Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 6:5
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AR 309. Verse 5. And when He had opened the third seal, signifies exploration by the Lord of those upon whom the Last Judgment was to be executed, as to the states of their life. The same is here signified by these words as before (n. 295), only with the difference explained below.

AR 310. And I heard the third animal saying, signifies according to the Divine truth of the Word as in (n. 296).

AR 311. Come and look, signifies manifestation concerning the third in order, as may appear from the explanation in (n. 297); only there the first in order are treated of, but here the third.

AR 312. And I saw, and behold, a black horse, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to truth, thus as to doctrine with these. That "a horse" signifies the understanding of the Word, was shown above; the reason why "black" signifies what is not true, thus falsity, is because black is the opposite of white, and white is predicated of truth (n. 167, 231, 232); white also derives its origin from light, and black from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light is truth. But in the spiritual world there exists blackness from a twofold origin, one from the absence of flaming light, which light is with those who are in the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and the other from the absence of bright light, which is the light with those who are in the Lord‘s spiritual kingdom; the latter blackness has the same signification as "darkness," but the former as "thick darkness." There is a difference between these two kinds of blackness, the one is abominable, the other not so much so; it is the same with the falsities which they signify. They who appear in the abominable kind of blackness are called devils, such holding truth in abomination as horned owls do the light of the sun. But they appear in that kind of blackness, which is not abominable, who are called satans; these do not abominate truth, but are averse to it; the latter may therefore be compared to owls, and the former to horned owls. That "black," in the Word, is spoken of falsity, may appear from these passages:--

Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, their form is darkened more than blackness (Lam. 4:7, 8).

The day shall grow black over the prophets (Micah 3:6).

In the day when thou goest down into hell, I will make Lebanon black over thee (Ezek. 31:15).

The sun became black as sackcloth of hair (Apoc. 6:12).

The son, the moon, and the stars, became black (Jer. 4:27, 28; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 2:10; 3:15).

The reason why "the third animal" showed "a black horse," was, because it had a face like a man, by which is signified the Divine truth of the Word as to wisdom (n. 243), therefore this animal showed that there was no longer any truth of wisdom with those who were the third in order.

AR 313. And he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand, signifies the estimation of good and truth, of what kind it was with these. By "the pair of balances in his hand," is signified the estimation of truth and good; for all measures and weights, in the Word, signify the estimation of the thing treated of. That measures and weights signify such things is manifest from these words in Daniel:--

There appeared a writing before Belshazzar the king of Babylon, when he was drinking wine from the vessels of gold and silver taken out of the temple of Jerusalem, Mene, Mene, Thekel, Perizin; that is, Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, Divided; the interpretation of which is this: Mene, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it; Thekel, Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting; Perez, The kingdom is divided, and given to the Mede and the Persian (Daniel 5:1, 2, 25-28).

By "drinking from the gold and silver vessels of the temple of Jerusalem," and at the same time worshiping other gods, signifies the profanation of good and truth; as also by "Babylon." By "Mene," or to number, is signified to know his quality as to truth; by "Thekel," or to weigh, is signified to know his quality as to good; by "Perez," or to divide, is signified to disperse. That the quality of truth and good is signified by measures and by balances in the Word, is manifest in Isaiah:--

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and hath meted out the heavens with the span, and hath embraced the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in balances (Isaiah 40:12).

And in the Apocalypse:--

The angel measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Apoc. 21:17).

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