373. And he that sat upon him had a balance in his hand, signifies the estimation of truth from the Word in that state of the church. This is evident from the signification of "he that sat upon the horse," as being the Word (See above, n. 355, 356, 365); also from the signification of "balance in his hand," as being the estimation of truth from the Word; for all measures and weights mentioned in the Word, signify the estimation of the thing treated of in respect to good and in respect to truth, the numbers adjoined determining the estimation in respect to the quality and quantity thereof; as here "a measure of wheat for a denarius, and three measures of barley for a denarius" (of which presently).

There were many measures in the representative church, as the omer, the homer, the ephah, the bath, the hin (about which see Arcana Coelestia 10262); and besides there were balances and scales, by which weighings and balancings were made, and these in a particular sense signified the estimations of anything in respect to truth. For this reason also the weights of the scales were stones, or made of stones, "stones" in the Word signifying truths. That the weights were stones, or made of stone, appears from Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:13; 2 Samuel 14:26; Isaiah 34:11; Zechariah 4:10. (That "stones" in the Word signify truths, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376.) Here, therefore, "a balance in the hand of him that sat upon the black horse" signifies the estimation of truth from the Word.

[2] It has been shown above that "he that sat upon the horses"-the white, the red, the black, and the pale horse-signifies the Word, and the "horses," according to their colors, signify the understanding of the Word, "the red horse" the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good, and "the black horse" the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to truth. But as it is difficult to comprehend that "he that sat upon the horses" signifies the Word, in consequence of the red and the black horses signifying the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good, and in respect to truth, it shall be explained how it is. The Word in itself is Divine truth, but the understanding of it is according to the state of the man who reads it. A man who is not in good perceives nothing of the good in it, and a man who is not in truths sees nothing of the truth in it; the cause of this, therefore, is not in the Word, but in him who reads it. This makes clear that "he that sat upon the horses" signifies the Word, although the horses themselves signify the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good and in respect to truth. That "he that sat upon the white horse" signifies the Word is plainly evident in Revelation, where it is said:

The name of the one sitting upon that horse is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

[3] That "a balance" or "scales" signify estimation, and also a just arrangement, which is effected by truths, is evident in Daniel:

A writing appeared upon the wall before Belshazzar the king of Babylon when he was drinking out of the vessels of gold and silver belonging to the temple of Jerusalem. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Perezin, that is, numbered, numbered, weighed, divided. This is the interpretation of these words: Mene, God hath numbered thy kingdom and brought it to an end. Tekel, Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting. Peres, Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Mede and the Persian (Daniel 5:25-28).

This history describes in the internal sense the profanation of good and truth, which is signified by "Babylon," for Belshazzar was king in Babylon, and a "king" in the Word signifies the same as the nation or kingdom itself over which he reigns. The profanation of the good and truth of the church is signified by "his drinking out of the vessels of gold and silver belonging to the temple at Jerusalem, and at the same time praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone" (verses 3 and 4). "The gold and silver vessels belonging to the temple at Jerusalem," signify the good and truth of heaven and the church, "gold" meaning good, and "silver" truth; and "praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone," signifies idolatrous worship of every kind, thus external worship without any internal, such as is with those who are meant by Babylon. That there is no church at all with such, because there is nothing of the good and nothing of the truth of the church in them, is signified by the writing from heaven; for "numbered, numbered," signifies exploration in respect to good and in respect to truth; "weighed in the balance," signifies estimation in accordance with their quality, and judgment; "divided," signifies dispersion and expulsion from the good and truth of the church and separation therefrom; and "kingdom" signifies the church; from which it is clear that "weighed in the scale or balance," signifies estimation in accordance with their quality. (That "to divide" signifies to disperse, to expel, and to separate from good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 4424, 6360, 6361, 9093.) "Kingdom" means the church, because the Lord's kingdom is where the church is, therefore those who are of the church are called "sons of the kingdom" (Matthew 8:12; 13:38).

[4] In Isaiah:

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out the heavens with a span, and embraced the dust of the earth in a measure [of three fingers]; and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in scales? (Isaiah 40:12).

These measures describe the just arrangement and estimation of all things in heaven and in the church according to the quality of good and truth. The measures here are, "the hollow of the hand," "the span of the hand," "the measure [of three fingers]," "the balance" and "the scales:" "waters" signify truths; "the heavens" interior or spiritual truths and goods; "the dust of the earth" exterior or natural truths and goods, both of heaven and of the church; "mountains" the goods of love; "hills" the goods of charity; and "to weigh" means to estimate and arrange in accordance with their quality. That such is the signification of these words, no one can see except from a knowledge of correspondences.

[5] As a just estimation and exploration of good and truth are signified in the Word by "measures," it was commanded that the measures should be just, with no fraud about them. In Moses:

Ye shall not do perversity in judgment, in measure, in weight, or in dimension. Just balances, just stones, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have (Leviticus 19:35-36).

So justice, where it means the estimation and exploration of men in accordance with the quality of good and truth in them, is everywhere in the Word expressed by scales and balances of various kinds, and by "ephahs," "omers," "homers," "seas," "hins" (as in Job 6:2; 31:6); and injustice is expressed by "scales and balances of fraud and deceit" (as in Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11).

119. And the blasphemy of them who say that they are Jews and they are not, signifies denunciation by those who think themselves to be in the knowledges of good and truth because they have the Word, and yet they are not. This is evident from the signification of "blasphemy," as being reviling and denunciation; and from the signification of "Jews," as being those who are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; for "Judah," in the highest sense of the Word, signifies the Lord in respect to celestial love, in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom and the Word, and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, which is of the celestial church (See Arcana Coelestia, 3881, 6363). From this it can be seen that by the "blasphemy of them who say that they are Jews and they are not," is signified reviling and denunciation by those who say that they acknowledge the Lord, and are in His kingdom and in true doctrine, because they have the Word, and yet they are not; in general, those who say that they are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, and yet are in falsities and evils.

[2] Those who know nothing of the internal sense of the Word cannot know otherwise than that by "Judah" and "Jews," in the prophetical parts of the word, are meant Judah and the Jews; these, however are not there meant by their names, but all who are in the true doctrine of the church, thus who are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; and in the contrary sense, those who are in false doctrine, thus who have adulterated the truths and goods of the Word. That Judah and the Jews are not meant can be seen merely from this, that there is an internal sense in every particular of the Word, and also in the names of persons and places; and that nothing is treated of in this sense except what pertains to heaven and the church; such things, therefore, must also be signified by the names "Judah" and "Israel." And as with them a church was instituted in which all things were representative and significative of things heavenly, so by their names was signified that which essentially makes the church, namely, in the highest sense, the Lord Himself; in the internal sense His Word; and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, as was said above. From this it is clear how greatly those are mistaken who believe, according to the letter, that the Jews are to be brought back into the land of Canaan, and that they have been chosen and destined for heaven in preference to others; when yet but few from that nation are saved, since none are saved except those who believe in the Lord; and he who believes in the Lord in the world, believes in Him after death; but that nation has altogether rejected Him from its faith.

[3] That by "Judah" is meant the Lord in respect to His kingdom and the Word can be seen from the prophecy of Israel regarding his sons; when this is unfolded by the internal sense it is clear what each tribe represented in the church. It is clearly evident that the tribe of Judah represented the Lord's kingdom, or the church where the Word is; for it is said of Judah:

Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and upon Him shall the clinging of the people be; who shall bind to the vine the foal of His ass, and to the noble vine the son of His she-ass; whilst He shall have washed His garment in wine, and His vesture in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:9-11).

That these particulars signify the Lord's kingdom or the church, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where they are explained.

[4] He who knows that by "Judah" is meant in the highest sense the Lord, and in the internal sense His kingdom and the Word, and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, also in a contrary sense those who deny the Lord and adulterate the Word, can know what is signified by "Judah" in very many passages of the Word, as in the following:

Hear ye, O house of Jacob, called by the name of Israel, and who are come forth out of the waters of Judah (Isaiah 48:1).

The "house of Jacob" and "Israel" is the church; "to come forth out of the waters of Judah" signifies out of doctrine from the Word, for the church is from that. That "waters" denote the truths of doctrine out of the Word, see above (n. 71).

The sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of the Grecians, that ye may remove them far from their borders. It shall come to pass in that day that all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and Judah shall sit to eternity (Joel 3:6, 18, 20).

"To sell the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Grecians" is to falsify the goods and truths of the church; "in that day" means when there is an end of that church and a new church has been established among the Gentiles; "all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters" signifies the abundance of truth and good from the Word, for those who are in the new church; that these are from the Word is signified by the "fountain going forth out of the house of Jehovah." From this it is evident that by "Judah," who "shall sit to eternity," is not meant Judah or the Jewish nation, but all those who are in good by means of truths from the Word.

[5] Like things are meant by "Judah" in the following passages:

I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them. And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall put over themselves one head, and they shall go up from the land; for great is the day of Jehovah ¹ (Hosea 1:7, 11).

Then many nations shall join themselves to Jehovah in that day; they shall be to Me for a people, for I will dwell in thee; then Jehovah shall make Judah an heritage in Himself, His portion upon the land of holiness, and shall again choose Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:11, 12).

Jehovah Zebaoth shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and shall make them a horse of glory in war; I will render the house of Judah powerful (Zechariah 10:3, 6).

God shall save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah; and they shall dwell there, and inherit it; the seed also of His servants shall inherit it; and they that love the name of Jehovah shall dwell therein (Psalms 69:35, 36).

I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of My mountains; that My chosen may possess it (Isaiah 65:9);

besides very many other places. That the Jewish nation is not meant in the Word in these and other places, where they are called "chosen" and "heirs," may be seen from what is cited respecting that nation from the Arcana Coelestia, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248). From this now can be seen what is signified by the "blasphemy of them who say that they are Jews, and they are not."

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