10132. Two lambs, sons of a year, day by day. That this signifies the good of innocence in every state, is evident from the signification of “lambs,” as being the good of innocence (of which below); from the signification of “lambs sons of a year” as being the quality of infancy, in which nevertheless truths have been implanted (of which also below); and from the signification of “day by day,” as being in every state. For by “day” is signified state, and by the “morning” of the day and by its “evening” in which the burnt-offerings of lambs were offered, is signified every state. (That “day” denotes state, see n. 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 7680; and that changes of states are as the alternations of the day in respect to morning, noon, evening, night, and again morning, see n. 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426)

[2] That “lambs” denote the good of innocence, is evident from the passages in the Word where “lambs” are mentioned, as in Isaiah:

The wolf shall abide with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them; the sucking child shall play on the hole of the viper, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk’s den; they shall not corrupt themselves in all the mountain of My holiness. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, shall the nations seek, and his rest shall be glory (Isaiah 11:6, 8-10).

There is here described the state of peace and innocence in the heavens and in the church after the Lord came into the world; and as a state of peace and innocence is described, mention is made of a “lamb,” a “kid,” and a “calf,” also of a “little child,” a “sucking child,” and a “weaned child,” and by all of these is signified the good of innocence-the inmost good of innocence by a “lamb,” the interior good of innocence by a “kid,” and the exterior good of innocence by a “calf;” the like is signified by a “child,” a “sucking child” and a “weaned child;” the “mountain of My holiness” denotes the heaven and the church where is the good of innocence; the “nations” denote those who are in this good; “the root of Jesse” denotes the Lord from whom is this good; the good of love from Him to Him, which is also called celestial good, is the good of innocence.

[3] That a “lamb” denotes the good of innocence in general, and specifically the inmost good of innocence, is evident from its being mentioned first, and also from the fact that the Lord Himself is called a “Lamb” as will be seen in what follows. (That a “kid” denotes the interior good of innocence, see n. 3519, 4871; that a “calf” or a “bullock” denotes the exterior good of innocence, n. 430, 9391; a “child,” innocence, n. 5236; in like manner a “sucking child,” a “weaned child,” or “infant,” n. 430, 2280, 3183, 3494, 5608; the “mountain of holiness” denotes where the good of love to the Lord is, see n. 6435, 8758; and “nations” denote those who are in this good, n. 1416, 6005.) That the good of love to the Lord, which is called celestial good, is the good of innocence, is evident from those who are in the inmost heaven, who because they are in this good appear naked, and like infants, for the reason that nakedness denotes innocence, and likewise infancy (see the places cited in n. 9262, and n. 3887, 5608).

[4] It is said that “the wolf shall abide with the lamb,” because by a “wolf” are signified those who are against innocence, as also is the case in the following passages:

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; they shall not do evil nor destroy in all the mountain of My holiness (Isaiah 65:25);

Jesus said to the disciples whom He sent forth, Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luke 10:3).

[5] As when the Lord was in the world He was innocence itself in respect to His Human, and as consequently everything that belongs to innocence proceeds from Him, the Lord is called “the Lamb,” and “the Lamb of God,” as in Isaiah:

Send ye the Lamb of the Ruler of the land from the rock toward the wilderness, unto the mountain of the daughter of Zion (Isaiah 16:1).

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is led as a Lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, and said, Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 36).

The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters (Revelation 7:17).

These are they who have not been defiled with women; these are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth; these were bought from among men, firstfruits to God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:4).

Besides many other passages in the Revelation, as (Revelation 5:6) 5:6, 8, 12-13; 6:1, 16; 7:9-10, 14; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:9, 14, 22-23, 27; 22:1, 3.

[6] As” lambs” denote those who are in innocence, therefore the Lord said to Peter, first, “Feed My lambs,” and afterward, “Feed My sheep,” and again, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:15-17); “lambs” here denote those who are in the good of love to the Lord, for these are in the good of innocence more than all others; but “sheep” denote those who are in the good of charity toward the neighbor, and who are in the good of faith.

[7] The like is signified by “lambs” in Isaiah:

Behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, He shall gather the lambs in His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead the sucklings (Isaiah 40:10-11).

That these things were said of the Lord is evident, because by “lambs” are meant those who are in love to Him, thus who are in the good of innocence, wherefore it is said that “He will gather them in His arm, and carry them in His bosom;” for they are conjoined with the Lord by love, and love is spiritual conjunction; and for this reason it is also added that “He will gently lead the sucklings,” for “sucklings” and “infants” denote those who are in the good of innocence (see n. 430, 2280, 3183, 3494).

[8] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices of lambs, and why they were to be made every day, every Sabbath, every new moon, and at every feast, and every day on the feast of the passover; and why at the feast of the passover the lamb that was called the paschal lamb was to be eaten, of which it is thus written in Moses:

This month shall be to you the head of the months; this shall be the first month of the year in respect to you; ye shall take a male cattle from the lambs or from the kids; and they shall take of the blood, and put it upon the two posts, and upon the lintel, and upon the houses wherein they shall eat it; they shall not eat of it raw, nor boiled in waters, but roast with fire (Exodus 12:2, and following verses).

By “the feast of the passover” was signified the liberation from damnation of those who receive the Lord in love and faith (n. 9286-9292); thus who are in the good of innocence, for the good of innocence is the inmost of love and faith, and is their soul; wherefore it is said that they should “put the blood of it upon the posts, the lintel, and the houses,” for where the good of innocence is, there hell cannot enter. They were to eat it “roast with fire,” because by this was signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord.

[9] As a “lamb” signified innocence, therefore when the days of purifying after childbirth had been fulfilled, there were offered:

A lamb the son of a year for a burnt-offering; and the son of a pigeon or a turtle-dove, for a sacrifice (Leviticus 12:6).

By “the son of a pigeon” and by “a turtle-dove” was signified innocence in like manner as by a “lamb;” by “childbirth” in the spiritual sense is signified the birth of the church, which is that of the good of love, for no other birth is understood in heaven; and by the burnt-offering and sacrifice from these is signified purification from evils through the good of innocence; for this good is that into which the Divine flows, and through which it purifies.

[10] He who sinned through error was to offer a lamb, or a kid of the goats, or two turtle-doves, or two sons of pigeons, for guilt (Leviticus 5:1-13), for the reason that sin through error is sin from ignorance, and if in ignorance there is innocence, purification is effected. Concerning the Nazirite also it is said:

When he has fulfilled his Naziriteship, he shall offer a lamb the son of a year for a burnt-offering, and a ewe lamb the daughter of a year for a sacrifice of sin, and one ram for a eucharistic sacrifice, also a basket of unleavened things, cakes mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened things anointed with oil (Numbers 6:13-15);

by all these things, namely, the “lamb,” the “ewe lamb,” the “ram,” the “unleavened breads,” the “wafers,” and the “oil,” are signified celestial things, that is, those which are of love to the Lord from the Lord. These were to be sacrificed by the Nazirite after the fulfilling of the days of the Naziriteship, because the Nazirite represented the celestial man, or the Lord as to the Divine celestial. The Divine celestial is the Divine of the Lord in the inmost heaven; and this Divine is innocence.

[11] From all this it can be seen that by a “lamb” is signified the good of innocence; for by all the beasts that were sacrificed something of the church was signified, as can be very well seen from the fact that the Lord Himself is called a “Lamb,” as is evident from the passages above cited; and likewise that those are called “lambs” who love the Lord, as in Isaiah 40:10-11, and in John 21:15; and that upright men are also called “sheep” (as in Matthew 15:21-29; 25:31-41; 26:31; John 10:7-16, 26-31; 21:16-17; and in other places); and evil men are called “goats” (Matthew 25:31; Zech. 10:3; Daniel 8:5-11, 25). (That all useful and gentle beasts signify good affections and inclinations; but that useless and fierce ones signify evil affections and inclinations, see th e places cited in n. 9280.)

[12] The good of innocence is signified not only by a “lamb,” but also by a “ram,” and by a “bullock,” but with the difference that by a “lamb” is signified the inmost good of innocence; by a “ram,” the interior or middle good of innocence; and by a “bullock,” the external good of innocence. The good of innocence in every one must be external, internal, and inmost, in order that the man may be regenerated, for the good of innocence is the very essence of all good. As these three degrees of innocence are signified by a “bullock,” a “ram,” and a “lamb,” therefore these three were offered for sacrifice and burnt offering when purification was represented by this good, as was done in each of the new moons, the feasts, the day of firstfruits, and when the altar was inaugurated (as is evident in Numbers 7:15, 21, 27, 38; 28, 29). (That a “bullock” denotes the external good of innocence, see n. 9391, 9990; and a “ram,” the internal good of innocence, n. 10042.) (As regards innocence and its quality with infants, also with the simple who are in ignorance, and with the wise, see the places cited in n. 10021.)

[13] By its being said that the lamb which was to be offered for a burnt-offering should be “the son of a year,” was signified that it then was a lamb, for when it exceeded a year, it was a sheep; and because a lamb was as it were an infant sheep, by it was signified such good as is of infancy, which is the good of innocence; hence also it was that lambs were to be offered for a burnt-offering in the first month of the year at the time of the passover (Exodus 12:2, and following verses; Numbers 28:16, 28:19); on the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26-27); and on the day in which they waved the sheaf (Leviticus 23:11-12); for by the first month of the year, and by the day of the firstfruits, and by the day of waving the sheaf, there was also signified a state of infancy, thus a state of innocence.

6435. Even to the desire of the hills of an age. That this signifies to celestial mutual love, is evident from the signification of the “hills of an age,” as being the things of mutual love (of which in what follows). That the spiritual church may come to this love, is signified by “even to the desire of the hills of an age.” Before it is shown from other passages of the Word that by the “hills of an age” is signified mutual love, it must first be told what is meant by the mutual love to which the man of the spiritual church, represented by Joseph, busies himself in arriving. From what has frequently been said and shown above, it is evident that there are two kingdoms which constitute heaven, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The difference between these two kingdoms is that the internal good of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord, and its external is the good of mutual love; they who are of this kingdom are in the good of love, but not in the truth which is called the truth of faith, for this is in the good of this kingdom, insomuch that it cannot be seen separately from good, and therefore they who belong to this kingdom cannot even mention faith (n. 202, 203, 4448), because with them instead of the truth of faith there is the good of mutual love. But as regards the spiritual kingdom, its internal is the good of charity toward the neighbor, while its external is the truth of faith.

[2] From all this it is evident what is the difference between these two kingdoms, and also that they agree in the fact that the external of the celestial kingdom coincides with the internal of the spiritual kingdom, through the intermediate which is called the “celestial of the spiritual.” For as before said the external of the celestial kingdom is the good of mutual love, and the internal of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity toward the neighbor; but the good of mutual love is more interior than the good of charity toward the neighbor, because the former is from the rational, but the latter is from the natural. But although the good of mutual love (which is the external of the celestial church) is more interior, and the good of charity toward the neighbor is more exterior, nevertheless, as just said, the Lord conjoins these goods by an intermediate, and thus conjoins these two kingdoms.

[3] In order to make a distinction between the external good of the celestial church and the internal good of the spiritual church, in the following pages we may call the former good the good of mutual love, and the latter the good of charity toward the neighbor, which difference has not been heretofore observed. These things being first known, it may be said what is signified by “even to the desire of the hills of an age,” which is among the blessings of Israel concerning this spiritual church, namely, that the spiritual kingdom may rise above the good of charity even to the good of mutual love, which is of the celestial kingdom; and that in this way these two kingdoms may be intimately conjoined: this is what is signified by these words.

[4] In very many passages of the prophetic Word mention is made of “mountains and hills,” and by them in the internal sense are signified the goods of love-by “mountains” the good of love to the Lord, which is the internal of the celestial kingdom; and by “hills” the good of mutual love, which is the external of the same kingdom; but where the spiritual kingdom is treated of, then by “mountains” is signified the good of charity toward the neighbor, which is the internal of this kingdom, and by “hills” the truth of faith, which is its external. Be it known that every church of the Lord is internal and external, and so is each of His kingdoms.

[5] That such is the signification of “hills,” is evident from the following passages:

In the latter days the mountain of Jehovah shall be for the head of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isaiah 2:2; Mic. 9:1 [NCBSP: 4:1]).

The “mountain of Jehovah,” which is Zion, denotes the Lord’s celestial kingdom, thus the good of this kingdom, which is of love to the Lord; thus in the supreme sense it is the Lord Himself, for all the love and all the good in the celestial kingdom belong to the Lord.

[6] The like is signified by the “mountain of Zion” elsewhere in the Word, and by the “hill thereof” the good of mutual love, as in Isaiah:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon the mountain of Zion, and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah 31:4); where “hill” denotes the good of mutual love; and as by a “hill” is signified the good of mutual love, and by a “mountain” the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord, it is said that “Jehovah would descend to fight upon that mountain.” Jehovah does not fight upon the mountain of Zion and the hill thereof; but where the good of love is, it is for this, that is, for those who are in it, that the Lord (in this passage “Jehovah”) fights. If He fought for Zion and for Jerusalem, it is because they represented the celestial church. Therefore also the mountain of Zion was called holy, and Jerusalem also was said to be holy, when yet in itself it was filthy, as is plain from the prophets, where its abominations are treated of.

[7] In David:

The mountains shall bring peace, and the hills in righteousness (Psalms 72:3).

In the same:

Praise Jehovah ye mountains, and all hills (Psalms 148:9).

In the same:

The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like the sons of the flock (Psalms 114:4, 6).

Again:

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of hills is the mountain of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye mountains, ye hills of mountains? God desires to dwell in it, Jehovah also shall dwell forever (Psalms 68:15-16).

In these passages “mountains” denote celestial love, and “hills” spiritual love; that mountains are not here meant, nor hills, nor they who were upon mountains and hills, is very manifest.

[8] In Isaiah:

There shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every lifted up hill, streams, channels of waters (Isaiah 30:25);

“channels of waters” denote the knowledges of good and of truth, which are said to be “upon every high mountain and lifted up hill” because these knowledges flow from the goods of celestial and spiritual love.

[9] In Habakkuk:

Jehovah stood and measured the earth; He saw and dispersed the nations, because the mountains of eternity were scattered, and the hills of an age humbled themselves (Hab. 3:6).

The “mountains of eternity” denote the good of love of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial; the “hills of an age,” the good of mutual love that belonged to that church; the former being its internal, the latter its external. When that church is meant in the Word, seeing that it was the most ancient one, “eternity” is sometimes added, as here the “mountains of eternity,” and elsewhere the “days of eternity” (n. 6239); and an “age” also is added, as here the “hills of an age,” and also in the prophetic utterance of Israel: “to the desire of the hills of an age.” Hence it is evident that by the “hills of an age” are signified the goods of mutual love, which are of the celestial church, or of the Lord’s celestial kingdom.

[10] So in Moses, in his prophetic utterance about Joseph:

Of the first-fruits of the mountains of the east, and of the precious things of the hills of eternity, let them come on the head of Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:15-16).

In Isaiah:

The mountains and the hills shall resound with singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12).

In Joel:

In that day the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters (Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13).

In Ezekiel:

My sheep wander in all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and upon all the faces of the earth are they scattered. I will make them, the compass of My hill, a blessing; and I will send down the rain in its season (Ezekiel 34:6, 26).

In Jeremiah:

Wasters are come upon all the hills in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth (Jeremiah 12:12).

In these passages the goods of celestial love are signified by “mountains;” and likewise by “hills,” but in a lower degree.

[11] Because “mountains” and “hills” signified such things, in the Ancient Church their Divine worship also was upon mountains and upon hills; and afterward the Hebrew nation set altars upon mountains and hills, and there sacrificed and burnt incense; and where there were no hills, they constructed high places. But because this worship became idolatrous, through holding the mountains and hills themselves holy, and thinking nothing at all about the holy things which they signified, this worship was therefore forbidden the Israelitish and Jewish people, because that people was more prone to idolatry than any other. In order however that this representative which had been in ancient times might be retained, the mountain of Zion was chosen, and by it in the supreme sense was represented the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love, and in the relative sense the Divine celestial and the Divine spiritual in His kingdom.

[12] As such things were signified, Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah; and the Lord was also seen upon a mountain by Moses, and the Law was promulgated from the elevation of a mountain, for He was seen by Moses upon Mount Horeb, and the Law was promulgated upon Mount Sinai; and the temple of Jerusalem was also built upon a mountain.

[13] That from an ancient rite holy worship was held upon mountains and hills, and afterward the Gentiles and also the idolatrous Israelites and Jews sacrificed and burnt incense thereon, is plain in Jeremiah:

Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the wickedness of thy whoredom, upon the hills in the field, I have seen thine abominations (Jeremiah 13:27);

speaking of Jerusalem.

In Ezekiel:

When their pierced ones shall be in the midst of their idols, round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the heads of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every tangled oak (Ezekiel 6:13).

In Jeremiah:

Upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou transgressing harlot (Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6; an. 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4; 17:10).

[14] Because idolatrous worship took place upon mountains and hills, by them are signified in the opposite sense the evils that belong to the love of self; as in Jeremiah:

The mountains, and lo they are shaken, and all the hills are overturned. I held and lo there was no man, and all the birds of heaven had flown away (Jeremiah 4:24-25).

In Isaiah:

Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall be humbled (Isaiah 40:4).

In the same:

Behold I have put thee for a thresher of a new thresher, set with spikes; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and shalt make the hills as chaff (Isaiah 41:15).

Again:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage (Isaiah 42:15).

And in Micah:

Hear ye I pray what Jehovah speaketh: Arise, contend thou with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice (Mic. 6:1).

In Jeremiah:

My people have been lost sheep, their shepherds have misled them, refractory mountains, they have gone from a mountain upon a hill, they have forgotten their fold (Jeremiah 50:6; and in other plac es, as Jeremiah 16:6; Nah. 1:5-6).

[15] The reason why “mountains” and “hills” signified the goods of celestial and spiritual love, was that they were prominent above the earth, and by things prominent and high were signified those which were of heaven, and in the supreme sense which were of the Lord. For the “land of Canaan” signified the Lord’s heavenly kingdom (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 4240, 4447); hence all things in that land were significative, the “mountains” and “hills” being significative of such things as are high; for when the most ancient people who were of the celestial church ascended a mountain they thought of height, and from height, of what is holy, because Jehovah or the Lord was said to dwell “in the highest,” and because in the spiritual sense “height” denoted the good of love (n. 650).