176. Verse 27.And He shall rule them with an iron rod, signifies that He is about to chastise evils by means of truths that are in the natural man. This is evident from the signification of "ruling," as being to chastise, for it is added that "He would shiver them as pottery vessels," and the evils which are signified are chastised by means of truths. It is evident also from the signification of "an iron rod," as being truths that are in the natural man; a "rod" or "staff" signifies the power by which chastisement is effected; and "iron" truths in the natural man which chastise. (That a "rod" or "staff" is power, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572; that it is for this reason that kings have a scepter, which is a short staff, n. 4581, 4876.)

"Iron" signifies truths in the natural man, because metals, as well as the other things of the earth, by correspondence signify things spiritual and celestial, all of which have reference to truths and goods. "Gold" signifies the good of the internal man; "silver" its truth; "copper" or "brass" the good of the external or natural man; "iron" its truth. For this reason the ages were called by the ancients after the names of the metals, namely, Golden, Silver, Copper, and Iron; the Golden Age from the most ancient men, who lived in the good of love; the Silver Age from the ancients after them who lived in truths from that good; the Copper Age from their posterity who were in external or natural good; the Iron Age from the posterity of these who were in natural truth alone without good. Natural truth is truth in the memory, not in the life; truth of life is good. (But more about this correspondence in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 104, 115.)

[2] The successive states of the church, even until the coming of the Lord, are meant by the "gold," the "silver," the "brass," and the "iron," of which the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream was composed, which is thus described in Daniel:

His head was good gold, his breast and his arms silver, his belly and his thighs brass, his legs iron, his feet part iron and part clay. A stone was cut out of the rock, and it smote the image upon his feet that were iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Whereas thou sawest the feet partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it signifies that the kingdom shall be divided; the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. Whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay (Daniel 2:32-34, 41-43).

By "the head which was good gold," the first state of the church is meant, when men were in the good of love to the Lord; by "the breast and arms which were silver," the second state of the church is meant, when they were in truths from that good; by "the belly and thighs which were of brass," the following third state of the church, when they were no longer in spiritual good but in natural good, for "brass" signifies natural good; by "the legs which were of iron," the fourth state of the church is meant, when natural good was no more, but truth only; but by "the feet which were of iron and clay," the last state of the church is meant when there are both truth and falsity, truth in the Word and falsity in doctrine; when the truths of the Word are falsified, and doctrine is drawn from truths falsified, the state of the church is "partly iron and partly clay," thus the kingdom is "partly strong and partly broken." "The kingdom" here is the church; it is therefore called also "the kingdom of God." That truths are thus mixed with falsities, but still they do not cohere, is meant by these words, "Whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay." "The seed of man" is Divine truth, which is in the Word. (That this is signified by "seed," see Arcana Coelestia 3038, 3373, 10248, 10249; that "man" signifies the Lord, from whom is the Word, and also signifies the church, see n. 768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276.) That "potter's clay" signifies the falsities that are in the natural man, will be seen in the following article n. 177. By "the stone cut of the rock," which "smote the image upon his feet," the Lord by means of Divine truth is meant, and the destruction of falsities not cohering with truths from the Word. (That a "stone" is truth, and that "the stone of Israel" is the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376; that "rock" likewise signifies the Lord, 8581, 10580, and in the small work on The Last Judgement, n. 57.) Because "iron" signifies truths in the natural man, "the feet of the statue" were seen to be "of iron," for "feet" signify the natural (See Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).

[3] Like things are signified by "gold," "silver," "brass," and "iron," in these words in Isaiah:

For brass I will bring gold, for iron I will bring silver, for woods brass, and for stones iron (Isaiah 60:17).

"To bring gold for brass" means celestial good for natural good; "silver for iron" means celestial truth for natural truth; "brass for woods, and iron for stones," means natural good and truth in great abundance like that of woods and stones. Here the state of the celestial church is treated of. (That "iron" signifies truth in the natural man, see Arcana Coelestia 425, 426.)

[4] These passages are cited that it may be known what is meant by the "iron rod," namely, the power whereby the Lord chastises the evils and disperses the falsities that are in the natural man; for a "rod" or "staff" signifies power (as was said above), and "iron" signifies truths in the natural man. The Lord chastises evils and disperses falsities by means of truths in the natural man, because all evils and the falsities therefrom have their seat in the natural man, and none in the spiritual or internal man. The internal man does not receive evils and falsities, but is closed against them. And as all evils and falsities have their seat in the natural man, they must needs be chastised and dispersed by means of such things as are there, which are truths in the natural man. Truths in the natural man are knowledges and cognitions, from which man can think, reason, and conclude naturally respecting the truths and goods of the church, and the falsities and evils which are opposed to these, and can consequently be in some natural illustration when he reads the Word. For the Word in the letter is not understood without illustration; and illustration is either spiritual or natural. Spiritual illustration is only with those who are spiritual; and the spiritual are those that are of the good of love and charity and in truths therefrom; while mere natural illustration is with those who are natural (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 153, 425, 455; and above, n. 140. Moreover, those who are spiritual have, whilst they live in the world, illustration in the natural; but this springs from illustration in the spiritual; for with them the Lord flows in through the spiritual or internal man into the natural or external, and thus illustrates it, from which enlightenment man can see what is true and good, and what is false and evil, and when he sees that, the Lord scatters the evils and the falsities that are in the natural man, by means of the truths and goods that are also there and that make one with the goods and truths in the spiritual or internal man (See in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, on sciences and knowledges, what they effect, n. 51, and on Influx, n. 277, 278).

[5] From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the iron rod," with which the Lord is to rule the nations, that is, chastise the evils that are in the natural man. These things are said to the angel of this church, because in what is written to this angel the internal and external man and their conjunction are treated of; for when the internal and the external or the spiritual and the natural are conjoined, the Lord chastises the evils and falsities that are in the natural man, and this by means of the knowledges of truth and good. But with those with whom the internal and external man are not conjoined, evils and falsities cannot be chastised and scattered, since they receive nothing from heaven through the spiritual man, but all things they receive are from the world; and these their rational favors, and supplies confirmations. Things similar to those here signified by "the iron rod" are also signified in the following passages.

In David:

Thou shalt bruise [the nations] with an iron scepter; as a potter's vessel Thou shalt dash them in pieces (Ps. 2:9).

In Isaiah:

He shall smite the land with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked (Isa. 11:4).

In Revelation:

The woman brought forth a male, a son, who is to rule all nations with an iron rod (Rev. 12:5).

Out of the mouth of the One sitting on the white horse went forth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations; for He shall rule them with an iron rod (Rev. 19:15).

In Micah:

Arise, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass, that thou mayest beat in pieces many peoples (Micah 4:13).

The "daughter of Zion" is the celestial church; "horn" is power in the natural man; "hoofs" are the ultimates there, called sensual scientifics; hence it is evident what is signified by "making the horn iron, and the hoofs brass." (That the "daughter of Zion" is the celestial church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 2362, 9055; that "horn" is the power of truth from good in the natural man, n. 2832[1-15], 9081, 9719, 9720, 9721, 10182, 10186; and that "hoofs" are the knowledges of the sensual man, which are truths in the ultimate of order, n. 7729.)

3301. 'A hairy garment' means the truth of the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'a tunic' as something that clothes another thing - that something being in this case truth because this serves to clothe good (for truth is like a garment, 1073, 2576, or what amounts almost to the same, truth is the recipient vessel for good, 1469, 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269); and also from the meaning of 'hairy' as the natural as regards truth. Hair, or the hair on the head, is mentioned several times in the Word, and in those places means that which is natural, the reason being that hairs are outgrowths on the most exterior parts of a person, as also is the natural in relation to its rational and to the interior parts of the rational. During his lifetime it seems to everyone as though the natural within him is all there is to him, but this is so far from being true, that the natural is rather an outgrowth from the internal parts of him, like hairs from the parts of the body. They also stem from internal parts in almost the same way. This also is why people who have been wholly natural during their lifetime are seen in the next life to have faces covered almost entirely with hair when a visual presentation is made of that state. What is more, man's natural is represented by 'the hair'. When it is an outgrowth from good it is represented by attractive and neatly arranged hair, but when it is not the outgrowth from good by unattractive and dishevelled hair.

[2] It is from this representation that in the Word 'hair', or 'the hair on the head' is used to mean the natural, especially as regards truth, as in Zechariah,

It will happen on that day, that the prophets will be ashamed, [every] man on account of his vision when he has prophesied. And he will not put on a hairy garment in order to deceive. Zechariah 13:4.

'The prophets' stands for people who teach truths, here for those who teach falsities, 2534. 'Vision' stands for truths, here for falsities, 'hairy garment' for the natural as regards truth. But because it was not truth but falsity the phrase 'in order to deceive' is used. Such clothing was worn by the prophets so that truth, being external, might be represented by them. This also was why, dressed in a similar way, Elijah the Tishbite is called a hairy man, 2 Kings 1:8, and why John, the last of the prophets, had a garment of camel hair, Matthew 3:4 - 'camels' being facts in the natural man, see 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, and facts being the truths of the natural man, 3293.

[3] That 'the hair' meant the natural as regards truth is quite clear from the Nazirites who were commanded not to shave their heads with a razor all the days of their Nazirite vow, not until their days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed. Then they were to let down the hair on their heads and at the door of the Tent of Meeting were to shave the head of their Naziriteship and put the hair on to the fire which was beneath the eucharistic sacrifice, Numbers 6:5, 18-19. They represented the Lord's Divine Human, and from this the person belonging to the celestial Church, who was a likeness of the Lord, 51 - representing that person's natural man by 'the hair'. When they were being sanctified therefore they were to lay aside their old or previous natural man into which they had been born and were to assume the new. This was meant by the requirement, when the days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed, to let down the hair on their heads and to put it on to the fire beneath the sacrifice. For the state of the celestial man is a state in which good is present in him and from that good he has a knowledge of all truths. He never thinks and talks from truths about good, still less from facts about good, see 202, 337, 2715, 2718, 3246. Furthermore those who are celestial are of such a nature that before they lay aside that state into which they were born their natural has become so powerfully equipped with truth that they are capable of fighting with the hells; for it is truth, never good, that goes into battle. The hells cannot make even the remotest approach towards good. That truth is of such a nature, and good of such a nature, see 1950, 1951.

[4] From this it is evident how it was that Samson had strength from his hair, referred to as follows,

The angel of Jehovah appeared to Samson's mother, saying, Behold, you will conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come up over his head; the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from the womb. Judges 13:3, 5.

Later on he revealed to Delilah that if he were shaved his strength would leave him and he would be rendered powerless. And immediately he had been shaved, his strength did leave him and the Philistines seized him. And when subsequently the hair on his head started to grow again, where he had been shaved, his strength returned to him, enabling him to dislodge the pillars of the house, Judges 16:1-end. Who does not see that this description holds a heavenly arcanum within it, and that nobody knows what that arcanum is unless he has been taught regarding representatives, that is to say, that a Nazirite portrayed the celestial man, and as long as he had his hair he portrayed the natural part of that man, with whom, as has been stated, such strong and powerful truth was present? And Samson had such strength because at that period of time all representatives which the Lord had commanded had such force and effect. But he was not a consecrated Nazirite like those mentioned above, that is to say, someone who had put on a state of good instead of truth. The chief reason why the ultimate existence of his strength lay in his hair was so that he might represent the Lord who from the natural man as regards truth was to fight the hells and overcome them. This He did before putting on Divine Good and Truth even as regards the natural man.

[5] From this it is also evident why the high priest, on whose head the anointing oil had been poured and who had been consecrated ¹ to wear the garments, was commanded not to shave his head or to rend his garments, Leviticus 21:10. And in a similar way where the new Temple is referred to the Levitical priests were commanded not to shave their head or to let their hair grow long, Ezekiel 44:20; that is to say, they represented the Lord's Divine Natural as regards truth that is derived from good and is called truth grounded in good. That 'hair' or the hair on the head means the natural as regards truth is clear also from the prophetical parts of the Word, as in Ezekiel,

I gave you to be like the seed of the field, from which you grew up and became tall to full beauty; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Ezekiel 16:7.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is the Ancient Church here and which in process of time became perverted. 'Breasts were formed' stands for natural good, 'hair which has grown' for natural truth.

[6] In Daniel,

I saw, until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire. Daniel 7:9.

And in John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and surrounded by a golden girdle around the breasts. His head however and hair were white, like white wool, like snow; but His eyes were like a flame of fire. Revelation 1:13-14.

'Hair white like pure wool' stands for the Divine Natural as regards truth. In the Word, and in the religious observances of the Jewish Church, truth itself was represented by 'white', and because truth is derived from good is called 'pure wool'. The reason why truth was represented by 'white' and good by 'red' was that truth is akin to light and good to fire, the source of the light.

[7] As with everything else in the Word 'the hair' also has a contrary sense and means the natural as regards truth when perverted, as in Isaiah,

On that day the Lord will shave by means of a razor hired at the crossing-places of the River - by means of the King of Asshur - the head and the hair of the feet; and it will consume the beard also. Isaiah 7:20.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, take for yourself a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor which you shall run over your head and over your beard. Then you are to take balances and you are to divide it. A third you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third you are to scatter to the wind. You shall take from it a small number, and bind it in your skirts. Finally you are to take from these again and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them with fire, and from this, fire will come forth to the whole house of Israel. Ezekiel 5:1-4.

All this, by the use of representatives, describes how natural truth, interior and exterior, meant by 'the hair' and 'the beard', ceased to exist any longer. Its destruction by lusts is meant by its being burned with fire, by reasonings by its being struck with the sword round about the city, by false assumptions by its being scattered to the wind. These statements are similar in content to what the Lord teaches in Matthew about some seed, which is the truth, falling among thorns, some on stony ground, and some along the path, Matthew 13:1-9.

[8] That 'the heir' means the unclean truths and the falsities belonging to the natural man was also represented by the requirement that when a woman from among enemies who had been taken captive was to be married to [an Israelite], she was to be brought to his home, the hair on her head was to be shaved off, her nails were to be pared, and the garments of her captivity were to be removed, Deuteronomy 21:12-13. Also when Levites were consecrated, the water of expiation was to be sprinkled over them, they were to pass a razor over their entire flesh, and to wash their clothes, and so be pure, Numbers 8:7. Also, Nebuchadnezzar was driven from among men so that he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet from the dew of heaven, till his hair grew to be like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws, Daniel 4:33. In the case of leprosy they were required to note the colours of hair and beard, whether these were white, reddening, yellow, or black. They were to look for the same in garments. And the person who was cleansed from leprosy was required to shave all the hair on his head, his beard, and his eyebrows, Leviticus 13:1-59; 14:8-9. The latter meant the unclean falsities that result from unholiness, which is leprosy in the internal sense.

[9] 'Baldness' however meant the natural when no truth at all is present in it, as in Isaiah,

He is going up to Bayith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep over Nebo; and Moab will howl over Medeba. On all their heads is baldness; every beard is shaved off. Isaiah 15:2.

In the same prophet, Instead of well-set hair there will be baldness, branding instead of beauty. Isaiah 3:24

The children who said to Elisha, Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead! and who were torn apart by the bears out of the forest, 2 Kings 2:23-24, represent people who blaspheme the Word as though it had no truth within it; for Elisha represented the Lord as regards the Word, 2762. From this it is also evident how prevalent representatives were at that period of time.

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