1201. That 'Sidon' means the exterior cognitions of spiritual things is clear from the fact that he is called 'Canaan's firstborn', for in the internal sense the firstborn of every Church is faith, see 352, 367. Here however, where faith does not exist because internal things are missing they are no more than exterior cognitions of spiritual things taking the place of faith, thus cognitions such as those with the Jews which are cognitions not only of the ceremonies of external worship but also of many other things belonging to that worship, such as matters of doctrine. That 'Sidon' has this meaning is also evident from the fact that Tyre and Sidon were the furthest limits of Philistia, and were in fact by the sea. 'Tyre' therefore meant interior cognitions, and 'Sidon' those which were exterior, and yet cognitions of spiritual things. This is also clear from the Word: in Jeremiah,

On the day that is coming to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains, for Jehovah is laying waste the Philistines, the remnants of the island of Caphtor. Jeremiah 47:4.

Here 'the Philistines' stands for knowledge of the cognitions of faith and charity, 'Tyre' for interior cognitions, and 'Sidon' for cognitions of spiritual things.

[2] In Joel,

What are you to Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders of Philistia? You have taken My silver and gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples. Joel 3:4-5.

Here 'Tyre' and 'Sidon' clearly stand for cognitions and are called 'the borders of Philistia', for 'gold and silver' and 'good and desirable treasures' are cognitions. In Ezekiel,

The princes of the north, all of them, and every Sidonian, who have gone down with the slain ¹ into the pit. He was made to lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those slain' by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude. Ezekiel 32:30, 32.

Here 'the Sidonian' stands for exterior cognitions, which when devoid of things that are internal are nothing else than facts, and it is for this reason that he is mentioned along with Pharaoh, or Egypt, who means facts. In Zechariah,

Hamath also will border on it, Tyre and Sidon, for it is exceedingly wise. Zechariah 9:2.

This refers to Damascus. 'Tyre and Sidon' stands for cognitions.

[3] In Ezekiel,

The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your wise men, O Tyre, were in you, they were your pilots. Ezekiel 27:8.

Here 'Tyre' stands for interior cognitions, and therefore her wise men are called 'pilots', while 'Sidon' stands for exterior cognitions and her inhabitants are therefore called 'rowers', for such is the relationship of interior cognitions to exterior. In Isaiah,

The inhabitants of the island are silent, O merchant of Sidon passing over the sea; they have replenished you. But on the great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the river, was her revenue, and was the merchandise of nations. Blush, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea saying, I have not gone into labour, nor have I given birth, nor reared young men, nor brought up virgins. Isaiah 23:2-5.

Here 'Sidon' stands for exterior cognitions which, because they have nothing internal within them are called 'the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the river, her revenue, the merchandise of the nations', and also 'the sea, the stronghold of the sea', and 'one that does not go into labour and give birth'. What these expressions may mean could never be discerned in the literal sense, but their meaning is perfectly plain in the internal sense, as with everything else in the Prophets. Since 'Sidon' means exterior cognitions it is also referred to as the region surrounding Israel, which is the spiritual Church, Ezekiel 28:24, 26, for exterior cognitions are like a surrounding region.

Poznámky pod čarou:

6508. 'Seventy days' means a complete state. This is clear from the meaning of 'seventy'; for this number implies much the same as 'seven', and 'seven' means a whole period from start to finish, thus a complete state, 728, 2044, 3845. Numbers in the Word express spiritual realities, see 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175; and compound numbers have a similar meaning to the simple ones of which they are the product, 5291, 5335, 5708, so that seventy is similar in meaning to seven.

[2] The fact that 'seventy' means a whole period, thus a complete state, is further evident from the following places: In Isaiah,

It will happen on that day, that Tyre will pass into oblivion for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre [according to] the song of the harlot. For it will happen at the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre. Isaiah 23:15, 17.

'Tyre' stands for the cognitions of what is good and true that are known to the Church, 1201, which 'will Pass into oblivion'. 'Seventy years' stands for a whole period from start to finish. 'Like the days of one king' stands for a state of truth within the Church, for 'days' are states, 6505, and 'king' is truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 5044, 5068, 6148. Anyone who gives the matter careful consideration can see that 'Tyre' is not used here to mean Tyre, and that without the internal sense one cannot understand what is meant by 'Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years' and that this will be 'like the days of one king', or by the rest of what is said.

[3] In Jeremiah,

The whole land will be a desolation, a devastation, and these nations will serve the king of Babel seventy years; and it will happen, when the seventy years are fulfilled, that I will visit the king of Babel and this nation for their iniquity. Jeremiah 25:11, 21; 29:10.

'Seventy years' stands for a complete state in which there is desolation and devastation. This is what was meant by the seventy years of captivity that the Jewish people underwent.

[4] In Daniel,

Seventy weeks have been decreed concerning your people and your holy city to bring transgression to a close and to seal up sins and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting justice, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Daniel 9:24.

'Seventy' plainly stands for a complete state, thus for a whole period prior to the Lord's Coming, which explains why it is said that He came 'in the fullness of time'. The fact that 'seventy weeks' means a complete state is evident from the details of this verse - that so many weeks have been decreed 'to bring transgression to a close', also 'to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting justice, to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place'. These details imply fullness; and something similar is also meant in further details coming immediately after them,

Know therefore and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks. Daniel 9:15.

Here 'seven' stands for a complete state; for as may be seen just above, 'seven' means a complete state in the same way as 'seventy' does. Here 'Jerusalem' plainly stands for a new Church, for at the time the Messiah came Jerusalem was not built but destroyed.