7553. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail. That this signifies falsities destroying all things of the church with them, is evident from the signification of a “rain of hail,” as being falsities from evil destroying the truths and goods of faith, thus the things of the church. That a “rain of hail” has this signification is because it is like stones, and destroys both men and beasts, also the produce of the field, and likewise because it is cold. A “rain” in general signifies a blessing, and in the opposite sense a curse (see n. 2445); when a blessing, it signifies the influx and reception of the truth that is of faith and of the good that is of charity, for this is a blessing; but when it signifies a curse, it signifies falsity that is contrary to the truth of faith, and evil that is contrary to the good of charity, for these are a curse. But a “rain of hail” in general signifies the curse that belongs to falsity from evil, and indeed to falsity from evil against the truths and goods of the church.

[2] This is signified by a “rain of hail” in the following passages:

I will dispute with God with pestilence and with blood; and I will make it rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an inundating rain, and hailstones, fire, and sulphur (Ezekiel 38:22);

“Gog” denotes outward worship separate from inward, thus those who when charity is extinct make everything of Divine worship consist in outward things; “hailstones” denote falsities from evil.

[3] In the same:

My hand shall be against the prophets that see vanity, and that divine a lie; say unto them that daub with what is untempered, that it shall fall; there shall be an inundating rain, by which ye hailstones shall fall; and a wind of storms shall burst through it (Ezekiel 13:9, 11);

“the prophets that see vanity and divine a lie” denote those who teach evils and falsities; “those who daub with what is untempered” denotes that they invent falsities, and make them appear like truths. These are called “hailstones” from falsities; but “hail” in this and in the passage above quoted is expressed in the original by another word which means “great hail.”

[4] In Isaiah:

Then Jehovah shall cause the glory of His voice to be heard, and His arm shall see quiet, in the indignation of anger, and a flame of devouring fire, with scattering and inundation, and with hailstone (Isaiah 30:30-31); where “hailstone” denotes the vastation of truth through falsities. In the same:

Behold the Lord is strong and mighty; like an inundation of hail, a storm of slaughter, like an inundation of mighty waters overflowing, shall He cast down to the earth with the hand; the hail shall overthrow the refuge of a lie, and they shall inundate the hiding place of waters (Isaiah 28:2, 17);

“an inundation” denotes immersion in falsities, and thus the vastation of truth (n. 705, 739, 790, 5725, 6853); “an inundation of hail” denotes the destruction of truth through falsities.

[5] In David:

He smote their vine with hail, and their sycamores with grievous hail; and He shut up their beast with the hail, and their cattle with coals of fire. He sent against them the wrath of His anger (Psalms 78:47-49).

He made their rains hail, a flaming fire in their land, and smote their vine and their fig-tree, and broke in pieces the tree of their border (Psalms 105:32-33);

“hail and rain” denote the vastation of truth and good through falsities from evil; the “vine” denotes the truth and good of the internal church; the “sycamore” and the “fig-tree,” denote the truths and goods of the external church. In the same:

Who giveth snow like wool; He scattereth the hoar frost like dust, who castest forth His hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold? (Psalms 147:16-17);

“hail” denotes falsities from evils. In the same:

He made darkness His hiding place, His circuits His tent, the darkness of the waters, the clouds of the heavens, from the brightness before Him the clouds passed, with hailstone and coals of fire; Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave His voice, hailstone and coals of fire, so that He sent arrows and scattered them (Psalms 18:12-15);

“hailstone” denotes falsities from evil which vastate truths and goods.

[6] In John:

The first angel sounded, and there came hail and fire mingled with blood, and it fell upon the earth, so that the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up (Revelation 8:7);

“hail” denotes falsities from evil; “fire mingled with blood,” the evil of cupidities together with falsified truths; the “trees that were burnt up” denote the knowledges of truth destroyed by the evil of cupidities; the “green grass that was burnt up” denotes the memory-knowledges of truth likewise destroyed. (That “fire” denotes the evil of cupidities, see n. 1297, 1861, 2446, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324; that “blood” denotes falsified truth, n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326; that “trees” denote knowledges, n. 2722, 2972)

[7] In Joshua:

It came to pass, as they fled before Israel in the going down of Bethhoron, when Jehovah cast down upon them great stones from the heavens even unto Azekah, that they died; there were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the sons of Israel slew with the sword (Josh. 10:11);

this is said of the five kings who fought against Gibeon; by these kings and their people were represented those who are in falsities from evils, therefore they died with the hailstones; morsels of hail are called “stones,” because “stones” also signify falsities. From all this it is evident what is signified by “hail” and “rain of hail,” namely, falsities from evils; and consequently the vastation of truth and good is also signified, for this is effected through falsities from evils.

3513. And I will eat. That this signifies appropriation thus, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being to appropriate (see n. 2187, 2343, 3168, 3503). Appropriation is effected when truths, or the knowledges of good and truth, are insinuated into the natural by means of things that are pleasant and delightful; and when these truths are adjoined to good there, there is then effected a communication with the truth and good of the rational, thus with the rational; and this communication is what is called appropriation, inasmuch as the truth and good are of the rational in the natural; for the things in the rational relatively to those in the natural are as particulars relatively to generals. It is known that from particulars there comes forth what is general, and that without particulars no general could come into existence.

The general of the particulars of the rational is that which is exhibited in the natural; and because it is a general, it appears under another form, and this according to the order of the particulars which compose it, thus according to the form thence derived. If the singulars and derivative particulars of celestial good and spiritual truth are what form the general in the natural, there then comes forth a celestial and spiritual form, and in a certain image there is represented something of heaven in every single thing of the general; but if the singulars and particulars are not those of good and truth, but of evil and falsity, which form the generals in the natural, there is then represented in an image something of hell in every single thing of the general.

[2] Such are the things which are signified by the eating and drinking in the Holy Supper, where also by “eating and drinking” is signified appropriation-namely, by “eating” the appropriation of good, and by “drinking” the appropriation of truth. If good, that is, love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, form the internal or rational man, and through this the external or natural man corresponding to it, then the man becomes in particular and in general an image of heaven, consequently an image of the Lord; but if contempt for the Lord and for the good and truth of faith, and hatred toward the neighbor, form the internal man, then the man becomes in particular and in general an image of hell; and especially when at the same time this is done in what is holy, for thence comes profanation. Thus it is that to those who eat and drink worthily, eternal life is appropriated; while they who eat and drink unworthily, appropriate death unto themselves.