497. And cast it unto the earth, signifies influx into the lower parts where those were who were to be separated and removed. This is evident from the signification of "casting down the censer filled with the fire of the altar," as being the influx of Divine love out of the heavens (of which presently); also from the signification of "the earth," as being the lower parts, where those were who were to be separated and removed from each other. For in the spiritual world there are lands, hills, and mountains, and these lands, hills, and mountains are inhabited: on the hills and mountains the angels dwell, and these are the heavens; and upon the lands which are below the hills and mountains those who were to be separated from each other dwell; so "lands" (earths) here signify the lower parts. (That the face of things in the spiritual world is similar in this respect as upon our globe is shown in many passages in the work on Heaven and Hell; also in the small work on The Last Judgment; as well as frequently in the above explanations.) From this it can be seen that "he cast the censer filled with the fire of the altar unto the earth" signifies the influx of the Divine love out of the heavens into the lower parts, where those were who were to be separated and removed. For there were societies below upon the lands there, in which the good and the evil were together, and these had to be separated from each other before the Last Judgment could take place; for from the time of the Lord until the time of the Last Judgment, all who could live an external moral life, and thus imitate a spiritual life in appearance were tolerated. (That these were tolerated even until the judgment, and why, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 59, 69, 70; and that "the former heaven" which was destroyed was formed out of these, n. 65-72.) And in the same societies, or "in the former heaven," there were also the simple good, some associated with the others there, and some elsewhere, but conjoined with the others by a holy and pious external; and yet it was necessary that the good should be separated from the evil before the judgment, in order that the good might be elevated into heaven and the evil be cast into hell; and as this separation was effected by the influx of Divine good and truth out of the heavens into those lower parts where they all were, thence it can be seen that "He cast down the censer filled with the fire of the altar" signifies this influx into the lower parts. (Respecting the operation of this influx with the good and its operation with the evil see above, n. 413, 418-419, 426, 489, 493.)

20. Heaven Is Divided into Two Kingdoms

Since there are infinite varieties in heaven - since no community and in fact no individual is just like any other ¹ - heaven is therefore divided overall, more specifically, and in detail. Overall, it is divided into two kingdoms, more specifically into three heavens, and in detail into countless communities. We will now discuss the details. They are called "kingdoms" because heaven is called "the kingdom of God."

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