AR 830 - "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16)

AR 830 [2]

Because the Lord is called 
King of kings and Lord of lords, 
and this means the Lord 
in respect to both Divine truth and Divine good, 
therefore the name is said to have been written 
on His garment and on His thigh; 
and the name written on His garment 
symbolizes the Word in respect to Divine truth, 
while the name written on His thigh 
symbolizes the Word in respect to Divine goodness, 
both being contained in the Word. 
The Word's Divine truth is found in its spiritual sense, 
which is intended for 
angels of the intermediate or second heaven, 
who possess intelligence stemming from Divine truths; 
and the Word's Divine goodness 
is found in its celestial sense, 
which is intended for 
angels of the highest or third heaven, 
who possess wisdom stemming from Divine goods. 
But this latter sense is deeply hidden, 
being perceptible only to people 
who possess love toward the Lord from the Lord.

AR 825 - The Violence That Has Been Done to the Lord's Divinity and His Word

AR 825 [ 2-3]

That violence has been done 
to the Lord's Divinity and to the Word 
is clearly apparent from the Roman Catholic religion 
and from the faith-alone religion 
of the Protestant Reformed. 
The Roman Catholic religion teaches 
that the Lord's humanity is not Divine, 
and so they have transferred 
everything that is the Lord's to themselves. 
They also maintain 
that it is for them alone to interpret the Word, 
and their interpretation
is everywhere contrary to the Word's Divine truth . . .. 
It is apparent, therefore, 
that violence has been done to the Word 
by that religion.

It is apparent likewise from the faith-alone religion 
among the Protestant Reformed. 
This, too, does not make the Lord's humanity Divine, 
and it founds its theology 
on a single saying of Paul falsely interpreted. (1)
Therefore it takes no account 
of everything the Lord taught 
regarding love and charity and good works, 
even though those teachings are so obvious 
that anyone may see them 
if only he has the eyes to do so.

Jews treated the Word similarly. 
Their religion taught
that the Word was written only for them, 
so that only they are meant in it, 
and that the Messiah to come 
would exalt them over all others in the whole world. 
By these notions and many others 
they falsified and adulterated everything in the Word.
___________

(1)"Therefore we conclude 
that a man is justified by faith 
apart from the deeds of the law." 
(Romans 3:28)

 

AR 820 - A White Horse

AR 820

Then I saw heaven opened, 
and behold, a white horse. 
(Revelation 19:11)

Seeing heaven opened 
symbolizes a revelation by the Lord  . . .. 
A horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word, 
and a white horse a deeper understanding. 
And because this is 
the symbolic meaning of a white horse, 
and a deeper understanding of the Word 
is an understanding of the spiritual sense, 
therefore that sense 
is here symbolized by the white horse.

This is the coming of the Lord, 
because that sense makes it clearly apparent 
that the Lord embodies the Word, 
that the Word deals with Him alone, 
that He is God of heaven and earth, 
and that the New Church originates from Him alone.

. . . Everyone who does not think 
beyond the literal sense 
believes that when the Last Judgment arrives, 
the Lord will appear in clouds of the sky, 
accompanied by angels and the blowing of trumpets. 
But this is not the meaning. 
Rather it means 
that the Lord will appear in the Word . . . 
and He appears clearly in the Word's spiritual sense. 
He appears not only as being 
an embodiment of the Word, 
that is, of Divine truth itself, 
or as being inmostly present in the Word 
and in everything springing from it, 
but also as being a single God, 
having the Trinity in Him,
 thus as being the only God of heaven and earth. 
Moreover, it appears also 
that He came into the world to glorify His humanity, 
that is, to make it Divine.

The humanity that the Lord glorified, 
that is, the humanity that He made Divine, 
was the natural humanity, 
which He could not glorify or make Divine 
except by taking on a humanity in a virgin 
in the natural world, 
to which He then united His Divinity 
which He had from eternity. 
This union was achieved by temptations 
suffered by the humanity He had taken on, 
the last of which was His suffering of the cross 
and at the same time His fulfilling all of the Word, 
not only by His fulfilling all of the Word 
in its natural sense, 
but also by His fulfilling all of the Word 
in its spiritual sense, 
and also in its celestial sense, 
which, as we said before, deals with Him alone.

 

AR 818 - Angels

AR 818

Angels in heaven are not superior to people, 
but are their equals, 
and therefore they are the Lord's servants 
the same as people; 
and the reason is that all angels were once people, 
born in the world, 
and none were created angels directly . . ..
Angels excel people in wisdom indeed, 
but that is because they are in a spiritual state 
and so live in the light of heaven, 
and are not in a natural state 
and so do not live in the light of the world 
as people on earth do. 
But the more an angel excels in wisdom, 
the more he acknowledges 
that he is not better than people, but like them. 
Consequently people are not conjoined with angels, 
but are associated with them. 
Only with the Lord is conjunction possible.

AR 816 - Righteous Acts Are

AR 816

Righteous acts are the practices of good lives 
in the case of people governed by truths, 
because no one can be called righteous 
unless he lives in accordance with truths. 
For in the natural sense 
a righteous person is everyone who lives rightly 
in accordance with civil and moral laws. 
But in the spiritual sense 
that person is called righteous who lives rightly 
in accordance with Divine laws, 
and Divine laws are truths from the Word. 
Someone who believes that he is righteous 
and so living a good life 
without living in accordance with truths 
is much deceived. 
For a person cannot be reformed and regenerated 
and so become good, 
except by means of truths 
and by a life in accordance with those truths.

 

AR 812 - "Let Us Be Glad and Rejoice and Give Him Glory"

AR 812 [1,2]

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, 
for the marriage of the Lamb has come." 
(Revelation 19:7)

This symbolizes the angels' joy of soul and heart 
and consequent glorification of the Lord, 
that from now on a full marriage 
of the Lord with the church is possible.

To be glad and rejoice 
symbolizes a joy of soul and heart. 
Joy of the soul is a joy of the intellect 
or joy in response to truths of faith, 
and joy of the heart
is a joy of the will 
or joy springing from goods of love. 
Both of these are mentioned 
because of the marriage of truth and goodness 
in every particular of the Word.

. . . It is when the Lord's humanity 
is acknowledged to be Divine
that a full marriage of the Lord and the Church
is possible.

. . . For then God the Father and the Lord 
are acknowledged to be one, like soul and body. 
And when this is acknowledged, 
people do not turn 
to the Father for the sake of the Son, 
but they turn then to the Lord Himself, 
and through Him to God the Father, 
because the Father is present in Him 
like a soul in its body, as we have said.

Before people acknowledge 
the Lord's humanity to be Divine, 
there is indeed 
a marriage of the Lord with the church, 
but only in those who turn to the Lord 
and think of His Divinity, 
and not at all 
of whether His humanity is Divine or not. 
This is what the simple in faith and heart do, 
but rarely the learned and erudite.

 

AR 804 - Salvation, Glory and Honor, Power; AR 806 Anger and Revenge

AR 804

Salvation to the Lord our God 
symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession 
that salvation is made possible by the Lord. 
Glory and honor to the Lord our God 
symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession 
that the Lord is the source 
of Divine truth and Divine good, 
thus that these are received from Him. 
Power to the Lord our God 
symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession 
that the power is the Lord's.

AR 806

Anger and revenge are attributed to the Lord 
when evil people are separated from the good 
and cast into hell, 
as happens at the time of a last judgment. 
That time is therefore called 
wrath and a day of wrath, and a day of vengeance.
Not that the Lord is angry or vengeful, 
but that those people are angry at the Lord 
and filled with vengeance against Him. 
The case is like that of a criminal 
after sentence has been passed, 
who is angry at the law 
and filled with vengeance against the judge. 
For the law is not angry, 
nor is the judge taking revenge.

 

AR 798 - Our Salvation

AR 798 [3]

Who that is willing 
cannot see 
that a person's salvation 
depends on a continual operation 
of the Lord in the person 
from his first infancy to the end of his life, 
and that it is a work purely Divine, 
one that can never be granted to any man? 
It is so Divine 
that it requires the combination of 
omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence. 
Moreover, 
that a person's reformation and regeneration, 
thus his salvation, 
is wholly the work of the Lord's Divine providence . . ..  

 

AR 796 - The Light of a Lamp

AR 796 [1-2, 3]]

"The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore."
(Revelation 18:23)

The light of a lamp symbolizes 
enlightenment by the Lord 
and a consequent perception of spiritual truth. 
That is because the light means the light of heaven, 
which is the light angels have, and people, too, 
as regards their intellect, 
because the light in its essence is Divine wisdom. 
For it emanates from the Lord 
as the sun of the spiritual world, 
which in its essence 
is the Divine love in Divine wisdom, 
and the only light that can emanate from it 
is the light of Divine wisdom, 
and the only warmth the warmth of Divine love. 

. . . Since that light comes from the Lord, 
and the Lord is omnipresent in it and by means of it, 
therefore it is the means of all enlightenment 
and the consequent perception of spiritual truth, 
a perception that those people have 
who love Divine truths spiritually, that is, 
who love Divine truths because they are true, 
thus because they are Divine. 
Plainly this is what it is to love the Lord. 
For the Lord is omnipresent in that light, 
inasmuch as Divine love and wisdom 
do not exist in space, 
but are present wherever they are received, 
in accordance with their reception.

. . . spiritual light originates from the Lord, 
and the only people who can receive 
and accept that light 
are people conjoined with the Lord, 
and conjunction with the Lord is achieved solely 
by an acknowledgment and worship of Him, 
and at the same time 
by a life in accordance with 
His commandments from the Word. 
An acknowledgment and worship of the Lord 
and reading the Word 
bring about the Lord's presence, 
but it is these two things combined 
at the same time 
with a life in accordance with His precepts 
that bring about a conjunction with Him.

. . . the Lord is the light 
that produces all enlightenment 
and the consequent perception of spiritual truth. 
And because the Lord is the light, 
the Devil is darkness. 
The Devil is also the love of exercising dominion 
over all the Divine sanctities belonging to the Lord, 
and over the Lord Himself; 
and to the extent it achieves that dominion, 
it darkens, extinguishes, sets on fire and burns up 
the Divine sanctities belonging to the Lord.

 

AR 792 - When Goodness Is Possible; AR 793 - Craftsmen

AR 792 [2]

Goodness is possible 
only in people who desire truths. 
But the only people 
who desire truths from a spiritual affection 
are those who turn to the Lord. 

AR 793

In the spiritual sense of the Word, 
a craftsman symbolizes an intelligent person 
and a thinking one by virtue of his intellect - 
in a good sense, 
someone who uses his intellect 
to think thoughts that are true, 
which are heavenly, 
and in a bad sense, 
someone who uses his intellect 
to think thoughts that are false, 
which are infernal. 
Moreover, because all of these thoughts 
are of many kinds, 
and each kind consists of many varieties, 
and each variety again of many kinds and varieties, 
but which we call particulars and specifics, 
therefore the text says, "no craftsman of any craft."

By virtue of their arts and crafts, too, 
and the correspondence of these, 
craftsmen symbolize such things as have to do 
with wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. 
We say, by virtue of their correspondence, 
because a person's every work, 
likewise his every undertaking, 
corresponds to such things 
as have to do with the intelligence of angels, 
provided it is of some use. 
But the works of craftsmen 
in gold, silver and precious stones 
correspond to some matters or objects 
of angelic intelligence, 
the works of craftsmen 
in bronze, iron, wood and stone to others, 
and the works of craftsmen 
in other valuable endeavors, 
such as the making of cloth, linens, 
garments and clothing of various kinds, 
to still others. 
All of these arts and crafts have, 
as we said, a correspondence, 
because they are works.

AR 784 - Purgatory Is Not the World of Spirits; AR 790 - Apostles and Prophets

AR 784 [2]

As regards purgatory, 
. . . it is nothing but a Roman Catholic fiction 
invented for the sake of material gains, 
and that it neither exists nor can exist.

Every person comes first after death 
into the world of spirits, 
which is midway between heaven and hell, 
and there he is prepared either for heaven or for hell, 
each according to his life in the world. 
Moreover, no one suffers any torment in that world, 
but an evil person first meets with torment when, 
after being prepared, he enters hell.

The world of spirits contains countless societies, 
and found in them are joys like those on earth, 
because the inhabitants there 
are associated with people on earth, 
who also are in between heaven and hell. 
In the world of spirits their outward facades 
are gradually stripped away 
and their inner characters thus exposed, 
and this until their reigning love is revealed, 
which, being their life's love, 
is the inmost one and predominant over 
more external ones. 
When this is revealed, 
the person's real character becomes apparent, 
and he is sent according to 
the character of that love from the world of spirits 
to his own place, 
a good person to a place in heaven, 
and an evil one to a place in hell.

AR 790

. . . the apostles and prophets meant here 
are all in the Lord's church 
who possess goods and truths from the Word, 
as are meant also by the twelve tribes of Israel . . .. 
The apostle Peter means the church's truth or faith; 
the apostle James the church's charity; 
and the apostle John the charitable works 
of the people in the church.

AR 782 - According to Character and Affection

AR 782 [2]

. . . because in consequence of their religion 
they have participated in an external worship of God, 
they are first taught the nature and character of heaven, 
and the nature and character 
of the happiness of eternal life, 
that its blessings are pure blessings 
flowing in from the Lord into everyone in heaven
in accordance with the character 
of the heavenly affection for goodness and truth in them. 
Yet because they have not turned to the Lord 
and so have not been conjoined with Him, 
and also lack any such affection for goodness and truth, 
they reject that instruction and turn away, 
and long for
the pleasures of the love of self and the world then, 
which are merely natural and carnal. 
But because it is inherent in those pleasures 
to do evil, 
especially to people who worship the Lord, 
thus to angels in heaven, 
therefore they are deprived of those pleasures also 
and are thrust among their comrades 
in infernal workhouses 
in a contemptible and wretched state.

Still, these events befall them 
to the degree of their love of dominion 
over things that are Divine and the Lord's, 
which is the degree to which they rejected the Lord.

AR 776 - Faith; AR 777 - Things to Do With Doctrine & Worship; AR 779 - Anointing With Holy Oil

AR 776 [2]

. . . faith is never infused into 
any infant at its mother's breast,
because faith requires thought.

AR 777

Things having to do with doctrine are put first, 
and things having to do with worship follow, 
since worship has its character 
from the goods and truths of doctrine.
For the church's worship is nothing but 
an outward act whose internal elements 
ought to be those of doctrine. 
Without them the worship is lacking 
its essence, life and soul.

AR 779 [2]

Anointing with holy oil was commanded 
because oil symbolized the goodness of love 
and represented the Lord, 
who in His humanity is Himself 
Jehovah's anointed and His only anointed, 
being anointed not with oil, 
but with the Divine goodness itself of Divine love. 
Consequently He is also called the Messiah 
in the Old Testament 
and Christ in the New Testament 
(John 1:41; 4:25), 
Messiah and Christ meaning "the Anointed."

That is why priests, kings, 
and all ecclesiastical vessels were anointed, 
and having been anointed were called holy - 
not that they were holy in themselves, 
but because by virtue of the anointing 
they represented the Lord in His Divine humanity. 
Consequently it was a sacrilege to harm a king, 
because he was Jehovah's anointed 
(I Samuel 24:6, 10; 26:9).

 

AR 774 - Thyine Wood and Ivory

AR 774 [3]

Thyine wood symbolizes natural good 
because wood in the Word symbolizes goodness, 
and stone truth, 
and thyine wood derives its name 
from a word meaning two, 
and the number two also symbolizes goodness.

The good symbolized is natural good, 
because wood is not a valuable material 
like gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, 
fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet. 
The same is true of stone. 
The case is similar with ivory, 
which symbolizes natural truth. 
Ivory symbolizes natural truth 
because it is white and can be polished, 
and because it protrudes 
from the mouth of an elephant 
and also constitutes its might. 
In order for ivory to symbolize 
the natural truth of the goodness 
symbolized by thyine wood, 
the text specifies a vessel of ivory, 
as a vessel symbolizes something that contains, 
here truth that contains good.

AR 768 - "On this rock I will build My church." (Matthew 16:18)

AR 768 [2]

I once spoke with the Babylonian tribe in the spiritual world about the keys given to Peter, asking whether they believe that the Lord transferred His power over heaven and earth to Peter.

Because this was the chief tenet of their religion, they vehemently insisted that He did, saying that there was no doubt about it, as it was clearly stated.

But on my asking whether they know that in every part of the Word there is a spiritual meaning, which is the meaning of the Word in heaven, they said at first that they were unaware of it. However, later they said that they would inquire into it; and when they did, they were told that there is a spiritual meaning in every part of the Word, which is as different from the literal sense as anything spiritual is from something natural. Moreover, they were also told that no person named in the Word is so named in heaven, but that instead angels understand in it something spiritual.

Finally they were informed that instead of Peter in the Word, angels understand the truth of the church springing from goodness, which is likewise meant by the rock that is mentioned there together with Peter; and that they could know therefore that Peter was not given any power, but that it belonged to truth springing from goodness. For all power in heaven is the power of truth springing from goodness, or of goodness by means of truth. And because all goodness and all truth come from the Lord, and nothing from any man, they could know that all power is the Lord's.

 

AR 766 - Fire

AR 766 [2]

. . . fire symbolizes love in two senses - 
both heavenly love, which is a love for the Lord, 
and hellish love, which is a love of self. 
Hellish fire is animosity, 
because the love of self is filled with hatred. 
For people caught up in that love 
all burn with wrath to the degree of their love, 
and blaze with hatred and vengeance 
against people who attack them; 
and people coming from Babylon do so 
against people who deny 
that they are to be worshiped and adored 
as embodiments of holiness. 
When they are told, therefore, 
that the Lord alone is worshiped and adored in heaven, 
and that to worship some man 
instead of the Lord is profane, 
any adoration of the Lord in them
becomes animosity toward Him, 
and any adulteration of the Word 
in order that they may be worshiped becomes profane.

AR 758 - What Comes From the Lord

AR 758

. . . every bit of charity, 
and every bit of faith, 
or all good and truth, 
comes from the Lord, 
and what comes from the Lord 
continues to be the Lord's in its recipients. 
For what comes from the Lord is Divine, 
which can never become a person's own.

Something Divine can be present in a person, 
but not in his native self, 
for a person's native self is nothing but evil. 
Therefore someone who claims for himself 
something Divine as his own, 
not only defiles it, 
but also profanes it. 
Something Divine from the Lord
is kept carefully separate from a person's native self,
being elevated above it and never immersed in it.

AR 756 - Dominate Affections

AR 756 [2]

People in the world do not know 
that all after death become 
embodiments of the affections of their dominant love - 
embodiments of good affections 
if they have looked to the Lord and heaven 
and at the same time refrained from evils as sins, 
but embodiments of evil affections, namely lusts, 
if they have looked only to themselves and the world 
and have refrained from evils, not as sins, 
but only as damaging to their reputation and honor.

These affections are objectively 
seen and perceived in the spiritual world, 
whereas only the thoughts 
emanating from these affections 
are seen and perceived in the natural world. 
As a result, people do not know 
that hell resides in the affections of an evil love,
and heaven in the affections of a good love. 

So it is that people do not know this 
and do not perceive it, 
because the lusts of an evil love 
derive from heredity 
that they are delightful in the will, 
and thus pleasant in the intellect, 
and people do not reflect on something 
that is delightful and pleasant 
because it carries their minds along 
as the current of a swift river does a boat. 
Consequently people who have immersed themselves 
in these delights and pleasant thoughts 
cannot approach the delights and pleasant thoughts 
of the affections of a love of goodness and truth 
otherwise than as people 
who with straining arms pull on the oars 
against the current of a swift river.

The case, however, is otherwise with people 
who have not so deeply immersed themselves.

 

AR 754 - The Lord's Influx Through Divine Truth

AR 754

An angel coming down from heaven, 
having great authority, 
and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 
(Revelation 18:1)

An angel symbolizes the Lord. 
An angel coming down from heaven 
symbolizes an influx of the Lord from heaven. 
Having great authority symbolizes a powerful influx. 
The earth illuminated with his glory symbolizes 
the church in the light of heaven from the Lord 
through Divine truth.

. . . angels individually and collectively in the Word 
mean the Lord. 
To come down means, symbolically, to flow in, 
because it is said of the Lord. 
. . . the earth symbolizes the church; 
. . . glory is predicated of Divine truth 
and symbolizes it . . ..

We say Divine truth in the light of heaven, 
because Divine truth emanating from the Lord 
is the light of heaven, 
which enlightens angels and produces their wisdom.

The Lord's influx through Divine truth 
is mentioned now, 
and the enlightenment of the church by it, 
because it is by that influx 
that people caught up in falsities 
are separated from those governed by truths, 
and because it is the light of truth 
that also causes the real character of falsities to be seen.

AR 749, 750 - The Protestants and the Roman Catholics

AR 749

"For God has put it into their hearts 
to carry out His purpose, 
and to be of one mind 
and give their kingdom to the beast." 
(Revelation 17:17)

Since the harlot symbolizes the Roman Catholic religion, 
and the ten horns that will hate the harlot 
symbolize Protestants, 
it is apparent that carrying out God's purpose 
means symbolically that they judged 
and concluded that they should 
utterly repudiate and renounce 
the Roman Catholic religion 
and expunge and eradicate it in themselves. 
And it is apparent as well 
that to be of one mind 
and give their kingdom to the beast means, symbolically, 
to unanimously judge and conclude 
that they should acknowledge the Word 
and found the church on it. 
The beast symbolizes the Word, 
and their kingdom symbolizes 
the church and government over it . . .. 
That God put it into their hearts means symbolically 
that their judgments came from the Lord.

AR 750

. . . though Protestants acknowledge the Word indeed, 
and say that the church is founded on it, 
they nevertheless found the doctrine of their church 
on a single saying of Paul, 
that "a person is justified by faith 
apart from the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28), 
which they completely misunderstand

 

AR 744 - The Called, the Chosen, and the Faithful

AR 744 [1-2]

"And those who are with Him 
are called, chosen, and faithful." 
(Revelation 17:14)

Those who are with Him 
symbolize people who turn to the Lord, 
for they are the people with Him. 
Those who are called, chosen, and faithful 
symbolize people who are concerned with 
the external, internal and inmost 
elements of the church, 
who, being in the Lord, go to heaven.

The called, indeed, mean all people, 
because all have been called, 
but the called who are with the Lord 
mean people who are in heaven with the Lord, 
as all those are called who are present 
at the wedding with the bridegroom. 
The chosen do not mean 
that some are chosen by predestination, 
but people who are with the Lord are so called. 
The faithful mean people who have faith in the Lord.

These are people who are concerned with 
the external, internal, and inmost 
elements of the church, 
because the Lord's church is, like heaven, 
distinguished into three degrees. 
In the lowest degree 
are people concerned with its external elements; 
in the second degree 
are people concerned with its internal ones; 
and in the third degree 
are people concerned with its inmost ones. 
People with the Lord who are concerned 
with the external elements of the church 
are said to be called. 
Those who are concerned with its internal elements 
are said to be chosen. 
And those who are concerned with 
its inmost elements are said to be faithful. 
For that is how they are termed in the Word, 
in which Jacob is said to be called, 
and Israel chosen, 
since Jacob there means people concerned with 
the external elements of the church, 
and Israel people concerned with its internal ones.

LJ 9 - The Order of Creation: People and Angels Working Together

This quote was shared with me yesterday.
Not from our Apocalypse Revealed readings, 
but fits in.  

Last Judgement 9 [1, 3]

The human race is the foundation 
on which heaven is built, 
because man is the final creation; 
and what is created last 
is the foundation of all that precedes. 
Creation began with the highest or inmost, 
because it came from God, 
and advanced to the lowest or outermost, 
and there it first halted. 
The lowest level of creation is the natural world, 
containing the globe with its lands and seas 
together with everything on it. 
On completion of this stage man was created; 
and on him was conferred the whole of God's order 
from first to last. 
The first principles of that order 
were conferred upon his inmost nature, 
the last expressions of it upon his ultimate nature. 
Thus man was made as a model of God's order. 
Hence it is that everything in and present with man
is of both heavenly and worldly origin. 
His mental attributes derive from heaven, 
his bodily attributes from the world. 
For influences from heaven act 
upon his thoughts and affections 
and dispose them in keeping with 
the way his spirit receives those influences. 
Influences from the world 
act upon his senses and appetites 
and dispose them in keeping with 
the way his body receives them, 
but they are adapted to suit 
the thoughts and affections of his spirit.

. . . From this ordering of creation 
it can be seen that the coherent linkage 
from first things to last 
is such that taken together they make up a single unit; 
in this prior cannot be separated from posterior, 
just as cause cannot be separated 
from the effect produced by it. 
Thus the spiritual world cannot be separated 
from the natural world, 
nor this from the spiritual. 
In the same way the heaven where the angels are 
cannot be separated from the human race, 
nor the human race from that heaven. 
It has therefore been provided by the Lord 
that one should perform services for the other, 
that is, the heaven of angels 
should perform services for the human race, 
and the human race for the heaven of angels.

AR 743 - Who Does Not Know?

AR 743 [2, 3]

Who does not know 
that the Lord was conceived of God as His Father:

But Mary said to the angel, 
How shall this be, since I know not a man?

And the angel answering said to her, 
The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, 
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; 
therefore also that which shall be born of thee Holy 
shall be called the Son of God.
(Luke 1:34-35)

And who does not know therefore 
that God the Father, who is Jehovah, 
assumed a humanity in the world, 
and consequently that the humanity is 
the humanity of God the Father, 
thus that God the Father and the Lord are one, 
as soul and body are one?

Can anyone accordingly turn to a person's soul, 
and from there descend to his body? 
Must one not turn to his humanity, 
and then turn to his soul?

The Lord alone 
is the Holy One who is to be called upon:

Who wouldn't fear You, Lord, 
and glorify Your name? 
For You only are holy. 
For all the nations will come and worship before You. 
For Your righteous acts have been revealed."
(Revelation 15:4)

I know that people will think, 
"How could Jehovah the Father, 
the creator of the universe, 
descend and assume a humanity?" 
But let them think at the same time, 
"How could a Son from eternity, 
who is equal to the Father, 
and is also the creator of the universe, do this?" 
Is the case not the same?

People speak of a Father and Son from eternity, 
but there is no Son from eternity. 
It is the Divine humanity
that is called the Son sent into the world
(see quote above, Luke 1:34-35

AR 736-738 - Short Explanations; AR 739 - The Lord's Humanity Is Divine

AR 736

"This is the mind which has wisdom." 
(Revelation 17:9)

. . . This is the mind means symbolically 
that this is the meaning and interpretation 
of the things seen. 
Which has wisdom means symbolically 
that it is for people who are interiorly wise.

AR 737

"The seven heads are seven mountains 
on which the woman sits. 
They are also seven kings." 
(Revelation 17:10)

This symbolizes the Divine goods and truths in the Word 
on which the Roman Catholic religion was founded, 
in time destroyed and finally profaned.

AR 738

"Five have fallen, one is, 
and the other has not yet come. 
And when he comes, 
he must remain a short time." 
(Revelation 17:10)

This symbolically means that the Word's Divine truths 
have all been destroyed but this one, 
that the Lord was given all authority 
in heaven and on earth, 
and a second one, 
which has not yet been called into question, 
and when it is, will not survive, namely, 
that the Lord's humanity is Divine.

AR 739

The Word is Divine good itself and Divine truth 
because in each and every particular of it 
there is a marriage of the Lord and the church 
and so a marriage of goodness and truth. 
It also has in every particular
a celestial meaning and a spiritual meaning, 
and the celestial meaning has in it Divine goodness, 
while the spiritual meaning has in it Divine truth. 
Moreover, these are present in the Word 
because the Lord embodies the Word.

 

AR 731 - Outwardly One Thing, Inwardly Another; AR 735 - The Word Endures

AR 731

And when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder. 
(Revelation 17:6)

. . . To wonder with great wonder 
is to be greatly astonished. 
John's seeing her means symbolically that the woman, 
which is to say, the Roman Catholic religion, 
is of such a character interiorly, 
when indeed it appears otherwise outwardly. 
For John was astonished at seeing the woman
sitting on a scarlet beast, 
arrayed in purple and scarlet, 
adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, 
having in her hand a golden cup - 
which was the way she looked in outward appearance - 
and yet her cup was full of abomination 
and the filthiness of licentiousness. 
Moreover, on her forehead was written the legend, 
"the Mother of the Whoredoms 
and Abominations of the Earth," 
which was her internal character.

John said this 
because no one even at this day 
can but be astonished 
at seeing this expression of religion, 
so reverent and grand in outward appearances, 
not knowing 
that it is so profane and abhorrent interiorly.

AR 735

. . . people who strive for dominion 
over the sanctities of the church and over heaven 
hate the Word, because they hate the Lord,
if not with the lips, still at heart. 
The reality of this is known to few in the world, 
because they are then in the body; 
but it becomes evident after death, 
when they are in their spirit.

. . . The Word still endures because it is Divine, 
and the Lord is present in it.

AR 723 - Profanation; AR 729 - Loving Dominion

AR 723

. . . blasphemy symbolizes 
a denial of the Lord's Divinity in His humanity, 
and an adulteration of the Word, 
thus its profanation. 
For someone who fails to acknowledge 
the Lord's Divinity in His humanity 
and falsifies the Word, 
but not intentionally, 
does indeed commit profanation, but lightly. 
But people who claim for themselves 
all the power of the Lord's Divine humanity, 
and for that reason deny His Divinity, 
and who apply everything in the Word 
to acquiring dominion for themselves 
over the sanctities of the church and heaven, 
and for that reason adulterate the Word - 
those people commit serious profanation.

AR 729 [2]

We say that their love of exercising dominion 
comes from a love of self 
because possible also 
is a love of exercising dominion 
from a love of performing useful services. 
These two loves are diametrically opposite each other. 
That is because a love of exercising dominion 
from a love of self is diabolical, 
for it has regard for self only 
and for the world in the service of self. 
In contrast, a love of exercising dominion 
from a love of performing useful services is heavenly, 
for it has regard for the Lord, 
from whom emanate only useful endeavors, 
and useful endeavors to it 
are to do good to the church for the salvation of souls. 
This latter love consequently abhors 
a love of exercising dominion from a love of self.
 

AR 719, 720 - The Judgment

AR 719 [1, 2]

Saying to me, 
"Come, I will show you the judgment 
of the great harlot who sits on many waters." 
(Revelation 17:1)

. . . Saying and showing symbolize a revelation.  
The judgment symbolizes the state 
of the Roman Catholic religion at its end. 
The great harlot symbolizes a profanation 
of the sanctities of the Word and the church, 
and an adulteration of their goodness and truth. 
Many waters symbolize the Word's truths adulterated. 
To sit upon the waters means, symbolically, 
to possess them and live caught up in them.

We say that Roman Catholics 
adulterated and profaned the Word's truths, 
because they used the Word's truths 
to gain dominion over the sanctities of the church 
and over heaven 
and to claim for themselves the Lord's Divine power; 
and to use the Word's truths to gain dominion 
over the sanctities of the church and heaven
 is to adulterate them, 
and to use them to claim for oneself 
the Lord's Divine power is to profane them.

AR 720 [1, 4]

"With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom." 
(Revelation 17:2)

. . . To commit whoredom means, symbolically, 
to falsify and adulterate truths . . .. 
The kings of the earth symbolize the church's truths 
that it has from the Word - 
kings symbolizing truths springing from goodness, 
and the earth symbolizing the church.

People who possess truths 
springing from good from the Lord 
are called kings 
because they are called the Lord's children, 
and having been regenerated by the Lord, 
they are said to have been born of Him 
and to be His heirs, 
and the Lord is the King, 
and heaven and the church are His kingdom.

 

AR 718 - Seven Angels with Seven Bowls

 AR 718

Then one of the seven angels 
who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me.
(Revelation 17:7)

This symbolizes influx now 
and a revelation from the Lord 
from the inmost of heaven 
about the Roman Catholic religion.

Up to this point the subject has been 
the state of the Protestant Reformed church at its end. 
Now the subject is the state of 
the Roman Catholic religion at its end. 
This also follows in order . . ..

We do not call it the Roman Catholic Church, 
but the Roman Catholic religion, 
because Roman Catholics do not turn to the Lord 
or read the Word, 
and because they invoke the dead, 
and yet it is the Lord and the Word 
that make the church a church, 
and its perfection depends 
on its acknowledgment of the Lord 
and on its understanding of the Word.

One of the seven angels 
who had the seven bowls came and spoke with John, 
because the seven angels who had the seven bowls 
symbolize an influx from the Lord 
from the inmost of the Christian heaven 
into the church in order to expose
the evils and falsities in it. 
Therefore those seven angels here symbolize 
the Lord speaking from the inmost of heaven 
and revealing the state in which 
the Roman Catholic religion would be at its end.

That is also why one of the seven angels 
took John onto a high mountain 
and showed him the Lamb's wife, 
which is the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-10).

AR 708 - The Seventh Angel; AR 710 - Voices, Lightnings & Thunderings

AR 708

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. 
(Revelation 16:17)

This symbolizes influx from the Lord into 
all of these things at the same time 
in people of the Protestant Reformed Church.

AR 710

Voices, lightnings and thunderings symbolize 
reasonings, falsifications of truth, 
and arguments in consequence of falsities . . ..

Regarding people caught up in 
a faith divorced from works of the law, 
who consequently engage in evil practices, 
that they refuse to reflect on the evils in themselves, 
because they would not want 
to turn away from those evils if they were to know them, 
is apparent without explanation. 
Experience shows this. 
For evils are delightful, 
because they are expressions of love, 
and no one want to turn away from things 
that delight him 
unless he gives thought to life after death, 
first to hell and what it is like, 
and then to heaven and what it is like, 
and thinks about them 
when not engaged in the doing of evil.
 If he also then turns to the Lord and thinks, 
"What is something temporal in relation to eternity? 
Is it not as nothing?" 
it is then that he can reflect on his evils, 
with a willingness to see them and turn away from them.

But if a person has first 
confirmed himself in faith alone, 
he will then say in his heart, 
"Our theological faith, 
that God the Father takes pity on us 
for the sake of His Son who suffered for our sins - 
if I make appeal to it with some degree of trust, 
that faith does all the rest." 
He then does not reflect on any evil in him. 
He also says to himself because of that faith 
that evil does not condemn, 
that salvation is a matter of pure mercy, 
and other like things. 
Thus he remains engaged in his evils 
and finds delight in them to the end of his life.

The Sixth Bowl (con't- 3); AR 707 - Armageddon

AR 707 [1, 5]

And they gathered them together to the place 
called in Hebrew Armageddon. 
(Revelation 16:16)

To gather together to the place,  
in this case for battle, means, symbolically, 
to incite people to use falsities to fight against truths. 
It is a state of combat, 
because a place symbolizes the state of something. 
It springs from a mind to destroy the New Church, 
because the combat meant 
is between the former church and a new one, 
and the intent of the combat is to destroy.

Armageddon symbolizes . . . a love 
of acclaim, dominion and preeminence, 
for it is because of that love that a conflict arises . . ..

 

The Sixth Bowl (con't- 2); AR 705 - "Behold, I am coming . . ."; AR 706 - To Walk Naked

AR 705

"Behold, I am coming as a thief. 
Blessed is he who watches, 
and preserves his garments.
(Revelation 16:15)

. . . To come as a thief, 
when said of the Lord, 
symbolizes His advent, 
and heaven then for people who have lived a good life, 
but hell for those who have lived an evil life . . .. 
That person is called blessed who receives eternal life. 
To watch means, symbolically, to live spiritually, 
that is, to possess truths 
and live in accordance with them 
and look to the Lord. 
And to preserve one's garments means, symbolically, 
to remain steadfast in those truths 
to the end of one's life. 
For garments symbolize truths that clothe, 
thus the Lord's precepts in the Word,
because these are truths.

AR 706

"Lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 
(Revelation 16:15)

This symbolically means, 
so as not to be associated with people 
who are without any truths, 
and have their hellish loves appear.

. . . This admonition is for people 
who will belong to the Lord's New Church, 
warning them to learn truths 
and remain constant in them, 
since without truths people's innate evils, 
which are their hellish loves, are not removed. 
A person without truths 
may indeed be able to live as a Christian, 
but he does so in the eyes of men, 
but not in the eyes of angels.

The truths which people are to learn 
are truths having to do with the Lord 
and with the precepts according to which 
they are to live.

AR 699, 700 - The Sixth Angel Poured Out His Bowl; AR 704 - Going Into Battle

AR 699

Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl 
upon the great river Euphrates. 
(Revelation 16:12)

This symbolizes influx from the Lord 
into the people's interior reasonings 
by which they defend justification by faith alone.

AR 700 [2] 

The subject here is the final period or end 
of the present church 
and the establishment or beginning 
of a new church and its struggles. 
The people of the present church 
caught up in faith alone 
are meant by the dragon, beast, and false prophet, 
spoken of next, 
and their conflicts with people 
who will belong to the New Church 
are meant by 
the gathering of the kings of the earth to do battle. 
Those people who will belong to the New Church, 
on the other hand, 
with whom they will conflict, 
are meant by those for whom 
the water of the river Euphrates was dried up, 
so that the way of the kings 
from the rising of the sun might be made ready.

This involves an occurrence 
similar to one in the introduction 
of the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, 
with the difference that for the Israelites 
the river Jordan was dried up, 
while for the people here it is the river Euphrates. 
It is the river Euphrates for the people here 
because they use interior reasonings 
to carry on the conflict, 
reasonings that must be dried up, that is, removed, 
before the introduction can occur. 
This is also the reason that their interior reasonings 
are being exposed in this book.

AR 704

To go away to gather them to battle means, 
symbolically, to stir those people to fight or attack; 
for war symbolizes a spiritual war, 
which is one of falsity against truth 
and of truth against falsity. 
It is to attack the truths of the New Church 
because it is called 
the battle of that great day of God Almighty, 
and that day symbolizes the Lord's advent 
and a new church then. 

AR 694 - The Fifth Bowl; AR 695 - Confirming Faith Divorced from Charity; AR 697 - Blaspheming God; AR 698 - Not Repenting

AR 694

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl 
upon the throne of the beast. 
(Revelation 16:10)

. . . The angel's pouring out his bowl means, 
symbolically, here as before, influx, 
and the throne of the beast means, 
symbolically, where faith alone reigns. 
A throne symbolizes a kingdom or realm, 
and the beast faith alone.

AR 695

People who have confirmed themselves 
in a faith divorced from charity 
falsify the whole Word.

. . . the falsities of their faith 
do not in fact appear to them as full of darkness, 
that is, as false, 
but they appear as though full of light, that is, as true, 
once they have confirmed themselves in them. 
Nevertheless, when these falsities 
are viewed in the light of heaven, 
which reveals everything, 
they appear as being full of darkness.

AR 697

To blaspheme the God of heaven means, symbolically, 
to deny or refuse to acknowledge 
the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth.

AR 698

. . . the people's not repenting of their works 
means symbolically 
that despite being instructed from the Word, 
they still did not turn away from the falsities of their faith 
or from their consequent evil practices.

We say that works here are falsities of faith 
and the consequent evil practices. 
We say this because falsity of faith precedes
and evil practice follows. 
For it is a falsity of faith 
that evil does not condemn a person who possesses faith. 
Therefore the person lives unconcernedly, 
not thinking about any evil, 
and so never reproaches himself or repents. 
The result is the same if he persuades himself 
that works contribute nothing to salvation, 
but that faith alone saves without works

AR 690 - The Fourth Bowl Poured Onto the Sun; AR 692 - The Nature of Self Love

AR 690

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl onto the sun. 
(Revelation 16:8)

. . . To pour out the bowl symbolizes here, as before, 
an influx springing from goods and truths, 
here an influx into the people's love; 
for the sun symbolizes the Lord's Divine love, 
and in an opposite sense a love of self. 
Here it is a love of self, 
because we are told next 
that people were scorched with fire, 
and scorched with great heat, 
which symbolizes the lusts of that love.

AR 692 [2] 

We will briefly describe the nature of self-love. 
Its accompanying delight 
surpasses every other delight in the world, 
for it consists of nothing but lusts for evils, 
and every one of the lusts produces its own delight. 
Every person is born into this delight, 
and because it impels the person's mind 
to focus its thought continually on itself, 
it draws the mind away 
from thinking about God and the neighbor 
except from the perspective of self 
and with a focus on self. 
As a consequence, 
if God does not favor the person's lusts, 
he becomes angry with God, 
as he becomes angry with the neighbor 
who does not favor them.

As this delight grows, 
it causes the person to be unable 
to elevate his thought above himself, 
but instead draws it down to a level beneath him, 
for it immerses the mind 
in the inherent nature of his body. 
As a result the person becomes gradually sensual, 
and a sensual person speaks 
in a lofty and elevated tone 
about worldly and civic matters, 
but he can speak about God and Divine matters 
only from memory. 
If he is a politician, 
he acknowledges nature as responsible for creation, 
his own prudence as his guide, 
and denies God's existence. 
If he is a priest, 
he speaks about God and Divine matters from memory, 
even in a lofty and elevated tone; 
but at heart he little believes them.

 

AR 680 - The Second Angel's Bowl; AR 683 - The Third Angel's Bowl; AR 689 - Angel From the Waters & the Angel From the Altar

AR 680

Then the second angel poured out his bowl upon the sea. 
(Revelation 16:3)

This symbolizes an influx
of truth and goodness from the Lord 
into those people in the church of the Protestant Reformed 
who are concerned with its external elements 
and are caught up in that faith, and are called the laity.

AR 683

Then the third angel poured out his bowl 
onto the rivers and springs of water. 
(Revelation 16:4)

This symbolizes influx
 into the understanding of the Word in these people.

AR 689

And I heard another from the altar saying, 
"Even so, Lord God Almighty, 
true and just are Your judgments." 
(Revelation 16:7)

This symbolizes the Divine goodness in the Word 
supporting that Divine truth.

. . . Now because the Word's Divine goodness 
and the Word's Divine truth are united, 
therefore the symbolic meaning of what 
the angel of the waters said 
and the symbolic meaning of what 
the angel from the altar said are similar. 
For the angel of the waters said, 
"You are righteous, O Lord, 
the One who is and who was, 
and holy, because You have judged these things," 
while here the angel from the altar said, 
"Even so, Lord God Almighty, 
true and just are Your judgments." 
These two utterances have the same symbolic meaning, 
with the sole difference that one of the angels
spoke from the prompting of truth, 
and the other from the prompting of goodness, 
and that one confirmed what the other said, 
but using different words, 
one using words that belong to the classification of truth, 
and the other using words 
that belong to the classification of good. 
For there is a marriage of truth and goodness 
in every part of the Word, 
and some words are words having to do with goodness, 
and some are words having to do with truth. 
They appear to differ, but still they involve similar ideas.

 

AR 678 - The First Bowl: Sores; AR 679 - To Live a Life of Faith Alone

AR 678 [1, 2]

. . . an evil and noxious sore 
symbolizes interior evils and falsities 
destructive of every good and truth in the church.
Its being noxious symbolizes its destructiveness, 
and evil cannot but destroy goodness, and falsity truth.
. . . Every evil that a person perceives in himself
exists in its outmost expressions. 
Consequently, when a person rejects evil, 
he at the same time rejects also its lusts, 
though he still does not do this on his own, 
but from the Lord. 
A person can indeed on his own reject evil, 
but not its lusts. 
Therefore, when he wishes to reject some evil 
and is fighting against it, 
he must look to the Lord, 
since the Lord operates 
from inmost elements to outmost ones. 
For He enters through a person's soul and purifies him.
We have said this much to make known 
that a sore symbolizes evil 
appearing in its outmost or final expressions, 
arising from an internal malignancy. 
This is the case with all people 
who persuade themselves that faith alone saves, 
and for that reason 
do not reflect upon any evil in themselves 
or look to the Lord.

AR 679

To live in accordance with faith alone 
and to accept its doctrine 
means to attach no importance 
to living for the sake of salvation, 
and to attach no importance to the truth, 
believing that if people only pray to God the Father 
to have pity for the sake of the Son, 
they are saved.

 

AR 676 - Seven Bowls & Seven Trumpets

AR 676 [2-5]

The subject continues to be
the church among the Protestant Reformed. 
. . . Chapters 8, 9 above described 
seven angels who had seven trumpets, 
which they sounded, 
and because many similar things occur there, 
we will say here 
what those seven angels symbolized 
and what these do here. 
The seven trumpets which the seven angels sounded 
symbolize an examination and exposure 
of the falsities and evils possessed by people 
who are caught up in a faith divorced from charity. 
But the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues 
symbolize the purging and ultimate end of these people, 
since the Last Judgment cannot be executed upon them 
until they have been purged.

The purging and ultimate end of them 
is brought about in the spiritual world in the following way: 
People caught up in falsities as to doctrine 
and so in evils as to life 
have taken from them all the goods and truths 
that they possessed merely in their natural self, 
by which they put on the appearance 
of being Christian people. 
When these goods and truths have been taken away, 
the people are separated from heaven 
and joined to hell. 
And then in the world of spirits 
they are arranged in accordance with 
the varieties of their lusts into societies, 
which later sink down.

They have goods and truths taken from them 
by influx from heaven. 
The influx originates from genuine truths and goods 
by which they are tormented and tortured, 
much like a snake placed near a fire 
or cast upon an anthill. 
Therefore they reject the goods and truths of heaven, 
which are also the goods and truths of the church, 
and finally condemn them, 
because these cause them what feels like 
the torment of hell. 
When this happens 
they retreat into their evils and falsities 
and are separated from people who are good.

These are the things described in this chapter 
and symbolized by the emptying out of the bowls 
containing the seven last plagues.

The bowls did not contain these evils and falsities 
symbolized by the plagues, 
but had in them genuine truths and goods, 
whose effect was as described. 
For the angels came from 
the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony, 
which means the inmost of heaven, 
where nothing but truths and goods 
in a Divine and holy state are found (Revelation 15:6).

This is the purging and ultimate end 
spoken of by the Lord when He said:

. . . whoever has, to him more will be given, 
that he may have greater abundance; 
but whoever does not have, 
even what he has will be taken away from him. 
(Matthew 13:12, Mark 4:25)

. . . take the talent from him, 
and give it to him who has ten talents. 
For to everyone who has, 
more will be given, that he may have abundance; 
but from him who does not have, 
even what he has will be taken away from him. 
(Matthew 25:28-29, cf. Luke 19:24-26)

AR 675 - Where Is the Church? Where Is Religion? ** And a Notice **

AR 675 [3]

"The bishops said, 
'What are you saying? 
Does the church not exist where the Word is found? 
Where Christ the Savior is known? 
And where the sacraments are celebrated?'

"To this our spokesman replied, 
'These things embody the church 
and they form the church, 
but they do not form it around a person 
but within a person.'

"Going on then he said, 'As regards the church: 
Can the church exist 
where people worship three gods? 
Can the church exist where its entire doctrine 
rests on a single saying of Paul misinterpreted, 
and so not on the Word? 
Can the church exist 
when people do not turn 
to the Savior of the world, 
and where they divide Him in two?

"'As for religion: 
Who can deny that religion consists 
in refraining from evil and doing good? 
Is there any religion where people are taught 
that faith alone saves, and not charity? 
Is there any religion where people are taught 
that charity emanating from people 
is nothing but moral and civic charity? 
Who does not see that in such charity 
there is no religion? 
Is there any deed or work in faith alone? 
And yet religion consists in doing.

"'In the entire world 
is there any nation having in it some religion
that excludes anything saving from goods of charity, 
which are good works, 
even though everything connected with religion 
consists in goodness, 
and everything connected with the church 
consists in doctrine, 
which ought to teach truths, 
and through truths, goodness?

"'See, church fathers, what glory we would have 
if a church that does not now exist 
and if a religion that does not now exist 
should begin and arise with us.'

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Will be away from my computer for awhile - not sure
how long, maybe a couple of days, maybe a couple 
weeks.

This is a good stopping point - The end of AR's
treatment of Revelation 15.  Am going to pause 
AR during this time and just read Psalms 
and favorites in the Old & New Testaments.

Wishing you all well in your physical and spiritual
journeys!

 

AR 672 - Seven Golden Bowls

AR 672

Then one of the four living creatures gave 
to the seven angels seven golden bowls. 
(Revelation 15:7)

This symbolizes the truths and goods 
by which evils and falsities in the church are exposed, 
drawn from the literal sense of the Word.

The four living creatures, being cherubim, 
symbolize the Word in its outmost expressions, 
and protections to keep its genuine truths and goods 
from being violated . . .. 
And because the interior truths and goods in the Word 
are protected by its literal meaning, 
therefore that meaning of the Word 
is symbolized by one of the four living creatures.

The seven bowls have the same symbolic 
meaning as the seven plagues, 
for the bowls are vessels, 
and vessels in the Word 
have the same symbolic meaning as their contents. 
So for example, a cup has the same symbolic meaning 
as the wine in it, 
and a dish the same symbolic meaning as the food. 
. . . cups, goblets, bowls, plates and saucers 
have the same symbolic meaning as their contents . . ..

 

AR 666, 667 - The Lord's Omnipresence, and He Alone Is God

AR 666

Since the Word is Divine truth, 
and Divine truth enlightens spiritually,
therefore people say 
that Jehovah dictated the Word 
through the agency of the Holy Spirit, 
and that the Holy Spirit 
enlightens a person and instructs him. 
But who does not know that God is omnipresent, 
and that holiness emanates from Him 
and enlightens wherever it is received? 
Who, then, cannot but conclude 
that the Holy Spirit is not God per se, 
distinguishable from Jehovah or the Lord 
as one person is from another, 
but that it is Jehovah Himself or the Lord? 
Anyone who acknowledges 
the Divine omnipresence 
must also acknowledge this.

AR 667

"Therefore all nations 
shall come and worship before You." 
(Revelation 15:4)

This symbolically means 
that people who possess 
the goodness of love and charity
will acknowledge the Lord alone to be God.

All nations symbolize people 
who possess the goodness of love and charity. 
. . . this is the meaning of nations 
in a good sense . . .. 
To come and worship before Him 
means, symbolically, 
to acknowledge the Lord as God, 
and because there is only one God, 
in whom is the Trinity, 
and the Lord is that God, 
it symbolically means 
to acknowledge Him alone to be God.

 

AR 662 - The Song of Moses; AR 663 - The Lord Is Called

AR 662

To sing a new song means 
to joyfully confess from the heart and affection 
that the Lord alone 
is the Savior and Redeemer 
and the God of heaven and earth . . .. 
Here, however, the song is called not a new song, 
but the song of Moses, the servant of God, 
and the song of the Lamb; 
and the song of Moses symbolizes a confession 
springing from a life in accordance with 
the precepts of the Law 
that constitute the Ten Commandments, 
thus from charity, 
while the song of the Lamb 
symbolizes a confession springing from 
a faith in the Divinity of the Lord's humanity. 
For the Lamb means the Lord 
in respect to His Divine humanity, 
while Moses in a broad sense means 
all the law written in his five books, 
and in a strict sense, 
the Law called the Ten Commandments; 
and because this serves people in the way they live, 
the song of Moses is called 
the song of Moses, the servant of God. 
For in the Word a servant means 
someone or something that serves,
 in this case for the way one is to live.

AR 663

. . . the Lord is also called the Lord in the Word 
because of the Divine goodness of His Divine love, 
and God because of the Divine truth 
of His Divine wisdom.

The Lord is called almighty 
because He is, lives, 
and can do all things of Himself, 
and also directs all things from Himself . . ..

So it is that, in a universal sense, 
"Great and marvelous are Your works, 
Lord God Almighty!" means symbolically 
that everything in the world, 
in heaven and in the church 
was created and formed by the Lord 
out of His Divine love 
by means of His Divine wisdom.

 

AR 657 - Seven Angels and the Seven Last Plagues; AR 658 - The Wrath of God

AR 657

Seven angels having the seven last plagues.
(Revelation 15:1)

This symbolizes the evils and falsities 
that exist in the church in its last state 
exposed in their entirety by the Lord.

Seven angels symbolize the whole of heaven. 
However, because heaven is heaven 
owing not to the angels' own inherent qualities, 
but to the Lord, 
therefore the seven angels symbolize the Lord. 
Moreover, only the Lord 
can expose the evils and falsities 
that are present in the church.

. . . John's seeing seven angels 
having the seven last plagues means symbolically 
that the evils and falsities that exist in the church 
and their character in its last state 
were exposed in their entirety by the Lord.

AR 658

The wrath of God symbolizes the evil in people, 
which, because it is in opposition to God, 
is called the wrath of God. 
Not that God is angry at people, 
but that people's evil
causes them to be angry at God.