Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 592Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness ariseand healing in His wings; that ye may go forth, and grow up as fattedcalves (4:2).The “Sun of righteousness that shall arise to them that fear thename of Jehovah” signifies the good of love; and “healing in Hiswings” signifies the truth of faith; therefore “to go forth, and growup as fatted calves,” signifies the increase of all good, “fatted” and“fat” also signifying good.[6] In Luke:The father said of the prodigal son who returned penitent in heart,Bring forth the first robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand,and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, that wemay eat and be glad (15:22, 23).He who is acquainted only with the sense of the letter believes thatno deeper meaning is contained in this than appears in that sense,when yet every particular involves heavenly things; as that theyshould “put on him the first robe,” that they should “put a ring onhis hand, and shoes on his feet,” that they should “bring forth thefatted calf, that they might eat and be merry.” By “the prodigalson” those who are prodigal of spiritual riches, which are theknowledges of truth and good, are meant; “his returning to hisfather, and his confession that he was not worthy to be called hisson,” signifies penitence of heart and humiliation; “the first robewith which he was clothed,” signifies general and primary truths;“the ring on the hand” signifies the conjunction of truth and goodin the internal or spiritual man; “the shoes on the feet” signify thesame ia the external or natural man, and both signify regeneration;“the fatted calf” signifies the good of love and charity; and “to eatand be glad” signifies consociation and heavenly joy.[7] In Jeremiah:I will give the men that have transgressed My covenant, who havenot established the words of the covenant which they made before Me,that of the calf, which they cut in twain that they might pass betweenthe parts thereof, the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the