951. Because the seven angels that had the seven last plagues signify the manifestation of the evils and falsities that have devastated the church; and as this manifestation is made by means of the Divine truth in the Word, therefore those angels appeared clothed in linen pure and glistening white; for by this is signified genuine truth. All the angels also appear clothed according to their functions; for the garments in which they are clothed correspond to their ministries, and in general to their interiors. Angels who are wise from Divine truth appear in white garments of satin, lawn, or linen, because satin, lawn, and linen correspond to the truths in which they are. It is for this reason, also, that the garments in which Aaron and his sons ministered were linen; concerning this it is thus written in Moses:

"Thou shalt make for Aaron and his sons breeches of linen to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the loins even to the thighs; they shall be upon them, when they enter into the tent of the assembly, and when they approach to the altar to minister in the holy place, lest they bear iniquity and die" (Exodus 28:42, 43).

And in another passage:

"Aaron, when he shall enter into the holy place, shall put on the linen coat of holiness; shoes of linen shall be upon his flesh; he shall gird himself with a linen belt; and shall put on a mitre of linen" (Leviticus 16:4).

Also:

That he should put on the same garments when he expiated the people (ver. 32).

Also:

When he took the ashes from the altar after the burnt-offering (Leviticus 6:10).

[2] Similarly the priests were to minister in the new temple, in Ezekiel:

When "the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall put on linen garments; no woollen shall come upon them; when they shall minister in the gates of the inner court and inward, mitres of linen shall be upon their head, and breeches of linen upon their loins" (44:17, 18).

The reason why they put on linen garments when they ministered holy things was, that all holy administration is effected by means of Divine truth. For the priesthood, to which Aaron and his sons were appointed, represented the Lord as to Divine good; and this ministers all things by means of Divine truth. Divine truth also defends from falsities and evils that are from hell; therefore it is also said, "lest they bear iniquity and die," which signifies, that otherwise falsities from hell would destroy them. These garments were called garments of holiness, because holiness is said of Divine truth.

Because linen garments were the garments of the ministry, therefore the priests wore an ephod of linen when they ministered, as we read concerning Samuel (1 Sam. 2:18); concerning the priests whom Saul slew (1 Sam. 22:18); and also concerning David, when he went before the ark (2 Sam. 6:14).

[3] Also concerning the Lord Himself in John:

Jesus "rose up from supper and laid aside his garments, and took a linen cloth, and girded himself, and put water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the linen cloth with which he was girded" (13:4, 5).

The washing of the disciples' feet represented and thence signified purification from evils and falsities by means of Divine truth from the Lord. For all purification from evils and falsities is effected by means of Divine truth from the Lord; and this is signified by the linen cloth with which He girded Himself, and with which He wiped the disciples' feet.

[4] Besides these seven angels treated of in the Apocalypse, other angels also were seen in linen garments; as

The angel who set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sighed; and went in between the wheels of the cherubs, and took coals of fire and sprinkled upon the city (Ezekiel 9:3, 11; 10:2, 6, 7).

Also:

The angel who was seen by Daniel, clothed in linen, whose loins were girt with gold of Uphaz (Daniel 10:5; 12:6, 7).

They appeared clothed in linen, because girded for the ministry. The angel who measured the new temple, whose appearance was of brass,

Was seen to have a linen thread in his hand, and a measuring reed (Ezekiel 40:3).

By measuring the temple is there described the New Church as to its quality, which is signified by the number of the measure. And all the quality of the church is known by means of Divine truth; this was why a linen thread was in his hand.

[5] Because linen signifies truth, and a girdle everything pertaining to it, for it is that which embraces and includes all things; and since, with the sons of Israel, there was no longer any truth remaining,

Therefore the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a girdle of linen, and hide it in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates; and at the end of many days it was marred, and profitable for nothing (Jeremiah 13:1-7).

By the girdle of linen is signified all the truth of doctrine from the Word. What is signified by its being hid in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates, and there marred, may be seen above (n. 569).

[6] By linen is signified the truth of the church also in Isaiah:

"A bruised reed will he not break and smoking linen will he not quench, and he will bring forth judgment unto truth" (42:3).

These words are spoken concerning the Lord. By the smoking linen which He will not quench is signified the small amount of truth from good with any one. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 627).

[7] By linen is also signified truth from the Word, properly the truth of the sense of its letter (Hos. 2:5, 9). It was also a statute with the sons of Israel,

"That they should not wear a garment mixed with woollen and linen together" (Deuteronomy 22:11).

The reason of this was, that woollen signifies good and linen truth, and because a man by his garments also has communication with the societies of heaven; and there are societies that are in good, and societies that are in truth. And a man must not have communication with different societies at the same time, for confusion would be the result. That this was the reason of that statute, no one has hitherto known; but it has been granted me to know this from the change of my garments. For on the laying aside of a linen garment, those in the spiritual world who were in truths have complained that they could not be present; and the same, on the garment being put on again, became present.

That there is such correspondence with the very garments of man has been hitherto unknown, but still it is evident from those passages that have been adduced above, namely, from the linen garments of Aaron and his sons; from the linen ephod which the priests and David had; from the linen in which the angels appeared clothed; and from the linen with which the Lord girded Himself and wiped the disciples' feet. So also from the rest of the garments of Aaron and his sons, which were all representative; and from the signification of garments in general, as denoting truths clothing good; concerning which see above (n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637).

Continuation concerning the First Precept:-

[8] It is not believed in the world that the love of ruling from mere delight in ruling, and the love of possessing goods from the mere delight of possession, and not from delight in uses, conceal in themselves every kind of evil; and also a contempt and rejection of everything pertaining to heaven and the church; and this because a man from the love of self and the love of the world is stimulated to do good to the church, to his country, to society, and to his neighbour, placing honour in acting well, and looking for reward. Hence it is that such love is called by many the fire of life, and the incitement to great things. But it must be observed, that so far as these two loves regard uses in the first place, and self in the second, so far they are good. But so far as they regard self in the first place, and uses in the second, so far they are evil. For then a man does everything for the sake of self, and consequently from self; and then, in everything that he does, himself and his proprium are present; and this is intrinsically nothing but evil. But to regard uses in the first place, and self in the second, is to do good for the sake of the church, one's country, society, and the neighbour. And the goods that a man does to these for their own sake are not from man, but the Lord. The difference between these two loves is like that between heaven and hell. A man does not know that there is such a difference, because from birth and nature he is in them, and because the delight in them continually flatters and favours him. Let him, however, know that the love of ruling from the delight in so doing, and not from delight in uses, is altogether diabolical, and may be called atheistical. For in proportion as a man is in that love, in the same proportion he does not, in his heart, believe in the existence of a God; and in the same proportion he derides, in his heart, everything pertaining to the church; indeed, he hates them; and from hatred persecutes all those who acknowledge God, especially those who acknowledge the Lord. The very delight of their life is to do evil, and do wicked and crimeful deeds of every kind. In a word, they are very devils. A man does not know this while he lives in the world, but he will know that it is so, when he comes into the spiritual world, as is the case immediately after death. Hell is full of such persons; where, instead of exercising dominion, they become slaves. They appear also there, when seen in the light of heaven, to be inverted, with the head downwards and the feet upwards, because they placed rule in the first place, and uses in the second. And that which is in the first place is the head, and that which is in the second constitutes the feet; and that which is the head is loved, but that which constitutes the feet is trodden under foot.

31. (Verse 6) And hath made us kings and priests. That this signifies, that from Him we are in His spiritual and celestial kingdom, is evident from the signification of kings as being those who are in truths from good, and, because these constitute the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, as being those who are in His spiritual kingdom - that such are signified by kings in the Word, will be evident from what follows; and from the signification of priests, as denoting those who are in the good of love, and, because these constitute the celestial kingdom of the Lord, as denoting those who are in His celestial kingdom. (That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are in general distinguished, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 20-28; and that the spiritual kingdom is called the regal kingdom of the Lord, and the celestial kingdom His priestly kingdom, may be seen in the same work, n. 24.) Mention is made of kings in many places in the prophetic Word, and those who are ignorant of the internal sense, believe that kings are there meant; kings, however, are not meant, but all those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity, from the Lord; the reason is, that the Lord is the only King, and those who, from the Lord, are in truths from good, are called His sons. This is why, by princes, sons of the kingdom, sons of kings, and also by kings such are meant; and that abstractedly from persons, as is the case in heaven, truths from good are meant, or, what is the same thing, faith from charity; because truth pertains to faith, and good to charity.

[2] That kings are not meant, may be evident from the expression alone here used, namely, that Jesus Christ hath made us kings and priests; and afterwards,

"Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth" (Apoc. 5:10);

And in Matthew:

"The [good] seed are the sons of the kingdom" (13:38)

the seed sown in the field denotes truths from good, which man has from the Lord (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3373, 10248, 10249). Every one also may perceive that the Lord will not make all those who are there treated of kings, that He calls them kings from the power and the glory belonging to those who are in truths from good from the Lord.

From these considerations it may now be seen, that by king, in the prophetic Word, is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, and by kings and princes, those who are in truths from good from the Lord; and, as most terms used in the Word have also an opposite sense, in that sense kings signify those who are in falsities from evil.

[3] That by king in the Word is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, is evident from the words of the Lord Himself to Pilate:

"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is in the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?" (John 18:37, 38).

From the question of Pilate, What is truth? it is evident that he understood that the Lord called truth a king; but because he was a Gentile, and knew nothing from the Word, he could not be instructed that Divine truth was from the Lord, and that He was Divine truth; therefore, immediately after his question, "He went out to the Jews, saying, I find no fault in him"; and afterwards put upon the cross,

"This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. And when the chief priests said unto him, Write not, The king of the Jews, but that he said, I am the king of the Jews, Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written" (John 19:19-22).

[4] These things being understood, it may be known what is meant by kings in the following passages in the Apocalypse:

"The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared" (16:12).

With the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, "the kings of the earth have committed fornication" (17:1, 2).

"The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings; five are fallen, the other is not yet come. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have not yet received the kingdom, but they receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords and King of kings" (17:9, 10, 12, 14).

"And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (17:18).

"All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of the fornication" of Babylon, "and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her" (18:3).

"And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war with him that sat on the horse, and with his army" (19:19).

"And the nations which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it" (21:24).

In these passages by kings are not meant kings, but all who are either in truths from good, or in falsities from evil, as said above.

In like manner in Daniel, by "the king of the south," and "the king of the north," who made war against each other (11:1to the end). By the king of the south are there meant those who are in the light of truth from good, and by the king of the north those who are in darkness from evil. (That the south in the Word signifies those who are in the light of truth from good, may be seen,Arcana Coelestia 1458, 3708, 3195, 5672, 9642, and the north those who are in the darkness of falsity from evil, n. 3708, and in general in the work, Heaven and Hell 141-153; where the four quarters in heaven are treated of.)

[5] Kings are also frequently mentioned by the prophets in the Old Testament, where also are likewise meant those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and, in an opposite sense, those who are in falsities from evil; as in Isaiah:

"He shall disperse many nations; kings shall shut their mouths upon him; because what was [not] told them they have seen, and what they have not heard they have understood" (52:15).

And in the same:

"Zion of the Holy One of Israel, thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breasts of kings" (60:16).

Also, in the same:

"Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and princesses thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth" (49:23).

And moreover in Isaiah 14:9; 24:21; 60:10; Jerem. 2:26; 4:9; 49:38; Lament. 2:6, 9; Ezekiel 7:26, 27; Hosea, 3:4; Zeph. 1:8; Psalm 2:10; 110:5. Falsities, Genesis 49:20.

[6] Because kings signify those who are in truths from good from the Lord, therefore it became a custom from ancient times, that kings, when they were crowned, should be distinguished by certain insignia which signify truths from good; as, for example, that the king should be anointed with oil, that he should wear a crown of gold, that he should hold a sceptre in the right hand, that he should be clothed with a crimson robe, that he should sit upon a throne of silver, and that he should ride with his insignia upon a white horse. (For oil signifies good from which is truth, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 886, 4683, 9780, 9954, 10011, 10261, 10268; a crown of gold upon the head has a similar signification, n. 9930; a sceptre, which is a staff, signifies the power of truth from good, n. 4581, 4876, 4966; a robe and cloak signifies Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom, n. 9825, 10005; and crimson, the spiritual love of good, n. 9467; a throne, the kingdom of truth from good, n. 5313, 6397, 8625; and silver, that truth itself, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.) A white horse signifies the understanding enlightened from truths (as may be seen in the little work, The White Horse 1-5. That rituals observed at the coronation of kings involve such things, but that the knowledge thereof is at this day lost, see also n. 4581, 4966).

[7] Since it is evident from these things what is signified by king in the Word, I will add to the above, why the Lord, when He entered Jerusalem, sat upon the foal of an ass, and why the people then proclaimed Him king, and also strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:1-8; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:14-16); which is predicted in Zechariah:

"Exult, O daughter of Zion! shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee, just and having salvation; riding upon an ass, and upon the foal of an ass" (9:9; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15).

The reason of this was, that to sit upon an ass, and upon the foal of an ass, was the mark of distinction belonging to a chief, judge and also to a king. This is evident from the following passages:

"My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel, ye who ride upon white asses" (Judges 5:9, 10).

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; who shall bind his ass's foal to the vine, and the son of his she-ass to the noble vine" (Genesis 49:10, 11).

Because to sit upon an ass and the foal of an ass was a sign of such rank, therefore the judges rode upon white asses (Judges 5:9, 10), and their sons upon asses' colts (Judges 10:4, and 12:14); and a king himself, when he was crowned, upon a she-mule (1 Kings 1:33), and his sons upon mules (2 Sam. 13:29). He who does not know what is signified in a representative sense by a horse, a mule, and the foal of an ass, supposes that the Lord's riding upon the foal of an ass, signified affliction and humiliation; whereas it signified regal magnificence; therefore also the people then proclaimed the Lord king, and strewed their garments upon the way. (The reason why this was done when He went into Jerusalem was because by Jerusalem is signified the church, as may be seen in the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 6; that garments signify truths clothing good, and ministering to it, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia, n. 1073, 2576, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536, and in the work, Heaven and Hell 177-182.)

[8] From these things it is now evident what is signified by king and by kings in the Word, so also, what by the Anointed, Messiah, and Christ; for Anointed, Messiah, and Christ, just as King, signify the Lord as to Divine truth going forth from His Divine good; for a king is called the anointed, and the term signifying anointed is Messiah in Hebrew and Christ in Greek. (But that the Lord, as to His Divine Human was alone "the Anointed of Jehovah," because in Him alone was the Divine good of the Divine love from conception, because He was conceived of Jehovah; but all the anointed only represented Him, as may be seen, n. 9954, 10011, 10269. But that priests signified the good that exists in the celestial kingdom may be seen in Arcana Coelestia, where it is shown that priests represented the Lord as to Divine good, n.2015, 6148; that the priesthood was representative of the Lord as to the work of salvation, because this was from the Divine good of His Divine love, see n. 9809; that the priesthood of Aaron, of his sons, and of the Levites was representative of the work of salvation in successive order, see n. 10017; that hence by the priesthood, and by priesthoods in the Word, is signified the good of love which is from the Lord, see n. 9806, 9809. That by the two names, Jesus and Christ, is signified both His priestly and His regal function, that is, by Jesus is signified the Divine good, and by Christ the Divine truth, n.3004, 3005, 3009. That priests who do not acknowledge the Lord, and also kings, represent the contrary of the above, or evil and the falsity from evil, n. 3670.)