THE EXPLANATION.

295. “AND I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals," signifies, exploration from the Lord of all those , upon whom the last judgment was about to be executed, as to their understanding of the Word, and thence as to their state of life. This is signified, because now follows in order the exploration of all upon whom the last judgment was about to be performed, as to their states of life, and this from the Lord according to the Word. Such then is the signification of the Lamb's opening the seals of the Book. That to open the Book, and loose the seals thereof, signifies to know the states of the life of all, and to judge every one according to his own respectively, may be seen above, n. 259, 265, 266, 267, 273, 274.

296. "And I heard one of the four animals say, as with a voice of thunder," signifies, according to the divine truth of the Word. That by the four animals, or cherubs, is understood the Word, may be seen above, n. 239, 275, 286, and by a voice of thunder, the perception of divine truth, n. 236. It is here said a voice of thunder, because by this animal is meant the lion, by which is signified the divine truth of the Word as to its power, n. 241; hence it is, that this animal is said to have spoken as with a voice of thunder; for it is said afterwards, that the second animal spake, then the third, and the fourth.

297, "Come and see," signifies, a manifestation concerning those who were first in order. It has been observed above, that in this chapter is described the exploration of all upon whom the last judgment was to be executed, as to their states of life, and this from the Lord according to the Word, n. 295; here therefore is described the exploration of the first in order, as to their understanding of the Word, and consequent state of life. That the church exists from the Word, and that the nature and quality of every church is determined by the understanding it has of the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n, 76-79.

298. "And I saw, and behold, a white horse," signifies, the understanding of truth and good from the Word with these. By horse is signified the understanding of the Word, and by a white horse the understanding of truth from the Word; for white is predicated of truths, n. 167. That a horse signifies the understanding of the Word, is shown in a particular tract concerning The White Horse; but as a few passages only are there quoted, others shall be here adduced by way of further confirmation. This is very manifest indeed, from the circumstance of horses being seen to go out of the Book which the Lamb had opened, and from the animals saying, Come and see; for by the animals is signified the Word, n. 239, 275, 286; so likewise by the Book, n. 257; and by the Son of Man, who is here the Lamb, the Lord as to the Word, n. 44. From these considerations it is at once evident, that nothing is here meant by horse but the understanding of the Word. This may appear more manifestly still from the following passages in the Apocalypse: "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He that sat upon him is called the Word of God, and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. And his armies in the heavens followed him upon white horses," xix. 11, 13, 14, 16. That a horse signifies the understanding of the Word, may also appear from the following places: "Was thy wrath against the sea, O Jehovah, that thou didst ride upon thine horses, and thy chariots of salvation? Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters," Habak. iii. 8, 15. Jehovah's horses' hoofs are counted like flint, Isaiah v. 28. "In that day—I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness,-and will smite every horse of the people with blindness," Zech. xii. 4. "In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, holiness unto Jehovah," Zech. xiv. 20. "Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high she scorneth the horse and his rider," Job xxxix.. 17, 18. "And I will cut off the horse from Jerusalem,

and he shall speak peace to the beathen," Zech. ix. 10. "At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep," Psalm lxxvi. 6. "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in them, and the horses and their riders shall come down," Haggai ii. 22. "And with thee will I destroy kingdoms; and with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider," Jerem. li. 20, 21. "Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice; thus shall ye be filled at my table with horses and chariots, and I will set my glory among the nations," Ezek. xxxix. 17, 20 21. "Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them," Apoc. xix. 17, 18. "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Jehovah," Gen. xlix. 17, 18. "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, and ride prosperously because of truth," Psalm xlv. 3, 4. Sing unto God, extol Him that rideth on the heavens," Psalm lxviii. 5. "Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud," Isaiah xix. 1, 2. Sing praises unto the Lord which "rideth upon the heaven of heavens which were of old," Psalm lxviii. 34. "God rode upon

a cherub," Psalm xviii. 10. "Then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth," Isaiah lviii. 14. "Jehovah alone did lead him, and made him to ride upon the high places of the earth," Deut. xxxii. 12, 13. "I will make Ephraim to ride," Hosea x. 11. Ephraim also signifies the understanding of the Word. Because Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horsemen : Elisha said to Elijah," My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof," 2 Kings ii. 12; and king Joash said to Elisha, “O my father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof," 2 Kings xiii. 14. "Jehovah opened the eyes of Elisha's young man, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha," 2 Kings vi. 17. A

chariot signifies doctrine drawn from the Word, and a horseman, one that is wise by means of it. The same is signified by the four chariots which came out from between the mountains of brass, and by the four horses in them, which were red, black, white, and grisled, which are also called the four spirits, and are said to have gone forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth, Zech. vi. 1-8, 15. In these places, by horses is meant the understanding of the Word, or the understanding of truth from the Word; and in like manner in other places. It may appear still more clearly from the mention that is made of horses in an opposite sense, in which they signify the understanding of the Word and of truth falsified by reasonings, and likewise destroyed; as also self-derived intelligence; as in the following places: "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, but look not unto the Holy One of Israel.-Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses, flesh and not spirit," Isaiah xxxi. 1, 3. "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over Israel whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: but he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses," Deut. xvii. 15, 16. This is said, because by Egypt is signified science and reasoning from self-derived intelligence, and thus the falsification of the truth of the Word, which is here expressed by a borse. "Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses," Hosea xiv. 3. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God," Psalm xx. 7. "A horse is a vain thing for safety," Psalm xxxiii. 17. "Jehovah delighteth not in the strength of the horse," Psalm cxlvii. 10. "Thus saith Jehovah God, the Holy One of Israel,-in confidence shall be your strength; but ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; we will ride upon the swift," Isaiah xxx. 15, 16. Jehovah will make Judah as a goodly horse. The riders on horses shall be confounded," Zech. x. 3, 4, 5. "Woe to the bloody city, it is all full of lies, the prancing of horses, and of the jumping chariots; the horseman lifteth up," 1—4. "Nahum iii. 1-4. "I will bring upon Cyrus-the

king of Babylon,—with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen ;-by reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee; thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen and of the chariots ;-with the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets," Ezek. xxvi. 7-11. By Tyre is signified the church as to the knowledges of truth, here such as are falsified in her, which are denoted by the horses of Babylon: besides other places; as Isaiah v. 26, 28, Jerem. vi. 22, 23, viii. 16, xlvi. 4, 9, 1. 37, 38, 42, Ezek. xvii. 15, xxiii. 5, 20, Habak. i. 6, 8, 9, 10, Psalm lxvi. 11, 12. The understanding of the Word destroyed is also signified by the red, black, and pale horse mentioned below. That it is from appearances in the spiritual world that a horse signifies the understanding of truth from the Word, see the small tract concerning The White Horse.

299. "And he that sat on him had a bow," signifies, that they had the doctrine of truth and good from the Word, by virtue of which they fought against the falses and evils which are from hell, thus against hell. By Him that sat on the white horse, as mentioned in Apoc. xix. 13, is meant the Lord as to the Word; but by him that sat on this white horse, is understood a man-angel as to the doctrine of truth and good from the Word, thus from the Lord; in like manner as by the Lord's army in heaven, who followed the Lord upon white horses," Apoc. xix. 14. Of Him that sat on the white horse, Apoc. xix. it is said, that out of his mouth went forth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and by the sword out of his mouth, is signified the divine truth of the Word fighting against falses and evils, n. 52, 103, 117; but here it is said that he who sat on this white horse had a bow, and by a bow is signified the doctrine of truth and good drawn from the Word fighting against evils and falses. To fight against falses and evils is also to fight against the hells, because evils and falses are from thence, therefore this also is signified. That a bow, in the Word, signifies doctrine combating, in both senses, may appear from these passages: "Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, the horses' hoofs shall be counted like