Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 149

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149. Verses 18-29. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, that hath His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass, I know thy works and charity, and ministry and faith, and thine endurance, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first. But I have against thee a few things, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, that calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit whoredom, and to eat idol-sacrifices. And I gave her time that she might repent of her whoredom, and she repented not. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those that commit adultery with her into great affliction, except they repent of their works. And her sons I will kill with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say; I put upon you no other burden. Nevertheless, that which ye have hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end, I will give him power over the nations. And he shall rule them with an iron rod; as earthen vessels shall they be shivered, as I also have received from My Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 18. "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write," signifies those of the church with whom the internal and external, or the spiritual and natural man, make one (n. 150); "These things saith the Son of man"* signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, from which is that essential of the church (n. 151); "that hath His eyes as a flame of fire," signifies Divine Providence from His Divine love and Divine wisdom and intelligence communicated to those who are in love towards Him and from that in faith in Him (n.152); "and His feet like burnished brass," signifies the ultimate of Divine order, which is the natural, full of Divine love (n. 153). 19. "I know thy works and charity," signifies the internal of those who are of the church (n. 154); "and ministry and faith," signifies good and truth therein (n. 155); "and thine endurance," signifies conjunction with the external [and consequent combat] (n. 156); "and thy works, and the last to be more than the first," signifies the externals that are therefrom (n. 157). 20. "But I have against thee a few things," signifies that heed should be taken (n. 158); "that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel," signifies the delight of the love of self and of the world (159); "that calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants," signifies that the doctrine of all falsities is therefrom (n. 160); "to commit whoredom and to eat idol-sacrifices," signifies the falsifications of truth and the adulterations of good (n. 161). 21. "And I gave her time that she might repent of her whoredom, and she repented not," signifies that those who are in falsities therefrom do not turn themselves to truths by means of truths (n. 162). 22. "Behold, I cast her into a bed," signifies that they are left to their natural man, and to the doctrine of falsities therein (n. 163); "and those that commit adultery with her into great affliction," signifies the grievous temptations of those who addict themselves to the falsities of such (n. 164); "except they repent of their works," signifies except they separate themselves from them (n. 165). 23. "And her sons I will kill with death," signifies that thus falsities are extinguished (n. 166); "and all the churches shall know that I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts," signifies the acknowledgment of all who are of the church that the Lord alone knows and explores the exteriors and interiors, and the things that are of faith and of love (n. 167); "and I will give to each one of you according to your works" signifies eternal blessedness according to one's internal in the external (n. 168). 24. "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira," signifies to all and each one with whom the internal is conjoined to the external (n. 169); "as many as have not this doctrine," signifies with whom external delight, which is the delight of the love of self and of the world, is not dominant (n. 170); "and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say," signifies entanglement with these (n. 171); "I put upon you no other burden," signifies that this alone should be guarded against (n. 172). 25. "Nevertheless, that which ye have hold fast till I come," signifies steadfastness in a state of love and of faith, even until visitation (n. 173). 26. "And he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end," signifies perseverance in love and faith after combat against these loves, and their removal as far as possible (n. 174); "I will give him power over the nations," signifies over the evils within him, which will then be scattered by the Lord (n. 175). 27. "And he shall rule them with an iron rod," signifies that he is about to chastise evils by means of truths, that are in the natural man (n. 176); "as earthen vessels shall they be shivered," signifies the total dispersion of falsities (n. 177); "as I also have received from My Father," signifies comparatively as the Lord from His Divine, when He glorified His Human (n. 178). 28. "And I will give him the morning star," signifies intelligence and wisdom from the Lord's Divine Human (n. 179). 29. "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies that he who understands should hearken to what Divine truth proceeding from the Lord teaches and says to those who are of His church (n. 180). * In Greek: "Son of God," as just above; but here the Latin has "Son of man," as also in Apocalypse Explained, n. 98, 250; Apocalypse Revealed, n. 70, 125.


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