Apocalypse Explained #474
474. And he said unto me, These are they who come out of the great tribulation, signifies information that these are they that have been in temptations. This is evident from the signification of "he said to me," as being information; also from the signification of "great tribulation" (or affliction) as being temptations (of which presently). Here something shall first be said about temptations which those in the spiritual world undergo who are in falsities from ignorance, and who are here treated of. In the spiritual world, those only undergo temptations who had lived well in the world according to their religion, in which there were falsities of doctrine which they believed; for by means of temptations falsities are shaken off and truths are implanted, and thus they are prepared for heaven; for all who are to come into heaven must be in truths; therefore so long as they are in falsities they cannot come into heaven. The reason is that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes heaven, and makes the life of the angels there; consequently as falsities are the opposites of truths, and opposites destroy, these must first be removed, and they can be removed only by means of temptations. (That temptations perform this use, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 187-201, where temptations are treated of.) Such after their life in the body are let into temptations in the spiritual world because they could not be tempted while in the world on account of the falsities of their religion which reigned. Everywhere it is to be noted, that all who are let into temptations are saved; while the evil, who are in falsities from evil, are not tempted, for truths cannot be implanted in them; their evils of life stand in the way; but from these their truths are taken away, and thus they remain in mere falsities, and then they are plunged into hell, to a depth according to the quality of evil from which is falsity. In a word, those who are to come into heaven are vastated in respect to falsities, while those who are to come into hell are vastated in respect to truths; that is, from those who are to come into heaven falsities are taken away, and from those who are to come into hell, truths are taken away; for no one with falsities can enter heaven, and no one with truths can enter hell, since truths from good make heaven, and falsities from evil make hell. The temptations which those undergo with whom falsities are to be scattered are treated of in many passages in the Word, especially in David, and are called "afflictions," "tribulations," and "vastations;" but there is no need to cite these passages here, because it can be known without them that "tribulations" and "afflictions," when predicated of the good, mean in the spiritual sense temptations.
2 Chronicles 28
1
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2
For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
4
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
6
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
7
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
8
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9
But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
10
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
11
Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
12
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
13
And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15
And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
16
At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
19
For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
20
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
21
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
22
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
23
For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
24
And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25
And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26
Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
