Apocalypse Revealed (Coulsons) n. 920

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920. [verse 241 'And the nations that are being saved shall walk in the light thereof' signifies that all who are in good of life and believe in the Lord shall live there in accordance with Divine truths, and they shall see those truths inwardly in themselves as the eye sees objects. By 'the nations' are signified those who are in good of life, and also those who are in evil of life (n. 483), here those who are in good of life and believe in the Lord, because it is said 'the nations that are being saved'. 'To walk in the light' signifies to live in accordance with Divine truths, and to see those inwardly in themselves as the eye sees objects, for the objects of spiritual sight, which is of the interior understanding, are spiritual truths, and these are seen by those who are in that understanding just as natural objects are seen before the eyes. By 'the light' here is signified the perception of Divine Truth by virtue of interior enlightenment from the Lord with them (n. 796); and by 'to walk' is signified to live (n. 167). It is therefore plain that by to walk in the light of the New Jerusalem' is signified to perceive and see Divine truths by virtue of an interior enlightenment, and to live in accordance therewith. [2] But this must be illustrated, because it is not known who are understood here by the nations', and who by 'the kings' concerning whom [something] follows in this verse. By 'the nations' are signified those who are in the good of love from the Lord, this good being called celestial good; and by 'the kings' are signified those who are in truths of wisdom by virtue of spiritual good from the Lord, treated of in the following paragraph. Those who are in celestial good from the Lord all have Divine truths inscribed on their life, and therefore they 'walk', that is, live justly in accordance therewith, and also they see them inwardly in themselves just as the eye sees objects, concerning whom the things recorded above (n. 120-123) may be seen. All the heavens have been distinguished into two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual. The good of the celestial kingdom is called celestial good, which is the good of love directed to the Lord, and the good of the spiritual kingdom is called spiritual good, and is the good of wisdom, which in its essence is truth. Concerning these two kingdoms the things above (n. 647, 725, 854) may be seen. [3] It is similar with the Church, and the men there are celestial who live in accordance with just precepts because they are Divine laws, just as a citizen (homo civilis) lives in accordance with just precepts because they are civil laws. But the difference between them is that the former, by virtue of his life in accordance with the precepts or laws, is a citizen of heaven in so far as he makes the civil laws that are of justice Divine laws also. Those who are signified here by 'the nations', upon whom, as was said, Divine truths have been inscribed, are those who are understood in Jeremiah:-

I will put My law in the midst of them, and will write it upon their heart; and they shall no more teach every man his neighbour or every man his brother, saying, Recognise Jehovah, for they shall all recognise Me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Jer. xxxi 33, 34.


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