Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 3:18
The head of which was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs iron, the feet part iron and part clay (Dan. 2:32, 33).
By which are represented the successive states of the church as to the good of love and the truth of wisdom. From this succession of the states of the church, the ancients gave similar names to times, calling them ages of gold, silver, brass, and iron; and by the golden age they understood the first time, when the good of celestial love reigned; celestial love is love to the Lord from the Lord; from this love they at that time had wisdom. That "gold" signifies the good of love may be seen below (n. 913).
. And white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, signifies that they should acquire to themselves genuine truths of wisdom. That "garments" signify truths clothing good, may be seen in (n. 166), and that "white" is spoken of truths (n. 167), therefore "white garments" signify the genuine truths of wisdom, and this, because "gold purified in the fire" signifies the good of celestial love, the truths of this love being genuine truths of wisdom. . That the shame of thy nakedness may not appear, signifies lest the good of celestial love should be profaned and adulterated. No one can know what "the shame of nakedness" signifies, unless he knows that the members of generation in both sexes, which are also called the genitals, correspond to celestial love. That there is a correspondence of man and all his members with the heavens, see (HH n. 87-102); and that the genital members correspond to celestial love, see (AC n. 5050-5062). As those members correspond to celestial love, which is the love of the third or inmost heaven, and man is born from his parents in loves which are opposite to that love, it is evident, that if he does not acquire to himself the good of love and the truth of wisdom from the Lord, signified by "gold tried in the fire," and by "white garments," he will appear in the opposite love, which is profane. This is signified by "uncovering nakedness" and "revealing shame," in the following passages:--Happy is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame (Apoc. 16:15)
Daughter of Babylon and of Chaldea, sit on the earth; uncover thy locks, uncover the thigh, pass over the stream; let thy nakedness be uncovered, and let thy reproach also be seen (Isa. 47:1-3).
Woe to the city of bloods, because of the multitude of her whoredoms: I will uncover the skirts upon thy face, and will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy disgrace (Nah. 3:1, 4, 5).
Contend with your mother, lest perchance I set her naked (Hos. 2:2, 3).
When I passed by thee, I covered thy nakedness, and washed thee, and clothed thee: but thou committedst whoredom; not recollecting thy youth, when thou wast naked and stripped bare; therefore thou hast revealed thy nakedness (Ezek. 16:6),
and following verses.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore all speak ill of her, because they saw her nakedness (Lam. 1:8).
By "Jerusalem," of which these things are said, the church is meant; and by "committing whoredom" is signified to adulterate and falsify the Word (n. 134).
Woe to him that maketh his companion drink, making him drunk, that thou mayest look upon his nakedness: drink also thyself, that thy foreskin may be uncovered (Hab. 2:15, 16).
He who knows what "nakedness" signifies can understand what is signified by:--
Noah, when drunken with wine lay naked in the midst of his tent, and Ham saw and laughed at his nakedness, and Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness, turning away their faces lest they should see it (Gen. 9:21-23).
Also why it was ordained that:--
Aaron and his sons should not go up by steps upon the altar, lest their nakedness should be uncovered (Exod. 20:26).
As also that:--
They should make for them breeches of linen to cover the flesh of nakedness, and that they should be upon them when they approached to the altar, and that otherwise they should carry their iniquity, and should die (Exod. 28:42, 43).
By "nakedness" in these passages are signified the evils into which a man is born, which, because they are opposite to the good of celestial love, are in themselves profane; which are not removed except by truths, and by a life according to them: "linen" also signifies truth (n. 671). By "nakedness" is also signified innocence, and likewise ignorance of good and truth; innocence in the passage:--
They were both naked, the man and his wife, and had no cause for shame (Gen. 2:25).
Ignorance of good and truth by these:--
This is the fast which I choose; to break bread to the hungry; and when thou seest the naked, to cover him (Isa. 58:6, 7).
Let him give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment (Ezek. 18:7).
I hungered, and ye gave Me to eat; I was naked, and ye clothed Me (Matt. 25:35, 36).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |