316. Having seven horns, signifies who has omnipotence. This is evident from the signification of a "horn," as being the power of truth against falsity, but in reference to the Lord, as being all power or omnipotence. The Lamb was seen to have horns seven in number, because "seven" signifies all and it is predicated of what is holy (See above, n. 257). A "horn" and "horns" signify power, because the power of horned animals, as of oxen, rams, goats, and others, is in their horns. That "horn" or "horns" signify the power of truth against falsity, and in the highest sense, which treats of the Lord, signify omnipotence, and in a contrary sense the power of falsity against truth, is evident from many passages in the Word; and as it is thus made clear what is signified in the Word by "horns," so often mentioned in Daniel, and also in Revelation; and as they are still employed in the coronation of kings, I will quote the passages here.

[2] In Ezekiel:

In that day I will make a horn to bud forth unto the house of Israel, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; that they may know that I am Jehovah (Ezekiel 29:21).

"To make a horn to bud forth unto the house of Israel" signifies truth in abundance; "the house of Israel" is the church; because this is signified by "horn," and "its budding forth," it is also said, "and I will give thee the opening of the mouth," which means the preaching of truth.

[3] In the first book of Samuel:

My horn hath exalted itself in Jehovah; my mouth is enlarged against mine enemies, because I am glad in Thy salvation. He shall give strength unto His king, ¹ and shall exalt the horn of His anointed (1 Samuel 2:10).

This is a prophetical saying of Hannah. "My horn hath exalted itself in Jehovah" signifies that Divine truth filled her, and made her powerful against falsities; and because this is the meaning, it is said, "my mouth is enlarged against mine enemies;" "enlarging the mouth" is preaching truth with power, and "enemies" are the falsities that disperse Divine truth. "He shall give strength unto His king, and shall exalt the horn of His anointed," signifies the Lord's omnipotence from Divine good by Divine truth, for "strength" in the Word has reference to the power of good, and "horn" to the power of truth; and "the anointed of Jehovah" is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, which has omnipotence (See Arcana Coelestia 3008-3009, 9954).

[4] In David:

Jehovah hath exalted the horn of His people, the praise for all His saints, for the sons of Israel, a people near unto Him (Psalms 148:14).

"He hath exalted the horn of His people" signifies that He hath filled with Divine truths; therefore it is said: praise for His saints, for the sons of Israel, a people near unto Him," for those are called "saints" who are in Divine truths, since Divine truth is what is called holy (See above, n. 204). "Israel" is the church that is in truths, "sons of Israel" are truths, "a people" is also predicated of those who are in truths, and a people conjoined with the Lord by truths is said to be "near."

[5] In the same:

Jehovah God of Hosts, Thou art the splendor of their strength; and by Thy good pleasure Thou shalt exalt our horn (Psalms 89:8, 17).

Here also "to exalt the horn" signifies to fill with Divine truth, and thereby to give power against falsities; therefore it is said, "Jehovah God of Hosts, Thou art the splendor of their strength," "splendor" in the Word is predicated also of the church, and of the doctrine of truth therein.

[6] In the same:

The good man is gracious and lendeth. His righteousness standeth forever; his horn shall be exalted with glory (Psalms 112:5, 9).

That "horn" signifies Divine truth is clear from this, that it is said, "his righteousness standeth forever, and his horn shall be exalted with glory;" "righteousness" in the Word is predicated of good, and "horn" therefore of truth; for in every particular of the Word there is a marriage of good and truth; "splendor" also signifies Divine truth.

[7] In Habakkuk:

The brightness of Jehovah God shall be as the light; He hath horns coming out of His hand; and in them is the hiding of His strength (Habakkuk 3:4).

Because "horns" signify Divine truth with power, it is said, "the brightness of Jehovah God shall be as the light," and "in the horns is the hiding of His strength;" "the brightness of Jehovah" and "light" signify Divine truth; and "the hiding of His strength in the horns" signifies the omnipotence of Divine good through Divine truth, for all power of good is through truth, and in Divine truth lies concealed the omnipotence that is of Divine good.

[8] In David:

I have found David My servant; with the oil of holiness have I anointed Him; with whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall make him mighty. My truth and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name shall his horn be exalted (Psalms 89:20-21, 24).

"David" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth (See above, n. 205); and "his horn shall be exalted" means His Divine power, which He has from Divine good through Divine truth; therefore, it is said, "My truth and My mercy shall be with him;" "mercy" in the Word, in the Word, in reference to Jehovah, or the Lord, signifies the Divine good of the Divine love. Because "David" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from His Divine Human, He is called "David, my servant," "servant" meaning, in the Word, not a servant in the usual sense, but whatever serves, and it is predicated of truth because truth serves good for use, here for power.

[9] In the same:

I will make a horn to bud forth unto David; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed (Psalms 132:17).

Here by "David," and also by "anointed" the Lord in respect to Divine truth is meant, and "making His horn to bud forth" signifies the multiplication of Divine truth in the heavens and on earth by Him; therefore it is also said, "I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed," which has a like meaning. That the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from His Divine good, is called a "lamp" see above n. 62.

[10] In the same:

Jehovah my strength, my cliff, my fortress; my God, my rock, in which I confide, my shield and the horn of my salvation (Psalms 18:1-2; 2 Samuel 22:2-3).

"Strength" and "cliff" in reference, as here, to Jehovah or the Lord, signify omnipotence; "fortress" and "rock in which he confides" signify defense; "shield" and "horn of salvation" signify consequent salvation; "strength," "fortress," and "shield," in the Word are predicated of Divine good; "cliff," "rock," and "horn" are predicated of Divine truth; therefore these signify omnipotence, defense, and salvation, which Divine good has through Divine truth.

[11] In Luke:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation in the house of David; that He might save us from our enemies (Luke 1:68-69, 71).

This is a prophecy of Zechariah respecting the Lord and His coming. "A horn of salvation in the house of David" signifies omnipotence to save by Divine truth from Divine good, "horn" is that omnipotence; "the house of David" is the Lord's church; "the enemies from which He should save" are the falsities of evil, for these are the enemies from which the Lord saves those who receive Him; it is known that there were no other enemies from which the Lord saved those who are here meant by his people.

[12] In Micah:

Rise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass, that thou mayest beat in pieces many peoples (Micah 4:13).

"Rise and thresh, O daughter of Zion" signifies the dispersion of evil with those who are of the church, "to thresh" is to disperse, and "daughter of Zion" is the church that is in the affection of good; "I will make thy horn iron" signifies Divine truth mighty and powerful; "I will make thy hoofs brass" has a like meaning, "hoofs" meaning truths in ultimates; "that thou mayest beat in pieces many peoples" signifies that thou mayest scatter falsities, for "peoples" are predicated of truths, and in a contrary sense, of falsities.

[13] In Zechariah:

I saw, and behold four horns, that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. He showed me four smiths, and He said, These horns that have scattered Judah, so that no man lifteth up his head; these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations that lift up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter it (Zechariah 1:18-21).

This describes the vastation of the church, and its subsequent restoration. "Judah," "Israel," and "Jerusalem," signify the church and its doctrine; "the horns that scattered them" signify the falsities of evil that have vastated the church; "smiths" signify the like as iron, namely, truth in ultimates, which is mighty and powerful, thus the like as the "horn of iron;" therefore it is said of them, "these have come to cast down the horns of the nations that lift up the horn against the land of Judah," "the horns of the nations" are the falsities of evil that have vastated the church, and that are to be dispersed that it may be restored.

[14] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath thrown in His fury the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He hath cast them down to the earth; He hath profaned the kingdom and the princes thereof; He hath cut off in the glowing of His anger every horn of Israel (Lamentations 2:2-3).

Here the total vastation of the church is treated of. The last time when it was laid waste is signified by the glowing of the Lord's anger; and its total vastation is described by "He hath thrown down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah, He hath cast them down to the earth. He hath profaned the kingdom and the princes thereof;" "the daughter of Judah" is the church; "her strongholds" are truths from good; "the kingdom and princes" are its truths of doctrine; whence it is clear what is signified by "He hath cut off every horn of Israel," namely, the cutting off of all the power of truth in the church to resist the falsities of evil.

[15] In Daniel:

Daniel saw in a dream four beasts coming up out of the sea; the fourth exceedingly strong, having teeth of iron; it devoured and broke in pieces; and it had ten horns: and I gave heed, and behold another little horn came up among them, and three of the former horns were plucked up by the roots before it; in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. I saw that this horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; and that it spoke words against the Most High. As to the ten horns, they are ten kings, and it shall humble three kings (Daniel 7:3, 7-8, 21, 23, 25).

Here evidently "horns" means the falsities that destroy the truths of the church, or the power of falsities against truths; "the beast coming up out of the sea" signifies the love of self out of which spring all evils; here the love of ruling over heaven and earth, to which things holy serve as means; it is such a love that is meant by "Babylon" in Revelation. This beast was seen "coming up out of the sea," because the "sea" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual; for the natural man is then of such a character that he desires nothing so much as to have dominion over all, and to confirm that dominion by the sense of the letter of the Word. "The ten horns" signify falsities of every kind, for "ten" means all; therefore it is further said, that "the ten horns are ten kings," for "kings" signify truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, falsities. "The little horn that came up among them, before which three of the former horns were plucked up by the roots," signifies the complete perversion of the Word by the application of the sense of its letter to confirm the love of dominion. This horn is called "little," because it does not appear that the Word is perverted; and what does not appear before the sight of man's spirit, or before his understanding, is regarded either as nothing, or as little. In the spiritual world such is the appearance of things that are apprehended by a few only. "The three horns that were plucked up by the roots before it," signify the truths of the Word there that have been thus destroyed by falsifications; these truths are also signified by the "three kings" that were humbled by the horn, "three" not meaning three, but what is full, thus that truths were completely destroyed. As that "horn" signifies the perversion of the Word in respect to the sense of its letter, and as this sense appears before the eyes of men, as if it were to be understood thus and not otherwise, and therefore not to be gainsaid by anyone, it is said of this horn, "that in it there were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things," "eyes" signify understanding, and "eyes like the eyes of a man" an understanding as if of truth, and "mouth" signifies thought and speech from that understanding. From this it can now be seen what is meant by all and by each of the particulars here mentioned; as by "the beast coming up out of the sea, that had ten horns and teeth of iron, and devoured and broke in pieces;" by "the little horn that came up among them, before which three of the horns were plucked up by the roots, in which were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things;" also by "it made war with the saints and prevailed against them," and "it spoke words against the Most High;" and "the horns were so many kings."

[16] In the same:

I saw in a vision one ram that had two horns, and the horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher had come up last. It pushed westward, northward, and southward. Then, behold, a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the faces of the whole earth; he had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He ran upon the ram in the wrath of his strength, and he broke his two horns, and he cast him down to the ground and trampled upon him. But the great horn of the he-goat was broken; and in place of it there came up four toward the four winds of the heavens. Presently out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards beauty. And it grew even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down some of the host to the earth, and trampled upon them. Yea, even to the prince of the host it magnified itself, and the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down, because it cast down truth to the earth (Daniel 8:2-12, 21, 25).

This describes a second thing that lays waste the church, namely, faith alone. The "ram" signifies the good of charity and faith therefrom, and the "he-goat" faith separate from charity, or faith alone, or, what is the same, those who are in these; their "horns" signify truths from good and falsities from evil, combating; truths from good are meant by the horns of the ram, and falsities from evil by the horns of the he-goat. That the "ram had two high horns, one higher than the other, and the higher came up last" signifies the truth of faith from the good of charity; and this was seen according to the influx of good and truth with man and spirit; for all good is received behind, and all truth in front, as the cerebellum is formed to receive the good, which is of the will, and the cerebrum to receive the truth, which is of the understanding; "westward, northward, and southward, toward which the ram pushed" signify the goods and truths that those receive who are in charity and in faith therefrom, by which they disperse evils and falsities; "the he-goat of the goats that came over the faces of the whole earth" signifies faith separate from charity, springing from evil of life; "the he-goat of the goats" is that faith; the "west" evil of life; and "the earth" the church; "he had a conspicuous horn between the eyes" signifies that this is from self-intelligence; "he ran upon the ram in the wrath of his strength, and brake his two horns, and cast him down to the earth, and trampled upon him" signifies the entire destruction of charity and of faith therefrom, for when charity is destroyed faith also is destroyed, for the latter is from the former; "the great horn of the he-goat was broken, and in place of it there came up four toward the four winds of the heavens" signifies all falsities conjoined with evils therefrom, "horns" signifying the falsities of evil, "four" their conjunction, and "the four winds of the heavens" all, both falsities and evils; "out of one of them came forth a little horn" signifies justification by faith, for this is born of the principle of faith alone; it is said to be "little" because it does not appear as a falsity.

That this horn "grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards beauty, and grew even to the host of the heavens, and cast down some of the host to the earth, and trampled upon them" signifies that it destroyed all the truths and goods of the church; "the south" meaning where truth is in the light, "the east" and "beauty" where good is in clearness through truth, "the host of the heavens" all truths and goods of heaven and the church; "to cast down the host to the earth, and to trample upon them" signifies to destroy utterly; that "even to the prince of the host it magnified itself," and that "the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down" signifies the denial of the Lord's Divine Human, and the consequent vastation of the church; "the prince of the host" is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, because from that proceed all the truths and goods that constitute the church; "the dwelling place of the sanctuary" is the church where these are; this plainly means the truths destroyed by falsities, for it is said, "it cast down truth to the earth." That this is the significance of the "ram," and the "he-goat," and "their horns," is clearly manifest from appearances in the spiritual world; for when such as have confirmed themselves in the doctrine of faith alone and of justification by faith, dispute there with those who are in the doctrine of charity and of faith therefrom, there appear to others who stand afar off he-goats, or a he-goat with similar horns, and with like onset and fury against the rams or the ram, and he appears also to tread the stars under his feet. These things have been seen by me also, and at the same time by those standing by, who were thereby confirmed that such things are meant in Daniel; and also that like things are meant by "the sheep on the right hand, and the goats on the left" (Matthew 25:32-46 the end), namely, by "sheep" those who are in the good of charity, and by "goats" those who are in faith alone. From these quotations from Daniel it can be seen in some measure what is signified in Revelation by:

The dragon that was seen having ten horns (Revelation 12:3);

The beast that was seen coming up out of the sea, which also had ten horns (Revelation 13:1).

The woman that was seen sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, that had seven heads and ten horns; respecting which the angel said, The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (Revelation 17:3, 7, 12);

but these things will be explained hereafter.

[17] That the power of falsity against truth is signified by "horn" or "horns" is evident also from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken (Jeremiah 48:25).

"Moab" signifies those who are in spurious goods, and in falsified truths therefrom, which in themselves are falsities. The destruction of these falsities is signified by "The horn of Moab is cut off," and the destruction of these evils by "his arm is broken. "

[18] In Lamentations:

Jehovah hath caused the enemy to be glad over thee; He hath exalted the horn of thine adversaries (Lamentations 2:17).

Evil is meant by "enemy," and the falsities of evil by "adversaries;" "exalting the horn of the adversaries" is falsities prevailing over truths and destroying them.

[19] In Ezekiel:

Ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the sick sheep with your horns till ye have scattered them abroad (Ezekiel 34:21).

"To thrust with side and with shoulder" is with all strength and endeavor; to "push the sick sheep with horns till ye have scattered them abroad" signifies to destroy by falsities the well-disposed, who are not yet in truths from good, and yet desire to be.

[20] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, that the horns of the altar may be cut off, and fall to the earth (Amos 3:14).

"The altars of Bethel" signify worship from evil, and "the horns of the altar" signify the falsities of that evil; and that these are to be destroyed is signified by "the horns shall be cut off and fall to the earth."

[21] In the same:

They who are glad over a thing of nought; who say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? (Amos 6:13).

"To take horns by our own strength" signifies by the powers of self-intelligence to acquire falsities by which truths will be destroyed.

[22] In David:

I said unto the boastful, Boast not; and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn; Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with a stiff neck. All the horns of the wicked will I cut off; the horns of the righteous shall be exalted (Psalms 75:4-5, 10).

"Lifting up the horn on high" signifies to defend vigorously falsity against truth; therefore it is also said, "speak not with a stiff neck." "To cut off their horns" signifies to destroy their falsities; and "to exalt the horns of the righteous" signifies to make powerful and strong the truths of good.

[23] Because "making high and exalting the horns" signifies to fill with truths, and to make them powerful and strong against falsities, therefore those truths are also called "the horns of a unicorn," because these are high. As in Moses:

The firstborn of his ox, honor is his, and his horns are the horns of a unicorn; with them he shall push the peoples together to the uttermost parts of the earth; and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Mannaseh (Deuteronomy 33:17).

This is said of Joseph, who in the highest sense represents the Lord in respect to the Divine spiritual, or in respect to Divine truth in heaven; from this "Joseph" signifies also those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom (See Arcana Coelestia 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417). "The firstborn of the ox, honor is his," signifies the good of spiritual love; "his horns are the horns of a unicorn" signifies truths in their fullness, and in their power therefrom; "to push the peoples to the uttermost parts of the earth" signifies to instruct in truths all who are of the church, and to scatter falsities by means of truths; "the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh" signify the plenty and abundance of truth and of wisdom therefrom and the plenty and abundance of good and of love therefrom; "Ephraim," in the Word, signifying the intellectual of the church, which is of truth, and "Manasseh" the voluntary of the church which is of good (See Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296); and "ten thousands" and "thousands" signifying very many, thus plenty and abundance.

[24] In David:

Save me from the lion's mouth; and from the horns of the unicorn hear me (Psalms 22:21);

"lion" signifying falsity vehemently destroying truth; and "horns of unicorns" truths that prevail against falsities.

[25] In the same:

My horn like the horn of a unicorn (Psalms 92:10);

"like the horn of a unicorn" signifying truth in its fullness and power.

[26] In Revelation:

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God (Revelation 9:13).

The altar of incense, which was called also "the golden altar," was a representative of the hearing and reception of all things of worship that are from love and charity from the Lord, thus a representative of such things of worship as are elevated by the Lord; "the horns of the altar" represented truths proceeding from the good of love; this makes clear why a voice was heard from the four horns of the altar, for it is through truths that good acts and speaks.

[27] Altars had horns for the reason that altars represented the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and all worship that is truly worship is offered from the good of love by truths. That the altar of incense had horns is seen in Moses:

Thou shalt make four horns upon the altar of incense; they shall be from it. And thou shalt overlay them with gold (Exodus 30:2-3, 10; Exodus 37:25-26);

and the altar of burnt-offering elsewhere in the same:

Thou shalt make horns upon the four corners of the altar of burnt-offering; its horns shall be from it (Exodus 27:2; 38:2).

That the horns were from the altar itself signified that the truths, which the horns represented, must proceed from the good of love, which the altar itself represented, for all truth is from good. That there were four horns, one at each corner, signified that they were for the four quarters in heaven, by which all things of truth from good are signified.

[28] Since all expiations and purifications are effected by truths from good, expiation was made upon the horns of the altars:

Upon the horns of the altar of incense (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 4:7);

And upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering (Leviticus 4:25, 30, 34; 8:15; 9:9; 16:18).

And as all Divine protection is by truths from good:

Those who committed evils and were in fear of death caught hold of the horns of the altar and were thus protected (1 Kings 1:50, 51, 53).

When those who purposely and willfully committed evil were not so protected (1 Kings 2:28-31).

Moreover, because "horns" signified truths from good, therefore when kings were anointed this was done by oil out of a horn:

That David was so anointed (1 Samuel 16:1, 13); and Solomon (1 Kings 1:39);

the "oil" signifying the good of love. From this signification of horns, which was known to the ancients, it was customary to make horns budding forth and fragrant; from this came the word "cornucopia."

Poznámky pod čarou:

3869. 'For Jehovah has heard' means in the highest sense providence, in the internal sense the will of faith, in the interior sense obedience, in the external sense the sense of hearing - faith in the will which is received from the Lord alone being meant here. This is clear from the meaning of 'hearing'. As regards 'hearing' meaning the sense of hearing, this needs no explanation; but that 'hearing' in the interior sense means obedience and in the internal sense faith in the will, this is clear from the many places in the Word that are referred to below. The same is clear also from the nature of the sense of hearing when compared with that of sight. Sight in the interior sense means the understanding and in the internal sense faith in the understanding, see 3863; and the reason why it has these meanings is that the essential nature of things comes to be seen by means of one's internal sight and with the aid of this comes to be grasped by a kind of faith, though such as exists only in the understanding. When however things that are heard penetrate to the interior parts they too are converted into something similar to sight, for things that are heard are then seen interiorly. Consequently that which is meant by the sense of sight is also meant by the sense of hearing; that is to say, that which is of the understanding and also that which is of faith is meant. But the sense of hearing at the same time convinces a person that the thing is true, for it has an influence not only on the understanding part of a person's mind but also on the will part, and so reaches more interiorly. That is to say, it reaches the will and causes that person to will that which he sees. This is why 'hearing' means the understanding of a thing and at the same time obedience, and why in the spiritual sense it means faith in the will.

[2] It is because these two - obedience, and faith in the will - lie thus within 'hearing' that these attributes are also meant in everyday speech by the phrases hearing, listening to, and paying attention to; for a person who 'hears' is one who is obedient, and 'listening to' somebody also means obeying him. For those entities which exist interiorly within something are sometimes included within the actual expressions a person uses when he speaks. These occur there because it is a person's spirit which thinks and which grasps the meaning of the expressions used by others when they speak; and his spirit is in a way in contact with spirits and angels among whom the first beginnings of verbal expressions exist. What is more, the whole range of man's experience is such that whatever enters in through the ear and eye, or hearing and sight, passes into his understanding, through the understanding into the will, and from the will into deed. So it is with the truth of faith. This first becomes the truth of faith present within knowledge, then the truth of faith within the will, and finally the truth of faith in deed, and so finally charity. Faith within knowledge or the understanding is meant by 'Reuben', as has been shown; faith in the will by 'Simeon'; and faith in the will when it becomes charity by 'Levi'.

[3] As regards 'hearing' in the highest sense meaning providence, this may become clear from what has been stated above in 3863 about 'seeing' in the highest sense meaning foresight, for the Lord's foresight is a seeing from eternity to eternity that a thing is so, whereas His providence is a governing that that thing should be so and a bending of a person's freedom towards good insofar as He foresees that that person is going to allow himself in freedom to be bent towards it, see 3854.

[4] That 'Jehovah heard', the phrase from which Simeon received his name, in the interior sense means obedience, and in the internal sense faith in the will acquired from the Lord alone, is evident from very many places in the Word, such as the following: In Matthew,

Behold, a voice from the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. Matthew 17:5.

'Hearing Him' stands for possessing faith in Him, and obeying His commandments, and so possessing faith in the will. In John,

Truly, truly, I say to you, that the hour will come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice. John 5:25, 28.

'Hearing the voice of the Son of God' stands for possessing faith in the Lord's words, and willing them. People who possess faith that is part of the will receive life, and that is why the words 'those who hear will live' are used.

[5] In the same gospel,

The one entering by the door is the shepherd of the sheep; to him the gate-keeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:2-3, 16, 27.

'Hearing the voice' plainly stands for obedience resulting from faith that is part of the will. In the same gospel,

Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. John 18:37.

Here the meaning is similar. In Luke,

Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded if someone rose from the dead. Luke 16:29, 31.

'Hearing Moses and the Prophets' stands for knowing things contained in the Word and possessing faith in it, and so also willing those things. For possessing faith without willing is seeing but not hearing, whereas possessing faith together with willing is seeing and hearing. This is why both - seeing and hearing - are mentioned together in various places throughout the Word, seeing meaning that which is portrayed through 'Reuben' and hearing that which is portrayed through 'Simeon', since the two are joined together like brother to brother.

[6] The fact that seeing and hearing are referred to jointly is clear from the following places: In Matthew,

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because those who see do not see, and those who hear do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says, By hearing you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not discern. This people's heart has become gross, and with ears they have heard in a dull manner, and their eyes they have closed, lest perhaps they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and with their heart understand. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. Matthew 13:13-17; John 12:40; Isaiah 6:9.

In Mark,

Jesus said to the disciples, Why do you discuss the fact that you have no loaves? Are you still without understanding and do not understand? Do you still have your heart hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? Mark 8:17-18.

[7] In Luke,

To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for everyone else in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not hear. Luke 8:10.

In Isaiah,

The eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened. Isaiah 35:5.

In the same prophet,

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

In the same prophet,

Hear, you deaf, and look and see, you blind. Isaiah 42:18.

In the same prophet, Bring forth the blind people, who will have eyes, and the deaf, who will have ears. Isaiah 43:8.

In the same prophet,

The eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. Isaiah 32:3.

In the same prophet, Let your eyes be looking at your teachers, and let your ears hear the word. Isaiah 30:20-21.

In the same prophet,

He who stops his ear lest it hears of blood, and shuts his eyes lest they see evil, will dwell on the heights. Isaiah 33:15-16.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, you are dwelling in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but they do not see, who have ears to hear but they do not hear. Ezekiel 12:2.

In these places both seeing and hearing are mentioned because one follows the other. That is to say, faith in the understanding, meant by 'seeing', is followed by faith in the will, meant by 'hearing'. Otherwise it would have been sufficient to mention only one. From this it is also evident why one son of Jacob was named from the expression 'seeing' and the other from 'hearing'.

[8] The origin of 'seeing' meaning faith within knowledge or the understanding, and 'hearing' faith within obedience or the will rests in correspondences in the next life and in meaningful signs based on these. People who have understanding and faith resulting from that understanding belong to the province of the eye, and those who are obedient and have faith resulting from that obedience belong to the province of the ear. The truth of this will be seen from what, in the Lord's Divine mercy, is going to be shown at the ends of chapters concerning the Grand Man and the correspondence with it of everything in the human body.

[9] So it is then that 'the eye' in the internal sense means the understanding, see 2701, and 'the ear' obedience. And in the spiritual sense 'the ear' means faith resulting from obedience, or faith in the will, as is also clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

Even so, you have not heard, even so, you have not known; even so, from that time your ear has not opened itself. Isaiah 48:8.

In the same prophet,

The Lord Jehovih will arouse my ear to hear like those who are being taught. The Lord Jehovih opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. Isaiah 50:4-5.

In the same prophet,

Attend diligently to Me, and eat what is good, that your soul may delight in fatness; incline your ear and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live. Isaiah 55:2-3.

In Jeremiah,

To whom am I to speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen. Jeremiah 6:10.

In the same prophet,

This I commanded them, saying, Hear My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. But they did not hear, nor did they incline their ear. Jeremiah 7:23-24, 26

In the same prophet,

Hear, O women, the word of Jehovah, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth. Jeremiah 9:20.

In the same prophet,

You did not incline your ear, and you did not obey Me. Jeremiah 35:15.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, all My words that I have spoken to you, receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. Ezekiel 3:10.

In the same prophet,

I will bring My zeal against you, and they will deal with you in fury. Your nose and your ears they will remove Ezekiel 23:25.

'Removing nose and ears' stands for removing the perception of truth and good, and the obedience that goes with faith. In Zechariah,

They refused to pay attention, and fumed a stubborn shoulder, and made their ears heavy so that they might not hear, and set their heart adamant, so that they might not hear the law. Zechariah 7:11-12.

[10] In Amos,

Thus said Jehovah, As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so will the children of Israel in Samaria be rescued, on the corner of a bed and on the end of a couch. Amos 3:12.

'Rescuing two legs' stands for rescuing the will for good, 'a piece of an ear' for rescuing the will for truth. It may be seen that 'a piece of an ear' has this meaning, as has been stated, solely from correspondences in the next life and from the meaningful signs based on these, with which the internal sense of the Word and also the ritual observances in the Israelitish and Jewish Church are in accordance. This explains why, when Aaron and his sons were to be consecrated for their specific function, Moses was commanded among other things to take some of the ram's blood and to put it on the tip of Aaron's ear and on the tips of the ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the large toes of their right feet, Exodus 29:20. This ritual act represented the will anointed by faith, into which also as priest he was to be initiated. Anyone can recognize that this ritual act was holy since it was Jehovah who commanded Moses to perform it, and so also that putting blood on the tip of the ear was holy. But what holy thing was meant cannot be known except from the internal sense of the things in the Word, which at this point is that the holiness of faith when applied to the will must be preserved.

[11] The meaning of 'the ear' as obedience, and in the internal sense as faith resulting from that obedience, is even more plainly evident from the ritual that was to be observed when a slave did not wish to go free, described in Moses as follows: If a slave or servant-girl did not wish to go free,

His master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever. Exodus 21:6; Deuteronomy 15:17.

'Piercing his ear with an awl at the doorpost' stands for serving and obeying for ever. In the spiritual sense it stands for having no wish to understand what is true, only a wish to be obedient to it. This, compared with an understanding of what is true, is not freedom.

[12] Since the obedience of faith is meant in the internal sense by 'the ears', and being obedient by 'hearing', one may see what is meant by the following words spoken by the Lord many times, He who has an ear to hear, let him hear, Matthew 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35; Revelation 2:7, 11, 29; 3:13, 22.

[13] As regards 'hearing' in the highest sense meaning providence and 'seeing' foresight, this is clear from the following places in the Word in which eyes and also ears are attributed to Jehovah or the Lord; as in Isaiah,

Incline Your ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open Your eyes, O Jehovah, and see. Isaiah 37:17.

In Daniel,

Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes ¹ and see our devastations. Daniel 9:18.

In David,

O God, incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Psalms 17:6.

In the same author,

Incline to me Your ear, and save me. Psalms 71:2.

In the same author,

Turn an ear to my prayers, on account of Your truthfulness; answer me, on account of Your righteousness. Psalms 143:1.

In Jeremiah,

O Jehovah, You heard my voice; do not hide Your ear at my sighing, at my cry. Lamentations 3:56.

In David,

O Jehovah, do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress; incline to me Your ear; in the day I cry answer me. Psalms 102:2.

[14] It is well known that Jehovah does not have ears or eyes as man does but that some attribute which may be ascribed to the Divine is meant by the ear and the eye, namely infinite will and infinite understanding. Infinite will is providence, and infinite understanding foresight; and it is these that are meant in the highest sense by ear and eye when these are attributed to Jehovah. These considerations now show what is meant in each sense [of the Word] by 'Jehovah heard', the phrase from which 'Simeon' received his name.

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