Apocalypse Revealed (Whitehead) n. 920

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920. Verse 24. And the nations which are saved shall walk in the light of it, signifies that all who are in the good of life, and believe in the Lord, will there live according to Divine truths, and will see them inwardly in themselves, as the eye sees objects. By "the nations" are signified they who are in the good of life, and also they who are in evil of life (n. 483); here they who are in the good of life and believe in the Lord, because it is said, "the nations which are saved;" "to walk in the light," signifies to live according to Divine truths, and to see them inwardly in themselves, as the eye sees objects, for the objects of spiritual sight, which is of the interior understanding, are spiritual truths, which are seen by those who are in that understanding, in like manner as natural objects are seen before the eyes; by "light" is here signified the perception of Divine truth from interior enlightenment from the Lord with them (n. 796), and by "to walk" is signified to live (n. 167). Hence it is evident, that by "to walk in the light of the New Jerusalem," is signified to perceive and see Divine truths from interior enlightenment, and to live according to them. [2] But this must be illustrated, because it is not known who are here meant by "the nations," and who by "the kings," mentioned afterwards in this verse; by "the nations" are signified they who are in the good of love from the Lord, which good is called celestial good, and by "kings" are signified they who are in the truths of wisdom from spiritual good from the Lord, as will be seen in the next article. All they who are in celestial good from the Lord, have Divine truths inscribed on their life, wherefore "they walk," that is, live justly according to them and likewise see them inwardly in themselves, as the eye sees objects, on which subject see what is related above (n. 120-123). All the heavens are 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 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 see above (n. 647, 725, 854). [3] It is the same with the church; and there the men are celestial, who live justly according to the commandments because they are Divine laws, as in like manner a civil man lives according to the commandments of justice because they are civil laws; but the difference between them is, that the former, by a life according to the commandments or laws, is a citizen of heaven as far as in himself he makes the civil laws, which are laws of justice, Divine laws also. They who are here signified by "nations," on whom, as before said, Divine truths are inscribed, are they who are meant in Jeremiah:

I will put My Law in the midst of them, and write it upon their heart; neither shall they teach anymore everyone his companion, and everyone his brother, saying, Know ye Jehovah; for they shall all know Me from the least of them unto the greatest (Jer. 31:33, 34).


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