THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 26

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks.

Verse 1. In the Word. the things relating to the spiritual church are compared to a city, which has a wall, bulwarks, gates and bolts; and by the assaults of that city are described the assault of Truth by falsities on which account also a city signifies doctrinals, (see Arcana Coelestia 402, 2268) and a wall the truths of faith which, defend; and in the opposite sense, the falsities which are destroyed. That a wall signifies the truths of faith which defend, is evident from Isaiah 26:1:

"We have a strong city", etc.

Again,

"You shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isaiah 60:18; see also (Jeremiah 20:5; Lamentations 2:8, 9)

That a wall, in the opposite sense, signifies the falsities which are destroyed, see a above, Chapter 25:12, the Exposition. Arcana Coelestia 6419.

In that day shall this song be sung. etc. - As to singing, when mentioned in the Word, see Chapter 12:2, the Exposition.

Verses 1, 2. We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter. - A "strong city" here signifies the doctrine of genuine Truth, which falsities cannot destroy; "walls and bulwarks" signify truths for defence; "gates" signify admission, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 208; a "just nation keeping fidelities" denotes those who are in goods, and thence in truths. Apocalypse Explained 223.

2. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter.

3. [Him] whose mind is staid [on You], You will keep in perfect peace: because he trusts in You.

Verse 2. According to the sense of the letter, it is here understood that they who are "just and faithful" should be admitted into those cities; but according to the internal sense, that such should be admitted into the church. For" gates" signify admission; a "just nation", those who are in good; "keeping fidelities", those who are thence in truths. Apocalypse Explained 208.

4. Trust you in Jehovah for ever: for in Jah Jehovah is the rock of eternity:

Verse 4. Here "Jehovah" and "Rock" are mentioned, because by "Jehovah" is understood the Lord as to Divine Good, and by "Rock" the Lord as to Divine Truth. Apocalypse Explained 411.

In Jah, Jehovah, etc. - As to the specific meaning of "Jah", see above, Chapter 12:2, the Exposition.

The Rock of eternity. - For the signification of "Rock", as applied to the Lord, see above, Chapter 16:1, the Exposition.

5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high; the lofty city, He has brought her down: He has brought her down to the ground; He has levelled her with the dust.

Verse 5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high, etc.

- See Chapter 2:12-17; 14:13, the Exposition. To "bring down to the ground and to level with the dust", denotes a state of condemnation, [or an entire separation from heaven.] Arcana Coelestia 258.

"Dust" denotes what is damned; and the reason is, because [in the spiritual world] the places where evil spirits are, appear as earth, and indeed as uncultivated and dry ground, under which are certain hells. That earth is what is called "damned earth", and the "dust" there signifies what is damned.

Occasionally it has been given me to see, that the evil spirits there shook off the dust from their feet when they were desirous to damn anyone. Hence then it is, that by "dust" is signified what is damned; and by "shaking off dust", damnation. It was in consequence of this signification that the disciples were commanded by the Lord to "shake off the dust from their feet", if they were not received. Arcana Coelestia 7418.

6. The foot shall trample upon her; the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the needy.

7. The way of the just is uprightness: the path of the just is straight; You make it level.

Verse 6. Your are called "poor" who have not the Word, and thus know nothing concerning the Lord, and yet desire to be instructed. Arcana Coelestia 9209.

[Their "trampling upon the lofty city", signifies that such as are in simple good, and desire to be instructed in truths, will rise above false doctrines which originate in self-intelligence.]

8. Yea, as to the way of Your judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited for You; to Your name, and to the remembrance of You is the desire of our soul.

Verse 8. In many passages in the Word it is said, "For the sake of the name of Jehovah", "for 'the sake of the name of the Lord", "for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ", "that the name of God should be sanctified", and such like. They who do not think beyond the sense of the letter, are of opinion that name alone is understood, whereas name is not understood, but all that by which the Lord is worshipped, all which has relation to love and faith; hence by the "name" of the Lord, in the Word, are understood all things of love and of faith by which He is worshipped, but in this case the acknowledgement of the Lord, and of the knowledges of truth which respect Him, because this is said to those who only study knowledges. The reason why by the "name" of Jehovah, or of the Lord, is not understood the name itself, but all things of love and faith, originates in the spiritual world. In that world the names used on earth are not pronounced, but the names of the persons spoken of are formed from the idea of all things which are known concerning them, which things are summed up into one expression. Such is the pronunciation of names in the spiritual world; whence it is, that names in that world, as well as all other things, are spiritual; nor are the names of the Lord and of Jesus Christ pronounced there as on earth, but instead of these names, a "name" is formed from the idea of all things which are known and believed concerning Him, which idea is from all things of love and of faith in Him. The reason is, because these things in the complex are the Lord with them; for the Lord is with everyone in the goods of love and of faith which are from Him; this being the case, the quality of every one is there immediately known, as to his love and faith in the Lord, only from pronouncing in a spiritual expression, or a spiritual name the Lord or Jesus Christ. Hence also it is, that they who are not in any love or in any faith towards Him, cannot name Him, that is, form any spiritual "name" concerning Him. From these considerations it is now manifest whence it is that by the "name" of Jehovah, of the Lord, or of Jesus Christ, in the Word, is not understood the name, but all of love and of faith by which He is worshipped. Lest, therefore, the opinion should prevail which obtains among many, that the name alone of Jesus Christ, without love and faith in Him, thus without knowledges by which love and faith exist, contributes somewhat to salvation, I am desirous to adduce a few passages from the Word, where it is said "For the sake of His name", and "in His name", from which they who think more deeply may see that name alone is not understood, as in the following:

"Jesus said, You shall be hated by all for My name's sake." (Matthew 7:22; 24:9, 10) "'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) "As many as received Him, to them He gave power, that they might be the sons of God, believing on His name", (John 1:12) "When Jesus was in Jerusalem, many believed on His name", (John 2:23). Apocalypse Explained 102.

9. With my soul have I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me in the morn have I sought You: for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice.

10. Though mercy be shown to the wicked, he will not learn justice: in the land of uprightness he will act perversely, and will not regard the majesty of Jehovah.

11. O Jehovah, Your hand is lifted up, but they will not see: they shall see, and be ashamed at the envy of the people; yea, the fire of Thine, adversaries shall devour them,

Verse 9. By "night" is signified a state when there is no light of Truth, (see above, Chapter 15:1, the Exposition), and by "morning" a state in which there is the light of Truth. This state is from love, but that, when there is not yet love; wherefore by "the soul which desired Jehovah in the night" is signified a life which is not yet in the light of Truth; and by "my spirit within me have I sought Jehovah in the morn", a life which is in the light of Truth. Hence it follows "When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice", by which is signified that the church from the Lord is in Truths, and by truths in Good; the "earth" signifies the church as to Truths, and the "world" the church as to Good; for "judgment", in the Word, is said of Truth, and "justice" of Good; and also "inhabitants" signify the men of the church who are in the goods of doctrine, and thence of life. That "judgment", in the Word, is said of Truth, and "justice" of Good, see Arcana Coelestia 2235, 9857; and that to "inhabit" signifies to live, and hence "inhabitants" those who are in the good of doctrine, and thence of life, see Apocalypse Explained 133, 479, 662. Apocalypse Explained 741.

"Soul", in this passage, stands for the affection of Truth and "spirit" for the affection of Good. Arcana Coelestia 2930.

Verse 11. They shall see, and be ashamed at the envy [or hatred] of the people; yea, the fire of Thine adversaries shall devour them.

The destruction of the evil, who are here understood by the "people" and by "adversaries", is described by "fire" and by "hatred" [or envy]. Apocalypse Explained 504.

12. O Jehovah. You will ordain peace for us: for all our works You have wrought in us.

Verse 12. Inasmuch as peace is from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord, and in doing good from Him, therefore it is said:

"Jehovah will ordain peace for us, for You have wrought all our works in us." Apocalypse Explained 365.

13. O Jehovah, our God! other lords besides You, have had dominion over us: by You only will we celebrate Your name.

Verse 13. To "celebrate" and to "call upon the name of Jehovah", is to worship Him from the goods of Love, and from the truths of Faith. Arcana Coelestia 2009.

["Other lords" are various kinds of evils, such as those represented by the Babylonians, which have the dominion over man when he is not in love to the Lord and his neighbour, or when he does not in his life celebrate the Lord's name,]

14. They are dead, they shall not live; the Rephaim shall not arise: therefore have You visited and. destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.

Verse 14. The Rephaim stand for the posterity of the most ancient church, which was before the flood, who were also called "Nephelim" and "Enakim." (See Arcana Coelestia 567, 581, 1673) "You have visited and, destroyed or extinguished the Rephaim", means the last time of that church, and also their being cast into hell; concerning which, see Arcana Coelestia 1265-1272. Arcana Coelestia 6588.

The Rephaim shall not arise, etc.

- As to the "Rephaim", see above, Chapter 14:9; 17:5, notes.

15. You have added to the nation, O Jehovah; You have added to the nation; You art glorified: You have far removed all the extremities of the earth.

Verse 15. The "nation" to which Jehovah has added, signifies, those who are in the good of love, whom He has addicted to Himself; the "extremities of the earth" which He has removed, signify falsities and evils which infest the church, from which He has purified them. Apocalypse Explained 304.

16. O Jehovah, in distress have they sought You; they poured out supplication when Your chastisement was upon them.

17. As a woman that is pregnant, when her delivery approaches, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; thus have we been before You, O Jehovah.

18. We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind: we have not wrought deliverance for the land; neither have, the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19. Your dead shall live; My dead body; they shall arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust! for your dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast forth the Rephaim.

Verses 16-19. These things are said of the last times of the church, when falsities and evils so far increase, that men cannot be reformed and regenerated; this state is understood by the "chastisement of Jehovah" upon them. That then the perception and acquisition of any degree of Truth is effected with difficulty, is signified by "a pregnant woman, who draws near to her delivery, crying out in her pangs." That in the place of truths they imbibe vanities, in which there are no truths, is signified by "We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it 'were, brought forth wind"; "wind" denoting such vanities. That no uses of life are from them, is signified by "We have not wrought deliverance for the land." That still, when the Lord should come, they should be taught and regenerated by truths from Him, is signified by "Your dead shall live", and by the things which follow. Apocalypse Explained 721.

Verse 19. [We have given the exact rendering of this verse from the Hebrew, without any interpolation in italics, as in the Bible version. The passage does not teach as demonstrated in the note, that the dead bodies of men will rise again; but by these words is meant that at the Lord's coming, all, though dead as to the real principles of the church, in whom there are any "remains" of Goodness and Truth, will be raised up at the time of Judgment. They are called Your dead, that, is the Lord's dead, because they are amongst the dead of a consummated church, in which, nevertheless, there is always a remnant that can be saved; and they are called the Lord's dead body, (for the pronouns "Your", and "My" evidently relate to the Lord), To indicate, that a consummated church is, as it were, a "dead body"; (Matthew 24:28) and it is called "My dead body", to intimate that though the church, which is called "the Body of Christ, is dead or consummated, there are, nevertheless, some amongst them who have "remains" of Goodness, which can be restored, when instructed in Truths to spiritual life. These "remains" are meant by "they shall arise", which being in the plural involves those of the consummated church, or of the "dead body", who can thus be saved.

The "dead" in the first clause of the verse, are those who, although in falsities, can have them dispersed, and receive Truths", which is to "live"; and those of the "dead body who shall arise, are such as have been in the evils of false principles or doctrines, but not in evil intentions, and who are, therefore, reclaimable by vastations. (See above, Chapter 24:22, the Exposition.) A fulfilment of this divine prophecy may be seen at the Lord's resurrection, when He arose with his whole natural Body complete, but which was then "no longer material but Divine-Substantial." (Doctrine of the Lord 35, ) "having rejected by burial the residue of the Human from the mother", (Doctrine of the Lord 16, at the end), and consequently everything that was material, infirm, and finite. In this Glorious Body "He ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things."

The Lord clearly points out the difference between His own resurrection in a Divine-Natural Body, and the resurrection of all other men in a spiritual body only, when He says, "Behold My hands and My feet, , that it is. I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit [who is a man, risen from, the dead] has not flesh and bones [that is, a natural body] as you see Me have." (Luke 24:39)

Those, then, who think that because the Lord arose as to His natural Body, therefore, all others will also arise as to their natural bodies, are much mistaken, and do not think according to the Truth. All others arise like Lazarus and the Rich Man in the Parable, immediately after death, in their spiritual bodies; and not, as is commonly supposed, at some future period, in their natural bodies. Now, as a consequence of the Lord's resurrection, "many bodies of the saints who slept arose, and came out of the graves, and went into the holy CIty. (Matthew 27:52, 53).

This was an event which took place not in the natural world, but in the world of spirits; and the "graves" out of which they came were the places of vastation in the lower earth of that world; for the places where such spirits are detained until they are finally delivered from vastations appear, from correspondences, like pits, graves, and prisons. (See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 24:22.)

Their coming forth out of these places by the power of the Lord's resurrection, would appear in that world like coming forth out of graves, - as from a state of spiritual death to a life of righteousness in heaven. These were "the spirits to whom the Lord went after His crucifixion to preach", (1 Peter 3:19), and who, by the power of His Resurrection, through the full glorification of His Humanity, were raised up by Him from these places of vastation, and received up into heaven. See Apocalypse Explained 659, 89; Arcana Coelestia 2915, 8018, 9229; also Apocalypse Revealed 845.]

Your dead shall live, etc.

- Here the resurrection of the dead is treated of, namely; of those who arise in the life of the body, and at the same time concerning those who arise after the life of the body; for it is a law that he who, in the life of the body, arises [to spiritual life], will also arise after the life of the body [to spiritual or heavenly life]. The resurrection, like the kingdom of God Messiah; begins in man whilst he lives in the body, for he is [then] prepared for life, and he enters into it whilst he lives in the world; the death of the body is only a continuation of the heavenly life. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 70.)

The earth shall cast forth the Rephaim [or giants]. - What is meant by being "cast out of the sepulchre", see above, Chapter 14:10; 20, the Exposition.

20. Come, O My people; enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you: hide yourself for a little while, for a moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Verse 20. It was a customary form of speech amongst the ancients to talk of "entering into a bedchamber", and also of "shutting the door" on the occasion, when they meant to do anything which should not appear. This form of speech was derived from significatives in the ancient church, for by "house", in the spiritual sense, they understood a man, (Arcana Coelestia 3128); by the "closets" and the "bedchambers" they understood the interiors of man; hence to "come or enter into the bedchamber" was significative; therefore mention is made of it in the Word throughout, as in Isaiah:

"Come, O My people! enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you", etc.

That to "enter into the chambers", in this passage, does hot denote entering into chambers, is very manifest, but to keep themselves in secret and in themselves.

And in Ezekiel:

"He said unto me, Have you seen, O son of man what the elders of the House of Israel are doing in the darkness, a man [vir] in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, Jehovah doth not see us." (Ezekiel 8:12)

To "do in darkness, a man in the chambers of his imagery"; denotes inwardly in themselves in the thoughts; the interiors of their thought and affection were represented to the prophet by chambers, and were called "the chambers of imagery."

And in Moses:

"Abroad the sword shall bereave, and from the chambers terror, both the youth and the virgin, the suckling with the man of old age." (Deuteronomy 32:25)

The "sword" denotes vastation of truth, and the punishment of the false, Arcana Coelestia 2799; "terror from the chambers" denotes the interiors of man; that "chambers"; in this passage, do not mean merely chambers, is also evident.

So in David:

"Who waters the mountains from His chambers", (Psalm 104:13)

To "water the mountains", in the spiritual sense, is to bless those who are principled in love to the Lord and in love towards the neighbour: that "mountain" denotes the celestial principle of love, see Arcana Coelestia 795, 1430, 4210; hence "from His chambers" denotes from the interiors of heaven.

So in Luke:

"Whatsoever things you have said in darkness, shall be heard in light; and what you have spoken into the ear in chambers, shall be preached on the tops of houses"; (Luke 12:3)

where "chambers" also denote the interiors of man, that is, what he had thought, what he had intended, and what he had attempted.

And in Matthew:

"When you prayest, enter into your chamber, and shut your door; and pray in secret." (Matthew 6:6)

To "enter into the chamber, and pray", denotes not apparently; for this was said from what is representative. Arcana Coelestia 5694. See also 7353.

Shut your doors after you, etc.

To "shut the door after you, until the indignation be overpast", signifies to have no communication with evils, which are denoted by "indignation" or anger, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3614, 5034, and in many other places. Arcana Coelestia 8989. See also Chapter 9:12, 17, 21, the Exposition.

21. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place to visit, for his iniquity, the inhabitant of the earth: and the earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

Verse 21. Speaking of the day of visitation or of judgment, when the iniquities of all shall be discovered, which is understood by "Then the earth. shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain." The "earth" signifies the church, in this case, the evil therein; "bloods" denote evils which have destroyed the goods thereof; and the "slain" denote falsities which have destroyed the truths thereof. Whether it be said that the "slain" signify falsities, or those who are in falsities, it amounts to the same, inasmuch as they are in falsities, and falsities in them; and the falsities in them are what destroy. Apocalypse Explained 315.

The earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

- By the "bloods" which the earth shall disclose, are signified all the falsities and evils which have destroyed the truths and goods of the church; the "earth denoting the church where those things are; by the "slain" are signified those who perish by them. That the "slain" signify those who have perished by falsities and evils, may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 315. Apocalypse Explained 329.

Temptation is here treated of, which appears like "indignation"; for the Lord, in temptation, visits the iniquity of a man, that it may be taken away, for all [evils] are then manifested, and they come forth [to the perception of man], which is here expressed by "disclosing or revealing bloods", and by " not concealing the slain." (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 71.)

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Isaiah Chapter 26

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks.

2. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter.

3. [Him] whose mind is staid [on You], You will keep in perfect peace: because he trusts in You.

4. Trust you in Jehovah for ever: for in Jah Jehovah is the rock of eternity:

5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high; the lofty city, He has brought her down: He has brought her down to the ground; He has levelled her with the dust.

6. The foot shall trample upon her; the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the needy.

7. The way of the just is uprightness: the path of the just is straight; You make it level.

8. Yea, as to the way of Your judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited for You; to Your name, and to the remembrance of You is the desire of our soul.

9. With my soul have I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me in the morn have I sought You: for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice.

10. Though mercy be shown to the wicked, he will not learn justice: in the land of uprightness he will act perversely, and will not regard the majesty of Jehovah.

11. O Jehovah, Your hand is lifted up, but they will not see: they shall see, and be ashamed at the envy of the people; yea, the fire of Thine, adversaries shall devour them,

12. O Jehovah. You will ordain peace for us: for all our works You have wrought in us.

13. O Jehovah, our God! other lords besides You, have had dominion over us: by You only will we celebrate Your name.

14. They are dead, they shall not live; the Rephaim shall not arise: therefore have You visited and. destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.

15. You have added to the nation, O Jehovah; You have added to the nation; You art glorified: You have far removed all the extremities of the earth.

16. O Jehovah, in distress have they sought You; they poured out supplication when Your chastisement was upon them.

17. As a woman that is pregnant, when her delivery approaches, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; thus have we been before You, O Jehovah.

18. We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind: we have not wrought deliverance for the land; neither have, the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19. Your dead shall live; My dead body; they shall arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust! for your dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast forth the Rephaim.

20. Come, O My people; enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you: hide yourself for a little while, for a moment, until the indignation be overpast.

21. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place to visit, for his iniquity, the inhabitant of the earth: and the earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

2799. 'And he took in his hand the fire and the knife' means the good of love and the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the fire' as the good of love, dealt with in 934, and from the meaning of 'the knife' as the truth of faith. As regards 'the knife' used on the victims in sacrifices meaning the truth of faith, this may be seen from the meaning of 'a sword' or 'a small sword' in the Word, for the expression 'small sword' is used instead of 'knife'. Both have the same meaning, the only difference being that 'a knife' which was used on sacrificial victims meant the truth of faith, whereas 'a sword' meant truth engaged in conflict. Now since the word 'knife' occurs but rarely in the Word, for a hidden reason given below, ¹ let the meaning of 'a sword' be shown. In the internal sense 'a sword' means the truth of faith engaged in conflict, and also the vastation of truth; and in the contrary sense it means falsity engaged in conflict and the punishment of falsity.

[2] A sword means the truth of faith engaged in conflict This becomes clear from the following places: In David,

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One; prosper in Your glory and honour, ride on the word of truth, and Your right hand will teach You marvellous things. Psalms 45:3-4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In the same author,

The merciful will exalt in glory, they will sing on their beds. The high praises of God will be in their throats and an extremely sharp sword in their hand. Psalms 149:5-6.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's body ² He made mention of My name, and made My mouth like a sharp sword, and made Me into a polished arrow. Isaiah 49:1-2.

'A sharp sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict, 'a polished arrow' for the truth of doctrine, see 2686, 2709. In the same prophet,

Asshur will fall by a sword, not of man (vir); a sword, not of man (homo), will devour him; and he will flee before the sword, and his young men will become tributary. Isaiah 31:8.

'Asshur' stands for reasoning in Divine things, 119, 1186, 'a sword, not of man (vir)' and 'not of man (homo)' stand for falsity, 'the sword before which he will flee' stands for truth engaged in conflict.

[3] In Zechariah,

Turn to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare I will render double to you - I who have bent for Myself Judah as a bow, I have filled Ephraim, and have roused your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan; and I will set you as the sword of one who is mighty, and Jehovah will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. Zechariah 9:12-14.

'The sword of one who is mighty' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man was holding in His right hand seven stars; out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword was going forth, and His countenance was like the sun shining in full strength. Revelation 1:13, 16.

And further on,

These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword, I will come to you quickly and engage in conflict with them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:12, 16.

'A sharp two-edged sword' plainly stands for truth engaged in conflict, which was therefore represented as 'a sword going out of His mouth'.

[4] In the same book,

Out of the mouth of Him who sat on the white horse went forth a sharp sword, and with it He is to smite the nations. And they were slain by the sword of Him sitting on the horse, which went out of His mouth. Revelation 19:15, 21.

Here it is plain that 'a sword going out of His mouth' means truth engaged in conflict. The one 'sitting on the white horse' is the Word, and thus the Lord who is the Word; see above 2760-2763. This explains what the Lord says in Matthew,

Do not think that I have come to bring peace on to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34.

And in Luke,

Now he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag. But he who has none, let him sell his garments and buy a sword. They said to Him, Behold, Lord, here are two swords. And Jesus said, It is enough. Luke 22:36-38.

'A sword' here is used to mean nothing else than the truth, from which and for which they were to engage in conflict.

[5] In Hosea,

I will make for them a covenant on that day with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish ³ the bow, and the sword, and war from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety. Hosea 2:18.

Here the subject is the Lord's kingdom. 'Abolishing the bow, the sword, and war' means the absence of any conflict there over doctrine and truth. In Joshua,

Joshua lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, a man was standing before him, with a sword drawn in his hand. He said to Joshua, I am the Prince of the army of Jehovah; and Joshua fell on his face to the earth. Joshua 5:13-14.

These words, which refer to the time when Joshua together with the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan, are used to mean the entry - of those who have faith - into the Lord's kingdom. Truth engaged in conflict, which is the Church's, is 'the sword drawn in the hand of the Prince of the army of Jehovah'.

[6] But as for 'small swords' or 'knives' meaning the truth of faith, this becomes clear from the fact that they were used not only in sacrifices but also in circumcision. Those used in circumcision were made of flint and were called 'small swords of flint', as is evident in Joshua,

Jehovah said to Joshua, Make small swords of flint for yourself; and again, circumcise the children of Israel a second time. And Joshua made small swords of flint for himself, and circumcised the children of Israel on the hill of the foreskins. Joshua 5:2-3.

'Circumcision' was a representative of purification from self-love and love of the world, see 2039, 2632. And because such purification is achieved by means of the truths of faith, 'small swords of flint' were therefore used, 2039 (end), 2046 (end).

[7] II A sword means the vastation of truth This is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

These two will happen to you; who is to condole with you? Vastation and demolition, and famine and sword; who is to comfort you? Your sons fainted, they lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:19-20.

'Famine' stands for vastation of good, and 'sword' for vastation of truth. 'Lying at the head of every street' stands for being deprived of all truth. 'Street' means truth, 2336; and for what vastation is, see 301-304, 407, 408, 410, 411. In the same prophet,

I will destine ⁴ you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter, because I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. Isaiah 65:12.

[8] In the same prophet,

By fire Jehovah will judge, and by sword, all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah will be many. Isaiah 66:16.

'The slain of Jehovah' stands for those who have undergone vastation. In Jeremiah,

On all the hills in the wilderness those who cause devastation have come, for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. There is no peace for any flesh. They have sown wheat and reaped thorns. Jeremiah 12:12-13.

'The sword of Jehovah' plainly stands for the vastation of truth. In the same prophet,

They have lied against Jehovah and said, It is not He; and no evil will come upon us; neither shall we see sword and famine. And the prophets will become wind, and there is no utterance in them. Jeremiah 5:12-13.

[9] In the same prophet,

I am visiting them; the young men will die by the sword; their sons and their daughters will die by famine. Jeremiah 11:22.

In the same prophet,

When they offer burnt offering and minchah I will not accept them, for I am consuming them by sword and by famine and by pestilence. And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovih, behold, the prophets say to them, You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine. Jeremiah 14:12-13.

In the same prophet,

The city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans fighting against it, in face of the sword, and famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah 32:24, 36.

In the same prophet,

I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are consumed from the ground which I gave to them and their fathers. Jeremiah 24:10.

[10] In these places vastation is described as 'sword, famine, and pestilence'. 'Sword' describes the vastation of truth, 'famine' the vastation of good, and 'pestilence' preying upon even to destruction. In Ezekiel,

Son of man, Take a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and over your beard. And you are to take balances and you are to divide the hair. A third part you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third part you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third part you are to scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. A third part will die of pestilence, and be consumed with famine in the midst [of you], and a third part will fall by the sword round about [you], and a third part I will scatter to every wind; and I will unsheathe the sword after them. Ezekiel 5:1-2, 12, 17.

This refers to the vastation of natural truth, which is described in this fashion. In the same prophet,

The sword is without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field will die by the sword, and him that is in the city famine and pestilence will devour. Ezekiel 7:15.

[11] In the same prophet,

Say to the land of Israel, Thus said Jehovah, Behold, I am against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north; and all flesh will know that I Jehovah have drawn My sword out of its sheath, and it will not return any more. The word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said Jehovah, Say: A sword, a sword has been sharpened and also polished, sharpened, for great slaughter, so that it is polished to flash like lightning! Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih against the children of Ammon, and against their reproach, Say: A sword, a sword is bared for the slaughter, and polished to consume because [polished to shine like] lightning - while they see vanity for you, while they divine a lie for you. Ezekiel 21:3-5, 8-20, 28-29.

Here 'a sword' means nothing other than vastation, as is evident in the internal sense from each detail included here.

[12] In the same prophet,

The king of Babel will destroy your towers with his swords. By reason of the abundance of horses their dust will cover you; by reason of the noise of horsemen, and wheels, and chariots, your walls will be shaken. With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:9-11.

What 'Babel' is, see 1326, and that it causes vastation, 1327. In David, If he does not turn back God will whet His sword, bend His bow, and make it ready. Psalms 7:12.

In Jeremiah,

I said, Ah, Lord, truly You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, You will have peace; but the sword has reached even to the soul. Jeremiah 4:10.

[13] In the same prophet,

Declare in Egypt, and cause it to be heard in Migdol, Stand up and prepare yourself, for the sword will devour round about you. Jeremiah 46:14.

In the same prophet,

A sword over the Chaldeans and against the inhabitants of Babel, and against her rulers, and against her wise men! A sword against the boasters, and they will become insane! A sword against her mighty men, and they will be dismayed! A sword against her horses, and against her chariots, and against the whole mingled crowd in her midst, and they will become as women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered! A drought on her waters, and they will dry up! Jeremiah 50:35-38.

'A sword' plainly stands for the vastation of truth, for it is said to be 'a sword against the wise men, against the boasters, against the mighty men, against the horses and chariots, against the treasures', and that there will be 'a drought on the waters and they will dry up'.

[14] In the same prophet,

We have given the hand to Egypt, to Asshur to be satisfied with bread. Slaves have had dominion over us; there is nobody to free us from their hand. In [peril of] our souls we acquired our bread, in face of the sword of the wilderness. Lamentations 5:6, 8-9.

In Hosea,

He will not return to the land of Egypt, and Asshur will be his king, because they have refused to return to Me. And the sword will come down on his cities, and consume his bars, and devour because of their counsels. Hosea 11:5-6.

In Amos.

I have sent the pestilence upon you in the way of Egypt, I have slain your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. ⁵ Amos 4:10.

'In the way of Egypt' stands for the facts which cause vastation when, on the basis of these, people reason in Divine things. 'Captured horses' stands for the understanding when stripped of its own inherent qualities.

[15] III A sword in the contrary sense means falsity engaged in conflict. This becomes clear in David,

As to my soul, I lie in the midst of lions setting on fire the children of men; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongues a sharp sword. Psalms 57:4.

In the same author,

Behold, they belch out with their mouths, swords are in their lips - for who hears? Psalms 59:7.

In Isaiah,

You are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable stock, a garment of the slain pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a dead body trodden underfoot. Isaiah 14:19

This refers to Lucifer. In Jeremiah,

In vain have I smitten your sons, they took no correction Your own sword is devouring your prophets, like a ravaging lion. O generation, observe the Word of Jehovah, Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Jeremiah 2:30-31.

[16] In the same prophet,

Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword, terror is all around. Jeremiah 6:25-26.

In the same prophet,

Take the cup of the wine of wrath and make all the nations to which I send you drink it. And they will drink and reel, and go mad in face of the sword which I am sending among them. Drink and get drunk, and vomit, and fall, and do not get up again in face of the sword. Jeremiah 25:15-16, 27.

In the same prophet,

Go up, O horses; rage, O chariots; let the mighty men go forth, Cush and Put, that handle the shield, and the Ludim that handle and bend the bow. And that day is to the Lord Jehovih of hosts a day of vengeance. And the sword will devour, and be sated, and become drunk on their blood. Jeremiah 46:9-10.

[17] In Ezekiel,

They will strip you of your garments, and take the jewels ⁶ of your glory, and leave you naked and bare. And they will bring up an assembly upon you, and they will stone you with stones; they will run you through with their swords. Ezekiel 16:39-40.

This refers to the abominations of Jerusalem. In Zechariah,

Woe to the worthless shepherd, the deserter of the flock! The sword will fall upon his arm and upon his right eye. His arm will be wholly withered, and his right eye utterly darkened. Zechariah 11:17.

In Hosea,

They thought what was evil against Me. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. Hosea 7:15-16.

[18] In Luke,

There will be great distress over the earth, and wrath on that people; for they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive among all the gentiles; ⁷ at length Jerusalem will be trodden down by the gentiles. ⁷ Luke 21:23-24.

Here the Lord was referring to the close of the age - in the sense of the letter to the dispersion of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem, but in the internal sense to the final state of the Church. 'Falling by the edge of the sword' means that there was no truth any longer, but merely falsity. 'All the gentiles' means every kind of evil among which 'they will be led captive'. 'The gentiles' - or 'the nations' - means evils, see 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, and 'Jerusalem' means the Church, 2117, which will be so 'trodden down' by them.

[19] IV A sword also means the punishment of falsity

This is clear in Isaiah,

On that day Jehovah will make a visitation with His hard and great and strong sword upon Leviathan the full-length serpent, ⁸ and upon Leviathan the twisting serpent, and He will slay the monsters that are in the sea. Isaiah 27:1.

This refers to those who by means of reasonings based on sensory evidence and factual knowledge enter into the mysteries of faith. 'The hard, great, and strong sword' stands for the punishments of the falsity that results from those reasonings.

[20] When one reads about people being put to, and being slain by, the edge of the sword, sometimes including 'both men and women, young people and old, oxen, sheep, and asses', the meaning in the internal sense is punishment consisting in the condemnation of falsity, as in Joshua 6:21; 8:24-25; 10:28, 30, 37, 39; 11:10-12, 14; 13:22; 19:47; Judges 1:8, 25; 4:15-16; 18:27; 20:37; 1 Samuel 15:8; 2 Kings 10:25; and elsewhere. This also explains why it was commanded to put to the sword any city which worshipped other gods, and to destroy it utterly and to burn it with fire, and to let it remain a heap for ever, Deuteronomy 13:12-18. 'The sword' stands for the punishment of falsity, 'fire' for the punishment of evil. The angel of Jehovah with a drawn sword who stood in the path against Balaam, Numbers 22:22, 31, meant the truth which stood in the way of the falsity which possessed Balaam. For that reason also he was slain with a sword, Numbers 31:8.

[21] The meaning of 'a sword' in the genuine sense as truth engaged in conflict, and in the contrary sense as falsity engaged in it, also the vastation of truth and the punishment of falsity, has its origin in the representatives that occur in the next life. For in that life, when anyone utters that which he knows to be false, daggers so to speak instantly come down over his head and strike terror, while truth engaged in conflict is represented there as well by objects which have sharp points like the tips of swords; for such is the nature of truth if it is devoid of good, but if it exists together with good it is rounded and gentle. Such being the origin of the meaning of a sword, therefore with angels, whenever a knife, spear, small sword, or sword is mentioned in the Word, truth engaged in conflict comes to mind.

[22] The reason why a knife is hardly mentioned at all in the Word is that in the next life there are evil spirits who are called 'knifers'. They seem to have knives hanging by their sides, and the reason for this is that they possess so brutal a nature that they wish to cut everyone's throat with their knife. This is why knives are not mentioned, but small swords and swords, for the latter being implements normally used in battle give rise to the idea of war and so of truth engaged in conflict.

[23] Because it was well known to the ancients that a small sword, a lance, and a knife meant truth, the gentiles, who received the practice through tradition, were therefore accustomed during sacrifices to stab and slash themselves, even until they bled, with small swords, lances, or knives, as one reads of the priests of Baal,

The priests of Baal cried out with a loud voice and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until blood gushed out. 1 Kings 18:28.

As regards all weapons of war in the Word meaning things that have to do with spiritual conflict, each one having some specific meaning, see 2686.

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