Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 63church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 3038, 3373, 3671, 10248, 10249.)In the same:Therefore the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, andshall be given to a nation bringing forth fruit (Matt. 21:43).It is evident that “the kingdom of God” here signifies the church inrespect to truths, thus also the truths of the church, from its beingsaid that “it should be taken away from them, and given to a nationbringing forth fruit”; “fruit” is good. Again in the same:In the consummation of the age, nation shall be stirred up againstnation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matt. 24:3, 7).The consummation of the age” is the last time of the church,“nation against nation” is evil against good, and “kingdom againstkingdom” is falsity against truth. (That “nation” is the good of thechurch, and in the opposite sense the evil there, see ArcanaCoelestia, n. 1059, 1159, 1258–1260, 1416, 1849, 6005.)[3] From this it is plain what is meant by “kingdom” in theLord’s prayer:Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven, so also uponthe earth. Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory (Matt.6:10, 13).“Thy kingdom come” is a prayer that truth may be received; “thywill be done,” that it may be received by those who do God’s will;“Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,” meansDivine truth from God alone; it is also said “power and glory,”because Divine truth has all power and glory (see above, n. 33).From all this it can be seen what “the kingdom of God” signifies invery many passages in the Word, namely, the church in respect totruths, and also heaven, and in the highest sense the Lord in respectto the Divine human. “Kingdom,” in the highest sense signifies theLord in respect to the Divine human, because from him all Divinetruth proceeds; and “kingdom” signifies heaven, because heavenwith the angels is from no other source than from the Divine truth