Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 10:2
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AR 469. Verse 2. And he had in his hand a little book open, signifies the Word as to this point of doctrine therein, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that His Human is Divine. That by "the book"which the Lamb took from Him that sat on the throne, and of which he loosed the seven seals (Apocalypse 5:1, 7; 6:1), is meant the Word, may be seen in (n. 256, 259, 295). Therefore by "the little book" in the hand of the angel, who also is the Lord (n. 465), nothing else is here meant but the Word as to some essential therein. That this is the doctrinal point in the Word, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that His Human is Divine is evident from the spiritual sense of all the particulars in this and the following chapter, and also from the natural sense of the next chapter (Apoc. 11:15-17). "The little book" is said "to be open" because that doctrine appears manifestly in the Word, and is evident to everyone who reads it, if he attends. This is the subject now treated of, because it is the very essential of the New Church. The reason is, because on the knowledge and acknowledgment of God depends the salvation of everyone; for, as was observed in the Preface, "The whole heaven, and the whole church on earth, and, in general, all religion, is founded on a just idea of God; because by it there is conjunction, and by conjunction light, wisdom, and eternal happiness." Since the Lord is the very God of heaven and earth, therefore, no one, who does not acknowledge Him, is admitted into heaven, for heaven is His body; but he stands below, and is bitten by serpents, that is, by infernal spirits, for whose bite there is no cure but that which the sons of Israel experienced by looking up to "the brazen serpent" (Num. 21:1-9); by which is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, as is plain from this passage in John:--

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:14, 15).

AR 470. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth, signifies that the Lord has the whole church, as well those therein who are in its externals, as those who are in its internals, under His auspices and dominion. By "the sea and the earth" is signified the entire church; by "the sea," the external church, that is, they who are in its externals; and by "the earth," the internal church, that is, they who are in its intervals (n. 398). By "setting his feet upon them," is signified to hold all in subjection to Himself, consequently, under His Divine auspices and dominion. Since the Lord‘s church on earth is beneath the heavens, therefore it is called "the footstool of His feet," as in these passages:--

He hath cast forth out of heaven unto the earth the ornament of Israel, He doth not remember the footstool of His feet (Lam. 2:1).

The earth is the footstool of My feet (Isa. 66:1).

We will enter into His habitations, we will bow ourselves down at the footstool of His feet (Ps. 132:7).

Thou shalt not swear by heaven, because it is the throne of God, neither by the earth, because it is the footstool of His feet (Matt. 5:34, 35).

I will make the place of My feet honorable (Isa. 60:13).

Thou hast made Him to rule over the works of Thy hands, Thou hast put all things under His feet (Ps. 8:6).

This is said of the Lord. That "he put his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth" is because they who are in the externals of the church have not so confirmed falsities with themselves as those who are in its internals.

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info