THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 14

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. FOR Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will again choose Israel; and He will place them in their own land: and the sojourner shall be joined unto them, and they shall cleave unto the house of Jacob.

VERSE 1. Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, etc. - The Lord's love is pure rnercy towards the whole human race, which is of such a nature as to be desirous to save all, to make them eternally happy, and to bestow on them all things appertaining to itself; thus out of pure mercy to draw all, who are willing to follow, to heaven, - that is, to itself, by the powerful attraction of love. Arcana Coelestia 1735.

And will again choose Israel. - The chosen or the elect are those who are in the life of Good and Truth. (A. O. 3755.) It is surprising that anyone should at all believe that the Jewish nation was chosen [for salvation] in preference to others. Hence also it comes to pass that many confirm themselves in this belief, that the life is of no account, but that election is everything, and that consequently reception into heaven is of mercy alone, without any regard to the life, when yet everyone from sound reason is enabled to see that to think so is to think against the Divine Being, for He is Mercy itself; wherefore if heaven was of mercy, without regard to the life, all would be received into heaven, whatsoever might be their numbers; to cast down anyone in to hell, when yet he might be received into heaven, would be unmercifulness and not mercy, and to choose one in preference to another, would be injustice and not justice. Wherefore they who have believed, and who have confirmed themselves in the belief, that some are chosen and the rest not chosen, and that admission into heaven is merely out of mercy, without any regard to the life, are told, as I have also occasionally heard and seen, that heaven is in no case denied by the Lord to any one, and that if they desire it, they may know it from experience. Wherefore they are elevated into some society of heaven inhabited by those who have spent their life in the affection of good or in charity; but when they come thither, inasmuch as they are evil, they begin to be tormented and inwardly tortured, because their life is contrary, and when heavenly light appears, they appear in that light as devils, almost without the human form. Arcana Coelestia 5057.

[The Jews were said to be "chosen" or " elect", because they were chosen by the Lord to represent a church, not that they were chosen above all others for salvation, but to be types of a church established to represent the means and the process by which salvation is attained. It is chiefly from not making this distinction that the great error of predestination and of unconditional election has been so extensively believed.]

The sojourner shall be joined unto them, "Sojourners" denote those who are instructed in the Truth and Good of the church, and who receive those principles and live according to them. Arcana Coelestia 8007, 8013, 9196.

They shall cleave unto the house of Jacob. - That to "cleave to" or to adhere, signifies, in the proximate interior sense, conj unction, is evident without explanation. That to "cleave to", in the internal sense, is charity, is evident from this, that charity, or what is the same thing, mutual love, is spiritual conjunction; for it is a conjunction of affections which are of the will, and hence an agreement of thoughts which are of the understanding, thus a conjunction of minds as to both parts. Thus to "cleave unto the house of Jacob", signifies to bein the good of charity, in which those are who are signified by the "house of Jacob." Arcana Coelestia 3875.

Verses 1 - 25. Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, etc. - All these things are said concerning Babel, and not concerning any devil who was created an angel of light, and from his primaeval state was called "the son of the morning", but becoming a devil was cast into hell. That Babel is here described appears from verses 4 and 22 of this chapter, where "Babel" and "the king of Babel" are mentioned, for it is said, "You shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel"; and afterwards, "I will cut off from Babel the name and the remnant." It is to be observed that by a "king", in the Word, is signified the same as by his "kingdom." The reason why Babel is called "Lucifer, the son of the morning", is, because, as was said above, "Babel" in the beginning is the church, which is in zeal for the Lord, for the good of love, and for the truths of faith, although inwardly in the zeal of her pastors there lies concealed a fire of the love of ruling, by the holy things of the church, over all whom they can subject to themselves; hence it is that Babel is called "Lucifer, the son of the morning"; for the same reason he is also called "the king of kings, into whose hand are given all things; and also the head of the statue which was gold"; (Dan. 2:37, 38) likewise, also, "the tree in the midst of the earth, great in height." (Dan. 4:10, 20)

Babel in its beginning is also understood by "the lion which had the wings of an eagle, and which afterwards appeared as a man, and a man's heart was given unto it"; (Dan. 7:4) and is called "the ornament of the kingdoms, and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans"; (Isaiah Isaiah 13:19) it is also mentioned amongst "those that know Jehovah." (Psalm 87:4)

Now whereas by "Babel", in its beginning, is signified such a church, therefore the king of Babel is here called "Lucifer, the son of the rnorning"; "Lucifer", from the light of truth in which that church then is, and "son of the morning" [aurora], from the first beginning of light or of day, for the aurora or "morning dawn" is the church in its beginning. But still in that chapter is described that church as to its state in the end, when "Babylon became a harlot", (Apoc, xvii.] which is the state thereof when there is no longer any Good of love nor any Truth of faith remaining; this its state is what is understood by the destruction and condemnation thereof to hell. Their destruction, spoken of in the Word, is no other than that after death those are cast down into hell who have arrogated to themselves a divine power, and have exercised it, and for that end have held the people of the earth in dense darkness or blindness, and in idolatrous worship, especially those who have led men away from the worship of the Lord.

Inasmuch as these are the things which are described in that chapter, the passages which have been thence- adduced shall be briefly explained. "Jehovah shall have mercy upon Jacob, and shall yet choose Israel, to place them in their own land", signifies the New Church to be established by the Lord: after the end of "Babylon." "In that day you shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel, and shalt say, How has the oppressor ceased! the lust [or exactress] of gold ceased!" signifies liberation from the spiritual captivity and servitude, in which they were who were under the dominion of that church. "Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers", signifies that they have no longer any power by truths from good, because they are in mere falsities from evil; such is their impotence in the spiritual world. "The whole earth is at rest, it is quiet; they burst forth into singing; even the fir-trees rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since you art fallen, no feller has come up against us", signifies that they who are in the knowledges of good and truth, will no longer be infested by them; the "land or earth" is the New Church, which will be "quiet" from them; the "fir-trees and the cedars of Lebanon" are the knowledges of good and truth in the external and in the internal sense; "the feller not coming upon them" denotes no more infestation. "Hell from beneath is moved because of you to meet you at your coming : he rouseth for you the Rephaim, all the powerful ones of the earth; he makes to rise up from their thrones all the kings of the nations", signifies the delight of revenge of those who are in hell. "All of them shall answer and shall say unto you, Art you, even you become weak as we? art you made like unto us? Is then your magnificence brought down to hell; the sound of your viols?" signifies that the delight is from the consideration that it is become like to them, and in like manner in the falsities of evil. "How art you fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! how art you cut down to the earth, you that didst weaken the nations!" signifies scorning or mockery on account of its being such, although in the beginning it was in heaven, because in the good of love and in the truths of faith; these things are said by those who are in hell, because nothing is more delightful to those who are there than to draw any one down from heaven, and to destroy him by the falsities of evil. "For you didst say in your heart, I will ascend the heavens; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne: and I will sit upon the mount of the assembly, all the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High", are also words of scorn or mockery upon the pride of their dominion, that still they reach to heaven and arrogate to themselves divine power, and thereby subject all things of heaven and all things of the church to their own will, in order that they may be worshipped and adored as gods; the "mount of the assembly, on the sides of the north", denotes where there is ascent into the heavens; "above the stars, and above the heights of the clouds", denotes over divine Truth; "stars" denoting the knowledges of good and truth, and the "heights of the clouds", the interior truths of the Word.

"But you shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit; those that see you shall look attentively at you; they shall consider you, [saying] Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook the kingdoms; that made the world like a desert; that destroyed the cities thereof?" is a continuation of the scorning of those who are in hell, and also of the glorying thence tbat it is east down from heaven; the "sides of the pit" are the places in hell where are mere falsities of evil; by "the earth, the kingdoms, and the world", is signified the church, and by " cities" are signified doctrinals. "You art cast out of the sepulchre like an abominable shoot, like the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with the sword; like them that go down to the stones of the pit; like a trodden carcass", signifies the state of their condemnation; the garment of those that are slain, thrust through with the sword, and the trodden carcass", signify the condemnation of the profanation of truth. "You shalt not be joined unto them in the sepulchre, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people; the seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever", signifies more grievous condemnation than of the rest, on account of having extinguished all things of the church. "Prepare you slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers; that they may not rise, and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities", signifies the destruction of them for ever, "I will cut off from Babel the name and the remnant, and the son and the nephew", signifies total destruction, because they have no longer anything of Good and of Truth. "I will make it an inheritance for the bittern, and stagnant pools of waters: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction", signifies the infernal false by the destruction of truth. To "break Ashur or the Assyrian in My land, and to trample him on My mountains", signifies that in the New Ohurch there shall not exist any ratiocinations from falsities against truths and goods. Besides what has been here adduced, the things contained in this chapter may be seen more particularly explained in other parts of this work [adduced below], as Apocalypse Explained 215, 223, 304, 331, 386, 405, 539, 589, 594, 608, 659, 687, 697, 724, 727, 730, 741, 768, 811. Apocalypse Explained 1029.

BABYLON BABEL LUCIFER, A DESCRIPTION OF MODERN BABYLON.

As to Babylon in modern times, or as manifested in the Christian church at the present day, the merely natural man confirms himself against the Divine Providence, because in many kingdoms where the Christian religion is received, there are some who claim to themselves Divine power, and desire to be worshipped as gods; and because they invoke dead men. They say, indeed, that they have not arrogated to themselves divine power, and that they do not desire to be worshipped as gods; but yet they say that they can open and shut heaven, and remit and retain sins, consequently can save and condemn men, which is the prerogative of Divinity itself; for the Divine Providence has nothing for its end but the reformation and thereby the salvation of mankind. This is its continual operation with everyone; and salvation cannot be effected except by an acknowledgement of the Lord's Divinity, and confidence that it is wrought by Him, when a man lives according to His commandments. Who cannot see that this is the "Babylon" described in the Revelation, and the "Babel" treated of in many parts of the Prophets? That this also is meant by "Lucifer" in Isaiah xiv., is evident from the 4th and 22nd verses of that chapter, in which are the following words :

"You shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babel"; (verse 4.) and afterwards, " I will cut off from Babel the name and remnant"; (verse 22.) from which it is evident that Babel is there signified by "Lucifer", of whom it is said "How art you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! For you didst say in your heart, I will ascend the heavens; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne: and I will sit upon the mount of the assembly, on the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14)

That they invoke dead men, and pray to them for succour, is well known. It is affirmed that they invoke them, because the invocation of them is established by a papal, bull, confirming the decree of the Council of Trent, in which it is openly said that, they are to be invoked: yet who does not know that God alone ought to be invoked, and not any dead man? But it shall now be stated why the Lord has permitted such things. That He has permitted them for a certain end, which is salvation, cannot be denied; for it is well known that without the Lord there is no salvation. This being the case, there was a necessity that the Lord should be preached from the Word, and the Christian church; thereby established; but this could not be effected except by leaders who should act with zeal; and there were no others qualified, than such as were heated, as it were, with zeal, from the fire of self-love. This fire first excited them to preach the Lord and teach the Word;, and from this their primitive state it is, that Lucifer is called "the son of the morning." (verse 12.) But as they came to see that they should be able to obtain dominion by means of the holy things of the Word and the church, self-love, by which they were first excited to preach the Lord, broke out from within, and at length exalted itself to such a height, that they transferred all the divine power of the Lord to themselves, not leaving Him any. This could not be prevented by the Divine Providence of the Lord; for had it been prevented, they would have proclaimed the Lord not to be God, and the Word not to be sacred, and would have become Socinians or Arians, and thus have destroyed the whole church; which, whatever may be the character of its rulers, still remains among the people who are under them. For all those of that religion also, who approach the Lord, and shun evils as sins, are saved; for which reason there are many heavenly societies from them in the spiritual world; and it is also provided that there should be among them a nation which has not submitted to the yoke of such a dominion, and which considers the Word as sacred. This is the noble French nation. [In Swedenborg's time the Jansenists, who advocated the reading of the Word, and who resisted the Bull Unigenitus, prevailed in France; but now the Jesuits are predominant in that country.] But what was the consequence? When self-love which is "Lucifer", had exalted its dominion even unto the throne of the Lord, had removed Him thence, and placed itself upon it, it could not do otherwise" than profane all things appertaining to the Word and the church; and to prevent this, the Lord so ordered it of His Divine Providence, that those who were under its influence should depart from the worship of Him, invoke dead men, pray to their images, kiss their bones, prostrate themselves at their sepulchres, forbid the Word to be read, place the sanctity of divine worship in masses not understood by the vulgar, and sell salvation for money; because, if they had not done these things, they would have profaned the holy things of the Word and the church; for, as was shown in the preceding paragraph, none can profane things sacred but those who are acquainted with them. Therefore, that they may not profane the most Holy Supper, it is of the Divine Providence of the Lord that they should divide it, giving the bread to the people, and drinking the wine themselves; for the "wine" in the Holy Supper signifies holy Truth, and the "bread", holy Good; but when they are divided, the "wine" signifies Truth profaned, and the "bread", Good adulterated. It is provided, also, that they should [by the dogma of transubstantiation] make it corporeal and material, and account this doctrine to be a primary tenet of religion. He, who attends to these particulars, and considers them in some illumination of mind, may see the wonderful operation of the Divine Providence, in guarding the holy things of the church, and saving all who are capable of being saved, snatching as it were out of the fire those who will suffer themselves to be snatched away. Divine Providence 257.

2. And the peoples shall take them, and bring them into their own place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of Jehovah, as servants, and as handmaids: and they shall take them captive, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3. And it shall be in that day, when Jehovah shall have given you rest from thine affliction, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage with which you wast made to serve,

4. That you shalt give utterance to this parable upon the king of Babel, and shalt say, How has the oppressor ceased! the exactress of gold ceased!

Verse 2. The peoples shall take them, and shall bring them into their own place, etc. Treating of the bringing back of the sons of Israel, by whom are understood the nations. That they who secluded others from truths and seduced them by falsities, are secluded from truths and seduced by falsities themselves, is signified by "they shall take them captive, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their exactors or oppressors." Apocalypse Explained 811.

As servants, and as handmaids. - When the intellectual principle is a "mistress", the affection of sciences and of knowledges, which is of the exterior man, is a "handmaid." (Arcana Coelestia 1895)

Things rational and scientific are " men-servants"; and their affections are" handmaids." Arcana Coelestia 2567.

5. Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers.

Verse 5. Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the rod [or sceptre]of the rulers. - Whereas a "rod" and a "staff" signify the power of divine Truth, and thence divine Truth as to power; therefore they also signify, in the opposite sense, the power of the infernal false, and thence the infernal false as to power; in this sense they are mentioned in the above words.

By "breaking the staff of the wicked" is signified to destroy the power of the false from evil; and by "breaking the rod [or sceptre] of the rulers" is signified the rule of the false. And in David "The staff of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the just; that the just may not put forth their hands to iniquity." (Psalm 125:3)

The "staff of the wicked" signifies the power of the false from evil; "upon the lot of the just", signifies over truths from good, which are with the faithful, and especially with those who are in love to the Lord, for these, in the Word, are called the "just"; "lest the just put forth their hands to iniquity", signifies lest they falsify truths. Apocalypse Explained 727.

6. He that smote the peoples in wrath, with a stroke not curable; he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

Verse 6. He smote the peoples with a stroke not curable, etc. - In this passage "peoples" denote those who are against the truths of the spiritual church, thus who are ill falsities; and "nations", those who are against the goods of the celestial church, thus who are in evils. These things are also signified by the "peoples" and "nations" who were driven out of the land of Canaan. Apocalypse Explained 331.

7. The whole earth is at rest, it is quiet: they burst forth into singing.

8. Even the fir-trees rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon, [saying] Since you art fallen, no feller has come up against us.

9. Hell from beneath is moved because of you to meet you at your coming: he rouseth for you the Rephaim, all the powerful ones of the earth: he makes to rise up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10. All of them shall answer and shall say unto you, Art you, even you, become weak as we? art you made like unto us ?

11. Is then your magnificence brought down to hell; the sound of your viols? is the worm become your couch, and the earth-worm your covering?

Verses 7, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25. The whole earth is at rest, it is quiet; - hell rouseth for you the Rephaim, all-the powerful ones of the earth, etc. - These things are said concerning the "king of Babel", by whom is signified the destruction of Truth through the love of ruling over heaven and earth, to which love of rule the truths of the Word, or the things appertaining to the church, are made subservient as means. In this passage the condemnation of such is treated of. "The Rephaim whom hell rouseth", are those who are in a direful persuasion of the false, and are thence called "tho powerful ones of the earth." "To make the earth tremble, to shake kingdoms, to make the world a desert, and to destroy the cities thereof", signifies to pervert all things appertaining to the church; the "land" and the "world" denoting the church, the "kingdoms", the truths which constitute it, and the "cities", all things of doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by "you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people."

By "Ashur who shall be broken in the land, and be trampled upon the mountains", is signified ratiocinations from falsities against truths; to be "broken" is to be dissipated, and to be "trampled" is to be altogether destroyed; the "mountains " upon which this is done, signify where the Good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with those who are there, all ratiocination from falsities is dissipated or destroyed. Apocalypse Explained 304.

12. How art you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art you cut down to the earth, you that didst weaken the nations!

Verses 12, 17, 21. How art you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! that made the world like a desert, etc. - By "Lucifer" is here understood Babel, where all the truth of the doctrine appertaining to the church was either falsified or annihilated; by "the world which he made like a desert, and the cities thereof which he destroyed", are signified the church and its doctrinals. "Prepare you slaughter for his sons, that they may not rise", signifies that its falsities may be destroyed; and "lest they possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities", signifies that they may not establish a church [such as Babel] and its doctrines. Apocalypse Explained 223. See also 607, 741.

Son of the morning [dawn]. - For the signification of the "dawn" or the aurora, see Chapter 8:20, the Exposition.

13. For you didst say in your heart, I will ascend the heavens; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne: and I will sit upon the mount of the assembly, on the sides of the north:

Verse 13. For you [Lucifer] didst say in your heart, I will ascend the heavens, above the stars, etc.. By "Lucifer" is understood Babel, as is evident from what precedes and from what follows in that chapter. His love of ruling over heaven and the church is described by his saying, "I will ascend the heavens; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne"; whereby is understood the affectation of dominion over those heavens which constitute the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, for truths and the knowledges of truth with them appear as "stars."

By " I will sit upon the mount of the assembly, on the sides of the north", is signified the affectation of dominion over the heavens which constitute the celestial kingdom of the Lord; for "the mount of the assembly" and "the sides of the north" denote the goods and truths in those heavens, as was said above. Inasmuch as the mountain of Zion and of Jerusalem was built as much as possible according to the form of heaven, it may appear what is signified by the words adduced from David, "The mountain of Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great King." (Psalm 48:2) Apocalypse Explained 405. See also Arcana Coelestia 3387.

4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

15. But you shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16. Those that see you shall look attentively at you; they shall consider you, [saying] Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook the kingdoms;

17. That made the world like a desert; that destroyed the cities thereof; that dismissed not his captives to their home?

18. All the kings of the nations, all of them, lie down in glory, each in his own house:

19. But you art cast out of the sepulchre, like an abominable shoot; like the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with the sword; like them that go down to the stones of the pit; like a trodden carcase.

Verses 14, 15. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; but you shalt be brought down to hell, etc. - By "Babel " are understood those who in externals are holy but in internals profane, thus those who employ the holy things of the church as means by which they may be adored as gods. All those do this who endeavour, by means of the holy things of the church, to procure dignities and wealth above others as the ends and objects of their life. With such persons it is similar in the other life; they there also in their hearts deny the Divine Being, and by wicked arts strive to make themselves gods. They place themselves [in the world of spirits] high up on the mountains, and proclaim a certain one from amongst them as a god, and also worship him. But when they are in that profane worship, the mountain opens itself into a gulf, and they are swallowed up, and are thus cast down into hell. That this is the case, it has sometimes been given me to see. Arcana Coelestia 10412.

20. You shalt not be joined unto them in the sepulchre, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people: the seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever.

Verses 19, 20. You art cast out of the sepulchre, like an abominable shoot, etc. - Those things are said concerning the "king of Babel", by whom is signified the profanation of divine Truth; wherefore by "you art cast out of the sepulchre", is signified condemnation to hell; "like an abominable shoot, like the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword", signifies the falsification of Truth, and the profanation thereof; an "abominable shoot" denoting Truth falsified, and "the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword", Truth adulterated and altogether destroyed by dire falsities; "like them that go down to the stones of the pit, like a trodden carcase", signifies to the hell where are the falsities of evil; a "trodden carcase" denoting the infernal spirit with whom everything is spiritually dead, by reason of Good being altogether destroyed. "You shalt not be joined unto them in the sepulchre", signifies no consociation with those who rise again to life, for to be "laid in the sepulchre", or to be "buried", signifies that resurrection, and, on the other hand, to be "cast out of the sepulchre", signifies condemnation. Since "to be buried" and "burial" signify resurrection to life and also regeneration, therefore by "not being buried", and by "being cast out of the graves" (Jeremiah 8:1, 2), is signified non-resurrection to heaven, and non-regeneration, but resurrection to hell and consequent damnation, as may be proved from many passages in the Word, "You have destroyed your land, you have slain your people", signifies the destruction of the church, and of those therein who were in truths from good, by the falsities of evil:

"the seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever", signifies eternal dissociation and separation. Apocalypse Explained 659. See also Arcana Coelestia 6767, 8902.

"The seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever", signifies that the dire false of evil [signified by Babel] shall not rise again. Apocalypse Explained 768.

21. Prepare you slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers; that they may not rise, and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities.

22. For I will rise up against them, says Jehovah of Hosts: and I will cut off from Babel the name, and the remnant; and the son, and the nephew, says Jehovah.

23. And I will make it an inheritance for the bittern, and stagnant pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, says Jehovah of Hosts.

Verses 21-23. Prepare you slaughter for his sons; - 1 will cut off from Babel the name and the remnant, and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, etc. - The subject here treated of is concerning the total devastation of Truth amongst those who are understood by Babel. That truths are entirely destroyed amongst them by the adulteration of the Word, is signified by "Prepare you slaughter for his sons that they may not rise and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities"; by "land" is understood the church in which are truths, and by "cities" are understood doctrinals from mere falsities. That all truths from first principles to ultimates will perish, is signified by "the name and the remnant, the son and the nephew, being cut off from Babel"; and nothing whatever of Truth will remain, is signified by its being "swept with the besom of destruction. It is to be observed that by "sons", in the passage above adduced, are signified those who are in truths, or those who are in falsities; but whereas-the spiritual sense of the Word has not anything In common with persons, therefore in that sense by "sons" are signified truths and falsities abstracted from the idea of person. The reason why the spiritual sense is of such a quality, is because the idea of person confines the thought and the extension thereof into heaven in every direction; for all thought which proceeds from the affection of truth, makes its way through heaven on all sides, nor is it terminated except as light into shade; but when person is at the same time thought of, then the idea is terminated where the person is, and therewith also intelligence. This is the reason why by "sons", in the spiritual sense, are signified truths or falsities abstractedly. Apocalypse Explained 724.

24. Jehovah of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it be; and what I have purposed, that shall stand:

Verse. 24. Jehovah God or the Lord never swears, for it is not suitable to God Himself, or the Divine Truth, to swear; but when God, or the Divine Truth, wills to have anything confirmed before men then that confirmation, in its descent to the natural sphere, falls into an oath, or into the form of an oath, as used in the world. Hence it is evident that although God never swears, yet in the literal sense: of the Word, which is the natural sense, it may be said that He swears. This therefore is what is signified by "swearing", when predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, in this and in other passages. Apocalypse Explained 608.

25. To break the Assyrian in My land, and to trample him on My mountains: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden shall depart from off their shoulder.

26. This is the purpose which is determined on the whole earth: and this the hand which is stretched out over, all the nations.

27. For Jehovah of Hosts has purposed, and who shall disannul it? and it is His hand that is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28. In the year in which Ahaz the king died was this burden [or prophecy].

Verse 25. To break the Assyrian in My land, etc. - See above, Chapter 10:24, 26, the Exposition.

Verses 26, 27. The hand stretched out, etc. - See above, Chapter 5:25, the Exposition.

Verse 28. The burden [or prophecy] concerning Philistia. - . Those who are in Faith separated from Charity, are represented in the Word by the "Philistines." In the Word, by the names of nations and people, also of persons and places, are signified things relating to the church; the church itself by "Israel" and "Judah", because it was established among them, and various religious persuasions are signified by the nations and people round about them; the religious persuasions which accord with the Truth, are signified by the good nations, and those which do not accord with the Truth, by the wicked nations. There are two evil religious persuasions into which every church degenerates in process of time: the one consists in adulterating its Goods, and the other in falsifying its Truths. That which adulterates the Goods of the church, derives its origin from the love of rule; and the other, which falsifies the Truths of the church, derives its origin from the pride of self-derived intelligence. The religious persuasion which takes its origin from the love of rule, is meant in the Word by "Babylon"; and that which takes its origin from the pride of self-derived intelligence, is meant in the Word by "Philistia." It is well known who those of Babylon are at this day; but it is not known who those of Pliilistia are. Those are of "Philistia" [in a bad sense], who are in faith and not in charity.

That those are of "Philistia" who are in faith and not in charity, may appear from various things which are said of them in the Word, when understood in the spiritual sense; as well from their disputes with the servants of Abraham and Isaac, as recorded in Genesis xxi. and xxvi., as from their wars with the children of Israel, related in the book of Judges, and in the books of Samuel and of Kings; for all the "wars" described in the Word, involve and signify, in the spiritual sense, spiritual wars. And because this religious persuasion, which consists in faith separated from charity, continually desires to invade the church, therefore the Philistines remained in the land of Canaan, and frequently infested the children of Israel.

Because the "Philistines" represented those who are in faith separated from charity, therefore they were called the uncircumcised, and by the "uncircumcised" are meant those who are without spiritual love, and thence are only in natural love. Spiritual love is charity. The reason why these are called the uncircumcised, is, because by the "circumcised" are meant those who are in spiritual love. That the "Philistines" are called the uncircumcised, may be seen, 1 Samuel 17:20, 36; 2 Samuel 1:20; and in other places.

That those who are in faith separated from charity were represented by the "Philistines", is manifest not only from their wars with the children of Israel, but also from many other circumstances which are recorded of them in the Word: as from those which are related of Dagon their idol; as of the hemorrhoids and mice with which they were smitten and infested for placing the ark in the temple of their idol; and from the other things which occurred at the same time, and are mentioned, 1 Samuel 5, 6: likewise from the history of Goliath, who was a Philistine, and was slain by David, as related, 1 Samuel 17. For "Dagon", their idol, was above like a man, and below like a fish, by which was represented their religion, which by reason of faith, was as it were spiritual, but, from having no charity, was merely natural. By the "emerods", or hemorrhoids, with which they were smitten, were signified their filthy loves. By the "mice" with which they were infested, was signified the devastation of the church by falsifications of the Truth. And by "Goliath", who was slain by David, was represented the pride of their self-derived intelligence.

That those who are in faith separated from charity were represented by the "Philistines", appears also from the prophetic parts of the Word, where they are treated of; as from these following,

In Jeremiah -

"Against the Philistines; - Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein; so that the men shall cry, and every inhabitant of the land shall howl. Jehovah shall spoil [vastate] all the Philistines." (Jeremiah 47:1, 2, 4)

"Waters rising out of the north" are falsities from hell; "which shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein", signifies the devastation by them of all things of the church; the city, and them that dwell therein, signifies the devastation of all its truths of doctrine; "so that the men shall cry, and every inhabitant of the earth shall howl", signifies a want of all truth and goodness in the church; "Jehovah shall spoil [vastate] all the Philistines", signifies their destruction.

In Isaiah -

"Rejoice not, you whole Philistia, that the rod of him that smites you is broken: for from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent." (Isaiah 14:29)

"Rejoice not, you whole Philistia", signifies, let not them who are in faith separated from charity rejoice that they still remain; "for from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk", signifies that from the pride of self-derived, intelligence will proceed the destruction of all truth among them; "and his fruit shall be a a fiery flying serpent, signifies reasonings from false principles originating in evil, against the truths and goods of the church.

That by "circumcision" is represented purification from the evils of love merely natural, appears from these passages:

"Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins. of your heart, lest My fury come forth, because of the evil of your doings, (Jeremiah 4:4)

"Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked." (Deuteronomy 10:16)

To "circumcise the heart", or the "foreskin of the heart", is to purify themselves from evils. Hence, on the contrary, by the "uncircumcised" are meant those who are not purified from the evils of love merely natural, thus who are not in charity. And because the unclean at heart is meant by the "uncircumcised", it is said "No stranger that is uncircumcised in heart, or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary." (Ezekiel 44:9)

"None that is uncircumcised shall eat the passover." (Exodus 12:48)

And that such are condemned, is declared in Ezekiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:19. Divine Providence 49-54.

29. Rejoice not, you whole Philistia, that the rod of him that smites you is broken: for from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: but I will kill your root with famine; and your remnant he will slay.

Verses 29, 30. The subject here treated of is concerning those who believe the interior sight alone, appertaining to the natural man, to be faith, and that by such sight or faith they are justified and saved, thus denying that the good of charity is of any efficacy: such persons are understood by the "Philistines", and a company of them by "Philistia", as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3412, 3413. That this false principle, which is faith alone, or faith separated from charity, destroys all the Good and Truth of the church, is understood by its being said, "from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk"; the "root of the serpent" denoting that false principle, and the "basilisk" denoting the destruction of the Good and Truth of the church thereby; that hence there arises ratiocination from mere falsities, is understood by "his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent"; a "fiery flying serpent" denoting ratiocination from falsities. The deprivation of all Truth, and thence of all Good, is understood by "I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant he will slay"; "famine" denoting deprivation of Truth and Good, and "remains" things which are hatched from that principle. That such things are here signified, has also been made evident to me from much experience; they who have confirmed themselves in the doctrine concerning faith alone, both in doctrine and in life, appear in the spiritual world as "basilisks", and their reasonings as "fiery flying serpents." Apocalypse Explained 386.

From the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. - By a "fiery flying serpent" is meant evil shining from infernal fire: the same as is meant by the "fiery flying serpent" in Isaiah 14:29. Such an evil flies in the church when there is faith in momentaneous salvation from immediate mercy; for thereby:

1. Religion is abolished;

2. Security is induced; and

3. Condemnation is imputed to the Lord.

As to what concerns the First, that thereby religion is abolished; there are two essentials and at the same time universals of religion, an acknowledgement of a God, and repentance. These two essentials are useless to those who think to be saved barely from mercy, without regard to their lives; for what need have they of anything more than to say "God have mercy upon me "? As to everything else appertaining to religion, they are in the dark, indeed they love darkness. Of the first essential of the church, which is an acknowledgement of God, they only think, "What is God? Who ever saw Him ?" If it is affirmed that there is a God, and that He is one, they assent that He is one; if it is affirmed that there are three, they also say that there are three, but that these three are to be called one. This is their acknowledgement of God. Of the other essential of the church, which is repentance, they think nothing at all, and consequently. nothing of sin, and at length do not know that there is such a thing as sin. They then hear, and imbibe it with pleasure, that the law does not condemn, because, a Christian is not under its yoke. If you only say, "God have mercy upon me for Your Son's sake", you will be saved. This is repentance of life with them, But remove repentance, or what amounts to the same, separate life from religion, and what remains but the words, "Have mercy upon me "? Hence it is that they cannot conceive otherwise but that salvation is effected in a moment by means of those words, if not before, yet at the hour of death. In such case, what is the Word to them but like an obscure and enigmatic voice uttered from a tripod in a cave? or like an unintelligible response from the oracle of an idol? In a word, if you remove repentance, that is, separate life from religion, what else is a man but evil shining from infernal fire, or a "fiery flying serpent" - in the church? for without repentance, a man is in evil and evil is hell.

Secondly, That by faith in momentaneous salvation from pure mercy alone, security of life is induced. Security of life arises either from the belief of the impious that there is no life after death, or from the belief of those who separate life from salvation. A person of the latter description, although he believe in eternal life, still thinks, "Whether I live well, or live ill, I can be saved, because salvation is pure mercy, and the mercy of God is universal, and He wills not the death of anyone." If haply a thought occurs that mercy is to be implored by a form of words agreeable to the commonly received faith, he may think that this, if not before, can be done at the hour of death. Every man that is in such a state of security, makes light of adulteries, frauds, injustice, violence, blasphemies, and revenge; and gives a loose to his flesh and his spirit in the commission of all these evils. Nor does he know what spiritual evil is, and its concupiscences. If he hears anything thereof out of the Word, may be compared to something falling upon ebony and rebounding, or to something which falls into a ditch and is swallowed up.

Thirdly, That by such a faith. condemnation is imputed to the Lord. Who but must conclude, that if he is not saved, it is not the man's fault, but the Lord's, when everyone can be saved from pure mercy? If it be affirmed that faith is the means of salvation, he will urge, "What man is there to whom such faith may not be given, as it only consists in thought, which can be infused in every state of the spirit abstracted from worldly things, even with confidence?" He may further urge, "I cannot take it of myself; if therefore it is not given, and a man is condemned, what else can the condemned think, but that it is the Lord's fault, who could save him and would not?" And would not this be to call the Lord unmerciful ? Besides, in the warmth of his faith, he may ask, "Why can the Lord see so many condemned in hell, when He is nevertheless able to save all in a moment from a principle of pure mercy ?"-not to mention other suggestions of a similar nature, which can be called nothing but impious impeachments of the Divinity. Hence then it may appear that faith in momentaneous salvation from pure mercy, is the "fiery flying serpent" in the church. Divine Providence 340.

Verses 29-32. Rejoice not, you whole Philistia, etc. - "Philistia" is here described, which signifies the church, or those in the church, who are indeed in truths from the literal sense of the Word, or from revelation, and yet in filthy loves; whence their truths do not live, and the truths which do not live are turned into falsities, when they are brought from the exterior thought, which is the thought next to the speech, into the interior thought, which is of the understanding, and are there considered as to their origin, which they who are understood by the "Philistines" cannot see. The reason why they cannot see, is; because every man, even a wicked man, has the faculty of understanding, but not good of will, which is good of life, for this arises from love to God, and from love towards the neighbour, and these loves are what cause that faculty to communicate with heaven and thence to receive illustration. In these verses, therefore, are described those who are In truths without good, and that all the truths with them are turned into falsities. The spiritual sense therefore is as follows:

"Rejoice not, you whole Philistia, that the rod of him that smites you is broken", signifies that they should not rejoice on account of its being permitted them to remain in their heresy by reason of the fewness of those who are in truths from good. "For from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk", signifies that from the sensual man will arise a dogma destructive of all truth; the "Root of the serpent" denoting the sensual principle, which is the ultimate of the life of man, and the "basilisk" denoting the destruction of all truth;. "and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent", signifies, from which is produced a faith separate from charity; this is understood by a "fiery flying serpent", because by reasonings and by confirmations derived from things revealed, but not understood, it flies upwards, and thereby kills the things which are living. The same is therefore signified by the "basilisk" as by the "dragon", which is also called a "serpent", and the same by the "fiery flying serpent" as by the "beasts ascending out of the sea and out of the earth" which are treated of in the 13th chapter of the Apocalypse. Then "the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety", signifies that when that dogma is received by those who are natural and sensual men, and believe themselves to be more wise than others, then truths derived from good with those who desire truth and who will good, shall live; the "first-born " in the Word denoting truths born from good, the "poor" those who are not in truths but still desire them, and the "needy" those who are not in goods, but who still in heart will them. "But I will kill your root with famine, signifies that all truths, from first to last, with those who are in faith alone, will perish by falsities. "Howl, O gate! cry out, O city! signifies that neither will entrance be given to any truth, and that the doctrine will be composed of mere falsities; "gate" denoting entrance to the truths of doctrine, and "city" denotIng doctrine. "O Philistia, you art altogether dissolved, "signifies the destruction of that church by mere falsities; "for from the north cometh a smoke" signifies that all the false from evil will break in from hell; the "north" denoting hell, and "smoke" the false of evil, "and there is not a solitary one among his assemblies", signifies that there shall not be one truth remaining amongst their knowledges. "What answer dhall be given to the messengers of the nation?" signifies the illustration of those who are in the good of life from love to the Lord. "That Jehovah has founded Zion", signifies that a church shall be established from them; "and that in her the miserable of His people shall find refuge", signifies that they who are not in self-wisdom, and who overcome in temptations against those falsities, shall have intelligence and salvation. Apocalypse Explained 817. See also Arcana Coelestia 5897.

31. Howl, O gate! cry out, O city! O Philistia, you art altogether dissolved: for from the north cometh a smoke; and there is not a solitary one among his assemblies.

32. And what answer shall be given to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion; and that in her the miserable of His people shall find refuge.

Verse 31. Howl, O gate! cry out, O city! O Philistia, you art altogether dissolved; for from the north cometh a smoke, etc. - By "gate" is signified the introductory truth of the church; by "city", doctrine; by "Philistia", faith. Hence by "Howl, O gate! cry out, O city! O Philistia, you art altogether dissolved", is signified the devastation of the church as to the truth of doctrine, and thence as to faith; by the "north" is signified the hell where and whence are the falsities of doctrine, and the falsities of faith; and by the "smoke", those falsities; hence by the "smoke coming out of the north", is signified the false devastating from the hells. Apocalypse Explained 539.

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Isaiah Chapter 14

1. FOR Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will again choose Israel; and He will place them in their own land: and the sojourner shall be joined unto them, and they shall cleave unto the house of Jacob.

2. And the peoples shall take them, and bring them into their own place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of Jehovah, as servants, and as handmaids: and they shall take them captive, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3. And it shall be in that day, when Jehovah shall have given you rest from thine affliction, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage with which you wast made to serve,

4. That you shalt give utterance to this parable upon the king of Babel, and shalt say, How has the oppressor ceased! the exactress of gold ceased!

5. Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers.

6. He that smote the peoples in wrath, with a stroke not curable; he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7. The whole earth is at rest, it is quiet: they burst forth into singing.

8. Even the fir-trees rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon, [saying] Since you art fallen, no feller has come up against us.

9. Hell from beneath is moved because of you to meet you at your coming: he rouseth for you the Rephaim, all the powerful ones of the earth: he makes to rise up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10. All of them shall answer and shall say unto you, Art you, even you, become weak as we? art you made like unto us ?

11. Is then your magnificence brought down to hell; the sound of your viols? is the worm become your couch, and the earth-worm your covering?

12. How art you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art you cut down to the earth, you that didst weaken the nations!

13. For you didst say in your heart, I will ascend the heavens; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne: and I will sit upon the mount of the assembly, on the sides of the north:

14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

15. But you shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16. Those that see you shall look attentively at you; they shall consider you, [saying] Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook the kingdoms;

17. That made the world like a desert; that destroyed the cities thereof; that dismissed not his captives to their home?

18. All the kings of the nations, all of them, lie down in glory, each in his own house:

19. But you art cast out of the sepulchre, like an abominable shoot; like the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with the sword; like them that go down to the stones of the pit; like a trodden carcase.

20. You shalt not be joined unto them in the sepulchre, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people: the seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever.

21. Prepare you slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers; that they may not rise, and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities.

22. For I will rise up against them, says Jehovah of Hosts: and I will cut off from Babel the name, and the remnant; and the son, and the nephew, says Jehovah.

23. And I will make it an inheritance for the bittern, and stagnant pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, says Jehovah of Hosts.

24. Jehovah of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it be; and what I have purposed, that shall stand:

25. To break the Assyrian in My land, and to trample him on My mountains: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden shall depart from off their shoulder.

26. This is the purpose which is determined on the whole earth: and this the hand which is stretched out over, all the nations.

27. For Jehovah of Hosts has purposed, and who shall disannul it? and it is His hand that is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28. In the year in which Ahaz the king died was this burden [or prophecy].

29. Rejoice not, you whole Philistia, that the rod of him that smites you is broken: for from the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: but I will kill your root with famine; and your remnant he will slay.

31. Howl, O gate! cry out, O city! O Philistia, you art altogether dissolved: for from the north cometh a smoke; and there is not a solitary one among his assemblies.

32. And what answer shall be given to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion; and that in her the miserable of His people shall find refuge.

730. Verse 6 (Revelation 12:6). And the woman fled into the wilderness, signifies the church among a few, because with those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths. This is evident from the signification of "woman," as being the church (See above, n. 707), also from the signification of "wilderness," as being where there are no truths because there is no good (of which presently); also from the signification of "fleeing" thither, as meaning to tarry among those who are not in truths because they are not in good; and as there are at the end of the church but few who are in truths from good, it signifies among a few. From this it is clear what these words involve, namely, that the New Church that is called the Holy Jerusalem, which is signified by "the woman," can as yet be instituted only with a few, by reason that the former church is become a wilderness; and the church is called a "wilderness" when there is no longer any good; and where there is no good there are no truths. When the church is such, evils and falsities reign, which hinder the reception of its doctrine, that is, the doctrine of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, with its truths; and when doctrine is not received there is no church, for the church is from doctrine.

[2] Something shall first be said of there being no truths where there is no good. By good is meant the good of the life according to the truths of doctrine from the Word. The reason is because the Lord never flows immediately into truths with man, but mediately through his good; for good is of the will, and the will is the man himself; from the will the understanding is produced and formed; for the understanding is adjoined to the will so that what the will loves the understanding sees, and also brings forth into light; consequently if the will is not in good, but is in evil, then the influx of truth from the Lord into the understanding has no effect, for it is dissipated, because it is not loved, yea, it is perverted, and the truth is falsified. From this it is clear why the Lord does not flow immediately into man's understanding except so far as the will is in good. With every man the Lord can enlighten the understanding, and thus flow in with Divine truths, since there is given to every man the ability to understand truth, and this for the sake of his reformation; nevertheless the Lord does not flow in, because truths do not remain except so far as the will has been reformed. Moreover, it is dangerous to so enlighten the understanding in truths as to produce belief except so far as the will acts as one with it; since man can then pervert, adulterate, and profane truths, which is most hurtful. Furthermore, so far as truths are known and understood and are not at the same time lived, they are nothing but lifeless truths, and lifeless truths are like statues that have no life. From this it can be seen why it is that there are no truths where there is no good, that is, not in essence but only in form.

[3] The man of the church at its end is such, because man then loves supremely such things as belong to the body and the world; and when these are loved supremely then the things pertaining to the Lord and heaven are not loved, for no one can serve two masters at the same time but that he will love the one and hate the other, since they are opposites. For from the love of the body, which is the love of self, and from the love of the world, which is the love of riches, when these are loved above all things, evils of every kind flow forth, and from evils falsities, and these are the opposites of goods and truths, which come forth from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbor. These few words will make clear why it is that the woman is said "to have fled into the wilderness," that is, among a few, because of being with those who are not in good, and thus not in truths.

[4] In the Word wilderness and also solitude and waste places are mentioned in many passages, and these signify the state of the church when there is no longer any truth in it because there is no good. This state of the church is called a "wilderness" because in the spiritual world the place where those dwell who are not in truths because they are not in good is like a wilderness, where there is no verdure in the plains, nor harvest in the fields, nor fruit trees in the gardens, but a barren land, parched and dry; moreover "wilderness" signifies in the Word the state of the church with the Gentiles who are in ignorance of truth, and yet are in the good of life according to their religious principle, from which they have a desire for truths. "Wilderness," signifies also in the Word the state of those who are in temptations, because in temptations goods and truths are shut in by the evils and falsities that come forth and are presented to the mind. That "wilderness" has these significations in the Word can be seen from the passages therein where "wilderness" is mentioned.

[5] In respect to the first meaning, namely, that "wilderness" means the state of the church when there is no longer any truth in it because there is no good, it is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Is this the man that maketh the earth to tremble, that maketh kingdoms quake, that hath made the world a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof? (Isaiah 14:16, 17)

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babylon is meant, and "to make the earth to tremble, to make kingdoms quake, and make the world a wilderness," signifies to destroy all the truths and goods of the church; "the earth" meaning the church; "kingdoms" its truths; "world" its goods; and "wilderness" where these are not. "To destroy its cities" signifies its doctrinals, "city" signifying doctrine. The adulteration of the Word, whereby doctrine and thus the church is destroyed, is here signified by "Babylon. "

[6] In the same:

Upon the land of my people shall come up the thorn of the briar, yea, upon all the houses of joy in the triumphing city; for the palace shall be deserted, the multitude of the city shall be forsaken. The height and the watchtower shall be over the caves forever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks (Isaiah 32:13, 14).

"Upon the land of my people shall come up the thorn of the briar" signifies the falsity of evil in the church; "the thorn of the briar" meaning the falsity of evil, and "land" the church. "Upon all the houses of joy in the triumphing city" signifies where the goods and truths of the doctrine from the Word have been received with affection. But what is signified by "the palace shall be deserted, the multitude of the city shall be forsaken, the height and the watchtower shall be over the caves, a joy of wild asses, and a pasture for flocks," may be seen above n. 410, where it is explained.

[7] In the same:

At My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers into a wilderness, their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die for thirst (Isaiah 50:2).

"To make the rivers into a wilderness," signifies to deprive the understanding of truths, thus to deprive man of intelligence. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 342 In Jeremiah:

I saw, and lo, Carmel was a wilderness, and all the cities were desolate before Jehovah; the whole land shall be a waste (Jeremiah 4:26, 27).

"Carmel" signifies the spiritual church, which is in truths from good; that this was a "wilderness" signifies that there were in it no truths from good; "cities which were desolate" signify doctrinals without truths; "the whole land a waste" signifies a church destitute of good and consequently of truths.

[8] In the same:

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard, they have trodden down My field, they have made the field of My desire a wilderness of solitude. Devastators are come upon all the hills in the wilderness, for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land to the other end of it (Jeremiah 12:10, 12).

The total destruction of the truths and goods of the church by falsities from evil is signified by "they have destroyed the vineyard, trodden down the field, made the field of desire a wilderness of solitude; and devastators are come upon all the hills in the wilderness, for the sword of Jehovah devoureth;" "vineyard and field" signify the church in respect to truth and good; "field of desire" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; and "wilderness of solitude" where these are not; "devastators in the wilderness" signify evils because of the absence of truths; "the sword of Jehovah devoureth" signifies falsity destroying; "from one end of the land to the other end of the land" signifies all things of the church.

[9] In Lamentations:

We get our bread with the peril of our souls, because of the sword of the wilderness (Lamentations 5:9).

"To get bread with the peril of souls" signifies the difficulty and danger in acquiring the truths of life from the Word; "because of the sword of the wilderness" signifies because the falsity of evil prevails in the church and falsifies truths and thus destroys them.

[10] In Ezekiel:

The vine is now planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst (Ezekiel 19:13).

"Vine" signifies the church, which in the beginning of this chapter is called "a mother who became a lioness;" this is said "to be planted in the wilderness" when there is no longer any truth in it because there is no good; "a land of drought" means where there is no good, but evil instead, and a "land of thirst" means where there is no truth, but falsity instead.

[11] In Hosea:

Strive with your mother that she may put away her whoredoms from her faces, lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day of her birth, and make her as a wilderness, and set her as a land of drought, and slay her with thirst (Hosea 2:2, 3).

This is said of the church that has falsified the truths of the Word; "mother" means the church, and "whoredoms" the falsifications of truth; "to strip her naked and set her as in the day of her birth" signifies to deprive the church of all truth, as it was before it was reformed; "wilderness" and "land of drought" signify a church without good; and "to slay with thirst" signifies a deprivation of truth; "thirst" is predicated of truths, because "water," which is thirsted for, means truth, and "drought" is predicated of the want of good, because it is a result of scorching.

[12] In the same:

He is fierce among the brethren; an east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah, coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up (Hosea 13:15).

This is said of Ephraim, by whom the understanding of the Word is meant, and this is called "fierce among the brethren" when it eagerly defends falsities, and combats for them against truths; "an east wind, the wind of Jehovah," signifies the ardor of desire from a love for and pride in the destruction of truths; this is said "to come up from the wilderness" when it is from an understanding in which there are no truths from good, but only falsities from evil; such an understanding is a "wilderness" because it is empty and void; that by such ardor and pride everything of doctrine and of the Word is destroyed is signified by "his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dried up," "spring" meaning doctrine, and "fountain" the Word.

[13] In Joel:

O Jehovah, to thee do I cry, because the fire hath consumed the habitations of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field; for the beasts of the field pant after Thee, for the streams of waters are dried up, and the fire hath consumed the habitations of the wilderness (Joel 1:19, 20).

"The fire hath consumed the habitations of the wilderness and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field" signifies that the love of self and the pride of self-intelligence have consumed all the perception of good and all the understanding of the truth of doctrine from the sense of the letter of the Word, "fire" signifying the love of self, "flame" the pride of self-intelligence, "the habitations of the wilderness" the goods of doctrine from the sense of the letter of the Word, and "the trees of the field" the knowledges of its truth. The sense of the letter of the Word is called a "wilderness" when it is merely understood naturally, thus according to appearances, and not at the same time spiritually, or according to the genuine sense. "The beasts of the field pant after Thee" signifies the lamentations of those who are natural and yet have a desire for truths; that "beasts" signify the affections of the natural man may be seen above n. 650; "for the streams of waters are dried up, and the fire hath consumed the habitations of the wilderness" signifies that consequently there are no longer any truths and goods of life.

[14] In the same:

The day of Jehovah cometh; a fire consumeth before him, and behind him a flame kindleth; the land is as the garden of Eden before him, but behind him a wilderness of wasteness, and nothing escaped him (Joel 2:1, 3).

"The day of Jehovah" means the end of the church, called the consummation of the age, and the Lord's coming at that time. That at the end of the church the love of self and the consequent pride of self-intelligence consume all its goods and truths is signified by "a fire devoureth before him, and behind him a flame kindleth," "fire" signifying the love of self, and "flame" the pride of self-intelligence, as above. "The land is as the garden of Eden before him, but behind him a wilderness of wasteness," signifies that in the beginning, when that church was established with the ancients, there was an understanding of truth from good, but at its end falsity from evil; "the garden of Eden" signifying the understanding of truth from good and the consequent wisdom, and "wilderness of wasteness" signifying no understanding of truth from good, and consequent insanity from falsities that are from evil; "nothing escaped him" signifies that there is nothing whatever of truth from good.

[15] In Isaiah:

The land mourneth, it languisheth, Lebanon blusheth, it hath withered away, Sharon is become like a desert, Bashan is shaken out, and Carmel (Isaiah 33:9).

This, too, describes the devastation of good and the desolation of truth in the church. "Lebanon" signifies the church in respect to a rational understanding of good and truth; "Sharon," "Bashan," and "Carmel," the church in respect to the knowledges of good and truth from the natural sense of the Word; the devastation and abandonment of these is signified by "mourning," "languishing," "withering away," and "becoming like a desert," the "desert" meaning where there is no truth because there is no good.

[16] In Jeremiah:

Because the land is full of adulterers, because the land mourneth on account of cursing, the pastures of the wilderness are dried up (Jeremiah 23:10).

"The land full of adulterers" signifies the church which has its goods and truths from the Word adulterated; the "curse" on account of which the land mourneth, signifies all the evil of life and falsity of doctrine; and "the pastures of the wilderness that are dried up" signify the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; "pastures" meaning such knowledges because they nourish the mind, and "wilderness" signifies the Word when it is adulterated.

[17] In David:

Jehovah maketh rivers into a wilderness, and the springs of water into dryness, a land of fruit into saltiness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein (Psalms 107:33, 34).

"The rivers that are made into a wilderness" signify intelligence from the understanding of truth and also of the Word in its interior sense, that has been devastated by falsities from evil; "rivers" meaning such things as belong to intelligence, and "wilderness" where these things are absent, and in their place are the falsities from evil. "The springs of water that are turned into dryness" signify that the lowest things of the understanding, which are called the knowledges of truth and good, have no light of truth or spiritual affection for it; "waters" signifying truths; "dryness" deprivation of these from the absence of light and affection, and "springs" the ultimates of truth, like the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. "The land of fruit that shall be made into saltiness" signifies the good of love and of life deeply vastated by falsities; "saltiness" meaning the devastation of truth by falsities; and as all devastation by falsities comes from the evil of the life it is added, "for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. "

[18] In Jeremiah:

Lift up thine eyes unto the hills, and see where thou hast been defiled, upon the ways hast thou sat as an Arabian in the wilderness, whence thou hast profaned the land with thy whoredoms and thy wickedness (Jeremiah 3:2).

This describes the adulteration and falsification of the Word, which are signified by "being defiled and committing whoredom;" so "Lift up thine eyes unto the hills, and see where thou hast been defiled," signifies to give thought to the knowledges of truth and good in the Word, that they have been adulterated; "to lift up the eyes" signifies to give thought, "hills" signify those knowledges because the groves and trees that are upon them signify knowledges; "hills" signify also the goods of charity which are so destroyed; "upon the ways hast thou sat as an Arabian in the wilderness" signifies to lie in wait, lest any truth should come forth and be received; "ways" meaning the truths of the church; "to sit in them" meaning to lie in wait, and "an Arabian in the wilderness" meaning one who kills and plunders like a robber in the wilderness. "Thou hast profaned the land with thy whoredoms and wickedness" signifies the falsification of the truths of the Word by evils that have come to be of the life.

[19] In the same:

O generation, see ye the Word of Jehovah; have I been a wilderness to Israel? have I been a land of darkness? (Jeremiah 2:31)

That every good of life and truth of doctrine is taught in the Word, and not the evil of life and the falsity of doctrine, is meant by "see ye the Word of Jehovah; have I been a wilderness to Israel? have I been a land of darkness?"

[20] In Joel:

Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom a waste wilderness, because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed in their land (Joel 3:19).

"Egypt" and "Edom" signify the natural man that has perverted the truths and goods of the Word; that it is to be so destroyed as to see only such things as serve for confirmation is signified by "Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom a waste wilderness;" that this will be because of the adulteration of every good and truth in the Word is signified by "because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed;" "violence to the sons of Judah" signifying the adulteration of the Word in respect to good, and "shedding innocent blood" the adulteration of the Word in respect to its truths. (That "Judah" signifies the celestial church, and also the Word, see above, n. 211, 433; and that "shedding innocent blood" signifies to do violence to Divine truth, thus to adulterate the truth of the Word, n. 329.) The adulteration of the Word is effected by the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man when these are applied to confirm falsities and evils, and the natural man becomes a "waste" and a "wilderness" when his knowledges are used to confirm falsity and evil; "Egypt" signifies such knowledges, and "Edom" the pride that falsifies by means of these.

[21] In Malachi:

Esau I hated, and made his mountains a waste and his heritage for the dragons of the wilderness (Malachi 1:3).

"Esau" signifies the love of the natural man; "his mountains" signify the evils from that love, and "his heritage" signifies the falsities from those evils, and "the dragons of the desert" signify mere falsifications from which these come.

[22] Because with the Jewish nation all things of the Word had been adulterated, and there was no longer any truth because there was no good, John the Baptist was "in the wilderness," and this represented the state of that church, respecting which it is written in the Gospels:

John the Baptist was in the wilderness till the days of his appearing unto Israel (Luke 1:80).

That he preached in the wilderness of Judea (Matthew 3:1-3; Mark 1:2-4; Luke 3:2, 4, 5);

and in Isaiah:

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make level in the solitude a highway for our God (Isaiah 40:3).

So also the Lord says of "Jerusalem," which means the church in respect to doctrine:

Your house is left deserted (Luke 13:35).

"A house deserted" signifies the church that is without truths because it is without good. But what is signified by the following in Matthew:

If they say unto you, Lo, Christ is in the wilderness, go not forth; if in the secret chambers, believe not (Matthew 24:26);

may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 3900); for "Christ" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, consequently in relation to the Word and to doctrine from the Word, and "false Christs," of whom this is said, signify the falsities of doctrine from the truths of the Word falsified. From the passages that have been cited from the Word it can be seen that "wilderness" means the church in which there are no truths because there is no good, consequently in which there is falsity because there is evil; for where there is no truth and good, there is falsity and evil; the two cannot exist together, and this is meant by the Lord's words, that "no one can serve two masters."

[23] 2. Again, "wilderness" signifies the state of the church with the Gentiles that have been in ignorance of truth, and yet have been in the good of life according to their religious principle, from which they have desired truths, as can be seen from the passages in the Word that treat of the church that is to be established among the Gentiles. In Isaiah:

The spirit shall be poured out upon you ¹ from on high; then the wilderness shall be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest; judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and justice shall abide in the fruitful field (Isaiah 32:15, 16).

This is said of those who are in natural good, and are being reformed; influx out of heaven into such is signified by "the spirit shall be poured out upon you ² from on high;" that truth from a spiritual origin will then be implanted in them is signified by "the wilderness shall be a fruitful field;" "wilderness" meaning the natural man destitute of truths, and "fruitful field" (or land of harvest) the natural man made fruitful by truths. That in consequence the natural man will have a knowledge [scientia] of the cognitions of truth and good is signified by "the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest;" "forest" is predicated of the natural man as "garden" is of the spiritual, therefore a "forest" signifies knowledge and a "garden" intelligence; that in consequence there will be in the natural man that which is right and just is signified by "judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and justice shall abide in the fruitful field;" "judgment" and "justice" signify in the spiritual sense truth and good, but in the natural sense that which is right and just.

[24] In the same:

I will open rivers on the heights, and fountains will I place in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters; I will give in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the solitude the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree (Isaiah 41:18, 19).

This, too, is said of the reformation and enlightenment of the Gentiles; and "to open rivers upon the heights and to place fountains in the midst of the valleys" signifies to give intelligence from spiritual truths and from natural truths; "rivers upon the heights" signifying intelligence from spiritual truths, and "fountains in the midst of valleys" intelligence from natural truths; "to make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters" signifies to fill the spiritual and the natural man with truths where before there were no truths; the spiritual man in which there were no truths is meant by "wilderness," since hitherto there had been no truth in it; and the natural man in which there was no truth is meant by "dry land," since hitherto there had been no spiritual influx into it; that the spiritual man will have truths in abundance is meant by "a pool of waters," and that the natural man will have truths in abundance is meant by the "springs of waters." "To set in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, the myrtle, and the oil tree" signifies to give rational truths and a perception of them, and "to set in the solitude the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree," signifies in like manner natural truths, which are knowledges and cognitions with the understanding of them; the "cedar" meaning higher rational truth; the "myrtle" lower rational truth; "oil tree" perception of good and thus of truth; "fir tree" the higher natural truth; the "pine" lower natural truth; and "box tree" the understanding of good and truth in the natural man.

[25] In David:

He maketh the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a springing forth of waters; and there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may build a city of habitation (Psalms 107:35, 36).

This, likewise, is said of the enlightenment of the Gentiles. "To make the wilderness into a pool of waters" has a similar signification as just above; "and there He maketh the hungry to dwell" signifies for the sake of those who desire truths; these are meant by "the hungry and famished" in the Word; "that they may build a city of habitation" signifies that out of truths they may make for themselves a doctrine of life, "city" meaning doctrine, and "to inhabit" meaning to live.

[26] In Isaiah:

Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it shall spring forth; I will even place a way in the wilderness, rivers in the solitude; the wild beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl, because I will give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the solitude, to give drink to My people, My chosen (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

This, too, is said of the New Church to be established by the Lord among the Gentiles. The "wilderness" signifies the state of the church with those who are ignorant of truth, and yet have a desire to know it. But what the particulars signify in the spiritual sense may be seen explained above n. 518.

[27] In the same:

Jehovah will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places, and He will make her wilderness as Eden, and her solitude like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness will be found therein, confession and the voice of singing (Isaiah 51:3).

This, also, is said of the New Church among the Gentiles that will acknowledge the Lord; that church is meant by "Zion," and its establishment and the reformation of the Gentiles by "comforting;" "the wilderness that shall be made as Eden and the solitude like the garden of Jehovah" signifies wisdom and intelligence from love to the Lord that those have who before had no understanding of truth and no perception of good. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 721)

[28] In David:

The habitations of the wilderness drop, and the hills gird themselves with exultation; the meadows are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are covered over with corn (Psalms 65:12, 13).

This, also, is said of the church among the Gentiles. "The habitations of the wilderness drop" signifies that their minds that before have been in ignorance of truth acknowledge and receive truths; "to drop" is predicated of the influx, acknowledgment and reception of truth; "habitations" are predicated of the interiors of man which belong to his mind, and "wilderness" is predicated of a state of the ignorance of truth. "The hills gird themselves with exultation" signifies that the goods in them receive truths with joy of heart; "the meadows are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are covered over with corn," signifies that both the spiritual mind and the natural mind receive truths suitable to themselves; "meadows" signifying such things as belong to the spiritual mind and thus to the rational mind, and "valleys" such as belong to the natural mind; "flock" spiritual truth, and "corn" natural truth.

[29] In Isaiah:

Let them sing praise, the end of the earth, those that go down to the sea, and its fullness, the islands and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up the voice, the villages that Arabia doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them cry out from the head of the mountains (Isaiah 42:10, 11).

This is said of a church with those who were remote from the truths of the church because they were natural and sensual; their state of ignorance is meant by the "wilderness," and their joy from the preaching and the knowledge of truth is signified by "singing praise and lifting up the voice." (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 406)

[30] Since the state of ignorance of truth, in which the Gentiles have been, is signified by a "wilderness," and the desire for truth by "hunger," and instruction by the Lord by "feeding," it came to pass that the Lord withdrew into the wilderness, and there taught the multitude that sought Him, and afterwards fed them. (That this took place in the wilderness can be seen in Matthew 14:13-22; 15:32-38; Mark 6:31-34; 8:1-9; Luke 9:12-17.) For all things that the Lord did and all things connected with Him were representative because they were correspondences, so also were these things. From these and the passages cited above it is evident that a "wilderness" signifies an uncultivated and uninhabited state with man, thus a state not yet made vital from what is spiritual, consequently, as applied to the church, a state not vivified by means of truths; thus it signifies such a religious principle as the Gentiles had, which was almost empty and void, because they did not have the Word where truths are, and thence did not know the Lord who teaches truths; and as they did not have truths, their good also could be no otherwise than such as the truth was with them, for good is like its truth, because one is of the other. From this it can be seen what "wilderness" signifies where the Gentiles are treated of, namely, where there is no truth and yet a desire for it that their good may be vivified.

[31] 3. Again, "wilderness" signifies the state of those who are in temptations, because in them truths and goods are shut in by the falsities and evils that come forth and are presented to the mind. This can be seen from the wandering of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years; for this represented every state of temptations into which those come who are being regenerated, and of whom the church is to consist. Every man is born natural, and lives naturally until he becomes rational; and when he has become rational he can be led by the Lord and become spiritual; and this is effected by the implanting of the knowledges of truth from the Word, and at the same time by the opening of the spiritual mind which receives the things of heaven, and by calling forth these knowledges and elevating them out of the natural man and conjoining them with the spiritual affection of truth. This opening and conjunction is possible only through temptations, because in temptations man fights interiorly against the falsities and evils that are in the natural man. In a word, man is introduced into the church and becomes a church through temptations. This was represented by the wandering and leading about of the sons of Israel in the wilderness. The state of the natural man before he is regenerated was represented by their sojourning in the land of Egypt, for "the land of Egypt" signified the natural man and its knowledges and cognitions, together with the cupidities and appetites that reside in it (as can be seen from what has been said and shown above respecting Egypt, n. 654. But the spiritual state, which is the state of the church with man, was represented by the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan, for "the land of Canaan" signified the church with its truths and goods, together with its affections, and delights, which reside in such a man; while the reformation and regeneration of man before from being natural he becomes spiritual and thus a church, was represented by their wanderings and journeyings in the wilderness forty years.

[32] That this is so, and that "the wilderness" signified a state of temptations, can be seen in Moses:

Thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee and try thee, and know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keep His commandments or no; and He afflicted thee and made thee to hunger, and made thee to eat manna, which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know; that He might teach thee that man doth not live by bread only, but by all that goeth forth from the mouth of Jehovah doth man live; thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, and thy foot swelled not, these forty years (Deuteronomy 8:2-4).

In the same:

In the wilderness which thou sawest, Jehovah thy God bare thee as a man doth bear his son. He went before you in the way, to seek for you a place in which ye might encamp, in fire by night to show you the way, and in the cloud by day (Deuteronomy 1:31, 33).

In the same:

Jehovah, who led thee through the great and fearful wilderness of the serpent, of the fiery serpent and of the scorpion, and of thirst, where there were no waters; who brought thee forth waters out of the rock of flint, and fed thee with manna in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee and try thee, to do thee good in thy latter end (Deuteronomy 8:15, 16).

In the same:

Jehovah found Jacob in a land of wilderness, in an emptiness, a howling, a solitude; He led him about, He instructed him, He guarded him as the pupil of the eye (Deuteronomy 32:10).

The particulars here mentioned, and all the particulars related in the book of Exodus respecting the journeyings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, from their going forth from Egypt to their entrance into the land of Canaan, depict the temptations that the faithful encounter before they become spiritual, that is before the goods of love and charity with their truths are implanted, which constitute the church with man.

[33] He who knows what spiritual temptations are knows that when a man is in them he is so infested by evils and falsities as scarcely to know otherwise than that he is in hell; he knows, too, that the Lord with man fights against temptations from the interior; as also that He sustains man in the meantime with spiritual food and drink, which are the goods and truths of heaven; that the natural man loathes these; that nevertheless the natural man with his lusts is thus subdued and as it were dies; and that he is thus brought into subjection to the spiritual man; and that man is thus reformed and regenerated and introduced into the church. All this is involved in what is related respecting the sons of Israel in the wilderness. But to make clear that this is meant it is allowed to explain some of the particulars in the passages quoted.

[34] 1. That man in temptations is so infested by evils and falsities as scarcely to know otherwise than that he is in hell is meant by "Jehovah led thee through the great and fearful wilderness of the serpent, of the fiery serpent, of the scorpion, and of thirst, where there were no waters;" "the great and fearful wilderness" signifies grievous temptations; "the serpent, the fiery serpent, and the scorpion," signify evils and falsities with their persuasions coming forth from the sensual and natural man; "serpents" meaning evils therefrom, "fiery serpents" falsities therefrom, and "scorpions" persuasions; "thirst where there were no waters" signifies a lack and shutting off of truth. The above is meant also by "Jehovah afflicted thee and tried thee, that He might know what was in thine heart."

[35] 2. That the Lord with man fights against evils and falsities that are from hell is signified by "Jehovah found Jacob in a wilderness, in emptiness, a howling, a solitude, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye;" also by "He bare him as a man doth bear his son;" also by "He went before them in fire by night and in the cloud by day."

3. That the Lord sustains man in the meantime with spiritual food and drink, which are the goods and truths of heaven, is signified by "He fed them with manna, He brought them forth waters out of the rock of flint, and He led them and instructed them;" "manna" meaning the good of celestial love, and "waters out of the rock of flint" the truths of that good from the Lord.

4. That in temptations the natural man loathes those things is meant by the sons of Israel so often complaining of the manna, and lusting after the food of Egypt; therefore it is here said, "Jehovah afflicted thee and caused thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna."

[36] 5. That nevertheless the natural man with his lusts is subdued and as it were dies and becomes subject to the spiritual man, was represented by the death in the wilderness of all those that went forth out of Egypt and desired to return thither, and refused to enter into the land of Canaan, and that their children were brought into that land. That this represented and signified such things can be known and seen only from the spiritual sense.

6. That after temptations man becomes spiritual, and is brought into the church, and through the church into heaven, was represented by their being brought into the land of Canaan, for "the land of Canaan" signified the church, and also heaven; and this is signified by "Jehovah afflicted thee and tried thee, to do thee good in thy latter end."

Their spiritual life is described by Jehovah's teaching them that "man doth not live by bread only, but by everything going forth from the mouth of Jehovah." That "their raiment waxed not old and their foot swelled not" signifies that the natural man was not injured by these afflictions, for "raiment" signifies the truths of the natural man, and the "foot" the natural man itself. Moreover "forty," whether years or days, signifies the entire duration of temptations (See above, n. 633).

[37] Like things are involved in these words in David:

They wandered in the wilderness in loneliness of life, ¹ they found no city of habitation, hungry and thirsty; when their soul was disheartened in the way, they cried to Jehovah. He led them in a way of straightness, ² that they might go to a city of habitation (Psalms 107:4-7).

This was said in general of those who have been redeemed, and in particular of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, and these words describe the temptations of those who are being regenerated by the Lord. "The city of habitation which they found not" signifies the doctrine of life which constitutes the church in man; and as the church is formed in man by a life according to doctrine, when temptations have been passed through, it is said that "Jehovah led them in a way of straightness that they might go to a city of habitation;" the lack of truth even to despair, and yet desire for it, is signified by "they were hungry and thirsty, so that their soul was disheartened in the way."

[38] In Jeremiah:

I remembered thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness. They said not, Where is Jehovah, who made us to come up out of the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in the land of solitude and of the pit, in a land of drought and of dense shade, in a land through which no man [vir] passed, and where no man [homo] dwelt? And I led you into a land of grain, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof (Jeremiah 2:2, 6, 7).

The "youth" and "love of espousals" that Jehovah remembered signify the state of man's reformation and regeneration, when from being natural he becomes spiritual; because man is thereby conjoined to the Lord, and as it were espoused to Him, this is what is meant by the "love of espousals;" and because this is effected through temptations it is said, "When thou wentest after Me in the wilderness;" the state of temptations is described by "He led me in the wilderness, in a land of solitude and of the pit, in a land of drought and dense shade;" "wilderness" signifying that state; "land of solitude and of the pit" signifying that state in respect to the evils and falsities that come forth, and the "land of drought and dense shade" signifying the perception of good and the understanding of truth obscured. The state of man after temptations is described by "I led you into a land of grain, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof," which signifies to be brought into the church in which are the truths of doctrine, by means of which the good of love and of charity are appropriated; "land" signifying the church; "the land of grain" the church in respect to the truths of doctrine; "to eat" to appropriate; "fruit" the good of love, and "good" the good of charity and of life.

[39] In Ezekiel:

I will lead you out from the peoples, and will gather you from the lands, and I will lead you into a wilderness of peoples, and I will plead with you there face to face, even as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt; then will I cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant (Ezekiel 20:34-37).

Here again "wilderness" stands for a state of temptations, which state is called "a wilderness of peoples" and "the wilderness of the land of Egypt," because the state of the natural man before regeneration is meant, which is a wilderness and a solitude because there are then no goods and truths in it, but only evils and falsities; but when falsities and evils have been exterminated therefrom, and truths and goods have been implanted in their place, from being a wilderness it becomes "Lebanon" and a "garden." "To plead with them in the wilderness face to face" signifies to show them to the life of what quality they are and in a way that they acknowledge it; for in temptations man's evils and falsities come forth and appear; "face to face" means to the life and so as to be acknowledged. That after man has endured hard things, conjunction with the Lord, which is reformation, takes place, is signified by "then will I cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant;" "to cause to pass under the rod" meaning to endure hard things, and "the bond of the covenant" meaning conjunction with the Lord.

[40] In Hosea:

I will visit upon her the days of the Baalim, in which she went after her lovers. Therefore behold, I will bring you ³ into the wilderness, and afterwards I will speak upon her heart, and I will give her her vineyards thence, and the valley of Achor for an entrance of hope, and she shall make answer there according to the days of her youth, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt; and in that day thou shalt call Me, my Husband, and shalt no more call Me, my Baal (Hosea 2:13-16).

The "Baalim" and "lovers," after whom she went, signify the things that belong to the natural man and are loved, namely, cupidities and falsities therefrom; that these must be removed by means of temptations is signified by "I will bring you ³ into the wilderness;" that afterwards there will be consolation is signified by "afterwards I will speak upon her heart;" that they will then have spiritual and natural truths is signified by "I will give her vineyards thence and the valley of Achor." That afterwards they will have influx of good out of heaven and consequent joy, as those had who were of the ancient churches and who from natural had become spiritual, is signified by "she shall make answer or sing there according to the days of her youth, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt," "days of youth" signifying the times of the ancient church, and "according to the days of her coming up out of Egypt," signifying when from natural they became spiritual. Conjunction with the Lord at that time through the affections of truth, when the cupidities from the natural man have been rejected, is signified by "in that day thou shalt call Me, my Husband, and thou shalt no more call Me, my Baal."

[41] As a "wilderness" signifies a state of temptations, and "forty," whether years or days, their whole duration from beginning to end, therefore the temptations of the Lord, which were the most direful of all, and which He sustained from childhood to the passion of the cross, are signified by the temptations of the forty days in the desert, which are thus described in the Gospels:

Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil; and when He had fasted forty days and forty nights He afterwards hungered; and the tempter drew near unto Him (Matthew 4:1-3; Luke 4:1-3).

The spirit urging Jesus caused Him to go out into the wilderness; and He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted, and He was with the beasts (Mark 1:12, 13).

This does not mean that the Lord was tempted by the devil only forty days, and at the end of these, but that He was tempted throughout His whole life even to the last, when He endured direful anguish of heart in Gethsemane and afterwards the dreadful passion of the cross; for by means of the temptations admitted into the human that He had from the mother, the Lord subjugated all the hells, and at the same time glorified His Human. (But of these temptations of the Lord see what is written in the Arcana Coelestia, and collected therefrom in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.201.) All these temptations of the Lord are signified by the temptations in the wilderness forty days and forty nights, since the "wilderness" signifies a state of temptations, and "forty days and forty nights" the whole duration of these. No more was written respecting these in the Gospels because no more was revealed respecting them; nevertheless in the prophets, and especially in the psalms of David, they are described at length. "The beasts" with which the Lord is said to have been, signify the infernal societies; and "fasting" signifies here such affliction as there is in the combats of temptation.

[42] 4. Again, "wilderness" also signifies hell, because that is called a wilderness where there is no harvest or habitation, likewise where there are wild beasts, serpents, and dragons, which signify where there is no truth of doctrine or good of life, consequently where there are lusts from evil loves, and falsities therefrom of every kind; and as these are in hell and the former in a wilderness, so from correspondences the "wilderness" also signifies hell. Moreover, the natural man with everyone, so long as it is separated from the spiritual, as it is before regeneration, is a hell, because all the hereditary evil into which man is born resides in his natural man, and is not cast out from it, that is, removed, except by the influx of Divine truth through heaven from the Lord; and this influx into the natural man can come only through the spiritual, for the natural man is in the world and the spiritual in heaven; therefore the spiritual man must be opened before the hell that is in the natural man can be removed by the Lord out of heaven.

[43] How this is removed was represented by the he-goat called Azazel that was cast out into the desert; for the "he-goat" from correspondence signifies the natural man in respect to his affections and knowledges, and in the contrary sense in respect to his cupidities and falsities. Of this he-goat we read thus in Moses:

That Aaron should take two he-goats and cast lots upon them, one for the he-goat to be sacrificed, the other for Azazel; and after he had expiated the Tent of meeting and the altar with the blood of the sacrificed bullock and of the sacrificed he-goat, he should lay his hands upon the head of the he-goat Azazel, and should confess upon it the iniquities and sins of the sons of Israel; which he shall put upon the head of the he-goat, and afterwards should send him by the hand of a man appointed into the wilderness. So the he-goat shall bear upon him all the iniquities of the sons of Israel into the land cut off and into the wilderness; and the skin, the flesh, and the dung of the bullock and of the sacrificed he-goat should be burned in the wilderness; thus should they be expiated and cleansed from all their sins (Leviticus 16:5-34).

These things were commanded to represent expiation, that is, purification from evils and falsities. Two he-goats were taken to represent this, because a "he-goat" from correspondence signifies the natural man; the he-goat that was to be sacrificed represented the natural man in reference to the part purified, and the he-goat that was to be sent into the wilderness the natural man not purified. And as the natural man swarms with cupidities and uncleanness of every kind, as has been said above, therefore that he-goat was sent out of the camp into a land cut off and into the wilderness that he might bear away the iniquities and sins of all in that church; "the land cut off and the wilderness" signifying hell. Aaron laying his hands upon its head and confessing the sins represented communication and transference, for this is done when man is purified or expiated from sins, for the sins are then sent down to hell, and the affections of good and truth are implanted in their place; these were represented in part by the fat sacrificed from the bullock and from the other he-goat, also by their blood, and especially by the burnt offering from the ram (respecting which see verses 5-24 in the same chapter) Leviticus 16:5-24, for the "ram" from correspondence signifies the natural man in respect to the good of charity. But it is to be known that the Israelitish people were not in the least purified from their sins by this, but the purification of the natural man when he was being regenerated was thus merely represented. All things of man's regeneration were represented by such external things, especially by sacrifices; and this was done for the sake of the conjunction of heaven with that church through the externals of worship, the internals that the externals represented being seen in the heavens. Who cannot see that the sins of the whole congregation could not be transferred to a he-goat and borne by him to hell? From this it is evident what is signified by "wilderness" in its various senses.

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