaining in its place; in this state was John
when he wrote the Apocalypse; and sometimes, also, Ezekiel,
Zechariah  and Daniel; and then it is said that they were in
vision, or in the spirit; for Ezekiel says, "The spirit took me
up, and brought me in a vision by the }Pwirit of God into
Chaldea, to them of the captivity: so the visionz that I had seen
went up from me," chap. xi. 1, 24. It is said also, that the
spirit took him up, and that he heard behind him a voice of a
great ~rushing and other things, iii. 12, 24; also, that the spirit
lifted him up between the earth and the heaven, and brought
him in the visions of God to Jerusalem, and he saw abominations, viii. 3, and subsequent verses. In like manner he was
in a vision (f God,- or in the spirit, when he saw the four animals
which were cherubs, i. and x.; as also when he saw the new
earth and the new temple, and the angel measuring them, xl.
to xlviii.; and that the spirit took him up, xliii. 5. The same
was the case with Zechariah, in whom there was an angel at the
time, when lie saw the man riding among the mnyrtle trees, i. 8,
&c.': When he saw four horns, and afterwards a mall, in whose
hand was a measuring line, ii. 1, 5, &c.: When he saw Joshua,
the high priest, iii. 1, &c.: When he saw the candlestick and'
the two olive trees, iv. 1, &c.: When he saw the flying roll and
the ephahl, v. 1, 6: And when he saw the four chariots coming
out firom between two mountains, and horses, vi. 1. In a
simnilar state was Daniel, when he saw four beasts coming up
out of the sea, Dan. vii. 1, &c.: And when lie saw the battle'
of the ram and the he-goat, viii. 1, &c.  That he saw these
things in Visions, lie himself saith, vii. 1, 2, 7, 13; viii. 2; x. 1,
7, 8; and that the angel Gabriel was seen by him in a vision.
ix. 21. It was the same with John; as when he saw the Son.55




37              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. i
of Man in the midst of the seven candlesticks, Apoc. i.: When
he saw a throne in heaven, and him that sat thereon, and four
animals round about the throne, iv.: When he saw the book
sealed with seven seals, v.: When he saw four horses coming
out of the book that was opened, vi.: When he saw the four
angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, vii.: When
he saw the locusts coming out of the bottomless pit, ix.: When
he saw the angel in whose hand was a little book, which he
gave him to eat, x.: When lie heard the seven angels sound
witch their trumpets, xi.: When lie saw We dragon, and the
woman whom the dragon persecuted, and the former makling
war with Michael, xii.; and afterwards two beasts arising, one
out of the sea, and the other out of the earth, xiii.: When he
saw the seven angels having the seven last plagues, xv., xvi.:
When he saw the great whore sitting upon the scarlet-coloured
beast, xvii. 18; and afterwards, a white horse, and one sitting
thereon, xix.; and lastly, a new heaven andl  a new earth, and
then the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, xxi., xxii.
That John saw these things in the spirit, and in a vision,, he.
himself says, i. 10; iv. 2; ix. 17; xxi. 10; this also is understood by the expression, I saw, wherever it occurs. It appears,
evidently, from these examples, that to be in the spirit, is to be
in vision; which is effected by the opening of the sight of a
man's spirit; which, when it is opened, the things which are in
the spiritual world appear as clearly as the things which are in
the natural world appear to the bodily sight. I can testify that
it is so, from many years' experience. In this state the disciples
were when they saw the Lord after his resurrection, wherefore
it is said that their eyes were opened, Luke xxiv. 30, 31. Abraham was in a similar state when he saw tile three angels, and
discoursed with them. So were Hagar, Gideon, Joshua, and
others, when they saw the angels of Jehovah; and, in like
manner, the boy of Elisha, when he saw the mountain full of
chariots and horses of fire about Elisha; for Elisha prayed and
said, "Jehovah, I pray thee, open, his eyes, that he may see;
and Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and lie saw,"
2 Kings vi. 17. But as to the Word, it was not revealed in a
state of the spirit or in vision, but was dictated by the Lord
viva voce to the prophets; therefore, it is nowhere said that
they spake it from the Holy Spirit, but fiom Jehovah; see
The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the lord, n. 53.
37, Anwd I heard behind me a great voice, as of a truztqcget,
signifies manifest perception of divine truth revealed from
heaven. A great voice, when heard from  heaven, signifies
divine truth, as will be seen below; the reason why it was heard
as the sound of a trumpet, is, because when divine trdith
descends from heaven, it is sometimes so heard by the angels
of the ultimate heaven, and then is manifestly perceived; there.
fore, by a voice as of a trumpet, is signified manifest perception'
56




v. 11.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               38
of the signification of trumpet, more will be seen below, n. 397,
519. That a great voice, when heard from heaven, signifies
divine truth, is evident firom the following passages: "The voice
of Jeho/vah is upon the waters;" " the voice of Jehovah is powerful;" "' the voice of Jehovcah is full of majesty;" "the voice of
Jehovah breaketh the cedars;" "the voice of Jehovah divideth
the flames of fire;" " the voice of Jehovahc shaketh the wilderness;"  the voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve," Ps.
xxix. 3-9. " Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth, lo, he
doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice," Psalm lxviii.
32, 33. "Jehovah uttered his voice before his army, for his
camp is very great, for he is strong that executeth his Word,"
Joel ii. 11. "Jehovah shall utter his voice firom Jerusalem,"
Joel iii. 16. And since voice signifies divine truth fiom the
Lord, therefore the Lord said, "That the sheep hear his voice,
that they know his voice; and other sheep I have, them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice: my sheep hear my
voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John x. 3, 4, 16,
27. And in an9ther place: " The hour is coining, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they
that hear shall live," John v. 25. Voice here denotes the divine
truth of the Lord from his Word.
38. Saying, I am the Aplhac and the Omega, the First and
the -last, signifies who is the self-subsisting, and the only-subsisting, from first principles to ultimates, from whom  are all
things; therefore, who is the self-subsisting and only-subsisting
love, the self-subsisting and only-subsisting wisdom, and the
self-subsisting and only-subsisting life in himself; consequently
the self-subsisting and only-subsisting Creator, Saviour, and
Illuminator firom himself; and thence the All in all of heaven
and the church: who alone is infinite and eternal, and who is
Jehovah; and that the Lord is He. That all these things, and
infinitely nmore, ale contained in these words, rmay be seen
above, n. 13, 29. It was there said, that all the syllables or
letters of the alphabet, in the spilitual world, signify things;
and that thence originates the speech and writing of those who
are there; and that therefore the. Lord describes his divinity
and infinity by Alpha and Omega; by which is signified that
he is the All in all of heaven and the church. Now every
letter signifying a thing in the spiritual world, and thence in
the language of the angels; therefore David wrote the 119th
Psalm, in order, according to the letters of the alphabet, beinning with Aleph and ending with Thau, as may appear
from the initials of the verses; the lilke appears in Psalm cxi.,
but not so evidently. Therefore, also, Abram was called Abraham, and Sarai Sarah; which was done to the intent that in
heaven, by Abraham and Sarah, they should not be understood,
but the diville, as is also the case, for the letter HI involves




39 — 42          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i.
infinity, being only an aspirate: more on this subject may be
seen above, n. 29.
39. And what thou seest, write in a book; that this signifies
that it may be revealed to posterity, is evident without expianation.
40. And send [it] to the churches which are in Asia, signi
fies for those in the Christian world, who are in the light.f
trutll from the Word.  That they are mleant by the churches in
Asia, niay be seen above, n. 10, 11.
41. Unto Ephesus, und zunto Smyrna, and unto Pe~ram-os,
and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelj)hia,
and unto laodieca, signifies specifically according to the state
of reception of each. That all states of reception of the Lord
and of his chuimch are signified by these seven names, in the
spiritual sense, will be seen below; for John, when he received
this commanind, was in a spiritual state, and in that state nothing
is mentioned by name which does not signify some thing or
state; therefore these things which were written by John, were
not sent to any chnrch in those places, but were told to their
angels, by whom are understood those who receive. That by
all the nanles of persons and places throughout the whole World,
are meant spiritual things, is abundantly shown in the Arcana
Uwlestia, as what is meant by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; also
by Israel, and by the names of his twelve sons; as also, what
is meant by various places in the land of Canaan, and by places
in the vicinity of that land; as what by Egypt,  Assyria,
and other places. It is the same with these seven names. But
he who chooses to abide in the literal sense, let him do so, since
that sense conjoins; only let him know, that by those names
the angels perceive things and states of the church.
~42. And I turnzed to see the voice that spcake wzith me, signifies inversion of the state of those who are in good of life, with
respect to thle perception of truth in the Word, when they turn
themselves to the Lord. John says that he heard a voice behind him (verse 10), and now, that he turned to see the voice
and again, that being turned, lie saw seven candlesticks; from
which it is evident, that he heard a voice fiom. behind, and that
lie turned himself, to see from whence it proceeded: that there
is an arcanumn in this, is evident; the secret is that before man
turns himself to the Lord, and acknowledges ]him as the God
of heaven and earth, he cannot see divine truth in the Word;
the reason is, because God is one, both in person and in essence,
in whom there is a.trinity; and that God is the Lordc; therefore, they who acknowledge a trinity of persons, look primarily
to the Father, and indeed to the Holy Spirit, and rarely to the
Lord, and if they do look up to the Lord, they thinkl of his
Hunmanity as of a common man; when a man does this, he
can by no means be illuminated in the Word, for the Lord is
58




V. 1.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                43
the Word, for it is from him  and concerning him: therefore
they who do not approach the Lord alone, see him  and his
Word behind them, and not before them; or backward, and
not in front. This is the arcannino wh-Nllich lies concealed in these
words: That John heard a voice behind himii, and thlat he turned
to see the voice, and, being turned, saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of theml the Son of Man; forl the voice
which. he heard camne from the Son of Man, who is the Lord.
That the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth, lie now
teaches in a mlanifest voice, for he says, "I am the Alpha and
the Omnega, the Beginning  and the End, saith the Lord, who
is, and who was, and who is to come," verse 8; and here, " I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," verse
11; and afterwards, "I am the First and the Last," verse 17,
and ii. 8. That by a voice, when from the Lord, Divine Truth
is understood, may be seen above, n. 37. And that by John
are understood they of the church, who are in good of life, n.
5, 6. From  these things it may now appear, that by these
words, "And I turned to see the voice which spake with me,"
is signified inversion of the state of those who are in good of
life, as to the perception of truth in the Word, when they turn
themselves to the Lord.
43. And being turned, I saw seven, yolcden cC1nclZesticks, signifies the New Church, wlhich will be in illumination fi'om the
Lord out of the Word. That the seven candcllesticks are the
seven chiurches, is said in the last verse of this chapter; and
that by the seven churches are to be understood all who are in
the Christian world, and accede to the church, mlay be seen
above, n. 10; and specifically accordin g to the state of reception
of each, in. 41. The reason why the New Church is meant by
the seven candlesticks is, because in it, and in the nmidst of it,
the Lord is; for it is said, that in the midst of the seven candlesticks he saw one like unto the Son of Man, and by the Son of
Man is meant the Lord as to the Word. They appeared to be
golden candlesticks, because gold signifies good, and every
church is a church fiomn good, which is forlned by truths; that
gold signifies good, will be seen in what follows. Those candlesticks were not placed one close to another, or in contact, but
at certain distances, formning a kind of circle, as is evident from
these words in the subsequent chapter, "These t:lilngs saith he,
who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks,"
verse i. Nothing is said of the lamps of those candlesticks;
but in what follows it is said, that the holy Jerusalem, that is,
the New Church, hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon,
for the Lamb is the ghit Flamrnp] thereof, and the nations wliclh
are saved shall walk in his light, Apoc. xxi. 23, 24.  And
moreover, they need no lamp, for the Lord God giveth themn
light, xxii. 5; for they who will be of thle Lord's New Church,
59




44              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i
can only be candlesticks which will have their light from the
Lord. By the golden candlestick in the tabernacle, was represented the church as to illumination from the Lord, concerning
which candlestick, see Exod. xxv. 11 to the end; xxxvii. 1I720; Lev. xxiv. 3, 4; Numb. viii. 2, 3, 4; that it represented
the Lord's church as to divine love spiritual, which is love
towards the neighbour, may be seen in The Arccana Ccelestia,
n. 9548, 9555, 9558, 9561; 9572, 9783; also, below, n. 493.
By the candlestick in Zechariah iv., is also signified the New
Church to be. established by the Lord, because it signifies the
new house of God, or the new temple; as is evident from what
fillows there; and by the house of God, or temple, the church
is signified, and in a supreme sense, the Lord's Divine Huilanity, as he himself teaches, John ii. 19-21, and elsewhere:
lhut it shall be shown what is signified in its order, in the 4th
chapter of Zechariah, when he saw the candlestick. By what
is contained from verse 1 to 7, is signified the illumination of
the New Church by the Lord, from the good of love by truth;
the olive trees there signify the church as to the good of love:
by the contents from verse 8 to 10, is signified that these
things are firom the Lord; by Zerubbabel, who is to build the
house, thus the church, the Lord is represented; by what is
contained from verse 11 to 14, is signified that in that church
there will also be truths fiom a celestial origin: this explanation of that chapter was given me from the Lord through
heaven.
44. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one likce unto
the Son of ician, signifies the Lord as to the Word, firom whom
that church is. It is well known from the Word, that the Lord
called himself the Son of God, and also the Sonr of Dcian; that
by the Son of God he meant himself as to his Divine Hninanity, and by the Son of Man, himself as to the Word, is
fully demonstrated in T/he Doctrine of the Npew Jeruscalem co~ncernzing the Lord, n. 19-928; and as it is there fully confirmed
from the Word, it is unnecessary to add any further confirmation here. Now, as the Lord represented himself unto John
as the Word, therefore as seen of him, he is called the Son of
Man. He represented himself as the Word, because the New
Church is the subject treated of, which is a church firom the
Word, and according to the understanding thereof; that the
church is from the Word, and that such as its understanding of
the Word is, such is the church, may be seen in The Doctrine
qf the Yew Jeruscalem Concerniny, the Sacred Sceriptre, n. 7679. As the church is a church firom the Lord through the
Word, therefore the Son of -llan, was seen in the midst of the
candlesticks; in the midst signifies in the inmost, from which
the things which are round about, or which are without, derive their essence, in this instance, their light and intelligence,
60




v. 13.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                 45
that the inmost is the all in the things which are round about,
or with out, is abundantly shown in The Angelic Whisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Visedomr; it is like
light or flame in the centre, from which the circumference is
illuminated and warmed. In the midst, has the same signification in the following passages in the Word:' Cry out and
shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of
Israel in the midst of thee," Isaiah xii. 6. " God, my Iing of
old, working salvation in the midst of the earth," Psalm lxxiv.
12. "We have thought of thy loving kindness in the midst
of his temple," Psalm xlviii. 9.  "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth in, the midst of the gods,"
Psalm lxxxii. 1.  They are called gods who are in divine
truths from the Lord, and, abstractedly, the truths themselves.'Behold, I send an angel before thee, beware of him and obey
his voice, for my name is in the midst of him," Exod. xxiii. 20,
21. The name of Jehovah is every thing Divine; in the midst,
is in the inmost, and thereby in the all of him. The midst also
signifies the inmost, and thence the all, in many other passages
in the Word, where evils are also treated of, as in Isaiah xxiv.
13; Jerem. xxiii. 9; Psalm v. 9; ix. 4, 5; xxxvi. 2; Iv. 7; lxii. 4.
These passages are adduced in order to show, that in the midst
of the candlesticks signifies in the inmost, firom  which the
church and every thing belonging to it is derived; for the church
and every thing that belongs to it is from the Lord through the
Word. That candlesticks signify the New Church, may be
seen above, n. 43.
45. Clothed with a garment dowln to the foot, signifies the
proceeding divine, which is divine truth. The reason why a
garment down to the foot signifies the proceeding divine, which
is divine truth, is, because garments, in the Word, signify truths,
thence talaris, which is an outer garment or vest, when the
Lord is treated of;, signifies the proceeding divine truth. That
garments, in the Word, signify truths, is, because in heaven the
angels are clothed according to the truths proceeding firom their
good; concerning which see the work on Iecaven and Hell, n.
177-182. In what follows it will also be seen, that nothing
else is understood by garments in the Word in its spiritual
sense; therefore that nothing else is understood by the Lord's
garments, when he was transfigured, which appeared white as
the light, Matt. xvii. 1-4; Mark ix. 2-8; Luke ix. 28-36.
Nor is any thing else understood by the Lord's garments which
the soldiers divided, John xix. 23, 24. That similar things are
represented, and therefore signified, by the garmlents of Aaron,
may be seen in The Arcana Ccelestia, n. 9814, 10,068; particularly what is signified by the ephod, n. 9477, 9824, 10,005;
what by the robe, n. 9825, 10,005; what by the coat, n. 9826,
9942; and what by the mitre, n. 9827: for Aaron represented
61




:6, 4T          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i.
the priestly office of the Lord.  Concerning the signification cf
garments in the Word, see below, n. 166, 328.
46.. And girt about the pcps with a golden gyirde, signifies
the proceeding, and, at the same time, the conjoining divine,
which is divine good. That a golden girdle has this significlation, is, because by the Lord's breast, and especially by the
paps, his divine love is signified; thence, by the golden girdle
which girded them, is signified the proceedings and at the same
time the conjoining divine, which is the divine good of his
divine love: moreover gold signifies good; see below, n. 913.
A zone or girdle, in the Word, likewise signifies a common
band, whereby all things are kept in their order and connexion;
as in Isaiah:' There shall conle forth a rod out of the stein of
Jesse, and righteousness shall be the gircdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins," xi. 1-5; the rod coming
out of the stem of Jesse is the Lord. That the girdle of the
ephod and the belt of Aaron's coat, signified conjunction, may
be seen in Thte Arezna Cdlestia, n. 9837, 9944. As a girdle
signifies a band conjoining the goods and truths of the church,
therefore when the church among the children of Israel was
destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet was commanded to procure
himself a girdle, and put it upon his loins, and then to hide it
in a hole of a rock beside the Enphrates; and at the end of
days, when he took it, behold it was rotten, and was profitable
for nothing, Jerem. xiii. 1-12; by which was represented,
that at that time there was no good in the church, and thence
that trnths were dissipated. The same is signified by girdle in
Isaiah: "Instead of a girdle there shall be a rent," iii. 24;
and also in other places. That by the paps or breasts divine.ove is signified, is evident from  those passages in the Word
where they are mentioned, as also from their correspondence
with love.
4-.. His head, and his hairs, were white like wool, as white
as snow, signifies the divine love of the divine wisdom in first
principles and in ultimates. By the head of a man is signified
the all of his life; and the all of man's life has relation to love
and wisdoln, therefore by the head is signified wisdom, and also
love; but as there is no love without its wisdom, nor wisdom
without its love, therefore it is the love of wisdom, which is
understood by the head; and when the Lord is spoken of, it is
the divine love of divine wisdom. But the sign fication of the
head will be shown from the Word, below, n. 538, 565. Since,
therefore, by the head is nnderst.ood love, and also wisdom, in
their first principles, it follows that by hair is to be understood
love and wisdom in their ultimates; and because hairs are here
spoken of the Son of Man, who is the Lord as to the Word, by
his hairs are signified the divine good which is of love, and the
divine truth which is of wisdom, in the ultimates of the Word.;
62




v. 14.]          THiE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.                47
and the ultirllates of the Word are what are contained in its
literal sense: that the Word in this sense is signified by the
hairs of the Son of AMan, or of the Lord, seems a paradox, but
yet it is true; this may appear fiom the passages in the Word
adduced in The. Doctrine of the Xew Jerusalem, concer/ning the
Sacred Scripture, n. 35-49; where it is also shown, that the
Nazarites in the Israelitish church represented the Lord as tG
the Word in ultimnates, wllich is its literal sense; for Nazarite,
in thle Hebrew language, silnifies hair, or a head of hair; hence
the strenogth of Samson, who was a Nazarite fiolm the womb,
was inhis hair; that in like manner divine truth is in its power,
in the literal sense of the Word, may be seen in the abovementioned.Doctrine concernzing the Sacrec Sc &riptu're, n. 37 —9;
therefore, also, the shaving of the head was strictly plohil-ited
the high priest and his sons; and, for the same reason, fortytwo children were  torn in pieces by two bears, because they
called Elisha, Baldhead.  Elisha, as well as Elijah, represented
the Lord as to the Wordl; bald signifies the Word withput its
ultimate, which, as was observed, is its literal sense, and bears
signify that sense of the Word separated fiom its internal sense;
they who separate them, appear also in the spiritual world, at a
distance, like bears, whence it is evident why this was done to
the children: therefolre also to induce baldness was the greatest.
disgorace, and a mark of extreme grief.  For which reason, when
the Israelitish nation had perverted all the literal sense of the
Word, this lamentation was made over them: "IIer Nazarites
were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; —their
visage is blacker than a coal, they are not known in the streets,"
Lament. iv. 7, 8. Also: "Every head was made bald, and
every shoulder was peeled," Ezek. xxix. 18.  And:'"Shame
shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads,'
Ezek. vii. 18. In like manner, Isaiah xv. 2; Jeremn. xlviii.
37; Amos viii. 10. As the children of Israel dispersed by
faises all the literal sense of the Word, therefore the prophet
Ezekiel was commanded to represent this by shaving his head
With a razor, and to burn with fire a third part of the hair, and
smite a third part with a sword, and scatter a third palrt in the
wind, and to collect some in his skirts, and afterwards cast them
also into the fire, Ezek. v. 1-4.  Therefore, also, it is said in
MIicallh: "Make thee bald and poll thee for thy clelicate children,
enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gonle into captivity from thee," i. 16. The delicate children are the genuine
truths of the church from the Word. And as Nebuchadhlezzar,
king of Babylon, represented the Babylonian falsification of the
Word, and destruction of all truth therein, therefore it came to
pass that his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, Dan. iv. 33.
By reason that hairs signified that holy principle of the Word.
it is said of the Nazarite,' That he should not shave the haiir of
63




-S              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. i
his head, because the consecration of his God is upon his head,"
Nurnb. vi. 1-21; and therefore it was ordained, "That the
high priest and his sons should not uncover their heads, lest
they should die, and lest wrath should come upon all the people,"
Levit. x. 6. Now as by hairs is signified divine truth in its
ultimates, which, in the church, is the Word in its literal sense,
therefore, also, the same is said of the Ancient of Days in
Daniel:;'I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the
Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and
the h3ar of his head like pure wool," vii. 9; that the Ancient
of D1ays is the Lord, appears evidently in Micalh: "But thou
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands
of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to
be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been fiom of old,
fiom everlasting," v. 2; and in Isaiah, where he is called the
Father of Eternity, ix. 5. From these passages, and many
others, which are not adduced by reason of their abundance, it
may appear, that by the head and hairs of the Son of Man,
which were white like wool, as white as snow, is understood the
divine of love and wisdom, in first principles and in ultimates;
and as by the Son of Man, the Lord is understood as to the
Word, it follows, that this also is understood in first principles
and in ultimates; otherwise to what purpose would the Lord
here in the Apocalypse, and the Ancient of Days in Daniel, be
described as to the hair? That by hair, the literal sense of the
Word is signified, appears evidently from those who are in the
spiritual world; they who have held the literal sense of the
Word in contempt, appear bald there; and on the contrary,
they who have loved the literal sense of the Word, appear there
with becoming hair. It is said white as wool, and as snow, because wool signifies good in ultimates, and snow, truth in ultimates; as also in Isaiah i. 18: for wool is fiorn sheep, by
which is signified the good of charity, and snow is from water,
by which are signified the truths of faith.
48. And his eyes were as a flame of ire, signifies the divine
wisdom of the divine love. By eyes, in the Word, is meant the
understanding, and thence, by the eye-sight, intelligence; therefore, when spoken of the Lord, the divine wisdom is understood;
but by a flame of fire, is signified spiritual love, which is charity;
wherefore, when spoken of the Lord, the divine love is understood; hence, then, by his eyes being like a flame of fire, is signified the divine wisdom of the divine love. That the eye signifies the understanding, is, because they correspond; for as
the eye sees from natural light, so does the understanding from
spiritual light; wherefore to see is predicated of both. That by
eye in the Word, the understanding is signified, is evident from
the following passages: "Bring forth the blind people that have
eyes, and the deaf that have ears," Isaiah xliii. 8. "In that
64




v. 14..]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                 46
day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of
the blind shall see out of obscurity," Isaiah xxix. 18. "Then
the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf
shall be unstopped," Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6.  " I will give thee for
a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes," Isaiah xlii. 7.
This is spoken of the Lord, who, when he comes, will open the
understanding of those who are in ignorance of the truth. That
this is meant by opening the eyes, is moreover evident froniom the
following passages: "M/ake the heart of this people fat, and
shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes," Isaiah vi. 9, 10;
John xii. 46. "Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit
of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets, and your
rulers, the seers, hath he covered," Isaiah xxix. 10; xxx. 10.
" And shutteth his eyes from seeing evil," xxxiii. 15. "Hear
this, O rebellious house, which have eyes to see and see not,"
Ezek. xii. 2. "Woe to the idle shepherd that leaveth the
flock! the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye,
and his right eye shall be utterly darkened," Zech. xi. 17.
"2And this shall be the plague, wherewith Jehovah will smite
all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; their eyes
shall consume away in their holes,'" Zech. xiv. 12. "I will
smite every horse with astonishment,-and. every horse of the
people with blindness;" Zech. xii. 4. Horse, in the spiritual
sense, denotes the understanding of the Word, n. 298.  "Hear
me, Jehovah, my God, lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep
of death," Psalm  xiii. 3. That in these passages, by eye is
signified the understanding, every one sees. Hence it is evident
what the Lord meant by eye in these places: " The light of the
body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body
shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body
shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee
be darkness, how great is that darkness!" iMatt. vi. 22, 23;
Luke xi. 34.  " And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out,
and cast it from thee: for it is better for thee to enter into life
with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire," Matt. v. 29; xviii. 9. By eye in these places is not
meant the eye, but the understanding of truth. As by eye is
signified the understanding of truth, therefore it was among the
statutes of the children of Israel, that a blind man, or one
that hath a blemish in his eye, of the seed of Aaron, should
not come nigh to offer sacrifice, nor enter within the vail, Levit.
xxi. 18, 20; moreover, that any thing blind should:not be
offered as a sacrifice, Levit. xxii. 22; Malachi i. 8. From these
considerations it is evident what is meant by eye, when predicated of a man; hence-it follows, that by eye, when predicated
of the Lord, his divine wisdom is understood, as also his divine
omniscience and providence; as in these passages: " Open
thine eyes, Jehovah, and see," Isaiah xxxvii. 18.  " For I will
_




49              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i.
set mine eyes upon them for good,-and I will build them,"
Jerem. xxiv. 6. "Behold the eye of Jehovah is upon them
that fear him," Psalm  xxxiii. 18. "Jehovah is in his holy
temple,-his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men,"
Psalm xi. 4. As by cherubs is signified the care and providence of the Lord that the spiritual sense of the Word should
not be violated; therefore it is said of the four animals which
were cherubs, that they were full of eyes before and behind.,
and their wings were full of eyes within, Apoc. iv. 6, 8: also,
that the wheels upon which the cherubs were drawn, were full
of eyes round about, Ezek. x. 12. That by a flame of fire is
meant his divine love, will be seen in what follows, when flame
and fire are mentioned; and because it is said, that his eyes
were like a flame of fire, the divine wisdomn of his divine love
is signified.. That in the Lord there is the divine love of divine
wisdom, and the divine wisdom of divine love, and thus a
reciprocal union of both, is revealed in Tlte Angelic;Wisdom
concernizg the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, n. 3439; and elsewhere.
49. And his feet were like unto fine brass, as if they burned
in a furnace, signifies divine good natural: the Lord's feet signify his divine natural; fire, or what burns, signifies good; and
fine brass signifies the good of truth natural; therefore, by the
feet of the Son of Manl like unto fine brass, as if they burned
in a furnace, is signified divine good natural. That his feet
have this signification is from correspondence. There is in the
Lord, and therefore from the Lord, the divine celestial principle, the divine spiritual, and the divine natural; the divine
celestial is understood by the head of the Son of Man; the
divine spiritual, by his eyes, and by his breast, which was girt
about with a golden girdle; and the divine natural, by his feet;
because these three are in the Lord, therefore also they are in
the angelic heaven; the third or supreme heaven is in the
divine celestial principle; the second or middle heaven is in
the divine spiritual; and the first or ultimate heaven in the:livine natural. In like manner, the church upon earth: for
the universal heaven before the Lord is as one inan, in which
thev who are in the Lord's divine celestial principle constitute
the head; they who are in the divine spiritual constitute the
body; and they who are in the divine natural constitute the
feet: hence, also, in every main, by reason of his being created
after the image of God, there are these three degrees, and, as
these are opened, he becomes an angel either of the third, or
of the second, or of the ultimate heaven: hence also it is, that
in the Word there are three senses; the celestial, the spiritual,
and the natural. This may be seen in Thie Angelic Wisdom
concerning  the Divine Love antd the Divine TWisdomn, pa.-ticularly in the third part, which treats of these three degrees.
66




V. 15.]         THE APOC ALYPSE REVEALED.              49
That the feet, the soles of the feet, and the heels, correspond to
natural things in man, and therefore in the Word signify thing
natural, may be seen in The Arcanay Celestic, n. 2162, 49384952. Thile divine natural good is also signified by feet in the
following places; in Daniel: "I lifted up mine eyes, and
looked, and behold a man clothed in linen, whose loins were
girded with fine gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the
beryl, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet
like in colour to polished brass," x. 5, 6. In the Apocalypse:
"And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, and
his feet as pillars of fire," x. 1. And in Ezekiel: " The feet
of the cherubs sparkled like the colour of burnished brass," i.
7. The reason why the angels and cherubs had that appearance, was, because the Divine of the Lord was represented in
them. The Lord's church being under the heavens, thus under
the Lord's feet, it is therefore called his footstool, in the following places: " The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, to
beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place
of my feet glorious. And they shall bow themselves down at
the soles of thy feet," Isaiah Ix. 13, 14. " The heaven is my
throne, and the earth is my footstool," Isaiah lxvi. 1. "' The
Lord hath not remenbered his footstool in the day of his anger,"
Lament. ii. 1. "W orship at the footstool of Jehovah," Psalm
xcix. 5. " Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah [Bethlehem]. We
will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool,"
Psalm cxxxii. 6, 7; thence it is, that " they came and held the
Lord'sfeet and worshipped him," Matt. xxviii. 9; M1ark v. 22;
Luke viii. 41; John xi. 32: also, that " MIary kissed his feet,
and did wipe them with the hairs of her head," Luke vii. 37,
38, 44, 46; John xi. 2; xii. 3. As by feet is signified the natural principle, therefore the Lord said unto Peter, when he
washed his feet, " He that is washed, needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit," John xiii. 10. To wash the
feet, is to purify the natural man; and when this is purified, the
whole man is also purified; as is abundantly shown in The
Arcana Coelestia and in The Doctrine of the -New JeruscWeCm.
The natural man, which is also the external man, is purified,
when he shuns the evils which the spiritual or internal man
sees to be evils and that they ought to be shunned. Now since
the natural degree of man is understood by feet, and this perverts all things if it be not washed or purified; therefore the
Lord says, "And if thyfoot offend thee, cut it off; it is better
for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast
into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched," M[ark ix.
45; here the foot is not understood, but the natural mast  The
same is understood by trampling under foot the good pasture,
and troubling the waters with their feet, Ezek. xxxii. 13; xxxiv.
18, 19; Dan. vii. 7, 19; and in other places. Since by thr
67




50              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. i.
Son of Man is meant the Lord as to the Wordl it is evident,
that by his feet is also understood the Word in its natural
sense; which is much treated of in lThe Doctrine of the New
Jerutsaler concernirng the Sacred Scripture  as also that the
Lord came into the world, that he might fulfil all things of the
Word, and thereby be made the Word also in ultimates, n. 98
-100; but this arcanum  is for those who will be in the New
Jerusalem. The Lord's divine natural degree is also signified
by the brazen serpent, which was set up by the command of
Mloses in the wilderness; by looking upon which, all who had
been bit by serpents were healed, Numb. xxi. 6, 8, 9; that it signified the Lord's divine natural degree, and that they are saved
who look up to it, the Lord himself teaches in John: "And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of Jfan be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have eternal life," iii. 14, 15: the reason why
the serpent was made of brass, is, because brass, as also fine
brass, signifies the natural degree as to good. See below, n. 775.
50. And his voice as the voice of many waters, signifies
divine truth natural. That voice, when proceeding from the
Lord, signifies divine truth, may be seen above, n. 37; that
waters signify truths, and, specifically, natural truths, which are
knowledges from the Word, is evident from many passages in
the Word; of which only the following are adduced:' "For the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters
cover the sea," Isaiah xi. 9. "Therefore with joy shall ye
draw waters out of the wells of salvation," Isaiah xii. 3. " He
that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly;-bread shall
be given him; his waters shall be sure," Isaiah xxxiii. 15, 16.
" The poor and needy seek water, and there is none; and their
tongue faileth for thirst;-I will open rivers in high places, and
fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water, —that
they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together" Isaiah xli. 17, 18, 20.  " For I will pour water upon him
that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, I will pour out
my spirit upon thy seed," Isaiah xliv. 3. "Then shall thy
light rise in obscurity;-and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose  ocwaters fail not," Isaiah
lviii. 10, 11. " For my people have committed two evils; they
have forsaken me, the fountain of livino' waters, and hewed
them out cisterns, that can hold no water,' Jerem. ii. 13. "And
their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came
to the pits and found no water; they returned with their vessels
empty," Jerem. xiv. 3. "They have forsaken Jehovah, the
ifountain of living waters," Jerem. xvi. 13. "They shall come
with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will
cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way,"
68




v. 15.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                50
Jerem. xxxi. 9. "I will -break the staff of bread; and thev
shall drink water by measVre with astonishment: and consume
away for their iniquity," Ezek. iv. 16, 17; xii. 18, 19; Isa/iah
ii. 14. "Behold the days come, saith Jehovah God, that I
will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a
thirst for woater, but of hearing the words of Jehovah: and they
shall wander from sea to sea; they shall run to and fro to seek
the Word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. In that day shall
the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst," Amos viii. 11
-13.  "And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go
out from Jerusalem," Zech. xiv. 8. " Jehovah is my shepherd;
he leadeth me beside the still waters," Psalln xxiii. 1, 2. "Behold he smote the rock, and the owaters gushed out, and the
streams overflowed," Psalm lxxviii. 20.  "0 God, thou art my
God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, in a
dry and thirsty land where no water is," Psalm lxiii. 1. " Jehovah sendeth out his Word, he causeth his wind to blow, and
the waters flow," Psalm cxlvii. 18. " Praise Jehovah, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens,"
Psalm  cxlviii. 4. Jesus, as he sat at Jacob's well, said unto
the woman, " Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst
again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him,
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
life," John iv. 6-14. Jesus said, " If any man thirst, let
him  come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as
the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers, of
living wlater," John vii. 37, 38. " I will give unto him that is
athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely," Apoc. xxi.
6. "And he showed me a river of water of life, —proceeding
out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb," Apoc. xxii. 1.
"And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," Apoc.
xxii. 17. By waters, in these passages, are understood truths:
hence it is evident, that by the voice of many waters, is understood the divine truth of the Lord in the'Wordl; as, also, in
these places: "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel
came firom the way of the east, and his voice was like a noise
of Many waters: and the earth shined with his glory," Ezek.
xliii. 2. "And I heard a voice fiomli heaven as the voice of
mnany waters," Apoc. xiv. 2. " The voice of Jehovah is upon
the waters: Jehovah is upon many waters," Psalm  xxix. 3.
When it is known, that by waterl in the Word, are meant
truths in the natural man, it may appear what was signified by
washings, in the Israelitish church; and also what is signified
by baptism; and likewise by these words of the Lord, in John:
"Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot
09




51              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. i.
enter into tile kingdom of God,' iii.' 5. To be born of water,
signifies to be born by truths; and of the spirit, signifies by a
life according to them. That waters in an opposite sense signify falses, will be seen in what follows.
51. Anld he had in his right hand severn stars, signifies all
knowledges of goodness and truth in the Word froiom hiln, which
are thence with the angels of heaven and men of the chllurch.
About the angels, when they are beneath the heavens, there
appear, as it were, little stars in great abundance; and in like
manner, about spirits, who, when they lived in the world, had
acquired to themselves knowledges of goodness and truth, or
truths of life and doctrine firom the Word. These stars appear
fixed, with those who are in genuine truths fiom. the Word;
but wandering, with those who are in falsified truths.  Concerning these little stars, as also concerning the stars which
appear there in the firmament, I could relate:wonderful things,
but it does not belong to this work: hence it is evident that by
stars are signified knowledges of goodness and truth from the
Word. The Son of Mian's having thel in his right hland, signifies, that they are from  the Lord alone through the Word.
That seven signify all, may be seen above, n. 10. That knowledges of things good and true fiom the Word, are signified by
stars, may also appear from these passages: " I will lay the
earth desolate: For the stars of heaven and the constellations
thereof shall not give their light," Isaiah xiii. 9, 10: the earth,
which shall be laid desolate, is the church; which being vastated, the knowledges of things good and true in the Word
do not appear. "'And when I shall put thee out, I will cover
the heaven and make the stars thereof dark: All the bright
lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness
upon thy land," Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8: darkness upon the land,
means falses in the church.  "The sun and the" moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining," Joel ii. 10,
11; iii. 15. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her
light, and the stars shall iall from heaven," Matt. xxiv. 29;
5[ark xiii. 24. "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs," Apoc. vi. 13.
"1 And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth," Apoc. ix.
1. By stars falling from heaven are not to be understood
stars, but that the knowledges of things good and true will
perish. This is still more evident from its being said, that the
tail of the dragon drew the third part of the stars friom heaven,
Apoc. xii. 4: also, that the he-goat cast down some of the
8tars and stamped upon them, IDan. viii. 8-11: therefore in
the next verse, in Daniel, it is also said, that it cast down the
truth to the ground, verse 12. The knowledges of things good
and true, are also signified by stars, in these passages: "Jeho70




v. 16.]         TruE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               52
vah telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them  all by
their names," Psalm clxvii. 4. "Praise Jehovah all ye stars
of light," Psalm cxlviii. 3. "The stars in their courses fought
against Sisera," Judges v. 20. From hence it appears what is
meant by these words in Daniel: "And they that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firnmament; and they that turn
many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever," xii. 3.
They that be wise, are such as are in truths; and they that turn
many to righteousness, are such as are in goods.
52. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
signifies the dispersion of falses by the Word, and by doctrine
thence from the Lord.  Sword very often occurs in the Word,
and by it nothing else is signified but truth fighting against
falses and destroying them; and, also, in an opposite sense, the
false fighting against truths: for by wars in the Word, are signified spiritual wars, which are wars of truth against falsity,
and of falsity against truth; wherefore, by weapons of war,
such things are signified as are made use of in spiritual conflict.
That the dispersion of falses by the Lord is here understood, is
evident, because the sword was seen to go out of his mouth;
and to go out of the mouth of the Lord, is to go out of the
Word, fbol this the Lord spake with his mouth; and as the
Word which is drawn fiom it is understood by the doctrine,
this is also signified. It is called a sharp two-edged sword,
because it penetrates the heart and soul. To show that by
sword is here meant the dispersion of falses by the Word froin
the Lord, some passages shall be adduced in which sword is
mentioned: "A sword upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and
upon her princes, and upon her wise men. A sword is upon
tile liars, and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men,
and they shall be dismayed. A sword is upon their horses, and
upon their chariots; a sword is upon her treasures, and they
shall be robbed. A drought is upon her waters, and they shall
be dried up," Jerem. 1. 35-38.  These things are said of
Babylon, by which those are understood who falsify and adul
terate the Word; therefore by the liars who will dote, and the
horses and chariots upon whom there is a sword, and the treasures which will be taken away, are signified the falses of their
doctrines: that the waters upon which is a drought that they
may be dried up, signify truths, may be seen above, n. 50.
" Prophesy, and say, A sword is sharpened, and also furbished.
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; and let the sword be
doubled the third time; the sword of the slain; it is the sword
of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy
chambers," Ezek. xxi. 9-20.  By sword is here also meant
the devastation of truth in the church. " Jehovah will plead
by his sword with all flesh, and the slain of Jehovah shall be




52              THaE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chal i.
manyS"' Isaiahlllxvi. 16. They are called the slain of Jehovah
here, and in other parts of the Word, who perish by falses.
"The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of Je/hovah shall devour fiom the one end
of the land, even to the other," Jerem. xii. 12. "We gat our
bread with the peril of our lives, because of the sword of the
wilderness," Lament. v. 9. "Woe to the idle shepherd that
leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his
right eye," Zech. xi. 17. The sword upon the right eye of the
shepherd is the falsity of his understanding. "Even the sons
of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a
sharp sword," Psalm lviii. 4. " Behold they belch out with
their mouth: swords are in their lips," Psalm lix. 7. "The
workers of iniquity, who whet their tongue like a sword,"
Psalm  lxiv. 3.  The same is signified by sword in other
places, as in Isaiah xiii. 13, 15; xxi. 14, 15; xxvii. 1; xxxi. 7,
8; Jerem. ii. 30; v. 12; xi. 22; xiv. 13-18; Ezek. vii. 15;
xxxii. 10-12. Hence it may appear what the Lord meant by
sword in the following passages: " Jesus said, that he came not
to send peace on earth, but ac sword," Matt. x. 34. Jesus said,
"c He that hath a purse and a scrip, let him take it; and le that
hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. - And his
disciples said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said
unto them, It is enough," Luke xxii. 36, 38. "For all they
that take the szbord, shall perish with the sword," Matt. xxvi.
52.  Jesus says, concerning the consummation of the age,
"They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden
down of the Gentiles," Luke xxi. 24. The consummation of
the age is the last time of the church; the sword is falsity
destroying truth; the Gentiles are evils; Jerusalem wlich shall
be trodden down, is tihe church. Hence, then, it is evident,
that by a sharp sword going out of the mouth of the Son of
Man, is signified the dispersion of falses by the Lord by means
of the Word. The same is signified in the following passages
in the Apocalypse: "And there was given unto him a great
sword who sat upon the red horse," vi. 4. "'And out of his
mouth who sat upon the white horse goeth a sharp sword, that
with it he should smite the nations. And the remnant were
slain wvith the sword of him that sat upon the horse," xix. 15,
21. By him who sat upon the white horse, is understood the
Lord as to the Word, which is plainly declared, verse 13, 16.
The same is understood in David: " Gird thy sword upon thy
thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And
in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth.  Thine
arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies," Psalm
rlv. 3-5; speaking of the Lord.  And in another place;




v. 16.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              53
"Let the saints be joyful in glory, and a two-edged sword in
their hand," Psalm  cxlix. 5, 6.  And in Isaiah, "Jehovah
hath made my mouth a sharp sword," xlix. 2.
53. And his face was as the sun shineth itn his power, signifies the divine love and the divine wisdom, which are himself,
and proceed from himself. That by the face of Jehovah, or of
the Lord, is understood the Divine Himself in his Essence,
which is divine love and divine wisdom himself, will be thus
seen in the explanations below, where mention is made of the
face of God. The same is signified by the sun shining in his
strength. That the Lord is seen as a. sun in heaven before the
angels, and that it is his divine love together with his divine
wisdom, which have that appearance, may be seen in the work
concerning Heaven and HKell, n. 116-125; and in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the -Divine love and the _Divine
WVisdomg n. 83-172. It remains here only to be confirmed
from the Word, that the sun, when mentioned in reference to
the Lord, signifies his divine love, and at the same time his
divine wisdom; this may appear from -the following places:
" In that day the light of the moon shall be as the light of the
sVn, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of
seven days," Isaiah xxx. 26. That day is the advent of the Lord,
when the old church is destroyed, and a new one is about to be
established; the light of the moon is faith from charity, and
the light of the sun is intelligence and wisdom from love, and
thus from the Lord. "Thy sun shall no more go down, neither
shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah shall be thine
everlasting light," Isaiah lx. 20. The sun which shall not set,
is love and wisdom from the Lord. "The rock of Israel spake
unto me: —And -he shall be as the light of the morning when the
sun riseth," 2 Sam.'xxiii. 3, 4. The rock of Israel is the Lord.
" His throne shall be as the sun before me," Psalm lxxxix. 36,
37. This is said of David: but by David is there meant the
Lord. "They shall feal thee as long as the sucn and moon endure. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance
df peace so long as the moon endureth: his name shall be continued as long as the sun:c and men shall be blessed in him,"
Psalm lxxii. 5, 7, 17. This also is said of the Lord. As the
Lord appears as a sun in heaven in the sight of the angels,
therefore when he was transfigured, "his face did shine as the
sun, and his raiment was white as the light," Matt. xvii. 2.
And it is said of the strong angel who came downl from heaven,
that he was 1" clothed with a cloud, —and his face was as it were
the sun," Apoc. x. 1: and of the woman, that she appeared
" clothed with the sun," Apoc. xii. 1. The sun in these passages also signifies love and wisdom from the Lord; the woman
is the church, which is called the New Jerusalem. Since, by
the sun, is understood the Lord as to love and wisdom, it ix
73




53              THE APOCALYl SE REVEALED.        [Chap. i.
evident what is signified by the sun in the following places:
"And it shall come to pass in that day-that the moon shall be
confounded, and the suTn ashamed, when Jehovah of hosts shall
reign in mount Zion," Isaiah xxiv. 21, 23. "And when I shall
have put thee out, I will cover the heavens and make the stars
thereof dark; I will cover the stun with a cloud and the moon
shall not give her light: —and I will set darkness upon thy land,"
Ezek. xxxii.'7, 8. "The day of Jehovah cometh, a day of
darlkness,-the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars
shall withdraw their shining," Joel ii. 1, 10. " The szun shall
be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the
great and terrible day of Jehovah come," Joel ii. 31. "The
day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision. The saun and
the moon shall be darkened," Joel iii. 14, 15. "And the fourth
angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten,-and
the third part of the stars,-and the day shone not for a third
part of it," Apoc. viii. 12. "And the sun~ became black as
sack-cloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," Apoc. vi.
12. "And the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of
the pit," Apoc. ix. 2. In these passages, by sun is not meant
the sun of this world, but the sun of the angelic heaven, which
is the divine love and the. divine wisdom of the Lord; these
are said to be obscured, darkened, covered, and to become
black, when there are evils and falses in man. Hence it is
evident, that the same is meant by the Lord's words, where he
speaks of the consummation of the age, which is the l'ast time
of the church: "Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven," Matt. xxiv. 29;
Mark xiii. 24, 25. And in like manner in the following passages: "And the sutn shall go down over the prophets, and the
day shall be dark over them," Micah iii. 5, 6. "In that dayI will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the
earth in the clear day," Amos viii. 9.'" She that hath borne
seven hath given up the ghost; her sun8 is gone down while it
was yet day," Jerem. xv. 9; speaking of the Jewish church,
which was to breathe out its soul, or. in other words, would
perish: the sun shall set, signifies thai there will be no longer
any love and charity. What is said in Joshua, that the sun
stood still upon Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon,
x. 12, 13, appears as if it was historical, but it is prophetic,
being quoted from the book of Jasher, which was a prophetic
book; for it is said, " Is not this written in the book of Jasher?"
verse 13; the same book is also mentioned as prophetic by
David, 2 Sam. i. 17, 18; something similar is also said in HIa
bakkuk: " The mountains-trembled,-the sun and moon stood
still in their habitation," iii. 10. "Thy sGun shall no more g,
down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself," Isaiah lx. 20
74




v. 17.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             54, 55
for to make the sun and moon stand still would be to destroy
the universe. The Lord as to his divine love and his divine
wisdom, being meant by the sun, therefore the ancients in theii
holy worship turned their faces to the rising sun; and also their
temples, which custom  still continues. That the sun and moon
of this world are not understood in these places, is evident fioln
its having been considered profane and abominable to adore
theml, as may be seen in Numb. xxv. 1-4; Deut. iv. 19; xvii.
3, 5; Jereim. viii. 1, 2; xliii. 10, 13; xliv. 17-19, 25; Ezek. viii.
16; for by the sun of this world is Understood self-love and the
pride of self-derived intelligence; and self-love is diametrically
opposite to divine love; and the pride of self-derived intelligence is opposite to divine wisdonm. To adore the sun of this
world is also to acknowledge nature to be creative, and selfderived prudence to be effective of all things, which implies a
negation of God, and a negation of the Divine Providence.
54. And whenz I saw him, Ifell at hisfeet as dead, signifies
that fronm such presence there was a defect or deprivation of lls
own life. Man's proper life cannot sustain the presence of the
Lord, such as the Lord is in himself, nor such as he is intimately in his Word; for the Divine Love is just like the sun,
which no one can bear as it is in itself, without being consumed.
This is what is meant by saying that " no one can see God and
live," Exod. xxxiii. 20; Judges xiii. 22. This being the case,
the Lord appeals to the angels in heaven as a sun, at a distance
fiom them, as the sun of this world is from men; the reason is,
because the Lord in himself is in that sun. But yet the Lord
so moderates and tempers his Divine Essence as to enable man
to sustain his presence, which is done by veilings or coverings;
such was the case when he revealed himself to many in the
Word; yea, by veils or coverings he is present in every one who
worships hlim; as lie himself says in John: " He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them;-I will manifest myself to
him," xiv. 21, 23.  "That he will be in them, and they in
him," xv. 4, 5. Hence it is evident why John, when he saw
the Lord in such glory, fell at his feet as dead; and also, why
the three disciples, when they saw the Lord in glory, were heavy
with sleep, and a cloud covered them, Luke ix. 32, 34.
55. And he laid his right hancld w2po72 mne, signifies life then
inspired from him. The reason whlly the Lord laid his right
hand upon him, is, because communication is produced by the
touch of the hands, for the life of the mind, and thence of the
body, puts itself forth into the arms, and through them into the
hands; on this account, the Lord touched with his hand those
whom he restored to life and healed, Mark i. 31, 41; vii. 32,
33; viii. 22 —27; x. 13, 16; Luke v. 12, 13; vii 14; xviii. 15;
xxii. 51; and in like mzanner, " After his disciples saw Jesus
transfigured, he touched them, and they fell o6n their faces,"
75




56, 57           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. 1
Matt. xvii. 6, 7. The origin of this is, because the presence of
the Lord with man is adjunction, and thus conjunction by con.
tiguity, and this contiguity is nearer and fuller in proportion
as man loves the Lord, that is, does his commandments. From
these few considerations it may appear, that by laying his right
hand upon him, is signified inspiring him with his life.
56. Sayi:ng' unto me, Fear not, signifies resuscitation, and at
the same time adoration from the most profound humiliation.
That it signifies resuscitation to life, is a consequence of what
went before, n. 55; and that it signifies adoration fiom the
most profound humiliation, is evident, for he fell at the Lord's
feet; and as a holy fear seized him, the Lord said, on his being
resuscitated, Fear not. Holy fear, which sometimes is joined
with a sacred tremor of the interiors of the mind, and sometimes
with horripilation,* supervenes, when life enters from the Lord
in place of inan's proper life; the proper life of man is to look
from himself to the Lord, but life firom the Lord is to look from
the Lord to the Lord, and yet as if fiom himself; when man is
in this latter life, he sees that he himself is not any thing, but
only the Lord. Daniel also was in this holy fear, when he saw
the man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine
gold of Uphaz, his body like the beryl, hii face like lightning,
his eyes like lamps of fire, and his arms and feet as the shining
of polished brass, upon seeing whom Daniel also became as
dead, and a hand touched him, and a voice said, _Fear not,
Daniel, Dan. x. 5-12.  Something similar occurred to Peter,
James, and John, when the Lord was transfigured, and appeared
as to his face like the sun, and his garments as the light, upon
which they also fell upon their faces, and were sore afraid, and
then Jesus came and touched them, saying, Be not afraid, Matt.
xvii. 5, 6, 7. The Lord also said unto the woman who saw him
at the sepulchre, Feacr not, Matt. xxviii. 10. Likewise the angel, whose face was like like lightning, and his garment as snow,
said unto those women, Fear not ye, Matt. xxviii. 3, 4, 5. The
angel said to Zechariah also, Fear not, Luke i. 12, 13. In like
~manner the angel said to Mary, Fecar not, Luke i. 30. The
angel said to the shepherds also, when the glory of the Lord
shone round about them, Fear not, Luke ii. 9, 10. A similar
holy fear seized Simon, by reason of the draught of fishes;
therefore he said, Depart firom me, for I am a sinful man, O
Lord; but Jesus said unto him, Fear not, Luke v. 8, 9, 10;
besides other places. These are adduced that it may be known
why the Lord said to John, Fear not, and that by it is denoted
resuscitation and then adoration fiom the most profound humiliation.
57. l am the First and the Last, which signifies that He
* Erection of the hair caused by horror.
76




v. 17, 18,]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           58-60
alone is eternal and infinite, therefore the only God, may appear
fi~om the explanation above, n. 13, 29, 38.
58. And am he that liveth, signifies, who alone is life, and
from whom alone is life. Jehovah, in the Word of the Old Testament, calls himself the LIFE and the LIVING, because he alone
lives; for he is love itself and wisdom itself, and these are
life. That there is one only life, which is God, and that angels
and men are recipients of life from him, is abundantly shown
in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the ZDivine -Love and the
Divine Wisdom. Jehovah calls himself the Living and him
that Liveth, in Isaiah xxxviii. 18, 19; Jerem. v. 2; xii. 16;
xvi. 14, 15; xxiii. 7, 8; xlvi. 18; Ezek. v. 21. The Lord as to
his Divine Humanity also is life, because the Father and he are
one; therefore he says, "' As the Father hath life in himself, so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself," John v. 26.
"Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life," John xi. 25.
" Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life," John xiv. 6.
" In the beginning was the Word, and God was the Word; ir
him was li;fe  and the Word was made flesh," John i. 1-4, 1:4.
Because the Lord is alone life, it follows, that from him alone
life is derived, therefore he says, "' Because I live, ye shall live
also," John xiv. 19.
59. And was dead, signifies that he was neglected in the
church, and his Divine Humanity not acknowledged. By his
becoming dead is not understood that he was crucified, and so
died, but that he was neglected in the church, and his Divine
Humanity not acknowledged, for so he became dead among
men. His divinity from eternity is indeed acknowledged, but
this is Jehovah himself; but his Humanity is not acknowledged
to be divine, although the divine essence and the human in him
are like soul and body, and therefore are not two but one, yea,
one person, according to the doctrine received throughout the
whole Christian world, which has its name from Athanasins.
When, therefore, the divine in him is separated from the human, by saying that his Humanity is not divine, but like the
human essence of any other man, in this case he is dead among
men. But concerning this separation and consequent death of
the Lord, more may be seen in The Doctrine of the -New Jerusalem concerning the Lord; and in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, n. 262, 263.
60. And, behold, I am alive for ever and ever, signifies that
he is life eternal. Now as, who am alive, signifies that he
alone is life, and from him alone life is derived, as above, n. 58,
it follows that, Behold, I am alive for ever and ever, signifies
that he alone is life to eternity, and consequently that eternal
life is from him alone; for eternal life is in him, and consequently from him. For ever and ever, signifies eternity.
That eternal life is from the Lord alone, is plain from  the
77




61 —65          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. 1.
following passages: "Jesus said, Whosoever believeth on me
shall not perish, but have everlastinyg life," John iii. 16.
"Every one that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, but
he who- believeth not in the Son, shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abideth on him," John vi. 40, 47, 48. "Verily,
I say unto you, he that believeth on nme hath everlasting life,"
John vi. 47. "I am the resurrection and the ife; he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and
whosoever believeth in me, shall never die," John xi. 24, 26:
and in other places. Hence, then, the Lord is called, He that
is alive for ever and ever: as also in the following passages of
the Apocalypse, iv. 9, 10; v. 14; x. 6; Dan. iv. 34.
61. Anzen, signifies the divine confirmation that it is the
truth. That amen is the truth, which is the Lord, may be seen
above, n. 23.
62. Anld have the keys of hell and death, signifies that he
alone has power to save. By keys is signified the power of
opening and shutting; in this instance, the power of opening
hell, that man may be brought forth, and of shutting it, lest,
when he is brought forth, he should enter it again; for man is
born in evils of all kinds, thus in hell, for evils are hell: he is
brought out of it by the Lord, to whom belongs the power of
opening it. The reason why by having the keys of hell and
death, is not understood the power of casting into hell, but the
power of saving, is, because it immediately follows after these
words: "Behold, I am alive for ever and ever;" by which is
signified that he alone is eternal life, n. 60; and the Lord never
casts any one into hell, but man casts himself. By keys is signified the power of opening and shutting, in the Apocalypse
also, iii. 7; ix. 1; xx. 1: also in Isaiah, xxii. 21, 22; in Matthew, xvi. 19; and in Luke, xi. 52. The power of the Lord is
not only over heaven, but also over hell; for hell is kept in
order and connexion by oppositions against heaven; for which
reason, lie who governs the one must necessarily govern the
other; otherwise man could not be saved: to be saved is to be
brought out of hell.
63. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things
which are, and the things which shall be hereafter, signifies that
all the things now revealed are for the use of posterity; as may
appear without explanation.
64. The mystery of the seven stars which thou s8awest in my
right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, signifies alcana
in visions concerning the new heaven and the new church.
That by seven stars is signified the church in the heavens, and
by seven candlesticks the church upon earth, will be seen in
what now follows.
65. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, sig
nifies the New Church in the heavens, which is the new hea
78




v. 19, 20.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            66, 67
ven. Tile church exists in the heavens as well as upon earth;
for the Word is in the heavens as well as upon earth, and
there are doctrines and preachings fiom it: on which subject
see ThU  Ne'w Jerusalem  concerning the Sacred Scripture, n.
70-75, and n. 104-113. That church is the new heaven, concerning which something is said in the preface. The reason
why the church in the heavens, or the new heaven, is meant by
the seven starls, is, becanse it is said, that the seven stars are
the angels of thle seven churches, and by angel is signified a
heavenly society. In the spiritual world there appears a firmamnent full of stars, as in the natural world, and this appearance
is from  the angelic societies in heaven: each society there
shines like a star to those who are below; hence they there
know in what situation the angelic societies are. That seven
does not signify seven, but all who are of the church there,
according to the reception of each, may be seen above, n. 10,
14, 41; therefore, by the angels of the seven churches, is
meant the universal church in the heavens, consequently the
new heaven in the aggregate.
66. And the seven ccandlesticks which thou scawest are the
seven churfches, signifies the nlew church upon earth, which is
the INoew Jerusalemn descendinlg from the Lord out of the new
heaven. That the candlesticks are the church, may be seen
above, n. 43; and wlhereas seven signilf all, n. 10, by the seven
candlesticks are not understood seven churches, but the church
in the aggregate, which in itself is one, but various according
to reception. Those varieties may be compared to the various
jewels in the crown of a king; and they may also be compared
to the various members and organs in a perfect body, which yet
make a one. The perfection of every form consists in various
things being suitatly disposed in their order; hence it is, that
the universal new clqurch is described, as to its various particulars, by the seven chlurches, in what follows.
67. THE FAITH OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW CHURCH, COMPREHENDED IN ONE UNIVERSAL IDEA, iS this, that the Lord firom
eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world to subdue the
hells and glorify his HIumanity; and that without this no flesh
could have been saved; and that they will be saved who believe in him.
It is said, in a universal idea, because this is the universal
of faith, and the universal of faith is what enters into all and
every particular. It is a universal of faith, that God is one in
person and in essence, in whom there is a trinity, and that the
Lord is that God. It is a universal of faith, that no mortal
could have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world.
It is a universal of faith, that he came into the world that he
might remove hell from man; and that he did remove it by
successive combats against it and victories over it; whereby he
79




67              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        jjChap. ii
finally subdued it, and reduced it to order, and undoer obedience
to himself. It is also a universal of faith, that he came into the
world to glorify the Humanity, which he assumed in the world,
that is, to unite it with the all-begetting Divinity, froin whom
are all things; thus having subdued hell, he keeps it in order,
and under obedience, to eternity. Now as neither of these
could have come to pass except by means of temptations, even
to the last and most extreme of all, which was the passion of
the cross, therefore he endured it. These are the universals of
faith concerning the Lord.
The universal of the Christian faith on man's part, is, to
believe in the Lord; for by believing in him he has conjunction with him, and by conjunction, salvation. To believe in
him is to have confidence that he will save; and because none
can have such confidence but he who leads a good life, therefore this also is understood by believing in him.
These two universals of the Christian faith have been specifically treated of; the first, which relates to the Lord, in The
-Doctrine of the New Jerascaleem   concerning the Lord; and the
second, which relates to man, in The Doctrine qf the New eferusalem  concerning Charity and Faith, and in The Doctrin~e of
Lsife: and both now in the explanations of the Apocalypse.
CHAPTER II.
1. UNTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These
things saith he that holdeth the seven, stars in his right hand,
who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance.
and how thou canst not bear theim that are evil, and hast tried
them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found
them liars;
3. And hast borne, and hast endurance, and for my name's
sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4. Nevertheless I have somewhat'/ against thee, that thou
hast left thy first charity.
5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen; and
repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.
6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the
Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
so)




Chap. ii.]     THE APOCALYPSE lREVEALED.
T. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat
of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God,
8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write;
These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead, and
is alive.
9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but
thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them that say they
are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may
be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faith
ful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the
second death.
12. And to the angel of -he church in Pergamos write,
These things saith He that hath the sharp sword with twc
edges.
13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where
Satan's throne is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast
not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was
my faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan
dwelleth.
14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast
there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak
to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat
things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also then that hold the doctrine of the
Nicolaitanes; which thing I hate.
16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat
of the hidden manna; and will give him a white stone, and in
the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving
he that receiveth it.
18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write;
These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto
a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.
19. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith,
and thy endurance, and thy works; and the last to be more
than the first.
20. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, be
cause thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a
prophetess, to teach, and to seduce my servants to commit
whoredom, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.




68              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. _,
21. And I gave her time to repent of her whoredom; and
she repented not.
22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent
of their deeds.
23. And I will kill her children with death. And all the
churches shall know that I am he that searchethl the reins and
hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to
your works.
24. But unto you, I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as
many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the
depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other
burden.
25. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come.
26. And he that overcorneth and keepeth my works unto
the end, to him will I give power over the nations;
27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels
of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received
of my Father.
28. And I will give him the morning star.
29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
68. THEE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. To the churches
in the Christian world: to those therein who primarily regard
truths of doctrine and not good of life, who are understood by
the church of Ephesus, n. 72-90. To those therein who are
in good as to life and in falses as to doctrine, who are understood by the church in Smyrna, n. 91-106. To those therein
who place the all of the church in good works, and not any
thing in truths, who are understood by the church in Pergamos,
n. 107-123. And to those therein who are in faith originating in charity, as also to those who are in faith separated fiomn
charity, who are understood by the church in Thyatira, n. 124
-152. All these are called to the New Church, which is the
New Jerusalem.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VYERSE. V. 1, "Unto the angel,)f
tile church of Ephesus write," signifies to those and concerning
those who primarily respect truths of doctrine, and not good
of life-: "These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in
82




Chap. ii.]      THE AI'OCALYPSE REVEALEI).               68
his right hand," signifies the Lord, from whom, by the Wordl,
proceed all truths: " Who walketh in the midst of the seven
golden candlesticks," signifies fiom  whom  all illtunination is
received by those who are of his church: v. 2, "I know thy
works," signifies that he sees all the interiors and exteriors of
man at once:' And thy labour and thy endurance," signifies
their study and patience: "' And how thou canst not bear themi
that are evil," signifies that they cannot bear that evil should
be called good, nor the reverse: " And hast tried them that say
they are apostles, and are not, and hast found thet liars," Signifies tlhat they scrutinize those things which are called goods
and tluths in the church, which nevertheless are evils and
falses: v. 3, "And hast borne and hast endurance," signifies
patience with them: "And for my name's sake hast laboured,
and hast not fainted," signifies their study and endeavour to
attain the things which belong to religion and its doctrine: v,
4, " Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, that thou hast
left thy first charity," signifies that this is-against them, that
they do not esteem good of life in the first place: v. 5, " Remember therefore fiom whence thou art fallen," signifies remembrance of their error: " And repent, and do the first
works," signifies that they ought to invert the state of their
life: "Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove
thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent," signifies
that otherwise, of a certainty, illumination will not be given
them to see truths any longer: v. 6, "But this thou hast, that
thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate,"
signifies that they know this by virtue of the truths they possess, and thence are not willing that works should be meritori:ous: v. 7, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches," signifies that he that understands,
ought to obey what the divine truth of the Word teaches those
who are to be of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.t
"To him that overcometh," sigcnifies he who fights against evils
and falses, and is reformed:  "Will I give, to eat of the tree of
life," signifies appropriation of the good of love and charity
from the Lord: A" Which is in the midst of the paradise of God,"
signifies interiorly in the truths of wisdom and faith.
v. 8, "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write,"
signifies to those and concerning those who are in good as to
life, but in falses as to doctrine: "These things saith the First
and the Last," signifies the Lord, that he is the only God:
"Who was dead and is alive," signifies that he is neglected in
the church, and his Humanity not acknowledged to be divine,
when yet as to that also he alone is life, and from him alone
is life everlasting: v. 9, "' I know thy works," signifies that tle
Lord sees all their interiors and exteriors at once: " And tribulation and poverty (but thou art rich)," signifies that they are
83




68              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. 11,
in falses, and thence not in goods: "And I know the blasphemy
of them that say they are Jews, and are not," signifies the false
assertion that they possess the goods of love, when in fact they
do not: " But are the synagogue of Satan," signifies, because
they are in falses as to doctrine: v. 10, "Fear none of those
things which thou shalt suffer," signifies, despair not when infested by evils and assaulted by falses: " Behold the devil shall
cast some of you into prison," signifies that their good of life
will be infested by evils from  hell: "That ye may be tried,"
signifies by falses fighting against them: "And ye shall have
tribulation ten days," signifies that it will endure its full time:
"Be thou faithful unto death," signifies reception of truths
until falses are removed: "And I will give thee a crown of life,"
signifies that they will then have eternal life, the reward of
victory: v. 11, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before: "He
that overcometh," signifies he that fights against evils and
falses, and is reformed: "Shall not be hurt of the second
death," signifies that afterwards they shall not yield to evils
and falses from hell.
v. 12, "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,"
signifies to those and concerning those who place the all of the
church in good works, and not any thing in truths of doctrine:
"These things saith he that hath the sharp sword with two
edges," signifies the Lord as to' the truths of doctrine fiom the
Word, by which evils and falses are dispersed: v. 13, "I know
thy works," signifies here, as before: "And where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is," signifies their life in darkness: "And thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied
my faith," signifies when yet they have religion and worship
according to it: " Even in those days wherein Antipas was my
faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth," signifies when all truth was extinguished by falses in the
church: v. 14, " But I have a few things against thee," signifies
that the things which follow are against them: "Because thou
hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught
Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel,
to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication,"
signifies that there are some among them who do hypocritical
works, by which the worship of God in the church is defiled
and adulterated: v. 15, " So hast thou also them that hold the
doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate," signifies that.
there are some among them also who make works meritorious:
v. 16, " Repent," signifies that. they should take heed of such
works: " Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight
against them  with the sword of my mouth," signifies, if not;
that the Lord will contend with them  from the Word: v. 17,
"He that hath an ear,'let him hear: what the Spirit saith unto
84




Chap ii.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                68
the churches." signifies heare. as before: "To him  that overcorneth," signifies here, the same as before: "Will I give to
eat of the hidden manna," signifies the appropriation then of
the good of celestial love, and thus conjunction of the Lord
with those who operate: "And will give him a white stone,"
signifies truths affirmative and united to good: "And in the
stone a new name written," signifies that thus they will have
good of a quality.such as they had not before: " Which no man
knoweth saving he that receiveth it," signifies that it does not
appear to any one, because it is written in their lives.
v. 18, "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write,"
signifies to those and concerning those, who are in faith
grounded in charity, and thence in good works; and also to
those and concerning those, who are in faith separated froin
charity, and thence in evil works: " These things saith the Son
of God who hath his eyes like unto a flamee of fire," signifies
dhe Lord as to the divine wisdom of his divine love: "And his
feet like fine brass," signifies divine good natural: v. 19, " I
know thy works," signifies here, as before: " And charity and
service," signifies the spiritual affection which is called charity,
and its operation: "And faith, and thy endurance, and thy
works," signifies truth and the desire of acquiring and teaching
it: "And the last to be more than the first," signifies the increase thereof from the spiritual affection of truth: v. 20,
"' Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee," signifies:what follows: " Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,"
signifies that among them there are some in the church who
separate faith firom charity: "Who calleth herself a prophetess,"?
signifies, and who make the doctrine of faith the sole doctrine
of the church: " To teach and to seduce my servants to commit
whoredon," signifies, firom which it comes to pass that the
truths of the Word are falsified: "And to eat things sacrificed
unto idols," signifies the defilement of divine worship, and profanations: v. 21. "And I gave her time to repent of her whoredomn, and she repented not," signifies that they who have confirmed themselves in that doctrine will not recede, althoughll
they see things contrary to it in the Word: v. 22, " Behold, I
will cast her into a bed, and them  that commit adultery with
her into great tribulation," signifies that therefore they will be
left in their doctrine with falsifications, and that they will be
grievously infested by falses: "Except they repent of their
deeds," signifies if they will not desist from separating faith
from charity: v. 23, "And I will kill her children with death,"
signifies that all the truths of the Word will be turned into
falses: "'And all the churches shall know that I am he which
searcheth the reins and hearts," signifies that the church shall
know that the Lord sees the quality of every one's truth, and
the quality of his good: "And I will give unto every one Of
85




69, 70          THE APOCALYPSE REVElALED.        [Chap. ii.
you according to your works," signifies that he gives unto every
one according to the charity and its faith wlicll is in his works:
v. 24, " But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Tlhyatira, as
many as have not this doctrine," signifies to those with whom
the doctrine of faith is separated from charity, and to those with
whom the doctrine of faith is joined with charity: "Ancld who
have not known the depths of Satan as they speak," sio'nifies
they who do not understand their interiors, which are mnere
falses: "I will put upon you none other burden," signifies
only that they should beware of them: v. 25, " Nevertheless,
that which -ye have, hold fast till I colme," signifies that they
should retain the few things which they know concerning
charity, and thence concerning ftith fitrohm. the Word, and live
according to them until the Lord's colming: v. 26, " And he
that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end," signifies
those who are in charity and thence actually in faith, and
remain in them to the end of their lives: " To him will I give
power over the nations," signifies that they shall overcome the
evils in themselves which are fiom hell: v. 27, "And he shall
rule them  with a rod of iron," signifies by truths fiom the
literal sense of the Word, and at the same time by rational
principles derived froln natural light: "As the vessels of a
potter shall they be broken to shivers," signifies as of little or
no account:   Even as I received of my Iather," signifies this
fi'on the Lord, who, when he was in the world, procured to
himself all power over the hells, from  the divine principle
which was within him: v. 28, "And I will give him the morning star," signifies intelligence and wisdom: v. 29, "He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the-churches," signifies here, as before.
THE EXPLANATION.
69. THIS and the following chapter treat of the seven
churches, by which are described all those in the Christian
church who have any religion, and out of whom the New Church,
which is the New Jerusalem, can be formed; and this is formed
by those who APPROACH THE LonR  ONLY, AND AT THE SAME
TIME IPERFORM REPENTANCE FROM EVIL WORKS. The rest, who
do not approach the Lord alone, from the confirmed negation
of the divinity of his Humanity, and who do not perform repentance ffrom evil works, are indeed in the church, but hayve
nbthing of the church in them.
70. Since the Lord alone is acknowledged as the God of
heaven and earth, by those who are of his New Church in the
86




Chap. ii.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              71, 72
heavens, and by those who will be of his New  Church upon
earth; therefore, in the first chapter of the Apocalypse the
Lord alone is treated of; and in the two following chapters, it
is he alone who speaks to the churches, and lhe alone who will
give the felicities of eternal life. That it is lhe alone who speaks
to the churches is evident from  these passages: " Unto the
angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things scith lie
that holdeth the'seven stars in his right haCd, who walketh in
the ridst of thre seven golden candlestcks," ii. 1. "Unto the
angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things saith the
First cand the last," ii. 8. "To the angel of the church in
Pergamos write, These things saith Hie which hath the sharp
sword with two edges," ii. 12.  " Unto the angel of the church
in Thyatira write, These things saith the ASon of God, who hath
his eyes li/ce unto a fame of fire, and his feet are iike fine
brass," ii. 18. " Unto the angel of the church in Sardis, write,
These things saith He that hcath the seven spirits of God, and
the seven stars," iii. 1.  "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things scaith He that is holy, HIe that is
true, He that hat/h the key qf -David," iii. 7. "And unto tlhe
angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, Th/ese things saith
the Amen. the faith4ftl and true Witnzess, the Beginning of the
creation of God,"' iii. 14. These expressions are taken from
the first chapter, in which the Lord alone is treated of, and
where he is described by all these attributes.
71. That the Lordcl alone will give the felicities of eternal life
to those who are and will be of his church, is evident from
these passages: The Lord -said to the church of Ephesus, " To
him that overcomneth will I give to eat qf the tree of life, which
is in the midst of the _paradise of God," ii. 7. Unto the church
in Smyrna, "I will give thee a c rown of life. He that overoemeth shall not be hurt of the second death," ii. 10, 11. Unto
the church in Pergamos, " To him that overcometh will I give
to eat of the hidden manna, and will give h/im a white) stone,
and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth
saving he that receiveth it." ii. 17. Uiito the church in Thya.
tira, " To him  will I give power' over t/he nations, and I will,give him the norning stCar," ii. 26, 28.  Unto the church inl
Philadelphia, "Him that overcometh owill I make a pillar in
the temrptle of qmy God; and I will write upon him the name of
my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is Neow
Jerusalem, and my new name," iii. 12. Unto the church in
Laodicea, " To himn that overcometh will Igrant to sit wit/h nme
in my thronze," iii. 21. From these passages it is also evident,
that the Lord alone is to be acknowledged in the New Church.
Hence it is that this church is called The -lamb's Wife, Apoc.
xix. 7, 9; xxi. 9, 10.
72. That the New Church, which is the lNew Jerusalem, is.




73-75           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. 11.
to be formed of those who do repentance from evil works, is
also manifest from the Lord's words to the churches: to that in
Ephesus; " I know thy works; —nevertheless I have somewhat
against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity. Repent, and
do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and
will remove thv candlestick out of his place, except thou repent,'
ii. 2, 4, 5. To the church in Pergamos; " I know thy works,
-repenzt, ii. 13, 16. To the church in Thyatira; " I will dleliver her into great tribulation, except they repiknt of their deeds,
-and I will give unto every one of you according to his
works," ii. 19, 22, 23. To the church in Sardis; " I have not
found thy works perfect before God;-repent," iii. 1-3. To
the church in Laodicea; "I know  thy works; —be zealous,
therefore, and repent," iii. 15, 19. But to proceed to the explanation.
73., Uinto the angel of the church of EphesuIs write, signifies,
to those and concerning those, who primarily respect truths of
doctrine and not good of life. It was shown above, n. 66, that
by the seven churches are not meant seven churches, but the
church in the aggregate, which in itself is one, but various according to reception; and that those varieties may be compared with the various members and organs in a perfect body,
which yet make a one. They mnay also be compared with the
various jewels in a kingTs crown; and hence it is that the universal New Church, with its various particulars, is described,
in what now follows, by seven churches. That by the chuich
of Ephesus, are understood those in the church who primarily
respect truths of doctrine and not good of life, is clear from
what is written to them, when understood in the spiritual sense.
It is written. to the angel of that church, because by an angel
is understood an angelic society which corresponds to a church
consisting of such, as above, n. 65.
74. These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in
his riyght hand, signifies the Lord, firom whom, by the Word,
proceed all truths. That He who holds the seven stars in his
right hand, is the Lord; and that the seven stars in his right.
hand are all the knowledges of good and truth in the Word,
which are thence from the Lord, with the angels of heaven and
men of the church, may be seen above, n. 51. The knowledges
of good and truth from the Word are truths.
75. TVho walketh in t/he midst of the seven golden candlesticks, signifies, fromn whom  all illumination is received by
those who are of his church. That the seven candlesticks, in
the midst of which was the Son of Man, signify the chulre.
which is in illumination from the Lord, may be seen above, n.
43-66.  He is here said to be walking, because to walk sig.
nifies to live, n. 167; and in the midst, signifies in the inmlost
and thence in all, n. 44, 383.
88




v 1, 2.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             76 —79
76. I know thly works, signifies that he sees all the interiors
and exteriors of man at once. Works are often mentioned in
the Apocalypse, but few know what is meant by works. This,
however, is well known, that ten men may do works which
externally appear alike, and which yet differ with them all;
and this because they proceed from different ends and different
causes, the end and the cause rendering the works either good
or bad; for every work is a work of the mind, therefore such
as is the quality of the mind, such is that of the work: if the
mind be charity, the work becomes charity; but if the mind be
not charity, the work is not charity: still, however, they may
both appear externally alike.  Works appear to men in their
external form, but to angels in their internal form; and to the
Lord their quality is apparent fiom inmost to outmost. Works
in their external form  appear like the outside of fruits, but
works in their internal form appear like the inside of firuits,
where there are innumerable eatable parts, and in the midst
seeds, in which there are also things innumerable, which are too
minute for the keenest eye to discerri, yea, which are above the
intellectual sphere of man: such are all works, the internal
quality of which the Lord alone sees, and which the angels also
perceive from the Lord, when performed by man.  But on this
subject more may be seen in The Angelic  Wisdom concerning
the Divine love aznd the Divine.iWsdomn, n. 209-220, and n.
277-28.1; and also below, n. 141, 641, 868. From this it may
appear, that by "I know  thy works," is signified that the
Lord sees all the interiors and exteriors of man at once.
77. And thy labour and endurance; that this signifies their
study and patience, is evident without explanation.
7'8. Anzd how thou canst not bear theim thfat are evil, signifies that they cannot bear that evil shall be called good, nor
the reverse, because this is contrary to the truths of doctrine.
That this is the signification of these words, is evident from
what follows, by which is signified that they scrutinize those
things in the church which are called goods and truths, when
yet they are evils and falses. To know goods, whether they be
good or evil, pertains to doctrine, and is among its truths, but
to do good or evil, pertains to life: this is said, therefore, of
those who hold truths of doctrine in the filrst place, and not
goods of life, n. 73. By them which are evil, in the spiritual
sense, are not understood evil persons, but evils, because this
sense is abstracted from persons.
79. And hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are
not, and hast found thenm liacrs, signifies that they scrutinize
those things which are called goods and truths in the church.
which nevertheless are evils and falses.'That this is what is
signified, cannot be seen except by the spiritual sense, and consequently by knowing what is meant by apostles and liars: b)y




q0, 81          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ii
apostles are not understood apostles, but all who teach the
goods and truths of the church, and, in an abstract sense, the
goods and truths themselves of its doctrine. That apostles are
not understood by apostles, clearly appears from these wo.rds
addressed to them': "When- the Son of Man shall sit on the
throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel," Matt. xix. 28; Luke xxii. 30.
Who does not see that the apostles neither will nor can judge
any one, much less the twelve tribes of Israel, but that the
Lord alone will do this according to the goods and truths oi' the
doctrine of the church from the Word? In like manner friom
this passage: " And the wall of the city New Jerusalemn had
twelve foundations, and in them  the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb," Apoc. xxi. 14; because by the New
Jerusalem, is signified the New Church, n. 880, 881; and by
its foundations, all the goods and truths of its doctrine, n. 902,
and following numbers. And also from this passage: "Rejoice
over her, thou heaven, and ye holy capostles and prophets,"
Apoc. xviii. 20. What chn the rejoicing of the apostles and
prophets signify, unless by them are meant all who are in goods
and truths of doctrine in the church?  By the Lord's disciples
are meant those who are instructed by the Lord in the goods
and truths of doctrine; but by apostles they who, after they are
instructed, teach them; for it is said, " Jesus sent his twelve
discdiles to preach the kingdom of God, and the apostles, when
they were returned, told him all that they had done," Luke ix.
1, 2, 10; Mark vi. 7, 30. That by liars are meant they who
are in falses, and, abstractedly, the falses themselves, may
appear from many places in the Word, which, if they were
addulced, would fill several pages; neither are lies, in the spiritual sense, any thing else but falses. From  these considerations it may appear, that by " Thou hast tried them which say
they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars," is
signified that they scrutinize those things which are said to be
good and true in the church, but which nevertheless are evil
and false.
80. And hast borne and hast endurance; that this signifies
their patience with them, is evident without explanation.
81. Aund for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not
fain.ted, signifies their study and endeavour to attain, and also
to teach, the things which belong to religion and its doctrine.
By the name of Jehovah or of the Lord, in the Word, is not
meant his name, but all by which he is worshipped; and because he is worshipped in the church according to doctrine, by
his name is meant the all of doctrine, and, in a universal sense,
the all of religion. The reason why these things are meant by
the name of Jehovah, is, because in heaven no other names are
given but what involve the quality of any one, and the quality
90




v. 2, 3.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                81
of God is all by which he is worshipped. He that is not aware
of this signification of name in the Word, can only understand
name; in which alone nothing of worship nor of relihion is involvedc  IIe that keeps in mind, therefore, the signification of
the NAME OF JEHOVAH as here explained, whenever it occurs in
the Word, will understand of himself what it imeans in the following places: ":In that day shall ye say, Praise Jehovah, call
upon his name," Isaiah xii. 4. " Jehovah, have we waited for
thee: the desire of oursoul is to thy namce, by thee only will
we ilmake men'tion of thy name," Isaiah xxvi. 8, 13.'"From
the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name," Isaiah xli.
25. " From the rising of the sun even unto the going dcown of
the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in
every place incense shall be offered unto my name; for my
name shall be great among the Gentiles': but ye have profaned
my name, in that ye say, the table of Jehovah is polluted; —
and ye have snuffed at my name —when ye brought that which
was torn, and lame, and sick," Malachi i. 11-13.  " For all
people will walk in the namre of his God, and we will walk in
the,cname of Jehovah our God," Micah iv. 5. " Every one that
is called by my nanme, for I have created him for my glory,
I have formed him," Isaiah xliii. 7. "Thou shalt not take the
name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold
him guiltless that tak6th his naze in vain," Dent. v. 11. They
shall worship Jehovah in one place where he will put his
name, Deut. xii. 5, 11, 13, 14; xvi. 2, 6, 11, 15, 16; besides
many other places. Who may not perceive that in these, name
alone is not understood?  The same is signified in the New
Testament by the name of the Lord, as in the following: Jesus
said, "Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake," MIatt.
x. 22; xxiv. 9. "For where two or three are gathered together in my nagme, there am I in the midst of them," Matt. xviii.
20. "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, —for my renze's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and
shall inherit everlasting life," MLatt. xix. 29. "But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them  that believe on his name," John i. 12.
"M any believed in his name," John ii. 23. "He that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only-begotten Son of God," John iii. 18.
They who believe will havce ife in his name, John xx. 31.
"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," Matt.
xxi. 9; xxiii. 39; Luke xiii. 35; xix. 38. That the Lord, as to
his Humanity, is the name of the Father, appears in these
places: "lFather, glorify thy namne," John xii. 28. " ItallowecI
be thy name, thy kingdom come," Matt. vi. 9; also Exod. xxiii.
20, 21; Jerem. xxiii. 6; Micah v. 4. That name, applied to
others, signifies the quality of worship, appears in the following
91




82-84            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. ii
passages: The shepherd of the sheep " calleth his own sheep
by their name," John x. 3. " Thou hast a few nrames even in
Sardis," Apoc. iii. 4.  "I will write upon him  the name of
my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New
Jerusalemni,-and my new namnze," Apoc. iii. 12; and in other
places.  Hence it may appear, that " for my name's sake thou
hast laboured, and hast not fainted," signifies study and endeavour to acquire, and also to teach, the things which belong
to religion and its doctrine.
82. Nevertheless, Ihave somewhat against thee, that thou hast
left thy Jirst ehcarity, signifies that this is against them, that the3
do not esteem good of life in the first place, which, nevertheless,
was and is done in the beginning of every church. This is
said to the church, because by it ale meant those in the church
who primarily or in the first place respect truths of doctrine, and
not goods of life, n.'73; when yet good of life is to be considered
in the first place, that is, primarily; for in proportion as a manl
is in goods of life, in the same proportion he is really in truths of
doctrine, and not ice versa; the reason is, because goods of life
open the interiors of the mind, and these being opened, truths
appear in their own light, whence they are not only understood,
but also loved; not so when doctrinals are primarily, or in the
first place, respected; in this case truths may indeed be known,
but not seen interiorly, and loved from spiritual affection; but
this has been illustrated above, n. 17. Every church, at its beginning, respects goods of life in the first place, and truths of
doctrine in the second; but as the church declines, it begins to
respect truths of doctrine in the first place, and goods of life in
the second; and at length in the end it respects faith alone,
and then it not only separates the goods of charity from faith,
but also omits them. From hence then it may appear, that by
these words, " Thou hast left thy first charity,"' is signified that
they do not esteem good of life in the first place, which nevertheless is, and has been done at the beginning of every church.
83. Remember therefore fron whence tKou  artfallen; that.this signifies remembrance of their error, is plain fromn what
has just been said.
84. Anld repent, and do the fjrst works, signifies that they
ought to invert the state of their life. Every man respects
truths of doctrine in the first place, yet so long as he does this,
he is like unripe fiuit; but he who is regenerated, after he has
imbibed truths, respects good of life in the first place, and in
proportion as he does so, he grows ripe like firuit; and in proportion as he ripens, in the same proportion the seed in him
becomes prolific. These two states have been witnessed by me,
in men who were become. spirits: in the first state, they appeared turned to the valleys which are over hell; and in the
second, to the paradises in heaven.  It is this conversion of the
92




v. 3 —6.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              85, 86'
state of life which is here understood.  That this is effected
by repentance, and after it by good of life, is understood by
"Repent, and do the first works."
85. Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove
thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent, signifies that
otherwise of a certainty illumination will not be given them to
see truths any longer. By quickly is signified certainly, n. 4,
947; and by candlestick, the church as to illumination, n. 43,
66; hence, by removing it out of its place, is signified to remove illumination, that they may not see truths in their own
light, and at length, that they may not see them any more.
This follows from what was said above, n. 82, namely, that if
truths of doctrine are respected primarily, or in the first place,
they may indeed be known, but not interiorly seen, and loved
from spiritual affection, therefore they successively perish; for
to see truths from their own light, is to see them from man's
interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind, and this mind
is opened by charity; and when it is open, light and the affection of understanding truths flow in out of heaven from the
Lord, which constitutes illumination. The man who is in this
illumination, acknowledges truths as soon as he reads or hears
them; but it is not so with the man whose spiritual mind is not
opened, who is one that is not principled in the goods of charity,
h-owsoever he may be principled in the truths of doctrine.
86. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the
NVicolaitanes, which I also hate, signifies that they know this
by virtue of the truths they possess, and thence are not willing
that works should be meritorious, because this is contrary to
the merit and righteousness of the Lord. That the works of
the Nicolaitanes are meritorious works, has been made known
by revelation.  It is said, that they hate those works, because
the church from the truths of its doctrine knows this, and
thence does not will it: therefore it is said, " this thou hast."
Yet all those make works meritorious who put the truths of
faith in the first place, and the goods of charity in the second;
nut not those who put the goods of charity in the first place
the reason is, because genuine charity admits not of merit,
for it loves to do good, existing in it and acting from it; and
from good it looks to the Lord; and from truths it knows that
all good is from him; it therefore has an aversion to merit.
Now because they who respect the truths of faith in the first
place, cannot do any other works than such as are meritorious,
and yet know, from their truths,'that such works ought to be
detested, therefore this follows after its having been said, that
if they do not esteem charity in the first place, they do works
which ought to be held in aversion. It is asserted, that it is
contrary to the merit and righteousness of the Lord; for they
who place merit in works, clailn righteousness to themselves;
93




87, 88           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Calap. ii.
for they say that justice is on their side because they have
merit, ivhe.n yet it is the greatest injustice, inasmuch as the
Lord alone has merit, and alone does good in them. That the
Lord alone is righteousness, is taught in Jeremiah: " Behold,
the days come, that I will cause the branch of righteousness to
grow up unto David, and this is his name whereby he shall be
called, Jehocvah our righteousness," xxxiii. 5, 6; xxxiii. 15, 16.
87. He that hawh an ear, let him hear w.at the 2Spirit saith
unto the churches, signifies that he who understands, ought to
obey what the divine truth of the Word teaches those who are to
be of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. By hearing, is signified both to perceive and to obey; because a person
gives attention in order that he may perceive and obey: that
both these are signified by hearing, is evident from common
discourse, when we speak of hearing any one and of hearkening
to himu; the latter signifying to obey, and the former to perceive. That hearing has these two significations, is from correspondence; for they are in the province of the ears in heaven,
who are in perception and at the same time in obedience.  As
both these things are signified by hearing, therefore the Lord so
often said, " He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," Matt.
xi. 15; xiii. 43;.Markl iv. 9, 23; vii. 16; Luke vili. 8; xiv. 35:
and the same is likewise said to all the churches, as is evident
fiom verses 11, 17, 29, of this chapter, and fiom verses 6, 13,
and 22, of the following. But by the Spirit which speaks to
the churches, is signified the divine truth of the Wordl; and by
the churches, the universal church in the Christian world. That
by the Spirit of God, which is also the Holy Spirit, is understood divine truth proceeding from the. Lord, may be seen in
T7he Doctrine of the NYew Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n.
51; and as the universal church is understood, it is not said,
what the Spirit saith to the church, but what the Spirit saith to
the churches.
88. To himn that overcometh, signifies he that fights against
his evils and falses, and is reformed. Now as, in what is
written to the seven churches, is described the state of all in
the Christian church who are capable of receiving the doctrine
of the New Jerusalem, and of living according to it, thus who
are capable, by combats against evils and falses, of being reformed; therefore it is said to each, HE THAT OVE.RC01ETH: as
here to the church of Ephesus, " To him that ovecometh will
[I give to eat of the tree of life." To the church in Smyrna,
"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death,'"'. 11. To the church in Pergamos, ":To him that overonmethl
will I give to eat of the hidden manna," ii. 17. To the
church in Thyatira, " He that overcometh and keepeth nmy
works unto the end, to him  will I give power over the nations," ii. 26. To the church in Sardis, " ie that overcometf,
94




v. 6, 7.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              89, 90
the same shall be clothed in white raiment," iii. 5. To the
church in Philadelphia, " Him that overeomneth will I make a
pillar in the tenmple of my God," iii. 12. And to the church
in Laodicea, " To him  that overcometh will I grant to sit with
me in ml throne," iii. 21. IHe that overcometll, in these places,
signifies- he who fights against evils and falses, and thus is
refornmed.
89. TFill Igive to eat of the tree of life, signifies appropriation of the good of love and charity fiom tlhe Lord.  To eat,
in the Word, signifies to appropriate; and the tree of life signifies thle Lord as to the good of love; therefore by eating of
the tree of life, is signified the appropriation of the good of
love from the Lord. To eat signifies to appropriate, because
as natural food, when it is eaten, is appropriated to the life of
man's body, so spiritual food, when it is received, is appropriated to the life of his soul. The tree of life signifies the
Lord as to the good of love, because nothing else is signified by
the t~ree of LIFE in the garden of Eden; also because celestial
and spiritual life is derived to man firom the good of love and
charity, which is received from-the Lord. Tree is mentioned in
many. places, and by it is understood a man of the church, and
in a universal sense the church itself; and by its fiuit good of
life; the reason is, because the Lord is the tree of life, fiomn
whom comes all good in the man of the church, and in the
churnch: but of this in its proper place.  It is said the good of
love and charity, because the good of love is celestial good
which is that of love to the Lord, and the good of chlarity is
spil'itual good, which is that of love towards our neighbour.
The nature and quality of these two klinds of good will be explained in wllhat follows; they are treated of also in the wtork
concerning fecaven and Hell, n. 13-19.
90. WhGich is in the nmidst of t/he pcaradise of God, signifies
interiorly in the truths of wisdom and faith. In the mlidst signifies the inmost. n. 44, 383, lere, the intelio,' the paradise'
of God signifies the truths of wisdom and fithll; therefbre the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God, signifies the eLord with the good of love and charlity interiorly in
the truths of wisdom and faith: good is also within truths, for
good is tile esse of life, and truth is tle existere of life thence
derived, as is abundantly shown in The Anqeldic Wisdo?n conce-,rniny the Divine love and the Divine Wiscdoin. That the
paradise of God means the truth of wisdom  and of faith, is
evident firom the signification of garden. in the Wo rd: garden
there signifies wisdom  and iutelligence, because trees signify
men of the church, and their fi'uits goods of life; nothing else
is signified by the garden of Eden, fbI by it is described the
wisdom of Adam. The same is understood by the garden of
God in Ezekiel: " With thy wisdom and thine intelligence thou
95




91, 92          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. ii.
hadst gotten thee riches: thou hast been in Eden the garden of
God; every precious stone was thy covering," xxviii. 4, 13;
speaking of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the
knowledges of truth and good, thus as to intelligence; therefore
it is said, In thy wisdom and thine intelligence thou hadst gotten thee riches: by a covering of precious stones are signified
the truths of intelligence. Again:' Behold, the Assyrian was
a cedar in Lebanon;-the cedars in the gardenz of God could
not hide him: nor any tree in the garden qf God was like unto
him in his beauty. All the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God envied hin," xxxi. 3, 8, 9. This is said of Egypt and
Ashur, because by Egypt is signified science, and by Ashur rationality, by whichi comes intelligence; the like is signified by
cedar. But because, by his rationality, he came into the pride
of self-derived intelligence, therefore it is said of him, "To
whom art thou thus like in glorv and in greatness among the
trees of Eden?  yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of
Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the
midst of the uncircumcised, " verse 18 of the same chapter; the
uncircumcised are thev who are without the good of charity.
So in Isaiah: "Jehovah shall comfort Zion; —and he will make
her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah," li. 3. Zion there is the church; the wilderness and the
desert are the defect and ignorance of truth; Eden and the
garden of God are wisdom and intelligence. Wisdom and intelligence are also signified by garden in Isaiah lviii. 11; lxi.
l1; Jerem. xxxi. 12; Amos ix. 14; Numb. xxiv. 6. The marn
of the church is also like a garden as to intelligence, when he
is in the good of love from the Lord, because the spiritual heat
which vivifies him is love, and spiritual light is intelligence
thence derived. It is well known that gardens in this world
flourish by means of heat and light; it is the same ill heaven:
ini heaven there appear paradisiacal gardens, with fruit-trees
according to the wisdom of the inhabitants grounded in the
good of love received friom the Lord: but around those who are
in intelligence and not in the good of love, there do not appear
gardens, but grass; and around those who are in faith separated from charity, not even grass, but sand.
91. And unto the angel of the chioreh in Smyrna write, signifies to those and concerning those, who are in good as to
life, but in falses as to doct'rine. That these are meant by the
church in Smyrna, is clear from the things written to it when
understood in the spiritual sense.
92. These things saith the First and the Last, signifies the
Lord, that he is the only God. That the Lord calls himself the
First and the Last, also the Beginning and the End, and
Alpha and Omega, and He who is, and who was, and who is tc
come, may be seen, chap. i. 4, 8, 11, 17; and what they signify
96




v. 7 —9.'THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           93 —96
above, n. 13, 29-31, 38, 57; where it is platn, that by the
above is also understood, that he is the only God.
93. Who was dead and is alive, signifies that he is neglected
in the church, and his Humanity not acknowledged to be
divine, when yet as to that also he alone is life, and from him
alone is life everlasting. That this is understood by these
words, may be seen above, I. 58-60, where they are explained. Why these and the preceding things are said, is,
because the primary falsity of those who are described by this
-church, is, that they do not acknowledge the Lord's Divine
Humanity, and therefore do not approach him.
94. I know thy works; that this signifies that the Lord sees
all their interiors and exteriors at once, is evident firom the same
explained above, n. 76; in the present case it denotes that he
sees that they are in falses, and yet as to life in goods, which
they believe to be goods of life, when vet they are not.
95. And affliction and poverty (but thou art rich), signifies
that they are in falses, and thence not in goods. To know
their affliction signifies to see that they are in falses, and to
know their poverty signifies to see that they are not in goods;
for in the Word, affliction is predicated of falses, as above, n.
33; and poverty of the defect of goods, neither is spiritual
poverty any thing else. Poor and needy are often mentioned
in the Word, and in the spiritual sense by poor is understood
one who is not in truths, and by needy one who is not in goods.
These words are also added, "but thou art rich,"' but in a
parenthesis, because in some copies they are omitted.
96. And I kenow the blasphemny of them thcat say they are
Jews, and are not, signifies the false assertion that they possess
the goods of love, when yet they do not. Blasphemy here signifies false assertion; by Jews are not signified Jews, but they
who are in the good of love, and, abstractedly, goods of love;
so by the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are
not, is signified the false assertion that they possess the goods
of love, when yet they do not. By Jews are, meant they who
are in the good of love, because in the Word by Judah, in a
supreme sense, is meant the Lord as to the divine good of
divine love, and by Israel, the Lord as to the divine truth of
divine wisdom; hence by Jews are signified they who are in
the good of love from the Lord, and by Israel they who are in
divine truths from the Lord: that these are meant by Jews,
may appear from many passages, which will be adduced below,
n. 350; something may also be seen on this subject in T7he.Doctrine of the -New Jerutsalem concerning the lford, n. 51. In
the abstract tUe goods of love are meant by Jews, because the
spiritual sense is abstracted from persons, as may be seen above,
In. 78, 79. He who is not aware, that by Jews, in the Word,
are meant those who belong to the Lord's celestial church, by
~979                             Q~~




97               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. ii
reason of their being principled in love to him, is liable to fall
into Tmrany mistakes when reading the prophetical part of the
Word: but see below, n. 350.
97. But are the synayogue of Satan, signifies because they
are in falses as to doctrine. It is called synagogue, because
Jews are mentioned, and as they taught in synagogues, by
synafgogue is signified doctrine; and because by Satan is understood the hell of those who are in falses, therefore it is called
the synagogue of Satan.  Hell is called the devil and Satan,
and by the hell which is called the devil, are understoodl such
there as are in evils, properly who are in self-love; and by the
hell which is called Satan, are understood such there as are in
falses, properly who are in the pride of self-derived intelligence:
the hells are called the devil and Satan, because all who are in
them are called devils and Satans. Hence then it may appear,
that by their being the synagogue of Satan, is signified that as
to doctrine they are in falses.  But as they who are in good as
to life, and in falses as to doctrine, are here treated of, and as
such know no other than that they ale in good, and that their
falses are truths, something shall be said respecting them. All
the good of worship is formed by truths, and all trutll is ~brmned
from good, therefore good witlhout truth is not good, neither is
truth, without good, truth; they appeal indeed in their external
form to be so, but st'll they are not. The conjunction of good
and truth is called the heavenly marriage; from  this is the
gchurch in man, and it is heaven in him; ift therefore tlhere are!falses instead of truths in man, then he does good fiom a false
grlund, Which is not good, for it is either pharisaical or meritoi'ious, or natural colnate good. But examnples will illustrate
this: he who is in this falsity, that he thinks he does good
fiom  himself, fiom  his possessing the faculty of doing good;
the good of such a man is not good, because he himself is in it,
and not the Lord.  I-Ie who is in this falsity, that he can do
good which is in itself good, without a knowledge of what is
evil in himself, so without repentance, although lie appears to
do good, yet he d.oes not do good, because without repentance
he is in evil. He who is in this falsity, that good purifies him
fiom evils, and does not know any thing of the evils in which he
is, such a man does no other good than spurious good, which is
inwardly contaminated by his evils.  He who is in this falsity,
that there is a plurality of gods, the good which such a man
does is divided good, and divided good is not good. Ile who is
in this falsity, that he believes the divinity in the Lord's Iuinanity is not like the soul in. the body, cannot do good fiom
him, and good not firom the Lord is not good, for it is contrary
to these words of the Lord: "Except a man abide in me and
I in himl, he cannot bring forth any fruit; for without me ye
can do nothing. If a mai abide not in me, he is cast forth as
98




v. 9, 10.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              98, 9S
a branch and is withered, and is cast into the fire and burned,"
John xv. 4-6; and so in many other instances; for good derives its quality firom trutlls, and truths derive their esse firoom
good. Who does not know, that the church is no church without doctrine, and doctrine nmust teach how a man is to think of
God and froym God; and how he is to act firom  God and with
God; tlerefore doctrine must be derived firom truths, to act
according to which, is what is called good; whence it follows,
that to act according to falses is not good. It is thought, that
in the good which a man does, there is not any thing derived
from truths or falses, when yet the quality of good is not derived fi'om any other source, for they cohere together like love
and wisdom, and also like love and foolishness; it is the love
of the wise man which does good, but the love of the fool does
what is like good in externals, but totally unlike it in internals;
therefore the good of a wise man is like pure gold, but the good
of a fool is like gold covering dirt.
98. Fear no1ne of those things which thou shalt si$fer, signifies, despair not when ye are infested by evils and assaulted
by falses, because they who are in goods as to life, and in falses
as to doctrine, cannot but be so infested and assaulted.  This is
plain fiom what now follows.
99. Behold, the devil shcall cast some of you into prison, signifies that their good of life will be infested by evils from hell.
That this is signified by being cast into custody or into prison
by the devil, is, because by the devil is meant the hell where
they are who are in evils, and thus, abstractedly, the evil. which
is there and from thence, n. 97. To be cast into prison, denotes
to be infested, because they who are infested by evils fiom hell
are as if they were bound in prison, for they cannot think any
thing but evil, when yet they will what is good; hence comes
combat and interior anxiety, fiom  which they cannot be released, being like persons who are in bonds; the reason is, because their good is not good so far as it coheres with falses, and
so far as it coheres with falses evil is in it; therefore it is that
which is infested.  But this infestation does not exist in the
natureal world, but in the spiritual world, thus after death.  It
has often been permitted me to see their infestations; they la'
ment, saying that they have done good, and desire to do good,
and yet now they cannot, because of the evils which surround
them. But still they are not all alike infested, but more severely according as they have confirmed themselves in falses,
therefore it is said the devil shall cast sosme of you into prison.
That the confirmation of what is false is hurtful, may be seen
in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem  concerning the Sacred
Scripture, n. 91-97.  In the Word, by prisoners the same is
signified as here by those who will be cast into prison, as in
these places: I will " give thee for a covenant of the people,-tc
99




100, 101'THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii.
bring out the _prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in
darkness out of the prison-house," Isaiah xlii. 6, 7; xlix. 8, 9.
"'Jehovah hath sent me, -to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison, to them that are bounzd," Isaiah lxi. 1.
" By the blood of thy covenant I have sent for thy prisoners
ou0t of the pit," Zecb. ix. 11.  "God-bringeth ouit those which
are bound with chains," Psalm lxviii. 6.  "Let the sighing of
the prisoner come before thee," Psalm lxxix. 11. " To hear the
groaning of the prisoner, to loose those that are appointed to
die," Psalm cii. 20. "Jehovah looseth the _prisoners," Psalm
cxlvi. 7. It is plain that by prisoners in these places are not
meant those who are imprisoned in the world, but those who
are imprisoned by hell, thus by evils and falses.  Similar is the
signification of these words of the Lord: "I was in prison,
and ye came unto me," Matt. xxv. 36. As the Lord brings'out of prison, or delivers from infestation, those who have been
in good as to life, though in falses as to doctrine, he says, " Fear
none of those things which thou shalt suffer;" also, "Be thou
faithful, and I will give thee a crown of life."
100. That ye may be tried, signifies by falses fighting against
them. The reason why this is signified is, because all spiritual
temptation is a conabat of the devil and the Lord, which shall
have possession of man; the devil or hell brings out his falses,
and reproaches and condemns him, but the Lord brings out his
truths, and withdraws him firom falses, and delivers him.  It is
this combat which appears to man as in himself, because it is
from  evil spirits who are with him, and is called temptation.'That spiritual temptation is nothing else, I know by experience,'because in my temptations I have seen the infernals who. brought
them on, and have perceived the influx from the Lord, who
delivered me.
101. And ye shall have tribulation ten days, signifies that
this will endure its full time, that is, as long as they are willing
to abide in falses. Affliction here signifies infestation, of which
/above, n. 33, 95, thus temptation; and ten days signify the
duration of that. state to the full: therefore it follows, "Be,thou faithful unto death," by which is signified the reception
and acknowledgment of truths, until by their means falses are
removed, and as it were abolished.  That ten days signify
duration of state to the full is, because days signify states, and
ten what is full; for times in the Word signify states, n. 947,
and numbers designate their quality, n. 9. As ten signify
what is fiull, they also signify much and many, also every thing
and all, as may appear from  these passages which follow:
"Those men which have seen my glory,-have tempted me now
these ten times," Numb. xiv. 22.  "These ten timtes have ye
reproached me," Job xix.:3. "Daniel was found ten times
wiser than the astrologers," Dan. i. 20.    Ten women shall
100




v. 10.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALEDI           102, 103
bake your bread in one oven," Levit. xxvi. 26. " Tenr men out
of all languages of the nations, shall take hold of the skirt of,
him that is a Jew," Zech. viii. 23. Because ten signify many,
and also all, therefore the things which were written upon the
tables of the decalogue by Jehovah, are called the Ten Commandments, Dent. iv. 13; x. 4: the Ten Conmmandments signify all truths, for they include them.  And because ten signiiv
all and every thing, therefore the Lord compared the kingdom
of heaven to ten viryins, Matt. xxv. 11.  Likewise in the
parable he said of the nobleman, that he gave his servants t:en
talents to trade with, Luke xix. 12, 18. Many are also signified by the ten horns of the beast which came up out of the
sea, Dan. vii. 24, and by the ten horns, and the ten, crowns
upon the horns, of the beast which came up out of the sea, in
the Apoc. xiii. 1; also by the ten horns of the dragon, Apoc.
xii. 3, and by the tesn horns of the scarlet-coloured beast, upon
which the woman sat, Apoc. xvii. 3, 7, 12: by ten horns is
signified much power. From the signification of the number
ten, as denoting what is full, much, and all, it mlay be seen
why it was ordained, that a tenth part of all the fiuits of the
earth should be given to Jehovah, and fiom Jehovah to Aaron
and the Levites, Numb. xviii. 24, 28; Deut. xiv. 22; also, why
Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all, Gen. xiv. 18, 19; for
by this was signified that all they had was from Jehovah, and
sanctified, see Malachi iii. 10. From these considerations, it
may now appear, that by having affliction ten days, is signified
that their temptation will last its full time, that is, so lonog as
they are willing to remain in falses; for falses are never taken
away from a man against his will or consent, but with it.
102. Be thou faithful unto death, signifies reception and
acknowledgment of truths, until falses are removed, and, as it
were, abolished. By be thou faithful unto death, in the natural
sense, is meant, that they must not depart from their fidelity to
the end of life; but in the spiritual sense, that they must receive and acknowledge truths, until falses are removed by
them, and, as it were, abolished, for this sense is properly for
those who are in the spiritual world, who are not liable to death,
therefore by death is here meant the end of their temptations.
It is said, until they are, as it were, abolished, because falses;
and evils with man are not abolished, but removed, and when
they are removed they appear as if they were abolished, because when evils and falses are removed, man is kept in goods
and truths by the Lord.
103. And I will give thee a crown of' life, signifies that
they will then have eternal life, the reward of victory. Because
temptations even unto death are here treated of, it is said that
a crown of life will be given them, such as the martyrs had,
who were faithful even unto death; and because the martyrs
101




104-108          THIE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ii
wished for it, therefore after death crowns were given them, by
which was signified the reward of victory; they still appear in
their crowns in heaven, which it has been permitted me to see.
104. HIe that hacth an ear, let hiin /hear what the sirt scith
unto the ehurches; that this signifies that lhe who ulldcerstandc
these things, ought to obey what the divine truth of' the Word
teaches those who are to be of the New Church, wlhicll is the
New Jerusalem, is evident fiom the explanation of the same
words above, n. 87.
105. HIe that overeomneth; that this signifies he that fillts
against evils and falses, and is reformed, is evident from n. 88,
where the same words occur, and are explained.
106. ShAall not be hurt of the seconld death, signifies that
afterwards they shall not yield to the evils and falses from hell
By the first death is meant the death of the bodly, and by the
second death is meant the death of the soul, which is damnation, see below, n. 853, 873; and whereas by'"Be lthou faitlhfu)
unto death," is signified that they ought to acknowledgle tr'UthF
till by their means falses are removed, n. 102, it follows, that
by " not being lhirt of the scond death," is signified. that afterwards they shall not sink under evils and falses from hell, foi
thereby they are exempted from damnation.
107. AndG to the anyel of the chbarc/h in Pecganows write,
signifies to those and cbncerning those, who place the all of
the church in good works, and not any thing in the trulths of
doctrine.  That these are meant by the chllleh in Pergamos,
is evident from what is written to it, when understood in the
spiritual sense.  But something must be premised concerning
these, in order to make it known who they are in the church,
and what is their quality: there are two kinds of men, of whonm
the Christian church at this day for the most part consists.; one,
who are in works alone, and in no truths; the otherl, who are
in worship alone, and neithemr in works nor in truths: the
former are here treated of; the latter in what is written to the
church in Sardis, n. 154. They who are in works alone and in
no truths, are like people who act and do not understand, and
acptions without understanding are inanimate; they appear to
the angels like images carved out of wood; and they who have
placed merit in their works, appear like the same images, but
naked, without any covering whatever: they appear also like
slheep without wool; and they who place merit in them, like
such sheep covered with dirt; for all works are done fiolml the
will by the understanding, and in the understanding they receive life, and at the same tile clothing; hence it is, as was
observed, tihat they appear to the angels as things inanimate
and naked. 
108. These things saith He that h/athe the shar spword  with
two edges, signifies the Lord as to the truths of doctrine from
102




v. 10 —13.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            109, 110
the Word, by which evils and falses are dispersed.  In the
preceding chapterl, where thd SON OF MAN is described, who is
the Lord as to the Word, it is said, that a sharp two-edged
sword was seen to go out of his mouth, verse 16: that by it is
signified the dispersion of falses by the Word, and by doctrine
thence fiom the Lord, may be seen above, n. 52. This is said
to those and concerning those, who place the all of the church
in works alone, and not any thing in truths of doctrine; to
whom, because they omit or lightly esteem truths of doctrine
which yet are necessary, it is said in what follows: " Repent
or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against
them with the sword of my mouth," verse 16 of this chapter.. 109. I know thy works; that this signifies that the Lord
sees all their interiors and exteriors at once, may be seen,above,
n. 76, where the same is explained; in this instance it denotes,
that the Lord sees that they are in works alone, and not in
doctrinals.
110. And where tlhou dwellest, even where Saetan's throne is,
signifies their life in darkness.  That by Satan is meant the
hell of those who are in falses, may be seen above, n. 97; and
to be in falses, is to be in spiritual darkness: spiritual darkness,
the shadow of death, and blindness, are nothing else but tle
states of those in hell, who are in the falses of evil; therefore,
in the Word, fhises are described thereby: fiomn which it may
appear, that by Satan's throne is signified mere darkness.  But
by darkness here, is not meant that they are in mere falses, but
that they are in no ttruths of doctrine; for truths of doctrine,
which ale fiom the Word, are in light, therefore not to be in
truths, is not. to be in light, consequ'ently to be in darkness.
That truths ale in the light of heaven, may be seen in the work
concerning Hecaven acnd- ell, n. 126-140; and in Th/e Doctrine
of the L2ew Jeruesalem concerning the Sacred Scri)pture, n. 73,
104-113. The Word in many places treats of those who are
in darkness, in the shadow  of death, and in thick darkness,
whose eyes the Lord will open; and by themn are meant the
Gentiles, who have been in good works, but not in any truths,
because they did not know the Lord, neither were possessed of
the Word; exactly similar to these are they in the ChristianI
world, who are in works alone and in no truths of doctrine,
therefore they cannot be called any thing else but G-entiles;
they know the Lord indeed, but yet do not approach him, and
are in possession of the Word, but yet do not search for the
truths it contains.  By "I know  where thou  dwellest," is
signified to know their nature and quality, because in the
spiritual world every one dwells according to the quality of his
affection.  Hence it may appear, that by "thou dclellest where
Satan's throne is," is signified the life of their good in darkness.
For Satanic spirits have'power through those in the spiritual
103




1'11-114        THE APOCALYPSE REVEA.LED.         LChap. ii.
world who are in works alone, but none without them, for they
draw them into connexion with themselves, provided any one
of them says, I am  thy neighbour, and on this account good
offices ought to be extended to me; on hearing this they accede,
and give him assistance, without inquiring who and what he is,
since they are destitute of truths, by which alone one can be
distinguished firom  another. This also is signified by "thou
dwellest where Satan's throne is."
111. Acnd thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied
my faiCth, signifies when yet they have religion and worship
according to it, and also acknowledge the Word to be divine
truth. That by the name of Jehovah, or of the Lord, is understood all by which he is worshipped, thus the all of religio~i,
nmay be seen above, n. 81; here therefore it signifies that they
have religion, and, according to religion, worship. By faith,
here, is not meant that which exists in the church at this day,
but divine truth, because faith is of truth and truth is of faith;
nothing else is understood by faith in heaven, nor by the faith
of God in the Word; hence it is that faith and truth are expressed in the Hebrew language -by one and the samne word,
and are called Amunna.  Since then by the faith of God is
meant divine truth, and the Word is divine truth itself, it is
evident that by " thou hast not denied my faith," is meant, that
they acknowledge that the Word is divine truth.
112. Evenz in those days wherein Antipas was mnyfaithfdl
martyr, who was slcain aonzg you where Scatcaz  dwelleth, signifies
when all truth was extinguished by falses in the church.  By
martyr is signified confession of the truth, the same as by witness above, n. 6, 16, because martyr and witness are expressed
in the Greek language by one and the same word. Antipas is
named firom the spiritual or angelic language. Since by Antipas
the martyr is signified a confesser of the truth, and, abstractedly,
the truth itself, it is evident that, by the " days wherein Antipas
was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan
dwelleth," is signifiedc, when truth was extinguished by falses
in the church. That by Satan is understood the hell where and
fiom whence falses are, may be seen above, n. 97.
113. But I have a few things against thee, signifies that
the things which follow are against them, as is evident without
explanation.
114. _Becautse thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of
Balaam, who tacught -Balakl to cast a stumbling-blocc7 before the
children of Isrmael, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to
commit fornfication, signifies that there are some amlong them
who do hypocritical works, by which the worship of God in
the church is defiled and adulterated. That by these expressions
are meant they who do works by which worship is defiled and
adulterated, is evident from the historical parts of the Word
104




v. 13 —16.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          115,  116
which relate to IBalaamn and Balak king of Moab; for Balaamn
was a hypocrite, and a diviner, and spake well of the children
of Israel firom Jehovah, when yet he cherished in his heart a
desire to destroy them, which he also effected by the advice he
gave Balak; from which it is evident that his works were hypocritical. That he was a diviner appears in Numbers xxii. 7;
xxiv. I; Josh. xiii. 22; that he spake in favour of the children
of Israel, by blessing them, Numb. xxiii. 7-15, 18-24; xxiv.
5-9, 16-19; but t that he spake these things from Jehovah,
Numb. xxiii. 5, 12, 16; xxiv. 13. That he cherished in his
heart a desire to destroy them, and also effected it by the advice
given to Balak, Numb. xxxi. 16. The advice which he gave,
Numb. xxv. 1, 9, 18. This was the stumbling-block which he
cast before the children of Israel, concerning which it is written,
" In Shittim the people began to commit whoredom with the
daughters of M/Soab, and they called the people unto the sacrinees of their gods; and the people did eat and bowed down to
their gods," especially they joined themselves unto Baalpeor:
" and those that died in the plague were twenty-four thousand,"
iNumb. xxv. 1, 9, 18. By the children of Israel is signified
the church; by eating of their sacrifices, is signified the appropriation of what is holy; therefore by eating of the sacrifices of
other gods, or things sacrificed unto idols, is signified the defilement and profanation of what is holy; by committing whoredom, is signified to adulterate and pervert worship; that by
Moab, and therefore by the king, and his daughters, are also
signified they who defile and adulterate worship, may be seen
in The Arca~nca Celestica, n. 2468. From hence it is evident,
that this is the spiritual sense of these words.
115. So hast thou also themn that hold the doctrine of the
ZNUicola itanes, which thing I hate, signifies that there are some
among them also who make works meritorious. That the works
of the Nicolaitanes are meritorious works, may be seen above,
n. 86. Among those who place the all of the church and of
salvation in good works, and not any thing in truths of doctrine,
as is the case with those who are mneant by the church in Pergamnos, there are some who do hypocritical works and also
meritorious works, but not all, therefore it is said,'" Thou hast
there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam;" as also, " So
hast thou also themn that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes;"
and all works of worship are either good, or meritorious, or
hypocritical, therefore the two latter are here spoken of; and
good works afterwards in what follows.
116. Repent, signifies that they should take heed of such
work.s, and do works which are good. That these things are
signified by the injunction to repent, is, because the subject
now relates to meritorious and hypocritical goods, of whlice
they are to take heed who place tfle all of the church and of
105




11.7-120        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ii.
salvation in good worlks, and not any thing in truths of doctrine;
when yet truiths of doctrine teach how and what is to be willed
and taught, or loved and believed, that works'llay be good.
117. Or else Ilwill come unto thee quickly, and will fiqht
ayainst thezr awit/h t/he sword of my mouth, signifies, if not, thlat
tihe Lolrd will contend with thlem fiom the Word, and convince
them that their works are evil. But the explanation of these
words may be seen above, n. 108.
118. Ile that hath an ear, let him hear what the AiSpirit saith
unto the ch/urc/hes signifies that he who understands these
things, ought to obey what the divine truth of the Word
tenaches those who are to be of the New Church, which is the
New Jerusalem, as appears above, n. 87, where the same
words are explained.
119. To him that overcometh, signifies he that fights against
his evils and falses? and is reformed, as is also evident fiom the
explanation given above, n. 88.
120.  1ill I give to eat of the hidden maqnna, signifies wisdoni, and at tlie same time the appropriation of the good of
celestial love in works, and thus conjunction of the Lord with
those who do them. By the hidden manna, which' they will
have who are in good works, and who at the same time adjoin
the truths of doctrine to works, is meant hidden wisdomn of a
quality like that which they who are in the third heaven enjoy;
for these, by reason of their having been in good works, and at
the same time in truths of doctrine in the world, are ill wisdom
above other angels, but in hidden wisdom, for it is written in
their lives more than in their memory; theretbre that they are
such, they do not talk of the truths of doctrine, but do them,
and they do them because they know tliem, and also see them
when others speak them. That the good of love is appropriated
to them, and that the Lord conjoins himself with those who
adjoin truths of doctrine to good works, and. thus gives therl
wisdom in their good, and that this is giving them to eat of the
hidden manna, may appear firom these words of the Lord: " For
the bread of God is lhe which conmeth down fiom heaven, and
giveth life unto the world. I am the bread of life: your fathers
did eat maqnna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the
bread which cometh down fiom  heaven, that a man minay eat
thereof, and not die. I am the living bread, who came down
fiom heaven;-if any man eat of this bread he shall live for
ever," John vi. 31-51; fiom which it is evident, that the
Lord himself is the hidden mnanna, which will be in their works,
if they approach and worship him alone. Whether you say the
Lord or the goodcl of celestial love, and the wisdom of that love,
it amounts to the saime. But this is an arcanuln which enters
with difficulty into the natural idea of any one, so long as it is
surrounded with a cloud firom worldly things; but it does enter
106




v. 16, 1 7.]'lE  APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         121 —123
when the mind is serene and in the sunshine, as may be seen in
The Angelic Wtdisom Concer-ning the -Divine Love and the Divine
VWisdom, which treats on this subject friol beoitlnning  to end.
121. And will give Aimm a w/hite stone, signifies truths affirmative and united to good. A whllite stone has this signification;
because in judiciary proceedings, it was the custom  to collect
votes or sufi'rages by stones, and by white stones thlose which
were on the affirmative side; that they are confirnatory trufths
which are signified, is, because white is predicated of truths, n.
167, 379; hence it is, that by white stone are signified truths
sup}porting good; the reason why they are also united to good,
is, because good invites and unites them to itself; foir all good
loves truth and conjoins to itself such as accords with it, especially the good of celestial love; this so unites truths to itself,
that they altogether constitute a one; hence it is, that they see
truths fi'om good alone. These are understood by those who
have the law written in their hearts, of whom it is said in Jeremiah, " I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it
inz their hearts;-and they shall teach no more every man his
neig lbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah,
for thev shall all know me," xxxi. 34. Such are all who are
in the tllilrd heaven; they do not speak of truths from the mere
memory, but clearly see them when they hear others speaking
of them, and especially when they are reading the Word; the
reason is, because they are in the very imarriage of goodness
and truth. Such do they become in the world, who have approached the Lord alone, and have done good works, because
they are according to the truths of' the Word; concerning whom
something may be seen in the work on ITeaven and IIell, n. 25,
26, 270, 271.
122. And inv the stone a new name written, signifies that
thus they will have good of a quality such as they had not
before. That name signifies the quality of a thing, may be
seen above, n. 81, therefore here the quality of good: all the
quality of good is from the truths that are united to it; for good
without truths is like bread and meat without wine and water,
which do not nourish; and also like fiuit in which there is no
juice: it appears also like a tree stripped of its leaves, on which
there hlang a few dry apples, left since autumnn. This is also
understood by these words of the Lord: "For every one shall
be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Salt is good, but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will
ye season it?  Have salt in yourselves," Mark ix. 49, 50. Salt
here is the desire of truth.
123. Which no nman kznoweth saving he that receiveth it, signifies that it does not appear to any one, because it is written
in their lives. That truths united to good are not inscribed on
their memories, but on their lives, may be seen above, n, 121.
107




124 —128&       THE ArOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii.
122, and what is inscribed on the life alone, and not on the
memory, does not appear to any one, not even to themselves:
except from  this circumstance, that they perceive whether a
thing be true, and what the truth is, when they hear and read;
for the interiors of their mind are open even unto the Lord;
and because the Lord is in them, and he sees all things, therefore he causes them to see as fiom themselves; but yet out of
their wisdom they know that they do not see truths fiom thelnselves, but from the Lord.  Hence it may appear what is meant
by the  whole sentence, "I will give him to eat of the hidden
mnanna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new
name written, which no manl knoweth saving he that receciveth
it:" the sum of its signification is, that they will be angels of
the third heaven, if they read the Word, imbibe thence truths
of doctrine, and approach the Lord.
124. And unto the angel of the church i~n lThyatira write,
signifies, to those and concerning( those, who are in faith
grounded in charity, and thence in good works; and also to
those and concerning those, who are in faith separate firom
charity, and thence in evil works. That both the former and
the latter are described by the church in Thyatira, is evident
from what is written to it, when understood in the spiritual
sense.
125. Th]ese things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes
like unto acflame of flire, signifies the Lord as to the divine wisdom of his divine love. That this is the signification, may be
seen explained above, n. 48.
126. Ansd hisfeet like fine brass, signifies divine good natural, as is evident fiom the explanation given above, n. 49.
127. I know thy works, signifies that the Lord sees all their
interiors and exteriors at once, as may be seen above, where
these words are explained, n. 76.
128. Aqnd charity and service, signifies the spiritual affection
which is called charity, and its operation.  Charity is a spiritual affection, because charity is love towards our neighbour,
and love towards our neighbour constitutes that affection: that
ministry or service is its operation, follows from  their being
called ministers in the Word who serve the things which are of
charity. The man who is a worshipper of God is sometimes
called a servant, and sometimes a minister; and he is called a
servant of God who is in truths, and he is called a minister of
God who is in goods; the reason is, because truth serves good,
and good ministers to truth: that he is called a servant who is
in truths, may be seen above, n. 3; but that he is called a
tnmnister who is in good, is evident from these places: "' But ye
shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the
nministers of our God," Isaiah lxi. 6.'"Then may also my
covenant be broken with David my servant,.-and with the
108



v. 17 —20.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           129-132
Levites the priests, my ministers," Jerem. xxxiii. 21; they are
called ministers, because priests represented the Lord as to
divine good. "Bless the Lord all ye his hosts, ye minizsters
of his that do his pleasure," Psalm  ciii. 21, 22.  "Jehovah
maleth his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire," Psalm
civ. 4. Angel-spirits are they who are in truths, and angelministers they who are in goods; flaming fire also signifies the
good of love. Jesus said, " Whosoever will be great among you,
let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant," Matt. xx. 26, 27; xxiii. 11, 12:
minister is here predicated of good, and servant of truth. The
same is signified by ministering and ministry in Isaiah lvi. 6;
John xii. 26; Luke xii. 37; and in other places. Hence it is
evident, that by charity and ministry, is signified spiritual affection and its operation; for good is of charity, and truth is of
faith.
129. Andfaith, and thy endurance, cand thy works, signifies
truth, and the desire of acquiring and teaching it. That faith
signifies truth, may be seen above, n. 111; and that in such
case endurance signifies study and labour in acquiring and
teaching it, follows of course.
130. And the last to be more than the first, signifies the
increase thereof from the spiritual affection of truth, which is
of charity.  By their last works being mnore than the first, are
understood all things of their charity and faith, for these are
the interior things from which works proceed, n. 73, 76, 94.:
these things increase, when charity is regarded in the first
place, and faith in the second: for charity is the spiritual affection of doing good, and from it comes the spiritual affection of
knowing truth, good loving truth as meat does drink, for it
desires to be nourished, and is nourished, by truths; hence it
is, that they who are in genuine charity have a continual
increase of truth. This then is what is signified by " I know
thy last works to be more than the first."
131. NotwithAstanding, I have a few things against thee, signifies that the following things may possibly be a stumblingblock to them. For what now follows relates to faith separated
from charity, which may be a stumbling-block to those who are
in faith grounded in charity.
132. Because thou suffeiest that woman Jezebel, signifies
that among them there are some in the church who separate
faith from charity, and account the former alone to be saving.
That faith separated from charity is meant by the woman Jezebel, is evident from what now follows, when it is unfolded by
the spiritual sense in its series, and compared with that faith; for
these were the evil doings of Jezebel the wife of Ahab: namely, that she went and served Baal, and built him an altar in
Samaria, and made a grove, 1 Kings xvi. 31-33. That she
109




133, 134         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii.
slew the prophets of Jehovah, 1 Kings xviii. 4, 23. That she
was desirous to slay Elijah, xix. 1, 2. That by treacherously
suborning false witnesses, she took away Naboth's vineyard, and
put him to death, xxi. 6, 7, and following verses. That by reason
of these her evil doings, it was foretold to her by Elijah, that the
dogs should eat her, xxi. 13. That she was thrown down from
the window where she stood with her face painted, and that
some of her blood was sprinkled upon the wall, and upon the
horses which trod her under foot, 2 Kings ix. 30, 32-34.  As
all the historical, as well as the prophetical parts of the Word,
signify the spiritual things of the church, so also do these; and
that they signify faith separated from charity, is evident from
the spiritual sense, and from collating them  together; for by
going and serving Baal, and building him an altar, and making
a grove, is signified to serve lusts of all kinds, or what amounts
to the same, to serve the devil, without thinking of any evil
lust, nor of any sin, as they who have no doctrine of charity
and life, but only of faith.  By slaying the prophets, is signified
to destroy the truths of doctrine derived fiom the Word.  By
desiring to slay Elijah, is signified to desire to do the same to
the Word.  By taking away Naboth's vineyard and slaving
him, is signified the church, for the vineyard is the church: by
the dogs which did eat her, are signified lusts. By her being
thrown down fiom the window, her blood being sprinkled upon
the wall, and hler being trod under foot by the horses, is signified their destruction, for each of those particulars has its signification; window sigifies truth in the light; blood signifies
what is false; wall signifies truth in ultimates, and horse sig.
nifies linderstanding of the Word. Hence it may be concluded,
that these things, collated together, coincide with faith separate fiomn charity, as may further appeal from what follows in
the Apocalypse, where this faith is treated of.
133. WIhich calleth herself a prophetess, signifies, and who
make it the essential doctrine of the church, and build all
theology upon it. That by prophet in the Word is signified
doctrine of the chur'ch, may be seen above, n. 8, therefore the
same is also signified by prophetess. That in the refbrmed
Christian church, faith alone is received as the sole medium of
salvation, and that thence works of charity, as not conducive to
salvation, are separated from faith, is well known: hence it is,
that the universal doctrine of the salvation of man, which is
called theology, at this day constitutes that faith, consequently
the woman Jezebel.
134. To teach and to seduce my servants to commit whoredorn, signifies, from which it comes to pass that the truths ot the
Word are falsified.  By to teach and to seduce the servants of
the Lord, is meant those who are able and willing to be instructed in truths from the Word; that they are called servants
110




v. 20.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVE.ALED.                 134
of the Lord who are in truths, may be seen above, n. 3, 128;
and by conlmitting whoredorn, is signified to adulterate and
falsify the Word: that this is the silgnification of committing
whorledom, is, because in. every particular of the Word there is
a ialrri age of goodness and truth, and this marriage is broken
when good is separated and taken away fiom truth.  That in
every particular of the Word there is a marriage of the Lord
and the clurch, and thence a marriage of goodness and truth,
may be seen in Tlhe Doctrine of the lVew Jerusalem concernitg
the Sacred Scripture, n. 80-90: for this reason it is, that to
commit whoredom signifies to adulterate the good and falsify
the truths of' the Word; and because this is spiritual whoredom,
therefore also they, who fiom  their own reason lhave falsified
the Word, after death, when they come into the spiritual world,
become addicted to whoredom: and, what has hitherto been
concealed fi'om the world, they who have confirmled themselves
in faith alone to thle exclusion of works of cllarity, are in the
lust of committing the adultery of a son with his imother; that
thev are in the lust of cominitting  so abominable a killd of
adultery, has often been perceiNved in the spiritual worldl: remnenber this, and inquire after death, and tlme truth of it will
be confirmmed to you: I could not veniture to reveal this before,
because it would have offended the ear.  This adultery is signified by the adultelry of Reuben with Billlalhl lis fathell's concubine, Gen. xxxv. 22; for by Reuben that faith is signified,
for which cause lie was culsed by his father Israel, and afterwards his birtln'ight was taken from him; for his fatller Israel,
prophesying concerning his sons, said of Reubell, " Reuben,
thou art mly first-born, my might, and the beginning of my
strength,-unstable as water, thou shalt not excel, because
thou wentest up to thy fcther's bed; then defitedsts toz6 it: lhe
went up to my couch," Gen. xlix. 3, 4: therefore his birthright was taklen firom  him.  "Reuben was the first-born of
Israel;-but, foraslnuch as lie defiled 1his h fCater's bed, his birthright kwas given unto the sons of Joseph," I Chron. v. 1. That
by Reuben was represented truth grounded in good, or faith
grounded in charity, and afterwards truth sepa'rated fiom good,
or faith separated fi-om charity, will be seen in the explanation
of chap. vii. f5. That by whllredoms   are signified adlultevrlations
of good anld falsifications of truth in the Word, may appear
firom the following passages:   hllen Joraln saw Jehu, he said,
Is it peace, Jehllu? and he answered, What peace, so long as the
whoredomns qf thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts, are so
many?" 2 Kilgs ix. 22.  By the whoredoems of Jezebel are
not mneant any whloredoms of hers, but her actions, as stated
above, n. 132.  "And your cllildren shall wander in the wil
derness forty yea's, and bear your whoredoms," Numb. xiv,
33.  " &cnd tile soul tllhat turneth after such as have familial
111




134,THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ii.
spirits, and after wizards, and all that go a whorling after them,
I swill cut off," Levit. xx. 6. "Lest thou make a covenant
with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after
their gods," Exod. xxxiv. 15, 16. " But thou didst trust [O
Jerusalein] in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy whoredomns on every
one that passed by. Thou hast also committed whoredom with
the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh, and hast incr eased
thy whoredoms. Thou hast played the whore also with the
Assyrians, because thou wast insatiable in committing whloredomZ. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy whoredom in the land
of Canaan unto Chaldea. But as a wife that committeth
adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband. They
give gifts to all whores; but thou givest thy gifts to all thy
lovers,-that they may come unto thee on every side for thy
whoredoom.  Wherefore, O hcrlot, hear the word of Jehovah,"'Ezek. xvi. 15, 16, 26, 28, 29; 32, 332, 33, 3. Jerusalem in this
passage is the Israelitish and Jewish church; by her whoredomns are meant adulterations and falsifications of the Word;
and because in the Word by Egypt is signified the science of
the natural man, by Ashur ratiocination thence derived, by
Chaldea profanation of truth, and by Babylon profanation of
good, therefore it is said that she committed whoredomn with
them. "; There were two women, the daughters of one mother;
and they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed
whoredomes in their youth: one of them played the harlot when
she was mine, and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her
neighbours. Thus she committed  her whoredoens with them:
neither left she her whoredorns brought from Egypt. The other
was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her
whoredonms, more than her sister in her whoredomns. She in.
creased her whoredomss,-and doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. -And the Babylonians came to
her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom," Ezek. xxiii. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 16, 17: here the two
daughters of one mother are likewise the Israelitish and Jewish
church, whose adulterations and falsifications of the Word are
described as above by whoredomns. So in the following places:
"Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; and bast polluted the land with thy whdredomns and with thy wickedness.
Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is
gone up upon every high mountain, and there hath placyed the
harlot. And her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went
and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the
lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and comnritted ad-ultery with stones and with stocks," Jerem. iii. 1, 6,
8, 9: and in other places. " Run ye to and fro through the
streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know,-if ye can find a
112




V. 20.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              134:
mall, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketr the
truth. When I had fed them to the full, they then commiztted
whoredomn, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlot's
houses," Jerem. v. 1, 7. "'I have seen thine adulteries, and
thy neighings, and the lewdness of thy whoredoms, —and thine
abominations on the: hills in. the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean.?" Jerem. xiii. 27. "1I
have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing,
they comminnt advltery, and walk in lies," Jerem. xxiii. 14. " Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed acdultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken
lying words in my name," Jerern. xxix. 23. "So they sinned
against me, therefore will I change their glory into shame;
they shall commit whoredom, because they have left off to take
heed to Jehovah.  WIVoredom, and wine, and new wine talke
away the heart. Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery," Hosea iv. 7, 13.
"I know, Ephraim, thou comrnittest whoredom, and Israel is
defiled," Hosea v. 3. "I have seen a horrible thing in the
house of Israel; there is the whoredom of Ephraim; Israel is
defiled," Hosea vi. 10. Israel here is the church, and Ephraim
is the understanding of the Word, friom which, and according
to which, the church exists; therefore it is said, Ephraim hath
committed whoredom, and Israel is polluted. Because the
church had falsified the Word, the prophet Hosea was commanded to take unto himself a harlot to wife, saying, " Go, take
unto thee a wife of whoredomrs, and children of whoredoms; for
tihe land hath committed great whoredom, departing from Jehovah," Hosea i. 2; and again: " Go yet, love a woman beloved
of her friend, yet an adulteress," Hosea iii. 1. As the Jewish
church was of such a nature, therefore the nation of the Jews
was called by the Lord an adulterous generation, Matt. xii. 39;
xvi. 4; Mark viii. 38; and in Isaiah, a seed of adulterers, lvii.
3; and in Nahum: s" Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of
lies, and there is a multitude of slain. Because of the multitude
of the whoredcomrs of the well favoured harlot, —that selleth
nations through her vwhoredoms," iii. 1, 3, 4. As Babylon
adulterates and falsifies the Word above all others in the Christian world, she is therefore called the great whore, and the following is said of her in the Apocalypse: Babylon hath " made
aill nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of herfornzcation,"
xiv. 8. "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath
of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed'
whoredom with her," xviii. 3. The angel said, "I will show
unto thee the judgment of the great whore, —with whom the
kings of the earth have committed whoredom," xvii. 1, 2. " He
hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with
her whoredom," xix. 2. From these passages it manifestly ap13                                        H




135 —137         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii
pears, that to commit adultery and whoredom signify to adulterate and falsify the goods and truths of the Word.
135. And to eat things sacr;ficed unto idols, signifies the
defilelnent of divine worship and profanations, as is clear fronm
the explanation given above, n. 114; for they who adulterate
tllings good, appropriate to themselves such as are unlclean, by
which they defile and profane divine worship..136. And Igave her time to repent of her whorecedo, and she
re2pnted not, signifies that they who have confirmed themselves
in that doctrine, will not recede, although they see things contrary to it in the Word.  By receding fiom whoredom, is here
signified to recede from  falsifying the Word: that they see
things contrary to their doctrine, is evident fiom  a thousand
passages in the Word, where it is said that evils are to be
shunlnm, and that good is to be done; also that they who do
good go to heaven, and they who do evil to hell, as also that
aith Twithout works is dead and diabolical.  But it may be
asked, what part of the Word have they falsified, or where have
they spiritually committed whlloredom with the Word? It may
be answered, that they have falsified the whole of the Word;
for the whole Word is nothing else but the doctrine of love
towards the Lord, and of love towards the neighbourl, for the
Lord says, that on the commandments concerningl those two
loves bang all the law and the prophets, Matt. xxii. 40. There
is also in the Word the doctrine of faith, yet not of such faith
as theirs, but of the faith of love.
137. Behold Iwill cast her into a bed, e nd them t/hat commit..a2dultery with her into great tribulation, signifies that therefore
hl:ey. will be left in their doctrine with falsifications, and that
they:ill be grievously infested by falses. That by bed is signifled doctrine, will be seen presently; that by committing adultery falsifications of truth are signified, may be seen above, n.
134, 136.; and that by tribulation is signified infestation fiom
falses, n. 33, 95, 100; and hence by great tribulation is signifled griev.ous infestation.  That a bed signifies doctrine, is friom
correspondence, for as the body rests in its bed, so does the
mind rest in its doctrine: but by bed is signified the doctrine
which every one acquires to himself either from the Word, or
firom his proper iu. telligence, for therein the mind reposes and,
as it were, sleeps. The beds that are lain in, in the spiritual
world, are of no other origin; for there every one's bed is conf'ormable to the quality of his science and intelligence, the wise
have such as are magnificent, the foolish have meanl ones, and
those of false-speakers are filthy. This is the signification of
bed in Luke: "6 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men.n one bed: the one shall be taken and the other left," xvii.
34; speaking of the last judgment; two in one bed, means two
in one doctrine, but not in similar life. In John'   Jesus saitb
114




v. 20 —-.23.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          138  1 4C)
unto the sick man, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk; and hs
took up his bed, and walked," v. 8, 9; and in Markl: " Jesus
said unto the sick of tile palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee;'
and he said unto the Scribes, "Whether is it easier to say, Thy
sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, take up thy bed, and
walk?" then he said, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk; and he
took up the bed, and went forth before them  all," ii. 5, 9, 11,
12; that here something  is signified by bed, is evident, because
Jesus said, Wlether is it easier to say, Thy sins be forlgiven.
thee, or to say, Take up thy bed and walk? by carrying his bed
and walking, is signified to meditate in doctrine: it is so understood in heaven.  Doctrine is also signified by bed in Arnos:
"As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion-so shall
the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in the
corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch," iii. 12: in the
corner of a bed, and in a couch, means what is more remote
from the truths and goods of doctrine.  Bed and couch and
bedchamber have a similar signification in other places, as in
Isaiah xxviii. 20; lvii. 2,', 8; Ezek. xxiii. 41; Amos vi. 4;
Micah ii. 1; Psalm iv. 4; Psalm xxxvi. 4; Psalmn xli. 3; Job
vii. 13; Levit. xv. 4, 5. Since by Jacob, in the prophleticals of
the Word, is signified the church as to doctrine, therefore it is
said of him, that he "bowed himself upon the bed's head,"
Gen. xlvii. 31. That when Joseph came, he "sat upon the
bed," Gen. xlviii. 2. That "he gathelredlup his i'eet into the
bed, and yielded lp the ghost," Gen. xlix. 33. The doctrine of
the church being signified by Jacob, therefore sometimes, when
I have thought of Jacob, there has appeared' to me above, in
front, a man lying in a bed.
138. Efxcept t7hey repent of their deeds, signifies, if they will
not desist friom separating faith fi'om charity, and friom falsifying the Word, as may appear without further explanation.
139. And Iwill kill her children with death, signifies that
all the truths of the Word with them will be turned into falses.
By children, in the Word, are signified truths, and in an opposite sense, falses; therefore to kill children, signifies to turn
truths into falses, for by that means they perish; neither is any
thing else understood by the slain and wounded of Jehovahl
by killing her children with death, is also signified to condemn
their falses. That children signify truths, and in an opposite
sense falses, is, because in the spiritual sense of the Word by
generations are meant spiritual generations, and in like manner
by consanguinities and affinities; thus by. their names, as by
father, mother, sons, danoghters, brethren, sisters, sons-in-law,
daughters-in-law, and others; neither does spiritual generation
give birth to any other sons and daughters, than truths and
goods. See n. 512, 546, below.
140. And all the churcles sghall know that I am re whicA
115




141 —143         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chal. ii
searcheth the remns and hearts, signifies that the church shall
know that the Lord sees the quality of every one's truth and
the quality of every one's good. By the seven churches is sig,
nified the church universal, as before; and by searching the
reins and hearts, is signified to see all the things which a man
believes and loves, thus the quality of his truth and of his good
flat this is the signification of searching the reins and hearts,
is fiomn correspondence, for the Word in its literal sense consists
of imere correspondences; the correspondence here is grounded
in this circumstance, that as the reins [or kidneys] cleanse the
blood fiom such impurities as are called urinous, and as the
heart purifies the blood from such unclean things as are loath.
some, so the truth of faith purifies man from falses, and the
good of love from evils. From this cause the ancients placed
love and its affections in the heart, and intelligence and its per
ceptions in the reins; as may appear from the following pas
sages in the Word: "Behold, thou desirest truth in the reins,
and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom,"
Psalm li. 6. "Thou hast possessed my reins —my substance
was not hid from, thee when I was made in secret," Psalm
cxxxix. 13, 15.  "' My heart was grieved, and I was pricked in
my reins; so foolish was I and ignorant," Psalm lxxiii. 21, 22.
" I Jehovah search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every
man according to his ways," Jerem. xvii. 10. "Thou art near,
in their mouth, and far fiom their reins; thou, O Jehovah,hast seen me, and tried nay heart," Jerem. xii. 2, 3. Jehovah
is a judge of righteousness, trying the reins and the heart,:
Jerem. xi. 20; xx. 12. "Establish the just, for the rioghteous
God trieth the hearts and reins," Psalm vii. 9. "Examine me,
0 Jehovah, and prove me, try my reins and my heart," Psalm
xxvi. 2; by reins in these places are signified truths of intelligence and faith, and by heart, the good of love and charity.
That heart signifies the love and its affections, may be seen
in The Angelic Wisdoim concerning the Divine Providence, n.
371, 393.
141. And Iwill give unto every one according to your works,
signifies that he gives unto every one according to the charity
and its faith which are in his works. That works are the continents of charity and faith, and that charity and faith without:
works are only like airy phantoms, which vanish as soon as they
have appeared, may be seen above, n.'76.
142. But,unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as
many as have not this doctrine, signifies, both to those with
whom the doctrine of faith is separated from charity, and to
those with whom the doctrine of faiith is joined with charlity, as
is evident from what is said above, without further explanation.
143. And who have not known the depths of Satan, as thea
speak, signifies they who do not understand their interiors,
116




v. 23 —27.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED          144-:148
which are mere falses. That by Satan is understood the hell of
those who are in falses, and, abstractedly, falses, may be seen
-above, n. 97; therefore by its depths are signified the interiors
of doctrine separated fiom charity, which are mere falses. The
depths and interiors of that doctrine are what are delivered in
their books and lectures in universities, and thence in their
sermons, the nature of which is pointed out in what is prefixed
to the first chapter, where their doctrines are set forth; and
particularly in what is adduced concerning Justification by
Faith and concerning Good Works; where it may be seen
asserted that the clergy alone are acquainted with the mysteries
of that doctrine, but not the laity, therefore the latter principally are meant by those who have not known the depths of
Satan.
141. I will put capon you none other burthen, signifies, only
that they should beware of them. The reason is, because they
confirm  their falses by reasonings from the natural man, and
by some things from the Word, which they falsify, for by these
imeans they can seduce; they are like serpents in the grass who
bite those that pass by; or like concealed poison which kills
the unwary.
145. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till Icome,
signifies that they should retain the few things which they
know concerning charity and thence concerning faith from the
Word, and live according to them, until there be a new heaven
and a new church, which are the Lord's coming; for these and
no others receive the things which the doctrine of the New
Jerusalem teaches concerning the Lord and charity.
146. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works un.to tS
end, signifies those who fight against evils and falses and are
reformed, and are in charity, and thence actually in faith, and
continue in them to the end:of their lives. That to overcome
is to fight against evils and falses, may be seen above, n. 88;
and that works are charity and thence faith in act, n. 76, 141;
that to keep them unto the end, is to be in them, and remain
iin them to the end of life, is evident.
147. -To him will I give power over the nations, signifiea
that they shall overcome evils in themselves which are from
hell. That by nations in the Word are meant those who are in
good, and, in an opposite sense, those who are in evil, thus, abstractedly, goods and evils, may be seen below, n. 483; therefore here by giving power over the nations, is signified to give
them to overcome the evils fiom hell in themselves.
148. And he shall rulze them with a rod of iron, signifies by
truths fiom the literal sense of the Word, and at the same time
by rational principles derived from natural light. It is said by
a rod or staff of iron, because staff in the Word signifies power,
and iron signifies natural truth, consequently the natural sense
117




149 —151         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. in.
of the Word, and at the same time the naturlal light of manl;
in these two consists the power of truth.  That divine tlruth in
the natural sense of the Word, which is its literal sense, is in
its power, may be seen in The Doctrine of the Nlew Je2'usalemn
concerning the Sacred Scripturre, n. 205 -221; fromr this cause
the literal sense is the basis, continent, and firmanment of its
spiritual sense, n. 27-36.  And that all power is in the ultimates which are called things natural, may be seen in TYhe
Angelic Wisdom  concening the Divine Love and the Divin.e
Wisdoqm, n. 205-221; consequently in the natural sense of the
letter of the Word, and in the natural light of man; these
therefore are the rod of iron by which lie is to rule the nations,
tlhat is, to overcome the evils which are firom hell. The same
is signified by an iron rod in the fiollowing places:'; Tllon shal}
bre:.. them with a rod of iron, thou shalt clasll them ill pieces
like a potter's vessel,"?salm ii. 9.  "And she'brolghlt forth
a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of ir'on,"
Apoc. xii. 5. Out of the mouth of him that sat upon the white
horse went 1" a sharp sword, that with it lie should smite the
nations; and he shall rule them  with a r'od of iron," Apoc.
xix. 15. Jehovah "shall smite the earth th with the ~rod of his
mouth," Isaiah xi. 4.
149. As the vessels of a potter shall they be bsroken to shivers,
signifies, as of little or no account. It is said the vessels of a
potter, because by them are signified the things which are of
self-derived intelligence, which are all falses, and in themselves
of no account; so in David: "'Thou shalt break them with a
rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel,"
Psalm ii. 9.
150. Lven as I received of my Father, signifies that they
shall receive this power firom the Lord, who, when lie was in
the world, procured to himself all power over the hells, firom the
divine principle which was within hilm. That the Lord, when
ke was in the world, by admitting temptations in himself, and
finally by the last of them, which was the' passion of the cross,
subdued the hells and glorified his Humanity, may be seen in
The Doctrine of the New Jer.usalemr concerning the lord, n. 29
— 36; as also above, n. 67; from which it maay appear, that to
receive fiom his Father, is to receive fiom the divine or divinity
which was in him, for he said that the Father is in hlim and he
in the Father; that the Father and he are one; as also the
Father who is in me; and many other things to the same
purpose.
151. And I will give him the morning star, signifies intelligence and wisdom. That by stars are signified knowledges of
good and truth, may be seen above, n. 51; and because by
them  comes intelligence and wisdom, therefore these axre3 sig.
natied by the morning star. It is called the mornilg star,
118




v. 27 —29.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          152, 153
because intelligence and wisdom will be given them from the
Lord, when he comes to establish the New Church, which is the
New Jerusalem, for lie says, "lThat which ve have, bold fast
till I come," verse 25, by which is signified, that they must
retain the few truths which they know conecrning charity and
its faith friom the Word, and live according to them, until the
new heaven and new church are formed, which constitute the
coming of the Lord, n. 145. The morning star is mentioned,
because by morning is signified the comling of the Lord, when
there is a new church. That this is meant by morning, in the
Word, appears from the following places: "Until the evening
and morning two thousand three hundred, then shall the sanec
tuary be justified,," Dan. viii. 14. " He calleth to me out of
Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchminan, what of the
night? The watchlman said, The mnorningy cometh, and also the
night," Isaiah xxi. 11, 12; by the evening and the night is sig
nified the last time of the old church, and by the morning the
commencement of the New Church. "The end is come,-the
morz&ning is come upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the land; be
hold the day it is come, the mzorning is gone forth," Ezek. vii. 6,
7, 10. "Every mqorning dotll he bring his judgment to light,
he faiileth not," Zeph. iii. 5. "God is in the midst of'her-God
shall help her when the morniny appealeth," Psalmn xlvi. 5.
"I wait for Jehovah-my soul doth wait for the Lord more
than they that watch for the morniny, I say nmore than they
that watch for the qzorning  for with him is plenteous redemption, and lie shall redeemn israel,'" Psalm cxxx. 5-8; and in
other places. By morning in these passages is meant the Lord's
coming, when he came into the world and established a new
church; in like manner now. And because the Lord alone
gives those who are to be of his new churclh intelligence and
wisdom, and all things which the Lord gives are himself
because they are of hiimself, therefore the Lord says that he
himself is the morning star: " I amn the root and offspring of
David, the bright and moarning star," Apoc. xxii. 16: he is
called also the morning in 2 Samuel:'" The God of Israel said,
the Rock of Israel spake. to me —he is as the light of the morning —a morninzg without clouds," xxiii. 3, 4.
152. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the SXpirit saith
unto the ch/rches, signifies that lie who understands these
things, ought to obey vwhat the Divine Truth of the Word
teaches those who are to be of the New Church, which is the
New Jerusalem, as above, n. 87.
153. To the above I will add a Memorable Relation, concerning the lot of those after death, who have confirmed themselves in faith alone unto justification, both in doctrine and life.
1. When they are dead and revive as to their spirit, wlnchl cum
monly happens on the third day after the heart has ceased te
119




153              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii
beat, they appear to themselves in a body like that which they
had before in the world, so that they know no otherwise than
that they are living in the former world; yet they are not in
a material body, but in a spiritual body, this appearing to their:senses, which are also spiritual, as if it was material, although it
is not so. II. After some days they see that they are in a
world where there are various societies instituted, which world
is called the world of spirits, and is intermediate between heaven and hell: all the societies there, which are innumerable,
are wonderfully arranged according to natural affections, good
and evil; the societies arranged according to good natural affections communicate with heaven, and the societies arranged according to evil affections communicate with hell. III. The
novitiate spirit, or the spiritual man, is conducted and introduced to various societies, both good and evil, and examination
is made to discover whether he is affected by truths, and in what
manner; and whether. and in what manner, he is affected by
falses.  IV. If he is affected by truths, he is withdrawn from
evil societies, and introduced into good societies, and also into
various ones, until he comes into a society corresponding
with his own natural affection, where he enjoys the good
which accords with that affection; and this until he has put
off his natural affection and has put on a spiritual affection,
and then he is elevated into heaven: but this takes place
with those who in the world have lived a life of charity, and
thus also a life of faith, which consists in believing in the Lord,
and shunning evils as sins. V. But they who have confirmed
themselves in doctrine and life in faith alone onto justification,
by reason of their not being affected by truths, but by falses,
and because they have rejected the goods of charity, which are
good works, fiom  the means of salvation, are withdrawn from
good societies, and introduced into evil societies, and also into
various ones, until they come into the society which corresponds
to the concupiscences of their love; for he who loves falses
cannot but love evils. VI. But as in the world they had
feigned good affections in externals, although in their internals
there was nothing but evil affections or concupiscences, they
are at first kept by turns in externals; and they who in the
world presided over companies of men, are here and there set
over societies in the world of spirits, in general or in part according to the extent and importance of the offices they had
formerly exercised: but as thev neither love t'rutll nor justice,
nor are capable of being illuminated so as to know what truth
and justice are in themselves, therefore after some days they
are dismissed. I have seen such removed from one society to
another, and some administration given theni in each, but only
to be as quickly and repeatedly dismissed. VII. After frequent
dismissals, sonle out of weariness will not, and others from the
120




v. 29.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.               153
fear of losing reputation do not, venture to seek for offices any
further, but withdraw, and become disheartened: they are next
led away into a desert, where there are cottages, into which
they enter, and work of some kind is given theml to do, and as
they do it, they receive food, and if they do not do it, they are
hungry and receive none, so that at length necessity compels
them. Food there is similar to the food in this world, but it is
fiom a spiritual origin, and is given from heaven from the Lord
to all according to the uses they perform; to the idle, nothing
is given, because they are useless. VIII. After a time they
loathe work, and then they go out of the cottages; and if they
have been priests, they have an inclination to build; and there
appear then immediately heaps of hewn stones, bricks, rafters,
andc boards, also heaps of reeds and bulrushes, clay, lime, and
bitumen, which when they see, the lust of building is kindled,
and they begin to construct a house, taking now a stone, and
then wood, now a reed, and then clay, and placing them irregularly one upon another, but in order as it seems to themselves;
but what they build by day falls down by night; and the next
day they gather materials frioom among the rubbish, and build
again, and this they continue to do, until they are tired of
building. From this cause it is, they collect together falses to
confirm salvation by faith alone, and such falses cannot serve to
build up a church in any other manner. IX. Afterwards from
weary feeling they go away, and sit solitary and idle; and as
the idle have no food given them from heaven, as was before
observed, they begin to hunger, and think of nothing else but
how they shall get food and satisfy their hunger.  WVhen they
are in this state, there come to them solne of whlom they ask
alms  and they say, Why do ye thus sit idle? come with us to
our houses, and we will give you work to do, and foodl; and
then they rise up with joy, and go with them to their houses,
and there each has his work given him, and food for his work:
but as all who have confirml1ed themselves in falses of faith are
unable to do works of good use, but only works of evil use,
neither do they do these faithfully, but only so as to save appearances for the sake of honour or interest, therefore they leave
their work, and only love to converse, talk, walk about, and
sleep; and then, because they cannot any longer be induced by
their masters to work, they are cast out as useless. X. When
they are cast out, their eyes are opened, and they see a way
leading to a certain cavern; to which when they are come, a
door is opened, and. they enter, and inquire whether there is
any food there, and when they receive for answer that there is,
they ask leave to remain, and are told that they may, and are
introduced and the door shut after them; and thenr comes the
overseer of that cavern, and says to them, Ye cannot go out
hence any more; behold your companions, they all labour, and
121




153             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ii.
as they labour food is given them from heaven; I tell you this
for your information.  Anrd their companions also say, Our
overseer knows A what w'rlk ervery one is fit for, and assigns it to
every one daily; on the dt-y you finish it, food is given you, but
if you do not, neither tood nor clothing is granted; and if any
one does evil to anotller, he is cast into a corner of the cavern,
upon a certain bed of accursed dust, where he is miserablv tormented, until such time as the overseer sees signs of repentance
in him, and then lie is released, and commanded to do his work.
lie is told also, that every one after his task is don e is permitted
to walk about, to converse, and afterwards to sleep; and lie is
carried into an interior part of the cavern, where there are ha'lots, from among whom each is permitted to take one to himself
as a femrale companion, and promiscuous fornication is forbid
under pain of chastisement.  Of such caverns, which are nothing but eternal workhouses, the universal hell consists. It
has been permitted me to enter into and have a view of some
of then, to the end that I might make it known, and they all
seemed vile, neither did any one of the inhabitants know who,
or in what office lie had been in the world; but the angel who
was with me, told me, that such a one had been a servant in
the world, another a soldier, a third a governor, a fourth a
priest, this one in dignity, and that in opulence, and yet that
none of them knew otherwise than that they had always been
servants and companions. for this reason, because they were all
interiorly alike, although they had been unlike exteriorly, and
interiors associate all in the spiritual world. Such is the lot of
those who have removed tthe life of charity, and who thence
have not lived that life in the world.
With respect to the hells in general, they consist merely of
such caverns anld workhouses, but those inhabited by satans are
of a different kind from those inhabited by devils; satans are
they who have been in falses and thence in evils, and devils are
they who have been in evils and thence in falses. Satans appear in the light of heaven like dead corpses, and some of them
black like mummies; and devils appear in the light of heaven
of a dark and fiery colour, and some of them black like soot;
but they are all as to their faces and bodies, monstrlous; yet
in their own light, which is like the light of a coal-fire, they
appear not as monsters, but men; this is granted them fo!
the sake of consociation.
122




Chap. ifi.      THE, APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
CHAPTER III.
1. AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These
things saith IIe that hath the seven spilits of God, and the
seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that
thou livest and art dead.
2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works full before God.
3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard;
and hold fist, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch
I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what
hour I will come upon thee.
4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not
defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white;
for they are worthy.
5. HIe that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of
life; and I will confess his name before my Father, and before
his angels.
6. HIfe that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.
7. And to the angel of the church in Pllhiladelphia write;
These things saith He that is holy, I{e that is true, He that
hath the kiey of David, IHe that openeth and no one shutteth,
and shutteth and no one openeth.
8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an
open door, and no one is able to shut it: for thou hast a little
power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9. -Behold, I will make thelm of the synagogue of Satan,
who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will
make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know
that I have loved thee.
10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also
will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come
upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the eartll.
11. Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that thou hast, that
no one take thy crown.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple
of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon
him tile name of my God; and the name of the city of my
God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven
from my God; and my new name.
13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spilit saith
unto the churches.
14. And unto the angel of the church of tile Lacdiceans
1a3




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Chap. iin.
write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
15. 1 know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
I would thou wert cold or hot.
16. So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold
nor lot, I will vomit thee out of my mouth.
17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that
thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be
clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous,
therefore, and repent.
20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me.
21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in
my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my
Father in his throne.
22. I-e that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. This chapter treats
of.those in the Christian church who are-in dead worship, which
is without charity and faith; who are described by the church
in Sardis, n. 154 —171: of those who are in truths from good
from the Lord; who are described by the church in Philadelphia, in. 172-197: of those who believe alternately, sometimes
fiom themselves, and sometimes fi'om the Word, and thus profane holy things; who are described by the church in Laodicea,
n. 198 —223.  All these being likewise called to the New
Churchl of the Lord.
TiHE CONTENTS OF EACH YERSE. V. 1, "And unto the angel
of the church in Sardis write," signifies to those and concerning
those, who are in dead worship, or in worship which is without
the good of charity, and without the truths of faith: "These
things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the
seven stars," signifies the Lord, from whom are all truths, and
all the knowledges of good and truth: " I know thy works,"
124




Chap. iii.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
signifies that the Lord sees all their interiors and exteriors at.
once: "That thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead,"
signifies that it may be seen and believed by themselves and
by others, that they are spiritually alive, when yet they are
spiritually dead: v. 2, "Be watchful," signities to be in truths
and in a life according to them: "And strengthen the things
which remain, that are ready to die," signifies that the things
which pertain to their worship may receive life: " For I have
not found thy works full before God," signifies that the interiors of their worship are not in conjunction with the Lord:
v. 3, " Iemember therefore how thou hast received and heard,"
signifies that they should consider that all worship at first is
natural, and afterwards by truths becomes spiritual, besides:
many other things: "And hold fast, and repent," signifies that
they should attend to these things, and give life to their dead
worship: " If therefore thou shalt not watch," signifies here
the same as above: "I will come on thee as a thief, and thou
shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee," signifies
that the things which are of worship shall be taken from them,
and that they shall not know when and how this is done: v. 4,
"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis," signifies that among
them there are also some who have life in their worship:
"' Which have not defiled their garments," signifies who are in
truths, and have not defiled worship by evils of life and falses
thence derived: "And they shall walk with me in white, for
they are worthy," signifies that they shall live with the Lord,
because they are in truths from him: v. 5, "'He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment," signifies
that he who is reformed becomes spiritual: "And I will not:
blot out his name out of the book of life," signifies that he shall
be saved: "And I will confess his name before my Father, and
before his angels," signifies that they will be received who are
in divine good and in divine truths from the Lord: v. 6, " He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
chlurches,' signifies here, as before.
v. 7, "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia
write," signifies to those and concerning those, who are in
truths originating in good from the Lord: " These things saith
He that is holy, He that is true," signifies the Lord as to divine
truth: " He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and
no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth," signifies
who alone is omnipotent to save: v. 8, "I know thy works,"
signifies here, as above: "Behold, I have set before thee an
open door," signifies that heaven is open to those who are in
truths fiom good from the Lord: "And no one is able to shut
it," signifies that hell cannot prevail against them: " For thou
hast a little power," signifies because they know that they can
do nothing: from themselves: "And hast kept -my word," sig.
125




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iii.
nifies b)ecause they live according to the Lord's comnmandments
in his Word: "And  lhast not denied nmy name," signifies that
they are in the worship of the Lord: v. 9, "Behold, I will
make them of the synagogue of Satan," signifies those who are
in falses as to doctrine: "Who say they are Jews, and are not,
but do lie," signifies who say that the church is among them,
and yet it is not: "Behold, I will make them to come and
worship before thy feet," signifies that many who are in falses
as to doctrine, will receive the truths of the New Church:
"And to know that I have loved thee," signifies that they shall
see that they are loved and received into heaven by the Lord:
v. 10, "Because thou hast kept the Word of my patience,"
signifies because they have fought against evils: " I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon
all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth," signifies
that they will be protected and preserved in the day of the last
judclment: v. 11, "Behold I come quickly," signifies the Lord's
coming: ~ "Hold fast that thou hast," signifies that in the mean
time they should remain iln their truths and goods: "That no
one take thy crown," signifies lest wisdom should perish, from
which is eternal felicity: v. 12, " I-Iim that overcometh," signifies they who persist in truths from good: "' Will I make a
pillar in the temple of nmy God," signifies that truths fiorm good
from the Lord, with those in whom they abide, sustain the
church: "And he shall go no more out," signifies that they
shall remain there to eternity: "And I will write upon hiln the
name of my God," signifies that divine truth shall be written
in their hearts: "And the name of the city of my God, the
New Jerusalem," signifies that the doctrine of the New Church
shall be written in their hearts:  Which cometh down out of
heaven fromn my God," signifies which will be from the divine
truth of the Lord such as it is il hleaven:  And my new name "
signifies the worship of the Lord alone, with other new things
which were not in the former church: v. 13, "He that hath an
ear, let hiim hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before.
v. 14, " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans
write," signifies to those and concerning those, in the church,
who alternately believe, sometimes fiom themselves, and sometimes from the Word, and thus profane things holy: "These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness," signifies
the Lord as to the Word, which is divine truth fiom him:
"The beginning of the creation of God," signifies the Word:
v. 15, "1 know thy works," signifies here, as before: "That
thou art neither cold nor hot," signifies that they who are
such, sometimes deny that the Word is divine arid holy, and at
other times acknowledge it: " I would thou wert cold or hot,"
signifies that it is better for them either from the heart to deny
126




Chap. iii.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
the holy tlings of tle Word and of the church, or froml the
heart to acknowledge them: v. 16, " So then, because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will voinit thee out of
my mouth," signifies profanation and separation from the Lord:
v. 17, "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods," signifies that they think they possess in all abundance
hle knowledges of what is good and true, which are of heaven
and the church'  6'And have need of nothing," signifies that
they have no need of more Awisdom: "And knowest not that
tllou art wretched," signifies that all things which they know
do not at all cohere: "And miserable and poor," signifies that
they are without truths and goods: "And blild and nakecl,
signifies that they are without the understanding of truth, and
without the will of good: v. 18, "I counsel thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich," sifgnifies an
admonition to acquire to themselves'the good of love from the
Lord by means of the Word, that they mnay become wise:
"And white raiment, that thou mlnayest be clothed," signifies
that they should acquire to tlhemselves genuine truths of wisdom: "Arcnd that the shame of thly nakedness may not appear,"
signifies lest the good of celestial love sllocld be profaned and
adulterated: "And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that tllou
mayest see," signifies that their;dlelrstandings may be healed:
v. 19, "As many as I love, I rebukle and cllasten," signifies
that because they are now beloved, they cannot but be admnitted to temptations: " Be zealous, thllelrefore, and repent,"
signifies that this should be done froln the affection of truth:
v. 20, " Behold I stand at the door, and knock,' signifies that
the Lord is present to every one in the Word, and is there
pressing to be received, and teaches how: " If any man hear
my voice, and open the door," signifies he who believes in the
Word and lives according to it: "I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me," signifies that the Lord
joins himself with them and they 1with himn: v. 21, "To him
that overconleth," signifies such as are in coinjunction with the
Lord by a life conformnable to his precepts in the Word: "Will
I give to sit with me in mny throne," si(gnifies that they will
have conjunction. with the Lord in heaven: "Even as I also
overcame, and am set clown with my Father in his throne,"
signifies as lhe and the Father are one and are heaven: v. 22)
"' e that hath an ear, let him hear -what the Spirit saith unto
the churches," signifies here, as beforc.
127




154 —157        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iii.
THE EXPLANATION.
154. And unto the anyel of the church in Scardis write, signifies to those and concerning those, who are in dead worship,
or in worship which is without the good of charity and without
the truths of faith. That they who are in such worship are
meant by the church in Sardis, is evident from what is written
to it when understood in the spiritual sense. By dead worship
is meant worship alone, which consists in going to church, hearing sermons, receiving the sacrament, reading the Word and
pious books, talking about God, and about heaven and hell,
and a life after death, and especially about piety, praying morning and evening, and yet not desiring to know the truths of
faith, nor willing to do the good things of charity, believing
that they shall have salvation by means of mere worship; when
yet such worship without truths, and without a life conformable
to them, is only the external sign of charity and faith, within
which there may lie concealed all sorts of evils and falses, if
charity and faith do not reside within; for of these genuine
worship consists; otherwise worship is like the skin or surface
of any kind of firuit, in which there lies concealed nothing but a
rotten and worm-eaten substance, and therefore is dead. That
such worship prevails in the church at this day, is well known.
155. These thi~ngs saith ]He that hath the seven spi'its of God,
and the seven stars, signifies the Lord, from whomn are all truths,
and all the knowledges of good and truth. That by the seven
spirits of God is understood the divine truth proceeding fiom
the Lord, or divine verity, may be seen above, n. 14; and that
by the seven stars are understood all the knowledges of what is
good and true fiom. the Word, n. 51, from which exists the
church in heaven, n. 65. These things are now said by the
Lord, because the subject treated of is concerning dead worship
and concerning living worship, and worship derives its life from
truths, and from  a life according to them.
156. I know thy works, signifies that the Lord sees all their
interiors and exteriors at once, as above, n. 76.
157. That thou hast a nagme that thou livest, and art dead,
signifies that it may be seen and believed by themselves and
others, that they are spiritually alive, when yet they are spiritually dead. By having a name, is signified to seem and to be
thought to be such; in this instance, that they are living, when
yet they are dead; for spiritual life, which is properly life, does
not consist in worship alone, but is inwardly in worship, and
inwardly there ought to be divine truths from the Word, and
when man lives according to them, life is in the worship; the
reason is, because the external derives its quality from internals,
and the internals of worship are truths of life. These are they
128




v. 1, 2.1       TIHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             158
who are meant by these words of the Lord: "And ye begin to
stand without, and to knock at the door, sayilng, Lord, Lord,
open unto us; and he shall answer and say nrto  ou, I know
you not whence you are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have
eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our
streets; but he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye
are; depart friom me, all ye workers of iniqnuity," Luke xiii. 25,
26, 27. I have also been perimitted to hear many in the spirit..
nal world say, that they have frequently received the sacrament,
andc thus have eaten and drunk what is holy, and have as often
been absolved from their sins; that every sabbath datr they have
hearkened to their teachers; and have devoutly prayed at, home
morning and evening, besides, other things: but when) the interiors of their worship were laid open, they appeared full of iniquities, and infernal; therefore they were rejected; and when they
asked the reason of it, they had for answer, that they were not at
all solicitous about divine truths. And yet a life not according to
divine truths, is not life sulch as they enjoy who are in. heaven,
and they who are not in the life of heaven, cannot bear the light
of heaven, which is divine truth proceeding friom the Lord as the
sun there, much less can they bern the heat of heaven, which is
divine love. But although they heard and also understood these
things, yet when they were let into themselves, andl their own
worship, they said, What need is. there of truths, and what are
truths? and as they were no longer able to receive truths, they.
were left to their concupiscences, which lay hid within their
worship, and these at length drove away from thei all their
worship of God;l or the interiors accommodate the exteriors
to themselves, and reject the things which are not in accordance with them; and the exteriors of all after death are rendered analogous with their interiors.
158. Be watchful, signifies that they should be in truths and
in a life according to them. By watching, in the Word, nothing
else is signified; for he who learns truths and lives according to
them, is like one who is awakened out of sleep and becomes
watchful; and he who is not in truths, but only in worship, is
like one who. sleeps and dreams.  Natural life, considered in
itself, or without spiritual life, is nothing else but sleep; but
natural life, in which there is spiritual life, is watchfulness, and
this cannot be acquired otherwise thani by truths, which exist
in their own light and in their own day, when man lives according to them.: Such is the signification of watching in the following places: " Watch,-for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come," Matt. xxiv. 42., "Blessed are those servants whom the
Lord when he cometh shall find watching:-Be ye therefore
ready, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think
not," Luke xii. 37, 40. " Watch ye, for ve know not when the
master of the house cometh, —lest eoming suddenly he find you
129




159-161         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
sleeping. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch," Mark xiii.
35, 36, 37. " While the bridegroom tarried, the virgins slltmbered and slept," and the five foolish came and said, " Lord, Lord,
open to us; but he answered and said, I know you not; watch
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son of ]Man cometh," Matt. xxv. 5, 11-13. Because the
Lord's coming is called mzorning, n. 151, and then truths are
opened, and there is light, therefore that time is called the begiqznizng of the watches, in Lament. ii. 19, and the Lord is called
a Wat/cher, Dan. iv. 13, and it is written in Isaiah, "Thy dead
shall live,-Awake, — ye that dwell in the dust," xxvi. 19. But
that the state of a man who is not in truths is called slumbering
and sleeping, may be seen in Jerem. li. 39, 57; Psall xiii. 3;
Psalm lxxvi. 5; Luke viii. 23; and in other places.
159. And strengthenz the thin1gs which ]remainC, tlhat are ready
to die, signifies, that the thing1s which pertain to their worship
may receive life, and not be extinguished. How these tlings are
to be understood, shall be explained. Dead worsllip is altogether
similar to living worship in its external form, because they who
are in truths do the same things, for they hear sermons, receive
the holy supper, bow their knees in prayer Tnoring and evening,lbesides other things which are common and customary in
worsllip; therefore they who are in dead worship, have need of
nothing more than to learn trutlls and bring them into life; so
that the things which remain, and are ready to die, may be confirmed.
160. For. have not found thy works fall before God, sig-,iifies that the interiors of their worship are not in conj unction:with the Lord. That by works are understood the interiors and
exteriors, and that by "I know thy works," is signified that the
Lord sees all the interiors and exteriors of man at once, ma;y
appear above n. 76; which are called full before God, when
they are in conjunction with the Lord. It must be obselrved,
that dead worship, or worship which is only external, causes the
Lord's presence, but not conjunction with himi; but external
worship, in which the interiors are alive, causes both presence
and conjunction; for the conjunction of the Lord is with the
things in iman which are firom the Lord, which are truths fiom
good, and unless these are in worship, works are not full before
God, but are empty. A man is said to be empty in the Word,
in whom there are nothing but falses and evils, as in Matt. xii.
44, and in other places; but a man is said to be full, in whom
there are truths and goods.
161. Remnember therefore how thou hast received and, heard,"
signifies that they should consider that all worship at fii'st is
natural, and afterwards by truths out of the Word, and by a life
according to them, becomes spiritual, besides many other things.
These are the things that are to be understood by these words 
130




. 2 -3.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                1 N6
as also, that every one may know from the Word, from the dootrine of the chulrch drawn frilom  the Word, and from serymons,
that truths ought to be learned, and that by truths men, have
faithll, charity, and all things of the church. That this is the case,
is abundantly shown in The Areancba Ctlestia: as for instance,
that by trutlhs comes faith, n. 4353, 4997, 7178, 10,367. That
by truths comes love towards our neighbour or charity, n. 4368,
7623, 7624, 8034. That by truths comes love to the Lord,
n. 10,143, 10,153, 10,310, 10,578, 10,648. That by truths come
intelligence and wisdom, n. 3182, 3190, 3387, 10,064. That by
truths regeneration is effected, n. 1553, 1904, 2046, 2189, 9088,
9954, 10,028. That by truths comes power against evils and
falses, and against hell, n. 3091, 4015, 10,485. That by truths
there is purification firom evils and falses, n. 2799, 5954, 7044,
7918, 10,229, 10,237. That by truths the church exists, n. 1798,
1799, 3963, 4468, 4672. T1at by tiuths heaven exists, n. 1690,
9832, 9931, 10,303. That by truths comes the innocence of
wisdom, n. 3183, 3495, 6013. That by truths there is conscience,
n. 1077, 2053, 9113. That by truths there is order, n. 3316,
3417, 3570Q 4704, 5339, 5343, 6028, 10,303. That by truths is
the beauty of angels, and also of imen as to the interiors wvhich
are their spirits, n. 353, 3080,,4983, 5199. That by virtue of
truths mnan is man, n. 31 75, 3387, 8370, 10.298. But all this by
truths derived friom good, and not by truths without good, and
by good fiom the Lord, n. 2434, 4070, 4736, 5147. That every
good is fromn the Lord, n. 1614, 2016, 2904, 4151, 9981, 5147.
But who thlinks this? Is it not at this day a matter of indifference what truths a man knows, provided he is in worship. And
becaulse few search the Word for the purpose of learning truths
and living according to them, therefore nothing is known concerning  worship, whether it be dead or living, and yet according to the quality of worship man himself is either dead or
living; otherwise of what use would the Word be, and doctrine
derived fiom it, or what would be the use of sabbaths and sermons, as well as of books of instruction, yea to what purpose
would the church and religion be?  That all worship in its beginning is natural, and afterwards by truths from  tile Word,
and a life according to them, becomes spiritual, is well known;
for man is born natural, but is educated in order that he may
become civil and uloral, and afterwards spiritual, being in this
manner born again. These things therefore are signified by
" Remeryber how tholl hast received amnd heard."
162. And hold fast and repent, signifies that they should
attend to these things and give life to their dead worship. That
to observe is to attend to those things, which are understood by
"IRemember how thou hast received and heard," is evident;
and that to repent is to give life to dead worship, by truths from
the Word, and by a life according to them, follows of course.
131




163, 164        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iii.
163. If therefore thou shalt not waetchA, signifies, if they are
not in truths and in a life according to them, as is evident fiom
the explanation above, n. 158.
164. Iwill come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know
whac thoT6r I will conse u)pon thee, signifies that the things which
are of worship shall be taken firolm them, and that they shall not
know when and how this is done. It is said that thle Lord will
come like a thief, because man, who is in dead worship, is deprived of the external good of worship: for there is something
of good in dead worship, because the worshipper thinks of God
and of eternal life; still good without its truths is not good, but
meritorious or hypocritical, evils and falses taking it away like a
thief; this is done successively in the world, and after death. fully,
nlan in the mean time not knowing when and how. It is attributed to the Lord that he will come like a thief; but, in the
spiritual sense, it is understood that hell will take away and steal
it. This is similar to its being said in the Word, that God does
evil to man, vastates hilm, revenges, is wrathful, and leads into
temptation; when yet it is hell that does these things; the aptearance before man causing it to be so expressed. That the
talent and pound given to man to trade with, is taken away, if
fothing is gained by it, may be seen in Matt. xxv. 26-30; Luke
Kix. 24-26: to trade and to gain signifies to acquire to one's
self things true and good. Since good and truth are taken away
from those who are in dead worship, as if it were done by a thief
in the dark, therefore in the Word the same is sometimes likened
to a thief; as in the following passages: " Behold, I come as a
thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments,
lest he walk naked," Apoc. xvi. 15. " Watch therefore, for ye
know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that
if the good man of the house had known. in what watch the thief
would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up," Matt. xxiv. 42, 43.." If
thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, how art thou cut off,
would they not have stolen till they had enough?" Obad. verse
5. " They shall run to and fio in the,city, they shall run upon
the wall, thei shall climb up upon the houses, they shall enter
in at the windows like a thief;" Joel ii. 9. "They committed
falsehood, and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers
spoileth without," Hosea vii. 1. " Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth,-but in heaven,-where thieves do not
break through nor steal," Matt. vi. 1.9, 20. The reason why
manl must watch, and be ignorant of the hour in which hisLord
may come, is, that he may think and act as from himself, thus
iin freedom according to his reason, and that fear may not in.
trude, for every one, if he knew, would be in fear; and what
man does from himself in a state of liberty remains to eternity,
but what he does friom fear, does not.
132




v. 3, 4.]       THE APOCALYPSE RhVEALED.            165, 166
165. Thbou  hast a few names even in Sardis, signifies that
among them there are also some who have life in their worship.
By a few names are signified some who are such, as now follows:
for name signifies the quality of any one; the reason is, because
every one in the spiritual world is named according to his quality, n. 81. The quality of those who are now treated of, is, that
they have life in their worship.
166. TWhich have not defiled their garments, signifies, who
are in truths, and have not defiled worship by evils of life, and
falses thence derived.  By garments in the Word are signified
truths which invest good, and, in an opposite sense, falses which
invest evil; for man is either his own good or his own evil, the
truths or falses thence proceeding are his garments. All anel-s
and spirits appear clothed according to the truths of their good,
or according to the falses of their evil; on which subject see the
work concerning Hecven and Hfell, n. 177 —182; from which it
is evident, that by not defiling their garments, is signified to be
in truths, and not to render worship impure by evils of life and
falses thence derived. That in the Word garments signify truths,
and, in an opposite sense, falses, appears from the -following
places: " Awake, awake: put on thy strength, O Zion, put on
thy beautiful garments, 0 Jerusalem," Isaiah lii. 1. "I clothed
thee also with broidered work, I shod thee with badgers' skin,
I girded thee about with fine linen. I decked thee also with
ornaments. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and
thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work,and thou wast exceeding beautiful. And of thy garments thou
didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours,
and playedst the harlot thereupon; and madest to thyself images
of men, and didst commit whoredom with them; and tookest
thy broidered garments and coveredst them," Ezek. xvi. 10-18.
The Jewish church is here described, in that truths were given to
it by the Word, but that they falsified them: to commit whoredom is to falsify, n. 134. "The king's daughter is all glorious
within; her clothing is of wrought gold; she shall be brought
unto the king in raiment of needle-work," Psalm xlv. 13, 14.
The king's daughter is the church as to the affection of truth.
"Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you inl
scarlet with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon
your apparel," 2 Sam.- i. 24. These things are said of Saul,
because by him, as king, is signified divine truth, n. 20. " I will
punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are
clothed with strange apparel," Zeph. i. 8. The enemy " shall
strip thee of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels," Ezek.
xxiii. 26. " Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood
before the angel," who said, "Take the filthy gcarments from off
him,- and they clothed him with other garments," Zech. iii.
3-5.  "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw
133




166              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
there a man which had not on a weddinlg ga/cment, and he saith
unto him, Friend, how  camnest thou inl hitlher not having a
wedcZintg gar.m.ent?" Matt. xxii. 11-13. A wedding garment is
divine truth firom the Word. " Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing," Matt. vii. 15.  " No mnan
puttethl a piece of a new gcarment upon an old; othlerwise thle new
maketh a rent in the old, and the piece of the —new agreeth not
witll the old," Lunke r. 36. As garment signifies truth, tlhereobre the Lord compares the truths of the fobrmer elurclluh, which
were external and representative of thlings spiritual, to a piece of
an old garment, and the trutlls of the new chullrch, wllich were
internal and spiritual, to a piece of a new garment. " Upon the
seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white'aisgent," Apoc. iv. 4. They who stood before the throne and
before the Lamb, were " clothed in white robes, these are they
which-have washed their robes, and made tliem white in the
blood of the Lamb," Apoc. vii. 9, 13, 14.  " White robes were
given unto every one of them" which were under thle altar,
Apoc. vi. 11.  " The armies in heaven followed upon white
holrses, clothed in fine linen white and clean," Apoc. xix. 14.
Because angels signify divine truths, therefore the angels whllich
were seen in the Lord's sepulchre, appeared in white and shining
taiment, Matt. xxviii. 3; Luke xxiv. 4. Since tlhe Lord is divine
good and divine truth, and trl'uths are understood by garments,
therefore when he was transfigured,  " His fihce did shllile as the
sun, and his rcaibnet was white as the light," M6att. xvii. 2  and
a' white and glistering," Luke ix. 29; and.' shining, exceeding
white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them," lMark
ix. 3. Concerning the Ancient of Days, who also is the Lord,
it is said, that his "gacrment was white as snow," Dan. vii. 9;
wid also of the Lord, "All they gyarmzents slnell of myrrh, aloes,
and cassia," Psalm xlv. 8.  " Ie washed his garmeqets in, wine,
and his clothes in the blood of grlapes," Gen. xlix. 11. " Who is
this that cometh from Edomn, with dyed garWnents from Bozrah?
this that is glorious in his apparel: wherefore art thou red in
thine apparel; and thy garcments like him that treadeth in the
wine-fat  And their blood shaLt be sprinkled upon my grmnzeqzts,
and I will stain all my raiment," Isaiah lxiii. 1-3. This also
refers to the Lord; his garments there are the truths of the
Word. He that sat upon the white horse, " was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God,"
Apoc. xix. 13, 16. From the signification of garments it may
be seen, why the Lord's disciples laid their clothes upon the ass
and the colt, when the Lord entered into Jerusalem, and wrhy
the people then spread their gar ments in the way, Matt. xxi.
Z-9; Mark xi. 7, 8; Luke xix. 35, 39; and what is signified
by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments into four parts,
John xix. 23, 24; and consequently what is signified by tlleso
134




v. 4.]          THIE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              167
words in David: " They part my garmnents among them, and
cast lots upon my vesture," Psalm xxii. 18. From the signification of garments it also appears why they rent their garments,
when any one spake against the divine truth of the Word, Isaiah
xxxvii. 1, and in other places: also why they washed their garments that they might be purified, Exod. xix. 14; Levit. xi. 24,
4-0; xiv. 8, 9; Numb. xix. 11, to the end: and why, on account
of their trangressions against divine truths, they put off their
garments and put on sackcloth, Isaiah xv. 3; xxii. 12; xxxvii.
1, 2; Jerem. iv. 8; vi. 26; xlviii. 37; xlix. 3; Lament. ii. 10.;
Ezek. xxvii. 31; Amos viii. 10; Jonah iii. 5, 6, 8. I-e who
knows what garments signify in general and in particular, may
know what was signified by the garments of Aaron and his sons,
which were the epllod, the robe, the coat with embroidery of
chequer-work, the girdle, the breeches, and the mitre. Because
light signifies divine truth, and garment has the samne signification, therefore it is said in David, Jehovah covereth himself
" with light as with a garment," Psalm civ. 2.
167. Anzd they shall rdalk with mne i, whuite, for, they a;re
worthy, signifies that they shall live with the Lord in his spiritual kinlgdom, because they are in truths firom him. That this
is the meaning of these words, is because to walk, in the Word,
signifies to live, and to walk with God signifies to live with him;
and because in white signifies in truths; for in the Word, white
is predicated of truths, by reason of its deriving its origin firom
the light of the sunr; and red is predicated of goods, in consequence of its deriving its origin fiom the fire of the sun; and
black is predicated of falses, fiom its deriving its origin from the
darkness of hell. They who are in truths firom the Lord, are,
by virtue of their being conjoined with him, called worthy, for
all worth in the spiritual world is fiom conjunction with the
Lord; fiom these considerations it is evident, that " they shall
walk with me in white, for they are worthy," signifies that they
shall live with the Lord, because they are in truths from him.
It is said that they shall live with the Lord in his spiritual
kingdom, because the universal heaven is divided into two
kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual, and they are in the
celestial kingdom who are in the good of love from the Lord,
and they are in the spiritual kingdom who are in the truths of
wisdom friom the Lord; and the latter are said to walk with the
Lord in white; and they are also clothed in white garments.
That to walk signifies to live, and that to walk with God signifies to live wvith hlim, because fiom him, appears froom the fbol
lowing places: " Let us walk in the light of Jehovah," Isaiah
ii. 5. "Thou hast delivered my feet fiom falling, that I may
walk before God in the light of the living," Psalm lvi. 13.
"Thou liast not been as mny servant David who kept my comnlandments, and who walked after me with all his heart," 1 Kings




.168-170'rTHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. iii.
8. "IRernember, O Jehovah, —how I have walked before thee
in truth," Isaiah xxxviii. 3. If ye " will walk contrary unto me,
and if ye will not-hearken unto me, thlen I will walk contrary
anuto you," Levit. xxvi. 23, 24, 27. They would not walk in the
ways of Jehovah," Isaiah xlii. 24; Deut. xi. 22; xix. 9; xxvi.
17. " All people will walk, every one in the name of his God,
aind we will walk in the namle of Jehovah," Micah iv. 5. " Yet
a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light,
-believe in the light," John xii. 35, 36; viii. 12. "The Plbarisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders 2" Mark vii. 5. It is also said
of Jehovah, that he walketh amongst them, that is, lives in
thenl and with them: " I will set nmy tabernacle in the midst of
them-andcl I will walk in the mlidst of you, and will be your
God," Levit. xxvi. 11, 12. Hence it is evident, what is meant
above by " These things saith He-who walketh/ in the midst of
the seven golden candlesticks," Apoc. ii. 1.
168. He that overcorneth, the scnae shall be clothed in white
raimenzt, signlifies that he who is reformed becoines spilritual.
That he that overcometh, signifies he who is reformed, mnay be
seen above, n. 88; and tlat to be clothed in white raiment, signifies to be made spiritual by means of truths, n. 166, 167. All
those become spiritual who are in truths, and in a life according
to themn.
169. And I will not blot out his navme out of the book of
ifje, signifies that he shall be saved. What the signification of
name is, has been shown before, and what the book of life is.
will be explained below. That not to blot out his name out of
the book of life, is to be saved, is plain to every one.
170. And I will cownfess his name before my Father, and before his angels, signifies that they will be received who are in
divine good and in divine truths fi'om the Lord, thus who have
the life of heaven in themselves. That to confess the name is
to acknowledge the quality of any one, or that it is such, is evident firoi the signification of name, as given above, n. 81, 122;
by Father, is meant divine good, and by angels divine truths,
both firom the Lord. In the Word of the evangelists the Father
is often mentioned by the Lord, by whom is everywhere meant
Jehovah, fiom whom and in xvhom he was, and wio was in hlim,
and nowlhere any divine principle separated firom hiln: this is
abundantly proved indeed in T/he Doctrine of thze Newo Joereusalem concerning the Lord; and also in The Angeliec Viscdonm
concerning the Divine Providence, n. 262, 263: that the Lord
himself is the Father, may be seen, n. 21, 960. The Lord made
mention of the Father, because by Father in the spiritual sense
is signified good, and by God the Father the divine good of
divine love; the angels never understand any thing else by
Father when it is read in the Word, nor can they understand
136




. 5-7.]'TIHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         171-173
any thing else, because no one in the ]leavens knows any Father,
of whom they are said. to be born, and whose children and heirs
they are called, except the Lord: this is understood by the
Lord's words in iMatt. xxxii. 9. Hence it is evident that by
confessinlg his name before the Father, is signified that they
will be received among those who are in divine good from him.
The reason why by angels are understood those who are in divine truths from the Lord, and, abstractedly, divine trutlhs, is
because angels are the recipients of divine good in the divine
truths which they have from the Lord.
171. Ire that hath an ear, let hirn hear wAct the 81 pirit saith
unto the clhurche.s, signifies that he who understands these
things, ought to obey what the divine truth of thle Word teaches
those who are to be of the New Churchl, which is the New Jerusalem, as above, n. 87.
172. Adcl to the anqgel of the church in Philadelphia write,
signifies to those and concerning those who are in truths originating in good from the Lord. That these are meant by the
chu'rch in Philadelphia, is clear fr'om what is written to it, when
understood in the spiritual sense.
173. These things saith He that is holy, He th/at is true, signifies the Lord as to divine truth. That it is the Lord, is evident 
the reason why He that is holy, He that is true, is the Lord as
to divine truth, is because the Lord is called holy from his divine truth, and righteous firom his divine good; hence it is,
that his proceeding divine, which is divine truth, is called the
I-Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit here is He that is holy, He
that is true. Holy often occurs in the Word, and everywhere
relates to truth, and as all truth, which is true in itself, is
grounded in good, and is fiom the Lord, it is that truth which
is called holy; but good friom which truth originates, is called
righteous; hence it is, that the angels who are in the truths of
wisdom, and are called spiritual, are named holy, and the angels
who are in the good of love, and are called celestial, are named
righteous; in like mianner men in the church. It is also fiomn this
circumstance, that the prophets and apostles are called holy,
for by the prophets and apostles are signified the doctrinal
truths of the church.  For the same reason also the Word is
called holy, for the Word is divine truth; the law in the ark
of the tabernacle was also called the holy of holies, and the
sanctuary. In like manner Jerusalem is called holy, for by
Jerusalem is signified the church, which is in divine truths. So
likewise the altar, the tabernacle, and the garments of Aaron and
his sons were called holy, after they were anointed with oil, for
oil signifies the good of love which sanctifies, and every thing
that is sanctified has relation to truth. That the Lord alone is
h!ol, because he is divine truth itself, appears from the followMng passages: "Who shall not glorify thy name, O Loid, fo
137




t74             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
thou only art holy," Apoc., xv. 4. "ThyRedeemner is the Htay
One of Israel, the God of' the whole earth shall he be called,"
Isaiah liv. 5. "Thus saith Jehovah thle Redeener of Israel, and
his HIoly One," Isaiah xlix. 7. " As for our Redeemer, Jehovah
of Hosts is his namne, the H1oly One of Israel," Isaiah xlvii. 4.
"1 Thls saith Jehovah your Redeemer, the Holy Onze of Israel,"
Isaiah xliii. 1, 3. "In that day-they shall stay upon Jehovah
the H-oly One of Israel in truth," Isaiah x. 20; besides other
places; as Isaiah i. 4; v. 19; xii. 6; xvii. 7; xxix. 19; xxx. 11, 12;
xli. 16; xlv. 11, 15; xlviii. 17; lv. 5; Ix. 9; Jerem. i. 29; Dan. iv.
10, 20; Psalm lxxviii. 41. As the Lord is holiness itself, therefore
the angel said unto 3Mary, "That holy thing which shall be born
of thee shall be called the Son of God," Luke i. 35; and the
Lord said of himself, Father, " sanctihfy them through the truth,
thy Word is truth;-for their sakes I sanctify myself; that they
also mighlt be sanctmfied through the truth,"' John xvii. 17, 19;
hence it appears, that the truth, which is fi'om the Lord, is holiness itself, because lhe alone is holy; on which subject the Lord
says, " When He, the S  pirit of truth, is come. he will guide vou
into all truth; for he shall not speak fiom himnself-for he shall
receive of mine —and shall show it ulnto you,"' John xvi. 13, 14,
15. "The Comforter, the H1oly Spirit, he shall teach you all
things," John xiv. 26. That the Holy Spirit is the life of the
Lord's wisdom, thus the divine trulth, may be seen in the Doctrine of the XVewv Jerusalem, coneerning the Lord, n. 51. From
hence it may appear, that Ile that is holy, He that is true, is the
Lord as to his divine truth. That holy reflrs to truth, and righteous to good, is evident fiom those places in the Word where
both expressions occur; as fiom the following: "I-e that is.righteous let hlinl be righteous still, and lie that is holy lot him
be holy still," Apoc. xxii. 11.  "Just and truwe are thy ways,
thou King of scaints," Apoc. xv. 3. To serve him "' in holiness
and righteousness," Luke i. 75. "Herod feared John, knowing
that he was a just m an and a holy," Mark vi. 20.'Fine linen
is the righteousness of the saints," Apoc. xix. 8.
174. H2e that hactJ the key of David, He that openeth and no
one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth, signifies, who
alone is omnipotent to save. By David is meant the Lord as to
divine truth; by key is signified the Lord's omnipotence over
heaven and hell; and by opening that no one can shut, and by
shutting that no one can open, is signified to lead forth out of
hell and introduce into heaven, thus to save, in like manner as
above, n. 62, where it is explained. That by David is meant
the Lord as to divine truth, may be seen in The Doctrine of the
Newv Jerusalem  concerning tihe Lord, n. 43, 44. The same,
which is here signified by the key of David, is also signified by
the keys of Peter, Matt. xvi. 15-19, which may be seen explained below, n. 798, as also by these words to all the disciples,
138




v. 7, 8.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          175-176
"Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," Mu~tt. xviii. 18; for thle twelve disciples represented all
things of the church as to its goods and truths, and Peter represented it as totruth, and truths and goods save man, consequently the Lord alone from whom they are derived. The saime
is also signified by the key of David which was given to Eliakilm,
concerning which it is thus written: "I will, colmmit thy government into his hands, and he shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah, and the key of
the house of David will I lay upon lhis shoulder, so lie shall open
and none shall shut, and he shall shut and none shall open,"
Isaiah xxii. 21, 22. He was over the king's house, and by the
king's house is signified the church as to divine truth.
175. I know thy works, signifies that the Lord sees all their
interiors and exteriors at once, as above, n. 76.
176. Behold, I have set before thee ana open door, signifies
that heaven is open to those who are in trut[hs firom good firom
the Lord.  That by an open door is signified adclission, is very
evident: the door is said to be open to those who are of the church
in Plliladelphia, because by that church are understood those who
are in truths fiom good from the Lord, and to therlm the Lord
opens heaven. But on this subject something not before known
shall be declared. The Lord alone is the God of heaven and
earth, Matt. xxviii. 18; they therefore who do not directly approach him, cannot see the way to heaven, nor can they find the
door, and if haply they are permitted to approach it, it is shut,
and if they knock it is not opened. In the spiritual world there
are actually ways which lead to heaven, and there are here and
there gates, and they who are led to heaven by the Lord, take
the ways which lead thither, and enter in at the gates. That
there are ways there, may be seen in the work concernino' H~eaven
an~d Hell, n. 479, 534, 590; and also gates, n. 429, 430, 583,
584; for all things which arle seen in the heavens are correspondences, thus also ways and gates; for ways correspond to truths,
and thence signify them, and gates correspond to admission, and
thence signify it. Since the Lord alone leads man to heaven,
and opens the door, therefore he calls himnself the way and also
the door: the way in John: "I am the way, and the truth, and
the life," xiv. 6; the door in the same evangelist: " I am the
door of the sheep —by me, if any lnan enter in, he shall be saved,"
x. 7, 9. Since there are both ways and doors in the spiritual
world, and angelic spirits actually go those ways, and enter into
heaven by doors, therefore inner doors, outer doors, and gates
are fiequently mentioned in the Word, by which is signified entrance; as in these places: " Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates,
even lift them up, ye everlasting dloors, and the King of Glory
shall come in," Psalm xxiv, 7, 9. "' Open ye the gates, that the
139




177 —182        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iii.
righteous nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in," Isaiah
xxvi. 2. The five prudent virgins " went in with him  to the
marriage, and the door was shut;" and the five foolish virgins
came and knocked, but it was not openedl, Matt. xxv. 10-12.
Jesus said,' Strive to enter in at the strait gcte,' fbr many —will
seek to enter in, and shall not be able," Luke xiii. 24; besides
many others. Since a door signifies entrance, and the New Jerusalem signifies the church consisting of those who are in truths
grounded in good from the Lord, therefore the New Jerusalem
is described also as to its gates, upon which there were angels,
and it is said, "' They shall not be shut," Apoc. xxi. 12, 13, 25,
177. And no one is able to shut it, signifies that hell cannot
prevail against them; for the Lord alone opens and shuts the
doors to heaven, and the door, which he opens, is perpetually
open to those who are in truths grounded in good from the
Lord, and perpetually shut to those who are in falses grounded
in evil; and since the Lord alone opens and shuts, it follows
that hell cannot prevail agail anst them: more may be seen on this
subject above, n. 174.
178. For' tho  hacst c little power, signifies because they
know that they can do nothing from  themselves. They who
are in truths grounded in good fiom the Lord, know that they
have not any power against evils and falses, thus against hell,
from themselves, and they also know that they cannot, out of
any power finom themselves, do good and introduce themselves
into heaven, but that all power is the Lord's, and thus is in
them firom the Lord, and in proportion as they are in truths
grounded in good, in the same proportion they are in power
from the Lordl, which yet appears to them as their own: this
then is what is meant by " For thou hlast a little power."
179. Ancld hast kept my TVord, signifies because they live
according to the Lord's cormmandments in his Word, as is evident without any explanation.
180. And hcast not denied nry wame, signifies that they are
in the worship of the Lord. That the name of Jehovah, or of
the Lord, in the Word, signifies all by which he is worshippedl
thus every doctrine of the church, and universally the whole
of reliioll, may be seen above, n. 81; from which it is plain
what is here signified by thou "' hast not denied my name."'
181. Behold, I will mzakce them of the synzaogzue of Sacan,
signifies those who are in falses as to doctrine, as may be seen
above, n. 97.
182. W]7ho say they are Jews, and are nzot, but do lie, signifies who say that the church is among them, and yet it is not.
By Jews here are meant they who are of the church, because
the church was instituted among them, therefore also by their
Jerusalem is still understood the church as to doctrine: but,
specifically, by Jews are meant they who are in the good of
140




v. 8-i-11        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         183 -187
love, ais above, n. 96, thus also the church, for from the good
of love the church exists; that still there is no church amonlg
them, is signified by " and are not, but do lie."
183. Behold, I will make them to comne and worsh2p before
thy feet, signifies that many who are in falses as to doctrine,
provided thley be not in falses grounded in evil, will receive
and acknowledge the truths of the New Church. This is said
of those who are of the synagogue of Satan, and say they are.
Jews, and are not, but do lie, by whom are meant such as are
in falses as to doctrine, yet not in falses derived fiom evil, but
in falses as to doctrine and yet in good as to life; the latter,
and not the former, receive and acknowledge truths when they
hear them; the reason is, because good loves truth, and truth,
grounded in good, rejects what is false; to receive and acknowledge truths is signified by coming and worshipping at thy
feet; not at their feet, but at the feet of the Lord, from whom
truths are derived to them from good; therefore the following
passage in David has a like signification: " Exalt ye Jehovah
Our God, and worship at his footstool," Psalm xcix. 5.
184. Anzd to knlow that I have loved thee, signifies that they
shall see that they who are in truths grounded in good, are beloved and received into heaven by the Lord: this follows in a
series from the foregoing.
185. Because thou hast kept the Word of my patience, signifies because they have fought against evils, and then rejected
falses. That the word of patience signifies spiritual combat,
which is called temptation, is plain from what iext follows;
"' I also will keep thee fiom the hour of temptation which shall
come upon all the world," for he who is tempted in the world,
is not tempted after death. Spiritual combat, which is temptation, is called the Word of the Lord's patience, because in
temptations the Lord fights for man, and he fights by means of
truths out of his Word.
186. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which
shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth, signifies that they will be protected and preserved in the
day of the last judgment. That their protection and preservation in the day of judgment is understood by these wTords, may
be seen from what is written and related concerning Th7e last
Judgzy,ent in the work on that subject, and afterwards in The Co~n.
tinluation of the same, from which it is manifest, that they who
underwent it were let into temptation, and explored as to their
qualities, and that such as were interiorly evil were rejected,
and such as were interiorly good were saved; and they were inl
teriorly good who were in truths grounded in good from the Lord.
187. Behold, Iconze qztckly, signifies the Lord's comning,
and then a new church firom them. The Lord says here, "'Behold, I come quickly," because by the foregoing words is under.
141




188, 189        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
stood the last judgment, and the last judgment is also called the
Lord's coming, as in Matthew: The disciples said unto Jesus,
" What shall be thle sign of thly comng, and of the consiummation
of the age?"' xxiv. 3. The consummation of the age is the
last time of tle church, when tle last judgment is at hand. The
reason why by these words, "Behold, I come quickly," a new
church is also understood, is, because after a last judgment a
church is established by the Lord; that church now is the New
Jerusaleml, into which will entel' those who are in truths grounded
in good friom the Lord, to whom this is addressed.
188.:dold fast thcat thozu blast, signifies that in the meantime they should remain in their truths and in their good, as
is manifest without explanation.
189. T/hat no one take thy crown, signifies lest wisdom should
perish, -from which comes eternal felicity. Wisdom in man is to
be traced to no other source than good by truths fiom the Lord.
The reason why man procures wisdom  by truths, is, because the
Lord joins or connects himself to man, and,nan to himself by
them, and the Lord is wisdom itself; therefore wisdom perishes
in man when he ceases to do truths, that is, to live according to
them, for then he ceases to love wisdom, and thus to love the
Lord. By wisdom is meant wisdom in things spiritual, friom
which, as fiom its source, is derived wisdom in other things,
which is called intelligence, and by intelligence, science, which
exists fiom the affection of knowing truths. A crown signifies
wisdom, because wisdom holds the supreme place in man, and
thus crowns him; neither does a king's crown signify any thing
else, for king, in a spiritual sense, is divine truth, n. 20, and
firom divine truth comes all wisdom. Wisdom is also signified
by crown in the following places: "There will I make the horn
of David to bud-but upon himself shall his crown flourisll,"
Psalmn cxxxii. 17, 18. "And I will put a jewel in thy forehead,
and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy
head," Ezek. xvi. 12; speaking of Jerusalem, by which is signified the chllurch as to doctrine, therefore a crown of ornament
denotes wisdom derived from divine truth or the Word.  "In
that day shlall Jehovah of Hosts be for a crown of glory, and for
a diadem  of beauty unto the residue of his people,  Isaiah
xxviii. 5; speaking of the Lord, because it is said in that day;
the crown of glory which he will be, is wisdom, and the diadem
of beauty is intelligence; the residue of the people are they
among whom his church will be. The same is signified by crown
and diadem in Isaiah lxii. 1, 3; as also by the plate of gold upon
Aaron's mitre, Exod. xxviii. 36, 37, which was also called the
coronet. Likewise in these places: " Say unto the king, and to
the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down, for your principalities
shall come down, even the crowzo  of your glory," Jerem. xiii.
18. "The joy of our heart is ceased —the crown, is fallen fron
142




v. 11, 12.1      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             190, 191
our head," Lament. v. 15, 16. " He blath stript me of my glory,
and tak;ln thle crown)b firoml my head," Job xix. 9. "Thoun hast
p)rofanel hlis cw'own by castilg it to the griound," Psalm lxxxix.
39.  In these places, by crownI is signlified wisdom.
190. liim? that overcom7eth, signifies they who persist in
truths firom good fi'oln the Lord, as appears firom the series, and
thus without explanation.
191. Will TISmakle ca pillar in the temnple of my God, signifies
that truths fi'omn good fromnl the Lord, with those in whom thev
abide, sustain the Lord's church inl heaven.  By temple thlE
church is sinifie, andci by the temple of my God, the Lord's
church in heaven; hence it is evident, that by pillar is signified
that which sustains and strengtllellns tle cllhurch o01 the divine
truth of the Word. By temple, in a supireine  setnse, the Lord
is signified as to hlis Divine I-IHmani-ty, mlore particularly as to
divine ttruthl; bnt, in a replresentative sense, by temple is sig'nified the Lol d's cllurchi in hleaven, and likewise the Lord's church
in the world.  Tlhat temple, in a supreme senlse, sionifies the
Lord as to his Divine Humanity, and more particularly as to
divine truth, is evident firom these places: "' Jesus said nuto the
Jews, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will ratise it upbut he spake of the tem78ple of this body," John ii. 19, 21.  " I
saw no tem7pgle in thle New Jerusaleln, for tile Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb are the tenmple of it," Apoc. xxi. 22. " Behold,the Lord vrlwhom ye seek shall suddenily come to his temple, even
the messenger of tile covenant," Malachi iii.. 1.'I will bow
down towaclds the templgle of thline holiless," Psalm  x{xviii. 2
" Yet I will again look to thy holy teqpz)le, —andl m  pl'rayel' shall
come ill unto tliee, ilnto thy holy ltemple," Jonah ii. 4. 7. The
holy temple of Jellovah, or the Lord, is his Divine Humlanity,
for that is bowed down to, looked to, and prayecl to, and not the
temple only, for the temple in itself is not holy; it is called the
holy temple, because holiness is predicated of divine trutl, n.
123. Neitlher by " the temple wlhich sanctifieth thle gold," Matt.
xxiii. ] 6, 17, is any thing else mundeirstood but the Lord's Divine
Humanity.  That by tenmple, in a representative sense, is signified thle Lord's churclh in heaven, appears frioin these places:
"A voice fiom thle temple, a voice of JellovaL," Isaiah lxvi. 6.
"There came a great voice out of the templje of heaven," Apoc.
xvi. 1 7.  " The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there
was seen in his temple the ark of his testament,"' Apoc. xi. 19.
"The tcnmpl)e of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was
opened; and the seven angels came out of the temvple:-and the
temple was filled with smok.e fiom the glory of God," Apoc. xv.
5, 6, 8. " I called upon Jehovalh, and cried unto my God: lihe
heard my voice out of his temqple," Psalm xviii. 6.  " I saw
Jehovah sitting.upon a thllrone, high and lifted up, and his train
Tilled the temple," Isaiah vi. 1. That temple signifies the churcb
143




192, 193        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii,
in the world, is clear from these places: "Our holy-house is:
b1)lrnt up with fire," Isaiah lxiv. 11. " I will shake all nations,
-and I will fill this house with glory;-the glory of this latter
house shall be greater than of the former," Hag. ii. 7, 8. The
church about to be re-establishel by the Lord is described b}y
tile new temple in Ezek. xl. —xlviii., an-d is understood by " the:
temple which the angel measured," Apoc. xi. 1, and also in
Isaiah xliv. 28; Jererm. vii. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11; Zech. viii. 9. The
disciples came to Jesus, "to show him the buildings of the
temple, and Jesus said unto thenl,-Verily I say unto you, there
shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown
down," Matt. xxiv. 1, 2; Ifark xiii. 1-5; Luke xxi. 5-7. By
temple here is signified the church at this day, and by its dissolition even to there not being one stone left upon another, is
signified the end of this church, in that no truth whatever would
be left; for when the disciples spoke to the Lord concerning the
temple, the Lord foretold the successive states of this. church to
the end of it, or the consummation of the age, and by the consummation of the age is meant its last period, which is at this
day: this was represented by that temple being utterly destroyed. Temple signifies these three, namely, the Lord, the
church in heaven, and the church in the world, because these
three make one, and cannot be separated, consequently one of
theilm cannot be understood without the other; therefore whosoever separates the church in the world from the church in
heaven, and these' from- the Lord, is not in the truth. The
reason why the church in heaven is here understood, is, because the church in the world is treated of afterwards, n. 194.
192. AZd hAe shall go no mnore out, signifies that they shall
remain there to eternity, as is evident without explanation.
193. Ancd I will write upon him the namve of my God, signifies that divine truth shall be written in their hearts. To write
in or upon any one, signifies to inscribe, so that it may be in
himin as his own; and the name of my God signifies divine truth.
HI-ere it may be expedient to speak more particularly concerning
thle signification of " my God" as referring to divine truth. In
the Word of the Old Testament, in innumerable places, " Jehovah God" occurs, as also separately, sometimes " Jehovah," and
sometimes "' God," and by Jehovah is meant the Lord as to
divine good, and by God is meant the Lord as to divine truth;
or what is the same, by Jehovah is meant the Lord as to divine
love, and by God is meant the Lord as to divine wisdom; both
terms are used for the sake of the celestial marriage in all the
particulars of the Word, which is the marriage of love and wis,
dom, or the marriage of goodness and truth, concerning which
marriage see The -Doctrzine of the New Jer'usalem concerning the
SacrecZ Scripture, n. 80-90. But in the Word of the New Testament it is not said Jehovah God, but the Lord Godc; for Lord,
144




v. 12.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               194
in like manner as Jehovahll, signifies divine good or divine love.
From these considerations it may appear, that by the name of
my God is signified the divine truth of the Lord. That name,
when spoken of the Lord, denotes the all by which he is worshipped, may be seen above, n. 81; and the all by which he is
worshipped, has relation to divine good and divine truth. As it
is not known whlat'is meant by these words of the Lord, "Father,
glorify thy narte: then came there a voice friom heaven, saying,
I lhave both glorified it, and will glorify it again," John xii. 28,
therefore it shall be explained. The Lord, when he was in the
world, made his Humanity divine truth, and when he went out
of the world, he fully united divine truth to divine good, which
was in him, fiom conception; for the Lord glorified his HIumanity, that is, made it divine, as he makes man spiritual; for he
first introduces into man truths from the Word, and afterwards
unites them to good, and by that union man is made spiritual.
194. And the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, signifies that the doctrine of the New Church shall be
written in their hearts. By the Nl'ew Jerusalem is signified the
New Clhurch, and by the same, when it is called city, is signified the New Church as to doctrine;. therefore by writing upon
him the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, is
signified that the doctrine of the New Church shall be written
in their hearts. That by the New Jerusalem is signified the
church, and by the same, as a city, the church as to doctrine,
may be seen below, n. 880, 881.  A  city signifies doctrine,
because land, and in particular the land of Canaan, signifies
the church in the aggregate, and thence by the inheritances
into which the. land of Canaan was divided, are signified the
various things bf the church, and, by the cities in them, doctrinals; so that the angels understand nothing else by cities
when they are named in the Word; which has also been proved
to me by much experience.  Similai: is the signification of
mountains, hills, valleys, fountains, rivers, all which signify
such things as belong to the church. That cities signify doctrinals, may in some measure appear from the following places:
" The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled; the
earth mourneth and fadeth away: the city of confusion is
broken down; in the city is left desolation, and the gate is
smitten with destruction," Isaiah xxiv. 3, 4, 10-12. "The lion
is come up from his thicket to make thy land desolate, and thy
cities shall be laid waste. I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place,,as a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down;
the earth shall mourn,-the whole city shall flee," Jerem. iv.
7, 26 —29. The land here is the church, and city is its doctrine; thus the devastation of the church by falses of doctrine
is described.'"The spoiler shall conme upon every city, and no
city shall escape; the valley shall perish, and the plain shall be
145                                         E




195               TrHE APOCA:,YPSE REVEALED.        [Clhap. iii.
destroyed," Jerem. xlviii. 8: the same here.  "' Behold, I have
made thee-a defenced city-against the whole land," Jeremn.
i. 18: this to the prophet, because prophet signifies doctrine of
tlhe church, n. 8.  "I1n that day shall this soncg be sunon in the
lind of Judcla, We have a strong city, salvation will Fod appoint for walls and bulwarkls," Isaiah xxvi. 1. "The great city
was divided into three parts, and the c~iti;es of the nations fell,'
Apoc. xvi. 19. The prophet saw on a high mountain the structure of a city on the south, andl an angel measured the wall, the
gates, tlle chamnbeis tile porchl of thie gate, and( the name of
tlhe city was Jehovah there, E7zek. xl. 1, and following verses.
"There is a river, tle streams w-helreof shall make glad the city
(f/ God," Psahnm xlvi. 4.  " I will set thle Egyptians against the
Egyptians, alnd city agsa, in-t; city, and kingdom  nagainst kingdoln,T" Isaiah xix. 2.  "'Evc  r kingdom divided against itself is
brought to de,,olation, and( (cvrlXT ct/y-  divided against itself
shall not stand," ]!iatt. xii. 25. In these places by cities, in the
spiritual sense, are imeant, doctiles; i as also in Isaiah vi. 11;
xiv. 12, 17, 21; xi-. 18, 19; xxv. x — 3; xxxiii. 8, 9; liv. 3; lxiv.
10; Jeirelr vii. 17, 34; xiv. l  I -); xxxii. 42, 44;  xxxiii. 4;
Zeph. iii. 6; Psalm xlviii. 2; lv. 9; cvii. 4, 7; MAatt. v. 14, 15;
and elsewhere.  Fro-,r thle siOnificatiLon of city it may appear,
what is mleant by cities in dills parluble of the Lord: A certain
nobleman, wheen he x vwezt into atl -hel country to receive fo)r himnself a kingdom, gave unto) lis seil:rvalts money to trade with;
and whTen he was returined he cds!,e1( his servants; " then came
tlhe first, saying, Lo-rd, tly pound biath gainled ten pounds; and
lie said unto him, WTell tlion good servant,-h cave thozb c athority
over ten cities: and thle second came, saying, Lord, thy pound
hath gained five pounds; andcl le said likewise to him, Be th/ou
also oerP five cities," Luke xix, 12-19.  By cities here, also,
doctrin-als or truths of doctline are signified, and by being over
them is meant to be intelligent and wise, thus to give authoritly
over them  is to give inteliigen-ce and wisdom; ten signifies
much,  and five, something  that by trading and ogaining is
meant to acquire intelligence by the exercise of one's faculties,
is evident. That the holy city Jelrusalen signifies thle doctrine
of the New Chnurch, is plain firom the description of it, Aploc.
xxi.; for it is dlescribed as to its dimensions, also as to its gates,
its wall, and its foundations, wvhTich), when Jerusalem  signifies
the cluirel,1 cannot signif}y any other than things b]),-)inging to
its doctrines; neither is the church a church fi-omn ainy ctlher
cause,  Since by the city Jerusalem is meant the churlch as to
doctrine, therefore it is called the " city of truth,"' Zechl. viii.
3, 4, and in many places the " holy city," and that because
hloly is predicated of truths fr'om tIle Lord, n. 173.
195. Which cometh dclowz out of heavenz from  7my God, signi..
fies which will be from the divinle truth of thle Lord, such as it
146




V. 12-. —1-.]    TH-E APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           ] 90 - 1':,
is in heaven.   As by my God is signified divine truth, n. 193, i'follows, that'oy cominig down out of heaven from my God, whlen:
it is said of the Lord, and of the doctrine, of the New Chulrchln  i
signified divine truth firom the iLordc such  as exists in heaven.
196..And my nezo  name, signlifies the worship of the Lord
alone, with other new thingas which were not in the blolrmer
church.  That by the naine of t;le Lord is signified evely thinl)'
by which he is worshipped, may be seen. above, n. 81, thlerefore
here the worship of the Lord alone, with things new which werel
not in the former churlch.  That in the NTew Churich the Lord
alone is worshipped, is evident iioln chap. xxi. 8, 9, where that
chulch is called the'6 LaInbs W7ife."'  That tllele are things new
in that church, appears  fonm  cllip. xxi. 5, where it is said,' Behold, I make all thlilngs n'ew."  Sulch li herefore is the sigl.ilication of my new naleL  winch wias to be written upon tllem
197. Hie that hcath/ aCb ear let hi:n, 1eeear owhact te    ir
saith umnto the c/hurches, sig'nifies tlhat he  110who understands, ouglht:
to obey what the divine tlruth of thle'Word teaches those who
are to be of the kNew Chlurlch, which is the New Jerusalemr  as
above, n. 87.
198. Anzd uznto the angel of the ch/arch, of the LacodieeOa-ns
write, signifies to those and concerning  those, in the church
who alternately believe, sometimes friom themselves, and sometimes fiom the Wordcl, and thus profane tlhings holy.  But concerning these something must be premlisedc: there are to be
found in the church those who believe and yet do not believe.
thus they believe that there is a God, that the Word is 1holy,
that there is eternal life, and many other things conllnected wit]h
the church and its doctrine; andc still they do not believe themn -
they believe them when in their sensual natural [state], but
they do not believe theln when they are in their rational nfatulral
[state]; thus they believe'cthem   when- they are in externals,
therefore when they are in society and discourse with others 
but they do not believe them when they are in internals, consequently when they are not in society with others, but are discoursing with tlhelnselves; concerninog these it is said tlhat they
are neither cold nor hot, and that they shall be vomited ont.
199. lThese things scaitb  thle Amew, lthe faitlz/ft and t'.z rue
witness, signifies the Lord as to the Word, which is divine truth
from hihn.  That armen is divine confirmation fiom truth itself;
which is the Lord, so fiom the Lord, may be seen above, n. 23 
and that a faitllfiul and true witness, when spoken of the Lord,
is the divine truth which is firom  him  in the YWord, n. 6, 16(
Whether you say that the Lord testifies of himself, or that the
Word testifies of him, it amounts to the samne, because the Son.
of lfan, Who here speaks to the churches, is the Lord as to tl-lhe
Word, n. 44.  These things are premised to this church, because
those persons in the church are hlere treated of who bothl believe
147




200              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. ill.
fiom themselves and from  the Word; and they who believe
firom the Word, believe from the Lord.
200. The beginnilng of' the creation of God, signifies the
Word. That the Word is the beginning of the creation of God,
is not yet known in the church, because these w. rds in John are
not understood: " In the beginning was thle Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God: all things were made by
him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In' him was life, and the life was the light of men. He was in
the world, and the world was made by him, but the world knew
himl not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwvelt among us,
and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of tihe
Father," i. 1, 3, 4, 10, 14. He who understands these womids
in their interior sense, and at the same time compares them with
what is written in Tlhe Doctrine of the Aew Jerusalem concervning
the sSacred Scripture, as also with some things in The D)octrine
of the New Jerusalem concerzni'.ng the Lord, may see that the
divine truth itself in the Word which was formerly in this world,
as mentioned in n. 11, whichli likewise is in our Word at this day,
is meant by the Word which was in the beginning with God, and
which was God; but not the Word regarded merely as to the
words and letters of the languages in which it is written, but as
seen in its essence and life, which is firom within in the senses or
meaning of its words and letters; from this life does the Word
vivify the affections of that man's will who reads it devoutly; and
from the light of its lift it illuminates the thoughts of his understanding, therefore it is said in John: "Jit him [the Word'] was
li/e, and the life was tfhe light of men," verse 4; this constitutes
the Word, because the Word is fi'om the Lord, and concerning
the Lord, and thus the Lord. All thought, speech, and writing,
derives its essence and life fiom  him who thinks, spealks, and
writes; the man, with all that he is, being therein; but in the
Word, the Lord alone is. No one however feels and perceives
the divine life in the Word but lie who is in the spirituial affection
of truth when he reads it, for le is in conj unction with the Lord
through the Word; there being something intimately affecting
the heart and spirit, which flows with light into the understanding and bears witness. The signification of what is said in John
is similar to that conveyed by these words in the first chapter
of Genesis: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the
eartth,-and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters;
and God said, Let there be light, and there was light," verse 1
-3.  The spirit of God is divine truth, and also light; divile
truth is the Word, therefore when the Lord calls himself the
Word, he also calls himself the light, John i. 4, 8, 9. The same
is also understood by this passage in David: "By the Word of
Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the
breath [spirit] of his mouth," Psalm xxxiii. 6. In short, witlh
148




v. 14 —16.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.'201-204
out the divine truth of the Word, which in its essence is the
divine g.ocl of the Lord's divine love, and the divine truth of his
divine wisdom, man could not have life; by means of the Word
there is a conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with
the Lord, and by that conjunction there is life: there must be
something from the Lord, which it is in the power of man to receive, and by which there can be conjunction and thence life
everlasting. Fromn these considerations it may appear, that by
the " Beginning of the creation of God," is understood the World,
and if you will believe it, the Word such as it is in its literal
sense, for this sense is the aggregate of its interior sanctities, as
is abundantly shown in Th/e -Doctrine of the New Jerusalemn concerntzg the Sacrecd Scriptutre. And what is wonderful, the
Word is -so written, that it communicates. with the universal
heaven, and severally with each society there, which it has been
given me to know by lively experience, as has been advanced
elsewhere. That the Word in its essence is such, is moreover
evident from these words of the Lord: " The words that I speak
to you, they are spirit, and they are life," John vi. 63.
201. _Iknow thy worics, signifies that the Lord sees all their
interiors and exteriors at once, as above, n1. 76.
202. TThat thou art neither cold nor hot, signifies that they
who are such, sometimes deny that the Word is divine and holy,
and at other times acknowledge it. At one time to deny 111
heart the sanctity of the Word, and at another time to acknowledge it, is to be neither cold nor hot, for such persons are both
tor the Word and against it: they are also just the same with
iespect to God, at one time they deny, and at another time
acknowledge him; in like manner as to every thing relating to
the church; for which reason they are sometimes with those who
iare in hell, and at other times with those who are in heaven, and
fly as it were between both, up and down, and wherever they
fly, thither their countenances are turned. They become so,
who have confirmed themselves in a belief of the existence of a
God, of heaven and hell, and of life eternal, and afterwards
rcede from it; when the first confirmation returns, they acknowledge, but when it does not return, they deny: they recede
because they afterwards think only of themselves and the world,
continually aspiring to pre-eminence, and thereby immersing
theinselves in their selfhood; and thus hell swallows them up.
203. Iwould thou wert cold or hot, signifies that it is better
for them either from the heart to deny the holy things of the
Word and of the church, or from the heart to acknowledge them.
The reason will be explained in the next article.
204. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold
nor hot, I will vomit thee ou2t of my mouth, signifies profanation and consequent separation from the Lord. "I will vomit;hee out of my mouth," signifies to be separated from the Lord.
149




206               THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. iii.
and such separation from the Lord consists in being neither in
heaven nor in hell, but in a place apart, deprived of humian life,
where mere pllhantasies exist; the reason is, because they have
mixed truths with falses, and goods with evils, thus holy things
with profane, in such a mlanner as that they cannot be separated;
amnd since man cannot thlen be prepared, either for heaven or hlell,
thle whole of his rational life is destroyed, and the ultimates of
lifei alone remain, which, when separated fioll the interiors of
life, are mere llphantasies.  Concerningll, their state and lot more
mlay be seen in Th/e Angelic W':l isdcon'm concerninqg th/e Iiviine
Providence, n. 226-228, 231, which will suffice to give an idea
of them.  It is sild of themti thalt they are vomlited out, because
the world of spirits, Ailhich i iill thle llidst between heaven and
hell, and into which every mmian fi-rst coimes after death, and is
there prepared, correspond Ls to the stomach, in which all the
ingesta aie preparecld io  beilg converted eithel into blood and
ties}, or exciement tuld urine, tlhe latter having a correspolldence
with hell, but the oloineci witll leaveii; but the substances that
are vomited out of the stolnach are such as have not undergone
that separation, but remaill  coinimlixed.  IBy reason of this correspondence, thile expressioll vomited and vomit are used in the
following passages:'" Driink thou also, and let thy foreskin be
uncovered; and the cup of the Lord's right hland shall be turned
unto thee, and the shalneful vonziting shall be on thy glory,"
H1abak. ii. 15, 16.  " Make ye himn dtrunken,:Moab also shall
wallow in his vo?,t,'" Jerelin. xlviii. 26. "All tables are full of
vomit and fithiness," Isaiall xxviii. 8; besides other places, as
Jereil. xxv. 27; Levit. xviii. 24, 25, 28.  That warm  water
excites vomiting, is also from correspondence.
206. -Because thoua sayest,  Jan. rich aqcld ircreased with goods,
signifies that they think- they possess in all abundance the knowledges of iwhat is good aid true, which are of heaven and the
church.  To be rich and incrleased with. goods, here signifies
nothing else than to know and understandcl fully such thingl  as
belong to the church and to heaven, and are called spiritual and
theological, because these arle here considered; spiritual riches
and abundance consist in nothing else. They who believe firom
themselves, and not from  the Lolrd throughl the Word, think
also that they know and understand every thing; the reason is,
because their spiritual mind is shut, and their natural mind alone
open; and this mind, devoid of spiritual light, sees no othlerwise.
That by riches and possessions in the Word are signified spiritual
riches and possessions, which are knowledges of what is good and
true, is evident fioln the following places: "With thy wisdom
anid with thy understanding thou lhast gotten thee riches, anld
lhast gotten gold and silver in thy treaszures; by thy great wisdomn thou hast increased thy rZices C," Ezek. xxviii. 4, 5; this is
spoken of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the know,
150




. 16. —17.]     TIlE APOCALYPSES REVEALED.         207, 208
ledges of what is good and true: in like manner, 6' The daughter
of Tyre shall be there with a gift, even the ric/, amcnong t/he people
shall entreat thy fiavour," Psalm xlv. 12.  "The Lord will cast
her out and he will smiteher wealt/h in tlle sea," Zech. ix. 4.
"They shall make a spoil of thy'riches," Ezek. xxvi. 12. Ashlur
hath said, " By the strength of my hand I have done it, and
by my wisdom, for I aim prudent; and I-.have robbed theii
treasures, and my hand hathl found-the ri~ches of the people,'
Isaiah x. 13, 14. Here Ashur signifies the rational faculty perverting the goods and truths of the clhurch, these constitntig,
the treasures and riches of the people, which he takes away.
6 I will give thee the trewasures of darkness, and hidden rich/es
of secret places," Isaiah xlv. 3.  "'Blessed is the man1 that
feareth Jehovah, wealth and riches shall be in his house, aind
his righteousness endureth for ever," Psalm  cxii. 1, 3. God
"hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath
sent empty away," Luke i. 53. "Woe unto you that are r-ich,
for ye have received your' consolation; woe nto you tllhat are
full, for ye shall hunger,'" Luke vi. 24, 25. By the rich here are
understood those who were in possession of the knowledges of
what is good and true, from their possessing the Word; who
were the Jews: the samlne is meant by the rich man, who was
clothed in pnrple anld fiine linen, Luke xvi. 19; and in like
imanner by the rich and riches in other places; as in Isaiah
xxx. 6; Jerem. xvii. 11; Micah iv. 13; vi. 10; Zech. xiv. 14;
Matt. xii. 35; xiii. 44; Luke xii. 21.
207. And have nzeed (if notlhing, signifies that they have no
need of more wisdom, as is evident fi'rom what has been said
above, because it follows of course.
208. And zknowest not that thou art wretchecd, signifies that
they are inot aware that all they know and think respecting the
truths and goods of the cllurch, is totally incoherent, and like
nncemented walls. By being wretched is here signified a want
of coherence, thus by those who alre wretched, such as think
incoherently concerning the things of the church; the reason
is, because they of whom this is said, at one time deny God,
heaven, eternal life, and the sanCtity of the Word, and at alother time acknowledge them; therefore what they build with
one hand they pull down with thle other; thus they are like
those that build a house, and presently pull it down; or that
clothe themselves in handsome garments, and presently tear
tlhem; their houses are therefore rubbish, and their garments
rags: such is the nature of all their thoulghts concerninlg the
church and heaven, thouglh they are not aware of' it. This is also
meant by wretchedness or Imisery in the followilng places: "'Thy
wisdom and thy knowledge it hath pervertecl thee, and thou hast
said in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me; therefore
shall misery come upon thee," Isaiah xlvii. 10, 11.  I".Aisei,
1.51




209, 210        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iii.
shall come upon misery. and tile king shall mourln, and the prince
shall be clothed with desolation," Ezek. vii. 26, 27. The king
who shall nmourn, and the prince who shall be clothed with desolation, are they who are in truths of the church.  "There is no
faithfulness in their mouth,-mnisery is in the midst of them,"
Psalm v. 9. Such also is the signification of the uncemented
walls spoken of in Jerem. xlix. 27; Ezek. xiii. 11, 12; Hosea ii. 6.
209. And mniserable c6nd poor, signifies that they are without
truths and goods. By the imiserable and poor, in1 the spiritual
sense of the Word, are meant they who are without the knowledges of things true and good, for they are spiritually miserable
and poor; the same are understood hereby in the following places:
" I am miserable and poor, yet the Lord thinketh Upon me,"
Psalm xl. 17; lxx. 5. "Bow down thine ear, O Jehovah, hear
me, for I am  miserable and poor," Psalm lxxxvi. 1. "The
wicked have drawn out their sword and have bent their bow,
to cast down the  miserable a0nd poor," Psalm xxxvii. 14. The
wicked hath "persecuted the mniserable and poor, that he might
even slay the broken in heart," Psalm cix. 16. God will i"j udge
the mniserable of the people, he shall save the children of thle
poor: he shall deliver the poor when he crietl, the miserable
also, and himn that hath no helper," Psalm lxxii. 4,12. Jehovah
delivereth " the miserable firom him that is too stroneg for him,
yea the poor and the needy fi'om him that spoileth him," Psalm
xxxv. 10. The wicked " deviseth wicked devices to destroy the
miserable with lvinog words, even wlhen the poor speaketh rlight,"
Isaiah xxxii. 7. "The nmisecrable also shall increase tllei joy in
Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One
of Israel," Isaiah xxix. 19. " EBlessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdonm of heaven," Matt. v. 3. Not to mention
other passages, as Isaiah x. 2; Jerem. xxii. 16; Ezek. xvi. 49;
xviii. 12; xxii. 29; Amos viii. 4; Psalm ix. 18; lxix. 32, 33;
lxxiv. 21; cix. 22; cxl. 12; Dent. xv. 11; xxiv. 14; Luke xiv.
13, 21, 23. By the poor and the needy are chliefly understood
those who are not in the knowledges of what is good and true,
and yet desire then, for by the rich are understood such as are
possessed of the knowledges of things good and true, n. 206.
210. And blind ancd naked, signifies that they are without
the understanding of truth, and the will of good. By the blind,
in the Word, are meant those who are without tlruths, either
from a defect thereof in the chucllh and so firom ignorance, or
from the want of understanding them; and by the naked are
meant those who are without good; for all spiritual good is
acquired by means of truth. [No others are understood by the
blind in the following places: "In that day shall the deaf hear
the words of the Book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out
of-darkness," Isaiah xxix. 18. "Behold, your God will come,
then the eyes of the blintd shall be opened," Isaiah xxxv. 4, 5.
152




r. 17, 18.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           211, 212
"I will give thee for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind
eyes," Isaiah xlii. 6, 7.  "I will bring the blind by a way that
they knew not, I will make their darlkness light," Isaiah xlii. 16.
" Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that
have ears," Isaiah xliii. 8. "His watchmen are blind,-and
cannot understand," Isaiah lvi. 10, 11.  "He hath blinded their
eyes,. and hardened their heart, that they should not see with
their eyes, nor understand with their heart," John xii. 40.
"Jesus said, For judgment am I come into this world, that
they which see not might see, and that they which see, might
be mnade blind,9' John ix. 39. Blind, foolish, infatuated guides,
Matt. xxiii. 16, 17, 19, 24.  "Blinzd, leaders of the blind."
~Matt. xv. 14; Luke vi. 39. By reason of the signification of
blind and blindness, it was forbid to offer for sacrifice any
thing that was blind, Levit. xxi'. 18; Dent. xv. 21. That they
should not cast a stumbling-block before the blind, Levit. xix. 14.
That he was cursed who made the blind to. wander out of the
way, Deut. xxvii. 18.  Concerning the signification of naked
and nakedness, see below, n. 213.
211. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fre, thl/a
thou mayest be rich, signifies an admonition to acquire to thlemselves the good of love fiom the Lord by means of the Word,
that they may become wise.  For to buy signifies to acquire
to oneself; of me, signifies of the Lord by the Word; gold
signifies good, and gold tried in the fire, the good of celestial
love; and to be enriched thereby, signifies to become intelligent and wise.  Gold signifies good, because nmetals in their
order signify such things as are of good and truth, gold celestial
and spiritual good, silver the truth of those goods, brass natural
good, and iron natural truth.  These are signified by the metals
of which the statue of Nebuchadnezzar consisted, whose head
was of gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and tllighs
of brass, his legs iron, his feet part zron and part clay, Dan. ii.
32, 33; by which- are represented the successive states of the
church as to the good of love and the' truth of wisdom.  From
this succession of the states of the church, the ancients gave
similar names to times, callil ig them ages of gold, silver, brass,
and iron, and by the goldeni age they understood the earliest
times, when the good of celestial love prevailed; celestial love
is the love of the Lord fi'om the Lord; fi'om this love they at
that time possessed wisdom. That gold signifies the good of
love may be seen below, n. 913.
212. And wh/ite raiment, that thou mnayest be clothed, signifies that they should acquire to themselves genuine truths of
wisdom. That raiment or garments signify truths investing
good, may be seen above, n. 166, and that white is spoken of
truths, n. 167, therefore white raiment signifies the genuine
trutls of wisdom, and this, because gold purified in the fire
153




213              THE APOCALYPSE REVE. LED.         [Clap. iii.
signifies the good of celestial.ove, the trtuths of this icve being
geluine tlruths of wisdom.
213. That the sh/amce of thy nakedness nzcay not appear, sig-,.ifies lest the good of celestial love should be prlelfi'ec and adulterated. _No one can know what the shame of nakelntess signifies,
unless lie knows that the imembers of generatioii in both sexes,
wlhich are also called the genitals, correspond to celestial love.
That ther.e is a correspondence of man and all his members with
the heavens, may be seen in the work concerning lleaven and
/elle, 11. 87-102, and that the membelrs of generation correspond
to celestial love, in Tlie Ar'eana  w oese,3tia, I1. 5050-5062.  As
those members correspond to celestial love, which is the love of
the third or inmost heaven, and man is born frorm his parents to
loves which are opposite to that love, it is evident, that if' he does
not acquire to himself the good of love and the truth of wisdom
fiom the Lord, signified by gold tried in the fire, and white raiment, he will appear in the opposite love, which is profane. This
is signified by uncovering nakedness and revealing shame, in the
following places:'Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his
garments, lest he walk n7aked, and they see his schame," Apoc.
xvi. 15.  "' Sit in the dust, 0 virgin daughter of Babylon-and
of the Chalcldeas,-uncover thy locks, lmake bare the leg, uncover
the thigh, pass over the rivers, thy cnakfednqess shall be uncovered,
yea thy shdane shall be seen," Isaiah xlvii. 1, 2, 3.  "Woe to
the bloody city,-beca-use of the multitude of its whoredoms, I
will discover thy skirts upcon thy face, and I will show the nations
thy ~nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shcame," Nahum iii. 1, 4, 5.' Plead with youlr mnother-lest I strip her naked," Il6sea ii. 2, 3.
When I passed by thee,-I covered thy ncakedness; then I
washed thee,-and clothed thee, but thou didst commnit wholedom, and lhast not remembered thy youth, when thou wast naked
and bare, therefore is thy zTakedzess discovered, Ezek. xvi. 6, and
following verses. "Jerusalenm hlath grievously sinned, therefore
-all despise her because they have seen her nakedlesss," Lament.
i. 8. By Jerusalem, of whonm these things are said, is understood
the church, and committing whoredorlns signifies to adulterate
and falsifyr the Word, n. 134.  "Woe unto him that giveth his
neighbour drink, and mIaketh him drunken, that thou Inayest
look on their naked~ness;-drink thou also, and let thy foreskin
be uncovered," Habak. ii. 15, 16. Ie who knows  hllat nakedness signifies, may understand what is signified by Noah's lying
drunken with wine, and naked, in the imidst of his tent, and
that Ham saw and derided his,nakcecdness; and that Sllen and
Japhet covered his nakedness, turlninlg awcay their faices tlat they
miglht not see it, Gen. ix. 21, 22, 23; also, why it was commlanded
that Aaron and his sons should not ascend by steps upon the
altar, lest their nakedness should be discovered, Exod. xx. 26;
and likewise, that they should "make them linen breeches, to
154




I. 18, 19.1      THE APOCALYPSE REVEAED.           21.4 —-216
cover their nakedness," and that they should " be upon thenl
when they came near unto the altar, and that otherwise they
would bear iniquity and die," Exod. xxviii. 42, 43.  By nakedness, in these places, are signified the (vils to which man is born,
which, because they are opposite to tlie good of celestial love,
are in themselves profane, and are not removed otherwise than
by means of truths and a life conformable to tlem; for linen
signifies truth, n. 671. By nakedness is also signified i1nnocence,
and likewise ignorance of good and truthl~ innocence, in the
followin=g passage: "And they were botll nalced, the man and
his wife, and were not ashamed," Gen. ii. 25. Ignorance of good
and truth in this: " Is not this the fa.st that I have chosen l Is
it not to deal thy bread to the hnuollry,-and when thou seest
the nacled, that thou cover him?." isaiah lviii. 6, 7.' IHath
given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the zcakecd with
a garment," Ezek. xviii. 7. "I was an thungetredc and ye gave
e imeat; I was-nackecd, and ye clothecl me," Matt. xxv. 35, 36.
214. And anoint /thine eyes withl eye-salve, that thous  m9ayest
see, signifies, that their umderstanding may be healed, lest the
genuine truths of' wisdom should be lrofanecl and falsified. That
by the eyes is sig'nified the   stanig, ad b the understanding, and by the eye-sight
intelligence and wisdom, may be seen, n. 48; and since by eyesalve a medicine for the same is signified, it follows that by
C" anoint thine eyes with eye-salve." is signified to heal the' uinderstandilg, that it may see and know truths and advance
thereby in wisdom; for unless this is the case, the genuine
trlths of the Word arle profaned and adulterated.
215. As Imancy as I loe, I rebulke and clasten, signifies that
such of them as do so ale beloved by tlle Lord, and that then
they cannot but be admnitted to temptations that they may fight
against themselves.  That this is tile sense of these words, is
evident, for it is said, " As many as I love," by whom are meant
they who buy of thle Lord gold p-urified in the fire, and who
anoint their eyes with eye-salve that they may see: it is said,
" I rebuke and chasten" themn, by which is meant temptation
as to iklses and evils; by rebuking, telnptation as to falses, and
by chastening, temptation as to evils. Such as are here treated
of, could not but be led into temptations, because, withouIt
theml  negations and confirmations against divine truths could
not be extirpated. Temptations are spiritual combats against
the falses and evils in one's self, thus against one's self: what
temptations are, whence they proceed, and whllat good they produce, see the'work concerning T/e New d Jerusaler  and its
hIeavenl y Doctrvin.e, n. 187-201.
216. Be zealous, therefore, anld repent, signifies that this
should be done fi'orn the affection of truth, and aversion of what
is false. It is here said, " Be zealous," because it was said above,
verse 15, "I would thou wert either cold or hot," here hot, foT
1.55




217 — 219       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. inl.
zeal is spirituat heat, and spiritual heat is the affection of love,
in this case the affection of the love of truth, and he who acts
firom the affection of the love of truth, acts also fiom aversion to
what is false; therefore this is signified by repent.  Zeal in the
Word, when applied to the Lord, signifies love, an(l wrath; love,
in John ii. 17; Psalm lxix. 10; Isaiah xxxvii. 32; lxiii. 15; Ezek.
xxxix. 25; Zech. i. 14; viii. 2. Wrath, in Dent. xxxii. 16, 21;
Psalm lxxix. 5, 6; Ezek. viii. 18; xxiii. 25; Zeph. i. 1S; iii. 8.
But zeal in the Lord is not wrath, it only appears so in externals;
interiorly it is love. It appears so in externals, because the Lord
seems to be angry when lie rebukes man, especially when man's m
own evil punishes him. It is so permitted out of love, that his
evil may be removed; just like a parent, who, if he loves his
children, suffers theml to be chastised for the sake of removing
their evils. Hence it is evident, why Jehovah calls himself
jealous, Dent. iv. 24; v. 9, 10; vi. 14, 15.
217. Behold, I stand at 4he door, anzd inock, signifies that
the Lord is present to every one in the Word, and is there pressing to be received, and teaches how. Something sinmilar to this
is said by the Lord in-Luke: " Be ye like unto men that wait
for their Lord, when he will return fiom  the wedding; that
when he cometh and knocketh, they may op2en unto /higr ivvnmediately," xii. 36. That door signifies admission and entrance,
may be seen above, n. 176.
218. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, signifies
he who believes in the Word and lives according to it. To hear
his voice is to believe in the Word, for the divine truth of the
Word is the voice of Jehovah, n. 37, 50; and to open the door
is to live according to it; because the door is not opened, and the
Lord received, by barely hearing his voice, but by living according to it, for the Lord says, "He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, I will manifest myself to him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him," John xiv. 21
-24. That man ought to open the door as fiom hinmself, by
shunning evils as sins, and doing good, is shown in The Doctrine
of Jlfefor the New Jerusalem; and that this is the case, is also
evident friom the Lord's words here, " If any man open;" as also
from his words in Luke xii. 36.
219. I will come in to him, and will s'up with him, and he
with me, signifies that the Lord joins himself with them  and
then with himself. To come in and sup with him,' signifies to
join himself to him, and, since tlhere must be reciprocation that
there may be conjunction, it is also said, "and he with me."
That to be conjoined is signified by coming in and supping,
appears firom the Holy Supper instituted by the Lord, by means
of whlich the Lord's presence is effected with those who hear his
voice, that is, who believe in the Word, but his conjunction with
those who live according to the Word: to live according to the
156




v. 19-21.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        220-222
Word is to do the work of repentance, and to believe in the
Lord. To sup, and the Lord's supper, are mentioned, because
supper takes place in the evening, and by the evening is signi
fled the last time of the church; therefore when the Lord de
parted out of the world, the last time of the church being then
arrived; he supped with his disciples, and instituted the sacrament
of the supper. That evening signifies the end of the old church
and morning the beginning of the new, may be seen above, n. 13
220. To himrn that overcometh, signifies such as are in conjunction with the Lord by a life conformable to his precepts in
the Word, as is evident from what has been said above.
221. Will I give to sit with me in my throne, signifies that
they will have conjunction with the Lord in heaven. That
the Lord's throne is heaven, may be seen above, n. 14, therefore to sit with the Lord in his throne, signifies conjunction
with him in heaven.
222. -Evegn as I also overcamre, ancd am set down, with my
Father in Ais throne, signifies in like mnanner as he and the
Father are one, and are heaven. That the Fatherland the Lord
are one, is fully shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem
coincerning the Lord, and elsewhere. That heaven is not heaven
from any property of the angels, but fiom the divine [principle]
of the Lord, which is in the angels and about them, therefore by
these words, in like manner as I " am set down with my Father
in his throne," is signified like as he and the Father are one, and
are heaven; throne signifies heaven, n. 14, 221. "Even as I
also overcame," signifies that by temptations admitted into his
human nature, and by the last of them, which was the passion
of the crloss, as also by the fillfilling of every thing in the Word, he
overcame the hells and glorified his Humanity, that is, he united
it to the Divihiity which was in him by conception, and is called
Jehovah the Father, on which subject see the above mentioned
Doctrine of the New Jerusalemn conerning the Lord, n. 8-11;
n. 12-14; n. 29-36, and also above, n. 67. The reason why
the Lord says, "To him that overcometh will I give to sit with
me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with
my Father in his throne," is, because the union of the Lord with
the Father, that is, with the divinity within himself, took place,
to the end that it might be possible for man to be joined to the
divinity which is called the Father in the Lord; because it is
impossible for man to have conjunction with the divinity of the
Father immediately, but only mediately through his Divine
Humanity, which is the divine natural [principle]; therefore the
Lord says: " No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, lhe hath manifested him," John i. 18; and in another place: "' I am the way,
the truth, and the life, no one cometh to the Father, but by me,"
John xiv. 6. The Lord's conjunction with man is by means
157




223, 224         THE APOCALYPSE RiEVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
of his divine truth, and this in man is of thle Lord, thus the
lord, ani by no means man's, consequently is not man: man,
indeed, feels it as his own, but still it is not his, for it is not
united to him, but adjoined; not so the Father's divinity, this
is not adjoined but united to the Lord's Humanity, as the soul
is to its bodyv.  He who understands these things, may understand the following words of the Lord: "He that abdireth i;
me and I in him, the same bringeth forth munch fruit, for with
oatt me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5.  " At that day ye shall
know that I am in my Father, and yott in Me, aznd   in you,"
John xiv. 20; and these: " Sanctif'y them through thy truth;
thy Word is truth; for their sakes I suawctify myself} that they
also might be sanctified through the truth: that they all may
be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in, us; I n, therm andCZ  thou~ in me," John xvii. 17,
19, 21, 23.
223. 2Ie that hath an, eCar, let hin hear what the Spirit saicth
unto the churches, signifies that he who understands, ougoht to
obey what the divine truth of the Word teaches those who are
to be of the New Church, which is the No;ew Jerusalem, as above,!!. 8r.
224. To this I shall add the following 3/Melorable Relation.
I saw a number of spirits assembled, all upon their knlees, prlaying to God to send his angels, that they might converse with
them face to face, and open to themn   the thoughlts of their hearts.
And when they arose, there appeared three angels ill white linen
garments, standing before them, and they said, The Lord Jesus
Christ has heard your prayers, and has therefore sent us to yenou;
openl unto ns the thougllts of yourhearts. And they answered, We
have been told by our priests, that in matters of a theological
natlure the understandin.g avails nothing, but onl-vy flith, and that
in such things intellectual faith is of no service to any one, because it is derived from man.  We are Englishmen, and have
heard many things fromi our holy priesthood, which we believed;
but when we have conversed with others, who also called thelmselves the refolrmed, and with others who called themselves Roman Catholics, and likewise with sectaries, they all appeared to
us learned, and yet, in many things, one did not agree with another, and still they all said, " Believe ns;" and some of them,
" We are God's ministers, and know." ]But as we know that
the divine truths, which are called truths of filith, and which
appertain to the church, are not delived to any one fioln his
native soil, nor by inheritance, but out of heaven fiomn God;
and as these show the w-av to heaven, and enter into the life
together with the good of charity, arld so lead to eternal life, we
beiame anxious, and playecd to God upon our knees.  Thlen answered the angels, Reald the Word, and believe in the Lord, and
you will see the truths which should con.stitute your faith and
158




v, 21, 22.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.                 224
life; for all in theChristian world draw their doctrinals from the
Word as the only fountain.  But two of the company said, We
have read, but did not understand; and the angels replied, You
did not approach the Lord, and you have besides confirmed yourselves in flalses; and added, What is faith without light. and what
signifies thiinking without understanding? there is nothinig human in it; even magpies and ravens can learn to speak without
underlstanding.  We can affllrm to you, that every miin, whose:.oil desires it, is capable of seeing the truths of' the Word in
the ligllt; there does not exist an animal that does not know
the food p1oper to its life when it sees it, and man is a rational
and spiiitual animal, who sees the food of his life, not that of
his body, -bt of his soul, which is the truth of faitlh, proidcledc
indeed l  nhungers after it, and seeks it of the l.ord; whatsoever
is not received also in the understanding, is ilot fixed in the
minemory in reality, but only verbally; therefore, when we have
looked down out of heaven in the world, we have not seen any
ching, btut have only heard sounds, that are for the most part
dissonant.  But we will enumerate some things which the
learned amnong, the clergy have erneoved fiom the understanding, not lknowing that there are two ways to thle understanding,
one froln the world, and the other finom heaven, and that thle
Lord withdraws the understanding firom  the world when lie
illuminates it; but if the unclerstanding be closed by religion,
the way into it fiom heaven is closed, and then man sees no
more in the Word tllan a blind person: we have seen nmany
such fall into pits, out of which they have never risen again.
Examples munst serve for illustration: are you not able to ucnderstancl what charity is, and what faith is; that charity consists
in doing well by your neighbour, and that faith consists in
thinkingr  well of God and of the esseltials of the chluchli and
therefbre that he who does well and thinks well, tha-t is, who
lives well and believes well, will be saved? They replied, that
these things they did un-derstand.  Tllen said the angels, Do
yon not understand, that repentance from  sins is to be performed, in order that ma.n may be saved, and that, unless a man
actually repents, lie abides in the sins into which lie was bcrn,
and that the wdrk of repentance consists in not wmillin  evils
because they are against Godl, and in examining himrself once
or twice a year, in seeing his evils, in confessing them  bebfre
the Lord, imploring assistance, desisting firom them, and leadinlg
a new li-e, and as far as lie does this, and believes in the Lord,
so far his siins are remitteda  Tllen some of the comnpany replied, This we understand, and thence also what remission of
sins is.  And then they solicited the. angels to give then  further informlation, and especially  concerning God, the immoitality of the soul, regeneration. and baptism.  To this tho
angels replied, We will not say any thing  but what you caS
q~Oi




224             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iii.
understand, else our discourse will fall like rain upon sand, and
upon the seed therein, which, notwithstanding its being watered
fiom heaven, would pine and perish. Concerning GOD they
said, All who come into heaven have their place allotted them
there, and thence everlasting joy, according to their idea of
God, because this idea reigns universally in every particular of
worship; the idea of an invisible God is not determined to any
god, nor does it terminate in any, therefore it ceases and perishes; the idea of God as a spirit, when a spirit is thought of as
ether or air, is an empty idea; but the idea of God as a man is
a just idea, for God is divine love and divine wisdom, with
every quality belonging thereto, and the subject of these is
man, and not ether or wind. The idea of God in heaven is the
idea of the Lord, he being the God of heaven and earth, as lihe
himself taught; let your idea of God be like unto ours, and we
shall be consociated together.  On saying these words, their
faces became resplendent. Concerning the IMMORTALITY OF TIIE
SOUL, they said, Man lives to eternity, because he is capable of
being conjoined with God by love and faith, this indeed is possible with every one; that this possibility constitutes the immortality of the soul you may understand, provided you think
of it with a little elevation of mind. Concerning  REGENERATION; who does not see that every one is at liberty to think of
God, or not to think of him, provided he be instructed that
there is a God; so that every one has liberty in spiritual things,
equally as in things civil and moral; the Lord gives this liberty
to all continually; for which reason he becomes guilty, if he
cldes not think of' God; ian is man by virtue of this possibility;
but a beast is a beast from not having this possibility; thereblre man is capable of reforming and regenerating himself as
from himself, provided he acknowledges in his heart that lihe
does it firom the Lord: every one who does the work of repentance, and believes in the Lord, is reformed and regenerated;
mnan must do both as friom himself, but asfrom hihnself is friom
the Lord. It is true that man cannot contribute any thing
thereto, no not in the least, nevertheless you were not created
statues, but you were created men, that you might do that from
the Lord as from yourselves; this is the only reciprocation of
love and faith, that it is altogether the Lord's will that it should
be done by man unto him: in a word, do it from yourselves,
and believe that you do it from the Lord, thus do it as from
yourselves. But then the English inquired, Whether to.act as
firom  oneself, is a faculty implanted in man from  creation?
The angel answered, It is not implanted or inherent, because to
act from himself is of the Lord alone, but it is communicated
continually, thiat is, adjoined continually, and then so far as
man does good and believes what is true, as from himself, so far
he is an angel of heaven; but so far as he does evil and thence
160




Chap. iiin.]    TLE. AIPOCALYPSE REVEALED.             224
believes what is false, which is done also: as from himself, so far
he is: an angel of hell: that this also is as firom himself surprises you, but still you see: that it is so, when you piray that you
may be preserved: from the devil, lest he should seduce you, and
enter into you, as he did into Judas, fill you with all iniquity,.
and destroy you, soul and body. But every one incurs guilt.
who believes that lie acts fiom himself, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil; but he does not incur guilt, who believes:
that he acts as from himself. Concerning. BAPTISM, they said,
That it is spiritual washing, which is reformation and regeneration, and that an infant is reformed: and reoenerated, whllen, on
becoming an adult, he does the things whichi his sponsors promised for llim, which are two, repentance and faith in God;
for in the first place they promise that he shall renounce the
devil and all his works; and secondly, that he shall believe in
God. All infants in heaven are initiated into these two things,
but with them the devil is hell, and God is the Lord: moreover
baptism is a sign before the angels that a man is of the church.
On hearing these things, some of the assembly said, This we
understand. But a voice was heard fiom one side, exclaiming,
We do not understand; and another voice, We will not understand; and inquiry was made fioml  whence these voices proceeded, and it was found that they came from those who had
confirmed themselves in falses of faith, and who wanted to be
believed as oracles, and thus to be adored. Upon which the
angels said, Be not surprised; there are a great many such at
this day; they appear to us from heaven like images, made
with so much art as, to be able to move their lips, and utter
sounds like organs, but without knowing whether the breath, by
means of which they utter these sounds, comes from hell or fiom
heaven, because they do not know: whether a thing be false or
true; they reason over and over again; they confirm over and
over again without ever seeing whether it is so. But know,
that human ingenuity can confirm whatsoever it pleases, so that
it shall appear to be really true, therefore heretics and impious
persons canl do this, yea atheists can prove that there is no God,
but only nature. Afterwards the assembly of Englishmen,
being warmed with the desile of acquiring wisdom, said to the
angels, So many different sentiments are entertained of the
Holy Supper, tell. us what is the truth:. The angels replied,
The truth is that the man who looks to the Lord-and performs
repentance, is conjoined with the- Lord by means of that most
holy rite, and introduced into heaven. But some of the company said, This. is: a' mystery. To which the- angels: replied,
It is a mystery, but neverthelessit is such a one as may be: understood. The bread and:wine do not produce this effect, for
there is nothing holy in them, but material bread and heavenly
bread correspond mutually to each: other, and so do material
161                                         L




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Chap. iv.
wine and heavenly wine, and heavenly bread is the holy [princidle] of love, and heavenly wine is the holy [principle] of
faith, both from the Lord, and both the Lord; thence there is a
conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord,
not with the bread and wine, but with the love and faith of the
man who had done the work of repentance; and conjunction
with the Lord is also introduction into heaven. And after the
angels had given them some instruction concerning correspondence and its effects, some of the company said, Now for
the first time do we understand. And when they said, We
understand, behold a flame-coloured band, descending with
light firom heaven, consociated them with the angels, and their
love for one another was mutual.
CHAPTER IV.
1. Arrs  this I looked, and behold a door opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard, as it were of a trumpet talking with me, said, Come up hither, and I will show
thee things which must be hereafter.
2. And immediately I was in the spirit. And, behold, a
throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a
sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne
in sight like unto an emerald.
4. And round about the throne were four-and-twenty:thrones; and upon the thrones I saw four-and-twenty elders
sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads
crowns of gold.
5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto
crystal: and in the midst of the throne and round about the
throne, were four animals full of eyes before and behind.
7. And the first animal was like a lion, and the second
animal like a calf, and the third animal had a face as a man,
and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.
8. And the four animals had each of them six wings about
him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day
and night, saying,'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who
was, and who is, and who is to come.
9. And when the animals give glory, and honour, and thanks
to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10. The four-and-twentv elders fall down before Him that
162




Chap. iv.]      TIHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
sat on the throne, and worship Hiim that liveth for ever and
ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy,.O Lord, to receive glory, and honour,
and power, for thou hast created all things, and by thy will
they are and were created.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE' CONTENTS OF THIE WHOLE CHAPTER. The subject treated
oft is concerning the ordination and preparation of all things in
heaven for judgment, to be executed from, and according to,
the Word; likewise concerning the acknowledgment, that the
Lord is the only judge.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VE~RSE. V. 1, "After this I looked,
and behold a door opened in heaven," signifies a manifestation
of the ordination of the heavens preparatory to the last judgment from the Lord, about to be performed according to his
divine truths in the Word: "And the first voice which I heard,
as it were of a trumpet talking with me, said, Come up
hither,' signifies divine influx, and thence an elevation of the
mind, followed by manifest perception: " And I will show thee
things which must be hereafter," signifies revelations of things
to come before the last judgment, and at it, and after it: v. i,
"And inmm ediately I was in the spirit," signifies that he was
let into a spiritual state, in which the things which exist in
heaven manifestly appear: "And, behold, a throne was set in
heaven," signifies a representation of judgment: "And one
sat on the throne," signifies the Lord: v. 3, "And he that sat
was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone," signifies
the appearance of the Lord's divine wisdom and divine love in
ultimates: "And there was a rainbow round about the throne
in sight like unto an emerald," signifies the appearance of the
same also round about the Lord: v. 4, "And round about the
throne were four-and-twenty thrones, and upon the thrones
I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting," signifies the ordination
of all things in heaven preparatory to the judgment: " Clothfied
in white raiment," signifies fiorn the divine truth of the Word:
"And they had on their heads crowns of gold," signifies the
things which are of wisdom derived firom love: v. 5, " And out
of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and
voices," signifies illumination, perception, and instruction fromn
the Lord: "And there were seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne, which are the seven spirits of God," signifies a new
heaven from among Christians: v. 6, "And before the throne
there was a sea of glass like unto crystal," signifies the new
163




22              THE APOCALYPSE: REVEALED.       [Chap. iv.
heaven composed of Christiansj who are in general truths,
derived from  the literal sense of the Word: "And in the
pmidst of the throne, and round about the throne, there were
four animals," signifies the Word of God from its first principles to its ultimates, and its defences: "Full of eyes before and
behind," signifies the divine wisdom therein: v. 7, "And the
first animal was like a lion," signifies the divine truth of the
Word as to its power: "And the second animal like a calf;"
signifies the divine truth of the Word as to affection: "And
the third animal had a face as a man," signifies the divine truth
of the Word as to its wisdom: "And the fourth animal was like
a flying eagle," signifies the divine truth of the Word as to knowledge and thence understanding: v. 8, "And the four animals
had each of them six wings about him," signifies the Word as
to0 its powers and as to its defences: "Ana they were full of
eyes within," signifies the divine wisdom in the Word in its
natural sense, derived from its spiritual and celestial sense:' And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty," signifies that the Word continually
teaches of the Lord, and that he is the only God, and thence
that he alone is to be worshipped: "Who was, and who is, and
who is to come," signifies the Lord: v. 9, "And when the
animals give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that sat on
the throne," signifies that the, Word ascribes all truth, and all
good, and all worship to the Lord the judge: " Who liveth for
ever and ever," signifies that the Lord alone is life, and that
life eternal is from him alone: v. 10, "The four-and-twenty
elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship
him that liveth- for ever and ever," signifies the humiliation of
all in heaven before the Lord: "And cast their crowns before
the throne," signifies an acknowledgment that their wisdom is
from him? alone: v. 11, "Saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to, receive glory, and  honourl and power," signifies that the
kingdom is the Lord's by merit and justice, because he is the
divine truth and the divine good: "For thou hast created all
things, and by: thy will they are, and were created," signifies
that all things of heaven and, the church were made and formed,
and men reformed and regenerated from the Lord's divine love
by his divine wisdom, or from his divine good by his divine
truth, which also is the Word.
THE: EXPLANATION.
225. After tJhis; I looked, and-;behold a: door opened in
heaven, signifies a manifestation of the ordination of the heavens, preparatory to: tile: last judgment; from the Lord, about
164




v. 1, 2.j       THE APOCALYkPSE REVEAIED,       226- 228
to be performed according to his divine truths in the Word.
By an open door, when it relates to heaven, is signified adnii-S
sion, as above, n. 176; here, also, manifestation, because he
says, "I looked and behold;" and because then were seen the
things which are recorded in this chapter, which refer to the
ordination of the heavens preparatory to the last judgmeit,
about to be performed from the Lord according to his divine
trulths in the Word, therefore by " I looked, and behold a door
opened in heaven," is signified a manifestation concerning the-rm.
226. And the first voice which I heard, as it were eof a
tr'umpet talkinzg wit/h me, said, Come up hither, signifies divine
influx, and thence an elevation of the mind, follow.ed by manifest perception. That a voice, when heard from  heaven, is
influent divine truth, may be seen above, n. 37, 50, thus divine
influx; and that by a voice as it were of a trumpet, is signified
manifest perception, may also be seen above, n. 37; and by
"Come up hither," is signified elevation of the mind; for in
the spiritual world, the higher any one ascends so much the
rimore does he come into purer light, by which the understand,
ing is gradually opened, that is, the mind is elevated; therefore
it also follows, that he was then in the spirit, by which is meant
that he was let into a spiritual state, in which the things which
are in the heavens manifestly appear. The voice was heard as
it were a tirumpet, because the subject treated of is the ordination of the heavens preparatory to the last judgment; and voices
as of a trumpet are heard in'heaven, when convocations and
ordinations take place; therefore among the children of Israel
with whom all things were representative of heaven and' the
church, it was also commanded, That they should make trzunpets of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should blow with
them for the calling of assemblies, and for the journeying of tAe
camps, in days of rejoicing, in festivals, in the beginnings qf
months, over burt off eings, for a nmemq0orial, and going to war,
Numb. x. 1-11. But we shall speak of trumpets, and of sounding them, in the explanation of chap. viii., where the seven
angels are mentioned, to whom were given seven trumpets;
227. And I will show three things OwhichL must be hereafte,
signifies revelations of things to come before the last judgment,
and at it, and after it.- These things are signified, because in
the Apocalypse nothing else is treated of but the state of the
church at its end, thus the things to come to pass before the
last judgment, and at it, and after it, as above explained, n. 2.
228. Anzd immediately I was in the spirit, signifies that he
was let into a spiritual state, in which the things which exist in
heaven manifestly appear. That to be in the spirit is to be let
into a spiritual state by divine influx, as also what the nature
of a spiritual state is, and that a man in that state sees as manifestly the things which are in the spiritual world, as in the
165




229-231         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        LChap. iv.
natural state of the body he sees the things which are in this
world, may be seen above, n. 36.
229. And, behold, a throne was set, signifies a representation
of judgment. That a throne signifies heaven may be seen,
n. 14; that a throne also signifies judgment, is evident from
the following places: "When the Son of Man shall come ill his
glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit on the
throne of his glory," M/Iatt. xxv. 31, and following verses;
where the last judgment is treated of. Jehovah, " thou hast
maintained my cause, —thou sattest in the throne judging right.
Jehovah hath prepared his throne for judgment," Psalm ix. 4, 7.
"II beheld,-and the Ancient of Days did sit,-his throne was
like the fiery flame,-thousand thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before himl; the
judgment was set, and the books wei'e opened," Dan. vii. 9, 10.
"Jerusalem is builded as a city,-whither the tribes go up-for
there sit thrones of judgment,'" Psalm  cxxii. 3-5. "I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto
them," Apoc. xx. 4. The throne built by Solomon, of which
mention is made, 1 Kings x. 18-20, signified both royalty
and judgment, because kings, when they executed judgment, sat
upon thrones. It is said that a throne signifies a representation
of judgment, because the things which John saw were visions
which represented; they were seen as he has described them,
but they were forms representative of things to come, as may
appear from what follows; as that there were seen animals, a
dragon, a beast, a temple, a tabernacle, an ark, and many other
things. Similar were the things seen by the prophets, which
are mentioned above, n. 36.
230. And one sat on the throne, signifies the Lord, as appears nmanifestly from what follows, and from passages in the
Word where it is said that the Lord will execute judgment, as
in Matt. xxv. 32, 33, and following verses; John v. 22, 27; and
elsewhere.
231. And he that sat was to look  vpon~ like a jasper and
sardine stone, signifies the appearance of the Lord's divine
wisdom and divine love in ultimates. A stone, in the Word,
signifies truth in ultimates, and a precious stone, truth transparent from good, n. 915. There are two colours fundamental
of the rest in the spiritual world, red and white; white derives
its origin from the light of the sun in heaven, thus from spiritual light, which is white; and red derives its origin from the
fire of the sun there, thus from celestial light, which is flamecoloured. The spiritual angels, being in truths of wisdom fr om
the Lord, are in that white light, therefore they are clothed in
white; and'the celestial angels, being in the good of love from
the Lord, are in that flame-coloured light., tllerefore they are
clothed in red; thence those two colours obtain also in precious
166




v. 2-4.]        THE APOCLYrPSE REVEALED.          232, 233
stones in heaven, where they are in great abundance. This is
the reason why precious stones, in the Word, signify such things
as are of the truth of wisdom, or of the good of love, and that
a jasper, because it is white, signifies the things which are of
the truth of wisdom, and a sardine stone, because it is red, the
things which are of the good of love. These stones signify the
appearance of the divine wisdom and the divine love in ultimates,
because all precious stones in heaven derive their origin firom the
ultimates of the Word, and their transparency firom the spiritual sense within those ultimates: that this is the case, may
be seen in The Doctrine of thee New Jerusalem concernintg the
Sacred Scripture, n. 44, 45. The ultimates of the Word are
the truths and goods of its literal sense. That this is the origin
of precious stones in heaven is difficult to be believed by any
one in our world, because he does not know that all the things
which exist in the spiritual world are correspondences, and that
from thence all the things which exist in the natural world
derive their spiritual origin. That this is the origin of precious
stones in heaven has been permitted me to know fiom discourse
with angels, and also to see it with my eyes, but the formation
of them is from the Lord alone. But black colours, which are
also two in number, derive their origin from hell; one in opposition to white, this blackness being with those who have falsifled the truths of the Word; the other in opposition to red,
this blackness being with those who have adulterated the good
of the Word; the latter blackness is diabolical, but the former
satanical. The signification of the jasper and sardine stone may
be seen in the explanation of chap. xxi. 11, 18-20.
232. And there was a rainbow round about the throne in
sight like unto an emerald, signifies the appearance of the same
also round about the Lord. in the spiritual world there appear
rainbows of many kinds, some of various colours, as upon earth,
and some of one colour only; here of one colour only, because
it is said like unto an emerald. This appearance was round
about the Lord, because it is said round about the throne;
round about him is also in the heaven of angels. The divine
sphere which surrounds the Lord is fi-orn his divine love, and at
the same time fiom his divine wisdom, which, when it is represented in the heavens, appears in the celestial kingdom red like
a ruby, in the spiritual kingdom blue like the lazule stone, in
the natural kingdom green like the emerald; evelrywhere wit}h
ineffable splendour and effulgence.
233. And round about the throne were foyur-and-twenty
thrones, and upon the th, rones I sawfour-and twenty elders sitting, signifies the ordination of all things in heaven prepara.
tory to the last judgment. He who is ignorant of the spiritual
sense of the Word, and at the same time of the genuine truths of
the church, may suppose, that when the last judgment takes
167




234, 235         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iv
place, the Lord will sit upon a throne, and that thlere will:b
other judges also llpon thrones around him; but lhe who is acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word, and at thle same
time with t.he genuine trutlls of the church, knows that the
Lord will not sit upon a throne, and that neither will there be
other judges about him; and further, that neither will the Lord
judge any one to hell, but that the Word will judge every one,
the Lord himself directing that all thinlgs shall be done according to justice; the Lord says, indeed, "The Father judgeth no
man, but liath colnmmitted all judyzenezt unto the Soll,-anld hath
given him authority to execute jdgmenzt, because he is the Son
of Man," John v. 22, 27,; but in anotler place hle says, "I
calne not to jucdge the world, but to save the worldl; the Trord
that I have spoken, the same:shall judge him in the last day,"
John xii. 47', 48: these two passages agree, when it is known
that the Son of Ma-ll is tile Lord as to the Word, see above, 11.
44; therlefore the Word will j udge, under the Lord's direction.
That by the twelve tribes of Israel and their elders are signified
all who are of the Lord's church in tlie heavens and upon the
earths, and, abstractedly, all the truths and goods therein, may
be seen, n. 251, 349, 369, 808; and the same by the apostles, n.
79, -790, 903; hence it is plain what is signified by these words
of the Lord  " Jesus said unto his disciples, —ye which have
followed me, —_wlen the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of
his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judclging the
twelve tribes of Israel," Matt. xix. 28; Luke xxii. 30. Twelve
signifies all, and is predicated of the truths and goods of heaven
and the church, n. 348; the saine is signified by twenty-four;
therefore the twelve apostles and the twenty-four elders signify
all things of the church; and twelve, as also folr-and-twenty
thrones, signify the all of judgment. Who cannot understand,
that the apostles and elders will not judge; and that neither
are they able? From these considerations it may appear why
thrones aie elders are mentioned when the judgment is treated
of; as also in Isaiah': " Jehovah will enter into judgment with
the ancients of his people," iii. 14. In David: "Jerusalem is
builded as a city, —whither the tribes go up,-for there are set
thro~nes of judgqment," Psalm cxxii. 3, 4, 5. And in the Apocalypse: "' I saw thrones, and they sat upon then,  and jtdgnent was given unto then," xx. 4.
234. Clothed in white raiment, signifies from the divine
truth of the Word. That white garments signify genuine truths
of the Word, may be seen above, n. 166, 212.
235. And they had on their heads crowns of gold, signifies
such things as are of wisdom derived fiom love. That a crown
signifies wisdom, may be seen above, n. 189; and that gold signifies the good of love, n. 211, 913; hence a crown of gold signifies wisdom derived fiom  love. As fiom  this wisdom are
168




V. 4, 5.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            236, 237
derived all the things of heaven and the church, whicli are signified by the four-and-twenty elders, n. 233; therefore crowns
of gold were seen upon their heads. It is to be observed, that
the spiritual sense is here abstracted fi om persons, as well as
above, n. 78, 79, 96.
236. Anzd outt of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thnzderings, and voices, signifies illumination, perception, and ill
struction from the Lord.  Lighltnings, by reason of the flash
which strikes the eyes, signify illumination, and thunderings, by
reason of the noise which affects the ears, signify perception, and
when these two signify illumination and perception, then voices:signify instruction. These were seen to proceed fi'omn the throne,
becaiuse they proceed firom th-e Son of Man, or the Lord as the
Word, and froihn the Lord tlrough the Word comes all illumination, perception, and instruction. Lightnings, thunderingos
and voices, have a similar signification in other parts of the'Word, as in these places: "Thou hast with thline arm redeemed
thy people,-the skies isent out a sound, the voice of thAy th/nqder
was in the heavens, the lightnings lightened the world," Psalm:
lxxvii. 15, 17, 18.  " The li~ghtnings of Jehovah enlighteened the
world," Psalm xcvii. 3, 4.  "Thou calledst in trouble, and I
delivered thee, I answered thee in the secret place of thunzder,"
Psalm lxxxi. 7. "I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, IHalleluia;
for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," Apoc. xix. 6. As by
lightnings, and thunderings, and voices, are signified illumination, perception, and instruction, therefore when Jehovah
descended upon Miount Sinai, and promulgated the law, there
were lightnings and voices, Exod. xix. 16. And when there
came to thle Lord a voice out of heaven, it was heard as thunder,
John xii. 28, 29. And because James and John represented
charity and its works, and from these is derived all perception
of what is true and good, they were called by the Lord, Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder, Mark iii. 17. Hence it is evident, that lightnings, thunderingS, and voices, have a similar
signification in the following passages in the Apocalypse: I
heard one of the four animals, "as it were a voice of thzunder,"
vi. 1. "I heard a voice firom heaven, as the voice of a great
thunder," xiv. 2. When the angel cast the censer upon the
earth, "there were' voices, and thunderings, and lig/htningys,"
viii. 5. When the qangel cried, "seven thunders uttered their
voices, x. 3, 4. When the temple of God was opened in heaven,
"there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings," xi. 19:
and the sanle in other places.
237. And there were seven lamps of fie burningq before thd
thqrone, which are the seven,spirits of God, signifies a new heaven
firom the Lord through the divine truth proceeding fiom him.
Here bv seven lamps the same is signified as by the seven169




238              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iv
candlesticks, and also by the seven stars above. That by the
seven candlesticks is meant a new church upon earth, which
will be in illumination firom the Lord, may be seen above, n.
43, and by the seven stars, a new church in the heavens, n.
65; and whereas the church is a church from the divine [principle] which proceeds firom the Lord, which is divine truth,
and is called the Holy Spirit, therefore it is said, which are the
seven spirits of God. That by the seven spirits of God is signified that proceeding divine [principle], may be seen above, n.
14, 155.
238. And before the throne there was a sea of glass iiae u.tnto
crystal, signifies the new heaven composed of Christians who.
are in general truths derived firom the literal sense of the Word.
In the spiritual world there appear atmosphercs,-and also waters,
like as in our world; the atmospheres, in which the angels of
the supreme heaven dwell, are as it were ethereal; the atmospheres, in which the angels of the middle heaven dwell, are as
it were aerial; and the atmospheres, in which the angels of the
ultimate heaven dwell, are as it were aqueous or watery; and
these last are the seas which appear at the boundaries of heaven,
where they dwell who are in the truths of a general kind derived fiom the literal sense of the Word. That waters signify
truths, may be seen above, n. 50; hence the sea, in which
waters terminate and are collected, signifies divine truth in its
boundaries.  Since, therefore, by Him that sat on the throne is
understood the Lord, n. 230, and by the seven lamps, which
are the seven spirits of God before the throne, is understood
the New Church, which will be in divine truth from the Lord,
n. 237, it is evident that, by the sea of glass which was before
the throne, is understood the church among those who are at
the boundalies. It has also been permitted me to see the seas
which bound the heavens, and to converse with those who were
therein, and thus to know the truth of this matter from experience; they seemed to me to be in the sea, but they said that
they were not in the sea, but in an atmosphere; fiom which it
was manifest to me, that the sea is an appearance of the divine
proceeding fiom the Lord in its boundaries. That there are
seas in the spiritual world, is fully evident from their having
been seeri by John firequently, as well here as in chap. v. 13;
vii. 1 —3; viii. 8, 9; x. 2, 8; xii. 12; xiii. 1; xiv. 7; xv. 2;
kvi. 3; xviii. 17, 19, 21; xx. 13. It is described as a sea of
glass like ulto crystal, firom the lucidity of the divine truth proceeding fiomn the Lord. Because divine truth at its boundaries
causes the appearance of a sea in the spiritual world, therefore
sea, in other parts of the Word, has a similar signification, as in
these places: "And it shall be in that day, that livinog waters
shall go out fiom Jerusalem, half of them toward the former
sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea," Zech. xiv. 8.
170




v. 5, 6.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                 239
Living waters from Jerusalem, are divine truths of the church
firom the Lord, therefore the sea is where they terminate. " Thy
way, [O Jehovah,] is in the sea, and thy path in the great
waters," Psalm lxxvii. 19. "Tlhus saith Jehovah, whichl naketh
a way in the sea, and a path in thle mnighty waters," Isaiah xliii.
16. Jehovah hath laid the foundations of the world l    "upon
the seas, and established it upon the floods," Psalm  xxiv. 2.
Jehovah hath ".laid the foundations of the earth that it should
not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep [or
sea] as with a garment," Psalm civ. 5, 6. The foundations of
the earth being laid upon the sea, denotes that the church,
which is meant by the earth, is founded upon common or general truths; for these are its bases and foundations.  " And I
will dry up the sea [of BabyJlon] and make her springs dry,she is covered with the multitude of the waves," Jerem. li. 36,
42. Drying up the sea of Babylon and making her springs
dry, signifies to extinguish every truth of its church from first
principles to last.  "They shall walk after Jehovah, then the
children shall tremble fromn- the sea," Hosea xi. 10.  Children
firom the sea are they who are in general or ultimate truths.
"' Jehovah who buildeth his stories in the heavens,-and calleth
for the waters of the sea, and poureth them  out upon the face
of the earth," Amos ix. 6.  "By the Word of Jehovah were
the heavens rnade —lle gathereth the waters of the sea together
as a heap, he layeth up the depths in storehouses," Psalm xxxiii.
6, 7. "At my irebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a
wilderness," Isaiah 1. 2: besides other places. As by sea is
signified divine truth with those who are in the borders of heaven, therefore by Tyre and Zidon, from their being by the seaside, is signified the church as to the knowledges of things good
and true; and also by the isles of the sea are signified those
who are in a more remote kind of divine worship, n. 34: and
therefore the sea, in tlle Hebrew language, is called the west,
that is, where the light of the sun declines towards evening, or
truth into obscurity. That sea also signifies the natural degree of man separated from  the spiritual, thus also hell, will
be seen in what follows.
239. And in the mnidst of the throne and round about the
throne, there were foeur antrmals, signifies the Word of God
firom its first principles to its ultimates, and its defences. I am
well aware it will be thought surprising, that it should be said,
the four animals signify the Word; that this is their signification,
will however be seen in what follows. These animals are the
same as the cherubs in Ezekiel, where they are also called animnals in chap. i., but cherubs in chap. x., and were, in like manner as here, a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. In the Hebrew
lanoguage they are there called chcjoth, a word which indeed
signifies animals, but is derived fi'om chaja, which signifies life,
15   7




239              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. iv.
whence also the wife of Adam was called Chajca, Gen. iii. 20;
aninmal in the singular number is also called eihijct in Ezekiel,
therefore those animals may also be called livilng [creatures].
Neither is thlere any thing extraordinary in the WVord's being
described by animals, since the Lord himself in many parts of
the Word is called a lion, and very often a lamb, and they who
are in charity firom the Lord are called sheep; and the understanding also of the Word, in what follows, is called a horse.
That the Word is signified by these animals or cherubls, is evident finom this consideration, that they were seen in t;he midst
of the throne and round about the throne, and in the midst of
the throne was the Lord, and, as the Lord is the Word, they
could not be seen anywhere else; that they were round about
the throne also, was, because this denotes the angelic heaven,
where also the Word is. That by cherubs is signified the Word,
and its defence or guard, is showln in The Doctrine of th.e New
Jeorqscalen conzeernmign the Sa.cred Scrijptue)e, n. 97, where are the
following words: "The literal sense of the Word serves as a
defence for the genuine truths which lie within; and the clefence consists in this, that the literal sense can be turned this
way and that, or, in other words, can be explained according to
Ivery one's apprehension, without its internal being hurt or
violated; for no harm ensues friom the literal sense being understood differently by different people; but the danger is, when
the divine truths which are within are perverted, for it is by this
that the Word suffers violence. To prevent this, the literal
sense keeps guard as it were, and serves indeed as a protection
with those who are in falses from religion, but yet do not confirm them, for fiom these thle Word suffers no violence. This
defence is silgnlified by cherubs, and is also described by them in
the Word. This defence is signified  by the cherubs, which,
after the expulsion of Adam and his wife fiom the gardclon of
Eden, were placed at its entrance; concerning whichl we read,
when Jehovah God had driven out the man, " he placed at the
east of the garden of Eden cherzub'ims, and a flaming sword,
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life,"
Gen. iii. 23, 24. By cherubimns is signified defence; by the
way of the tree of life is signified audmission to the Lord, which
is given to men throug-h the Word; by a flaming sword which
turned every way, is signified divine truth in ultimates, which is
as the Word in its literal sense, that allows of being turned this
way and that. The same is understood by the chermbiirns made
of gold over the two extremities of the mercy-seat, which was
above the ark in the tabernacle, Exod. xxv. 18-21; because
this was signified by cherubims, therefore Jehovah talked fi'om
between themn with Moses, Exod. xxv. 22; xxxvi. 9; Nlumb. vii:
8, 9. Nor was any thing else understood by the cherzbixms over
the curtains of the tabernacle, and over the vail, Exod. xxvi
172




v. 6.;]         TIiE'APOCALYPSE: REVEALED.              9,39
31; for the curtains and vail of the tabernacle represented the
ultimates of heaven and the church, thus also the ultinmates: of
the Word. The same is signifiedI by the cherubigns in. the middile of the temple of Jerusalem, 1 Kings vi. 22, 28; and by the
chcrucbims carved upon the walls and doors of the temple, 1
Kings vi. 29, 32, 35; and also by the cherubims in the new
temple, Ezek. xli. 18-20.  Since by cherubims was signified
defence, to secure the Lord, heaven, and the divine truth such
as it is interiorly in the Word, from being approached immediately, but only mediately by ultimates, therefore it is: said
of the king of Tyre, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom
and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of
Godi; every precious stone was thy covering; thou art the
anointed cherub that covereth; and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, friom the midst of the stones of fire," Ezek. xxviii.
12-14, 16. By Tyre is signified the church as, to the knowledges of truth and good, and thence, by its king, the Word
where those knowledges are, and firom whlence they are derived.
That the Word in its ultimate, which is its literal sense, is here
signified by the king of Tyre, and its defence, by the cherub,
is evident, for it is said, "Thou. sealest up the sum," " every
precious stone was thy coveringt, ard, "thou art the anointed
cherub that covereth;" by the precious stones which are also
mentioned there, are signified the truths of the literal sense of
the Word, n. 231. Because by cherubims is signified divine
truth in its- ultimates as a defence, therefore it is written in the
Psalms of David, "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, -thou that
dwellest between the cherubins, shine forth," lxxx. 1.  "Jehovah sitteth between the cherubims," xcix. 1. "Jehovah bowed
the heavens and came down, and rode upon a cherub," xviii.
10, 11. To ride upon cherubs, to sit upon them, and sit between them, means upon the ultimate sense of the Word. The
divine truth in the Word, and its quality, is described by the
cherubims in Ezekiel, in chap. i. ix. x., and as no one can know
what the particulars by which they are described signify, without having the spiritual sense unfolded to him, therefore, as it
has been discovered to me, I will explain, in a summary way,
the signification of those things which are related concerning
the four animals or cherubims in the first chapter of Ezekiel;
which is as follows: "The divine external sphere of the Word
is described, verse 4. It. is represented: as a man, verse 5.
Its conjunction with things spiritual and celestial, verse 6.
The natural sense of: the iord, its quality, verse 7. The conjunction of the spiritual and celestial senses of the Word witib
the natural, its quality, verse 8, 9. The divine love of celestial,
spiritual, and natural: good: and truth therein contained, jointly
and severally, verse 10, 11. That they regard one end, verse
12. The sphere of the Word firom the Lord's divine good and
173




240, 241       MrE APOCALYPSE REVEALrED.        [Chap. iv.
divine truth, from which the Word lives, verse 13, 14. The
doctrine of goodness and truth in the Word and fiomn the
Word, verse 15-21. The divinity of the Lord above it and in
it, verse 22, 23. And out of it, verse 24, 25. That the Lord is
above the heavens, verse 26. That divine love and divine wisdom are his, verse 27, 28. This is a summary exposition of
the above chapter."
240. Full of eyes before and behind, signifies the divine
wisdom therein. By eyes, when spoken of man, is signified
the understanding, and when of the Lord, the divine wisdom,
n. 48, 125; the same when said of the Word, as in this instance,
because the Word is from the Lord and concerning the Lord,
and thus is the Lord. The like is said of the cherubims ill
Ezekiel, that they were full of eyes, x. 12. Before and behind,
when it relates to the Word firom the Lord, signifies the divine
wisdom and divine love therein.
241. And the first animal was like a lion, signifies the
divine truth of the Word as to its power. That a lion signifies
truth in its power, here the divine truth of the Word as to its
power, may appear from the power of the lion above every
other beast of the earth, as also from lions in the spiritual world,
where they are images representative of the power of divine
truth; and likewise fiom the Word, where they signify divine
truth in its power. What the power of the divine truth in the
Word is, may be seen in The -Doctrine of the New Jerusalein
concertning the Sacred Scripture, n. 49, and in the work on
Heaven and Ihell, n. 228-233. Hence it is that Jehovah or
the Lord is compared to a lion, and is also called a lion; as for
instance: " The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord
Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" Amos iii. 8.
"I will not return to destroy Ephraim, they shall walk after
Jehovah: he shall roar as a lion,' Hosea xi. 9, 10. " Like as
the lion and the young lion roaring, so shall Jehovah of Hosts
come down to fight for Mount Zion," Isaiah xxxi. 4. " Behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Judlah hath prevailed, the Root of
David," Apoc. v..5.  " Judah is a lion's whelp, he stooped
down, he couched as an old lion, who shall rouse hium up?"
Gen. xlix. 9. In these places the power of divine truth, as
derived from the Lord, is described as a lion. To rocar signifies
to speak and act from power against the hells, which are desirous to carry man away, but from which the Lord snatches him,
as a lion di es his prey; to stoop or bend himself, is to put himself in power; Judah, in a supreme sense, signifies the Lord,
n. 96, 266. The angel "cried with a loud voice as when a lion
roareth," Apoc. x. 3. " He couched, he lay down as a great
lion,, who shall stir him up?" Numb. xxiv. 9. "Behold, the
people shall rise up as a great lion. and lift up himself as a
young lion," Numb. xxiii. 23, 24; speaking of Israel, by which
174




v. 6, 7.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.                242
is signified the church, whose power, as consisting il divine
truths. is thus described. In like manner: "And the remnant
of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a lion among
the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of
sheep," Micah v. 7, 8: besides many other places; as Isaiah xi.
6; xxi. 6 —9; xxxv. 9; Jerem. ii. 15; iv. 7; v. 6; xii. 8; 1. 17;
Ii. 38; Ezek. xix. 3, 5, 6; Hosea xiii. 7, 8; Joel i. 6, 7; Nahum
ii. 12; Psalm xvii. 12; Psalm xxii. 13; Psalm lvii. 4; Psalm
lviii. 6; Psalm xci. 13; Psalm civ. 21, 22; Deut. xxxiii. 20.
242. And the second annimal like,a calf, signifies the divine
truth of the Word as to affection.  By the beasts of the earth
are signified the various natural affections, for such indeed they
are; and by a calf is signified the affection of knowing; in the
spiritual world this affection is represented by a calf, therefore
it is also signified by a calf in the Word, as in Hosea: We will
render unto Jehovah the " calves of our lips," xiv. 2. Calves
of the lips are confessions fiom  the affection of truth.  In
Malachi: " But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of
Riglhteousness arise, with healing in his wings, and ye shall go
forth and grow up as calves of the stall," iv. 2. They are compared to calves of the stall, or fatted calves, because by them
are signified those who ale fillecl with the knowledges of things
true and good firom the affection of knowing them. In David:
The voice of Jehovah maketh the cedars of Lebanon " to skip
like a calf," xxix. 6. By the cedars of Lebanon are signified
the knowledges of truth; hence it is said that the voice of Jehovah makes them to skip like a calf: the voice of Jehovah is
divine truth, here affecting them. The Egyptians being fond
of the sciences, they made to themselves calves as a sign of
their affection for them; but after they began to worship calves
as gods, then they came to signify, in the Word, the affections
of knowing falses; as in Jerem. xlvi. 20, 21; Psalm lxviii. 30;
and in other places: therefore the same is signified by the calf
which the children of Israel made in the wilderness, Exod.
xxxii., as also by the calves of Samnaria, 1 Kings xii. 28 —32;.Hosea viii. 5; x. 5; therefore it is said in IIosea: They mlake
tlhem a molten image of silver, sacrificing man, they " kiss the
calves," xiii. 2. To make them a molten image of silver signifies to falsify truth, to sacrifice man signifies to destroy wisdom, and to kiss calves signifies to acknlowledge falses froml
affection.  In Isaiah: "There shall the calf feed, and there
shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof;" xxvii.
10.  The same is signified by calf in Jerem. xxxiv. 18, 19.
Since all divine worship is from the affections of truth and
good, and thence from the knowledge of them, therefore sacrifices, in which the worship of the church among the children
of Israel chiefly consisted, were made of various beasts, such as
lambs, goats, kids, sheep, he-goats, calves, oxen; calves were
175




243, 244         THiE APOCALYPSE, REVEALED.        [Chap. lv.
offered, because they signified the affection of kniowing things
true and good, which is the first nattural affection. This is what
was signified by sacrifices of calves, Exod. xxix. 11, 12; Levit.
iv. 3, 13, and following verses; viii., 14, and following verses; ix.
2; xvi. 3; xxiii. 181; Numb. vii. 15, and following verses,; xv.
24, xxviii. 19, 20; Judges vi. 25-29; 1 Sam. i. 25; xvi. 2;
1 Kings xviii. 23 -26, 33. The second animal appeared like a
calf, because the divine truth of the Word, which is signified
by it, affects men's minds, and thus instructs and, imbues.
243. And the thigrd anicmal had a face as a mana, signifies
the divine truth of the Word as to its wisdom.  By man, in
the Word, is signified wisdom, because he is: born that he may
receive wvisdom firom the Lord, and become an angel; therefore:
in proportion as any one is wise, in the samte proportion he is: a
man.  _Wisdom, truly human, consists in knowing that there is
a God, what God is, and what is of God; this the divine truth
of the Word teaches. That by man is signified wisdom, is plain
fiom the following places: "' I will make vman more precious.
than fine gold; even a  man than the gold wedge of Op1hir,"
Isaiah xiii. 12. Man [viri homo] in the first instance, means
intelligence, and man [homo] in the second means wisdom.
"' The inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men: left,"
Isaiab xxiv. 6.  " I will sow the house of Israel and the house,of Judah with the seed of mana and with the seed of beast,"
Jerem. xxxi. 27.  "And ye, my flock, are men, and I- am your
God," Ezek. xxxiv. 31.  ":The waste cities shall be filled: with
the flocks of mnea," Ezek. xxxvi. 38.  " I beheld: the earth, and
lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they'
lhad no light; I beheld, and lo, there was no man," Jerem. iv. 23,
25. "Let the menz, that sacrifice kiss the calves," Hosea xiii. 2.
The wall of the holy Jerusalem  measured "one hundred and
forty-four cubits, the measure of a nman, that is of the angel,"
Apoc. xxi. 17: besides many other places, in which by man is
signlified one that is wise, and, in an abstract sense, wisdom.
244. And thefoutrth animal was like a jfying eagle, signifies
tile divine truth of the Word as to knowledge, and thence understanding. B]y eagles various things are signified, and by.
flying eagles are signified knowledges fiom, which understanding is delived, because when they fly they both see and have a
cognizance of things; for they have sharp and penetrating eyes,
and by eyes are signified the understanding, n. 48, 214: by flying is signified to perceive: and instruct,, and, in the supreme
seiise, in which it has relation to the-Lord, it signifies to foresee
and provide. That eagles, in the Word, have such a signification, appears from these places:' They that' wait! for Jehovah
shall renew their strength; they- shall mount up with winigs as
eagles," Isaiah xl. 31. To mountup with wings as.eagles, is to
be elevated into knowledges of truth and goodness and thence
176




v. 7, 8.]      TeE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              245
into' intelligence. "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command,
and make her nest on high, fiom thence she seeketh the prey,
and her eyes behold afar off;" Job xxxix. 26, 29. The faculty
of knowing, understanding, and providing, is here described bv
the eagle, and that this is not derived from man's own intelligence. "Jehovah who satisfieth thy mouth with good things
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles," Psalm ciiii. 5. To
fill the month with good, is to give understanding by means of
knowledges; hence a comparison is made with the eagle. "A
great eagle, with great wings, long-winged, full! of featherscame unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar;
and it was planted in a fruitful field, and it grew; and there
was also another great eagle, to which the vine did bend its
roots," Ezek. xvii. 1-8. Here by two eagles are described
the Jewish and Israelitish churches, both as to the knowledges
of truth and consequent intelligence. But eagles in an opposite
sense signify knowledges of what is false, whereby the understanding is perverted, as in Matt. xxiv. 28; Jerem. iv. 13;
Habak. i. 8, 9; and other places.
245. And the four animals had each of them six wings about:
him, signifies the Word as to its powers and as to its defences.
That by the four animals the Word is signified, was shown above;
that by wings are signified powers, and also defences, will be
seen below. By six is signified all as to truth and good, for six
is comnposed of three and two multiplied by each other, and by
three is signified all as to truth, n. 505, and by two all as to
good, n. 762. By wings are signified powers, because by them
birds lift themselves up, and wings with birds are in the place of
arms with men, and by arms are signified powers. Since by
wings are signified powers, and each animal had six wings, it
is evident, from what has been said above, what kind of power
is signified by the wings of each, viz., that by the wings of the
lion is signified the power of fightingg against evils and falses
fiom hell; this power is of the divine truth of the Word from
the Lord: that by the wings of the calf is signified the power
of affecting men's minds, for the divine truth of the Word
affects those who read it devoutly:. that by the six wings of the
man is signified the power of acquiring wisdom by discovering
what God is, and what is of God, for this is, strictly speaking,
man's object in reading the Word: and that by the wings of the
eagle is signified the power of discerning what is true and good,
and thereby of acquiring intelligence.  Concerning the wings
of the cherubims in Ezekiel, it is written: That their wingey
kissed each other, and that they also covered their bodies, and
that under: them  there was the appearance of the likeness of
hands, i. 23, 24; iii. 13; x. 5, 21. By' kissing each other, is
signified to act in conjunction and unanimously; by covering
their bodies, is signified to defend the interior truths which be1'7'7a




246, 247        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. iv.
long to the spiritual sense of the Word from violation; and by
the hands under their wings are signified powers. Concerning
the seraphim, it is also said: That they had "six wivngs; with
twain he covered his face, with twain he coveted his feet, and
with twain he did fly," Isaiah vi. 2. By seraphim in like manner is signified the Word, properly doctrine from the Word, and
by the wings with which they covered their faces and feet, in
like manner are signified defences, and by the wings with which
they flew, powers, as above. That by flying is signified to perceive and instruct, and in a supreme sense to foresee and provide, is also evident from the following places: " And he rode
on a cherub, and did jLy, yea, he did fly upon the wings of the
wind," Psalm xviii. 11; 2 Sam. xxii. 11. " And I saw another
angel jfy in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel,"
Apoc. xiv. 6. That by wings are signified defences, is plain
from the following places: Jehovah shall cover thee under his
winge, Psalm xci. 4. To be hid under the shadow of God's
wings, Psalm xvii. 8. To confide under the shadow of his wings,
Psalm xxxvi. 7; Psalm lvii. 1; Psalm lxii. 7. "I stretched
out mny wing over thee, and covered thy nakedness," Ezek. xvi.
8. "Shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his
wings," Malachi iv. 2. " As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, beareth them
on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead him," Deut. xxxii. 11,
12. Jesus said, "O Jerusalem,-how  often would I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings," Matt. xxiii. 37; Luke xiii. 34.
246. And they were full of eyes within, signifies the divine
wisdom in the Word, in its natural sense derived from its spiritual and celestial sense. That by the animals full of eyes before
and behind is signified the divine wisdom in the Word, may be
seen above, n. 240; in like manner here, by their wings being
full of eyes. And whereas the divine wisdom of the Word in
its natural sense is derived from its spiritual and celestial sense,
which is concealed within, it is therefore said, that within they
were full of eyes. Concerning the spiritual and celestial sense,
which are contained in every particular of the Word, see The
Doctrine of the NVew Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 5-26.
247. And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy,
holy, ford God Almighty, signifies that the Word continually
teaches of the Lord, and that he is the only God, and thence
that he alone is to be worshipped. The animals not resting day
and night, signifies that the Word continually, and without intermission, teaches; and that it teaches what the animals say,
namely, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, that is, that the
Lord is the only God, and thence that he alone is to be worshipped; this is what is signified by holy three times repeated,
178




V. 8 —-10.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED,          248, 249
for triplication involves every thing holy in him alone. That a
divine trinity is in the Lord, is fully shown in The Doctrine o1
the N1ew Jerusalem concerning the lord; as also that the Word
treats of the Lord alone, and that thence is its sanctity. That
the Lord alone is holy, may be seen above, n. 173.
248. Who was, and who is, and who is to come, signifies
the Lord. That it is the Lord is plain from chap. i. 4, 8, 11,
17, where the Son of Man is treated of, which is the Lord as to
the Word, and there it is expressly said, that "  e is Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last,
who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty;" but
what is signified by these words, is explained, n. 13, 29, 30, 31,
38, 57; it is here shown that the Lord is understood by " Holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who.
is to come."
249. And when these animals give glory, and honour, and
thanks to Him  that sat on the throne, signifies that the Word
ascribes all truth, and all good, and all worship to the Lord the
Judge. The animals are the Word, as has been shown; glory
and honour, when applied to the Lord, mean, that all truth and
all good are his and from him; thanks signify the all of worship; he that sat on the throne signifies the Lord as to judgment, as above: hence it is evident, that by the animals giving
glory, and honour, and thanks to Him that sat on the throne,
is signified that the Word ascribes all truth, and all good,
and all worship, to the Lord the Judge. By giving the Lord
glory and honour, nothing else is meant in the Word but to
acknowledge and confess that all truth and all good is from
Him, thus that he is the God alone, for his glory is from divine
truth, and his honour is from divine good. Such is the signification of glory and honour in the following places: "Jehovah
made the heavens, glory and honour are before him," PsalIn
xcvi. 5, 6. "Jehovah is a very great God, thou hast clothed
thyself with glory and honour," Psalm civ. 1. "The works of
Jehovah are great, glory and honoutr are his work," Psalm cxi.
2, 3. " Glory and honour bhast thou laid upon him, for thou hast
made him most blessed for ever," Psalm xxi. 5, 6, speaking of
the Lord. "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty,
with thy glory and honour; and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth," Psalm xlv. 4, 5. "Thou hast made him a
little lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory
and honour," Psalm viii. 6. " The glory of Lebanon is given
unto it, the honour of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the
glory of Jehovah, and the honour of our God," Isaiah xxxv. 1, 2;
these things refer to the Lord; besides other places, as Psalm
cxlv. 4, 5, 12; Apoc. xxi. 24, 26. Moreover, when divine
truth is treated of in the Word, it is called glory, n. 629, and
when divine good is treated of it is called honour.
179




250 —254        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. iv.
250. Tho liveth for ever and ever, signifies the Lord who
alone is life, and from whom alone is life eternal, as seen above,
n. 58, 60.
251. The four-and-twenty elders fall down before Him that
sat on the throne, and. weorship Him that liveth for ever and ever,
signifies the humiliation of all in heaven before the Lord. That
by the four-and-twenty elders are meant all who are of the
Lord's church, may be seen above, n. 233; here all who are of
his church in heaven; the elders, as heads, represented all.
That humiliation before the Lord is denoted, and from that
humiliation, adoration, is evident without explanation.
252. And cast their crowns before the throne, signifies an
acknowledgment that their wisdom is from Him alone. That
crown signifies wisdom, may be seen above, n. 189, 235; therefore by casting their Crowns before the throne, is signified to
acknowledge that wisdom is not their own, but of the Lord in
them.
253. Saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and
honour, arnd power, signifies- a confession that the kingdom. is
the Lord's by merit and justice, because he is divine truth and
divine good. Confession is signified by saying; merit and
justice are signified by thou art worthy, O Lord; that He is
divine truth and divine good, is signified by glory and honour,
as above, n. 249; that His is the kingdom, is signified by receiving power: these, therefore, collected into one sense, signify
a confession that the kingdom is the Lord's by merit and justice, because He is divine truth and divine good.
254. For thou hast created all things, and by thy will they
are, and were created; signifies that all things of heaven and the
church were made and formed, and men reformed and regenerated from the divine love of the Lord by his divine wisdom, or
from his divine good by his divine truth, which also is the
Word. Such is the spiritual sense of these words, because by
creating, is signified to reform and regenerate by divine truth;
and by the will of the Lord is signified the divine good: whether
you call it the divine good and: divine truth, or the divine love
and divine wisdom, it is the same, because all good is of love,
and all truth is of wisdom. That from the divine love and
dc.ivine wisdom all things of heaven: and the church, yea and the
world itself was. created, is abundantly set forth in t'he Angelic'Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdorn;
also that love and good is of the will,- and wisdom and. truth of
the understanding; hence. it appears, that by the Lord's will is
understood: his divine good- or divine love. That to create, in
the Word,, signifies to reform and regenerate, is plain from the
following places: " Create in me a clean heart, O God, and
renew a right spirit within me," Psalm li. 10, "Thou openest
thine hand, they: are filled with good; thou sendest forth thy
180




v. 10, 11.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             255
Spirit, they are created," Psalm  civ. 28, 30. "The people
which shall be created, shall praise Jehovah," Psalm cii. 10.
" Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, rejoice for ever
in that which I create: behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing,"
Isaiah lxv. 17, 18. "Jehovah that created the heavens, he
that spread out the earth, he that giveth breath unto the
people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein," Isaiah
xlii. 5; xlv. 12, 18. "Thus saith Jehovah that created thee, 0
Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel; I have redeemed
thee, I have called thee by my name:-every one that is called
by my name, for I have created him for my glory," Isaiah xliii.
1, 7. They were prepared "' in the day that thou wast created j
thou wast perfect in thy ways in the day that thou wast created,
till iniquity was found in thee," Ezek. xxviii. 13, 15; speaking
of the king of Tyre, by whom are signified they who are in
intelligence from divine truth. " That they may see, and know,
and consider, and understand together that the hand of JehoVah hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created
it," Isaiah xli. 19, 20.
255. Here I shall add this Memorable Relation. Lest any
one should enter into the spiritual sense of the Word, and pervert the genuine truth which pertains to that sense, there are
placed guards by the Lord, which are understood by cherubims
in the Word, which are the four animals here: that such a watch
is placed, was thus represented to me. I was permitted to see
certain large purses, which seemed like bags, containing in thema
a large quantity of silver; and as they were open, it was perceived as though any one might take the silver out of them, and
even carry it off: but near to the purses there sat two angels
as guards: the place where they were deposited appeared like
a manger in a stable; in the next apartment were seen some
modest virgins with a chaste wife; and near that apartment
stood two little children, and it was said, that they were to be
treated not as children but in wisdom: and afterwards there
appeared a harlot, and also a dead horse. On seeing which I
was instructed, that by these was represented the literal sense
of the Word, in which is the spiritual sense. The large purses
full of silver signified the knowledges of truth and good in
great abundance: their being open, and yet guarded by angels,
signified that any one might tale from thence the knowledges
of truth, but that care is taken lest any one should falsify the
spiritual sense, in which were nothing but truths. The manger
in the stable, in which the purses lay, signified spiritual instruction for the understanding; this is the signification of a manger,
and the same is signified by the manger in which the Lord lay
when an infant, because a horse, who eats out of it, signifies
the understanding of the Word. The modest virgins, who weie
181




255             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. v.
seen in the adjoining apartment, signified affections of truth,
and the chaste wife, the conjunction of good and truth. The
children signified the innocence of wisdom in the Word; they
were angels from the third heaven, who all appear like little
children. The harlot with the dead horse signified the falsifi
cation of the Word by many at this day, by which all the understanding of truth perishes; a harlot signifies falsification,
and a dead horse no understanding of truth.
It has been permitted me to converse with many after death,
who thought they should shine like stars in heaven, because,
as they said, they had held the Word as sacred, had read it
frequently, and collected many things from it; by which they
had confirmed the tenets of their faith, and were therefore celebrated as men of learning in the world, for which reason they
thought they should be Michaels or Raphaels: but many of
them were explored, in order to ascertain from what love they
had studied the Word, and it was found, that some had studied
it from self-love, that they might appear great in the world, and
be reverenced as heads of the church; but others from the love
of the world, that they might acquire riches. When they were
examined as to what they knew of the Word, it was found, that
they knew nothing of genuine truth therefiorno, but only such
as is called truth falsified, which in itself is false, and this, in
the spiritual world, is perceived as a stench by the angels; and
it was told them that this befel them firom their loving themselves and the world as ends, and not the Lord and heaven;
and when self-love and the world are ends, then, when they
read the Word, their mind dwells upon self and the world, and
therefore they think constantly from their own selfhood, which
is in darkness as to all things of heaven; in which state man
cannot be abstracted from his own light, and so elevated into
the light of heaven, nor thence receive any influx from the
Lord through lieaven. I also saw them admitted into heaven,
and when they were found to be without truths, they were
stripped of their garments and appeared in their nakedness
and they who had falsified truths, were, by reason of their
offensive smell, expelled, but still their pride remained with
them, and a belief in their own merit. It was different with
those who had studied the Word from the affection of knowing
truth because it is truth, and is subservient to the uses of
spiritual life, not only to a man's self, but also to his neighbour;
these I saw taken up into heaven, and thus into the light, in
which the divine truth is, and at the same time exalted to angelic wisdom and its felicity, which is life eternal.
182




(Chap. v.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
CHAPTER V.
1. AIND 1 saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the
throne, a book written within and on the back-side, sealed with
seven seals.
2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,
Who is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. And no one in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the
earth, was able to open the Book, neither to look thereon.
4. And I wept much because no one was found worthy to
open and to read the Book, neither to look thereon.
5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold,
the Lion which is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,
hath prevailed to open the Book, and to loose the seven seals
thereof.
6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of
the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, stood a LAMB,
as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which
are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7. And he came and took the Book out of the right hand
of Him that sat upon the throne.
8. And when he had taken the Book, the four animals, and
the four-and-twenty elders, fell down before the LAMB, having
every one of them harps, and golden vials full of incense, which
are the prayers of the saints.
9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to
take the Book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast
slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every
tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and
we shall reign on the earth.
11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne, and the animals, and the elders: and
the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of
thousands;
12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the LAMB that was
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and honour,
and glory, and blessing.
13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all
that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and
glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.
14. And the four animals said, Amen. And the four-andtwenty elders fell down, and worshipped Him that livetll for
ever and ever.
183




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Chap. v.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. That the Lord in
his Divine Humanity will execute judgment out of the Word
and according to it, because he is himself the Word; and that
this is acknowledged by all in the three heavens.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, "And I saw in the
right hand of IHim that sat on the throne, a Book written within
and on the back-side," signifies the Lord as to his divinity from
eternity, who is omnipotent and omniscient, and who is the
Word: "Sealed with seven seals," signifies that it is entirely
hid from angels and men: v. 2, "And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice," signifies divine truth from the
Lord most interiorly influencing both angels and men: "' Who
is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the seals thereof "
signifies, who has power to know the states of life of all in the
heavens and on the earths, and to judge every one according
thereto: v. 3, "And no one in heaven, nor in earth, neither
under the earth, was able," signifies that no one in the superior
heavens or inferior heavens was able: " To open the Book,"
signifies to know the states of the life of all, and to judge every
one according thereto: " Neither to look thereon," signifies not
in the least: v. 4," And I wept much because no one was found
woi'thy to open and read the Book, neither to look thereon,"
signifies grief of heart, because if no one could do it, all must.
perish: v. 5, "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not,"
signifies consolation: "Behold, the lion which is of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed," signifies the
Lord, who by his own power subdued the hells and reduced all
things to order when he was in the world, by the divine good
united to the divine truth in his Humanity: "To open the
Book and to loose tlhe seven seals thereof," signifies here as
before: v. 6, "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne,
and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders," signifies
firom the inmost and thence in all things of heaven, the Word,
and the church: "Stood a LAMB, as it had been slain," signifies
the Lord as to his Humanity, not acknowledged in the church
to be divine:. "Having seven horns," signifies his omnipotence:
"And seven eyes," signifies his omniscience and divine wisdomn: "' Which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth," signifies that from divine wisdom is derived divine
truth throughout the whole world, wheresoever there is any
religion: v. 7, "And he came and took the Book out of the
right hand of Hin that sat upon the throne," signifies that the
Lord as to his Divihe Humanity is the Word, and this by
virtue of the divinity within him, and that therefore he will
execute judgment from his Divine Humanity: v. 8, " And whlen
184




Chap. v.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
he had taken the Book," signifies when the Lord appointed to
execute the judgment, and thereby to reduce all things in the
heavens and upon the earths to order: "The four animals and
the four-and-twenty elders fell down before the LAMB," signifies
humiliation and adoration of the Lord from the superior heavens:
" IHaving every one of them harps," signifies a confession of the
Lord's Divine Humanity from spiritual truths: "And golden
vials full of incense," signifies confession of the Lord's Divine
Humanity from spiritual good: "Which are the prayers of
saints," signifies thoughts which are of faith grounded in affections which are of charity with those who worship the Lord
from spiritual good and truth: v. 9, "And they sung a new
song," signifies an acknowledgment and glorification of the
Lorld, that he alone is the Judge, Redeemer, and Saviour, thus
the God of heaven and earth: ".Saying, Thou art worthy to
take the Book, and to open the seals thereof," signifies here as
before: "' For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by
thy blood," signifies deliverance from hell and salvation by
conjunction with him: "Out of every' tribe, and tongue, and
people, and nation," signifies that they in the church, or in any
religion, who are in truths as to doctrine, and in good as to life,
are redeemed by the Lord: v. 10, "And hast made us unto our
God kings and priests," signifies that from the Lord they are
in wisdom from divine truths and in love from divine good.:
"And we shall reign on the earth," signifies, and will be in
his kingdom, he in them and they in him: v. 11, " And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the
throne, and the animals, and the elders," signifies a confession
and glorification of the Lord by the angels of the inferior
heavens: " And the number of them was myriads of myriads,"
signifies all in truths and good: v. 12, "Saying with a loud
voice, Worthy is the LAMB that was slain to receive power,
and riches, and wisdom, and honour, and glory," signifies confession fiom the heart, that to the Lord as to his Divine Humanity belong omnipotence, omniscience, divine good, and
divine truth: "And blessing," signifies all these in him, and
from him in them: v. 13, "And every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as
are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying," signifies confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of
the lowest heaven: "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and
power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever," signifies that in the Lord from
eternity, and thence in his Divine Humanity, is the All of
heaven and the church, divine good, and divine truth, and
divine power, and from him in them: v. 14, "And the four
animals said, Amen," signifies divine confirmation fioom the
Word: "And the four-and-twenty elders fell down and wor185




256  -         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. v,
shipped Him that liveth for ever and ever," signifies humiliation before the Lord, and, from humiliation, adoration of him,
by all in the heavens, from whom and in whom is everlasting
life.
THE EXPLANATION.
256. And I saw in the right hand of Hrim that sat on the
throne a Book, written within and on the back-side, signifies
the Lord as to his divinity from eternity, who is omnipotent and
omniscient, and who is the Word; who also knows from him
self the state of the life of all in the heavens and on the earths,
as well in general as in every particular. By Him that sat on
the throne is meant the Lord as to his divinity, from which his
Humanity was derived, for it follows that the Lamb took the
right hand of him that sat on the throne, verse 7, and by the
Lamb is meant the Lord as to the Divine Humanity; by the
Book written within and on the back-side is meant the Word
in every particular and in every general respect; by within,
in every particular respect, and by on the back-side, in every
general respect: by within and on the back-side is also meant
the interior sense of the Word, which is its spiritual sense, and
its exterior sense, which is its natural sense; by right hand is
himself as to his omnipotence and omniscience, because the
exploration of all in the heavens and on the earths, upon whom
judgment is to be executed, and their separation, is treated of.
The Lord, as the Word, knows the states of life of all in the
heavens and on the earths from himself; because he is divine
truth itself, and divine truth itself knows all things from itself;
but this is an arcanum, which is revealed in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine love and the Divine Wisdom.
That the Lord as to his divinity from eternity was the Word,
that is, divine truth, is evident from these words in John: " In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
God was the Word," i. 1; and that the Lord as to his Humanity also was made the Word, in the same evangelist: "And
the WTord was made flesh," i. 14. Hence it may appear what
is meant by the Book being in the right hand of Him that sat
on the throne, and by the Lamb taking it thence, verse 7. Since
the Lord is the Word, and the Word is divine truth, which in
common constitutes heaven and the church, and in particular
etch angel, that heaven may be in him, and man, that the
church may be in him, and because the Word is here meant by
the Book, out of which and according to which all were to be
judged, therefore in many places occur these expressions, to
be written in the Book, to be judged out of the Book, to be
blotted out of the Book, where the state of any one's eternal
186




v. 1, 2.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        257 —259
life is treated of, as in these places: The Ancient of Days did
sit in judgment, "and the books were opened," ]Dan. vii. 10.
Every people shall be delivered that " shall be found written
in the Book," Dan. xii. 1. "1 My substance was not hid from
thee, and in thy book all my members are written," Psalm
cxxxix. -5, 16. Moses said, " Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy
book which thou hast written. And Jehovah said unto Moses,
Whosoever hath sinned against me will I blot out of my book,"
Exod. xxxii. 32, 33. " Let them be blotted out of thy book of
the living, and not be written with the righteous," Psalm lxix.
28. " I saw that the books were opened, and another book was
opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the book, according to their
works, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life,
was cast into the lake of fire," Apoc. xx. 12-14. There shall
none enter into the New Jerusalem, but such as are " written
in the Lamb's book of life," Apoc. xxi. 27. All shall worship
the beast i' whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of
tlife," Apoc. xiii. 8; xvii. 8. That by the Book is understood
the Word, may be seen in David: " In the Volume of the Book
it is written of me," Psalm xl. 7; and Ezekiel: "I looked, and
behold a hand was put forth unto me, and in it was a roll of a
Book, written within and without," ii. 9, 10. The Book of the
Words of Isaiah, Luke iii. 4. The Book of Psalms, Luke xx. 42.
257. Sealed with seven seals, signifies entirely hid from
angels and men. That to be sealed with a seal signifies to be
hid, is evident, hence to be sealed with seven seals signifies to be
entirely or totally hid, for seven signifies all, n. 10, and therefore
totally; that it was entirely hid froln angels and men, is presently
said in these words: " And no one in heaven, nor on earth, neither under the earth, was able to open and read the Book, neither
to look thereon," verse 3, 4. Such is the Word to all to whom
the Lamb, that is, the Lord, does not open it: but as the explo
ration of all before the last judgment is here treated of, it means.the states of life of all both in general and in particular, which
are entirely hid.
258. AntJd Isaw a strong angel proclaizing with ca lod voice,
signifies divine truth from the Lord most interiorly influencing
the thoughts of angels and men, and searching them. By an
angel proclaiming, is understood, in the spiritual sense, the
Lord, because an angel does not preach and teach from himself,
but from the Lord, but still as from himself. It is said a strong
angel, to denote his acting with power, and that which is proclaimed with power penetrates deeply into the thought; a loud
or great voice signifies divine truth from the Lord in its power
or virtue: it signifies, also, diligent searching, because he asks,
" Who is worthy to open the Book 2" as now follows.
259. Who is worthy to open the Book and to loose the seal
187




260              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. v.
thereof? signifies who has power to know the states of life of all
in the heavens and on the earths, and to judge every one according thereto.  " Who is worthy," signifies who is able or who has
the power; " to open the Book and to loose the seals thereof,"
signifies here to know the states of life of all in the heavens and
on the earths, and also to judge every one according to his state;
for when the Book is opened, there is an examination into their
quality, and then sentence or judgment is pronounced, comparatively as a judge does with a book of laws and acts from
it. That by opening the Book, is signified a search into the
quality of the states of life in all and every one, is evident from
the following chapter, where is described what was seen, when
the Lamb opened the seven seals in their order.
260. And no one i7n heaven, nor in earth, neither under the
earth, was able, signifies that no one in the superior heavens or
inferior heavens was able. In heaven, in earth, neither under
the earth, mean in the superior and inferior heavens, in like
manner as in the 13th verse, where it is said, " And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth,
and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, leard I
saying."  Since he heard them all speaking, it is evident that
they were angels and spirits who spake; for John was in the
spirit, as he himself says in the preceding chapter (iv. verse 2),
in which state no other earth appeared to him but the earth of
the spiritual world; for there are earths there as well as in the
natural world, as may appear from the description of that world
in the work concerning Heaven ancrd Hell; as also in The Continuation concerning the Sp2iritual7 World, n. 32-38. The
superior heavens appear there upon mountains and hills, the
inferior heavens in the earth beneath, and the ultimate heavens
as it were under the earth; for the heavens are expanses, one
above another, and each expanse is like the earth under the
feet of those who are there: the uppermost expanse is like the
top of a mountain, the next expanse is under it, but extending
itself further on all sides round about, and the lowest expanse
is still more extensive; and since this last is under the other, they
who are there are under the earth. The three heavens also appear thus to the angels who are in the superior heavens, because
to them there appear two heavens beneath them; in like manner they appeared to John, because he was with them, for he
had ascended to them, as is evident from chap. iv. verse 1, where
it is said, " Come up hither, and I will show thee things which
must be hereafter." Such as are ignorant of the spiritual world
and the earths there, can by no means know what is meant by
under the earth, nor by the lower parts of the earth, in the Word,
as in Isaiah: " Sing, O ye heavens, shout, ye lower _parts of the
earth, break forth into singing, ye mountains, for Jehovah hath
redeemed Jacob," xliv. 23; and in other places. Who does
188




v. 3 —5.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        261 —265
not see, that the earths of the spiritual world are here meant 
for no man lives under the earth in the natural world.
261. iTo open the Boo/k, signifies to know the states of the
life of all, and to judge every one according thereto, as appears
firom the explanation above, n. 259.
262. lNeither to look thereon, signifies not in the least.
Since by opening the Book, is signified to know the states of the
life of all, by looking on it is signified to see what the state of'
life of this or that person is, therefore by no one being able to
open the Book nor to look thereon, is signified that they were
not able in the least; for the Lord alone sees the state of every
one from inmost to outmost- as also what a man has been from
infancy to old age, and what he will be to eternity, and likewise what place he will have either in heaven or in hell; and
this the Lord sees in an instant, and from himself, because he is
the divine truth itself or the Word; but angels and men do not
see this in the least, because they are finite, and the finite see
only a few things, and those only external, and not these indeed
firom themselves, but from the Lord.
263. And I wept much because no one was fobund worthy to
open and read the Book, neitherl to look thereon, signifies grief
of heart, because if no one could do it, all must perish. That
to weep much is to grieve at heart, is evident; the reason why
lie grieved at heart, was, because if this could not have been
done, all must have perished; for if all things in the heavens
and on the earths were not reduced to order by the last judgment, it could not be otherwise; for the Apocalypse treats of
the last state of the church, when it comes to its end, the nature
of which state is described by the Lord in these words: " Foi
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the begin'
ning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be; and ex.
cept those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved," Matt. xxiv. 21, 22; speaking of the last time of the
church, when judgment takes place. That such is the state of
the church at this day, may be known solely from these- considerations, that the greatest part of the Christian world is occu.
pied by those who have transferred to themselves the divine
power of the Lord, and. would fain be worshipped as: gods, and
who invoke dead men, and scarce any of them the Lord; and
that the rest of the church make God three, and the Lord two,
and place salvation, not in amendment of life, but in certain
words breathed out in a devout tone of voice; consequently
not in: repentance, but in a confidence that they are justified
and sanctified, provided they do but fold their hands and look
upwards, and utter some customary form: of prayer.
264. And! one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; that
this signifies: consolation, is: evident.
265. Behold, the Lion hath prevailed, signifies. the- Lord,
189




266 —268        THE APOCALYPSE RE'VEALED.      [Chap..v.
who by his own power subdued the hells, and reduced all
things to order when he was in the world. That a lion signifies the divine truth of the Word as to its power, may be seen
above, n. 241; and because the Lord is divine truth itself or
the Word, he is called a Lion. That the Lord, when he was in
the world, subdued the hells and reduced all things in the hea.
vens to order, and likewise glorified his Humanity, may be seen
above, n. 67; and how he did this, may be seen in Thie lDoctrine
of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 12-14: hence it
is evident, what is meant by " the Lion hath prevailed."
266. Which is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, signifies by the divine good united to the divine truth in his Humanity. By Judah, in the Word, is meant the church which is
in the good of love to the Lord, and in a supreme sense the Lord
as to the divine good of divine love; and by David is meant the
Lord as to the divine truth of divine wisdom: that this is meant
by David, may be seen in TAe Doctrine of the New Jereusalem
concerning the lord, n. 43, 48; and that the former is meant by
Judah, may be seen, n. 96, 266, 350; hence it appears that by
" Behold the Lion which is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of
David, lath prevailed," is signified that the Lord overcame the
hells and reduced all things to order by the divine good united
to the divine truth in his Humanity.  That this is the sense of
these words, cannot be seen from the letter, but only that he it
was who was born in the world of the tribe of Judah and lineage of David; still, however, these words contain in them a
spiritual sense, in which by the names of persons are understood
things, as has frequently been observed above, thus by Judah is
not meant Judah, nor by David, David; but by Judah, the Lord
as to divine good, and by David, the Lord as to divine truth;
on this account the sense of this passage is as has been stated.
The reason why this sense is here explained, is, because the
Apocalypse as to its spiritual sense is now unfolded.
267. To open the Book, and loose the seven seals thereof,
signifies to know the states of the life of all in the heavens and
on the earths, and to judge every one according thereto, as
above, n. 258, 259.
268. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and
qf the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, signifies
from the inmost and thence in all things of heaven, the Word,
and the church.  In the midst signifies in the inmost, and
thence in all things, n. 44; a throne signifies heaven, n. 14;
the four animals or cherubs signify the Word, n. 239; and the
four-and-twenty elders signify t.he church as to all things belonging thereto, n. 233, 251; from which it follows, that, in
the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the
midst of the elders, signifies from the inmost in all things of
heaven, the Word, and the church.
190




v. 5, 6._      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        269, 270
269. Stood a Lamb standing as it had been slain, signifies
the Lord as to his Humanity, not acknowledged in the church
to be divine. By Lamb, in the Apocalypse, is meant the Lord
as to the Divine Humanity, and by a Lamb slain, is denoted
that his Humanity is not acknowledged in the church to be
divine; in like manner as in chap. i. verse 18, where It is said,' I was made dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever;"
by which is meant that the Lord is neglected in the church, and
his Humanity not acknowledged to be divine, n. 59: that this
is the case, may be seen below, n. 294. Since, therefore, the
Lord as to the Divine Hrumanity is meant by the Lamb, and it
is said of him, that he took the Book out of the right hand of
Him that sat upon the throne, and afterwards that he opened
it, and loosed the seven seals thereof, and since no mortal could
do this, but God alone, it follows, that by the Lamb is meant
the Lord as to the Divine Humnanity, and by his being slain,
that he is not acknowledged to be God as to his Humanity.
270. Having seven horns, signifies his omnipotence. A horn
is frequently mentioned in the Word, and by it is everywhere
signified power; therefore when a horn is predicated of the Lord,
it signifies omnipotence. The reason why seven horns are mentioned, is, because seven signifies all, n. 10, thus omnipotence.
That a horn signifies power, and when applied to the Lord, omnipotence, may appear from the following passages: "Ye which
rejoice in a thing of naught, which say, Have we not taken to
us horns by our own strength?" Amos vi. 13. I said unto the
wicked, " Lift not up the horn, lift not up your horn on high-:
All the horns of the wicked will I cut off; but the horns of the
righteous shall be exalted," Psalm lxxv. 4, 5, 10. Jehovah hath
" set up the horn of thine adversaries," Lament. ii. 1. "The
horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken," Jerem. xlviii.
25. " Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and
push all the diseased [sheep] with your horns," Ezek. xxxiv. 21.
Jehovah hath " exalted the horn of his people," Psalm cxlviii.
14. Jehovah the God of hosts is "' the glory of our strength,. and in his favour our horn shall be exalted," Psalm lxxxix. 17.
The brightness of Jehovah God shall be as the light, " be had
horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his
power," Hab. iii. 4. " Mine arm also shall strengthen himand in my name shall his horn be exalted," Psalm lxxxix. 21,
22, 24. "Jehovah is my strength, my rock, my horn," Psalm
xviii. 2, 3; 2 Sam. xxii. 3. "Arise, 0 daughter of Zion, for I
will make thine horn iron, and thou shalt beat in pieces many
people," Micah iv. 13. Jehovah hath destroyed in his wrath
"the strongholds of the daughter of Judah, and hlath cut off all
the horn of Israel," Lament. ii. 3. Powers are also signified by
the " horns of the dragon," Apoc. xii. 3; by the horns of" the
beast which came up out of the sea," Apoc. xiii. 1; by the horns
191




271 -273       THhE rAPOcYPSE:REVEALED.,       [Chap. v.
of the scarlet beast upon ivhich the woman sat, Apoc. xvii. 3, 7,
12; by the horns of the ramn and the he-goat, Dan. viii. 3, 4, 5,
7 —12, 21, 25; by the horns of the beast which came up out of
the sea, Dan. vii. 3, 7, 8, 20, 21, 23, 24; by the four horns
which scattered Judah and Israel, Zech. i. 18; by the horns of
the altar of burnt-offerings, and- the altar of incense, Exod. xxvii.
2;; xxx. 2, 3, 10: by these last was signified the power of divine
truth in the church; and, on the other hand, that that power
would perish, is signified by the horns of the altars in Bethel.
Amos iii. 14: " I shall visit the transgressions of Israel, I wili
also visit the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall
be cut off,: and fall to the ground."
271. And seven eyes, signifies his omniscience and divine
wisdom. That eyes, when spoken of the Lord, signify his divine
wisdom, may be seen above, n. 48, 125, thus also his oinniscience; and that seven signifies all, and is predicated of any thing
holy, n. 10; hence by the seven eyes of the Lamb, is signified
the divine wisdom of the Lord, which is also omniscience.
272. Which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth, signifies that from divine wisdom is derived divine
truth throughout the whole world, wheresoever there is any
religion. The seven spirits of God are the divine truth proceeaing from the Lord as above, n. 14, 155.  That being sent
forth into all the earth, means throughout the whole world
wheresoever there is any religion, is evident; for where there
is any religion, mankind is taught that there is a God, and that
there is a devil, and: that God is good itself, and] that all good
is froln him, and that the devil is evil itself, and that all evil is
from him; and, as they are opposites, so evil, being from the devil,
is to be shunned, and good, being from God, is to be done;: consequently, in proportion as any one does evil, so far he loves the
devil, and acts against God. Such divine truth exists throughont the whole world where there is any religion'; so: that: it is
only necessary to know what: evil is, and this also is known by
all who have any religion; for the precepts of every religion
are similar to those contained in the decalogue, viz., that it is
not lawful to kill, nor to- commit adultery, nor to steal, nor to
bear false witness. These are in general divine truths sent forth
from the Lord into all the earth, see The Doctr'ine of the lVew
Jeerusalev, concerning-the Sacred Scripture, n. 101 -118: therefore he who lives according to them on account of their being
divine truths, or the: commandments of God, and thence of religion, is saved; but he who only lives a'ccording to them because they are civil and moral truths, is not saved, for he that:
denies God may also so live, but- not he that: confesses God.
273. And he camne and took the Book out of the right hand
of Htim  that: sat upon the throne, signifies that'the Lord as to
his Divine Hmluanity is the Wordi and this by virtue of the divin192




v. 7, 8.'1THE AI'PCAL.Y'PSE RlVI;ALE.    274, 275
ity within himl, and that therefore he will execute judgment
fiom his Divine Humanity. Here it manifestly appears, that
Hie that sat upon the throne and the Lamb are one person, and
that by Him that sat upon the throne is meant his divine principle whence are all things, and by the Lamb, his Divine Humanity; for it is said in the preceding verse, that he saw a Lamb
standing in the midst of the throne, and in this, that he took
the Book from Him that sat upon the throne.  That the Lord
will execute judgment from his Divine Humanity, because he
is the Word, is evident from these passages: " And then shall
appear the sign of the Son qf Man; and they shall see the Son
qf Mfan coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory,"
Matt. xxiv. 30. "When the Son qf MVan shall sit on his throne
judging the twelve tribes of Israel," Matt. xix. 28. " The Sonc
of Mizan shall come in the glory of his Father, and then shall
he reward every man according to his works," Matt. xvi. 27.' TWatch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of Xan,," Luke xxi. 36.
"In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of cIagi cometh,"
Matt. xxiv. 44. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son,-because he is the Son.
of iran," John v. 22, 27. The Son of Man is the Lord as to
the Divine Humanity, and this is the Word, which was God,
and was made flesh, John i. 1, 14.
274. And when he had taken the Book, signifies when the
Lord appointed to execute the judgment, and thereby to reduce
all things in the heavens and in the earths to order. By taking
the Book and opening it, is signified to explore the states of life
of all, and to judge every one according thereto, as above; therefore here by his taking the Book, is signified to be about to execute the last judgment; and as the last judgment is executed
for the purpose of reducing all things to order in the heavens,
and by the heavens, in the earths, this also is signified.
275. The four animals and the four-and-twenty eIders fell
down before the Iamb, signifies humiliation, and from humiliation, adoration of the Lord from the superior heavens. Now
follows the glorification of the Lord on the above account, f'or,
as was observed above, n. 263, did not the Lord accomplish the
last judgment at this time, and thereby reduce all things in the
heavens and in the earths to order, all would perish. VThe glorification of the Lord, which now follows, takes place first in
the superior heavens, afterwards in the inferior heavens, and
lastly in the lowest heavens; the glorification by the superior
heavens, verses 8, 9, 10, by the inferior heavens, verses 11, 12,
and by the lowest heavens, verse 13, and lastly confirmation and
adoration by the superior heavens, verse 14. Therefore the
superior heavens are signified by the four animals and the fourand-twenty elders; for by the cherubs, who are the four ani193                                         X




276, 277        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. v.
nals  "in the midst-of the throne," is signified the Lord as to the
Word, but by the cherubs, or four animals " round about the
throne," is signified heaven as to the Word; for it is said, " That
in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were
seen four animals, full of eyes before and behind," iv. 6; for
the heavens are heavens by virtue of the reception of divine
tru1th through the Word from the Lord. By the four-andtwenty elders are also signified the angels in the superior heavens, because those elders were proximately about the throne,
iv. 4. That to fall down before the Lamb denotes humniliation,
and, from humiliation, adoration, is evident.
276. HIaving every one of them karps, signifies a confession
ot the Lord's' Divine Humanity from spiritual truths. It is well
known that confessions of Jehovah were made in the temple at
Jerusalem by singing, and at the same time by instruments of
music, which corresponded; the instruments were principcally
trumpets and timbrels, and psalteries and harps; the trumpets
and timnbrels corresponded to celestial goods and truths, and the
psalteries and harps to spiritual goods and truths; the correspondences were with their sounds. What celestial good and truth
is, and what spiritual good and truth, may be seen in the work
concerning Heaven and H7ell, n. 13-19, and 20, 28. That harps
signify confessions of the Lorl from spiritual truths, may appear
from these passages: " Praise Jehovah with the harp, sing unto
him with the psaltery, and an instrument of ten strings," Psalm
xxxiii. 2, 3. "I will praise thee on the harp, O God, my God,"
Psalm xliii. 3, 4.   I will also praise thee with the psaltery, I,will sing unto thee with the harp, 0 thou Holy One of Israel,":Psalm lxxi. 22.'"Awake psaltery and harp, I will sing unto
thee among the nations, Q Lord," Psalm lvii. 8, 9; Psalm cviii.
2, 3. " Sing  ulto Jehovah with thanksgiving, sing praise upon
the harp unto our God," Psalm cxlvii. 7. " It is a good thing
to give thanks to Jehovah-upon the psaltery, and upon the harp
with: a solemn sound," Psalm  xcii. 2 —4. "Make a joyful
nolse unto Jehovah, all the earth, sing unto Jehovah with the
harp, with the harp and the voice of a psalm," Psalm xcviii. 46: and in many other places; as Psalm xliii. 4; Psalm cxxxvii.
2; Job xxx. 31-; Isaiah xxiv. 7-9; xxx. 31, 32; Apoc. xiv. 2;
xviii. 22. Because the harp corresponded to confession of the
L ord, and evil spirits could not endure it, therefore David by the
harp caused the evil spirit to depart from Saul, 1 Sam. xvi. 14
-16, 23. That they were not harps, but that confessions of the
Lord were heard by John as harps, may be seen below, n. 661.
2'7. And golden vials full of incense, signifies confession
of the Lord's DivineHfumanity from spiritual good. The reason
why incense signifies worship fromn spiritual goods, but in this
instance confession,rmn  such goods, is, because the principal
worship in the Jewish >.and Israelitish church consisted in the
194




v. 8.j1          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               279
offering of sacrifices and incense; wherefore there were two
altars, one for sacrifices and the other for incense; the latter
altar was within the tabernacle, and was called the golden altar,
but the former was withont the tabernacle, and was called the
altar of burnt offerings; the reason was, because there are two
kinds of good, fiom which all worship exists, celestial good and
spiritual good; celestial good is the good of love to the. Lord,
and spiritual good is the good of love towards our neighbour;
worship by sacrifices was worship from celestial good, and worship by incense was worship from spiritual good. Whether you
call it worship or confession, it amounts to the same thing, for
all worship is confession. What is signified by incense, is also
signified by the vials in which the incense is contained, because
the thing containing and the thing contained, like the instru?
mental and principal, act as one cause. Worship from spiritual
good is signified by incense in the following places: "For froim
the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my
name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place
incense shall be offered unto nay name," Malachi i. 11. "'They
shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall
put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine
altar," Deut. xxxiii. 10.  "I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams," Psalm lxvi. 13, 15.
" And they shall come fiom the cities of Judah, bringing burntofferings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense," Jerem.
xvii. 26. "All they firom Sheba shall come; they shall.bring
gold and incense, and they shall show forth the praises of Jehovah," Isaiah Ix. 6. By frankincense the same is signified as by
incense, because frankincense was the principal aromatic used in
offering incense. Therefore it is said in Matthew, that the wise
men from the east opened their treasures, and offered to the
Lord, then an infant, "gold, frankincense, and myrrh," ii. 11.
The reason why they offered these three, was, because gold
signified celestial good, frankincense spiritual good, and myrrh
natural good, and fiom those three goods. all worship is derived.
278. Whieh are the prayers of saints, signifies thoughts
which are of faith, grounded in affections which are of charity,
with those who worship the Lord from spiritual good and truth.
By prayers are meant the things which are of faith, and at the
same time the things which are of charity, with those whio pour
forth prayers, because prayers without such things are not
prayers, but empty sounds. That saints mean those who are il
spiritual goods and truths, may be seen above, n. 173. The
reason why incense is called the prayers of saints, is, because
fiagrant odours correspond to affections of good and truth;
hence it is, that " a grateful odour or sweet savour," and an
" odour of rest to Jehovah," so often occur in the Word; as in
Exod. xxix. 10, 25, 41; Levit. i. 9, 13, 17; ii. 2, 9, 10; iii. 5;
195




279            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. v,
iv. 31; vi. 8, 15; viii. 28; xxiii. 8, 13, 18; xxvi. 31; Numb.
xv. 7; xxix. 2, 6, 8, 13, 36; Ezek. xx. 41; Hosea xiv. 7.
Prayers which are called incense have a similar signification in
the following places in the Apocalypse: An angel stood at the
altar having a golden vial, " and there was given unto him
much incense, that he should offer it with the _players of all
saints upon the golden altar:-And the smoke of the incense,
with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of
the angel's hand," viii. 3-5: and in the Psalms of David:
"Give ear unto mny voice; let my prayer be set forth before
thee as incense," cxli. 1, 2.
279. And they sung a new song, signifies an acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord, that he alone is the Judge,
Redeemer, and Saviour, thus the God of heaven and earth.
These things are contained in the song which they sung, and
the things which are contained are also signified; as an acknowledgment that the Lord is the Judge in this: "Thou art worthy
to take the Book, and to open the seals thereof:" that he is the
Redeemer, in this: "'Because thou wast slain, and hast re
deemed us in thy blood:" that he is the Saviour, in this: "'Thou
hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign
upon the earth:" that he is the God of heaven and earth, ii.
this: "They fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever
and ever," verse 14. Since the acknowledgment of the Lord
alone as the God of heaven and earth, and of the Divinity of
his Humanity, and that in no other way could he be called a
Redeemer and Saviour, was not before in the church, it is
therefore denominated a new song. The reason why a song also
signifies glorification, which is confession from joy of heart, is,
because singing exalts, and causes affection to break out from the
heart into sound, and show itself intensely in its life. Nor are
the Psalms of David any other than songs; for they were set
to music and sung, and therefore were also called songs in many
places; as in Psalm xviii. 1; Psalm xxxiii. 1, 2; Psalm xlv. 1;
Psalm xlvi. 1; Psalm xlviii. 1; Psalm lxv. 1; Psalm lxvi. 1;
Psalm lxvii. 1; Psalm lxviii. 1; Psalm lxxv. 1; Psalm lxxxi.
1; Psalm lxxxvii. 1; Psalm lxxxviii. 1; Psalm xcii. 1; Psalm
xcvi. 1; Psalm xcviii. 1; Psalm cviii. 1; Psalm cxx. 1; Psalm
cxxi. 1; Psalm cxxii. 1; Psalm cxxiii. 1; Psalm cxxiv. 1;
Psalm  cxxv. 1; Psalm  cxxvi. 1; Psalm  cxxvii. 1; Psalm
cxxviii. 1; Psalm cxxix. 1; Psalm cxxx. 1; Psalm cxxxii. 1;
Psalm cxxxiii. 1; Psalm cxxxiv. 1. That songs were used for
the sake of exalting the life of love, and the joy derived fiom
it, is evident from the following passages: "' O sing unto Jehovah a new song, make a joyful noise unto Jehovah all the
earlh, make a loud noise and rejoice," Psalm xcviii. 1, 4-8.
"Sing unto Jehovah a new song,-let Israel rejoice in Him that
made him, let them praise his name in the dance," Psalm cxlix.
196




v. 9.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         280, 281
1-3.  " Sing unto Jehovah a new song,-lift up the voice,"
Isaiah xlii. 10, 12. "Sing, 0 ye heavens, shout ye lower parts of
the earth, break forth into singing, ye mountains," Isaiah xliv.
23; xlix. 13. 6 Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm," Psalm lxxxi. 2
-4. "Joy and gladness shall be found in Zion, thanksgiving
and the voice of melody," Isaiah li. 3; lii. 8, 9. "Sing unto Jehovah,-cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is
the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee," Isaiah xii. 1-6.
" My heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise. Awake up,
my glory, I will praise thee, O Lord, among the nations, I will
sing unto thee among the people," Psalm lvii. 8-10: and in
many other places.
280. Saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open
the seals thereof, signifies that he alone can know the states of
life of all, and judge every man according to his own state
respectively, as above, n. 256, 259, 261, 267, 273.
281. For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed zus to God by
thy blood, signifies deliverance from hell, and salvation by conjunction with him. It is not necessary to explain by the spiritual sense what is specifically signified by all the particulars
here mentioned, as what by being slain, by redeeming us to
God, and what by his blood, for they are arcana which do not
appear in the literal sense; suffice it to know that it is redemption which is thus described; and since it is redemption it is
deliverance from hell, and salvation by conjunction with the
Lord, which are signified. Here it shall only be confirmed
from the Word, that Jehovah himself came into the world, was
born a man, and became the Redeemer and Saviour of all, who
by a life of charity and its faith are in conjunction with his
Divine Humanity, and that Jehovah is the Lord from eternity,
consequently that the Divine Humanity of the Lord, with which
there must be conjunction, is the Divine Humanity of Jehovah
himself. Now therefore some passages shall be adduced, which
prove that Jehovah and the Lord are one; and since they are
one and not two, that the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah
himself, by the assumption of the Humanity, became the Redeemer and Saviour: this is evident from the following places:
" Thou, O Jehovah, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name
is from everlasting," Isaiah lxiii. 16. " Thus saith the King of
Israel and his Redeemner, Jehovah of ]Hosts, I am the First and I
am the Last, and besides me there is no God," Isaiah xliv. 6.
" Thus saith Jehovah thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee;
I am Jehovah that maketh all things —alone by myself," Isaiah
xliv. 24. " Thus saith Jehovah thy Redeemer, the Holy One oI
Israel, I am Jehovah thy God," Isaiah xlviii. 17. " Jehovah
my Rock and my Redeemer," Psalm xix. 14. "Their Redeemer is strong, Jehovah of Hosts is his name," Jerem. 1. 34.
197




282             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. v
"Jehovah of Host8 is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One
of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called," Isaiah
liv. 5. "And all flesh shall know that I Jehovaah, amt thy.
Saviour' and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob," Isaiah
xlix. 26; Ix. 16.   As for our Redeemer, Jehovah of Iiosts is
his name," Isaiah xlvii. 4. "With everlasting kindness will I
have mercy on thee, saith Jehovafh thy Redeener," Isaiah liv. 8.
"Thus saith Jehovach your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,"
Isaiah xliii. 14. "Thus saith Jehovah the -Redeemer of Israel
and his Holy One," Isaiah xlix. 7. "Thou hast redeemed me,
Jehovah God of truth," Psalm  xxxi. 5. "Let Israel hope in
Jehovah, for with him there is plenteous redemnption, and he
shall redeem Israel fiom all his iniquities," Psalm cxxx. 7, 8.
"Arise, [O Lord,] for our help, and redeem us for thy mercy's
sake," Psalm xliv. 26. Thus saith Jehovah God, "I will ransom them from. the power of the grave, I will redeem them from
death," Hosea xiii. 4, 14. " Jehovah shall hear my voice, he
shall redeem my soul," Psalm Iv. 17, 18. Also in Psalm xlix.
15; Psalm lxix. 18; Psalm lxxi. 23; Psalm ciii. 1, 4; Psalm
cvii. 2; Jerem. xv. 20, 21. That the Lord as to his Hunianity is the Redeemer, is not'denied in the church, because it
is according to Scripture, and the following passages'Who is
this that comreth firol Edom, travelling in the greatness of his
strength?-and the year of my redeemed is come. He redeemed
them," Isaiah lxiii. 1, 4, 9. "Say ye to the daughter of Zion,
Behold, thy salvation cometh, behold, his reward is with him,and they shall call them, The Holy People, the Redee7zed of
Jehovaht," Isaiah lxii. 11, 12. "Blessed be the lord God of
Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people," Luke i.
68: besides other places. Many other passages, proving that
the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah himself, came into the
world, and took upon him humanity, in order to redeem mankind, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerulsalem concerningy the Lord, n. 37-46.  Moreover Jehovah is called the
Saviour in many places, which cannot be adduced by reason of
their abundance.
282. Out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, an~d nation,
signifies that they in the church or in any religion, who are in
truths as to doctrine, and in good as to life, are redeemed by
the Lord. By tribe is signified the church as to religion; by
tongue is signified its doctrine, of which we shall speak presently; by people are signified they who are in truths of doctrine, and, abstractedly, truths of doctrine, n. 483; and by
nation are signified they who are in the good of life, and,
abstractedly, good of life, n. 483; from hence it appears that
by these words, " Out of every tribe, and tongue, and people,
and nation," such things-are signified as were said above; see
also n. 627. It shall now be proved that tongue, in the spir
198




v. 9, 10.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          283, 284
itual sense, signifies the doctrine of the church, or of any religion; this is evident from the following places: "My tongue
also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long," Psalm
lxxi. 24. "Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue
of the dumb shall sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break
out," Isaiah xxxv. 6. "The tongue of the stammerers shall be
ready to speak plainly," Isaiah xxxii. 4. It appears as if, in
these instances, by tongue was meant speech, but in the spiritual sense that which is spoken is understood, which is truth
of doctrine, which they will have from the Lord. In like manner, " I have sworn, —That unto me every knee shall bow, and
every tongue shall swear," Isaiah xlv. 23.  "It shall come,
that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come
and see my glory," Isaiah lxvi. 18. " In those days it shall come
to pass that ten men out of all languages of the nations, shall
take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go
with you, for we have heard that God is with you," Zech. viii.
23; speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Lord to
the truth of doctrine. But by tongues, in an opposite sense,
are signified false doctrines in the following places: 1" Let not
an evil speaker be established in the earth," Psalm  cxl. 1.
"Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of
tongues," Psalm xxxi. 20. "Lo, I will bring a nation upon
you,-whose language thou knowest not," Jeremr. v. 15, 16.
"To be sent to a people of a hard language," Ezek. iii. 5, 6.
To a people of a " starmmering tonguge,"' Isaiah xxxiii. 19. It
must be observed that tongue, as an organ. signifies doctrine,
but, as speech, it also signifies religion. He who knows that
a tongue signifies doctrine, may understand what is meant by
those words which the rich man in hell addressed to Abrahanl,
that he would send Lazarus that he might " dip the tip of his
finger in water, and cool his tongue, and not be tormented with
the flame," Luke xvi. 24. Water signifies truth, anid tongue,
doctrine; by the falses of which doctrine he was tormented,
and not by the flame; for no one in hell is in flames, but flames
there are appearances of the love of falsity; whilst fire is an
appearance of the love of evil.
283. And hast made uts unto our God kings and priests,
signifies that from the Lord they are in wisdom from divine
truths and in love from divine good, and thus images of his
divine wisdom, and of his divine love; as above, n. 20, 21.
284. And we shall reign on the earth, signifies, and will be
in his kingdom, he in them and thev in him. By reigning on
the earth, nothfing else is meant, than being in the Lord's kingdom, and there one with him, according to these words of the
Lord: "That all who believe in me, may be one; and may be
one as thou Fatber art in mre and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us: And tile glory which thou gavest me I have given
199




285             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. v.
thlem, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and
thou in me, that where I am, they also may be with me," John
xvii. 20-24. As, therefore, they are thus one with the Lord,
and, together with the Lord, constitute a kingdom which is
called the kingdom of God, it is evident that nothing else is
signified by their reigning.  The term reign is mentioned,
because it was before said, "Thou hast made us kings and
nriests;" and by kings are signified they who are in wisdom
by means of divine truths from the Lord; and by priests, they
who are in love by means of divine good from him, n. 20;
hence it is that the kingdom of the Lord is also called " the
kingdom of the saints," Dan. vii. 18, 27; and it is said of the
apostles, that together "with the Lord they should judge the
twelve tribes of Israel," Matt. xix. 28; although the Lord
alone judges and reigns; for he judges and reigns from divine
good by divine truth, which is also from him in them; but who
believes, that what is in them fiom the Lord is their own, is
cast out of the kingdom, or, what is the same thing, out of
heaven. The signification of reigning is the same in the following passages in the Apocalypse: " They shall be priests of
God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years,"
xx. 6: and concerning those who are to enter into the New
Jerusalem, it is said: "The Lamb shall enlighten them, and
they shall reign for ever and ever," xxii. 5.
285. It is said, They shall reigny on the earth, because by
earth here and in other places is meant the Lord's church in
the heavens and on the earths; the church, wherever it may be,
is the Lord's kingdom. Lest, therefore, any one should believe
*that all who are redeemed by the Lord become kings and
priests, and that they will reign on the earth, it must be proved
from the Word that the earth signifies the church; this may
appear fiom the following passages: " Behold, Jehovah maketh
the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside
down: the land shall be utterly emptied. The earth mourneth
and fadeth away; the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof.  Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth,
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men
left. When this shall be in the midst of the land these shall be
as the shaking of an olive tree. The windows from on high are
open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is
utterly broken down; the earth is clean dissolved; the earth is
moved exceedingly.  The earth shall reel to and fro like a.
drunkard," Isaiah xxiv. 1-23. " The lion is come up from his
thicket to make thy land desolate: I beheld the earth, and lo,
it was without form and void; Thus saith Jehovah, The whole
land shall be desolate, for this shall the earth mourn," Jerem.
iv. 7, 23-28. "How long shall the land mourn? the whole
land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart,"
200




?. 10, 11.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.'    285
Jerem. xv;. 4, 11-13.  "The earth mourneth and languisheth,
Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down," Isaiah xxxiii. 9.
"And the land shall become burning pitch, and shall lie
waste," Isaiah xxxiv. 9, 10. "I have heard from the Lord of
Hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth,"
Isaiahi xxviii. 2, 22. "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, to
lay the lacnd desolate, and the earth shall remove out of her
place," Isaiah' xiii. 9, 13. "Then the earth shook and trembled, and the foundations also of the hills moved," Psalm xviii.
7, 8. "Therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed; he uttereth his voice, the earth melted," Psalm xlvi. 3
-7, 9. " Have ye not understood from  the foundations of
the earth?" Isaiah xl. 21, 23. " O God, thou hast cast us off,
-thou hast made the earth to tremble; heal the breaches
thereof, for it shaketh," Psalm lx. 2, 4. "The earth and all
the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; I bear up the pillairs of
it," Psalm lxxv. 3, 4. "Woe to the land shadowing with
wings: Go ye swift messengers to a nation scattered and
peeled, whose land the rivers have spoiled," Isaiah xviii. 1, 2.
" Through the wrath of Jehovah,-the land is darkened," Isaiah
ix. 19. "For ye shall be a delightsome land," Malachi iii. 12.
"I will give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the
earth; Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth," Isaiah xlix. 8,
13. "I shall not see the Lord in the land of the living,"
Isaiah xxxviii. 11. "Which caused terror in the land of the
living," Ezek. xxxii. 23-27. "Unless I had believed to see
the goodness of Jehovah in the larnd of the living," Psalm xxvii.
13. " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,"
Matt. v. 5. " I am  Jehovah that maketh all things, that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the
earth by myself," Isaiah xliv. 23, 24; Zech. xii. 1; Jeremr. x.
11-13; li. 15; Psalm cxxxvi. 6. "Let the earth open and
bring forth salvation; thus saith Jehovah, who created the
heavens and formed the earthA," Isaiah xlv. 8, 12, 18, 19.
"' Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth," Isaiah lxv.
17; lxvi. 22: besides many other places, which, if they were
adduced, would fill a volume. The reason why the earth signifies the church, is, because, in many instances, it means the
land of Canaan, in which the church was planted; the heavenly
Canaan is no other; as, also, because when the earth is named,
the angels, who are spiritual, do not think of the earth, but of
the human race that inhabit it and of their spiritual state, and
their spiritual state is the state of the church. The earth has
also an opposite sense, and in that it signifies damnation, because when there is no church in man, there is damnnation; in
this sense the earth is-mentioned in Isaiah xiv. 12; xxi. 9; xxvi.
19, 21; xxix. 4; xlvii. 1; lxiii. 6; Lament. ii. 10; Ezek. xxvi.
20; xxxii. 24; Numb. xvi. 29-33; xxvi. 10; and in other places,
201




286, 287         THE APOCALYPSE RtEVEALED.        [Chap. vp
286. And I beheld, and I heard the voice cf many angels
round about the throne, and the animals and the elders, signifies a confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of
the inferior heavens. That there was a confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of the three heavens, may be
seen above, ni. 275; and' by the angels of the superior heavens,
from verse 8 to 10; and therefore now by the angels of the inferior heavens, verses 11, 12; wherefore by the voice of the
angels round about the thione, is meant the confession and
glorification of the Lord by the angels of the inferior heavens.
On this occasion he saw also the animals and elders together
with them, because by the animals and elders are signified the
angels of the superior heavens, n. 2,75 and the inferior heavens
never act separately frorm the superior heavens, but in conjunction with them; for the Lord influences all the heavens imnmediately from himself; thus also the inferior heavenls: and his
influence is at the same time mediately through the superior
heavens into the inferior. This is the reason, therefore,% why he
first saw and heard the animals by themselves, and afterwards in
conjunction with the others.
287. And the number of them waos myriads of myriads, and
thousands of thousands, signifies all in truths and in good. By
number, in the natural sense, is meant that which has relation
to measure or weight, but by number, in the spiritual sense, that
which has relation to quality: and here their quality is described
by their being myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
for a myriad is predicated of truths, and a thousand of goods.
The reason why a myriad is predicated of truths, and a thousand of goods, is because a myriad is the greater number, and a
thousand a less, and truths are manifold, but goods are simple;
and because where truths are treated of in the Word, goods lre
treated of also, on account of the marriage of good and truth
existing in every particular, otherwise it would have been sufficient to have said myriads of myriads. Since these two numbers have such a signification, they are mentioned also in other
places, as in the following: "The chariots of God are two myriads, even thousands of anoels, the Lord is. amongst them  as
in Sinai in the holy place," Psalm lxviii. 1T. "I beheld,, and
the Ancient of Days did sit, thousand thousandcs ninistered
unto him, and myriads of myriads stood'before him," Dan. vii.'
9, 10. Moses saith of Joseph, " His horns are like the horns
of unicorns, with them he shall push the people together to the
ends of the earth; and they are the myriads of Ephlrairn, and
the thousaznds of Manasseh," Deut. xxxiii. 17. "Thou shalt
not be afraid for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor
for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day, a thousand shall
fall at thy side, and a qmyriad at thy right hand," Psalm.. xci. 5
— 7.  " That our sheep may bring forth thousands and myriads
202




v. 11, 12.]'THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          288 2lt,
in our streets," Psalm  cxliv. 13. "Will Jehovah oe pleased
with thousands of rams, or with myriads of rivers of oil?"
Micah vi. 7. When thie ark rested, Moses said, " Return, Jehovah, unto the myriads of the thozusacczds of Israel," Numb. x.
36. In all these places myriads are spoken of truths, and thousands of goods.
288.. Saying with, a loud voice, Worthy is the Zamb that was
slaint to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and honoutr, and
glory, signifies confession fr'om the heart, that to the Lord as to
his Divine Humanity belong omnipotence, omniscience, divine
good, and divine truth. To say with a loud voice, signifies confession firom the heart: thou art wolth)Ty, signifies that in him
are thie things which follow; a Lamb signifies the Lord as to
the Divine HIumanity; power signifies divine powei-, which is
omnipotence; riches, and wisdom, signify divine knowledge
and wisdom, whi.ch are omniscience; honour and glory, signify
divine good and divine truth., That riches signify knowledges
of what is good and true, and thus science, may be seen above,
n. 206; therefore, when said of the Lord, they signify omniscio
ence; and that honour and glory, when'spoken of the Lord,
signify divine good and divine truth, see above, n. 249.
289. And blessing, signifies all these things in him, and from
him in them. By blessing is meant every good which man receives from  the Lord, or power and opulence, and all that is
implied by them; but especially every spiritual good, or love
and wisdom, charity and faith, and the joy and felicity resulting from them, which constitute eternal life; and since all these
are firom the Lord, it follows that they are in him, for if they
were not in hiln, they could not be in others from him: hence it
is, that, in the Word, the Lord is called the Blessed, and also
Blessinzg, that is, Blessing Itself. That Jehovah, or the Lord,
is called the Blessed, is evident fiom these places: "' The high
priest asked Jesus, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
Mark xiv. 61.- Jesus said, " Ye shall not see me henceforth,
till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord," Matt. xxiii 39; Luke.xiii. 35. Melehisedek blessed
Abram, and said,   Blessed be the most high God, who hath
delivered thine enemies into thy hand," Gen. xiv. 18-20.
" Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem," Gen. ix. 26. " Blessed be' Jehovah, because he hath heard my voice," Psalm xxviii.
6.  " JBlessed be Jehovah, for he hath showed me his marvellous kindness," Psalm xxxi. 21. 1" Blessed be Jehovah, God of
Israel, from everlasting to everlasting,'" Psalm xli. 13. In like
manner, Psalm lxvi. 20; Psalm lxviii. 19, 35; Psalm ixxii. 18,
19; Psalm lxxxix. 52; Psalm cxix. 12; Psalm cxxiv. 6; Psalm
cxxxv. 21; Psalm cxliv. 1; Luke i. 68. This is the reason why
blessing is here mentioned, as also verse 12, and vii. 12; and
likewise in the Psalms of David: " Glory and honour dost thou
203




290             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. v.
lay upon him, for thou hast made him Blessing for ever," Psalm
xxi. 5, 6: speaking of the Lord. Hence it may be seen what
is meant in the Word by blessing God, namely, to ascribe to
him all blessing; also to pray that he would bless, and to give
thanks for having blessed; as may appear from the following
passages: The mouth of Zacharias was opened, and he spake,
blessing God, Luke i. 64, 68. Simeon took up the infant Jesus
in his arms, and blessed God, Luke ii. 28, 30, 31. " I will bless
Jehovah, who hath given me counsel, Psalm xvi. 7. O " bless
the name of Jehovah, show forth his salvation from day to day,"
Psalm xcvi. 1-3.  " Blessed be the Lord from day to day,
bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel," Psalm lxviii. 19, 26.
290. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth?,
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are
in them, heard I saying, signifies confession and glorification of
the Lord by the angels of the lowest heaven. That this is a
confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of the
lowest heaven, is evident from the series, because the confessions and glorifications of the Lord before mentioned, were by
the angels of the superior and inferior heavens, n. 275, and following numbers, 286, and following numbers; for there are
three heavens, and innumerable societies in each, and each of
them is called a heaven. That by every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and in the sea,
are meant angels, is evident, for it says, " heard I saying," and
they said, "'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be
unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever."  Their being called creatures is conformable
to the style of the Word, in which, by all created things, as well
those which belong to the animal kingdom as those which belong to the vegetable kingdom, are signified various things in
man, in general such things as belong to his will or affection,
and such as pertain to his understanding or thought; for they
signify such things, because they correspond; and since the
Word is written by mere correspondences, similar things are
said of the angels of heaven and men of the church; in proof
of which a few passages only shalf be adduced, which are as
follows: Jesus said unto his disciples, "' Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature," Malrk xvi. 15. " Ask
now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the
air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall
teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath
wrought this?" Job xii. 7, 10. " Let the heaven and earth
praise Jehovah, the seas, and every thing that creepeth therein
for God will save Zion," Psalm lxix. 34, 35. " Praise Jehovah
from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps," Psalm cxlviii. 7. " 1
204




v. 13.1         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             291
will utterly consume all things from off the land, I will consume man and beast, I will consume the fowls of the heaven,
and the fishes of the sea," Zeph. i. 2, 3. The same in Isaiah
1. 2, 3; Ezek. xxxviii. 19, 20; Hosea iv. 2, 3; Apoc. viii. 7-9.
" Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad; let the sea
roar, and the fulness thereof; let the field be joyful, and all that
is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before
Jehovah; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth,"
Psalm xcvi. 11 —13: and in many other places. It is said
every created thing, by which is meant every reformed thing,
or all the reformed, for to create signifies to reform and regenerate, n. 254. What is meant by " in heaven, in the earth, and
under the earth," may be seen above, n. 260; and what by the
sea, n. 238; hence it is evident what is signified by such things
as are in the sea, and all that are in them; these things are
meant in the Word by fishes of the sea, which are the sensual
affections, these being the lowest affections of the natural man,
for in the spiritual world such affections appear at a distance
like fishes, and as if they were in the sea, because the atmosphere
in which they are, appears watery, and therefore to those who
are in the heavens and on the earth there, seems like a sea, as
may be seen above, n. 238, and concerning fishes, n. 405.
291. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto
_Him that sitteth uzpon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever
and ever, signifies that in the Lord fiom eternity, and thence
in his Divine Humanity, is the all of heaven and the church,
divine good, and divine truth, and divine power, and from him
in those who are in heaven and in the church. That the Lord
from eternity is Jehovah, who took upon him the human nature
in time, that he might redeem and save mankind, may be seen
above, n. 281; therefore by Him that sat upon the throne, is
meant the Lord from eternity, who is called the Father, and by
the Lamb, the Lord as to the Divine Humanity, which is the
Son; and because the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the
Father, and they are one, it is evident that by both, or by Him
that sat upon the throne and the Lamb, the Lord is meant;
and because they are one, it is said that the Lamb also was in
the midst of the throne, verse 6; also vii. 17. That blessing,
when spoken of the Lord, is the all of heaven and of the
church in him and from him, in those who are in heaven and in
the church, may be seen above, n. 289. That honour and glory
are divine good and divine truth, may also be seen above, n.
249: and that strength, when spoken of the Lord, is divine
power, is evident. That all these are the Lord's, may appear
fiom what is said in Daniel: " Behold, one like the Son of Man
came to the Ancient of Days; and there was given him domqtnion, and glory, and the kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting
20'5




.292-294        TmH: APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chlap. v.
dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyedcl" vii. 13, 14. That the Anc;ent
of Days is the Lord from eternity, appears fiom these words in
Micah: "6 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little
among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come
forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel; and whose goings
forth have been from of old, from the days of everlasting," v.
2: as also from these in Isaiah: "' For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,"
ix. 6.
292. And the four animcals said, Amen, signifies divine
confirmation from the Word. That the four animals or cherubs
signify the Word, may be seen above, n. 239; and that amen
signfies divine confirmation from truth itself, n. 23, 28, 61, thus
from the Word.
293. And the four-and-twenty elders fell down and worshipped HUim  that liveth for ever and ever, signifies humiliation before the Lord, and from humiliation, adoration of him
by all in the heavens, in whom and from whom is everlasting
life, as above, n. 251, and n. 58, 60
294. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation. In
the natural world the speech of man is twofold, because his
thought is twofold, exterior and interior; for a man can speak
from interior thought and at the same time from  exterior
thought, and he can speak from exterior thought and not from
interior, yea, contrary to interior thought, whence come dissimulation, flattery, and hypocrisy. But in the spiritual world
man's speech is not twofold, but single; a man there speaks as
lie thinks, otherwise the sound is harsh and offends the ear; but
yet he may be silent, and so not publish the thoughts of his
mind; a hypocrite, therefore, when he comes into the company
of the wise, either goes away, or retires to a corner of the room
and withdraws himself firom observation, and sits silent. On one
occasion there was a numerous assembly in the spiritual world,
who were discoursing on this subject, and saying, that not to be
able to speak but as one thinks, must be a hard thing for those
who might be in company with the good, but yet who have not
thought justly concerning God and the Lord. In the midst of
the assembly were those of the reformed church, and many of
the clergy, and next to them were papists and monks; and
they all at first said that it was not a hard thing at all; "s What
need is there to speak otherwise than one thinks, and if one
should happen not to think justly, can he not shut his mouth
and keep silence?"  And one of the clergy said, " Who does
not think justly of God and the Lord?"  But some of the com206




i. 14.j         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              294
pany said, " Let us make the experiment." And they who had
confirmed themselves in the idea of a trinity of persons ill the
Godhead, especially firom these words in the Athanasian doctrine, "There is one person of the Father, another of the Son,
and another of the Holy Ghost; and as the Father is God, so
also the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God," were desired
to say, "' One God;" but they could not; they distorted and
folded their lips in many ways, but could not articulate any
other words than such as were consonant with the ideas of their
thought, which were ideas of three persons, and thence of three
gods. They who had confirmed themselves in faith separate
from charity, were then desired to name "Jesuss;" but they
could not; yet they could all say Christ, and also God the
Father. This they were surprised at, and inquired into the
cause, which they found to be this, viz., that they had prayed to
God the Father for the Son's sake, and had not prayed to the
Saviour himself; for Jesus signifies Saviour. They were then
desired, by thinking of the Lord's Divine HIumanity, to say,' _Divine ITuman;" but none of the clergy that were present
could do so, though some of the laity could, wherefore the matter was-taken into serious consideration; and then, I. The following texts from the evangelists were read to them: "The
Father hath giver, all things into the Son's hand,?" John iii. 35.
" The Father hath given the Son _power over all flesh," John
xvii. 2. " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth,"
Matt. xxviii. 18; and they were directed to keep in mind, that
Christ, both as to his Divinity and as to his Humanity, is the
God of heaven and earth, and thus to pronounce " Divine
Iunmzan;" but still they could not; and they said that they
were thus enabled, indeed, to entertain the thought of it by
virtue of their understanding concerning it, but not the acknowledgmnent, and that on this account they were not able.
II. Afterwards'was read to them  out of Luke, i. 32, 34, 35,
that the Lord as to the human nature was the Son of Jehovah
God, and that every where in the Word he is called, as to his
Humanity, the Son of God, and also the Only-begotten, and
they were desired to keep this in mind; and likewise that the
only-begotten Son of God born in the world cannot but be God,
as the Father is God, and to utter the words, " Divinte Iuzeman."
But they said, " We cannot, by reason that our spiritual
thought, which is interior, does not admit into the thought
which is next to the speech any other than similar ideas, and
that thence they could perceive, that it is not permitted them
to divide their thoughts, as it was in the natural world."  III.
Then were read to them these words of the Lord to Philip:
" Philip said, Lord, show us tile Father, and the Lord said, He
who seeth me seeth the Father; believest thou not that I am
in the Father, and tile Father in me?" John xiv. 8-11: and
207




294            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. v
other places; as "That he and the Father are one," John x. 30,
and the like; and it was enjoined them to keep this in mind,
and say, " Divine Hurmaan;" but as their thought was not
rooted in the acknowledgment that the Lord was God as to his
human nature also, therefore they could not; they twisted and
folded their lips even to indignation, and would have forced
their mouths to utter and extort it, but it was not in their
power. The reason was, because the ideas of thought, which
flow from acknowledgment, make.one with words uttered by
the tongue, with those who are in the spiritual world, and where
such ideas do not exist, there are no words, for ideas become
words in speaking. IV. Moreover there was read to them from
the doctrine of the church received throughout the whole world,
the following passage, taken from the Athanasian Creed: "That
the divine and human nature in the Lord are not two but one,
yea, one person, united altogether like soul and body;" and it
was said to them, From this you may jossibly have an idea
grounded in the acknowledgment that the Lord's human nature
is divine, seeing that his soul is divine, for it is a doctrine of
your own church, acknowledged by you when in the world.
Moreover the soul is essence itself, and the body its form, and
the essence and form make one, like being and existence, and
like the efficient cause of the effect, and the effect itself; they
retained that idea, and were wont to have uttered " Divine
tumzan;" but it was not in their power; for their interior idea
concerning the Lord's Humanity exterminated and expunged
this new adventitious idea, as they called it. V. Again there
was read to them this passage out of John: "The Word was
with God, and God was the Word; and the Word was made
flesh," i. 1, 14; and the following from Paul: "IIn Christ Jesus
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Coloss. ii. 9:
and they were desired to think firmly, that God, who was the
Word, was made flesh, and that every thing divine, or all the
divinity, dwells in him bodily, as they might, perhaps, by these
means be able to pronounce "D Divine H-Iumanc" but still they
could not, avowing openly that they could not entertain an idea
of a divine human being, because God is God, and man is man,
and God is a spirit, and of a spirit we have never thought any
otherwise than as of air or ether. VI. At length it was said to
them, " Ye know that the Lord said,' Abide in me, and I in
you; he who abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth
much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing,"' John xv. 4, 5.
And as some of the English clergy were present, there was read
to themn this passage out of one of their prayers before the Holy
Sacrament: " For when we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ,
and drink his blood, then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us."
"If now you will but think that this cannot take place, except
tie Lord's Humanity be Divine, you may pronounce.Divine
208




Chap. v.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             294
ifuman,' from an acknowledgment in thought;" but still they
could not; so deeply was the idea impressed on their minds that
the Lord's Divinity was one thing and his Humanity another,
and that his Divinity was like the Divinity of: the Father, and
his Humanity like the humanity of another man. But it was
said to them, " Ilow can you entertain such a thought? Is it
possible for a rational mind ever to think that God is three, and
the Lord two?" VII. Afterwards they turned to the Lutherans, saying, "That the Augustan Confession, and Luther, taught
that the Son of God and the Son of Man in Christ are one person, and that he, as to his human nature also, is the true, omrnnipotent, and eternal God, and that as to this nature also, being
present at the right hand of God Almighty, governs all things
in heaven and earth, fills all things, is with us, and dwells and
operates in us; and that there is no distinction of adoration,
because by the nature which is seen, the divinity which is not
seen is adored, thus that in Christ God is Man and Man God."
On hearing this, they said, " Is it so?" And they looked round,
and presently they said, "This is what we did not know before,
therefore we are not able." But one or two of them said,
" We have read and written concerning these things, but yet
when we thought of them in ourselves fiom ourselves, they
were only words of which we had no interior idea." VIII. At
length, turning to the papists, they said, " Possibly you can
name the' Divine Hffman,' because you believe that in your
eucharist, in the bread and wine and in every part, there is the
whole of Christ, and also adore him as God, when you show and
carry about the host; and likewise because you call Mary the
mother of God, consequently you acknowledge that she brought
forth God, that is, the Divine Human."  They then attempted
to pronounce it from those ideas of their thought concerning
the Lord, but could not, by reason of their entertaining a mat&rial idea of his body and blood; and )by reason of the assertion
that the human and not the divine power is transferred )by him
to the pope. Then a certain monk got up, and said, " That he
could think of the Divine Human, friom the most Holy Virgin
Mary, the mother of God, and the same of the saint of his
monastery."  And another monk came, and said, "From my
idea of the matter, I could rather call his holiness, the pope,
the divine human, than Christ.;" but then some other monks
pulled him back, and said, "Are you not ashamed of your-'
self?" After this heaven was seen open, and there appeared
tongues, as of flame, descending and influencing some; and
they then celebrated THE DIVINE HUMANITY OF THE LORD, saying, " Remove the idea of three gods, and believe that in the;
Lord dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and that the
Father and he are one, as the soul and body are one, and that'
God is not air or ether, but that he is a Man, and then you
209                                       o




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Clhap. vi
will be brought into conjunction with heaven, and thereby
have power from the Lord to pronounce the name of' Jesus,'
and utter the words' [Divine Human,"'
CHAPTER VI.
1. AND I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and
I heard one of the four animals say, as with a voice of thunder,
Come and see.
2. And I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat
on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto himn: and he
went forth conquering and to conquer.
3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the sece
ond animal say, Come and see.
4. And there went out another horse that was red, and
power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the
earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was
given unto him a great sword.
5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the
third animal say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black
horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his
hand.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four animals say,
A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley
(.for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the;g,~ice of the fourth animal say, Conme and see.:8. And I looked, and behold, a pale horse: and his name
that -sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him. And
Ppower was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,
to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with
the beasts of the earth.
9.. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the
altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God,
and for the testimony which they held.
10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, 0
Lords holy and'true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood
on them th t dwelleon the earth 
11. And -white robes were given unto every one of them;
and it was said,:ntothem, that they should rest yet for a little
season9 until their fgllow-servants also, and their brethren, that
should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
12. And I beheld when he opened the sixth seal, and lo,
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackceloth of hair,,nJd tle;moon became as blood.
210




Chlap. V.]    T'rllE APOCALYPS:E REVEALED.
13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a
Rig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shalken of a
mighty wind.
14. And the heaven departed as a scroll, when it is rolled
together: and every mountain and island were moved out ol
their places.
15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the
rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and
every bond-man, and every fiee-man, hid themselves in the
dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16. And said tothe mountains and rocks, Fall on us, ana
hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb;
17. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall
be able to stand?
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. The subject treated
of is concerning the exploration of those, on whom the last
judgment is to be executed; and exploration is made to discover the quality of their understanding of the Word, and
thence the quality of their state of life. That they consisted of
such as were in truths originating in good, verses 1, 2; of such
as were without good, verses 3, 4; of such as were in contempt
of truth, verses 5, 6; and of such as were totally devastated,
both as to good and truth, verses 7, 8. Of the state of those
who were preserved by the Lord from the wicked in the inferior earth, and were to be delivered at the time of the last judgment, verses 9, 10. Of the state of those who were in evils
and thence in falses, the nature of that state at the day of the
last judgment, verses 12-17.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, "And I saw when
the Lamb opened one of the seals," signifies exploration from
the Lord of all those upon whom the last judgment was about
to be executed, as to their understanding of the Word, and
thence as to their state of life: "1 And I heard one of the four
animals say, as with a voice of thunder," signifies, according to
the divine truth of the Word: "Come and see," signifies a
manifestation concerning those who were first in order: v. 2,
"And I saw, and behold, a white horse," signifies the understanding of truth and good from the Word with these: "And
he that sat on him had a bow," signifies that they had the doe,
trine of truth and good from the Word, by virtue of which they
fought against the falses and evils which are from hell: "And;'
211




THE APOCALYPSE REV;ALED.           [Chap. vi.
crown  rSwas given unto him," signifies his token of combat:' And he went forth conquering, and to conquer," signifies victory over evils and falses to eternity: v. 3, " And when he had
opened the second seal, I heard the second animal say, Come
and-see," signifies the same here as above: v. 4, " Anld there
went out another horse that was red," signifies the understand
ing of the Word destroyed as to good, and thence as to life, in
these: " And power was given to him that sat thereon to
take peace from the earth," signirles the taking away of charity,
spiritual security, and internal tranquillity: "And that they
should kill one another," signifies intestine hatreds, infestations.from the hells, and internal:restlessness: "And there was given
unto him a great sword," signifies- the destruction of truth by
falses of evil: v. 5, "And when he. bhad opened the third seal, I
heard the third animal say, Come and see," signifies the same
here as above: " And I beheld, and lo, a black horse," signifies
the understanding of the Word destroyed in these as to truth,
and thus as to doctrine: "And he that sat on him  had a pair
of balances in his hand," signifies the estimation of good and
truth, of what kind it was, with these: v. 6, "And I heard a
voice in the midst of the four animals say," signifies the divine
protection of the Word by the Lord.: " A measure of wheat for
a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny," signifies;
because the estimatiofi of good and truth is so small as scarcely
to amount to any thing: " And see thou hurt not the oil and
the wine," signifies that it is provided by the Lord, that the
holy goods and truths which lie interiorly concealed in the
Word, shall not be violated and profaned: v. 7, " And when he
had opened the fourth seal, I heard:th tie voice of the fourth animal say, Come and see," signifies the same here as above: v. 8,
"And I looked, and behold, a pale horse," signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed both as to good and as to
truth: "And his name that sat on him was Death, and hell
followed with him," signifies the extinction of spiritual life and
thence damnation: " And power was given unto them over the
fourth part of the earth, to kill," signifies the destruction of all
good in the church: " With sword, and with hunger, and with
death, and with the beasts of the earth," signifies by falses of
doctrine, by evils of life, by the love of self, and by lusts: v.
9, "' And when he had opened' the fifth seal," signifies explora
tion from the Lord into the state of life of those who were to
be saved at the day of the last judgment, and were in the mean
ti;me reserved: "I saw under the altar the souls of them that
were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which
they held," signifies those who were rejected by the wicked on
account of their life being conformable to the truths of the
Word, and their acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine Humanity, and who were guarded.by the;Lord that they might no4
212




:Chap. vi.]   T-HE APOCA:LYPSE REVEALED.
be seduced: v. 10, " And they cried with a loud voice," signifies
grief of heart: "Saying, How long, 0~ Lord, holy and true,
dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell
on the earth?" signifies by reason that the last judgment was
protracted, and that they who offer violence to the Word aund
to the Lord's Divine Humanity were not removed: v.; 11, "And
white robes were given unto every one of them," signifies their
communication and conjunction with angels who are in divine
truths: " And it was said unto themn, that they should rest vet
for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled,?'
signifies that the last judgment should yet be protracted a little,
till they should be collected, who should be rejected in like
manner by the wicked: v. 12, "And I beheld, when he had
opened the sixth seal," signifies exploration from the Lord of
their state of life, who were interiorly evil, upon whom the last
judgment was to be executed: "And lo, there was a great
earthquake," signifies the state and terror of the church with
those totally changed: "And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," signifies the.adulteration of all the good of love in them, and the falsific'ation of all the truth of faith: v. 13, " And the stars of heaven
fell unto the earth," signifies the dispersion of all the knowledges of good and truth: "Even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind," signifies by
the ratiocination of the natural man separated fiom the spiritual: v. 14:, "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it'is
rolled together," signiifies separation from heaven and conjunetion with hell: "And every mountain and island were moved
out of their places," signifies that all the good of love and truth
of faith departed: v. 15, "And the kings of the earth, and the
great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the
mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man," signifies those who, before separation, were in the understanding of
truth and good, in the science of the knowledges thereof, ni
erudition, either from others or from themselves, and yet not in
a life conformable thereto: "Hid themselves in the dens" and
in the rocks of the mountains," signifies that they were now ih
evils and in falses of evil: v. 16, "And said to the mountains
and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that
sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb," signifies
confirmations of evil by means of falsity and of falsitvy fromni
evil, until they did not acknowledge any divinity in the LoMd:
v. 17, "For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shalh
be able to stand?" signifies that they were made such of theinselves by separation from the good and faithful on account of
-the last j udgment, which otherwise they would not be able.c
abide.
213




295-298         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. FIi.
THE EXPLANATION
295. And I saw when the Larb oopened one of the seals, signifies exploration from the Lord of all those upon whom the
last judgment was abouit to be executed, as to their understanding of the Word, and thence as to their state of life. This is
signified, because now follows in order the exploration of all
upon whom the last judgment was about to be perfolmed, as to
their states of life, and this from the Lord according to the Word.
Such then is the signification of the Lamb's opening the seals
of the Book. That to open the Book, and loose the seals thereof,
signifies to know the states of the life of all, and to judge every
one according to his own respectively, may be seen above, n.
259, 265, 266, 267, 273, 274.
296. And I heard one of the four animals say, as with a
cvotice of thunder, signifies according to the divine truth of the
Word. That by the four animals, or cherubs, is understood the
Word, may be seen above, n. 239, 275, 286, and by a voice of
thunder, the perception of divine truth, n. 236. It is here said
a voice of thunder, because by this animal is meant the lion, by
which is signified the divine truth of the Word as to its power,
n. 241; hence it is, that this animal is said to have spoken as
with a voice of thunder; for it is said afterwards, that the second
animal spake, then the third, and the fourth.
2997. Come and see, signifies a manifestation concerning those
who were first in order. It has been observed above, that in
this chapter is described the exploration of all upon whom the
last judgment was to be executed, as to their states of life, and
this friom the Lord according to the Word, n. 295; here there-:fore is described the exploration of the first in order, as to their
understanding of the Word, and consequent state of life. That
the church exists fiom the Word, and that the nature and quality of every church is determined by the understanding it has
of the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerzusalemt concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 76-79.
298. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, signifies the
understanding of truth and good fiom the Word with these.
1y horse is signified the understanding of the Word, and by a
white horse the understanding of truth from the Word; for
white is predicated of truths, n. 167. That a horse signifies the
understanding of the Word, is shown in a particular tract concerning The Thite Horse; but as a few passages only are there
quoted, others shall be here adduced by way of further confirmation. This is vely manifest indeed, firom the circumstance
of horses being seen to go out of the Book which the Lamlb had
opened, and fiom the animals saying, Come and see; for by
the animals is signified the Word, n. 239, 275, 286; so likewise
214




v. 1, 2.]       THIE APOCALYP'SE REVEALED.            298
by the Book, n. 257; and by the Son of Man, who is here the
Lanmb, the Lord as to the Word, n. 44. From these considerations it is at once evident, that nothing is here meant by horse
but the understanding of the Word. This' may appear more
manifestly still from the following passages in the Apocalypse.
" I saw heaven opened, and behold, a wvhite horse, and He that
sat upon him is called the Word of God, and he hath on his
vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and
Lord of lords. And his armies in the heavens followed him
upon white horses," xix. 11, 13, 14, 16. That a horse signifies
the understanding of the Word, may also appear from the following places: "Was thy wrath against the sea, O Jehovah,
that thou didst ride upon thine horses, and thy chariots of salvation?  Thou didst walk through the sea with thinze horses,
through the heap of great waters," Habak. iii. 8, 15. Jehovah's?horses' hoofs are counted like flint, Isaiah v. 28.  "In that
day-I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider
with gmadness,-and will smite eve ry horse of the people with
blindness," Zech. xii. 4. "In that Jay there shall be upon the
bells of tlhe horses, holiness unto Jehovah," Zech. xiv. 20. "Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither lath imparted
to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high
she scorneth the horse and his ridel," Job xxxix. 17, 18. "And
I will cut off the horse from  Jerusalein,-and he shall speak
peace to the heathen," Zech. ix. 10.' At thy rebuke, O God
of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep,"
Psalm lxxvi. 6. "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in
them, and the horses and their riders shall come down," Haggai
ii. 22. "And with thee will I destroy kingdoms; and with thee
will I break in pieces thle horse and his rider," Jerem. li. 20, 21.
Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice;-thus shall
ye be filled at my table with fhorses and chariots, and I will set
my glory among the nations," Ezek. xxxix. 17, 20, 21.!" Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
that ye may eat the flesh of horses, and of them  that sit on
them," Apoc. xix. 17, 18. " Dan shall be a serpent by the way,.
that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
I have waited for thy salvation, 0 Jehovah," Gen. xlix. 17, 18.
"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, and ride
prosperously because of truth," Psalm xlv. 3, 4. " Sing unto
God, extol Him  that rideth on the heavens," Psalm  lxviii. 5
"Behold, Jehovah ridet/h upon a swift cloud," Isaiah xix. 1, 2
Sing praises unto the Lord which " rideth upon the heaven of
heavens which were of old," Psalm lxviii. 34. God rode upon
a cherub, Psalm xviii. 10. "Then shalt thou delight thyself in
Jehovah, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places
of the earth,"' Isaiah lviii. 14.. " Jehovah alone did lead him,
215




s298           rTIHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [C(hatp. vi.:and made him to ride upon the high places of the earth," Dent.
xxxii. 12, 13. "I will make Ephrairn to ride," Hosea x. 11.
Ephraim  also signifies the understanding of the Word.  Because Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word,
therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horse
men: Elisha said to Elijah, "My father, my father, the chariot
of Israel and the horsemaenz  thereof,'" 2 Kings ii. 12; and king
Joash said to Elisha, " O my father, the chariot of Israel and the
horsemen? thereof," 2 Kings xiii. 14. " Jehovah opened the
eyes of Elisha's young man, and he saw; and, behold, the
mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha,"' 2 Kings vi. 17. A  chariot signifi-s doctrine drawn
firomi the Word, and a horseman, one that is wise by means of
it. The same is signified by the four chariots which came out
firom between the mountains of brass, and by thefotrt horses in
them, which were red, black, white, and grisled, which are also
called the four spirits, and are said to have gone forth from
standing before the Lord of all the earth, Zech. vi. 1-8, 15.'In these places, by horses is meant the understanding of the
Word, or the understanding of truth fiom the Word; and ir
like manner in other places. It may appear still more clearly
fliom the mention that is made of horses in an opposite sense,
in which they signify the understanding of the Word and of
truth falsified by reasonings, and likewise destroyed; as also
self-derived intel'igence; as in the following places: " Woe to
them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, —bnt
look not unto the Holy One of Israel.-Now the Egyptians are
men and not God, and their horses, flesh and not spirit,'" Isaiah
xxxi. 1, 3. "Thou shalt in any wise set him  king over Israel
whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: but he shall not multiply
horses to lhimself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the
end that he should multiply horses," Deut. xvii. 15, 16. This
is said, because by Egypt is signified science and reasoning from
self-derived intelligence, and thus the falsification of the truth
of the Word, which is here expressed by a horse.  "Ashur
shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses," Hosea xiv. 3.
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God," Psalnm xx. 7. "A
horse is a vain thing for safety," Psalmn xxxiii. 17. "Jehovah
delighteth not in the strength of the horse," Psalm cxlvii. 10.'Thus saith Jehovah God, the Holy One of Israel,-in confidence shall be your strength; but ye said, No; for we will flee
upon horses; we will ride, upon the swift," Isaiah xxx. l5, 16.
" Jehovah will make Judah as a goodly horse. The riders on
horses shall be confounded," Zech. x. 3, 4, 5. "Woe to the
bloody city, it is all full of lies, —the prancing of horses, and
o),f the jumping chariots; the horseman lifteth up," Nahum iii.
1-4.  " I will bring upon Cyrus-the king of Batylon, —with
216




V. 2.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                299
]horses, and with chariots, and with horsemejn;-.-by reason of
the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee; thy
walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen and of the chariots; with the hoofs of his h/orses shall, he tread down all thy
streets," Ezek. xxvi.'7-11.  By Tyre is signified the church as
to the knowledges of truth, here such as are falsified in her,
which are denoted by the horses of Babylon: besides other
places; as Isaiah v. 26, 28; Jerein. vi. 22, 23; viii. 16; xlvi.
4, 9; 1. 37, 38, 42; Ezek. xvii. 15; xxiii. 5, 20; Habak. i. 6, 8,
9, 10; Psalm  lxvi. 11. 12. -The understanding of the Word
destroyed is also signified by the red, black, and pale horse,
mentioned below. That it is from appearances in the spiritual
world that a horse signifies the understanding of truth firom the
Word, see the small tract concerning The Wh~ite Horse.
299. And he that sat on him hcad ca bow, signifies that they
had the doctrine of truth and good friom the Word, by virtue of
which they fought against the falses and evils which are fiom'
hell, thus against hell. By him that sat on the white horse, as
mentioned in Apoc. xix. 13, is meant the Lord as to the Word;
but by him  that sat on this white horse, is understood a manangel as to the doctrine of truth and good fiorn the Word, thus
from the Lord; in like manner as by the Lord's army in heaven, who " followed the Lord upon whi;te horses," Apoc. xix.
14. Of Him that sat on the white horse, Apoc. xix., it is said,
that out of his mouth went forth a sharp sword, tliat with it he
should smite the nations; and by the sword out of his mouth,
is signified the divine truth of the Word fighting against falses
and evils, n. 52, 108,117; but here it is said that he who sat on
this white horse had a bow, and by a bow is signified the doctrine of truth and' good dirawn from the Word fighting against
evils and falses. To fight against falses and evils is also to fight
against the hells, because evils and falses are firom thence, there-.fore this also is signified.  That a bow, in the Word, signifies
doctrine colnbating, in both senses, may appear fiom  these
passages: " Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, the
horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint," Isaiah v. 28.  "' The
Lord bent his bow like an enemy," Lament. ii. 4. "Thou, O
Jehovah, didst ride upon thine horses, thy bow was made quite'
naked," Habak. iii. 8, 9. Who " gave the nations before him
and made him rule over kings? he gave them as dust to his
sword, and as driven stubble to his bow," Isaiah xli. 2. In
these places a bow, because it is applied to Jehovah or the
Lord, signifies the Word, from which the Lord fights in man
against evils and falses. "' And I will cut off the chariot firom
Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow
shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace to the heathen,"
Zech. ix. 10.  "For lo, the wicked bent their bow, they make
ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot
2J 




300 —302         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vi
at the upright of heart," Psalm  xi. 2.  "The aruhAers have
sorely grieved Joseph, and shot at him, and hated him; but
his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were
made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob," Gen.
xlix. 23, 24. " Put yourselves in array against Babylon round
about; all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows,
for she hath sinned against Jehovah," Jerem. 1. 14, 29. David
lamented over Saul " to teach the children of Judah the use of
the bow," 2 Sam. i. 17. In that lamentation the combat of
truth against falses is treated of. "Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts;
Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their
might," Jerem. xlix. 35.  "Jehovah hath made me a polished
shaft, in his quiver hath he hid ime," Isaiah xlix. 2. "Lo,
children are an heritage of Jehovah,- happy is the man that
hath his qzuiver full of them," Psalm cxxvii. 3, 4, 5. Children
here, as in other places, signify truths of doctrine.  "In Salem
also is the tabernacle of Jehovah,-there brake he the arrows
of the bow, the shield, the sword and the battle," Psalm lxxvi.
2, 3, 4. "Jehovah nlaketh wars to cease unto the ends of the
earth, he brealketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, he
burnrath the chariots in the fire," Psalm xlvi. 9; Ezek. xxxix.
8, 9: Hosea ii. 18. In these places a bow signifies the doctrinal of truth contending against failses, and, in an opposite
sense, false doctrine contending against truths; therefore arrows and shafts signify truths or falses. As war, in the Word,
sigmiifies spiritual war, therefore warlike arms, such as the
sword, spear, shield, target, bow and arrows, signify such things
as are proper thereto.
300. Acnd a crowvn was given, unto him, signifies his token of
combat. A crown signifies a token of combat, because in ancient
times kings wore crowns in battle, as may appear from history,
and partly fiom 2 Sam. i. 10, where the man says to David concerning Saul, that when he was fallen in battle, " he took the
crown that was upon his head, and the bracelets that were upon
his arll;" as also from what is said of the king of RIabbah and
David, 2 Sam. xii. 29, 30. And as temptations are spiritual combats which the martyrs sustained, therefore crowns were given
theml  as tokens of victory, n. 103. Hence it appears, that by a
crown is here signified the token of their combat; therefore it
follows, "And he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
301. And he went forth conzuerizq and to conquler, signifies
victory over evils and falses to eternity. It is said conqliering
and to conquer, because he who in spiritual combats, which are
temptations, conquers in this world, conquers to eternity, for the
hells cannot assault any one who has conquered them.
302. And when he had opened the second seal, signifies exploration from the Lord of those upon whom the last judgment
was to be executed, respecting their states of life. The signi
218




v. 2-4.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          303-305
fication ].ere is similar to what was shown befobre, n. 295, only
with the difference mentioned in what follows.
303. I heard the second animal say, signifies according tc
the divine truth of the Word, as above, n. 296.
304. Coome and see, signifies a manifestation concerning the
second in order, as may appear from the explanation above, n.
297, but there concerning the first in order, and here concerning the second.
305. And there went out another ehorse that cwas red, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to good, and
thence as to life in these.  By a horse is signified the under.
standing of the'Word, n. 298; and by a red horse is signified
good destroyed. That white is predicated of truths, because it
proceeds from the light of the sun of heaven, and that red
is predicated of goods because it proceeds from the fire of the
sun of heaven, may be seen above, n. 167, 231. But the reason why red is predicated of good destroyed, is, because an
infernal redness is signified, proceeding firom  infernal fire,
which is the love of evil; this kind of redness is hideous and
abominable, there being nothing alive therein, but all dead;
hence it is, that by a red horse is signified the understanding
of the Word destroyed as to good. This Inay also appear from
the description of him below; that " it was given himn to take
peace from the earth, that men should kill one another:" the
second animal also, being like unto a calf, by which is signified
the divine truth of the Word as to affection, n. 241, said,
" Come and see," and thus showed that the re was no affection
of good, and thence no good in them. That red is spoken of
love, as well the love of good as of evil, may appear fiom the
following places: " He washed his garments in wine, and his
clothes in the blood of grapes; his eyes shall be red with
wine, and his teeth white with milk," Gen. xlix. 11, 12; speaking of the Lord.  "Who is this that cometh firom Edom?
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments
like him that treadeth in the wine-fat?" Isaiah xliii. 1, 2; also
of the Lord. "' Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were
whiter than milk, they were more red than rubies," Lament. iv.
7; in these passages red is predicated of the love of good; in
those which follow, of the love of evil: "The shield of his
mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet, the
chariots shall be with flaming torches, they shall seem like
torches," Nahum  ii. 3, 4. "Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool," Isaiah i. 18. Nor is any thing else signified by the red dragon, Apoc. xii. 3; and by the red horse
standing among the myrtle trees, Zech. i. 8. The same is pre'
dicated of the colours which in their ground are red, as is pre
dicated of scarlet and purple.
219




$06             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
306 Ancd  ozoer was given to him that sat thereon to take
peacefJom the earth, signifies the taking away of charity, spiritual security, and internal tranquillity. By peace are signihied
all things in their aggregate which come fiom the Lord, and
thence all things of heaven and the church, and the beatitudes
of life that are in them n; these are what belong to peace in the
supreme or inmost sense. It follows therefore that peace is
charity, spiritual security, and internal tranquillity; for when
man is in the Lord, he is in peace. with his neighbour, which is
charity; in protection against the hells, which is spiritual security; and when lie is in peace with his neighbour, and in protection against the hells, he is in internal tranquillity from evils
and falses. Since therefore all this is firom the Lord, it may
appear what is signified in general and in particular by peace
in the following places: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us
a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty
God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the
increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,!"
Isaiah ix. 6, 7.  Jesus said, " Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give you," John xiv. 27. Jesus said, "These things
ave I spoken unto yrou, that in me ye might have peace," John
xvi. 33.  "In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace," Psalm  lxxii. 7. "And I will make with
them a covenant of peace," Ezek. xxxiv. 25, 27; xxxvii. 25,
26; Malachi ii. 4, 5.  "How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,-that publisheth
peace,-that saith unto Zion, Thy King reigneth," Isaiah lii. 7.
"Jehovah bless thee, and lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace," Numb. vi. 24-26. " Jehovah will bless
his people with peace," Psalm  xxix. 11. "Jehovah will deliver my soul in peace," Psalm  lv. 18. "And the work of
righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness is
quietness, and ass2urance for ever.. And my people shall dwell
in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings, and in quidet
resting-places," Isaiah xxxii. 17, 18. Jesus said unto the seventy whom  he sent, "Into whatsoever house ye enter, first
say, Peace be to this house; and if the Son of Peace be there,
your peace shall rest upon it," Luke x. 5, 6; Matt. x. 12-14.
" But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace: behold the upriglit, for the
end of that man is peace," Psalm xxxvii. 11, 37. Zacharias
prophesying, said, "' The day-spring fiom on bigh hath visited
us,-to guide our feet into the way of peace," Luke i. 78, 79
"Depart friom evil and do good: seek peace, and pursue it,'
Psalm xxxiv. 14. "Greatpeace have they that love thy law,"
Psalm cxix. 165. "0O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandlnents! then had thy peace been as a river: There is nw
220




v. 4, 5.]        THE APOCALYPSE, REVEALED.         307-30 9
peace, saith Jehovah, unto the. wicked," Isaiah xlviii. 18, 22.
" Jehovah will speak peace unto his people: Righteousness and
peace shall kiss each other,") Psalm lxxxv. 9, 10. " There is no
peace in my bones becauseof my sin," Psalm xxxviii. 3. " He
hlath filled me with bitterness, and thou hast removed my soul
far off from peace; I forgat prosperity," Lament. iii. 15, 17;
besides many other passages; from which it may be seen, that
the above-mentioned things are understood by peace; keep inl
mind spiritual peace, and you will clearly perceive that this is
the case; so likewise in these verses:: Isaiah xxvi. 12; liii. 5;
liv. 10, 13; Jerem. xxxiii. 6, 9; IIaggai ii. 9; Zech. 8, 19;
Psalm iv. 7, 8; Psalm cxx. 6, 7; Psalm  cxxii. 6-9, Psalm
cxxviii. 5, 6; Psalm clxvii. 14.  That peace is what irnostly
affects all good with blessedness, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 284-290.
307. Andc that they should kill one another signifies intestine
hatreds, infestations from the.hells, and internal restlessness.
These things are signified, when by the taking away peace is
signified the taking away charity, spiritual security, and internal tranquillity, and when by the red horse is signified the understanding of the Word destroyed as to good; for these things
happen when there is no longer any good; and there is no
longer any good when it is not known what good is. That intestine hatreds take place when there is no charity, likewise infestations from the hells when there is no spiritual security, and
internal disquietude when there is no rest fiom evils and their
concupiscences or lusts, is evident; this is the case after death
at least, if not in the world. That to kill, has such a signification, is plain from the signification of a sword, in what follows.
308. And there was given'Unto himn a great sword, signifies
the destruction of truth by falses of evil. That a sword, a dagger, and knife,. signify truth combating against falses and destroying them, and in an opposite sense, falsity combating
against truths, and destroying them, may be seen above, n. 52;
here a great sword signifies the falses of evil destroying the
truths of good. They are called falses of evil, because there
are falses which are not falses of evil, and the latter do not destroy truths, but the former. That such is the signification of
a great sword, is evident firom its being said that presently a
-black horse was seen, by which is signified the understanding
of the Word destroyed as to truth, and truth is destroyed by
nothing but evil.
309. And when he had opened the third seal, signifies exploration from the Lord of those upon whom the last judgment
was to be executed, as to the states of their life. The same is
here signified by these words as before, n. 295, only with the
difference explained below.
221




310-313         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
310. A.n-d I heard the third animal say, signifies according
to the divine truth of the Word, as above, n. 296.
311. Come and see, signifies a manifestation concerning the
third class, or concerning those who are the third in order, as
may appear from the explanation above, n. 297, only there the
first class in order are treated of, but here the third.
312. And I be held, and lo, a black horse, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to truth, thus as to doctrine
-among these. That a horse signifies the understanding of the
Word, was shown above; the reason why black signifies what
is not true, thus falsity, is, because black is the opposite of
white, and white is predicated of truth, 1n. 167, 232, 233; white
also derives its origin from light, and black from darkness, thus
frlom the absence of light, and light is truth. But in the spiritual world there exists darkness from a twofold origin, one from
the absence of flaming light, which light is enjoyed by those
who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other frion the
absence of white light, which is the light enjoyed by those who
are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; the latter blackness has
the same signification as darkness, but the former as thick darkness: there is a difference between these two kinds of blackness, the one is abominable, the other not so much so; it is the
same with the falsities which they signify. They who appear
in the abominable kind of blackness are called devils, such
holding truth in abomination as much as owls do the light of
the suni; but they appear in that kind of blackness, which is
nlot so abominable, who are called satans: these do not abominate truth, but are averse to it; the latter may therefore be
compared to birds of night, and the former to horned owls.
That black, in the Word, is applicable to falsity, may appear
from these places: "-Her NAzarites were purer than snow,their visage is blacker than a: coal," Lament. iv. 7, 8. "The day
shall become dark over the prophets," Micah iii. 6. "In the
day when thou goest down into hell, I will make Lebanon black
over thee," Ezek. xxxi. 15. " The sun became black as sackcloth
of hair," Apoc. vi. 12. The sun, the moon, and the stars, became black, Jerem. iv. 27, 28; Ezek. xxxii. 7; Joel ii. 3; iii.
25; and elsewhere. The reason why the third animal displayed
a black horse, was, because it had a face like a man, by which
is signified the divine truth of the Word as to wisdom, n. 243,
therefore this animal showed that there was no longer any truth
of wisdom among those who constituted the third class.
313. And he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his
hand, signifies the estimation of good and truth, of what kind
it was with these. By the pair of balances in his hand, is signified the estimation of good and truth; for all measures and
weights, in the Word, signifiy the estirnation of the thing treated
222




v. 5, 6.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              314
of. That mleasures and weights have such a signification, is
evident from the following passage in Daniel: There appeared
a hand-writing before Belshazzar king of Babylon, when he was
drinking wine out of the vessels of gold and of silver which
were taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, " Mene, mene,
tekel, upharsin," that is, thou art numbered, thou art nambeered, weighed, and divided; whereof this is the interpretation:
"m ene, God hath numbered thy kingdom and put an end to it;
tekel, thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting;
peres, thy kingdom is divided and given -to the Medes and Persians," v. 1, 2, 26, 28; by drinking' out of the vessels of gold
and silver of the temple in Jerusalem, and at the same time
worshipping other gods, is signified the profanation of good and
truth, as also by Babel; by mene, or to number, is signified
to know his quality as to truth; by tekel, or to weigh, is signified to know his quality as to good; by peres, or to divide, is
signified to disperse. That the quality of truth and good is signified by measures and balances in the Word, is evident in
Isaiah: " Who hatil measured the waters in the hollow of his
hand, and meted out the heavens with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a meas'are, and weighed the
mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" xl. 12. And
in the Apocalypse: " The angel gneatsured the wall of the Holy
Jerusalem a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure
of a man, that is, of an angel," xxi. 17.
314. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four animals
say, signifies the divine protection of the Word by the Lord.
That the four animals signjtiy the Word fiom first principles in
ultimates, and the defences, lest its interior truths and goods
should be violated, may be seen above, n. 239; and because
those defences are from the Lord, thelefore the voice was heard
in the midst of the four aninals; in the midst of them, means
the Word as to its internal spiritual sense, which is guarded by
the Lord. That the guarding of it is signified, is plain firom
what the voice says: " A measure of wheat for a penny, and
three measures of barley for a penny, and see thou hurt not the
oil and the wine," which signifies that since good and truth are
held in little or no estimation, it will be provided that the holy
goods and truths, which lie interiorly concealed in the Word,
shall not be violated and profaned; and this is provided of the
Lord by this result, that they come at length to know nothing
concerning good, and thence nothing concerning. truth, but
mere evil and falsity; for they who know goods and truths can
violate, yea, they can profane them, but not so they whllo do
not know them. That such is the operation of the Divine Providence in guarding the Word friom violation, may be seen in
The Angelic TWisdorna concerning the Divine Providence, n. 221
-233, n. 257, the end; n. 258, the beginning.
223




315              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
315. A mneastre of wheat for a penny, and three measures
of 5arleyfor ba penny, signifies because the estimation of good
and truth is so small as scarcely to amount to any thing.  By
chcenix,  which denotes the measure and quantity measured,
is signified quality, as above, n. 314; by wheat and barley is
signified good and truth; and by a penny, which is a very small
coin, that they are held in little or no estimation. It is said
three measures of barley, because three signify all, and are predicated of truths, n. 515. The reason why wheat and barley signify good and truth, in this instance the good and truth of the
church from the Word, is, because all things which belong to the
field and the vineyard, signify such things as are of the church,
on account of a field signifying the church as to its good and
consequent truth, and a vineyard, the church as to its truth and
consequent good; therefore where these are mentioned in the
Word, the angels, who perceive allthings spiritually, understand
nothing else; as in Joel: " The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn? is wasted; the new wine is dried up, the oil
languisheth.  Be ye ashamed, 0 ye husbandmen; howl, O ye
vine-dressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the
harvest of thefield is perished," i. 10-12.  All these expressions signify such things as belong to the church. That wheat
and barley signifyrthe good and truth of the church, may be
seen from these places: John saith concerning Jesus, that he
will "gather his wheat into the garner, and burn up the chaff
with unquenchable fire," Matt. iii. 11, 12. Jesus said, "Let the
tares and the wheat grow together, and in the time of harvest I
will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, to burn
them, but gather the wheat into my barn," Matt. xiii. 24-30.
I have heard the consummation and decision from Jehovah
God; " he layeth up the principal wheat, and appointed barley;
for his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach
him," Isaiah xxviii. 21-26. Jehovah shall lead thee to " a land
of wheat and barley," Deut. viii. 7, 8. A land of wheat and
barley here is the land of Canaan, by which the church is signlified.  "Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of
Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovahl, for
wheat and for wine," Jerem. xxxi. 12. Jehovah shall satisfy
thee " with theffat of kidneys, of wheat," Deut. xxxii. 13, 14;
Psalm lxxxi. 14, 16; Psalm cxlvii. 12-14. Jehovah said unto
the prophet Ezekiel, that he should make himself cakes of barley mixed with dung, and eat them, iv. 12, 15; and commanded the prophet HIosea to take a woman that was an adulteress; whom  he bought for "a homer of barley, and half a
homer of barley," iii. 1, 2: which things were done by those' Chcenix, a Grecian measure, which contained as much corn as would serve
a man one day  It has been reckoned to be about a pint and a half English ccrn
measure.
224




v. 6.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               3:16
prophets, that they might represent the falsifications of truth in
the church, for barley denotes truths, and barley mixed with
dung denotes truths falsified and profaned; an adulterous woman also signifies truth falsified, n. 134.
316. And see thou hurt not the oil a.nd the wine, signifies that
it is provided by the Lord that the holy goods and triuths, which
lie interiorly concealed in the Word, shall not be violated and
profaned.  Oil signifies the good of love, and wine, truth fiom
that good, therlefoi e oil signifies holy good, and wine holy truth;
see thou hurt them not, signifies that it is provided by the Lord
that they shall not be violated and profaned; for this was heard
fiom the midst of the four animals, thus from the Lord, n. 314'
what is said by the Lord, the same is also provided for by him:
that it is so provided, may be seen above, n. 314 and n. 255.
That oil signifies the good of love, will be seen below, n. 778,
779; but that wine signifies truth from that good, is evident
fiom the following places: " Ho, every one tliat thirsteth, come
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy
and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money," Isaiah
Iv. 1. " And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with
milk," Joel iii. 18; Amos ix. 13, 14. "And gladness is taken
away from Carmel, and in the vineyards there shall be no singing:-the treaders shall tread out no wine, I have made their
vintage shouting to cease," Isaiah xvi. 10; Jerem. xlviii. 32, 33.
By Carmel is signified the spiritual church, because there were
vineyards there. " Howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the
new wine; for it is cut off fiom your mouth; howl, 0 ye,minedressers," Joel i. 5, 10, 11. Nearly the same words occur in
Hosea ix. 2, 3; Zeph. i. 13; Lament. ii. 11, 12; Micah vi. 15;
Amos v. 11; Isaiah xxiv. 6, 7, 9, 10. " He washed his garmnents in wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes; his eyes
shall be red with wine," Gen. xlix. 11, 12; speaking of the
Lord: wine signifies divine truth. This is the reason why the
holy supper was instituted by the Lord, in which the bread signifies the Lord as to his divine good, and the wine the Lord as
to his divine truth, and with the recipients the bread signifies
holy good, and the wine, holy truth, fiom the Lord: therefbre
he said, "I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this
fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom," Matt. xxvi. 29; Luke xxii. 18. Because bread and wine had this signification, therefore, also, Melchisedek, going to Ineet Abram, "' brought forth bread and wine;
and he was the priest of the most high God, and he blessed
Abram," Gen. xiv. 18, 19. Similar is the signification of the
cakes and drink-ofering, in the sacrifices, concerning which see
Exod. xxix. 40; Levit. xxiii. 12, 13, 18, 19; Numb. xv. 2 —15;
xxviii. 6, 7, 18, to the end; xxix. 1-7, and following verses.
225                                         pI




816             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi,
The cakes were of wheat flour, and were therefore instead of
bread, and the drink-offering was of wine. From which it may
appear what is meant by these words of the Lord: " Neither do
men put new wine into old bottles, —but they put new wine into
new bottles, and both are preserved," Matt. ix. 17; Luke v. 37.
New wine is the divine truth of the New Testament, thus of
the new church, and old wine is the divine truth of the Old
Testament, thus of the old church. Similar is the signification
of these words, spoken at the marriage in Cana of Galilee:
Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men
hlave well druuk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept
thle good wine until now," John ii. 1-10. The like is also
signified by wine in the Lord's parable of the man that was
wounded by robbers, into whose wounds the Samaritan poured
oil and wine, Luke x. 33, 34: for by him that was wounded by
robbers, are meant they who are spiritually wounded by the
Jews by evils and falses, to whom the Samaritan gave assistance
by pouring oil and wine into his wounds, that is, by teaching
good and truthll, and, so far as he was able, by healing. Holy
truth is also signified by new wine and wine in other parts of
the Word; as in Isaiah ihi 21, 22; xxv. 6; xxxvi. 17; Hosea vii.
4, 5, 14; xiv. 6-8; Amos ii. 8; Zech. ix. 15, 17; Psalm civ.
14-16.  Hence it is that a vineyard, in the Word, signifies a
church that is in truths firom the Lord. That wine signifies
holy truth, may also appear fiom its opposite sense, in which it
signifies truth falsified and profaned; as in these places:
"Whoredom, and woine, and new wine, take away the heart.
Their witze is sour, they have committed whoredom continually,"
Hosea iv. 11, 17, 18. Wiloredom signifies the falsification of
truth, as do wine and new wine. "For in the hand of Jehovah
there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture, and he
poureth out of the same, but the dregs thereof all the wicked of
the earth shall wring them out and drink them," Psalm lxxv. 8.
" Babylon is a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah that made
all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine;
therefore the nations are mad," Jerem li. 7.  "Babylon is
fallen, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication. If any man worship the beast, -the
same shall: drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation,"
Apoc. xiv. 8-10. " Babylon hath made all nations drink of the
wine of her fornication,'9 Apoc. xviii. 3.  "Great Babylon
came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of
the wine of the fierceness of his wrath," Apoc. xvi. 19. "The
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine
of her fornication," Apoc. xvii. 1, 2. By the wine which Belshazzar, king of Babylon, and his princes, and his wives, and
his concubines, drank out of the vessels of the temple of Jeru'
226




V. 7, 8.];      TBE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         317 —320
salem, and at the same time "praised the gods of gold, and of
silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone," Dan. v. 2-5,
nothing is meant but the holy truthl of the Word and of the
church profaned; wherefore the hand-writing then appeared
upon the wall, and the king was slain that night, verses 25, 30.
Wine signifies truth falsified also in Isaiah v. 11, 12, 21, 22;
xxviii. 1, 3, 7; xxix. 9; lvi. 11, 12; Jerem. xiii. 12, 13; xxiii.
9, 10. The same is signified by the drink-offering which they
offered to idols, Isaiah lxv. 11; lvii. 6; Jerem. vii. 18; xliv.
17-19; Ezek. xx. 28; Deut. xxxii. 38.  That wine should
signify holy truth, and, in an opposite sense, truth profaned, is
from correspondence; for the angels, who perceive all things
spiritually, understand nothing else, when man reads about
wine in the Word; such a correspondence is there between the
natural thoughts of men and the spiritual thoughts of angels..
It is the same with the wine in the holy supper, and hence it
is, that introduction into heaven is effected by the holy supper,
n. 224, at the end.
317. And when he,hcad opened the fourtlh seal, signifies exploration fiom the Lord of those upon whom the last judgment was to be executed, as to their states of life, as above, n.
296, 303, only with the difference explained below.
318..[ heard the voice of the fourth ancimal say, signifies
according to the divine truth of the Word, as above, n. 296, 303.
319. C6ome and see, signifies a manifestation concernilg the
fourth class, or those who were fourth in order, as is evident
firom the explanation above, n. 297; but there it is applied to
the first class, here to the fourth.
320. And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, signifies the
understanding of the Word destroyed both as to good and as to
truth. A horse signifies the understanding of the Word, n. 298,
and paleness signifies a want of vitality. In the Word, this
want of vitality is predicated of those who are not in the good
of life grounded in the truths of doctrine; for the Word, in its
literal sense, is not understood without doctrine, and doctrine
is not perceived without a life according to it; the reason is, because a life according to doctrine which is fiom the Word, opens
the spiritual mind, when light flows into it fri'om heaven and
illustrates and imparts perception. That this is the case, he is
not aware of who knows truths of doctrine, and yet does not
live accoirding to them. The reason why the fourth animal
showed a pale horse, was, because that animal was like a flying
eagle, and therefore it signified the divine truth of the Word,
as to knowledges, and as to the understanding derived friom
them, n. 244:; therefore it indicated, that among those who
were now seen there were no knowledges of good and trutl
fiom the Word, nor any understanding of them, and such.i
the spiritual world appear pale, as if devoid of life.
227




21, 322        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vi.
321. And h/s name that sat on him was -Death, and hell
followed with him, signifies the extinction'of spiritual life, and
thence damnation. By death is here signified spiritual death,
which is tile extinction of spiritual life; and by hell is signified
damnation, which is a consequence of that death. Every man,
indeed, has by creation, and therefore by birth, spiritual life,
but that life is extinguished when he denies God, the sanctity
of the Word, and'eternal life; it is extinguished in the will,
but remains in the understanding, or rather in the faculty of
understanding.  By this man is distinguished fiom the brute.
As death signifies the extinction of spiritual life, and hell the
consequent damnation, therefore death and hell in some places
are named together; as in these: "I will ransom them from
the power of hell, I will redeem them from death: 0 death, I
will be thy plagues; O hell, I will be thy destruction," ITosea
xiii. 14. "The sorrows of death compassed me;-the sorrows
of hell compassed me; the snares of death prevented me,"
Psalm xviii. 5, 6; Psalm cxvi. 3. "Like sheep they are laid
in hell; death shall feed on them, and their beauty shall consnune in hell. But God will redeem my soul from the power
of hell," Psalm xlix. 14, 15. "I have the keys of hell and
death," Apoc. i. 18.
322. And power was given them over tfe fourth part of' the
earth, to kill, signifies the destruction of all good in the church.
Since death signifies the extinction of man's spiritual life, and
hell signifies damnation, it follows that to kill, here, means to
destroy the life of a man's soul; the life of the soul is spiritual
life; a fourth part of the earth signifies all the good of the
church; the earth is the church, n. 285. That a fourth part
denotes all good, cannot be known by any one, unless he knows
what numbers in the Word signify. The numbers two and
four, in the Word, are predicated of goods, and signify them;
and the numbers three and six, of truths, and signify them;
thus a fourth part, or simply a fourth, signifies all good, and a
third part, or simply a third, signifies all truth; therefore to kill
a fourth part of the earth, here signifies to destroy all the good
of the church. That power was not given to him that sat upon
the pale horse to kill a fourth part of the habitable earth, is
evident. Besides, four, in the Word, signifies the conjunction
of good and truth. That four has these significations, may indeed be proved out of the Word; as by the four animals or cherubs, Ezek. i. vii. x.; Apoc. v. By the four chariots between
the two mountains of brass, Zech. vi. 2. By the four tvinds,
Zech. ii.; and by the four horns of the altar, Exod. xxvii. 19; Apoc. ix. 13. By the "fotur angels standing on the four
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth,"
Apoc. vii. 1; Matt. xxv. 31; as also "by visiting their sins
upon the third and fourth generation," 1N'umb. xiv. 18; and in
228




V. 8.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                323
other places by the third and fourth generation.  By these, and
by many other passages in the Word, I say, it might be proved
that four is predicated of goods, and signifies them, and also
the conjunction of good and truth; but since this would not
appear without a prolix explanation of those passages, it is
sufficient to mention, that nothing else is understood in heaven
by four and by a fourth part.
323. With sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with/
the beasts of the earth, signifies by falses of doctrine, by evils of
life, by the love of self, and by lusts. That by a sword is sicgnified truth combating against evils and falses, and destroying
them, and, in an opposite sense, falsity comnbating against goods
~and truths, and destroying them, may be seen above, n. 52, 108,
117; here therefore by sword, the destruction of all good in
the church being treated of, are signified falses of doctrine.
That hunger signifies evils of life, will be confirmed below.
The reason why death signifies the self-love of man, is, because
death signifies extinction of spiritual life, and thence natural
life separated firom spiritual life, as above, n. 321, and this life
is the life of man's self-love; for from it man loves nothing but
himself and the world, and thence also he loves all kinds of
evils, which, fromnt the love of that life, are delightful to him.
That beasts of the earth signify lusts originating fiom that love,
will be seen below, n. 567. Now something shall be said concerning the signification of hunger. Hunger signifies deprivation and rejection of the knowledges of truth and good, arising
from evils of life; it also signifies ignorance of the knowledges
of truth and good arising from a deficiency thereof in the
church; and it signifies likewise a desire to know and understand them. I. That famine signifies a deprivation and rejection of the knowledges of truth and good, arising from evils of
life, and thence evils of life, may appear from the following
passages: " They shall be consumed by the sword and by
fanmine, and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of
heaven, and for the beasts of the earth," Jerem. xvi. 4. "These
two things shall come unto thee, desolation and destruction, and
the famine and the sword," Isaiah li. 19. " Behold, I will
punish them: the young men shall die by the sword, their sons
and their daughters shall die by famine," Jeremn. xi. 22.
"Deliver up their children to -the facminze, and pour out their
blood by the force of the sword; and let their men be put to
death," Jerem. xviii. 21.  " I will send upon them the sword,
the facmine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs
that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. And I will persecute
them  with the sword, farrne, and pestilence," Jerem. xxix.
17, 18. "tI will send tde sword, the farmine, and the pestilencee,
till they be consumed from off the land," Jerem. xxiv. 10. " I
proclainl a liberty for you,-to the sword, to the pestilence, and
229




S324, 325        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. v1:
to the famine; and I will make you to be removed ilto all the
kindonms of the earth," Jerel'. xxxiv. 17.  "Because thou
hast defiled mly sanctua;ry, —a third part of thee shall die with
the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumned, and a
third part shall fall by the sword, when I shall send upon theni
the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destluction,"
LEzek. v. 11-13, 16.  "The sword is without, andc pestilence
anid famine within," Ezek. vii. 15. "For all the evil abonminations of the house of Israel, they shall fall by the sword, and by
the famine, and by the pestilence," Ezek. vi. 11. "6 I will send
my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, the faini0e, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off friom it
man and beast," Ezek. xiv. 13, 15, 21: besides other places;
as Jerenm. xiv. 12, 13, 15, 16; xlii. 13, 14, 16-18, 22; xliv. 12,
13, 27; MIatt. xxiv. 7, 8; Mark xiii. 8; Luke xxi. 11. The
sword, famine, pestilence, and beasts, in those places, have a
signification similar to that of the sword, hunger, death, and the
beasts of the earth, here mentioned; for in the Word there is a
spiritual sense in every single expression, in which sense a sword
denotes the destruction of spiritual life by falses; hunger, the
destruction of spiritual life by evils; beasts of the earth, the
destruction of spiritual life by lusts of falsity and evil; and
pestilence and death denote plenary consummation, and thus
damnation.  II. That hunger signifies ignorance of the knowledges of good and truth alising friom  a deficiency of such
knowledges in the church, is also evident from various passages
in the Word; as firom Isaiah v. 13'; viii. 19 —22; Lament. ii.
19; v. 8 10; Amos viii. 11-14; Job v. 17, 20; and other
places.  III. That famine or hunger signifies a desire to know
and understand the truths and goods of the church, is plain
fiom the following: Isaiah viii. 21; xxxii. 6; xlix. 10; lviii. 6,
7; 1 Sam. ii. 4, 5; Psalm xxxiii. 18, 19; Psalm xxxiv. 10, 11;
Psalml  xxxvii. 18, 19; Psalm cvii. 8, 9, 35-37; Psalm cxlvi.
7; Matt. v. 6; xxv. 35, 37, 44; Luke i. 53; John vi. 35; and
others.
324. Awnd when he had opened the fifth seal, signifies an
exploration froln the Lord of their states of life, who were to be
saved at the day of the last judgment, and in the mean time
were reserved.  That these are here treated of, is evident friom
what now follows. But it is to be observed, that these, and
the like, are treated of througlout the twentieth chapter, the
explanation of which may be seen, n. 839-874, manifesting
who they are, and why reserved.
325. I saw runder the altar the sotuls of thevm that were slain
fbr the Word of God, and for the testimony wzhich they /held,
Signifies those who were hated, abused, and rejected by the
wicked on accournt of their life being conformable to tmle truths
of the Word, and their acknowledgment of the l ordIs Divine
230




V. 9.]'TlHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              32:5
Humanity, and who were guarded by the Lord that they mnight
inot be seduced. Under the altar, signifies the lower earth,
where they were guarded by the Lord; an altar signifies the
worship of the Lord fiom the good of love; by the souls of them
that were slain, are not here signified the martyrs, but they who
are hated, abused, and rejected by the wicked in the world of
spirits, and who might be seduced by the dragonists and heretics; for the Word of God and for the testimony which they
held, signifies for living according to the truths of the Wordl,
and acknowledging the Lord's Divine Humanity. Testimony
in heaven is not given to any but to those who acknowledge
the Lord's Divine Humanity, for it is the Lord who testifies, and
gives the angels to testify; " For the testimony of Jes'us is the
spirit of prophecy," Apoc. xix. 10. Since they were under the
altar, it is evident they were guarded by the Lord; for they who
led, in any sort, a life of charity, were all guarded by the Lord
against sustaining any injuly fiom the wicked; and after the
last judgment, when the wicked were removed, they were set
free and elevated into heaven. I have frequently seen them,
since the last judgment, liberated from the lower earth and
translated into heaven. That by the slain are meant they who
are rejected, slandered, and hated by the wicked in the world
of spirits, and who might be seduced, and also who desire to
know truths, but cannot, liy reason of falses in the church, may
appear from these passages: "Thus saith Jehovah God, Feed
the flock of the slaughter, whose possessors slacy them:-and I
will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, 0 poor of the flock,"
Zech. xi. 4, 5, 7. "'We are killed all the day long; we are
counted as sheep for the slatughter; 0 Je-lovah, arise, cast us
not off for ever," Psalm xliv. 22, 24.  " Jacob shall cause themn
which are to come to take root, or is he slain according to the
slcauzghter of them that were slain by him?" Isaiah xxvii. 6, 7.
"For I have heard a voice of the daughter of Zion,-woe is me,
now; for mny soul is wearied because of murderers," Jerein. iv.
3. "They shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall killo
you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake,"'
Matt. xxiv. 9; John xvi. 33: this the Lord said to his disciples;
but by disciples are meant all who worship the Lord, and live
according to the truths of his Word; these the wicked in the
world of spirits continually desire to kill; but because thei'e
they cannot kill the body, they continually desire to kill the
soul; and since they are not able to do this, they bulji with
such hatred against them, that nothing delights thenm more than
to do them mischief: this is the reason why they were guarded
by the Lord, and when the wicked were cast into hell, which
happened after the last judgmlent, they were brought out of
their places of security: but see the explanation of chap. xx., n.
846, whichl treats of this subject. That to slay or kill, in the
231




326 —328        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
Word, signifies to destroy souls, which is to kill spiritually, is
evident f'om mlany places there, as also firom the following:
Isaiah. xiv. 19-21; xxvi. 21; Jerem. xxv. 33; Lament. ii. 21;
Ezek. ix. 1, 6; Apoc. xxviii. 24.
326. And they cried with a loud voice, signifies grief of
heart, as is evident from what now follows.
327. Saying, How long, Q0  ord, holy and true, dost thou
not judge reand avenge our blood on them that dwell o1n the earth?
signifies, by reason that the last judgment was protracted, and
they who offer violence to the Word and to the Lord's Divine
fHumanity were not removed. " How long, O Lord, holy and
true, dost thou not judge," signifies, why is the last judgment
protracted? "and avenge oulr blood," signifies, why in justice
are they not condemned, who have offered them violence for
acknowledging the Lord's Divine Humanity, and living in conformity to the truths of his Word? by blood is signified violence
offered to them, n. 379; by " them that dwell on the earth,"
tare meant the wicked in the world of spirits, firom whom they
were guarded that they might not be hurt.
328. And white robes were given tcunto every one of them,
signifies that there was given them a communication and conjunction with the angels who were in divine truths. Garments
signify truths, n. 166, and white garments genuine truths, in.
212. Garments have this signification, because all in the heavens are clothed according to the truths they possess; every one
is clothed according to conjunction with angelic societies; therefore when conjunction is granted, they immediately appear
clothed in a similar manner; hence it is, that by white robes
being given them, is signified that communication and conjunction was given them with angels who were in divine truths.
Robes, mantles, and cloaks, signify truths in commnon, because
they are a common covering to the body. He who is aware of
this their signification, may know the arcana which are conlained in the following passages: That Elijah, when he found
Elisha, "cast his maantle upon him," 1 Kings xix. 19. That
Elijah with his mantle divided the waters of Jordan, 2 Kings
ii.:8. And in like manner Elisha, 2 Kings ii. 14. That the
mnantle of Elijah fell from him when he was taken up into hea\Ven, and that Elisha took it up, 2 Kings ii. 12, 13; for by Elijah
and Elisha the Lord was represented as to the Word, and therefore their mantle signified the divine truth of the Word in
general. As also what was signified by the robe of Aaron's
ephod, at the border of which there were pomegranates of blue'
ind purple, and golden bells, Exod. xxviii. 31-35; that it
signified divine truth in common, may be seen in The Ar-,anea Coelestia, n. 9825. Cloaks and mantles have a similai
signification in the following passages: "All the princes of'
the sea shall come down, and lay away their robes," Ezek.
232




v. 10 —12.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          329-331
xxvi. 16. The scribes and Pharisees make broad the borders
of their garmeznts, that they may be seen of men, Matt. xxiii. 5.
"' My people is risen up as an enemy, ye pull off the robe with
the garment from them  that pass by," Micah ii. 8; and in
other places.
329. A~nd it was said unto them, that they should rest yet
for va little season, until their fellow-servants also and their
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled,
signifies that the last judgment should yet be protracted a little,
till they should be collected from all quarters, who would, in
like manner, be hated, abused, and rejected by the wicked foi
acknowledging the Lord's Divine I-umanity, and living in conformity to the truths of his Word. That this is the signification,
appears fiom what has been said above.  Similar is the signification of this passage in Isaiah: "Thy dead men shall live;
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: Come, my people,
enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy door after thee:
hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation
be overpast. For, behold, Jehovah cometh out of his place, to
pursue the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth
also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain,"
xxvi. 19-21.  But, as was observed before, this subject, and
others of a similar nature, are treated of in chapter xx., which
is explained, n. 839-874.
330. And Ibeheld when he had opened thTe sixth seal, signifes exploration from the Lord of their state of life, who were
interiorly evil, and on whom the last judgment was to be executed. That these are treated of is evident from what now
follows; but that they may be understoed, two arcana are to be
revealed: First, that the last judgment was executed only on
such as appeared in their external formn as Christians, and orally
professed the things of the church, but in their internal form,
or in their hearts, were against them; and, as such, they were
therefore in conjunction with the ultimate heaven as to their
exteriors, but with hell as to their interiors.  Secondly, that as
long as they were in conjunction with the ultimate heaven, so
long the internals of their will and their love were closed, for
which reason they did not appear wicked to others; but when
they were separated from the ultimate heaven, then their interiors were disclosed, and found to be totally in opposition to
their exteriors, from  which they dissembled and feigned that
they were angels of heaven, and that the places they inhabited
were heavens. These heavens, so called, were those which
passed away at the time of the last judgment, Apoc. xxi. 1.
But more on this subject may be seen in the small tract on Thie.Last Judgment, n. 70, 71, and in The Continuation of the Last
Judgment, n. 10.
331. And, lo, there was a great earthvugake, signifies an
233




332             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vi.
entire change of the state of the church with these, and their
terror. Earthquakes signify changes of state in the church,
because the earth signifies the church, n. 285; and because in
the spiritual world, when the state of the church is perverted
anywhere, and there is a change, an earthquake takes place,
aud as this is a prelude to their destruction, the effect is terror;
for the earths in the spiritual world are in appearance like the
earths in the natural world, n. 260; but as the earths there, like
all other things in that world, are from a spiritual origin, therefore changes occur according to the state of the church among
tile inhabitants, and when the state of the church is perverted,
they quake and tremble, yea, sink down and are moved out of
their places. That this was the case, when the last judgment
was at hand and accomplished, may be seen in the tract on The
Last Judgmeent.  Hence it may appear what is meant by quakings, concussions, and commotions of the earth, in the following places: "There shall be famines, pestilences, and earthqutakes in divers places," Matt. xxiv. 7; Mark xiii. 8; Luke
xxi. 11; this is said of the last judgment.  "In the fire of my
wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great
earthqua/ke, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth
shall shacke, and the mountains shall be thrown down," Ezek.
xxxviii. 18-20. "And there was a great earthquake, such as
was not since men were upon the earth," Apoc. xvi. 18. ~"I
will shake the heavens, and the earth shall be removed out of
her place, in the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts," Isaiah xiii. 12,
13. "And the foundations of the earth do shake, the earth is
moved exceedglzyly, for the transgression thereof shall be heavy
upon it," Isaiah xxiv. 18-20.  "Then the foundations of the
world were mnoved at thy rebuke, O Jehovah," Psalm xviii. 17,
18. The mountains quake at the presence of Jehovah, and the
rocks are t/hrownz down, Nahum i. 5, 6: and so in other places;
as Jerem. x. 10; xlix. 21; Joel ii. 10; Haggai ii. 6, 7; Apoc.
xi. 19; and elsewhere. But these things are to be understood
as having taken place in the spiritual world, and not in the
natural world; in this respect they signify such things as are
explained above.
332. Anzd the sun became black as sacckloth of hair, and the
moon became as blood, signifies the adulteration of all the good
of love in them, and the falsification of all the truth of faith.
That the sun signifies the Lord as to divine love, and thence the
good of love from him; and in an opposite sense, a denial of the
Lord's divinity, and thence adulteration of the good of love,
may be seen above, n. 53. And as the sun signifies the good
of love, the moon therefore signifies the truth of faith; for the
sun is red from fire, and the moon is white by virtue of the
light from the sun; and fire signifies the good of love, and light,
the truth from that good: concerning the moon, see also the
234




v. 12-14.1       Il'E APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          333-335
passages adduced above, n. 53. It is said the sun became black
as sackcloth of hair, because adulterated good in itself is evil,
and evil is black; and the reason why it is said the moon tbecaine as blood, is, because blood signifies divine truth, and in
an opposite sense, divine truth falsified, as may be seen below,
n. 379, 684. lNearly the same is said of the sun and moon in
Joel: " The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into
blood, before the great and the terrible day of Jehovah," ii. 31.
333. And the stars of heavern fell unto the ear"th, signifies
the dispersion of all the knowledges of good and truth. That
stars signify the knowledges of good and truth, may be seen
above, n. 51; that to fall firom heaven to the earth means to be
dispersed, or to disappear, is evident; in the spiritual world,
also, stals appear to fall from heaven to the earth there, when
the knoiwledges of good and truth perish.
334. Even as a fig-tree castet/h her zuntrimely figs, when she
is shaken of a miyghty wind, signifies by ratiocinations of the
natural man separated fiom  the spiritual.  It, is said to have
this signification, when yet it is a comparison, because all comparisons in the Word are also correspondences, and in the spiritual sense they cohere with the subject treated of, as in the
present instance; for a fig, from  correspondence, signifies the
natural good of man in conjunction with his spiritual good, but,
here, in an opposite sense, the natural good of man separated
from his spiritual good, which is not good; and as the natural
man, when separated fiom tlle spiritual, perverts froom ratiocinations the knowledges of good and truth, which are signified
by the stars, it follows that this is signified by a fig-tree shaken
by a mighty wind. That wind and storml signify ratiocination,
is evident from many passages in the Word, but it is not necessary to adduce them  here, because it is a comparison. The
reason why a fig-tree signifies the natural good of man, is,
because every tree signifies something of the church in man,
therefore also man with respect thereto: by way of confirmation
we select these passages: All the hosts of heaven " shall fall
down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling igS
fiom, the fig-t~ree," Isaiah xxxiv. 4.  "I will surely consunme
them, there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the figtree, and the leaf shall fade," Jerem. viii. 13.  " All thy strongholds shall be like fyg-trees with the first ripe figs; if they be
shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater," Nahumn iii. 12; besides other places; as Isaiah xxxiv. 2, 3, 5, 8;
xxxviii. 21; Jerem. xxix. 17, 18; Hosea ii. 12; ix. 10); Joel i.
7, 12; Zech. iii. 10; Matt. xxi. 18 —21: xxiv. 32, 33; Mark xi.
12-15, 19-25; Luke vi. 44; xiii. 6-9; in which places
nothing else is meant by a fig-tree.
335. And the heavens departed as a scroll whenz it is rollea
togeth.er, signifies separation from heaven and conjunction with
235




336             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
hell. It is said that heaven departed as a scroll rolled together,
because the interior understanding,, and hence the thought, of
man, is as heaven; for his understanding canll be elevated into
the light of heaven, and in such elevation can think with the
angels concerning God, concerning love and faith, and concerning eternal life: but if his will is not at the same time elevated
into the heat of heaven, the man is not conjoined with the
angels of heaven, thus is not a heaven. That this is the case,
may be seen in The Angelic Wtisdom concerning the Divine
Love and the Divine JWisdom, Part the Fifth. By virtue of
this facultv of the understanding, the wicked, who are here
treated of, could be in consociation with the angels of the ultimate hleaven; but when these were separated fiom the former,
their heaven departed as a. scroll rolled together. By a scroll
rolled together is meant parchment rolled up, because their
books were skins, and the comparison is made with a book, because a book denotes the Word, n. 256; therefore when it is
rolled up like a skin, nothing that it contains is apparent, and
it is as thoug-h it were not. On this account the like is said in
Isaiah: " And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the
heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and shall fall down
as the leaf falleth from the fig-tree," xxxiv. 4. Hosts are the
goods and truths of the church derived fiom the Word, n. 447.
From these considerations it may appear, that by the heavens
departing as a scroll rolled togetherl, is signified separation from
heaven, and conjunction with hell. That separation from heaven is conljnnction with hell, is evident.
336. A-nd every mnountain and island were moved out oj
their plyaees, signifies that all the good of love and truth of
faith departed. That this is the signification of these words no
one could discover without the spiritual sense; they have this
signification however, because by mountains are understood
those who are in the good of love, by reason that the angels
dwell upon mountains; such as are in love to the Lord dwelling
on higih rnomoltains, and such as are in'love towards their neighbour dwelling on lower ones; wherefore by every mountain is
signified every good of love. By islands are meant those who
are more remote firom the worship of God, see above, n. 34;
here those who are in faith, and not so nmuch in the good of love,
therefore, in an abstract sense, every island signifies every
truth of faith; by being moved out of their places is signified
to recede. It is owing to the eircumstance of the angels dwelling jut:n mountains and hills, that mountains and hills in the
Word signifyl heaven and the church, where there exists love to
the Lord and love to the neighbour, and, in an opposite sense,
hell, where there exists self'-love and the love of the world.
That by mountains and hills are signified heaven and the
church, where there exists love to the Lord and love to th6
236




V. 14.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             336
neighbour, and thus where the Lord is, is evident fromn the
fbllowing places: "I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from
whence cometh my help," Psalm cxxi. 1. "Behold upon the
mountains the feet of him  that bringeth good tidings, that
publisheth peace,"  Nahunm i. 15; Isaiah lii. 7. "Praise Jehovah, nountains and all hills," Isaiah cxlviii. 9: The Aill of
God.is as the hill of Bashan, a high hill is the hill of Bashan.
Why leap ye, ye high hills? the hill which Jehovah desireth
to dwell in, yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever," Psalm
lxviii. 15, 16. "Ye mnountains that ye skipped like rams;
and ye little fhills like lambs? a Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord," Psalm  cxiv. 4, 7. "And I will bring
forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of
my mountains, and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants
shall dwell there," Isaiah lxv. 9. At the consummation of
the age.; "then let them. which be in Judea flee into the
mountains," Matt. xxiv. 16. "Thy righteousness, O Jehovah,
is like thhegreat mountains," Psalm xxxvi. 6. Jehovah will
go forth to battle, "and his feet shall stand in that day upon
the iJount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem  on the east,"
Zeolh. xiv. 4. Because the Mount of Olives signified divine
love, therefore the Lord in the day-time taught in the temple,
but " at night he went out and abode in the Mount of Olives,"
Luke xxi. 37; xxii. 39; John viii. 1. And for the same reason
the Lord discoursed with his disciples upon that mnount concerning his comling and the consummation of the age, Matt. xxiv. 3;
6Mark xiii. 3, and following verses. And also went from thence
to Jerusalem and suffered, Matt. xxi. 1; xxvi. 30; Mark xi. 1;
xiy. 26; Luke xix. 29, 37; xxi. 37; xxii. 39. Because a mountain signified heaven and love, Jehovah descended upon the
top of ilfount Sinai, and promulgated the law, Exod. xix. 20;
xxiv. 17. And for the same reason the Lord was transfigured
before Peter, James, and John, upon a high mountain, Matt.
xvii. 1. And on this account Zion was upon a mountain, and
also Jerusalem, and they are called the iMfountain of Jehovah
and the.Mountain of Holiness, in many parts of the Word.
Mountains and hills have a similar signification in other places;
as in Isaiah vii. 25; xxx. 25; xl. 9; xliv. 23; xlix. 11, 13; iv.
12; Jerem. xvi. 15, 16; Ezek. xxxvi. 8; Joel iii. 18; Amos iv.
12, 13; ix. 13, 14; Psalm lxxx. 9, 10; Psalm civ. 6-10, 13.
That those loves are signified by mountains and hills, may
appear still more evidently fiom their opposite sense, in which
they signify infernal loves, which are self-love and the love of
the world, as is manifest fiom the following passages: The day
of Jehovah shall come upon " all the high mountains, and upon
all the hills that are lifted up," Isaiah ii. 12, 14. " Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made
low," Isaiah xl. 3, 4. "The mountains flowed down at thy
237




337             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vi.
presence," Isaiah lxiv. 1, 3. "Behold, I am against thee, O
dtestroving mnount;in, which destroyest all the earth, and will
Inake thee a burnt, motntain," Jerem. li. 25. "I beheld the
mountcains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved
lightly," Jerem. iv. 23, 24. "For a fire is kindled in mine
manger,-and it shall set on fire the foundations of the moutcntaints," Deut. xxxii. 22. " I will make waste mountains and
hills," Isaiah xlii. 15. " Behold, (O Jacob,) I will maknle thee
a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth, thou shalt
thresh the mowountaicns, and beat them small, and shalt make the
hills as chaff,-and the wind shall carry them away," Isaiah
xli. 15, 16. "Give glory to Jehovah your God, before your
feet stumble upon the mountcains of twilight," Jerem. xiii. 16.
Nor is any thing else meant by the seven mouzntcains, upon which
the woman sat, which was Babylon, Apoc. xvii. 9; besides
other places; as Isaiah xiv. 13; lii. 7; Jerem. ix. 10; Ezek.
vi. 3; xxxiv. 6; Micah vi. 1, 2; Nahum i. 4, 5; Psalm xlvi.
3, 4. From the above it is evident what is to be understood
by every mountain and island being moved out of their places;
as also in what follows, by "' And every island fled away, and
the mounteaiLns were not found," Apoc. xvi. 20; n. 714.
337. And the kcings of the earth, and the great nmen, anzd the
rich men, and t/he chief-ctains, and the mighty men, acnd every
bond-mancbn, aznd everyfree-mnan, signifies those who before separation were in the understanding of truth and good, in the
science of the knowledges thereof, in erudition, either from
others or fiom themselves, and vet not in a life conformable
thereto. That such is the signification of the above words in
their order, can only be known by those who are acquainted
with the meaning of kings, of great men, rich men, chiefcaptains, mighty men, bond-men, and fiee-men, in the spiritual
sense; for by kings, in this sense, are signified they who are in
truths; by great men, they who are in goods; by rich men,
they who are in the knowledges of truth; by chief-captains,
they who are in the knowledges of good; by mighty men, they
who are in erudition; by servants, they who are in such things
from others, thus from the memory; by free-men, they who are
in such things from themselves, thus from judgment. But to
prove the signification of all these names from the Word would
be too prolix; what is signified by kings has been shown before,
n. 20, and what by rich men, n. 206; what by great men, is
evident from Jerem. v. 5; Nahum iii. 10; Jonah iii. 7; for
great is predicated of good, n. 896, 898; that mighty men, and
bond-men, and fiee-men, are such as are in erudition, either
from others or from themselves, will be seen below. It is said,
they who are in these things, and yet not in a life according to
them, because wicked men, yea, the worst of men, may be iin
the science and in the understanding of the knowledges of good
238




v 15, 16.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           338, 339
and truth, and also in much erudition, but as thev are not in
a life according to them, they are in fact not in themr; for what
is only in the understanding, and not at the same time in the
life, is not in a man, but without, as it were in an outer court;
but that which is at the same time in the life, is in a man, it is
within him  as in a house; therefore the latter are preserved,
and the former rejected.
338. Hid themzselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies that they were now in evils and in falses of evil.
To hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies to be in evils and in falses of evil, because they
who in the sight of the world have appeared to be in the good
of love, and yet were in evil, after death hide themselves in
dens; and they who have pretended to be principled in the
truths of faith, and yet were in falses of evil, hide themselves in
the rocks of the mountains. The entrances appear like holes in
the earth, and like clefts in the mountains, into which they
crawl like serpents, and there hide themselves.  That such are
their abiding places I have fiequently seen. Hence it is that
by dens or caves are signified the evils with such, and byholes
and clefts the falses of evil, in the following places: In that
day " they shall go into the holes of the roclcks and into the caves
of the earth, when Jehovah ariseth to shake terribly the earth,"
Isaiah ii. 19. In that day they shall " go into the clefts of the
rocks and into the tops of the rugged rocks for fealr of Jehovahl"
Isaiah ii. 21.  "To dwell in the clffs of the valleys, in caves
of the earth, and in the rocks," Job xxx. 6.'The pride of
thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts
of the rock," Obad. verse 3. In that day " they shall come
and shall rest in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the
rocks," Isaiah vii. 19. "Because the palaces shall be forsaken
-the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever," Isaiah xxxii.
14. " The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, O thou that
dlwellest in the clefts of the rock," Jerem. xlix. 16.  "And
they shall hunt them from every mountain and hill, and out of
the holes of the rocks; they are not hid from my face, neither
i, their iniquity hid from mine eyes," Jerein. xvi. 16, 17. In
that day " the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den,"
Isaiah xi. 8.
339. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and
hide usfrom the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, andfrorn
the wrath of the Lamzb, signifies confirmations of evils by falsity,
and of falsity from  evil, until they did not acknowledge any
thing divine in the Lord. Mountains signify the loves of evil,
thus evils, n. 336, and rocks signify the falses of faith; by falling upon them  and hiding them, is signified to be defended
against influx from heaven; and as this is done by confirma
239




340             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vi.
tions of evil by falsity, and by confirmations of falsity from evil,
therefore these are signified; by hiding themselves from the face
of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb, is signified until they do not acknowledge any thing divine in the Lord; by Him that sitteth on the throne is meant
the Lord's divinity, from whence are all things; and by the
Lamb is meant himself as to the Divine Humanity; the Lord
as to both was upon the throne, as has been shown above. It is
said fiom his face and from his anger, because all they who are
in dens and rocks, dare not set foot out of them, nor even put
forth a finger, by reason of the pain and torment consequent on
doing so; this is owing to the hatred which they bear against
the Lord, even to their not being able to name him; and the
divine sphere of the Lord fills all things, which they cannot
remove from themselves, but by confirmations of evil by falsity,
and of falsity from evil; the delights of the wicked occasion
this. Similar is the signification of this passage in Hosea:
"And they shall say to the moeuntains, Cover us, and to the
l/ills, Fall on us," x. 8: and in Luke: "Then shall they begin
to say to the mountcains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us,"
xxiii. 30. That this is the spiiitual sense of these words, cannot appear in the letter, but the spiritual sense is rendered
apparent by this consideration, that when a last judgment is
executed, they who are in evil, and desire to be in good, experience great sufferings in the beginning; whereas they suffer
less on such an occasion who confirm themselves in their evil by
falses, for these last cover their evil by falses, but the former
lay bare their evil, and in this case cannot support the divine
influx, as is seen'in what follows. The dens and caves into
which they cast themselves, are correspondences.
340. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall
be able to stand  signifies that they were made such of themselves by means of their separation fiom the good and faithful
on account of the last judgment, which otherwise they would
not be able to abide. The great day of the wrath of the Lamb,
signifies the day of the last judgment; and who shall be able to
stand? signifies their inability to support it by reason of their
torment; for when the last judgment is at hand, the Lord, together with heaven, approaches, and of those who are below in
the spiritual world, none can support the Lord's coming, but
those who are interiorly good, and they are interiorly good,
who shun evils as sins, and look to the Lord. That the day of
the'Lord's anger signifies the last judgment is evident firom the
following passages: "Before the fierce anger of Jehovah come
upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you,
-it may be ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger,"
Zeph. ii. 2, 3. " Behold the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel both
with wrath and fierce anger," Isaiah xiii. 9, 13. "The great
240




v, 16.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             341
day of Jehovah is near, a day qf wrath, a day of trouble and
distress, a day of clouds and thick darkness," Zeph. i. 14, 15.
" Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should
be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants, and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth,"
Apoc. xi. 18. "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and ye perish
in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are
all they that put their trust in THim," Psalm ii. 12.
341. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation. I
saw some of the English clergy assembled, to the number of six
hundred, who prayed to the. Lord that they might be permitted
to ascend to a society of the superior heaven; which being
granted them, they ascended. And when they entered, to their
great joy they saw their king, the present king's grandfather,e
who went up to two bishops that were among them, whom he
had known in the world, and entering into discourse with them,
asked them, " How came you here?" To which they replied,
that they had made supplication to the Lord, and it was
granted them. lie said to them, " Why to the Lord, and not
to God the Father?" And they answered, that they were so
instructed below. Upon which lie said, " Did I not sometimes
tell you in the world, that the Lord ought to be approached,
and also that charity is primary? What reply did you then
make concerning the Lord?" And it was given them to recollect, that they had made answer,'" That when the Father is
approached, the Son also is approached." But the angels who
were about the king said, "'You are mistaken, you did not think
so, nor is the Lord approached, when application is made to the
Father; but God the Father is approached, when application
is made to the Lord, because they are one, like soul and body.
Who applies to a man's soul, that he may thus have access to
his body a  When a man is addressed as to his body which is
seen, is not his soul also addressed, which is not seen?" To this
they were silent; and the king went up to the two bishops, with
two gifts in his hand, saying, " These are gifts from heaven."
They were celestial forms of gold which he was about to present to them, when a dusky cloud covered them, and separated
them, and they descended by the way that they had come up;
and wrote these things in a book.
The rest of the English clergy, who heard that their companions had been permitted to ascend to the superior heaven,
assembled at the foot of a mountain, where they waited for
their return. On their return they saluted their brethren, and
ielated what had happened to them in heaven, and that the
king had presented the bishops with two celestial forms of gold,
beautiful to behold; but that they fell out of their hands.
* This was written in the reign of George III., who was grandson to George II.
241




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vii.
They then retired into a grove, which was nigh at hand, and
discoursed among themselves, looking about to see if any one
heard them; though theyvwere heard nevertheless. Their discourse was about unanimity and concord, and then about supremacy and dominion. The bishops spoke, and the rest assented.
And on a sudden, to my surprise, they no longer appeared as
many, but as one great figure whose face resembled that of a
lion, having on his head a turreted mitre, on which was a
crown: and he spake in a lofty tone, and walked proudly; and,
looking behind, he said, " Who else has a right to supremacy
but me!" The king looked down from heaven, and saw them,
first all as one, and afterwards as several unanimous; but most
of them, as he said, in a secular habit.
CHAPTER VII.
1. AND after these things I saw four angels standing on the
four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth,
that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor
ion any tree.
2. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of
the sun, having the seal of the living God. And- he cried with
a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt
the earth and the sea,
3. Saying, XIurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4. And I heard the numnber of them that were sealed; a hundied and forty and four thousand, sealed out of all the tribes
of the children of Israel.
5. Of the tribe of Judalh were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Nephtalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of ]Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve'thousand.
Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9. After this, I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude which no
man can number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and:tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed
with whiteirobes, and palms in their hands;
242




Cllap. vii.]   THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our
God. that sitteth upon  e the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and
about the elders, and the four animals, and fell before the
throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12. Saying, Amen; blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our
God, for ever and ever, anen.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, Who
are these that are arrayed in white robes. and whence caume
they.
14. And I said unto him, Sir,. thou knowest. Andl he said
unto me, These are the)y that come out of great tribulation, and
have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve
him day and night in his temple: and He that sitteth on the
throne shall dwell among them.
16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;
neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb 7which is in the midst of the throne shall
feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters:
and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
THE- SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. This chapter treats
of those who are and will be in. the Christian heaven; and first
of their separation fiom the wicked, verses 1 to 3: afterwards,
of those who are in love to the Lord and thereby in wisdom, of
whom the superior heavens consist, verses 4 to 8; and of those
Who are in charity and its faith from the Lord, because they
have fought against evils, of whom are the inferior heavens,
verses 9 to 17.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE.  V. 1,   Arid after these
things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the
earth," signifies the universal heaven now- in the effort to exb
cute the last judgment:" Holding the four winds of the earth,
that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor
on any tree," signifies a withholding and restraining by the
Lord, of a nearer and thence more powerful influx into the
inferior things, where the good were in conjunction with the
wicked: v. 2, "And I saw another angel ascendingfrom the
rising of the sun," signifies the Lord providing and regulating
243




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chlap. Vii::;'Having the seal of the living God," signifies who alone knows
all and every one, and can distinguish and separate them one
ifrom another: " And he cried with a loud voice to the four
angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, (v.
3,) saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,"
signifies the preventing and withholding by the Lord of a:nearer and stronger influx into inferior things: "Till we have
sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads," signifies
before they are separated who are in truths originating in good'from the Lord: v. 4, " And I heard the number of them that
were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand," signifies
all who acknowledge the Lord to be the God of heaven and
earth, and are in truths of doctrine from the good of love, fiom
him through the Word: " Sealed out of all the tribes of the
children of Israel," signifies the Lord's heaven and church
composed of them: v. 5, "Of the tribe of Judah were sealed
twelve thousand," signifies celestial love, which is love to the
Lord, and this with all who will be in the new heaven and the.new church: "' Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand," signifies wisdom derived from celestial love, with them
who are there: " Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand,'? signifies uses of life, which are of wisdom derived from
that love, with those who were there: v. 6, " Of the tribe of
Aser were sealed twelve thousand," signifies nmutual love with
thlemn: "Of the tribe of Nephtalim were sealed twelve thousand," signifies a perception of use, and what use is with tllen:
"Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the will of serving, and of action, with them: v. 7, "Of
the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies
spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour, with them::' Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand," signifies
the affection of truth derived from good, from whence comes
intelligence, with them: " Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed
itwelve thousand," signifies good of life with them: v. 8, " Of
the tribe of Zabxilon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies
the conjugial love of good and truth with them: " Of the tribe
of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the doctrine
of good and truth with them: " Of the tribe of Benjamin were:sealed twelve thousand," signifies the life of truth derived from
good according to doctrine with them: v. 9, " After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude which no man could number,"
signifies- all the rest who are not among the above-recited, and
yet are'in the new heaven and new church of the Lord, and
who constitute the ultimate heaven and the external church,
Whose quality no one knows but the Lord alone: " Of all nations,: and tribes, and people, and tongues," signifies all in the
Christian world, who are in religion from good, and ir truths
from doctrine: "Stood before the throne and before the Lamb,'
244




Chap. vii.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
signifies, hearing the Lord and doing his precepts: "Clothed
with white robes, and palms in their hands," signifies communication and conjunction with the superior heavens, and confession firom divine truths: v. 10, "And cried with a loud voice,
saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the throne and
unto the Lamnb," signifies an acknowledgment from the heairl
that the Lord is their Saviour: v. 11,'And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the
four animals," signifies all in the universal heaven: "And fell
before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God," signifies
the humiliation of their heart, and, from humiliation, adoration
of the Lord: v. 12, " Saying, Amen," signifies divine verity
and confirmation therefrom: " Blessing, and glory, and wisdomi
and thanksgiving," signifies the divine spiritual things of the'
Lord: "And honour, and power, and might," signifies thie
divine celestial things of-the Lord: "Be unto our God for ever!
and ever," signifies these things in the Lord, and from the
Lord to eternity: "Amen," signifies the consent of all: v. 13;
" And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, -Who are
these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came tlley?
(v. 14,) And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest," signifies a
desire of knowing and the will of interrogating, and the answer
and information: "And he said unto me, These are they that
come out of great tribulation," signifies that they are thos6
who have been in temptations, and have fought against evils
and falses: "And have washed their robes," signifies who have~
cleansed their religious principles from the evils of falsity
"And made them white in the blood of the Lamb," signifies;
and purified them from the falses of evil by truths, and thus
have been reformed by the Lord: v. 15, "Therefore are they;
before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his
temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
them," signifies that they are in the presence of the Lord, and
constantly and faithfully live according to the truths which they
receive from him in his church: v. 16, " They shall hunger no
more, neither thirst any more," signifies that hereafter there
shall be no deficiency of goods and truths with themn: " Neithei
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat," signifies that hereafter they shall have no lusts to evil nor to the false of evil:V,
17, " For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall
feed them," signifies that the Lord alone will teach them:
" And shall lead them'unto living fountains of waters," signifies, and lead them  by the truths of the Word to conjunction
with himself: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes," signifies that they shall no longer be in combats against
evils and: their falses, and thereby in sorrow, but in goods and
truths, and thence in joys celestial from the Lord.
245     -  




342              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii.
THE EXPLANATION.
342. And after these things I saw four angels standing on
tie foyur corners of the earth, signifies the universal heaven now
in the effort to execute the last judgment on those who were
in the world of spirits. Many things now follow concerning the
gtate of the spiritual world previous to' the last judginent, which
no one could know but by revelation fi'ron the Lord. And
since it has been granted me to see in what manner the last
judgment was performed, and also the changes which preceded
it,' and the arrangements which ensued; I am thereby enabled
to explain the signification of all the particulars contained in
this and the following chapters.  By the four angels is here
signified the universal heaven; by the four corners of the earth
iS Signified the universal world of spirits, which is in the 1midst'
between heaven and hell; for the last judgment was executed
on those who were in the world of spirits, but not oil any one
in heaven, nor on any one in hell. The reason why the angels
signify heaven, is, because an angel, in the supreme sense,
meanls the Lord as to the Divine Humnanity, n. 344; and as'
heaven is heaven from the Lord, by the angels is also signified
heaven. The four angels here signify the universal heaven,
because they were seen standing on the fiour corners of the
earth, and by the four corners are signified the four quarters.
The reason why the above words signify the effort of the universal heaven to execute a last judgment, is, because the Lord,
when the judgment was at hand, caused the heavens to draw
near over the world of spirits, and by this approach of the
heavens, such a change of state in the interio rs of the minds'
Qf those who were below, was effected, that they saw nothing,
but terrors before their eyes. That corners signify quarters, and
thence four corners all quarters, may appear fi'om the following
passages: "Ye shall measure from without the city, the corner
towards the east, the corner towards the south, the corner towards the west, and the corner towards the north," Numb. xxxv.
5. "Thou shalt make the boalrds for the tabernacle for the
south side [corner], and for the north side [corner]," Exod. xxvi.
18, 20, 23. " And a court for the south side [corner], for the
hiorth side [corner], for the west side [corner], and for the
east side [ecorner]," Exod. xxvii. 9, 11-13. The four quarters
are also called the four corners frequently in Ezekiel, as in chap.
xlvii. 18-20, and xlviii.  Because corners signify quartersj
therefore they signify all things, as all things relating to heaven
or hell, or to good and truth, as is vlain from these passages:
Satan shall go out to " deceive the nations which are inl the
four quarters of the earth," Apoe. xx. 8. "I have cut off the
nations: their corners are desolate," Zeph. iii. 6. "Israel was
246'




v. 1.]          TH     E APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         343
gathered together as one man,-and the corners of all thepeople stood up," Judges xx. 1, 2. "A sceptre shall rise out
of Israel, and shall smite the corners of M/Ioab," Numb. xxiv.
17. "A day of the trumpet and alarm-and against the highl
corners," Zeph. i. 16. "I would scatter them into corners','
Deut. xxxii. 26. That a corner signifies the ultimate which
sustains things superior, as a foundation does a house, and thus
also all things, appears firom these passages: "Behold, I lay in]
Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner,
stone," Isaiah xxviii. 16.  "And they shall not take of the
stone for a corner,7" Jerem. Ii. 26. "And Judah shall be a
corner stone," Zech. x. 4.  "The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner," Psalm  cxviii. 22;.
Matt. xxi. 42; Mark xii. 10; Luke xx. 17, 18.
343. Holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind shouwd:
not blow on the earth, nor on -the sea, nor on any tree, signifies a
withholding and restraining by the Lord of a nearer and thence
more powerful influx into inferior things, where the good were
in conjunction with the wicked. It is to be noted that the last
judgment takes place when the wicked are multiplied, below the
heavens in the world of spirits, to such a degree that the angela
in the heavens cannot subsist in their state of love and wisdom;
for in this case they have no support and foundation to rest
upon; and as this is occasioned by the increase of the wicked
below, therefore the Lord, in order to preserve their state, flows
in with his divinity more and more strongly, and this continues
till they can no longer be preserved by any influx, without
a separation of the wicked, that are below, from the good,
which is effected by the letting down and drawing near of the
heavens, and thence by a stronger influx, until it at length
becomes insupportable to the wicked, upon which they flee
away, and cast themselves into hell. This is also what is signified in the foregoing chapter by these words: "And said to
the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face
of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and fiom the wrath of the
Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall
be able to stand?" Apoc. vi. 16. But to proceed to the explanation. By the four winds is signified the influx of the heavens;
by the earth, the sea, and every tree, are signified all inferior
principles and the things that are therein; by the earth and sea,
all inifeior principles; and by every tree, all things therein.
That wind signifies influx, properly the influx of truth into the
understanding, may appear firomr the following'passages: 1" Thus
saith the Lordl Jehovah, Come fiom the four winds, 0 spirit,
and breathe upon these slain, that they may live," Ezek. xxxviii.
9, 1. There were seen four chariots, at which there were four
horses, "these are the four winds of the heav6ns," Zech vi. 1
5  "Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it
247




343             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. Vii.
listeth, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh, and vwhither
it goeth," John iii. 7, 8.  The Maker of the earth "hath
established the world by his wisdom,-and bringeth forth the
wind out of his treasures," Jerem. x. 12, 13; li. 15, 16; Psalm
cxxxv. 7. Jehovah " causeth his wind to blow, and the waters
flow. He showeth his Word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgInents unto Israel," Psalm cxlvii. 17-19. "Stormry wincd fulfilling his Word," Psalm cxlviii. 8. Jehovah " maketh his angels
winds," Psalm civ. 3, 4. Jehovah " did fly upon the wings of
the Voind," Psalm xviii. 10, 11; Psalm civ. 3. The wings of the
wind are divine truths which flow in: therefore the Lord is called:
"The brecath of our nostrils," Lament. iv. 20; and it is written, that he breathed into the nostrils of Adam the soul of lives,
Gen. ii. 7; also, that "He breathed on his disciples, and said,
Receive ye the Holy Ghost," John xx. 21, 22.  The Holy
Ghost (or Spirit) is the divine truth proceeding fiom the Lord,
whose influx into the disciples was represented, and thus signifi.ed, by his breathing upon them. That wind and respiration
signify the influx of divine truth into the understanding, is
fiom the correspondence of the lungs with the undelrstanding,
on which subject see The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divind
Love and the Divine Wisdom, n. 371 —429. As, therefore, a
nearer and stronger divine influx through the heavens disperses
truths among the wicked, therefore wind signifies the dispersion of truth among them, and thence their conjunction with
hell, and destruction; as nmay be seen from these passages:
"And upon Elam will I bring the four winds fiom the four
quarters of heaven, and will scatter them," Jerem. xlix. 36.
"Thou shalt fan them, and the win(d shall carry them away, and
the whirlwind shall scatter them," Isaiah xli. 16. "The breath
qf Jehovalh, like a stream of brinstone, doth kindle it," Isaiah
xxx. 33. The contrivers of iniquity perish " by the blast of:
God, and by the brecath of his'nostrils are they consumled," Job
iv. 8, 9. "'The foundations of the vworld were discovered at'
thy rebuke, O Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils,"
Psalm  xviii. 15. "I saw  in my vision,-and behold, the
four winds of the heavens strove upon the great sea. And four.
great beasts came up," Dan. vii. 2, 3, and following verses.
"Behold, a whirlwind of Jehovah is gone forth in fury —it shall
fall grievously upon the head of the wicked," Jerem. xxiii. 19;
xxx. 23. " So persecute them with thy storm, and make them
afraid with thy temf)eet," Psalm lxxxiii. 15.  "The way of
Jehovah is in the whirlwind and the storm," INalUlm i. 3;
besides other places; as Jerem. xxv. 32; Ezek. xiii. 13; Hosea,
viii. 7; Amos i. 14; Zech. ix. 14; Psalm xi. 6; Psalmn. 3;
Psalm lv. 8; Psalhm  evii.; where it is thus written: " For lhe
commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind. He maketh the
atorn to a calhn so that the waves thereof are still," verse 25:
248




v. 2, 3.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         344 —346
39: hence it may appear what is the signification of these
words in their spiritual sense. Jesus in the ship " rebuked the
w&ind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still, and there was a
great calm," Mark iv. 39, 40; Luke viii. 23, 24.  By the sea
is here signified hell, and by the wind influx thence. Nor is
any thing but strong influx signified by the east wind, Ezek.
xvii. 10; Jerem. xviii. 17; xix. 12; Hosea xiii. 15, 39; Psalnm
xlviii. 7: nor by the same wind which dried up the Rea Sea,
Exodus xiv. 21; concerning which it is thus written by Moses:
" And with the blast of tny nostrils the waters were gathered
together-as a heap,-thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea
covered them," Exod. xv. 8, 10. From what has been said, it
may now be seen, that by holding the four winds that the wind
should not blow on the earth, is signified to withhold and prevent a nearer and stronger influx into inferior things.
344. And i sazow another' angel ascendingy from the rising of
thle s6un, signifies the Lord providing and regulating. An angel
here means the Lord as to his divine love, because lie ascended
from the east, and from the east or rising of the sun, is fi'omi
divine love, for in the spiritual world the Lord is the sun and
the east, and is so called as to that love. That hlie was providing
and moderating, is evident from his command to the four angels,
not to hurt the earth and the sea, till the servants of God were
sealed on their foreheads. That the Lord's Divine Humanity
is meant by an angel, in the supreme sense, is manifest fromt
these passages:'"The angel of the faces of Jehovach saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and lie bare them,
and carried them all the days of old," Isaiah lxiii. 9. "The
angel which redeemed me fiom all evil bless the lads," Gen.
xlviii. 16. "The Lord whom  ye seek, shall suddenly come to:
his temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in,"
Malachi iii. 1. 6' Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep
thee in the way, beware of him, and obey his voice,-for my
name is in him," Exod. xxiii. 20-23. Angel and Sent, in the
Hebrew language, are expressed by one and the same word;
hence it is that the Lord so often calls himself the Sent of the
Father, by which is to be understood the Divine Humanity.
But an angel, in a relative sense, denotes every one who receives the Lord, both in heaven and in the world.
34:5. ffaving the seal of the living God, signifies who alone
knows all and every one, and can distinguish and separate them
one from another. Since they were sealed on their foreheads
with a seal, therefore by having the seal of the living God, as
spoken of the'Lord, is meant to know all and every one, and to
be able to distinguish and separate the servants of God from
those who are not.
346. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to
whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not
249




34A7            THE: APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vii.
th/e eacrth, neither the sea, nor the trees, signifies the preventing
and withholding by the Lord of a nearer and stronger influx
into inferior things.  That this is the signification of these
words, is evident from the explanation above, n. 343. In a
literal sense, it was the four angels that withheld influx, but, in
a spiritual sense, it was the Lord. Not, to hurt the earth, the
sea, nor the trees, signifies that they should not operate by a
vehement, but by a moderate, influx; for the Lord, by various
degrees of influx into the heavens, disposes, regulates, tempers,
and moderates all things there and in the hells, and, through
the heavens and the hells, all things in the world.
347. Till we haive sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads, signifies beibre they are separated who are in truths originating in good from the Lord, thus who are interiorly good.
By sealing them in their foreheads, is not meant to set a seal
there, but to distinguish and separate those who are in the good
of love from the Lord; for the forehead signifies the good of
love. That they who are in truths from good from the Lord
are meant, follows firom such being understood by the servants
of God, n. 3. The reason why the forehead signifies the good
of love, is, because the face is the image of man's affections, and
the forehead is the highest part of the face; the brain, from
which is the origin of all things of man's life, being immediately
under the forehead. As the forehead signifies love, good love
in the good, and evil love in the evil, therefore by sealing them
on their foreheads, is signified to distingnish and separate one
fiom another according to the love. SiLnilar is the signification
of this passage in Ezekiel: "Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark ujpon the foreheads of the men that sigh
over the abominations," ix. 4-6. As the forehead signifies
love, therefore concerning the plate of gold on the mitre of
Aaron, on which was engraven Holines6g to Jehovcah, it is written,
That it should be on the region of the faces of the mitre, that
it might be over the forehead of Aaron, and that it should always
be upon the forehead of Aaron, that he might be accepted of
Jehovah, Exod. xxviii. 36 38. And moreover it was commanded that these words, ".And thou shalt love Jehovah thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul," were to be upon
the hand and upon the forehead, Deut. vi. 5, 8; xi. 18. That
they should have the name of the Father written on their foreheads, Apoc. xiv. 1. And the name of God and of the Lamb
in their foreheads, Apoc. xxii. 4. It may be observed, that the
Lord looks at the angels in the forehead, whilst they look at the
Lord through the eyes; by reason that the Lord views all from
the good of love, and desires that they, on their part, should
view him from the truths of wisdom: in this manner conjune.
tion is effected. The forehead, in an opposite sense, signifies
evil love in these places: Who have the mark of the beast or
250




v. 3, 4.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              348
their foicheads, Apoc. xiii. 16; xiv. 9; xx. 4; and also the
name of Babylon upon herforehead, Apoc. xvii. 5. The forehead of an adulterous woman, Jerem. iii. 3. Obdurate offorehead, and hard of heart, Ezek. iii. 7, S. "Thou art obstinate,
and thyforehead is brass." Isaiah xlviii. 4.
348. And I heard the nquzmber of theem w/hich were sealed,: a
hu:ndred andfo7rty and four thousand, signifies all who acknowledge the Lord to be the God of heaven and earth, and are in
truths of doctline fiom the good of love fi'omn him through the
Word. That these are signified by a hundred and forty and.
four thousand out of the twelve triles of Israel, is, because tlae
twelve tribes of Israel signify the church, as conmposed of those&
who are in good and truth firol the Lord, and acknowledge him
as the God of heaven and earth. By the number one hundred,
and forty-four thousand, all these are understood; for by this;
number the same is signified as by twelve, since it arises by
multiplying twelve into twelve, and then by multiplying it by'
one hundred and by one thousand; and any number whatever
multiplied into itself, and then by ten, one hundred, or one
thousand, has the same signification as the original number;.
therefore the number one hundred and forty-four thousand
signifies the same as one hundred and forty-four, and this the
same as twelve, because twelve multiplied by twelve make one
hundred aind forty-four; so likewise the twelve thousand sealed
out of each tribe, being multiplied by twelve, make one hundred and forty-four thousand. The number twelve signifies all,
and is predicated of truths firom good, because twelve is the product of three and four multiplied by each other, and the number three signifies every thing as to truth, and the number
four every thing as to good; hence twelve, in this instance,%
signifies every thing as to truth derived from the good of love.
That all numbers signify the adjuncts of things determining
their quality or quantity, may appear manifest fiom numbers
in the Apocalypse, which, were they without some specific signification, would yield no sense whatever in many places. From
what has been said it may be seen, that by one hundred and fortyfour thousand sealed, and by twelve thousand out of each tribe,
is not to be understood that so many were sealed and elected'
out of the tribes of Israel, but all who are in truths of doctrine
derived firom the' good of love fi'om the Lord. This is what is
signified in general by the twelve tribes of Israel, and also by
the Lord's twelve apostles; but, in particular, some truth derived fiom good is signified by each tribe and by each apostle.
But the signification of each particular tribe shall be explained
presently. Since the twelve tribes signify all truths of doctrine
derived fiom the good of love friom the Lord, they also signify
all things of the church; on which account the twelve tribes ot
Israel represented the church, as did also the twelve apostles
251




348              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii.
As twelve is predicated of the truths and goods of the church,
therefore the New Jerusalem, by which is understood the Lord's
New Church, is described by the number twelve in every particular, as that the length and breadth of the city was twelve
thousandfutrlongs; that the wall thereof was one hundred and
forty-four cabits; one hundred and forty-four is twelve multiplied by twelve; that there were twelve gyates; and the gates were
of twelvepearls; that over the gates there were twelve angels;
and the names written of the twelve tribes of Israel; that the wall
had twelvefoundations; and in them the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb; and they consisted of twelve precious
stones; as also that the tree of life was there, bearing twelve
fruits according to the twelve mzonths.  Concerning all these
particulars, see chapters xxi. and xxii. From such as are here
tleated of the new heaven is formed, and the new church is
forming by the Lord; for they are the same who are mentioned
in chapter xiv., where it is written of them: "And I looked,
and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him  one
hundred andforty-fouri thousand.-And they sung, as it were,
a new song before the throne, and no man could learn that song
but the hundred andforty-four thotscand, which were redeemed
from the earth,-for they are virgilns,-which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth," verses 1, 3, 4. Because the twelve
tribes signify the Lord's church as to all its truths and goods,
therefore the number twelve became a number of the church,
and was used in its holy ceremonies and solemnities. In the
breast-plate of judgment, in which were the urim  and thummim, and twelve precious stones, Exod. xxviii. 21. That twelve
breads of faces were put upon the table in the tabernacle, Levit.
xxiv. 5, 6. That Moses built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai, and erected twelve pillars, Exod. xxiv. 4. That twelve nen
were sent to explore the land of Canaan, Deut. i. 23. That
twelve  men brought twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan,
Josh. iv. 1-9, 20. That twelve princes at the dedication of
the altar brought twelve chargers of silver, twelve bowls of silver,
twelve cenlsers oqf gold, twelve oxen, twelve rams, twelve lambs,
and twelve he-goats, Numb. vii. 84, 87. That Elijah took twelve
stones, and built an altar, 1 Kings xviii. 31. That Elijah found
Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, and himself among
the twelve, and that then he cast his mantle upon him, 1 Kings
xix. 19. That Solomon placed twelve oxen under the brazen
sea, 1 Kings vii. 25, 44. That he made a throne, and tzoelve
lions standing at the steps of it, 1 Kings x. 19, 20. That on the
head of the woman who was clothed with the sun there was a
crown of twelve stars, Apoc. xii. 1. From what has been said
it may now be evident, that by one hundred and forty-four
thousand sealed, twelve thousand out of each tribe, are not un
derstood so many in number of the Jews and Israelites. but al.
252




v. 4.3          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             349
of the new Christian heaven, and the New Church, who will
be in truths of doctrine derived from the good of love through
the Word fiom the Lord.
349. Of all the tribes of the children of Israel, signifies the
Lord's heaven and church composed of them. By a tribe is
signified religion as to good of life, and by every tribe is signified the church as to every good of love and as to every truth
from that good in which good of life originates; for there are
two things which constitute a church-good of life, and truth
of doctrine; the marriage of these is the church. The twelve
tribes of Israel represented, and thence signified the church as
to that marriage, and each tribe some universal truth of good
or good of truth therein. But what each tribe signifies has not
been revealed to any one, nor could be revealed, lest, by an illconnected explanation, the sanctity which lies concealed in
their several conjunctions into one, should be profiuled, for
their signification is determined by their conjunction. They
have one signification in the series in which they are named
according to their nativities, Gen. xxix., xxx., xxxv. 18; where
the series of them is as follows: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judclah,
Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Aser, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin. They have another signification in the series in which
they are mentioned when they came to Egypt, which is as follows: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad,
Aser, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gen. xlvi. 9-21. Another, in the series in which they are blessed by their fathel
Israel, which is this: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun,
Issachar, Dan, Gad, Aser, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin, Gen.
xlix. Another, in the series in which they are blessed by Moses, which is, Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph, Ephraim,
Manasses, Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, Aser, Deut. xxxiii:
here Ephraim and Manasses are mentioned, and not Simeon and
Issachar. Another, in the series in which they encamped and
journeyed, which was this: the tribe of Judah, Issachar, and
Zebulun to the east; the tribe of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad to
ihe south; the tribe of Ephraim, Manasses, and Benjamin to
the west; the tribe of Dan, Aser, and Naphtaii to the north;
and the tribe of Levi in the middle, [Numb. ii. 1 to the end.
Another, in the series in which they are mentioned in other
places; as Gen. xxxv. 23-26; Numb. i. 5-16; x. 1 to the
end; xiii. 4-15; xxvi. 5-56; xxxiv. 17-28; Dent. xxvii.
12, 13; Josh. xv.-xix.; Ezek. xlviii. 1 to the end. So, therefore,
when Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, lie
said, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles,
0 Israel," Numb. xxiv. 1, 2, 3, 5. In the breast-plate of judgment, which was the urimn and thummim, wherein were twelve
precious stones, according to the names of the sons of Israel
(Exod. xxviii. 15-29), the signification of the tribes in their
253




350             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii,
series was determined by the interrogation, to which they required an answer. But what they signifyin the series in which
they are here mentioned in the Apocalypse, this being different
also, shall be explained presently. That tribes signify religion,
and the twelve tribes the church as to all things relating to it,
is, because tribe and sceptre, in the Hebrew language, are one
and the same word, and the sceptre is the kingdom, and the
Lord's kingdom is heaven and the church.
350. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve t/iousand, signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and this with all
who will be in the Lord's new heaven and new church. By
Judah, in a supreme sense, is signified the Lord as to celestial
love; in a spiritual sense, the Lord's celestial kingdom and the
Wordc; and, in a natural sense, the doctrine of the celestial
church from the Word. But here by Judah is signified celestial love, which is love to the Lord; and because it is mentioned first in the series, it signifies that love with all who will
be of the Lord's new heaven and new church; for the tribe
first named is the all in the rest, it is as their head, and as a
universal entering into all things that are consequent, collecting, qualifying, and affecting them. Love to the Lord is such
a universal principle. That twelve thousand signify all who
are in that love, may be seen above, n. 348. It is well known
that the twelve tribes of Israel, after Solomon's time, were divided into two kingdoms, the Jewish and Israelitish; the Jewish kingdom represented the Lord's celestial kingdom or priesthood; and the Israelitish kingdom, the Lord's spiritual kingdomn or royalty; the latter, however, was destroyed when there
was nothing spiritual left among them; but the Jewish kingdom was preserved, on account of the Word, and because the
Lord was to be born there. But when they had wholly adulterated the Word, and thus could not know the Lord, then
their kingdom was also destroyed. From hence it may appear,
that by the tribe of Judah is signified celestial love, which is
love to the Lord; but by. reason of their character -being such
as to the Word, and as to the Lord, therefore by the tribe of
Judah is also signified the opposite love, which is self-love, properly the love of dominion fiom the love of self, which love is
called diabolicallove. That by Judah and his tribe is signified
the celestial kingdom and its love, which is love to the Lord, is
evident from  these places: "Jtdach, thou art he whom thy
brethren shall praise:-The sceptre shall not depart from Juda/4
until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the
people be; binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt
unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine; his eyes
shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk," Gen,
xlix. 8-12. "And my servant David shall be their prince
for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them,
254




V. 5.j          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               350
it shall be an everlasting covenant with theml; and I will set
my sanctuary in the midst.of them for evermore," Ezek. xxxvii.
26, 27. "' Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; and Jehovah
shall inherit Judah, his portion in the holy land," Zech. ii. 10.
12. " Keep thy solemn feasts, O Jfudah, perform thy vows,
for the wicked shall no more pass through thee, he is entirely
cut off," Nahum i. 15. "The Lord shall suddenly come to
his temple,-then shall the offering of Jiudahck and Jerzualemn be
pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old," Malachi iii. 1, 4.
"JcJudah shall dwell for ever, and Jerucsaemr from generation to
generation," Joel iii. 20. "Behold, the days come, that I will
raise unto David a righteous branch ll; —in his days shall Judah
be saved," Jeremn. xxiii. 5, 6. "JqUdaA was his sanctuary, and
Israel his dominion," Psalm cxiv. 2. "And I will bring forth
a seed out of Jacob, and out of Jucdal an inheritor of my mountains; and mine elect shall inherit it," Isaiah lxv. 9. "Behold, the days come, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Judahk; but this shall be the covenant, —I will put my
law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts," Jerem.
xxxi. 27, 31, 33, 34. " In those days, ten men shall take hold
of the skirt of a man of Judafh, saying, We will go with you, -for
we have heard that God is with you," Zech. viii. 22, 23. " For
as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall
remain before me, —-so shall your seed and your nameo remain:
and kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face
toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet," Isaiall lxvi.
20, 22; xlix. 22, 23. From these and many other passages, too
numerous to be adduced, it is very evident, that by Judah is
not meant Judah, but the church; not to mention the Lord's
entering into a new and eternal covenant with that nation, and
making them his inhleritance and his sanctuary for ever; and
the kings of the Gentiles and their princes bowing  down to them,
licking the dust of their feet, and such like. That by the tribe
of Judah, regarded in itself, is meant the diabolical kingdom
which has its origin in the love of dominion fiomn self-love,
may appear friom these passages: " I will hide my face firom
them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a froward
genertation, children in whom there is no faith; for they are a
nation void of counsel; for their vine is of the vine of Sodomn,
and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall,
their clusters are bitter, their wine is the poison of dragons and
the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store with me,
and sealed up among my treasures?" Deut. xxxii. 20-34. "Understand, therefore, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee not this
good land for thy righteousness, or for thle uprightness of thine
heart: for thou art a stifflnecked people," Dent. ix. 5, 6. "Ac.
cording to the urnumber of thy cities are thy gods, O Ju.cdah, ac
255




351              THE APOCALYPSE REVEAIED.         [Chap. vii.
cording to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set
up altars to burn incense unto Baal," Jerem. ii. 28; xi. 13.
" Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father
ye will do," John viii. 44. They are said to befall of hypocrisy,
inziquity, and uncleanness, Matt. xxiii. 27, 28. Arn adulterous
generatio,, Matt. xii. 39; Mark viii. 38. And Jer2usalem, their
dwelling-place, is called Sodom, Isaiah iii. 9; Jerem. xxiii. 14;
Ezek. xvi. 46, 48; Apoc. xi. 8: besides other places, where
it is said, that that nation is utterly ruined, and Jerusalem
doomed to destruction; as in Jerem. v. 1; vi. 6, 7; vii. 17, 18,
and following verses; viii. 6-8, and following verses; ix. 10,
11, 13, and following verses; xiii. 9, 10, 14; xiv. 16; Lament.
i. 8, 9, 17; Ezek. iv. 1 to the end; xii. 18, 19; xv. 6, 7, 18;
xvi. 1-63; xxiii. 1-49.
351. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand,
signifies wisdom derived from celestial love, with those who will
be in the Lord's new heaven and new church. By Reuben, in
a supreme sense, is signified omniscience; in a spiritual sense,
wisdom, intelligence, and science, also faith; and, in a natural
sense, sight; but here by Reuben is signified wisdom, because
it follows after Judah, by whom is signified celestial love, and
celestial love produces wisdom; for love does not existwithout
its consort, which is science, intelligence, and wisdom. The
consort of natural love is science, that of spiritual love is intelligence, and that of celestial love is wisdom. That these things
are signified by Reuben, follows fiom his being named fiom
sight, and spiritual-natural sight is science, spiritual sight is
intelligence, and celestial sight is wisdom. Reuben was also
the first-born of Jacob, and therefore was called by Israel his
" might, the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power," Gen. xlix. 3; such indeed
is wisdom derived firom celestial love. And as Reuben from his
primogeniture represented, and thence signified, the wisdom of
the men of the church, he therefore exhorted his brethren not
to kill Joseph, and was grieved when Joseph was not found in
the pit, Gen. xxxvii. 21, 22. And on this account his tribe
encamped onz the south, and was called the Ccamp of Reuben,
lumb. ii. 10-16; the south also signifies wisdom  derived
from love: therefore they who are in that wisdom dwelt to the
south in heaven, as may be seen in the work on  eeawven and
fIell, n. 148-150. This wisdom is signified by Reuben in the
prophecy of Deborah and Barak by these words, " For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart, Why abodest thou
among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For
time divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart,"
Judges v. 15, 16; the divisions of Reuben are knowledges of
every kind, which have relation to wisdom. As all the tribes
have an opposite signification also, the tribe of Reuben, in this
256




v. 5, 6.J       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           352, 353
sense, signifies wisdom  separated from love, and thence also
faith separated from charity; wherefore he was cursed by his
father Israel, Gen. xlix. 3, 4; and deprived of his birthright,
1 Chron. v. 1, see above, n. 17; and an inheritance was given
him on the other side Jordan, and not in the land of Canaan;
and instead of Reuben and Simeon, the sons of Joseph, Ephraim
and Manasseh, were acknowledged, Gen. xlviii. 5; nevertheless he retained the representation and thence the signification
of wisdom.
352. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand; signifies uses of life, which are of wisdom derived from that love,
also with those who will be in the Lord's new heaven and new
church. By Gad, in a supreme sense, is signified omnipotence;
in a spiritual sense, good of life, which also is use; and, in a
natural sense, work; in this instance uses of life, because it follows after Reuben and Judah, and celestial love by.wisdom produces uses. There are three things which cohere and cannot
be separated —love, wisdom, and use of life; if one is separated,
the othe.r two fall to the ground, as may be seen in The Anielic
Wisdom concerning the Divine LZove and the Jilvine Wisdom,
n. 241, 297, 316. That by Gad is signified uses of life, which
is also called fruit, may appear from  his name as denoting a
troop or a heap, Gen. xxx. 11; as also from his father Israel's
blessing; Gen. xlix. 19; and from the blessing given him by
Moses, Deut. xxxiii. 20, 21; and likewise fiom his inheritance,
Numb. xxxii. 1 to the end; xxxiv. 14; Deut. iii. 16, 17; xxxiii.
20, 21. Also from the signification of Gad in an opposite sense,
Isaiah 1xv. 11; Jerem. xlix. 1-3. It must be observed, that
all the tribes of Israel are here divided into four classes, as in
the urim  and thummim, and in their encampments, and that
each class contains three tribes, by reason that three cohere as
one, as love, wisdom, and use, and as charity, faith, and work;
for, as was said, if one is wanting, the other two are not any
thing.
353. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand, signifies'mutual love, which is the love of performing good uses
to the comnmunity or society, with those who will be of the
Lord's new heaven and new church. By Aser, in a supreme
sense, is signified eternity; in a spiritual sense, eternal beatitude; and, in a natural sense, the affection of good and truth;
but here by Aser is signified the love of performing uses, which
exists with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdoln, and
is there called mutual love; this love desends proximately fr om
love to the Lord, because the love of the Lord is to perform
uses to the community, and to each society in the community,
and he performs these by means of men who are principled in
love to him. That Aser has the above signification, may in
some measure be seen from his father Israel's blessing: " Out
257                                          R




354, 355         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii.
of Aser; his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties," Gen. xlix. 30; and firom  his blessing by Moses: " Let
Aser be blessed with children, let him  be acceptable to his
brethren, and as thy days so shall thy strength be," Deut. xxxii.
24, 25. Moreover the name denotes beatitude, and they who
are in the love of performing uses to the community and to
society, enjoy beatitude above all others in heaven.
354. Of the tribe of Xephtalim were sealed twelve thouscand,
signifies a perception of use, and what use is, with those who
will be in the Lord's new heaven and new church. By Nephtalirn, in a supreme sense, is signified the proper power of the
Lord's Divine Humanity; in a spiritual sense, temptation and
victory; and, in a natural sense, resistance on the part of the
natural man; for the name denotes wrestlings. But Nephtalimn
here signifies a perception of use, and what use is, because it
follows in the series after Aser, by whom is signified the love
of uses; and also because they who have conquered in temptation, have an interior perception of uses; for by temptations
the interiors of the mind are opened. The perception which
they have is described in Jeremiah xxxi. 33, 34; they feel in
themselves what is good, and see in themselves what is true..That the tribe of Nephtalim  signifies angels and men as to
that perception, may be confirmed from the Word: Xephtalimn
" is in the high places of the field," Judges v. 18; high places
of the field are the interiors of the church as to perception.
Nephtalimz    " is satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing
of Jehovah; possess thou the west and the south," Deut. xxxiii,
23; to possess the west, is to possess the good that is subservient to love, and to possess the south, is to possess the light of
wisdom, which constitutes that perception.  " Neophtalim. is a
hind let loose, he giveth goodly words," Gen. xlix. 21; describinlg the state after temptation as to the spontaneous eloquence
whiich results from  perception.  It is also recorded of one of
the tribe of Xephtalim, that he was filled with wisdom, intelligence and kpoiwledge, and executed all Solomen's work about
the temple in,brass, 1 Kings vii. 14. The historical parts of
the Word, as to n.ames and tribes, are equally as significative as
the prophetical,
355. Of the tr.ibe of Xcfanasses were sealed twelve thousand,
signifies the will of serving and of action, with those also who
will be of the Lord9s new heaven and new church. There are
three things which fo"low in order, love to the Lord, wisdom,
and use, as was said above, n. 352; so also here, mutual love,
understanding or perception, and will or action; these likewise
make one, so that if one of them is wanting, the other two are
not any thing; the will or willingness to serve with the action,
is the effect, thus the ultimate, in which the two former are
and co-exist.  The reason why Manasses has this signification,
258




v. 6, 7.J       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              356
is, because Joseph, who was the father of Manasses and
Ephraim, signifies the spiritual principle of the church; and
the spiritual principle of the church is the good of the will, and
at the same time the truth of the understanding; hence it is
that Manasses signifies the voluntary principle of the church,
and Ephraimn its intellectual principle. Manasses signifies the
voluntary principle of the church, because Ephraim signifies its
intellectual principle, as appears manifestly in Hosea, where
Ephraim is so frequently mentioned; and as Manasses signifies
the voluntary principle of the church, he also signifies action,
for the will is the endeavolur in all action, and where there is
endeavour, there is action, when it is possible. Mention is
made of Manasses in several places, as when he was born, Gen.
xli. 50-52; when he was accepted of Jacob as if instead of
Simneon, Gen. xlviii. 3-5; and blessed by him, Gen. xlviii.
15, 16; and by Moses, Deut. xxxiii. 17; and moreover in
Isaiah ix. 18-20; Psalm  lx. 9; Psalm lxxx. 2; Psalm  cviii.
9; firom which it may in some measule be seen, that by Manasses is signified the voluntary principle of the church.
356. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand,
signifies spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour, or
charity with those who will be of the Lord's new heaven and
new church. By Simeon, in a supreme sense, is signified providence; in a spiritual sense, love towards the neighbour or
charity; and, in a natural sense, obedience and hearing. In
the two foregoing series they are treated of who are in the
Lord's celestial kingdom; but in this series they are treated of
who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; the love of the latter
is called spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour, and
charity. The reason why Simeon and his tribe represented this
love, and therefore signify it in the Word, is, because he was
born after Renben, and imnmediately before Levi, and by these
three, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, in their order, is signified
truth in the understanding, or faith; truth in the will, or cliarity; and truth in act, or good works; in like manner as by
Peter, James, and John.  That Simeon and his tribe mnight
therefore represent truth in the will, which is both charity and
obedience, he was named firom hearing, and to hear signifies
both to understand truth and to will or obey it;-to understand
it when it is said to hear any one, and to will and obey it, we
say to hearlcez to any one, or to listen. Here it may be expedient to say something concerning love towards our neighbour,
or charity: love towards our neighbour, is the love of obeying
the Lord's commandments, which are chiefly those contained in
the second table of the decalogue, as, thou shalt not kill; thou
shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not
bear false witness; thou shalt not covet the things which are
thy neighbour's. The man who will not do such things because
259




357, 358        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        -Chap. vii.
they are sins, loves his neighbour; for he does not love the
neighbour who hates him, and from hatred desires to kill him;
he does not love the neighbour who desires to commit adultery
with his wife; nor does he love the neighbont who desires to
steal and make depredations on his goods, and so on. This,
also, Paul teaches in the following words: i For he that loveth
another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet, and if there
be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this
saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy zeiyhbour as thyself: therefore charity is the fulfilling of the law," Romn. xiii. 8-10.
357. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thouscand, signifies the affection of truth derived from  good, fiom whence
comes intelligence with those who will be of the Lord's new
heaven and new church. By Levi, in a supreme sense, is signified love and mercy; in a spiritual sense, charity in act, which
is good of life; and, in a natural sense, consociation and conjunction; for the name denotes to adhere, by which, in the
Word~ is signified conjunction through love. But by Levi is
here signified the love or affection of truth, and thence intelligence, because it follows after Simeon, and in this series forms
the intermediate. Since Levi represented these things, therefore this tribe was appointed to the priesthood, Numb. iii. 1, to
the end; Deut. xxi. 5; and in other places. That the tribe of
Levi signifies the love of truth, which is the essential love from
which the church is a church, and thence intelligence, may appear from these places: The sons of Levi are chosen by Jehovah
to minister unto him, and to bless in his namle, Delit. xxi. 5;
to bless in the name of Jehovah is to teach; which they alone
can do, who are in the affection of truth, and thence in intelligence. " For they have observed thy Word, and kept thy
covenant;-they shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel
thy law," Deut. xxxiii. 8-12. " The Lord shall suddenly come
to his temple, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and he shall puritiL the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold
and silver," Malachi iii. 1-4; to purify the sons of Levi, is to
purify those who are in the affection of truth. As that affection flourishes from intelligence, therefore the staff of Levi, upon
which was written the name of Aaron, blossomed and yielded
almonds, Numb. xvii. 6-8.
358. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thouscad,
signifies good of life with those who will be of the Lord's new
heaven and new church. By Issachar is signified, in a supreme
sense, the divine good of truth, and the truth of good; in a
spiritual sense, celestial conjugial love, which is the love of
good and truth; and, in a natural sense, remuneration; but
here the good of life, because in this class it is the third ir
260




v. 7, 8.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           359, 360
order, and the third in any class signifies the ultimate, which
is produced from the two former, as the effect from its cause;
and the effect of spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour, and is signified by Simeon, through the affection of truth,
which is signified by Levi, produces good of life, which is Issachar: he was also named from hire, Gen. xxx. 17, 18, thus from
remuneration, and good of life has remuneration in itself.
Something of this sort is also signified by Issachar in his blessing by Moses: "Rejoice Zebulon in thy going out, and Issachar
in thy tents. They shall call the people unto the mountain;
there shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall
suck of the abundance of the sea, and of treasures hid in the
sand," Deut. xxxiii. 18, 19. But by Issachar, in his blessing
by his father Israel, Gen. xlix. 14, 15, is signified meritorious
good of life, as may be seen in The Arcana Ccelestia, n. 6388.
359. Of tlhe tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand,
signifies the conjugial love of good and truth also with those
who will be of the Lord's new heaven and new church. By
Zabulon, in a supreme sense, is signified the union of the essential divinity and the Divine Humanity in the Lord; in a spiritual sense, the marriage of good and truth with those who are
in heaven and in the church; and, in a natural sense, conjugial
love itself; therefore here, by Zabulon is signified the conjugia
love of good and truth; he was also named from cohabitation
Gen. xxx. 19, 22; and cohabitation is predicated of married
pairs whose minds are joined into one, for such conjunction is
spiritual cohabitation. The conjugial love of good and truth,
which is here signified by Zabulon, is the conjugial love of the
Lord and his church; the Lord is the good of love itself, and
gives to the church to be truth from that good; and cohabitation is effected, when the man of the church receives good from
the Lord in truths; in this case the marriage of good and truth
takes place with man, wvhich constitutes the church itself, and
he becomes a heaven; hence it is that the kingdom of God, that
is, heaven and the church, is so often compared in the Word to
a marriage.
360. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand,
signifies the doctrine of good and truth with those who will be
of the Lord's new heaven and new church. By Joseph is signified the Lord as to the divine spiritual priciple: in a spiritual
sense, the spiritual kingdoin; and, in a natural sense, fructification and multiplication; but by Joseph is here signified the
doctrine of good and truth, which is with those who are in the
Lord's spiritual kingdom. Joseph has this signification, because
he is named after the tribe of Zabulon, and before the tribe of
Benjamin, thus in the middle; and the tribe which is first
named in a series or class, signifies some love which is of the
will; and the tribe which is named after it signifies something
261




361              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.   [ lChap. vii.
of wisdom which relates to the understanding; and the tribe
which is named last signifies some use or effect derived firom
them. Thus each series is full or complete. As Joseph signified the Lord's spiritual kingdon,'therefbre he was made governor in Egypt, Gen. xli. 38-44; Psalml  cv. 17-23; where
each particular signifies such things as relate to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The spiritual kingdom  is the Lord's royalty;
and the celestial kingdom  is his priesthood.  Joseph,:n the
presext instance, signifies the doctrine of good and truth, because he is here in the place of Ephraim; and by Ephraimn is
signified the intellectual principle of the church; see T/,e Doctrine of the New Jerusalem  concermning the Sicred Scripture,
n. 79; and the intellectual principle of the clnhrcih is in every
respect derived fiomn the doctrine of good and truth from the
Word. The reason whll Joseph is here in the place of Ephraim,
is, because Manasseh, who was Joseph's other son, and signifled the voluntary principle of the church, was before reckoned
among the tribes, n. 355. The intellectual principle of the
church being derived fiom the doctrine of good and truth,
therefore that intellectual principle, and also that doctrine, are
signified by Joseph in the following passages: "Joseph is a
fruitful bough, even a firuitful bough by a well; but his bow
abode in strength; he shall be blessed with the blessings of
heaven above, and with the blessings of the deep that lieth
under,'" Gen. slix. 22, 26: a well signifies the Word, and a
bow doctrine, n. 299. " And of Joseph he said, Be. his land
blessed of Jehovah, for the precious things of heaven, for the
dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneathll; and for the precious things brought forth by the sun, and for the precious
things put forth by the moon, and for the precious things of
the earth and fulness thereof," Deut. xxxiii. 13-. —17; by those
plecious things are signified the knowledges of good and truth,
firom which doctrine is derived.  Who " drink wine in bowls,
but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph," Amos vi. 5, 6.
" And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the
house of Joseph, and'they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty
nzan, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine," Zech. x..
6, 7; here also Joseph signifies doctrine, and wine, the truth of
it from good, n. 316.
361. Of the tribe of Ben'jamin were sealed twelve tho6scand,
signifies the life of truth derived from good according to doctrine, with those who will be in the Lord's new heaven and new
church. When by Zabuloni is signified the conjugial love of
good and truth; and by Joseph, the doctrine of good and truth;
then: by Benjamin, because he is third in the series, is signified
the life of truth derived from good. Benjamin  has this signi
fication, because he was borln last, and was called by his father
Jacob, the son of his right hand, Gen. xxxv. 18; and by a son
262




v. 8, 9.]'TE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           362, 363
of the right hand is signified truth derived from good; there.
fore also his tribe dwelt round about Jerusalem, where the tribe
of Judah was, and the city of Jerusalem signified the church as
to doctrine, and its circuit, such things as are derived from doctrine; see Joshua xviii. 11-28; Jeremn. xvii. 26; xxxii. 8, 44;
xxxiii. 13; and other places.
362. In the enumeration of the tribes of Israel neither Dan
nor Ephraim is named; the reason is, because Dan Nvas the
last of the tribes, and his tribe dwelt in the most remote part of
the land of Canaan, and thus could not signify any thing in the
Lord's new heaven and new church, where there will only be
such as are celestial and spiritual; wherefore Manasseh is put
in the place of Dan, whilst Joseph is put in the place of
Ephraim; see above, n. 360.
363. After thias    beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which
no man could number, signifies all the rest who are not among
the above-recited, and yet are in the Lord's new heaven and
new church, being those who compose the ultimate heaven and
the external church, whose quality no one knows but the Lord
alone. That by a great multitude are signified those who are
not enumerated above, and yet are in the Lord's heaven and
church, is plain firom verses 9, 10, 13-17, where it is said, tha
they " stood before the throne- and before the Lamb, clothed in
white robes, and palms in their hands; and that they serve him
in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell
among them;" besides many other things. By numbering, in
a spiritual sense, is signified to know the nature and quality of
any thing; that such is the signification of numbering, will be
seen in the next paragraph. But who they are in particular,
who are meant by those that are called a great multitude, cannot be known without first revealing an arcanum; the arcanum's this: the universal heaven, together with the church on the
earths, in the sight of the Lord, is as one man; and because it
is as one man. there are some who constitute the head, and
thus the face with all its organs of the senses; and there are
some who constitute the body with all its members: those who
are enumerated above constitute the face with all its organs of
the senses; but these now mentioned, are they who constitute
the body with all its merrbers. That this is the case has been
revealed to me; as also, that they who constitute the first class
of the tribes, verse 5, are those who correspond to the forehead
down to the eyes; that they who are of the second class, verse
6, are those wi:ho correspond to the eyes, together with the nostrils; the third class, verse 7, those who correspond to the ears
and cheeks; and the fourth class. verse 8, those who correspond to the mouth and tongue. The Lord's church is also internal and external; thlev who are meant by the twelve tribes
of Israel are such as constitute the Lord's internal church, but
263




364, 365        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii.
they who are now mentioned are such as constitute the external
church, and cohere as one with the above recited, as ihiferior
things with superior, thus as the body does with the head;
therefore the twelve tribes of Israel signify the superior heavens
and also the internal church, but these signify the inferior heavens and the external church. That these are also called a
great multitude, see below, n. 803, and n. 811.
364. To number, in a spiritual sense, signifies to know the
q(ualit) of a thing, because number, in the Word, does not
signify number, but its quality, n. 10; in this passage therefore,
by "a great multitude which no man could number," in a
natural sense, is meant what the words import, that there was a
great multitude; but, in a spiritual sense, is meant that none
but the Lord alone knows their quality: for the Lord's heaven
consists of innumerable societies, and these societies are distinguished according to the varieties of affections in general; in
like manner all in each society, are distinguished in particular.
The Lord alone knows the quality of the affection of each individual, and disposes all in order according thereto. By nuinbering, the angels understand, to know this quality. The same
is meant, in the Word, in these passages: When Belshazzar
was drinking wine out of the vessels of the temple of Jerusa
lem, there was written upon the wall, "Thou art znumbered,
thou art numbered," Dan. v. 2, 5, 25. "I shall go to the
gates of the grave, I am numbered," Isaiah xxxviii. 10. "A
tumultuous noise of the kingdoms, Jehovah of hosts numbereth
the host of battle," Isaiah xiii. 4. " Behold, who hath created
these things, that bringeth out their host by nucnber?" Isaiah
xl. 26. Jehovah who numbereth the host of the stars, Psalm
cxlvii. 4. " The flocks shall pass again under the hands of him
that numbereth them," Jerem. xxxiii. 13. " My steps are numbered,' Job xiv. 16. The houses and towers of Zion and of
Jerusalem  are numbered, Isaiah xxii. 9, 10; xxxiii. 18, 19;
Psalm xlviii. 12-14; to number is the same as to know their
quality. From the signification of numbers and of numbering,
it may appear, why a punishment was denounced against David
for numbering the people or tribes of Israel, and why he said
to the prophet Gad, "I have sinned greatly in that I have
done," 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, to the end., And why, when the people
were numbered by Moses as to all their tribes, it was cominanded, that every one should give an expiation of his soul to
Jehovaih in nrumbe~ring, that there be no plague among them in
numbering them, Exod. xxx. 12; the reason was, because tc
number signified to know their quality as to their spiritual state,
thus as to the state of the church understood by the twelve
tribes of Israel, which the Lord alone knows.
365. Of all nations, and tribes, and peoiple, and tongues, sig.
nifies all in the Christian world, who are in religion from good
264




v. 9._]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          366, 267
and in truths froin doctrine. By all nations and tribes, are
meant those who are in religion from good, who are of the ultimate or lowest heaven, n. 363; by nations, those who are in
good, n. 920, 921; and by tribe, religion, n. 349; by people
and tongues are meant those who are in truths fiom doctrine;
by people, those who are in truths, n. 483; and by tongue, doctrine, n. 282.  By " out of all nations, tribes, people, and
tongues," taken together in a spiritual sense, are therefore signified all who are in religion from good, and in truths from
doctrine.
366. Stood before the throne, arnd before the Lamb, signifies
hearing the Lord, and doing his precepts. By standing before
God, is signified to hear and do what he commands, as they do
who stand before a king. The same is signified by standing
before God, in other parts of the Word; thus: The angel said
to Zacharias, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God,"
Luke i. 19. "There shall not want a mnan to staind before me
for ever," Jerem. xxxv. 19. "' These are the two anointed ones
that stand before the Lord of the whole earth,' Zech. iv. 14.
He hath "separated the tribe of Levi to stand before Jehovah,"
Deut. x. 8; and in other places.
367. Clothed woith white robes, and palms in their hancds, signifies communication and conjunction with the superior heavens, and confession from divine truths. That to be clothed with
white robes, signifies to have communication and conjunction
with the heavens, may be seen above, n. 328. The reason why
to hold palms in their hands signifies confession from divine
truths, is, because palms signify divine truths; for every tree
signifies somewhat of the church, and palms signify divine truth
in ultimates, which is the divine truth of the literal sense of the
Word; for this reason on all the walls of the temple of Jerusalem, within and without, and also upon the doors, were carved
cherubs and palm trees, 1 Kings vi. 29, 32. The same in the
new temple, mnentioned in Ezekiel xli. 18-20. By cherubs is
signified the Word, n. 239, and by palm trees, divine truths
therein. That by palm trees are signified the divine truths of
the Word, and by palms in their hands confessions fiom them,
may appear from its being commanded at the feast of tabernacles that they should "take boughs of goodly trees and branches
of palm, trees, and should rejoice before Jehovah," Levit. xxiii.
39, 40. That when Jesus went to Jerusalem to the feast, "thev
took branches of palcm trees," and went to meet him, clying,
"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," John
xii. 12, 13; by which was signified confession fiom divine truths
concerning the Lord. A palm tree signifies divine truth also in
David: " The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree-those
that be planted in the house of Jehovah shall flourish in the
courts of our God," Psalm xcii. 12, 13; in like manner in other
265




368 —370        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. vii.
places. Because Jericho was a city near Jordan, and by the
river Jordan was signified that which is first in the church, and
this is divine truth, such as it is in the literal sense of the Word,
therefore it was called the City of Palm Trees, Dent. xxxiv.
3; Judges i. 16; iii. 13; for Jordan was the first boundary or
entrance into the land of Canaan, and by the land of Canaan is
signified the church.
368. And cried with a loud:voice, saying, Salvation to ou?
God that sitteth zupon the t/hrone, and unto the lamb, signifies an
acknowledgment fiom the heart that the Lord is their Saviour.
To cry with a loud voice, signifies acknowledgment firom the
heart; " Satvation to our God that sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb," signifies that the Lord is salvation itself, and
that the salvation of all is from him, thus that he is the Saviour.
By him that sitteth upon the throne and the Lamb, is meant
the Lord alone; by him that sitteth upon the throne, his divinity from which he came forth; and by the Lamb, his Divine
Hiumanity; as may also be seen above, n. 273: they are both
named, because fi'om his divinity, fiom whence he came forth
by his Divine Humanity, he was the Saviour; that they are one,
is evident from the passages where the Lamb is mentioned as
being in the mnidst of the throne, chap. v. 6; vii. 17. The Lord
in many parts of the Word is called Salvation, by which is
understood that he is the Saviour; as, " My salvcation shall- not
tarry, and I will place salvation in Zion," Isaiah xlvi. 13.
" Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh,"
Isaiah lxii. 11. "I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mnayest be my salvation unto the end of the
earth," Isaiah xlix. 6. "This is Jehovah, we have waited for
him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation," Isaiah xxv.
9. Salvation, in the Hebrew language, is called Joschia, which
is Jesus.
369. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and
aboutt the elders and the four aninals, signifies all in the universal heaven hearing and doing what the Lord commands.
By the animals and elders are meant the angels of the superior
heavens, as above, and also below, n. 808; but by angels are
here meant the angels of the inferior heavens, and thus all in
the universal heaven. To stand, signifies to hear and do what
he commands, n. 366.
370. Andfell before the throne onr theirfaces, and worshipped
God, signifies the humiliation of theil heart, and, fiom humiliation, adoration of the Lord. That to fall upon their faces and
worship, denotes humiliation of heart and thence adoration, is
evident. Humiliation before the Lord and adoration of him, is
signified by falling before the throne and worshipping God, be.
cause by God is understood his divinity, which is the divinity
whence he came forth, and at the same time, his Divine Humnan
266




v. 10-12 J      THE APOCA! YPSE REVEALED.        371-374
ity, n. 286; for both together are one God, because they are
one person.
371. Saying, Amen, signifies divine truth and confirmation
therefiom; as may be seen above, n. 23, 28, 61.
372. Blessing, and glory, and wisdomn, and thanJcksgiving,
signifies the divine spiritual things of the Lord. All acknowledgment and confession of the Lord comprehends, in general,
these two points: that he is divine love itself and divine wisdom
itself, anda consequently that love, and every thing of the nature
of love, with those who are in heaven and in the church, is from
him: in like manner wisdom, and all that pertains thereto.
Whatsoever proceeds fiom  the Lord's divine love, is called
divine celestial, and what from his divine wisdom, is called
divine spiritual. The divine spiritual principle of the Lord is
understood by glory, wisdom, and thanksgiving; and his divine
celestial principle, by honour, power, and might, which follow.
The blessing which goes before, signifies both, as may be seen
above, n. 289. That glory is predicated of divine truth, thus
of the divine spiritual principle, see n. 249. That wisdom has
relation to the same, is evident. That thanksgiving has also a
like reference, is, because it is performed from divine truth;
for man gives thanks therefrom and thereby.
373. And honozur, and power, and might, signifies the divine
celestial things of the Lord. In the preceding article it is said
that these three, honour, power, and might, in the Word, when
applied to the Lord, are predicated of the divine celestial principle, or of the divine love, or of his divine good. That honour
~is so predicated, may be seen, n. 249; and might, n. 22; and
that power is so likewise, may be rendered evident by a reference to the passages in the Word where it is mentioned. It is
to be observed, that in all the particulars of the Word there is
a marriage of good and truth, and that there are expressions
which have relation to good, and expressions which have relation to truth; but these expressions can only be distinguished
by those who study the spiritual sense. From that sense it appears what expressions have relation to good or love, and what
to truth or wisdom; and from many passages it has been given
to know, that honour, power, and might, occur when the subject treated of is concerning divine good. That this is very
evident with respect to power, may be seen in Matt. xiii. 54;
xxiv. 30; Mark xiii. 25, 26; Luke i. 17, 35; ix. 1; xxi. 27;
and elsewhere. That in all the particulars of the Word there
is a marriage of the Lord and the church, and thence a marriage of good and truth, may be seen in The Dl)octrie of the
New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 80 —90.
374. Be unto our God for ever and ever, signifies these
things in the Lord and from the Lord to eternity; a. is eviden
267




375w-378        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vii.
fiom what was said above: and also that for evei and ever,
means to eternity.
375. Amen, signifies the consent of all. In this verse amen
is said at the beginning, and again at the end; when it is said
at the beginning it signifies truth, and thence confirmation, n.
371; but when at the end, it signifies the confirmation and
consent of all that it is the truth.
376. And one of the elders crnswered, saying unto me, WVho
are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came
they?  And I said unto him, Sbr, thou klnowest, signifies the
desire of knowing, and the will of interrogating, and the answer
and information. The reason why John was questioned concerning these things, is, because it is common in all divine worship, that man should first will, desire, and pray, and that the
Lord should then answer, inform, and do; otherwise man does
not receive any thing divine. Now as John saw those who were
arrayed in white robes, and was desirous to know and to ask
who they were, and as this was perceived in heaven, therefore
he was first questioned and then informed. The same occurred
to the prophet Zechariah, when he saw several things represented to him, as may appear from chap i. 9; ii. 2, 4; iv. 2, 5,
11, 12; v. 2, 6, 10; vi. 4. Besides, we frequently read in the
Word, that the Lord answers such as call and cry unto him;
as in Psalm  iv. 2; Psalm  xvii. 6; Psalm  xxx. 8, 9; Psalm
xxxiv. 6; PSalm xci. 15; Psalm cxx. 1: also, that he gives on
being asked, IMatt. vii. 7, 8; xxi. 22; John iv. 13, 14; xv. 7;
xvi. 23, 27. But yet the Lord gives them to ask, and what to
ask; therefore the Lord knows it beforehand; but still the Lord
wills that man should ask first, to the end that he may do it as
from himself, and thus that it should be appropriated to him;
otherwise, if the petition itself were not from the Lord, it Would
not be said in those places, that they should receive whatsoever
they asked.
377. And he said runto me, These are they that come out of
great tribulation, signifies that they are those who have been in
temptations, and have fought against evils and falses. That
tribulation is infestation firom evils and falses, and spiritual
combat against them, which is temptation, see n. 33, 95, 100, 101.
378. And have washed their robes, signifies, and who have
cleansed their religious principles from the evils of falsity. By
washing, in the Word, is signified to cleanse from evils and
falses; and by robes are signified common or general truths,
n. 328. General truths are the knowledges of goodness and
truth derived from  the literal sense of the' Word, and according to which men have lived, and thence constitute religious
principles; and as every thing of a religious nature relates to
good and truth, therefore robes are twice mentioned, thus, have
268




v. 12- 14.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             378
washed their robes and whitened their robes. Robes, or religious principles, are cleansed only with those who fight against
evils, and so reject falses; thus by temptations, which are signified by great affliction, n. 377. That to be washed signifies to
be cleansed from evils and falses, and so to be reformed and regenerated, may be seen evidently from the following passages:
"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of. Zion, and shall have pturged away the blood of
Jerusalem by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning," Isaiah iv. 4. " Wash you, make you clean, put away thC
evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil,"
Isaiah i. 16. "O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness,
that thou mayest be saved," Jerem. iv. 14. "W cash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and I shall be whiter than snow,"
Psalm li. 2, 7. " For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take
thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me." Jerem.
ii. 22. "If I wast myself with snow-water. and make ny hands
never so clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine
own clothes shall abhor me," Job ix. 30, 31. " He washed his
garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes," Gen.
xlix. 11. This is said of the celestial church, to which they
belong who are in love to the Lord; and, in a supreme sense,
it refers to the Lord: wine, and the blood of grapes, is divine
truth spiritual and celestial. I washed thee with waters, and
washed away the blood fiom off thee, Ezek. xvi. 9; spealiing
of Jerusalem: waters are truths, and bloods are the adulterations of truth. From these considerations, it may appear what
was represented, and thence signified, by washings in the Israelitish church; as that Aaron should wash himself before he put
on the garments of his ministry, Levit. xvi. 4, 24. And before
he went to the altar to minister, Exod. xxx. 18-21; xl. 30, 31.
In like manner, the Levites, lNumb. viii. 6, 7. In like manner,
others, who were made unclean by sins; yea, that they washed
vessels, Levit. xi. 32; xiv. 8, 9; xv. 5-12; xvii. 15, 16; Matt.
xxix. 26, 27. That they were sanctified by washlb n1gs, Exod.
xxix. 4; xl. 12; Levit. viii. 6. That Naanman from Syria washed
himself in Jordan, 2 Kings v. 10, 14. Therefore, that they
might wash themselves, the brazen sea and many vessels for
wascsing were placed near the temple, 1 Kings vii. 23- 39.
And that the Lord washed the disciples' feet, John xiii. 10.
And commanded the blind man to wash himself in the pool of
Siloam, John ix. 6, 7,- 11, 15. Fromn which it may appear, that
washing, among the children of Israel, represented spiritual
washing, which is purification from evils and falses, and consequent reformation and regeneration. And from what has
been said, it is also evident what was signified by John's baptizing in Jordan, Matt. iii.; Mark i. 4-13; and by these words
of John concerning the Lord, That he would baptize with the
269




379              THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vii.
Holy Spirit and with fire, Luke iii. 16; John i. 33; and of
himself, Tlhat he baptized with water, John i. 26: the meaning
of which is, that the Lord washes or purifies man by the divine
truth and the divine good, and that John represented this by
his baptisin: for the Holy Spirit is divine truth, fire is divine
good, and water is the representative of both; for water signifies the truth of the Word, which becomes good by a life according to it, n. 50.
379. And made thems white in the blood of the Lamb, signi.
fies, and have purified them from the falses of evil by truths,
and thus are reformed by the Lord.  There are evils of the
false, and falses of evil; evils of the false with those who from
religion believe that evils do not condemn, pri'ovided they confess with their lips that they are sinners; and falses of evil
with those who confirm evils in themselves.  By robes are here
signified, as above, n. 378, general truths fiom the Word, which
constitute their religious principles. It is said, they made white
their robes in the blood of the Lamb, because white is predicated of truths, n. 167, 231, 232; thus, that they purified thelm
selves from falses by truths: it also signifies that they were
reformed by the Lord; because all who have fought against
evils in the world, and have believed in the Lord, after their
departure out of the world, are taught by the Lord, and are withdrawn from the falsities of their religion by truths, and thus are
reformed: the reason is, because they who shun evils as sins,
are in the good of life; and good of life desires truths, and
acknowledges and accepts them; but evil of life never.  By the
blood of the Lamb heime, and in other parts of the Word, it is
believed that the Lord's passion of the cross is signified; but the
passion of the cross was the last temptation, by which the Lord
fully overcame the hells, and fully glorified his Humanity, by
which two processes he saved man; see The DIoctrine of the
New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 22-24, and n. 25-27;
also above, n. 67. And because the Lord thus fully glorified
his Humanity, that is, made it divine, therefore nothing else can
be meant by his flesh and blood but the divinity in him and
firom him; by flesh, the divine good of the divine love; and
by blood, divine truth from that good. Blood is mentioned in
imany parts of the Word, and everywhere signifies, in a spiritual
sense, the divine truth of the Lord, which also is the divine
truth of the Word; and, in an opposite sense, the divine truth
of the Word falsified or profaned, as may appear from the following passages. First; that blood signifies the divine truth
of the Lord, or of the Word, is manifest from these considerations: that blood was called the blood of the covenant, and
covenant is conjunction, and this is effected from the Lord by
his divine truth; as in Zechariah: "' By the blood of thy cove.
nant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit," ix. 11; and
270




v. 14.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               379
in Moses: Moses, after that he had read the book of the law in
the ears of the people, sprinkled half of the blood upon the people, " and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah
hath made with you concerning all these Words," Exod. xxiv.
3-8.  "And Jesus took the cup, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant,"
Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; Mark xiv. 24; Luke xxii. 20. By the
blood of the new covenant or testament, nothing else is signified but the Wordl, wrhich is called a Covenant and Testament, Old and New, thus the divine truth therein.  As this is
signified by blood, therefore the Lord gave them  the wine,
saying, This is my blood; and wine signifies divine truth, n.
316: it is also on this account called the blood of grapes, Gen.
xlix. 11; Dent. xxxii. 14. This is again evident from these
words of the Lord: " Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye
eat the flesh of the Son of Mlan, and drjink hi8s blood, ye have
no life in you. For mny flesh is mneat indeed, and my blood is
drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinlketh my blood,
dwelleth in me, and I in hiln," John vi. 50-58. That by blood
is here meant divine truth, appears manifestly, because it is
said that he who drinks, has life, and dwells in the Lord, and
the Lord in him. That divine truth and a life conformable to
it effects this, and that the holy supper confirlms it, might be
known ifn the church. Since blood signifies the divine truth of
the Lord, which is also the divine truth of the Word, and this
is the Old and New Covenant or Testament itself] therefore
blood was the most holy representative in the Israelitish church,
in which all and singular things were correspondences of spiritual things; as, That they should take the pasehal blood, " and
strike it on the two side-posts and the upper door-post of the
houses," that the plague might not come upon them, Exod. xii.
7, 13, 22. That the blood of the burant-offering should be sprinkled upon the altar, on the foundations of the altar, upon Aaron,
his sons, and their garments, Exod. xxix. 12, 15, 20, 21; Levit.
i. 5, 11, 15; iii. 2, 8, 13; iv. 25, 30, 34; v. 9; viii. 15, 24;
xvii. 6; Numb. xviii. 17; Dent. xii. 27: as also on the vail
which was over the ark, on the imercy seat, and on the horns
of the altar of incense, Levit. iv. 6, 7, 17, 18; xvi. 12-15.
The same is signified by the blood of the Lamb in the following passage in the Apocalypse: " And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and
overcame him by the blood of the _Lamzb, and by the word of
their testimony," xii. 7, 11: for it cannot be supposed that
Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by any thing else
but the divine truth of the Lord in the Word; for, in heaven,
the angels cannot think at all of blood; nor do they think of
the Lord's passion, but of the divine truth and of his resurrection: wherefore, when man thinks of the Lord's blood, the
271




379             THE APOCALYPSE iEVEALED.       [Chap. vii.
angels perceive his divine truth; and when he thinks of the
Loid's passion, they perceive his glorification, and then his
resuirrection only. It has b'een granted me to know that this
is the fact, by much experience. That blood signifies divine
truth is also evident from these words in David: God " shall
save the souls of the needy, and precious shall their blood be
in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of
the gold of Sheba," Psalm lxxii. 13-16. Blood precious in the
sight of God denotes divine truth with them; gold of Sheba is
wisdom derived from it. In Ezekiel: "Gather yourselves on
every side to my sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye
may eat flesh and drink blood; ye shall drink the blood of the
princes of the earth, and ye shall drink blood till ye be cdrznen,
)f my sacrifice which I have sacrificed to you. And I will set
my glory among the heathen," xxxix. 17-21. By blood here
cannot be meant blood, because it is said that they shall drink
the blood of the princes of the earth, and that they shall drink
blood till they be drunken; but the true sense of the Word
results, when by blood is understood divine truth. The Lord's
church also is there treated of, which lie was about to establish
among the Gentiles. Secondly, that blood signifies divine
truth, may be clearly seen from its opposite sense, in which it
signifies the divine truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as is
evident friom the following passages: Who "stoppeth' his ears
from hearing blood, and shutteth his eyes fiom seeing evil,"
Isaiah xxxiii. 15. "Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing, Jehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man," Psalm
v. 6. Every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem,
-vwhen the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem firom
the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit
of burning, Isaiah iv. 3, 4. " In the day thou wast born,-I
saw thee polluted in thine own blood; I said unto thee, In
thine own blood, live; I washed thee, and washed away the
lood from off thee," Ezek. xvi. 5, 6, 9, 22, 36, 38. " They have
wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments,"
Lament. iv. 13, 14.'"And garments rolled in blood," Isaiah
ix. 5. " Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the
poor innocents," Jerem. ii. 33, 34. "Your hands are full of
blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your
doings," Isaiah i. 15, 16. "For your hands are defiled with
blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken
ties,-they make haste to shed innocent blood," Isaiah lix. 3.
" For Jehovah cometh out of his place to visit the inhabi.
tants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood," Isaiah xxvi. 20. "But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God;-which
272




v. 14, 15.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              380
were born not of blood," John i. 12, 13. In Babylon "was
found the blood of the prophets and saints," Apoc. xviii. 24.
" The sea became as the blood of a dead man,-and the fountains of water became blood," Apoc. xvi. 3, 4; Isaiah xv. 6, 9;
Psalm cv. 23, 28, 29. The same is signified by the rivers, collections, and lakes of water in Egypt being turned into blood,
Exod. vii. 15, 25. The moon shall be turned into blood before
the coming of the great day of Jehovah, Joel ii. 3. "The
moon became as blood,"' Apoc. vi. 12. In these places, and
many others, blood signifies the tluth lof the Word falsifiid, and
also profaned; which yet may be seen more manifestly still
by reading those passages in the Word in their series. Since
therefore by blood, in an opposite sense, is signified the truth
of the Word falsified or profaned, it is evident that by blood,
in a genuine sense, is signified the truth of the Word not fals;
fled.
380. Tlherefore are they before the throne of God, and serve
him day and night in his temnple' and lie thlat sitteth oMn
the throne shall dwell among them, signifies that they are in
the presence of the Lord, and constantly and faithfully live
according to the truths which they receive from him in his
chumch, and that the Lord constantly gives good in their truths.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, signifies that they
are in the Lord's presence; and serve him day and night, signifies that they constantly and faithfully live according to the
truths, that is, the precepts, which they receive from him; by
serving the Lord nothing else is signified; in his temple signifies in the church, n. 191; lie that sitteth on the throne shall
dwell among them, signifies that the Lord constantly introduces
good with the truths which they receive from him; that this is
signified by dwelling among them, is, because, in the Word, to
dwell, is predicated of good, and to serve, of truth. This areanum may now be made known, viz., that the marriage of the
Lord with the church consists in this, that the Lord flows into
angels and men with the good of love, and that angels and men
receive him, or the good of his love, in truths; that hereby a
marriage of good and truth is effected, which marriage constitutes the church itself, and makes heaven with them. Such
being the nature of the Lord's influx and reception of him,
therefore the Lord looks at angels and men in the forehead, and
they look at the Lord through the eyes; for the forehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eyes correspond to truths
from that good, which thus by conjunction become truths of
good. But the Lord's influx with truths into angels and men,
is not as the influx of good into them, for it is mediate, flowing
from good, as light does from fire, being received by them in
the unders'tanding, and only so far in the will as they do truths.
This then constitutes the marriage of love and wisdom, or of
97B                                         s




381 —383        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vii.
good and truth from the Lord, with those who receive them in
the heavens and in the earths. This arcamum was disclosed for
the sake of making it known how it is to be understood, that
the Lord constantly gives good in their truths.
381. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more,
signifies that hereafter there shall be no deficiency of goods and
truths with them.  By not hungering is signified to have no
lack of good, and by not thirsting is signified to have no lack of
truth; for to hunger is predicated of bread and meat, and to
thirst, of wine and water; and by bread and meat is signified
good, and by wine and water is signified truth: see above,
n. 323.
382. Neither shall the sun ligAi% on them, nor any heat, signifies that hereafter they shall have no lust to evil, nor to the
false of evil. The sun shall not light upon them, signifies that
they shall have no lust to evil; neither shall any heat light on
them, signifies that they shall have no lust to falsity. That the
sun signifies divine love and thence the affections of good; and,
in an opposite sense, diabolical love and thence the lust to evil,
may be seen above. n. 53. But the reason why heat signifies
lust to the false of evil, is, because falsity is produced from evil,
as heat is from the sun; for when the will loves evil, the understanding loves falsity, and burns with the lust of confirming it,
and evil confirmed in the understanding, is the falsity of evil;
consequently the falsity of evil is evil in its form. Heat, and to
burn or be hot, have a like signification in the following places:
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, —and he shall
not see when heat cometh," Jerem. xvii. 7, 8. " For thou hast
ibeen a refuge to the needy from the storm; a shadow from its
heat; —even the heat with the shadow of a cloud," Isaiah xxv.
4, 5. "In their heat-I will mlake them drunken,-that they
may sleep a perpetual sleep," Jerern. li. 39. "They are all hot
as an oven, there is none among them that calleth unto me;"
Hosea vii. 7. "He beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters," Job xxiv. 18, 19.
" And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and
power was given unto him to scorch men with great heat, —and
they blasphemed the name of God," Apoc. xvi. 8, 9. "That
thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth;-They shall not
hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them,"
Isaiah xlix. 9, 10.
383. For the lamb which is in the ridst of the throne shall
feed them, signifies that the Lord alone will teach them. By
the Lamb in the midst of the throne, is signified the Lord as to
his Divine Humanity in the inmost, and thus in all things of
heaven; in the. midst is in the inmost, and thereby in all things,
n. 44; the throne;is'heaven, n. 14; and the Lamb is the Lord
as to his Divine Huznmanity, n. 269, 291; and he who is in the
274




v. 16, 17.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              384
inmost, and thus in all tllings of heaven, alone feeds, that is.'teaches all. If it be asked, how can he alone feed all? be it
known that he is God, and because in the universal heaven he
is as a soul in its body, for heaven is from him  as one man.
To feed means to teach, because the church, in the Word, is
called a flock, and the men of the church are called sheep and
lambs, hence to feed signifies to teach, and a pastor, or feeder,
one that teaches; and this in many places; as:' In that day
shall thy cattle feed in large pastures," Isaiah xxx. 23. "He
shallfeed his floc as a shepherd," Isaiah xl. 11. "They shall
feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places,"
Isaiah xlix. 9. Israel "shall feed on Carmel and Bashan,"
Jerem. 1. 19.  " I will seek out my sheep, I will feed them in
a good pasture, and in a fat pasture upon the mountains of
Israel," Ezek. xxxiv. 12-14. "%Feed thy people, —let them
feed in Bashan and Gilead," Micah vii. 14. "The remnant of
Israel shallfeed and lie down," Zeph. iii. 13. " Jehovah is m?.
shepherd, I shall not want, he maketh me to lie down in green
pastures," Psalln xxiii. 1, 2. The Lord hath chosen David tc
freed Jacob and Israel, and hefed them, Psalm lxxviii. 70-72.
Jesus said unto Peter, Feed my lambs, and a second and a third
time he said, Feed my sheep, John xxi. 15-17.
384. And shall lecad them unto livizng fountains of waters,
signifies, and lead them by the truths of the Word to conjunction
with himself. Since by a living fountain of waters is signified
the Lord, and also the Word, and by waters are signified truths,
n. 50, and since by the divine truths of the Word, when they
are brought into the life, or by living according to them, conjulnction is effected with the Lord, therefore by leading them to
living fountains of waters, is signified to lead by the trrlths of
the Word to conjunction with the Lord.  That by a fountain
and founta'.ns is signified the Lord, and also the Word, is evi —
dent from these passages: "All my fourntains are in thee, 0
Jehovah," Psalm lxxxvii. 7. "They have deserted Jehovah,
the Fountaein of living waters," Jerem. ii. 13. " And thou shalt,make them drink of the river of thy pleasures, for with thee is
thefountain of life," Psalm xxxvi. 9, 10. " In that day shall a
fountain be opened to the inhabitants of Jerusalem," Zech xiii.
1.  Israel dwelt securely solitary at the fountain of Jacob,
Deut. xxxiii. 28. When the Lord was sitting at the fountain
of Jacob, he said unto the woman, " The water that I shall give
shall become a fountain of water springing up into everlasting
life," John iv. 5-20.  "Joseph is a fruitful bough by afountain," Gen. xlix. 22.  " Bless the Lord from the fountain of
Israel," Psalm lxviii. 26. " Therefore with joy shall ye draw
waters out of the fountains of salvation," Isaiah xii. 3. Unto
him that is athirst will I give of the fountain of the water of
life frieely," Apoc. xxi. 6. "I will cause them to walk by the
275




385, 386        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vii
fountains of waters in the straight way," Jerem. xxxi. 9. Et.
pressions similar to these and the above in the Apocalypse,
occur also in Isaiah: "' THEY SHALL NOT HUNGER NOR THIRST, NEITHER SHALL THE HEAT NOR SUN SMITE THEM; FOR HE THAT HATH
MERCY ON THEM SHALL LEAD THEM EVEN BY THE FOUNTAINS OF
WATEHR," Isaiah xlix. 10.
385. And God shall wi2pe away all tears from  their eyes,
signifies that they shall no longer be in combats against evils
and their falses, and thereby in sorrow, but in goods and truths,
and thence in celestial joys from the Lord. That these things
are signified by the Lamb wiping away all tears froym their eyes,
is, because above, in verse 14, it is said that these are they
which come out of great affliction, by which is signified that
they are such as have been in temptations, and fought against
evils, n. 377; and they who afterwards are not in combats
against evils, the same are in goods and truths, and thence in
celestial joys. The following passage in Isaiah has a similar
signification: " He will swallow up death in victory, and the
Lord Jehovah will wipe away the tears from all faces: And it
shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited
for him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah, we have waited.
for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation," xxv. 8, 9.
386. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation. On
a time, when looking around in the spiritual world, I heard a
noise like that of the gnashing of teeth, and also a beating
noise, and a sort of hoarse sound blended with them: and I inquired what was meant by them; and the angels who were with
me said, " There are colleges which we call diversoria,* where
disputations take place; these disputations are so heard at a distanee, but on coming near to them they are only heard as disputations."  I drew near, and saw some huts, constructed of
reeds stuck together with mud; and I would fain have looked
through a window, but there was none; for it was not allowed
to enter by the door, because the light would thus have flowed
in from heaven, and confounded them. But suddenly a window
was made on the right side; and then I heard them complain
that they were in darkness. Shortly afterwards a window was
made on the left side, and that on the right was closed; upon
which the darkness gradually dispersed, and they seemed to.
themselves to be in the light. After this I was permitted to
go in at the door and hear. There was a table in the middle,
and benches round about; but they all seemed to me to stand
upon the benches, and to dispute sharply with one another concerning FAITH and CHARITY: on one side, that faith was the
essential of the church; on the other, that charity was. The}
*A house of resort.
276




V. 17.].         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               386.
who made faith the essential, said, "Have we not to do with
God by faith, and with man by charity? is not faith therefore
heavenly, and charity earthly? are we not saved by what is
heavenly, and not by what is earthly? Again, cannot God give
faith from heaven, because it is heavenly, and must not man
procure to himself charity, because it is earthly? and what man
procures for himself, is not of the church, and therefore is not
saving: can any one be justified in the siglht of God by works.
which are called works of charity? Believe us, we are not only
justified, but also sanctified by faith alone, provided that faith
be not defiled by things meritorious, which are derived fiom
works of charity:" not to mention more arguments to the same
purpose. But they who made charity the essential of the
church, strenuously denied these things, saying, "That charity saves, and not faith; are not all dear to God, and does lihe
not will the good of all? how can God effect this, except by
men? does God only give to men to talk with one another about
such things as relate to faith, and not to do to men those things
which relate to charity? do you not see that it is absurd in you
to say that charity is earthly? charity is heavenly, and because
onl do not perform the good of charity, your faith is earthly;
how do you receive faith but as a stock or a stone? you say by
the hearing of the Word only; but how can the Word operate
by being heard only, and this too upon a stock or a stone? possibly you are quickened without knowing it; but of what avail
is this quickening, except in being enabled to say that faith
alone saves? but what faith is, and what a saving faith, you
know not."  But there then arose one, who, by the angel that
was talking with me, was called a syncretist;* he took off a
turban from his head, and placed it on the table; but suddenly
put it on again, because he was bald.  He said, "Attend! you
are all in error; it is true that faith is spiritual, and charity,
moral; but yet they are joined together; and this by the Word,
by the Holy Spirit, and by effect, without man's knowledg'e,
which indeed may be called obedience, but in which man has
no share. I have long considered this with myself, and have at
length discovered, that man may receive faith firom God, which
may be spiritual, but that he cannot be moved by God to charity, which may be spiritual, but as a statue of salt." On saying this, he was applauded by those who were in faith alone,
but disapproved by those who were in charity: and the latter
said,'with indignation, "'Hear, friend! you do not know that
there is a spiritual moral life, and that there is a moral life
merely natural; a spiritual moral life with those who do good
* Syncretist-a name given to some Platonic Christians in the fifteenth centuiy,
who steered a middle course between the opposite factions among the followers
of Aristotle and Plato; a sect held in great veneration, for a long time, among the
mystics. Vide Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, Cent. 15, Ch. II. Part 2.
277




tChap. viii.],HLE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             386
from God, and yet as if firom themselves; and a moral life
merely natural with those who do good from hell, and yet as if
fromn themnselves.'.
It was said above, that the disputation was heard as a gnashing of teeth, and as a beating noise, with which a hoarse sound
was blended. The disputation heard as a gnashing of teeth,
was by those who were in faith alone; but the disputation heard
as a beating noise, was by those who were in charity alone; and
the hoarse sound that was blended with them was from the syncretist. The sound of them was so heard at a distance, because,
when in the world, they all spent their time in disputations,
and did not shun any evil, and therefore performed no spiritual
moral good; and, moreover, they were entirely ignorant, that
the all of faith is truth, and the all of charity, good, and that
truth without good is not truth in spirit, and that good without
truth is not good in spirit, and that thus one makes or com
pletes the other. The reason why darkness ensued when a win
dow was made on the right side, is, because light firom heaven
flowing-in on that side affects the will; and the reason why
there was light when the window on the rigiht side was shut, and
another was made on the left, is, because light flowing-in firom
heaven on the left side affects the understanding, and man may
be in the light of heaven as to his understanding, provided the
will be closed as to its evil.
CHAPTER VIII.
1. AND when he had opened the seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
2. And I saw the seven angels, who stood before God; and
to them were given seven trumpets.
3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a
golden censer: and there was given unto him much incense,
tihat he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne.
4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the
prayers of the saints, ascended out of the hand of the angel
before God.
5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire
of the altar, and cast it unto the earth: and there were voices,
and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
6. And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire.
mingled with blood; and they were cast upon the earth; and
7              -




386            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. viil.
the third part of the trees was burnt up, and al green grass
was burnt up.
8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great
mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third
part of the sea became blood.
9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the
sea, and had life, died; and the third part of tkie ships were
destroyed.
10. And the third angel sounded. and there fell fiom heaven
a great star burning as it were a lamp: and it fell upon the
third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters:
11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the
third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men
died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the
sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the
third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night
likewise.
13. And I beheld, and I heard an angel flying in the midst
of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels that are yet to sound.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. The reformed church
is here treated of, as to the quality of those therein who are in
-faith alone: the preparation of the spiritual heaven for communication with them, verses 1-6.  The exploration and
manifestation of those therein, who are in the interiors of that
faith, verse 7; of those who are in its exteriors, verses 8, 9;
what they are in regard to the understanding of the Word,
verses 10, 11. That they are in falses and thence in evils,
verses 12, 13.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, "' And when he had
opened the seventh seal," signifies exploration fioom the Lord
of the state of the church, and thence of the life of those who
are in his spiritual kingdom, being those who are in charity and
its faith; inl this case who are in faith alone: "There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour," signifies that
the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom were greatly amazed,
when they saw those who said they werle in faith, in such a state:
v. 2, " And I saw the seven angels who stood before God," signifies the universal spiritual heaven in the presence of the
279




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. viii.
Lord, learing and doing his commands: "And to them were
given seven trumpets," signifies the exploration and discovery
of the state of the church, and -thence of the life of those who
are in faith alone: v. 3, " And another angel came and stood at
the altar, having a golden censer," signifies spiritual worship,
which is performed from the good of charity by the truths of
faith: 6 And there was given him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne," signifies propitiation lest the angels of
the Lord's spiritual kingdom should be hurt by the spirits of
the satanic kingdoml that were beneath: v. 4, "And the smoke
of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up out of the hand of the angels before God," signifies
the protection of them  by the Lord: v. 5, "And the angel
took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast
it unto the earth," signifies spiritual love, in which there is
celestial love, and its influx into inferior things, where they
were who were in faith separated friom charity: "And there
were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthqualke,' signifies that after a communication was opened with
them, there were heard reasonings concerning faith alone, and
confirmations in favour of it: v. 6, " And the seven angels
that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound,"
signifies that they were prepared and ready to explore the
state of the church and thence the state of life with those
whose religion is faith alone: v. 7, "The first angel sounded,"
signifies the exploration and manifestation of the quality of
the state of the church with those who are interiorly in that
faith: "' And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood,"
signifies falsity fiom  infernal love destroying good and truth,
and falsifying tile Word: "And they were cast upon the
earth, and the third part of the trees was burnt up," signifies
that with them all the affection and perception of truth, which
constitute the man of the church, had perished: " And: all
green grass was burnt up," signifies, thus all that is alive in
faith: v. 8, "And the second angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of what the state of the church is
with those who are exteriorly in that faith: " And as it were a
great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea," signifies the appearance of infernal love with them: "And the
third part of the sea became blood," signifies that all general
truths with them were falsified: v. 9," And the third part of
the creatures which were in the sea that had life, died," signifies -that they who have lived and do live this faith cannot be
reformed and receive life: "'And the third part of the ships
were destroyed," signifies that all the knowledges of good and
truth from the Word, serving for the use of life, were destroyed
with them: v. 10, "And the third angel sounded," signifies
280




.Chap. viii.]-   THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               387
the exploration and manifestation of the state of the church
with those whose religion is faith alone. as to the affection and
reception of truths from the Word: "And there fell from heaven a great star, burning as it were' a lamp," signifies the appearance of self-derived intelligence from  a pride springing
from infernal love: " And it fell upon. the third part of the
rivers, and upon the fountains of waters," signifies that thence
all the truths of the Word were totally falsified: v. 11, "' And
the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part
of the waters became wormwood," signifies the infernal falsity
from which their self-derived intelligence is derived, by which
all the truths of the Word are falsified: "And many men died
of the waters, because they were made bitter," signifies the
extinction of spiritual life from the falsified truths of the Word:
v. 12, " And the fourth angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of the state of the church with those
whose religion is faith alone, as being in the evils of falsity, and
in the falsities of evil: " And the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the
stars, so that the third part of them was darkened,"' signifies
that by reason of evils from falsities and of falsities fioln evils,
they did not know what love is, or what faith is, or any truth:'And the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night
likewise," signifies that there is no longer any spiritual truth
nor natural truth serviceable for doctrine and life firom the
Word with them: v. 13, " And I beheld, and I heard an angel
flying in the midst of heaven," signifies instruction and prediction fiom the Lord: " Saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe,
woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other
voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to
sound," signifies deep lamentation overl the damned state of
those in the church, who in doctrine and life have confirmed
themselves in faith separate from charity.
THE EXPLANATION.
387 THERE are two kingdoms into which the universal heaven is divided, the CELESTIAL KINGDOM and the SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. The celestial kingdom consists of those who are in love
to the Lord and thence in wisdom; and the spiritual kingdom
consists of those who are in love towards their neighbour, and
thence in intelligence; and as love towards our neighbour is at
this day called charity, and intelligence, faith, the latter kingdom consists of those who are in charity, and thence in faith.
Now, because heaven is divided into two kingdoms, hell also is
281




388             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. vil.
divided into two kingdoms that are opposite to them; into a
DIABOLICAL KINGDOM and into a SATANICAL KINGDOM. The diabo.
lical kingdom consists of those who are in the love of dominion
firom self-love, and thence in foolishness; for this love is opposite
to celestial love, and its foolishness is opposite to celestial wisdom: but the satanical kingdom consists of those who are in the
love of dominion from the pride of self-derived intelligence, and
thence in insanity; for this love is opposite to spiritual love, and
its insanity is opposite to spiritual intelligence. By foolishness
and insanity are meant foolishness and insanity in things celestial and spiritual. The same things which are said of heaven
are to be understood of the church on earth, for they make one.
Concerning these two kingdoms, see the work on Heaven acnd
Rell, n. 20-28, and many other places. Now, as the Apocalypse treats only of the state of the church at its end, as was
observed in the preface, and at n. 2, therefore what now follows
treats of those who are in the two kingdoms of heaven, and of
those who are in the two kingdoms of hell, and of their quality;
from this chapter, viz., viii. to xvi., of those who are in the spiritual kingdom, and in the satanical kingdom opposite to it; in
chap. xvii. and xviii., of those who are in the celestial kingdom,
and in the diabolical kingdom opposite to it; and afterwards of
the last judgment; and, lastly, of the New Church which is the
New Jerusalem; this bringing all that goes before to a conclusion, by reason of its constituting the tinal purpose. In many
parts of the Word the devil and satan are mentioned, and by
both is meant-hell; it is so named, because all in one hell are
called devils, and all in the other are called satans.
388. And when he had opened the seventh seal, signifies exploration firom the Lord of the state of the church, and thence
of the state of life of those who are in his spiritual kingdom,
being those who are in charity and its faith; in this case, who
are in faith alone. That this is the signification of these words,
may appear firom all the particulars of this chapter when understood in a spiritual sense; for this chapter and the following to
capter xvi. treat of those who are in the spiritual kingdomn, or
those who are in love towards their neighbout and thence in
intelligence, as was said above, n. 387. But since, at this day,
the word charity is used instead of love towards our neighbour,
and faith instead of intelligence; and here there is not any
exploration of those who are in charity and thence in* faith,
because these belong to such as are in heaven; therefore exploration is here made of those who are in faith alone. Faith
alone is also faith separated from charity, there being no conjunction: see below, n. 417. That to open the seal signifies
to explore states of life, or, what is the same thing, the states
of the church and thence of life, see above, n. 295, 302, 309,
317, 324.
282




v. 1-3.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          389-392
389. There was silence in heaven about the space of half an
hour, signifies that the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom
were greatly amazed, when they saw those, who said they were
in faith, in such a state. By silence in heaven, nothing else is
meant but amazement there in regard to those who say they are
in faith, and are nevertheless in such a state; for their state is
described in what follows, the quality of which will be rendered
evident by the explanation. By half an hour is signified greatly,
because by an hour is signified a full state. That time signifies
state, will be seen below.
390. And I saw trhe seven angels who stood befor'e God, signifies the universal spiritual heaven in the presence of the Lord,
hearing and doing his commands.  By seven angels is signified the universal heaven, because seven signifies all, or every
thing, thence the total, and the universal, n. 10; and by angels,
in a supreme sense, is signified the Lord, and, in a relative sense,
heaven, n. 5, 66, 342, 314; here, the spiritual heaven, as may
appear from what was said above, n. 387, 388. That to stand
before God signifies to hear and do his commands, see above,
n. 366.
391. And to therm were given, seven trumpets, signifies the
exploration and discovery of the state of the church, and thence
of the life of those who are in faith alone. Here, by trumpets
the same thing is signified as by sounding, because they souunied
with them, and by sounding with trumpets is signified to call
together upon solemn occasions, which were various; in this
case, for the purpose of exploring and discovering the quality
of those who are in faith alone, thus the quality of those who
are at this day of the reformed churches.  "It should be observed, that the church in the reformed world is at this day
divided into three, from the three leaders, Luther, Calvin, and
Melancthon, and that these three churches differ in various
things; but in this point, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, they all agree, which is remarkable."
That by sounding with trumpets is signified to call together,
will be seen below, n. 397.
392. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having
a golden censer, signifies spiritual worship, which is performed
from the good of charity by the truths of faith. By the altar
at which the angel stood, and by the golden censer which he
had in his hand, is signified the worship of the Lord from spiritual love, which worship exists from the good of charity by
the truths of faith. With the children of Israel there were two
altars, one without the tent, and the other within it; the altar
without the tent was called the altar of burnt-offering, because
burnt-offerings and sacrifices were offered upon it.; the altar
within the tent was called the altar of incense, as also the golden
acltar. There were two altars, because the worship of the Lord
283




392            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. viii
is performed from celestial love and from spiritual love; from
celestial love by those who are in his celestial kingdom, and
fiom spiritual love by those who are in his spiritual kingdom;
concerning these two kingdoms, see above, n. 387. Concerning
the two altars, see the following passages in 1Moses: on the altar
of burnt-offering, Exod. xx. 24 to the end; xxvii. 1-9; xxxix.
36-43; Levit. vii. 1-5; viii. 11; xvi. 18, 19, 33, 34. On
the altar of incense, Exod. xxx. 1-10; xxxii. 6; xxxvii. 2529; xl. 5, 26; Numb. vii. 1. That altars, censers, and incense,
were seen by John, was not because such things exist in heaven,
these being only representative of the worship of the Lord
there; the reason is, because such things were instituted among
the children of Israel, and are therefore often mentioned in the
Word; and that church was a representative church, for all
things connected with their worship did represent, and do consequently now signify, the divine celestial and spiritual things
of the Lord, which relate to his church in the heavens and in
the earths. The same is therefore signified by the two altars
spoken of in the Word, in the following passages: " O send out
thy light and thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me
to thy holy hill.-Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto
God my exceeding joy," Psalm xliii. 3, 4. "' I will wash my
hands in innocency; so will I compass thine altar, 0 Jehovah;
that I uiay publish with the voice of thanksgiving," Psalm xxvi.
6, 7. " The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, it is
graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of
your aGtaCrs," Jerem. xvii. 1, 2. "' God is Jehovah, which hath
showed us light; bind the sacrifice with cords unto the horns of
the altar," Psalm  cxviii. 27. "In that day shalt thou be an
altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt," Isaiah xix.
19. The altar of Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt,
signifies the worship of the Lord from love in the natural man.
"The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars,"
Hosea x. 7, 8: by which is signified worship from  evils and
froin the falses of evil. Besides other places; as Isaiah xxvii.
9; lvi. 6, 7; Ix. 7; Lament. ii. 7; Ezek. vi. 3, 4, 6, 13; Hosea
viii. 11; x. 1, 2; Amos iii. 14; Psalm li. 18, 19; Psalm lxxxiv.
3-5; Matt. v. 23, 24; xxiii. 18-20.  Since the worship of
the Lord was represented and thence signified byv the altar, it is
evident that by altar here in the Apocalypse nothing else is
understood: and- also elsewhere: as, "I saw under the altar
the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God," Apoc.
vi. 9. " The angel stood saying, Rise, and measure the temple
of God and the altar, and them that worship therein,' Apoc.
xi. 1. "And I heard another angel out of the altar, say, —
True and righteous are thy judgments," Apoc. xvi. 7. As
represenlat.ive worship, which was performed for the most part
upon two altars, was abolished by the Lord when he came intc
284




v. 3  5.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         393, 394
the world, from the circumstance of his having himself opened
the interiors of the church; therefore it is said in Isaiah, "At
that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have
respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to
the altars, the work of his hands," xvii. 8.
393. And there was given him mcuch incense, that he should
ofer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne, signifies propitiation, lest the angels of
the Lord's spiritual kingdom should be hurt by the spirits of
the satanic kingdom, that were beneath. By the incense and
by the golden altar is signified the worship of the Lord from
spiritual love, n. 277, 392; by prayers are signified those things
which relate to charity and thence to faith in worship, n. 278;
and by saints are meant those who are of the Lord's spiritual
kingdom; and by the righteous, those who are of the Lord's
celestial kingdom, n. 173: from which it may appear, that they
who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are here treated of.
That much incense offered with the prayers of all saints upon
the golden altar signifies propitiation, lest they should be hurt
by the spirits of the satanic kingdom who were beneath them,
is, because propitiations and expiations were made by incense,
especially when dangers threatened; as may appear from the
following passages: When the congregation mnurmured against
Moses and Aaron, and were affected with a plague, Aaron took
fire from off the altar, and put incense into a censer, and ran in
among the living and the dead to make atonement, "and the
plague was stayed," Numb. xvi. 46-48. Moreover, the altar
of incense was placed in the tabernacle, before the mercy-seat,
that was over the ark, and incense was offered on it every morning when the lamps were dressed, Exod. xxx. 1-10. And it
was commanded, that as often as Aaron entered within the vail,
he should offer incense, and the cloud of incense should cover
the mercy-seat, lest he should die, Levit. xvi. 11-13. Hence
it may appear, that propitiations in the representative Israelitish church were made by offering incense: in like manner
here, that they might not be hurt by the satanic spirits who
were beneath them.
394. And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up out of the hand of the angel before
God, signifies the protection of them  by the Lord. By the
smoke of the incense ascending before God is signified what is
accepted and grateful; wherefore the like is said by David:
"' Let my prayers be set forth before thee as incense," Psalln
cxli. 2; the reason was, because the smoke of the incense was
fragrant, from the spices of which it was composed, which were
stacte, onyche, galbanum, and frankincense, Exod. xxx. 34;
and the fragrances of those spices correspond to such things as
are of spiritual love or charity, and thence of faith; for in
285




395, 396         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. viii.
heaven most fragrant odours are sensibly perceived corresponding to the perceptions of the angels originating from their love;
therefore it is also said in many parts of the Word, that Jehovah smelled an odour of rest. That protection from the Lord
is signified, follows from what was said above, n. 393.
395. And the angel took the censer, and filled it wit/h the fires
of the altar, and cast it unto the earth, signifies spiritual love, in
which is celestial love, and its influx into inferior things, where
they were who are in faith separated from charity.  That by a
censer, as well as by incense, is signified worship fiom spiritual
love, is evident from what was shown above; and also fiom this
consideration, that in the Word, the thing containing signifies
the same as the thing contained, as a cup and platter signify
the same as wine and meat, Matt. xxiii. 25, 26; Luke xxii. 20;
and in other places.  By the fire of the altar of burnt-offering,
is signified divine celestial love, because by that altar was signified worship fiom that love, as may be seen above, n. 392;
and by fire, in a supreme sense, is signified divine love, n. 494.
Spiritual love, which is charity, derives its essence from celestial
love, which is love to the Lord; without this love there is
nothing vital in spiritual love or charity, for spirit and life is
from  no other source than from the Lord.  This was represented in the Israelitish church by their not being allowed to
take fire from any other place to put into the censer when they
offered incense, than from the altar of burnt-offering; as may
appear in Moses, Levit. xvi. 12, 13; Numb. xvii. 11, 12: and
that the two sons of Aaron were consumed by fire from heaven,
because they offered incense with strange fire, that is, with fire
not taken from the altar, Levit. x. 1, 2; therefore it was also
ordained, that fire should burn constantly on the altar of burntoffering, and should not be put out, Levit. vi. 9; and this by
reason that the fire of that altar signifies the divine love of the
Lord, and thence love to the Lord. By casting the censer upon
the earth is signified influx into lower spheres (or degrees).
396. And there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings,
and an earthquake, signifies that after a communication was
opened with them, there were heard reasonings concerning faith
alone, and confirmations in favour of it, and that the state of
the church with them  was perceived to be tottering towards
destruction. That lightnings, thunderings, and voices, signify
illustrations, perceptions, and instructions, by influx from heaven, see above, n. 236; but here, with those who were in faith
alone, who have no illustration, perception, and instruction, by
influx from heaven.  By voices, thunderings and lightnings,
are signified reasonings about faith alone, and argumentations
and confirmations in favour of it; by earthquakes are signified
changes of the state of the church, n. 331, in this case, that the
state of the church among them was perceived to be tottering
286




. 5, 6.]        THE APOCALyPSE REVEALED.             397
towards destruction; for earthquakes tale place in the world of
spirits, when the state of the church in societies is perverted
and inverted. The reason why the censer was thrown unto the
earth by the angel, before the seven angels began to sound with
their trumpets, was, that l)y influx a communication might be
opened between those who were in the spiritual heaven, with
those beneath who were in faith alone; from which comlnunication there arose reasonings and confirmations inll favour of it,
which were also heard and perceived; wherefore it is said that
after a communication was opened, they were heard and perceived.
397. ABnd the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound, signifies that they were prepared and
ready to explore the state of the church, and thence the state of
life, with those whose religion is faith alone. What is meant'by trumpets, appears from the statute respecting the use of them
among the sons of Israel, concerning which it is thus written in
Moses: Jehovah spake unto Moses to make trumpnets of silver
for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the
camps; and that they sholcld blow with them in days of gladness, and festivals and new moons, and over burnt-offerings and
sacrifices; also, that when they went to war against enemies that
infested theml, they should blow an alarm with the trumpets, and
that then they should come into remembrance before Jehovah
God, and should be preserved firom their enemies, Numb. x. 1
-11. From these words it may be seen what is signified by
blowing with trumpets. That by the seven angels sounding, is
here signified the exploration and manifestation of what the
state of the church is with those whose religion consists in faith
alone, is evident fiom the particulars of this chapter, and firom.
the particulars of the chapters that follow as far as the sixteenth
inclusive, when understood in the spiritual sense. From the
use of trumpets among the sons of Israel may also be seen what
is signified by trumpets, and by sounding with them, in the following places: "Blow ye the trZumpet in Zion, and sound an
aiarm in my holy mountain, for the day of Jehovah cometh,"
Joel ii. 1, 2. "' And Jehovah shall be seen over them, and his
arrow shall go forth as the lightning, and the Lord Jehovah
shall blow th/e trqumpet," Zech. ix. 14. "Jehovah shall go forth
as a lion and sound," Isaiah xlii. 13. " And it shall comle to
pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they
shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria,
and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worshlip Jehovah in the holy mountain at Jerusalem," Isaiah xxvii. 13.
"' And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they shall gather together his elect firom the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other," Matt. xxiv. 31. " Blessed
is the people who know the joyful sound; they shall walk, 0
287




398             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. viii.
Jehovah, in the light of thy countenance," Psalm lxxxix. 15.
"XWhen the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
God shouted for joy," Job xxxviii. 7. Since the sounds of
trumpets signify such things, and as, in the Israelitish church,
all things were represented to the life according to correspondences and their consequent significations, therefore it
came to pass, when Jehovah came down upon Mount Sinai,
that there were voices. and lightnings, and a heavy cloud, and a
vehement voice of a trumpet, and a voice of a trum2pet going and
strengthening itself greatly, and the people in the camp trenibled greatly, Exod. xix. 16-25. And for the same reason it
came to pass, that when the three hundred with Gideon blew
with their trqzumpets against Midclian, then the sword of a man
was against his companion, and they fled, Judges vii. 16-22:
in like manner, that twelve thousand of the sons of Israel with
vessels of holiness and trumepets in their hands overcame Midian,
Numb. xxxi. 1-8; as also, that the wall of Jericho fell down,
after the seven priests with seven trumpets compassed the city
seven times, Joshua vi. 1-20.  Wherefore it is said in Jeremiah, Sougnd the trfumpet against Babylon round about, her
walls are destroyed, l. 15; and in Zephaniah, " A day of clouds
and thick darkness, a day of the tru'mpet and alarm against
the fenced cities," i. 15, 16.
398. The first angel sounded, signifies exploration and manifestation of the quality of the state of the church with those
who are interiorly in that faith. By sounding is signified to
explore and make manifest, n. 397. The reason why by the
sounding of this first angel, is meant the exploration and maniIfestation of the state of the church with those who are interiorly
ill that faith, is, because its operation was felt upon the earth,
as appears from what follows; and the operation of the sounding of the second angel was felt upon the sea, the earth and the
sea, throughout the Apocalypse, when named together, meaning
the church universal; by the earth, the church as consisting of
those who are in its internals, and by the sea, the church as
consisting of those who are in its externals: for the church is
internal and external; internal with the clergy, and external
with the laity; or internal with those who have studied its
doctrinals interiorly, and have confirmed them from the Word,
and external with those who have not. Both are understood
by the earth and the sea in the following passages in the Apocalypse: "That the wind should not blow upon the earth, nor
on the sea," vii. 1.' Hurt not the earth, neither the sea," vii.
3. "The angel descending out of heaven set his right foot
upon the sea, and his left upon the earth," x. 2, 8; also in verse
6. "I saw a beast rise out of the sea,-and another beast
coming up out of the earth," xiii. 1, 11. "Worship him who
made heaven, and earth, and the sea," xiv. 7. "The first
288




v. 6, 7.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                3 9
angel poured out his vial upon the earth, and the second angel
his upon the sea," xvi. 2, 3. The earth and sea signify the
church internal and external, thus the church universal, because,
in the spiritual world, they who are in the internals of the
church appear upon dry land, and they who are in its externals,
as on the sea; but the sea is only an appearance fromr the general truths in which they are principled. That earth signifies
the church, may be seen, n. 285: so also does the world; see
n. 551.
399. And there followed hail and fire mrringled with blood,
signifies falsity fiom infernal love destroying good and truth,
and falsifying the Word. By hail is signified falsity destroying
good and truth; by fire is signified infernal love; and by blood
is signified the falsification of truth. That hail signifies falsity
destroying good and truth, will be seen below; that fire means
love in both senses, celestial and infernal, may be seen, n. 468;
that blood me ans the divine truth of the Lord, which is also
the Word, and, in the opposite sense, the Word falsified, n..379.
On joining these together into one sense, it is plain, that by
there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, is signified
falsity from infernal love destroying good and truth, and falsifyilg the Word. This is signified, because such things appear
ill the spiritual world when the sphere of the Lord's divine love
and divine wisdom descends from heaven into the societies below, where falsities derived from  infernal love exist, and the
Word is falsified thereby. Ilail and fire together have a like
signification in the following places: " At the brightness that
was before him his thick clouds passed, hail-stones and coals of
fire: and the Highest gave his voice, hail-stones and coals of
Jire; yea, he sent out his arrows and scattered them," Psalm
xviii. 12-14.  "And I will plead against him with pestilence
and with blood, and I will rain upon him great hail-stones, fire,
and brimstone," Ezek. xxxviii. 22.  "And Jehovah shall cause
his glorious voice to be heard,-and with the flame of a devouripgfire, —and hail-stones," Isaiah xxx. 30. HIe gave them hail
for rain, and flamingfire in their lacnd,-and brake the trees of
their coasts, Psalm cv. 32, 33. The hail smote their vine, and
their sycamore trees with grievous  hail, and their cattle with
burning coals; he sent in the burning of his anger a sending
forth of evil angels, Psalm  lxxviii. 47-49.  These words are
applied to Egypt.  In Moses we read concerning them, tha't
"he stretched forth his rod, and Jehovah gave voices and hail;
and there was hail and yfre together walking in the midst of
grievouqs hail: and the hail smote every herb of the field, and
brake every tree of the field," Exod. ix. 22 —35.  All the
miracles that were wrought in Egypt signified the evils and
falses derived from infernal love, which prevailed with the
Egyptians; each miracle signifying some particular evil and
289                                          T




:00           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vii.
falsity: for with them there was a representative church, as in
like manner with many kingdoms of Asia, but it became idolatrous and magical; by the IRed Sea is signified hell, in which
at last they perished. Something similar is signified by tlle
hail-stones by which more of the enemy perished than by the
sword, Josh. x. 11.  The same, also, is meant by hail in the
following places:'" Woe to the crown of pride,-behold, the
Lord hath a mighty and strong one, like an inundation of hail:
and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies," Isaiah xxviii.
1, 2, 17. "When it shall hail, coming down on the forest,"
Isaiah xxxii. 19. "And the temple of God was opened in
heaven, —and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail," Apoc. xi. 19. "And
there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, about the weight
of a talent," Apoc. xvi. 21. " Hast thou seen the treasures of'hail, which I have reserved against the day of battle and war?"
Job xxxviii. 22, 23. "Say unto them  which daub with nntempered mortar, that it shall fall; there shall be an overflowing shower, and ye, 0 great hacil-stones, shall fall," Ezek. xiii.
11. To daub with untempered mortar means to confirm falsity,
to make it appear like truth; they therefore who do so are
called hail-stones.
400. And they were cast 2upon the earth, and the third part
of the trees was burnt  dp, signifies that with those who are in
the internals of the church and in faith alone, every affection
and perception of truth, which constitute a man of the church,
had perished.  By the earth, upon which were cast hail and fire
mingled with blood, is signified the church with those who are
in its internals and in faith alone.  That these are the clergy,
may be seen above, n. 398. By the third part is signified all
as to truth, and by the fourth part, all as to good, n. 322. That
by three is signified all, full, and totally, will be seen below,
n. 50,; thence, by a third, which is a third part, the same is
signified. By being burnt up is signified to perish, in the present case, by falsity derived from internal love, which is meant
by hail and fire mingled with blood, see above, n. 399. By a
tree is signified man; and as man is man by virtue of affection,
which is of the will, and by virtue of perception. which is of
the understanding, therefore these also are signified by a tree.
There is also a correspondence between man and a tree; wherefore in heaven there appear paradises of trees, which correspond
to the affections and consequent perceptions of the angels;
and, likewise, in some places in hell there are forests of trees,
which bear evil fruits, correspondent with the concupiscences
and consequent thoughts of those who are there. That trees in
general signify men as to their affections and consequent perceptions, mnay appear from the following places: "And all the
trees of thefield shall know, that I Jehovah have Brought down
290




v. 7 j           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                401
the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the
green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish," Ezek. xvii.
24. " Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah,-for he
shall be as a tree planted by the waters-neither shall cease
from yielding fruit," Jereln. xvii. 7, 8. "1Blessed is the man
whose delighbt is in the law of Jehovah; and he shall be like a
tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth frnuit in
his season," Psalm  i. 3. Praise Jehovah, ye fruitful trees,
IPsalm cxlviii. 9.  "The trees of Jehovah are full of sap," Psalm
civ. 16.  "And now also the axe is laid at the root of the trees,
therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn
down," MIatt. iii. 10; vii. 16, 21.  "Either make the tree good
and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt and its firuit
corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit," Matt. xii. 33;
Luke vi. 43, 44.  " Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it
shall devour every green tree and every dry tree," Ezek. xx. 47.
Since a tree signifies man, therefore it was ordained, that the
fruit of a tree serving for food in the land of Canaan should be
circumcised, Levit. xix. 23-25; as also, when any city is besieged, they shall not put forth an axe against any tree with
good fruit, Deut. xx. 20, 21; and that at the feast of tabernacles
they should take firnit of the tree of honour, and rejoice before
Jehovah, Levit. xxiii. 40, 41; besides other passages, which are
not here adduced by reason of their abundance.
401. And all green grass was burnt up, signifies, thus all that
is alive in faith. By being burnt is signified to perish, as above,
n. 400: by green grass, in the Word, is signified that good
and truth of the church or of faith, which first springs up in
the natural man; the same also is signified by the herb of the
field; and because faith has its life firom good and truth, therefore by all green grass being burnt up, is signified that every
thing alive in faith has perished; and every thing alive in faith
perishes when there is no affection of good and perception of
truth, of which above. This signification of grass is also owing
to correspondence; wherefore they who separate faith from
charity, not only in doctrine but also in life, in the spiritual
world live in a desert, where there is not even grass. As a
fruit-tree signifies man as to the affections of good and perceptions of truth, so green grass signifies man as to that principle
of the church which is first conceived and also born in him, and
grass which is not green signifies the same destroyed. In general all things which grow in gardens, woods, fields, and plains,
signify man as to something of the church, or what is the same,
something of the church in him; the reason is, because they
correspond. That grass has this signification, may appear from
these passages: "The voice said, Cry.  And he said, What
shall I cry? All flesh is grass, —the grass withereth, and the
flower fadeth, because the spirit of Jehovah bloweth upon it
291




402-404          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. viii.
surely the people is grass. The grass withereth and the flower
fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand fbor ever," Isaiah
xl. 5-8.  " The inhabitants were as the qrass of the field, and
as the green, herb, as the grass on the hou[se-tops, a field blasted
before the corn is grown up," Isaiah xxxvii. 27; 2 Kings xix.
26. "I will pour out my blessing upon thine offspring, and
they shall spring up as among the grass," Isaiah xliv. 3, 4:
and in other places; as in Isaiah li. 12; Psalm xxxvii. 2;
Psalm ciii. 15; Psalm cxxix. 6; Dent. xxxii. 2. That by what
is green or flourishing, is signified what is alive or has life, in it,
is evident in Jerem. xvii. 8; 1. 11; Ezek. xvii. 24; xxi. 3;
Hosea xiv. 9; Psalm xxxvii. 35; Psalm lii. 10; Psalm xcii. 11.
The same as what is here described in the Apocalypse came to
pass in Egypt, for by hail and fire mingled, every tree and
every herb of thefield was burnt up, Exod. ix. 29-35; Psalm
lxxxviii. 47 —49; Psalm cv. 32, 33.
402. And the second angel sounded, signifies the exploration
and manifestation of what the state of the church is with those
who are exteriorly in that faith. That to sound with a trumpet
signifies to explore and make manifest the state of the church,
and thence of the life of those whose religion is faith alone,
may be seen above, n. 397. It is said of those who are exteriorly in that faith, because they are here treated of who are in
the sea, and previously they were treated of who were on the
earth; and by these latter are mneant such as are in the internals of the church, who are the clergy, and by the former are
meant such as are in the externals of the church, who are the
laity, as may be seen above, n. 398, who in the spiritual world
appear as it were in the sea, n. 238, 290.
403. And as it were a great mountain burning witl fire was
cast into the sea, signifies the appearance of infernal love with
those who are in the externals of the church, and in faith alone.
By the sea is signified the church with those who are in externals, and in faith alone; and they who are in externals are
called, in common language, the laity, because they who are in
internals are called the clergy, n. 397, 402. A mountain signifies love, n. 336, and a mountain burning with fire signifies
infernal love, n. 494, 599; this is the appearance of this love
with those who are here treated of, and is so seen by the angels;
the reason is, because faith alone is faith separated from charity,
n. 388: and where there is not charity, that is, love towards our
aeighbour, which is spiritual love, there is infernal love; an intermediate love does not exist except among the lukewarm,
mentioned in Apoc. iii. 15, 16.
404. Anzd the thirdpart of the sea became blood, signifies
that all general truths with themtn were falsified.  By the third
part is signified all, n. 400; by blood is signified the falsification
of the truth of the Word, n. 379; by the sea is signified the
292




v. 7 —9.]       TRE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                405
church with those who are in its externals, and in faith alone,
n. 397, 402. General truths are falsified with such because
they are principled in them alone, for they are not acquainted
with the particulars of that faith, as the clergy are; it is from
the general truths in which they are principled, that they appear as in a sea, in the spiritual world; the reason is, because
waters signify truths, n. 50, the sea being their general receptacle, n. 238.
405. And the third part of the creatures which were in the
sea that hacd life, died, signifies that they who have lived and
do live this faith cannot be reformed and receive life. By the
third part is signified all of them, as above; by creatures are
meant those who are capable of being reformed, n. 290; the
reason is, because to create signifies to reform, n. 254. By
having lives, is signified to be capable of receiving life by reformation; by their death, is signified that they who live that
faith alone cannot receive life; the reason why they cannot, is,
because all are reformed by faith united to charity, thus by the
faith of charity, and no one by faith alone, for charity is the
life of faith.  Since the affections and consequent perceptions
and thoughts of spirits and angels, in the spiritual world,
appear at a distance in the forms of animals or creatures upon
the earth, which are called beasts, of creatures in the air which
are called birds; and of creatures in the sea which are called
fishes, therefore in the Word mention is so often made of
beasts, birds, and fishes, by which nothing else is understood;
as in these passages: " The Lord hath a controversy with the
inhabitants of the earth, because there is no truth, nor mercy,
nor knowledge of God in the land,-and every one that dwelleth
therein shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the
fowls of the hecaven; yea, the fishes of the sea, also, shall be
taken away," Hosea iv. 1, 3.  " I will consume man and beast
-the fowls of the heaven, and the Jfshes of the sea, and the
stumbling blocks with the wicked," Zeph. i. 3.  "There shall
be a great shaking in the land of Israel, so that the fishes of
the sea, and the fowls of the %eaven, and the beast of the field,
-shall shake at my presence," Ezek. xxxviii. 18-20.  "Thou
madest him  to have dominion over the works of thy hands;
thou hast put all things under his feet, —the beasts of thefield,
the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever
passeth through the paths of the seas," Psalm viii. 6 —8;
speaking of the Lord.  "But ask, —now, the beasts, and they
shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell
thee;-and the dishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.  Who
knoweth not in all these that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought
this'?" Job xii. 7-9; besides many other places.  But by
fishes or creatures of the sea, are here meant the affections and
consequent thoughts of those men who are principled in generaI
293




405             THE APOCALYPSE REVSALT,ED.       [Chap. viii.
truths. and are therefore more attracted by what is natural than
by what is spiritual; these are understood by fishes in the passages above cited, and also in the following: " Behold, at my
rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their
fish sinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst,"
Isaiah 1. 2.  "The king of Egypt is a great dragoon that lieth
in the midst of his rivers, which hath s:aid, —My river is mine
own, and I have it for myself, and I will cause the fisah of thy
rivers to stick to thy scales, —and I will leave thee in the
wilderness, thee and all,the fishy of thy rivers," Ezek. xxix.
3-5. This is said to the king of Egypt, because by Egypt is
signified what is natural separated from what is spiritual, and
therefore by the fishes of his rivers are meant those who are in
doctrinals, and thereby in faith separated, which faith is only
science; on account of this separation, one of the miracles that
were performed there was as follows: That their waters were
turned into blood, and that thereby the fi4sh died, Exod. vii.
17-25; Psalm  cv. 29.  Wherefore dost thou make man as
the fishes of the seca, every man draweth and gathereth into the
net, Habak. i. 14 -16; fishes here denote those who are in
ogeneral truths, and in faith separated from charity; but fishes
denote those who are in general truths and in faith conjoined
with charity, in Ezekiel: He said unto me, " Bellold, these
waters issued from under the threshold of the house eastward;
-and it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which
movethll, whithersoever the river shall come, shall live: ancl there
shall be a qvery great qnmzltitucde of fish; and it shall come to
pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it to spread forth niets;
their fish shall be according to their kinds, exceeding mnany like
the fish of the great sea," xlvi. 1, 9, 10. In Matthew: Jesus
said. "'The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast
into tile sea, and they gathered fishes, the good into vessels, but
cast the bad away," xiii. 47-49.  And in Jeremiah: " I will
bring again the children of Israel into their land, and, behold,
I will send for many fishers, and they shall fish them," xvi. 15,
16. He that knows therefore, that such persons and things are
signified by fishes, may see why the Lord chose fishers for his
disciples, and said, " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men," Matt. iv. 18, 19; Mark i. 16, 17. That the disciples,
by the blessing of the Lord, caught a great multitude of fishes,
and the Lord said unto Peter, "Fear not, from henceforth thou
iihalt catch men," Luke v. 2-10.  Why the Lord, when they
would have required tribute of him, commanded Peter to go to
the sea, and draw up a fish, and give the piece of money found
in it for him  and himself, Matt. xvii. 24-27.  Why the
Lord, after his resurrection, gave his disciples a fish and bread
to eat, John xxi. 2-13; and commanded them, "Go ye into
all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," MAark
294




9r. 9.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              406
xvi. 15; for the nations whom they converted were only p)rincipled in general truths, or in natural truth more than in spiritual.
406. And the third part of the ships were destroyed, signifies that all the knowledges of good and truth fiom the Word,
serving for use of life, were destroyed with them. The third
part signifies all, as above, n. 400, 404, 405; ships signify the
knowledges of what is good and true from the Word serving
for use of life. Ships have this signification, because they
traverse the sea, and bring such -necessaries as are of use to
the natural man exclusively, and the knowledges of good and
truth are the necessaries which are of use to the spiritual man,
from these the doctrine of the church is de'iived, and, accord-:ng to this doctrine, life.  Ships signify these knowledges, because they are what contain things, and in the Word, in many
places, the thing containing is taken for the thing contained, as
the cup for the wine; the platter for meat; the tabernacle and
the temple for the holy things in them; the ark for the law;
the altar for worship, and so on. Ships signify the knowledges
of what is good and true, in the following passages: " Zebulon
shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he shall be for an haven
of ships," Gen. xlix. 13. By Zebulon is meant the conjunction of good and truth. O Tyre, the "builders have perfected
thy beauty, they have made all thy ship-boards of fir-trees of
Senir: they have taken the cedars from Lebanon to make masts
for thee; of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars;
thy 2pole have they made of ivory, a dau.ghter of steps from the
isl.es of Chittim; the inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy
rmariners, thy wise men were thy pilots, all the ships of the
seca and their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise; the ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market:
and thou wast replenished and made very glorious in the midst
of the seas," Ezek. xxvii. 4-9, 25; speaking of Tyre, because
by Tyre, in the Word, is signified the church as to the knowledges of truth and good, as may appear from the particulars
mentioned respecting it in this and the eighteenth chapter, when
understood in a spiritual sense; and as the knowledges of the
truth and good of the church are signified by Tyre, thereftre a
ship is described as to its particulars, and by each is signified
some quality of those knowledges conducive to intelligence;
tbr what can the Word have in common with the ships of Tyre
and its commerce?  The devastation of that church is afterwards thus described: "The suburbs shall shake at the sound
of the cry of thy pilots. And all that handle the oar, the marlners and pilots of the sea, shall come down froom their ships, and
shall cry bitterly," Ezek. xxvii. 28-30; as also in Isaial xxiii.
14, 15. In like manner the devastation of Babylon as to all
the knowledges of truth, is described in what follows in the
295




.J7-409        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. viii.
Apocalypse: "'For in one hour so great riches is come to
nought, and every ship-master, and all the company in ships,
and mcariners, cried, saying, Alas, alas, that great city (Babyion), wherein w-ele mlade rich all that had ships in the sea,"
xvili. 17, 19; see thle explanation below.  By ships are also
signified the k(,wledges of good and truth in the following
passages: "sl' ow  my days are swifter than a post, they flee
away, they see no good. They are passed away as the swift
ships," Job ix. 25, 26.  "They who go down to the sea in
ships, that do business in greatwaters. These see the works 4'
Jehovah, and his wonders in the deep," Psalm cvii. 23, 24.
" Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the sh/ps of Tc'sAhisA
first, to bling thy sons from far," Isaiah lx. 9. "F cor lo, the
kings were assembled, they passed by together. Fear took
hold upon them there.  Thou bleakest the ships of Tcarshish
with'the east wind," Psalm xlviii. 4, 7, 8. Howl, S e ships of
Tars8hish, Isaiah xxiii. 1, 14; besides otlrk'  places; as Nlumb.
xxiv. 24; Judges v. 17; Psalm civ. 26; Isaiah xxxiii. 21.
407. Anzd the third angel sounded, signifies the exploration
and manifestation of the church with those whose religion is
faith alone, what they are as to the affection and reception of
truths fiom the Word. That this is signified, will appear fiom
what follows, when understood in a spiritual sense.
408. And there fell fron  heaven a great star, burning as
it were a clramp, signifies the appearance of self-derived intelligence firom a pride springing firom infernal love.  The reason
why by the falling fiom heaven of a great star, is signified the
appearance of self-derived intelligence friom a pride springing
from infernal love, is, because it was seen to burn as a lamp;
and because the name of it was Wormwood, as follows; and
by a star, and also by a lamp, is signified intellignce, here
self-derived intelligence, because it seemled to burn, and all
self-derived intelligence burns from pride; and the pride of it
proceeds fiom infernal love, which is signified by a mountain
burning withl fire, n. 403. By wormwood is signified infernal:falsity, firom which that intelligence exists, and of which it is
composed.  That a star signifies intelligence, may be seen, n.
151i, 954; so likewise does a lamp or candle., n. 796.
409. And it/fell upon the third pa.rt of the rivers, and upon
the foduntains of waters, signifies that thence all the truths of
the Word were totally falsified.  By rivers are signified truths
in abundance, because by waters are signified truths, n. 50;
and by fountains of waters is signified the Word, n. 384.
The truths of the Word were altogether falsified, because it is
said in what follows, that the third part of the waters becanme
wormwood; and by wormwood is signified infernal falsity, n.
410. That rivers signify truths in abundance, may appear front
the following passages: "' Behold, I will do a new thing; I give
296




v. 9, 10.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               409
waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink
to my people, my chosen," Isaiah xliii. 19, 20. "For I will
pour water upon him that is thirsty, and river's upon the dry
ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing
upon thine offspring," Isaiah xliv. 3. "Then —shall the tongue
of the dumnb sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out,
and rivers in tlfe desert,"' Isaiah xxxv. 6. " I will open rivers
in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will
make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs
of water," Isaiah xli. 18. Jehovah hath laid the foundations
of the world " upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers,"
Psalm xxiv. 2. "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his
right hand in the rivers," Psalln lxxxix. 25. "Was Jehova]l
displeased against the river~s? was thine anger against the
riveers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou dost ride upon
thine horses?'"  Habak. iii. 8.  The river whose "streams
shall make glad the city of God," Psalm xlvi. 3-5.  "And he
showed ine a pure river of water of life proceecdin.g out of the
throne of God and the Lamb," Apoc. xxii. 1. "He dave the
rocks in the wilderness, and gave them  drink as out of the
great depths. He dave the rock, and rivers gushed out," Psalm
lxxviii. 15, 16, 20; Psalm cv. 41. "And the waters shall fail
from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up," Isaiah
xix. 5 -7; xlii. 15; 1. 2; Nahum i. 4; Psalm cvii. 33; Job xiv.
10, 11. Jesus said, If any one come unto me, as the Scripture
hath said, "out of his belly shall flow rivters of living waters,"
John vii. 37, 38; besides other places; as in Isaiah xxxiii. 21;
Jerem. xvii. 7, 8; Ezek. xxxi. 3, 4; xclii. 1-12; Joel iii. 18;
Zech. ix. 10; Psalm lxxx. I11; Psalm xciii. 3-5; Psalm xcviii.
7, 8; Psalm  ex. 7; Numb. xxiv, 6, 7; Dent. viii. 7. But that
rivers, in ail opposite sense, signify falses in abundance, may
appear fiom these passages: He shall send ambassadors in the
sea to the " nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have
spoiled," Isaiah xviii. 2.  "'If Jehovah had not been for us,
then the waters had overwhelmed us, and the river had gone
over our soul," Psalm cxxiv. 2, 4, 5. " When thou passest
through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee," Isaiah xliii. 2. "The sorrows
of death compassed me, and the rivers of ungodly men made me
aftaid," Psalm xviii. 4.  "And the serpent cast out of his
mouth water as a river after the woman, that he might cause
her to be carried away of the river," Apoc. xii. 15, 16.'" Behold, Jehovah bringeth up upon them the waters of the river
strong and many, and it shall overflow and go over, and shall
reach even to the neck," Isaiah viii. 7, 8. " &And the rivers
came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell
not, for it was founded upon a rock," Matt. vii. 25, 27; Luke
vi. 48, 49; here also rivers denote falses in abundance, because
297




410, 411        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [C(hap. viii.
by a rock is signified the Lord as to divine truth. By rivers or
floods are also signified temptations, because temptations are
inundations of falses.
410. And the name of the stavr is called Wormwood; vand the
third part of the waters became wormwood, signifies the infernal
falsity from which their self derived intelligence is derived, and
by which all the truths of the Word are falsifietl. By a star is
signified self-derived intelligence springing fiom a pride in infernal love, n. 408; by name is signified its quality, n. 81, 122,
165; by wormwood is signified infernal falsity concerning which
something will be said presently; by waters are signified truths,
n. 50; here, the truths of the Word, because the subject relates
to faith; by the third part is signified all, as above: from these
particulars taken together the sense results as delivered above.
Wormwood signifies infernal falsity, from its intense bitterness,
whereby it renders meat and drink abominable; such falsity is
signified therefore by wormwood, in the following passages:
" Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and I will
give them water of gall to drink," Jerem. ix. 14, 15.  "Thus
saith Jehovah concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them
with wormwood, and I will make them drink the water of gall;
for fi'om the prophets of Jerusalem  is profaneness gone forth
into all the earth," Jerem. xxiii. 15. "Ye who tuln judgment
inzto gall, and the friuit of righteousness into wormwood," Amos
v. 7; vi. 12. " Lest there should be among you a root that
beareth gall and wormnwood," Deut. xxix. 18. Since the Jewish chulch have falsified all the truths of the Word, like the
church here treated of, and since the Lord by all the circumstances of his passion represented the same, by permiitting the
Jews to treat him as they did the Word, he himself being the
Word, therefore they gave him vinegar mingled with gall, which
is like wormwood, but, tasting it, lie would not drink, Matt.
xxvii. 34; Mark xv. 23; Psalm lxix. 21. As this was the
character of the Jewish church, it is therefore thus described:
" He hath filled me with bitterness, and hath made me drunken
with wormwood," Lament. iii. 15, 18, 19.
411. Anld many men died of the waters, bectause they were
made bitter, signifies the extinction of spiritual life with many
firom the falsified truths of the Word. Many men died, signifies
extinction of spiritual life; for man from the spiritual life within
him is called alive, but from natural life separated from spiritual
life, lie is called dead; of the waters because they were made
bitter, signifies by the falsified truths of the Word: that waters
mean the truths of the Word, may be seen above, n. 410. The
reason why bitter signifies what is falsified, is, because the bitter
of wormwood is understood, and by wormwood is signified infernal falsity, n. 410. The spiritual life in a Christian is fiomn nc
other source than from the truths of the Word, for it them there
298




v. 10-12.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            412, 413
is life; but when the truths of the Word are falsified, and man
understands and views them according to the false notions of his
religion, then spiritual life inl him is extinguished; the reason is,
because the Word communicates with heaven, therefore when it
is read by man, the truths therein ascend to heaven, and the
falses to which truths are adjoined or conjoined, tend towards
hell, whence there is a lending asunder, whereby the life of the
Word is extinguished.  But this is the case only with those who
confirm falses by the Word, but not with those who do not confirm them.  I have seen such rendings asunder, and have heard
the noise like that of wood split by fire on a hearth. Bitter signifies what is falsified also in the following places: " Woe unto
them that call evil good, and good evil, that put bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter," Isaiah v. 20, 22.  "' They shall not drink
wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink
it," Isaiah xxiv. 9. The like is signified by the little book that
was eaten, which was sweet in the mouth, and by which the belly
was made bitter, Apoc. x. 9, 10; and by this: " And when they
came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters, foir they were
bitter; and Jehovah showed him a wood, which when he had
cast into the waters, they were made sweet," Exod. xv. 23-25.
Wood, in the Word, signifies good. The same is also signified
by the wild gourds* which were put into the pottage, by reason
of which the sons of the prophets cried out, There is death in the
pot, which Elisha healed by putting in meal, 2 Kings iv. 3841.  M/leal signifies truth from good.
412. And the fourth angel sounded, signifies the exploration
and manifestation of the state of the church with those whose
religion is faith alone, as being in the evils of falsity, and in the
falsities of evil. That this is the signification of these words, is
evident from what follows, when understood in a spiritual sense.
To sound signifies here, as before, n. 398, 402, 407, to explore
and make manifest.
413. And the third part of the sun was smitten, and the
thiird part of the moon, and the third part of the star s, so that
the third part of them was darkened, signifies that by reason of
evils firom falsities and of falsities from evils, they did not know
what love is, or what faith is, or any truth.  By the third part
is signified all, n. 400; by the sun is signified love, n. 53; by the
moon is signified intelligence and faith, n. 332; by stars are signified the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, n. 51;
by being darkened is signified not to be seen and known by reason
of evils fiom falses and of falses friom evils. Evils from falses exist
with those who assume the falses of religion, and confirm them
till they appear as truths, and when they live according to thlem
they do evils fromr falses, or the evils of falsity; but falses fror'Colocynthis-a kind of wild gourd, the apple of which is called Coloquintida
299




113             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. vili.
evils exist witL those who do not consider evils as sins, and still
more with those who by reasonings fiom the natural man, and
also fi-om the Word, confirm in themselves, that evils are not
sins, such confirmations constitute the falses fiom evils, and are
called the falses of evil. That such is the signification of darkness follows, because light signifies truth, and the extinction of
light makes darkness.  By way of confirmation, some passages
shall first be adduced, where similar tl-ngs are mentioned as are
here said in the Apocalypse, of the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and of the darkness consequent upon their extinction: "T/he asun
shall be turned into dcarkness, azd the moon into blood," before
the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh, Joel ii. 31. "' For
the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give
their liglt, t/he sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the
moon shcall not cause her light to shine," Isaiah xiii. 10. " And
when I shall put thee out I will cover the heave(n, I will cover
the sun, with a cldod, and the moon shall not give her light, all
the brigh/t lights of heaven zoill I mnake dark over thee, and set
darkness upon thy land," Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. The day of Jehovah
is near; " the su, and the moon shall be blac7, and the stars shall
withdraw their shining," Joel ii. 10. " Immediately after the
tribulation of those days, shcall the sun, be dcarkelzned, and the moon
sghall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heavenI,"
AMatt. xxiv. 29; Mark xiii. 24, 25. Who cannot see, on elevating his Inind, that in these places, the sun, moon, and stars of
the world are not understood? That by darkness falses of various
kinds are signified, is evident from the following passages: " Woe
unto you that desire the dayv of Jehovah! it is darkness and not
light; shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness and not light?
even very darck, and no brightness in it?" Amos v. 18, 20.
"The day of Jehovah is a day of darkness and gloominess, a
day of clouds and thick d arknFess, " Zeph. i. 15.  "' And in that
day if one look unto the land, behold darkness, and the light is
darkened in the heavens thereof," Isaiah v. 30; viii. 22. "For
behold, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the
people," Isaiah lx. 2.  "Give glory unto Jehovah your God,
before he cause darkness, and while ye look for light, he make
it gross darkness," Jerem. xiii. 16.  "We wait for light, but
behold obscurity.; for brightness, but we walk in darkness;we stumble at noon-day as in the night; we are in desolate places
as dead men," Isaiah lix. 9, 10.'"Woe unto them —-that put
darkness for light, and light for darkdness," Isaiah v. 20.  "The
people that walked in darkness have seen a great light," Isaiah
ix. 2; Matt. iv. 16. "The day-spring from on high hath visited
us, to goive light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death," Luke i. 79. "And if thou draw out thy soul to the
hungry, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy dacrkness
be as the noon-day," Isaia~ lviii. 10. "Anld in that day —the eyes
300




v. 12.]         T HE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              414
of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of dcarkness," I.saiah
xxix. 18; xlii. 16; xlix. 9. Jesus said, "I am the light of the
world; ihe that follo-weth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have tile light of life," John viii. 12. "Walk while ye have the
light, lest cdarkness come upon you: I am come a light into the
world, that whosoever believeth on me, should not abide in darkness," John xii. 35, 46. "When I sit in darkness, Jehovah
shall be a light to me," Micah vii. 8. "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light," John iii. 19; i. 4, 5. "If, therefore, the light which is in thee be darkness, how great is the
darkness," Matt. vi. 23; Luke xi. 34-36.  "But this is your
hour, and the power of darkness," Luke xxii. 53. By darkness
in these places is signified falsity proceeding either firom ignorance of the truth, or from a false principle of religion, or from a
life of evil. Concerning thosew who are in the falses of religion,
and thence in evils of life, the Lord says, that they shall be cast
into outer darkness, Matt. viii. 12; xxii. 13; xxv. 30.
414. Alnd the day shone not for a third 2)art of it, and the
n.ight likewise, signifies that there is no longer any spiritual
truth nor natural truth, serviceable for doctrine and life, from
the Word with them. By the day not shining; is meant that
there was no light from the sun; and by the light, in like manner, is meant that there was no light fioml the moon and stars.
By light, in general, is signified divine truth, which is truth from
the Word; by the light of the sun, divine truth spiritual; and,
by the light of the moon and stars, divine truth natural, both
from the Word. The divine truth, in the spiritual sense of the
Word, is like the light of the sun by day; and the divine truth,
in the natural sense of the Word, is like the light of the moon
and stars by night; the spiritual sense of the Word also flows
into its natural sense as the sun does with its light into the moon,
which gives forth the light of the sun in a mediate manner. In
the same way does the spiritual sense of the Word illuminate
men, even those who know nothing at all concerning it, whilst
they read the Word in its natural sense; but it illuminates the
spiritual man, as the sun's light does the eye; and the natural man, as the light of the moon and stars illuminate his eye.
Every one receives illumination according to the spiritual affection of truth and good, and at the same time according to genuine
truths, by which he has opened his rational faculty. The same
is understood by day and night, in the following passages: " And
God said, Let there be light in the firmament of the heaven, to
divide the day from the night: And God made two great lights,
the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the
night; he made the stars also: And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth, and to rule over
the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the dark
301




t15, 416       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. viii.
ness," Gen. i. 14-19. Jehovah made great lumi..aries, "the
sun to rule by day, the mnoon and stars to rule by night," Psalm
cxxxvi. 7-9. "The day (O Jehovah) is thine, the night also
is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun," Psalim lxxiv.
16. " Jehovah giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the nwoon and of the stars for a light by night," Jeremi
xxxi. 35. "If ye can break my covenant of the day and mn
covenant of the night, and that there shall not be day and nit7ht
in their season; then may also my covenant be broken with
David my servant: If my covenant be not with day and night,
and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth,
then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant,"
Jerem. xxxiii. 20, 21, 25, 26. These passages are adduced for
the sake of showing that a darkening of both kinds of light is
meant.
415. And I beheld, and I heard an angel flying in the midst
of heaven, signifies instruction and prediction from the Lord.
By an angel, in a supreme sense, is meant the Lordcl, and thence
also something from the Lord, n. 344; and by flying in the
midst of heaven and saying, is signified to perceive and understand, and when applied to the Lord, to foresee and provide, n.
245; but here, to instruct and foretell.
416. Scying with a loud voice, TFoe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters
of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the
th.ree angels whic/h are yet to sound, signifies deep lamentation
over the damned state of those in the church, who in doctrine
and life have confirmed themselves in faith separated from charity. By woe is signified lamentation over the evil in any one,
and thence over his unhappy state; here, over the damned state
of those who are treated of in the next chapter, and afterwalrds;
and by woe, woe, woe, is signified extreme lamentation; for triplication constitutes the superlative, because three signifies all
and full, n. 505. By the inhabiters upon earth, are meant they
who are in the church where the Word is, and the Lord known
thereby: that earth signifies the church may be seen above, n.
285. By the voices of the trumpet of the three angels which
are yet to sound, is signified the exploration and manifestation
of the state of the church and of life with those, who by doctrine and life have confirmed in themselves faith separated from
charity, over whose state lamentation is made. Woe signifies
lamentation over the present or future calamity, unhappiness,
Dr damnation of others, in these passages: " Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" Matt. xxiii. 13-17, 23, 25.
27, 29. " Woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is
betrayed,' Luke xxii. 22.  Woe ulto him by whom scandals
come, Luke xvii. 1. Woe unto them that join house to house.
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may
follow strong drink. "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with
302




v. 12, 13.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             417
cords of vanity. Woe unto them that call evil good. Woe
unto them  that are wise in their own eyes. Woe unto them
that are mighty to drink wine," Isaiah v. 8, 11, 18, 20-22;
and in many other places.
417. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation. I saw
in the spiritual world two flocks, one of GOATS, and the other of
SHEEP; I wondered who they were, for I knew that animals,
seen in the spiritual world, are not animals, but correspondences of the affections and consequent thoughts of those who
are there. Wherefore I approached towards them, and as I
drew near, the likenesses of animals disappeared, and instead of
them were seen men. And it was shown, that they who formed
the flock of goats, were those who had confirmed themselves
in the doctrine of justification by faith alone; and they who
formed the flock of sheep, were those who believed that charity and faith are a one, as good and truth are a one. And
then I entered into discourse with those who had been seen as
goats, and said, "Why are you thus assembled?"  They con.
sisted chiefly of clergy, who gloried in their fame for erudition,
because they knew the arcana of justification by faith alone.
They replied that they were assembled to sit in council, because
they had heard that what is said by Paul, Rom. iii. 28, that
man is justified by faith without the works of the law, is not
rightly understood, because Paul, by the works of the law,
meant the works of the Mosaic law, which were intended for
the Jews; which we also clearly see from his words to Peter,
whom he rebuked for judaizing,, when yet he knew that no one
is "justified by the works of the law," Gal. ii. 14-16; as,
also, from his making a distinction between the law of faith and
the law of works; and between Jews and Gentiles, or circumcision and uncircnmcision, meaning by circumcision, Judaism,
as everywhere else; and likewise firom his summing up with
these words: " Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid; yea, we establish the law;" he says all these things
in one series, Rom. iii. 27-31; and further, he observes in the
preceding chapter: "For not the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified," Rorn. ii.
13; also, that God " will render to every man according to his
deeds," Rom. ii. 6; and that, " For we must all appear before
the judgment-seat of Christ'; that every one may receive the
hinYaMs done in his body, whether they be good or bad," 2 Cor.
v. 10; besides many other things to the same purpose, from
which it is evident that Paul rejects faith without good waorks,
equally with James, ii. 17-26. That the works of the M[osaic
law, which were for the Jews, were meant by Paul, we are additionally confirmed:n by this consideration, that all the statutes
for the Jews in Moses are called the law, thlls tile works of the
303




117            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. viii.
law, which we perceive from these passages: " This is the law
of the meat-offering," Levit. vi. 9, and following. "This is
the law of the burnt-offering," Levit. vii. 1. "' This is the law
of the peace-offering," Levit. vii. 7, 11, and following. "This
is the law of the burnt-offering, of the meat-offering, of the sinoffering, and of the trespass-offering, of the consecrations,"
Levit. vii. 37. " This is the law of the beasts and of the fowl,"
Levit. xi. 46, and following. "This is the law for her that
hath borne a male or a female," Levit. xii. 7. " This is the
law of the plague of leprosy,' Levit. xiii. 59; xiv. 2, 32, 54, 57.
"This is the law of him that hath an issue," Levit. xv. 32.
"This is the law of jealou-sies," [Numb. v. 29, 30. This is the
Claw of the Nazarite, Numb. vi. 13, 21. This is the law of
purification, Numb. xix. 14. This is the law concerning the
lred heifer, Numb. xix. 2. The law for the king, Deut. xvii.
15-19. Yea, the whole Book of Moses is called "the Book
of the Law," Deut. xxxi. 9, 11, 12, 26; also in the Evangelists,
Luke ii. 22; xxiv. 44; John i. 45; vii. 22, 23; viii. 5; and
other places. To this they added, also, what they had seen in
Paul, that the law of the Decalogue was to be practised in the
very life, and that it is fulfilled by charity, which is love towards
the neighbour, Riom. xiii. 8-10; thus not by faith alone.
They affirmed that this was the reason of their being convened
together.  But that I might not disturb them, I retired; upon
which they again appeared, at a distance, like goats, and sometimes as lying down, and at others as standing; but they turned
themlselves away from the flock of sheep: they appeared as if
they were lying down, when deliberating, but as standing up,
when they came to a conclusion. But, keeping my eyes fixed
upon their horns, I was surprised to see that the horns upon
their foreheads sometimes appeared to extend forward and upward, then to be bent backward, and at last to be thrown back
entirely; upon which they all suddenly turned round to the
flock of sheep, but still appeared as goats; wherefore I drew
near to them again, and inquired, " What now?" They replied,
that they had come to this conclusion, that faith alone prodvues
the goods of charity, which are called good works, as a tree
produces fruit. But then thunder was heard, and lightning
seen from above; and presently there appeared an angel, standing between the two flocks, who cried to the flock of sheep, " Do
not give ear to them; they have not receded from their former
faith, which is, that God the Father hath compassion for the
sake of the Son.; which faith is not faith in the Lord; neither
is faith a tree, but man is a tree; but do the work of repentance,
and look to the Lord, and you will have faith; faith before that,
is not a faith in which there is any life."  Then the goats,
whose horns were directed backward, approached the sheep;
but the angel standing between them, divided the sheep into
304




Chap. viii.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             418
two flocks, and said to those on the left, " Join yourselves to
the goats; but I must tell you, that a wolf will come, which
will snatch them away, and you along with them."
418. But after the two flocks of sheep had separated, and they
on the left hand had heard the threatening words of the angel,
they looked at one another, and said, " Let us confer with our
former associates;" and then the left-hand flock spake to the
right, saying, "Why  have you receded from your pastors? are
not faith and charity a one, as a tree and its fruit are one? for
the tree by its branch is continued unto the fruit; take away
any thing from the branch which flows by continuity into the
fruit, and will not the fruit perish? ask our priests if it is not
so."  And upon their putting the question, the priests looked
round to the rest, who made signs with their eyes to intimate
that they had spoken correctly, and then they replied that it
was; —faith is preserved by the firuit; —but they would not say
faith is continued into the fruit. One of the priests, who was
among the sheep on the right-hand, then got up, and said,
"They have told you that it is so, but they have told their companions that it is not so; for they think otherwise."  Wherefore they inquired, "IlHow do they think, then,-do they not
think as they teach 2" IHe said, "No; they think that every
good of charity, which is called a good work, done by man for
the sake of salvation or eternal life, is not good but evil, by
reason that mall desires to save himself by his own works, by
claiming to himself the righteousness and merit of the only
Saviour; and that it is so with every good work, in which man
feels his own will; therefore among themselves they call good
works from man, not blessed, but cursed; and say that they
merit hell rather than heaven." But the flock on the left-hand
said, "You speak falsehoods against them; do they not manifestly preach to us charity and its works, which they call works
of faith manifested before us.?"  He replied, "You do not
understand their discourses; no one but a clergyman, who may
be present, does attend to and understand them; they think
only of moral charity, and its civil and political goods, which
they call the goods of faith, which yet are not at all so; for a
mail may be an atheist, and perform these works in the same
manner, and under the same form; wherefore they are unanimous in saying that no one is saved by works at all, but by
faith alone; but this shall be illustrated by comparisons. An
apple-tree bears apples; but if a man does what is good for the
sake of salvation, as the tree produces apples by continuity,
then those apples are rotten within, and full of worms. They
say, also, that a vine produces grapes; but that if a man were,o bring forth spiritual goods as a vine does grapes, he would
bring forth wild grapes.'  But then they asked, "What is the
nature of their goods of charity or works, which are the fruits
305                                           U




418            TIHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. viii.
of faith?"  He replied, "They are invisible, being inwardly in
man from the Holy Spirit, concerning which man knows nothing."  But they said, "If man knows nothing concerning
them, there must surely be some conjunction, or how could
they be called works of faith? perhaps those insensible goods
are then insinuated into the voluntary works of man by some
mediating influx, as by some affection, aspiration, inspiration,
incitement and excitement of the will; or by some tacit perception in thought and consequent exhortation, contrition, and
thus by conscience, and thence by impulse and obedience to
the Decalogue and the Word, as an infant, or as a wise man,
or by something else of a similar nature."  But he replied,
" No! and if they say it is effected by such means because by
faith, still they word their discourses in such a manner as that
the result after all is, that they do not proceed fromn fcaith;
some, however, do maintain such things, thoutgh as the signs o
faith, but not as the ties thereof with chaarity. Some have
nevertheless thought of a conjunction by the Word. Is there
not thus conjunction," said they, " when mlan voluntarily acts
according to the Word? "  But he replied, "This is not what
they think; they ascribe it to the hearing the Word, thus not
to the understanding of the Word, lest any thing should manifestly enter by the understanding into the thought and will of
man; since they assert that every thing voluntary in man is
meritorious, and that, in spiritual things, man cannot begin,
will, think, understand, believe, operate and co-operate any
thing, any more than a stock: but yet it is different with the
influx of the Holy Spirit by faith into the speech of the pleacher,
because these are acts of the mouth, and not acts of the body;
likewise because man acts by faith with God, but by charity
with men."  But when one of them heard that it was done
merely by hearing the Word, and not by understanding the
Word, he said, with indignation, " Is this effect produced then
by the understanding of the Word,-by the Holy Spirit alone,
whilst man, throughout the church service, turns himself away,
or sits as deaf as a post, or sleeps, or as merely feeling an exhalation firom the Bible?. What can be more ludicrous 2"  After
this, a certain man of the flock on the right-hand, who excelled
the rest in judgment, requested to speak, and said, "I heard a
certain person say,'I have planted a vineyard, now will I drink
wine even to intoxication.' But another asked,'Do you mean
to drink the wine out of your own cup with your own right
hand' And he said,'No! but out of an invisible cup firom an
invisible hand.' And the other replied,' Of a certainty then
you will not be intoxicated.' Presently the same man said,'But
hear me, I beseech you; I say unto you, drink wine from the
Word understood; do you not know that the Lord is the Word?
is not the Word from  the Lord? is he not therefore in it; if
306




CL ap. ix.]'   THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             41 8
then you do good from the Word, do you not do it from the
Lord, —from  his mouth and will? and if you at the same
time look to the Lord, he will also lead you, and will cause
you to do it, and this he will do through you, and you as
from yourselves. Who can say, when doing any thing by the
authority of a king, of his word and will, I do this from myself,
from my own month or command, and fi'oml my own will."
After this he turned to the clergy, and said, " Ye ministers of
God, seduce not the flock."  On hearing these things, the
greater part of the flock on the left-hand receded, and joined
themselves to the flock on the right; some of the clergy also
then said, " We have heard what we did not know before; we
are pastors; we will not leave the sheep."' And they receded
along with them, and said, "'That man spoke a true word:
who can say, when he does any thing from the Word, thus from
the Lord, from his will and command, I do this fiom myself?
Who that does any thing fi om the will and command of a king,
says, I do this firom myself? Now we see the Divine Providence, why a conjunction of faith and works has not been discovered, which the body of ecclesiastics might acknowledge;
it could not be discovered, because no such conjunction can
exist; for theirs is not a faith in the Lord, who is the Word,
and therefore neither is it a faith from the Word."  But the
other priests went away, flourishing their caps, and crying out,
"Faith alone! faith alone for ever, notwithstanding 1"
CHAPTER IX.
1. AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from
heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the
bottomless pit.
2. And he opened the bottomless pit.; and there arose a
smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace: and
the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of
the pit.
3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the
earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the
earth have power.
4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt
the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any
tree; but only those men, who had not the seal of God in
their foreheads.
5. And to them it was given that they should not kill
them, but that they should be tormented five months: and
307




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. ix
their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh
a man.
6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not
find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were as it were crowns
like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth
were as the teeth of lions.
9. And they had breast-plates, as it were breast-plates of
iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots
of many horses running to battle.
10. And they had tails like unto scorpions; and there were
stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five
months.
11. And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit; whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in
the Greek tongue he hath his name Apollyon.
12. One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more
hereafter.
13. And the sixth angel sounded: and I heard a voice from
the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14. Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose
the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.
15. And the four angels were loosed; who were prepared
for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the
third part of men.
16. And the number of the armies of horsemen were two
myriads of myriads: and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that
sat on them, having breast-plates of fire, and of jacinth, and
of brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads
of lions: and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and
brimstone.
18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out
of their mouths.
19. For their power is in their mouth: for their tails were
like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they hurt.
20. And the rest of the men who were not killed by these
plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that
they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, and silver,
and brass, and stone, and wood; which neither can see, nor
hear, nor walk:
21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of theil
sorceries. nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
808




Chap. iX.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. Of the exploration
and manifestation of the states of life of those in the reformed
church, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation
of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone; these are treated of from verse 1-13. Of
the exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are not
so learned and wise, and are in faith alone, and who live as they
like; from verse 13-20. Lastly, of those therein, who know
nothing but that faith is the all by which man is saved, and not
any thing besides, verses 20, 21.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE.  V. 1, "And the fifth
angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of
the states of life of those in the reformed church, who are
called learned and wise from their confirmation of faith separated from  charity, and of justification and salvation by it
alone: "' And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth,"
signifies divine truth spiritual flowing from heaven into the
church as existing with such persons, and effecting exploration
and manifestation: "And to him was given the key of the bottoinless pit," signifies the opening of their hell: v. 2, "And
lie opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of
the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace," signifies the falses
of the concupiscences of the natural man springing forth from
their evil loves: " And the sun and the air were darkened by
reason of the smoke of the pit," signifies that thereby the
light of truth was turned into thick darkness: v. 3, "And
there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth," signifies
that from them were derived falses to the extreme or lowest degrees, such as prevail with those who have become sensual, and
see and judge of all things by the senses and their fallacies:
"And unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth
have power," signifies the power of persuading that their falses
are truths: v. 4, " And it was commanded them that they
should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing,
neither any tree; but only those men who had not the sea] of
God in their foreheads," signifies the divine providence of the
Lord, that they should not be able to take away any truth and
good of faith, nor any affection and perception of them, from
any others than such as are not in charity and thence not in
faith: v. 5, " And to them it was given that they should not
kill them, but that they should be tormented five months," signifies that neither from these should they be able to take away
the faculty of understanding and willing truth and good, but
that they should only be able to bring on stupor for a short
time: "And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion
309




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          rChap. ix.
when he striketh a man," signifies that this is from their persuasive power: v. 6, "And in those days shall men seek death,
and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall
flee from  them," signifies that it is their desire that, in mat.
ters of faith, the understanding should be shut up and the will
closed, by which means spiritual light and life are extinguishedj
and that yet this cannot be done: v. 7, " And the shapes of the
locusts," signifies the form and appearance of those who have
confirmed in themselves faith separated from charity: W' Were
like unto horses prepared unto battle," signifies that because
they can reason, they appear to themselves to combat firom the
understanding of truth from the Word:  "And on their heads
were as it were crowns like gold," signifies that they appeared
to themselves as conquerors:' And their faces were as the
faces of men," signifies that they appeared to themselves to be
wise: x 8, " And they had hair as the hair of women," signifies that they appeared to themselves to be in the affection of
truth: "'And their teeth were as the teeth of lions," signifies
that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the life of the
natural man, appeared with them to have power over all things: 
v. 9, "And they had breast-plates, as it were breast-plates of
iron," signifies that argumentations from  fallacies, by w.hich
they fight and prevail, appeared to them so powerful that they
could not be refuted: " And the sound of their wings  was as
the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle," signifies their reasonings as if they were from truths of doctrine
from the Word fully understood, for which they must ardently
fight: v. 10, " And they had tails like unto scorpions," signifies the truths of the Word falsified, by means of which they
induce stupor: "' And there were stings in their tails, and their
power was to hurt men five months," signifies subtile falsifications of the Word. by which for a short time they darken and
fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate:
v. 1, "And they had a king over them, the angel of the
bottoumless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon,
but in the Greek tongue he hath his name Apollyon," signifies
that they are in the satanic hell who are in falses from cencupisOences, and by a total falsification of the Word have destroyed
the church: v. 12, "One' woe is past; behold, there come two
woes more hereafter," signifies further lamentations over the
state of the church.
V. 13. "And the sixth angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of their state of life in the reforned
church who are not so wise, and yet place the all of religion in
faith, and think of it alone, and live as they like: "And I
heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is
before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet,"
signifies a command from the Lord out of the spiritual heaven
310




Chap. ix.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
to those who were to explore and make manifest: v. 14,
"Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river
Euphrates," signifies that external restraints should be removed from them, that the interiors of their minds miaoht
appear: v. 15,'And the four angels were loosed," signifies
that when external restraints were removed, the interiors of
their minds appeared: "Who were prepared for an hour, and
a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men,"
signifies that they were perpetually in the effort to take away
spiritual light and life fiom men of the church: v. 16, " And
the number of the armies of horsemen were two myriads of
myriads," signifies reasonings concerning faith alone, with,which the interiors of their minds were filled, fiom the great
abundance of the mere falses of evil: " And I heard the number of them," signifies that the quality of them was perceived:
v. 17, " And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that
sat on them," signifies that it was then discovered that the
reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone
were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were
infatuated with them: "Having breast-plates of fire, and of
jacinth, and of brimstone," signifies their imaginary and visionary argumentations from infernal love and self-derived intelligence, and finom the concupiscences thence proceeding: " And
the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions," signifies
phantasies concerning faith alone as if it were in power: "' And
out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone,"
signifies that in their thoughts and discourses, viewed interiorly,
there is nothing, and fron them  there,proceeds nothing, but
the love of self and of the world, and the pride of self-derived
intelligence, and the concupiscences of evil and falsity springing from these two sources: v. 18, "By these three was the
third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by
the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths," signifies
that from these it is that the men of the church perish: v. 19,
" For their power was in their mouth," signifies that they only
prevail by their discourse in confirmation of faith: "I For their
tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with themn
they do hurt," signifies the reason, because they are in a sensual and inverted state, speaking truths with their lips, but
falsifying them by the principle which constitutes the head of
their religion, and thus they deceive: v. 20, " And the rest of
the men who were not killed by these plagues," signifies those
in the reformed church who are not so spiritually dead fiom
visionary reasonings, and fiom self-love, and from the pride of
self-derived intelligenice, and from the concupiscences thence
proceeding, as those before mentioned, and yet make faith
alone the head of their religion: "Yet repented not of the
works of their hands," signifies that neither did they shun the
311




119-421          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
things that are proper to themselves, which are evils of every
kind, as sins: " That they should not worship demons," signifies that thus they are in the evils of their concupiscences, and
make one with their like in hell: "Adri  idols of gold, and
silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood," signifies that thus
they are in worship grounded in mere falses: " Which neither
can see, nor hear, nor walk," signifies, in which there is nothing
of spiritual and truly rational life: v. 21, "Neither repented
they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts," signifies that the heresy of faith alone
induces on their hearts stupidity, tergiversation, and hardness,
so that they do not think any thing of the precepts of the decalogue, nor indeed of any sin that it ought to be shunned because
it is in favour of the devil and against God.
THE EXPLANATION.
419. And the fifth angel sounzded, signifies the exploration
and manifestation of the states of life of those in the reformed
church, who are called learned and wise fiom their confirmation
of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation
by it alone. That these are treated of in what now follows as
far as verse 13, is evident friom the particulars, understood in a
spiritual sense. That by sounding is signified to explore and
make manifest the state of the church, and thence the state of
life with those whose religion consists in faith alone, may be
seen above, n. 397.
420. And I saw a star fall from   heaven unto the earth,
signifies divine truth spiritual flowing from heaven into the
church as existing with such persons, and effecting exploration
and manifestation.  By a star is here signified divine truth
spiritual, because it fell from the spiritual heaven, concerning
wlhich, above, n. 387, 388; and by the earth is here signified the
church with those who are in its internals, as above, ii. 398.
By divine truth spiritual is meant intelligence derived froln
spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour; and as that
intelligence at this day is called faith, and that love, charity, it
is faith derived from charity, or rather it is the truth of faith
derived from the good of charity, which is here signified by a
~tar. The same is signified by a star in the singular number,
Apoc. ii. 28; xxii. 16; for by stars, in the plural number, are
signified the knowledges of good and truth, n. 51, and by these
intelligYence is acquired. That it is divine truth exploring and
manifesting, is evident from what follows.
42-1. And to himn was given the key of the bottomless pit, sig
312




7. 1.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                421
nifies the opening of their hell. By a key is signified the power
of opening, and also the act of opening, n. 62, 174, 840. And
by the bottomless pit is signified the hell where they are who
have confirmed themselves in justification and salvation by faith
alone, who are all of the reformed church: but in the present
case, they who in their own eyes, and thence in the eyes of
many othes, appear as learned and erudite, when yet in the
sight of the angels in heaven they appear destitute of understanding as to those things which pertain to heaven and the
church; because they who confirm  that faith even to its interiors, close the superior degrees of their understanding, till at
length they are unable to see any spiritual truth in light; the
reason is, because the confirmation of fialsity is the negation of
truth; therefore when they hear any spiritual truth, which is a
truth of the Word serviceable to those who are of the church
for doctrine and life, they keep their minds fixed in the falses
which they have confirmed, and then they either veil over the
truth they have heard with falses, or reject them  as a mere
sound, or yawn at it and avert themselves; and this in the
degree in which they are in the pride of their own erudition;
fol pride glues falses together, so that at last they cohere like
the concretions formed fiom the foam of the sea; therefbre the
Word is hid from them as a book sealed with seven seals.
What their quality is, and what their hell, shall also be described,
because it has been permitted me to see it, and to discourse
with those who are therein, and also to see the locusts that
came out of it.  " That pit, which is like the aperture of a furnace, appears in the southern quarter, and the abyss beneath is
of large extent towards the east; there is light in it, but if light
fiom heaven be admitted into it, it becomes darkness, wherefore
the pit is closed above. Huts, arched as it were with brick,
appear therein, divided into various little cells, in each of which
there is a table, with paper and books lying upon it.  Every
one sits at his own table, who in the world had confirmed justification and salvation by faith alone, making charity an act
merely natural-moral, and its works Ponly works of civil life,
whereby Inen may attain reward in the world; but if they are
done for the sake of salvation, they condemn them, and this
severely, because human reason and will are in them. All who
are in this abyss have been learned and erudite in the world;
and among them there are some metaphysicians and scholastics,
who are esteemed there above the rest. When it was granted
nce to enter into discourse with them, I recognised some of
them: but this is their lot on their first admission;-they sit in
the foremost cells; but as they confirm faith by excluding
works of charity, they leave their first habitations, and enter
into cells nearer to the east, and so on successively till towards
the end, where those are who confirm these tenets from the
313




122, 423        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
Word; and as they then cannot but falsify the Word, their huts
disappear, and they see themselves in a desert, whereupon
what is described above, n. 153, happens to them. There is
also an abyss beneath the one just mentioned, where they are
who in like manner have confirmed justification and salvation
by faith alone, but who by themselves in their spirit have denied God, and in their hearts have laughed at the holy things
of the church; here they do nothing but quarrel, teal their garinewnts, climb upon the tables, and kick and abuse one another;
and because no one is there permitted to do mischief to the
body of another, they menace with their faces and fists. Filthiness and impurity here prevail; but these are not treated of ill
this place."
422. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a
smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great fiurnace, signifies
the falses of the concupiscences of the natural man springing
forth from their evil loves.  By the bottomless pit, is signified
the hell above described, n. 421; by the smoke fiom thence,
are signified the falses from concupiscences; and because the
smoke as of a great furnace is mentioned, the falses of concupiscences springing forth from evil loves are understood, for
fire signifies love, n. 468;'and the fire of hell, evil love, n. 490.
A great furnace has a like signification, because it smokes from
filre  Infernal spirits are not in any material fire, but in spiritual
fii'e, which is their love; therefore they do not feel any other
fire; on which subject see the work on Hieaven and tHell, n.
134, 566-575.  All love, in the spiritual world, when it is excited, appears at a distance as fire,-within the hells, as red-hot
fire, and without, as the smoke of a fire, or as the smoke of a
furnace. The falses of the concupiscences springing forth from
evil loves, are also described as smoke fiom a fire and from a
furnace, in other parts of the Word, as in these passages: Abraham " looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah, — and beheld, and
lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of afurnace,"
Glen. xix. 28. "The sun went down, and it was dark, and behold, a smokingfurnace, and a burning lamp, that passed between those pieces,' Gen. xv. 17. "And now, they sin, more
and more, therefore they shall be as the s? wke out of the CeiwMney," Hosea xiii. 2, 3. "But the wicked shall perish, into
smoke shall they consume away," Psalm xxxvii. 20.  "And [
will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood, and
fire, and pillars of smoke," Joel ii. 30.  "And shall cast them
into a.furnace ofiAre, there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth," Matt. xiii. 41, 42, 49, 51; and in other places.
423. And the sun and the air were dacrkened, by reason of the
smoke qf the pit, signifies that thereby the light of truth was
turned into thick darkness. By the sun and the air is here signified the light of truth, for by the sun is signified love, and by
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v. 2,.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                424
the light proceeding firom it, divine truth; wherefore when it is
said that when the sun is darkened, and at the same time the
air, it signifies that divine truth had become thick darkness:
that this was from the.falses of concupiscences, is signified by
its being effected by the smoke of the pit.
424. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the eacrth,
signifies that from them were derived falses to the extreme or
lowest degrees, such as prevail with those who have become
sensual, and see and judge of all things from their senses and
from the fallacies thereof. They are called falses in the extreme
or lowest degrees, which occupy the extreme or lowest principles of man's life, and are termed sensual, concerning which
we shall speak presently; these ale signified by locusts, in the
Word: but it is to be observed, that they did not appear like
the locusts of the field, which leap about and lay waste meadows
and corn fields, but like piginies or little men, which is evident
also from their description, in that they had crowns on their
heads, and faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions,
breast-plates of iron, and a king over theme —the angel of the
bottomless pit. That little men were also called locusts by the
ancients, may be concluded firom  this passage: The spies who
were sent to search the land of Canaan, said, "' And there we
saw the giants, the sons of Anak, and we were in, their eyes as
locusts," Numb. xiii. 33.  "It is Jehovah that sitteth upon the
circle of the earth, and the inhzabitants thereoqf are as locusts,"
Isaiah xl. 22. But as falses in extremes or lowest principles,
such as prevail among thenm, are signified by locusts in the
Word, therefore they are called locusts, as also crowned and
commanders, in Nahum: "There shall the fire devour thee, it
shall eat thee up like the canker-worm; make thyself many as
the canker-worm, make thyself many as the locusts; thy
crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the locust of
locusts," iii. 15 —17.  It is in consequence of falses in extreme
or lowest principles consuming the truths and goods of the
chirch, as they spring up in man, that they are signified by
locusts, which consume the grass and herb of the field, as may
be evident friom these passages: "' Thou shalt carry much seed
out into the field, for the locust shall consume it," Deut. xxviii.
38. "That which the palmer-worm  hath left hath the locust
eaten, and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm
eaten, and that which the canker-worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten," Joel i. 4, 5. " And I will restore to you the years
that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, the caterpillar, and
the palmer-worm have eaten," Joel ii. 24, 25. Tile same is
signified by the locusts in Egypt, concerning which it is thus
written in Moses: "And Moses stretclled forth his rod over the
land of Egypt, and the east wind brought the locusts. And the
locusts went up over all the land of Egypt;-before them there
31.5




:24             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ix.
were no such locusts,-and they did eat every herb of the land:"
and afterwards, " Moses stretched forth his rod, and the locuGsts
were cast into the Red Sea," Exod. x. 13, and subsequent verses;
and in David: He gave their produce.to the caoterpillar, and
their labour to the locust, Psalm cv. 34, 35. By the miracles
in Egypt is described the vastation of the church; and by this
miracle, vastation by falses in extreme or lowest principles;
and the extreme or lowest principles of man's life, when the
interiors on which they depend are closed, are infernal; for this
reason it is that it is said the locusts were cast into the Red Sea,
by which is signified hell.
As few at this day know what is meant by the sensual principle, and what the quality of the sensual man is; and as locusts
signify such, the following extracts are therefore adduced concerning it firom the Aracana C(elestia. "That the sensual principle is the ultimate of the life of man's mind, adhering and
cohering to his five bodily senses, n. 5077, 5767, 9121, 9216,
9331, 9730. That he is called a sensual man who judges of all
things by his bodily senses, and who believes nothing but what
he can see with his eyes, and touch with his hands; saying that
these are something, and rejecting the rest, n. 5094, 7693.
That the interiors of his mind, which see from the light of heaven, are closed, so that he sees nothing of truth there, which is
of heaven and the church, n. 6564, 6844, 6845. That such a
man thinks in extreme or lowest principles, and not interiorly
fioom any spiritual light, n. 5089, 5094, 5564, 7693. In short,
that they are in a dense natural light, n. 6201, 6310, 6464, 6844,
6845, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6524. That thence interiorly they are
against the things which are of heaven and the church, but that
exteriorly they can speak in favour of them, and ardently, accordinng to the dominion they exercise by means of them, n. 6201,
6316, 6844, 6845, 6948, 6949. That the learned and erudite,
who have confirmed themselves deeply in falses, and still more
they who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the
Word, are sensual above all others, n. 6316.' That sensual men
reason acutely and subtilly, because their thought is so near
their speech that it is almost inl it, and as it were in their lips,
and because they place all intelligence in speech from memory
only; also that some of them can dextrously confirm falses, and
that after confirmation they believe them to be truths, n. 195,
196, 5700, 10236. But that they reason and confirm  things
triom the fallacies of the senses, by which the vulgar are captivated and persuaded, n. 5084, 6948, 6949, 7693. That sensual
men are more cunning and malicious than others, n. 7693,
10236.  That the avaricious, adulterous, and the voluptuous
and deceitful, are especially sensual, although in the eyes of the
world they do not appear so, n. 6310. That the interiors of
their minds are filthy and unclean, n. 6201.  That by these
316




V. 3.]'TE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               424
they communicate with the hells, n. 6311. That they who are
in the hells are sensual, and the more so in proportion to the
depths to which they have fallen, n. 4623, 6311. That the
sphere of infernal spirits conjoins itself with the sensual principle of man firom behind, n. 6312. That they who have reasoned
from sensual things only, and thence against the genuine truths
of the church, were called by the ancients, serpents of the tree
of knowledge, n. 195, 196, 197, 6398, 6399, 10313. Moreover
the sensual principle or faculty of man, and the sensual man,
are described, n. 10236: and the extension of things sensual in
man, n. 9731. That sensual things ought to be in the last place,
and not in the first, and that in a wise and intelligent man they
are in the last place, and subject to the interiors; but that in a
foolish man, they are in the first place, and govern; these are
they who are properly called sensual, n. 5077, 5125, 5128, 7645.
If sensual things are in the last place, a way is opened by them
to the understanding, and truths are corrected by a mode of extraction, I. 5580. That those sensual things are in close contact with the world, and admit the things which flow from the
world, and, as it were, sift them, n. 9726. That man by means
of those sensual things, communicates with the world, and, by
means of rational things, with heaven, n. 4009. That sensual
things supply such as are subservient to the interiors of the
mind, n. 5077, 5081. That there are sensual things which
minister to the intellectual part; and such as minister to the
voluntary part, n. 5077. That unless the thought be elevated
above sensual things, man enjoys but little wisdom, n. 5089.
That a wise man thinks about sensual things, n. 5089, 5094.
That man, when his thought is elevated above sensual things,
comes into a clearer light, and, at length, into heavenly light,
n. 6183, 6313, 6315, 9407, 9730, 9922. That elevation above
sensual things, and abstraction from them, was known to the
ancients, n. 6313. That man, by his spirit, might perceive the
things which are done in the spiritual world, if he could be withdrawn from sensual things, and be elevated into the light of
heaven by the Lord, n. 4622. The reason is, because the body
does not think, but the spirit of man in the body; and in proportion as it thinks in the body, in the same proportion it thinks
obscurely and in darkness; and in proportion as it does not
think in the body, in the same proportion it thinks clearly and
in the light; but in spiritual things, n. 4622, 6614, 6622. That
the sensual scientific principle is the ultimate of the understanding, and the sensual delight, the ultimate of the will, n. 9996.
What the difference is between the sensual things common to
beasts, and the sensual things not common to them, n. 10236.
That there are sensual men not wicked, by reason that their interiors are not closed correspondently, concerning whose state in
another life, see n. 6311."
317




d25, 426       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ix.
425. Antd unto them was given, power, as the scorpions of the
earth have power, signifies the power of persuading that their
falses are truths. By a scorpion is signified deadly persuasion;
and, by a scorpion of the earth, persuasion in things relating t(
the church; the earth signifying the church, n. 285; for a
scorpion, when he stings a man, induces a stupor.upon the
limbs, which, if it be not cured, is followed by death; their
persuasion produces a corresponding effect upon the understanding. Such is also the signification of scorpion in these
passages: "And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neitlher be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with
thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions, nor be dismayed
at their looks, though they be a rebellious house,"' Ezek. ii. 6.
Jesus said unto the seventy whom he sent forth, " Behold, I give
unto you power to tread on serpents and scoTpions, and on all
the power of the enemy; and n othing shall by any means hurt
yout," Luke x. 10.
426. Anzd it was commnanded them that they should not hurt
the grass qf the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree;
but only those men who had naot the seal of God in their fo:' e
heads, signifies the divine providence of the Lord, that they
should not be able to take away any truth and good of faith,
nor any affection and perception of them, fiorm any others tlian
such as are not in charity and thence not in faith. By its being
commanded them, is signified the Lord's divine providence, because it was commanded from heaven; by not hurting the grass
of the earth nor any green thing, is signified not to be able to
take away any truth and good of faith; for by grass is signified
the truth of faith, which is what first springs up in man, n. 401;
and, by green thing, is signified the living principle of faith,
which is derived from good, n. 401; by not hurting any tree,
is signified not to be able to take away the affection and perception of truth and good; for by a tree is signified man as to
these qualities, n. 400; by those men who had not the seal. of.
God in their foreheads, are signified they who are not in charity,
and thence in faith; for the forehead signifies love and charity,
n. 347; and to have the seal, signifies to know and distinguish
them firom others, n. 345. The reason why they who have confirmed faith alone, to the very arcana of justification and salvation by it, cannot take away any truth and good of faith, nor
the affection and perception of them, from any but those who
are not in the faith of charity, is, because they are scarcely comprehended by any one but the priest who teaches and preaches
them. The layman hears them, but they enter in at one ear
and go out at the other; which the priest himself, who utters
those areana, may know of a certainty from this circumstance,
that he himself spent the whole force of his genius in acquiring
a knowledge of them in his youth, and afterwards in retaining
318




v. 4, 5.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          427, 428
them in adult age, likewise from his considering himself as a
man of extraordinary learning: what then must be the case
with a layman, who simply thinks of faith from charity, when
he hears these mysteries? From:  what has been said, it may be
seen that faith alone, as being competent to justification, is the
faith of the clergy, and not of the laity, save such of them as
live unconcernedly, who imbibe no more fiom their arcana than
that faith alone saves; that they cannot do good from themselves, nor fulfil the law; and that Christ suffered for them;
besides some other universals of a similar nature.
427. And to them it was given that they shzould not kill thlem,
but that they should be tormented five months, signifies that
fiom the divine providence of the Lord, they are not able to
take away from those, who are not in the faith of charity, the
faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, but
that they should only be able to induce stupor for a short time.
By its being given them, is signified that it is so ordered from
the divine providence of the Lord, as above; not to have power
to kill them, signifies not to be able to take away from those
who are not in the faith of chalrity, the faculty of understanding
and willing what is true and good, for when this faculty is taken
away, man is spiritually killed; by tormenting them five months,
is signified to induce stupor for a short time e; five signifies a
little, or a short time, and to torment, signifies to induce stupor,
because this is what is signified by a scorpion, n. 425; and by
the torment, as it were, of a scorpion, is signified as follows, n.
428. That the faculty of understanding truth and of willing it,
or rationality and liberty, cannot be taken away fiom man, is
amply shown in the Angelic WTisdom concerning th/e Divine Pro.
vidence, n. 73, 74, 82-86, 92-98, 138-149, 322. That five
months signify a little, and a short time, is owing to the signification of five, as denoting a little; for times, whether they be
hours, days, weeks, or months, or years, do not signify time,
but state; and numbers determine its quality, n. 4, 10, 348, 947.
That five signifies something, and also a little, may appear firom
these places: A thousand shall flee at the rebuke offiove, Isaiah
xxx. 17. " And five of you shall chase a hundred," Levit. xxvi.
8..Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto ten vil'gins, of which five were wise and five were foolish,":Matt. xxv.
1, 2. By ten virgins are signified all in the church; by five
are signified a certain part or some of them. The like is signified by ten and five in the parable where there were given unto
the servants talents that they should trade, and one with his
talent gained ten talents, and another, five, Luke xix. 13-20.
Ten talents signify much, and five talents, a little; not to mention other passages; as in Isaiah xvii. 6; xix. 18, 19; Matt.
xiv. 15 22.
428. And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion
319




129, 430        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
when he striketh a man, signifies that this is from their power
of persuasion. This follows from what was said, n. 427; for by
torment is signified the stupor, which their persuasion induces
upon the understanding, as the scorpion does upon the body
when he stings it; a scorpion signifies that faculty of persuasion, n. 425. In the spiritual word there exists a power of
persuasion which takes away the understanding of truth, and
induces stupor, and thus distress, upon the mind; but this power
of persuasion is unknown in the natural world.
429. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall,no7
find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall f7ee from them,
signifies that it is the desire of those who are in the doctrine of
faith separated, that in matters of faith the understanding should
be shut up and the will closed, and thus that they should not
have any spiritual light and life; but that it is nevertheless
provided by the Lord that the understanding should not be shut
up, nor the will closed, lest spiritual light and life in man should
be extinguished.  In those days, signifies the last state of the
church, when the doctrine of faith alone is universally received;
men shall seek death, signifies that they will desire that, in matters of faith, the understanding should be shut up; and shall
not find it, signifies that it is provided of the Lord, that this
should not be done: and shall desire to die, signifies that they
will also wish to have the will closed in them; and death shall
flee from them, signifies that it is provided that neither should
take place; for thus spiritual light and life would be extingnished, and man would spiritually die; to seek, is predicated
of the understanding; and to desire, of the will; and death, of
I)oth. That this is the signification of these words, is evident;
otherwise, what meaning could there be in men's seeking death
in those days and not finding it, and desiring to die and death
fleeing from them? for by death, no other death is meant but
spiritual death, which is induced when the understanding is
removed from the things that are to be believed; for in this
case man knows not whether he thinks and does what is true,
or what is false, thus whether he thinks and acts with the angels
of heaven, or with the devils of hell.
430. Arnd the shajpes of the locusts, signifies the form  and
appearances of those who have confirmed in themselves faith
separated from charity. By shapes, is signified their appearances in a representative image; by locusts, are signified fialses
in extreme or lowest principles, n. 424; and as falses make one
with those who are in falses, they also are signified by locusts.
That they who have confirmed themselves in faith alone, or that
the falses in which they are principled, are meant by locusts,
appeared evident to me from this circumstance, that the presbyters who were in that faith, embraced the locusts that were
seen, and kissed them, and were desirous of introducing them
320




v. 5-8.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         431-434
into their houses; for the images, which are forms representative
of the affections and thoughts of angels and spirits in the spiritual world, appear as if they were alive, in like manner as the
animals, birds, and fishes, mentioned above.
431. TWere like unto horses _prepared unto battle, signifies
that because they can reason, they appear to themselves to combat fromn the understanding  of truth from the -Word. By a
horse, is signified the understanding of the Word, n. 298; by
war, is signified spiritual war, which consists in reasonings
and argumentations, n. 500, 586; by like, or similitudes, are
signified appearances, as above, n. 430.
432. And on their heads were as it were crowns like gold,
signifies that they appeared to themselves as conquerors. By
crowns on their heads like gold, are signified tokens of victory,
because formerly kings wore crowns of gold in battle, n. 300;
for it is said that they were seen like horses, that is, on horses
prepared for war, n. 431, for they had the faces of men, as
follows; and they are in the persuasion that they are invincible.
433. And theirfaces were as the faces of men, signifies that
they appeared to themselves to be wise. By man, in the Word,
is signified to be wise and intelligent, n. 243; and by his face,
wisdom and intelligence; hence it is, that by their faces being
as the faces of men, is signified that they appeared to them.selves to be wise. They are also called wise, learned, and erudite,
although they are among the foolish virgins, who had no oil in
their lamps, Matt. xxv. 1, 2. Oil signifies love and charity;
and among the foolish means among those who hear the Lord,
that is, read the Word, and do not do it, Matt. vii. 26.
434. And they had hair as the hair of women, signifies tlhat
they appeared to themselves to be in the affection of truth. _~y
man, in the Word, is signified the understanding of truth; and
by woman, the affection of truth, because man by birth is understanding, and woman, affection; on which subject, see The
2Tireatise concerning Conjugial Love. By hair, in the Word, is
signified the ultimate of man's life, which is the sensual principle,
see n. 424; this is what gives them the appearance of being in
the affection of truth, when yet they are in the affection of falsity;
for this they believe to be truth.  That a woman signifies the
affection of truth, may appear from many passages in the Word;
hence it is, that the church is called a wife, a woman, a daughter,
and a virgin, the church being a church by virtue of the love
or affection of truth; for from this comes the understanding of
truth. The church is called a woman in these passages: " There
were two women, of one mother, and they committed whoredomsn
in Egypt, Ahola which is Samaria, and Aholiba which is
Jerusalem," Ezek. xxiii. 2-4.  "Jehovah hath called thee as a
woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth,"
Isaiah liv. 6, T.  "Jehovah hath created a new thing in the
321




435             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ix.
earth, a woman shall compass a man," JerelY. xxxi. 21, 22.
By the woman clothed with the sun, whom the dragon persecnted, Apoc. xii., is signified the New Church, which is the
New Jerusalem.  By women are signified the affections of
truth, by virtue of which the church is a church, in many passages, as in the following: "The women of my people have ye
(ast out of their pleasant houses," Micah ii. 9. The families
of houses shall mourn apart, and the womren apart, Zech. xii. 12,
13. " Rise up, ye women that are at ease, give eat unto lmy
speech," Isaiah xxxii. 9. "Wherefore commit ye this great
evil to cut off fiom you mzan and woman?" Jerem. xliv. 7. "I
will break in pieces man a wnd zomzan," Jerem. li. 22. By man
and woman, here and elsewherle, is signified, in a spiritual sense,
the understanding of truth, and the affection of tluth.
435. And their teeth weire as the teeth of lions, signifies that
sensual things, which are the ultimates of the life of the natural
man, appeared with them to have power over all things. Teeth
signify the ultimates of the life of the natural man, which are
called sensual things; concerning which, see above, n. 424.
Sensual things are of two kinds, one kind having relation to the
will, and the other to the understanding; the sensual things of
the will are signified by the hair of women, of which above, n.
434; and the sensual things of the understanding are signified
by teeth; the latter, or what is the same, sensual men who are
in falses from confirmation, seem to themselves to be in power
over all things, so as to be altogether invincible; wherefore the
teeth of the locusts, by which such sensual things are signified,
were as the teeth of lions, for by a lion is signified power, n. 241.
Thlat teeth signify the ultimates of man's life, which are called
sensual things, and which, when separated from the interiors of
the mind, ale in mere falses, and do violence to truths even to
destroying them, may appear friom the illowing passages: " My
soul is among lions, whose teeth are spears and arrows," Psalm
lvii.. 4.' Break their teeth, 0 God, in their mouth, break out
the great teeth of the young lions," Psalm lviii. 6. " For a
nation is come up upon my land, strong,-whose teeth are the
teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek-teeth of a great lion," Joel
i. 6. " Jehovah hath broken the teeth of the ungodly," Psalm
iii. 7.  There came up out of the sea a beast dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong, which had great iron teeth, it
devoured and brake in pieces, Dan. vii. 7. "Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us a prey to their teeth," Psalm cxxiv.
6. Since sensual men do not see any truth in its own light,
but ratiocinate and dispute about evervy thing, by questioning its
identity; and since these disputes in the hells are heard without
as the gnashing of teeth, being in themselves the collisions of
falsity and truth, it is evident what is signified by the gnashing
Of teeth, Matt.,yii.;12:; xiii. 42, 50; xxii. 13; xxiv. 51; xxv.
322




v. 8, 9.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           436. 437
30; Luke xiii. 28; and partly what by gnashingwith the teeth.
Psalm iii. 7; Psalm  xxxv. 15, 16; Psalm  xxxvii. 12; Psalm
exii. 10; Micah iii. 5; Lament. ii. 16.
436. And they had breast-plates, as it were breast-plates of
iron, signifies argumentations from fallacies, by which they
fight and prevail, which appeared to them so powerful that they
could not be refuted. By breast-plates are signified defences,
because they protect the breast; here, defences of falsities,
which are effected by argumentations grounded in fallacies, by
whichll a false principle is defended; for from a false principle
nothlinig but falses can flow: if truths are advanced, they are
only viewed outwardly or superficially, thus also sensually, and
are consequently falsified, alld, with such persons, become fallacies. The reason why breast-plates have this signification,
is, because wars, in the Word, signify spiritual wars, and
thence the implements of war signify the various things relating to such wars; as in Jeremiah: " Harness the horses; and
get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmnets; fuirbish the spears, and put on the brigandines," xlvi. 4. In Isaiah:
"For he put on righteousness as a breast-plate, and an helmet
of salvation upon his head," lix. 17. In David: "UIrder his
wings shalt thou trust, his truth shall be thy shield and
&6ckler," Psalm  xci. 4; besides other places; as in Ezekiel
xxiii. 24; xxxviii. 4; xxxix. 9; Nahum ii. 4; Psalm  v. 12;
Psalm xxxv. 2, 3. Their breast-plates being as it were of iron,
signifies that their argumentations seemed to theni so strong
that they could not be refuted; for iron, from its hardness, signifies what is strong.
437. And the sotund of their wings was as the sound of chariets of'many horses running to battle, signifies their reasonings
as if they were from truths of doctrine from the Word fully
understood, for which they must ardently fight. The sound of
wings signifies reasonings, because to fly signifies to perceive
and instruct, n. 245, 415; chariots signify doctrinals, as will
be seen presently; horses signify the understanding of the
Word, n. 298; and many horses, what is plenary: that running
to battle signifies ardour for contest, is evident. That a chariot
signifies doctrine, is plain from these passages: " The cihariots
of God are twenty thousand thousands of angels, the Lord is
among them," Psalm lxviii. 17. "' Jehovah maketh the clouds
his chariot;  who wallketh upon the wings of the wind," Psalm
civ. 2, 3. "Thou didst ride (O Jehovalh) upon thine horses,
and thy chariots are salvation," Habak. iii. 8. " For behold,
Jellovah will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind," Isaiah lxvi. 15.  "Thus shall ye be filled at my table
with horses and chariots; and I will set my glory among the
heathen," Ezek. xxxix. 20.  "And I will cut off' the chariot
fiom Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem," Zech. ix. 10
323




t38           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           rChap. ix:' And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will
overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them," Haggai
ii. 22.   Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth;
and he saw a chariot, with a couple of horsemen, and a chariot
of camels, and a chariot of men, and he said, Babylon is fallen,
is fallen," Isaiah xxi. 6-8. And Elijah and Elisha represented
the Lord as to the Word, and thence signified doctrine from
the Word, as did all the prophets, n. 8, therefore they were
called the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof; and for
the same reason Elijah was seen taken into heaven in a chariot
offire, and there were seen by Elisha's young man chariots and
horses of fire round about him, 2 Kings ii. 11, 12; vi. 17; xiii.
14; besides other places where chariots occur; as in Isaiah
xxxi. 1; xxxvii. 24; lxvi. 20; Jerem. xvii. 25; xxii. 4; xlvi.
2, 3, 8, 9; 1. 37, 38; li. 20, 21; Ezek. xxvi. 7, 8, 10, 11; Dan.
xi. 40; Nahumn iii. 1-3; Joel ii. 1, 2, 5.
438. And they had tails like unto scorpions, signifies the
truths of the Word falsified, by means of which they induce
stupor.  By the tail is signified the ultimate of the head, because the brain is continued through the back-bone to the tail,
therefore the head and tail make one, as the first and last;
when, therefore, by the head, faith alone justifying and saving
is signified, by the'tail is signified the sum of all the confirmations thereof, which are from the Word, thus which are the
truths of the Word falsified. Every one, who from his own intelligence assumes a principle of religion, and establishes it as
the head, also assumes confirmations from the Word, and makes
them the tail, thus induces a stupor upon others, and so hurts
them; therefore it is said, that " they had tails like unto scorpions;" and presently after, " that there were stings in their
tails, and that their power was to hurt men;" for by a scorpion
is signified the power of persuasion inducing stupor upon the
understanding, n. 425. That the tail is a continuation of the
brain through the back-bone to its termination, any anatomist
will tell you; or merely observe a dog or any other animal with
a tail, and encourage and coax him, and you will see that the
ridge of his back will become slnooth, and his tail move correspondently; but that, on the contrary, he will set his back
up if you provoke him. The primary tenet of the understanding, which is assumed as a principle is signified by the head,
and the ultimate thereof by the tail, in these passages also:
"' Therefore Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, the
ancient and the honourable, he is the head, and the prophet
that teacheth lies, he is the tail," Isaiah ix. 14, 15. Egypt
shall not have any work to make head and tail, Isaiah xix. 15.
By the seven heads of the dragon, and by his tail, with which
he drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to
the earth, Apoc. xii. 4; as also by the tails like serpents, hay
324




v. 9-11.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              439
ing heads with which they do hurt, verse 19 of this chapter,
nothing else is signified. lnasmuch as by the tail is signified
the ultimate, and the ultimate being the complex or aggregate
of all, therefore Jehovah said to Moses, Take the serpent by
the tail; and he took it, and it became a rod, Exod. iv. 3, 4;
and therefore it was commanded, that they should take off the
tail entire near the back-bone, and sacrifice it together with tile
fat that was upon the entrails, kidneys, intestines, and liver,
Levit. iii. 9 —11; viii. 25; ix. 19; Exod. xxix. 22. That the
ultimate is the continent and complex, or that which contains
and comprehends all prior things, may be seen in The Doctrine_
of the Xew Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scri2ture, n. 38,
65; and in The Wisdom of Angels concerning the Divine.Love
and the Divine Wisdonm, n. 209-216, n. 217-222.
439. And there were stings in their tails: and their power
was to hurt me~n five months, signifies subtle falsifications of
the Word, by which, for a short time, they darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. By
stings in their tails are signified subtle falsifications of the
Word;-by stings, subtilty; and by tails, the truths of the
Word falsified, n. 438. By their power to hurt, is signified
that by means of these they can induce stupor, that is, they
can darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive
and captivate; for their tails were like scorpions, and by scorpions such things are signified, n. 425. By five months, is signified for a short time, as above, n. 427: this takes place when
they quote and apply any thing from the Word; for the Word
is written according to correspondences, and correspondences
are in part appearances of truth, containing within them genuine truths. If these truths are not known in the church, many
things may be taken from the Word, which at first appear in
accordance with heresy; but when genuine truths are known in
the church, then the appearances of truth are rendered manifest, and genuine truths come to view. But before this is done,
a heretic, by various things drawn from the Word, may obscure
and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. That this is done by those who assert that man's sins are
remitted, or, in other words, that he is justified by an act of
faith, concerning which no one knows any thing, and this in a
moment, and if not before, even at the hour of death, mioght
be illustrated by examples, were this the place to do so. B3y
stings are signified falses of a hurtful nature derived from evil,
also in Amos: " Lo, the days shall come upon you, when they
shall take you away with stings," iv. 2. And in Moses: That
they should drive out the inhabitants of the land, lest they
should be thorns in their eyes, and stings in their sides, Numb
xxxiii. 55. Thorns, briers, brambles, and thistles, also signif:
falses of evil, on account of their prickles.
325




140 —442        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. ix.
440. And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottom.
less pit; whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddcon, but in
the Greek tongue he hath his name Apollyoz, signifies that they
are in the satanic hell who are in fulses dlerived fiom concupiscences, and, by a total falsification of the Word, have destroyed
the church. By their king, the angel of the bottomless pit, is
not signified any angel who is a king there, but the false principle reigning therein; for by a king, in a genuine sense, is
signified one who is in truths from the affection of good, and,
abstractedly, that truth itself, n. 20; and thence, in the opposite sense, by a king is signified one who is in falses fiom concupiscence of evil, and, abstractedly, that faise itself. By the
bottomless pit is signified the satanic hell, where they are, n.
387, 428; by name is signified the quality of the state, n. 81,
122, 165; Abaddon, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies a destroying and a destroyer; so does Apollyon, in the Greek tongue;
and this is the false principle in extreme or lowest plinciples,
which, by the total falsification of the Word, has destroyed the
church. By Abaddon, in the Hebrew text, is signified destruction or perdition, in these places: "Shall thy faithfulness be
declared in destruction?" Psalm lxxxviii. 11.  "Hell is naked
before him, and destruction hath no coveling,' Job xxvi. 6.
"For it is a fire that consumeth to destluction," Job xxxi. 12.'D lestruction, and Death say," Job xxviii. 22. In other places,
hell and the devil are called l)estruction or Perdition, angr
Qestroyer, Isaiah liv. 16; Ezek. v. 16; ix. 1; Exod. xii. 13;
though another term is used,
441. One woe is past; behold, there come two woes nore hereafter, signifies further lamentations over the devastation of
tile church. That woe signifies lamentation over calamity, unhappiness, and damnation, see n. 416; here, then, by two
woes to come, are signified further lamentations over the state
of the church.
442. And the sixth angel sounded, signifies the explolration
ald manifestation of their state of life in the reformed church
who are not so wise, and yet place the all of religion in faith,
and think of it alone and of nothing beyond it, and the customary worship, and so live as they like. That these are treated
of to the end of this chapter, will appear from the explanation
of what follows. That to sound signifies to explore and lay
open the state of the church, and thence of the life of those
whose religion consists in faith alone, may be seen above, n. 397.
" These who are now treated of, are altogether distinct friom
those referred to thus far in this chapter, the falses of whose
faith were seen in the form of locusts: this is the ground of
distinction; the latter, or those already described, are studious
in exploring the arcana of justification by faith, and also in
giving the signs of it, and its testimonies, which, with them
326




1-. 11 —14.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          443, 444
are the goods of moral and civil life; insisting that the precepts
of the Word are indeed in themselves divine, but that with man
they become natural, because they proceed from his will, and
have no conjunction with his spiritualities of faith; and because
they confirm  these things by rational considerations, which
savour of erudition, they dwell in the southern quarter of the
bottomless pit, according to the description above, n. 421. But
they who are treated of in what follows to the end of the chaptel, do not study those arcana, but only make bare faith the
all of religion, and nothing besides it and the customary worship, and so live at their ease. I have been permitted' to see
and converse with these also; they live in the northern quarter,
in huts that are scattered about, and constructed of reeds and
rushes plastered over with lime, without any floor but the
ground. The more ingenious, who, by means of natural light,
know how to establish that faith by reasonings, and can prove
that it has nothing at all to do with life, dwell in fiont, the
more simple behind them, and the more stupid toward the
western part of that tract: the mnultitude of them is so great
that it is incredible. They are instructed by angelic spirits, but
they who do not receive the truths of faith, and live according
to them, are let down into the hell which is under them, and
confined there?"
443. And I heard a vtoice from  the four horns of the golden
altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had
the trumnpet, signifies a command from the Lord out of the
spiritual heaven to those who were to explore and make manifest. By a voice is signified a divine conlmand; by the golden
altar, or altar of incense, is signified the spiritual heaven,
n. 277, 392; by the four horns of that altar is signified its
power, n. 270; here, the power of loosing the four angels
bound at the river Euphrates, as follows: by the sixth angel
iwho had the trumpet, is signified to those to whom the office
of exploring and laying open these things was committed, n.
442.
444. L;oose the four angels that are bound at the great river
Eutphrates, signifies that external restraints should be removed
firom them, that the interiors of their minds might appear.
That this is the signification of these words, no one can know,
and scarcely can suspect, unless lie knows what is meant by the
great river Euphrlates, and what by the four angels bound there.
By Euphrates, in the Word, are signified the interiors of mlan's
mind, which are called things rational, which, with those who
are in truths derived from good, are full of wisdom, but in those
who are in falses derived from evil, are full of insanity. The
reason why these are signified in the Word by the river Euphrates, is, because that river divided the land of Canaan from
Assyria; and by the land of Canaan was signified the church'
327




144            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. Ix.
and by Assyria, its rational principle; and thence by the river
which bounded it, are signified the interiors of the mind which
are called things rational, in both senses: for there are three
things which constitute a man of the church, the spiritual principle, the rational or intellectual, and the natulal, which is also
the scientific. The spiritual principle of the church was signified by the land of Canaan and its rivers; the rational or intellectual principle of the church, by Ashlur or Assyria and its
river Euphrates; and the natural, which is also the scientific
principle of the church, by Egypt and its river Nile: but concerning these more may he seen below, n. 503. By the four
angels bound at the river Euphrates, are signified those interiors with the men of the church which are said to be bound,
because they are not openly avowed; for they are infernal
spirits, who are meant by these four angels, since it is said of
them, in what follows, n. 446, that they were prepared to kill
the third part of men, and the interiors of men make one with
spirits, either infernal or celestial, because they cohabit: by
loosing them is signified to remove external restraints, that the
interiors of their minds may appear. Such is the signification
of these words. By Euphrates are signified the interiors of
mlan's mind bordering upon or bounding the spiritual things of
his church, as may appear from those places in the Word where
Ashur or Assyria is mentioned; but Euphrates occurs in an
opposite sense, in which it signifies the interiors full of falses
and thence of insanities, in these passages: " Behold the Lord
bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many,
even the king of Assyria.  And he shall pass through Judah;
he shall overflow, and go over," Isaiah viii. 7, 8. " And now
what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters
cf Sihor? or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria-,
that thou shouldest drink the waters of the'iver2?" Jerein. ii.
18. "And Jehovah shall utterly destroy the tongue of the
Egyptian sea; and shake his hand over the river  tphraltes,"
Isaiah xi. 15. " And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon
the great rivere Etphreates, and the water thereof was dried up,"
Apoc. xvi. 12. The prophet was commanded to put a girdle
upon his loins, and to hide it afterwards in a hole of a rock
beside the Euiphrates, and after a short time when he took it,
behold it was rotten, nor was it useful for any thing, Jeream.
xiii. 1-7, 11. And he was also commanded, when he had
done reading the Book, to cast it into the midst of the iEtphrates, and to say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and not rise again,
Jerem. li. 63, 64; by these things were represented the interiors of the state of the church with the children of Israel.
That the river of Egypt, the Nile, and the river of Assyria, the
Euphlrates, were the boundaries of the land of Canaan, appears
fiom this passage: "Jehovah made a covenant with Abram,
328




v 14-16]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          44.5.-447
6av!ing, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the rzfer of
Egypt unto the great river Euph2rates," Gen. xv. 18. That tho
Euphrates was a boundary, may be seen, Exod. xxiii. 31; Deut.
i. 7, 8; xi. 24; Joshua i. 4; Micah vii. 12.
445. And the four angels were loosed, signifies that when
external restraints were remloved, the interiors of their minds
appeared. This follows from what was said above.
446. 117o were precpared for acn hour, and a day, and a
month, and a year, to slay the third pcart of mnen, signifies that
they were perpetually in the effort to take away spiritual light
and life fiom men of the church. Being prepared signifies to
be in the endeavour; by an hour, a day, a month, and a year,
is signified continually and perpetually, in like manner as by
at all times; to slay signifies to take away spiritual light and
life friom men of the church, n. 325; and the third part signi.
fies all, n. 400.
447. And the number of the armnies of horsemen were two
myriads of myriads, signifies reasonin gs concerning faith alone,
with which the interiors of their minds were filled, from the
great abundance of mere falses of evil. By armies are signified goods and truths; and, in the opposite sense, evils and
falses; here, the falses of evil, of which below. By horsemen
are signified reasonings concerning faith alone; because by a
horse is signified the understanding of the Word, n. 298; and
also the understanding of the Word destroyed, n. 305, 312,
321; therefore by horsemen are signified reasonings from the
understanding of the Word destroyed: in the present instance,
concerning faith alone; because they who are principled th~erein
are treated of. By two myriads of myriads are not meant the
precise number, but a great abundance; two are mentioned,
because two are predicated of good, and, in the opposite sense,
of evil, n. 322; and myriads are predicated of truths, and, in
the opposite sense, of falses, n. 336. Hence it may be seen,
that by the nulmber of the armies of horsemen, two myriads of
myriads, are signified reasonings concerning faith alone, with
which the interiors of their minds were filled, from the great
abundance of mere falses of evil. That by armies, in the
Word, are signified the goods and truths of heaven and the
church, and, in the opposite sense, evils and falses, may appear
from those places where the sun, moon, and stars, are called
armies or hosts; and by the sun is signified the good of love;
by the moon, the truth of faith; and by the stars, knowledges
of what is good and true; and the contrary, in the opposite
sense, n. 51, 53, 332, 413; both the former and the latter are
called armies or hosts, in these passages: "Praise Jehovah all
ye his hosts, praise ye him sun and moon, praise him all ye stars
of light," Psalm cxlviii. 2, 3. "My hands have stretched oi,
the heavens, and all their host have I commanded," Isaiahl xlv
329




148, 449         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ix.
12. 1"1By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and
all the host of them by the breath of his mouth," Psalm xxxiii
6. The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host
of them, Gen. ii. 1. The horn of the goat grew even " to the
host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and of the
stars to the ground, yea, he magnified himself even to the
-)rince of the host:-and an host was given him  against the
daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the
truth to the ground: then I heard one saint speaking, How
long is the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?"
Dan. viii. 10-14.  " Jehovah shall utter his voice before his
army," Joel ii. 11. On the house tops they offered incense to
all the host of heaven, Jeremn. xix. 13. Lest thou worship and
serve the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the ghost of,Ieaven,
Deut. iv. 19; xvii. 3; Jerem. viii. 2; in like manner in Isaiah
xiii. 4; xxxiv. 4; xl. 26; Jerem. xxxiii. 22; Zech. ix. 15;
Apoc. xix. 14. Because the host of heaven signifies the goods
and truths of heaven and the church, therefore the Lord is
called Jehovah Zebaoth, that is, Jehovah of hosts: and, for the
same reason, the ministry of the Levites was called military
service, Numb. iv. 3, 23, 30, 39; and it is written in David:
"Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his
pleasure," Psalm ciii. 21. Evils and falses in the church are
signified in Isaiah by the army of the Gentiles, xxxiv. 2; and
by the acry of the king of the north, with which he caine
against the king of the south, Dan. xi. 13, 15, 20. The king of
the north is the false of evil in the church, and the king of the
south is the truth of good there. It is said by the Lord, "When
ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that
the desolation thereof is nigh," Luke xxi. 20. By Jerusalem
is here signified the church, and by armies the evils and falses
which would lay it waste; speaking of the consummation of
the age, which is the last time of the church. Evils and falses
are signified by an army, in Joel: " And I will restore to you
the years that the locust hath eaten, the canlkerworm, the
caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army, which I
sent among you," ii. 25. That by tlhe locust and the other
things is signified the false in extreme or lowest principles, see
above, n. 424.
448. And I heard the number of them, signifies that the
quality of them was perceived, which was as follows. To hear
signifies to perceive; number signifies the quality and state of
a thing, n.. 10, 348, 364: it denotes the quality of their state,
as given below, because it is described in what now follows,
wherefore it is said, And thus I saw.
449. Andcl thtGus Isaw the horses in the vision, and them thai
sat on them, signifies that then it was discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith ialone4
330




v. 16, 17.]      TFE, APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              44S
were imaginary and v sionary, and that they themselves were
infatuated with them. To see signifies to discover their quality;
by horses are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their
minds concerning faith alone; in the present case, imaginary
and visionary reasonings, because it is said, that he saw them in
vision. By those that sit on horses are signified such' as are
intelligent firom the Word understood, but here., such as are infatuated by ilmaginary and visionary notions, which are contrary
to. the Word.  Because the interiors of their minds appeared
under such forms as signify imaginary and visionary reasonings
concerning faith alone, a few of them, which I have heard from
their own mouths, shall be made public; thus, for instance:
" Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the
only medium  of salvation?  How can we appear before God
without that medium? Is it not the only mediumn   Are we
not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by
the transgression of Adam? Can there be any other means of
beinug healed but by faith alone?  What can our works contribute towards this 2 Who can do any good work from himself,
-who can purify, forgive, justify, and save himself? Does there
not lurk, in every work that man does firom himnself, merit and
self-righteousness? And if, haply, we should do any thing that
was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law?  Besides, if any
one sins against one comnmandment, he sins against all, because
they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world, and
suffer so grievously on the cross, but to take away from us
damnation and the curse of the law, to reconcile God the Father, and become merit and righteousness alone, which might
be imputed to man through faith ll  otherwise, what good end
could be answered by his coming? Since, then, Christ suffered
for us, alld fulfilled the law for us, and took away its right of
condemnation, can evil, in this case, any longer condemn, and
can good save us? therefore we who have faith, are at full
liberty to think, will, speak, and do whatever we please, provided we do no injury to our reputation, honour, and interest,
nor incur the penalties of the civil law, which would be a disgrace and hurt to us."  Some, who wander further north, said,
" That good works, which are done for the sake of salvation,
are hurtful, pernicious, and cursed;" among these, also, there
were some Presbyters. These things are what I heard, but they
mumbled and muttered many more, which I did not hear. They
spoke, also, indecently with all licentiousness, and were lascivious, both in words and actions, without fear for any wicked
deed, except out of pretence, for the sake of appearing honest.
Such are the interiors of the -mind, and thence the exteriors of
the body of those, who place the all of religion in faitlh alone.
But all those things, which were uttered by them, fall to the
ground, if the Lord himself —the Saviour —is immediately ap
331




450             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. ix.
proached, and believed in, and good is done, each for the sake
of salvation, and by man as from himself, with a belief, how
ever, that it is from the Lord: unless these things are done as
by man, neither faith nor charity can be given at all; nor, con
sequently, can religion nor salvation.
450. Icaving breast-plates of fire, and ofjacinth, and of brimstone, signifies their imaginary and visionary argumentatiolns
from infernal love and self-derived intelligence, and the cone(piscences thenee proceeding.  By breast-plates are signified
argumentations, by which they fight for faith alone, n. 436; by
fire is signified celestial love, and in the opposite sense, infernal
love, n. 452, 465, 495'; by jacinth is signified intelligence from
sipiritual love, and, in the opposite sense, intelligence from infernal love, which is self-derived intelligence, of which below;
and by brimstone is signified concupiscences derived fiom that
love through self-intelligence, n. 452: hence it follows, that by
breast-plates of fire, of jacinth, and of brimstone, such things
are signified. The reason why their arguinentations in favour
of faith alone are thus described, is, because all they who believe
themselves justified, that is, absolved from sin, by faith alone,
never think of repentance; and an impenitent man is in mere
sins, and all sins are derived from, and thence partake of the
nature of infernal love, of self-intelligence, and the concupiscences springing from them; and they who are principled in
these things, not only act fiom them, but also speak, yea, think
and will, and consequently reason and argue firom them; these
constitute, indeed, the very man, because they are his very life;
bt't then a man devil, and an infernal life. They who live a
moral life, only for the sake of themselves and the world, do not
know this; the reason is, because their interiors are infernal,
whilst their exteriors are similar to the exteriors of those who
live a Christian life: let them know, however, that every one,
when lie dies, comes into his interiors, because he becomes a spirit,
this being the internal man; and then the interiors accommodate
the exteriors to themselves, and they become alike: wherefore'the morality of their life in the world then becomes as the scales
of fishes which, are wiped away. The case is quite different wFith
those who hold the precepts of moral life to be divine, and then
those also of a civil nature, by reason of their having relation to
love towards the neighbour. A jacinth signifies intelligence
derived firon spiritual love, because its colour partakes of the
redness of fire and the whiteness of light; and by fire is signified love; and by light, intelligence: this intelligence is signified by blue in the coverings and vails of the tabernacle, Exod.
lxvi. 31, 36; xxvii. 16; in Aaron's ephod, Exod. xxviii. 6,
15; by the cloth of blue or hyaCcith which was placed over the
ark, the table, the candlestick, and the altar, when they journeyed, Numb. iv. 6, 7, 9, 11, 12; by the fringe of blue threaac
332




v. 17.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                4.!1
on the borders of their garments, Numb. xv. 38, 39; and by
the hyacinthine or blue colour, in Ezekiel xxvii. 7, 24. But
intelligence derived fiom the affection of infernal love, is signified by blue in Ezekiel: Aholah, or Samaria, played the harlot,
and doted on her lovers, the neighbouring Assyrians, clothed in
blue, horsemen riding upon horses, xxiii. 4-6: hereby the
church is described, which, by reasonings from self-derived intelligence, had falsified the truths of the Word. And in Jeremiah: "But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock
is a doctrine of vanities. Silver spread into plates is brought
from Tarshish, the work of the workmen and of the hands of
the founder, blue and purple is their clothing, they are all the
work of the wise," x. 8, 9. The work of the workmen and of
the hands of the founder, and all the work of the wise, signify,
in this passage, that they were the offspring of self-derived intelligence.
451. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions,
signifies phantasies concerning faith alone, as if it were in power.
By heads are signified the imaginary and visionary notions
about faith alone, with those who are here treated of collectively,
which are called phantasies; by horses are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their minds, which are such, n. 449; by
lions are signified power, n. 241; but then it is power fiom fallacies, inasmuch as they are sensual, and the sensual reason fromn
fallacies, by which they persuade and captivate, n. 424. That
their arguments in favour of faith alone are imaginary and
visionary, any one may see, who elevates his mind a little.
What are faith in act and faith in state, as conceived by themn,
but visionary things?  Who is there among them that knows
any thing concerning faith in act; and what avails faith in state,
when no good enters from man into faith in act?  What is
remission of sins and consequent momentaneous salvation, but
a result of visionary thought? That it is the fiery flying serpent
in the church, see The Wisdom of Angels concerning the Divine
Providence, n. 340. What is the conceit of immunity, merit,
righteousness, and sanctification by imputation, but a visionary
thing?. see Thee Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the
Lord, n. 18. What is the Divine Operation in internals, without
man's co-operation in externals as fiom himself?  For to separate the internal from the external so that there can be no conjunction of them, is merely visionary, see below, n. 606. Such
a visionary thing is faith separated from charity; for charity in
works is the very foundation and continent of fhith; it is its
ground and soil, also its essence and life; in a word, faith from
charity constitutes a man; but faith, without charity, is a spectre, and a creature of the imagination, like a bubble of water
floating in the air. But perhaps some may say, If you remove
the understanding from faith, you will not see visionary things;
333




1:52 453        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. Ix.
but be it known, that he who can remove the understanding
from faith, may obtrude a thousand visionary things upon every
religious tenet, as has been done for ages past by the Roman
Catholics.
452. And out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and
brimstone, signifies that in their thoughts and discourses, viewed
interiorly, there is nothing, and from  them  there proceeds
nothing but the love of self and of ihe world, which is the proprium or selfhood of the will; the pride of self-derived intelligence, which is the proprium of the understanding, and the concu.piscences of evil and falsity, which is the common proprilnm
springing firom the two former.  Out of their months, means
out of their thoughts and discourses; by fire is signified the love
of self and of the world, which love is the proprium of man's
will. n. 450, 465, 495; by smloke is signified the pride of selfderived intelligence, which is the proprium of his understanding,
proceeding from the love of self and of the world, as smoke does
from fire, n. 422; and by brimstone is signified the concupiscence of evil and falsity, which is the common proprium flowing from the two former. These things, however, do not appear
fromn their discourses before men in the world, but manifestly
before the angels in heaven; therefore it is said, that when
viewed interiorly, they are such. Fire signifies infernal love,
and brimstone, the concupiscences flowing from that love through
the pride of self-derived intelligence, in the following passages:
I will cause it to rainfire and brimstone upon him, Ezelk. xxxviii.
22. "Jehovah shall rain upon the wicked fire and brimstone,"
Psalm xi. 6. " For it is the day of Jehovah's vengeance-and
The streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust
thereof into brimstone, the smoke thereof shall go tup for ever,"
Isaiah xxxiv. 8-10.  "But the same day that Lot went out
of Sodomn, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven; —even thus
shall it be in the day when the day when the Son of Man is revealed," Luke
xvii. 29, 30: Gen. xix. 24. "If any man worship the beast
and his imnage, —he shall be tormented with fire and brim-stone,"
Apoc. xiv. 9, 10. "And the bea;st, and with him  the false
prophet and the devil, were cast alive into a lake offire burtning
wtith b rimstone," Apoc. xix. 20; xx. 10; xxi. 8. "The breath
of Jehovah like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it," Isaiah
xxx. 33. "And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and
salt and burning, that it is not sown, neither shall it bring forth
any grass like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah," Deut.
xxix. 21, 23. Brimstone shall be scattered over the habitation
of the wicked, Job xviii. 15.
453. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued oiut of
their mouths, signifies that from these it is, that the men of the
church perish. A third part of men being killed, signifies that
334




v. 17 —19.]     THaE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          454, 455
the men of tle church perish by the three things just now men.
tioned, n. 452; for by being killed, is signified to be killed spirituially, ilwhich is to perish as to the soul; and by a third parn
is signified all who are principled in those falses, which have
been frequently enumerated above; what is signified by fire,
smoke, and brinmstone, and what by issuing out of their mouths,
may be seen above, n. 452. To these falses may be ascribed
the circumstance, that throughout Christendom it is not known
that the fire here spoken of denotes the love of self and of the
world, and that this love is the devil; also that the smoke issu
ing from this fire denotes the pride of self-derived intelligence,
and that this pride is Satan; as also that brimstone kindled by
this fire, by means of that pride, denotes the coneupiscences ot
evil and falsity; and that these concupiscences are the crew of
the devil and Satan, of which hell consists; and when ignorance
prevails respecting these things it cannot be known what is a
sin, for sin derives all its deliglht and pleasantness firom them.
454. For their power is in their mouth, signifies that they
only prevail by their discourse in confirmation,f faith.  By
power in their month is signified power in discourse confirming
doctrine: for neatness and elegance of language, pretended zeal,
ingenious confirmation of what is false, especia4ly fiom  the
appearances of truth in the Word, authority, closure of the
understanding, and the like, effect every thing, whilst truth and
the Word effect nothing; for truth shines bebfore none, and the
Word teaches none, but those who are principled in charity and
thence in faith.
455. For~ their tails were like unto serpetts and had heads,
and with themr they hurt, signifies the reason, because they are
in a sensual and inverted state, speaking truths with their lips,
but falsif'ying them by the principle which constitutes the head
or chief doctrine of their religion, and thllus they deceive. The
same is here signified as above, by the locusts, n. 438, 439; b-ut
it is there said, that they had tails like scorpions, whereas here,
like serpents, for they who are described by the locusts, speak
and persuade fi'om the Word, the sciences, and flom erudition;
but these only from arguments, which are appearances of truth
and fallacies; and they who use such arguments ingeniously,
and as it were wisely, do indeed deceive, but not in. so great a
degree. By serpents, in the Word, are signified sensual things,
which are the ultimates of man's life, as above, n. 424; the reason is, because all animals signify the affections of man, wherefore also the affections of angels and spirits, in the spiritual
world, appear at a distance as animals, and affections, merely
sensual, as serpents; and this because serpents creep on the
ground and lick the dust., and sensual things are the lowest of
the understanding and will, being in close contact with the
world, and nourished by its objects and delights, which only
335




t'56{           THE APFOCLYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix
affect the material senses of the body. Noxious serpents, which
are of many kinds, signify the sensual things that are dependent
on the evil affections which constitute the interiors of the mind
with those who are insane through the falses of evil; and harmless
serpents signifv the sensual things that are dependent on the good
affections, which constitute the interiors of the mind with those
who are wise by virtue of the truths of good. Sensual things
dependent on evil affections, are signified by serpents in these
places: " They shall lick the dust like a serpent," Micah vii. 17.
" And dust shall be the serpent's meat," Isaiah lxv. 25. Unto
the serpent it was said, "Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust
shalt thou eat all- the days of thy life," Gen. iii. 14. The sensual principle is so described, because, communicating as it does
with hell, where all are sensual, it, in things spiritual, changes
celestial wisdom into infernal insanity.' Rejoice not thou, whole
Palestina, —for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent," Isaiah xiv.
29. " They hatch cockatrice' eggs,-he that eateth of their eggs
dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper,'
Isaiah lix. 5. Because the sons of Israel desired to return
into Egypt, they were bit by serpents, Numb. xxi. 1-10.  To
return into Egypt, signifies from spiritual to become sensual;
therefore it is said, The hirelings of Egypt turned themselves
away, " the voice thereof shall go like the voice of a serpent,"
Jerem. xlvi. 22. Because Dan was the last of the tribes, and
thence signified the ultimate of the church, which is the sensual
principle subject to the interiors, therefore it is said of him,;'Dan shall be a serpent by the way that biteth the horses'
heels, so that his rider shall fall backward," Gen. xlix. 17.
By the horses' heels are signified the ultimates of the understanding, which are sensual; by biting is signified to adhere to
them; by horseman, or rider, is signified the defect of knowledge from them whereby truths are perverted, for which reason
it is said, His rider shall fall backward. As sensual men are
crafty and cunning, like foxes, therefore the Lord says, Be ye
wise as serpents, Matt. x. 16; for the sensual man speaks and
reasons from appearances and fallacies, and if he has a talent for
disputation can ingeniously confirm every falsity, and also the
heresy of faith alone; though in discerning truth it is scarcely
p)ossible for any one to be so dull and slow of comprehension.
456. And the rest of the men who were not killed by these
plagues, signifies those in the reformed church who are not so
spiritually dead from visionary reasonings and from self-love,
and from the pride of self-derived intelligence, and from  the
concupiscences thence proceeding, as the former, and yet make
faith alone the head of their religion.  By the rest of the men
are meant they who are not as the former, but yet make faith
alone the head of their religion; who were not killed, signifies
336




v. 19, 20.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.                4560
who are not so spiritually dead; by these plagues are meant
self-love, the pride of self-derived intelligence,. and the concupiscences of evil and falsity flowing firom them; these thl ee being
signified by fire, smoke, and brimstone, concerning which above,
n. 432, 453. That such is the signification of plagues, will be
seen below.  But something must first be said' respecting this
class of persons, whom also it has been granted me to see and
to converse with. "They dwell in- the northern qluarter towardsthe west, where some of them  have cottages with roofs, and
some without roofs; their beds are of bulrushes, their garments
of goat's hair. In the light flowing-in from heaven their faces:
appear stupid and also livid. The reason is, becausetlihey know
nothing more'about religion than that there is a God, that there
are three persons, that Christ suffered for them  on the cross,
and that it is faith alone by which they are saved; and likewise.
by worship in temples, and by prayers at stated times: as to
any thing else relating to. religion and its doctrine, they pay no
attention whatever; for the. worldly and corporeal things, with
which their minds are filled and overcharged, close: up their
ears against their admission. There are:m any of the Presbyters
among: them,: whoin  I asked,' What do you think, when you!
read in the Word of works, of love and charity, of firuits, of the'
precep)ts of life, of repentance, in short, of things that are to be
done?'  They replied, That they did indeed read them, and
thus saw them; but still they did not see them, because they
kept their minds fixed upon faith alone, and therefore thought
that all these were faith, and did not perceive that they were
effects of faith. That such ignorance and stupidity prevails
with those who have embraced faith alone, and made: it the: alll
of their religion, is: scarcely credible; nevertheless it has been
permitted me to have abundant experience of the fact."  That
by plagues are meant spiritual plagues, by means of which man
dies as: to his spirit or soul, is evident from  these passages:
"Thy bruise is desperate, thy plagce is grievous, for I will restore health unto thee, I will heal thee of thy plagues," Jerem.
xxx. 12, 14, 17. ~" Every one that goeth. by Babylon, shall hiss
at all her _plagues," Jerem. l. 13.  " In one day shall plcagues
come upon Babylon, death and mourning," Apoc. xviii. 8. "I
saw seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is
filled up the: wrath of God," Apoc. xv. 1.  "Ah! sinful nation,
a people laden with iniqnity, —from  the sole of the foot even
unto the head, there: is no soundness in it, but wounds, and
bruises, and recent plagutes: they have not been closed, nor
bound up,: nor- mollified: with ointment," Isaiah i. 4, 6. " In
the dayv that Jehovah, bindeth up the breach of his people, and
healeth the. stroke of their plague," Isaiah xxx. 26; besides
other places; as in Deut. xxviii. 59; Jerem. xlix.,17; Zech. xirv.
12,.15; Luke. vii. 21; Apoc. xi. 6; xvi. 21.
337                                         w




457             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
457. Te't repented not qf the works of their hands, signifies
that neither did they shun the things that are proper to themselves, which are evils of every kind, as sins. By the works of a
man's hands, are signified the things proper to man, which are
evils and consequent falses, because by hand are signified those
things, in the aggregate, which proceed from man; foib the
powers of the mind, and thence of its body, are determined to
the hands and there terminate; wherefore by hands, in the
Word, is signified power: consequently, by the works of a
man's hands, the things proper to him are signified, which are
evils and faises of: all kinds; the things proper to his will are
evils, and the things proper to his understanding are falses flowing firom them. It is said of those who are here treated of, that
they repented not; the reason is, because they who make faith
allone the all of religion, say in themselves, What need is there
of repentance, when by faith alone sins are remitted, and we
are saved? Of what avail are our own works in this matter? I
know that I was born in sin, and that I am a sinner; if I confess this, and pray that my faults may not be imputed to me, is
not the work of repentance then performned, and what need is
there for any thing Inore? Thus he has no thought at all about
sins, and comes at length not to know that there is any such
thing as sin; wherefore he is continually borne along within
them  and into them, by the delight and pleasantness which
flow from  them, in like m'anner as a ship is carried by a fair
\wilnd and tide toward the rocks, whilst the pilot and mariners
are asleep. By the works of men's hands, in the Word, in its
natural sense, are meant graven images, molten images, and
idols:; but, in the spiritial sense, they signify evils and falses
of every kind, which are the things proper to man; as in these
passagoes: Provoke me not to anger by the works of you/r hanids;
if ye proyvoke me to anger by the woorks of your hanvds, to your
own hurt, " I will recompense them according to their deeds,
and according to the works of their own, hanids," Jelem. xxv.
6, 7, 14. -'VFor tile children of Israel have provoked me to
angel' with the work of their hands," Jerema. xxxii. 30; xliv. 8.'And I will utter my judgments against them  touching all
their wickedness, because they have worshipped the wo'rks of
their own hancls,"' Jerem. i. 16. In that day their eyes shall
look up to the Holy One of Israel, and not to altars-the work
of their hands, and which their fingers have made, Isaiah xvii.
7,:8; xxxi. 7; xxxvii. 19; Jeremn. x. 9. That the work of m an's:hands is his selfhood, and thence evil and falsity, may appear:manifestly from this consideration, that on; this account it was
forbidden to build the altar and temple with hewn stones, or to
lift up an iron tool upon them, for this would signify the work
of men's hands: " And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone,
thou shalt not build it Of hewn stone, for if thou lift up thy tool
338




v.' 20.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              458
apon it, thou hast polluted it," Exod. xx. 25. Joshua built an
altar of stones, over which he did not lift up any iron, Joshua
viii. 30, 31.  The temple of Jerusalem  was built of "stone
made ready, so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any
tool of iron heard, while it was building," 1 Kings vi. 7. All
things which are done by the Lord, are also called the works of
his hands, which are proper to him, and in themselves are
goods and truths, as in these passages: The works of Jehovah'-s
hands are truth and judgment, Psalm cxi. 7. "Thy mercy, O
Jehovah, endureth for ever, forsake not the works of thine owm
hands," Psalm cxxxviii. 8. "Thus saith Jehovah, tile Holy
One of' Israel and his Maker, Ask me of things to comne, concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands colnnand ye me," Isaiah xlv. 11.  "Thy people shall be all righteous,-the branch of my planting, the work of my  zands,"
Isaiah lx. 21. " But now, 0 Jehovah, thou art our Father; we
are clay, and thou our potter, and we all are the work of thy
hands,"' Isaiah lxiv. 8.
458. That they should not worship demons, signifies that
thus they are in the evils of their concupiscences, and make one
with their like in hell. By demons are signified the concupis
cences of evil springing from the love of the world; the reason
is, because in hell they are called demons who are in those concupiscences; and men also, who are in the same, beconle demons after death; there is also a conjunction between them and
such men; for every man is conjoined with spirits as to his
affections, even to their making a one; firom which circulmstance it is evident, that to worship demons, is to sacrifice to
those concupiscences from the love of them. Therefore lie who
invokes faitih alone, as the head of his religion, or as his idol,
remains in. evil, by reason of his not searching out any evil in
himself which he considers a sin, and consequently is not desirous of removing it by repentance; and as every evil is composed of concupiscences, being nothing but a fascicle or bundle
of them, it follows, that he who does not search out any evil in
himself, and shun it as a sin against God, which can only be
done by repentance, becomes a demon after death. Nothing
but such concupisceuces are signified by demons in the following passages: "They sacrificed unto devils, not to God," Dent.
xxxii. 17. The children of Israel no longer saci:ficed to the
devils, after which they went a whoring, Ievit. xvii. 7; Psalm
cvi. 37. "The wild beast of the desert and of the islands (Ziim
and Ijim) shall meet, and the demon of the woods shall cry to
his fellow," Isaiah xxxiv. 14. " But the wild beasts of the desert (Ziim) shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures (Ochim), and the daughters of the owl shall ldwell
there, and the demons of the woods shall dance there," IsaiAh
xiii. 21. By Ziim, Ijirn, Ochim, and the daughters of the owl.
8839




459             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
are signified various concupiscences; wood demons are such
concupiscences as appertain to priapuses and satyrs.  Babylon
is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean spirit, Apoc. xviii. 2. The demons which the Lord cant
out, were such concupiscences, when they lived in the world,
concerning which, see Matthew viii. 16, 28; ix. 32, 33; x. 8;
xii. 22; xv. 22; Mark i. 32-34; Luke iv. 33 —38, 41; viii. 2,
26, 40; ix. 1, 37-44-50; xiii. 32.
459. A nd idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and
wood, signifies that thus they are in worship grounded in mere
falses. By idols, in the Word, are signified the falses of worship, and therefore to worship them  signifies worship firom
falses; and by adoring idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and
wood, is signified worship fiom falses of all kinds, and, taken
collectively, worship fiom mere falses; moreover, the materials
of which idols were made, their forms, and their garments,
among the ancients, represented the falses of religion, from
which their worship was performed; idols of gold signified falses
concerning divine things; idols of silver, falses concerning spiritual things; idols of brass, falses concerning charity; idols of
stone, falses concerning faith; and idols of wood, falses concerning good works. All these falses exist in those who do not do
the work of repentance, that is, shun evils as sins against God.
Graven images and molten images, which were idols, have this
signification, in the spiritual sense, in the following passages:
"Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graveln image: for his molten image is falsehood,
and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work
of errors: in the time of their visitation shall they perish,"
Jerem. x. 14, 15; Ii. 17, 18.  Graven images are the work of
the hands of the workman, they speak not, they are altogether
brutish and foolish, the wood is a discipline of vanities, the
whole_ a work of cunning men, Jerem. x. 3-5, 8-10.  " What
profiteth the graven image, that the maker and a teacher of lies
hath graven it, that the maker of his work trusteth therein; and
there is no breath at- all in the midst of it," Habak. ii. 18 —20.
"In that day-a man shall cast his idols of silverand his idols- of
gold, which they mIade each one for himself to worship, to the
moles and to the bats," Isaiah ii. 18, 20.  "And have made
them molten imnages of their silver, and idols according to their
own understanding, the work of the craftsmen," Hosea xiii. 2..
"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall'be
clean from all your filthiness, and from  all your idols," Ezek.
xxxvi. 25. Clean water is truth; idols are. the falses of, worslhip.,' Ye shall defile also. the covering of your graven zimages
f:silver, and the ornament of thy moltern images of gold, thou
shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say untc
it, Get thee hence,"'- Isaiah xxx. 22. Nor is any thing else but
340




v. 20, 21,]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            460, 461
the falses of reliion and thence of worship signified by the
gods of gold, of szlver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone,
which Belshazzar king of Babylon praised (worshipped) when
he drank wine with his princes, his wives, and his concubines,
out of the vessels of gold and of silver from the temple in Jerusalem, Dan. v. 1-5, and following verses; besides many other
places; as in Isaiah x. 10, 11; xxi. 9; xxxi. 7; xl. 19, 20; xli.
29; xlii. 17; xlviii. 5; Jerem. viii. 19; 1. 38, 39; Ezek. vi. 4, 5;
xiv. 3-6; Micah i. 7; v. 13; Psalm cxv. 4, 5; Psalm cxxxv. 15,
16; Levit. xxvi. 30. By idols, the falses of worship from selfderived intelligence are strictly signified; the manner in which
man fashions them, and afterwards accommodates them, so as
to appear like truths. is fully described in Isaiah xliv. 9, 10.
460. Wehich neither can see, nor hear, nor walk, signifies in
which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life. The
reason why this     d is, because idolaters believe that their
idols see and hear, for they make them gods: still this is not
the meaning of these words; but, that in the falses of worship
there is nothing of spiritual nor truly rational life, for by seeing
and hearing is signified to understand and perceive, n. 7, 25,
87; and by walking is signified to live, 167; therefore by these
three things is signified spiritual and truly rational life: this is
signified, because by idols are signified the falses of worship, in
which there is nothing of spiritual and rational life. That idols
do not see, and hear, and walk, is a thing too obvious to be here
mentioned, were there not some inward signification involved
within it. The like' is also said of idols in other parts of the
Word, as in these passages: " They have not known nor understood, for he hath shut their eyes-that they cannot see, and
their hearts that they cannot understand," Isaiah xliv. 18, 20.
They speak not, neither do they walk, Jerem. x. 3-10.  "They
have mouths but they speak not, eyes have they but they see
not," Psalm cxv. 5; Psalm cxxxv. 15, 16; by which like things
are signified, because by idols are signified the falses of worship;
and in falses of worship there is nothing of life which is really
life.
461. Neither repented they of their mrders, Ior of teir soraeries, nor of their     ion             thefts, signifies that
the heresy of faith alone induces on their hearts stupidity, tei'giversation, and hardness, so that they do not think any thing
of the precepts of the decalogue, nor indeed of any sin, that it
ought to be shunned because it is in favour of the devil and
against God. What murders, adulteries, and thefts, signify iii
every sense, may be seen in The Doctrine of life for the New
Jerusalem from.  the Precepts of the Decalogue, where it is explained; therefore it is unnecessary to repeat it here; but wha!t
Is signified by sorceries, shall be explained in the following
article. Faith alone induces stupidity, tergiversation, and hard
341




L:62             THE APOOALYPSE REVEALED.          LChap. ix.
ness of heart, in those who are in the reformed church, because
the good of life does not constitute religion where faithll alone
prevails: and if religion does not consist in good of life, then
the second table of tile decalogue, which is the table of repentance, is like a blank, whereon nothing is written. That the
second table of the decalogue is a table of repentance, is evident, because it is not there said that good works are to be done,
but that evil works are not to be done, as, Thou shalt not kill,
thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou. shalt
not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods;
and if these things do not constitute religion, the result is as
here stated: " Neither repented they of their murders, nor of
their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."
That good of life does not constitute religion where fiith alone
prevails, will be clearly shown in what follows.
462. Since at this day it is not known what is meant by
sorceries, it shall briefly be explained. Sorceries are mentioned
in the above passage, in place of the eighth precept ill the decalog1e, THOU SHALT NO'; BEAR FALSE WITNESS, tOr the three other.
evils, which are Inurders, fornications, and thefts, are there
named. To bear false witness signifies, in the natural sense,
to act the part of a false witness, to lie and defame; and in the
spiritual sense, to confirm and persuade that what is false is
true, and that what is evil is good; fi'om which it is evident,
that by sorcery is signified to persuade to what is false, and thus
to destroy truth.  Sorceries were in use among the ancients,
and were performed in tllree ways: first, by keeping the hearing and thus the mind of another continually intent upon his
words and sayings, without retaining aught filom them; and, at
the same time, by an aspiration and inspiration of thought conjoined with affection, by tneans of tile breath, into the sound
of the voice, whereby the hearer is incapable of thinkinking any
thing from himself; in this inanner did the lovers of falsehood
pour in their falses with violence. Secondly, they inffused a persuasion, which was done by detaining the mitnd from every thing'of a contrary nature, and directing the attention exclusively to
the idea involved in that which was uttered by themselves.l hence
the spiritual sphere of his imnind dispelled the spiritual sphere of
the mind of another, and stifled it: this was the kind of spiritual
fascination which the magi of old made use of, and which was
spoken of as the tying up and binding the understanding. The
latter kind of sorcery pertained only to thle spirit or thought,
but the former to the lips or speech also. Thirdly, the hearer
kept his mind so fixed in his own opinion, that lie almhnost shut
his ears against hearing any thing fiom the speakel', which was
done by holding the breath, and sometimes by a tacit mutteriig, and thus by a continual negation of his adversary's sentiment. This kind of sorcery was practised by those who hearcl
342




v. 21.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                462
others, but the two former by those who spake to others. These
three kinds of sorceries prevailed among the ancients, and prevail still among infernal spirits; but with men in the world there
remains only the third kind, and this with those, who from the
pride of their own intelligence, have confirmed in themselves'
the falses of religion; for these, when they hear things contrary,
admit them no further into their thought than to melre contact,
and then fiom the interior recess of their mind they emit as it
were fire which consumes them, about which the other knows
nothing except by conjecture drawn fiolm the countenance and
the sound of the voice in the reply, provided the sorcerer does
not, by dissimulation, restrain that fire, or what is the same,
the any'er of his pride. This kind of sorcery operates at the
present day, to prevent truths firom being accepted, and, with
many, to their not being understood.  That in ancient times
many magical arts prevailed, and among these, soreeries, is
evident from Moses: " When thou art come into the land,
thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations,
there shall not be found among you one that maketh his son
or his daughllter to pass through the fire, or that useth divinations, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or
a chcremer of incantcations, and a consulter with familiarspirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer; for all these things are an abomination unto Jehovah," Deut. xviii. 9-11.  A peirsuasion. of the
false, and consequently tle destruction of truth, is signified by
sorceries in these passages: "Thy wisdomn and thy knowledge
hath perverted thee, therefore shall evil come upon thee; stand
now with thine incantatiwons, and with the multitude of thy sorceries,." Isaiah xlvii. 10-12.  " By the soreeries of Babylon all
nations were deceived," Apoc. xviii. 23.  " Without are dogs,
sorscersers,  whoernmongerls, inurderers," Apoc. xxii. 15.  Joranr
said to Jemlu, "Is it peace? and lie answered, What peace, so
long as the whoredolns of thy mother Jezebel, and her sorceries
are so many.2" 2 Kings ix. 22. By her whoredoms are signified
falsiflcati,,ns, n. 134; and, by her incantations and sorcorlier,
destructions of truth by means of false persuasions.  On the
other hand, incantation signifies the rejection of falsity by
truths, which was also effected by tacitly thinking and whispering, fiomn a zeal for truth in opposition to falsehood, as is plain
firom these passages: Jehovah will take away froln Jerusalem
the mighty lnan, the man of war, tile connsellor, tile cunning
artificer, the skilful in incanrtation, Isaiah iii. 1-3.  "Their
poison is like the poison of the deaf adder, she stoppeth heI ears
that slle may not hear the voice of silent mnurmurring, the charllners of the incantactions of the wise," Psalm lviii. a, 6.  "Behold,
I send serpents, cockatrices anmong you, against which there is
no incaltation," Jerem. viii. 17.  "In trouble have they visited
thee, they poured out a secret prayer," Isaiah xxvi. 16.
343




163'THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED,           [Chap. ix.
463. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation.  1
was once looking towards the sea-coast, in the spiritual world,
when I observed a grand dock or arsenal for shipping: I walked
-towards it, and, taking a nearer view, I.saw vessels of various
sizes, laden with all kinds of merchan-dise, which was liberally
distributed to all corlers, by some boys and girls that sat on
tlhe decks. And I heard those boys and girls say, " We are in
expectation of seeing our beautiful turtles, which will soon rise
out of the sea, and come to us."  And lo! I saw turtles of different sizes, both great and small, on whose shells and scales
there sat young turtles, which looked towards the islands that
surrounded the coast. The parent turtles had two heads, one
of large size, covered over with a shell, like that which covered
their bodies, so that they were of a glowing polish, and the other
of small size, such as turtles generally have, which they drew
back into the fore part of the body, and inserted it, in.a manner scarcely discernible, into the larger head.  I kept my eyes
fixed on one of the large shining heads, and observed that it
had a face like that of a man, and that it talked with the boys
and girls that were sitting on the decks, and licked their hands;
whereupon the boys and girls gently stroked them, and gave
themn food and dainties, with various precious articles, as silk
for clothes, allnug wood for tables, plurple for ornaments, and
scarlet for colouring.  Having made these observations, I was
desirous to learn what each thing represented, because I knew
that all appearances in the spiritual world are correspondences, and represent something spiritual coming down fiom
heaven: and immediately angels entered into conversation with
me from heaven, and said, "' Thou knowest already what is represented by a dock or arsenal for shipping, and also what by
ships, and by boys and girls on their decks; but thou dost not
know what is signified by the turtles.  Understand, therefore,
that the turtles represent such of the clergy as entirely separate
faith f'rom  charity and its good works, affirming, in their own
Iinds, that there is no sort of conjunction between them whatever, but that the Holy Spirit, through faith in God the Father,
for the sake of his Son's merits, enters into man, and purifies
his interiors, till it reaches to man's own will, of which will
they make, as it were, an oval plane, supposing that when the
operation of the Holy Spirit approaches that plane, it turns
itself about on its left side, and never enters into contact with
it, and that thus the interior or superior part of the human
Cacnlties is intended for God, and the exterior or inferior part
for man; and, consequently, that nothing which man does ap-.pears in God's sight, whether it be good or evil, the good not
appearing because it is meritorious, nor the evil because it is
evil, whence if either were to appear, the man would inevitably
perish.; but as they are there kept out of sight, they suppose
34.4




Chap. ix.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              463
that it is allowable for a man to will, to think, to speak, and to
act, as he pleases, having nothing to guard against but worldly
censures and punishments."  I then asked, whether such persons assert also, that it is allowable to think of God as not
being omnipresent and omniscient: and the angels replied,'This also is allowable according to their maxims, since God,
with such as have obtained faith, and are thereby purified and
justified, does not look at any thing belonging to their thought
and will; and they still retain, in the inner chamber or superior
regions of their mind, or faculties, that faith which they had
received in its first act or operation, which act, they insist, may
some time or other return, without their knowing any thing of
the matter. These tenets are what are represented by the
small head, which they draw into the fore part of the body,
and also insert in the great head, whilst they talk with the laity;
for their discourses with such persons do not proceed from the
small head, but from the great one, which appears in front,
with a face resembling that of a man: and they converse
with them from the Word about love, charity, good works, the
commandments of the decalogne, and repentance; in which
discourses they quote from the Word almost all that is said on
these subjects, but at times they put the small head into the
great one, and think with themselves in the former, that these
duties are not to be performed for the sake of God and salvation, but only with a view to the public good, or private advantage. Since, however, their discourses on such occasions are
pleasing and elegant, particularly when they speak about the
gospel, the operation of the Holy Spirit, and the nature of
salvation; therefore they appear to their hearers like handsome
and comely persons, of a wisdom superior to the rest of mankind; and this is the reason why, as thou observedst, the boys
and girls on the decks of the ships gave them delicate food
and other things of value. These, then, are they whom thou
sawest represented as turtles. In the world where thou livest,
they are hardly to be distinguished from other people, save in
this respect, that they fancy themselves wiser than others, and
treat the rest of mankind with contempt, even those who profess the same doctrine respecting faith as themlselves, but do
not dive so deep into its mysteries. They carry about them a
particular mark or badge, in their clothes, by which they are
known to one another. I shall not tell thee," said my angelic
instructor, 6what are their sentiments in regard to other subjects connected with their faith, as election, fire-will, baptism,
and the holy supper; which are such as they never divulge, but
yet are known to us in heaven. Thlis, however, being their
nature and quality in the world, and no one being permitted,
after death, to think one thing and say another, therefore
when they come into another world, where they cannot refrain
345




t63-            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. ix.
from uttering all their wild and extravagant conceits, they are
considered as insane; and they are expelled from all societies,
and are at length cast down into the bottomless pit, mentioned
in the Revelation ix. 2, where they become corporeal spirits, and
appear like Egyptian mummies; for the interiors of their minds
contract a hard callous covering, by reason of the barrier which
they themselves had placed between the two regions of their
minds while in the world. The infernal society, consisting of
such spirits, is in the neighbourhood of that of the Machiavelists; and they are continually passing from one to the other,
and calling one another fellow-companions; but they do not
stay long with each other, because there is a diversity between
them, arising from the circumstance, that some sort of religious
impression, connected with their notion concerning the act of
justification by faith, had been cherished by the former, whilst
the Machiavelists' had rejected every thing of the kcind."
After I had seen these spirits expelled firom the societies,
and collected together, in order to be cast down into the bottomless pit, I observed a ship flying in the air, having seven
sails, and in it officers and sailors clad in purple garments, with
caps magnificently adorned with laurel, who excTaimed, with a
loud voice, " Lo, we are in heaven! we are the truly learned,
distinguished above others by our purple robes, and our grand
laurel wreaths, because we are the chief of the wise from all
the clergy in Europe."  I was wondering what this exhibition
could mean,.when I was informed that it arose firom the conceited'images, and ideal thoughts called phantasies, that proceeded fiom those who had before appeared as turtles, and who
were now expelled from every society, as persons insane, and
collected in a body into one place. I was straightway seized
with a desire to converse with them, and accordingly walked
towards the place where they were assembled, and paid m)
respects to them, and said, " Are ye'the people who have separated the internals of men from their externals, and the operation of the Holy Spirit as being within faith, from its co-operation with man's, as having nothing to do with faith, and who
have thus separated God fiom man? Have ye not, by so doing,
not only separated charity and its works from faith, as many
other teachers among the clergy have done, but also faith itself,
as to its manifestation in the sight of God, fioni man?' But,*
in discussing this subject with you, which do you prefer, that I
should draw my arguments fiom reason, or from the Sacred
Scriptures?"  And they said, "Begin with reason."  So I proceeded, saying, " How is it possible for the internal and external of man to be separated froml each other?  Who does not,
or cannot, see plainly by virtue of a perception common to all
men, that all the interiors of man proceed and are continued
to his exteriors, and even to his most external, in order to
346




Chap. ix.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               463
produce their effects and perform their works?  Do not inter
nal things exist for the sake of external, that they may be
terminated by them, and subsist in them, and thus exist, just
as a column does upon its pedestal?  How plain is it to see,.
that unless there was such a continuation and consequent conjunction, the things most external must be dissolved and melt
to nothing, like bubbles in the air?  Who can deny that the
interior operations of God in man are  yriads of myriads,
utterly unknowni to man himself  And what signifies it, if they
oe unknown or not, provided only that what is extreme and
most external be known, in which man, with his thought and
will, is together with God?  But let us illustrate this imatter
by an example: Is a man at all acquainted with the operations
of his faculty of speech, as, how the lungs draw in the air, and
thereby fill the vesicles, the bronchia, and the lobes; how they
emit it into the trachea, and there convert it into sound; how
the soulmd is modified in the glottis by the assistance of the larynx; and how the tongue afterwards articulates it, and the lips
complete the articulation, in order to its becoming speech? Do
not all these interior operations, of which man is altogether unconscious, exist for the sake of the last or most external, which
is articulate discourse?  If you remove or separate any one of
those internal operations, so as to destroy its connexion with thle
last, or most external, would it not be as impossible for man to
speak, as for a stock or a stone?  Take another example; —the
two hands are the ultimate or extreme parts of the llmran body;
but do not the interior, which are continued to them, descend
from the head through the neck, and also through the breast,
the shoulders, the arms, and the fore-arms? Are there not innuimerable muscular textures, innumerable orders of moving
fibres, innumerable collections of nerves and blood-vessels, with
several bony articulations with their ligaments and membranes,
of which man is utterly unconscious? And yet, are not all and
every one of these unknown parts necessary to the operation of
the hands?  Supposing those interior parts to be reflected back
to the right or left about the elbow-joint, and not to be continued below, would not the hand, in such case, necessarily fall
from the joint, and putrefy, like something inanimate that was
separlated firom all connexion with tle solurce of its life? Doubtless, under such circumstances, it would be with the hand as it
is with the body, when a man is beheaded. Just so would it
be also with the human mind, and with its two lives, the will
and the understanding, supposing the divine operations, which
relate to faith and charity, should stop in the middle of their
course, and not proceed by continued connexion to the man
himself; in such case, Inan would be not only a brute-animal,
but a rotten branch broken off from its parent stock. Thus far
I have explained to you the dictates of reason, in regard to this
347




~63            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. x,
s.bject; I shall now show you, if ye are disposed to hear me,
that the Sacred Scripture inculcates the same doctrine; for
does not the Lord say,'Abide in me, and I in you: I am the
vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much. fruit?' John vii. 4, 5. Does not
fruit mean the good works, which the Lord operates by muan;
and which man operates of himself from the Lord?  Again,
the Lord says,'Behold! I stand at the door and knock; if any
man will open the door, I will come into him and sup with him,
and he with me,' Rev. iii. 20. Does not the Lord give pounds
and talents to the intent that men should trade with thelm and
make profit of them, and in proportion to such profit should
receive eternal life? Matt. xv. 14 — 34; Luke xix. 13-26.
And again: Does not he give to every one according to the
work which he does in his vineyardS Matt. xx. 1-17. But
these are only a few passages, selected out of many; for it
would be easy to fill sheets with extracts from the Word, insisting that man ought to bear firuit like a tree; that he ought to
work in obedience to the commandments; that he ought to love
God and his neighbour, and the like. I am well aware, however, that your own intelligence, grounded in your proprium or
self hood, cannot have any thing in common with the contents of
the Word, according to their true and proper sense, and, therefore, notwithstanding you can introduce such passages into your
discourse, yet the ideas you attach to them are such as pervert
them; and this is a necessary consequence of your removing
all things that are of God from man, as to communication and
conjunction: what more can you reject, unless you also abandon all things belonging to worship 2" After I had ended these
words, the assembly appeared to me in the light of heaven,
which detects and manifests the true nature and quality of
every one; and then they no longer seemed floating aloft in a
ship, as if -exalted into heaven, nor clothed in purple, nor
crowned with laurel wreaths, but in a sandy place, in tattered
garments, having their loins girt about with nets like those
used by fishermen, through which their nakedness appeared:
and then they sunk down to the society bordering on tile
Machiavelists.
CHAPTER X.
1., AND I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was over his head, and
his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire,.
348




Chap. x'.]       THE APOCALYPSE- REVEALED.
2. And he had in his hand a little book open. And he set
his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth,,
3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth.
And when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I
was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying
unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered,
and write them not.
5. And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and:
upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth,
and the things that therein are, and the sea. and the things that
are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when
he is about to sound, the mystery of God should be finished;
as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
8. And the voice which I heard firom heaven, spake unto
me again, and said, Go, take the little book, which is open in
the hand of the angel who is standing upon the sea and upon
the earth.
9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me
the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up;
and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth:
sweet as honey.
10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and
ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and: when
I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again, before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONrENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. The exploration and
manifestation of those who are in the reformed church is still
treated of; in the present chapter, what their belief is con-.
cerning the Lord, as to his being the God of heaven and earth,
as lie himself taught in Matthew xxviii. 18; and as: to hisp fuinanity being divine; that these: articles of belief are. not received in those churches; and that it is no easy matter for them.
tos be received, so long as a belief in justification by faith. alone
is so strongly fixed in their hearts.
THE CONTENTS, OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, "And- I saw another
mighty angel' comining down from heaven," signifies the Lord in
divine majesty and. power: "Clothed with a cloud, and a rainu
349




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. x.
bow was over his head," signifies his divine natural and his
divine spiritual principles: " And his iace was as it were the
sun," signifies divine love, and at the same time divine wisdom:
"And his feet as pillars of fire," signifies the Lord's divine
natural principle, as to divine love, which sustains all things:
v. 2, " And he had in his hand a little book open," signifies the
Word as to this doctrinal point therein, that the Lord is the God
of heaven and earth, and that his Humanity is divine: "And
he set his right foot upon the sea, and ]his left upon the ealth,"
signifies that the Lord has the universal church under his auspices and dominion: v. 3, " And cried with a loud voice, as
when a lion roareth," signifies grievous lamentation by reason
of the church being taken ffrom him: " And when he cried, seven
thunders uttered their voices," signifies that the Lord revealed
throuthout the universal heaven what was in the little book:
v. 4, "And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices,
I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven, saying
unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered,
and write them not," signifies that these things indeed are made
manifest, but that they will not be received till after they wh
are meant by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, are
cast out of the world of spirits, because there would be danger
were they to be received before: v. 5, " And the angel whom
I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his
hand to heaven (v. 6), and sware by him that liveth for ever and
evel," signifies the attestation and testification of the Lord by
himselfi " Who clreated' heaven, and the things that therein
are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea,
and the things that are therein," signifies, who vivifies all that
are in heaven and that are in the church, and every thing in
general and in particular with them: "That there should be
time no longel," signifies that there cannot be any state of the
church, or any church, except one God be acknowledged, and
that the Lord is that God: v. 7, "But in the days of the voice
of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound," signifies the
final extploration and manifestation of the state of the church
which nmust perish, unless a new one be established by the
Lord: " The mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets," signifies that then it will
appear, that it is foretold in the Word of both Testaments, but
has hitherto been concealed, that after the last judgment is executed upon those who have devastated the ch urch, the Lord's
kingdom will come: v. 8, " And the voice which I heard fiom
heaven, spake unto me again, and said, Go, take the little book,
which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing upon
the sea anmid upon the ezarth," signifies a command from heaven,
that they slhould admit that doctrine, bhut that it should be made
manifest by John how it would be received in the church, by
350




F. 1.J          THE APOOALYPSE REVEALED.           464, 465
fore they who are meant by the dragon, the beast, and the
false prophet, are removed: v. 9, 1" And I went unto the angel,
and said uInto him, Give me the little book," signifies.a motion,
or inclination of the mind, with many, to receive the doctrine
" And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it, and it shall make
thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey,"
signifies that reception from the acknowledgment that the Lord
is the Saviour and Redeemer, is grateful and pleasing, but that
the acknowledgment that lie alone is the God of heaven and
earth, ancl tha.t his Humanity is divine, is unpleasing and difficult to relieve by reason of falsifications: v. 10, "And I took
the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it
was in mly mouth sweet as hloney; and when I had eaten it,
my belly was bitter," signifies that so it came to pass, and was
thus manifested: v. 11, "And lie said unto me, Thou must
prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues,
and kings," signifies that because it is so, the quality of those
who are in1 faith alone must be further shown.
THE EXPLANATION.
464. IN this and the following,chapter the Lord is treated
of as being the God of heaven and earth, and that as to his
Htumanity also he is God; consequently that lie is Jehovah
himself.  That this is the sublject treated of in these two
chapters, may be seen fiom their contents, as understood in a
spiritual sense, and from their conclusion, chap. xi. 15 —17.
465. And I saw another mi/ghty angel co/ming down, Jfrono
heaven, siognifies the Lord in divine majesty and power. That
this anige is the Lord, is evident fi'om the description of hlim,
as being encompassed witli a cloud, a rainbow over }his head,
his face as the sln, his feet like colnuns of fire, and that he set
his feet upon the sea and upon the eartll; as also that he cried
with a loud voice as whlen a lion roareth, and spake as thunder.
IIe was seen as an angel, because lie appears in the heavens
and below the heavens, wllen lle manifests himself, as an angel;
for he fills some angel withl his Divinity in accommodation to
the reception of those to whom  lie gives to see him. I-is
presence itself, such as he is in himself or in his own essence,
cannot be supported by any angel, much less by any man;
wherefore he appears above the heavens as a sun, at a distance
from the angels, as the sun of this world is fiom menl; there lie
dwells in his Divinity f'roln etel'nity, and at thle same time in
his Divine Humanity, which are a one like soul and body, He
351




~6 —468        rTHE  APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. x.
is here called a mighty angel from his divine power: and it is
said, another angel, by reason of another divine attribute of
his, different fromn the former, being here described.
466. Cloth/ed with. a cloud; and a rainbow  was over his
head, signifies his divine natural and divine spiritual principles.
By the cloud with which he was clothed, is signified the divine
natural principle; wherefore the Word in its natural sense,
which also is from him, thus is his, and himself, is signified lby
cloud, n. 24; by a rainbow is signified the divine spiritual principle, and as this is above the natural, therefore the rainbow'
appeared over his head. It must be observed, that the Lord is
present with men in his divine natural principle, but, withl the
angels of his spiritual kingdom, in his divine spiritual principle4
and with the angels of his celestial kingdom, in his divine celestial principle; still lie is not divided, but appears to every
one according to his quality. The Lord's divine spiritual principle is also signified by the rainbow in Ezekiel: "And above
the firmament (of the cherubs) was the likeness of a throne,"
and upon it the appearance of a man; and froim the fire of his
loins there was as it were the appearance of the bow which is
in the cloud in the day of rain, " this was the appearance of
the glory of Jehovah," i. 26, 28, 29. By a throne is signified
heaven; by the man upon it, the Lord; by the fire of his loins,
celestial love; and by the rainbow, divine truth spiritual, which
also is of his divine wisdom. By the rainbow, of which it is
written in Moses: "I have set my bow in the cloud, and it
shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth,"
and when it shall be seen in the cloud, " I will remember my
covenant," Gen. ix. 12-17, nothing else is meant but divine.
truth spiritual in the natural degree, with the man who is regenerated; for man, when lie is: regenerated, finom natural. becomes spiritual; and inasmuch as thllere. is then, a conjunction
of the Lord with him, therefore it is said, that the bow in the
cloud should be for a sign of a covenant; covenant signifying
conjunction.  That there is no conjunction of the Lord wit
man by rainbows, in the world, is evident.
467. And his face was as it were the sun, signifies divine
love, and at the same time divine: wisdom, as is evident from
the explanation above, n. 53; where the same is said of: the:
Son of Man.
468. And his feet as pillars of fire, signifies the Lord's: di —
vine natural principle as to divine love, which sustains all things.:
This also appears from the explanation above, at n. 49; where
it is said of the Son of Man, that " his feet were like fine brass,
as though they burned in a furnace."  Tile reason why his feet.
seemed like pillars of fire is, because the Lord's divine natural
principle, which in itself is the Divine Humanity which he took,
upon him in the world, sustains his Eternal Divinity, as the
352




v. 1, 2.j       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               469
body does thle soul, and as the natural sense of the Word sustains its spiritual and celestial sense; on which subject see The,
Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred ScriptuVre,
n. 27-49. That the feet signify what is natural, may be seen,
n. 49; and that a pillar signifies support, n. 191. Fire signifies
love, because spiritual fire is nothing else; therefore it is usual
to pray, that: heavenly fire may be kindled in the heart; that is,
celestial love. That there is a correspondence between fire and
love, Inay be known fi'om this circumstance, that man grows
warm from love, and grows cold from the privation thereof;
there being nothing else that constitutes vital heat, but love in
both senses; the origin of correspondences is from two suns:
one in the heavens which is pure love, and the other in the
world which is pure fire; hence, also, is derived the correspondence between all spiritual and natural things. Since fire si,nifies divine love, therefore Jehovah was: seen by Moses on
M/Iount HIoreb in the bush on fiare, Exod. iii. 1-3. And descended upon Mount Sinai in fire, Deut. iv. 36;  And therefore the seven lamps of the candlestick in the tabernacle were
lighted up every evening, that they might burn before Jehovah,
Levit. xxiv. 2-4.  And for the same reason, the Jire burned
continually upon the altar, and was never put out, Levit. vi. 9.
And they took fire firom the altar to put into their censers
when incense was offered, Levit. xvi. 12, 13; Inumb..xvi. 6, 12.
Hence it was that Jehovah went before the children of Israel
by night in a pillar qffire, Exod. xiii. 21, 22:. That there was
a fire by night over the tabernacle, Exod. xl. 38; Psalm cv. 37,
39; Isaiah iv. 5, 6. ThatfJire from heaven consumed the burntoffering upon the altar, as a sign of the Lord's being well.
pleased, Levit. ix. 24; 1 Kings xviii. 38. That the burnltoffering was called an offering made by fire to Jehovah, and
an offering by fire of an od'our of rest to Jehovah, Exod. xxix.
18; Levit. i. 9, 13, 17; ii. 2, 9, 10, 12; iii. 5, 16; iv. 31; v.
12; vi. 30; xxi. 6; Numb. xxxviii. 2; Dent. xviii. 1.  That
the eves of the Lord seemed as aJlame offire, Apoc. i. 14; ii.
18; xix. 12; Dan. x. 5, 6. That seven lamps of fire burned
before the throne, Apoc. iv. 5. Hence it is evident, what is
signified by latmps with oil and without oil, Matt. xxv. 1-11.
By oil is understood fire, and thus love; as also in many other
passages. That fire, in an opposite sense, signifies infernal love,
is evident fiom so many passages in the Word, that it is needless to adduce them by reason of their abundance: something
may be seen on this subject in the work on IIeaven and Hfell,
n. 566 —575.
469. And he had in his hand a little book open, signifies the
Word as to this doctrinal point therein, that the Lord is the
God of heaven and earth, and that his Humanitv is Divine.
That by the Book. which the Lamb took from Him that sat on
353                                         x




&:7t          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            [Chap. x
the throne, and the seven seals of which he loosed, Apoc. v. 1,
7'; vi. 1, is meant the Word, may be seen above, n. 256, 259,
295, and following; therefore by the little book in the hand of
the angel, who also is the Lord, n. 465, nothing else is here
meant but the Word as to some essential therein. That this is
the doctrinal point in the Word, which teaches that the Lord is
the God of heaven and earth, and that his Humanity is Divine,
is evident from the spiritual sense of all the particulars in this
and the following chapter, and also from the natural sense of
the next or 11th chapter, verses 15-17. The little book is said
to be open because that doctrine appears manifestly in the
Word, and is evident to every one who leads it with attention.
This is the subject now treated of; because it is the very essential of the New Church; the reason is, because on the knowledge: -and acknowledgment of God depends the salvation of
every one; for, as was observed in the Preface, " The universal
heaven, and the universal church on earth, and, in general,
all religion, has its foundation in a just idea of God; because
hereby there is conjunction, and by conjunction, light, wisdom,
and eternal happiness."  Since the Lord is the very God of
heaven and earth, therefore no one, who does not acknowledge
him, is admitted into heaven, for heaven is his body; but stands
without, and is bit by serpents, that is, by infernal spirits,
for whose bite there is no cure but that which the sons of Israel
expelienced by looking up to the brazen serpent, Numb. xxi.
1-10; by which is meant the Lord as to his Divine Humanity,
as is plain from this passage in John: " And as Moses lifted up,the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 3lfct, be
lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish,
but have eternal life," John iii. 14, 15.
470. And he set h/ds right foot upon~ the sea, and his left vp9on
thie ear'th, signifies that the Lord has the universal church, as
well those therein who are in its externals, as those who are in
its iinternals, under his auspices and dominion.  By the sea and
the earth is signified the universal church; by the sea, the external church, that is, they who are in its externals; and by
the earth, the internal church, that is, they who are in its internals, n. 398. By setting his feet upon them, is signified to
hold all in subjection to himself, consequently, under his divine
auspices and dominion. Since the Lord's church on earth is
benea th- the heavens, therefore it is called his foot-stool, as in
these places: "And cast down from heaven unto the earth the
beauty of Israel, and remembered not his foot-stool," Lament.
ii. 1. "And the earth is my foot-stool," Isaiah lxvi. 1. "We
will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his foot-stool,"
Psalm cxxxii. 7. Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is
God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his foot-stool, Miatt. v.
34, 35. " I will make the place of myfeet glorious," Isaiab Ix
354




v 2, 3.         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              4-1
13. "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of
thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet," Psalm viii.
6; speaking of the Lord. He set his right fbot upon the sea,
and his left upon the earth, because they who are in the externals of the chlurch, have not so strongly confirmed themselves
in falses, as they who are in its internals.
471. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth,
signifies grievous lamentation by reason of the church being
taken fiomr him. That by crying with a loud voice as a lion
roarethll, is signified a grievous lamentation respecting the church,
and this by reason of its being taken firom him, is evident from
what is explained in the foregoing chapter, where the states of
life of those who are of the churlch were explored and laid open;
which were lamentable; also firom its being said in this chapter,
that the angel sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, that
there should be time no longer, by which is signified that there
would be no church; and, in the following chapter, that the
beast, which came up out of the bottomless pit, slew his two
witnesses; and especially from his not being acknowledged and
approached, although he is the God of heaven and earth. Lamentation concerning these things is signified by his roaring as
a lion, for a lion roars when he sees his enemies and is assaulted
by them, and when he sees his whelps and prey taken from him;
so does the Lord, comparatively, when he sees his church taken
from him by devils. That this is what is signified by roaring as
a lion, may appear from these passages: " Like as the lion and
the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against llim, so shall Jehovah of hosts come
down to fight for Mount Zion," Isaiah xxxi. 4. "Therefore is
the anger of Jehovah kindled against his people, hIis roaring is
like a lion's, he roareth like the young lions, yea, he shall war
and lay hold of the prey: behold, darkness and sorrow, and
the light is darkened in the heavens thereof," Isaiah v. 25-30.
" Jehovah shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his
holy habitation, he shall migqhtily roar upon his habitations"
Jerenl. xxv. 30, 31. "Jehovah also shall roar out of Zion,
and utter his voice from Jerusalem," Joel iii. 16. " I will not
return to destroy Ephraim, —they shall walk after Jehovah; he
shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar," Hosea xi. 9, 10I
" The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord Jehovah
hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" Amos iii. 7, 8. God
roareth with his voice, " he thundereth marvellously with his
voice," Job xxxvii. 4, 5. That roaring signifies grievous lamentation, is evident from the following: "My bones waxed old
through my roaring all the day long," Psalm xxxii. 3. "I am
feeble and sore broken, I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart," Psalm xxxviii. 9. "For my sighing cometb
355




&72             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. x.
before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters,"
Job iii. 24.
472. And when he cried, seven thunders utttered their voices,
signifies that the Lord revealed throughout the universal heaven
what was in the little book. This signification is evident, because it presently follows, that he was about to write what the
seven thunders uttered, but was enjoined from heaven to seal it
up and not to write it; and afterwards to eat up the little book;
and that in his Inouth it was sweet as honey, but that it made
his belly bitter; by which is signified that such things were.
in it as could not yet be received: the reason may be seen in
the following article. But I will show what was in the little
book; it contained those things, for instance, which are to be
found in The Doctrine of the New. Jeirucsalemr concerning the
Lord, from beginning to end,: which are as follows: That the
whole Sacred Scripture relates to the Lord, and that the Lord
is the Word, n. 1-7.  That by the Lord's ftiulfilling all things
of the law, is meant, that he fulfilled all things of the Word,
n. 8- 11. That the Lord came into the world to subdue the
hells and glorify his Humanity, and that the passion of the
cross was the last combat, by which he fully conquered the
hells, and fully glorified his H-Iumanity, n. 12-14..TThat the
Lord, by the passion of the cross, did not take away sins,, but
that he bore them, n. 15-17. That the imputation of the
Lord's merit is nothing else but the remission of sins after repentance, n. 18. That the Lord, as to his Divine Humanity, is
called the Son of God, and, as. to the Word, he is called the
Son of Man, n. 19-28. That the Lord made his Humanity
Divine from the Divinity in himself; and that thus he became
one with the Father, n. 29-36. That the Lord is God himself,
fiom whom  the Word is derived, and; concerning whom  it
treats, n. 37-44. That there is one God, and that the Lord is
that God, n. 45. That the Holy Spirit is the Divinity proceeding fiom the Lord, and that it is the Lord himself, n. 46-54.
That the doctrine of the Athanasian faith agrees with the truth,
if only by a trinity of persons is understood a trinity of person,
which is in the Lord, n. 55-61.
The reason why it is said that seven thunders uttered their
voices, is, because what the Lord speaks, as it descends through
the heavens into the lower spheres, is heard as thunder; and as
he speaks through the whole heaven at once, and thus fully,
they are called seven thunders, for by seven are signified all, all
things, and the whole, n. 10, 391; therefore also by thunder is
signified instruction and the perception of truth, n. 236; in this
instance, the revealing and manifestation thereof likewise. That
a volce tfrom heaven is heard as thunder, when it proceeds fromn
-fle: Lord, is evident from these passages: Jesus said, "Father,
356




v. 3, 4.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED               4T
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice fruIn heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again;" the mutl
titude heard this as thrunider, John xii. 28-30. God roareth
with his voice, " he thundereth with a voice of his excellency,
Job xxxvii. 4, 5  "Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the
Most High uttered his voice," 2 Sam. xxii. 14. "I heard a
voice froim heaven as the voice of great thunder," Apoc. xiv. 2.
Thou didst call upon me, " and I answered thee in the secret
place of thAunder," Psalm lxxxi. 7.
473. And when the seven thunders Aad uttered their voices, I
was about to write: And Iheard a voice 5from heaven saying unto
me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and
write them not, signifies that these things indeed are made manifest, bult that they will not be received till after they who are
meant by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, are cast
out of the world of spirits, because there would be danger were
they to be received before. The voices which the seven thunders
uttered, are the things just mentioned above, n. 472, which are
three times mentioned, because they contain the very essentials
of the New Church. By writing, in the natural sense, is signified to commit to paper, and thus to record any thing for the
information of posterity, but, in the spiritual sense, by writing
is signified to commit to the heart for reception; hence by sea -
ing them up and not writing them, is signified that they will
not be committed to the heart and received, till after the dragon,
the beast, and the false prophet, are cast out of the world of
spirits, because there would be danger if they were received
before: the reason is, because by the dragon, the beast, and the
false prophet, are signified they who are in faith separated from
charity, and these constantly and tenaciously adhere to their
belief, that God the Father is to be approached, and not the
Lord immediately, and that the Lord is not the God of heaven
and earth as to his Humanity; therefore if the above-mentioned
doctrine, n. 472, which has been and still is made manifest, as
is signified by the little book being opened, were to be received
by any others than such as are in charity and its faith, who also
are those who are signified by John, n. 5, 17, before the dragon
is cast out, it would be rejected not only by them, but, through
their means, by the rest; and if not rejected, still it would be
falsified, yea, profaned. That this is the case, evidently appears
from what now follows in the Apocalypse, when seen in its
proper series, as, that they slew the Lord's two witnesses, chap.
xi.; that the dragon stood by the woman who was about to be
delivered, that he might devour her child; and that after he
had fought with Michael he persecuted the woman, chap. xii.;
and that the two beasts which came up, one out of the sea, and
the other out of the earth, acted in conjunction with him, chap.
xiii.; as also that he gathered together his followers to battle
_.q57




:74             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. x
at. the place called Armageddon, chap. xvi.; and, finally, that
they asseimbled the nations, og anrd Magog, to battle chap.
xx. 8, 9. But that the dragon, tile beast, and the false prophet, were cast into the lake of fire and brimlstone, chap. xx.
10; and this being effected, the New Church, which is to be
the Lamb's wife, came down out of heaven, chap. xxi., xxii.
Such is the signification of these words, "Seal up those things
which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not;" anld
also of the following in this chapter: " In the clays of the voice
of the seventh angel the mystery of God will be finished, as he
hath declared to his servants the prophets," verse 7; and by
these words in the next chapter: " And the seventh angel
sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord
and of his Christ," verse 15; and likewise by many thiings to
the same effect in the subsequent chapters. Something may be
seen on this subject in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalemn concerning the lord, n. 61.
474. And th.e angel whomn I saw standing mtpon the sea and
upon the earth lifted up his hand to heavens, and sware by him
that liveth] for ever and ever, signifies the attestation and testification of the Lord by himself. By tile angel who stood upon
the sea and upon the earth is understood the Lord, n. 470; by
lifting his hand up to heaven is signified this attestation, that
there should be time no longer, verse 6; by swearing is signified this testification, that in the days of the voice of thle
seventh angel the mystery of God should be consummllated,
verse 7; by him that livethl for ever and ever is neant the
Lord himself, as above, chap. i. 18; iv. 9, 10; v. 14; IDan. iv.
31. That the Lord testifies by himself will be seen presently.
From  what has been said, it is evident, that by these words,
" and the angel whom  I saw standing upon the sea and upon
the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that
liveth for ever and ever," is signified the attestation and testificatio(n of the Lord by himnself.  That Jehovah sweears, or
testifies, by himself, is evident from these passages: "I have
sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth-and shall
not return," Isaiah xlv. 23. "I,have sworn by mnyself, that this
house shall become a desolation," Jeteln. xxii. 5. Jehovah hath
sworn by his soul, Jerem. li. 14; Amos vi. 8. Jehovah hath
sworn by his holiness, Amos iv. 2.'"Jehovah hath sworn by his
right hand, and by the arm  of his strengtll," Isaiah lxii. 8.
"Behold, I have sworn by qmy great name," Jeremn. xliv. 26.
Jehovah, that is, the Lord, swearing by himself, signifies that
divine truth testifies, for he is divine truth itself, aind this testifies from itself and by itself:  Besides which, that Jellovah
swears may also be seen in Isaiah xiv. 24; liv. 9; Psalmn lxxxix.
3,. 35; Psalm xcv. 11; Psalm cx. 4; Psalm cxxx. 11. Jehovah
358




v. — 6.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           475, 476
is said to swear, because the church instituted among the sons
of Israel was a representative church, and the Lord's conjunction with the chulrch' was thence represented by a covenanlt,
such as takes place between two who swear to their compact;
therefore, as swearing was used for the purpose of ratifying a
covenant or compact, it is said that Jehovah sware; bIy whllich,
nevertheless, it is not meant that he really did swear, but that
divine truth testifies or bears testimony to the things asserted.
That an oath was used to ratify covenants, appears fiom these
passages: "I have sworn unto thee, and entered into a covenant,
and thou becamest mine," Ezek. xvi. 8. "To remember his
holy covenant, the oath which he sware," Luke i. 72, 73; Psalm
cv. 9; Jerem. xi. 5; xxxii. 22; Deut. i. 35; x. 11; xi. 9, "1;
xxvi. 3, 15; xxxi. 20; xxxiv. 4. As a covenant was representa,
tive of the conjunction of the Lord with the church, and, reciprocally, of the church with the Lord; and as the oath had
relation to the covelant, and man was to swear from the truth
therein, thus also by it, therefore the children of Israel were
permitted to swear by Jehovah, and thus by divine truth, Exod.
xx. 7; Levit. xix. 12; Dent. vi. 13; x. 20; Isaiah xlviii. 1;
lxv. 16; Jerem. iv. 2; Zech. v. 4; but after the representative
rites of the church were abolished, oaths as used in covenants
were abolished also by the Lord, Matt. v. 33-37; xxiii.
16-22.
475. tlho created heaven, aqnd the things that therein are, and
the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the
things that are therein, signifies who vivifies all that are in heaven and that are in the church, and all and every thing in general and in particular appertaining to them. By creating, in the
natural sense, is signified to create; but, in the spiritual sense,
by creating is signified to reform  and regenerate, n. 254, 290;
which is also to vivify or make alive. By heaven is meant heaven where are the angels; by the earth and the sea is signified
the church; -by the earthl, they who are in its internals,; and by
the sea, they who are in its externals. n. 398, 470. By tho
things that are therein, are signified all and singular the things
appertaining to them.
476. That there should be time no longer, signifies that there
cannot be any state of the church, or any church, except one
God be acknowledged, and that the Lord is that God. By tinme
is signified state; and, because the church is here treated of,
the state of the church is signified. Therefore there shall be
time no longer, signifies that there will not be any state of the
church. That it also means that there is not any chulch, except one God be acknowledged, and that the Lord is he, follows
as a consequence. But what is the case at this day?  That
there is one God is not denied, but that the Lord is that 5'od
359




177             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. x
is denied; and yet there is not one God, in whom is a trinity
at the same time, but the Lord: that thle church exists finom
him, who is the Savioui and Redeemer, is not denied; but that
he, as the Saviour and Redeemer, ougllt to be approached inm
mediately, is denied. Hence it is evident, that a church would
perish, did not a new one come into existence, which aclknowledges the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth,
and, for this reason, immediately approaches lim, see Matt.
xxviii. 18; therefore these words, there shall be time no longer,
that is, there shall be no church, relate to what follows in this
chapter, verse 7; and this again, to what is written in chap. xi.,
verse 15; where it is said that there will be a chulch which
will originate from the Lord alone. By time is signified state,
because in the spiritual world time is not measured by days,
weeks, months, and years, but by states, which are progyressions
of the life of those wTho are there, from which they remember
things past; on which subject see the work on lffeaven and IIell,
ni, 162-169, where time in heaven is treated of. The reason
why the state of the church is here meanft by time, is because
day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter, constitute time in this world, and when understood in a spiritual
sense, they constitute states of the church; therefore when
these states no longer exist, there is no church; and there is
then no church, when there is no longer any good and truth,
thus when the light of truth is turned into thick darkness, and
the heat of good into cold; this,'is what is meant by there not
being time any longer. Similar is the significationl: of the following passages in the Word: The fourth beast will think to
change the times, Dan. vii. 25. "But it shall be one day which
is known to Jehovah, not day nor night," thus there would be
no time, Zech. xiv. 10. "I will cause the sun to go down at
noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear dclay," thus again
there would be no time, Amos viii. 9. "Behold, one evil is
come, an end is come, the end is come, the morning is coime
unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land, the tim-ne is coe,"
Ezek. d-ii. 5 -7; the morning is the beginning of a new church,
n. 151, therefore it is said, the time is come.
477. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when
he is about to sound, signifies the final exploration and manifestation of the state of the church, which must perishl, unless a
new one be established by the Lord. That by sounding a trumnpet is signified to explore and lay open the state of life of those
who are of the church, consequently the state of the churchel
may be seen above, n. 397; and as seven angels sounded, by:
the voice of the seventh angel is signified the final exploration:
and manifestation, by which it appears that the church must
perish, unless a new one be established by the Lord; that it'
360




v. 6,'.j       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               478
lnust perish, is meant by there being time no longer, n. 476;
and that a new chulch is to be established by the Lord, is
meant by what now follows.
478. T7he mzystery of God sAould be dfished; as he hath declared to hlis servants the prophets, signifies that then it will
appear that it is foretold in the Wor.d of both Testaments, but
has hitherto been concealed, that after the last judgment i3 executed upon those who have devastated the church, the Lord's
kingdom will come. By being finished is signrfied to be fuflfilled, to come to an end, and then to appear again; by the
mystery of God declared to the prophets, is signified that which
is foretold by the Lord in the Word, and hitherto concealed;
by declaring is signified to announce the Lord's advent, and
also that of his kingdom, for the term here used signifies to
declare glad tidings (evcangeliinm). That this will come to pass,
after the last judgment is executed upon those who have devastated the churdh, is also foietold in the Word, therefore this
also is signifled; from which it may appear, that all this is understood by these words. It may be expedient here to premise
something of what is foretold in the Word of both Testaments,
concerning the coining of the Lord, and of his kingdom. In the'W~'ord of the Old Testament, which is called prophetic, in the
spiritual sense, and also where this shines forth, in the natural
sense, the Lord alone is treated of, that is to say, his advent in
the fulness of time; which is, when there shall no longer be any
good of charity and truth of faith in the church, which state of
the church is called the consummation, devastation, desolation,
and decision: it also treats of Iris comibats with the hells and
his victories over them, which likewise constitute the last judgment executed by him; and afterwards of the creation of a new
heaven, and the establishment of a new church, or the Lord's
kingdom that is to come; these things are also treated of in the
Word of the New Testainent, which is called apostolic, and particularly in the Apocalypse. That it is the Lord's kingdom, the
glad tidings of which will be declared in the days of the voice
of the seventh angel, appears plainly from  this passage in the
next or eleventh chapter: " And the seventh angel sounded,
and there were great voices in heaven, saying, Th/e  incycldoms
of this world are becomne the e ingdomns of our Lord and of Mis
christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever: And the four-and
twenty elders fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying,
We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, whllich art, and
wast, and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great
power, and hast beguMn, thy reigz," verses 15-17. This mystery
is described in Daniel almost in the same words as here in the
Apocalypse: " And I heard the man clothed in linen, when he
held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware
by him.that liveth for ever, that i' shall be foi a time, times,
361




:78             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. x.
and a hllf;" when all these things are to be finished: he said,
" Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed
till the time of the end," Dan. xii. 7, 9; till the time of the
end means till this time. That then the Son of Man will receive the kingdom, he foretells in these words: 1" I saw in the
night visions, and behold, one like the Son of avan came with
the clouds of heaven; and there was given to himi dominion,
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed," Dan. vii. 13, 14. That to declare glad
tidings signifies the Lord's advent, and then his kingdom, is
plain froln these passages:' O Zion, that bringest glad tidcings,
get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest
glad tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; say unto the cities
of Judahll, Behold your God 1 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will
come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him," Isaiah
xl. 9-11. " How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
him that bringeth glad tidinzgs, thllat publisheth peace, that
bringeth glad tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that
saithl unto Zion, Thy God reigneth," Isaiah lii. 7, 8; Nahum
i. 15. " Sing unto Jehovah, bless in his name, declare the glad
tidings of his salvation fiom day to day, for Jehovah cometh,"
Psalm xcvi. 2, 13. "TIhe spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon
me, because Jehovah hlath anointed me to preach, glad tidings
unto the ineek-to proclaim liberty to the captives-to proclaim
the acceptable year of Jehovah," Isaiah lxi. 1, 2. The angel
said unto Zacharias, Behold, thy wife shall bear a son, who
shall go before the Lord God in the spirit and power of Elias,
and to prepare a people for the Lord: " I am Gabriel, and am
sent to show thee these glad tidings," Luke i. 13, 17, 19. The
angel said to the shepherds, "Fear not; behold, I bring you
glad tidings of great joy, for unto you is born in the city
of David this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord," Luke
ii. 10, 11. The Lord preached the glad htdinyg  of the kingdomn of God, Matt. iv. 23; xi. 5; Mark i. 15; LuTke vii. 22;
viii. 1; ix. 1, 2; and John the Baptist, Luke iii. 18. Jesus also
commanded his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, andlpreach
the gospel to every creature," Mark xvi. 1:5. This also is the
everlasting gospel, which the angel flying in the midst of heaven
had to preach  unto them that dwell on the earth, Apoc. xiv. 6.
It is said that the mystery of God will be consunmiated, by
which is meant, that now will be fulfilled that whichll before
had not been fulfilled, that is, that the kingdom will be the
Lord's; for it was not fulfilled by the Jews, Ibecaustc they diU,
not acknowledge the Lord; nor by the Christians, for thlese
have not acknowledged the Lord to be the God of heaven
and earth, as to the Humanity, for they make his Humanity
362




V. 7-9.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         479-481
like that of another man, wherefore they do not ir mediately
approach hiln, when yet he is Jehovah who came into the
world.
479. And the voice which I heard from heaiven sapake eeunto
me again, and said, Go, takce the little book, which, is open in
the kand of the angel who is standing uMpon the sea and ITp0onl
the earth, signifies a command friom heaven, that tlley should
admit that doctrine concerning the Lord, but that it should be
made manifest by John, how it would b'e received in the church,
before they who are meant by the dragon, the beast, and the
false prophet are removed. By the voice which hle heard fiom
heaven nowagain talking with him, is meant the voice which
told him to seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered,
and not to write them, verse 4, by which is signified thlat the
doctrine concerning the Lord would not be received till after
theyr who are mneant by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet;, should be cast out of the spiritual world, because there
would hbe danger were it to be received before, as may be seen
above, a. 473; that this is the case, is now made manifest by
John. t.iy his eating up the little book, as presently follows. That
by tkie little book is meant the doctrine concerninlg  the Lord,
may l- seen, n. 469, 4'72; and that by the angel who stood upon
the sea and upon the earth is understood the Lord, n. 465, 470.
480. And I went unto the angel, and said unto hi'bi, Give
me the little book, signifies a motion or inclination of thle miclnd,
with many in the clhulrch, to receive the doctrine. This is Signified, because by Jolln is here manifested the way in whllich
the doctrine concerning the Lord is received by many in the
church, as just observed; a mnotion or inclination of the mind
with these to receive this doctrine is meant, becanse an inclination was apparent in John, in that lie wenlt and asked for it.
As. these things involve such a mieaning, therefore John was
first told to take the little book; he then went and asked for it;
then the angel said that he would give it him, but that it would
make his belly bitter; and, lastly, it is said that it was given
hiln, and that it so caine to pass;. all these circumstances being
significati ve.
481. And he said unto mne, Take it, and eat it up; and it
shall manke thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mout~h sweet as
honey, signifies that reception firom acknowledgment that the
Lord is the Saviour and Redeemler, is grateful and pleasing, but
that the acknowledgment that he alone is the God of heaven
and earth, and that his IHumanity is Divine, is utnpleasing and
difficult to receive by reason of falsifications. By taking the
little book, is signified to receive the doctrine concerning the
Lord; by eating it up, is signified to acknowledge it; by making
the belly bitter, is signified that it will be unpleasant and difficult by reason of falsifications, for bitter signifies truth falsified,
363




4:82, 483       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. x.
n. 411; by being in the mouth sweet as honey, is signified that
the reception of it at first is grateful and pleasant. These things
that are now applied to the doctrine, which is meant by the
little book that was open in the hand of the angel, n. 409, 472,
signify that reception firom acknowledgment that the Lord is
the Saviour and Redeemer, is grateful and pleasing; but that
the acknowledgment that he alone is the God of heaven and
earth, and that his Humanity is Divine, is unpleasing and difficult by reason of falsifications. The falsifications, by which that
doctrine is rendered disagreeable and difficult of reception, consist principally in not acknowledging the Lord to be one with
the Father, although he himself so taught; and in not acknowledging his Humanity to be Divine, which, nevertheless, is the
Son of God, Luke i. 35; and thius it may be said, that they
have made God three, and the Lord two; not to mention the
falses continued fiom them: firom these falses flows the doctrine
of faith alone, and faith alone afterwards confirms those falses.
That in consequence of these falses, so great a bitterness and
repugnance exists, that they cannot, after death, even nanme the
Divine Humanity fiom any acknowledgment in thought, may
be seen above, n. 294.
482. And I took the little book oumt qf the angel's hand, and
ate it zy' and it was in, my mouth sweet as honey, and when
Ihad eaten it my belly was bitter, signifies that so it came to
pass, and was thus manifested what reception that doctrine
would meet with, before they who are meant by the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet, were removed. As this is a necessary consequence of what was said above, it needs no further
explanation. It is written that the prophet Ezekiel was also
commanded to eat the volume of the book, and that in his
mouth it was sweet as honey, Ezek. ii. 8-10; iii. 1-4.
483. And he said unto me, Thou munzstprophesy again before
many peoples, and nations, and tonggues, and man3y kings, signifies that this is the case, because the quality of those who are:principled in faith alone must be further shown. That this is
signified, appears from what follows, down to chap. xvii., which
treats of those who" are in faith alone; and afterwards of the
Roman Catholic religion, andcl then of the expulsion of the
dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, into hell, and thus
concerninog the New Church, in which the Lord alone will be
worshipped. To prophesy sig;nifies to teach, n. 8, 133, therefore
to prophesy again signifies to teach further; by peoples are signified those who are in the truths or falses of doctrine; and by
nations, those who are in the good or evil of life, as will be seen
presently; by tongues are signified those who are exteriorly in
such tllilgs, n. 282; and by kings are signified those who are
interiorly in them; for by kings are signlified those who are in
trutlis derived firom good; and, in the opposite sense, those whc
364




v. 9 —1l.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               483
are in falses derived from evil, and, abstractedly, truths from
good or falses from evil, as may be seen, n. 20, 664, 704, 720,
830, 921; and since they who are principled in interior falses
are specifically treated of in what follows, it is said, " and many
kings," by which are signified falses of evil in great abundance.
Peoples, nations, tongues, and kings, are mentioned for the
sake of comprehending all who are such in the church.  John
being told that he must prophesy again, signifies that it is necessary to teach further what is the quality of those who are
in faith al(ne, to the end that their falses may be detected, and
thus abolished; inasmuch as no falsity is ever abolished before
it is detected. That peoples signify those who are in truths or
falses of doctrine, and nations, those who are in good or evil of
life, may appear fiom many passages in the Word, where peoples and nations are mentioned; but in confirmation of this,.
only those passages shall be here adduced, where peoples and
nations occur together, from which this inference may be drawn,
seeing that in the Word throughout, both generally and particularly, there is a marriage of the Lord and the church, and
thence a marriage of good and truth; and peoples relate to
truth, and nations to good. That there is such a mnarriage in
all and every particular of the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n.
80-90.  The passages in the Word alre as follow: "Ah sinful
nation, a people laden with iniquity," Isaiah i. 4. " I will send
him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my
wrath," Isaiah x. 6. Jehovah smote the peoples in wrath, lie
ruled the nations in anger, Isaiah xiv. 6. "Go to a nation
scattered and peeled-to apeople terrible from their beginning,"
Isa. xviii. 2. "Therefore shall the strong people gloritfy thee,
the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee," Isaiah xxv. 3.
Jehovah will destroy the covering which is cast over all peoples,
and the vail that is spread over all nations, Isaiah xxv. 7, 8.
" Come near, ye nations, and hear, ye people," Isaiah xxxiv. 1.
"I will give thee for a covenant to the _peoples, and a light to
the nations," Isaiah xlii. 6. "Behold, I will lift up my hand
to the nations, and set up my standard to the peoples," Isaiah
xlix. 22. "Let all the nations be gathered together, and let
the peoples be assembled," Isaiah xliii. 9. "Behold, I have
given him for a witness to the peoples,a a leader and commander
to the nations," Isaiah lv. 4, 5.' Behold, a people cometh
from the: north country, and a great nation friom the sides of the.
earth," Jerem. vi. 22, 23. "Many peoples shall come, and
strong nations to seek Jehovah of IHosts in Jerusalem," Zech.
viii. 22. "Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to
nought, he maketh the devices of the peoples of none effect,'
Psalm xxxiii. 10. "Jehovah shall subdue the peoples under
us, and the nations under our feet;- Jehovah reigneth over the
365




1484           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Char. x
nations, the princes of thepeoples are gathered together," Psalm
xlvii. 8, 9. " Let the peoples praise thee, let the nations be
glad, for thou shalt judge the peoples righteously, and govern
the nations upon earth,' Psalm lxvii. 3-5.  " Reinember me,
O Jehovah, with the favour of thy people, that I may rejoice in
gladness of thy nations," Psalm cvi. 4, 5. All thepeoples, nations, and tongues of the Son of Man shall worship, Dan. vii.
14. Besides other places; as in Psalm xviii. 43; Isaiah ix. 2,
3; xi. 10; Ezek. xxxvi. 15; Joel ii. 17; Zeph. ii. 9; Apoc. v.
9' Luke ii. 30-32.
484. To the above I will add three Memorable Relations of
what took place in the spiritual world. The first was as follows.
I once heard a noise like the grinding of a mill; it was in the
northern, quarter. At first I wondered what it could mean, till
I recollected that by am ill and by grinding, in the Word, is
meant to collect fiorn the Word what is serviceable to doctrine,
n. 794. I advanced, therefore, towards the place fronm whence
the noise came, and as I approached, the noise ceased: then I
observed something like a roof above ground, the entrance to
wlicll was through a cave; on seeing which, I descended and
entered; and lo, there was an apartment, in which I saw an
aged person sitting, surrounded with books, with the Word before him, in which he was searching for what might be serviceable to his doctrine. There were papers lying about him, on
which lie wrote such passages as suited his purpose. And, in
the next room, were a number of scribes, who collected the
papers, and copied out their contents on a whole sheet. I inquired first, concerning the books which lay about him; he
said, that they all treated of justifying faith: "Those from Sweden and Denmark," says he, " enter deeply into the subject;
those fiom Germany somewhat deeper; those from  England
deeper still; and those from Holland the deepest of all; he
added withal, that notwithstanding the difference of their sentiments on other points, yet in the articles of justification and
salvation by faith alone, they were all agreed. He then told
me, that at that time he was collecting fiom the Word this
chief article of justifying faith, viz., that God the Father fell
away from grace towards mankind, by reason of their iniquit'es;
and that, consequently, in order to effect their salvation, it was
become indispensably necessary, that satisfaction, reconciliation,
propitiation, and mediation, should be made by some person,
who would take upon himself the sentence of wrathl and justice,
and that none could be found qualified for this purpose, but his
onlv Son; and that when this purpose was effected, access was
opened to God the Father, for his sake. He said, "I now see,
and hlave long seen, that this is consistent with reason; for how
could God the Father be approached, but by faith in the merit
366




Chap. x.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEAlED.              484
of his Son? and now I have also found, that it is likewise con
sistent with Scripture."  When I heaird this, I was amazed at
his saying that it was consistent with reason and Scriptaree,
when yet it is contrary to both, as I plainly told him. He,
then, in the heat of his zeal, replied, "How can you talk in
this mannler a"  Wherefore I began to explain myself; by saying, "Is it not contrary to reason to conceive, that God ever
fell away fiom grace towards mankind, and entirely cast them
off? is not divine grace an attribunte of the divine essence 
Wherefore, to fall away from grace would be to fall away from
his divine essence; and to fall away firom his divine essence
would be to be no longer God: for how can God be alienated
firom himnself?  Believe me, that grace on God's part, as it is
infinite, so also is it eternal; it may indeed be lost on the part
of man, if lie will not receive it, bnt never on the part of God.
If grace were to depart fi'om God, there would be an end of the
unniversal heaven and the whole race of mankind, insomuch that
man would no longer be man in any respect whllatever; wllherefore, grace on God's part abides to all eternity, not only towards angels and men, but even towards the devil himself.
Since this then is agreeable to reason, why do you assert, that
the only access to God the Father is by faith in the merit of his
Son, when yet there is perpetual access by grace?  And why
do you call it access to God thle Father for the sake of his Son,
and not access by his Son? Is not the Son the Mediator and
Saviour? Why then do you not approach hlim  as your Mediator and Saviour?  Is he not God and Man?  Who on earth
approaches ilmmediately any emperor, king, or prince, without
having soine person to introduce him?  And did you never
learn, that the Lord came into the world that lhe himself might
introdllce us to the Father? and that there is no possible access
but by him?  Search now the Scriptures, and yon will there
see that what I tell you is agreeable to them, and that the way
which you talk of to the Fatllher, is as contrary to Scripture as
it is to reason. I assert, moreover, that it is great presumption
to climb up to God the Father, and not by him who is in the
bosom of the Father, and is alone with him.  Did you never
read John xiv. 6?" As I uttered these words, the old lman was
so much exasperated, that he sprang firon his chair, and called
to his scribes to turn me out of the house; and as I walked out
of my own accord, he threw after me out of doors the first book
that lie could lay his hands on, which book happened to be the
Word.
The second Memorable Relation. After I had retired, I
heard a noise again like tile collision of two mill stones against
each other; but as I approached towards the place from whmence
361




-84             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. x.
it came, it ceased, and I saw a narrow gate leading obliquely
downwards to a certain vaulted house, which was divided into
slnall cells, in each of which sat two persons collecting passages
fiom the Word in favour of faith alone; one collected, and the
atler transcribed, and this they did alternately.  I went towvidcs one of the cells. and stood at the door, and asked what
they were collecting and writing; they said, " Concerning the act
of justification, or concerning faith in act, which is the real justifying, vivifying, and saving faith, and the chief doctrine of all
in Christendom."  Then I said, "Tell me somne mark or sign
of that act, when that faith is introduced into the heart and
soul of man."  They replied, " The sign of that act is momentary, or instantaneous, when a man, under the anguish of condemnation for sin, thinks of Christ, as having taken away the
condemnation of the law, and lays hold of this his merit with
confidence, and, keeping it in his thoughts, approaches andt
prays to God the Father."  Then I said, " Suppose it to be so,
and that this act is instantaneous; yet how am I to conceive
what is asserted of this act, that man contributes nothing towards it, any more than if he were a stock or a stone, and that
he has no power to begin, will, understand, think, operate, cooperate, apply, and accommodate himself to this act?  Tell
mne, how does this agree with what you said, that the act takes
place when man is thinking about the justice of the law, and
about the removal of its condemnation by Christ, in consequence
of which lie lays hold with confidence of his merit, and approaches and prays to God the Father with this in his thoughts?
Are not all these things done by man as from himself?"  They
tanswered, "Not by man actively, but passively."  I replied,
"' How can any one think, have confidence, and piray, passively?
If you take away man's activity or re-activity, do you not also
take away his capacity of reception, consequently all that belougs to him as man, and with it the act itself? And what does
the act become in this case, but something purely ideal, or a
mere creature of the imagination? I trust you do not believe
with some, that such an act takes place only among the predestinate, who yet are utterly unconscious of any infusion of faith
into themselves; and who might throw a cast of dice, in order
to ascertain whether it be infused into them or no; wherefore,,
do you, my friends, believe, that man, in matters of faith, operates and co-operates as from himself, and that without such
co-operation, your act of faith, which you call the chief doctrine of religion, is but a mere pillar or statue, like Lot's wife,
tinkling like dry salt when scratched by a scribe's pen or finger-nail, Luke xvii. 32. I use this comparison, because as to
that act, you make yourselves as mere statues."  As I spake
these words, one of them took up a candlestick, with intent to-:
3.68




C]hap. x.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              484
throw it in my face, but the candle suddenly going out, and it
becoming dark in consequence, he threw it against the forehead
of his own companion; at which I smiled and departed.
The third }Memorable Relation. In the northern quarter
of the spiritual world, hearing as it were the roaring of waters
I walked towards it, and as I approached, the roaring ceased,
and I heard a buzzing noise like the distant voices of a multitude gathered together, and then'there appeared a building full
of chinks and clefts, encompassed with a mound of earth, from
whence that buzzing issued. I went up to it, and seeing the
porter, asked who were within the walls. He said, " The
wisest of the wise, who are now debating together on subjects
supernatural."  He said this in the simplicity of his belief.
And I said, " May I be permitted to enter?"  " Yes," says he,
"on condition thou wilt say.nothing; for I have leave to admit
Gentiles to stand with lme at the door." So I went in, and lo,
there was a circus, and in the centre a pulpit, where an assemnbly of the wise, so called, were discussing the mysteries of
faith. The subject or proposition then in debate was, Whether
the good which a man does in the state of justification by faith,
or in its progression after the act, is the good of religion, or
not. They were unanimous in defining the good of religion to
be such good as contributes to salvation. The debate was warm,
but victory inclined to the side of those who contended, that
the good actions which a man does in the state or progression
of faith, are only such as are mo'ral, civil, and political, and
which contribute nothing to salvation, since it is faith only that
can do this. This opinion they confirmed by the following ar
guments: "How," said they, "can any good thing, roceeding from man's will, be conjoined with free grace?   oow can
any work of man be connected with what is freely given?
And is not salvation of free grace? How, again, can any good
thing, proceeding from manl, be conjoined with the merit of
Christ, which is the only means of salvation?  And how is it
possible for man's operation to be conjoined with the operation
of the Holy Ghost? Does not the Holy Ghost do all without
the aid or assistance of man?  Are not these three things alone
conducive to salvation in the act of justification by faith? And
do they not remain alone conducive to salvation in the state or
progress of faith?  Of consequence, the accessory good on
mnan's part can in no wise be called the good of religion, which,
as was observed, contributes to salvation, btt ought rather to be
called the evil of religion, whensoever it is done with a view to
salvation." There were two Gentiles standing with the doorkeeper in the porch, who heard all this reasoning; and one of
them said to the other, "These people have no religion at all;
for who does not see that what is called religion consists in doing
369                                        T




THE APOCALYPSE REEEALED.        [Chap. xi.
goo0d to one's neighbour for the sake of God, consequently, with
God, and froml God?"  And the other said, "Their faith has
infatuated them."  Then they asked the door-keeper,'Who
are these people?"  And he replied, "They are wise Christians."  They replied, " Nonsense! thou art imposing upon us;
bly their manner of speaklin  we should take themi for jugglers."  I then departed; and some time after, when I looked
at the place where that building was,, behold! it was a stagnant
pool.
These things, just as I have described them, were seen and
heard by me when I was perfectly awake, both as to my body
and my spirit: for the Lord has so united my spirit to my body
that I am in both at one and the same time. My going to that
building, and their then being enrigaged in debate on those subects, with the other circumstances that have been described,
were so ordered by the divine auspices of the Lord.
CHAPTER XI.
1. AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the
angel stood by, saving, Rise, and measure the temple of God,
and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and
measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy
city shall they tread under foot iforty and two months.
3. And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall
prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in
sackcloth.
4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks,
standing before the God of the earth.
5. And if any one desire to hurt them, fire shall proceed
o:ut of their moutth, aid shall devour their enemies; and if any
9ne desire to hurt them, he must thus be killed.
6. These have power to shut heaven, that tile rain fall not
in the days of their prophecy: and have power over the waters
to. turn them  into blood; and to smite the earth with every
plague, as often as they will.
"7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the
beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war
with them  and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where alsc
our JLord was crucified.
9.. And they of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and
7, 0




Chap. xi.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and
shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put into monuments.
10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over
them and be glad, and shall send gifts one to another; because
these two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth.
11. And after three days and a half, thespirit of life from
God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and
great fear fell upon them that saw them.
12. And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto
them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a
cloud: and their enemies beheld them.
13. And the same hourr there was a great earthquake, and
the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain
names of mhen seven thousand'; and the remnant were afifighted,
and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14. The second woe is past; behold, the third woe cometh
quickly.
15.; And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great
voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become
the kingdoms of our Lord and ofl his Christ, and he shall reigT
for ever and ever.
16. And the four-and-twenty elders, that sat before God on
their thrones, fell upon their. faces, and worshipped God,
17. Sayin g, We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almigllty,
who art, and'who wast, and who, art to come, because thou hhast
taken to thee thy great power, and hast begun to reign.
18. And the nations were angry; and thy wrath is come,
and the time of judging the dead; and of giving reward unto
thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that
fear thy name, both small and great; and of destroying them
that destroy the earth.
19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven; and
there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there
were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THECONTENTS OF THE WHQLE 0HArTER. The state of the
church among the reformed is still treated of, as to the quality'of those who are interiorly principled in faith alone, contrary
to the two essentials of the New Church, which teach that the
Lord is the only. God of heaven and eartl, that his Humanity
is Divine; and that men ought to live according to the prectept,
of -the decalogue. That these two essentials were declared't
371




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xi.
them, verses 3-6. But that they were totally rejected, verses
7 —-10. That they were raised up again by the Lord, verses
11, 12. That they who rejected them, perished, verse 13.
That the,state of the New Church was manifested from the new
heaven, verses 15-19.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1, " And there was
given me a reed like unto a rod," signifies that the faculty and
power of knowing and seeing the state of the church in heaven
and in the world was given: " And the angel stood by, saying,
Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them
that worship therein," signifies the Lord's presence and his
command, that he should see and know the state of the church
in the new heaven: v. 2, "But the court which is without the
temple leave out, and measure it not," signifies that the state
of the church on earth, such as it is at present, is to be removed,
and not known: " For it is given unto the Gentiles," signifies,
because the state of that church is destroyed and laid waste by
evils of life: "And Athe holy city shall they tread under foot
forty and two months," signifies that it would disperse every
truth of the Word, even to nothing of the kind remaining:
v. 3, "And I will give unto my two witnesses," signifies those
who confess and acknowledge in their hearts that the Lord is
the God of heaven and earth, and that his Humanity is Divine,
and who are conjoined to him by a life according to the precepts of the decalogue: "And they shall prophesy a thousand
two hundred and sixty days," signifies that these two articles,
the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life according to the
commandments of the decalogue, which are the two essentials
of the New Church, are to be taught until the end and the beginning: "Clothed in sackcloth," signifies lamentation in the
mean time on account of the non-reception of truth: v. 4,
"These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth," signifies love and intelligence,
or charity and faith, fiom the Lord with them: v. 5, " And if
any one desire to hurt them, fire shall proceed out of their
mouth, and shall devour their enemies," signifies that they
who desire to destroy these two essentials of the New Church,
will perish by reason of infernal love: "And if any one desire
to hurt them, he must thus be killed," signifies that he who
condemns them shall in like manner be condemned: v. 6,
"These have power to shut heaven, that the rain fall not in the.days of their prophecy," signifies that they who reject these
two essentials cannot receive any truth from heaven: " And
have power over the waters to turn them into blood," signifies
that they who reject them  falsify the truths of the Word:
",And to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they
will," signifies that they who desire to destroy them, will plunge
themselves into all kinds of evils and falses, as often as and in
372




Chap. xi.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
proportion as they do so: v. 7, i" And when they shall have
finished their testimony," signifies that after the Lord taught
these two essentials of the New Church: "The beast thatL
ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war with them,
and shall overcome them, and kill them," sionifies that they
who are principled in the internals of the doctrine of faith
alone will reject these two essentials: v. 8, " And their dead
bodies shall lie in the street of the great city," signifies that
they are totally rejected: "Which spiritually is called Sodom
and Egypt," signifies two infernal loves, which are the love of
dominion grounded in self-love, and the love of rule grounded
in the pride of self-derived intelligence, which exist in the
church where one God is not acknowledged, and the Lord not
worshipped, and where they do not live according to the precepts of the decalogue: "Where also our Lord was crucified,"
signifies non-acknowvledgment of the Lord's Divine Humanity,
and, consequently, a state of rejection: v. 9, " And they of
the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, shall see their
dead bodies three days and a half," signifies when all they,
who, until the end of the present church and the beginning of
the New Church, have been and will be in falses of doctrine and
evils of life from faith alone, have heard and shall hear of these
two essentials: " Andt shall not suffer their dead bodies to be
put into monuments," signifies that they condemned and will
condemn them: v. 10, "And they that dwell upon the earth
shall rejoice over them and be glad," signifies the delight of
the affection of the heart and soul in the church among those
who were in faith alone: "And shall send gifts one to another," signifies consociation through love and firiendship:
"Because these two prophets tormented them that dwell upon
the earth," signifies that these two essentials of the New Church,
by reason of their contrariety to the two essentials received
in the Reformed Church, are held in contempt, dislike, and
averison: v. 11, "And after three days and a half the spirit
of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their
feet," signifies that these two essentials, during the cornmencement and progress of the New Church, will, with those who
receive them, be vivified by the Lord: "And great fear fell
upon them that saw them," signifies commotion of mind and
consternation at divine truths: v. 12, "And they heard a great
voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither," signifies that these two essentials of the New Church were taken
up by the Lord into heaven, fiom whence they came, and where
they are, and the protection of them: " And they ascended up
to heaven in a cloud," signifies the taking them up into heaven,
and conjunction there with the Lord by the divine truth of
the Word in its literal sense: "And their enemies beheld
them," signifies that they who are in faith separated from
373




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [(Chap. xi.
chiarity heard themi, but remained in their own falsities: v. 13,
"An d   the same hour there was a great eartlhqulake, and the
tenth part of tile city fell"' signifies a remarkable change of
state which then took pl-ace with them, and their separation
friomn heaven, followed by a sinking down into hell:'' And inl
tile earthquake were slain names of imen seven thousand,'" signifies that all those who were in the confession of faith alone,
and therefore made no account of works of charity, perished:
"  And the remnant were affriighted, and gave glory to the God
of heaven," signifies that they who saw their destruction ac
knowledged the Lord, and were separated.: v. 14, "' The second
woe is past; behold the third woe cometh quickly,' sillifies
lamentation over the perverted state of the church, and then
the last lamentation, to be treated of preselltly: v. 15, " And
the seventh angel sounded,'" signifies the exploration and manifestation of the state of the church after the consummation,
at the coming of the Lord and of his kingdom: " Aind there
were great voices in heaveln saying, The kingdomls of the
world are become the kingdonms  of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he shall reign for ever and ever," signifies celebrations by
the angels, because heaven and the church are become the
Lord's, as they were friom the beginnineg, and because now they
ire in subiection also to his Divine Humanity, consequently
that how, both as to his Humanity and his Divinlity, the Lord
will reign over heaven and the church to eternity: v. 16, " And
the four-and-twenty elders, that sat before God on their thlroncs
fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," signifies al acknowledgment by all the angels of heaven, that the Lord is the
4od of heaven and earth, and snuprelne adoration: v. 17, " Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and
who wast, and who art to come, signifies a confession and
glorification by the angels of heaven, tha t it is the Lord who is
Who has life and power fiom himself, and who rules all things,
because he alone is eternal and infinite: 1"Because thou hiast
taken to thee thy great power, and hast benun to reigln,"' signifies the new heaven and the New Church, where they acknowledge him to be the only God: v. 18, "And the nations were:angry," signifies those who are in faith alone, and thence in
evils of life, that they were enraged, aid infested those who
are against their faith: " And thy wrath is come, and the time
of judging the deadj" signifies their destruction, and the execution of the last Judgment upon those who have not any spiritual life: "And of giving: reward unto thy servants the prophets, and  to the saints," signifies the feiicity of life eternal to
those who are in truths of doctrine from the Word, and in a
life according to them: "And to them that fear thy lame,% both
-small and great," signifies who love the things wlich relate to
the Lord in a lesser or greater degree: "And of destroying
374




V. 1.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                48-b
them  that destiroy tlihe earth," signifies the casting of thc6;e
into hell who have destroyed the church: v. 19,'"And thlie
temple of God was ope'ned in heaven; and there was seen i-i
hiis temple the ark of his covenant," signifies the new heaxven:
in which the Lord in his Divine Humanity is wolrshipped; and
where they live a'ccording to the precepts of his decalogiet,
these constituting the two essentials of the New Church, wherdby conjunction is effected: " And there were lightnings, and
voices, and thunclderings, and an earthquake, andc great hail.')
signifies tile ratiocinations, commotions, and ftalsificationls of
good and truth, that ensued in the spheres beneath (in inferiTHE EXPLANATION.
485. And there'was given me a reed like unto a rod, signifibes that the faculty and power of knowing and seeing the stat
of the church in heaven and in the world was givenl by the Loid.
By a reed is signified feeble power, such as man has from him-i
self; and by a rod, or Staff, is signified great power, such as
man has from tile Lord; therefore by a reed being given hirii
like unto a rod, is signified power from  the Lord. That it
means the faculty and power of knowingi and seeing the sta-t
of the churlch in heaven and in the world, is plain firom what
follows in this chapter to the end. That by a reed, or cane, is
signified feeble power, such as man has fromn himself, is evident
from  tliese passages  "L Lo, thou trustest in the staf of thAi
broken reecl, on Egypt; whereon when if a mnan lean it will'I
into his hand, and pierce it," Isaiah xxxvi. 6.  "And all thb
inhabitants of Egypt shall know, that I am Jehovah, becauso
they have been a staf of reed to the house of Israel; when they
too0  hold of thee by the hand, thou didst breakl and rend;all
their shoulder," Ezek. xxix. 6, 7. By Egypt is signified thenat ural iman who trusts in his own strength, therefore he is
called the staff of a bruised reed. By reed is signified feeble
power, in Isaiah: "A bruised'eed sliall he not break, and the
smoking flax shall lie not qulench," Isaiah xlii. 3. But by a
rod, or a staff, is signified stlong power, which is from the Lord;
in the present instance, power to know the state of the church,
because thle temple and altai was measured with a rod; and by
lieasuring is sigiiified to know, and by the temple and altar i'a
signified tile churchl; as Will be seen presently.  A rod signifies power, becaiiuse wood, of "which walking-staves were inade
among tllose of the ancient church, signifies good; and because'
37_




486   ~         THE APOCALYPSE RIEVEALED.        rChap. x..
4 staff is irnstead of the right hand, and supports it, and by the
right hand  is signified power; hence it is, that a sceptre is a
short staff, and by a sceptre is signified regal power; and a
sceptre and staff are expressed ly one and the same word in
the Hebrew language. That a staff signifies power, is evident
from these places: "' Say, how is the strong s8taf broken, and
the beau~tiful rod-come down firom thy glory and sit in thirst,"
Jerem. xlviii. 17, 18. "'Jehovah shall send the rod of thy
strength out of Zion," Psalm cx. 2. " Thou didst strike through
with his staves the head of his villages," Habak. iii. 14. " Israel
is the rod of Jehovah's inheritance," Jerem. x. 16; li. 19.
"Thy rod and thy staff tthey comfot me," Psalm xxiii. 4. "Jehovah hath broken the staf —of his shoulder," Isaial ix. 4;
xiv. 5; Psalm cxxv. 3. "M ly people ask counsel at their stocks,
and their stcff declareth unto them," IHosea iv. 12. " Jehovah
doth take away from Jerusalem-the staff of bread, and all the
staf of waterl," Isaiah iii. 1, 2; Ezek. iv. 16; v. 16; xiv. 13;
Psalm cv. 1.6; Levit. xxvi. 26. By the staff of bread and
water is signified the power of goodness and truth; and by
Jerlisalem, the church. By the rod of Levi, upon which was
the name of Aaron, which blossomed in the tabernacle and
yielded almonds, Numb. xvii. 2, 3, 7, 8, in a spiritual sense,
nothing else is signified but the power of truth and good, because by Levi and Aaron was signified the truth anct good of
the church. That power is signified by a staff, is evident fiom
the power of the staff or rod of Moses, in that by stretching
forth his rod the waters were turned into blood, Exod. vii. 20.
That frogs were made to come up over the land of Egypt,
Exod. viii. 1, and following verses. That lice were caused to
be produced, Exod. viii. 12, and following verses. That by the
rod were caused thunderings and hail, Exod. ix. 23, and following verses. That locusts were made to come forth, Exod.
x. 12, and following verses. That waters were made to gush
out of the rock in Horeb, Exod. xvii. 5, and following verses;
Numb. xx. 7-13. That the Red Sea was divided and turned,back, Exod. xiv. 16, 21, 26. That by the rod, when lifted up
In the hand of Moses, Joshua overcame the Ainalekites, Exod.
xvii. 9-12. That fire was made to issue firom the rock by the
staff of the angel, Judges vi. 21. From all these passages it
appears, that by a rod, or staff, is signified power: likewise
firom other passages; as in Isaiah x. 5, 24, 26; xi. 4; xiv. 5;
xxx. 31, 32; Ezek. xix. 10-14; Lament. iii. 1, 2; Micah vii.
14; Zech. x. 11; Nunmb. xxi. 18.
486. And the an-gel stood by, saying, Rise, and necasure the
temple of God) and the altar, a hnd thlem t/at worship therein,, signifies the Lord's presence and his command, that lie should see
and know the state of the church in the new heaven. By angel
i. nmeant the Lord, here as in n. 5, 415, and other places, be376




v. 1.J          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               486
cause an angel never does any thing from himself, but only friom
the Lord; therefore he says, I will give my two witnesses.
verse 3, and these were the Lord's witnesses. By standing by
is signified the Lord's presence; and by saying is signified his
command; by rise and measure are signified to see and know;
tlhat to measure signifies to know and scrutinize the quality of a
state, will be seen below. By the temple, the altar, and them
that worship therein, is signified the state of the church in the
new heaven;-by the temple, the church as to truth of doctrine, n. 191; by the altar, the church as to the good of love,
n. 392; and by them  that worship is signified the church as
to worship proceeding from these two sources. By them that
worship is here signified adoration, which has relation to worship, because the spiritual sense is abstracted from persons, n.
78, 79, 96: that this is the case in the present passage, is evident fiom this circumstance also, that he was told to measure
them that worship; for these three thlings constitute the church,
viz., truth of doctrine, good of love, and worship proceeding
from both. That it is the church in the new heaven which is
meant, is plain fiom the last verse of this chapter, where it is
said, that the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there
was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant, verse 19. The
reason why the measuring the temple is spoken of at the beginning of this dhapter, is, in order that the state of the church
in heaven, before it was brought into conjunction with the
church in the world, might be seen and known: the church in
the world is meant by the court without the temple, which was
not to be measured, because it was given to the Gentiles,
verse 2; and then it is described as the great city, which is
called Sodom and Egypt, verses 7, 9; but after the fall of that
great city, verse 13, it fbllows that the church was become the
Lord's, verse 15, and subsequent verses. It must be observed,
that there is a church in the heavens as well as on earth; and
that they make one, like the internal and external with Inan;
wherefore a church in the heavens is first provided by the Lord,
and fiom it, or by it, a church on earth; thence, it is said, that
the New Jerusalem came down fiom God out of the new heaven, chap. xxi. 1, 2. By the new heaven is meant the new
heaven composed of Christians, which is fiequently treated of
in the following pages. To measure signifies to know and scrutinize the quality of any thing; because by a measure is si"gnified
the quality of a thing, or state; this is signified by all the measures of the New Jerusalem, chap. xxi.; and also by these
words, which occur there: The angel having a golden reed,
measured the city and the gates thereof; and he measured the
wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits; the measure of a man,
that is, of an angel, verses 15, 17; and as by the New Jerusalem is signified a New Church, it is plain that by measuring
377




:87    -THE APOCxtYPrmE REVEALED.                [Chap. xi.
it, and the things relating to it, is signified to know its quality.
To measure has a similar signification in Ezekiel, where it is
said, That the angel Wneasured the house of God, the temple, thle
altar, the court, and the chambers, xl. 3-17; xli. 1-5, 13, 14,
22; Xlii. and xliii. And that he measured the waters, xlvii. 3
-5, 9. Therefore it is said, Show the house of Israel the patteln, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let
them measure the pattern, and the goings out thereof, and the
comings in thei'eof, and all the forms thereof, that they may
keep the w*ole pattern, Ezek. xliii. 10, 11.. The like is signified by measuring, in these passages: " I lifted up mine eyes,
and behold, a man, in whose hand was a measuring line, and I
said, Whither goest thoul and lie said, To mneasure Jeruisalem,
Zech. ii. 1, 5, 6, 8. He stood and measured the earth, Habak.
iii. 6. The Lord Jehovah "hath'nea8sured the waters inl the
hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and
weighed thle mou ntains in scales, and the hills in a balance,"
Isaiah xl. 12. "'Where wast thou when I laid the foundations
of the earth? who laid the mneas8ures thereof, or who hath
stretched the line upon it." Job xxxviii. 4-6.
487. But the ozurt whicA is WitAhoibt the temvpOle leave out, and
measure it not, signifies that the state of the church on earth,
such as it is at present, is to be removed, and not to be known.
By the court without the temple is signified the church on
earth, this being without heaveli or the temple, n. 486; by
leaving it out is signified to remove it, in this instance, fiom
heavell, because such is its state; and by not measuring it is
signified not to scrutinize and know its quality, n. 486. The
reason ifollows; natmely, because it is given unto the Gentiles,
and tlhe holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two
months. That by the coiurt without the temple is here signified
the church on earth such as it still is, appears from what follows in this chapter, where it is cescribed as the great city,
which spiritually is called Sodoin and Egypt, in which the
Lord's two witnesses lay dead, and whicll afterwards fell in a
great eairthquake, wherein Were slain names of men seven thousand; besides other cilcumstances. By a court, in tle Word in
other places, is signified the external of the church; for there
were two courts, throuogh which it was necessary to pass, in
order to go into the temple itself at Jerusalem; and because by
the temple was signified the chlul.ch as to its internal, thelefore
by the courts was signified the church as to its external; wherefore the strangers, who were from  among the Gentiles, were
admitted into the courts, but lnot into the temple itself. And
as the external of the clhurch is signified by a couilt. therefore
also the clihurch on earthl is signlifled tllhereby, and alsc heaven in
uiltimates, because the cluIch on earth is the entrance to heaven, and likewise heaven in ultimates. Thiat is what is signified
378




v. 1, 2.1       THE APOCALT PSE REVEALED.           488, 489
by a court, inl thle folowing passages:'"Blessed is the inman
whom tllou clioosest, tllat lie may dwell in th'y courts; we shall
be satisfied with tile goodiness of thy house, even of th  holy
temnple," Psalm lxv. 5. "Praiise ye the nanme of Jehovah, ye
who stand in hiis house, ill the 6coirts of thle house of our God,"
Psalm  cxxxv. 1, 2.  "'How  amiable are thy tabernacles, O
Jehovallh: my sul longethl, yea even fainteth, for the courts of
Jehovah," Psalm  lxxxiv. 1, 2.'"Enter into his gates with
thanksgiving, and into his courts with plraise, Psalm  c. 4.
"Tlhe righteous shall flourish like the palmn-tree, those that be
planted in the house of Jehovah shall flourish in the courts of
our God," Psalm  xcii. 12, 13.  " A day in thy courts is better
tlhan a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper ini the house of
my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness," Psalm
lxxxiv. 10; besides others; as in Psalm xcvi. 7; Isaiah i. 12;
lxii. 9; Zechl. iii. 7; Ezek, x. 3-5. Of the courts of the temple
of Jerusalem,   1 Kings vi. 3, 36.  Of the courts of the new
temple, Ezek. xl. 17-31-44; xlii. 1  4; xliii. 4- 7.  And
of the cour't without the talbernacle, Exod. xxvii. 9-18.
488. For it is given uTnto the Gentiles, signifies, because the
state of that church is destloyed and laid Waste by evils of life,
as is evident firom the signification of Gentiles, as denotinlg those
who are in evils of life, and, abstractedly, evils of life, ni. 14'7,
483.
489. And the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and
two qnozntAs, signifies that it would disperse every truth of the
Word, even to nothing  remainin g. By the holy city is neant
the hioly Jerusalem;;a   d by the holy Jerusalem  is mleant the
New ChurGlch Which is in truthls of doctrine, for holy is piedi
cated of divine trutlh, n. 173 i and a city signifies doctrimle n.
194; therefoie by treading tlhat city under foot is signlified to
dispelse the the tiths of its doctrine; by forty and two lnonths is
signified until there is an end, wlen tlere is no truth left; by
tiuths of doctiine are meant trutlhs fiom the Word, because the
doctrine of the churich, and all that relates to it, is thence
derived. That they who are, at this day, il the iiiternials of the
church, have so dispersed the truths of the Woicd, and thence
the doctrines of the churchi, and every thing relating to the
Chulch, is described in this cllapter by the beast coming up out
of the bottomless pit, in tliat he Slew the two witnesses, verse 7,
and inay also be seeni fiom the AMlemorable Relations fi'oll  tlie
spiritual world, annexed to eaclh chapter.  By forty and two
months is signified to tlie end, and till notling good or true
is left in the church, because the same thing is signified by
forty and two as by six weeks, for six times seven is fobty-two,
and bly six weeks is sigInified what is complete to the end; for
the number six has this signification, and a week signifies state,
and the seventh week a holy state, which is a new state of the
379




t90             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xi.
church, when the Lord enters upon his reign. This nuinber
has a similar signification in the following passage: "And
there was given unto the beast which came up out of the sea a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was
given unto himn to continueforty-two months," Apoc. xiii. 5, n.
583. The reason why six signifies what is cormplete to the end,
is, because three lhas that signification, n. 505, and six is double
that nulnber, and a number doubled has the same signification
as the simple number; besides, the same is signified by this
number as by three and a half; because forty-two months make
three years and a half. M/Ionths are mentioned because by a
month is signified a fill state; as in Isaiah lxvi. 23; Apoc. xxii.
1, 2; Gen. xxix. 14; Numb. xi. 18-20; Deut. xxi. 11, 13.
490. Azd I will give unto my two witnzesses, signifies those
who confess and acknowledge in their hearts that the Lord is
the God of heaven and earth, and that his Humanity is Divine,
and who are conjoined to him by a life according to the precepts of the decalogue. The reason why such persons are here
understood by the two witnesses, is, because these two things
constitute the two essentials of the New Church. That the
first essential, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth,
and that his Humanity is Divine, is a testimony or witness, and
consequently, that they are witnesses who confess and acknowledge it in their hearts, may be seen, n. 6, 846, and likewise
from the following passages: "I am thy fellow-servant, of thy
brethren that have the testimony qf Jesus; for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of rophecy," Apoc. xix. 10. The angels of
Michael overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by
the Wourd of his testimony: and the dragon " went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments
of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," Apoc. xii. 10
17. "The souls of them that were smitten with the axe, for
the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God," Apoc. xx. 4
these are they who have acknowledged the Lord. It is called
the testimony of Jesus, because the Lord testifies it fiom his
Word, thus from himself, therefore he himself is called the
faithtfl and true witness, Apoc. i. 5; iii. 14; and says, I testify
qf vmyself, an-d my testimgony is true, because I know whence I
came, and whither I go, John viii. 14; also, "When the Comforter is come, even the Spirit of Truth, he shall testify of me,"
John xv. 26. That the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, which
also is the Holy Spirit, is the proceeding Divinity, and that
this is the Lord himself, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New
Jerusalem concernin.g. the Lord, n. 46-54. Now since the Lord
himself is the witness, therefore also by witnesses are meant
they who testify this from the Lord, as did John: Jesus said,."Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth: but I
receive not testimony from man," John v. 33. John camne as a
380



v. 2, 3.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALFD.             491
witness, to bear witness of the light; he was not the light, but
was to bear witness of the light. The WTord which was with
God, and which was God, was the true light, John i. 1, 2, and
following verses, 14, 34. That the other essential of the New
Church, which is conjunction with the Lord by a life according
to the precepts of the decalogue, is a testimony, appears from
the decalogue beiag called the testimony, as in these passages:
"And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall
give thee," Exod. xxv. 16. Moses put the testimony into the
ark, Exod. xl. 20. The mercy-seat that is over the testimnony,
Levit. xvi. 13. Leave the rods of the tribes before the testimony, Numb. xvii.; besides other places, as in Exod. xxv. 22;
xxxi. 7, 18; xxxii. 15; Psalm lxxviii. 5; Psalm cxxxii. 12.
Something must here be said concerning conjunction with the
Lord by a life according to the precepts of the decalogue. There
are two tables upon which those precepts are written, one for
the Lord, the other for man; what the first table contains, is,
that a plurality of gods are not to be worshipped, but only one;
and the second, that evils are not to be committed; therefore,
when one God is worshipped, and man does not coin mit evils, a
conjunction takes place; for in proportion as man desists from
evils, that is, does the work of repentance, in the same proportion he is accepted of God, and does good fiom him. But who
now is this one God?  A trine or triune God is not one God,
so long as this trine and triunity exists in three persons; but
he, in whomr a trine or triunity exists in one person, is one God,
and that God is the Lord; enter into whatever intricacies of
thought you please, yet will you never be able to extricate
yourself and make out that God is one, unless lie is also one in
person. That this is the case, the whole Word teaches, both in
the Old Testament and Prophets, and in the New Testament
and Evangelists, as may be clearly seen in Thle Doctrine of the
New Jerusalem concerning the Lord.
491. And they shall prophesy a thousand two htundred and
sixty days, signifies that these two articles, the acknowledgment
of the Lord, and a life according to the commandments of the
decalogue, which are the two essentials of the New Church, are
to be taught until the end and the beginning. That these two
articles, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life according
to the commandments of the decalogue, are the two essentials
of the New Church, and are meant by the two witnesses, may
be seen above, n. 490; and that to prophesy signifies to teach,
n. 8, 133. By one thousand two hundred and sixty days, is
signified until the end and the beginning, that is, until the end
of the former church, thus the beginning of the New; the reason why this is signified by this number, is, because it has the
same signification as three and a half, and by three and a half
ts signified an end and a beginning, n. 505; it has the same
381




492, 493         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xi.
signification as three and a half, because the number one thousand two hundred and sixty, when reduced into years, makes:
three years and a half. The like is signified by the same number in the next chapter: "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they
should feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days,"
Apoc. xii. 6.
492. Clothed in sackcloth, signifies lamentation in the mean
time on account of the non-reception of truth.  By being
clothed in sackcloth is signified lamentation on account of thle
devastation of truth in the churlch; for garments signify trutls,
n. 166, 212, 318, 378, 379: therefore to be clothed in sackcloth, which is not a garment, signifes lamentation because
there: is no truth, and where therie is no truth there is no church.
The children of Israel represented lamentation by various
things, which, from correspondences, were significative, as by
putting ashes on the head, by rolling themselves in the dust,
by sitting a long time silent upon tlle round, by shaving themselves, by mourning and howling, by tearing their garments,
and also by putting on sackeloth, besides other particulars; and
each of these signified some evil of the church among them, for
which they were punished; and when they were punislled, they
represented repentance by such things, and on account of the
representation of repentance, and, at the same time, of hu1miliation, they were heard. That lamentation on account of tihe
devastation' of truth in the church, was represented by putting
on sackcloth, may be seen from thie follo.wing passages: "The
lion is come up from his thicket, he is gone forth from his place
to make thy land desolate; for this gzrd you with sa ckCloth,
lament and howl," Jerem. iv. 7, 8.    O daughter of my people, gird thee with sacclkoth, and wallow thyself in ashes, for the
spoiler shall suddenly come upon us," Jere a. vi. 26. "Woe
unto thee, Chorazin and Bethsaida! for if the mighty works
which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
tbhey would have repented in sackcloth and ashes,?"' Matt. xi. 2.1;
Luke x. 13. The king  of Nineveh, when he had heard the
WOrds of Jonah, put off his robe frim him, and covered him
with sackcloth, and sat in ashes, and proclaimed a faust, and that
man and beast should be covered with sackcloth, Jonah iii. 5,
6, 8; besides other places; as in Isaiah iii. 24; xv. 2, 3; xxii.
12; xxxvii. 1, 2; 1. 3; Jerem. xlviii. 37, 38; xliX. 3; Lament.
Hi. 10; Ezek. vii. 17, 18; xxvii. 31; Dan. ix. 3; Joel i. 8, 13;
Amos viii. 10; Job xvi. 15, 16; Psalm xxx. 12; Psalm xxxv.
13; Psalm lxix. 11, 12; 2 Sarl. iii. 311  Kings xxi. 27; 2
Kings vi. 30; xix. 1, 2.
493. J'hese are the two olive tlees, and the twQ candlesticks,
tanzdig before the God of the earth, signifies love and intelligence, or charity and faiti, both. from ti L    wi'th then. 
382




I. 3, 4.]        THE  APOCALYPSE REYEALED.               493
an olive-tree is signified love and charity, as will be seer presently; and by candlesticks is signified illustl'ation in truths, n.
43, and thence intelligence and faith, because from illustration
in truth comes intelligence, and from intelligence comes faith.
By standing before God is signified to hear and do his commandments, n. 366, here, therefore, that these two are with
them from the Lord, who is the God of the earth, that is, in
those who are principled in the two essentials of the New
Churcll spoken of above; from which it is plain, that by the
two witnesses being two olive-trees and two candlesticks, is signified that they were love and intelligence, or charity and faith,
for these two constitute the church; love and charity its life,
and intelligence and faith its doctrine.  An olive signifies love
and charity, because the olive-tree sionifies the celestial church,
and thence the olive, which is its fiuit, signifies celestial love,
which love is love to the Lord; hence it is, that this love is also
signified by the oil, by which all the holy things of the church
were anointed: the oil, which was called the. oil of holiness, was
produced from olives mixed with alornatics, Exod. xxx. 23-25;
and also the lamps of the candlestick in the tabernacle were
made to bur1n every evening with olive oil, Exod. xxvii. 20, 21;
Levit. xxiv. 2. An olive-tree and olives have a like signification in Zechariah: There were two olive-trees by the candlestick, one upon the right side of the bowl, and tlie other upon
the left, and two olive berrfies: tllese are thle two sons of the
olive-tree standing before the Lord of the whole earth, iv. 3, 11,
12, 14. In David: "I am like a gqreen olive-tree in the house
of God," Psalm  lii. 8. And in Jeremiah:'"Jehovah called
thy name a green: olive-tree fair and of goodly firuit," xi. 16, 17;
besides other places.  Since Jerusalem  sigllified tile church,
therefore, also, many things tlat were in and about it signified
such things as pertain to the church.  Near it was also the
Mount of Olives, which signified divine love, wherefore Jesus in
the day-timle was teaching in  the temple, and at night lie went
out, and abode in the Afount of Oliues, Luke xxi. 37; xxii. 39;
John viii. 1.  And Jesus discoursed with his disciples on that
mzouznt concerning the end of the world, and his coming at that
time, Matt. xxiv. 3, and followilng verses; Mark xiii. 3, and
following verses.  And went likewise fiom  th/at mouzntain to
Jerusalem, and suffered, Matt. xxi. 1; xxvi. 30; Mark xi. 1;
xiv. 16; Luke xix. 26, 37; and this: according to the prediction
in Zecllhariah: His feet shall stand iln that day upon the Xfount
of Olives, which is before Jerusalema on thle east, xiv. 4. Because tle olive-tree signified the celestial principle of the church,
therefore the cherubs in the midst of the temiple of Jerusalem
were made of the wood of the ol'vetree; in like manner the
door~ of the entrance to the oacle, and the. posts, 1 Kings vi.
23-33.
383




494 —496        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. x:,
494. And if any one desi e to hurt them, fire shall.proceeed
out of their month, and shall devourl their enemies, signlifies that
they who desire to destroy these two essentials of the New
Church will perish fiom infernal love. To desire to hurt the
two witnesses signifies a desire to destroy these two essentials
of the New Church, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord
as being the God of heaven and earth even as to his Humanity,
and a life according to the comlnandments of tlie decalogue;
that these are the witnesses, may be seen above, n. 490. Fire
shall proceed out of their mouth, signifies infernal love; and
shall devour their enemies, signifies that they who hurt them
will perish by that love; but it is not here to be understood
that fire will proceed out of the mouth of the witnesses, but firom
those who desire to destroy these two essentials of the New
Church, which are meant by the witnesses, n. 490.  Fire is
internal love; for he who does not live according to the commandmlents of the decalogue, and approach to God the Saviour
and Redeemer, cannot be otherwise than in infernal love, and
perish. This is similar to its being said, in other parts of the
Word, that fire proceeds from Jehovah to consume thoe wicked;
and that Jehovah acts from the fire of his wrath, anger, and
fury; not to mention other expressions of a like kind, by which
it is not meant that this comes from Jehovah, but from the
infernal love of the wicked. Such expressions are used in the
Word, because they are appearances; the Word, in its literal
sense, being written according to correspondences and appearances. Since it is said, that fire should proceed out of their
mouth, and that thereby it is to be understood that it proceeds
fromn those who are in infernal love, some passages shall be
adduced in which it is said that fire comies from Jellovah: The
breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
Isaiah xxx. 33. Smoke went up out of his nostrils, and fire
out of his mouth, coals were kindled by it, Psalm xviii. 9. 1
will pour out upon them the indignation of mine anger, for in
the fire of my zeal shall the whole earth be devoured, Zeph. iii.
8. "Behold, Jehovah shall come inll fire, to render his anger
with firy, and his rebuke with flames of fire," Isaiah lxvi. 15.
Thou shalt be visited by Jehovah in a flame of devouring fire:
Isaiah xxix. 6; xxx. 30; besides many others.
495. And if any one desire to hurt them, he must thus be
killed, signifies that he who condemns them shall in like manner be condemned. By desiring to hurt them is here signified
to condemn, because it follows he must thus be killed, and by
being killed, in the Word, is signified to be killed spiritually,
which is to be condemned; for the Lord says, With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, Matt. vii. 1.
496. These have power to shut ]heaven, that the rain fall not
in the days of theirprophecy, signifies that they who rej ect these
384.




V. b, 6.1       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED..'.49:7
two essentials, cannot receive any truth from heaven. By heaven is here meant the angelic heaven; consequently, by rain;
the truth of the church from thence is signified; wherefore, by
shutting heaven that the rain fall not, is signified that they alre
not able to receive any truth of the church from heaven; the
truth of the church fiom heaven is the truth of doctrine from
the Word. It is said that the witnesses had this power, but it
is to be understood here as above, n. 494, that they have not,the power to shut heaven, but that they shut heaven against.themselves who rejectsthese two essentials of the New Church,
because they remain in their own falses. That rain signifies
divine truth from heaven, appears from these passages: "My
doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the
dew," Deut. xxxii. 2. If ye serve other gods, Jehovah will,shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, Deut. xi. 11. 14, 16,
17. I will lay my vineyard waste, and "I will command the
clouds, that they racn no rain upon it," Isaiah v. 6. "Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no
latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst
to be ashamed," Jerem. iii. 3. " For as the rainp cometh down
from heaven, so shall mly Word be that goeth forth out of my
mouth," Isaiah lv. 10, 11. " Ye children of Zion rejoice and
be glad in Jehovah, for he hath given you the former rain
moderately," Joel ii. 23. "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain,," Psalm lxviii. 9. "He shall come down like rain upon
the mown grass, in his days shall the righteous flourish,"' Psalm
lxxii. 6, 7. " Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain; as the
latter and former rain unto the earth," Hosea vi. 3. "My
speech dropped upon them, and they waited for me as for the
rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain,"
Job xxix. 22, 23. "Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the
land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation, there is a conspiracy of the prophets in the midst
thereof," Ezek. xxii. 24, 25; besides other places; as in Isaiah
xxx. 23; Jerem. v. 24; x. 12, 13; xiv. 3, 4; ii. 16; Exek. xxxiv.
26, 27; Amos iv. 7, 8; Zech. x. 1; Psalm lxv. 10, 11; Psalm
cxxxv. 7; 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, 4. An inundating rain denotes the
devastation of truth, Ezek. xiii. 11, 13, 14; xxxviii. 22; and
temptation, Matt. vii. 24-27. 
497. And have power over the waters to ttnrn them into
blood, signifies that they who reject these two essentials falsify
the truth of the Word. By waters are signified truths, n. 50;
sand by blood, the falsification of the truth of the Word, n. 379;
therefore, by turning the waters into blood is signified to falsify
the truths of the Word. This is to be understood in' the same
manner as before, namely, that they who reject the two essentials of the New Church can see nothing but their own falses,
385




198-500         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [Chap. xi.
and, if they confirm  these by the Word, they then falsify its
truths.
498. And to smite the earth with everyplague as often as they
will, signifies that they who desire to destroy these two essentials of the New Chulch will plunge themselves into all kinds of
evils and falses, as often, and in proportion, as they do so. By
the earth is signified the church, n. 285; arid by a plague is
signified evil and falsity, n. 456; hence by smiting the earth
with every plague, is signified to destroy the church by all kinds
of evils and falses. But this passage is to be understood in the
same manner as the former, viz., that they who desire to smite
these two essentials of the New Church with a plague, that is, to
destroy them, which is done by evil through falses, will plunge
themselves into all kinds of evils and falses; and as the natural
sense is thus inverted while it is spiritual, therefore also this
expression, " as often as they will," is inverted in like manner
into this, as often, and in proportion, as they do this. The reason is, because in proportion as any one destroys these two
essentials, in the same proportion he destroys the truths of the
Word; and so far as he destroys the truths of the Word, so far
he plunges himself into evils and falses; for these two essentials
are thle tlruths of the Word, as may appear manifestly fiomn The
two Doctrines of the New Jerusalem,; one concerning Tbhe Lord,
and the other concerning The -Doctrine of Life,from the Precepts of the Decalogue. This passage, which ascribes to the witnesses the power of smiting the earth with every plague' as often
as they will, is similar to many others in the Word, whioht attrib-ute to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, that he smites men with
plagues, and that such is his will, when yet it must be understood that he neither smites them, nor is it his will to do so; as
in Zechariah: "' And this shall be the plague wherewith Jellovah
will smite all the people that have founght against Jerusalem,"
xiv. 12. and foillowinl, verses.  And in Jeremiah: " I have
wounded thee.with the wouncd of an enemy, witll the chastisemnent of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity," xxx.
14; likewise in many other places. See also above, n. 494.
499. And when they shall havefinished their testimony, signifies tlhat after the Lord has taught that he is the God of heaven and earth, and that coInjunction is formed with hin by a
life according to the precepts of the decalogue.  When they
shall have finished, signifies after the Lord has taught; the two
witnesses, indeed, taught, yet not finom  themselves, but fiom
the Lord. That testimony signifies these two essentials, may
be seen above, n. 490.
500. The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall
make war with them, and shall overcome them, and kill them,
signifies that they who are principled in the internals of the
386




v. 6, 7.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               500
doctrine of faith alone will oppose them, and assault these two
essentials of the New Church, and will reject them, and, as far
as lies in their power, will cause others to reject them. By the
beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, are meant they
who came up out of the bottomless pit, and appeared like locusts,
chap. ix. 1-12. That these were they who are in the internals of the doctrine of faith alone, may be seen in the explanation there given; by making war is signified to oppose and
assault these two essentials of the church, as will be seen presently; by overcoming and killing them is signified to reject
and extirpate them in themselves, and, as far as lies in their
power, to cause others to do the same. The reason why they
who are principled in the internals of the doctrine of faith alone
will impugn and reject these two essentials, is, because they
have confirmed themselves in two things diametrically opposite to them, —first, that it is not the Lord, but God the Father,
who is to be approached; and secondly, that a life according to
the precepts of the decalogue is not a spiritual life, but only a
moral and civil life, and this they confirm, that no one may believe that he can be saved by works, but by their faith alone.
All they who have had these tenets strongly impressed upon
their minds in schools and universities do not recede fiomin them
afterwards; and that for these three several reasons, which have
not been made knownr till now: first, because they have entered,
as to their spirit, into association with their life in the spiritual
world, where there are many satans, who are delighted with
nothing but falses, from whom they can no how be separated
but by rejecting those falses; nor can this be done but by immediately approaching God the Saviour, and beginning a Christiain
life according to the precepts of the decalogue. The second
reason is, because they believe that remission of sins, and consequent salvation, may take place in a moment in the act of
faith, and afterwards in the state or in the progression by the
same act continued, preserved, and retained, fiolm the Holy
Spirit, separate fiom the exercises of charity; and they who
have once imbibed these doctrines afterwards make no account
of sins before God, and so live in their uncleanness; and, because they have the art to confirm  their tenets before the un..
learned very ingeniously by falsifications of the Word, and
before the learned bv much sopliistry, it is here said, that tlhe
beast which came up from the bottomless pit overcame and
killed the two witnesses. But this is only exhibited among such
as love to follow their own inclinations, being borne along by
the delights of their lusts, and who, while thinking about saLvation, nevertheless cherish those lusts in their hearts, and embrace their faith with both hands, seeing that they may be saved
by uttering certain w)rds with a tone of confidence, and need
not attend to leading a life for the sake of God, but only foi
387




-500             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. Xi.
thle sake of the world. The third reason is, that they who, in
the early part of life, have imbibed the internals of that faith
which are called the minysteries of justification, on being afterwards advanced to some dignified office in the ministry, do not
think in their hearts about God and heaven, but about themelves and the world, retaining only the mysteries of their faith
for the sake of character, that they may be honoured as wise
men, and by reason of their wisdomn, be thought worthy of being
rewarded with riches. The reason why this is an effect of that
tfaith, is, because there is nothing of religion in it; as may be
-seen by a reference to the third Memorable Relation, n. 484.
That by wars, in the Word, are signified spiritual wars, which'consist in impugning truth, and are conducted by reasonings
from falses, is evident from these passages: "For they are the
spirits of devils which go forth to gatherthem to the battle of::that great day of God Almighty," Apoc. xvi. 14. "And the
-dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with
tile remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of
G:od, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," Apoc. xii. 17.
"'And it was given unto the beast of the dragon to make war
with the saints," Apoc. xiii. 7. "Prepare ye war against the'daughter of Zion, and let us go up at noon," Jerern. vi. 3-5.
"Ye have not gone up into the gaps —to stand in the battle in
t.he day of Jehovah," Ezek. xiii. 5. "In Salem also is the
tabernacle of God, and his dwelling-place in Zion, there brake
he the arrows of the bow, and the battle," Psalm lxxvi. 2, 3.'"Jehovah:shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up his
jealousy like a man of war," Isaiah xlii. 13; Psalm xxiv. 8.
In that day Jehovah shall be for a spirit of judgment to him:-that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that battle
to'the gate," Isaiah xxviii. 6.' "Deliver me firom the evil man,
tpreserve me from the violent man; continually are'they gathered
together for war — they have sharpened their tongues like a sei.-!pent," Psalm cxl. 1 - 3. "Many shall come in my name, say-'ing, I a;mChrist, and shall deceive many, and ye shall hear of
wars and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled," Matt.:'xxiv. 6 —.8; Mark xiii. 7 -9; Luke xxi. 9-11.  The wars of
thlie kings of the north, and of the soith,:and others, in Daniel,:chap. x. xi. xii., signify no other than spiritual wars; besides'the wars mientioned ill other places; as in Isaiah ii. 3-5; xiii.
4; xxi. 14, 15; xxxi. 4; -Jerem. xlix. 25, 26; Hosea ii. 18;
Zech. x, 5; xiv. 3; Psalm  xxxv. 3; Psalmn xlvi. 9, 10. -Since
xby wars, in the Word, are signified spiritual'wars, therefore the
"ministry of the Levites was called mnilitary:service, as appears
fromi its being commanded that the Levites should be numbered,
1to perform  milzitary service, to do work in the tabernacle of the.ongregation, Numb. iv. 23,'35, 39, 43, 47. " This is the office'of the LJe-vites to wa'r "in: milit-ry serzice of the tabernacle of:the
388




v. 7, 8.]        TTHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED-.  50:           ~
congregation; and from the age of fifty years they cease waiting
upon the,military service of the tabernacle, and shall serve in
more,' Numb. viii. 24, 25; see also above, n. 447, where it is
proved fiom the Word that armies signify the goods and truths,
of the church, and, in the opposite sense, its evils and falses.
501. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city, signifies that the two essentials of the New Church ale
totally rejected by those who are interiorly principled in the.
falses of doctrine concerning justification by faith alone. Bt
the bodies of the two witnesses are signified the two essentials
of the 1Nqew Church, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord
as the only God of heaven and earth, and that there is conjunction with him by a life according to the precepts of the dec'-,
logue, n. 590, &c. By the street of the great city is signified
the falsity of the doctrine concerning justification by faith
alone; by a street is signified falsity, as will be seen presently;
and by a city is signified doctrine, n. 194. It is called a great
city, because it is a doctrine which prevails throughout the:
whole reformed Christian world among the clergy, though not
in the same way among the laity.  By streets, in the Word,:
almost the same is signified as by ways, because streets are
ways in a city; but still by streets are signified the truths or
falses of doctrine, by reason that a city signifies doctrine, Il.
194; and by ways are signified the truths or falses of the
church, because the earth signifies the church, n. 285. That
streets signify truths or falses of doctrine, may be seen firol'
the following passages: " And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the
street, and equity cannot enter," Isaiah lix. 14. "The chariots
shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in
the broad ways," Nahum ii. 4. In the days of Jael the ways
ceased, the streets ceased in Israel, Judges v. 6, 7. "How is
the city of praise not left therefore her young men shall fall
in the.streets," Jerem. xlix. 25, 26; 1. 30. "They that did feed
delicately are desolate in the streets. ~ Their visage is blacker
than a coal, they are not known in the streets. They have wandered as blind men in the streets. They hunt our steps, that
we cannot go in our streets," Lament. iv. 5, 8, 14, 18. "I have
cut off the nations, their towers are desolate, I made their
streets waste," Zeph. iii. 6. Afterwards in sixty-two weeks the
streets of Jerusalem   "shall be built again even in troublous
times," Dan. ix. 25.  "The street of the city Jerusalem was
pure gold, as it were transparent glass," Apoc. xxi. 21. " In
the midst of the street of it, the tree of life bearing twelve
firuits," Apoc. xxii. 1, 2; besides other places; as in Isaiah xv.
3; xxiv. 10, 11; i. 20; Jerem. v. 1; vi. 16; vii. 17; ix. 21;
xi. 13; xvi. 24, 25, 31; xliv. 18; xlv. 9; Lament. ii. 11, 19I
Ezek. xi. 6; xxvi. 11, 12; Amos v. 16; Zech. viii. 3-5; Psaal:
389




502             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap.
cxliv. 13; Job xviii. 17. Since streets signify the truths o
doctrine of the church, therefore it was the custom to teach ii
tle streets, 2 Sam. i. 20. And it is said, " We have eaten and
dilunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets,"
Luke xiii. 26; and, therefore, hypocrites prayed in the corners of the streets, Matt. vi. 3, 5; and the master of the house
commanded his servants to go into the streets and lanes, and
bi'ing in guests, Luke xiv. 21. "For the same reason, also,
what is false and falsified is called mirie, dirt, and dung, of the
S'treets, Isaiah v. 25; x. 6; Micah vii. 10; Psalm  xviii. 42.
That the prophets who prophesied what was false, should be
cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, and have none to bury
them, Jerem. xiv. 16.,502. Which spiritually is called Sodonm and LEaypt, signifies
two infernal loves, which are the love of domliniol grounded in
self-love,, and the love of rule grounded in the pride of selfderived intelligence, which exist in the church where one God
is not acknowledged, and the Lord is not worshipped, and where
they do not live according to the commandments of the decalogue. By Sodom, in the spiritual sense, is signified the love
ofdominion grounded in self-love, as will be seenn presently; and
by Egypt, in the spiritual sense, is signified the love of rule
gTounded in the pride of self-derived intelligence, which, also,
will be spoken of presently; and because these two loves are
signified, therefore it is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.
The reason why these loves pirevail in the church where one God
is not acknowledged, and the Lord is not worshipped, and where
they do not live according to the precepts of the decalogue, is,
because man is born into those two loves, and comes into theln
as he grows up, and tlose loves cannot be removed but by God
the Saviour, and by a life according to his commandments; and
they cannot be reimoved by God the Saviour, unless lie is approached: nor is a life according to his commandments possible,
unless man is led by him; it is possible indeed to live according
to the commandments, but not to live a life in which there is
any thing of heaven and thence of the church. Such a life can
only be given by him who is the life; that the Lord is that life,
may be seen in John i. 1, 4; v. 26; vi. 33- 35, and subsequent
verses; xi. 25, 26; xiv. 6, 19; and in many other places. That
the love of dominion grounded in self-love, and the love of rule
grounded in the pride of self-derived intelligence, are the heads
0(r sources of all infernal loves, and thus of all evils and of the
falses resulting therefrom  in the church, i; unknown at this
day; the delights of those loves, which surpass the delights of
all the pleasures of the mind, are the causes of its not being
known, when yet, spiritually, they are Sodom and Egypt. That
Sodom is the love of dominion grounded in self-love, may appear
from the description of Sodom in M[oses, in that they wanted tc
390




v. 8.J          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               503
do violence to the angels who came into Lot's house; and in
that fire and sulphur rained upon them out of heaven, Gen. xix.
1, and fobllowing verses. By fire and sulphur, that love with itA
concupiscences is signified. I saw the like things happen when
the cities and societies of such persons were overthrown in the
day of the last judgment, and their inhabitants cast into hell.
These loves and their evils are signified by Sodom and Golmorrah, in these places: Isaiah i. 10; iii. 8, 9, 19; Jerem. xxiii. 14;
xlix. 18; 1. 37, 40; Lament. iv. 6; Ezek. xvi. 46  50; Ainos
iv. 11; Zeph. ii. 9, 10; Deut. xxix. 23; xxxii. 32; Matt. x. 14,
15; xi. 23; Mark vi. 11; Luke x. 10, 11, 13;. xvii. 28, 29.
That this love is signified by Sodom, is not known in the world;
but keep this in mind and remember it when you enter into the
world of spirits, as you will do after death, and you will be fully
convinced of it. But it is to be observed, that there is a love of
dominion grounded in self-love, and a love of dominion grounded
in the love of uses; the latter is celestial, but the former infernal; therefore when one constitutes the head, the other constitutes the feet, that is, when the love of dominion grounded inself-love constitutes the head, then the love of dominion grounded
in the love of uses, which is also the love of serving one's neighbour from the Lord, at first constitutes the feet, afterwards the
soles of the feet, and, lastly, is trodden under foot; but when
the love of dominion grounded in the love of uses, which, as
was said, is a celestial love, constitutes the head, then the love
of dominion grounded in self-love, which, as was observed, is an
infernal love, at first constitutes the feet, afterwards the soles of
the feet, and, finally, is trodden under foot. These two loves,
however, are with difficulty distinguished by man in this world,
because their external forms are alike; yet they may be distinguished by this circumstance, viz., that the above celestial love
dwells in those who approach the Lord, and live according to
the commandments of the decalogue; and that the above infernal love dwells in those who do not approach the Lord, nor live.according to the commandments of the decalogue.
503. We shall now proceed to explain what is signified by
Egypt in thlle Word. Egypt signifies the natural man in conjunction with the spiritual, and thus the affection of truth and
thence science and intelligence; but, in the opposite sense, it
signifies the hatural man separated from the spiritual, and, in
that case, thle pride of self-derived intelligence, and consequent
insanity in spiritual things. Egypt signifies the natural man in
conjunction with the spiritual, and thus the affection of truth,
and thence science and intelligence, in the following passages:
"In that day shall five cities'in the land of Egypt swear to Jehovah of hosts. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah
in the midst of the land of Egypt; thlen shall Jehovah be known
to Egypt, and the Egyptian.s shall know Jehovah in that day,"
391




503             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xl.
Isaiah xix. 17-21.  "In that day shall there be a highway
out of ]y~pt to Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the
Aissyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Elgypt and
Assyria, a blessing in the.midst of the land; whom Jehovah of
hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance," Isaiah
xix. 23-25. Egypt there is the natural degree, Assyria is the
rational degree, and Israel is the spiritual degree, and these
three constitute a man of the church. Hence the king of Egypt
was called the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings; and
Egypt was called the stay of the tribes, Isaiah xix. 11, 13: and
it is said of Solonmon, that his wisdom excelled the wisdoml of
the Egyptians, 1 Kings iv. 30; and, that "he took Phaaraoh's
idaughter to wife, and brought her into the city of David," 1
Kings iii. 1. And that he built Pharaooh's daugahter a house
beside the porch, 1 Kings vii. For the same reason, also,
Joseph was carried into FEgypt, and wmas there made governor
over all the land, Gen. xli. Since Egypt signified tile natural man as to the affection of truth and thence science and
inrtelligence, therefore Joseph the husband of Mary, being
warned of an angel, departed into Egypt with the Lord who was
then an infant, Matt. i. 14, 15; accolrdingr to the prediction,
" When Israel was a child then I loved him, and called my Son
out of Lqypt," Hosea xi. 1. " Thou hast caused a vine to come,ut of Egypt, thou hast planted it, and didst cause it to take
deep root," Psalm lxxx. 8, 9; for man is born natural, becomes
rational, and afterwards spiritual, thus is the vine out of Egypt
planted and made to take root. For the sake of this representation, Abraham also journeyed into Egypt, Gen. xii. 10, and
following verses. And Jacob was commanded to go with his
sons into _Egypt, and also abode there, Gen. xlvi. and following
chapters. Thence, also, the land of Canaan, by which the
church is signified, is described as extending as far as the river
of Egypt, Gen. xv. 18; 1 Kings ii. 17, 18; Micahl vii. 12: And
Egypt is compared to the garden of Eden, the garden of God,.Ezek. xxxi. 2, 8; Gen. xiii. 10. And the sciences of the natural man are called the desirable things of Eqypt, Dan. xi. 43.
And fine embroidered linen from Egypt, Ezck. xxvii. 7: besides
other passages, where Egypt is favourably spokeli of; as in
Isaiah xlvi. 11, 12; Ezek. xxix. 13 —16; xxxi. 1-8; Hosea xi,
11; Zech. x. 11; xiv. 16-18; Psalm  lxviii. 31, 32; 2 Kings
xvii. 36. But Egypt, in the oppositle sense, signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thus the pride of selfderived intelligence, and tllence insanity in spiritual things, in
these places. Because the heart of Pharaoh " is lifted up in his.
height, and he hath shot up his top amlong the thick boughs,
strangers shall cut him ofl; and cast him forth. In the day
when he went down to the grave, I covered the deep over him,
392




v. 8.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              5 03:
thou'shalt lie inr the midst bf the uncircumcised, Ezek. xxxi.:
10-18. " The foundations of Egypt shall be overthrown; the
pride of his strength shall come'down, and his cities shall be
laid waste in the midst of the desolate cities: I will send fire.
upon Lqypt, and I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and
will scatter them  over the earth," Ezek. xxx. 1, to the end.
"Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and look not
unto the Holy One of Israel; now the Egyptians are men and
not God, and theil horses flesh, and not spirit," Isaial xxxi. 1,
3. " Egyt riseth up as a flood, he saith, I will go up, I will
cover the earth, and destroy the city: come up, ye horses, rage
ye chariots, the sword shall devour youn, and shall be made drlink
with blood, for thou shalt not be cured," Jerem. xlvi. 2, 7, 8, 9.
How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, and the
son of ancient kings; where now are thy wise men, let them
tell thee; the princes of Zoan are become fools, they have
seduced E.gyptq, the corner-stone of the tribes; there shall be
unto Lz'ypt no work that may niake head and tail, Isaiah xix.
1-17.  Prophesy against Egypt; "the great dragon, which
lieth in the midst of his rivelrs; for he hath said, The river is
mine, and I have made it for myself, therefore wili I put hooks
in thy jaws; and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick to
thy scales, and I will leave thee in the wilderness: and therefore shall the land of Egypt be desolate and waste," Ezek. xxix.
1-12: besides other places; as in Isaiah xxx. 1, 7; Jeremn ii.
17, 18, 36; xlii. 13-18; Ezek. xvi. 26, 28. 29; xxiii. 2-33;
Hosea vii. 11, 13, 16; ix. 1, 3, 6; xi. 5; xii. 1, 2; Joel iii. 19;
Lament. v. 2, 4, 6, 8; Dent. xvii. 16; 1 Kings xiv. 25, 26; 2
Kings xviii. 21. Because the Egyptians were of such a character,
therefore they were deprived of all the goods and truths of the
church; their devastations are described by the miracles performed there, which were plagues, and signified so many lusts
of the natural man separated fiom  the spiritual, which acts
solely firom self-derived intelligence and the pride thlereof; the
plagues significative of his lusts were, That the waters in the
I'iver were turned into blood, insomuch that the fish died, and
the river stank, Exod. vii.  That fiom the rivers and lakes
frogs were produced over the land of Eyypt. That the dutst of
the earth was turned into lice. That swarms of noxiousflies
were sent, Exod. viii. That boils breaking forth with blains
were brought upon man and beast. That it rained hail minzgled with, ire, Exod. ix. That locusts were sent. That there
was darkness in all the land of Egypt, Exod. x. That all the
first-born in the land of Egypt died, chap. xi. And, finally,
That the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, Exod. xiv.;
by which hell is signified. What these things specifically signify, may be seen in The Arcana Caelestia, where they are
explained. Hence it is evident, what is meant by the plagues
393




504, 505        TIE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xi.
and diseases qf Egypt, Deut. vii. 15; xxviii. 60; wvhat by being
drowned by the flood of Egypt, Amos viii. 8; ix. 5; and whence
it is that Egypt is called the land qof bondage, Micah vi. 4; the
land of Iamn, Psalm cvi. 22; also the igrontfurnace, Dent. iv. 20;
1 Kings viii. 51. The reason why Egypt should signify not
only intelligence but also insanity in spiritual things, is, because
the Ancient Church, which extended through several kingdoms
of Asia, was established also in Eyypt, at which time the EEgyptians excelled all others in cultivating the science of correspondences between spiritual things and natural, as appeals from
their hieroglyphics; but when that science was turned by them
into magic, and became a foundation for idolatry, then their
intelligence in things spiritual turned into insanity; for which
reason, Egypt, in the opposite sense, signifies such insanity.
From what has been said, it may now be seen, what is imeant
by the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.
504. Where also our Lord was crucified, signifies nonacknowledgment of the Lord's Divine Humanity, and, consequently, a state of rejection. It is said in the church, that they
crucify the Lord who'blasheme him; as do those also, who,
like the Jews, deny his being the Son of God. The reason why
they who deny the Lord's Humanity to be Divine are like the
Jews, is, because every man considers the Lord as a man, and
he who considers his Huinanity as upon a level with that of
another man cannot at the same time think of his Divinity,
howsoever he* may call his Humanity the Son of God borln from
eternity, and equal with the Divinity of the Father. When it
is spoken and read, it is lleard indeed, but still it is not at the
same time believed; when the Lord is thought of as a material
man like any other man, and retaining the like properties of
the flesh, and as, in such case, his Divinity is removed and not
regardedl, therefore the same state is induced as if it were denied,
for it is a denial of his Humanity being the Son of God, like
that of the Jews, for which reason they crllcified hilm. That the
Lord's Humanity is nevertheless the Son of God, is expressly
said in Luke i. 32, 35; Matt. iii. 16, 17; and in other places.
From these considerations it appears, why the men of the
church approach God the Father immediately, and many also
the Holy Spirit immediately, but scarcely any one the Lord
directly. Since the Jews, fiom a denial that the Lord was the
Messiah, the Son of God, crucified him, therefore their Jerusalem is also called Sodom, Isaiah iii. 9; Jeren.t xxiii. 14; Ezek.
xvi. 46, 48. And the Lord says, " On the same day that Lot
went out of Sodon, it rained fire and brimstne fiom heaven,
and destroyed them all; even thus shall it be in the day when
the Son of Man is revealed," Luke xvii. 29, 30. What is meant
by fire and brimstone may be seen above, n. 452, 494.
505. And they of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, ana
394




v. 8.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEAI.ED               505
nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, signifies that when all they who, until the end of the present church
and the beginning of the New Church, have been and will be in
falses of doctrine and evils of life fi'Om faith alone, have heard
and shall hear of these two essentials, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord and of works according to the decalogue.
By peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, are meant all
of the reformed who have been and shall be in falses of doctrine,
and thus in evils of life fiom faith alone; by peoples are signifled those who are in falses of doctrine, n. 483; by tribes, falses
and evils of the church, n. 349; by tongues, confession and
reception thereof, n. 483; and by nations, those who are in evils
of lite, n. 483. Therefore, by these four are signified all and
eveir one who have been and who will be such, thus all they who
have been in that great city, and they that are like unto them,
who will thenceforth come there out of the world. By their
bodies, or those of the two witnesses, are signified the two essentials of the New Chulrch above mentioned, n. 501; by seeing
theml is signified when they have heard and shall hear of them,
because to see is said of thleir bodies; and to hear, of these two
essentials; by three days and a half is signified to the end and
beginning, that is, to the end of the present church and the
beginning of the new. Now from collatingl what has been said
into one sense, it is evident, that by these words, " They of the
peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, shall see theii
bodies three days and a half;" the things above mentioned are
signified in a spiritual sense. The reason why three days and a
hialf signify to the end and beginning, is, because day signifies
state; the number three, what is complete to the end; and a
half, the beginning; for the same is signified by three days and
a half as by a week, six days of whlich signify what is colmplete
to the end, and the seventlh day signifies what is holy; for the
nlumber 32 is half of the number 7, which makes a week, and
a double nunmber, and the divided number of which it consists,'signify the same thing. That three signifies a comnpletion, thus
to the end, may be seen fr'om these passages in the Word:
That "Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years," Isaiah
xx. 3. That Jehovah called Samuel three times, and Samuel
ran three times to Eli, and that the third time Eli understood,
1 Sam. iii. 1-8.  That Elijah stretched himself three times
over the widow's son, 1. Kings xvii. 21.  That Elijah commanded them to throw water upon the burnt-offerinog three
times, 1 Kings xviii. 34. That Jesus said, "The kingdom  of
heaven is like unto leaven, whlich a woman took, and hlid in
three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened," Matt. xiii.
33. That Jesus said unto Peter, that he should deny him
thrice, Matt. xxvi. 34.  That the Lord asked Peter thrice,
" Lovest thou me?" John xxi. 15-17. That " Jonah was in
395




06, 507        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Qhap. xi,
the belly of the fish three days and three nights," Jonah i. 17.
That Jesus said the temple should be destroyed, and that he
would build it up again in three days, Matt. xxvi. 6. That
Jesus prayted three tines in Gethsemnane, Matt. xxvi. 39-44.
That Jesus rose again on the third dcqy, Matt. xxviii. 1: besides
many others; as in Isaiah xvi. 14; Hosea vi. 2; Exod. iii. 18;
x. 22, 23; xix. 1, 11, 15, 16, 18; Levit. xix. 23-25; Numb.
xix. 12, to the end; xxxi. 19 —25; Deut. xx. 2 —4; xxvi. 12;
Joshua i. 11; iii. 2; 1 Sara. xx. 5, 12, 19, 20, 35, 36, 41; 2,
Sam. xxiv. 11-13; Dan. x. 2-4; MIarklxii. 2, 4, 5, 6; Lukle
xx. 12, 18; xiii. 32, 33. Seven, as well as three, signifies what
is full and complete; but seven is said of things holy, and three
of things not holy.: 506. And shall not squrer their dead bodies to be put idto
monuments, signifies that they condemned and will condemn
them. By bodies are here signified the two essentials of the New
Church, of which above, i. 505; and by not suffering them to
be put into monuments, is signified to reject them as condemned.
This is signified, because by being put into monuments, or
buried, is signified resurrection and continuation of life, for
then those things are committed to the earth which are from
the earth, thus which are earthly and thence unclean; therefore by not being put into monuments, or not being buried, is
signified to continue in things earthly and unclean, and for that
reason to be rejected as damned. It was on this accountl
that in the church established among the sons of Israel, which
was a representative church, it was instituted, that they who
were considered as damned, should be cast forth and not buried,
as is evident firom these words: Thus saith Jehovah concerning
theln,' they shall die of grievous deaths, they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; they shall be as dung
upon the face of the earth:-and their carcasses shall be meat
for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth," Jerem.
xvi. 3, 4. The prophets that prophesy a lie " shall be cast out
in the streets of Jerusalem, and shall have none to bury them,"'Jerem. xiv. 16. In that day " they shall bring out the bones
of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the
bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets-out of their
graves: —they shall not be gathered nor be buried; they shall be
for dung upon the fahce of the earth," Jerem. viii. 1, 2. That
the dogs devoured " Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there
was none to bury her," 2 Kings ix. 10. "But thou art cast out
of thy grave like an abominable branch; as a carcass trodden
under feet," Isaiah xiv. 19, 20: besides other places; as in Jeren.
xxv. 32, 33; xxii. 19; vii. 32, 33; xix. 11, 12; 2 Kings xxiii. 16.
507. And they that dwell'upon the earth shall  ejoice over
tlenm and be glad, signifies the delight, on that account, of the
affection of the heart and soul in thie church among those whc
396




v. 9, 10.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          508, 509
were in faith alone, as to doctrine and life. By the dwellers
upon earth are meant they who are in the church, in the pres:
ent case, they who are in'the church where faith alone prevails,
the earth signifies the church in which they are, n. 285; torejoice and be glad signifies to enjoy the delight of the affectio/l
of the heart and soul; the delight of the affection of the heart
having reference to the will, and the delight of the affection of
the soul having reference to the understanding; for, in the
Word, by heart and soul are meant the will and understanding
of man: hence it is,'that it is said to rejoice and be glad,
although joy and gladness seem to be one and the same thing:
but in these two expressions there is the marriage of the will
and the understanding, which also is the marriage of good and
truth, wlich'exists iin the whole and in every particular of the
Word, as is s:hown in The'Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptures, n. 80-90. This is the reason
why both these expressions, to rejoice and be glad, or joy and'gladness, frequently occur in othler parts of the Word, as in
these passages: "They shall obtain joy and gladness," Isaiah
xxxv. 10; ii. 11. "Joy and gladness is cut off from the house
of our God," Joel i. 16. The voice of joy and the voice of
gladness shall cease, Jerem. vii. 34; xv. 10. "The fast of'the
tenth shall be for joy and gladness," Zech. viii. 19. " Rejoice
ye with Jerusalem, be ye glad with her," Isaiah lxvi. 10. "_Rejoice and be glad, 0 daughter of Edomn," Lament. iv. 21. " Let
the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad," Psalm xcvi. 12.
"M Make me to hear joy and gladness," Psalm li. 8. Joy and
gZa,dness shall be found in Zion, Isaiah li. 3. "Thou shalt have
joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth," Luke i.
14. "Then will I cause to cease the voice of joy and the voice
of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the
bride," Jerem. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10; xxxiii. 10. 11. "Let
all them that trust in thee rejoice and be glad," Psalm v. 11;;Psalm lxx. 5. " But let the righteous be glad and rejoice in
Cgladness," Psalm lxviii. 3. " Be glad in Jerusalem, rejoice for
joy with her," Isaiah lxvi. 10.
508. And shall send gifts one to another, signifies consociation through love and friendship. To send gifts signifies to be
associated by love and friendship, because a gift consociates,'for it begets love and causes friendship; one to another, signi-'fies mutually.
509. Because these two prophets tormented them that dwell
pon the earth, signifies that these two essentials, one concerninging the Lord and concerning the Divine Iumanity; and the
other concerning a life according to the commandments of the
decalogue, are contrary to the two essentials received in the:church of the reformed, one of which relates to a trinity of:persons, and the other to faith alone being saving without the
397




510            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          [OChap. xi.
works of the law, and that by reason of this contrariety, those
two essentials of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem,
are held in contempt, dislike, and aversion. That this is what
is signified, when by the two prophets ol witnesses are meant
the two essentials of the New Church, and when by they that
dwell upon earth are meant they who are principled in the two
essentials of the Reformed Church, follows as a necessary consequenlce; by tormenting is signified to be held in contempt,
dislike, and aversion.
510. And after three days and a half the spirit of lifdefrom
God entered into them, and they stood cpon their feet, signifies
that these two essentials of the New Church, at the end of the
former, and during the commencement and progress of the
New CLhurch, will, with those who receive them, be vivified by
the Lord. By three days and a half is signified to the end and
beginning, n. 505, thus fiom the end of the present church to
the beginlling of the new, in this case, with those among whom
the New Church takes its rise and makes progress, because it is
now said of the witnesses, that the spirit of life entered into
them, and they stood upon their feet. By the spirit of life from
God is signified spiritual life; and by standing upon their feet
is signified natural life in accordance with spiritual life, and thus
vivification from the Lord. The reason why this is signified, is,
because )by the spirit of life is meant the internal of man, which
is called the internal man, which, considered in itself, is spiritual, for the spirit of man thinks and wills, and to think and
will in itself is spiritual.  By standing upon their feet is signi.
fied the external of man, which is called the external man,
which is in itself natural; for the body speaks and acts what
its spirit thinks and wills, and to speak and to act is natural:
that feet signify things natural, may be seen, n. 49, 468. What
is specifically meant by this expression, shall be explained:every man who is reformed, is first reformed as to the internal
man, and afterwards as to the external; the internal man is not
reformed by merely knowing and understanding the truths and
goods by which man is saved, but by willing and loving them;
but the external man, by speaking and doing the things which
the internal man wills and loves, and, in proportion as this
takes place, in the same proportion man is regenerated. The
reason why he is not regenerated before, is, because his internal
is not before in the effect, but only in the cause, and, unless thle
cause be in the effect, it is dissipated; —it is like a house built
upon ice, which sinks to the bottom when the ice is dissolved
by the sun; in a word, it is like a man without feet to stand
and walk upon: it is the same with the internal or spiritual
man, if it is not glounded in the external or natural man.
Such then is the signification of the two witnesses standing upon
their feet after the spirit from God entered into them; and alec
398




r. 10-12.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         511 —514
Df similar expressions in Ezekiel: Jehovah "said untc me,
P rophesy unto the wind. So I prophesied, and the spirit entered into thlem, and they stood Zupon t/heir feet," Ezek. xxxvii. 9,
12. And again: A voice speaking,unto me, said, "Son of
man, stand upon thy feet,-and the spirit entered into mve, —and
set qme  p~on my feet," Ezek. ii. 1, 2. And again: "I fell on
my f:ce, then the spirit entered into  me, and set me upon my
feet," iii. 23, 24. This is what is meant also by the Lord's
words to Peter: Peter said, Thou shalt not wash my feet only,
" but also my hands and Mny head. Jesus saith to him, I-e that
is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, and is clean every
whit," John xiii. 8, 10.
511. And great fearfell upon them, that saw tlhem, signifies
commotion of nmind and consternation at divine truths. Fear
has various significations according to the thing which causes it;
in the present instance, great fear signifies commotion of mnind,
and consternation at divine truths; for divine truths have these
effects upon the wicked, for they terrify them when they at the
same time ]lear of hell and eternal damnation; but that terror
soon vanishes, together with the faith that there is any such
thing as a life after death.
512. And they heard a great voice from heeaven, saying utnte
them, Conwe up hither, signifies that these two essentials of the
New Church were taken up by the Lord into heaven, whence
they came, and where they are, and the protectioll of them.
By a great voice fiom heaven is signified froin tlle Lord, for a
voice friom heaven proceeds fiom no other source; come up
hither, signifies their being taken up into heaven, whence they
came, and where they are, and their protection.
513. And they aseended up to heaven in a cloud, signifies
the taking r.them up into heaven, and conjunction tlere with the
Lord by the divine truth of the Word in its literal sense. By
ascending up to heaven is signified their being taken up by the
Lord into heaven, as above, n. 512; in the present case, also,
conjunction with the Lord thlere, because tley ascended in a'cloiud, for by a cloud is signified the literal sense of the Word,
n. 24, and by this there is conljunction with the Lord, and consociation with the angels, see The -Doctrine of the New Jerusaleto concernming the Sacred ScrGzypture, n, 62-69.
514. And their enelides beheld thiem, signifies that they who
are in faith separated fiom charity heard then, but continued
in tlleir own falsities. By seeing the two witnesses is signified
to hearl these two essentialls of the New Churchl-, and also to
see them confirmed fiom the Word; because they saw them
ascending in a cloud, and by a cloud is signified the literal
sense of the Word, n. 24, 513; that, nevertheless, they did not
receive thlem, but continued in their own falses, is evident firomr
this circumlstance, that no more is said than that they saw them,
399




615, 516        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xi
and afterwards,'that there was a great earthquake, in which
they were destroyed. By enemies are meant they who were
in the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt,
who were those that are in faith separated from charity, as may
be seen above, n. 501, 502, and following numbers.
515. And the same hour there was a great earthquake, and
the tenth part of the city fell, signifies a remarkable change of
state which then took place with them, and their separation
from heaven, followed by a sinking down into hell. The same
hour signifies at the time when they saw the two witnesses ascend up to heaven, and nevertheless continued in their falses,
as above, n. 314; for the two witnesses prophesied, that is,
taught them, verse 3, and afterwards were slain, and revived
again; they also saw them ascend up to heaven, and still did
not recede from their falses, upon which the great earthquake
took place. That the same thing happened with the Two Doetrines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning the lord, and the
other concerning a i;fe according to the Com7mandnents of the.Decalogmue, may in some measure be seen in the Memorable
Relations annexed to each chapter:-those two doctrines are
the two witnesses here treated of. By an earthquake is signified
a change of state, n. 331, here their destruction, because in
that earthquake a tenth part of the city fell; by a tenth part is
signified all therein, for ten signifies much and all, n. 101; a
tenth part, or a tenth, in like manner, just as a fourth part or a
fourth signifies the same thing as four, n. 322; and a third
part or a third the same as three, n. 400. By falling is signified to sink down to hell, which takes place when they are torn
firom heaven; for the cities in the spiritual world, which are in
evils and falses,-after they that dwell therein are visited, informed and warned, and still continue in their evils and falses,
-are shook with an earthquake, by which a gulf is opened,
into which they sink clown, and then their inhabitants appear
to themselves to be at.the bottom, as it were, in a desert, whence
they are severally removed to their places in hell; that it so
happened to this city, will be seen below, n. 531.
516. And in the earthquake were slain names of mnen seven
thousand, signifies that in that state all they who were in the
confession of faith alone, and therefore made no account of
works of charity, perished. By being slain is signified here, as
before, to be slain spiritually, which is to perish as to the soul;
by an earthquake is signified change of state among them, and
their destruction, as above; by names of men seven thousand
are signified all who were in the confession of faith alone, and
for that reason made no account of works of charity, and therefore condemned those two holy essentials of the New Church.;
by names are signified they who are such, for a name signifies
the quality of a mnan, n. 31, 122, 165; and by seven thousand
400




v. 13-15.]      THE APOCATLYPSE REVEALED.       517-519
are signified all who were such, for the same is signified by
seven thousand as by seven, just as twelve thousand has the
same signification as twelve, n. 348. That seven signifies all, and
all things, and is predicated of the holy things of hleaven and the
church, and, il an opposite sense, of the same when profaned
may be seen, n. 10391.
517. And the remnant were aftrighted, and gave glory to tle,
God of heaven, signifies that they who had adjoined some goods
of charity tb faith, when they saw their destruction, acknowledged the Lord, and were separated. By the remnant are here
meant they who adjoined some goods of charity to faith; by
being affrighted is signified through fear, when they saw the
destruction of the others; by giving glory to the God of heavenl is signified to acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven
and earth; by giving glory is signified to acknowledge and
worship; and by the God of heaven and earth is meant the
Lord, because lie is the God of heaven and earth, Matt. xxviii.
18. Inasmuch as these acknowledged the Lord through fear,
they were separated, in order to their being explored for the
purpose of ascertaining from what origin they did good, whether
from themselves or from the Lord; all they do good from themselves who do not shun evils as sins, that is, who do not live
according to the commandments of the decalogue; but they
do good fiom the Lord, who shun the one and live according to
the other.
518. The second woe is past; behold, the third woe comrneth
quickly, signifies lamentation over the perverted state of the
church, and then the ultimate lamentation, to be treated of press
ently.  That woe signifies lamentation over the perverted state
of the church, may be seen above, n. 416; by the third woe is
signified the ultimate lamentation, when it is complete and
there is an end; for three and a third have that signification',
n. 505; to come quickly signifies presently or hereafter, and
hereafter means from chapter xii. to xvii., and, lastly, chapter
xx., where the last judgment executed upoh them is treated of.
* 519. And the seventh angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of the state of the church after the consummation, at the coming of the Lord and of his kingdom.
By sounding with a trumpet is signified to explore and lay open
the state of the church after its consummation, at the coming
of the Lord and of his kingdom. The reason is, because this
is signified by the seventh angel sounding; for by the six angels
and their trumpets sounding, were signified explorations and
manifestations of the state of the consummated church, as appears from the foregoing chapter, where its consummation only
is treated of; but that now its state after consummation, which
is the coming of the Lord and of his kingdom, is treated of, appears from what follows in this verse, and afterwards: in this
401                                      A 




'20            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xi
verse: " And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great
voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are becomne the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall
reign for ever and ever," &c. The reason why this manifestation is effected by the sounding of tile seventh -angel, is, because seven signifies the same as a week, and six days of the
~week are days of labour, and of man's proprium or selfhood,
and the seventh is holy and the Lord's.  That by consummation is meant the devastation of the church when there is no
longer any truth of doctrine and good of life therein, thus when
its end is accomplished, may be seen, n. 658, 750; and because
then is the coming of the Lord and of his kingdom, therefore
bSoth, or the consummation of the age and the coming of the
Lord, are mentioned together in Matthew xxiv. 3, and they are
both also foretold in that chapter.:520. And there wer'e great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of the world are become the kingdomns of our Iord.and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever, signifies
celebrations by the angels, because heaven and the church are
become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning, and because now they are in subjection also to his Divine Humanity,
consequently that now, both as to his Humanity and his Divinity, the Lord will reign over heaven and the church to all eternity. There were great voices, signifies celebrations by the
angels; saying, The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdomns of our Lord and of his Christ, signifies that heaven and
the church are become the Lord's, as they were from the beginning, and that now they are subject also to his Divine Humanity; and he shall reign for ever and ever, signifies that the
Lord, both as to his Humanity and his Divinity, will reign over
ihem.'That great voices in heaven signify celebrations of the
Lord, because he has now taken to him his great power, appears
from verse 17, where those great voices are specified. By the
Lord is here meant the Lord friom eternity, who is Jehovah;
and byv-Christ is meant his Divine Humanity, which is the Son
of God, Luke i. 392, 35.  That the Lord as to his Divine Humanity also will rleign, manifestly appears from these words:
The Father hath given all things into the hand of the Son, John
iri. -35. "The Father hath given the Son Power over all flesh,"
Jolln xvii. 2. Father, "all miAn.e are thine, and thine mivne,'"
John xvii. 10. "All power is given unto me in -heaven and in
earth," Matt. xxviii. 18. Of his Divine Humanity he also said:'That the Father and he are one. And that he is in the Father
and the Father in him, John x. 30, 38; xiv. 5-12.  To this
may -he added, that unless the Lord's Humanity is acknowlAdged to be Divine the church must perish, for in that case the
Lord cannot be in man and man in the Lord, as lie himself
teaches, John xiy. 20; xv. — 6; xvii. 9; and this conjulnctio,.4Q2




t. 15-T17.]'rIE APOCA LYPPSE REVEALED.      521-52:
constitutes a nan of tle church, an:d thus the church. The reason why the Lord's  Divine Humanity is meant by Christ, is,
because Christ is the Messiah, and the Messiah is the Son of
God, who was expected to come into the world. That Christ
is the Messiah, appears from this: ": We have found the Messias,
which is, being interpreted, the Cfhrist,:' John i. 41.  "The
woman said, I know that lfessias cometh, which is called Chris'"
-John iv. 25; for Messiah, in the Hebrew language, signifies the
anointed, as Christ does in the Greek language. That the.Mes
siah is tlle Son of God, appears from tlle following passages.:
The high-priest asked him, whether he was the Crist (Messiahi)':the Son of God, Matt. xxvi. 63; Mark xiv. 61; John xx. 31.
"' Thou art the Christ the Son of God, which should come into
the world," John xi. 27. Peter said, "We believe and are.sure that thou art the christ th-e Son of the living God," John
vi..69.  That the Lord as to His Divine Humanity is the:Son:of God, appears flrom this passa~ge: The angel said unto Mary,
"' Thou slhalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son: he;shall be great, and'shall be called The Son of the Hfighest. The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest'shall overshadow thee; tierefore, also, that holy thing whihl
shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God," Luke i. 31,:35; ancl many others. From hence it is plain what is signified
by their becoming the lkingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.
521. And the four-andc-towenty elders, that sat before God on
their thrones, fell upor the irfaces.and worshipped God,:signifies:an acknowledgment by all the angels of heaven, that the Lord
is the God of ]leaven and earth, alnd supreme adoration. By
the foul-and-twenty eclders sitting on thrones are signified all
in heaven, specifically in the -spii'itual heaven, n. 233, 251.; and
by falling upon their faces and wVorshipping God is signified:supreme adoration, and- acknowledgment that the Lord is the
God of heaven and earth.
522. Saying, le g ive thee:thanks, 0 ZLord God Almighty,
who art, and who wast, and who art to cone, signifies a confesision and glorification by the angels of heaven, that it is the:Lord who is, who has life and power from himself, -and who
rules all things, becanse he he alone is eternal and infinite. By
-giving thanks is signified an acknowledgment and glorification'of the Lord; that the Son of Man, who is the Lord as to the
Divine Humanitv, is omnipotent, the Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, thle first and the last, also who is, who
was, and who is to come, may be seen above in the Apocalypse,
chap. i.:8, 11 17; ii.:8; iv..8; and that'thereby is signified
that it is hle who is, lives, and has power from himself; who rules
all things, and is alone eternal and infinite, and God, may be
seen above, n. 13, 29-31, 38, 57,-92.
523. Because thou hast taken to thee thy great. power, an7d
403




524, 525     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xi
hast begqun to reign, signifies the new heaven and the new
church, where they acknowledge him to be the only God, as he
is and was. Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power,
signifies divine omnipotence, which is his, and was his from
eternity; and hast begun to reign, signifies that heaven and the
church are now his,;as before; by his kingdom is here meant
tile new heaven and new church, treated of in the Apocalypse,
chap. xxi. xxii. The Apocalypse from beginning to end treats
6xclusively of the state of the former heaven and church, and of
their abolition, and afterwards of the new heaven and new
church, and of their establishment, in which one God will be
acknowledged in whom there is a trinity, and that that God is
the Lord. This the Apocalypse teaches from beginning to end;
for it teaches that the Son of Man, who is the Lord as to the
Divine Humanity, is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning
and the end, the first and the last, he that is, was, and is to
come, and the Almighty, n. 522; and, lastly, that the New
Church, which is the New Jerusalemn, will be the church of the
Lamb, that is, of his Divine Humanity, thus at the same time
of the Divinity, from whence all things are, as is' plain fiom the
following passages: " Let us be glad and rejoice, for the time of
th/e Iamb's marriage is come, and his wife hath mrade herself
ready," Apoc. xix. 7.  "And there camne one of the seven
angels, and said unto me, Come hither, I will show thee the
bride the Lamb's wife; and he showed me that great city the
Holy Jerusalem," Apoc. xxi..9, 10. " I Jesus am the root and
offspring of David, the bright and morning star; and the spirit
and the bride say, Come, and let him that heareth sayj Come,"
Apoc. xxii. 16, 17. There was given unto the Son of man dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, Dan. vii. 14.
524. And the nations were angry, signifies those who are in
faith alone, and thence in evils of life, that they were enraged,
and infested those who are against their faith. By the nations
are meant they who are in evils of life, and, abstractedly, evils
of life, n. 147, 483, but here, they who are in faith alone, because these are here treated oti and these are in evils of life,
because their religion inculcates that the law does not condemn
them,'provided they believe that Christ took away its condemnation. Their being angry signifies not only that they were
enraged, but also that they infested those who are against that
faith, as may appear from what follows concerning the dragon,
chap. xii. 17, and afterwards.
525. And thy wrath is come, and the time ofjudging thle dead,
signifies their destruction, and the execution of the last judgment upon those who have not any spiritual life. By thy wrath
is signified the last judgment, n. 340, thus their destruction; the
reason why this is signified by.the Lord's wrath, is, because it
404




v. 17, 18.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              526
seems to them as if the Lord cast them into hell from wrath,
when nevertheless it is the wicked who cast themselves into
hell; for it is like a malefactor's attributing his punishment to
the law, or like a man's thrusting his hand into the fire, and ascribing to the fire the injury he receives; or like ascribing to
the sword, held out merely in defence by another, its running
him through the body, when he himself, in fact, runs against
the point of it: thus it happens with every one who is against
the Lord, and, out of wrath, rushes against those who are under
the Lord's protection. By the dead who are to be judged, in
a universal sense, are meant they who have died out of the
world, but, in a proper sense, are meant they who have not any
spiritual life, judgment being predicated of these,, John iii. 18;
v. 24, 29. The reason is, because they are called the living
who have spiritual life; spiritual life exists with those only who
approach the Lord, and at the same time shun evils as sins.
They who have no Spiritual life are understood in these passages:
"They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor and ate the sacrifices of the dead," Psalm cvi. 28. "The enemy persecuteth my
soul, he hath caused me to dwell in darkness as those who have
been long dead," Psalm cxliii. 3. "To hear the groaning of
the prisoner, and to loose those that are appointed to death,"
Psalm cii. 20. "I know thy works, that thou hast a name,
that thou livest, and art dead: be watchful, and strengthen the
things which are'ready to die," Apoc. iii. 1, 2. The reason why
these are mneant by the dead, is, because spiritual death is understood; therefore also by the slain they are signified who die
that death, n. 321, 325; and in other places. But they who
have died out of the world are understood by the dead in these
passages: "And the dead were judged according to those
things which were written in the books," Apoc. xx. 12. "But
the rest of the dead lived not again," Apoc. xx. 5. The reason
is, because, by the first death there, is meant natural deatth
which is from the world; and by the second death is meant
spiritual death, which is damnation.
526. And of yiving reward unto thy servants the prophet6,
and to the saints, signifies the felicity of life eternal to those who
are in truths of doctrine from the Word, and in a life according to them. By reward is signified the felicity of eternal life,
as will be seen presently; by prophets are signified they who
are in truths of doctrine from the Word, In. 8, 133; and by saints
they who are in a life according to them, n. 173. By reward
is here meant the felicity of eternal life, arising from the delight
and pleasantness of the love and affection of good and truth;
for every affection of love has its accompanying delight and
pleasantness, and the affection of the love of good and truth
has a delight and pleasantnesss such as the angels of heaven
enjoy; and all affection continues with man after death: the
405




527             THE APOCALYPSIE: REVEALED.       [Chap. xi.
reason is, because affection is8 of the love, and love is- the life
of man, therefore the life of evei'y one after death is such as his
ruling love had been in the world; anld the ruling love, of truth
and good exists with those. who have loved the truths of the
Word, and have lived accordiIn to them. Nothiing else but
the delight of goodness and the pleasantness of truth is meant
byv reward in tle- following passages: "Behold the Lord Jeho'vah will come with a strong hand, bellold, his reward is with
him,"' Isaiah xl. 10; lxii. 11. "Andcl behold, I comne quickly,
and my reward is with mne," Apoc. xxii. 12. "Surely my
j;udgment is with Jehovah, and the.reward of mlly wo'k is wTith
mly God," Isaiah xlix. 4. "For I Jehovah lo;e: julldclgent, I
will give the reward of their work," Isaiah 1xi. 8. "Do good.
-hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great,
and ye shall be the children of the Highest," Luke vi. 35; not
to' mention other places; as in Jeremiah xxxi. 16, 17; Matt. ii.
18"; v. 2-6, 11, 12; x. 41, 42; Mark ix. 41; Luke. vi. 22, 23;
xiV. 12-14; John i. 35, 36.
527. Aznd to t/hem that fear thy qname, both. smnall and great,
signifies, who love the things wllich aire of the Lord in a greater
or less degree. By fearing the naime of' the Lord is sign' ified
to love the things which are of the' Lord; to feibr signifies to
1ove, and the name of the Lord signifies' all tlhings by wlhich he
is worshipped, n. 8; by small and great are signified they who
fear the Lord in a lesser and grleater degree. The reason why
to fear here signifies to love,, is, because every one who loves is
also afraid of injuring him whom he loves: genuine love does
not exist without such fear; therefore lhe who loves the Lord is
afriaid to do evils, because evils are contrary to lim, being, contialry to his divine laws in the Word, wllich are fiom hlim and
thus himself; yea, they are' contrary to his divinle essence,
which is that which wills to save all,, for lie is the Saviotur, and
cannot save main unless nman lives according to his laws and
commandments; and, what is more, hIe who loves evils also
loves to do evil to the Lord, yea, to crucify him. Tlis: lies
deeply hid in all evil, even among those who confess himl with
thelir lips in this world: this' circumstance is unknownr to men,
but is well known to the angels. That to fear God signifies to
loFve the things which are of God, by doing them, and by not
willing to do those which are against hill, appears fi omn these.
passages: "What doth Jehovah God require of thee,, but to
*fear Jehovah thy God, to walk- in all his ways, and to love
Aim." Dent. x. 12. "Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God,
and fear him, and keep his commandments,"' Dent. xiii. 4.
"Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God, him shalt thou serve, and
to -him shalt thou cleave," Deut. x. 20; vi. 2, 13, 14, 24; viii. 6;
xvii. 19; xxviii. 58; xxxi. 12. "O that there were such a heart
im them, that they would fear me, and keep- all my command,
406




V. 18, 19.]     THE. APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         528. 529
Inents always," Dent. v. 29. " Teach me thy way, 0 Jehovah,
unite my heart to the fear of tfhy name," Psalm  lxxxvi. 11.
"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah; that walketh in
his ways," Psalmn cxxviii. 1; Psalm cxii. 1; Jerem. sliv. 10.
"If then I be a Father, where is mnine honour? and if I be a
master, where is! my fear?" Mal. i. 6, ii. 5; Isaiah xi. 2, 3.
"And I will give them one heart: and one way, that they may
fear me for ever, and I will put my fear in their hearts, that
they depart not from me," Jerem. xxxii. 39, 40. " The fearc of
Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom-," Psalm  cxi. 10; besides
other places; as in Isaiah vii. 13; xxv. 3; xxix. 13; 1. 10;.
Jerem. xxxiii. 9; Psalm xxii. 23; Psalm xxxiii. 8, 10; Psalm
xxxiv. 8, 10; Psalm lv. 19; Psalm cxv. 10, 11; Psalm  cxlvii,.
11; Apoc. xiv.'7; Luke i. 50. But the fear of God with the
wicked is not love, but a dread of hell.
528. And of destroyinyg them that destroy the eartA, signifies:
the casting of those into, hell who have destroyed the chlurch.
The reason why by destroying them which destroy the earth, is8
signified the casting of those into hell: who have destroyed thie
church, is, because by the earth the church is signified, n. 285,
and because it follows after these thiings: " And the time of the
dead is come that they should- be judged," by which is signified!
the execution of the last judgment upon those who have I1no.
spiritual life, n. 525, thus here, by the time is come of destroying them which destroy the earth, is signified the casting down
into liell of those who have destroyed the church. The like. isi
said of Lucifer, by whomrn Babylon is meant, in Isaiah.: " Becaus"e.
thon hlast destroyed thy earth and slain thy people," xiv. 20.
529. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, acnd there,
was seen'in his temple tkhe ark of his covenant, signifies the new
heaven, in which tile Lord in his Divine Humanity is WOl'shipped; and where they live according to the commrandments: of
his decealogue, which are the two essentials of the New Church,
by whichl comes conjunction. By the temple of God is. signifled the Lord's Divine IHumanity, likewise heaven, where angels:
dwell, and, also, the church upon earth; that these three are.:
signified by the temple of God, and that they cannot be separated, may be seen, n. 191; but here, by tle temple of God, 1is
signified the Lord in his Divine HIumanity in heaven where
angels dwell, because it is called the temple of God in heaven.
By the ark in the temnple is meant the decalogue, for in the ark
there were only the two tables on which the decalogue was
written; by the temnple being open is signified that these two,
the Divine Humanity and the decalogue, which are the two
essentials of the New Church, are now seen, and were seen
after the wicked were cast into hell, n. 528. The reason why
the ark of his covenant is said to be in his temple, is, because, a
covenant signifies conjunction, as will be seen below; but some407




029            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [C0hap. xi
thing shall first be said of the decalogue. What nation is there
in the whole world which does not know that it is evil to murder, to commit adultery, to steal, to bear false witness? If mankind did not know these things, and if laws were not made to
prevent these crimes, they must needs perish; for a society,
commonwealth, and kingdom, would cease without such laws.
Who can suppose that the Israelitish nation could have been so
much more stupid than all others, as not to know that these
things were evils? Therefore any one may wonder why these
laws, universally known throughout the whole world, should
have been promulgated by Jehovah himself from Mount Sinai
in so miraculous a manner, and written with his own finger.
But, let it be remembered, that they were promulgated in a miraculous manner by Jehovah himself, and written by his finger,
to make known to them that those laws were not only civil and
moral laws, but also spiritual laws, and that to act contrary to
them, was not only to commit evil against a fellow-citizen and
against society, but that it was also to sin against God: wherefore these laws, by being promulgated from Mount Sinai by
Jehovah, were made laws of religion; for it is evident that
whatsoever Jehovah God commands, he commands as a point
of religion, and that it should be done for his sake, and for
man's sake, that he might be saved. These laws, being the firstfruits of the church about to be established by the Lord among
the Israelitish nation, and being, in a short summary, the complex of all things of religion whereby a conjunction of the
rold with man and of man with the Lord was given, surpassed
every thing else in holiness. That they were most holy may
appear fiom this testimony, as follows: That Jehovah himself,
that is, the Lord, descended in fire, and that the mountain then
smoked and quaked, " and that there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud, and the voice of a trumpet," Exod.
xix. 16, 18; Deut. v. 19-23. That the people before the descent of Jehovah prepared and sanctified themselves three
days, Exod. xix. 10, 11, 15. That bounds were set round the
mount, that no one might come near to the border thereof, lest
he should die, Exod. xix. 12, 13, 20 —23; xxiv. 1, 2. That
this law was written "upon two tables of stone, and that it
was written with the finger of God,'" Exod. xxxi. 18; xxxii. 15,
16; Dent. ix. 10. That the face of Moses shone, when he
brought those tables a second time down from the mount, Exod.
xxxiv. 29-35. That those tables were deposited in the ark,
Exod. xxv. 16; xl. 20; Deut. x. 5; 1 Kings viii. 9. That the
place in the tabernacle, where the ark was, was called the
Holy of Holies, Exod. xxvi. 33; and in other places. That the
ark, from the law being contained in it, was called Jehovah
there, Numb. x. 35, 36; 2 Sam. vi. 2; Psalm cxxxii. 28. That
Jehovah spake with Moses over the ark, Exod. xxv. 22; Numb.,
408




v. 19.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          530, 531I
vii. 89. That on account of the holiness of that law, it was
not permitted Aaron to enter within the vail, where the ark was,
but with sacrifices and incense, lest he should die, Levit. xvi.
2-14, &c. That from the Lord's presence and power in the
law which was in the ark, the waters of Jordan were divided,
and so long as it rested in the midst of themn, the people passed
over on dry ground, Josh. iii. 1 —17; iv. 5-20. That by
carrying the ark round about Jericho, the walls thereof fell
down, Josh. vi. 1-20.  That Dagon, the god of the Philistines, fell down to the earth before the ark, and afterwards lay
upon the threshold of the temple with his head broken off, 1
Sam. v. 3, 4. That the Ekronites and the Bethshemnites were
smitten on account of the ark to the number of several thousands, 1 Sam. v. and vi. That the ark was introdtced by
David into Sion with sacrifices and rejoicings, 2 Sam. vi. 119. That Uzzah, who then touched it, died, 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7.
That the ark constituted the most sacred place or oracle in the
temple of Jerusalem, 1 Kings vi. 19, &c.; viii. 3-9. That
the tables upon which the law was written, were called the
tables of the covenant, and that the ark, from them, was called
the ark of the covenant, and the law itself the covenant, Numb.
x. 33; Deut. iv. 13, 23; v. 2,3; ix. 9; Josh. iii. 11; 1 Kings
viii. 19, 21; and other places. By that law being called a
covenant, conjunction is signified; the reason is, because covenants were entered into for the sake of love, of friendship, ot
consociation, and thus of conjunction; therefore it is said of
the Lord, That he shall be for a covenant to the people, Isaiah
xlii. 6; xlix. 8. And he is called The Angel of the Covenant,
Malachi iii. 1. And his blood, The Blood of the covenant,
Matt. xxvi. 28; Zech. ix. 11; Exod. xxiv. 4-10. And therefore
the Word is called The Old and NVew Testamnent or Covenan~t.
530. And there were lightnings, anzd voices, and thunderings,
and an earthqcake, and great hail, signifies the ratiocinations,
commotions, and falsifications of good and truth that then ensued in the spheres beneath (in inferioribus).  By lightnings,
voices, and thunderings, are signified ratiocinations, n. 396; by
earthquakes are signified changes of the state of the chulrch, n.
331, here commotions; by great hail are signified falsifications
of things true and good, n. 399. These things took place in
the parts below, where the wicked still abode, before the last
judgment was executed upon them; for it is said in the preceding verse (18): " And the time is come of judging the dead,
and of destroying them which destroy the earth."  Such things
exist in the world of spirits, from the presence and influx of the
heaven which is above them.
531. To the above I shall add this Memorable Relation. I
was once seized suddenly with a disease that seemed to threaten
409




531             THE, APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xi.
my life. I suffered excruciating pain all over my- head; a pestential smoke ascended from that Jerusalem wllich is called
Sodom and Egypt; half dead with thme se-verity of my sufferings,
i expected every moment would be my last. Thus I lay in my
bed three days and a half; my spirit was reduced to this state,
and, in consequence of it, my body. And then I heard the:
voices of persons about me, saying, "1 Lo, he who preached repentance for the; remission of sins, and. the Man Christ alone,
lies dead in the streets of our city."  And they asked some, of
the clergy whether he was worthy of burial? who answered,' No; let him lie to be looked at."  And they passed to and
fro, and mocked. All this befell me, of a truth, when I was
writing the explanation of this chapter of the Apocalypse.
Then were heard many shocking speeches of scoffers, who said,
"How can repentance be performed without faith? and how
can the man Christ be adored as God? Since we are saved of
free grace without any merit of our own, what need is there of
any faith but this, that God the Father sent the Son to take
away the curse of the law, to impute his merit to us, and so to
justify us in his sight, and absolve us from our sins, by the,
declaration of a priest, and then give the Holy Ghost to ope.
rate all good in us.?  Are not these doctrines agreeable to
Scripture, and -consistent with reason also?"  All this the
crowd, who stood by, agreed to and applauded. I heard what
passed, without the power of replying, being almost dead; but
after three days and a half my spirit recovered, and, being in
the spirit, I left the street and went into the *city, and said
again, "Do the work of repentance, and believe in Christ, and
your sins will be remitted, and ye will be saved; but otherwise
ye will perish. Did not the Lord himself preach repentance
for the remission of sins, and that men should believe in him?
Did not he enjoin his disciples to preach the same?  Is not a
full and fatal security of life the sure consequence of this dogma
of your faith?"  But they replied, " What idle talk! Has not
the Son: made satisfaction?  And does not the Father impute.'it to us, and justify us who have believed in it.?  Thus are; we
led by the spirit of grace: how then can sin have place in us,
and what power has death over us?  Do you comprehend' this.
gospel, thou preacher of sin and repentance?"  At that instant
a voice was heard from heaven, saying, " What is the faith of
an impenitent man, but a dead faith. The end is come, the
end is come upon you that are secure, unblamable inl your own
eyes, justified in your own faith, ye devils!" And suddenly a
deep gulf was opened in the midst of the city, which spread:
itself far and wide; and the houses fell one upon another, and
were swallowed up; and presently water began to bubble up
fi'om the- wide whirlpool, and overflowed the waste.
When they were thus. overwhelmed, and, to appearance
410




Chap. xi.]      THE" APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              531l
drowned, 1 was desirous: to know their condition in the deep;
and a voice firomn heaven said to me, "Thou shalt, see and hlear."'
WAnd straightway the waters,; in which they seemed to be:
drowned, disappeared; for waters, in the spiritual world, are;
correspondences, and hence appear to surround those who are.
in falses. Then they appeared to me in a sandy place, where
there were large heaps of stone, amongst which they were running, and lamenting that they were cast out of their great city;,
and they lifted up their voices, and cried, " Why hbas all this
befallen us?  Are we, not, by our faith,, clean, pure, just, and
holy?"  And. others said, " Are we not, by our faith, cleansed,.
purified, justified, and sanctified?"  And others said, " Are we:
not,: by our faith,: rendered such as to appear before God thd
Father, and to.be seen and reputed clean, pure, just, and holy,.
and declared so before the angels?  Are we not reconciled,,
propitiated, expiated,. and thus absolved, washed, and cleansed
fiomn sins?  And is not the curse of the law taken away by
Christ?  Why then are we cast down here as the damned??'
We have been told by a presumptuous preacher of sin in our
great city,'Believe in Christ and repent.'"  But have we not,
believed in Christ whilst we believed in his merits? And have.
we not done the work of repentance while we confessed ourselves,
sinners? Why then has all this befallen us.?" But immlediately
a voice from one side said to theln, "' Do you know any one: sin
that is in you?. Have you ever examined yourselves.? Have.
you, in consequence, shunned any evil as a sin against God.
]For he who does not shun sin, remains in it; and is not sin the
devil?. Ye are therefore. of the class of those of whom the Lord
said, Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in
thy presence, and tho-u hast taught in our stree.ts:; but he shall
say, I tell you, I know you not, whence ye are; depart.from me
all ye workers; of iniquity, Luke xiii. 26, 27, and of whom he:
spake in Matt. vii. 2.2, 23. Depart ye, therefore,, every one. to
his own place; you see the openings into those caverns, enter,
and there work shall be given each. of you, to do, and afterwards
food in proportion to your work; but though you should refuse
at present to enter,. the calls of hunger will speedily compel you."
After this there came avroice from heaven to some on earth',
who were without: that great city, and who. are described also,
verse 13, crying aloud, "Take, heed to yourselves, take heed
how you associate with. such persons; can you not understand
that evils, which are called sins and iniquities, render men
impure and unclean?  How can man be cleansed and purified
from them, but by actual repentance, and by faith in. Jesus
Christ?  Actual repentance consists in self-examination, in the
knowledge and aclknowledgment of sins, in owning to their
guilt, in confessing them before, the Lordr, in imploring: help
* By earth here is to be understood the earth in the spiritual wolvld.
411




531             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xi,
and power to resist theln, thus ill desisting from them, and ill
leading a new life, doing all these things as of yourselves: practise this once or twice a year, when you approach the holy conimunion, and afterwards when the sins, of which you owned
yourselves guilty, recur; then say to yourselves, We will not
consent to them because they are sins against God; this is
actual repentance. Who cannot perceive that where a man
does not search out and see his sins, he remains in them? foi
all evil is delightful to a man from his birth; it is delightful to
him to take revenge, to commit whoredom, to defraud, to blaspheme, and especially to rule over others from self-love; is it
not the delight arising from them which occasions their not
being seen, and if you happen to be told that they are sins, does
not that delight prompt you to make excuses for them?  Nay
more, do you not endeavour, by false reasonings, to make it
appear that they are not sins, and thus continue in them, and
practise them  afterwards more than before, even till you no
l:onger know what sin is, or whether there be any such thing or
no? It is widely different with every one who performs actual
repentance; the evils which he knows and acknowledges, he
calls sins, and on that account begins to shun and turn away
from them, and at last no longer to feel satisfaction in their delights; and in proportion as this is the case, he sees and loves
what is good, and at length feels delight in it, which is the
delight of the angels of heaven; in a word, so far as any one
renounces the devil, so far is he adopted by the Lord, and by
him is taught, guided, withheld fiom evil, and kept in good;
this, and no other, is the way which leads from hell to heaven."
It is surprising, that Protestants have a certain deep-rooted
opposition and aversion to actual repentance, which is so obstinate, that they cannot force themselves to self-examination,
neither can they look at their sins, nor confess them before
God; for they are seized as it were with horror at the bare
thought of such a duty. I have inquired of many in the spiritual world concerning this circumstance, who all told me that
it was not in their power; and -when they were informed that
Roman Catholics practise such duties, that is, that they examine themselves and confess their sins openly before a monk,
they have greatly wondered, more especially as the Reformed
cannot do the same in private before God, although it is alike
enjoined them before they approach the holy supper; some
have inquired into the cause of this, and it was discovered that
-it was the doctrine of faith alone which induced such an impenitent state, and such a heart; and then it was given them
to see that such of the Papists as worship Christ, and do not
invoke saints, nor adore Christ's vicar, as he is called, or any
one supposed to hold the keys from him, are saved.
After this, there was heard as it were a noise of thunder,
412




Chap. xii.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
and a voice speaking from heaven, and saying, "We are astollnished! say to the assembly of Protestants, Believe in Christ,
and do the work of repentance, and you will be saved." And
I said further, " Is not baptism a sacrament of repentance, and
hence an introduction into the church?  What else do the
sponsors promise for the person to be baptized, but that he will
renounce the devil and his works? Is not the holy supper a
sacrament of repentance, and hence an introduction into heaven? for is it not declared to the communicants, that they must
do the work of repentance before they approach? Does not
the Catechism, which is the universal doctrine of the Christian
church, insist on repentance? Is it not said in the six com-.
mandments of the second table, Thou shalt not do this and that
evil, and not, Thou shalt do this and that good? hence you may
understand, that in proportion as any one shuns evil, in the
same proportion he loves good, and that before this he knows
not what good is, nor even what evil is."
CHAPTER XII.
1. AND there appeared a great sign in heaven; a woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon
her head a crown of twelve stars.
2. And she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth and
pained to be delivered.
3. And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold,
a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven
diadems upon his heads.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,
and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the
woman who was ready to be delivered, to devour her child as
3oon as it was born.
5. And she brought forth a male child, who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto
God and to his throne.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath
a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his
angels,
8. And prevailed not, neither was their place found any
more in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent,
called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world;
413




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap..xii.
he was -cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out
with hiim.
10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is
come salvation, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and
the power of his Christ; for the:accuser of our brethren is cast
down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him by the blood of the LanAib, and
by the word of their testimnony; and they loved not their lives
unto the death.
12. Therefore rejoiee, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in
them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea, for
the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because
he knoweth that he hath but a short timne.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the
earth, he persecuted the womlan who brought forth the male
child.
14. And to the woman were.given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood
after the woman, that he nmight cause her to be carried away
of the flood.
16. And the earth helped thle woman; and the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast
out of his'mouth.
17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went
to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandiments of God, and have the testimony -of Jesus Christ.
18. And I stood upon the -sand of the sea.*
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE (CONTENTS'OF THE] WHOLE CHAPTER. The subject  here
treated of; is concerning the New Church and its doctrine: by
the woman is here meant the New Church, and by the child
which she brought forth, its doctrines: and, also, concerning
those in the present church, who from doctrine believe in a trinity of persons, and in a duality of the person of Christ, likewise, and in justification by faith alone; these latter being
meant by the dragon. Then follows the persecution of the New
Church by these, on account of its doctrine, and its protection
by the Lord, until, from being confined to a few, its reception.
at length, extends to many.
*'This verse, in the English translation, is the first clause -of the first verse of
bhe 13th chapter; but in the Greek Testament it is the last df- the 12th chapter.
414




Chap. xii.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. V. 1:" And there appeared
a great sign in heaven," signifies revelation fiom the Lord concerning the New Church in the heavens and on earlth, and concerning the difficult reception and resistance which its doctrine
meets with: " A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon
under her feet," signifies the Lord's New Church in the heavens, which is the new heaven, and the Lord's New Church
about to be upon earth, which is the New Jerusalem: "And
upon her head a crown of twelve stars," signifies its wisdom
and intelligence fiom knowledges of divine good and divine
truth derived from  the Word: v. 2, "And she, being with
child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to b-e delivered,"
signifies the doctrine of the New Church about to come forth,
and its difficult reception in consequence of the resistance it
meets with from those who are understood by the dragon: v. 3,' And there appeared another sign in heaven," signifies revelation from the Lord concerning those who are against the New
Church and its doctrine: "And behold, a great red dragon,"
signifies those in the Reformed Church, who make God three
and the Lord two, and who separate charity friomn faith, and
insist on the latter being competent to salvation without the
former: " Having seven heads," signifies insanity firom the falsification and plofination of the truths of the Word: " And ten
horns," siglnifies much power: "And seven diadems upon his
heads,:' signifies all the truths of the Word falsified and profaned: ~r. 4, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of
heaven, and cast them to the earth," signifies that by falsifications of the truths of the Word they have alienated all spiritual
knowledges of good and truth fiom the church, and by applications to falses have entirely destroyed them:" And the dragon
stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered, to devour her child as soon as it was born," signifies tllhat they who
are meant by the dragon will endeavour to extinguish the doctrine of the l qew Church at its birth: v. 5, ".And she brought.
forth a male child," signifies the doctrine of the New Church:
"'Who was to rule all nations with *a rod of iroln,  signifies
which, by truths fiom the literal sense of the Word, and, at the
same tmlne, by rational arguments drawn from the light of
nature, will convince all who are in'dead worship through being
principled in faith separated fr om charity, that are willing to be
convinced: "' And her child was caught up unto God and to his
throne," signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord,
and its being guarded by the angels of heaven: v. 6, "And the
woman fled into the wilderness," signifies tle church at first
confined to a few: " Whlelre she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and
sixty days," signifies the state:of the church'at that time, while
provision is making for its increase among many until it arrives
415




THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       LChap. xii.
at maturity: v. 7, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and
his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought
and his angels," signifies the falses of the former church fighting against the truths of the New Church: v. 8, "And irevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven,"
signifies that they were convicted of being in falses and evils,
but still remained in them, and that therefore they were torn
from conjunction with heaven and cast down: v. 9, "And the
great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and
Satan," signifies this turning fiom the Lord to themselves, and
from heaven to the world, and thence coming into the evils of
their lusts and into falses: "Which deceiveth the whole world,"
signifies that they pervert all things of the church: " He was
cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him,":
signifies into the world of spirits, which is intermediate between
heaven and hell, from whence there is immediate conjunction
with men upon earth: v. 10, " And I heard a loud voice saying
in heaven, Now is come salvation, and power, and the kingdom
of our God and the power of his Christ," signifies the joy of
the angels of heaven, because the Lord alone now reigns in
heaven and in the church, and because they are saved who
believe in him: " For the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night," signifies
that by the last judgment they are removed who opposed the
doctrine of the New Church: v. 11, "And they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,"
signifies victory by the divine truth of the Word, and by the
acknowledgment of the Lord: "And they loved not their lives
iunto the death," signifies who loved not themselves more than
the Lord: v. 12, "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that
d(well in them," signifies a new state of heaven, in that they are
in the Lord and the Lord in them: " Woe to the inhabiters of
the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath," signifies lamentations over those in the
church who are in the falses of faith, and thence in evils of life,
because they are in conjunction with the dragon: "' Because he
knoweth that he hath but a short time," signifies, because he
knows that a new heaven is formed, and that thus there is about
to be a New Church upon earth, and that then he with his like
will be cast into hell: v. 13, "And when the dragon'saw that
he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman who
brought forth the man child," signifies that the dragonists in
the world of spirits, immediately upon their being thrust down,
began to infest the New Church on account of its doctrine: v.
14, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place," signifies
the divine circumspection over that church, and its protection,
while as yet confined to a few: "Where she is nourished for a
416




V. 1.]          THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              532
time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent,",
signifies that by reason of the craftiness of seducers, pro-isioli
is made with circumspection that its numbers mnay increase
until it comes to maturity: v. 15, "And the serpent cast out
of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might
cause her to be carried away of the flood," signifies ratiocinations from falses in abundance, with a view to destroy the
church: v. 16, "And the earth helped the woman; and the
earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the
dragon cast ot  of his mouth," signifies that those ratiociniations, in all their abundance, fall to nothing before the spiritual
truths rationally understood, which the Michaels, of whomn the
New Church consists, can bring forward: v. 17, "And the
dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," signifies hatred kindled in those who think themselves wise from their confirmations
of the mystical union of Divinity and Humanity in the Lord,
and of justification by faith alone, against those who acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth, and
that the decalogue is the law of life; and their attempts on
novitiates with intent to seduce them: v. 18, "And I stood
upon the sand of the sea," signifies his spiritual-natural state.
TEHE EXPLANATION.
532. And there appeared a great sign in heaven, signifies
revelation from the Lord concerning his New Church in the
heavens and on earth, and concerning the difficult reception and
resistance which its doctrine meets with. By a sign in heaven
is here meant a revelation concerning things to come; and by
a great sign appearing in heaven is meant a revelation concerning the New Church, for the woman clothed with the sun,
which is the subject treated of in this chapter, signifies that:
church; the male child which she brought forth signifies its
doctrine; her being pained to be delivered signifies its difficult
reception; the dragon's desiring to devour the male child, and'
his persecuting the woman afterwards, signifies the resistance it
meets with. This is what is to be understood by a great sign;
appearing in heaven. A sign is mentioned in reference to things:
to come, and then constitutes revelation; it refers also to truth,'
when it constitutes testification; and it also refers to the quality
of any state and thing, when it constitutes manifestation. A'
sign refers to things to come, and then constitutes revelation, in;
the following passages: " They shall show us what sllall hap-.
pen, that we may know their latter end, or declarie us things
417                        -               B




533             THRE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xii.for to come, show us signs of the future," Isaiah xli. 22, 23.'~The disciples said unto Jesus, What shall be the sign of thy
coining, and of the end of the world?" Matt. xxiv. 3; LMark xiii.
4; Luke xxi. 7. There shall be siglns fiom heaven, and signs
illn the strii, the moon, and the stars," Luke xxi. 11, 25.  "And
then shall the sign of the Son of Man appear," Matt. xxi v. 3
It was said unto king Hezekiah, "This shall be a sign unto thee
tllat Jehovah will do this thing, the shadow of the degrees in
the sun-dial shall be brought back."  Afterwards Hezekiah
said, "What is the sign that I shall go up into the house of
Jehovah?" Isaiah xxxviii. 7, 8, 22; and in other places. That
a sign refers to truth, and then constitutes testification, and
also to the quality of any state, when it constitutes manifestation, is evident from other passages in the Word.
533. A woman clothed with] the sun, and the moon under her
feet, signifies the Lord's New Church in the heavens, which is
thie inew heaven, and the Lord's New Church about to be upon
earth, which is the New Jerusalem. T-hat the Lord's New
Cihurch is signified by this woman, results fiom all the particulars of this chapter being understood in a spiritual sense; that
by a womlan, in other parts of the Word also, the church is signified, Imay be seen, n. 434; and the church is signified, because
tlhe church is called the bride and wife of the Lord. The reason why she appeared clothed with the sun, is, because the
church is principled in love to the Lord, for it acknowledges
him, and does his commandments, and this is to love him, John
xiv. 91-24; that the sun sig nifies love, see n. 53. The reason
why the moon was seen under the woman's feet, is, because the
chinrIch on earth is understood, which is not as yet conjoined
with the church in the heavens, which is to be understood; by
tihe moon is signified intelligence in the natural man, and faith,
n. 423; and by appearing under the feet is signified that it is
about to be upon earth; otherise, by feet is signified the
church itself when it is conjoined. It is to be observed, that
there is a church in the heavens as well as on earth, for there
also is the Word; there are temples also, and sermons delivered
in them, and ministerial and priestly offices; for all angels there
were once men, and their departure out of the world was only
a continuation of their life; therefore they aire also perfected in
love and wisdom, every one according to the deglee of the
afectiol of truth and good which he took with him out of the
world. The church among them is here understood by the
woman clothed with the sun, who had upon her head a crow:n
of twelve stars; but as the church in the heavens cannot subsist, except there be also a church on ealthi which is in concordant love and wisdom, and as this was about to be, therefore
tlhe moon was seen under the feet of the woman, which here
specifically.s'gtifies faith,'such as it is at thlis day, in wlich there
418




v. 1, 2.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          534, 53'5
is no conjunction. The reason why a church cannot subsist in
the heavens unless there is a church on earth in conjunction
with it, is, because heaven where angels are, and the church
where men are, act as one. like the internal and external in
man; and the internal in man cannot subsist in its state, unless
an external be conjoined with it; for an internal without an
external is like a house without a foundation, or like seed upon
the ground and not in the ground, thus like any thing without
a root; in a word, like a cause without an effect in which it
may exist. From what has been said, it may be seen how absolutely necessary it is that there should be a church somewhere
in the world, where the Word is, and where the Lord is known
thereby.
534. And upon. her head a  crown of twelve stars, signifies its
wisdom and intelligence from knowledges of divine good and
divine trutlh derived from the Word. By the crown on her
head is signified wisdom and intelligence, n. 189, 235, 252; by
stars are signified the knowledges of divine good and divine
truth derived fiom the Word, n. 51, 420; and by twelve are
signified all things of the church, which have relation to its
good and truth, n. 348; consequently, by a crown of twvelve
stars on the woman's head, is signified the wisdom and intelligence of the:New Church from the knowledges of divine good
and divine truth derived from the Word.
535. And she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and
pained to be delivered, signifies the doctrine of the New Church
about to come forth, and its diflicult reception in consequence
of the resistance it meets with fiom those who are understood
by the dragon. To be with child signifies the birth of doctrine,
because by the child which was in the womb, whose birth is
treated of in verse 5, is signified the doctrine of the New
Church; for nothing else is signified by being with child, or in
travail, and bringing torth, in the spiritual sense of the Word,
but to conceive and bring forth those things which relate to:spiritual life, concerning which, presently. By "she cried,
travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered," is signified the
difficult reception of that doctrine, because of resistance from
those who are understood by the dragon; this is plain fiom
what follows in this chapter, as the dragon standing before the
woman who was ready to be delivered, to devour her child, and
afterwards pursuing her into the wilderness. That by being
with child, travailing in birth, and bringing forth, nothing else
is signified in the Word, appears from the following passages::
Jesus said, " Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God; that which is born of the flesh is flest,
but that which is born of the spirit is spirit," John iii. 3-s6.
":Sing, 0 barren, that didst not bear, cry aloud, thou that didst
not travail with child, for more are the children of the desolate
419




536, 537        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xii.
than the children of the mrarried wife," Isaiah liv. 1. "They
have ceased until the barren hath borne seven, and she that had
many children is waxed feeble," 1 Sam. ii. 5. By the barren
are signified the Gentiles, who had no genuine truths, because
they had not the Word; by the married wife and the imother of
many children are signified the Jews who were in possession of
the Word.  " She that hath borne seven languisheth, she hatL
given up the ghost," Jereln. xv. 9; speaking also of the Jews.
We have conceived, we have been ill pai, we have as it were
brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in
the earth," Isaiah xxvi. 16. "Before she travailed she brought
forth, before her pain came she was delivered of a man-child;
shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, shall a nation
be born at once? shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to
bring forthl, and shut the womb?" Isaiah lxvi. 7-10.  "Thou,
O earth, bringestforth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob," Psalm cxiv. 7. "This is the day
of trouble, for the children are come to the birth, and there is
not strength to bring forth," Isaiah xxxvii. 3. " Sin shall be
in travail, and No shall be rent asunder," Ezek. xxx. 15, 16.
"I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, as of her that
bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion,
she bewaileth herself, she spreadeth her hands, Woe is me, my
soul is wearied because of murderers," Jerem. iv. 31. "Pangs
and sorrows shall take hold of them, they shall be in pain as a
woman that travaileth," Isaiah xiii. 6-8. "The iniquity of
Ephraim is bound up, the sorrows of a travailing woman shall
come upon him; he is an unwise son, for he should not stay
long in the breaking forth of children," Hosea xiii. 12, 13.
"Ephraim, thy glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth,
and fiom the womb, and fiom conception: give them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts: even when they
have conceived, I will slay the beloved of their womb," Hosea
ix. 11, 12, 14, 16. In these passages also is described the difficulty of receiving the truths of doctrine from the Word, by
many circumstances relating to pain in bringing forth, and in
like manner in many other places. Moreover, Jehovah, that
is, the Lord, is called the Former from  the womb, Isaiah xliv.
9, 24; xlix. 1, 5; and by former from the womb is meant the
reformer.
536. And there appeared another sign in heaven, signifies
revelation from the Lord concerning those who are against the
New Church and its doctrine. By a sign is signified revelation from the Lord, as above, n. 532. It is called another sign,
because it is a revelation concerning those who will be against
the New Church.
537. And behold, a great red dragon, signifies those in the
Reformed Church who make God three, and the Lord two, and
420




W. 2, 3.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.'53(
separate charity from faith, and insist oil the latter being competent to salvation without the former. Such are here meant,
and il what follows, by the dragon; for they are against thle
two essentials of the New Church, which are, that God is one
in essence and in person, in whom there is a trinity, and that
the Lord is that God; also that charity and faith are a one as
all essence and its form; and that none have charity and faith,
but they who live according to the commandments of the decalogue, which say that evils are not to be done; and in proportion as any one does not commit evils, by shunning themn as
sins against God, in the same proportion he does the goods
which relate to charity, and believes the truths which relate to
faith. That they who make God three, and the Lord two, and
who separate charity from faith, and consider the latter competent to salvation without the former, are opposed to those two
essentials of the New Church, may be seen by any one who
considers the matter. It is said, who make God three, and
the Lord two, by whom are understood those who think of three
persons as three Gods, and separate the Lord's Humanity friin
his Divinity: and who thinks otherwise, or can think otherwise,
whilst, according to a formula of faith, he prays, "That God
the Father for the sake of the Son would send the Holy Spirit.?"
Does he not pray to God the Father as to one God, and for the
sake of the Son as another, and concerning the Holy Spirit as
a third? From which it is evident that although in thought he
makes three persons one God, still he divides them, that is,
divides his idea into three gods, when he so prays; the saIme
formula of faith also makes the Lord two, since the Lord's
Humanity is then alone thought of, and not at the same time
his Divinity, seeing that for the sake of the Son means for the
sake of his Humanity which suffered on the cross. From what
has been said, it may now appear who they are that are meant
by the dragon, who fain would have devoured the woman's
child, and afterwards pursued the woman into the wilderness on
account of her child. The reason why he is called a great dragon, is, because all the Reformed Churches distinguish God
into three persons, and make faith alone saving, except some
here and there, who do not think alike concerning the trinity,
and concerning faith: they who divide God into three persons,
and adhere to these words of the Athanasian doctrine: "' There
is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of
the Holy Ghost;" and also to these: "The Father is God, the
Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God:" these, I say, cannot
make one God of three; they may indeed say that they are one
God, but they cannot think so. In like manner they who
think concerning the Lord's divinity from eternity as concerning the second person of the Divinity, and concerning his Humanity in time as concerning the humanity of another man,
421




638             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xii.
cannot do otherwise than make two of thle Lord, although it
is said in the Athanasian doctrine that his Divinity and Human
ity are one person, united as the soul and body. Tlhe reason
why the dragon is called red, is, because red signifies what is
false from the evils of the concupiscences, which is the inffernal
false principle. Now because these two essentials of the doctrine of the Reformed Churches are falses, and as falses devastate the church, since they take away its truths anllnd goods,
therefbre they were represented by a dragon; the reason is, because by a dragon, in the Word, is signified the devastation of
thle church; as may appear from the following passagE..: " 1
will make Jerusalem heaps, a habitation of drayons, alldL I will
make the cities of Judatl desolate," Jerem. ix. 11. "Bellold,
a great commotion out of the north country, to nake thle cities
of Judah desolate, a habitation of dragons," Jerem. x. 22.
"Hazor shall be a habitatiopn of dragons, a desolation for ever,"
Jerem. xlix. 33. "That it may be a habitation, of dl'agoqs, a
court for owls," Isaiah xxxiv. 13. " In tile habitation of dragons where each lay," Isaiah xxxv. 7. " I will go stripped and
naked, I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mnorlnilng
like the owls," Micah i. 8. "I cried, I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls," Job xxx. 28, 29. "The wild
beasts shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their
pleasant palaces," Isaiah xiii. 22. "And Babylon shaull become
heaps, a habitation of dragons, an astonishment and a hissing,"
Jerem. li. 37. "Thou hast broken us in tlle place of dr'agons,
and covered us with the shadow of death," Psalm xliv. 19, 20.' I have laid the mountains of Esau and his heritage waste for
the dragons of the wilderness," Malachi i. 3; besides other
places; as in Isaiah xliii. 20; Jerem. xiv. 6; Psalm xci. 13, 14;
Denut. xxxii. 33. That by the dragon are here meant those who
are in faith alone, and reject the works of tile law as not conducive to salvation, has sometimes been proved to me in the
world of spirits by lively experience; I have seen several thousands of them assembled together, when they have appeared at
a distance like a dragon with a long tail, that seetned fPill of
prickles like thorns, which signified falses. Once, also. there
appeared a dragon still larger, who, raising his back and lifting
up his tail towards heaven, endeavoured to draw down thle stars
from thence. Thus I have had ocular demonstration that no
others are meant by the dragon.
538. HRaving seven heads, signifies insanity fiom the falsification and profanation of the truths of the Word. By the
head is signified wisdom and intelligence, and, in an opposite
sense, insanity; but by seven heads here, belonaging to the
dragon, is signified, properly, insanity firom the falsifieation and
profanation of the truths of the Word; for seven is predicated
of things holy, and, in an opposite sense, of things profane, n.
422




v. 3.]          THE APOOALYPSE REVEALED.          539, 540
173; therefore, it follows, that on his heads there appeared seven
diadems, and by diadems are signified the truths'of the Word,
which are here falsified and profaned. That by the head is sinified wisdom and intelligence, is plain from these passages:
t'h will give you wise men, and of undelstanding, and make
them rulers over you," Dent. i. 13.   Jehovah hath closed`
your eyes, the prophets, and your rulers, the seers, hath he
covered," Isaiah xxix. 10. By the head of Nebuchadnezzal's
image, which consisted of pnre gold, Dan. ii. 32, nothing else
is signified but the wisdom of the first age, which prevailed
among the men of the Most Ancient Church. By the head, in
an opposite sense, is signified insanity and folly; in David:
" God shall wound the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of
him who goeth on in his trespasses," Psalm lxviii. 21; nor is
any thing else signified by the head of the serpent, which was to
be trod under foot, Gen. iii. 15; and by smiting the head over
many countries, Psalm  ex. 6, 7; also by putting dust on thle
head; and by shaving the head, and putting tle hand on the
head, when they were ashamed, or grieved at having acted insanely, or contrary to wisdom, Isaiah) vii. 20; xv. 2; Ezek. vii.
18; xxvii. 30; Jerem. ii. 37; xiv. 3, 4; Lament. ii. 10; 2 Sam.
xiii. 19. Further, by seven heads is also signified insanity fiom
the falsification and profanation of truths, in what follows, Apoc.
xiii. 1, 3; xvii. 3, 7, 9.
539. And ten horns, signifies much power. A horn signifies power, n. 270; and ten signifies mucE, n. 101. The reason
why it is said that the dragon has mnuch power, is, because the'
salvation of man by faith alone, without the works of the law,
which faith is meant by the dragon, captivates men's minds,
and the result of this is, that confirmations exert a persuasive
influence: it captivates, because man, on hearing that the damnation of the law is taken away, and the Lord's merit is imputed to him through faith therein alone, can indulge in the
pleasures of his mind and body, without any fear of hell; hence
comes the power which is signified by the ten horns of the dragon. That such has been his powelr, evidently appears fiom the
reception of that faith everywhere throughout the reformed
Christian world.
540. And seven diadems cpon his heads, signifies all the,1ruths of the Word falsified and profaned. By diadems, or precious stones, are signified the truths of the Word; specifically,
the truths of the literal sense of the Word, but here, those
truths falsified and profaned, from their being seen upon the
seven heads of the dragon, by which is signified insanity fiomn
truths falsified and profimled, n. 538. That by diadems, or precious stones, are signified the truths of the the literal sense of the
Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the -New Jerusalem concerniig the Sacred Scripture, n. 43-45; where it is shown
423




,541            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xii.
that divine truths in their ultimates, which are the truths of
the literal sense of the Word, are signified by the twelve preCious stones in the breast-plate of Aaron, which was the Urlim:and  Thumirim, Exod. xxviii. 6, 15-21, 30; and by the precious stones in the garden of Eden, in which the king of Tyre
is said to have been, Ezek. xxviii. 12, 13; also by tbe twelve
precious stones, of which the foundations of the wall of the
New Jerusalem  consisted, Apoc. xxi. 17-20. The truths of
the literal sense of the Word are signified by diadenis, or pre-'cious stones, because all things of the literal sense of the Word
are transparent in the sight of angels, by virtue of its spiritual
sense, thus from the light of heaven, in which th'e spiritual
truths of the Word are; for a stone, in the Word, signifies
truth in ultimates; hence, a precious stone signifies that truth
as being transparent. The reason why the truths of tile Word,
when falsified and profaned, are also called diadems, is, because
they have a lustre from themselves, whether they be possessed
by this person or that; in the same manner as diadelns on
earth, in whatever hands they may happen to be. It has sometimes been permitted me to see adulterous women, on their first
coming from the earth into the world of spirits, decked with
diademns; and Jews, likewise, selling diadems, which they had
procured to themselves from heaven; friom which circumstance
it was plain, that evils and falses, with such, do not change the
lustre and light of the truths of the Word. Therefore the like
is signified by the ten diadems upon the horns of the beast which
came up out of the sea, Apoc. xiii. 1; and by the precious
stones on the woman who sat on the scarlet-coloured beast,
Apoc. xvii. 3-5. That the truths of the Word are what are
signified by diadems, appears manifestly in the Apocalypse, in
that there were seen upon the hlead of him who sat upon the
white horse, and whose nalne was the Word of God, mnany diadems, xix. 12, 13..541. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,
and did cast them to the earth, signifies that by falsifications,:of the truths of the Word they have alienated all spiritual
knowledges of good and truth fiom the church, and, by applications to falses, have entirely destroyed them. By the tail, when
the subject treated of relates to those who have confirmed heretical doctrines from the Word, are signified the truths of the
Word falsified, n. 438; by stars are signified spiritual knowledges of good and truth, n. 51, 420; by the third part is signiified all, n. 400, 505; and by drawing them from heaven, and
casting them to the earth, is signified to alienate them from the
church, and to destroy them utterly; for when they are drawn
fromn heaven, they are also drawn fiom the church, because
every truth of the Word is insinuated from the Lord through
heal eh into the man of the church; nor are truths drawn away
424




v. 3, 4.]      THE APOCALYPSE IEVEALED.             54 1
by any thing else but by falsifications of them in the Word,
since there and thence are the truths of heaven and the church.
That all the truths of the Word have- been destroyed by those
who are meant by the dragon spoken of above, n. 537, cannot
be believed by any one in the world, and yet they have been so
destroyed, as that not a single doctrinal truth remains; this
matter was examined into, in the spiritual world, among the
learned of the clergy, and was found to be the fact. The reasons I know, but I shall here mention only one of them;-they
assert, that whatsoever proceeds from man's will and judgment
is not good; and that therefore the goods of charity, or good
works, being done by man, contribute nothing to salvation, but
faith only; when, nevertheless, that alone, by virtue of which
man is man, and by which he has conjunction with the Lord, is
his having it in his power to do good and believe truth, as from
himself, that is, as from his own will according to his own judgment; were this faculty to be taken away fiomn him, all power
of conjunction on the part of man with the Lord would also
be taken away at the same time, and of the Lord with man;
for it constitutes that power of reciprocation of love, which the
Lord bestows on every one who is born a man, and which he
also preserves in him to the end of his life, and afterwards tc
eternity. If this power were to be taken away from man, every
truth and good of the Word would also be taken away, insomuch that the Word would be nothing but a dead letter and
a blank book; for the Word teaches nothing else but the conjunction of man with the Lord by charity and faith, and both
fiom man as from himself. They who are meant by the dragon
spoken of above, n. 537, have broken this only bond of coninuction, by asserting that the goods of charity, or good works,
which proceed from man, and his will and judgment, are only
moral, civil, and political works, by which man has conjunction
with the world, and none at all with God and with heaven;
and when that bond is thus broken, there is then no doctrinal
truth of the Word remaining; and if the truths of the Word
are applied to confirm, that faith alone is saving without the
works of the law, then they are all falsified; and if the falsification proceeds so far as to affirm, that the Lord has not commanded good works in the Word for the sake of man's conjunction with himself, but only for the sake of his conjunction
with the world, then the truths of the Word are profaned; for
thus the Word becomes no longer a Holy Book, but a profane
one: but see the experience on this subject at the end of the
chapter. The like things are signified by these words in Daniel,
concerning the he-goat: The he-goat with his horn cast down
some of the host of heaven and of the stars to the ground, and
stamped upon them; and he cast down truth to the ground,
viii. 10, 11.
425




542, 543       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED,         rChap. xii.
542. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready
to be delivered, to devour her -child as soon as it was born, signifies that they who are meant by the dragon will endeavour to
extinguish the doctrine of the New Church at its birth. Who
they are that are meant by the dragon may be seen above, n.'537; that by the woman is signified the New Church, n. 533;
that by bringing forth is signified to receive the goods and
truths of doctrine from the Word, n. 535; that by the child of
which she was delivered is;ignified the doctrine of the New
Church, will be seen in the next article.  To devour signifies
to extinguish, because by a child is signified doctrine; and when
to devour is said in relation to the child, to extinguish is said in
relation to doctrine. The reason why this was the case at the
birth of the doctrine, is, because it is said, that the dragon
stood before the womlan, for to devour her child as soon as it
was born.
543. And she brought forth a male child, signifies the doctrine of the New Church. By a son, in the Word, is signified
the truth of doctrine, and also the understanding, and thence
the thought, of truth and good; but by a daughter is signified
the good of doctrine, as also the will, and thence the affection,
of truth and good; and by a male child is signified truth conceivecl in the spiritual man, and born in the natural man. The
reason is, because by generations and births, in the Word, are
signified spiritual generations and births, all which in general
relate to good and truth, n. 535; for nothing else is begotten
and born of the Lord as a husband, and of the church as a wife.
Now since by the woman who broughlt forth is signified the
New Church, n. 533, it is plain that by the male child is signified the doctrine of that church. The doctrine here nmeant is
The Doctrine qf th/e N-ew Jerusalem, published in London, 1758:
as also The Doctrines concerning the Lord, concerning The
Sacred Scripture, and concerning A Zilfe according to the Coanmand'mnents of the Decalogue, published in Amsterdam; for by
doctrine are understood all the truths of doctrine, doctrine being
the complex of them. When these doctrines were written, the
dragonists stood around me, and endeavoured, with all their
fury, to devour or to extinguish them; this strange circumstance it was permitted me to relate, because, of a truth, it so
happened. The dragonists who stood around me were fiom all
parts of the reformed Christian world. Seeing that a spiritual
marriage gives birth to no other offspring, a male offsplrin denoting truth and good in the understanding and thence in the
thought; and a female offspring denoting truth and good in the
will, and thence in the affections; therefore, by a son, in the
Word, is signified truth; by way of confirmation, some passages
shall be adduced, from which this may in some measure be
seen: "Lo, sons are an heritage of Jehovah, and the fruit of
426




v. 4, 5.J       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              544
the womb is his reward; as arrows in the hand of a mighty
man, so are the children qf youth," Psalm cxxvii. 3-5. "Make
thee bald, and poll thee for the sons of thy delight, for they are
gone from, thee," Micah i. 16. "I saw two olive-trees upon
the right side of the candlestick, and hle said, These are the twe
sons of the olive-tree that stand by the Lord of the whole earth,"
Zech. iv. 11, 14. " My tabernacle is spoiled, ny sons are gone
forth from me, and they are not," Jerem. x. 20. " Ly/ ysons are
become desolate, because the enemny hath prevailed," Lament.
i. 16. "T'hy sons, 0 Jerusalem, have fainted, they lie at the
head of all the streets," Isaiah li. 17, 18, 20.  "Tlhe fathers
shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat
their fatthers, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter to all
the winds," Ezek. v. 10. "The son shall be divided against the
father, and the father against the son," Matt. x. 21; Mark xiii.
12; Luke xii. 53. " Thou hast taken the fail jewels of imy gold,
and hast mnade to thyself images of a mnale, and didst commit
whoredom with them," Ezek. xvi. 17. Jesus said, "The seed
are the sons of the kingdom,, and the tares are the sons qf the
evil one," Maltt. xiii. 38.  That the Son of Man is the divine
truth of the Word, thus the Lord, may be seen in The Doctrine
of thee New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 19-28. In the
passages quoted above, by sons, are meant they wvho are in
truths of doctrine fiomn the Word, and, abstractedly, the truths
themselves; in like manner in other places; as in Isaiah xiii.
17, 18; xiv. 21-23; xliii. 6; xlix. 17, 22; li. 17, 18; Ix. 9;
Jeremn. iii. 24, 25; v. 17; Ezek. xiv. 16-18, 20; xvi. 20, 26,
45; xx. 26, 31; xxiii. 37; Hosea xi. 9-11; Zech. ix. 13;
Psalln cxliv. 11, 12; Dent. xxxii. 8. That by a daughter is
signified the affection of the truth of the church, thus the church
as to that affection, appears from so many passages in the Word,
that to adduce them would fill several pages; nothingl else is
meant by the claqghter of Zion, the daughter of Jerusalem, the
dacuchter of Judah, th/e daughter of Israel. Some passages respecting the daughter of Zion may be seen adduced, 11. 612.
Who cannot see that not any daughter of Zion, Jerusalem, Judall, and Israel, so often mentioned in the Word, can possibly
be meant?
544. Who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, signifies which, by truths from the literal sense of the Word, and,
at the same time, by rational arguments drawn friom the light
of'nature, will convince all who are in dead worship through
being principled in faith separated from charity, that are willing to be convinced.  This refers to the doctrine of the New
Church, becanse it is spoken of the male child, by whom that
doctrine is signified, n. 543; to rule signifies to teach and instruct, n. 383; here, to convince those who are willing to be
convinced; by nations are signified they who are in evils of life,
427




545, 546        THE APOCALYPSE' REVEALED.       [Chap. xii.
n. 483; here, they who are in dead worship through being principled in faith separated firom charity, because these are here
treated of; and these are in evils of life, for when charity is
separated, there is not any good of life, and where good is not,
there evil is. That to rule with a rod of iron signifies by the
truths of the literal sense of the Word. and, at the same time,
by rational arguments drawn from natural light, may be seen
above, n. 148.
545. And her child zwas caught op ~unto God and to his throne,
signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, because it is
for the use of the New Church, and its being guarded by the angels of leaven. By these words is signified the protection of the
doctrine by the Lord, because. it is said that the dragon stood
before the woman who was ready to be delivered, to devour her
child as soon as it was born; and by a child, and a male child,
is signified the doctrine for the New Church, n. 542, 543. Being guarded by the angels is also signified, because it is said,
that it was caught up unto God and to his throne; and by a
throne is signified the angelic heaven, n. 14, 221, 222.
546. An'd the woman fled into thle wilderness, signifies the
church, which is the New Jerusalem, at first confined to a few.
By the woman is signified the New Church, n. 533; and by a
wilderness is signified where there are no longer any truths.
That its being confined at first to a few is signified, because it
follows, where she had a place prepared of God, that they should
feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days, by which
is signified its state at that time, that in the mean while an
increase of its numbers may be provided for, until it comes to
its appointed maturity, n. 547. By a wilderness, in the Word,
is signified, I. The church devastated, or in which all the truths
of the Word are falsified, such as it was among the Jews at the
time of the Lord's advent.  II. The church in which there' are
no truths, from not possessing the Word, such as it was among
the well-disposed Gentiles in the Lord's time. III. A state of
temptation, in which man is, as it were, without truths. because
surrounded by evil spirits who induce temptations, and then, as
it were, deprive him of truths.  That by a wilderness is signified the church devastated, or the church in which all the
truths of the Word are falsified, such as it was among the Jews
in the Lord's time, appears from these passages: "Is this the
man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms,
that made the world a wilderness?" Isaiah xiv. 16, 17; concerning Babel.  "Thorns and briers are come up on the land
of my people: the palace shall be a wilderness," Isaiah xxxii.
13, 14.  " I beheld, and lo, the firuitful place was a wilderness,
the whole land shall be desolate," Jererm. iv. 26, 27; earth is
the church, n. 285. "The pastors have destroyed my vineyard,
they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness: the
428




v. 5, 6.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.-               547;
spoilers are come in the wilderness," Jerem. xii. 10, 12.  "A
vine is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground,"
Ezek. xix. 13. "The fire hath consumed the habitations of
the wilderness," Joel i. 19, 20.  " The day of Jehovah cometh,
the land is as the garden of Eden before them, but behind thenm
a desolate wilderness," Joel ii. 3.  " See ye the word of Jo,
hovah; have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of darkness?" Jerem. ii. 31. "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah; make straight in the
desert a highway for our God," Isaiah xl. 3; besides other
places; as in Jerem. ii. 31; xxiii. 10; Lament. v. 18; IHosea
ii. 2, 3; xiii. 15; Joel iv. 9; Malachi i. 3; Psalm cvii. 33, 34;
Matt. xxiv. 26; Luke xiii. 35. That such also is the state of
the church at this day, may be seen below, n. 566. II. That
by a wilderness is meant the church in which there are no
truths, from not possessing the Word, as among the well-disposed Gentiles in the Lord's time, appears from these places:
"The spirit shall be poured upon us from on high, and the
wilderness shall be a fiuitful field, then judgment shall dwell in
the wilderness," Isaiah xxxii. 15, 16.  "I will open fountains
in the midst of the valleys, and make the wilderness a pool of
waters; I will plant in the wilderness the cedar shittim and the
olive-tree," Isaiah xli. 18, 19.  "He shall turn the wilderness
into a standing water, and the dry ground into water springs,'
Psalm cvii. 35, 36.  "I will make a way in the wilderness, and
rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,"
Isaiah xliii. 19, 20.  "' Jehovah will make her wilderness like
Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein," Isaiah li. 3. "The habitations of
the wilderness distil," Psalm lxv. 12, 13. "Let the wilderness
lift up its voice, let the inhabitants of the rock sing," Isaiah
xlii. 10, 1t. III. That by a wilderness is signified a state of
temptation, in which man is as it were without truths, because
surrounded by evil spirits, who induce temptation, and then as
it were deprive him  of truths, appears from  Matt. iv. 1-3;
Mark i. 12, 13; Luke iv. 1-3; Isaiah xl. 3; Jerem. ii. 2, 6, 7;
iHosea ii. 13  16; Psalm cvii. 4-7; Deut. i. 31, 33; viii. 24, 15, 16; xxxii. 10.
547. Where she hath a place prepared of God, that they
should feed her there a thousand two hund.red and sixty days,
signifies the state of the church at that time, while provision is
making for its increase among many until it arrives at maturity.
By place is signified state, n. 947; and by feeding, provision
for its increase, for thus is the church fed; hence by having a
place prepared of God that they should feed her, is signified the
state of the church preparatory to its increase; by a thousand
two hundred and sixty days is signified to the end and beginning, n. 491, that is, to the end of the former church and the
429




548             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xii.
beginning of the new, the same as by a time, and times, and half
a time, verse 14, n. 562; thus, also, to its appointed station,
that is, until it exists as has been provided it should exist. It is
of the Lord's divine providence, that the church should at first
be confined to a few, and that its numbers should successively
increase, because the falses of the former church must first be
removed; for before this, truths cannot be received, since
truths, which are received and implanted before falses are removed, do not remain, and they are also rejected by the dragonists; tile like happened with the Christian church, which increased successively firom a few to many. Another reason is,
that -a new heaven is first to be formed, which will act as one
with the church on earth; therefore we read, that he saw a new
heaven, and the Holy Jerusalem  coming down out of heavens
from God, Apoc. xxi. 1, 2. It is certain that a new church,,
which is the New Jerusalem, will exist, because it is foretold in
the Apocalypse, chap. xxi. xxii.; and it is also certain that the
falses of the former church are first to be removed, because
they are what the Apocalypse treats of, as far as chapter xx.
548. And there was war in heaven: Mfichael and his
angels fought against the d'ragon; and the dragon fought and
his angels, signifies the falses of the former church fighting
against the truths of the New Church. By war is signified
spiritual war, which is of falsity against truth, and truth against
falsity, n. 500, for no other war can take place in heaven, where
this is said to have been waged; leither can it take place in
heaven, when once formed of angels; but it was waged in the
former heaven, which passed away, as appears, Apoc. xxi. 1,
concerning which heaven, see the explanation there given; for
that heaven passed away in consequence of the last judgment
being executed on the dragon and his angels, which is also signified by the dragon's being cast down, and his place no more
found in heaven, as appears firom what follows. What the falses
are, which are meant by the dragon, and which are to fight
against the truths of the New Church, may be seen above, n.
537. By Michael is not meant any archangel; neither by
Gabriel, nor Raphael, but ministries in heaven; the ministry
signified by Michael is performed by those who prove from the
WVord, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that
God the Father and He are one, as the soul and body are one;
also that men ought to live according to the comma-ldments of
the decalogue, and that then they are gifted with chality and
faith. AMichael is also mentioned in Daniel, x. 13, 21; xii. 1;
and thereby a similar ministry is understood, as appears firom
chap. ix. x. xi., and from the last verses of chap. xii. But by
Gabriel is understood tlhe ministry of those who teach fromn the
Word, that Jehovah camine intothe world, and that the Humalnnity he there assumed is the Son of God, and divine; for which
430




v. 6 —9..]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         549, 550
reason, the angel who announced the same to Mary is called
Gabriel, Luke i. 19, 26 35. They, also, who are engaged in
those ministries, are named Michaels and Gabriels in heaven.
By an angel, in the supreme sense, is meant the Lord; ancd, in a
relative sense, the heaven of angels, as also an angelic society,
as mnay be seen above, n. 5, 66, 258, 342, 344, 415, 465; but
here, a ministry is signified, because they are mentioned by
name; and, in Daniel, Michael is called a prince; and by a
prince, in the Word, is signified a principal or leading truth,
and by a king, truth itself, n. 20.
549. Anzd prevailed not, neither was their place found an'
more in heaven,, signifies that they were convicted of being in
falses and evils, but still remained in theln, and that therefore
t!ey were torn from conjunction with heaven and cast down.
That this may be understood, something must first be said concerning  the state of those who come into the other life after
death. All in the other life are first instructed by angels, and
concducted from one society to another, and explored whether
they have any desire to receive heavenly truths, and live accordinll to them; but still, all such as lave confirmed themselves in falses in the world do not receive them; tllrefore they
are sent to societies where they are who are in similar falses,
which societies have no conjunction with heaven, but with hell;
consequently, after a given time, in the world of spirits, they
sink down into lhell, and are sent away to their respective places,
every one according to his evil and consequent thlsity; this is
what is to be understood by their being convicted of being in
falses and evils, and still remaining in themn, and that therefore
they are torn fi'ro. conljllnction with heaven, and cast down.
What their lot and condition is there, may be seen above, n.
153, 531.
550. And the great dragon was cast out, that old seopent,
called the Devil, and Satan, signifies that they who are meant
by the dragon tiurned fiom the Lord to themselves, and firom
heaven to t'he world, and thence became corporeally sensual,
who could not but be in the evils of their concupiscences and
thence in falses, and by sepalation fiom the Lord and heaven,
became devils and satans. Wlo are meant by the dragon, may
be seen, n. 537; these, inasmuch as they make God three, and
the Lord two, and because they place the commandments of the
decalogue among works which do not contribute to salvation,
are called the old serpent, the devil, and Satan; and by a serpent is signified man, when he is corporeally sensual, n. 424,
who turns fiom the Lord to himself, and from heaven to the
world; and by the devil are signified they who are in the evils
of concupiscences; and by Satan, they who are thence in falses,
n. 97, 153 at the end, 856, 857. Suchll also, was the serpent
whicth sedluced Eve and Adam, as appears fiom his description,
431




551, 552        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xii.
and the curse pronounced upon him, Gen. iii. 1-5, 14, 15.
The dragon is here called the devil and Satan, but he is so
called, because all in hell are devils and satans; and it is on
this account that hell, in the aggregate, is so denominated.
551. /Which deceiveth the whole world, signifies that they
pervert all things of the church. By deceiving is signified to
pervert, and by the world is signified the church; the same as
by earth, n. 285. By the world is not signified the world of
earths, but the church therein, in the following places: "Tho
earth mourneth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the
world do languish," Isaiah xxiv. 4. "The earth shall learn
thy judgments, and the inhabitants of the world thy righteousness," Isaiah xxvi. 9. "Thou bh.ast made the earth by thy
power, thou hast prepared the world by thy wisdom," Jerein.
x. 12; li. 15. "The foundations of the world* were discovered
at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils," Psalm  xviii. 16.
"The earth is Jehovah's and the fulness thereof, the world and
they that dwell therein; he hath founded it upon the seas, and
established it upon the floods," Psalm xxiv. 1, 2. "The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine, thou hast founded the
{world and the fulness thereof," Psalm lxxxix. 11. "He will
imake us inherit the throne of glory, for the pillars of the earth
are Jehovah's, and he hath set the world upon them," 1 Sam. ii.
8. "Thou, O Babel, hast made the world a wilderness, thou hast
destroyed thy land, and slain thy people," Isaiah xiv. 17, 20;
besides other passages; as in Isaiah xviii. 3; xxvi. 18; xxvii. 6;
xxxiv. 1; Nahum i. 5; Psalm ix. 8; Psalm lxxvii. 18; Psalm xcviii.
9; Lament. iv. 12; Job xviii. 18; Matt. xxiv. 14; Luke xxi. 26;
Apoc. xvi. 14; but it is to be observed, that when the world and
the earth are mentioned at the same time, the world signifies the
church as to good, and the earth signifies the church as to truth.
552. Hle was cast out into the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him, signifies that he was cast down into the
world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell,
fiom whence there is immediate conjunction with men upon
earth. The reason why bjy the earth, upon which the dragon is
said to have been cast out, is meant the world of spirits, is, because that world is immediately beneath the heavens, and when
any one is cast down from heaven, he does not fall immediately
into hell, but upon the earth of the world immediately beneath
it, for that world is in the midst between heaven and hell, or
below the heavens and above the hells. Many things concerning that world may be seen in the work On Heaven and Hell, n.
421-535.  All who are in that world communicate ilnmediately with men upon earth, consequently, the dragon and his
angels communicate with those who are in falses, and thence in
evils, through the received heresy of faith alone; on which
* Orbis-a circle, the mixed globe of earth and water.
432




v. 9, 10  THE' APOCALYPSE REYEALFD.                  553
account, it is said below, "Therefore -rejoice, ye heavens, and
ye that dwell in them; woe to the inhabiters of the: earth and
of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great
wrath, because he knoweth that lihe  ath: but a short: time,"
verse 12 of this chapter. Also that " lie pursued the woman
into the wilderness, and went to make war with the remnant of
her seed," verse 13-17. It is to be noted, that every man, as
to his. affections and consequent thoughts, is in society with
those who are in the world of spirits, and mediately through
them, with those who are either in heaven or in hell. The life
of every man depends on that conjunction.
553. And I /eard a loud voice saying in heaven, Low is come
salvations, andypower, and the kingdom of our God and thepower
of his Christ, signifies the joy of the angels of heaven, because
the Lord alone now reigns in heaven and in the church, and
because they are saved who believe in him. By a loud voice in
heaven is signified the joy of the angels of heavenr; for which
reason it follows, "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that
dwell in them,' verse 12,; the voice also becomes great by
reason of its being lifted up from joy of heart. Now is come
salvation and power, signifies that now, there is salvation from
the Lord's divine power; and the kingdom of our God and the
power of his Christ, signifies because the Lord alone reigns in
heaven and in the church. That by God is -understood the
essential Divinity, fiom whom are all things, which is called
Jehovah the Father; and by Christ, his Divine Humanity,
which is called the Son of God, may be seen above, n 500; and
because the essential Divinity and the Lord's Divine Humanity
are one, like soul. and body, it follows that the Lord alone
reigns, This is meant bythe gospel qf the kingdom, andby the
kingdom of God, Matt. iii. 2; iv. 17, 23; vii. 21, 22; ix. 35; xi.
11; xii. 28; Mark i. 14, 15; ix. -; xv. 43; Luke iv. 4; viii. 1;
ix. 60; x. 8-11; xi. 17, 18, 20; xvi.. 16; xxi. 30, 31:; xxii. 18;
xxiii. 50, 51. That the Lord has all power in heaven and
earth, appears manifestly in:Matthew xxviii. 18; John iii. 35;
xvii. 2, 10. That they are saved who are in the Lord and the
Lord; in them, and that it is the Divine Humanity in which they
are, John xiv. xv. xvii.; and that none are saved, but they that
believe in: him, appears from these passages: -"As many as received him, to. them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to. them that believe in his name," John i. 12. "That
whoseever believethin the Son, should not perish, but have eternal life," John iii. 15.: " God so loved the- world. that Ihe.gave
his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him may have
everlasting life,' John uii. 16. " IIe that:believeth:n the Son
is not condemned, but he. that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the onlybegotten Son of God," Johni iii. 18. "He that believeth in the
433                                      a 




554, 555        THE AI9OCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xil.
Son, hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the Son,
slhall not see life, but the wrath of God abidethl on him," John
iii.'-36. "lHe that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he'
that believeth in me shall never thirst. —Yerily I say unto you,
he that believeth in me hath everlasting life," John vi. 33, 35,
47. " Unless ye believe that I am, ye slall die in. your sins,"
John viii. 24. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life,
lie that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall lhe live;
whosoever liveth and believeth inz me, shall never die," John xi.
25, 26: besides other places; as in John vi. 38-40; vii. 37,
38; viii. 12; xii. 36, 46. To believe in the Lord is to approach
limn immediately, and to have confidence that it is lie who
saves; and since no one can have this confidence who does not
leda:a good life, therefore this also is understood by believing
in hiin, see above, ni. 67.
554. For the acczser of our brethren is cast cdowz,,which
accmused th/em before our God day and nig/ht, signifies that by the
last judgmnent they are removed who opposed the doctrine of the
New Jerusalem. By the dragon being cast down is signi-ed
that they are removed who are meant by the dragon; that they
were removed by beiIng cast down from heaven into the world
of spirits, and then into hell, which is their last jndgment, was
observed before. By brethren are meant they who are in the
doctrine of the New Jerusalemn, and in a life according to it; by
accusing is signiiied to oppose the doctrine, to mailltain that it
is false, and to exclaim against it; and because they do this
continually. as it were before God, the dragon is called the
accuser of our brethren, accusing them before God day and
night. This also the devil does when lie tempts, for he brings
forthevarious things out of man, which he calls falses, and condemns.
555. And they overcame himn by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the Word of their testimonoy, signifies victory by the divine
truth of thle Word, and thence by the acknowledgment that the
Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that the precepts of
the decalognie are precepts of life accordilng to which nlen ought
to live. T'hat the blood of the Lamb is the divine truth proceecling from the Lord, which is the divine truth of the Word,
may be seen above, n. 379; that the testimony is the divine
truth, above, n. 6, 16, and that it specifically consists in these
two things, viz., that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth,
and that the commandments of the decalogne are precepts of
life, n. 490, 506; for which reason, the decalogue is also called
the testimony, Exod xxv. 22; xxxi. 7, 18; xxxii. 15; Levit.
xvi. 13; Numb. xvii. 19; Psalm lxxviii. 5; Psalm cxxxii. 12.
Those at the present day, that are principled in faith alone,
believe that, by the blood of the Lamb, is here meant the Lcrd's
passion on the cross, and this because they make the Lord's pas434




v. 10,, 11.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               556
sion on the cross the chief point of their solifidian dogma, saying, that therebv he transferred to himself the condemnation
of thle law, made satisfaction to the Father, and reconciled the
human race to himn; besides many other things. That this,
however, is not the case, but that tile Lord came into the world
to subdue the hells and glorify his Humanity, and that the passion of the cross was the last combat, whereby he fully overcame
the hells and fully glorified his Humanity, may be seen in Thl
Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the lord, n. 12-14.
Hence it may be seen, that by the blood of the Lamb is not
here meant the passion of the cross according to the modern
dogma. That by the blood of the Lamb is meant the divine
truth proceeding finom the Lord, which is the divine truth of the
Word, may appear fiom this consideration, that the Lord is the
Word; and because he is tile Word, the divine truth therein is
his blood, and the divine good therein, his body. This may be
rendered evident at once, in the. followingo manner: —Is not
every man his own good and his own truth?  And, since good
has relation to the will, and truth to the understanding, every
man is his own will and his own understanding.  What else
constitutes a man? Is not man, as to his essence, these two-?
But the Lord is good itself and truth itself, that is, divine good
and divine truth, which two are also the Word.
556. And th/ey loved not their lives unto the death, signifies
who loved not themselves more than the Lord. By loving their
lives is signified to love self and the world, for by the lives is
signified man's own life, which every one has by birth, which
consists in loving himself and the world above all things; therefore by not loving their lives is signified not to love self and the
world, more than the Lord and the things which are of the
Lord; unto death, signifies to be willing to die rather; consequently it is to love the Lord above all things, and our neighbour as one's self, Matt. xxii. 35-38; and to be willing to die
rathler than recede from those two loves. The same is signified
by these words of the Lordc:  "ITe that findeth his life, shall
lose it, and he that losethl is life for the sake of Jesus, shall
find it," Matt. x. 39; Luke xvii. 33. " He that loveth his life
shall lose it; but he that hateth his life in this world, shall
keep it unto life etelnal," John xii. 25. Jesus said, " If any
man will come after me, let him deny himself; for whosoever
will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever will lose hbis life,
for my sake, shall find it: What is a man profited, if he shlall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?" Matt. xvi. 24, 25;'Mark
viii. 35 —37; Luke ix. 24, 25. By loving the Lord is meant
to love to do his commandments, John xiv. 20-24. The reason is, because he himself is his own commandments, for they
are fromn him, consequently he is in them, thus in the man in
435




557, 558        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. Xli.
whose lifethey are inscribed-; and they are inscribed in man by
willing and doing them.
557. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, cnd ye that' dwell in them,
signifies a new state;of heaven, in that" they are in the Lord,
and the Lord in them.- By heavens is meant the heaven of
Christians, in which the Lord alone is acknowledged as the
God of heaven and- earth; by rejoice is signified its new state,
full of joy; by they that dwell in them are signified they who
are in good, n. 380; and b'ecause all good is foino the Lord, it
signifies that they are in the Lord, and the Lord in thenm.
558.:Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for
the devil is come downr unto you, having' yreat wrath, signifies
lamentations over those who are principled in the internals anrid
externals of the doctrine of faith alone, and thence in evils of
life, because their like are cast -down fiom  heaven into the
world of spirits, and are thence in coliunction with men on
earth, whom, out of hatred to the lewI Chullch, they excite to
persevere in their falses and consequent evils. By woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea is signified lamentation
over those in the cliurch who are influenced by tlle doctrine of
faith alone; by woe is signified lamentation, n. 496; by inhabitants are signified they who are in the ciurch whose doctrine
is faith alone; by earth are meant they who are in its internals,
and by sea they who are in its externals, n. 470; by great
wrath is signified hatred against the New Church, because -it
denotes hatred against the woman, n. 525; to come down unto
them signifies coming to those who are in the world of spirits,
and as these are in conjunction with men upon ealth, it also
signifies to their like upon earth. That the dragon was cast out
of heaven into the world of spirits, and that they who are in
that world are in connexion with myuen upon earth, see above, n.
552. The- dragon is here called the devil, because they are
meant who from that heresy are in evils of life; and they are in
evils of life from that heresy who live according to this tenet of
their faith, that they have no sins who pray in confidence to
God the Father,- and that if they have they are remitted; all
such, inasmuch as they do not examine themselves, know not
any one sin that is in them, and at length do not even know
-what sinr:is, as may be seen above, n. 531. That by the dragon,
as the devil, are meant they who are in the evils of their concupiscences, seed n. 550. The reason why every man is in conjunction with those who are in the world.of spirits, is, because
nman, as to the affections of his m'id- and the thoughts thence
proceeding, is a spirit, therefore, as to such affections and
thoughts, he is continually in conjunction with spirits who are
in a similar affection,- andc thence in similar thoughts; there is
such- a conjunction,-that if this bond was broken for a single
moment,:man would fall down dead:. The church has hitherto
436




v. 12 —14.1     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED...    559-562
known nothing of this; nor that man, after death, is his own
affection and consequent thought, therefore his own charity and
consequent faith, and that no one can be faith separated from
charity.
559. Because he knoweth that hle hath but a short time, signifies, because he knows that a new heaven is formed, and that
thus there is about to be a New Church upon earth, and that
then he, with his like, will be cast into hell. This is signified,
because the dragon knows that a new heaven is formed, for he
was expelled fiorn it, verse 8, 9; he knows also that there is
about to be a New Church upon earth, firom what is foretold in
the Apocalypse, chap. xxi.; and he knows, likewise, that he
and his like are then to be cast into hell, from what is also fore
told, Apoc. xx. 1, 2, 10.
560. And when the dragon saw that. he was. cast unto the
earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child,
signifies that the dragonists in the world of spirits, immediately
upon their being thrust down, began to infest the New Church
on account of its doctrine. When the dragon saw that he was
cast upon the earth, signifies that when the dragonists saw
that they were separated from heaven, and in conjunction with
men upon earth, n. 552, 558; he persecuted the woman, signifies that they immediately began to infest the Lord's church;
that the woman whom he persecuted is that. church, may be
seen, n. 533.; who brought forth a son, signifies on, account of
its doctrine; that the son, which the woman brought forth, is
the doctrine of the New Church, see n. 535, 542, 543, 545.
561. And to the womrran were given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into.her place, signifies the divine circumspection over that church, and.its.protection, while as yet confined to a few. By the woman is signified the New.Church, n. 533; by wings are signified power
and protection, n. 245; by an eagle is signified intellectual sight,
and consequent thought, n.. 245; by  ying is signified seeing
and circumspection, n. 245; by a wilderness is signified the
church desolated, and thus among a few, n. 546; by. her place
is signified its state there; from which it follows, that by there
being given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she
might fly into the wilderness, into her place, is signified the
divine circumspection over the New Church, and its-protection,
while as vet confined to a few.
562. Where she s.nourished for a time,. and times, and bhal
a time,%from the face of the serpent, signifies that by reason of
the craftin'ess of seducers, provision is made with. circumspection that its numbers may increase until it come  to maturity.
By being nourished, when said of the New Church, is signified
to provide for its increase, as above, n. 547;by a time, and
times, and half a time, is signified to the end and.beginning,
437




563           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.            [Chap. xii.
thus during its increase firom a few to many, until it reaches its
appointed station, as above, n. 547; by the face of tle serpent
is signified the subtle arts of seducers; by the face, subtle artfulness; and by the serpent, seducers. That by the serpent are
signified seducers, is plain froml tile following passage in this
chapter: "Tlhe great dragon was cast out, that old serpent,
which seduceth the whole globe of earth," verse 9. And again:
"He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, and cast him
into the bottomless pit, that he should seduce the nations no
more," Apoc. xx. 2, 3. The like is here mneant as by the serpent who seduced Eve and Adam, of wholn it is written: " And
the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the fieldl;-and
the woman said to Jehovah, The serpent seduced me," G en. iii.
1, 13. By face, in the Word, is signlified that whllich is interior
in man, because his face is the type of his mind formed to the
correspondence; therefore, by the face of the serpent is signified angelr, hatred, and subtlety.  By a tilme, andlcl times, and
half a timne, is signified the same here, as by a thousand two
hundred and sixty days, verse 6, where it is said: " And the
woman fled into the wilderness, where she hlatll a place prepared of God, that tlley should feed her a thousaCnd two hAZndred and sixty dcays," which may be seen explained above, n.
647. The same is also signified by tlhree days and a lhalf, Apoc.
xi. 9, 1.0; also by the three years and six months of famine,
Luke iv. 25; and in Daniel, by a stated timne of stated times aond
a haaf, and when he'shall have accomplished to scatter the
power of the holy people, Dan. xii. 7.
563. And the serpent cast out of his mzouth water as a flood
after the woman, that he nigyht cause her to be carried away
o, the flood, signifies ratiocinations from ftalses in abundance,
with a view to destroy the chulch.  By the selpent is lelre signified, as above, the dragon which seduces; by the woman, the
New  Church, n. 533; by water are signified truths, and, in
an opposite sense, falses, n. 50, 409; by a flood are signified
truths in abundance, and in an opposite sense, falses ill abun-'dance, n. 409; out of the mouth of the serpent, signifies ratiocinations; therefore by casting out water as a flood, are signified
ratiocinations fiom falses in abundance. The ratiocinations of
those, who are meant by the dragon, are all grounded in fallacies
and appearances, which, if confirmed, appear outwardly like
truths, but within they conceal falses in abundance. This I can
d-eclare, that those in the church, who hereafter confirm themselves in faith alone, cannot recede fiom it, except, by serious
repentance, because they conjoin themselves with the dragonists,
who now are in the world-.of spirits, givinlg rise to munch tumult,
where, out of hatred to the New Churchl, they infest all whoen
they meet; and as thley are in conjunction with men on earth,
as observed above, they will not suffer those who have ontc
438




v. 14 —6.]       THE APOCALYPSE BEVEALED.                564
been caught by their reasonings to disengage themselves, for
they keep them bound in chains, as it were, and then blind
theil eyes so that they can no longer see any one truth in its
light.
564. And thi/e earth hel-ped the womanz; nzd the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed u~p the food which the dragon, cast out
of his mou6th, signifies that those ratiocinations, in all their
abundance, fall to nothing before the spiritual trulths rationally
understood, which the Michaels, of whom the New  Chlurch
consists, can bring forward. By the earth, whichl helped the
woman, is signified the church as to doctrine, n. 285; ald because the ratiocinations fiom falses, which the dragopnists produce, are treated of, they are truths fiom the Word, by which
the earth, that is, tile church, lhelps the woman; by opening
her mouth is signified to addnce those truths; by the flood
which thle dragon cast out of his mouth, are signified ratiocina*tions firom faikses in abundance, n. 563; by carrying away is
signified to make them come to nothing; by the MI[ichaels are
neant tile men of the New Church; by Michael, such as are
wise therein; and by his angels, tile rest of themn.  Since in
the New Chulrch this tenet is rejected, that the understanding.
is to be kept in subljection to faith, and in the place of it, it is
a received maxim, that tile truth of the church should be seen,
in order that it mnay be believed, n. 22-1; and since truth cannot be seen otherwise than rationally, theleforelr it is said, firom
truths rationally understood.  I-ow can any man be led by the
Lord, and conjoined with heaven, who sthits up his understanding against such things as relate'to salvation and eternal life?
Is it not the understanding   which requires to be illuminated
and instructed? And what is tlfe understanding closed by religion, but thick darkness, and such darkness too as rejects
firom itself the light that would illuiminate? Again, who can
acknowledge trnthl and retain it, unless hle sees it?  What is.
truth not seen but a voice not understood, which, by sensual
corporeal ncr, is usually retained in the memory, but not so
by the wise?  The wise, indeed, cast off empty or unmeaning
words fiom the memory, that is, such as have not entered into
their minds by being'understood; as that one God consists of
three persons, also that the Lord, born fiom eternity, is not one
and the same with the Lord born in time, that is, that one Lord
is God and not the other; and again, that a life of charity,
which consists in good works, and likewise in repenting of evil
works, contributes nothing to salvation; a wise man does notunderstand such things; therefore fioln his rationality h.e says,
Is religion then of no consequence. Does not religion consist
in shunning evil and doing good? Should not the doctrine of
the churlch teach this, as well as a man ought to believe, that
lie miay do the good things of religion fiom G(od?
439




5{65            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xii.
565; And the dragon was wroth with the Iwoman, and went
to make war with tthe em:'nmant of her seed, who keep the comnmandimentts of God, and have thke testimony of Jesus CUrist, signifies the burning hatred of those who think themselves wise
fromi their confirmations of the mystical union of the Divinity
and -Humanity in the Lord, and of julstification. by faith alone,
against those who acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God
of heaven cand earth, and that the decalogue is the law of life;
and their attempts on novitiates with. intent to seduce them.
All this is contained in those few Words, because.it follows in a
series frnom what went before, where it is said, that the earth
helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and carried away
the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth, by which is
signified that their reasonings from falses came to nothing, n.
564; consequently that their endeavours to destroy the New
Church- were vain; therefore by the dragon being -wrothl with
the woman, is signified that he burned with hatred and breathed
revenge against the church; by the dragon's wrath is signified
hatred, n. 558;;by making war is signified to assault and impugn by ratiocinations grounded in falses, n. 500; by the remnant;of her seed which keep the commandments of God and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ, are meant novitiates, who
receive the doctrine concerning the Lord and the decalogue;
what the -testimony of Jesus Christ is, may be seen above, n.
6, 490. The reason why by the dragon are here meant those
who think themselves wise from confirmations of the mystical
union of the Lord's Divinity and IHumanity, is, because these
are proud of their own wisdom, and skilled in reasoning; and
from pride proceeds hatred, and fiom hatred proceed revenge
and wrath against those who a'e not of the same opinion. By
the mystical union, which is also called the hypostatic union,
are meant their fictions concerning the influx and operation of
the Divinity upon the Lord's Humanity as upon another; not
knowing that God and Marn, or Divinity and Humanity in the
Lord, a're' not two but one person, united like soul and body,
according to the doctrine received thro-ughout the whole Christian world, which has its name firom Athanasius; but to adduce
their notions respecting this mystical union would be an idle
thing, because they are absurd. That by the seed of the woman
are here meant those who are of the New Church, and are
principled in the truths of its doctrine, may appear from the
signification of seed, in the following passages: "LlTheir seed
shall:be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among
the people, all that see shall acknowledge them, that they are
the seed which Jehovah hath blessed," Isaiah lxi. 9. "They
are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah," Isaiah lxv. 23. "As
the new heavens and the new earth which I will make, shall
remain before me; so shall your seed remain," Isaiah lxvi. 22.
440




F. 17, 18.]      THE APOCALYPSE. REVEALED.        565J, 56G
" The seed which shall serve him, it shall be accounted to tthe
Lord for a generation," Psalm xxii. 31.  " I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and the
woman's seed," Gen. iii. 15.  "That he might seek a godly
seed," Malachi ii. 15.  "Behold the days come, when I will
sow the house of Israel and the house- of Judah with the seed of
man," Jerem. xxxi. 27.  "When thou shalt. make his soul an
offering for sin, lie shall see seed," Isaiah liii. 10.  "Fear not,
for I amn with thee, I will bring thy seed from the east," Isaiah
xliii. 5, 6.~ "Thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on
the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles," Isaiah liv. 3.
"I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of trmth, how then
art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine
unto me," Jerem. ii. 21.  "Their fruit shalt thou: destroy from
the earth, and their seed fiom amongo the children of men,"
Psalm xxi. 11.  "Their seed are the children of the kingdom,"
Matt. xiii. 38. The samle is signified by the seed of Israel,
because Israel: is the church, Isaiah xli. 8, 9; xliv. 3; Jerem.
xxiii.:8; xxxi. 35, 36; and also by the seed qf David, because
David is the Lord, Jerem. xxx. 10; xxxiii. 22, 25, 26; Psalmn
lxxxix. 4, 5, 29; and by the seed of the field, because:a field
signifies the church in many:places. But the contrary is signified by the seed of the wicked, Isaiah i. 4; xiv. 20; lvii. 3, 4;
and by the seed of the serpent, Gen. iii. 15.
565'-. And l stood uvpon the sand of t/he sea, signifies t.hat
his state was now: spilitual-natural, such as prevails witlh those
who are in the first or ultimate heaven. By the sand of the sea
such a state is signified, because by the sea is signified the external of the church; this state is called spiritual-natural, such
as exists.with those who are in the first or ultimate heaven: he
had been above in heaven previously, where he saw the dragon,
his combat with Michael, his being castout, and his persecution
of the woman; but now, when the dragon is -cast down, and
continues to be treated of in:what follows, John is let down in
spirit, to the end that he may see more of the dracgon beneath
the heavens, and describe the same; in which state he saw two
beasts come up, one out of the sea, and the other out of the
earth; which he could not have seen from heaven, because it is
not permitted any angel to look down fiom  heaven, into the
lower regions, but if he chooses he may go down. It is to be
observed, that in the spiritual world place corresponds to state,
for no one can be anywhere else than where the state of his life
is; and as John now stood upon the sand of the sea, it follows
that his state niiow ~was spiritual-natural.
566. Here I will add this Memorable Relation. There arose
a question among some spirits, whether:a man can see any
doctrinal theological truth in the Word, except from  the Lord.
441




566            THEI APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xil.
In this they all agreed, that it could only be done fromn God,
because "No man canl receive any thing except it be given him
fiom'heaven," John iii. 27; for which reason it was made a
question, whether it were possible without immediately approaching the Lord. On one side it wasurged, that the Lord
ought directly to be approached, because he is the Word; on
the other it was maintained that a doctrinal truth might also be
seen when God the Father was immediately approached; therefore the main point of debate at last rested here, whether it
was admissible for any Christian to approach God the Father
immediately, and thus climb above the Lord; and whether this
was not a most indecent and rash insolence and boldness, because the Lord said, that no one cometh to the Father but by
him, John xiv. 6. This they paid no attention to, but asserted
that man can see doctrinal truth in the Word fiom his own natural light; this, however, was rejected: they therefore insisted
that it might be seen by those who pray to God the Father;
upon -lwhichl, when a passage firom the Word was read to them,
they fell on their knees, and prayed that God the Father would
enlighllten themn; and as to what had been read to them out of
the Word, they said, that such and such trutls might be thence
collected, but these, in fact, were falsities; and this they repeated several times even to tediousness, till at length they
were obliged to confess that it was not in their power. On the
other hand, they who applied immediately to the Lord, could
see truths, and explain them. After this dispute, there came up
out of the abyss certain spirits, who appeared at first sight like
locusts, but afterwards like men; they were some who in tle
world had directed their prayers to God the Father, and confirlned themselves in the doctrine of justification by faith alone,
affirming that they could see in clear lightt, and this firom the
Word, that man is justified by faith alone without the works of
the law. Being asked, "By what faith ll" they replied, "By
faith in God the Father."  But after they were exalmined, it
was signified to them firom heaven, that they were not acquainted.with a single doctrinal truth fiom the Word; to which they replied, that this truth however they saw in the clearest light;
upon which they were told that they saw it in the light of infatuation; they asked, "What is the light of infatuation?"'' and
were informed, "That the light of infiatuation is the light arising from the confirmation of what is talse, and that thlat light
corresponds to the light in which owls and bats are, darkness
being light to them, and light darkness."  This was confirmled
by what they themselves experienced, in that, when they looked
up to heaven, which is light itself, they saw only darkness, and
that when they looked down into the abyss firom whence they
came, they saw light. At this appeal to their own case tlley
were much offended, and said, "At this rate light and darkness
442




Chap. xii.]      THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              566
are nothing but states of the eye, in consequence of which light
is said to be light and darkness darkness."  But it was shlown
them, that the light by which they saw was the light of iinfat.
uation, arisinlg from the confirmatioll of what is false, and that
it was merely the activity of their minds excited by the fire of
concupiscences, not unlike the light of cats, whose eyes appear
like flame in the night-time, in consequence of their burning
appetite for prey. On hearing these words, they replied with
anger, that they were not cats, nor like cats, because they conild
see if they chose; but fearing to be asked why they did not
choose, they retired, and sunk down into their own:Tbyss and
its light. They who dwell there, and such as resemble themn,
are catlled owls and bats.
When they were come to their companions in the abyss, and
had told them what the angels had said, that they were ignorant
of any doctrinal truth whatever, and had therefore callecl them
owls and bats, it caused a tumult,, and they said, " Let us pray
to the Lord for permission to ascend, and we will prove clearly
thatwe are in possession of many doctrinal trutlls, which the
archangels themselves acknowledlge;" and because they prayed
to the Lord, permission was givenr; and they ascended, to the
number of three hundred; and when they appeared above
ground, they said, "We were held in great falne and reputation in the world, from understanding and teachlinlg the mysteries of justification by faith alone, and from repeated confirmations, we not only saw it in the light, but in its llelridian
brighltness, as we still continue to do in our cells; and yet we
are informed by our' companions who have been with yon, that
our light is not light, but darkness; by reason that we are not,
as asserted by you, in possession of a single doctrilnal truth friom
the Word.  Now we know that every truth of the'Word is
luminous, and we have believed that our glitterilng liglit was
fiom thence, when engaged in profound meditation upon these
mysteries; therefore we will demonstrate to you that we have
truths froin the Word in great abundance."  And then they
said, " Have we not this trutlih, that there is a trinity, consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,
and that this trinity is an object of faith?.  Have we not this
truth, that Christ is our Redeelner and Saviourl? IHave we not
this truth, that Christ alone is righteousness, and that he only has
merit; and that lie is unrighteous and wicked who woulcl attribute to himself any part of his merit and righteousness? I-ave
we not this truth, that no man can do any spiritual good from
himself, but that all good, which is really such, is fiom God?
Ihave we not this truth, that there is such a thing as meritorious
and also lyvpocritical good, and that all such good is evil?
Have we not, this truth, that man fronm his own power cannot
in tlihe least contribute to his own salvation? Have we not this
443




566            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED..      [Chap, xii.
truth, that nevertheless works of charity should be done:? Have
we not this truth, that faith exists, and that it ought to be believedcl, and that every one obtains life according to his belief?
not to mention many other truths from the Word: now which
of you can deny any one of them?  Yet you say, that in our
schools there is not a single truth; is not this assertion grounded
in prejudice and dislike?" -But then it was given them for
answer, "All that you have adduced, in themselves are truths,
but you have falsified them by applying them to confirm a
false'principle; therefore they are with yau, and in you, truths
falsified, these being rendered false by that false principle; this
we will prove to you by ocular demonstration. There is a place
not far distant, into which the light flows immediately from
heaven; in the midst of it there is:a table, on which if any
piece of paper be placed, having. any truth fiom the Word
written upon it, by virtue of that truth the writing instantly
shines like a star: write therefore the truths you mentioned on
a piece of paper, and place it on this, table, and you will be
convinced."  They did so, and gave it to the person who had
charge of the table, who placed it thereon, and then desired
them to removed to a little distance, and look towards the table;
they did so, and lo! the paper shone like a star; then said the
keeper, "You see that these are truths which you have written
on the paper; but come nearer,: and fix your eyes attentively on
the paperl;" and they did so, and the light then suddenly disappeared, and -the paper became, black,, as the smoke of a furnace. Then said the keeper,'" Now touch the paper with your
hands, but take heed not to touch any part of the writing;"
and, as they did so, it took fire and was consumed. This sight
made them hastily retire; and they were informed, that if they
had touceled the writing, they would have heard an explosion,
and their fingers would have been burnt. Upon this it was remarked by those who were standing behind, "You see now,
that the truths which you have abused to the confirmation of
the arcana of your justifying faith, are in themselves truths,
but in you they are truths falsified." They then looked upwards,
and the heavens appeared to them like blood, and afterwards as
thick darkness; and in the eyes of the angelic spirits, some of
them looked like bats, some like owls, some. like moles, and
some like 1irds of night; and they fled away to their own regions of darkness, which shone in, their eyes from the light of
infatuatio n.
The angelic spirits who were present wondered that they had
not known any thing of this place, or of. the table it contained,
before; and immediately a voice calne to them firomr the southern quarter, saying, "Come up hither, and you shall see something still more wonderfuil."  So they went, and entered into a
room, the walls of which shone as with: gold;. where also they
444




Chap. xii.] -   THE- APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             566
saw a table, on which lay the Word, decorated on all sides with
precious stones in celestial arrangement. Then the angel who
kept it said, " When the Word is opened, there beams from it
a light of inexpressible brightness, and at the same time, fiom
the precious stones, there is presented the, appearance of a
rainbow, as it were, encompassing the Word. When an angel
from the third heaven approaches and looks at the Word as it
lies open, the ground of the rainbow appears of a crimson
colour; when: an angel from the:second heaven approaches and
views it, the ground appears of a blue colour; when an angel
fi'om the ultimate or lowest heaven approaches and looks at it,
the ground appears white; and when: any good spirit comes
and looks, there appears a variegation of the light like marble."
The truth of all this was manifestedto to -tem by ocular demonstration. The angel who kept it added " If any one approaches
who has falsified the Word, the bri.ghtness at first disappears,
and if he comes nearer, and fixes his eyes upon the Word, it
seems covered with blood, and then he is admonished to depart,
by reason of the danger." A certain person, however, who, in
the world, had been a leading writer in favour of the doctrine
of justification by faith alone, approached with great confidence,
and  said,'"When I was:in the world, I never falsified the
Word; I laid equal stress on: charity:as -on faith-, and taught
that man in the state of faith, in which lie exercises charity and
its works, is renewed, regenerated, and sanctified; and also.that
faith could not exist solitary,: or without good works, any more
than a good tree without firuit, or the sun without light, or the
fire without heat; I also blamed those who asserted that: good
works were unnecessary;and that the commandments of the
decalogue need not be observed; I also laid great stress on repentance, and thus, in a wonderful manner, applied all' things
in the Word to this single article of faith, which I discovered
and demonstrated to be the only medium-of salvation.". Confident in the truth of his own assertion, that he had never
falsified the Word, he approached the. table, and, in spite of
the angel's caution, touched -the Word; when suddenly there
issued tire and smoke from the Word, attended with a loud
explosion,- which cast him into a corner of the room,, where he
lay for the space of an hour, as if he were dead.,The angelic
Spirits wondered at this, but they were informed,: that this
prelate had been more strenuous'than others in exalting the
good fruits of charity as proceeding from faith, but-that, nevertheless, he meant no other than political works, which are also
called moral: and civil, and are performed for the sake of the
world and prosperity therein, and not out of obedience to (God
and for the sake of salvation; and also that he had some idea
of' imperceutible works by the Holy Spirit, of which a man is
445




566            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Chap. xiii.
not conscious, which are engendered in the act of faith during
the state thereof.
Tile angelic spirits had then some conversation with each
other about the falsification of the Word, and they agreed in
this, that to falsify the Word is to take truths out of it, and
apply them to confirm what is false, which is to extract truths
from tile Word and to destroy themn; as, for example, to take
this truth, that a man ought to love his neighbour, and from
love do good to hinm for the sake of God and life eternal, and
then to inlsist that it ought to be done, but not for the sake of
salvation, because every good that comes fiom man is not
good; this is to extract truth from the Word, and when it is
so extracted, to destroy it; because the Lord in his Word
enjoins every man, who would be saved, to do good to his
neighbour as fiom himself; and yet to believe that he does it
fiom the Lord.
CHAPTER XIII.
1. AND I saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven
heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon
his heads the name of lJlasphemy.
2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and
his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth
of a lion; and the dragon gave him his strength, and his
throne, and great power.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;
and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered
after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon, which gave power
unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who
is like unto the beast? who is able to fight with him?
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great
things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to
continue forty-two months.
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme Jhis name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell
in heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over every
tribe, and tongue, and nation.
8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship hiul
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb
slain fron the foundation of the world.
9. If any man have an ear let him hear.
446




Chap. xiii.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity:
he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth:
and he had two horns like a lamb, and lie spake as a dragon.
12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and canseth the earth and them that dwell therein to
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13. And lie doeth great signs, so that he maketh fire come
down firom heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the
means of those signs, which lie had power to do in the sight of
the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, tllat they
should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a
sword and lived.
15. And he had power to give breath unto the image of the
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause
that as many as would not worship the image of the beast
should be killed.
16. And he caused all, both small and great, and rich and
poor, fi'ee and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or
in their forehlleads.
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
the rmark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast; for it is'tlle number of a man;
and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
THE CONTENTS OF THE WIOLE CHAPTER. In this chapter thle
dragon'continues to be treated of, and the doctrine and faith
signified by him is described;. what its quality is among the
laity, and afterwards what its quality is among the clergy: by
the beast whllich came up out of the sea, that doctrine and faith
is described, as it exists with the laity, verse 1 —10; and by
the beast out of the earth, the same arnong the clergy, verse 1l
-17: lastly, concerning the falsification of the Word by the
latter, verse 18.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE.  V. 1, "And I saw a beast
rise up out of the sea," signifies the laity in the churches of the
Reformled, nwho are principled in the doctrine and faith of the
dragon  concerning God and salvation: " Htaving sevenr heads,"
signifies insanity al isin  flom mere falses: "And ten horns,"
signifies much power: "And upon his horns ten diademns,"
447




THE ATPOCALYPSE: REVEALED.    [Chap. xiii.
signifies- the power of falsifying many truths of the Word:
"And upon his heads the name of blasphemy," signifies denial
of the Lord's Divine Humanity, and doctrine of the church not
drawn from the Word, bult from self-derived intelligence: v. 2,
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard," signifies
a: heresy destructive of the -church because derived from truths
of the Word falsified: "And his feet were as the feet of a
bear," signifies full of fallacies fiom, the literal sense of the
Word read but not understood: "And his mouth as the mouth
of a lion," signifies reasonings from falses as firol  truths:
"And the:dragon gave him his strength, and his thlone, and
great powerl," signifies that this heesy  prevails and reigns in
consequence of its reception by the laity: v. 3, " And I saw one
of his heads as it were wounded to death," signifies that the
doctrine of faith alone does not acccord with the Word, in which
works are so often enjoined:'.'And his deadly wound was
healed," signifies the remedy applied on this account: "And
all the world wondered after the beast,'" signifies that then this
doctrine and faith was gladly received: v. 4, " And they worshipped the dragon which gave power- unto the beast," signifies
an acknlowledgmeont that: it is such as is laid down by the leaders
and teachers, who have established its authority on the.reception they have procured for it among the community at large:'And they worshipped the beast," signifies an acknowledgment
on the part of the community, that it is holy truth:. " Saying,
Who is like unto the beast, who is able to fight with him?" signifies the excellence:of that doctrine, because it cannot be contradicted by any one: v. 5, "And there was given unto him a
inouth speaking great things and blasphemies," signifies that it
teaches what is evil and false: "And power was given unto
him  to continue forty-two months," signifies the libert.y of
teaching and doing the evils and falses of that doctrine, even to
the end of that church and the beginning of the new: v. 6,
" Andc he opened his mouth in blasphemy against: God, to blaspheme his name," signifies their -sayings, which are scandals
against the Essential Divinity and Divine Humanity of the
Lord, and at the same time against every thing relating to the
church, derived from the Word, whereby the Lord is worshipped:
"And his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven," signifies
scandals against the Lord's celestial kingdom and against heaven:
v. T, "'And it was given unto him to make war with the saints
and to overcome them," signifies that they have impugned
the divine truths of the Word, and cast them  down:to the
ground: "And power was given- him over every tribe, and
tongue, and nation," signifies:consequent dominion over all
things: of the church, both as to its doctrine and as to its life:
v. 8, "AAnd all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book: of life of the Lamb,"
448




Chap. xiii.]     THE- APOCALYPSE REVEALED.
signifies that all acknowledged that heretical doctrine as. holy
in the church, except those who believed in the Lord.:'"Slain
from the foundation of the world," signifies the Lord's Divine
Ithumanity not acknowledged from the first establishment of the
church: v. 9, If any man. have an ear let him hear," signifies
that they should attend to this who desire to attain wisdom:
v. 10i, "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity,"
signifies that- he: who by means of this heretical doctrine misleads others fiom believing well and living well, will himself be
drawn into hell by his own evils and falses:  "He that killeth
with the Sword must be killed with the sword," signifies thadt
lie who by means of falses destroys the soul of another, is himself destroyed by falses,. and: perishes: " Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints," signifies that the man of thle- Lord's
new church, by temptations firom such things, is explored as to
the quality of his life, and faith: v. 11, " And I beheld another
beast coming up out of the earth," signifies the clergy whlo are
principled in the doctrine and faith of the dragon concerning
God and salvation: "And he had two horns like a lamb, and
he spale as a dragon," signifies that what they say, teach, and
wlite is from tht Word,.:as though it-were the Lord's: divine
truth, and yet it is truth falsified: v. 12, "And he exerciseth all
the power of the first beast before him," signifies that th'ey
confirmed these tenets, which thence derive their authority:
" And causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship
the.first beast whose deadly wound was healed," signifies that
from their being received by the community at large, it is
established and confirlmed that they ought to be acknowledged
and, held sacred in the, church: v. 13, "And he doeth great
signs," signifies testifications that the things they teach are~ true,
although they are false: "I So that he maketh fire come down
firom heaven on the earth-in the sight of men," signifies attestations that their falsities are truthls: v. 14, "And deceiveth
them that dwell on the earth, by means of those signs,'which
he had power to do in the sight of the beast," signifies that by
their testifications and; attestations they lead the men of the
church into errors::" Saying to them that dwell on the earth,
that they7 should make an image to the  beast, which had the
wound'by a sword and lived," signifies that they induce the
men of the church to receive for doctrine, that faith is the; only
medium of salvation,, for the reasons already mentioned: v. 15,
"And he had power to give breath unto the image of the beast,
that the image of the beast should both speak," signifies- that
it was permitted them to. confirm that doctrine by means of the
Word,: whereby it does as it were receive life when it is taught:
"And cause that as! many as would not worship the image of
the beast should be killed," signifies that they denounce damnation against those who do not acknowledge their doctrine of
449                                        D D




567             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap, xiii.
-.faith to be the holy doctrine of the church: v. 16, "And ho,caused all, both small and great, and rich and poor, firee and
bond,' signifies all in that church, whatsoever nmay be their.condition, learning, and intelligence: "To receive a mark in
Atlieir right hand or in their foreheads," signifies that no one is
acknowledged to be a reformed Christian unless lie receives
tlhat doctrine in faith and love: v. 17, " And that no man might
* buy or sell, save he that had the mark or name of the beast, or;the number of his name," signifies that it is not lawfal for any
oone to teach fiom  the Word, unless ihe acknowledges it, and:swears to the belief and love thereof, or to sometllillg which
*amounllts to the same: v. 18, "Here is wisdom,' signifies that
iit is the part of a wise man, fiomn what had beell salid and explained in this chapter, to see and understand the natiure of the
dloctrine and faith of the clelgy respecting God acnd salvation:
"Let hlim that hath understanding count the nuimber of the:beast," signifies that he who is in illumination fi'oln the Lord,'may know the nature and quality of the proofs they produce
fiom the Word in confirmation of that doctrine and Taitl: "For
it is the number of a man," signifies the quality of the Word
and thence of the church: "And his number is six hundred
and sixty-six," signifies this quality, that all the truth of the
Word is falsified by them.
THE EXPLANATION.
567. And Isaw a beast rise.up out of the sea, signifies the
laity in the churches of thle Reformed who are principled in the
doctrine and faith of the dragon concerning  God allcld salvation.
What tile nature and quality of the faith of the dragon is, may
be seen, n. 537: the same faith continues to be treated of in
this chapter; and by this beast which was seen to rise out of
the sea, is meant that faith amonog the laity; but by the beast
which rose out of the earth, mentioned at verse 11, is meant
that faith among the clergy. That the dragon. continues to be
treated of here is plain fiom the followinlg  passage in this chapter: that the dragon gave the beast wlhich rose up out of the
sea hlis strength, and throne, and great power, verse 2; and
that they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast,
verse 4; and of the beast which rose out of the earth, thlat le
spake as the dragon, verse 11;- and that lie Imaketh all the
power of the former beast before the dI'agon, verse 12. The
reason why the laity are understood by tlhe beast which rose out
of the sea, and the clergy by tie -beast which rose out of the
earth, is, because by the sea is signified the external of the
church,.ard by the earth its internal, mn. 398, and in other.450




:v. 1.]          THE APOCALYPSE. REVEALED..      567
places; and in the externals of church doctrine the laity are
pr.incipled, but the clergy in its internals, on this account the
beast which rose out of tile earth is also called, in what fbllows,
the false prophet. That the.y who are in the Reformed Churches
are meant, is because the Reformed are treated of as far as
chap. xvi. inclusive, and the Roman Catholics in chap. xvii. and'xviii., and afterwards the last judgment, and finally the New
Church. They appeared as beasts, because a dragon is a beast,
and because a beast in the Word signifies man as to his affee.
tions; harmless and useful beasts signify man as to his good
affections, and noxious and useless beasts signify man as to his
evil affections; on which account the men of the church in
general are called sheep, and a congregation of them, a flock,
and their teacher is called a pastor: hence also it is, tlhat tihe
Word as to its power, affection, understanding, and wisdom, is
described above, as four animals, which were a lion, a calf; an
eagle, and a man, chap. iv., and tlhat the intellectual knowledge
of the Word is described by horses, chap. vi.; the reason is,
because the affections of a man, in the spiritu.al world, appear
at a distance as beasts, as has been before observed; and beasts,
considered in thllelselves, are nothing but forms of natural
affections, whereas men are not only forms of natural, but of
spiritual affections at the same time. That men, as to their
affections, are meant by beasts, may appear fiom these places:' Thou, 0 God, dicldst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst
confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary; the beast of thy
congregation shall dwell in it," Psalm  lxviii. 9, 10.  "Every
wild beast of the orest is mine, the cattle upon a thousand lills.
I know all the fowls of the nountarins, and the wild beast of th.e
fields are mine," Psalm 1. 10.. " Ashur' is a cedar in Lebanon,
of high stat:re, in his boughs the fowls of the heavenzs made
their nests, and under his branches did all the beasts of the,field bring fort4h their young, and under his sllade dwelt all
great nations," Ezek. xxxi. 2-6, 10, 13; Dan. iv. 7-13.
" In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beast of
the field, and with the foeel of the heavens, and I will betroth
thee unto me for evel," Hos. ii. 18, 19.  "Rejoice and be
glad, be not afraid, ye beasts of myfiellds, for the pastures of the
wilderness do sprling," Joel ii. 21-23.  "In that day there
shall be a great tumult, Judah shall fight against Jerusalem,
and there shall be a plague of the horse, of the mvule, of the
camel, and of every beast; then shall every one thiat is left go
up to Jerusalem,'" Zech. xiv. 13-15.  "The fowl shall sumnmrer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon
them," Isaiah xviii. 6. "Thou son of man, speak unto the
fowl of every wi'ng, and unto every beast of the field, Assemble
yourselves to my sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel; so will
I set  my glory among the heathen," Ezek. xxxix. 17. 21
451




s68 —570         TIEE'APOCALYPSE - REVEALED.    [Chap. xiii: Jehovah- gathereth -the outcasts of Israel: all ye beasts of the
fields come to devour," Isaiah lvi. 8, 9. " Jehoval will clestroy
the Assylran, and flocks shall lie down in the midst of her; all
the wild:beasts of the nations, both the cormorant and the bittern, shall:lodge in the upper lintels of it," Zephan. ii. 13.
"The sheep are scattered without a shepherd, and are meat for
every wild beast of thefeld," Ezek. xxxiv. 5, 8.  "-I will cast
thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of
the hKeavens to live upon thee, and I will fill the beasts -of the
whole earth with thee," Ezek. xxxii.' 4: also v. 17; xxix. 5;
xxxiii. 27; xxxix. 4; Jerem. xv. 3; xvi. 14; xix. 7; xxvii. 5, 8.
"The enemy reproacheth Jehovah; O deliver not to the beast
the soul of thy turtle-dove,"' Psalm lxxiv. 18, 19.  "I saw in
vision four beasts rise out of the sea, the first was like a lion,
and had eagle's wings, the second was like a bear, the third like
a leopard, and the fourth was terrible,"' Dan. vii. 3- 5.  " The
spirit driveth Jesus into the wilderness, and lie was with the
wild, beasts, and the angels ministered unto him," Malk i. 12,
13; he was not with beasts, btt with devils, who are here
meant; by beasts; not to mention other passages whvllere beasts.and: wild beasts are named, as in Isaiah xxxv. 9;' xliii. 20;
Jeiem.. x'i. 4, 8-10; Ezek. viii. 10-; xxxiv. 23, 25, 28; xxxviii.
18-20; Hosea iv. 2, 3; xiii. 8; Joel i. 16, 18, 20; HI-abak. ii.
17;: Dan. ii. 37, 38; Psalm  viii. 7  9; Psalm lxxx. 13; civ.
10,:-1, 14, 20, 25; cxlviii. 7,:10; Exod. xxiii. 28-30; Levit.
xxvi. 6; Deut. vii. 22; xxxii. 24; in all these places by beasts
are signified men as to their affections.  By-man: and beast
together is signified man as to spiritual and natural affection;
as in the following passages: Jerem. vii. 20; xxi. 6; xxvii. 5;
xxxi. 27; xxxii. 43; xxxiii. 10 —122; xxxvi. 29; 1. 3; Ezek. xiv.
13, 17, 19; xxv. 13; xxxii. 13; xxxvi. 11; Zeph. i. 2, 3; Zech.
ii. 7, 8:; viii. 9, 10; Jonah iii. 7, 8; Psalm  xxxvi. 6; Numb.
xviii. 15. By all the beasts that were sacrificed were signified
good affections; and likewise by the beasts used for food; but
the contrary by such as were not to be used for food, Levit. xx.
25, 26.
568. H.aving seven heads, signifies insanity arising frmr
mere falses, in like manner as by the seven heads of the dragon,
n. 538.
569. And ten,horns, signifies much power, in like manner
as the horns of the dragon, which also were ten, n. 539..5.70. AnLd upon his horns ten diadems, signifies the power of
falsifying many truths of the Word.  By a horn is signified
power, n. 539; by ten is signified much, i..101; and:by dia
dems are signified the truths of the Word falsified, in. 540;
therefore by ten diadems:upon his:horns, is signified to have it;n his power to falsify many-truths of the Word:.  Of the dragon
t is said that he had seven diademns on his heads, but of this
452




v. 1J.]         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.:  671
beast, that lhe had ten diadems on his horns; the- reason Is,
because here it signifies the power of falsifying many truths of
the Word, but there the falsification of all; for the laity are
able, but do not do it; for they who are under-the influence of
falses and in the belief of them, are opposed to truths, consequently, when they see truths in the Word, they falsify them.
571. And cupon his heads the name of blaspheemy, signifies
denial of the Lord's Divine Humanity and doctrine of the
church not drawn fiom the Word, but from, self-derived intelli
gence.  By seven heads is signified:insanity arising from mere
falses, as above, n. 568; and this insanity speaks blasphemy,
when it denies the Divinity of the Lord in his Humanity; and
also when it does not deduce the doctrine of the church from
the; Word, but unfolds it from self-derived intelligence.'As to
the first, that it is blasphemy to deny the Lord's Divinity in his
Humnanity, the reason is this, that he who denies it is opposed
to the faith received throughout the whole Christian' world,
named from Athanasius, where it is expressly said,:that in Jesus
Christ, God and Man, that is, Divinity and Humanity, are not
two but one, and that they are one person, united like soul and
body;, therefore they who deny the Divinity in his Humanity,
come: near to the Socinians and Arians, especially when they
think of the. Lord's Humanity alone as of that of another man,
and nothing at. all of his: Divinity from eternity. As to the
second point, that it is blasphemy not to deduce the doctrine. of
the church from the Word, but to unfold it from self-derived
intelligence, the reason is, because the church exists from the
Word, and its quality is according to its:understanding- of:the
Wordl, as may be seen in the- Doctrine of the. N2ew Jerusalemr
concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 76-79; and the. doctrine
that faith alone, that is, faith without the works: -of the law, justifies and saves, is not from the Word, but from a single expres~ion of Paul misunderstood, IRom. iii. 28, see n. 417'; and all
falsity of doctrine takes its rise fromn no other source than from
self-derived intelligence; for what is more universally. taught in
the Word, than to shun evil and do good.:and what is more
evident than that God and our neighbour ought' to be. loved?
And.-who can help seeing, that no one can love his neighbour,
unless he lives according to the works of the law, and he who
loves not his neighbour loves not God? for in the love of -our
neighbour the Lord conjoins himself. with.man,- and man conjoins himself with the Lord, that is,- the Lord and man:are
together in that love.... And. what, is love to ou:r neighbour but
the shunning to do him  evil, according to the commandments
of the decalogue, Rom. xiii. 8-11? And in propotion as m-an
is not-willing to do evil to- his- neighbour, in the same proportion is he willing to do him good; hence-it is evident that it-is
blasphemy to: exclude the works.f this law: frolnm salvation, as
453




5t2, 573         THE APOCALYPSE REVEAL;ED.         [Chap. xiii.
they do, who make faith alone, which is faith separated from
ooocl works, by itself competent to salvation.  By bllasphemy
~Matt. xii. 31, 32; Apoc. xvii. 3; Isaial xxxvii. 6, 7, 23, 24)
Is meant to deny the Lord's Divinity, as the Socinians do, andi
to deny the Word; for they who thus deny thle Lord's Divinity
carnot enter heaven, for the Lord's Divinity is thle all in -all
in heaven, and he who denies the Word denies all things of
religion.
572. And the beast which Isaw was like unto a leopcard, sig.
nifies a heresy destructive of the church, because derived fioin.
the truths of the Word falsified.  By beasts in general are signified men as to their affections, n. 567; and by a leopard is
siznified the affection or lust of falsiftying the truths of the,fo1rd; and because it is a ferocious beast, and kills harlmless
animnals, it signifies also a heresy destructive of the chlurch:
That a leopard signifies the truths of the Word falsified, is
owing to its black and white spots, for by the black spots aru
signified falses, and by the white intermixed with theml is signified truthll; as therefore it is a fierce and unlrderous beast, it
signifies the truths of the Word falsified and tllus destlovred.
Silnilar is the signification of a leopard in the followillng places:
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots' 
then may ye also do good that are:accustomled to do evil,'
Jerem. xiii. 23.  "The lion out of the fbrest slla.ll slay them,
and a wolf of the evening shall spoil them, a leopard shall watcA
over their cities, every one that goeth out thence; shall be torll
in pieces, because their tranglressions are mlany, and tlleir backslidings are increased," Jerein. v. 6; tle leopard watching
against their cities, means watching against the truths of doctrine.  A  city means doctrine, n. 194.    As thlle y llhave forl
gotten me, therefore I will be unto them as a lion, as a leopard
by the way will I observe them," Hosea xiii. 6, 7; a way alsti
signifies truth, n. 176.  "The wolf also shall dwell with the
lamb, and the leopard shall lie clown with the kid," Isaiah xi.
6; here the Lord's kingdom which is to come is treated of; a
kid signifies the genuine truths of the church, and a leopard
the same falsifed.  " The third beast which rose out of tle sea
was like a leopcard which had upon the backl of it four wings
of a ifowl," Dan. vii. 6; concerning the four beasts seen by
Daniel, see below, n. 574..573. And his feet were as thefeet of a bear, signifies full of
fallacies fiom reading the letter of the Word but not aunderstanding it.  By feet is signified the natural degree, which is
the ultimate, upon which that heresy, meant by the leopard,
subsists, and as it were walks, this being the literal sense of the
Word, and by a bear are signified those who read the Word and
d:o not understand it, whereby they involve themselves in. fiallcis; thllat these are signified. by bears was clear to me from the
454




r. 1 2.]         THE APOCAL'YPSE  REVEALED.              574
bears which I saw in the spiritual world, and from such there'8
were clad in bear skins, who had all read the Word indeed, but
without seeinlg any doctrinal truth in it; also wlho had confirnmed
the appearances of truth therein, and thus were involved in fial
lacies.  In that world there appearl bears that are hurtffil, and
bears that are harmless, and somne that are white; but they are]
distinguished by their heads, those which are harmless have
heads like calves or sheep.  Bears have such a signification ini
the following places: ".He was unto me as a bear lying in wait:
and as a lion in secret places, he hath turned aside my ways, he
hlath made mne desolate," Lament. iii. 10, 11.  "I will meet
them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and there will I
devour them like a lion, the wild beast of the field shall teali
them," IHosea xiii. 7, S.  "The calf and the young lion shall
lie down together, and the cow and the bear' shall feed," Isaiahl
xi. 6, 7. "The second beast which rose out of the sea was
like to a bear, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between.
the teeth of it," Dan. vii. 5. By the lion and the bear, whichW
David took by the beard and smote, 1 Sam. xvii. 34 —37, thle
same is signified; and likewise 2 Sam. xvii. 8. The lion and:
bear are melntioned ill those places, because by a lion is signified:
falsity destroying the truths of the Word, and by a bear areo
signified fallacies, whllich are also destructive, but not in so great
a degree; therefore it is said in Amos, "The (lay of Jehovah is8
darkness and not light, as if a man did flee from a lion, and a;
bear met llim," v. 18, 19.  We read in the second book of
Kings, that Elisha was mocked of little children, and that theyl
said unto him, "Go up, thou. bald head; and there came forth:
two she bear.s out of the wood, and tare forty and two cllildllen
of them," ii. 23, 24; this took place because Elisha represented
the Lord as to the Word, n. 298; and because baldness signifies the Word devoid of its literal sense, thus not any thing, n.
47; and the number forty-two, blasphemy, n. 583; and bears:
signift the literal sense of the Word, read indeed, but not'
unde rstood.
574. And his motth as the mouth of a lion, signifies reason-:
inlgs fiom falses as fiom truths. By mouth is signified doctrine,
preaching, and discourse, n. 453, here, reasoning from falses of'
doctrine, because by thle head, in which is the mouth, is signi-:
fled insanity friomi nmere falses, n. 568; by a lion is signified
Divine Truth in power, n. 241, 471, but here falsity in powerl
appearing like truth by reasonings, n. 573; hence by his mouth
being, as the mnouth of a lion, are signified reasonings from falses
as fiom truths. That a leopard, a bear, and a lion, signify such
things, may appeal from thle beasts of the same kind that were
seen by Daniel, of which it is thus written: "Four great beasts'
came upl) out of the sea, the first was like a lion, and had eagle's
wings: I belheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was
4.55




57.5            THE APOCALYPSE'REVEALED."         [Chap. xiii.
liftedl up fiom the earth, and made to stand upon the feet, as a
man,-:and a man's heart was given to it.  The second beast was
lke a bear, and it raised- up itself on one side; and it had three
ribs in the mouth of it, between the teeth- of it; and- the  said,
Arise; devour much flesh.  The third beast was licke a leoy)arci,
which had upon the back of it four wings as of a fowl, thl beast
had also four heads, and dominion was given to it.' Tllefobtrth
beast was dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and it
had great iron teeth, it devoured and brake in pieces, and
stamped the residue with the feet of it," Dan. vii.. 3-7:; -by
these'four beasts are described the successive.states -:of the
cllhurch from its beginning to its end, even: to its utter dclevastation as to every good and truth of the Word; after whichll is the
Lord's: advent.. By the lion is signified the Divine Trluth' of the
Word in its first state, and the restoration: of the churchl there-t
by, which is understood by his being lifted-up from the earth,
and set erect upon his fbet as a man, and a man's heart being
given him.  By the bear is described the second state-of the
churlch, when the Word is read indeed, but not unlderstood: by
the three ribs between his teeth are signified appearances and
fallacies, and by much flesh is signified the sum of the literal
sense of the Word.  A thilrd state of the church is dclescribed by
the leopacrd, by which- is signified the Word falsified as to its
truths; by the four wings, as of fowls, on his back, are signified
confirmations of what is:false. The fourth or last state of the
church is described by a beast dreadful and terrible, by which is
signified the destruction of all truth and goodness, for which.
reason it is said that he crushed in pieces and devoured, and
stamped the residue with his feet; lastly, the Lord's advenit is
described, and then the destruction of- that church, and the
establishment of a new one, from verse 9 to the eind. These'
four beasts were seen:by Daniel to rise out-of the sea successively,:but by John the three first beasts were seen united in
one body, and also coming out of the sea; the reason is, because in Daniel successive states of the church are described by
thenm,.but here in the Apocalypse its ultimate state is describedl,
in which all the former states exist together; but as, the body.
of this beast appeared like a leopard, and-its feet like a. bear,:
and its mouth like a lion; the leopard and the bear:have'evelywhere a like signification; but by a month like a lion. are signified. reasonings derived firom  falses, because it.follows that
" Thel beast out of his mouth spake blasphemies," verse 5, 6, and
by his head is signified insanity fiom:n ere falses.
575. And the dragon gave hm  his strength, and h is tlhrone,
and great power, signifies that this heresy prevails and reigns
in consequence of its reception by the laity. By the dragon:is:
signifi-ed that heretical doctrine, concerning which see n. 537:;
by this beast the laity are signified, n:. 563,,wio do not speak
456




v. 2, 3.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.'           576 — 578
from  themselves, but from  their teachers, and as they constitute the people, it is evident' that by reception firom them that
heresy prevails and reigns.  This therefore is, what is signified
by the strength; throne, andc great powel which the-dragon gave
to this beast, and by what follows in verse 4, " And tile.y worshipped the dragon, which gave'power u'nto tile lbeast."  The
dragon prevails and reigns by' them, especially by imeans of this
tenet of their: religion, "'That the understailndi~ng is to be kept
in subjection to faith; and that is the faith which is not understood, and that in- matters of a spiritual nature; faith in a thing
which is understood is intellectual faith,' desti-tte of any justifying virtue;";when these notions prevail among: the laity, the
clergy have- power, veneration, and a sort of adoration on account of the-divine things which they are supposed to lknow-, and
which are to: be imbibed froom  their mouths.  By stlength is
signified authority; by throne, government; and by' great
power, dominion.
576. And Isaw one of his heads as it were. woutnded to death,
signifies that the doctrine which is the head of all the rest, that
manl is justified and saved by faith alone withlout the wolrks of
the law, does not accordlwith the Worid, in which works' arle-so
often enjoined.  By one of his' heads is'signified the' principal
and fuindamental- article of the whole doctrine of the refolrelrmed
church; for the beast had seven heads, by which is signified
insanity firom:mere falses, n. 568, thus also all falses. in tile
complex; for by seven in the Word are signified all, n. 10, 391;
and as all the falses of their doctrine respecting salvation depend
upon this one, that mian is justified and salved by faithll alone
without the works of the law, this is what is here sigllifield by
one of the'heads of the beast; by its being as it were wounded
to death, is signified that it does not accord with the Word,
where works are so firequently enjoined; for all church doctrine, whiich does not accord with -the Word,: is not sound, but
labours under a deadly:disease; for from the Word;, and from
no other source, the doctrine of the church is to be derived.
577. And hzis deadly wound was healed, signifies'the remedy
applied to this chief article of doctrine by-their reasoning as
follows: that no one can do good' works fiom himself, and fulfil
the law; and that on this account another medium of salvation
is provided:instead, which is fiith in' tie riglhteousnless and
merit of Christ, who suffered for man, and tliereby remn'oved the
sentence of the law. That this is their remnedy for the wounded
head, and is also applied, when by the wounded head' is -understood what goes before, n.:576, is well known, and therefore
needs no further explanation.-  -
578. And all: the world wondered after.the beast, signifies
that then this faith was gladly -received-, and became tle doc.
trine of the whole church, be-cause they thus were  not' bondmen,ti K-o7h    oecuchb                                    e




579             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xiii.;under the law, but freemen under faith.  *And all the world
wondered, signifies admiration that his deadly iwound was
healed, and thence reception gladly; by all the world is signified the whole church of the reformed, for the world or earth
means the church, n. 285; therefore by all the world wondered
after thie beast is signified that this faith was gladly received,
and became the doctrine of the whole church.  It is gladly received, because they thus are not bondmen under the law, but
freemen under faith; not knowin gC that the very revelse is trule,
viz., that they who think themselves free under faith, or from
that faith, or throullgh that tiith, are slaves to sin, that is to the
devil, for sin and thle devil are one and the same; foi' thus they
tlhink that the law does not condemn, and therefore that to sin
without beinro obnoxious to the sentence of the law constitutes
freedom, provided they have faith; when nevertheless this is
slavery itself; but man when he shuns sin, that is thle devil,
from being, a slave becomes fiee.  Here I will add this MEMORABLE CIRCUMSTANCE: I conversed in the spiritual world with
certain doctors of the church, about what tlley meant by works
of the law, and what by the law, under whose yoke, servitude,
and sentence, they declared themnselves not to be. They said
they meant' the wolrks of the law of'the decalogue; upon which
I asked,. " What are the things forbidden in the decalogue? are
they not these: Thou slialt not kill; thou shalt not commit
adultery; thou. shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness?  Are these the works of the law, which you separate
firom faith, saying, that faith alone, without the works of the
law, justifies and saves, and are these what Christ mzade satisfaction fobr 2?"  And they replied, "They are."  Upon this there
was heard a voice fi-omn hleaven, saying, "Who can be so senseless?" and instantly their faces were turned towards some diabolical spirits, amiong whom was Machiavel, and several of the
order of Jesuits, who acknowledged all these things to be allowable, provided they do not expose themselves to the penalties of
worldly laws; and they would have associated themselves with
these, had not a society interposed to prevent theiin. It is said
that all the world wrondered after the beast; that after the beast
means'to follow and obey it, appears from these places: David
hath " kept my commancldments, and hath walked after mqze with
all his heart,'  1 Kings xiv. 8. "The sons of Jesse went after
Saal to the war," 1 Sam. xvii. 13.  "Thou shalt not, go after
mullitulde to do evil; nieither shalt thou speak in a cause to
decline after many, to wrest judgment," Exod. xxiii. 2. "And
walk not cafter other yods, whom ye know not," Jerei. vii. 9
"And they went cfter other gods to serve them," Jelren. xi;
10; Deut. viii. 19. "For all the men that go after Baalapeor,
Jehovah thy God hath destroyed," Deut. iv. 3.
579. - And they wors/hpped the dragon, which gave power uunto
458




v. 3 —5.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           580-582:
tfe beast, signifies an acknowlecdginent of the doctrine of justificaEtion by f'aith, without thle wor'ks of the law, by leaders and;
teachers,  who have establishled its authority onI the reception
tliey have procured for it alnong tile comrnimunity at large; by
worshipping is signified to acknowledge it as holy in the cllurlcl;
by the dragon is signified the doctrille of justification and sal-.
vation by faiith alone, without the works of the law, 1. 537; by:
this beast is signified the community, because it denotes the.
laitfy, n. 567; by givilng powerl is signified to establish its,
authority by its reception atm'oncg the laity, n. 575.
580. AZnd they worshipped the beast, signifies an acknowledgment onlthe part of the communitry that it is lholy truth,
that nlo one can do good works from himself, nor ful-il the law.
To worship signifies to acknowledge it as holy in thle church, as
above, n. 579, lhere, to acknowledge it as a holy truth, that no.
one can do good works of himself, and fulfil tile law; and these.
two being regarded as holy truths, it follows, that thle works of
the law are to be removed fr'om faith, as not conducive to salvation; but that these truths, and many others, are ftlsified,
mayr be seen above, 1. 566: by the beast is hlere signified the
same as by the dragon, on account of tile reception and acknowledgment of tlle doctrine; thleretbre it is said that they worshipped the draogon, and worshiplped the beast.
581. Sayiny, WI'o is like unto the beast? wlho is able to figh/t
with hinm? signifies the excellence of that doctrine above all
others, because it cannot be coltradicted by any olne. Who is
like unto the beast, signifies an opilnion of the excellence of.
that church above all others on account of its doctrine; by the
beast is signified the community, thus the church, alnd abstractedly its doctrine; who is able to fighlt with himn, signifies,
whoi can deiny that man is not able to do any spiritual good
firomr himself, &c., as above, n. 566, and as this cannot be contradicted, are we not therefbre saved by faith without tile works
of the law? But that this conclusion is absurd, yea, insanity
itself, may be seen by every one who knows and understands
any thing of the Word.  Who is able to fight with hlim, also
signifies that this doctrine has been so ingeniously and subtilly
confirmed, and so fortified and guarded by its first leaders, and
such as have since taught after theln, that it cannot be impugned.
582. An.d thlere was gi'ven untlo himn a mouth speaking great
th/ing.s and blwasphemies, signifies that it teaches what is evil and
false.  By a mouth speaking is signified doctrine, preaching,
and discourse, n. 453; by speaking great things and blasphemies, is signified to teach wlhat is evil and false; for great is
predicated of good, and iJn an opposite sense of evil, n. 656,
663, 896, 898, and by blasphemies are. signified truths of the
Word falsified, thus, falses; what, is here signified by blas459




583, 584       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xiii.
phemies in particular, may be seen; above, n. 571: the reason
why it teaches what is evil, is, because it:removes the works of
the law, thus, the things which ought to be done, froml salva.
tion, and he who does this, is in spirituat evils, which are sins.
583. And power was givez, unto himn to continte forty-two
monTths, signifies the liberty of teaching and doing the evils
and falses of that doctrine, even to the end of that church, and
the beginning of the new. By power beilng given him, is signified the power of speaking great things and blasphemies, that
is, of teaching and doing the evils and falses mentioned above,
n. 582; forty-two months signify even to the end of. the former
chulch and beginning of the new, as above, n. 496;:the same as
is signified by three days and a half, n, 505; and by a time and
times and half a time, n. 562; and also by a thousand two hundred and sixty, n. 491, forty-two months making three years
and a half.
584. An d he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
bla.sphemne his name, signifies their sayings, which are scandals,
against the Essential Divinity and Divine Humanity of the
Lord, and at the same time against every thing relating to the
church derived fiom the Word, whereby the Lord is worshipped.
He opened his mouth in blasphemy, signifies the things uttered, which are false; by a mouth is signified doctrine, preaching, and discourse, n. 453, thus,; by opening the mouth, is.signiiied to utter them; and blasphemies signify falsifications of
the Word, and other things,: as above, n. 571, 582, and in the
present case, scandals, because it next follows, against God and
his name; by God is signified the Lord's Divinity, as also in
many other parts of the Apocalypse; and by his:naime is sienified;every thing by which the ILord is worshipped,. likewise the
Word, because worship is according- to it, n. 81. That by the
name of Jehovah, or of God, is signified the Lord's Divine
Humaniity, and at the same time the Word, likewise every thing
by which he is worshipped, may further appear friom the following passages: Jesus said, "Father, glorify thy namee; then came
a voice fiom heaven, saying, I have both  glorified it, and will
glorify it agail," John xii. 28. Jesus said, "I have declared
unto-: themrn  t/hy name, and -I will declare it," John-xvii..26.
" WhIatsoever ye shall ask in my name,-that will I do, that the
Father inay be glorified in the Son; if ye shall ask any thing in
mny namCe, I will do it," John xiv. 13, 14. ". In the. beginring
was' the Word, and the Word was with God, and- the Word
was God. Butas manv as received him, to them gavehlie power
to beconme the sons of God,: even to them that believe on his
namne; and the Word was made flesh," John i. 1, 12,.14. Jesus
said, "L Ile that believeth not in him is condemned already, because lie hath not believed in the name of t/he only-begotten, Son
of God," John iii. 18. By the name of Jehovah- God, which
460




v. 5, 6.1  i    THEE APOCALYPSE!REVEALED.             585
Is not to be profaned, in: the- second commandment of the decatogate; and by the name:of: the Father, which -is tolbe- hallowed,
in the Lord's prayer, nothing else ism understood.
585..And hi:'s tabernacle, and them that dwell inr: heaven, signifies scandals against the Lord's celestial kingcldom andi against
heaven. By: a tabernacle nearly the same is signifiedd as byv- a
temple, viz., in. a supreme sense, the Lord's Divine- Humanity,
and, in a relative sense, heaven and the church, -n. 191,. 529.
But- by a tabernacle, in this latter sense, is signified the- celestial church, which is: in the -good of love from the Lord to the
Lord; and by a temple, the spiritual: church, whichl; i iin the
truths of wisdom from the Lord; by them.that dwell in heaven
is signified heaven. The tabernacle signifies the celestial:kingdoml,:because the Most Ancient Church, which. was celestial,
through being principled in love to the Lord, performed divine
worship in tabernacles; and the Ancient Church, which was a
spiritual church, performed divine worship in temples.- Tabernacles were of wood, and:-temples of storne, and wood signifies
good-, and stone truth. That by a tabernacle is signified the
Lord's Divine Humanity as to Divine Love, likewise heaven
and the Church, which are in. love to the Lord, may appear
from the following passages: "Jehovah, who shall abide: in thy
tabernacle'; who shall dwell in thy holy hill hl e that walketh
uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth
in his heart," Psalm xv.. 1, 2.  "Jehovah shall hide me in his
tent, in the secret of.. his tabernacle shall he hide me,. he shall
set:me upon a rock," Psalm xxvii. 4, 5. ".I will abide in thy
tabernacle for ever," Psalm  lxi. 4.  "Look upon Zion, the
city of our solemnities, thine eye shall see Jerusalem, a:quiet
habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down).." Isaiah
xxxiii. 20.: "Jehovah that spreadeth out the heavens as a
tabernacle to dwell in," Isaiah xl. 22. ". Because thou hast
made: even the. Most High thy: habitation, neither -shall any
plague come nigh thy tabemrnacle," Psalm xci. 9, 10. " Jehovah hath set his tabernacle amongst you, and will walk among
you," Levit. xxvi. 11, 12. "Jehovah forsook the tabernacle of
Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men," Psalm. lxxviii.
60. " I: heard a great voice out of:heaven, saying, Behold,: the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with. tem,"
Apoc. xxi. 3. "ly-: tabernacles are spoiled," Jerem. iv. 20;
x. 20.- "He. shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle, and root'thee out of the land of the living," Psalm lii. 5; besides other
places, as Isaiah xvi. 5; liv. 2; Jerem. xxx. 18; Lament. ii. 4;
lIosea ix. 6; xii. 9; Zech. x'ii. 7.  Since the Most Ancient
Church, which was acelestial church, by reason of its love to the'ILod, and consequent conjunction with him, celebrated divine
worship in tabernacles, therefore the:Lord commanded Moses to
ouuild a taberrnacle, in which all things of.heaven and the church
4:61




586             THIE APOCALYPSE REVRALED.       [Chap. Xiii.
were represented; which was so holy, that it was not lan ful for.any one to go into it, except'Moses, Aaron, and his sons; and
if any one of the people entered he would die, Numb. cxvii,
12, 13; xviii. 1, 22, 23; xix. 14-19; in the inlihost part of it
Was the ark, in which were the two tables of the' decalogue,
over which was the mercy-seat and the cherubims; aold without
tihe vail was the table for the show-bread, the altar of incense,
and tle candlestick with seven lamps; all which were repre.
sentatives of heaven and the chlurch; it is described, Exod.
xxvi. 7 -16; xxxvi. 8-37; and we read that the pattern ther'eof
was shown to Moses on Mount Sinai, Exod. xxv. 9; xxvi. 30;
and whatsoever is given to be seen fi'om'heaven, the same is
representative of heaven, and thence of the church. In memory
of the most holy worship of the Lord in tabernacles by the most
ancient people, and of their conjunction with him by love, the
feast:f tabernacles was instituted, as mentioned in Levit. xxiii.
39-44; Dent. xvi. 13, 14; Zecl. xiv. 16, 18, 19.
586. And it was given, unto him to rzake war with the scaints,
and to overcome them., signifies that they have impugned the
divine trutls of the Word, and cast them down to the ground.
By war is sigllified spiritual war, which is that of falsity against
truth, and of truth against falsity, n. 500, hence to mnake war
is to iplugn; by saints are meant tlley who are in divine truths
firom  thle Lord throtugh thle Word, and thence, abstractedly
firom persons, divine truths, n. 173; therefore  by overcoming
them is signified to cause that trutlhs should not prevail, thus
to overthrow them. The like is signified by these words in
Daniel: "The fourth beast that came up out of the sea, which
had a mouth speaking great tllings, mnade war with the saints
and prevailed, vii. 21; and also by these: "The he-goat ran
at the rain, and cast him to the ground, and stamped upon himn
and magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and the
place of hlis sanctilary was cast down: and he cast dow-n the
truth to the ground," viii. 5-7, 11, 12; that by the he-goat is
meant faith separated fiom charity, nay be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith, n1. 61-68. In
like manner by these words: A king shall arise " of a fierce
countenance, and understanding  dark sentences; he shall destroy the nmighty, and the holy people, and he shall stand up
against tile Prince of princes; and lie shall cause craft to prosper in his handl," Dan. viii. 23 —25; that this king is the hegoat, is said verse 21 of the same chapter. The like is also
signified by the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit,
and made war with thle two witnesses, and overcame andcl killed
them., Apoc. xi. 7, n. 500; the reason why they overcame, is,
because the laity do not discern their artifices, which they call
mysteries, for they conceal them under appearances and falla-.cies; therefore they said, " Who is like unto the beast? who is
462




v. 6, 7.]        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.             -   587
able to fighit with him?" verse 4, n. 579, 580, 581. That by
saints  are Imeant those who are in trutlls firom the Lord throuhll
tile Wolrd, lmay appear fi'ofn tile places adduced above, n1. 173,
and also fiom the followving: Jesus said, "Fatller, sanctify them
through thy tr1utLh, thy Word is truth.  And for tlleir sakes.1
sanctify mysyeelf, that they alcdso?miqht be sanctfiedl throuygh t1'e
tru/th,;  In~, thenz, and thota in,,me," John xvii. 17, 19,293. " Jehovah came friom  Sinai, lhe sllined frth fioln Mount Paran,
and he came with ten thllosands of saints, fiom  his righlt hand
went a fiery law for them, all /is scintts are in thy hand; every
one shall receive of thy words," Deut. xxxiii. 2, 3  firom  which
it is plain, that they are called saillts who aie inl divine truths
fiom the Lord through the Word: also, that they who live acording to the commandme1nts, tllat is, accordilng to the trlutlls
of thle Word, were tle saints of Jehovah, Levit. xix. 2; Dent.
xxvi. 18, 19; and that if thley did the covenant, they were a
holy nation0, or nation of saints, Exod. xix. 5, 6: the decalogue
or ten commandments is the covenant whicll they were to do or
keep, n. 60; thus the place in the talerllacle, where the ark
was, in wllich the decalogue was deposited, was called the holy
of holies, Exod. xxvi. 33, 34. Tley are called saints who live
according  to the truths of tle Word; not tllat thley are holy,
blut the tluths in thlle  are holy, and tlley are lholy when they
are in them friom  tle Lord; anld the Lord is in tlleln wllen the
truths of his Word are ill tllem, Johllll xv. 7. By virtue of
tlrutlis fiom the Lord the angels a re called holy, Matt. xxv. 31;
Luke ix. 26; and in like mannller thle prophets, Luke  i. 70;
Apoc. xviii. 20; xxii. 6; and thle capostles, Apoc. xviii. 20.  It
is for this reason that the temple is called tlme temple of holiness,
Psalml v. 7; lxv. 4; and Sion, the u202tain, qf holineZss, Isaiah
lxv. 11; Jeremn. xxxi. 23; Ezek. xx. 40; Psalan ii. 6; iii. 4;
xv. 1  amid Jertstale7?, the holy city, Isaiahll xlviii. 2; lxiv. 10;
Apoc. xxi. 2, 10; Matt. xxvii. 53.  Andc thle chur~ch, the holy
jpeople, Isaiah lxii. 12; lxiii. 18; Psaltm cxlix. 2; atid also the
kizyqlo'm of saiqnts, Dani. vii. 18, 22, 27. The reason whlly they
were called holy, is, because angels, in an abstract seiise, signify divine truths fromn the Lord; prophets, trulths of doctrine;
apostles, trutlhs of the cllluch; thle temple, helavein anid the
clhurch as to divine trnthl; and, in like lmanlner, Sion, Jerusalem, the people and kingdomn of God: that no om)e is 1holy
firom himself, not. even tile angels, may be seen in Job xv. 14,
15, but from the Lord, because the Lord alone is holy, Apoc.
xv. 4, ii. 173.
587. Anzd p~ower was given, himi over every tribe, and tozgue,
and nation, signifies consequent dominion over all thlings of the
churchll, both as to its doctrine and as to its life.  By power is
signified dominion as above, n. 575; by tribe is signified the
church as to. its truths and goods, anld in an opposite sense, as
463




588, 589'ITHE- APOCALYPSE REVEALED.      [Chap. xiii.
to its -falses and evils, n. 20, 349; by tongue is signified its doce
trine, I. 282, 483, and by nation is signified a life according to
such doctrine, n. 483.
- 588.. And. all that dwell u~pon the earth shall worship: him,.w/hose,names aQre not written in ttAe book of life of the Lamb siognifies that. all acknowledged that heretical: doctrine, which is
meant by the dragon and the beast,: as: holy in- te church, ex.
cept those-who believed in the Lord..:To woiship signifies to
acknowled-ge as a sacred principle of the chulrch, as above, n.
579, 580;- by all that dwell upon the earth, are signified all of
the ReformIed Church, as in n. 5.58; by names -not written in
the. Lamb's bookl of life, is signified, except those who believe
in the-Iord;-by names, they ale signified as to their quality,
n. 81, 122, 165;; by tlhe book of. life is signified the Word of
the Lord, and all doctrine respecting him, n. 256, 257,.259,
469;. and as all church doctrine fiom the Word refers to this
point, that the Lord is to be.believed in, tlelrefore this is here
understood by name written in the Lamb's book of life.  Concerning fiith in the Lord, see above, n. 67 and 533.
589. Slctinfroo?t/e -foundation of th.e,world, signifies the
Lord's Divine Humanity not acknowledged from-the first establishment of the church.. By the.Lanb: slain is signified. that
the Lord's Divine Humlanity is not acknowledged, may be seen
above,-n. 59, 269, where these words are explained: "I am the
First and the Last, and am lhe that: liveth, and was dead, and
behold I am alive for evermore, i. 17, 18; and the following:
" And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, a lamb
standing as it were slain; and they sung a new solng, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God," v. 6, 9:; -fiom  the foundation of. tile
world, signifies from the. establishment of th.e church, both
7Jewish alld Christian; that the Jews did not acknowledge the
tord's Divine Humanity, is well known; that the Roman
Catholics do not, is also well known; and. that the Reformed
do not, may- be seen above, n. 294.  By the foundation of the
world is not here meant the creation of the.world, but the
establishment of the- chnrch; for by the world, in the most extensive-sense, is meant the whole world, and the good as well
as the wicked that are therein, and sometimes the wicked only-;
but in a less extensive sense, by the world is. meant the same as
by the globe and the' earth, thus the church; that by the globe
is signified the church, mnay be seen, -n. 551, and tile sane by
the earth, n. 285; that by laying the foundation of' the globe
and the earth is signified to establish the church; and that by
the founding and foundation thereof, its establishment is signified, may appear from Isaiah xxiv. 18; xl. 21; xlviii. 12, 13;
li. 16, 17;: lviii. 12; Jerem. xxxi. 37; Mic. vi. 1, 2; Zech. xii.
1; Psalm xviii. 7, 15; xxiv. 1, 2; lxxxii. 5; lxxxix. 11.. That
464




v. 7-10.]       THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.          590, 591
the world also signifies the church, may be seen in Matt. xiii.
37-39; Joel i. 9, 10; and that the Lord fiom faith in hilm is
called the Saviour of the world, John iii. 16-19; iv. 42; vi.
33, 51; viii. 12; ix. 4, 5; xii. 46, 47. That the world also
means the people of the church, John xii. 19; xviii. 20. From
hence it may be seen what is signified by the foundation of the
world; also in Matt. xxv. 34; Luke xi. 50; John xvii. 24;
Apoc. xvii. 11.
590. If any man lave an ear, let him hear, signifies that
they should attend to this, who desire to attain wisdom. That
by having an ear to hear is signified to perceive and obey, and
also to attend, may be seen above, n. 87; that it also means
those who desire to attain wisdom, follows of course. Here it
is said, "If any man have an ear let hiT hhear," in order that
they imay attend to what goes before, and that otherwise they
are not wise.
591. 1ke that leadeth into captivity shall go into ccativity,
signifies that he who by means of this heretical doctrine rnisleads others fiom believing well and living well, will himself be
drawn into hell by his own evils and falses. By leading into
captivity is signified to persuade and draw over to his own
party, that they may consent to and become adherents to that
heresy, which is understood by the dragon and the beast, and
so to draw aside from believing well and fiom living well. By
going into captivity is signified to be drawn into hell by his
own falses and evils. By captivity is heie meant spiritual captivity, which consists in being seduced, and so drawn away from
truths and goods, into falses and evils. That by captivity in
the Word is meant this spiritual captivity, may appear from the
following passages: "Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold
my sorrow, my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity," Lament. i. 18. "God f'orsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent which lie placed among men, and delivered his strength
into captivity," Psalm lxxviii. 60, 61. " The wind shall eat up
all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity; surely
then shalt thou be ashamed for all thy wickedness," Jerem. xxii.
22. "i will make mine arrows drunk with the blood of the
slain and of the captives," Deut. xxxii. 42. "They stoop, they
bow down together, and their soul is gone into captivity," Isaiah
xlvi. 1, 2. "Jehovah hath sent me to bind up the brlokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the ccapties, and the opening of
the prison to them that are bound," Isaiah lxi. 1; Luke iv. 18,
19. "I have raised hinm up in righteousness; and he slhall let
go my captives, not for price nor reward," Isaiah xlv. 13.
"Thou hast ascended on high, thfou hast led ca;ptivity captive," Psalm lxviii. 18. " Shall the lawful captive be delivered.?
Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the
prey of the terrible shall be delivered," Isaiah xlix. 24, 25.
465                                       E  E




592-594      TrHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           [Chap. xiil.
"Shake thyself from  the dust, arise, sit down, O Jerusalemn,
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter
of Zion," Isaiah lii. 1, 2; not to mention others; as Jerem.
xlviii. 46, 47; 1. 33, 34; Ezek. vi. 1-10; xii. 1-12; Obad. i.
11; Psalm xiv. 7; 1. 33, 34; liii. 6. By the captivities of the
sons of Israel by their enemies, spoken of in the book of Judges,
and 2 Kings xxx., and in the prophets, were represented, and
consequently signified spiritual captivities, of which elsewhere.
By those that are bound, or prisoners, the same is signified as
by captives in the following passages: "By the blood of thy
covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water," Zech. ix. 11.  "Let the sighing of the prisoner
come before thee," Psalm  lxxix. 11. "And they shall be
gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall
be shut up as in the prison," Isaiah xxiv. 22. "That made the
world as a wilderness, that opened not the house of his prisoners," Isaiah xiv. 17. " The King said, I was in prison, and ye
came not unto me," Matt. xxv. 36. Jesus said, "e Ought not
this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan h/ath
bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the
Sabbath day?" Luke xiii. 16.
592. 1rge that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the
sword, signifies that he who by means of falses destroys the
soul of another, is himself destroyed by falses, and perishes.
By a sword, a dagger, and a two-edged sword, is signified
truth, and, in an opposite sense, falsity, both militant, n. 52,
836; therefore by killing and being killed is signified to destroy
and be destroyed, or to ruin and to perish, which is effected by
falses.
593. Eere is the patience and the faith of the saints, signifies
that the man of the Lord's New Church, by temptations derived firom the spirits of the dragon, is explored as to the quality
of his life and faith. By patience is here signified patience in
temptations, and in such case exploration of man's quality as to
life according to the Lord's commandments, and as to faith in
the Lord; therefore it is said, here is patience and faith; by
saints are signified they who are of the Lord's New Church,
specifically they who are in divine truths therein, n. 586. Patience is predicated of temptations, whereby man is explored as
to what he really is; likewise as in other parts; of the Apoca
lypse, as in chap. i. 9; ii. 3, 19; iii. 10: that it means as to a
life according to the Lord's commandments, and as to faith in
him, is evident fiom these words, " They have no rest day nor
night who worship the beast and his image, here is the patience
of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus," Apoc. xiv. 11, 12.
594. And Ibeheld another beast coming up out of the earth,
signifies the clergy in the churches of the reformied who are
466




v. 10, 11.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              595
principled in the doctrine and faith of thie draon concerning
God and salvation. What the nature of the faith of the dragon
is, may be seen above, n. 537. The laity are they who are
meant by the beast which came up out of the sea, and the clergy
by the beast which came up out of the earth; because by the
sea is signified the external of the church, and by the earth its
internal, n. 398, 567, and the laity are in the externals of church
doctrine, and the clergy in its internals. That the clergy alre
now described, appears from all the particulars which follow,
when understood in a spiritual sense; and manifestly fromn this
circumstance, that this beast is also called the false prophellt,
Apoc. xvi. 13; xix. 20; xx. 10; and especially from the following passage: " And the beast was taken, and with him the
false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and
them  that worshipped his image," xix. 20; that this beast
wrought signs before the other, by which he seduced them, is
said in this chapter in these words: "And he doeth great wonders, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means
of those miracles which he had the power to do in the sight of
the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they
should make an image to the beast, and worship it," verses 13
-15.
595. And he had two horns like a lacmb, and he spake as a
dragon, signifies that what they say, teach, and write, is from
the Word, as thoufgh it were the Lord's divine truth, and yet it
is truth falsified. By horns is signified power, n. 270, 443, here
the power of speaking, teaching, and writing, thus of reasoning
and arguing; his having horns like a lamb, signifies that they
propagate these their notions as though they were divine truths
of the Lord, because they are derived from the Word: for by
a lamb is meant the Lord as to his Divine Humanity, and likewise as to the Word, which is divine truth fiom divine good;
hence it is that upon this beast, which is also the false prophet,
n. 594, there appeared two horns like a lamb; but that they
were divine truths falsified, is signified by his speaking as a dragon: that by those who are in the faith of the dragon concern
ing God and salvation all the truths of the Word are falsified,
may be seen above, n. 565. That these two things are signified
by this beast having two horns like a lamb and speaking like: a
dragon, appears evidently from these words of the:Lord in Matthew: "If any man shall -say unto you, Lo, here is: Christ, or
there, believe it not; for there shall arise false Christs and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that
if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect; behold l
have told you before," xxiv. 23-25.  By Christ is signified the
same as here by lamb, viz., the Lord as to the divine truth of
the Word; therefore their saying, " Lo, here is Christ," signi
467




596-598          THE APOCALYPSE RE'VEALC.  [Chap. xiii.
fies that they would say that this is the divine truth of the
Word; but that the same would be falsified, is signified by
these words, "If any one shall say unto you, Here is Christ, or
there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Chrlllists and false
prophets."  That these are they concerning whom   the Lord utters this prediction, is plain fiomr this consideration, that it is
said they would show great signs and wonders, and would deceive, if possible, the elect; the same as is said of this beast,
which is the false prophet, in verses 13, 14, of this chapter.
The things which the Lord foretold in that chapter of Mattliew
relate to the last time or state of the church, which is there
meant by the consummation of the age.
596. And he exerciseth all the power of the ftrs   beast before
him, signifies that they confirmed the tenets which are signified
by the dragon, and are received by the laity, and that they
thence derive their influence and authority.  That thlis is signi.fled, may be seen fiomn the explanation above concerning the
power given by the dragon to the beast which rose out of the
sea, n. 575, 579; and as this beast, which is the false prophet,
exercised that power before the dragon, nothing else is signlified
than that they caused them to prevail by their confirmations.
597. And cautseth the earth and them that dwell therein to
worsti2p the Jirst beast wwose deadly wouLnd was hea'led, signifies
that thus by their confirming arguoments they have established
this tenet, that it is to be acknowledged as a doctrine sacred in
the church, that since no one can do good works firom himself
and fulfil the law, the only medium of salvation is faith in the
righteousness and merit of Christ, who suffered for ma.n and
thereby took away the sentence of the law. It is unnecessary
to explain this any further, b)ecause it follows froml the explanations given in n. 566, 577-582: by the earth and them  that
dwell therein, are sigonified the churches of the refobrmed as
above; to worship signifies to acknowledge a thing to be sacred
in the church, as appears also above; in the present instance it
signifies to acknowledge as sacred that which is understood by
the beast which rose out of the sea, after his death-wound was
healed; and this has been explained already.
598. And he doeth great signs, signifies testifications that
the things they teach are true, althollgh they are false. By
signs are signified testifications that tiings are true, because
formerly signs were wrought to bear testimony to the truth;
but after tile cessation of signs and miracles, their signification
still continues, which is a testification of the truth; but in the
present case by signs are signified testifications fiom the beast
or false prophet, that his falses were truths, by reason that when
they are confirmed they do not appear otherwise.  That the
testifications of a truth are signified by signs, may appear from
the following passages: In the consummation of the age there
468




v. 11 —13.J     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              598
shall "arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect" MIatt. xxiv. 24; Mark xiii. 22.
" And great signs shall there be from heaven, and there shall
be signys ih the sun, and in the moon; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring,"
Luke xxi. 11, 25. " Jehovah frustrateth the signs of the liras,
and maketh the diviners mad, that turneth the wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish," Isaiah xliv. 25.
"Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at
the signs of the heavens," Jerein. x. 2.'"They are the spirits
of devils working miracles to gather them to the battle of that
great day," Apoc. xvi. 14. "And the beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him,
with which he deceived them," Apoc. xix. 20.  That signs
were testifications of the truth of a thing, appeal's further fi'om
the following passages: The disciples said to Jesus, " what sign
showest thou, that we may see and believe thee?" John vi. 3033. The Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees sought a sig/n of the
Lord, that they might know that lie was the Christ, Matt. xii.
38-40; xvi. 1-4; Mark viii. 11, 12; Luke xi. 16, 29, 30;
John ii. 16, 18, 19. The disciples said to Jesus, "What is the
siqn, of thy coming and of the end of the world?" Matt. xxiv. 3;
Mark xiii. 4. "If they will not believe thee, neither hearken
to tile voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of
the latter sign," Exod. iv. 8: the voice of a sign is testification.
" They showed his signs among them,' " Psaln  cv. 27. " He
said unto Ahaz, Ask thee a sign of Jehovah," Isaiah vii. 11, 14.
C" And this shall be a sign unto thee from Jehovah, behold I
will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down
in the sun-dial of Ahaz," Isaiah xxxviii. 7, 8. ".Hezekiah also
had said, What is the sign, that I shall go up to the house of
Jehovah?" Isaiah xxxviii. 22. "And this shall be a sign unto
you, saith Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place, that ye
may know that my words shall surely stand against you for
evil," Jerem. xliv. 29, 30. " O Jehovah, show me a sign for
good, that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed,"
Psalm  lxxxvi. 17. "Let them bring them forth and show ts
what shall happen, that we may consider them; show a sign of
what is to come hereafter, that we may know that ve are gods,"
Isaiah xli. 22, 23. "Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy
congregations, they have set up their ensigns for signs," Psalm
lxxiv. 3, 4, 9; besides other places, as Isaiah xlv. 11, 13; Jerem.
xxxi. 20, 21; Ezek. iv. 3; Psalm lxv. 7, 8; Psalm lxxviii. 42,
43; Exod. iv. 3; Numb. xiv. 11, 22; Deut. iv. 34; xiii. 2-4;
Judges vi. 17, 21; 1 Sam. ii. 34; xiv. 10; MIark xvi. 17, 18,
20; Luke ii. 11, 12, 16. The same is signified by the sign of
the covenant, Gen. ix. 13; xvii. 11; Ezek. xx. 12, 20. hence
469




699, 600         THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xiii.
it may clearly be seen, that by the great signs which this beast
of the dragon works, are not meant signs, but the testifications
by them that what they teach are truths; for every heretic who
has confirmed himself in falses, after confirmation, strives to
prove that his falses are truths; for then he no longler sees truths,
inasmuch as the confirmation of falsity is the negation of truttl,
and when a truth is denied it loses its light; and so far as falses
shine from  the light of confirmation, which is an infatuating
light, so far the light of truth is turned into darkness, as may
be seen above, n. 566.
599. So that he mnaketh fire come down from heavesn on earth
in the sight of men, signifies attestations that their falsities are
truths of heaven, and that they who receive them  are saved, and
that thev who do not receive them perish. The reason why this
is signified by these words, is, because the greatest signs were
wrought by fire from heaven; whence it was a commnon saying
among the ancients in confirmation of any thing, when tlie matter in question Was concerning the testification of truth, that
they could bring down fire fiom heaven to testify it; by whiie-h
was signified that they could testify even to that extent. That
the truth was also testified by fire firom heaven, appears firom the
following passages: That the burnt-offering which was offered
by Aaron was consumed by fire from heaven, Levit. ix. 24, and
in like manner the burzt-offering which was offered by Elijah,
1 Kings xviii. 38. Fire friom heaven, in an opposite sense, was a
sign testifying that they were in evils and thence in falses, and
that they would petish; but this fire was a consuming fire; as
for instance, The fire from-, heaven that consumed.the two sons
of Aaron, Levit. x. 1 —6.  That which consumed two hundred
and fifty men, Numb. xxvi. 10.  That- which consumed the
uttermost parts of the camp, Numb. xi. 1-4.  That which
twice consamed fifty men sent by the king to Elijah, 2 Kings i.
10, 12. The fire and brimstone which came down friom heaven
upon Sodom, Gen. xix. 24, 25. The fire fiom heaven which
consuined those who compassed the camp of the saints and the
l)eloved city, concerning which:see Apocalypse xx. 9. The disciples being angry with the impenitent, said to Jesus, "Lord,
wilt thou that we command fire to colne down fi'om heaven and
consume them?" Luke ix. 54. These passages are adduced to
show that fire from heaven signifies a testification, yea, an attostation, that truth is truth, and, in an opposite sense, that falsity
is truth, as in the present instance.  Fire also signifies celestial
love, and thus zeal for the truth, and, in an opposite sense, infernal love, and thence zeal for falsehood, n. 468, 494.
600. And deceiveth themz that dwell on the earth, by the means
of those signs which he had power to do in? the sight of. the beast,
signifies that by their testifications and attestations they lead
the men of the church into erlors.  To seduce signifies to lead
470




v. 13, 14.]    T'HE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.              601
into errors; by them that dwell on the earth are signified the
nmen of the Reformed Church, as above, n. 578, 588, 597; by
the signs which it was given him to do before the beast, are sig.
nified testifications, or asseverations and attestations, n. 598,
599: by the beast which rose out of the sea, before whom the
signs were done, is signified the faith of the dragon among
the laity, n. 567; and by the beast which rose out of the
earth and did the signs, and which in other places is called
the false prophet, is signified the faith of the dragon anlong
the clergy, n. 594. The like is said by the Lord in Matthew
xxiv. 24-26.
601. Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they shoild
make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword
and lived, signifies that they induce the men of the church to
receive for doctrine, that faith is the only medium of salvation,
because no one can do good from himself but what is meritorious, and because no one can fulfil the law, and so be saved.
By them  that dwell on the earth, are meant the men of the
Reformed Church, as above, n. 600; by an image is signified
the doctrine of that church, as will be seen presently; and by
the image of the beast, which had the wound by a sword and
lived, is signified this doctrine, that faith is the only medium of
salvation, because no one can do good from himself but what is
meritorious, and because no one can fulfil the law, and so be
saved, as above, n. 576, 577, &c. Every church appears before
the Lord as a man; if it is in truths from the Word, it appears
as a beautiful man, but if it is in truths falsified, it appears as a
man-mlonster: the church so appears firom its doctrine and from
a life according to it; friom which it follows, that the doctrine of
a church constitutes its image. This may also be seen firom the
following consideration: every man is his own good and truth,
or his own evil and falsity, man being truly a man from no othei
ground; consequently it is doctrine and conformity of the life
to it which mnakes the image of a man of the church, the image
being that of a beautiful man, if the doctrine and the life according to it be formed from genuine truths of the Word; but
it is the image of a man-monster, if formed from falsified truths
of the Word. Man, indeed, in the spiritual world, appears like
some animal; but it is his affection which has this appearance
at a distance: they who are in truths and goods fiom the Lord,
appear as lambs and doves, but they who are in falsified truths
and adulterated goods, appear as owls and bats; they who are
in faith separated firom charity, as dragons and goats; they wtho
are in falses from evil, appear as basilisks and crocodiles; and
they who are such, and yet have confirmed the doctriinals of the
church, have the appearance of fiery flying serpents. From
these considerations it may be seen, that church-doctrine and
conformity of life to it are meanlt by the image of the beast,
t71




602, 603        THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.         [Chap. xiii.
which they made for the dwellers upon earth.  But what became of those who worshipped the image of the beast, nmay be
seen, Apoc. xiv. 9 —11; xix. 20, ~x. 4. In a spiritual senlse,
images have a sinmilar significatiov  in Exodus xx. 4, 5; Levit.
xxvi. 1; Deut. iv. 16-18; Isaiah ii. 20; Ezek. vii. 20; xvi. 17;
xxiii. 14 —16. The idols and graven images of the ancients
were imagles of their religion, Cn which account falses and evils
of doctrine are signified by them, n. 459.
602. And he had  power to give breath unto the image of the
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, signifies
that it was permitted them to confirm that doctrine by means of
the Word, whereby it does as it were receive life when it is
tautght. By his having power is signified that it was permitted;
for all falses of doctrine, as well as evils of life, are of permission, concerning which see The Ayngelic Wisdon concerning the
Divine Providence, n. 234-274, 275-285, 296: by the image
of the beast, that doctrine is signified, n. 601; by giving  life to
the inage of the beast is signified to confirm it from the Word,
for there is no spirit and life to any doctrine of the church from
any other source; that the image of the beast might speak,
signifies that so it illay seem to have life when i; is taughtt. The
true reason why this is meant by giving spirit to the image of
the beast, that it might speak, is, because in every particular of
the Word there is spirit and life, for the Lord spake the Word,
therefore he himself is in it, and he so spake the Word as that
every thing therein should have communication with heaven,
and through heaven with himself, there being a spiritual sense
in it, whereby communication is effected; whereforel the Lord
says, " The wordS that I speak unto you, they are s.pirit and
they are life," John vi. 63.
603. And cause, that as many as woubld not worship the
image of the beast should be killed, signifies that they denounce
damnation against those who do not acknowledge their doctrine
of fhithl to be the holy doctrine of the church.  To worship the
image of the beast signifies to acknowrledge their doctrine of
faith as holy church-doctrine; for by worshipping is signified to
acknowledge as a sacred principle of the clihurch, n. 579, 580,
5.88, 597, and by the image of the beast is signified the doctrine, n. 601; by being killed is signified to be killed spiritually,
which is to be damned, n. 325, and elsewhere; and as being
killed signifies to be damned. it also signifies to be declared a
heretic, and excluded from the communion with the church,
for such a one, in their eyes, is considered as damned. This is
done by the learned among the clergy, who have imbibed the
mysteries of justification in schools and universities, especially
they who are puffed up with a conceit of their own erudition in
such things; these condemn all who do not think as they do,
and so far as they dare, they fulminate against them.  This I
472




v. 14-16.      mfE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.           604, 605
can declare, that they who have imbibed these mysteries, and
were in consequence in the pride of erudition, are so inveterate in thle spiritual world against those who worship the Lord
only, and do not acknowledge faith alone as the sole mneans of
salvation, that they burn with wrath and fury when they see
theln, and also when thev feel at a distance thte divine sphere
of the Lord and a sphere of charity encompassing them. Since
they are such, the dragon is therefore described as a most inveterate e lerlly to thelim, as that lie "stood before the woman
which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon
as it was born. And the serpent cast out of its monuth water
as a flood after the woman, that he miglht cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the dragon was wroth with the
woman, and went to maklce war with the remnant of her seed,"
Apoc. xii. 4, 15, 17. That " out of the mouth of the dragon,
and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of
the false prophet," there came forth three unclean spirits like
firogs, to gather them  to the battle of the great day of God
Almighty, Apoc. xvi. 13-16; the same in chap. xix. 19, 20, and
xx. 8-10; as also that the beast that ascelideth out of the
bottomless pit slew the two witnesses, and cast out their bodies
into the street of the great city, which spiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt, and suffered not their dead bodies to be put
into graves, Apoc. xi. 7-9: by not suffering them to be put
into graves is signified to reject them as condemned, n. 506.
604. And hze cceased all, both smnall and great, and ric/h anzd
poor, free and bond, signifies all in that church, whatsoever mllay
be their condition, learning, and intelligence. By small and
great are here meant they who are in a greater or lesser degree
of dignlity, thus of whatever condition; by rich and poor are
meant they who are more- or less in knowledges and sciences,
n. 206, thus of whatever degree of learning; by firee and bond
are meant they whose wisdom is fiom themselves and they
whose wisdom is from others, n. 337, thus of whatever degree
of intelligence; therefore by all, both small and great, rich and
poor, free and bond, are meant all in that church whatever may
be their condition, learning, and intelligence. These are the
things that are understood in the spiritual sense.
605. To receive a mark ipn their right hand or in their foreheads, signifies that no one is acknowledged to be a reformed
Christian unless he receives that doctrine in faith and love. By
receiving a mark is signified to be acknowledged to be a reformed
Christian, or of the confession which that doctrine teaches; a
mark denotes such acknowledgment and confession; by the
right hand is signified the all of man as to intellectual power,
thus as to faith, for the right hand signifies the power of man,
n. 457; by the forehead is signified the all of man as to voluntary power, thus as to love, for the forehead signifies love, n. 347.
473




606             THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xiii,
606. And that no man mright buy or sell save he that had the
mark, or name of the beast, or the number of his name, signifies
that it is not:lawful for any one to teach from the Word, nor
consequently to be inaugurated into the priesthood, honoured
with the magisterial laurel, invested with the doctor's cap, and
called orthodox, unless he acknowledges that doctrine, and
swears to the belief and love thereof, or of that which is in
agreement, or of that which is not at variance with it. By
buying and selling is signified to acquire knowledges, here such
as belong to that doctrine, and to teach.them, as will appeal
presently; by a mark is signified the acknowledgment of being
a refobrmed Christian, and confession that he is so, n. 605; by
the name of the beast is signified the quality of the doctrine,
by name the quality, n. 81, 122, 165, 584, and by the beast is
signified the doctrine receivec  by the laity, consequently by the
community at large, n. 567; and as it is said, or the name of
the beast, that which is in agreement with it and its quality is
signified: by number is signified the quality of a thing, n. 448;
and because it is said, or the number of his name, that which
is not at variance with it and its quality is signified. It is so
said, because the doctrine which is signified by the dragon and
his beast, varies in the different kingdoms in which the Reformed Clurch exists; whilst it is the same as to this chief or
leading tenet, THAT FAITH WITHOUT THE WORKS OF THE LAW
JUSTIFIES AND SAVES. That to buy and sell signifies to procure
knowledges, and teach them, in like manner to merchandise,
trade, and gain, appears fiom the following passages: "Ho,
every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, comle, buy wine and
milk without money and without price," Isaiah Iv. 1. " Ye
have sold yourselves for nought, and ye shall be redeemed without money," Isaiah lii. 3.  "' With thy wisdom and with thine
nnderstanding hast thou gotten thee riches, and by thy great
wisdom and by tahy traffic hast thou increased thy riches," Ezek.
xxviii. 5. Since by Tyre is signified the church as to the
knowledges of things good and true, therefore it is said of Tyre,
"All the ships of the sea were to carry on thy merchancdise:
Tarshish was thy merchant in silver: Javan, Tubal, and Mesheck,
they were thy merchants, they traded in persons of men: Syria
was thyv merchant in emeralds: thy riches, thy traffic, thy merchandise, they that carry on thy merchandise,: shall fall into
the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin," Ezek. xxvii. 1
to the end.  "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid
waste, whose merchants are princes, and whose traffickers are
the honourable of the earth," Isaiah xxiii. 1- 8. The same is
meant by trading, in, the Lord's parable of the man who tra.
veiled into a far country, and gaye his servants talents, that
they might trade with them  and gain, Matt. xxv. 14-20
474




q. 17, 18.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEtLED.         607-609
And of the other, who gave his servant ten pounds to trade8
with, Luke xix. 12-26.  And of the " treasure hid in a field;
the which when a man hath found, and hideth for joy thereof,
he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field;"
Mdatt. xiii. 44. And of him that soughit goodly pearls, who,
when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all
that he had, and bought it, Matt. xiii. 45, 46.  "Such have
thy merchants been fr'om thy youth: they shall wander every
one to his quarter, none shall save thee," Isaiah xlvii. 15. Not
to mention many other instances.
607. Here is wisdom, signifies that it is the part of a wise
man, fiom what has been said and explained in this chapter, to
see and understand the nature of the doctrine and faith of the
clergy concerning God and salvation. It is said here, because
those things are meant which are declared and explained in this
chapter, specifically concerning the beast which rose out of
the earth, by which is signified the doctrine and consequent
faith of the clergy concerning God and salvation,' n. 594, for
the things contained in this verse are said of that beast; and as
it is the part of a wise man, or of wisdoml, to see and understand what that doctrine and consequent faith is, it is therefore
said, Here is wisdom.
608. let  hin that hath understanding coun.t the number of
the beast, signifies that he who is in illustration from the Lord,
may know the nature and quality of their confirmations of that
doctrine and faith from the Word. To have intelligence signifies to be in illustration from the Lord; to compute the number signifies to know the quality, numnber signifying quality, n.
343, 364, 448, and to compute signifies to know; and because
the quality which is signified by number is its quality as to
truth, and all truth of doctrine and faith in the church being
firom the Word, therefore it means' the quality of their confirmations finom the Word; this also is the quality which is signified by the number six hundred sixty and six, as will be seen
presently.
609. For it is the nunmber of a man, signifies the quality of
the Word and thence of the church. By man is signified wisdom and intelligence, n. 243; here wisdom  and intelligence
from the Word; thus also the Word as to the wisdomn and intelligence in the man of the church; the church itself liklewise
appears before the Lord as a maun; hence a man of the church,
as to his spirit, appears in heaven as a man according  to the
quality of the chlurch derived fiom  the Word in him; this
therefore it is. which is signified here by the number ofra man,
because it follows after these words, Let himl that hath intelli.
gence compute the number of the beast, by which is signified
that he who is in illustration friom the Lord may know what
the quality of the confirmations of the doctrine and faith con475




6::-)            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xiii
eerning God and salvation among the clergy really is. Th16
quality of the church as derived fiom the Word is also signified
by man, n. 920, and also in other places.
610. Ancd his nnumber is six hunclrecl sixty and six, signifies
this quality, that all the truth of the Word is falsified by then.
By thle nlumber of thle beast is signified the quality of the con.
firmations of doctrine and faitll from the Wolrd amlon  thelu, n.
608, 609; by six hundred sixty and six is signified every truth
of good, and as this is said of the Word, it signifies every truth
of good in the Word, here the same falsified, because it is the
number of the beast. The reason of this signification is, because six signifies the same as three multiplied by two, anc
three signifies what is full and all, and is predicated of truthls,
n. 505, and two signifies the marriage of truth and good; and
as six is composed of those two numbers multiplied by each
other, it therefore signifies every truth of good in tile Word
but here the same falsifiedcl: that it is also falsified by them may
be seen above, n. 566. The number six hundred sixty.and six
is used, because in that number six is tripled, and triplication
completes; the multiplying by one hundred, whence comes six
hundred, and by ten, whence comnes sixty, makes no difference,
as may be seen above, n. 348. That six signifies what is fill
and all, and is used where the trnuths of good are treated of,
may appear fiom those passages in the Word where that nunl
ber occurs; but this signification of this number does no,
clearly appear except to those who see the things conlcerning
which it treats in the spiritual sense, as when the Lord says,
"That the seed which fell on good gl'ound, brought forth frnit,
some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, some an hundred-fold," Mark
iv. 8, 20; 5Matt. xiii. 8, 23.  That the householder went out
and brought labourers into his vineyard at the third hour and
at the sixth hour, Matt. xx. 3, 5. That upon the table in the
tabelrnacle the cakes of bread were set in two rows, six on a row.
Levit. xxiv. 6. That there were set six water pots, after the
manner of the pnl.ifying of the Jews, John ii. 6. That there
were six cities of refilge or asylums, Numb. xxxv. 6, 7; Deut.
xix. 1-9.  That the measuring reed with which the angel
measured all parts of the new temple and new city, was six
ctbits long, Ezek. xl. 5. That the prophet was to drink water
by measure, the sixth part of arn hin, Ezek. iv. 11. That they
were to take for an offering the sixta part of an ephahC, of an
homer of wheat, Ezek. xlv. 13. Because six signifies what is
fnll, thle word to sextate, or give a sixth part, came into use,
by whlich, in a spiritual sense, is signified what. is complete' and
entire; as, That they should offer the sixth part of an ephah
out of an hoiner of wheat, Ezek. xlv. 13; and it is said of
Gog, I will tulrn thee back. and leave but the sixth pcart of
thee, or will sextate thee, Ezek. xxxix. 2; by which is signi
476




v. 17, 18.]     THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.               611
fled that with him every truth of good in the Word should
be utterly destroyed: who are meant by Gog, may be seen at
n. 859.
611. I shall here subjoin this Memorable Relation. All
who are prepared for heaven, a process which takes place in
tile world of spirits, which is in the midst between heaven and
hell, after a certain time, begin to have an earnest desire and
longing for heaven, and presently their eyes are opened, and
they see a way which leads to some society in heaven; they
take this way and ascend, and as they ascend there is a gate,
and a keeper at it; the keeper of the gate opens it, and they
go in. They are then accosted by an examiner, who tells them
from the governor, that they may enter in still further, and
inquire whether there are any houses which they can acknowledge as their own, for there is a new house for every novitiate
angel; and if they find any, they give notice and remain tliere,
and if they do not find any, they come back and report the
same; and then they are examined -by a certain sage there, to
discover whether the light that is in them accords with the
light of that society, and particularly whether the heat accords;
for the light of heaven, in its essence is divine truth, and the
heat of heaven in its essence is divine good, both proceeding
from the Lord as the sun tl-lere; if any other light and any
other heat than the light and heat of that society is in them,
they are not received, that is, if any other truth and any other
good is in them, therefore they depart thence, and proceed in
the ways which are opened among the societies in heaven, and
this till they find a society which accords in every respect with
their affections, and here they take up their abode to eternity;
for they are here among their like, as among relations and
firiends, whom, as being in a similar affection, they cordially
love, and there they are in the enjoyment of their life, and in
a fullness of bosom-delight derived firom peace of soul; fou
there is in the heat and light of heaven an ineffable delight,
which is communicated.  Such is the case with those who
become angels.  But they who are in evils and falses may,
indeed, by permission, ascend into heaven; but when they
enter, they begin to draw their breath ori to respire with difficulty, and presently their sight is obscured, their understanding is darkened, and thought ceases, and death seems present
before their eyes, and thus they stand like a stock; and then
they begin to have a beating at the heart, and a straitness over
the breast, the mind is seized with anguish, and they become
more and more tormented, and in that state writhe themselves
about like a serpent laid before the fire;; therefore they roll
themselves away, and cast themselves headlong down a precinice which then appears to them; nor do they rest till they are
477




61.1           THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.       [Chap. xlii.
in hell among their like, where they can respire, and their heart
can vibrate freely. Afterwards they hate heaven, and reject
truth, and in heart blaspheme the Lord, being persuaded that
their anguish and torments in heaven proceeded from him.
From these few circumstances it may be seen what their lot is
who make no account of truths, which yet constitute the light
in which the angels of heaven dwell, and who make no account
of good, which yet constitutes the heat in which the angels of
heaven dwell. From the same considerations also it may appear
how munch they are mistaken, who imagine that every one may
enjoy heavenly beatitude, provided only he be admitted into
heaven.  For the common belief at this day is, that to be received into heaven depends solely upon mercy; and that recep
tion into heaven is the same thing as being admitted, in this
world, into a house where there is a marriage, and there' partaking of the amusements and festivity of the place. But let
them know, that there is a communication of affections in the
spiritual world, man being then a spirit, and the life of a spirit
being affection, from which, and according to which, thought
proceeds; and that homogeneous affection conjoins and heterogeneous affection disjoins, and that heterogeneity would toI'ment a devil in heaven, and an angel in hell; for which reason
they are separated exactly according to the diversities, varieties,
and differences of the affections which are of love.
It was granted me:to see upwards of three hundred of the
clergy of the Reformed Church all men of learning, who knew
how to confirm the doctrine-of faith alone even to justification,
and some of them still further; and because there prevailed a
belief among them also, that heaven consists only in admission
by favour, leave was given them to ascend to a society in heaven,
though not to a superior one-; and as they ascended together,
they appeared at a distance like calves, and upon their entrance
into heaven they were received with civility by the angels, but
when they discoursed with them,.they were seized with tremnbling, afterwards with horror, and lastly with the agonies as
it were of death, upon which they cast themselves down headlong, and in their descent they appeared like dead horses. The
reason of their appearing like calves as they ascended, was, because from correspondence the natural exulting affection of
seeing and knowing has the appearance of a calf, and the reason
why they appeared like dead horses as they fell, was, because
from correspondence the understanding of truth from the Word
has the appearance of a horse, and the non-understanding of
truth in the Word has that of a dead horse.
There were some echildremn below, who saw them falling, to
whom in their descent they seemed like dead horses; at which
they turned away their faces, and said to their master, who was
with them, "What is the meaning of this?  We beheld men,
478




Chap. xiii.]    THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.                611
and now instead of them there are dead horses, the sight of
which we could not bear, and we therefore turned away our
faces; master, let us not stay in this place, but let us go:" and
they departed. The masterlthen instructed them, as they went
along, Upon the signification of a dead horse, saying, "A horse
signifies the understanding of the Word; all the horses which
you saw, had that meaning; for when a man goes meditating
firom the Word, then his meditation, at a distance, has the appearance of a horse, a Generous and sprightly horse according
as he meditates spiritually upon the Word, and, on the contrary, a poor and dead horse according as he meditates thereon
rmaterially."  The children then inquired, What it is to meditate on lthe Word spiritually and materially?  To which the
master replied, "'I will illustrate it by examples: Who, when
lie reads the Word, does not think of God, his neighbour, and
heaven?  Every one who thinks of God only from an idea of
his person, and not friom an idea of his essence, thinks materially; so he who thinks of his neiglhbour only firom his fbrm,
and not from his quality, thinks materially; and he who thlinks
of heaven only firom place, and not fifrom the love and wisdom
which constitute heaven, thinks also materially."  Upon which
the children said, " We have tlhought of God from  person, of
our neighbour from form, as being a man, and of heaven as a
place; did we therefore, whilst we were re.dling the Word, appear to any one like dead horses?"  " No," replied the master,
"you are but children, and could not think otherwise; but. I
have perceived in you an affection of knowing and understanding, which being spiritual, you have also thought spiritually.
But I will return to what I observed at first, that he who thinks
materially, when readicng the Word or meditatinlg upon it,
appears at a distance like a deadl horse, but he who reads it
spiritually, like a livino horse; and that lie thinks materially
concerning God and the Trinity, who thinks of God only from
an idea of person, and not fioln essence; for there are many
attributes:of the divine essence,' such as omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, mercy, grace,. eternity, and others;
and there are attributes proceeding fiom the divine essence,
whicli are creation. and preservation, salvation and redemption,
illumination and inlstructionl; every one who thinks of God
only friom an idea of person, makles three gods,' saying tllat one
god is the creator and plreserver, another the saViourI and redeemner, and a third thle illuminator and instructor; but every
one who thinks of Go.d fiom an idea of his essence, mnakes one
God, saying, God created and preserves us, redeeins and saves
us, illuminates and instructs 1us; this is the reason why they
who think of thle Trinity in God fiom person, and thus materially, cannot, fr'om the nature of their ideas, which are material, avoid making three gods out of one; but yet, contrary to
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6t1l            THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED.        [Chap. xill
what they think, they are forced to say, that in eachthere is a
communion of all the attributes, and this solely by reason that
tlhey have entertained some faint idea of God in respect to
essence: therefore, my pupils, think of God firom his essence,
and fiom that of his person, and not from his person, and from
this of his essence, for to think of his essence fionm his person,
is to think materially of his essence also; but to think of his
person from his essence, is to think spiritually even of his
person. The ancient Gentiles, inasmuch as they thoughlt materially of God, and also of the attributes of God, not only
feigned three gods, but many more, to the number of a hundred:
know then that what is material does not flow into what is
spiritual, but what is spiritual flows into what is material.  It
is the same with respect to thinking of our neighllbour from his
form, and not fiom his quality, and of heaven from place, and
not fiom the love and wisdom which constitute heaven. It is
the same with all and every single thing in the Word; therefore he wNho entertains a material idea of God, and likewise of
his neighbour and of heaven, cannot understand any thing that
it contains; the Word is to him a dead letter, and he hiimself,
when he reads it and meditates on it, appears at a distance like
a dead horse. They whom you saw filling from heavenl, and
who appeared in your sight like dead horses, were such as had
closed the rational sight in themselves and others by this peculiar tenet, that thle understanding is to be kept in subljection
to their ftlith; not considering that the understandinlg' wlen
closed firom a principle of religion, is as blind as a mole, and
there is nothing but imiere darkness in it, and such darkness as
rejects fiom itself all spiritiual light, opposes its influx from the
Lord and friom heaven, and sets up a barrier against it in the
sensual corporecal part, far below the rational in matters relating
to faith, thlat is, places it in the nose, and fixes it in its cartilage,
on which account they cannot afterwards so much as scent
spiritual things; whence some have been reduced to such a
state as that the very scent of any thing spiritual throws them
into a swoon: by scent I mean perception. These are tlley
who make God three; they say, indeed, from  an idea of his
essence, that God is one, but yet when they pray in conforlmity
to their faith, to the following effect, that God the Father
would have mercy for the sake of the Son and send the Holy
Spirit, they evidently make three gods: they cannot do otherwise,
for they pray to one to have mercy for the sake of anotller, and
sertd a third."  After this the master taught them concerning
the Lord, that he is the one God, in whom there is a divine
trinity.
END OF VOL. I.
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