Apocalypse Explained # 812
812. If any one killeth with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. This signifies that those who imbue others with falsities shall be imbued with falsities from hell, is evident from the signification of a sword (gladius) and a sword (machaera), as denoting truth combating against falsity, and, in the opposite sense, falsity combating against truth; in the present case falsity combating against truth. Hence to kill with a sword denotes to destroy truths by falsities, and also to imbue with falsities; and from the signification of, he must be killed with the sword, as denoting to be imbued with falsities from hell.
The reason why these are imbued with falsities from hell is, that they have shut heaven against themselves by falsities. And when heaven is shut against any one, then hell is open to him; for a man must be either in heaven or hell. He cannot be between both. Consequently, when any one shuts heaven against himself, he opens hell to himself; and from hell nothing but falsities of evil can arise, with which he becomes imbued. No other falsities, however, shut heaven, but those that are from evil. For there are falsities of various kinds - falsities of ignorance, falsities of religion, and falsities from a non-understanding of the Word. In short, falsities that lead to a life of evil, and proceed from a life of evil, because they are from hell, close heaven. From these it is evident, that if any one killeth with the sword, he must be killed with the sword, signifies that those who imbue others with falsities will be imbued with falsities from hell.
[2] The signification of the words which the Lord spoke to Peter is similar:
"All those that take the sword, must perish with the sword" (Matthew 26:52).
This was said to Peter, because he represented the truth of faith, and also the falsity of faith. Therefore by taking the sword and perishing with it, was signified to receive the falsity of faith, and to perish thereby.
The reason why those signified by this beast, that is, those who by reasonings confirm the separation of faith from life, are those who kill with a sword, and are killed with a sword, that is, imbue others with falsities, and are themselves imbued with falsities from hell, is, that the dogma concerning faith alone excludes all truths and rejects all goods. That faith alone excludes all truths is evident, for they insist that we are saved by this merely, "That the Lord endured the cross for our sins, and thereby took away the condemnation of the law, and so redeemed us." And because it is their desire that this single principle, which they call faith itself, should be saving, they do not take any pains to learn truths, although it is truths that teach man how he must live; and consequently they are many. That faith alone also rejects goods, follows from the dogma itself, which is that faith alone justifies without good works; so that the essential goods of love to God, and the goods of charity towards the neighbour, are regarded as of no account.
Isaiah 49
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Listen, islands, to me; and Listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name:
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and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close:
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and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
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But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice [due] to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God."
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Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God is become my strength);
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yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth."
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Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, [even] the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
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Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:
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saying to those who are bound, 'Come out!'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves!' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.
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They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them.
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I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
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Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim."
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Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.
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But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me."
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"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!
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Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
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Your children make haste; your destroyers and those who made you waste shall go forth from you.
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Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says Yahweh, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride.
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"For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.
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The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.
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Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?'"
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Thus says the Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
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Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed."
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Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?
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But thus says Yahweh, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.
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I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
