Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 907

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907. Having on His head a golden crown, signifies the Divine good girded for judgment. This is evident from the signification of "a golden crown" on the head, as here being the Divine good girded for judgment; for what now follows treats of the separation of the good from the evil, and this separation precedes the Last Judgment, thus it treats of "the Son of man" by whom is meant the Lord as to the Divine truth or the Word girded to separate the good from the evil, and afterwards to execute judgment. That this is meant by "the golden crown upon the head of the Son of man," can be seen from the fact that among the sons of Israel and also among the ancients, kings, who represented the Lord, when they were girded for war and in their battles, wore golden crowns (see above, n. 553); and for the reason that kings represented the Lord as to the Divine truth, and this proceeds from the Lord conjoined with the Divine good; and in order that this might be represented kings wore crowns of gold, since "gold" signifies good (see above, n. 242). That a "golden crown" signifies good and consequent wisdom, and that truths are what are crowned, may also be seen above (n. 272). [2] That an arcanum lies concealed in this is because the Divine good judges no one, but the Divine truth judges; because the Divine good loves all, and so far as man follows it draws to heaven, but the Divine truth separated from good condemns all and judges all to hell. Lest, therefore, all should be condemned and judged to hell, and in order that the Divine good may as far as possible mitigate and raise up to heaven, there was a golden crown on the head, which signified the Divine good girded for judgment, that is, for mitigating. That the Divine good does not judge anyone but the Divine truth, is meant by these words of the Lord:

The Father doth not judge anyone, but He hath given all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22). "The Father" means the Divine good, and "the Son" the Divine truth. (That "the Father" means the Divine good may be seen above, n. 200, 254; and "the Son" the Divine truth, n. 63, 151, 724.) Likewise by these words:

The Father gave to the Son to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man (John 5:27). "The Son of man" signifies the Divine truth (see above, n. 778). [3] Nevertheless it must be understood that the Lord does not judge anyone by Divine truth; but the Divine truth regarded in itself judges the man who does not receive it but rejects it, as is clearly evident from the Lord's words:

Jesus said, If anyone hear My words and yet believe not, I judge him not, for I have not come to judge the world but to save the world. He that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My words hath one that judgeth him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day (John 12:47, 48; also John 3:17). "The Word" means the Divine truth, for this is in the Word, and is the Word. That this, regarded in itself, will judge man, and not the Lord Himself by it, is clearly evident, for the Lord says, "I judge him not, for I have not come to judge the world but to save the world." The Lord Himself does not judge, because He is the Divine love and also the Divine good united with Divine truth, and the one cannot be separated from the other, for they are one; and the Divine good judges no one, but saves, as has been said above. So also does the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord united with the Divine good. The saying in John, that "it was given to the Son to execute judgment," must be understood in the same sense as where it is said of Him that "He is angry," "wrathful," "casts into hell," and the like; while in fact the Lord is angry with no one, nor does He cast into hell, but man casts himself thither (on which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 545-550). So, too, contempt for and rejection of the Divine truth, consequently falsity from evil, judges man; thus again, the man judges himself. [4] How the Divine truth regarded in itself judges man shall also be told. The man who is in falsities from evil because of contempt for and rejection of the Divine truth is in hatred against it, and burns to destroy it with everyone who is in it from the Lord. And when he makes this attempt he is like one who casts himself into a fire or dashes his face against a rock; the fire is not the cause of this nor the rock, but the man who does this. For the real truth is, that the Divine truth never fights against falsity from evil, but falsity fights against truth; and thus heaven does not fight against hell, but hell against heaven.


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