966. And it became blood as of one dead. That this signified that all were falsified, is evident from the signification of blood, as denoting Divine truth; and, in the opposite sense, Divine truth falsified (concerning which see n. 30, 328, 329, 476, 748). In this case, therefore, that all the knowledges of truth from the Word were falsified. The knowledges of truth from the Word are the truths of the sense of the letter, or the truths in the Word for the natural man, which also are Divine truths. These altogether falsified are signified by the sea becoming blood, as of one dead.

The Divine truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are said to be falsified, when they are perverted even to the destruction of interior Divine truth, or of Divine truth in the heavens. They then also appear in the heavens with man as the blood of one dead. That those who separate faith from the goods of life falsify the Word has been often shown above; and it is of such that these things are said, as is evident from the second verse of this chapter.

Concerning the Fourth Precept of the Decalogue, that parents are to be honoured.

This precept also was given, because the honour of parents represented and thence signified love to the Lord, and love towards the church. For father, in the heavenly sense, or the heavenly Father, is the Lord; and mother, in the heavenly sense, or the heavenly mother, is the church. Honour signifies the good of love; and length of days, which is the consequence, signifies the felicity of life eternal. This precept is thus understood in heaven, where no other father is known but the Lord, and no other mother but the Lord's kingdom, which is also the church. For the Lord gives life from Himself, and by the church He gives spiritual nourishment. That in the heavenly sense of this precept, not any father in the world is meant, or indeed to be named, while man is in a heavenly idea, the Lord teaches in Matthew:

"Call no one your father on earth; for one is your Father, who is in the heavens" (23:9).

That Father signifies the Lord as to Divine Good may be seen above (n. 32, 200, 254, 297). That mother signifies the Lord's kingdom, the church, and Divine truth may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897). That length of days signifies the felicity of eternal life, n. 8898 in the same work; and that honour signifies the good of love, n. 8897 there, and above, n. 288, 345.

From these things it is now evident that the third and fourth precepts involve mysteries concerning the Lord; that is, the acknowledgment and confession of His Divine, and the worship of Him from the good of love.

258. CHAPTER 4.

1. AFTER this I saw, and, behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard, as it were of a trumpet, speaking with me, said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must come to pass hereafter.

2. And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.

3. And he that sat was in aspect like a jasper and a sardius and there was a rainbow round about the throne in aspect like unto an emerald.

4. And round about the throne were four-and-twenty thrones; and upon the thrones I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in white garments; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

6. And before the throne there was a glassy sea like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four animals full of eyes before and behind.

7. And the first animal was like a lion, and the second animal like a calf, and the third animal had a face like a man, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.

8. And the four animals had each by itself six wings round about; and they were full of eyes within; and they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

9. And when the animals gave glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth unto the ages of the ages)

10. The four-and-twenty elders fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and worshipped him that liveth unto the ages of the ages, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and by thy will they are, and were created.

THE EXPLANATION.

IT was stated above (n. 5), that the subject treated of in this prophetical book is not the successive states of the Christian church from its beginning to its end, as has been hitherto believed, but the state of the church and of heaven in the last times, when there would be a new heaven and a new earth, that is, when there would be a new church formed in the heavens and on earth, thus when judgment takes place. It is said a new church in the heavens, because there is a church there just as on earth (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 221-227). Because these are the subjects treated of in this book, therefore the first chapter treats of the Lord, who is the Judge; and the second and third of those who belong to the church, and of those who do not belong to the church, thus it treats of those who are in the former heaven, which is to be abolished, and of those who are in the new heaven, which is to be formed. (That by the seven churches which are treated of in the second and third chapters, are meant all those who are in the church, and also everything pertaining to the church, may be seen above, n. 256, 257.) The subject now treated of in this fourth chapter is the arrangement of all things, especially in the heavens, before judgment; therefore a throne was now seen in heaven, and round about it twenty-four thrones, upon which were twenty-four elders; also, near the throne, four animals, which are cherubim. That by those things is described the arrangement of all things before the judgment, and for judgment, will be seen in the explanation of this chapter. It should be known that before any change takes place everything is pre-arranged and prepared for the future event; for all things are foreseen by the Lord, and according to this foresight are disposed and provided for. By the throne, therefore, in the midst of heaven is meant judgment, and by Him who sat upon it, the Lord; by the four-and-twenty thrones upon which were four-and-twenty elders, are meant all truths in their whole extent, from which and according to which judgment is. By the four animals, which are cherubim, is meant the Lord's Divine Providence, lest the former heavens should suffer harm by the remarkable change about to take place, and that afterwards everything might be done according to order; that is to say, that those who are interiorly evil might be separated from those who are interiorly good, and the latter be elevated into heaven, but the former cast down to hell.