Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 16:5
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AR 685. Verse 5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying signifies the Divine truth of the Word. By "the angel of the waters" nothing else is signified but the Divine truth of the Word, because "waters" signify truths (n. 50), and "an angel" signifies what is Divine from the Lord (n. 415, 631, 633), and also truth from Him (n. 170).

AR 686. Thou art just, O Lord, Who art, and Who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things, signifies that this is of the Divine Providence of the Lord, Who is and Who was the Word, and the Divine truth itself, which otherwise would be profaned. "Thou art just, O Lord, because thou hast judged these things," signifies that this is of the Lord‘s Divine Providence, as will be seen presently. "Who art, and Who wast," signifies the Lord as to the Word, that He is and was the Word, according to (John 1:1, 2, 14). The reason why the Lord is here meant by the Word, is, because it now treats of the understanding of the Word with those who are of the church. What is further signified by "Is and Was," "the Beginning and the End," "the First and the Last," "the Alpha and the Omega," when applied to the Lord, may be seen above (n. 13, 29-31, 38, 57). By "holy" is signified that He is the Divine truth itself (n. 173, 586, 666). From these things it is evident that by "Thou art just, O Lord, Who art, and Who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things," is signified that this is of the Divine Providence of the Lord, Who is and was the Word and Divine truth itself. The reason why it is of the Lord’s Divine Providence that they who are in faith alone should falsify the truths of the Word, is because if they knew them, so as to think of them interiorly, they would profane them; for they are in evils, because they do not shun evils as sins, nor approach the Lord immediately. Wherefore if they were to receive the genuine truths of the Word, they would mix them with the evils of their life; and the result of this would be the profanation of what is holy. It is therefore one of the laws of permission, which are also laws of the Divine Providence, that they should from themselves falsify truths, and this in proportion as they are in evils of life. That it is of the Divine Providence, that they who are in evils of life should never be otherwise than in falsities of doctrine, lest the Divine truths of the Word should be profaned, may be seen in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence (DP n. 221-233, 257).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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