Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 338[8] Because “to be awake” signifies to receive spiritual life,therefore “sleeping” signifies natural life apart from spiritual life,since natural life compared with spiritual life is as sleep comparedwith wakefulness, as has been said above. This is what “sleeping”signifies in Matthew:The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that sowed goodseed in his field; but while men slept the enemy came and sowed taresamong the wheat (13:24, 25).In Jeremiah:When they have grown warm, I will set their feasts, and I willmake them drunken, that they may sleep the sleep of an age, and notawake (51:39, 57).In David:Look! answer me, Jehovah my God! lighten Thine eyes lest I sleepdeath (Ps. 13:3).The strong in heart have become a spoil, they have slumbered theirsleep; at Thy rebuke both the chariot and the horse have fallen into adeep sleep (Ps. 76:5, 6).“Chariot and horse” signify the doctrine of the church and theunderstanding of doctrine; these are said “to fall into a deep sleep”when they are without truths, and when consequently the man ofthe church is without spiritual life by means of truths. (That“chariots and horses” in the Word signify doctrine and theintellectual, see in the small work on The White Horse, n. 1–5.)188. And confirm the things remaining that are about to die,signifies in order that the things that belong to the moral life maybe vivified. This is evident from the signification of “confirming,”as being to vivify the moral life by means of truths; for truths fromthe Word are what vivify it; and when it is vivified it is alsoconfirmed, for it then acts as one with the spiritual life; for spirituallife and moral life act as one with those who are spiritual, as will