Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 325heaven knows any other Holy Divine than the Divine truthproceeding from the Lord. And since Divine truth is alsocommunicated to men mediately through angels, it is said inDavid:Jehovah God maketh His angels spirits (Ps. 104:1, 4).These passages have been cited that it may be known that “theseven spirits” signify all the truths of heaven and of the church fromthe Lord. It is made still more manifest that “the seven spirits” areall the truths of heaven and of the church, from these passages inRevelation:The seven lamps of fire burning before the throne are the sevenspirits of God (4:5).In the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, having seven horns,and seven eyes, which are the seven spirit of God sent forth into all theearth (5:6).It is plain that the spirits here are not spirits, from the fact that the“lamps” and the “eyes of the Lamb” are called spirits. “Lamps”signify Divine truths, and “eyes” the understanding of truth; andwhen predicated of the Lord, His Divine wisdom and intelligence(see above, n. 152).184. And the seven stars, signifies from whom are all theknowledges of truth and good. This is evident from thesignification of “seven,” as being what is full and all things (seeabove, n. 20, 24), also from the signification of “stars” as being theknowledges of truth and good (see also above, n. 72). It is said tothe angel of this church, “These things saith He that hath the sevenspirits of God, and the seven stars,” because those within thechurch who are living a moral but not a spiritual life, because theyhave little regard for the knowledges of spiritual things and thencefor intelligence and wisdom, are here treated of; for “the sevenspirits of God” signify all the truths of heaven and of the church,and “the seven stars” the knowledges of truth and good; andthrough these two come all intelligence and wisdom. To the angel