Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 337

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337. (v. 12) Saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb was slain. That this signifies acknowledgment from the heart that everything Divine is from the Lord's Divine Human not acknowledged, and by many denied, is clear from the signification of saying with a great voice, as denoting acknowledgment from the heart (concerning which we shall speak presently); from the signification of worthy when predicated of the Lord, as denoting merit and justice (concerning which see above, n. 293, 303). Here, therefore, It signifies that He procured to Himself everything Divine, from His own power, thus, from merit, and so from justice everything Divine pertains to Him. That this is meant by He is worthy, is clear from what immediately follows, namely, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and honour, and glory, and blessing; by which, in the aggregate, is signified everything Divine; from the signification of lamb, as denoting the Lord as to the Divine Human (concerning which also see above, n. 314): and from the signification of being slain, as denoting His not being acknowledged, and by many denied (concerning which see also above, n. 315, 328). From these considerations it is evident, that by "Saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," is signified acknowledgment from the heart, that everything Divine is from the Lord's Divine Human not acknowledged, and by many denied. That the whole Divine is in the Lord's Human, and from it in heaven and on earth, has been shown in many places, and will be seen confirmed at the end of this work. That to say with a great voice, denotes acknowledgment from the heart, here that it is as has now been stated, is evident from what precedes and follows in a series; moreover, a voice signifies all those things that are afterwards mentioned, and a great voice signifies that they are from the heart. There are two expressions that often occur in the Word, namely great and much, and great is there predicated of good, and much of truths (whence this is, see just above, n. 336); and because what proceeds from good proceeds from the heart, therefore here, by saying with a great voice is signified acknowledgment from the heart: the heart also from correspondence signifies the good of love (see the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 95, 447: and above, n. 167).


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