Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 5:13
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AR 290. Verse 13.And every created thing which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, signifies confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of the lowest heavens. That this is a confession and glorification of the Lord by the angels of the lowest heavens is evident from the series, because the confessions and glorifications of the Lord which precede were made by the angels of the higher and lower heavens (n. 275, and following numbers, n. 286, and following numbers); for there are three heavens, and innumerable societies in each, and each of them is called a heaven. That by "every created thing which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and in the sea," are meant angels, is evident, for it says, "heard I saying," and they said, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ages of ages." Their being called "created thing" is according to the style of the Word, in which, by all created things, as well those which belong to the animal kingdom as those which belong to the vegetable kingdom, are signified various things with man, in general such things as belong to his will or affection, and such as pertain to his understanding or thought; for they signify such things, because they correspond to them. And since the Word is written by mere correspondences, similar things are said of the angels of heaven and the men of the church; in proof of which a few passages only shall be adduced, which are as follows:--

Jesus said to His disciples, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)

Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the birds of heaven and they shall tell thee; or the shrub of the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee; who knoweth not from all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath done this? (Job 12:7-9).

Let the heaven and earth praise Jehovah, the seas, and all that creepeth therein, for God will save Zion (Ps. 69:34, 35).

Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye whales and all deeps (Ps. 148:7).

I will utterly consume all things from upon the face of the earth, I will consume man and beast, I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea (Zeph. 1:2, 3; Isa. 50:2, 3; Ezek. 38:19, 20; Hos. 4:2, 3; Apoc. 8:7-9).

The heavens shall be glad, and the earth shall rejoice; the sea shall be moved, and the fullness thereof; the field shall exult, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood sing before Jehovah, for He cometh; for He cometh to judge the earth (Ps. 96:11-13).

It is said "every created thing," by which is meant every reformed thing, or all the reformed, for "to create" signifies to reform and regenerate (n. 254). What is meant by "in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth," may be seen in (n. 260); and what by the "sea" (n. 238); hence it is evident what is signified by "such things as are in the sea, and all that are in them"; these things are meant in the Word by "the fishes of the sea," which are the sensual affections, these being the lowest of the natural man, for in the spiritual world such affections appear at a distance like "fishes," and as if they were "in the sea," because the atmosphere in which they are, appears watery, and therefore to those who are in the heavens and on the earth there, it seems like " a sea," as may be seen in (n. 238), and concerning fishes (n. 405).

AR 291. Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ages of ages, signifies that in the Lord from eternity, and thence in His Divine Human, is the all of heaven and the church, the Divine good, and the Divine truth, and the Divine power, and from Him in those who are in heaven and in the church. That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah, who took upon Him the Human in time, that He might redeem and save men, may be seen in (n. 281); therefore by "Him that sitteth upon the throne," is meant the Lord from eternity, who is called the Father, and by "the Lamb," the Lord as to the Divine Human, which is the Son; and because the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and they are one, it is evident that by both, or by "Him that sitteth upon the throne and the Lamb," the Lord is meant; and because they are one, it is also said that "the Lamb was in the midst of the throne" (verse 6; Apoc. 7:17). That "blessing," when spoken of the Lord, is the all of heaven and of the church in Him and from Him, in those who are in heaven and in the church, may be seen in (n. 289). That "honor and glory," are the Divine good and the Divine truth, may also be seen in (n. 249); and that "power" when spoken of the Lord, is the Divine power, is evident. That all these are the Lord’s, may appear from what is said in Daniel:--

Behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like the Son of man came and even to the Ancient of Days; and there was given Him dominion, and glory, and the kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and languages, shall worship Him; His dominion is the dominion of an age, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Daniel 7:13, 14).

That "the Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity, appears from these words in Micah:--

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me, He who shall be ruler in Israel; and whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2).

Also from these in Isaiah:--

Unto us a Boy is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

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