959. That people may know that this warning does not apply to someone who takes away from the words of this book as it is written in the literal sense, but to someone who takes away from the doctrinal truths contained in its spiritual sense, let me say why this is:

The Word that was dictated by the Lord passed through the heavens of His celestial and spiritual kingdoms and so came to the person by whom it was written. Consequently the Word in its first origin is something purely Divine. As it passed through the heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom, it became Divinely celestial, and as it passed through the heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, it became Divinely spiritual, and when it came to the person it became Divinely natural. As a result, the Word's natural sense contains within it a spiritual sense, and this in turn a celestial sense, and both a sense purely Divine, which is not apparent to any man, and not even to any angel.

We relate this in order that people may see that not adding anything to the words written in the book of Revelation and not taking anything away from them means in heaven not to add anything to or take away anything from the doctrinal truths regarding the Lord and faith in Him. For it is this sense, including truths regarding a life in accordance with the Lord's commandments, from which, as we said, the literal sense originated.