14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. -Revelation 14:1-20 Bible, King James Version (KJV)
Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com
848. EXPOSITION. Verse 1. And I saw, and behold a Lamb standing on the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred forty-four thousand having the name of His Father written upon their foreheads. 1. "And I saw," signifies a manifestation respecting the future separation of the good from the evil before the Last Judgment (n. 849); "and behold a Lamb standing on the Mount Zion," signifies the presence of the Lord in heaven and in the church for separating the good from the evil and for executing judgment (n. 850); "and with Him a hundred forty-four thousand," signifies according to truths in the whole complex [doctrine] (n. 851); "having the name of His Father written upon their foreheads," signifies these according to the acknowledgment of His Divine, from love (n. 852).
851. And with Him a hundred forty-four thousand, signifies according to truths in the whole complex [doctrine.]... These words of the Lord to His twelve disciples have a like signification: Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye that have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). This does not mean that the twelve disciples were to sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, but it means that the Lord is to judge all according to truths from good, which are from Him, for "the twelve disciples" signify all who are of the church, and in an abstract sense all things of the church, which are truths from good... [3] "A hundred forty-four thousand" means truths in the whole complex [doctrine,] because that number has a similar signification as the number "twelve" and "twelve" signifies truths and goods in the whole complex [doctrine.] "A hundred forty-four thousand" has a similar signification as twelve because composite numbers have a similar signification as the simple numbers from which they arise by multiplication; and the number one hundred forty-four arises from the multiplication of twelve by twelve. Again, one hundred forty-four thousand has a similar signification as one hundred forty-four...
852. Having the name of His Father written on their foreheads, signifies such truths according to the acknowledgment of His Divine from love. This is evident from the signification of "the name of His Father," as being the Divine of the Lord, also from the signification of "written on the foreheads," as being full acknowledgment. "The name of the Father written on the forehead" means the full acknowledgment of the Divine of the Lord, because the Lord turns towards Himself all who acknowledge His Divine, and looks at them in the forehead... for the reason that the "forehead" signifies love... (That all who are in the heavens are turned to the Lord, and look with the face towards Him as a Sun, see above, n. 646; and in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 17, 123, 142, 272; also that the Lord sees angels in the forehead, and on the other hand angels see the Lord with the eyes, because the forehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eyes correspond to the understanding of truth, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 145, 251; and that the forehead corresponds to the good of love see above, n. 427.) [2] One who does not know what the Word is in the sense of the letter might think that when "God and the Lamb" are mentioned, and here "the Lamb and the Father," two are meant, and yet the Lord alone is meant by the two... So again, in the Word of the New Testament, where "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit," are mentioned as three; and yet by these three names one only is meant; for "Father" means the Lord as to the Divine Itself which He had as the soul from the Father; "the Son" means the Divine Human; and "the Holy Spirit" the Divine proceeding; thus the three are one... [4] That it is the Lord's Human that is called "the Son of God" can be seen further from the Word of both the Old and New Testaments in many passages... In John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (1:1, 2, 14). Evidently "the Word" means the Lord as to the Divine Human, for it is said that "the Word became flesh, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father." It is also evident that the Lord is God even as to the Human, that is, that the Lord's Human is also Divine, for it is said, "the Word was with God, and God was the Word;" and this Word became flesh. "The Word" means the Lord as to Divine truth... [10] ...I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh to the Father but through Me. If ye have known Me ye have known My Father also; and henceforth ye have known Him and have seen Him. Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you and thou dost not know Me, Philip? He that seeth Me seeth the Father; how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Father that abideth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me, that I am in the Father and the Father in Me (John 14:6-11). Here it is plainly declared that the Father and He are one, and that the union is like the union of soul and body; thus that it is such a union that he who seeth Him seeth the Father... From these things it can now be seen that "the name of the Father written on their foreheads" means the Lord as to His Divine.
853. Verses 2, 3. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard a voice of harpers harping on their harps; and they were singing as it were a new song before the throne and before the four animals and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song save the hundred forty-four thousand, those bought from the earth. 2. "And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters," signifies the glorification of the Lord from the Divine truths that are from Him (n. 854); "and as the voice of a great thunder," signifies glorification of the Lord from His celestial kingdom (n. 855); "and I heard a voice of harpers harping on their harps," signifies glorification of the Lord from His spiritual kingdom (n. 856); 3. "And they were singing as it were a new song," signifies respecting acknowledgment and confession of the Lord (n. 857); "before the throne and before the four animals and the elders," signifies with all in the entire heaven (n. 858); "and no one was able to learn the song save the hundred forty-four thousand," signifies that acknowledgment and confession of the Lord was possible only with those who are in faith from charity, or in truths from good (n. 859); "those bought from the earth," signifies those who having been instructed, have received that acknowledgment in the world (n. 860).
855. And as the voice of a great thunder, signifies glorification of the Lord from His celestial kingdom... All who are in that kingdom speak from love... which is of the heart; and when such speech flows down from that heaven toward the regions below it is heard as thunder... (On this see above, n. 323, 393; and in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 234-245.) But all who are in the spiritual kingdom speak from thought, which belongs to the understanding or soul; and when such speech flows down out of heaven towards the regions below it is heard either as a voice or as harmonious music, or is seen before the eyes like the brightness of a cloud or like the flash of lightning before thunder...
856. And I heard a voice of harpers harping on their harps, signifies glorification of the Lord from His spiritual kingdom... for the affections of such... are heard... as the sounds of stringed instruments; for sounds from stringed instruments correspond to truths from good, or intellectual things in which are the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom; but sounds from wind instruments correspond to goods, in which are the angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom... Now because the heavens are divided into two kingdoms, namely, into the celestial kingdom, in which are the angels that are in the good of love, and into the spiritual kingdom, in which are the angels that are in the truths from that good, it is said that "the voice from heaven was heard as the voice of a great thunder, and as the voice of harpers harping with their harps," by which is signified the glorification of the Lord from the celestial kingdom, that is, from the good of love, and His glorification from the spiritual kingdom, thus from truths from that good...
858. Before the throne and before the four animals and the elders, signifies with all in the whole heaven. This is evident from the signification of a "throne," as being heaven in general, in particular the spiritual heaven... Also from the signification of "the four animals and four and twenty elders," as being the higher heavens...
861. Verses 4, 5. These are they that were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were bought from among men, the firstfruits to God an the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit; for they are spotless before the throne of God. 4. "These are they that were not defiled with women," signifies those who have not falsified the truths of the Word (n. 862); "for they are virgins," signifies for the reason that they are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth (n. 863); "these are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth," signifies those who have been conjoined to the Lord by the acknowledgment of His Divine Human, and by a life according to His commandments (n. 864); "these were bought from among men, the firstfruits to God and the Lamb," signifies those received in the New Church by the Lord (n. 865). 5. "And in their mouth was found no deceit," signifies that they are averse to thinking falsities and persuading to them (n. 866); "for they are spotless before the throne of God," signifies that in the sight of angels they are without falsities from evil (n. 867)...
866. Verse 5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, signifies that they are averse to thinking falsities and persuading to them... [9] It is to be known that all evil persons have a disposition and desire, consequently a will, to destroy the truths of heaven and the church by falsities, for the reason that they are conjoined to hell, and infernal spirits from the delight of their love burn with a lust of destroying all things of heaven and the church, and this by crafty devices, which they artfully contrive and wonderfully execute, which, if described from experience, would fill many pages. This makes clear that "deceit" signifies in general all evil of intention to destroy truths by falsities. (In addition, see what has been said about deceit in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that deceit destroys everything of the spiritual and interior life in man, n. 9013; that deceit, fraud, ...were accounted by the ancients monstrous wickedness, n. 3573; that the deceitful, when viewed by the angels, appear like serpents and vipers, n. 4533; ...Respecting the punishments of those who lie in wait for and deceive others by deceit, n. 831, 957-960, 1273; respecting their hells, n. 830, 831, 947, 4951.)
868. Verses 6, 7. And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel, to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying with a great voice, Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and adore Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters. 6..."for the hour of His judgment is come," signifies the separation of those who live according to Divine truths from those who do not live according to them (n. 875)...
875. For the hour of His judgment is come, signifies the separation of those who live according to Divine truths from those who do not live according to them. This is evident from the signification of "hour," as being state, here the last state of the church...; for while a man is thinking of hour and day, and thus of time, the angels, who are in the spiritual sense of the Word, are thinking of state; and for the reason that the angels, have no idea of time because they have no days, weeks, months, and years, such as are in the world, but have changes of state, from which they measure things successive (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 162-169, where Time in Heaven is treated of).
876. And adore Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of water, signifies the acknowledgment and confession of Him from whom is the all of heaven and the church, and from whom is the Divine truth or the Word... This is evident from the signification... of "the heaven and the earth," as being the internal and the external of the church (see above, n. 304, 752); it also signifies heaven and the church, because with man the internal of the church is heaven, for it is in conjunction with the angels... Yet the church is in man's natural or external only when the internal has been opened; for the church cannot exist with anyone unless he has heaven within, from which enlightenment and influx from the Lord may pass into the natural or external which is beneath... The angels so understand these words because the heavens in which they are, and which appear to the sight altogether like our lands, but full of paradises, flower beds, and shrubberies, are not permanent like the lands on our globe, but come into existence in a moment, in the exact measure of the reception of the Divine truth by the angels; consequently the aspects of all things there change as the state of reception and therefore of their intelligence and wisdom, changes, thus according to the states of the church with them, and this even to the extent that all things spring forth correspondently before their sight according as the church is in them... All this makes clear what a difference there is between the ideas of the angels and the ideas of men respecting the new heaven and the new earth. For the angels from their ideas understand the destruction of the heavens and the earths in the spiritual world, but men the destruction of the heavens and the earths in the natural world. Moreover, according to the predictions, there has been a destruction of those heavens and earths in the spiritual world upon which were those who had lived a moral life in externals but not at the same time a spiritual life from internals. But of this more may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment.
877. Verse 8. And another angel followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon, that great city, for she hath given all nations to drink of the wine of the anger of her whoredom. 8. "And another angel followed," signifies manifestation by the Lord (n. 878); "saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon," signifies the condemnation and destruction of those who have transferred to themselves the Lord's Divine authority (n. 879); "that great city," signifies the devastation and destruction as to all things of doctrine with them (n. 880); "for she hath given all nations to drink of the wine of the anger of her whoredom," signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and the church by direful falsities of evil (n. 881).
879. Saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon, signifies the condemnation and destruction of those who have transferred to themselves the Lord's Divine authority... What "Babylon" signifies in general and in particular will be told in chapters 17 and 18 which treat of Babylon and its destruction. This verse treats of Babylon; and the four following of the beast of the dragon; and what follows, to the end of this chapter, of the devastation of the church in general... [2] ...Every church in its beginning is in the love of doing goods, and in the love of knowing truths; but in process of time it is so devastated in respect to goods and truths that there is no longer any good or any truth in the church. In the first place, by degrees, it is devastated by the love of ruling over the souls of men by means of holy things... This is described in Revelation by "Babylon," and by "the harlot sitting upon the scarlet beast." Secondly, it is devastated by faith separated from charity and thus from the goods of life, and finally by faith alone in which there is nothing of truth. This is described in Revelation by "the dragon" and "his two beasts." In these two, the primitive loves of the church, which were... the love of doing goods and the love of knowing truths, came to an end; and when they had come to an end in these the church was devastated. The love of doing goods is changed by degrees into the love of doing evils that are called goods; and the love of knowing truths is changed into the love of knowing falsities that are called truths. [3] With those who are described by "Babylon" every good of the church is adulterated, and thus every truth of it, for the one is a consequence of the other; while with those who are described by "the dragon" every truth of the church is falsified and thus every good of it, for the one is a consequence of the other. This latter takes place with the Reformed [or Protestant movement,] who have accepted faith alone as the essential of the church; but the former takes place with the Papists [or Roman Catholic,] who have made dominion over the holy things of heaven the essential of the church. But in what way faith alone has devastated the church has been shown above, where "the dragon and his two beasts" are treated of; and how dominion over the holy things of heaven has devastated the church will be shown in the explanation of chapters 17 and 18. From all this it can now be seen why Babylon is spoken of in this verse, the beast of the dragon in the four verses that follow, and the devastation of the church in general from that to the end of the chapter, and afterwards the devastation of the church in particular in chapters 15 and 16.
881. For she hath given all nations to drink of the wine of the anger of her whoredom, signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and the church by direful falsities of evil. This is evident from the signification of "wine," as being truth from good, and in the contrary sense falsity from evil...
882. Verses 9-12. And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, If anyone hath adored the beast and his image, and hath received the mark on his forehead or on his hand, even he shall drink of the wine of the anger of God, mixed with unmixed wine of the cup of His wrath; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment shall go up unto the ages of the ages: and they shall have no rest day and night, that adore the beast and his image, and if anyone hath received the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 9. "And a third angel followed them," signifies further manifestation by the Lord (n. 883); "saying with a great voice" signifies earnest exhortation and denunciation (n. 884); "if anyone hath adored the beast and his image," signifies lest they acknowledge the religion of faith separated from life, and its doctrine (n. 885); "and hath received the mark on his forehead or on his hand," signifies acceptance and acknowledgment of these as goods of the church or as truths of the church (n. 886). 10. "Even he shall drink of the wine of the anger of God, mixed with unmixed wine in the cup of his wrath," signifies appropriation of falsity and its evil, conjoined with falsified truths from the sense of the letter of the Word (n. 887); "and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb," signifies that their hell is from the love of evil and falsity that is direful according to the falsification and consequent rejection of the divine truth and the Divine good, thus of the Word (n. 888). 11. "And the smoke of their torment shall go up unto the ages of the ages," signifies the dense falsity encompassing them and flowing forth from their loves continuously (n. 889); "and they shall have no rest day and night," signifies continual infestation by evils and their falsities (n. 890); "that adore the beast and his image," signifies who acknowledge the religion of faith separated from the life [of charity,] and its doctrine (n. 891); "and if anyone hath received the mark of his name," signifies acceptance and acknowledgment of its quality according to the description above (n. 892). 12. "Here is the patience of the saints," signifies the persecutions and temptations of those who are not in that faith, but in charity (n. 893); "here are they that keep the commandments of God," signifies that these are such as live according to the commandments of the Lord in the Word (n. 894); "and the faith of Jesus," signifies the implantation of truth by the Lord (n. 895).
885. If anyone hath adored the beast and his image, signifies lest they acknowledge the religion of faith separated from life and its doctrine... [3] That in the churches where faith alone is accepted, the teaching that is from the Word and the teaching that is from doctrine are wholly different, can be confirmed by many instances; as in the Anglican Church and in the Lutheran Church. It is known that the doctrine of the Anglican Church teaches faith alone... [5] It is the same in the Lutheran Church. There, too, those who teach from doctrine and those who teach from the Word go in opposite directions. Those who teach from doctrine teach in precisely the same way as in the Anglican Church respecting faith alone and justification by it; and they separate works from the means of salvation, and set them aside as not good and as meritorious, and thus not justifying, because they are from man...
889. Verse 11. And the smoke of their torment shall go up unto the ages of the ages, signifies the dense falsity encompassing them and continually flowing forth from their loves. This is evident from the signification of "smoke," as being dense falsity flowing forth out of the hells from the evils of earthly and bodily loves with those who are there (see above, n. 539); also from the signification of "torment," as being the direfulness of hell, thus hell itself (see above, n. 888)...; also from the signification of "unto the ages of the ages," as being continuously. Strictly, "the ages of the ages" signifies what is eternal or without end; but in the spiritual sense, which is apart from the idea of time, it signifies a state interiorly ruling without ceasing... [3] That the truth or the falsity from a man's loves encompasses him and flows forth from him can be seen from the fact that all things in the world... as from... plants in gardens and forests which send out an odoriferous sphere in every direction... It is the same in the spiritual world, where from every spirit and angel the sphere of his love, and thus the sphere of his truth or falsity, flows forth in every direction; and in consequence the quality of all spirits can be known solely by the spiritual sphere that pours forth from them, and according to these spheres they have conjunction with societies that have a like love, and thus a like truth or falsity; those who are in the love of good and of truth therefrom are with the societies of heaven, while those who are in the love of evil and of falsity therefrom are with the societies of hell. [4] I can assert that no spirit or man has a single thought that does not communicate through that sphere with some society. That this is so has not hitherto been known to man, but it has been made evident to me by a thousand experiences in the spiritual world; and therefore when the quality of spirits is explored, the direction in which their thoughts pour forth is investigated, and from this it is known with what societies they are conjoined, and thus what they are, and that the evil are with societies of hell and the good with societies of heaven. From this, too, it has been made clear to me that as the eye, according to its determinations, takes the quality of its sight from the objects in the natural world, so the understanding, according to its determinations, takes the quality of its thought from the truths that are its objects in the spiritual world; and thus man has not the least thought from himself, but it is either from hell or from heaven, and his thought is according to the determination of the affections that are of his love; in this determination his freedom has its seat. [5] This has been said to make known what is meant by the dense falsity encompassing such and flowing forth from them. The falsity that flows forth from the hells where they are is manifestly felt by all who are not in falsities, when they are walking over the hells. These falsities sometimes appear to the sight like smoke from... furnaces, sometimes like black clouds, sometimes like black and stinking waters, sometimes like foul odors; but still the hells, lest they should strike the nostrils too strongly and hurt the interiors of other spirits, are covered over with black earths, and where the persuasions of falsity reign, with rocks, and in general with gravel and barren land, and thus are closed up; but yet falsities from evils continually breathe forth from them. From which it is clear why "smoke" in the Word signifies falsities from evils.
890. And they shall have no rest day and night, signifies continual infestation by evils and falsities thence. This is evident from the signification of "having no rest," as being to be infested by evils and falsities...; also from the signification of "day and night," as being continuously. For "day and night" does not mean day and night, but their state... for in the spiritual world no one has any idea of time, but an idea of state... [2] Infestation by evils and falsities is signified by "having no rest," because those who are in hell are continually withheld from their loves, and as often as they break out into them they are punished; for their loves are hatreds, revenges, enmities, and lusts of doing evil, which are so delightful to them that they may be called the very delights of their life, consequently to be withheld from them is to be tormented. For everyone is in the joy of his heart when he is in his ruling love; and thus conversely, is in grief of heart when he is withheld from it. This is the general torment of hell, from which innumerable others exist...
901. For their works do follow with them, signifies that they have spiritual life, which is the life of the angels of heaven...
902. ...[2] For there are two opposite spheres that surround man, one from hell, the other from heaven, from hell a sphere of evil and of falsity therefrom, from heaven a sphere of good and of truth therefrom; and these spheres affect... the minds of men, for they are spiritual spheres, and thus are affections that belong to the love. Man is set in the midst of these; therefore so far as he approaches the one so far he withdraws from the other... [3] But let it be known, that man must do these commandments from religion, because they are commanded by the Lord; and if he does them from any other consideration whatever, for instance, from regard merely to the civil law or the moral law, he remains natural, and does not become spiritual. For when a man acts from religion he acknowledges in heart that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death. But when he acts merely from the civil and moral law, he may act in the same way, and yet in heart may deny that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death. And if he shuns evils and does goods... only in an external form, and not in an internal form; ...while he is outwardly as to the life of the body like a Christian, inwardly as to the life of his spirit he is like a devil. All this makes clear that a man can become spiritual, or receive spiritual life, in no other way than by a life according to religion from the Lord. [4] I have had proof that this is true from angels of the third or inmost heaven, who are in the greatest wisdom and happiness. When asked how they had become such angels, they said that it was because during their life in the world they had regarded filthy thoughts as heinous, and these had been to them adulteries; and had regarded in like manner frauds and unlawful gains, which had been to them thefts; also hatreds and revenges, which had been to them murder; also lies and blasphemies, which had been to them false testimonies: and so with other things. When asked again whether they had done good works, they said that they loved chastity, in which they were because they had regarded adulteries as heinous; that they loved sincerity and justice, in which they were because they had regarded frauds and unlawful gains as heinous; that they loved the neighbor because they had regarded hatreds and revenges as heinous; that they loved truth because they had regarded lies and blasphemies as heinous, and so on; and that they perceived that when these evils had been put away, and they acted from chastity, sincerity, justice, charity, and truth, it was not done from themselves but from the Lord, and thus that all things whatsoever that they had done from these were good works, although they had done them as if from themselves; and that it was on this account that they had been raised up by the Lord after death into the third heaven. Thus it was made clear how spiritual life, which is the life of the angels of heaven, is acquired. [5] It shall now be told how that life is destroyed by the faith of the present day. The faith of this day is that it must be believed that God the Father sent His Son, who suffered the cross for our sins, and took away the condemnation of the law by fulfilling it; and that this faith without good works will save everyone, even in the last hour of death. By this faith, instilled from childhood and afterwards confirmed by preachings, it has come to pass that no one shuns evils from religion, but only from the civil and moral law... From this it follows that the faith of this day destroys spiritual life, which is the life of the angels of heaven, and is the Christian life itself...
903. Verses 14-16. And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel went out from the temple, crying out with a great voice to Him that sat upon the cloud, Send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up. And He that sat upon the cloud cast His sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped. 14. "And I saw," signifies prediction respecting the separation of the good from the evil (n. 904); "and behold a white cloud," signifies Divine truth... (n. 905); "and upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man," signifies the Lord in the heavens in the Divine truth or the Word which is from Him (n. 906); "having upon His head a golden crown," signifies the Divine good girded for judgment (n. 907); "and in His hand a sharp sickle," signifies the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating (n. 908). 15. "And another angel went out from the temple," signifies exploration by the Lord of the state of the church in general (n. 909); "crying out with a great voice to Him that sat upon the cloud," signifies announcement after exploration or visitation (n. 910); "send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up," signifies that it is the time for gathering up the good and separating them from the evil, because this is the end of the church (n. 911). 16. "And He that sat upon the cloud cast the sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped," signifies the gathering out of the good from the evil, and that thus the church was laid waste (n. 912).
905. Behold a white cloud, signifies the Divine truth..., within which is the spiritual... This is evident from the signification of a " cloud," as being the Divine truth...; and this cloud appeared "white" because of the shining through it of the Divine truth in the heavens..., for all whiteness that appears in the heavens exists from the light of heaven, which in its essence is the Divine truth. This is why the angels, who are in the Divine truth, are clothed in white and shining garments. (That Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun is the light of heaven, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126-140; and that white for this reason is predicated in the Word of truths, see above, n. 196.)
903. Verses 14-16. And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel went out from the temple, crying out with a great voice to Him that sat upon the cloud, Send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up. And He that sat upon the cloud cast His sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped. 14. "And I saw," signifies prediction respecting the separation of the good from the evil (n. 904); "and behold a white cloud," signifies Divine truth... (n. 905); "and upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man," signifies the Lord in the heavens in the Divine truth or the Word which is from Him (n. 906); "having upon His head a golden crown," signifies the Divine good girded for judgment (n. 907); "and in His hand a sharp sickle," signifies the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating (n. 908). 15. "And another angel went out from the temple," signifies exploration by the Lord of the state of the church in general (n. 909); "crying out with a great voice to Him that sat upon the cloud," signifies announcement after exploration or visitation (n. 910); "send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up," signifies that it is the time for gathering up the good and separating them from the evil, because this is the end of the church (n. 911). 16. "And He that sat upon the cloud cast the sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped," signifies the gathering out of the good from the evil, and that thus the church was laid waste (n. 912).
905. Behold a white cloud, signifies the Divine truth..., within which is the spiritual... This is evident from the signification of a " cloud," as being the Divine truth...; and this cloud appeared "white" because of the shining through it of the Divine truth in the heavens..., for all whiteness that appears in the heavens exists from the light of heaven, which in its essence is the Divine truth. This is why the angels, who are in the Divine truth, are clothed in white and shining garments. (That Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun is the light of heaven, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126-140; and that white for this reason is predicated in the Word of truths, see above, n. 196.)
906. And upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man, signifies the Lord in the Divine truth or the Word which is from Him.This is evident from the signification of a "white cloud," as being the Divine truth... Also in the following passages in the Gospels: Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27). And Jesus said, Now shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:61, 62). In these passages also "to come in the clouds of heaven" means the manifestation of the Lord in the Word...
907. Having on His head a golden crown, signifies the Divine good girded for judgment... [2] That an arcanum [or secret] lies concealed in this is because the Divine good judges no one, but the Divine truth judges; because the Divine good loves all, and so far as man follows it draws to heaven, but the Divine truth separated from good condemns all and judges all to hell... [3] Nevertheless it must be understood that the Lord does not judge anyone by Divine truth; but the Divine truth regarded in itself judges the man who does not receive it but rejects it, as is clearly evident from the Lord's words: Jesus said, If anyone hear My words and yet believe not, I judge him not, for I have not come to judge the world but to save the world. He that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My words hath one that judgeth him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day (John 12:47, 48; also John 3:17)... The saying in John, that "it was given to the Son to execute judgment," must be understood in the same sense as where it is said of Him that "He is angry," "wrathful," "casts into hell," and the like; while in fact the Lord is angry with no one, nor does He cast into hell, but man casts himself thither (on which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 545-550)... [4] How the Divine truth regarded in itself judges man shall also be told. The man who is in falsities from evil because of contempt for and rejection of the Divine truth is in hatred against it, and burns to destroy it with everyone who is in it from the Lord. And when he makes this attempt he is like one who casts himself into a fire...; the fire is not the cause of this..., but the man who does this. For the real truth is, that the Divine truth never fights against falsity from evil, but falsity fights against truth; and thus heaven does not fight against hell, but hell against heaven.
913. Verses 17-19. And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel went out from the altar, having authority over the fire; and he cried with a great cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripened. And the angel cast his sickle into the earth and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the anger of God. 17. "And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle," signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration (n. 914). 18. "And another angel went out from the altar," signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church as to the good of love and charity (n. 915); "having authority over the fire," signifies thus in respect to celestial and spiritual love (n. 916); "and he cried with a great cry," signifies announcement after exploration or visitation (n. 917); "saying, Send thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripened," signifies that the collection and separation of the good from the evil must take place, since there are no longer any truths of faith because there is no spiritual good, which is charity (n. 918). 19. "And the angel cast his sickle into the earth and gathered the vineyard of the earth," signifies that this was done (n. 919); "and cast it into the great wine-press of the anger of God," signifies falsification of the Word as to all spiritual truth, and consequent damnation, because there is no spiritual good, which is charity, (n. 920).
914. Verse 17. And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration... [3] As to the devastation of the church in respect to the Divine truth, it is wrought by the falsification of the Word; for when the Word is explained to favor earthly loves and to confirm falsities of doctrine the church is laid waste. It is not laid waste when the Word is understood in simplicity according to the sense of the letter; but it is laid waste when the Word is so explained as to destroy even the Divine truth in heaven; for then heaven is closed up, and when heaven is closed up there is no longer any church with man...
916. Having authority over the fire, signifies thus as to celestial and spiritual love. This is evident from the signification of "fire," as being love..., namely, love to the Lord, which exists with those in heaven who are called celestial angels, and love towards the neighbor, which exists with those in heaven who are called spiritual angels; and in the contrary sense love of self, which exists with those in hell who are called devils, and love of the world, which exists with those in hell who are called satans...
921. Verse 20. And the wine-press was trodden without the city; and there went out blood from the wine-press even unto the bridles of the horses, for a thousand six hundred stadia. 921-1 20. "And the wine-press was trodden without the city," signifies the bringing forth of falsity from evil out of hell (n. 922); "and there went out blood from the wine-press even to the bridles of the horses," signifies falsifications of the Word flowing forth from evil, even to dominion over the understanding (n. 923); "for a thousand six hundred stadia," signifies evils in the whole complex [of doctrine.] (n. 924).
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