751. Verse 12. For this rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them, signifies the salvation and consequent joy of those who become spiritual by the reception of Divine truth. This is evident from the signification of "rejoicing," as being joy on account of salvation; also from the signification of "heavens," as being those who are spiritual (of which presently); also from the signification of "ye that dwell," as being those who live, here spiritually. (That "to dwell" signifies to live, see above, n. 133, 479, 662.) "The heavens" signify those who are spiritual, because all who are in the heavens are spiritual; and because men who have become spiritual are likewise in the heavens, although in respect to the body they are in the world, so "ye that dwell in the heavens" means not only angels, but also men. For every man with whom the interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind, has been opened, is in the heavens, yea, sometimes he even appears among the angels in the heavens. That this is so has not been known heretofore in the world; let it be known, therefore, that man in respect to his spirit is among spirits and angels, and even in that society of them into which he is to come after death. This is because the spiritual mind of man is formed wholly to the image of heaven, even so that it is a heaven in least form; consequently that mind, although it is still in the body, must nevertheless be where its form is. But this has been more fully illustrated in the work on Heaven and Hell 51-58, where it is shown that every angel and also every man, in respect to his interiors, if he be spiritual is a heaven in least form, corresponding to heaven in its greatest form. For this reason, where the Word treats of the creation of heaven and earth the church internal and external is meant in general, as also in particular the internal and external man, or the spiritual and natural man. From this it can be seen that "the heavens and those that dwell in them" signify all who are there, also men who are becoming spiritual by the reception of Divine truth in doctrine and life.

Food and drink in the Bible represent the desire for good and the understanding of what is true, which nourish and delight us spiritually the same way food and drink nourish and delight our bodies. There is some crossover between the two -- food and drink -- but in general food relates to the desire and delight of being good, and drink relates to the understanding and delight in what is true. To be hungry, then, indicates that there is a lack of desire for what is good, a lack of delight in the idea of being good, and a lack of energy and commitment to do what is good. Sometimes that comes hand-in-hand with a lack of understanding what is true, and a lack of delight in truth. This actually makes a lot of sense, if you consider how difficult it is to be cheerful, patient and tolerant when you're hungry. A famine, obviously, would represent a complete loss of desire for good and delight in good over a long period of time, to the point of threatening spiritual death.

'To hunger,' as mentioned in Isaiah 8:21, signifies to desire knowledge.