234. 6. The Word's Literal Meaning Provides a Connection to the Lord and Association with Angels

The Word provides a connection to the Lord because he is the Word; that is, he is the divine truth and the divine goodness within it. The literal meaning provides this connection because in this meaning the Word has its completeness, holiness, and power, as I have shown in the relevant passage above [214-224]. The connection to the Lord is not apparent to us; it exists in our love for the truth and our perception of it.

The Word's literal meaning also provides association with angels in heaven because within the literal meaning there is a spiritual meaning and a heavenly meaning. The angels are in these higher meanings. Angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom are in the Word's spiritual meaning, and angels of the Lord's heavenly kingdom are in the Word's heavenly meaning. These two meanings unfold out of the Word's earthly meaning when the Word is read by people who regard it as holy. The unfolding is instantaneous and the association forms immediately.

806. The British in the Spiritual World

There are two states of thought within us - an external state and an internal state. In our outer thinking we are in the physical world, but in our inner thinking we are in the spiritual world. In good people, these two states act as a unit; in evil people they do not.

What we are truly like inwardly is seldom obvious in the world, since we learn from early childhood to be moral and rational and we love to seem that way. In the spiritual world, though, what we are truly like is abundantly clear, because we are then a spirit, and our spirit is our inner self.

Because I have been allowed to be in the spiritual world and see there what people from various nations are truly like inwardly, I have a duty to reveal this information, since it is important.