Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 3:4
Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy comeliness, O Jerusalem (Isa. 52:1).
O Jerusalem, I have clothed thee with needlework, I have shod thee with badger’s skin, I have girded thee with fine-linen, and adorned thee with ornaments; thou art arrayed in gold and silver, and thy garments are fine-linen, silk, and needlework, whence thou hast become exceedingly beautiful. But thou hast taken off thy garments, and hast made for thyself high-places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou hast also taken thy garments of needlework, and hast made images of a male, with which thou committedst whoredom (Ezek. 16:10-18).
The Jewish church is here described, that to it were given truths, because it had the Word; but that they falsified them; "to commit whoredom" is to falsify (n. 134).
The king‘s daughter is all glorious within, and her clothing is of woven gold; in needlework shall she be brought to the king (Ps. 45:13, 14).
"The king’s daughter" is the church as to the affection of truth.
Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who arrayed you in scarlet double-dyed with delights, and put an ornament of gold upon your garment (2 Sam. 1:24).
This is said of Saul because by him as king the Divine Truth is signified (n. 20).
I will visit upon the princes and upon the king‘s sons, and upon all that are clothed in the garments of the stranger (Zeph. 1:8).
The enemies shall put off thy garments from thee, and shall take away thy adornments (Ezek. 23:26).
Joshua was clothed in polluted garments, and stood so before the angel; who said, Remove ye the polluted garments from him, and clothe him with other garments (Zech. 3:3-5).
The king came in, and saw them that were reclining; and he saw a man not clothed with a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11, 12).
"The wedding garment" is the Divine truth from the Word.
Beware of false-prophets, who come unto you in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15).
No one putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; otherwise the new rendeth the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old (Luke 5:36).
Because "a garment" signifies truth, the Lord therefore compares the truths of the former church, which were external and representative of spiritual things, to "a piece of an old garment;" and the truths of the new church, which were internal and spiritual, to "a piece of a new garment."
Upon the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments (Apoc. 4:4).
They who were standing before the throne and in the sight of the Lamb, were arrayed in white robes; who washed their robes and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb (Apoc. 7:9, 13, 14).
There were given to everyone of those who were under the altar white robes (Apoc. 6:11).
The armies of Him that sat upon the white horse followed Him clothed in fine-linen white and clean (Apoc. 19:14).
Because "angels" signify Divine Truths, therefore:--
The angels seen in the Lord‘s sepulchre appeared in garments white and shining (Matt. 28:3; Luke 24:4).
Because the Lord is the Divine good and the Divine truth, and truths are meant by "garments," therefore when He was transfigured:--
His face shone as the sun, and His garments became as the light (Matt. 17:2).
And were white, glistening (Luke 9:29).
And shining white as snow, such as no fuller upon earth could whiten (Mark 9:3).
Concerning the Ancient of Days, who also is the Lord, it is said that:--
His garment was white as snow (Dan. 7:9).
And these things are said of the Lord besides:--
He hath anointed all thy garments with myrrh, and aloe, and cassia (Ps. 45:8).
He washeth His garment in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Gen. 49:11).
Who is this that cometh from Edom, sprinkled as to His garments from Bozrah? this that is honorable in His apparel; wherefore art Thou red as to Thy garment? Thy garments are as of one that treadeth in the wine-press. Victory is sprinkled upon My garments; and I have polluted all My raiment (Isa. 63:1-3).
This is also concerning the Lord. His "garments" here are the truths of the Word.
He that sat upon the white horse, was clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God (Apoc. 19:13, 16).
From the signification of "garments," it may be seen why:--
The Lord’s disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt, when the Lord entered into Jerusalem; and why the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matt. 21:7-9; Mark 11:7, 8; Luke 19:35, 36).
And what is signified by:--
The soldiers divided the Lord‘s garments into four parts (John 19:23, 24).
And thus what is signified by these words in David:--
They divided My garments, and upon My vestment they cast a lot (Ps. 22:18).
From the signification of "garments" it is also manifest why they rent their garments, when anyone spoke against the Divine truth of the Word (Isa. 37:1); also why they washed their garments, that themselves might be purified (Ex. 19:4; Lev. 11:25, 40; 14:8, 9; Num. 19:11-22); and why, on account of transgressions against Divine truths, they put off their garments, and put on sackcloth (Isa. 15:3; 22:12; 37:1, 2; Jer. 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lam. 2:10; Ez. 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5, 6, 8). He who knows what "garments" signify in general and in particular can know what was signified by the garments of Aaron and his sons, which were the ephod, the robe, the checkered coat, the belt, the breeches, and the mitre. Because "light" signifies the Divine truth, and "garment" likewise, therefore it is said in David:--
Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Ps. 104:2).
He walked with me in peace and rectitude (Mal. 2:6).
Thou hast delivered My feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of the living (Ps. 56:13).
David hath kept My commandments, and hath walked after Me with the whole heart (1 Kings 14:8).
O Jehovah, remember that I have walked before Thee in truth (Isa. 38:3).
If ye will walk contrary to Me, and will not obey My voice, I also will walk contrary to you (Lev. 26:23, 24, 27, 28).
They would not walk in the ways of Jehovah (Isa. 42:24; Deut. 11:22; 19:9; 26:17).
All peoples walk in the name of their god, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah (Mic. 4:5).
Yet a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light; believe in the light (John 12:35, 36; 8:12).
The scribes asked, Why walk not the disciples according to the tradition of the elders? (Mark 7:5).
"To walk" is also said of Jehovah that "He walks among them," that is, lives in them and with them.
I will give My habitation in the midst of them, and will walk in the midst of you, and will be unto you for God (Lev. 26:11, 12).
From these passages it is manifest what is meant above by:--
These things saith He that walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands (Apoc. 2:1).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |