1232. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy signifies that acknowledgment of the Lord and conjunction with Him is the life of all doctrine from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "the testimony of Jesus," as being the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine and reception of the Divine truth from Him (see just above, n. 1230), and thus conjunction with the Lord, for conjunction is effected through the acknowledgment of the Lord and reception of the Divine truth from Him. Also from the signification of "the spirit of prophecy," as being the life of all doctrine from the Word, "spirit" signifying life because the Holy Spirit is meant, which is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and the Divine proceeding is the essential life of man, and "prophecy" signifies doctrine from the Word. (That "prophecy" signifies doctrine from the Word, see n. 624, 999). That "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" signifies that acknowledgment of the Lord and conjunction with Him is the life of all doctrine from the Word, and that "the spirit of prophecy" means the Holy Spirit, which testifies respecting the Lord and thus is doctrine, is evident from the Lord's words in John:
Jesus said, When the Paraclete is come, whom I shall send unto you from the Father, the spirit of truth, he shall bear witness of Me; and ye also shall bear witness (John 15:26-27). "The spirit of truth," which is elsewhere called "the Holy Spirit," means the Divine that proceeds from the Lord; and its "testimony" means enlightenment, preaching, confession, acknowledgment; and "the disciples," who would also bear witness, signify all who acknowledge and receive the Lord. Revelation 20
EXPLANATION.
(CONTENTS OF THE SEVERAL VERSES.)
BY "THE DRAGON" ARE MEANT ALL IN THE REFORMED CHRISTIAN WORLD WHO DO NOT GO TO THE LORD IMMEDIATELY AND WHO DO NOT SHUN EVILS AS SINS. ALL WHO WERE SUCH WERE REMOVED (verses 1-3). THOSE FROM THE LOWER EARTH, WHO WERE THERE CONCEALED ON ACCOUNT OF THE DRAGON, LEST THEY SHOULD BE SEDUCED, WERE RAISED UP INTO HEAVEN (verses 4-6). AFTERWARDS THOSE WHO WERE IN EXTERNAL WORSHIP ONLY AND NOT IN ANY INTERNAL WORSHIP WERE LET LOOSE, IN ORDER THAT SUCH MIGHT BE DISCLOSED. THESE PERISHED (verses 7-9). AFTER THIS ALL WHO WERE MEANT BY "THE DRAGON" WERE CONDEMNED (verse 10). THE HELLS WERE SO REDUCED TO ORDER AS TO CORRESPOND BY OPPOSITION TO THE NEW HEAVEN BUT ONLY THOSE WHO HAD LIVED SINCE THE LORD'S COMING (verses 11-15).
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