June 10

And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second animal saying, Come and look. And there came out another horse that was red. And it was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another. And there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

By “a horse” is signified the understanding of the Word; and by “red” [rufus,] is signified good destroyed.… That the color red [ruber,] is predicated of goods because it is from the fire of the sun of heaven may be seen above (n. 167, 231). But the reason why “red” is predicated of good destroyed is because by [this] red [rufus,] an infernal red is meant, which is from infernal fire, which is the love of evil. The red that is an infernal red is hideous and abominable, there being nothing alive in it, but all dead…. (Apocalypse Revealed 305)

And it was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, signifies the taking away of charity, spiritual security, and internal rest. By “peace” are signified all things in their aggregate which are from the Lord, and thence all things of heaven and the church, and the happiness of life in them; these are of peace in the highest or inmost sense. It follows therefore that “peace” is charity, spiritual security, and internal rest. For when man is in the Lord, he is in peace with his neighbor, which is charity; in protection against the hells, which is spiritual security; and when he is in peace with his neighbor, and in protection against the hells, he is in internal rest from evils and falsities. Since therefore all these are from the Lord, it may appear what is signified in general and in particular by “peace”…. (Apocalypse Revealed 306)

And there was given unto him a great sword, signifies the destruction of truth by the falsities of evil…. “A sword” [gladius,], “saber” [machaera,], and “long sword” [romphaea,] signify truth combating against falsities and destroying them, and in the opposite sense, falsity combating against truths and destroying them. Here “a great sword” signifies the falsities of evil destroying the truths of good. They are called falsities of evil, because there are falsities which are not falsities of evil, and the latter do not destroy truths, but the former do. (Apocalypse Revealed 308)

previous		next