731. Where she hath a place prepared by God.- That this signifies its state, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many, is evident from the signification of place, as denoting state (concerning which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of being prepared by God, as denoting to be provided by the Lord, for what is done by man is prepared, but what is done by the Lord is provided. Also to be provided is said of the state that is signified by place, while to be prepared is said of place. It signifies that the state in the meantime may be provided among many, because by the woman fleeing into the wilderness is signified that the church is as yet among few, because among those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths, as may be seen in the preceding article (n. 730). It therefore follows that these words, namely, "where the woman hath a place prepared by God," signify the state of the church, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many; and that also the words, "that they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days" signify until it grows to fulness, of which below (n. 732). But this state of the church meant by the place of the woman in the wilderness is more fully dealt with in what follows in this chapter; for it is said that to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she should be nourished a time and times and half a time from the face of the dragon; besides other circumstances.

[2] The reason why place signifies state is that spaces, places, and distances in the spiritual world are in their origin states of life. These indeed appear there just as in this world, yet they differ in this respect, that the quality of every one is known from the place where he dwells, and the place where any one dwells is known from what he is. Thus it is in general in regard to the places of all according to the quarters, and in particular as to their places in societies, and also individually as to their places in houses, and even in rooms. It is evident from this that place and quality of state make one, and this for the reason that all the things in the spiritual world that appear before the eyes, even the lands (terroe), are correspondences of things spiritual. This is why place signifies state. That spaces, places, and distances are, in their origin, states, and thus, in the Word, signify states, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 191-199), in the article on space in heaven. For the same reason also it is customary in our world to designate state by place; as, for example, "to be established in a high place," "in an eminent place," and "in a distinguished place," are terms used for "a high, an eminent and distinguished state."

[3] From these things it is evident what is meant by the Lord's saying to His disciples, that in his Father's house there are many mansions, and that He would go to prepare a place for them; and that if He went and prepared a place for them, He would come and take them to Himself (John 14:2, 3).

To prepare a place for them signifies to provide heaven for every one according to the state of his life, for by the disciples are meant all those who were to be of His Church. And in Luke,

"When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man, he wandereth through dry places seeking rest" (11:24).

The unclean spirit going out of a man signifies the removal of evils and the falsities thence from a man who repents; the dry places through which he wanders seeking rest, signify the states of evil and falsity that belong to his life. So in other parts of the Word where place and places are mentioned.

211. Who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. That this signifies who believe themselves to be in truths when nevertheless they are in falsities is evident from the signification of Judah, which, in the highest sense, is the Lord as to celestial love, in the internal sense, the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and the Word, and, in the external sense, the doctrine from the Word which is of the celestial church (concerning which see above, n. 119). Hence it is, that by their saying they are Jews is signified that they believe themselves to be in genuine doctrine, thus in essential truths. Also from the signification of do lie, as being to be in falsities; for by a lie in the Word is signified falsity of doctrine (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 8908, 9248). Those who are in faith alone, and not in charity, do not know that they are in falsities, because they believe that they are in truths, when, notwithstanding, from the false principle that faith alone saves falsities flow in a continual series; for the principle assumed draws everything to its own side, because they must be connected with it. This is why they are in such great ignorance with respect to the things of heaven and the church. That these are in such ignorance is evident from the circumstance that they do not know what celestial love is, which is love to the Lord; what spiritual love is, which is charity to the neighbour; what is meant by neighbour, by good, and by the conjunction of good and truth, by spiritual life, and what spiritual affection, what conscience, free-will, or regeneration are, what spiritual temptation, baptism and the holy supper are, and why they are commanded; what the spiritual sense of the Word is, what the nature of heaven and hell, and that both the one and the other are from the human race; besides many other things of which they are ignorant. It is from such ignorance that falsities flow when they think of these things, because they think without enlightenment; for, as said above, they can neither think interiorly, nor have they any internal sight respecting anything spiritual. (See, moreover, what is said and shown concerning this in Arcana Coelestia, viz., that faith separated from charity is no faith, n. 654, 724, 1162, 1176, 2049, 2116, 2343, 2349, 3849, 3868, 6348, 7039, 7822, 9783; that such faith perishes in the other life, n. 2228, 5820: that when faith alone is established as a principle, truths are contaminated by the false principle, n. 2435; that such persons will not suffer themselves to be persuaded, because it is against their principle, n. 2385; that doctrinals of faith alone destroy charity, n. 6353, 8094; that those who are in faith separated from charity, are inwardly in the falsities of their own evil, although they are ignorant of this, n. 7790, 7950; that therefore good cannot be conjoined to them, n. 8981, 8983; that faith separated from love and charity, is as the light of winter, when all things on the earth become torpid, and when there is no production of corn, of fruits, and flowers; but that faith from love or charity is as the light of spring and summer, in which all things flourish and are productive, n. 2231, 3146, 3412, 3413. That the light of winter, which is that of faith separated from charity, is turned into dense darkness when light flows in out of heaven; and that those who are then in such faith become blind and stupid, n. 3412, 3413; that those who separate faith from charity in doctrine and life are in darkness, thus in ignorance of truth, and in falsities, n. 9186; that they cast themselves into falsities, and thence into evils, n. 3325, 8094; the errors and falsities into which they cast themselves, n. 4721, 4730, 4776, 4783, 4925, 7779, 8313, 8765, 9224; that the Word is closed to them, n. 3773, 4783, 8780; that they do not see and attend to the things which the Lord so often spoke concerning love and charity, and concerning fruits and good works, n. 1017, 3416; that they do not know what good is, nor consequently what celestial love is, nor what charity is, n. 2417, 3603, 4126, 9995; that the simple in heart, who still are wise, nevertheless know what the good of life is, and consequently what charity is, and not what faith separated from charity is, n. 4741, 4754.)