Commentary

 

Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings

This list of Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings was originally compiled by W. C. Henderson in 1960 but has since been updated.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #654

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654. For one thousand six hundred furlongs. This symbolically means, being nothing but the falsities accompanying evil.

Furlongs have the same symbolism as paths, because furlongs are the measurements of paths, and paths symbolize truths that lead somewhere (no. 176), and in an opposite sense, falsities. And one thousand six hundred symbolizes evils in their whole entirety; for 1600 has the same symbolic meaning as 16, and 16 the same symbolic meaning as 4, and four is predicated of goodness and of the union of goodness and truth (no. 322), so that in an opposite sense it is predicated of evil and of the conjunction of evil and falsities, as in the present instance. Moreover, because the number's being multiplied by 100 does not take away its symbolic meaning, but heightens it, therefore one thousand six hundred furlongs symbolizes nothing but the falsity of evil.

That all numbers in the Word have some symbolic meaning may be seen in no. 348 above, and that a number symbolizes the character of a thing in nos. 448, 608-610.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.