105. The sun in the spiritual world appears at a middle height chiefly for the following reasons:

First, the heat and light which emanate from that sun are then in their intermediate degree, and so are in balance and thus in their proper proportion. For if the sun were to appear above a middle height, the inhabitants would experience more heat than light; if it were to appear below it, the inhabitants would experience more light than heat - as is the case on earth when the sun stands above or below mid-height in the sky. When the sun stands above that point, heat increases over light, and when it stands below it, light increases over heat. In fact light remains the same in summertime and wintertime, but heat intensifies or lessens in accordance with the sun's degrees of altitude.

The second reason the sun in the spiritual world appears at a middle height over the angelic heaven is that it results in a climate of perpetual spring throughout the angelic heavens, so that the angels are in a state of peace; for this state corresponds to springtime on earth.

The third reason is that angels are thus able to turn their faces constantly to the Lord and behold Him with their eyes. For in whatever direction they turn their bodies angels have the east, thus the Lord, before their faces. This is a phenomenon peculiar to that world. It would not be possible if the sun in that world were to appear above or below mid-height, and not at all if it were to appear at the highest point above their head.