Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 136“walking” signifies life; and to be “in the midst” signifies, inreference to the Lord, to be in all that are round about him. Bythis, therefore, it was represented that all the life of faith and of lovein heaven and in the church is from him (see above, n. 84). (That“midst” denotes the inmost and the center from which, see ArcanaCoelestia, n. 1074, 2940, 2973, 7777.That the Lord is the common center from whom is all directionand determination in heaven, see Heaven and Hell, n. 123–124.That the extension of the light of heaven, which is Divine truthproceeding from the Lord, from which angels have intelligence andwisdom, is effected also from the midst into those who are roundabout, see the same, n. 43, 50, 189.) That “walking” signifiesliving, and in reference to the Lord, life itself, is from appearancesin the spiritual world, where all walk according to their life, the evilin no other ways than those that lead to hell, but the good in noother ways than those that lead to heaven; consequently all spiritsare known there from the ways wherein they are walking.Moreover, ways actually appear there; but to the evil, the waystowards hell only, and to the good, the ways towards heaven only;and thus everyone is brought to his own society. From this it is that“walking” signifies living. (Of these ways, and walking therein, inthe spiritual world, see what is shown in Heaven and Hell, n. 195,479, 534, 590; and in Last Judgment, n. 48.) That in the Word“ways” signify truths or falsities, and “walking” signifies living, maybe seen from many passages therein; I will cite only a few here byway of confirmation. In Isaiah:We have sinned against Jehovah; they would not walk in his ways,neither have they heard his law (Isa. 42:24).In Moses:If ye shall keep the commandments, by loving Jehovah your God,by walking in all his ways (Deut. 11:22).Thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, by loving Jehovahthy God, and walking in his ways all the days (Deut. 19:9; 26:17).