1146. And every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of precious wood, signifies rational truths and goods that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "vessel," as being the knowing faculty (of which presently); also from the signification of "ivory," as being rational truth (of which also presently); also from the signification of "precious wood," as being good of great excellence, thus rational good, for this is such good because it is the best good of the natural man. That "wood" signifies good may be seen above (n.1145). A "vessel" means the knowing faculty, because all truth in the natural man is called knowledge; and this is signified by a "vessel" because the knowledge of the natural man is the containant of rational and spiritual truths, for when these are thought and perceived they are laid up in the memory and are called knowledges. This is why in the Word "vessels" signify cognitions [cognitiones] and so far as these belong to the natural man, and are laid up in the memory of that man, they are knowledges [scientifica].

[2] "Ivory" signifies rational truth, because the camel ¹ signifies the natural in general; since, therefore, "ivory" is from his teeth and by it he has power, also since it is white and also has a power of resistance, it signifies rational truth, which is the most excellent truth of the natural man. This truth is signified by "ivory," as well as by "ebony."

In Ezekiel:

Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy benches of ivory. Many isles were the traffic of thine hand, they brought thee for a gift horns of ivory and ebony (Ezekiel 27:6,15).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth, by which man has intelligence. These knowledges are here described by a ship, the oars of which were of oak and the bench of ivory, "oars" signifying the things of the understanding that are of use in speaking and that belong to the sensual man, and "bench" signifying that part of the understanding by which one is led, which is the rational. This is here signified also by the "ebony" which the isles bring, "isles" signifying those in the church who are natural and yet rational.

[3] In Amos:

That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches (Amos 6:4).

Reasonings from falsities are thus described, "beds of ivory" being doctrines seemingly from rational truths, and "to stretch themselves upon their couches" being to reason in favor of these from falsities. In the same:

I will smite the winter house with the summer house, that the houses of ivory may perish, and the great houses may have an end (Amos 3:15).

"Houses" signify the things of the human mind, here the things of the natural mind separate from the spiritual mind; "winter house and summer house" signify things of the natural man that are called sensual, and "house of ivory" and "great house" signify the things of the natural man that are called rational, "house of ivory" here meaning those that have relation to truth, and "great house" those that have relation to good. As "house" signifies man as to those things that are of his mind, they formerly built houses of ivory, as we read of Ahab (1 Kings 22:39), which signified man as to the rational. This makes clear what is signified by these words in David:

Out of the ivory palaces have they made thee glad (Psalms 45:8).

This is said of the Lord. "Ivory palaces" mean truths from the rational man, thus rational truths. But "vessel of ivory" and "vessel of precious wood" signify rational truths and goods profaned, because they were predicated of Babylon, which signifies profanation of all things of truth and good.

(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith)

[4] That man is merely a recipient of good and truth from the Lord and of evil and falsity from hell, must be illustrated by comparisons confirmed by the laws of order and influx, and finally established by experience. It is illustrated by the following comparisons. The sensories of the body are recipient and percipient only seemingly from themselves; the sensory of sight, which is the eye, sees objects out of itself as if it were close by them, when, in fact, the rays of light convey with wings of ether their forms and colors into the eye, and these forms when perceived in the eye are observed by an internal sight that is called the understanding, and are distinguished and recognized according to their quality. It is the same with the sensory of hearing. This perceives sounds, whether words or musical tones, from the place from which they come as if it were there; when in fact, the sounds flow in from without and are perceived by the understanding within the ear. It is the same with the sensory of smell; this, too, perceives from within what flows in from without, sometimes from a great distance. Also the sensory of taste is excited by the foods that come in contact with the tongue from without. The sensory of touch does not feel unless it is touched. These five bodily sensories by virtue of an influx from within are sensible of what flows in from without; the influx from within is from the spiritual world, and the influx from without is from the natural world.

[5] With all this the laws inscribed on the nature of all things are in harmony, which laws are:

1. That nothing exists or subsists from itself, or is acted upon or moved by itself, but only by something else. From this it follows that everything exists and subsists and is acted upon and moved by the First that is not from another, but is in itself the living force, which is life.

2. That nothing can be acted upon or moved unless it is intermediate between two forces, one of which acts and the other reacts, that is, unless one acts on the one side and the other on the other, and unless one acts from within and the other from without.

3. And since these two forces when at rest produce an equilibrium, it follows that nothing can be put in action or moved unless it is in equilibrium, and when put in action it is out of the equilibrium; also that everything put in action or moved seeks to return to an equilibrium.

4. That all activities are changes of state and variations of form, and that the latter are from the former. By state in man his love is meant, and by changes of state the affections of love; by form in man his intelligence is meant, and by variations of form his thoughts; and thoughts are from affections.

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253. Verse 21. He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit with Me in My throne, signifies that he who is steadfast to the end of life shall be conjoined with heaven where the Lord is. This is evident from the signification of "overcoming," as being to be steadfast in the spiritual affection of truth even to the end of life (See above, n. 128); but here it means to be steadfast in a state of faith from charity, since charity is here treated of. This is what "overcoming" means; because so long as man lives in the world he is in combat against the evils and the falsities therefrom that are with him; and he who is in combat, and is steadfast in the faith of charity even to the end of life, overcomes; and he who overcomes in the world overcomes to eternity, since man after death is such as his life had been in the world. This is evident also from the signification of "to sit with Me in My throne," as being to be conjoined with heaven where the Lord is; for "throne" signifies heaven, and to "sit with Me" signifies to be together with the Lord, thus conjoined to Him.

[2] In the Word the word "throne" is many times used, and in reference to the Lord it signifies in general, heaven, in particular the spiritual heaven, and in the abstract, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, since this is what makes heaven. For this reason "throne" is also predicated of judgment, since all judgment is effected from truths. That such is the signification of "throne" in the Word can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Jehovah said, The heavens are My throne (Isaiah 66:1).

In David:

Jehovah hath established His throne in the heavens (Psalms 103:19).

And in Matthew:

He that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by Him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:22).

It is clear that "throne" in these passages signifies heaven; for it is said that "the heavens are His throne," that "He hath established His throne in the heavens," and that "he who sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God;" not because Jehovah or the Lord there sits upon a throne, but because His Divine in the heavens is called "throne:" and also appears at times as a throne to those to whom it is given to look into heaven. That the Lord was thus seen is evident in Isaiah:

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filling the temple (Isaiah 6:1).

"His train filling the temple" signifies that Divine truth proceeding filled the ultimate of heaven and the church, for the "Lord's train" signifies in general Divine truth proceeding, and in particular Divine truth in the extremities of heaven and in the church (See above, n. 220).

[3] In Ezekiel:

Above the expanse that was over the head [of the cherubim] there was as the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne, and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above (Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1).

The "throne" had an appearance like a sapphire stone, because "sapphire" signified Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine good, and therefore spiritual truth pellucid from celestial good (See Arcana Coelestia 9407, 9873); thus "throne" here signifies the whole heaven, for heaven is heaven from Divine truth. (What "cherub" signifies, see Arcana Coelestia 9277, 9509, 9673.)

[4] In Revelation:

Behold, a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne One sitting. A rainbow round about the throne, in aspect like an emerald. And out of the throne went forth lightnings and thunders and voices. Before the throne a glassy sea like unto crystal; and round about the throne four animals, full of eyes before and behind (Revelation 4:2-6, 9-10).

That heaven in respect to Divine truths is here described will be seen in the explanation of these words in the following chapter. There is a like meaning in the following from Revelation:

A pure river and bright as crystal went forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1).

"A pure river and bright as crystal" was seen "going forth out of the throne," because a "river" as well as "crystal" signifies Divine truth.

[5] "The throne of David" in the Word has a like meaning; since by "David" in the prophetic Word is meant, not David, but the Lord in respect to royalty, which is Divine truth in the spiritual heaven, which is the second heaven. So in Luke:

The angel said to Mary, He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32).

And in Isaiah:

Unto us a child is born, unto as a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the multiplication of His government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to establish it in judgment and in righteousness, from henceforth and even to eternity (Isaiah 9:6-7).

It is clear that here is not meant David, and his throne, on which the Lord was to sit; for the Lord's kingdom was not on earth but in heaven; by "the throne of David," therefore, heaven in respect to Divine truth is meant (See above, n. 205). The meaning is similar in the Psalm of David, where the Lord speaks of His throne and His kingdom; as in the whole of Psalms 89, in which are also these words:

I have sworn unto David My servant: Thy seed will I establish for ever; and thy throne to generation and generation. Judgment and righteousness are the foundation of thy throne; I will establish his throne as the days of the heavens (Psalms 89:3-4, 14, 29).

That the Lord is here meant by David, see above n. 205). The like is signified by "the throne of glory" where the Lord is spoken of, for "glory" signifies Divine truth.

As in Matthew:

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 25:31).

(That "glory" signifies Divine truth in heaven, see Arcana Coelestia 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429; and above, n. 33.)

This shows what is signified by "the throne of glory" in Jeremiah:

Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory (Jeremiah 14:21; 17:12);

which signifies that Divine truth should not be disgraced. The like is signified by Jerusalem being called "the throne of Jehovah;" for "Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; and doctrine is Divine truth.

From this it is clear how these words are to be understood in Jeremiah:

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it (Jeremiah 3:17).

In David:

Jerusalem is builded; thither the tribes go up; and there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David (Psalms 122:3-5).

In Ezekiel:

The glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose face was toward the east. And He said unto me, Son of man, behold the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever (Ezekiel 43:4, 7).

(That "Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to doctrine, thus Divine truth in the heavens and on the earth, for this makes the church, see Arcana Coelestia 3654, 9166; and above, n. 223) As all judgment is effected by truths, and judgment in the heavens by Divine truth, "throne" is also mentioned where the Lord in respect to judgment is treated of, as above (Matthew 25:31; and in David, Psalms 122:3-5).

Again, in David:

Jehovah, Thou hast executed my judgment; thou sattest on the throne a judge of justice; thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the wicked; Jehovah shall sit for ever; He will prepare His throne for judgment (Psalms 9:4-5, 7).

[6] It is also said in many places in the Word, not only that the Lord is to sit on a throne, but that others also shall sit upon thrones, but still these "thrones" do not mean thrones, but Divine truths. Thus in the first book of Samuel:

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth on high the needy from the dunghill, to make them sit with princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory (1 Samuel 2:8).

In Revelation:

The four and twenty elders who are before the throne of God, sitting upon their thrones (Revelation 11:16).

Again:

I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them (Revelation 20:4).

In Matthew:

Ye who have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30).

Here "thrones" mean Divine truths, according to which and from which all are to be judged; "twelve" and "twenty-four" signify all things and are predicated of truths; "elders," and "disciples" also, likewise "tribes," signify Divine truths. When this is known, what is meant by "thrones" in the above passages can be seen; as also what is meant by "throne" in these words now treated of. "He that overcometh will I give to him to sit with Me in My throne."

(That "twelve" signifies all, and that it is predicated of truths, see Arcana Coelestia 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913; likewise "twenty-four" because that number is the double of the number twelve, and arises from it by multiplication, n. 5921, 5335, 5708, 7973.

That "the elders of Israel" signify all in the church who are in truths from good, n. 6524, 6525, 6890, 7912, 8578, 8585, 9376, 9404;

likewise "the Lord's twelve disciples," n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397;

likewise "the twelve tribes," n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, 7836, 7891)

[7] From this it can be seen what was represented by the throne built by Solomon, thus described in the first book of Kings:

Solomon made a great ebony ¹ throne, and overlaid it with pure gold. There were six steps to the throne; the head of the throne was round; and behind it were hands on either side near the place of the seat, and two lions standing near the hands; and there were twelve lions standing upon the six steps on the one side and on the other; there was not the like made in any kingdom (1 Kings 10:18-20).

Here "ebony" ¹ signifies Divine truth in ultimates; "the head being round," the corresponding good; "the gold with which it was overlaid" Divine good from which is Divine truth. "The six steps" signify all things from first to last; "the two hands" all power; "lions," the truths of the church in their power; "twelve," all things. As "throne," in reference to the Lord, signifies heaven in respect to all Divine truth, so in a contrary sense it signifies hell in respect to all falsity. (In this contrary sense "throne" is mentioned Revelation 2:13; Isaiah 14:9, 13; 47:1; Haggai 2:22; Daniel 7:9; Luke 1:52)

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