June 11

And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third animal saying, Come and look. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat upon him had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four animals saying, A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius; and hurt not the oil and the wine. (Revelation 6:5-6)

And I saw, and behold, a black horse, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to truth, thus as to doctrine with these. That “a horse” signifies the understanding of the Word was shown above. The reason why “black” signifies what is not true, thus falsity, is because black is the opposite of white, and white is predicated of truth (n. 167, 231, 232); white also derives its origin from light, and black from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light is truth. But in the spiritual world there exists blackness from a twofold origin, one from the absence of flaming light, the light which is with those who are in the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and the other from the absence of bright light, which is the light with those who are in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. The latter blackness has the same signification as “darkness,” but the former as “thick darkness.” (Apocalypse Revealed 312)

And he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand, signifies the valuation of good and truth, of what kind it was with these. (Apocalypse Revealed 313)

A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny, signifies because the valuation of good and truth is so small as to be scarcely anything. (Apocalypse Revealed 315)

And hurt not the oil and the wine, signifies that it is provided by the Lord that the holy goods and truths, which lie interiorly concealed in the Word, shall not be violated and profaned. “Oil” signifies the good of love, and “wine” truth from that good, therefore “oil” signifies holy good, and “wine” holy truth. “Hurt them not,” signifies that it is provided by the Lord that they shall not be violated and profaned…. (Apocalypse Revealed 316)

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