Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 208men that they may be dismayed; a sword against her horses and againsther chariots; a sword against her treasures that they may be spoiled; adrought upon her waters that they may be dried up (Jer. 50:35–38).By “sword” here dispersion and vastation of truth are signified; byeach in particular against which the sword shall be, as the“Chaldeans,” the “inhabitants of Babylon,” her “chiefs” and “herwise men,” “liars,” “mighty men,” “horses,” “chariots,” and“treasures,” are signified the persons or things that will be vastated;as by “horses,” things intellectual; by “chariots,” doctrinals; and by“treasures,” knowledges; it is said, therefore, “a drought upon herwaters, that they may be dried up,” for “waters” are the truths ofthe church, and “a drought that they may be dried up” is vastation.(That “drought” and “drying up” are where there is no truth, seeArcana Coelestia, n. 8185; that “waters” are truths of the church, seeabove, n. 71; that “treasures” are knowledges, Arcana Coelestia,1694, 4508, 10227; that “horses” are things intellectual, and“chariots” doctrinals, see White Horse, n. 2–5.)[5] In Isaiah:Jehovah will plead, and with his sword with all flesh, and the slainof Jehovah shall be multiplied (Isa. 66:16).In Jeremiah:Upon all the heights in the desert the devastators are come, becausethe sword of Jehovah devoureth from the end of the land even to theend of the land (Jer. 12:12).In Ezekiel:Prophesy and say, a sword sharpened and also furbished, it issharpened to slay a slaughter, it is furbished that it may have luster; letthe sword be doubled for the third time; the sword of the slain, thesword of great slaughter entering into the secret chambers that the heartmay melt, and stumblings be multiplied; against all their gates will I setthe point of the sword: Ah! It is made into lightning (Ezek. 21:9–15,28).In Isaiah: