ii. 11; and elsewhere. That the same is signified by Greece, is not so evident from the Word, because Greece is mentioned only in Daniel viii. 21; x. 20; xi. 2; as also in John xii. 20; Mark vii. 26. That by the Land of Canaan is meant the Lord's church, which is thence called the Holy Land, and the heavenly Canaan, is evident from many passages in the Word: that by Asia are meant they in the church who are in the light of truth from the Word, may be seen above, n. 11; and that by Europe, they to whom the Word is about to come, is plain.

35.For the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ," signifies, that divine truth from the Word might be received from the heart and so in the light, and that the Lord's Humanity might be acknowledged to be divine: this was explained above, n. 6.

36. "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day," signifies, a spiritual state at that time from divine influx. I was in the spirit, signifies the spiritual state in which he was when he was in visions; which state will be explained in what follows; on the Lord's day, signifies influx then received from the Lord; for in that day the Lord is present, because the day is holy; from which it is evident, that by being in the spirit on the Lord's day, is signified a spiritual state at that time from divine influx. Concerning the prophets it is written, that they were in the spirit or in vision, also, that the Word came to them from Jehovah when they were in the spirit or in vision, they were not in the body, but in their spirit, in which state they saw such things as are in heaven; but when the Word came to them, then they were in the body, and heard Jehovah speak; these two states of the prophets are carefully to be distinguished. In the state of vision the eyes of their spirit were opened, and the eyes of their body shut; and then they heard what the angels spake, or what Jehovah spake by the angels, and also saw the things which were represented to them in heaven; and then they sometimes seemed to themselves to be carried from one place to another, the body still remaining in its place; in this state was John when he wrote the Apoca

lypse; and sometimes, also, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Daniel; and then it is said that they were in vision, or in the spirit; for Ezekiel says, "The spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity: so the vision that I had seen went up from me," chap. xi. 1, 24. It is said also, that the spirit took him up, and that he heard behind him a voice of a great rushing, and other things, iii. 12, 24: also, that the spirit lifted him up between the earth and the heaven, and brought him in the visions of God to Jerusalem, and he saw abominations, viii. 3, and subsequent verses. In like manner he was in a vision of God, or in the spirit, when he saw the four animals, which were cherubs, i. and x.; as also when he saw the new earth and the new temple, and the angel measuring them, xl. to xlviii.; and that the spirit took him up, xliii. 5. The same was the case with Zechariah, in whom there was an angel at the time, when he saw the man riding among the myrtle trees, i. 8, &c.: When he saw four horns, and afterwards a man, in whose hand was a measuring line, ii. 1, 5, &c.: When he saw Joshua, the high priest, iii. 1, &c.: When he saw the candlestick and the two olive trees, iv. 1, &c.: When he saw the flying roll and the ephah, v. 1, 6: And when he saw the four chariots coming out from between two mountains, and horses, vi. 1. In a similar state was Daniel, when he saw four beasts coming up out of the sea, Dan. vii. 1, &c. And when he saw the battle of the ram and the he-goat, viii. 1, &c. That he saw these things in visions, he himself saith, vii. 1, 2, 7, 13; viii. 2; x. 1, 7, 8; and that the angel Gabriel was seen by him in a vision, ix. 21. It was the same with John; as when he saw the Son of Man in the midst of the seven candlesticks, Apoc. i.: When he saw a throne in heaven, and him that sat thereon, and four animals round about the throne, iv.: When he saw the book sealed with seven seals, v.: When he saw four horses coming out of the book that was opened, vi.: When he saw the four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, vii.: When he saw the locusts coming out of the bottomless pit, ix.: When

he saw the angel, in whose hand was a little book, which he gave him to eat, x.: When he heard the seven angels sound with their trumpets, xi.: When he saw the dragon, and the woman whom the dragon persecuted; and the former making war with Michael, xii.: and, afterwards, two beasts arising, one out of the sea, and the other out of the earth, xiii.: When he saw the seven angels having the seven last plagues, xv. xvi.: When he saw the great whore sitting upon the scarlet-colored beast, xvii. 18: and afterwards, a white horse, and one sitting thereon, xix.: and lastly, a new heaven and a new earth, and then the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, xxi. xxii. That John saw these things in the spirit, and in a vision, he himself says, i. 10; iv. 2; ix. 17; xxi. 10: this, also is understood by the expression, I saw, wherever it occurs. It appears, evidently, from these examples, that to be in the spirit, is to be in vision; which is effected by the opening of the sight of a man's spirit; which, when it is opened, the things which are in the spiritual world appear as clearly, as the things which are in the natural world appear to the bodily sight. I can testify that it is so, from many years' experience. In this state the disciples were when they saw the Lord after his resurrection, wherefore it is said that their eyes were opened, Luke xxiv. 30, 31. Abraham was in a

similar state when he saw the three angels, and discoursed with them. So were Hagar, Gideon, Joshua, and others, when they saw the angels of Jehovah; and, in like manner, the boy of Elisha, when he saw the mountain full of chariots and horses of fire about Elisha; for Elisha prayed, and said, "Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see; and Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw," 2 Kings vi. 17. But as to the Word, it was not revealed in a state of the spirit or in vision, but was dictated by the Lord viva voce to the prophets; therefore, it is no where said that they spake it from the Holy Spirit, but from Jehovah; see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 53.

37. "And I heard behind me a great voice, as of a

trumpet," signifies, manifest perception of divine truth revealed from heaven. A great voice, when heard from heaven, signifies divine truth, as will be seen below; the reason why it was heard as the sound of a trumpet, is, because when divine truth descends from heaven, it is sometimes so heard by the angels of the ultimate heaven, and then is manifestly perceived; therefore, by a voice as of a trumpet, is signified manifest perception: of the signification of trumpet, more will be seen below, n. 397, 519. That a great voice, when heard from heaven, signifies divine truth, is evident from the following passages: the voice of Jehovah is upon the waters; "the voice of Jehovah is powerful; the voice of Jehovah is full of majesty;" "the voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars;" "the voice of Jehovah divideth the flames of fire;""the voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; " "the voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve," Ps. xxix. 3-9. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth, lo, he doth send out in his voice, and that a mighty voice," Psalm lxviii. 32, 33. "Jehovah uttered his voice before his army, for his camp is very great, for he is strong that executeth his Word," Joel ii. 11. "Jehovah shall utter his voice from Jerusalem," Joel iii. 16. And since voice signifies divine truth from the Lord, therefore the Lord said, "That the sheep hear his voice, that they know his voice; and other sheep I have, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John x. 3, 4, 16, 27. And in another place: "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they that hear shall live," John v. 25. Voice here denotes the divine truth of the Lord from his Word.

38. "Saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," signifies, who is the self-subsisting, and the only-subsisting, from first principles to ultimates, from whom are all things; therefore, who is the self-subsisting, and only-subsisting love, the self-subsisting, and only-subsisting wisdom, and the self-subsisting and onlysubsisting life in himself; consequently, the self-subsisting

and only-subsisting Creator, Saviour, and Illuminator from himself; and thence the All in all of heaven and the church who alone is infinite and eternal, and who is Jehovah; and that the Lord is He. That all these things, and infinitely more, are contained in these words, may be seen above, n. 13, 29. It was there said, that all the syllables or letters of the alphabet, in the spiritual world, signify things; and that thence originates the speech and writing of those who are there; and that therefore the Lord describes his divinity and infinity by Alpha and Omega; by which is signified, that he is the All in all of heaven and the church. Now every letter signifying a thing in the spiritual world, and theuce in the language of the angels; therefore David wrote the 119th Psalm, in order, according to the letters of the alphabet, beginning with Aleph, and ending with Thau, as may appear from the initials of the verses; the like appears in Psalm cxi., but not so evidently. Therefore, also, Abram was called Abraham, and Sarai, Sarah; which was done to the intent that in heaven, by Abraham and Sarah they should not be understood, but the divine, as is also the case, for the letter H involves infinity, being only an aspirate: more on this subject may be seen above, n. 29.

39. "And what thou seest, write in a book;" that this signifies, that it may be revealed to posterity, is evident without explanation.

40. "And send [it] to the churches, which are in Asia," signifies, for those in the Christian world, who are in the light of truth from the Word. That they are meant by the churches in Asia, may be seen above, n. 10, 11.

41. "Unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea," signifies, specifically according to the state of reception of each. That all states of reception of the Lord and of his church are signified by these seven names, in the spiritual sense, will be seen below; for John, when he received this command, was in a spiritual state, and in that state nothing