269. And a rainbow was round about the throne in aspect like an emerald, signifies the appearance of Divine truth in the heavens about the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "a rainbow in aspect like an emerald," as denoting the appearance of Divine truth in its circumference; for "a rainbow round about the throne" signifies Divine truth round about; "in aspect like" signifies appearance. The appearance was like an emerald, because it had reference to the Last Judgment; for the color of this stone is green, and "green" signifies truth obscured. Divine truth in its brightness appears either of the color of heaven, or in various colors in beautiful order like a rainbow; but when obscured it appears of the color of an emerald. The heaven that was obscured was the heaven called "the former heaven," on which judgment was to be executed, and which was about to perish (See Revelation 21:1). On this account "a rainbow round about like an emerald" is mentioned. "Rainbow" signifies Divine truth in the heavens in its order and consequently in its beauty, because there are infinite varieties of truth from good in the heavens, and when these are represented by colors, they present the aspect of a most beautiful rainbow. For this reason "a rainbow" was made the sign of the covenant after the flood (Genesis 9:12-17). (That there are infinite varieties in the heavens see in the work on Heaven and Hell 56, 405, 418, 486; and in the small work onThe Last Judgment 13; and in Arcana Coelestia 684, 690, 3744, 5598, 7236, 7833, 7836, 9002; that colors in heaven appear from the light there, and that they are modifications and variegations of the light, n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4742, 4922; and that the colors appear various according to the varieties of the states of truth from good, and thence of intelligence and wisdom, n. 4530, 4677, 4922, 9466; that rainbows are seen in heaven, and whence and what they are, n. 1042, 1043, 1623-1625)

1623. As regards rainbows, there is a kind of rainbow heaven where the whole sky seems to be made up of a succession of tiny rainbows. In that region are those who belong to the province of the inner eye. They are on the right, in front, and a little way up. The entire sky or air there consists of such sparkling forms, with rays emanating so to speak from separate sources. Around runs a very beautiful large-scale rainbow, composed of similar smaller rainbows, each of which is a very beautiful likeness of the larger one. Each colour consists of countless rays, so that myriads make up one perceptible and general whole. This is a kind of modification of the sources of light by the celestial and spiritual things which produce them, and at the same time present before the eyes an idea that is representative of themselves. The differences and the variations in rainbows are countless, some of which I have been allowed to witness. To convey some idea of the ways in which they differ, and to make it clear how one visible band consists of countless rays, let just one or two of them be described.