Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 8:8
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AR 402. Verse 8. And the second angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of what the state of the church is with those who are exteriorly in that faith. That "to sound with a trumpet" signifies to explore and make manifest the state of the church, and thence of the life with those whose religion is faith alone, may be seen in (n. 397). It is said of those who are exteriorly in that faith, because they are here treated of who are in "the sea," and previously they were treated of who were on "the earth;" and by those who were on "the earth" are meant such as are in the internals of the church, who are the clergy, and by those who are in "the sea" are meant such as are in the externals of the church, who are the laity, as may be seen in (n. 398), who in the spiritual world appear as it were in the sea (n. 238, 290).

AR 403. And as it were a mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, signifies the appearance of infernal love with those who are in the externals of the church and in faith alone. By "the sea" is signified the church with those who are in externals, and in faith alone; and they who are in externals are called, in common language, the laity, because they who are in internals are called the clergy (n. 397, 402). "A mountain" signifies love (n. 336), and "a mountain burning with fire" signifies infernal love (n. 494, 599); this is the appearance of this love with those who are here treated of, and is so seen by the angels; the reason is, because faith alone is faith separated from charity (n. 388); and where there is no charity, that is, love towards the neighbor, which is spiritual love, there is infernal love; an intermediate love does not exist except among the lukewarm, concerning whom see in (Apocalypse 3:15, 16).

AR 404. And the third part of the sea became blood signifies that all general truths with them were falsified. By "the third part" is signified all (n. 400); by "blood" is signified the falsification of the truth of the Word (n. 379); by "the sea" is signified the church with those who are in its externals, and in faith alone (n. 398, 402). General truths are falsified with such because they are in them alone, for they do not know the particulars of that faith, as the clergy do; it is from the general truths with them that they appear as in a sea in the spiritual world; the reason is, because waters signify truths (n. 50), and the sea is their general receptacle (n. 238).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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