Apocalypse Revealed volume 2

659 Pages·2009·1.95 MB·English

by  Emanuel Swedenborg

Apocalypse Revealed
Wherein are disclosed the arcana
there foretold which have hitherto
remained concealed
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
Volume 2
(Numbers 612–962)
Translated from the Original Latin by
John Whitehead
STANDARD EDITION
SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION
West Chester, Pennsylvania
© 2009 Swedenborg Foundation
This version was compiled from electronic files of the
Standard Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg as
further edited by William Ross Woofenden. Pagination of
this PDF document does not match that of the
corresponding printed volumes, and any page references
within this text may not be accurate. However, most if not
all of the numerical references herein are not to page
numbers but to Swedenborg’s section numbers, which are
not affected by changes in pagination. If this work appears
both separately and as part of a larger volume file, its
pagination follows that of the larger volume in both cases.
This version has not been proofed against the original, and
occasional errors in conversion may remain. To purchase the
full set of the Redesigned Standard Edition of Emanuel
Swedenborg’s works, or the available volumes of the latest
translation (the New Century Edition of the Works of
Emanuel Swedenborg), contact the Swedenborg Foundation
at 1-800-355-3222, www.swedenborg.com, or 320 North
Church Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380.
Contents
Editor’s Preface
Revelation 14
Revelation 15
Revelation 16
Revelation 17
Revelation 18
Revelation 19
Revelation 20
Revelation 21
Revelation 22
Synopsis of the Memorable Relations
Index of Scripture Passages
Index
Critical Notes
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 677
Editor’s Preface
Apocalypse Revealed is a detailed unfolding of the inner or spiritual
sense of the book of Revelation. This is the first of Swedenborg’s
later works to which he appended so-called “memorable relations,”
which are descriptions of otherworld events he witnessed. In 1765
he had stopped writing in his Spiritual Diary—a work which
contains much similar material—and now in this 1766 work (and
all of his subsequent publications) he included accounts of such
happenings. In a letter written to his friend Dr. Gabriel Beyer in
April 1766 he recommended that the doctor read these passages
first.
This is the last work that Swedenborg published anonymously.
Unlike his earlier work, Apocalypse Explained, published
posthumously, this one is openly addressed to the Christian world,
and thus marks an apparently new attitude on Swedenborg’s part as
to where the new church was to have its origin.
This present edition was translated from the Latin by John
Whitehead. The text was electronically scanned from the
Swedenborg Foundation’s Standard Edition. This has allowed the
book to be completely redesigned and set in a new and more
readable typeface. Certain stylistic changes have also been
introduced. These include modernized spelling and punctuation as
well as the substitution of new words for terms whose meanings
have become obscure or have changed since the nineteenth century.
Arabic numerals have replaced roman numerals in Bible passages,
and certain capitalized words, including pronouns referring to God,
have been lowercased to reflect contemporary usage. All these
changes have been carefully made in order to make the book easier
to read and use while preserving the dignity and power of the
original Latin. On the whole, however, the Whitehead translation
has not been materially altered.
A word needs to be said about the translation of the Scripture
passages in this work, some of which Swedenborg translated from
biblical Hebrew and Greek, others he cited from Latin Bibles in his
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 678
personal library. The reader will note that the archaic language of
the 1611 King James Bible, commonly called the Authorized
Version, has for the most part been retained in the Scripture
citations in this edition. Thus verbs will often have the suffix “-
eth,” and pronoun forms such as “thee,” “thou,” and “thine” are
retained. This custom, based on the almost universal use of the
King James version at that time, dates back to the earliest English
translations of Swedenborg. The decision was made by the early
translators to follow the familiar language of that Bible wherever it
did not conflict with the Latin of Swedenborg’s Scripture citations.
Although it would be desirable to update this language, these
citations appear so frequently that changing them throughout the
entire work would have required a major revision.
Volume 2 of Apocalypse Revealed continues Swedenborg’s verse-
by-verse explanation, or commentary, of the biblical text of the
Apocalypse, commonly known as the book of Revelation or the
Revelation of John. This volume covers chapters 14 through 22. As
was the custom in his day, Swedenborg referred to the Psalms as
the book of David, and to the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) as the books of Moses.
Numbers indicating the paragraph subdivisions used in John
Faulkner Potts’ six-volume Swedenborg Concordance (London:
Swedenborg Society, 1888–1902) are inserted in this American
edition for the first time. They appear in bracketed boldface type at
the beginning of paragraphs. The numbers in parentheses (6), (7),
etc., are divisions of the exposition by the author. Italicized letters
following a number (518a, 518b) are subdivisions added by the
Latin editor, Samuel H. Worcester. Words or phrases in brackets
are also editorial insertions into Swedenborg’s text. Critical notes,
referenced by superscripts in the text, will be found at the end of
the volume.
William Ross Woofenden
Sharon, Massachusetts
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 679
Revelation 14
1. And I saw, and behold a lamb standing on the Mount Zion, and
with him a hundred forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name
written upon their foreheads.
2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and
as the voice of great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping
with their harps.
3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before
the four animals, and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song
but the hundred forty-four thousand bought from the earth.
4. These are they who were not defiled with women, for they are
virgins; these are they who follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth;
these were bought from among men, the firstfruits to God and the
lamb.
5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are spotless
before the throne of God.
6. And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the
eternal gospel to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto
every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
7. Saying with a great voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the
hour of his judgment is come; and adore him that made the heaven and
the earth and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8. And another angel followed, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
anger of her whoredom.
9. And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, if
anyone hath adored the beast, and his image, and hath received his
mark upon his forehead or upon his hand,
10. He also shall drink of the wine of the anger of God mixed with
unmixed wine in the cup of his wrath, and he shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the lamb.
11. And the smoke of their torment shall go up for ages of ages; and
they shall have no rest day and night that adore the beast and his
image, and if anyone shall have received the mark of his name.
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 680
12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ.1
13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write, Happy are
the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.
14. And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one
sitting like unto the son of man, having upon his head a golden crown,
and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15. And another angel went out from the temple, crying with a great
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send thy sickle, and reap; for the
hour for thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up.
16. And he that sat upon the cloud sent his sickle upon the earth, and
the earth was reaped.
17. And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven,
he also having a sharp sickle.
18. And another angel went out from the altar, having authority
over fire; and he cried with a great cry to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying, Send thy sharp sickle, and gather the vintage, the clusters of the
vineyard of the earth; for her grapes are ripened.
19. And the angel sent his sickle into the earth, and gathered the
vineyard of the earth, and he cast it into the great winepress of the
anger of God.
20. And the winepress was trodden without the city; and there went
out blood from the winepress even unto the bridles of the horses, for a
thousand six hundred stadia.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
Concerning the new Christian heaven: it is described (verses
1–5). The proclamation of the Lord’s coming, and then the new
church (verses 6, 7, 13). An exhortation to recede from faith
separated from charity, in which is the church at the present day
(verses 9–12). The exploration of these, and the manifestation that
their works are evil (verses 14–20).
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 681
The contents of each verse
Verse 1. “And I saw, and behold a lamb standing on the Mount
Zion, and with him a hundred forty-four2 thousand” signifies the
Lord now in the new heaven from Christians, who acknowledged
him as the God of heaven and earth, and were in truths of doctrine
from him through the Word (n. 612). “Having his Father’s name
in their foreheads” signifies acknowledgment of the Lord’s Divine
and the Divine human with them (n. 613). Verse 2. “And I heard a
voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters” signifies the Lord
speaking through the new heaven from Divine truths (n. 614).
“And as the voice of great thunder” signifies and from the Divine
love (n. 615). “And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their
harps” signifies confession of the Lord from gladness of heart by the
spiritual angels in the lower heavens (n. 616). Verse 3. “And they
sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four
animals and before the elders” signifies celebration and glorification
of the Lord before him and before the angels of the higher heavens
(n. 617). “And no one was able to learn the song but the hundred
forty-four thousand” signifies that no others from among
Christians could understand, and thus from love and faith
acknowledge, that the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth,
but they who were received by the Lord into this new heaven (n.
618). “Bought from the earth” signifies that they are those who
could be regenerated by the Lord and thus be redeemed in the
world (n. 619). Verse 4. “These are they who were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins” signifies that they did not adulterate
the truths of the church, and defile them with falsities of faith, but
that they loved truths because they are truths (n. 620). “These are
they who follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth” signifies that
they are conjoined with the Lord by love and faith in him, because
they have lived according to his commandments (n. 621). “And
were bought from among men” signifies here as before (n. 622).
“Firstfruits unto God and the lamb” signifies the first beginning of
the Christian heaven, that acknowledges one God in whom is the
trinity, and that the Lord is he (n. 623). Verse 5. “And in their
mouth was found no deceit” signifies that they do not from
cunning and design speak and persuade to falsity and evil (n. 624).
“For they are spotless before the throne of God” signifies because
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 682
they are in truths from good from the Lord (n. 625). Verse 6. “And
I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the eternal
gospel to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth” signifies the
annunciation of the Lord’s coming, and of the new church that is
to come down out of heaven from him (n. 626). “And to every
nation and tribe and tongue and people” signifies to all who are in
goods from religion, and in truths from doctrine (n. 627). Verse 7.
“Saying with a great voice, Fear God” signifies admonition not to
do evils, because this is against the Lord (n. 628). “And give glory
to him, for the hour of his judgment is come” signifies the
acknowledgment and confession that all the truth of the Word is
from the Lord, according to which every man will be judged (n.
629). “And adore him who made the heaven and the earth and the
sea and the fountains of waters” signifies that the Lord alone is to
be worshiped, because he alone is the creator, savior, and redeemer,
and from him alone are the angelic heaven and the church and all
things of them (n. 630). Verse 8. “And another angel followed,
saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city” signifies that the
Roman Catholic religion, as to its dogmas and doctrinals, is now
dispersed (n. 631). “Because she made all nations drink of the wine
of the anger of her whoredom” signifies because by profanations of
the Word and adulterations of the good and truth of the church,
she has seduced all whom she could subject to her dominion (n.
632). Verse 9. “And a third angel followed them, saying with a
great voice” signifies further revelation from the Lord concerning
those who are in faith separated from charity (n. 633). “If anyone
hath adored the beast and his image, and hath received his mark
upon his forehead and upon his hand” signifies whoever
acknowledges and receives the doctrine concerning justification and
salvation by faith alone, confirms it, and lives according to it (n.
634). Verse 10. “He also shall drink of the wine of the anger of
God mixed with unmixed wine in the cup of his wrath” signifies
that they falsify the goods and truths of the Word, and imbue their
life from those falsified things (n. 635). “And he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and the lamb (Verse
11), and the smoke of their torment shall go up for ages of ages”
signifies the love of self and the world and the lusts therefrom, and
from these the pride of their own intelligence, and thence torment
in hell (n. 636). “And they shall have no rest day and night that
APOCALYPSE REVEALED 683
adore the beast and his image, and if anyone shall have received the
mark of his name” signifies a perpetual state in undelightful things
with those who acknowledge and receive that faith, confirm it, and
live according to it (n. 637). Verse 12. “Here is the patience of the
saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the
faith of Jesus” signifies that the man of the Lord’s church is
explored by temptations from them, as to the quality of his life
according to the commandments of the Word and of his faith in
the Lord (n. 638). Verse 13. “And I heard a voice from heaven,
saying to me, Write,3 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from
henceforth” signifies a prediction from the Lord concerning the
state of those after death who will be of his new church, that they
will have eternal life and happiness (n. 639). “Yea, saith the spirit,
that they may rest from their labors” signifies that the Divine truth
of the Word teaches that they who afflict their soul and crucify
their flesh for the sake of those things, will have peace in the Lord
(n. 640). “For their works follow with them” signifies according as
they have loved and believed, and thence have done and spoken (n.
641). Verse 14. “And I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and upon
the cloud one sitting like unto the son of man” signifies the Lord as
to the Word (n. 642). “Having upon his head a golden crown, and
in his hand a sharp sickle” signifies the Divine wisdom from his
Divine love, and the Divine truth of the Word (n. 643). Verse 15.
“And another angel went out from the temple” signifies the angelic
heaven (n. 644). “Crying with a great voice to him that sat on the
cloud, Send thy sickle, and reap, for the hour for thee to reap is
come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up” signifies the
supplication of the angels of heaven to the Lord, that he would
make an end and execute judgment, because now is the last state of
the church (n. 645). Verse 16. “And he that sat upon the cloud
sent his sickle, and the earth was reaped” signifies the end of the
church, because there is no longer any Divine truth there (n. 646).
Verse 17. “And another angel went out from the temple which is in
heaven, he also having a sharp sickle” signifies the heavens of the
Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and the Divine truth of the Word with
them (n. 647). Verse 18. “And another angel went out from the
altar, having authority over fire” signifies the heavens of the Lord’s
celestial kingdom, which are in the good of love from the Lord (n.
648). “And he cried with a great cry to him that had the sharp