Apocalypse Revealed # 287
287. And the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. This symbolizes all possessing truths and goods.
The meaning of a number in its natural sense has relation to measure or weight, while the meaning of a number in its spiritual sense has relation to character; and here the people's character is described by there being ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands of thousands; for ten thousand is predicated of truths, while a thousand is predicated of goods.
Ten thousand is predicated of truths and a thousand of goods because ten thousand is the greater number, and a thousand the lesser, and truths are complex, while goods are not; also because where the subject in the Word is truths, it deals as well with goods, owing to the marriage of truth and goodness in every part of the Word. Without that marriage the text could have said only ten thousand times ten thousand.
Because these two numbers have these symbolic meanings, they are specified therefore also elsewhere, as in the following places:
The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, even thousands of angels of peace, the Lord among them, in Sinai, in the Holy Place. (Psalms 68:17)
I watched when... the Ancient of Days was seated... Thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. (Daniel 7:9-10)
(Moses said of Joseph,) ...his horns are the horns of a unicorn; with them He will smite the peoples to the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and... the thousands of Manasseh. (Deuteronomy 33:17)
You shall not be afraid (for yourself)...of the pestilence that creeps in the darkness, or of the death that lays waste at noonday. A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand... (Psalms 91:5-7)
...our sheep thousands, ten thousands in our streets. (Psalms 144:13)
Is Jehovah pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? (Micah 6:7)
When (the Ark) rested, (Moses) said: "Return, O Jehovah, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel." (Numbers 10:36)
In all of these places ten thousands refer to truths, and thousands to goods.
John 5
1
After these things was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2
Now there is in Jerusalem, at the sheepgate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3
In these lay a multitude of sick, blind, lame, withered, [awaiting the moving of the water.
4
For an angel descended at a certain season in the pool and troubled the water. Whoever therefore first went in after the troubling of the water became well, whatever disease he laboured under.]
5
But there was a certain man there who had been suffering under his infirmity thirty and eight years.
6
Jesus seeing this [man] lying [there], and knowing that he was [in that state] now a great length of time, says to him, Wouldest thou become well?
7
The infirm [man] answered him, Sir, I have not a man, in order, when the water has been troubled, to cast me into the pool; but while I am coming another descends before me.
8
Jesus says to him, Arise, take up thy couch and walk.
9
And immediately the man became well, and took up his couch and walked: and on that day was sabbath.
10
The Jews therefore said to the healed [man], It is sabbath, it is not permitted thee to take up thy couch.
11
He answered them, He that made me well, *he* said to me, Take up thy couch and walk.
12
They asked him [therefore], Who is the man who said to thee, Take up thy couch and walk?
13
But he that had been healed knew not who it was, for Jesus had slidden away, there being a crowd in the place.
14
After these things Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, thou art become well: sin no more, that something worse do not happen to thee.
15
The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16
And for this the Jews persecuted Jesus [and sought to kill him], because he had done these things on sabbath.
17
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.
18
For this therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he had not only violated the sabbath, but also said that God was his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19
Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself save whatever he sees the Father doing: for whatever things *he* does, these things also the Son does in like manner.
20
For the Father loves the Son and shews him all things which he himself does; and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may wonder.
21
For even as the Father raises the dead and quickens [them], thus the Son also quickens whom he will:
22
for neither does the Father judge any one, but has given all judgment to the Son;
23
that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent him.
24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that hears my word, and believes him that has sent me, has life eternal, and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life.
25
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that have heard shall live.
26
For even as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself,
27
and has given him authority to execute judgment [also], because he is Son of man.
28
Wonder not at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29
and shall go forth; those that have practised good, to resurrection of life, and those that have done evil, to resurrection of judgment.
30
I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.
31
If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true.
32
It is another who bears witness concerning me, and I know that the witness which he bears concerning me is true.
33
Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34
But I do not receive witness from man, but I say this that *ye* might be saved.
35
*He* was the burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36
But I have the witness [that is] greater than [that] of John; for the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them, the works themselves which I do, bear witness concerning me that the Father has sent me.
37
And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape,
38
and ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom *he* hath sent, him ye do not believe.
39
Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me;
40
and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.
41
I do not receive glory from men,
42
but I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43
I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44
How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and seek not the glory which [comes] from God alone?
45
Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] who accuses you, Moses, on whom ye trust;
46
for if ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.
47
But if ye do not believe his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
