Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 172I am the first and the last; and the living one; and I became dead;and behold I am alive unto the ages of the ages (Rev. 1:17–18).These things here introduce what is written to the angel of thechurch of the Smyrneans, in these words; “These things saith thefirst and the last, who was dead and is alive” (verse 8). In thepreceding chapter the son of man is described, that there was seen:Out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword going forth (Rev.1:16).This introduces what is written to the angel of the churchPergamum, in these words:These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword (Rev.1:12).In the preceding chapter the son of man is described, that he wasseen to have:Eyes as a flame of fire; and feet like unto burnished brass, as ifglowing in a furnace (Rev. 1:14–15).These things introduce what is written to the angel of the church inThyatira, in these words:These things saith the son of God, that hath his eyes as a flame offire, and his feet like unto burnished brass (Rev. 1:18).[3] Similar things introduce what is written to the angels of theother three churches (of which in the following chapter). From thisit can be seen that it is the son of man who says the things that arewritten to the churches; and as by the “Son of man” the Lord inrespect to the Divine human is meant (as was shown above, n. 63),it follows that all that is written to the churches is from the Lord’sDivine human; and from this it also follows that the Divine humanis the all in all things of the church, as it is the all in all things ofheaven. So here by his being “the first and the last” is signified thatthe Lord from his Divine human governs all things from firsts by