Swedenborg Arcana Caelestia Vol. III (1750)

It is shown that the Word is the Lord, and the Lord is the Word, for it is said, "His name is called the Word of God." Then, "He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords." original: Revelation 19:13, 16 From the interpretation of these individual words, it is clear that the Word is described here in terms of its internal sense. The fact that heaven was opened represents and signifies that the internal sense of the Word is seen only in Heaven, and by those to whom heaven is opened—that is, those who are in love and the resulting faith in the Lord.

The White Horse represents and signifies the understanding of the Word regarding its interior contents; that the White Horse means this will be clear from what follows. The one Sitting upon it is the Word and the Lord who is the Word, as is well established. He who is called Faithful and Judging in justice is named from Good, and he who is True and Fighting in justice is named from Truth. Upon His head were many crowns, signifying all things of faith. Having a name written that no one knew but Himself signifies that no one sees the quality of the Word in its internal sense except Himself, and those to whom He reveals it. Being clothed in a garment dipped in blood signifies the Word in its literal sense.

The Armies in heaven who followed Him upon white horses signify those who are in the understanding of the Word regarding its interior contents. Being clothed in fine linen, white and clean, signifies those same people in love and the resulting faith. The name written on the garment and on the thigh signifies truth and good. From these points, and from those that precede and follow in that passage, it is clear that around the final time, the internal sense of the Word will be opened. However, what will happen then is also described there in verses 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21.

2761. That the White Horse is the understanding of the Word regarding its interior contents—or what is the same, the internal sense of the Word—is established by the signification of a Horse, which is the Intellectual facultyoriginal: Intellectuale. In the Prophetic books of the Word, the Horse and Rider are named many times, but until now it has been known to no one that the Horse signifies the intellectual faculty and the Rider signifies an intelligent person. For example, in the prophecy of Jacob (then called Israel) concerning Dan:

"Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, biting the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I wait for your salvation, O Jehovah." original: Genesis 49:17–18

That the serpent is one who reasons from sensory things and scientific facts about Divine mysteries, see section 195. That the way and path are truth, see sections 627 and 2333. The heel is the lowest natural level, see section 259. The horse is the understanding of the Word, and the rider is the one who teaches. From this, it is clear what these prophetic words signify: namely, that he who reasons from sensory things and scientific facts about the truths of faith remains stuck only in the lowest things of nature, and thus believes nothing—which is to "fall backward." Therefore, it is added: "I wait for your salvation, O Jehovah." In Habakkuk:

"God, you rode upon your horses, your chariots were salvation." original: Habakkuk 3:8