331. And people and nation, signifies who are of the Lord's spiritual church, and of His celestial church. This is evident from the signification of "people" and "nation" in the Word, "people" signifying those who are in spiritual good, thus those who are of the Lord's spiritual church, and "nation" those who are in celestial good, thus those who are of the Lord's celestial church. That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and that those who are in the good of love to the Lord are in the celestial kingdom, and those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor are in the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, (n. 20-28). These two kingdoms, however, are not only in the heavens but also on the earth, and on the earth they are called the celestial church and the spiritual church. Few know what is signified in the Word specifically by a "people" or "peoples," and what by a "nation" or "nations." I will therefore present from the Word some passages where the two are named together, from which it will be clear that "people" and "nations" have distinct significations, for unless they had distinct significations they would not both be named together, as in the following passages.

[2] In Isaiah:

The strong people shall glorify Thee, the city of the formidable nations shall fear Thee. Jehovah will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, that covereth over all peoples, and the veil that is veiled over all nations (Isaiah 25:3, 7).

Here a distinction is made between "peoples" and "nations," because "peoples" signify those who are of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and "nations" those who are of His celestial kingdom, thus those who are in spiritual good and those in celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbor, thus the good of faith, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and thence the good of mutual love. The truth of this good is what is meant by "the city of formidable nations," for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth, or the truths of doctrine; "to swallow up the covering over all peoples, and the veil veiled over all nations," signifies to dispel the shade that has so covered the understanding that the truths are not seen or the goods perceived that pertain to heaven and the church.

[3] In the same:

Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples; let the earth hear, and the fullness thereof (Isaiah 34:1).

Because "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and "peoples" those who are in the good of charity and in the truths of faith therefrom, it is said of the nations that they should "come near," and of the peoples that they should "hearken;" to "come near" signifies to be conjoined by love, and to "hearken" signifies to obey and to be instructed; it is therefore said, "let the earth hear, and the fullness thereof," "earth" signifying the church in respect to good, and "the fullness thereof" truths.

[4] In the same:

I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and I will hold thine hand and I will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

In the same:

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be brought together, and let the peoples gather together (Isaiah 43:8-9).

In the same:

I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and lawgiver to the nations (Isaiah 55:4).

In the same:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I will lift up Mine hand towards the nations, and lift up My standard towards the peoples (Isaiah 49:22).

In the same:

The peoples that walk in darkness have seen a great light. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast made great to it gladness (Isaiah 9:2-3).

And in the same:

It shall be in that day that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, the nations shall seek. And He shall lift up an ensign for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel (Isaiah 11:10, 12).

All these things are said of the Lord; and "peoples" and "nations" mean all who are of His church; for all who are of the Lord's church are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom; not any except those who are in these two kingdoms can possibly be of the church. Moreover, there are two things that constitute the church, good and truth, both from the Lord; "nations" mean those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truth; and, abstractly from persons, "nations" signify the goods of the church, and "peoples" its truths; "peoples" signify the truths of the church because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbor, in which those are who are meant by "peoples," in its essence is truth. (See Arcana Coelestia 8042, 10296; why it is so, n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596; thence what the distinction is between those who are of the celestial kingdom and those who are of the spiritual kingdom, n. 2088, 2669, 2708, 2715, 3235, 3240, 4788, 7068, 8521, 9277, 10295)

[5] In the same:

In that time a present unto Jehovah of Hosts shall be brought; a people distracted and plundered: and a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of Jehovah of Hosts, to Mount Zion (Isaiah 18:2, 7).

This treats of the invitation of all to the church; therefore also "people" and "nation" are both mentioned. "Mount Zion" signifies the church, to which they are invited; "a people distracted and plundered" signifies those with whom truths have been taken away, changed, or perverted by those who are in the falsities of doctrine; "a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled," signifies those with whom goods have been treated in like manner, "rivers" meaning falsities and reasonings therefrom.

[6] In Zechariah:

Yet there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of great cities, to entreat the faces of Jehovah, and many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:20-22).

Here, too, "peoples" and "nations" signify all who are of the Lord's church; "peoples" those who are of His spiritual church, and "nations" those who are of His celestial church. "Jerusalem," to which they shall come, is the church.

[7] In David:

Thou wilt set me for the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me (Psalms 18:43).

In the same:

Jehovah will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the nations. The willing ones of the peoples are gathered together (Psalms 47:3, 8-9).

In the same:

That [Thy way] may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations. The peoples shall confess Thee, O God: the nations shall be glad and shout for joy; for Thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations into the land (Psalms 67:2-4).

Remember me, O Jehovah, in good pleasure towards Thy people; that I may be glad in the joy of Thy nations (Psalms 106:4-5).

I will confess Thee, O Lord, among the nations. I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples (Psalms 57:9; 108:3).

In these passages also "peoples" and "nations" are mentioned, by which are meant all who are in truths and goods. Moreover, the very words that are applied to peoples are words that are predicated of truths, and those applied to nations are those that are predicated of goods. That no other are meant by "nations" is evident also from the fact that these things were said by David, who was an enemy of the Canaanitish nations.

[8] In Luke:

Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for a revelation to the nations (Luke 2:30-32).

In Zephaniah:

The remnant of My people shall spoil them, and the remainder of My nation shall inherit them (Zephaniah 2:9).

In Moses:

When her two sons were struggling in her womb, Rebekah went to inquire of Jehovah, and Jehovah said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Genesis 25:22-23).

Remember the days of the age, when the Most High gave to the nations an inheritance; when He separated the sons of man he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:7-8).

"The sons of man" have the same signification as "peoples," namely, those who are in spiritual truths and goods; therefore it is said of them, "when He separated the sons of man He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel;" "the sons of Israel" signifying the spiritual church, and the "number" of them, or of the twelve tribes named from them, signifying all the truths and goods therein (See just above, n. 330); such therefore are called "peoples;" "to separate" them and "to set their bounds" signifies to alienate from falsities and to bestow truths; and "to give an inheritance to the nations" signifies heaven and conjunction with those who are in the good of love.

[9] In Daniel:

All peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Daniel 7:14).

This is said of the Lord; and "peoples" and "nations" mean all who are in truths and goods; and "all tongues" mean all of whatever doctrine or religion; for the Lord's church is universal, since it exists with all who are in the good of life, and who from their doctrine look to heaven, and thereby conjoin themselves to the Lord (of whom see Heaven and Hell 318-328). Because "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and "peoples" those who are in the good of charity and in the truths of faith therefrom, it is said, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom shall not pass away;" "dominion" in the Word is predicated of good, and "kingdom" of truth; for this reason the Lord is called "Lord" from Divine good, and "king" from Divine truth.

There are other passages besides these that might be quoted to prove that "peoples" signify those who are of the spiritual church, and "nations" those who are of the celestial church. So far those only have been presented in which "peoples" and "nations" are mentioned together; to these some shall be added in which "nations" alone are mentioned.

[10] In Isaiah:

Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in. Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, Thou hast added to the nation; Thou hast been glorified: Thou hast removed all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 26:2, 15).

In David:

All the ends of the earth shall turn unto Jehovah; and all the families of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah's; and He it is that ruleth among the nations (Psalms 22:27-28).

In Isaiah:

The nations shall walk to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising. Thy heart shall be enlarged, because the multitude of the sea shall turn unto Thee, the army of the nations shall come unto Thee (Isaiah 60:3, 5).

All nations shall see Thy righteousness, and all kings Thy glory (Isaiah 62:2).

In these passages "nations" and "peoples" are not mentioned together, but still in the last two "nations" and "kings" because "kings" signify the like as "peoples," namely, those who are in truths (See above, n. 31); and it is because "nations" signify those who are in good, and "kings" those who are in truths, that it is said of the nations that they "shall see Thy righteousness," and of the kings that they shall "see Thy glory;" "righteousness" in the Word being predicated of good, and "glory" of truth. (That "righteousness" is predicated in the Word of Divine good, seeArcana Coelestia 2235, 9857; and "glory" of Divine truth, n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429.)

[11] From the contrary sense it can yet be seen that "peoples" signify those who are in truths, and "nations" those who are in good; for in that sense "peoples" signify those who are in falsities, and "nations" those who are in evils, as in the following. In Isaiah:

O Assyrian, the rod of Mine anger, I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of My wrath will I command him (Isaiah 10:5-6).

In the same:

The voice of a multitude in the mountains; the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. They come from a land afar off, from the end of the heavens, even Jehovah with the vessels of His indignation to destroy the whole land (Isaiah 13:4-5).

Jehovah that smiteth the peoples with a stroke not curable, that ruleth with anger the nations (Isaiah 14:6).

In the same:

At the noise of the tumult let the peoples flee away; and before Thine exaltation let the nations be dispersed (Isaiah 33:3).

In Jeremiah:

Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on the bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy (Jeremiah 6:22-23).

In Ezekiel:

I will not cause thee to hear any more the calumny of the nations, and the reproach of the peoples thou shalt not bear any more (Ezekiel 36:15).

In David:

Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples (Psalms 44:14).

In the same:

Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He overthroweth the thoughts of the peoples (Psalms 33:10).

In these passages "peoples" mean those who are against the truths of the spiritual church, thus in falsities; and "nations" those who are against the goods of the celestial church, thus in evils. This is also the signification of the peoples and nations that were driven out of the land of Canaan. To this let what was said above n. 175 be added.

726. Who is to tend all the nations with an iron rod, signifies that this doctrine by the power of natural truth from spiritual will convince and refute those who are in falsities and evils and yet are in the church where the Word is. This is evident from the signification of "to tend," as being to teach (of which above, n. 482, but here to convince and refute, because it is said that "he is to tend with an iron rod;" also from the signification of "all the nations," as being those who are in falsities and evils (of which above, n. 175, 331, 625); also from the signification of an "iron rod," as being the power of a natural truth from spiritual, for "rod" or "staff" signifies power, and it is predicated of spiritual Divine truth, and "iron" signifies truth in the natural man. It is the power of the truth of the natural man from the spiritual that is signified by the "iron rod," because all the power that truths in the natural man have is from the influx of truth and good from the spiritual man, that is, from the influx of Divine truth from the Lord through the spiritual man into the natural; for the Lord alone has power, and He exercises it through Divine truth that proceeds from Him. But that this may be more clearly perceived it shall be shown:

1. That the Lord has infinite power.

2. That the Lord has this power from Himself through His Divine truth.

3. That all power is together in ultimates, and therefore that the Lord has infinite power from things first through ultimates.

4. That so far as angels and men are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord they are powers.

5. That power resides in the truths of the natural man so far as it receives influx from the Lord through the spiritual man.

6. That the truths of the natural man without that influx have nothing of power.

[2] 1. That the Lord has infinite power can be seen from this, that He is the God of heaven and the God of earth; that He created the universe filled with numberless stars, which are suns; and in the universe so many systems and earths in these systems; these systems and the earths in them exceeding in number many hundred thousands; also that He alone preserves and continually sustains these because He created them. Moreover, as He created the natural worlds, so He created the spiritual worlds above them, and these He perpetually fills with angels and spirits to the number of myriads and myriads. Under these, again, He has hid away the hells, as many in number as the heavens. And to each and every thing in the worlds of nature and in the worlds above nature He alone gives life; and because He alone gives life, no angel, spirit, or man is able to move a hand or foot except from Him. What infinite power the Lord has is especially evident from this, that all who come from so many earths into the spiritual worlds, numbering some myriads every week from our earth alone, consequently so many myriads from so many thousand earths in the universe, the Lord alone receives, and by a thousand secret ways of Divine wisdom leads everyone to the place of his life; the faithful to their places in the heavens, and the unfaithful to their places in the hells; and the thoughts, intentions, and wills of all, everywhere He rules in most particular and in most universal things; and He causes each and every one in the heavens to enjoy their happiness, and each and every one in the hells to be held in their bonds, even so that not one of them ventures to lift a hand, much less to rise up to do harm to any angel; and all are thus held in order and in bonds, howsoever the heavens and the hells may be multiplied to eternity. These and many other things too numerous to be mentioned, could not possibly be if the Lord did not have infinite power. That the Lord alone rules all things He Himself teaches in Matthew:

All authority is given to Me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18).

And that He is the Life (John 5:26; 11:25, 26; 14:6).

[3] 2. The Lord has infinite power from Himself through His Divine truth, because Divine truth is the Divine proceeding, and from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord all those things that have been said above in respect to His infinite power are effected. Divine truth regarded in itself is Divine wisdom, which extends itself in every direction, like the light and heat from the sun in our world; for in the spiritual world, where angels and spirits are, the Lord is seen as a sun, from Divine love; all that proceeds from that sun is called ¹ Divine truth; and that which proceeds brings forth; also that which proceeds is Himself, because it is from Him; consequently the Lord in the heavens is Divine truth. But that it may be known that the Lord has infinite power through Divine truth, something must be said of its essence and existence. This cannot be comprehended from the natural man and its light but by means of such things as proceed from the sun of the world, from which and by which that sun has all power in its world and in the earths that are under its heat and light. From the sun, of our world auras and atmospheres proceed as from their fountain; these are called ethers and airs. From this source nearest about it is pure ether, at a greater distance from it are less pure ethers, and at length airs; but these ethers and airs are around the earths. These ethers and airs when made active in mass produce heat, but when modified in their least parts give light. Through these the sun exercises all its power and produces all its effect outside of itself, thus through ethers and airs by heat as a means and at the same time by light as a means.

[4] From this some idea can be formed of the Lord's infinite power through Divine truth. Likewise from Him as a sun similar auras and atmospheres emanated, but such as are spiritual, because they are from Divine love, which constitutes that sun. That there are such atmospheres in the spiritual world is clear from the respiration of angels and spirits. Those spiritual auras and atmospheres that are nearest to the Lord as a sun are the most pure; but according to the degrees in which they are removed from Him they are less and less pure. Therefore there are three heavens, the inmost heaven in a purer aura, the middle heaven in an aura less pure, and the lowest heaven in an aura still less pure. These auras or atmospheres, which are spiritual, because they have sprung from the Lord as a sun, when made active in common exhibit heat, but when modified in their least parts exhibit light. That heat, which in its essence is love, and that light, which in its essence is wisdom, are called specifically Divine truth; but together with the auras, which are also spiritual, they are called the Divine proceeding. Now from these the heavens were created, and also the worlds; for all things that exist in the natural world are produced from the spiritual world, as effects from their effecting causes. From this the creation of heaven and earth by means of Divine truth proceed from the Lord as a sun, which is above the angelic heavens, can be seen as in a natural mirror. It can also in some degree be comprehended that the Lord has infinite power by means of the Divine proceeding, which in general is called Divine truth. This also is meant by these words in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the world was made by Him (John 1:1, 3, 10).

And in David:

By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made (Psalms 33:6).

"The Word" signifies Divine truth.

[5] 3. All power is together in ultimates, and therefore the Lord has infinite power from first things through ultimates. What is meant by ultimates shall first be explained. First things are the things that are in the Lord, and those that most nearly proceed ² from Him; ultimates are those that are most remote from Him, that is, the things in nature, and the ultimate things in it. These are called ultimates because spiritual things, which are prior, close into them and rest and repose upon them as upon their foundation; therefore they are immovable, and are called the ultimates of Divine order. All power is in ultimates because prior things are together in them, coexisting therein in an order that is called simultaneous. For there is a connection of all things from the Lord Himself through the things which are of heaven and the things of the world even to these ultimates; and because prior things that proceed successively are together in ultimates, as has been said, it follows that power itself is in ultimates from things first. But Divine power is power by the Divine proceeding, which is called Divine truth, as has been shown in the preceding article.

[6] For this reason the human race is to the heavens as a base to a column, or as a foundation to a palace; consequently the heavens subsist in order upon the things of the church that are with men in the world, thus upon Divine truths in ultimates which are such Divine truths as are in the sense of the letter of the Word. What power there is in these truths cannot be told in a few words; into these ultimates with man the Lord flows in from Himself, thus from things first, and rules and keeps together in order and connection all things in the spiritual world.

[7] Now because Divine power itself resides in these ultimates the Lord Himself came into the world and became Man that He might be in ultimates at the same time as in things first, to the end that through ultimates from things first, He might reduce all things to order that had become disordered, namely, all things in the hells and also all things in the heavens. This was the reason of the Lord's coming, for at the time just before His coming there was no Divine truth in ultimates with men in the world, and none whatever in the church which was then with the Jewish nation, that had not been falsified and perverted, and consequently there was no foundation for the heavens; unless, therefore, the Lord had come into the world and had thus Himself assumed the ultimate, the heavens that were made up of the inhabitants of this earth would have been transferred elsewhere, ³ and the whole human race on this earth would have perished in eternal death. But now the Lord, on the earth as in the heavens, is in His fullness, and thus in His omnipotence, because He is in ultimates and in things first. Thus the Lord is able to save all who are in Divine truths from the Word, and in a life according to them, for He can be present and dwell with such in ultimate truths from the Word, because ultimate truths are also His, and are Himself, because they are from Him, according to His words in John:

He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with Him (John 14:21-23).

[8] 4. So far as angels and men are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord they are powers. This can be seen from what has been said above, namely, that the Lord has infinite power, and that He alone through His Divine truth has power; also from this, that angels, and men also, are nothing but forms recipient of Divine truth; for this reason angels signify in the Word Divine truths, and are called "gods." It therefore follows that according to the measure and quality of their reception of Divine truth from the Lord they are powers.

[9] 5. Power resides in the truths of the natural man so far as it receives influx from the Lord through the spiritual man. This follows from what precedes, namely, that Divine truths in ultimates from things first have all power, and the natural man is a receptacle of ultimates. But to the natural mind of man there are two ways, one from heaven, the other from the world; the way from heaven leads through the spiritual mind into the rational and through this into the natural, and the way from the world is through the sensual which stands forth nearest to the world and clings to the body. From this it can be seen that the Lord flows in with Divine truth into the natural man only through the spiritual, and so far as the natural man receives influx therefrom is there power in it. By the power in it is meant power against the hells, which is the power to resist evils and falsities, and to put them away; and so far as these are resisted and put away man comes into angelic power and also into intelligence, and becomes "a son of the kingdom." (On the Power of Angels, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 228-233; and on their intelligence and wisdom, n 265-275)

[10] 6. The truths of the natural man without that influx have nothing of power. This follows as a consequence from what has just been said. The truths of the natural man without influx through the spiritual man have in themselves nothing of the Lord, thus also nothing of life; and truths without life are not truths, and in fact when regarded interiorly are falsities, and falsities have nothing whatever of power, since they are opposites of truths, which have all power. These things have been here set forth to make known what is meant by the power of natural truth from spiritual, which is signified by the "iron rod with which the son a male born of the woman is to tend all nations.”

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