906. And upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man, signifies the Lord in the Divine truth or the Word which is from Him. This is evident from the signification of a "white cloud," as being the Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, within which is the spiritual sense (see above); also from the signification of "sitting upon it," as being in the heavens where the Divine truth is in its light, such as the Word is in the spiritual sense; also from the signification of "the Son of man," as being the doctrine of truth, and in the highest sense the Lord as to the Word (see above, n. 63, 151). One may wonder that a "cloud" signifies the Word, and "One sitting upon the cloud" signifies the Lord as to the Word, since to those who comprehend all things according to the sense of the letter of the Word, it must needs seem that a "cloud" means a cloud, and not anything spiritual such as the Word is, for the Word does not appear to have any affinity or agreement with a cloud; nevertheless it is the Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the letter, that is here signified. The reason is, that in the spiritual world the Divine truth flowing down from the higher heavens into the lower appears like a cloud; and this has been seen by me, and from it and its varied hues I was able to conclude what kind of truth the angels of the higher heaven were talking about with one another. [2] The "cloud" that appeared upon Mount Sinai when the Law, which was the Divine truth, was promulgated, had a similar signification, also the "cloud" that was seen every day upon the Tent of meeting, and that sometimes filled it; also:
The bright cloud that overshadowed Peter, James, and John, when Jesus appeared transfigured; out of which cloud a voice was heard saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him (Matt. 17:5; Luke 9:34, 35). Also in the following passages in the Gospels:
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27). And Jesus said, Now shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:61, 62). In these passages also "to come in the clouds of heaven" means the manifestation of the Lord in the Word; for after His coming predictions respecting the Lord were clearly seen in the prophecies of the Word that were not seen before; and they are still more clearly seen at this day, when the spiritual sense of the Word has been opened, in which, in the highest sense, the Lord and the subjugation of the hells by Him and the glorification of His Human are everywhere treated of. This sense is what is meant by the "glory" in which He would come. That "glory" signifies spiritual Divine truth such as it is in the heavens may be seen above (n. 33, 874). All this makes clear what is signified by "the white cloud, and upon the cloud One sitting like unto the Son of man," which John saw; for what now follows treats of the separation of the good from the evil before the Last Judgment, and afterwards of that judgment; the same as was predicted by the Lord in the Gospels, that "He would come in the clouds of heaven;" also in the first chapter of Revelation in these words:
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Behold He cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him (verses 5, 7).
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