167. "'And they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.'" This symbolically means that they will live with the Lord in His spiritual kingdom, because they are governed by truths from Him.

This is the meaning of these words because to walk in the Word symbolically means to live, and to walk with God symbolically means to live from Him, and because to be in white means, symbolically, to be guided by truths. For the color white in the Word is predicated of truths, because it takes its origin from the light of the sun, while red is predicated of goods, because it takes its origin from the sun's fire, and blackness is predicated of falsities, because it takes its origin from the darkness of hell.

People who are governed by truths from the Lord, being conjoined with Him, are called worthy, for all worth in the spiritual world comes from conjunction with the Lord.

It is apparent from this that "they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy," means, symbolically, that they will live with the Lord, because they are governed by truths from Him.

We say that they will live with the Lord in His spiritual kingdom because the whole of heaven has been distinguished into two kingdoms - the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom - and in the celestial kingdom live people who are governed by the goodness of love from the Lord, while in the spiritual kingdom live those who are governed by the truths of wisdom from the Lord. The latter are also said to walk with the Lord in white. Moreover, they are dressed in white garments.

[2] That to walk means, symbolically, to live, and to walk with God means to live with Him because it is to live from Him, is clear from the following passages:

He walked with Me in peace and rectitude... (Malachi 2:6)

You have delivered my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living. (Psalms 56:13)

...David... kept My commandments and... walked after Me with all his heart... (1 Kings 14:8)

Remember..., O Jehovah..., how I have walked before You in truth... (Isaiah 38:3)

If you... walk contrary to Me..., and... do not obey (My voice)..., I also will walk contrary to you... (Leviticus 26:23-24, 27-28)

They would not walk in the ways (of Jehovah). (Isaiah 42:24; cf. Deuteronomy 11:22; 19:9; 26:17)

...all people walk... in the name of (their) god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah... (Micah 4:5)

A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light... ...believe in the light... (John 12:35-36; cf. 8:12)

...the scribes asked..., "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders...?" (Mark 7:5)

Walking is also said of Jehovah, that He walks among people, which is to say that He lives in them and together with them:

I will make My dwelling among you, and... I will walk among you and be your God... (Leviticus 26:11-12)

It is apparent from this what is meant by the statement,

These things says He... who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. (Revelation 2:1)

814. 19:8 And it was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. This symbolically means that those who will belong to the Lord's New Church are being instructed through the Word by the Lord in truths that are genuine and pure.

Being granted to her means to the wife, who symbolizes the Lord's New Church, namely, the New Jerusalem, as in no. 813 just above. To be arrayed means, symbolically, to be instructed in truths, inasmuch as garments symbolize truths (no. 166), and white garments genuine truths (no. 212). Fine linen, clean and bright, symbolically means glistening as a result of goodness, and pure as a result of truths. And because there is no pure truth from any other source than from the Lord through the Word, therefore this, too, is symbolically meant.

The fine linen is said to be clean and bright because cleanliness symbolizes something that is free of evil, thus something that glistens as a result of goodness, and brightness symbolizes something that is free of falsity, thus something pure as a result of truth.

Fine linen, or something made of fine linen, symbolizes genuine truth also in the following passages:

I clothed you (O Jerusalem) in embroidered cloth..., I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk... Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk... (Ezekiel 16:10, 13)

Fine linen with embroidery from Egypt was your sail. (Ezekiel 27:7)

The latter is said of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to concepts of truth and goodness.

The hosts in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)

Pharaoh's clothing Joseph "in garments of fine linen" (Genesis 41:42) has the same symbolic meaning.

Truth from the Word in their possession, though not internalized by them, is symbolized by the fine linen in Babylon in Revelation 18:12, 16, and by that possessed by the rich man in Luke 16:19.

Fine linen is also called cotton, so that this, too, symbolizes genuine truth, in the following:

You shall make (for Aaron) a checkered tunic of cotton, and you shall make the turban of cotton... (Exodus 28:39)

They made tunics of cotton... for Aaron and his sons... (Exodus 39:27)

You shall make the tabernacle... cotton interwoven with blue, purple, and scarlet double-dyed. (Exodus 26:1, cf. 36:8)

You shall make... hangings for the court of woven cotton... (Exodus 27:9, cf. 27:18; 38:9)

Also the screen... of the court...(with) woven cotton. (Exodus 38:18)