Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 13:16
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AR 604. Verse 16. And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich, and the poor, the free and the bond, signifies all in that church, whatsoever may be their condition, learning and intelligence. By "the small and the great" are here meant they who are in a greater or lesser degree of dignity, thus of whatever condition; by "the rich and the poor" are meant they who are more or less in knowledges and sciences (n. 206), thus of whatever degree of learning; by "the free and the bond" are meant they who are wise from themselves, and they who are wise from others (n. 337), thus of whatever degree of intelligence. Therefore by "all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the bond," are meant all in that church whatever may be their condition, learning and intelligence. These are the things that are meant in the spiritual sense.

AR 605. That he should give them a mark upon their right hand and upon their foreheads, signifies that no one is acknowledged as a Reformed Christian unless he receives that doctrine in faith and love. By "giving a mark" is signified to acknowledge as a Reformed Christian, or of the confession which that doctrine teaches; "a mark" is such acknowledgment and confession; by "the right hand" is signified the all of man as to intellectual power thus as to faith, for "the right hand" signifies the power of man (n. 457); by "the forehead" is signified the all of man as to voluntary power, thus as to love, for "the forehead" signifies the love (n. 347).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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