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258. CHAPTER 4.
1. AFTER this I saw, and, behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard, as it were of a trumpet, speaking with me, said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must come to pass hereafter.
2. And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.
3. And he that sat was in aspect like a jasper and a sardius and there was a rainbow round about the throne in aspect like unto an emerald.
4. And round about the throne were four-and-twenty thrones; and upon the thrones I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in white garments; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6. And before the throne there was a glassy sea like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four animals full of eyes before and behind.
7. And the first animal was like a lion, and the second animal like a calf, and the third animal had a face like a man, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.
8. And the four animals had each by itself six wings round about; and they were full of eyes within; and they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.
9. And when the animals gave glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth unto the ages of the ages)
10. The four-and-twenty elders fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and worshipped him that liveth unto the ages of the ages, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and by thy will they are, and were created.
THE EXPLANATION.
IT was stated above (n. 5), that the subject treated of in this prophetical book is not the successive states of the Christian church from its beginning to its end, as has been hitherto believed, but the state of the church and of heaven in the last times, when there would be a new heaven and a new earth, that is, when there would be a new church formed in the heavens and on earth, thus when judgment takes place. It is said a new church in the heavens, because there is a church there just as on earth (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 221-227). Because these are the subjects treated of in this book, therefore the first chapter treats of the Lord, who is the Judge; and the second and third of those who belong to the church, and of those who do not belong to the church, thus it treats of those who are in the former heaven, which is to be abolished, and of those who are in the new heaven, which is to be formed. (That by the seven churches which are treated of in the second and third chapters, are meant all those who are in the church, and also everything pertaining to the church, may be seen above, n. 256, 257.) The subject now treated of in this fourth chapter is the arrangement of all things, especially in the heavens, before judgment; therefore a throne was now seen in heaven, and round about it twenty-four thrones, upon which were twenty-four elders; also, near the throne, four animals, which are cherubim. That by those things is described the arrangement of all things before the judgment, and for judgment, will be seen in the explanation of this chapter. It should be known that before any change takes place everything is pre-arranged and prepared for the future event; for all things are foreseen by the Lord, and according to this foresight are disposed and provided for. By the throne, therefore, in the midst of heaven is meant judgment, and by Him who sat upon it, the Lord; by the four-and-twenty thrones upon which were four-and-twenty elders, are meant all truths in their whole extent, from which and according to which judgment is. By the four animals, which are cherubim, is meant the Lord's Divine Providence, lest the former heavens should suffer harm by the remarkable change about to take place, and that afterwards everything might be done according to order; that is to say, that those who are interiorly evil might be separated from those who are interiorly good, and the latter be elevated into heaven, but the former cast down to hell.
258. 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunders and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which were the seven spirits of God;
6. And in sight of the throne a glassy sea like crystal. And in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four animals, full of eyes before and behind.
7. And the first animal was like a lion; and the second animal like a calf; and the third animal had a face like a man; and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.
8. And the four animals, each by itself, had six wings around about; and they were full of eyes within; and they had no rest, day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.
9. And when the animals gave the glory and the honor and the thanksgiving to Him that sitteth upon the throne, that liveth unto ages of ages,
10. The four and twenty elders fell down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and worshiped Him that liveth unto ages of ages, and cast down their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and by Thy will they are, and they were created.
EXPOSITION.
It was pointed out above (n. 815:5)) that this prophetical book does not treat of the successive states of the Christian Church from its beginning to its end, as has been believed heretofore, but of the state of the church and of heaven in the last times, when there is to be a new heaven and a new earth, that is, when there is to be a new church in the heavens and on the earth, thus when there is to be a judgment. It is said a new church in the heavens, because the church is there as well as on the earth (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 221-227). As this is the subject of this book, the first chapter treats of the Lord who is the Judge; and the second and third chapters treat of those who are of the church and of those who are not of the church, thus of those in the former heaven which was to be done away with, and of those in the new heaven which was to be formed. That the seven churches treated of in the second and third chapters mean all who are in the church, and also all things of the church, see above (n. 256, 257). This fourth chapter now treats of the arrangement of all things, especially in the heavens, before the judgment; therefore a throne was now seen in heaven, and round about four and twenty thrones upon which were four and twenty elders; so also four animals were near the throne, which were cherubim. That these things described the arrangement of all things before the judgment and for judgment will be seen by the examination of this chapter. Be it known, that before any change takes place all things must be prearranged and prepared for the coming event; for all things are foreseen by the Lord, and disposed and provided for according to what is foreseen. A "throne," therefore, in the midst of heaven means judgment, and "He that sat upon it," the Lord; the "four and twenty thrones upon which were four and twenty elders," mean all truths in the complex, by which and according to which is judgment; "the four animals," which are the cherubim, mean the Lord's Divine Providence that the former heavens should not suffer injury through the notable change about to take place, and that all things should then be done according to order; that is, that those interiorly evil should be separated from those interiorly good, and the latter be raised up into heaven, but the former cast down into hell.
258. CAPUT IV.
1. Post haec vidi, et ecce ostium apertum in caelo: et vox prima quam audivi, tanquam tubae loquentis mecum, dicebat, Ascende huc, et ostendam tibi quae oportet fieri posthac.
2. Et statim factus sum in spiritu; et ecce thronus positus in caelo, et super throno Sedens.
3. Et Sedens erat similis aspectu lapidi jaspidi et sardio, et iris circuitus throni similis aspectu smaragdo.
4. Et circum thronum throni viginti et quatuor, et super thronis vidi viginti et quatuor seniores sedentes, circumamictos vestibus albis, et habebant super capitibus suis coronas aureas.
5. Et e throno prodibant fulgura et tonitrua et voces: et septem lampades ignis ardentes coram throno, quae sunt septem spiritus Dei.
6. Et in conspectu throni mare vitreum simile crystallo. Et in medio throni et circum thronum quatuor Animalia plena oculis ante et retro.
7. Et Animal primum simile leoni; et secundum Animal simile vitulo; et tertium Animal habens faciem sicut homo; et quartum Animal simile aquilae volanti.
8. Et quatuor Animalia, singula per se, habebant alas sex in circuitu, et intus plenae erant oculis, et requiem non habebant die et nocte, dicentia, Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus omnipotens, qui erat et qui est et qui venturus.
9. Et cum dederunt Animalia gloriam et honorem et gratiarum actionem Sedenti super throno, Viventi in saecula saeculorum,
10. Procidebant viginti et quatuor seniores coram Sedente super throno, et adorabant Viventem in saecula saeculorum, et abjiciebant coronas suas coram throno, dicentes,
11. Dignus es, Domine, accipere gloriam et honorem et potestatem, quia Tu creasti Omnia, et per voluntatem tuam sunt et creata sunt.
EXPLICATIO.
Supra (n. 5) indicatum est quod in Libro hoc Prophetico non agatur de successivis statibus Ecclesiae Christianae a principio ejus ad finem, sicut hactenus est creditum, sed quod agatur de statu ecclesiae et caeli temporibus ultimis, quando novum caelum et nova terra, hoc est, quando nova ecclesia in caelis et in terris, ita quando judicium: nova ecclesia in caelis dicitur, quia aeque ecclesia ibi est ac in terris (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 221-227). Quia de illis in hoc libro agitur, ideo in primo capite actum est de Domino qui est Judex; et in secundo et tertio capite de illis qui ab ecclesia et qui non ab ecclesia, ita de illis qui in "priori caelo" sunt quod abolendum, et de illis qui in "novo" quod formandum. Quod per "Septem Ecclesias", de quibus in illis binis capitibus actum est, intelligantur omnes qui in ecclesia, et quoque omnia ecclesiae, videatur mox supra (n. 256 et 257). In hoc quarto capite nunc agitur de ordinatione omnium, praecipue in caelis, ante judicium; propterea thronus in caelo nunc visus est, ac circum illum viginti quatuor throni, super quibus viginti quatuor seniores, tum quatuor Animalia juxta thronum, quae sunt cherubi; quod per illa describatur ordinatio omnium ante judicium et ad judicium, videbitur in hujus capitis explicatione. Sciendum est quod antequam aliqua mutatio existit, omnia praeordinentur et ad futurum eventum praeparentur; nam omnia a Domino praevidentur, et secundum praevidentiam disponuntur et providentur: per "thronum" itaque, in medio caeli, intelligitur judicium; et per "Sedentem super illo" Dominus; per "viginti quatuor thronos" super quibus viginti quatuor seniores, intelliguntur omnia vera in complexu, ex quibus et secundum quae judicium; et per "quatuor Animalia", quae sunt cherubi, intelligitur Divina providentia Domini ne caeli priores per insignem futuram mutationem detrimentum paterentur, utque dein omnia secundum ordinem fierent; nempe ut interius mali separentur ab interius bonis, ac hi in caelum eveherentur, illi autem in infernum dejicerentur.