259. Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? signifies who has power to know the states of life of all in the heavens and on the earth, and to judge everyone according to his state? "Who is worthy?" signifies who is able, or who has the power? "to open the book and to loose the seals thereof," signifies here to know the states of life of all in the heavens and on the earth, and also to judge everyone according to his state; for when "the book is opened," there is an examination into their quality, and then sentence or judgment, comparatively as a judge does with a book of the law and acts from it. That by "opening the book," is signified investigation into the quality of the states of life in all and everyone, is evident from the following chapter, where is described what was seen, when the Lamb opened the seven seals in their order.