THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 43

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

1. BUT now, thus says Jehovah, your Creator, O Jacob, and your Former, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you art Mine.

VERSE 1. That to "redeem" signifies to liberate from hell, and to claim and conjoin to Himself so that they may be His, is evident, for it is said, "I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name : you art Mine"; and inasmuch as this is effected by reformation and regeneration from the Lord, it is therefore said "Jehovah your Creator, O Jacob, and your Former, O Israel." He is here called "Creator", because to "create" in the Word signifies to reqenerate, as may be seen above. n. 294. "Jacob" and " Israel" signify those who are of the church and who are in Truths from Good. Apocalypse Explained 328.

As to the signification of "fear", as predicated both of the spiritual and of the natural man, see Chapter 11:3, the Exposition.

Verses 1, 6, 7. I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you art Mine. Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth, etc. - The subject here treated of is concerning the establishment of the church among the nations. From their reformation Jehovah is called "Creator and Former", wherefore it is said "I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name: you art Mine." "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth", signifies the nations which are out of the church, which receive the Truths and Goods of the church from the Lord; "afar off" and the "ends of the earth" denoting those who are out of the church; the "earth" is the church; "sons" are those who receive Truths, and "daughters" those who receive Goods. These are said to he "created, formed, and made to glory"; "glory" is the divine Truth which they receive. Apocalypse Explained 294.

Verses 1, 7. Jehovah your Creator; - whom I have created for My glory, etc. - The very end of the creation of the universe was that an angelic heaven might be formed out of mankind, where all who believe in God might live in eternal blessedness; for the Divine Love, which is in God, and which essentially is God, can intend nothing else; and the Divine Wisdom, which is also in God, and which is God, can produce nothing else. Since, then, the creation of the universe had for its end an angelic heaven, to be formed out of the human race, and at the same time a church on earth, man's passage into heaven lying through the church; and since the salvation of mankind, being effected upon men that are born in the world, is thus a continuation of creation, therefore we so frequently meet in the Word with the term "to create", the meaning of which is to form for heaven; as in the following passages:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10) "You openest Your hand, they are filled with good; You sendest forth Your spirit, they are created." (Psalm 104:28, 30) "The people that shall be created, shall praise Jehovah." (Psalm 102:18)

Hence will appear the meaning of "to create" in the following passages:

"Thus says Jehovah, He that creates the heavens, He that spreads forth the earth"; etc. (Isaiah 42:5; 45:12, 18)

"Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth. Be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing." (Isaiah 65:17, 18). True Christian Religion 773. See also 573.

2. When you passest through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walkest through the fire, you shalt not be burnt; and the flame shall not kindle upon you.

Verse 2. By "passing through the waters and through the rivers, and their not overflowing", is signified that falsities and ratiocinations from falsities against Truths shall not enter and corrupt; "waters" denoting falsities, and the "rivers" ratiocinations from falsities against Truths. By "walking through the fire, and not being burned, and the flame not kindling upon you", is signified that evils and cupidities arising from them shall not hurt; "fire" signifying evils, and the "flame" cupidities thence derived. Apocalypse Explained 504. See also Arcana Coelestia 739, 790.

By "rivers overflowing" are also signified temptations, because temptations are inundations of falsest Apocalypse Revealed 409.

[As spiritual temptations are here treated of, the following extract will elucidate this important subject.]

They alone who are being regenerated, undergo spiritual temptations; such temptations being pains of mind induced by evil spirits, in those who are in Good and Truth. While those spirits excite the evils of such persons, there arises in the mind an anxiety, which is temptation. Man does not know whence this anxiety comes, because he is unacquainted with its origin. There are both evil and good spirits attendant on every man; the evil spirits are in his evils, and the good spirits in his goods. When the evil spirits approach they draw forth his evils, while the good spirits, on the contrary, draw forth his goods; whence arise collision and combat, causing in the man an interior anxiety, which is temptation. Hence it is plain that temptations are not induced by heaven, but by hell; as is in accordance with the faith of the church, which teaches that God tempts no man." Interior anxieties are also experienced by those who are not in Goods and Truths; but natural, not spiritual anxieties; the two are distinguished by this, that natural anxieties have worldly things for their objects, but spiritual anxieties heavenly things.

The object contended for during temptations, is the dominion of Good over evil, or of evil over Good. The evil which is desirous of obtaining the dominion resides in the natural or external man, and the Good in the spiritual or internal man. If evil prevails, the natural man obtains the dominion; but if Good prevails, the spiritual conquers. These combats are carried on by the Truths of faith derived from the Word. By these man must contend against evils and falsities; for if he combats from any other principles, he cannot conquer, because in these alone the Lord is present. And as this warfare is carried on by the Truths of faith, man is not permitted to enter on it until he has been instructed in the knowledge of Good and Truth, and has thence obtained some degree of spiritual life; such combats, therefore, do not take place till men arrive at years of maturity. If man falls in temptation, his state after it becomes worse than before, because evil has thereby acquired power over Good, and falsity over Truth. Since at this day faith is rare, because there is no charity, the church being at its end, there are but few who are admitted into anv spiritual temptations; hence it is scarcely known what they are, and to what salutary purpose they are conducive.

The ends to which temptations are conducive are these. They acquire for Good dominion over evil, and for Truth dominion over the false; they confirm Truths in the mind, and conjoin them to Good; and they disperse evils and the falsities thence derived. They serve also to open the internal spiritual man, and to bring the natural man into subjection to it; to destroy the loves of self and of the world, and to subdue the concupiscences which proceed from them. When these things are effected, man acquires enlightenment and perception respecting the nature of Good and its Truth, and of falsity and its evil; whence he obtains intelligence and wisdom, which afterwards increase continually. The Lord alone combats for man in temptations; and unless he believes that the Lord alone combats and conquers for him, he undergoes only an external temptation, which is in no respect conducive to his salvation. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 187-195.

3. For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour: I have given Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your stead.

4. Because you have been precious in My eyes, you have been honoured, and I have loved you: therefore will I give men instead of you, and peoples instead of your soul.

Verses 3, 4. These things also are said concerning the Lord, and concerning the redemption of those who acknowledge Him, and from affection receive Truths from Him. Redemption is signified by "a ransom [or an expiation]", and by "instead of you", and "for your soul"; the natural affection of knowing Truths derived from spiritual affection is signified by "Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba"; their intelligence thence derived is signified by "man" [adam], and the church from them receive people." Inasmuch as by "Egypt" is signified the natural man, and all the intelligence of the spiritual man is terminated and has its foundation in the natural man, and in his knowledges and scientifics, therefore: man without them is not intelligent or wise, nor indeed rational, for the spiritual man must act as one by correspondences. Hence it is that, in ancient times, when the representative church was also in Egypt, the King of Egypt, or Pharaoh, was called "the son of the wise, and the son of the kings of antiquity"; (Isaiah 19:11) also "Egypt, the corner-stone of the tribes"; (verse 13.) for by the tribes are signified all the Truths and Goods of the church in one complex, and by the "corner-stone" is signified the foundation thereof. Hence also it is said of Solomon: by whom the Lord was represented as to His celestial and spiritual kingdoms, that his wisdom was above the sons of the East, and above all the wisdom of the Egyptians." (1 Kings 4:30)

By "the sons of the East" are understood all who at that time were in the knowledges of Truth and Good, and thereby were made wise; and by the "Egyptians" are understood all who were skilled in sciences, especially in the science of correspondences, and in intelligence thence derived; wherefore also it is that the sciences of the Egyptians are called "the hidden things of gold and of silver and desirable things" in Daniel 11:42, 43. Apocalypse Explained 654.

"Ethiopia" [Cush] and "Seba" are the knowledges of spiritual things, which serve those who believe in the Lord. Arcana Coelestia 1171. See also the Exposition of Isaiah 45:14.

As to "Cush", or Ethiopia, and its spiritual meaning, see above, Chapter 18:1, 2, the Exposition.

5. Fear not, for I am with you: from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you;

6. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Withhold not: bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth;

Verses 5, 6. These things are not said concerning the posterity of Jacob, but concerning the nations or Gentiles of whom the church is to be formed, By "Jacob and his seed" are understood those who will be of that church. That it is to be formed of those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thence in obscurity as to Truths, is signified by "from the west I will gather you, and I will say to the north, Give up"; and that these are not to be repelled by those who are in the Good of love and in Truths of doctrine from a clear [principle], but to be accepted, is signified by "from the east I will bring your seed, and I will say to the south, Withhold not"; for the "east" signifies the Good of love in clearness, the "south" the Truth of doctrine in clearness, and the "west" the Good of love in obscurity, and the "north" the Truth of doctrine in obscurity, such as it exists with those who, from ignorance of Truth, are in falsities, and yet desire Truths. The reason why those quarters have such a signification is, because in the spiritual world all dwell distinctly in those quarters according to the light of Truth and the affection of Good in which they are principled. Similar things are signified in Matthew, where it is said that "the elect are to be gathered together from the four winds, from the boundaries of heaven even to their boundaries." (Matthew 24:31)

That all who are in falsities from ignorance, and yet in the desire of Truth, are to be brought into that church, is signified by "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth"; "sons" denoting those who are in Truths, and "daughters" those who are in the affection thereof, and hence also, abstractedly from persons, they signify Truths and their affections; and "afar off" and the "ends of the earth" signify removal from the light of Truth, because in falsities from ignorance, by reason of their not having the Word, or not understanding the sense thereof. Apocalypse Explained 724.

Verses 5-8. To "bring seed from the east, the west, the north, and the south", denotes all of whatsoever religion they be; for the "east" and "west" signify where the Good of love is in clearness and in obscurity, and the "north" and the "south" where the Truth of faith is in obscurity and in clearness.

In this place they are understood who are in obscurity from ignorance, for it is said "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth." "Sons" are predicated of those who receive Truths, and "daughters" of those who receive Goods; "from afar" and "from the ends of the earth " signify those who are remote from the Truths and Goods of the church.

That all will be received and reformed by the Lord, who acknowledge Him, is signified by "I have created, I have formed, and I have made everyone called by My name." These, then, are they who are understood by "the blind who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears." Apocalypse Explained 239.

As to the "blind" and the "deaf", see Chapter 42:18, the Exposition.

The subject here treated of is concerning "Jacob" and "Israel", and unless it be known that the above spiritual things are understood by the quarters there mentioned, it may be supposed that nothing further is implied than that the sons of Israel and Jacob are to be collected from all parts; but by "Jacob" and "Israel" is understood the church which consists of those who are in the Good of love and in Truths from that Good; and by "their seed" are understood all who are of that church. The bringing and gathering together of those who are in the Good of love, is understood by "I will bring your seed from the east, and I will gather you from the west"; and the same with respect to those who are in Truths from that Good, is understood by "I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south Withhold not." That all who are in those Truths and Goods even to those who are in the ultimates, shall be brought, is signified by "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth." Apocalypse Explained 422. See also Arcana Coelestia 1458, 9642.

7. Everyone that is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.

8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

Verse 7. Everyone that is called by My name, etc. - What is meant by being "called by the Lord's name", see Chapter 4:1, and especially Chapter 26:8, the Exposition.

9. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them will declare this, and will show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

Verse 9. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled, etc.

- As to "nations" and "peoples", see Chapter 9:2, 3, the Exposition.

10. You are My witnesses, says Jehovah; even My servant, whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me no God was formed, and after Me there shall be none.

Verse 10. Where by "Servant" is understood the Lord as to His Divine Human, that the Lord calls Himself a "minister" by reason of His serving, is evident in the Evangelists:

"Whosoever will become great among you, ought to be your minister; and whosoever would be first, ought to be your servant; as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister:" (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:27) Apocalypse Explained 409.

11. I, [even] I, am Jehovah; and beside Me there is no Saviour.

Verse 11. The idea of a Son born from eternity [which is a prevalent idea in the present Theology], descending and assuming the Humanity, must be found to be altogether erroneous, and will therefore fall to the ground and vanish when those passages in the Word are attended to where Jehovah Himself asserts that He Himself is the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, as He does in the following passages :

"I, [even] I, am Jehovah; and beside Me there is no Saviour." [Isaiah 43:11) "Is it not I, Jehovah, than whom there is no other God? a just God, and a Saviour; there is none beside Me." (Isaiah 45:21, 22; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:26; 60:16; Hosea 13:4)

From these and many other passages it must be evident to every man who has the use of his eyes, and whose mind is opened by such use, that God, who is One, descended, and was made Man for the purpose of effecting the work of Redemption. How plainly is this seen, as in morning light, by attending to the divine declarations here quoted. Such men, however, as walk in the shadows of night, from a firm persuasion in their minds of the birth of another God from eternity, and of His descent and redeeming labours, close their eyes against the light of these divine declarations, and in that state consider how they may apply and pervert them to the confirmation of their own falsities. True Christian Religion 83. See also True Christian Religion 188, 294.

12. I have declared, and I have saved: I have made it known; nor was it any strange [god] among you: and you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God.

13. Yea, before the day was, I am He; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand: I work; and who shall hinder it?

Verse 12. You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God [El]. In the Word, Jehovah, or the Lord, in many places is named El in the singular, also Eloah, and likewise Elohim in the plural, - each sometimes in one verse or in one series. The reason why He is so named cannot be known, unless the internal sense of the Word be known. That El involves one thing, and Eloah another, and Elohim another, every one may judge from this, that the Word is divine, that is, derives its origin from the Divine, and that it is hence inspired as to all expressions, yea, as to the smallest apex. What is involved in El, when it is named, and what in Elohim, may appear from what has been abundantly shown above, that is, that El and Elohim or "God" is mentioned when Truth is treated of, see n. Arcana Coelestia 709, 2580, 2769; hence it is that by "El" and "Elohim"; in the supreme sense, is signified, the Divine-Spiritual, for this is the same with Divine Truth, but with the difference that by "El" is signified Truth in the will and act, which is the same thing with the Good of Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 4337, 4353, 4390. "Elohim" in the plural is used, because by the Divine Truth are meant all Truths which are from the Lord; hence also the angels in the Word are sometimes called Elohim or "gods", Arcana Coelestia 4295, as will likewise appear from the passages below adduced from the Word.

Inasmuch now as "El" and "Elohim", in the supreme sense, signify the Lord as to Truth, they also signify Him as to power, for it is Truth of which power is predicated, for Good acts by Truth when it exercises power, Arcana Coelestia 3091, 4015; therefore wheresoever power derived from Truth is treated of in the Word, the Lord is called El and Elohim, or "God"; hence also it is that "El", in the original tongue, likewise signifies one who is powerful. That the names El and Elohim, or "God", are used in the Word where the Divine-Spiritual is treated of, or, what is the same thing, the Divine Truth, and thence the Divine power, may further appear from these passages:

"God said to Israel in the visions of the night, I am the God of the gods [El elohe] of your father: be not afraid of descending into Egypt; because I will place you there into a great nation." (Genesis 46:2, 3)

Inasmuch as these words were spoken to Israel, whom He would place into a great nation, and thereby Truth and the power thereof are treated of, it is said "El Elohe", which in the proximate sense signifies God of gods. That "Elohim" in the proximate sense are gods, because they are predicated of Truths and the power thence derived, is evident also from the following passage:

"There Jacob built an altar, and called the place El-beth-el, because there the Elohim were revealed to him, in his flying before his brother." (Genesis 35:7)

And in another place:

"Jehovah our God, Himself the God of gods, and Lord of lords, the God [El] great, powerful, and formidable"; (Deuteronomy 10:17) where "God of gods" is expressed by Elohe elohim, and afterwards "God" by El, to whom is attributed greatness and power.

So in David:

"God [El] the great Jehovah, and the great King over all gods [Elohim], in whose hand are the tracings out [pervestigationes] of the earth; and the strengths of the mountains are His"; (Psalm 95:3, 4) where the name "God", or El, is used, because the subject treated of is concerning the Divine Truth, and the power thence derived; also mention is made of "gods", because Truths thence derived are treated of; for "king" in the internal sense signifies Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670.

Hence it is evident what is involved in the expression, "a great King above all gods"; the "tracings out of the earth" are also the Truths of the church, which are called "strengths of the mountains" from power grounded in Good. Arcana Coelestia 1402.

14. Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake have I sent to Babylon, and I will cast down all her bars; and the Chaldeans, whose shouting is in their ships:

15. I am Jehovah, your Holy One; the Creator of Israel, your King.

Verse 14. The subject here treated of is concerning the liberation of the faithful from the oppression of those who, devastate the church, and who are understood by "Babylon"; and they devastate it by this, that they withhold all from the knowledges of Truth and of Good, saying that they themselves know, and that they are to be believed, when notwithstanding they know nothing of Truth, thus keeping others, together with themselves, in dense ignorance, and turning them away from the worship of the Lord, in order that they themselves may be worshipped. To "cast down their bars" signifies to destroy their principles of the false, and the false devastating Truths; "bars" here denoting principles of the false, and the "Chaldeans" those who devastate by falsities: for by "Babylon", in the Word, are signified those who by evils destroy Goods, and by the "Chaldeans" those who by falsities destroy Truths; a "shouting in their ships" denotes the destruction of their doctrinals, Apocalypse Explained 514.

As to the signification of "bars", see Chapter 45:2, the Exposition.

16. Thus says Jehovah, who made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Verse 16. That by "sea,", in this passage, is not understood the sea, nor by "waters" are understood waters, is evident, forasmuch as it is said that "therein is the way and the path of Jehovah"; wherefore by "sea" and by "waters" are understood such things as Jehovah or the Lord is in, which are the knowledges of Truth in general from the Word, and Truths therein; the "sea" denoting those knowledges, and the "waters" Truths. Knowledges and Truths differ in this, that knowledges are of the natural man, and Truths of the spiritual man. Apocalypse Explained 275.

As to the further meaning of the "sea", when mentioned in the Word, see Chapter 21:1, the Exposition.

17. Who brought forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the power; together they lie down, they rise up no more: they are extinguished, they are quenched like tow.

18. Remember not the former things; and the things of old do not consider:

Verse 17. As to the spiritual meaning of "horses" and "chariots", see Chapter 31:1, the Exposition.

They are quenched like tow. - As to the meaning of "tow", see Chapter 1:30, 31, the Exposition, and verse 31, note.

19. Behold, I make a new thing; even now shall it spring. forth: will you not acknowledge it? yea, I will make in the wilderness a way, and rivers in the desert.

Verses 19, 20. Treating of the Lord, and of the New Church from Him, which is understood by "Behold, I make a new thing; even now shall it spring forth."

By "making a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert", is signified to give Truths and the intelligence of Truths where they were not before; "way" denotes Truth leading to heaven, and "rivers" intelligence.

By "giving drink to the people" is signified to instruct those who desire to be instructed.

By "the beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl", are signified those who know Truths and Goods from the memory only, and do not understand and perceive them; such are they who speak Truth without any idea of it, depending only upon others. Apocalypse Explained 518.

20. The beast of the field shall honour Me; the dragons, and the daughters of the owl: because I have given waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.

21. The people, whom I have formed for Myself, shall show forth My praise.

Verse 20. That "the beast of the field, dragons, and daughters of the owl", are not here understood, is evident, for these cannot " honour Jehovah"; but that the men of the church are understood, is manifest from its being said in what follows, "to give drink to My people, My chosen"; wherefore by the "beast of the field " are signified the affections of the knowledges of Truth, by "dragons " natural ideas, and by the "daughters of the owl" sensual affections, for the sensual principle is affected with Truths, and sees them in darkness, as owls see objects in the night. Hence it is also evident that the nations or Gentiles are hereby understood, with whom the New Church was to be established, for before reformation they were in such an obscure affection and natural thought.

By "giving waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert", is signified to imbue with Truths and thence with intelligence, those who were before in ignorance. "Waters" denoting Truths, "rivers" intelligence, and "wilderness" and "desert" signify ignorance. To "Give drink to the people of Jehovah, and to His chosen", signifies to instruct those who are in the Truths of faith and In the Good of charity; they are called "people" who are principled in the Truths of faith, and they "chosen" who are in the Good of charity. Apocalypse Explained 650.

As to the "daughters of the owl", in a bad sense, or the sensual perceptions of the mind entirely perverted, see Chapter 13:19-22, the Exposition. "Dragons" in this verse, as in Chapter 35:7, signify those who, although sensual, can nevertheless receive the Truth and be saved.

22. But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of Me, O Israel!

Verse 22. That to "call upon the name of Jehovah" is a frequent and common form of expression for all the worship of the Lord, is well-known. The Lord cannot be worshipped except from charity; if from faith which is not from charity, there is no worship, because it is only from the mouth and not from the heart. "You have not brought to Me the lamb of your burnt-offering, neither have you honoured Me with your sacrifices", etc. In these words, in a summary form, all representative worship is involved. Arcana Coelestia 440.

23. You have not brought to Me the lamb of your burnt-offering: neither have you honoured Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with an offering, nor wearied you with incense.

Verse 23. I have not caused you to serve with an offering; nor wearied you with incense. - Inasmuch as all worship of the Lord is effected from spiritual Good, which is derived from celestial Good, therefore both the "meat-offering" and the "incense" are mentioned in the letter separately, which, notwithstanding, in the internal or spiritual sense, are understood conjointly, but the one from the other. Apocalypse Explained 324. See also 491.

24. You have not bought for Me with silver the sweet cane; neither have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices: but you have made Me to serve with your sins, you have wearied Me with thine iniquities.

Verse 24. These words stand for-you have not acquired for yourself the Truths of faith. "Neither have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices", for-you have not acquired the Good of love. Burnt-offerings and sacrifices were the principal things of divine worship among the Jews; wherefore by " burnt-offerings" and "sacrifices" in general is signified worship, and by the things which were sacrificed, also by all the process of the sacrifice, is signified the quality of worship, and by the "fat" and the "burning" thereof, the very celestial divine principle, which is the Good of love from the Lord. Arcana Coelestia 5943.

25. I, [even] I, am He that blots out your transgressions for Mine own sake; and your sins I will not remember.

Verse 25. As to the "remission of sins", and what are the signs that sins are remitted or removed, see Chapter 33:24, the Exposition.

26. Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together: declare you, that you mayest be justified.

Verse 26. It is said in the Word concerning Jehovah, that is, the Lord, that He "remembers", and that He "does not remember", by which is signified that whatsoever then happens, whether it be preservation or deliverance, is from Mercy; in like manner as when it is said of Him that He "sees", "hears", and "knows", and that He "does not see", "does not hear", and "does not know", by which also commiserations and non-commiserations are understood. That it is so said is from similitude with man, and from appearance, for when a man turns himself away from the Lord, which is the case when he does evil, then because the Lord is at his back, it appears as though the Lord did not see him, did not hear him, and did not know him, nor remember him; whereas all this is with man, Hence from the appearance it is so said in the Word; whereas, when a man turns himself to the Lord, which is the case when he does well, the contrary is the case. Every one may know that "remembrance" and "remembering" cannot be predicated of the Lord, since things past and future in Him are eternal, that is, are present to Him from eternity to eternity. Arcana Coelestia 9849.

As to "pleading [or reasoning] together", see Chapter 1:18, the Exposition.

27. Your first, father has sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against Me.

Verse 27. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 1:28.

28. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

Verse 28. To "profane the princes of the sanctuary " signifies holy Truths; the extirpation of the Truth of the external and of the internal church is signified by "giving Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches." Arcana Coelestia 5044 Arcana Coelestia 5044[1-13].

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Isaiah Chapter 43

1. BUT now, thus says Jehovah, your Creator, O Jacob, and your Former, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you art Mine.

2. When you passest through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walkest through the fire, you shalt not be burnt; and the flame shall not kindle upon you.

3. For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour: I have given Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your stead.

4. Because you have been precious in My eyes, you have been honoured, and I have loved you: therefore will I give men instead of you, and peoples instead of your soul.

5. Fear not, for I am with you: from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you;

6. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Withhold not: bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth;

7. Everyone that is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.

8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

9. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them will declare this, and will show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

10. You are My witnesses, says Jehovah; even My servant, whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me no God was formed, and after Me there shall be none.

11. I, [even] I, am Jehovah; and beside Me there is no Saviour.

12. I have declared, and I have saved: I have made it known; nor was it any strange [god] among you: and you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God.

13. Yea, before the day was, I am He; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand: I work; and who shall hinder it?

14. Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake have I sent to Babylon, and I will cast down all her bars; and the Chaldeans, whose shouting is in their ships:

15. I am Jehovah, your Holy One; the Creator of Israel, your King.

16. Thus says Jehovah, who made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17. Who brought forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the power; together they lie down, they rise up no more: they are extinguished, they are quenched like tow.

18. Remember not the former things; and the things of old do not consider:

19. Behold, I make a new thing; even now shall it spring. forth: will you not acknowledge it? yea, I will make in the.wilderness a way, and rivers in the desert.

20. The beast of the field shall honour Me; the dragons, and the daughters of the owl: because I have given waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.

21. The people, whom I have formed for Myself, shall show forth My praise.

22. But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of Me, O Israel!

23. You have not brought to Me the lamb of your burnt-offering: neither have you honoured Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with an offering, nor wearied you with incense.

24. You have not bought for Me with silver the sweet cane; neither have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices: but you have made Me to serve with your sins, you have wearied Me with thine iniquities.

25. I, [even] I, am He that blotts out your transgressions for Mine own sake; and your sins I will not remember.

26. Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together: declare you, that you mayest be justified.

27. Your first, father has sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against Me.

28. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

724. Verse 5. And she brought forth a son, a male, signifies the doctrine of truth for the New Church that is called the New Jerusalem. This is evident from the signification of a "son," as meaning truth, and of "a son, a male," as meaning the genuine truth of the church, consequently also its doctrine, for the truth of the church from the Word is its doctrine, since the doctrine contains the truths that are for the church. But the genuine doctrine of the church is the doctrine of good, thus the doctrine of life, which is of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor; but yet it is the doctrine of truth, since doctrine teaches life, love, and charity, and so far as it teaches it is truth; for when a man knows and understands what good is, what life is, what love is, and what charity is, he knows and understands these things as truths, since he knows and understands what good is, how he ought to live, and what love and charity are, and of what quality a man is who is in the life of love and charity; and as long as these are matters of knowledge and understanding they are nothing but truths, and thus doctrines; but as soon as they pass over from knowledge and from the understanding into the will, and thus into act, they are no longer truths but goods; for interiorly man wills nothing but what he loves, and that which he loves is to him good. From this it can be seen that every doctrine of the church is a doctrine of truth, and that the truth of doctrine becomes good and comes to be of love and charity when from doctrine it passes into life.

[2] This doctrine that is here signified by "the son, a male" is especially the doctrine of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, thus the doctrine of the good of life, which nevertheless is still the doctrine of truth. That the doctrine of the good of love, and thus of life, is here signified by "the son, a male" can be seen from this, that "the woman" who brought forth the son was seen "arrayed with the sun, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," and "the sun" signifies love to the Lord, and "the crown of twelve stars," signifies the knowledges of good and truth, and from such a woman and mother nothing else is begotten except what pertains to love and good, thus the doctrine respecting these; this, therefore, is "the son, a male."

[3] This doctrine ¹ is for the New Church that is called the New Jerusalem, because "the woman" treated of in this chapter is the one who is called "the Bride, the Lamb's wife," which was "the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God" (Revelation 21:9-10). This is why she was seen "arrayed with the sun;" "the sun" meaning the Lord in relation to Divine love (See above, n. 401, 525, 527, 708). "The son, a male" signifies the doctrine of the church, for the reason also that in the Word "son" signifies truth, and the doctrine of the church is truth in the whole complex. That in the Word "son" signifies truth can be seen from what has been said before respecting "woman," the "womb," and "bringing forth;" namely, that "woman" signifies the church, the "womb" the inmost of love and the reception of truth from good, and "to bring forth" bringing these forth and making them fruitful. (Respecting "woman" see above, n. 707; the "womb," n. 710; and "to bring forth," n. 721.) From this it follows that "sons and daughters," since they are births, signify the truths and goods of the church, "sons" its truths, and "daughters" its goods; in a word, that all terms pertaining to marriage and thus to procreation on the earth signify such things as pertain to the marriage of good and truth, thus "father," "mother," "sons," "daughters," "sons-in-law," "daughters-in-law," "grandsons," and others, signify goods and truths procreating, and goods and truths procreated, and furthermore goods and truths derived in their order.

[4] But it is to be known that procreating goods and truths are in the spiritual man, and procreated goods and truths are in the natural man, and that those in the spiritual man are like the father and mother, and those that are from these in the natural man are like brothers and sisters; and again that truths and goods that are procreated anew as if from sons married within marriageable limits, and from daughters married within the same, are in the natural man, after these as parents have been raised up into the spiritual man; for all conception and all bearing or gestation in the womb takes place in the spiritual man, while the birth itself takes place in the natural man. Thus the spiritual man is continually enriched by the elevation into it of truths and goods out of the natural man, which as parents will procreate anew; and there all things are associated like the societies of heaven according to the affections of truth and good, and their relationships and affinities. Thence it is evident that these spiritual procreations, like the natural procreations from a father and mother, are multiplied like families and houses on earth, and are made fruitful like trees from seeds, from which are gardens that are called paradises in the spiritual man, but groves and woods in the natural, and shady forests in the sensual.

[5] But as "sons" are mentioned in many passages in the Word, and it has not yet been known that they signify the truths of the church and of doctrine, out of many I will merely cite the following passages in the way of confirmation. In the Gospels:

Jesus said, He that leaveth houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, fields, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:29, 30).

Any man that cometh unto Me, and hateth not his own father, mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters, yea, his own soul, is not My disciple (Luke 14:26).

Who cannot see that father, mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters, also houses and fields, are not here meant, but such things as belong to man himself, and are called his own [proprium]? For these things a man must leave and hate, if he wishes to worship the Lord and to be His disciple, and to "receive a hundred-fold," and "to inherit eternal life." The things that are a man's own are those that are of his love, and thus of his life into which he was born, consequently they are evils and falsities of every kind; and as these are of his love and life it is said that "he must hate his own soul." These evils and falsities are signified by "father and mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters;" for all things that are of man's love and life, or that are of affection and thought therefrom, or of the will and the understanding therefrom, are formed and conjoined like generations descending from one father and one mother, and are also distinguished as into families and houses. The love of self and the consequent love of the world are their "father and mother," and the cupidities arising therefrom and their evils and falsities are the "children," which are "brethren and sisters." That this is the meaning can be clearly seen from this, that the Lord does not wish to have anyone hate his father and mother, or wife or children, or brethren or sisters, since this would be contrary to the spiritual love implanted in everyone from heaven, which is the love of parents for children and of children for parents, and contrary to conjugial love, which is the love of the husband for his wife and of the wife for her husband, as also contrary to mutual love, which is the love of brothers and sisters for one another.

Yea, the Lord teaches that enemies must not be hated, but loved. All this shows that the terms that define consanguinities, alliances, and relationships in the Word mean consanguinities, alliances, and relationships in a spiritual sense.

[6] In the same:

Jesus said to His disciples, The brother shall deliver the brother to death, the father, the son, and children shall rise up against their parents and deliver them to be put to death (Matthew 10:21; Mark 13:12).

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law (Luke 12:53).

That this is not to be understood according to the letter is clear from what precedes, where Jesus says that He came not to give peace upon the earth but division, and that "there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three," which signifies that falsities and evils will combat against truths and goods, and truths and goods against falsities and evils, which is done when man comes into temptations and is being reformed; this combat is signified by "division" and "rising up against;" that "the father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father" signifies that evil will fight against truth and truth against evil, "father" here meaning the evil that is man's own [proprium], and "son" the truth that man has from the Lord.

That the cupidity of falsity will fight against the affection of truth, and the affection of truth against the cupidity of falsity, is signified by "the mother shall be divided against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother," "mother" here meaning the cupidity of falsity, "daughter" the affection of truth; and so on. That this is the meaning can also be seen from what the Lord says elsewhere, that in Him, "they shall have peace," thus not division (John 14:27; 16:33).

[7] In Luke:

The angel said to Zechariah of John, He shall go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons (Luke 1:17).

And in Malachi:

I will send to you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah comes, that he may turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5, 6).

John the Baptist was sent before to prepare the people for the reception of the Lord by baptism, because baptism represented and signified purification from evils and falsities, and also regeneration by the Lord by means of the Word. Unless this representation had preceded, the Lord could not have manifested Himself and have taught and lived in Judea and in Jerusalem, since the Lord was the God of heaven and earth under a human form, and He could not have been present with a nation that was in mere falsities in respect to doctrine and in mere evils in respect to life; consequently unless that nation had been prepared for the reception of the Lord by a representation of purification from falsities and evils by baptism, it would have been destroyed by diseases of every kind by the presence of the Divine Itself; therefore this is what is signified by "lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." That this is so is well known in the spiritual world, for those there who are in falsities and evils are direfully tormented and spiritually die at the presence of the Lord.

[8] The baptism of John could produce such an effect because the Jewish Church was a representative church, and all their conjunction with heaven was effected by representatives, as can be seen from the washings there commanded; as that all who became unclean must wash themselves and their garments, and in consequence were accounted clean; likewise the priests and Levites must wash themselves before they entered the tent of meeting and afterwards the temple and officiated in holy functions; in like manner Naaman was cleansed from leprosy by washing in Jordan. The washing and baptizing itself did not indeed purify them from falsities and evils, but only represented and thence signified purification from them; nevertheless, this was received in heaven as if they were themselves purified. It was thus that heaven was conjoined to the people of that church by means of the baptism of John; and when heaven was thus conjoined to them, the Lord, who was the God of heaven, could manifest Himself to them there, teach them, and abide among them:

That to John went out Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan, and they were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins (Matthew 3:5, 6);

And that he said to them, O offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come (Luke 3:7).

That the Jews and Israelites were conjoined to heaven by means of representatives may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n.248). This now was the reason why John was sent before to prepare a way for the Lord, and to prepare the people for Him. And from this it may be concluded what "turning the heart of the fathers to the sons and the heart of the sons to the fathers" signifies, namely, that it means inducing a representation of the conjunction of spiritual goods with truths and truths with goods, thus of regeneration by the Lord by means of the Word. For regeneration is the conjunction of goods with truths and of truths with goods, and it is the Lord who regenerates, and the Word that teaches.

[9] It was said of this John that "he should go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah," and that he was Elijah, because John, like Elijah, represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and thence signified the Word, which is from the Lord; and as Divine wisdom and Divine power are in the Word, these are meant by "the spirit and power of Elijah." (That the Word is such see in the work on Heaven and Hell 303-310; and in the small work on The White Horse.)

[10] That "sons" signify truths from the Word can be seen also from the following passages. In David:

Lo, sons are a heritage of Jehovah, the fruit of the belly is His reward; as darts in the hand of a mighty one, so are the sons of youth; happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed when they shall speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalms 127:3-5).

"Sons" who are a heritage of Jehovah and "the fruit of the belly" which is a reward mean the truths and goods of the church, "sons" truths, and "the fruit of the belly" goods, for both of these are a reward and an heritage of Jehovah, that is, heaven, which is from truths and goods, that is, from the reception of them; "the sons of youth" who are as darts in the hand of a mighty one, signify the truths of the Ancient Church, which were natural truths from spiritual truths; this church is meant by "youth;" and as these truths have all power against falsities and evils it is said, "as darts in the hand of a mighty one," "darts" meaning truths destroying falsities.

Doctrine from truths is signified by "quiver," because it is signified by "bow," and because those who are in doctrine from these truths fear nothing from falsities, it is said, "happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed when they shall speak with the enemies in the gate;" "not ashamed" meaning not to be conquered, and "enemies in the gate" the falsities of evil which are from hell.

[11] In the same:

Deliver me out of the hand of the sons of the alien, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood; for our sons are as plants made great in their youth and our daughters as cornerstones hewn out in the model of a palace (Psalms 144:11, 12).

Evidently "sons of the alien" here mean falsities, for it is said, "whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood," and that "our sons" signify truths is also evident, for it is said that "they are as plants made great in their youth," "plants" also meaning truths, and "youth" here, as above, the Ancient Church, which had genuine truths. "Our daughters" signify the affections of truth, which are therefore compared to "cornerstones hewn out in the model of a palace," because a "palace" is a representative of the understanding, in which truths are in a beautiful form, and they are in a beautiful form when they are from the affection of truth.

[12] In Micah:

Make thee bald and poll thee, because of the sons of thy delights, enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they have departed from thee (Micah 1:16).

Mourning because the truths of the church are destroyed is described by "making bald," "enlarging baldness," and "polling themselves," for the "hair" signifies truths in ultimates, and those who are without truths in ultimates are also without internal truths; for this reason those in the spiritual world who have no truths from good appear bald. That truths are destroyed is signified by "the sons of thy delights have departed from thee;" they are called "sons of delight" from love of the truths and the consequent delights.

[13] In Zechariah:

He saw two olive trees at the right hand of the lampstand and at the left, and he said, These are the two sons of the olive standing by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:11, 14).

"The two olive trees" signify the two churches, the celestial church and the spiritual church, the former "at the right hand of the lampstand," and the latter "at the left;" "the sons of the olive" signify the truths of these churches, which are doctrinals.

[14] In the same:

I will bend Judah for me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, with thy sons, O Javan; and I will set thee as the sword of a mighty one (Zechariah 9:13).

"The sons of Zion" and "the sons of Javan" signify the truths of the Word internal and external, "the sons of Zion" internal truths, and "the sons of Javan" external truths (what the rest signifies see above, n. 357, 443, where it is explained). Because "sons" signify truths it is said that "they shall be set as the sword of a mighty one;" "the sword of a mighty one" signifying truth powerfully destroying falsity.

[15] In Isaiah:

I will stir up against them the Medes, whose bows will dash in pieces the young men, and they will have no pity on the fruit of the belly, their eye will not spare the sons (Isaiah 13:17, 18).

Because the "Medes" mean those who make no account of the truths and goods of the church, it is said "their eye will not spare the sons," "sons" meaning the truths of the Word and of the church. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 710)

[16] In Jeremiah:

My tent is devastated, and all my cords torn off; my sons have gone out from me, and they are not (Jeremiah 10:20).

The "tent" that is devastated signifies the church in respect to the good of love and worship from it, for all worship in ancient times was celebrated in tents, and afterwards in the Tent of meeting, in remembrance of which the feast of tents or tabernacles was instituted; "all my cords are torn off" signifies that there is no conjunction of truth with good, nor of truths with each other, which have thus fallen apart, and consequently there is no conjunction of heaven with the church; "my sons have gone out from me and they are not" signifies that the truths of the church from the Word have been dispersed, and that man has thus removed himself from the Lord.

[17] In the same:

Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents, and will have compassion on his habitations, that the city may be built on her own heap, and the palace shall be inhabited after its own manner; and his sons shall be as of old, and his congregation shall be established before Me (Jeremiah 30:18, 20).

"Jacob's tents and habitations" signify all things of the church and of its doctrine, "tents" its goods, and "habitations" its truths; their "captivity" signifies spiritual captivity, which exists when the truths and goods of the Word cannot be perceived because of the falsities which rule. To disperse falsities and to teach truths is signified by "bringing back the captivity;" "that the city may be built on her own heap" signifies doctrine from truths which has become a ruin through falsities, "city" meaning doctrine; "and the palace shall be inhabited after its own manner" signifies the spiritual understanding of truths, as with the ancients, "palace" meaning the understanding of spiritual truths, for in the understanding are spiritual truths in their forms, which, when they are so presented as to be seen, appear like palaces; "his sons shall be as of old, and his congregation shall be established before Me," signifies that the truths of the church shall remain as with the ancients, and that their forms shall remain, as with the ancients, in restored conjunction, "sons" here meaning truths, and "congregation" their conjunction and such arrangement into forms as exists in the understanding of the man of the church, from which he has intelligence; "after its own manner" and "as of old" mean as with the ancients.

[18] In Lamentations:

Mine eye floweth down with waters, because the counselor who refresheth my soul is far from me; my sons are laid waste, because the adversary hath prevailed (Lamentations 1:16).

Mourning because the church is laid waste is meant by "mine eye floweth down with waters;" its devastation in respect to truths is signified by "my sons are laid waste;" that this was done by the falsities of evil is signified by "the adversary hath prevailed," "adversary" meaning the falsity of evil and the hell from which it springs.

[19] In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, rise up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk out of the hand of Jehovah the cup of His anger; thou hast sucked out the dregs of the cup of trepidation; there is none to lead her of all the sons whom she hath brought forth, neither is there any that taketh hold of her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets (Isaiah 51:17, 18, 20).

The restoration of the church, which had fallen into mere falsities of evil, is signified by "Awake, awake, rise up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk out of the hand of Jehovah the cup of His anger; thou hast sucked out the dregs of the cup of trepidation;" "Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine; "awake and rise up" means its restoration; "to drink the cup of anger" means falsity, and "the dregs of the cup" mean mere falsities from which are evils, and to draw these in is signified by "drinking" and "sucking;" "there is none to lead her of all the sons whom she hath brought forth, neither is there any that taketh hold of her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up," signifies that no truths of the Word that she has learned and imbibed will lead her away from falsities; "sons" here meaning truths; "thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets," signifies that truths are dispersed by falsities of every kind; because "sons" mean truths, "fainting" signifies to be dispersed, and "to lie at the head of all the streets" signifies by means of falsities of every kind, for "the streets of a city" signify true doctrinals, here false doctrinals.

[20] In the same:

Fear not, Jacob, I will bring thy seed from the east, and I will gather thee from the west, I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Hold not back; bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the end of the earth (Isaiah 43:5, 6).

This is not said of Jacob's posterity, but of the Gentiles of whom the church is to be formed. "Jacob and his seed" mean those who will be of that church; that it is to be formed of those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thence in obscurity in respect to truths, is signified by "I will gather thee from the west, and I will say to the north, Give up;" and that these are not to be repulsed, but must be accepted, by those who are in the good of love and in the truths of doctrine in their clearness, is signified by "I will bring thy seed from the east, and I will say to the south, Hold not back;" "the east" signifying the good of love in clearness; "the south" the truth of doctrine in clearness; "the west" the good of love in obscurity, and "the north" the truth of doctrine in obscurity, such as those have who are in falsities from ignorance of truth and yet desire truths. This is the signification of these quarters, because all in the spiritual world dwell in these quarters distinctly according to the light of truth and the affection of good. These things have a like signification in Matthew, where it is said that "the elect are to be gathered together from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens even to the ends of them" (Matthew 24:31). That all who are in falsities from ignorance and yet in a desire for truth are to be brought into that church, is signified by "bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the end of the earth," "sons" signifying those who are in truths, and "daughters" those who are in the affection of truths, and thence also in a sense abstractedly from persons they signify truths and the affections of them; and "afar off" and "the end of the earth" signify removal from the light of truth, because they are in falsities from ignorance from not having the Word or having no understanding of its meaning.

[21] In the same:

They shall hasten thy sons; ² they that destroy thee and they that lay thee waste shall go out from thee. Behold I will lift My hand toward the nations, and lift up Mine ensign to the peoples, that they bring thy sons in the bosom, and carry thy daughters upon the shoulder (Isaiah 49:17, 22).

This, too, treats of the establishment of the New Church by the Lord; and "sons" whom they shall hasten and whom they shall bring in the bosom, and "the daughters" whom they shall carry upon the shoulder, mean all who are in truths and in the affection of them, and in a sense abstractedly from persons truths themselves and affections for them with those who will be of the New Church; "they that destroy and they that lay waste" signify the falsities of evil; that these are to be removed is signified by "they shall go out from thee."

[22] In the same:

The isles shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish in the beginning, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them (Isaiah 60:9).

This also is said of the church of the Gentiles; and the "sons" that will be brought signify those who will receive truths. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 50, 406, 514) In Hosea:

I will not destroy Ephraim. They shall go after Jehovah; He shall roar like a lion, for he shall roar, and sons from the sea shall draw near with honor; with honor shall they come, as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria, and I will make them to dwell in their houses (Hosea 11:9-11).

"Sons from the sea" signify true knowledges and rational truths; therefore it is said, "they shall come as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria," "Egypt" signifying the natural, and "Assyria" the rational, both in respect to truths. (This, too, is explained above, n. 275, 601, 654.)

[23] In David:

Hear this all ye peoples, perceive with the ear, all ye inhabitants of the age; both the sons of man [homo] and the sons of man [vir], the rich and the needy together; my mouth shall speak wisdoms, and the meditations of my heart shall be intelligences (Psalms 49:1-3).

"The sons of man [homo]” signify spiritual truths from the Lord through the Word, which are doctrinals, and "the sons of man [vir]” signify rational and natural truths that are from the understanding, thus they signify the understanding of the Word; "the rich and the needy" signify those who attain much wisdom from these and those who attain but little.

[24] In the same:

Jehovah, return, look from the heavens, and see and visit this vine and the shoot which Thy right hand hath planted, and upon the son whom Thou hast made mighty for Thyself; let Thy hand be over the man of Thy right hand, over the son of man whom Thou hast made mighty for Thyself (Psalms 80:14, 15, 17).

David said this of the church and of himself, which is the sense of the letter, for by the "shoot" and the "son" he meant himself; but in the spiritual sense the "vine" and the "shoot" that Jehovah planted signify the spiritual church that is represented by the sons of Israel; the "son" whom He made mighty for Himself signifies the truth of doctrine from the Word; "the man of the right hand" over whom was the hand, and "the son of man" whom He had made mighty for Himself, signify the truth of the Word in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, and the truth of the Word in the spiritual sense, which is the internal sense.

[25] In Ezekiel:

Behold I will profane My sanctuary, the greatness of My strength, ³ the desire of your eyes, and the fondness of your soul; and your sons and your daughters, whom ye have left, shall fall by the sword (Ezekiel 24:21, 25).

This describes the devastation of all truth that those of the church have; the "sanctuary" that He will profane signifies the Word from which is the church, for this is the sanctuary itself, because it is Divine truth; from its power against falsities and evils, which are from hell, it is called "the greatness of Jehovah's strength;" from the consequent intelligence and heavenly life it is called "the desire of your eyes and the fondness of your soul;" that all truths with the affection of them will be destroyed by falsities is signified by "your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword," "sons" meaning truths, "daughters" the affections of truth, and "sword" falsity destroying truth.

[26] In Moses:

When the Most High gave the nations an inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8).

This is said of the Ancient Churches that preceded the Israelitish, and of the establishment of these by the Lord; "nations" mean those who were in the good of love, and "the sons of man" those who were in the truths of doctrine from that good; that these had all truths and goods is signified by "He set the borders of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel;" that "the twelve sons of Israel" (or the twelve tribes) represented and thus signified the church in respect to all truths and goods, may be seen above (n.39, 430, 657).

[27] In Jeremiah:

Shame hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our childhood, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters; we lie down in our shame, and our confusion doth cover us (Jeremiah 3:24, 25).

So I will bring upon you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, which shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, and it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, it shall eat up thy flock and thy herd, it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig tree, it shall impoverish thy strongholds in which thou trusteth, with the sword (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

This describes in the spiritual sense the devastation of all things of the church with the Israelites; "the nation from afar" signifies the falsity of evil, which is the falsity of the sensual man, destroying truths; "harvest," "bread," "sons," "daughters," "flock," "herd," "vine," and "fig tree," which that nation will eat up, signify all things of the church; "harvest and bread" its truths and goods in respect to nourishment; "sons and daughters" its truths and goods in respect to generations; "flock and herd" truths and goods spiritual and natural; "vine and fig tree" the internal and external spiritual church from these.

[28] In Ezekiel:

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in the midst of it, as I live, if they would deliver their sons or their daughters, they only shall be delivered; and the land shall become a desolation; I will bring a sword upon the land, and I will cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:14, 16-18, 20).

This, too, describes the devastation of the church in respect to all truths of good and goods of truth, except with those who are reformed by means of truths from the Word and temptations; these are signified by "Noah, Daniel, and Job." That with the rest all truths of good and goods of truth will perish is signified by "they would not deliver their sons or their daughters, but they only would be delivered;" the devastation of the church by falsities is signified by "the land shall become a desolation, and I will bring a sword upon the land," "land" meaning the church, and "sword" falsity destroying truth. That every truth, spiritual and natural, will be destroyed, and thence all intelligence and the knowledge of truth will perish, is signified by "I will cut off from it man and beast."

[29] In the same:

The fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; I will do judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter unto every wind (Ezekiel 5:10).

In Moses:

It was among the curses that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29).

"The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons the fathers" signifies that evils will destroy truths and falsities goods, "fathers" meaning evils and goods, and "sons" falsities and truths; and as everything of spiritual life with man thus perishes, it is said that "judgments will be done and the remnant be scattered unto every wind," "remnant" meaning the truths and goods stored up by the Lord with man from infancy and childhood.

[30] We read also that "they led away their sons to idols to be devoured," and "for food," and "to pass through fire," as in the following passages. In Ezekiel:

Thou hast taken thy sons whom thou hast brought forth to Me, and these thou hast sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Were thy whoredoms a small matter? Thou hast slaughtered My sons, and hast given them up when thou didst cause them to pass through to them. Thou art thy mother's daughter and the sister of thy sisters, who loathed their husbands and their sons (Ezekiel 16:20, 21, 45).

This is said of the abominations of Jerusalem. "To sacrifice sons and daughters unto idols to be devoured" signifies to destroy and consume all truths and goods of the church; to do the like to truths from the Word is signified by "slaughtering sons, and making them to pass through to them;" that they destroyed the truths and goods of the Word by falsifications and adulterations is signified by "whoredoms" here and elsewhere in that chapter.

[31] In the same:

I will defile them with their gifts, in that they caused to pass over every opening of the womb, that I might lay them waste. Wherefore ye offer gifts, when ye caused your sons to pass through the fire; ye are defiled by all your idols (Ezekiel 20:26, 31).

To destroy truths by the evils of the love of self and by cupidities from one's own [proprium] is signified by "causing sons to pass through fire;" and to destroy truths by falsities is signified by "defiled by idols." (That "idols" signify the falsities of doctrine and worship from self-intelligence may be seen above, n.587.)

[32] In the same:

Oholah and Oholibah have committed whoredom and blood was in their hands; and with their idols have they committed whoredom; and their sons also whom they bare unto Me they have caused to pass through for them for food (Ezekiel 23:37).

By "Oholah and Oholibah" Samaria and Jerusalem are meant; and "Samaria" means the spiritual church, and "Jerusalem" the celestial church, each in respect to doctrine; falsifications and adulterations of the Word are signified by "their committing whoredom" and by "blood in their hands;" the consequent falsities from self-intelligence are signified by "they committed whoredom with their idols;" from this it is clear what is signified by "causing their sons to pass through for their idols for food," namely, that they destroyed the truths from the Word by falsities.

[33] Because "sons" signify truths:

The seeds that fell into the good land are called by the Lord the sons of the kingdom; and the tares, which are falsities, are called the sons of the evil one (Matthew 13:38).

Also those who are in truths are called the sons of light (John 12:36).

Those who are in the marriage of truth and good from the Lord are called the sons of the nuptials (Mark 2:19).

And those who are regenerated are called sons of God (John 1:11-13).

Because "stones" in the Word signify truths, John the Baptist said:

God is able of these stones to raise up sons unto Abraham (Luke 3:8).

That "stones" signify the truths upon which interior truths are based may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376.

[34] As "sons" signify truths, so in the contrary sense they signify falsities; as in some of the passages quoted above, also in these words of Isaiah:

Prepare slaughter for his sons for the iniquity of their fathers, that they rise not up and possess the land and the faces of the land be filled with cities. I will rise up against them, and I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son's son. I will also make it a heritage for the bittern, and pools of waters, and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction (Isaiah 14:21-23).

This is said of Babylon, which signifies the adulteration of the Word and profanation. Here the total vastation of truth with those who are meant by "Babylon" is treated of. That truths with them were utterly destroyed by the adulteration of the Word is signified by "Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they rise not up and possess the land and the faces of the land be filled with cities," "land" meaning the church in which are truths, and "cities" doctrinals from mere falsities. That all truths from first to last will perish is signified by "name and remnant shall be cut off from Babylon, son and son's son;" that nothing whatever of truth would remain is signified by "she shall be swept with the besom of destruction. "

[35] It is to be known that in the passages quoted above, "sons" signify those who are in truths or those who are in falsities; but as the spiritual sense of the Word has nothing in common with persons, "sons" signify in that sense truths or falsities abstracted from the idea of person. The spiritual sense is such because the idea of person limits thought and its extension into heaven in every direction; for all thought that proceeds from the affection of truth makes its way through heaven in all directions, and has no termination except as light has in shade; but when person is at the same time thought of, the idea has its termination where the person is, and intelligence with it; this is why "sons" signify in the spiritual sense truths or falsities regarded abstractly.

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