108. Verse 7. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, signifies that he who understands should hearken to what Divine truth proceeding from the Lord teaches and says to those who are of His church. This is evident from the signification of "He that hath an ear let him hear," as being that he who understands should hearken, or obey (that to "hear" is to understand and to do, that is, to hearken, see above, n. 14; also from the signification of "the Spirit," here the Spirit of God, as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (See Arcana Coelestia 3704, 5307, 6788, 6982, 6993, 7004, 7499, 8302, 9199, 9228-9229, 9303, 9407, 9818, 9820, 10330); and from the signification of "churches," as being those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity, that is, who are of the church, for no others are of the church. These words, namely, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith into the churches," are said to each of the churches (here to the church of Ephesus; afterwards to the church in Smyrna, verse 2:11; in Pergamum, verse 2:17; in Thyatira, verse 2:29; in Sardis, chapter Revelation 3:6; in Philadelphia, verse 3:13; and in Laodicea, verse 3:22), in order that everyone who is of the church may know that it is not knowing and understanding the truths and goods of faith, or doctrinals, or even the Word, that makes the church, but hearkening, that is, understanding and doing; for this is signified by the words "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Because this makes the church and forms heaven with man, and knowing and understanding, apart from doing, does not, therefore the Lord also uses the same words in several other places:

He that hath an ear to hear let him hear (as in Matthew 11:15; 12:43; Mark 4:9, 4:23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35).

In Revelation it is added, "what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" since by this is signified what Divine truth teaches and says to those who are of the church, or what is the same, what the Lord teaches and says, for all Divine truth proceeds from Him (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 13, 133, 137, 139); for this reason the Lord did not Himself say, "what the Spirit saith," because He who spoke was the Divine truth.

[2] That knowing and understanding Divine truths does not make the church and form heaven with man, but knowing, understanding, and doing, the Lord teaches plainly in many passages; as in Matthew:

He that heareth these words of Mine and doeth them, is likened unto a prudent man, but he that heareth and doeth them not, is likened unto a foolish man (Matthew 7:24, 26).

In the same:

He that was sown upon good land, this is he that heareth the Word, and taketh heed and thence beareth fruit (Matthew 13:23).

In Luke:

Everyone that cometh to Me and heareth My words, and doeth them, I will show to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who laid the foundation on a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not is like a man that built a house upon the earth, without a foundation (Luke 6:47-49).

In the same:

My mother and My brethren are they who hear the Word of God and do it (Luke 8:21);

and in many other places. In these passages, "hearing" signifies simply hearing, which is knowing and understanding. "Hearing," in common discourse, has this meaning when one is said "to hear" a thing; but it means both understanding and doing when it is said "give ear to," or "hearken to," also "listen to." Moreover, those who have separated life from faith are like those of whom the Lord speaks in Matthew:

Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matthew 13:13-15; Ezekiel 12:2).

9277. 'In like manner you shall do with your vineyard, with your olive grove' means that this is to be so with spiritual good and with celestial good. This is clear from the meaning of 'vineyard' as the spiritual Church, dealt with in 1069, 9139, and so spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, since this good constitutes the spiritual Church; and from the meaning of 'olive grove' as the celestial Church, and so celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, since this good constitutes the celestial Church. What the spiritual Church and its good are, and what the celestial Church and its good are, and also what the difference is, see 2046, 2227, 2669, 2708 (end), 2715, 2718, 2935, 2937, 2954, 3166, 3235, 3236, 3240, 3246, 3374, 3833, 3887, 3969, 4138, 4286, 4493, 4585, 4938, 5113, 5150, 5922, 6289, 6296, 6366, 6427, 6435, 6500, 6647, 6648, 7091, 7233, 7474, 7977, 7992, 8042, 8152, 8234, 8521.

[2] The fact that 'olive grove' means the celestial Church and so celestial good is clear from places in the Word in which 'the olive tree' is mentioned, such as in Moses,

You will plant and dress vineyards, but you will not drink wine or gather [the fruit], for the worm will devour it. You will have olive trees within all your borders, but you will not anoint yourself with oil, because your olive tree will be shaken bare. Deuteronomy 28:39-40.

This describes the curse if other gods were worshipped and if statutes and judgements were not kept. 'Olive trees within all the borders' are forms of the good of celestial love within the whole Church, which come from the Lord through the Word. 'Not being anointed with oil' stands for nevertheless remaining untouched by that good. 'The olive tree will be shaken bare' stands for a warning that this good will perish. Something similar occurs in Micah,

You will tread olives but not anoint yourself with oil, and tread the new wine but not drink wine. Micah 6:15.

[3] In Amos,

I struck you with blight and mildew; your very many gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig trees, and your olive trees the caterpillar devoured. Yet you did not return to Me. Amos 4:9.

'Vineyards' stands for forms of the good of faith, 'olive trees' for forms of the good of love. Being punished for not welcoming those forms of good is meant by the caterpillar devouring the olive trees. In Habakkuk,

The fig tree will not blossom, neither will there be any produce on the vines; the olive crop will fail, ¹ and the field will not produce food. Habakkuk 3:17.

'The fig tree' stands for natural good, 'the vine' for spiritual good, 'the olive' for celestial good, and 'the field' for the Church. In Zechariah,

Two olive trees are beside the lampstand, one on the right of the bowl and one on the left of it. These are the two sons of pure oil, standing beside the Lord of the whole earth. Zechariah 4:3, 11, 14.

'Two olive trees beside the lampstand' stands for celestial and spiritual good, which are to the right and to the left of the Lord. 'The lampstand' means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth.

[4] In the Book of Judges,

Jotham said to the citizens of Shechem who made Abimelech king, The trees went out to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign over us. But the olive tree said to them, Shall I stop producing my oil ² which God and men honour in me, and go to sway ³ over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, You come [and] reign over us. But the fig tree said to them, Shall I stop producing ⁴ my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway ³ over the trees? Then the trees said to the vine, You come [and] reign over us. But the vine said to them, Shall I stop producing ⁴ my new wine, cheering God and men, and go to sway ³ over the trees? And all the trees said to the thornbush, You come [and] reign over us. And the thornbush said to the trees, If you are in truth anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge ⁵ in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the thornbush and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Judges 9:7-16.

None can know what is implied specifically by the things said here unless they know what 'the olive tree', 'the fig tree', 'the vine', and 'the thornbush' mean. 'The olive tree' means the internal good of the celestial Church, 'the fig tree' the external good of that Church, 4231, 5113, 'the vine' the good of the spiritual Church, but 'the thornbush' spurious good. The things that are said therefore imply that the people, who are 'the trees' here, did not want celestial good or spiritual good to 'reign over them', but spurious good, and that the people chose the spurious in preference to celestial or spiritual good. The 'fire' coming out of the spurious good is the harmfulness of evil cravings, 'the cedars of Lebanon' which it would devour being the truths of good.

[5] Since 'the olive tree' was a sign of the good of love received from the Lord and offered to the Lord, the cherubs in the middle of the house or temple were made of olive wood, as were the doors to the sanctuary, 1 Kings 6:23-33. For 'the cherubs', and also 'the doors of the sanctuary', were signs of the Lord's protection and providence, guarding against access to Him except through the good of celestial love. This was why they were made of olive wood. All this shows why it was that the tabernacle and the altar were anointed with oil, also the priests, and at a later time the kings, and why it was that olive oil was used in lamps. For 'oil' was a sign of the good of love from the Lord, see 886, 3728, 4582, 4638, and 'anointing' was a sign that they should accordingly represent the Lord.

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