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Numeri 15

² "Parla ai figliuoli d’Israele e di’ loro: Quando sarete entrati nel paese che dovrete abitare e che io vi do,

³ e offrirete all’Eterno un sacrifizio fatto mediante il fuoco, olocausto o sacrifizio, per adempimento d’un voto o come offerta volontaria, o nelle vostre feste solenni, per fare un profumo soave all’Eterno col vostro grosso o minuto bestiame,

⁴ colui che presenterà la sua offerta all’Eterno, offrirà come oblazione un decimo d’efa di fior di farina stemperata col quarto di un hin d’olio,

⁵ e farai una libazione d’un quarto di hin di vino con l’olocausto o il sacrifizio, per ogni agnello.

⁶ Se è per un montone, offrirai come oblazione due decimi d’efa di fior di farina stemperata col terzo di un hin d’olio,

⁷ e farai una libazione d’un terzo di hin di vino come offerta di odor soave all’Eterno.

⁸ E se offri un giovenco come olocausto o come sacrifizio, per adempimento d’un voto o come sacrifizio d’azioni di grazie all’Eterno,

⁹ si offrirà, col giovenco, come oblazione, tre decimi d’efa di fior di farina stemperata con la metà di un hin d’olio,

¹⁰ e farai una libazione di un mezzo hin di vino: è un sacrifizio fatto mediante il fuoco, di soave odore all’Eterno.

¹¹ Così si farà per ogni bue, per ogni montone, per ogni agnello o capretto.

¹² Qualunque sia il numero degli animali che immolerete, farete così per ciascuna vittima.

¹³ Tutti quelli che sono nativi del paese faranno le cose così, quando offriranno un sacrifizio fatto mediante il fuoco, di soave odore all’Eterno.

¹⁴ E se uno straniero che soggiorna da voi, o chiunque dimori fra voi nel futuro, offre un sacrifizio fatto mediante il fuoco, di soave odore all’Eterno, farà come fate voi.

¹⁵ Vi sarà una sola legge per tutta l’assemblea, per voi e per lo straniero che soggiorna fra voi; sarà una legge perpetua, di generazione in generazione; come siete voi, così sarà lo straniero davanti all’Eterno.

¹⁶ Ci sarà una stessa legge e uno stesso diritto per voi e per lo straniero che soggiorna da voi".

¹⁷ L’Eterno parlò ancora a Mosè, dicendo:

¹⁸ "Parla ai figliuoli d’Israele e di’ loro: Quando sarete arrivati nel paese dove io vi conduco,

¹⁹ e mangerete del pane di quel paese, ne preleverete un’offerta da presentare all’Eterno.

²⁰ Delle primizie della vostra pasta metterete da parte una focaccia come offerta; la metterete da parte, come si mette da parte l’offerta dell’aia.

²¹ Delle primizie della vostra pasta darete all’Eterno una parte come offerta, di generazione in generazione.

²² Quando avrete errato e non avrete osservato tutti questi comandamenti che l’Eterno ha dati a Mosè,

²³ tutto quello che l’Eterno vi ha comandato per mezzo di Mosè, dal giorno che l’Eterno vi ha dato dei comandamenti e in appresso, nelle vostre successive generazioni,

²⁴ se il peccato è stato commesso per errore, senza che la raunanza se ne sia accorta, tutta la raunanza offrirà un giovenco come olocausto di soave odore all’Eterno, con la sua oblazione e la sua libazione secondo le norme stabilite, e un capro come sacrifizio per il peccato.

²⁵ E il sacerdote farà l’espiazione per tutta la raunanza dei figliuoli d’Israele, e sarà loro perdonato, perché è stato un peccato commesso per errore, ed essi hanno portato la loro offerta, un sacrifizio fatto all’Eterno mediante il fuoco, e il loro sacrifizio per il peccato dinanzi all’Eterno, a causa del loro errore.

²⁶ Sarà perdonato a tutta la raunanza de’ figliuoli d’Israele e allo straniero che soggiorna in mezzo a loro, perché tutto il popolo ha peccato per errore.

²⁷ Se è una persona sola che pecca per errore, offra una capra d’un anno come sacrifizio per il peccato.

²⁸ E il sacerdote farà l’espiazione dinanzi all’Eterno per la persona che avrà mancato commettendo un peccato per errore; e quando avrà fatta l’espiazione per essa, le sarà perdonato.

²⁹ Sia che si tratti d’un nativo del paese tra i figliuoli d’Israele o d’uno straniero che soggiorna fra voi, avrete un’unica legge per colui che pecca per errore.

³⁰ Ma la persona che agisce con proposito deliberato, sia nativo del paese o straniero, oltraggia l’Eterno; quella persona sarà sterminata di fra il suo popolo.

³¹ Siccome ha sprezzato la parola dell’Eterno e ha violato il suo comandamento, quella persona dovrà essere sterminata; porterà il peso della sua iniquità".

³² Or mentre i figliuoli d’Israele erano nel deserto, trovarono un uomo che raccoglieva delle legna in giorno di sabato.

³³ Quelli che l’aveano trovato a raccogliere le legna lo menarono a Mosè, ad Aaronne e a tutta la raunanza.

³⁴ E lo misero in prigione, perché non era ancora stato stabilito che cosa gli si dovesse fare.

³⁵ E l’Eterno disse a Mosè: "Quell’uomo dev’esser messo a morte; tutta la raunanza lo lapiderà fuori del campo".

³⁶ Tutta la raunanza lo menò fuori del campo e lo lapidò; e quello morì, secondo l’ordine che l’Eterno avea dato a Mosè.

³⁷ L’Eterno parlò ancora a Mosè, dicendo:

³⁸ "Parla ai figliuoli d’Israele e di’ loro che si facciano, di generazione in generazione, delle nappe agli angoli delle loro vesti, e che mettano alla nappa d’ogni angolo un cordone violetto.

³⁹ Sarà questa una nappa d’ornamento, e quando la guarderete, vi ricorderete di tutti i comandamenti dell’Eterno per metterli in pratica; e non andrete vagando dietro ai desideri del vostro cuore e dei vostri occhi che vi trascinano alla infedeltà.

⁴⁰ Così vi ricorderete di tutti i miei comandamenti, li metterete in pratica, e sarete santi al vostro Dio.

⁴¹ Io sono l’Eterno, il vostro Dio, che vi ho tratti dal paese d’Egitto per essere vostro Dio. Io sono l’Eterno, l’Iddio vostro".

Ze Swedenborgových děl

Apocalypse Explained # 365

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

365. And it was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth. That this signifies the Word thence not understood, whence arise dissensions in the church, is manifest from the signification of him that sat upon the red horse, as denoting the Word not understood as to good; for by him that sat upon the horse, is signified the Word, as was shown above (n. 355, 356). By the horse is signified the understanding thereof (n. 355), and by the red horse the understanding destroyed as to good (n. 364); therefore, by him that sat upon the red horse is signified the Word thence not understood. From the signification of taking away peace, as denoting that thence arise dissensions, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the earth, as denoting the church. That the earth signifies the church may be seen above, n. 29, 304.

[2] Before it is explained what peace signifies, something shall be said concerning this fact, that when the understanding of the Word is destroyed, dissensions arise in the church. By good is meant the good of love to the Lord, and the good of love towards the neighbour, because all good is of love; when these goods do not exist with the man of the church, then the Word is not understood; for the conjunction of the Lord and the conjunction of heaven with the man of the church is by good; therefore, if there is no good with him, no enlightenment can be given; for all enlightenment, when the Word is read, is out of heaven from the Lord; and when there is no enlightenment, then the truths that are in the Word are in obscurity, [and] hence dissensions arise. That the Word is not understood if man is not in good, is evident from this fact, that in every particular of the Word there is the heavenly marriage, that is, the conjunction of good and truth; therefore, if good is not present to a man reading the Word, neither does truth appear, for truth appears from good, and good by means of truths. (That in the particulars of the Word there is a conjunction of good and truth, see above, n. 238 at the end, 288.)

[3] The state of the case is this: in proportion as man is in good, in the same proportion the Lord flows in, and gives the affection of truth, and understanding thence; for the interior human mind is altogether formed as an image of heaven, and all heaven is formed according to the affections of good, and of truth from good; therefore, unless good is with man, that mind cannot be opened, still less can it be formed for heaven; it is formed by the conjunction of good and truth. Hence also it is evident, that unless man is in good, truths have not any ground in which they may be received, nor heat from which they may grow: for truths with the man who is in good, are like seeds in the ground in the time of spring; whereas truths with the man who is not in good, are like seeds in ground bound by frost in the time of winter, when there is neither grass, nor flower, nor tree, still less fruit.

[4] In the Word are all the truths of heaven and the church, indeed, all the mysteries of the wisdom of the angels of heaven; but no one sees those things except him who is in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of love towards the neighbour. Those who are not, see truths here and there, but they do not understand them, having an entirely different perception and idea concerning them from that which pertains to the truths considered in themselves; hence although they see or know truths, still the truths are not truths with them, but falsities; for truths are not truths from their sound and utterance, but from the idea held and perception concerning them. It is otherwise when truths are implanted in good; then truths appear in their own form, for truth is the form of good. Hence it may be concluded, what kind of the understanding of the Word those have who make faith alone the sole means of salvation, and put in the background the good of life, or the good of charity. It has been found that those who have confirmed themselves in this manner, as well in doctrine as in life, have not so much as a right idea of truth. This also is the reason why they do not know what good is, what charity and love are, what the neighbour is, what heaven and hell are, that they will live after death as men, nor indeed what regeneration is, what baptism is, and several other things; indeed so blind are they concerning God Himself, that they worship three in thought, and one with the mouth only, not knowing that the Father of the Lord is the Divine in Him, and that the Holy Spirit is the Divine from Him.

These things are mentioned that it may be known that there is no understanding of the Word where good is not. The reason why it is here said that it was given to him that sat upon the red horse to take peace from the earth, is, because peace signifies the peacefulness of the higher mind (mens) and the tranquillity of the lower mind (animi) from the conjunction of good and truth. Hence to take away peace signifies an unpeacefulness and intranquillity from the separation of these, whence arise internal dissensions; for when good is separated from truth, then evil succeeds in its place, and it loves not the truth but falsity, because all falsity is of evil, as all truth is of good; therefore, when such a person sees a truth in the Word, or hears it from another, the evil of his love, and thence of his will, strives against it, and then he either rejects it, or perverts it, or by ideas from evil so obscures it, that at length he sees nothing of truth in the truth, however true it may sound when he utters it; hence is the origin of all dissensions, controversies, and heresies in the church. From these considerations it is evident what is here signified by taking peace from the earth.

[5] But what peace is in its primary origin is amply shown in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, where the state of peace in heaven is treated of (n. 284-290), namely, that in its primary origin it is from the Lord; that it is in Him from the union of the Divine itself and the Divine Human, and from Him by virtue of His conjunction with heaven and the church, and in particular from the conjunction of good and truth with every one; hence it is, that by peace, in the highest sense, is signified the Lord, in a relative sense, heaven and the church in general, and also heaven and the church in particular with every one.

[6] That these things are signified by peace in the Word, is evident from many passages therein, of which I will adduce the following in confirmation. In John:

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (14:27).

The Lord's union with the Father is here treated of; that is, the union of His Divine Human with the Divine itself which was in Him from conception, and thence concerning the Lord's conjunction with those who are in truths from good. Hence by peace is meant tranquillity of mind from that conjunction; and because thereby they are protected from the evils and falsities from hell - for the Lord protects those who are conjoined with Him - therefore, he says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This Divine peace is in man, and because heaven is associated with it, by peace is also here meant heaven, and, in the highest sense, the Lord; but the peace of the world is from successes there, thus from conjunction with the world, which, because it is only external, and the Lord is not in it, nor, consequently, heaven, perishes with a man's life in the world, and is turned into what is not peace. Therefore, the Lord says, "My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you."

[7] In the same:

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but trust confidently, I have overcome the world" (16:33).

Here also by peace is meant internal delight from conjunction with the Lord, whence [come] heaven and internal joy. Peace is here opposed to tribulation, because by tribulation is signified infestation by evils and falsities, which those experience who are in Divine peace, so long as they live in the world; for the flesh with which they are then clothed lusts after the things of the world, whence comes tribulation; therefore, the Lord says, "That in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation," and because the Lord as to His Human acquired to Himself power over the hells, thus over the evils and the falsities, which thence rise up into the flesh with every one, and infest, therefore, He says, "Trust confidently, I have overcome the world."

[8] In Luke:

Jesus said to the seventy whom he sent forth, "Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not, it shall return to you again" (10:5, 6).

And in Matthew:

"Entering into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, departing out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet" (10:12-14).

That they should say, Peace be to this house, signifies that they should acquaint themselves whether those who were therein received the Lord, preached the gospel concerning the Lord, and thence concerning heaven, celestial joy, and eternal life; for all these things are signified by peace. And those who received them are meant by the sons of peace, upon whom the peace should rest; but that it should be taken away from those who would not acknowledge the Lord, and thence would not receive the things concerning Him, or which belong to peace, is signified by their peace returning to them again if the house or city was not worthy. Lest then they should suffer hurt from the evils and falsities in that house or in that city, it was commanded that, when departing, they should shake off the dust of their feet, by which is signified lest what was cursed should thence adhere; for by the dust of the feet is signified what is cursed; for the ultimate in man, which is the sensual Natural, corresponds to the soles of the feet; and because evil adheres to it, therefore with those who were in the representatives of the church, as most were at that time, they shook off the dust of the feet when the truths of doctrine were not received. For in the spiritual world, when any good person comes to evil ones, evil flows in from the latter, and disturbs somewhat, but this is the case only with the ultimates, which correspond to the soles of the feet; hence when they turn and go away it appears as if they shook the dust off their feet behind them, which is a sign that they are liberated, and that the evil adheres to those who are in evil. (That the soles of the feet correspond to the lowest natural things, and that hence in the Word they signify them, may be seen, n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; and that the dust which they should shake off, signifies what is cursed, n. 249, 7418, 7522.)

[9] In Luke:

Jesus wept over the city, saying, "If thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace! but now it is hid from thine eyes" (19:41, 42).

Those who think of these words and of those which immediately follow from the sense of the letter only, because they see no other, believe that they were spoken by the Lord concerning the destruction of Jerusalem; but all things which the Lord spoke, because from the Divine, regarded not worldly and temporal things, but heavenly and eternal. Therefore by Jerusalem over which the Lord wept, here as elsewhere, is signified the church, which was then entirely vastated, so that truth and consequently good were no longer, and thus that they would perish for ever. On this account He says, "If thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things which belong to thy peace," that is which belong to eternal life and happiness, which are from the Lord alone; for by peace, as was said above, heaven and heavenly joy through conjunction with the Lord are meant.

[10] In the same:

"Zacharias prophesying said, The day-spring from on high appeareth to us that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (1:78, 79).

These things were spoken concerning the Lord about to come into the world, and the enlightenment of those at that time who were outside the church, and ignorant of Divine truth, because they had not the Word. The Lord is meant by the day-spring from on high which appeareth; and those who are outside the church, are meant by them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; and their enlightenment in Divine truths through the reception of the Lord, and conjunction with Him, whence are heaven and eternal happiness, is meant by the way of peace; by guiding our feet into it, is signified instruction.

[11] In the same:

The disciples praised God, saying, "Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest" (19:37, 38).

These things were said by the disciples when the Lord went to Jerusalem, that there, by the passion of the cross, which was His last temptation, He might fully unite His Human with His Divine, and also entirely subjugate the hells; and because all Divine good and truth would then proceed from Him, they say, "Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord," by which was signified acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that those things were from Him (see above, n. 340). By peace in heaven and by glory in the highest, is signified that those things signified by peace are from the union of the Divine itself and the Divine Human, and thence angels and men from their conjunction with the Lord possess them; for when the hells were subjugated by the Lord, then peace was brought about in heaven, and then those who were there had Divine truth from the Lord, which is glory in the highest. That glory signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 33, 288, 345). Since peace, in the internal sense of the Word, signifies the Lord, and thence heaven and life eternal, specifically the delight of heaven arising from conjunction with the Lord, therefore, the Lord, after the resurrection, when He appeared to the disciples, said to them,

"Peace be unto you" (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 21, 26).

[12] Moreover, in Moses:

"Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make his faces shine upon thee, and be merciful unto thee; and Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee, and give thee peace" (Num. 6:24-26).

The Divine truth from which are all intelligence and wisdom, and with which the Lord flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah make his faces shine upon thee," and the protection thereby from falsities is meant by, "be merciful unto thee"; and the Divine good, from which are all love and charity, and with which the Lord flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee "; and the protection thereby from evils, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are meant by, "give thee peace"; for when evils and falsities are removed, and no longer infest, then the Lord flows in with peace, in which and from which is heaven, also the delight which fills with blessedness the interiors of the mind, consequently, heavenly joy. This benediction may also be seen explained above (n. 340). The same is signified by peace in David:

"Jehovah will bless his people with peace" (Psalms 29:11).

[13] And in the same:

"Who will show us good? Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy faces upon us. Thou givest joy in my heart, before the time [when] their corn and new wine are multiplied. In peace I lie down and sleep together; for thou, Jehovah, alone makest me to dwell securely" (Psalms 4:6-8).

Here is described the peace which those possess who are in conjunction with the Lord by the reception of Divine good and Divine truth from Him, and that it is peace in which and from which is heavenly joy; Divine good is meant by, "who will show us good?" and Divine truth by, "lift thou up the light of thy faces upon us"; the light of the Lord's faces is the Divine Light proceeding from Him as the sun in the angelic heaven, which in its essence is Divine truth, as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 126-140). The heavenly joy thence is meant by, "Thou givest joy in the heart"; the multiplication of good and truth is meant by, "their corn and new wine are multiplied," corn signifying good, and new wine truth. Because peace is in them and from them, therefore, it is said, "In peace I lie down and sleep together; for thou, Jehovah, alone makest me to dwell securely." By peace is signified the internal delight of heaven; by security, the external delight; and by lying down and sleeping, and also by dwelling, is signified to live.

[14] In Moses:

"If ye walk in my statutes, and observe my precepts, and do them, I will give peace in the land, so that ye shall lie down securely, and none shall make you afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not go through the land" (Leviticus 26:3, 4, 6).

Whence peace is, that is, heaven and heavenly joy, is here described: peace, viewed in itself, is not heaven and heavenly joy, but these are in peace and from peace; for peace is as the dawn, or as the spring-time in the world, which disposes human minds to receive in the heart delights and pleasures from the objects which then appear before the eyes, for it is this which delights and pleases; and since all things of heaven and also of its joy, are from the Divine peace, hence these are also meant by peace. Because man possesses heaven from living according to the precepts, for hence he has conjunction with the Lord, therefore it is said, "If ye walk in my statutes, and observe my precepts, and do them, I will give peace in the land"; that then they should not be infested by evils and falsities, is meant by their lying down securely, and none making afraid, and by Jehovah will make the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not go through it. By the evil wild beast are signified evil lusts, and by the sword are meant the falsities thence; both the latter and the former destroy good and truth from which is peace; and by the land is signified the church. (That evil wild beasts signify evil lusts, and the destruction of good by them, may be seen, n. 4729, 7102, 9335. That sword signifies falsities, and the destruction of truth by them, may be seen above, n. 131; and that land signifies the church, see also above, n. 29, 304.) He who is not raised above the sense of the letter of the Word, sees nothing more than that he who lives according to the statutes and precepts shall live in peace, that is, that he shall have no adversaries or enemies, and that thus he shall lie down in safety; also that no evil wild beasts shall hurt him, and that he shall not perish with the sword; but this is not the Spiritual of the Word, yet the Word is in every particular spiritual, and this lies concealed in the sense of its letter which is natural; its Spiritual is what has now been explained above.

[15] In David:

"The afflicted shall possess the earth; and shall be delighted with the abundance of peace. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace" (Psalms 37:11, 37).

By the afflicted are here meant those who are in temptations in the world; by the abundance of peace with which they shall be delighted, are signified the delights that follow temptations; for after temptations delights are given by the Lord, from the conjunction of good and truth then, and hence from conjunction with the Lord. That man has the delight of peace from the conjunction of good and truth, is meant by, "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." The perfectness to be marked, is said of good in the Word, and the uprightness to be beheld, is said of truth; the end denotes the termination when peace comes.

[16] In the same:

"The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the hills, in justice. In his days shall the just man flourish; and abundance of peace until the moon shall be no more" (Psalms 72:3, 7).

The Lord's advent and His kingdom are here treated of; by the mountains which shall bring peace to the people, is signified love to the Lord; and by the hills which are in justice, is signified charity towards the neighbour. (That these things are signified by mountains in the Word, may be seen, n. 795, 6435, 10438; the reason why those who are in love to the Lord, dwell in heaven upon mountains, and those who are in charity towards the neighbour, upon hills there, n. 10438, and in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 188.) Hence it is evident, that by peace is meant heavenly joy which is from conjunction with the Lord by love; by, "in his days shall the just man flourish," is signified he who is in the good of love, hence it is also said, "and abundance of peace"; for peace is from no other source than the Lord, and His conjunction with those who are in the good of love, as said above. It is said, "until the moon shall be no more"; by which is signified that truth will not be separated from good, but that they will be conjoined so as to be one, that is that truth will be also good; for all truth is of good, because it is from good, and hence in its essence is good; such is the nature of truth with those who are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, who are here meant by the just man. (That the sun signifies the good of love, and the moon the truth thence, may be seen, n. 1521-1531, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7683.)

[17] In Isaiah:

"Unto us a boy is born, unto us a son is given; the government shall be upon his shoulder; his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, The Father of Eternity, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end" (9:6, 7).

These things are spoken of the Lord's coming, of whom it is said, "Unto us a boy is born, unto us a son is given," because by a boy in the Word is signified good, here the Divine good, and by son truth, here the Divine truth. Thus it is said on account of the marriage of good and truth, which is in every particular of the Word; and because the Divine good and Divine truth are from Him, therefore, He is called the Prince of Peace, and it is said "of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end"; government is mentioned from the Divine truth, and peace from the Divine good conjoined to the Divine truth, whence He is called the Prince of Peace. (That prince is said of truths, and that it signifies the principal truth, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044, and above, n. 29; and that peace is predicated of the conjunction of good and truth, may be seen above in this article.)

[18] But because peace is mentioned in many passages of the Word, and the explanation should be applied to the thing treated of, or to the subject of which it is predicated, and, consequently, its signification appears different, therefore, I will summarily declare what peace signifies, that the mind may not be led in different directions concerning it: - "Peace is a blessing of the heart and soul arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and with the church, and this from the conjunction of good and truth with those who are therein, whence there is no longer combat of evil and falsity against good and truth, or no dissension or war, in the spiritual sense; hence arises peace, in which result the fructification of good, and all the multiplication of truth, consequently, all wisdom and intelligence; and because that peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven, and with men in the church, therefore, by peace, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, consequently, good conjoined to truth with those who are there."

[19] From these statements an idea may be formed of the signification of peace, in the following passages. In David:

"Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it" (Psalms 34:[14] ¹ ).

Peace [is used] for all things which belong to heaven and the church, whence the happiness of life eternal; which because it is given only to those who are in good, therefore, it is said, "Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it."

[20] In the same:

"Much peace have they who love thy law; and nothing shall offend them. Jehovah, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments" (Psalms 119:165, 166).

Peace [is used] for heavenly blessedness, happiness, and delight, which, because they are granted only to those who love to do the Lord's commandments, therefore, it is said, "Much peace have they who love thy law. Jehovah, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments." Salvation [is used] for life eternal. That such have no infestation from evils and falsities, is signified by, "nothing shall offend them."

[21] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for thou hast wrought all our works for us" (26:12).

Because peace is from Jehovah alone, that is, from the Lord, and in doing good from Him, therefore, it is said, "Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for thou hast wrought all our works for us."

[22] In the same:

"The angels of peace weep bitterly. The highways are wasted, the wayfaring man hath ceased" (33:7, 8).

Because peace is from the Lord, and in heaven from Him, therefore, the angels there are called the angels of peace; and because there is no peace to those upon earth, who are in evils and the falsities thence, therefore, it is said that they weep bitterly, because the highways are wasted, the wayfaring man hath ceased; highways and a way signify the goods of life and the truths of faith; wherefore, their highways being wasted signifies that there are no longer goods of life, and the wayfaring man having ceased, signifies that there are no longer truths of faith.

[23] In the same:

"O that thou hadst hearkened to my precepts! and thy peace would have been as a river, and thy justice as the waves of the sea. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, unto the wicked" (48:18, 22).

Because there is peace to those who live according to the Lord's precepts, and not to those who do not so live, therefore, it is said, "O that thou hadst hearkened to my precepts! and thy peace would have been as a river; there is no peace unto the wicked." Peace as a river, signifies in abundance; justice as the waves of the sea, signifies the fructification of good by truths; justice in the Word being said of good, and the sea of truths.

[24] In the same:

"The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my mercy shall not depart from with thee, the covenant of my peace shall not be removed. All thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy sons" (54:10, 13).

The new heaven and the new church are here treated of. The former heaven and the former church which were to perish, are meant by the mountains which shall depart, and the hills which shall be removed; that those who are in the new heaven and in the new church will be in good from the Lord, and possess heavenly joy to eternity by conjunction with the Lord, is signified by, "My mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be removed"; mercy signifies good from the Lord, and the covenant of peace signifies heavenly joy from conjunction with the Lord, a covenant denoting conjunction. By the sons who shall be taught of Jehovah, and who shall have great peace, are meant those who, in the new heaven and in the new church, will be in truths from good from the Lord, that they shall have eternal blessedness and happiness; sons in the Word signifying those who are in truths from good; and their being taught of Jehovah, signifying that they are in truths from good from the Lord, and great peace signifying eternal blessedness and happiness.

[25] In Ezekiel:

"David shall be their prince for ever, and I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be a covenant of eternity with them; and I will give them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them to eternity" (37:25, 26).

The Lord, and the creation of a new heaven and a new church from Him, are here treated of. By David, who shall be their prince for ever, is meant the Lord. By making a covenant of peace with them, is signified heavenly joy and eternal life for those who are conjoined to the Lord; a covenant of peace here, as above, denoting heavenly joy, and eternal life from conjunction with the Lord. The fructification of good and the multiplication of truth thence, are signified by, "I will give them, and multiply them"; and because heaven and the church are thence, it is added, "and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them to eternity," the sanctuary denoting heaven and the church.

[26] In Malachi:

"That my covenant may be with Levi. My covenant was with him of life and peace. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with me in peace and uprightness" (2:4-6).

By Levi are signified all who were in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and, in the highest sense, the Lord Himself is meant, since that good is from Him; here the Lord Himself is signified. The covenant of life and peace signifies the union of His Divine with His Divine Human, from which union come all life and peace. That Divine truth is from Him is signified by, "The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips"; the very unition, which was accomplished in the world, is meant by, "he walked with me in peace and uprightness." (That by Levi in the Word is signified spiritual love or charity, may be seen, n. 4497, 4502, 4503; and that by him, in the highest sense, the Lord is meant, n. 3875, 3877.)

[27] In Ezekiel:

"Then I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Then the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its produce, when I have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve" (34:25, 27).

Here also the Lord's advent is treated of, and the establishment of a new church by Him. The conjunction of those who belong to the church with the Lord, is signified by the covenant of peace which He will then make with them; protection and security thence from evils and falsities, is signified by, I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. The evil wild beast signifies evils of every kind; the wilderness where they shall dwell safely, signifies that the lusts of evil shall not infest; the woods in which they shall sleep, signify the falsities thence which shall not infest. The fructification of good by truths, and the multiplication of truth from good, are signified by, "Then the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its produce"; the tree of the field signifying the knowledges (cognitions) of truth, fruit signifying good thence, the earth signifying the church as to good, thus also the good of the church, and its produce signifying the multiplication of truth thence. That these things shall come to pass with them after the Lord has removed the evils and falsities pertaining to them, is signified by, "when I have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve"; the bonds of the yoke denoting the delights of evil from the love of self and of the world, which keep them bound; and those who make them to serve, denoting falsities, because these cause them to serve those evils.

[28] In Zechariah:

"A seed of peace shall they be; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; but love the truth and peace" (8:12, 16, 17, 19).

They are called a seed of peace with whom there is the conjunction of good and truth; and because they are meant by the seed of peace, therefore, it is said the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground its produce. By the vine giving its fruit, is signified that truth shall produce good, and by the earth giving its produce, is signified that good shall produce truths; for a vine signifies the church as to truths, or the truths of the church, and the ground signifies the church as to good, or the good of the church, and produce signifies the production of truth. By the heavens which shall give their dew is signified the fructification of good, and the multiplication of truth. The conjunction of truth and good is further described by, "speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; but love the truth and peace." By the truth is signified truth; by the judgment of peace, and by peace, is signified its conjunction with good.

[29] In David:

"Jehovah will speak peace to his people, and to his saints, that they may not turn again to folly. Mercy and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss each other" (Psalms 85:8, 10).

That Jehovah shall speak peace to His people and to His saints, signifies that He will teach them, and give them conjunction with Himself by the conjunction of good and truth in them; by peace is signified both these conjunctions; by people are signified those who are in truths from good; and by saints those who are in good by means of truths; that such have not, after that, evil from falsity, and falsity from evil, is signified by their not turning again to folly. Both those conjunctions are further described by, "mercy and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss each other"; mercy there signifying the removal of falsities, in consequence of which truths are received by them; and justice the removal of evils, in consequence of which goods are received by them. Hence it is evident what justice and peace shall kiss each other signifies.

[30] In Isaiah:

"How delightful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth good tidings, that causeth to hear peace; that publisheth good tidings of good, that causeth to hear salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy King reigneth" (52:7).

These things are said concerning the Lord, and by the peace here is signified the Lord Himself, and thence heaven to those who are conjoined with Him. To publish good tidings, signifies to preach those things; and as that conjunction is effected by love, mention is made of publishing good tidings upon the mountains, and of saying unto Zion; mountains signifying here, as above, the good of love to the Lord; and Zion signifying the church which is in that good; and the Lord is meant by thy King who reigneth. Because the conjunction of truth and good from conjunction with the Lord is signified by peace, therefore, it is said that "He causeth to hear peace, publisheth good tidings of good, and causeth to hear salvation." To publish good tidings of good signifies conjunction with Him by good, and to cause to hear salvation signifies conjunction with Him by truths and by a life according to them, for hereby there is salvation.

[31] In the same:

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his wound is healing given to us" (53:5).

These things are said of the Lord, of whom this chapter manifestly treats, and by these words are described the temptations which He underwent in the world that He might subjugate the hells, and reduce all things there and in the heavens into order. Those grievous temptations are meant by His being pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace being upon Him; salvation thereby is signified by, "His wound is healing given to us." By peace, therefore, is here signified, heaven and life eternal for those who are conjoined with Him; for the human race could by no means have been saved, unless the Lord had brought back all things in the heavens and in the hells into order, and at the same time glorified His Human, which were accomplished by the temptations admitted into His Human.

[32] In Jeremiah:

"Behold I will cause to ascend unto him health and cure, and I will heal them, and will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth. All the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I am about to do unto them; that they may fear and tremble over all the goodness and over all the peace that I am about to do unto them" (33:6, 9).

These things also are said concerning the Lord, that He would deliver from evils and falsities those who are in conjunction with Him. Freeing from evils and falsities is signified by, "I will cause to ascend unto him health and cure, and I will heal them"; for to be healed spiritually is to be delivered from evils and falsities, and because this is effected by the Lord by means of truths, it is said, "and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth." By the nations of the earth are signified those who are in evils and falsities, concerning whom it is said, "that they shall fear and tremble over all the goodness and over all the peace that I am about to do unto them."

[33] In David:

"He will redeem my soul in peace, lest they come near to me" (55:18).

By redeeming my soul in peace is signified salvation by conjunction with the Lord, and by, "lest they come near to me," is signified the consequent removal of evils and falsities.

[34] In Haggai:

"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, for in this place will I give peace" (2:9).

By the house of God is signified the church; by the former house, the church which was before the Lord's coming; and by the latter house, the church which was after His coming; by glory is signified the Divine truth which was in the former and the latter; and by the peace which He shall give in this place, or in the church, are meant all those things that are signified by peace, of which we have treated above, and which see.

[35] In David:

"Seek the peace of Jerusalem: let them rest that love thee; peace be in thy bulwark, rest in thy palaces; for the sake of my brethren and companions I will say, peace be in thee, for the sake of the house of Jehovah our God, I will seek good for thee" (Psalms 122:6-9).

By Jerusalem is not meant Jerusalem, but the church as to doctrine and worship; by peace is meant everything of doctrine and worship, for when these are from a heavenly origin, that is, out of heaven from the Lord, then they are from peace and in peace, whence it is manifest what is meant by, "seek the peace of Jerusalem," and because those who are in that peace are called the people of rest, it is also said, "let them rest that love thee," namely, that love the doctrine and worship of the church. By, "peace be in thy bulwark, and rest in thy palaces," is signified, in the exterior and interior man; for the exterior man, with the things therein, which are natural scientifics and delights, is like a bulwark or fortification to the interior man, because it is without, or before it, and protects it; and the interior man, with the things therein, which are truths and spiritual goods, is like a palace or house, because it is within the exterior; hence the exterior things of man are signified by a bulwark, and his interior things by palaces. It is the same also elsewhere in the Word. "For the sake of my brethren and companions, signifies, for the sake of those who are in goods and the truths thence, and, abstractedly from persons, it signifies goods and truths. (That these are meant by brethren and companions in the Word, may be seen, n. 10490, and above, n. 47. By the house of Jehovah our God is signified the church in which those things are.)

[36] In the same:

"Praise, Jehovah, O Jerusalem, celebrate thy name, O Zion! Who maketh thy border peace, and filleth thee with the fat of wheat" (Psalms 147:12, 14).

By Jerusalem and by Zion is meant the church, - by Jerusalem the church as to truths of doctrine, and by Zion the church as to goods of love; by the name of Jehovah which Zion shall celebrate, is signified the all of worship from the good of love; who maketh thy border peace, signifies all things of heaven and the church, for border signifies all things thereof, since in the border or ultimate are all things in the aggregate (see n. Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 8603, 9215, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548). "He filleth thee with the fat of wheat," signifies with every good of love and with wisdom, for fat signifies the good of love (see n. 5943, 6409, 10033); and wheat signifies all things that are from the good of love, specifically the truths of heaven, and wisdom thence (n. 3941, 7605).

[37] In the same:

"Jehovah bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; that thou mayest see the sons of thy sons, peace upon Israel" (128:5, 6).

By Zion and by Jerusalem is signified here, as above, the church as to the goods of love and as to the truths of doctrine; its being said, "Jehovah bless thee out of Zion," denotes [blessing] as from the good of love, for Zion signifies the church as to the good of love; and because from that good exist and proceed every good and truth of doctrine, it is therefore said, "that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem, and the sons of thy sons"; the sons of sons signifying truths of doctrine, and their multiplication to eternity. Because all these things are from the Lord, and by the peace which is from Him, therefore it concludes with, "that thou mayest see peace upon Israel," Israel denoting those with whom the church is.

[38] In the same:

"In Salem is God's tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in Zion. There brake he the flashes of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle" (Psalms 76:2, 3).

Jerusalem is here called Salem, because by Salem is signified peace, from which also Jerusalem is named. The reason that it is so named is, because peace signifies all those things that have been briefly mentioned above, which may be referred to. By the tabernacle of God which is therein, is signified the church from those things; by His dwelling-place in Zion, is signified the good of love, because the Lord dwells in it, and thence gives truths, and makes them bear fruit and multiply; and because peace also signifies that there are no longer combats of evil and falsity against good and truth, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense, therefore, it is said, "there brake he the flashes of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle," by which is signified the dispersion of all combat of falsities of doctrine against good and truth, and, in general, the dispersion of all dissension. From peace also Jerusalem was called Schelomim (Jeremiah 13:19), and on that account Melchizedek, who was the priest of God Most High, was king of Salem (Genesis 14:18); and thereby the Lord was represented; as is evident in David, where it is written,

"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalms 110:4).

[39] In Isaiah:

"Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her; that ye may suck, and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations; and that ye may press out, and be delighted with, the splendour of her glory. Behold, I spread peace abroad over her like a river, and like an overflowing stream, the glory of the nations, that ye may suck; ye shall be taken up to her side, and upon her knees ye shall be delighted" (66:10-12).

By Jerusalem here as above is meant the church as to doctrine, or, what is the same, the doctrine of the church; concerning the latter it is said, "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her," and concerning doctrine it is also said, "that ye may suck, and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations; and that ye may press out, and be delighted with, the splendour of her glory"; by the breast of consolations is signified the Divine good, and by the splendour of glory, the Divine truth from which doctrine is. That all those things shall be in abundance from conjunction with the Lord, is signified by, "behold, I spread peace abroad over her like a river, and like an overflowing stream, the glory of the nations, that ye may suck"; peace signifying conjunction with the Lord; the glory of the nations, the conjunction of good and truth thence; to suck, influx from the Lord; and like a river and an overflowing stream, abundance. That hence are spiritual love, and celestial love, by which conjunction with the Lord is effected, is signified by, "ye shall be taken up to her side, and be delighted upon her knees"; the side signifying spiritual love, and the knees celestial love, and to be taken up and be delighted signifying eternal happiness from conjunction. (That the breast signifies spiritual love, and also the side or bosom, may be seen above, n. 65; that the knees signify conjugal love, and hence celestial love, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3021, 4280, 5050-5062. That glory signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom thence, may be seen above, n. 33, 288, 345; and that the nations signify those who are in the good of love, and, abstractedly from persons, the goods of love, may also be seen above, n. 175, 331; hence the glory of the nations, signifies genuine truth which is from the good of love, thus their conjunction.)

[40] In the same:

"The work of Jehovah is peace; and the labour of justice quietness and security even for ever; that my people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting-places" (32:17, 18).

Peace is called the work of Jehovah, because it is solely from the Lord, and everything that exists by virtue of peace from the Lord, with those who are in conjunction with the Lord, is called the work of Jehovah; hence it is said, the work of Jehovah is peace. The labour of justice signifies good conjoined with truth, in which peace consists; for labour in the Word is predicated of truth, justice of good, and quietness of the peace therein. Security for ever signifies that thus there will be no infestation and fear from evils and falsities. Hence it is evident what is signified by, "that my people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting-places," namely, that they are in heaven where the Lord is, and thence in the good of love and of worship without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of good and the pleasantnesses of truth. The habitation of peace denotes heaven where the Lord is; tents of securities denote the goods of love and of worship thence without infestation by evils and falsities from hell; and quiet resting-places denote the delight of good, and the pleasantnesses of truth. (That tents signify the goods of love and worship, may be seen, n. 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, [3312] ² , 3391, 4391, 10545.)

[41] In the same:

"For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for stones iron; I will also make thy presidency peace, and thine exactors justice. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting and destruction within thy borders" (60:17, 18).

The subjects treated of in this chapter are the Lord's coming, and the new heaven and new church then; and by those words is meant that they shall be spiritual and not natural as before, namely, those who are conjoined with the Lord, by the good of love; and that there shall be no more division between the internal or spiritual man and the external or natural. That they shall be spiritual and not natural as before, is signified by, "for brass I will bring gold; for iron, silver; and for stones, iron”; brass, iron, and stones signifying things natural, and gold, silver, and iron in place thereof, signifying things spiritual; gold spiritual good, silver the truth of that good, and iron spiritual-natural truth. That the Lord will rule by the good of love, is signified by, "I will make thy presidency peace, and thine exactors justice," presidency signifying kingdom, peace the Lord, and justice good from Him. That there shall be no longer disagreement between the spiritual and the natural man, is signified by, "violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting, and destruction within thy borders"; by violence is signified dissension, by land the internal spiritual man, because there the church is, which in general is signified by land; by "wasting and destruction which shall be no more," is signified that there shall be no longer any evils and falsities; and by, "within thy borders," is signified in the natural man, for in the things that are there, spiritual things are terminated. The reason why wasting and destruction signify evils and falsities, is, because evils waste the natural man, and falsities destroy it.

[42] Because peace is with those who are in the conjunction of good and truth from the Lord, and because evil destroys good, and falsity truth, thus also peace, hence it follows that there is no peace with those who are in evils and falsities. It appears indeed as if peace were with them, when they succeed in the world, and they also seem to themselves at such times to be of a contented mind; but that peace is apparent only in their most external parts, while inwardly it is not peace, for they think of honour and gain without end, and cherish in their minds cunning, deceit, enmities, hatreds, revenge, and many similar things, which, unknown to themselves, rend and devour the interiors of their minds, and thence also the interiors of their bodies. That this is the case appears clearly with them after death, when they come into their interiors; those delights of their minds are then turned into their opposites, as is evident from what has been shown in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 485-490).

[43] That those alone have peace who are in good and the truths thence, and that those have not peace who are in evils and the falsities thence, is evident from the following passages: In Isaiah:

"The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, but its waters cast up mire and dirt" (57:20, 21).

In the same:

"Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their courses; they have made them crooked paths; every one who treadeth therein knows not peace " (59:7, 8).

In David:

"Too much hath my soul dwelt with the hater of peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war" (Psalms 120:6, 7).

In Ezekiel:

The prophets "seduce my people, saying, Peace, when there is no peace; and when he buildeth up a wall, lo, they daub it foolishly. The prophets of Israel see a vision of peace, when there is no peace" (13:10, 16).

In Jeremiah:

"From the least unto the greatest they all study usury; from the prophet even unto the priest every one maketh a lie. And they heal the hurt of the daughter of my people by a word of no weight, in saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace" (8:10, 11).

In the same:

"A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a wailing of the powerful of the flock, for Jehovah spoileth his pasture, whence the folds of peace are devastated because of the heat of Jehovah's anger" (25:36, 37).

In David:

"There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin" (Psalms 38:3).

[44] In Lamentations:

"He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with wormwood; and my soul is removed from peace; I forgot good" (3:15, 17).

Besides in other passages. Because peace in its first origin is from the union of the Divine itself and the Divine Human in the Lord, and thence from the Lord in His conjunction with heaven and with the church, and in the conjunction of good and truth with every one therein, therefore, the Sabbath, which was the most holy representative of the church, was so called from rest or peace; and therefore also the Sacrifices called peace-offerings were commanded.

(Concerning which see Exodus 24:5; 32:6; Leviticus 3:3; 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 6:12; 7:11; 14:20, 21, 33; 17:5; 19:5; Num. 6:17; Ezekiel 45:15; Amos 5:22; and elsewhere.)

And therefore it is said concerning Jehovah that

From the burnt-offerings, he smelled an odour of rest (Ex. 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 23:13, 18; Num. 15:3, 7, 13; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36).

By an odour of rest is signified a perception of peace.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. NCBS editor's note: Originally had verse 15. In the English version of the Bible this text is found in verse 14, so this change was made to provide readers with an accurate link. It should be noted the original correctly references the versions of the Bible Swedenborg would have used.

2. NCBS editor's note: Originally had Arcana Coelestia 3321, however this passage does not mention tents. 3312 can be found in other translations of this work and appears to be a more accurate reference.

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Explained # 304

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304. (5:3) And no one in heaven, neither upon the earth, nor under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon. That this signifies manifestation, that no one knows and perceives, of himself, anything concerning the state of the life of all in general and of each in particular, is evident from the signification of, "And no one was able to open the book, neither to look thereon," as denoting that no one knows and perceives of himself the states of the life of all in general and of each in particular (concerning which see just above, n. 303): and from the signification of, in heaven, neither upon the earth, nor under the earth, as denoting not only that there is no one anywhere, but also that there is not anything [of such knowledge and perception]; for by, in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth, are meant the three heavens; and by all therein heaven in the aggregate is meant; and because heaven is heaven from the Divine truth, that flows in from the Lord, and is received by the angels, and not at all from any intelligence proper to the angels, for this is not intelligence, therefore the same words signify that no one has any [knowledge or perception] whatever from himself. (That the angels in heaven, just as men in the world, have a proprium, which viewed in itself is nothing but evil, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 592.) And because evil does not receive anything of intelligence and wisdom, it follows, that angels just as men understand nothing at all of truth from themselves, but solely from the Lord. The reason why the angels are of such a quality, is, that all angels are from the human race, and that every man retains his proprium after death; and they are withheld from the evils of their proprium, and are kept in goods by the Lord. (That all the angels are from the human race, and none created such from the beginning, may be seen in the small work concerning the Last Judgment 14-22; and that all are withheld from evil, and kept in good by the Lord, in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166.)

[2] The reason why in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth, signifies the three heavens, is because the angels, who are in the third or highest heaven, dwell upon mountains; and those who are in the second or middle, upon hills; and those who are in the first or ultimate heaven, in plains and valleys under them. For in the spiritual world, where spirits and angels dwell, there are earths, hills, and mountains, just as in the natural world where men are. As to appearance there is such a similitude that they do not at all differ. Therefore men after death scarcely know but that they are yet living upon earth, and when they are permitted to look into our earth, they see nothing dissimilar. Besides the angels who are in the ultimate heaven, call that heaven, where the angels of the third heaven dwell, because it is high above them, but where they themselves dwell, they call earth. The third or highest heaven also, which is upon mountains, appears to those who are below, or upon the earth, only as the highest region of the atmosphere does before us, covered with a light and shining cloud, thus as heaven appears before us. Hence it may be seen what is specifically meant in this place, by, in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth. (But more may be seen concerning these things in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, where appearances in heaven are treated of, n. 170-176: and concerning the habitations and mansions of the angels, n. 183-189.)

[3] Because men have not known that there are similar appearances of earth in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual, therefore, when they have read the Word, they have simply perceived that by the heaven and the earth there, are meant the heaven visible before our eyes, and the earth inhabited by men; hence has arisen an opinion concerning the destruction of heaven and earth, and concerning the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, at the day of the Last Judgment; when, yet, by the heaven and the earth are there meant the heaven and the earth where spirits and angels are, and, in the spiritual sense, the church with angels and with men; for the church is equally with angels as with men, as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 221-227). It is said, in the spiritual sense, because an angel is not an angel, nor is a man a man, from the human which both have, but from heaven and the church with them. Hence it is that by the heaven and by the earth, where angels and men dwell, the church is signified; by heaven the internal church, and also the church with the angels and by earth the external church, and also the church with men. But it can hardly be believed, that by the earth in the Word is meant the church, because it is not yet known that in the particulars of the Word there is a spiritual sense. As a result of this a material idea adheres to, and keeps the thought fixed on the most obvious meaning of a word, I therefore wish by some passages thence to illustrate and confirm it.

[4] In Isaiah:

"Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it void, and he shall overturn the faces thereof; in emptying, the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled: the habitable earth shall mourn and be confounded, the world shall be confounded; the earth shall be profaned under its inhabitants, wherefore a curse shall devour the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth shall be burnt up, and few men left. A shout over the wine in the streets, the gladness of the earth shall be banished; there shall be in the midst of the earth as the shaking of the olive, as the gleanings when the vintage is done. From the end of the earth we have heard songs, Glory to the just. The floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth are moved; in breaking the earth is broken, in rending the earth is rent asunder, in moving the earth is moved; in tottering the earth shall totter as a drunkard; and it shall be moved to and fro as a veil; but it shall be in that day, Jehovah shall visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth" (24:1, 2 [3], 4-6, 11, 13, 16, [18], 19-21, 23).

Here it is quite evident, that by the earth is not meant the earth but the church. The particulars shall be gone through and considered. He who is in a spiritual idea does not think of the earth itself when the earth is named, but of the people there, and of their quality; much more so those in heaven: who, because they are spiritual, have a perception of the church. The subject treated of in this passage is the church destroyed. Its destruction as to the good of love and the truth of faith, which constitute it, is described by Jehovah emptying the earth and making it void, by the earth in emptying being emptied, in spoiling being spoiled, by mourning and being confounded, by being profaned and a curse devouring it, by the flood-gates from on high being opened and the foundations thereof being moved, by being broken, rent asunder, and put in motion, by staggering as a drunkard. These things can be said neither of the earth, nor of any nation, but of the church.

[5] In the same:

"Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. I will put the heaven in commotion, for the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light, the sun shall be darkened in its rising, and the moon shall not make her light to shine. I will make a man more rare than pure gold; wherefore I will move the heavens, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place" (13:9, 10, 12, 13).

That the earth here denotes the church is evident from each particular understood in the spiritual sense. The subject here treated of is its end, when truth and good, or faith and charity, are no more. For by the stars and constellations which shall not give their light, are signified the knowledges of truth and good; by the sun being darkened in its rising, is signified love; by the moon not causing her light to shine, is signified faith; by a man being made more rare than pure gold, is signified intelligence and wisdom: hence it is plain what is signified by, "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the land desolate. I will move the heavens, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place." The day of Jehovah denotes the final end of the church, when judgment takes place. The earth denotes the church. It is evident that the earth itself is not shaken out of its place, but that the church is removed where love and faith are not. To be shaken out of its place, signifies to be removed from a former state.

[6] In the same:

"Behold, the Lord, as an inundation of hail, a storm of slaughter, as an inundation of mighty waters, shall cast down to the earth with the hand; I have heard a consummation and decision from the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth upon the whole earth" (28:2, 22).

These words were spoken of the day of judgment upon those who were from the church. The day of judgment, when there is an end of the church, is meant by, "I have heard a consummation and decision from the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth upon the whole earth": wherefore it is said, that, "as an inundation of hail, a storm of slaughter, as an inundation of mighty waters he shall cast down to the earth with the hand." By hail and an inundation of it falsities are signified which destroy the truths of the church: by slaughter, and a storm of it, evils are signified, which destroy the goods of the church; by the mighty waters the falsities of evil are signified. That an inundation or flood signifies immersion into evils and falsities, and hence the destruction of the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853; the same, by casting down to the earth or a violent pouring down of rain.

[7] In the same:

"The earth shall be [turned] into burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be waste" (34:9, 10).

By burning pitch is signified every evil springing from the love of self, by which the church entirely perishes and is vastated; therefore it is said, the earth shall be [turned] into burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be waste. Who cannot see that such things are not said of the earth itself?

[8] In the same:

"The earth mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon hath blushed and faded away" (33:9).

Here also the earth denotes the church, which is said to mourn and to languish when falsities begin to be seized upon and acknowledged as truths; therefore it is said, Lebanon hath blushed and faded away. Lebanon signifies the same as the cedar, that is, the truth of the church.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"The lion is come out of his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations is gone forth from his place to lay waste thy land; thy cities shall be destroyed. I beheld the earth, when, lo, it is empty and void; and towards the heavens, when, lo, they have no light. I beheld the mountains, when, lo, they are moved, and all the hills are overturned. Jehovah said, The whole land shall be a waste. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black" (4:7, 23, 24, 27, 28).

Here also the vastation of the church is treated of; this takes place when truth and good are no longer, but in their place falsity and evil. This vastation is described by the lion coming out of his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations going forth from his place; the lion and the destroyer of the nations signifying falsity and evil vastating. The mountains that are moved, and the hills that are overturned, signify love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour. The reason that these are signified by mountains and hills is, that those who are in love to the Lord dwell upon mountains in heaven, and those who are in charity towards the neighbour, upon hills, as may be seen in what has been stated above, and also in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 188, and the notes there, letter c. By the heavens where no light was, which were black, are signified the interiors of the men of the church, which, when they, are closed by evils and falsities, do not admit the light from heaven, but instead thereof darkness from hell. From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the lion and the destroyer of the nations reducing the earth to desolation: also by, "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was empty and void"; as also by "the whole land shall be a waste; for this shall the earth mourn," namely, that the earth is not understood, but the church.

[10] In the same:

"How long shall the earth mourn, and the herb of every field [wither], for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds. The whole earth is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. The spoilers are come upon all the hills in the desert; for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from the end of the earth even to the end of the earth. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns" (12:4, 11-13).

That the earth here signifies the church is evident, from its being said that the earth shall mourn, and the herb of every field [shall wither], and that the beasts and the birds are consumed for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, and because no man layeth it to heart. By the herb of every field is signified every truth and good of the church, and by the beasts and birds are signified the affections of good and truth; and because the church is signified by the earth, and it is here treated of as vastated, it is therefore said, "the spoilers are come upon all the hills in the desert; for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from the end of the earth to the end of the earth; they have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns." By the hills in the wilderness upon which the spoilers came, are signified the things of charity; the desert denotes where there is no good, because there is no truth; by the sword of Jehovah is signified falsity destroying truth; from the end of the earth to the end of the earth, signifies all things of the church; by sowing wheat and reaping thorns, is signified to take from the Word the truths of good, and to turn them into falsities of evil; wheat denoting the truths of good, and thorns denoting the falsities of evil.

[11] In Isaiah:

"Upon the land of my people shall come up the thorn and briar: the palace shall be deserted; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken" (32:13, 14).

The thorn and the briar which shall come upon the earth, signify falsity and evil; the palace that shall be deserted, signifies where good dwells; and the multitude of the city which shall be forsaken, signifies where there are truths; for a city signifies the doctrine of truth.

[12] In the same:

"All the earth shall become a place of briars and thorns: on the other hand, all the mountains which shall be weeded with the hoe, there shall not come thither the fear of briars and thorns; but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the treading of the sheep" (7:24, 25).

Briars and thorns signify falsity and evil; hence it is evident what is signified by all the earth shall become a place of briars and thorns. By the mountains which shall be weeded with the hoe, are signified those who do goods from the love of good; that falsity and evil shall not be with them, but both spiritual and natural good, is signified by the fear of briars and thorns not coming thither, but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the treading of the sheep; or thither shall the oxen be sent, and there the sheep shall tread; the ox signifying natural good, and the sheep spiritual good.

[13] In Ezekiel:

"Thy mother is a lioness; she lay down among lions; one of her whelps rose up, he has devastated the cities; the earth is desolated and the fulness thereof, by the voice of his roaring" (19:2, 3, 7).

By mother is signified the church; by a lioness and lions, the power of evil and of falsity against good and truth; by the roaring of the lion is signified the lust of destroying and desolating; by the cities which he laid waste, is signified doctrine with its truths; hence it is evident what is signified by, the earth was desolated, and the fulness thereof, namely, the whole church.

[14] In the same:

"They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment, that the earth may be devastated from its fulness, for the violence of all them that dwell therein; and the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the earth shall be a desolation" (12:19, 20).

Things similar to those above are here signified by the earth and by the cities that shall be laid waste and shall become a desolation; that is, by the earth is signified the church, and by cities doctrine with its truths; therefore it is said, for the violence of all them that dwell therein. Because those things are signified it is premised that they shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment. Bread and water in the Word signify every good of love and truth of faith (see Arcana Coelestia 9329). And by eating and drinking are signified instruction and appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).

[15] In David:

"I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God. Wherefore the earth shook and trembled, and the foundations of the mountains quaked and shook when he was wroth" (Psalms 18:6, 7).

Here the earth is for the church, which is said to shake and tremble when it is perverted by the falsification of truths; and in this case the foundations of the mountains are said to quake and to be moved, for the goods of love, which are founded upon the truths of faith, vanish. For mountains denote the goods of love (as above), and their foundations denote the truths of faith; hence also, it is evident that the earth denotes the church.

[16] In the same:

"The earth is Jehovah's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; and he hath founded it upon the seas, he hath established it upon the rivers" (Psalms 24:1, 2).

The earth and the world stand for the church, and fulness stands for all things thereof; the seas upon which He hath founded it, denote the knowledges of truth in general; the rivers denote doctrinals. Because upon the former and the latter the church is founded, it is therefore said, that He would found it upon the seas, and establish it upon the rivers. That this cannot be predicated of the earth and the world, is evident to any one.

[17] In the same:

"Shall we not fear, when the earth shall be moved, and when the mountains shall be shaken in the heart of the seas; when the waters thereof shall roar and be troubled? Let the nations rage, let the kingdoms be moved; when he uttereth his voice, the earth melteth away" (Psalms 46:2, 3, 6).

It is evident that by the earth is meant the church, because it is said to be removed and to melt, also that the mountains shall be shaken in the heart of the seas; the waters thereof also shall be troubled, and let the nations rage, and the kingdoms be moved. By mountains are signified (as above) the goods of love, which are said to be shaken in the heart of the seas, when the essential knowledges of truth are perverted; by waters are signified the truths of the church, which are said to be troubled when they are falsified; by nations are signified the goods of the church, and, in an opposite sense, the evils thereof; and by kingdoms, the truths of the church, and, in an opposite sense, its falsities; also those who are in the former and the latter.

[18] In the same

"O God, thou hast forsaken us, thou hast been angry; restore rest to us. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it in pieces; heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh" (Psalms 60:1, 2).

That these things are said of the church and not of the earth is evident; for it is said, "Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it in pieces: heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh"; and because the earth signifies the church, here the church vastated, therefore it is said, "O God, thou hast forsaken us, thou hast been angry; restore rest to us."

[19] In the same:

"When I take the appointed time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; I will bear up the pillars of it" (Psalms 75:2, 3).

Here, also, the earth is for the church, which is said to be dissolved when truths fail, through which there is good. Because truths support the church, they are called its pillars, which God will bear up: that the pillars of the earth are not borne up is evident. Because the restoration of the church is here described, it is therefore said, "When I take the appointed time, I will judge uprightly." The truths of the church, which are here called the pillars of the earth, are also called the bases of the earth (1 Sam. 2:8); and the foundations of the earth, in Isaiah:

"Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? It is he that dwelleth upon the circle of the earth, that bringeth the princes to nothing; and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity" (40:21-23).

By the princes who are brought to nothing, and by the judges of the earth whom He maketh as vanity, are signified the things that are from one's own intelligence, and from one's own judgment.

[20] In Jeremiah:

"A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth. Thus said Jehovah, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great wind shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end thereof" (25:31-33).

By the end of the earth, and by the sides of the earth, are signified where the ultimates of the church are, and where evils and falsities begin; and from the end of the earth to the end thereof, signifies all things of the church. Hence it may be known what is signified by a tumult shall come to the end of the earth, and a great wind shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth, and by the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth unto the end thereof. By the slain are signified those with whom the truths and goods of the church are extinguished; as may be seen, n. 4503.

[21] In Isaiah:

"The isles saw, they feared; the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near, and came. I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land a spring of waters" (41:5, 18).

The establishment of the church amongst the Gentiles is so described, they being signified by the isles and the ends of the earth; for islands and the ends of the earth in the Word signify those who are farther apart from the truths and goods of the church, because they have not the Word, and consequently they are in ignorance. That the church shall be established among them, is signified by, "I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land a spring of waters." It is called a desert where there is not yet good, because there is not truth, from which it is also called the dry land. A pool of waters, and a spring of waters, signify good, because they signify truth; for all spiritual good, which is the good of the church, is procured by truths.

[22] In the same:

"Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. Go, ye ambassadors, to a nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled" (18:1, 2).

What the land shadowed with wings, and the land which the rivers have spoiled, signify, no one can know, unless he knows that the earth denotes the church, and that rivers denote falsities; the land shadowed with wings is the church that is in thick darkness as to Divine truths (that these are signified by wings may be seen above, n. 283). Beyond the rivers of Cush signifies, as to knowledges themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word, which are falsified; the nation trodden down, to which the ambassadors should go, whose land the rivers have spoiled, signifies those out of the church who are in falsities from ignorance; rivers denoting truths of doctrine, and, in an opposite sense, falsities; that the ambassadors should go to them, signifies that they should be invited, in order that the church may be with them.

[23] In the same:

"In the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the earth is darkened" (9:19).

The earth darkened signifies the things of the church in thick darkness or in falsities; for the falsities of evil are said to be in thick darkness, but truths in the light.

[24] In the same:

"Jehovah shall remove man, and deserts shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth" (6:12).

Man whom Jehovah shall remove, signifies a wise man, and abstractedly wisdom (as may be seen above, n. 280). Deserts shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth, signifies, that there is nothing altogether good, because there is nothing true; the midst of the earth denoting where truth is in the greatest light; therefore when the light is not there, thick darkness pervades the whole; then, there is nowhere any truth.

[25] In the same:

Jehovah "shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the impious" (11:4).

The rod of the mouth of Jehovah which shall smite the earth, signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; and the breath of the lips with which He shall slay the impious, signifies the truth in the spiritual sense of the Word. These are said to smite the earth, and to slay the impious, when they are condemned thereby; for every one is judged by truths, and is condemned by them.

[26] In the same:

"The earth is at rest, and is quiet. Hell hath stirred up on thy account the Rephaim, all the powerful of the earth. They that see thee shall say, Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms to tremble; he hath made the world into a desert, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land; thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they may not rise again and possess the earth, and the faces of the earth be filled with cities. I shall break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains shall I tread him under foot" (14:7, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25)

These things are said concerning the king of Babel, by whom is signified the destruction of truth through the love of ruling over heaven and earth, to which the truths of the Word, or the things of the church, serve as means. In this place it is treated concerning their damnation. The dead (Rephaim) whom hell has stirred up, are those who are in the direful persuasion of falsity, and who are thence called the powerful of the earth: to move the earth, to make the kingdoms tremble, to make the world into a desert, and to destroy the cities thereof, signifies to pervert all things of the church. The earth and the world denote the church; the kingdoms denote the truths which constitute it; and the cities denote all things of doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by, thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. By Asshur who shall be broken in the earth, and be trodden under foot upon the mountains, is signified reasoning from falsities against truths; to be broken is to be dissipated; and to be trodden under foot is to be altogether destroyed. The mountains upon which [this is said to be done], signify where the good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with those [who are there], all reasoning from falsities is dissipated or destroyed.

[27] In the same:

"Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; from the land of Kittim it shall come plainly to them. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish; the girdle is no more. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; Asshur hath founded it into heaps. Jehovah will visit Tyre, that she may return to the hire of whoredom, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the faces of the world" (23:1, 10, 13, 17).

That neither the ships of Tarshish, Tyre, the land of Kittim, the land of the Chaldeans, nor Asshur, are here meant, is evident from the particulars in this chapter; but by the ships of Tarshish are meant the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, also by Tyre; by the land of Kittim, what is idolatrous; by the land of the Chaldeans, the profanation and destruction of truth; and by Asshur, reasoning from falsities. Hence it is evident that, howl, ye ships of Tarshish, because Tyre is devastated, signifies that there are no longer any knowledges of truth; it shall come plainly to them from the land of Kittim, signifies what is idolatrous thence; the girdle is no more, signifies that there is no longer a coherence of truth with good. Behold the land of the Chaldeans, signifies that thus there is profanation and destruction of truth; Asshur hath founded it into heaps, signifies that reasoning from falsities has destroyed it; to return to the hire of whoredom, and to commit fornication with all the kingdoms upon the faces of the world, signifies falsification of all the truths of the whole church.

[28] In the same:

The king of Asshur "shall go through Judah; he shall overflow and pass over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the shakings of his wings shall be the fulness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel" (8:8).

Here, also, the king of Asshur signifies reasoning from falsities against truths. "He shall go through Judah, he shall overflow and pass over," signifies that it shall destroy the good of the church. To overflow is said of falsities, because they are signified by waters. "He shall reach even to the neck," signifies that thus there shall be no longer a communication of good and truth; and "the shakings of his wings shall be the fulness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel," signifies that falsities shall be against all the truths of the Lord's church. That the breadth of the earth signifies the truths of the church, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 197, and that hence, in an opposite sense, it signifies falsities; therefore the shakings of his wings signify reasonings from falsities against truths. Fulness signifies all; thus, the fulness of the breadth of the earth all the truths of the church.

[29] In the same:

"In that day shall the shoot of Jehovah be for gracefulness and glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and an ornament to the remains of Israel" (4:2).

The shoot of Jehovah which shall be for gracefulness and glory, signifies the truth of the church; and the fruit of the earth which shall be for magnificence and for an ornament, signifies the good of the church; Israel signifies the spiritual church; that the shoot and the fruit of the earth shall not be for gracefulness, glory, magnificence, and ornament, is evident; but the truth and good of the church shall be. When it is said the truth and good of the church, the truth of faith and the good of love are meant; for all truth is of faith, and all good is of love.

[30] In the same:

"Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah; thou art glorified, thou hast removed all the ends of the earth" (26:15).

The nation to which Jehovah has added, signifies those who are in the good of love, whom He has adjudged to Himself; the ends of the earth which He has removed, signify the falsities and evils that infest the church, and from which He has purified them.

[31] In the same:

"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty, they shall behold the land of remotenesses" (33:17).

To see the king in his beauty, denotes genuine truth, which is from the Lord alone; to behold the land of remotenesses, signifies the extension of intelligence and wisdom.

[32] In the same:

"I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth. Sing, O heavens, and exult, O earth; and resound, ye mountains, with a song" (49:8, 13).

The Lord and His Advent are here treated of; the establishment of the church by Him is described by, "I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth," to restore the earth denoting to re-establish the church; that the Lord did not restore the earth to the Jewish people is known, but that He established the church among the Gentiles. The joy in consequence is described by, "Sing, O heavens, exult, O earth, and resound, ye mountains, with a song." By the heavens are meant the heavens where are angels who are in the interior truths of the church; by the earth is meant the church among men; and by the mountains, those who are in the good of love to the Lord.

[33] In Jeremiah:

"The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the earth mourneth, the pastures of the desert are dried up" (23:10).

Adulterers signify those who adulterate the goods of the church: therefore it is said, "The land is full of adulterers, and because of the curse the earth mourneth"; the pastures of the desert which are dried up signify no spiritual nourishment in such a church; desert being predicated where there is no good, because no truth.

[34] In the same:

"A drought is upon her waters, that they may be dried up; for it is a land of graven things" (50:38).

A drought upon the waters, that they may be dried up, signifies that truths no longer [exist], waters denoting truths, "for it is a land of graven things," signifies the church destroyed by falsities which are from man's own intelligence, which they call truths; graven things signify those falsities.

[35] In Ezekiel:

"The end cometh upon the four quarters of the earth; the earth is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence" (7:2, 23).

"The end cometh upon the four quarters of the earth," signifies the last time and the last state of the church, when its end is; the four quarters denote all the truths and goods thereof, and, in an opposite sense, all the falsities and evils thereof, thus all things of the church. "The earth is full of the judgment of bloods," signifies that it is filled with evils of every kind; bloods denote the evils which offer violence to the goods of love and charity, and entirely destroy them. "The city full of violence," signifies the doctrine of that church acting in a similar way.

[36] In the same:

"All the luminaries of light in heaven will I make dark over thee, and will set darkness upon thy earth" (33:8).

By the luminaries of light in the heavens are meant the sun, moon, and stars; and by the sun is signified love, by the moon faith thence, and by the stars the knowledges of good and truth: hence it is evident what is signified by, "I will make them dark over thee"; namely, that they should no longer exist; hence, also, it is evident what is signified by, "I will set darkness upon thy earth"; namely, that there are falsities in the church, darkness denoting falsities, and earth denoting the church.

[37] In the same

"Prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and hills and rivers and valleys, Behold, I am with you, and I will look back unto you, that ye may be tilled and sown" (36:6, 9).

By the land of Israel is meant the church; the mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys, signify all things of the church, from the first to the last things thereof; mountains denote the goods of love to the Lord; hills denote the goods of charity towards the neighbour; these are the first things of the church. The rivers and valleys denote the truths and goods which are the last things of the church. That these things are signified is evident from what has been stated in this article; namely, that those dwell upon mountains in heaven who are in the good of love to the Lord, those upon hills who are in charity towards the neighbour, and those in plains and valleys who are in goods and truths, in the ultimate heaven; rivers denote the truths of doctrine there; to inseminate them, is signified by, "I will look back unto you, that ye may be tilled and sown."

[38] In Hosea:

"In that day, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn and the new wine and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow him unto me in the earth" (2:21-23).

That these things are to be spiritually understood, and not naturally according to the sense of the letter, is evident; for it is said, that these shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow him unto me in the earth; wherefore by the heavens are meant the heavens where the Lord is; and by the earth, the church where, also the Lord is; by the corn, new wine, and oil, are signified all things of spiritual nourishment, which are the goods of love and charity, and the truths of faith.

[39] In Malachi:

"He shall not destroy for you the fruit of the earth, neither shall the vine in the field be barren for you; all nations shall proclaim you blessed, and ye shall be a land of well-pleasing" (3:11, 12).

These things are said of those with whom and in whom the church exists; and because by the fruit of the earth and the vine in the field, are signified the goods and truths of the church - by the fruit the goods, and by the vine the truths thereof - therefore they are called a land of well-pleasing.

[40] In David:

"Let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness. Make me to live, O Jehovah, for thy name's sake" (Psalms 143:10, 11).

The land of uprightness stands for the church in which is what is right and true; and because the spirit of Jehovah signifies the Divine truth, and every one thereby receives spiritual life, it is therefore said, "Let thy good Spirit lead me," and, "O Jehovah; make me to live."

[41] Because the earth signifies the church, and where the church is there is heaven, it is therefore called the land of the living and the land of life. The land of the living in Isaiah:

"I said, I shall not see Jah in the land of the living" (38:11).

And in Ezekiel:

"Who caused terror in the land of the living" (32:23-27).

The land of life in David:

"Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life" (Psalms 27:13).

[42] In Moses:

"It shall be an entire and just stone, the ephah shall be entire and just, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 25:15).

The prolongation of days upon the earth does not signify the long duration of life in the world, but the state of life in the church, thus in heaven; for to prolong is said of good and its increase, and day signifies the state of the life; and because a stone entire and just, which was a weight, and an ephah entire and just, which was a measure, signify truth and good and their quality, and both together signify justice - the stone truth, and the measure good - and because not to deceive by weight and measure is to be just, therefore the life of the church shall be theirs, and afterwards life in heaven, which is meant by their days upon the earth being lengthened.

[43] The same is signified by this precept of the Decalogue:

"Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth" (Exodus 20:12).

The reason why they have heaven and the happiness there, who honour father and mother, is, because in heaven no other father is known but the Lord, for by Him all there have been regenerated. And in heaven by mother is meant the church, and in general, the kingdom of the Lord. That those who worship the Lord and seek His kingdom, will have life in heaven, is evident; also that many of those who honour father and mother in the world, do not live there long.

[44] In Matthew:

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (5:5).

The inheritance of the earth does not signify the possession of the earth, but the possession of heaven and blessedness there; the meek signify those who are in the good of charity.

[45] In Isaiah:

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name God-with-us; butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good; for before the child shall know to refuse the evil and to choose the good, the land shall be deserted which thou scornest before her two kings. It shall come to pass in that day, by reason of the abundance of giving milk, he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land" (7:14-16, [21], 22).

That these things are spoken of the Lord and His Advent is known; the butter and honey which He shall eat, signify the goods of love; butter, the good of celestial and spiritual love; honey, the good of natural love; by these it is meant that He would appropriate to Himself the Divine even as to the Human, to eat signifying to appropriate. That the earth shall be deserted before He knows to refuse the evil and to choose the good, signifies, that there would not be anything of the church remaining in the whole world when He would be born; and because those, where the church was, rejected every Divine truth, and perverted all things of the Word, and explained it in favour of self, it is therefore said concerning the earth, that is, the church, "which thou scornest before her two kings." Kings signify the truths of heaven and of the church; two kings, the truth of the Word in the internal or spiritual sense, and the truth of the Word in the external or natural sense. Milk signifies the truth through which good comes; and because butter signifies the good thence, therefore by reason of the abundance of giving milk, butter shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land, signifies that every truth shall be of good.

[46] In Matthew:

"In the consummation of the age, all the tribes of the earth shall mourn" (24:30).

The consummation of the age which is treated of in that chapter, is the last time of the church, when the judgment takes place; all the tribes of the earth signify all the truths and goods of the church, which are said to mourn when they are no more.

[47] In Luke:

"And then shall there be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring; men expiring for fear, and for expectation of those things that are coming upon the whole earth; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." That day "as a snare shall come upon all who sit upon the face of the whole earth" (21:25, 26, 35).

It is also treated there concerning the last time of the church, when the judgment takes place, and by the earth and the world there are meant the church. The distress of nations upon the earth, the fear and expectation of those things coming upon the earth, also upon all who sit upon the face of the whole earth, does not signify upon those who are in the earths in the natural world, but upon those who are in the spiritual world. That there are earths also there, may be seen in what was premised to this article; and that the Last Judgment was accomplished there, may be seen in the small work concerning the Last Judgment. What is signified by the sun, moon, and stars, in which the signs are, was mentioned above, namely, that the sun signifies love, the moon faith thence, and the stars the knowledges of good and truth; the sea and waves roaring, signifies the reasonings and fightings of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, wrongly and perversely applied. The powers of the heavens, which shall be shaken, signify the Word in the sense of the letter, because this sense is the foundation of the spiritual truths which are in the heavens. (As may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, in the article which treats of the Conjunction of Heaven with Man by means of the Word, n. 303-310.)

[48] In Isaiah:

"Sing, ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; resound with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob. I am Jehovah that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself" (44:23, 24).

"Sing, ye heavens: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; resound with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein," signify all things of heaven and of the church, as well the internal as the external, which all have reference to good and truth. Things internal are signified by the heavens, things external by the lower parts of the earth; mountains denote the goods of love, the forest denotes natural truth, and the trees therein denote the knowledges of truth. Because such things are signified it is said, "For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob"; by Jacob in the Word is signified the external church, and by Israel the internal church. To stretch forth the heavens and to spread abroad the earth, signifies the church on all sides, which is stretched forth and spread abroad by the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good, with those who belong to the church.

[49] In Zechariah:

"Jehovah, who spreadeth abroad the heavens, and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him" (12:1).

Here also by the heavens and by the earth is signified the church on all sides, thus as to its interiors and exteriors; therefore also it is said, "formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him."

[50] In Jeremiah:

"The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens." Jehovah "that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and that spreadeth abroad the heavens by his intelligence. At the voice which he giveth forth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth" (10:11-13:51:15, 16).

Because the heavens and the earth signify the church (as above), therefore it is said, "Jehovah that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and spreadeth abroad the heavens by his intelligence"; and therefore it is also said, "At the voice which he giveth forth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth." By the voice which Jehovah gives forth, is signified Divine truth proceeding from Him; by the multitude of waters in the heavens are signified truths in abundance, for waters signify truths; and by the vapours which He causeth to ascend from the end of the earth, are signified the last truths of the church; vapours denote those truths, and the end of the earth is the last of the church. And because gods signify the falsities of doctrine and of worship, which destroy the church, it is therefore said, The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens."

[51] In David:

"Jehovah who by intelligence, maketh the heavens. Stretcheth forth the earth above the waters" (Psalms 136:5, 6).

Because heaven and earth signify the church, and the church is formed by truths, and the truths of the church constitute intelligence, it is therefore said, "Jehovah maketh the heavens by intelligence, and stretcheth forth the earth above the waters," waters denoting the truths of the church.

[52] In Isaiah:

"Thus saith Jehovah God, that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out, that spreadeth forth the earth and the products thereof, that giveth life to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein" (42:5).

By creating the heavens and spreading forth the earth and the products thereof, is signified to form the church and to reform those who are in it, the products denoting all things of the church; therefore it is said, that giveth life to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. That to create denotes to reform, may be seen above, n. 294.

[53] In the same:

"Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds flow down with justice; let the earth open itself, and fructify salvation. I have made the earth, and created man upon it. Thus said Jehovah who createth the heavens; God himself who formeth the earth and maketh it and prepareth it; not in secret have I spoken, in a place of darkness of the earth" (45:8, 12, 18, 19).

That by the heavens and the earth are here meant all things of the church, the internals as well as the externals thereof, is evident; for it is said, "Drop down, ye heavens, and let the clouds flow down with justice; let the earth open itself, and fructify salvation." The reason why the heavens signify the interior things of the church, is, that the interior things of the mind of the spiritual man, are the heavens with him. (That heaven is with the man, with whom the church is, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 30-57.) By creating the heavens, and forming the earth, and making and preparing it, is signified fully to establish the church.

[54] In the same:

"Behold, I that create new heavens and a new earth, neither shall the former be remembered" (65:17).

By creating new heavens and a new earth, is signified to establish a new church as to its interiors and exteriors, both in the heavens and on the earths (as was said above).

[55] In the same:

"Who hath heard such a thing? shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I shall make, shall stand before me, so shall your seed and your name stand" (66:8, 22).

Because the earth signifies the church, therefore, it is said, shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? By bringing forth and birth, and by generating and generation in the Word, are signified spiritual birth and generation, which are of faith and love, thus reformation and regeneration; what the new heavens and new earth signify has been mentioned above.

[56] In Jeremiah:

"I have made the earth, man and the beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in my eyes" (27:5).

By man and the beast which are upon the faces of the earth, are signified the affections of truth and good in the spiritual and the natural man (see n. 280: and in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 7424, 7523, 7872); and because those affections with men constitute the church in them, it is therefore said "I have made the earth, man and the beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in my eyes." That God does not give the earth solely to those who are right in His eyes, but also to those who are not right, is known; not the church, however, except to those who are right; right signifies truth and the affection thereof.

[57] In Isaiah:

"The heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the earth shall wax old as a garment, and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner" (51:6).

The heavens which shall vanish away, and the earth which shall wax old like a garment, signify the church; this successively falls away and at length is desolated, but not so the visible heaven and the habitable earth; wherefore it is said, "and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner," to die signifying to die spiritually. The same is signified by

"The heavens and earth shall pass away" (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17).

[58] In the Apocalypse:

"Four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth" (7:1).

By the four corners of the earth, and the four winds of the earth, are signified all the truths and goods of the church in the aggregate; for the same things are signified by them as the four quarters of heaven. (That these signify those things may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, "On the Four Quarters in Heaven," n. 141-153.) To hold them [the four winds], signifies that they [that is, truths and goods], may not flow-in because they are not received; wherefore it is said, that the wind shall not blow upon the earth. The earth also signifies the church in other parts of the Apocalypse (as 10:2, 5, 6, 8; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8, 9, 11; 21:1), besides many other places in the Word, too numerous to be adduced.

[59] As the earth signified the church, and especially the land of Canaan, because the church was there, and because the church which was there was a representative church, therefore all things that were there were representative, and all that was said to them by the Lord signified the spiritual or interior things of the church, and this even in regard to the land itself and its products; as in these words in Moses:

If thou keep the precepts, "Jehovah will lead thee into a good land, into a land of rivers of water, of fountains, of depths springing out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat, of barley, of the vine, of the fig, of the pomegranate; a land of the olive, of oil, of honey; a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness; it shall lack nothing; a land where the stones are iron, and from the mountains shall be digged copper, and thou shalt eat, and shalt be satisfied in this good land" (Deuteronomy 8:1, 7-10).

By these are described all things of the church, both interior and exterior; but to expound what each particular signifies, would be tedious, and does not belong to this place.

[60] On account of the land signifying the church, it was therefore among the blessings, that if they lived according to the precepts, the earth should give its produce, the evil beasts should cease out of the earth, nor should the sword pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3, 4, 6). That the earth should give its produce, signifies that in the church there should be good and truth; that the evil beasts should cease, signifies that the evil affections and lusts, which destroy it, should no longer exist; that the sword should not pass through the land, signifies that falsity should not cast out truth.

[61] Because the earth signified the church, it was also appointed that

The seventh year should be kept as the Sabbath of the earth,

and that there should be no labour upon it (Leviticus 25:1-8). And therefore it is also said that

The land was polluted on account of the evils, and that on account of the abominations it would spew them forth (Leviticus 18:1-28).

And because the land signified the church, the Lord therefore spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said,

"Go wash thee in the pool of Siloam" (John 9:6, 7, 11, 15).

And therefore the Lord, when the Scribes and Pharisees asked Him concerning the woman taken in adultery, stooped down, and wrote twice on the ground (John 8:6, 8), signifying that the church was full of adulteries, that is, full of the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth; therefore also the Lord said to them,

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her; but they went out one by one, beginning from the elders, even unto the last" (vers. 7, 9).

[62] Because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has the earth, which, in that sense, signifies the church vastated, which takes place when the good of love and the truth of faith no longer exist, but instead thereof evil and falsity; and because these condemn man, by the earth in that sense is also signified damnation, as in the following places (Isaiah 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; Lamentations 2:2, 10; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:24; Num. 16:29-33; 26:10), and elsewhere.

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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