Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 328should not live” is to persuade them that life eternal is fromfalsities. That this is here meant by “making alive” is evident fromthe preceding verse there.[4] In David:Behold the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear Him, to delivertheir soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Ps. 33:18, 19).Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and my feet fromstumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living (Ps.56:13).In Jeremiah:Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death(21:8).In John:Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My Wordhath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but shall passfrom death into life (5:24).[5] It is clear that in these passages “death” means damnation and“life” salvation. Because “death” is damnation it is also hell, forwhich reason hell is commonly called “death” in the Word, as inthese passages. In Isaiah:Hell will not confess Thee, nor will death praise Thee; they that godown into the pit will not hope on Thy truth. The living, the living, heshall confess Thee (38:18, 19).We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we have madea vision (28:15).In Hosea: