10438. Into evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains. That this signifies that those who are in good will perish, is evident from the signification of “bringing forth to slay,” as being to destroy; but when said of Jehovah, who never destroys anyone, it denotes to perish by their own evil; and from the signification of “mountains,” as being heaven, and from this the good of love. That by “mountains” is signified heaven, is from the representatives in the other life; for there, as upon earth, appear mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and many other things; and upon the mountains are those who are in celestial love, upon the hills those who are in spiritual love, upon the rocks those who are in faith, and in the valleys those who have not as yet been carried up to the good of love and of faith.

[2] From this it is that by “mountains” are signified those who are in the good of celestial love, thus who are in the inmost heaven, and in the abstract sense the goods of celestial love, thus the heaven which is in this love; that by “hills” are signified those who are in the good of spiritual love, thus who are in the middle heaven, and in the abstract sense the good of this love and the heaven which is in it; that by “rocks” are signified those who are in the good of faith and from this are in the ultimate heaven, and in the abstract sense this good and this heaven; and that by “valleys” are signified those who have not yet been carried up to these goods, thus to heaven. As such things appear in the other life, consequently such things are signified by them, therefore similar things are signified by them in the Word, and similar things are signified by the mountains, hills, rocks, and valleys in the land of Canaan, by which land was therefore represented heaven in its complex.

[3] That “mountains” signify the heaven where is the good of celestial love, is manifest from many passages in the Word, as from the following, in Isaiah:

In the futurity of days the mountain of Jehovah shall be at the head of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1).

The mountains shall bring peace, and the hills in righteousness (Psalms 72:3).

Praise Jehovah ye mountains, and all hills (Psalms 148:9).

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of hills is the mountain of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye mountains, ye hills of mountains; God did desire to dwell in it; Jehovah also shall dwell forever (Psalms 68:15-16).

Concerning the chief things of the mountains of the east, and concerning the precious things of the hills of an age; let them come on the head of Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:15-16);

besides in other places (see n. 795, 6435, 8327, 8658, 8758, 9422, 9434).

It is for this reason that the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, and it is for this reason that the city of David was built upon a mountain, and that this mountain, which was called “Mount Zion,” signifies the inmost heaven; and for this reason also it is that the ancients performed the holy rites of worship upon mountains and hills (see n. 2722).

795. All the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered. That this signifies that all the goods of charity were extinguished, is evident from the signification of mountains among the most ancient people. With them mountains signified the Lord, for the reason that they held their worship of Him on mountains, because these were the highest places on earth. Hence “mountains” signified celestial things (which also were called the “highest”), consequently love and charity, and thereby the goods of love and charity, which are celestial. And in the opposite sense those also are called “mountains” who are vainglorious; and therefore a “mountain” stands for the very love of self. The Most Ancient Church is also signified in the Word by “mountains” from these being elevated above the earth and nearer as it were to heaven, to the beginnings of things.

[2] That “mountains” signify the Lord, and all things celestial from Him, or the goods of love and charity, is evident from the following passages in the Word, from which it is plain what they signify in particular cases, for all things in the Word, both in general and in particular, have a signification according to the subject to which they are applied.

In David:

The mountains shall bring peace, and the hills, in righteousness (Psalms 72:3).

“Mountains” denote here love to the Lord; “hills” love toward the neighbor, such as was with the Most Ancient Church, which because of this character is also signified in the Word by “mountains” and “hills.”

In Ezekiel:

In the mountain of My holiness, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovih, there shall all the house of Israel serve Me, that whole land (Ezekiel 20:40).

The “mountain of holiness” here denotes love to the Lord; the “mountain of the height of Israel” charity toward the neighbor.

In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isaiah 2:2),

where “mountains” denote the Lord, and thence all that is celestial.

Again:

In this mountain shall Jehovah Zebaoth make unto all peoples a feast of fat things, and He will take away in this mountain the face of the covering (Isaiah 25:6-7).

“Mountain” here denotes the Lord, and hence all that is celestial.

[3] Again:

And there shall be upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers, streams of waters (Isaiah 30:25),

where “mountains” denote goods of love; “hills” goods of charity, from which are truths of faith, which are the “rivers and streams of waters.” Again:

Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of Jehovah, to the rock of Israel (Isaiah 30:29).

The “mountain of Jehovah” here denotes the Lord with reference to the goods of love; the “Rock of Israel” the Lord with reference to the goods of charity. Again:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah 31:4).

“Mount Zion” here and elsewhere in many places, denotes the Lord, and hence all that is celestial and which is love; and “hills” denote what is celestial of lower degree, which is charity.

[4] Again:

O Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength (Isaiah 40:9).

To “go up into the high mountain and bring good tidings” is to worship the Lord from love and charity, which are inmost, and are therefore also called “highest” because what is inmost is called highest. Again:

Let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains (Isaiah 42:11).

The “inhabitants of the rock” denote those who are in charity; to “shout from the top of the mountains” is to worship the Lord from love. Again:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation (Isaiah 52:7).

To “bring good tidings upon the mountains” is likewise to preach the Lord from the doctrine of love and charity, and from these to worship Him. Again:

The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12);

denoting worship of the Lord from love and charity, which are “the mountains and the hills;” and from the faith thence derived, which are the “trees of the field.”

[5] Again:

I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted (Isaiah 49:11); where “mountains” denote love and charity; and “way” and “highways” the truths of faith thence derived, which are said to be “exalted” when they are from love and charity as their inmost.

Again:

He that putteth his trust in Me shall possess the land as a heritage, and shall inherit the mountain of My holiness (Isaiah 57:13); denoting the Lord’s kingdom, wherein is nothing but love and charity.

Again:

I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of My mountains, and Mine elect shall possess it (Isaiah 65:9).

“Mountains” here denote the Lord’s kingdom and celestial goods; “Judah” the celestial church.

And again:

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place (Isaiah 57:15).

“High” here denotes what is holy; and hence it is that on account of their height above the earth, mountains signify the Lord and His holy celestial things. And it was for this reason that the Lord promulgated the Law from Mount Sinai. Love and charity are also meant by the Lord, by “mountains” where, speaking of the consummation of the age, He says:

Then let them that are in Judea flee into the mountains (Matthew 24:16; Luke 21:21; Mark 13:14), where “Judea” denotes the vastated church.