296. APOCALYPSE. CHAPTER 5.

1. And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.

2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3. And no one was able, in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4. And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6. And I saw, and behold, in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

7. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.

8. And when He had taken the book, the four animals and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9. And they were singing a new song, saying, Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain, and didst redeem us to God in Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation;

10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign upon the earth.

11. And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the animals and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands;

12. Saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

13. And every created thing that is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might, unto the ages of the ages.

14. And the four animals said, Amen; and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him that liveth unto the ages of the ages.

EXPOSITION.

Verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.

1. "And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne," signifies the Lord in respect to omnipotence and omniscience (n. 297, 298); "a book written within and on the back," signifies the state of life of all in heaven and on the earth, in general and in particular n. 299; "sealed up with seven seals," signifies altogether hidden (n. 300).

5335. 'And Joseph was a son of thirty years' means a state when the quantity of remnants was complete. This is clear from the meaning of 'thirty' as a completed number of remnants, dealt with below, and from the meaning of 'years' as states, dealt with in 482, 487, 488, 493, 893. In the Word the number thirty can mean some existence of conflict, or else it can mean a completed number of remnants. The reason why that number has this twofold meaning is that it is arrived at by multiplying five and six, or else by multiplying three and ten. When it is the product of five times six it means some existence of conflict, 2276, because 'five' means some, 649, 4638, 5291, and 'six' conflict, 720, 737, 900, 1709. But when thirty is the product of three times ten it means a completed number of remnants, because 'three' means that which is complete, 2788, 4495, and 'ten' means remnants, 576, 1906, 2284. A composite number implies much the same as the simple ones of which it is the product, 5291. Remnants are the truths joined to good which have been stored away by the Lord in a person's interior parts, see 468, 530, 560, 561, 576, 660, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135.

[2] A completed number of remnants is likewise meant by 'thirty' - as it is also by 'sixty', and by 'a hundred' too - in Mark,

The seed which fell into good ground yielded fruit growing up and increasing. One bore thirty-fold, and another sixty, and another a hundred. Mark 4:8, 10.

Each of these numbers, being a multiple of ten, means a completed number of remnants. Also, because no one can be regenerated - that is, permitted to enter into spiritual temptations, by means of which regeneration is effected - until he has received a completed number of remnants, it was therefore laid down that no Levite should carry out any work in the tent of meeting until he was fully thirty years old. Their work or function is also called 'military service', being referred to in Moses as follows,

Take a census of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi - from sons thirty years of age and over, up to sons fifty years of age, everyone coming to perform military service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. Numbers 4:2-3.

Much the same is said regarding the sons of Gershon, and much the same regarding the sons of Merari, in verses 22, 23, 29, 30, and then in verses 35, 39, 43. Of that same chapter in Moses. And something similar is implied where it says that David began to reign when he was a son thirty years of age, 2 Samuel 5:4.

[3] From all this one may now see why the Lord did not make Himself known until He was thirty years of age, Luke 3:23. At that age a completed number of remnants existed with Him, though these remnants which the Lord possessed were ones that He Himself had acquired for Himself. They were also Divine ones and the means by which He united His Human Essence to His Divine Essence and made that Human Essence Divine, 1906. In Him therefore lies the reason why 'thirty years' means a state when the quantity of remnants is complete and why the priests the Levites began to perform their specific functions when they were thirty years old. And because he was to represent the Lord's kingship, David did not begin to reign until he was that same age. For every representative is derived from the Lord, and therefore every representative has reference to Him.