From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #804

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804. Verses 8, 9. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone hath an ear let him hear.

8. "And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him," signifies the necessity of acknowledgment by those who have been born within the church n. 805; "whose names are not written in the book of life," signifies by all who have not become spiritual by regeneration by the Lord. n. 806); "slain from the foundation of the world," signifies whose Divine in His Human has not been acknowledged from the first establishment of this church n. 807.

9. "If anyone hath an ear let him hear," signifies reception by those who are in the understanding of truth and the consequent perception of good n. 808.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Revelation 3

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1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #862

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862. (Verse 4) These are they which were not defiled with women. That this signifies, who have not falsified the truths of the Word, is evident from the signification of being defiled and contaminated with women, as denoting to falsify the truths of the Word. For the signification, here, is the same as that of committing whoredom and playing the harlot. That by whoredoms, harlotries, and adulteries, so often mentioned in the prophetical parts of the Word, are signified the falsifications and adulterations of the truth and good of doctrine pertaining to the church, and consequently to the Word, may be seen above (n. 141, 161, 511, 695, 803). Hence it is the words "for they are virgins" follow, which signify that they are in the affection or love of truth for the sake of truth.

The reason why it is said of those hundred and forty and four thousand that they are not defiled with women, because they are virgins, is, that by those hundred and forty and four thousand are meant all those who are in truths from good; and those who are in truths from good cannot falsify truths. For good opens the spiritual mind which receives light from heaven, and enlightens the natural mind. Therefore when truths appear, they are acknowledged and received, and falsities rejected. It is quite different with those who are in truths without good. Although these believe themselves to be in truths, they are yet in falsities. For truths without good have neither light nor life; therefore they are inwardly black and dead, as it were; and, consequently, when interiorly regarded by them, they are either falsified or separated as if they had no existence. Such are the truths of the Word with those who are in faith separated from charity. When such persons speak from the literal sense of the Word, they cannot but speak truths, because all things of the Word are truths. But those that stand out in the literal sense are appearances of truth; being for the simple-minded and for children, and thence adapted to their apprehension. But when any one of those who are in faith separated from charity interiorly examines them, and wishes to bring out their genuine sense or the genuine truth, he falls into falsities, by means of which he destroys the very truths of heaven, and consequently closes heaven against himself. It is otherwise with those who are in truths from good; for such persons are continually enlightened by the Lord; for the Lord flows into good, and by means of good into truths with man; but not into truths without good, and, consequently, not into faith without charity.

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