Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 3:3
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AR 161. Verse 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, signifies that it should come into the thought that all worship in its beginning is natural, and afterwards by truths out of the Word, and by a life according to them, becomes spiritual, besides many other things. These are the things that are to be understood by these words; as also, that everyone may know from the Word, from the doctrines of the church from the Word, and from preachings, that truths ought to be learned, and that by truths man has faith, charity, and all things of the church. That this is the case, is abundantly shown in the Arcana Coelestia; that by truths comes faith (AC n. 4353, 4977, 7178, 10367). That by truths comes love towards the neighbor, or charity (AC n. 4368, 7623, 7624, 8034). That by truths comes love to the Lord (AC n. 10143, 10153, 10310, 10578, 10645). That by truths come intelligence and wisdom (AC n. 3182, 3190, 3387, 10064). That by truths regeneration is effected (AC n. 1555, 1904, 2046, 2189, 9088, 9959, 10028). That by truths there is power against evils and falsities, and against hell (AC n. 3091, 4015, 10488). That by truths there is purification from evils and falsities (AC n. 2799, 5954, 7044, 7918, 10229, 10237). That by truths the church exists (AC n. 1798, 1799, 3963, 4468, 4672). That by truths heaven exists (AC n. 6690, 9832, 9931, 10303). That by truths comes the innocence of wisdom (AC n. 3183, 3494, 6013). That by truths there is conscience (AC n. 1077, 2053, 9113). That by truths there is order (AC n. 3316, 3417, 3470, 4104, 5339, 5343, 6028, 10303). That by truths is the beauty of angels, and also of men as to the interiors which are of their spirit (AC n. 553, 3080, 4985, 5199). That by truths man is man (AC n. 3175, 3387, 8370, 10298). But all this by truths from good, and not by truths without good, and good is from the Lord (AC n. 2434, 4070, 4736, 5147). That every good is from the Lord (AC n. 1614, 2016, 2904, 4151, 5147, 9981). But who thinks this? Is it not at this day a matter of indifference what truths a man knows, provided he is in worship? And because few search the Word for the purpose of learning truths and living according to them, therefore nothing is known concerning worship, whether it be dead or living, and yet according to the quality of worship man himself is either dead or living. Otherwise of what use would the Word be, and doctrine thence, or what would be the use of sabbaths and preachings, as well as of books of instruction, yea to what purpose would the church and religion be? That all worship in its beginning is natural, and afterwards by truths from the Word, and a life according to them, becomes spiritual, is known; for man is born natural, but is educated in order that he may become civil and moral, and afterwards spiritual, for thus he is born again. These things therefore are signified by "Remember how thou hast received and heard."

AR 162. And observe and repent, signifies that they should attend to these things and vivify their dead worship. That "to observe" is to attend to those things which are meant by "Remember how thou hast received and heard," is evident; and that "to repent" is to vivify dead worship, by truths from the Word, and by a life according to them, follows therefrom.

AR 163. If therefore thou shalt not watch, signifies, if they are not in truths and in a life according to them, as is evident from the explanation in (n. 158).

AR 164. I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know in what hour I will come upon thee, signifies that the things which are of worship shall be taken away from them, and that they shall not know when and how. It is said that the Lord "will come like a thief," because from the man, who is in dead worship, the external good of worship is taken away. For there is something of good in dead worship, because they think of God and of eternal life; but still good without its truths is not good, but meritorious or hypocritical, and evils and falsities take it away like a thief. This is done successively in the world, and after death fully, and also the man not knowing when and how. It is attributed to the Lord that "He will come like a thief," but, in the spiritual sense, it is meant that hell will take away and steal it. This is similar to its being said in the Word, that God does evil to man, vastates him, avenges, is wrathful, and leads into temptation; when yet hell does them, for it is so said from the appearance before man. That the talent and pound to trade with, is taken away from the man if nothing is gained by it, may be seen in (Matt. 25:26-30; Luke 19:24-26). "To trade" and "to gain" signifies to acquire to one‘s self truths and goods. Since good and truth are taken away from those who are in dead worship, as if it were done by a thief in the dark, therefore in the Word the same is sometimes likened to a thief, as in the following passages:--

Behold, I come as a thief. Happy is be that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest be walk naked (Apoc. 16:15).

Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this, that if the householder had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through (Matt. 24:42, 43).

If thieves came to thee, if destroyers by night, how wilt thou be cut off, would they not have stolen till they had enough? (Obad. 1:5).

They shall run to and fro in the city, they shall run upon the wall, they shall go up upon the houses, they shall enter in through the windows like a thief (Joel 2:9).

They have done a lie, and the thief cometh in, and the troop spreadeth itself without (Hos. 7:1).

Lay not up treasures upon earth, but in heaven, where thieves do not come nor steal (Matt. 6:19, 20).

The reason why man must watch, and not know the hour in which The Lord cometh, is, that man may think and act as from himself, thus in freedom according to his reason, and lest any fear intrude; for everyone, if he knew, would be in fear; and what man does from himself in freedom remains to eternity; but what he does from fear, does not remain.

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