768. And went away (abivit) to make war with the rest of her seed.- That this signifies, And thence a determined effort, springing from a life of evil, to attack the truths of the doctrine of that church, is plain from the signification of going away, as denoting a determined effort springing from a life of evil (concerning which we shall speak presently); from the signification of making war, as denoting to attack and to desire to destroy (concerning which see above, n. 573, 734); and from the signification of her seed, as denoting the truths of the doctrine of the church (concerning which we shall also speak presently). It is said the rest of her seed, because those who are in those truths, are meant, and in an abstract sense the truths of that church, which they believe themselves able to assault and destroy. To go away (abire) signifies here a determined effort from a life of evil, because to go (ire) in the spiritual sense signifies to live, therefore in the Word, the expressions "to go (ire) with the Lord," and "to walk with Him" and "after Him," are used, and they signify to live from the Lord; but when "to go" (ire) is said of the dragon, whose life is a life of evil, it signifies to make an effort from that life, and because that effort is an effort from hatred, which is signified by his anger (see above, n. 754, 758), therefore a determined effort is signified, because he who makes an effort from hatred makes a determined effort.

[2] Since the hatred of those meant by the dragon is a hatred against those who are in the truths of the doctrine of the church which is the New Jerusalem, therefore it is a hatred against the truths of doctrine which such possess. For those who love any one, also those who cherish hatred against any one, indeed love or hate the person in whom those things are which they love or hate, and these things are truths of doctrine in them, therefore truths of doctrine are signified by "the rest of her seed." It is therefore evident that, in the spiritual sense of the Word, person is not regarded, but something considered apart from personality, as in the present case, that which is in the person. This may be further illustrated in this way. It is said in the Word, that the neighbour should be loved as a man loves himself, but in the spiritual sense it does not mean that the neighbour should be loved as to the person, but that those things should be loved which are in the person from the Lord. For a person is not actually loved because he is a person or man, but on account of his character, and thus a person is loved for his qualities; this then is meant by neighbour; and it is the spiritual neighbour, or the neighbour in the spiritual sense, who is to be loved. This quality or neighbour with those who are of the church of the Lord is everything that proceeds from the Lord, which in general has reference to all good, spiritual, moral, and civil, therefore those who are in these goods love those who are in the same; this then is to love the neighbour as oneself.

[3] From these things it is evident that the rest of her seed, namely, of the woman, who signifies the church, mean those who are in the truths of the doctrine of that church, and in a sense apart from personality - which is the true spiritual sense - the truths of the doctrine of that church; similarly in other passages of the Word, as in the following in Moses:

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall tread upon thine head, and thou shalt wound his heel" (Genesis 3:15).

This is a prophecy concerning the Lord. The serpent there signifies man's Sensual, where his proprium resides, which in itself is nothing but evil, while the woman signifies the spiritual church, or the church which is in Divine truths. And because the Sensual of man has been destroyed, and the man of the church becomes spiritual when he is raised up out of the Sensual, it is therefore said, there shall be enmity between thee and the woman. The seed of the serpent signifies all falsity from evil, and the seed of the woman all truth from good, and in the highest degree, Divine Truth; and as all Divine Truth is from the Lord, and as the Lord by its means destroyed falsity from evil, it is therefore said, "He shall tread upon thy head;" "He" signifies the Lord, and head all falsity from evil. That the Sensual would still do injury to Divine Truth in its ultimates, which is the Word in the sense of the letter, is signified by "thou shalt wound his heel," the heel signifying that ultimate and that sense. That these have suffered and do still suffer injury from the Sensual, is evident from this single example, that the Roman Catholics understand the woman here to mean Mary and the worship of her, therefore in their Bibles the reading is not "He" (ille), but "it" (illud) and she (illa).

[4] So also in a thousand other passages.

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, the days shall come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast" (31:27).

This is said of the Lord, and of a new church from Him; His coming is signified by "Behold the days shall come." To sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah, signifies to reform those who will be of that church, the house of Israel signifying the spiritual church, and the house of Judah the celestial church. And as reformation takes place by means of spiritual truths and by means of natural truths therefrom, it is said, "with the seed of man and the seed of beast," the seed of man signifying spiritual truth, from which man has intelligence, and the seed of beast natural truth, from which man has knowledge (scientia), also a life according to it, both of these from the affection for good. That man signifies affection for spiritual truth and good, may be seen above (n. 280); and that beast signifies natural affection (n. 650); thus the seed of man and the seed of beast signify the truths of those affections.

In Malachi:

"There is not one who doeth [this] who hath the spirit; is there one that seeketh the seed of God?" (2:15).

Is there one that seeketh the seed of God? signifies that no one seeks Divine Truth; the seed of God here evidently signifies Divine Truth; so "the born of God" mean those who are regenerated by the Lord by means of Divine Truth, and a life according to it.

[5] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah willed to bruise him, he hath weakened [him]; if thou shalt make his soul a guilt offering, he shall see seed, he shall prolong days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper by his hand" (53:10).

This is said of the Lord. The whole of this chapter treats of His temptations, by means of which He subjugated the hells. The increasing severity of His temptations is described by Jehovah willed to bruise Him, and weaken Him; and the severest temptation, which was the passion of the cross, is signified by, "If thou shalt make His soul a guilt offering, - to make His soul a guilt offering signifying the last temptation, by which He completely subjugated the hells, and fully glorified His Human, through which comes redemption. The Divine Truth that afterwards proceeded from His Divine Human, and the salvation of all those who receive Divine Truth from Him, is signified by, He shall see seed; that this will continue for ever is signified by, He shall prolong days, to prolong, when said of the Lord, signifying to continue for ever, and days signifying states of light, which are the states of the enlightenment of all by means of Divine Truth. That this is from His Divine for the salvation of mankind is signified by The will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand.

[6] In the same:

"Fear not, for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the east, and I will gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back, bring my sons from afar, my daughters from the end of the earth" (43:5, 6).

It is supposed that these words have reference to the bringing back of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan; this, however, is not there meant, but the salvation by the Lord of all those who receive Divine Truth from Him, and of whom a new church is formed. This is the signification of His seed which shall be brought from the east and gathered from the west, and which the north shall give up and the south shall not keep back. Therefore, the words follow, "Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth," sons denoting those who are in the truths of the church, and daughters those who are in its goods. But these words may be seen explained above (n. 422:5, 724:20).

[7] In the same:

"Thou shalt break forth to the right and to the left, and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited" (54:3).

This is said of a church from the Lord with the Gentiles, and this church is here meant by the barren woman that did not bare, and who should have many sons (ver. 1). The seed that shall inherit the nations, signifies the Divine Truth that shall be given to the nations. To break forth to the right hand and to the left, signifies extension and multiplication, the right hand signifying truth in light, and the left hand truth in shade. The reason of this signification is, that in the spiritual world, to the right hand is the south, where those are who are in the clear light of truth, and to the left is the north, where those are who are in an obscure light of truth. To make the desolate cities to be inhabited, signifies their life according to Divine truths, which before this had been destroyed, cities denoting the truths of doctrine from the Word, to be inhabited signifying to live according to truths, and desolate cities those truths previously destroyed, that is, with the Jewish nation.

[8] In the same:

"Their seed shall become known in the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that Jehovah hath blessed" (Isaiah 61:9).

This also is said of the church to be established by the Lord. The seed that shall become known in the nations, signifies Divine Truth that will be received by those who are in the good of life; and the offspring in the midst of the peoples, signifies life according to Divine truth. Those that see them shall acknowledge that they are the seed, signifies enlightenment that it is the real truth that they receive; that Jehovah hath blessed, signifies that it is from the Lord. Such is the signification of these words in a sense apart from personality, but in a strict sense those who will receive Divine Truth from the Lord are meant.

[9] In the same:

"They are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them" (65:23).

This also is said of a church from the Lord. By the seed of the blessed of Jehovah are meant those who will receive Divine Truth from the Lord; and by their offspring are meant those who live according to it, but in a sense apart from personality, which is the true spiritual sense, seed means Divine Truth, and offspring a life according to it, as shown above. By offspring are meant those who live according to Divine Truth, and in an abstract sense, life according to it, because the word in the original, rendered offspring, is from a word which means to go forth and to proceed, and that which goes forth and proceeds from the Divine Truth received is a life according to it.

[10] In the same:

"As new heavens and a new earth, which I will make, shall stand before me, so shall your seed and your name stand" (Isaiah 66:22).

This also treats of the Lord, and the salvation of the faithful by Him. A new church from Him is meant by new heavens and a new earth, by new heavens the internal church, and by a new earth, the external church. That Divine Truth and its quality shall continue is signified by "your seed and your name shall stand," seed signifying Divine Truth, which also is truth of doctrine from the Word, and name its quality. That name signifies the quality of a thing and of a state, may be seen above (n. 148).

[11] In David:

"Thou hast founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, and thou shalt continue; they shall all wax old like garments, like a garment shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end; the sons of thy servants shall abide, and their seed shall be established before thee" (Psalm 102:25-28).

The earth which God hath formed, and the heavens the work of His hands, which shall perish, have a similar signification to that of the former heaven and former earth which have passed away (see Apoc. 21:1).

And because the face of the earth and of the heavens in the spiritual world will be entirely changed at the day of the Last Judgment, and there will be a new earth and new heavens in the place of the former, it is therefore said, that "they shall all wax old like garments, like a garment shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed;" they are compared to garments, because garments signify external truths, such as those had who were in the former heaven (caelo) and former earth, which heaven and earth do not endure, because not in internal truths. The state of Divine Truth that shall endure from the Lord to eternity is signified by "thou shalt continue, and thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end," the years of God signifying states of Divine Truth. The sons of Thy servants shall abide, and their seed shall be established before Thee, signifies that angels and men who are recipents of Divine Truth shall have eternal life, and that truths of doctrine with them shall endure to eternity, sons of the servants of God denoting angels and men who are recipients of Divine Truth, and their seed denoting the truths of doctrine.

[12] In the same:

"The seed that shall serve him shall be numbered to the Lord for a generation" (Psalm 22:30).

This also is said of the Lord. The seed that shall serve Him, means those who are in truths of doctrine from the Word; while it shall be numbered to the Lord for a generation, signifies that they shall be His to eternity, to be counted signifying to be arranged and disposed in order, here to be added to, thus to be His.

[13] In many passages in the Word mention is made of the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, also of the seed of Israel, and this in the historical sense of the letter means their posterity; but, in the spiritual sense, Divine Truth and the truth of doctrine from the Word are meant, because Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Israel, in this sense, mean the Lord, as can be seen from passages in the Word, where they are mentioned. For example, where it is said, that they shall come from the east and from the west, and shall recline (accumbo) ¹ with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 8:11), which means the enjoyment of celestial good from the Lord. So in other passages. And as the Lord is meant by them in the internal sense, therefore their seed signifies the Divine Truth which is from the Lord, and thus also truth of doctrine from the Word, as in the following passages.

In Moses:

Jehovah said to Abraham, "All the land which thou seest will I give to thee and to thy seed for ever; and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:15, 16):

"Look up towards the heavens and number the stars, so shall thy seed be" (Genesis 15:5).

"In thy seed shall all nations be blessed" (Genesis 22:18).

To Isaac,

"To thee and to thy seed will I give all these lands, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 26:3-5).

To Jacob,

"Unto thy seed after thee will I give this land" (Genesis 35:12).

The land "given to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, and to their seed after them" (Deuteronomy 1:8):

"The seed of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" (Deuteronomy 4:37; chap. 10:15; chap. 11:9).

Since by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as stated, the Lord is meant, by Abraham the Lord as to the celestial Divine of the church, by Isaac as to the spiritual Divine of the church, and by, Jacob as to the natural Divine of the church; therefore their seed signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, the seed of Abraham signifying celestial Divine Truth, the seed of Isaac spiritual Divine Truth, and the seed of Jacob natural Divine Truth; consequently those are meant who are in Divine Truth from the Lord. But the land which the Lord will give to them means the church, which is in Divine Truth from Him; it can therefore be understood what is signified by all nations being blessed in their seed; for they could not be blessed in their posterity, that is, in the Jewish and Israelitish nation, but in the Lord and from the Lord by the reception of Divine Truth from Him.

[14] That the Jews are not meant by the seed of Abraham, is plain from the words of the Lord in John:

The Jews answered, "We are Abraham's seed, and have never been in bondage to any man. Jesus answered, I know that ye are Abraham's seed, yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you; ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:33, 34, 37, 44).

It is evident from these words that the Jews are not meant by the seed of Abraham, but that Abraham means the Lord, and the seed of Abraham Divine Truth from the Lord, which is the Word; for it is said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed, yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you." By the Lord saying, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed," is signified that He knew that the truth of the church, which is the Word, was with them; "but that they nevertheless rejected the Lord is signified by "ye seek to kill me." That they were not in Divine Truths from the Lord is signified by "because my word hath no place in you" and that there was in them nothing but evil and falsity therefrom, is signified by "ye are of your father the devil, and the truth is not in him"; and afterwards, "when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh from his own," where a lie signifies Divine Truth or the Word adulterated. The Lord said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed," also for the reason that Judah signifies the Lord as to the Word, as may be seen above (n. 119, 433).

[15] In David,

"He will make them to fall in the wilderness, and will make their seed to fall among the nations, and will scatter them in the lands" (Psalm 106:26, 27).

To make their seed fall among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands, signifies that Divine Truth would perish with them through evils and falsities.

The seed of Israel has a similar signification in these passages:

"Thou Israel my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, whom I have taken from the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 41:8, 9).

"I will pour out my Spirit upon" the seed of Israel and Jacob, "and my blessing upon their offspring" (Isaiah 44:3).

"In Jehovah all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory" (Isaiah 45:25).

"Jehovah, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the land towards the north, and out of all the lands whither I have driven them, that they may dwell upon their own land" (Jeremiah 23:8).

Israel, in the highest sense, means the Lord as to the internal of the church, therefore his seed also signifies the Divine Truth which is with those who are of the church signified by Israel. Israel means the church with those who are interiorly natural, and have truths therein from a spiritual source. Therefore Israel signifies a spiritual natural church.

[16] Since David, in the Word, means the Lord as to royalty, and the royalty of the Lord signifies Divine Truth in the church, therefore also his seed means those who are in the truths of the church from the Word, and these are also called sons of the king, and sons of the kingdom; it means also that Divine Truth is in them, as in the following passages:

"As the host (exercitus) of the heavens cannot be numbered, or the sand of the sea be measured, so will I multiply the seed of David and the Levites my ministers" (Jeremiah 33:22).

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation. I will set his seed for ever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. His seed shall be to eternity and his throne as the sun before me" (Psalm 89:3, 4, 29, 36).

That David, in the Word, means the Lord as to royalty, which is Divine Truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, may be seen above (n. 205); therefore his seed signifies that Divine Truth with those who are in truths from good, thus also those who are in truths of doctrine from the Word. For truths of doctrine from the Word, or truths of the Word, are all from good; and as such are meant by the seed of David, therefore, in an abstract sense, the truth of the Word, or the truth of doctrine from the Word, is also meant by it. That the seed of David does not mean his posterity can be seen by any one, for it is said that his seed shall be multiplied as the host of the heavens and the sand of the sea, and that it shall be established and set to eternity, also that his throne shall be built up to generation and generation, and shall be as the days of the heavens and as the sun. Such things can in no way be said about the seed of David, that is, about his posterity, and his throne, for where now are these to be found? But all those things harmonize, when it is seen that by David the Lord is meant, by his throne, heaven and the church, and by his seed, the truth of heaven and of the church.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"If I shall not have fixed my covenant of day and night, the ordinances of heaven and of the earth, I will cast away also the seed of Jacob and of David my servant, that I will not take of his seed to rule over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them" (33:25, 26).

In the same:

"Jehovah said, who giveth the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night; If these ordinances shall depart from before me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever" (31:35, 36).

In these passages the seed of Jacob and of David, also the seed of Israel, mean also those who are in Divine truths, but the seed of Jacob mean those who are in natural Divine Truth, David means those who are in spiritual Divine Truth, and Israel means those who are in Divine Truth spiritual-natural, which is mediate between natural Divine Truth and spiritual Divine Truth. For there are degrees of Divine Truth as there are degrees of its reception by the angels in the three heavens, and in the church. The covenant of day and night, and the ordinances of heaven and earth, signify the conjunction of the Lord with those who are in Divine truths in the heavens, and who are in Divine truths on earth. Covenant signifies conjunction; statutes the laws of conjunction, which are also the laws of order, and the laws of order are Divine truths; day signifies the light of truth such as it is with the angels in the heavens; and night the light of truth such as it is with men on earth, and also such as it is with those, both in the heavens and on earth, who are under the Lord as a moon; therefore it is also said, "Who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night." But the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, here mean all those who are of the Lord's church in every degree; of these, and of the seed of Jacob and David it is said that if they acknowledge not the Lord, and do not receive Divine Truth from Him, the Lord will not reign over them.

[18] In the same:

"No one of his seed shall prosper who sitteth upon the throne of David, and ruleth any more in Judah" (22:30).

This is said of Coniah, king of Judah, who is there called a despised and worthless idol; and it is said of him that "he and his seed shall be taken away and cast unto the earth" (verse 28 of the same chapter). This king has a signification similar to that of Satan, and his seed signifies infernal falsity; that this shall not rule in the Lord's church in which is celestial Divine Truth, is signified by No one of his seed shall sit upon the throne of David, nor rule any more in Judah, Judah here denoting the celestial church in which the Lord reigns.

[19] As David represented the royalty of the Lord, so Aaron represented His priesthood, therefore the seed of Aaron means those who are in affection for real truth which is from celestial good. Because of this representation the following statute was given for Aaron:

"The high priest shall not take to wife a widow, or a divorced woman, or one polluted, a harlot, but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife, lest he profane his seed amongst his people; I Jehovah do sanctify him" (Leviticus 21:14, 15).

As man (vir) and wife (uxor), in the Word, in its spiritual sense, signify the understanding of truth and the will of good, and as thought belongs to the understanding and affection to the will, therefore man and wife also signify the thought of truth and affection for good, also truth and good. It is consequently evident what a widow, one divorced, and one polluted, a harlot, signify; a widow signifies good without truth, because left by truth, which is the man; a woman divorced signifies good rejected by truth, thus discordant good; and one polluted, a harlot, signifies good adulterated by falsities, which is no longer good but evil. Because of this signification of these women, the high priest was forbidden to take any of them to wife, because he represented the Lord as to the priesthood, which signified the Divine Good. And as a virgin signifies the will or affection for genuine truth, and since genuine truth makes one with and is in agreement with Divine Good, and these two are conjoined in heaven and in the church, and their conjunction is called the heavenly marriage, therefore it was enacted that the high priest should take a virgin to wife. And as truth of doctrine is a result of this marriage, but from a marriage with such as are signified by a widow, a divorced woman, and one polluted, a harlot, falsity of doctrine is produced, it is therefore said, "Lest he profane his seed among his people." Seed signifies genuine truth of doctrine, and thus also the doctrine of genuine truth from the good of celestial love; and his people signify those who are of the church in which is the doctrine of genuine truth from the Word. And as this was representative of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of the Lord with the church, it is therefore said, "I Jehovah do sanctify him."

[20] Because the high priest represented the Lord as to Divine Good, and his seed signified Divine Truth, which is the same as genuine truth of doctrine, it was therefore also made a statute, that a man a stranger, who was not of the seed of Aaron, should not come near to burn incense before Jehovah (Numbers 16:40). A man a stranger signifies falsity of doctrine, and to burn incense signifies worship from spiritual good, which, in its essence, is genuine truth; while the seed of the high priest signifies Divine Truth from a celestial origin; for this reason a law was made that no stranger, who was not of the seed of Aaron, should offer incense in the tent of meeting before Jehovah.

[21] When it is known what feature of heaven and the church was represented by other persons also mentioned in the Word, the signification of their seed will be understood, as in the case of the seed of Noah, Ephraim, and Caleb, in the following passages.

Concerning Noah, "I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you" (Genesis 9:9).

Israel said of Ephraim, "His seed shall be the fulness of the earth" (Genesis 48:19).

And Jehovah said of Caleb, "His seed shall inherit the earth (Numbers 14:24).

What Noah and Ephraim represented and signified has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. Caleb represented those who were to be introduced into the church, therefore by their seed is signified the truth of doctrine of the church.

[22] The signification of the seed of man is also similar to that of the seed of the field, because a field equally as man signifies the church; therefore, in some passages, the terms seed and sowing are applied to the people of the earth, just as they are applied to a field; as in the following.

In Jeremiah:

"I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of truth; how art thou turned into branches of a strange vine unto me" (2:21).

In David:

"Their fruit will I destroy from the earth, and their seed from the sons of man" (Psalm 21:10).

In Hosea:

"I will sow" Israel "unto me in the earth" (2:23).

In Zechariah:

"I will sow" Judah and Joseph "among the peoples, and in remote places they shall remember me" (10:9).

In Ezekiel:

"I will look again to you, that ye may be tilled and sown; then will I multiply man upon you, all the house of Israel, the whole of it" (36:9, 10).

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, the days come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and the seed of beast" (Jeremiah 31:27).

In Matthew:

"The seed sown are the sons of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:38).

But it is not necessary to show here that the seed of the field has a signification similar to that of the seed of man, for we have here only to explain the signification of the seed of the woman, and to confirm it from the Word.

[23] Because seed signifies truth of doctrine from the Word, and, in the highest sense, Divine Truth, therefore, in the opposite sense, seed signifies falsity of doctrine, and infernal falsity.

As in Isaiah:

"Draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, seed of an adulterer, and ye that have committed whoredom. Against whom do ye sport yourselves, against whom do ye make wide the mouth and draw out the tongue? Are ye not the children of transgression, the seed of falsehood" (57:3, 4).

By sons of a sorceress and seed of an adulterer, are signified falsities from the Word when it has been falsified and adulterated, by the sons of the sorceress, falsities from the Word falsified, and by the seed of an adulterer, falsities from the Word adulterated. The Word is said to be falsified when truths are perverted, and to be adulterated when its goods are similarly perverted, also when its truths are applied to the loves of self. Children of transgression and the seed of falsehood, signify falsities flowing from such former falsities. To sport themselves, signifies to take delight in things falsified; to make wide the mouth, signifies the delight in thought therefrom, and to draw out the tongue, signifies delight in teaching and propagating such falsities.

[24] In Isaiah:

"Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, sons that are corrupters; they have forsaken Jehovah, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel, they have gone away backwards" (1:4).

The sinful nation signifies those who are in evils, and a people laden with iniquity, those who are in falsities therefrom; for nation is used in the Word, in reference to evils, and people in reference to falsities, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331, 625). The falsity of those who are in evils is signified by the seed of evil doers, and the falsities of those who are in the falsities from that evil are signified by the sons who are corrupters. That sons signify those who are in truths, and, in the opposite sense, those who are in falsities, and in an abstract sense, truths and falsities, may be seen above (n. 724). They have forsaken Jehovah and provoked the Holy One of Israel, signifies that they have rejected Divine Good and Divine Truth, Jehovah denoting the Lord as to Divine Good, and the Holy One of Israel the Lord as to Divine Truth. Their going away backwards, signifies that they utterly departed from good and truth, and went away to infernal evil and falsity; for those in the spiritual world who are in evils and falsities turn themselves backwards from the Lord, as may be seen in Heaven and Hell 123).

In the same:

"Thou shalt not be united with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people; the seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever" (Isaiah 14:20).

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babylon is meant. The seed of the wicked which shall not be named for ever, signifies the direful falsity of evil from hell; the rest may be seen explained above (n. 589, 659:20, 697).

[25] In Moses:

"He who hath given his seed to Molech shall surely die, the people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will set My faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath given of his seed to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane the name of my holiness" (Leviticus 20:3; 18:21).

To give of his seed to Molech, signifies to destroy the truth of the Word, and thus of the doctrine of the church therefrom, by application to the vile loves of the body, as to murders, hatreds, revenges, adulteries, and similar things, which leads to the acceptance of infernal falsities instead of Divine things; such falsities are signified by the seed given to Molech. Molech was the god of the sons of Ammon (1 Kings 11:7), and was set up in the valley of Hinnom, which was called Topheth, where they burnt their sons and daughters in the fire (2 Kings 23:10); the loves mentioned above are signified by that fire. And as the seed given to Molech signifies such infernal falsity, and stoning was a punishment of death for injury done to and for destruction of the truth of the Word, and of doctrine therefrom, it is therefore said, that the man "who hath given of his seed to Molech shall surely die, and the people of the land shall stone him with stones." That stoning was the punishment for doing injury to or for destroying truth, may be seen above (n. 655). That such falsity is destructive of all the good of the Word and of the church is signified by, "I will set my faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath polluted my sanctuary, and profaned the name of my holiness," sanctuary signifying the truth of heaven and of the church, and the name of holiness all its quality. From the passages quoted, it is now evident that seed, in the highest sense, means Divine Truth from the Lord, and it consequently means the truth of the Word and of the doctrine of the church which is from the Word, while in the bad sense it means, infernal falsity which is the opposite of that truth.

Poznámky pod čarou:

659. And shall not suffer [their bodies] to be put in sepulchres.- That this signifies their rejection and damnation is evident from the signification of not being put in sepulchres, or of not being buried, as denoting eternal damnation. For "to be buried," in the Word, signifies awakening unto life and resurrection, since when a man dies and is buried, he then awakens or arises again into life eternal. For man lives after death equally as in the world, but he lays down the earthly or material body, which served him for use in the natural world, and continues his life in a spiritual body. Therefore burial is only a casting off as it were of the covering which he bore about in the natural world. The reason why burial signifies awakening unto life eternal, or resurrection, is, because the angels do not know what the death of man is, nor consequently what his burial is, since there is neither death nor burial with them, and yet they perceive all things spiritually; when therefore the death of man is mentioned in the Word, instead of death they perceive his departure from one world into another, and when burial is mentioned, they perceive his resurrection into life. It follows consequently that "not to be buried" signifies resurrection, not unto life, but unto damnation, by which is meant spiritual death. Every man, indeed, after his departure out of the world, is awakened and rises again, but some to life and some to damnation; and because to be buried signifies resurrection to life, therefore not to be buried signifies damnation, but, in this case, of those who reject the goods of love and truths of doctrine, which are signified by the two witnesses, therefore not being put in sepulchres, or not being buried, does not mean damnation except in the idea of those only who condemn such things. What is signified therefore by sepulchres, in the Word, also by being buried and not being buried, is evident from the following passages.

[2] That sepulchres signify unclean things, consequently also infernal things, because of the carcases and bones which are in them, is evident from many passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

"A people that provoke me to anger before my faces continually, that burn incense upon bricks, that sit in sepulchres, and pass the night in waste places, that eat the flesh of swine" (65:3, 4).

To provoke Jehovah to anger before His faces signifies to sin against the truths and goods of the Word, and to depart from the worship therein commanded, the faces of Jehovah denoting the things revealed in the Word. To burn incense upon bricks signifies worship from falsities of doctrine, bricks denoting falsities of doctrine, and to burn incense denoting worship from them. To sit in sepulchres signifies to be in filthy loves; to pass the night in waste places signifies to remain and live in falsities, waste places denoting where there are no truths; to eat the flesh of swine signifies to make infernal evils one's own.

[3] In Moses:

"Whosoever shall have touched one upon the surface of a field, that is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or the bone of a man, or a sepulchre, shall be unclean seven days," and afterwards he shall be purified (Numbers 19:16, 18).

To touch signifies, in the Word, to communicate. Therefore lest falsities and evils should be communicated, and thus appropriated, it was forbidden to touch unclean things, as in this case, one slain with a sword, a dead body, the bone of a man, and a sepulchre. For one slain with a sword signifies one who has perished by falsities, and who has consequently been condemned to hell. A dead body signifies one who has perished by evils, the bone of a man signifies infernal falsity, and sepulchre, infernal evil.

[4] In Ezekiel:

"Wail over the multitude of Egypt and cause her to descend with them that go down into the pit; they shall fall in the midst of them that are slain with the sword; Asshur is there and all his company, his sepulchres are round about him, all the slain who fell by the sword to whom sepulchres were given in the sides of the pit, and his company is round about his sepulchres; Elam and all his multitude is round about his sepulchres, all the uncircumcised slain with the sword" (32:18, 20, 22, 24).

The multitude of Egypt signifies the scientifics of the natural man, which are dead, because they do not descend and take form as effects, conclusions, and confirmations, from the truths of the spiritual man; Asshur signifies reasonings from such scientifics. Therefore by, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cause her to descend with them that go down into the pit, is signified grief on account of the damnation of those who are in these things, the pit denoting the hell where such dead scientifics reign, that is, scientifics separated from truths, because applied to confirm falsities of doctrine and evils of life. Those slain with the sword signify, here as above, those who are condemned to hell on account of falsities. Asshur is there and all his company signifies reasonings from those falsities. The sepulchres which are round about Asshur and in the sides of the pit, where Elam is, and all the uncircumcised slain with the sword, signify the hells where those falsities are, that is, those who are in such falsities.

[5] It is to be noted that falsities and evils of every kind correspond to unclean and loathsome things in the natural world, and the more direful falsities and evils to cadaverous and also fetid excrementitious matter, and falsities and evils of a milder kind to marshy places; consequently the dwellings in the hells of those who are in such falsities and evils appear like pits and sepulchres. And, if you are disposed to believe it, such evil genii and spirits also dwell in the sepulchres, privies, and marshes that are in our world, although they are ignorant of the fact, the reason being, that they correspond, and things that correspond are joined together. The same may be concluded also from this fact that nothing is more delightful than the smell of a corpse to those who have been assassins and poisoners, also to those who have taken delight in violating women; and there is also nothing more delightful than the smell of excrement to those who have been filled with the love of commanding, also to those who have taken delight in adulteries and no delight in marriages. And there is nothing more delightful than a marshy, and also a urinous vapour to those who have confirmed themselves in falsities, and have extinguished in themselves the affection for truth. This is why the hells, in which they are, have an appearance in agreement with the correspondent delights, some as pits, and some as sepulchres.

[6] It is evident also from these considerations why it was that those who were possessed by demons were in the sepulchres and came out therefrom (Matthew 8:28, and following verses; Mark 5:2, 3, 5; Luke 8:27), namely, because those who were possessed were, while they lived in the world, in falsities from evil, or in knowledges from the Word, which they rendered dead by applying them to confirm evils, and to destroy the genuine truths of the church, especially the truths concerning the Lord, the Word, and a life after death, which dead knowledges are called, in the Word, traditions. It was for this reason that those who were possessed by such as had become demons, were in the sepulchres, and the demons themselves were afterwards cast out into the swine which cast themselves headlong into the sea (Matthew 8:31-33). They were cast into swine, because they had lived in the world in sordid avarice, for such avarice corresponds to swine and thence signifies them; the reason why these cast themselves headlong into the sea, was, because the sea there signifies hell.

[7] In David:

"I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am become as a man that has no strength. I am among the dead, neglected, as the slain that lie in the sepulchre, whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand; thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower [parts] in darkness, in the depths. Shall thy mercy be declared in the sepulchre, thy truth in destruction?" (Psalm 88:4-6, 11).

The subject there treated of is temptations, in the highest sense the temptations of the Lord; this describes what these were, namely, that He seemed to Himself to be as it were in hell among the damned, so fierce and great were the temptations which the Lord sustained; therefore "I am counted with them that go down into the pit" signifies that He seemed to Himself to be as it were in hell, the pit denoting hell. I am become as a man that hath no strength, signifies that He then seemed to Himself to be as it were without power, for temptations plunge a man into evils and falsities, in which there is no power. Amongst the dead, neglected, signifies among those in whom there is nothing of truth and good, and who are therefore cast away; as the slain that lie in the sepulchre, signifies as those who are in falsities from evil, the slain denoting those who perish by falsities, and the sepulchre denoting hell because those who are in hell are spiritually dead; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand, signifies who are deprived of all truth and good. Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower [parts], signifies in the places of hell where such are; in darkness signifies as it were in falsities; in the depths signifies as it were in evils.

[8] A prayer arising from grief then follows, that He may be delivered from temptations; and for this among other reasons, "Shall thy mercy be declared in the sepulchre, and thy truth in destruction?" which signifies that in hell, where and from which evils and falsities are, Divine Good and Divine Truth cannot be proclaimed, mercy denoting the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and truth the Divine Truth of the Divine Wisdom; the sepulchre denotes the hell where and from which evils are, and destruction denotes the hell where and from which falsities are. From these things it is also evident that by sepulchre is meant hell, especially from this, that those who are in hell are spiritually dead.

[9] In Isaiah:

"That he might give the impious to their sepulchre, and the rich in their deaths" (53:9).

This is also said of the Lord, of whom the whole chapter treats; here concerning His victory over the hells. The impious whom He would give to the sepulchre mean the evil who will be cast down into hell; here a sepulchre plainly denotes hell, which is called a sepulchre from those in it who are spiritually dead. The rich whom He would give in their deaths mean those of the church who are in falsities from evil, who are called rich from the knowledges of truth and good which they possess from the Word; falsities from evil are signified by deaths, because they who are in them are spiritually dead.

[10] Those who think evil about God and the neighbour, and yet speak well, and those who think insanely about the truths of faith and the goods of love but speak sanely, are inwardly sepulchres whited without, according to these words of the Lord:

"Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27, 29; Luke 11:47, 48).

[11] In David:

"There is no rectitude in the mouth of anyone, their midst is destruction; their throat is an open sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue" (Psalm 5:9).

In the mouth signifies outwardly, and the midst inwardly. That inwardly there is hell is signified by, their throat is an open sepulchre; and that outwardly there is hypocrisy, and apparent sanity is signified by, they flatter with their tongue. From these and other passages in the Word it is evident what is signified by sepulchre.

[12] When therefore those who are in falsities from evil are treated of, then by their sepulchre is meant the hell from which and in which that falsity is; but when those who are in truths from good are treated of, then by sepulchre is meant the removal and rejection of falsity from evil, and by burial is meant awakening and resurrection into life, also regeneration. For with man who is in truths from good falsity from evil is removed and cast out into hell, and the man himself, as to his interiors, which belong to his spirit, rises again, and enters into the life of truth from good, which is spiritual life. In this sense burial is meant in the following passages.

[13] In John:

"Marvel not, for the hour cometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and shall come forth; they that have done good [things] unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil [things] unto the resurrection of judgment" (5:28, 29).

This does not mean that those who are in the sepulchres or tombs shall hear the voice of the Lord and come forth, since all after death equally as in the world live as men, with this difference only, that after death they live in a spiritual and not in a material body. Therefore by going forth out of the tombs is signified out of the material body, and this happens first with every one immediately after death, and afterwards when a last judgment takes place, for then the exteriors are removed and the interiors are opened in all those with whom this had not previously been. Those whose interiors are heavenly rise unto life, but those whose interiors are infernal rise unto death, this is signified by, those who have done good [things] shall go forth unto the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil [things] unto the resurrection of judgment.

[14] That this is meant by going forth out of the tombs or sepulchres is still more evident in Ezekiel:

"Behold I will open your sepulchres, and cause you to come up out of your sepulchres, O my people, and bring you upon the land of Israel, that ye may know that I am Jehovah, when I shall have opened your sepulchres, and have caused you to come up out of your sepulchres, O my people, and shall have put my spirit in you that ye may live, and have placed you upon your own land" (37:12-14).

The subject here treated of is the dry bones seen by the prophet upon the faces of the valley, upon which sinews appeared to be stretched, and flesh came upon them, and they were covered with skin; and when the spirit of God was sent into them, they lived again and stood upon their feet. That those bones mean the whole house of Israel, is plainly declared in these words: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel, behold they say, Our bones are dried up, our hope is perished; as for us we are cut off" (verse 11). The house of Israel is likened to dry bones, because they were in falsities and evils, which have no life, because of their non-correspondence with heaven as to sinews, flesh, and skin; for bones signify truths in the ultimate of order, upon which spiritual truths are based, but dry bones signify falsities from evil. It is therefore evident that by opening the sepulchres, and causing the people to come up out of the sepulchres, is signified to raise up out of falsities from evil, thus from the dead, and to impart truths from good, thus life, and this life is the spirit of God from which they lived again. This then is the meaning of causing the people to come up out of the sepulchres; the church to be formed out of these is signified by the land of Israel, upon which they shall be brought, and upon which they shall be placed.

[15] It is recorded in Matthew, that after the passion of the Lord the tombs were opened, and many bodies of those that slept came out of their tombs, went into the holy city, and appeared to many (27:52, 53). The tombs being opened, and many bodies of them that slept appearing, has a similar signification to that which is stated above in Ezekiel, where it is said that Jehovah would open the sepulchres, and cause them to come up out of the sepulchres, namely, the regeneration of the faithful and their resurrection unto life; not that the bodies themselves, which lay in the tombs, rose again, but that there was the appearance of this (apparuerunt) in order that both regeneration and resurrection unto life from the Lord might be signified. Moreover, these same words mean those who are said in the Word "to be bound in the pit," whom the Lord liberated after He had finished the whole work of redemption. For many of the faithful could not be saved until the Lord had come into the world and subjugated the hells; in the meantime they were detained in places which are called pits, even up to the coming of the Lord, and they were liberated by the Lord immediately after His coming. These pits were also represented by the tombs that were opened, and those who were therein by "those that slept," who after the Lord's resurrection, as it is said, "appeared to many in the holy city;" the holy city was Zion and Jerusalem, but by these is meant heaven, whither they were raised up by the Lord, for both Zion and Jerusalem were rather profane than holy.

[16] From these things it is evident what that miracle and that appearance represented and signified. Since the land of Canaan not only signified the church, but also heaven, and since burial signified resurrection unto life, therefore Abraham bought of Ephron a field in which was the cave of Machpelah which was before Mamre (Gen. 23), and there Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with their wives, were buried (Genesis 23, 25:9, 10; 35:29; 49:1). The particulars related concerning that cave, namely, that it was in the field of Ephron, which was before Mamre, and so on, signified resurrection unto life, as may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia. On this account also, Joseph commanded that his bones should be brought up into the land of Canaan (Genesis 50:24-26), and this was done (Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32); and for the reason that the land of Canaan as has been said, signified the heavenly Canaan, which is heaven. Because of the representation of resurrection into heaven by burial, also David and the kings after him were buried in Zion (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43; 14:17, 18; 15:8, 24; 22:50; 2 Kings 8:24; 12:21; 14:20; 15:7, 38; 16:20). The reason of this was, that Zion signified the celestial church and heaven, where the Lord is.

[17] That burial signifies resurrection is also evident from this fact, that it is frequently said that the dead "have been gathered to their fathers" and "to their people." "To their fathers," in Genesis:

Jehovah said unto Abraham, "Thou shalt come to thy fathers in peace, and shall be buried in a good old age" (15:15);

and in the Second Book of Kings:

Jehovah said of Josiah, king of Judah, "Behold I gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy sepulchre in peace" (22:20).

And "to [their] people," in Genesis:

"Abraham expired and died in a good old age, an old man and full [of days], and was gathered to his people" (25:8).

And in another place:

"Isaac expired and died, and was gathered to his people an old man and full of days" (Genesis 35:29);

and again:

"Jacob expired, and was gathered to his people" (49:33).

To their fathers and to their people denote to their own, that is, to their like in the other life, for every one after death comes to his like, with whom he will live for ever. It cannot mean to be gathered to their fathers, and to their people in the sepulchre, for it is also said concerning Abraham, that he should be gathered to his fathers, and that he was gathered to his people, when he died, and was buried in a new tomb, where none of his fathers, or of his people, except Sarah his wife, was buried before.

[18] In Job:

"Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle is peace, and thy children as the herb of the land; thou shalt come in old age unto the sepulchre, as the coming up of a shock of corn (acervi) in its season" (5:24-26).

A Tabernacle, in the Word, signifies what is holy in worship and the good of love, because Divine worship, in the most ancient times, was celebrated in tabernacles, and because their worship was from the good of celestial love, therefore a tabernacle also signifies that good. Since genuine peace pertains to celestial good, therefore it is said, "Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle is peace." The truths from that good and their increments are signified by the children who shall be as the herb of the land; for sons and children, and also the herb of the land, signify truths from good. That after a man is imbued with wisdom he will come into heaven is signified by, thou shalt come in old age into the sepulchre, old age denoting wisdom, and to come into the sepulchre, or to be buried, denoting resurrection; because this is meant it is therefore said, "as the coming up of a shock of corn in its season."

[19] From these few instances it is evident that sepulchres, because of the dead carcases and the bones therein, signify infernal things, but that burial signifies the rejection of these, and therefore resurrection. For when man casts aside or puts off his material body, he then puts on a spiritual body, with which he rises again; consequently the death of a man, in the spiritual sense, signifies the continuation of his life, although in a bad sense it signifies damnation, which is spiritual death. Since burial, in regard to man, signifies resurrection, and also regeneration, therefore burial, in regard to the Lord, signifies the glorification of His Human. For the Lord glorified, that is, made Divine, His whole Human, therefore He rose again on the third day with the Human glorified, that is, made Divine. Unless this had been accomplished, no man could have risen again to life. For man has resurrection to life solely from the Lord, and indeed from the fact that He united the Divine with His Human; from this union which is properly meant by glorification, man has salvation. This also is involved in what the Lord said concerning the woman who poured balsamic ointment upon His head, that she did it unto His burial (Matthew 26:7, 12; Mark 14:8; John 12:7); for anointing signifies that glorification; and because man from it has salvation, therefore He said concerning that woman,

"Verily, I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this [woman] hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" (Matthew 26:13).

This was also represented by the man that was cast into the sepulchre of Elisha reviving when he touched his bones (2 Kings 13:20, 21), for Elisha represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, which constitutes the life of heaven, into which man is raised up.

[20] Since to be buried and burial signify both resuscitation into life, and regeneration; therefore not to be buried, and to be dragged out of the tombs, signify neither resurrection to heaven nor regeneration, but resurrection to hell, and consequently damnation; as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Thou art cast out of thy sepulchre as an abominable branch, the raiment of the slain thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot; thou shalt not be united with them in the sepulchre, for thou has destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people, the seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever" (14:19, 20).

This is said concerning the king of Babel, who signifies the profanation of Divine Truth. Therefore, thou art cast out of thy sepulchre, signifies condemned to hell. As an abominable branch, the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, signifies the falsification of truth and its profanation, an abominable branch denoting truth falsified, and the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, denoting truth adulterated and altogether destroyed by direful falsities. Who go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot, signifies to the hell where the falsities of evil are, a carcase trodden under foot denoting an infernal spirit, in whom everything is spiritually dead, because good has been altogether destroyed. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, signifies no consociation with those who have risen again to life; for to be in the sepulchre, or to be buried, signifies that resurrection; and on the other hand to be cast out of the sepulchre signifies damnation. Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people, signifies that the church and those therein who were in truths from good has been destroyed by the falsities of evil. The seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever signifies eternal severance and separation.

[21] In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah hath said concerning the sons and concerning the daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who shall bare them, and concerning their fathers who shall beget them in this land; they shall die of grievous deaths, so that they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, they shall be consumed by the sword, or by famine, that their carcase may be for food to the birds of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth" (16:3, 4).

These things are said of the church vastated as to all good and truth. Sons and daughters, and mothers and fathers, in the spiritual sense, do not mean sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, but the truths and goods of the church, both exterior and interior; sons and daughters denote truths and goods exterior, mothers and fathers truths and goods interior, which are called mothers and fathers because they beget and bring forth the exterior. They shall die of grievous deaths, so that they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried, signifies condemnation to hell on account of direful falsities. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies infernal filth which is the evil that defiles the good and truth of the church. To be consumed by sword or famine, signifies to be destroyed by falsities and evils. That their carcase may be for food to the birds of the heavens and to the beast of the earth, signifies to be consumed and to be yet further consumed by the desires of the love for evil and falsity.

[22] In the same:

"A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth, for Jehovah hath a controversy against the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh, he will give up the wicked to the sword; the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end of the earth, they shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried; they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth" (Jeremiah 25:31-33).

By these words is described the devastation of the church at its end when a last judgment takes place. The tumult even to the end of the earth, because Jehovah hath a controversy against the nations, signifies the dismay of all those who are of the church when they are visited and their evils are disclosed, the earth denoting the church, the nations, those who are in evils, and abstractedly, evils and the controversy of Jehovah against them denoting visitation and disclosure. He will enter into judgment with all flesh, signifies the universal judgment which takes place at the end of the church; He will give up the wicked to the sword, signifies that the unfaithful will perish by their own falsities. The slain of Jehovah in that day shall be from the end of the earth unto the end of the earth, signifies those who perish by falsities of every kind, the slain of Jehovah denoting those who perish by falsities, and from the end of the earth to the end of the earth denoting from primaries to the ultimates of the church, consequently falsities of every kind. They shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried, signifies that there will be no longer any restoration and salvation, but condemnation, lamentation signifying grief because such is the state of man, and no lamentation signifying no grief, because man is such as to admit of no restoration. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies merely falsity and evil, without any reception of life from heaven; for if man does not receive life by means of the truths of faith and goods of charity, he is merely dead, being in mere falsities of evil and evils of falsity, which are "a carcase and dung upon the faces of the earth."

[23] In the same:

Against the prophets who prophesy a lie in the name of Jehovah: "The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast away in the streets of Jerusalem; because of famine and the sword, there shall be none to bury them, themselves, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters" (Jerem.14:15, 16).

Here not to be buried denotes not to rise again to life, but to damnation; the rest may be seen explained above (652:34).

In the same:

"At that time they shall bring the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of the princes thereof, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their sepulchres, and shall spread them out to the sun, and to the moon, and to all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and which they have gone after, and which they have sought, and to which they have bowed themselves down; they shall not be gathered, nor buried, they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth" (8:1, 2).

By bringing out the bones from the sepulchres is signified to separate from the peoples, that is, to cast out from communion with those who are in heaven, among the damned without, as is the case when the evil enter the societies of the good, and are cast out afterwards, when discovered. For concerning those who are buried it is said that they are gathered to their peoples, as above concerning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, therefore to be brought out of the sepulchre denotes to be cast out from them. All those who are of the church, also all things pertaining to the church, are signified by the kings, princes, priests, prophets, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; kings signifying the truths of the church themselves in their whole extent; princes, principal truths; priests, the goods of doctrine; prophets, the truths of doctrine; and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all things of the church depending thereon;

[24] here, by their bones, which are to be brought out, are signified falsities and evils, which have nothing in common with truths and goods. To spread them out to the sun, to the moon, and to all the host of the heavens, signifies to give them up to devilish loves, and thence to evils and falsities which are from hell. For the sun signifies love in both senses, the moon faith from that love, in both senses, and the host of the heavens, falsities and evils of every kind. Hence therefore to spread out the bones to these, means to give them over wholly to such things, in order that they may be nothing but loves and desires of evil and falsity. Which they have loved, which they have served, which they have gone after, which they have sought, and to which they have bowed themselves down, signifies exterior and interior affection and proneness for such things and worship therefrom. They shall not be gathered, nor buried, signifies that they shall never return to the societies of heaven, but will remain with those who are in hell. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies what is dead and unclean such as is cast out and trodden under foot. It is evident from these things what is signified by Josiah the king taking the bones out of the sepulchres and burning them upon the altar (2 Kings 23:16); by Jezebel being eaten by the dogs in the field, and none to bury her (2 Kings 9:10); and by Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, being buried with the burial of an ass, taken out, and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 22:19).

[25] The signification of being buried in Tophet, and in the valley of Hinnom, in Jeremiah, is similar:

"Behold the days come in which it shall no more be called Tophet, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter; and they shall bury in Tophet till there is no room, and the carcase of this people shall be for food to the bird of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and none shall frighten them away" (7:32, 33).

And in the same:

"I will break this people and this city as the vessel of a potter is broken, which cannot be repaired any more, and they shall bury in Tophet, because there will be no place to bury, and I will make this city as Tophet" (19:11, 12).

Tophet and the valley of Hinnom signified the hells, Tophet, the hell at the back, which is called the devil, and the valley of Hinnom, the hell in front, which is called Satan, since all the places in the city of Jerusalem, and outside of it, corresponded to places in the spiritual world, for there the dwelling places are according to Divine order. In the midst are those who are in the greatest light or wisdom; in the borders, those who are in the least; to the east and west, those who are in love; to the south and north, those who are in intelligence. Such is the arrangement of the whole heaven, so also in every society there, in every city, and in every house, and this because the lesser forms in the heavens are all according to the likeness of the greatest form. And since Jerusalem signified heaven and the church as to doctrine, therefore also the places there were representative according to their quarters and their distances from the temple and from Zion; consequently Tophet and the valley of Hinnom, being most unclean places and wickedly idolatrous, represented and thence signified the hells. The signification of burying in Tophet, and in the valley of Hinnom, is evident from these things.