Apocalypse Explained #343
343. Unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, signifies the Lord in respect to Divine good and to Divine truth. This is evident from what has been said and shown above n. 297, namely, that "throne" signifies heaven; "Him that sitteth upon the throne" Divine good proceeding, and "the Lamb" Divine truth proceeding, both of these filling the heavens and constituting them. Because Divine good proceeding from the Lord as a sun is received by the angels in His celestial kingdom, and Divine truth by the angels in the spiritual kingdom, therefore two are mentioned, namely, "He that sitteth upon the throne" and "the Lamb;" but in the internal sense, the two mean the Divine Proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human, which is Divine good united to Divine truth, while in the sense of the letter it is distinguished into two for the sake of reception. The Divine that constitutes heaven and gives to angels and men love, faith, wisdom, and intelligence, proceeds not immediately from the Lord's Divine Itself, but through His Divine Human, and this Divine that proceeds is the Holy Spirit (See above, n. 183).
[2] In this way it is to be understood what the doctrine of the church teaches, that the Son proceeds from the Father, and the Holy Spirit through the Son, also that the Lord's Divine and His Human are not two, but a single person or one Christ; for the Lord's Divine is that which assumed the Human, and for that reason He called it His Father; thus He did not call Father another Divine which is at this day worshiped as His Father in place of His own Divine. And the Divine Proceeding is what is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, and the Paraclete; since this is the holy of the Spirit, or the holy Divine which the Spirit speaks, and not another Divine, which is worshiped as the third person of the Divinity. That this is so all can understand who are in any light of heaven. And yet it is declared in many places from the doctrine of the Trinity that was given by Athanasius, that the three are one. Let anyone examine himself when he says with the mouth that God is one, whether he does not think of three, when yet there is but one God, and the three names of the Divine are names of the one God. Athanasius, because he did not understand this, believed the three names to be three Gods, though one in essence.
[3] And yet they cannot be said to be one in essence when something is attributed to one and not to another, for thus the essence is divided; consequently a personal name is given to each essence. But they are one essence when the three are names of one person, namely, the Divine Itself, called the Father; the Divine Human, called the Son; and the Divine Proceeding, called the Holy Spirit (See The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 280-310). These things have been said to show that "He that sitteth upon the throne," and "the Lamb," do not mean two but one, namely, the Lord in respect to the Divine Proceeding.
Revelation 5
1
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7
And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
