Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 77midst” signifies from whom; also from the signification of “theseven lamp stands,” as being the new heaven and the new church(of which just above, n. 62); and from the signification of “the sonof man,” as being the Lord in respect to the Divine human, andalso in respect to Divine truth, because Divine truth proceeds fromhis Divine human.From this it can be seen why the Lord appeared “in the midst ofseven lamp stands,” namely, because from him the all of heavenand the church proceeds; for it is the good of love and of faith thatmakes heaven and the church, and that this good is from theDivine is known in the Christian world, and as it is from theDivine, it is from the Lord, for the Lord is the God of heaven, andthe Divine of the Lord makes heaven (see Heaven and Hell, n.2–12; and that this is his Divine human, see n. 78–86).[2] That the son of man is the Lord in respect to the Divinehuman, and also in respect to Divine truth, because Divine truthproceeds from his Divine human, is evident from those passages inthe Word where the son of man is mentioned. Thus in John:The multitude said to Jesus, How sayest thou, The son of manmust be lifted up? Who is this son of man? Jesus answered them, Yet alittle while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, lestdarkness overtake you. While ye have the light believe in the light, thatye may be sons of light (John 12:34–36).From these words it is clear that “the son of man” and “light” havea like signification; for when the people asked, Who is the son ofman? the Lord answered that he was the light in which they shouldbelieve. (That “light” is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’sDivine human, see Heaven and Hell, n. 126–140; and NewJerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 49; thus also the son ofman.)[3] In Luke:Blessed are ye when men shall hate you for the son of man’s sake(Luke 6:22).