1. Prefazione dell’Autore

Il Signore parlando ai suoi discepoli della fine dei tempi, cioè nell’ultimo periodo della chiesa, ¹ dice, all’avvicinarsi della predetta fine, in merito al successivo stato di amore e fede: ²

Subito dopo l’afflizione di quei giorni il sole si oscurerà e la luna non darà il suo splendore, e le stelle cadranno dal cielo, e le potenze dei cieli saranno scosse. Ed allora apparirà nel cielo il segno del Figlio dell’uomo; ed allora tutte le tribù della terra faranno cordoglio, e vedranno il Figliuolo dell’uomo venire sulle nuvole del cielo con gran potenza e gloria. E manderà i suoi angeli con gran suono di tromba a radunare i suoi eletti dai quattro venti, da un capo all’altro dei cieli. (Matteo 24:29-31)

Coloro che si soffermano sul mero significato letterale di queste parole, hanno la convinzione che alla fine dei tempi, quando vi sarà il giudizio universale, tutte queste cose avranno luogo, così come sono descritte nel senso letterale, cioè che il sole e la luna si oscureranno e le stelle cadranno dal cielo, e che il segno del Signore apparirà nel cielo, ed egli stesso sarà visto sulle nubi, con gli angeli e con le trombe al seguito; inoltre è predetto in altri passi che l’intero universo sarà distrutto, e poi sorgerà un nuovo cielo e una nuova terra. Tale è la convinzione della maggior parte degli uomini nella chiesa, nel presente. Ma coloro che sono in questa fede ignorano i segreti che sono nascosti in ogni minimo dettaglio della Parola; in realtà in ogni singolo vocabolo della Parola vi è un significato interiore che concerne le cose spirituali e celesti anziché le cose naturali e mondane, così come appaiono nel senso letterale. E questo è vero non solo per il significato di gruppi di parole, ma per ciascuna parola. ³ Perché la Parola è scritta esclusivamente per corrispondenze ⁴ , affinché vi possa essere un significato interiore in ogni singolo particolare di essa. Quale sia questo significato lo si può vedere da tutto ciò che è stato scritto al riguardo in Arcana Coelestia [pubblicato nel 1749-1756]; e dalle citazioni attinte da quell’opera, nell’illustrazione del Cavallo Bianco [dell’Apocalisse, pubblicato nel 1758] cui si fa riferimento nell’Apocalisse.

È in conformità di quel significato spirituale, che deve essere inteso l’avvento del Signore dal cielo, sulle nuvole, di cui al passo sopra citato. Ivi il sole che si oscura significa il Signore quanto all’amore; ⁵ la “luna” si riferisce alla fede; ⁶ le stelle indicano la conoscenza del bene e della verità, o dell’amore e della fede; ⁷ il “segno del Figlio dell’uomo nel cielo” indica la manifestazione della Divina verità; le “tribù della terra” significano tutte le cose concernenti la verità ed il bene, o la fede e l’amore; ⁸ “l’avvento del Signore sulle nuvole del cielo, in gloria e potenza,” significa la sua presenza nella Parola e la sua rivelazione; ⁹ le “nuvole” significano il senso letterale della Parola, ¹⁰ e la “gloria” il senso interiore della Parola; ¹¹ gli “angeli con gran suono di tromba” indicano il cielo quale sorgente della Divina verità. ¹² Tutto questo chiarisce cosa deve intendersi con queste parole del Signore, vale a dire che alla fine della chiesa, quando non vi sarà più alcun amore, e quindi alcuna fede, il Signore svelerà il significato interiore della Parola e rivelerà i segreti del cielo. I segreti rivelati nelle seguenti pagine riguardano il cielo e l’inferno, nonché la vita dell’uomo dopo la morte. L’uomo della chiesa attualmente ha una scarsa conoscenza del cielo e dell’inferno, o della sua vita dopo la morte, sebbene questi argomenti siano contemplati e descritti nella Parola; ciò nondimeno molti di quelli nati in seno alla chiesa, negano queste cose, dicendo nel loro intimo, “Chi mai è venuto da quel mondo e ha confermato queste cose?” Per evitare che questo atteggiamento negazionista, invalso specialmente presso quelli pervasi dalla saggezza mondana, possa contaminare e traviare le persone semplici nel cuore e nella fede, mi è stato concesso di essere associato agli angeli e di parlare con loro, come tra uomo e uomo, e anche di vedere come sono i cieli e gli inferni, e questo da tredici anni, ormai; quindi, adesso posso descrivere ciò che ho visto è udito, nell’auspicio che l’ignoranza possa essere illuminata, e l’incredulità, dissipata. Le presenti rivelazioni sono estese ora perché questo deve intendersi per la venuta del Signore.

Footnotes:

852. Having his Father's name written in their foreheads. That this signifies these truths, according to the acknowledgment of His Divine from love, is evident from the signification of His Father's name, as denoting the Lord's Divine, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being written in their foreheads as denoting a full acknowledgment.

The reason why the Father's name written in their foreheads denotes the full acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine is, that the Lord turns all who acknowledge His Divine to Himself, and looks at them in their foreheads, and they on the other hand look at the Lord with their eyes; and this because the forehead signifies love, and the eye the understanding of truth. Hence by their being looked at by the Lord in their foreheads, is signified that the Lord beholds them from the good of love; and by their looking at the Lord, on their part, with the eyes, is signified that they [look to the Lord] from truths from that good, consequently from the understanding of truth. That all those who are in the heavens are turned to the Lord, and with the face look unto Him as the Sun, may be seen above (n. 646) and in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 17, 123, 142, 272). Also that the Lord looks at the angels in the forehead, and that the angels on the other hand see the Lord with the eyes, because the forehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eyes correspond to the understanding of truth, see the same work (n. 145, 251). And that the forehead corresponds to the good of love (see also above, n. 427).

[2] He who does not know the nature of the Word in the literal sense, may suppose that where mention is made of God and the Lamb, and, in the present case, of the Lamb and the Father, two are meant; when, nevertheless, the Lord alone is meant by both. The same is meant in the Word of the Old Testament; where mention is made of Jehovah, the Lord Jehovih, Jehovah Zebaoth, Lord, Jehovah God, God in the plural and the singular, the God of Israel, the Holy one of Israel, the King of Israel, Creator, Saviour, Redeemer, Schaddai, Rock, and so on, a similar opinion may be entertained; when, nevertheless, by all these names are not meant several, but one; for the Lord is thus variously named according to His Divine attributes.

The case is the same with the Word of the New Testament, where Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are mentioned as three, when yet by these three names one is meant; for by the Father is meant the Lord as to the Divine itself, which was His soul from the Father; by the Son is meant the Divine Human; and by the Holy Spirit, the proceeding Divine. Thus the three are one; similarly here by the Lamb and the Father one, and not two, is meant.

[3] That the Lord, when He spoke of the Father, meant the Divine in Himself, and thus Himself, is evident from many passages in the Word of both Testaments. But here I will only adduce some from the Word of the Evangelists, from which it can be seen, that the Lord by the Father meant the Divine in Himself, which was in Him as the soul is in the body; and that when He named the Father and Himself as two, He meant Himself by both. For the soul and body are one, the soul belonging to its own body, and the body to its own soul. Thus the Divine, which is called the Father, was the very Divine of the Lord, from which His Human existed, and from which it became Divine, is quite clear from His conception from the Divine itself; as in Matthew:

"The angel of the Lord appeared" to Joseph "in a dream, saying, Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy spouse, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit; and Joseph knew her not, until she brought forth her first-born Son" (1:20, 25).

And in Luke:

The angel said unto Mary, "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. But Mary said unto the angel, How shall this come to pass, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (1:31, 34, 35).

From this it is clear that the Lord from conception is Jehovah God; and to be Jehovah God from conception is to be so as to life itself, which is called the soul from the Father, from which the body possesses life. From this also it is quite clear, that the Lord's Human is what is called the Son of God, for it is said "the Holy Thing" which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

[4] That it is the Lord's Human which is called the Son of God, is further evident from the Word of both the Old and New Testaments in various passages. But upon this subject, God willing, more shall be said specifically elsewhere. Only the following passages will be quoted here that testify that the Lord, by the Father, meant the Divine in Himself, consequently Himself.

In John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word: all things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory as the glory of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (1:1, 2, 14).

That by the Word is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human is clear; for it is said that "the Word was made flesh, and we beheld His glory, as the glory of the Only-Begotten of the Father." That the Lord is God also as to the Human, or that the Lord's Human is also Divine, is also clear; for it is said, "the Word was with God, and God was the Word," and this Word was made flesh.

[5] By the Word is meant the Lord as to the Divine truth.

In the same:

"My Father worketh hitherto, therefore also I work: but the Jews sought to kill him, because he said that God was his own Father, making himself equal with God. But Jesus answered, and said, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which sent him. Verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (John 5:17-28).

[6] That by the Father is here meant the Divine in the Lord, which was His life, just as the soul of the father is the life in every man; and that by the Son is meant the Human, which had life from the very Divine itself which was in Him, and thence also was made Divine; consequently that the Father and the Son are one, is plain from the Lord's words in the above passages - that the Son doeth the same things as the Father; that the Son raiseth the dead and quickens them as the Father; that the Son has life in Himself as the Father; and that they shall live who hear the voice of the Son. From these things it is quite clear that the Father and the Son are one as soul and body. Moreover, the same is evident from the Jews seeking to kill Him, because He said that God was His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

[7] In the same:

"All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me; every one who hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any one hath seen the Father, save he who is with the Father; he seeth the Father. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven; even as the Father who hath sent me liveth, I also live by the Father" (6:37, and following verses).

The Lord there says of His Human, that it came down from heaven, and that every one has life through Him, because the Father and He are one; and that the life of the Father is in Him, as the soul is from the father in the son.

In the same:

"I give eternal life" to my sheep, "and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." The Jews were enraged because he made himself God. "And he said, Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father" (10:28-38).

Here the Lord speaks of the Father as of another, saying, "No one shall pluck the sheep out of my Father's hand"; also, "if I do not the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do, believe the works"; and yet, lest they should believe that the Father and He were two, He saith, "the Father and I are one"; and lest they should believe that they were one only by love, He adds, "that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." It is therefore evident that the Lord by the Father meant Himself, or the Divine in Himself from conception; and that by the Son, whom the Father sent, He meant His Human. For this was sent into the world by being conceived of God the Father and born of a virgin.

[8] In the same:

"Jesus cried and said, he who believeth in me, believeth not in me, but in him that sent me; and he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me, should not abide in the darkness" (12:44-46).

That the Lord by the Father meant Himself, and by the Son His Divine Human, whom the Father sent, is also clear from these words; for He says, "He who seeth me, seeth him that sent me," also "He that believeth in me, believeth not in me, but in him that sent me"; and yet He says that they are to believe in Him (verse 36, and elsewhere).

[9] In the same:

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that he came forth from God, and returned to God, said, He who receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me" (13:3, 20).

Because the Father and He were one, and the Human of the Lord was Divine from the Divine in Him, therefore all things of the Father were His; which is meant by the Father giving all things into His hands; and because they were one, He says, "He that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me." By going out from the Father and returning to the Father, is meant to be conceived and thereby exist from Him, and to be united to Him, as the soul to the body.

[10] In the same:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father: and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me, that I am in the Father and the Father in me" (14:6-11).

Here it is plainly said that the Father and He are one, and that the union is like that of soul and body; consequently that it is such a union that he who seeth Him seeth the Father. This union is further confirmed in that chapter. And because such was the union, and no one can come to man's soul, but only to the man himself, therefore the Lord says, that

They should approach him, and ask the Father in his name, and that he would give to them (John 16:23, 24).

[11] This union is also meant by

His going forth from the Father and coming into the world; and again leaving the world, and going to the Father (John 16:5, 10, 16, 17, 28).

Because the Father and He were one, therefore He also says:

"All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine," and that therefore the Paraclete, which is the Holy Spirit, shall receive from the Lord what he should speak (John 16:13-15).

In another place:

Father, thou hast given me power over all flesh, that to every one whom thou hast given me, I might give eternal life. "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. All things that are mine are thine, and all things that are thine are mine" (John 17:2, 3, 10).

Here also it is openly declared, that all things belonging to the Father are His, as all things of the soul are man's; for man and the soul are one, as the life and the subject of life. That the Lord is God also as to the Human, is clear from these words of the Lord, "That they may know thee, the only God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."

[12] Because the Father and the Son of God are one, therefore the Lord says:

That when he cometh to judgment, "He will come in the glory of his Father" (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26); and "in His own glory" (Matthew 25:31) and that "He hath all power in the heavens and on earth" (Matthew 28:18).

That by the Son of God is meant the Lord's Divine Human, is also evident in other passages in the Word of the New Testament; and also in the Old Testament.

As in Isaiah:

"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace" (9:6).

And in the same prophet:

"A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son, and his name shall be called God with us" (7:14).

That by the child born, and the son given, is here meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, is clear; and that the Lord as to it, also, is God. Thus that His Human is Divine, is manifestly declared; for it is said that "His name shall be called God," "God with us," "The Father of Eternity."

Besides these passages, many others might also be quoted to prove that the Lord, by the Father, in the Word, meant His own Divine, which was the life or soul of His Human, and not another separate from Himself. Nor could He mean another. Hence the Divine and the Human in the Lord - according to the doctrine of the Christian world - are not two but one Person, altogether as soul and body; as is expressed in clear terms in the Athanasian Creed. And because God and Man in the Lord are not two but one person, and united like soul and body, it follows that the Divine, which the Lord had from conception, was what He called Father; and the Divine Human was that which He called Son; consequently that each was Himself.

From these things it is evident, that by the name of the Father written in their forehead, is meant the Lord as to His Divine.