644. These have power to shut heaven, that the rain rain not in the days of their prophecy.- That this signifies that those who reject the goods and truths of heaven and of the church, which proceed from the Lord, do not receive any influx out of heaven, is evident from the signification of shutting heaven, as denoting lest any influx out of heaven should be received, of which we shall speak presently; from the signification of rain, as denoting truth fertilizing, which is truth from which good is derived, and which flows down out of heaven, concerning this also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of "their prophecy," as denoting prediction concerning the Lord, and His coming, and concerning the good of love to Him and the truths of faith in regard to Him. The days of the prophecy of the two witnesses means principally this revelation and preaching from this revelation (praedicatio) at the end of the church. The reason why the Lord is especially preached at the end of the church, by the two witnesses, is, because the two witnesses, which are the good of love and the truth of faith directed to Him, principally testify concerning Him, therefore it is said in what follows that "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Apoc. 19:10).

[2] The reason why to shut heaven denotes to prevent any influx out of heaven from being received, is, that the words follow, "that the rain rain not," which signify the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven. For it is known that all the good of love and all the truth of faith flow-in out of heaven, that is, from the Lord through heaven, with man, and also that this influx takes place continually; it therefore follows that the good of love and the truth of faith are in no sense man's, but the Lord's with him. Each of these flows in, in the measure that they are not prevented by evil and falsity since these shut heaven and prevent influx. For evil and good, and falsity and truth, are opposites, therefore where the one is, the other cannot be; for evil in man prevents the good from entering and falsity prevents the truth, while good causes the removal of evil, and truth the removal of falsity; for they are as opposite as heaven and hell; the one therefore acts against the other with a perpetual effort to destroy it, and the one that is strong enough destroys the other.

[3] There are also in every man two minds, the one interior, called the spiritual mind, the other exterior, called the natural mind. The spiritual mind is created for the reception of light from heaven, but the natural mind for the reception of light from the world; therefore the spiritual mind, which is the interior mind of man, is heaven in him, and the natural mind, which is his exterior mind, is his world. The interior mind, which is heaven in man, is opened in proportion as man acknowledges the Divine of the Lord, and man so far acknowledges as he is in the good of love and of charity, and in the truths of doctrine and of faith. But this interior mind, which is heaven in man, so far as he does not acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and does not live a life of love and of faith, is not opened; and that mind is so far closed as a man is in evils and thence in falsities, and when it is closed, then the natural mind in man becomes infernal. For evil and its falsity are in the natural mind, and therefore when the spiritual mind, which is heaven in man, is closed, then the natural mind, which is hell, is dominant. From these things the meaning of the words, "heaven is closed that the rain rain not," is clear.

[4] It is said of the witnesses that they have power to shut heaven; yet they do not shut it, but evil and falsity, which have the rule in the men of the church at its end, close it. This is said of the two witnesses in a manner similar to what was said above, that fire shall go forth out of their mouth, and devour their enemies, although fire does not go forth from them and devour, as explained in the two articles above. The reason why that the rain rain not signifies that there is no influx of Divine Truth out of heaven, is, that water, from which rain comes signifies the truth of the Word, and thence the truth of doctrine and of faith, as may be seen above (n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538). And because rain water descends out of the clouds in heaven, therefore by raining rain is signified the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord in heaven; and because rain fertilizes the earth, therefore it signifies the Divine Truth fertilizing and fructifying the church, whence also by rain is signified spiritual blessing.

[5] That by rain, in the Word, is not meant rain, but the inflowing Divine, from which intelligence and wisdom, as well as the good of love and the truth of faith in man, grow and fructify; and that by raining is signified influx, is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Moses:

"My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My word shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the grass, and as drops upon the herb" (Deuteronomy 32:2).

Doctrine is here compared to rain, because rain signifies the proceeding Divine Truth, from which is every thing of doctrine; for all comparisons in the Word are also from correspondences. Because rain signifies the Divine Truth flowing down, it is therefore said, "My doctrine shall flow down as the rain." By dew is signified "good," and this is also signified by "word," therefore it is said, "My word shall distil as the dew"; intelligence and wisdom therefrom are signified by the small rain upon the grass, and by drops upon the herb; for as the grass and the herb of the field grow by reason of the waters of rain and dew, so do intelligence and wisdom from the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord. This was said by Moses, because in that chapter the twelve tribes of Israel are treated of, who, in the spiritual sense, signify all the truths and goods of the church, consequently doctrine in its whole compass.

[6] So again:

"The land which ye shall go over to possess it, is a land of mountains and valleys; it drinketh the waters of the rain of heaven. And I will give the rain of your land in its season, the early and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine (mustum), and thine oil." But if ye shall serve other gods, and shall not walk in my statutes, "the anger of Jehovah shall be kindled against you; he will shut heaven that there be no rain, and the land shall not yield her produce." (Deuteronomy 11:11, 14, 16, 17).

These words describe the land of Canaan and its fruitfulness; but because that land in the spiritual sense signifies the church, it follows that all the things contained in that description signify such things as pertain to the church, as the mountains, valleys, corn, wine (mustum), oil, produce, and rain. A land of mountains and valleys signifies the higher and lower, or the internal and external things of the church; the internal things of the church are in the internal man, which is also called the spiritual man, and the external things of the church are in the external man, which is called the natural man. That each of these is of such a quality as to receive the influx of Divine truth, is signified by drinking the waters of the rain of heaven; that the Divine Truth flows-in in each state, that is, when the man of the church is in his spiritual state and when he is in his natural state, is signified by the rain being given in its season, the early and the latter rain. For the man of the church is alternately in a spiritual state and in a natural state, and the influx and reception of Divine Truth in the spiritual state is meant by the early or morning rain, and in the natural state by the latter or evening rain. Spiritual and celestial good and truth, which the man of the church thence possesses, are meant by the corn, wine (mustum), and oil, which they shall gather in. That falsities of doctrine and of worship would prevent the influx and reception of Divine Truth, whence there would be no growth of the spiritual life, is signified by the words, "if ye shall serve other gods, there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield her produce," other gods denoting falsities of doctrine and of worship.

[7] Again:

"If ye walk in my statutes, and observe my precepts and do them; and the earth shall yield its produce, and the tree of the field shall yield its fruit" (Leviticus 26:3, 4).

Here by the rain which shall be given in its season, and the produce of the land, are signified similar things to those above. And because the church at that time was an external church, representative of interior spiritual things, therefore also it came to pass when they walked in the statutes, and observed the precepts, and did them, that they had rain in its season, and the earth yielded its produce, and the tree of the field its fruit; but still rain and thence produce were representative and significative, rain representing and signifying the inflowing Divine, produce the truth of doctrine and the understanding of truth, and fruit of the tree the good of love and the will of good.

[8] This is evident from the fact rain was withheld, and thence a famine took place in the land of Israel, for three years and a half, under Ahab, because they served other gods, and slew the prophets (1 Kings 17 and 18; Luke 4:25). This represented, and thence signified, that no Divine truth flowing-in out of heaven could be received on account of the falsities of evil, signified by other gods and by Baal, whom they worshipped. By killing the prophets is also signified to destroy Divine [truth]; for by a prophet, in the Word, is signified the doctrine of truth from the Word.

[9] In Isaiah:

"I will make" my vineyard "a desolation; it shall not be pruned nor weeded, so that the briar and the thorn shall come up; and I will command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it" (5:6).

Here also it is said of Jehovah that He makes the vineyard a desolation, and commands the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, although this is not done by Jehovah, that is, by the Lord, for He always flows-in with the evil as well as the good, which is meant by His sending His rain upon the just and upon the unjust (Matthew 5:45); but the cause is in the man of the church, for the reason that he does not receive any influx of Divine Truth, and the man who does not receive this closes the interiors of his mind, which are the recipients, and when these are shut, then the Divine influx is rejected. The vineyard, which is made a desolation, signifies the church; by its being neither pruned nor weeded is signified that it cannot be cultivated and so prepared for reception; by the briar and thorn which shall come up, are signified the falsities of evil; by commanding the clouds that they rain no rain, is signified that no influx of Divine truth out of heaven is received.

[10] In Jeremiah:

"The showers have been withheld, and there hath been no latter rain, but notwithstanding the forehead of a harlot remained to thee, thou hast refused to be ashamed" (3:3).

Again:

"They said not in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth the rain and the early and the latter rain in its season; He reserveth unto us the weeks, the appointed times of harvest; your iniquities make these to decline" (5:24, 25).

In Amos:

"I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest, so that I caused it indeed to rain upon one city, and I caused it not to rain upon another city; one field received the rain, but the field upon which it rained not, withered; whence two three cities wandered to one city to drink waters, but they were not satisfied; nevertheless ye have not returned unto me" (4:7, 8).

In Ezekiel:

"Son of man, say, Thou art a land that is not cleansed, that hath no rain in the day of anger; a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst of her" (22:24, 25).

In Zechariah:

"Whosoever of the families of the land shall not go up to Jerusalem to adore Jehovah Zebaoth, there shall be no rain upon them" (14:17).

In these passages also rain signifies the reception of the influx of Divine Truth, from which comes spiritual intelligence; and that there is no such intelligence by any influx because of the evils and falsities which refuse to receive it and which reject it, is signified by there being no rain.

[11] In Jeremiah:

"The mighty sent their little ones to seek waters; they came unto the pits and found no waters, because the earth was chapt, for there had been no rain upon the earth; the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads" (14:3, 4).

By the mighty are meant those who teach and lead, and by their little ones, those who are taught and led. Waters signify truths of doctrine; pits in which there is no water signify doctrinals in which there are no truths. By there being no rain upon the earth is signified that no influx of Divine Truth is received because of the falsities in the church; by the husbandmen who were ashamed and covered their heads, are signified those who teach, and their grief.

[12] In Isaiah:

"Then Jehovah shall give rain to thy seed, with which thou shalt sow the earth, and bread of the produce of the earth, and it shall be fat and rich; thy cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow" (30:23).

These words refer to the coming of the Lord. The influx of Divine Truth proceeding from Him, is signified by the rain which the Lord shall then give to the seed, rain signifying the Divine influx, seed the truth of the Word. To sow the land signifies to plant and form the church in man. The bread of the produce which Jehovah will give, signifies the good of love and of charity, which is produced by the truths of the Word, vivified by Divine influx. Fat and rich signifies filled with the good of love and truths therefrom, for fat is said of good, and rich of truths. By the cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow, is signified the extension and multiplication of these from the Divine influx, and thence spiritual nourishment, cattle denoting the goods and truths with man, that day, the coming of the Lord, and a broad meadow, the Word, by means of which the Divine influx and spiritual nourishment come; breadth is said of the extension and multiplication of truth.

[13] In the same:

"As the rain cometh down and the snow out of heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me in vain, but it shall accomplish that which I desire, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (55:10, 11).

Here the Word which goeth forth out of the mouth of God is compared to the rain and snow from heaven, because by the Word, the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and which flows into us by means of the Word, is meant; the rain and snow descending from heaven have a similar meaning, by the rain is signified spiritual truth, which is appropriated to man, and by snow, natural truth, which, when only in the memory, is like snow, but becomes spiritual by love just as snow becomes rain water by heat. By watering the earth that it may bring forth and bud, is signified to vivify the church, that it may produce the truth of doctrine and of faith and the good of love and of charity; the truth of doctrine and of faith being signified by the seed which it giveth to the sower, and the good of love and of charity by the bread which it giveth to the eater. It shall not return to me in vain, but it shall accomplish that which I desire, signifies that it shall be received, and that man from it shall be led to look to the Lord.

[14] In Ezekiel:

"I will give them and the places round about my hill a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its season, there shall be rains of blessing; then the tree of the field shall yield its fruit and the earth shall yield its produce" (34:26, 27).

The places round about the hill of Jehovah mean all who are in truths of doctrine and thence in the good of charity. By sending down the rain in its season is signified the influx of Divine Truth, accommodated to the affection and desire of receiving; and because the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth are thence, they are called rains of blessing. And it is said that the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its produce; the tree of the field and the earth signify the church and the man of the church, the fruit of the tree of the field signifies the fructification of good, the multiplication of whose truth is signified by the produce of the earth.

[15] And in Joel:

"Sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah your God, for he shall give you the former rain in justice, yea, he shall cause to descend for you the rain, the former and the latter, in the first, that the floors may be full of pure corn, and the presses overflow with wine (mustum), and oil" (2:23, 24).

The sons of Zion signify those who are in genuine truths through which they have the good of love, for by Zion is signified the celestial church which is in the good of love to the Lord by means of genuine truths. He shall give them the former rain in justice, signifies that with them the Lord flows-in with the good of love and from that into truths; justice in the Word is said of the good of love, while the just denote those who are in that good, as may be seen above (n. 204). That the Lord continually flows-in with the good of love into truths, is signified by the words, "He shall cause the rain to descend, the former and the latter, as at first." That thence they will have the good of brotherly and social love, is signified by the floors being full of pure corn; and that from the same source they will have the truth and good of love to the Lord, is signified by the presses overflowing with wine (mustum) and oil. Those who belong to the celestial church of the Lord possess the good of brotherly and social love; this love with those who belong to the spiritual church of the Lord is called "charity towards the neighbour."

[16] In Zechariah:

"Ask of Jehovah rain in its season; Jehovah will make clouds and will give them the rain of the shower, to a man the herb in the field" (10:1).

Rain here also signifies the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, from which man possesses spiritual intelligence, rain of the shower signifies Divine Truth flowing-in abundantly, while by giving the herb in the field is signified knowledge of truth and good from the Word and intelligence therefrom.

[17] In David:

"Thou visitest the earth, and delightest in it, thou greatly enrichest it; the river of God is full of waters, thou preparest their corn, and so thou establishest it. Water the furrows thereof; settle the ridges thereof; make it soft with drops; bless the budding thereof" (Psalm 65:9, 10).

The earth here signifies the church; the river full of waters signifies doctrine full of truths; by watering the furrows, settling the ridges, and making it soft with drops, is signified to fill with the knowledges of good and truth. By preparing the corn is signified every thing that nourishes the soul, therefore it is said, "so thou establishest the earth," that is, the church; by blessing the budding thereof is signified to continually bring forth anew and to cause truths to spring up.

[18] Again:

"Thou, O God, causest the rain of benevolences to come down" (Psalm 68:9);

and again:

"He shall come down like the rain upon the grass of the meadow, as drops into the cleft of the earth, in his days the just shall flourish" (Psalm 72:6, 7).

In these passages also rain does not signify rain, but the influx of Divine Truth with man, from which he receives spiritual life.

In Job:

"My word they will not repeat, and my speech will drop upon them, and they will wait for me as for the rain, and they will open their mouth for the latter rain" (29:22, 23).

That rain here means truth which is spoken by any one and which flows-in to another, is clear, for word, speech, and to open the mouth, signify truth proceeding from any one by means of speech; therefore it is called rain, and the latter rain, and it is said also to drop, which means to speak.

[19] In Jeremiah:

"The maker of the earth by his power prepareth the world, by his wisdom and by his understanding he stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice which he uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he maketh the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth the wind out of his treasuries" (10:12, 13; 51:16; Psalm 135:7).

The world which the Maker of the earth prepares by His power signifies the church in all the earth; power signifies the power of Divine Truth. By the heavens which He stretcheth out by wisdom and understanding, is signified the church in the heavens corresponding to the church on earth; wisdom and understanding signify the proceeding Divine, from which angels and men receive the wisdom of good and the understanding of truth, to stretch out signifying the formation and extension of the heavens in general, and the extension of intelligence and wisdom with every one who receives. At the voice which He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, signifies that from the proceeding Divine are spiritual truths in immense abundance, voice denoting the proceeding Divine, waters truths, and multitude abundance. He maketh the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, signifies truths in ultimates, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of the letter, in which are spiritual truths, the end of the earth denoting the ultimates of the church, vapours denoting truths for those who are in ultimates, while to make them ascend denotes, from them, because contained in them, that is, in ultimates, to give spiritual truths, which especially fructify the church. He maketh lightnings with rain signifies illustration from the influx of Divine Truth with them; and bringeth the wind out of His treasuries signifies spiritual things in the Word from heaven.

[20] In Luke:

"When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway it is said, There cometh rain, and so it is; and when the south wind bloweth, it is said, There will be heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and of heaven, how is it that ye do not interpret this time?" (12:54-56).

The Lord teaches by this comparison that they see earthly things but not heavenly things; and the comparison itself, as in the case of all comparisons in the Word, is made from correspondences. For by the cloud rising in the west is signified the coming of the Lord at the end of the church, predicted in the Word, the cloud denoting the Word in the letter, the rising of it the coming of the Lord, and the west the end of the church. Straightway it is said, There cometh rain, signifies that then there is the influx of Divine Truth; and when ye perceive the south wind blowing, signifies preaching concerning His coming; it is said, There will be heat, signifies that then there is the influx of Divine Good. The same words also signify contentions and combats of truth from good with falsities from evil, rain and heat also signifying these contentions and combats; for this comparison follows immediately after the Lord's word, that He came not to send peace on the earth, but division; and that the father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother (Luke 12:51-53). These words signify such contention and combat; that the same is also signified by rain will be seen below. Because this comparison considered in its spiritual sense involves the coming of the Lord, and because they would not acknowledge Him through blindness caused by falsities although He might have been known to them from the Word, therefore these words follow, "Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and of heaven, but ye do not interpret this time," namely, the time of His coming, and the conflict which then took place between the falsity of evil and the truth of good.

[21] In Hosea:

"Let us know, and let us follow on to know Jehovah; his going forth is prepared as the cloud, and he shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth" (6:3).

These words are said of the Lord and His coming. And because all Divine Truth proceeds from Him, and angels and men have life and salvation from this, therefore it is said that "He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth." To water the earth signifies to make the church fruitful, and it is said to be made fruitful when truths are multiplied and intelligence thence increases, and when goods are fructified, and celestial love thence increases.

[22] In the Second Book of Samuel:

"The Rock of Israel spake to me, as the light of the morning the sun riseth, of a morning without clouds; from clear shining after rain grass out of the earth" (23:3, 4).

These words also refer to the Lord, who is called the Rock of Israel from Divine Truth which proceeds from Him. That Divine Truth proceeds from His Divine Good is meant by the words "as the light of the morning the sun riseth." Comparison is made with light, because light signifies the proceeding Divine Truth, and with the morning, because the morning signifies the Divine Good, and with the rising sun, because the east, and the sun, signify the Divine Love; that these are without obscurity is signified by the light of a morning without clouds. The enlightenment of the man of the church by means of the reception and after the reception of Divine Truth from the Divine Good of the Lord, is signified by the words "from clear shining after rain," clear shining denoting illustration, and rain denoting influx and consequent reception. That thence those who are of the church have knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom, is signified by grass out of the earth, grass, like pasture, denoting spiritual nourishment, and thence knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, which are spiritual foods, while the earth denotes the church and the man of the church.

[23] In Matthew:

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt and persecute you, that ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens, who maketh his sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust" (5:44, 45).

Charity towards the neighbour, which is to will good, and to do good, even to one's enemies, is first described, by the expressions loving them, blessing them, and praying for them, for genuine charity regards only the good of another. To love, in this place, signifies charity; to bless, instruction, and to pray, intercession; the reason is, that charity inwardly has for an end the doing of good. That this is the very Divine with man, as it is with regenerated men, is signified by the words "that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens." The Father in the heavens is the proceeding Divine; for all who receive this are called sons of the Father, that is, of the Lord. The sun which He maketh to rise upon the evil and the good signifies the inflowing Divine Good; and the rain which He sendeth upon the just and the unjust signifies the inflowing Divine Truth. For the proceeding Divine which is "the Father in the heavens," equally flows-in with the evil and the good, but the reception of it depends upon man, although it is not as one man from another, but as from himself; for the power to receive is continually given to him, and also flows-in as far as he removes opposing evils, and does this from the power that is continually given him, the power itself appearing to be the man's, although it is from the Lord.

[24] From these considerations it is now evident that rain in the Word signifies the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, whence man has spiritual life; and this because waters, of which rain consists, signify the truth of doctrine and the truth of faith. But because waters, in the opposite sense, signify falsities of doctrine and of faith, therefore also rain of the shower, or shower, equally as inundations of waters and a flood, signify not only falsities destroying truths, but also temptations, in which man either falls or conquers. These are signified by shower in Matthew:

"Every one who heareth my words, and doeth them, I will liken to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, yet it fell not. But he who heareth my words, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (7:24-27).

The rain and the floods here mean temptations, in which man conquers and in which he falls; waters the falsities which usually flow-in in temptations, while the floods, which are here inundations of waters from the rain, signify temptations. The winds which also blow and beat signify the thoughts going forth thence; for temptations arise through irruptions of falsities caused by evil spirits to rush into the thoughts. By the house against which they beat, is signified man, properly his mind, which consists of understanding or thought, and of will or affection. He who receives the words of the Lord, that is, Divine truths, in that part of his mind only which pertains to thought or understanding, and not at the same time in that other part which pertains to affection or will, succumbs in temptations, and falls into grievous falsities, which are the falsities of evil; therefore it is said, "great was the fall of it." But he who receives Divine truths in both parts, as well in the will as in the understanding, conquers in temptations. The rock upon which that house is founded, signifies the Lord as to Divine Truth, or Divine Truth received in the soul and heart, that is, in faith and love, which is in the understanding and will. But by the sand is signified Divine Truth received merely in the memory, and thence in some slight degree in the thought, consequently scattered and unconnected, because intermixed with falsities, and falsified by ideas. From these things, therefore, it is evident what is meant by hearing [the Lord's] words and not doing them. That such is the meaning of the above words is more distinctly evident from those which immediately precede.

[25] By an inundating rain or shower is signified an inundation of falsities also in Ezekiel:

"Say unto them that plaster untempered mortar, that it shall fall because an inundating rain, because ye, O hail-stones, shall fall, and a wind of storms shall break through; thus saith the Lord Jehovih, I will cause a wind of storms to break through in my wrath, and an inundating rain in mine anger, and stones of hail in ardour for consummation, and I will destroy the wall which ye plaster with untempered mortar" (13:11, 13, 14).

By plastering with untempered mortar signifies confirmation of falsity by fallacies; through these falsity appears like truth. The stones of hail signify truths without good, thus without any spiritual life, all of which inwardly are falsities, for the ideas that are dead, cause them to be merely like shells and pictures in which there is nothing living; such are the scientific truths (scientifica vera) of the natural man into which there flows nothing from the spiritual. The inundating rain and wind of storms signify falsities in abundance rushing in and imaginary things, also contentions concerning truths, which render the seeing of anything of truth impossible, and so destroy man.

[26] In the same:

"I will contend with" Gog, "with pestilence and blood, and an inundating rain, and hail-stones, fire and sulphur, I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his wings, and upon the many people who are with him" (38:22).

By Gog are meant those who are in external worship without any internal; and because that worship similarly consists as it were of shells, in which the kernels are either putrified or corroded by worms, therefore they are called an inundating rain and hail-stones, which signify falsities in abundance rushing in and imaginary things which destroy man; evils of falsity and falsities of evil are signified by fire and sulphur.

[27] By the deluge of waters, concerning which it is said that it inundated the whole earth, and destroyed all except Noah and his sons (Genesis 7; 8), is also signified an inundation of falsities, by which the Most Ancient church was at length destroyed; by Noah and his sons is signified the new church - which must be called the Ancient Church - and its establishment after the devastation of the Most Ancient Church. But the details by which that deluge, and the salvation of the family of Noah, are described in those chapters, may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia. That waters signify truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, may be seen above (n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538); and that inundations of waters signify inundations of falsities and temptations, may also be seen above (n. 518:38).

513. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had lives, died.- That this signifies that every living scientific in the natural man died, is clear from the signification of dying as denoting to perish spiritually, or as to the life of heaven; and from the signification of third part, as denoting all (see above, n. 506); and from the signification of the creatures in the sea, or fishes, which denote scientifics, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of having lives, as denoting to be alive. Therefore by the third part of the creatures in the sea that had lives dying, is signified the perishing of every living scientific. A living scientific means a scientific which derives life from spiritual affection; for this affection gives life to truths, and consequently life to scientifics, scientifics being the containants of spiritual truths, as may be seen above (n. 506, 507, 511).

[2] The reason why the creatures of the sea, or fishes, signify scientifics is, that the sea signifies the natural man, and therefore the fishes in the sea signify scientifics themselves in the natural man. That fish signify these things is also from correspondence; for spirits who are not in spiritual truths, but in natural truths only, which are scientifics, appear in the spiritual world in seas like fish, when seen by those who are above. It is their thoughts, which proceed from the scientifics which they possess, that have this appearance. For all the ideas of the thought of angels and of spirits are turned into various representatives outside of them; when into such things as belong to the vegetable kingdom, they are changed into trees and shrubs of various kinds; but when into such things as belong to the animal kingdom, they are turned into animals of the earth, and into birds of various kinds. When the ideas of the angels of heaven are turned into animals of the earth, they are changed into lambs, sheep, she-goats, heifers, horses, mules, and others of a similar kind; but when into birds, they are turned into turtle-doves, doves, and many kinds of beautiful birds; but on the other hand the ideas of the thought of those who are natural, and think from scientifics alone, are turned into the forms of fishes. For this reason various species of fish appear in the seas, which I have been often permitted to see.

[3] Hence it is that in the Word fishes signify scientifics as in the following places.

In Isaiah:

"At my rebuke, I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall grow putrid, because there is no water, and shall die of thirst" (50:2).

The rebuke of Jehovah means the destruction of the church, which comes to pass when there is no knowledge of good and truth, or no living cognition, because no perception. Drying up the sea, signifies to deprive the natural man of scientific truths, and thence of natural derived from spiritual life. To make the rivers a wilderness, has a similar signification in regard to the rational man, in consequence of which there is no longer any intelligence; their fish becoming putrid, because there is no water, and dying of thirst, signifies that the scientific is no longer alive, because not true, fish denoting what is scientific, water, truth, while to grow putrid, denotes to die as to spiritual life.

[4] It is said here similarly of the sea that the third part of it became blood, and that thence a third part of the creatures therein died. Also it is said of Egypt that its river and all its waters became blood, and that in consequence the fish died. Moses told Pharaoh that the waters of the river should be turned into blood, and that the fish should consequently die, and the river stink, so that the Egyptians would loathe to drink of the waters of the river. This also took place with all the water in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-20).

Concerning this circumstance it is thus written in David:

"He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish" (Psalm. 105:29).

The reason why similar things were done in Egypt is, that Egypt signified the natural man as to the scientifics thereof, or the scientific of the natural man. The river of Egypt signifies intelligence procured by means of scientifics; the river being turned into blood, signifies that that intelligence is from pure falsities; by the fish dying, is signified that scientific truths perished by falsities, for scientifics live by truths but perish by falsities, the reason of which is, that all spiritual truth is living, and the entire life or, as it were, the soul in scientifics is thence, wherefore without spiritual truth, the scientific is dead.

[5] In Ezekiel:

"Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself. But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. And I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers" (29:3, 4, 5).

Pharaoh has a similar signification to Egypt, the king like the people signifies the natural man, and the scientific therein. On this account he is called a great whale. For a whale or sea monster signifies what is scientific in general, and therefore it is said that he shall be drawn out of the river, and that the fish shall stick to his scales, which signifies that all intelligence would perish, and that the knowledge (scientia) in the sensual man in the place of it would be without life. In the sensual man, which is the lowest natural man lying nearest to the world, there are fallacies and thence falsities, and this is signified by the fish adhering to the scales of the whale. That the natural man, and what is scientific therein, would be without life from any intelligence, is signified by, "I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers." That such things would come to pass through the natural man ascribing all intelligence to itself, is signified by the words, "which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself," river denoting intelligence.

[6] In Moses:

The sons of Israel in the wilderness said, "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick; but now our soul is dried up; there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes. Afterwards a wind went forth from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall over the camp." But because of their lust "Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague; and the name of that place was called the graves of lust (Kibroth-hattaavah)" (Num. 11:5, 6, 31, 33, 34).

These words signify that the sons of Israel turned away from spiritual things, and greedily desired natural things; for they were merely natural, and not spiritual, only representing the spiritual church by external things. That they turned away from spiritual things, is signified by their saying "our soul is dried up, there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes," manna signifying spiritual food, which is knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom. That they greedily desired natural things, is signified by their lusting after the fish of Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlick; all these signify such things as pertain to the lowest natural, that is, to the corporeal sensual man; and because they rejected spiritual things, and desired merely natural things instead of them, therefore they were smitten with a great plague, and the name given to the place was "the graves of lust."

[7] In Ezekiel:

He said unto me, "These waters issue out toward the eastern border, and go down into the plain, and go towards the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed, therefore it comes to pass, that every living soul which creepeth, whithersoever the rivers come, shall live whence a very great multitude of fish. Therefore it comes to pass that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi, even unto En-eglaim; in the spreading of nets they are present; their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. But the miry places and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt" (47:1, 8-11).

The subject here is the house of God which signifies heaven and the church; and the waters issuing out of the house of God towards the east, signify the Divine Truth reforming and regenerating; by the plain and by the sea into which the waters descend, are signified the ultimates of heaven and the church, which, with the men of the church, are those things that pertain to the natural and sensual man; by the plain are signified the interior things thereof, and by the sea, the exterior things thereof. That knowledges from the Word, as well as confirmatory scientifics, receive spiritual life by means of that Divine Truth, is signified by the waters of the sea being thence healed, and by every living soul which creepeth, and by there being a great multitude of fish; that there shall thence be true and living scientifics of every kind, is signified by the fish being according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. Those who are reformed, and thence become intelligent, are meant by the fishers from Engedi, even to En-eglaim. Those who cannot be reformed, because they are in the falsities of evil, are signified by the miry places and marshes, which are not healed, and are given to salt. That fishes multiplied by waters issuing out of the house of God are not here meant, every one can see, but that fishes mean such things in man as can be reformed, because the house of God means heaven and the church, and the waters issuing therefrom mean the Divine Truth reforming.

[8] In the Word throughout, mention is made of the beast of the earth, the bird of heaven, and the fish of the sea, and he who does not know that the beast of the earth, or of the field, means the Voluntary of man, the bird of heaven, his Intellectual, and the fish of the sea, his Scientific, cannot at all know the meaning of those expressions; as in the following passages.

In Hosea:

"Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the earth, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the earth. Therefore shall the earth mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall pine away, among the beast of the field, and among the bird of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away" (4:1, 3).

In Zephaniah:

"I will consume man and beast, I will consume the bird of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked" (1:3).

In Ezekiel:

"In the day when God shall come against the land of Israel, there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, shall tremble before my presence" (38:18, 19, 20).

In Job:

"Ask the beasts, and they shall teach thee; or the birds of the heaven, and they shall tell thee; or the thicket of the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not from all these that the hand of Jehovah doeth that?" (12:7-9).

In these passages, the beasts of the field mean the Voluntary of man, the birds of the heavens, his Intellectual; and the fish of the sea, his Scientific. For what other reason would it be said, "the beasts shall teach thee, the birds of the heaven shall tell thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee that the hand of Jehovah doeth this?" It is also said, "Who knoweth not from all these?"

[9] Similarly in David:

"Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. The flock and all herds, the beasts of the fields; the bird of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, passing through the paths of the sea" (Psalm 8:6-8).

These things are said concerning the Lord, and His dominion. That He has dominion over the angels in the heavens, and over man on the earth, is known from the Word, for He Himself says, that all power is given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). But that dominion was given to Him over animals, birds, and fishes, is not of sufficient importance to be mentioned in the Word, where all things, even the most minute, have reference to heaven and the church. It is evident therefore that the flock and the herds, the beasts of the field, the bird of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, mean such things as pertain to heaven with the angels, and to the church with man. The flock and the herds signify, in general, spiritual things and natural things; the flock, spiritual things; and herds, natural things pertaining to man, or those things that belong to his spiritual mind and to his natural mind. Beasts of the field signify voluntary things, which pertain to the affections; the birds of heaven, intellectual things, which pertain to the thoughts; and fishes of the sea, things scientific, which pertain to the natural man.

[10] Similar things are signified by these words in the first chapter of Genesis:

"God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; in order that they may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heaven, and over every animal creeping upon the earth" (verses 26-28).

The subject of that chapter, in the internal spiritual sense, is the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, thus the new creation or regeneration of the men of that church. That it was granted them to perceive all things of their affection, which are of the will, and to see all things of their thought, which are of the understanding, and so to rule those things, lest they should fall away into the lusts of evil and into falsities, is meant by the words, "in order that they may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heaven, and over every animal of the earth." And man rules over these when the Lord rules over man, for man of himself cannot rule over any thing in himself. Such things are signified by the fish of the sea, the bird of the heaven, and the beast of the field, because they correspond. In the spiritual world it is made clear to the sight that the interior things of man correspond to such things; for there beasts of every kind appear, also birds, and in the seas, fishes which are nevertheless nothing else but the ideas of thought which flow forth from the affections and are presented to view under such forms, because they correspond.

[11] Because fishes signify the scientifics and knowledges of the natural man, which are to the spiritual man the means of becoming wise, therefore fishers, in the Word, mean those who are in knowledges only, and who procure knowledges for themselves, and also those who teach others, and reform them by means of knowledges. This work of theirs is meant by the casting and spreading of nets, as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"The fishers shall mourn, and all they that cast the hook into the river shall be sad, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish" (19:8).

Here the fishers that cast the hook into the river, and they that spread the net, mean those who desire to procure for themselves cognitions, and by means of them intelligence; here that they are not able, because the cognitions of truth no where exist.

[12] In Jeremiah:

"I will bring again" the sons of Israel "into their land, I will send for many fishers, saith Jehovah, and they shall fish them; then will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks" (16:15, 16).

By sending for fishers to fish them, and for hunters to hunt them, is meant to call together and establish the church with those who are in natural good, and in spiritual good, as may be seen above (n. 405:7).

[13] And in Habakkuk:

"Wherefore makest thou man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping thing that hath none to rule it. Let him draw out all of them with a hook and gather him into his net. Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?" (1:14, 15, 17).

These things are said concerning the Chaldean nation vastating and destroying the church; the Chaldean nation signifying the profanation of truth, and the vastation of the church. To make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the reptile that hath none to rule it, signifies to make man so natural, that his scientifics are without spiritual truth, and his pleasures without spiritual good. For in the natural man there are scientifics by means of which there are thoughts, and pleasures, and by means of these there are affections; if the spiritual man does not rule over these, both thoughts and affections are wandering, and thus man is destitute of the intelligence, which should teach and rule him. That in this case they can be drawn over to their side by every falsity and evil and so destroyed altogether, is signified by, "let him draw out all of them with a hook, and gather into his net, and afterwards he shall slay." To draw out means away from truth and good; into his net, means into falsity and evil; and to slay, denotes to destroy.

[14] In Amos:

"The days shall come in which they shall draw you out with hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks" (4:2).

These words signify that they would be led by subtle reasonings from falsities and fallacies, and be turned away from truths. These things are said concerning those who abound in knowledges because they have the Word and the prophets, and they are meant there by the kine of Bashan in the mountain of Samaria. From these things it is now evident what is meant by fishermen, fishes, and nets, so often mentioned in the New Testament, as in the following passages:

[15] "And Jesus saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:18, 19; Mark 1:16, 17).

And in another place it is said that Jesus, having entered into Simon's ship, taught the multitude, and afterwards told Simon to let down their nets for a draught, and they caught a great multitude of fish, so that their ships were filled, and began to sink; and they were all astonished at the draught of fish; and He said to Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5:3-10).

In these words also there is a spiritual sense, just as in the other parts of the Word. The Lord's choosing the fishermen, and saying that they should become fishers of men, signified that they should gather men to the church; the nets which they let down, and in which they inclosed a great multitude of fish, so that the ships began to sink, signified the reformation of the church by their means; for fishes there signify the knowledges of truth and good by which reformation takes place, also the multitude of men who would be reformed.

[16] Similar things are also signified by the draught of fish taken by the disciples after the resurrection of the Lord, concerning which it is stated in John, that when Jesus showed Himself to His disciples who were fishing, He told them to cast their net on the right side of the ship; and they caught and were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fish. And after they came to land they saw a hearth [or fire of coals] there and a little fish laid thereon, and bread, and similarly Jesus gave them bread and fish (21:2-13). The reason why the Lord showed Himself to His disciples while they were fishing, was, that to fish signified to teach the cognitions of truth and good, and so to reform. He commanded them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, which signifies that all things are from the good of love and of charity; for the right signifies the good from which they are; for cognitions live, and multiply so far as they are recipients of good. They said also, that they had laboured all the night, and taken nothing, which signifies that nothing was from themselves or their proprium, but everything was from the Lord. Similar also was the signification of the hearth [or fire of coals] on which there was a little fish, and of the bread; for the bread signified the Lord, and the good of love from Him, and the little fish upon the hearth the knowledge of truth from good; the little fish, the knowledge of truth, and the hearth or fire, good. At that time there were not any spiritual men, for the church was wholly vastated, but all were natural, the reformation of these was represented by that fishing, and also by the fish upon the hearth. He who supposes that the fish upon that hearth and the bread given to the disciples to eat are not significative of something of a higher nature, is much mistaken. For everything that the Lord did and said, signified celestial Divine things, which are made evident only by the spiritual sense. That a hearth and fire, denote the good of love, and bread the Lord as to that good, has been shown above; and that fish denote the cognition of truth, and the Scientific of the natural man, is evident from what has been said and shown in this article.

[17] The Lord also says that:

"The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net (sagena), that was cast into the sea, and which gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be in the consummation of the age" (Matthew 13:47-49).

The separation of the good and the evil is here likened to a net cast into the sea which gathered of every kind of fish, because fish signify natural men as to scientifics and cognitions, and these, in the consummation of the age, or at the time of a last judgment, are separated. For there are good natural men and wicked natural men, the separation of whom in the spiritual world appears like a net (rete) or drag-net (sagena) cast into the sea, drawing the fish together, and bringing them to shore. This appearance is from correspondence, therefore the Lord likened the kingdom of the heavens to a net (sagena) which drew the fish together. That such is the appearance of the separation of the good from the evil, I have also seen.

[18] That natural men are signified by fish, is evident from this miracle of the Lord:

"They that received the half shekel (didrachma) came." Jesus said to Simon, "Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own sons, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the sons free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money (stater); that take, and give unto them for me and thee" (Matthew 17:24-27).

The paying of tribute or custom signified subjection and servitude; therefore tribute was levied on strangers, who were not of the sons of Israel, as is clear from the historical parts of the Word. The sons of Israel, with whom the church was, signified those who are spiritual, and strangers, those who are natural. The Natural is subject to the Spiritual, and serves it, for the spiritual man is as a lord, and the natural man as a servant; and because the natural are servants, and thus are meant by those who are tributary, therefore it came to pass that neither the Lord nor Peter paid tribute, but the fish, by which the natural man is signified.

That the Lord glorified His Human even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, is signified by the following:

Jesus showed Himself to His disciples and said, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And he showed them his hands and his feet, and said unto them, Have ye here any meat? They gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them" (Luke 24:38-43).

[19] That the Lord glorified His Human even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, He proved by His showing His hands and His feet; by His disciples touching these, and by His saying that a spirit had not flesh and bones as He [had], and also by His eating of the broiled fish and honeycomb. By the hands and feet are signified the ultimates of man; similarly by the flesh and bones. The broiled fish signifies the Natural as to truth from good, and honey the Natural as to good from which is truth. These things were eaten in the presence of the disciples, because they corresponded to the natural man and therefore signified it. For a fish, as shown in this article, signifies, from correspondence, the Natural as to what is scientific; therefore also a fish, in the Word, signifies the scientific, and the cognitive faculty of the natural man, and a broiled fish signifies the scientific which is from natural good; but, with the Lord, it signified the Natural Divine as to truth from good. That honey signifies natural good, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 5620, 6857, 10137, 10530). He who is ignorant of the fact that there is a spiritual sense in every part of the Word, and that the sense of the letter, which is the natural sense, consists of correspondences with spiritual things, cannot understand the arcanum why the Lord ate of the broiled fish, and of the honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, and also, why He gave broiled fish and bread to His disciples, although every particular thing that the Lord spoke and did, was Divine, and these are interiorly stored up in every thing written in the Word.

[20] It is now evident from these things that the words, "And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had lives, died," signify that every living scientific in the natural man perished, or, what is the same, that the natural man as to the scientifics therein died; this is said to be dead when it is not vivified from the spiritual man, that is, by influx out of heaven from the Lord through the spiritual man, for the Lord flows through the spiritual man into the natural; therefore when no truth of heaven is any longer acknowledged, nor any good of heaven operates, then the spiritual mind which is called the spiritual man, is closed, and the natural mind receives merely falsities from evil; and falsities from evil are spiritually dead, for truths from good are spiritually living.

[21] It is said, "the third part of the creatures," because creatures and animals in the Word, signify the affections and thence the thoughts in man; consequently, men themselves in regard to these are also meant. Creatures, have a similar meaning in Mark:

Jesus said to His disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (16:15).

And also above in the Apocalypse:

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and which are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, unto the ages of the ages" (5:13).

That by every creature are there meant both angels and men is evident, for it is said that he "heard them saying." See above (n. 342-346), where these things are explained.