Apocalypse Revealed #553
553. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come." (12:10) This symbolizes the joy of angels in heaven that the Lord alone now reigns in heaven and the church, and that those people are saved who believe in Him.
A loud voice in heaven symbolizes the joy of angels in heaven, and that is why the text later says in verse 12, "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!" The voice is also said to be loud because it is uplifted owing to a heartfelt joy. That salvation and power have come means, symbolically, that people are now saved by the Lord's Divine power. And that the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come means, symbolically, because the Lord alone reigns in heaven and in the church. That God means the Divine itself from which springs all else, namely the Divine called Jehovah, the Father, and that His Christ means the Divine humanity called the Son of God, may be seen in no. 520 above. So then, because the Divine itself from which all else springs and the Lord's Divine humanity are united as soul and body, it follows that the Lord alone reigns.
This is what is meant by the gospel of the kingdom and the kingdom of God in Matthew 3:2; 4:17, 23; 7:21; 9:35; 11:11; 12:28; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; 15:43.
[2] That the Lord has all authority in heaven and on earth is clearly apparent in Matthew 28:18, John 3:35; 17:2, 10.
That those people are saved who are in the Lord and have the Lord in them, and that it is the Divine humanity in which they are, is clearly apparent in John, chapters 14, 15, 17. And that only those are saved who believe in Him is clear from the following passages:
As many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)
...that whoever believes in (the Son) should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15)
...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should... have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
He who believes in (the Son) is not judged, but he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; but he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)
He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst... Assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. (John 6:33, 35, 47)
Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24)
Jesus said..., "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25-26)
And so on elsewhere, as in John 6:38-40; 7:37-38; 8:12; 12:36, 46.
To believe in the Lord is to turn directly to Him and have confidence that He will save. And because no one can have that confidence unless he lives rightly, therefore this, too, is meant by believing in Him. See no. 67 above.
Matthew 28
1
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2
Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
4
For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
5
The angel answered the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.
6
He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
7
Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."
8
They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
9
As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
10
Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should Go into Galilee, and there they will see me."
11
Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
12
When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,
13
saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14
If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry."
15
So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.
16
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.
17
When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
18
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
19
Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
