Explanation of Isaiah 3
Napsal(a) Rev. John H. Smithson
THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 3
(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)
1. For, behold, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, removes from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff; the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of waters;
2. The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the old man;
Verse 1. To "remove the stay and the staff" denotes the power and strength of life from Truth and Good; the "stay of bread" denotes power from Good, the "stay of waters", power from Truth. "Staff", in the original tongue, is an expression implying to lean upon and be supported, which in the spiritual world is effected by Truth and Good. Arcana Coelestia 9028.
Verses 1, 2. The whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of waters; the mighty man, and the man of war, etc. - To "remove the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of waters, "signifies all the good of love and truth of faith, from which spiritual life exists; "bread" denotes the good of love, and "water" the truth of faith; and a "staff" and a "stay" denote powers, and thence all things appertaining to spiritual life. To "remove the mighty man and the man of war", signifies all resistance against evils and falsities; to "remove the judge and the prophet", signifies all the good and truth of doctrine; and to "remove the diviner and the old man", means all intelligence and wisdom. Apocalypse Explained 433.
3. The commander of fifty, and the honourable, and the counsellor, and the wise in magic, and the intelligent in incantation.
4. And I will make boys their rulers, and infants shall govern them.
5. And the people shall be oppressed, one man by another, and a man by his neighbour: the boy shall raise himself up against the aged, and the despised against the honoured.
Verse 3. Incantations were in use among the ancients, and were performed three ways: First, By keeping another's hearing and thereby his mind continually attending to what they were saying and talking of, by not relaxing their speech or allowing any intermission, and at the same time by aspiring and inspiring thought joined with affection by the breath into the sound of the voice, by which means the hearer could not think anything from himself; in this manner the lovers of falsehood violently infused their falsities. Secondly, They infused a persuasion, which was done by detaining the mind from everything of a contrary nature, and directing the attention solely to the idea of what was said by themselves, hence the spiritual sphere of the enchanter's mind dispelled the spiritual sphere of the other's mind, and stifled it; this was the kind of spiritual fascination which the magi formerly made use of, and it was called tying up or shackling the understanding. This sort of incantation or enchantment appertained only to the spirit or thought, but the former was also for the lips or speech. Thirdly, The hearer kept his mind so fixed in his opinion, that he almost shut his ears against hearing anything from the speaker - which was done by holding his breath, and sometimes by a tacit mussitation, and so by a continued negation of his adversary's sentiment. This kind of incantation was practised by those who heard others; but the two former by those who spake to others. These three kinds of incantation were practised by the ancients, and are still in use among infernal spirits; but among men in the world, there remains only the third kind among those who have confirmed in themselves false principles of religion from the pride of their own intelligence, for these, when they hear things contrary thereto, do not admit them into their thought any nearer than just into contact, and then from the interior bosom of their mind they send forth, as it were, fire which consumes them of which the other does not know anything but by conjecture from the face and sound of the voice in the reply, provided the enchanter does not restrain by dissimulation that fire, that is, the anger of his pride. This incantation is at this day the cause that truths are not accepted, and with many that they are not understood. That in ancient times many magic arts prevailed, and among these incantations, is evident from Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:9-11)
A persuasion of what is false, and the consequent destruction of the Truth is signified in the following passages:
"By the incantation of Babylon all nations were seduced." (Revelation 18:23. See also Isaiah 47:10-12; 2 Kings 9:22)
On the other hand, "incantation" [is used in a good sense], and signifies the rejection of what is false by means of Truths, which was also effected by tacit thought and mussitation, out of zeal for Truth in opposition to what is false, as is plain from Psalm 58:4, 5; Jeremiah 8:17; Isaiah 26:16. (See Hebrew text.) Apocalypse Revealed 462.
6. Then a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father [saying], You have raiment; be you a prince over us, and let this [our] ruin be under your hand.
7. In that day shall he lift up [his voice], saying, I will not be a binder up [of wounds]; for in my house is neither bread nor raiment: make me not a prince of the people.
Verses 6. 7. Then a man shall take hold of his brother, etc. - The subject here treated of, in the internal sense, is concerning the perverted state of the church, when Truth is no longer acknowledged to be truth, nor is it known what Good is. "A man's taking hold of his brother in the house of his father", denotes the acknowledging of everything whatsoever to be good; "raiment denotes truth; "prince", the primary principle of doctrine thence derived. "In my house is neither bread nor raiment, means that there was neither Good nor Truth. Arcana Coelestia 3703 Arcana Coelestia 3703[1-23].
Verses 6, 7, 17-24. The "garment" which the prince had, denotes the truth appertaining to doctrine; the various "clothing and ornaments of the daughters of Zion", which are here enumerated are all kinds and species of Good and Truth, whereof they were to be deprived, Arcana Coelestia 2576.
8. For Jerusalem stumbles, and Judah falls; because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to rebel against the eyes of His glory.
9. The obstinacy of their countenance doth witness, against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for to themselves have they rewarded evil.
Verse 8. Because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to rebel against the eyes of His glory. - Signifies that all their doctrine and their life is altogether against Divine Truth; "tongue" denoting doctrine; "doings", the life; and "the eyes of the glory of Jehovah", the Divine Truth; to "rebel", is to be against it. Apocalypse Explained 433.
Verses 8, 9. Because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, etc. the obstinacy of their countenances, etc. - By Their tongue and their doings which are against Jehovah", are signified thought and affection : by the "tongue", thought, because the tongue speaks what the man thinks; and by the "doings", affection, because a man does what is of his affection. These are "against Jehovah and rebel against the eyes of His glory", when they are against the Divine Good and against the Divine Truth; for by "Jehovah", in the Word, is understood the Lord as to Divine Good proceeding from His Divine Love, and by His "glory" is understood the Divine Truth; to be against this is signified by "rebelling against the eyes of His glory."The"obstinacy of their countenances which witnesses against them", signifies the refusal and non-admission of divine Truth and divine Good into their thoughts and affections, which are their interiors, and are signified by "countenances" or faces. Apocalypse Explained 412.
10. Say you to the just, that good [shall be their portion]; for the fruit of their doings shall they eat.
Verse 10. - By "the just, or righteous, eating the fruit of their doings", is signified the celestial Good which man receives by a life according to divine Truth from the Lord, and, as it were, acquires to himself by his own labour and study. Apocalypse Explained 617.
11. Woe to the wicked! evil [shall be his portion]; for the reward of his hands shall be given him,
Verse 11. - Inasmuch as few know what is properly understood by "reward", it shall here be briefly explained. By "reward", when predicated of the good, is properly understood that delight, satisfaction, and blessedness which is contained in the love or affection of Good and Truth, for that love or that affection has in itself all the joy of heart which is called heavenly joy, and also heaven. The reason is, because the Lord is in that love, or in that affection, and with the Lord is also heaven. This joy, therefore, or this delight, satisfaction, and blessedness is what is properly understood by the reward which they shall receive who do good and speak truth from the love and affection of Good and Truth, thus from the Lord, and by no means from themselves; and whereas they act and speak from the Lord and not from themselves, therefore the reward is not of merit but of grace. From these considerations it may appear that he who knows what heavenly joy is, may know also what reward is; what heavenly joy is, in its essence, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 395-414; this, therefore, is signified by the "reward" which is given to those who are in truths from good. But the "reward" of those who are in falsities from evil, is joy or delight, satisfaction, and blessedness in the world, but hell after their departure out of the world. Apocalypse Explained 695.
12. As for My people, children are their oppressors, and - women lord it over them: My people! your leaders cause you to err, and abolish the way of your paths.
Verse 12. By "oppressors or exactors, infants, and women", are signified those who violate, are ignorant of, and, pervert truths; by "oppressors or exactors", those who violate truths; by "infants", they who are ignorant of them; and by "women", the cupidities which pervert them. The "leaders who cause to err", signify those who teach; to "abolish the way of the paths", signifies' not to know the leading truth. Apocalypse Explained 555.
13. Jehovah shall set up Himself to plead; He stands to judge the peoples.
Verse 13. Jehovah stands to judge the peoples. - It is also said concerning the Lord Himself, that He "stood to judge", because it is said of the Divine Proceeding from the Lord, which is called Divine Truth, inasmuch as judgment is from it: thus in Isaiah, - "Jehovah has set Himself up to plead, and stands to judge." Apocalypse Explained 639.
14. Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and with the princes thereof: for you have burnt up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
Verse 14. By "the elders of the people and the princes", are signified the same as by the twelve disciples, namely all of the church who are in the truths and goods thereof, and, in the abstract sense, the truths and goods of the church in every complex. Apocalypse Explained 851.
For, you have burnt up the vineyard. - "Vineyard" manifestly denotes the church as to the good and truth of faith; for the "elders", with whom Jehovah will come into judgment, denote the goods of the church, and "princes" denote the truths thereof. Arcana Coelestia 9130.
The reason why to "desolate" denotes to deprive by lusts, and thereby to consume, is because by the term, which in the original tongue is expressed "to desolate", is properly signified to set on fire and burn up, hence also to devour and consume; and this being the derivation of, that expression, by "desolating" is here signified the consumption which is effected by lusts; since the lusts appertaining to man are fires which consume; for there appertains to man the fire of life, and the light of faith; the fire of life is his love, and the light of life is his faith. The love of good, that is, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, constitute the fire of life appertaining to a good man and to an angel of heaven, and the love of truth and the faith, of truth constitute the light of life appertaining to them: but the love of evil, that is, the love of self and the love of the world, constitute the fire of life appertaining to an evil man and to a spirit of hell; and. the love of the false, and the faith of the false, constitute the lumen of life appertaining to them; but the love of evil is called, in the Word, the "burning of fire", because it burns and consumes those things which are of the love of good and truth. That consumption by lusts is signified by that expression in the original tongue, is evident from the following passage :
"Jehovah will come into judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof; you have consumed [set fire to] the vineyard." Arcana Coelestia 9141.
15. What mean you, that you tread down My people, and grind the faces of the poor? says the Lord Jehovih of Hosts.
Verse 15. What mean you, that you tread down My people, and grind the faces of the poor? - To "grind the faces of the poor", signifies to destroy the affections of knowing truth with those who are in ignorance thereof, and yet desire to be instructed; to "grind" signifying to-destroy, and "faces", the affections of knowing truths, and "the 'poor", those who are in ignorance of truth, and desire to be instructed, for these are they who are spiritually poor. Apocalypse Explained 412.
Saith the Lord JEHOVIH of Hosts. - In the Word frequent mention is made of the Lord JEHOVIH, yea, wherever Jehovah the Lord is spoken of, He is called not Lord JEHOVAH but Lord JEHOVIH; and He is especially so called where the subject treated of is concerning temptations; as in Isaiah, - "Behold, the Lord JEHOVIH will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His recompense is with Him, and His work before Him, He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather His lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that give suck"; (Isaiah 40:10, 11) where the Lord JEHOVIH "coming with strong hand" denotes victory in temptation-combats, and "His arm ruling for Him "means that it is derived from His own power: What the "recompense" is, which was spoken of in the preceding verse, is here declared, that is, that it is the salvation of the whole human race, which is what is meant by "His feeding His flock as a shepherd; gathering the lambs with His arm, carrying them in His bosom, and gently leading those that give suck"; all which are operations of inmost or Divine Love. Arcana Coelestia 1793. See also Apocalypse Explained 601, 850.
16. Moreover says Jehovah, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with the neck stretched forth and with ogling eyes, and mincing as they walk, and tinkling with their feet:
Verses 16-22. The "daughters of Zion: who are haughty, or extol themselves", denote the affections of evil within the church; the "rings. and the ornaments of the nose", which shall be taken away denote Good and its badges; the "dress-vestments, or changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles", denote Truth and its badges. Arcana Coelestia 3013.
17. The Lord will make bald the crown of the daughters of Zion; and Jehovah will lay bare their nakedness,
Verse 17. - The "daughters of Zion" signify the celestial church, and the things belonging to that church, but in this case perverted; by the "crown of the head which shall be made bald" is signified intelligence, of which it shall be deprived; and the "buttock which shall be made naked" signifies the love of evil and of the false. Apocalypse Explained 240
18. In that day the Lord will remove the ornament of their ankle-bands, and of their networks, and of their moon -like crescents ;
19., And the ear-rings, and the bracelets, and the thin veils;
20. The turbans, the stepping-chains, and the head-bands, and the scent-boxes, and the amulets;
21. The finger-rings, and the ornaments of the nose ;
22. The dress-vestments, and the tunics, and the shawls, and the purses;
23. The min-ors, and the fine linen [shifts], and the hoods, and the large veils.
24. And instead of perfume there shall be putridity; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of braided-work [of hair], baldness; and instead of a robe, a wrapper of sackcloth; and a brand [mark] instead of beauty.
25. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your strength in the war.
Verses 18-25. They who do not think beyond the sense of the letter, know no other than that all those things, with which the daughters of Zion are said to be adorned, are to be understood according to the letter; and that on account of their ornament, and the loftiness and pride thence derived, the men of that kingdom would perish, for it is said that "your men shall fall by the sword, and your strength in "war"; but that such things are not meant, may be known to those who elevate the mind in some degree above the letter; these know, from various passages in the Word, that by "the daughters of Zion" are not meant the daughters of Zion, but such things as are of the church; as also by "the daughters of Jerusalem", "the daughters of Judah", and several others. When therefore the church, and those things which are of the church, are signified by "the daughters of Zion", it follows that, by their" ornaments", recounted in the above passage, are signified the truths and goods of the church, and that each ornament denotes some specific truth and good; for in the Word nothing is said without a meaning, not even one expression; and whereas that church was to be deprived of its truths and goods, which are signified by those ornaments; therefore it is said, that "instead of a perfume, shall be putridity; instead of a girdle, a rent; instead of braided-work [of hair], baldness; instead of a robe, a wrapper or girding of sackcloth; a brand or burning, instead of beauty"; and also that "your men should fall by the sword, and your-strength in war:" for by "perfume" is signified Divine Truth, as to its perceptive principles; by "putridity" [or a stench], its privation; by a "girdle" is signified the bond containing truths and goods in their connection; a "rent" instead of it, denotes their dissolution and dissipation; by "braided-work [of hair]", scientific truth; by "baldness", the deprivation of the intelligence of truth and of the wisdom of good; by "burning", their consumption by the evils of self-love; by "beauty", the form of truth derived from good in the church, thus its perfection; and by a "sword", whereby men shall fall, , the false principle destroying truth and good; by "no strength in war" is signified not any resistance against evil and the false, for "war" denotes spiritual combat and temptation. From these consideratlons, it is now evident that by "ornaments" in general, is signified the Divine Truth of the church. Arcana Coelestia 10540 See also Apocalypse Explained 637.
Verse 24. "Perfume" [or sweet smell], denotes interior truth; "putridity" [or stench], the privation thereof. Arcana Coelestia 10199.
26. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit on the ground.
Verse 26. By "gates" are signified knowledges of what is true and good out of the Word, because by them man is introduced [as through gates] into the church. Apocalypse Revealed 899.
"Lamentation and mourning" [here predicated of the gates of
Jerusalem], signify grief on account of the devastation of the church as to Truths and as to Good. Apocalypse Explained 555.
To be "desolate and naked", signifies to be destitute of all Truth and Good. Apocalypse Explained 1081.
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Isaiah Chapter 3
1. For, behold, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, removes from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff; the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of waters;
2. The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the old man;
3. The commander of fifty, and the honourable, and the counsellor, and the wise in magic, and the intelligent in incantation.
4. And I will make boys their rulers, and infants shall govern them.
5. And the people shall be oppressed, one man by another, and a man by his neighbour: the boy- shall raise himself up against the aged, and the despised against the honoured.
6. Then a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father [saying], You have raiment; be you a prince over us, and let this [our] ruin be under your hand.
7. In that day shall he lift up [his voice], saying, ~ will not be a binder up [of wounds]; for in my house is neither bread nor raiment : make me not a prince of the people.
8. For Jerusalem stumbles, and Judah falls; because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to rebel against the eyes of His glory.
9. The obstinacy of their countenance doth witness, against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for to themselves have they rewarded evil.
10. Say you to the just, that good [shall be their portion]; for the fruit of their doings shall they eat.
11. Woe to the wicked! evil [shall be his portion]; for the reward of his hands shall be given him,
12. As for My people, children are their oppressors, and - women lord it over them: My people! your leaders cause you to err, and abolish the way of your paths.
13. Jehovah shall set up Himself to plead; He stands to judge the peoples.
14. Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and with the princes thereof: for you have burnt up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15. What mean you, that you tread down My people, and grind the faces of the poor? says the Lord Jehovih of Hosts.
16. Moreover says Jehovah, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with the neck stretched forth and with ogling eyes, and mincing as they walk, and tinkling with their feet:
17. The Lord will make bald the crown of the daughters of Zion; and Jehovah will lay bare their nakedness,
18. In that day the Lord will remove the ornament of their ankle-bands, and of their networks, and of their moon-like crescents ;
19., And the ear-rings, and the bracelets, and the thin veils;
20. The turbans, the stepping-chains, and the head-bands, and the scent- boxes, and the amulets;
21. The finger-rings, and the ornaments of the nose ;
22. The dress-vestments, and the tunics, and the shawls, and the purses;
23. The min-ors, and the fine linen [shifts], and the hoods, and the large veils.
24. And instead of perfume there shall be putridity; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of braided-work [of hair], baldness; and instead of a robe, a wrapper of sackcloth; and a brand [mark] instead of beauty.
25. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your strength in the war.
26. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit on the ground.
Apocalypse Explained # 401
401. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, signifies that all the good of love was separated, and thence all the truth of faith falsified. This is evident from the signification of "sun" as being in the highest sense the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thence with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord (of which presently); also from the signification of "black as sackcloth of hair," as being separated; "black" is predicated of thick darkness, thus of what does not appear from any light. It is said "as sackcloth of hair," because it means the sensual of man, which is the lowest of the natural, and is thus round about the interiors, in which it induces thick darkness. Man has two minds, a spiritual and a natural; the spiritual mind thinks and perceives from the light of heaven, but the natural mind thinks and perceives from the light of the world; from the latter, man has a light that is called natural light [lumen]. This natural mind is what is called the natural man, but the spiritual mind is what is called the spiritual man. As the natural mind is below or outside of the spiritual mind it is also round about it, for it enwraps it on every side; therefore it is called "sackcloth of hair" or "hairy;" for when the spiritual mind, which is the higher and interior mind, is closed, then the natural mind, which is the lower and exterior, is in thick darkness in respect to all things of heaven and the church; for all the light that the natural mind has, and that constitutes its intelligence, is from the light of his spiritual mind, and this light is the light of heaven. The sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural, is also in the light of heaven like something hairy; from this it is that "hair" signifies the ultimate of the natural man, which is the sensual (See Arcana Coelestia n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573). These things have been said that it may be known why it is that "the sun became black as sackcloth of hair."
[2] The above is evident also from the signification of the "moon" as being spiritual truth, which is called the truth of faith (of which presently); also from the signification of "became as blood," as being that truth was falsified; for "blood" in the genuine sense signifies Divine truth, and in the contrary sense, violence offered to Divine truth, thus Divine truth falsified (that this is the signification of "blood" in the Word, see above, n.329; this makes clear what "the moon became as blood" signifies. "The sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thus with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and "the moon" signifies spiritual truth, because the Lord in the heaven of celestial angels appears as a sun, and in the heaven of spiritual angels as a moon. His appearing as a sun is from His Divine love, for Divine love appears as a fire, from which angels in the heavens have their heat; consequently celestial and spiritual "fire" in the Word mean love. The Lord's appearing as a moon is from the light that is from that sun, for the moon derives her light [lumen] from that sun, and light in heaven is Divine truth, consequently "light" in the Word signifies Divine truth. (But of the Sun and the Moon in the Heavens, and the Heat and Light Therefrom, see what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell (116-125, 126-140)
[3] That in the Word "sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and with man the good of love to the Lord, and the "moon" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth spiritual, is evident from the following passages. In Matthew:
When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as light (Matthew 17:1-2).
Because the Lord was then seen in His Divine, He appeared in respect to His face "as the sun," and in respect to His garments "as the light," because the face corresponds to love, and "garments" correspond to truths; and "His face did shine as the sun" because Divine love was in Him, and "His garments became as light" because Divine truth was from Him; for the light in Heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun. (That "the face" in reference to the Lord means love and every good, see Arcana Coelestia 5585, 9306, 9546, 9888; and that "garments" in reference to the Lord signify Divine truth, see above, n. 64, 195.) In like manner the Lord appears in heaven before the angels when He presents Himself before them, but He then appears out of the sun. He was therefore seen in like manner by John when he was in the spirit, as appears in Revelation, where it is said that:
The face of the Son of man was seen as the sun shineth in his power (Revelation 1:16).
It was evidently the Lord who was seen (See above, n. 63).
[4] Likewise when the Lord was seen by John as an angel, respecting which we read:
And I saw a strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud, and a rainbow about his head, and his face was as the sun (Revelation 10:1);
for "angels" in the Word in its spiritual sense do not mean angels, but something Divine from the Lord, since the Divine that appears from them is not theirs, but the Lord's with them. So, too, the Divine truth they speak, which is full of wisdom, they do not speak from themselves, but from the Lord, for they have been men, and men have all wisdom and intelligence from the Lord. This makes clear that in the Word "angel" means the Lord, who also then appeared as a sun. (That in the Word, "angel" means something Divine from the Lord, seeArcana Coelestia 1925, 2821, 3039, 4085, 6280, 8192; that this is why in the Word angels are called gods, n.4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8192.)
[5] So, too, when the church was represented as a woman, the sun also then appeared around her; which is thus described in Revelation:
A great sign was seen in heaven; a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1).
That "the woman" here signifies the church will be seen in the explanation that will be given in what follows. (That "woman" signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia 252, 253, 749, 770.) And because the church is from the Lord she was seen encompassed with the sun. What is signified by "the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," will also be shown in that explanation.
[6] It is therefore said by David:
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, from the brightness after rain (2 Samuel 23:3-4
"The God of Israel" and "Rock of Israel" here mean the Lord in relation to the church, and in relation to Divine truth therein, "the God of Israel" in relation to the church, and "Rock of Israel" in relation to Divine truth therein; and as the Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven, and the Divine truth proceeding from Him is the light of that heaven, therefore it is said of the Divine which He spoke, which is Divine truth, that it is "as the light of the morning when the sun riseth;" because this is pure, and proceeds from His Divine love, it is added, "a morning without clouds, from brightness after rain," for the brightness of the light, or of Divine truth proceeding from Him, is from Divine love; "after rain" signifies after communication and reception, for its brightness is then with angels and men to whom it is communicated and by whom it is received. (That "the Rock of Israel," and "the Stone of Israel," mean the Lord in relation to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8581, 10580; and that "light" is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun, thus out of His Divine love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140.)
[7] In like manner it is said of those who love Jehovah, in the book of Judges:
Let them that love Him be as the going forth of the sun in his might (Judges 5:31).
That in the Word "Jehovah" means the Lord in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love may be seen in theArcana Coelestia 1736, 2921, 3035, 5041, 6303, 6281, 8864, 9315, 9373, 10146). Of those who love Him it is said, "as the going forth of the sun in his might," which signifies the Lord's Divine love in them. Of such it is also said that "they shall shine as the sun," in Matthew:
The righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of My 1 Father (Matthew 13:43).
In the Word those are called "righteous" who love the Lord, that is, from love do His commandments; and in respect to their faces they shine with an effulgence like that of the sun, because the Lord's Divine love is communicated to them and received by them, whereby the Lord is in their midst, that is, in their interiors, which manifest themselves in the face. (That those who are in good of love to the Lord are called "righteous," see above, n.204)
[8] In David:
His seed shall be to eternity, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established as the moon to eternity, and as a faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:36-37).
This is said of the Lord, and of His heaven and church, for by "David," who is here treated of in the sense of the letter, is meant the Lord (See above, n. 205); "his seed which shall be to eternity" signifies Divine truth, and also those who receive it; "his throne as the sun before Me" signifies the heaven and church of the Lord, which are in celestial good, which is the good of love; "the throne established as the moon to eternity" signifies the heaven and the church that are in spiritual good, which is Divine truth; "a faithful witness in the clouds" signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, which is called "a witness" because it witnesses, "clouds" meaning the sense of the letter of the Word.
[9] In the same:
They shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations. In His days shall the righteous flourish; and much peace till the moon be no more. His name shall be to eternity; before the sun shall He have the name of Son; and all nations shall be blessed in Him (Psalms 72:5, 7, 17).
This, too, is said of the Lord, for this whole Psalm treats of Him; and as the Lord appears in heaven to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in His spiritual kingdom as a moon, it is said "they shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations;" "in that day the righteous shall flourish, and much peace till the moon be no more," signifies that those who are in love to the Lord will be in truths from that good, for with those who are in the celestial kingdom, that is, in love to the Lord, truths are implanted; those are called "righteous" who are in the good of love, and "peace" is predicated of that good. But that it may be known how this is to be understood, "till the moon be no more," it shall be told. The light proceeding from the Lord as a sun differs from the light proceeding from the Lord as a moon in the heavens, as the light of the sun in the world by day differs from the light of the moon in the world by night; the intelligence of those who are in the light of the sun of heaven differs in like manner from the intelligence of those who are in the light of the moon there; wherefore those who are in the light of the sun there are in pure Divine truth; but those who are in the light of the moon there are not in pure Divine truth, for they are in many falsities, which they have derived from the sense of the letter of the Word not understood, and yet these falsities appear to them as truths. From this it can be seen that "till the moon be no more" signifies till there no longer exists with them falsity appearing as truth, but pure truth which makes one with the good of love. It must be known however, that the falsities of those who are in the light of the moon in the heavens are falsities in which there is no evil, and that such falsities, therefore, are accepted by the Lord as if they were truths (respecting these falsities, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 21). This, therefore, is what is signified by "till the moon be no more," that is, with those who are meant by "the righteous in whom there is much peace." But in the highest sense, by these words the Lord in relation to His Divine Human, that this shall be the Divine good of the Divine love, is meant, therefore it is also added, "before the sun He shall have the name of Son," "Son" meaning the Lord's Divine Human. And as "nations" mean all who are in good, or who receive the good of love from the Lord, it is said, "and all nations shall be blessed in Him." (That "nations" signify those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truths, may be seen above, n. 331.)
[10] In Isaiah:
There shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall. And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:25-26).
This is said of the Last Judgment, which is meant by "the day of great slaughter, when the towers shall fall," "the towers that shall fall" meaning those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, in particular, those who are in the love of ruling by means of the holy things of the church (See in the work on The Last Judgment 56, 58). That to those who are in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor it shall then be given to understand truths, is signified by "there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters." Those "upon a high mountain" mean those who are in the good of love to the Lord, "high mountain" signifying that good; those "upon the lofty hill" mean those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, "hill" signifying that good; "streams, rivulets of water" signify intelligence from truths. That there shall then be truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as before there was truth in the celestial kingdom, and that the truth in the celestial kingdom shall then become the good of love is meant by "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" for "light" means Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, "the light of the moon" Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom, and "the light of the sun" Divine truth in the celestial kingdom; "sevenfold" signifies full and perfect, and truth is full and perfect when it becomes good, or good in form. It can be seen that this means, not the sun and moon on the earth, but the sun and moon in the heavens. It is to be known that when a last judgment is being effected the Lord appears in the heavens in much greater effulgence and splendor than at other times, and this because the angels there must be more powerfully defended; for lower things, with which the exteriors of the angels have communication, are then in a state of disturbance. Therefore, as the Last Judgment is here treated of, it is said, "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" and therefore it is also said that "there shall be streams, rivulets of waters, upon every high mountain, and upon every lofty hill," which signifies abundant intelligence with those who are upon the higher mountains and higher hills, for on the lower mountains and hills is where the judgment then takes place. (That the Lord appears to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in his spiritual kingdom as a moon, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that the light from these is Divine truth, n. 127-140)
[11] In the same:
Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:20).
This treats of the Lord, and of the new heaven and new earth, that is, of the church to be established by Him. That to those in that church the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor should not perish is meant by "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw;" for to those who are in the good of love to the Lord He appears as a sun, and to those who are in truths from the good of charity towards the neighbor He appears as a moon; so "thy sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord, and "thy moon" the good of charity, which, in its essence, is truth from good. That they shall continue to eternity in truths from the good of love, and in truths from the good of charity is meant by "Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled," "the light of eternity" is predicated of those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and "fulfilling the days of mourning" of those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, or in truths from good; for with those who were of the ancient churches, "mourning" represented grief on account of the loss or destruction of truth and good; "fulfilled" signifies ended, thus that they shall be in truths from good. From this the signification of "the sun became as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," can be seen, namely, that the good of love to the Lord was separated, and thus truth was falsified.
[12] Nearly the same is signified in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Behold the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy its sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light; the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright. I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity (Isaiah 13:9-11).
"The day of Jehovah, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger," signifies the day of the Last Judgment; "the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light, the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," signifies that the knowledges of good and truth have perished, as well as the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbor, and thence the truth that is called the truth of faith; for "stars" signify the knowledges of good, "constellations" the knowledges of truth, "the sun" the good of love to the Lord, and "the moon" the good of charity towards the neighbor, which, in its essence, is truth from good, and is called the truth of faith. The sun is said "to be darkened in its rising," and the moon "not to make her light to be bright;" not that the sun and moon in the angelic heavens are darkened, for the sun there is always in its effulgence, and the moon in its splendor; but before those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, goods and truths are thus obscured; it is therefore according to the appearance that it is so said, for those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom turn themselves away from the good of love and charity, consequently from the Lord, and then they will nothing but evil and think nothing but falsity, and those who will and think no other, see nothing but thick darkness and darkness in such things as pertain to heaven and the church. Because such are meant by those with whom "the sun is darkened, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," it is said, "to lay the earth waste, and He shall destroy its sinners out of it," and afterwards, "I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," "earth" and "world" signifying the church, "laying it waste" signifying that there is no longer any good, and "visiting evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," signifying the Last Judgment.
[13] In Ezekiel:
When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light in the heavens will I make black over thee, and I will give darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:7-8).
This is said of Pharaoh king of Egypt, by whom is here signified the natural man separate from the spiritual; which when it is separated is wholly in thick darkness and in darkness in regard to all things of heaven and the church, and so far as it is separated denies them; for the natural man sees nothing in such things from itself, but only through the spiritual man from the Lord, since the natural man is in the heat and light of the world, while the spiritual man is in the heat and light of heaven. From this it is clear what is meant by the particulars here, namely, "When I extinguish thee I will cover the heavens" signifies the interiors, which are in the light of heaven; "I will make the stars thereof black" signifies the knowledges of good and truth; "I will cover the sun with a cloud" signifies the good of love to the Lord; "the moon shall not make her light to shine" signifies the good of charity towards the neighbor and the truth of faith therefrom; "all the luminaries of light will I make black over thee" signifies all truths; and "I will give darkness upon thy land" signifies falsities.
[14] In Joel:
The day of Jehovah cometh. A day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and obscurity. Before Him the earth trembleth, the sun and the moon were black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 2:1-2, 10).
In the same:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Joel 2:31).
In the same:
The day of Jehovah is near in the valley cut off. The sun and the moon were made black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 3:14-15).
In the Gospels:
Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-25).
In Revelation:
The fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; and the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night likewise (Revelation 8:12).
In another place:
Out of the pit of the abyss there went up a smoke as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun was darkened and the air by the smoke (Revelation 9:2).
It is clear from what has been said above, that in these passages "the sun and moon made black and darkened" means that there was no longer any good or any truth; therefore they are not further explained.
[15] Because such things are signified by "the sun darkened," therefore the sun was darkened when the Lord was upon the cross, because He was entirely rejected by the church that then was with the Jews, who were consequently in dense darkness, or in falsities. This is thus described in Luke:
At the sixth hour darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened (Luke 23:44-45).
This was done as a sign and token that the Lord was denied, and that thence there was no good nor truth with those who were of the church; for with them all signs from the heavens represented and signified such things as are of the church, because the church with them was a representative church, or consisted of such things in externals as represented and thus signified the internal things of the church. That "darkness came over all the land" signified that with those who were of the church there was nothing except the falsities of evil, "all the land" meaning all the church, and "darkness" signifying falsities; that it continued for three hours, namely, "from the sixth to the ninth hour," signifies that there remained mere falsity, and no truth whatever, for "three" signifies full, whole, and entirely, and "six" and "nine" signify all things in the complex, here falsities and evils; and because there were falsities and evils with them, from the Lord's having been denied, therefore it is said, "and darkness came, and the sun was darkened;" "the sun" that was obscured, meaning the Lord, who is said to be "obscured" when falsities so prevail in the church that He is not acknowledged, and evils so prevail that He is crucified. (That each and every thing related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion is significative may be seen above, n.64, 83, 195c at the end.)
[16] In Micah:
Jehovah said against the prophets that cause the people to err, It shall be night unto you for vision; and darkness shall be to you for divination; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them (Micah 3:5-6).
What these words signify in the spiritual sense, may be seen above n. 372, where they are explained. In Amos:
It shall come to pass in that day, that I will cause the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in a day of light (Amos 8:9).
This signifies that in the church, where the Word is from which it might be known what is good and true, there is nevertheless nothing but evil and falsity. "To cause the sun to set," and "to darken the earth" signify the evil of life, and the falsity of doctrine in the church; for "the rising of the sun" signifies the good of love, which is the good of the life, and "the setting of the sun" signifies the evil of love, which is the evil of the life; and "the darkening of the earth" signifies the consequent falsity of doctrine, "darkness" signifying falsities, and "the earth" the church; "at noon," and "in the day of light" signify when there might be the knowledges of good and truth, because they have the Word, "noon" signifying where there are the knowledges of good, and the "day of light" where there are the knowledges of truth. Such knowledges as are from the Word are meant, because it is the church where the Word is that is here treated of.
[17] In Habakkuk:
The mountains were moved; the overflowing of waters passed by. Sun and moon stood in their habitation; Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness (Habakkuk 3:10-11).
This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and of the Last Judgment then accomplished by Him; "the mountains were moved, the overflowing of waters passed by" signifies that those who were in the love of self and the world were cast out by the falsities of evil into which they were let; "mountains" signifying the loves of self and the world, and "the overflowing of waters" to be let into falsities from those loves, "waters" meaning falsities, and "overflowing" to be let into them. That by those in that state genuine truths and goods are not seen, but instead of these, fatuous truths and goods, which in themselves are falsities and evils is signified by, "Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness;" "arrows" or "lightnings" signifying fatuous truths, which in themselves are falsities, and "the lightning of the spear" signifying fatuous goods which in themselves are the evils of falsity. Moreover, such signs appear in the spiritual world, in the case of those who are in falsities from the loves of self and the world, when the Last Judgment takes place, and these are cast out.
[18] As in this prophecy it is said, "Sun and moon stood in their habitation," the significance of the sun's resting in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon shall also be explained, which is thus described in Joshua:
Then spoke Joshua to Jehovah, and he said in the eyes of Israel, Sun, rest thou in Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Aijalon; and the sun rested, and the moon stayed, until the nation was avenged upon its enemies. Is not this written upon the book of the Upright? And the sun stood in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day (Jos. Joshua 10:12-13).
That the sun is said to have stood in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon, signifies that the church was altogether vastated in respect to all good and truth, for a battle was then going on against the king of Jerusalem and the kings of the Amorites; and "the king of Jerusalem" signifies the truth of the church wholly vastated by falsities, and "the kings of the Amorites" signify the good of the church vastated by evils; therefore those kings were smitten with hailstones, which signify the dire falsities of evil. It is said that the sun and the moon stood in their place, that is, before the sons of Israel, that they might see their enemies; but this, although it is told as history is a prophecy, as is evident from its being said, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" which was a prophetical book from which this was taken; so it was from the same book that it was said, "Until the nation was avenged upon its enemies," and not, "Until the sons of Israel were avenged upon their enemies," the term "nation" being used prophetically. This is evident also from the fact that if this miracle had occurred altogether in this way, the whole nature of the world would have been inverted, which is not the case with the other miracles in the Word. That it might be known, therefore, that this was said prophetically, it is added, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" And yet it is not to be doubted, that there was given to them a light out of heaven, a light in Gibeon like that of the sun, and a light in the valley of Aijalon like that of the moon.
[19] In Jeremiah:
She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul; her sun shall go down while it is yet day, it shall be ashamed and blush; and the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies (Jeremiah 15:9).
"She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul," signifies that the church to which the Word is given and through it all truths, is about to perish; "to bear seven" meaning to be gifted with all the truths of the church (as in the first book of Samuel, 1 Samuel 2:5, see above, n. 257. "Her sun shall go down while it is yet day" signifies that the good of the church is about to perish, although the church has the Word, and might through the Word be in light; "it, namely, the sun, shall be ashamed and blush" signifies because good and truth are not received, but evil and falsity (as is evident also from the next quotation from Isaiah); "the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies" signifies that all the remaining good and truth will perish through the falsity from evil; "remnant" meaning all that remains; "to be given to the sword" meaning to perish on account of falsities; "enemies" meaning evils.
[20] In Isaiah:
Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the Kings of the earth who are upon the earth. Then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed (Isaiah 24:21, 23).
"To visit" signifies to destroy, because visitation precedes judgment, when those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are destroyed; "the host of the height in the height" signifies all evils that are from the love of self, "host" signifying all evils; "the kings of the earth" falsities of every kind, and "the earth" the church. This makes clear the signification of "Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth." It is said "upon the host of the height in the height" because those who are in the love of self seek in the spiritual world high places; "then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed," signifies that there is no longer any reception of Divine truth and Divine good, "moon" and "sun" signifying the truth of faith and the good of love, and these are said "to blush and be ashamed" when they are no longer received, but falsity and evil are received in their place.
[21] In David:
Jehovah, who hath made the heavens by His intelligence, who hath spread out the earth upon the waters; who hath made great luminaries, the sun for rule by day, the moon and stars for rule by night: Who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them (Psalms 136:5-11).
He who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word must suppose that there is nothing involved in these words except what appears in the sense of the letter; and yet every particular involves such things as pertain to angelic wisdom, which are all celestial Divine and spiritual Divine things. This describes the new creation, or regeneration of the men of the church, of whom the church consists; "the heavens" which Jehovah hath made by His intelligence, signify the internal things of the men of the church, which, in one expression, are called the spiritual man, where intelligence has its seat, and where their heaven is; "the earth" which He hath spread out upon the waters, signifies the external of the church, which in one expression, is called the natural man; this is said to be "spread out upon the waters" because there the truths are by which man is regenerated, "waters" meaning truths; "the great luminaries, the sun, moon, and stars," signify the good of love, truth from that good, and the knowledges of good and truth, "the sun," the good of love, "the moon" truth from that good, and "the stars" the knowledges of good and truth. The sun is said to have been made "for rule by day," because "day" signifies the light of the spiritual man, for the spiritual man has illustration and perception from the good of love; the moon and the stars are said to have been made "for rule by night," because "night" signifies the light of the natural man, and its light, as compared with the light of the spiritual man, is like the light of night from the moon and the stars as compared with the light of day from the sun. Because this treats of the regeneration of the men of the church it follows, "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them;" "Egypt" signifying the natural man, such as it is by birth, namely, in mere falsities from evil; "their firstborn" mean primary things; the destruction of these while man is being regenerated is meant by "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn;" "Israel" signifies the spiritual man; and "to bring him out from the midst of them" signifies to open the spiritual man, and thus to regenerate; for the Lord regenerates the man of the church by dispersing the falsities from evils that are in the natural man, and by opening the spiritual man, and this is effected by the Lord by means of spiritual light, which is Divine truth.
[22] Like things are signified by these words in Genesis:
God made two great luminaries; the great luminary to rule by day, and the lesser luminary to rule by night, and the stars (Genesis 1:16).
For that chapter treats of the new creation, or the regeneration of the men of whom the Most Ancient Church consisted, and this is described in the sense of the letter, by the creation of heaven and earth. Like things are signified, too, by these words in Jeremiah:
Thus said the Lord Jehovih 2 who giveth the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for light by night (Jeremiah 31:35).
"The statutes of the moon and stars" signify all things that are done in the natural man according to the laws of order.
[23] In David:
Praise ye Jehovah, all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts; praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light; praise Him, ye heavens of heavens (Psalms 148:2-4).
"To praise Jehovah" signifies to worship Him; "angels" signify those who are in Divine truths from the good of love, for such are angels; "all the hosts" signify goods and truths in the whole complex; "sun and moon" signify the good of love and the truth from that good; "the stars of light" signify the knowledges of truth from good; "the heavens of heavens" signify goods and truths both internal and external; and as man worships the Lord from those things that are with him from the Lord, thus from the goods and truths that are with him, and as man is a man from these, therefore it is said to them, namely, to the sun, moon, and stars, which signify goods and truths, that they "shall praise," that is, worship, Jehovah. Who does not know that the sun, moon, and stars do not praise, that is, worship?
[24] In Moses:
Of Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be His land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath, and for the precious things of the increase of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months (Deuteronomy 33:13, 14).
This is said in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses; and because "Joseph" means the spiritual-celestial, who are those that are highest in the spiritual kingdom, and thus most closely communicate with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "His land" signifies that spiritual kingdom, likewise the church that consists of such; "the precious things of heaven, the dew, and the deep also that lieth beneath" signify things spiritual-celestial in the internal and the external man; "the precious things of the increase of the sun, and the precious things of the produce of the months," signify all things that proceed from the Lord's celestial kingdom, and all things that proceed from His spiritual kingdom, thus the goods and truths therefrom, "the sun" signifying the good of love to the Lord from the Lord which is the good that those have who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "its increase" signifying all things that proceed from it; "the produce of the months" signifies all things that proceed from the Lord's spiritual kingdom, "months" here signifying the like as "the moon," namely, truths from good, for the same word is used for both in the original. But this that has been said must seem obscure to one who knows nothing about the two kingdoms of heaven, the celestial and the spiritual, and about their conjunction by intermediates. (But respecting these kingdoms and the intermediates, see what is said in Heaven and Hell 20-28.)
[25] In Isaiah:
I will make thy suns a ruby, and thy gates of stones of carbuncles, and all thy border of stones of desire (Isaiah 54:12).
This is said of the nations outside of the church, from whom a new church was to be established by the Lord. "I will make thy suns a ruby" signifies that goods will be brilliant from the fire of love, "suns" here meaning the goods of love, and "the ruby" meaning a brilliance as from fire; "I will make thy gates of stones of carbuncles" signifies that truths will be resplendent from good, "gates" meaning introductory truths, in particular the doctrines that are from good, for all truths of doctrine that are genuine proceed from good, and are of good; and "stones of carbuncles" signify their brightness from good; in fact, all precious stones signify truths from good, and their color, brightness, and fire indicate the quality of the truth from good. "I will make all their border of stones of desire" signifies that true knowledges [scientifica], which belong to the natural man, will be pleasant and enjoyable from good; for "border" has the same meaning as "foundation," and this means the natural man, for in the things in it the goods and truths of the spiritual man are terminated, and "stones of desire" mean truths pleasant and enjoyable from good; by these are meant the goods and truths of the Word which those who constitute the new church will have, and which will be such. That the "sun" signifies the good of love is evident, too, from their being called "suns," in the plural.
[26] In Job:
Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much? did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness? and hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth? (Job 31:25-28).
These words mean in the spiritual sense that he had not acquired for himself intelligence from what was his own [ex proprio], and had taken no merit to himself for his intelligence, and had not gloried in it; for "Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much?" signifies, had he gloried over having intelligence, and having acquired it for himself from what was his own [ex propria]? "means" signify the knowledges of good and truth, by which intelligence is gained; "and because my hand had found much" signifies to have acquired from what is one's own [ex propria]; "did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness" signifies to have spiritual truths, which constitute intelligence, "light" and the "moon" signifying spiritual truths; "hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth?" signifies, have I therefore gloried inwardly, and have I claimed them to myself?
[27] In Matthew:
That ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens; who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
This treats of charity towards the neighbor, as is evident from what there precedes and follows, and, in particular of the Jews, who accounted the Gentiles as enemies, and their own people as friends. That they ought to love the Gentiles the same as their own people the Lord makes clear by this comparison; but as all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences, and from that are significative, as other things are that are not said comparatively, so it is with this comparison; and "the Father in the heavens maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" signifies that the Lord flows in from heaven with the Divine good of love and with Divine truth, with those who are outside of the Jewish church as much as with those who are within it, "sun" also here signifying the good of love, and "rain" the Divine truth. "The evil and the unjust" signify in the internal sense those who were of the Jewish Church, since they did not receive; and "the good and the just" signify those who were outside of that church and did receive. In general, all the evil and the good, and the just and the unjust, are here meant, for the Lord flows in with good and truth equally with all, but all do not receive equally.
[28] Because "the sun" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine love, He is called "the Sun of righteousness (in Malachi 4:2); and "a Sun and Shield" (in David, Psalms 84:11). Because "the sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord with man, "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all who are in the good of love to the Lord, from the first to the last; "from the rising of the sun" meaning from the first, and "unto the going down of the sun" meaning to the last, as in the following passages. In Malachi:
From the rising of the sun even unto its going down is My name great among the nations (Malachi 1:11).
In David:
From the rising of the sun unto its going down the name of Jehovah is to be praised (Psalms 113:3).
In the same:
God, Jehovah God speaketh, and shall call the earth from the rising of the sun unto its going down (Psalms 50:1).
In Isaiah:
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its going down, that there is none beside Me (Isaiah 45:6).
In the same:
From the going down of the sun shall they fear the name of Jehovah, and His glory from the rising of the sun (Isaiah 59:19).
I shall raise up one that shall come from the north, and from the rising of the sun one who shall call upon My name (Isaiah 41:25).
"From the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love to the Lord, because all in heaven dwell according to quarters. Those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell from the east to the west; those who dwell in the east are those who are in a clear good of love, and those who dwell in the west are those who are in an obscure good of love. This is why "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love. The words in Isaiah, "I will raise up one that will come from the north and from the rising of the sun" signify those who are outside of the church, and those who are inside of it; for "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, thus those who are outside of the church, because they are in obscurity in regard to truths from not having the Word, and thence not knowing anything about the Lord; and "the rising of the sun" signifies those who are within the church, because they have the Word, in which the Lord is always present, and so in His rising. (That "the east" or "the rising of the sun," and "the west" or "the setting of the sun," mean the good of love in clearness and the good of love in obscurity, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 141, 148-150; and that "the north" means truth in obscurity, in the same chapter, n 148-150; for the Four Quarters in the Spiritual World are there treated of.)
Again, "the setting of the sun" signifies the state of the church when it is in ignorance, which is its first state; and "the rising of the sun" signifies its state when it is in light. "The setting of the sun" also signifies the state of the church when it is in evils and falsities therefrom; and "the rising of the sun" when it is in goods and in truths therefrom.
[29] The first state of the church, when it is still in ignorance, is signified by the commencement of the passover in the evening when the sun was set, according to these words of Moses:
Thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, when the sun shall have set in the stated time of thy going forth out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 16:6).
For "the feast of the passover" signified the celebration of the Lord on account of deliverance from damnation, which is effected by regeneration; and in the highest sense a remembrance of the glorification of the Lord's Human, because deliverance is from that (See Arcana Coelestia 7093, 7867, 9286-9292, 10655). And because the first state of regeneration is a state of ignorance, the beginning of that feast was "at even, when the sun had set." Again, that state is signified by "the going forth of the sons of Israel out of Egypt," for in Egypt they were in a servile state, and thus in a state of ignorance; therefore it is said, "in the stated time of the going forth out of Egypt."
[30] The last state of the church, when the church is in falsities and evils, for this state is its last, is signified by "the setting of the sun" in Moses:
When the sun was about setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror and great darkness fell upon him. At length, when the sun had set, and it had become dark, behold, a furnace of smoke, and a torch of fire that passed through between these pieces (Genesis 15:12, 17).
These things are said of the posterity of Abram from Jacob, that is, of the Israelitish and Jewish nation; and "when the sun was about setting," and "at length, when the sun had set," signify the last state of the church in that nation, that they were in mere falsities and evils; "great darkness" and "a furnace of smoke," signify falsities from evil; and "a torch of fire" signifies the dire love of self, from which came their evils and falsities.
[31] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "sun" and "moon" and in that sense "sun" signifies the love of self, and "moon," the falsities therefrom. "Sun and moon" have this signification because those who are in natural thought only, and not in spiritual thought, do not think beyond nature; therefore when they see that from these two luminaries, or from their light and heat, all things arise and, as it were, live upon the earth, they suppose that these luminaries rule the universe; above this they do not raise their thoughts. This all do who are in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, for such are merely natural and sensual men, and the merely natural and sensual man does not think beyond nature, for what he does not see and touch he believes to be nothing.
With the ancients, all things of the church consisted of the representatives of spiritual things in natural; with them therefore, "the sun" signified the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "the moon" the Lord in relation to Divine truth, consequently in worship they turned their faces to the rising of the sun; and those among them who were in the love of self, and were therefore merely natural and sensual, began to worship as their highest gods the sun and the moon that they saw with their eyes; but because those alone did this, or persuaded others to do it, who were in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, therefore "the sun" signifies the love of self, and "the moon" the falsity therefrom. This becomes still more evident in the case of spirits in the other life who in the world had been such; these turn the face away from the Lord, and turn it towards something there that is dark and in thick darkness, which is in the place of the sun and moon of the world, over against the sun and moon of the angelic heaven (on which more may be seen in the work onHeaven and Hell 122, 123). By persons like this the worship of the sun and moon was instituted in ancient times, when all Divine worship was representative; but at this day, when representatives have ceased, the worship of the sun and moon does not exist in the Christian world, but in its place the worship of self, which exists with those in whom the love of ruling predominates. This makes clear the signification of "sun and moon" in the contrary sense.
[32] That in ancient times the sun and moon were worshiped is evident from the fact that the Gentiles dedicated shrines to them, which are spoken of in many histories. That the Egyptians as well as the Jews and Israelites worshiped the sun and moon is evident from the Word. That the Egyptians did, see in Jeremiah:
The King of Babylon shall come, and shall smite the land of Egypt, and shall break in pieces the pillars of the house of the sun in the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:11, 13).
That the Jews and Israelites did, see in Ezekiel:
I beheld their faces towards the east; and the same bowed themselves towards the rising of the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).
This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem. In the second book of Kings:
Josiah 3 the King put down the idolatrous priests, them that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, to the moon, and to the stars, and to all of the hosts of the heavens. He furthermore took away the horses that the kings of Judah had set up to the sun at the entering in of the house of Jehovah, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire (2 Kings 23:5, 11).
In Jeremiah:
They shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, and the bones of his priests, and the bones of his prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and they shall spread them to the sun and the moon and all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served (Jeremiah 8:1-2);
and also Jeremiah 44:17-19, 25; Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3, 5.
[33] Because "Moab" in the Word signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and their worship signifies the worship of self, therefore when the Israelitish people drew near to the worship of the Moabitish people, it was commanded that the chiefs of the people should be hung up before the sun; respecting which it is thus written in Moses:
The daughters of Moab called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. Especially did Israel join himself unto Baalpeor; therefore Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up before the sun (Numbers 25:1-4).
"Moab" signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and who consequently adulterate the goods of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 2468, 8315).
[34] From this it is also clear that the sun of the world signifies the love of self. Because the love of self lets man down into what is his own [proprium] and holds him there, for it looks continually to self, and man's own is nothing but evil, and from evil comes every falsity, therefore "the heat of the sun" signifies adulterated truth, which in its essence is the falsity of evil. This is signified by "the heat of the sun" in the following passages. In Revelation:
The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire (Revelation 16:8).
And elsewhere:
They shall hunger no more, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat (Revelation 7:16).
In David:
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, He shall keep thy soul (Psalms 121:6, 7).
The "sun" here means the love of self, and the "moon" the falsity therefrom; because from that love is all evil, and from evil all falsity, therefore it is said, "Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, and He shall keep thy soul," "soul" signifying the life of truth.
[35] In Matthew:
Other seeds fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth; and when the sun was risen they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away (Matthew 13:5-6; Mark 4:5-6).
"Seeds" signify the truths from the Word, that is, the truths man receives from the Lord, for it is afterwards said, that it is "the Son of man that soweth." "Rocky places" signify a historical faith, which is another's faith in oneself, which is believing a thing to be true, not because one sees it in himself, but because another in whom he has confidence has said it. "Earth" signifies spiritual good, because this receives truths as soil does seeds; "the sun's rising" signifies the love of self; and "to be scorched" and "to wither away" signify to be adulterated and to perish. This makes clear what is signified by these words of the Lord in series, namely, that the truths that are implanted from infancy from the Word or from preaching, when man begins to think from himself, are adulterated and perish by lusts from the love of self. All things in the Word are, indeed, truths, but they are adulterated by the ideas of thought concerning them, and by the way they are applied, consequently with such persons truths are not truths except in respect to the mere utterance of them. This is so because all the life of truth is from spiritual good, and spiritual good has its seat in the higher or interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind. This mind cannot be opened with those who are in the love of self, for in everything they look to self. If they lift their eyes to heaven, still the thought of their spirit is held in the consideration of self; consequently from the fire of its own glory it incites the external and corporeal sensual things which have been taught from childhood, to the imitation of such affections as belong to the spiritual man.
[36] It is written in Jonah that "the gourd that came up over him withered, and that the sun beat upon his head, so that he fell sick." As this cannot be understood without explanation by the internal sense, it shall be explained in a few words. It is thus told in Jonah:
Jehovah prepared a gourd that came up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head to deliver him from his evil, and Jonah was glad over the gourd. And God prepared a worm, when the dawn came up the following day, and it smote the gourd that it dried up. And it came to pass when the sun arose that God prepared a scorching east wind; and the sun smote upon the head of Jonah, and he fell sick so that he asked that his soul might die. Then God said to Jonah, is it well for thee to be angry over the gourd? He said, It is well for me to be angry, even unto death. Jehovah said, Thou wouldest spare the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, nor didst thou make it grow up, because thou didst become the son of the night 4 and the son of night perisheth; shall not I spare Nineveh, the great city, in which are more than twelve myriads 5 of men? (Jonah 4:6-11).
This is a description of the genius of the Jewish nation, that they are in the love of self and in falsities therefrom. Jonah was of that nation, and therefore also was sent to Nineveh; for the Jewish nation had the Word, and was therefore able to teach those who were outside of the church and who are called Gentiles; these are signified by "Nineveh." Because the Jewish nation was, above others, in the love of self and in the falsities from that love, they did not wish well to any but themselves, thus not to the Gentiles, but these they hated. Because that nation was such, and Jonah represented it, he was very angry that Jehovah should spare Nineveh, for it is said:
Jonah was ill with a great illness, so that he was angry, and from the illness of anger he said, Take, O Jehovah, my soul from me, for my death is better than my life (Jonah 4:1, 3).
This evil in that nation is signified by the gourd which the worm smote so that it dried up. "The sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self which was in that nation; and "the scorching east wind" the falsity therefrom; and "the worm that smote the gourd" signifies the destruction of this evil and the falsity thence. That this is the signification of "the gourd" is evident from its being said in this description that Jonah at first "was glad over the gourd," and after the gourd had been smitten by the worm and had dried up that "he was angry over it, even unto death," and also from its being said that "he had pity over the gourd." That the Jewish nation, because it was in such a love and in such falsity therefrom was liable to damnation is meant by these words to Jonah, "thou didst not cause it to grow up, because thou didst become a son of night, 6 and a son of night perisheth." (That such was the Jewish nation, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)
[37] The love of self is signified here and in the preceding passages, because "the sun" in the genuine spiritual sense signifies love to the Lord, and the love of self is the opposite of this love.
Moreover, the Lord's Divine love, which is present with everyone, is turned into the love of self with the evil; for everything that flows in is changed in the recipient subject into what agrees with its own nature; as the pure heat of the sun is turned into an offensive smell in subjects of such a nature, and the pure light of the sun into hideous colors in objects of such reception; this is why "the sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self that is in him; likewise "the sun that was risen" by which the seeds were scorched upon the rocky places, mentioned in Matthew.
[38] In Revelation:
The city New Jerusalem hath no need of the sun and moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
"The sun" here, of which the city New Jerusalem shall have no need, signifies natural love, which, viewed in itself is the love of self and the world; and "the moon" signifies natural light, for natural light, viewed in itself is from natural love, and the quality of the light is according to the quality of the love; while spiritual love and spiritual light are signified by "the glory of God shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof."
[39] That such is the sense of these words is very evident from the following from Isaiah:
The sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee; but Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and thy God for thine adornment. Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:19-20).
In the first part of this passage "the sun and moon" have the same meaning as above in Revelation, namely, "the sun" signifies merely natural love, and "the moon" natural light therefrom; but in the latter part of the passage "the sun and moon" mean the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, and that sun signifies the Lord's Divine love, and the moon Divine truth, as was explained above. For it is first said, "the sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee;" and afterwards it is said, "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw." From all this it is now evident what "sun and moon" signify in both senses.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The photolithograph has "my," as also AC 612; HH 348; but Greek has "their," as also AC 9192.
2. The photolithograph has "Lord Jehovih," but the Hebrew and other passages have simply "Jehovah," cf. 527, 610, 768.
3. The photolithograph has "Chiskias;" the king in 2 Kings 23 is "Josiah."
4. The photolithograph has "because thou didst become the son of death, and the son of death perished;" the Hebrew has, "which was the son of a night and perished a son of the night."
5. The photolithograph has "thousands;" the Hebrew has "myriads."
6. Cf. 887.
