714. And behold a great red dragon, signifies all who are merely natural and sensual from the love of self, and yet have more or less knowledge from the Word, from doctrine therefrom or from preaching, and think to be saved by knowledge alone apart from life. This is evident from the signification of "dragon," as being a man who is merely natural and sensual, and yet has a knowledge of things in themselves spiritual, whether from the Word or from preaching or from religion (of which presently); also from the signification of "great red," as meaning to be in the love of self and in its evils; for "great" is predicated in the Word of good, and in the contrary sense of evil, as "many" is predicated of truths, and in the contrary sense of falsities (See above, n. 336, 337, 424), and "red" is predicated of love in both senses, namely, of celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and in the contrary sense of diabolical love, which is the love of self (of which also above, n. 364). This shows that "a great red dragon" means all who are merely natural and sensual from the love of self, and yet have more or less knowledge from the Word or from doctrine therefrom or from preaching, and who think to be saved by knowledge alone without the life of charity. Such think to be saved by knowledge alone without the life of charity, because all who live for the body and the world, and not for God and heaven, become merely natural and sensual; for everyone is inwardly formed according to his life, and to live for the body and the world is to live a natural and sensual life, while to live for God and heaven is to live a spiritual life.

[2] Every man is born sensual from his parents; and by his life in the world becomes natural more and more interiorly, that is, rational, according to his moral and civil life and the lumen acquired therefrom; afterwards he becomes a spiritual man by means of truths from the Word or from doctrine from the Word, and by a life according to these truths. From this it can be seen that one who knows the things taught in the Word or in doctrine or by a preacher, and does not live according to them, however learned and erudite he may appear, is nevertheless not spiritual but natural, and even sensual, for knowledge [scientia] and the ability to reason do not make man spiritual, but the life itself.

This is so because knowledge and the faculty of reasoning are merely natural, and can therefore also be with evil men, even with the worst of men; but truths from the Word with a life according to them are what make man spiritual, for life is willing truths and doing them from a love of them; this is not possible to the natural man alone, but must come from the spiritual, and from its influx into the natural; for to love truths and from love to will them and from that will to do them is from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, and is in its nature celestial and Divine; this cannot flow in immediately into the natural mind, but only mediately through the spiritual mind, which is capable of being opened and formed for the reception of heavenly light and heat, that is, for the reception of Divine truth and Divine good. These cannot flow immediately into the natural mind, for the reason that man's hereditary evils, which belong to the love of self and the world, have their seat in that mind; therefore the natural man, viewed in itself, loves nothing but self and the world, and from love wills, and from will does those evils, and these block the way to the influx of anything out of heaven into the natural man, and its reception there; therefore it has been provided by the Lord that these evils can be removed, and for a place to be given for the truths and goods of spiritual love, namely, by the opening and formation of the spiritual mind which is above the natural mind, and by the influx of heaven from the Lord through that mind into the natural mind.

[3] This has been said that it may be known that to know the things that are of the Word and of the doctrine of the church does not make man spiritual, but a life according to those things that the Lord has commanded in the Word; therefore although such know many things from the Word they yet remain natural and sensual. Such are signified in the Word by "the dragon." They therefore are signified by "the dragon" because the dragon is a kind of serpent that not only creeps on the ground but also flies, and thence it appears in heaven; and it is because of this flying and appearing in heaven that the dragon means those who are in a knowledge of the truths from the Word, and not in a life according to them, "serpents" in general signifying the sensual things of man (See above, n. 581), and this is why "the dragon" (in the ninth verse of this chapter and in the second verse of the twentieth chapter) Revelation 12:9, 20:2, is called "the old serpent."

[4] Since in the rest of this chapter and also afterwards "the dragon" is treated of, it shall be told what sort of persons, in general and in particular, it signifies. In general it signifies those who are more or less natural, and yet are in a knowledge of spiritual things from the Word. But in particular it signifies those who have confirmed themselves by doctrine and life in a faith separated from charity. These constitute the head of the dragon. But those who from self-intelligence hatch out for themselves dogmas from the Word constitute its body, while those who study the Word without doctrine constitute its external parts. All these also falsify and adulterate the Word, since they are in the love of self, and thence in the pride of self-intelligence, from which they become merely natural, yea, even sensual, and the sensual man is unable to see the genuine truths of the Word because of fallacies, obscurity of perception, and the evils of the body residing therein; for the sensual clings to the body, from which such things come.

[5] 1. In the first place, "the dragon" means in general those who are more or less natural, and yet are in a knowledge of spiritual things from the Word, because "serpents" signify in general the sensual things in man, and thence sensual men; therefore "the dragon," which is a flying serpent, signifies the sensual man who yet flies towards heaven in that he talks and thinks from the Word or from doctrine from the Word. For the Word itself is spiritual, because it is in itself Divine, and is therefore in heaven. But since the mere knowledge of spiritual things from the Word does not make man spiritual, but a life according to those things that are in the Word, therefore all of those who are in knowledge from the Word and are not in a life according to that knowledge are natural and even sensual.

[6] The sensual who are meant by "the dragon" are those who do not see anything from the light of heaven, but only from the light of the world, and who from that light alone, when excited by the fire of the love of self and pride therefrom are able to talk about Divine things, and to reason keenly and readily about them; but yet they are unable to see whether these things be truths or not, calling that truth which they have imbibed from childhood from a master or preacher, and then from doctrine, and which they have afterwards confirmed by some passages of the Word not interiorly understood. Because they see nothing from the light of heaven they do not see truths, but in place of them falsities, which they call truths; for truths themselves can be seen only in the light of heaven, and not in the light of the world unless that light is illuminated by the light of heaven. These being such love no other than a bodily and worldly life; and as the pleasures and lusts of that life have their seat in the natural man the interiors of such are filthy and crowded with evils of every kind, which close up every way for the influx of the light and heat of heaven; consequently they are inwardly devils and satans, however much they may appear to be spiritual and to be Christians by their talk and simulated gestures. Such are merely sensual, for while they are able to talk outwardly about the holy things of the church, inwardly they believe nothing; and those who think they believe have only a historical and thence a persuasive belief derived from some teacher or from self-intelligence, which in itself is false, but which they believe for the sake of fame, honor, or gain. Such are meant in general by "dragons." But there are many that are signified in particular by the dragon, for there are some that have reference to the head, some to the body, and some to the external parts.

[7] 2. Those that have reference in particular to the head of the dragon are those who have confirmed themselves both by doctrine and by life in faith alone, which is faith separated from charity. These refer to the head of the dragon because most of them are erudite and are believed to be learned; for they have confirmed themselves in the belief that they are saved by simply thinking what the church teaches, which they call believing. But what their doctrine is and what their life is shall be told. Their doctrine is, that God the Father sent His Son, born from eternity, into the world, that He might become man, might fulfill all things of the law, might bear the iniquities of all and suffer the cross; and that thereby God the Father was reconciled and moved to compassion; and that those who from confidence were in a faith respecting these things would be received into heaven; and that the confidence of that faith, together with the Lord, would intercede and save; consequently that such a faith is given to mankind, who are separated from God the Father, as a medium of reception and salvation, because when Adam had eaten of the tree of knowledge man was no longer in a state to do good of himself, for he had thus lost, with the image of God, his free will; lastly, that these things are the Lord's merit, by which alone man can be saved. These in respect to doctrine are the primary things of faith with those who are in faith alone. Elsewhere, the Lord willing, it shall be explained and illustrated that no one can, from any spiritual sight, which is of the understanding, perceive and thus believe anything of this; but such things can be known and talked about only from the memory, without any understanding, thus that in that doctrine there is nothing of intelligence.

[8] Of what quality such as these are in respect to life shall also be stated. They teach that man is led of God by faith alone, even to the endeavor to do good, and that good itself in act contributes nothing to salvation, but faith alone does this, and that then nothing of evil condemns him, because he is in grace and is justified. Moreover, they have thought out the steps, which they call the progressions of faith alone, even to the last step of justification; the first is information as to the things that pertain to faith, especially those above mentioned; the second is confirmation from the Word or from preaching; the third is mental investigation whether it be so or not; and as doubt and consequent wavering, which is temptation, then flow in, there must be confirmation from the Word respecting the operation of faith, from which comes confidence, which is victory. They add that heed must be taken that the understanding be not allowed to go further than to secure confirmations from the Word respecting justification by faith alone; if it goes beyond this and is not kept in obedience to faith the man is overcome. The fourth and last step is an endeavor to do good; and this is an influx from God and not at all from man, and is the fruit of faith; for they say that after a man has thus been fully justified nothing of evil condemns him and nothing of good saves him, but faith alone. From this it is clear what such are in respect to life, namely, that they live for themselves and not for God, and for the world and not for heaven; for this follows from the belief that evils do not condemn and that goods do not save. Nor do they know that faith without the life of charity is not faith, and that man ought to shun evils and do good as of himself, and yet to believe that it is from the Lord, and that otherwise evils cannot be shaken off, nor goods appropriated. But more will be said also about this elsewhere.

[9] Such is the doctrine and the life with those who form the head of the dragon, who for the most part are the erudite leaders, but few are from the common people; and for the reason that the leaders regard these things as secrets of theology that cannot be comprehended by the common people because of their secular employments. These belong to the head of the dragon for the reason also that they pervert and falsify all the things of the Word which teach love, charity, and life; for the Word, viewed in itself, is simply the doctrine of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor, and nowhere the doctrine of faith separate from charity. Such falsify the Word by calling them either faith or such fruit as is not eaten, because they give no thought to doing, and thus they are not nourished by that fruit. Moreover, they admit these principles no further than into the memory, and therefrom into the thought nearest to it, which is sensual thought, in which there is nothing spiritual, and this thought does not inquire whether a thing is true; therefore they guard against the entrance of anything into the interior sight which is of the understanding, being unwilling to know that all these things respecting their faith said above are contrary to an enlightened understanding, as they are contrary to the genuine sense of the Word. This is why those who constitute the head of the dragon have no genuine truth, for from a false principle, such as faith alone, nothing can flow forth except falsities in a continual series; nor indeed can there be any such thing as faith alone, for faith apart from charity is not faith, since charity is the soul of faith, therefore to speak of faith alone is to speak of what is without a soul, thus without life, which in itself is dead.

[10] 3. That those constitute the body of the dragon who have hatched out for themselves from self-intelligence dogmas from the Word can be seen from this, that all of such who study the Word and are in the love of self are also in the pride of self-intelligence, and all who are in this pride and at the same time excel in cleverness from natural lumen, hatch out dogmas therefrom for themselves; this is the origin of all the heresies and all the falsities in the Christian world. It shall be told what the intelligence is that is from man's own [proprium], and what the intelligence is that is not from man's own. Intelligence from man's own is from self, but intelligence not from man's own is from the Lord. All who are in the love of self have intelligence from what is their own, for love of self is man's very own [ipsum proprium]; and those are in the love of self who read the Word and gather up dogmas from it for the sake of fame, glory, and honor; and as such are unable to see any truths, but can see falsities only, they are in the body of the dragon; for they gather up and hatch out such things from the Word as favor their loves and the evils that flow from them, and such things as are contrary to their dogmas, which are truths from good, they either do not see or they pervert; but all who are in the spiritual affection of truth, that is, who love truth because it is truth and because it is serviceable to eternal life and to the life of men's souls, have intelligence from the Lord. It is said that their intelligence is not from their own [proprium] but from the Lord, because when such read the Word they are elevated above what is their own and even into the light of heaven, and are enlightened; in that light truth appears from truth itself, because the light of heaven is Divine truth. But they who are in the love of self and in the pride of self-intelligence therefrom cannot be elevated out of their own, for they look to self continually, thus in every least thing they do. Thence it is that they place everything of salvation in faith in their own dogmas, thus in knowing and thinking, and not at the same time in life, that is, not in willing and doing. These, therefore, constitute the body of the dragon. The heart of this body is the love of self, and the breath of its respiration, or of its spirit, is the pride of self-intelligence; from these two the dragon is called "great red," and the term "red" [rufus] in the original Greek text is from fiery-red, thus from love and pride.

[11] 4. Those who study the Word without doctrine and are at the same time in the love of self, constitute the externals of the draconic body. Externals are what proceed from the interiors, and involve, inclose, and contain them, like the skins, the scales, and the prominences on every part. Such constitute the externals of the dragon's body because they are without the intelligence of the spiritual things of the Word; for they only know the Word in respect to the sense of its letter, which is such that, unless doctrine lights the way, it may lead into errors and falsities of every kind; consequently those who study the Word without doctrine are able to confirm as many heresies as they will, and also to embrace them, and also to protect them by the loves of self and of the world and the evils arising therefrom. For the sense of the letter of the Word is the ultimate sense of Divine truth, thus it is for the natural and sensual man, adapted to its apprehension, and often so as to favor it; consequently unless it is read and viewed from doctrine, as from a lamp, it carries the mind away into darkness respecting many things that pertain to heaven and the church. And yet such believe themselves to be wise above all others, when in fact they are not wise at all.

[12] 5. All those who constitute the dragon adore God the Father, and look upon the Lord as a man like themselves, and not as God, or if as God they place His Divine above His Human, and not within it. This will be illustrated in what follows, where the combat of the dragon with Michael is treated of.

[13] 6. From this it can now be seen that the "tail" of the dragon means the falsification and adulteration of the Word by those who constitute its head, its body, and its extremities; for its tail, like the tail of every animal, is a continuation of the spine, which is an extension from the brain, and thus it is moved, bent, and vibrated, according to the appetites, lusts, and pleasures of the head and body, which it caresses, as it were. And inasmuch as all those that constitute the dragon falsify and adulterate the Word, because they are natural and sensual from the love of self and thence are in the pride of self-intelligence, therefore it is said that "the dragon with his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them unto the earth;" "the stars of heaven" signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, thence the truths from good therefrom, and "to cast them unto the earth" signifies to pervert and adulterate and thus destroy them.

[14] That those above described constitute the dragon, and that the adulteration and destruction of the truths of the Word are meant by "his tail," it has been given me to see in the spiritual world two or three times, for in that world all things that are seen are representative of things spiritual. When such persons are seen in the light of heaven they are seen as dragons with a long tail; and when many such are seen the tail appears extended from the south through the west into the north, and that tail is also seen to draw down as it were the stars from heaven and cast them unto the earth.

[15] As those above described are meant by "the dragon" and the falsification and adulteration of the Word by his "tail," the "habitation" and "bed" of dragons in the Word signify where there is nothing but falsity and evil, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

The dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty place springs of waters; in the habitation of dragons, its den, there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush (Isaiah 35:7).

This is said of the Lord's coming and of the establishment of a New Church by Him with the Gentiles; and these words mean that the truths and goods of the church shall be where they were not before, even where there were falsities and evils; where falsities and evils were before is signified by "the dry and thirsty place," and by "the habitation of dragons," also by "the reed and rush;" but the truths and goods that they will then have are signified by the "pool," the "springs of waters," the "den" where dragons were before, and the "grass."

[16] In Jeremiah:

I will make Jerusalem heaps, the habitation of dragons; and the cities of Judah will I reduce to a waste that there may be no inhabitant (Jeremiah 9:11).

The voice of a clamor, behold, a great tumult cometh from the land of the north, to reduce the cities of Judah to a waste, a habitation of dragons (Jeremiah 10:22).

"Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine, and "the cities of Judah" doctrinals, which are truths from the Word; the falsification of truth and the adulteration of good, from which come mere falsities and evils, are signified by "making Jerusalem heaps," and by "reducing the cities of Judah to a waste, a habitation of dragons," for truth falsified is mere falsity, and good adulterated is mere evil; "the voice of a clamor and a great tumult from the land of the north" signifies falsities fighting against truths, and evils against goods; "the land of the north" means where those are who are in falsities of evil.

[17] In the same:

Hazor shall become a habitation of dragons, a desolation even forever; a man shall not dwell there, nor shall the son of man abide there (Jeremiah 49:33).

"Hazor" signifies spiritual treasures, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word; their devastation even until they are no more, but falsities and evils in their place, is signified by "Hazor shall become a habitation of dragons, a desolation even forever;" that there will be no truth of the church remaining is signified by "a man shall not dwell there, nor shall the son of man abide in her," "son of man" meaning the truth of the church.

[18] In Isaiah:

The thorn shall come up in her palaces, the thistle and bramble in her fortresses; that she may be a habitation of dragons, a court for the daughters of the owl (Isaiah 34:13).

This is said of Edom and of the nations, which mean those who are in falsities and evils; "the thorns, the thistle, and the bramble," signify the falsities and evils in which these are; the dogmas by which they are defended are signified by "palaces and fortresses;" the devastation of all good and truth is signified by "a habitation of dragons, and a court for the daughters of the owl," "owls" meaning those who see falsities as truths, and "their daughters" the lusts of falsifying truths.

[19] In the same:

The ijim shall answer in her palaces, and dragons in the temples (Isaiah 13:22).

This is said of Babylon, which signifies the adulteration and profanation of good and truth; "her palaces" in which are the ijim, and the "temples" in which are dragons, signify the goods and truths of the Word and of the church, which are adulterated and profaned, "ijim" signifying adulterated and profaned truths, and "dragons" adulterated and profaned goods.

[20] In Micah:

For this I will lament and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a lamentation like dragons, and a mourning like the daughters of the owl (Mic. Micah 1:8).

This treats of the vastation of Samaria, which signifies the spiritual church in respect to doctrine, here that church vastated; devastation in respect to truth and good is signified by "going stripped and naked;" lamentation over it is signified by "lamenting and howling," lamentation over devastated good by "making a lamentation like dragons," and lamentation over devastated truth by "making a mourning like the daughters of the owl." The lamentation and mourning are said to be like that of "dragons and the daughters of the owl" in a representative sense; also "his going stripped and naked," "stripped" signifying, the like as the dragon, to be destitute of goods, and "naked," the like as the daughters of the owl, to be destitute of truths.

[21] In Jeremiah:

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up as a whale, he hath filled his belly with my delicacies, he hath thrust me out. Let Babylon become a heap, a habitation of dragons, a hissing and an astonishment, without inhabitant (Jeremiah 51:34, 37). Here, too, "Babylon" and "Nebuchadnezzar" signify the adulteration and profanation of good and truth. The dispersion of all truth, and thence the destruction of all good, is signified by "he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up as a whale, he hath filled his belly with my delicacies, he hath thrust me out," "whale" having a similar signification as "dragon," the same word being used for both in the original tongue. The devastation of all truth and good by their adulteration and profanation is signified by "Babylon shall become a heap, a habitation of dragons, a hissing and an astonishment, without inhabitant," "without inhabitant" signifying no good in anyone.

[22] In Job:

I walked blackened without the sun, I stood in the assembly, I cried out, I am become a brother to dragons and a companion to the daughters of the screech owl (Job 30:28, 29).

This is said of his state in temptations, in which man thinks himself to be damned; therefore "to walk blackened without the sun" signifies to be like a devil, without the good of love; "to stand in the assembly and cry out" signifies to be among truths and yet in falsities; "to become a brother to dragons and a companion to the daughters of the screech owl" signifies to be conjoined with and to be one with those who are in evils without good and in falsities without truths, "dragons" meaning those who adulterate goods and pervert them into evils, and "the daughters of the screech owl" those who do the same to truths.

[23] In David:

Our heart is not turned away backward, neither hath our step declined from Thy way, though Thou hast crushed us in the place of dragons, and covered us over with the shadow of death (Psalms 44:18, 19).

This, too, treats of temptations. That being then shut off, like a sensual man, from influx out of heaven, he did not perceive what is good and what is true, is signified by "God hath crushed him in the place of dragons, and covered him over with the shadow of death," "the place of dragons" meaning where those who are dragons are in hell, that is, those who have destroyed every good in themselves; the falsity in which these are is called "the shadow of death."

[24] In the same:

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder, the lion and the dragon shall he trample ¹ on; because he hath set his love upon Me I will rescue him, I will set him on high because he hath known My name (Psalms 91:13, 14).

To destroy the interior and exterior falsities that vastate the truths of the church is signified by "treading upon the lion and adder;" and to destroy the interior and exterior falsities that vastate the goods of the church is signified by "trampling on the lion and dragon;" to lead away from falsities and to lead to interior truths and goods one who is in doctrine from the Word is signified by "I will rescue him, I will set him on high, who ² hath known My name," "to rescue" meaning to lead away from falsities, "to set on high" to lead to interior truths, and "to know My name," to be in doctrine from the Word.

[25] In Malachi:

Esau I hated, and made his mountains a waste, and gave his heritage to the dragons of the wilderness (Malachi 1:3).

"Esau" means such as are in good in respect to the natural man, here such as are in evil in respect to the same, therefore it is said, "Esau I hated;" that the goods of love of the natural man will be destroyed is signified by "I made his mountains a waste;" and that the truths of that good will be destroyed by the falsities of the sensual man is signified by "I gave his heritage to the dragons of the wilderness."

[26] In Ezekiel:

Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon (or whale) that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself (Ezekiel 29:3, 4; 32:2).

This describes the pride of self-intelligence of the natural and sensual man; "Pharaoh king of Egypt" signifies the natural and sensual man; "the dragon" (or whale) the same in respect to knowledges [scientifica] which are falsities or things falsified by the pride of self-intelligence (but this may be seen explained above, n. 513.

[27] In Moses:

Their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields ³ of Gomorrah; his grapes are grapes of gall, his ⁴ clusters of bitternesses. Their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel gall of asps (Deuteronomy 32:32, 33).

This may be seen explained above n. 519. There, too, "their wine," which is called "the poison of dragons and the cruel gall of asps," signifies that the truth of the church with the posterity of Jacob was external, in which inwardly there were infernal evils and falsities; "dragons and asps" signify sensual things which are the ultimates of the natural man full of horrible evils and falsities confirming them, and for the reason that the natural then receives nothing through the spiritual mind from the Lord, consequently what it receives is from hell.

[28] That "the dragon" signifies such things as have been stated above can be seen more fully from what follows in this chapter, namely, from his enmity against the woman about to bring forth and fleeing into the wilderness; also from his combat with Michael; and still further in chapters Revelation 16:13-15, and Revelation 20:2, 7, 8, 10, 14, where it is said of him that "he was bound a thousand years, and afterwards being loosed he went forth to seduce the nations, and to gather Gog and Magog together to battle against the saints," and that afterwards "he was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone;" from all of which it can be seen that "the dragon" means those who possess no good of charity and love because they do not acknowledge it to be any medium serviceable to salvation, but make it a kind of knowledge [scientificum] which from persuasion they call faith; and when the good of charity and love is not implanted by the life of man there is evil in place of it, and where there is evil there is falsity.

[29] Because "serpents" signify sensual things, which are the ultimates of the natural man, and these are not evil except with those who are evil, and because the word in the Hebrew that means dragon [tannin] is the same as that which means serpents not venemous, so when such serpents are meant by "dragons" they signify in the Word sensual things not evil, or as applied to persons, sensual men who are not evil. That the same word in Hebrew means dragons and such serpents can be seen in Moses:

When he was commanded out of the bush to cast his rod to the earth, and when it was changed to a serpent, he took hold of its tail, and thereby it was changed again into a rod (Exodus 4:3, 4).

Moses took the rod and cast it down before Pharaoh, and it became a serpent [dragon], and the magicians did the like with their rods; but the rod of Moses, then a serpent [dragon], swallowed up the rods, the serpents [dragons], of the magicians (Exodus 7:9-12).

The word rendered serpent in the former passage and the one so rendered in the latter in the original language are different; in the former passage the word generally employed in other parts of the Word for serpent is used, but in the latter it is the same word as is translated "dragon;" thus it might also be rendered that when Moses' rod was cast before Pharaoh it was changed into a dragon. From this it follows that "dragon," the same as "serpent," signifies in a good sense the sensual which is the ultimate of the natural man when it is not evil or not wicked.

[30] It is in this milder sense that "dragons" are also mentioned in Isaiah:

The wild beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl, because I will give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the solitude, to give drink to My people, My chosen (Isaiah 43:20).

And in Jeremiah:

The hind brought forth in the field, but forsook it, because there was no grass; and the wild asses stood upon the hills, they pant for wind like dragons, their eyes were consumed because there was no herb (Jeremiah 14:5, 6).

In these passages the word translated "dragons" is the same word commonly translated "serpents," and is also translated "whales" in the sea, and these have a similar signification, namely, man's natural in general which is the sensual; so the last passage might be translated, "they breathed out the wind like whales." (Likewise in Isaiah 51:9; Jeremiah 51:34; in Ezekiel 29:3, 4; and in David, Psalms 74:13, 14.) Moreover, there are men merely sensual who are good.

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365. And to him that sat upon him, to him it was given to take peace from the earth, signifies the Word consequently not understood, whence there are dissensions in the church. This is evident from the signification of "him that sat upon the red horse," as being the Word not understood in respect to good; for "he that sat upon the horse," signifies the Word, as was shown above (n. 355, 356), "horse" signifying the understanding of it n. 355, and the "red horse" the understanding destroyed in respect to good n. 364; therefore "he that sat upon the red horse" signifies the Word consequently not understood. It is evident also from the signification of "to take peace," as being that there are thence dissensions (of which presently); also from the signification of "earth," as being the church. (That "the earth" signifies the church, see above, n. 29, 304)

[2] Before it is explained what "peace" signifies, let something be said about dissensions arising in the church when the understanding of the Word is destroyed. By good, the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbor are meant, since all good is of love. When these goods do not exist with the man of the church, the Word is not understood; for the conjunction of the Lord and the conjunction of heaven with the man of the church is by means of good; therefore if there is no good with him no illustration can be given; for all illustration when the Word is being read is out of heaven from the Lord; and when there is no illustration the truths that are in the Word are in obscurity, thence dissensions spring up. That the Word is not understood if man is not in good can also be seen from this, that in the particulars of the Word there is a heavenly marriage, that is, a conjunction of good and truth; therefore if good is not present with man when he is reading the Word, truth does not appear, for truth is seen from good, and good by means of truth. (That in the particulars of the Word there is a conjunction of good and truth, see above, n. 238 at the end, 288.)

[3] The state of the case is this: so far as man is in good the Lord flows in and gives the affection of truth, and thus understanding; for the interior human mind is formed entirely in the image of heaven, and the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and of truth from good; therefore unless there is good with man, that mind cannot be opened, still less can it be formed for heaven; it is formed by the conjunction of good and truth. From this it can also be seen that unless man is in good, truths have no ground in which to be received, nor any heat by which to grow; for truths with the man who is in good are like seeds in the ground in the time of spring; while truths with the man who is not in good are like seeds in ground bound by frost in the time of winter, when there is no grass, nor flower, nor tree, still less fruit.

[4] In the Word are all truths of heaven and the church, yea, all the secrets of wisdom that the angels of heaven possess; but no one sees these unless he is in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of love towards the neighbor; those who are not, see truths here and there, but do not understand them; they have a perception and idea of them wholly different from that which pertains to these same truths in themselves; although, therefore, they see or know truths, still truths are not truths with them, but falsities; for truths are not truths from their sound or utterance, but from an idea and perception of them. When truths are implanted in good it is different; then truths appear in their own form, for truth is the form of good. From this it may be concluded what the nature of the understanding of the Word is with those who make faith alone the sole means of salvation, and cast behind the back the good of life, or the good of charity. It has been found that those who have confirmed themselves in this, both in doctrine and life, have not even a single right idea of truth; this, moreover, is why they do not know what good is, what charity and love are, what the neighbor is, what heaven and hell are, that they are to live after death as men, nor, indeed, what regeneration is, what baptism is, and many other things; yea, they are in such blindness respecting God Himself that they worship three in thought, and not one except merely with the mouth, not knowing that the Father of the Lord is the Divine in Him, and that the Holy Spirit is the Divine from Him. These things are said to make known that there is no understanding of the Word where there is no good. It is here said that to him that sat upon a red horse, it was given "to take peace from the earth," because "peace" signifies a peaceful state of the mind [mens] and tranquillity of the disposition [animus] from the conjunction of good and truth; therefore "to take away peace" signifies an unpeaceful and untranquil state from the disjunction of good and truth, which is the cause of internal dissensions; for when good is separated from truth evil takes its place; and evil loves not truth but falsity; because every falsity belongs to evil, as every truth to good; when, therefore, such a person sees a truth in the Word or hears it from another, the evil of his love, and thus of his will, strives against the truth, and then he either rejects or perverts it, or by ideas from the evil so obscures it that at length he sees nothing of truth in the truth, however much it may sound like truth when he utters it. This is the origin of all dissensions, controversies, and heresies in the church. From this it can be seen what is here signified by "to take peace from the earth."

[5] But what peace is in its first origin is amply shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the State of Peace in Heaven is treated of (n. 284-290), namely that in its first origin it is from the Lord; it is in Him from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and it is from Him by His conjunction with heaven and the church, and in particular from the conjunction of good and truth in each individual. From this it is that "peace," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord; in a relative sense, heaven and the church in general, and also heaven and the church in particular in each individual.

[6] That these things are signified by "peace" in the Word, can be seen from many passages therein, of which I will present the following by way of confirmation. In John:

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

This treats of the Lord's union with the Father, that is, the union of His Divine Human with the Divine Itself which was in Him from conception, and thence of the Lord's conjunction with those who are in truths from goods; therefore "peace" means tranquility of mind from that conjunction; and as such are protected by that conjunction from the evils and falsities that are from hell, for the Lord protects those who are conjoined with Him, therefore He says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This Divine peace is in man, and as heaven is with it, "peace" here also means heaven and in the highest sense, the Lord. But the peace of the world is from successes in the world, thus from conjunction with the world, and as this is only external and the Lord, and consequently heaven are not in it, it perishes with the life of a man in the world and is turned into what is not peace; therefore the Lord says, "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you."

[7] In the same:

Jesus said, These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye may have peace. In the world ye have affliction; but have confidence I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Here, too, "peace" means internal delight from conjunction with the Lord, whence come heaven and eternal joy. "Peace" is here opposed to "affliction," because "affliction" signifies infestation by evils and falsities, which those have who are in Divine peace so long as they live in the world; for the flesh, which they then bear about them, lusts after the things of the world, from which comes affliction; therefore the Lord says, "that in Me ye may have peace; in the world ye have affliction;" and as the Lord in respect to His Human acquired to Himself power over the hells, thus over the evils and the falsities that with everyone rise up from the hells into the flesh and infest, He says, "have confidence, I have overcome the world."

[8] In Luke:

Jesus said to the seventy whom He sent forth, Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not, it shall return to you again (Luke 10:5-6).

And in Matthew:

Entering into a house salute it. And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet (Matthew 10:12-14).

That they were to say, "Peace be to the house" signifies that they were to learn whether those who were in it would receive the Lord; they were proclaiming the good tidings respecting the Lord, and thence respecting heaven, celestial joy, and eternal life, for all these are signified by "peace;" and those who received are meant by the "sons of peace," upon whom peace would rest, but if they did not acknowledge the Lord, and consequently did not receive the things pertaining to the Lord, or to peace, that peace would be taken away from them is what is signified by "if the house or city be not worthy let your peace return to you;" that in such case they might suffer no harm from the evils and falsities that were in that house or that city, it was commanded that "going forth, they should shake off the dust of their feet," which signifies that what is cursed therefrom might not cling to them, for "dust of the feet" signifies what is cursed; for what is ultimate in man, which is the sensual-natural, corresponds to the soles of the feet; and because evil clings to this, so in the case of those who were in the representatives of the church, as most were at that time, they shook off the dust of the feet when the truths of doctrine were not received. For in the spiritual world, when any good person comes to those who are evil, evil flows in from evil and causes some disturbance, but it disturbs only the ultimates that correspond to the soles of the feet; therefore when they turn and go away it appears as if they shook the dust off their feet behind them, which is a sign that they are delivered, and that evil clings to those that are in evil. (That "the soles of the feet" correspond to the lowest natural things, and therefore signify these in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; and that "dust, which should be shaken off" signifies what is damned, n. 249, 7418, 7522)

[9] In Luke:

Jesus wept over the city, saying, If thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace! but now it is hid from thine eyes (Luke 19:41-42).

Those who think of these words and those that follow immediately there, from the sense of the letter only, because they see no other sense, believe that these words were spoken by the Lord respecting the destruction of Jerusalem; but all things that the Lord spoke since they were from the Divine, did not relate to worldly and temporal things, but to heavenly and eternal things; therefore "Jerusalem, over which the Lord wept" signifies here as elsewhere the church, which was then entirely vastated, so that there was no longer any truth and consequently no good, and thus that they were about to perish forever; therefore He says, "if thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace," that is, that belong to eternal life and happiness, which are from the Lord alone; for "peace," as was said, means heaven and heavenly joy through conjunction with the Lord.

[10] In the same:

Zacharias prophesying said, The dayspring from on high appeareth to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:67, 78-79).

This was said of the Lord about to come into the world, and of the illustration at that time of those who were out of the church and in ignorance of Divine truth, from not having the Word. The Lord is meant by "the dayspring from on high which appeareth;" and those who are out of the church are meant by "them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death;" and their illustration in Divine truths through the reception of the Lord and conjunction with Him, whence are heaven and eternal happiness is meant by "the way of peace;" "guiding our feet into it" signifies instruction.

[11] In the same:

The disciples praised God, saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest (Luke 19:37-38).

These things were said by the disciples when the Lord went to Jerusalem, that

He might there, by the passion of the cross, which was His last temptation, wholly unite His Human to His Divine, and might also entirely subjugate the hells; and as all Divine good and truth would then proceed from Him, they say, "Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord," which signified acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving that these things were from Him (See above, n. 340; "peace in heaven and glory in the highest" signifies that the things meant by "peace" are from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and that thence angels and men have them by conjunction with the Lord; for when the hells had been subjugated by the Lord, peace was established in heaven, and then those who were there had Divine truth from the Lord, which is "glory in the highest." (That "glory" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, see above, n. 33, 288, 345.)

As "peace" in the internal sense of the Word signifies the Lord and thence heaven and eternal life, and in particular, the delight of heaven arising from conjunction with the Lord, so the Lord after the resurrection, when He appeared to the disciples, said to them:

Peace be unto you (Luke 24:36, 37; John 20:19, 21, 26).

[12] Again in Moses:

Jehovah bless thee and keep thee; Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; and Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Divine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah makes His faces to shine upon thee;" and protection thereby from falsities is meant by "be gracious unto thee;" and the Divine good, from which is all love and charity, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee;" and protection thereby from evils, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are meant by "give thee peace;" for when evils and falsities are removed and no longer infest, the Lord flows in with peace, in which and from which is heaven and the delight that fills with bliss the interiors of the mind, thus heavenly joy. (This benediction may also be seen explained above, n. 340 "Peace" has a like signification in David:

Jehovah will bless His people with peace (Psalms 29:11).

[13] And in the same:

Who will show us good? Jehovah, lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us. Thou givest joy in my heart more than at the time when their corn and new wine are increased. In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely (Psalms 4:6-8);

This describes the peace that those have who are in conjunction with the Lord through the reception of Divine good and Divine truth from Him, and that it is peace in which and from which is heavenly joy. Divine good is meant by "Who will show us good?" and Divine truth by "lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us," "the light of the Lord's faces" is the Divine light that proceeds from Him as a sun in the angelic heaven, which light is in its essence Divine truth (as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126-140). Heavenly joy therefrom is meant by "Thou givest joy in the heart;" multiplication of good and truth is meant by "their corn and new wine are increased," "corn" signifying good, and "new wine" truth. Because peace is in these and from these, it is said, "In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely," "peace" signifying the internal delight of heaven, "security" the external delight, and "to lie down and sleep" and "to dwell" signifying to live.

[14] In Moses:

If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments and do them, I will give peace in the land, so that ye may lie down securely, and none shall make afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3, 6).

This describes the source of peace, that is, of heaven and heavenly joy. Peace viewed in itself is not heaven and heavenly joy, but these are in peace and from peace; for peace is like the dawn or like spring-time in the world, which dispose human minds to receive in the heart delights and pleasures from the objects that appear before the eyes, for that is what makes them delightful and pleasant; and because all things of heaven and of heavenly joy are in like manner from Divine peace, these also are meant by "peace." Since man has heaven from living according to the commandments, for thence he has conjunction with the Lord, therefore it is said, "If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give peace in the land;" that then they would not be infested by evils and falsities is meant by "they would lie down securely, and none make afraid," and by "Jehovah will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through it," "the evil wild beast" signifying evil lusts, and "the sword" falsities therefrom; both these destroy good and truth from which is peace; and "land" signifies the church. (That "the evil wild beast" signifies evil lusts, and the destruction of good by them, see Arcana Coelestia 4729, 7102, 9335; that "the sword" signifies falsities, and the destruction of truth by them, see above, n. 131; and that "land" signifies the church, see also above, n. 29, 304.) One who does not rise above the sense of the letter of the Word sees in this nothing more than that he who lives according to the statutes and commandments shall live in peace, that is, shall have no adversaries or enemies, and that thus he shall lie down securely; also that no evil wild beasts shall harm him, and that he shall not perish by the sword; but this is not the spiritual of the Word, yet the Word in every particular is spiritual, and this lies concealed in the sense of its letter, which is natural; its spiritual is what has here been explained.

[15] In David:

The miserable shall possess the land, and shall be delighted with the multitude of peace. Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace (Psalms 37:11, 37).

"The miserable" mean here those who are in temptations in the world; "the multitude of peace with which they shall be delighted" signifies the delights that follow temptations; for after temptations delights are given by the Lord from the conjunction of good and truth that follows temptation, and the consequent conjunction with the Lord. That man has the delight of peace from the conjunction of good and truth is meant by "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace." The perfection which is to be marked is predicated in the Word of good, and the uprightness which is to be seen is predicated of truth; the "latter end" means the termination when there is peace.

[16] In the same:

The mountains shall bear peace to the people, and the hills in righteousness. In His days shall the righteous flourish, and much peace until the moon be no more (Psalms 72:3, 7).

This treats of the Lord's coming and His kingdom; the "mountains which shall bear peace to the people," signify love to the Lord; and the "hills in righteousness" signify charity towards the neighbor. (That this is the signification of "mountains" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 795, 6435, 10438, for the reason that those who are in love to the Lord dwell in heaven upon mountains, and those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills there, n. Arcana Coelestia 10438; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 188.)

This makes clear that "peace" means heavenly joy which is from the conjunction with the Lord by love; "in His days shall the righteous flourish" signifies one who is in the good of love; therefore it is said, "and much peace;" for as was said above, peace is from no other source than from the Lord, and His conjunction with those who are in the good of love. It is said, "until the moon be no more," which signifies that truth must not be separated from good, but the two must be so conjoined as to be a one, that is, so that truth also is good; for all truth is of good because it is from good, and therefore in its essence is good; truth is such with those who are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, who are here meant by the "righteous." (That the "sun" signifies the good of love, and the "moon" truth therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 1521, 1531, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7083.)

[17] In Isaiah:

Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; upon whose shoulder is the government; he shall call His name Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. To the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7).

These things are said of the Lord's coming, of whom it is said, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given," because "child" in the Word signifies good, here Divine good, and "son" truth, here Divine truth. This is said on account of the marriage of good and truth that is in every particular of the Word; and as Divine good and Divine truth are from the Lord, He is called "Prince of Peace," and it is said, "to the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end;" "government" is predicated of Divine truth, and "peace" of Divine good conjoined to Divine truth, therefore He is called the "Prince of Peace." (That "Prince" is predicated of truths, and that it signifies the chief truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044, and above, n. 29; and that "peace" is predicated of the conjunction of good and truth, see above in this article.)

[18] But as "peace" is mentioned in many passages of the Word, and the explanation must be adapted to the thing treated of, or to the subject of which it is predicated, and consequently its signification appears various, I will tell briefly what "peace" signifies, that the mind may not be borne hither and thither. Peace is bliss of heart and soul arising from the Lord's conjunction with heaven and with the church, and this from the conjunction of good and truth with those who are therein; consequently there is no longer combat of evil and falsity against good and truth, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense; from this is peace, in which all the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth takes place, and thence comes all wisdom and intelligence. And as this peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven, and with men in the church, so "peace" in the highest sense means the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, and thus good conjoined to truth with those who are there.

[19] From this an idea can be had of the signification of "peace" in the following passages. In David:

Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (Psalms 34:14).

"Peace" stands for all things that belong to heaven and the church, from which is the happiness of eternal life; and as only those who are in good have that peace, it is said, "depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

[20] In the same:

Much peace have they that love thy law; and with them there is no stumbling. I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments (Psalms 119:165-166).

"Peace" stands for heavenly blessedness, happiness, and delight, and as these are granted only with those that love to do the Lord's commandments it is said, "Much peace have they who love Thy law." "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments," "salvation" meaning eternal life; that such are not infested by evils and falsities is signified by "with them there is no stumbling."

[21] In Isaiah:

O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us (Isaiah 26:12).

As peace is from Jehovah alone, that is from the Lord and in doing good from him, it is said, "O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us."

[22] In the same:

The angels of peace weep bitterly; the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased (Isaiah 33:7-8).

As peace is from the Lord, and is in heaven from Him, therefore the angels are here called "angels of peace;" and as those on the earth who are in evils and in falsities therefrom have no peace, therefore it is said that they "weep bitterly," because "the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased;" "highways" and "a path" signifying the goods of life and the truths of faith; therefore "the highways are wasted" signifies that there are no longer goods of life, and "the one passing through the path hath ceased" signifies that there are no longer truths of faith.

[23] In the same:

O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, unto the wicked (Isaiah 48:18, 22).

Because those who live according to the Lord's commandments have peace, and not those who do not so live, therefore it is said, "O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river; there is no peace unto the wicked," "peace as a river" signifying in abundance; "righteousness as the waves of the sea" signifying the fructification of good by truths; "righteousness" in the Word is predicated of good, and "sea" of truths.

[24] In the same:

The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My mercy shall not depart from with thee, the covenant of My peace shall not be removed. All thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah; and much shall be the peace of thy sons (Isaiah 54:10, 13).

This treats of a new heaven and a new church. The former heaven and the former church that were to perish are meant by "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed;" that those who are in the new heaven and the new church will be in good from the Lord and possess heavenly joy to eternity through conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "My mercy shall not depart from with thee, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed," "mercy" signifying good from the Lord, and "the covenant of peace," heavenly joy from conjunction with the Lord, "covenant" meaning conjunction; "the sons who shall be taught of Jehovah, and who shall have much peace" mean those in the new heaven and in the new church who will be in truths from good from the Lord, that they will have eternal blissfulness and happiness; "sons" in the Word signify those who are in truths from good; and that they are "taught of Jehovah" signifies that they are in truths from good from the Lord; and "much peace" signifies eternal blissfulness and happiness.

[25] In Ezekiel:

David shall be their prince forever; and I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be a covenant of eternity with them: and I will give them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever (Ezekiel 37:25-26).

This treats of the Lord and of the creation of a new heaven and a new church from him. "David who shall be their prince forever" means the Lord; "to make a covenant of peace with them" signifies heavenly joy and eternal life to those who are conjoined to the Lord; "a covenant of peace" here, as above, meaning heavenly joy and eternal life from conjunction with the Lord; the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth therefrom are signified by "I will give them, and multiply them," and as heaven and the church are therefrom, it is added "and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever," "sanctuary" meaning heaven and the church.

[26] In Malachi:

That My covenant may be with Levi; My covenant with him was of life and peace. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness (Malachi 2:4-6).

"Levi" signifies all who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself, because that good is from Him; here the Lord Himself is meant. "The covenant of life and peace" signifies the union of His Divine with His Divine Human, from which union is all life and peace. That Divine truth is from Him is signified by "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips;" the unition itself which was effected in the world is meant by "he walked with Me in peace and uprightness." (That "Levi" in the Word signifies spiritual love or charity, see Arcana Coelestia 4497, 4502, 4503; and that by him in the highest sense the Lord is meant, n. 3875, 3877)

[27] In Ezekiel:

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Then the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve (Ezekiel 34:25, 27).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of a new church by Him. The conjunction of those who are of the church with the Lord is signified by the "covenant of peace," which He will then make with them; the consequent protection and security from evils and falsities is signified by, "I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods," "the evil wild beast" signifying evils of every kind, "the wilderness where they shall dwell securely" signifying that the lusts of evil shall not infest, "the woods in which they shall sleep" signifying falsities therefrom which shall not infest. The fructification of good by truths and the multiplication of truth from good are signified by "then the tree shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce," "tree of the field" signifying the knowledges of truth, "fruit" signifying good therefrom, "land" signifying the church in relation to good, thus also the good of the church, and "its produce" signifying the consequent multiplication of truth. That these things shall come to pass with them when the Lord has removed the evils and falsities pertaining to them is signified by "when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve;" "the bonds of the yoke" meaning the delights of evil from the love of self and the world, which keep them bound, and "those who make them to serve" meaning falsities, since these make them to serve those evils.

[28] In Zechariah:

A seed of peace shall they be; the vine shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; love ye truth and peace (Zechariah 8:12, 16, 19).

Those are called "a seed of peace" with whom there is the conjunction of good and truth; and because such are meant by the "seed of peace" therefore it is said, "the vine shall give its fruit, and the land its produce," "the vine shall give its fruit" signifies that truth shall bring forth good, and "the land shall give its produce" signifies that good shall bring forth truths; for "vine" signifies the church in relation to truths, that is, the truths of the church, and "land" signifies the church in relation to good, or the good of the church, and "produce" signifies the production of truth; "the heavens which shall give their dew" signify the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth. The conjunction of truth and good is further described by "Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; and love ye truth and peace," "truth" signifying what is true, "the judgment of peace" and "peace" signifying the conjunction of truth with good.

[29] In David:

Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints, that they may not turn again to folly. Mercy and truth ¹ meet together; righteousness and peace do kiss each other (Psalms 85:8, 10).

"Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints" signifies that He will teach and give conjunction with Himself by the conjunction of good and truth with them, "peace" signifying both these conjunctions, "people" those who are in truths from good, and "saints" those who are in good by means of truths; that such thereafter will have no evil from falsity or falsity from evil is signified by "that they may not turn again to folly." Both these conjunctions are further described by "mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace do kiss each other," "mercy" here signifying removal from falsities, and the consequent possession of truths, [which makes clear the signification of "mercy and righteousness meet together, "] and "righteousness" signifying the removal from evils and the consequent possession of goods, which makes clear the signification of "righteousness and peace do kiss each other."

[30] In Isaiah:

How joyous upon the mountains are the feet of him that proclaimeth good tidings, that maketh peace to be heard; that proclaimeth good tidings of good, that maketh salvation to be heard; that saith unto Zion, Thy King ² reigneth (Isaiah 52:7).

This is said of the Lord, and "peace" here signifies the Lord Himself, and thus heaven to those who are conjoined to Him; "to proclaim good tidings" signifies to preach these things; and as this conjunction is effected by love it is said, "proclaim good tidings upon the mountains" and "say unto Zion;" "mountains" signifying here, as above, the good of love to the Lord, and "Zion" signifying the church that is in that good, and the Lord is meant by "thy King who reigneth." Because the conjunction of truth and good from conjunction with the Lord is signified by "peace" therefore it is said, "maketh peace to be heard, proclaimeth good tidings of good, maketh salvation to be heard;" "proclaiming good tidings of good" signifying conjunction with the Lord by good, and "making salvation to be heard" signifying conjunction with Him by truths and by a life according to them, for thereby is salvation.

[31] In the same:

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His wound healing was given to us (Isaiah 53:5).

This is said of the Lord, of whom this chapter evidently treats, and these words describe the temptations that He underwent in the world that He might subjugate the hells, and reduce all things there and in the heavens into order. These grievous temptations are meant by "He was pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," and "the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;" "by His wound healing was given to us" signifies salvation by that means. Therefore "peace" here signifies heaven and eternal life to those who are conjoined with Him; for the human race could by no means be saved if the Lord had not reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens into order, and at the same time glorified His Human, and these were accomplished by temptations admitted into His Human.

[32] In Jeremiah:

Behold I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing; and I will heal them, and will reveal unto them an abundance ³ of peace and truth. All the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I am about to do unto them; that they may dread and may tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them (Jeremiah 33:6, 9).

This also is said of the Lord, that He will deliver from evils and falsities those who are in conjunction with Him. Deliverance from evils and falsities is signified by "I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing, and I will heal them;" for to be healed spiritually is to be delivered from evils and falsities, and as this is done by the Lord by means of truths it is said, "and I will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth;" "the nations of the earth" signify those who are in evils and falsities, of whom it is said that "they shall dread and shall tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them."

[33] In David:

He will redeem my soul in peace, that they come not near to me (Psalms 55:18);

"to redeem my soul in peace" signifies salvation through conjunction with the Lord, and "that they come not near to me" signifies the consequent removal of evils and falsities.

[34] In Haggai:

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, for in this place will I give peace (Haggai 2:9).

"The house of God" signifies the church; "the former house" the church that was before the Lord's coming; and "the latter house" the church that was after His coming; "glory" signifies the Divine truth that was in the one and the other; and "the peace that He will give in this place," that is, in the church, means all these things that are signified by "peace" (of which above, which see).

[35] In David:

Ask for the peace of Jerusalem; let them be tranquil that love thee; peace be within thy ramparts, tranquility within thy palaces; ⁴ for the sake of my brethren and companions I will now speak, Peace be within thee; for the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek good for thee (Psalms 122:6-9).

"Jerusalem" does not mean Jerusalem, but the church in relation to doctrine and worship; "peace" means everything of doctrine and worship, for when these are from a heavenly origin, that is, out of heaven from the Lord, then they are from peace and in peace, from which is evident what is meant by "ask for the peace of Jerusalem;" and as those who are in that peace are said to be "tranquil," it is also said, "let them be tranquil that love thee," that is, that love the doctrine and worship of the church; "peace be within thy rampart, and tranquillity within thy palaces" signifies in the exterior and in the interior man; for the exterior man with the things that are in it, which are natural knowledges and delights, is like a rampart or fortification to the interior man, since it is without or before it and protects it; and the interior man with the things that are in it, which are spiritual truths and goods, is like a palace or house, since it is within the exterior; therefore the exterior things of a man are signified by "a rampart," and his interior things by "palaces;" and the like is true also elsewhere in the Word; "for the sake of my brethren and companions" signifies for the sake of those who are in goods and in truths therefrom, and in a sense abstracted from persons it signifies goods and truths. (That these are meant by "brethren" and "companions" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 10490, and above, n. 47.) "The house of Jehovah our God" signifies the church in which these things are.

[36] In the same:

Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem, praise Thy name, ⁵ O Zion who setteth thy border peace, and satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat (Psalms 147:12, 14).

"Jerusalem" and "Zion" mean the church, "Jerusalem" the church in relation to the truths of doctrine, and "Zion" the church in relation to the good of love; "the name of Jehovah, which Zion will celebrate," signifies everything of worship from the good of love; "who setteth thy border peace," signifies all things of heaven and the church, for "border" signifies all things of these, since in the "border," that is, the outmost, are all things in the complex (See Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 8603, 9215, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548). "He satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat" signifies with all the good of love and wisdom (for "fat" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 5943, 6409, 10033, and "wheat" signifies all things that are from the good of love, in particular the truths of heaven and wisdom therefrom, n. 3941, 7605).

[37] In the same:

Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; that thou mayest see the sons of thy sons, peace upon Israel (Psalms 128:5-6).

"Zion" and "Jerusalem," here as above, signify the church in relation to the goods of love and in relation to the truths of doctrine; the words "Jehovah bless thee out of Zion" mean blessing that is from the good of love, for "Zion" signifies the church in relation to the good of love; and as from that good every good and truth of doctrine proceeds and exists, it is said "that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem, and the sons of thy sons;" "sons of sons" signifying the truths of doctrine and their multiplication to eternity. As all things are from the Lord and through the peace which is from Him, the concluding words are, "that thou mayest see peace upon Israel," "Israel" meaning those with whom is the church.

[38] In the same:

In Salem is the tabernacle of God, and His abode in Zion. There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war (Psalms 76:2-3).

Jerusalem is here called Salem, because "Salem" signifies peace, from which also Jerusalem was named. It was so named because "peace" signifies all those things that have been briefly mentioned above, and which may be referred to. "The tabernacle of God that is in it" signifies the church which is from these things; "His abode in Zion," signifies the good of love, because in that the Lord dwells, and from it gives truths and makes them bear fruit and multiply; and because "peace" also signifies that there are no longer combats of evil and falsity against good and truth, that is, no dissension or war in a spiritual sense, it is said, "There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war," which signifies the dissipation of all combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth, and in general the dissipation of all dissension. Moreover, from "peace":

Jerusalem was called Shalomim (Jeremiah 13:19).

And on that account Melchizedek, who was the priest of God Most High, was king of Salem [peace] (Genesis 14:18);

and by him the Lord was represented; as is evident in David, where it is written:

Thou art a priest forever after the manner of Melchizedek (Psalms 110:4).

[39] In Isaiah:

Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her; that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, that ye may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory. Behold, I extend over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck; ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees (Isaiah 66:10-12).

"Jerusalem," here as above, means the church in relation to doctrine, or, what is the same, the doctrine of the church; of this it is said, "Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her;" and of the doctrine it is said further "that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, and may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory," "breast of consolations" signifying Divine good, and "splendor of glory," Divine truth from which is doctrine. That there will be all these in abundance from conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "Behold, I stretch out over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck;" "peace" signifying conjunction with the Lord, "the glory of the nations" the conjunction of good and truth therefrom, "to suck" influx from the Lord, and "like a river" and "an overflowing brook" abundance. That from this are spiritual love and celestial love, by which conjunction with the Lord is effected, is signified by "ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees," "the side" signifying spiritual love, and "knees" celestial love, and "to be taken up and caressed" signifying eternal happiness from conjunction. (That the "breast" signifies spiritual love, and also "the side" or "bosom," see above, n. 65; that "knees" signify conjugial love, and thence celestial love, see Arcana Coelestia 3021[1-8], 4280, 5050-5062) That "glory" signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom, may be seen above (n. 33, 288, 345); and that "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and in a sense abstracted from persons, the goods of love, may also be seen above (n. 175, 331); therefore "the glory of the nations" signifies genuine truth which is from the good of love, thus the conjunction of these.

[40] In the same:

The work of Jehovah ⁶ is peace; and the labor of righteousness, quietness and security even forever; that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places (Isaiah 32:17-18).

"Peace" is called "the work of Jehovah," because it is solely from the Lord; and everything that comes forth out of peace from the Lord with those who are in conjunction with the Lord is called "the work of Jehovah;" therefore it is said, "the work of Jehovah is peace." The "labor of righteousness" signifies good conjoined to truth, in which is peace; for "labor" in the Word is predicated of truth, "righteousness" of good, and "quietness" of the peace therein; "security forever" signifies that thus there will be no infestation or fear from evils and falsities. This makes clear the signification of "that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places," namely, that they may be in heaven where the Lord is, and in the good of love and of worship therefrom, without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of good and the pleasantnesses of truth; "habitation of peace" meaning heaven where the Lord is; "tabernacles of securities" the goods therefrom of love and of worship without infestation by evils and falsities from hell; and "tranquil resting places" the delights of good, and the pleasantnesses of truth. (That "tents" signify the goods of love and of worship, see Arcana Coelestia 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4391, 10545)

[41] In the same:

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for stones iron; I will also make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders (Isaiah 60:17-18).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and a new heaven and new church at that time; and these words mean that there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, that is, those who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of love; and that there shall no longer be a separation between the internal or spiritual man and the external or natural. That there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, is signified by "for brass I will bring gold, for iron silver, and for stones iron;" "brass," "iron," and "stones" signifying things natural, and "gold," "silver," and "iron" in place thereof, signifying things spiritual; "gold" spiritual good, "silver" the truth of that good, and "iron" spiritual-natural truth. That the Lord is to rule by the good of love is signified by, "I will make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness;" "government" signifying kingdom, "peace" the Lord, and "righteousness" good from Him. That there is no longer to be a separation between the spiritual and the natural man is signified by "violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders," "violence" signifying separation, "land" the internal spiritual man, because there the church is, which in general is signified by "land;" "devastation and breaking shall be no more" signifies that there shall no longer be evils and falsities, and "within thy borders" signifies in the natural man, for in the things in the natural man spiritual things are terminated; "devastation and breaking" signify evils and falsities, because evils devastate the natural man, and falsities break it up.

[42] As those have peace who are in the conjunction of good and truth from the Lord, and as evil destroys good, and falsity destroys truth, so do these destroy peace. From this it follows that those who are in evils and falsities have no peace. It appears as if they had peace when they have success in the world, and they even seem to themselves at such times to be in a contented state of mind; but that apparent peace is only in their extremes, while inwardly there is no peace, for they think of honor and gain without limit, and cherish in their minds cunning, deceit, enmities, hatreds, revenge, and many like things, which unknown to themselves, rend and devour the interiors of their minds, and thence also the interiors of their bodies. That this is so with them is clearly seen after death, when they come into their interiors; these delights of their minds are then turned into their contraries (as is evident from what has been shown in Heaven and Hell 485-490).

[43] That those have peace who are in good and in truths therefrom, and that those who are in evil and in falsities therefrom have no peace, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The wicked are like the sea driven along, when it cannot be quiet, but its waters drive along the filth and mud [;there is no peace, saith My God, to the wicked] (Isaiah 57:20-21).

In the same:

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; devastation and breaking are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their courses; they have made crooked their paths for themselves; whosoever treadeth therein doth not know peace (Isaiah 59:7-8)

In David:

Too much hath My soul dwelt with the hater of peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war (Psalms 120:6-7).

In Ezekiel:

The prophets seduce My people, saying Peace, when there is no peace; and when one buildeth a wall, lo, they daub it with untempered mortar. The prophets of Israel see a vision of peace, when there is no peace (Ezekiel 13:10, 16).

In Jeremiah:

All, from the least unto the greatest, pursue gain; from the prophet even unto the priest everyone doeth a lie. And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people by a word of no weight, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:10-11).

A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a wailing of the powerful of the flock, for Jehovah devastateth their ⁷ pasture, therefore the folds of peace are laid waste because of the glowing of Jehovah's anger (Jeremiah 25:36-37).

In David:

There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin (Psalms 38:3).

In Lamentations:

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood; and my soul is removed from peace; I forgot good (Lamentations 3:15, 17);

besides other passages.

[44] Since peace in its first origin is from the union in the Lord of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and is therefore from the Lord in His conjunction with heaven and with the church, and in the conjunction of good and truth with everyone therein, so the sabbath, which was the most holy representative of the church, was so called from rest or peace; and so also the sacrifices which were called "peace-offerings" were commanded (respecting which see Exodus 24:5; 32:6; Leviticus 3:3; 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 6:12; 7:11; 14:20, 21, 33; 17:5; 19:5; Numbers 6:17; Ezekiel 45:15; Amos 5:22, and elsewhere); and therefore Jehovah is said:

To have smelled an odor of rest from the burnt-offering (Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 23:12, 13, 18; Numbers 15:3, 7, 13; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36);

"odor of rest" signifying the perception of peace.

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