Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 570“Zidon” and “Tyre” signify the knowledges of good and truth;therefore it is said “the merchant of Zidon passing over the sea,”“merchant” meaning one who acquires these knowledges forhimself and communicates them. That they acquired for themselvesthereby nothing of good and truth is signified by “the sea said, Ihave not travailed and I have not brought forth, I have not broughtup young men, and have not raised up virgins;” “to travail andbring forth” is to produce something from knowledges; “youngmen” mean truths, and “virgins” goods. That the use of cognitionsand knowledges would therefore perish, is signified by “when thereport comes to Egypt they shall be seized with grief, as by thereport respecting Tyre.”[5] In Ezekiel:All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, andcast away their robes, and strip off their broidered garments, they shallbe clothed with terrors. They shall take up a lamentation over thee, andshall say, How hast thou perished, thou that dwelt by the seas, therenowned city which was strong in the sea; therefore the islands in thesea shall be dismayed at thy outcome (26:15–18).These things are said of “Tyre,” which signifies the cognitions oftruth, the neglect and loss of which are thus described; the “princesof the sea that shall come down from their thrones” signify primarycognitions; that these together with knowledges (scientificis) shall beabandoned is signified by “they shall cast away their robes, and stripoff their broidered garments;” “broidered work,” is knowledges(scientificum); “the city that dwelt by the seas and was strong in thesea” signifies the power of knowing in all abundance (”seas” signifycollections); “the islands in the sea” signify nations more remotefrom truths that long for cognitions, of which it is said “thereforethe islands in the sea shall be dismayed at thy out-come.”[6] in Isaiah:They shall not do evil nor corrupt themselves in all the mountainof My holiness; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah,as the waters cover the sea (11:9).