630. And the court which is without the temple cast out, and measure it not.- That this signifies that the external of the Word, and therefore of the church and of worship, is not to be explored, is evident from the signification of the court, which denotes the external of the Word, and therefore of the church and worship. The court has this signification because the temple signifies heaven and the church as to Divine Truth, as shown above, and consequently the court, which was without the temple, or before the front of the temple, signifies the first or ultimate heaven. For the temple, considered in itself, signifies the higher heavens. The adytum (or oracle), where the ark of the covenant was, signified the inmost or third heaven, and the temple without the adytum, the middle or second heaven, and therefore the court signified the ultimate or first heaven. And that which signifies heaven, signifies also the church, for the church is the Lord's heaven on earth, and that which signifies the church, signifies also the Word, and also worship, for the Word is the Divine Truth, from which heaven and the church exist, and worship is according to Divine Truth, which is the Word. For this reason the court signifies the external or ultimate of heaven and of the church, and also the external or ultimate of the Word and of worship.

[2] The Word and worship resemble heaven and the church; for in the Word there are three distinct senses, just as there are three heavens. The inmost sense, which is called the celestial sense, is for the inmost or third heaven; the middle sense, which is called the spiritual sense, is for the middle or second heaven; and the ultimate sense, which is called the celestial and spiritual-natural sense, is for the ultimate or first heaven. These three senses, in addition to the natural, which is for the world, are in the Word and in every detail of it. And because the three heavens possess the Word, and each heaven is in its own sense of the Word, and their heaven and also their worship exist in consequence, it therefore follows that that which signifies heaven signifies also the Word and worship. Now it is from this fact that the court signifies the external of the Word, and therefore the external of the church and of worship.

[3] Moreover, it must be noted that there were two courts to the temple, one without the temple, and the other within; the court without the temple signifies the very entrance into heaven and the church, where those are who are being introduced into heaven, and the court within the temple represents the ultimate heaven. It is similar with the church as it is both with the Word and with worship; for the court without the temple signifies the external of the Word, that is, the Word such as it is in the natural sense, which is for the world, by means of which man is introduced into its spiritual sense, in which are the angels of heaven. But the signification of each court, the inner and the outer, will be shown in what follows; the reason also why it is said here that the court without the temple should be cast out and not measured, will be shown in the following article, where the signification of its being given to the nations will be explained.

[4] From what has been said the signification of court and courts in the Word can now be seen in some degree in the following passages.

In Moses:

"Thou shalt make the court of the habitation at the corner of the south towards the south, hangings for the court," twenty pillars, twenty bases, the hooks of the pillars and the fillets of silver; the gate of the court with the veil; the length thereof shall be one hundred cubits from the south to the north, and the breadth thereof fifty from the east to the west (Exodus 27:9-18).

This court was the court of the tent of meeting, which similarly represented and signified the ultimate or first heaven. For the tent of meeting represented heaven; its inmost, where the ark was, over which was the propitiatory, represented the inmost or third heaven. The law in the ark represented the Lord Himself as to Divine Truth or the Word; and the tent without the veil, where the table for the loaves, the altar of incense, and the lampstand were, represented the middle or second heaven; while the court represented the ultimate or first heaven. That the three heavens were represented by that tent may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485); but what is specifically signified by the court, and by all things pertaining to it, may be seen (n. 9741-9775).

[5] Because the court represented the ultimate heaven, and consequently also the external of the church, of the Word, and of worship, therefore the residue of the meat-offerings and of the sacrifices for sin were eaten by Aaron and his sons in the court (Leviticus 6:16, 26). By eating those sanctified things in the court was signified to appropriate to themselves the goods of the church, signified by the meat-offerings and sacrifices; and all appropriation of holy things is effected by means of ultimates, for there can be no appropriation of interior and holy things except by means of ultimates.

[6] Moreover, concerning the courts of the temple it is thus written in the First Book of Kings:

Solomon made "a court before the front of the temple of the house," and "afterwards he built the inner court, three rows of hewn stones, and a row of hewn cedar" (6:3, 36).

The temple similarly represented heaven and the church. The adytum (or oracle) where the ark was, represented the inmost or third heaven, also the church with those who are in inmost things, which is called the celestial church. The temple without the adytum (or oracle) represented the middle or second heaven, also the church with those who are in the middle, which is called the internal-spiritual church. The inner court represented the ultimate or first heaven, also the church with those who are in ultimates, which is called the internal-natural church; but the outer court represented the entrance into heaven.

[7] And because the temple, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord as to His Divine Human, and also as to Divine Truth, therefore it also signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Word, for this is the Divine Truth in the church. That the Divine Human of the Lord is signified by the temple, is evident from the Lord's words, where He saith,

"Destroy this temple, but in three days I will raise it up; and He spake of the temple of His body" (John 2:18-23).

That the temple signifies the church, is evident from these words of the Lord, that

"there should not be left of the temple one stone upon another which should not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:1, 2; Luke 21:5-7).

These words mean that all Divine Truth, consequently every thing of the church, would perish; for the end of the church, called the consummation of the age, is there treated of.

[8] That there were two courts built, an inner and an outer, with little chambers, porticoes or colonnades, and many other things, is evident from the description of them in Ezekiel:

The angel "brought me to the outer court, where behold were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about, thirty chambers upon the pavement," which he measured as to the length and the breadth, and he also measured the bed chambers, and the porticoes, and the gate, every thing as to length and breadth (40:17-22, 31, 34, and following verses; chap. 42:1-14).

And concerning the inner court in the same prophet; he measured the inner court, the gates thereof towards the north, the east, and the south; the porticoes, the steps with the ascents, the bed-chambers, the chambers of the singers, the upper lintels (40:23-31, 44, and the following verses).

And in Jeremiah:

"In the chamber of Gemariah the scribe, in the upper court, at the door of the gate of the new house" (36:10).

In the prophet Ezekiel, from chap. 40 to chap. 48, a new city, a new temple, and a new earth are treated of, which signify the new church which was to be established by the Lord. The chambers, bed-chambers, porticoes, and the rest, signify such things as pertain to the church, its doctrine and worship; and their dimensions signify the quality of these, as shown in the article above. But it does not belong to this place to explain the signification of the details, except to say that the courts signify the external things of heaven and of the church, and thence the externals of the Word and of worship. And this is evident from this fact alone, that the temple in general signifies heaven and the church, therefore the three divisions of the temple, or the courts, the temple itself, and the adytum (or oracle), signify the three heavens, according to their degrees. The nature and quality of the three heavens, according to their degrees, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 29-40).

[9] That heaven and the church are signified by the temple and the court, may appear more fully from these words in Ezekiel:

"The spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court" of the temple, "when behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house; and I heard one speaking unto me out of the house," saying, "Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever" (43:4-7).

That these courts signify the ultimate heaven, or the external of the church, is evident from its being said, that he was brought into the court, and thence saw the house filled with the glory of Jehovah, the glory of Jehovah denoting the Divine Truth, which makes heaven and the church; also because that house was the place of the throne of Jehovah, and the place of the soles of His feet, where He will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever. That the throne of Jehovah means heaven, may be seen above (n. 253, 297, 343, 460, 462, 477, 482); and that the place of the soles of the feet of Jehovah means the church, may also be seen above (n. 606). The sons of Israel mean all who are of the church of the Lord; therefore to dwell with them for ever, signifies the continual presence of the Lord with them.

[10] In the same:

"The glory of Jehovah lifted up itself from above the cherub over the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with a cloud, and the cloud filled the inner court, and the court was full of the shining of the glory of Jehovah; and the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court" (10:4, 3, 5).

The cherubim seen by the prophet represented the Lord as to Providence and protection that He may not be approached except by means of the good of love; consequently the cherubim signify the higher heavens, specifically the inmost heaven, for that protection (tutela) is there, as may be seen above (n. 277, 313, 322, 362, 370, 462). By the house which was filled with the cloud is therefore signified heaven and the church. The inner court, which the cloud also filled, signifies the ultimate heaven, and the outer court, as far as the part where the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard, signifies the entrance into heaven, which specifically is in the natural world, and afterwards in the world of spirits; for man enters into heaven through the church in the world, and afterwards through the world of spirits. What the world of spirits is, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 421-431), and following paragraphs. But the cloud, and the shining of the glory of Jehovah, signify the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.

[11] From these things the signification of courts in the following passages is evident; as in David:

"Blessed is he whom thou choosest, and causest to approach; he shall inhabit thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the good of thy house, with the holy [place] of thy temple" (Psalm 65:4).

These words signify that those who are in charity, or in spiritual affection, shall live in heaven, and be in intelligence and wisdom there from Divine Truth and Divine Good. The elect, or he whom thou choosest, signifies those who are in love towards the neighbour or in charity. By causing to approach is signified spiritual affection or love, for so far as man is in that love or in that affection, so far is he with the Lord, since every one approaches Him according to that love. By inhabiting the courts is signified to live in heaven, to inhabit denoting to live, and the courts denoting heaven. To be satisfied with the good of the house signifies to be in wisdom from Divine Good; and to be satisfied with the holy [place] of the temple is signified to be in intelligence from Divine Truth, and from both to partake of heavenly joy. The house of God signifies heaven and the church as to Divine Good, and the temple, heaven and the church as to Divine Truth, while holy has reference to spiritual good, which is truth.

[12] Again:

"A day in thy courts is better than thousands, I have chosen to stand at the gate in the house of my God" (Psalm 84:10).

The courts here signify the first or ultimate heaven, by means of which there is entrance into the higher heavens, therefore it is added, I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God.

Again:

"Give unto Jehovah the glory of His name, bring an offering, and come into His courts" (Psalm 96:8).

Again:

"Praise ye the name of Jehovah, praise, O ye servants of Jehovah, who stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God" (Psalm 135:1, 2).

Again:

"How amiable are thy habitations, O Jehovah Zebaoth, my soul hath desired, yea, it hath been consumed for the courts of Jehovah" (Psalm 84:1, 2).

Again:

"Enter ye his gates in confession, his courts in praise, confess ye to him, bless his name" (Psalm 100:4).

Again:

"I will pay my vows to Jehovah before all his people, in the courts of the house of Jehovah, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem" (Psalm 116:14, 18, 19).

Again:

"The just shall flourish as the palm, he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon, they that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall spring up in the courts of our God" (Psalm 92:12, 13).

That the courts mentioned in these passages mean heaven, specifically the ultimate heaven, and the church, is evident without explanation.

[13] Similarly in the following passages; as in Isaiah:

"They shall gather" the corn and the new wine, "they shall eat and shall praise Jehovah, and they who shall gather it together shall drink in the courts of my holiness" (62:9).

By collecting the corn and the new wine (mustum) is signified instruction in the goods and truths of doctrine and of the church. By they shall eat and shall praise Jehovah is signified appropriation and the worship of the Lord. By they who gather it together shall drink in the courts of my holiness is signified the fruition of Divine Truth, and thence of felicity in the heavens.

[14] Again in Joel:

"Between the court and the altar let the priests weep, the ministers of Jehovah, and let them say, Spare thy people, Jehovah" (2:17).

Weeping between the court and the altar signifies lamentation over the vastation of Divine Truth and Divine Good in the church; for the court, like the temple, signifies the church as to Divine Truth, and the altar, the church as to Divine Good, therefore between the court and the altar signifies the marriage of truth and good, which makes heaven and the church; and by weeping is signified lamentation over the vastation thereof. Courts signify the ultimates of heaven, and also the externals of the church, of the Word, and of worship, elsewhere in the Word; as in Isaiah (1:12); Zech. (3:7).

278. (5:7) And the first animal was like a lion. That this signifies the appearance in ultimates of the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as to power and effect, is evident from the signification of a lion, as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as to power and effect, which will be explained in what follows. The reason why it denotes appearance in ultimates is because the cherubim were seen as animals, and the first was like a lion. It is said in ultimates because that appearance was before John when he was in the spirit, and he then saw all things in ultimates, in which celestial and spiritual Divine things are variously represented, sometimes by gardens and parks, sometimes by palaces and temples, sometimes by rivers and waters, sometimes by animals of various descriptions, as by lions, camels, horses, oxen, heifers, sheep, lambs, doves, eagles, and many others. Similar things were seen by the prophets by whom the Word was written, in order that the Word in its ultimates, which are the things contained in the sense of the letter, might consist of such things as are in the world, which were representations and correspondences of celestial and spiritual things, and thus serve for a basis and foundation to the spiritual sense. It was for this heaven also that the cherubim, by which are signified the guardianship and providence of the Lord that the higher heavens may not be approached except by the good of love and of charity, were seen by John, and also by Ezekiel, to have faces like animals. Because it is the Lord who guards and provides, and this by Divine truth and Divine good, thus by His Divine wisdom and intelligence, therefore there were seen four animals, respectively like a lion, a calf, a man and an eagle.

[2] By the lion was represented the power of Divine truth; by the calf, the Divine good as to protection; by the man, the Divine wisdom; and by the eagle, the Divine intelligence. These four are included in the Divine providence of the Lord as to the guardianship of the higher heavens, that they may not be approached except by the good of love and of charity.

That a lion signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as to power, is evident from the following passages in the Word; as in Moses:

"Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he lay down as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?" (Genesis 49:9).

By Judah is here signified the Lord's Celestial Kingdom, where all are in power from the Lord by means of Divine truth; this power is meant by a lion's whelp, and by an old lion. By the prey from which he went up is signified the dissipation of falsities and evils; by stooping down is signified to put himself into power; by lying down is signified to be in security from every falsity and evil; therefore it is said, "who shall rouse him up?" (That by Judah in the Word is signified the Celestial Kingdom, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3634, 3881, 5603, 5782, 6363. That by prey, when said of that kingdom and concerning the Lord, is signified the dissipation of falsities and evils, and snatching away and deliverance from hell, Arcana Coelestia 6368, 6442; that by stooping, when said of the lion, is signified to put himself into power, n. 6369; and that to lie down, signifies a state of security and tranquillity, n. 3696).

[3] In the same:

"At this time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What hath God wrought? Behold, the people riseth up as an old lion, and lifteth up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eat of the spoil" (Numbers 23:23, 24).

And in the same:

"He coucheth, he lieth down as an old lion; who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (24:9).

The subject here treated of is Jacob and Israel, by whom is signified the Lord's Spiritual Kingdom; their power is described by an old and a young lion rising, lifting himself up, and couching; the dissipation of falsities and evils is signified by eating of the spoil; and a state of security and tranquillity by he lieth down, who shall stir him up? (That by Jacob and Israel in the Word is signified the Lord's Spiritual Kingdom, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4286, 4570, 5973, 6426, 8805, 9340. What the Lord's Celestial Kingdom is, and what His Spiritual Kingdom, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 20-28. That to couch denotes to put himself into power, that prey and spoil denote the dissipation of falsities and evils, and that lying down when said of a lion denotes a state of security and tranquillity, see above).

[4] Again in Nahum:

"Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions? where walked the lion, the old lion, the lion's whelp, and none making afraid?" (2:11).

By lions here also are signified those who are in power by means of Divine truth; by their dwelling is signified, where there are such in the church; by their feeding place are signified the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good; by their walking and none making afraid is signified their state of security from evils and falsities.

[5] Again, in Micah

"The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people, as a dew from Jehovah, as the drops upon the herb, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, will tread down, and disperse in pieces, so that none delivereth. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine enemies, and all thine adversaries shall be cut off" (Micah 5:7-9).

By the remnant of Jacob are signified the truths and goods of the church; by dew from Jehovah is signified spiritual truth; by the drops upon the herb, natural truth. By a lion among the beasts of the forest, and by a young lion among the flocks of sheep, also by treading down and dispersing, so that none delivereth, is signified power over evils and falsities. On account of this signification it is said, "Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine enemies, and all thine adversaries shall be cut off"; for by enemies are signified evils, and by adversaries falsities (as may be seen Arcana Coelestia 2851, 8289, 9314, 10481).

[6] In Isaiah:

"The Lord said, Go, set a watchman, who shall behold and declare. And he saw a chariot, a pair of horsemen, a chariot of an ass, a chariot of a camel, and he hearkened a hearkening; a lion upon the watch tower cried aloud: O Lord! I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set upon my guard all the night; Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (21:6-9).

The subject here treated of is the advent of the Lord, and a new church at that time. By a lion upon the watch tower is signified the guardianship and providence of the Lord; therefore it is said, "I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set upon my guard all the nights." By a chariot and by a pair of horsemen is signified the doctrine of truth from the Word. By hearkening a hearkening is signified a life according to that truth. (That chariot signifies the doctrine of truth, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2761, 2762, 5321, 8029, 8215: that horseman signifies the Word as to understanding may be seen, n. 2761, 6401, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148).

[7] In the same:

"Like as a lion and a young lion roareth on his prey when a multitude of shepherds goeth out against him so shall Jehovah of hosts descend to war upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof" (31:4).

In this passage Jehovah is compared to a lion roaring, because by a lion is signified the power of leading out from hell, or from evils, and by roaring is signified defence against evils and falsities; therefore it is said, "so shall Jehovah of hosts descend to war upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof." Mount Zion and the hill thereof denotes the celestial church and the spiritual church; and the prey upon which the lion and the young lion is said to roar signifies deliverance from evils, which are from hell.

[8] To roar, when said of the lion, has the same signification in Hosea:

"I will not return to destroy Ephraim, they will go after Jehovah as a lion roareth" (11:9, 10).

In Amos:

"The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord Jehovih hath spoken, who will not prophesy?" (3:8).

In the Apocalypse,

"The angel cried with a loud voice, as a lion roareth" (10:3).

And in David:

"The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together and lie down in their dwellings" (Psalms 104:21, 22).

By these words in David is described the state of the angels of heaven when they are not in a state of intense love and wisdom therefrom; and, when they return into that state, the former state is described by the lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their food from God. The latter state is described by the sun arising, and their gathering themselves together, and lying down in their dwellings. By lions are meant the angels of heaven; by their roaring is meant desire; by prey and food are meant the good of love and the truth of wisdom; by the sun arising is meant the Lord as to love and wisdom thence; by their gathering themselves together, their returning into a celestial state; and by lying down in their dwellings, a state of tranquillity and peace (concerning these two states of the angels of heaven, see in the work, Heaven and Hell 154-161).

[9] Because Jehovah is compared to a lion from Divine truth as to power, therefore the Lord is called a lion in the Apocalypse:

"Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David" (5:5).

And because all power is from the Lord by means of Divine truth, therefore this is also signified by a lion; as in Moses:

"And of Gad he said, Blessed is he who hath given breadth to Gad; as a lion he dwelleth, he seizeth the arm, also the crown of the head" (Deuteronomy 33:20).

By Gad is signified, in the highest sense, omnipotence, and hence in the representative sense the power of truth (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia, n 3934, 3935). Hence it is said, "Blessed is he who hath given breadth to Gad," for by breadth is signified truth (see Arcana Coelestia 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482, 9487, 10179; that all power is from Divine truth, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell, in the article concerning the power of the angels of heaven, n. 228-233).

[10] Because by lion is signified power, therefore in the lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan, it is said,

"Saul and Jonathan were lovely, they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions" (2 Sam. 1:23).

By Saul in this passage, as a king, and by Jonathan, as the son of a king, is meant truth defending the church, the subject treated of being the doctrine of truth and good; for that lamentation was inscribed "to teach the sons of Judah the bow" (ver. 18). By the bow is signified that doctrine (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2686, 2709, 6422).

[11] Because by the kings of Judah and Israel the Lord was represented as to Divine truth, and because by a throne was represented judgment, which is executed from Divine truth, and by lions were represented power, guardianship and defence against falsities and evils, therefore near the two stays of the throne built by Solomon there were two lions, and twelve upon the six steps on the one side and on the other (1 Kings 10:18-20). From these considerations it is evident what is signified by lions in the Word when the subject treated is the Lord, heaven and the church. Lions also, in the Word, in an opposite sense, signify the power of falsity from evil, by which the church is destroyed and devastated; as in Jeremiah:

"The young lions roar against him, they utter their voice, they reduce the earth to wasteness" (2:15).

And in Isaiah:

A nation "whose darts are sharp, and all his bows bent, the hoofs of his horses are accounted as rock, his roaring as of a lion, he roareth as a young lion, he roareth and layeth hold of the prey" (5:28, 29).

Also in many other places, as in Isaiah 11:6; 35:9; Jeremiah 4:7; 5:6; 12:8; 50:17; 51:38; Ezekiel 19:3, 5, 6; Hosea 13:7, 8; Joel 1:6, 7; Psalms 17:12; 22:13; 57:4; 58:6; 91:13.