4. In support of this, I would like in this first chapter simply to cite passages from the Word where it says “that day, ” “on that day, ” or “at that time, ” passages where “day” and “time” mean the Lord’s Coming. From Isaiah:

In the days to come it will happen that the mountain of Jehovah will be established as the highest of the mountains. On that day Jehovah alone will be exalted. The day of Jehovah Sabaoth is majestic and high above all. On that day people will throw away idols of their silver and gold. (Isaiah 2:2, 11-12, 20)

On that day the Lord Jehovih will take away adornments. (Isaiah 3:18)

On that day the branch of Jehovah will be beautiful and glorious. (Isaiah 4:2)

[Their enemy] will roar against the people on that day and look down on the earth. Behold, there is darkness and anxiety, and the light will be growing darker among their ruins. (Isaiah 5:30)

It will happen on that day that Jehovah will whistle to the fly at the very end of the rivers of Egypt. On that day the Lord will shave [Judah] at the crossings of the river. On that day he will bring [a young cow and two sheep] to life. On that day every place will become brambles and thorns. (Isaiah 7:18, 20-21, 23)

What will you do on the day of visitation? Who will come? On that day Israel will rely on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (Isaiah 10:3, 20)

It will happen on that day that the nations will seek out the root of Jesse, the one who stands as a sign for the peoples, and glory will be his rest. Above all, on that day the Lord will seek out the remnant of his people. (Isaiah 11:10-11)

You will say on that day, “I will praise you, Jehovah.” You will say on that day, “Praise Jehovah! Call upon his name!” (Isaiah 12:1, 4)

The day of Jehovah is near; it will come from Shaddai like destruction. Behold, the cruel day of Jehovah is coming-a day of resentment, blazing wrath, and anger. I will violently move heaven, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, on the day of his blazing anger. His time is at hand and it will come, and the days will not be prolonged. (Isaiah 13:6, 9, 13, 22)

It will happen on that day that the glory of Jacob will be worn away. On that day, people will look back to their Maker, and their eyes [will look] toward the Holy One of Israel. On that day there will be cities of refuge in the forsaken parts of the forest. (Isaiah 17:4, 7, 9)

Those who dwell on [this] island will say on that day, “Look at what has happened to our hope!” (Isaiah 20:6)

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the languages of Canaan. On that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the center of Egypt. On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Israel will be at the center of the land. (Isaiah 19:18-19, 23-24)

A day of tumult, trampling, and confusion from the Lord Jehovih Sabaoth... (Isaiah 22:5)

On that day Jehovah will punish the army of the high place and the monarchs of the earth. After a great many days they will be punished. Then the moon will blush and the sun will be ashamed. (Isaiah 24:21, 23)

It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him to set us free.” (Isaiah 25:9)

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Jehovah: “We have a strong city.” (Isaiah 26:1)

On that day Jehovah will bring punishment with his sword. On that day answer him by saying, “A vineyard whose wine is pure.” (Isaiah 27:1-2, 12-13)

On that day Jehovah Sabaoth will become an ornate crown and a diadem. (Isaiah 28:5)

Then on that day the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see out of the darkness. (Isaiah 29:18)

On the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall, there will be a channel of waters. The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun on the day when Jehovah binds up the breach of his people. (Isaiah 30:25-26)

On that day they will each throw away the idols of their silver and gold. (Isaiah 31:7)

The day of Jehovah’s vengeance, the year of his recompense... (Isaiah 34:8)

These two things will come to you in one day: the loss of your children, and widowhood. (Isaiah 47:9)

My people will know my name, and on that day [they will know that] I am the one saying “Here I am!” (Isaiah 52:6)

Jehovah has anointed me to proclaim the year of Jehovah’s good pleasure and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who are mourning. (Isaiah 61:1-2)

The day of vengeance is in my heart and the year of my redeemed has arrived. (Isaiah 63:4)

From Jeremiah:

In those days you will no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of Jehovah.” At that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah. In those days the house of Judah will go to the house of Israel. (Jeremiah 3:16-18)

In that day the heart of the monarch will perish, and the heart of the royal family, and the priests and the prophets will be stunned. (Jeremiah 4:9)

Behold, the days are coming in which the earth will turn into a wasteland. (Jeremiah 7:32, 34)

They will fall among those who fall on the day of their visitation. (Jeremiah 8:12)

Behold, the days are coming in which I will execute judgment upon everyone whose foreskin has been circumcised. (Jeremiah 9:25)

In the time of their visitation they will perish. (Jeremiah 10:15)

There will be no remnant of them; I will bring evil upon them in the year of their visitation. (Jeremiah 11:23)

Behold, the days are coming in which it will no longer be said... (Jeremiah 16:14)

I will look at them in the back of the neck and not in the face on the day of their destruction. (Jeremiah 18:17)

Behold, the days are coming in which I will make this place a devastation. (Jeremiah 19:6)

Behold, the days are coming in which I will raise up for David a righteous branch who will rule as king. In those days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell in safety. Therefore behold, the days are coming in which it will no longer be said... I will bring evil upon them in the year of their visitation. At the very last of days you will fully understand. (Jeremiah 23:5-7, 12, 20)

Behold, the days are coming in which I will turn back [the captivity of my people]. Alas, that day will be great, and there will be none like it. It will happen on that day that I will break the yoke and tear off the fetters. (Jeremiah 30:3, 7-8)

The day will come when the guards cry out on Mount Ephraim, “Arise, let us climb Zion to Jehovah our God.” Behold, the days are coming in which I will make a new covenant. The days are coming in which the city of Jehovah will be built. (Jeremiah 31:6, 27, 31, 38)

The days are coming in which I will perform the good word [that I promised]. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to grow for David. In those days Judah will be saved. (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

On that day I will bring words against this city for evil. You, though, I will rescue on that day. (Jeremiah 39:16-17)

That day will be a day of vengeance for the Lord Jehovih Sabaoth; he will take vengeance on his enemies. The day of destruction has come upon them, the time of their visitation. (Jeremiah 46:10, 21)

Because of the day that is coming for devastation... (Jeremiah 47:4)

I will bring upon [Moab] the year of visitation. Nevertheless I will bring back its captives at the very last of days. (Jeremiah 48:44, 47)

I will bring destruction upon them at the time of their visitation. Their youths will fall in the streets and all their men of war will be cut down on that day. At the very last of days I will bring back their captives. (Jeremiah 49:8, 26, 39)

In those days and at that time the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together and seek Jehovah their God. In those days and at that time the iniquity of Israel will be sought, but there will be none. Woe to [the Babylonians], because their day has come, the time of their visitation. (Jeremiah 50:4, 20, 27, 31)

They are vanity, a work of errors; they will perish at the time of their visitation. (Jeremiah 51:18)

From Ezekiel:

The end has come; the end has come. It has come upon you like the morning. The time has come; the day of tumult is near. Behold the day; see, it has come. The trunk has blossomed; violence has sprouted. The day has arrived; the time has come upon their whole multitude. Their silver and gold will not rescue them on the day of Jehovah’s wrath. (Ezekiel 7:6-7, 10, 12, 19)

People were saying of the prophet, “The vision that he is seeing will not happen for many days; his prophecy concerns distant times.” (Ezekiel 12:27)

They will not be able to stand up in the war on the day of Jehovah’s wrath. (Ezekiel 13:5)

You pierced, godless prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of iniquity of the end... (Ezekiel 21:25, 29)

O city shedding blood in your own midst so that its time will come, you have made the days approach so that you will come to your years. (Ezekiel 22:3-4)

Surely on the day that I take their strength from them, on that day someone who has been rescued will come to you with information for you to hear. On that day your mouth will be opened to speak with the one who has been rescued. (Ezekiel 24:25-27)

On that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to grow. (Ezekiel 29:21)

Wail “Alas for the day, ” because the day of Jehovah is near, the day of Jehovah is near. It will be a day of cloud, a time for the nations. On that day messengers from me will go forth. (Ezekiel 30:2-3, 9)

On the day you go down into hell... (Ezekiel 31:15)

I myself will search for my flock, on a day when it is in the midst of your flock, and I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy and dark day. (Ezekiel 34:11-12)

On the day when I cleanse you from all your iniquities... (Ezekiel 36:33)

Prophesy and say, “Will you not know it on that day when my people Israel settle safely? In the days to come I will bring you against my land. [This will happen] on that day, on the day when Gog comes upon the land [of Israel]. In my zeal, in the day of my indignation, surely on this day there will be a great earthquake upon the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 38:14, 16, 18-19)

Behold, it is coming; this is the day of which I have spoken. It will happen on that day that I will give Gog a burial place in the land of Israel, so that the house of Israel will know that I, Jehovah, am their God from that day on. (Ezekiel 39:8, 11, 22)

From Daniel:

God in the heavens has revealed mysteries concerning what will happen in the days to come. (Daniel 2:28)

The time came for the saints to establish the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22)

“Understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” [Gabriel] said, “Behold, I am making known to you what will happen at the end of the wrath, because at the appointed time the end will come.” The vision of evenings and mornings is the truth. Hide the vision, because it is for many days. (Daniel 8:17, 19, 26)

I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people at the very last of days, because the vision applies to days yet to come. (Daniel 10:14)

Those who understand will be tested in order to be purified and cleansed, until the time of the end, since it is yet for an appointed time. (Daniel 11:35)

At that time Michael will rise up, the great leader who stands up for the children of your people. There will be a time of distress such as there has not been since the nation [began]. At this time, however, your people will be rescued-everyone who is found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

You, Daniel, close up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. But from the time when the daily offering is taken away and the abomination that causes devastation is set up, there will be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. You will arise into your inheritance at the end of days. (Daniel 12:4, 9, 11, 13)

From Hosea:

I will make an end of the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel. Great will be the day of Jezreel. (Hosea 1:4-5, 11)

On that day you will call [me] “my husband.” On that day I will make them a covenant. On that day I will respond. (Hosea 2:16, 18, 21)

The children of Israel will turn back and seek Jehovah their God and David their king at the very last of days. (Hosea 3:5)

Come, let us return to Jehovah. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his presence. (Hosea 6:1-2)

The days of visitation have come; the days of retribution have come. (Hosea 9:7)

From Joel:

Alas for the day, because the day of Jehovah is at hand; it will come as destruction from Shaddai. (Joel 1:15)

The day of Jehovah is coming, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Great is the day of Jehovah and extremely terrifying; who can endure it? (Joel 2:1-2, 11)

Upon my male and female servants I will pour out my spirit in those days. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. (Joel 2:29, 31)

In those days and at that time I will gather all nations together. The day of Jehovah is at hand. On that day it will happen that the mountains will drip with new wine. (Joel 3:1-2, 14, 18)

From Amos:

The strong of heart will flee naked on that day. (Amos 2:16)

On the day that I punish Israel for its sins... (Amos 3:14)

Woe to you who long for the day of Jehovah. What is the day of Jehovah to you? It will be a day of darkness and not of light. Surely the day of Jehovah will be a day of darkness and not of light, a day of thick darkness with no light at all. (Amos 5:18, 20)

The songs of the Temple will be howls on that day. On that day I will make the sun set at noon, and will darken the earth on a day of light. On that day beautiful young women and also young men will faint from thirst. (Amos 8:3, 9, 13)

On that day I will raise up the fallen tent of David. Behold, the days are coming when the mountains will drip with new wine. (Amos 9:11, 13)

From Obadiah:

On that day will I not destroy the wise of Edom? Do not rejoice over them on the day of their destruction, on the day of their distress. The day of Jehovah over all nations is at hand. (Obadiah 1:8, 12-15)

From Micah:

On that day the lament will be “We have been utterly destroyed.” (Micah 2:4)

At the very last of days the mountain of the house of Jehovah will be established on the top of the mountains. On that day I will gather the lame. (Micah 4:1, 6)

On that day I will cut off your horses and your chariots. (Micah 5:10)

The day of your watchmen, your visitation, has come. The day for building the walls is here. This is the day in which he will come to you. (Micah 7:4, 11-12)

From Habakkuk:

The vision is still set for an appointed time and speaks concerning the end. If it delays, wait for it, because it will surely come and will not be postponed. (Habakkuk 2:3)

Jehovah, do your work in the midst of the years; in the midst of the years you will make it known. God will come. (Habakkuk 3:2)

From Zephaniah:

The day of Jehovah is at hand. On the day of the sacrifice of Jehovah I will execute judgment upon the royal family and upon the children of the monarch. On that day there will be the sound of shouting. At that time I will examine Jerusalem with lamps. The great day of Jehovah is at hand. This day is a day of blazing wrath; a day of distress and repression; a day of destruction and devastation; a day of darkness and gloom; a day of clouds and thick darkness; a day of trumpets and shouting. On the day of the blazing wrath of Jehovah the whole earth will be devoured and he will make a prompt end to all those who dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:7-8, 10, 12, 14-16, 18)

... when the day of the wrath of Jehovah has not yet come upon us. Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of Jehovah. (Zephaniah 2:2-3)

Wait for me until the day I rise up for plunder, because that will be my judgment. On that day you will not be ashamed of your deeds. On that day it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not be afraid.” I will deal with your oppressors at that time. At that time I will bring you back. At that time I will gather you together to give you a name and praise. (Zephaniah 3:8, 11, 16, 19-20)

From Zechariah:

I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. On that day each of you will invite your neighbor under a vine and under a fig tree. (Zechariah 3:9-10)

Then many nations will be joined to Jehovah on that day. (Zechariah 2:11)

In those days ten men will take hold of the hem of a man of Judah. (Zechariah 8:23)

Jehovah their God will save them on that day, as the flock of his people. (Zechariah 9:16)

My covenant was broken on that day. (Zechariah 11:11)

On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all peoples. On that day I will strike every horse with confusion. On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a fiery furnace surrounded by logs. On that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem. On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations [that are coming against Jerusalem]. On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will increase. (Zechariah 12:3-4, 6, 8-9, 11)

On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It will happen on that day that I will cut off the names of idols from the land. On that day the prophets will be ashamed. (Zechariah 13:1-2, 4)

Behold, the day of Jehovah is coming. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. On that day there will be no light or radiance. One day that will be known to Jehovah, not day or night, there will be light around the time of evening. On that day living waters will go forth from Jerusalem. On that day Jehovah will be one, and his name one. On that day there will be a great panic from Jehovah. On that day “Holiness belongs to Jehovah” will be engraved on the bells of the horses. There will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Jehovah on that day. (Zechariah 14:1, 4, 6-9, 13, 20-21)

From Malachi:

Who can bear the day of his coming? Who will stand when he appears? They will be mine on the day that I make them my treasure. Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. (Malachi 3:2, 17; 4:1, 5)

From David:

In his days the righteous will flourish and there will be much peace, and he will reign from sea to sea, and from the river all the way to the ends of the earth. (Psalms 72:7-8)

There are other instances elsewhere.

7643. 'Behold, I am bringing locusts into your border' means that falsity will take possession of their outermost parts. This is clear from the meaning of 'locusts' as falsity in outermost parts, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'border' as outermost parts; and from the meaning of 'bringing', since it is used in connection with falsity, as taking possession of. It says that Jehovah will bring the locusts, but by this their being brought - brought by evil - is meant. This is similar to the attribution made to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, where it says that 'He made Pharaoh's heart stubborn'; in actual fact it is made such by man, by the evil within him, see above in 7632. Evil does not originate in the Lord but springs from man because man diverts towards himself the good that flows in from the Lord, and instead of regarding, in every single thing, the Lord and what is the Lord's regards himself. This self-regard gives rise to a craving to have dominion over all people and to possess all that others have; it gives rise to contempt for others, and hateful, vengeful, and cruel behaviour towards those who are not disposed to apply themselves to his interests; and also it gives rise to contempt for all things connected with faith and charity, for when these flow in from the Lord he focuses them onto himself and so away from the Lord.

[2] From all this one may see that man turns into evil the actual good that flows in from the Lord. It also goes to explain why in the next life the evil distance themselves from heaven as far away as they can get; for when heaven draws nearer to them, that is, when the inflow of goodness and truth becomes more forceful, they plunge with greater force into the opposite, that is, into evil and into falsity. Then to the extent that the evil and falsity increase, they drive truth out from themselves and bring about vastation within themselves. And to the same extent they also plunge into the evils brought by punishment; for in the next life evils and punishments are interconnected.

[3] The Lord is continually rearranging the heavens, and constantly adding new inhabitants of heaven whom He provides with dwellings and inheritances. When He does this heaven draws nearer, that is, flows in with greater force, as a consequence of which hellish spirits plunge with greater force into evils and falsities, and into the punishments that go with them; and since they plunge into evils and falsities, they bring about vastation within themselves, as has been stated. This process does not stop until they have brought about complete vastation and cast themselves deeply into the hells. From this it may be recognized that nothing but good emanates from the Lord, and that evil springs from those people themselves who are ruled by evil. From all this one may now see how to understand the statement that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, made Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and the statement here that He will bring locusts, by which falsity arising from evil in outermost parts is meant.

[4] In the Word, in those places in which the laying waste of evils is referred to, the locust and the bruchus ¹ are mentioned several times; and in those places 'locust' is used to mean in the internal sense falsity that lays waste the outermost parts. For as has been shown before, the human natural is interior and exterior. The falsity that is present in the outermost parts of the natural is meant by 'locust', and the evil there by 'bruchus'. Because 'locust' is used to mean falsity present in the outermost parts of the natural it says that the locusts will be brought 'into the border, and they will cover the surface of the land', and later on in verses 14-15.

The locusts came up over the land of Egypt, and rested at all the border of Egypt, and covered the surface of the whole land.

'The border' and 'the surface' mean the outermost and lowest parts, on which the more internal ones rest, that is, by which they are bounded.

[5] These things are what 'the locust' and 'the bruchus' are used to mean in David,

He sent among them swarms [of insects], which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them; and He gave their crops to the bruchus, and their labour to the locust. Psalms 78:45-46.

And elsewhere,

He spoke so that the locust might come and the bruchus, so that it would be without number. Psalms 105:34.

These verses, which speak about Egypt, refer to 'the bruchus', but no mention is made of it in Moses, only of 'the locust'. The reason why 'the bruchus' also is referred to is that 'the bruchus' means evil and 'the locust' falsity, both of them in the outermost parts of the natural. But when 'the locust' alone is referred to it means both falsity and evil together, for 'the locust' is falsity arising from evil.

[6] In Nahum,

There the fire will devour you, the sword cut you off; it will devour you like the bruchus. Multiply yourself like the bruchus, multiply yourself like the locust; you have multiplied your merchants, more than the stars of the heavens. The bruchus has spread out, and flown away. Your monarchs are like the locust, your emperors like the locust of locusts. Nahum 3:15-17.

This refers to 'the city of blood', which means teachings that uphold falsity. And since falsity and evil are multiplied chiefly in the outermost parts of the natural (because of the presence there of the illusions of the senses arising from worldly and earthly objects, and of the sensory enjoyments resulting from various kinds of appetites), the multiplication of evil and falsity is for that reason described by 'the bruchus and locust', as it also is in Judges 6:5; 7:12; and in Jeremiah 46:23. With regard to the sensory level, which is the last and lowest of the natural, that it is utterly full of illusions and consequently of falsities, see 5084, 5089, 5094, 6310, 6711, 6313, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6621, 6624.

[7] In Joel,

What the caterpillar (eruca) left the locust has devoured, and what the locust left the beetle (melolontha) has devoured, and what the beetle left the bruchus has devoured. Awake, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine that has been cut off. For a nation will come up over My land, strong, and without number; and it will turn My vine into a waste, and My fig tree into froth. Joel 1:4-7.

In the same prophet,

The threshing floors are full of clear grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil. And I will recompense you for the years that the locust has consumed, the beetle (melolontha), the bruchus, and the caterpillar (eruca). Joel 2:24-25.

Here 'the locust' stands for falsity in the outermost parts which is laying waste truths and forms of good. In Moses,

You will carry much seed out into the field, but you will gather little, because the locust will consume it. You will plant vineyards, but you will not drink wine or gather [anything], for the worm will devour it. Deuteronomy 28:38-39.

Here 'the locust' stands for falsity arising from evil.

[8] In John,

Out of the smoke of the abyss that had been opened came locusts onto the earth, which were given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any tree, but men (homo) only who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them, but to torment them for five months. The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war, and on their heads there were so to speak crowns like gold, their faces being like the faces of men (homo). They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to war. Finally, they had tails like scorpions, and the stings were in their tails, so that they could do harm to men (homo) for five months. They have a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon; but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. Revelation 9:3-11.

No one can see what all these things mean except from the internal sense. From each detail there viewed in accordance with the internal sense it is clear that 'locusts' means reasonings that are based on illusions and consequent falsities, and supported also by philosophical arguments. Thus in addition 'locusts' means the falsities which, being present in the outermost parts of the human mind and having a more earthly and bodily nature than all other falsities, can easily deceive and mislead people. For a person can embrace with ease ideas that agree with the senses, but with difficulty those that contradict them.

[9] To enable people to know that such things are meant by 'locusts', let the details of this passage be explained one by one. 'The abyss' out of which the locusts came is hell. 'The grass of the earth' which they were not to harm is factual knowledge, 'tree' recognition of what is good and true, and 'men' affections for what is good. Their being told to harm only men, not the grass of the earth or any tree, means that truth and good may come to be understood even when there is no living in accordance with them. 'Those who have the seal on their foreheads' are those who have been regenerated. Their being told to torment for five months those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads means that they were to lay them waste. 'Locusts like horses prepared for war' are reasonings based on falsities that are used to fight against the Church's truths. 'On their heads crowns like gold' and 'faces like those of men' mean that the reasonings have a similar appearance to truth and in origin seem to be good. 'Hair like that of women' and 'teeth like the teeth of lions' are the external things of the natural or the level of the senses, that is, the illusions there which give the appearance of good. 'Breastplates of iron' are external things giving the appearance of truth. 'The sound of wings like that of chariots with many horses running to war' means the falsities of doctrinal teachings which they use to fight with and which they fight for. 'Tails like scorpions' and 'the stings in their tails' are the injuries such things can inflict. 'The king' of the abyss is hellish falsity, 'Abaddon' destruction, 'Apollyon' reasoning based on falsities that seems to be based on truth, especially if those deemed to be wise support those falsities with philosophical arguments completely misapplied; for blind admiration of their wisdom leads people to have faith in them.

[10] In the good sense 'locust' means fundamental and very general truth, and also the pleasure it gives. This was why John had locusts as his food, and wild honey, Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6. The reason why they were his food was that John represented the Word; and by his food as well as his clothing, which consisted of camel hair together with a skin girdle, he represented the Word in the external sense. For external pleasure is meant by 'locusts and wild honey', 5620, and external truth by a garment made of camel hair and by a skin girdle, 3301. This explains why John is understood to be the Elijah who is going to come and announce the Lord's Coming, 'Elijah' being the Word, see Preface to Chapter 18 of Genesis, and 2762, 5247 (end). And Leviticus 11:22 states that locusts were among the small creatures which people were allowed to eat.

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