The Announcement of the Lord's Coming Concerning the New Church
A Doctrinal Study
Revealing the Establishment of the Lord's New Church on earth
By Rev. Paul Booth
Revelation 19: 5-10 | Apocalypse Revealed § 809-819
Part 1
A Doctrinal Study
Revealing the Establishment of the Lord's New Church on earth
By Rev. Paul Booth
Revelation 19: 5-10 | Apocalypse Revealed § 809-819
Part 1
Many, between the Lord's first Advent and His second, have died who followed Him when they lived on earth, others who may have heard of Him, other who did not, and many, who fought against the Lord, died, too, were together in the spiritual world. And, from the doctrines believes of those who followed the Lord when they lived on earth they died waiting and hoping for His return as many do today. That love did not die when their life ended here on earth, just as neither did they cease to exist, for man is more than just his body, he is more than a natural being; he is also spiritual being. Thus, it is that, all who died and were waiting for the Lord's return, waited there in the spiritual world. And, in their life in the spiritual world they continued in their belief - in their doctrines - building upon that doctrine 'as it were' their church.
Are they still waiting there or has the Lord come in judgment and in righteousness to them? That question is answered according to one's belief. If you are still waiting for the Lord's return, then, you must believe that they are still waiting in the spiritual world until the evils are subjugated, (though some doctrines teach their bodies are still in the grave waiting for the Lord.) for unless the Lord comes again to man, whether he is living in this world or the next, in the spiritual world, where they have entered, the hells, that is, the evils and falsities continue to fight and tempt them there, and, so, on earth with man today. Thus, whether a man still lives in his natural state or has entered the spiritual state evils are with him still fighting and tempting. Common reason tells us that if the Lord's first coming redeems man, then, why did He say that He would come again and that those who follow Him on earth He would bring them to where He is (in Heaven)? And, why did He go and prepare a place for them so that they could be with Him if He was to come again on earth? In other words, was their redemption complete when the Lord ascended to Heaven? And, if so, why, then are they still waiting for Him to come again if He has already redeemed them? However, the truth is, He has already come again on earth, but not in person, but in Truth in Word, because the work of regeneration was not complete at His first coming. He comes again to those who are redeemed to reward them in order to bring them into Heaven. However, He comes again to those who were not redeemed in judgment. Now, when the Lord comes again, doesn't He come in love to those who also follow Him on earth so that at their death here on earth they enter into Heaven? However, when He comes to those who do not follow or who may, even, have fought against Him on earth, He comes in judgment already, for the Word or Truth judges him and so, he enters hell at his death. Didn't the Lord go to prepare a place for those who followed Him in love and in truth?
Is it possible that the Lord comes only to those living on earth and not to those who died waiting for Him? And, is it possible that He comes to those who lived on earth who reject Him and not to those who have already died rejecting Him? They who have died before His coming again, who loved the Lord on earth, the Lord, indeed, comes to reward them in salvation and they inherit the place in Heaven that He has prepared for them. They who have died before He comes again, who rejected Him, the Lord also comes, but in judgment. To the prior He comes in love. To the latter He comes in judgment. And, of course, the Lord had said so as can be confirmed in the Word. One understands that, here, the Last Judgment is meant and can read about it in the book of 'Revelation'. Though, if they believe that judgment is to take place here on earth along with the Lord's Coming, then, they do not know that the Lord has already come and that a new Heaven for Christians has been made or prepared and that evils and falsities are now subjugated in hell. And, that since a new Heaven is made, then, now a new Church on earth is also established through His Coming in a new Word that has descended from God down out of Heaven.
However, let us read of this announcement from the Word of His second coming concerning the New Church that is established now on earth.
"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you His servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness for the saints. And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See thou do it not: I am your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19: 5- 10).
Let us now examine these words according to their internal sense and not just from their literal sense to see if this announcement of the Lord's coming is just meant to mankind, here, on earth or also to those who had died since His first Advent and who were waiting for His coming, there, in the spiritual world and, let us also examine these words to see if they concern the New Church that was to come and be established, here, on earth for mankind.
We read, "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you his servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great" (19: 5).
The 'voice' that comes from the 'throne' where the Lord now dwells is His love and wisdom proceeding to all those in Heaven and is there as an influx of His qualities into the angels, bring true life. It is the Lord's voice that comes from Him who now reigns and who is sitting on His throne. Now, the Lord Himself is above the Heavens, He is above the abode of the angels, and He appears there as the sun of the whole spiritual world where the Heavens are, the world of spirits, and hell. Though, He is not that sun itself, but it is the first proceeding from Him from which all have life. In that Divine state which comes or flows 'as it were' from that sun there is influx of good and truth and, so, angels perceive Him through that influx of celestial and spiritual love and wisdom. However, John, who was taken in spirit, hears it coming from Heaven, and as such from the angels there. He is 'as it were' in the world of spirits where the Last Judgment comes. You can begin to understand, here, that what angels speak 'out of Heaven' is from the Lord, for they are conjoined there with Him in that life, in that celestial and spiritual love and wisdom that proceeds from Him.
The message heard is 'Praise our God'. It is given from the Lord God's love as a command, though they are in freedom to hear and accept it or not even as do men on earth. It is not, 'Praise the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who has redeemed us', or 'Praise our God the Father for the Son', but 'Praise our God'. And, thus, there is only one God of Heaven and that is the Lord who is God. The influx is to all in Heaven and all in Heaven are in the truths of faith, or what the Lord teaches is within their understanding. These are called 'servants', for they follow His instructions in love and are lead in doing truths. The influx flowing in is also to those 'that fear Him' and they are such who are in goods of love for they have followed and do follow Him. This is the influx from the Lord, for the Lord not only gives truths from His wisdom, but gives His love and these two are conjoined in angels according to their reception. Thus, to be a 'servant' is to follow the Lord in love and to 'fear' the Lord is to willingly follow the truths, and, thus, to love the Lord and the neighbor, from which is their charity.
Since the angels are commanded to praise God and are given the means whereby they do, they worship Him and, so we see that praise is worship of the Lord. Therefore, were spirits in the spiritual world told to praised God, which is to worship God even as are men in this world told through the Word to praise and worship the Lord. And, hasn't the Word shown such truths, that we, too, may have the truths of faith and can be taught to love the Lord and one another and, thus, come into faith and charity from the Lord, that is, to have the truths of faith and the goods of love even as do angels in Heaven? We have evidence that this is so in the Word where we read, "Suddenly there came to be with the angel a crowd of those praising God" (Luke 2: 13, 20). The angel had appeared to the shepherds, that is, their spiritual eyes were open and they were addressed and told about the birth of the Lord. And, with the angel was heard those who are in the 'good of love', that is whose life is love to the Lord. So, to the shepherds, whose spiritual eyes had been opened as was their spiritual hearing, which, as we had shown was perception from the Lord, heard the Heavens praising our God. They, thus, 'heard' as it were the Heavens praising God, both the celestial and spiritual angels. By 'both the small and the great' mention in our text, verse 5 of Revelation 19, are those who, out of the truths of their faith and the goods of their love, who worship the Lord in various degrees, from the least to the greatest.
Before this event of the Lord's voice coming from Heavenly angels announcing what will come in the spiritual world there could be seen that what proceeded this was concerning the fallen Church 'Babylon,' which had profaned the truth with those in the spiritual world - verses one through four. They were judged as can be seen at the end of this chapter and that judgment, we can read, took place in the spiritual world, for we see the proclamations were before the Lord who sat upon His throne in the Heavens and not physically before those on the earth. Here, in this verse, the fifth, of chapter nineteen, it is the New Church that is of concern in the Lord's coming again that is about to be set up by the Lord in Heaven.
Are they still waiting there or has the Lord come in judgment and in righteousness to them? That question is answered according to one's belief. If you are still waiting for the Lord's return, then, you must believe that they are still waiting in the spiritual world until the evils are subjugated, (though some doctrines teach their bodies are still in the grave waiting for the Lord.) for unless the Lord comes again to man, whether he is living in this world or the next, in the spiritual world, where they have entered, the hells, that is, the evils and falsities continue to fight and tempt them there, and, so, on earth with man today. Thus, whether a man still lives in his natural state or has entered the spiritual state evils are with him still fighting and tempting. Common reason tells us that if the Lord's first coming redeems man, then, why did He say that He would come again and that those who follow Him on earth He would bring them to where He is (in Heaven)? And, why did He go and prepare a place for them so that they could be with Him if He was to come again on earth? In other words, was their redemption complete when the Lord ascended to Heaven? And, if so, why, then are they still waiting for Him to come again if He has already redeemed them? However, the truth is, He has already come again on earth, but not in person, but in Truth in Word, because the work of regeneration was not complete at His first coming. He comes again to those who are redeemed to reward them in order to bring them into Heaven. However, He comes again to those who were not redeemed in judgment. Now, when the Lord comes again, doesn't He come in love to those who also follow Him on earth so that at their death here on earth they enter into Heaven? However, when He comes to those who do not follow or who may, even, have fought against Him on earth, He comes in judgment already, for the Word or Truth judges him and so, he enters hell at his death. Didn't the Lord go to prepare a place for those who followed Him in love and in truth?
Is it possible that the Lord comes only to those living on earth and not to those who died waiting for Him? And, is it possible that He comes to those who lived on earth who reject Him and not to those who have already died rejecting Him? They who have died before His coming again, who loved the Lord on earth, the Lord, indeed, comes to reward them in salvation and they inherit the place in Heaven that He has prepared for them. They who have died before He comes again, who rejected Him, the Lord also comes, but in judgment. To the prior He comes in love. To the latter He comes in judgment. And, of course, the Lord had said so as can be confirmed in the Word. One understands that, here, the Last Judgment is meant and can read about it in the book of 'Revelation'. Though, if they believe that judgment is to take place here on earth along with the Lord's Coming, then, they do not know that the Lord has already come and that a new Heaven for Christians has been made or prepared and that evils and falsities are now subjugated in hell. And, that since a new Heaven is made, then, now a new Church on earth is also established through His Coming in a new Word that has descended from God down out of Heaven.
However, let us read of this announcement from the Word of His second coming concerning the New Church that is established now on earth.
"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you His servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness for the saints. And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See thou do it not: I am your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19: 5- 10).
Let us now examine these words according to their internal sense and not just from their literal sense to see if this announcement of the Lord's coming is just meant to mankind, here, on earth or also to those who had died since His first Advent and who were waiting for His coming, there, in the spiritual world and, let us also examine these words to see if they concern the New Church that was to come and be established, here, on earth for mankind.
We read, "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you his servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great" (19: 5).
The 'voice' that comes from the 'throne' where the Lord now dwells is His love and wisdom proceeding to all those in Heaven and is there as an influx of His qualities into the angels, bring true life. It is the Lord's voice that comes from Him who now reigns and who is sitting on His throne. Now, the Lord Himself is above the Heavens, He is above the abode of the angels, and He appears there as the sun of the whole spiritual world where the Heavens are, the world of spirits, and hell. Though, He is not that sun itself, but it is the first proceeding from Him from which all have life. In that Divine state which comes or flows 'as it were' from that sun there is influx of good and truth and, so, angels perceive Him through that influx of celestial and spiritual love and wisdom. However, John, who was taken in spirit, hears it coming from Heaven, and as such from the angels there. He is 'as it were' in the world of spirits where the Last Judgment comes. You can begin to understand, here, that what angels speak 'out of Heaven' is from the Lord, for they are conjoined there with Him in that life, in that celestial and spiritual love and wisdom that proceeds from Him.
The message heard is 'Praise our God'. It is given from the Lord God's love as a command, though they are in freedom to hear and accept it or not even as do men on earth. It is not, 'Praise the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who has redeemed us', or 'Praise our God the Father for the Son', but 'Praise our God'. And, thus, there is only one God of Heaven and that is the Lord who is God. The influx is to all in Heaven and all in Heaven are in the truths of faith, or what the Lord teaches is within their understanding. These are called 'servants', for they follow His instructions in love and are lead in doing truths. The influx flowing in is also to those 'that fear Him' and they are such who are in goods of love for they have followed and do follow Him. This is the influx from the Lord, for the Lord not only gives truths from His wisdom, but gives His love and these two are conjoined in angels according to their reception. Thus, to be a 'servant' is to follow the Lord in love and to 'fear' the Lord is to willingly follow the truths, and, thus, to love the Lord and the neighbor, from which is their charity.
Since the angels are commanded to praise God and are given the means whereby they do, they worship Him and, so we see that praise is worship of the Lord. Therefore, were spirits in the spiritual world told to praised God, which is to worship God even as are men in this world told through the Word to praise and worship the Lord. And, hasn't the Word shown such truths, that we, too, may have the truths of faith and can be taught to love the Lord and one another and, thus, come into faith and charity from the Lord, that is, to have the truths of faith and the goods of love even as do angels in Heaven? We have evidence that this is so in the Word where we read, "Suddenly there came to be with the angel a crowd of those praising God" (Luke 2: 13, 20). The angel had appeared to the shepherds, that is, their spiritual eyes were open and they were addressed and told about the birth of the Lord. And, with the angel was heard those who are in the 'good of love', that is whose life is love to the Lord. So, to the shepherds, whose spiritual eyes had been opened as was their spiritual hearing, which, as we had shown was perception from the Lord, heard the Heavens praising our God. They, thus, 'heard' as it were the Heavens praising God, both the celestial and spiritual angels. By 'both the small and the great' mention in our text, verse 5 of Revelation 19, are those who, out of the truths of their faith and the goods of their love, who worship the Lord in various degrees, from the least to the greatest.
Before this event of the Lord's voice coming from Heavenly angels announcing what will come in the spiritual world there could be seen that what proceeded this was concerning the fallen Church 'Babylon,' which had profaned the truth with those in the spiritual world - verses one through four. They were judged as can be seen at the end of this chapter and that judgment, we can read, took place in the spiritual world, for we see the proclamations were before the Lord who sat upon His throne in the Heavens and not physically before those on the earth. Here, in this verse, the fifth, of chapter nineteen, it is the New Church that is of concern in the Lord's coming again that is about to be set up by the Lord in Heaven.