Apocalypse Explained # 554
554. And their faces were as the faces of men.- That this signifies that they appear to themselves as spiritual affections for truth, is evident from the signification of faces, as denoting the interiors of the mind and affection; see above (n. 412); and from the signification of man, as denoting the spiritual affection for truth, and thence intelligence and wisdom; see above (n. 280). And because faces are types of the interiors of man, they therefore signify the same as men themselves, namely, affections of truth. But in the present case it is said that they appear to themselves as affections for truth, and thence to be intelligent and wise, because it is stated of the locusts that their faces were seen as the faces of men.
[2] The locusts appeared with such faces, on account of the strong persuasive [power] which sensual men possess who are in falsities from evil, and who are signified by the locusts, the persuasive [power] itself presenting such appearance, but this only before themselves, and before such others as are also in falsities from evil, but not before the angels of heaven. The reason of this is, that the angels are in the light of heaven, and whatsoever they see, they see from that light; and the light of heaven, because it is Divine Truth, dissipates everything that is imaginative originating in the persuasive [power]. Sensual men appear to themselves to be such, because sensual men persuade themselves that they are in truths from good above others, although they are in falsities from evil; for they cannot view anything interiorly from heaven, but only outwardly from the world, and those who see from the world alone see only from an illusory light, from which they imagine themselves to be wiser and more intelligent than others, not knowing wherein intelligence and wisdom consist, and whence they come. It is from this persuasive faith that they believe themselves to be in the spiritual affection for truth, this therefore is signified by the faces of the locusts appearing like the faces of men.
[3] But these things must be illustrated by experience from the spiritual world. All in the heavens, are men as to their faces and the other parts of the body, for they are in the spiritual affection for truth, and the spiritual affection for truth is itself in form a man, because this affection is from the Lord, who is the only Man, and because from Him the entire heaven conspires to the human form; hence it is that the angels are the forms of their own affections, which also appear from their faces. But these things are amply explained in Heaven and Hell 59-102). But in hell, where all are external and sensual, because in falsities from evil, they also appear to themselves as men, even as to their faces, but only amongst their own; but when they are seen in the light of heaven, they appear as monsters, with horrible faces, and sometimes in place of the face only something hairy, or with a horrible grate of teeth, and sometimes ghastly pale, as though dead, in which there is not any living human faculty, for they are forms of hatred, revenge, and cruelty, in which there is spiritual death, because in opposition to the life which is from the Lord. That they appear amongst themselves with a face like men, is the result of fantasy and persuasion therefrom. Concerning these appearances see also in Heaven and Hell 553).
Mark 9
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And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
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And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
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And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
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And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
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And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
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For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
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And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
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And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
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And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
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And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
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And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
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And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
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But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
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And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
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And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
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And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
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And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
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And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
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He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
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And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
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And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
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And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
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Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
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And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
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When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
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And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
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But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
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And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
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And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
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And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
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For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
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But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
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And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
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But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
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And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
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And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
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Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
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And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
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But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
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For he that is not against us is on our part.
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For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
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And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
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And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
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Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
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Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
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Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
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Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
