365. And to him that sat upon him, to him it was given to take peace from the earth, signifies the Word consequently not understood, whence there are dissensions in the church. This is evident from the signification of "him that sat upon the red horse," as being the Word not understood in respect to good; for "he that sat upon the horse," signifies the Word, as was shown above (n. 355, 356), "horse" signifying the understanding of it n. 355, and the "red horse" the understanding destroyed in respect to good n. 364; therefore "he that sat upon the red horse" signifies the Word consequently not understood. It is evident also from the signification of "to take peace," as being that there are thence dissensions (of which presently); also from the signification of "earth," as being the church. (That "the earth" signifies the church, see above, n. 29, 304)

[2] Before it is explained what "peace" signifies, let something be said about dissensions arising in the church when the understanding of the Word is destroyed. By good, the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbor are meant, since all good is of love. When these goods do not exist with the man of the church, the Word is not understood; for the conjunction of the Lord and the conjunction of heaven with the man of the church is by means of good; therefore if there is no good with him no illustration can be given; for all illustration when the Word is being read is out of heaven from the Lord; and when there is no illustration the truths that are in the Word are in obscurity, thence dissensions spring up. That the Word is not understood if man is not in good can also be seen from this, that in the particulars of the Word there is a heavenly marriage, that is, a conjunction of good and truth; therefore if good is not present with man when he is reading the Word, truth does not appear, for truth is seen from good, and good by means of truth. (That in the particulars of the Word there is a conjunction of good and truth, see above, n. 238 at the end, 288.)

[3] The state of the case is this: so far as man is in good the Lord flows in and gives the affection of truth, and thus understanding; for the interior human mind is formed entirely in the image of heaven, and the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and of truth from good; therefore unless there is good with man, that mind cannot be opened, still less can it be formed for heaven; it is formed by the conjunction of good and truth. From this it can also be seen that unless man is in good, truths have no ground in which to be received, nor any heat by which to grow; for truths with the man who is in good are like seeds in the ground in the time of spring; while truths with the man who is not in good are like seeds in ground bound by frost in the time of winter, when there is no grass, nor flower, nor tree, still less fruit.

[4] In the Word are all truths of heaven and the church, yea, all the secrets of wisdom that the angels of heaven possess; but no one sees these unless he is in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of love towards the neighbor; those who are not, see truths here and there, but do not understand them; they have a perception and idea of them wholly different from that which pertains to these same truths in themselves; although, therefore, they see or know truths, still truths are not truths with them, but falsities; for truths are not truths from their sound or utterance, but from an idea and perception of them. When truths are implanted in good it is different; then truths appear in their own form, for truth is the form of good. From this it may be concluded what the nature of the understanding of the Word is with those who make faith alone the sole means of salvation, and cast behind the back the good of life, or the good of charity. It has been found that those who have confirmed themselves in this, both in doctrine and life, have not even a single right idea of truth; this, moreover, is why they do not know what good is, what charity and love are, what the neighbor is, what heaven and hell are, that they are to live after death as men, nor, indeed, what regeneration is, what baptism is, and many other things; yea, they are in such blindness respecting God Himself that they worship three in thought, and not one except merely with the mouth, not knowing that the Father of the Lord is the Divine in Him, and that the Holy Spirit is the Divine from Him. These things are said to make known that there is no understanding of the Word where there is no good. It is here said that to him that sat upon a red horse, it was given "to take peace from the earth," because "peace" signifies a peaceful state of the mind [mens] and tranquillity of the disposition [animus] from the conjunction of good and truth; therefore "to take away peace" signifies an unpeaceful and untranquil state from the disjunction of good and truth, which is the cause of internal dissensions; for when good is separated from truth evil takes its place; and evil loves not truth but falsity; because every falsity belongs to evil, as every truth to good; when, therefore, such a person sees a truth in the Word or hears it from another, the evil of his love, and thus of his will, strives against the truth, and then he either rejects or perverts it, or by ideas from the evil so obscures it that at length he sees nothing of truth in the truth, however much it may sound like truth when he utters it. This is the origin of all dissensions, controversies, and heresies in the church. From this it can be seen what is here signified by "to take peace from the earth."

[5] But what peace is in its first origin is amply shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the State of Peace in Heaven is treated of (n. 284-290), namely that in its first origin it is from the Lord; it is in Him from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and it is from Him by His conjunction with heaven and the church, and in particular from the conjunction of good and truth in each individual. From this it is that "peace," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord; in a relative sense, heaven and the church in general, and also heaven and the church in particular in each individual.

[6] That these things are signified by "peace" in the Word, can be seen from many passages therein, of which I will present the following by way of confirmation. In John:

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

This treats of the Lord's union with the Father, that is, the union of His Divine Human with the Divine Itself which was in Him from conception, and thence of the Lord's conjunction with those who are in truths from goods; therefore "peace" means tranquility of mind from that conjunction; and as such are protected by that conjunction from the evils and falsities that are from hell, for the Lord protects those who are conjoined with Him, therefore He says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This Divine peace is in man, and as heaven is with it, "peace" here also means heaven and in the highest sense, the Lord. But the peace of the world is from successes in the world, thus from conjunction with the world, and as this is only external and the Lord, and consequently heaven are not in it, it perishes with the life of a man in the world and is turned into what is not peace; therefore the Lord says, "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you."

[7] In the same:

Jesus said, These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye may have peace. In the world ye have affliction; but have confidence I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Here, too, "peace" means internal delight from conjunction with the Lord, whence come heaven and eternal joy. "Peace" is here opposed to "affliction," because "affliction" signifies infestation by evils and falsities, which those have who are in Divine peace so long as they live in the world; for the flesh, which they then bear about them, lusts after the things of the world, from which comes affliction; therefore the Lord says, "that in Me ye may have peace; in the world ye have affliction;" and as the Lord in respect to His Human acquired to Himself power over the hells, thus over the evils and the falsities that with everyone rise up from the hells into the flesh and infest, He says, "have confidence, I have overcome the world."

[8] In Luke:

Jesus said to the seventy whom He sent forth, Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not, it shall return to you again (Luke 10:5-6).

And in Matthew:

Entering into a house salute it. And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet (Matthew 10:12-14).

That they were to say, "Peace be to the house" signifies that they were to learn whether those who were in it would receive the Lord; they were proclaiming the good tidings respecting the Lord, and thence respecting heaven, celestial joy, and eternal life, for all these are signified by "peace;" and those who received are meant by the "sons of peace," upon whom peace would rest, but if they did not acknowledge the Lord, and consequently did not receive the things pertaining to the Lord, or to peace, that peace would be taken away from them is what is signified by "if the house or city be not worthy let your peace return to you;" that in such case they might suffer no harm from the evils and falsities that were in that house or that city, it was commanded that "going forth, they should shake off the dust of their feet," which signifies that what is cursed therefrom might not cling to them, for "dust of the feet" signifies what is cursed; for what is ultimate in man, which is the sensual-natural, corresponds to the soles of the feet; and because evil clings to this, so in the case of those who were in the representatives of the church, as most were at that time, they shook off the dust of the feet when the truths of doctrine were not received. For in the spiritual world, when any good person comes to those who are evil, evil flows in from evil and causes some disturbance, but it disturbs only the ultimates that correspond to the soles of the feet; therefore when they turn and go away it appears as if they shook the dust off their feet behind them, which is a sign that they are delivered, and that evil clings to those that are in evil. (That "the soles of the feet" correspond to the lowest natural things, and therefore signify these in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; and that "dust, which should be shaken off" signifies what is damned, n. 249, 7418, 7522)

[9] In Luke:

Jesus wept over the city, saying, If thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace! but now it is hid from thine eyes (Luke 19:41-42).

Those who think of these words and those that follow immediately there, from the sense of the letter only, because they see no other sense, believe that these words were spoken by the Lord respecting the destruction of Jerusalem; but all things that the Lord spoke since they were from the Divine, did not relate to worldly and temporal things, but to heavenly and eternal things; therefore "Jerusalem, over which the Lord wept" signifies here as elsewhere the church, which was then entirely vastated, so that there was no longer any truth and consequently no good, and thus that they were about to perish forever; therefore He says, "if thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace," that is, that belong to eternal life and happiness, which are from the Lord alone; for "peace," as was said, means heaven and heavenly joy through conjunction with the Lord.

[10] In the same:

Zacharias prophesying said, The dayspring from on high appeareth to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:67, 78-79).

This was said of the Lord about to come into the world, and of the illustration at that time of those who were out of the church and in ignorance of Divine truth, from not having the Word. The Lord is meant by "the dayspring from on high which appeareth;" and those who are out of the church are meant by "them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death;" and their illustration in Divine truths through the reception of the Lord and conjunction with Him, whence are heaven and eternal happiness is meant by "the way of peace;" "guiding our feet into it" signifies instruction.

[11] In the same:

The disciples praised God, saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest (Luke 19:37-38).

These things were said by the disciples when the Lord went to Jerusalem, that

He might there, by the passion of the cross, which was His last temptation, wholly unite His Human to His Divine, and might also entirely subjugate the hells; and as all Divine good and truth would then proceed from Him, they say, "Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord," which signified acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving that these things were from Him (See above, n. 340; "peace in heaven and glory in the highest" signifies that the things meant by "peace" are from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and that thence angels and men have them by conjunction with the Lord; for when the hells had been subjugated by the Lord, peace was established in heaven, and then those who were there had Divine truth from the Lord, which is "glory in the highest." (That "glory" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, see above, n. 33, 288, 345.)

As "peace" in the internal sense of the Word signifies the Lord and thence heaven and eternal life, and in particular, the delight of heaven arising from conjunction with the Lord, so the Lord after the resurrection, when He appeared to the disciples, said to them:

Peace be unto you (Luke 24:36, 37; John 20:19, 21, 26).

[12] Again in Moses:

Jehovah bless thee and keep thee; Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; and Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Divine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah makes His faces to shine upon thee;" and protection thereby from falsities is meant by "be gracious unto thee;" and the Divine good, from which is all love and charity, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee;" and protection thereby from evils, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are meant by "give thee peace;" for when evils and falsities are removed and no longer infest, the Lord flows in with peace, in which and from which is heaven and the delight that fills with bliss the interiors of the mind, thus heavenly joy. (This benediction may also be seen explained above, n. 340 "Peace" has a like signification in David:

Jehovah will bless His people with peace (Psalms 29:11).

[13] And in the same:

Who will show us good? Jehovah, lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us. Thou givest joy in my heart more than at the time when their corn and new wine are increased. In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely (Psalms 4:6-8);

This describes the peace that those have who are in conjunction with the Lord through the reception of Divine good and Divine truth from Him, and that it is peace in which and from which is heavenly joy. Divine good is meant by "Who will show us good?" and Divine truth by "lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us," "the light of the Lord's faces" is the Divine light that proceeds from Him as a sun in the angelic heaven, which light is in its essence Divine truth (as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126-140). Heavenly joy therefrom is meant by "Thou givest joy in the heart;" multiplication of good and truth is meant by "their corn and new wine are increased," "corn" signifying good, and "new wine" truth. Because peace is in these and from these, it is said, "In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely," "peace" signifying the internal delight of heaven, "security" the external delight, and "to lie down and sleep" and "to dwell" signifying to live.

[14] In Moses:

If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments and do them, I will give peace in the land, so that ye may lie down securely, and none shall make afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3, 6).

This describes the source of peace, that is, of heaven and heavenly joy. Peace viewed in itself is not heaven and heavenly joy, but these are in peace and from peace; for peace is like the dawn or like spring-time in the world, which dispose human minds to receive in the heart delights and pleasures from the objects that appear before the eyes, for that is what makes them delightful and pleasant; and because all things of heaven and of heavenly joy are in like manner from Divine peace, these also are meant by "peace." Since man has heaven from living according to the commandments, for thence he has conjunction with the Lord, therefore it is said, "If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give peace in the land;" that then they would not be infested by evils and falsities is meant by "they would lie down securely, and none make afraid," and by "Jehovah will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through it," "the evil wild beast" signifying evil lusts, and "the sword" falsities therefrom; both these destroy good and truth from which is peace; and "land" signifies the church. (That "the evil wild beast" signifies evil lusts, and the destruction of good by them, see Arcana Coelestia 4729, 7102, 9335; that "the sword" signifies falsities, and the destruction of truth by them, see above, n. 131; and that "land" signifies the church, see also above, n. 29, 304.) One who does not rise above the sense of the letter of the Word sees in this nothing more than that he who lives according to the statutes and commandments shall live in peace, that is, shall have no adversaries or enemies, and that thus he shall lie down securely; also that no evil wild beasts shall harm him, and that he shall not perish by the sword; but this is not the spiritual of the Word, yet the Word in every particular is spiritual, and this lies concealed in the sense of its letter, which is natural; its spiritual is what has here been explained.

[15] In David:

The miserable shall possess the land, and shall be delighted with the multitude of peace. Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace (Psalms 37:11, 37).

"The miserable" mean here those who are in temptations in the world; "the multitude of peace with which they shall be delighted" signifies the delights that follow temptations; for after temptations delights are given by the Lord from the conjunction of good and truth that follows temptation, and the consequent conjunction with the Lord. That man has the delight of peace from the conjunction of good and truth is meant by "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace." The perfection which is to be marked is predicated in the Word of good, and the uprightness which is to be seen is predicated of truth; the "latter end" means the termination when there is peace.

[16] In the same:

The mountains shall bear peace to the people, and the hills in righteousness. In His days shall the righteous flourish, and much peace until the moon be no more (Psalms 72:3, 7).

This treats of the Lord's coming and His kingdom; the "mountains which shall bear peace to the people," signify love to the Lord; and the "hills in righteousness" signify charity towards the neighbor. (That this is the signification of "mountains" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 795, 6435, 10438, for the reason that those who are in love to the Lord dwell in heaven upon mountains, and those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills there, n. Arcana Coelestia 10438; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 188.)

This makes clear that "peace" means heavenly joy which is from the conjunction with the Lord by love; "in His days shall the righteous flourish" signifies one who is in the good of love; therefore it is said, "and much peace;" for as was said above, peace is from no other source than from the Lord, and His conjunction with those who are in the good of love. It is said, "until the moon be no more," which signifies that truth must not be separated from good, but the two must be so conjoined as to be a one, that is, so that truth also is good; for all truth is of good because it is from good, and therefore in its essence is good; truth is such with those who are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, who are here meant by the "righteous." (That the "sun" signifies the good of love, and the "moon" truth therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 1521, 1531, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7083.)

[17] In Isaiah:

Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; upon whose shoulder is the government; he shall call His name Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. To the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7).

These things are said of the Lord's coming, of whom it is said, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given," because "child" in the Word signifies good, here Divine good, and "son" truth, here Divine truth. This is said on account of the marriage of good and truth that is in every particular of the Word; and as Divine good and Divine truth are from the Lord, He is called "Prince of Peace," and it is said, "to the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end;" "government" is predicated of Divine truth, and "peace" of Divine good conjoined to Divine truth, therefore He is called the "Prince of Peace." (That "Prince" is predicated of truths, and that it signifies the chief truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044, and above, n. 29; and that "peace" is predicated of the conjunction of good and truth, see above in this article.)

[18] But as "peace" is mentioned in many passages of the Word, and the explanation must be adapted to the thing treated of, or to the subject of which it is predicated, and consequently its signification appears various, I will tell briefly what "peace" signifies, that the mind may not be borne hither and thither. Peace is bliss of heart and soul arising from the Lord's conjunction with heaven and with the church, and this from the conjunction of good and truth with those who are therein; consequently there is no longer combat of evil and falsity against good and truth, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense; from this is peace, in which all the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth takes place, and thence comes all wisdom and intelligence. And as this peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven, and with men in the church, so "peace" in the highest sense means the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, and thus good conjoined to truth with those who are there.

[19] From this an idea can be had of the signification of "peace" in the following passages. In David:

Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (Psalms 34:14).

"Peace" stands for all things that belong to heaven and the church, from which is the happiness of eternal life; and as only those who are in good have that peace, it is said, "depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

[20] In the same:

Much peace have they that love thy law; and with them there is no stumbling. I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments (Psalms 119:165-166).

"Peace" stands for heavenly blessedness, happiness, and delight, and as these are granted only with those that love to do the Lord's commandments it is said, "Much peace have they who love Thy law." "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments," "salvation" meaning eternal life; that such are not infested by evils and falsities is signified by "with them there is no stumbling."

[21] In Isaiah:

O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us (Isaiah 26:12).

As peace is from Jehovah alone, that is from the Lord and in doing good from him, it is said, "O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us."

[22] In the same:

The angels of peace weep bitterly; the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased (Isaiah 33:7-8).

As peace is from the Lord, and is in heaven from Him, therefore the angels are here called "angels of peace;" and as those on the earth who are in evils and in falsities therefrom have no peace, therefore it is said that they "weep bitterly," because "the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased;" "highways" and "a path" signifying the goods of life and the truths of faith; therefore "the highways are wasted" signifies that there are no longer goods of life, and "the one passing through the path hath ceased" signifies that there are no longer truths of faith.

[23] In the same:

O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, unto the wicked (Isaiah 48:18, 22).

Because those who live according to the Lord's commandments have peace, and not those who do not so live, therefore it is said, "O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river; there is no peace unto the wicked," "peace as a river" signifying in abundance; "righteousness as the waves of the sea" signifying the fructification of good by truths; "righteousness" in the Word is predicated of good, and "sea" of truths.

[24] In the same:

The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My mercy shall not depart from with thee, the covenant of My peace shall not be removed. All thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah; and much shall be the peace of thy sons (Isaiah 54:10, 13).

This treats of a new heaven and a new church. The former heaven and the former church that were to perish are meant by "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed;" that those who are in the new heaven and the new church will be in good from the Lord and possess heavenly joy to eternity through conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "My mercy shall not depart from with thee, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed," "mercy" signifying good from the Lord, and "the covenant of peace," heavenly joy from conjunction with the Lord, "covenant" meaning conjunction; "the sons who shall be taught of Jehovah, and who shall have much peace" mean those in the new heaven and in the new church who will be in truths from good from the Lord, that they will have eternal blissfulness and happiness; "sons" in the Word signify those who are in truths from good; and that they are "taught of Jehovah" signifies that they are in truths from good from the Lord; and "much peace" signifies eternal blissfulness and happiness.

[25] In Ezekiel:

David shall be their prince forever; and I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be a covenant of eternity with them: and I will give them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever (Ezekiel 37:25-26).

This treats of the Lord and of the creation of a new heaven and a new church from him. "David who shall be their prince forever" means the Lord; "to make a covenant of peace with them" signifies heavenly joy and eternal life to those who are conjoined to the Lord; "a covenant of peace" here, as above, meaning heavenly joy and eternal life from conjunction with the Lord; the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth therefrom are signified by "I will give them, and multiply them," and as heaven and the church are therefrom, it is added "and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever," "sanctuary" meaning heaven and the church.

[26] In Malachi:

That My covenant may be with Levi; My covenant with him was of life and peace. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness (Malachi 2:4-6).

"Levi" signifies all who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself, because that good is from Him; here the Lord Himself is meant. "The covenant of life and peace" signifies the union of His Divine with His Divine Human, from which union is all life and peace. That Divine truth is from Him is signified by "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips;" the unition itself which was effected in the world is meant by "he walked with Me in peace and uprightness." (That "Levi" in the Word signifies spiritual love or charity, see Arcana Coelestia 4497, 4502, 4503; and that by him in the highest sense the Lord is meant, n. 3875, 3877)

[27] In Ezekiel:

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Then the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve (Ezekiel 34:25, 27).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of a new church by Him. The conjunction of those who are of the church with the Lord is signified by the "covenant of peace," which He will then make with them; the consequent protection and security from evils and falsities is signified by, "I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods," "the evil wild beast" signifying evils of every kind, "the wilderness where they shall dwell securely" signifying that the lusts of evil shall not infest, "the woods in which they shall sleep" signifying falsities therefrom which shall not infest. The fructification of good by truths and the multiplication of truth from good are signified by "then the tree shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce," "tree of the field" signifying the knowledges of truth, "fruit" signifying good therefrom, "land" signifying the church in relation to good, thus also the good of the church, and "its produce" signifying the consequent multiplication of truth. That these things shall come to pass with them when the Lord has removed the evils and falsities pertaining to them is signified by "when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve;" "the bonds of the yoke" meaning the delights of evil from the love of self and the world, which keep them bound, and "those who make them to serve" meaning falsities, since these make them to serve those evils.

[28] In Zechariah:

A seed of peace shall they be; the vine shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; love ye truth and peace (Zechariah 8:12, 16, 19).

Those are called "a seed of peace" with whom there is the conjunction of good and truth; and because such are meant by the "seed of peace" therefore it is said, "the vine shall give its fruit, and the land its produce," "the vine shall give its fruit" signifies that truth shall bring forth good, and "the land shall give its produce" signifies that good shall bring forth truths; for "vine" signifies the church in relation to truths, that is, the truths of the church, and "land" signifies the church in relation to good, or the good of the church, and "produce" signifies the production of truth; "the heavens which shall give their dew" signify the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth. The conjunction of truth and good is further described by "Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; and love ye truth and peace," "truth" signifying what is true, "the judgment of peace" and "peace" signifying the conjunction of truth with good.

[29] In David:

Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints, that they may not turn again to folly. Mercy and truth ¹ meet together; righteousness and peace do kiss each other (Psalms 85:8, 10).

"Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints" signifies that He will teach and give conjunction with Himself by the conjunction of good and truth with them, "peace" signifying both these conjunctions, "people" those who are in truths from good, and "saints" those who are in good by means of truths; that such thereafter will have no evil from falsity or falsity from evil is signified by "that they may not turn again to folly." Both these conjunctions are further described by "mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace do kiss each other," "mercy" here signifying removal from falsities, and the consequent possession of truths, [which makes clear the signification of "mercy and righteousness meet together, "] and "righteousness" signifying the removal from evils and the consequent possession of goods, which makes clear the signification of "righteousness and peace do kiss each other."

[30] In Isaiah:

How joyous upon the mountains are the feet of him that proclaimeth good tidings, that maketh peace to be heard; that proclaimeth good tidings of good, that maketh salvation to be heard; that saith unto Zion, Thy King ² reigneth (Isaiah 52:7).

This is said of the Lord, and "peace" here signifies the Lord Himself, and thus heaven to those who are conjoined to Him; "to proclaim good tidings" signifies to preach these things; and as this conjunction is effected by love it is said, "proclaim good tidings upon the mountains" and "say unto Zion;" "mountains" signifying here, as above, the good of love to the Lord, and "Zion" signifying the church that is in that good, and the Lord is meant by "thy King who reigneth." Because the conjunction of truth and good from conjunction with the Lord is signified by "peace" therefore it is said, "maketh peace to be heard, proclaimeth good tidings of good, maketh salvation to be heard;" "proclaiming good tidings of good" signifying conjunction with the Lord by good, and "making salvation to be heard" signifying conjunction with Him by truths and by a life according to them, for thereby is salvation.

[31] In the same:

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His wound healing was given to us (Isaiah 53:5).

This is said of the Lord, of whom this chapter evidently treats, and these words describe the temptations that He underwent in the world that He might subjugate the hells, and reduce all things there and in the heavens into order. These grievous temptations are meant by "He was pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," and "the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;" "by His wound healing was given to us" signifies salvation by that means. Therefore "peace" here signifies heaven and eternal life to those who are conjoined with Him; for the human race could by no means be saved if the Lord had not reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens into order, and at the same time glorified His Human, and these were accomplished by temptations admitted into His Human.

[32] In Jeremiah:

Behold I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing; and I will heal them, and will reveal unto them an abundance ³ of peace and truth. All the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I am about to do unto them; that they may dread and may tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them (Jeremiah 33:6, 9).

This also is said of the Lord, that He will deliver from evils and falsities those who are in conjunction with Him. Deliverance from evils and falsities is signified by "I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing, and I will heal them;" for to be healed spiritually is to be delivered from evils and falsities, and as this is done by the Lord by means of truths it is said, "and I will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth;" "the nations of the earth" signify those who are in evils and falsities, of whom it is said that "they shall dread and shall tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them."

[33] In David:

He will redeem my soul in peace, that they come not near to me (Psalms 55:18);

"to redeem my soul in peace" signifies salvation through conjunction with the Lord, and "that they come not near to me" signifies the consequent removal of evils and falsities.

[34] In Haggai:

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, for in this place will I give peace (Haggai 2:9).

"The house of God" signifies the church; "the former house" the church that was before the Lord's coming; and "the latter house" the church that was after His coming; "glory" signifies the Divine truth that was in the one and the other; and "the peace that He will give in this place," that is, in the church, means all these things that are signified by "peace" (of which above, which see).

[35] In David:

Ask for the peace of Jerusalem; let them be tranquil that love thee; peace be within thy ramparts, tranquility within thy palaces; ⁴ for the sake of my brethren and companions I will now speak, Peace be within thee; for the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek good for thee (Psalms 122:6-9).

"Jerusalem" does not mean Jerusalem, but the church in relation to doctrine and worship; "peace" means everything of doctrine and worship, for when these are from a heavenly origin, that is, out of heaven from the Lord, then they are from peace and in peace, from which is evident what is meant by "ask for the peace of Jerusalem;" and as those who are in that peace are said to be "tranquil," it is also said, "let them be tranquil that love thee," that is, that love the doctrine and worship of the church; "peace be within thy rampart, and tranquillity within thy palaces" signifies in the exterior and in the interior man; for the exterior man with the things that are in it, which are natural knowledges and delights, is like a rampart or fortification to the interior man, since it is without or before it and protects it; and the interior man with the things that are in it, which are spiritual truths and goods, is like a palace or house, since it is within the exterior; therefore the exterior things of a man are signified by "a rampart," and his interior things by "palaces;" and the like is true also elsewhere in the Word; "for the sake of my brethren and companions" signifies for the sake of those who are in goods and in truths therefrom, and in a sense abstracted from persons it signifies goods and truths. (That these are meant by "brethren" and "companions" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 10490, and above, n. 47.) "The house of Jehovah our God" signifies the church in which these things are.

[36] In the same:

Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem, praise Thy name, ⁵ O Zion who setteth thy border peace, and satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat (Psalms 147:12, 14).

"Jerusalem" and "Zion" mean the church, "Jerusalem" the church in relation to the truths of doctrine, and "Zion" the church in relation to the good of love; "the name of Jehovah, which Zion will celebrate," signifies everything of worship from the good of love; "who setteth thy border peace," signifies all things of heaven and the church, for "border" signifies all things of these, since in the "border," that is, the outmost, are all things in the complex (See Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 8603, 9215, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548). "He satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat" signifies with all the good of love and wisdom (for "fat" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 5943, 6409, 10033, and "wheat" signifies all things that are from the good of love, in particular the truths of heaven and wisdom therefrom, n. 3941, 7605).

[37] In the same:

Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; that thou mayest see the sons of thy sons, peace upon Israel (Psalms 128:5-6).

"Zion" and "Jerusalem," here as above, signify the church in relation to the goods of love and in relation to the truths of doctrine; the words "Jehovah bless thee out of Zion" mean blessing that is from the good of love, for "Zion" signifies the church in relation to the good of love; and as from that good every good and truth of doctrine proceeds and exists, it is said "that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem, and the sons of thy sons;" "sons of sons" signifying the truths of doctrine and their multiplication to eternity. As all things are from the Lord and through the peace which is from Him, the concluding words are, "that thou mayest see peace upon Israel," "Israel" meaning those with whom is the church.

[38] In the same:

In Salem is the tabernacle of God, and His abode in Zion. There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war (Psalms 76:2-3).

Jerusalem is here called Salem, because "Salem" signifies peace, from which also Jerusalem was named. It was so named because "peace" signifies all those things that have been briefly mentioned above, and which may be referred to. "The tabernacle of God that is in it" signifies the church which is from these things; "His abode in Zion," signifies the good of love, because in that the Lord dwells, and from it gives truths and makes them bear fruit and multiply; and because "peace" also signifies that there are no longer combats of evil and falsity against good and truth, that is, no dissension or war in a spiritual sense, it is said, "There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war," which signifies the dissipation of all combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth, and in general the dissipation of all dissension. Moreover, from "peace":

Jerusalem was called Shalomim (Jeremiah 13:19).

And on that account Melchizedek, who was the priest of God Most High, was king of Salem [peace] (Genesis 14:18);

and by him the Lord was represented; as is evident in David, where it is written:

Thou art a priest forever after the manner of Melchizedek (Psalms 110:4).

[39] In Isaiah:

Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her; that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, that ye may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory. Behold, I extend over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck; ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees (Isaiah 66:10-12).

"Jerusalem," here as above, means the church in relation to doctrine, or, what is the same, the doctrine of the church; of this it is said, "Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her;" and of the doctrine it is said further "that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, and may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory," "breast of consolations" signifying Divine good, and "splendor of glory," Divine truth from which is doctrine. That there will be all these in abundance from conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "Behold, I stretch out over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck;" "peace" signifying conjunction with the Lord, "the glory of the nations" the conjunction of good and truth therefrom, "to suck" influx from the Lord, and "like a river" and "an overflowing brook" abundance. That from this are spiritual love and celestial love, by which conjunction with the Lord is effected, is signified by "ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees," "the side" signifying spiritual love, and "knees" celestial love, and "to be taken up and caressed" signifying eternal happiness from conjunction. (That the "breast" signifies spiritual love, and also "the side" or "bosom," see above, n. 65; that "knees" signify conjugial love, and thence celestial love, see Arcana Coelestia 3021[1-8], 4280, 5050-5062) That "glory" signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom, may be seen above (n. 33, 288, 345); and that "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and in a sense abstracted from persons, the goods of love, may also be seen above (n. 175, 331); therefore "the glory of the nations" signifies genuine truth which is from the good of love, thus the conjunction of these.

[40] In the same:

The work of Jehovah ⁶ is peace; and the labor of righteousness, quietness and security even forever; that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places (Isaiah 32:17-18).

"Peace" is called "the work of Jehovah," because it is solely from the Lord; and everything that comes forth out of peace from the Lord with those who are in conjunction with the Lord is called "the work of Jehovah;" therefore it is said, "the work of Jehovah is peace." The "labor of righteousness" signifies good conjoined to truth, in which is peace; for "labor" in the Word is predicated of truth, "righteousness" of good, and "quietness" of the peace therein; "security forever" signifies that thus there will be no infestation or fear from evils and falsities. This makes clear the signification of "that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places," namely, that they may be in heaven where the Lord is, and in the good of love and of worship therefrom, without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of good and the pleasantnesses of truth; "habitation of peace" meaning heaven where the Lord is; "tabernacles of securities" the goods therefrom of love and of worship without infestation by evils and falsities from hell; and "tranquil resting places" the delights of good, and the pleasantnesses of truth. (That "tents" signify the goods of love and of worship, see Arcana Coelestia 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4391, 10545)

[41] In the same:

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for stones iron; I will also make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders (Isaiah 60:17-18).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and a new heaven and new church at that time; and these words mean that there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, that is, those who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of love; and that there shall no longer be a separation between the internal or spiritual man and the external or natural. That there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, is signified by "for brass I will bring gold, for iron silver, and for stones iron;" "brass," "iron," and "stones" signifying things natural, and "gold," "silver," and "iron" in place thereof, signifying things spiritual; "gold" spiritual good, "silver" the truth of that good, and "iron" spiritual-natural truth. That the Lord is to rule by the good of love is signified by, "I will make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness;" "government" signifying kingdom, "peace" the Lord, and "righteousness" good from Him. That there is no longer to be a separation between the spiritual and the natural man is signified by "violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders," "violence" signifying separation, "land" the internal spiritual man, because there the church is, which in general is signified by "land;" "devastation and breaking shall be no more" signifies that there shall no longer be evils and falsities, and "within thy borders" signifies in the natural man, for in the things in the natural man spiritual things are terminated; "devastation and breaking" signify evils and falsities, because evils devastate the natural man, and falsities break it up.

[42] As those have peace who are in the conjunction of good and truth from the Lord, and as evil destroys good, and falsity destroys truth, so do these destroy peace. From this it follows that those who are in evils and falsities have no peace. It appears as if they had peace when they have success in the world, and they even seem to themselves at such times to be in a contented state of mind; but that apparent peace is only in their extremes, while inwardly there is no peace, for they think of honor and gain without limit, and cherish in their minds cunning, deceit, enmities, hatreds, revenge, and many like things, which unknown to themselves, rend and devour the interiors of their minds, and thence also the interiors of their bodies. That this is so with them is clearly seen after death, when they come into their interiors; these delights of their minds are then turned into their contraries (as is evident from what has been shown in Heaven and Hell 485-490).

[43] That those have peace who are in good and in truths therefrom, and that those who are in evil and in falsities therefrom have no peace, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The wicked are like the sea driven along, when it cannot be quiet, but its waters drive along the filth and mud [;there is no peace, saith My God, to the wicked] (Isaiah 57:20-21).

In the same:

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; devastation and breaking are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their courses; they have made crooked their paths for themselves; whosoever treadeth therein doth not know peace (Isaiah 59:7-8)

In David:

Too much hath My soul dwelt with the hater of peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war (Psalms 120:6-7).

In Ezekiel:

The prophets seduce My people, saying Peace, when there is no peace; and when one buildeth a wall, lo, they daub it with untempered mortar. The prophets of Israel see a vision of peace, when there is no peace (Ezekiel 13:10, 16).

In Jeremiah:

All, from the least unto the greatest, pursue gain; from the prophet even unto the priest everyone doeth a lie. And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people by a word of no weight, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:10-11).

A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a wailing of the powerful of the flock, for Jehovah devastateth their ⁷ pasture, therefore the folds of peace are laid waste because of the glowing of Jehovah's anger (Jeremiah 25:36-37).

In David:

There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin (Psalms 38:3).

In Lamentations:

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood; and my soul is removed from peace; I forgot good (Lamentations 3:15, 17);

besides other passages.

[44] Since peace in its first origin is from the union in the Lord of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and is therefore from the Lord in His conjunction with heaven and with the church, and in the conjunction of good and truth with everyone therein, so the sabbath, which was the most holy representative of the church, was so called from rest or peace; and so also the sacrifices which were called "peace-offerings" were commanded (respecting which see Exodus 24:5; 32:6; Leviticus 3:3; 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 6:12; 7:11; 14:20, 21, 33; 17:5; 19:5; Numbers 6:17; Ezekiel 45:15; Amos 5:22, and elsewhere); and therefore Jehovah is said:

To have smelled an odor of rest from the burnt-offering (Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 23:12, 13, 18; Numbers 15:3, 7, 13; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36);

"odor of rest" signifying the perception of peace.

Poznámky pod čarou:

328. For thou wast slain, and didst redeem us to God in Thy blood, signifies the separation of all from the Divine, and the conjunction with the Divine by the acknowledgment of the Lord, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him. This is evident from the signification of "being slain," as being, in reference to the Lord, the separation of all from the Divine, for "to be slain" signifies in the Word to be spiritually slain, that is, to perish by evils and falsities (See above, n. 315); and because the Lord with such is not, for He is denied, therefore "being slain" signifies, in reference to the Lord, not acknowledged (as above, n. 315 and also denied; and when the Lord is denied He is as it were slain with such as deny, and by the denial they are separated from the Divine; for such as deny the Lord, that is, His Divine, separate themselves altogether from the Divine. For the Lord is the God of the universe, and He is one with the Father, and the Father is in Him and He in the Father, and no one cometh to the Father but by Him, as the Lord Himself teaches; consequently those in the church who do not acknowledge His Divine, and still more those who in heart deny it, are altogether separated from the Divine.

[2] Denying the Divine is here meant by slaying Him with themselves. In the internal sense of the Word the same is meant by "crucifying the Lord" (See above, n. 83, 195); for the Jews, with whom the church then was, denied that he was the Christ, and thereby separated themselves from the Divine and therefore they gave Him up to death, or crucified Him. Moreover, at this day those who deny His Divine do the same; it is therefore frequently said by preachers that those who lead an evil life and blaspheme the Lord crucify Him with themselves. This, therefore, is what is here signified by "Thou wast slain." This is evident also from the signification of "thou didst redeem us to God in Thy blood," as being that He conjoined us to the Divine by the acknowledgment of Him, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him; for "to redeem" signifies to liberate from hell, and thereby to appropriate men to Himself, and thus conjoin them to the Divine, as will be seen from the passages in the Word in which "to redeem" and "redemption" are mentioned, which will be quoted below. The "blood of the Lord" signifies Divine truth proceeding from Him; and because man by the reception of Divine truth from the Lord is liberated from hell and conjoined to Him, therefore "Thou didst redeem us to God in Thy blood" signifies conjunction with the Divine by the reception of the Divine truth from the Lord.

[3] That this sense lies hidden in these words no one can see who abides in the mere sense of the letter, for in that sense nothing else can be seen except that "Thou wast slain" means that He was crucified and "Thou didst redeem us in Thy blood" means that He has reconciled us to His Father by the passion of the cross. Because this meaning is the meaning of the letter, and because it has hitherto been unknown that in the particulars of the Word there is an internal sense which is spiritual, from that sense, namely, the sense of the letter, it has been made a doctrine of the church that the Divine Itself which they call the Father cast away from Him the whole human race, and that the Lord by the passion of the cross made reconciliation, and that thus those for whom He intercedes are saved. Who that has any illumination of understanding cannot see that this doctrinal is contrary to the Divine Itself? For the Divine Itself never casts away any man from Him for He loves all, and therefore desires the salvation of all. It is also contrary to the Divine Itself to be reconciled by the shedding of blood, and to be brought back to mercy by beholding the passion of the cross which His own Son sustained, and from this to have mercy, and not from Himself. Although this doctrine is so contrary to the Divine essence, yet to believe this is called essential faith or justifying faith.

[4] Again, who can think from enlightened reason that the sins of the whole world were transferred to the Lord, and that the sins of anyone who merely has that faith are thereby taken away? But although this is the doctrine of those who never think beyond the sense of the letter, yet the angels who are with men have no perception of these things according to that sense, but according to the spiritual sense, for they are spiritual and therefore think spiritually and not naturally. To angels, "redeeming man in His blood" means liberating man from hell, and thus claiming and conjoining man to Himself by the acknowledgment of Him, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him. Moreover, the church may know that this is so; for it may know that no one is conjoined to the Divine by blood, but by the reception of the Divine truth, and the application of it to the life.

[5] Liberation from hell by the Lord was accomplished by His assuming the Human, and through it subjugating the hells, and reducing to order all things in the heavens, which could have been done in no way except by the Human; for the Divine operates from firsts through ultimates, thus from Himself through the things that are from Himself in ultimates, which are in the Human. This is the operation of Divine power in heaven and in the world. (On this see some things above, n. 41; also in Heaven and Hell 315; and in Arcana Coelestia 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 8603, 9215, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548.) Liberation from hell by the Lord was also accomplished by His glorifying His Human, that is, making it Divine; for thus and not otherwise could He hold the hells in subjection forever; and as the subjugation of the hells and the glorification of His Human was accomplished by means of temptations admitted into his Human, His passion of the cross was His last temptation and complete victory. That "He bore the sins of all" signifies that He admitted into Himself all the hells when He was tempted, for from the hells all sins or evils ascend, and enter into man and are in him; therefore the Lord's "bearing sins" signifies that He admitted the hells into Himself when tempted; and His "taking away sins" means that He subjugated the hells, in order that evils may no more rise up from them, with those who acknowledge the Lord and receive Him, that is, who receive in faith and life the Divine truth proceeding from Him, and who are thus conjoined to the Lord.

It was said that "Thou didst redeem us to God in Thy blood" signifies conjunction with the Divine by the acknowledgment of the Lord, and the reception of Divine truth from Him; and as the church is founded on this, I will state briefly how conjunction is thereby effected.

[6] The primary thing is to acknowledge the Lord, to acknowledge His Divine in the Human, and His omnipotence to save the human race; for by that acknowledgment man is conjoined to the Divine, since there is no Divine except in Him; for the Father is there; for the Father is in Him, and He in the Father, as the Lord Himself teaches; consequently they who look to another Divine near Him, or at His side, as those are wont to do who pray to the Father to have mercy for the sake of the Son, turn aside from the way and worship a Divine elsewhere than in Him. Moreover, they then give no thought to the Divine of the Lord, but only to the Human, when yet these cannot be separated; for the Divine and the Human are not two, but a single person, conjoined like soul and body, according to the doctrine received by the churches from the Athanasian Creed. Therefore to acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human, or the Divine Human, is the primary thing of the church, by which there is conjunction; and because it is the primary it is also the first thing of the church. It is because this is the first thing of the church, that the Lord, when He was in the world, so often said to those whom He healed, "Believest thou that I can do this?" and when they answered that they believed, He said, "Be it done according to thy faith." This He so often said that they might believe, in the first place, that from His Divine Human He had Divine omnipotence, for without that belief the church could not be begun, and without that belief they could not have been conjoined with the Divine, but must have been separated from it, and thus would not have been able to receive anything good from him.

[7] Afterwards the Lord taught how they were to be saved, namely, by receiving Divine truth from Him; and truth is received when it is applied to the life and implanted in it by doing it; therefore the Lord so often said that they should do His words. From this it can be seen that these two things, namely, believing in the Lord and doing His words, make one, and can by no means be separated; for he who does not do the Lord's words does not believe in Him; so also he who thinks that he believes in Him and does not do His words does not believe in Him, for the Lord is in His words, that is, in His truths, and by them He gives faith to man. From these few things it can be known that conjunction with the Divine is effected through the acknowledgment of the Lord and the reception of Divine truth from Him. This, therefore, is what is signified by "the Lamb redeeming us to God in His blood." That "the Lamb" signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, see above n. 314. (On this more may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 293-297, and in the quotations from Arcana Coelestia, n 300-306, as also at the end of that work, where the Lord is particularly treated of.)

That "blood" signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and "salvation by His blood" signifies by the reception of Divine truth from Him, will be explained in the following article.

[8] That "to redeem" signifies to deliver and to make free, and, in reference to the Lord, to deliver and free from hell, and thus to set apart and conjoin to Himself, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, walking in the multitude of his power? I that speak in righteousness, great to save. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed hath come. In all their straitness He was in straitness and the angel of His faces saved them; because of His love and His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up and carried them all the days of eternity (Isaiah 63:1, 4, 9).

This treats of the Lord and His temptation-combats, by which He subjugated the hells. "Edom from which He cometh" signifies His Human, so also does "the angel of His faces." His Divine power from which He fought is signified by "walking in the multitude of His power;" the casting down into hell of those who rose up against Him and the elevation of the good into heaven is meant by "righteousness," thus by these words, "I that speak in righteousness, great to save. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed hath come." His Divine love from which He did these things is described by "In all their straitness He was in straitness, and the angel of His faces saved them; because of His love and His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up and carried them all the days of eternity." From this it is clear that "the redeemed" and "those whom He redeemed" signify those whom He rescued from the fury of those who are from hell, and whom he saved.

[9] In the same:

Thus hath said Jehovah thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Former, O Israel; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine (Isaiah 43:1).

That "to redeem" signifies to free from hell, and to set apart and conjoin to Himself so that they may be His, is clear, for it is said, "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine;" because this is effected through reformation and regeneration by the Lord, therefore it is said, "Jehovah thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Former, O Israel." He is called Creator because "to create" in the Word signifies to regenerate (See above, n. 294). "Jacob" and "Israel" signify those who are of the church, and are in truths from good.

[10] In the same:

Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and the wages of His work are before Him. And they shall call them a people of holiness, the redeemed of Jehovah (Isaiah 62:11-12).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and the establishment of a church by Him. "Daughter of Zion" signifies the church which is in love to the Lord; His coming is meant by "Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and the wages of His work are before Him;" those who are reformed and regenerated by Him are meant by "the redeemed of Jehovah."

[11] These are called the "redeemed" because they have been freed from evils by regeneration, and are set apart by the Lord and are conjoined to Him. In the same:

No lion shall be there, and the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not be found therein; but the redeemed shall go; and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come to Zion with singing, and the gladness of eternity shall be upon their head (Isaiah 35:9-10).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and the salvation of those who suffer themselves to be regenerated by the Lord. That with such there shall not be falsity destroying truth nor evil destroying good, is signified by "No lion shall be there, and the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not be found therein;" that such are delivered from evils and freed from falsities is signified by "the redeemed shall go; so shall the ransomed of Jehovah return;" their eternal happiness is signified by "they shall come to Zion with singing, and the gladness of eternity shall be upon their head," "Zion" meaning the church. What "singing" signifies see just above (n. 326). There are two, words in the original by which "to redeem" is expressed, one signifying deliverance from evils, the other liberation from falsities; these two words are used here; thus it is said, "the redeemed shall go," and "the ransomed of Jehovah shall return." (These two words are also used in Hosea 13:14; and in David, Psalms 69:18; 107:2)

[12] "To redeem" signifies to deliver from evils and to free from falsities, and also to deliver and free from hell, because all evils and falsities with man arise out of hell; and since the Lord removes these by reformation and regeneration, reformation and regeneration also are signified by "to redeem" or "redemption," as in the following passages.

[13] In David:

Rise up as a help to us, and ransom us for Thy mercy's sake (Psalms 44:26);

to "ransom" here meaning to free and to reform. In the same:

God hath ransomed my soul from the hand of hell; and He will accept me (Psalms 49:15).

"To ransom from the hand of hell" means to free; "to accept me" means to set apart and to conjoin to Himself, or to make His own, as servants sold and redeemed. In Hosea:

Out of the hand of hell will I ransom them; I will redeem them from death (Hosea 13:14).

"To redeem" meaning to deliver and free from damnation.

In David:

Bless Jehovah, O my soul, who hath redeemed thy life from the pit (Psalms 103:1, 4).

"To redeem from the pit" means to free from damnation; "the pit" meaning damnation. In the same:

Draw nigh unto my soul, redeem it, and because of my enemies ransom me (Psalms 69:18).

"To draw nigh to the soul" signifies to conjoin it to Himself; "to redeem it" signifies to deliver from evils; "because of my enemies ransom me" signifies to free from falsities, "enemies" meaning falsities. In the same:

Let the redeemed of Jehovah say, whom He hath redeemed out of the hand of the distressing enemy (Psalms 107:2).

"The redeemed of Jehovah" means those who are delivered from evil; "whom He hath redeemed out of the hand of the distressing enemy" means those whom He has freed from falsities. In Jeremiah:

I am with thee, to save thee and to rescue thee; and I will rescue thee out of the hand of the evil, and I will ransom thee out of the hand of the violent (Jeremiah 15:20-21).

"To ransom out of the hand of the violent" means to free from falsities that offer violence to the good of charity; the "violent" signifying such falsities, consequently those also who are in them.

[14] In David:

Let Israel hope in Jehovah, for with Jehovah there is mercy, and in Him is much ransom, and He shall ransom Israel out of all his iniquities (Psalms 130:7-8).

"Ransom" means liberation; "Israel" the church; and to reform those who are of the church and free them from falsities is signified by "He shall ransom Israel out of all his iniquities."

In the same:

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I have waited for thee. Ransom Israel, O God, out of all his distresses (Psalms 25:21-22).

"To ransom Israel out of distresses" means here also to free those who are of the church from falsities, which straiten.

In Isaiah:

Is My hand shortened, that there is no ransoming? or is there no power in Me to rescue? (Isaiah 50:2).

That "ransoming" means liberation is evident, for it is said also, "Is My hand shortened, or is there no power in Me to rescue." In David:

God shall hear my voice; He shall ransom my soul in peace (Psalms 55:17-18);

"to ransom" here means to free.

In the same:

Unto Thee will I sing psalms with the harp, Thou Holy One of Israel. My lips shall praise; and my soul, which Thou hast ransomed (Psalms 71:22-23).

"To ransom the soul" means to free from falsities; for "soul" in the Word signifies the life of faith, and "heart" the life of love; therefore "to ransom the soul" signifies to free from falsities and to give the life of faith.

[15] In the same:

Ransom me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Thy precepts (Psalms 119:134).

"To ransom from the oppression of man" signifies to free from the falsities of evil, for "man" signifies the spiritual affection of truth and wisdom therefrom, and in the contrary sense, as here, the lust of falsity and insanity therefrom; the "oppression of man" signifies the destruction of truth by falsities.

In the same:

Into Thine hand I will commend my spirit; Thou hast ransomed me, O Jehovah, God of truth (Psalms 31:5);

"to ransom" means to free from falsities and to reform by means of truths; and because this is signified by "ransom" it is said, "O Jehovah, God of truth." In the same:

Crime is in the hands of sinners, and their right hand is full of a bribe. But as for me, I walk in mine integrity; ransom me, and be merciful unto me (Psalms 26:10-11);

"to ransom" meaning to free from falsities and to reform. In the same:

He shall redeem their soul from fraud and violence; and precious shall their blood be in His eyes. And he shall live, and to him shall He give of the gold of Sheba; and He shall pray for him continually; all the day shall He bless them (Psalms 72:14-15).

The "needy" are here treated of, by whom those are signified who desire truths from spiritual affection; of these it is said that "He shall redeem their soul from fraud and violence," which signifies liberation from falsities and evils that destroy the goods of love and the truths of faith; the reception of Divine truth by them is signified by "precious shall their blood be in His eyes;" their reformation is described "he shall live, and to him shall He give of the gold of Sheba; and He shall pray for him continually; all the day shall He bless him;" "the gold of Sheba" is the good of charity; "to pray for him continually" signifies that they shall constantly be withheld from falsities and kept in truths; and "all the day shall He bless him" signifies that they shall constantly be in the good of charity and faith, for this is a Divine benediction; while to withhold from falsities and to keep in truths is "to pray for him continually."

[16] In Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah, For nought ye have been sold, and not by silver shall ye be redeemed. My people went down into Egypt to sojourn there, but Assyria oppressed them for nought (Isaiah 52:3-4).

This treats of the desolation of truths by knowledges and by the reasonings of the natural man from them; for "My people went down into Egypt to sojourn there" signifies the instruction of the natural man in knowledges and cognitions of truth; "Egypt" signifies knowledges and also cognitions, but such as are from the sense of the letter of the Word; and "to sojourn" signifies to be instructed; "Assyria oppressed them for nought" signifies the falsification of knowledges by the reasonings of the natural man; "Assyria" signifying reasonings, and "to oppress for nought" falsifications, for falsities are nought because there is nothing of truth in them. Knowledges are thus falsified when the natural man separate from the spiritual forms conclusions; this is why it is said, "For nought ye have been sold, and not by silver shall ye be redeemed;" "for nought to be sold" signifies from self or from the selfhood to alienate oneself from falsities and renounce them; and "not by silver to be redeemed" signifies that one cannot be delivered by means of truth from the falsities of evil; "silver" signifying truth, and "to be redeemed" signifying to be delivered from the falsities of evil and to be reformed.

[17] In Zechariah:

I will bring them together, because I will ransom them; and then shall they be multiplied; I will sow them among the peoples; and I will bring them back out of the land, and will bring them together out of Assyria; and I will lead them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon (Zechariah 10:8-10).

This treats of the restoration of the church, and reformation by means of truth from good; and "I will bring them together, because I will ransom them" signifies the dispersion of falsities and reformation by means of truths; therefore it is said, "they shall be multiplied, and I will sow them among the peoples," which signifies the multiplication and insemination of truth from good; "to bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and to bring them together out of Assyria" signifies (as above) to withdraw them from the falsifying of truth that they are in by their reasonings from knowledges; "to lead them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon" signifies to the good of the church, which is the good of charity, and to the good and truth of faith; the former is "the land of Gilead" and the latter "Lebanon. "

[18] From this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by Jehovah's "leading the people out of Egypt" and "ransoming them," as in Moses:

I will rescue you from bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments (Exodus 6:6).

I led you out of Egypt with a stretched-out arm, and I ransomed you out of the house of bondmen (Deuteronomy 7:8; 9:26-29; 13:5; 15:15; 24:18).

Thou in Thy mercy hast led Thy people whom Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in the strength of Thy hand to the habitation of Thy holiness (Exodus 15:13).

And in Micah:

I made thee to go up out of the land of Egypt, and ransomed thee out of the house of bondage (Micah 6:4).

This means in the sense of the letter that they were led by the Divine power out of Egypt, where they had been made bondmen; but in the internal or spiritual sense no such thing is meant, but it means that those who are of the church, that is, those that are reformed by the Lord by means of truths and a life according to them, are delivered and freed from evils and from the falsities thence, for these are the things that make man a bondsman; this is the spiritual sense of these words, and in this sense are the angels when man is in the sense of the letter.

[19] Moreover, by "redemption" the angels understand deliverance from evils and liberation from falsities in the following passages. In Moses:

I will put a ransom between My people and Pharaoh's people (Exodus 8:23).

In David:

He hath sent a ransom unto His people; He hath commanded His covenant for ever; holy and fearful is His name (Psalms 111:9).

In Matthew:

What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, but shall cause the loss of his soul? or what price shall a man give sufficient for the redemption of his soul? (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36-37);

"redemption" here meaning deliverance from damnation.

[20] From this it can be seen what the Lord's redeeming mankind signifies, namely, that He delivered and freed them from hell and from the evils and falsities that continually rise up therefrom and bring man into condemnation, and that He continually delivers them and frees them. This deliverance and liberation was effected by His subjugating the hells; and the continual deliverance and liberation by His glorifying His Human, that is, making it Divine, for thereby He keeps the hells continually subjugated; this, therefore is what is signified by His redeeming man, and by His being called in the Word "Redeemer," as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Fear not, thou worm of Jacob, and ye mortals of Israel; I am He that helpeth thee, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:14).

Thus said Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, because of Jehovah who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee (Isaiah 49:7).

Our Redeemer is Jehovah of Hosts, His name the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 47:4).

Thus said Jehovah your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 43:14).

That all flesh may know that I Jehovah am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 49:26).

That thou mayest know that I Jehovah am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 60:16).

By the "Holy One of Israel," and the "Mighty One of Jacob," who is here called "Redeemer," is meant the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and by "Jehovah" is meant His Divine Itself. The Lord in respect to His Divine Human is called "the Holy One of Israel," and "the Mighty One of Jacob," and the "Strong One of Jacob," because "Israel" and "Jacob" signify the church, thus those who are regenerated and reformed, that is, redeemed by the Lord, for these alone are of the church, that is, constitute the church of the Lord.

[21] That the Lord's Divine Human is what is called "the Holy One" is evident in Luke:

The angel said unto Mary, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; therefore the Holy Thing born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

And that the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is "the Strong One of Jacob," and the "Mighty One of Jacob;" in the same:

The angel said unto Mary, Behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bring forth a Son. He shall be great, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:30-33).

"The house of Jacob" evidently means the Lord's church, not the Jewish nation.

[22] Because the Lord's Human was equally Divine with His Divine Itself that took on the Human, Jehovah is called "the Redeemer" in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am Jehovah thy God (Isaiah 48:17).

Jehovah of Hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall He be called (Isaiah 54:5).

In David:

O Jehovah, my ¹ Rock and my Redeemer (Psalms 19:14).

In Jeremiah:

Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of Hosts is His name (Jeremiah 50:34).

In Isaiah:

Thou, O Jehovah, art our Father, our Redeemer; from everlasting is Thy ² name (Isaiah 63:16).

From this it can now be seen how this saying of the Lord is to be understood:

The Son of man came to give His soul a redemption for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45);

namely, that they might be delivered and freed from hell; for the passion of the cross was the last combat and complete victory by which He subjugated the hells, and by which He glorified His Human (See The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 293-297, 300-306).