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687. And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God upon their thrones.- That this signifies the higher heavens in light and power from the Lord to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment, which is shortly to come, is evident from the signification of the four and twenty elders, as denoting the higher heavens (concerning which see above, n. 322, 362, 462); and from the signification of sitting upon thrones, as denoting to be in the act of judging, for thrones signify the heavens, and sitting upon thrones signifies to judge. And because the angels of heaven do not judge, but the Lord alone, and since the Lord arranges those heavens by influx and presence in order to perform judgment therefrom upon those who have been gathered together below the heavens, therefore these words signify that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment.
[2] That this is the internal sense of these words is clear from what follows in this chapter, and also from what has been said above upon this subject. From the things that follow in this chapter it is plain that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord; this is the reason why they fell upon their faces and adored the Lord, and gave thanks that He had taken His great power and entered upon the kingdom, and why afterwards, the temple was opened in heaven, and the ark of the covenant was seen in the temple, this signifying the light there, and the former signifying the power there, from the Lord alone. It is also plain that it means to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment, for it is said that "the nations were angered, and that Thine anger is come, and the time of judging the dead"; and afterwards, that there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail, which signifies the separation of the evil from the good, and the sign that the Last Judgment was at hand. Because these are the things treated of, and as the four and twenty elders sitting before God upon the thrones mean the higher heavens arranged for effecting therefrom the Last Judgment, it follows that such things are involved in these words.
[3] From what has been said above upon this subject it is clear that the higher heavens, before the Last Judgment, were brought into a state of light and power, in order that there might be influx from them into the lower parts, by means of which the evil might be separated from the good, and the evil afterwards cast down into the hells, as may be seen above (n. 411, 413, 418, 419, 426, 493, 497, 674, 675, 676).
[4] That a throne signifies in general heaven, and in particular the heavens where the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is, and in an abstract sense, the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and that this is said of judgment, may also be seen above (n. 253, 297, 343, 460, 482). It is also shewn there, that although it is said of the four and twenty elders that they sat upon thrones, and similarly of the apostles that they should sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, and also of the angels, that they will come with the Lord to judgment, yet it is the Lord alone who will judge. For the four and twenty elders, the twelve apostles, and the angels, mean all the truths of the church, and, briefly, the Divine Truth, from which judgment takes place. And because Divine Truth is meant by these, and all Divine Truth proceeds from the Lord, therefore judgment belongs to the Lord alone. Who cannot see that it would not be possible for any angel to judge myriads of myriads, every one according to the state of his love and faith, both in his internal man and in his external, but for the Lord alone, from the Divine which is in Him, and which proceeds from Him; also, that to judge all in the heavens, and all in the earths, belongs to infinite wisdom and infinite power, not the least part of which falls to finite beings such as angels are, and such as the elders of Israel, and the apostles of the Lord were? All of these taken together, could not judge even a single man or a single spirit. For he who is to judge must see all the states of the man who is to be judged, from infancy to the end of his life in the world, and the future state of his life afterwards to eternity; for in the entire purpose, and thence in each and every particular of judgment, there must be what is eternal and infinite, and this is in and from the Divine alone, for it is the Divine that is infinite and eternal.
[5] In the Word mention is made of walking before God, of standing before God, and, as here, of sitting before God; what standing before God signifies may be seen above (n. 414); and what by walking before God (n. 97). What sitting before God signifies, as here in reference to the four and twenty elders, is evident from the passages in the Word where to sit is mentioned. For in the spiritual world everything pertaining to man's movements or rest signifies things pertaining to his life, because they proceed therefrom. Walking and progressions relate to the movements of man, and consequently signify progress of life, or progress of the thought from a purpose of the will. But standing and sitting have reference to man's rest, and therefore signify the esse of life, from which is its existere, thus they signify causing to live. Therefore to sit upon thrones, in reference to judgment, signifies to be in the act of judging, thus also to judge; from this the expression "to sit in judgment" is used, which means to execute judgment. So "to sit upon a throne" in reference to a kingdom signifies to be king or to reign.
[6] What sitting moreover signifies, in the spiritual sense, is evident from the following passages.
In David:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, and standeth not in the way of sinners, and sitteth not in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1).
Here it is said, to walk, to stand, and to sit, because these follow one another, for to walk pertains to the life of thought from intention, to stand pertains to the life of intention from the will, and to sit to the life of the will, thus to the esse of the life. Counsel also, of which to walk is said, regards the thought; way, in which one is said to stand, regards intention, while to sit in a seat refers to the will, which is the esse of a man's life.
[7] Since Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is the very esse of the life of all, therefore to sit is said of Him.
In David:
"Jehovah shall sit to eternity" (34, 288, 345, 678).
[8] In the Evangelists;
"David said in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet" (Luke 20:42, 43; Mark 12:36; Psalm 110:1).
The Lord said to my Lord, signifies the Divine itself, which is called the Father, to the Divine Human, which is the Son. Sit Thou at My right hand, signifies Divine Power, or Omnipotence by means of Divine Truth; until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet, signifies until the hells are conquered and subjugated, and the evil are cast into them, enemies meaning the hells, thus the evil, and the footstool of the feet signifies the lowest region under the heavens, under which are the hells; for the Lord, while in the world, was Divine Truth, to which belongs omnipotence, and by means of which He conquered and subjugated the hells.
[9] In the same:
"Jesus said, Henceforth shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61, 62; Luke 22:69).
To sit on the right hand of power signifies the Divine Omnipotence of the Lord over the heavens and over the earths, after He had subjugated the hells and glorified His Human. To come on the clouds of heaven signifies by means of Divine Truth in the heavens; for after the Lord had united His Human with the Divine itself, Divine Truth went forth from Him; and He Himself is therein with angels and with men, because He is in the Word, which is Divine Truth, in which and from which is the Divine Omnipotence.
[10] And again:
"The Lord, after he had spoken with them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19).
To sit down at the right hand of God has a similar signification, namely, His Divine Omnipotence by means of Divine Truth; from which it is clear that to sit denotes to be, and to sit at the right hand denotes to be omnipotent.
Because to sit signifies to be, therefore to sit upon a throne signifies to be king and to reign, as in Exodus 11:5; Deuteronomy 17:18; 1 Kings 1:13, 17, 20; Jeremiah 17:25; 22:2, 30; and elsewhere; similarly, "To sit on the right hand and on the left" (Matthew 20:21, 23; Mark 10:37, 40).
[11] In Isaiah:
"Come down and sit upon the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel, sit on the earth, there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans; sit in silence and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for they shall no more call thee mistress of kingdoms; hear this thou voluptuous one, that sittest carelessly, saying, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know bereavement" (47:1, 5, 8).
The subject treated of here is the profanation of good and truth; for the daughter of Babel signifies the profanation of good, and the daughter of the Chaldeans the profanation of truth; for the reason that the Divine goods and truths which are in the Word and from the Word, are used as the means of gaining dominion. For this reason the Babylonians and Chaldeans regard themselves, that is their own dominion, as ends, and the holy things of the church from the Word as means; thus they do not look to the Lord and His dominion as an end, nor to their neighbour and to love towards him. Come down and sit upon the dust and on the earth, signifies to be in evils, and in consequent damnation. Sit in silence and go into darkness, signifies to be in falsities, and in consequent damnation. To sit carelessly signifies to be in the confident belief that their dominion will continue, and that they will not perish. Not to sit as a widow, and not to know bereavement, signifies to be in no lack of followers, dependents, and worshippers. There is no throne for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans, they shall no more call thee mistress of kingdoms, signifies that such shall no longer have dominion because of their overthrow and damnation in the day of the Last Judgment, of which this chapter treats.
[12] In the same:
"Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, on the sides of the north" (14:13).
These things also are spoken of Babel, who is here called Lucifer, and of the lust of his profane love of ruling over all things of heaven; but what in particular is meant by exalting a throne above the stars of God, and by sitting on the mount of assembly and on the sides of the north, will be shown in the following pages when Babylon is treated of; here also to sit signifies to be, and has reference to dominion.
[13] In Ezekiel:
"All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones; they shall sit upon the earth" (26:16):
This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church as to the knowledges of truth, but here the church vastated, in which these knowledges have been falsified; therefore by all the princes of the sea coming down from their thrones is signified that knowledges of truth shall no more reign in the men of that church, for all sovereignty belongs to Divine Truth. To come down from the thrones signifies from governing, thus not to rule; and the princes of the sea denote the knowledges of truth, and those who are in them. They shall sit upon the earth signifies that they will be in falsifications, thus in falsities; upon thrones signifies to be in the truths of heaven, and to sit upon the earth signifies to be in falsities, since under the lands (sub terris) in the spiritual world are the hells, from which evils and falsities are continually exhaling. The signification of sitting in the following passages is similar.
[14] In Luke:
"Who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (1:79).
In Isaiah:
"To open the blind eyes, to lead the bound out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house" (42:7)
In Jeremiah:
"I sat not in the council of mockers, and I rejoiced; I sat solitary because of thy hand, for thou hast filled me with indignation" (15:17).
In David:
"I have not sat with men of vanity, nor have I gone in with the hidden" (Psalm 26:4).
In Luke:
That day "shall come as a snare upon all who sit upon the faces of the whole earth" (21:35).
Since to sit signifies to be and also to abide in one state, and pertains to the will, it is therefore said in David,
"Jehovah, thou hast searched me and known me; thou knowest my sitting and my rising, thou understandest my thought afar off" (Psalm 139:1, 2).
To know his sitting has reference to the esse of life which is the will; rising, has reference to the intention therefrom; and because thought follows from the intention of the will, it is added, "Thou understandest my thought afar off."
[15] In Micah:
"Then shall he stand and feed in the name of Jehovah, and they shall sit, for now shall he increase unto the ends of the earth" (5:4).
This is said of the Lord and of the doctrine of Divine Truth from Him, which is meant by then shall he stand and feed in the name of Jehovah; and that the men of the church will be in that doctrine is signified by they shall sit; and that the doctrine of Divine Truth will endure to eternity is signified by he shall increase unto the ends of the earth.
[16] Similarly in Isaiah:
"Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit, O Jerusalem, loose the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion" (52:2).
This is said of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that church, together with its doctrine, is here signified by Jerusalem, and by the daughter of Zion; to reject falsities and evils and to be in truths and goods is signified by shaking herself from the dust, arising and sitting, also by loose the bands of the neck, O captive daughter of Zion, bands of the neck signifying falsities, that prevent the entrance of truths.
[17] That to sit is an expression significative of the existence and permanence of the state of an object and of life, is evident from those passages in the Word where the expressions to sit before Jehovah, to stand before Him, and to walk before Him, occur. To sit before Jehovah denotes to be with Him, thus also to will and to act from Him; and to stand before Him denotes to have regard for and to understand what He wills; while to walk before Him denotes to live according to His precepts, thus from Him. Because to sit involves such things, therefore the corresponding Hebrew word signifies to remain and to dwell. Because to sit has this signification, therefore an angel of the Lord was seen sitting upon the stone, which he had rolled away from the entrance to the tomb (Matthew 28:2); and also angels were seen in the tomb, sitting one at the head, and the other at the feet (John 20:12; Mark 16:5). The things that were seen were representative of the Lord's glorification and of introduction into heaven by Him; for the stone which was placed before the sepulchre, and was rolled away by the angel, signifies Divine Truth, consequently the Word, which was closed by the Jews, but opened by the Lord. That stone signifies truth, and, in the highest sense, Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 20:26; 21:2),
687. Verse 16. And the twenty-four elders who sit before God upon their thrones, signifies the higher heavens in light and power from the Lord to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment which is to come shortly. This is evident from the signification of "the twenty-four elders," as being the higher heaven (See above, n. 322, 362, 462); and also from the signification of "to sit upon thrones," that it is to be in the work of judging, for "thrones" signify the heavens, and "to sit upon thrones" signifies to judge. Since the angels of heaven do not judge, but the Lord alone, and since the Lord arranges those heavens by His influx and presence for effecting judgment therefrom upon those who have been gathered together below the heavens, therefore these words signify that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord, to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment.
[2] That this is the internal sense of these words is evident from what follows in this chapter, also from what has been said above on this subject. From what follows in this chapter it is evident that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord, for this is why "they fell upon their faces and worshipped the Lord, and gave thanks that He had taken His great power and entered upon the kingdom," and afterwards "the temple was opened in heaven, and there was seen in the temple the ark of the covenant," this signifying the light there, and the former signifying the power there, from the Lord alone. It is also clear that it means to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment, for it is said that "the nations were angered, and Thy anger is come, and the time of the dead to be judged;" and afterwards that "there were lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail," which signifies the separation of the evil from the good, and is a sign of the presence of the Last Judgment. As these are the things treated of, and as "the twenty-four elders sitting before God upon the thrones" mean the higher heavens arranged for effecting therefrom the Last Judgment, it follows that all this is what is involved in these words.
[3] From what has been said above upon this subject, it is evident that the higher heavens before the Last Judgment were brought into a state of light and power, that there might be effected influx from them into the lower parts, whereby the evil might be separated from the good and the evil finally cast down into hell (See above, n. 411, 413, 418, 419, 426, 493, 497, 674, 675, 676).
[4] That a "throne" signifies heaven in general, and in particular the heavens where the Lord's spiritual kingdom is, and in an abstract sense Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and that it is predicated of judgment, may also be seen above (n. 253, 297, 343, 460, 482), where it is also shown that although it is said that the twenty-four elders "sat upon thrones," likewise that "the apostles would sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel," and also that "angels would come with the Lord to judgment," yet it is the Lord alone who will judge, for "the twenty-four elders," "the twelve apostles," and the "angels," mean all the truths of the church, and in brief, the Divine truth from which is judgment. And as by these Divine truth is meant, and all Divine truth proceeds from the Lord, therefore judgment belongs to the Lord alone. Who cannot see that to judge myriads of myriads, each one according to the state of his love and faith both in his internal and in his external man, would be impossible for any angel, and would be possible only for the Lord from the Divine that is in Him and that proceeds from Him; also that to judge all in the heavens and in the earths belongs to infinite wisdom and infinite power, not the least part of which falls to finite beings such as the angels are, and such as the elders of Israel and the apostles of the Lord were? These taken together would not be able to judge even a single man or a single spirit. For he who is to judge must see every state of the man who is to be judged from infancy to the end of his life in the world, and afterward what the state of his life is to be to eternity. For in every view and in each and every particular of judgment, there must be what is eternal and infinite, and that is in the Divine alone, and from the Divine alone, because it is infinite and eternal.
[5] The expressions "to walk before God," "to stand before God," and as here "to sit before God," are used in the Word; what "to stand before God" signifies may be seen above (n. 414); and what "to walk before God" signifies n. 97. What "to sit before God" signifies, as here in reference to "the twenty-four elders," can be seen from passages in the Word where the expression "to sit" occurs. For in the spiritual world all things that pertain to man's movement or rest signify the things pertaining to his life, because they proceed from his life. Walking and journeying pertain to man's movements, and thence signify progression of life, or progression of the thought from an intention of the will; but standing and sitting pertain to man's rest, and thence signify the being [esse] of life, from which is its existence [existere]; thus they signify making to live. Therefore "to sit upon thrones," in reference to judgment, signifies to be in the function of judging, thence also to judge; from which comes the expression "to sit in judgment," which means to execute judgment. So "to sit upon a throne," when concerning a kingdom, signifies to be a king or to reign.
[6] What further is signified by "to sit" in the spiritual sense, can be seen from the following passages. In David:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, and standeth not in the ways of sinners, and sitteth not in the seat of scoffers (Psalms 1:1).
Here the expressions "to walk," "to stand," and "to sit," are used as following one another, for "to walk" pertains to the life of thought from intention, "to stand" to the life of the intention from the will, and "to sit" to the life of the will, thus it is life's being [esse]. Moreover, "counsel," of which "walking" is predicated, has respect to thought, "way," of which "standing" is predicated, has respect to the intention, and "to sit in a seat" has respect to the will, which is the being [esse] of man's life.
[7] As Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is the very being [esse] of everyone's life, therefore He is said "to sit." In David:
Jehovah shall sit to eternity (33, 288, 345, 678).
[8] In the Gospels:
David said in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet (Luke 20:42, 43; Mark 12:36; Psalms 110:1).
"The Lord said to my Lord" signifies the Divine Itself, which is called the Father, to the Divine Human, which is the Son; "Sit Thou at My right hand" signifies Divine power, or omnipotence through Divine truth; "until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet" signifies until the hells are overcome and subjugated, and the evil are cast into them, "enemies" being the hells, and thus the evil, and "footstool of the feet" signifies the lowest region under the heavens, beneath which are the hells; for while the Lord was in the world He was the Divine truth, which is omnipotent, and by means of which He conquered and subdued the hells.
[9] In the same:
Jesus said, Henceforth shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61, 62; Luke 22:69).
"To sit at the right hand of power" signifies the Lord's Divine omnipotence over the heavens and over the earths, after He had subjugated the hells and glorified His Human; "to come upon the clouds of heaven" signifies by means of Divine truth in the heavens; for after the Lord united His Human to the Divine Itself, then Divine truth proceeds from Him, and He Himself with angels and with men is in Divine truth, because He is in the Word, which is Divine truth, in which and from which is Divine omnipotence.
[10] And again:
The Lord, after He had spoken with them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
"To sit at the right hand of God" has a like signification, namely, His Divine omnipotence by means of Divine truth. From this it is evident that "to sit" means to be, and "to sit at the right hand" means to be omnipotent. As "to sit" signifies to be, so "to sit upon a throne" signifies to be a king and to reign (Exodus 11:5; Deuteronomy 17:18; 1 Kings 1:13, 17, 20; Jeremiah 17:25; 22:2, 30; and elsewhere). Likewise:
To sit at the right hand and at the left (Matthew 20:21, 23; Mark 10:37, 40).
[11] In Isaiah:
Come down and sit upon the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the earth, there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans. Sit thou in silence and enter into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for they shall no longer call thee the mistress of kingdoms. Hear this, thou voluptuous one, that sittest securely, saying, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know bereavement (Isaiah 47:1, 5, 8).
This treats of the profanation of good and truth; for "daughter of Babylon" signifies the profanation of good, and "daughter of the Chaldeans" the profanation of truth; both for the reason that Divine goods and truths, which are in the Word and from the Word, are employed as means of gaining dominion; whence those who are "Babylonians and Chaldeans" regard themselves, that is, their own dominion, as ends, and the holy things of the church from the Word as means; thus they do not look to the Lord and His dominion, nor the neighbor and love towards the neighbor as the end. "Come down and sit upon the dust and on the earth" signifies to be in evils, and thence in damnation. "Sit thou in silence and enter into darkness" signifies to be in falsities, and thence in damnation. "To sit securely" signifies to be confident that their dominion will endure, and that they will not perish; "not to sit as a widow, and not to know bereavement," signifies to have no lack of followers, dependents, and worshipers; "there is no throne for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans, they shall no longer call thee the mistress of kingdoms," signifies that they shall no longer have dominion, because of their overthrow and damnation in the day of the Last Judgment (of which this chapter also treats).
[12] In the same:
Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of meeting, on the sides of the north (Isaiah 14:13).
This, too, is said of Babylon, which is here called "Lucifer," and of the lust of its profane love of ruling over all things of heaven. But what is meant in particular by "exalting the throne above the stars of God, and sitting on the mount of meeting and on the sides of the north," will be told in what follows, where Babylon will be treated of; here also "to sit" signifies to be, and has respect to dominion.
[13] In Ezekiel:
All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, they shall sit upon the earth (Ezekiel 26:16).
This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth, but here of the church vastated, in which these knowledges are then falsified; therefore "all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones" signifies that the knowledges of truth shall reign no more with the men of that church, for all sovereignty belongs to Divine truth; "to come down from thrones" signifies from governing, and thus to cease to rule, and "princes of the sea" mean the knowledges of truth, and those who are in them. "They shall sit upon the earth" signifies that they will be in falsifications, thus in falsities; "upon thrones" signifies to be in the truths of heaven, but "to sit upon the earth" signifies to be in falsities, since under the lands in the spiritual world are the hells, from which evils and falsities are continually exhaling.
[14] "To sit" has a like signification in the following passages. In Luke:
Who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death (Luke 1:79).
In Isaiah:
To open the blind eyes, to lead him that is bound out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house (Isaiah 42:7).
In Jeremiah:
I sat not in the council of mockers, and I rejoiced; I sat solitary because of Thy hand, for thou hast filled me with indignation (Jeremiah 15:17).
In David:
I have not sat with men of vanity, nor have I gone in with the hidden (Psalms 26:4).
In Luke:
That day shall come as a snare upon all that sit upon the face of the whole earth (Luke 21:35).
Since "to sit" signifies to be, and also to continue in one state and pertains to the will, it is said in David:
O Jehovah, Thou hast searched me and known me; Thou knowest my sitting and my rising, Thou understandest my thought afar off (Psalms 139:1, 2).
"To know his sitting" has reference to the being [esse] of one's life, which is the will, "rising" has reference to intention therefrom; and as thought follows from the intention of the will it is added, "Thou understandest my thought afar off."
[15] In Micah:
Then shall he stand and feed in the name 1of Jehovah; and they shall sit, for now shall he increase unto the ends of the earth (Mic. Micah 5:4).
This is said of the Lord and of the doctrine of Divine truth from Him, which is meant by "Then shall he stand and feed in the name of Jehovah;" that men of the church will be in that doctrine is signified by "they shall sit;" and that the doctrine of Divine truth will endure to eternity is signified by "he shall increase unto the ends of the earth."
[16] Likewise in Isaiah:
Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion (Isaiah 52:2).
This is said of the establishment of a New Church by the Lord; that church with its doctrine is here signified by "Jerusalem" and "the daughter of Zion;" to reject falsities and evils and to be in truths and goods is signified by "shaking herself from the dust, arising, and sitting," also by "loose the bands of the neck, O captive daughter of Zion," "bands of the neck" signifying falsities that prevent the entrance of truths.
[17] That "to sit" is an expression significative of the being and permanence of state of a thing and of life, can be seen from those passages in the Word where the expressions "to sit before Jehovah," "to stand before Him," and "to sit 2before Him" are used. "To sit before Jehovah" means to be with Him, thus to will and to act from Him; "to stand before Him" means to have regard for and to understand what He wills; and "to walk before Him" means to live according to His precepts, thus from Him. As such things are involved in "to sit," therefore the corresponding word in Hebrew means to remain and to dwell.
[18] Because of this signification of "to sit":
An angel of the Lord was seen sitting upon the stone which he had rolled away from the entrance to the tomb (417, 3and in the work on Judges 20:26; 21:2.)
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "strength," as also found in 482; Arcana Coelestia 5201, 9422.
2. The Latin has here "sit," probably for "walk," as this is found immediately below.
3. The Latin for "above, n. 417," etc., has "Heaven and Hell, 417, 534."
687. [Vers. 16.] "Et viginti et quatuor seniores, qui coram Deo sedentes super thronis suis." - 1
Quod significet caelos superiores in luce et potentia a Domino ad separandum malos a bonis ante diem ultimi judicii brevi venturum, constat ex significatione "viginti et quatuor seniorum", quod sint caeli superiores (de qua supra, n. 2
322, 362, 462); et ex significatione "sedere super thronis", quod sit esse in opere ad judicandum, nam per "thronos" significantur caeli, ac per "sedere super thronis" significatur judicare; et quia angeli caeli non judicant, sed solus Dominus, et quia Dominus disponit illos caelos per influxum et praesentiam ad faciendum inde judicium super illos qui infra caelos congregati sunt, ideo per illa verba significatur quod superiores caeli in luce et potentia sint a Domino ad separandum malos a bonis ante diem ultimi judicii.
[2] Quod hic sensus internus illorum verborum sit, constat ex illis quae in hoc capite sequuntur, tum ex illis quae de hac re supra dicta sunt. Ex illis quae in hoc capite sequuntur, patet quod caeli superiores in luce et potentia sint a Domino, nam propterea "ceciderunt super facies suas et adoraverunt Dominum, et gratias egerunt quod adeptus sit potentiam suam magnam et quod inierit regnum", et postea quod "apertum sit templum in caelo, ac visa sit arca foederis in templo"; per haec significatur lux ibi, et per priora potentia ibi a solo Domino: quod sit ad separandum malos a bonis ante diem ultimi judicii, etiam patet, nam dicitur quod "gentes iratae sint", et quod "veniat ira tua, et tempus mortuos judicandi"; et dein quod "facta sint fulgura et voces et tonitrua et terrae motus et grando magna", per quae significatur separatio malorum a bonis, ac signum praesentiae ultimi judicii; quia haec sunt de quibus agitur, et quia per "viginti et quatuor seniores sedentes coram Deo super thronis" intelliguntur caeli superiores dispositi ad faciendum inde ultimum judicium, sequitur quod illa verba involvant talia quae dicta sunt.
[3] Ex illis quae de hac re supra dicta sunt, patet quod caeli superiores ante ultimum judicium missi sint in statum lucis et potentiae, ut ex illis influxus fieret in inferiora, per quem separarentur mali a bonis, et dein mali dejicerentur in inferna (videatur supra, n. 411 [a] 413 [a] 418 [a] 419 [a] , 426, 493, 497, 674, 675 [a] , 676).
[4] Quod "thronus" significet in genere caelum, in specie caelos ubi regnum spirituale Domini, et abstracte Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, et quod dicatur de judicio, videatur etiam supra (n. 253, 297, 3
343, 460, 482); et ibi etiam quod tametsi dicitur de viginti et quatuor senioribus quod "sederent super thronis", similiter de apostolis quod "sederent super duodecim thronis judicantes duodecim tribus Israelis", et quoque de angelis quod "venturi cum Domino ad judicium", usque solus Dominus judicaturus sit; nam per "viginti et quatuor seniores", per "duodecim apostolos", et per "angelos", intelliguntur omnia vera ecclesiae, et in summa Divinum Verum, ex quo judicium: et quia Divinum Verum per illos intelligitur, et omne Divinum Verum procedit a Domino, ideo est soli Domino judicium. Quis non videre potest quod judicare myriades myriadum, quemvis secundum statum amoris et fidei ejus, tam in interno homine quam in externo ejus, non possint aliqui angeli, sed solum potest Dominus ex Divino quod est in Ipso et quod procedit ab Ipso? tum quod judicare omnes in caelis et in terris sit infinitae sapientiae et infinitae potentiae, quae ne quidem ad minimam partem cadit in entia finita, qualia sunt angeli, ac fuerunt seniores Israelis et apostoli Domini? Hi simul sumpti ne quidem judicare unum hominem aut unum spiritum possunt; nam qui judicaturus est, videbit omnem statum hominis qui judicandus est ab infantia ad ultimum vitae ejus in mundo, ac postea statum vitae ejus futurum in aeternum; erit enim aeternum et infinitum in omni visu et inde in omnibus et singulis judicii, quod in solo et ex solo Divino est, quia id infinitum et aeternum.
[5] Dicitur in Verbo "ambulare coram Deo", "stare coram Deo", et "sedere coram Deo", ut hic; quid per "stare coram Deo" significatur, videatur supra (n. 414); et quid per "ambulare coram Deo" (n. 97); quid per "sedere coram Deo", ut hic de "viginti quatuor senioribus" dicitur, constare potest ex locis in Verbo ubi "sedere" legitur; nam in mundo spirituali omnia quae sunt motus et quae sunt quietis hominis significant illa quae vitae hominis sunt, quia inde procedunt: ambulationes et profectiones sunt motus hominis, et inde significant progressionem vitae, seu progressionem cogitationis ex intentione voluntatis; at stationes et sessiones sunt quietis hominis, et inde significant esse vitae ex quo existere ejus, ita facere ut vivat; quare "sedere super thronis", cum de judicio, significat esse in opere ad judicandum, proinde etiam judicare; inde dicitur "sedere judicium" quod est facere judicium; tum "sedere super throno", cum de regno, significat esse rex seu regnare.
[6] Quid praeterea "sedere" in spirituali sensu significat, constare potest a sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Beatus vir qui non ambulat in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stat, et in sede irrisorum non sedet" (Psalms 1:1):
hic "ambulare", "stare" et "sedere" dicitur, quia unum sequitur alterum; "ambulare" enim est vitae cogitationis ex intentione, "stare" est vitae intentionis ex voluntate, ac "sedere" est vitae voluntatis, ita est esse vitae; etiam "consilium", de quo dicitur "ambulare", spectat cogitationem, "via" in qua dicitur "stare" spectat intentionem, ac "sedere in sede" voluntatem quae est esse vitae hominis.
[7] Quoniam Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, est ipsum Esse vitae omnium, ideo de Ipso dicitur "sedere": - Apud Davidem,
"Jehovah in aeternum sedebit" (Psalms 9:8 [B.A. 7]);
apud eundem,
"Jehovah ad diluvium sedet, et sedet Rex in aeternum" (Psalms 29:10);
apud eundem,
"Regnat Deus super gentes, Deus sedet super throno sanctitatis suae" (Psalms 47:9 [B.A. 8] .);
apud Matthaeum,
"Quando venerit Filius hominis in gloria sua, et omnes sancti angeli cum Ipso, tunc sedebit super throno gloriae suae" (25:31);
"sedere super throno gloriae suae" significat in Divino suo Vero esse, ex quo judicium: similiter alibi apud eundem,
"Quando sedebit Filius hominis super throno gloriae suae, sedebitis etiam vos super duodecim thronis, judicantes duodecim tribus Israelis" (19:28 4
; Luca 22:30):
quoniam per "angelos", tum per "duodecim apostolos", et quoque per "duodecim tribus Israelis", significantur omnia vera ecclesiae, et in supremo sensu Divinum Verum, ideo [per] "sedere super thronis" non intelligitur quod ipsi sessuri sint, sed quod Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, ex quo judicium; et per "judicare duodecim tribus Israelis" significatur judicare omnes secundum vera ecclesiae suae: inde patet, quod [per] "sedere super throno", cum de Domino, significetur esse judicans, ita judicare; "thronus gloriae" dicitur, quia "gloria" significat Divinum Verum (videatur supra, n. 5
[8] Apud Evangelistas,
"David dixit in Libro Psalmorum, Dixit Dominus Domino meo, Sede a dextris meis, donec posuero inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum" ( 6
Luca 20:42, 43; Marcus 12:36; Psalms 110:1):
"Dixit Dominus Domino meo", significat Ipsum Divinum quod "Pater" vocatur, ad Divinum Humanum quod "Filius": "Sede a dextris meis", significat Divinam potentiam seu omnipotentiam per Divinum Verum: "donec posuero inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum" significat usque dum victa et subjugata sunt inferna, et mali illuc conjecti; "inimici" sunt inferna, proinde mali, et "scabellum pedum" significat infimam regionem sub caelis, sub qua sunt inferna; nam Dominus dum in mundo erat, fuit Divinum Verum, cui omnipotentia est, et per quod inferna vicit et subjugavit.
[9] Apud eosdem,
Jesus dixit, "Ex nunc videbitis Filium hominis sedentem ex dextris potentiae, et venientem super nubibus caeli" (Matthaeus 26:63, 64; Marcus 14:61, 62; Luca 22:69):
"sedere a dextris potentiae" significat Divinam omnipotentiam Domini super caelos et super terras, postquam subjugavit inferna et glorificavit Humanum suum: "venire super nubibus caeli" significat per Divinum Verum in caelis; nam postquam Dominus univit Humanum suum ipsi Divino, tunc Divinum Verum procedit ab Ipso, ac Ipse apud angelos et apud homines in illo est, quia in Verbo, quod est Divinum Verum, in quo et ex quo est Divina omnipotentia.
[10] Et postea,
"Dominus, postquam locutus est cum illis, sublatus est in caelum, et consedit ex dextris Dei" (Marcus 16:19):
"sedere ex dextris Dei" simile significat, nempe Divinam Ipsius omnipotentiam per Divinum Verum: ex quibus patet quod "sedere" sit esse, et "sedere a dextris" sit esse omnipotens.
Quia "sedere" significat esse, inde "sedere super throno" significat esse rex et regnare (Ut Exodus 11:5; Deuteronomius 17:18:1 Regnum 1:13, 17, 20; Jeremias 17:25; 22:2, 30: et alibi);
pariter
"Sedere a dextris et a sinistris" (Matthaeus 20:21, 23; Marcus 10:37, 40).
[11] Apud Esaiam,
"Descende et sede super pulvere, virgo filia Babelis, sede in terra, non thronus, filia Chaldaeorum; .... sede in silentio, et intra in tenebras, filia Chaldaeorum; quia non amplius vocabunt te dominam regnorum: audi hoc, delicata, sedens secure, dicens Non sedebo vidua, nec cognoscam orbitatem" (47:1, 5, 8):
agitur hic de profanatione boni et veri; nam per "filiam Babelis" significatur profanatio boni, ac per "filiam Chaldaeorum" profanatio veri, utraque ex eo, quod Divinis bonis ac veris, quae in Verbo et ex Verbo, utantur pro mediis imperandi; unde ipsi Babylonici et Chaldaei spectant se, quia imperium suum, ut fines, et sancta ecclesiae ex Verbo ut media; ita non spectant Dominum, et non Ipsius dominium, ut finem, nec proximum et amorem erga illum: "Descende et sede super pulvere et in terra" significat esse in malis et inde in damnatione: "Sede in silentio et intra in tenebras" significat esse in falsis et inde in damnatione: "sedere secure" significat esse in fiducia quod imperium illorum permansurum sit, et quod illi non perituri; "non sedere vidua, et non cognoscere orbitatem", significat quod non defecturi asseclae, clientes et adoratores: "non thronus tibi, filia Chaldaeorum, non amplius vocabunt te dominam regnorum", significat quod non amplius imperium illis, quia subversio et damnatio illis die ultimi judicii (de quo etiam in eo capite agitur).
[12] Apud eundem,
"Tu dixisti corde tuo, Caelos ascendam, super stellas Dei exaltabo thronum meum, et sedebo in monte conventus, in lateribus septentrionis" (14:13):
etiam haec de Babele, quae ibi vocatur "Lucifer", et dicta sunt de ejus profani amoris concupiscentia dominandi Super omnia caeli: quid autem in specie intelligitur per "exaltare thronum super stellas Dei", perque "sedere in monte conventus, et in lateribus septentrionis", dicetur in sequentibus, ubi de Babylonia agendum est; ibi "sedere" etiam significat esse, et spectat imperium.
[13] Apud Ezechielem,
"Descendent desuper thronis suis omnes principes maris, .... super terra sedebunt" (26:16):
ibi de Tyro, per quam significatur ecclesia quoad cognitiones veri; hic eadem vastata, in qua tunc illae cognitiones falsificatae sunt: quare per "descendere de thronis omnes principes maris" significatur quod non amplius cognitiones veri apud homines illius ecclesiae regnaturae sint, nam omne regnum est Divini Veri; "descendere de thronis" significat de regimine, ita non regnare, ac "principes maris" sunt cognitiones veri, et ii qui in illis: "Super terra sedebunt" significat quod in falsificatis, ita in falsis erunt; "super thronis" significat in veris caeli esse, at "sedere super terra" significat in falsis esse, quoniam sub terris in mundo spirituali sunt inferna ex quibus mala et falsa continue exhalantur.
[14] Simile significatur per "sedere" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Lucam,
"Qui in tenebris, et in umbra mortis sedent" (1:79);
apud Esaiam,
"Ad aperiendum oculos caecos, ad educendum e carcere vinctum, e domo claustri sedentes in tenebris" (42:7);
apud Jeremiam,
"Non sedi in consilio illusorum, et laetatus sum, propter manum tuam solitarius sedi, eo quod indignatione implevisti me" (15:17);
apud Davidem,
"Non sedi cum hominibus vanitatis, et cum occultis non intravi" (Psalms 26:4)
apud Lucam,
Dies ille "veniet sicut laqueus super omnes qui sedent super faciebus totius terrae" (21:35).
Quoniam "sedere" significat esse, et quoque permanere in eo statu, et est voluntatis, ideo dicitur apud Davidem,
"Jehovah, perscrutatus es me et cognovisti; Tu scis sedere meum et surgere meum, intelligis cogitationem meam e longinquo" (Ps. 139:12 7
):
nosse "sedere" ejus spectat esse vitae ejus, quod est voluntas; "surgere", intentionem inde; et quia ex intentione voluntatis sequitur cogitatio, additur "Intelligis cogitationem meam e longinquo."
[15] Apud Micham,
"Tunc stabit et pascet in 8
4]):
haec de Domino et de doctrina Divini Veri ab Ipso, quae intelligitur per "Tunc stabit et pascet in 9
nomine Jehovae"; et quod homines ecclesiae erunt in illa doctrina significatur per quod "sedebunt"; et quod doctrina Divini Veri permansura sit in aeternum, significatur per quod "crescet ad fines terrae."
[16] Similiter apud Esaiam,
"Excute te e pulvere, surge, sede Hierosolyma, aperire vinculis colli tui, captiva filia Zionis" (52:2):
haec de instauratione novae ecclesiae a Domino; illa ecclesia cum ejus doctrina hic per "Hierosolymam" et per "filiam Zionis" significatur: rejicere falsa et mala, ac esse in veris et bonis, significatur per "excutere se e pulvere, surgere et sedere", tum quoque per "aperire vincula colli, captiva filia Zionis"; "vincula colli" significant falsa inhibentia ne vera intrent.
[17] Quod "sedere" sit vox significativa essentiae et permanentiae in statu rei et vitae, constare potest e locis in Verbo ubi dicitur "sedere coram Jehovah", "stare coram Ipso", et " 10
ambulare coram Ipso"; quod "sedere coram Jehovah" sit esse cum Ipso, ita quoque velle et facere ab Ipso, et quod "stare coram Ipso" sit spectare et intelligere quod vult, et quod "ambulare coram Ipso sit vivere secundum praecepta Ipsius, ita ex Ipso. Quia "sedere" talia involvit, ideo eadem vox in lingua Hebraea significat permanere et habitare.
[18] Ex eo quod "sedere" talia significet, ideo
Angelus Domini visus est sedere super lapide quem devolverat ab ostio monumenti (Matthaeus 28:2);
et ideo
Angeli in monumento visi, sedebant unus a capite et alter a pedibus (Johannes 20:12; Marcus 16:5):
illa visa erant repraesentativa glorificationis Domini, ac intromissionis in caelum ab Ipso; nam per "lapidem", qui positus fuit ante sepulchrum, et qui devolutus ab angelo, significatur Divinum Verum, ita Verbum, quod occlusum fuit a Judaeis, sed apertum a Domino; (quod "lapis" significet Verum, et in supremo sensu Divinum Verum, videatur 11
supra, n. 417 [a] ; ac in opere De Caelo et Inferno 534); et quia per "sepulchrum" in sensu spirituali significatur resurrectio et quoque regeneratio, ac eminenter per "sepulchrum ubi Dominus fuit", et per "angelos" in Verbo significatur Divinum Verum, ideo visi sunt angeli, unus sedens a capite et alter a pedibus; ac per "angelum a capite" significabatur Divinum Verum in primis, ac per "angelum a pedibus" Divinum Verum in ultimis, utrumque procedens a Domino; per quod, dum recipitur, fit regeneratio et est resurrectio.
(Quod "sepeliri", "sepultura" et "sepulchrum" significet regenerationem ac resurrectionem, videatur supra, n. 659; quod "angeli" in supremo sensu significant Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, ac in sensu respectivo recipientes Divini Veri, ita abstracte Divina vera a Domino, supra, n. 130, 200, 302.) Praeterea etiam legitur quod "sederint coram Jehovah", quando in magno gaudio fuerunt; tum etiam quod "sederint" cum in magno luctu, ex causa quia "sedere" spectat esse hominis, quod est voluntatis et amoris ejus.
Quod fleverint et sederint coram Jehovah videatur Judicum 20:26; 21:2.
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