10184. Its roof. That this signifies the inmost, is evident from the signification of a “roof,” as being the inmost. A “roof” denotes the inmost because it is supreme or highest, and what is supreme or highest signifies inmost, according to what was shown above (n. 10181); and because a “roof” signifies the like as the head with man. For all the representatives in nature bear relation to the human form, and have a signification according to this relation (see n. 9496). (That the “head” signifies the inmost, see n. 5328, 6436, 7859, 9656, 9913, 9914.) The inmost here signified by the roof of the altar of incense is the inmost of worship; for in worship there are similar things to those which are in the man himself from whom the worship proceeds; namely, an internal, a middle, and an external. The inmost is called celestial, the middle spiritual, and the external natural (n. 4938, 4939, 9992, 10005, 10017, 10068). From the correspondence these degrees are signified by the “head,” the “breast,” and the “feet;” in like manner by the “roof,” the “sides,” and the “horns,” of the altar of incense.

[2] As by the “roof” is signified the celestial, which is inmost, good is also signified, for good is everywhere the inmost, and truth proceeds from it, as, to speak comparatively, light does from flame. This is meant by the “roof” in Matthew:

Let him that is on the roof of the house not go down to take anything out of his house (Matthew 24:17; Mark 13:15; Luke 17:31).

The subject here treated of is the last times of the church, and by being “on the roof” is signified the state of a man who is in good; and by “going down to take anything out of the house,” is signified a return to the former state (n. 3652). As in Jeremiah:

On all the roofs of Moab, and in the streets thereof, all is mourning (Jeremiah 48:38);

by a “mourning on all the roofs” is signified the vastation of all goods with those who in the representative sense are meant by Moab, namely, those who are in natural good, who easily suffer themselves to be seduced (n. 2468); and by a “mourning in the streets” is signified the vastation of all truths (that “streets” denote truths, see n. 2336).

[3] As a “roof” signified good, therefore the ancients had roofs on their houses where they walked, and also where they worshiped, as can be seen in 1 Samuel 9:25-26; 2 Samuel 11:2; Zeph. 1:5.

In Moses:

When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof, that thou bring not bloods on thine house if anyone fall from it. Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with mixed seed, lest the gathering from the seed which thou hast sowed, and from the produce of the vineyard, be forfeited. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not put on a garment mixed with wool and linen together (Deuteronomy 22:8-11).

[4] From all this it is also evident that by a “roof” is signified the good of love; for each of these precepts involves similar things, which are not disclosed except by means of the internal sense. This sense is that he who is in good, which is the state of a regenerate man, shall not return into a state of truth, which is his prior state, namely, during regeneration; for in this state man is led by means of truth to good, thus partly by himself; but in the later or posterior state, namely when he has been regenerated, man is led by good, that is, through good by the Lord.

[5] This is the secret which lies hidden within each of these precepts; thus the same as is contained in the Lord’s words in Matthew:

Then he who is upon the house, let him not go down to take anything out of his house; and he who is in the field, let him not return back to take his clothes (Matthew 24:17-18).

He who is up on the roof, let him not go down into the house, neither let him enter to take away anything out of his house; and he who shall be in the field, let him no more turn back to take his raiment (Mark 13:16).

In that day, whosoever shall be upon the house, and his vessels in the house, let him not go down to take them away; and whosoever shall be in the field, let him likewise not return to the things behind him; Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:31-32).

[6] Who cannot see that arcana of heaven are contained in these passages? For otherwise what could be meant by its being said that they should not go down from the house, or return back from the field, and that they should remember Lot’s wife? In like manner in what is said in Moses, that they should make a parapet about the roof lest blood should be shed if people fell down; and that a field should not be sown mixedly with seed, and also about the produce of a vineyard; and that they should not plough with an ox and an ass together; nor wear a garment mixed with wool and linen. For by “the roof” is signified good, and by being “upon the house,” or “upon the roof,” is signified the state when a man is in good; by “falling from it” is signified a relapse to the former state; and by “bloods” is signified the violence then offered to good and truth (n. 374, 1005, 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326); by a “vineyard” is signified the church with man; by the “produce of the vineyard,” a state of truth (n. 9139); by “the seed of wheat or barley,” a state of good (n. 3941, 7605); by an “ox” also is signified good, and by “ploughing with an ox,” a state of good (n. 2781, 9135); in like manner by “wool,” and by “putting on a garment of wool” (n. 9470); and by an “ass” is signified truth (n. 2781, 5741); and also by “linen” (n. 7601, 9959). But how the case is with this secret, see unfolded in the places cited in n. 9274.

10182. Out of it shall be its horns. That this signifies the powers of truth from the good of love and of charity, is evident from the signification of “horns,” as being the powers of truth (see n. 2832, 9719-9721). That it signifies from the good of love and of charity is because all the power of truth is from this source. Therefore also the horns were continued on from the altar itself, or were “out of it;” for this altar was a representative of the hearing and reception by the Lord of all things of the worship that is from love and charity (n. 10177).

[2] That all the power of truth is from the good of love cannot be apprehended by those who have only a material idea of power and therefore how the case herein is must be told. In the heavens all power is from the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good; from this the angels have power, for the angels are receptions of the Divine truth from the the Lord, n. 1752, 4295, 8192). By the power which they have from this they protect man by removing the hells from him; for one angel prevails against a thousand spirits from the hells. This power is what is meant by the keys of Peter, but by Peter who is there called a “rock” is meant the Lord as to the truth of faith from the good of love (see the preface to Genesis 22, and n. 3750, 4738, 6000, 6073, 6344, 10087); and that a “rock” denotes the Lord as to the truth of faith (n. 8581).

[3] The power of Divine truth is meant also by “the voice of Jehovah” in David:

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters. The voice of Jehovah is in power. The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars. The voice of Jehovah cleaveth the flame of fire. The voice of Jehovah maketh the wilderness to tremble. The voice of Jehovah strippeth the forests; Jehovah giveth strength to His people (Psalms 29:3-11);

(that “the voice of Jehovah” denotes the Divine truth proceeding from His Divine good, see n. 9926).

[4] The power of Divine truth is meant also by “the Word” in John:

All things were made by the Word, and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3).

That “the Word” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good, see above (n. 9987); wherefore also the Lord when in the world first made Himself Divine truth, which is also meant by “the Word was made flesh” (verse 14). The reason why the Lord then made Himself Divine truth, was in order that He might fight against all the hells and subjugate them, and thus reduce into order all things there, and at the same time all things in the heavens (see n. 9715, 9809, 10019, 10052).

[5] That truths from good have all power, and that on the contrary falsities from evil have no power, is very well known in the other life. For this reason it is that the evil who come there from the world are deprived of persuasive faith, and likewise of all knowledge of truth, and are thus left to the falsities of their evil.

[6] That truths from good have such power cannot be apprehended by those who have the idea that truth and its faith are mere thought; when yet man’s thought from his will produces all the strength of his body, and if it were inspired by the Lord through His Divine truth, man would have the strength of Samson. But it is the Lord’s good pleasure that in respect to the things of his spirit, and that conduce to eternal salvation, man should have strength through faith from love. From this it can be seen what is meant by the power of truth from good, which is signified by “the horns of the altars” both of burning offering and of incense.

[7] That “horns” signify this power is evident from the passages in the Word where “horns” are mentioned, as in Ezekiel:

In that day will I make a horn to grow for the house of Israel (Ezekiel 29:21).

Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? (Amos 6:13).

Jehovah will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed (1 Samuel 2:10).

Jehovah hath exalted the horn of His people (Psalms 148:14).

All the horns of the wicked will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted (Psalms 75:10).

The Lord hath cut off in the wrath of His anger all the horn of Israel, and hath exalted the horn of thine adversaries (Lam. 2:3, 17).

Ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and strike all the weak sheep with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad (Ezekiel 34:21).

I saw four horns. The angel said, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. The smiths are come to cast down the horns of the nations, who lift up their horn against the land of Judah (Zech. 1:18-21).

His horns are the horns of the unicorn; with them shall he strike the peoples all together to the ends of the earth (Deuteronomy 33:17).

That in these passages by “horns” is signified power, is evident, and indeed power in both senses, namely, the power of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth; for in the internal sense the state of the church is everywhere treated of.

[8] In Amos:

In that day I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and shall fall to the earth (Amos 3:14);

by “the altars of Bethel,” and by its “horns,” are signified evils and falsities destroying the good and truth of the church, of which it is said that they “shall be cut off.”

[9] From all this it can be seen what is meant by the “horns,” of which such frequent mention is made in Daniel, and by John in Revelation, as in Ezekiel:

The beast had ten horns, and also a horn speaking to it (Daniel 7:8, 11, 20).

The horn made war with the saints and prevailed until the Son of man came (Daniel 7:21-22);

Concerning the horns of the ram and the horns of the he-goat, by which they made war with each other (Daniel 8:3-21).

The dragon had ten horns (Revelation 12:3).

In like manner the beast that came up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1).

And also the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3).

The horns are ten kings (Revelation 17:12-13; see also in Daniel 7:24).

(That by “kings” in the Word are signified truths, and in the opposite sense falsities, see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148.)

[10] As by a “horn” is signified truth in its power, and in the opposite sense falsity destroying truth, therefore speech is attributed to a horn (Revelation 9:13; Daniel 7:8; Psalms 22:21).

[11] That kings were anointed with oil from a horn (1 Samuel 16:1, 13; 1 Kings 1:39) represented truth from good in its power, for “horns” denote truths in their power; “oil” denotes good; and “kings” denote those who are in truths from good. (That “oil” denotes good, see n. 886, 9780; and “kings,” those who are in truths from good, thus abstractedly, truths from good, n. 6148) From this also it is that a horn is said “to sprout forth” (Psalms 132:17), because all spiritual growth belongs to truth from good; thus also in old times they made sprouting horns. (That good has all power through truth, or what is the same, that all power belongs to truth from good, see the places cited in n. 10019)