Arcana Coelestia # 6368
6368. 'From the plunder you have gone up, my son means that through the celestial the Lord accomplishes the deliverance of many from hell. This is clear from the meaning of 'going up from the plunder' as deliverance from hell, dealt with below; and from the representation of Judah, to whom 'my son' refers here, as the Divine celestial, dealt with in 6363. The reason 'going up from the plunder' means deliverance from hell is that left to himself a person is in hell, for his will and thought, when they spring wholly from himself, are nothing but evil and derivative falsity, which tie him so firmly to hell that he cannot be torn away except by force. This tearing away and deliverance is what is called 'the plunder'; and because that is effected by the power of the Lord's Divine Good, it is said that through the celestial the Lord accomplishes the deliverance of many from hell.
[2] But it should be recognized that no one can be torn away and delivered from hell unless during his lifetime spiritual good, that is, charity that comes through faith, has existed in him; for unless that good coming through faith has been present in him, there is nothing that can receive the good which flows in from the Lord. Instead that good from Him flows straight through, without being able to become fixed anywhere. Consequently those lacking spiritual good cannot be torn away and delivered from hell. For all the states that a person has attained during his lifetime remain with him in the next life and are developed more fully. Good states with the good remain and are filled out with good, and by means of them those people are raised into heaven; and evil states with the evil remain and are filled with evil, and by means of them these people sink down into hell. This is what is meant by the saying that as a person dies, so he remains. From this it is evident who those people are who can be delivered from hell by the Lord through the Divine celestial.
Nahum 1
1
An oracle about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
2
Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges. Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath. Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.
3
Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. Yahweh has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4
He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languishes.
5
The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it.
6
Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.
7
Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.
8
But with an overflowing flood, he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
9
What do you plot against Yahweh? He will make a full end. Affliction won't rise up the second time.
10
For entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly like dry stubble.
11
There is one gone forth out of you, who devises evil against Yahweh, who counsels wickedness.
12
Thus says Yahweh: "Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so they will be cut down, and he shall pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.
13
Now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart."
14
Yahweh has commanded concerning you: "No more descendants will bear your name. Out of the house of your gods, will I cut off the engraved image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile."
15
Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.
