Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 110are the angels of the seven churches” signifies those who receivegoods and truths from the Lord (n. 90); “and the seven lamp standswhich thou sawest are the seven churches” signifies that all such arein the new heaven and in the new church (n. 91).76. Verse 17. And when I saw him signifies the presence of theDivine majesty. This is evident from the things that precederelating to the son of man, all of which are of the Divine majesty, asis clear from the explanation of them in the internal sense; as that“he was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about atthe paps with a golden girdle” signifying that Divine truth andDivine good proceed from him; that “his head and his hairs werewhite as white wool, as snow” signifying the Divine in firsts and inultimates; that “his feet were like unto burnished brass, as ifglowing in a furnace” signifying that his human, even in ultimates,is full of Divine love; that “his voice was as the voice of manywaters” signifying that all Divine truth is from him; that “he had inhis right hand seven stars” signifying that all goods and truths ofheaven and the church are therefrom; that “out of his mouth asharp two-edged sword went forth” signifying that by him allfalsities are dispersed; that “his face was as the sun shineth in hispower” signifying that from his Divine love were all things ofheaven. It is clear that these things are Divine, and that theyappeared full of Divine majesty. That to “see” signifies here thepresence, now most interior, of these things is evident from this,that it was also said before that John saw them (verse 12), andaccording to that seeing also they were described; and now again itis said “I saw him,” and on account of this seeing he fell at his feetas dead; therefore it is that by “seeing” is here signified the presenceof the Divine majesty. This presence came to John, when he saw“his face as the sun in his power,” for from this he was illustratedand filled with awe, in the presence of the Divine; for all Divinelight is from the Lord as a sun, and Divine light passes into theinteriors; from this comes such presence and such filling with awe(as can be seen in Heaven and Hell, on the Lord as a sun, n.116–125; on light and heat therefrom in heaven, n. 126–140; andon turning to him, n. 17, 123, 144, 145, 151, 255, 272, 510, 548,561). It is to be known, moreover, that man has two kinds of sight,one from cogitative faith, the other from love; when he has sight