Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 500[16] In Isaiah:Behold, I stir up against them the Medes, who shall not valuesilver, and shall not delight in gold; their bows shall dash to pieces theyoung men, their eye shall not spare the sons (13:17, 18).The “Medes” mean those who are against the truths and goods ofthe church; it is therefore said of them, “they shall not value silvernor delight in gold;” “silver” is the truth of the church, and “gold”its good. Their “bows” signify the doctrinals of falsity fightingagaInst truths and goods (Arcana Coelestia, n. 2686, 2709); “theyoung men whom they shall dash to pieces” signify those who areintelligent from truths (n. 7668); “the sons whom they shall notspare” signify the truths themselves.[17] In the same:The troop of camels shall cover thee; they all shall come fromSheba; they shall bring gold and frankincense; and they shall proclaimthe praises of Jehovah. The isles hope in Me, and the ships of Tarshish,to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them (60:6,9).Here the coming of the Lord is treated of, and “the troop ofcamels” means all who are in the knowledges of truth and good(Arcana Coelestia, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145); “Sheba, from whichthey shall come,” means where those knowledges themselves are (n.1171, 3240); “the gold and frankincense which they shall bring”mean goods and truths from good, which are therefore pleasing,“gold” is goods, and “frankincense” truths (n. 9993, 10177,10296); “the isles which shall hope” mean the nations that are inDivine worship, but more remote from the truths of the church (n.1158); “the ships of Tarshish” mean the general knowledges oftruth and good, which contain many knowledges in particular (n.1977, 6385); “the sons whom they shall bring from far” meantruths more remote, “sons” meaning truths (as above), and “fromfar” those more remote (n. 1613, 9487); “their silver and gold withthem” signify the knowledges of truth and good with them.