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Ezechiël 1:21

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21 Als die gingen, gingen deze; en als die stonden, stonden zij; en als die van de aarde opgeheven werden, werden de raderen tegenover hen opgeheven; want de geest der dieren was in de raderen.

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Apocalypse Explained #77

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77. And I fell at His feet, signifies adoration from humiliation of heart in presence of the Divine. This is evident from the signification of "falling at the feet," as being adoration from humiliation. Humiliation of heart is meant, because humiliation that springs from the heart in presence of the Divine produces that prostration. All affections, whatsoever they are, have corresponding gestures in the body. Into these gestures the body is borne and falls as of itself, when man is interiorly in the affection. Humiliation before a man produces a bowing down, according to the estimation of him; but in presence of the Divine it produces total prostration, especially when man thinks that the Divine in respect to power and wisdom is everything, and man in comparison is nothing, or that from the Divine is all good and from man nothing but evil.

When man is in this acknowledgment from the heart he comes as it were out of himself, and thence falls upon his face, and when he is thus out of himself he also is removed from the proprium [what is his own], which in itself is wholly evil; when this is removed, the Divine fills him and raises him up; not that the Divine desires such humiliation on its account, but because evil is then removed, and so far as evil is removed with man so far the Divine flows in; for evil alone stands in the way. (An example of such humiliation may be seen in the little work on the Earths in the Universe 91 .) Man's state when the Divine presence with him removes proprium [what is his own], and afterwards infills him, is thus described in this verse: "When I saw Him I fell at His feet as dead; and He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not." This state is more fully described in Daniel:

I lifted up mine eyes and looked, and behold a Man clothed in linen, His face as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire, and His feet like the splendor of burnished brass. I alone saw the vision; but the men that were with me saw it not; but great fear fell upon them, and they fled. And there remained no strength in me; and I came into a deep sleep, and my face upon the ground. But lo, a hand touched me, and set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands, and He said, Fear not (Daniel 10:5-12).

This state is also described in Ezekiel, when he saw the cherubs, by which is signified the Lord in respect to Providence:

When I saw the glory of Jehovah, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One that spoke. And He said unto me, son of man, stand upon thy feet, that I may speak to thee. And the spirit entered into me when He spoke unto me, and set me upon my feet, and I heard Him that spake unto me (Ezekiel 1:28; 2:1-2; 3:24).

Likewise also, when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, of which it is thus written in Matthew:

While Peter was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. And when the disciples heard these things they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes they saw no one save Jesus only (Matthew 17:5-8).

From this it is apparent of what nature is the presence of the Divine Human of the Lord with man, when man is in a state of humiliation of heart, namely, that he falls upon his face, and by the touch of the Lord's hand is raised upon his feet. It was plainly the presence of the Lord in respect to the Divine Human; since it was the "Son of man" who was in the midst of the lampstands that appeared in this way before John; and the "Son of man" is the Lord as to the Divine Human, see above n. 63. It was similar with the disciples when the Lord was transfigured; it is therefore also said that "when they lifted up their eyes they saw no one save Jesus only." That it was also the Lord as to the Divine Human who was seen by Daniel and Ezekiel, is evident from the words of the Lord himself, that:

No one hath heard the Father's voice at any time, nor seen His form (John 5:37; see also John 1:18).

Moreover, that men worshiped the Lord when He was in the world, by falling upon the face at His feet, may be seen in Matthew 28:9; and in Mark 7:25-26; Luke 8:41; 17:15-16, 18; and in John 11:32.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia #8267

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8267. 'And song is Jah' means that the source of the whole of faith and of the glory resulting from it is Divine Truth which originates in Him. This is clear from the meaning of 'song', in reference to Jehovah, as an ascription of glory to the Lord, dealt with above in 8261. But when used in reference to man, as it is here, it means glory existing as a result of faith, and so faith from which glory results; for the whole of the glory which man has exists as a result of faith in the Lord, since faith which really is faith has its origin in the Lord, so that the Lord is within faith and consequently glory itself is also present. A further reason why man's glory is a result of faith is that Divine Truth, the source and conveyor of faith, appears before angels' eyes as light, and also as the brightness and radiance of light. This radiance, along with the magnificent scenes in heaven that are products of the light, is called the glory, which is accordingly nothing other than Divine Truth, and so nothing other than faith. This then explains why 'song', in reference to man, means glory resulting from faith.

[2] 'Jah' means Divine Truth that emanates from the Lord's Divine Human. This is because Jah is derived from Jehovah, and the name Jah is used because it does not mean Being (Esse) but the Coming-into-Being arising from Being (Existere ex Esse); for Divine Truth is the Coming-into-Being (Existere), whereas Divine Good is Being (Esse), see 6880. This also is why the expression 'song is Jah' is used, for 'song' means faith that is a product of Divine Truth. 'Jah' again means Divine Truth in David,

Sing to God, praise His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds by His name Jah, and exult before Him. Psalms 68:4.

Praising and extolling God 'by His name Jah' is doing so through Divine Truth. Again in the same author,

In distress I called on Jah; Jah answered me in a broad place. Jehovah helped me. My strength and song is lain. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of Jah. I will enter through the gates of righteousness, and confess Jah. Psalms 118:5, 13-14, 17, 19.

Here 'Jah' is the Lord in respect of Divine Truth. Jah has the same meaning in the exclamation Hallelujah, at Psalms 105:45; 106:1, 48; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1, 9; 115:17-18; 116:19.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.