Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 16:18
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AR 710. Verse 18. And there were voices and lightnings and thunders, signifies reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments from the falsities of evil in the church among those who are in faith alone, and refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, since they do not wish to recede from them if they knew them. That by "voices," "lightings," and "thunders" are signified reasonings, falsifications of truths, and arguments from falsities, may be evident from what is said above (n. 396, 530), and from similar things there. That they who are in faith separate from the works of the Law, and thence in evils of life, refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, because they do not wish to recede from them if they knew them, is manifest without explanation. Experience teaches this: for evils are delights because they are loves and no one wishes to recede from delights unless he looks to the life after death, and first to hell to see what it is, and afterwards to heaven, what that is, and thinks of them aside from any evil act. If he then looks to the Lord also, and thinks, "What is the temporal in comparison with the eternal? is it not as nothing?" he can then reflect upon his evils, and wish to know them, and to recede from them. But if he had confirmed himself in faith alone, he will then say in his heart, Our theological faith, that God the Father has mercy for the sake of the Son who suffered for our sins, if I supplicate this with some confidence, it effects all things; he then does not reflect upon any evil in himself; he also says with himself from that faith, that evil does not condemn, and that salvation is pure mercy, besides other similar things: he thus remains in his evils, and delights himself in them even to the end of life. Such are the reasonings, the falsifications of truth, and the arguments from the falsities of evil, which are here signified by the voices, the lightnings, and the thunders."

AR 711. And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great, signifies as it were shakings, convulsions, overturnings, and the drawing down from heaven, of all the things of the church. That by "an earthquake" changes in the state of the church are signified, may be seen above (n. 331): and as earthquakes are lighter and more severe, here the most severe, because it is said that such an earthquake had not occurred since men were made, it is manifest that by "the earthquake" here are signified the shakings, convulsions, and overturnings of all things in the church, and the drawing of them down from heaven. It is also said of the dragon, who is called the old serpent, the Devil, and Satan, that:--

The Lord also says of the end of this church:--

The end of the church is also described in the prophets by the shakings, overthrowings, and castings down, of the earth, and by other things which relate to earthquakes.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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