Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 564stretcheth out the heavens;” and then, “at the voice that He givethforth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens,” and “Hemaketh lightnings for the rain;” “earth” and “world” signifying thechurch; “waters in the heavens” spiritual truths; “rain” these truthswhen they descend and become natural; “lightnings” theirillustration.[5] in the second book of Samuel:Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave forthHis voice and sent forth His arrows and scattered them, lightning, anddiscomforted them (22:14, 15).Thunders are here described by “thundering from heaven” and by“giving forth a voice,” flying thunderbolts by “arrows,” and allthese signify Divine truths, and “lightning” their light; and as thesevivify and illustrate the good, so they terrify and blind the evil,which is meant by “He sent forth arrows and scattered them,lightning, and discomfited them;” for the evil cannot bear Divinetruths, nor any light at all from heaven, therefore they See away attheir presence.[6] Likewise in David:Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forthHis voice; and He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, and manylightnings and discomfited them (Ps. 18:13, 14).Lighten forth lightning and scatter them; send forth Thine arrowsand discomfit them (Ps. 144:6).That “thunders” and “lightnings” signify Divine truth in respect tothe understanding and illustration is still further evident from thefollowing passages. In David:In distress thou didst call and I delivered thee; I answered thee inthe secret place with thunder (Ps. 81:7).In Revelation: