Swedenborg says that when angels appear in the Bible, they represent qualities of the Lord, or a variety of things that come directly from the Lord. On an intermediate level of meaning, angels can also represent human societies that are receptive to the Lord: heaven itself or churches that look to the Lord.
According to Swedenborg, the Lord in biblical times used angels – or whole angelic communities — to carry messages to people, delivering them in a human voice. This was done by filling their spirits to the point that they believed they were the Lord when they spoke.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1925
- ‘The angel of Jehovah found her’ means thought in the interior man, that is to say, thought residing with the Lord. This becomes clear from the representation and meaning of ‘the angel of Jehovah’. Mention is made several times in the Word of ‘the angel of Jehovah’, and in every case when used in the good sense it represents and means some essential quality with the Lord and from the Lord. Which one it represents and means however becomes clear from the train of thought. They were indeed angels who were sent to men and women, and who also spoke through the prophets. Yet what they spoke did not originate in those angels but was something imparted through them. In fact their state at the time was such that they knew no other than that they were Jehovah, that is, the Lord. But as soon as they had finished speaking they returned to their previous state and spoke as they normally did from themselves.
[2] This was the case with the angels who uttered the Word of the Lord, as I have been given to know from much similar experience in the next life, experience that will be presented in the Lord’s Divine mercy further on. This is the reason why angels were sometimes called Jehovah, as is quite clear from the angel that appeared in the bramble-bush to Moses, concerning whom the following is recorded,
The angel of Jehovah appeared to Moses in a flame of fire from the middle of the bramble-bush. Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, and God called to him from the middle of the bramble-bush God said to Moses, I am who I am. And God said again to Moses, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers has sent me to you. Exod. 3:2, 4, 14, 15.
From these verses it is evident that it was an angel who appeared to Moses as a flame in the bramble- bush and that he spoke as Jehovah, because the Lord or Jehovah was speaking through him.
[3] So that man may be spoken to by means of articulated sounds heard in the natural world, the Lord employs angels as His ministers by filling them with the Divine and by rendering unconscious all that is their own, so that for the time being they know no other than that they themselves are Jehovah. In this way the Divine of Jehovah which belongs in highest things comes down into the lowest constituting the natural world in which man sees and hears. It was similar in the case of the angel who spoke to Gideon, of whom the following is said in the Book of Judges,
The angel of Jehovah appeared to Gideon and said to him, Jehovah is with you, O mighty man of strength. And Gideon said to him, Forgive me for asking,* O my Lord; why has all this befallen us? And Jehovah looked on him and said, Go in this might of yours. And Jehovah said to him, Surely I will be with you. Judg. 6:12-14, 16.
And further on,
Gideon saw that he was the angel of Jehovah, and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Jehovih! Inasmuch as I have seen the angel of Jehovah face to face.** And Jehovah said to him, Peace be to you; do not fear. Judg. 6:22, 23.
Here similarly it was an angel, but his state was such at that time that he knew no other than that he was Jehovah, or the Lord. Elsewhere in the Book of Judges,
The angel of Jehovah went up from Gilgal to Bochim, and he said, I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I swore to give to your fathers. I said, I will not break my covenant with you, even for ever. Judg. 2:1.
Here similarly the angel speaks in the name of Jehovah, declaring that he brought them out of the land of Egypt, though in fact it was not the angel who led them out but Jehovah, as is stated many times elsewhere.
[4] From this it may become clear how angels spoke through the prophets – that it was the Lord Himself who spoke, yet through angels, and that the angels spoke nothing at all from themselves. That the Word come from the Lord is clear from many places, as also in Matthew,
To fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin will be with child and give birth to a son. Matt. 1:22, 23.
And there are other places besides this. It is because the Lord speaks through angels when He speaks to man that the Lord is also called an angel in various places in the Word. In these instances ‘angel’ means, as stated, some essential quality residing with the Lord and deriving from Him, as is the case here where it is the Lord’s interior thought. This also is the reason why in this chapter the angel is named Jehovah and also God, as in verse 13, ‘And Hagar called the name of Jehovah who was speaking to her, You are a God who sees me’.
[5] In other places ‘angels’ is used in a similar way to mean some specific attribute that is the Lord’s, as in John,
The seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches. Rev. 1:20.
There are no angels of Churches, but by ‘angels’ is meant that which constitutes the Church, and thus which is the Lord’s in regard to the Churches. In the same book,
I saw the wall of the Holy Jerusalem, great and high, having twelve gates, and above the gates twelve angels, and names written which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. Rev. 21:12.
Here ‘twelve angels’ has the same meaning as ‘the twelve tribes’, namely all things of faith, and so the Lord from whom faith and all that belongs to it is derived. In the same book,
I saw an angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel. Rev. 14:6.
Here ‘an angel’ means the gospel that is the Lord’s alone.
[6] In Isaiah,
The angel of His presence*** saved them;**** in His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and lifted them up and carried them all the days of eternity. Isa. 63:9.
Here ‘the angel of His presence” is used to mean the Lord’s mercy towards the entire human race in redeeming it. Similarly in Jacob’s blessing of the sons of Joseph,
May the angel who has redeemed me from every evil bless the boys. Gen. 48:16.
Here also the redemption, which is the Lord’s, is meant by ‘the angel’. In Malachi,
Suddenly there will come to His temple the Lord whom you are seeking, and the angel of the covenant in whom you delight. Mal. 3:1.
Here it is plainly evident that the Lord is meant by ‘the angel’. The expression ‘the angel of the covenant’ is used here because of His Coming into the world. In Exodus it is plainer still that ‘an angel’ means the Lord,
Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. He will not tolerate your transgression, for My name is within him. Exod. 23:20, 21.
From this it is now clear that ‘an angel’ in the Word is used to mean the Lord; but just what aspect of the Lord is evident from the train of thought in the internal sense.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 2162
A mighty angel coming down out of heaven, wrapped in a cloud, and a rainbow around his head, his face was like the sun and his feet like pillars of fire. In his hand he had a little book opened, and he set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. Rev. 10:1, 2.
This angel in a similar way means the Word. The nature of the Word in the internal sense is meant by ‘the rainbow around his head’ and by ‘his face being like the sun’; but the external sense, or sense of the letter, is meant by his ‘feet’. ‘The sea’ is natural truths, ‘the land’ natural goods, from which it is clear what is meant by his setting his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2319
- ‘The two angels’ means the Lord’s Divine Human and His Holy proceeding to which judgement belongs. This is clear both from the meaning of ‘angels’ in the Word and from the fact that the expression ‘two angels’ is used here. In the Word ‘angels’ means some Divine essential in the Lord, though which essential becomes clear from the train of thought, as shown already in 1925. That here the Lord’s Divine Human and His Holy proceeding are meant is evident from the consideration that the three men who stayed with Abraham meant the Divine itself, the Lord’s Divine Human, and His Holy proceeding, 2149, 2156, 2288. From this, and from the fact that they are called ‘Jehovah’ in verse 24, and also from the meaning of ‘angels’, 1925, it is plain that ‘the two angels’ is here used to mean the Lord’s Divine Human and His Holy proceeding.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2821
- ‘The angel of Jehovah called to him out of heaven’ means comfort received at that time from the Divine itself. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘calling out of heaven’ as giving comfort to, as is also evident from what comes immediately before and directly after; and from the meaning of ‘the angel of Jehovah’. When angels are mentioned in the Word they mean something within the Lord, though exactly what belonging to Him is apparent from the whole train of thought, see 1925. Here ‘the angel of Jehovah’ is used to mean the Divine itself. Something similar is said regarding the Lord, when He endured the very severe temptation in Gethsemane,
There appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. Luke 22:43.
Here also ‘an angel from heaven’ is used in the internal sense to mean the Divine that was within Him.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3039
- ‘He will send His angel before you’ means Divine Providence. This is clear from the meaning of ‘angel’ in the Word as the Lord, though which aspect of the Lord it is appears from the train of thought, as dealt with in 1925. The aspect meant here is clearly Divine Providence. The reason why the Lord is meant in the Word by ‘angels’ is that everything spoken in the Word through the Prophets and all others, though dictated by angels, is received from the Lord, that is, it is the Lord’s Own. Angels in heaven also acknowledge and perceive that nothing good or true originates in themselves but in the Lord; indeed so great is their acknowledgement and perception that they turn away from everything that suggests any other idea. This explains why ‘angels’, that is to say, good ones, are used to mean the Lord, though which aspect of the Lord it is appears from the train of thought.
Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 130
- Verse 12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write, signifies for remembrance to those within the church who are in temptations. This is evident from the signification of “writing,” as being for remembrance (see Arcana Coelestia, n. 8620); and from the signification of “angel,” as being a recipient of Divine truth, and in the highest sense Divine truth itself proceeding from the Lord (of which more in what follows); and from the signification of the “church in Pergamum,” as being those within the church who are in temptations.
That these are meant by the “church in Pergamum” is clear from the things written to that church, which follow. From no other source can it be known what is signified by each of the seven churches. For as was shown before, what is meant is not any church in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, or Laodicea, but all who are of the Lord’s church, and by each of these churches something that constitutes the church with man is meant. And as the first things of the church are the knowledges of truth and good, and the affections of spiritual truth, these are first treated of, namely, in what is written to the angel of the Ephesian church and of the Smyrnean church; of the knowledges of truth and good to the angel of the Ephesian church, and of the spiritual affection of truth to the angel of the Smyrnean church. And as no one can be imbued with the knowledges of truth and good in respect to life, and be steadfast in the spiritual affection of truth, unless he undergoes temptations, so temptations are now treated of in what is written to the angel of the church in Pergamum. From this it appears in what order the things follow that are taught under the names of the seven churches.
[2] It is said “To the angel of the church, write,” and not, To the church, because by “angel” is signified Divine truth, which makes the church; for Divine truth teaches how man is to live that he may become a church. That “angel” in the Word, in its spiritual sense, does not mean any angel, but in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and in a respective sense, he that receives it, can be seen from this, that all the angels are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, and no angel is of himself an angel; but he is so far an angel as he receives Divine truth; for angels more than men know and perceive that all the good of love and all the truth of faith are from the Lord, not from themselves, and as the good of love and the truth of faith constitute their wisdom and intelligence, and as these constitute the whole angel, they know and say that they are merely recipients of the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and thus are angels in the degree in which they receive it. On this account they desire that the term “angel” should be understood spiritually, that is, in a sense abstracted from persons, and as meaning Divine truths. By Divine truth is meant at the same time Divine good, because these proceed from the Lord united
Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 490
- Verse 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, signifies the conjunction of heaven with the Lord through celestial good. This is evident from the signification of an “angel,” as being heaven (of which presently); also from the signification of “altar,” as being the good of love to the Lord (of which also presently). An “angel” signifies the angelic heaven because the things seen by John were representative; and as heaven could not be presented to his view, therefore instead of the heavens angels were seen; as also above, “seven angels who stood before God” (n. 488); so also “four and twenty elders and four animals” which represented the heavens (above, n. 313, 332, 362, 462); so here, “the angel who stood at the altar.” The angels seen by John represented heaven, because the whole heaven before the Lord is as one angel-man, likewise each society of heaven; also because the angel derives his angelic form, which is the human form, from the universal heaven. (Respecting this see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 51-58, 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86, where this arcanum is fully unfolded.) For this reason when an angel appears representatively, he represents either the society of heaven from which he is, or many societies together, or the universal heaven in respect to that in heaven and the church that is treated of. That “angels” in the Word signify entire societies in heaven, and also the whole heaven, may be seen above (n. 90, 302, 307). This angel “who stood at the altar” signifies the inmost or third heaven, because the “altar” signifies the good of love to the Lord, and all who are in the inmost or third heaven are in that good.
Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 593
- Verse 1. And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, signifies the Lord as to the Word, here as to its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter. This is evident from the signification of a “strong angel,” as being the Lord as to the Word (of which presently); it means as to the Word in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter, because it is from that sense that the Lord is called “strong,” for all the strength and all the power of Divine truth exist and consist in its ultimate, consequently in the sense of the letter of the Word (of which also presently).
Apocalypse Explained 687
An angel of the Lord was seen sitting upon the stone which he had rolled away from the entrance to the tomb (Matt. 28:2).
also:
Angels were seen in the tomb, sitting one at the head, and the other at the feet (John 20:12; Mark 16:5).
These things seen were representative of the Lord’s glorification, and of introduction into heaven by Him; for the “stone” that was placed before the sepulcher, and that was rolled away by the angel, signifies Divine truth, thus the Word, which was closed up by the Jews, but opened by the Lord. And as a “sepulcher,” and preeminently the sepulcher where the Lord was, signifies in the spiritual sense resurrection and also regeneration, and “angels” signify in the Word Divine truth, therefore angels were seen sitting one at the head and the other at the feet; “theangel at the head” signifying Divine truth in things first, and “the angel at the feet” Divine truth in ultimates, both proceeding from the Lord; and when Divine truth is received regeneration is effected, and there is resurrection. Again, the expression “they sat before Jehovah” is used when there was great joy; they were also said “to sit” when there was great mourning, and for the reason that “to sit” has reference to the being [esse] of man, which belongs to his will and love.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 415
- And I looked, and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven. (8:13) This symbolizes instruction and prediction from the Lord.
In the highest sense an angel means the Lord, and so also something from the Lord (no. 344). And to fly in the midst of heaven and speak means, symbolically, to perceive and understand, and when said of the Lord, to foresee and provide (no. 245). But here it means to instruct and predict.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 633
- 14:9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice. This symbolizes still more from the Lord concerning people caught up in faith divorced from charity.
A third angel following the prior ones symbolizes still more from the Lord that follows in the line of thought, for in the highest sense an angel means the Lord (no. 626). That is because, when an angel utters the Word, as in the present instance, he does not speak on his own, but from the Lord. To say with a loud voice symbolizes what follows, the subject of which is the damnation of those people who in life and in doctrine confirm themselves in a faith divorced from charity.