Spiritual Summary of REVELATION 7    previous  -  next  -  text  -  details  -  Revelation  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

In this chapter it treats of those who are and will be in the Christian heaven; and first of their separation from the evil (verses 1-3); after that, of those who are in love to the Lord and thereby in wisdom, of whom the higher heavens consist (verses 4-8); and of those who are in charity and its faith from the Lord, because they have fought against evils, of whom are the lower heavens (verses 9-17).

Ver. 1. "After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth," signifies the entire heaven now in the effort to execute the Last Judgment (n. 342). "Holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree," signifies a withholding and restraining by the Lord, of a nearer and thence more powerful influx into the lower parts, where the good were conjoined with the evil (n. 343). Ver. 2. "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun," signifies the Lord providing and regulating (n. 344). "Having the seal of the living God," signifies who alone knows all and each, and can distinguish and separate them one from another (n. 345). "And he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea (ver. 3), saying, Hat not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees," signifies the presenting and withholding by the Lord of a nearer and stronger influx into the lower parts (n. 346). "Till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads," signifies before they are separated who are in truths from good from the Lord (n. 347).

Ver. 4. "And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand," signifies all who acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and are in truths of doctrine from the good of love, from Him through the Word (n. 348). "Sealed out of every tribe of Israel," signifies the Lord‘s heaven and church composed of them (n. 349).

Ver. 5. "Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand," signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and this with all who will be in the New Heaven and the New Church (n. 350). "Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand," signifies wisdom from celestial love, with them who will be there (n. 351). "Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand," signifies uses of life, which are of wisdom from that love, with those who will be there (n. 352).

Ver. 6. "Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand," signifies mutual love with them (n. 353). "Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the perception of use, and what use is with them (n. 354). "Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand," sign is the will of serving, and of action, with them (n. 355).

Ver. 7. "Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor, with them (n. 356). "Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the affection of truth from good, from whence comes intelligence with them (n. 357). "Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand" signifies the good of life with them (n. 358). Ver. 8. "Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the conjugial love of good and truth with them (n. 359). "Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the doctrine of good and truth with them (n. 360). "Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the life of truth from good according to doctrine with them (n. 361).

Ver. 9. "After this I saw and behold, a great multitude which no one could number," signifies all the rest who are not of those enumerated, and yet are in the New Heaven and New Church of the Lord, and who constitute the ultimate heaven and the external church, whose quality no one knows but the Lord alone (n. 363, 364). "Of even nation, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues," signifies all in the Christian world, who are in religion from good, and in truths from doctrine (n. 365). " Standing before the throne and before the Lamb," signifies hearing the Lord and doing the things which He commands (n. 366). "Clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands," signifies communication and conjunction with the higher heavens, and confession from Divine truths (n. 367).

Ver. 10. "And crying with a great voice, saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb," signifies acknowledgment from the heart that the Lord is their Saviour (n. 368).

Ver. 11 "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals," signifies all in the whole heaven (n. 369).

Ver. 12. " Saying, Amen," signifies Divine verity and confirmation therefrom (n. 371). "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving," signifies the Divine spiritual things of the Lord (n. 372). "And honor, and power, and might," signifies the Divine celestial things of the Lord (n. 373). "Be unto our God for ages of ages," signifies these things in the Lord, and from the Lord to eternity (n. 374). "Amen," signifies the consent of all (n. 375). Ver. 13. "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, Who are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

(Ver. 14.) And I said unto him, Lord, thou knowest," signifies the desire of knowing and the will of interrogating, and the answer and information (n. 376). "And he said unto me, These are they that come out of great affliction," signifies that they are those who have been in temptations, and have fought against evils and falsities (n. 377). "And have washed their robes," signifies who have cleansed their religious principles from the evils of falsity (n. 378). "And made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb," signifies, and purified them from the falsities of evil by truths, and thus have been reformed by the Lord (n. 379).

Ver. 15. "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them," signifies that they are in the presence of the Lord, and constantly and faithfully live according to the truths which they receive from Him in His church (n. 380).

Ver. 16. "They shall not hunger any more, neither thirst any more," signifies that hereafter there shall be no lack of goods and truths with them (n. 381). "Neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat," signifies that hereafter they shall have no lusts to evil nor to falsity of evil (n. 382).

Ver. 17. "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them," signifies that the Lord alone will teach them (n. 383). "And shall lead them to living fountains of waters," signifies, and shall lead by truths of the Word to conjunction with Himself (n. 384). "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes," signifies that they shall no longer be in combats against evils and their falsities, and thereby in grief, but in goods and truths, and thence in heavenly joys from the Lord.