10248. And it shall be to them a statute of an age. That this signifies an eternal law of order, is evident from the signification of “a statute,” as being a law of order (see n. 7884, 7995, 8537); and from the signification of “an age,” as being what is eternal. That “an age” denotes what is eternal, is because by “an age” is meant duration even to the end; and in the internal sense this duration signifies what is eternal; moreover, the word by which “an age” is here expressed in the original tongue signifies eternity. That “an age” denotes what is eternal, is because “an age,” when said in the Word about the church, signifies its duration even to the end; and consequently when it is said of heaven, where there is no end, and when it is said of the Lord, it signifies what is eternal. This is predicated in general of every church, but specifically of the celestial church. Moreover, “an age” also signifies the world and life there, and likewise life thereafter to eternity.

[2] As regards the FIRST meaning: That “an age” when said of the church, signifies its duration even to the end, is evident from the following passages, in Matthew:

The disciples said unto Jesus, Tell us what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? (Matthew 24:3).

By “the consummation of the age” is signified the last time of the church, thus its end, when there is no longer any faith because no charity. That this is the consummation of the age, consequently that “an age” denotes the duration of the church even to its end, can be seen from all that was said by the Lord in that chapter, which may be seen unfolded in this work before the chapters of Genesis, from chapter 26 to chapter 40. The like is signified elsewhere by “an age” and its “consummation” in the same Gospel:

The harvest is the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:39-40, 49).

I am with you all the days even unto the consummation of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Here also the “age” means the duration of the church from beginning to end.

[3] In Ezekiel:

They shall dwell upon the land, they and their sons, and their sons’ sons, even to an age; David shall be their prince for an age. My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for an age (Ezekiel 37:25, 28).

These things are said of Israel, by whom in the internal sense is meant the spiritual church; by the “land on which they shall dwell” is also signified the church; by the “sanctuary,” everything of the church; and by “David,” the Lord; from which it is evident that by “to an age” is signified even to the end. (That “Israel” in the Word denotes the spiritual church, see the places cited in n. 9340; that the “land” denotes the church, see the places cited in n. 9325; that the “sanctuary” denotes everything of the church, and that it is predicated of the good and truth of the spiritual church, n. 8330, 9479; and that “David” denotes the Lord, n. 1888, 9954)

[4] In David:

Before the mountains were born, and the earth and the world were formed, even from age to age, Thou art God (Psalms 90:2).

By “the mountains being born,” and by “the earth and the world being formed,” is not meant the creation of the world, but the setting up of the church; for “mountains” in the Word signify celestial love, thus the church in which is this love; the “earth” also and the “world” signify the church; hence “from age to age” signifies from the setting up of churches to their ends; for churches follow on, one after another, because when one has been ended or vastated another is set up. (That a “mountain” denotes celestial love, consequently the church which is in this love, see n. 795, 796, 4210, 6435, 8758; and that “land” denotes the church specifically, and the “world” the church generally, see the places cited in n. 9325)

[5] SECONDLY: That “an age,” when said of heaven where there is no end, and of the Lord, signifies what is eternal, is evident from the following passages, in David:

Jehovah is King for an age, and forever (Psalms 10:16; also Exodus 15:18).

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages; and Thy dominion is to every generation and generation (Psalms 145:13).

The living God, the King of an age (Jeremiah 10:10).

His dominion is the dominion of an age which shall not pass away. Afterward the saints of the highests shall receive the kingdom, and shall confirm the kingdom even to an age, and even to ages of ages (Daniel 7:14, 18, 27).

Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, unto ages (Matthew 6:13).

God shall give unto Him the throne of David, that He may reign over the house of Jacob for ages (Luke 1:32-33).

[6] To Jesus Christ be glory and strength unto ages of ages (Revelation 1:6).

Behold I am alive unto ages of ages (Revelation 1:18).

To the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and strength, unto ages of ages. The twenty-four elders worshiped Him that liveth unto ages of age (Revelation 5:13-14; 10:6; 11:15).

My salvation shall be for an age, and My righteousness to generation of generations (Isaiah 51:6, 8).

The angel of His faces carried them all the days of an age (Isaiah 63:9).

Many of them that sleep shall awake to the life of an age (Daniel 12:2).

If anyone shall eat of this bread, he shall live for an age (John 6:51, 58).

I give unto them eternal life, and they shall not perish for an age (John 10:28).

Lead me in the way of an age (Psalms 139:24).

He hath established them forever and for an age, He hath made a statute which shall not pass away (Psalms 148:6).

[7] In these passages “an age” signifies what is eternal, because it is said of the Lord and of His kingdom, and of heaven and the life there, whereof there is no end; “ages of ages” do not mean eternities of eternities, but denote what is eternal; and the expression is used relatively to churches on earth of which one succeeds another. It is evident from the Word that on our earth a church has been set up four times, of which the first was the Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood; the second was the Ancient Church, which was after the flood; the third was the Israelitish and Jewish Church; and lastly there was the Christian Church. The period of each Church, from beginning to end is “an age;” moreover, after this last mentioned Church, a new one will begin. These successions of churches are meant by “ages of ages.” (That “an age” denotes the duration of a church even to the end, was shown above.)

[8] THIRDLY: That “an age” is predicated in general of every church, but specifically of the celestial church, is evident from the following passages, in Amos:

I will set up the tent of David that is fallen, and will build according to the days of an age (Amos 9:11); where by “the days of an age” is meant the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial. And in Micah:

Bethlehem Ephrathah, out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who shall be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of an age (Micah 5:2); where the sense is the same. And in Moses:

Remember thou the days of an age; understand ye the years of generation and generation (Deuteronomy 32:7).

Here “the days of an age” denote the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial; and “the years of generation and generation” denote the time of the Ancient Church, which was spiritual.

[9] In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake according to the days of antiquity, of the generation of ages (Isaiah 51:8-9).

“According to the days of the generation of ages” denotes according to the states of love and faith in the Ancient Churches derived from the Most Ancient Church.

In David:

I have considered the days of old, the years of ages (Psalms 77:5); where the sense is the same.

[10] In Isaiah:

Remember the former things from an age (Isaiah 46:9).

Then shall the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem be sweet to Jehovah, according to the days of an age, and according to the ancient years (Malachi 3:4).

Judah shall be seated for an age, and Jerusalem to generation and generation (Joel 3:20); where by “Judah” is signified the celestial church, of which it is therefore said, “according to the days of an age,” and “for an age;” and by “Jerusalem” is signified the spiritual church, of which it is said, “according to the ancient days,” and “to generation and generation.” (That “Judah” denotes the celestial church, see n. 3654, 3881, 6363, 8780; and “Jerusalem,” the spiritual church, n. 402, 3654)

[11] FOURTHLY: That “an age” signifies the world and life there, is evident from Matthew:

He that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the Word, but the care of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word (Matthew 13:22).

The sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of light (Luke 16:8).

The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage (Luke 20:34).

The wicked and the secure of the age multiply riches (Psalms 73:12).

[12] FIFTHLY: That “an age” signifies the life after death to eternity:

He shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, and in the age to come life eternal (Mark 10:30).

When I shall bring thee down with them that go down into the pit, to the people of an age (Ezekiel 26:20).

And in other passages, as Luke 18:9, 30; 20:35; Isaiah 34:10, 17; Revelation 14:11; 20:10; 22:5.

6435. Even to the desire of the hills of an age. That this signifies to celestial mutual love, is evident from the signification of the “hills of an age,” as being the things of mutual love (of which in what follows). That the spiritual church may come to this love, is signified by “even to the desire of the hills of an age.” Before it is shown from other passages of the Word that by the “hills of an age” is signified mutual love, it must first be told what is meant by the mutual love to which the man of the spiritual church, represented by Joseph, busies himself in arriving. From what has frequently been said and shown above, it is evident that there are two kingdoms which constitute heaven, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The difference between these two kingdoms is that the internal good of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord, and its external is the good of mutual love; they who are of this kingdom are in the good of love, but not in the truth which is called the truth of faith, for this is in the good of this kingdom, insomuch that it cannot be seen separately from good, and therefore they who belong to this kingdom cannot even mention faith (n. 202, 203, 4448), because with them instead of the truth of faith there is the good of mutual love. But as regards the spiritual kingdom, its internal is the good of charity toward the neighbor, while its external is the truth of faith.

[2] From all this it is evident what is the difference between these two kingdoms, and also that they agree in the fact that the external of the celestial kingdom coincides with the internal of the spiritual kingdom, through the intermediate which is called the “celestial of the spiritual.” For as before said the external of the celestial kingdom is the good of mutual love, and the internal of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity toward the neighbor; but the good of mutual love is more interior than the good of charity toward the neighbor, because the former is from the rational, but the latter is from the natural. But although the good of mutual love (which is the external of the celestial church) is more interior, and the good of charity toward the neighbor is more exterior, nevertheless, as just said, the Lord conjoins these goods by an intermediate, and thus conjoins these two kingdoms.

[3] In order to make a distinction between the external good of the celestial church and the internal good of the spiritual church, in the following pages we may call the former good the good of mutual love, and the latter the good of charity toward the neighbor, which difference has not been heretofore observed. These things being first known, it may be said what is signified by “even to the desire of the hills of an age,” which is among the blessings of Israel concerning this spiritual church, namely, that the spiritual kingdom may rise above the good of charity even to the good of mutual love, which is of the celestial kingdom; and that in this way these two kingdoms may be intimately conjoined: this is what is signified by these words.

[4] In very many passages of the prophetic Word mention is made of “mountains and hills,” and by them in the internal sense are signified the goods of love-by “mountains” the good of love to the Lord, which is the internal of the celestial kingdom; and by “hills” the good of mutual love, which is the external of the same kingdom; but where the spiritual kingdom is treated of, then by “mountains” is signified the good of charity toward the neighbor, which is the internal of this kingdom, and by “hills” the truth of faith, which is its external. Be it known that every church of the Lord is internal and external, and so is each of His kingdoms.

[5] That such is the signification of “hills,” is evident from the following passages:

In the latter days the mountain of Jehovah shall be for the head of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isaiah 2:2; Mic. 9:1 [NCBSP: 4:1]).

The “mountain of Jehovah,” which is Zion, denotes the Lord’s celestial kingdom, thus the good of this kingdom, which is of love to the Lord; thus in the supreme sense it is the Lord Himself, for all the love and all the good in the celestial kingdom belong to the Lord.

[6] The like is signified by the “mountain of Zion” elsewhere in the Word, and by the “hill thereof” the good of mutual love, as in Isaiah:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon the mountain of Zion, and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah 31:4); where “hill” denotes the good of mutual love; and as by a “hill” is signified the good of mutual love, and by a “mountain” the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord, it is said that “Jehovah would descend to fight upon that mountain.” Jehovah does not fight upon the mountain of Zion and the hill thereof; but where the good of love is, it is for this, that is, for those who are in it, that the Lord (in this passage “Jehovah”) fights. If He fought for Zion and for Jerusalem, it is because they represented the celestial church. Therefore also the mountain of Zion was called holy, and Jerusalem also was said to be holy, when yet in itself it was filthy, as is plain from the prophets, where its abominations are treated of.

[7] In David:

The mountains shall bring peace, and the hills in righteousness (Psalms 72:3).

In the same:

Praise Jehovah ye mountains, and all hills (Psalms 148:9).

In the same:

The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like the sons of the flock (Psalms 114:4, 6).

Again:

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of hills is the mountain of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye mountains, ye hills of mountains? God desires to dwell in it, Jehovah also shall dwell forever (Psalms 68:15-16).

In these passages “mountains” denote celestial love, and “hills” spiritual love; that mountains are not here meant, nor hills, nor they who were upon mountains and hills, is very manifest.

[8] In Isaiah:

There shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every lifted up hill, streams, channels of waters (Isaiah 30:25);

“channels of waters” denote the knowledges of good and of truth, which are said to be “upon every high mountain and lifted up hill” because these knowledges flow from the goods of celestial and spiritual love.

[9] In Habakkuk:

Jehovah stood and measured the earth; He saw and dispersed the nations, because the mountains of eternity were scattered, and the hills of an age humbled themselves (Hab. 3:6).

The “mountains of eternity” denote the good of love of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial; the “hills of an age,” the good of mutual love that belonged to that church; the former being its internal, the latter its external. When that church is meant in the Word, seeing that it was the most ancient one, “eternity” is sometimes added, as here the “mountains of eternity,” and elsewhere the “days of eternity” (n. 6239); and an “age” also is added, as here the “hills of an age,” and also in the prophetic utterance of Israel: “to the desire of the hills of an age.” Hence it is evident that by the “hills of an age” are signified the goods of mutual love, which are of the celestial church, or of the Lord’s celestial kingdom.

[10] So in Moses, in his prophetic utterance about Joseph:

Of the first-fruits of the mountains of the east, and of the precious things of the hills of eternity, let them come on the head of Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:15-16).

In Isaiah:

The mountains and the hills shall resound with singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12).

In Joel:

In that day the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters (Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13).

In Ezekiel:

My sheep wander in all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and upon all the faces of the earth are they scattered. I will make them, the compass of My hill, a blessing; and I will send down the rain in its season (Ezekiel 34:6, 26).

In Jeremiah:

Wasters are come upon all the hills in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth (Jeremiah 12:12).

In these passages the goods of celestial love are signified by “mountains;” and likewise by “hills,” but in a lower degree.

[11] Because “mountains” and “hills” signified such things, in the Ancient Church their Divine worship also was upon mountains and upon hills; and afterward the Hebrew nation set altars upon mountains and hills, and there sacrificed and burnt incense; and where there were no hills, they constructed high places. But because this worship became idolatrous, through holding the mountains and hills themselves holy, and thinking nothing at all about the holy things which they signified, this worship was therefore forbidden the Israelitish and Jewish people, because that people was more prone to idolatry than any other. In order however that this representative which had been in ancient times might be retained, the mountain of Zion was chosen, and by it in the supreme sense was represented the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love, and in the relative sense the Divine celestial and the Divine spiritual in His kingdom.

[12] As such things were signified, Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah; and the Lord was also seen upon a mountain by Moses, and the Law was promulgated from the elevation of a mountain, for He was seen by Moses upon Mount Horeb, and the Law was promulgated upon Mount Sinai; and the temple of Jerusalem was also built upon a mountain.

[13] That from an ancient rite holy worship was held upon mountains and hills, and afterward the Gentiles and also the idolatrous Israelites and Jews sacrificed and burnt incense thereon, is plain in Jeremiah:

Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the wickedness of thy whoredom, upon the hills in the field, I have seen thine abominations (Jeremiah 13:27);

speaking of Jerusalem.

In Ezekiel:

When their pierced ones shall be in the midst of their idols, round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the heads of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every tangled oak (Ezekiel 6:13).

In Jeremiah:

Upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou transgressing harlot (Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6; an. 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4; 17:10).

[14] Because idolatrous worship took place upon mountains and hills, by them are signified in the opposite sense the evils that belong to the love of self; as in Jeremiah:

The mountains, and lo they are shaken, and all the hills are overturned. I held and lo there was no man, and all the birds of heaven had flown away (Jeremiah 4:24-25).

In Isaiah:

Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall be humbled (Isaiah 40:4).

In the same:

Behold I have put thee for a thresher of a new thresher, set with spikes; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and shalt make the hills as chaff (Isaiah 41:15).

Again:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage (Isaiah 42:15).

And in Micah:

Hear ye I pray what Jehovah speaketh: Arise, contend thou with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice (Mic. 6:1).

In Jeremiah:

My people have been lost sheep, their shepherds have misled them, refractory mountains, they have gone from a mountain upon a hill, they have forgotten their fold (Jeremiah 50:6; and in other plac es, as Jeremiah 16:6; Nah. 1:5-6).

[15] The reason why “mountains” and “hills” signified the goods of celestial and spiritual love, was that they were prominent above the earth, and by things prominent and high were signified those which were of heaven, and in the supreme sense which were of the Lord. For the “land of Canaan” signified the Lord’s heavenly kingdom (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 4240, 4447); hence all things in that land were significative, the “mountains” and “hills” being significative of such things as are high; for when the most ancient people who were of the celestial church ascended a mountain they thought of height, and from height, of what is holy, because Jehovah or the Lord was said to dwell “in the highest,” and because in the spiritual sense “height” denoted the good of love (n. 650).