383. Weil der Verstand der Lunge entspricht und damit das Denken dem Atmen der Lunge, so wird durch ‚Seele‘ und‚Geist‘ im Göttlichen Wort der Verstand bezeichnet, so etwa:

‚Du sollst lieben den Herrn, deinen Gott, von ganzem Herzen und von ganzer Seele‘ (Mat 22:37), oder Gott werde ihnen ein neues Herz und einen neuen Geist geben (Hesekiel 36:26 und Ps 51:12 f.)

Oben wurde dargelegt, daß das Herz die Liebe des Willens bezeichnet. Daher bezeichnen Seele und Geist die Weisheit des Verstandes. In der ‚Lehre des Neuen Jerusalems vom Herrn‘ kann man in 50 f. nachlesen, daß unter dem Geist Gottes, auch als Heiliger Geist bezeichnet, die göttliche Weisheit, somit die göttliche Wahrheit zu verstehen ist, durch die der Mensch erleuchtet wird. Daher „hauchte der Herr die Jünger an und sprach: Nehmet hin heiligen Geist“ (Johannes 20:21). Und darum heißt es auch: „Jehovah Gott hauchte Adam den Atem (oder die Seele) der Leben (animam vitarum) in die Nase, und er ward zur lebendigen Seele“ (1. Mose 2:7), und daß er zum Propheten sprach: „Weissage über den Geist ... und sprich zum Wind ... Komm, Geist, von den vier Winden und hauche diese Erschlagenen an, damit sie leben“ (Hesekiel 37:9). Ähnlich lautet es an anderen Stellen.

Daher kommt, daß der Herr ‚Geist der Nüstern‘ (spiritus narium) oder auch ‚Odem des Lebens‘ genannt wird.

Weil die Atmung durch die Nase erfolgt, darum bezeichnet die Nase auch die Wahrnehmung und sagt man von einem verständigen Menschen, er habe eine gute und von einem unverständigen, er habe eine schlechte Nase. Aus ebendiesem Grund werden auch Geist und Wind im Hebräischen wie in einigen anderen Sprachen durch dasselbe Wort bezeichnet. Das Wort für Geist ist nämlich abgeleitet vom Wort für Beseelung; daher sagt man auch beim Tode eines Menschen, er habe seine Seele ausgehaucht. Und ferner kommt daher, daß die Menschen glauben, der Geist sei etwas Windoder Luftartiges, wie ein von der Lunge ausgeatmeter Hauch, und ähnliches gelte für die Seele.

Damit kann als feststehend gelten, daß „Gott lieben von ganzem Herzen und ganzer Seele“ bedeutet: mit ganzer Liebe und ganzem Verstand; und „ein neues Herz und einen neuen Geist geben“: einen neuen Willen und einen neuen Verstand geben. Weil der Geist den Verstand bezeichnet, darum heißt es 2. Mose 31:3, Bezaleel sei erfüllt worden mit dem Geist der Weisheit, der Einsicht und Kenntnis (scientiae), und 5. Mose 34:9, Joschua sei erfüllt worden mit dem Geist der Weisheit. Ferner sagte Nebuchadnezar bei Dan 5:1 f. u. 5:14 inbezug auf Daniel, in ihm sei „ein vortrefflicher Geist der Wissenschaft, der Einsicht und der Weisheit“, und bei Jesaja 29:24 heißt es, „die jetzt verkehrten Sinnes sind, werden Einsicht gewinnen“. Ähnlich lautet es an vielen anderen Stellen.

1186. That 'Asshur' is reasoning is clear from the meaning of 'Asshur' or Assyria in the Word, where in every case it stands for those things that belong to reason. It stands for them in both senses, namely for rational things and for reasonings - reason and rational things being used strictly speaking to mean things that are true, and reasoning and reasonings to mean those that are false. Because 'Asshur' means reason and reasoning it is very frequently linked with Egypt, which means facts, for reason and reasoning are based on facts. That Asshur means reasoning is clear in Isaiah,

Woe to Asshur, the rod of My anger, he does not think what is right and his heart does not consider what is right He has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have intelligence. Isaiah 10:5, 7, 13.

Here 'Asshur' stands for reasoning, and therefore he is referred to as 'not thinking and not considering what is right', and it is said that 'he acts by his own wisdom, for he has intelligence'.

[2] In Ezekiel,

Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredom in Egypt. In their youth they committed whoredom. One committed whoredom and doted on her lovers, on Asshur (the Assyrians), her neighbours, clothed in violet, leaders and governors, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses The sons of Babel came to her and they defiled her with their whoredom. Ezekiel 23:2-3, 5-6, 17.

Here 'Egypt' stands for facts, 'Asshur' for reasoning, 'the sons of Babel' for falsities springing from evil desires.

[3] In the same prophet,

Jerusalem, you committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt, you committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, you multiplied your whoredom even into the land of Canaan towards Chaldaea. Ezekiel 16:26, 28-29.

Here likewise 'Egypt' stands for facts, 'Asshur' for reasoning. Reasoning, based on facts, concerning spiritual and celestial things is called 'whoredom' both here and elsewhere in the Word. Anyone may see that committing whoredom with Egyptians and with Assyrians is not the meaning.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Israel, what have you to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what have you to do with the way to Asshur, to drink the waters of the River (the Euphrates)? Jeremiah 2:18, 36.

Here likewise 'Egypt' stands for facts, 'Asshur' for reasoning. In the same prophet,

Israel is a scattered flock; the lions have driven him away. First the king of Asshur has devoured him, and last this king of Babel has removed his bones. Jeremiah 50:17-18

'Asshur' stands for reasoning concerning spiritual things.

[5] In Micah,

And this will be peace, when Asshur comes into our land and when he treads our palaces, and we will set up over him seven shepherds and eight princes of men and they will rule the land of Asshur with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates; and he will deliver [us] from Asshur when he comes into our land and when he treads our border. Micah 5:5-6.

This refers to Israel, or the spiritual Church, concerning which it is said that 'Asshur will not enter in', that is, reasoning will not do so. 'The land of Nimrod' stands for the kind of worship meant by Nimrod, which has interior evils and falsities within it.

[6] The fact that in the Word 'Asshur' also means reason present with the member of the Church, by means of which reason he sees clearly what is true and what is good, is clear in Hosea,

They will tremble like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Asshur. Hosea 11:11.

Here 'Egypt' stands for the knowledge a member of the Church possesses, 'Asshur' for his reason. That 'a bird' means facts that are known and understood, and 'a dove' rational good, has been shown already.

[7] In Isaiah,

On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Asshur, and Asshur will come into Egypt and Egypt into Asshur, and the Egyptians will serve Asshur. ¹ On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Asshur, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom Jehovah Zebaoth will bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Asshur the work of My hands, and Israel My heritage. Isaiah 19:23-25.

This refers to the spiritual Church, meant by Israel, 'Asshur' being its reason, and 'Egypt' its knowledge. These three constitute the intellectual powers of the member of the spiritual Church which come in that order one after another. In other places where Asshur is mentioned it means the rational, true or false, as in Isaiah 20:1-6; 23:13; 27:13; 30:31; 31:8; 36, 37; 52:4; Ezekiel 27:23-24; Ezekiel 31:3-18; 32:22; Micah 7:12; Zephaniah 2:13; Zechariah 10:11; Psalms 83:8. 'Asshur' stands for reasoning in Hosea 5:13; 7:11; 10:6; 11:5; 12:1; 14:3; and in Zechariah 10:10, where the reference is to Ephraim who means the intellectual part of the mind, though in this instance when perverted.

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