7680. All that day, and all the night. That this signifies in everything of the perception both obscure and not obscure with the infesters, namely, there was destruction, is evident from the signification of “day,” as being a state of perception not obscure; and from the signification of “night,” as being a state of obscure perception; for the times of the day - morning, noon, evening, and night, correspond to the states of enlightenment that belong to intelligence and wisdom (seen. 5672, 6110), thus to perceptions; and so in general do day and night. It is here said “perceptions,” not “states of enlightenment,” because the evil who infest have no enlightenment, and yet have perception; but they have perception only so long as any knowledge of truth and good from the church in which they have lived remains with them, for by means of truth and good they communicate with those who are in heaven. But when they have been deprived of these knowledges, which is done when they have been devastated, they then no longer have any perception. The infernals can indeed confirm their evils, and also their falsities, but this is not perception. Perception is to see that truth is truth, and good good; and also that evil is evil, and falsity falsity; but it is not perception to see truth as falsity and good as evil; or the reverse, evil as good and falsity as truth. They who do this, instead of perception, have phantasy, which produces an appearance of perception, whereby such know how to confirm falsities and evils by such things as are obvious to the senses and are in favor of concupiscences.

1250. That “a mountain of the east” signifies charity, and in fact charity from the Lord, is evident from the signification of a “mountain” in the Word, as being love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, as has been shown before n. 795 and that “the east” signifies the Lord, and things celestial from Him, which are of love and charity, may be seen above n. 101), as well as from the following passages.

In Ezekiel:

The cherubim lifted up their wings, and the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east of the city (Ezekiel 11:22-23).

Here “the mountain which is on the east” signifies nothing else than what is celestial, which is of love and charity, and which is of the Lord, for it is said that “the glory of Jehovah stood” thereon. Again:

He brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh to the way of the east; and behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east (Ezekiel 43:1-2),

where “the east” has a like signification.

[2] Again:

He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary which looketh toward the east, and it was shut. And Jehovah said unto me, This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it, but Jehovah the God of Israel shall enter in by it (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

Here likewise “the east” denotes what is celestial, which is of love, which is of the Lord alone. And again:

When the prince shall make a freewill offering, a burnt-offering, and peace-offerings, a freewill offering unto Jehovah, one shall open for Him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall make his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, as he shall do on the Sabbath day (Ezekiel 46:12),

in like manner denoting what is celestial, which is of love to the Lord.

[3] And in another place:

He brought me back unto the door of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the face of the house was toward the east (Ezekiel 47:1, 8),

speaking of the New Jerusalem “the east” denotes the Lord, and thus the celestial, which is of love; “waters” are things spiritual. The same is signified in the passage before us by “a mountain of the east.” Moreover they who dwelt in Syria were called “sons of the east,” concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter.