303. Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? signifies, is there anyone there such as to know and to perceive the states of life of all? This is evident from the signification of "Who is worthy?" as being, is there anyone who has merit and righteousness, and who has omniscience, thus whether there is any such? That "worthy," in reference to the Lord, signifies merit and righteousness, which belong to Him alone, see above n. 293. And that omniscience is signified is clear from what follows, where it is said, "the Lamb took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne, and opened it;" for "right hand" signifies omniscience and omnipotence (See above, n. 297); it is evident also from the signification of the "book," as being the states of life of all in general and in particular (of which see just above, n. 299); and also from the signification of "to open the book and to loose the seals thereof," as being to know and perceive; for when the "book" signifies the states of life of all, "to open and to loose the seals" signifies to know and perceive those states; for knowing and perceiving are predicated of the state of life, but opening and loosening seals relate to a book; thus the words in the internal sense conform to the things signified by the words in the sense of the letter, for they correspond; therefore, "to open" signifies to know, and "to loose the seals" signifies to perceive what is altogether hidden from others (as above, n. 300).

8455. 'There was a deposit of dew around the camp' means the truth of peace attaching itself. This is clear from the meaning of 'dew' as the truth of peace, dealt with in 3579. The reason why 'dew' means the truth of peace is that it comes down in the morning from heaven or the sky and on grassland looks like a light shower of rain. But also it holds a certain sweetness or pleasantness, more so than a shower of rain does, and causes grass and crops in the field to rejoice. And 'morning' is a state of peace, 2780. For what peace is, see 2780, 3696, 4681, 5662, where it is said to be like the dawn on earth, which fills people's minds with overall delight. And the truth of peace is like the light of dawn. This truth which is being called the truth of peace is the Divine Truth itself present in heaven and coming from the Lord; it influences all there without exception, and causes heaven to be heaven. Peace holds within itself trust in the Lord, the trust that He governs all things and provides all things, and that He leads towards an end that is good. When a person believes these things about Him he is at peace, since he fears nothing and no anxiety about things to come disturbs him. How far a person attains this state depends on how far he attains love to the Lord.

[2] Everything bad, especially trust in self, takes away the state of peace. People think that someone bad is at peace when he is calm and cheerful because everything is going right for him. But this is not peace, it is the calm and delight belonging to evil desires that merely simulates the state of peace. This delight, being the opposite of the delight belonging to peace, turns to undelight in the next life, for that is what lies hidden within it. In the next life outward things are rolled away one layer after another through to inmost things at the centre. Peace is at the centre of all delight, even of the undelight of a person governed by good. So far therefore as he casts off what is external the state of peace is revealed and he is filled with bliss, blessedness, and happiness, the source of which is the Lord Himself.

[3] Regarding the state of peace that exists in heaven one may say it is such that no words can describe it; nor can any idea of a worldly origin enable it to enter a person's thought and perception, as long as he is in the world. It transcends all his awareness then. Calmness of mind, contentment, and cheerfulness because things are going right are nothing in comparison, for these affect only the outward parts of the mind. But peace affects the inmost parts of all; it affects the primary substances, and the beginnings of substances as they exist with a person, and from these it spreads and pours itself out into parts formed from those substances and beginnings of them. It brings a lovely feeling into them; it brings bliss and happiness to the parts where his ideas form, consequently to his ends in life, and so makes his mind into a heaven.