Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 11:9
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AR 505. Verse 9. And they of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, shall see their bodies three days and a half, signifies that when all they who, until the end of the present church and the beginning of the New Church, have been and will be in falsities of doctrine and thence in evils of life from faith alone, have heard and shall hear of these two essentials, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord and of works according to the Decalogue. By "peoples and tribes and tongues, and nations," are meant all of the Reformed who have been and will be in falsities of doctrine, and thence in evils of life from faith alone; by "peoples" are signified those who are in falsities of doctrine (n. 483); by "tribes" falsities and evils of the church (n. 349); by "tongues," confession and reception thereof (n. 483); and by "nations" those who are in evils of life (n. 483). Therefore, by these four are signified all and everyone who have been and who will be such, thus all they who have been "in that great city," and they that are like unto them; who will thenceforth come there out of the world. By "their bodies," or those "of the two witnesses," are signified the two essentials of the New Church above mentioned (n. 501); by "they shall see" is signified when they have heard and shall hear of them, because "to see" is said of their bodies, and "to hear," of these two essentials; by "three days and a half" is signified to the end and the beginning, that is, to the end of the present church and the beginning of the New. Now from these things collected into one sense, it is evident, that by these words, "They of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, shall see their bodies three days and a half," the things above mentioned are signified in the spiritual sense. The reason why "three days and a half" signify to the end and the beginning, is, because "day" signifies state; the number "three," what is complete to the end; and "a half," the beginning; for the same is signified by "three days and a half" as by "a week," six days of which signify what is complete to the end, and the seventh day signifies what is holy; for the number "3 12" is half of the number "7," which makes a week, and a double number, and the divided number of which it consists, have a similar signification. That "three" signifies what is complete, thus to the end, may be seen from these passages in the Word, that:--

"Seven," as well as "three," signifies what is full and complete; but "seven" is said of things holy, and "three" of things not holy.

AR 506. And shall not suffer their bodies to be put into monuments, signifies that they condemned and will condemn them. By "bodies" are here signified the two essentials of the New Church (n. 505); and by "not suffering them to be put into monuments," is signified to reject them as condemned. This is signified, because by "being put into monuments," or "buried," is signified resurrection and continuation of life, for then those things are committed to the earth which are from the earth, thus which are earthly and thence unclean; therefore by "not being put into monuments," or "not being buried," is signified to continue in things earthly and unclean, and for that reason to be rejected as condemned. It was on this account that in the church with the sons of Israel, which was a representative church, it was instituted, that they who were considered as condemned, should be cat forth and not buried, as is evident from these things:--

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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