Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 12:5
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AR 543. Verse 5. And she brought forth a son, a male, signifies the doctrine of the New Church By "a son," in the Word, is signified the truth of doctrine, and also the understanding, and thence the thought, of truth and good; but by "a daughter" is signified the good of doctrine, as also the will, and thence the affection of truth and good; and by "a son a male" is signified truth conceived in the spiritual man, and born in the natural man. The reason is, because by "generations and births," in the Word, are signified spiritual generations and births, all which in general relate to good and truth (n. 535); for nothing else is begotten and born of the Lord as Husband, and of the church as Wife. Now since by "the woman" who brought forth is signified the New Church (n. 533), it is plain that by "the son a male" is signified the doctrine of that church. The doctrine here meant is The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem; as also The Doctrines concerning the Lord, concerningThe Sacred Scripture, and concerning Life according to the Commandments of the Decalogue; for by doctrine all the truths of doctrine are meant, because doctrine is the complex of them. When these doctrines were written, the dragonists stood around me, and endeavored, with all their fury, to devour, that is, to extinguish them. This news it is permitted me to relate, because of a truth it so happened. The dragonists who stood around me were from all parts of the Reformed Christian world. Since there is no other offspring born from the spiritual marriage, a male offspring is truth and good in the understanding and thence in the thought; and a female offspring is truth and good in the will, and thence in the affections; therefore, by "a son," in the Word, is signified truth. To confirm this some passages shall be adduced, from which this may in some measure be seen:--

That "the Son of man" is the Divine truth of the Word, thus the Lord, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord (L n. 19-28). In the passages quoted above, by "sons" are meant they who are in truths of doctrine from the Word, and, abstractly, the truths themselves; in like manner in other places; as in (Isa. 13:17, 18; 14:21, 22; 43:6; 49:17, 22; 51:17, 18; 60:9; Jer. 3:24, 25; 5:17; Ezek. 14:16-18, 20; 16:20, 36, 45; 20:26, 31; 23:37; Hos. 11:9-11; Zech. 9:13; Ps. 144:11, 12; Deut. 32:8). That by "a daughter" is signified the affection of the truth of the church, thus the church as to that affection, appears from so many passages in the Word, that to adduce them would fill many pages; nothing else is meant by "the daughter of Zion," "the daughter of Jerusalem," "the daughter of Judah," "the daughter of Israel." Some passages respecting "the daughter of Zion" may be seen adduced (n. 612). Who cannot see that not any "daughter of Zion," "Jerusalem," "Judah," and "Israel," so often mentioned in the Word, can be meant?

AR 544. Who was to tend all nations with a rod of iron, signifies which, by truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, and, at the same time, by rational things from natural light, will convince all who are in dead worship from faith separated from charity, that are willing to be convinced. This is concerning the doctrine of the New Church, because it is spoken of "the son a male," by whom that doctrine is signified (n. 543); "to tend" signifies to teach and instruct (n. 383); here to convince those who are willing to be convinced; by "nations" are signified they who are in evils of life (n. 483); here, they who are in dead worship from faith separated from charity, because these are here treated of; and these are in evils of life, for when charity is separated, there is not any good of life, and where good is not, there evil is. That "to rule with a rod of iron" signifies by the truths of the literal sense of the Word, and, at the same time, by rational things from natural light, may be seen in (n. 148).

AR 545. And her offspring was caught up unto God and His throne, signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, because it is for the New Church, and its being guarded by the angels of heaven. By these words is signified the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, because it is said that "the dragon stood before the woman about to bring forth, to devour her offspring after it was brought forth;" and by "offspring" and "a son a male" is signified the doctrine for the New Church (n. 542, 543). Being guarded by the angels is also signified, because it is said, that "it was caught up unto God and to His throne;" and by "a throne" is signified the angelic heaven (n. 14, 221, 222).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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