Apocalypse Explained # 764
764. 1 (Revelation 12:16) That he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river, signifies in order that the Church might be blinded and dissipated by the ratiocinations. This follows from the meaning of "river," namely, ratiocinations, as said just above, and from the meaning of "to cause to be swallowed up," and "to swallow up," in that it is "to destroy." This is to be blinded and dissipated because to destroy by ratiocinations from falsities is understood. And he who perishes from falsities, is first blinded so that he does not see truths. And when truths are no longer seen, the Church with him is dispersed as well. For the Church is the Church from truths.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. All printed versions of AE note that the explanation for this portion of verse 15 in Revelation 12 is missing from the manuscript. This note is correct in that this explanation is omitted from Swedenborg's final draft but it is not true that Swedenborg never wrote the explanation of these words.
The first draft of Apocalypse Explained was only first reproduced in 1916. This means that none of the published editions were able to take into account the information contained in it. Both the English and the Latin editions published by the Swedenborg Foundation take the one sentence explanation of the internal sense in number 762 and add it in brackets as 763 1/2. 764, then, is the explanation of verse 16. There is no number 765 in Swedenborg's final draft and 766 explains verse 17. Comparing this to the first draft, it becomes clear what happened: When recopying, Swedenborg simply skipped over his original 764 and put this number instead on what had been 765 in the first draft. Coming to the end of this number he saw that the next was 766 and resumed numbering the final draft as he had the first. All this probably took place without Swedenborg being aware of what he was doing. The original 764 stands intact in the first draft. It is of special interest because it is the only place in the Writings where the last part of Revelation 12:15 is specifically explained (Apocalypse Revealed 562 and Arcana Coelestia 7293:5, both of which explain verse 15, do not really say anything about the last part).
Number 764 of the present published editions should be 765, and has been changed to that in NewSearch98. [Research and footnote provided by the Rev. Stephen D. Cole.]
Apocalypse Revealed # 562
562. Where she might be nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent. This symbolically means, because of the cunning of those leading astray, to provide vigilantly for the New Church to spread among more people, until it grows to its appointed state.
To nourish, when mentioned in connection with the New Church, means, symbolically, to provide that it spread among more people, as we said in no. 547 above. "A time and times and half a time" means, symbolically, to the end and a new beginning, thus until it grows from a few people to many more, till it reaches its appointed state, as we said also in no. 547 above. The face of the serpent symbolizes the cunning of those leading astray - the face symbolizing the cunning, and the serpent those who lead astray.
That a serpent symbolizes people who lead astray is apparent from these words in this chapter:
The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old..., which leads the whole world astray. (Revelation 12:9)
And elsewhere:
He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old..., and he cast him into the bottomless pit..., so that he should lead the nations no more astray... (Revelation 20:2-3)
The meaning here is the same as that of the serpent which led Eve and Adam astray, of which it is said,
Now the serpent became more cunning than any beast of the field... And the woman said (to Jehovah), "The serpent led me astray...." (Genesis 3:1, 13)
[2] A face in the Word symbolizes what lies within a person, because the face reflects his character, its expression being formed in correspondence with it. The face of a serpent, therefore, symbolizes anger, hatred and cunning.
"A time, times and half a time" here has the same symbolic meaning as the one thousand two hundred and sixty days in verse 6, which says,
Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Revelation 12:6)
An explanation of the meaning may be seen in no. 547 above.
The same is also the meaning of the three and a half days in Revelation 11:9, 11, and of the three years and six months of famine in Luke 4:25.
It is also the meaning of the appointed time of appointed times and a half in Daniel, "when they shall completely disperse the hands of the holy people" (Daniel 12:7).
