Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 480

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480. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more.- That this signifies that good and truth, and happiness thence, shall not fail them, is plain from the signification of hungering, which denotes a defect of good, therefore by not hungering is here denoted that there shall be no defect of good; and from the signification of thirsting, as denoting a defect of truth, therefore by not thirsting is here denoted that there shall be no defect of truth. The reason why happiness is also signified by the same words, is that all happiness and blessing with the angels in heaven are from the good and truth which they receive from the Lord, and are according to their reception of these. That all heavenly happiness, or all heavenly joy, is in the affection for good and truth, consequently in the marriage of good and truth, in which the angels of heaven are, may be seen in Heaven and Hell (n. 395-414). They shall not hunger, signifies that good shall not fail them, because bread signifies the good of love; and to hunger is a term used of bread and food. And they shall not thirst, signifies that truth shall not fail them, because water and wine signify truth, and to thirst is a term used of water and wine. Hungering, therefore, and thirsting are frequently mentioned in the Word; they do not mean natural hunger and thirst, but spiritual hunger and thirst, and these are deprivation, defect, and ignorance of the knowledges of' truth and good, and at the same time a desire for them. That these things are signified in the Word by hungering and thirsting, or by hunger and thirst, may be seen above (n. 386); where many passages in which these expressions occur are adduced and explained.


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