Contents of the Internal Sense of Revelation

 

Chapter 1

That this Revelation is from the Lord alone, and that it is received by those who will be in His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, and acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth; the Lord is also described as to the Word.

 

Chapter 2

To the churches in the Christian world: To those there who primarily regard truths of doctrine and not goods of life, who are meant by the church of Ephesus (n. 73-90). To those there who are in goods as to life and in falsities as to doctrine, who are meant by the church of Smyrna (n. 91-106).  To those there who place the all of the church in good works, and not anything in truths, who are meant by the church in Pergamos (n. 107-123). And to those there who are in faith from charity, as also to those who are in faith separated from charity, who are meant by the church in Thyatira (n. 124-152). All these are called to the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.

 

Chapter 3

This chapter treats of those in the Christian world who are in dead worship, which is without charity and faith; who are described by the church in Sardis (n. 154-171).  Those who are in truths from good from the Lord; who are described by the church in Philadelphia (n. 172-197). Those who alternately believe from themselves, and from the Word, and thus profane holy things; who are described by the church in Laodicea (n. 198-223). All of these likewise are called to the New Church of the Lord.

 

Chapter 4

It treats of the arrangement and preparation of all things in heaven for the judgment, to be executed from the Word, and according to it; likewise concerning the acknowledgment that the Lord is the only judge.

 

Chapter 5

That the Lord in the Divine Human will execute judgment from the Word and according to it, because He Himself is the Word; and that this is acknowledged by all in the three heavens.

 

Chapter 6

It treats of the exploration of those on whom the Last Judgment is to be executed; and exploration is made as to what the quality of their understanding of the Word had been and thence the quality of their state of life.  That there were those who were in truths from good (verses 1, 2); those who were without good (verses 3, 4); those who were in contempt of truth (verses 5, 6); and those who were totally vastated both as to good and truth (verses 7, 8). Of the state of those who were guarded by the Lord in the lower earth, on account of the evil, and were to be delivered at the time of the Last Judgment (verses 9-11). Of the state of those who were in evils and thence in falsities, what it is at the day of the Last Judgment (verses 12-17).

 

Chapter 7

In this chapter it treats of those who are and will be in the Christian heaven; and first of their separation from the evil (verses 1-3); after that, of those who are in love to the Lord and thereby in wisdom, of whom the higher heavens consist (verses 4-8); and of those who are in charity and its faith from the Lord, because they have fought against evils, of whom are the lower heavens (verses 9-17).

 

Chapter 8

The church of the Reformed is here treated of, as to the quality of those therein who are in faith alone: the preparation of the spiritual heaven for communication with them (verses 1-6).  The exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are in the interiors of that faith (ver. 7). Of those who are in its exteriors (verses 8, 9). What they are as to the understanding of the Word (verses 10, 11). That they are in falsities and thence in evils (verses 12, 13).

 

Chapter 9

Of the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone (verses 1-12).  Of the exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are not so learned and wise, and are in faith alone, and who live as they please (verses 13-19).  Lastly, of those therein, who know nothing but that faith is the all by which man is saved, and not anything besides (verses 20, 21).

 

Chapter 10

The exploration and manifestation of those who are in the churches of the Reformed is still treated of; here what they believe concerning the Lord, as being the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself taught (Matthew 28:18); and that His Human is Divine; and that this is not received there; and that it can be received with difficulty, so long as the dogma of justification by faith alone is seated in their hearts.

 

Chapter 11

It still treats of the state of the church among the Reformed, as to the quality of those who are interiorly in faith alone, contrary to the two essentials of the New Church, which are that the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth, and that His Human is Divine; and that men ought to live according to the precepts of the Decalogue.  That these two essentials were declared to them (verses 3-6).  but that they were totally rejected (verses 7-10). That they were raised up again by the Lord (verses 11, 12).  That they who rejected them, perished (verse 13).  That the state of the New Church was manifested from the New Heaven (verses 15-19).

 

Chapter 12

It treats here of the New Church and its doctrine: by "the woman" is here meant the New Church, and by "the offspring" which she brought forth, its doctrine: and it also treats of those in the present church, who from doctrine believe in a Trinity of Persons, and in the duality of the Person of Christ, likewise in justification by faith alone; these are meant by "the dragon." Then it treats of the persecution of the New Church by these, on account of its doctrine, and its protection by the Lord, until from a few it increases among many.

 

Chapter 13

In this chapter the dragon continues to be treated of, and the doctrine and faith which is meant by it is described; what its quality is with the laity, and afterwards what its quality is with the clergy: by "the beast coming up out of the sea," that doctrine and faith with the laity is described (verses 1-10); and by "the beast out of the earth," the same with the clergy (verses 11-17): lastly, concerning the falsification of the truth of the Word by the latter (verse 18).

 

Chapter 14

Concerning the New Christian Heaven: it is described (verses 1-5).  The proclamation of the Lord's coming, and then the New Church (verses 6, 7, 13).  An exhortation to recede from faith separated from charity, in which is the church at the present day (verses 9-12). The exploration of these, and the manifestation that their works are evil (verses 14-20).

 

Chapter 15

The preparation for disclosing the last state of the church, and for laying open the evils and falsities in which they are (verses 1, 5-8): from whom those are separated who have confessed the Lord, and have lived according to His precepts (verses 2-4).

 


Chapter 16

In this chapter the evils and falsities in the church of the Reformed are disclosed by influx out of heaven (ver. 1): Into the clergy (ver. 2): Into the laity (ver. 3): Into their understanding of the Word (verses 4-7): Into their love (verses 8, 9): Into their faith (verses 10, 11): Into their interior reasonings (verses 12-15): Into all things of them together (verses 17-21).

 

Chapter 17

Concerning the Roman Catholic religion: It is described in what manner it had falsified the Word, and thence had perverted all the truths of the church (verses 1-7); how it had falsified and perverted them with those who were subject to its dominion (verses 8-11); that it was less with those who had not thus subjected themselves to its dominion (verses 12-15). Concerning the Reformed: That they had withdrawn themselves from the yoke of its domination (verses 16, 17); concerning its domination still (ver. 18).

 

Chapter 18

Continuation concerning the Roman Catholic religious persuasion. That on account of adulterations and profanations of the truths of the Word, and thence of the church, it will perish (verses 1-8). Concerning the highest in the ecclesiastical order there, what their quality is, and concerning their mourning (verses 9, 10). Concerning the lower ones in that order (verses 11-16).  Concerning the laity and the common people, who are under obedience to them (verses 17-19).  The joy of the angels on account of its removal (ver. 20).  Concerning its destruction in the spiritual world on account of its having no acknowledgment of, inquiry after, enlightenment in, and reception of truth, and hence no conjunction of truth and good, which makes the church (verses 21-24).

 

Chapter 19

The glorification of the Lord by the angels of heaven, because the Roman Catholic religious persuasion is removed in the spiritual world, whereby they have come into the light and into their happiness (verses 1-5).  Annunciation concerning the Lord's coming, and concerning the New Church from Him (verses 6-10). The opening of the Word as to the spiritual sense for that church (verses 11-16). The calling of all to it (verses 17, 18).  Resistance by those who are in faith separated from charity (ver. 19). Their removal and damnation (verses 20, 21).

 

Chapter 20

Concerning the removal of those who are meant by "the dragon,"' (verses 1-3), and then concerning the ascent of those from the lower earth, who worshiped the Lord and shunned evils as sins (verses 4-6). The judgment upon those in whose worship there was nothing of religion (verses 7-9).  The damnation of the dragon (ver. 10). The universal judgment upon the rest (verses 11-15).

 

Chapter 21

In this chapter it treats of the state of heaven and the church after the Last Judgment; that after this, through the New Heaven, the New Church will exist on the earth, which will worship the Lord alone (verses 1-8). Its conjunction with the Lord (verses 9, 10). The description of it as to intelligence from the Word (ver. 11);as to doctrine thence (verses 12-21); and as to all its quality (verses 22-26).

 

Chapter 22

That church is still described as to intelligence from Divine truths from the Lord (verses 1-5). That the Apocolypse was manifested by the Lord, and that it is to be revealed in its own time (verses 6-10). Concerning the coming of the Lord, and His conjunction with those who believe in Him, and live according to His commandments (verses 11-17).  That the things which are revealed are by all means to be kept (verses 18, 19). The Betrothal (verses 17, 20, 21).