New Christian Bible Study

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #1

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

1. THE APOCALYPSE OR BOOK OF REVELATION

CHAPTER 1

1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

2. who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to whatever he saw.

3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near.

4. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne,

5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth, who loves us and washes us from our sins in His blood,

6. and makes us kings and priests to His God and Father. To Him be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

7. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

9. I, John, who am also your brother and your companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patient awaiting of Jesus Christ, was on the island called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

10. I became in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

11. saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. What you see, write in a book and send it to the churches which are in Asia - Ephesus and Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."

12. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

13. and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and girded about the breasts with a golden girdle.

14. His head and hair were white, like wool as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire.

15. His feet were like fine brass, as though fired in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;

16. having in His right hand seven stars, and issuing from His mouth a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance as the sun shines in its power.

17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,

18. and am He who lives, and was put to death, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death.

19. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches."

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter:

The meaning is that this revelation comes from the Lord alone, and is received by people who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, and who will acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth. The Lord also is described in relation to the Word.

-----

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Predictions from the Lord regarding Himself and His church, what the church will be like at its end, and what it will be like thereafter,
which God gave Him to show His servants for people who have faith arising from charity.
things which must shortly take place. They must surely come to pass to keep the church from perishing.
And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, The things that have been revealed by the Lord through heaven to people who possess goodness of life arising from charity and its accompanying faith,
2. who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, who from the heart and so in a state of light receive Divine truth from the Word and acknowledge the Lord's humanity to be Divine.
to whatever he saw. Their enlightenment in all matters contained in this revelation.
3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it, Their communion with angels in heaven who live according to the doctrine of the New Jerusalem,
for the time is near. the state of the church being such that it can no longer continue to maintain its conjunction with the Lord.
4. John, to the seven churches To all who are in the Christian world where the Word exists and where through it the Lord is known, and who turn to the church,
which are in Asia: to those who from the Word possess the light of truth.
Grace to you and peace A Divine salutation
from Him who is and who was and who is to come, from the Lord who is eternal and infinite, and who is Jehovah,
and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, from the whole of heaven, where the Lord is in His Divine truth,
5. and from Jesus Christ, His Divine humanity,
the faithful witness, which is Divine truth itself,
the firstborn from the dead, and which is Divine good itself,
and the ruler of the kings of the earth, from whom originates all truth from good in the church,
who loves us and washes us from our sins in His blood, who out of love and mercy reforms and regenerates people by His Divine truths drawn from the Word,
6. and makes us kings and priests who grants those who are born from Him, that is, who are reborn or regenerated, to possess wisdom from Divine truths, and love from Divine goods,
to His God and Father. thus images of His Divine wisdom and of His Divine love,
To Him be glory and might forever and ever. to whom alone belong Divine majesty and Divine omnipotence to eternity.
Amen. A Divine confirmation springing from truth, thus from Himself.
7. Behold, He is coming with the clouds (of heaven), The Lord will reveal Himself in the literal sense of the Word and lay open its spiritual meaning at the end of the church.
and every eye will see Him, All those will acknowledge Him who possess, from an affection for it, an understanding of Divine truth.
even they who pierced Him, Even those will see Him who are caught up in falsities in the church.
and all the tribes of the earth will wail.... This will be when there are no longer any goods and truths in the church.
Even so, Amen. A Divine confirmation that it will be so.
8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," Who is the one and only reality from firsts to lasts, from whom springs all else, thus who is the one and only love, the one and only wisdom, and the one and only life in itself, and so the one and only Creator, Savior and Enlightener from Himself, and therefore the all in all of the church and heaven.
says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, Who is eternal and infinite, and Jehovah.
the Almighty. Who exists, lives, and has power of Himself, and who directs all things from the first of them through the last.
9. I, John, who am also your brother and companion Those people who possess the goodness of charity and consequent truths of faith,
in the tribulation and kingdom and patient awaiting of Jesus Christ, which in the church have been infested by evils and falsities, but which will be removed by the Lord when He comes.
was on the island called Patmos A state and place in which he could be enlightened,
for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. so as to receive Divine truth from the Word with the heart and so in a state of light, and to acknowledge the Lord's humanity to be Divine.
10. I became in the spirit on the Lord's day, A spiritual state then owing to Divine influx.
and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, A manifest perception of Divine truth revealed from heaven.
11. saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Who is the one and only reality from firsts to lasts, from whom springs all else (as so on as stated above).
What you see, write in a book That these things may be revealed for posterity,
and send it to the churches which are in Asia - for those in the Christian world who have the light of truth from the Word
Ephesus and Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." in every case according to each one's state of reception.
12. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, A turning around of the state of those people who possess goodness of life, in respect to their perception of the truth in the Word, when they turn to the Lord.
and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, A new church, which will have an enlightenment from the Lord from the Word.
13. and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, The Lord in relation to the Word, from whom that church originates.
clothed with a long robe The emanating Divinity which is Divine truth.
and girded about the breasts with a golden girdle. The emanating and at the same time conjoining Divinity which is Divine good.
14. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, The Divine love accompanying Divine wisdom in first things and last.
and His eyes like a flame of fire. The Divine wisdom accompanying Divine love.
15. His feet were like fine brass, as though fired in a furnace, Natural Divine good.
and His voice as the sound of many waters; Natural Divine truth.
16. having in His right hand seven stars, All concepts of goodness and truth in the Word from the Lord.
and issuing from His mouth a sharp two-edged sword, A dispersion of falsities by the Lord by means of the Word and doctrine drawn from it.
and His countenance as the sun shining in its power. The Divine love and wisdom which are the Lord and which emanate from Him.
17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. A failure of his own life owing to such a presence of the Lord.
But He laid His right hand on me, Life then infused from the Lord.
saying to me, "Do not be afraid. A revival, and from the deepest humility then, adoration.
"I am the First and the Last, He is eternal and infinite, thus the only God,
18. and am He who lives, who alone is life, and the only source of life.
and was put to death, Disregarded in the church, and His Divine humanity not acknowledged,
and behold, I am alive forevermore. He is eternal life.
"Amen." A Divine confirmation that it is the truth.
"And I have the keys of hell and death." He alone is able to save.
19. "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. So that everything now being revealed may be saved for posterity.
20. "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The secrets contained in the visions having to do with a new heaven and a new church.
"The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, A new church in the heavens, which is the New Heaven.
and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches." A new church on earth, which is the New Jerusalem descending from the Lord out of the New Heaven.

THE EXPOSITION

People have hitherto not known what the spiritual meaning is. We have shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 5-26, that it exists in every constituent of the Word, and that in many places the Word cannot be understood apart from it. This meaning is not apparent in the literal sense, for it is present in it as the soul is in the body.

People do know that there is a spiritual reality and a natural one, and that the spiritual one flows into the natural one and presents itself to be seen and felt in forms that fall within the scope of people's vision and touch. Moreover, they know that apart from these forms the spiritual component is perceived only as affection and thought, or as love and wisdom, which are properties of the mind. They acknowledge that affection and thought, or love, which has the capacity to be affected, and wisdom, which has the capacity to think, are spiritual. They know that these two faculties of the soul present themselves in forms in the body that are called sensory and motor organs, and furthermore, that these forms operate in harmony with those faculties, so much so that when the mind thinks something, the mouth in an instant expresses it, and when the mind wills something, the body in an instant does it. It is apparent, therefore, that there is a perfect union of spiritual and natural components in the human being.

[2] The case is the same with each and every constituent of the world. Each has in it something spiritual as the inmost of its cause, and something natural as its effect, and these two function as one. Moreover, the spiritual component is not apparent in the natural one, because, as we said, it is present in the natural one as the soul is in the body and as the inmost of a cause is in the effect.

It is the same with the Word. Because it is Divine, no one can deny that it is spiritual at its core. But because the spiritual component is not apparent in the literal sense, which is natural, therefore the spiritual meaning has been hitherto unknown. Nor could it have been known previously, before the Lord revealed genuine truths, as the spiritual meaning consists in those truths.

It is on this account that the book of Revelation has heretofore not been understood. But lest there be any doubt that it contains such truths, its contents must be explained phrase by phrase and demonstrated by similar passages elsewhere in the Word. The explanation and demonstration now follow.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #387

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

387. CHAPTER 8

1. When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

3. Then another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and he was given much incense, that he should offer it for the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4. And the smoke of the incense for the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand.

5. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

7. The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were cast down to the earth, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

8. Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.

9. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10. Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.

11. The name of the star is Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it was made bitter.

12. Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, and a third of them was darkened, so that a third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

13. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

This chapter has as its subject the church of the Protestant Reformed and what the people are like in it who are caught up in faith alone. It describes the preparation of the spiritual heaven for communication with them (verses 1-6); the examination and disclosure of those there who are immersed in the interior elements of that faith (verse 7), and of those who are immersed in its exterior elements (verses 8, 9); and what they are like as regards their understanding of the Word (verses 10, 11), showing that they are caught up in falsities and their accompanying evils (verses 12, 13).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. When He opened the seventh seal,An examination by the Lord of the state of the church and consequent life of people who are in His spiritual kingdom - people who are governed by charity and its accompanying faith - here people caught up in faith alone.
there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.Angels from the Lord's spiritual kingdom were quite dumbfounded when they saw people who claimed to have faith to be in the state they were.
2. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God,The entire spiritual heaven in the Lord's presence, hearing and doing whatever He commanded.
and to them were given seven trumpets.An examination and exposure of the state of the church and consequent life of people caught up in faith alone.
3. Then another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer,Spiritual worship, which originates from the goodness of charity expressed through truths of faith.
and he was given much incense, that he should offer it for the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.A propitiation, lest angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom be harmed by the spirits of the satanic kingdom situated below.
4. And the smoke of the incense for the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand.Their protection by the Lord.
5. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth.Spiritual love, containing celestial love, and its influx into the lower regions where those people were who were caught up in a faith divorced from charity.
And there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.After a communication with them was opened, the angels heard reasonings about faith alone and arguments in support of it.
6. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.Their being prepared and ready to examine the state of the church and consequent life in people for whom religion is faith alone.
7. The first angel sounded:An examination and disclosure of the state of life and its character in people caught up interiorly in that faith.
And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood,Falsity springing from a hellish love, destroying goodness and truth and falsifying the Word.
and they were cast down to the earth, and a third of the trees were burned up,In such people all affection for truth and perception of truth, which make a person a person of the church, had perished,
and all green grass was burned up.and thus every constituent of faith having life.
8. Then the second angel sounded:An examination and disclosure of the state of the church and its character in people caught up externally in that faith.
And something like a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea,The appearance of a hellish love in them.
and a third of the sea became blood.General truths had all been falsified in them.
9. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died,Those who had lived that faith and continued to live it could not be reformed and receive life.
and a third of the ships were destroyed.Concepts of goodness and truth from the Word that are serviceable for application to life, in them had all been destroyed.
10. Then the third angel sounded:An examination and disclosure of the state of the church in people for whom religion is faith alone as regards their affection for truths from the Word and reception of them.
And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch,The appearance of their personal intelligence owing to a conceit arising from a hellish love.
and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.Consequently all the Word's truths had been completely falsified.
11. The name of the star is Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood,Hellish falsity, the origin of their personal intelligence, by which they had falsified all the Word's truths.
and many people died from the water, because it was made bitter.The extinction of spiritual life because of the falsification of the Word's truths.
12. Then the fourth angel sounded:An examination and disclosure of the state of the church in people for whom religion is faith alone, that they are caught up in the evils accompanying falsity and in the falsities accompanying evil.
And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, and a third of them was darkened,Because of their evils springing from falsities and their falsities springing from evils, they did not know what love is, or what faith is, or any truth.
so that a third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.They no longer have in them any spiritual truth or natural truth from the Word serviceable for doctrine and life.
13. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven,Instruction and prediction from the Lord.
saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"The utmost lamentation over the state of damnation of people in the church who in doctrine and life have confirmed themselves in a faith divorced from charity.

THE EXPOSITION

The whole of heaven has been divided into two kingdoms - the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The celestial kingdom consists of people who are governed by love toward the Lord and its accompanying wisdom; and the spiritual kingdom consists of people who are governed by love for the neighbor and its accompanying intelligence. But because love for the neighbor is today called charity, and intelligence faith, this latter kingdom consists of people who are governed by charity and its accompanying faith.

Now because heaven has been divided into two kingdoms, hell also has been divided into two kingdoms opposite to these - the diabolical kingdom and the satanic kingdom. The diabolical kingdom consists of people who are governed by a love of ruling stemming from a love of self and by its accompanying foolishness, for that love is the opposite of celestial love, and its foolishness is the opposite of celestial wisdom. The satanic kingdom, on the other hand, consists of people who are governed by a love of ruling from a conceit in their own intelligence and by its accompanying irrationality, for that love is the opposite of spiritual love, and its irrationality is the opposite of spiritual intelligence.

By foolishness and irrationality we mean foolishness and irrationality in celestial and spiritual matters.

What we have said about heaven is to be understood to apply likewise to the church on earth, for the two are inseparable.

Regarding these two kingdoms, see the book, Heaven and Hell, published in London, nos. 20-28 and many other numbers elsewhere.

[2] Now because the book of Revelation has as its sole subject the state of the church at its end, as we said in the Preface and in no. 2, therefore from this point on it deals with the inhabitants of the two kingdoms of heaven and the inhabitants of the two kingdoms of hell, and their character: with the inhabitants of the spiritual kingdom and of the satanic kingdom opposite to that kingdom, from chapter eight here to chapter sixteen, and with the inhabitants of the celestial kingdom and of the diabolical kingdom opposite to it in chapters seventeen and eighteen. After that it describes the Last Judgment, and finally the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. This concludes everything that precedes, because it is to this end that they looked.

Here and there in the Word we find mention of the devil and Satan, and both mean hell. Each is mentioned because all the inhabitants in one hell are called devils, and all in the other hell, satanic spirits.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #803

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

803. REVELATION: CHAPTER 19

1. After these things I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God!

2. For true and just are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness, and He has avenged the blood of His servants shed by her hand."

3. And a second time they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"

4. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"

5. Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!"

6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as it were the sound of many waters and as it were the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

8. And it was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

9. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said, "These are the true sayings of God."

10. And I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "See that you do not do this! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and does combat.

12. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many jewels. 1 He had a name written that no one knew but Himself.

13. He was clothed with a garment stained with blood, and His name is called "The Word of God."

14. And the hosts in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15. Out of His mouth went forth a sharp sword, that with it He might strike the nations, and He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of Almighty God.

16. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords."

17. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,

18. that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."

19. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

20. Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, by which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21. And the rest were slain with the sword of Him who sat on the horse, which went forth from His mouth. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

A glorification of the Lord by angels in heaven, because the Roman Catholic religion in the spiritual world has been removed, in consequence of which the angels have come into a state of light and into their bliss (verses 1-5). An annunciation of the Lord's advent and of a new church from Him (verses 6-10). The opening of the Word in its spiritual sense for that church (verses 11-16). An invitation of all people to it (verses 17, 18). The resistance of those caught up in a faith divorced from charity (verse 19). Their removal and damnation (verses 20, 21).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. After these things I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia!A thanksgiving, confession, and celebration of the Lord by angels of the lower heavens because of the Roman Catholics' removal.
Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God!Salvation by the Lord now possible because a reception of Divine truth and goodness now possible in consequence of His Divine power,
2. For true and just are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness,because in accordance with justice the profane Roman Catholic religion has been condemned, which by its foul adulterations of the Word destroyed the Lord's church,
and He has avenged the blood of His servants shed by her hand."a retribution for the injuries and violence done to the souls of worshipers of the Lord.
3. And a second time they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"A thanksgiving and celebration of the Lord with joy, that that profane religion has been damned to eternity.
4. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"An adoration of the Lord as God of heaven and earth and judge of the universe by angels of the higher heavens, and an affirmation by them of the thanksgiving, confession and celebration of the Lord made by angels of the lower heavens.
5. Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him,An influx from the Lord into heaven and a consequent accord on the part of angels that all those prompted by truths of faith and goods of love worship the Lord as the only God of heaven,
both small and great!"who to a lesser or greater degree are moved by truths of faith or goods of love to worship the Lord.
6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as it were the sound of many waters and as it were the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!The joy of angels of the lowest, intermediate and highest heavens that the Lord alone will reign in the church that is now to come.
7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come,Their joy of soul and heart and consequent glorification of the Lord, that from now on a full marriage of the Lord with the church is possible.
and His wife has made herself ready."Those who will belong to this church, namely, the New Jerusalem, are being gathered together, introduced to it, and instructed.
8. And it was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright,They are being instructed through the Word by the Lord in truths that are genuine and pure.
for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.Through truths from the Word those who are of the Lord's church live good lives.
9. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"A single angel sent from heaven to John and speaking with him about the Lord's New Church, saying that it was granted people on earth to know that those have eternal life who accept the teachings that are the teachings of that church.
And he said, "These are the true sayings of God."This should be believed because it comes from the Lord.
10. And I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "See that you do not do this! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!Angels in heaven are not to be worshiped or invoked, because they have nothing Divine in them, but are associated, as brethren with brethren, with those people who worship the Lord, and therefore the Lord alone is to be worshiped in association with them.
For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."An acknowledgment that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and at the same time a life in accordance with His commandments, is in a universal sense the whole of the Word and of doctrine drawn from it.
11. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse,The spiritual sense of the Word revealed by the Lord and the deeper meaning of the Word thereby disclosed, which is the coming of the Lord.
and He who sat on it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and does combat.The Lord in relation to the Word, as being Divine good itself and Divine truth itself, who exercises judgment in accordance with both.
12. His eyes were like a flame of fire,The Divine wisdom of the Lord's Divine love.
and on His head were many jewels. 1 The Divine truths in the Word from Him.
He had a name written that no one knew but Himself.What the Word is like in its spiritual and celestial senses, no one sees but the Lord, and the person to whom He reveals it.
13. He was clothed with a garment stained with blood, and His name is called "The Word of God."Divine truth in its outmost sense, or the Word in its letter, to which violence has been done.
14. And the hosts in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.Angels in the New Christian Heaven, who, being conjoined with the Lord, have a deeper understanding of the Word and so possess truths that are pure and genuine.
15. Out of His mouth went forth a sharp sword,The dispersion of falsities by the Lord by means of doctrine from the Word.
that with it He might strike the nations, and He will shepherd them with a rod of iron.He will convince all who are caught up in a dead faith by means of truths in the literal sense of the Word and by rational considerations.
He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of Almighty God.The Lord alone has endured all the church's evils and all the violence done to the Word, thus to Him.
16. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords."The Lord teaches in the Word who He is, that He is the Divine truth of Divine wisdom and the Divine goodness of Divine love, thus that He is God of the universe.
17. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,The Lord, out of Divine love and so out of Divine zeal, calling all people who have a spiritual affection for truth and think about heaven, and summoning them to the New Church and to conjunction with Himself, thus to eternal life.
18. that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."An assimilation of goods from the Lord through the truths in the Word and in doctrine drawn from it, of every level of meaning, degree or kind.
19. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.All inwardly evil people who professed faith alone will, together with their leaders and followers, attack the Lord's Divine truths in His Word and assail those who will belong to the Lord's New Church.
20. Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, by which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image.All those who professed faith alone and were inwardly evil, both the laity and common people and the clergy and the learned, who by arguments and assertions that faith alone is the only means of salvation, had brought others to accept that faith and to live in accordance with it,
These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.were all of them cast as they were into the hell where their loves of falsity and accompanying lusts for evil are found.
21. And the rest were slain with the sword of Him who sat on the horse, which went forth from His mouth.All those of various heretical sects among the Protestant Reformed who had not lived according to the Lord's commandments in the Word that they knew, having been judged in accordance with the Word, perished.
And all the birds were filled with their flesh.By their lusts for evil, which they had made their own, they fed, as it were, the demons of hell.

THE EXPOSITION

19:1 After these things I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia!" This symbolizes a thanksgiving, confession, and celebration of the Lord by angels of the lower heavens because of the Roman Catholics' removal.

A great multitude in heaven symbolizes angels of the lower heavens. The voice of the multitude saying, "Alleluia!" symbolizes a thanksgiving, confession and celebration of the Lord by them. "Alleluia" in Hebrew means "Praise God."

Thus the voice was the voice of a thanksgiving, confession and celebration of the Lord out of a heartfelt joy, as is apparent from the following passages:

Bless Jehovah, O my soul! Alleluia! (Psalms 104:35)

Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, "Amen! Alleluia!" (Psalms 106:48)

We will bless Jah from this time forth and forevermore. Alleluia! (Psalms 115:18)

Let every soul praise Jah! Alleluia! (Psalms 150:6)

And so on elsewhere, as in Psalms 105:45; 106:1; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1, 9; 116:19; 117:2; 135:3; 148:1, 14; 149:1, 9; 150:1.

That this occurred because of the Roman Catholics' removal is apparent from the preceding chapter, in which Roman Catholics were the subject. That is why this chapter begins, "After these things." It is apparent also from what follows in verses 2 and 3 of this chapter.

That the angels meant by the great multitude in heaven are angels of the lower heavens follows from verse 4 in this chapter, where we are told that the twenty-four elders and four living creatures worshiped Him who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" The twenty-four elders and four living creatures mean angels of the higher heavens.

Footnotes:

1. The word translated as "jewels" here means diadems or crowns in the original Greek and Latin, but the writer's definitions of the term elsewhere make plain that he regularly and consistently interpreted it to mean jewels or gems.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

©2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed from newchristianbiblestudy.org