484. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, signifies a state of blessedness from the affection of truth, after falsities have been removed by temptations. This is evident from the signification of "wiping away tears from the eyes," as being to take away grief of mind on account of falsities and from falsities; and as blessedness through truths from good follows when that grief ceases after the temptations that have been endured, so this too is signified; for angels have all their blessedness through truths from good, or through the spiritual affection of truth; the spiritual affection of truth is from good, and good constitutes it. This is the source of all blessedness with angels, because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord constitutes heaven in general and in particular, therefore those who are in Divine truths are in the life of heaven, consequently in eternal blessedness. [2] A "tear from the eyes" signifies grief of mind on account of falsities and from falsities, because the "eye" signifies the understanding of truth; a "tear" therefore signifies grief because there is no understanding of truth, consequently because of falsities. "Tear" has a similar signification in Isaiah:
He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away tears from off all faces (25:8). This signifies that the Lord by His coming will remove evils and falsities with those who live from Him, so that there will be no grief of mind on account of them and from them; "death" signifies evil, because spiritual death is from it; and "tear" is predicated of falsity. [3] It is to be noted, that both "shedding tears" and "weeping" signify grief on account of falsities and from falsities, but "shedding tears" grief of mind, and "weeping" grief of heart on account of falsities. Grief of mind is grief of the thought and understanding, which pertain to truth, and grief of heart is grief of the affection or will, which pertain to good; and as there is everywhere in the Word a marriage of truth and good, both "weeping" and "tears" are mentioned in the Word when grief is expressed on account of falsities of doctrine or of religion. That "weeping" means grief of heart can be seen from the fact that "weeping" bursts forth from the heart and breaks out into lamentations through the mouth; and that "shedding tears" is grief of mind can be seen from this, that it issues forth from the thought through the eyes. In both weeping and in the shedding of tears water comes forth which is bitter and astringent, and this occurs through an influx into man's grief from the spiritual world, where bitter water corresponds to the lack of truth because of falsities, and to consequent grief; therefore those who are in truths grieve on account of falsities. From this it can be seen why it is that in the Word, where "tears" are mentioned "weeping" also is mentioned, namely, that it is on account of the marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word. [4] I will only adduce the following passages in evidence of this. In Isaiah:
I will weep with weeping for Jazer, the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh (16:9). In Jeremiah:
In secret places my soul shall weep, and mine eyes shall run down with tears (13:17). In the same:
Who will give mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night (9:1). In Lamentations:
In weeping she will weep in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks (1:2). In Malachi:
Covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing (2:13). In David:
They that sow with tears and he that weeping beareth the casting of seed (Ps. 126:5, 6). In Jeremiah:
Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears (31:16). In the same:
Let the mourning-women make haste and take up a lamentation over us, that our eyes may flow down with tears (9:18). Here we have "lamentation" in place of weeping, because it is the voice of weeping. In David:
I am weary with my sighing, all the night do I bathe my bed; with my tears I make my couch to melt (Ps. 6:6). Here "to bathe the bed" means by weeping, which is of the mouth, because it is said of sighing; while "to drench the couch," which has a like meaning, has reference to tears. These passages have been cited that from them also it may be known that two like expressions in the Word, especially in the Prophets, are not vain repetitions, but that one has reference to good, and the other to truth.
Revelation 8
1. And when he opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven as it were for half an hour. 2. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets. 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there were given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne. 4. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God. 5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it unto the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6. And the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7. And the first angel sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood; and they were cast unto the earth; and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood. 9. And there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls; and the third part of the ships was destroyed. 10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a lamp; and it fell upon a third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters. 11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were bitter. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, that the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night likewise. 13. And I saw, and I heard one angel flying in midheaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, to those that dwell on the earth, from the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound.