The Bible

 

Revelation 5

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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.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #369

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369. (Verse 5) And when he had opened the third seal. That this signifies prediction concerning a further succeeding state with those who belong to the church where the Word is, is manifest from what has been said above (n. 351, 352, 361); for the subject treated of in this and the following chapter is the state of the Christian Church, or the church where the Word is, from its beginning to its end, or from the time of the Lord's coming even to the Last Judgment. For the new church, which is called the Christian Church, [and which] was begun by the Lord when He was in the world, and afterwards extended, has decreased successively down to the present time, which is its last time, in which judgment takes place. The predictions concerning these successive states of the church are here manifested as from a book, by various representatives; but it is to be observed, that such predictions were not seen and read in a book, after its seals were opened, but were manifested through the heavens from the Lord, before the angels of the inmost heaven; and were represented in the ultimates of heaven by such things as are related in this chapter, namely, by horses of various colours, and afterwards by earthquakes, darkenings of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars to the earth.

[2] These, however, were appearances before the angels of the ultimate heaven, signifying such things as were heard and perceived in the inmost heaven, where there were no such appearances; for whatever is heard, thought, and perceived in the inmost heaven from the Lord, when it descends through the middle heaven to the last, is turned into such appearances; thus are the mysteries of Divine Wisdom promulgated before the angels of the ultimate heaven. Those there, who are intelligent, perceive these mysteries from correspondences; but the lowest of them do not perceive, but only know, that mysteries are therein, nor do they inquire further; John was with the latter when in spirit or in vision. These things are mentioned that it may be known how the Word was written, namely, from such things as were seen and heard in the ultimates of heaven, thus from pure correspondences and representatives, in each of which lie concealed innumerable and ineffable mysteries of Divine Wisdom.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.