816. [verse 9] 'And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb's wedding' signifies one angel out of heaven sent to John and speaking with him concerning the Lord's New Church, and saying that on earth it would be given to know that those who receive the things that are of that Church have eternal life. That out of heaven to John there was sent one angel who spoke these words to him can be established from the following verse [where it is said] that John fell down at his feet to adore him, and that the angel answered that he was his fellow-servant; therefore that not he but God should be adored. That the former things that John heard were out of heaven itself and by means of many angels speaking together from the Lord, is quite plain from the preceding verses (5-7) where it is said that 'a voice came out of the throne', and that there was heard 'the voice of a great crowd, and as it were of many waters, and as it were of powerful thunders', and of them saying 'Let us rejoice and exult.' These were in the plural, but now it is in the singular, thus from one angel sent to him. [2] But I will state how the case is when angels speak with a man. They never speak with him out of heaven, but the voice that is heard thence is from the Lord through heaven. But when it is granted to angels to speak with a man they send out one of their society who may be near the man, and they speak with the man through him. He who is sent is the subject of many; and it was such a one in the present instance who spoke with John. This was done so that it might be known on earth that the entire heaven acknowledges the Only Lord as the God of heaven, and that He Himself Only is to be adored; also that the New Church is going to be set up on earth by the Lord, just as it has been set up in the heavens; for the Church is first set up by the Lord in the heavens, and afterwards by means of the heavens on earth. This is what is hidden in these words. [3] Now to the exposition: 'write' signifies so that he might commit this to posterity for a remembrance (n. 39, 63, 639), here so that he should make those things known. This is understood by 'write'. 'Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lord's wedding' signifies that those who receive the things that are of the New Church will have eternal life. They are said to be 'blessed' who have eternal life (n. 639). By 'the Lamb's wedding' is signified the New Church, which is in conjunction with the Lord, as above (n. 812). By 'those called' are understood all who receive (n. 744). All are called, indeed, but those who do not receive reject the call. [4] The reason it is termed 'the supper of the Lamb's wedding' is because this takes place in the last state of the Church which is called 'evening', and suppers take place in the evening; but the first state of the New Church is called 'morning'. A man is called to the Church in the 'evening', but when those called are present it is the 'morning'. That the last state of the Church is called 'evening' and 'night' and its first state 'day-break' and 'morning' may be seen above (n. 151). And because it was the last time of the Jewish Church, thus the evening, when the Lord went from Jerusalem to suffer, therefore the Lord then had a supper with the disciples and instituted the Eucharist, which is why it is termed 'the Holy Supper'. By this means also a conjunction of the Lord with the man of the Church is effected, or a wedding, if the man after having done the work of repentance approaches Him directly. If otherwise, there is the presence but not a conjunction. From these considerations it can be established what is signified elsewhere in the Word by a 'supper' and 'to sup'.