4015. And peeled white peelings on them, laying bare the white that was upon the rods. That this signifies a disposition into order by the interior power of truth, is evident from the signification of “peeling” and of “peelings,” as being the removal of exterior things in order that interior ones may come to light, thus barings or strippings; from the signification of “white,” as being truth (see n. 3993, 4007); and from the signification of a “rod,” as being power (see n. 4013); here, interior power, because upon the rods under the bark. Disposition into order by the interior power of truth, is the power of the interior man acting into the exterior, or of the spiritual man into the natural; for all disposition into order of the good and truth in the natural man comes from the spiritual man (that is, through the spiritual man from the Lord), and in fact through the truth therein; for the Lord inflows into the good of the spiritual or interior man; and through the truth therein into the natural man; but not immediately through the good, until the man has been regenerated; and therefore all the disposition into order in the natural man is effected by the interior man. The natural, or natural man, cannot possibly be disposed into order (that is, be regenerated) in any other way. That this is done by the interior man is evident from the acknowledgment of truth, which unless it is made by the interior man is not acknowledgment; and also from conscience, which is the acknowledgment of truth by the interior man; and also from perception. As disposition into order is effected by the interior man by means of truth, power is predicated of truth, and also the “rod” by which power is signified; as well as the “hand,” by which also power is signified (n. 3091); as may be confirmed by very many passages in the Word. Not that there is power in truth from itself, but in good; and thus in truth from good; that is, in truth through good from the Lord. This shows to some extent what is meant by the disposition into order of the interior power of truth. In the supreme sense, in which the Lord is treated of, His own power is signified; for the Divine has its own power, because this is from no other.

1624. I saw the form of a certain large rainbow, in order that from it I might know what they are in their smallest forms. The light was the brightest white, encompassed with a sort of border or circumference, in the center of which there was a dimness as it were terrene, and around this it was intensely lucid, which intense lucidity was varied and intersected by another lucidity with golden points, like little stars; besides variegations induced by means of flowers of variegated hue, that entered into the intense lucidity. The colors of the flowers did not flow forth from a white, but from a flaming light. All these things were representative of things celestial and spiritual. All the colors seen in the other life represent what is celestial and spiritual; colors from flaming light, the things that are of love and of the affection of good; and colors from shining white light, those which are of faith and of the affection of truth. From these origins come all the colors in the other life; and for this reason they are so refulgent that the colors in this world cannot be compared to them. There are also colors that have never been seen in this world.