Apocalypse Revealed # 413
413. And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, and a third of them was darkened. This symbolically means that because of their evils springing from falsities and their falsities springing from evils, they did not know what love is, or what faith is, or any truth.
A third means, symbolically, all (no. 400). The sun symbolizes love (no. 53). The moon symbolizes intelligence and faith (no. 332). The stars symbolize concepts of truth and goodness from the Word (no. 51). To be darkened means, symbolically, to be unseen and unknown because of evils springing from falsities and falsities springing from evils.
Evils springing from falsities are found in people who adopt falsities having to do with religion and defend them to the point that they appear to be true. Then, when they live in accordance with them, they do evils as a result of the falsities, or the evils of falsity.
On the other hand, falsities springing from evils are found in people who do not regard evils as being sins, and still more in people who employ reasonings issuing from their natural self, and moreover from the Word, to establish in themselves that evils are not sins. Their very arguments are falsities springing from evils, and what we call the falsities of evil.
[2] Darkness symbolizes these falsities because light symbolizes truth, and when the light has been extinguished, darkness is left.
To confirm this we will first cite passages where things similar to those here in the book of Revelation are said regarding the sun, moon and stars, and darkness ensuing upon their being extinguished:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. (Joel 2:31)
...the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its rising, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Isaiah 13:10, cf. 24:21, 24:23)
When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens..., I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the luminaries of light in the heavens I will make dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land... (Ezekiel 32:7-8)
...the day of Jehovah... is at hand... The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. (Joel 2:1, 10)
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven... (Matthew 24:29, cf. Mark 13:24-25)
Who, if he elevates his mind, cannot see that in these places it is not the world's sun, moon and stars that are meant.
[3] That darkness symbolizes falsities of various kinds is clear from these passages:
Woe to you who desire the day of Jehovah! ...It will be one of darkness, and not light... Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light? Very dark, without any brightness? (Amos 5:18, 20)
(The day of Jehovah will be) a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of clouds and overcast... (Zephaniah 1:15)
In that day... it will look to the land, which, behold, will be darkness...; and the light will grow dark in its ruins. (Isaiah 5:30, cf. 8:22)
...behold, the darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples. (Isaiah 60:2)
Give glory to Jehovah... before He causes darkness...; you look for light, but He turns it into thick darkness. (Jeremiah 13:16)
We look for light, but there is darkness and no brightness; we walk in thick darkness... We stumble at noonday as at twilight; among the living we are as dead men. (Isaiah 59:9-10)
Woe to those... who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. (Isaiah 5:20)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. (Isaiah 9:2, cf. Matthew 4:16)
...the rising sun from on high (has appeared) to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death... (Luke 1:78-79)
If you give your soul to the hungry..., your light shall rise in the darkness, and your thick darkness shall be as the noonday. (Isaiah 58:10)
In that day... the eyes of the blind who are in thick darkness and gloom shall see. (Isaiah 29:18, cf. 42:16; 49:9)
(Jesus said,) "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you... I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:35, 46)
When I sit in darkness, Jehovah is a light to me. (Micah 7:8)
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness more than light... (John 3:19, cf. 1:4-5)
If... the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23, cf. Luke 11:34-36)
...this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (Luke 22:53)
Darkness in these places symbolizes falsity arising either from ignorance of truth or from some false tenet of religion, or from a life of evil.
Regarding people caught up in falsities having to do with religion, who are therefore caught up in evils in life, the Lord says that they should be "cast out into outer darkness" (Matthew 8:12, cf. 22:13; 25:30).
Isaiah 24
1
Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.
2
It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
3
The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
4
The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
5
The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
6
Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7
The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
8
The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.
9
They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.
10
The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
12
The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
13
For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.
14
These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.
15
Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!
16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, "I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!" The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.
17
Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.
18
It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19
The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.
20
The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
21
It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
22
They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.
23
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.
