Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 3452231, 2233, 2559, 3128, 5023, 6690, 7353, 7910, 7929, 9150;and “windows” that part of the mind which is called theunderstanding where truth is, n. 655, 658, 3391.) From this it isclear what is signified by “running upon the wall,” “coming up intothe houses,” and “entering in through the windows like a thief.”[8] In Hosea:I healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, andthe evils of Samaria, for they made a lie, and the thief cometh in, andthe troop spreadeth itself without (7:1).The “iniquity of Ephraim” signifies the falsities of theunderstanding; and the “evils of Samaria” the evils of the will; “tomake a lie” is thinking and willing falsity from evil; “the thief” isfalsity taking away and dissipating truth; and “the troop spreadingitself” is evil casting out good. (That “Ephraim” is the intellectualof such things as are of the church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 3969,5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296; that “a lie” is falsity fromevil, n. 8908, 9248; that “a troop” is good casting out evil, and in acontrary sense, evil casting out good, n. 3934, 3935, 6404, 6405.)193b. [9] These things are adduced that it may be known what“a thief” in the word signifies, namely, falsity vastating, that is,taking away and destroying truth. It was shown above, that afterdeath all knowledges of truth and good from the Word that havenot acquired spiritual life are taken away; consequently they aretaken away from those who have not been made spiritual byknowledges from the Word. The same is signified by many otherthings in the historical parts of the word; but this no one can seeunless he knows the spiritual sense of the Word. This was signifiedby the sons of Israel’s borrowing from the Egyptians gold, andsilver, and garments, and thus taking them away as it were by theft,which is thus described in Moses:It was commanded that they should borrow of the Egyptiansvessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment. And Jehovah gave thepeople grace in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that they lent to them; andthus they plundered the Egyptians (Exod. 12:35, 36).