9755. And the breadth of the court at the corner of the sea. That this signifies the state of this heaven in respect to memory-truths, is evident from the signification of “breadth,” as being truth (see n. 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482, 9487); from the signification of “the court,” as being the ultimate heaven (see above, n. 9741); and from the signification of “the sea,” as being where there is a collection of memory-knowledges, from which there is reasoning about truths, thus also the natural and the sensuous, because these are what contain them. Here by “the corner of the sea” is meant the west corner, and by “the west” is signified good in obscurity. But when the west is not called “the west,” but “the sea,” then memory-knowledge is signified, which also is relatively in obscurity, because memory-knowledge belongs to the natural or external man; and the natural or external man is in the light of the world, which light relatively to the light of heaven, in which is the internal man, is like the shade when the sun is setting.

[2] This can also be seen from the things which appear in the other life. The Sun of heaven, which is the Lord, appears at a middle altitude toward the right eye; from this the angels of the heavens have all light, and with the light all intelligence and wisdom. But when the sun of the world is thought of, it does not appear; but in its stead there appears something dark which is in the opposite direction, at the back. There also is the west to the heavens, for the Lord as a Sun is the east in heaven. From this it can be seen that by “the west” is signified good in obscurity, and that the external or natural man is in this good, who as before said is in the light of the world, which light relatively to the light of heaven is like the shade when the sun is setting. But the truth of the natural man is signified by “the water of the sea,” and this truth is memory-knowledge; for the truth in the natural or external man is truth in knowledge; whereas the truth in the spiritual or internal man is the truth of faith. Truth in knowledge also becomes truth in faith when it is raised out of the natural or external man into the spiritual or internal man. Hence the truths with a man in his youth are truths in knowledge; but in adult age, if he suffers himself to be regenerated, they become truths in faith; for the internal man is successively opened even to this age.

[3] That “the sea” denotes a collection of memory-knowledges, comes from the fact that “waters,” “springs,” and “rivers,” signify truths, and therefore collections of these are signified by “seas.” That this is so, is also evident from passages in the Word where mention is made of “the sea” and of “seas;” as in David:

The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the streams (Psalms 24:1-2); where “the earth” and “the world” denote the church; “the seas upon which He hath founded the world,” denote memory-truths; “the streams upon which He hath established it,” denote the truth of faith. That the earth, the world, seas, and rivers are not meant here, is evident, for the world is not founded upon the seas, nor is it established upon the streams.

[4] Again:

Thou didst break through the sea by Thy strength; Thou hast broken the heads of the whales upon the waters. Thou hast broken the heads of Leviathan, Thou gavest him for meat to the people Ziim, Thou hast dried up the rivers of strength (Psalms 74:13-15);

in the internal sense, the subject here treated of is the memory-knowledges that destroy the truths of faith; “the whales whose heads are broken,” denote memory-knowledges in general (n. 42, 7293); in like manner “Leviathan” (n. 7293); “the people Ziim to whom he was to be given for meat,” denote those who are in falsities, or the falsities themselves. From this it is evident what is denoted by “the sea,” namely, memory-knowledge misapplied to weaken and destroy truths.

In Habakkuk:

Thou didst tread the sea with Thy horses, the mire of many waters (Hab. 3:15); where “treading the sea with horses,” when spoken of Jehovah, denotes to instruct the natural man who has memory-knowledges.

[5] In Zechariah:

In that day, living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; part of them toward the eastern sea, and part of them toward the hinder sea (Zech. 14:8);

“living waters from Jerusalem” denote truths of faith made living from the good of love; “the eastern sea and the hinder sea” denote the natural and sensuous in which are memory-knowledges, which are collections of truths.

In Hosea:

They shall walk after Jehovah, and the sons shall come with honor from the sea. They shall come with honor as a bird out of Egypt (Hos. 11:10-11)

“sons from the sea” denote the memory-truths that belong to the natural man; for this reason it is said that “they shall come as a bird out of Egypt,” for “Egypt” in the Word denotes memory-knowledge (n. 9340, 9391).

[6] In Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from upon their thrones, and shall cast away their mantles, and put off the garments of their embroidery; they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall say, How hast thou perished that wast inhabited in the seas, the renowned city, that wast strong in the sea (Ezekiel 26:16-17); where the subject treated of is the vastation of the knowledges of good and truth, which are “Tyre” (n. 1201); the knowledges of good and truth are the memory-knowledges of the church; “the princes of the sea” denote the primary knowledges (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); “to cast away the mantles and garments of embroidery” denotes to cast away memory-truths (n. 9688). As these things are signified by “Tyre,” therefore Tyre is said to be “inhabited in the seas, and to be a city strong on the sea.”

[7] In Jeremiah:

The sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. Her cities have been brought into desolation (Jeremiah 51:42-43);

“Babylon” denotes worship which in externals appears holy, but in internals is profane (n. 1182, 1326); “the sea upon Babylon” denotes falsity from memory-knowledges; its “waves” denote reasonings therefrom, and the consequent denials; “the cities which are brought into desolation” denote doctrinal things.

[8] In like manner in Revelation:

Every pilot, and everyone who is employed upon the seas, and mariners, and all they who trade upon the sea, stood afar off, when they saw the smoke of the burning of Babylon, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein were made rich all that have ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! Then an angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast down (Revelation 18:17-21).

“ships” denote doctrinal things from the Word (see n. 6385); hence it is plain what is meant by a “pilot,” and a “mariner,” also by “the sea,” and “those who trade upon it;” “a stone as it were a millstone,” denotes the truth through which is faith; “being cast into the sea,” denotes into the falsity of memory-knowledges. In the other life there appear seas, and also ships upon them; as has often been granted me to see. The seas there in a bad sense signify the falsities of memory-knowledges, and those who are in the ships signify those who boast of having such things, and teach them.

[9] In Jeremiah:

Thus said Jehovah, that giveth the sun for a light by day, the statutes of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who throweth into commotion the sea, that the waves thereof are tumultuous (Jeremiah 31:35);

“the sun for a light by day” denotes the good of love from which comes the light in truths; “the statutes of the moon and of the stars for a light by night” denote the goods of faith and of knowledges, from which comes the light of truth in the dark; “to throw the sea into commotion that the waves thereof are tumultuous,” denotes to dispel the falsities of memory-knowledges from which come reasonings about truth.

[10] In Isaiah:

By shortening is My hand shortened, that there is no redemption? Or is there no power in Me to rescue? Behold by My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall rot, because there Is no water, and it dieth of thirst (Isaiah 50:2);

“to dry up the sea” denotes to destroy the good and truth of memory-knowledges; “to make the rivers a wilderness” denotes to vastate the truths themselves; “the fish which shall rot” denotes the memory-knowledge that belongs to the natural man (see n. 40, 991); “because there is no water” denotes that there is no truth (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568).

[11] In like manner elsewhere in the same:

The waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be made quite dry and shall dry up. And the stream shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up (Isaiah 19:5-6);

“the waters that shall fail from the sea” denote truths where there is a collection of them; “the rivers of Egypt which shall be dried up,” denote memory-knowledges. Again:

The earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9);

“the waters” denote truths; “the sea,” a collection of them, that is, of memory-knowledges; therefore it is said, “the earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah.”

[12] In John:

The second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood; whence there died the third part of the creatures that were in the sea having souls; and the third part of the ships was destroyed (Revelation 8:8-9);

“a great mountain burning with fire” denotes the love of self; “the sea into which it was cast” denotes memory-knowledge in general; “the blood which was from it” denotes truth falsified and profaned (n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326); “the creatures which thereby died” denote those who are in the doctrinal things of truth.

[13] In like manner elsewhere in the same:

The second angel poured out his vial into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; whence every living soul in the sea died (Revelation 16:3);

here by “the sea” is meant memory-knowledge that is of service to evils to destroy truths, and to confirm falsities. Again:

A beast coming up out of the sea speaking blasphemies (Revelation 13:1, and following verses);

“a beast out of the sea” denotes memory-knowledge destroying the truths of faith. From all this it can be seen that “the sea” denotes where there is a collection of memory-knowledges, from which there is reasoning about the truths of faith.

[14] As “the sea” has this signification, it is said of Zebulun:

He shall dwell at the shore of the seas, and at a haven of ships (Genesis 49:13).

He shall suck the affluence of the sea, and the covered things of the hidden things of the sand (Deuteronomy 33:19);

by “Zebulun” in the representative sense are meant those who draw conclusions from memory-knowledges about the truths of faith; wherefore it is said that “he should dwell at the shore of the seas.”

[15] But in the opposite sense “the sea” denotes memory-knowledge which looks to the world; its “waves” are in this case reasonings from worldly things about Divine ones; consequently “to be sunk in the sea” denotes to be immersed in memory-knowledges from worldly and earthly things even to the denial of truth Divine; as in Matthew:

Whoso shall cause to stumble one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is expedient for him that an ass millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be sunk in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6);

“a millstone” denotes the truth that is of service to faith (n. 4335, 7780); “an ass” denotes the natural, because it is a beast of service (n. 2781, 5741, 5958, 6389, 8078); consequently “an ass millstone,” ¹ denotes memory-knowledge that is natural and worldly; “the neck” denotes the conjunction of things interior and exterior (n. 3542); “being hanged there” denotes the shutting off and interception of good and truth (n. 3542, 3603); “being sunk in the depth of the sea” denotes in what is merely worldly and bodily, thus into hell. These things spoken by the Lord, like all other things spoken by Him, are therefore significative.

[16] But memory-knowledge is signified by “the sea” in accordance with the density and blackness of its waters; and on the other hand, in accordance with their tenuity and transparence. From this it is that the memory-knowledge which looks to heaven, which is spiritual in the natural man, is called “a glassy sea” (Revelation 15:1-2). That there shall be no reasoning about the truths of faith from memory-knowledges; but that truths shall be impressed on the heart, is signified by, “the sea shall be no more” (Revelation 21:1).

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2781. And saddled his ass. That this signifies the natural man which He prepared, is evident from the signification of an “ass,” as explained in what now follows. There are in man things of the will and things of the understanding; to the former class belong the things of good, to the latter those of truth. There are various kinds of beasts by which the things of the will, or those of good, are signified; such as lambs, sheep, kids, goats, bullocks, oxen (see n. 1823, 2179, 2180); and there are likewise beasts by which intellectual things, or those of truth, are signified, namely, horses, mules, wild-asses, camels, asses, and also birds. That the intellectual faculty is signified by the “horse,” has been shown above (n. 2761, 2762). That by the “wild-ass” truth separate from good is signified, see above (n. 1949). That by the “camel” there is signified memory-knowledge in general, and by the “ass” memory-knowledge in particular, may be seen above (n. 1486).

[2] There are two things which constitute the natural with man, or what is the same, which constitute the natural man, namely, natural good and natural truth. Natural good is the delight flowing forth from charity and faith; natural truth is the memory-knowledge of them. That natural truth is what is signified by the “ass,” and rational truth by the “mule,” may be seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

The prophecy of the beasts of the south. In a land of straightness and distress; the lion and the old lion, ¹ and from them the viper and the flying fire-serpent; they carry their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels, to a people that shall not profit; and the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose (Isaiah 30:6-7);

those are called the “beasts of the south” who are in the knowledges of good and truth, but who make them not of the life but of memory; of whom it is said that “they shall bring their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels,” for the reason that “young asses” signify memory-knowledges in particular, and “camels” memory-knowledges in general: that the “Egyptians” are memory-knowledges, may be seen above (n. 1164, 1165, 1186); of whom it is said that “they shall help in vain and to no purpose.” That this prophecy has an internal sense, without which it is understood by nobody, is plain to everyone; for without the internal sense it cannot be known what the prophecy of the beasts of the south is, the lion and the old lion, the viper and the flying fire-serpent; and what is meant by these beasts bringing their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels, and why it immediately follows that the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. The like is meant by the “ass” in the prophecy of Israel respecting Issachar, in Moses:

Issachar is a bony ass, lying down between the burdens (Genesis 49:14).

[3] In Zechariah:

This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; there shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of every beast (Zech. 14:12, 15).

That by the “horse,” “mule,” “camel,” and “ass,” are signified things of the understanding in man, which will be affected by the plague, is evident from all that precedes and follows there; for the plagues which precede the last judgment or consummation of the age are treated of, a subject also much treated of by John in Revelation, and by the rest of the prophets in many places. By these animals are meant those who will then fight against Jerusalem, that is, against the Lord’s spiritual church and its truths, and who will be affected by such plagues as to the things of their understanding.

[4] In Isaiah:

Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the foot of the ox and the ass (Isaiah 32:20);

“they that sow beside all waters” denote those who suffer themselves to be instructed in spiritual things. (That “waters” are spiritual things, thus intellectual things of truth, may be seen above, n. 680, 739, 2702.) “They that send forth the foot of the ox and the ass” denote natural things which are to do service. The “ox” is the natural as to good (see n. 2180, 2566). The “ass” is the natural as to truth.

[5] In Moses:

Binding his young ass unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he hath washed his garments in wine, and his vesture in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11);

this is the prophecy of Jacob, at that time Israel, concerning the Lord; the “vine” and the “choice vine” denote the spiritual church external and internal (n. 1069); the “young ass” denotes natural truth; the “ass’s colt” rational truth. The reason an “ass’s colt” denotes rational truth is that a “she-ass” signifies the affection of natural truth (n. 1486), the son of which is rational truth, as may be seen above (n. 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910).

[6] In old times a judge rode upon a she-ass, and his sons upon young asses; for the reason that the judges represented the goods of the church, and their sons the truths thence derived. But a king rode upon a she-mule, and his sons upon mules, by reason that kings and their sons represented the truths of the church (see n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069). That a judge rode upon a she-ass is evident in the book of Judges:

My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people; bless ye Jehovah, ye that ride upon white she-asses, ye that sit upon carpets (Judg. 5:9-10).

That the sons of the judges rode upon young asses:

Jair the judge over Israel had thirty sons, that rode on thirty young asses (Judges 10:3-4, and in other places).

Abdon the judge of Israel had forty sons, and thirty sons’ sons, that rode on seventy young asses (Judges 12:14).

That a king rode upon a she-mule:

David said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the she-mule which is mine. And they caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s she-mule, and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon (1 Kings 1:33, 38, 41, 45).

That the sons of a king rode upon he-mules:

All the sons of king David rose up, and rode each one upon his mule, and fled, because of Absalom (2 Samuel 13:29).

[7] Hence it is manifest that to ride on a she-ass was the badge of a judge, and to ride on a she-mule, the badge of a king; and that to ride on a young ass was the badge of a judge’s sons, and to ride on a mule was the badge of a king’s sons; for the reason as already said that a she-ass represented and signified the affection of natural good and truth, a she-mule the affection of rational truth, an ass or a young ass natural truth itself, and a mule and also the son of a she-ass rational truth. Hence it is plain what is meant by the prophecy concerning the Lord in Zechariah:

Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a young ass the son of she-asses. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth (Zech. 9:9-10).

That the Lord, when He came to Jerusalem, willed to ride upon these animals, is known from the Evangelists, as in Matthew:

Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find a she-ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto Me. This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, sitting upon a she-ass, and upon a colt the son of a beast of burden. And they brought the she-ass and the colt, and put their garments upon them, and set Him thereon (Matthew 21:1-2, 4-5, 7).

[8] To “ride upon an ass” was a sign that the natural was made subordinate; and to “ride upon a colt the son of a she-ass” was a sign that the rational was made subordinate. (That the “son of a she-ass” signified the same as a “mule” has been shown above at the passage from Genesis 49:11.) From this their signification, and because it belonged to the highest judge and to a king to ride upon them, and at the same time that the representatives of the church might be fulfilled, it pleased the Lord to do this: as is thus described in John:

On the next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold thy King cometh sitting on the colt of a she-ass. These things understood not His disciples at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him (John 12:12-16; Mark 11:1-12; Luke 19:28-41).

[9] From all this it is now evident that all and everything in the church of that period was representative of the Lord, and therefore of the celestial and spiritual things that are in His kingdom-even to the she-ass and the colt of a she-ass, by which the natural man as to good and truth was represented. The reason of the representation was that the natural man ought to serve the rational, and this the spiritual, this the celestial, and this the Lord: such is the order of subordination.

[10] Since by an “ox and an ass” the natural man as to good and truth is signified, many laws were therefore given in which oxen and asses are mentioned, which laws at first sight do not appear to be worthy of mention in the Divine Word; but when unfolded as to their internal sense, the spiritual meaning in them appears to be of great moment-as the following in Moses:

If a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it, the owner of the pit shall give money to the owner, and the dead shall be his (Exodus 21:33-34).

If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to remove it, removing thou shalt remove it from him (Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1, 3).

Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox falling down in the way, and hide thyself from them; lifting thou shalt lift them up again (Deuteronomy 22:4).

Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a mixed web of wool and linen together (Deuteronomy 22:10-11).

Six days thou shalt do thy works, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest also, and the son of thy handmaid, and the sojourner (Exodus 23:12).

Here the “ox and ass” signify nothing else in the spiritual sense than natural good and truth.

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