Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 743

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743. Verses 10-12. And I heard a great voice in heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, that accuseth them before our God day and night. And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and through the word of their testimony; and they loved not their soul even unto death. For this rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them. Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea, for the devil is come down unto you having great anger, knowing that he hath a short time. 10. "And I heard a great voice in heaven saying," signifies the joy of the angels of heaven because of the light and wisdom then with them (n. 744); "Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ," signifies that now the Lord has power by His Divine truth to save those who are of His church who receive Divine truth in heart and soul (n. 745); "for the accuser of our brethren is cast down," signifies when those have been separated from heaven and condemned to hell who have assaulted the life of faith, which is charity (n. 746); "that accuseth them before our God day and night," signifies and who have denounced them and disputed with them continually from the Word (n. 747). 11. "And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb," signifies resistance and victory by Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human (n. 748); "and through the word of their testimony," signifies and through the confession and acknowledgment of the Divine in His Human (n. 749); "and they loved not their soul, even unto death," signifies the faithful who have endured temptations for the sake of these truths, and who have regarded the life of the world as of no account in comparison with the life of heaven (n. 750). 12. "For this rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them," signifies the salvation and consequent joy of those who become spiritual by the reception of Divine truth (n. 751); "Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea," signifies lamentation over those who become merely natural and sensual (n. 752); "for the devil is come down unto you," signifies because they receive evils from hell (n. 753); "having great anger," signifies hatred against spiritual truths and goods, which are of faith and life from the Word, consequently against those who are in them (n. 754); "knowing that he hath a short time," signifies because the state is changed (n. 755).


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