Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 12:18
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AR 565a. Verse 18. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, signifies his state spiritual-natural, now such as it is with those who are in the first or lowest heaven. By "the sand of the sea" that state is signified, because "by the sea" is signified the external of the church; the state called spiritual-natural, such as it is with those who are in the first or lowest heaven. He has been above in heaven previously, where he saw the dragon, his combat with Michael, his being cast out, and his persecution of the woman; but now, when the dragon was cast down, and continues to be treated of in what follows, John is let down in spirit, to the end that he may see more of the dragon beneath the heavens, and describe the same; in which state he saw two "beasts" come up, one out of the sea, and the other out of the earth, which he could not see from heaven, because it is not granted to any angel to look down from heaven into the parts below, but if he chooses he may go down. It is to be known, that in the spiritual world place corresponds to state, for no one can be anywhere else than where the state of his life is; and as John now stood upon "the sand of the sea," it follows that his state now was spiritual-natural.