Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 11:10
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AR 507. Verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and be glad, signifies the delight of the affection of the heart and the soul in the church on that account among those who were in faith alone, as to doctrine and life. By "them that dwell on the earth" are meant they who are in the church, in the present case, they who are in the church where faith alone prevails; the earth signifies the church in which they are (n. 285); "to rejoice and be glad" signifies to have the delight of the affection of the heart and soul; the delight of the affection of the heart is of the will, and the delight of the affection of the soul is of the understanding; for, in the Word, by "heart and soul" are meant man‘s will and understanding; hence it is, that it is said "to rejoice and be glad," although joy and gladness seem to be one thing; yet in these two expressions there is the marriage of the will and the understanding, which also is the marriage of good and truth, which exists in the whole and in every particular of the Word, as is shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (Sacred n. 80-90). This is the reason why both these expressions, "to rejoice and be glad," or "joy and gladness," frequently occur in other parts of the Word, as in these passages:--

Behold, joy and gladness, killing an ox (Isa. 22:13; 35:10; 51:11).

Joy and gladness are cut off from the house of our God (Joel 1:16).

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness shall cease (Jer. 7:34; 15:10).

The fast of the tenth shall be for joy and gladness (Zech. 8:19).

Rejoice ye in Jerusalem, be ye glad in her (Isa. 66:10).

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom (Lam. 4:21).

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad (Ps. 96:11, 68:3).

Make me to hear joy and gladness (Ps. 51:8).

Joy and gladness shall be found in Zion (Isa. 51:3).

Thou shalt have gladness, many shall rejoice at his birth (Luke 1:14).

Then will I cause to cease the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride (Jer. 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:10, 11).

Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad (Ps. 40:16; 70:4).

But let the just be glad and rejoice in gladness (Ps. 68:3).

Be glad in Jerusalem, rejoice for joy with her (Isa. 66:10).

AR 508. And shall send gifts one to another, signifies consociation through love and friendship. "To send gifts" signifies to be consociated by love and friendship, because a gift consociates, for it produces love, and causes friendship; "one to another" signifies mutually.

AR 509. Because these two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth, signifies that these two essentials, one concerning the Lord and concerning the Divine Human; and the other concerning a life according to the commandments of the Decalogue, are contrary to the two essentials received in the church of the Reformed, one of which relates to a Trinity of Persons, and the other to faith alone being saving without the works of the law, and that by reason of this contrariety, those two essentials of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, are held in contempt, dislike, and aversion. That this is what is signified, when by "the two prophets" or "witnesses" are meant the two essentials of the New Church, and when by "them that dwell upon the earth" are meant they who are in the two essentials of the church of the Reformed, follows as a necessary consequence; by "tormenting" is signified to be held in contempt, dislike, and aversion.

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info