Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 546besides very many other instances, that do not need to be quoted,since everyone knows, also from the customary modes of speakingeverywhere that “to see” signifies to understand; for it is said “I seethat this is so,” or “that it is not so,” meaning “I understand.”260a. And behold a door opened in heaven, signifies the arcanaof heaven revealed. This is evident from the signification of “door,”as meaning admission (of which above, n. 208), here, a lookinginto, which is admission of the sight; moreover, the sight isadmitted into heaven where the sight of the bodily eyes is dimmed,and at the same time the sight of the spirit’s eyes is enlightened. Bythis sight all things seen by the prophets were seen. A “door openedin heaven” here signifies the arcana of heaven revealed, because atsuch a time things that are in the heavens appear; and before theprophets the things that are arcana of the church appear; herearcana respecting the things that were to take place upon the timeof the Last Judgment, none of which have been revealed as yet, andwhich could not be revealed until the judgment was accomplished,and then only through some one in the world to whom it wasgranted by the Lord to see them, and to whom was revealed at thesame time the spiritual sense of the Word. For all things written inthis prophetic book were written respecting the Last Judgment, butby means of representatives and correspondences; for whatever issaid by the Lord and is perceived by angels, in coming down ischanged into representatives, and is so made to appear before theeyes of angels in the ultimate heavens and before prophetic menwhen the eyes of their spirit have been opened. From this it can beseen what is meant by “a door opened in heaven.”261. And the first voice that I heard, signifies revelation now ofthings to come. This is evident from the signification of “voice,” asbeing whatever proceeds from the Lord and is perceived by angelsand by men; here especially revelation of things to come, that wereto occur before the Last Judgment, about the time of it, and afterit, since these are treated of in what now follows. That “the voice ofJehovah” in the Word signifies the Divine proceeding which isDivine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom (see A.C.