Apocalypse Explained # 36
36. Verse 7. Behold, He cometh with the clouds, signifies that the Lord is about to reveal Himself in the Word through the internal sense. This is evident from the signification of "coming," as being, in reference to the Lord, to reveal Himself; and from the signification of "clouds," as being Divine truths in ultimates, thus the Word in the letter; for the Word as to the sense of the letter is Divine truth in ultimates; and since each thing therein contains an internal or spiritual sense, "coming with clouds" means revealing Himself through that sense. That "clouds" signify Divine truths in ultimates is from appearances in the spiritual world. There clouds appear in various kinds of light; in the inmost or third heaven in a flaming light, in the middle or second heaven in a bright white light, and in the outmost or first heaven in a light more dense; and everyone there knows that they signify Divine truth from the Lord through the angels; for when Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, which is the very light of heaven, passes through the angels, it appears as a cloud, purer or denser according to their intelligence. Such clouds have oftentimes been seen by me, and what they signify has also been perceived. This is why "clouds," such as those that appear before the eyes of men in the world, signify Divine truth in ultimates; and as the Word in the letter is Divine truth in ultimates, that is what is meant by "clouds."
[2] He who does not know that "clouds" have this signification, may suppose that the Lord is about to come in clouds for the Last Judgment, and to appear in glory; according to His words in the Evangelists, where He says:
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and much glory (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27).
"The consummation of the age" which is there treated of is the last time of the church; and the Lord's coming at that time is the revelation of Himself, and of Divine truth which is from Him, in the Word, through the internal sense. Elsewhere than in the Word the Lord does not reveal Himself, nor does He reveal Himself there except through the internal sense. The Word in the internal sense is also signified by "power" and "glory." (That this is fulfilled at this day, namely that the age is consummated, and the Last Judgment accomplished; and also that the Lord has come in the clouds of heaven, that is, has revealed the internal sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment, from beginning to end; also in the work on Heaven and Hell 1; also in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.249-266.
That "the consummation of the age" signifies the last time of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 4535, 10622; that "the coming of the Lord" signifies the revelation of Divine truth through the internal sense, n. 3900, 4060; that "clouds" signify the sense of the letter of the Word, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8781, 9430, 10551, 10574; that "glory" signifies Divine truth in heaven, thus the internal sense, for this is Divine truth in heaven, n. 5922, 9429[1-7], 10574. The Lord is said to be "about to come in power," because Divine truth, which is from the Lord has all power, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 228-233, 539.) The like is meant by the Lord's words to the high priest:
Jesus said to the high priest, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62).
"The Son of man" is the Lord as to Divine truth; "sitting at the right hand of power" is His omnipotence; "coming in the clouds of heaven" is the revelation of Divine truth respecting Him in the Word, for He has revealed Himself and has also fulfilled all things contained in the internal sense, which treats especially of the glorification of His Human.
[3] The same is signified by "clouds" in the following passages. In Daniel:
I saw in the night visions, and behold there came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto the Son of man (Daniel 7:13);
in Revelation:
I saw, and behold a white cloud; and on the cloud one sat like unto a man, 1 having on his head a crown (Revelation 14:14, 16);
in Isaiah:
Behold, Jehovah sitting upon a dense light cloud (Isaiah 19:1);
in David:
Sing unto God, sing praises to His name, extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Psalms 68:4);
in the same:
Jehovah appointeth the clouds His chariot; He walketh upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 104:3).
Who cannot see that these things are not to be understood according to the sense of the letter, that is, that Jehovah sits upon a cloud, that He rides upon the clouds, and that He makes the clouds His chariot? He who thinks spiritually may know that Jehovah is present in His Divine truth, for this proceeds from Him, consequently that this is what is meant by "clouds there;" so it is also said that Jehovah "appointeth the clouds His chariot;" because by "chariot" is signified the doctrine of truth (See Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5321, 8215).
[4] Likewise in the following places. In Isaiah:
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the higher clouds [pour down] righteousness (Isaiah 45:8);
in Nahum:
The way of Jehovah is with cloud 2 and storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3);
in David:
Ascribe ye strength unto God; His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the higher clouds (Psalms 68:34);
A faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:37);
in Moses:
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in thy 3 magnificence upon the clouds (Deuteronomy 33:26).
From this it can be seen what is meant by:
The cloud filling the inner court (Ezekiel 10:3-4);
And the cloud resting upon the tent (repeatedly in Moses); also that:
Jesus when He was transfigured, was seen in glory, and a cloud overshadowed the three disciples, and it was said to them out of the cloud, This is my beloved son (Matthew 17:1-10; Mark 9:1-11; Luke 9:28-36).
(See also what is said about the Lord's being in a cloud in the midst of angels, in the little work on The Earths in the Universe 171.)
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The Greek has "the Son of man," as found also in Apocalypse Explained 906; Apocalypse Revealed 642; Arcana Coelestia 9807, 9930.
2. The Hebrew has "storm and tempest," as also found in Apocalypse Explained 419, 594; Arcana Coelestia 2162.
3. The Hebrew has "His," as also found in Apocalypse Explained 594.
Genesis 33
1
Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids.
2
He put the handmaids and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3
He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4
Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
5
He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, "Who are these with you?" He said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."
6
Then the handmaids came near with their children, and they bowed themselves.
7
Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
9
Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours."
10
Jacob said, "Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.
11
Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." He urged him, and he took it.
12
Esau said, "Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before you."
13
Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.
14
Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir."
15
Esau said, "Let me now leave with you some of the folk who are with me." He said, "Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."
16
So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17
Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18
Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.
19
He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.
20
He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
