Apocalypse Revealed # 924
924. 21:27 But there shall not enter it anything unclean, or that creates an abomination or a lie. This symbolically means that no one is received into the Lord's New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, who adulterates the goods in the Word and falsifies its truths, and who does evils deliberately and so also devises falsities.
Not to enter in means, symbolically, not to be received, as before. Something unclean symbolizes spiritual licentiousness, which is an adulteration of the Word's goodness and a falsification of its truth (nos. 702, 728). For this is absolutely unclean and impure, inasmuch as the Word is absolutely clean and pure, and it is defiled with evils and falsities when it is corrupted. That adultery and licentiousness correspond to an adulteration of the Word's goodness and a falsification of its truth may be seen in nos. 134, 632. To create an abomination or a lie means, symbolically, to do evils and so also to devise falsities. Abominations symbolize evils of every kind, especially those named in the Ten Commandments (no. 891), and a lie symbolizes falsities of every kind, here the falsities that accompany evil, which in themselves are evils. Thus they are falsities used to justify evil, which are the same as evils affirmed.
A lie symbolizes doctrinal falsity because that is what a spiritual lie is. To create a lie, therefore, symbolically means to live in accordance with doctrinal falsities.
[2] That a lie in the Word symbolizes doctrinal falsity may be seen from the following passages:
We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we have produced a vision... ...we have made a lie our refuge, and in falsehood we have hidden ourselves. (Isaiah 28:15)
Everyone deceives his neighbor, and they do not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak a lie. (Jeremiah 9:5)
...this is a rebellious people, lying children..., who will not hear the law of Jehovah. (Isaiah 30:9)
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams..., and tell them in order to lead My people astray by their lies... (Jeremiah 23:32)
The diviners see a lie, and speak false dreams. (Zechariah 10:2)
(The diviners) see vanity and a lying divination... Therefore..., because you speak vanity and see a lie, behold, for that reason I am against you..., (so that) My hand is against the prophets who speak... a lie. (Ezekiel 13:6-9, cf. 21:29)
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lying and robbery. (Nahum 3:1)
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a shocking obstinacy, committing adultery and walking in lies. (Jeremiah 23:14)
From the prophet even to the priest, everyone devises lies. (Jeremiah 8:10)
(In Israel) they have devised lies. (Hosea 7:1)
You are of your father the devil... He was a murderer from the beginning..., because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own, for he is the speaker of a lie and the father of it. (John 8:44)
Here, too, a lie means falsity.
Jeremiah 8
1
At that time, says Yahweh, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
2
and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung on the surface of the earth.
3
Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them, says Yahweh of Armies.
4
Moreover you shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?
5
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6
I listened and heard, but they didn't speak aright: no man repents him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.
7
Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times; and the turtledove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don't know Yahweh's law.
8
How do you say, We are wise, and the law of Yahweh is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has worked falsely.
9
The wise men are disappointed, they are dismayed and taken: behold, they have rejected the word of Yahweh; and what kind of wisdom is in them?
10
Therefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to those who shall possess them: for everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely.
11
They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, Peace; when there is no Peace.
12
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among those who fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, says Yahweh.
13
I will utterly consume them, says Yahweh: no grapes shall be on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and [the things that] I have given them shall pass away from them.
14
Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Yahweh our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Yahweh.
15
We looked for peace, but no good came; [and] for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
16
The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan: at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembles; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it; the city and those who dwell therein.
17
For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, says Yahweh.
18
Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.
19
Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: isn't Yahweh in Zion? Isn't her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign vanities?
20
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21
For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay has taken hold on me.
22
Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
