Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 95I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a man clothed inlinen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; his body was like thetarshish stone, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feetlike the brightness of polished brass (Dan. 10:5–6).In like manner the cherubs, by which is meant the Lord in respectto providence and protection (see Arcana Coelestia, n. 9277, 9509,9673), were seen by Ezekiel:Their feet sparkled like the brightness of polished brass (Ezek. 1:7).The Lord was seen in like manner as an angel, as described furtheron in Revelation:I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud,and a rainbow was about his head, and his face was as the sun, and hisfeet as pillars of fire (Rev. 10:1).As the Lord appeared in this manner as to his feet, therefore underhis feet there was seen by some of the sons of Israel:As it were a work of sapphire stone, and as it were the substance ofheaven for clearness (Exod. 24:10).Their vision of the Lord was not as to the feet, but “under the feet,”because they were not in, but under, the external of the church, ofworship, and of the Word (see New Jerusalem and Its HeavenlyDoctrine, n. 248).[4] Since “the feet of Jehovah” or “of the Lord” signify theultimate of Divine order, and this specifically is the external of thechurch, of worship, and of the Word, therefore this external iscalled in the Word “his footstool,” as in Isaiah:The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, to beautify the placeof my sanctuary; I will make the place of my feet honorable. And theyshall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet (Isa. 60:13–14).Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool (Isa. 66:1).