3. 'Which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants' signifies for those who are in a faith derived from charity, or in the truths of wisdom derived from the good of love. By 'to show' is signified to make manifest, and by servants here are signified those who are in a faith derived from charity. These things are made manifest to them because they understand and receive. By 'servants' are understood in the spiritual sense those who are in truths, and since truths are derived from good, by 'servants' are understood those who are in truths derived from good, thus also those who are in wisdom derived from love, because wisdom is of truth, and love is of good. Then again those who are in a faith derived from charity are understood, because faith also is of truth and charity is of good; and since the genuine spiritual sense is abstracted from personality, therefore in it truths are signified by 'servants'. Now since truths are of service to good by teaching it, therefore in general, and properly, by 'a servant' in the Word is understood being of service, or the person or thing that is of service. In this sense not only are the prophets called servants of God, but the Lord also as to His Human. That the prophets have been called servants of God is established from these passages:-
Jehovah has sent unto you all His servants the prophets Jer. xxv 4.
He has revealed His secret unto His servants the prophets Amos iii 7.
He set before us by the hand of His servants the prophets Dan. ix 10.
And Moses is called a servant of Jehovah (Mal. iv 4). This is because by a prophet in the spiritual sense is understood the truth of doctrine, concerning which [see] below. [2] And because the Lord was the Divine Truth itself which also is the Word, and on account of this He has Himself been declared the Prophet, and because He was of service in the world, and to eternity is of service to all by teaching, therefore also in certain passages He is called the Servant of Jehovah, as in the following places:-
Out of the travail of His soul He shall see, He shall be satisfied; by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many Isa. liii 11.
Behold My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be extolled and exalted and shall lead forth strongly Isa. lii 13.
Behold My Servant upon Whom I lean, Mine Elect; My Soul has good pleasure; I have put the Spirit upon Him Isa. xlii 1, 19.
These things are concerning the Lord. In like manner David [is called a servant] where by him is understood the Lord, as in these passages:-
I Jehovah will be their God, and My Servant David a Prince in the midst of them Ezek. xxxiv 24.
My Servant David shall be King over them so that there may be One Shepherd for them all Ezek. xxxvii 24.
I will protect this city to preserve it, for the sake of Me and My Servant David Isa. xxxvii 35.
Likewise Ps. lxxviii 70-72; lxxxix 3, 4, 20 [H.B. 4, 5, 21]. That by 'David' in these places is understood the Lord may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD (n. 43, 44). The Lord Himself says in like manner concerning Himself:-
Whosoever wishes to become great among you ought to be your minister, and whosoever wishes to be first ought to be your servant, as the Son of Man came not to be Himself ministered unto, but to minister Matt. xx 25-28; Mark x 42-44; Luke xxii 27; likewise Luke xii 37.
The Lord says this because by 'servant' and 'minister' is understood one who is of service and ministers by teaching, and abstractly from personality, the Divine Truth, which He Himself was. [3] Since, therefore, by 'servant' is understood one who teaches Divine Truth, it is clear that by 'servants' in this part of the Apocalypse are understood those who are in truths derived from good, or in a faith derived from charity, because they are able to teach from the Lord, that is, the Lord can teach and minister through them. They are termed 'servants' in this sense in Matthew:-
In the consummation of the age, who is a faithful and prudent servant, whom his Lord shall set over His household, to give them food in its season? Blessed is that servant whom the Lord shall find In doing Matt. xxiv 45 [46].
And in Luke:-
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord having come shall find watchful. Verily I say unto you that He shall gird Himself and make them to recline, and Himself coming near shall minister unto them Luke xii 37.
In heaven all who are in His spiritual kingdom are called servants of the Lord, while they who are in His celestial kingdom are called His ministers. This is because those who are in His spiritual kingdom are in Wisdom derived from Divine Truth, and those who are in His celestial kingdom are in Love derived from Divine Good; moreover Good ministers and Truth is of service. In the opposite sense, however, by 'servants' are understood those who serve the Devil. These are in a state of real servitude; but those who serve the Lord are in a state of liberty, as also the Lord teaches (John viii 32-36).
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