启示录第七章
全章内容的灵义概要
本章论述那些现在和将来在基督徒天堂中的人：
首先论述他们与恶人的分离（1-3节）；其后，论述那些处于对主之仁爱并由此处于智慧中的人，他们构成较高的天堂（4-8节）；以及论述那些因与恶争战而从主获得仁义及其信仰的人，他们构成较低的天堂（9-17节）。
各节经文内容的灵义概要
1.""此后，我看见四位天使站在地的四角"，象征现在整个天堂正努力施行最后的审判（342节）；"执掌地上四方的风，叫风不吹在地上、海上和树上"，象征主抑制并阻止更近因而更强的流注进入下层，那里善人与恶人混杂在一起（343节）。
2-3. "我又看见另有一位天使，从日出之地上来"，象征主的眷顾和管理（344节）；"拿着永生神的印"，象征唯独他认识所有人和每一个人，并能将他们彼此区分和分离（345节）；"他就向那得着权柄能伤害地和海的四位天使大声喊着说：地与海并树木，你们不可伤害"，象征主抑制并阻止更近更强的流注进入下层（346节）；"等我们印了我们神众仆人的额"，象征直到那些从主获得出于良善的真理之人被分离出来（347节）。
4. "我听见以色列人各支派中受印的数目有十四万四千"，象征所有承认主为天地之神，并从主通过圣言获得出于爱之良善的教义真理之人（348节）；“从以色列众支派中受印的"，象征由他们构成的主的天堂和教会（349节）。
5."犹大支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征属天之爱，即对主之仁爱，以及在新天堂和新教会中所有将拥有这爱的人（350节）；"流便支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征那些将在那里之人出于属天之爱的智慧（351节）；"迦得支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征那些将在那里之人生命的用途，这些用途属于出于那爱的智慧（352节）。
6."亚设支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们的相互之爱（353节）；"拿弗他利支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们对用途的觉察以及为何是用途（354节）；"玛拿西支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们服务的意愿和行为（355节）。
7."西缅支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们的属灵之爱，即对邻舍之爱（356节）；"利未支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们出于良善对真理的情感，由此产生聪明（357节）；"以萨迦支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们生命的良善（358节）。
8."西布伦支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们良善与真理的婚姻之爱（359节）；"约瑟支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们良善与真理的教义（360节）；"便雅悯支派中受印的有一万二千"，象征他们按照教义出于良善的真理生活（361节）。
9."此后我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来"，象征所有其余不在上述所列之中，但仍在主的新天堂和新教会中的人，他们构成最低层天堂和外在教会，其性质除了主以外无人知道（363，364节）；"是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的"，象征基督教界中所有在宗教上出于良善并在教义上处于真理的人（365节）；"站在宝座和羔羊面前"，象征听从主并行他所吩咐的（366节）；"身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝"，象征与较高天堂的交流和联结，以及出于神性真理的认信（367节）。
10."大声喊着说：愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的神，也归与羔羊"，象征发自内心承认主是他们的救主（368节）。
11."众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围"，象征整个天堂中所有听从并行主所吩咐的（369节）。
12."又俯伏在宝座前，敬拜神"，象征他们内心的谦卑，以及出于谦卑对主的敬拜（370节）。"说：阿们"，象征神性真理，以及由此而来的确认（371节）；"颂赞、荣耀、智慧、感谢"，象征主的神性属灵之物（373节）；"尊贵、权能、力量"，象征主的神性属天之物（373节）；"都归与我们的神，直到永永远远"，象征这些在主里面并从主而来直到永远（374节）；"阿们"，象征众人的同意（375节）。
13-14. "长老中有一位问我说：这些穿白衣的是谁？是从哪里来的？我对他说：我主，你知道"，象征想要知道和询问的意愿，以及回答和告知（376节）；"他向我说：这些人是从大患难中出来的"，象征他们是经历试探并与恶和伪争战的人（377节）；"曾洗过自己的衣服"，象征他们洁净了自己宗教中出于伪谬的恶（378节）；"又用羔羊的血把衣服洗白净了"，象征他们通过真理洁净了出于恶的伪谬，从而被主改造（379节）。
15."所以，他们在神宝座前，昼夜在他殿中侍奉他；坐宝座的要用帐幕覆庇他们"，象征他们在主的面前，并在主的教会中持续忠实地按照从主领受的真理生活（380节）。
16."他们不再饥、不再渴"，象征此后他们不再缺乏良善和真理（381节）；"日头和炎热也必不伤害他们"，象征此后他们不再有对恶的欲望，也不再有对恶之伪谬的欲望（382节）。
17."因为宝座中的羔羊必牧养他们"，象征唯独主将教导他们（383节）；"领他们到生命水的泉源"，象征并通过圣言的真理引领他们与他联结（384节）；"神也必擦去他们一切的眼泪"，象征他们不再与恶及其伪谬争战，因而不再处于痛苦中，而是处于良善和真理中，因而从主获得属天的喜乐（385节）。
342、（第一节）"此后，我看见四位天使站在地的四角"象征整个天堂现在正努力在灵界对那些在那里的人施行最后的审判。
接下来许多事情关系到最后审判之前灵界的状态，若不是靠主的启示，无人能知这些事情。因为我蒙恩赐得以看见最后审判是怎样进行的，包括审判前的一些变化以及后续的安排，所以我能说出这一章及接下来各章中各细节的象征意义。
【2】这里的"四位天使"象征整个天堂。"地的四角"象征天堂和地狱之间的整个灵界。最后的审判施行于灵界之人，并非天堂中的任何人，也非地狱中的任何人。
以"天使"来象征天堂，是因为"天使"的至高意义在关于神性人性方面象征主（344节），又因为天堂之为天堂，归因于主，所以也可以用"天使"来象征天堂。
【3】整个天堂在这里以"四位天使"来象征，因为见他们"站在地的四角"，而"四角"象征四个方位。
这些话象征整个天堂如今正努力施行最后的审判，因为当审判临近时，主使诸天接近灵界，诸天的接近使得下面之人心灵的内在成分的状态发生改变，以致他们眼前除了惊恐，看不到别的。
【4】"角"象征方位，因而"四角"象征所有方位，可从下列章节得到证实：
你们要从城外量地，东角量二千肘，南角量二千肘，西角量二千肘，北角量二千肘。（民数记35:5）
你要为帐幕做竖板，为南角做竖板，为北角做竖板。（出埃及记26:18，20，23）
院子的南角，北角，西角和东角。（出埃及记27:9，11-13）
四个方位在以西结书中经常被称为"四角"（以西结书47:18，20，第48章）。
【5】因为"角"象征方位，所以它们也象征一切事物，如天堂或地狱的一切，或良善或真理的一切。关于这一点，可从下列章节看出：
撒但要出来迷惑地上四角的列国。（启示录20:8）
我必剪除列国，它们的角必荒凉。（西番雅书3:6）
以色列人如同一人聚集，全民的角都站立。（士师记20:1，2）
有杖要兴于以色列，必打破摩押的四角。（民数记24:17）
吹角呐喊的日子，要攻击高大的角。（西番雅书1:16）
我要将他们分散到四角。（申命记32:26）
【6】"角"象征支撑上层的最底层，如同支撑房屋的根基，因而也象征一切事物，由下可知：
我在锡安放一块根基的石头，宝贵的房角石。（以赛亚书28:16）
人必不从你那里取石头为房角石。（耶利米书51:26）
房角石必从犹大而出。（撒迦利亚书10:4）
匠人所弃的石头已成了房角的头块石头。（诗篇118:22；马太福音21:42；马可福音12:10；路加福音20:17，18）
揭秘启示录
第七章(342 - 386)
启示录7
1这些事以后，我看见四位天使站在地的四角，执掌地上的四风，使风不吹在地上、海上和任何树上。2我又看见另有一位天使从日出之地上来，拿着永生神的印；他向那得到权柄可以伤害地和海的四位天使大声喊着；3说，你们不可伤害地、海和树木，等我们在我们神众仆人的额上盖了印。4我听见受印的人的数目；以色列各支派中受印的共有十四万四千人5犹大支派中受印的有一万二千，流便支派中受印的有一万二千，迦得支派中受印的有一万二千。6亚设支派中受印的有一万二千，拿弗他利支派中受印的有一万二千，玛拿西支派中受印的有一万二千。7西缅支派中受印的有一万二千，利未支派中受印的有一万二千，以萨迦支派中受印的有一万二千。8西布伦支派中受印的有一万二千，约瑟支派中受印的有一万二千，便雅悯支派中受印的有一万二千。9这些事以后，我观看，见有一大群人，没有人能数得过来，是从各民族、各支派、各人民、各舌头来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白袍，手拿棕榈枝。10大声喊着说，愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的神，也归与羔羊。11众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围，在宝座前伏面敬拜神，12说，阿们：祝福、荣耀、智慧、感谢、尊贵、权能、力量都归与我们的神，直到时代的时代；阿们。13长老中有一位回答我说，这些穿白袍的是谁？他们是从哪里来的？14我对他说，主，你知道。他向我说，这些人是从大苦难中出来的，他们曾用羔羊的血洗他们的袍子，使他们的袍子变得洁白。15所以，他们在神宝座前，昼夜在祂殿中侍奉祂；坐宝座的要住在他们上面。16他们必不再饿，也不再渴；太阳和任何炎热必不临到他们身上。17因为宝座中间的羔羊必牧养他们，领他们到生命的水泉；神必从他们眼上擦去一切眼泪。
灵义
整章内容
本章论述了那些现在和将来在基督天堂里的人；首先论述了他们与恶人的分离(1-3节)；然后论述了那些处于对主之爱，由此处于智慧的人，高层天堂是由他们组成的(4-8节)；又论述了那些处于来自主的仁及其信的人，因为他们与邪恶争战，低层天堂是由他们组成的(9-17节)。
各节内容
启7:1.“这些事以后，我看见四位天使站在地的四角”表示整个天堂现在处于施行最后审判的努力(342节)。“执掌地上的四风，使风不吹在地上、海上和任何树上”表示主阻止并抑制进入善人与恶人结合所在的低层部分或区域的更近、因而更强烈的流注(343节)。
启7:2.“我又看见另有一位天使从日出之地上来”表示主的规定和调节(344节)。“拿着永生神的印”表示唯独祂知道所有人和每个人，能把他们彼此区分开并分离(345节)。
启7:3.“他向那得到权柄可以伤害地和海的四位天使大声喊着(启7:3)，说，你们不可伤害地、海和树木”表示主抑制并阻止进入低层部分或区域的更近、更强烈的流注(346节)。“等我们在我们神众仆人的额上盖了印”表示在那些处于来自主的源于良善的真理之人被分离之前(347节)。
启7:4.“我听见受印的人的数目共有十四万四千人”表示所有承认主是天地之神，并处于通过圣言来自祂的源于爱之良善的教义真理的人(348节)。“以色列各支派中受印的”表示主的天堂和教会由他们形成(349节)。
启7:5.“犹大支派中受印的有一万二千”表示属天之爱，也就是对主之爱，这爱在所有将在新天堂和新教会中的人里面(350节)。“流便支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在那些将在那里的人里面的源于属天之爱的智慧(351节)。“迦得支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在那些将在那里的人里面的生活的功用，这功用属于源于这爱的智慧(352节)。
启7:6.“亚设支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在这些人里面的相爱(353节)。“拿弗他利支派中受印的有一万二千”表示对功用，对何为功用的感知在他们里面(354节)。“玛拿西支派中受印的有一万二千”表示服侍和行动的意愿在他们里面(355节)。
启7:7.“西缅支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的属灵之爱，也就是对邻之爱(356节)。“利未支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的对源于良善的真理的情感，聪明由此而来(357节)。“以萨迦支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的生活良善(358节)。
启7:8.“西布伦支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的良善与真理的婚姻之爱(359)。“约瑟支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的良善与真理的教义(360节)。“便雅悯支派中受印的有一万二千”表示在他们里面的照着教义、源于良善的真理的生活(361节)。
启7:9.“这些事以后，我观看，见有一大群人，没有人能数得过来”表示其余的所有人，他们不属于那些被列举出来的人，却在新天堂和主的新教会中，构成终端天堂和外在教会，没有人知道他们的品质，唯有主知道(363-364节)。“是从各民族、各支派、各人民、各舌头来的”表示在基督教界，所有处于出自良善的某种宗教，并处于出自教义的真理之人(365节)。“站在宝座和羔羊面前”表示听从主，并实行祂所吩咐的事(366节)。“身穿白袍，手拿棕榈枝”表示与高层天堂的交流和结合，以及出于神性真理的称谢(367节)。
启7:10.“大声喊着说，愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的神，也归与羔羊”表示从心里承认主是他们的救主(368节)。
启7:11.“众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围”表示整个天堂的所有人(369节)。“在宝座前伏面敬拜神”表示他们内心的谦卑和出于谦卑对主的崇拜(370节)。
启7:12.“说，阿们”表示神性真理和由此而来的确认(371节)。“祝福、荣耀、智慧、感谢”表示主的神性属灵事物(372节)。“尊贵、权能、力量”表示主的神性属天事物(373节)。“都归与我们的神，直到时代的时代”表示这些事物在主里面，并来自主，直到永远(374节)。“阿们”表示所有人的同意(375节)。
启7:13, 14.“长老中有一位回答我说，这些穿白袍的是谁？他们是从哪里来的？我对他说，主，你知道”表示对知道的渴望和对询问的意愿，以及回答和所给予的教导或信息(376节)。“他向我说，这些人是从大苦难中出来的”表示他们是那些经历过试探，并与邪恶和虚假争战过的人(377节)。“他们曾洗他们的袍子”表示他们将自己的宗教原则或宗教信仰从虚假之邪恶中洁净出来(378节)。“用羔羊的血使他们的袍子变得洁白”表示并通过真理将它们从邪恶之虚假中洁净出来，从而被主改造(379节)。
启7:15.“所以，他们在神宝座前，昼夜在祂殿中侍奉祂；坐宝座的要住在他们中间”表示他们在主面前，照着他们在祂的教会中从祂那里所得到的真理不断忠实地生活(380节)。
启7:16.“他们不再饿，也不再渴”表示从今以后，他们将不缺乏良善和真理(381节)。“日头和任何炎热也必不临到他们身上”表示从今以后，他们必没有对邪恶的欲望，也没有对邪恶之虚假的欲望(382节)。
启7:17.“因为宝座中间的羔羊必牧养他们”表示唯独主将教导他们(383节)。“领他们到生命的水泉”表示并将通过圣言的真理引向与祂自己的结合(384节)。“神必从他们眼上擦去一切眼泪”表示他们将不再处于与邪恶及其虚假的争战，由此不再处于悲伤，而是处于来自主的良善和真理，由此处于天上的喜乐(370节)。
诠释
342、启7:1.“这些事以后，我看见四位天使站在地的四角”表示整个天堂现在处于对那些在灵人界里的人施行最后审判的努力。现在随之而来的许多事都涉及就在最后的审判之前的灵界状态，若不通过来自主的启示，没有人能知道这些事。由于我得以看到最后的审判以哪种方式施行，也看到审判之前的变化和后续的有序安排，所以我能由此讲述包含在这一章和后续几章中的一切细节的含义。
“四位天使”在此表示整个天堂；“地的四角”表示整个灵人界，它在天堂与地狱的中间；因为最后的审判施行的对象是那些在灵人界里的人，而不是天堂里的任何人，也不是地狱里的任何人。“天使”之所以表示天堂，是因为“天使”在至高意义上是指神性人身方面的主(AR 344节)；由于天堂因主而为天堂，所以“天使”也表示天堂。
“四位天使”在此表示整个天堂，因为他们被看见站“在地的四角”，而“四角”表示四个方位。上述这些话之所以表示整个天堂施行最后审判的努力，是因为当审判即将来临时，主使众天堂接近灵人界，通过众天堂的这种靠近，下面的人的心智内层的这种状态变化得以实现，以至于他们只看到他们眼前的恐惧。
“角”(corner，或角落)表示方位，因此，“四角”表示所有方位，这一点从以下经文明显看出来，民数记：
你们要从城外，量向东的角，向南的角，向西的角，向北的角。(民数记35:5)
出埃及记：
你要为居所向南角和北角作板。(出埃及记26:18, 20, 23)
又：
南角、北角、西角和东角的院子。(出埃及记27:9, 11-13)
四个方位在以西结书经常被称为“四角”，如在以西结书47:18-20; 48章。
“角”因表示方位，所以也表示一切事物，如与天堂或地狱有关，或与良善或真理有关的一切事物，这一点从以下经文明显看出来，启示录：
撒但必出来欺骗在地的四角上的列族。(启示录20:8)
西番雅书：
我要剪除列族，他们的角落必荒凉。(西番雅书3:6)
士师记：
以色列聚集起来如同一人，众百姓的角都站立。(士师记20:1, 2)
民数记：
必有一杖从以色列兴起，打碎摩押的四角。(民数记24:17)
西番雅书：
是吹号角拉警报的日子，要攻击高高的角落。(西番雅书1:16)
申命记：
我必将他们扔到最远的角落。(申命记32:26)
“角”(corner，或角落)表示支撑高层事物的终端，就像地基支撑房屋一样，因而也表示一切事物，这一点从以下经文明显看出来，以赛亚书：
祂要在锡安找一块房角石，是稳固根基的宝石。(以赛亚书28:16)
耶利米书：
他们必不取石头为房角。(耶利米书51:26)
撒迦利亚书：
必有一块房角石从犹大而出。(撒迦利亚书10:4)
诗篇：
他们所弃的石头成了房角的头一块。(诗篇118:22; 马太福音21:42; 马可福音12:10; 路加福音20:17, 18)。
342. CHAPTER 7
1. After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3. saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of Israel:
5. of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
11. And all the angels stood around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12. saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14. And I said to him, "Lord, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat;
17. for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
This chapter describes people who are and who will be in the Christian heaven. It describes first their separation from evil people (verses 1-3); after that, those of them who are impelled by love toward the Lord and so by wisdom, of whom the higher heavens consist (verses 4-8); and those who are impelled by charity from the Lord and its accompanying faith because they fought against evils, of whom the lower heavens consist (verses 9-17).
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, | The whole of heaven now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment. |
| holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. | The Lord's holding back and restraining a closer and thus stronger influx into the lower regions where good people were attached to evil ones. |
| 2. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, | The Lord providing and moderating, |
| having the seal of the living God. | who alone knows the character of each and every person, and can distinguish and separate them from each other. |
| And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3. saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees | The Lord's restraining and holding back the closer and stronger influx into the lower regions, |
| till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." | before those people were separated who were governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord. |
| 4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, | All people who acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth and are governed by truths of doctrine springing from the goodness of love, received from Him through the Word. |
| sealed out of every tribe of Israel: | The heaven and the Lord's church formed from them. |
| 5. of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; | Celestial love, which is love toward the Lord, and this in all those people who will be in the New Heaven and in the New Church. |
| of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; | Wisdom springing from celestial love in those people who will be there. |
| of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; | Useful life endeavors, which are the exercises of wisdom springing from that love, in those people who will be there. |
| 6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; | Mutual love in those people. |
| of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; | A perception of useful endeavor, and of what is useful, in those people. |
| of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; | A will to serve and to put into practice in those people. |
| 7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; | Spiritual love, which is love for the neighbor, in those people. |
| of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; | An affection for truth springing from goodness, producing intelligence in those people. |
| of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; | Goodness of life in those people. |
| 8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; | The conjugal love of goodness and truth in those people. |
| of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; | A doctrine of goodness and truth in those people. |
| of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. | A life of truth springing from goodness in accord with doctrine in those people. |
| 9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could number, | All other people who are not among those enumerated and yet are in the New Heaven and the Lord's New Church, who form the lowest heaven and the external church, and whose character is known to the Lord alone. |
| of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, | All in the Christian world who have some religion springing from goodness and are guided by truths from doctrine, |
| standing before the throne and before the Lamb, | listening to the Lord and doing what He commands. |
| clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, | A communication and conjunction with the higher heavens, and a confession springing from Divine truths. |
| 10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" | An acknowledgment from the heart that the Lord is their Savior. |
| 11. And all the angels stood around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures, | All in the whole of heaven listening and doing what the Lord commands. |
| and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, | A humbling of their heart, and in their humility an adoration of the Lord. |
| 12. saying, "Amen! | Divine truth and an affirmation in response to it. |
| Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, | The Lord's spiritual Divine attributes; |
| and honor and power and might, | the Lord's celestial Divine attributes; |
| be to our God forever and ever. | these being in the Lord and emanating from the Lord to eternity. |
| Amen." | The agreement of all. |
| 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" 14. And I said to him, "Lord, you know." | Their desire to know and wish to inquire, and the reply and instruction given. |
| So he said to me, "These are ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, | They are people who have undergone temptations or trials, and have fought against evils and falsities, |
| and have washed their robes | who have cleansed their religious beliefs of the evils accompanying falsity, |
| and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. | and by truths have purified those religious beliefs from the falsities accompanying evil, and so have been reformed by the Lord. |
| 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. | They are in the Lord's presence, and live constantly and faithfully in His church in accordance with the truths that they receive from Him. |
| 16. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; | Hereafter they will not lack goods and truths. |
| neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat; | Hereafter they will not possess lusts for evil, nor for the falsity accompanying evil. |
| 17. for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them | The Lord alone will teach them |
| and lead them to living fountains of waters. | and lead them by the truths in the Word to conjunction with Him. |
| And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." | They will be caught up no longer in battles against evils and the accompanying falsities, and so will no longer experience times of distress, but will be surrounded by goods and truths and thus by heavenly joys emanating from the Lord. |
THE EXPOSITION
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. (7:1) This symbolizes the whole of heaven now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment on the people who were in the world of spirits.
There follows now much concerning the state of the spiritual world just before the Last Judgment, which no one could know without its being revealed by the Lord. And because I have been given to see how the Last Judgment was executed, including the transformations which preceded it and the dispositions following it, I can relate therefore the symbolic meaning of everything in this chapter and in the chapters that follow.
[2] The four angels here symbolize the whole of heaven. The four corners of the earth symbolize the entire world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell. For the Last Judgment was executed on people who were in the world of spirits, and not on anyone in heaven, nor on anyone in hell.
Angels symbolize heaven because an angel in the highest sense means the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (no. 344), and as heaven is heaven owing to the Lord, angels symbolize heaven as well.
[3] The four angels here symbolize the whole of heaven because they were seen standing at the four corners of the earth, and the four corners symbolize the four quarters of the compass.
They symbolize that the whole of heaven was now in an effort to execute the Last Judgment for the reason that when the Last Judgment was at hand, the Lord caused the heavens to draw closer over the world of spirits, and the closeness of the heavens produced such a change in the state of the inner constituents of the people's minds below that they saw nothing but terrors before their eyes.
[4] That corners symbolize quarters of the compass, and thus the four quarters all points, can be seen from the following passages:
You shall measure, outside the city, the corner toward the east..., the corner toward the south..., the corner toward the west..., and the corner toward the north... (Numbers 35:5)
You shall make the boards for the Tabernacle, ...for the south corner..., and for... the north corner... (Exodus 26:18, 20, 23)
And... the court..., for the south corner..., for the north corner..., for the west corner..., and... for the east corner... (Exodus 27:9, 11-13)
[5] The four quarters are also called four corners often in Ezekiel, as in Ezekiel 47:18-20, and 48.
Since corners symbolize the quarters of the compass, they also therefore symbolize everything, such as everything in heaven or in hell, or everything pertaining to goodness or to truth, as is apparent from the following:
(Satan) will go out to lead astray the nations which are at the four corners of the earth... (Revelation 20:8)
I will cut off nations, (and) their corners will be devastated. (Zephaniah 3:6)
...(Israel) gathered together as one man... And the corners of all the people stationed themselves... (Judges 20:1-2)
A scepter shall rise out of Israel, and crush the corners of Moab... (Numbers 24:17)
A day of trumpet and alarm... upon the high corners. (Zephaniah 1:16)
I will cast them into the ends of the corners. (Deuteronomy 32:26)
[6] That a corner symbolizes the lowest component supporting higher ones, as a foundation does a house, and so symbolizes also everything, is apparent from the following:
(He) will lay in Zion a corner stone..., the price of the laying of a foundation. (Isaiah 28:16)
They shall not take from it a stone for a corner... (Jeremiah 51:26)
From (Judah) shall come the corner stone... (Zechariah 10:4)
The stone which (they) rejected has become the corner stone. (Psalms 118:22, Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17-18)
342. THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
1. After these things I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the land, holding back the four winds of the land, so that the wind should not blow upon the land, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree.
2. And I saw another angel coming up from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to harm the land and the sea;
3. Saying, Do no harm to land, or sea, or trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.
4. And I heard the number of them that were sealed (signatorum); a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe of Israel.
5. Out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand sealed.
6. Out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand sealed.
7. Out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand sealed.
8. Out of the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand sealed: out of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
9. After these things I saw, and behold a great crowd, which no one could number, out of every nation and [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
10. And crying with a great voice, saying, Salvation (salus) to our God sitting upon the throne and to the Lamb.
11. And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four animals, and they fell before the throne upon their faces and adored God.
12. Saying, Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honour, and vigour (virtus) and strength, to our God for ages of ages, Amen.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These [people] clothed with white robes, who are they and whence have they come?
14. And I said unto him, Sir (Domine), thou knowest; and he said unto me, They are those who are coming out of great affliction, and have washed their robes, and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. By reason of this they are before the throne of God, and they are serving Him day and night in His temple, and the One sitting upon the throne shall remain over them.
16. They shall not hunger any more, nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne shall feed (pascere) them and conduct them to living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER
In this chapter it treats of those who are and those who will be in the Christian heaven; and first of their separation from the evil (verses 1-3); after that it treats of those who are in love directed to the Lord and thereby in wisdom, out of whom the higher heavens [are formed] (verses 4-8); and of those who are in charity and the faith thereof from the Lord, because they have fought against evils, out of whom the lower heavens [are formed] (verses 9-17).
THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES
1. Afterwards I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the land, signifies the entire heaven now in the effort to effect the last judgment.
Holding back the four winds of the land, so that the wind should not blow upon the land, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree, signifies a nearer and consequently stronger influx into the lower regions where the good were conjoined with the evil, held back and restrained by the Lord.
2. And I saw another angel coming up out of the rising of the sun, signifies the Lord providing and moderating. Having the seal of the living God, signifies Who alone has a knowledge of all [men] and of individuals, and is able to distinguish and separate them each one from the other.
3. And he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to harm the land and the sea, saying, Do no harm to land, or sea, or trees, signifies the restraining and holding back by the Lord of the nearer and stronger influx into the lower regions.
Till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads, signifies before those have been separated who are in truths out of good from the Lord.
4. And I heard the number of them that were sealed (signatorum) a hundred and forty-four thousand, signifies all who acknowledge the Lord as being the God of heaven and earth, and are in truths of doctrine out of the good of love from Him by means of the Word.
Sealed out of every tribe of Israel, signifies The Lord's heaven and Church from those.
5. Out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed, signifies celestial love, which is love directed to the Lord, and this with all who will be in the New Heaven and in the New Church.
Out of the tribe of Reuben 12000 sealed, signifies the wisdom out of celestial love with those who will be there.
Out of the tribe of Gad 2000 sealed, signifies the uses of life, which are of the wisdom out of that love with those who will be there.
6. Out of the tribe of Asher 12000 sealed, signifies mutual love with those.
Out of the tribe of Naphtali 12000 sealed, signifies the perception of uses and of what uses are with those.
Out of the tribe of Manasseh 12000 sealed, signifies the will of being serviceable and of action with those.
7. Out of the tribe of Simeon 12000 sealed, signifies spiritual love which is love towards the neighbour with those.
Out of the tribe of Levi 12000 sealed, signifies the affection of truth out of good which results in intelligence with those.
Out of the tribe of Issachar 12000 sealed, signifies the good of life with those.
8. Out of the tribe of Zebulon 12000 sealed, signifies the conjugial love of good and truth with those. Out of the tribe of Joseph 12000 sealed, signifies the doctrine of good and truth with those. Out of the tribe of Benjamin 12000 sealed, signifies the life of truth out of good in accordance with the doctrine with those.
9. After these things I saw, and behold a great crowd which no one could number, signifies all the rest who are not of those enumerated, and yet are in the New Heaven and in the Lord's New Church, and who make the ultimate heaven and the external Church, of whose quality no one but the Only Lord has knowledge.
Out of every nation and [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, signifies all in Christendom who are in religion out of good, and in truths out of doctrine.
Standing before the throne and before the Lamb, signifies hearing the Lord and doing the things He commands.
Clothed with white robes, and palms in [their] hands, signifies communication and conjunction with the higher heavens, and confession out of Divine truths.
10. And crying with a great voice and saying, Salvation (salus) to our God sitting upon the throne and to the Lamb, signifies acknowledgment from the heart that the Lord is their Saviour.
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four animals, signifies all in the entire heaven.
[And they fell before the throne upon their faces and adored God, signifies the humiliation of their hearts and, as a result of the humiliation, adoration of the Lord.]
12. Saying, Amen, signifies the Divine Truth (Veritas) and confirmation therefrom.
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, signifies the Lord's spiritual Divine things.
And honour and vigour (virtus) and strength, signifies the Lord's celestial Divine things.
To our God for ages of ages, signifies those things in the Lord and from the Lord to eternity.
Amen, signifies the agreement of all.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These [people] clothed with white robes, who are they, and whence have they come?
14. And I said unto him, Sir (Domine), thou knowest, signifies a longing to know, and a will to inquire, and the answer and information.
And he said, They are those who are coming out of great affliction, signifies that they are those who have been in temptations, and have fought against evils and untruths. And have washed their robes, signifies and who have cleansed their religious principles (religiosa) from evils of untruth.
And have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, signifies and have purified them from untruths of evil by means of truths, and so have been reformed by the Lord.
15. By reason of this they are before the throne of God, and are serving Him day and night in His temple, and the One sitting upon the throne shall remain over them, signifies that they are in the presence of the Lord, and are living constantly and faithfully in accordance with the truths that they are receiving from Him in His Church.
16. They shall not hunger any more, nor thirst any more, signifies that henceforth they shall not lack goods and truths.
Neither shall the sun fall upon them nor any heat, signifies that henceforth they shall not have a lusting after evil nor after the untruth of evil.
17. For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne shall feed (pascere) them, signifies that the Only Lord shall teach them. And conduct them to living fountains of waters, signifies and shall lead them by means of the truths of the Word to conjunction with Himself.
And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, signifies that they shall not any more be in fights against evils and the untruths thereof, and so shall not be in sorrows but in goods and truths, and thereby in heavenly joys from the Lord.
THE EXPOSITION
[verse 1] 'Afterwards I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the land' signifies the entire heaven now in the effort to effect the last judgment upon those who were in the world of spirits. Many things now follow concerning the state of the spiritual world just before the last judgment. No one is able to know these things except by means of revelation from the Lord. And because it has been given to me to see how the last judgment has been carried through, and also the changes that have preceded it, and the orderly arrangements that have followed, I am able in consequence to report the things, in this chapter and those that follow, that are signified by all [the statements] therein.
[2] Here, by 'four angels' is signified the entire heaven; by 'the four corners of the land' is signified the entire world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell; for the last judgment was effected on those who were in the world of spirits, but not on any in heaven nor on any in hell. Heaven is signified by 'angels' because by 'angel' in the highest sense is understood the Lord as to the Divine Human (344); and because heaven is heaven from the Lord, by 'angels' heaven is also signified.
[3] The entire heaven is signified by 'four angels' here because they were seen to stand 'upon the four corners of the land,' and, by 'the four corners' the four quarters are signified. It is signified that the entire heaven was now in the effort to effect the last judgment, because the Lord, when the judgment was impending, caused the heavens to draw near over the world of spirits, and by the approach of the heavens there was effected such a change of state of the interiors of the minds with those below that they saw nothing but terrors before their eyes.
[4] That 'corners' signify quarters, and consequently that 'the four corners' signify all the quarters, can be established from the following passages:
You shall measure outside the city, the corner towards the east (ortus), the corner towards the south, the corner towards the west, and the corner towards the north. Numbers 35:5.
Thou shalt make the posts for the dwelling for the corner of the south, and for the corner of the north thereof, Exodus 26:18, 20, 23.
And the court, to the south corner, to the north corner, to the west corner and to the east (oriens) corner, Exodus 27:9, 11-13.
The four quarters are also frequently called 'the four corners' in Ezekiel, as in chapter 47:18-20 and chapter 48.
[5] Since 'corners' signify quarters, therefore they also signify all things, as all things of heaven or of hell, or of good or truth, which is plain from these statements:
Satan shall go forth to lead astray the nations that are at the four corners of the land. Revelation 20:8.
I will cut off the nations, and their corners shall be devastated, Zephaniah 3:6.
Israel was gathered together as one man, and the corners of all the people stood firm, Judges 20:1-2.
A sceptre shall rise out of Israel, that shall wear down the corners of Moab. Numbers 24:17.
A day of the trumpet and of clangour upon the high corners, Zephaniah 1:16.
Into the farthest corners will I cast them out. Deuteronomy 32:26.
[6] That a 'corner' signifies an ultimate that holds up higher things, as the foundation does a house, and thus also signifies all things, is plain from these statements:
He will found in Zion the stone of the corner, of the price of the founding of the foundation. Isaiah 28:16.
And they shall not take of it a stone for the corner. Jeremiah 51:26.
Out of Judah shall be the corner-stone, Zechariah 10:4.
The stone which they rejected is become the head of the corner. Psalms 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17-18.
342. Revelation 7
1. After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.
3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.
4. And I heard the number of them that were sealed; a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe 1of Israel.
5. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand.
7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8. Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9. After these things, I saw, and, behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of every nation, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
10. And crying with a great voice, saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11. And all the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four animals, and fell before the throne on their faces, and adored God.
12. Saying, Amen; blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God, for ages of ages, Amen.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, Who are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Lord, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they that come out of great affliction, and have washed their robes, and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16. They shall not hunger anymore, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
In this chapter it treats of those who are and will be in the Christian heaven; and first of their separation from the evil (verses 1-3); after that, of those who are in love to the Lord and thereby in wisdom, of whom the higher heavens consist (verses 4-8); and of those who are in charity and its faith from the Lord, because they have fought against evils, of whom are the lower heavens (verses 9-17).
The con, (Revelation 7:1) tents of each verse
Verse 1. "After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth," signifies the entire heaven now in the effort to execute the Last Judgment, (342). "Holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree," signifies a withholding and restraining by the Lord, of a nearer and thence more powerful influx into the lower parts, where the good were conjoined with the evil, (343).
Verse 2. "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun," signifies the Lord providing and regulating, (344). "Having the seal of the living God," signifies who alone knows all and each, and can distinguish and separate them one from another, (345). "And he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea (verse 3), saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees," signifies the presenting and withholding by the Lord of a nearer and stronger influx into the lower parts, (346). "Till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads," signifies before they are separated who are in truths from good from the Lord, (347).
Verse 4. "And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand," signifies all who acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and are in truths of doctrine from the good of love, from Him through the Word, (348). "Sealed out of every tribe 2of Israel" signifies the Lord's heaven and church composed of them, (349).
Verse 5. "Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand," signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and this with all who will be in the New Heaven and the New Church, (350). "Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand," signifies wisdom from celestial love, with them who will be there, (351). "Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand," signifies uses of life, which are of wisdom from that love, with those who will be there, (352).
Verse 6. (Revelation 7:6) "Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand," signifies mutual love with them, (353). "Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the perception of use, and what use is with them, (354). "Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand" signifies the will of serving, and of action, with them, (355).
Verse 7. (Revelation 7:7) "Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor, with them, (356). "Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the affection of truth from good, from whence comes intelligence with them, (357). "Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand" signifies the good of life with them, (358).
Verse 8. (Revelation 7:8) "Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the conjugial love of good and truth with them, (359). "Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the doctrine of good and truth with them, (360). "Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the life of truth from good according to doctrine with them, (361).
Verse 9. "After this I saw and behold, a great multitude which no one could number," signifies all the rest who are not of those enumerated, and yet are in the New Heaven and New Church of the Lord, and who constitute the ultimate heaven and the external church, whose quality no one knows but the Lord alone, (363-364). "Of every nation, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues," signifies all in the Christian world, who are in religion from good, and in truths from doctrine, (365). "Standing before the throne and before the Lamb," signifies hearing the Lord and doing the things which He commands, (366). "Clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands," signifies communication and conjunction with the higher heavens, and confession from Divine truths, (367).
Verse 10. "And crying with a great voice, saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb," signifies acknowledgment from the heart that the Lord is their Savior, (368).
Verse 11. "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals," signifies all in the whole heaven 3(369).
Verse 12. "Saying, Amen" signifies Divine verity and confirmation therefrom, (371). "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving," signifies the Divine spiritual things of the Lord, (372). "And honor, and power, and might," signifies the Divine celestial things of the Lord, (373). "Be unto our God for ages of ages," signifies these things in the Lord, and from the Lord to eternity, (374). "Amen," signifies the consent of all, (375).
Verse 13. "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, Who are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?"
Verse 14. "And I said unto him, Lord, thou knowest," signifies the desire of knowing and the will of interrogating, and the answer and information, (376). "And he said unto me, These are they that come out of great affliction," signifies that they are those who have been in temptations, and have fought against evils and falsities, (377). "And have washed their robes," signifies who have cleansed their religious principles from the evils of falsity, (378). "And made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb," signifies, and purified them from the falsities of evil by truths, and thus have been reformed by the Lord, (379[1-7]) verse 15. "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them," signifies that they are in the presence of the Lord, and constantly and faithfully live according to the truths which they receive from Him in His church, (380).
Verse 16. "They shall not hunger any more, neither thirst anymore" signifies that hereafter there shall be no lack of goods and truths with them, (381). "Neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat," signifies that hereafter they shall have no lusts to evil nor to falsity of evil, (382).
Verse 17. "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them," signifies that the Lord alone will teach them, (383). "And shall lead them to living fountains of waters," signifies, and shall lead by truths of the Word to conjunction with Himself, (384). "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes" signifies that they shall no longer be in combats against evils and their falsities, and thereby in grief, but in goods and truths, and thence in heavenly joys from the Lord.
THE EXPLANATION
Verse 1. Afterwards I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, signifies the entire heaven now in the effort to execute the Last Judgment on those who were in the world of spirits. Many things now follow concerning the state of the spiritual world just before the Last Judgment, which no one could know but by revelation from the Lord. And since it has been granted me to see in what manner the Last Judgment was executed, and also the changes which preceded it, and the arrangements which followed; I am thereby enabled to relate the signification of all the particulars contained in this and the following chapters.
[2] By "the four angels" is here signified the entire heaven; by "the four corners of the earth" is signified the entire world of spirits, which is in the midst between heaven and hell; for the Last Judgment was executed on those who were in the world of spirits, but not on anyone in heaven, nor anyone in hell. The reason why "the angels" signify heaven is because "an angel," in the highest sense, means the Lord as to the Divine Human, (344); and as heaven is heaven from the Lord, by "the angels" is also signified heaven.
[3] "The four angels" here signify the entire heaven, because they were seen "standing on the four corners of the earth," and by the "four corners" are signified the four quarters. The reason why the above words signify the effort of the entire heaven to execute the Last Judgment is because the Lord, when the judgment was at hand, caused the heavens to draw near over the world of spirits, and by this approach of the heavens, such a change of state in the interiors of the minds of those who were below, was effected, that they saw nothing but terrors before their eyes.
[4] That "corners" signify quarters, and thence "the four corners" all quarters, may appear from the following passages:
Ye shall measure without the city, the corner towards the east, the corner towards the south, the corner towards the west, and the corner towards the north, (Numbers 35:5).
Thou shalt make the boards for the habitation for the corner of the south, and for the corner of the north, (Exodus 26:18, 20, 23).
And a court for the corner of the south, for the corner of the north, for the corner of the west, and for the corner of the east, (Exodus 27:9, 11-13).
The four quarters are also called "the four corners" frequently in Ezekiel, as in chapters 47:8-20; 48:1-30.
[5] Because "corners" signify quarters, therefore they also signify all things, as all things relating to heaven or hell, or of good or truth, as is plain from these passages:
Satan shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, (Revelation 20:8).
I have cut off the nations, and their corners are devastated, (Zephaniah 3:6).
Israel was gathered together as one man, and the corners of all the people stood up, (Judges 20:1-2).
A scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall break in pieces the corners of Moab, (Numbers 24:17).
A day of trumpet and alarm and upon the high corners, (Zephaniah 1:16).
I will cast them out into the farthest corners, (Deuteronomy 32:26).
[6] That "a corner" signifies the ultimate which sustains things higher, as the foundation does a house, and thus also all things, appears from these passages:
He will found in Zion a cornerstone, a precious established foundation, (Isaiah 28:16).
And they shall not take of that stone for a corner, (Jeremiah 51:26).
From Judah shall be a cornerstone, (Zechariah 10:4).
The stone which they rejected is become the head of the corner, (Psalms 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17-18).
Footnotes:
1. The original Latin omits "of the sons."
2. The original Latin omits "o, (Revelation 7:1) f the sons."
3. The original Latin omits "And they fell down before the throne upon their faces, and adored God." It is explained in the chapter, (370).
342. CAPUT VII.
POST haec vidi quatuor Angelos stantes super quatuor angulis terrae, retinentes quatuor ventos terrae, ut non flaret ventus super terram, neque super mare, neque super ullam arborem.
2. Et vidi alium Angelum ascendentem ab ortu solis, habentem sigillum Dei vivi; et clamavit voce magna quatuor Angelis, quibus datum est damno afficere terram et mare.
3. Dicens, Ne damno afficiatis terram, neque mare, neque arbores, usque dum signaverimus servos Dei nostri super frontibus illorum.
4. Et audivi numerum signatorum; centum quadraginta quatuor millia signati ex omni tribu (filiorum) Israelis.
5. Ex tribu Jehudae duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Rubenis duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Gadis duodecim millia signati.
6. Ex tribu Ascheris duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Naphtali duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Menassis duodecim millia signati.
7. Ex tribu Simeonis duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Levi duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Isascharis duodecim millia signati.
8. Ex tribu Sebulonis duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Josephi duodecim millia signati: ex tribu Benjaminis duodecim millia signati.
9. Post haec vidi, et ecce turba multa, quam numerare nemo poterat, ex omni gente et tribubus et populis et linguis, stantes coram Throno et coram Agno, induti stolis albis, et palmae in manibus illorum.
10. Et clamantes voce magna, dicentes, Solus Deo nostro sedenti super Throno et Agno.
11. Et omnes Angeli stabant circum Thronum, et Seniores et quatuor Animalia, et ceciderunt coram Throno super facies suas et adoraverunt Deum.
12. Dicentes, Amen, benedictio et gloria et sapientia et gratiarum actio, et honor, et virtus et robur, Deo nostro in saecula saeculorum; amen.
13. Et respondit unus ex Senioribus, dicens mihi, Hi induti stolis albis quinam sunt, et unde Venerunt;
14. Et dixi illi, Domine, tu nostri; et dixit mihi, Hi sunt qui veniunt ex afflictione magna, et laverunt stolas suas, et dealbaverunt stolas suas in sanguine Agni.
15. Propter hoc sunt coram Throno Dei, et serviunt Ipsi die et nocte in Templo Ipsius, et Sedens super Throno habitabit super illis.
16. Non esurient amplius, nec sitient amplius, neque cadet super illos sol, neque ullus aestus.
17. Quoniam Agnus Qui in medio Throni, pascet eos, et deducet eos ad vivos fontes aquarum, et absterget Deus omnem lachrymam ab Oculis illorum.
SENSUS SPIRITUALIS.
CONTENTUM TOTIUS CAPITIS.
IN HOC CAPITE AGITUR DE ILLIS QUI SUNT ET QUI ERUNT IN CAELO CHRISTIANO:
ET PRIMUM DE SEPARATIONE ILLORUM A MALIS (vers. 1-3);
POST HANC, DE ILLIS QUI IN AMORE IN DOMINUM SUNT ET INDE IN SAPIENTIA, EX QUIBUS SUPERIORES CAELI (vers. 4-8);
DEQUE ILLIS QUI IN CHARITATE ET EJUS FIDE A DOMINO SUNT, QUIA PUGNARUNT CONTRA MALA, EX QUIBUS INFERIORES CAELI (vers. 9-17).
CONTENTA 1SINGULORUM VERSUUM.
1."Postea vidi quatuor Angelos stantes super quatuor angulis terrae," significat nunc universum Caelum in conatu ad faciendum Ultimum Judicium (342); "retinentes quatuor ventos terrae ut non flaret ventus super terram, neque super mare neque super ullam arborem," significat influxum propiorem et inde fortiorem in inferiora, ubi boni conjuncti erant malis, a Domino retentum et inhibitum (343).
2,3. "Et vidi alium Angelum ascendentem ex ortu Solis," significat Dominum providentem et moderantem (344); "habentem sigillum Dei vivi," significat Qui unice cognoscit omnes et singulos, et illos a se invicem potest distinguere et separare (345); "et clamavit voce magna quatuor angelis, quibus datum est damno afficere terram et mare, dicens, Ne damno afficiatis terram, neque mare, neque arbores," significat a Domino inhibitionem et retentionem influxus propioris et fortioris in inferiora (346); "usque dum signaverimus servos Dei nostri super frontibus illorum," significat antequam separati sunt qui in veris ex bono a Domino sunt (347).
4. "Et audivi numerum signatorum centum quadraginta quatuor millia, significat omnes qui Dominum pro Deo Caeli et Terrae agnoscunt, et in veris Doctrinae ex bono amoris ab Ipso per Verbum sunt (348); "signati ex omni Tribu (filiorum) Israelis," significat Caelum et Ecclesiam Domini ab illis (349).
5. "Ex tribu Jehudae duodecim millia signati," significat Amorem caelestem, qui est Amor in Dominum, et hunc apud omnes qui in Novo Caelo et in Nova Ecclesia erunt (350); "ex tribu Rubenis duodecim millia signati," significat Sapientiam ex amore Caelesti, apud illos qui ibi erunt (351); "ex tribu Gadis duodecim millia signati," significat Usus vitae, qui sunt sapientiae ex illo amore, apud illos qui ibi erunt (352).
6. "Ex tribu Ascheris duodecim millia signati," significat Amorem mutuum, apud illos (353); "ex tribu Naphtali duodecim millia signati," significat Perceptionem usus et quia usus, apud illos (354); "ex tribu Menassis duodecim millia signati," significat Voluntatem inserviendi et Actus, apud illos (355).
7. "Ex tribu Simeonis duodecim millia signati," significat Amorem spiritualem, qui est Amor erga proximum, apud illos (356); "ex tribu Levi duodecim millia signati," significat Affectionem veri ex bono ex quo intelligentia, apud illos (357); "ex tribu Isascharis duodecim millia signati," significat Bonum vitae, apud illos (358).
8. "Ex tribu Sebulonis duodecim millia signati," significat Amorem conjugialem boni et veri, apud illos (359); "ex tribu Josephi duodecim millia signati," significat Doctrinam boni et veri, apud illos (360); "ex tribu Benjaminis duodecim millia signati," significat Vitam veri ex bono secundum doctrinam, apud illos (361).
9. Post haec vidi, et ecce turba multa, quam numerare nemo poterat," significat omnes reliquos qui non ex recensitis sunt, et tamen in Novo Caelo et in Nova Ecclesia Domini sunt, et sunt qui Caelum ultimum et Ecclesiam externam faciunt, quorum quale nemo cognoscit quam Solus Dominus (363, 364); "ex omni gente et tribubus et populis et linguis," significat omnes in Christiano Orbe, qui in religione ex bono sunt et in veris ex doctrina (365); "stantes coram Throno et coram Agno," significat audientes Dominum et facientes quae praecipit (366); "induti stolis albis et palmae in manibus (illorum)," significat Communicationem et Conjunctionem cum Caelis superioribus, et confessionem ex Divinis veris (367).
10. "Et clamantes voce magna et dicentes, Salus Deo nostro sedenti super Throno et Agno," significat Agnitionem ex corde quod Dominus sit Salvator illorum (368).
11. "Et omnes Angeli stabant circum Thronum, et Seniores et quatuor Animalia," significat omnes in universo Caelo(, audientes et facientes quae Dominus praecipit) (369); ("et ceciderunt coram Throno super facies suas, et adoraverunt Deum," significat humiliationem Cordis eorum, et ex humiliatione adorationem Domini) (370).
12. "Dicentes, Amen," significat Divinam Veritatem, et ex illa confirmationem (371); "benedictio et gloria et sapientia et gratiarum actio," significat Divina Spiritualia Domini (373); et honor et virtus et robur," significat Divina Caelestia Domini (373); "Deo nostro in saecula saeculorum," significat illa in Domino et a Domino in aeternum (374); "Amen," significat consensum omnium (375).
13, 14. "Et respondit unus ex Senioribus, dicens mihi, Hi induti stolis albis quinam sunt, et unde venerunt; et dixi illi, Domine, tu nosti," significat desiderium sciendi et voluntatem interrogandi, ac responsum et informationem (376).; "et dixit, hi sunt qui veniunt ex afflictione magna," significat quod sint qui in tentationibus fuerunt, et pugnarunt contra mala et falsa (377); "et laverunt stolas suas," significat et qui mundaverunt religiosa sua a malis falsi (378); "et dealbaverunt stolas suas in sanguine Agni," significat et purificaverunt illa a falsis mali per vera, et sic a Domino reformati sunt (379).
15. "Propter hoc 2sunt coram Throno Dei, et serviunt Ipsi die et nocte in Templo Ipsius, et Sedens super Throno habitabit super illis," significat in praesentia Domini sint, ac constanter et fideliter vivant secundum vera quae recipiunt ab Ipso in Ecclesia Ipsius (380).
16. "Non esurient amplius nec sitient amplius," significat quod posthac non deficient illis bona et vera (381); "neque cadet super illos sol neque ullus aestus," significat quod posthac illis non concupiscentiae ad malum neque ad falsum mali (382).
17. "Quoniam Agnus Qui in medio Throni pascet illos," significat quod Solus Dominus illos docebit (383); "et deducet ad vivos fontes aquarum," significat et ducet per vera Verbi ad conjunctionem Secum (384); "et absterget Deus omnem lachrymam a oculis eorum," significat quod non amplius in pugnis contra mala et eorum falsa, et sic non in doloribus erunt, sed in bonis et veris, et inde in gaudiis caelestibus a Domine (385).
EXPLICATIO.
(Vers. 1.) "Postea vidi quatuor Angelos stantes super quatuor angulis terrae," significat nunc universum Caelum in conatu ad faciendum Ultimum Judicium - super illos qui in Mundo spirituum erant. Sequuntur nunc plura de statu mundi spiritualis proximo ante Ultimum Judicium, quae nemo scire potest nisi per revelationem a Domino; et quia mihi datum est videre quomodo Ultimum Judicium peractum est, et quoque mutationes quae praecesserunt, et ordinationes quae secutae sunt, possum inde referre, quae in hoc capite et quae in sequentibus per omnia ibi significantur. Hic per "quatuor Angelos" significatur Universum Caelum; per "quatuor angulos terrae" significatur Universus Mundus spirituum, qui inter Caelum et Infernum medius est; super illos enim qui in Mundo spirituum erant, factum est Ultimum Judicium, non autem super aliquem in Caelo, nec super aliquem in Inferno: quod per "Angelos" significetur Caelum, est quia per "Angelum" in supremo Sensu intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum (344), et quia Caelum est Caelum a Domino, per "Angelos" etiam significatur Caelum: quod per "quatuor Angelos" hic significetur universum Caelum, est quia visi sunt "stare super quatuor angulis terrae;" et per "quatuor angulos" significantur quatuor plagae. Quod significetur quod universum Caelum nunc in conatu ad faciendum Ultimum Judicium esset, est quia Dominus, cum instabat Judicium, fecit appropinquare Caelos super Mundum spirituum, et per appropinquationem Caelorum facta est talis mutatio status interiorum quae mentis sunt apud illos qui infra, ut non viderint nisi terrores coram oculis. Quod "anguli" significent plagas, et inde "quatuor anguli" omnes plagas constare potest a sequentibus locis:
"Metiemini extra urbem, Angulum versus ortum, Angulum versus meridiem, Angulum versus occidentem, et Angulum versus septentrionem," (Numeri 35:5);
"Facies asseres pro Habitaculo pro Angulo meridiei, et pro Angulo septentrionis ejus," (Exodus 26:18, 20, 23);
"Et Atrium ad Angulum meridiei, ad Angulum septentrionis, ad Angulum occidentis, et ad Angulum orientis," (Exodus 27:9, 11-13);
Quatuor Plagae etiam vocantur "quatuor Anguli" saepius apud Ezechielem (ut 47:18, 20; 48).
Quoniam "anguli" significant plagas, ideo etiam significant omnia, prout omnia Caeli aut Inferni, seu boni aut veri, quod patet ab his:
Satanas "exibit ad seducendum gentes quae in quatuor Angulis terrae," (Apocalypsis 20:8);
"Exscindam gentes, et devastabuntur Anguli earum," (Zephanias 3:6);
"Congregatus est Israel ut vir unus, et constiterunt Anguli omnis populi," (Judicum 20:1-2); 3
"Surget sceptrum ex Israele, quod conteret Angulos Moabi," (Numeri 24:17);
"Dies buccinae et clangoris super Angulos altos," (Zephanias 1:16);
"In extremos Angulos ejiciam illos," (Deuteronomius 32:26).
Quod "angulus" significet ultimum quod sustentat superiora, sicut fundamentum domum, et sic quoque omnia, patet ex his:
"Fundabit in Sione lapidem Anguli, pretii fundationis fundatae, (Esajas 28:16); 4
"Non sument ex eo lapidem pro Angulo," (Jeremias 51:26); 5
"Ex Jehudah erit Lapis Angularis," (Sacharias 10:4);
"Lapis quem rejecerunt factus est in caput Anguli," (Psalm 118:22; 6Matthaeus 21:42; Marcus 12:10; 7Luca 20:17-18).
Footnotes:
1. CONTENTA pro "CONTENTUM"
2. hoc pro "haec"
3. 1, 2 pro "1"
4. xxviii. pro "xxxviii."
5. 26 pro "16"
6. 22 pro "21"
7. xii. pro "xiii."