1. Prólogo del Autor

Cuando el Señor, ante Sus discípulos, habla de la consumación del siglo, por lo cual se entiende el último período de la vida de la iglesia, al final de la predicción acerca de los sucesivos estados de la misma con respecto al amor y a la fe, dice así:

Luego... después de la aflicción de aquellos días el sol se oscurecerá y la luna no dará su lumbre, y las estrellas caerán del cielo y las potencias del cielo serán conmovidas, y entonces aparecerá la señal del Hijo del Hombre en el cielo y entonces lamentarán todas las tribus de la tierra, y verán al Hijo del Hombre venir en las nubes del cielo con potencia y grande gloria, y enviará sus ángeles con trompeta y magna voz, y juntará sus escogidos de los cuatro vientos, del extremo de los cielos hasta el extremo de ellos (Mateo 24:29-31).

Él que toma estas palabras en el sentido literal cree que todo cuanto expresan según la descripción en ese sentido se verificará en el postrer tiempo llamado el último juicio, es decir, no solamente que el sol y la luna se oscurecerán y que las estrellas caerán del cielo, así como que la señal del Señor aparecerá en el cielos y que verán a Él en las nubes y también a los ángeles con trompetas, sino que también según la predicción en otro lugar, el mundo visible entero perecerá y que luego aparecerá un nuevo cielo con una nueva tierra. En esta creencia está hoy día la mayor parte en la iglesia. Pero los que así creen no conocen los arcanos que están ocultos en cada detalle del Verbo; porque en cada detalle del Verbo hay un sentido interior, el cual no expresa cosas naturales y mundanas como las que se hallan en el sentido literal, sino espirituales y celestiales, y esto no tan sólo con respecto a la significación de una pluralidad de palabras, sino también con respecto a cada palabra en particular, porque el Verbo es compuesto de puras correspondencias, a fin de que haya sentido interior en cada detalle. La índole de este sentido se puede conocer por todo cuanto con respecto al mismo se ha dicho y manifestado en "Arcana Coelestia, " lo cual también puede verse en compendio en la explicación de "El Caballo Blanco, " del cual se habla en el Apocalipsis. Según este sentido deben entenderse las cosas que en el lugar arriba indicado dijo el Señor acerca de Su venida en las nubes del cielo. Allí, el "sol" que se oscurecerá significa el Señor con respecto al amor, la "luna" el Señor con respecto a la fe, las "estrellas" los conocimientos del bien y de la verdad o sea del amor y de la fe la "señal del Hijo del Hombre en el cielo" la aparición de la Divina verdad; las "tribus de la tierra, " que lamentarán, todo cuanto pertenece a la verdad y al bien o sea a la fe y al amor; " la venida del Señor en las nubes del cielo con potencia y gloria, " Su presencia en el Verbo y la revelación; por "nubes" se significa el sentido literal del Verbo, y por "gloria" el sentido interior del Verbo; por "ángeles con trompeta y potente voz" se significa el cielo de donde procede la Divina verdad. Por esto es evidente que por aquellas palabras del Señor se entiende que al final de la iglesia, cuando ya no quede amor alguno y por ello tampoco fe alguna, abrirá el Señor Su Verbo con respecto a su sentido interior, y revelará los arcanos del cielo. Los arcanos que en lo siguiente serán revelados se refieren al cielo y al infierno así como a la vida del hombre después de la muerte. El hombre de la iglesia hoy día apenas sabe cosa alguna acerca del cielo y del infierno, ni de su vida después de la muerte, por más que todas estas cosas se hallan consignadas en el Verbo; hasta hay muchos, nacidos dentro de la iglesia, que las niegan, diciendo en su corazón: "¿Quién ha venido de allí y las ha contado?" Con el fin, pues, de que semejante negación, la cual reina principalmente entre aquellos que tienen mucho de la sabiduría del mundo, no contamine y corrompa también a los de sencillo corazón y de sencilla fe, me ha sido otorgado estar con los ángeles, y hablar con ellos como hombre con hombre y así como ver las cosas que hay en el cielo y también las que hay en el infierno, y esto por espacio de trece años, siéndome ahora permitido referirlas por oídas y vistas, esperando que así la ignorancia será iluminada y la incredulidad disipada. La razón por la cual tal inmediata revelación tiene lugar actualmente es que esta revelación es lo que se entiende por "la venida del Señor."

5954. 'And to them all he gave each one changes of garments' means truths brought in touch with good. This is clear from the meaning of 'garments' as truths, dealt with below, so that 'changes of garments' are truths that are new, and truths are made new when they are brought in touch with good, for then they receive life. The subject is the joining of the natural man to the spiritual, or the external man to the internal. When the joining together is effected the truths undergo change and are made new since they receive life from the good that flows into them, see just above in 5951. 'Changing one's garments' was representative of the need to put on holy truths, and this is also the origin of 'changes of garments', see 4545.

[2] The reason why in the Word truths are meant by 'garments' is that truths clothe good in almost the same way as blood vessels contain blood or fibres contain spirit. 'A garment' also has truth as its meaning because spirits, and angels too, are seen wearing garments; and each spirit or angel is attired in a way that accords with the truths that reside with him. Those seen wearing white garments are spirits or angels whose truths of faith act as paths to good, whereas those seen wearing brightly shining garments are ones whose truths of faith radiate from good. For it is good radiated through truth that produces the shining brightness, see 5248.

[3] The wearing of garments by spirits and angels is also evident from the Word where mention is made of angels that have been seen, as in Matthew,

The appearance of the angel sitting at the Lord's tomb was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. Matthew 28:3.

In John,

On the thrones I saw twenty-four elders seated, clad in white garments. Revelation 4:4.

In the same book,

He who sat on the white horse was clothed in a garment dyed with blood, and His name is called the Word of God. His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses, clothed in linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:11, 13-14.

'Garments white as snow' and 'white linen' mean holy truths, for whiteness' and 'brightness' have reference to truths, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, for the reason that they are very nearly as bright as light, and the light which radiates from the Lord is Divine Truth. This explains why, when the Lord was transfigured, His garments looked like the light, as described in Matthew,

When Jesus was transfigured His face shone like the sun, and His garments became like the light. Matthew 17:2.

It is well known in the Church that 'the light' is Divine Truth; but its comparison to a garment is clear in David,

Jehovah covers Himself with light, as if with a garment. Psalms 104:2.

[4] The fact that 'garments' are truths is evident from many places in the Word, as in Matthew,

When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man (homo) who was not wearing a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment? Therefore he was cast out into outer darkness. Matthew 22:11-13.

Who exactly are meant by the one 'not wearing a wedding garment', see 2132. In Isaiah,

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for no more may there come in to you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 52:1.

'Beautiful garments' stands for truths that spring from good.

[5] In Ezekiel,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shed you with badger, and I swathed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. Your garments were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. Ezekiel 16:10, 13.

This refers to Jerusalem, by which is meant at this point the spiritual Ancient Church, which was established by the Lord after the celestial Most Ancient Church breathed its last. The truths bestowed on that Church are described as 'garments'. 'Embroidered cloth' is factual knowledge. When such knowledge is genuine it also manifests itself in the next life as embroidered cloth and as lace, as I have also been allowed to see. 'Fine linen' and 'silk' are truths springing from good; but in heaven those fabrics are utterly bright and transparent because they are in the light there.

[6] In the same prophet,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, and violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to Tyre, by which the cognitions of truth and good are represented, 1201. When genuine ones, these are 'fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt'. Resulting good, which is the good of truth, is meant by 'violet' and 'purple'.

[7] In David,

All glorious is the king's daughter, in her clothing with gold interweavings; in embroidered robes she will be led to the king. Psalms 45:13-14.

'The king's daughter' stands for the affection for truth. 'Her clothing with gold interweavings' stands for truths that have good within them. 'Embroidered robes' stands for the lowest truths. In John,

You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white ones, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments. Revelation 3:4-5.

'Not soiling one's garments' stands for not defiling truths with falsities.

[8] In the same book,

Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked, and men see his shame. Revelation 16:15.

'Garments' in a similar way stands for truths. Truths of faith drawn from the Word are what are meant, strictly speaking, by 'garments'. Anyone who has not acquired those truths from there - or who has not, as gentiles do, acquired truths or something like them from the religion to which he belongs - and applied them to life, is not in touch with good, no matter how much he may think that he is. For having no truths from the Word or from what his religion teaches he allows himself to be led by reasonings received as much from evil spirits as from good ones, and cannot thus be given protection by the angels. This is what is meant by being awake and keeping one's garments, so that one may not walk naked and men see one's shame.

[9] In Zechariah,

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and so stood before the angel, who said to those standing before him, Remove the filthy garments from upon ¹ him. But he said to him, See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you, by putting on you a change of garments. Zechariah 3:3-4.

'Filthy garments' stands for truths defiled by falsities deriving from evil. Once these were removed therefore and others were put on, the words 'See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you' are used. But anyone can recognize that iniquity does not pass away through a changing of garments, from which anyone may also deduce that a changing of garments was a representative act, as was also the washing of garments, which was commanded when people were purified, for example when they drew near Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:14, or when they were cleansed from impurities, Leviticus 11:25, 40; 14:8-9; Numbers 8:6-7; 19:21; 31:19-24.

[10] Cleansings from impurities are effected by means of the truths of faith since they teach what good is, what charity is, what the neighbour is, and what faith is. They also teach the existence of the Lord, heaven, and eternal life. Without truths to teach them people have no knowledge of these things or even of their existence. Who left to himself knows other than this, that the good which goes with self-love and love of the world is the only kind of good in a person? For both constitute the delight of his life. Can anyone know except from the truths of faith about the existence of another kind of good that can be imparted to a person, namely the good of love to God or the good of charity towards the neighbour? Can anyone know that those kinds of good have heavenly life within them, or that those kinds of good flow in from the Lord by way of heaven in the measure that the person ceases to love himself more than others and the world more than heaven? From all this it becomes clear that the purification which was represented by the washing of garments is effected by means of the truths of faith.

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