827. Saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, signifies an established decree that all in the church should teach and believe nothing whatever except these things. This is evident from the signification of "them that dwell on the earth," as being all who belong to the church (See just above, n. 826; also from the signification of "the image of the beast," as being the doctrine of faith separated from good works, and worship therefrom confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word by means of reasonings from the natural man; consequently "to make that image" signifies to make a decree or to determine that they should teach and believe only in this way; also that this has been done in the churches where the doctrine of faith separate has been accepted. This is the signification of the "image," because in the spiritual world all spiritual things may be exhibited by means of images, also by means of idols; and by these the particulars of doctrine may be portrayed, which I have also seen done. This is why images and idols have this signification in the Word. That idols signify the falsities of doctrine may be seen above (n. 587, 650, 654, 780). So here "saying to them that dwell upon the earth that they should make an image to the beast" signifies an established decree that all in the church should teach and believe nothing whatever except these things. With those who belonged to the ancient churches images were made representative of their doctrine and the worship therefrom; but the sons of Israel, on account of the proclivity of their mind to idolatrous worship, were forbidden to make them, as is evident from the Word.

[2] That it may be known that images have this signification I will cite in confirmation the following passages from the Word. In Moses:

Thou shalt not make to thee any graven image, or any image of that which is in the heavens above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the waters under the earth; thou shalt not bow thyself down to them nor worship them (Exodus 20:4, 5).

Ye shall make no idols to you, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image or a pillar, neither shall ye place the stone of an image in your land to bow yourselves down to it (Leviticus 26:1).

Lest ye make to you a graven image, the image of any likeness, the figure of male or female, the figure of any beast that is on the earth, the figure of any winged bird that flieth under heaven, the figure of anything that creepeth on the ground, the figure of any fish that is in the waters under the earth (Deuteronomy 4:16-18).

The sons of Israel were forbidden to make idols, graven images, and forms or figures of anything in the heavens, on the earth, or in the waters, because the ancient churches which were before the Israelitish Church were representative churches, also because the sons of Jacob were wholly external men, and external men at that time, when all worship was representative, were prone to idolatries, thus to the worship of such things as appeared before their eyes. But as the ancient churches were representative churches, the men of those churches made to themselves graven images and forms of various things which represented and thence signified things heavenly; and the ancients took delight in these on account of their signification, for when they looked upon them they were reminded of the heavenly things they represented; and as these belonged to their religion, therefore they worshiped the images. This is why they had groves and high places, and also sculptured, molten, and painted figures, which were set up either in groves or upon mountains, or in temples, or in their houses. So in Egypt, where the science of representations, which is the same as the science of correspondences, flourished, there were images, idols, and graven images, as also hieroglyphics; and other nations had the like. But when the men of those churches from being internal became external, then the celestial and spiritual things which were represented and thence signified remained as traditions with their priests and wise men, who were called magi and diviners; consequently the common people, because of the religious principle which their fathers saw in these things, began to worship them and to call them their gods. Now as the sons of Jacob were more external men than the others, and thence more prone to idolatries and also to magic, they were strictly forbidden to make to themselves graven images, images and figures of the likeness of anything existing in the heavens, on the earth, or in the sea, because all things that are in the world are representative, as flying things, beasts, fishes, and creeping things, for so far as they worshiped these idolatrously, so far they did not acknowledge Jehovah. And yet, since the church was representative with them also, the tabernacle was built, in which were placed the chief representatives of heavenly things, as the table on which were the loaves, the golden altar on which incense was offered, the lampstand with the lamps, the ark with the mercy-seat. and the cherubim above it, and the altar not far from the door of the tabernacle, on which was the sacred fire; and afterwards the temple was built, in which also all things were representative, as the painting therein, the lavers outside of it, the brazen sea under which were the oxen supporting it, likewise the pillars and porticos, with the vessels of gold, all of which they were permitted to worship as holy, provided they acknowledged the tabernacle, and afterwards the temple, as the dwelling-place of Jehovah. This was granted them to prevent their turning aside to idolatry and magic, which then existed with various nations in Asia; as Egypt, Syria, Assyria, Babylon, Tyre and Sidon, Arabia, Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, and especially in and about the land of Canaan.

[3] From this it is clear why "idols" signify in the Word the falsities of religion, and "images" doctrinals. That such things existed with various nations in the countries of Asia is made evident by the gods of Laban the Syrian that Rachel the wife of Jacob carried off (Genesis 31:19, 20); by the calves and other idols in Egypt; by the hieroglyphics there engraved and painted in temples, and upon obelisks and walls; by Dagon the idol of the Philistines in Ekron; by the idols made by Solomon, and afterwards by the kings in the temple of Jerusalem and in Samaria; and by the altars, pillars, images, and groves, among the nations of the land, which the sons of Israel were commanded to destroy, as is evident from various passages in the Word.

[4] Moreover, it was from the science of correspondences and representations:

That the priests and diviners of the Philistines persuaded them to make golden images of the emerods and mice that had laid waste the land, and to place them beside the ark, which they sent back upon a new cart drawn by kine, and that they should thus give glory to the God of Israel (1 Samuel 6 seq.).

For at that time their priests and diviners knew what all these things represented; and that the images of the emerods and mice signified the falsities of their religion, which might be atoned for by these as gifts made of gold.

[5] Doctrinals are also signified by "images" in the following passages.

In Ezekiel:

They shall cast their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be an abomination, in that they have turned the gracefulness of their adornment into pride, and have made thereof images of their abominations and their detestable things; therefore I have made it unto them for an abomination (Ezekiel 7:19, 20).

This treats of the devastation of the church by falsities and evils, which is here meant by "the sword, pestilence, and famine" (verse 15), that were to consume them. The "silver that they shall cast into the streets," and the "gold that shall be for an abomination," signify the truth of the church and its good turned into falsity and evil; "to cast these into the streets" signifies to scatter them, and "to be for an abomination" signifies to be turned into infernal evil, for this is to be for an abomination. "They have turned the gracefulness of their adornment into pride, and have made thereof images of their abominations and their detestable things," signifies that they filled the whole church and its doctrine, and all things that are contained in it, with things profane; "the gracefulness of the adornment" signifying the church and its doctrine; and "images of abominations and of detestable things" signifying all things of it, thus doctrinals, the goods and truths of which have been profaned; "abominations" are goods profaned, and "detestable things" truths profaned.

[6] In the same:

Thou didst take the vessels of thy adornment, of my gold and of my silver which I had given to thee, and madest for thee the images of a male, with which thou couldst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:17).

This is said of "the abominations of Jerusalem," which mean the adulterations of the truth and good of doctrine from the Word; "vessels of adornment of gold and silver" signifying the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; "to make of them images of a male" signifying to make doctrinals from falsities to appear as if from truths; and "to commit whoredom with them" signifying the falsification of them.

[7] In the same:

Oholibah committed whoredom in Egypt, she loved the sons of Assyria; she added to her whoredoms; when she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, at the sight of her eyes she loved them (Ezekiel 23:3, 12, 14, 16).

"Oholibah" means Jerusalem, which signifies the church in respect to doctrine, therefore the doctrine of the church; "to commit whoredom" signifies the falsification and adulteration of the Word; and as "Egypt" signifies natural truths, which are called knowledges [scientifica], and "Assyria" rational truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, it is clear what is signified by "committing whoredom with them." As "the Chaldeans" signify the truths of the Word profaned by being applied to the loves of self and the world, so the "images of the Chaldeans" signify doctrinals that are pleasing to those loves; "portrayed with vermilion" signifies these appearing outwardly as if truths, although inwardly they are profane; "men portrayed upon the wall" have a similar signification, "a painted wall" meaning the appearance of doctrinals in externals. "Images" have a like signification in Isaiah (Isaiah 2:16; in David (Psalms 73:20; also in the following passages in Revelation (Revelation 14:9-11, 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). (See also what has been said above about "idols" and "graven images," n. 587, 650, 654, 780, where other passages from the Word have been cited and explained.)

826. Verse 14. And he seduceth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs that were given him to do before the beast, signifies to persuade those who are of the church that these are truths, by testifications from the Word joined to reasonings from the natural man. This is evident from the signification of "seducing," as being to persuade that falsities are truths, for the persuasion of falsity is seduction. Also from the signification of "them that dwell on the earth," as being those who are of the church (See above, n. 821). Also from the signification of "signs," as being testifications and consequent persuasions (See just above, n. 824, here testifications from the sense of the letter of the Word. Also from the signification of "the beast" before which these signs were done, as being reasonings from the natural man (See above, n. 774). Here "the signs that were done by this beast before the other" signify testifications from the sense of the letter of the Word, joined to reasonings from the natural man, because "the beast" that did the signs signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word; and "the beast" before which the signs were done signifies reasonings from the natural man; so here it signifies the conjunction of confirmations from the Word with these reasonings; and when these are conjoined they become testifications and persuasions. For reasonings that are from the natural man are of no avail in spiritual things before the world; but when the same reasonings are confirmed from the Word they prevail; for the reason that the Word is Divine, and in the sense of the letter consists of appearances of truth and of correspondences, in which the genuine truths that lie hidden within can be seen only by one who is enlightened; while one not enlightened can draw over these appearances of truth to confirm that falsities are truths, for with one who is not enlightened fallacies prevail, and the reasonings are from fallacies. But one who is enlightened sees from spiritual and from natural light at the same time; and the natural light with him is illumined by the spiritual; but one who is not enlightened sees from natural light only, separated from spiritual light, and such a light is in spiritual things not light but thick darkness. And yet this thick darkness, when falsities have been confirmed, appears to be as it were the light of truth, but it is like the light in the hells, which in the sight of those who are there appears as light; but as soon as light from heaven enters the light there is turned into mere thick darkness, and their thought grows dull. Those who are in the hells that contain such as have more deeply persuaded themselves of falsities by their ability to think more interiorly than others, are in the light of phantasy, and this light is bright in a way, but it is turned into a still blacker thick darkness by the influx of rays of light from heaven. Such is the light of the confirmation of falsity from the sense of the letter of the Word by reasonings from the fallacies of the natural man. From this it is clear that the light of the confirmation of falsity even to the destruction of the Divine truth which is in heaven, is infernal light.

[2] As the preceding articles treat of good works, I will here go on with the plan and show what is meant by love to the Lord. All who are in love to the Lord from the Lord are in the third or inmost heaven; and they are such as have truths written in the life, and not, like the angels of the lower heavens, in the memory; and this is why those who are in the third heaven never talk about truths, but only listen to others speaking about them, and reply either that it is so, or that it is somewhat so, or that it is not so. For they see in themselves whether what they hear is true or not; and this they see not from any sight in the thought, as others do, but from the affection of truth in the understanding. For with them all truths are written on their affections, and these derive their essence from celestial love, which is love to the Lord. Thus with them truths make one with their affections. And as these angels are in love to the Lord from the Lord, their interior life consists of mere affections of good and truth from that love. For this reason they do not speak about truths, but do truths, that is, good works. For the affections of good and truth that are from that love must needs come forth in act, and when they come forth they are called uses, and are what are meant by good works. Moreover, they perceive in themselves the quality of the uses or works from the affection from which they are; and also the differences between them from the conjunction of many affections; thus they do all things with interior wisdom. And because they do not think about truths and thence speak about them, but only do them, and because this comes from their love to the Lord, and thence from the affections alone, of which their life consists, it is evident that love to the Lord consists in doing truths from the affection of them, and that their deeds are good works; consequently that to love the Lord is to do; and this is what is meant by the Lord's words in John:

He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me. But he that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:21, 24).

And they are meant by these words in Jeremiah:

I will give My law in the midst of them, and will write it upon their heart. Neither shall they teach a man his companion or a man his brother, Know ye Jehovah, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them (Jeremiah 31:33, 34).

"The law" means all things of the Word, thus all the truths and goods of heaven; "in the midst of them" signifies in their life; and the "heart" upon which the law shall be written signifies the love. From this it is clear how ample is the doctrine of love to the Lord, for it is the doctrine of all affections which belong to love; and every affection has truths written upon it according to the quality of its perfection, and brings them forth in act with infinite variety; and these affections do not come into the understanding in the form of ideas, but come to the inner sensitive perception in the form of delights of the will, wherefore they cannot be described by words. Those who imbibe the laws of life from the Word and live according to them, and who worship the Lord, become angels of the third heaven.