THE EXPLANATION.

1. WHAT the spiritual sense is, has hitherto been unknown. That there is such a sense in every particular of the Word, is shown in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptures, n. 5-26, and that without it, the Word in many places cannot be understood: this sense does not appear in the literal sense, for it is in it as the soul in its body. It is well known, that there is what is spiritual, and what is natural, and that what is spiritual flows into what is natural, and renders itself visible and sensible in those forms which are the objects of sight and touch, and that what is spiritual, without such forms, is perceived no otherwise than as affection and thought, or as love and wisdom which are of the mind: that affection and thought, or love whose property it is to be affected, and wisdom whose property it is to think, are spiritual, is acknowledged; that these two faculties of the mind show themselves in the body in forms, which are called organs of sense and motion, is well known; also, that they make a one, and such a one as that what the mind thinks, that the mouth in an instant speaks, and what the mind wills, that the body in an instant does; hence it is evident, that there is a perfect union of things spiritual and natural in man. It is the same with every thing in the world, both generally and particularly; there is in them something spiritual, which is the inmost of the cause, and something natural, which is its effect, and these two make a one; and what is spiritual does not appear in what is natural, because it dwells in it as the soul in its body, and as the inmost of the cause in the effect, as was observed before. It is the same with the Word; that this is internally spiritual, because it is divine, cannot be denied by any one; but as what is spiritual does not appear in the sense of the letter, which is natural, therefore the spiritual sense has hitherto been unknown; nor could it have been known before genuine truths were revealed by the Lord, for in these that sense consists. For this reason the Apocalypse has not been understood before. But lest any doubt should remain, that such things are contained in it, the particulars must be explained, and demonstrated by similar passages in other parts of the Word. The explanation and demonstration now follow.

2. The revelation of Jesus Christ, signifies predictions from the Lord concerning himself and his church, what the latter will be in its end, and what it will be afterwards, as well in the heavens as upon earth. By the revelation of Jesus Christ are signified all predictions, which coming from the Lord, are called the revelation of Jesus Christ; that they relate to the Lord and his church, will appear from the explanations. The

Apocalypse does not treat of the successive states of the church, much less of the successive states of kingdoms, as some have hitherto believed, but from beginning to end it treats of the last state of the church in heaven and earth; and then concerning the last judgment; and after this the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. That this New Church is the end and object of this work, is very evident, wherefore those things which are first mentioned refer to the state of the church, as to its quality immediately antecedent to its appearance. But in what series these matters are treated of, may be seen from the contents of each chapter; and more distinctly from the explanation of each particular verse.

3. Which God gave unto him to show unto his servants, signifies, for those who are in faith derived from charity, or in truths of wisdom derived from the good of love. By showing is signified to manifest, and by servants are here signified those who are in faith derived from charity; to them these things are manifested, because they understand and receive them: by servants, in a spiritual sense, are understood those who are in truths; and because truths originate in good, by servants are understood those who are in truths derived from good, therefore also, those who are in wisdom derived from love, because wisdom is of truth, and love is of good; also those who are in faith derived from charity, because faith also is of truth and charity is of good; and since the genuine spiritual sense is abstracted from person, therefore in it by servants are signified truths. Now truths being subservient to good by their teaching it, therefore, in general, and properly, by servant, in the Word, is meant what is subservient, or he or that which serves; in this sense not only the prophets are called the servants of God, but also the Lord as to his Humanity; that the prophets are called the servants of God, is evident from the following passages: "Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets," Jer. xxv. 4. "He revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets," Amos iii. 7. "His laws which he set before us by his servants the prophets," Dan. ix. 10; and Moses is called "the servant of Jehovah," Malachi iii. 22; the reason is because by a prophet in the spiritual sense is understood truth of doctrine, as explained below. And because the Lord was divine truth itself, which also is the Word, and is thence called the Prophet; and served in the world, and serves all to eternity by his teaching, therefore, he also, in many places, is called the servant of Jehovah; as in the following: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his

*In the Hebrew Bible there are only three chapters in Malachi, and as our author quotes from the Hebrew text, it may be necessary to observe, that this text in our version is chap. iv. 4. In all like instances we shall alter it to the state of the English text.-EDITORS.

knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many," Isaiah liii. 11. "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high," Isaiah lii. 13. “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth, I have put my spirit upon him," Isaiah xlii. 1, 19; this is spoken of the Lord: in like manner David is called a servant, where, by him, the Lord is understood; as in the following passages: "And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them," Ezek. xxxiv. 24. "David, my servant, shall be king over them, that they all shall have one shepherd," Ezek. xxxvii. 24. "I will defend. this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake," Isaiah xxxvii. 35. So also in Psalm lxxviii. 70— 72, lxxxix. 3, 4, 20. That by David in these places is meant the Lord, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 43, 44. The Lord himself says the same of himself: "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosover will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," Matt. xx. 26, 28, Mark x. 43-45, Luke xxii. 27, and so in Luke xii. 37. This the Lord says, because by servant and minister is understood one who serves and ministers by teaching, and, abstracted from person, divine truth, which was himself. Since, therefore, by servant is understood he who teaches divine truth, it is evident that by servants in this place in the Apocalypse are meant those who are in truths derived from good, or in faith derived from charity, because these can teach from the Lord, that is, the Lord can teach and minister by them. In this sense they are called servants in Matthew: "In the consummation of the age, who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them their meat in due season: blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing," xxiv. 45. And in Luke: "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them," xii. 37. In heaven all are called servants of the Lord, who are in his spiritual kingdom; but they who are in his celestial kingdom are called ministers; the reason is, because they who are in his spiritual kingdom, are in wisdom from divine truth; and they who are in his celestial kingdom are in love from divine good; and good ministers and truth serves. But in an opposite sense, by servants are meant those who serve the devil; these are in a state of real servitude; but they who serve the Lord are in a state of liberty; as the Lord also teaches in John viii. 32-36.

4. Things which must shortly come to pass, signifies that

they will certainly be, lest the church perish. By coming to pass shortly, is not meant that the things which are foretold in the Apocalypse, will happen immediately and speedily, but certainly; and that unless they do happen the church must perish. In the divine idea, and thence in the spiritual sense, there is no time, but instead of time, there is state; and because shortly relates to time, by it is signified certainly, and that it will come to pass before its time; for the Apocalypse was given in the first century, and since that seventeen centuries have now elapsed, from which it is evident, that by shortly is signified that which corresponds to it, and that is, certainly. The like is also involved in these words of the Lord: "Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened," Matt. xxiv. 22: by which also is understood, that except the church should come to an end before its time, it would totally perish; in that chapter the consummation of the age and the Lord's coming are treated of; and by the consummation of the age is meant the last state of the old church, and by the Lord's coming, the first state of the new. It was observed that in the divine idea there is no time, but a presence of all things past and future; wherefore it is said by David, "A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday," Psalm xc. 4: and again, "I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee," Psalm ii. 7: this day denotes the presence of the Lord's advent. Thence also it is, that an entire period is called day in the Word, and its first state the dawning and the morning, and its last evening and night.

5. And he signified [it], sending by his angel to his servant John, signifies the things which are revealed from the Lord through heaven, to those who are in the good of life derived from charity and its faith. By signified [it], sending by his angel, in the spiritual sense, is meant things revealed from heaven, or through heaven from the Lord: for by angel in the Word is everywhere understood the angelic heaven, and in a supreme sense the Lord himself; the reason is, because no angel ever speaks with man in a state of separation from heaven; for there is such a conjunction of each individual with all in heaven, that every one speaks from the communion, although the angel is not conscious of it: for heaven in the sight of the Lord is as one man, whose soul is the Lord himself; wherefore the Lord speaks with man through heaven, as man does from his soul through his body with another; and this is done in conjunction with all and every thing of his mind, in the midst of which are the things which he speaks; but this arcanum cannot be unfolded in a few words; it is partly unfolded in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom: hence it is evident, that by angel is signified heaven, and in

a supreme sense the Lord. The reason why by angel the Lord is understood in a supreme sense, is, because heaven is not heaven from any thing proper to the angels, but from the divine of the Lord,* from which is derived their love and wisdom, yea their life; hence it is that the Lord himself is called an angel in the Word. From these considerations it appears that the angel did not speak from himself with John; but the Lord out of the midst of heaven by him. By these words is meant, that this is revealed to those who are in the good of life derived from charity and its faith, because these are understood by John; for by the twelve disciples or apostles of the Lord, are understood all who are of the church in truths from good; and in an abstract sense, all things of the church; and by Peter, all who are in faith, and, abstractedly, faith itself; by James, they who are in charity, and, abstractedly, charity itself; and by John, they who are in the good of life from charity and its faith, and, abstractedly, good of life itself derived thence: that these things are meant by John, James, and Peter in the Word of the evangelists, may be seen in a Treatise concerning the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 122. Since good of life, grounded in charity and its faith, constitutes the church, therefore, by the apostle John were revealed the arcana concerning the state of the church which are contained in his visions. That by all the names of persons and places in the Word are signified things of heaven and the church, is abundantly shown in the Arcana Calestia. From these considerations it may appear, that by signified [it], sending by his angel to his servant John, is understood, in the spiritual sense, what is revealed by the Lord through heaven to those who are in the good of life derived from charity and its faith; for charity through faith operates good, and not charity by itself, nor faith by itself.

6. Who bore witness of the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, signifies who, from their heart, and so in the light, receive divine truth from the Word, and acknowledge the Lord's Humanity to be divine. It is said of John that he bore witness of the Word of God; but as by John are meant all who are principled in good of life from charity and its faith, as was said above, n. 5, therefore in the spiritual sense all these are understood: the angels, who are in the spiritual sense of the Word, never know any name of a person mentioned in the Word, but only that which the person represents and thence signifies, which, instead of John, is good of life, or good in act; consequently all in the aggregate who are in that good: these witness, that is, see, acknowledge, receive cordially in light, and confess the truths of the Word, especially that truth therein

The words of our author, Divino Domini, may require the terms sphere, or influence, or Holy Spirit, to give them their full meaning: which the intelligent reader can supply, or not, as he thinks best.