36. Verse 7. Behold, He cometh with the clouds, signifies that the Lord is about to reveal Himself in the Word through the internal sense. This is evident from the signification of "coming," as being, in reference to the Lord, to reveal Himself; and from the signification of "clouds," as being Divine truths in ultimates, thus the Word in the letter; for the Word as to the sense of the letter is Divine truth in ultimates; and since each thing therein contains an internal or spiritual sense, "coming with clouds" means revealing Himself through that sense. That "clouds" signify Divine truths in ultimates is from appearances in the spiritual world. There clouds appear in various kinds of light; in the inmost or third heaven in a flaming light, in the middle or second heaven in a bright white light, and in the outmost or first heaven in a light more dense; and everyone there knows that they signify Divine truth from the Lord through the angels; for when Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, which is the very light of heaven, passes through the angels, it appears as a cloud, purer or denser according to their intelligence. Such clouds have oftentimes been seen by me, and what they signify has also been perceived. This is why "clouds," such as those that appear before the eyes of men in the world, signify Divine truth in ultimates; and as the Word in the letter is Divine truth in ultimates, that is what is meant by "clouds." [2] He who does not know that "clouds" have this signification, may suppose that the Lord is about to come in clouds for the Last Judgment, and to appear in glory; according to His words in the Evangelists, where He says:
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and much glory (Matt. 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27). "The consummation of the age" which is there treated of is the last time of the church; and the Lord's coming at that time is the revelation of Himself, and of Divine truth which is from Him, in the Word, through the internal sense. Elsewhere than in the Word the Lord does not reveal Himself, nor does He reveal Himself there except through the internal sense. The Word in the internal sense is also signified by "power" and "glory." (That this is fulfilled at this day, namely that the age is consummated, and the Last Judgment accomplished; and also that the Lord has come in the clouds of heaven, that is, has revealed the internal sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment, from beginning to end; also in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 1; also in New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 249-266. That "the consummation of the age" signifies the last time of the church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4535, 10622; that "the coming of the Lord" signifies the revelation of Divine truth through the internal sense, n. 3900, 4060; that "clouds" signify the sense of the letter of the Word, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8781, 9430, 10551, 10574; that "glory" signifies Divine truth in heaven, thus the internal sense, for this is Divine truth in heaven, n. 5922, 9429, 10574. The Lord is said to be "about to come in power," because Divine truth, which is from the Lord has all power, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 228-233, 539.) The like is meant by the Lord's words to the high priest:
Jesus said to the high priest, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62). "The Son of man" is the Lord as to Divine truth; "sitting at the right hand of power" is His omnipotence; "coming in the clouds of heaven" is the revelation of Divine truth respecting Him in the Word, for He has revealed Himself and has also fulfilled all things contained in the internal sense, which treats especially of the glorification of His Human. [3] The same is signified by "clouds" in the following passages. In Daniel:
I saw in the night visions, and behold there came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto the Son of man (Dan. 7:13);
in Revelation:
I saw, and behold a white cloud; and on the cloud one sat like unto a man,* having on his head a crown (Rev. 14:14, 16);
in Isaiah:
Behold, Jehovah sitting upon a dense light cloud (Isa. 19:1);
in David:
Sing unto God, sing praises to His name, extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Ps. 68:4);
in the same:
Jehovah appointeth the clouds His chariot; He walketh upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 104:3). Who cannot see that these things are not to be understood according to the sense of the letter, that is, that Jehovah sits upon a cloud, that He rides upon the clouds, and that He makes the clouds His chariot? He who thinks spiritually may know that Jehovah is present in His Divine truth, for this proceeds from Him, consequently that this is what is meant by "clouds there;" so it is also said that Jehovah "appointeth the clouds His chariot;" because by "chariot" is signified the doctrine of truth (see Arcana Coelestia, n. 2762, 5321, 8215). [4] Likewise in the following places. In Isaiah:
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the higher clouds [pour down] righteousness (45:8);
in Nahum:
The way of Jehovah is with cloud** and storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3);
in David:
Ascribe ye strength unto God; His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the higher clouds (Ps. 68:34);
A faithful witness in the clouds (Ps. 89:37). in Moses:
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in thy*** magnificence upon the clouds (Deut. 33:26);
From this it can be seen what is meant by:
The cloud filling the inner court (Ezek. 10:3-4);
And the cloud resting upon the tent (repeatedly in Moses); also that:
Jesus when He was transfigured, was seen in glory, and a cloud overshadowed the three disciples, and it was said to them out of the cloud, This is my beloved son (Matt. 17:1-10; Mark 9:1-11; Luke 9:28-36. (See also what is said about the Lord's being in a cloud in the midst of angels, in the little work on The Earths in the Universe, n. 171.) * The Greek has "the Son of man," as found also in Apocalypse Explained, n. 906; Apocalypse Revealed, n. 642; Arcana Coelestia, n. 9807, 9930. ** The Hebrew has "storm and tempest," as also found in Apocalypse Explained, n. 419, 594; Arcana Coelestia, n. 2162. *** The Hebrew has "His," as also found in Apocalypse Explained, n. 594.
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