Apocalypse Revealed # 540
540. And seven jewels 1 on its heads. This symbolizes all the Word's truths falsified and profaned.
Jewels or precious stones symbolize the Word's truths, specifically truths in the Word's literal meaning, but here those truths falsified and profaned because the jewels were seen on the dragon's seven heads, which symbolize irrationality owing to a falsification and profanation of truths (no. 538).
[2] That jewels or precious stones symbolize truths in the Word's literal meaning may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 43-45. We showed there that Divine truths in their outmost expressions, which are the truths in the Word's literal sense, were symbolized by the twelve precious stones on Aaron's breastpiece, namely, the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:6, 15-21, 30), and also by the precious stones in the Garden of Eden, where the king of Tyre is said to have been (Ezekiel 28:12-13). And they were symbolized as well by the twelve precious stones which formed the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:17-20).
Truths in the literal meaning of the Word are symbolized by jewels or precious stones because everything in the Word's literal meaning is, in the eyes of angels, translucent in consequence of the Word's spiritual meaning, thus in consequence of the light of heaven in which the Word's spiritual truths reside. For a stone in the Word symbolizes truth in its outmost expressions, and thus a precious stone, that truth translucent.
[3] The Word's truths falsified and profaned are also called jewels because they are luminous in themselves, whoever possesses them, like jewels on earth, no matter in whose hand they are. I have occasionally been given to see adulterous women adorned with jewels on their first arrival from earth into the world of spirits, and also Jews selling jewels that they acquired from heaven. It was apparent from this that the evils and falsities in those people did not alter the radiance and sparkle of the Word's truths.
The ten jewels on the horns of the beast rising up out of the sea consequently have the same symbolism (Revelation 13:1), and so, too, the precious stones on the woman sitting on the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3-5).
That it is the Word's truths that jewels symbolize is clearly apparent from the statement in the book of Revelation, that on the head of Him who sat on the white horse were seen many jewels, and that His name was The Word of God (Revelation 19:12-13).
Notas de rodapé:
1. The word translated as "jewels" here means diadems or crowns in the original Greek and Latin, but the writer's definition of the term elsewhere make plain that he regularly and consistently interpreted it to mean jewels or gems.
Revelation 11
1
A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, "Rise, and measure God's temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2
Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don't measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
3
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing before the Lord of the earth.
5
If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6
These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
8
Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9
From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10
Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11
After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
12
I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13
In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14
The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.
15
The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!"
16
The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God's throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17
saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned.
18
The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
19
God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
