the inner meaning of what was dictated. “They were not illustrated as to the
understanding.” (Apocalypse Explained 624:15)
However, the words chosen for them to write were such as they would
natively use. (Word Explained 6955) The distinctive style of each scribe was
kept. One reason for this was for the sake of the freedom of the scribe. Also,
if the entire Old Testament were written in exactly the same style, and yet
by any different writers, this would compel belief in Divine authorship. And
compelled belief is always avoided in Divine providence for it can lead to one
of the worst of all evils – profanation. What any evil person believes through
compulsion he later rejects, and in so doing comes into what is profane.
It is a fascinating testimony to the Divine Omniscience that the words
in the vocabulary of each prophet were correspondentially highly suitable.
Astonishingly, and yet understandable, the Lord supervised the education of
each scribe from his infancy.
The Gospels of the New Testament and the book of Revelation were
written in a similar manner to the Old Testament. Each of the writers was first
thoroughly prepared. They were Divinely led to inquire into all the details of
the Lord’s life on earth, to come into a deep knowledge of it.
Where it was necessary, their spiritual eyes also were opened. And when
their education and preparation were full and complete, then subject-angels
came to them as well and they received a literal dictation from the Lord through
an angel. For in the New Testament every Greek word has its correspondence
and therefore needed to be Divinely chosen. Nevertheless, the New Testament
writers could comprehend something of what was written through them. They
knew of the Lord’s life and they had an understanding of His moral teachings.
But the spiritual sense of what they wrote: this was unknown to them.
As with the scribes of the Old and New Testament, so with the scribe
of the Second Coming. There are striking similarities. But there was also a
great difference. It is known that Swedenborg was prepared for his use as a
revelator from his infancy. His whole life was guided by a special Providence.
Thus Swedenborg testifies: “The Lord prepared me from childhood.” (Letter
to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, Posthumous Theological Works 1, 590)
“From my youth to my tenth year I was constantly engaged in thought upon
God, salvation and the spiritual affection of men.” (Letter to Dr. Beyer, Ibid,
8)
He was carefully withheld from confirming the false doctrines of the Old
Church, or even from studying them in any depth, for this might have clouded
his mind. It was also of the Divine Providence that he loved the sciences and
philosophy. He was asked why, as a philosopher, he had been chosen as a
revelator. Why, for instance, was not a learned priest chosen instead?
He answered that the spiritual things which the Writings reveal are to be
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