418. Holding the four winds of the earth, signifies the moderation of its influx. This is evident from the signification of "the four winds of the earth" as being everything Divine in heaven (of which presently); also from the signification of "holding them," as being to moderate its influx. But what is meant by moderating the influx of the Divine in heaven no one can know unless it is revealed to him, nor consequently can it be known what is signified by "holding the four winds of the earth." Without revelation, who would not think that "winds" here mean winds held back by angels, since it also follows "that the wind should not blow upon the earth, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree." But "the winds of the earth," here as elsewhere in the Word signify everything Divine that is from the Lord in heaven, in particular, Divine truth, and because Divine truth flows from the Lord as a sun into the whole heaven, and from that into the whole earth, so "holding the winds" signifies to moderate influx. But that these things may be more clearly understood, it shall be told how it is with respect to that influx. The Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven; from Him as a sun all light and all heat there proceed. The light that proceeds is in its essence Divine truth, because it is spiritual light; and the heat that proceeds is in its essence Divine good, because it is spiritual heat. From the Lord as a sun these flow out into all the heavens accommodated to reception by the angels there, thus sometimes more moderately, sometimes more intensely. When they flow out more moderately the good are separated from the evil, but when more intensely the evil are cast out. When, therefore, the Last Judgment is at hand the Lord first flows in moderately, in order that the good may be separated from the evil. Because this separation is what is treated of in this chapter, the "holding of the four winds of the earth" is first mentioned, which signifies the moderation of the influx of Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord. It is evident from what follows in this chapter that this refers to the separation of the good from the evil, for it is said, "Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor any tree, till we shall have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads" (verse 3); and afterwards, to the end of the chapter, "those sealed," that is, the good separated from the evil are treated of. But respecting this separation more will be said in what follows, likewise respecting the casting out of the evil into the hells, which takes place afterwards.

[2] "The four winds" signify all the Divine proceeding, because "the winds of heaven" signify the quarters of heaven, for the whole heaven is divided into four quarters, namely, east, west, south, and north. Into two quarters, the east and the west, the Lord flows with Divine good more powerfully than with Divine truth; and into two quarters, the south and the north, with Divine truth more powerfully than with Divine good; consequently those who are in the latter are more in wisdom and intelligence, and those in the former more in love and charity; and as the whole heaven is divided into four quarters, and those quarters are meant by "the four winds," therefore "the four winds" signify all the Divine proceeding. They are called "the four winds of the earth," because "the earth" means all the earth in the spiritual world, but in the spiritual sense "the earth" signifies heaven and the church (respecting which see the preceding article).

[3] From this the meaning of "the four winds" in other passages of the Word can be seen, as in Ezekiel:

The Lord Jehovih said unto me, Prophesy about the spirit, prophesy, and say to the spirit, Thus the Lord Jehovih hath said, Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may live. And when I had prophesied the spirit came, and they revived (Ezekiel 37:9, 10).

This is said of "the dry bones" seen by the prophet, by which the sons of Israel are meant (as is evident from verse 11 there); and this vision describes the reformation and establishment of a new church from those who have not before had any spiritual life. "The dry bones" are those who have nothing of spiritual life; the spiritual life given them by the Lord, from which the church is in them, is described by these words; "the spirit" about which the prophet prophesied, and by which they were revived, signifies spiritual life, which is a life according to the truths of the Word. "Come from the four winds, O spirit," signifies from the Divine of the Lord in heaven; "the four winds" meaning the four quarters in heaven, and the four quarters are everything Divine there (as has been said above). In the sense of the letter, "spirit" here means the breath (spiritus) of respiration, which is wind; it is therefore said that it should "come and breathe into these slain;" but the breath of respiration signifies as well the spiritual life, as will appear from what follows. "The slain" have a similar signification as "dry bones," namely, those who have no spiritual life.

[4] In Zechariah:

There were seen four chariots coming out from between two mountains of copper, to which there were horses; and the angel said, These are the four winds of the heavens, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 5:1, 5).

This treats of the church which is to be extended among those who have not yet been in any light of truth of the church, because they have not had the Word. What "the four chariots" and "the four horses," and the many things respecting them signify, may be seen above n. 355, and what "the mountains of copper" signify, also above (n. 364, 405), where they are explained. Here "the four winds" signify every Divine proceeding, or the Divine good and Divine truth that constitute the church; it is therefore said "the winds of the heavens going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth;" "to go forth from standing by Him" signifying to proceed. "Chariots" and "horses" are called winds because "chariots" signify the doctrinals of good and truth, and "horses" an understanding of them, and both of these proceed from the Divine of the Lord.

[5] In the Gospels:

The Son of man shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other end (Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27).

All the successive states of the church, even to its end, when the Last Judgment takes place, are here predicted by the Lord; and "the angels with a great sound of a trumpet" signifies proclaiming the good tidings respecting the Lord; and "gathering together the elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other end," signifies the establishment of a new church; "the elect" mean those who are in the good of love and of faith; "the four winds" mean all states of good and truth; "from one end of the heavens to the other end" means the internals and the externals of the church. (This may be seen more clearly explained in Arcana Coelestia 4060.)

[6] In Daniel:

The he-goat made himself very great; but when he was strong the great horn was broken, and there came up in appearance four in its place towards the four winds of the heavens (Daniel 8:8).

What is meant by "the he-goat" and "ram" in this chapter may be seen above n. 316, namely, that "he-goat" signifies faith separate from charity, and therefore those who expect to be saved because they know the doctrinals and truth of the Word, and who give no thought to a life according to them; "horns" signify truths, and in the contrary sense, as here, falsities; "the great horn" signifies the ruling falsity, which is, that salvation comes merely through knowing and thus believing; "the great horn was broken, and there came up four in its place toward the four winds of heaven," signifies that out of the one principle, faith alone, many falsities conjoined with evils arise; "the great horn" signifying the ruling falsity, which is, that faith alone saves; "broken" signifying its division into many falsities arising therefrom; "four in its place" signifying the conjunction of these with evils; "toward the four winds of the heavens," signifying in respect to each and all things of falsity and evil, for "the four winds of heaven" signify every good and truth of heaven and the church and their conjunction, but in the contrary sense every evil and falsity and their conjunction. "The four winds of the heavens" signify also every evil and falsity, because in the four quarters in the spiritual world not only those who are in the good of love and in truths therefrom dwell, but also those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom; for the hells are in the same quarters, but deep beneath the heavens, for the most part in caverns, caves, and vaults (respecting which see above, n. 410.

[7] In this same sense "the winds of the heavens" are mentioned in Jeremiah:

Upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four ends of the heavens, and I will disperse him toward all those winds, that there may be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam shall not come (4 Jeremiah 49:36).

Here "Elam" signifies those who are in the knowledges that are called the knowledges of faith, but not at the same time in any charity; "the four winds from the four ends of the heavens" signify falsities conjoined with evils; and "to disperse him toward all those winds" signifies into falsities of evil of every kind; "that there may be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam shall not come" signifies that there may be no evil to which falsity cannot be adapted, "nation" meaning evil, for knowledges alone without a life of charity bring forth innumerable falsities of evil.

[8] In Daniel:

I was seeing in my vision when it was night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens rushed upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea (Daniel 7:2, 3).

Here, too, "the four winds" signify falsities conjoined with evils, "the great sea" signifies hell from which they are, and "the four beasts" signify evils of every kind: but on this more in what follows. "The four winds" have a similar signification in Daniel (Daniel 11:4; also in Zechariah (Zechariah 2:6, 7). That "the four winds" signify the four quarters is clearly evident in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 42:16-19), where the measure of the house according to the four winds, that is, the four quarters, is treated of; and there the quarter is named by the same word in the Hebrew by which wind and spirit are named. But more will be seen concerning winds in the article that now follows.

2842. 'And he said, By Myself I have sworn, says Jehovah' means unchangeable confirmation from the Divine, that is to say, regarding the things that follow. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'saying, by Myself I have sworn' and of 'says Jehovah', all of which imply confirmation, and indeed from the Divine, that is, from Himself. The Divine is unable to confirm from any other source than Himself, and that which He confirms is unchangeable because it is eternal truth. Whatever Jehovah or the Lord utters is eternal truth, Matthew 24:35, since it comes from the very Being (Esse) itself of truth. But He confirms a thing seemingly with an oath, as He does here and elsewhere in the Word, not because that thing is then more true, but because He addresses Himself to persons who do not accept Divine truth unless it is confirmed in that way. For such persons do not have any other idea of Jehovah or the Lord than of a human being who is able to declare a thing and to change his mind, as one reads of many times in the Word; but in the internal sense the situation is altogether different. Anyone may recognize that Jehovah or the Lord never confirms anything with an oath, but when Divine Truth itself, and the confirmation of it, passes down to that kind of person it is converted into the semblance of an oath. It is as it was with the devouring fire and the smoke that appeared over Mount Sinai before the eyes of the people when Jehovah or the Lord came down, Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:11-12; 5:22-24. In this case His glory in heaven, indeed His mercy, were seen by the people there, who were under the influence of evil and falsity, as fire and smoke, see 1861. Much the same applies to many things called the utterances or actions of Jehovah that are mentioned in the Word. From this it may become clear that 'by Myself I have sworn, says Jehovah' are words meaning unchangeable confirmation from the Divine.

[2] From many other places in the Word it becomes clear that when reference is made to Jehovah 'swearing' it means confirmation with someone who is like those that have just been referred to, as in David,

Jehovah is mindful of His covenant for ever, of the word He has commanded to a thousand generations, which He made with Abraham, and of His oath to Isaac. Psalms 105:8-9.

It is similar with 'a covenant' as it is with 'an oath', for Jehovah or the Lord does not make a covenant with man. But when the subject is conjunction through love and charity, this is also presented in actual events as a covenant, see 1864. In the same author,

Jehovah has sworn and not repented, You are a Priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedek. Psalms 110:4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Jehovah has sworn' stands for unchangeable confirmation from the Divine, that is, that it is eternal truth.

[3] In the same author,

I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant, I will continue your seed even for ever, and build your throne from generation to generation. Psalms 89:3-4.

This too refers to the Lord. 'Making a covenant with the chosen one, and swearing to David' stands for unchangeable confirmation or eternal truth. 'David' stands for the Lord, 1888; 'making a covenant' has regard to Divine Good, 'swearing' to Divine Truth. In the same psalm,

I will not profane My covenant, and the utterance of My lips I will not alter. Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness, I will not lie to David. Psalms 89:34-35.

Here also 'David' stands for the Lord. 'Covenant' here again has regard to Divine Good, 'utterance of the lips' to Divine Truth. They do so on account of the marriage of good and truth, which marriage exists in every individual part of the Word, dealt with in 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712.

[4] In the same author,

Jehovah has sworn the truth to David, from which He will not turn back, Of the fruit of your body ¹ I will set on your throne, provided your sons keep My covenant and My testimony which I teach them. Psalms 132:11-12.

'Jehovah has sworn the truth to David' plainly stands for the confirmation of eternal truth. Hence the statement 'from which He will not turn back'. As has been stated, 'David' is used to mean the Lord. This oath was sworn even to David because he was the kind of person who believed that the confirmation applied to himself and his descendants. For David was moved by self-love and love of his descendants, and this explains why he believed that what was declared - that is, as in the quotation above, that his seed would continue for ever and his throne from generation to generation - had reference to himself, when in fact what was said had reference to the Lord.

[5] In Isaiah,

This is as the waters of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should go no more over the earth, so I have sworn not to be angry with you. Isaiah 54:9.

Here 'swearing' stands for making a covenant and confirming it with an oath. As regards its being a covenant and not an oath, see Genesis 9:11. In the same prophet,

Jehovah has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so will it be. Isaiah 14:24.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah has sworn by His right hand, and by His mighty arm. Isaiah 62:8.

In Jeremiah,

Hear the Word of Jehovah, all you of Judah dwelling in the land of Egypt, Behold, I have sworn by My great name, said Jehovah, that My name will no more be invoked by the mouth of every man (vir) of Judah who says, As lives the Lord Jehovih in all the land of Egypt. Jeremiah 44:26.

In the same prophet,

I have sworn by Myself, says Jehovah, that Bozrah will become a desolation. Jeremiah 49:13.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth has sworn by His own soul, Surely I will fill you with men (homo) as with the bruchus. ² Jeremiah 51:14.

In Amos,

The Lord Jehovih has sworn by His holiness, that, behold, the days are coming. Amos 4:2.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah has sworn by the excellence of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Amos 8:7.

[6] In all these places Jehovah's having sworn by His right hand, by His great name, by Himself, by His own soul, by His holiness, and by the excellence of Jacob, means the confirmation that there is in Jehovah or the Lord. No confirmation by Jehovah is possible except from Himself. Jehovah's right hand, Jehovah's great name, Jehovah's soul, Jehovah's holiness, and the excellence of Jacob mean the Lord's Divine Human; through the latter confirmation came.

[7] Jehovah's or the Lord's swearing to give the land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants, in the internal sense means confirmation that He would grant the heavenly kingdom to those in whom love and faith in Him are present. These are the ones who are meant in the internal sense of the Word by the sons and descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that is, of the patriarchs. The same was also represented in the actual historical granting of the land of Canaan to their descendants; and the Church as it existed at that time among them represented the Lord's heavenly kingdom, as also did the land itself. For 'the land' and 'the land of Canaan' in the internal sense is the Lord's kingdom, see 1413, 1437, 1607. This explains why it is said in Moses,

That you may prolong your days on the land which Jehovah swore to your fathers to give to them, and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey; so that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your sons, on the land which Jehovah swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the days of the heavens above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:9, 21.

From all these places it may now become clear that Jehovah's 'swearing' was representative of confirmation, and indeed of unchangeable confirmation, as is plainer still in Isaiah,

By Myself I have sworn; out of My mouth has gone forth the word of righteousness, which will not return, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear. Isaiah 45:23.

[8] In addition to this, those who belonged to the Jewish representative Church were commanded when confirming covenants with an oath, likewise when confirming vows, as well as promises, and also guarantees, to swear by the name of Jehovah. The reason they were commanded - or to be exact, merely permitted - to do so was that the confirmation of the internal man would in that way also be represented. Thus it was that in those times oaths sworn by the name of Jehovah were like everything else, that is to say, they were representatives. The fact that such was commanded, that is, permitted, is clear in Moses, You shall fear Jehovah your God, and serve Him, and swear by His name; you shall not go after other gods. Deuteronomy 6:13-14.

Elsewhere in the same author,

You shall fear Jehovah your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. Deuteronomy 10:20.

In Isaiah,

He who blesses himself in the land will bless himself by the God of truth, and he who swears in the land will swear by the God of truth. Isaiah 65:16.

In Jeremiah,

If you will return, O Israel, says Jehovah, to Me may you return. And if you are removing your abominations from My sight do not waver. And swear, As Jehovah lives, in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness. Jeremiah 4:1-2.

In the same prophet,

If they will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, they will be built up in the midst of My people. Jeremiah 12:16.

The fact that they also swore by the name of Jehovah, that is, swore to Jehovah, [is evident] in Isaiah,

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and who came out of the waters of Judah, who swore by the name of Jehovah and made mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth and not in righteousness. Isaiah 48:1.

In the same prophet,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak with the lip of Canaan and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. Isaiah 19:18.

In Joshua it is said that the leaders of the congregation swore to the Gibeonites by Jehovah God of Israel, Joshua 9:18-19.

[9] From this it is clear that they were permitted to swear by the name of Jehovah or by Jehovah. But it is also clear that such swearing was nothing else than a representative of confirmation of the internal man. It is well known that internal people, that is, those who possess conscience, have no need to confirm anything by means of an oath; and that they do not so confirm. By them oaths are regarded with disapproval. They are indeed able to assert quite categorically that something is so, and also to confirm the truth with the aid of reasons; but to swear that a thing is so they cannot. They are governed by an internal bond - that of conscience. The addition to this of an external bond, which is an oath, is a kind of insinuation that they are not upright in heart. What is more, the internal man is such that he loves to speak and act in freedom and not under compulsion, for with such persons the internal controls the external, and not the reverse. People who possess conscience therefore do not swear oaths, still less do those do so who possess the perception of good and truth, that is, who are celestial people. The latter do not even, by means of reasons, confirm anything for themselves or for others, but they merely say that something is so, or else is not so, 202, 337, 2718. Consequently they are further removed still from any swearing with an oath.

[10] For these reasons, and because oaths belonged among representatives which were to be brought to an end, the Lord teaches in the following words in Matthew that one should not swear at all,

You have heard that it was said, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths. But I say to you, You shall not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your words be, Yes, yes; No, no; anything beyond this is from evil. ³ Matthew 5:33-37.

These words are used to mean that one should not swear at all by Jehovah or by anything whatever that is Jehovah's or the Lord's.

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