75. Verses 17-20. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last. And am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive unto the ages of the ages, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be; the mystery of the seven stars, which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches. "And when I saw him," signifies the presence of the Divine majesty; "I fell at his feet," signifies adoration from humiliation of heart on account of the Divine; "as dead," signifies the failing of his own life. "And he laid his right hand upon me," signifies life from Him; "saying to me, Fear not," signifies renewal; "I am the first and the last," signifies who rules all things from primaries by means of ultimates, and thus all things of heaven.

"And am he that liveth," signifies who is from eternity; "And was dead," signifies that He is rejected; "and behold, I am alive unto the ages of the ages," signifies eternal life from Him. "Amen," signifies Divine confirmation; "and have the keys of hell and of death," signifies that He has the power of saving.

"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be," signifies that all these things are for posterity, because they are Divine.

"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand," signifies revelation concerning all goods and truths which are from Him; "and the seven golden lampstands," signifies, and concerning those things in the new heaven and new earth. "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches," signifies those who receive goods and truths from the Lord; "and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches," signifies that all such are in the new heaven and in the New Church.