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593. And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven.- That this signifies the Lord as to the Word, in this case, as to its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter, is evident from the signification of a strong angel, as denoting the Lord as to the Word, of which we shall speak presently. The reason why it denotes the Lord as to the Word in its ultimate sense, called the sense of the letter, is, that from that sense the Lord is called strong, for all the strength, and all the power of Divine Truth, exist and consist in its ultimate, consequently in the sense of the letter of the Word, of which also we shall speak presently.
[2] Because the sense of the letter of the Word is here meant, therefore it is said of the angel that he was seen coming down out of heaven, the same being said of the Word, which is Divine Truth; for this descends from the Lord through the heavens into the world, on which account it is adapted to the wisdom of the angels in the three heavens, and also to men in the natural world. For this reason the Word in the first origin of all is wholly Divine, afterwards celestial, then spiritual, and lastly natural. It is celestial for the angels of the inmost or third heaven, who are called celestial angels, spiritual for the angels of the second or middle heaven, who are called spiritual angels, and celestial-natural and spiritual-natural for the angels of the ultimate or first heaven, who are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural angels, and natural for men in the world; for men, while they live in the material body, think and speak naturally.
This is the reason why the angels of each heaven possess the Word, but with a difference according to the degree of their wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge (scientia); and although it differs as to its sense in each heaven, still it is the same Word. For when the Divine itself, which is in the Word from the Lord, descends to the inmost or third heaven, it becomes celestial Divine; when it descends from this to the middle or second heaven, it becomes spiritual Divine; and when from this heaven it descends to the ultimate or first, it becomes celestial-natural or spiritual-natural Divine; and when it descends thence into the world, it becomes the natural Divine Word, such as it is with us in the letter. These successive derivations of the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord Himself, exist from correspondences established from creation itself between things higher and lower, on which subject, the Lord willing, more will be said elsewhere.
[3] The reason why all strength and all power are in the ultimates of Divine Truth, that is in the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, is, that this sense is the containant of all the interior senses, namely, of the spiritual and celestial, spoken of above; and since it is the containant, it is also the base, and all strength is in the base; for if things higher do not rest upon their base, they fall down and are scattered. Such would be the case with spiritual and celestial things if they did not rest upon the natural or literal sense of the Word, for this not only sustains the interior senses, but also contains them, therefore the Word or Divine Truth, in this sense, is not only in its power, but also in its fulness. But upon this subject more may be seen above; namely, that strength is in the ultimate, because the Divine there is in its fulness (n. 346, 567). It is also further explained in the Arcana Coelestia that interior things successively flow into exterior, even into the extreme or ultimate, and that therein they co-exist (n. 643, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216); that they not only flow in successively, but also form in their ultimate what is simultaneous; in what order (n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099); that therefore strength and power are in the ultimates (n. 9836); that consequently responses and revelations are given in ultimates (n. 9905, 10548); that therefore the ultimate is more holy than the interiors (n. 9824).
[4] From these things, it also follows, that everything of the doctrine of the church ought to be formed and confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, and that all the power of doctrine is therefrom (see above, n. 356); this is the reason why the angel coming down out of heaven is called strong. That an angel in the Word, in the highest sense, means the Lord, in the respective sense (sensu respectivo), every recipient of Divine Truth from the Lord, and in an abstract sense, Divine Truth itself, may be seen above (n. 130, 302); here therefore the angel means the Lord as to the Word, because the Word is the Divine Truth itself. That the Lord Himself is here meant by the angel, is evident from a similar representation of Him as to His face, and feet, in the first chapter of this book, where it is said of the Son of man, who is the Lord, that "his countenance shone as the sun in his strength, and that his feet were like unto burnished brass, as if they burned in a furnace" (ver. 15, 16).
593. Verse 1. And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, signifies the Lord as to the Word, here as to its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter. This is evident from the signification of a "strong angel," as being the Lord as to the Word (of which presently); it means as to the Word in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter, because it is from that sense that the Lord is called "strong," for all the strength and all the power of Divine truth exist and consist in its ultimate, consequently in the sense of the letter of the Word (of which also presently).
[2] Because it is the sense of the letter of the Word that is meant, therefore it is said that the angel was seen "coming down out of heaven." The like is said of the Word, which is the Divine truth; this comes down from the Lord through the heavens into the world, consequently it is adapted to the wisdom of the angels who are in the three heavens, and is also adapted to men who are in the natural world. For this reason the Word in its first origin of all is wholly Divine, afterward celestial, then spiritual, and lastly natural; it is celestial for the angels of the inmost or third heaven, who are called celestial angels, it is spiritual for the angels of the second or middle heaven who are called spiritual angels, and it is celestial-natural and spiritual-natural for the angels of the ultimate or first heaven who are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural angels, and it is natural for men in the world; for so long as men live in a material body they think and speak naturally. This then is why the Word is with the angels of each heaven, but with a difference according to the degrees of their wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge [scientia]; and although it differs in its sense in each heaven, still it is the same Word, because it is the Divine itself, which is in the Word from the Lord that becomes Divine celestial when it comes down to the inmost or third heaven, and becomes Divine spiritual when it comes down therefrom to the middle or second heaven, and becomes Divine celestial-natural or spiritual-natural when it comes down from that heaven to the ultimate or first heaven, and when it comes down therefrom into the world becomes a Divine natural Word, such as it is with us in the letter. These successive derivations of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord Himself exist by virtue of correspondences, established from creation itself, between things higher and lower, respecting which, the Lord willing, more will be said hereafter.
[3] All strength and all power are in the ultimates of Divine truth, thus in the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, because this sense is the containant of all the interior senses, that is, of the spiritual and celestial (spoken of above); and as it is the containant it is also the base, and in the base lies strength itself. For if higher things do not rest upon their base they fall and are scattered. So would it be if the spiritual and celestial things of the Word did not rest upon its natural or literal sense, for this not only sustains the interior senses, but also contains them, consequently the Word or Divine truth is not only in its power, but also in its fullness in this sense. (But on this subject more may be seen above; namely, that strength is in the ultimate, because the Divine is there in its fullness, n. Revelation 1:15, 16).
593. [Vers. 1.] "Et vidi alium angelum fortem descendentem e caelo." - Quod significet Dominum quoad Verbum, hic quoad sensum ejus ultimum qui vocatur sensus litterae, constat ex significatione "angeli fortis", quod sit Dominus quoad Verbum (de qua sequitur); quod sit quoad Verbum in sensu ejus ultimo, qui vocatur sensus litterae, est quia Dominus ex illo dicitur "fortis", nam omne robur et omnis potentia Divini Veri existit et consistit in ejus ultimo, proinde in Verbi sensu litterae (de qua re etiam sequitur).
[2] Quia intelligitur sensus litterae Verbi, ideo dicitur de angelo quod visus sit "descendere e caelo": simile dicitur de Verbo quod est Divinum Verum; hoc a Domino per caelos in mundum descendit; quapropter adaequatum est sapientiae angelorum qui in tribus caelis, et quoque adaequatum est hominibus qui in naturali mundo: inde est quod Verbum in omnium sua prima origine sit prorsus Divinum, dein caeleste, tum spirituale, et denique naturale; caeleste pro angelis intimi seu tertii caeli qui angeli vocantur caelestes, spirituale pro angelis secundi seu medii caeli qui angeli vocantur spirituales, ac caeleste et spirituale naturale pro angelis ultimi seu primi caeli qui angeli vocantur caelestes et spirituales naturales, ac naturale pro hominibus in mundo; nam homines, quamdiu in corpore materiali vivunt, cogitant et loquuntur naturaliter. Inde nunc est quod Verbum detur apud angelos cujusvis caeli, sed cum differentia secundum gradus sapientiae, intelligentiae et scientiae eorum; et tametsi quoad sensum in singulis caelis differt, usque est idem Verbum; quoniam ipsum Divinum, quod a Domino inest Verbo, cum descendit ad caelum intimum seu tertium fit Divinum caeleste, cum inde descendit ad caelum medium seu secundum fit Divinum spirituale, cumque ab hoc caelo ad ultimum seu primum fit Divinum caeleste aut spirituale naturale; et cum exinde descendit in mundum fit Verbum Divinum naturale, quale est apud nos in littera. Hae successivae derivationes Divini Veri, procedentis ab Ipso Domino, existunt ex constabilitis ab ipsa creatione correspondentiiS inter superiora et inferiora, de qua re alibi plura, volente Domino.
[3] Quod omne robur et omnis potentia insit ultimis Divini Veri, ita sensui naturali Verbi qui est sensus litterae, est quia hic sensus est continens omnium sensuum interiorum, nempe spiritualium et caelestium (de quibus supra); et quia est continens, etiam est basis, et in basi est ipsum robur: nam superiora si non innituntur suae basi, decidunt et dilabuntur; similiter si spiritualia et caelestia non inniterentur sensui naturali seu litterali Verbi, hic enim non modo sustinet sensus interiores, sed etiam continet illos; quapropter Verbum seu Divinum Verum in hoc sensu non solum est in sua potentia, sed etiam in suo pleno. (At plura de hac re videantur supra; nempe, Quod robur sit in ultimo, quia Divinum ibi est in suo pleno, supra, n. 346, 567. Quod interiora successive influant in exteriora, usque in extremum seu ultimum, et quod ibi coexistant, in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 634, 6239, 6465, 1
9215, 9216. Quod non modo successive influant, sed etiam forment in suo ultimo simultaneum; quo ordine, n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099. Quod inde in ultimis sit robur at potentia, n. 9836. Quod inde in ultimis responsa et revelata, n. 9905, 10548. Quod inde ultimum prae interioribus sit sanctum, n. 9824.) Ex his etiam sequitur quod omne doctrinae ecclesiae formari et confirmari debeat ex sensu litterali Verbi, et quod inde etiam doctrinae sit potentia (de qua re videatur supra, n. 356). Ex hac causa est quod "angelus descendens e caelo" dicatur "fortis." Quod per "angelum" in Verbo in sensu supremo intelligatur Dominus, in sensu respectivo omnis recipiens Divini Veri a Domino, ac in sensu abstracto ipsum Divinum Verum, videatur supra (n. 130, 302); hic itaque per "angelum" intelligitur Dominus quoad Verbum, quia Verbum est ipsum Divinum Verum. Quod Ipse Dominus hic per "angelum" intelligatur, constare potest ex simili repraesentatione Ipsius Domini quoad faciem et quoad pedes, in primo capite hujus Libri; ubi de "Filio hominis", qui est Dominus, ita dicitur,
Quod facies Ipsius fulserit sicut Sol in sua potentia, et quod pedes Ipsius essent similes chalcolibano in camino igniti (vers. 15, 16).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.