The Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world so that He could subjugate the hells, and glorify His Human; and without this, no mortal would have been able to be saved; and they who believe in Him are saved.

This is said to be in a universal concept because this a universal of faith, and a universal of faith is something that will be in all things and in the individual things.

It is a universal of faith that God is one in person and in essence, in whom is the Trinity, and that the Lord is this God.

It is a universal of faith that no mortal would have been able to be saved unless the Lord came into the world.

It is a universal of faith that He came into the world so that He could move hell away from people, and He moved it away through battles against it, and through victories over it. So He subjugated it, and drove it back into order and under obedience to Him.

It is also a universal of faith that He came into the world so that He could glorify His Human (which He took on in the world), that is, unite it with the Divine from which it came. Thus He keeps hell, having been subjugated by Him, in order and under obedience to Him to eternity. Since neither of these could have happened other than through temptations, even to the last of them, and the last of them was the passion of the cross, He underwent this.

These are the universals of faith about the Lord.

It is a universal of the Christian faith on the part of a person that he should believe in the Lord. For believing in the Lord causes conjunction with Him, through which salvation occurs. To believe in Him is to have trust that He saves. And because someone cannot have this trust unless he lives well, this is also what believing in Him means.

These two universals of the Christian faith have been specifically dealt with. The first, which looks to the Lord, in The Doctrine of the Lord, and the other, which looks to a person, in The Doctrine of Charity, and The Doctrine of Faith, and The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem. And both are being dealt with now in the explanations of Revelation.

It was shown above, in n. 43, that “the lamp stands” are the church. And because “seven” signifies all (n. 10), “seven lamp stands” do not mean seven churches, but the church as a complete whole, which is one in itself, but varied according to its reception. These variations can be compared to the various diadems in a king’s crown. They can also be compared to the various limbs and organs in a complete body, which still make a unit. The completeness of every form from various one comes from them being placed appropriately in their order. It is from this that the entire new church with its varieties will now be described in the following, through the seven churches.

The church is just as much in the heavens as it is on earth, for the Word is just as much in the heavens as it is on earth, and there are doctrines from it, and there are sermons from it.[1] This church is the new heaven, about which something was said in the preface. The reason “the seven stars” mean the church in the heavens, or the new church, is that it says “the seven stars are the angels of the seven church,” and “an angel” signifies a heavenly society. The sky in the spiritual world appears full of stars, as in the natural world. This appearance is from the angelic societies in heaven. Every single society there shines like a star to those who are below. From this, the angels who are there know where the angelic societies are located. It was shown earlier, in nos. 10, 14, and 41, that “seven” does not signify seven, but all from the church who are there, based on each one’s reception. So “the angels of the seven churches” mean the entire church in the heavens, and so the new church as a complete whole.

It will be seen in what comes next that “the seven stars” signify the church in the heavens, and “the seven lamp stands” the church on earth.

“Keys” signify the power to open and close, and here, the power to open hell, so that a person can be lead out, and the power to close, so that when he has been lead out, he does not go back in. For a person is born into evils of every kind, and so in hell, since evils are hell. He is lead out of hell by the Lord, who has the power to open it. The reason “to have the keys of hell and death” does not mean the power to cast into hell, but the power to save, is that it comes right after this:

“Behold, I am the one who lives into ages of ages,”

which signifies that He alone is eternal life (n. 60). Also, the Lord never casts anyone into hell, but a person casts himself into hell. “Keys” also signify the power to open and close in:

Revelation 3:7; 9:1; 20:1,

and in Isaiah 22:21, 22;

in Matthew 16:19;

in Luke 11:52.

The Lord’s power is not only over heaven, but also over hell, for hell is kept in order and in connection through its opposites to heaven. This is why He who rules the one will automatically rule the other. A person would not be able to be saved otherwise. To be saved is to be led out of hell.

It was shown earlier, in n. 23, that “amen” is the truth, which is the Lord.

Since “I am He who lives” signifies that He alone is life, and from Him alone life comes[1], it follows that “behold, I am the one who lives into ages of ages” signifies that He alone is life to eternity, and so eternal life is from only Him. For eternal life is in Him, and so from Him. “Ages of Ages” signifies eternity. The following places make it clear that eternal life is from the Lord alone:

“Jesus said, ‘Everyone who believes in Me will not pass away, but will have eternal life’” (John 3:16).

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life. Truly, he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him” (John 3:36; 6:40, 47, 48).

“Amen I say to you, he who believes in Me, even if he should die, will live. Everyone who believes in Me, will not die to eternity” (John 11:25, 26).

Also in other places.

Now, it is because of this that the Lord is also called “the one who lives into ages of ages” in the following passages in Revelation: 4:9, 10; 5:14; 10:6; and in Daniel: 4:34.

That He “was made dead” does not mean that He was crucified, and thus dead, but that he was disregarded in the church, and His Divine Human was not acknowledged, for in this way He was dead to people. Indeed, His Divine from eternity is acknowledged, but this is Jehovah Himself. However, His Human is not acknowledged to be Divine, even though the Divine and Human in Him are like soul and body, and so are not two but one, even one person, according to the Doctrine[1] that is accepted in the entire Christian world. Therefore, when the Divine is separated from His Human, by saying that His Human is not Divine, but like the human of another person, then He is dead to people. But this separation, and so the killing of the Lord, can be seen in many places in The Doctrine of the Lord, and in Divine Providence (nos. 262, 263).

In the Word of the Old Testament, Jehovah calls himself alive and living, because only He lives. For He is love itself and wisdom itself, and these are life. It was shown many times in Divine Love and Wisdom that He is the only life, which is God, and that angels and people are recipients of life from Him. Jehovah calls Himself alive and living in:

Isaiah 28:18, 19;

Jeremiah 5:2; 12:16; 16:14, 15; 23:7, 8; 46:18;

Ezekiel 5:11.

The Lord in regard to the Divine Human is also life, because the Father and He are one. This is why He says,

“Just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gives to the Son to have life in Himself” (John 5:26).

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the Word became flesh” (John 1:1-4, 14).

Because only the Lord is life, it follows that life is from only Him, which is why He says, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).

It follows from the things just before (n. 55) that this is reawakening into life. And that it is worship from the utmost humility is clear, for he fell at the Lord’s feet. And because a holy fear seized him when he was reawakened, the Lord said, “Do not be afraid.” Holy fear, which is sometimes connected with sacred trembling of the inner parts of the mind, and with hairs standing on end, comes about when life from the Lord enters in place of one’s own life.  One’s own life is to look to the Lord from oneself. However, life from the Lord is to look to the Lord from the Lord, and still as if from oneself. When a person is in this life, he sees himself to not be anything, but only the Lord. Daniel was also in this holy fear when he saw,

“A man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz, his body like beryl, his face like lightning, and his eyes like torches of flame, his arms and his feet like the splendor of smooth bronze.”

When he had been seen, Daniel also became as if dead, and a hand touched him, and it was said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel” (Daniel 10:5-12).

Something similar was done with Peter, James, and John, when the Lord was transfigured, and His face seemed like the sun, and His clothes like light, from which they also fell upon their faces, and were very afraid for themselves. And then Jesus, coming near, touched them, saying, “Do not be afraid for yourselves” (Matthew 17:2, 6, 7).

The Lord also said to the women, who saw Him at the sepulcher, “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10), and the angel, whose face seemed like lightning, and whose clothes seemed like snow, also said to these women, “Do not be afraid for yourselves” (Matthew 28:3-5).

An angel also said to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:12, 13).

Likewise, an angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:30).

An angel also said to the shepherds, around whom the glory of the Lord shone, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 2:9, 10).

A similar holy fear took hold of Simon because of the catch of fish, which is why he said, “Get away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 5:8-10). These are in addition to other passages.

These have all been brought together so that it may be known why the Lord said to John, “Do not be afraid,” and that it means reawakening, and then worship from the utmost humility.

The reason the Lord “placed His right hand” upon him, is that communication happens through the touch of the hands. This is because the life of the mind, and from this the life of the body, brings itself into the limbs, and through these, into the hands. This is why the Lord touched with His hand those whom He reawakened into life and healed [1], and likewise the disciples, after they saw Jesus transfigured, and fell upon their face [2]. The ultimate source of this is because the Lord’s presence with a person is an addition, so a connection through being together, and this togetherness becomes closer and fuller as a person loves the Lord, that is, as he does His commandments. It can be established from these few points that “to place His right hand” upon him signifies to enkindle His life in him.

A person’s own life cannot put up with the presence of the Lord, given what the Lord is like in and of Himself, indeed, given what He is like in the innermost parts of the Word. This is because His Divine Love is just like the sun, which, given what it is like in and of itself, no one can put up with, as it would burn them up. This is what, “No one is able to see God and live” (Exodus 33:20; Judges 13:22) means. Because this is so, the Lord appears to the angels in heaven as the sun distant from them, as the sun of the world is distant from people. The reason is that the Lord is in that sun in and of Himself. But still, the Lord moderates and holds back His Divine in such a way that a person can put up with His presence. This happens through coverings. This was done when He revealed Himself many times in the Word. Indeed, He is present through coverings with everyone who worships Him. As He teaches in John:

“I will make a home with him who does My commandments” (14:21, 23).

Also, that He will be in them, and they in Him (15:4, 5).

These make it clear why John, when he say the Lord in such glory, fell at His feet as if dead, and also why, when the three disciples saw the Lord in glory, they became heavy with sleep, and a cloud covered them (Luke 9:32, 34).

It will be shown in later explanations (where “the face of God” is mentioned) that “the face” of Jehovah, or of the Lord, means the Divine itself in its essence, which is Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, thus He Himself. “The sun shining in its power” signifies something similar. It was shown in the book Heaven and Hell[1], nos. 116-125, and in Divine Love and Wisdom, nos. 83-172, that the Lord is seen as the sun to the angels in heaven, and so His Divine Love appears as one with His Divine Wisdom. The only thing left is to confirm from the Word that “the sun,” when it is about the Lord, is Divine Love itself, and at the same time, Divine Wisdom itself. This can be established from the following places:

“In that day the light of the moon will be like the light the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times as great, like the light of seven days” (Isaiah 30:25, 26).

“That day” is the arrival of the Lord, when the old church has been destroyed, and the new one is to be restored;

“The light of the moon” is faith from charity, and “the light of the sun” is intelligence and wisdom from love at that time, from the Lord.

“Your sun will not go down any more, and your moon will not be bound, because Jehovah will be in the light of eternity” (Isaiah 60:20).

“The sun” that will not go down is love and wisdom from the Lord.

“The Rock of Israel spoke to me, like the dawn light when the sun rises” (2 Samuel 23:3, 4).

“The Rock of Israel” is the Lord.

“His throne will be like the sun” (Psalm 89:36, 37).

This is said about David, but David means the Lord here.

“They will fear You with the sun, and the just will flourish in His days, and a great peace until when there is no moon. He will have the name of a son before the sun, and all nations will be blessed in Him” (Psalm 72:5, 7, 17).

These words are also about the Lord.

Because the Lord appears as the sun to angels in heaven, when He was transfigured, “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became like light” (Matthew 17:1, 2);

And it is said of the mighty angel coming down from heaven, that “he was enveloped in a cloud, and his face was like the sun” (Revelation 10:1);

And it is said of the woman, that she was seen, “enveloped in the sun” (Revelation 12:1).

Here also, “the sun” is love and wisdom from the Lord. “The woman” here is the church, which is called the New Jerusalem. Since “the sun” means the Lord in relation to love and wisdom, it is clear what “the sun” signifies in the following places:

“Behold, the fierce day of Jehovah is coming, the sun will be darkened in its rising and the moon will not make its light shine. I will visit malice on the globe, and their iniquity on the impious” (Isaiah 13:9-11; 24:21, 23 can also be consulted).

“I will cover the heavens when I will have exstinguished you, and I will make their stars black, and the moon will not make its light shine, and I will givee darkness over your earth” (Ezekiel 32:7, 8).

“The day of Jehovah is coming, a day of darkness: the sun and the moon will not make their light shine, and the stars have diminished their splendor” (Joel 2:10).

“The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, until the great day of Jehovah comes” (Joel 2:31).

“The day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision, the sun and the moon have been blackened” (Joel 3:14, 15).

“The fourth angel sounded, and a third part of the sun was struck, a third part of the stars, and the day was not light for a third part of it” (Revelation 8:12).

“The sun was made black like a hair sack, and the moon was made like blood” (Revelation 6:12).

“The sun was darkened by the smoke of the abyss” (Revelation 9:12).

In these places, “the sun” does not mean the sun of the world, but the sun of the angelic heaven, which is the Lord’s Divine Love and Divine Wisdom. These are said to be “darkened,” “covered,” and “blackened,” when they are falsities and evils in a person. It is clear from this that the Lord’s words mean something similar, when he talks about the conclusion of the age, which is the final time period of the church:

“Immediately after the affliction of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven” (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24, 25).

Likewise in these passages:

“The sun will go down on the prophets, and it will become black in those days” (Micah 3:5, 6).

“On that day, I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will make the earth dark in the day of light” (Amos 8:9).

“She who had given birth to seven will breathe out her soul, her sun will go down while it is still the day” (Jeremiah 15:9).

These words are about the Jewish church, which “will breathe out its soul,” in other words, will pass away. “The sun will go down” means that there will not be love and charity any more.

What is said in Joshua, that, “the sun stood still in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon,” (10:12, 13), appears to be historical, but it is prophetic, as it is from the Book of Jaschar. This was a prophetic book. For it is said, “is this not written in the Book of Jaschar?” (verse 13). The same book was also named as a prophetical one by David (2 Samuel 1:17, 18). Likewise, it is also said in Habakkuk:

“The mountains have been moved, the sun and moon have stood still in their residence” (3:10, 11).

“No more will your sun go down, and your moon will not be bound” (Isaiah 60:20).

For to make the sun and the moon stand till would be to destroy the entire world.

Since “the sun” means the Lord in relation to Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, ancient people turned their face to the rising of the sun in their holy worship, and also their temples, which is a practice that still continues. It is plain that “the sun” in these passages does not mean the sun of the world from the fact that it was profane and loathsome to revere the sun and the moon of the world[2]. For “the sun of the world” means love of self and pride in one’s own intelligence. The Love of self is the complete opposite of Divine Love, and pride in one’s own intelligence is the opposite of Divine Wisdom. To revere the sun of the world is also to acknowledge Nature as a creator, and one’s own prudence as the doer of all things, which involves a denial of God and a denial of Divine Providence.

“Sword,” “short sword,” and “large sword” are often mentioned in the Word, and they do not signify anything other than truth fighting against falsities and destroying them, and also, in the opposite meaning, falsity fighting against truths. For “wars” in the Word signify spiritual wars, which are of truth against falsity, or falsity against truth. This is why weapons of war signify the sorts of things that are used to fight in wars. It is clear that “sword” means the scattering of falsities by the Lord, because John saw it “coming out of His mouth:” to come out of the Lord’s mouth is to come from the Word, for the Lord speaks with this mouth. It also signifies doctrine, since the Word is understood through doctrine from the Word. “A sharp double-edged sword” is said because it penetrates heart and soul. Other places where a sword is mentioned, from which it can be seen that “sword” here means the scattering of falsities through the Word by the Lord, are gathered here so this can be known. These are:

“O sword against Babylon, her princes and wise men; O sword against the deceitful, so that they become stupid; O sword against the strong, so that they are overcome; O sword against his horses and his chariots; O sword against her treasure houses, so that they are plundered; a drought against her waters, so that they dry up” (Jeremiah 50:35-38).

These are about Babylon, which means people who falsify and adulterate the Word. From this, the “deceitful” who become stupid, the “horses” and “chariots” that the sword comes upon, and the “treasure houses” which will be plundered, signify the falsities of their doctrine. It was shown just above, in n. 50, that the “waters,” which dryness will come upon so that they dry up, signifies truths.

“Prophesy, and say, ‘the sword has been sharpened, and polished, so that sharpened, it may slaughter a slaughter. The sword may act again for a third time. The sword of the stabbed, the sword of the great hole, penetrating the inner chambers, so that stumbling blocks are multiplied” (Ezekiel 21:9-15, 19, 20).

Here, “Sword” also means the devastation of truth in the church.

“Jehovah will dispute with His sword upon every flesh, and the wounded of Jehovah will be multiplied” (Isaiah 66:16).

Here and elsewhere in the Word, people who will pass away through falsities are said to be “the wounded of Jehovah.”

“Ravagers have come upon every hill in the wilderness. The sword of Jehovah devours from the end of the earth even to the end of the earth” (Jeremiah 12:12).

“With danger of our souls we lead away our bread, because of the sword of the wilderness” (Lamentations 5:9).

“Woe to the shepherd of nothing, who deserts the flock, the sword is upon his arm, and upon his right eye” (Zechariah 11:17).

“A sword upon the right eye of a shepherd” is the falsity of his understanding.

“The sons of mankind are inflamed, their tongue a sharpened sword” (Psalm 57:4).

“Behold, they disgorge with their mouth, the sword on their lips” (Psalm 59:7).

“The workers of iniquity sharpen their tongue like a sword” (Psalm 64:3).

“Sword” signifies similar things in other places, as:

Isaiah 13:13, 15; 21:14, 15; 27:1; 31: 7, 8; 37:7, 38;

Jeremiah 2:30; 5:12, 11:22; 14:13-18;

Ezekiel 7:15; 32:10-12;

From these it can be established what the Lord meant by “sword” in these places:

Jesus said that He did not come, “to send peace upon the earth, but the sword” (Matthew 10:34).

Jesus said, “Let he who does not have a money bag or a satchel sell his clothes, and buy a sword.” The disciples said, “Lord, behold, two swords.” And He said, “it is enough” (Luke 22:36, 38).

 “All who take up the sword, will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:51, 52).

Jesus said about the conclusion of the age, “They will fall by the mouth of the sword, and they will be taken captive among the nations, and at last Jerusalem will be trampled” (Luke 21:24).

“The conclusion of the age” is the final time period of the church;

“a sword” is falsity destroying truth;

“nations” are evils;

“Jerusalem,” which will be trampled, is the church;

From these it is now clear, that “a sharp sword coming out of the Son of Mankind’s mouth” signifies the scattering of falsities through the Word by the Lord. Something similar is signified in the following places in Revelation:

A great sword was given to the one sitting upon the red horse (6:4).

Out of the mouth of the one sitting on the white horse went, “a sharp sword, so that he might strike the nations with it. The remnant were slaughtered by the sword of the one sitting upon the horse” (19:15, 21).

“The one sitting on the white horse” means the Lord in relation to the Word, which is openly said there (verses 13, 16).

Something similar is meant in Psalms:

“Equip a sword on Your thigh, who are powerful. Ride on the word of truth. Your spears are sharpened” (Psalm 45:3-5).

These are about the Lord.

And elsewhere:

“The holy ones will exalt, and the sword of mouths in their hand” (Psalm 144:5, 6).

And in Isaiah:

“Jehovah lays my mouth as a sharp sword” (49:2).

Something like a great number of little stars appears around angels when they are below the heavens. Something similar appears around spirits who have acquired for themselves thoughts of good and truth, or the truths of life and of doctrine, from the Word while in the world. However, the little stars appear unmoving with those who are in truths from the Word that are genuine, but wildly moving with those who are in truths that have been falsified. I can relate amazing things about these little stars, and even about the stars that appear in the sky there, but this book is not the place for it.

It is clear from all this, that “stars” signify thoughts of good and truth from the Word. The Son of Mankind kind having them in His right hand signifies that they are from the Lord alone, through the Word. You can see above, in n. 10, that “seven” signifies all things. You can also see that “stars” signify thoughts of good and truth from the Word from these places:

“I will put the earth into devastation. The stars of heaven and the their constellations will not shine with their light” (Isaiah 13:9, 10).

“The earth,” which will be put into devastation, is the church, to which thoughts of good and truth do not appear, as it has been devastated.

“I will cover when I will have extinguished you heavens, and I will make the stars black. I will make all the lamps of light black over you, and I will give darkness over the earth” (Ezekiel 32:7, 8).

“The darkness over the earth” is falsities in the church.

“The sun and the moon have been blackened, and the stars have diminished their splendor” (Joel 2:10; 3:15).

“After the affliction of those days, the sun will become dark, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven” (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24).

“The stars of heaven plummeted onto the earth, as a fig tree casts away its immature figs” (Revelation 6:13).

“A star fell from heaven onto the earth” (Revelation 9:1).

“Stars plummeting from heaven” does not mean stars, but that thoughts of good and truth will pass away. This is even more clear from the fact that the Dragon dragged down a third part of the stars from heaven (Revelation 12:4), and that the he-goat of the she-goats knocked down from the stars, and trampled them (Daniel 8:9-11). This is why the following verse in Daniel also says that he cast down truth onto the earth (verse 12). “Stars” also signify thoughts of good and truth in these places:

“Jehovah numbers the stars, He names them all” (Psalm 147:4).

“Praise Jehovah, all the stars of night” (Psalm 148:4).

“The stars fought from their paths” (Judges 5:20).

It is clear from these passages what these words in Daniel mean:

“Those who are intelligent will have splendor as the splendor of the expanse, and those who make just the many, as the stars into ages of ages” (12:3).

“Those who are intelligent” are people who are in truths, and “those who make just” are people who are in goods.

It was shown earlier, in n. 37, that a “voice” signifies Divine Truth when it is from the Lord. It is well established that “waters” signify truths, and specifically natural truths (which are thoughts from the Word), from many places in the Word, of which only the following will be brought up:

“The earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

“Then you will draw up the waters with happiness from the springs of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).

“He who walks in justices, and speaks righteousnesses, to him I will give bread and faithful water” (Isaiah 33:15, 16).

“The poor and the destitute seek water, but there is none. Their tongues falter with thirst. I will open rivers upon the slopes, and I will place springs in the middle of the valleys, a wilderness in a pool of waters, and dry land in bubbling springs of waters, so that they may see, acknowledge, listen and know” (Isaiah 41:17, 18, 20).

“I will pour out waters upon what is thirsty, and floods upon what is dry, I will pour out My Spirit” (Isaiah 44:3).

“Your light will arise in darkness, so that you might be like a watered garden, and like the outlet of waters, the waters of which will not deceive” (Isaiah 52:10, 11).

“My people committed two evils, they have left Me, the spring of living waters, to cut out pits for themselves, which do not contain waters” (Jeremiah 2:13).

“The great sent the lesser because of water, they came to the pits, but did not find waters, they turned back with their vessels empty” (Jeremiah 14:3).

“They have left the spring of living waters, Jehovah” (Jeremiah 17:13).

“With weeping they will come, and with weeping I will lead them away, I will lead them to the spring of waters in the way of the righteous” (Jeremiah 31:9).

“I will break a stick of bread, and waters in a measure and they will drink to a stupor, so that they will melt away in their iniquities” (Ezekiel 4:16, 17; 12:18, 19; Isaiah 51:14).

“Behold, the days will come, in which I will send a famine against the earth. Not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for waters, but of hearing the Word of Jehovah. They will wander from sea to sea, and they will wander about to hear the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it. In that day, the virgins will be lacking and the young men will be thirsty” (Amos 8:11-13).

“In that day the living waters will go out from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8).

“Jehovah is my shepherd, He will lead me down to the waters of quietness” (Psalm 23:1, 2).

“They will not thirst. He will make the waters flow out from a rock for them, and He will split the rock so that waters flow out” (Isaiah 47:21).

“God, I seek You in the morning, my soul thirsts, I am weary without waters” (Psalm 63:1).

“Jehovah sends the Word, makes the wind blow, so that the waters flow” (Psalm 147:18, 19).

“Praise Jehovah, heavens of heavens, and the waters which are above the heavens” (Psalm 148:4).

While sitting at the spring of Jacob, Jesus said to the woman,

“Everyone who drinks of this water, will be thirsty again. Truly, he who drinks of the water which I will give, will not be thirsty into eternity. And the water which I will give will become a spring of water flowing into eternal life” (John 4:7-15).

“Jesus said, ‘if someone thirsts, let him come to Me, and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as scripture says, shall have floods of living water flowing from his belly” (John 7:37, 38).

“To him who thirsts, I will give from the spring of the water of life freely” (Revelation 21:6).

“I showed him the river of the water of life flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).

“The spirit and the bride say, ‘Come,’ and he who hears says, ‘Come,’ and he who is thirsty will come, and he who wishes to receive the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

In these passages, “waters” mean truths. Because of this, it is clear that the “voice of many waters” means the Lord’s Divine Truth in the Word, as it does in these passages as well:

“Behold, the glory of the God of Israel is coming from the way of the east, and His voice is like the voice of many waters, and the earth will be enlightened by His glory” (Ezekiel 43:2).

“I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters” (Revelation 14:2).

“The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, Jehovah is upon many waters” (Psalm 29:3).

When you know that in the Word “waters” mean truths in the natural person, what the washings in the Israelitish church signified can be established, and what baptism signifies, and also what the Lord’s words in John signify:

“Unless a person has been born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God” (3:5).

“From water” signifies through truths, and “from spirit” signifies a life following these truths. It will be shown in the following that “waters” signify falsities in the opposite meaning.

The Lord’s “feet” signify His Divine Natural. “Fire” or “fired” signify good. And “brass” signifies the natural good of truth. This is why “the feet of the Son of Mankind were like brass, as if fired in a furnace” signifies natural Divine Good. His “feet” signify this from their correspondence.

In the Lord, and so from the Lord, there is the Divine Heavenly, the Divine Spiritual, and the Divine Natural. The “head” of the Son of Mankind means the Divine Heavenly, His “eyes” and “chest” which was girded with a golden belt mean the Divine Spiritual, and His “feet” mean the Divine Natural. Because these three are in the Lord, they are also in the angelic heaven. The third or highest heaven is in the Divine Heavenly, the second or middle heaven is in the Divine Spiritual, and the first or lowest heaven is in the Divine Natural. The same is true of the church on earth, for all of heaven is like one person to the Lord, in whom the ones that are in the Divine Heavenly make the head, the ones in the Divine Spiritual make the body, and the ones in the Divine Natural make the feet. Because of this, these three levels are also in every person, since every person was created to be an image of God. As these levels are opened, that person becomes an angel of the third, second, or lowest heaven. There are also three meanings in the Word from this: the heavenly, spiritual, and natural. It was shown that this is so in Divine Love and Wisdom, specifically in part three, where those three levels were dealt with. It was shown in Arcana Caelestia[1], nos. 2162, and 4938-4952, that feet, heels, and soles correspond to the natural things in a person, and therefore signify natural things in the Word. “Feet” also signify Natural Divine Good in the following passages. In Daniel:

“I lifted my eyes, and I saw: behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz, his body like beryl, and his eyes like torches of flame, his arms and his feet like the splendor of smooth bronze” (10:5, 6).

In Revelation:

“I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, his feet like pillars of fire” (10:1).

And in Ezekiel:

“The feet of the cherubim were flashing like the splendor of smooth bronze” (1:7).

The reason angels and cherubim where seen in this way, was because the Lord’s Divine was represented in them. Since the Lord’s church is under the heavens, so under the Lord’s feet, it is called the footstool of His feet in these passages:

“The glory of Lebanon will come to you, to adorn the place of My sanctuary, I will restore honor to the place of my feet, and they will bend themselves to the soles of your feet” (Isaiah 60:13, 14).

“Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet” (Isaiah 66:1).

God “remembers the footstool of His feet in the day of wrath” (Lamentations 2:1).

“Adore Jehovah toward the footstool of His feet” (Psalm 99).

“Behold, we heard of Him in Ephrata Bethlehem. We will enter in His house, we will bend ourselves to the footstool of His feet” (Psalm 132:6, 7).

It is from this that the adoring people fell at the Lord’s feet (Matthew 28:9; Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41; John 11:32), and also that they kissed His feet, and washed them with their hair (Luke 7:37, 38, 44-46; John 11:2; 12:3).

Because “feet” signify the natural, the Lord said to Peter, when he washed his feet,

“He who has been washed, does not have a need, except to be washed as to his feet, and the whole is clean” (John 13:10).

“To wash feet” is to purify the natural person. When this has been purified, the whole person has been purified, as was shown many times in Arcana Caelestia and in The Doctrines of the New Jerusalem. The natural person, who is also the external person, is purified when he flees evils, which the spiritual or internal person sees to be evil and to be fled. Now because “feet” mean the natural person, and this perverts all things if it is not washed or purified, the Lord says,

“If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to be cast, having two feet, into Gehenna, into inexhaustible fire” (Mark 9:45).

This does not mean feet, but the natural man. To trample a good pasture with feet means something similar, as does to stir up the waters with feet (Ezekiel 32:2; 34:18, 19; Daniel 7:7, 19; and elsewhere).

Since the Son of Mankind means the Lord in relation to the Word, it is clear that His “feet” also mean the Word in the natural meaning. This was dealt a great deal in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, as was the fact that the Lord came into the world, so that He could fulfill all thing of the Word, and through this become the Word even in its outermost forms (nos. 98-100). However, this secret is for those who will be in the New Jerusalem. The Lord’s Divine Natural is also signified by the bronze serpent erected on Moses’ orders in the wilderness, at which everyone who had been bitten by a serpent would look, and be healed (Numbers 21:6, 8, 9). The Lord Himself taught that this signified the Lord’s Divine Natural, and that they who look to it are saved, in John:

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Mankind be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (3:14, 15).

It will be shown later, in n. 775, that the serpent was made from bronze because bronze, like brass, signifies the natural in relation to good.

In the Word, “eyes” mean the understanding, and so what eyes look like means intelligence. This is why it means Divine Wisdom when it is about the Lord. On the other hand, “a flame of fire” signifies spiritual love, which is charity, which is why it means Divine Love when it is about the Lord. Now from all this, “His eyes were like a flame of fire,” signifies Divine Wisdom of Divine Love. The reason “eye” signifies the understanding is that they correspond, for as the eye sees from natural light, the understanding sees from spiritual light. This is why it is said of both that they “see.” It is clear that in the Word “eye” signifies the understanding from the following places:

“Lead this blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears” (Isaiah 43:8).

“In that day the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see from the gloom” (Isaiah 29:18).

“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf” (Isaiah 35:5).

“I will give you into the light of the nations to open the eyes of the blind” (Isaiah 42:6, 7)

These are about the Lord, who, when He comes, will open the understanding of those who are ignorant of truth. Furthermore, it is clear that to open eyes means this from these:

“fatten the heart of this people, and plaster over its eyes, so that they might not see with their eyes” (Isaiah 6:9, 9; John 12:40).

“Jehovah has poured out a spirit of sleep upon you, and closed your eyes. He has covered your prophets and leaders, the ones who see” (Isaiah 29:10; 30:10).

“Who closes his eyes, so that he does not see evil” (Isaiah 33:15).

“Hear this, foolish people, who have eyes and do not see” (Ezekiel 12:2).

“The punishment of a shepherd leaving his flock is a sword upon the right eye, and the right eye will become dark with darkness” (Zechariah 11:17).

“The plague with which Jehovah will strike all peoples who will fight against Jerusalem. Their eyes will waste away in their sockets” (Zechariah 14:12).

“I will strike every horse with numbness, and every horse of the peoples with blindness” (Zechariah 12:4).

In the spiritual meaning, a “horse” is the understanding of the Word (n. 298).

“Hear me, Jehovah my God. Illuminate my eyes, so that I might not sleep death” (Psalm 13:3).

Everyone sees that “eyes” signify the understanding in these passages. From this, it is clear what the Lord means by “eyes” in these passages:

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is complete, your whole body will be light. If your eye is bad, your whole body will be dark. If, therefore, the light that is in you is dark, how dark it will be!” (Matthew 6:22, 23; Luke 11:34).

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it away from you. For it is better for you to enter life one-eyed than to be cast into fiery Gehenna having two eyes” (Matthew 5:29; 18:9).

In these passages, “eye” does not mean an eye, but the understanding of truth. Since “eye” signifies the understanding of truth, among the commandments had by the Children of Israel were the commandments those from the seed of Aaron who were blind or disfigured in the eye should not go up to offer a sacrifice, nor enter into the veil (Leviticus 21:18, 20), and that a blind animal should not be offered in a sacrifice (Leviticus 22:22; Malachi 1:8).

What “eye” means, when it is of a person, is clear from these passages. It follows from this that “eye,” when it is of the Lord, means His Divine Wisdom, and so His Divine Omniscience and Providence, as in these passages:

“Open Your eyes, Jehovah, and see” (Isaiah 37:17).

“I will place my eye over them for good, and I will build them” (Jeremiah 24:6).

“Behold, the eye of Jehovah is over those who fear Him” (Psalm 33:18).

“Jehovah is in the temple of holiness, His eyes see, and His eyelids examine the sons of mankind” (Psalm 11:4).

Since “cherubim” signify the Lord’s protection and providence so that the spiritual meaning of the Word is not injured, it is said of the four living creatures, which were cherubim, that they were full of eyes front and back, and that their wings were likewise full of eyes (Revelation 4:6, 8). It is also said that the wheels which cherubs were riding on, were full of eyes all around (Ezekiel 10:12).

It will be shown in what follows that a “flame of fire” means His Divine Love, where “flame” and “fire” are mentioned. And because it is said that “His eyes were like a flame of fire,” it signifies the Divine Wisdom of Divine Love. The secret that the Divine Love of Divine Wisdom and the Divine Wisdom of Divine Love, and so the reciprocal union of both, are in the Lord, was uncovered in Divine Love and Wisdom, nos. 34-39, and elsewhere.

A persons head signifies every part of his life, and every part of a person’s life has to do with love and wisdom. This is why “head” signifies wisdom, and at the same time, love. However, since love does not occur without its wisdom, nor wisdom without its love, it is the love of wisdom that “head” means. When it is about the Lord, it is the Divine Love of Divine Wisdom. [1] Therefore, when head means love, and at the same time wisdom in their innermost forms, it follows that “hair” means love and wisdom in their outermost forms. And because here “hair” is said of the Son of Mankind, who is the Lord in relation to the Word, His “hair” signifies Divine Good that is of love, and Divine Truth that is of wisdom, in the outermost forms of the Word. And the outermost forms of the Word are the things that are contained in its literal meaning.

It may seem unbelievable that “the hair of the Son of Mankind,” or of the Lord, signifies the Word in the literal meaning, but even so, it is true. This can be established from the places in the Word that were brought up in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, nos. 35 and 49. It was also shown there that the Nazarites in the Israelitish church represented the Lord in relation to the Word in its outermost parts, which is its literal meaning. This is because “Nazarite” means hair or hairs. The power of Samson, who was a Nazarite from the womb, was in his hair because of this. It was shown in the previously mentioned Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, n. 35-49, that Divine Truth is likewise in its power in its literal meaning. So it was also strictly forbidden for the high priest and his sons to shave their head. So also forty-two boys were mauled by two she-bears, because they called Elisha bald. Elisha, like Elijah, represented the Lord in relation to the Word. “Bald” signifies the Word without it outermost parts, which, as was said, is the literal meaning. “She-bears” signify this meaning of the Word separated from its internal meaning. People who separate the two even appear as bears in the spiritual world, but from a distance. It is clear from this why what happened to the boys happened in this way. It was also therefore the highest disgrace, and the most extreme grief, to induce baldness. This is why, when the Israelitish people had perverted all of the literal meaning of the Word, this lament came on them:

“The Nazarites were whiter than snow, brighter than milk. Their forms have become darker than blackness, they are not recognized in the streets” (Lamentations 4:7, 8).

And also,

“Every head has become bald, and every arm has been plucked” (Ezekiel 29:18).

“Upon every face, shame, and on every head, baldness” (Ezekiel 7:18).

Likewise, Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 48:37; Amos 8:10.

Because the Children of Israel dispersed all of the literal meaning of the Word, the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to represent this by shaving his head with a razor, and burning a third of the his hair with fire, striking  a third of it with a sword, and dispersing a third of it into the wind, and by tying some of it into the folds of his garment, and by afterwards also tossing it into the fire (Ezekiel 5:1-4 and onward). Therefore, it is also said in Micah,

“cover with baldness and shear yourself on account of the sons of your delights, baldness has been dispersed like the eagle, because they depart from you” (1:16).

“The sons of delights” are the genuine truths of the church, drawn from the Word.

Also, because Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, represented Babylon’s falsification of the Word, and the destruction of every truth in Babylon, it happened as a result that his hair grew like that of eagles (Daniel 4:33).

Since “hairs” signify that which is holy of the Word, it is said of the Nazarites that they would not shave the hair of their head, because what has been consecrated to God is upon their head (Numbers 6:1-21).

It was also commanded because of this that the high priest and his sons would not shave their head, or else they would die and bring the entire house of Israel to anger (Leviticus 10:6).

Now because “hair” signifies Divine Truth in its outermost forms (which in the church is the Word in its literal meaning), a similar thing is also said about the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

“I saw still more when the thrones were placed down, and the Ancient of Days sat, His clothes like white snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool” (7:9).

It is strikingly clear in Micah that “the Ancient of Days” is the Lord:

“You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are small to be among the thousands of Judah. Out of you will come to Me one who will be a ruler in Israel, and His comings forth are from ancient times, from the days of eternity” (5:2).

And in Isaiah, where he is called “Father of Eternity” (9:6).

It can be established from these places, and from many others (which cannot be brought up due to their large number), that the “head” and “hair” of the Son of Mankind, which “were bright like wool, like snow,” mean what is Divine of Love and of Wisdom in innermost and outermost forms. And because the Son of Mankind means the Lord in relation to the Word, it follows that this also means the Word in innermost and outermost forms. Why else would the Lord here in Revelation, and the Ancient of Days in Daniel, also be described in relation to hair?

It is strikingly clear from those who are in the spiritual world that “hair” means the literal sense of the Word. There, those who held the literal sense of the Word in contempt appear bald, and in turn, those in the spiritual world who loved the literal sense of the Word appear with proper hair. “Like wool” and “like snow” are said because “wool” signifies good in outermost forms, and “snow” signifies truth in outermost forms, as also in Isaiah 1:18. This is because wool is from sheep, which signify the good of charity, and snow is from water, which signifies the truths of faith.

1. Indeed, more about the significance of “head” in the Word can be seen later, in nos. 538 and 568.

The reason a “golden belt” signifies this, is that the Lord’s chest, and here specifically “breasts,” signifies His Divine Love. As a result, the “golden belt,” which encircled the Lord, signifies what is Divine going forth and at the same time making a connection, which is the Divine Good of Divine Love. “Golden” also signifies good, as shown later, n. 913. In addition, “belt” or “sash” in the Word signify a general bond, which contains all things in order and as a whole, as in Isaiah:

“A twig will go out from the trunk of Jesse. Justice will be the sash of His loins, and Truth will be the sash of His thighs” (11:1, ,5).

The twig coming out from the trunk of Jesse is the Lord. It was shown in Arcana Caelestia, [1] nos. 9837 and 9944, that the sash of the ephod and the baldric of Aaron’s tunic signified connection. Since “sash” signifies the bond that connects the church’s goods and truths, when the church among the Children of Israel was destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet was commanded to buy a sash for himself, and put it over his loins, and then hide it in the openings of a rock next to the Euphrates. And at the end of the days, when he retrieved it, behold, it had decayed, and was not useful for anything. (Jeremiah 13:1-12). This represented that the church’s good did not exist at that time, and as a result, the truths had been dissipated.

“Sash” signifies something similar in Isaiah:

“In place of a sash there will be tearing” (3:24).

And also in other places. It is clear from the places in the Word where they are mentioned, that “breasts” or “teats” signify Divine Love, not to mention that it is clear from their correspondence with love.

1. Published in London

The reason “an ankle-length robe” signifies the Divine going forth, which is Divine Truth, is that garments in the Word signify truths. This is why “an ankle-length robe,” which is a common garment, signifies Divine Truth going forth, when it is of the Lord. The reason garments in the Word signify truths is that the people in heaven are clothed based on the truths that go forth from their good, which was shown in the work Heaven and Hell, [1] nos. 177-182. It will be shown in the following that in its the spiritual meaning, garments in the Word do not mean anything else. So nothing else was meant by the Lord’s garments that looked as white as light when He was transfigured (Matthew 17:1-4; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 2:28-36). Furthermore, nothing else was meant by the Lord’s garments that the soldiers divided (John 19:23, 24).

It was shown in Arcana Caelestia, [2] nos. 9814 and 10068, that Aaron’s clothes represented, and from this signified, similar things. It was specifically shown what the ephod represented (nos. 9477, 9824, 10005), what the robe represented (nos. 9825, 10005), what the tunic represented (nos. 9826, 9942), and what the turban represented (n. 9827). For Aaron represented the priestly office of the Lord. More on the significance of clothing from the Word will be shown later, in nos. 166 and 328.

1. published in London in 1758

2. published in London

People know from the Word that the Lord called Himself “the Son of God,” and also “the Son of Mankind.” The Doctrine of the Lord, nos. 19-28, fully demonstrated that by “Son of God” the Lord meant Himself in relation to the Divine Human, and by “Son of Mankind” He meant Himself in relation to the Word. And since it was fully confirmed there from the Word, I will refrain from confirming it any further here. Now because the Lord represented Himself to John as the Word, when He was seen by John He was called “the Son of Mankind.” He represented Himself as the Word because this section has to do with the new church, which is a church because of the Word, and according to its understanding of the Word. It was shown in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, nos. 76-79, that a church exists because of the Word, and that its understanding of the Word determines what it is like.

Since a church is a church from the Lord through the Word, the Son of Mankind was seen in the middle of the lamp stands. “In the middle” signifies in the innermost part, from which the things that are around it or outside of it take their essence. In this case, their essence is their light or their intelligence. It was shown many times in Divine Love and Wisdom that the innermost part is the all in the things that are around it or outside of it. It is like a light and flame at the middle, from which all the things around them shine and gets warm. “In the middle” signifies something similar in the following places in the Word:

“Shout out and rejoice, O inhabitant of Zion, because the Holy One of Israel is great in the midst of you” (Isaiah 12:6).

“God is my king, working salvation in the middle of the earth” (Psalm 74:12).

“God works compassion in the middle of the temple” (Psalm 48:9).

“God stands firm in the assembly of God, He will judge in the middle of the gods” (Psalm 82:1).

People are called “gods” who are in Divine Truths from the Lord, and abstractly the truths themselves are called gods.

“Behold, I send my angel before you. Be wary for yourselves against his faces, since My name is in the middle of him” (Exodus 23:20, 21).

“The name of Jehovah” is everything that is Divine. “In the middle” is in the innermost part, and as a result, in every part of it. Moreover, in many other places in the Word “middle” signifies the innermost part, and as a result everything, even where it deals with evils, as in Isaiah 24:13; Jeremiah 23:9; Psalm 5:9; Jeremiah 9:4, 5; Psalm 36:1; Psalm 55:4; and Psalm 62:4. These places have been mentioned so that it may be known that “in the middle of the lamp stands” signifies in the innermost part, from which the church, and every part of it, comes, as the church, and every part of it, is from the Lord through the Word. It was shown just above (n. 43) that “lamp stand” signifies the new church.

The last verse of this chapter says that the seven lamp stands are the seven churches. It was shown earlier, in n. 10, that the seven churches mean everyone who is in the Christian world, and who take part in the church, and specifically, in n. 41, according to how each of them receive. The reason “seven lamp stands” means a new church, is because the Lord is in them and in the middle of them, since it is said that John saw one like the Son of Mankind in the middle of seven lamp stands, and “the Son of Mankind” means the Lord in relation to the Word. The lamp stands seemed to be golden because gold signifies good, and every church is a church as a result of good formed through truths. It will be shown in the following that “gold” signifies good.

The lamp stands were not close to each other, or placed in contact with each other, but they were at a distance, making some sort of circle. This is clear from these words in the next chapter:

“The one who is walking in the middle of the seven golden lamp stands” (verse 1).

Nothing is said about the oil lamps of these lamp stands, but it is said later on that the New Jerusalem (that is, the new church),

“does not have need for the sun, nor for the moon, because its light is the Lamb, and the people which are saved will walk in His light” (Revelation 21:23, 24).

And further,

“They do not have need for a light, because the Lord God gives light to them” (22:5).

For the people who will be in the Lord’s New Church are only lamp stands that will shine because of the Lord.

The golden lamp stand in the tabernacle represented nothing other than the church in relation to enlightenment from the Lord [1]. It was shown in Arcana Caelestia (published in London) that the lamp stand represented the Lord’s church in relation to spiritual Divine Love (which is love to the neighbor), nos. 9548, 9555, 9558, 9561, 9570, and 9783. This will also be shown later in this book, n. 493.

The lamp stand in Zechariah, chapter 4, also signifies the new church to be restored by the Lord, since it signifies a new house of God, or a new temple. This is clear from the things that come later in that book. Also, “the house of God” and “the temple” signify the church, and in the highest meaning, the Lord’s Divine Human, as He teaches (John 2:19, and in other places). But what chapter four of Zechariah signifies, when he saw a lamp stand, will be said in an orderly fashion:

The things contained in verses 1-7 signify the enlightenment of the new church by the Lord, from the good of love through truth. In this section, “olive trees” signify the church in relation to the good of love.

The things contained in verses 8-10 of this chapter, signify that this is done by the Lord. In this section, “Zerubbabel,” who will build the house, and so the church, represents the Lord.

The things contained in verses 11-14 signify that there will also be truths from a heavenly origin in that church. This explanation of this chapter was given to me by the Lord though heaven.

1. for more about this lamp stand, see:
Exodus 25:31 to the end; 37:17-24;
Leviticus 24:3, 4;
Numbers 8:2, 3, 4.

John says that he heard a voice behind him (verse 10). And now he says that he turned to see the voice. And again, that having turned, he saw seven lamp stands. It is clear from these that he heard the voice from behind my back, and that he turned himself so that he could see where it was coming from. It is clear that there is a secret in this. The secret is that before a person turns himself to the Lord, and acknowledges Him as the God of heaven and earth, he cannot see Divine Truth in the Word. The reason is that God is one, both in person and in essence, in whom is the Trinity, and this God is the Lord. Because of this, people who acknowledge a trinity of persons, primarily look to the Father, and some the Holy Spirit, and rarely the Lord, and if they do look to the Lord, they think of His Human in the same way they think of an ordinary person. When a person does this, they can in no way be enlightened in the Word, since the Lord is the Word, since it is from Him and about Him. Therefore, they who do not go to the Lord alone, look to Him and His Word as if they were behind them, and not in front of them, or from behind their back, and not in front of their face. This secret lies hidden in these words: that John heard behind him, and that he turned to see the voice, and having turned, saw seven gold lamp stands, and the Son of Mankind in the middle of them. For the voice that he heard came from the Son of Mankind, who is the Lord. At this point, the Lord teaches with a clear voice that the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth, for He says,

“I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come” (verse 8);

and here, “I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last” (verse 11);

and afterwards, “I am the first and the last” (verse 17, and chapter 2:8).

It was shown earlier in n. 37 that a “voice,” when it is from the Lord, means Divine Truth. And it was shown earlier in nos. 5 and 6 that “John” means those in the church who are in the good of life. It can be established from these that the words, “and I turned around to see the voice which was speaking with me,” signify the reversal of the state that has to do with perception of truth in the Word, had by those who are in the good of life when they turn themselves to the Lord.

It will be shown later that in the spiritual meaning, these seven names signify all conditions of receiving the Lord and His church. This is because John was in a spiritual condition when this task was entrusted to him, and in a spiritual condition, nothing is called by name that does not signify a property or condition. This is why the things that John wrote were not sent to any church in those locations, but they were spoken to their angels, which means those who accept. It was shown many times in Arcana Caelestia (published in London) that all the names of places and people in the entire Word mean spiritual properties, as what “Abraham,” “Isaac,” and “Jacob” mean, and also “Israel,” and the twelve names of his children. As also what the various places in the Land of Canaan mean, and the places neighboring that land, as what “Egypt,” “Syria,” “Assyria,” and many others mean. It is similar with these seven names. But let anyone who wants to remain in the literal meaning remain there, since that meaning does cause a joining together. Just let him know that the angels perceive properties and conditions of the church through those names.

It was shown earlier, in nos. 10 and 11, what “the churches in Asia” mean.

It was shown in nos. 13 and 29 that these words contain all these things and infinitely more. Number 29 said that all the characters or letters of the alphabet in the spiritual world signify properties, and that this is where the speech and writing of the people in the spiritual world come from. It also said that therefore the describes His Divinity and infinity with alpha and omega, which signify that He is everything in all things of heaven and of the church. Since every single letter signifies a property in the spiritual world, and as a result in the angelic language, David wrote down Psalm 119 in the order of the letters of the alphabet, beginning with aleph and ending with taw. This can be established from the beginnings of the verses in that Psalm. What appears in Psalm 111 is similar, but not as obviously. This is also why Abram was called Abraham, and Sarai was called Sarah. This was done so that “Abraham” and “Sarah” would not mean these people in heaven, but the Divine, as they also mean. This is because “h” involves infinity, because it is just breathing. Many thing about this were shown earlier in n. 29.

A “great voice” signifies Divine Truth when it is heard from heaven (more about this later). The reason it was heard “as if of a trumpet,” is because when Divine Truth flows down from heaven, it is then heard in such a way by the angels of the outermost heaven, and then it is perceived clearly. As a result of this, a “voice as if of a trumpet” signifies clear perception. (In addition, more will be shown about the significance of “a trumpet” later, in nos. 397 and 519). It is clear that a “great voice” signifies Divine Truth when it is heard from heaven from these places:

The voice of Jehovah is over the waters. The voice of Jehovah is in power. The voice of Jehovah is with honor. The voice of Jehovah breaks the cedars. The voice of Jehovah cuts like a flame of fire. The voice of Jehovah makes the desert tremble. The voice of Jehovah makes the doe give birth (Psalm 29).

“Sing psalms to the Lord, o kingdoms of the earth; behold, he will give a voice of strength in His voice” (Psalm 68:32, 33).

“Jehovah has uttered His word before the army, because being countless, it does His word” (Joel 2:11).

“Jehovah will give His voice from Jerusalem” (Joel 3:16).

And because “voice” signifies Divine Truth from the Lord, the Lord said that the sheep hear His voice and that they know His voice. He also said,

“I have other sheep, whom I need to bring, and they hear My voice. My sheep hear My voice, and I recognize them, and they follow Me” (John 10:3, 4, 16, 27).

And elsewhere:

“The hour is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Mankind, and they who hear will live” (John 5:25).

Here “Voice” is the Lord’s Divine Truth drawn from His Word.

“I was in the spirit” signifies the spiritual condition that John was in while in the visions. Something about this condition is said later. “On the Lord’s day” signifies an influx from the Lord at that time, since the presence of the Lord is on that day, as it is a holy day. It is clear from these things that “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day” signifies the spiritual condition at that time as a result of Divine influx.

We read of the prophets that they were “in the spirit,” or “in a vision,” and also that the Word came to them from Jehovah. When they were in the spirit or in a vision, they were not in their body, but in their spirit. In this condition, they saw the sort of things which are in heaven. However, when the Word came to them, then they were in their body, and they heard Jehovah speaking. These two conditions of the prophets need to be properly distinguished. In the condition of a vision, the eyes of their spirit were opened, and the eyes of their body were closed, and then they heard what an angel was saying, or what Jehovah was saying through an angel. They also saw what was represented to them in heaven. And then, whenever it seemed to them that they were being carried out from place to place, they were staying in their body. John was in this condition when he wrote Revelation, and so were Ezekiel, Zechariah and Daniel at times, and then it is said that they were “in a vision” or “in the spirit.” For Ezekiel says,

“The spirit lifted me up, and brought me back to the captivity in Chaldea in a vision of God, in the Spirit of God. In this way the vision that I saw came up upon me” (11:1, 24).

He also says that the spirit lifted him up, and he heard behind him a commotion of the earth, and other things (3:12, 24). And what is more, he says that the spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven, carried him away into Jerusalem in the visions of God, and he saw abominations (8:3 onward). He was likewise in a vision of God, or in the spirit, when he saw the four living creatures, which were Cherubim (chapters 1 and 10). As he also was when he saw the new earth and the new temple, and the angel measuring them (chapters 40-48). It is said that he was in the visions of God (40:2), and that the spirit lifted him up (43:5).

Something similar happened with Zechariah (in whom there was an angel),

when he saw a man riding among myrtle trees (1:8 onward),

when he saw four horns, and then a man, in whose hand was a measuring string (2:1, 5, and onward),

when he saw Joshua the high priest (3:1 onward),

when he saw a lamp stand and two olive trees (4:1 onward),

when he saw a flying scroll, and a measuring basket (5:1, 6),

and when he saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains, as well as horses (6:1 onward)

Daniel was in a similar condition,

when he saw the four beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:1 onward), and when he saw battles between a ram and a he-goat (8:1 onward).

Daniel himself says that he saw them in visions (chapter 7:1, 2, 7, 13; chapter 8:2; chapter 10:1, 7, 8), and that the angel Gabriel was shown to him in a vision (chapter 9:21).

Something similar happened with John, as when he saw the Son of Mankind in the middle of the seven lamp stands (Revelation 1),

when he saw a throne in heaven, and the one sitting on it, and four living creatures around the throne (chapter 4),

when he saw a scroll sealed with seven seals (chapter 5),

when he saw four horses coming out of the opened scroll (chapter 6),

when he saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth (chapter 7),

when he saw locusts coming out of the pit of the abyss (chapter 9),

when he saw an angel, in whose hand was a small book, which he gave to John to eat (chapter 10),

when he heard the seven angels sounding trumpets (chapter 11),

when he saw the dragon and the woman whom the dragon pursued, and his battle with Michael (chapter 12), and afterwards, the two beasts, one coming up from the sea, the other from the earth (chapter 13),

when he saw the seven angels who have the seven final plagues (chapters 15 and 16),

when he saw prostitute sitting on the scarlet beast (chapters 17 and 18), and afterwards the white horse, and the one sitting on it (chapter 19), and finally, a new heaven and a new earth, and then the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (chapters 21 and 22).

John himself says that he saw these “in the spirit” and “in a vision” (chapter 1:10; chapter 4:2; chapter 9:17; chapter 21:10). This is also what “I saw” means every time it appears in John’s writing. It is strikingly clear that to be “in the spirit” is to be “in a vision,” which happens through the opening of the sight of a person’s spirit. When this is opened, the things that are in the spiritual world are visible, just as clearly as the things in the natural world are to the sight of the body. I can bear witness that this is the way it is from many years of experience.

The disciples were in this condition when they saw the Lord after the resurrection. This is why it is said that, “their eyes were opened” (Luke 24:30, 31). Abraham was in a similar condition when he saw the three angels and talked with them. Likewise, Hagar, Gideon, and Joshua, and others, when they saw the angels of Jehovah. Likewise, when Elisha’s boy saw the mountain filled with chariots and fiery horses around Elisha,

“for Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Jehovah, open, I beg you, his eyes, so that he may see,’ and Jehovah opened the boy’s eyes, and he saw” (2 Kings 6:17).

When it comes to the Word however, it was not revealed in the condition of the spirit or in a vision, but it was spoken to the prophets by the Lord in a living voice. This is why it is not written anywhere that the prophets spoke it from the Holy Spirit, but from Jehovah. This was shown in The Doctrine of the Lord, n. 53.

This was explained earlier in n. 6.

The reason Revelation came to John on Patmos, was because it was an island in Greece, not far from the land of Canaan, and between Asia and Europe. “Island” signifies peoples that are far removed from the worship of God, but who still enter into that worship, because they can be enlightened. Likewise “Greece.” On the other hand, “the land of Canaan” signifies the church itself. “Asia” signifies those who are in the church who are in the light of truth because of the Word. “Europe” signifies those to whom the Word will come. It is from these that “the Island of Patmos” signifies the condition and place in which he could be enlightened. It is clear that “islands” in the Word signify peoples that are far removed from the worship of God, but who still enter into that worship, from these places:

“In the dawning light, honor Jehovah, in the islands of the sea, the name of the God of Israel” (Isaiah 24:15).

“He will neither extinguish nor destroy, until he may put judgment in the lands, and the islands may hope in His law. Sing a new song to Jehovah, the islands and their inhabitants shall give glory to Jehovah, and they will make known His praise in the islands” (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12).

“Listen to Me, islands and peoples from far away” (Isaiah 49:1).

“The islands will hope in Me, and they will trust in My arm” (Isaiah 51:5).

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

“Hear the words of Jehovah, nations, and make them known in the islands from afar” (Jeremiah 31:10).

“so that they may honor Jehovah, each in his place, all the islands of the nations” (Zephaniah 2:11).

Also in other places.

It is not clear from the Word that “Greece” signifies something similar, since Greece is only named in Daniel 8:21; 10:20; 11:2; as also in John 12:20 and Mark 7:26. It is clear that “the land of Canaan” means the church of the Lord (which is why it is called the Holy Land and heavenly Canaan) from many places in the Word. It was shown earlier, in n. 11, that “Asia” means those who are in the church, who are in the light of truth because of the Word. It is plain that “Europe” means those to whom the Word will come.

“Affliction” means the condition of the church when there are no longer any goods of charity or truths of faith, but there are evils and falsities in their place. “Kingdom” means the church, and “patient awaiting of Jesus Christ” means the arrival of the Lord. This is why these words, “in affliction and in the kingdom and in patient awaiting of Jesus Christ,” brought together into one meaning, signify when the goods and truths of the church are infested with evils and falsities, which, however, will be removed by the Lord when He comes. It is clear that “affliction” means the condition of the church when it is infested with evils and falsities, from these words:

In the conclusion of the age, “they will hand you over into affliction, and they will kill you. There will be a great affliction, such as there has not been since the beginning of the world, nor shall be. After the affliction of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven” (Matthew 24:9, 21, 29; Mark 12:19, 24).

It will be shown in what follows that “kingdom” signifies the church.

It was said before, in n. 5, that the Apostle John represented those who are in the good of charity. And those who are in the good of charity are in the truths of faith, since charity is the soul and the life of faith. It is because of this that John calls himself a brother and companion to those who are in the churches that he will write to, for he wrote to seven churches. In the spiritual meaning of the Word, “brother” means someone who is in the good of charity, and “companion” means someone who is in the truths of faith as a result. This is because all are like blood relatives on account of charity, but like relatives through marriage on account of faith. This is because charity joins together, but faith does not do so, unless it is from charity. When faith is from charity, then charity joins together and faith associates. And because they make one, the Lord ordered everyone to be brothers. For He said,

“One is your teacher, Christ. But you are all brothers” (Matthew 23:8).

The Lord also calls people “brothers” who are in the good of charity, or in the good of life. He said,

“These are My mother and My brothers, who hear the Word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:49; Mark 3:33-35).

“Mother” means the church and “brother” means those who are in charity, and because the good of charity is a brother, therefore the Lord called those who are in that good “brothers.” (As well as in Matthew 25:40, and so also disciples, Matthew 28:10; John 20:17). But it is not written that the disciples called the Lord brother, because “brother” is the good that is from the Lord. In comparison, this is like a king, prince, or baron, who calls his blood relatives and his relatives through marriage brothers, yet even so, they do not do the same in return. For the Lord said,

“One is your teacher, Christ. But you are all brothers” (Matthew 23:8).

And again,

“You call me master and Lord, and you say it rightly, for so I am” (John 13:13).

The Children of Israel called all who were from their father Jacob brothers, and more broadly, also those who were from Esau. But they called those who were not from them companions. But because the Word in the spiritual meaning only deals with people who are in the Lord’s church, in that meaning “brothers” mean those who are in the good of charity from the Lord, and “companions” means those who are in the truths of faith. This is so in the following:

“Thus each of you will tell to his companion, and each to his brother, what Jehovah responded”(Jeremiah 23:35).

“You have not proclaimed liberty, each to his brother and each to his companion” (Jeremiah 34:17).

 “Lest anyone force his companion or brother” (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2).

“I will speak because of my brother and my companion” (Psalm 122:8).

“everyone encourages his companion, and says to his brother, ‘strengthen yourself’” (Isaiah 41:6).

And in the opposite meaning:

“Everyone, be wary of your companion, and do not confide in any brother. Every brother stumbles, and every companion slanders” (Jeremiah 9:4).

“I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, so that it fights against its brother, and against its companion” (Isaiah 19:2).

And in other places.

These have been brought up so that you can know why John calls himself “brother” and “companion,” and that in the Word “brother” means someone who is in charity or good, and “companion” means someone who is in faith or truth. But because that faith is from charity, no one is called a companion by the Lord, but brothers or neighbor. Everyone is also a neighbor depending on what their good is like (Luke 10:36, 37).

Since everything is from the Lord (created from the first things that are from Him) and since nothing happens that does not come into being from this, [1] it follows that He is omnipotent. If you take one from whom all things are, are not all things of that one, from which they hang in order, like links in a chain from a column, or like the blood vessels of the whole body from the heart, or like each and every thing in the universe from the sun? Thus from the Lord, who is the sun of the spiritual world, from whom is every necessity, life, and power that is with those who are under that sun. In short, “We are, live, and move from Him” (Acts of the Apostles 17:28). This is Divine Omnipotence. That the Lord rules all things from the things that are first by means of those that are outermost, is a secret that has not been revealed until now, although it was explained many times in The Doctrine of the Lord and in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture. It was also explained in Divine Providence, n. 124, and in Divine Love and Wisdom, n. 221. It is known that because the Divine is infinite, it cannot be conceptualized in the thoughts of any person or angel, since they are finite, and a finite being does not have the capacity to perceive the infinite. However, it has pleased the Lord to describe His infinity with these words, so that it can be perceived in some way: “I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, who is and who was and who is to come, and who is omnipotent.” This is why these words encompass all things which an angel or person can think spiritually and naturally about the Divine at any time. In general, these things are the things that were brought up collectively earlier.

1. As was shown many times in Divine Love and Wisdom

That this signifies He who is eternal and infinite and Jehovah can be seen earlier, in n. 13, where this was explained.

These things and more beside are the things contained in those words that describe the Lord. It is strikingly clear that they were said of the Lord, and indeed, about His Human, since after this it says that he heard a voice saying, “I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last,” and that he turned around to see the voice that was speaking with him, and that he saw the Son of Mankind in the middle of seven golden lamp stands (Chapter 1:10-13). He immediately also says, 

“I am the first and the last, and the one who lives, and was made dead” (Chapter 1:17, 18; Chapter 2:8)

However, that all the things that were said above are contained in these words cannot be confirmed by so little, since to confirm them fully would take up many pages. But even so, they have been confirmed in part in Divine Love and Wisdom, recently published (1763) in Amsterdam, which may be consulted. The reason the Lord called Himself “the alpha and the omega, the first and the last,” is because “the alpha and the omega” have to do with His Divine Love, and “the first and the last” have to do with His Divine Wisdom. This is because there is a marriage of love and wisdom, or of good and truth, in the individual parts of the Word, which can be seen in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, nos. 80-90.

The Lord is called “the alpha and the omega” because alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega is the last, and as a result, they signify all things as a whole. The reason is that every single letter of the alphabet in the spiritual world signifies some property, and a vowel, because it serves as sound, signifies something of affection or love. This is the origin of spiritual and angelic speech, and also writing. But this is a secret that has been unknown until now. This is because there is a universal language which all the angels and spirits use, and it has nothing in common with any language of people in the world. Every person comes into this language after death, since it is innate in every person from creation. This is why everyone in the entire spiritual world can understand each other. I was allowed to hear that language many times, and even to speak it, and I compared it with languages in the world, and I verified that it was not in the least the same as another natural language on earth. It differed from them in its most basic aspect: that is, that each single letter of each word signifies some meaning both in speech and in writing. Now as a result of this, the Lord is called “the alpha and the omega,” which signifies that He is everything in all things of heaven and the church. And because they are two vowels, they have to do with love, as was said above. Something about this language and its writing flowing from the spiritual thought of angels can also be seen in Divine Love and Wisdom, n. 295.

That the “tribes of the earth” signify goods and truths of the church will be shown in the explanation of chapter 7, where the twelve tribes of Israel are dealt with. “To mourn” signifies sorrow that the goods and truths are dead. What these mean is similar to what the Lord’s words in Matthew mean:

“After the affliction of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. And then the sign of the Son of Mankind will appear, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn” (24:29, 30).

These words are about the conclusion of the age, which is the end of the church.

“The sun will be darkened” signifies that there will no longer be love or charity;

“The moon will not give its light” signifies that there will no longer be intelligence or faith;

“The stars will fall from heaven” signifies that there will no longer be thoughts of good or truth;

“All the tribes of the earth will mourn” signifies that there will no longer be goods or truths;

“Affliction” signifies a condition, in this case, that of the church.

Thanks for visiting and reading my blog, and especially to those who have left helpful or insightful comments. I appreciate it.

I would like to mention that I need to clarify something: when I first started this project, I had thought that I would just start at the beginning and go until I stopped, probably well after Chapter 1. I may still do this. However, I am only certain about getting through Chapter 1. After that, I am not sure what will happen. I hope to be able to continue updating it regularly. In any case, I will not be able to translate as quickly as I have been this past term, due to time constraints.

Thanks again,

Joel

To “pierce” Jesus Christ means nothing other than to destroy His Divine Truth in the Word. This is also what it means when it says that,

a soldier pierced His side, and that blood and water flowed out (John 19:34).

“Blood and water” are spiritual and natural Divine Truth, and thus the Word in the spiritual and natural meanings;

“To pierce the side” of the Lord is to destroy both of these with falsities, as was also done by the Jews. This is because every part of the Lord’s Passion represented the condition of the Jewish church in relation to the Word; [1]

“To pierce” Him signifies to destroy the Word with falsities, because it is said about Jesus Christ, who is soon afterwards called “the Son of Mankind”;

“The Son of Mankind” means the Lord in relation to the Word, which is why “to pierce the Son of Mankind” is referring to the Word.

In the spiritual meaning, “eye” does not mean an eye, but an understanding. This is why “every eye will see” signifies that everyone who has an understanding of Divine Truth from affection will acknowledge Him, since these are the only ones who understand and acknowledge. Certainly, the rest see and also understand, but they do not acknowledge. These people are signified, because after this it says that “they who pierced Him” will also see. These mean people who are in falsities. It will be shown later, in n. 48, that “eye” signifies understanding.

Anyone who does not know anything about the internal or spiritual meaning of the Word is unable to know what the Lord meant when He said that He “will come in the clouds of heaven.” For He said to the high priest who was urging Him to say whether He was Christ, the Son of God,

“You have said I am. And you will see the Son of Mankind sitting to the right of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61, 62),

And when the Lord spoke to the disciples about the conclusion of the age, He said,

“And then the sign of the Son of Mankind will appear, and they will see Him coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory” (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26)

The “cloud of heaven” in which He will come means nothing other than the Word in the literal meaning, and the “glory” in which they will see Him means the Word in the spiritual meaning. People who do not think beyond the literal meaning of the Word can hardly believe that this is so. To them, “cloud” is a cloud, and because of this they have faith that the Lord will appear in the clouds of heaven when the final judgment is impending. But this passes when it is known what a “cloud” is, that it is Divine Truth in the outermost forms, thus the Word in the literal meaning. Clouds are just as visible in the spiritual world as they are in the natural world, but the clouds in the spiritual world are visible below the heavens to those who are in the literal meaning of the Word; the clouds are darker or lighter depending on their understanding of the Word, and at the same time their reception of it. This is because the light of heaven there is Divine Truth, and darkness is falsities. This is why “bright clouds” are Divine Truth covered over with truth’s appearances, which the Word in its literal meaning is like to people who are in truths. It is also why “dark clouds” are Divine Truths covered all around with fallacies that come from confirmed appearances, which the Word in its literal meaning is like to people who are in falsities. I saw those clouds many times, and it was clear to me where they come from and what they are.

Now because the Lord became Divine Truth, or the Word even in its outermost parts, He said to the high priest that after this they will see the Son of Mankind coming in the clouds of heaven. Moreover, Him saying to the disciples that at the conclusion of the age the sign of the Son of Mankind will appear, and that they will see Him coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory, signifies that at the end of the church, when the final judgment will take place, He will appear in the Word, and will reveal the spiritual meaning. This has even now taken place, because the end of the church is now, and the final judgment has been completed, as can be established from the little book recently published. Therefore, this is what is meant in Revelation by

“Behold, He comes with clouds.” Also in the following:

“I looked, and behold a white cloud, and someone like the Son of Mankind sitting on the cloud” (Revelation 14:14).

So also in Daniel:

“I was looking in nighttime visions, and behold, the Son of Mankind coming with clouds” (7:13).

The Doctrine of the Lord, nos. 19-28, shows that “the Son of Mankind” means the Lord in relation to the Word. It can be seen that “cloud” also means Divine Truth in outermost forms (and so the Word in its literal meaning as well) elsewhere in the Word, by means of the places where clouds are written about, such as in these places:

“There is non like the God of Jeshurun, riding in heaven, and in magnificence upon the clouds” (Deuteronomy 33:26).

“Sing to God, praise His name, extol Him who rides upon the clouds” (Psalm 68:4).

“Jehovah is sitting upon a light cloud” (Isaiah 19:1).

“To sit upon clouds” signifies to be in the wisdom of the Word, for a “horse” [which is ridden] signifies an understanding of the Word. Who does not see that God does not ride upon the clouds?

“God rode upon the cherubim, and made His tent the clouds of the heavens” (Psalm 18:10, 11), is similar.

“Cherubim” also signify the Word, which can be seen later in nos. 239 and 672. “Tent” signifies a place to live.

“Jehovah has roofed His dining room in the waters, He makes a cloud His chariot” (Psalm 104:3).

“Waters” signify truths, “dining room” doctrinal things, and “chariot” doctrine, which are all called “clouds” because they are from the literal meaning of the Word.

“He binds the waters in His clouds, and the cloud under them is not destroyed, and He spreads His cloud over the throne” (Job 26:8, 9). Likewise here.

“God makes the light of His cloud shine” (Job 37:15).

“Give strength to God, strength over the clouds” (Psalm 118:34).

“The light of a cloud” signifies the Divine Truth of the Word, and “strength” signifies the Divine Power that is there.

“Lucifer, you have said in your heart, ‘I will go up over the high cloud, I will become like Him who is most high’” (Isaiah 14:14).

“Leave Babel, because it has lifted itself even to the clouds” (Jeremiah 51:9).

“Lucifer” and “Babel” signify those who profane the goods and truths of the Word. This is why these goods and truths are the things that “clouds” mean there.

          “Jehovah spread out a cloud as a covering” (Psalm 105:39).

“Jehovah created a cloud over every house in Zion by day, for there will be a covering over all glories” (Isaiah 4:5).

Here, “cloud” also means the Word in the literal meaning; this meaning is called “a covering over glory” because it encloses and covers the spiritual meaning. It was shown in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, n. 33, that the literal meaning of the Word is a “covering” to prevent the spiritual meaning from being injured. It was also shown in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, n. 97, that the literal meaning of the Word is a protection. Divine Truth in its outermost forms is like the Word in the literal meaning, and it is also represented by the “cloud” in which Jehovah came down upon Mount Sinai, and gave the Law (Exodus 19:9; 34:5). Furthermore, Divine Truth is represented by the “cloud” that covered Peter, James, and John when Jesus was transfigured, which these are about:

“While He was still talking to Peter, behold, a cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice from the cloud saying, ‘This is my beloved son, hear Him’” (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34, 35)

In the transfiguration the Lord made Himself to be seen as the Word, which is why the cloud overshadowed them, and a voice was heard from the cloud, that He was the son of God. “A voice from a cloud” is from the Word. It will be seen later and in other places that “cloud,” in an opposite meaning, means the Word in relation to the falsified literal sense

“Amen” signifies truth. And because the Lord was truth itself, He said many times, “Amen I say to you” (as in Matthew 5:18, 26; 6:16; 10:23, 42; 17:20; 18:13, 18; 25:12; 28:20; John 3:11; 5:19, 24, 25; 6:26, 32, 47, 53; 8:34, 51, 58; 10:7; 12:24; 18:16, 20, 21; 21:18, 25). And in the following places in Revelation:

“The Amen, the faithful and true witness, says these things” (3:14).

This is the Lord. The Lord teaches that He is truth itself (John 14:6; 17:19).

In the Word “glory,” when it is about the Lord, means Divine Majesty, and describes His Divine Wisdom. And “strength” means Divine Omnipotence, and describes His Divine Love. And “ages of ages” means eternity. Many places in the Word can confirm that “glory,” “strength,” and “ages of ages” mean these things when they are describing Jehovah or the Lord.

In the spiritual meaning, “God” and “Father” do not mean two people, but “God” means the Divine in relation to wisdom and “Father” means the Divine in relation to love. This is because there are two things in the Lord, Divine Wisdom and Divine Love, or Divine Truth and Divine Good. In the Old Testament, “God” and “Jehovah” mean these two things, and here they are meant by “God” and “Father.” Now because the Lord teaches that He and the Father are one, and that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him (John 10:30; 14:10, 11), “God” and “Father” do not mean two people, but one Lord. The Divine is also one and indivisible. This is why Jesus Christ making us kings and priests to God and to His Father signifies that they might appear before Him as images of His Divine Wisdom and His Divine Love. An image of God is formed from those two in people and angels. It was shown in The Doctrine of the Lord that the Divine, which in itself is one, is identified by various names in the Word. The following places establish that the Lord Himself is also “the Father.” In Isaiah:

“A child is born to us, a son is given to us, whose name is Wonderful, God, Hero, Father of eternity, Prince of peace” (9:6).

In the same book:

“You, Jehovah, are our Father, our Redeemer from an age is Your name” (63:16).

And in John:

“‘If you have known me, you have known My Father, and since then you have known Him and seen Him.’ Philip says, ‘Lord, show us the Father.’ Jesus says to Him, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father, why then do you say, “show us the father”? Believe in Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me’” (14:7, 8, 9, 11).

This is shown later in n. 962.

People know that the Lord is called a king in the Word, and also a priest. He is called a king because of Divine Wisdom, and a priest because of Divine Love. This is why people who are within wisdom from the Lord are called “sons of the king,” and even “kings,” and those who are within love from Him are called “ministers” and “priests.” This is because wisdom and love are with them, not from them, so it is not theirs, but the Lord’s. It is from this that “kings” and “priests” mean those people in the Word. It is not that those people are kings and priests, but that the Lord is in them, and makes it so that they are given such names. They are also called “born from Him,” “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the Father,” and “heirs.”

“Born from Him” (John 1:12, 13).

In other words, born anew or regenerated (John 3:1 onward).

“Sons of the kingdom” (Matthew 8:12; 13:38).

“Sons of the Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45).

“Heirs” (Psalm 127:3; 1 Samuel 2:8; Matthew 25:34).

And because they are said to be heirs, sons of the kingdom, and those born from the Lord as a father, they are called “kings and priests.” Furthermore, it is also said that they will sit with the Lord on His throne (Revelation 3:21).

All of heaven is divided into two kingdoms: the spiritual kingdom and the heavenly kingdom. The spiritual kingdom is what is called the Lord’s royalty. And because everyone who is there is within wisdom from truths, they are what “kings” mean; the Lord will make such kings of the people who are within wisdom from Him. The heavenly kingdom is what is called the Lord’s priesthood. And because everyone there is within love from goods, they are meant by “priests;” the Lord will make such priests of people who are within love because of Him. The Lord’s church on earth is likewise divided into two kingdoms. See concerning those two kingdoms the work Heaven and Hell, nos. 24 and 226 (published in London in 1758). Any one who does not know the spiritual significance of “kings” and “priests,” can be deluded by the many places that mention them in the prophets and in Revelation. As in these places in the prophets:

“The sons of a foreigner will build your walls, and minister to you: you will suck the milk of the gentiles, indeed, you will suck the breasts of kings, so that you may know that I Jehovah am your savior and your redeemer” (Isaiah 60:10, 16).

“Kings will be your breast feeders, and their princesses will be your nursing mothers” (Isaiah 49:23).

(and in other places, like Genesis 49:20; Psalm 2:10; Isaiah 14:9; 24:21; 52:15; Jeremiah 2:26; 4:9; 49:3; Lamentations 2:6, 9; Ezekiel 7:26, 27; Hosea 3:4; Zephaniah 1:8 ).

In those places “kings” do not mean kings, but those who are in Divine Truth because of the Lord, and abstractly, Divine Truth, from which wisdom comes. “The king of the south” and “the king of the north,” who make war with each other (Daniel 11:1 onward), do not mean kings. But “the king of the south” means those who are in truths, and “the king of the north” means those who are in falsities. Likewise in Revelation, where kings are named many times, as in these places:

“The sixth angel poured out the bowl upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared” (16:12).

“The kings of the earth have committed whoredom with the great whore sitting upon the many waters” (17:2).

“All the nations have drunk from the vine of wrath of Babylon’s whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her” (18:3).

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war with the one sitting upon the white horse” (19:19)

“And the nations which were saved will walk in His light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and their honor into the New Jerusalem” (21:24).

(and elsewhere, such as 16:14; 17:2, 9-14; 18:9, 10)

In Revelation “kings” mean people who are in truths, but in the opposite meaning, who are in falsities, and abstractly they mean truths or falsities. Babylon’s whoredom with the kings of the earth means falsification of the truths of the church. It is evident that Babylon, or the woman who sat upon the scarlet beast, did not commit whoredom with kings, but that she falsified the truths of the Word. It is clear from all this that “kings” (whom the Lord will make of those who are wise because of Him), do not mean that they will be kings, but that they will be wise. An enlightened analysis also sees that this is so. Likewise in the following:

“You have made us kings and priests to our God, so that we may reign over the earth” (Revelation 5:10).

That the Lord understood “king” to mean truth is clear from His words to Pilate:

“Pilate said to Him, ‘then you are a king?’ Jesus responded, ‘you have said it, because I am a king. I was born for this, and for this I came into the world, so that I might bear witness to truth. Everyone who is of truth hears my voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘what is the truth?’” (John 18:37, 38).

“To bear witness to the truth” is truth itself. And since He called Himself a “king” because of truth, Pilate said, “what is truth?” or in other words, “is truth a king?” It will be shown later that “priests” signify those who are in the good of love, and abstractly, the goods of love.

It is clear that “to wash you from sins” is to cleanse from evils, so to reform and regenerate. This is because regeneration is spiritual washing. However, it can be established from many places in the Word (which would be too lengthy to bring up here) that “His blood” does not mean the passion on the cross, as many people believe, but Divine Truth coming from Him. These places are brought up later, in nos. 379 and 684. For the time being, what was written and demonstrated about the significance of the blood and flesh of Christ in the Holy Supper can be seen in nos. 210-222 of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine (published in London in 1758), and about spiritual washing, which is regeneration, in nos. 202-209 in the same book.

This follows from what was said earlier, because the “faithful witness” signifies the Lord in relation to Divine Truth and the “first born” the Lord in relation to Divine Good. Thus “the ruler of the kings of the earth” signifies that every truth in the church arising from good is from Him. The reason “the ruler of the kings of the earth” signifies this is because kings, in the spiritual meaning of the Word, mean those who are in truths arising from good, and abstractly, truths arising from good. “The earth” means the church. That “kings” and “the earth” signify those truths and the church, can be seen later in nos. 20 and 285.

No one has ever known what “the first-born from the dead” is. What it signifies was also disputed in ancient times. They knew that “first-born” signifies the first and most important thing, from which comes everything of the church. Many also believed that the first-born was the truth in doctrine and in faith, but a few believed that it was the truth in action and in deed, which is the good of life. It will be seen that this is the first and most important thing of the church, and so, in a particular meaning, “first-born” means truth in action and in deed.

But first, something may be said about the opinion of those who believed that the truth in doctrine and in faith is the first and most important thing of the church, and so the first-born. They believed it because they learned it first, and because the church is the church through truth; but even then, not before that truth is of life. Before, it is only in the thoughts and memory of the understanding, and not in the action of the will, and truth that is not truth in action or in deed does not live. It is only like a tree growing lusciously with branches and leaves without fruit. And it is like knowledge without application to use. And it is like a foundation that a house is built on, which is meant to be lived in. These are first in time, but they are not first in the goal, and things that are first in the goal are the most important. For the first thing in the goal is living in the house, and the first thing in time is the foundation. Also, use is first in the goal, and knowledge is first in time.

Equally, when a tree is planted, fruit is first in the goal, but the branches and leaves are first in time. It is likewise with the understanding, which is formed first in a person, but with the goal that a person may do what he sees in his understanding. Besides, the understanding is like a preacher, who teaches well but lives evilly. In addition, every truth is planted in the internal person and takes root in the external. This is why unless the truth that has been planted takes root in the external person, which happens through taking action, it becomes like a tree placed not in soil, but on it, which withers there in the blowing heat of the sun. Those who enacted truths carry this root with them after death. Yet a person who had known and acknowledged them through faith alone does not do so.

Now because many of the ancients made the thing that is first in time first in the goal, which is the most important, they said that “first-born” signified the truth in doctrine and in faith in the church, not knowing that this is apparently the first-born, but not actually. But all of those who made the truth in doctrine and in faith the most important thing were condemned, because there is nothing of work or deed, or nothing of life, in that truth.

Therefore Cain, who was Adam and Eve’s first-born, was condemned. That this signifies truth in doctrine and faith, can be seen in Divine Providence, n. 242.

So also Rueben, who was Jacob’s first-born, was condemned by his father (Genesis 49:3, 4), and the right of the first-born was taken from him (1 Chronicles 5:1). It will be shown in the following that in the spiritual meaning, “Rueben” means the truth in doctrine and in faith.

“The first-born of Egypt,” who were all struck, because they were condemned, mean, in the spiritual meaning, nothing other than the truth in doctrine and in faith separated from the good of life. This truth, in itself, is dead.

“He-goats” in Daniel and Matthew mean nothing other than those who are in faith separated from life (about which see Doctrine of Faith, n. 61-68). It can be seen in Continuation Concerning the Last Judgment (n. 16 onward) that those who were in faith separated from life were cast out and condemned around the time of the final judgment.

It can be established from these few things that the truth in doctrine and in faith is not the first-born of the church, but truth in action or in deed, which is the good of life, is. For the church is not within a person before truth becomes part of his life, and when truth becomes part of his life, then it is good. This is because the thought and memory of the understanding do not flow into the will, and through the will into action; but the will flows into the thought and memory of the understanding, and acts. And something that goes out from the will through the understanding, goes out from affection (which is of love) through thought (which is of the understanding), and everyone calls it good, and it enters life. This is why the Lord says that whoever does the truth, does it in God (John 3:21).

Since John represented the good of life, and Peter the truth of faith (see earlier in n. 5), John reclined against the Lord’s chest, and followed Jesus, while Peter did not (John 21:18-23). The Lord also said of John that he would remain even until he came (verse 22, 23), thus to the present day, which is the arrival of the Lord. This is also why the good of life is being taught by the Lord for those who will be of His new church, which is the New Jerusalem.

In short, the “first-born” is what truth from good produces first, and so what the understanding from the will produces first. This is because truth is of the understanding and good is of the will. This first is the most important, because it is like a seed, from which the rest come out. As for the Lord, He is the “first-born from the dead” because He also is, when it comes to His Human, truth itself united with Divine Good, from whom every person, who is dead in himself, lives. The same is meant in Psalms:

“I will give him to be the first-born, the high among the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27)

This is about the Lord’s Human. It is because of this that Israel is called the first-born (Exodus 4:22, 23). “Israel” means truth in action, and “Jacob” truth in doctrine; and since no church is made from truth in doctrine by itself, Jacob was named Israel. In the highest meaning however, “Israel” means the Lord.

Because of what “first-born” represents, all the first-born sons and all the first-born things were made holy to Jehovah (Exodus 13:2, 12; 22:28, 29). Because of this representation of “first-born,” the Levites were taken in place of all the first-born in the Israelitish church, and it is said that they were thus Jehovah’s (Numbers 3:12, 13, 40-46; 18:15-18). For “Levi” signifies truth in action, which is the good of life, and the priesthood was therefore given to his descendants (see the following). Therefore also a double inheritance was given to the first-born, and he was called “the beginning of strength” (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). The reason “first-born” signifies the most important thing of the church, is because in the Word, natural births signify spiritual births, and furthermore, a person’s “first-born” means the thing that first produces those births within him. This is because the church is not with him before the truth of doctrine conceived in the internal person is born in the external person.

Earlier, n. 6 showed that “witness” is said of truth, and that truth bears witness to itself, and thus is the Lord, who is Divine Truth itself and the Word.

That in the Word “Jesus Christ” and “the Lamb” mean the Lord in relation to the Divine Human, see earlier in n. 6.

“Seven spirits” mean everyone who is in Divine Truth, and in an abstract meaning, what is Divinely True itself or Divine Truth itself. It was shown earlier, in n. 10, that “seven” in the Word means everyone and everything. That “throne” means the all of heaven, will be seen shortly. From this, “in the presence of the throne” means where His Divine Truth is. For heaven is not heaven from the propriums of the angels, but from the Divine of the Lord, as was shown many times in Divine Providence, and Divine Love. It is clear from the following places that “the throne of the Lord” signifies heaven:

“Jehovah said, ‘the heavens are My throne’” (Isaiah 66:1).

“Jehovah has made His throne firm in the heavens” (Psalm 103:19).

“He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him who sits upon it” (Matthew 23:22).

“Above the expanse, which is above the head of the cherubim, as if the appearance of a stone of sapphire, is the likeness of a throne, and above it the appearance of a person” (Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1).

The “expanse over the head of the cherubim” means heaven. And in Revelation:

“I will let he who conquers sit in My throne” (3:21)

“In the throne” is in heaven; specifically, it is where His Divine Truth reigns. Also for this reason, when judgment is dealt with, it is said that the Lord will sit upon a throne, for judgment comes about through truths.

It is strikingly clear from the following parts of the chapter that it is the Lord, when it says that John heard a voice from the Son of Mankind saying,

“I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last” (verse 11, 13),

and then,

“I am the first and the last” (verse 17).

And in the next chapter, verse 8, and afterwards 21:6; 22:12, 13; and in Isaiah:

“Jehovah, the king of Israel, and its redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth, said, ‘I am the first and I am the last, and besides him there is no God’” (44:6; then 48:12).

And “He who is the first and the last” is “He who is, who was and who is to come.” “Jehovah” also means this, since the name “Jehovah” signifies “is.” And “He who is”, or who is “to be” itself, is also “was” and “to come,” since things that are past and things that will be are in the present to Him. Because of this He is eternal apart from time, and infinite apart from place. This the church also confesses from the doctrine of the Trinity, which is called Athanasian, where these words are: “The Father is eternal and infinite, the Son is eternal and infinite, and the Holy Spirit is eternal and infinite, but yet there are not three who are eternal and infinite, but one.” It was demonstrated in The Doctrine of the Lord that this one is the Lord.

What “grace” and “peace” specifically mean will be said in what follows. That “peace to you” was the Lord’s greeting to the disciples, thus a Divine greeting, see Luke 24:36, 37; John 20:19-21. And from the Lord’s command it was the disciples’ greeting to everyone to whom they came (Matthew 10:11-15).

Since names and places in the Word mean things of heaven and of the church (as was stated previously), “Asia” also means these, and likewise the names of the seven churches which are there. This will be shown in the following. The reason “Asia” means people who are in the light of truth from the Word is because the most ancient church, and after it the ancient church, and after that the Israelitish church, were in Asia. Moreover, the ancient Word, and afterwards the Israelitish Word, was among them, and all the light of truth is from the Word. (That there were ancient churches in the Asian world, and that they had the Word which was later lost, and finally the Word today, see The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture nos. 101-103). Now as a result of this, “Asia” here signifies everyone who from the Word is in the light of truth.

          This news deserves to be made known about the ancient Word, which had been in Asia before the Israelitish Word: it still has been held on to by the peoples who live in Great Tartary. I spoke with spirits and angels who were from there in the spiritual world. They said that they have the Word, and that they have had it since ancient times, and that they go about their worship based on this Divine Word, and that it consists of only correspondences. They said that the Book of Jasher is also in it, which is mentioned in Joshua (10:12, 13), and in the Second Book of Samuel (1:17, 18). Moreover, they said that among them are also the books the Wars of Jehovah and the Propheticals, which are mentioned by Moses (Numbers 21:14, 15, and 27-30). And when I wrote the words that Moses took from there in front of them, they examined whether they existed, and they found them. It was clear to me from this that the ancient Word is still with among them. While talking with them, they said that they worship Jehovah: some as an invisible God, some as a visible one. Furthermore, they reported that they did not allow foreigners to come to them, except the Chinese, with whom they promote peace, because the Chinese emperor is from there. Then they also reported that they are so populated that they do not believe any other region in the entire world is more populated. This is also believable from the miles long wall, which the Chinese built a long time ago for their protection against an invasion from them. Seek concerning it in China, and perhaps you will find it there among the Tartars.

“Seven churches” do not mean seven churches, but everyone in the Christian world who is part of the church, for numbers signify properties in the Word: “seven” signifies everything and everyone (and so also fullness and completeness), and it is used in the Word when something holy is being dealt with, and in the opposite meaning, when something profane is being dealt with. This is why that number involves holy things, and in the opposite meaning, profane things. The reason numbers signify properties, or rather, the reason they are like certain adjectives to nouns, conveying some quality to things, is that a number is natural in and of itself. For natural things are defined by numbers, but spiritual things are defined by properties and their condition. Because of this, people who do not know what numbers signify in the Word, and especially in Revelation, cannot know the many secrets that are contained there. Now because “seven” signifies everything and everyone, it is clear that “seven churches” mean everyone in the Christian World, where the Word is, and through it, the Lord is known. They, if they live by the commandments of the Lord in the Word, form the church itself. This is why the Sabbath was established on the seventh day, and why the seventh year was called the Sabbath year, and why the seventh seventh year was the Jubilee. This signifies every holy thing in the church. This is also why “a week” signifies an entire period from beginning to end, both in Daniel and elsewhere. “Seven” signifies something similar in the following places, as:

The seven golden lamp stands, in the middle of which was the Son of Mankind (Revelation 1:13)

The seven stars in His right hand (Revelation 1:16, 20)

The seven spirits of God (Revelation 1:4; 4:5)

The seven lamps of fire (Revelation 4:5)

The seven angels, to whom were given seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2)

The seven angels having the seven final plagues (Revelation 15:5, 6)

The seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues (Revelation 16:1; 21:9)

The seven seals with which the book was sealed (Revelation 5:1)

Likewise in the following:

For seven days their hands were filled (Exodus 39:35)

For seven days they were sanctified (Exodus 39:37)

When they were inaugurated, they approached clothed with the garments of holiness for seven days (Exodus 39:30)

They did not come out of the Tent for seven days, when they were being initiated into the priesthood (Leviticus 8:33, 35)

The altar was atoned for seven times, upon the horns (Leviticus 8:18, 19)

The altar was sanctified seven times in turn (Leviticus 8:11)

The blood was sprinkled against the curtain seven times in turn (Leviticus 4:16, 17)

And also seven times in turn to the east (Leviticus 16:12-15)

The water of separation was sprinkled seven times in turn against the tent (Numbers 19:4)

Passover was celebrated for seven days, and they ate unleavened bread for seven days (Exodus 12:1 onward; Deuteronomy 16:4-7)

And equally:

The Jews were punished seven times over because of their sins (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28)

which is why David said,

“pay back to our neighbors into their bosoms seven times over” (Psalm 79:12).

 “Seven times over” is fullness. Also, in these place:

“The speeches of Jehovah are pure speeches, silver purified in a furnace seven times” (Psalm 12:6).

“The famished have held back, even while the barren has given birth seven times, the one who had many children, yet is lacking” (1 Samuel 2:5).

“the barren” is the church of the gentiles, who did not have the Word. “The one who had many children” is the church of the Jews, who had the Word.

“The one who had borne seven slackens, she will breathe out her soul” (Jeremiah 15:9).

Likewise:

“The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will kindle and burn weapons, and light a fire with them for seven year. They will bury Gog, and cleanse the earth for seven months” (Ezekiel 39:9, 11, 12).

“An unclean spirit will take with himself seven other worse spirits” (Matthew 12:45).

Profanation is described here, and the “seven spirits” with whom he will return signify all the falsities of evil, thus the full extinction of good and truth. The “seven heads of the dragon” and the “seven crowns upon the heads” (Revelation 12:3) signify the profanation of every good and truth. It is clear from this that “seven” involves something holy or profane, and they signify everything and fullness.

9. “Because the time is near,” signifies that the condition of the Church is such that it can no longer carry on so that it has a connection with the Lord.

There are two essential things that make a connection with the Lord, and therefore salvation: Acknowledgment of one God, and repentance in life. But today there is acknowledgment of three gods instead of one, and repentance of the mouth that one is a sinner instead of repentance in life. There is no connection through these two. This is why unless a new church rises up that acknowledges those two essential things, and lives them, no one will be able to be saved. Because of this danger, the time has been shortened by the Lord, in agreement with His words in Matthew:

“There will be a great affliction then, the like of which has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor will be. Indeed, unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be preserved” (24: 21, 22).

That this does not mean near or close in time, see n. 947.

This passage states that the spirits of people who live by the doctrine of the New Church are in heaven with the angels. It explains why prophecy and prophet mean doctrine and teaching.

8. (Verse 3) “Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy and practice the things which are written in it,” signifies the communion with the angels of heaven had by those who are living by the teaching of the New Jerusalem.

Here “blessed” means someone who is in heaven as to their spirit. Therefore he is in communion with the angels of heaven while he lives in the world, since he is in heaven as to his spirit. “The words of the prophecy” do not mean anything other than the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, since “prophet” in an abstract meaning signifies the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word (so here the doctrine of the new church, which is the New Jerusalem). Prophecy means the same. “To read, to hear, and to practice the things which are written in it” signifies to want to know the doctrine, to pay attention to the things which are there, and to do the things which are there, in short, to live by it. It is clear that people who only read, hear, and practice, or hold in their memory the things that John saw, are not blessed (see n. 944 later).

The reason “prophet” signifies the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word, and likewise “prophecy,” is because the Word was written through the prophets, and in heaven a person is looked at based on the things that have to do with their duty or occupation. Every person, spirit and angel is also named based on this. Because of this, when a prophet is spoken of, it means the Word in relation to doctrine, or doctrine drawn from the Word, since a prophet’s occupation was to write and teach the Word. As a result, the Lord was called a prophet, because He is the Word Itself (Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Matthew 8:57 and 21:11; Luke 8:33). In order to let it be known that “prophet” means the doctrine of the church drawn from the Word, other places are here added, from which the point can be gathered. In Matthew:

In the conclusion of the age, “many false prophets will rise up, and deceive many. False Christs and false prophets will rise, and will lead the elect, if possible, into error” (24:11, 24).

“The conclusion of the age” is the final time of the church, which is now, when there are not false prophets but false doctrines. In the same book:

“Whoever takes in a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever takes in a just person in the name of the just will receive a just person’s reward” (10:41).

“To take in a prophet in the name of a prophet” is to accept the truth of doctrine because it is true, and “to take in a just person in the name of the just” is to accept good because it is good, and “to receive a reward” is to be saved according to reception. It is clear that no one accepts a reward or is saved because they take in a prophet or a just person in their name. No one can know what these words mean without an idea of what “prophet” and “just person” are. Neither can the things that follow be understood,

that, “whoever has given just a cool drink to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, will not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).

“Disciple” means charity and at the same time faith from the Lord. In Joel:

“I will pour out My spirit upon every flesh, so that your sons and your daughters may prophesy” (2:28).

These words are about the church to be established by the Lord, in which they did not prophesy, but accepted doctrine, which is “to prophesy.” In Matthew:

Jesus said, “many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name?’ But then I will confess to them, ‘I did not know you, depart from Me you workers of iniquity’” (8:22, 23).

Who does not see that they will not say that they prophesied, but that they knew the doctrine of the church and taught it? In Revelation:

“The Time is coming when the dead will be judged, and will be given the reward of the prophets” (11:18).

And elsewhere,

“Heaven is exulted, the holy apostles and prophets, because God has judged your judgment” (18:20).

It is clear that when the final judgment takes place, reward will not be given only to the prophets, and the apostles and prophets alone will not be exalted, but all who accept the truths of doctrine, and have lived by them. Therefore, “Apostles” and “prophets” mean these things. In the books of Moses:

“Jehovah said to Moses, ‘I have established you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1).

“God” means Divine Truth in relation to its reception, from the Lord, which is the meaning in which angels are also called gods. “Prophet” means teaching and speaking it. Because of this, Aaron is called a prophet there. “Prophet” signifies the same thing in other places, like in these:

“The Law shall not pass away from a priest, nor the Word from a prophet” (Jeremiah 18:18)

“Hypocrisy has gone out from the prophets of Jerusalem into the entire earth” (Jeremiah 23:15, 16)

“The prophets will be turned into wind, and there will not be a word in them” (Jeremiah 5:13)

“The priest and the prophet wander because of strong drink, they gulp from the vine, they falter in judgment” (Isaiah 28:7).

“The sun falls upon the prophets, and becomes black upon those days” (Micah 3:6)

“From the prophet to the priest, everyone makes lies” (Jeremiah 8:10).

In these places, in the spiritual meaning, “prophets” and “priests” do not mean prophets and priests, but the entire church: “prophets” mean the church in relation to the truth of doctrine, and “priests” mean the church in relation to the good of life. Both of these have been lost. This is what they mean to the angels in heaven, while what they mean to people in the world is based on the literal meaning. (See Doctrine of the Lord nos. 15-17 to see that prophets represented the condition of the church when it comes to doctrine, and the Lord represented the condition of the church when it comes to the Word itself.)

7. “Everything that he saw,” means their enlightenment in all the things which are in this revelation.

“Everything that he saw” in the spiritual meaning does not mean the things that John saw, as those were only visions, but the things that the people who are meant by “John” see. These are the people who are in the good of life as a result of charity and its faith, as was said earlier. They see in John’s visions secrets about the condition of the church; not so much when they read them, but when they see them revealed. Furthermore, “to see” means to understand, and this is why in general conversation people say that he sees that thing, and that he sees that it is the truth. For a person has sight when it comes to his spirit, just as he has sight when it comes to his body. But a person sees spiritual things with his spirit because it is from the light of heaven, whereas he sees natural things with his body, since it is from the light of the world. Spiritual things are properties, but natural things are their forms. The sight of a person’s spirit is what is called the understanding. It is clear from this what “everything that he saw” means in the spiritual meaning, as well as in the following, where what he saw is talked about.

6. (Verse 2) “Who bore witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ,” means those who accept, from the heart and thus in light, Divine truth from the Word, and who acknowledge that the Lord’s Human is divine

It is said of John that he “bore witness to the Word of God.” But because “John” means all who are in the good of life as a result of charity and its faith (as was just said in n. 5), all these are meant in the spiritual meaning. Angels, who have the spiritual meaning of the Word, never know any of the names of people who are named in the Word, but only what the person represents, and from this what he means. For John, it is the good of life, or good in action. Consequently, he is all people considered together who are in the good of life. These “bear witness,” that is, they see, acknowledge, accept from the heart and in light, and confess the truths of the Word, especially the truth there that the Lord’s Human is Divine (which can be established from places drawn from the Word in large number in The Doctrine of the Lord). “Jesus Christ” and “the Lamb” in Revelation mean the Lord in relation to the Divine Human. Also, “God” means the Lord in relation to the Divine Itself from which everything comes.

The spiritual significance of “to bear witness” has to do with truth, because truth should be witnessed in the world, and when it has been witnessed, it is acknowledged. Yet in heaven, truth itself bears witness of itself, since it is the light of heaven itself. For when angels hear truth, they immediately recognize it and acknowledge it. Because the Lord is truth itself (as He taught in John 14:6), He is His own witness in heaven. It is clear from this what “the witness of Jesus Christ” means, which is why the Lord says,

“You have sent to John, and he was a witness to the truth. Yet I do not take witness from a person” (John 5:33, 34).

And elsewhere:

“John came as a witness so that he might bear witness to the light. He was not that light. The Word, which was with God and was God, and was made flesh, was the true light, which gives light to every person” (John 1: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 34)

Elsewhere:

“Jesus said, I bear witness about Myself, and My witness is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going” (John 8:14).

“When the comforting spirit of truth has come, it will bear witness about Me” (John 15:26).

“The comforting spirit of truth” means the truth itself coming from the Lord. This is why it is said of it that it will not speak from itself but from the Lord (John 16:13, 14, 15).

5. “And He made it known, sending it through His Angel to His servant John,” means those things which are revealed by the Lord through heaven to those who are in the good of life from charity and its faith

In the spiritual meaning, “He made it known, sending it through His Angel” means things that are revealed from heaven, or by the Lord through heaven. For in many places in the Word, “angel” means the angelic heaven, and in the highest meaning, the Lord Himself. This is because no angel ever speaks with a person while separated from heaven, since the conjunction that they have there is such that everyone speaks from this union, even if the angel is not aware of it. For heaven is like one person in the sight of the Lord, whose spirit is the Lord Himself. This is why the Lord speaks with people through heaven, just as one person speaks with another from their soul through their body, and this works in conjunction with each and every bit of their mind, in the midst of which are the things which they say. But this secret cannot be disclosed in so few words. Part of it is disclosed in Divine Love and Wisdom. It is clear from this that “angel” means Heaven, and in the highest meaning, the Lord. “Angel” means the Lord in the highest meaning because heaven is heaven not from the propriums of the angels, but from the Divine of the Lord, from whom they have love and wisdom, and even life. This is why the Lord Himself is called an “angel” in the Word. It is clear from this that the angel was not speaking with John from himself, but the Lord was speaking through him from the center of heaven.

These words mean that they were revealed to those who are in the good of life from charity and its faith because “John” means those things. This is because the Lord’s twelve disciples, or apostles, meant everyone from the church who is in truths as a result of good, and in an abstract meaning, every part of the church:

“Peter” means everyone who is in faith, and abstractly, faith itself.

“James” means those who are in charity, and abstractly, charity itself.

“John” means those who are in the good of life as a result of charity and its faith, and so, abstractly, the good of life itself.

You can see that “John,” “James,” and “Peter” mean these things in the Word of the Gospels in n. 122 of the small book The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines (published in London in 1758). Now because the good of life from charity and its faith make the church, it was through the Apostle John that secrets about the condition of the church (which are contained in his visions) were revealed. I have shown many times in Arcana Caelestia (also published in London) that all the names of people and places in the Word mean things of heaven and of the church.

From these things it can be established that “He made it known, sending it through His Angel to His servant John,” means, in the spiritual meaning, things that are revealed by the Lord, through heaven, to those who are in the good of life from charity and its faith. For charity enacts good by means of faith, and charity does not do so through itself, nor faith through itself.

4. “Which must happen soon,” means that they will certainly happen, so that the church may not pass away.

“It must happen soon” does not mean that the things predicted in Revelation will happen immediately or soon, but that they will definitely happen, and unless they do, the church will pass away. In a Divine concept, and therefore in the spiritual meaning, there is no time, but there is state instead of time. Because “soon” is of time, it means certainty, and that it will happen before its time. For Revelation was given in the 1^st century, and now 17 centuries have passed. It is clear from this that “soon” means what it corresponds to, which is certainty. The following words of the Lord also involve very similar things:

“Unless those dies were shortened, no flesh would be preserved, but those days will be shortened for the sake of the elect” (Matthew 24:22).

This also means that if the church did not come to end before its time, it would completely pass away. This chapter deals with the conclusion of the age and the arrival of the Lord. The conclusion of the age means the final state of the old church, and the arrival of the Lord means the first state of the new church. It was stated before that there is no time in a divine concept, but there is the presence of all things that were and that will be. This is why its is said in Psalms,

“A thousand years in Your eyes is as days gone by” (Psalm 90:4).

And in the same book,

“I will proclaim concerning the statute, Jehovih said to Me, You are My Son, today I have given birth to You” (Psalm 2:7).

“Today” is the present arrival of the Lord. It is also because of this that a complete period is called day, and the first state of a day sunrise and morning, and the final state evening and night.

3. “Which God gave to Him to show to His servants,” signifies for those who are in faith as a result of charity, or in the truths of wisdom as a result of the good of love.

“To show” means to make known, and here “servants” mean people in faith as a result of charity. These things are made known to these people because they understand and accept them. In the spiritual meaning, “servants” mean those who are in truths. Also, because truths are from good, “servants” mean those who are in truths from good, so also those who are in wisdom from love (because wisdom is of truth and love is of good) and those who are in faith as result of charity (since faith is also of truth, and charity of good). Because the genuine spiritual meaning is detached from people, “servants” mean truths in the genuine spiritual meaning. Now because truths serve good by teaching it, in general and properly “servants” in the Word mean serving, or who or what serves. In this meaning, not only were the prophets called servants of God, but so was the Lord in relation to His Human. From the following passages it is clear that the prophets were called the servants of God:

“Jehovah has sent to you all of His servants the prophets” (Jeremiah 25:4).

“He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

“He has set before us through the hand of His servants the prophets” (Daniel 9:10).

Moses also is called, “the servant of Jehovah” (Malachi 4:4). This is because in the spiritual meaning, “prophet” means the truth of doctrine (more on this later). Now because the Lord was Divine Truth itself (which is also the Word, and therefore was Himself called a prophet), and because He served in the world, and serves all to eternity by teaching, He is also called “the servant of Jehovah” many times, as in the following places:

“From the labor of His soul He will see, and will be satisfied. Through His knowledge My just servant will justify many” (Isaiah 53:11).

“Behold, My servant acts prudently; He will be praised and exalted and lifted up greatly” (Isaiah 52:13).

“Behold My servant, on whom I will lean, My elect, My soul has good pleasure, I have given My spirit upon Him” (Isaiah 42:1, 19).

These passages are about the Lord. It is similar with David, where David means the Lord, as in these passages:

“I Jehovah will be to them as God, and My servant David a leader in their midst” (Ezekiel 34:24).

“My servant David will be king over them, so there may be one shepherd for them all” (Ezekiel 37:24).

“I will protect this city to preserve it, for My sake and the sake of my servant David” (Isaiah 37:35).

This is equally true in Psalms 78:70, 71, 72 and Psalms 89: 4, 5, 21.

It was shown in The Doctrine of the Lord (nos. 43, 44) that David means the Lord in these passages. The Lord speaks in the same way about Himself:

“Whoever may have wanted to be great among you, ought to be your minister, and whoever wanted to be first, ought to be your servant: just as the Son of Mankind did not come to be ministered to, but to minister” (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:27; also the same in Luke 12:37).

The Lord said this because “servant” and “minister” mean someone who serves and ministers by teaching, and detached from people, they mean Divine Truth, which He was. So, seeing that “servant” means someone who teaches Divine Truth, it is clear that “servants” in this part of Revelation mean people who are in truths as a result of good, or are in faith as a result of charity. This is because these people can teach from the Lord, or in other words, the Lord can teach and minister through them. Servants are spoken of with this meaning in Matthew:

At the conclusion of the age, “he who is a faithful and prudent servant, the Lord will set over the servants of His house, so that He can give them food in its season. The servant is blessed whom the Lord will find taking action” (24:45, 46).

and in Luke:

“The servants whom the Lord will find being watchful when He comes are blessed. Amen I say to you, that He will gird Himself, and allow them to recline, and He, coming near, will minister to them” (12:37).

In heaven, everyone who is in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom is called a servant of the Lord. However, everyone in His heavenly kingdom is called a minister. This is because the people who are in His spiritual kingdom are in wisdom that comes from Divine Truth, and those who are in the heavenly kingdom are in love that comes from Divine Good. Good ministers and truth serves. However, in the opposite meaning “servants” mean people who serve the devil. These people are in a state of slavery. Yet those who serve the Lord are in a state of freedom. This is also what the Lord teaches (John 8:32-36).

2. (Verse 1) “The revelation of Jesus Christ,” signifies declarations from the Lord about Himself and His church, and what it will be like at its end and what it will be like afterwards, both in the heavens and on earth.

“The revelation of Jesus Christ” signifies all declarations, which are called the revelation of Jesus Christ because they are from the Lord. It will be clear from explanations that they are about the Lord and His church. Revelation does not deal with the consecutive states of the church, and even less so with the consecutive states of kingdoms, as certain people have believed. However, from beginning to end it deals with the final state of the Church in the heavens and on earth, and then with the final judgment, and afterwards with the new church, which is the New Jerusalem. It is clear that the final section of the book of Revelation is all about this new church. Therefore, the things which come before deal with the state of the church, and what it is like shortly before the new church. But in what order it deals with those things can be seen from the Contents of the individual chapters, and more clearly from the Explanation of the individual verses.

1. Until now it has been unknown what the spiritual meaning is. It was shown in The Doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures (nos. 5-26) that the Spiritual Meaning is in the individual parts of the Word, and that in many place the Word cannot be understood without it. This Meaning does not appear in the literal meaning, because it is in the literal meaning in the same way the soul is in the body. People know that there is the spiritual and the natural, and that the spiritual flows into the natural, and presents itself to be seen and felt in forms which fall into sight and touch. Furthermore, they know that apart from those forms, the spiritual is not perceived except as affection and thought, or as love and wisdom, which are of the mind. People acknowledge that affection and thought, or love (which being affected is from), and wisdom (which thinking is from) are spiritual things. People know that those two abilities of the soul present themselves in forms in the body which are called sensory and motor organs. So also they know that they act as one, and as one in such a way, that when the mind thinks something, the mouth speaks it instantly, and when the mind wills something, the body does it instantly. From this it is clear that this is the perfect union of spiritual and natural things in a person. It is the same with each and every thing in the world. In the world there is the spiritual, which is the deepest cause, and the natural, which is its effect, and these two act as one. The spiritual does not appear in the natural, because the spiritual is in the natural in the same way the soul is in the body, and in the same way the deepest cause is in the effect, as was already stated. It is the same with the Word. Since this is divine, no one can deny that it is spiritual at its core. However, because the spiritual does not appear in the literal meaning, which is natural, the spiritual meaning has been unknown until now. Nor could it be made known before genuine truths were revealed by the Lord, since the spiritual meaning is in genuine truths. This is the reason Revelation has not been understood until now. Indeed, to make sure there is no doubt that such things are in it, they need to be explained individually, and identified by similar things in other parts of the Word. The explanation and identification now follows.

This section states the spiritual meaning of Revelation, Chapter 1, first in brief and then phrase-by-phrase.

The Spiritual Meaning

Contents of the Whole Chapter

This revelation is from the Lord alone, and it is accepted by those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, and who acknowledge the Lord as the God of Heaven and Earth. The Lord is also described in relation to the Word.

          2. “Who bore witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ,” signifies those who accept, from the heart and thus in light, Divine truth from the Word, and who acknowledge that the Lord’s Human is divine (n. 6); “everything that he saw,” signifies their enlightenment in all the things which are in this revelation (n. 7).

          3. “Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy and practice the things which are written in it,” signifies the communion with the angels of heaven had by those who are living by the teaching of the New Jerusalem (n. 8); “because the time is near,” signifies the condition of the Church is such that it can no longer carry on so that its connection is with the Lord (n. 9).

          4. “John, to the seven churches,” signifies to everyone in the Christian World, where the Word, and through it, the Lord, is known, and who are part of the church (n. 10); “which are in Asia,” signifies to those who are in the light of truth from the Word (n. 11); “Grace to you and peace,” signifies a Divine greeting (n. 12); “from Him who is and who was and who is to come,” signifies from the Lord who is eternal and infinite and Jehovah (n. 13); “and from the seven spirits, who are in the presence of His throne,” signifies from all of heaven, where the Lord is present in His Divine Truth (n. 14).

          5. “From Jesus Christ,” signifies the Divine Human (n. 15); “He who is the faithful witness,” signifies that He is Divine Truth itself (n. 16); “He who is the first born from the dead,” signifies that He is also Divine Good itself (n. 17); “and He who is the ruler of the kings of the earth,” signifies from whom comes every truth in the Church arising from good (n. 18); “who loves you and washes you from your sins in His blood,” signifies He who from love and compassion reforms and regenerates people with His divine truths drawn from the Word (n. 19).

          6. “And He makes you kings and priests,” signifies He who makes sure that those born from Him (or in other words, who are regenerated) are in wisdom from Divine Truths, and in love from Divine Goods (n. 20); “to God and to His Father,” signifies they are thus images of His Divine Wisdom and His Divine Love (n. 21); “to Him be glory and strength for ages of ages,” signifies who alone has Divine Majesty and Divine Omnipotence to eternity (n. 22); “amen,” signifies a Divine Confirmation from truth, so from He Himself (n. 23).

          7. “And He comes with clouds (of heaven),” signifies that the Lord will reveal Himself in the meaning of the letter of the Word and will open up its spiritual meaning at the end of the church (n. 24); “and every eye will see Him,” signifies that everyone who has an understanding of divine truth from affection will acknowledge Him (n. 25); “and they who pierced Him,” signifies that those in the church who are in falsities will see Him (n. 26); “and all the tribes of the earth will mourn,” signifies that this will be when there are no goods or truths in the church any more (n. 27); “even so amen,” signifies a Divine Confirmation that it will be so (n. 28).

          8. “I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end,” signifies He who is the only one who is the span from firsts to lasts itself, from whom all things come; thus the only one who is love itself, the only one who is wisdom itself, and the only who is life itself in Himself, and thus the only one who is Himself creator, savior and enlightener from Himself, and thus is everything in all things of heaven and the church (n. 29); “says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come,” signifies who is eternal and infinite and Jehovah (n. 30); “and who is omnipotent,” signifies who is, lives, and has power from Himself, and who rules from the things that comes first to the things that come last (n. 31).

          9. “I, John, who is your brother, and companion,” signifies those who are in the good of charity and because of this are in the truths of faith (n. 32); “in affliction and in the kingdom and patient awaiting of Jesus Christ,” signifies the things in the church that are infested with evils and falsities, but which the Lord will remove when He comes (n. 33); “I was on the on the island called Patmos,” signifies the condition and place in which he could be enlightened (n. 34); “because of the Word of God and the witness of Jesus Christ,” signifies so that Divine Truth drawn from the Word may be accepted from the heart and so in light, and so that the Lord’s Human may be acknowledged to be Divine (n. 35).

          10. “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day,” signifies the spiritual condition at that time as a result of Divine influx (n. 36); “and I heard a great voice behind me, as if of a trumpet,” signifies a clear perception of revealed divine truth from heaven (n. 37).

11. “Saying, ‘I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last,’” signifies He who is the only one who is the span from firsts to lasts itself, from whom all things come, and other things (as earlier) (n. 38); “Write what you see in a book,” signifies so that they can be revealed to a future generation (n. 39); “and send it to the churches which are in Asia,” signifies for those in the Christian world who are in the light of truth drawn from the Word (n. 40); “Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea,” signifies specifically according to the condition of each one’s reception (n. 41).

          12. “And I turned around to see the voice which was speaking with me,” signifies the reversal of the state related to perception of truth in the Word. This happens to people who are in the good of life when they turn themselves toward the Lord (n. 42); “and having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands,” signifies the new church, which will be enlightened by the Lord through the Word (n. 43).

          13. “And in the middle of the seven lamp stands was someone like the Son of Mankind,” signifies the Lord in relation to the Word, from whom that new church comes (n. 44); “dressed in an ankle length robe,” signifies what is Divine going forth, which is Divine Truth (n. 45); “and girded around the breasts with a golden belt,” signifies what is Divine going forth and at the same time making a connection, which is divine good (n. 46).

          14. “And His head and hair were bright, like bright wool, like snow,” signifies Divine Love of Divine Wisdom in firsts and in lasts (n. 47); “and His eyes were like a flame of fire,” signifies Divine Wisdom of Divine Love (n. 48).

          15. “And His feet were like brass, as if fired in a furnace,” signifies natural Divine Good (n. 49); “and His voice was like the voice of many waters,” signifies natural Divine Truth (n. 50).

          16. “And He has seven stars in His right hand,” signifies all ideas about good and truth in the Word from Him (n. 51); “and a sharp double-edged sword coming out of His mouth,” signifies the scattering of falsities by the Lord through the Word and through teaching from it (n. 52); “And His face like the sun shining in its power,” signifies Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, which are Him, and go out from Him (n. 53).

          17. “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead,” signifies John’s own life failing due to this kind of presence of the Lord (n. 54); “and He placed His right hand upon me,” signifies the life from Him that is then enkindled (n. 55); “saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid,’” signifies reawakening, and then, from the utmost humility, worship (n. 56); “I am the first and the last,” signifies that He is eternal and infinite, thus the only God (n. 57).

          18. “And I am the one who lives,” signifies He who alone is life and from whom alone life comes (n. 58); “and was made dead,” signifies that He has been disregarded in the Church, and His Divine Human has not been acknowledged (n. 59); “and behold I am the one who lives into ages of ages,” signifies that He is eternal life (n. 60); “amen,” signifies a divine confirmation that this is the truth (n. 61); “and I have the keys of hell and death,” signifies that only He can save (n. 62).

19. “Write the things you have seen, and which are, and which are to be afterwards,” signifies so that all the things which are now being revealed might exist for a later time (n. 63).

20. “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands,” signifies the secrets in the visions about the new heaven and the new Church (n. 64); “the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,” signifies the new church in the heavens, which is the new heaven (n. 65); “and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches,” signifies the new church on earth, which is the New Jerusalem, coming down from the Lord out of the new heaven (n. 66).

Revelation Chapter 1

          1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show to His servants, which must happen soon, and He made it known, sending it through His Angel to His servant John.

          2. Who bore witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

          3. Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy and practice the things which are written in it, because the time is near.

          4. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia, Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits, who are in the presence of His throne.

          5. And from Jesus Christ, He who is the faithful witness, He who is the first born from the dead, and He who is the ruler of the kings of the earth, who loves you and washes you from your sins in His blood.

          6. And He makes you kings and priests to God and to His Father: to Him be glory and strength for ages of ages, amen.

          7. Behold he comes with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him, even so amen.

          8. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, who is omnipotent.

          9. And I, John, who is your brother, and companion in affliction, and in the kingdom and patient waiting of Jesus Christ. I was on the on the island called Patmos because of the Word of God, and because of the witness of Jesus Christ.

          10. I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a great voice behind me, as if of a trumpet,

          11. saying, I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last. Write what you see in a book, and send it to the churches which are in Asia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

          12. And I turned around to see the voice which was speaking with me, and having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands.

          13. And in the middle of the seven lamp stands was someone like the Son of Mankind, dressed in an ankle length robe, and girded around the breasts with a golden belt.

          14. And His head and hair were bright, like wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire.

          15. And His feet were like brass, as if fired in a furnace, and His voice was like a the voice of many waters.

          16. And he has seven stars in His right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword coming our of His mouth. And His face shines like the sun in its power.

          17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead, and he placed His right hand upon me, saying to me, Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last.

          18. And I am the one who lives, and was made dead, and behold I am living into ages of ages, amen; and I have the keys of hell and death.

19. Write the things you have seen, and which are, and which are to be afterwards.

          20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches.