304. Verse 3. And no one was able, in heaven nor upon the earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon, signifies manifestation that no one knows and perceives of himself anything whatever of the state of life of all in general, and of each one in particular. This is evident from the signification of "And no one was able to open the book, neither to look thereon," as being that no one of himself knows and perceives the states of the life of all in general and of each one in particular (of which see just above, n. 303); also from the signification of "in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth," being that no one anywhere has such knowledge, not even in the slightest degree; for "in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth," means the three heavens; and by all who are there heaven in its entire complex is meant. And as heaven is heaven from the Divine truth that flows in from the Lord and is received by the angels, and not at all from any self-intelligence of the angels, for this is no intelligence, so the same words signify that no one has any knowledge or perception whatever from himself. That angels in heaven as well as men in the world have a selfhood [proprium], which regarded in itself is nothing but evil, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 592), and as evil receives nothing of intelligence and wisdom, it follows that angels equally with men understand nothing at all of truth from themselves, but solely from the Lord. Angels are such for the reason that all angels are from the human race, and every man retains after death what is his own [suum proprium], and angels are withheld from the evils that pertain to what is their own [proprii eorum] and are kept in goods by the Lord. (That all angels are from the human race, and not one is created such from the beginning, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 14-22; and that they are all withheld from evil, and kept in good by the Lord, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166.)

[2] "In heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth," signify the three heavens, because the angels that are in the third or highest heaven dwell upon mountains; and those that are in the second or middle, upon hills; and those that are in the first or lowest, in plains and valleys below these. For in the spiritual world, where the spirits and angels are, it is just as it is in the natural world where men are, that is, there are lands, hills, and mountains; and in appearance the resemblance is such that there is no difference at all; therefore men after death scarcely know otherwise than that they are still living on the earth, and when the privilege is granted them to look into our world, they see nothing dissimilar. Moreover, the angels who are in the lowest heaven call that heaven where the angels of the third heaven dwell, because it is high above them, and where they themselves dwell they call earth; moreover, the third or highest heaven, which is upon the mountains, does not appear, to those who are below or upon that earth, otherwise than as the highest region of the atmosphere covered with a thin bright cloud appears before us, thus as the sky appears to us. From this it can be seen what is here meant, specifically, by "in heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth." (But more can be seen on this subject in the work on Heaven and Hell, where Appearances in Heaven are treated of, n 170-176; and The Habitations and Dwelling Places of Angels, n. 183-189)

[3] As men have not known that there is a like surface of the earth in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual, therefore they have not perceived otherwise when they have read the Word than that "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven visible before our eyes, and the earth inhabited by men; from this arose the belief in the destruction of heaven and earth, and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth at the day of the Last Judgment; when yet "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven and the earth where spirits and angels dwell, and in the spiritual sense the church with angels and with men (for there is a church with angels equally as with men, as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 221-227). It is said, in the spiritual sense, for an angel is not an angel, nor is a man a man, from the human form, which both have, but because of heaven and the church with them. This is why "heaven" and "earth," where angels and men dwell, signify the church; "heaven" the internal church and also the church with angels, and "earth" the external church and also the church with men. But since it can only with difficulty be believed that "earth" in the Word means the church, because it is not yet known that in every particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, whence a material idea adheres and keeps the thought fixed in the nearest meaning of the expression, I wish to illustrate and confirm it by a number of quotations.

[4] In Isaiah:

Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void, and He shall disfigure the faces thereof; in emptying the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled; the habitable earth shall mourn and be confounded; the world shall be confounded; the earth shall be profaned under its inhabitants; therefore a malediction shall devour the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth shall be burnt up, and a man shall be rare. A shout over the wine in the streets; the gladness of the earth shall be banished; it shall be in the midst of the earth as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is ended. From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, Glory to the righteous. The floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth quake; in breaking the earth is broken, in rending the earth is rent asunder, in moving the earth is moved; in tottering the earth shall totter as one drunken; and it shall be moved to and fro as a veil; but it shall be in that day that Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth (Isaiah 24:1, 3-6, 11, 13, 16, 18-21).

Here it is very clear that "earth" does not mean the earth, but the church. Let the particulars be run over and considered. One who is in a spiritual idea does not think, when "earth" is mentioned, of the earth itself, but of the people on it and their quality; still more is this true of those who are in heaven; who, since they are spiritual, perceive that the church is meant. Here the church destroyed is treated of; its destruction in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith, which constitute it, is described by "Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void," "in emptying the earth shall be emptied, in spoiling it shall be spoiled," "it shall mourn and be confounded," "it shall be profaned," and "a malediction shall devour it;" "the floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of it quake;" "it is broken," "it is rent asunder," "it is moved," "it shall totter as one drunken." These things can be said neither of the earth, nor of any nation, but only of the church.

[5] In the same:

Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not cause their light to shine, the sun hath been darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not bright her light. I will make a man more rare than fine gold; wherefore I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place (Isaiah 13:9-10, 12-13).

It is clear from the particulars understood in the spiritual sense, that "earth" here means the church. The end of the church is here treated of, when truth and good, or faith and charity, are no more. For "the stars and constellations that do not cause their light to shine," signify the knowledges of truth and good; the "sun that has been darkened in its rising," signifies love; the "moon that maketh not bright her light," signifies faith; a "man made more rare than fine gold," signifies intelligence and wisdom: this makes clear what is signified by "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the earth waste. I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place;" "the day of Jehovah" is the last end of the church, when there is the judgment; the "earth" is the church. It can be seen that the earth itself does not quake out of its place, but that the church is removed when love and faith are not. "To quake out of its place" signifies to be removed from its former state.

[6] In the same:

Behold, the Lord, as a deluge of hail, a storm of slaughter, as a deluge of mighty waters. He shall cast down to the earth with the hand. A consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of hosts upon the whole earth (Isaiah 28:2, 22).

This is said of the day of judgment upon those who are of the church. The day of judgment, when the church is at an end is meant by "a consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth;" it is therefore said "as a deluge of hail, a storm of slaughter, as a deluge of mighty waters. He shall cast down to the earth with the hand;" by "hail" and "a deluge of it" falsities that destroy the truths of the church are signified; by "slaughter," and "a storm of it," evils that destroy the goods of the church are signified; by "mighty waters" falsities of evil are signified. (That a "deluge" or "flood" signifies immersion into evils and falsities, and the consequent destruction of the church) see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853 the like is meant by "casting down to the earth," or a violent rain.

[7] In the same:

The land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate (Isaiah 34:9-10).

"Burning pitch" signifies every evil springing from love of self, through which the church entirely perishes and is desolated; it is therefore said, "the land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate." Who does not see that such things are not said of the land itself?

[8] In the same:

The land mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon blusheth, and hath withered away (Isaiah 33:9).

Here also the "land" means the church, which is said "to mourn" and "to languish" when falsities begin to be accepted and acknowledged in place of truths; it is therefore said, "Lebanon blusheth and hath withered away;" "Lebanon" signifying the like as "cedar," namely, the truth of the church.

[9] In Jeremiah:

The lion is gone up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations hath gone forth from his place to make thy land a waste; thy cities shall be destroyed. I saw the earth, when lo, it was void and empty; and towards the heavens, and lo, they had no light. I saw the mountains, and lo, they quaked and all the hills are overturned. Jehovah said, The whole earth shall be a waste. For this shall the land mourn, and the heavens above be black (Jeremiah 4:7, 4:23-24, 27-28).

Here also the vastation of the church is treated of, which takes place when there are no longer truth and good, but falsity and evil in place of them. This vastation is described by "the lion going up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations going forth from his place;" "the lion" and "the destroyer of the nations" signifying falsity and evil, laying waste. The "mountains that quake," and the "hills that are overturned," signify love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor. This is the signification of "mountains" and "hills," because those who are in love to the Lord dwell upon mountains in heaven, and those who are in charity towards the neighbor, upon hills (See what has been said above, also in the work on Heaven and Hell, 188, and in the notes there, letter c, original edition). "The heavens where there was no light, and that were black" signify the interiors of the men of the church, which, when closed by evils and falsities, do not admit light from heaven, but darkness from hell instead. From this it can be seen what is signified by "the lion and the destroyer of the nations making the land a waste;" so likewise by "I saw the earth, and lo, it was void and empty;" also by "the whole earth shall be a waste; for this shall the land mourn," namely, that the earth is not meant, but the church.

[10] In the same:

How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]? for the evil of them that dwell therein the beasts shall be carried off, and the fowl. The whole land is made waste because no man layeth it to heart. Wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns (Jeremiah 12:4, 11-13).

That the "land" here signifies the church is evident, from its being said that "the land shall mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]," and that "the beasts and the birds shall be carried off for the evil of them that dwell therein, and because no man layeth it to heart." "The herb of every field" signifies every truth and good of the church, and the "beasts and the fowl" signify the affections of good and truth; and since the church is signified by the "land," and it is here treated of as being vastated, it is said "wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns." "The bare heights in the wilderness upon which the wasters came" signify the things that are of charity, "wilderness" meaning where there is no good because no truth; "the sword of Jehovah" signifies falsity destroying truth; "from one end of the land to the other end of the land" signifies all things of the church; "to sow wheat and reap thorns" signifies to take from the Word the truths of good and to turn them into the falsities of evil, "wheat" meaning the truths of good, and "thorns" the falsities of evil.

[11] In Isaiah:

Upon the ground of my people shall come up the thorn and briar; the palace shall be deserted; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken (Isaiah 32:13-14).

The "thorn and briar that shall come up upon the ground" signify falsity and evil; the "palace that shall be deserted" signifies where good dwells; and the "multitude of the city that shall be forsaken" signifies where there are truths; for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth.

[12] In the same:

All the land shall be a place of briars and brambles; but as to all the mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe, there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble; but there shall be the sending-forth of the ox and the trampling of the sheep (Isaiah 7:24-25).

"Briars and brambles" signify falsity and evil; which makes evident what is signified by "all the land shall be a place of briars and brambles." "The mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe" signify those who from the love of good do goods, that with them there shall be no falsity and evil, but good, natural as well as spiritual, is signified by "there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble, but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the trampling of sheep;" that is, thither shall oxen be sent, and there the sheep shall trample, "ox" signifying natural good, and "sheep" spiritual good.

[13] In Ezekiel:

Thy mother is a lioness; she couched among lions; one of her whelps went up; he desolated the cities; the land and the fullness thereof was made waste by the voice of his roaring (Ezekiel 19:2-3, 7).

"Mother" signifies the church; a "lioness" and "lions" signify the power of evil and falsity against good and truth; the "roaring of the lion" signifies the lust of destroying and desolating; the "cities that he desolated" signify doctrine with its truths, which makes evident what is signified by "the land and the fullness thereof was laid waste," namely, the whole church.

[14] In the same:

They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment, that the land may be laid waste from the fullness thereof, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein; and the cities that are inhabited shall be desolated, and the land shall be a waste (Ezekiel 12:19-20).

Here "the land and the cities that shall be desolated and shall be a waste" have the same signification as above, namely, "the land" signifies the church, and "cities" doctrine with its truths; it is therefore said, "because of the violence of all them that dwell therein." Since this is what is meant, it is first said that "they shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment," "bread" and "water" in the Word signifying all the good of love and truth of faith (See Arcana Coelestia 9323), and "eating" and "drinking" signifying instruction and appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).

[15] In David:

I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God. Then the earth tottered and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and tottered when He was wroth (Psalms 18:6-7).

Here the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "totter and quake" when it is perverted by the falsification of truths; and then "the foundations of the mountains" are said "to tremble and totter," for the goods of love, which are founded upon the truths of faith, vanish; "mountains" meaning the goods of love (as above), and their "foundations" the truths of faith; which also shows that the "earth" is the church.

[16] In the same:

The earth is Jehovah's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; and He hath founded it upon the seas, He hath established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:1, 2).

The "earth" and the "world" stand for the church, and "fullness" for all things thereof; the "seas upon which He hath founded it," mean the knowledges of truth in general; the "rivers" doctrinals; because the church is founded on both of these, it is said that "He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers." That this cannot be said of the earth and the world is clear to anyone.

[17] In the same:

We will not fear, when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, when the waters thereof are in tumult and do foam. The nations are in tumult, the kingdoms are moved, when He giveth forth His voice the earth shall dissolve (Psalms 46:2-3, 6).

The "earth" evidently means the church, since it is said "to be changed" and "to dissolve," also that "the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, and the waters thereof shall be in tumult," and "the nations are in tumult and the kingdoms are moved." "Mountains" signify (as above) the goods of love, which are said "to be moved in the heart of the seas" when the essential knowledges of truth are perverted; "waters" signify the truths of the church, which are said "to foam" when they are falsified; "nations" signify the goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, its evils; and "kingdoms" the truths of the church, and in a contrary sense, its falsities; and also those who are in the one and the other."

[18] In the same:

O God, Thou hast cast us off; Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us. Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved (Psalms 60:1-2).

It can be seen that these things are said of the church, and not of the earth, for it is said, "Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved;" and as "the earth" signifies the church, and here the church vastated, it is said, "O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us."

[19] In the same:

When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof shall be dissolved; I will make firm the pillars of it (Psalms 75:2-3).

Here, likewise, the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "dissolve" when the truths by which there is good fail; truths, because they support the church, are called its "pillars," which God will make firm; it is not the pillars of the earth evidently that are made firm. As the restoration of the church is here described, it is said, "When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness." The truths of the church, here called the "pillars of the earth," are also called the "bases of the earth" (1 Samuel 2:8); and the "foundations of the earth," in Isaiah:

Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? It is He that dwelleth upon the circle of the earth, that bringeth the princes to nothing; and maketh the judges of the earth as emptiness (Isaiah 40:21-23).

The "princes who will be brought to nothing," and the "judges of the earth, whom He will make as emptiness," signify the things that are from self-intelligence and from one's own judgment.

[20] In Jeremiah:

A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth. Thus said Jehovah, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end thereof (Jeremiah 25:31-33).

The "end of the earth" and the "sides of the earth" signify where the ultimates of the church are, and where evils and falsities begin; and "from the end of the earth to the end thereof" signifies all things of the church; from this it can be known what is signified by "a tumult shall come to the end of the earth," and "a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth," also by "the slain of Jehovah in that day shall be from the end of the earth to the end thereof." The "slain" signify those in whom the truths and goods of the church are extinguished (See Arcana Coelestia 4503[1-11]).

[21] In Isaiah:

The isles saw, they feared; the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near, and came. I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters (Isaiah 41:5, 18).

The establishment of the church among the Gentiles is thus described; they are signified by the "isles" and the "ends of the earth;" for "isles" and "the ends of the earth" in the Word signify those who are far removed from the truths and goods of the church because they do not have the Word, and consequently, are in ignorance. That a church is to be established with such is signified by "I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters." That is called a "wilderness" where there is not yet good because there is not yet truth, and for the same reason it is called "dry land;" a "pool of waters" and a "spring of waters" signify good, because they signify truth; for all spiritual good, which is the good of the church, is acquired by means of truths.

[22] In the same:

Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. Go, ye messengers, to a nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have despoiled (Isaiah 18:1-2).

No one knows what is meant by "a land shadowed with wings," and "a land that the rivers have despoiled," unless he knows that "land" means the church, and "rivers" falsities; "a land shadowed with wings" is a church that is in thick darkness in respect to Divine truths (that these are signified by "wings," see above, n. 283; "beyond the rivers of Cush" signifies in respect to the knowledges themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word, which have been falsified; "a nation trodden down, to which the messengers should go, whose land the rivers have despoiled," signifies those out of the church who are in falsities from ignorance; "rivers" meaning the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense falsities; that "the messengers should go to them" signifies that they should be invited to receive the church.

[23] In the same:

In the fury of Jehovah of Hosts the land is obscured (Isaiah 9:19).

A "land obscured" signifies the things of the church in thick darkness, that is, in falsities; for the falsities of evil are said to be in thick darkness, but truths in light.

[24] In the same:

Jehovah shall remove man, and forsaken places shall be multiplied in the midst of the land (Isaiah 6:12);

"man whom Jehovah shall remove," signifying him who is wise, and abstractly, wisdom (as may be seen above, n. 280; "forsaken places multiplied in the midst of the land" signifying that there shall be no good at all, because no truth; "the midst of the land" meaning where truth is in the highest light; consequently when there is no light there, thick darkness pervades the whole; thus there is nowhere any truth at all.

[25] In the same:

Jehovah shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He put to death the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).

"The rod of Jehovah's mouth which shall smite the earth," signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; "the breath of the lips which shall put to death the wicked," signifies truth in the spiritual sense of the Word; these truths are said "to smite the earth," and "to put to death the wicked," when such are condemned by truths; for by truths everyone is judged and is condemned.

[26] In the same:

The earth is at rest, and is quiet. Hell hath stirred up the Rephaim because of thee, all the powerful of the earth. They that see thee shall say, Is this the man that maketh the earth to tremble, that maketh the kingdoms to quake; that hath made the world as a wilderness and threw down the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they rise not up and possess the land, and the faces of the world be filled with cities. I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains I will tread him down (Isaiah 14:7, 9, 16-17, 20-21, 25).

These things are said of the king of Babylon, by whom is signified the destruction of truth by the love of ruling over heaven and earth; which love the truths of the Word or of the church are made to serve as means; here their damnation is treated of. The "Rephaim whom hell stirred up," mean those who are in the direful persuasion of what is false, who are therefore called the powerful of the earth; "to make the earth to tremble," "to make the kingdoms quake," "to make the world as a wilderness," and "to throw down the cities thereof," signifies to pervert all things of the church; "earth" and "world" mean the church, "kingdoms" the truths that constitute it; and "cities" all things of doctrine. From this it is clear what is signified by, "Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people." The "Assyrian who shall be broken in the land and trodden down upon the mountains," signifies the reasonings from falsities against truths; "to be broken" means to be dispersed, and "to be trodden down" means to be wholly destroyed; "mountains upon which this is done," signify where the good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with such, all reasoning from falsities is dispersed or destroyed.

[27] In the same:

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish; the girdle is no more. Behold the land of the Chaldean; Assyria hath founded it into heaps. Jehovah will visit Tyre, that she may return to the hire of whoredom and commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the faces of the ground (Isaiah 23:1, 10, 23:13, 17).

Neither ships of Tarshish, nor Tyre, nor the land of Chittim, nor the land of the Chaldeans, nor Assyria, are here meant, as can be seen from the particulars in this chapter; but "the ships of Tarshish" mean the knowledges of truth and good, "Tyre" the like; "the land of Chittim" what is idolatrous; "the land of the Chaldeans" the profanation and destruction of truth, and "Assyria" reasoning from falsities. From this it is clear that, "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is desolated" signifies that there were no longer any knowledges of truth; "from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them" signifies idolatry therefrom; "the girdle is no more" signifies that there is no longer any coherence of truth with good; "behold the land of the Chaldeans" signifies that thus there is profanation and destruction of truth; "Assyria hath founded it into heaps" signifies that reasonings from falsities have destroyed it; "to return to the hire of whoredom" and "to commit whoredom with all kingdoms upon the faces of the ground" signifies the falsification of all truths of the whole church.

[28] In the same:

The king of Assyria shall pass on through Judah, he shall overflow and pass through, he shall reach even to the neck; and the flappings of his wings ¹ shall be the fullness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel (Isaiah 8:8).

Here, too, "the king of Assyria" signifies the reasoning from falsities against truths; "he shall pass on through Judah, he shall overflow and pass through" signifies that this shall destroy the good of the church (to "overflow" is predicated of falsities, because they are signified by "waters"); "he shall reach even to the neck" signifies that thus there shall be no longer any communication of good and truth; and "the flappings of his wings shall be the fullness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel" signifies that falsities shall be opposed to all the truths of the Lord's church; "the breadth of the land" signifies the truths of the church (See Heaven and Hell 197), consequently, in a contrary sense, falsities; therefore the "flappings of his wings" signify reasonings from falsities against truths; "fullness" signifies all; thus "the fullness of the breadth of the land" signifies all the truths of the church.

[29] In the same:

In that day shall the bud of Jehovah be for adornment and glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and splendor to those left of Israel (Isaiah 4:2).

The "bud of Jehovah," that shall be for adornment and glory, signifies the truth of the church; and the "fruit of the earth," that shall be for magnificence and splendor, signifies the good of the church; "Israel" signifies the spiritual church. Evidently it is the truth and good of the church, and not the bud and the fruit of the earth, that shall be for adornment, glory, magnificence, and splendor. When it is said the truth and good of the church, the truth of faith and the good of love are meant, for all truth is of faith, and all good is of love.

[30] In the same:

Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah; Thou hast been glorified; Thou hast removed all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 26:15).

The "nation to which Jehovah has added" signifies those who are in the good of love, whom He has claimed to Himself; "the ends of the earth which He has removed" signify the falsities and evils that infest the church, from which He has purified them.

[31] In the same:

Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty, they shall behold a land of far distances (Isaiah 33:17).

"To see the king in his beauty," means to see genuine truth, which is from the Lord alone; "to behold a land of far distances" signifies to behold the extension of intelligence and wisdom.

[32] In the same:

I have given thee for a covenant to the people, to restore the earth. Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song (Isaiah 49:8, 13).

This treats of the Lord and His coming; the establishment of the church by Him is described by "I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth," to "restore the earth" being to reestablish the church; it is known that the Lord did not restore the earth to the Jewish people, but that He established a church among the Gentiles; the joy in consequence is described by, "Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song," "the heavens" being the heavens where angels are who are in the interior truths of the church, "the earth" the church among men, and "the mountains" those who are in the good of love to the Lord.

[33] In Jeremiah:

The land is full of adulterers; for because of malediction the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up (Jeremiah 23:10).

"Adulterers" signify those who adulterate the goods of the church; therefore it is said, "the land is full of adulterers, and because of the malediction the land mourneth;" the "pastures of the wilderness that are dried up" signify no spiritual nourishment in such a church; that is called "wilderness" where there is no truth.

[34] In the same:

A drought is upon her waters, so that they shall become dry; for it is a land of graven images (Jeremiah 50:38).

"A drought upon the waters, so that they shall become dry" signifies that there are no more truths, "waters" being truths; "for it is a land of graven images" signifies the church destroyed by falsities which are from self-intelligence, which they call truths, "graven images" signifying those falsities.

[35] In Ezekiel:

The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth; the earth is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence (Ezekiel 7:2, 23).

"The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth" signifies the last time and the last state of the church, when its end is, the four quarters being all truths and goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, all its falsities and evils, thus all things of the church; "the earth full of the judgment of bloods" signifies that it is filled with evils of every kind, "bloods" being the evils that offer violence to the goods of love and charity and wholly destroy them; "the city full of violence" signifies the doctrine of that church likewise offering violence.

[36] In the same:

All the luminaries of light in heaven will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:8).

"The luminaries of light in the heavens" mean the sun, moon, and stars; the "sun" signifying love, the "moon" faith therefrom, and the "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; from this it is clear what is signified by "I will make them black over thee," namely, that these no longer exist; thence also it is clear what is signified by "I will set darkness upon thy land," namely, that there will be falsities in the church," "darkness" meaning falsities, and "land" the church.

[37] In the same:

Prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and to the hills and to the watercourses and to the valleys, Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown (Ezekiel 36:6, 9).

"The land of Israel" means the church; "mountains, hills, watercourses, and valleys" signify all things of the church from the first to the last things thereof, "mountains" are the goods of love to the Lord, "hills" the goods of charity towards the neighbor-these are the first things of the church; "watercourses and valleys" are truths and goods that are the last things of the church. That this is the meaning can be seen from what was said at the beginning of this article, namely, that those in heaven who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell upon mountains, those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills, and those who are in goods and truths in the lowest heaven in plains and valleys; "watercourses" are the truths of doctrine there; to implant these is signified by "I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown. "

[38] In Hosea:

In that day I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn and the new wine and the oil, and these shall hear Jezreel, ² and I will sow her unto me in the earth (Hosea 2:21-23).

Evidently these things are to be understood spiritually, and not naturally according to the sense of the letter, for it is said that "these shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow her unto me in the earth;" therefore the "heavens" mean the heavens where the Lord is; and the "earth" the church where also the Lord is; "corn, new wine, and oil" signify all the things of spiritual nourishment, which are the goods of love and charity and the truths of faith.

[39] In Malachi:

He shall not destroy for you the fruit of the ground, neither shall the vine in the field be barren to you; all nations shall proclaim you happy, and ye shall be a land of good pleasure (Malachi 3:11-12).

These things are said of those with whom is the church; and because "the fruit of the ground," and "the vine in the field" signify the goods and truths of the church ("fruit" goods, and "the vine" its truths), therefore they are called "a land of good pleasure."

[40] In David:

Let thy good spirit lead me into the land of uprightness; vivify me, O Jehovah, for Thy name's sake (Psalms 143:10-11).

"The land of uprightness" stands for the church in which is the right and the true; and because "the spirit of Jehovah" signifies Divine truth, and everyone receives spiritual life through that, therefore it is said, "Let Thy good spirit lead me," and "vivify me, O Jehovah."

[41] As the "earth" signifies the church, and where the church is there is heaven, therefore heaven is called "the land of the living," and "the land of life;" "the land of the living" in Isaiah:

I said, I shall not see Jah in the land of the living (Isaiah 38:11);

and in Ezekiel:

Who caused terror in the land of the living (Ezekiel 32:23-27).

"The land of life," in David:

Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life (Psalms 27:13).

[42] In Moses:

The stone shall be entire and just, the ephah shall be entire and just, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Deuteronomy 25:15).

"Days to be prolonged upon the earth" does not mean a lengthening of life in the world, but the state of life in the church, thus in heaven; for "to be prolonged" is predicated of good and its increase, and "day" signifies the state of life; and as "a stone entire and just," which was a weight, and "an ephah entire and just," which was a measure, signify truth and good and their quality, and both together signify justice, "stone" signifying truth, and "measure" good, and as not to deceive by weight and measure is to be just, therefore such shall have the life of the church and afterwards life in heaven, which is meant by "their days upon the earth shall be prolonged."

[43] The like is signified by this precept in the Decalogue:

Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Exodus 20:12).

Those who honor father and mother have heaven and the happiness there, because in heaven no other father but the Lord is known, for all there have been generated anew from Him; and in heaven by "mother" the church is meant, and in general, the kingdom of the Lord. It is clear that those who worship the Lord and seek his kingdom will have life in heaven, also that many of those who honor father and mother in the world do not live there long.

[44] In Matthew:

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

"Inheriting the earth" signifies not possession of the earth, but possession of heaven and blessedness there; the "meek" mean those who are in the good of charity.

[45] In Isaiah:

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name God-With-Us: butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good; for before the Lad knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good, the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of its two kings. It shall come to pass in that day, by reason of the abundance of milk they yield, He shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land (Isaiah 7:14-16, 21-22).

It is known that these things were said respecting the Lord and His coming; "butter and honey," which He shall eat, signify the goods of love; "butter" the good of celestial and spiritual love, "honey" the good of natural love; this means that He would appropriate the Divine to Himself even in respect to the Human; "to eat" signifying to appropriate. That "the land shall be forsaken before He knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good" signifies that when He should be born there would not be anything of the church remaining in the whole world; and because those where the church was, rejected every Divine truth and perverted all things of the Word, and explained it in favor of self, it is said of the land, that is, the church, "which thou abhorrest from the presence of its two kings; "king" signifying the truths of heaven and of the church; "two kings" the truth of the Word in the internal or spiritual sense, and the truth of the Word in the external or natural sense. "Milk" signifies truth through which good comes, and as "butter" signifies the good therefrom, "by reason of the abundance of yielding milk, butter shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land" signifies that every truth shall be from good.

[46] In Matthew:

In the consummation of the age, all the tribes of the earth shall lament (Matthew 24:30).

"The consummation of the age" which is treated of in that chapter, is the last time of the church, when judgment takes place; "all the tribes of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church, which are said "to lament" when they are no more.

[47] In Luke:

Then shall there be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring; men expiring for fear and for expectation of the things coming upon the whole earth; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. That day as a snare shall come upon all that dwell upon the face of the whole earth (Luke 21:25-26, 35).

Here also the last time of the church is treated of, when judgment takes place, and the "earth" and the "world" here mean the church. "The distress of nations upon the earth," "the fear and expectation of the things coming upon the earth, and upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth" signifies upon those who are in the spiritual world, not upon those who are in the countries in the natural world. (That there are lands in the spiritual world also, see what is said at the beginning of this article; and that the Last Judgment was accomplished there, see in the small work on The Last Judgment.) It has been told before what "sun," "moon," and "stars" signify, in which are signs, namely, that "sun" signifies love, "moon" faith therefrom, and "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; the "sea and waves roaring" signify the reasonings and assaults of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, wrongly and perversely applied. The "powers of the heavens that shall be shaken" signify the Word in the sense of the letter, since this sense is the foundation of the spiritual truths that are in the heavens. (See Heaven and Hell, in the article that treats of The Conjunction of Heaven with Man by the Word, n.303-310.)

[48] In Isaiah:

Sing aloud ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob. I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretchest forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself (Isaiah 44:23-24).

"Sing aloud, ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein" signifies all things of heaven and of the church, both internal and external, all of which have reference to good and to truth. Things internal are signified by "the heavens," things external by "the lower parts of the earth;" "mountains" mean the good of love, the "forest" means natural truth, and the "trees" therein mean the knowledges of truth. Because such things are signified, it is said, "for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob," "Jacob" in the Word signifying the external church, and "Israel" the internal church; "to stretch forth the heavens," and "to spread abroad the earth" signifies the church on all sides, which is spread forth and extended by the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good, with those who are of the church.

[49] In Zechariah:

Jehovah stretcheth out the heavens, and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zechariah 12:1).

Here, too, in like manner "heavens" and "earth" signify the church everywhere, thus in respect to its interiors and as to its exteriors; therefore it is also said, "He formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him."

[50] In Jeremiah:

The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens. Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence. At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth (Jeremiah 10:11-13; 51:15-16).

Because the "heavens" and the "earth" signify the church (as above), it is said, "Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence;" and therefore also it is said, "At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth;" "the voice that Jehovah giveth forth" signifies Divine truth proceeding from Him; the "multitude of waters in the heavens" signifies truth in abundance, for "waters" signify truths; and "the vapors that He causeth to ascend from the end of the earth" signify the ultimate truths of the church, "vapors" are those truths; and "the end of the earth" is the ultimate of the church; and as "gods" signify the falsities of doctrine and of worship, which destroy the church, it is said, "The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens."

[51] In David:

Jehovah, who by intelligence maketh the heavens, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters (Psalms 136:5-6).

Because "heaven" and "earth" signify the church, and the church is formed by truths, and the truths of the church constitute intelligence, it is said, "Jehovah maketh the heavens by intelligence, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters," "waters" meaning the truths of the church.

[52] In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah God, that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out, that spreadeth forth the earth and the products thereof, that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isaiah 42:5).

"To create the heavens" and "to spread forth the earth and the products thereof" signifies to form the church and to reform those who are in it, "products" meaning all things of the church; therefore it is said, "that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." That "to create" is to reform, see above n. 294.

[53] In the same:

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the [higher] clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, and bring forth the fruit of salvation. I have made the earth, and created man upon it. Thus said Jehovah who created the heavens; God Himself who formeth the earth and maketh it and prepareth it: I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness (Isaiah 45:8, 12, 18-19).

"Heavens" and "earth" here plainly mean all things of the church, both its internals and externals; for it is said, "Drop down, ye heavens, and let the [higher] clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, and bring forth the fruit of salvation." "Heavens" signify the interiors of the church, because the interiors that are of man's spiritual mind are the heavens with him. (That with the man with whom the church is there is a heaven, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 30-57.) "To create the heavens and to form the earth, and make and prepare it," signifies to fully establish the church.

[54] In the same:

Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered (Isaiah 65:17).

"To create new heavens and a new earth" signifies to establish a new church in respect to its interiors and exteriors, both in the heavens and on earth (as above).

[55] In the same:

Who hath heard a thing like this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I am about to make shall stand before Me, so shall your seed and your name stand (Isaiah 66:8, 22).

Because the "earth" signifies the church, it is said, "shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time?" "To bring forth," and "birth," and "to beget," and "begetting," in the Word, signify spiritual birth and begetting, which are of faith and love, thus reformation and regeneration. What the "new heavens" and the "new earth" signify has been told above.

[56] In Jeremiah:

I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes (Jeremiah 27:5).

"Man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth" signify the affections of truth and good in the spiritual and the natural man (See n. 280; and Arcana Coelestia 7424, 7523, 7872); and since these affections with men constitute the church in them it is said, "I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes." Everyone knows that God gives the earth not alone to those who are right in His eyes, but also to those who are not right, while the church He gives to those only who are right; "right" signifying truth and its affection.

[57] In Isaiah:

The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner (Isaiah 51:6).

The "heavens that shall vanish away," and the "earth that shall wax old like a garment" signify the church; this step by step falls, and at length is desolated; but not so the visible heaven and the habitable earth; therefore it is said, "and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner," "to die" signifying to die spiritually:

The heavens and earth shall pass away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17);

has a like signification.

[58] In Revelation:

Four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow upon the earth (Revelation 7:1).

"The four corners of the earth," and "the four winds of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church in the complex; for they have the like signification as the four quarters of heaven (that these have this signification, see Heaven and Hell, On the Four Quarters in Heaven, n141-153). To "hold the four winds" signifies that truths and goods do not flow in because they are not received; therefore it is said that "the wind should not blow upon the earth." "The earth" signifies the church elsewhere in Revelation (as Revelation 10:2, 5-6, 8; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8-9, 11; 21:1), as well as in many other places in the Word, too numerous to be cited.

[59] As the church was signified by the "earth" and especially by the "land of Canaan," because the church was there, and as the church which was there was a representative church, so all things there were representative, and all that was said to them by the Lord signified the spiritual or interior things of the church, and this even to the land itself and its products; as in these words in Moses:

If thou wilt keep the commandments, Jehovah will lead thee into a good land, into a land of brooks of waters, of fountains, of depths coming forth out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat, of barley, of vine, of fig, of pomegranate; a land of the olive, of oil, of honey; a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness; it shall lack nothing; a land where the stones are iron and out of the mountains is digged copper; and thou shalt eat, and shalt be satisfied in this good land (Deuteronomy 8:6-10).

This is a description of all things of the church, both its interiors and its exteriors; but to explain what the particulars signify would be tedious and not to the present purpose.

[60] Because the "land" signifies the church it was among the blessings, that if they lived according to the commandments:

The land would yield its increase, evil beasts would cease out of the land, nor would the sword pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3-4, 6).

That "the land would yield its increase" signifies that there would be good and truth in the church; that "evil beasts would cease" signifies that there would not be evil affections and lusts, which destroy the church; that "the sword would not pass through the land" signifies that falsity would not cast out truth.

[61] Again, as the "land" signifies the church, it was also decreed that:

The seventh year should be a sabbath of the land, and that there should be no labor upon it (Leviticus 25:1-8).

It is therefore said also that:

The land was defiled on account of their evils, and would vomit them out because of their abominations (Leviticus 18:25-28).

Because the "land" [or ground] signified the church:

The Lord spat on the earth, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said, Go wash thee in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7, 11, 15);

So the Lord, when the Scribes and Pharisees questioned Him respecting the woman taken in adultery, stooping down, wrote twice on the earth (John 8:6, 8);

which signified that the church was full of adulteries, that is, full of the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth; therefore the Lord said to them:

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her; but they went out one by one, beginning from the elders, even unto the last (John 8:7, 9).

[62] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has the "earth," which in that sense signifies the church vastated; it is vastated when the good of love and the truth of faith are no more, but instead thereof evil and falsity; as these damn man, the "earth" in that sense signifies damnation, as in the following places: Isaiah 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; Lamentations 2:2, 10; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:24; Numbers 16:29-33; 26:10; and elsewhere.

Poznámky pod čarou:

375. And the oil and the wine hurt thou not, signifies that it is provided that the internal or spiritual sense of the Word should suffer no harm either in respect to good or in respect to truth. This is evident from the signification of "oil," as being the good of love (of which presently); from the signification of "wine," as being the truth of that good, for every good has its truth, that is, every truth is of good, therefore such as the good is such is the truth; also from the signification of "to hurt," as being to do injury to these. That the internal or spiritual sense of the Word in respect to good and in respect to truth is what is here signified in particular by "oil and wine" is evident from this, that "wheat and barley" signify good and truth, equally with "oil and wine," but "wheat and barley" signify the good and truth of the church in general, thus good and truth in the sense of the letter of the Word; for the goods and truths that are in that sense of the Word are goods and truths in general, the sense of the letter enclosing the spiritual sense, and thus spiritual goods and truths; therefore "wheat and barley" signify the goods and truths of the church in general, which are of the sense of the letter of the Word; while "oil and wine" signify the goods and truths of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. The latter are interior goods and truths, but the former exterior.

[2] That there are interior and exterior goods and truths, the former in the spiritual or internal man, the latter in the natural or external, can be seen from what is said and shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, namely, that there are three heavens, and that the inmost or third heaven is in inmost goods and truths, or in those of the third degree; and the middle or second heaven in lower goods and truths, or in those of the second degree; and the ultimate or first heaven is in ultimate goods and truths, that is, in those of the first degree. Ultimate goods and truths or those of the first degree are such as are contained in the sense of the letter of the Word; consequently those who remain in that sense and from it frame doctrine for themselves and live according to such doctrine, are in ultimate goods and truths. These do not see interior things, because they are not purely spiritual, like the angels of the higher heavens, but spiritual-natural; yet they are in heaven, although in the ultimate heaven, since the goods and truths that they have derived from the sense of the letter of the Word, and which are with them, contain in them interior goods and truths belonging to the spiritual sense of the Word, for the two correspond and by correspondence make a one.

[3] For example: He that believes from the sense of the letter of the Word that God is angry, that He condemns and casts into hell those who live ill, although this is in itself not true, since God is never angry, and never condemns man or casts him into hell, yet with those who live well and who so believe because the Word in the letter says so, this is accepted by the Lord as truth, because the truth lies concealed internally within it, and although they themselves do not see it, it is manifest to the interior angels. Take as another example, one who believes that he will enjoy a long life if he loves father and mother, according to the commandment of the Decalogue, if he loves them for this reason, and lives well, he is accepted just the same as if he had believed the truth itself, for he does not know that "father and mother" mean in the highest sense the Lord and His kingdom, "father" the Lord, and "mother" His kingdom, and that "prolongation of days" or "length of life" signifies happiness to eternity. It is the same in a thousand other instances. This has been said that it may be known what is meant by the exterior goods and truths and by the interior goods and truths of the Word, since "wheat and barley" signify exterior goods and truths, that is, those that are of the sense of the letter of the Word; while "oil and wine" signify interior goods and truths, that is, those that are of the spiritual sense of the Word.

[4] "Wheat and barley" signify exterior goods and truths, or the goods and truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because they are the harvest of the field and do not serve for food until made into bread, and "bread" in the Word signifies interior goods; consequently "wheat and barley" signify such things as these goods are made out of, that is, the goods and truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. But that "oil and wine" signify interior goods, which are the goods of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, can be seen from their signification in the Word, as will be evident from what follows. It is said that these "must not be hurt," because they are not to be profaned; for they would be profaned if they were known and were believed and were afterwards denied, or also if the life were contrary to them; and to profane interior goods and truths is to conjoin oneself with heaven and with hell at the same time, which is a total destruction of spiritual life. For not only do such goods and truths as are believed remain, but also the evils and falsities that succeed in their place by denial or by a life contrary to them; thence there is a conjunction of the good and truth that are of heaven with the evils and falsities that are of hell, and the two cannot be separated, but must be torn asunder, and when torn asunder everything of spiritual life is destroyed. In consequence of this, profaners, after death, are not spirits in a human form as others are, but they are mere phantoms, and seem to themselves to fly hither and thither without any thought; and at length they are separated from others and cast down into the lowest hell of all; and as they do not appear in a human form like the other spirits, they are no longer called he or she, but it, that is, not man. (But more may be seen on the profanation of good and truth in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 169, 172.)

[5] Because such a lot awaits those who profane the interior goods and truths of heaven and the church, therefore the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, in which these are contained, was not opened to the Jews, since if it had been opened they would have profaned it; neither was it opened to Christians, since they also if it had been opened would have profaned it; and for this reason it has been hidden from both Jews and Christians that there is any internal or spiritual sense within the sense of the letter of the Word, which is the natural sense; and that they might remain ignorant of it, it was provided that the knowledge of correspondences, which was the chief knowledge of the ancients, should be lost so entirely that it should be unknown what correspondence is, and therefore what the spiritual sense of the Word is. For the Word is written by pure correspondences, therefore without a knowledge of correspondences it could not be known what the internal sense is. This was provided by the Lord lest the genuine goods and truths themselves, in which the higher heavens are, should be profaned.

[6] But the internal or spiritual sense of the Word is at this day opened, because the Last Judgment has been accomplished, and therefore all things in the heavens and in the hells have been reduced to order, and thus the Lord can provide that no profanations take place. That the internal or spiritual sense of the Word would be opened when the Last Judgment had been accomplished was foretold by the Lord in Revelation (respecting which see in the small work on The White Horse). That the internal or spiritual sense of the Word would then suffer no harm is also signified by the soldiers having divided the Lord's garments and not the tunic, which was without seam, woven from the top throughout (John 19:23, 24). For the Lord's "garments" signify the Word; the "garments that were divided" the Word in the letter; the "tunic" the Word in the internal sense; and the "soldiers" those who should fight in behalf of the truths and goods of the church. (That such are signified by the "soldiers," see above, n. 64 at the end; and that "garments" in the Word signify truths, "clothing" good, and the Lord's "garments" Divine truth, thus the Word, see also above, n. 64, 195)

[7] That "oil" signifies the good of love, can be seen especially from the anointings among the sons of Israel, or in their church, which were effected by oil; for by oil all things of the church were inaugurated, and when they had been inaugurated they were called holy, as the altar and its vessels, the tent of meeting and all things therein, likewise those who officiated in the priesthood and their garments, and also the prophets and afterwards the kings. Anyone can see that it is not oil itself that makes holy, but it is that which is signified by "oil," which is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord; this is signified by "oil;" consequently when persons or things were anointed, from that moment they became representative, for the oil induced a representation of the Lord and of the good of love from Him. For the good of love to the Lord from the Lord is the holy itself of heaven and the church, since through it everything Divine flows in; consequently the things of heaven and the church, which are called things spiritual, are so far holy as they are grounded in this holy.

[8] The reason of the representation of holiness by oil is this: the Lord alone in respect to the Divine Human is the Anointed of Jehovah, for the Divine good itself of the Divine love was in Him from conception, and from that His Human when He was in the world was Divine truth itself, and this He then also made Divine good of the Divine love by uniting it with the Divine Itself in Himself. And as all things that belonged to the church represented things Divine from the Lord, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself (since the church instituted with the sons of Israel was a representative church), so "oil," which signified the Divine good of the Divine love was employed to induce representations; and afterwards the things or persons that were anointed were regarded as holy, not that there was from this any holiness in them, but the holiness was thereby represented in heaven when they were worshiping. This has been said that it may be known that "oil" signifies the good of love.

[9] But that this may be made clearer, I will explain the particulars in order, namely:

1. In ancient times they anointed with oil the stones set up for statues;

2. Also arms of war, as bucklers and shields;

3. Afterwards, the altar and all its vessels, and the tent of meeting and all things therein;

4. And besides, those who officiated in the priesthood, and their garments;

5. Also the prophets;

6. And finally, the kings, who were therefore called "the anointed."

7. It was also a custom commonly received to anoint themselves and others with oil, to testify gladness of mind and good will.

8. From this it is evident that "oil" in the Word signifies good; the "oil of holiness," which was prepared for anointing those things that were to be used in worship in the church, signifying the Divine good of the Divine love; and "oil" in general, good and its enjoyment.

[10] 1. As to the first point, "that they anointed stones set up for statues," is evident from the book of Genesis:

Jacob rose up in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a statue, and poured oil on the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel. And he said, If I shall come again to my father's house in peace, this stone which I have set up for a statue shall be God's house (Genesis 28:18-22).

Stones were thus anointed because "stones" signified truths, and truths without good have no spiritual life, that is, no life from the Divine; but when the stones were anointed with oil, they represented truths from good, and in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord, who is thence called "the Stone of Israel." The stones themselves set up were called "statues," and were accounted holy, and from this arose the use of statues among the ancients, and afterwards in their temples. As this stone then set up by Jacob was representatively sanctified, therefore Jacob called the name of the place Bethel, and said that this stone should be "God's house," Bethel meaning "God's house," and "God's house," signifies the church in respect to good, and in the highest sense the Lord in respect to His Divine Human (John 2:19-22). (The remainder may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia; and further, that statues were set up by the ancients for a sign, for a witness, and for worship, n . 3727; that at first they were holy boundaries, n. 3727; that afterwards they were used in worship, n. 4580; what they signified, n. 4580, 10643. That "stones" signify truths, and "the Stone of Israel" the Lord in respect to Divine truth, n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 9388, 9389, 10376. That the pouring of oil upon the head of a statue or anointing it, was done to induce the representative of truth from good, and that it might thus be used for worship, n. 3728, 4090.)

[11] 2. "That they anointed the arms of war, as bucklers and shields," is evident from Isaiah:

Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield (Isaiah 21:5).

Also in the second book of Samuel:

The shield of the heroes was polluted; the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil (2 Samuel 1:21).

Arms of war were anointed because they signified truths fighting against falsities, and truths from good are what prevail against falsities, but not truths without good; therefore the arms of war represented the truths by which the Lord Himself with man fights against the falsities from evil which are from hell. (That "the arms of war" signify truths fighting against falsities, see Arcana Coelestia 1788, 2686, and above, n. 131, 367; and that "wars" in general signify spiritual combats, n. 1664, 2686, 8273, 8295; and "enemies" evils and falsities, and in general the hells, n. 2851, 8289, 9314)

[12] 3. "That they anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the tent of meeting, and all things therein," is evident from Moses:

Jehovah said to Moses, Thou shalt anoint the altar, and sanctify it (Exodus 29:36).

In the same:

Thou shalt make the oil of anointing of holiness, wherewith thou shalt anoint the tent of meeting, and the ark of the Testimony, and the table, and all the vessels thereof, and the lampstand and all the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-offering, and all the vessels thereof, and the lavers, and the base. Thus shalt thou sanctify them, that they may be holy of holies; whosoever shall touch them shall sanctify himself (Exodus 30:25-29; 40:9-11; Leviticus 8:10-12; Numbers 7:1).

The altars and the tent of meeting, with all things therein, were anointed that they might represent the Divine and holy things of heaven and the church, consequently the holy things of worship; and these they could not have represented unless they had been inaugurated by something significative of the good of love, for it is through the good of love that the Divine enters, and through it is present; the same is true in worship, without the good of love the Divine neither enters nor is present. (That the altar was the chief representative of the Lord, and thence of worship from the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9 388, 9389, 9714; and that the tent with the ark was the chief representative of heaven where the Lord is, n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9594, 9596, 9632, 9784)

[13] 4. "That they anointed those who officiated in the priesthood, and their garments," is evident from Moses:

Take the oil of anointing, and pour it upon the head (of Aaron), and thou shalt anoint him (Exodus 29:7; 30:30).

Put upon Aaron the garment of holiness, and thou shalt anoint him and sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priesthood; and his sons thou shalt anoint as thou didst anoint their father, and it shall be that their anointing shall be to them a priesthood of an age throughout their generations (Exodus 40:13-15).

In the same:

Moses poured of the oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him to sanctify him. And afterwards he took of the oil of anointing, and of the blood that was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments and his sons, and his sons' garments with him (Leviticus 8:12, 30).

Aaron and his sons were anointed, and their very garments, that they might represent the Lord in respect to the Divine good, and as to Divine truth therefrom; Aaron, the Lord in respect to Divine good, and his sons the Lord in respect to Divine truth therefrom; and, in general, that the priesthood might represent the Lord in respect to His work of salvation. Their garments were anointed (Exodus 29:29) because "garments" represented spiritual things investing. (That Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, see Arcana Coelestia 9806; that his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from Divine good, n. 9807; that the priesthood in general represented the Lord in respect to His work of salvation, n. 9809; that the garments of Aaron and his sons represented things spiritual, n. 9814, 9942, 9952.)

[14] Because inauguration to representation was effected by anointing, and Aaron and his sons represented the Lord and what is from Him, therefore to Aaron and his sons the holy things of the sons of Israel were given, which were gifts given to Jehovah, and were called "heave-offerings;" and it is said that they were "the anointing" or "for the anointing," that is, were a representation or for a representation of the Lord, and of the Divine things that are from Him, as is evident from these passages in Moses:

The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder have I taken from among the sons of Israel. This is the anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings by fire to Jehovah, which He commanded ¹ to give them in the day that He had anointed them from among the sons of Israel (Leviticus 7:34-36).

And elsewhere in the same:

Jehovah spoke unto Aaron, Behold, I have given thee the charge of Mine heave-offerings as to all the hallowed things of the sons of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, for the statute of an age. Every gift of theirs, even to every meal-offering of theirs, even to every sacrifice of sin and guilt of theirs, every wave-offering of the sons of Israel. All the fat of the pure oil, and all the fat of the new wine, and of the corn, the firstfruits of them, which they shall give unto Jehovah, to thee have I given them. Likewise everything devoted in Israel, every opening of the womb, thus every heave-offering of things holy. Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part in the midst of them; I am thy part and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel (Numbers 18:8-20).

From this it is evident that the anointing is a representation, since by anointing they were inaugurated to represent, also that it was signified by it that all inauguration into the holiness of heaven and the church is by means of the good of love which is from the Lord, and that the good of love is the Lord with them; because this is so, it is said that Jehovah is "his part and his inheritance."

[15] 5. "That they anointed the prophets also," is evident from the first book of Kings:

Jehovah said unto Elijah, Anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha anoint to be prophet instead of thee (1 Kings 19:15-16).

And in Isaiah:

The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; therefore hath Jehovah anointed me to preach good tidings unto the poor (Isaiah 61:1).

The prophets were anointed because the prophets represented the Lord in respect to the doctrine of Divine truth, consequently in respect to the Word; for the Word is the doctrine of Divine truth. (That the prophets represented and thence signified doctrine from the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 2534, 7269; in particular, Elijah and Elisha, n. 2762, 5247 at the end, 9372.) That it is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human who is here represented, thus that it was He by whom Jehovah anointed, the Lord Himself teaches in Luke (Luke 4:18-21).

[16] 6. That they afterwards anointed kings, and that these were called "the anointed of Jehovah," is evident from many usages in the Word (as 1 Samuel 10:1; 15:1; 16:3, 6, 12; 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Samuel 1:16; 2:4, 7; 5:3; 19:22; 1 Kings 1:34, 35; 19:15, 16; 2 Kings 9:3; 11:12; 23:30; Lamentations 4:20; Habakkuk 3:13; Psalms 2:2, 6; 20:6; 28:8; 45:7; 84:9, 20, 38, 51; 132:17 elsewhere). Kings were anointed that they might represent the Lord in relation to judgment from Divine truth; therefore in the Word "kings" signify Divine truths (See above, n. 31). Kings were called "the anointed of Jehovah," and it was therefore sacrilege to do harm to them, because "anointed of Jehovah" means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, although, in the sense of the letter the term is applied to the king anointed with oil; for the Lord, when He was in the world, in respect to His Human was the Divine truth itself, and in respect to the very esse of His life, which with man is called the soul from the father, was the Divine good itself of the Divine love; for He was conceived of Jehovah, Jehovah in the Word meaning the Divine good of the Divine love, which is the esse of the life of all; consequently the Lord alone was the Anointed of Jehovah in very essence and in very deed, since there was in Him the Divine good of the Divine love, and the Divine truth proceeding from that good itself in His Human while He was in the world (See above, n. 63, 200, 228, 328; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 293-295, 303-305). Moreover, earthly kings were not "the anointed of Jehovah," but were so called because they represented the Lord, who alone was "the Anointed of Jehovah," therefore because they were anointed it was sacrilege to harm the kings of the earth. But the anointing of the kings of the earth was an anointing with oil, while the anointing of the Lord in respect to the Divine Human was accomplished by the Divine good itself of the Divine love; and this is what the "oil" signified and the "anointing" represented. For this reason the Lord was called the Messiah and Christ, Messiah in the Hebrew signifying anointed, and Christ the like in Greek (John 1:41; 4:25).

[17] From this it can be seen, that when "the anointed of Jehovah" is mentioned in the Word, in a representative sense the Lord is meant. As in Isaiah:

The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me; therefore hath Jehovah anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the poor; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1).

That the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is He whom Jehovah anointed, is evident in Luke, where the Lord openly declares it in these words:

There was delivered to Jesus the book of the prophet Isaiah. And He unrolled the book, and found the place where it was written, The spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the accepted year of the Lord. After that, rolling up the book, He gave it to the minister, and sat down. But the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began to say unto them, Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears (Luke 4:17-21).

In Daniel:

Know therefore, and perceive, that from the going forth of the Word even to the restoration and building of Jerusalem, even to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (Daniel 9:25).

"To build Jerusalem" means to establish the church, "Jerusalem" meaning the church; "Messiah the Prince," that is, the Anointed, means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human.

[18] In the same:

Seventy weeks are determined to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24).

"To seal up vision and prophet" means to conclude and fulfill the things said in the Word respecting the Lord; "anointing the holy of holies" meaning the Lord's Divine Human, in which was the Divine good of the Divine love, or Jehovah.

[19] "The anointed of Jehovah" means the Lord also in the following passages. In David:

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers took counsel together against Jehovah and against His anointed. I have anointed My king upon Zion, the mountain of My holiness (Psalms 2:2, 6).

"The kings of the earth" are falsities, and the "rulers" are evils from the hells, against which the Lord fought when He was in the world, and which He conquered and subdued; "the anointed of Jehovah" is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human from which He fought; "Zion, the mountain of holiness upon which he is said to have been anointed as a king," is the celestial kingdom, which is in the good of love; this kingdom is the inmost of heaven and the inmost of the church.

[20] In the same:

I found David My servant; with the oil of holiness have I anointed him (Psalms 89:20).

"David" here as also elsewhere means the Lord (See above, n. 205); "the oil of holiness with which Jehovah anointed him" means the Divine good of the Divine love; that it is the Lord who is here meant by David is clear from what there precedes and what follows, for it is said:

Thou spoke in vision of thy Holy One, I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall call Me, My Father. Also I will make him the firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. His seed will I establish forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens (Psalms 89:19, 25-27, 29 besides other passages).

Likewise elsewhere in the same:

In Zion will I make the horn of David to bud; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his diadem flourish (Psalms 132:17-18).

That here, too, the Lord is meant by "David" is evident from the preceding verses, where it is said:

We have heard of Him in Ephrathah; we have found Him in the fields of the forest. We will go into His tabernacles; we will bow ourselves down at His footstool. Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy saints shall shout for joy; for Thy servant David's sake turn not back the faces of Thine anointed (Psalms 132:6-10).

From this it can be seen that the Lord in respect to His Divine Human is here meant by David, "the anointed of Jehovah."

[21] In Jeremiah:

They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was captured in their pits; of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations (Lamentations 4:19-20).

Here, also, "the anointed of Jehovah" means the Lord, for this treats of assault upon Divine truth by falsities and evils, which is the signification of "they chased us upon the mountains, and laid wait in the wilderness;" "the breath of the nostrils" means heavenly life itself which is from the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 9818).

[22] From this it can now be known why it was so sacrilegious to do harm to the anointed of Jehovah, as appears from the Word. Thus, in the first book of Samuel:

David said, Jehovah forbid that I should do this word unto my lord, the anointed of Jehovah, and put forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah (1 Samuel 24:6, 10).

So again:

David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who shall put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah and be guiltless? (1 Samuel 26:9).

In the second book of Samuel:

David said unto him who said that he had slain Saul, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thou hast said, I have put to death the anointed of Jehovah (2 Samuel 1:16).

And again:

Abishai said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Jehovah? (2 Samuel 19:21).

That Shimei was therefore slain by command of Solomon (1 Kings 2:36-46, to the end).

[23] 7. "That it was a commonly received custom to anoint themselves and others with oil, to testify gladness of mind and good will," is evident from the following passages. In Amos:

Who drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the first fruits of oils, but they are not grieved for the breach of Joseph (Amos 6:6).

In Micah:

Thou shalt tread the olive, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil (Micah 6:15);

meaning, thou shalt not be glad. In Moses:

Thou shalt have olive-trees in all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil (Deuteronomy 28:40).

These words have a like signification. In Isaiah:

To give them a tiara instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:3).

In David:

Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows (Psalms 45:7).

In the same:

My horn shalt Thou exalt like that of a unicorn; I shall grow old in fresh oil (Psalms 92:10).

In the same:

Wine gladdeneth the heart of man, to make the face bright with oil (Psalms 104:15).

In Luke:

Jesus said to Simon, I entered into thine house, and My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment (Luke 7:44, 46).

In Matthew:

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast (Matthew 6:17-18).

[24] "To fast" signifies to mourn, because they fasted when they mourned, and as they then refrained from expressions of gladness, they also then abstained from anointing themselves with oil, as in Daniel:

I Daniel was mourning three weeks; I ate not the bread of desires, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither was I anointed with anointing, until three weeks of days were fulfilled (Daniel 10:2-3).

From this it is clear that it was a custom to anoint themselves and others with oil; not with the "oil of holiness" with which priests, kings, the altar, and the tabernacle were anointed, but with common oil, because this oil signified the gladness and satisfaction that are from the love of good, while "the oil of holiness" signified the Divine good; of this it is said:

Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured, and in quality thereof ye shall not make any like it; it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever shall prepare any like it, or whosoever shall put any of it upon a stranger, shall be cut off from his people (Exodus 30:32-33, 38).

[25] 8. From this it is evident that "oil" in the Word signifies good; the "oil of holiness," which was prepared for anointing the things that were used in worship in the church signifying the Divine good of the Divine love, and "oil" in general, good and its enjoyment, as can be seen from other passages in the Word where "oil" is mentioned, as from the following.

[26] In David:

Behold how good and how lovely it is for brethren to dwell together! It is like the good oil upon Aaron's head, that cometh down upon the beard, Aaron's beard; that cometh down upon the hem of his garments; like the dew of Hermon that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion; there Jehovah hath commanded the blessing of life even to eternity (Psalms 133:1-3).

What these words signify no one can know unless he knows what is signified by "brethren," by "the oil upon Aaron's head," by "his beard," and "the hem of his garments," and by "the dew of Hermon," and "the mountains of Zion." "Brethren" here signify good and truth, for these are called "brethren" in the Word; therefore "Behold how good and how lovely it is for brethren to dwell together" signifies that in the conjunction of good and truth is every heavenly good and delight, for every heavenly good and delight is from the conjunction of good and truth. "The oil upon the head that cometh down upon the beard, Aaron's beard, that cometh down upon the hem of his garments," signifies that from that conjunction is the good and delight of heaven, from inmosts to ultimates, "head" signifying the inmost, "beard" the ultimate; "to come down upon the hem of his garments" signifies the influx and conjunction of celestial good and spiritual good. (That in the Word good and truth are called "brethren," see Arcana Coelestia, n. Arcana Coelestia 367, 3160, 9806; that "head" signifies the inmost, n. 4938, 4939, 9656, 9913, 9914; "beard" the ultimate, n. 9960; "the hem of the garments" the influx and conjunction of celestial and spiritual good, thus of good and truth, n . 9913, 9914; and this is said of Aaron, because he represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, since every good and every conjunction of good and truth is from Him, n. 9806, 9946, 10017.) "The dew of Hermon" signifies Divine truth, and "the mountains of Zion" signify Divine good; therefore "like the dew of Hermon that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion" signifies the conjunction of truth and good, which is here treated of; and as angels and men have all their spiritual life from that conjunction, it is added, "there Jehovah hath commanded the blessing of life to eternity." (That "dew" signifies the Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3579, 8455; that "mountains" signify Divine good, and why, n. Arcana Coelestia 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438, 10608; and that "Zion" signifies the church where the good of love is, n. 2362, 9055 at the end.) From this it is clear what is the nature of the Word in its spiritual sense, notwithstanding its sound in the letter.

[27] In Ezekiel:

I entered into a covenant with thee, that thou mightest be Mine; and I washed thee with waters, yea, I washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I anointed thee with oil; and I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skins. Thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom (Ezekiel 16:8-10, 13).

These things are said of "Jerusalem," which signifies the church, therefore these particulars signify the spiritual things pertaining to the church. These things evidently were not said of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, namely, that Jehovah "washed them with waters," "washed away their bloods" "clothed them with broidered work, and shod them with badgers skins;" but "to wash with waters" signifies to reform and purify by means of truths; "to wash away bloods" signifies to remove the falsities of evil; "to anoint with oil" signifies to gift with the good of love; "to clothe with broidered work," and "to shoe with badgers' skins," signify to instruct in the knowledges of truth and good from the sense of the letter or the ultimate sense of the Word; "to eat fine flour, honey, and oil," signifies to make truth and good one's own; "to become beautiful thereby" signifies to become intelligent; "and to prosper even to a kingdom" signifies thus to become a church, "kingdom" meaning the church.

[28] In Jeremiah:

Jehovah hath ransomed Jacob. Therefore they shall come and sing aloud in the height of Zion, and shall flow together unto the goodness of Jehovah; to the corn, and to the new wine, and to the fresh oil, and to the sons of the flock and of the herd; and their soul shall become as a watered garden (Jeremiah 31:11-12);

"new wine and fresh oil" signifying truth and good. (What the remainder signifies see just above, n. 374.)

[29] In Joel:

Exult, ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God; for He hath given you the former rain in righteousness, so that the threshing-floors are full of pure grain, the presses overflow with new wine and fresh oil (Joel 2:23-24).

Here, too, "new wine and oil" signify the truth and good of the church, for "sons of Zion," to whom these things are said, signify those who are of the church; "the former rain in righteousness" signifies Divine truth flowing into good, from which is there conjunction, fructification, and multiplication; and "floors full of pure grain" signify consequent fullness.

[30] In the same:

The field was devastated, the ground mourned; for the corn was devastated, the new wine was dried up, the fresh oil languisheth (Joel 1:10).

This signifies the devastation of all things of the church which have reference in general to the good of love and the truth of faith; "field," and also "ground," mean the church, "field" the church from the reception of truth, and "ground" the church from the perception of good; "corn" means everything of the church, "new wine" truth, and "fresh oil" good.

[ 31 ] In Isaiah:

I will sing to my beloved a song of my friend. My beloved had a vineyard in a horn of the son of oil, which he fenced, and gathered out the stones, and planted it with a noble vine; and he waited for it that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes (Isaiah 5:1-2

"The vineyard that the beloved had in a horn of the son of oil" signifies the spiritual church which has truths from the good of love, thus most excellent; for "vineyard" signifies the spiritual church, or the church that is in truths from good; its inauguration is meant by "the horn of oil," for inaugurations were performed by oil out of a horn; and "the son of oil," means truth from good; "beloved" means the Lord, because He it is who establishes churches, therefore it is said of Him, "which he fenced and gathered out the stones, and planted with a noble vine," "a noble vine" meaning spiritual truth from the celestial, or truth from the good of love; the "grapes that he waited for that it should bring forth" signify the goods of charity, which are the goods of life; and the "wild grapes that it brought forth" signify the evils that are contrary to the goods of charity, that is, the evils of life.

[32] In Hosea:

In that day, I will listen to the heavens, and they shall listen to the earth; and the earth shall listen to the corn and the new wine and the fresh oil; and these shall listen to Jezreel. And I will sow her unto Me in the earth (Hosea 2:21-23).

This is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; and "to listen to" means to obey and to receive; obedience and reception following and succeeding in order are thus described. That the heavens will receive from the Lord is meant by "I will listen to the heavens;" that the church will receive from the heavens, thus from the Lord through the heavens, is meant by "the heavens shall listen to the earth;" that good and truth will receive from the church is meant by "the earth shall listen to the corn and the new wine and the fresh oil;" "new wine" meaning truth, and "oil" good; and that those who are of the church with whom there are good and truth will receive therefrom is meant by "these shall listen to Jezreel." Evidently the earth, its corn, new wine, and oil is not meant, but the church with its goods and truths, for it is said, "I will sow Jezreel unto me in the earth."

[33] In Isaiah:

I will give in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, and the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir, the pine and the box tree (Isaiah 41:19).

This is said of the establishment of the church among the Gentiles by the Lord; and "the wilderness" and "the desert" signify where there was before no good because no truth; "the cedar of shittah," "myrtle," and "oil tree" signify spiritual and celestial good; and "the fir," "the pine," and "the box tree" signify good and truth therefrom in the natural; for every tree in the Word signifies something pertaining to the good and truth of the church; and "the cedar of shittah," "the myrtle," and "the oil tree" signify such things of the church as are in the spiritual or internal man; while "the fir," "the pine," and "the box tree" signify such things of the church as are in the natural or external man.

[34] In David:

[Jehovah is] my shepherd; I shall not want. He will make me to lie down in pastures of the tender herb; He will lead me to the waters of rest. Thou wilt arrange a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; my head wilt thou make fat with oil; my cup will overflow (Psalms 23:1-2, 5).

This means, in the internal sense, that he who trusts in the Lord is led into all the goods and truths of heaven, and overflows with the enjoyments thereof; "my shepherd" means the Lord; "the pastures of the tender herb" signify the knowledges of truth and good; "the waters of rest" signify the truths of heaven therefrom; "table" signifies spiritual nourishment; "to make fat the head with oil" signifies wisdom which is from good; "my cup will overflow" signifies intelligence which is from truths, "cup" signifying the like as "wine." "The pastures of the tender herb" and "the waters of rest," seem to be mentioned as if they were comparisons, because the Lord is called a shepherd, and the flock of the shepherd is led into pastures of herbs and to limpid waters; but still these are correspondences.

[35] In Ezekiel:

Judah and the land of Israel were thy traders in the wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and in honey, and oil, and balsam (Ezekiel 27:17).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in relation to the knowledges of truth and good; thus "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good of the church; and "Judah" and "the land of Israel," who "were traders" signify the church, "Judah" the church in relation to good, and "the land of Israel" the church in relation to truths from good; and "to trade" signifies to acquire to oneself and to communicate to others. "Wheats of Minnith and Pannag" signify goods and truths in general; and "honey, oil, and balsam," goods and truths in particular, "honey" and "oil" goods; and "balsam" truths which are grateful from good, for all truths that are from good are perceived in heaven as fragrant, and consequently as grateful; and this is the reason that the oil of anointing was prepared from various fragrant things (respecting which see Exodus 30:22-33); and also the oil for the lamps (respecting which see Exodus 27:20-21).

[36] In Moses:

Jehovah fed him with the increase of the fields, He made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock (Deuteronomy 32:13).

This treats of the Ancient Church; "to suck oil out of the flint of the rock" means to be imbued with good through the truths of faith; "honey" means natural good and delight; "oil" spiritual good and delight; and "cliff" and "flint of the rock" mean the truth of faith from the Lord. If spiritual things were not meant by these words, what meaning could there be in "sucking honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock"?

[37] In Habakkuk:

The fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall there be produce in the vines; the labor of the olive shall dissemble, and the fields shall yield no food (Habakkuk 3:17).

Here fig tree, vine, olive, and fields, are not meant, but heavenly things, to which they correspond. "The fig tree" corresponds to and thence signifies natural good; "the vine" corresponds to spiritual good, which in its essence is truth; the "olive," as the fruit from which oil is derived, corresponds to the good of love in act; and "fields" correspond to all things of the church; "produce" and "foods" thence signify all things pertaining to spiritual nourishment; from which it is clear what these things signify in their order.

[38] In Hosea:

Ephraim feedeth on wind; they make a covenant with Assyria and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hosea 12:1).

This has no meaning unless it is known what is meant by "Ephraim," by "Assyria," and "Egypt." Man's own intellect [intellectuale proprium], which by reasonings from knowledges perverts and adulterates the goods of the church, is here described. "Ephraim" means the intellect, "Assyria" reasoning, and "Egypt" the knowing faculty; therefore "to carry down oil into Egypt" means to pervert the goods of the church by reasonings from knowledges.

[39] In Zechariah:

I saw a lamp stand of gold; two olive-trees by it, one at the right side of the bowl, and the other at the left side thereof. These are the two sons of oil that stand by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:2-3, 14).

"Two olive-trees" and "two sons of oil" mean the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor; the latter at his left hand, the former at his right.

[40] Likewise in Revelation:

The two witnesses shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty ² days.

These are the two olive-trees, and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth (Revelation 11:3-4);

the "two olive-trees" and "two lampstands" mean these same goods, which are called "the two witnesses" because they are from the Lord; but more respecting these when they are explained.

[41] Because "oil" signified the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbor:

The Lord likened the kingdom of the heavens to ten virgins, of whom five had oil in the lamps, and five had not; therefore the latter were called foolish, and the former prudent (Matthew 25:1-11).

"The ten virgins" signify all who are of the church; and "five" signify some or a part of them, for such is the signification of the numbers "ten" and "five" in the Word; and "virgin" or "daughter" signifies the church; "oil" signifies the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor; and "lamps" signify the truths that are called the truths of faith. From this the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense can be seen, namely, that the virgins that had no oil in their lamps, and consequently were not admitted into heaven, are those who know truths from the Word, or from the doctrine of the church, and yet are not in the good of love and charity, that is, do not live according to these truths; while the virgins who had oil in their lamps, and were received into heaven, are those who are in the good of love and charity, and thence in truths from the Word or from the doctrine of the church; which makes clear why the latter virgins are called "prudent," and the former "foolish."

[42] Because "oil" signified the good of love and charity, and "wine" signified truth:

The Lord says of the Samaritan, who as he journeyed saw in the way a man wounded by thieves, that he poured oil and wine into his wounds, and then set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and told them to care for him (Luke 10:33-35).

In the spiritual sense these things are thus perceived: "the Samaritan" means the Gentiles that were in the good of charity towards the neighbor; "the man wounded by thieves" means those who are infested by those from hell, who are thieves because they injure and destroy man's spiritual life; the "oil and wine that he poured into his wounds" mean things spiritual that heal man, "oil" good, and "wine" truth; that "he set him on his own beast" signifies that he did this according to his intelligence so far as he was able, "horse," and likewise "beast of burden" signifying the intellect; that "he brought him to an inn and told them to care for him" signifies to bring to those that are well instructed in the doctrine of the church from the Word, and who are better able to heal him than one who is still in ignorance. Thus are these words understood in heaven, and from them it is evident that the Lord when He was in the world spoke by pure correspondences, thus for the world and for heaven at the same time.

[43] Because "oil" signified the good of love and charity, and by this those are healed who are spiritually sick, therefore it is said of the Lord's disciples:

That they anointed many with oil and healed them (Mark 6:13).

(Furthermore, what is specially signified by "the oil prepared for the lamps," and what by "the oil prepared for anointings" see Arcana Coelestia 9778-9789, and n. 10250-10288, where they are explained.) From this it can now be seen that "oil" signifies celestial good and spiritual good, that is, the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbor; "the oil of anointing" the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and the "oil for the lamps" the good of charity towards the neighbor from the Lord.

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