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Hesekiel 34

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1 Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also:

2 Menschensohn, weissage wider die Hirten Israels, weissage und sprich zu ihnen, den Hirten: So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Wehe den Hirten Israels, die sich selbst weiden! (Eig. weideten) Sollen die Hirten nicht die Herde (Eig. das Kleinvieh; dasselbe Wort wie "Schafe" (v 6); so auch v 3. 17. 31) weiden?

3 Ihr esset das Fett und kleidet euch mit der Wolle, das fette Vieh schlachtet ihr; die Herde weidet ihr nicht.

4 Die Schwachen habt ihr nicht gestärkt und das Kranke nicht geheilt und das Verwundete nicht verbunden, und das Versprengte führtet ihr nicht zurück, und das Verlorene suchtet ihr nicht; und mit Strenge habt ihr über sie geherrscht und mit Härte.

5 Und so wurden sie zerstreut, weil sie ohne Hirten waren; und sie wurden allen Tieren des Feldes zur Speise, und wurden zerstreut.

6 Meine Schafe irren umher auf allen Bergen und auf jedem hohen Hügel; und über das ganze Land hin sind meine Schafe zerstreut worden, und da ist niemand, der nach ihnen fragt, und niemand, der sie sucht. -

7 Darum, ihr Hirten, höret das Wort Jehovas!

8 So wahr ich lebe, spricht der Herr, Jehova: Weil meine Schafe zur Beute und meine Schafe allen Tieren des Feldes zur Speise geworden sind, weil kein Hirte da ist, und meine Hirten nicht nach meinen Schafen fragen, und die Hirten sich selbst weiden, aber nicht meine Schafe weiden:

9 darum, ihr Hirten, höret das Wort Jehovas!

10 So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Siehe, ich will an die Hirten, und ich werde meine Schafe von ihrer Hand fordern und machen, daß sie aufhören, die Schafe zu weiden, damit die Hirten nicht mehr sich selbst weiden; und ich werde meine Schafe von ihrem Munde erretten, daß sie ihnen nicht mehr zur Speise seien.

11 Denn so spricht der Herr, Jehova: Siehe, ich bin da, und ich will nach meinen Schafen fragen und mich ihrer annehmen.

12 Wie ein Hirt sich seiner Herde annimmt an dem Tage, da er unter seinen zerstreuten Schafen ist, also werde ich mich meiner Schafe annehmen und werde sie erretten aus allen Orten, wohin sie zerstreut worden sind am Tage des Gewölks und des Wolkendunkels.

13 Und ich werde sie herausführen aus den Völkern und sie aus den Ländern sammeln und sie in ihr Land bringen; und ich werde sie weiden auf den Bergen Israels, in den Tälern und an allen Wohnplätzen des Landes.

14 Auf guter Weide werde ich sie weiden, und auf den hohen Bergen Israels wird ihre Trift sein; daselbst, auf den Bergen Israels, werden sie auf guter Trift lagern und fette Weide beweiden.

15 Ich will meine Schafe weiden, und ich will sie lagern, spricht der Herr, Jehova.

16 Das Verlorene will ich suchen und das Versprengte zurückführen, und das Verwundete will ich verbinden, und das Kranke will ich stärken; das Fette aber und das Starke werde ich vertilgen: nach echt werde ich sie weiden. -

17 Und ihr, meine Herde, so spricht der Herr, Jehova: Siehe, ich werde richten zwischen Schaf und Schaf, den Widdern und den Böcken.

18 Ist es euch zu wenig, daß ihr die gute Weide abweidet und das Übrige eurer Weide mit euren Füßen zertretet, und daß ihr das abgeklärte Wasser trinket und das Übriggebliebene mit euren Füßen trübet?

19 Und meine Schafe sollen abweiden, was mit euren Füßen zertreten, und trinken, was mit euren Füßen getrübt ist?

20 Darum, so spricht der Herr, Jehova, zu ihnen: Siehe, ich bin da, und ich werde richten zwischen fettem Schaf und magerem Schaf.

21 Weil ihr all die Schwachen mit Seite und Schulter verdränget und mit euren Hörnern stoßet, bis ihr sie nach außen hin zerstreut habt,

22 so will ich meine Schafe retten, damit sie nicht mehr zur Beute seien; und ich werde richten zwischen Schaf und Schaf.

23 Und ich werde einen Hirten über sie erwecken, und er wird sie weiden-meinen Knecht David: der wird sie weiden, und der wird ihr Hirt (Eig. ihnen zum Hirten (zum Gott)) sein.

24 Und ich, Jehova, werde ihr Gott (Eig. ihnen zum Hirten (zum Gott)) sein, und mein Knecht David wird Fürst sein in ihrer Mitte. Ich, Jehova, habe geredet.

25 Und ich werde einen Bund des Friedens mit ihnen machen, und werde die bösen Tiere aus dem Lande vertilgen; und sie werden in der Wüste sicher wohnen und in den Wäldern schlafen.

26 Und ich werde sie und die Umgebungen meines Hügels zum Segen machen; und ich werde den egen fallen lassen zu seiner Zeit, egen des Segens werden es sein.

27 Und der Baum des Feldes wird seine Frucht geben, und das Land wird seinen Ertrag geben; und sie werden in ihrem Lande sicher sein. Und sie werden wissen, daß ich Jehova bin, wenn ich die Stäbe ihres Joches zerbreche und sie aus der Hand derer errette, welche sie knechteten.

28 Und sie werden nicht mehr den Nationen zur Beute sein, und die wilden Tiere der Erde werden sie nicht mehr fressen; sondern sie werden in Sicherheit wohnen, und niemand wird sie aufschrecken.

29 Und ich werde ihnen eine Pflanzung erwecken zum uhme (Eig. zum Namen,) und sie werden nicht mehr durch Hunger weggerafft werden im Lande und nicht mehr die Schmach der Nationen tragen.

30 Und sie werden wissen, daß ich, Jehova, ihr Gott, mit ihnen bin, und daß sie, das Haus Israel, mein Volk sind, spricht der Herr, Jehova.

31 Und ihr, meine Herde, Herde meiner Weide, ihr seid Menschen; ich bin euer Gott, spricht der Herr, Jehova.

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 433

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433. Verse 5. Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed, signifies love to the Lord, and that all who are in that love are in heaven, and come into heaven. This is evident from the representation and consequent signification of "Judah" and his tribe, as being love to the Lord (of which presently); also from the signification of "twelve thousand," as being all persons and all things (of which see above, n. 430, here all who are in that love; also from the signification of the "sealed," as being those who are distinguished and separated from such as are in evil; in other words, those who are in good (of which also see above, n. 427. It follows that those who are in heaven and who come into heaven are meant, for these "were sealed in their foreheads," that is, separated from the evil; for these are the ones of whom it is said:

A Lamb was standing on the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having the Father's name written on their foreheads. These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins, bought from among men, the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb (Revelation 14:1, 3, 4).

"The Mount Zion" signifies the heaven in which there is love to the Lord; for all those signified by "the twelve thousand out of each tribe," or by "the hundred and forty-four thousand sealed on their foreheads," are such as acknowledge the Lord and love Him; and for this reason the first tribe named is the tribe of Judah, which tribe signifies love to the Lord; for (as was said above, n. 431 the representation of heaven is determined by the order in which the tribes are named, and the first name, or the tribe first named, is that from which are derived the determinations and significations of those that follow, with variations.

[2] Furthermore, no one is admitted into heaven except by the Lord, for the universal heaven is His, consequently no one is in heaven, or comes to it, unless he acknowledges the Lord and loves Him. To love the Lord is not to love Him in respect to person but to live according to His commandments, as the Lord also teaches in plain words in John:

In that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me. If anyone loveth Me he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:20, 21, 23, 24).

Those love the Lord who do and keep His commandments and His words, because His commandments and words signify Divine truths, and all Divine truth proceeds from Him, and that which proceeds from Him is Himself; when, therefore, a man is in that truth in respect to his life the Lord is in him and he in the Lord; this is why it is said "ye in Me and I in you," and "We will come and make Our abode with him;" this, therefore, is loving Him. To love means also to be conjoined, for love is spiritual conjunction, and conjunction is effected by the reception of Divine truth in doctrine and in life.

[3] Before showing from the Word that "Judah," or the tribe named from Judah, signifies love to the Lord, it shall be told what "Judah" signifies in each sense in the Word. In the highest sense "Judah" signifies the Lord in respect to celestial love; in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the Word; and in the external sense doctrine from the Word belonging to the celestial kingdom. Because in the highest sense the Lord in respect to celestial love is signified, and in the internal sense the celestial kingdom, love to the Lord also is signified, for that is the reciprocal love in man, and reigns in the Lord's celestial kingdom. There are two kingdoms into which the universal heaven is divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom; the celestial kingdom consists of those who are in love to the Lord, and the spiritual kingdom of those who are in love towards the neighbor; from this can be seen what is meant by celestial love and by spiritual love (on these kingdoms, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). These two kingdoms the Jews and Israelites represented, the Jews the celestial kingdom and the Israelites the spiritual kingdom. Again, "Judah" signifies the Word because the Lord is the Word, and He took on the Human in that tribe that He might be the Word in respect even to the Human, as it is said in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14).

"The Word" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from His Divine love; consequently those who love the Divine truth that is in the Word by doing it are in the Lord's love.

[4] That "Judah" signifies the Lord in respect to celestial love, and thus love to the Lord, and also the Word, can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:

Thou art Judah, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; thy father's sons shall bow down to thee. Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, art thou gone up; he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not be removed from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and the obedience of the peoples shall be to him. He shall bind his young ass to the vine, and the son of his she-ass to the noble vine; he washeth his vesture in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes; his eyes shall be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk (Genesis 49:8-12).

Here by "Judah" in the spiritual sense the Lord's celestial kingdom and the Lord Himself in respect to celestial love are described. Celestial love is the Lord's love received in the celestial kingdom, and spiritual love is the Lord's love received in the spiritual kingdom. The signification of these words is as follows: "Thy brethren shall praise thee" signifies that the celestial church is eminent above all others; for "the brethren," or the tribes named from Jacob's sons, who were Judah's brethren, signify the church; "thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies" signifies that the infernal and devilish crew shall be thrust out and held back, "enemies" meaning those who are from hell; "thy father's sons shall bow down to thee" signifies the submission of all truths of the church, "to bow down" meaning to submit themselves, and "his father's sons" all truths of the church; for in those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in the celestial kingdom, all truths of the church are implanted; "Judah is a lion's whelp" signifies innocence with innate powers; for love to the Lord, viewed in itself, is innocence, and this is signified by "whelp," and its innate powers are signified by a "lion;" "from the prey, my son, thou art gone up," signifies the deliverance of many from hell; "he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as an old lion," signifies the good of love and truth therefrom in its power; for "to stoop down," in reference to a lion, means to put himself into power; "who shall rouse him up?" signifies that this good is safe wherever it is, and that it cannot be moved by the hells.

"The scepter shall not be removed from Judah" signifies that power shall not depart from the good of celestial love; "nor a lawgiver from between his feet" signifies, nor shall the truths of the Word disappear from its ultimate sense; "until Shiloh come" signifies the Lord's coming and the tranquillity of peace at that time; "the obedience of the peoples shall be to him" signifies truths from Him, and conjunction thereby; "he shall bind his young ass to the vine" signifies the external church and its truths from the Lord; "and the son of his she-ass to the noble vine" signifies the internal church and its truths from the Lord; "he washeth his vesture in wine" signifies the Lord's external or natural Human, which is Divine truth from His Divine love; "and his covering in the blood of grapes," signifies the Lord's internal or rational Human, which is Divine good from His Divine love; "his eyes shall be red from wine" signifies that the internal or rational Human is nothing but good; "and his teeth white from milk" signifies that the external or natural Human is nothing but the good of truth. Thus from each particular in this description it can be seen that "Judah" does not mean Judah, but that it is some preeminently heavenly thing that is thus described. (But the particulars may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 6363-6381.)

[5] In Ezekiel:

Thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah and for the sons of Israel his fellows; then take another stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and of all the house of Israel; and then join them for thee one with another into one stick, that they both may be one in thy 1 hand. I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will bring upon it with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick. I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations whither they are gone, and will bring them together from round about, and will bring them upon their own land; and will make them into one nation upon the land in the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be to them all for a king, and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. My servant David shall be king over them, that they all may have one shepherd; and they shall walk in My judgments and keep My statutes, and do them. Then shall they 2 dwell upon the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell upon it, they and their sons and their sons' sons to eternity; and David My servant shall be their prince to eternity. And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be a covenant of eternity with them; and I will give them, and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever. So shall My tabernacle be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Ezekiel 37:16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24-27).

What this signifies no one can know unless he knows what "Judah" and "Israel," and "Joseph" and "Ephraim" signify. Evidently Judah and Israel are not meant, nor Joseph and Ephraim; for it is said that the tribes of Israel scattered among the nations should be gathered together and brought into the land of Canaan, and that David should be their king and prince, and that they were to dwell with him forever. Who does not know that the tribes of Israel could not be gathered, and that David could no more be king over them? Let it be known, then, what is signified in the spiritual sense by "Judah," by "the sons of Israel," by "Joseph" and "Ephraim," and further what by "David," and by "the land of Canaan." "Judah," in the spiritual sense, signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom; "the sons of Israel" the Lord's spiritual kingdom; "Joseph" and "Ephraim," and "the scattered tribes of Israel that are to be gathered together," mean those who are below these kingdoms, being neither celestial nor spiritual but natural, and yet are in the good of life according to their religious principle.

[6] These are meant also by the Lord in John:

Other sheep also I have, which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd (John 10:16);

for these were not in heaven before the Lord's coming, but were introduced by Him after He had glorified His Human, and for the reason that until then the Divine proceeding could not extend to them. When this is known, and when it is known that "David" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from His Divine Human, it can be known what the particulars here mean in series. These things were written upon two sticks, and the two sticks were joined into one stick, because a "stick" (or wood) signifies the good of life, and all conjunction in heaven is effected by means of good and according to it. (That "wood" signifies the good of life see Arcana Coelestia 643, 2784, 3720, 8354)

[7] In Isaiah:

Then the Lord shall lift up an ensign for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel, and shall bring together the scattered of Judah from the four wings of the earth. Then the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not distress Ephraim; but they shall fly on the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea (Isaiah 11:12-14).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles, which are also signified by "the outcasts of Israel" and "the scattered of Judah," for it is said that "the Lord shall lift up an ensign for the nations;" "the outcasts of Israel" mean those who are not in truths, but still are in the desire to learn them; and "the scattered of Judah" mean those who are in the good of life, and thereby in love to the Lord; for those who love to do good love the Lord; for the Lord is in such good, since it is from Him. "Ephraim" means the intellectual, here in agreement with the good of love; and that these shall not be at variance with each other is meant by "the envy of Ephraim shall depart;" "Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not distress Ephraim." That they shall be separated from those who are in faith separate from charity is signified by "they shall fly on the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea;" "the philistines towards the sea" meaning those who separate faith from charity, that is from the good of life; "the sea" meaning the ultimate of heaven where it comes to an end; and "to fly on the shoulder" meaning to reject, and thus to separate themselves.

[8] In Zechariah:

Exult, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just and faithful. 3 I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill the bow with Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion (Zechariah 9:9, 13).

This treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of the church by Him with those who are in the good of love and in the truths of doctrine therefrom. "The daughter of Zion" and "the daughter of Jerusalem" signify the church with such; "thy King who cometh, just and faithful," is the Lord, from whom are the good of love and the truth of doctrine; "I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill the bow with Ephraim," signifies that the church is to be established with such as are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the truths of doctrine therefrom; "Judah" here meaning those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and "Ephraim" the truths of doctrine, for "Ephraim" signifies the intellectual of the church, and "bow" the doctrine of truth (that "bow" signifies doctrine see above, n. 357, where this is also explained); such as these are "sons of Zion." Evidently the Jewish nation is not here meant by "Judah," nor Ephraim by "Ephraim;" for the Lord's church was not established with the Jewish nation, for it was not received by that nation, and the tribe of Ephraim did not then exist.

[9] In the same:

Jehovah of Hosts shall visit His drove, the house of Judah, and shall set them as the horse of His glory in war. Out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war. And I will render the house of Judah mighty, and I will save the house of Joseph, and will make them to dwell. Hence they shall be as the mighty Ephraim, and their heart shall be glad as if with wine (Zechariah 10:3, 4, 6, 7).

Here, too, "the house of Judah" means the Lord's celestial kingdom, which consists of those who are in love to Him, and "Ephraim" means those who are in the truths of doctrine from that love; for all who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom are in the truths of doctrine, since such have truths, as it were, implanted in and inscribed upon their hearts (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 25, 26. The rest may be seen explained above, n. 355, 376).

[10] In the same:

Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for lo I come that I may dwell in the midst of thee. Then many nations shall conjoin themselves to Jehovah in that day, and shall be to Me for a people. Jehovah shall make Judah an heritage for Himself, His part, in the land of holiness, and shall again choose Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:10-12).

Very evidently "Judah" here does not mean the Jewish nation, nor does "Jerusalem" mean Jerusalem; for the Lord's coming is here treated of, at which time that nation had wholly receded, and afterwards Jerusalem was destroyed; and yet it is said that "Jehovah shall make Judah an heritage for Himself, and His part in the land of holiness, and shall again choose Jerusalem;" therefore "Judah" means those who are in love to the Lord, and "Jerusalem" the church with such in respect to doctrine.

[11] In Nahum:

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that proclaimeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! Celebrate thy feasts, O Judah, render thy vows; for Belial shall never more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off (Nahum 1:15).

This, too, is said of the Lord; His coming is meant by "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that proclaimeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!" "To celebrate feasts" and "to render vows" signify to rejoice in His coming and then to worship Him; "Belial shall never more pass through Judah, he is utterly cut off," signifies that evil shall be no more with them because they are in the Lord. This could not be said of the Jewish nation, but may be said of those who are in love to the Lord; which makes clear that such are meant by "Judah."

[12] In Malachi:

Behold I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me; and the Lord shall suddenly come to His temple. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be agreeable unto Jehovah, according to the days of an age, and according to the former years (Joel 3:1, 4).

It is known in the church that this is said of the Lord's coming, and that "the messenger who shall prepare the way before Him" means John the Baptist. "The offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be agreeable unto Jehovah" signifies that then there will be acceptable worship from the good of love to the Lord, "the offering of Judah" signifying such worship; it is evident that the worship of the Jewish nation and of Jerusalem was not acceptable, for they did not acknowledge the Lord, but utterly rejected Him; "according to the days of an age, and according to former years," signifies according to the worship in the ancient churches; the Most Ancient Church, that was before the flood, and was in love to the Lord, is signified by "the days of an age," or of eternity, and the Ancient Church, that was after the flood, and was a spiritual church, is signified by "former years."

[13] In Joel:

It shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the water-courses of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the brook of Shittim. Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom shall be a waste wilderness, because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed in their land. But Judah shall sit to eternity, and Jerusalem to generation and generation (Joel 3:18-20).

Here, too, the Lord's coming and a new heaven and a new earth at that time are treated of. "The mountains shall drop down must" signifies that all truth will be from the good of love (that "mountains" signify the good of love see above n. 405; and that "wine" and "must" signify truth see also above, n. 376). "The hills shall flow with milk" signifies that spiritual life will be from the good of charity towards the neighbor; and "all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with waters" signifies that from the particulars of the Word there will be truths, through which there will be intelligence; "a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the brook of Shittim," signifies that out of heaven from the Lord there will be truth of doctrine that will illustrate those who are in cognitions and knowledges; "Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom shall be a waste wilderness" signifies that false principles, and the evils of the love of self, both from the natural man, will be destroyed; "because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed in their land," signifies because of the truths of the Word falsified and its goods adulterated, which they have corrupted and destroyed; "Judah shall sit to eternity, and Jerusalem to generation and generation," signifies that the Word and the doctrine of genuine truth therefrom will remain to eternity with those who are in love to the Lord. This makes clear that "Judah" does not here mean Judah, nor "Jerusalem" Jerusalem.

[14] In the same:

O Tyre and Zidon, and all the boundaries of the Philistines, I will quickly return a recompense upon your head; because ye have taken My silver and My gold, and the desirable things of My goods ye have brought into your temples; and the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem ye have sold to the sons of the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their boundaries (Joel 3:4-6).

By "Tyre and Zidon" and by "the Philistines" are understood those who have falsified the truths and goods of the Word; "my silver and my gold" signify these truths and goods, and "to bring them into their temples" signifies to falsify and profane them; "to sell the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Grecians" signifies to pervert and falsify all the truths and goods of the Word; "the sons of Judah" meaning the goods of the Word, "the sons of Jerusalem" its truths, and "the sons of the Grecians" falsities; "to remove them far from their boundaries" signifies far from the truths themselves. One who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word might believe that those who were in Tyre and Zidon and in Philistia sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Grecians; but this is a prophecy in which the nations which are named signify the things of the church.

[15] In Jeremiah:

In those days the house of Judah shall go unto 4 the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north unto the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers (Jeremiah 3:18).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming and of a new church from Him. His coming is meant by "in those days," and a new church by "the house of Judah and the house of Israel," a church from those who are in love to the Lord by "the house of Judah," and a church from those who are in charity towards the neighbor, which is called a spiritual church, by "the house of Israel." "They shall come together out of the land of the north unto the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers" signifies that they shall come out of ignorance and falsities, in which they then were, into knowledges and the light of truth of the church; "the land of the north" signifying a state of ignorance and of the falsity of religion and "the land given for an inheritance to their fathers" a church that is in knowledges and the light of truth. These things were said of the nations from whom a new church is to be established. It is well known that the house of Judah and the house of Israel did not then come out of the land of the north, namely at the time when the Lord was in the world; for the Jews were then in the land of Canaan, and the Israelites were dispersed.

[16] In the same:

Behold the days come when I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King, and shall prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the land. In His days shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is His name which they shall call Him, Jehovah our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5, 6; 33:15, 16).

This is plainly said of the Lord; He is "the Branch of David," He "shall reign as a King, and He shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness." "In His days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely," signifies that those will be saved who are in love to Him and in charity towards the neighbor (as above). It is evident that Judah was not saved, and that Israel was not recalled, and could not be recalled so as to dwell safely, that is, without infestation from evils and falsities.

[17] In the same:

I will bring Israel again to his habitation, that he may feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon Mount Ephraim and in Gilead. In those days and in that time the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found (Jeremiah 50:19, 20).

This, too, is said of the establishment by the Lord of a church among the Gentiles that are meant by "Israel," who is said to be brought back to his habitation, and "Judah" whose sins are not to be found. That these are to be led by the Lord and instructed in the good of charity is meant by "they shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and upon Mount Ephraim and in Gilead."

[18] In Zechariah:

In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness; and I will open Mine eye upon the house of Judah. In that day will I make the leaders of Judah like a furnace of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, that they may devour all the peoples round about, on the right and on the left, that Jerusalem may yet dwell in her own place, even in Jerusalem. Jehovah shall save the tents of Judah first (Zechariah 12:4, 6, 7).

This treats of the devastation of the former church and of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; the devastation of the former church is described by "In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness," for "horse" signifies the understanding of truth with man, and "the rider" intelligence (See above, n. 355; "the house of Judah" signifies the church with those who are in the good of love to the Lord; of this it is said that the Lord "will open His eye upon it." That evils from hell and also falsities will be dispersed by such and with such, is signified by "In that day will I make the leaders of Judah like a furnace of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, that they may devour all the peoples round about, on the right and on the left." That that church will be safe from the infestation of evils and falsities is signified by "Jerusalem shall dwell in her own place, even in Jerusalem;" and that the Lord will wholly save those who are in love to Him is signified by "Jehovah shall save the tents of Judah first."

[19] In Isaiah:

The word of Jehovah respecting Judah and Jerusalem: It shall come to pass in the latter end of days that the mountain of Jehovah shall be firm on the top of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it, and many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will instruct us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:1-3).

This, too, is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; "the mountain of Jehovah that will then be firm on the top of the mountains" means Zion, and signifies the celestial church, and love to the Lord, which those have who are of that church. That this is the primary thing of the church, and that it is to increase and gain strength, is signified by "it shall be on the top of the mountains, and be lifted up above the hills;" that those who are in good will acknowledge the Lord and will draw near to the church is signified by "all nations shall flow unto that mountain," "nations" signifying those who are in celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, and "peoples" those who are in spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor; of these latter it is said, "many peoples shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob." (That "nations" signify those who are in celestial good, and "peoples" those who are in spiritual good, see above, n. 331)

[20] In the same:

Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb, that establisheth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers, saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof (Isaiah 44:24, 26).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming, who is "Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb;" He is called "Redeemer" because He delivered from hell; and "the Former from the womb" because He regenerates man. A prediction by the prophets respecting Him and respecting the salvation of man is meant by "that establisheth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers;" that those who are of His church will be saved, and will be instructed in the truths of celestial doctrine is meant by "saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built;" "Jerusalem" meaning the church, and "the cities of Judah" the truths of celestial doctrine. That the falsities that destroy the church shall be shaken off is meant by "I will raise up the waste places thereof." It is not said by the Lord that Jerusalem would be inhabited and the cities of Judah built, but that Jerusalem would be destroyed, which was done as is well known.

[21] In the same:

And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an Inheri-tor of My mountains; that My chosen may possess it, and My servants dwell there (Isaiah 65:9).

Here "Jacob" and "Judah" do not mean a people from Jacob and a nation from Judah, but a church to be established by the Lord; "Jacob" means the church that is in the good of life, and "Judah" the church that is the good of love to the Lord; thus "Jacob" an external church, and "Judah" an internal church. "Seed" means charity and faith, and "mountains" the goods of love. Those who are in charity are called "chosen," and those who are in truths from the good of love are called "servants," therefore it is said "that My chosen may possess it, and My servants dwell there."

[22] In Ezekiel:

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

This was said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, and thus "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good belonging to the church; its merchandise and tradings are here treated of, which describe how these knowledges are acquired, here such of them as are acquired from Judah and the land of Israel; and as "Judah" signifies the good of love, and "Israel" the truths from that good, its tradings are said to be with "wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and in honey, and oil, and balsam," because "wheats of Minnith and Pannag" signify truths and goods of the church of all kinds, "honey" signifies the good of love in the natural man, "oil" the good of love in the spiritual man, and "balsam" truths that are grateful from good (See above, n. 375), where this is more fully explained). From the merchandise mentioned in this chapter, when understood in the spiritual sense, what is signified by the different nations there mentioned becomes very evident, thus what is meant by "Judah" and by "Israel," for the merchandise indicates the spiritual meaning.

[23] That "Judah" does not mean the Jewish nation can be seen in Ezekiel 48:8-22, which treats of a new land that was to be distributed among the twelve tribes of Israel, and these tribes are there named, and what part of the land each one was to possess; and much is there said about the tribe of Judah, and that "the sanctuary should be in the midst of it" (verses 8-22); which makes clear that the tribes there mentioned do not mean those tribes, for eleven of them had been scattered, and had become Gentiles, from whom they could not be distinguished, for they had been carried away into perpetual exile. It is evident also that the land there mentioned does not mean a land, but a church, and consequently the tribes there mentioned mean such things as pertain to the church, and "Judah" there means the celestial church, or the church that is in love to the Lord, in which therefore, is the sanctuary.

[24] The like is meant by "Judah" and "Israel" in David:

Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His domain (Psalms 114:2).

"Sanctuary" signifies in the highest sense the Lord Himself, and in a relative sense the worship of Him from the good of love; "Israel" signifies the truth of the church from that good; and because truths from good, that is, good by means of truths, have all power, therefore it is said "Israel became His domain." Because "Judah" signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, and "Israel" the Lord's spiritual kingdom (as was said above), and the celestial kingdom is what constitutes the priesthood of the Lord in heaven, and the spiritual kingdom the royalty of the Lord (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 24, 226), so in the Word the Lord is called a "King," and in the Gospels:

King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2; John 18:33, 37; 19:19);

and the Lord as "King of the Jews" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His Divine love; therefore "kings" in the Word signify truths that are from good (See above, n. 31).

[25] In Jeremiah:

Behold the days come that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of the beast; and in which I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, I will give My law in the midst of them, and will write it upon their heart; and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 33, 34).

Here, too, "the days to come" mean the Lord's coming; therefore it is not meant that a new covenant would then be made with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, but with a new church to be established by the Lord, which is meant by "the house of Israel and the house of Judah," in the midst of whom the law should be given, and should be written on the heart. Everyone knows that this was not done with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, for they utterly rejected the covenant with the Lord and likewise do so to this day. "Covenant" signifies conjunction with the Lord through love to Him, from which conjunction there is given the law or Divine truth in them, both in their doctrine and in their life, and this is the law in the midst and written 5 on the heart. "To sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast" signifies to reform those who are of the new church through truths and goods that are of intelligence and affection, "seed" meaning truth, "man" intelligence, and "beast" the good of affection. That this is the signification of "beast" will be shown in what follows.

[26] In Zechariah:

Many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the faces of Jehovah. In those days, 6 ten men out of all the tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you (Zechariah 8:22, 23).

One who does not know that a "Jew" means such as are in love to the Lord and in the truths of doctrine therefrom can easily be led to believe that these things are said of the Jews, and of bringing them into the land of Canaan, and that all others who desire to be saved will then take hold of the skirt of their raiment, praying to be allowed to go with them. But when it is known that this is not said of any introduction into the land of Canaan, to Jerusalem there, and that a "Jew" does not mean those who are of that nation, but that "Jerusalem" means a new church to be established by the Lord, and a "Jew" everyone who is in the good of love to the Lord, and "the skirt of a Jew" means truth from that good, then the signification of all things in this chapter and of these words in particular can be known, for this treats of the calling together of the nations and their drawing near to the church, and a "Jew" means those who acknowledge and love the Lord, and "to take hold of his skirt" signifies a longing to know truth from the Lord, and "ten men out of all the tongues of the nations" mean all, of whatever religion, "ten men" signifying all, and "tongues of the nations" their religious principles.

[27] From this it can be seen how far from the truth those have wandered, who believe that at the end of time the Jews will be converted to the Lord and brought back into the land of Canaan. These believe that "land," "Jerusalem," "Israel," and "Judah" mean in the Word the land of Canaan, the city of Jerusalem, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation. Those who have hitherto so believed are excusable, because they have known nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word, and therefore have not known that the "land" signifies the church, "Jerusalem" the church in respect to doctrine, "Israel" those who are of the spiritual church, and "Judah" those who are of the celestial church; also that where bringing them into the land of Canaan is treated of in the prophets, bringing the faithful into heaven and into the church is meant. This also took place when the Lord came into the world, for then all those who had lived in the good of charity and had worshiped God under a human form were brought into heaven; these had been preserved under heaven until the Lord came, and when He had glorified His Human they were brought in. These are the ones meant in many passages in the prophetic Word that treat of the captivity of the sons of Israel and Judah, and their being brought back into their land. In these passages those also are meant who were to be brought into the church, and thence into heaven from the earth after the Lord came, not only where the Christian religion is received but everywhere else. Both of these classes are meant in many passages where Israel, Judah and Jerusalem are mentioned, and their being brought into the land is treated of (as in the following: Isaiah 10:21, 22; 11:11, 12; 43:5, 6; 49:10-26; 56:8; 60:4; 61:1-5, 9; Jeremiah 3:12-20; 16:15, 16; 23:7, 8; 30:2-11; 31:1-14, 23-40; 33:6-18; Ezekiel 16:60-62; 20:40-42; 34:11-16; 37:21-28; 39:21-29; Hosea 3:5; Joel 2:18-27; 2:32; Amos 9:12-15 elsewhere).

[28] The two following may be taken as examples of passages whereby the Jews have persuaded themselves, and also Christians have come to believe, that the Jewish nation is to return into the land of Canaan, and be saved before others. In Isaiah:

Then shall they bring all your brethren out of all nations, an offering unto Jehovah, upon horses, and upon the chariot, and upon covered wagons, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to the mountain of My holiness, Jerusalem. 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 66:20, 22).

(What this signifies see above, n. 355, 405, where they are explained.) "The new heaven and the new earth" mean the heaven and the church formed of those who were to be saved by the Lord, when He had glorified His Human, as was said above.

[29] In the same:

I will lift up My hand towards the nations, and elevate My ensign to the peoples, that they may bring thy sons in the bosom, and carry thy daughters upon the shoulder. Kings shall be thy nourishers, and princesses thy sucklers; with the face to the earth shall they bow down to thee, and lick the dust of thy feet (Isaiah 49:22, 23).

This whole chapter treats of the coming of the Lord and the salvation of those who receive Him, as is clearly evident from verses 6-9 chapter; consequently it does not treat of the salvation of the Jews, much less of their restoration to the land of Canaan. That the Jewish nation is not meant in the above passages can be seen from the fact that it was the worst nation and at heart idolatrous, and that it was brought back into the land of Canaan not because of any goodness or righteousness of heart, but because of the promise made to their fathers; also that they had no truths and goods of the church, but only falsities and evils, and that for this reason they were rejected and driven out of the land of Canaan; as can be seen from all those passages in the Word in which that nation is described.

[30] Of what quality that nation was, and what it was to become, namely, that it was the very worst, is described by Moses in his song in these words:

I will hide My face from them, I will see what their posterity will be; for they are 7 a generation of perversions, sons in whom is no faithfulness. I have said, I will hurl them into the extreme corners, I will make the remembrance of them to cease from man. For they are a nation lost of counsel, neither is there any intelligence in them. Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are of bitternesses. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel gall of asps. Is this not 8 laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures? Mine is vengeance and requital (Deuteronomy 32:20-35).

This describes what the nature of the church is with the Jews, namely that it is in dire falsities from evil. What the church is with them is meant by "their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah," "vine" signifying the church. The falsities from evil that they possess are meant by "their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are of bitternesses, their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel gall of asps;" "grapes" signify the goods of the church, but "grapes of gall" and "clusters of bitternesses" signify evils from dire falsities; their falsities themselves are meant by "their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel gall of asps;" "wine" signifies truth from the Word, but "the poison of dragons" and "the gall of asps" signify the monstrous falsity that springs from the falsified truths of the Word. In like manner is that nation described in other parts of the Word (as in Deuteronomy, in the book of Judges, and in the prophets, as in Jeremiah 5:20-31; 7:8-34; 9:2-26; 11:6-17; 13:9-27; 19; 32:30-35; 44:2-24). That this nation was at heart idolatrous is evident from the passages cited, and from many others, as in Jeremiah:

According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye 9 set up altars to burn incense unto Baal (Jeremiah 2:28, 11:13).

[31] That they were not brought into the land of Canaan on account of any goodness or righteousness of heart, but on account of the promise made to their fathers, see in Moses:

Not for thy righteousness nor for the uprightness of thy heart dost thou come to possess the land, but to establish the word that Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know therefore, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people (Deuteronomy 9:5, 6).

[32] That they had no truths and goods of the church, but only falsities and evils is evident from the Word, where their whoredoms and adulteries are treated of (in Jeremiah 3 end; Ezekiel 23 the end). "Whoredoms and adulteries" mean in the Word falsifications of truth and adulterations of good (See above, n. 141, 161); consequently the Lord says that they are:

An adulterous generation (Matthew 12:39; Mark 8:38);

Also that they are full of hypocrisy, iniquity, and uncleanness (Matthew 23:27, 28);

Also that they have falsified the Word by their traditions (Matthew 15:1-6; Mark 7:1-14).

And in plain words in John:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh from his own, for he is a liar and the father thereof (John 8:44).

"A lie" means falsity from evil; "the devil" the extinction of all good; "a murderer" the extinction of all truth; "father" means both those who are from hell and those who lived from that generation back to the earliest times; "to speak from his own" means to speak from what is innate.

[33] That thus everything of the church with them was destroyed, and they were therefore rejected, is evident from Isaiah:

The Lord Jehovih of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread and the whole stay 10 of water, the mighty one and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the diviner and the old man. For Jerusalem hath stumbled, and Judah hath fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah to rebel against the eyes of His glory (Isaiah 3:1, 2, 8).

"To take away the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water" signifies to take away all the good of love, and the truth of faith by which there is spiritual life; "bread" meaning the good of love, and "water" the truth of faith, and "stay" and "staff" powers, and from these are all things of spiritual life; "to take away the mighty one and the man of war" signifies to take away all resistance to evils and falsities; "to take away the judge and the prophet" signifies all good and truth of doctrine; "to take away the diviner and the old man" signifies all intelligence and wisdom; "their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to rebel against the eyes of His glory" signifies that everything of their doctrine and of their life is utterly opposed to Divine truth; "tongue" meaning doctrine, "doings" life, and "the eyes of Jehovah's glory" the Divine truth; "to rebel" means to be opposed to it.

[34] In the same:

What could have been done more to My vineyard? Judge between Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Therefore I expected that it would bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. Now I will make known to you what I will do to My vineyard; in taking away its hedge that it may be eaten up, in breaking down its wall that it may be trampled down, I will lay it waste, that there may come up the brier and the bramble; I will even command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it (Isaiah 5:3-6).

The "vineyard" here means the church with that nation; "I expected that it would bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes," signifies that with that nation in place of the goods of truth of the church there were the evils of falsity; "to take away its hedge that it may be eaten up, to break down the wall that it may be trampled down," signifies the destruction of the church in respect to goods and truths, so that evils and falsities rush in, which are "the brier and the bramble" that should come up; "I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" signifies that with them there is no more any reception of truth and good through the Word out of heaven.

[35] The destruction of the church with that nation is also treated of in Isaiah (Isaiah 7:17-19, and following verses), in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:15), and in many other passages. For this reason that nation was driven out of the land of Canaan, first the Israelitish nation and afterwards the Jewish nation; and this because the land of Canaan signifies the heavenly Canaan, which is heaven and the church. The quality of each of these nations is fully described in the internal sense in Exodus 32 and 33, where the golden calf that they made for themselves is treated of, on account of which Jehovah wished to consume them, and to raise up from Moses another generation (all of which may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 10393-10512, and n. 10523-10557).

[36] What the quality of the Jewish nation was is described also in the internal sense of Genesis 38, which treats of their origin, which was from a Canaanitish woman, and from whoredom with a daughter-in-law; for there were three stocks of that nation, one from the Canaanitish woman whom Judah took to himself for a wife, and two from Tamar his daughter-in-law, with whom he lay as with a harlot (for Arcana Coelestia 4813-4930 the explanation of which see Arcana Coelestia 4813-4930).

[37] What the quality of that nation was is also described by what is said of Judas Iscariot, for he represented the Jewish nation in respect to the church. For the Lord's twelve disciples represented the church of the Lord in general, and each one of them some universal essential of it, and Judas Iscariot represented it such as it was with the Jews. (Besides the above, see what has been written respecting that nation in Arcana Coelestia, as follows: a representative church was instituted with the Jewish nation, but in that nation itself there was no church, n. 4899, 4912, 6304.) Consequently in respect to the nation itself, there was a representative of a church, but not a church, n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 6304, 7048, 9320, 10396, 10526, 10531, 10698. The Israelitish and Jewish nation was not chosen, but was accepted to represent a church, because of the persistency with which their fathers and Moses urged it, n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439, 10430, 10535, 10632. Their worship was merely external, without any internal worship, n. 1200, 3147, 3479, 8871. They knew not at all the internals of worship, nor did they wish to know, n. 301-303, 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10694, 10701, 10707. How they regard the internal things of worship, of the church, and of the Word, n. 4865. Their interiors, which are of thought and affection, were filthy, full of the loves of self and the world, and of avarice, n. 3480, 9962, 10454-10457, 10462-10466, 10575. Therefore the internals of the church were not disclosed to them, because they would have profaned them, n. 2520, 3398, 3479, 4289. The Word was altogether closed to them, and is yet, n. 3769. They see the Word from without, and not from within, n. 10549-10551. Consequently when they were in worship their internal was closed, n. 8788, 8806, 9320, 9377, 9380, 9962, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10575, 10629, 10694. Still that nation excelled all others in the ability to keep up a holy external, although the internal was closed, n. 4293, 4311, 4903, 9373, 9377, 9380. Their state at that time, n. Arcana Coelestia 4311. They were preserved for the sake of the Word in the original tongue, and because they could be kept in such a state, n. 3479. Their holy external was miraculously raised up into heaven by the Lord, and in this way the interiors of worship, of the church, and of the Word, were there perceived, n. 3480, 4307, 4311, 6304, 8588, 10493, 10499, 10500, 10602. That this might be done they were forced by external means to observe strictly the rituals and statutes in external form, n. 3147, 4281, 10149. Because of their ability to be in a holy external, without the internal, they were able to represent the holy things of heaven and the church, n. 3479, 3881, 4208, 6306, 6589, 9377, 10430, 10500, 10570. Yet they themselves were not affected by the holy things, n. 3479. It does not matter of what quality the person is who represents, since representation has respect to the thing, not to the person, n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.

That nation was worse than other nations, their quality described from the Word of both Testaments, n. 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 5998, 7248, 8819, 9320, 10454-10457, 10462-10466. The tribe of Judah sank into worse evil than the other tribes, n. Arcana Coelestia 4815. How cruelly from delight they treated the nations, n. 5057, 7248, 9320. That nation was idolatrous in heart, and worshiped other gods more than others, n. 3732, 4208, 4444, 4825, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8871, 8882. Their worship viewed in regard to the nation itself, was also idolatrous, being external, without any internal, n. 4281, 4825, 8871, 8882. They worshipped Jehovah only in name, n. 6877, 10559-10561, 10566; and solely because of miracles, n. Arcana Coelestia 4299. Those are mistaken who believe that the Jews are to be converted at the end of the church, and brought back into the land of Canaan, n. 4847, 7051, 8301. Many passages cited from the Word concerning this, which must however be understood according to the internal sense, thus not according to the letter, n. Arcana Coelestia 7051. The Word in respect to the external sense was changed because of that nation, but not in respect to the internal sense, n. 10453, 10461, 10603, 10604. Jehovah appeared to them from Mount Sinai according to their quality, in a consuming fire, in a dense cloud, and in smoke as of a furnace, n. 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434. The Lord appears to everyone according to his quality, as a vivifying and recreating fire to those who are in good, and as a consuming fire to those who are in evil, n. 934, 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551. One origin of this nation was from a Canaanite woman, and the other two from whoredom with a daughter-in-law, n. 1167, 4818, 4820, 4825, 4874, 4899, 4913. These origins signified what their conjunction with the church was, namely, that it was like that with a Canaanite woman and by whoredom with a daughter-in-law, n. 4868, 4874, 4899, 4911, 4913, of their state in another life, n. 939, 940, 5057. Because that nation, although it was such, represented the church, and the Word was written with that nation and respecting it, therefore Divine celestial things were signified by their names, as by Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Ephraim, Joseph, and the rest; "Judah" in the internal sense signifying the Lord in respect to celestial love, and His celestial kingdom, n. 3654, 3881, 5583, 5603, 5782, 6363. The prophesy of Israel respecting Judah (Genesis 49:8-12), in which the Lord is treated of, explained, n. 6362-6381. The tribe of Judah, and Judea, signify the celestial church, n. 3654, 6364. The twelve tribes represented and thus signified all things of love and faith in the complex, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335; consequently also heaven and the church, n. 6337, 6637, 7836, 7891. Their signification is according to the order in which they are named, n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603, et seq., 6337, 6640. The twelve tribes were divided into two kingdoms, that the Jews might represent the celestial kingdom, and the Israelites the spiritual kingdom, n. 8770, 9320. "The seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," signifies the goods and truths of the church, n. 3373, 10445.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Photolithograph has "my," as also elsewhere in Swedenborg, but Hebrew has "thy."

2. Photolithograph has "I," but Hebrew has "they," which we also find in AC 9594.

3. This is the Photolithograph, the Hebrew is "saved" or "saving." The latter translation is found in AE 31, 850, and "saved" in AC 2781, Doctrine of the Lord 6.

4. Photolithograph has "and the house of Israel shall go;" the Hebrew has "shall go unto the house of Israel," which is also found in Doctrine of the Lord 4 and AC 3654.

5. Photolithograph for "written" has "I will write."

6. Photolithograph has "in that day;" the Hebrew "those days" is found in AE 455, 675, etc.

7. Photolithograph has "it is," the Hebrew "they are" is found in AE 412; AC 4317, 7051.

8. Photolithograph has "all this is," the Hebrew "is it not" is found in AC 7051, 9320.

9. Photolithograph has "hast thou," the Hebrew "have ye" is found in AE 324, 652.

10. Photolithograph has "staff," but see AE 727.

  
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Apocalypse Explained # 518

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518. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters, signifies that consequently all understanding of truth perished and thereby the doctrine of the church. This is evident from the signification of "falling" from heaven, as being, in reference to stars, to perish (of which presently); also from the signification of "the third part," as being everything (of which above, n. 506, here all, because it is said of the understanding of truth and of doctrine, which are signified by "rivers" and "fountains of waters;" also from the signification of "rivers," as being the understanding of truth (of which presently); and from the signification of "fountains of waters," as being the Word and doctrine from the Word, thus "fountains" mean the truths of the Word and doctrinals (of which above, n. 483).

[2] When "to fall" is predicated of stars, which mean the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (as above), it signifies to perish, because when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is turned into falsity, and when Divine truth becomes falsity it perishes. This is signified also by:

The stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25);

namely, that in the last time of the church the knowledges of truth and good will perish. That when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is changed into falsity and thus perishes, may be seen above (n. 413, 418, 419, 489); for Divine truth is changed into falsity of the same character as the evil belonging to those into whom it flows. This becomes evident from the following experience: It has been granted me to observe carefully how Divine truth was changed into falsity while it was passing down deep into hell, and it was perceived that it was changed successively as it flowed down, at length even into what was most false.

[3] "Rivers" signify the understanding of truth, likewise intelligence, because "waters" signify truths, and the understanding is the receptacle and complex of truths, as a river is of waters, and because thought from the understanding, which is intelligence, is like a stream of truth. From the same origin, namely, from the signification of "waters" as being truths, a "fountain" signifies the Word and the doctrine of truth, and "pools," "lakes," and "seas," signify the knowledges of truth in the complex. That "waters" signify truths, and "living waters" truths from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 71, 483); and also in the following passages in this article.

[4] That "rivers" and "streams" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence can be seen from the Word where "rivers" and "streams" are mentioned. Thus in Isaiah:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the Lord, also of the reformation of the Gentiles, and of the establishment of the church among them. "The lame who shall leap as a hart" signifies one who is not in genuine good because he is not in the knowledges of truth and good; "the tongue of the dumb which shall sing" signifies confession of the Lord by those who are in ignorance of the truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that there shall be truths where there were none before; "and brooks in the plain of the desert" signifies that there shall be intelligence where there was none before, "wilderness" meaning where there is no truth, and "plain of the desert" where there is no intelligence; "waters" mean truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[5] In the same:

I will open rivers on the heights, and fountains will I place in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters (Isaiah 41:18).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord; "to open rivers on the heights" means to bestow interior intelligence; and "to place fountains in the midst of valleys" means to instruct the external man in truths. (The rest may be seen explained in n. 483.)

[6] In the same:

Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even place a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl; because I will give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

This treats of the Lord and of a new church to be established by Him, which is meant by "Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth;" "to place a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" signifies that there shall be truth and the understanding of truth where there were none before, "way" meaning truth leading to heaven, and "rivers" understanding; "to give drink to the people" signifies to instruct those who desire it; "the wild beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl" signify those who know truths and goods merely from memory, and do not understand and perceive them; these speak about truth with no idea of truth, depending solely upon others.

[7] In the same:

I will pour out waters upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring (Isaiah 44:3).

"To pour out waters upon him that is thirsty" signifies to instruct in truths those who are in the affection of truth; "to pour streams upon the dry land" signifies to give intelligence to those who are in a desire for truth from good; the like is signified by "pouring out the spirit and the blessing;" for God's "spirit" signifies Divine truth, and "blessing" its multiplication and fructification, thus intelligence. Who does not see that here and above, waters and streams, wilderness and desert, are not meant, but such things as pertain to the church? Therefore it is here added, "I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring."

[8] In Moses:

For Jehovah leadeth thee to a land of brooks of water, of fountains, of depths flowing forth in valley and mountain (Deuteronomy 8:7).

The land of Canaan, to which Jehovah was to lead them, signifies the church, therefore "brooks of water, fountains, and depths flowing forth in valley and mountain," signify such things as belong to the church; "brooks of water" signifying the understanding of truth, "fountains" doctrinals from the Word, and "depths flowing forth in valley and mountain" the knowledges of truth and good in the natural and in the spiritual man.

[9] In Isaiah:

Look upon Zion and Jerusalem, where the glorious Jehovah will be with us a place of rivers, of streams, of breadth of spaces; no ship of oar shall go therein, and no magnificent ship shall pass through it (Isaiah 33:20, 21).

Here, too, "a place of rivers and streams" signifies wisdom and intelligence (the signification of the rest is explained above, n. 514.

[10] In Joel:

In that day the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah and shall water the brook of Shittim (Joel 3:18).

(This also has been explained above, n. 433, 483.) "The fountain that shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah" signifies the truth of doctrine out of heaven from the Lord; and "the brook of Shittim that it shall water," signifies the illustration of the understanding.

[11] In Ezekiel:

The waters issued out from under the threshold of the house of God towards the east. The man led me and brought me back upon the bank of the river. When I returned, behold upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. He said, Every living soul that creepeth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; whence there are exceeding many fish, because these waters come thither and are healed, that everything may live whither the river cometh. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed; it is renewed in its months, because its waters flow out of the sanctuary (Ezekiel 47:1-12).

This, too, has been explained above (n. 422, 513), which makes evident that "the waters flowing out of the house of God towards the east" signify Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and flowing in with those who are in the good of love; and that "the river, upon the bank of which was every tree for food, and by the waters of which every soul that creepeth lived, whence there were many fish," signifies intelligence from the reception of Divine truth, from which all things with man, his affections and perceptions, as well as his cognitions and knowledges and the thoughts therefrom acquire spiritual life.

[12] In Jeremiah:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah; He shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that sendeth forth his roots by the stream, and he shall not see when the heat shall come, his leaf shall be green (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).

"The tree planted by the waters" means a man with whom there are truths from the Lord; "he sendeth forth his roots by the stream" means the extension of intelligence from the spiritual man into the natural. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 481.)

Where trees and gardens are treated of in the Word, waters and rivers to water them are also mentioned, for the reason that "trees" signify perceptions and knowledges, and "waters" and "rivers" truths and understanding therefrom; for without the understanding of truths man is like a garden where there is no water, whose trees wither away.

[13] As in Moses:

As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river, as lign-aloes – three times which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar-trees beside the waters (Numbers 24:6).

This is said of the sons of Israel, by whom the church is signified which was then to be planted. This church is compared to valleys which are planted, and to a garden by the river, because "valleys" signify the intelligence of the natural man, and a "garden" the intelligence of the spiritual man, and it is compared to lign-aloes – three times and cedar-trees, because "lign-aloes – three times" signify the things of the natural man, and "cedar-trees" the things of the rational man; since these all live from the influx of Divine truth from the Lord they are said to be planted "by the river and beside the waters," which signifies Divine truth flowing in, from which is intelligence.

[14] As "the garden in Eden" or "paradise" means the wisdom and intelligence that the most ancient people had who lived before the flood, so where their wisdom is described, the influx of Divine truth, and of intelligence thence, is also described in these words:

A river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and was in four heads (Genesis 2:10, et seq.). "A river from Eden" signifies wisdom from love, which is Eden; "to water the garden" means to bestow intelligence; intelligence is described by the four rivers there treated of. (This may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 107-121.)

[15] In Ezekiel:

Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon. The waters made it grow, the abyss made it high, so that with its rivers it went round about its plant, and sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field (Ezekiel 31:3, 4).

"Asshur" signifies the rational man, or the rational of man, likewise "the cedar in Lebanon;" and because the genuine rational is perfected by the knowledges of truth and good it is said that "the waters made it grow, and the abyss made it high," "waters" meaning truths, and "the abyss" the knowledges of truth in the natural man; the increase of intelligence is signified by "with its rivers it went round about its plant;" and the multiplication of the knowledges of truth by "it sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field."

[16] In David:

Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt. Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Psalms 80:8, 11).

"A vine out of Egypt" means the sons of Israel, who are called a "vine" because they represented the spiritual church, which is what "vine" signifies in the Word; their tarrying in Egypt represented their first initiation into the things of the church, for "Egypt" signified the knowledges [scientifica] subservient to the things of the church when, therefore, "the vine" signifies the church, and "Egypt" the knowledge serving it, it is evident what is signified in the spiritual sense by "Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt." The extension of the intelligence of the church even to things known and things rational is signified by "Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river;" "to send out boughs and shoots" meaning multiplication and extension, the "sea" knowledge []scientificum]; and the "river," which here is the Euphrates, the rational. The extension of the church and the multiplication of its truths and of intelligence therefrom are described by the extension of the land of Canaan to the Sea Suph, to the sea of the Philistines, and to the river Euphrates.

[17] In Moses:

And I will set thy border from the Sea Suph even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness even to the river (Exodus 23:31).

"The borders of the land of Canaan" signify the ultimates of the church, which are true knowledges [scientifica vera], cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and things rational. "The Sea Suph" signifies true knowledge; "the sea of the Philistines," where Tyre and Sidon were, signifies the knowledges of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word; and "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational; for knowledges [scientifica] serve the cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and both these serve the rational, and the rational serves intelligence, which is given by means of spiritual truths joined to spiritual good.

[18] The like that is here said of the church and its extension is said of the Lord's power over all things of heaven and the church, in David:

I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers (Psalms 89:25).

This is said of David, by whom is here meant the Lord; the Lord's power, even to the ultimates of heaven and the church, thus over the whole heaven, and over everything of the church, is signified by "setting the hand in the sea, and the right hand in the rivers," "hand" and "right hand" signify power, and the "sea" and "rivers" the ultimates of heaven and the church. The ultimates of heaven are seas and rivers, as has been several times said above. These were represented by the two seas and by the two rivers that formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The two seas were the sea of Egypt and the sea of the Philistines, where were Tyre and Sidon; and the two rivers were the Euphrates and the Jordan. But the Jordan was the boundary between the interior land of Canaan and the exterior; in the exterior were the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Likewise in Zechariah:

His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10).

This, too, is said of the Lord, and has a like meaning; His dominion even to the ultimates of heaven and the church means over all things of heaven and the church, for the ultimates are the boundaries.

[19] In David:

Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting. The rivers have lifted up, O Jehovah, the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers have lifted up their roaring. More than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea, Jehovah is glorious (Psalms 93:2-4).

This, too, is said of the Lord; His dominion from eternity to eternity over heaven and earth is signified by "Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting." The glorification of the Lord because of His coming and because of the consequent salvation of mankind is signified by "the rivers have lifted up their voice (and their roaring);" for "rivers," here three times mentioned, signify all things of man's intelligence, both in the internal and in the external man. Divine truth from the Lord, through which there is power and through which there is salvation, is signified by "more than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea," "waters" meaning truths, and "the voices of many glorious waters" Divine truths.

[20] The glorification and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart are thus described elsewhere in David:

Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound, the world and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing aloud together (Psalms 98:7, 8).

The glorification of the Lord by the universal heaven is signified by these words. The glorification from its ultimates is signified by "Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound;" the glorification from the whole heaven is signified by "let the world and they that dwell therein give forth a sound," "the world" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its truths, and "they that dwell therein" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its goods; for "inhabitants" signify in the Word those who are in the goods of heaven and the church, and thus the goods of such. The glorification of the Lord by the truths of intelligence and by the goods of love, is signified by "let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing aloud together," "rivers" meaning the truths of intelligence, and "mountains" the goods of love.

[21] Divine truth from the Lord, the reception of which is the source of intelligence, is signified by "the waters from the rock in Horeb" (Exodus 17:6), thus spoken of in David:

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and made them to drink out of the great abysses, and He brought flowing waters out of the rock, and made the waters to run down like rivers. He smote the rock, so that the waters gushed out and the brooks overflowed (Psalms 78:15, 16, 20).

And again:

He opened the rock that the waters might flow; the rivers ran in the dry places (Psalms 105:41).

The "rock" here means the Lord; and the "waters that flowed out therefrom" mean Divine truth from Him; and the "rivers" signify intelligence and wisdom therefrom; "to drink of the great abysses" signifies to imbibe and perceive the arcana of wisdom.

[22] In John:

Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that cometh unto Me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This saith He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him were to receive (John 7:37-39).

"To come to the Lord and drink" signifies to receive from Him the truths of doctrine and belief therein; that spiritual intelligence is therefrom is signified by "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," "living water" being Divine truth which is from the Lord alone, "rivers" the things belonging to intelligence, and the "belly" thought from memory, for to this the belly corresponds; and as "rivers of living water" signify intelligence through Divine truth from the Lord it is added, "this saith He of the spirit which they that believe on Him were to receive," "the spirit that they were to receive from the Lord," meaning Divine truth and intelligence therefrom; so, too, the Lord called the spirit that they received "the spirit of truth" (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15).

[23] In David:

Jehovah hath founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:2).

The "world" signifies heaven and the church in the whole complex, the "seas" signify cognitions and knowledges which are the ultimates of the church, and in particular, the cognitions of truth and good, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word; "rivers" signify introduction through knowledges into heavenly intelligence. This makes clear the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense, namely, that the interior things of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual, are founded upon the cognitions of truth and good which are in the sense of the letter of the Word rationally understood. It is said, "He hath founded the world upon the seas and established it upon the rivers," because there are seas and rivers in the boundaries of heaven, represented by the Sea Suph, the sea of the Philistines, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan, which were the boundaries of the land of Canaan; and because what is ultimate means in the Word what is lowest, it is said that Jehovah "founded" and "established" upon these. Evidently the earth is not founded upon seas and rivers.

[24] In the same:

The Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, He hath filled with dead bodies, He hath stricken through the head over many a land. He drinketh out of the brook in the way; therefore shall He exalt the head (Psalms 110:5-7).

This is said of the Lord, and of His combat against falsities and evils from the hells, and of their subjugation. "Kings" mean falsities from hell, and "nations" evils therefrom. The Lord's Divine power is meant by "the Lord at the right hand;" "He hath stricken through them in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, and He hath filled with dead bodies," signifies the subjugation and destruction of evils and falsities from the hells; "the head that He hath stricken through in many a land," means the love of self, which is the source of all evils and falsities; "to strike through in many a land" signifies total destruction and damnation; "the brook out of which the head drinketh," and because of which "it shall be exalted," signifies the Word in the letter, "to drink out of it" meaning to learn something from it, and "to lift up the head" meaning to resist for a time; for all those who are in falsities from evil cannot be cast down into hell until the things that they know from the Word are taken away from them, since all things of the Word communicate with heaven, by which communication they exalt the head; but when these are taken away they are cast down into hell. This is the meaning of these words, which no one can see except by means of the spiritual sense and a knowledge of the quality of the Word.

[25] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was Thine anger against the rivers? Was Thy wrath against the sea? Because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation (Habakkuk 3:8).

This is a supplication that the church may be guarded and not perish; the "rivers" and the "sea" signify all things of the church, because they are its ultimates (as above); "to ride upon horses," in reference to Jehovah, that is, the Lord, signifies the Divine wisdom which is in the Word; and "chariots" signify doctrinals therefrom.

[26] In David:

We will not fear when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved from 1 the heart of the seas; the waters thereof shall be in tumult, shall be made turbid, the mountains shall quake in the pride thereof. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the holy city of God, the dwelling places of the Most High; God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved (Psalms 46:2-5).

This involves in the spiritual sense, that although the church and all things thereof perish, still the Word and the Divine truth it contains shall not perish; for the "earth" signifies the church; "mountains" signify the goods of love; "waters" truths; and "to be changed," "to be moved," "to be in tumult" "to be made turbid" and "to quake" signify the states of these when they perish, and falsities and evils enter in their place, consequently the states of the church when it is vastated in respect to goods and desolated in respect to truths (See above, n. 304, 405, where this is more completely explained). That the Word or Divine truth for the church is not to perish is signified by "There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God; she shall not be changed;" "river" signifying here the like as "fountain," namely, the Word, because "streams" are predicated of it, by which are signified truths; the "city of God" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; "to make glad" signifies influx and reception from joy of heart, and "not to be changed" signifies not to perish in any respect.

[27] In Isaiah:

Then the waters shall fail in 2 the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry, and the rivers shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and flag shall wither; the paper reeds by the stream near the mouth of the stream, and all seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more (Isaiah 19:5-7).

This is said of Egypt, which signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man, and its "stream" the cognition and apperception of truth, and in the contrary sense the apperception of falsity; that these are to perish is signified by "the stream shall dry up and become dry;" that thus there would be no longer truths, not even natural and sensual truths, which are the lowest, is signified by "the reed and flag shall wither, the paper reeds by the stream, and all the seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more."

[28] In the same:

I have digged and have drunk waters; and with the sole of my steps have I dried up all the streams of Egypt (Isaiah 37:25).

These are the words of Senacherib, the king of Assyria, by whom the perverted rational destroying all knowledge and apperception of truth is signified; this is signified by his "drying up with the sole of his steps all the streams of Egypt." The "streams of Egypt" signify knowledges and apperceptions of truth, because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to knowledges (scientifica), and cognition and apperception belong to the natural man, as intelligence does to the spiritual man.

[29] In Ezekiel:

They shall draw out their swords against Egypt, to fill the land with the slain. Then will I make the rivers dry land, and will sell the land into the hand of evil ones; and I will make the land waste, and the fullness thereof, by the hand of strangers (Ezekiel 30:11, 12).

"Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man serving the intelligence of the rational and spiritual man. The destruction of true knowledges [scientifica] by falsities is signified by "They shall draw out their swords against Egypt," "swords" signifying falsities destroying truths; the "slain" signify those who are destroyed by falsities; "to make the rivers dry land" signifies that there shall no longer be any cognition or apperception of truth; "to sell the land into the hand of evil ones and to make it waste by the hand of strangers," signifies to destroy by evils and by falsities, "strangers" signifying falsities.

[30] In Zechariah:

All the depths of the river shall be dried up, and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart away (Zechariah 10:11).

"All the depths of the river (namely, the Euphrates) shall be dried up" signifies that all the acute reasonings from self-intelligence shall perish; the "pride of Assyria" signifies the self-intelligence of the perverted rational; "the staff of Egypt shall depart away" signifies that the knowledges [scientifica] that serve such reasonings shall be of no avail.

[31] In Isaiah:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herb; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools (Isaiah 42:15).

"I will lay waste mountains and hills" signifies that the goods of love and charity will perish; "and dry up all their herb" signifies that the truths that are from those goods will perish; "I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools," signifies that intelligence and knowledge of truth will perish.

[32] In the same:

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

(See above, n. 342), where this is explained.)

In Nahum:

He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers (Nahum 1:4).

In David:

Jehovah maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water springs into dry ground (Psalms 107:33).

In Job:

A man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? The waters depart from the sea, and the river drieth up and becometh dry (Job14:10, 11).

[33] It has been shown thus far that "rivers" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence. In the contrary sense "rivers" signify the understanding of falsity and reasoning from self-intelligence which is in favor of falsities and opposes truths, as is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

He shall send ambassadors by the sea to a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (1 Isaiah 18:2).

"Rivers" here signify the falsities of self-intelligence that destroy. (What the rest signifies see explained above, n. 304, 331.) In the same:

When thou shalt pass through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee (Isaiah 43:2).

"To pass through waters and through rivers and not be overflowed" signifies that falsities and reasonings from falsities against truths shall not corrupt.

[34] In Jeremiah:

Behold waters rising up out of the north, which like 3 an overflowing stream shall overflow the land and its fullness (Jeremiah 47:2).

"Waters out of the north" signify the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; these are compared to "a stream overflowing the land," because a "stream" signifies reasoning from falsities, the "land" the church, and "its overflow by a stream" its destruction by falsities.

[35] In David:

Unless Jehovah were for us when man rises up against us, then the waters had overflowed us, the river had gone over our soul; then the waters of the proud had gone over our soul (Psalms 124:2, 4, 5).

The "waters of the proud" here mentioned, signify falsities favoring the love of self and confirming it, also the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; the "river" signifies reasoning from falsities against truths; this makes clear what is meant by "Unless Jehovah were for us, when man rises up against us," namely, when man from himself, from self-love, and from self-intelligence, rises up and endeavors to destroy the truths of the church; for this treats of Israel, by whom the church is signified; the "waters that had overflowed them," and the "rivers that had gone over their soul," signify falsities and reasonings from falsities, and the consequent destruction of the spiritual life that man has through truths and through a life according to them; "waters" signify falsities, "rivers" reasonings from them, and "overflowing and going over the soul" signifies the destruction of spiritual life.

[36] In Isaiah:

Behold, the Lord will make to go up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; and he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow (Isaiah 8:7, 8).

"Assyria" and its king signify in the Word the rational, here the rational perverted; so "his river" which was the Euphrates, means reasoning, and "the waters of the river" mean falsities confirmed by reasonings; these therefore are signified by "the waters of the river, strong and many," which are called "strong" from cupidity, and "many" from falsity; the abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of the good of the church is signified by "the waters of the river shall go up over all his channels, and over all his banks," also "he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow," "Judah" signifying the church where the Word is.

[37] In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18).

The "waters of Sihor," or of Egypt, signify false knowledges, or knowledges confirming falsities, and "the waters of the river" signify false reasonings from these, thus such as are from self-intelligence; that such falsities and reasonings must not be imbibed is what these words signify.

[38] In the same:

Towards the north, by the bank of the river Euphrates, have they stumbled and fallen. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the streams? Egypt cometh up like a stream, and his waters are tossed like streams; for he saith, I will come up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those that dwell in it (Jeremiah 46:6-8).

This signifies the destruction of the church and of its truths by false reasonings from confirming knowledges [scientifica]; the "north" signifies those in whom and from whom there is falsity, the "river Euphrates" false reasonings, "Egypt" confirming knowledges, the "waters that are tossed" falsities themselves, and "to come up, to cover the earth, to destroy the city and those that dwell in it," signifies the destruction of the church and of its doctrine, the "earth" meaning the church, the "city" doctrine of truth, and "those that dwell in it" its goods. Like things are signified by the Nile, "the river of Egypt," and by the Euphrates, "the river of Assyria," elsewhere in the Word (as in Isaiah 7:18, 19; 11:15, 16; Ezekiel 29:3-5, 10; 31:15; 32:2; Psalms 74:14, 15; 78:44; Exodus 7:17-21); also by "the rivers of Babylon" (Psalms 137:1). As all spiritual temptations come through falsities that break into the thoughts and infest the interior mind, thus through reasonings from falsities, so temptations are signified by the inundations of waters and by the irruptions of rivers and torrents. As in Jonah:

Thou hadst cast me into the depths, even into the heart of the seas; and the river was round about me; all Thy waves and Thy billows passed over me (Jonah 2:3).

In David:

The cords of death compassed me, and the brooks of Belial terrified me (Psalms 18:4).

In Matthew:

And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; yet it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:25, 27).

In Luke:

When a flood arose, the stream dashed against that house and could not shake it; for it had been founded upon a rock (Luke 6:48, 49).

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Latin "from," the Hebrew has "in," which we also find in n. 394, 405, 538, etc.

2. Latin "in," Hebrew "out of," as we also find in n. 275; Arcana Coelestia 28, 2588, 9755

3. Latin "like," Hebrew "become," as we also find in n. 223; Arcana Coelestia 705, 2240, 6297.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.