启示录22
1.天使又指示我一道纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来。
2.流在城的街道中央，在河这边与那边有生命树，结十二回果子，每月都结果子，树上的叶子乃为医治列族。
3.以后再没有咒诅。在城里有神和羔羊的宝座，祂的仆人都要事奉祂。
4.他们要见祂的面，祂的名字必在他们的额上。
5.那里不再有黑夜，他们也不需要灯、日光，因为主神给他们光。他们必掌王权、世世无穷。
6.祂对我说，这些话是真实可信的。圣先知的主神差遣祂的使者，将那必要快成的事指示祂仆人。
7.看哪，我必快来！凡执守这书上预言之话的有福了！
8.这些事是我约翰所看见、所听见的；我既听见、看见了，就在指示我这些事的天使脚前俯伏敬拜。
9.他对我说，千万不可！我与你和你的弟兄众先知，并那些守这书上言语的人，同是作仆人的。你要敬拜神。
10.他又对我说，不可封了这书上预言的话，因为日期近了。
11.不义的，叫他仍旧不义；污秽的，叫他仍旧污秽；为义的，叫他仍旧为义；圣洁的，叫他仍旧圣洁。
12.看哪，我必快来！赏赐在我，要照各人所行的报应他。
13.我是阿拉法，是俄梅戛；是初，是终；是首先的，是末后的。
14.那些遵行祂诫命的有福了！他们的权柄能在生命树里面，也能从门进城。
15.城外有那些犬类、行邪术的、淫乱的、杀人的、拜偶像的，并一切喜爱虚谎、行虚谎的人。
16.我耶稣差遣我的使者在众教会将这些事向你们证明。我是大卫的根和后裔，是明亮的晨星。
17.圣灵和新妇都说，来！听见的人也该说，来！口渴的人也当来；愿意的，都可以白白取生命的水。
18.我向一切听见这书上预言之话的作见证，若有人在这些事上加添什么，神必将写在这书上的灾祸加在他身上；
19.这书上预言的话，若有人删去什么，神必从生命册，从圣城和这书上所写的事删去他的分。
20.证明这些事的说，是了，我必快来！阿们！主耶稣啊，愿你来！
21.愿我们主耶稣基督的恩惠与你们众人同在。阿们。
依旧描述新教会源于来自主的神性真理的聪明（1-5节）。主已经显明启示录，它要在自己的适当时机被揭开（6-10节）。关于主的到来，以及祂与那些信祂，并照祂诫命生活之人的结合（11-17节）。所揭示的事必须千方百计被保存下来（18-19节）。订婚（17，20-21节）。
第1节.“天使又指示我一道纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来”表如今在灵义上被打开和解释的启示录，主在此为那些将要在其新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷的人揭示了丰富的神性真理（932节）。
第2节.“流在城的街道中央，在河这边与那边有生命树，结十二回果子”表那在新教会的教义、因而生活的真理至内层的，是在其神性之爱中的主，人表面上貌似凭自己所行的一切良善皆从祂流出（933，934节）。“每月都结果子”表主照人里面真理的各个状态而在他里面产生良善（935节）。“树上的叶子乃为医治列族”表由此而来的理性真理，那些陷入邪恶，并由此陷入虚假的人凭理性真理而被引导明智地思考，得体地生活（936节）。
第3节.“以后再没有咒诅。在城里有神和羔羊的宝座，祂的仆人都要事奉祂”表新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷不会有任何人与主分离，因为主将亲自在新教会掌权，那些处于从主经由圣言而来的真理，并遵行祂诫命的人因与祂结合而将与祂同在（937节）。
第4节.“他们要见祂的面，祂的名字必在他们的额上”表他们将转向主，主也转向他们，因为他们已通过爱结合（938，939节）。
第5节.“那里不再有黑夜，他们也不需要灯、日光，因为主神给他们光”表新耶路撒冷不会有任何信之虚假，那里的人对神的认知不再出于来自他们自己的聪明和由骄傲所产生的荣耀的属世之光，他们将处于唯独来自主出于圣言的属灵之光（940节）。“他们必掌王权、世世无穷”表他们将在主的国度，与祂结合，直到永远（941节）。
第6节.“祂对我说，这些话是真实可信的”表他们必清楚知道这些事，因为主已亲自见证并说了这一切（942节）。“圣先知的主神差遣祂的使者，将那必要快成的事指示祂仆人”表新旧约圣言所来自的主已通过天堂向那些处于来自祂的真理之人揭示了那将来必定发生的事（943节）。
第7节.“看哪，我必快来！凡执守这书上预言之话的有福了”表主必定到来，将永生赐给那些遵守并行出如今被主打开的这书的教义真理或诫命之人（944节）。
第8节.“这些事是我约翰所看见、所听见的；我既听见、看见了，就在指示我这些事的天使脚前俯伏敬拜”表约翰以为主所差给他、把他保守在灵的状态中的这位天使就是那揭示这些事的神；其实并不是，因为这天使仅指示主所显明的（945节）。
第9节.“他对我说，千万不可！我与你和你的弟兄众先知，并那些守这书上言语的人，同是作仆人的。你要敬拜神”表不可敬拜和祈求天上的天使，因为神性之物丝毫不属于他们；但他们与那些处于新耶路撒冷的教义并遵行其诫命的世人如弟兄与弟兄那样相联系；在与他们交往时要单单敬拜主（946节）。
第10节.“他又对我说，不可封了这书上预言的话，因为日期近了”表启示录绝不可被关闭，而是必须被打开，这在教会终结时是必需的，好叫任何人都有可能得救（947节）。
第11节.“不义的，叫他仍旧不义；污秽的，叫他仍旧污秽；为义的，叫他仍旧为义；圣洁的，叫他仍旧圣洁”表所有人，具体地死后各人受审判之前，总体地最后审判之前的状态；良善将从那些陷入邪恶的人那里被拿走，真理将从那些陷入虚假的人那里被拿走；而另一方面，邪恶将从那些处于良善的人那里被拿走，虚假将从那些处于真理的人那里被拿走（948节）。
第12节.“看哪，我必快来！赏赐在我，要照各人所行的报应他”表主必定到来，对信祂，并照其诫命生活的每个人来说，祂自己就是天堂和永生的幸福（949节）。
第13节.“我是阿拉法，是俄梅戛；是初，是终；是首先的，是末后的”表因为主是天地之神，天上和地上的一切事物都由祂所造，由祂的圣治掌管并照圣治发生（950节）。
第14节.“那些遵行祂诫命的有福了！他们的权柄能在生命树里面，也能从门进城”表那些照主的诫命生活，以便能藉着爱在主里面，主也在他们里面，并能藉着关于祂的认知而在其新教会中的人拥有永恒的幸福（951节）。
第15节.“城外有那些犬类、行邪术的、淫乱的、杀人的、拜偶像的，并一切喜爱虚谎、行虚谎的人”表那些无视十诫，也不避开十诫中所列举如罪的任何邪恶，因而活在其中的人无一被接进新耶路撒冷（952节）。
第16节.“我耶稣差遣我的使者在众教会将这些事向你们证明”表主在整个基督教界面前证明：唯独主显明本书所描述的事，如现在所披露的那些事一样，这是千真万确的（953节）。“我是大卫的根和后裔，是明亮的晨星”表祂就是那曾生在世上，当时是光，并将以出现在祂的新教会，也就圣耶路撒冷面前的新光到来的主自己（954节）。
第17节.“圣灵和新妇都说，来”表天堂和教会将渴望主的到来（955节）。“听见的人也该说，来！口渴的人也当来；愿意的，都可以白白取生命的水”表凡对主的到来，新天堂和新教会，因而主的国度有所了解的人，都会祈祷这一切到来；凡渴望真理的人都祈祷主以光到来；那时，凡爱慕真理的人都会从主接受它们，无需自己的劳碌（956节）。
第18节.“我向一切听见这书上预言之话的作见证，若有人在这些事上加添什么，神必将写在这书上的灾祸加在他身上”表那些阅读并知道主如今所打开这本书的教义真理，却依旧认别神超过主，认别信超过对祂的信之人若添加了什么导致这二者被毁，必因本书描述的灾所表示的虚假与邪恶而灭亡（957节）。
第19节.“这书上预言的话，若有人删去什么，神必从生命册，从圣城和这书上所写的事删去他的分”表那些阅读并知道主如今所打开这本书的教义真理，却依旧认别神超过主，认别信超过对祂的信之人若拿走什么导致这二者被毁，就无法从圣言获得智慧，也无法吸收来自圣言的任何东西，也不会被接进新耶路撒冷，在那些处于主国度的人当中也没有他们的份（958，959节）。
第20节.“证明这些事的说，是了，我必快来！阿们！主耶稣啊，愿你来”表揭开启示录，如今已打开它的主见证以下福音：祂将以其在世时所取并荣耀的神性人身到来，如同新郎和丈夫；而教会则渴慕祂，如同新妇和妻子 （960节）。
932.启22:1.“天使又指示我一道纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来”表如今在灵义上被打开和解释的启示录，主在此为那些将要在其新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷的人揭示了丰富的神性真理。“一道纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶”表示凭其处于天堂之光的灵义而透明的丰富圣言神性真理。“河”之所以表示丰富的神性真理（409节），因为构成河的“水”表示真理（50，685，719节）；“生命水”表示通过圣言从主而来的这些真理，如下文所述。“明亮如水晶”表示这些真理凭处于天堂之光的灵义而透明（897节）。只见这河“从神和羔羊的宝座流出来”表示它由主那里从天堂而出；因为“宝座”表示主的审判（229，845，865节）、治理（694，808节）和天堂（14，221，222节），故在此表示由主那里从天堂而出。“神和羔羊”在此表示主的神性本身（万物皆来自祂），以及祂的神性人身，如前面频繁所述。
具体来说，“生命水的河”表示主如今在此所揭示的启示录中丰富的神性真理。这一点从本章的6，7，10，14，16-19经文明显看出来，这些章节论述了这“预言之书”，并声明写在书上的话务要遵守（｛22:7，｛9）。在通过灵义揭开其中所包含的事之前，这些话无法被遵守，因为在此之前它们无法被理解。此外，启示录是类似旧约先知书的圣言，如今在启示录已经披露了必须避开并远离的教会的邪恶与虚假，以及必须行出的教会的良善与真理，尤其涉及主和来自祂的永生的那类良善与真理。这些事虽然在先知书中被教导，但不像在福音书和启示录中那样明显；“纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来”所具体表示的那些真理就是涉及主是天地之神的神性真理，那时，这些神性真理从祂自己发出，会被那些将要在新耶路撒冷的人所接受，启示录论述了它们。这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
耶稣说，信我的人就如经上所说，从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。（约翰福音7:38）
耶稣说，人若喝我所赐他的水就永远不渴，我所赐他的水要在他里头成为水泉，直涌到永生。（约翰福音4:14）
我要将生命水白白赐给那口渴的人。（启示录21:6；22:17）
宝座中间的羔羊必牧养他们，领他们到生命水的泉源。（启示录7:17）
那日，必有活水从耶路撒冷出来；耶和华必作全地的一王；那日，耶和华必为独一无二的，祂的名也是独一无二的。（撒迦利亚书14:8，9）
在上述经文中，“活水”或“生命水”表示来自主的神性真理。
932. 1REVELATION: CHAPTER 22
1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. In between the street and the river on the one side and the other was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, yielding its fruit according to the month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3. And nothing accursed shall be there, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
4. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.
5. There shall be no night there: They have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
6. Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
7. "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
8. Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
10. And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
11. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
12. "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
14. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have their power in the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
15. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."
17. And the spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
18. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues that are written in this book;
19. and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20. He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
The New Church is further described as to its intelligence gained from Divine truths received from the Lord (Revelation 22:1-5). This revelation has been presented by the Lord, and in its own time its meaning will be revealed (Revelation 22:6-10). The Lord's advent and His conjunction with people who believe in Him and live according to His commandments (Revelation 22:11-17). What has been revealed must altogether be kept (Revelation 22:18-19). The betrothal (Revelation 22:17, 20-21).
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. | The book of Revelation, now opened and expounded as to its spiritual meaning, in which the Lord has revealed an abundance of Divine truths for people who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. |
| 2. In between the street and the river on the one side and the other was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, | Inmostly present within the doctrinal truths and consequent life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from whom flow all the goods that a person in that church does, apparently as though of himself. |
| yielding its fruit according to the month. | The Lord produces the goods in a person in accordance with every state of truth in him. |
| The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. | The resulting rational truths by which people caught up in evils and the accompanying falsities are brought to think sanely and to live decently. |
| 3. And nothing accursed shall be there, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. | In the church that is the New Jerusalem, people will not live apart from the Lord, because the Lord Himself will reign there, and people who are governed by truths acquired from Him through the Word and keep His commandments will abide with Him, being conjoined with Him. |
| 4. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. | They will turn to the Lord and the Lord to them, being conjoined by love. |
| 5. There shall be no night there: They have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. | In the New Jerusalem there will be no falsity in its faith, and the people in that church will not acquire their concepts of God from any natural sight, namely from their own intelligence, or out of a desire for glory springing from conceit, but they will acquire those concepts from the Lord alone in a state of spiritual light from the Word. |
| And they shall reign forever and ever. | They will be in the Lord's kingdom and live in conjunction with Him to eternity. |
| 6. Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." | People may know this for certain, because the Lord Himself has attested to it and said it. |
| And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. | The Lord who gave the Word contained in both Testaments has revealed through heaven to people who possess truths from Him what must surely come to pass. |
| 7. "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." | The Lord will surely come and give eternal life to people who keep and obey the doctrinal truths or precepts in this book, now laid open by the Lord. |
| 8. Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. | John supposed that the angel sent to him by the Lord to keep him in a state of the spirit was the God who revealed these things, when in fact that was not the case, as the angel only showed him what the Lord presented. |
| 9. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." | Angels in heaven are not to be worshiped or invoked, because they have nothing Divine in them, but are affiliated as brethren with brethren with people who have the doctrine of the New Jerusalem and obey its commandments, and the Lord alone is to be worshiped in fellowship with them. |
| 10. And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. | The meaning of the book of Revelation shall not remain hidden, but must be disclosed, and that this is necessary at the end of the church for anyone to be saved. |
| 11. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." | The state of everyone in particular after death and before being judged, and in general before the Last Judgment, that those caught up in evils will have their goods taken away, and those caught up in falsities will have their truths taken away, and conversely, that people prompted by goods will have their evils taken away, and those prompted by truths will have their falsities taken away. |
| 12. "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. | The Lord will surely come, and His presence is heaven and the felicity of eternal life for everyone in accordance with his faith in the Lord and his life in obedience to the Lord's commandments. |
| 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." | For the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and He created all things in heaven and earth, and they are governed by His Divine providence and take place in accordance with it. |
| 14. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that their power may be in the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. | Eternal happiness awaits those who live in accordance with the Lord's commandments, in order that through love, and in His New Church through concepts of Him, they may be in the Lord and have the Lord in them. |
| 15. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. | No one is received into the New Jerusalem who disregards the Ten Commandments and does not refrain from any of the evils listed there as being sins, and therefore lives caught up in them. |
| 16. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. | A testification by the Lord before the whole Christian world of the truth that the Lord alone has presented the visions described in this book, and that their meaning is now disclosed. |
| I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." | He is the same Lord who was born into the world and who then was its light, and who is about to come with new light, which will arise before the eyes of His New Church, which is the Holy Jerusalem. |
| 17. And the spirit and the bride say, "Come!" | Heaven and the church long for the Lord's advent. |
| And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. | Anyone who has any knowledge of the Lord's coming and of the New Heaven and New Church, thus of the Lord's kingdom, let him pray for the Lord's coming; and anyone who desires truths, let him pray for the Lord to come with light. And anyone who loves truths will then receive them from the Lord apart from any endeavors of his own. |
| 18. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues that are written in this book; | People who read and know the doctrinal truths in this book now laid open by the Lord, and yet acknowledge some other God than the Lord and some other faith than faith in the Lord by adding something which destroys these two tenets, cannot but perish as a result of the falsities and evils symbolized by the plagues described in this book. |
| 19. and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. | People who read and know the doctrinal truths in this book now laid open by the Lord, and yet acknowledge some other God than the Lord, and some other faith than faith in the Lord, by taking away something in order to destroy these two tenets, cannot perceive or acquire for themselves anything from the Word or be received into the New Jerusalem, or have their lot with people in the Lord's kingdom. |
| 20. He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! | The Lord, who presented the visions in the book of Revelation and has now laid the book open, testifying to the gospel that He is coming as a bridegroom and husband in His Divine humanity which He assumed in the world and glorified, and that the church longs for Him as His bride and wife. |
THE EXPOSITION
22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. This symbolizes the book of Revelation, now opened and expounded as to its spiritual meaning, in which the Lord has revealed an abundance of Divine truths for people who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.
A pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, symbolizes an abundance of Divine truth in the Word shining through from its spiritual sense, which exists in the light of heaven. A river symbolizes an abundance of Divine truth (no. 409), because the water of which a river consists symbolizes truths (nos. 50, 685, 719), and water of life symbolizes those truths received from the Lord through the Word, of which hereafter. Bright as crystal then symbolizes those truths shining through from the spiritual sense, which exists in the light of heaven (no. 897). The river's being seen to flow from the throne of God and of the Lamb means, symbolically, that it flows out of heaven from the Lord; for a throne symbolizes the Lord in respect to judgment, government and heaven - in respect to judgment, see nos. 229, 845, 865; in respect to government, nos. 694, 808; and in respect to heaven, nos. 14, 221, 222 - and so here, out of heaven from the Lord. God and the Lamb symbolize here, as often before, the Lord in respect to the Divine itself from which flows all else, and in respect to His Divine humanity.
[2] That the river of water of life here means in particular an abundance of Divine truths in the book of Revelation, which the Lord has now revealed, is apparent from verses 6-7, 10, 14, 16-19 in this chapter. The subject of these verses is the book of this prophecy, and we are told that the things written in it must be kept. 2They could not be kept before the things contained in it were revealed by showing their spiritual meaning, because they would not have been understood before then.
The book of Revelation, moreover, is also the Word, like the prophetic Word of the Old Testament, and disclosed now in the book of Revelation are the evils and falsities of the church that one must refrain from and avoid, and the goods and truths of the church that one must do, especially those regarding the Lord and eternal life from Him. These same things, indeed, are taught in the books of the prophets, but not so plainly as in the Gospels and the book of Revelation. These Divine truths regarding the Lord as being God of heaven and earth - truths which then emanate from Him and are received by people who will be in the New Jerusalem, truths that are contained in the book of Revelation - are those meant in particular by the river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
This can also be seen from the following passages:
(Jesus said,) "Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38)
(Jesus said,) "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)
To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6, cf. 22:17)
(And) the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. (Revelation 7:17)
In that day... waters shall flow from Jerusalem... ...Jehovah shall become (the only) King over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will be one, and His name one. (Zechariah 14:8-9)
Living waters or waters of life in these verses symbolize Divine truth from the Lord.
Footnotes:
1. The numbering of the text omits nos. 927 to 931 without explanation.
2. Verses 7 and 9.
932. THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER
1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, shining crystal clear, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. In the midst of the street of it [the city] and of the river on this side and on that (et fluvii hinc et hinc) is a tree of life bearing twelve fruits, each month yielding its own fruit; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3. And no accursed thing shall be there; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall minister unto Him.
4. And they shall see His face, and His Name shall be in their foreheads.
5. And night shall not be there, and they have no need of a lamp and of the light of the sun, for the Lord God enlightens them; and they shall reign for ages of ages.
6. And he said unto me, These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets has sent His angel to show unto His servants the things that must be done quickly.
7. And I am coming quickly; blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
8. And it was I, John, seeing and hearing these things, and when I heard and saw I. fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who was showing me these things.
9. And he says unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brothers the prophets, and of those keeping the words of this book: adore God.
10. And he says unto me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
11. Let the unjust [man] go on being unjust, and let the filthy one go on getting filthy, and let the just one go on becoming just, and let the holy one go on being made holy.
12. And behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, rendering to every one according as his work shall be.
13. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.
14. Blessed are those doing His commandments, that their authority may be in the tree of life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.
15. For outside are dogs and enchanters, and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters, and everyone loving and doing a lie.
16. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches; I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and the morning Star.
17. And the spirit and the bride are saying, Come, and let the one hearing say, Come, and let the thirsting one come, and let the willing one take the water of life freely.
18. For I call to Witness all those hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things. God shall add upon him the plagues written in this book.
9. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things written in this book.
20. The One testifying these things says, Indeed I am coming quickly, Amen. Come indeed, Lord Jesus.
21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER
That Church is still being described as to intelligence derived from Divine Truths from the Lord (verses 1-5).
That the Apocalypse has been made manifest by the Lord, and that in its own time it is to be revealed (verses 6-10).
Concerning the Lord's coming, and His conjunction with those who believe in Him and live in accordance with His precepts (verses 11-17).
That the things that have been revealed are definitely to be taken care of (verses 18-19).
The betrothal (verse 17, 20-21).
THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES
1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, shining crystal clear, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, signifies the Apocalypse now opened and expounded as to the spiritual sense, where Divine Truths in abundance have been revealed by the Lord for those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.
2. In the midst of the street and of the river on this side and on that is a tree of life bearing twelve fruits, signifies that in the inmost things of the truths (veritas) of the doctrine and consequently of the life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine Love, from Whom are flowing forth all the goods that a man there does apparently as of himself.
Each month yielding its own fruit, signifies that the Lord produces goods with the man in accordance with every state of truth with him.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations, signifies the rational truths therefrom by means of which those who are in evils and consequently in untruths are led to thinking soundly and living properly.
3. And no accursed thing shall be there, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall minister unto Him, signifies that in the Church that is the New Jerusalem there will not he any who are separated from the Lord, because the Lord Himself will rule there, and those who are in truths by means of the Word. from Him and are doing His commandments will be with Him, because conjoined with Him.
4. And they shall see His face, and His Name shall be in their foreheads, signifies that they will turn to the Lord and the Lord to them, because they have been conjoined by means of love.
5. And night shall not be there, and they have no need of a lamp and of the light of the sun, for the Lord [God] enlightens them, signifies that in the New Jerusalem there will not be any untruth of faith, and that the men will not be in cognitions of God there out of the natural light that is derived from self-intelligence and from the glory arising from pride, but they will be in spiritual light out of the Word from the Only Lord.
And they shall reign for ages of ages, signifies that they will be in the Lord's kingdom and in conjunction with Him to eternity.
6. And he said unto me, These words are trustworthy and true, signifies that they know these things for certain, because the Lord Himself has said what is published (id testatus dixit).
And the Lord God of the holy prophets has sent His angel to show unto His servants the things that must be done quickly, signifies that the Lord, from Whom is derived the Word of both covenants, has revealed through heaven to those who are in truths derived from Himself the things that are certainly going to be.
7. Behold I am coming quickly, blessed is he who keeps the words of this prophecy, signifies that the Lord is certainly going to come, and will give eternal life to those who protect and do the truths or precepts of the doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord.
8. And it was I, John, seeing and hearing these things, and when I heard and saw I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who was showing me these things, signifies that John supposed that the angel, who was sent by the Lord to him that he might be kept in a state of the spirit, was God Who revealed these things, when yet it was not so, for the angel was only showing what the Lord made manifest.
9. And he says unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brothers the prophets, and of those keeping the words of this book: adore God, signifies that the angels of heaven are not to be adored and invoked, because nothing Divine belongs to them, but that they are associated as brothers with brothers with the men who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem and do its precepts, and that in fellowship with them the Only Lord is to be adored.
10. And he says unto me, Do not seal the words of this prophecy, for the time is near, signifies that the Apocalypse is not to be closed up, but must be opened, and that this is necessary at the end of the Church in order that any may be saved.
11. Let the unjust [man] go on being unjust, and let the filthy one go on getting filthy, and let the just one go on becoming just, and let the holy one go on being made holy, signifies the state of all in particular after death, and prior to the judgment of each, and in general before the last judgment; that goods will be taken away from those who are in evils, and truths will be taken away from those who are in untruths, while on the other hand that evils will be taken away from those who are in goods, and untruths will be taken away from those who are in truths.
12. And behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, rendering to everyone according as his work shall be, signifies that the Lord is certainly going to come, and that He Himself is heaven and the happiness of eternal life, to each one in accordance with faith in Him and a life in accordance with His precepts.
13. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, signifies because the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and all things in the heavens and on earth (in terris) have been made by Him, and are being governed by His Divine Providence, and are happening in accordance with it.
14. Blessed are those doing His commandments, that their authority may be in the tree of life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city, signifies that they have eternal happiness who live in accordance with the Lord's precepts to the end that they may be in the Lord and the Lord in them by means of love, and that they may be in His New Church by means of cognitions concerning Him.
15. For outside are dogs, and enchanters and whoremongers, and murderers and idolaters, and everyone loving and doing a lie, signifies that no one is received into the New Jerusalem, who makes the precepts of the Decalogue of no account, and does not flee from any evils there named as sins, and therefore lives in them.
16. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches, signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole of Christendom, that it is true that the Only Lord has made manifest the things that have been described in this book, as also those that have now been opened.
I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and the morning Star, signifies that He Himself is that Lord who was born in the world and was then the Light, and Who is going to come with the new Light that is going to dawn upon His New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem.
17. And the spirit and the bride are saying, Come, signifies that heaven and the Church will long for the Lord's coming.
And let the one hearing say, Come, and let the thirsting one come, and let the willing one take the water of life freely, signifies that he who knows anything of the Lord's coming, and of the New Heaven and the New Church, thus of the Lord's kingdom, will pray that it may come, and that he who longs for truths will pray that the Lord may come with light, and that he who loves truths is then going to accept those things from the Lord without any exertion of his own.
18. For I call to witness all those hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things, God shall add upon him the plagues written in this book, signifies that those who read and know the truths of the doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord, and go on acknowledging a God other than the Lord and a faith - other than one directed to Him, by adding anything by which these two may be destroyed, cannot do otherwise than perish on account of the untruths and evils that are signified by the plagues described in this book.
19. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things written in this book, signifies that those who read and know the truths of the doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord, and go on acknowledging a God other than the Lord and a faith other than directed to Him, by taking away anything by which they may destroy these two, cannot be wise in and appropriate to themselves anything out of the Word, nor be received into the New Jerusalem, nor have their lot with those who are in the Lord's kingdom.
20. The One testifying these things says, Indeed I am coming quickly [, Amen]. Come indeed, Lord Jesus, signifies the Lord Who has revealed the Apocalypse, and now has opened it, testifying the glad tidings that in His Own Divine Human, Which He took upon Himself in the world and glorified, He is coming as the Bridegroom and Husband, and that the Church as the Bride and Wife will long for Him.
THE EXPOSITION
[verse 1] 'And he showed me a pure river of water of life shining crystal clear, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb' signifies the Apocalypse now opened and expounded as to the spiritual sense, where Divine Truths in abundance have been revealed by the Lord for those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. By 'a pure river of water of life shining crystal clear' is signified the Divine Truth of the Word in abundance transparent by virtue of its spiritual sense, which is in the light of heaven. The reason why Divine Truth in abundance is signified by 'a river' (409) is because by 'the waters' of which a river consists are signified truths (50, 685, 719), and by 'waters of life' those truths out of the Lord by means of the Word, as it follows on. And by 'shining crystal clear' are signified these truths transparent by virtue of the spiritual sense, which is in the light of heaven (897). By [the statement that] 'the river was seen to go forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb' is signified that it is out of heaven from the Lord; for by 'a throne' is signified the Lord as to judgment and as to government and as to heaven; as to judgment (229, 845, 865), as to government (694, 808 end), and as to heaven (14, 221-222); here, therefore, out of heaven from the Lord. By 'God and the Lamb' is signified here, as frequently above, the Lord as to the Divine Itself from Whom [are all things] and as to the Divine Human.
[2] That the Divine Truths in abundance revealed here now in the Apocalypse by the Lord are understood specifically by this 'river of water of life' is plain from verses 6-7, 9-10, 14, 16-19 of this chapter, where 'the book of this prophecy' is treated of, and [it is stated] that the things written there are to be kept. These things could not be kept before the things that are contained therein were revealed by means of the spiritual sense, because they had not been understood before. Besides, the Apocalypse is a Word similar to the prophetical Word of the Old Testament, and now in the Apocalypse there have been disclosed the evils and untruths of the Church from which there must be a fleeing and turning away, also the goods and truths of the Church which must be done, especially those concerning the Lord and eternal life from Him. These things are indeed taught in the Prophets, but not 'so manifestly as in the Evangelists and in the Apocalypse; and the Divine Truths concerning the Lord being the God of heaven and earth, which then proceed from Himself and are received by those who will be in the New Jerusalem, which [Divine Truths] are treated of in the Apocalypse, are those that are specifically understood by the' pure river of water of life shining crystal clear, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,' as can also be established from these passages:
Jesus said, Whosoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:38.
Jesus said, He who drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall not be thirsty to eternity, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life. John 4:14.
To the thirsting one I will give of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:6; 22:17.
And the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne shall feed (pascere) them and conduct them to living fountains of waters. Revelation 7:7.
In that day living waters shall go forth out of Jerusalem; Jehovah shall become one King over all the earth; in that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His Name one, Zechariah 14:8-9.
By 'living waters' or 'waters of life' are there signified Divine Truths from the Lord.
932. 1Revelation 22
1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. In the midst of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3. And no accursed thing shall be there; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall minister unto Him.
4. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be in their foreheads.
5. And there shall be no night there; and they have no need of a lamp and the light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign for ages of ages.
6. And He said unto me, These words are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets hath sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.
7. And I come quickly; happy is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.
8. And I John saw these things and heard; and when I heard and saw, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of this book; adore God.
10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is just, let him be just still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12. And behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to everyone according as his work shall be.
13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
14. Happy are they that do His commandments, that their power may be in the tree of life, and they may enter in through the gates into the city.
15. But without are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and doeth a lie.
16. I Jesus have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the churches; I am the Root, and the Offspring of David, the bright and morning Star.
17. And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that thirsteth come; and let him that willeth take the water of life freely.
18. For I testify unto everyone that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.
19. And if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are written in this book.
20. He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Yea come, Lord Jesus.
21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
That church is still described as to intelligence from Divine truths from the Lord (verses 1-5). That Revelation was manifested by the Lord, and that it is to be revealed in its own time (verses 6-10). Concerning the coming of the Lord, and His conjunction with those who believe in Him, and live according to His commandments (verses 11-17). That the things which are revealed are by all means to be kept (verses 18-19). The Betrothal (verses 17, 20-21).
The contents of each verse, (Revelation 22:1)
Verse 1. "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb," signifies Revelation now opened and explained as to its spiritual sense, where Divine truths in abundance are revealed by the Lord, for those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, (932).
Verse 2. "In the midst of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits," signifies that in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and thence of life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from Whom all the goods, which man there does apparently as of himself, flow forth, (933, 934). "Yielding its fruit every month," signifies that the Lord produces goods with man according to every state of truth with him, (935). "And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations," signifies rational truths therefrom, by which they who are in evils and thence in falsities are led to think soundly and to live becomingly, (936).
Verse 3. "And no accursed thing shall be there; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall minister unto Him," signifies that in the church which is the New Jerusalem, there will not be any who are separated from the Lord, because the Lord Himself will reign there, and they who are in truths from Him through the Word, and do His commandments, will be with Him, because conjoined with Him, (937).
Verse 4. "And they shall see His face, and His name shall be in their foreheads," signifies that they will turn themselves to the Lord, and the Lord will turn Himself to them, because they are conjoined by love, (938, 939).
Verse 5. "And there shall be no night there, and they have no need of a lamp and the light of the sun, for the Lord giveth them light," signifies that there will not be any falsity of faith in the New Jerusalem, and that men there will not be in knowledges concerning God there from natural light which is their own intelligence, and from glory arising from pride, but will be in spiritual light from the Word from the Lord alone, (940). "And they shall reign for ages of ages," signifies that they will be in the Lord's kingdom and in conjunction with Him to eternity, (941).
Verse 6. "And He said unto me, These words are faithful and true," signifies that they may know this for certain, because the Lord Himself has testified and said it, (942). "And the Lord God of the holy prophets hath sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done," signifies that the Lord, from Whom is the Word of both Covenants, has revealed through heaven to those who are in truths from Him, the things which are certainly to be, (943).
Verse 7. "Behold, I come quickly; happy is he that keepeth the words of this prophecy," signifies that the Lord will certainly come, and will give eternal life to those who keep and do the truths or precepts of doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord, (944).
Verse 8. "And I John saw these things and heard; and when I heard and saw, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who showed me these things," signifies that John thought that the angel who was sent to him by the Lord, that he might be kept in a state of the spirit, was God Who revealed those things; when yet it was not so, for the angel only showed what the Lord manifested, (945).
Verse 9. "And he said unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of this book, adore God," signifies that the angels of heaven are not to be adored and invoked, because nothing Divine belongs to them; but that they are associated with men as brethren with brethren, with those who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and do its commandments; and that the Lord alone is to be adored in consociation with them, (946).
Verse 10. "And he said unto me, Seal not the words of this prophecy, for the time is at hand," signifies that Revelation must not be closed up, but is to be opened; and that this is necessary in the end of the church, that any may be saved, (947).
Verse 11. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is just, let him be just still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still," signifies the state of all in particular after death, and before his judgment, and in general before the Last Judgment, that goods will be taken away from those who are in evils, and truths from those who are in falsities; and on the other hand, that evils will be taken away from those who are in goods, and falsities from those who are in truths, (948).
Verse 12. "And behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to everyone according as his work shall be," signifies that the Lord will certainly come, and that He is heaven and the happiness of eternal life to everyone according to his faith in Him, and his life according to His commandments, (949).
Verse 13. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last," signifies because the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and by Him all things in the heavens and on earth were made, and are ruled by His Divine providence, and are done according to it, (950).
Verse 14. "Happy are they that do His commandments, that their power may be in the tree of life, and they may enter through the gates into the city," signifies that they have eternal happiness who live according to the Lord's commandments, for the end that they may be in the Lord and the Lord in them by love, and in His New Church by knowledges concerning Him, (951).
Verse 15. "But without are dogs, and sorcerers and whoremongers, and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and doeth a lie," signifies that no one is received into the New Jerusalem, who makes the precepts of the Decalogue of no account, and does not shun any evils there named as sins, and therefore lives in them, (952).
Verse 16. "I Jesus have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the churches," signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole Christian world, that it is true that the Lord alone manifested the things which are described in this book, as also those which are now opened, (953). "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and morning Star," signifies that He is the Lord Himself who was born in the world, and was then the Light, and who will come with new light, which will arise before His New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem, (954).
Verse 17. "And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come," signifies that heaven and the church desire the coming of the Lord, (955). "And let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that thirsteth come; and let him that willeth take the water of life freely," signifies that he who knows anything of the Lord's coming, and of the New Heaven and the New Church, and thus of the Lord's kingdom, should pray that it may come; and that he who desires truths should pray that the Lord may come with light; and that he who loves truths will then receive them from the Lord without labor of his own, (956[1-3]) verse 18. "For I testify unto everyone that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book," signifies that they who read and know the truths of the doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord, and still acknowledge any other God than the Lord, and any other faith than in Him, by adding anything by which they may destroy these two, cannot do otherwise than perish from the falsities and evils which are signified by the plagues described in this book, (957).
Verse 19. "And if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are written in this book," signifies that they who read and know the truths of the doctrine of this book now opened by the Lord, and still acknowledge any other God than the Lord, and any other faith than in Him, by taking away anything by which they may destroy these two, cannot be wise in and appropriate to themselves anything from the Word, nor be received into the New Jerusalem, nor have their lot with those who are in the Lord's kingdom, (958, 959).
Verse 20. "He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly; yea, come, Lord Jesus," signifies the Lord, who revealed Revelation, and has now opened it, testifying this Gospel, that in His Divine Human, which He assumed in the world and glorified, He comes as the Bridegroom and Husband; and that the church desires Him as a Bride and Wife, (960).
THE EXPLANATION.
Verse 1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life bright as crystal, going forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb, signifies Revelation now opened and explained as to its spiritual sense, where Divine truths in abundance are revealed by the Lord for those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. By "the pure river of water of life bright as crystal" is signified the Divine truth of the Word in abundance translucent from its spiritual sense, which is in the light of heaven. That the Divine truth in abundance is signified by "a river" (409) because truths are signified by "the waters" of which a river consists, (50, 685, 719); and by "the waters of life" those truths from the Lord through the Word, as follows. And by "bright as crystal" are signified these truths translucent from the spiritual sense, which is in the light of heaven, (897). That the river was seen "to go forth out of the throne of God and the Lamb," signifies that it is out of heaven from the Lord; for by "the throne" the Lord is signified as to judgment and as to government and as to heaven; as to judgment, (229, 845, 865); as to government, (694, 808 at the end); and as to heaven, (14, 221, 222); here therefore out of heaven from the Lord. By "God and the Lamb" here as often above, the Lord is signified as to the Divine Itself from which all things are, and as to the Divine Human.
[2] That by "the river of water of life," in particular, are meant Divine truths in abundance, here now revealed by the Lord in Revelation, is manifest from verses 6-7, 9-10, 14, 16-19 of this chapter, where the book of this prophecy is treated of, and it is said the things which are there written are to be kept, which could not be kept before the things which are contained therein were revealed by means of the spiritual sense, because they were not before understood; and Revelation is also the Word, like the prophetic Word of the Old Testament; and the evils and falsities of the church which are to be shunned and held in aversion, and the goods and truths of the church which are to be done, are now disclosed in the Revelation, especially those concerning the Lord and concerning eternal, life from Him; which are indeed taught in the prophets, but not so manifestly as in the Evangelists and in the Apocalypse; and the Divine truths concerning the Lord, that He is the God of heaven and earth, which then proceed from Him, and are received by those who will be in the New Jerusalem, which are treated of in Revelation, are those which are meant in particular by "the pure river of water of life bright as crystal, going forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb," as may also be evident from these passages:
Jesus said, He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall flow streams of living water, (John 7:38).
Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall not thirst to eternity, but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into life eternal, (John 4:14).
I will give unto him that is athirst of the water of life freely, (Revelation 21:6; 22:17).
And the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, (Revelation 7:17).
In that day shall living waters go out from Jerusalem; Jehovah shall be one King over all the earth; in that day shall Jehovah be one, and His name one, (Zechariah 14:8-9).
By "living waters," or "waters of life," Divine truths from the Lord are there signified.
Footnotes:
1. 926-931 are omitted in the original Latin without explanation.
932. CAPUT XXII
1. ET ostendit mihi purum fluvium aquae vitae, splendidum tanquam crystallum, exeuntem e Throno Dei et Agni.
2. In medio plateae ejus et fluvii hinc et hinc Arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim, juxta mensem quemvis reddens fructum Suum, et folia arboris in medicinam gentium.
3. Et ullum devotum non erit ibi; et Thronus Dei et Agni in illa erit, et servi Ipsius ministrabunt Ipsi.
4. Et videbunt Faciem Ipsius, et Nomen Ipsius in frontibus illorum.
5. Et nox non erit ibi, et non opus habent lucerna et luce soliS, quia Dominus Deus illustrat illos; et regnabunt in saecula saeculorum.
6. Et dixit mihi, Haec verba fida et Vera. Et Dominus Deus sanctorum Prophetarum misit Angelum Suum ad monstrandum servis Suis quae Oportet fieri cito.
7. Et venio cito; beatus Servans verba prophetiae Libri hujus.
8. Et ego Johannes videns haec et audiens; et cum audivi et vidi, procidi adorare ante pedes Angeli, qui monstrabat mihi haec. 9. Et dicit mihi, Vide ne; conservus tuus enim Sum, et fratrum tuorum Prophetarum, et servantium verba Libri hujus; Deum adora.
10. Et dicit mihi, Ne obsignes verba prophetiae Libri hujus, quia tempus prope est.
11. Injustus fiat adhuc, et sordidus sordescat adhuc, et justus justificetur adhuc, et sanctus sanctificetur adhuc.
12. Et ecce venio cito, et merces Mea cum Me, reddens unicuique sicut Opus ejus erit.
13. Ego sum Alpha et Omega, Principium et Finis, Primus et Ultimus.
14. Beati facientes mandata Ipsius, ut Sit potestas illorum in Arbore vitae, et portis ingrediantur in Urbem.
15. Foris Vero canes, et incantatores, et scortatores, et homicidae, et idololatrae, et Omnis amans et faciens mendacium.
16. Ego Jesus misi Angelum Meum testari vobis haec in Ecclesiis; Ego sum Radix et Genus Davidis, Stella splendida et matutina.
17. Et Spiritus et Sponsa dicunt, Veni; et audiens dicat Veni, et sitiens veniat, et volens accipiat aquam vitae gratis.
18. Contestor enim Omni audienti verba prophetiae Libri hujus, Si quis addiderit ad haec, addet, Deus super illum plagas scriptas in Libro hoc.
19. Et si quis abstulerit e verbis Libri prophetiae hujus auferet Deus partem ejus e Libro vitae, et ex Urbe sancta, et scriptis in Libro hoc.
20. Dicit Testans haec, Etiam venio cito; amen. Etiam veni, Domine Jesu.
21. GRATIA DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI CUM OMNIBUS VOBIS, AMEN.
SENSUS SPIRITUALIS.
CONTENTUM TOTIUS CAPITIS.
DESCRIBITUR ADHUC ILLA ECCLESIA QUOAD INTELLIGENTIAM DIVINIS VERIS A DOMINO (vers. 1-5);
QUOD APOCALYPSIS MANIFESTATA SIT A DOMINO, ET QUOD SUO TEMPORE REVELANDA (vers. 6-10);
DE ADVENTU DOMINI ET CONJUNCTIONE IPSIUS CUM ILLIS QUI CREDUNT IN IPSUM ET VIVUNT SECUNDUM PRAECEPTA IPSIUS (vers. 11-17);
QUOD QUAE REVELATA SUNT, OMNINO CUSTODIENDA SINT (vers. 18, 19);
DESPONSATIO (vers. 17, 20, 21).
CONTENTA SINGULORUM VERSUUM.
1. "Et ostendit mihi purum fluvium aquae vitae, splendidum tanquam crystallum, exeuntem e Throno Dei et Agni," significat Apocalypsin nunc quoad Sensum spiritualem apertam explicatam, 1ubi Divina Vera in copia a Domino revelata sunt, pro illis qui in Nova Ipsius Ecclesia, quae est Nova Hierosolyma, erunt (932).
2. "In medio plateae et fluvii hinc et hinc Arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim," significat quod in intimis veritatum doctrinae et inde vitae in Nova Ecclesia sit Dominus in Divino Suo Amore, a Quo omnia bona quae homo ibi facit apparenter sicut ex se, profluunt (933, 934); "juxta mensem quemvis reddens fructum suum," significat quod Dominus producat bona apud hominem secundum omnem statum veri apud illum (935); "et folia arboris in medicinam gentium," significat vera rationalia inde, per quae illi qui in malis et inde falsis sunt, perducuntur ad cogitandum sane et ad vivendum decenter (936).
3. "Et ullum devotum non erit ibi, et Thronus Dei et Agni in illa erit, et servi Ipsius ministrabunt Ipsi," significat quod in Ecclesia, quae Nova Hierosolyma, non aliqui separati a Domino erunt, quia Ipse Dominus ibi regnabit, et illi qui in veris per Verbum ab Ipso sunt, et faciunt mandata Ipsius, cum Ipso erunt, quia conjuncti (937).
4. "Et videbunt Faciem Ipsius, et nomen Ipsius in frontibus illorum," significat quod convertent se ad Dominum et Dominus Se ad illos, quia conjuncti per amorem (938, 939).
5. Et nox non erit ibi, et non opus habent lucerna et luce solis, quia Dominus (Deus) illustrat illos," significat quod in Nova Hierosolyma non erit aliquod falsum fidei, et quod homines in cognitionibus de Deo ibi non erunt ex lumine naturali quod est ex propria intelligentia, et ex gloria oriunda ex fastu, sed erant in luce spirituali ex Verbo a Solo Domino (940); "et regnabunt in saecula saeculorum," significat quod erunt in Regno Domini, et in conjunctione cum Ipso in aeternum (941).
6. Et dixit mihi, Haec verba fida et vera," significat quod haec pro certo sciant, quia Ipse Dominus id testatus dixit (942); - et Dominus Deus sanctorum Prophetarum misit Angelum Suum ad monstrandum servis Suis quae oportet fieri cito, "significat quod Dominus, ex Quo est Verbum utriusque Foederis, per Caelum revelaverit illis, qui in veris ex Ipso sunt, illa quae certe futura sunt (943).
7. "Ecce venio cito; beatus servans verba prophetiae (Libri) hujus," significat quod Dominus certe venturus sit, et daturus vitam aeternam illis qui custodiunt et faciunt vera seu praecepta doctrinae hujus Libri nunc a Domino aperti (944).
8. "Et ego Johannes videns haec et audiens; et cum audivi et vidi, procidi adorare ante pedes Angeli, qui monstrabat mihi haec," significat quod Johannes opinatus sit, quod Angelus qui a Domino missus est ad illum, ut in statu spiritus teneretur, eas et Deus Qui revelavit illa, cum tamen non ita erat; angelus enim solum monstrabat quod Dominus manifestavit (945).
9. "Et dicit mihi, Vide ne; conservus enim tuus sum, et fratrum tuorum Prophetarum, et servantium verba Libri hujus; Deum adora," significat quod Angeli Caeli non adorandi et invocandi sint, quia nihil Divinum est illis, sed quod associati sint hominibus, sicut fratres fratribus, illis qui in doctrina Novae Hierosolymae sunt, et faciunt praecepta ejus, et quod Solus Dominus in consociatione cum illis adorandus sit (946).
10. "Et dicit 2mihi, Ne obsignes verba prophetiae (Libri) hujus, quia tempus prope est," significat quod Apocalypsis non occlusa erit, sed aperienda, et quod hoc necessum sit in fine Ecclesiae, ut alicui salventur (947).
11. "Injustus injustus fiat adhuc, et sordidus sordescat adhuc, et justus 3justificetur adhuc, et sanctus sanctificetur adhuc," significat statum omnium n particulari post mortem, et ante ejus judicium, et in communi ante Ultimum Judicium: quod illis qui in malis sunt auferentur bona, et qui in falsis auferentur vera; ac vicissim quod illis qui in bonis sunt auferentur mala, et qui in veris auferentur falsa (948).
12. "Et ecce venio cito, et merces Mea cum Me, reddens unicuique sicut opus ejus erit," significat quod Dominus certe venturus sit, et quod Ipse sit Caelum et felicitas vitae aeternae, cuique. secundum fidem in Ipsum et vitam secundum praecepta Ipsius (949).
13. Ego sum Alpha et Omega. Principium et Finis, Primus et Ultimus," significat quia Dominus est Deus Caeli et Terrae, et ab Ipso omnia in Caelis et in Terris facta sunt, et per Divinam Ipsius Providentiam reguntur, et secundum illam fiunt (950).
14. "Beati facientes mandata Ipsius, ut sit potestas illorum in Arbore vitae, et portis ingrediantur in Urbem," significat quod felicitas aeterna sit illis qui vivunt secundum praecepta Domini, propter finem ut sint in Domino et Dominus in illis per amorem, et in Nova Ipsius Ecclesia per cognitiones de Ipso (951).
15. "Foris vero canes, et incantatores, et scortatores, et homicidae, et idololatrae, et omnis amans et faciens mendacium," significat quod non aliquis in Novam Hierosolymam recipiatur, qui nihili facit praecepta Decalogi, et non fugit aliqua mala ibi nominata ut peccata, et ideo vivit in illis (952).
16. "Ego Jesus misi Angelum Meum testari vobis haec in Ecclesiis," significat testificationem a Domino coram toto Christiano orbe, quod verum sit quod Solus Dominus manifestaverit illa quae in hoc Libro descripta sunt, ut et quae nunc aperta sunt (953); "Ego sum Radix et Genus Davidis, Stella splendida et matutina," significat quod sit Ipse Dominus, qui natus est in Mundo, et tunc fuit Lux, et qui venturus cum nova Luce, quae coram Nova ipsius Ecclesia, quae est Sancta Hierosolyma, oritura est (954).
17. "Et Spiritus et Sponsa dicunt, Veni" significat quod Caelum et Ecclesia Adventum Domini desiderent (955); "et audiens dicat Veni, et sitiens veniat, ac volens accipiat aquam vitae gratis," significat qui scit aliquid de Adventu Domini, et de Novo Caelo et de Nova Ecclesia, ita de Regno Domini, oret ut veniat; et quod qui desiderat vera, oret ut Dominus cum luce veniat; et qui amat vera, tunc accepturus sit illa a Domino absque sua opera (956).
18. "Contestor enim omni audienti verba prophetiae Libri hujus, si quis addiderit ad haec, addet Deus super illum plagas scriptas in Libro hoc," significat quod qui legunt et sciunt vera doctrinae hujus Libri nunc a Domino aperti, et usque agnoscunt alium Deum quam Dominum, et aliam fidem quam in Ipsum, addendo aliquid per quod duo illa destruant, non possint aliter quam perire ex falsis et malis, quae per plagas in hoc Libro descriptas significantur (957).
19. "Et si quis abstulerit e verbis Libri prophetiae hujus, auferet Deus partem ejus e Libro vitae, et ex Urbe sancta, et scriptis in Libro hoc," significat quod qui legunt et sciunt vera doctrinae hujus Libri nunc a Domino aperti, et usque agnoscunt alium Deum quam Dominum, et aliam fidem quam in Ipsum, auferendo aliquid per quod illa duo destruant, non possint aliquid sapere et appropriare sibi ex Verbo, nec recipi in Novam Hierosolymam, neque habere sortem cum illis qui (in) Regno Domini sunt (958, 959).
20. "Dicit 4Testans haec, Etiam venio cito(; amen). Etiam veni, Domine Jesu," significat Dominum, Qui revelavit Apocalypsin, et nunc aperuit illam, testificantem hoc Evangelium, quod in Divino Humano Suo, quod suscipit in mundo et glorificavit, veniat ut Sponsus et Maritus, et quod Ecclesia Ipsum desideret ut Sponsa et Uxor (960).
EXPLICATIO.
(Vers. 1.) "Et ostendit mihi purum fluvium aquae vitae, splendidum tanquam crystallum, exeuntem e Throno Dei et Agni," significat Apocalypsin nunc quoad Sensum spiritualem apertam et explicatam, ubi Divina Vera in copia a Domino revelata sunt pro illis qui in Nova Ipsius Ecclesia, quae est Nova Hierosolyma, erunt. - Per "purum fluvium aquae vitae splendidum tanquam crystallum" significatur Divinum Verum Verbi in copia translucens ex Sensu spirituali ejus, qui est in luce Caeli; quod per "fluvium" significetur Divinum Verum in copia(, videatur supra) (409); causa est, quia per "aquas," ex quibus fluvius, significantur vera (50, 685, 719), et per "aquas vitae" vera illa ex Domino per Verbum (ut sequitur); ac per "splendidum sicut crystallum" significantur vera haec translucentia ex Sensu spirituali, qui est in luce Caeli (897); 5per quod visus sit fluvius ille exire "ex Throno Dei et Agni" significatur quod e Caelo a Domino; per "Thronum" enim significatur Dominus quoad judicium et quoad regimen et quoad Caelum; quoad judicium, 229, 845, 865; quoad regimen, 694, 808 fin.; et quoad Caelum, 14, 221, 222; hic itaque e Caelo a Domino: per "Deum et Agnum" significatur hic, ut saepius supra, Dominus quoad Ipsum Divinum a Quo et quoad Divinum Humanum. Quod per "fluvium aquae vitae" hunc in specie intelligantur Divina Vera; in copia hic nunc in Apocalypsi a Domino revelata, "patet a versibus 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16-19, hujus capitis, ubi de Libro hujus prophetiae agitur, et quod servanda sint quae ibi scripta sunt; quae non servari potuerunt, antequam per Sensum spiritualem revelata sunt quae inibi continentur, quia prius non intellecta fuerunt: et quoque Apocalypsis est Verbum, simile Verbo prophetico Veteris Testamenti; et in Apocalypsi nunc detecta sunt mala et falsa Ecclesiae quae fugienda et aversanda sunt, ac bona et vera Ecclesiae quae facienda, imprimis de Domino et de vita aeterna ab Ipso; quae quidem docentur apud Prophetas, sed non ita manifeste ut apud Evangelistas et in Apocalypsi; ac Divina Vera de Domino, quod sit Deus Caeli et Terrae, quae tunc procedunt ab Ipso, et recipiuntur ab illis qui in Nova Hierosolyma erunt, de quibus agitur in Apocalypsi, sunt quae in specie intelliguntur per "purum fluvium". aquae vitae splendidum tanquam crystallum, exeuntem e Throno Dei et Agni," ut quoque constare potest ex his:
Jesus dixit "Quisquis credit in Me, sicut dixit Scriptura, Flumina e Ventre ejus fluent Aquae viventis," (Johannes 7:38);
Jesus dixit "Qui biberit ex aqua, quam Ego dabo ei, non sitiet in aeternum; sed aqua quam dabo ei fiet in illo Fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam," (Johannes 4:14);
"Ego sitienti dabo ex Aqua vitae gratis," (Apocalypsis 21:6; 22:17);
"Et Agnus Qui in medio Throni pascet eos, et deducet ad Vivos Fontes aquarum," (Apocalypsis 7:17);
"In die illo exibunt Aquae vivae ex Hierosolyma; Jehovah erit in Regem unum super totam terram; in die illo erit Jehovah unus, et Nomen Ipsius unum," (Sacharias 14:8-9);
per "aquas vivas" seu "vitae" significantur ibi Divina Vera a Domino.
Footnotes:
1. apertam et explicatam pro "apertum et explicatum"
2. dicit pro "dixit"
3. justus pro "injustus"
4. Dicit pro "Dixit"
5. 897 pro "879"