Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/126

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from the Sun of the spiritual world—their spiritual sight being suddenly and providentially opened to enable them to see it. And if the light of that Sun is, as Swedenborg says, "a thousand times greater than that of the sun of this world," no wonder that they all fell to the earth, and that Paul himself "could not see for the glory of that light" (Acts xxii. 11), and remained "three days without sight." (ix. 9.) Who could stand before such dazzling brightness, if it burst suddenly upon him? Observe further, that, within that overwhelming blaze was a person—the Lord Jesus Christ himself—from whom came the words in Hebrew, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Observe, also, that this great light burst upon them suddenly, and as suddenly vanished; and the apostle himself called it "a light from heaven."

And thus we find that remarkable experience of Paul, producing what is commonly called his miraculous conversion, to be in perfect agreement with Swedenborg's disclosures; and while furnishing additional confirmation of their truth, receiving from them at the same time an easy and philosophical explanation. And can you find in any of the old theologies—can you find anywhere else but in Swedenborg's pneumatology, a rational explanation of that memorable occurrence?

And that it is the Lord Jesus Christ or Jehovah God, who is the Sun of the spiritual world, is plain from many passages of Scripture. Thus the inspired Psalmist says: "Jehovah God is a sun and shield." "Jehovah covereh Himself with light as with a garment." And Isaiah says: "Jehovah shall be unto thee an everlasting light."