Apocalypse Revealed #342
342. CHAPTER 7
1. After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3. saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of Israel:
5. of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
11. And all the angels stood around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12. saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14. And I said to him, "Lord, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat;
17. for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
This chapter describes people who are and who will be in the Christian heaven. It describes first their separation from evil people (verses 1-3); after that, those of them who are impelled by love toward the Lord and so by wisdom, of whom the higher heavens consist (verses 4-8); and those who are impelled by charity from the Lord and its accompanying faith because they fought against evils, of whom the lower heavens consist (verses 9-17).
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, | The whole of heaven now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment. |
| holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. | The Lord's holding back and restraining a closer and thus stronger influx into the lower regions where good people were attached to evil ones. |
| 2. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, | The Lord providing and moderating, |
| having the seal of the living God. | who alone knows the character of each and every person, and can distinguish and separate them from each other. |
| And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3. saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees | The Lord's restraining and holding back the closer and stronger influx into the lower regions, |
| till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." | before those people were separated who were governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord. |
| 4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, | All people who acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth and are governed by truths of doctrine springing from the goodness of love, received from Him through the Word. |
| sealed out of every tribe of Israel: | The heaven and the Lord's church formed from them. |
| 5. of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; | Celestial love, which is love toward the Lord, and this in all those people who will be in the New Heaven and in the New Church. |
| of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; | Wisdom springing from celestial love in those people who will be there. |
| of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; | Useful life endeavors, which are the exercises of wisdom springing from that love, in those people who will be there. |
| 6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; | Mutual love in those people. |
| of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; | A perception of useful endeavor, and of what is useful, in those people. |
| of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; | A will to serve and to put into practice in those people. |
| 7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; | Spiritual love, which is love for the neighbor, in those people. |
| of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; | An affection for truth springing from goodness, producing intelligence in those people. |
| of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; | Goodness of life in those people. |
| 8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; | The conjugal love of goodness and truth in those people. |
| of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; | A doctrine of goodness and truth in those people. |
| of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. | A life of truth springing from goodness in accord with doctrine in those people. |
| 9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could number, | All other people who are not among those enumerated and yet are in the New Heaven and the Lord's New Church, who form the lowest heaven and the external church, and whose character is known to the Lord alone. |
| of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, | All in the Christian world who have some religion springing from goodness and are guided by truths from doctrine, |
| standing before the throne and before the Lamb, | listening to the Lord and doing what He commands. |
| clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, | A communication and conjunction with the higher heavens, and a confession springing from Divine truths. |
| 10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" | An acknowledgment from the heart that the Lord is their Savior. |
| 11. And all the angels stood around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures, | All in the whole of heaven listening and doing what the Lord commands. |
| and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, | A humbling of their heart, and in their humility an adoration of the Lord. |
| 12. saying, "Amen! | Divine truth and an affirmation in response to it. |
| Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, | The Lord's spiritual Divine attributes; |
| and honor and power and might, | the Lord's celestial Divine attributes; |
| be to our God forever and ever. | these being in the Lord and emanating from the Lord to eternity. |
| Amen." | The agreement of all. |
| 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" 14. And I said to him, "Lord, you know." | Their desire to know and wish to inquire, and the reply and instruction given. |
| So he said to me, "These are ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, | They are people who have undergone temptations or trials, and have fought against evils and falsities, |
| and have washed their robes | who have cleansed their religious beliefs of the evils accompanying falsity, |
| and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. | and by truths have purified those religious beliefs from the falsities accompanying evil, and so have been reformed by the Lord. |
| 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. | They are in the Lord's presence, and live constantly and faithfully in His church in accordance with the truths that they receive from Him. |
| 16. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; | Hereafter they will not lack goods and truths. |
| neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat; | Hereafter they will not possess lusts for evil, nor for the falsity accompanying evil. |
| 17. for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them | The Lord alone will teach them |
| and lead them to living fountains of waters. | and lead them by the truths in the Word to conjunction with Him. |
| And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." | They will be caught up no longer in battles against evils and the accompanying falsities, and so will no longer experience times of distress, but will be surrounded by goods and truths and thus by heavenly joys emanating from the Lord. |
THE EXPOSITION
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. (7:1) This symbolizes the whole of heaven now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment on the people who were in the world of spirits.
There follows now much concerning the state of the spiritual world just before the Last Judgment, which no one could know without its being revealed by the Lord. And because I have been given to see how the Last Judgment was executed, including the transformations which preceded it and the dispositions following it, I can relate therefore the symbolic meaning of everything in this chapter and in the chapters that follow.
[2] The four angels here symbolize the whole of heaven. The four corners of the earth symbolize the entire world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell. For the Last Judgment was executed on people who were in the world of spirits, and not on anyone in heaven, nor on anyone in hell.
Angels symbolize heaven because an angel in the highest sense means the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (no. 344), and as heaven is heaven owing to the Lord, angels symbolize heaven as well.
[3] The four angels here symbolize the whole of heaven because they were seen standing at the four corners of the earth, and the four corners symbolize the four quarters of the compass.
They symbolize that the whole of heaven was now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment for the reason that when the Last Judgment was at hand, the Lord caused the heavens to draw closer over the world of spirits, and the closeness of the heavens produced such a change in the state of the inner constituents of the people's minds below that they saw nothing but terrors before their eyes.
[4] That corners symbolize quarters of the compass, and thus the four quarters all points, can be seen from the following passages:
You shall measure, outside the city, the corner toward the east..., the corner toward the south..., the corner toward the west..., and the corner toward the north... (Numbers 35:5)
You shall make the boards for the Tabernacle, ...for the south corner..., and for... the north corner... (Exodus 26:18, 20, 23)
And... the court..., for the south corner..., for the north corner..., for the west corner..., and... for the east corner... (Exodus 27:9, 11-13)
[5] The four quarters are also called four corners often in Ezekiel, as in Ezekiel 47:18-20, and 48.
Since corners symbolize the quarters of the compass, they also therefore symbolize everything, such as everything in heaven or in hell, or everything pertaining to goodness or to truth, as is apparent from the following:
(Satan) will go out to lead astray the nations which are at the four corners of the earth... (Revelation 20:8)
I will cut off nations, (and) their corners will be devastated. (Zephaniah 3:6)
...(Israel) gathered together as one man... And the corners of all the people stationed themselves... (Judges 20:1-2)
A scepter shall rise out of Israel, and crush the corners of Moab... (Numbers 24:17)
A day of trumpet and alarm... upon the high corners. (Zephaniah 1:16)
I will cast them into the ends of the corners. (Deuteronomy 32:26)
[6] That a corner symbolizes the lowest component supporting higher ones, as a foundation does a house, and so symbolizes also everything, is apparent from the following:
(He) will lay in Zion a corner stone..., the price of the laying of a foundation. (Isaiah 28:16)
They shall not take from it a stone for a corner... (Jeremiah 51:26)
From (Judah) shall come the corner stone... (Zechariah 10:4)
The stone which (they) rejected has become the corner stone. (Psalms 118:22, Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17-18)
Arcana Coelestia #2851
2851. 'Your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies' means that charity and faith will take the place occupied previously by evil and falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'inheriting' as receiving the Lord's life, dealt with in 2658, here as taking the place of, for when charity and faith exist in the place occupied previously by evil and falsity, the Lord's life enters in there; from the meaning of 'seed' as charity and faith, dealt with in 1025, 1447, 1610, 1941; from the meaning of 'gate', dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'enemies' as evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, people who are subject to evil and falsity. It is the latter who are meant by enemies and foes in the internal sense of the Word.
[2] As regards the meaning of 'a gate', there are in general two gates with each individual person. One gate is exposed towards hell and is open to evils and falsities from there. In that gate genii and spirits from hell are present. The other gate is exposed towards heaven and is open to goods and truths from there. In that gate angels are present. Thus there is a gate leading to hell and a gate leading to heaven. The gate to hell is open to those who are immersed in evil and falsity, and only through chinks round about overhead does any light at all from heaven penetrate, which enables them to think and to reason. But the gate to heaven is open to those who are immersed in good and truth from there.
[3] For there are two paths which lead into a person's rational mind, a higher or internal path along which good and truth from the Lord enter in, and a lower or external path along which evil and falsity enter in surreptitiously from hell. In the middle is the rational mind towards which the two paths converge. From the goods and truths present there the rational mind is compared in the Word to a city and is actually called a city. And because it is compared to and actually called a city it is depicted as having gates, and is described in various places as having enemies, that is, evil genii and spirits, besieging it and assaulting it, while angels from the Lord are defending it, that is, the Lord Himself is doing so. The genii and spirits from hell, with their evils and falsities, can go no further than towards the lower or outer gate, and cannot pass at all into the city. If they were able to pass into the city, which is the rational mind, man would be completely done for. But when they reach the point, as it seems to them, that they have taken the city by storm, it is then closed, so that good and truth no longer flow into it from heaven, apart, as has been stated, from that small amount which comes in through chinks round about. As a consequence such persons no longer possess any charity at all or any faith at all, but make good consist in evil, and truth in falsity. They also as a consequence cease to be truly rational, though they seem to themselves to be so, 1914, 1944, and are called 'dead men', though they themselves believe they are more alive than any others, 81, 290 (end). These things are so because the gate to heaven is closed to them. The fact that it is closed to them is quite apparent and is discerned in the next life, and so conversely that the gate to heaven is open to those in whom good and truth are present.
[4] As regards 'the gate of enemies' in particular, spoken of in this verse, it is the gate that exists with a person in his natural mind. That gate when the person is wholly natural or as yet unregenerate is occupied by evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, evil genii and spirits are flowing into it together with evil desires and false persuasions, see 687, 698, 1692. When however a person is spiritual or being regenerated, evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, evil genii and spirits, are driven away from that gate, that is, from the natural mind. Once they have been driven away, goods and truths, or charity and faith, take their place; and these - charity and faith - are meant by 'your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies'. This is what takes place in particular with each individual person when he is being regenerated, and similarly in the next life with those entering the Lord's kingdom; and also what takes place in general, that is, in the Church, which is made up of many individuals.
[5] This transformation was represented by the children of Israel driving the nations from the land of Canaan. Such expulsion of those nations is what, in the literal sense, the words 'your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies' are used to mean; but in the internal sense the things which have just been described are meant. This also explains why in ancient times it was customary to use words such as these when blessing persons who were about to be married, as is also evident from the blessing which Laban gave to Rebekah his sister when, already betrothed, she was about to go to Isaac,
Our sister, may you be [the mother] of thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the gate of those who hate you. Genesis 24:60.
[6] That such things are meant in the Word by 'the gate of enemies' or 'of those who hate' becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant will I slay. Wail, O gate; cry, O city; you have melted away, O Philistia, all of you, for smoke comes out of the north. Isaiah 14:30-31.
'Killing the root with famine and slaying the remnant' stands for the removal of goods and truths which the Lord has stored away inwardly - 'the remnant' meaning such goods and truths, see 468, 530, 560-562, 661, 798, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284. 'Gate' stands for the place of entry into things that are interior, that is, into the rational mind. 'City' stands for that mind, or what amounts to the same, for the goods and truths there, 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712. 'Philistia' stands for knowledge of the cognitions of faith, or what amounts to the same, for those who have a knowledge of those cognitions but not of the goods that spring from faith, 1197, 1198. 'Smoke from the north' stands for falsity from hell - smoke being falsity arising out of evil, 1861.
[7] In the same prophet,
The city of hollowness will be broken down, every house will be shut up to prevent it being entered. There will be an outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine, all joy will be made desolate, the gladness of the earth will be banished. What is left in the city will be desolation, and the gate will be smitten with vastation, for thus will it be in the midst of the earth, in the midst of the peoples. Isaiah 24:10-13.
'The city of hollowness' which 'will be broken down' stands for the human mind deprived of truth. 'Every house will be shut up' stands for lack of good - 'house' meaning good, 2233. 'An outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine' stands for a state of falsity - 'outcry' having reference to falsities, 2240. 'Wine' means truth over which there will be an outcry because there is none, 1071, 1798, and 'streets' means the things that lead to truths, 2336. 'The joy which is being made desolate' has reference to truth, 'the gladness of the earth that is being banished' to good. All this shows what is meant by 'what is left in the city will be desolation' and 'the gate will be smitten with vastation'. The gate is said to be vastated when nothing but evils and falsities reign.
[8] In Jeremiah,
The roads of Zion are mourning that none come to the appointed feast. All her gates are desolate, her priests groan, her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. Her enemies have become the head, her foes secure, because Jehovah has afflicted [her] over the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone away captive before the enemy. Lamentations 1:4-5.
'The roads of Zion mourning' stands for there being no longer any truths that come from good -'roads' meaning truths, 189, 627, 2333. 'All her gates are desolate' stands for all the entrances being occupied by falsities. 'Her enemies have become the head' stands for evils reigning.
[9] In the same prophet,
Jehovah has caused the rampart, and the wall of the daughter of Zion, to mourn; they languish together. Her gates have become pressed down into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her princes are among the nations. The law is no more; even her prophets have found no vision from Jehovah. All your foes have opened their mouth against you, they have hissed and gnashed their teeth; they have said, We have swallowed her up; this is the day we have awaited; we have found, we have seen it. Lamentations 2:8-9, 16.
'Gates pressed down into the ground' stands for the natural mind when occupied by evils and falsities. 'Her king and princes are among the nations' stands for truths immersed in evils - 'king' meaning truth in general, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 'princes' first and foremost truths, 1482, 2089, and 'nations' evil, 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, 2588.
[10] In Moses,
A nation from far away, from the end of the earth will distress you within all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trust come down in all your land. And it will distress you within all your gates, in the whole of your land. Thus will your enemy distress you. Deuteronomy 28:49, 52-53.
These calamities are found among the curses which Moses foretold to the people if they did not hold fast to the commandments and statutes. 'A nation from far away, from the end of the earth' stands in the internal sense for evils and falsities, that is, for those who are immersed in evil and falsity. 'Distressing them within all their gates' stands for sealing off every access to good and truth.
[11] In Nahum,
Behold, your people are women in the midst of you. The gates of your land have been opened wide to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. Draw yourself water for the siege, strengthen your fortifications; go into the mud and tread the bitumen; strengthen the brick-kiln. Nahum 3:13-14.
'The gates of the land opened wide to enemies' stands for evils occupying the position where goods ought to be. In the Book of Judges, The highways ceased to be, and they went along by-paths; they went along twisting ways; the streets in Israel ceased to be. He chose new gods, at which point the gates were assailed - was a shield seen, or a spear, among the forty thousand of Israel? Judges 5:6-8.
This is the prophecy of Deborah and Barak. 'The gates were assailed' stands for an assault on goods and truths.
[12] In David,
Those who dwell in the gate plot against me; those who drink strong drink sing songs. Psalms 69:12.
'Those who dwell in the gate' stands for evils and falsities, and also for those who are from hell. In Ezekiel,
In the visions of God he was brought to the door of the inner gate which looked towards the north. There he saw the great abominations of the house of Israel. He was also brought to the door of the gate of the house of Jehovah which looked towards the north. There also [he saw] abominations. Ezekiel 8:3, 6, 14-15.
'The door of the inner gate which looked towards the north' stands for the place where interior falsities exist. 'The door of the gate of the house of Jehovah towards the north' stands for the place where interior evils exist. The fact that the falsities and evils are interior, and that it is an interior sphere in which such spirits and genii reside, see 2121-2124.
[13] In David,
Behold, sons are a possession of Jehovah, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like darts in the hand of a strong man so are the sons of youth. 1 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will not be put to shame, for they will speak with enemies in the gate. Psalms 127:3-5.
'Speaking with enemies in the gate' stands for having no fear of evils and falsities, nor thus of hell. In Isaiah,
On that day Jehovah Zebaoth will be a spirit of judgement to him who sits in judgement, and strength to those who turn back the battle towards the gate. They are also made senseless from wine, and err from strong drink. Isaiah 28:5-7.
In the same prophet,
They will be cut off who cause people to sin by a word, and who lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate and cause him who is just to turn aside to something empty. Isaiah 29:20-21.
In the same prophet,
Elam bore the quiver in the chariot of man (homo), [and] horsemen, Kir uncovered the shield, and the choicest of your valleys was full of chariots and horsemen; they positioned themselves at the gate. And he looked on that day to the armoury of the house of the forest. Isaiah 22:6-8.
In Jeremiah,
Judah mourned and her gates languished; the people were in black down to the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem went up. Their great men sent lesser ones to the waters; they came to the pits, they found no water. Jeremiah 14:1-3.
In the same prophet,
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their singing. Lamentations 5:14
[14] All these places show what is meant by 'the gate of enemies', namely hell, or those from hell who are constantly mounting an assault on goods and truths. They have their seat with a person, as has been stated, in his natural mind; but when the person is such that he allows goods and truths, and so angels, to enter in, the Lord drives away from that seat those who are from hell. And once they have been driven away, the gate to heaven, or heaven itself, is opened. This gate also is mentioned in various places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
A song in the land of Judah, Ours is a strong city, salvation will establish walls and rampart. Open the gates and the righteous nation that keeps faith will enter in. Isaiah 26:1-2.
In the same prophet,
Thus said Jehovah to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to put down nations before him, and I will open the loins of kings, to open doors before him, and the gates will not be shut; I will go before you and make straight the crooked places; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. Isaiah 45:1-2.
In the same prophet,
The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you. They will keep your gates open continually, day and night they will not be shut. Violence will no more be heard in your land, devastation and ruin within your borders; and you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:10-11, 18.
In the same prophet,
Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; level out, level out the highway. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes. Isaiah 62:10-12.
In Micah,
They will go through the gate, and go out by it; and their king will go on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them. Micah 2:13.
In David,
Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, lift up, O eternal doors. Psalms 24:7-10.
In the same author,
Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem, praise your God, O Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates, He blesses your children in the midst of you. Psalms 147:12-13.
[15] From all these places it is evident that 'the gate of heaven' is the place where angels are present with a person, that is, where good and truth are flowing in from the Lord. Thus there are, as has been stated, two gates, to which the Lord refers in Matthew as follows,
Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is broad which leads away to destruction; and those who enter by it are many. For narrow and strait is the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:12-14; Luke 13:23-24.
In addition the gates to the New Jerusalem and the gates to the new Temple are dealt with extensively in Ezekiel and also in John, in the Book of Revelation. By these gates nothing else is meant than the entrances into heaven - see Ezekiel 40:6-49; 43:1-2, 4; 44:1-3; 46:1-9, 12; 48:31-34; Revelation 21:12-13, 21, 25; 22:14; Isaiah 54:11-12. And this is why Jerusalem is called The Gate of the People, Micah 1:9; Obad. verse 13.
Bilješke:
1. literally, the sons of firstfruits
