50. Was in the isle that is called Patmos, signifies revelation to the nations. This is evident from the signification of "Patmos," as being the revelation contained in Revelation; for all places mentioned in the Word signify things, and the things they signify are from the worship there, or from some memorable event that occurred there, or from their location in or near countries whereby the religious principle of the nation is signified. "Patmos" signifies revelation, from the memorable fact that there a revelation was made to John. The revelation was made on an island, because an "island" signifies a nation remote from true worship, but still desiring to be enlightened. That this is signified by "islands" in the Word, will be clear from what follows; in the first place something shall be said about names of places in the Word signifying things.

All persons mentioned in the Word, and all by whom the Word was written, were led to places that were significant, in order that all things might be significative of spiritual things. Even the Lord Himself, for the same reason, went to places thus significative; as into Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon, to Jerusalem, and to the Mount of Olives there, and also, when an infant, He was carried into Egypt. It was similar with the prophets, and with many who are mentioned in the historical Word, as may be abundantly shown. For this reason, John also was commanded to betake himself into the isle of Patmos, that the things that are to be at the end of the church might there be revealed, because "island" signifies a nation about to accept truths of doctrine. This island, moreover, is in the archipelago, where there are numerous other islands; and from this also it is that by "Greece" in the Word such nations are signified. (Thus in Daniel 8:21, 10:20; 11:2; John 12:20-21; Mark 7:26.) (That all names of places mentioned in the Word signify things, see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888, 4310, 4442, 10329)

[2] That "islands" signify nations that are about to accede to the true worship of God, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Glorify Jehovah in Urim, the name of the God of Israel in the isles of the sea (Isaiah 24:15).

In the same:

He shall not quench nor break, until He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall hope in His law. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praises, ye ends of the earth: ye that go down to the sea, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare His praise in the islands (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12).

In the same:

Listen, O isles, unto Me, and hearken, ye peoples from afar (Isaiah 49:1).

In the same:

The isles shall hope in Me, and on My arm shall they trust (Isaiah 51:5).

In the same:

The islands shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 60:9).

In Jeremiah:

Hear the words of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare them in the isles afar off (Jeremiah 31:10).

And in Zephaniah:

Jehovah will make lean all the gods of the earth, that they may worship Him, everyone in his place, even all the isles of the nations (Zephaniah 2:11).

(And elsewhere as in Isaiah 23:2, 6 (Isaiah 23:6); Isaiah 41:1, 5; 42:15; 66:19; Jeremiah 2:10; 25:22; Ezekiel 27:3 (Ezekiel 27:3), 7, 15, 35.) From these and other passages it is plain that "isles" signify nations, specifically nations in respect to the doctrine of truth, in other places in respect to the doctrine of falsity; for most things in the Word have also opposite significations.

4442. 'And Hamor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak to him' means consultation regarding the truth of that Church. This is clear from the representation of 'Hamor, Shechem's father' as the truth known to the Ancients, dealt with in 4430, 4431; from the representation of 'Jacob' as the external Ancient Church, dealt with just above in 4439; and from the meaning of 'speaking to him' as consultation. Consequently these words mean consultation regarding the truth of that Church. Anyone who does not know that names in the Word mean spiritual entities will be amazed to learn that these words 'Hamor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak to him' mean consultation by the truth of the Church among the Ancients with the truth which was suited to the Ancient Church that was to be established among Jacob's descendants. But no one who knows what the internal sense of the Word is like will be amazed; nor indeed will those who from books by the Ancients have acquainted themselves with the literary style customary among them. For the Ancients commonly presented entities as if conversing with one another, such as wisdom, intelligence, knowledge, and the like. They also commonly gave these entities names by which such things were meant. The gods and demigods of the people of old were nothing other, and neither were the personalities whom they invented to link those entities together into a historical tale.

[2] The philosophers of old received this customary style from the Ancient Church which had been spread throughout much of the Asiatic world, 1238, 2385; for those who belonged to the Ancient Church linked together entities that were holy by means of representatives and meaningful signs. The Ancient Church however received the same by word of mouth from the most ancient people who lived before the Flood, 920, 1409, 1977, 2896, 2897; and these people received it from heaven since they had communication with heaven, 784, 1114-1125. For such representatives and meaningful signs occur in the first heaven, which is the lowest of the three heavens. This explains why the Word was written in that kind of style. But in contrast to the writings of the men of old the Word has this peculiar feature, that the separate entities in a continuous chain represent the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself; that the actual historical details are also such; and what is more, that they are real correspondences, these being continuous, extending through the three heavens from the Lord.