10
Tehkäät vannanne miekoiksi ja viikahteenne keihäiksi. Ja joka heikko on, se sanokaan: minä olen väkevä.
Joel 3:10
SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)
Apocalypse Explained #908
908. And in His hand a sharp sickle, signifies the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating. This is evident from the signification of a "sickle," as being the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating. This is the signification of "sickle," because it has almost the same signification as "sword" [gladius et machaera], which means in the spiritual sense the Divine truth fighting against falsity and dispersing it (See above, 73, 131, 367); so here in place of sword [gladius et machaera] a "sickle" is mentioned, because the harvest is treated of, respecting which and the sickle more will be said hereafter. "A sharp sickle" signifies the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating, because the "harvest" signifies the last state of the church preceding the Last Judgment, when the Lord explores everyone and separates; and when this is done the good are raised up into heaven and the evil cast into hell, which is the Last Judgment. That such exploration and separation are effected before the Last Judgment, and have also been done at this day, has been set forth to some extent from experience in the work on The Last Judgment, and also above; and more will be said about it in an appendix at the end of this work.
[2] That "sharp" signifies what is careful, accurate and complete, is evident without explanation. For a sharp sickle, like a sharp sword, acts with great accuracy and pierces very keenly. This is shown in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Jehovah hath made my mouth like a sharp sword (Isaiah 49:2).
The "mouth" of the prophet signifies the Divine truth, and for this reason is compared to a sharp sword, meaning that the Divine truth pierces and wholly disperses and destroys falsity. So in Revelation:
Out of the mouth of the Son of man went forth a sharp two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16; 2:12; 19:15, 21).
The tongue of the wicked, which speaks falsities from interior evil, and pierces and disperses truths, is also compared to a sharp sword and sharp arrows. In David:
My soul, in the midst of lions do I lie; the sons of man are set on fire, their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).
And elsewhere:
Jehovah deliver my soul from the lip of falsehood, from the tongue of deceit, sharp arrows of the mighty (Psalms 120:2, 4).
Here "the lip of falsehood and the tongue of deceit" stand for falsities from evil; and the dispersion of truth by falsities is signified by "a sharp sword" and "sharp arrows." In like manner in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 5:1).
Revelation 13
1
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9
If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and Six.
