278. Verse 7. And the first animal was like a lion, signifies the appearance, in ultimates, of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord in respect to power and effect. This is evident from the signification of "lion," as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord in respect to power and effect (of which in what follows). It means appearance in ultimates, because the cherubim were seen as animals, and this first one like a lion. It is said in ultimates, because that appearance was before John when he was in the spirit, and he saw all things in ultimates, in which Divine celestial and Divine spiritual things are variously represented, now by gardens and paradises, now by palaces and temples, now by rivers and waters, now by living creatures of various kinds, such as lions, camels, horses, oxen, bullocks, sheep, lambs, doves, eagles, and many others. Like things were seen by the prophets through whom the Word was written, in order that the Word in its ultimates, which are the things contained in the sense of the letter, might consist of such things as exist in the world, which might be representations and correspondences of celestial and spiritual things, and thus might serve as a basis and foundation to the spiritual sense. For this reason also the cherubim (which signify the guard and providence of the Lord that the higher heavens be not approached except from the good of love and charity) were seen by John and also by Ezekiel, in respect to their faces, as animals.

Since it is the Lord who guards and provides, and this through Divine truth and Divine good, thus through His Divine wisdom and intelligence, four animals were seen, which were like a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle; for thus by "lion" Divine truth in respect to power was represented, by "calf" Divine good in respect to protection, by "man" the Divine wisdom, and by "eagle" the Divine intelligence; which four things are included in the Lord's Divine Providence in its guarding the higher heavens, that they be not approached except from the good of love and charity.

[2] That a "lion" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord in respect to power is evident from the passages in the Word in which "lion" is mentioned; as from the following, in Moses:

Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou are gone up; he couched, he lay down as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? (Genesis 49:9).

"Judah" here signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, where all are in power from the Lord through Divine truth; this power is meant by a "lion's whelp," and by an "old lion;" "the prey from which he goeth up" signifies the dispersion of falsities and evils; "to couch" signifies to put oneself into power; "lying down" signifies to be in security from every falsity and evil; therefore it is said, "Who shall rouse him up?" (That "Judah" in the Word signifies the celestial kingdom of the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 3654, 3881, 5603, 5782, 6363; that "prey," in reference to that kingdom and to the Lord, signifies the dispersion of falsities and evils, and the rescue and deliverance from hell, n. 6368, 6442; that "couching" in reference to a lion, signifies to put oneself into power, n. 6369; and that "lying down" signifies a state of security and tranquillity, n. Arcana Coelestia 3696[1-5])

[3] In the same:

At this time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What hath God wrought? Behold the people riseth up as an old lion, and as a young lion doth he lift himself up; he shall not lie down until he eat of what is torn (Numbers 23:23, 24).

In the same:

He coucheth, he lieth down as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee (Numbers 24:9).

This is said of "Jacob and Israel," who signify the Lord's spiritual kingdom; their power is described by an "old lion" and a "young lion" rising, lifting himself up, and couching; the dispersion of falsities and evils is signified by "eating of what is torn," and a state of security and tranquillity by "he lieth down, who shall rouse him up?" (That "Jacob" and "Israel" in the Word signify the Lord's spiritual kingdom, see Arcana Coelestia 4286, 4570, 5973, 6426, 8805, 9340; what the Lord's celestial kingdom is, and what His spiritual kingdom is, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). That "to couch" is to put oneself into power; that "prey" and "spoil" mean the dispersion of falsities and evils; and that "lying down" means a state of security and tranquillity, when these things are said of a lion, see just above.

[4] In Nahum:

Where is the abode of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions? where walked the lion, the old lion, the lion's whelp, and none maketh them afraid? (Nahum 2:11).

Here also "lions" signify those who are in power through Divine truth; "their abode" signifies where there are such in the church; their "feeding place" signifies the knowledges of truth and good; their "walking and none making them afraid" signifies their state of security from evils and falsities.

[5] In Micah:

The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, as dew from Jehovah, as the drops upon the herb. As a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who if he go through shall tread down and tear in pieces so that none delivereth, thine hand shall be lifted up above thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off (Micah 5:7-9).

The "remnant of Jacob" signifies the truths and goods of the church; "dew from Jehovah" signifies spiritual truth; "drops upon the herb" natural truth; "a lion among the beasts of the forest," and "a young lion among the flocks of sheep," and "treading down and tearing, and none delivering," signify power over evils and falsities; because of this signification it is said, "thine hand shall be lifted up above thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off;" for "adversaries" signify evils, and "enemies" falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2851[1-15], 8289, 9314, 10481).

[6] In Isaiah:

The Lord said, Go set a watchman, who may look and announce. And he saw a chariot, a pair of horsemen, an ass chariot, a camel chariot; and he harkened a hearkening; a lion upon a watch-tower called out, O lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set upon my watch all the nights: Babylon is fallen, is fallen (Isaiah 21:6-9).

This treats of the coming of the Lord and a new church at that time. "A lion upon a watch-tower" signifies the Lord's guard and providence; therefore it is said, "I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set upon my watch all the nights." A "chariot" and a "pair of horsemen" signify the doctrine of truth from the Word; "harkening a harkening" signifies a life according to that doctrine. (That "chariot" signifies the doctrine of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 2761, 2762, 5321, 8029, 8215; that "horseman" signifies the Word in respect to the understanding, see n. 2761, 6401, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148.)

[7] In the same:

Like as the lion and the young lion roareth over what he hath torn which ¹ a multitude of shepherds meeteth, so shall Jehovah come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah 31:4).

Here Jehovah is compared to "a roaring lion," because a "lion" signifies power to lead forth from hell or from evils, and to "roar" signifies defense against evils and falsities; therefore it is said, "so shall Jehovah Zebaoth come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof," "Mount Zion and the hill thereof" meaning the celestial church and the spiritual church; and "that which is torn over which the lion and the young lion roar" signifying deliverance from evils, which are from hell.

[8] To "roar" when attributed to a lion, has the same signification in Hosea:

I will not return to destroy Ephraim. They shall go after Jehovah as a lion roareth (Hosea 11:9-10).

In Amos:

The lion hath roared, who does not fear? The Lord Jehovih hath spoken, who will not prophesy (Amos 3:8).

In Revelation:

The angel cried with a great voice, as a lion roared (Revelation 10:3).

In David:

The lions roaring after their prey and seeking their food from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together and lie down in their abodes (Psalms 104:21-22).

These words in David describe the state of the angels of heaven when they are not in a state of intense love and of wisdom therefrom, and when they return into that state; the former state is described by "lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their food from God;" the latter state by "the sun ariseth, they gather themselves together and lie down in their abodes." By the "lions" the angels of heaven are meant; their "roaring," means desire; "prey" and "food" mean the good which is of love and the truth which is of wisdom; "the sun arising" means the Lord in respect to love and wisdom therefrom; "gathering themselves together" means returning into a celestial state; and "lying down in their abodes," a state of tranquility and peace. (Of these two states of the angels in heaven see in the work on Heaven and Hell 154-161.)

[9] Because Jehovah is compared to a lion from Divine truth in respect to power, therefore the Lord is called a "lion" in Revelation:

Behold the lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath overcome (Revelation 5:5).

And because all power is from the Lord through Divine truth, this also is signified by a "lion," as in Moses:

Of Gad he said, Blessed is he who hath given the breadth to Gad; as a lion he dwelleth, he teareth the arm, yea, the crown of the head (Deuteronomy 33:20).

"Gad" in the highest sense signifies omnipotence, and therefore in the representative sense the power that is of truth (See Arcana Coelestia 3934[1-8], 3935); therefore it is said, "Blessed is he who hath given breadth to Gad," for "breadth" signifies truth (Arcana Coelestia 1613, 34 33, 3434, 4482, 9487, 10179; that all power is from Divine truth, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, in the chapter on The Power of the Angels in Heaven, n. 228-233).

[10] Because a "lion" signifies power, therefore in the lamentations of David over Saul and Jonathan it is said:

Saul and Jonathan were lovely, they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions (2 Samuel 1:23). "Saul" here as king, and "Jonathan" as the son of a king, mean truth protecting the church, since the doctrine of truth and good is here treated of, for that lamentation was written "to teach the sons of Judah the bow" (verse 18); and "bow" signifies that doctrine (See Arcana Coelestia, 2686, 2709, 6422).

[11] Because "the kings of Judah and Israel" represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth, and because a "throne" represented the judgment, which is effected according to Divine truth, and because "lions" represented power, guard, and protection against falsities and evils, therefore near the two stays of the throne built by Solomon there were two lions, and twelve lions on the six steps on the one side and on the other (1 Kings 10:18-20). From this it can be seen what "lions" in the Word signify when the Lord, heaven, and the church are treated of. "Lions" in the Word signify also the power of falsity from evil by which the church is destroyed and devastated. As in Jeremiah:

The young lions roar against her, ² they give forth their voice, they reduce the land to wasteness (Jeremiah 2:15).

In Isaiah:

A nation whose arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent, the hoofs of his horses are accounted as rock, his roaring like that of a lion, he roareth like a young lion, and he growleth and seizeth the prey (Isaiah 5:28-29).

Besides many other places (as in Isaiah 11:6; 35:9; Jeremiah 4:7; 5:6; 12:8; 50:17; 51:38; Ezekiel 19:3, 5-6; Hosea 13:7, 8; Joel 1:6-7; Psalms 17:12; 22:13; 57:4; 58:6; 91:13).

Poznámky pod čarou:

395. Verse 11. And white robes were given to every one of them, signifies Divine truth from the Lord with them, and protection. This is evident from the signification of "a white robe" as being Divine truth from the Lord, for "robe" signifies truth in general, because it is a general covering; and "white" is predicated of truths which are from the Lord; for whiteness pertains to light, and the light proceeding from the Lord as a sun is in its essence Divine truth. That "white robes were given to everyone of them" signifies also protection, will be told further on; but let it first be told why "a white robe" signifies Divine truth from the Lord. All spirits and angels are clothed according to their intelligence, or according to their reception of truth in the life, this constituting intelligence; for the light of their intelligence is formed into garments, and when these are thus formed they do not merely appear as garments, but they also are garments. For all things that exist in the spiritual world, and appear before the eyes of those there, exist from the light and heat that proceed from the Lord as a sun; from that origin have been created and formed not only all things in the spiritual world, but also all things in the natural world; for the natural world exists and subsists by means of the spiritual world from the Lord. From this it can be seen that the appearances that exist in heaven before the angels are altogether real; in like manner also the garments. As spirits and angels are clothed according to intelligence, and all intelligence is of truth, and angelic intelligence is of Divine truth, so they are clothed according to truths; this is why "garments" signify truths; "the garments" that are next to the body, that is, the inner garments, signify interior truths; but the garments that are outside of these and encompass them, signify exterior truths; therefore "a robe," "a mantle," and "a cloak," which are general coverings, signify truths in general, and "a white robe" Divine truth in general, which they have from the Lord. (But see what has been shown respecting The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182; and what has been said above about the signification of garments, n. 64-65, 195, 271.)

[2] "There were given to those who were under the altar white robes" signifies also protection by the Lord, because "the white robes" given to them represented the presence about them of the Lord with Divine truth; and by means of Divine truth the Lord protects His own, for He surrounds them with a sphere of light, from which they have white robes; and when encompassed by this sphere they can no longer be infested by evil spirits; for, as said above, they were infested by evil spirits, and were therefore hidden by the Lord. This also takes place with those who are elevated by the Lord into heaven. They are then clothed with white garments, which is an indication that they are in Divine truth, and thus in safety. But respecting those who were clothed in white robes more will be shown in the explanation of the following chapter (Revelation 7:9, 13-17).

[3] That "robe," "mantle," and "cloak" signify Divine truth in general can be seen also from the following passages. In Zechariah:

The prophets shall be ashamed every man of his vision which he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a mantle of hair to dissemble (Zechariah 13:4).

"Prophets" signify those who teach truths from the Word, and in an abstract sense, the truths of doctrine from the Word; and because of this signification of "prophets" they were clothed with a mantle of hair, "the mantle of hair" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, which is Divine truth in general, for the ultimate contains all things interior; "hair," too, signifies the ultimate. This is why:

Elijah, from his mantle, was called a hairy man (2 Kings 1:7-8);

And John the Baptist, who was as Elijah by reason of a like representation, had a garment of camel's hair (Matthew 3:4).

This makes clear the signification of "the prophets shall not wear a mantle of hair to dissemble," namely, that they shall not declare truths to be falsities, and falsities to be truths; this is what is signified by "dissembling."

[4] Because Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, which is the doctrine of truth itself, and Elisha continued the representation, and because "mantle" signified Divine truth in general, which is the Word in ultimates, so the mantle divided the waters of Jordan, according to the following in the books of the Kings:

When Elijah found Elisha he cast his mantle upon him (1 Kings 19:19).

Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters of Jordan, and they were divided hither and thither, and they two passed over on the dry ground (2 Kings 2:8).

Elisha seeing when Elijah was carried up by a whirlwind into heaven, took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took that mantle and smote the waters; and they were divided hither and thither, and he passed over (2 Kings 2:12-14).

"Elijah's casting his mantle upon Elisha" signified the transference to Elisha of the representation of the Lord in relation to the Word; and that "the mantle fell from Elijah when he was taken away, and was taken up by Elisha," signified that this representation was then transferred to Elisha, for Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and they were clothed according to what they represented, "the mantle" signifying the Word in which is Divine truth in general, or Divine truth in the whole complex. "The dividing of the waters of Jordan by Elijah's mantle," first by Elijah and afterwards by Elisha, signified the power of Divine truth in ultimates; "the waters of Jordan" signifying, moreover, the first truths through which there is introduction into the church, and these first truths are such as are in the ultimates of the Word. From this, too, it can be seen that "a mantle" and "a robe" signify Divine truth in general. (That "Elijah" represented the Lord in relation to the Word, so, too, "Elisha," see Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247. That the ultimate contains the interior things, and thus signifies all things in general, n. 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216, 9828; that thus strength and power are in ultimates, n. 9836; that "Jordan" signifies the entrance into the church, and thus "the waters of Jordan" signify the first truths through which there is entrance, n. 1585, 4255; and that "waters" mean truths, see above, n. 71.) First truths are also ultimate truths, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, for through these entrance is effected, for these are first learned, and in them are all interior things which constitute the internal sense of the Word.

[5] One who does not know what "robe" or "mantle" signifies, does not know what "cloak" signifies, for a cloak, as well as a mantle, was a general garment, encompassing the tunic or inner garment, therefore it has a like signification. Neither does he know what was signified by Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak; by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak; by Jonathan's giving David his cloak and garments; and by kings' daughters being arrayed in cloaks of various colors; neither does he know the meaning of many other passages in which cloaks are mentioned in the Word. Of Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak, we read:

Samuel turned to go away, but he laid hold upon the skirt of his cloak and it was rent. And Samuel said, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to thy companion, who is better than thou (1 Samuel 15:27-28).

The words of Samuel make clear that "the rending of the skirt of the cloak" signified the rending of the kingdom from Saul, for he said after it was done, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day," "a king" and "his kingdom" signifying the Divine truth of the church, and "the skirt of a cloak" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, that is, all Divine truth in general; for the kings that were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom signified the church in relation to Divine truth; therefore this historical fact signifies that king Saul was such that he could no longer represent the Lord, and that the representation of the church would perish if the kingdom were not rent from him. (That "kings" represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thus "a kingdom" signified the church in relation to Divine truth, see above, n. 29, 31.)

[6] The same is signified by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak, of which we read:

David entered into the cave where Saul was, and cut off the skirt of his cloak, and when he afterwards showed it to Saul, Saul said, Now I know that thou shalt reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand (1 Samuel 24:3-5, 11, 20).

This was done by David of Divine Providence, that the like might be represented as above, "the skirt of the cloak," and "King Saul and his kingdom," having the like meaning as above.

[7] That Jonathan the son of Saul stripped himself of his cloak and his garments, and gave them to David, of which we read as follows, has a like signification:

Jonathan stripped off the cloak that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, and even his sword and his bow and even to his girdle (1 Samuel 18:4).

This signified that Jonathan, the heir of the kingdom, transferred all his right to David; for all the things that Jonathan gave to David were representative of the kingdom, that is, of the Divine truth of the church, which Saul represented; for as was said above, all the kings who were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom represented the church in relation to Divine truth.

[8] Because "cloaks" and "robes" signify Divine truth in general:

The king's daughters that were virgins were clad in robes of diverse colors (2 Samuel 13:18).

"The king's daughters that were virgins" signified the affections of truth, and thus the church, as can be seen from a thousand passages in the Word in which "the king's daughter," "the daughter of Zion," "the daughter of Jerusalem," also "the virgin of Zion," and "the virgin of Jerusalem" are mentioned; therefore "the king's daughters" represented also the truths of that affection by their garments, and in general by their robes, which, were therefore, variegated with diverse colors. So also truths from good, or truths from affection, are represented by the garments of the virgins in heaven; which truths are more fully described by:

The garments of the king's daughter (Psalms 45:9-10, 13-14).

[9] As mourning in the Ancient Churches signified spiritual mourning, which is from the deprivation of truth, they represented this in their mourning, then by rending their mantles or cloaks, as is evident in Job:

When Job had lost all things, then he arose, rent his mantle, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return (Job 1:20-21).

Job's three friends, when they saw him, wept and rent their cloaks (Job 2:12).

(That "rending the garments" was a representative of mourning because of truth injured or destroyed, see Arcana Coelestia 4763.) And again in Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and shall put away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments; they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth (Ezekiel 26:16).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, here the church where these are destroyed. That there are no longer any truths through which there can be a church, is signified by "all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones;" "the princes of the sea" meaning true primary knowledges [scientifica]; "to come down from thrones" signifying that these have been destroyed, and consequently that there is no intelligence. The like is signified by "they shall cast away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments," "cloaks" meaning truths in general, and "broidered garments" the knowledges of truth; the consequent damnation is signified by "they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth."

[10] In Micah:

My people have set up an enemy for themselves for the sake of a garment; ye strip off the mantle from them that pass by securely, returning from war (Micah 2:8).

These words do not mean that "the sons of Israel have set up an enemy for the sake of a garment, and have stripped off the mantle from those that pass by securely;" but they mean that they held as enemies those who spoke truths, and deprived of all truth those who had lived well and had shaken off falsities, "garment" meaning truth, "mantle" all truth because it means truth in general; "to pass by securely" means to live well; "men returning from war" mean those who have shaken off falsities, "war" meaning the combat of truth against falsity. Who cannot see that this is the spiritual meaning of the Word; and not that the people of Israel held some one as an enemy for the sake of a garment, or stripped off the mantle from those who passed by?

[11] In Matthew:

The scribes and Pharisees do all their works that they may be seen of men, and make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their robes (Matthew 23:5).

This the scribes and Pharisees did, but it also represented and signified that they talked about, and applied to life and to their traditions many things from the ultimates of the Word, in order that they might appear holy and learned. "Their phylacteries which they make broad," signify goods in outward form, for "phylacteries" were worn upon the hands, and "hands" signify deeds, because these are done by the hands; "the borders of their robes which they enlarge," signify external truths; external truths are those that are in the ultimate sense of the letter; "robes" mean truths in general, and "borders" their ultimates. (That "borders of robes" signify such truths, see Arcana Coelestia 9917.)

[12] In Isaiah:

I will rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall exult in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).

"To rejoice in Jehovah" signifies to rejoice in Divine good; "to exult in God" signifies to exult in Divine truth; for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "God" from Divine truth, and from these is all spiritual joy. "To clothe with the garments of salvation" signifies to instruct and to gift with truths; and "to cover with the robe of righteousness" signifies to fill with every truth from good, "robe" meaning all truth, because it means truth in general, and "righteousness" is predicated of good.

[13] In the same:

He put on the garments of vengeance, and covered Himself with zeal as with a robe (Isaiah 59:17).

This is said of the Lord and of His combat with the hells; for when He was in the world He reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens to order, and this by Divine truth from Divine love. "Garments of vengeance" signify the truths by which, and "zeal as a robe" the Divine love from which this was done; "robe" is mentioned to signify that it was done through Divine truths from Divine love. (But what "the robe of the ephod" signifies, in which Aaron was arrayed, and upon the borders of which were pomegranates and bells, of which in Exodus 28:31-35 and Leviticus 8:7, see Arcana Coelestia 9910-9928).