Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 20:13
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AR 869. Verse 13.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, signifies the external and natural men of the church called together to judgment. By "the sea" is signified the external of the church, which is natural, therefore by those whom "the sea gave up" are signified the external and natural men of the church. That "the sea" signifies the external of the church, which is natural, may be seen above (n. 238, 239, 402-405, 470, 565a, 567, 659, 661). By "the dead" are meant they who had died out of the earth, as above (n. 866, 868). The reason why by "the dead whom the sea gave up" are meant the external men of the church, is because no others were judged but those who were in some worship, for all who have spurned the holy things of the church, and have denied God, the Word, and the life after death, were judged immediately after death, and conjoined with those who were in hell, whither they were afterwards cast down. But they who had been external and natural men, and professed with the mouths that there is a God, that there are a heaven and a hell, and in a certain way had acknowledged the Word, these are they who were called together to judgment. Out of these who were from "the sea," many were saved, for we do not read that all these "were cast into the lake of fire," as "death and hell" were, but that "if anyone of them was not found written in the book of life, he was cast therein" (ver. 15). Such of these as were saved, are also meant by "the rest of the dead which lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (ver. 5). From what has been said it may now appear, that by "the sea gave up the dead that were in it," are signified the external and natural men of the church called together to judgment.

AR 870. And death and hell gave up the dead which were in them, signifies the men of the church who were wicked at heart, and who in themselves were devils and satans, called together to judgment. By "death and hell" no others are meant than they who interiorly in themselves were devils and satans, by "death" they who were inwardly in themselves devils, and by "hell" they who inwardly in themselves were satans, consequently all the wicked at heart, who nevertheless in externals appeared like men of the church; for no others were called together to this universal judgment; for they who in externals are like men of the church, whether they be of the laity or clergy, and in internals are devils and satans, are judged, because in them externals are to be separated from internals, and such likewise can be judged, because they have known and professed the things which are of the church. That by "death" are meant the wicked at heart who in themselves were devils, and by "hell" they who in themselves were satans, may appear from its being said, that "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire" (ver. 14); for neither death nor hell can be cast into hell, but they can who as to their interiors are death and hell, that is, who are in themselves devils and satans. Who are meant by the Devil and Satan, may be seen above (n. 97, 841, 857); and that they are death who in themselves are devils, above (n. 866). In other places also mention is made of "death and hell," as in the following:--

AR 871. And they were judged everyone according to their works, signifies that they were all judged according to their internal life in externals, as appears from the explanation above (n. 868), where are similar words. To which I will add this, that everyone is judged according to the quality of his soul; and the soul of man is his life, for it is the love of his will, and the love of everyone‘s will is entirely according to his reception of the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; and this reception is taught by the doctrine of the church which is from the Word.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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