Apocalypse Revealed (Coulsons) n. 919

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919. [verse 23] 'And the city had no need of the sun and the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb' signifies that the men of that Church will not be in the love of self and in self-derived intelligence (in propria intelligentia), and consequently in natural light only, but in spiritual light out of the Divine Truth of the Word from the Only Lord. By 'the sun' here is signified natural love separated from spiritual love, and this is the love of self; and by 'the moon' is signified natural intelligence, also natural faith, separated from spiritual intelligence and faith, and this is self-derived intelligence and faith from self. This love, and this intelligence and faith, are signified here by 'the sun and the moon', and those who will be in the Lord's New Church will have no need of such shining. By 'the glory of God' that enlightens it is signified the Divine Truth of the Word (n. 629); and because that enlightenment is from the Lord it is said 'and the lamp thereof is the Lamb'. Things similar to those here are signified by these words in Isaiah:-

Thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall no more be for a light to thee by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light to thee, but Jehovah shall be to thee for a light of eternity, and thy God for thy grace. Thy sun shall no more set, neither shall thy moon wane; for the Lord shall be to thee for a light of eternity: thy people shall all be just Isa. lx 18-21.

By 'the sun and moon' which shall shine no more are understood the love of self and self-derived intelligence; and by 'the sun and moon' which shall no more set are understood love from the Lord directed to the Lord and intelligence, also faith, from Him. And by [the statement] that 'Jehovah shall be for a light of eternity' is signified a similar thing as here, that 'the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb'. That 'the sun' signifies love directed to the Lord, and in the opposite sense the love of self, may be seen above (n. 53, 414); and that 'the moon' signifies intelligence from the Lord and faith from Him (n. 332, 413, 414). Consequently 'the moon in the opposite sense signifies self-derived intelligence and faith from self. Since by 'the sun' in the opposite sense is signified the love of self, and by 'the moon' self-derived intelligence and faith from self, therefore it was an abomination to adore the sun, the moon and the stars, as can be established (in Jeremiah viii 1, 2; in Ezekiel viii 15, 16; in Zephaniah i 5); and that those [who did so] were stoned (Deut. xvii 2-5).


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