Apocalypse Explained According to the spiritual sense in which the arcana there predicted but heretofore concealed are revealed A posthumous work of EMANUEL SWEDENBORG Volume 2 (numbers 296–414) Translated from the Original Latin by John C. Ager Revised by John Whitehead STANDARD EDITION SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION West Chester, Pennsylvania © 2009 Swedenborg Foundation This version was compiled from electronic files of the Standard Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg as further edited by William Ross Woofenden. Pagination of this PDF document does not match that of the corresponding printed volumes, and any page references within this text may not be accurate. However, most if not all of the numerical references herein are not to page numbers but to Swedenborg’s section numbers, which are not affected by changes in pagination. If this work appears both separately and as part of a larger volume file, its pagination follows that of the larger volume in both cases. This version has not been proofed against the original, and occasional errors in conversion may remain. To purchase the full set of the Redesigned Standard Edition of Emanuel Swedenborg’s works, or the available volumes of the latest translation (the New Century Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg), contact the Swedenborg Foundation at 1-800-355-3222, www.swedenborg.com, or 320 North Church Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380. Contents Editor’s Preface Revelation 5 Revelation 6 Critical Notes APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 651 Editor’s Preface This edition of Apocalypse Explained was translated by John C. Ager and revised by John Whitehead. The text for this edition was electronically scanned from the Foundation’s Standard Edition. This process has allowed the book to be completely redesigned and set in a new and more readable typeface. Certain stylistic changes have also been introduced. These include modernized spelling and punctuation as well as substituting new words for terms whose meanings have become obscure or have changed since the nineteenth century. Arabic numerals have replaced roman numerals in Bible passages, and certain capitalized words including pronouns referring to God have been lowercased to reflect contemporary usage. All these changes have been carefully made in order to make the book easier to read and use while preserving the dignity and power of the original Latin. On the whole, however, the Ager/Whitehead translation has not been materially altered. Volume 2 of Apocalypse Explained continues Swedenborg’s verse- by-verse exposition, or commentary, of the biblical text of the Apocalypse, commonly known as Revelation or the Revelation of John. This volume covers chapters 5 and 6. As was the custom in his day, Swedenborg referred to the Psalms as the book of David, and to the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) as the books of Moses. As with previous printings, the bold numerals in brackets, [2], [3], etc., indicate divisions of Swedenborg’s longer numbered sections that were added for the convenience of the reader by J. F. Potts in his six-volume Swedenborg Concordance (London: Swedenborg Society, 1888–1902). The numbers in parentheses (6), (7), etc., are divisions of the exposition by the author. Italicized letters following a number (518a, 518b) are subdivisions added by the Latin editor, S. H. Worcester. The critical notes were originally compiled by Worcester when he edited the Latin text for a Latin-English edition of Apocalypse APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 652 Explained published by the Swedenborg Foundation between 1889 and 1897. These notes were used sparingly by Whitehead in this English edition, principally in cases where some difference in meaning is involved. All the notes, referenced by superscripts in the text, will be found at the end of the volume. William Ross Woofenden Sharon, Massachusetts APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 653 Revelation 5 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3. And no one was able, in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4. And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath overcome to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6. And I saw, and behold, in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8. And when he had taken the book, the four animals and the four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9. And they were singing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and didst redeem us to God in thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation; 10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign upon the earth. 11. And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the animals and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands; 12. Saying with a great voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every created thing that is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all that are in them, APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 654 heard I saying, Unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might, unto the ages of the ages. 14. And the four animals said, amen; and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth unto the ages of the ages. EXPOSITION 296. Verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 1. “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne” signifies the Lord in respect to omnipotence and omniscience (n. 297, 298); “a book written within and on the back” signifies the state of life of all in heaven and on the earth, in general and in particular (n. 299); “sealed up with seven seals” signifies altogether hidden (n. 300). 297. Verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, signifies the Lord in respect to omnipotence and omniscience. This is evident from the signification of “right hand,” as being, in reference to the Lord, omnipotence and also omniscience (of which presently); also from the signification of “him that sat upon the throne,” as being the Lord in respect to Divine good in heaven; for in general “throne” signifies heaven, in particular the spiritual heaven, and abstractly Divine truth proceeding, from which heaven is, and by which judgment is effected (see above, n. 253). By “him that sat upon the throne,” and also by “the lamb,” that took the book from him that sat upon the throne, the Lord is meant, because by “him that sat upon the throne” the Lord in respect to Divine good is meant, and by “the lamb” the Lord in respect to Divine truth. There are two things that proceed from the Lord as the sun of heaven, namely, Divine good and Divine truth. Divine good from the Lord is called “the Father in the heavens,” and is here meant by “him that sat upon the throne”; and Divine truth from the Lord is called “the son of man,” but here “the lamb.” And because Divine good judges no one, but Divine truth judges, therefore it is here said that “the lamb APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 655 took the book from him that sat upon the throne.” That Divine good judges no one, but Divine truth judges, is meant by the Lord’s words in John: The Father doth not judge anyone, but hath given all judgment unto the son; because he is the son of man (John 5:22, 27). “Father” means the Lord in respect to Divine good; “the son of man,” the Lord in respect to Divine truth. Divine good “doth not judge anyone,” because it explores no one; but Divine truth judges, for it explores everyone. Yet it should be known, that neither does the Lord himself judge anyone from the Divine truth that proceeds from him, for this is so united to Divine good that they are one; but the man-spirit judges himself; for it is the Divine truth received by himself that judges him; but because the appearance is that the Lord judges, therefore it is said in the Word that all are judged by the Lord. This the Lord also teaches in John: Jesus said, If any man 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). [2] For in respect to judgment, the case is this: the Lord is present with all, and from Divine love he wills to save all, and he turns and leads all towards himself. Those who are in good and in truths therefrom follow, for they apply themselves, but those who are in evil and in falsities therefrom do not follow, but turn backwards from the Lord, and to turn themselves backwards from the Lord is to turn from heaven to hell; for every man-spirit is either his own good and the truth therefrom, or his own evil and the falsity therefrom. He who is a good and the truth therefrom permits himself to be led by the Lord; but he who is an evil and the falsity therefrom does not permit himself to be led; he resists with all his strength and endeavor, for his will is toward his own love; for this love is his breath and life; therefore his desire is toward those who are in a like love of evil. From this it can be seen that the Lord does not judge anyone, but that Divine truth received judges to heaven APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 656 those who have received Divine truth in the heart, that is, in love; and it judges to hell those who have not received Divine truth in the heart, and who have denied it. Thence it is clear what is meant by the Lord’s saying that “all judgment is given to the son, because he is the son of man,” and elsewhere, that “he came not to judge the world but to save the world,” and that the Word which he has spoken is to judge man.” [3] These, however, are truths that do not fall into man’s self- intelligence, for they are among the arcana of the wisdom of angels. (But the matter is somewhat elucidated in Heaven and Hell, n. 545–551, under the heading, The Lord casts no one into hell, but the spirit casts himself thither.) That it is the Lord who is meant by “him that sat upon the throne,” and not another whom some distinguish from the Lord and call “God the Father,” can be seen by anyone from this, that the Divine that the Lord called “Father” was no other than his own Divine; for this took on the human; consequently it was the Father of the human; and that this Divine is infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God, Lord, and in no way differing from the Divine itself that some distinguish from him and call the Father, can be seen from the received faith called Athanasian, where it is also said: That no one of them is greatest or least, and no one of them first or last, but they are altogether equal; and that as is one, so is the other, infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God, Lord; and yet there are not three infinites, but one; not three eternals, but one; not three uncreates, but one; not three omnipotents, but one; not three Gods and Lords, but one. These things have been said that it may be known that by “him that sat upon the throne” and “the lamb,” also in what follows by “God” and “the lamb,” not two, distinct from each other, are meant; but that by the one, Divine good is meant, and by the other, Divine truth in heaven, both proceeding from the Lord. That the Lord is meant by “him that sat upon the throne,” is clear also from the particulars of chapter 4 preceding, where the throne and one sitting thereon are treated of (which may be seen explained, n. 258–295); and still further in Matthew: APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 657 When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory (Matt. 25:31; 19:28–29). Also in Ezekiel: Above the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim was as it were the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne; and upon the likeness of the throne a likeness as the appearance of a man sitting upon it (Ezek. 1:26; 10:1). And in Isaiah: I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filling the temple (Isa. 6:1). [4] Since by “throne” heaven is signified, and by “him that sat upon the throne” the Lord in respect to his Divine in heaven, it is said above, in chapter 3: He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit with me on my throne (Rev. 3:21); signifying that he shall be in heaven where the Lord is (see above, n. 253b); and therefore in what follows in this chapter it is said: I saw, and behold in the midst of the throne a lamb standing (Rev. 5:6); and in chapter 22: He showed me a river of water of life, going forth out of the throne of God and of the lamb (Rev. 22:1). “The throne of God and of the lamb” means heaven and the Lord there in respect to Divine good and as to Divine truth; “God” meaning the Lord in respect to Divine good; and “the lamb,” the Lord in respect to Divine truth. A distinction is here made between the two, because there are those that receive the one more than the