3. Christ

1. The Lord is called in many places Jehovah, Jehovah of hosts, and in particular God, the God of Israel, the Holy One, and the Holy One of Israel, and Lord, the Rock, Angel, the Arm of Jehovah, Prophet, the Son of man, while very frequently Jehovah is named, even He, since they are one - the Mighty One of Jacob, the Rock of Jacob. Therefore in general by Jehovah the Father Himself, and Lord are at the same time meant, as is clear from the following passages.

Jesus was taken up into heaven, and a cloud received Him, and then two angels said, This Jesus shall so come as ye have seen him going into heaven (Acts of the Apostles 1:9, 11).

Jesus rose from the dead according to the prophecy through David (Psalms 16:10), and that there Christ is meant and not David (Acts of the Apostles 2:27-29, 31; 13:24-37). Then said Jehovah, the Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool (Psalms 110:1; Acts of the Apostles 2:34, 35).

The Lord our God (Acts of the Apostles 2:39). He is the Lord of all (Acts of the Apostles 10:36).

Ye have slain the Prince of life (Acts of the Apostles 3:15).

That when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, he may send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the time of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the prophets from of old (Acts of the Apostles 3:20, 21).

Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from your brethren, unto him ye shall hearken, whatever soul shall not hearken to that Prophet, he shall be destroyed from among the people; all the prophets have foretold him (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19; Acts of the Apostles 3:22-24).

Prediction from Isaiah (53:7-9), the Lord would suffer (Acts of the Apostles 8:32, 33).

Christ was the Son of God (Acts of the Apostles 8:37; 9:20).

Jesus is the Lord of all (Acts of the Apostles 10:36). He is the Judge of the living and the dead (verse 42).

They were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts of the Apostles 11:26). Paul explains the saying, this day have I begotten thee (Psalms 2:7) as referring to Jesus (Acts of the Apostles 13:33).

He is called the light of the nations, for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth (Isaiah 49:6; Acts of the Apostles 13:47).

The coming of the Lord for the rebuilding of the ruins (Amos 9:11; quoted Acts of the Apostles 15:16, 17).

Paul said that he was ready to be bound and die for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts of the Apostles 21:13).

Paul at Rome preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Christ (Acts of the Apostles 28:31).

In the Acts of the Apostles it is said that they preached the Lord Christ only, and that they should believe in Him, and nowhere that they should believe in God the Father.

716. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from the signification of "horn," as being the power of truth against falsity and evil, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against truth and good (of which above, n. 316, 567); also from the signification of "ten," as being all persons and all things, likewise many persons and many things (of which also above, n. 675; which shows that "ten horns" signify much power. That the dragon had much power is evident from what follows, namely, that because of him "the son a male that the woman brought forth was caught up unto God," that "his tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars;" also that "he fought with Michael and his angels;" and afterwards that he stirred up Gog and Magog, and the nations in countless number, to war against the saints.

[2] "The dragon" had such power because "the dragon" means such as have separated faith from the goods of charity, which are works, and have confirmed this by the sense of the letter of the Word, which they thus twist from its genuine sense, and as it were draw it down from heaven; and because at the end of the church, which Revelation treats of, there is no charity, therefore the dragon then has power; for at the end of the church everyone wishes to live for himself, for the world, and according to his own bent, and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life; and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, favors the former life, and like the current of a river draws in and carries away all to thus believing and living. This is why "the dragon," which signifies such persons and such things, was seen to have "ten horns."

[3] It has been said heretofore that falsities from evil have no power whatever; but it is to be known that falsities from evils have no power against truth from good; for truth from good is from the Lord, and the Lord has all power by His Divine truth. But falsities from evil have a power that is signified by "the ten horns of the dragon," because they prevail against those who are in falsities from evil, since such persons and such falsities act as one; moreover, man is in evil and in falsities therefrom hereditarily from his parents, and afterwards from actual life, especially at the end of the church; and these falsities from evil cannot be expelled from man in a moment, but little by little; for if they were expelled in a moment man would expire, because they constitute his life. Because such is man's state at the end of the church, the falsities of evil prevail, although they have no power whatever against truth from good. The Lord by His Divine truth might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man, but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell; for these falsities must first be removed, and so far as they are removed, so far there is a place for implanting truths from good, and man is reformed. Such as are here meant by "the dragon" are meant also by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram (Daniel 8), and by "the goats" in Matthew 25; for "he-goats" there signify those who are in faith separated from charity, and "the ram" and "the sheep" those who are in charity.