2. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. (1:1) This symbolizes 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, both in heaven and on the earth.

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ" symbolizes all predictions, which, being from the Lord, are called "the Revelation of Jesus Christ." Their being about the Lord and His church will be apparent from the exposition.

The book of Revelation does not have as its subject the successive states of the church, still less the successive states of kingdoms, as some people have previously believed. Rather, from beginning to end it has as its subject the last state of the church in heaven and on earth, and the Last Judgment, and after that the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.

It is apparent that this New Church is the final object of this work. Consequently the things that precede have to do with what the state of the church will be immediately before it. But the order in which these are described may be seen from the contents of the individual chapters, and more clearly from the exposition of each verse.

9589. There is heavenly freedom and there is hellish freedom. Heavenly freedom consists in being led by the Lord; and this freedom is the love of goodness and truth. But hellish freedom consists in being led by the devil; and that freedom is a love of evil and falsity, or a craving, strictly speaking.