388. And by the wild beasts of the earth, signifies the evils of life, which are lusts and falsities therefrom springing from the love of self and of the world, which devastate all things of the church with man. This is evident from the signification of "wild beasts," as being the lusts and falsities that spring from the love of self and the world; and because these are the evils of life themselves, since an evil life is a life of lusts and falsities, therefore these are here meant by "the wild beasts of the earth;" that this is the signification of "wild beasts" will be seen in what follows. Also from the signification of "the earth," as being the church (of which see above, n. 29, 304); and as "wild beasts" signify the evils of life, and these devastate the church with man, and "the earth" signifies the church, so the "wild beasts of the earth" signify the evils of life which devastate the church with man. It is said the church with man, because the church is in man; for the church is a church from charity and faith, and these are in man; and if these are not in him, the church is not with him. It is believed that the church is where the Word is, and where the Lord is known; but still the church consists of those only who from the heart acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and who learn truths from the Lord by the Word and do them; others do not constitute the church. That "the wild beasts of the earth" here signify, in particular, the evils of life can be seen from the series of things in the internal sense. It is said that "there was given unto them power over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth," "sword" signifying falsity destroying truth, "famine," the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, "death" the extinction of spiritual life; therefore "the wild beasts of the earth" signify the evils of life, since these rule when spiritual life is extinct, for where there is no spiritual life there life is merely natural, and natural life apart from the spiritual is full of lusts from the love of self and the world, thus is infernal; therefore that life is meant by "the evil wild beast."

[2] Moreover, in respect to the evil life that is signified by "the evil wild beast," such may be the life as well with those who lead a good moral life, if they have no spiritual life; for such do good and speak truth and practice sincerity and justice but only because of reputation, honor, gain, and the laws, thus for the sake of appearance, that they may emulate those who are spiritual, while inwardly they have no will of good and no thought of truth, and laugh at sincerity and justice, unless for the causes mentioned above; consequently they are infernal within. This is also clearly manifest when such persons become spirits, which takes place immediately after death; then the external bonds mentioned above are taken away from them, and they then rush without restraint into evils of every kind. But it is otherwise with those who have led a good moral life from a spiritual origin. (On this subject see further in the work on Heaven and Hell 484, 529-531, 534 and above, n. 182.) This has been said to make known what is meant by an evil life, namely, that it is not the external life that pertains to the body and has reference to the world where men are, which is called the natural world, but is the internal life that pertains to the spirit and has reference to the world where angels are, which is called the spiritual world. For in respect to his body, its gestures and speech, man is in the natural world, but in respect to his spirit, that is, in respect to thought and affection, man is in the spiritual world; in fact, as the bodily sight has extension into the natural world and sweeps about there, so the sight of the spirit, which is thought from affection, has extension into the spiritual world and sweeps about there. That this is so is known to few; and it is therefore supposed that thinking evil and willing evil is of no consequence if only one does not do evil and speak evil; and yet every thought and volition affects the spirit of man and makes up his life after death.

[3] That "evil wild beasts" signify the lusts and the falsities from them springing from the love of self and the world, that devastate all things of the church with man, and in a contrary sense signify also the affections of truth that vivify all things of the church, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Jeremiah:

Go ye, gather together every wild beast of the field; come to eat. Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trodden down My field, they have made the field of desire a wilderness of solitude (Jeremiah 12:9-10).

This treats of the vastation of the church in respect to its truths and its goods. Vastation is described by "the shepherds have destroyed the vineyard of the Lord," and "have trodden His field under foot;" "shepherds" mean those who teach truths, and by means of them lead to good of life; here those who teach falsities and by means of them lead to evil of life; "vineyard" means the church in respect to truths; and "field" the church in respect to good; its vastation is meant by "have destroyed" and "have trodden down," also by "they have made the field a wilderness of solitude." And as lusts and falsities springing from the love of self and the world devastate it, it is said, "Go ye, gather together every wild beast of the field; come to eat;" "every wild beast of the field" signifying the falsities and lusts springing from those loves, and "to eat" signifying to devastate and consume. "The wild beast of the field" does not mean evidently the wild beast of the field, for it is said "shepherds have destroyed the vineyard and trodden down the field;" and "shepherds" mean shepherds (pastors) of the church, and not shepherds of the flock.

[4] In David:

Why doth the boar out of the forest tread under foot [thy vine], and the wild beast of the fields doth feed on it (Psalms 80:13)?

"Vine" here signifies the same as "vineyard" above, namely, the church in respect to truth, which is called the spiritual church; its vastation by the lusts and falsities of the natural man separated from the spiritual is meant by "the boar out of the forest treadeth it under foot;” "the boar out of the forest" signifying the evil lusts of the natural man, and "the wild beast of the field" falsities.

[5] In Hosea:

I will lay waste her vine and her fig-tree; and I will make them a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall eat them (Hosea 2:12).

"Vine" and "fig-tree" signify the church, "vine" the internal church which is of the spiritual man, and "fig-tree" the external church which is of the natural man; the vastation of both is signified by "I will lay them waste, and make them a forest; and the wild beast of the field shall eat them," "a forest" signifying the sensual man who is in mere fallacies and in falsities therefrom, and the "wild beast of the field" signifying falsities therefrom and evil lusts; for when the church with man is laid waste, that is, when the truth of the church is no longer believed, then man becomes sensual, believing nothing but what he can see with his eyes and touch with his hands; and such a man gives himself up wholly to the love of self and the love of the world, thus to lusts. That the church is here meant by "the vine" and "fig-tree" is evident from the second verse of the same chapter, where it is said that they should plead with their mother, "for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband," "mother" and "wife" in the Word signifying the church.

[6] In Moses:

By little and little I will drive out the nations, lest the land become a waste, and the wild beast of the field be multiplied against thee (Exodus 23:29-30Deut. Deuteronomy 7:22).

What this signifies can be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 9333-9338), namely, that "nations" signify the evils that man has, even those from inheritance; and that these with man are removed "by little and little," since if they were removed suddenly, before good is formed in him by truths, falsities would enter which would destroy him. "The wild beasts of the field" signify the falsities springing from the delights of natural loves.

[7] In the same:

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 make afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through your land. But if ye do not hearken unto Me and do all My commandments, I will send among you the wild beast of the field, which shall bereave you of your children, and cut off your cattle, and make you few in number, that your ways may be laid waste (Leviticus 26:3, 6, 14, 22).

This describes the state of life of those who are in charity, and of those who are not in charity. The life of charity is meant by "walking in the statutes and keeping the commandments and doing them," for this is charity; the state of their life is described by "peace," by "they shall lie down securely, and none make them afraid," which signifies blessedness of heart and soul arising from the conjunction of good and truth, whence there is no longer any combat of evil and falsity against good and truth. It is also described by "I will cause the evil beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through it," which signifies that there will no longer be any lusts or falsities springing from the love of self and the world, "the evil wild beast" signifying the lusts that destroy good affections, and "the sword" signifying the falsities that destroy truths. That those who are not in charity are in a contrary state is described by "if ye do not hearken unto Me and do all My commandments, I will send among you the wild beast of the field, which shall bereave you of your children, and cut off your cattle, and make you few in number, that your ways may be laid waste," which signifies that by lusts and falsities from them they shall be deprived of every good and truth. The lusts and falsities therefrom that will deprive are signified by "the wild beasts of the field that shall bereave you of your children;" the good affections of which they will be deprived are signified by "the cattle that shall be destroyed," and the truths themselves therefrom by their "ways" that shall be laid waste, "ways" meaning the truths that lead to good.

[8] In Ezekiel:

Then 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 forests. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, and the wild beast of the field shall not devour them; but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make afraid (Ezekiel 34:25, 28).

This treats of the Lord's coming and His kingdom at that time; what is signified in the internal sense, can be seen from the passages just now explained, where many like words occur; the evil wild beast in the land" signifies lusts; and "the wild beast of the field" falsities.

[9] In Hosea:

I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and I will devour them like a fierce lion; the wild beast of the field shall cleave them asunder (Hosea 13:8).

This treats of the vastation of good by falsity, "a bear bereaved of her whelps" signifying the power of evil from falsity, and "a fierce lion" the power of falsity from evil, and "the wild beast of the field" lusts and falsities; destruction by these is signified by "the wild beast shall cleave them asunder;" the separation of truth from good by falsity and evil is signified by "rending the caul of their heart."

[10] In Isaiah:

No lion shall be there, and the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not go up thither (Isaiah 35:9).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming, and the state of those who are in His kingdom. "No lion shall be there" signifies that there shall be no falsity destroying truth; "the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not go up thither" signifies that there shall be no lust of destroying; it is said "shall not go up thither," because this lust is from hell.

[11] In Zephaniah:

Jehovah will stretch out His hand over the north, and will destroy Assyria; that the droves may lie down in! the midst of her, every wild beast of the nation; both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge in the chapiters thereof. Such is the city that dwelleth securely, saying in her heart, I, and none other beside me; how is she become a waste, a place for the wild beast to lie down in! (Zephaniah 2:13-15).

This treats of self-intelligence, which confirms falsities and evils by reasonings from knowledges [scientifica], and by applying to them things from the sense of the letter of the Word. "The north" signifies the natural and sensual man, and the knowing [faculty] [scientificum] that belongs to it; and "Assyria" signifies reasoning therefrom; and "saying in her heart, I, and none other beside me" signifies self-intelligence. This makes clear what is involved in these particulars, in series, namely, "Jehovah will stretch out His hand over the north, and will destroy Assyria" signifies that He will deprive such a natural man, and its power to understand and reason thence, of all perception of good and understanding of truth; "the droves shall lie down in! the midst of her, every wild beast of the nation; both the pelican, and the bittern, shall lodge in the chapiters thereof" signifies that there shall be falsities of evil, and falsities of thought and perception in the knowledges from the Word everywhere therein, "the wild beast of the nation" meaning the falsity of evil, "pelican and bittern" the falsity of thought and perception, and "chapiters" the knowledges from the Word. "Such is the city that dwelleth securely, saying in her heart, I, and none other beside me" signifies that such intelligence trusts in itself and draws only from self [ex proprio], "city" signifying doctrine from such intelligence; "how is she become a waste, a place for the wild beast to lie down in!" signifies that it has nothing of truth in it but is full of falsities.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude, Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, he has become high above all the trees of the field; but because he was lifted up in his height, and hath set his top among the thick boughs, therefore strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations, and they shall cast him down. Upon his ruin every fowl of the heavens shall dwell, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches (Ezekiel 31:2-3, 5, 10, 12 - 31:12-13).

These things have a like signification as those above; "Pharaoh king of Egypt" meaning the like as "the north," namely, the natural man and the knowing [faculty] [scientificum] that belongs to it; "Asshur" reasoning from it; "he was lifted up in his height, and hath set his top among the thick boughs" signifies glorying in intelligence from reasoning, thus in self-intelligence. From this general idea of the contents it can be seen what the particulars here involve, namely, "Speak unto pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude" signifies what pertains to the natural man, and its knowledges [scientifica], "Pharaoh king of Egypt" meaning the natural man, and "his multitude" the knowing faculty there; "Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon, has become high above all the trees of the field" signifies the rational increasing by knowledges [scientifica], "Asshur" meaning the rational, and "cedar" the intellectual, and "its becoming high above all the trees of the field" signifying immense increase from the knowledges of truth and good; "but because he was lifted up in his height, and hath set his top among the thick boughs" signifies because he gloried in his intelligence, and in the knowledge [scientia] belonging to the natural man; and this glorying, which is an elation of mind from the love of self is from the selfhood; for the natural man separated from the spiritual exalts itself, because when separated from the spiritual it is in one's own [proprium, and] attributes all things to itself and nothing to God; "to set his top" is exalting oneself; and "thick boughs" are the knowledges [scientifica] that belong to the natural man (See Arcana Coelestia n.2831, 8133).

"Strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations, and they shall cast him down" signifies that falsities and evils therefrom shall destroy the rational, "strangers" meaning falsities, and "the violent of the nations" evils therefrom; whence "upon his ruin every fowl of the heavens shall dwell, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches" signifies that then there will be the falsities of thought and the evils of affection;" "fowl" signifying the knowledges both of truth and of falsity, "wild beast" the evils of affection therefrom, and "field" the church, for no other falsities and evils are meant than those that are in the church. (That birds signify thoughts, ideas, and reasonings, in both senses, with a difference according to their genera and species, Arcana Coelestia 776[1-6], 778, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441

[13] In the same:

I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers; upon the faces of the field shalt thou fall; thou shalt not be gathered nor brought together; I have given thee for food to the wild beast of the land and to the fowl of heaven (Ezekiel 29:5; 32:4).

This, too is said of Pharaoh and the Egyptian, who signify the natural man separate from the spiritual, and this, when separated is in mere falsities and evils, for it is then without the light of heaven, which gives all intelligence; therefore "I will abandon thee in the wilderness" signifies to be without truths and goods; "the fish of his rivers" signify the sensual knowing faculty [scientificum sensuale] (See above, n. 342; "upon the faces of the field shalt thou fall" signifies that for it everything of the church is to perish; "thou shalt not be gathered nor brought together" signifies that good and truth will not be seen, for the spiritual man sees these in the natural, for the natural brings together and gathers knowledges [scientifica] and forms conclusions; "I have given thee for food to the wild beast of the land and the fowl of heaven" signifies here as above, to be about to perish by the falsities of thought and the evils of affection therefrom. Because the natural man separated from the spiritual is carried away into falsities of every kind and becomes hurtful, therefore "Egypt" is to be:

A wild beast of the reed (Psalms 68:30).

[14] In Ezekiel:

Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou and all thy hordes, and the peoples that are with thee; I have given thee for food to the bird of prey, the bird of every wing, and to the wild beast of the field (Ezekiel 39:4).

This is said of Gog, which signifies external worship separated from internal, which in itself is no worship, for it is the worship of the natural man separated from the spiritual. "Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel" signifies that such have nothing of the good of charity, "mountains of Israel" signifying the goods of charity, and "to fall" there signifying to perish; "thou and all thy hordes, and the people that are with thee," signifies that such worship, with its doctrinals and falsities, would perish; "I have given thee for food to the bird of prey, the bird of every wing, and to the wild beast of the field," signifies the extinction of truth and good by falsities of every kind and by evils; the evils that are signified by "the wild beast of the field" are the evils of life, which are the lusts arising from the love of self and the world.

[15] In David:

O God, the nations have come into Thine inheritance; the temple of Thy holiness have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps; the dead body of Thy servants have they given for food to the fowl of the heavens, the flesh of Thy saints to the wild beast of the earth (Psalms 79:1-2).

"Nations" here does not mean nations, but the evils of life and the falsities of doctrine; for God's "inheritance" signifies the church wherein the Lord is all the good and all the truth, because these are from Him; "to defile the temple of holiness, and to lay Jerusalem in heaps," signifies to profane worship and to pervert the doctrine of the church, "the temple of holiness" signifying worship, because worship is there, and "Jerusalem" signifying the church in relation to doctrine, thus also the doctrine of the church; "to give the dead body of Thy servants for food to the fowl of the heavens, and the flesh of Thy saints to the wild beast of the earth" signifies to destroy all truths by falsities, and all goods by evils; here, too, "the fowl of the heavens" means thoughts of falsity, and "the wild beast of the earth" the affections of evil therefrom.

[16] In the same:

Give not the soul of Thy turtle dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy wretched ones perpetually (Psalms 74:19).

"Turtle dove" signifies spiritual good, so, too, those who are in that good; and "the wild beast" signifies the falsity of evil lusting to destroy, so, too, those who are in the falsity of evil and are eager to destroy; this makes clear what "give not the soul of Thy turtle dove unto the wild beast" signifies. "Wretched ones" mean those who are infested by falsities, and are thence in anxiety, and are waiting for deliverance.

[17] In Ezekiel:

The sheep were scattered with no shepherd, and became food for every wild beast of the field, and were scattered (Ezekiel 34:5, 8).

This signifies that the goods of charity have been destroyed by falsities and utterly consumed by evils of every kind therefrom; "the wild beast of the field" meaning the evils of life springing from the falsities of doctrine; "sheep," in the Word, mean those who are in the good of charity; but the genuine spiritual sense is a sense abstracted from persons, consequently "sheep" signify the goods of charity; "shepherds" signify those who by truths lead to good, and in an abstract sense, the truths themselves through which there is good; therefore "without a shepherd" signifies that there is no truth through which there is good, and therefore falsity. "To become food" signifies to be consumed, the same as "to be eaten" when wild beasts are spoken of; "the wild beast of the field" signifying the evils from falsities.

[18] In Job:

Blessed is the man whom God chasteneth. In famine He shall ransom thee from death; and in war from the hands of the sword. At devastation and famine thou shalt laugh, and thou shalt not fear the wild beast of the land (Job 5:17, 20, 22).

This treats of temptations; "Blessed is the man whom God chasteneth" signifies one who is tempted; "In famine he shall ransom thee from death" signifies deliverance from evil when tempted through the lack and non-perception of good; "in war from the hands of the sword" signifies deliverance from falsities when tempted through the lack and non-understanding of truth; "war" meaning temptation; "at devastation and famine thou shalt laugh" signifies that to him there shall be no lack of good; and "thou shalt not fear the wild beast of the earth" signifies that no falsity shall be in him.

[19] In Ezekiel:

Thus shalt thou say unto them, Those who are in the desolate places shall fall by the sword, and him that is upon the faces of the field I will give to the wild beast to be devoured, and they that be in the fortresses and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will make the land a desolation and wasteness (Ezekiel 33:27-28).

This treats of the desolation of all the truth and the vastation of all the good in the church, as is also said, "I will make the land a desolation and wasteness," "land" signifying the church. "Those who are in the desolate places shall fall by the sword" signifies that those who are in knowledges [scientifica] shall perish by falsities, for the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man without light from the spiritual are here meant by desolate places; "him who is upon the faces of the field I will give to the wild beast to be devoured" signifies that those who are in knowledges from the Word shall perish by the evils of falsity, "the faces of the field" meaning the things of the church, here knowledges from the Word, and the "wild beast" the evil of falsity; "they that are in the fortresses and in the caves shall die of the pestilence" signifies those who by the Word and those who by knowledges [scientifica] have confirmed themselves in falsities and evils, that such shall utterly perish by evils and falsities," "fortresses" meaning confirmations from the Word, and "caves" confirmation from knowledges. That such is the signification of these words, can be seen only from the series in the internal sense, for that sense treats, as has been said, of the total vastation of the church.

[20] In the same:

I will send upon you famine and the evil wild beast, and I ¹ will make thee bereaved; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee: especially will I bring the sword upon thee (Ezekiel 5:17).

In the same:

When I shall send famine upon the land, and cut off from it man and beast; when I shall cause the evil wild beast to pass through the land and bereave it, that it may become a waste, so that none pass through because of the wild beast, and when I shall bring the sword, and send the pestilence; thus when I shall send my four evil judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, the famine, the evil wild beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:13, 15, 17, 19, 21).

In the internal sense "to cut off man and beast" signifies to deprive of every affection of good and truth, both internal or spiritual and external or natural. (That this is signified by "man and beast" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 7424, 7523, 7872. "Famine" signifies the deprivation of the good of love; "sword" the deprivation of the truth of faith, both through falsity; "the evil wild beast" the deprivation of both by the evils of the love of self and of the world; and "pestilence" the consequent loss of spiritual life. These are called here "the four judgments," because man is judged by them.

[21] From the explanation of these and the preceding passages the meaning of each particular here in the series can be seen. "The evil wild beast" means all ravenous beasts, such as lions, bears, tigers, panthers, wild boars, wolves, dragons, serpents, and many others, which seize and rend asunder good animals, such as lambs, sheep, bullocks, oxen, and the like. That such wild beasts, and in general, "the evil wild beast," signify lusts springing from the love of self and the world, from which are all the evils of life and the falsities of doctrine, is from correspondence, as can be seen from the appearances in the spiritual world. There all lusts of evil and of falsity appear as wild beasts of various kinds; moreover, those from whom such appearances spring are like wild beasts, for their highest delight is to attack and destroy the good. This delight is an infernal delight, and is inherent in the loves of self and of the world, in which the hells are. From this it can be seen why it is that "the evil wild beast" in general signifies the evils of life, or lusts and the falsities therefrom springing from the loves of self and of the world, which lay waste all things of the church with man.

[22] Hitherto it has been shown from the Word that "wild beasts" signify evil lusts and falsities, in particular, the lusts of ravaging and destroying goods and truths, thus the spiritual life of man, by means of falsities. It shall now be shown that "wild beasts" in the Word also signify the affections of truth and good, which are contrary to the affections of falsity from evil, which are called lusts. "Wild beasts" signify also in the Word the affections of truth and good, because the word in the original by which they are designated and called signifies life, for in that language a "wild beast" is called chayah, and chayah means life, and the life itself of the spiritual man is in the affection of truth and good; so when "wild beast" is mentioned in the Word in this good sense, it ought rather to be rendered and called animal, which means a living soul. But when "wild beast" is spoken of in this sense, the idea that adheres to the word fera in the Latin must be entirely laid aside, for in that language an idea of what is fierce and ferocious adheres to the word fera, thus an idea of something bad or evil. It is otherwise in the Hebrew tongue, in which fera means life, and in general, a living soul or animal; in this sense chayah or fera cannot be called "beast" [bestia], since frequently in the Word fera and bestia are mentioned together, when fera signifies the affection of truth, and bestia the affection of good. Because fera or chayah in this contrary sense signifies the affection of truth and good, Eve, the wife of Adam, is called Chavah, from that word, as is evident in Moses:

And the Man called his wife's name Eve [chavah], because she was to be the mother of all chay [that is, living] (Genesis 3:20).

Also "the four animals" that were cherubim, are called from the same word, chayah, in the plural; and because, as was said, the idea of fierce and ferocious adheres to the word fera in the Latin, therefore the translators have used "living creatures" [animalia] for the cherubim which appeared as animals (See Ezekiel 1:5, 13-15, 22; 10:15 elsewhere).

[23] Likewise animals that may be eaten, as lambs, sheep, she-goats; rams, kids, he-goats, heifers, oxen, cows, as also animals that are not to be eaten, are called by the common word wild beasts [ferae], and yet they are mild and useful, consequently not wild or ferocious. Thus in Moses:

This is the wild beast that ye shall eat of all the beasts, among all the wild beasts that go on all four, to distinguish between the wild beast that is eaten and the wild beast that is not eaten (Leviticus 11:2, 27, 47).

And elsewhere:

He that hunteth a hunting of the wild beast or ² of the fowl that is eaten (Leviticus 17:13).

Also the animals that were sacrificed, and that have been named above, were termed wild beasts. Thus in Isaiah:

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, and the wild beast thereof is not sufficient for a burnt-offering (Isaiah 40:16).

And in David:

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds for sacrifice; for every wild beast of the forest is Mine, and the beasts upon the mountains of thousands. I know every fowl of the mountains and the wild beast of My fields is with Me. If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is Mine and the fullness thereof. Sacrifice unto God confession (Psalms 50:9-12, 14).

[24] That "wild beast" signifies the affection of truth and good can be seen further from the following passages. In Moses:

In the seventh year, which is the sabbatical year, thou shalt let the land rest and shalt abandon it; that the needy of thy people may eat it, and what they leave the wild beast of the field may eat (Exodus 23:11).

And in another place:

In the year of the Sabbath, all the produce that is in thy land shall be for food for thy beast and for the wild beast (Leviticus 25:7).

Here "beast and wild beast" mean lambs, sheep, she-goats, kids, rams, he-goats, bullocks, oxen, cows, horses, and asses, but not lions, bears, boars, wolves, and the like rapacious wild beasts; so here "wild beasts" mean domestic wild beasts which are useful, which signify the affections of truth and good.

[25] In David:

Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye whales and deeps, the wild beast and every beast, the creeping thing and the bird of wing, kings of the earth and all peoples (Psalms 148:7, 10-11).

These signify goods and truths of every kind with man, from which man worships God; and as man worships God from these, and these are not of man but of the Lord with him, it is meant that these worship God, for no one can worship God rightly from himself, but from God, that is, from the goods and truths that are of God with him. That no one of himself but only from the Lord, is able to name Jesus, is known to some in the church, and is fully known in heaven. "To praise Jehovah" signifies to worship Him; "whales and deeps" signify knowledges and cognitions in general or in the whole complex; "wild beast and every beast" signify the affections of truth and good; "creeping thing and bird of every wing" signify the delight of good and truth of the natural and of the spiritual man; consequently it is also said, "Praise Jehovah, ye kings of the earth and all peoples," these signifying truths of good of every kind. That such things are signified by these words is evident from their signification in the internal sense, and from the Word in heaven, where the Word is spiritual, because it is for the angels who are spiritual. (That the Word is also in the heavens, and there it is in its internal sense, see Heaven and Hell 259-261.)

[26] In the same:

O God, Thou makest the rain of good will to drop down; Thou shalt confirm Thine inheritance when it is weary; Thy wild beasts shall dwell therein (Psalms 68:9-10).

Here too, "wild beast," or "animal," stands for those who are in the affections of truth and good, or in an abstract sense, those affections themselves; for "the rain of good will which God makes to drop down," signifies Divine truth from Divine good; "the inheritance when it is weary which God shall confirm," signifies the church that is in Divine truth in respect to doctrine and life, "inheritance" meaning the church where these are, which is said "to be weary" from the earnest endeavor to do good; "the wild beasts that shall dwell therein," that is, in the inheritance or church, signify the affections of truth and good. That nothing else is here meant by "wild beast," is evident, for no rapacious wild beast, that is, no lust of falsity and evil, can dwell in the inheritance upon which God causes the rain of good will to drop down.

[27] In Hosea:

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth; and I will make them to lie down securely. And I will betroth Me to thee ³ forever (Hosea 2:18-19).

These things are said of a new church from the Lord; and "the wild beast of the field, the fowl of the heavens, and the creeping thing of the earth," have the same signification as above in David (Psalms 148:7, 10, 11), where they have been explained. "Covenant" signifies conjunction; so "to make a covenant" signifies to be conjoined (See Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632). For Jehovah cannot "make a covenant" or be conjoined with the affections of evil and falsity, or with the lusts that are signified by "wild beasts" in the sense first given, nor can He make a covenant with the wild beast, the fowl, and the creeping thing generally, but only with such things as are signified by these. But these things may be seen more fully explained above n. 357.

[28] In Ezekiel:

Speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, Behold Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in branch, and with shady foliage, and high in stature. The waters made him to grow great, whence his stature became higher than all the trees of the field; in his branches did all the birds of the heavens build their nests, and under his boughs every wild beast of the field brought forth; and in his shade have dwelt all the great nations; no tree in the garden of God was equal to him in beauty (Ezekiel 31:2-9).

"Pharaoh and Egypt" here signify the knowing faculty, [scientificum] that belongs to the natural man; and "Asshur" the rational which the knowing faculty serves; the growth of this through knowledges and cognitions is described by "cedar in Lebanon," this also signifying the rational; "the waters that made him to grow great" signify truths, and "branches" signify extension, such as pertains to the thought of the rational man. From this it can be seen what is signified by "in his branches did all the birds of the heavens build their nests; under his boughs every wild beast of the field brought forth, and in his shade have dwelt all the great nations," namely, rational and spiritual truths of every kind, the affections of truth and goods; "the birds of the heavens" signifying the rational and spiritual truths of every kind, "the wild beast" the affections of truth, "to bring forth" signifies to multiply, since every spiritual birth or multiplication is effected by the affections of truth, and "the great nations" signify goods. (That "birds" signify thoughts, and things rational, intellectual, and spiritual, and thus truths, since all things of thought are either truths or falsities, see Arcana Coelestia 745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441; that "to bring forth" signifies to multiply truths and goods, and that this is spiritual birth, n. 3860, 3868, 9325; that "nations" signify those who are in goods, and thence in an abstract sense, goods, n. 1059, 1159, 1258, 1260, 1416, 1849, 6005; and above, n. 175, 331; that "Pharaoh" and "Egypt" signify the knowing faculty [scientificum] in both senses, good and evil, see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391; and that "Asshur" signifies the rational in both senses, n. 119, 1186)

[29] That "Egypt" signifies the true knowing faculty [verum scientificum] and "Assyria" the rational, and that the whole of man's rational has its birth by means of knowledges [scientifica], or that these serve it, as was said above, can be seen from these words in Isaiah:

In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and they shall serve [Jehovah], the Egyptians with Assyria. In that day shall Israel be a third to Egypt and to Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isaiah 19:23-25).

Here "Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum], "Assyria" the rational, and "Israel" the spiritual.

[30] From the passages already cited it can be seen what "bird" and "wild beast of the field" signify in Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Say to the bird of every wing, and to every wild beast of the field, Assemble yourselves and come; gather yourselves from the circuit to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood, even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I will sacrifice for you. And ye shall be satiated at My table with horse and chariot, with mighty man and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17-21).

From the particulars here it is evident that this is said of the church to be established by the Lord among the nations; therefore "the bird of every wing, and every wild beast of the field, that are to be assembled and invited to the sacrifice," signify all who are in the affection of truth and good, for "the flesh that they will eat" signifies the good of love, and "the blood that they will drink," the truth from that good, and "sacrifice" the worship itself from these. But these things may be seen more fully explained above n. 329.

[31] Sometimes in the Word, "wild beast" and "beast" are mentioned together, sometimes "wild beast" alone, and "beast" alone; and sometimes "wild beast of the earth" or "wild beast of the field;" and when "wild beast" and "beast" are mentioned together, then the affection or love of falsity and evil is signified, "the wild beast" signifying the affection or love of falsity, and "beast" the affection or love of evil; or in a contrary sense "the wild beast" the affection or love of truth, and "beast" the affection or love of good. But when "wild beast" alone, or "beast" alone is mentioned, then "a wild beast" means the affection of both falsity and evil, and in a contrary sense the affection both of truth and good; while "beast" means the affection of evil and of the falsity therefrom, and in a contrary sense, the affection of good and of the truth therefrom. But what "beast" signifies will be seen below where it is explained. When, however, "the wild beast of the earth" is mentioned, it means a wild beast that devours animals and men; but when "the wild beast of the field" is mentioned, it means a wild beast that eats up the crops; therefore "the wild beast of the earth" signifies such things as destroy the goods of the church, and "the wild beast of the field" such things as destroy the truths of the church; for both "earth" and "field" signify the church, "earth" signifying the church from the nation and people there, and "field" the church from what is sown, or from the reception of seeds.

Poznámky pod čarou:

734. Verse 7. And there was war in heaven, signifies the combat of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity. This is evident from the signification [of "war," as being spiritual war, that is, ¹ ] of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity (of which presently). The falsity here meant is falsity from evil, and the truth truth from good; for there exist many kinds of falsities, but those falsities only that are from evil fight against truths from good, since evil is opposed to good, and all truth is of good. All those are in the falsities of evil who in their life have given no thought to heaven and the Lord, but have thought only of self and the world. To think of heaven and the Lord in the life is to think that this or that must be done because the Word so teaches and commands; those who do this, since they live from the Word, live from the Lord and heaven. But to think only of self and the world is to think that this or that must be done because of the laws of the country, and for the sake of reputation, honor and gain; such do not live for the Lord and heaven, but for self and the world. These in respect to life are in evil, and from evil in falsities; and those who are in falsities from this origin fight against truths. But these do not fight against the Word, for they call it holy and Divine, but they fight against the genuine truths of the Word, for they confirm their falsities from the Word, but only from the sense of its letter, which in some passages is such that it may be drawn to confirm the most heretical principles, for the reason that the Word in that sense is adapted to the apprehension of children and the simple, who for the most part are sensual, and they receive only such things as are apparent to the eyes; and as the Word is such in the letter, therefore those who are in falsities from evil of life confirm their falsities from the Word, and thus falsify the Word. Yea, they who separate faith from charity so falsify the Word that wherever mention is made of doing or of deeds and works, such passages, of which there are thousands, are explained as if nothing of doing or of deeds or works were meant, but only believing and faith; and so in other cases. This has been said to make known who are meant by those who are in falsities from evil, who "made war with Michael and his angels," as described in the following article.

[2] That "war" signifies in the Word spiritual war, which is the war of falsity from evil against truth from good, and of truth from good against falsity from evil, or what is the same, which is carried on by those who are in falsities from evil against those who are in truths from good, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which the following only need be cited. In Isaiah:

Many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways that we may go in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem; that He may judge between the nations, and reprove peoples; and they shall beat their swords into hoes, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah (Isaiah 2:3-5; Micah 4:2-3).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and that those who will be of His New Church are to be instructed in truths, by which they will be led to heaven. "The mountain of Jehovah" and "the house of Jacob" signify the church in which is love to the Lord and worship from that love; a summoning to that church, and thus to the Lord, is signified by "Many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to that mountain;" that they will be instructed in truths by which they will be led is signified by "He will teach us of His ways that we may go in His paths," "ways" meaning truths and "paths" the precepts of life; that they will be led by the doctrine of the good of love and by the doctrine of truth from that good, which are for the church out of heaven from the Lord, is signified by "out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word from Jerusalem," "the law" meaning the doctrine of the good of love, and "the Word" truth from that good; that evils of life and falsities of doctrine will then be dissipated is signified by "He will judge between the nations and reprove the peoples," "nations" signifying those who are in evils, and "peoples" those who are in falsities, thus in an abstract sense evils of life and falsities of doctrine.

[3] That by the consent of all, combats will then cease is signified by "they shall beat their swords into hoes and their spears into pruning hooks," "sword" and "spear" meaning falsities from evil fighting against truths from good, and truths from good against falsities from evil; "hoes" meaning the goods of the church which are cultivated by truths, for "a field that is tilled by the hoe" means the church in respect to the good of life; and "pruning hooks" mean truths of doctrine, because trees in gardens signify the perceptions and knowledges of truths. Like things are signified by "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore," "war" signifying combats in the whole complex. That they will live a life of wisdom is signified by "Come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah," "the light of Jehovah" meaning Divine truth, and "to go in it" meaning to live according to it, thus in a life of wisdom. That "war" here signifies spiritual war, which is that of falsities against truths and goods, and conversely, and that "swords and spears," which are arms of war, signify such things as are used in spiritual combats, is clearly evident, for the Lord and the church to be established by Him and doctrine for that church are here treated of, and it is said, "He will teach us of His ways that we may go in His paths;" also "Come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah."

[4] In Hosea:

In that day I will make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow, and the sword, and the war, from the earth; and I will make them to lie down securely (Hosea 2:18).

The signification of "the wild beast of the field, the bird of the heavens, and the creeping thing of the earth," with which Jehovah in that day will make a covenant, may be seen above (n. 388, 701), also that "breaking the bow, the sword, and the war," signifies to cease from all combat between falsity and truth; therefore it is added, "and I will make them to lie down securely," which means security from the infestations from evils and falsities that are from hell.

[5] In Zechariah:

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off; but he shall speak peace to the nations (Zechariah 9:10).

This, too, may be seen explained above (n. 355, 357), from which it is evident that "the bow of war" signifies the doctrine of truth fighting against falsities, for this is said of the Lord. In David:

Jehovah who setteth waste places in the earth, who maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear asunder, He burneth up the chariots with fire (Psalms 46:8, 9).

Here also "Jehovah maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth" signifies that He makes combats, understood in the spiritual sense, to cease, which are the combats of falsities against the truths and goods of the church (See above, n. 357).

[6] In the same:

God breaketh the flashes of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the war (Psalms 76:3).

This has a like signification, see above, n. 357, 365).

In Isaiah:

Before the swords shall they wander, before the drawn sword and before the bended bow, because of the grievousness of the war (Isaiah 21:15).

What this signifies may be seen above (n. 131, 357), also that the "grievousness of war" signifies because of the strong assault of falsities against the knowledges of good, which are here signified by "Arabia" or "Kedar."

In David:

Jehovah who teacheth my hands war, that a bow of brass may be let down upon his arms ² (Psalms 18:34).

"To teach the hands war" does not mean war against enemies in this world, but against enemies in hell, which is carried on by the combats of truth against falsities and against evils. The appearance is that such a war is there meant as David waged against his enemies, and thus that Jehovah taught him such war, and how to let down a bow of brass upon the arms; nevertheless spiritual war is meant, also a spiritual bow, which is the doctrine of truth, and "the bow of brass" means the doctrine of the good of life, and this because the Word regarded in its essence is spiritual. But on these words also see above n. 357.

[7] In the same:

Strive, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me, fight against them that fight against me, take hold of shield and buckler and rise up for mine help, draw out the spear, and stop the way against my pursuers; say unto my soul, I am thy salvation (Psalms 35:1-3).

Here "to fight," "to take hold of shield and buckler," and "to draw out the spear," does not mean to grasp these arms of war, since this is said of Jehovah, but it is so said because all arms of war signify such things as pertain to spiritual war. A "shield," because it protects the head, signifies protection against the falsities that destroy the understanding of truth; a "buckler," because it protects the breast, signifies protection against the falsities that destroy charity, which is the will of good; and a "spear," because it protects all parts of the body, signifies protection in general. Because such things are signified it is added, "say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. "

[8] Because Jehovah, that is, the Lord, protects man from the hells, that is, from the evils and falsities that continually rise up out of the hells, therefore He is called "Jehovah Zebaoth," that is, Jehovah of Hosts, and "hosts" signify the truths and goods of heaven, and thus of the church in the whole complex, by which the Lord removes the hells in general, and with each one individually; this is why it is attributed to Jehovah that He fights and wages war as a hero and man of war in battles, as can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Jehovah of Hosts shall come down to fight upon Mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah 31:4).

In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall go forth and fight against the nations, as on the day of His fighting in the day of battle (Zechariah 14:3).

In Isaiah:

Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, He shall stir up zeal like a man of wars, He shall prevail over his enemies (Isaiah 42:13).

In Moses:

Jehovah hath war against Amalek from generation to generation (Exodus 17:16).

This is said because "Amalek" signifies those falsities of evil that continually infest the truths and goods of the church.

[9] Moreover, the wars that are described in the historicals of the Word, both in the books of Moses and in the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, signify spiritual wars; as the wars against the Assyrians, Syrians, Egyptians, Philistines, and, in the beginning, against the idolatrous nations in the land of Canaan beyond and on this side Jordan. What these wars signify becomes evident when it is known what and of what kind are the evil and falsity signified by "the Assyrians," "the Babylonians and the Chaldeans," also by "the Egyptians," "the Syrians," "the Philistines," and the rest; for all nations and peoples that waged war with the sons of Israel represented the hells, which were desirous of doing violence to the church represented by the sons of Israel. Nevertheless, the wars actually took place as they are described, yet they represented and thence signified spiritual wars, since nothing is said in the Word that is not inwardly spiritual, for the Word is Divine, and what proceeds from the Divine is spiritual, and is terminated in what is natural.

[10] That the ancient people also had a Word, both prophetical and historical, that is now lost, is evident from Moses (Numbers 21), where its prophecies are referred to, and are there called "Enunciations;" also the historical books, which are called "The Wars of Jehovah" (Numbers 21:14 and 27). Those historical books are called "The Wars of Jehovah" because they signify the wars of the Lord with the hells, as also do the wars in the historical books of our Word. This, then, is why "adversaries," "enemies," "assailants," "pursuers," "those that rise up," as also all the arms of war, as the spear, the buckler, the shield, the sword, the bow, arrows, the chariot, signify in the Word such things as pertain to combats with the hells and protection against them.

[11] In Moses:

When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies and seest the horse and the chariot, a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them, for Jehovah thy God is with thee. The priest shall say to them when they draw near to battle, Ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart soften, neither fear ye, nor tremble, nor be terrified before them, for Jehovah your God goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).

He who does not know that there is a spiritual sense in every particular of the Word might believe that nothing more interior is here meant than what is meant in the letter; and yet "war" here as elsewhere signifies spiritual war, and therefore "horse," "chariot," and "much people" signify the falsities of religion in which they trust, and from which they fight against the truths of the church, "horse" meaning the falsities of the understanding and reasonings therefrom, "chariot" falsities of doctrine, and "much people" falsities in general. Whether you say falsities or those who are in falsities it amounts to the same. They were not to be afraid of these nor tremble because they were in the truths of the church from the Lord and because the Lord is in these truths with man, and thus from them fights for man against the hells, which are the enemies in the spiritual sense; therefore it is said, "for Jehovah God is with you, and goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." These two senses, the natural and the spiritual, make one by the correspondences that exist between all things of the world and all things of heaven; consequently there is a conjunction of heaven with man by means of the Word. But the spiritual sense that lies hidden in the historical books of the Word is less easily seen than that in the prophetical things, because the historical facts keep the mind fixed in themselves, and thus prevent its thinking anything except what appears in the letter; and still all the historical facts of the Word are representative of heavenly things, and the words are significative.

[12] That all those who were in the truths of doctrine, and thus had become men of the church, and not those that had not yet so become, were to fight, is signified by the following words in the same chapter:

Afterwards the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house and hath not dedicated it, let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the war and another man dedicate it. Or what man is there that hath planted a vineyard and hath not completed and gathered the fruits of it, let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the war and another man complete and gather the fruits of it. Or what man is there that hath betrothed a wife and hath not taken her, let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the war and another man take her. What man is fearful and soft in heart, let him go and return unto his house, lest the heart of his brethren melt as his heart (Deuteronomy 20:5-8).

That "those that had built new houses and had not yet dedicated them," and "those that had planted vineyards and had not yet gathered the fruits of them," and "those that had betrothed wives and had not yet taken them," should remain at home, lest they should die in the war and other men should dedicate their houses, gather the fruits of their vineyards, and take their wives, was commanded and sanctioned from causes in the spiritual world, which no one can see unless he knows what is signified by "building a house," "planting a vineyard," and "taking a wife," also by "dying in war." "To build a house" signifies to establish the church; the like is meant by "planting a vineyard," but a "house" signifies the church in respect to good, and a "vineyard" the church in respect to truth, for both good and truth must be implanted in man, that the church may be in him. The conjunction of these two, namely, of good and truth, is signified by "betrothing and taking a wife;" and "war" signifies spiritual war, which is combat against evils and falsities from hell; and "to die in the war" signifies to succumb before the church is implanted by these means; this is done also by means of temptations, which are also signified by "wars" in the Word.

[13] From this it can be concluded what these statutes signify in the spiritual sense, namely, that the men of the church, that is, the men in whom the church is, who are signified by "the sons of Israel going out to the war," are the ones to fight against enemies, which are the hells, and not those who have not yet become men of the church or men in whom the church is; therefore it is said that those "that have built houses and have not yet dedicated them," also those "that have planted vineyards and have not yet gathered the fruits of them," also those "that have betrothed wives and have not yet taken them," shall not go out to the war, for all these signify those in whom the church has not yet been implanted, thus who have not yet become men of the church; and it is said that such "should go and return to their house, lest they should die in the war," which means that such will not prevail over their enemies, but their enemies over them, since those only prevail over spiritual enemies who are in truths from good, or in whom truth is conjoined to good. It is also said, "lest another man dedicate the house," "gather the fruit of the vineyard," and "take the wife," which signifies lest falsities and evils conjoin themselves with good, or truth of another kind with the affection of good; for "another man" signifies falsity, and also other truth, thus truth that is not concordant. That "the fearful and soft of heart" should also return home signified such as were not yet in the truths and goods of the church and thereby in confidence in the Lord, for such fear the evil, and also cause others to fear them, which is signified by "lest they cause the heart of their brethren to melt." These then are the interior reasons, or reasons from the spiritual world, why these things were commanded.

[14] That "war" signifies spiritual war, which is against things infernal, is clearly evident from this, that the offices and ministries of the Levites about the Tent of meeting were called "military service," as is evident from these words of Moses:

It was commanded Moses that the Levites should be numbered from a son of thirty years to a son of fifty years, to do military service, to do the work in the Tent of meeting (Numbers 4:23, 35, 39, 43, 47).

And elsewhere:

This is the office of the Levites; from a son of twenty-five years and upward he shall come to do military service in the ministry of the Tent of meeting, but from a son of fifty years he shall cease from the military service of the ministry and shall minister no more (Numbers 8:24, 25).

The works and ministries of the Levites about the Tent of meeting are called "military service" because the Levites represented the truths of the church, and Aaron, to whom the Levites were given and assigned for service, represented the Lord in relation to the good of love and in reference to the work of salvation, and as the Lord from the good of love by means of truths from the Word regenerates and saves men, and also removes the evils and falsities that are from hell, against which He continually fights, therefore the functions and ministries of the Levites were called "military service." The same is evident from this also, that their ministries were called "military service" although the Levites did not war against the enemies of the land. This shows that the priesthood is a military service, but against falsities and evils. For the same reason the church at this day is called the church militant.

[15] In Isaiah:

The voice of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people, the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah of Hosts numbereth the host of war (Isaiah 13:4).

This may be seen explained above n. 453; also that "to number the host of war" signifies to arrange the truths from good against the falsities from evil, which are signified by "the kingdoms of the nations gathered together." In the same:

In that day Jehovah shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth on judgment; and for might to those who turn back the war from the gate (Isaiah 28:5, 6).

This is said in reference to those who are in the pride of self-intelligence, who are meant in verse 1 by "the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim." Of those who are not in that pride this is said; that they shall have intelligence from the Lord is signified by "Jehovah shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth on judgment;" "judgment" signifying the understanding of truth, thus intelligence; "Jehovah shall be for might to those who turn back the war from the gate" signifies that the Lord gives power to those who defend the Word and doctrine from the Word, and who prevent violence being done to them; a "city" meaning doctrine, and "gate" which gives entrance to it meaning natural truths. This was why the elders sat for judging in the gates of the city.

[16] In Jeremiah:

Sanctify ye the war against the daughter of Zion; arise and let us go up at noon, arise and let us go up in the night and let us destroy her palaces. Cast up a mound against Jerusalem. Behold a people cometh from the land of the north, cruel and they have no pity; their voice resoundeth like the sea; they ride upon horses prepared as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Zion (Jeremiah 6:3-6, 22, 23).

This treats of the falsification of the Word by those who are in self-intelligence; such are meant by "a people coming from the land of the north," for such in the spiritual world dwell in the north, because they are in falsifications from which truths are not seen; but the church that is in genuine truths is meant by "the daughter of Zion." The assault upon truth and the destruction of the church by such is signified by "Sanctify ye the war against the daughter of Zion, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem;" "Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to doctrine, and thence the doctrine of the church. The effort to destroy truths openly is signified by "arise, let us go up at noon;" and the effort to destroy them secretly is signified by "arise, let us go up in the night;" the effort to destroy the understanding of truth is signified by "let us destroy her palaces;" that they are not at all in the love of truth, but in the love of falsity, is signified by "a cruel people, and they have no pity;" that they reason from knowledges [scientiae] and from self-intelligence is signified by "their voice resoundeth like the sea, they ride upon horses;" that they assault the truth is signified by "they are prepared as a man for war."

[17] In David:

Free me from the evil man, and preserve me from the man of violences, who think evils in the heart; all the day they gather together for war; they have sharpened their tongue like serpents (Psalms 140:1-3).

"Evil man" and "man of violences" signify those who pervert the truths of the Word; he is called "a man of violences" who from a depraved intention offers violence to the truths of the Word by perverting them. The depraved intention is further described by "thinking evils in the heart;" and perverting the truths of the Word is meant by "gathering themselves together all the day for war;" the reasonings by which they prevail are signified by "wars," and therefore it is added, "they have sharpened their tongue like serpents."

[18] In Zechariah:

They shall be as the mighty ones treading down the mire of the streets in the war, and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they that ride upon horses shall be ashamed (Zechariah 10:5).

This treats of the Lord's coming and of those who are in truths from good from Him; of these it is said that "they shall be as the mighty ones treading down the mire of the streets in the war," which signifies that they will dissipate and wholly destroy the falsities of doctrine; "the mire of the streets" signifying that falsity, because a "city" signifies doctrine, "the streets of a city" its truths, and the "mire" in them falsity from truth falsified; "and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them" signifies that from the Lord they will attack and overcome those falsities; "and they that ride upon horses shall be ashamed" signifies that everything of self-intelligence will succumb; "to be ashamed" means to succumb because it is said of those who are overcome, and "to ride upon horses" signifies to trust in self-intelligence.

[19] In Hosea:

I will have pity on the house of Judah, and will save them by Jehovah their God; and I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen (Hosea 1:7).

"The house of Judah" signifies the celestial church; "to have pity and to save them by Jehovah their God" signifies salvation from the Lord; "I will not save them by the bow, the sword, war, horses, and horsemen," signifies not by such things as are of self-intelligence; what "bow," "sword," "horses" and "horsemen" signify has been shown above in various places; "war" signifies combat from such things.

[20] In Ezekiel:

Ye have not gone up into the breaches, neither fenced with a fence for the house of Israel, that ye might stand in the war in the day of Jehovah (Ezekiel 13:5).

This was said of "the foolish prophets," that signify the falsities of doctrine from the Word falsified; that they were not able to correct the backslidings of the church, or amend anything of it, is signified by "Ye have not gone up into the breaches, neither fenced with a fence for the house of Israel;" "the breaches of the house of Israel" meaning the backslidings of the church, and its "fence" what wards off the invasion of falsity, and thus amends; "not to stand in the war in the day of Jehovah" signifies not to fight against the falsities of evil, which are from hell, in the day of the Last Judgment.

[21] In Jeremiah:

How is the city of glory not forsaken, the city of my joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day (Jeremiah 49:25, 26; 50:30).

The doctrine of truth from the Word is meant by "the city of glory," and by "the city of the joy of Jehovah;" that this is turned into the doctrine of falsity by falsifications of truth is signified by "being forsaken or deserted;" that all understanding of truth and thus all intelligence would perish is signified by "therefore her young men shall fall in her streets;" "young men" meaning the understanding of truth, and the "streets of that city" the falsities of doctrine. That there will no longer remain any truths combating against falsities is signified by "all the men of war shall be cut off;" "the men of war" meaning those who are in truths and who fight from them against falsities, and in an abstract sense truths fighting against falsities.

[22] In Isaiah:

Thy slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they killed in the war (Isaiah 22:2).

This is said of "the valley of vision," which signifies the sensual man that sees all things from the fallacies of the senses of the body; because it does not understand truths, and therefore seizes upon falsities instead, it is said "thy slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they killed in the war," which signifies that the truths have not been destroyed by reasonings from falsities, neither by any combats of falsity against truths, but from themselves, because from fallacies from which truths are not seen.

[23] In the same:

I will commingle Egypt against Egypt, that a man may fight against his brother, and a man against his companion, city against city, kingdom against kingdom (Isaiah 19:2).

This is said of the natural man separated from the spiritual; this is signified by "Egypt;" the crowd of falsities in the natural man reasoning and fighting against the truths and goods of the spiritual man is signified by "I will commingle Egypt against Egypt, that a man may fight against his brother and a man against his companion;" "man and brother" signifying truth and good, and in the contrary sense falsity and evil; and "man and companion" signifying truths among themselves, and in the contrary sense falsities among themselves; this division and combat take place when falsities prevail, since falsities continually contend with falsities, but truths do not contend with truths; that there will be like contentions of doctrines among themselves, that is, of the churches among themselves, is signified by "city shall fight against city, and kingdom against kingdom;" "city" meaning doctrine, and "kingdom" the church therefrom.

[24] From this the signification of the Lord's words in the Gospels can be seen:

Many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and shall lead many astray. But ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for nation shall be stirred up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes (Matthew 24:5-7; Mark 13:6-8; Luke 21:8-11).

This was said by the Lord to the disciples respecting the consummation of the age, which signifies the state of the church at its end, which is described in these chapters; so, too, it means the successive perversion and falsification of the truth and good of the Word until there is nothing but falsity and the evil thence. Those who "shall come in His name and shall call themselves Christ, and shall lead many astray," signify those who will come and say that this is divine truth, when yet it is truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; "Christ" meaning the Lord in relation to Divine truth, but here in the contrary sense Divine truth falsified. "They shall hear of wars and rumors of wars" signifies that there shall be disputes and contentions about truths, and consequent falsifications; "nation shall be stirred up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," signifies that evil will fight with evil and falsity with falsity, for evils never agree among themselves nor falsities among themselves; this is why churches are divided, and so many heresies have arisen; "nation" signifies those who are in evils, and "kingdom" those who are in falsities, of whom the church consists. "There shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes" signifies that there will no longer be any knowledges of truth and good, and that the state of the church will be changed on account of the falsities that will corrupt it; "famine" meaning a deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good; "pestilences" corruptions by falsities, and "earthquakes" the changes of the church.

[25] Since "wars" signify in the Word spiritual wars, which are the combats of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity, therefore these combats are described by "the war between the king of the north against the king of the south," and by "the battle of the he-goat against the ram," in Daniel; the war between the king of the north and the king of the south in chapter eleven, and the battle of the he-goat against the ram in chapter eight; and there "the king of the north" means those who are in falsities, and "the king of the south" those who are in truths; the "he-goat" signifies those who are in the falsities of doctrine because they are in the evil of life, and the "ram" those who are in the truths of doctrine because they are in the good of life.

[26] From this it is clear what is signified by "war" in other passages of Revelation, as in the following:

When the witnesses shall have finished their testimony the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them and kill them (Revelation 11:7).

Again:

The spirits of demons doing signs to go forth unto the kings of the earth and of all the countries of the world, to gather them together unto the war of that great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14).

And elsewhere:

Satan shall go forth to lead astray the nations, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to war (Revelation 20:8).

In these passages also "war" signifies spiritual war, which is a war of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity. It is called a war of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity, but it is to be known that those who are in falsities fight against truths, but not so those who are in truths against falsities, for it is always those who are in falsities who attack, while those who are in truths only defend; but in reference to the Lord, He never even resists, but merely protects truths. But more elsewhere respecting this.

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