9467. And crimson. That this signifies the celestial love of good, is evident from the signification of “crimson,” as being the celestial love of good. The reason why this is signified by “crimson,” is that by a red color is signified the good of celestial love. For there are two fundamental colors from which come the rest: the color red, and the color white. The color “red” signifies the good which is of love; and the color “white” signifies the truth which is of faith. That the color “red” signifies the good which is of love, is because it comes from fire, and “fire” denotes the good of love; and the color “white” signifies the truth which is of faith, because it comes from light, and “light” denotes the truth of faith. (That “fire” denotes the good of love, see n. 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 9434; and that “light” denotes the truth of faith, n. 2776, 3195, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4413, 4415, 5400, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407; that “red” denotes the good of love, n. 3300; and “white,” the truth of faith, n. 3993, 4007, 5319)

[2] From this it is evident what the remaining colors signify; for insofar as they partake of red they signify the good of love; and insofar as they partake of white they signify the truth of faith; for all the colors that appear in heaven are modifications of heavenly light and flame upon these two planes. For heavenly light is real light, and in itself is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord; wherefore the modifications of this light and flame are variegations of truth and good, thus of intelligence and wisdom.

[3] This shows why the veils and curtains of the tent, and also the garments of Aaron, were to be woven of blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and fine linen (Exodus 26:1 (Exodus 26:1), 31, 36; 27:16; 28:6, 15); namely, that by these things might be represented the celestial things that belong to good, and the spiritual things that belong to truth (of which in what follows).

[4] Good from a celestial origin is signified by “crimson” also in Ezekiel:

Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy spread, blue and crimson from the Isles of Elishah were thy covering (Ezekiel 27:7);

speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of truth and good; “blue and crimson for a covering” denote the knowledges of truth and good from a celestial origin.

[5] Like things are signified by “crimson and fine linen” in Luke:

There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and fared splendidly every day (Luke 16:19);

by the “rich man” was meant in the internal sense the Jewish nation and the church among them, which was called “rich” from the knowledges of good and truth from the Word there existing; “garments of crimson and fine linen” denote these knowledges; “garments of crimson,” the knowledges of good; and “garments of fine linen,” the knowledges of truth; both from a celestial origin, because from the Divine. The like is also signified by “crimson” in the Revelation:

A woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, arrayed in crimson and scarlet (Revelation 17:3-4);

treating of Babylon, by which is signified the church wherein the holy things of the Word are applied to profane uses, that is, to such as aim at dominions in heaven and on earth; thus from the infernal love of self and of the world.

1691. That “the mountain” means the love of self and the love of the world, may be seen from the signification of a “mountain,” concerning which presently. All evil and falsity come forth from the love of self and the love of the world; they have no other origin; for the love of self and the love of the world are the opposites of celestial love and spiritual love; and because they are the opposites, they are what are continually endeavoring to destroy the celestial and spiritual things of the kingdom of God. From the love of self and of the world come forth all hatreds; from hatreds, all revenges and cruelties; and from these, all deceits; in short, all the hells.

[2] That in the Word by “mountains” there is signified the love of self and the love of the world, may be seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

The proud eyes of man shall be humbled and the loftiness of men shall be brought low. The day of Jehovah Zebaoth is upon all that is proud and lofty, upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower (Isaiah 2:11-12, 14-15).

The “high mountains” plainly denote the love of self; and the “hills that are lifted up,” the love of the world.

[3] Again:

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low (Isaiah 40:4);

here also “mountain and hill” manifestly denote the love of self and the love of the world. Again:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage (Isaiah 42:15); where also “mountains” denote the love of self, and “hills” the love of the world.

In Ezekiel:

The mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the earth (Ezekiel 38:20).

[4] In Jeremiah:

Behold I am against thee, O destroying mountain, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a mountain of burning (Jeremiah 51:25); where Babel and Chaldea are spoken of, by which is signified the love of self and of the world, as before shown. In the Song of Moses:

A fire is kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall devour the earth and her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains (Deuteronomy 32:22);

“the foundations of the mountains” mean the hells, as is plainly said; these are called the foundations of the mountains, because the love of self and the love of the world reign in them, and are from them.

[5] In Jonah:

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; the deep was round about me; the seaweed was wrapped about my head; I went down to the cuttings-off of the mountains; the bars of the earth were upon me forever; yet hast Thou brought up my lives from the pit, O Jehovah my God (Jonah 2:5-6).

The Lord’s temptations against the hells are thus prophetically described by Jonah, when he was in the belly of the great fish. So likewise in other passages of the Word, especially in David. He who is in temptations is in the hells; place has nothing to do with being in the hells, but state.

[6] As “mountains” and “towers” signify the love of self and of the world, it may be seen what is signified by the Lord’s being taken by the devil “upon a high mountain,” and “upon a pinnacle of the temple,” namely, that He was led into temptation combats, the most extreme of all, against the loves of self and of the world, that is, against the hells. “Mountains” also, in the opposite sense, signify celestial and spiritual love, as before shown (n. 795, 796).