532.启12:1. “天上现出大异象来”表主关于祂在天上和地上的新教会，以及对新教会教义的艰难接受和抵制的启示。“天上异象”在此表示关于即将到来之事的启示；“天上现出大异象来”表示关于新教会的启示，因为“身披日头”的“妇人”，也就是本章所论述的主题，表示新教会。她所生产的“男孩”表示新教会的教义；她“生产的疼痛”表示对该教义的艰难接受；“龙想要吞吃这男孩”，后来“逼迫那妇人”表示它所遭遇的抵制。这些事由“天上现出大异象来”来表示。在圣言中，所提到的“异象”论及将要到来的事，那它就是启示；也论及真理，那它就是见证；还论及某个状态或事物的性质，那它就是显现。在以下经文中，“异象”（sign，又作记号、预兆或兆头）论及将要到来的事，那它就是启示：
他们要告诉我们将要发生的事，好叫我们得知其结局，或让我们听听那要来的事；为未来的事显个兆头。（以赛亚书41:22-23）
门徒对耶稣说，你降临和世代的末了有什么预兆呢？（马太福音24:3；马可福音13:4；路加福音21:7）
又有异象从天上显现，日、月、星辰要显出异兆。（路加福音21:11，25）
那时，人子的兆头要显现。（马太福音24:30）
希西家王被告知，这就是给你的兆头，耶和华必成就这事，就是亚哈斯的日晷往后退。希西家问说，我能上耶和华的殿，有什么兆头呢？（以赛亚书38:7-8，22；以及其它地方）
“异象”论及真理，那它就是见证；也论及某个状态或事物的性质，那它就是显现；这一点从圣言中的其它经文明显看出来。
532. CHAPTER 12
1. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven jewels 1on its heads.
4. Its tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
5. She bore a male Child who would shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
6. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and its angels fought,
8. but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
9. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, which leads the whole world astray; it was cast to the earth, and its angels were cast out with it.
10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, which accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
11. And they overcame it by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
12. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that it has a short time."
13. Now when the dragon saw that it had been cast to the earth, it pursued the woman who gave birth to the male Child.
14. But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she might be nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15. So the serpent spewed water out of its mouth like a river after the woman, that it might cause her to be swept away by the river.
16. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of its mouth.
17. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and it went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
18. Then I stood on the sand of the sea. 2
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
The subject now is the New Church and its doctrine. The woman here means the New Church, and the child that she bore, its doctrine.
Dealt with also are people in today's church who, in accordance with their doctrine, believe in a trinity of Persons and a duality in the Person of Christ, and in justification by faith alone. These are meant by the dragon.
Depicted finally is these people's persecution of the New Church because of its doctrine, and the Lord's protection of it until it grows from being among few to being among many.
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: | A revelation from the Lord concerning His New Church in heaven and on earth and the difficulty of its doctrine's being accepted and the antagonism to it. |
| a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, | The Lord's New Church in heaven, which is the New Heaven, and the New Church to come on earth, which is the New Jerusalem. |
| and on her head a crown of twelve stars. | Its wisdom and intelligence resulting from its concepts of Divine goodness and truth drawn from the Word. |
| 2. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. | The emerging doctrine of the New Church and the difficulty of its being accepted owing to the opposition to it by people meant by the dragon. |
| 3. And another sign appeared in heaven: | A revelation from the Lord concerning people antagonistic to the New Church and its doctrine. |
| behold, a great, fiery red dragon | People in the Protestant Reformed Church who make God three entities and the Lord two, and who divorce charity from faith, making faith saving and not at the same time charity. |
| having seven heads | Irrationality owing to their falsifying and profaning the Word's truths. |
| and ten horns, | Much power. |
| and seven jewels 1on its heads. | All the Word's truths falsified and profaned. |
| 4. Its tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. | By falsifying the Word's truths they exiled all spiritual concepts of goodness and truth from the church, and by appeals to falsity completely destroyed them. |
| And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. | Those people meant by the dragon endeavor to snuff out the doctrine of the New Church at its first appearance. |
| 5. She bore a male Child | The doctrine of the New Church, |
| who would shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. | which by truths drawn from the literal sense of the Word, together with rational arguments in accord with people's natural sight, will convince all those willing to be convinced whose worship is a lifeless worship owing to their divorcing faith from charity. |
| And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. | The Lord's protection of the doctrine and its being guarded by angels in heaven. |
| 6. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, | The church being at first among few. |
| where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. | The state of that church then, that in the meantime provision may be made for it to exist among more people, until it grows to its appointed state. |
| 7. And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and its angels fought, | The falsities of the previous church fighting against the truths of the New Church. |
| 8. but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. | They were convicted of being caught up in falsities and evils, and yet they persisted in them, and therefore they were forcibly withdrawn from any conjunction with heaven and cast down. |
| 9. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, | Those people now turned away from the Lord to themselves, and from heaven to the world, and so were caught up in the evils of their lusts and in falsities. |
| which leads the whole world astray; | They pervert everything having to do with the church. |
| it was cast to the earth, and its angels were cast out with it. | They were cast into the world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell, from which a direct conjunction is formed with people on earth. |
| 10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come, | The joy of angels in heaven that the Lord alone now reigns in heaven and the church, and that those people are saved who believe in Him. |
| for the accuser of our brethren, which accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. | By the Last Judgment those were removed who stood in opposition to the doctrine of the New Church. |
| 11. And they overcame it by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, | Victory gained by the Divine truth of the Word and acknowledgment of the Lord, |
| and they did not love their lives to the death. | and they did not love themselves more than the Lord. |
| 12. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! | The new state of heaven, that the inhabitants are in the Lord and have the Lord in them. |
| Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, | A lamentation over people in the church who are caught up in the falsities of their faith and thus in evil practices, because they are in league with followers of the dragon, |
| knowing that it has but a short time." | because it knew that a new heaven had been formed, that a new church on earth was therefore imminent, and that it would then be cast into hell, along with its followers. |
| 13. Now when the dragon saw that it had been cast to the earth, it pursued the woman who gave birth to the male Child. | After they were cast down, followers of the dragon in the world of spirits immediately began to harass the New Church because of its doctrine. |
| 14. But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, | The Divine vigilance for that Church and protection while it was still among a few. |
| where she might be nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent. | Because of the cunning of those leading astray, to provide vigilantly for the New Church to spread among more people, until it grows to its appointed state. |
| 15. So the serpent spewed water out of its mouth like a river after the woman, that it might cause her to be swept away by the river. | A multitude of reasonings flowing from falsities in order to destroy the church. |
| 16. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of its mouth. | The multitude of reasonings come to nothing in the face of the spiritual truths rationally understood that are advanced by the Michaels of whom the New Church is formed. |
| 17. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and it went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. | The hatred ignited in those people who believe themselves wise because of their arguments in support of the mystical union of the Divine and the human in the Lord and in support of justification by faith alone, against those who acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth, and the Ten Commandments as law to be lived, and their attacking new converts with the intention of leading them astray. |
| 18. Then I stood on the sand of the sea. 3 | John's spiritual state now natural. |
THE EXPOSITION
Now a great sign appeared in heaven. (12:1) This symbolizes a revelation from the Lord concerning His New Church in heaven and on earth and the difficulty of its doctrine's being accepted and the antagonism to it.
A sign from heaven means a revelation concerning things to come, and a great sign appearing in heaven means a revelation concerning the New Church, for the woman clothed with the sun, as described in this chapter, symbolizes that church. The male child that she bore symbolizes its doctrine. Her being in pain to give birth symbolizes the difficulty of that doctrine's being accepted. The dragon's attempting to devour the male child, and then persecuting the woman, symbolizes its antagonism. All this is the meaning of the great sign that appeared in heaven.
In the Word a sign is mentioned in relation to things to come, and it is then a revelation. It is mentioned in relation to truth, too, and it is then an attestation. And it is also mentioned in relation to the character of a state or object, and it is then an indicator.
A sign is mentioned in relation to things to come, and is then a revelation, in the following places:
Let them... declare to us what will happen..., that we may... know the latter end of them; or give us to hear things to come. Show signs for the future... (Isaiah 41:22-23)
(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, cf. Mark 13:4, Luke 21:7)
...there will be... signs from heaven... There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars. (Luke 21:11, 25)
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear... (Matthew 24:30)
(Hezekiah the king was told:) "This will be the sign... that Jehovah will do this thing... I will bring the shadow... on the sundial of Ahaz... backward." (Later Hezekiah said,) "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?" (Isaiah 38:7-8, 22)
And so, too, elsewhere.
That a sign is mentioned in relation to truth and is then an attestation, and in relation to the character of a state and is then an indicator, is apparent from other passages in the Word.
Footnotes:
1. The word translated as "jewels" here means diadems or crowns in the original Greek and Latin, but the writer's definition of the term elsewhere make plain that he regularly and consistently interpreted it to mean jewels or gems.
2. In most manuscripts, the Textus Receptus, the received text of the Greek New Testament, makes this verse part of the first verse of the next chapter (13:1), as do numerous translations into other languages. The Alexandrian text, however, and the text of Westcott and Hort, together with some translations, including those Latin versions consulted by the writer, make it verse 18 of the present chapter.
3. In most manuscripts, the Textus Receptus, the received text of the Greek New Testament, makes this verse part of the first verse of the next chapter (13:1), as do numerous translations into other languages. The Alexandrian text, however, and the text of Westcott and Hort, together with some translations, including those Latin versions consulted by the writer, make it verse 18 of the present chapter.
532. THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
1. And a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
2. And being with child she cried out in travail, and was in torment to bring forth.
3. And another sign in heaven was seen; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.
4. And his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to earth; and the dragon stood before the woman [who was] about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth he might devour her offspring.
5. And she brought forth a male child (filius masculus), who is going to lead all nations to pasture with an iron rod; and her offspring was caught up to God and His throne.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place made ready by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And a war was waged in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.
8. And they did not prevail, and their place was no longer found in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out; that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan, leading the entire world astray, was cast out into the land, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. And I heard a great voice saying in heaven, Now have the salvation and power become effective, and the kingdom of our God and the sovereignty of His Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been cast out, accusing them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their own soul even unto death.
12. For this rejoice, O heavens, and you inhabitants therein. Woe to those inhabiting the land and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has very little time.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast out into the land, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the son.
14. And to the woman were given the two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her own place, wherein she might be nourished a the [and times] and half a time, away from the face of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast forth after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.
16. And the land helped the woman, and the land opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon cast forth out of his mouth.
17. And the dragon was in a rage against the woman, and went away to wage war with the remnant of her seed, keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ.
18 1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER
It treats here of the New Church and its doctrine. By 'the woman' here is understood the New Church, and by 'the offspring' that she brought forth, its doctrine.
It also treats of those in the present Church who because of doctrine believe in a Trinity of persons, in a duality of the person of Christ, and in justification by faith alone. These are understood by 'the dragon.'
Afterwards it treats of their persecution of the New Church on account of its doctrine, and its protection by the Lord until from a few it increases among many.
THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES
1. And a great sign was seen in heaven, signifies revelation by the Lord concerning His New Church in the heavens and on earth (in terris), and concerning the difficult reception of and the opposition to its doctrine.
A woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, signifies the Lord's New Church in the heavens, which is the New Heaven, and the Lord's New Church about to be on earth, which is the New Jerusalem.
And upon [her] head a crown of twelve stars, signifies its wisdom and intelligence derived from cognitions of Divine Good and Divine Truth out of the Word.
2. And being with child she cried out in travail, and was in torment to bring forth, signifies the nascent doctrine of the New Church, and the difficult reception thereof on account of resistance by those who are understood by 'the dragon.'
3. And another sign in heaven was seen, signifies a revelation by the Lord concerning those who are against the New Church and its doctrine.
And behold a great red dragon, signifies those in the Church of the Reformed who make God three and the Lord two, and who separate charity from faith, and make faith saving and not charity at the same time.
Having seven heads, signifies insanity resulting from the truths of the Word falsified and profaned.
And ten horns, signifies much power.
And upon his heads seven diadems, signifies all the truths of the Word falsified and profaned.
4. And his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to earth, signifies that by means of falsifications of the truths (veritas) of the Word they have alienated all the spiritual cognitions of good and truth from the Church, and by applications to untruths they have quite destroyed it.
And the dragon stood before the woman about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth he might devour her offspring, signifies that those who are understood by 'the dragon' are doing their utmost to extinguish the doctrine of the New Church at its first appearance.
5. And she brought forth a male child (filius masculus), signifies the doctrine of the New Church.
Who is going to lead all nations to pasture with an iron rod, signifies which, by means of truths derived from the sense of the letter of the Word and at the same the by means of rational things derived from natural light, will convince all who are willing to be convinced who are in dead worship derived from faith separated from charity.
And her offspring was caught up to God and His throne, signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, and its being guarded by means of angels of heaven.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, signifies the Church at first among a few.
Where she has a place made ready by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days, signifies the state of that Church then, that meanwhile provision may be made with many until it increases to its full stature.
7. And a war was waged in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, signifies the untruths of the former Church fighting against the truths of the New Church.
8. And they did not prevail, and their place was no longer found in heaven, signifies that they had been convicted of being in untruths and evils but still persisted in them, and that therefore they were forcibly separated from conjunction with heaven and cast down.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan, signifies those turned away from the Lord to themselves and from heaven to the world, and consequently being in the evils of lusts and in untruths.
Leading the entire world astray, signifies that they pervert all things of the Church.
Was cast out into the land, and his angels [were cast out] with him, signifies that [they are cast] into the world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell, from which world there is a direct conjunction with the men of the earth.
10. And I heard a great voice saying in heaven, Now have the salvation and power become effective, and the kingdom of our God and the sovereignty of His Christ, signifies the joy of the angels of heaven that now the Lord Only reigns in heaven and in the Church, and that they are saved who believe in Him.
Because the accuser of our brothers has been cast out, accusing them before our God day and night, signifies that those who have taken a position against the doctrine of the New Church have been removed by means of the last judgment.
11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, signifies victory by the Divine Truth of the Word and by the acknowledgment of the Lord.
And they did not love their own soul even unto death, signifies those who have not loved themselves more than the Lord.
12. For this rejoice, O heavens, and you inhabitants therein, signifies the new state of heaven, that they are in the Lord and the Lord in them.
Woe to those inhabiting the land and the sea, because the devil has come down to you having great wrath, signifies a lamentation over those in the Church who are in untruths of faith, and consequently are in evils of life, because they are in conjunction with the dragonists.
Knowing that he has very little time, signifies because [the dragon] knows that the New Heaven has been formed, and that thus a New Church on earth is imminent, and that then he with his like will be cast into hell.
13. When the dragon saw that he was cast out into the land, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the son, signifies that after being cast down the dragonists in the world of spirits at once began to attack the New Church on account of its doctrine.
14. And to the woman were given the two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness into her own place, signifies Divine circumspection on behalf of that Church, and protection while it is still among a few.
Wherein she might be nourished a the and times and half a the away from the face of the serpent, signifies that, on account of the craftiness of those leading astray, provision that it may come among many is made with circumspection until it increases to its full stature.
15. And the serpent cast forth after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river, signifies reasonings derived from plentiful untruths for the purpose of destroying the Church.
16. And the land helped the woman, and the land opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon cast forth out of his mouth, signifies that these plentiful reasonings fall to nothing as a result of the spiritual truths rationally understood which the Michaels of whom the New Church [consists] bring forward.
17. And the dragon was in a rage against the woman, and went away to wage war with the remnant of her seed, keeping the commandments of God and having the testimony of Jesus Christ, signifies the hatred kindled in those who believe themselves to be wise by virtue of confirmations in favour of a mystical union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord and in favour of justification by faith alone, against those who acknowledge the Only Lord as the God of heaven and earth and that the Decalogue is the law of life, while they [the dragonists] are attacking novitiates with the intention of leading them astray.
18. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, signifies his state now spiritual natural.
THE EXPOSITION
[verse 1] 'And a great sign was seen in heaven' signifies a revelation by the Lord concerning His New Church in the heavens and on earth (in terris), and concerning the difficult reception of and opposition to its doctrine. By the 'sign' out of heaven here is understood revelation concerning things to come, and by 'a great sign seen in heaven' is understood revelation concerning the New Church, for the woman encompassed with the sun, of whom it treats in this chapter, signifies that Church. The 'male' that she brought forth signifies its doctrine. Her being 'in torment' until she should bring forth signifies the difficult reception thereof. That the dragon wished to devour the male, and that afterwards he wished to persecute the woman, signifies the opposition to it. These are the things that are understood by a great sign seen in heaven.' In the Word a 'sign' is said of things to come, and then there is a revelation; and it is said of the truth (veritas), and then there is a testification; and it is also said of the quality of a state or a thing, and then there is a manifestation. A 'sign' is said of things to come, and then there is a revelation, in the following places:
They shall tell us what shall happen, that we may know the latter end of them, or make us hear things to come, show signs into the future. Isaiah 41:22-23.
The disciples said to Jesus, What is the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7.
There shall be signs out of heaven, and signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. Luke 21:11, 25.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:30.
To King Hezekiah it was said, This is the sign unto thee that Jehovah is going to do this word, the shadow shall be brought back on the steps of Ahaz. Afterwards Hezekiah said, What is the sign that I am about to go up into the house of Jehovah? Isaiah 38:7-8, 22; and elsewhere. That a 'sign' is said of the truth (veritas), and that then there is a testification, and also it is said of the quality of the state, and that then there is a manifestation, is plain from other places in the Word.
Footnotes:
1. AV chapter 13:1.
532. Revelation 12
1. And a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
2. And being with child, she cried, travailing and pained to bring forth.
3. And another sign was seen in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth, he might devour her offspring.
5. And she brought forth a son, a male, who was to tend all nations with a rod of iron; and her offspring was caught up unto God and His throne.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.
8. And they prevailed not, and their place was not found any more in heaven.
9. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, that seduceth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. And I heard a great voice in heaven saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, that accused them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and through the word of their testimony; and they loved not their soul even unto death.
12. For this rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea, for the Devil is come down unto you, having great anger, knowing that he hath but a short time.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the son.
14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time [and times], 1and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a river after the woman, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river.
16. And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17. And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
18. And I stood upon the sand of the sea. 2
Footnotes:
1. The original Latin omits "and times," but it is in the explanation below.
2. English Bible "13:1"
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
It treats here of the New Church and its doctrine: by "the woman" is here meant the New Church, and by "the offspring" which she brought forth, its doctrine: and it also treats of those in the present church, who from doctrine believe in a Trinity of Persons, and in the duality of the Person of Christ, likewise in justification by faith alone; these are meant by "the dragon." Then it treats of the persecution of the New Church by these, on account of its doctrine, and its protection by the Lord, until from a few it increases among many.
The contents of each verse, (Revelation 12:1)
Verse 1. "And a great sign was seen in heaven," signifies revelation from the Lord concerning His New Church in the heavens and on earth, and concerning the difficult reception of and resistance to its doctrine, (532). "A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet," signifies the Lord's New Church in the heavens, which is the New Heaven, and the Lord's New Church about to be upon earth, which is the New Jerusalem, (533). "And upon the head a crown of twelve stars," signifies its wisdom and intelligence from the knowledges of Divine good and Divine truth from the Word, (534).
Verse 2. "And being with child, she cried travailing and pained to bring forth," signifies the doctrine of the New Church about to come forth, and its difficult reception on account of the resistance by those who are meant by the dragon, (535).
Verse 3. "And another sign was seen in heaven," signifies revelation from the Lord concerning those who are against the New Church and its doctrine, (536). "And behold a great red dragon," signifies those in the Church of the Reformed who make God three and the Lord two, and who separate charity from faith, and make faith saving, and not charity at the same time, (537). "Having seven heads," signifies insanity from the truths of the Word falsified and profaned, (538). "And ten horns," signifies much power, (539). "And upon his heads seven diadems," signifies all the truths of the Word falsified and profaned, (540).
Verse 4. "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth," signifies that by falsifications of the truths of the Word they have alienated all spiritual knowledges of good and truth from the church, and by applications to falsities have entirely destroyed them, (541). "And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth, he might devour her offspring," signifies that they who are meant by "the dragon" will endeavor to extinguish the doctrine of the New Church at its first appearance, (542).
Verse 5. "And she brought forth a son, a male," signifies the doctrine of the New Church, (543). "Who was to tend all nations with a rod of iron," signifies which, by truths from the literal sense of the Word, and, at the same time, by rational things from natural light will convince all who are in dead worship from faith separated from charity, that are willing to be convinced, (544). "And her offspring was caught up unto God and His throne," signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, and its being guarded by the angels of heaven, (545).
Verse 6. "And the woman fled into the wilderness," signifies the church at first among a few, (546). "Where she hath a place prepared by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days," signifies the state of that church then, that meanwhile provision is making for its increase among many until it arrives at its full growth, (547).
Verse 7. "And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels," signifies the falsities of the former church fighting against the truths of the New Church, (548).
Verse 8. "And they prevailed not, and their place was not found any more in heaven;" signifies that they were convinced of being in falsities and evils, but still they remained in them, and that therefore they were torn away from conjunction with heaven and cast down, (549).
Verse 9. "And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan," signifies this turning from the Lord to themselves, and from heaven to the world, and thence coming into the evils of their lusts and into falsities, (550). "That seduceth the whole world," signifies that they pervert all things of the church, (551). "He was cast out into the earth, and his angels 1with him," signifies into the world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell, from whence there is immediate conjunction with men upon earth, (552).
Verse 10. "And I heard a great voice in heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ," signifies the joy of the angels of heaven, because the Lord alone now reigns in heaven and in the church, and that they are saved who believe in him, (553). "For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, that accused them before our God day and night," signifies that by the Last Judgment they are removed who opposed the doctrine of the New Church, (554).
Verse 11. "And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and through the word of their testimony," signifies victory by the Divine truth of the Word, and by the acknowledgment of the Lord, (555). "And they loved not their soul even unto death," signifies who did not love themselves more than the Lord, (556).
Verse 12. "For this rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them," signifies a new state of heaven, that they are in the Lord and the Lord in them, (557). "Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea! for the Devil is come down unto you, having great anger," signifies lamentation over those in the church who are in the falsities of faith, and thence in evils of life, because they are in conjunction with the dragon, (558). "Knowing that he hath but a short time," signifies, because he knows that the New Heaven is formed, and that thus there is about to be the New Church upon earth, and that then he with his like will be cast into hell, (559).
Verse 13. "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the son," signifies that the dragonists in the world of spirits, immediately upon their being thrust down, began to infest the New Church on account of its doctrine, (560).
Verse 14. "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place," signifies the Divine circumspection over that church, and its protection, while as yet confined to a few, (561). "Where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent," signifies that by reason of the craftiness of seducers, provision is made with circumspection that its numbers may increase until it comes to its full growth, (562).
Verse 15. "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a river after the woman, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river," signifies reasonings from falsities in abundance to destroy the church, (563).
Verse 16. "And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," signifies that those reasonings in all their abundance fall to nothing before the spiritual truths rationally understood, which the Michaels, of whom the New Church consists, bring forward, (564).
Verse 17. "And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," signifies hatred kindled in those who think themselves wise from their confirmations of the mystical union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord, and of justification by faith alone, against those who acknowledge the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth, and that the Decalogue is the law of life; and their assaults on novitiates with intent to seduce them, (565a).
Verse 18. [English Bible 13:1]. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea," signifies his state now spiritual-natural, (565).
1. The original Latin omits "were cast out, (Revelation 12:1)."
THE EXPLANATION.
Verse 1. And a great sign was seen in heaven, signifies revelation from the Lord concerning His New Church in the heavens and on earth, and concerning the difficult reception and resistance to its doctrine. By "a sign from heaven" is here meant a revelation concerning things to come; and by "a great sign seen in heaven" is meant a revelation concerning the New Church, for "the woman clothed with the sun," which is the subject treated of in this chapter, signifies that church. "The male" which she brought forth signifies its doctrine; her being pained to bring forth signifies its difficult reception; "the dragon desiring to devour the male" and afterward "he persecuted the woman," signifies the resistance it meets with. These things are meant by "a great sign was seen in heaven.""A sign" is mentioned in the Word of things to come, and then it is revelation; it is also spoken of truth, and then it is testification; and it is also spoken of the quality of any state or thing, and then it is manifestation. "A sign" is spoken of things to come, and then it is revelation, in the following passages:
They shall tell you what shall happen, that we may know their end, or make you hear things to come; show signs of the future, (Isaiah 41:22-23).
The disciples said unto Jesus, What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? (Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7).
There shall be signs from heaven, and signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, (Luke 21:11, 25).
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man, (Matthew 24:30).
It was said unto king Hezekiah, This shall be a sign unto thee that Jehovah will do this thing, the shadow on the degrees of Ahaz shall be brought back. Afterwards Hezekiah said, What is the sign that I shall go up into the house of Jehovah? (Isaiah 38:7-8, 22; and in other places).
That "a sign" is said of truth, and then it is testification, and also it is said of the quality of any state, and then it is manifestation, is evident from other passages in the Word.
532. CAPUT XII.
ET signum magnum visum est in Caelo: Mulier circumdata Sole, et Luna sub pedibus ejus, et super capite ejus corona Stellarum duodecim.
2. Et in utero habens clamavit parturiens, et cruciata parere.
3. Et visum est aliud signum in Caelo; et ecce Draco magnus rufus, Habens capita septem et cornua decem, et super capitibus suis diademata septem.
4. Et cauda sua traxit tertiam partem stellarum Caeli, et projecit illas in terram; et Draco stetit coram Muliere paritura, ut postquam pepererit, fetum ejus devoraret.
5. Et peperit filium masculum, qui pasturus est Omnes gentes virga ferrea; et raptus est fetus ejus ad Deum et Thronum Ipsius.
6. Et Mulier fugit in desertum, ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo, ut ibi alant eam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta.
7. Et factum est bellum in Caelo, Michael et angeli ejus pugnarunt cum Dracone, et Draco pugnavit et angeli ejus.
8. Et non praevaluerunt, et non locus inventus eorum amplius in Caelo.
9. Et projectus est Draco ille magnus, ille Serpens antiquus, vocatus Diabolus et Satanas, seducens universum orbem, projectus est in terram, et angeli ejus cum illo projecti sunt.
10. Et audivi vocem magnam dicentem in Caelo, Nunc facta est salus et potentia, et regnum Dei nostri et potestas Christi Ipsius, quia projectus est accusator fratrum nostorum, accusans illos coram Deo nostro dies et noctes.
11. Et illi vicerunt eum per Sanguinem Agni, et per verbum testimonii illorum; et non dilexerunt animam suam usque ad mortem.
12. Propter hoc gaudete Caeli, et in illis habitantes: vae habitantibus terram et mare, quia descendit Diabolus ad vos, habens iram magnam, sciens quod exiguum tempus habeat.
13. Et cum vidit Draco quod projectus in terram, persecutus est Mulierem quae peperit filium.
14. Et datae Mulieri duae alae aquilae magnae, ut volaret in desertum in locum suum, ubi aleretur ibi tempus (et tempora) et dimidium temporis a facie Serpentis.
15. Et ejecit Serpens post Mulierem ex Ore suo aquam tanquam flumen, ut illam a flumine absorptam faceret.
16. Et adjuvit terra Mulierem, et aperuit terra os suum, et deglutivit flumen quod ejecit Draco ex ore suo.
17. Et iratus est Draco contra Mulierem, et abivit facere bellum cum reliquis seminis ejus, Observantibus mandata Dei, et habentibus testimonium Jesu Christi.
18. (B.A. 13:1) Et steti super arena maris.
SENSUS SPIRITUALIS.
CONTENTUM TOTIUS CAPITIS.
AGITUR HIC DE NOVA ECCLESIA ET EJUS DOCTRINA (PER "MULIEREM" HIC INTELLIGITUR NOVA ECCLESIA, ET PER "FETUM" QUEM PEPERIT, DOCTRINA EJUS);
ET AGITUR DE ILLIS IN ECCLESIA HODIERNA, QUI EX DOCTRINA CREDUNT TRINITATEM PERSONARUM, AC DUALITATEM PERSONAE CHRISTI, TUM JUSTIFICATIONEM PER SOLAM FIDEM (HI INTELLIGUNTUR PER "DRACONEM");
ET DEIN AGITUR DE PERSECUTIONE NOVAE ECCLESIAE PROPTER DOCTRINAM EJUS AB HIS, ET DE TUTELA EJUS A DOMINO, USQUE DUM A PAUCIS CRESCIT INTER PLURES.
CONTENTA SINGULORUM VERSUUM.
1. "Et signum magnum visum est in Caelo," significat revelationem a Domino de Nova Ipsius Ecclesia in Caelis et in Terris, et de ejus doctrinae difficili receptione et impugnatione (532); "Mulier circumdata Sole, et Luna sub pedibus ejus," significat Novam Ecclesiam Domini in Caelis, quae est Novum Caelum, et Novam Ecclesiam Domini futuram in Terris, quae est Nova Hierosolyma (533); "et super capite corona stellarum duodecim," significat sapientiam et intelligentiam ejus ex cognitionibus Divini Boni et Divini Veri ex Verbo (534).
2. "Et in utero habens clamavit parturiens, et cruciata parere," significat nascentem doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae, et difficilem ejus receptionem propter resistentiam ab illis qui per "Draconem" in intelliguntur (535).
3. "Et visum est aliud signum in Caelo," significat revelationem a Domino de illis qui contra Novam Ecclesiam et ejus doctrinam sunt (536); "et ecce Draco magnus rufus," significat illos in Ecclesia Reformatorum qui Deum faciunt tres, et Dominum duos, et qui charitatem a fide separant, et hanc et non illam simul salvificam faciunt (537); "habens capita septem," significat insaniam ex veris Versi falsificatis et prophanatis (538); "et cornua decem," significat potentiam multam (539); "et super capitibus suis diademata septem," significat omnia vera Verbi falsificata et prophanata (540).
4. "Et cauda sua traxit tertiam partem stellarum Caeli, et projecit in terram," significat quod per falsificationes veritatum Verbi omnes cognitiones spirituales boni et veri abalienaverint ab Ecclesia, et per applicationes ad falsa plane destruxerint (541); "et Draco stetit coram Muliere paritura, ut postquam pepererit, fetum ejus devoraret," significat quod illi qui per "Draconem" intelliguntur, doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae in primo ejus qui exstinguere satagant (542).
5. "Et peperit filium masculum," significat doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae (543); "qui futurus pascere omnes gentes virga ferrea," significat quae omnes, qui in cultu mortuo ex fide separata a charitate sunt, per vera ex Sensu literae Verbi et simul per rationalia ex naturali, lumine, convincet, qui volunt convinci (544); "et raptus est fetus ejus ad Deum et Thronum Ipsius," significat tutationem doctrinae a Domino, et custoditionem per angelos Caeli (545).
6. "Et Mulier fugit in desertum," significat Ecclesiam, (quae est Nova Hierosolymae,) primum inter paucos (546); "ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo, ut ibi alant eam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta," significat statim illius Ecclesiae tunc, ut interea provideatur apud plures, usque dum crescit ad suum statutum (547).
7. "Et factum est bellum in Caelo, Michael et angeli ejus pugnarunt cum Dracone, et Draco pugnavit et angeli ejus," significat falsa prioris Ecclesiae pugnantia contra vera Novae (548).
8. "Et non praevaluerunt, et non locus inventus eorum amplius in Caelo," significat quod convicti quod in falsis et malis essent, et usque permanserint in illis, et quod ideo ex conjunctione cum Caelo avulsi sint, et dejecti (549).
9. "Et projectus est Draco ille magnus, ille Serpens antiquus, vocatus Diabolus et Satanas," significat illos aversos a Domino ad semet et a Caelo ad mundum, et inde in malis concupiscentiarum et in falsis (550); "seducens universum orbem," significat quod pervertant omnia Ecclesiae (551); "projectus est in terram, et angeli ejus cum illo (projecti sunt)," significat quod in Mundum spiritum, qui medius est inter Caelum et Infernum, a quo immediata, conjunctio est cum hominibus telluris (552).
10. "Et audivi vocem magnam dicentem in Caelo, Nunc facta est salus et potentia, et regnum Dei nostri et potestas Christi Ipsius," significat gaudium anglorum Caeli, quod nunc Dominus Solus in Caelo et in Ecclesia regnet, et quod salventur qui in Ipsum credunt (553); "quia projectus est accusator fratrum nostrorum, accusans illos coram Deo nostro dies et noctes," significat quod per Ultimum Judicium remoti sint qui se opposuerunt contra doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae (554).
11. "Et illi vicerunt eum per Sanguinem Agni, et per verbum testimonii illorum," significat victoriam per Divinum Verum Verbi et per agnitionem Domini (555); "et non dilexerunt animam suam usque ad mortem," significat qui non amaverunt semet plus quam Dominum (556).
12. "Propter hoc gaudete Caeli, et in illis habitantes," significat Caeli statum novum, quod in Domino sint et Dominus in illis (557); "vae habitantibus terram et mare, quia descendit Diabolus ad vos habens iram magnam," significat lamentationem super illos in Ecclesia, qui in falsis fidei sunt et inde in malis vitae, quia in conjunctione cum Draconicis (558); "sciens quod exiguum tempus habeat," significat quia scit quod novum Caelum factum sit, et quod sic nova Ecclesia in terris instet, et quod ille tunc cum suis in Infernum conjiciatur (559).
13. "Cum vidit Draco quod projectus sit in terram, persecutus est Mulierem quae peperit filium," significat quod Draconici in Mundo spirituum post dejectionem statim aggressi sint infestare Novam Ecclesiam propter doctrinam ejus (560).
14. "Et datae sunt Mulieri duae alae aquilae magnae, ut volaret in desertum in locum suum," significat Divinam circumspectionem pro Ecclesia illa, ac tutelam dum adhuc est inter paucos (561); "ubi aleretur ibi tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis a Facie serpentis," significat ut propter astutiam seducentium circumspecte provideatur ut veniat inter plures usque dum crescit ad suum statutum (562).
15. "Et ejecit Serpens post Mulierem ex ore suo aquam tanquam nomen, ut illam a flumine absorptam faceret," significat ratiocinationes ex falsis in copia ad destruendum Ecclesiam (563).
16. "Et adjuvit terra Mulierem, et aperuit terra os suum, et deglutivit flumen quod Draco ejecit ex ore suo," significat quod ratiocinationes illud in copia, in nihilum cadant ex veris spiritualibus rationaliter intellectis, quae Michaeles, ex quibus Nova Ecclesia, adducunt (564).
17. "Et iratus Draco contra Mulierem, et abivit bellum facere cum reliquis seminis ejus observantibus mandata Dei, et habentibus testimonium Jesu Christi," significat accensum odium apud illos qui se credunt sapientes ex confirmationibus pro Unione mystica Divini et Humani in Domino, et pro justificatione per solam fidem, contra illos qui agnoscunt Solum Dominum pro Deo Caeli et Terrae, et quod Decalogus sit Lex Vitae, aggrediendo novitios animo seducendi (565).
18. (B.A. 13:1). "Et steti super arena Maris," significat statum ejus spiritualem naturalem nunc (565).
EXPLICATIO.
(Vers. 1.) "Et signum magnum visum est in Caelo," significat revelationem a Domino de Nova Ipsius Ecclesia in Caelis et in Terris, ac de ejus Doctrinae difficili receptione et impugnatione. - Per "signum e Caelo" intelligitur hic revelatio de futuris, et per "signum magnum visum in Caelo" intelligitur revelatio de Nova Ecclesia; nam "Mulier circumdata sole," de qua in hoc capite agitur, significat illam Ecclesiam; "masculus" quem peperit, significat doctrinam ejus; quod "cruciata sit dum pareret" significat difficilem ejus receptionem; quod "Draco devorare vellet masculum," et quod postea "persequeretur mulierem," significat ejus impugnationem: haec sunt quae per "signum magnum in Caelo visum" intelliguntur. "Signum" in Verbo dicitur de futuris, et tunc est revelatio; et dicitur de veritate, et tunc est testificatio; et quoque dicitur de qualitate status et rei, et tunc est manifestatio. "Signum" dicitur de futuris, quod tunc est revelatio, in sequentibus locis:
"Nuntient vobis quid contingent, ut sciamus postremum eorum; aut ventura audire facite nos; indicate Signa in futurum," (Esaias 41:22-23);
Dicebant discipuli ad Jesum, "Quodnam Signum Adventus Tui, et Consummationis saeculi," (Matthaeus 24:3; Marcus 13:4; Luca 21:7);
"Erunt Signa e Caelo, et Signa in sole, luna et astris," (Luca 21:11, 25) 1
"Et tunc apparebit Signum Filii Hominis," (Matthaeus 24:30); 2
Dictum ad Hischiam Regem, "Hoc tibi Signum, quod facturus Jehovah verbum hoc, retrahetur umbra in gradibus Achasi." Postea Hischias dixit, "Quodnam Signum, quod ascensurus sim in Domum Jehovae," (Esaias 38:7-8, 22).
(Et alibi.)
Quod dicatur "signum" de veritate, et quod tunc sit testificatio, et quoque de qualitate status et quod tunc sit manifestatio, patet ab aliis locis in Verbo.
Footnotes:
1. 25 pro "15"
2. 30 pro "3"