Apocalypse Revealed · §§ 946–962

946. Verse 9. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of this book; adore God, signifies that the angels of heaven are not to be adored and invoked, because nothing Divine belongs to them, but that they are associated with men as brethren with brethren, with those who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and do its precepts, and that the Lord alone is to be adored in consociation with them. By what the angel here speaks with John, nearly the same is signified as by what he spoke to him above (chapter 19), where are these things: “And I fell down before the angel’s feet to adore him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; adore God” (verse 10). That the like is signified by these words may be seen above (n. 818), with this difference, that it is now said, “the fellow-servant of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the words of this book”; and by “brethren the prophets” are signified they who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and by “them which keep the words of this book,” are signified they who observe and do the precepts of that doctrine, which are now manifested by the Lord, see above (n. 944).

947. Verse 10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand signifies that Revelation must not be shut, but opened, and that this is necessary at the end of the church that any may be saved. By “seal not the words of this prophecy” is signified that Revelation must not be shut, but that it is to be opened, of which presently; “for the time is at hand” signifies that this is necessary that any may be saved; by “time” is signified state (n. 476, 562), here the state of the church, which is such that this is necessary; by “at hand” is signified necessary, because by “at hand” is not meant near or nearness of time, but nearness of state, and nearness of state is necessity; that nearness of time is not meant is evident, because Revelation was written in the beginning of the first century; and the Lord’s coming, when the Last Judgment takes place, and there is the New Church, which things are here meant by “the time is at hand,” and also by “the things which must be shortly done” (verse 6), and by “I come quickly” (verses 7, 20), has now but recently appeared and come to pass after seventeen centuries. The same is also said in chapter 1, that these things “must shortly come to pass,” verse 1, and that “the time is at hand,” verse 3; concerning which see above (n. 4, 9), where the like things are meant.

[2] That near or nearness of time is not meant, but nearness of state, shall be illustrated. The Word in the purely spiritual sense does not derive anything from the idea of time nor from the idea of space, because times and spaces in heaven do indeed appear like times and spaces in the world, but still they are not there; wherefore the angels cannot measure times and spaces, which there are appearances, otherwise than by states, according to their progressions and changes; from which it may appear that in the purely spiritual sense by “quickly” and “at hand” is not meant quickly and near as to time, but quickly and near as to state; this may indeed appear as if it were not so, the reason is because with men, in every idea of their lower thought, which is merely natural, there is something from time and space; but it is otherwise in the ideas of the higher thought, in which men are when they revolve natural, civil, moral, and spiritual things in interior rational light, for then spiritual light, which is abstracted from time and space, flows in and enlightens. You may experience this and thus be confirmed, if you will, by only attending to your thoughts; when you will also be convinced that thought is higher and lower, inasmuch as simple thought cannot survey itself, except from some higher thought; and if man did not have a higher and a lower thought, he would not be a man but a brute.

[3] The reason why by “seal not the words of this prophecy” is signified that Revelation must not be shut, but opened, is because by “sealing” is signified to shut, and therefore by “not sealing” is signified to open, and by “the time is at hand” is signified that it is necessary; for Revelation is a sealed or closed book, so long as it is not explained; and as is shown above (n. 944), by “the words of this prophecy” are meant the truths and precepts of doctrine of this book opened by the Lord. That this is necessary at the end of the church that any may be saved, may be seen above (n. 9). From these things it may appear, that by “seal not the words of this prophecy, for the time is at hand,” is signified that Revelation must not be closed, but that it is to be opened, and that there is a necessity for this at the end of the church, that any may be saved.

948. Verse 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is just, let him be just still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still, signifies the state of all in particular after death, and before his judgment, and in general before the Last Judgment, that from those who are in evils goods will be taken away; and from those who are in falsities, truths will be taken away; and, on the other hand, that from those who are in goods, evils will be taken away, and from those who are in truths, falsities will be taken away. By “unjust” is signified he who is in evils, and by “just” he who is in goods (n. 668); by “filthy” or unclean is signified he who is in falsities (n. 702, 708, 924), and by “holy” is signified he who is in truths (n. 173, 586, 666, 852); hence it follows that by “he that is unjust, let him be unjust still” is signified that he who is in evils will be still more in evils, and that by “he that is filthy, let him be filthy still” is signified that he who is in falsities will be still more in falsities; and, on the other hand, that by “he that is just, let him be just still” is signified that he who is in goods will be still more in goods, and by “he that is holy, let him be holy still” is signified that he who is in truths will be still more in truths. But the reason why it signifies that from those who are in evils goods will be taken away, and from those who are in falsities truths will be taken away, and that, on the contrary, from those who are in goods evils will be taken away, and from those who are in truths falsities will be taken away, is because as far as goods are taken away from anyone who is in evils, so much the more is he in evils, and as far as truths are taken away from anyone who is in falsities, so much the more he is in falsities, and, on the other hand, as far as evils are taken away from anyone who is in goods, so much the more is he in goods, and as far as falsities are taken away from anyone who is in truths, so much the more is he in truths; either the one or the other happens to everyone after death, for thus the evil are prepared for hell and the good for heaven; for the evil cannot carry with them goods and truths into hell, neither can the good carry evils and falsities into heaven, for this would be to confuse both heaven and hell together.

[2] But it should be clearly known that they are meant who are interiorly evil and interiorly good; for they who are interiorly evil may be exteriorly good, for they can act and speak like the good, as hypocrites do; and they who are interiorly good may sometimes be exteriorly evil, for they may exteriorly do evils, and speak falsities, but yet they may repent, and desire to be informed of truths; this is the same as what the Lord said:

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath (Matt. 13:12; 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26).

Thus it happens with all after death before the judgment upon them; it also came to pass in general with those, who either perished or were saved at the day of the Last Judgment, for before this happened, the Last Judgment could not be executed, by reason that so long as the evil retained goods and truths, they were conjoined with the angels of the lowest heaven as to externals, and nevertheless they were to be separated; and this is what was foretold by the Lord (Matt. 13:24-30, 38-40), which may be seen explained above (n. 324, 329, 343, 346, 398). From these considerations it may be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by “he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is just, let him be just still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” The following passage in Daniel has a like signification:

Go, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed to the time of the end. Many shall be purified and cleansed; they shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand (Dan. 12:9-10).

949. Verse 12. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to everyone according as his work shall be, signifies that the Lord will certainly come, and that He Himself is heaven and the felicity of eternal life to everyone according to faith in Him, and life according to His commandments. “Behold, I come quickly,” signifies that He will certainly come, that is, to execute judgment, and to found a New Heaven and a New Church. That “quickly” means certainly, may be seen (n. 4, 943, 944, 947). “My reward is with Me,” signifies that the Lord Himself is heaven and the felicity of eternal life. That “reward” is heaven and eternal felicity, may be seen (n. 526). That it is the Lord Himself, will be seen below. “Rendering unto everyone according to His work,” signifies according to his conjunction with the Lord by faith in Him and by life according to His commandments. The reason why this is signified, is because by good works are signified charity and faith in internals, and, at the same time, their effects in externals; and because charity and faith are from the Lord, and according to conjunction with Him, it is evident that these are signified; thus also this coheres with what went before. That good works are charity and faith in internals, and at the same time their effects in externals, may be seen above (n. 641, 868, 871).

[2] That charity and faith are not from man, but from the Lord, is known; and because they are from the Lord they are according to conjunction with Him, and conjunction with Him is effected by faith in him and by a life according to His commandments. By faith in Him is meant confidence that He will save, and they have this confidence who immediately approach Him, and shun evils as sins; with others it is not given. It was said that “My reward is with Me” signifies that He Himself is heaven and the felicity of eternal life, for “reward” is intrinsic beatitude, which is called peace, and thence external joy. These are solely from the Lord, and the things which are from the Lord, not only are from Him, but also are Himself, for the Lord cannot send forth anything from Himself except it be Himself, for he is omnipresent with every man according to conjunction, and conjunction is according to reception, and reception is according to love and wisdom, or if you will, according to charity and faith, and charity and faith are according to life, and life is according to the aversion to evil and falsity, and aversion to evil and falsity is according to the knowledge of what is evil and false, and then according to repentance, and at the same time looking to the Lord.

[3] That “reward” not only is from the Lord but also is the Lord Himself appears from those passages in the Word where it is said that they who are conjoined with Him are in Him and He in them, as may be seen in John (14:20-24; 15:4-5 seq.; 17:19, 21-22, 26, and in other places), see above (n. 883) and also where it is said that the Holy Spirit is in them; and the Holy Spirit is the Lord, for it is His Divine presence; and also when he prays that God will dwell in them to teach and lead them, the tongue to preach and the body to do that which is good; besides other things of a like nature. For the Lord is love itself and wisdom itself; these two are not in place but are where they are received and according to the quality of the reception. But this arcanum cannot be understood except by those who are in wisdom from the reception of light from heaven from the Lord; for the use of these are the things which are written in the two works Divine Providence and Divine Love and Wisdom, in which it is shown that the Lord Himself is in men according to reception and not from anything Divine separated from Him. The angels are in this idea when they are in the idea of Divine omnipresence, and I do not doubt that that some Christians are in a similar idea also.

950. Verse 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, signifies because the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and by Him all things in the heavens and on the earth were made, and are ruled by His Divine Providence, and come to pass according to it. That this and more is signified by these words, may be seen above (n. 888).

951. Verse 14. Happy are they that do His commandments, that their power may be in the tree of life, and they may enter in through the gates into the city, signifies that they have eternal felicity who live according to the Lord’s commandments, to the end that they may be in the Lord and the Lord in them by love, and in His New Church by knowledges concerning Him. By “happy” are signified they who have the felicity of eternal life (n. 639, 852, 944). By “doing His commandments,” is signified to live according to the Lord’s precepts; “that their power may be in the tree of life,” signifies to the end that they may be in the Lord and the Lord in them by love, that is, for the Lord’s sake, as will be shown presently; by “entering through the gates into the city” is signified that they may be in the Lord’s New Church through knowledges concerning Him. By “the gates” of the wall of the New Jerusalem are signified the knowledges of good and truth from the Word (n. 899, 900, 922). And because “each gate was one pearl,” principally by “gates” are signified knowledges concerning the Lord (n. 916), and by “the city,” or Jerusalem, is signified the New Church with its doctrine (n. 879-880).

[2] That by “their power is in the tree of life,” is signified to the end that they may be in the Lord and the Lord in them, or for the Lord’s sake, is because by “the tree of life” is signified the Lord as to the Divine love (n. 89, 933); and by “power in that tree” is signified power from the Lord, because they are in the Lord and the Lord in them; the same is signified here as by “reigning with the Lord” (n. 284, 849). That they who are in the Lord and the Lord in them are in all power, insomuch that whatsoever they will, they can do, the Lord Himself says in John:

He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing; if ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:5, 7).

In like manner concerning power (Matt. 7:7; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9-10); yea, in Matthew:

Jesus said, If ye have faith, ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask believing, ye shall receive (Matt. 21:21-22).

By these words is described the power of those who are in the Lord; these do not will anything, and so do not ask anything, but from the Lord, and whatsoever they will and ask from the Lord, the same is done, for the Lord says, “Without Me ye can do nothing, abide in Me and I in you”; such power have the angels in heaven, that if they only will a thing, they obtain it; but yet they do not will anything but what is of use, and this they will as if from themselves, but still from the Lord.

952. Verse 15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and doeth a lie, signifies that no one is received into the New Jerusalem, who makes no account of the commandments of the Decalogue, and does not shun any evils there enumerated as sins, and therefore lives in them. This is, in general, what is signified by all the particulars in the above passage, because the commandments of the Decalogue are what are there meant, as may be seen above from the explanation (n. 892), where similar words occur, except that here “dogs” are also named, by which are signified they who are in lusts, which are also treated of in the ninth and tenth commandments of the Decalogue.

[2] By “dogs” in general are signified they who are in all kinds of lusts, and indulge them, particularly they who are in pleasures merely corporeal, especially in the pleasure of eating and drinking, in which alone they take delight; for which reason dogs, in the spiritual world, appear from those who have indulged their appetite and palate, and are there called corporeal appetites; such, because they are gross in mind, make no account of the things which are of the church; therefore it is said that they shall stand without, that is, shall not be received into the Lord’s New Church.

[3] “Dogs” have a similar signification in the following passages in the Word:

His watchmen are blind; they are all dumb dogs; gazing, lying down, loving to slumber, dogs hardened in soul, they know not satiety (Isa. 56:10-11).

They make a noise like dogs, and go round about the city. They wander for food, and if they be not satisfied, they thus pass the night (Ps. 59:6, 14-15).

By “dogs” are meant the vilest men (Job 30:1; 1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam 9:8; 2 Kings 8:13), and also the unclean; therefore it is said in Moses:

Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot and the price of a dog, into the house of Jehovah for any vow; because both are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God (Deut. 23:18).

953. Verse 16. I Jesus have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the churches, signifies a testification from the Lord before the whole Christian world, that it is true that the Lord alone made manifest the things which are described in this book, as also the things which are now laid open. The reason why the Lord here names Himself “Jesus,” is, that all in the Christian world may know that the Lord Himself, who was in the world, manifested the things which are described in this book, as also the things which are now laid open. By “sending an angel to testify,” is signified testification from the Lord that it is true; an angel, indeed, did testify this, yet not from himself, but from the Lord, which appears clearly (in verse 20), from these words, “He who testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly;” the reason why it means a testification that it is true, is because “to testify” is said of the truth, since truth testifies of itself, and the Lord is the truth (n. 6, 16, 490). “To testify” not only signifies testification that it is true, that the Lord manifested to John the things which are described in this book, but also that He has now manifested what each and all the things therein signify; this is especially meant by “testifying,” for it is said that “He testifies these things in the churches,” that is, that the things are true which are contained in what was seen and described by John, for “to testify” is said of the truth, as before observed. By “unto you these things in the churches,” is signified before the whole Christian world, for there the churches are, which are here meant.

954. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the bright and morning Star, signifies that it is the Lord Himself who was born in the world, and was then the Light, and who will come with new light, which will arise before His New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem. “I am the Root and Offspring of David,” signifies that He is the very Lord Himself who was born in the world, thus the Lord in His Divine Human; from this He is called “the Root and Offspring of David,” and also “the Branch of David” (Jer. 23:5, 33:15), also “the Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and the Branch from his roots” (Isa. 11:1, 2). “The bright and morning Star,” signifies that then there was light, and that He will come with new light, which will arise before His New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem. He is called “the bright Star” from the light with which He came into the world, wherefore He is likewise called “Star,” and also “Light;” “a Star” (Num. 24:17), and “Light” (John 1:4-12; 3:19, 21; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46; Matt. 4:16; Luke 2:30-32; Isa. 9:2; 49:6). And He is called “the morning Star” from the light which will rise before the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, from Him; for by “Star” is signified light from Him, which in its essence is wisdom and intelligence, and by “morning” is signified His coming, and then the New Church, as may be seen above (n. 151).

955. Verse 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come, signifies that heaven and the church desire the Lord’s coming. By “the Spirit” is signified heaven, by “the Bride” the church, and by “saying, Come” is signified to desire the Lord’s coming. That the New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem, is meant by “the Bride,” is evident (from chapter 21:2, 9-10) (see n. 881, 895); and that by “the Spirit” is meant heaven, is, because the angelic spirits are meant, of whom the New Heaven is to be formed, concerning whom above (chapter 14:1-7; 19:1-9; 20:4-5). By the church, which is here called “the Bride,” is not meant the church consisting of those who are in falsities of faith, but the church consisting of those who are in truths of faith, for these desire light, consequently the Lord’s coming, as above (n. 954).

956. And let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that thirsteth come, and let him that willeth take the water of life freely, signifies that he who knows anything of the Lord’s coming, and of the New Heaven and New Church, thus of the Lord’s kingdom, should pray that it may come, and that he who desires truths, should pray that the Lord may come with light, and that he who loves truths, will then receive them from the Lord without his own work. By “let him that heareth say, Come,” is signified he who hears and thence knows anything of the Lord’s coming, and of the New Heaven and the New Church, thus of the Lord’s kingdom, let him pray that it may come; by “him that thirsteth, let him say, Come” is signified he who desires the Lord’s kingdom, and, at the same time, truths, let him pray that the Lord may come with light; by “him that willeth let him take of the water of life freely,” is signified that he who from love is willing to learn truths and appropriate them to himself, will receive them from the Lord without any work of his own; by “willing” is signified to love, because that which a man wills from his heart he loves, and that which he loves the same he wills from the heart; by “the water of life” is signified Divine truths through the Word from the Lord (n. 932); and by “freely” is signified without his own work. The things in this verse have the same signification as these in the Lord’s Prayer:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done as in heaven so also upon the earth (Matt. 6:10; n. 839).

The Lord’s “kingdom” is the church which makes one with heaven; wherefore it is now said, “let him that heareth, say, Come, and let him that thirsteth come.”

[2] That “to thirst” signifies to desire truths, appears from the following passages:

I will pour water upon him that thirsteth, I will pour My spirit upon thy seed (Isa. 44:3).

Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, buy wine and milk without silver (Isa. 55:1).

Jesus cried, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water (John 7:37-38).

My soul thirsteth for the living God (Ps. 42:2).

O God, thou art my God; my soul thirsteth for Thee, it is weary without water (Ps. 63:1).

Happy are they who thirst after justice (Matt. 5:6).

Unto him that thirsteth I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely (Rev. 21:6).

By which is signified that to those who desire truths for any spiritual use, the Lord will give from Himself through the Word all which conduce to that use.

[3] That by “thirst” and “thirsting” is also signified to perish from lack of truth, is evident from these:

My people are exiled because they have no acknowledgment, the multitude is dried up with thirst (Isa. 5:13).

The fool speaketh foolishness, and his heart doeth iniquity, and he maketh the drink of the thirsty to fail (Isa. 32:6).

The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongue faileth for thirst; I Jehovah will hear them (Isa. 41:17).

Plead with your mother, lest I strip her naked, and slay her with thirst (Hos. 2:2-3).

“Mother” here is the church.

Behold, the days come, in which I will send a famine in the land; not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the young men faint for thirst (Amos 8:11, 13).

But by “not thirsting” is signified not to have a lack of truth, in these passages:

Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall not thirst to eternity (John 4:13-15).

Jesus said, he that believeth on Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob; then shall they not thirst; He shall make waters to flow out of the rock for them (Isa. 48:20, 21).

957. Verse 18. For I testify unto everyone that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book, signifies that they who read and know the truths of doctrine of this book, now opened by the Lord, and yet acknowledge any other God than the Lord, and any other faith than in Him, by adding anything whereby they may destroy these two things, cannot do otherwise than perish from the falsities and evils, which are signified by the plagues described in this book. “To hear the words of the prophecy of this book” signifies to read and know the truths of doctrine of this book, now opened by the Lord, see above (n. 944); by “adding to them” is signified to add anything whereby they may destroy those truths, as will be seen presently; by “the plagues written in this book,” are signified the falsities and evils which are signified by “the plagues written in this book” (of which chapters 15-16).

That “plagues” signify the falsities and evils which those have who adore the beast of the dragon, and the false prophet, may be seen (n. 456, 657, 673, 676-677, 683, 690-691, 699, 708, 718); the beast of the dragon, and the false prophet are they who make faith alone without good works saving.

[2] There are two things in this prophetic book, to which all its contents refer; the first is, that no other God is to be acknowledged but the Lord, and the other, that no other faith is to be acknowledged but faith in the Lord; he who knows these, and yet adds anything with intent to destroy them, cannot be otherwise than in falsities and evils, and must perish from them, because from no other God but the Lord, and by no other faith but faith in the Lord, is given the good which is of love, and the truth which is of faith, and thence the felicity of eternal life, as the Lord Himself teaches in many places in the Evangelists, see above (n. 553).

[3] That this is signified, and not that God will add the plagues described in chapters 15 and 16 upon him who adds anything to the words of the prophecy of this book, anyone may see from his own judgment. For an innocent person might do this, and many might likewise do it with a good end, and also from ignorance of what is signified; for Revelation has been hitherto like a closed or mystic book, wherefore anyone may see, that the meaning is, that nothing is to be added or taken away, which destroys the truths of doctrine in this book now opened by the Lord, which truths refer to those two; for which reason also, these words follow in a series after “Jesus sent His angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star. And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that thirsteth come; and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely” (verses 16-17). By which is signified, that the Lord will come in His Divine Human, and give eternal life to those who acknowledge Him; wherefore these words follow likewise in a series: “He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus” (verse 20); from which it is plain that nothing else is meant. “To add” is also a prophetic word signifying to destroy (as in Ps. 120:2, and in other places). From these things the signification of this and the following verse may be seen.

958. Verse 19. And if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are written in this book, signifies that they who read and know the truths of doctrine in this book, now opened by the Lord, and yet acknowledge any other God than the Lord, and any other faith than a faith in Him, by taking away anything whereby they may destroy these two things, cannot acquire any wisdom, nor appropriate to themselves anything from the Word, nor be received into the New Jerusalem, nor have their lot with those who are in the Lord’s kingdom. These words signify the same as the foregoing, only that here it is said of those who take away, and there of those who add, consequently of those who either by adding or taking away, destroy those two truths. “To take away their part out of the book of life,” signifies that they cannot acquire any wisdom from the Word, nor appropriate anything out of it to themselves. “The book of life” is the Word, and also the Lord as to the Word (n. 256, 469, 874, 925). The reason is, because the Lord is the Word, for the Word treats of Him alone, as is fully shown in the Two Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning, Doctrine of the Lord, and the other concerning Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture; wherefore they who do not immediately approach the Lord cannot see any truth from the Word. “To take away their part out of the holy city,” signifies out of the New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem; for no one is received into it who does not approach the Lord alone. “To take away their part out of the things which are written in this book,” signifies not to have their lot with those who are in the Lord’s kingdom, for all the things which are written in this book regard the New Heaven and the New Church, which make the Lord’s kingdom as the end, and the end is that to which all the things which are written in the book have reference.

959. That it may be known that by these words is not meant he who “takes away from the words of this book” as it is written in the literal sense, but he who takes away from the truths of doctrine which are in its spiritual sense, I will explain whence this is: The Word, which was dictated by the Lord, passed through the heavens of His celestial kingdom, and the heavens of His spiritual kingdom, and thus came to the man through whom it was written; wherefore the Word in its first origin is purely Divine. This Word, as it passed through the heavens of the Lord’s celestial kingdom, was Divine celestial, and as it passed through the heavens of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, was Divine spiritual, and when it came to man, it became Divine natural. Hence it is that the natural sense of the Word contains in itself the spiritual sense, and this the celestial sense, and both a sense purely Divine, which does not appear to any man nor indeed to any angel. These things are adduced that it may be seen, that by “not adding nor taking away” anything from what is written in Revelation is meant in heaven, that not anything is to be added or taken away from the truths of doctrine concerning the Lord and concerning faith in Him. For it is this sense, and truth concerning life according to His commandments, from which is the sense of the letter, as has been said.

960. Verse 20. He who testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Yea, come, Lord Jesus, signifies the Lord, who revealed Revelation, and has now opened it, testifying this gospel, that He comes in His Divine Human, which He took upon Him in the world and glorified, as the Bridegroom and Husband, and that the church desires Him, as the Bride and Wife. The Lord said above, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the churches” (verse 16 of this chapter); it may be seen above (n. 953) that this signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole Christian world, that it is true that the Lord alone manifested the things which are written in this book, and which are now laid open. Thence it is plain, that by “He who testifieth these things,” is meant the Lord, who revealed Revelation and has now laid it open, testifying. The reason why it means testifying this gospel, is, because He here declares His coming, His kingdom, and His spiritual marriage with the church; for He says, “Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Yea, come, Lord Jesus”; and by “the gospel,” is signified the Lord’s coming to His kingdom (n. 478, 553, 626, 664). The reason why He here comes to a spiritual marriage with the church, is, because this New Church is called the Bride and Wife, and the Lord its Lord its Bridegroom and Husband, above (chapters 19:7-9; 20:2, 9, 10; 21:17); and here at the end of the book, the Lord speaks and the church speaks, as the Bridegroom and the Bride; the Lord speaks these words, “Surely, I come quickly. Amen”; and the church speaks these, “Yea, come, Lord Jesus,” which are words of betrothing to the spiritual marriage. That the Lord will come in His Divine Human which He assumed and glorified in the world, is plain from this, that He names Himself “Jesus,” and says that He is “the Root and the Offspring of David” (verse 16), and that the church here says, “Come, Lord Jesus,” see above (n. 953, 954).

961. To this I will add two Relations. The first is this. Once on waking from sleep, I fell into a profound meditation concerning God; and when I looked up, I saw above me in heaven a very bright light in an oval form; and when I fixed my attention on that light, it receded to the sides, and entered into the circumference. And then behold, heaven was opened to me, and I saw some magnificent things, and angels standing in the form of a circle on the southern side of the opening, speaking with one another. And because I was enkindled with the desire of hearing what they were saying, it was therefore given me first to hear the sound, which was full of heavenly love, and afterwards their speech, which was full of wisdom from that love. They were talking with one another of the One God, of Conjunction with Him, and of Salvation thence. They spoke ineffable things, the most of which cannot be expressed by any natural language. But as I had many times been in consociation with angels in heaven itself, and then in similar speech with them, because in a similar state, I could therefore now understand them, and gather some things from their discourse, which can be expressed rationally in the words of natural language.

[2] They said that the Divine Esse is One, the Same, the Itself, and Indivisible; thus also the Divine Essence, because the Divine Esse is the Divine Essence; and thus also God, because the Divine Essence, which is also the Divine Esse, is God. They illustrated this by spiritual ideas, saying that the Divine Esse cannot fall into many, everyone of which has the Divine Esse, and yet be One, the Same, Itself, and Indivisible; for each would think from his Esse from himself and by himself; if he should at the same time also think from the others and by the others unanimously, there would be many unanimous gods, and not one God. For unanimity, as it is the consent of many, and at the same time of each one from himself, and by himself, does not agree with the unity of God, but with a plurality, they did not say of gods, because they could not; for the light of heaven, from which was their thought, and in which their discourse proceeded, resisted.

They also said, that when they want to speak of “Gods,” and each one of them as a Person by Himself, the effort of utterance spontaneously falls into “One,” indeed, into “the Only God.”

[3] To this they added that the Divine Esse is the Divine Esse in Itself, not from Itself; because from Itself supposes an Esse in Itself, from which it is, and thus supposes a God from God, which is not given. That which is from God is not called God, but is called the Divine; for what is a God from God; and thus what is a God from God born from eternity; and what is a God from God proceeding through a God born from eternity, but words in which there is not the least light from heaven? It is otherwise in the Lord Jesus Christ; in Him is the Divine Esse Itself from which all things are, to which the soul in man corresponds, the Divine Human, to which the body in man corresponds, and the Divine proceeding, to which activity in man corresponds. This Trine is a one, because from the Divine from which all things are is the Divine Human, and thence from the Divine from which all things are, through the Divine Human is the Divine proceeding. Therefore also, in every angel and in every man, because they are images, there is a soul, a body, and activity, which make one; since from the soul is the body, and from the soul through the body is the activity.

[4] They said further, that the Divine Esse, which in Itself is God, is the Same; not the Same simply, but Infinite; that is, the same from eternity to eternity; it is the Same everywhere, and the Same with everyone and in everyone; but that all the variety and variableness is in the recipient; the state of the recipient does this.

That the Divine Esse, which is God in Himself, is the Itself they illustrated thus. God is the Itself, because He is Love Itself, Wisdom Itself, Good Itself, Truth Itself, Life Itself; which unless they were the Itself in God, would not be anything in heaven and in the world; because there would not be anything of them having relation to the Itself. Every quality derives its quality from this, that there is an Itself from which it is, and to which it has relation, that it may be such. This Itself, which is the Divine Esse, is not in place, but is with those and in those who are in place, according to reception; since of love and wisdom, and of good and truth, which are the itself in God, yea, are God Himself, place cannot be predicated, or progression from place to place, but without place, whence is omnipresence. Wherefore the Lord says, that “He is in the midst of them”; also “He in them, and they in Him.”

[5] But because He cannot be received by anyone as He is in Himself, He appears as He is in Himself as the sun above the angelic heavens, the proceeding from which as light is Himself as to wisdom, and as heat is Himself as to love. He Himself is not the sun; but the Divine love and Divine wisdom going forth from Himself proximately, round about Himself, appear before the angels as the sun. He Himself in the sun is a Man, He is our Lord Jesus Christ both as to the Divine from which, and as to the Divine Human; since the Itself, which is Love Itself and Wisdom Itself, was His soul from the Father, and thus the Divine Life, which is Life in itself. It is otherwise in every man; in him the soul is not life, but a recipient of life. The Lord also teaches this, saying:

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6);

As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26).

Life in Himself is God. They added to this, that he who is in any spiritual light, can perceive that the Divine Esse, which is also the Divine Essence, because it is One, the Same, the Itself, and thence Indivisible, cannot be given in many; and that if it were said to be given, manifest contradictions would follow.

[6] After hearing these things, the angels perceived in my thought the common ideas of the Christian church concerning a Trinity of Persons in Unity and their Unity in Trinity, respecting God, as also concerning the birth of a Son of God from eternity; and they then said, “What are you thinking of? Are you not thinking those things from natural light, with which our spiritual light does not agree? Wherefore, unless you remove the ideas of that thought, we close heaven to you, and go away.” But I then said to them, “Enter, I pray, more deeply into my thought and perhaps you will see agreement.” And they did so, and saw that by three Persons I understand three proceeding Divine attributes, which are creation, salvation, and reformation; and that these attributes are of the one God; and that by the birth of a Son of God from eternity I understood His birth foreseen from eternity and provided in time. And I then related that my natural thought concerning a Trinity and Unity of Persons, and concerning the birth of a Son of God from eternity, I received from the doctrine of faith of the church, which has its name from Athanasius; and that that doctrine is just and right, provided that instead of a Trinity of Persons there be there understood a Trinity of Person, which is given only in the Lord Jesus Christ; and instead of the birth of a Son of God there be understood His birth foreseen from eternity and provided in time; because as to the Human, which He took to Himself in time, He is called openly the Son of God.

[7] The angels then said, “Well;” and they requested that I would say from their mouth, that if anyone does not go to the God of heaven and earth Himself, he cannot come into heaven; because heaven is heaven from that only God; and that that God is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah the Lord, Creator from eternity, Savior in time, and Reformer to eternity; thus who is at the same time the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. After this the heavenly light before seen above the opening returned, and gradually descended, and filled the interiors of my mind, and enlightened my natural ideas of the Unity and Trinity of God; and then the ideas received about them in the beginning, which were merely natural, I saw separated, as the chaff is separated from the wheat by the motion of a fan, and carried away as by a wind into the north of heaven, and dispersed.

962. The Second Relation. Since it has been given me by the Lord to see the wonderful things which are in the heavens and below the heavens, I must, from command, relate what has been seen. There appeared a magnificent palace, and in its inmost a temple. In the midst of the latter was a table of gold, upon which was the Word, beside which two angels were standing. Around it were seats in three rows; the seats of the first row were covered with silken cloth of a purple color; the seats of the second row, with silken cloth, of a blue color; and the seats of the third row, with white cloth. Under the roof, high above the table, there appeared a widespread canopy, shining with precious stones, from whose splendor shone forth as it were a rainbow, as when heaven clears up after a shower. There then suddenly appeared a number of the clergy, occupying all the seats, clothed in the garments of their priestly office. At one side was a wardrobe, where an angel keeper stood; and within there lay splendid garments in beautiful order.

[2] It was a Council convoked by the Lord; and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Deliberate.” But they said, “Upon what?” It was said, “Concerning the Lord and concerning the Holy Spirit.” But when they thought upon these subjects, they were not in enlightenment; wherefore they supplicated, and then light descended from heaven, which first illumined the back part of their heads, and afterwards their temples, and at length their faces; and then they began; and, as it was commanded, first concerning the Lord. The first question proposed and discussed was, “Who assumed the Human in the Virgin Mary?” And an angel standing at the table upon which was the Word, read before them these words in Luke:

The angel said to Mary, Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus; He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man? And the angel answering said, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; whence the Holy One that is born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:31-32, 34-35).

As also what is in Matthew 1:20-25; and what is in verse 25 there he read emphatically. Besides these, he read many things from the Evangelists, where the Lord as to His Human is called “the Son of God,” and where He from His Human calls Jehovah His “Father,” as also from the Prophets, where it is foretold that Jehovah Himself would come into the world; among which also these two, in Isaiah:

It shall be said in that day, Lo, This is our God, whom we have waited for, that He may free us; This is Jehovah, whom we have waited for; let us exult and rejoice in His salvation (Isa. 25:9).

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way for Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God; for the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; Behold, the lord Jehovah cometh in strength; He shall feed His flock as a shepherd (Isa. 40:3, 5, 10-11).

[3] And the angel said, “Since Jehovah Himself came into the world, and assumed the Human, and thereby saved and redeemed men, He is therefore called ‘the Savior’ and ‘the Redeemer’ in the Prophets.” And then he read before them these passages following:

Surely God is in thee, and there is no God besides; verily thou art a hidden God, O God of Israel, the Savior (Isa. 45:14-15).

Am not I Jehovah? And there is no God else besides Me; a just God and a Savior, there is none besides Me (Isa. 45:21-22).

I am Jehovah, and besides Me there is no Savior (Isa. 43:11).

I Jehovah am thy God, and thou shalt acknowledge no God besides Me, and there is no Savior besides Me (Hos. 13:4).

That all flesh may know that I Jehovah am thy Savior and thy Redeemer (Isa. 49:26; 60:16).

As for our Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts is His name (Isa. 47:4).

Their Redeemer is strong, Jehovah of Hosts is His name (Jer. 50:34).

O Jehovah, my Rock and my Redeemer (Ps. 19:14).

Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I Jehovah am thy God (Isa. 43:14; 48:17; 49:7; 54:8).

Thou O Jehovah art our Father, our Redeemer, Thy name is from an age (Isa. 63:16).

Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, I am Jehovah that maketh all things, and alone by Myself (Isa. 14:24).

Thus said Jehovah King of Israel, and His Redeemer Jehovah of Hosts, I am the First and the Last, and besides Me there is no God (Isa. 44:6).

Jehovah of Hosts is His name, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall He be called (Isa. 54:5).

Behold, the days come, that I will raise up unto David a just Branch who shall reign King, and this is His name, Jehovah our Justice (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:15-16).

In that day shall Jehovah be king over all the earth; in that day shall Jehovah be one; and His name one (Zech. 14:9).

[4] Being confirmed from all these passages, those that sat upon the seats said unanimously that Jehovah Himself assumed the Human to save and redeem men. But there was then heard a voice from the Roman Catholics, who had hid themselves in a corner of the temple, saying, “How can Jehovah the Father become Man? Is He not the Creator of the universe?” And one of them that sat upon the seats of the second row turned himself, and said, “Who then?” And he from the corner answered, “The Son from eternity.” But he received for answer, “Is not the Son from eternity, according to your confession, the Creator of the universe also? And what is a Son or a God born from eternity? And how can the Divine Essence, which is one and indivisible, be separated, and some of it descend and take on the Human, and not the whole?”

[5] The second discussion concerning the Lord was, whether God the Father and He thus are one, as the soul and the body are one? They said that this is a consequence, because the soul is from the Father. And then one of those who sat upon the seats in the third row read from the creed which is called Athanasian these words: “Although our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man, still they are not two, but one Christ; yea, He is altogether one, He is one Person; since as the soul and the body make one man, so God and Man are one Christ.” The reader said that this faith is received in the whole Christian world, even by the Roman Catholics. And they then said, “What need is there of more? God the Father and He are one, as the soul and the body are one.” And they said, “As it is so, we see that the Lord’s Human is Divine, because it is the Human of Jehovah; then that the Lord as to the Divine Human is to be approached; and that thus and not otherwise can the Divine which is called the Father be approached.”

[6] This conclusion of theirs the angel confirmed by many more passages from the Word, among which were these in Isaiah:

Unto us a Boy is born, unto us a Son is given, whose name is Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, the Father of eternity, the Prince of peace (Isa. 9:6).

Thou art our Father, Abraham hath not known us, and Israel doth not acknowledge us; Thou, O Jehovah; art our Father, our Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name (Isa. 63:16).

And in John:

Jesus said, He that believeth in Me, believeth in Him that sent Me, and he that seeth Me seeth Him who sent Me (John 12:44-45).

Philip said unto Jesus, Show us the Father; Jesus saith unto him, He that seeth Me seeth the Father; how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me (John 14:8-11).

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one cometh to the Father but by Me (John 14:6).

On hearing these, they all said with one voice and heart, that the Lord’s Human is Divine, and that this is to be approached that the Father may be approached; since Jehovah God, who is the Lord from eternity, through it sent Himself into the world, and made Himself visible to the eyes of men, and thus accessible. Likewise He made Himself visible and thus accessible in the Human form to the ancients, but then through an angel.

[7] After this followed the deliberation concerning the Holy Spirit. And first was disclosed the idea of many respecting God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which was as if God the Father was sitting on high, and the Son at His right hand, and they were sending forth the Holy Spirit from them, to enlighten and teach men. But a voice was then heard from heaven, saying, “We cannot endure that idea of thought. Who does not know that Jehovah God is omnipresent? He who knows and acknowledges this, will also acknowledge that He Himself enlightens and teaches; and that there is not an intermediate God, distinct from Him, and still less from two, as one person from another. Therefore let the former idea, which is vain, be removed; and let this, which is just, be received, and you will see this clearly.”

[8] But a voice was then heard again from the Roman Catholics, who had hid themselves in the corner of the temple, saying, “What then is the Holy Spirit, who is named in the Word in the Evangelists and in Paul, by whom so many of the learned men from the clergy, especially from ours, say that they are led? Who in the Christian world at this day denies the Holy Spirit and its operation?” At this one of those who were sitting upon the second row of seats, turned himself and said, “The Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding from Jehovah the Lord. You say that the Holy Spirit is a Person by Himself and a God by Himself. But what is a Person going forth and proceeding from a Person, but operation going forth and proceeding? One person cannot go forth and proceed from another through a third, but operation can. Or what is a God going forth and proceeding from a God, but the Divine going forth and proceeding? One God cannot go forth and proceed from another through a third, but the Divine can. Is not the Divine Essence one and indivisible? And as the Divine Essence or the Divine Esse is God, is not God one and indivisible?”

[9] On hearing these things, they who sat upon the seats concluded unanimously that the Holy Spirit is not a Person by itself, nor a God by itself; but that it is the Holy Divine going forth and proceeding from the Only Omnipresent God, who is the Lord. At this the angels that stood by the golden table upon which was the Word, said, “It is well. We do not anywhere read in the Old Testament, that the prophets spoke the Word from the Holy Spirit, but from Jehovah the Lord; and where ‘the Holy Spirit’ is mentioned in the New Testament, the proceeding Divine is meant, which is the Divine enlightening, teaching, vivifying, reforming, and regenerating.”

[10] After this there followed another discussion concerning the Holy Spirit, which was, From whom does the Divine which is called the Holy Spirit proceed? Is it from the Divine which is called the Father, or from the Divine Human which is called the Son? And when they were discussing this, the light shone on them from heaven, from which they saw that the Holy Divine, which is meant by the Holy Spirit, proceeds from the Divine in the Lord through His glorified Human, which is the Divine Human, comparatively as all activity proceeds from the soul through the body with man. This the angel standing at the table confirmed from the Word by these passages:

He whom the Father hath sent, speaketh the words of God; He hath not given the Spirit by measure unto Him; the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand (John 3:34-35).

There shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and intelligence, the Spirit of counsel and might (Isa. 11:1-2).

That the Spirit of Jehovah was given upon Him, and that it was in Him (Isa. 42:1; 59:19-20; 61:1; Luke 4:18).

When the Holy Spirit shall come, which I will send unto you from the Father (John 15:26).

He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and announce it unto you; all things that the Father hath are Mine; therefore I said that He shall receive of Mine, and announce it unto you (John 16:14-15).

If I go away, I will send the Comforter unto you (John 16:7).

The Comforter is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

The Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:39).

After the glorification, Jesus breathed on them, and said to the disciples, Receive ye the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).

[11] Since the Lord’s Divine operation from his Divine omnipresence is meant by the Holy Spirit, therefore when He spoke to the disciples concerning the Holy Spirit which He would send from God the Father, He also said:

I will not leave you orphans; I go away, and come unto you; and in that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you (John 14:18, 20, 28).

And just before His departure out of the world, He said:

Lo, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age (Matt. 28:20).

Having read these words before them, the angel said, “From these and many other passages in the Word, it is manifest that the Divine which is called the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Divine in the Lord through His Divine Human.” To this they that sat upon the seats said, “This is the Divine truth.”

[12] At length this decision was made, “That from the deliberations in this council we have clearly seen, and thence acknowledge as the holy truth, that in our Lord Jesus Christ there is a Divine Trinity, which is, the Divine from which, that is called the Father; the Divine Human, which is the Son; and the proceeding Divine, which is the Holy Spirit. Thus there is one God in the church.”

After these things were concluded in that magnificent Council, they rose up; and the angel keeper of the wardrobe came and brought to each of those who sat upon the seats splendid garments interwoven here and there with threads of gold, and said, “Receive these wedding garments.” And they were conducted in glory into the New Christian Heaven, with which the Lord’s church on earth, which is the New Jerusalem, will be conjoined.

Rev. 22:21:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.