Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 3:19
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AR 215. Verse 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, signifies that those of them who do so are loved by the Lord, and that then they cannot but be admitted to temptations that they may fight against themselves. That this is the sense of these words, is evident, for it is said, "As many as I love," by whom are meant they who "buy of the Lord gold purified in the fire," and who "anoint their eyes with eye-salve that they may see." It is said, "I rebuke and chasten" them, by which is meant temptation as to falsities and as to evils; by "rebuking" temptation as to falsities, and by "chastening" temptation as to evils. Such as are here treated of, could not but be admitted into temptations, because, without them, negations and confirmations against Divine truth could not be extirpated. Temptations are spiritual combats against the falsities and evils in one‘s self, thus against one’s self. What temptations are, whence they proceed, and what good they produce, see (HD n. 187-201).

AR 216. Be zealous, therefore, and repent, signifies that this should be done from the affection of truth, and aversion from what is false. It is here said, "Be zealous," because it was said in (verse 15), "I would thou wert either cold or hot," here hot, for "zeal" is spiritual heat, and spiritual heat is the affection of love, here the affection of the love of truth, and he who acts from the affection of the love of truth acts also from aversion to what is false; therefore this is signified by repent. " Zeal" in the Word, when it treats of the Lord, signifies love, and wrath; love in (John 2:17; Psalms 69:9; Isaiah 37:32; 63:15; Ezekiel 39:25; Zechariah 1:14; 8:2). Wrath in (Deuteronomy 32:16, 21; Psalms 79:5, 6;Ezekiel 8:3, 5; 16:42; 23:25; Zephaniah 1:18; 3:8). But "zeal" in the Lord is not wrath, it only appears so in externals, interiorly it is love. It appears so in externals, because the Lord seems to be angry when He rebukes man, especially when man‘s own evil punishes him. It is so permitted from love, that his evil may be removed; just like a parent, who, if he loves his children, suffers them to be chastised for the sake of removing their evils. Hence it is evident, why Jehovah calls Himself "zealous" (Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9, 10; 6:14, 15).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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