518. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. - That this signifies that thence all understanding of truth perished, and through that the doctrine of the church, is evident from the signification of falling from heaven, when stated of stars, as denoting to perish, concerning which we shall speak presently; from the signification of the third part, as denoting all; concerning which above (n. 506), here all, because it is said of the understanding of truth and of doctrine, which are signified by rivers and fountains of waters; from the signification of rivers, as denoting the understanding of truth, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of fountains of waters, as denoting the Word, and doctrine from the Word, whence fountains denote the truths of the Word and doctrinals; concerning which above (n. 483).

[2] The reason why falling, when said of stars, which signify the cognitions of good and truth from the Word, as above, signifies to perish, is, that when the Divine Truth in the spiritual world, descends out of heaven to the earth where the evil are, it is turned into falsity, and when Divine Truth is falsified, it then perishes. This also is signified by the words "the stars shall fall from heaven" (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25). This means, that in the last time of the church, the cognitions (cognitiones) of truth and good will perish. That when Divine Truth, in the spiritual world, descends out of heaven into the earth where the evil are, it is changed into falsity, and so perishes, may be seen above (n. 413:2, 418:1, 419:1, 489); for the Divine Truth is changed into such falsity as agrees with the evil of those into whom it flows. That this is the case, is evident from the following experience. It was granted me to see how Divine Truth is changed into falsity, when it passes deep down into hell, and I perceived that it was changed successively in its descent, and at length into the utmost falsity.

[3] The reason why rivers signify the understanding of truth, and also intelligence, is, that waters signify truths, the understanding being a receptacle and collection (complexus) of truths, as a river is of waters, and that thought from the understanding, which is intelligence, is as it were a stream of truth. From the same origin, that is, from the signification of waters, which denote truths, it is that a fountain signifies the Word, and the doctrine of truth, and that pools, lakes, and seas, signify the cognitions of truth in their entire compass.

[4] That waters signify truths, and living waters, truths from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 71, 483), and also in the following places in this article. That rivers and streams signify the understanding of truth and intelligence, is evident from the Word where rivers and streams are mentioned, as in Isaiah,

"Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and rivers in the plain of the wilderness" (Isaiah 35:6).

These things are said concerning the Lord, the reformation of the Gentiles, and the establishment of the church among them. By the lame men who shall leap as a hart, are signified those who are not in genuine good, because not in the knowledges of truth and good. By the tongue of the dumb which shall sing, is signified confession of the Lord by those who are in ignorance of truth. For in the wilderness shall waters break out, signifies that there shall be truths where there was none before; and rivers in the plain of the wilderness, signifies that there shall be intelligence where there was none before; wilderness denoting where there is no truth, and the plain of the wilderness where there is no intelligence. Waters denote truths, and rivers intelligence.

[5] Again:

"I will open rivers upon high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters" (Isaiah 41:18).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord. To open rivers upon high places, denotes to impart interior intelligence; and to open fountains in the midst of valleys, denotes to instruct the external man in truths; the rest may be seen explained above (n. 483).

[6] In the same:

"Behold, I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness. The wild beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl; because I gave waters in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness, to give drink to my people, my chosen" (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

These things also said of the Lord, and of a new church from Him, are meant by, "Behold I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth." By making a way in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness, is signified that there shall be truth, and the intelligence of truth, where they did not exist before; way denotes truth leading to heaven, and rivers denote intelligence; by giving drink to the people, is signified to instruct those who desire to be instructed. By the wild beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl, are signified those who know truths and goods from the memory only, yet do not understand and perceive them; such are those who depending entirely upon others, speak truth without any idea of truth.

[7] Again:

"I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry [ground]; I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and [my] blessing upon thine offspring" (Isaiah 44:3).

To pour waters upon him that is thirsty signifies to instruct those in truths who are in the affection for truth. To pour floods upon the dry [ground] signifies to give intelligence to those who are in the desire for truth from good; the signification of pouring out the spirit and blessing is similar; for by the Spirit of God is signified the Divine Truth, and by blessing, the multiplication and fructification thereof, thus intelligence. Who does not see that here and above, waters and streams, desert and wilderness, are not meant, but such things as pertain to the church? Therefore it is also here added, “I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

[8] In Moses;

"Jehovah bringeth thee into a land of rivers of water, of fountains and abysses springing out of valley and mountain" (Deuteronomy 8:7).

The land of Canaan into which Jehovah would bring them, means the church; therefore rivers of water, fountains and depths that spring out of valley and mountain, signify such things as pertain to the church; rivers of water signify the understanding of truth, fountains doctrinals from the Word; depths that spring out of valley and mountain, the cognitions of truth and good in the natural and in the spiritual man.

[9] In Isaiah:

"Look upon Zion, and Jerusalem. There Jehovah shall be magnificent unto us, a place of rivers and streams, of breadth of spaces, a ship of oar shall not go therein, nor magnificent ship pass through it" (Isaiah 33: [20,] 21).

Here also, by a place of rivers and streams are signified wisdom and intelligence. The signification of the rest is explained above. (See n. 514:10.)

[10] In Joel:

"It shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine (mustum), and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the stream of Shittim" (3:18).

This passage is also explained above (n. 433:13 and 483:5). By the fountain which shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah is signified the truth of doctrine descending from the Lord out of heaven; and by the stream of Shittim which it shall water is signified to enlighten the understanding.

[11] In Ezekiel:

"Waters issued out from under the threshold of the house" of God "eastward. The man (vir) brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. When I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. He said every living soul which creepeth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither, and they shall be healed, in order that every thing may live whither the river cometh. By the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed; it is reborn into its months, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary" (Ezekiel 47:1-12).

These words are also explained above (n. 422:15, 513:7); and from them it is evident that by the waters issuing out of the house of God towards the east is signified the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord and flowing in with those who are in the good of love; and that by the river, upon the banks whereof is every tree for food, and from the waters of which every soul which creepeth lives, and whence there shall be a very great multitude of fish, is signified intelligence from the reception of Divine Truth, whence are all things in man, his affections and perceptions, as well as his cognitions and scientifics, and thoughts, thence attain spiritual life.

[12] In Jeremiah:

"Blessed is the man (vir) that trusteth in Jehovah; he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out his roots by the river, nor shall he see when heat cometh, but his leaf shall be green" (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).

The tree planted by the waters means the man with whom there are truths from the Lord. By spreading out his roots by the river is meant the extension of intelligence from the spiritual into the natural man. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 481:2).

Where gardens and trees are treated of in the Word, there also irrigating waters and rivers are mentioned, and for this reason, that trees signify perceptions and cognitions; while waters and rivers denote truths, and thence the understanding [of them]. For without the understanding of truths man is like a garden where there is no water, whose trees wither away.

[13] As in Moses:

"As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river, as lign aloes which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters" (Numbers 24:6, 7).

These words are spoken of the sons of Israel, by whom the church, which was then to be planted, is signified. This church is compared to valleys that are planted, and to a garden by the river, because valleys signify the intelligence of the natural man, and a garden the intelligence of the spiritual man; and it is compared to lign aloes, and to cedar trees, because lign aloes signify those things which belong to the natural man, and cedar trees those that pertain to the rational man. Because all these live from the influx of the Divine Truth from the Lord, therefore they are said to be planted by the river and by the waters, by which is signified inflowing Divine Truth, whence there is intelligence.

[14] Since by the garden in Eden, or Paradise, are meant the wisdom and intelligence possessed by the Most Ancient people who lived before the flood, therefore where their wisdom is described, the influx of Divine Truth, and therefore of intelligence, is also described by the river which "went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and became into four heads" (Genesis 2:10, and following verses). The river from Eden denotes wisdom from love, which is Eden; to water the garden denotes to give intelligence, while the intelligence itself is described by the four rivers there treated of; as may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 107-121).

[15] Again, in Ezekiel:

"Ashur was a cedar in Lebanon. The waters caused it to grow, the abyss made it high so that with its rivers it went round about his plant, and sent out his watercourses unto all the trees of the field" (Ezekiel 31:3, 4).

Ashur signifies the rational man, or the Rational of man; similarly the cedar in Lebanon. And because the genuine Rational is perfected by the cognitions of truth and good, it is said that the waters caused it to grow, and the abyss made it high, waters denoting truths and the abyss the cognitions of truth in the natural man. The increase of intelligence is signified by its rivers running about his plant; and the multiplication of the cognitions of truth, by sending out his watercourses unto all the trees of the field.

[16] Again, in David:

"Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt. Thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river" (Psalm 80:8, 11).

By the vine out of Egypt, are meant the sons of Israel, who are called a vine because they represented the spiritual church, which is signified by a vine in the Word; their tarrying in Egypt represented their first initiation into the things of the church, for Egypt signified the scientifics which serve the things of the church. When, therefore, the vine signifies the church, and Egypt, the scientific serving it, the signification in the spiritual sense of bringing a vine out of Egypt is evident. The extension of the intelligence of the church even to things scientific and rational, is signified by, "Thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river." To send out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river, denotes multiplication and extension. The sea signifies the Scientific, and the river, which is here Euphrates, the Rational.

[17] The extension of the church, and the multiplication of its truths, and thence of intelligence, are described by the extension of the land of Canaan to the Sea Suph (Red Sea), to the sea of the Philistines, and to the river Euphrates, in Moses:

"I will set thy bounds from the Sea Suph (Red Sea) even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert even unto the river" (Exodus 23:31).

The boundaries of the land of Canaan signify the ultimates of the church, which are scientific truths, cognitions of truth, and good from the Word, and things rational. The Sea Suph (Red Sea) signifies scientific truth (scientificum verum), the sea of the Philistines, where Tyre and Sidon were, signifies the cognitions of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word, and by the river Euphrates is signified the Rational. For scientifics are serviceable to the cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and both these are serviceable to the Rational, and the Rational is serviceable to intelligence, and this comes to pass by means of truths conjoined to spiritual good.

[18] Expressions similar to those concerning the church and its extension, are also used concerning the power of the Lord over all things of heaven and the church in David:

"I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers" (Psalm 89:25).

This is said of David, by whom the Lord is meant. The power of the Lord, even to the ultimates of heaven and the church, thus over the whole heaven, and over every thing of the church, is signified by setting his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. Power is signified by the hand, and the right hand, and the ultimates of heaven and the church are signified by the sea and the rivers. That the ultimates of heaven are seas and rivers has been frequently shown above. These were represented by the two seas and by the two rivers which formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The two seas were the sea of Egypt and the sea of the Philistines, where Tyre and Sidon were; and the two rivers were Euphrates and the Jordan. But the Jordan was the boundary between the land of Canaan interior and exterior; in the latter were the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Similarly it is said in Zechariah:

"His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (Zechariah 9:10).

This also is said concerning the Lord, and similar things are meant. His dominion even to the ultimates of heaven and the church is over all things of heaven and of the church; for the ultimates are the boundaries.

[19] Again, in David:

"Thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting. The rivers have lifted up, O Jehovah, the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers have lifted up their roaring. Jehovah on high is mightier than the voices of many mighty waters, than the waves of the sea" (Psalm 93:2, 3, 4).

These things also are said concerning the Lord. His dominion from eternity to eternity over heaven and earth is signified by thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting. The glorification of the Lord on account of His coming, and thence the salvation of the human race, is signified by the rivers lifting up their voice and their roaring. For the rivers, here three times mentioned, signify all things of man's intelligence, both in the internal and in the external man. The Divine Truth from Him, by means of which are power and salvation, is signified by the voices of many mighty waters, than the waves of the sea. Waters denote truths, and the voices of many mighty waters Divine truths.

[20] The glorification and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart are thus described elsewhere in David:

"Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains be joyful" (Psalm 98:7, 8).

These words signify the glorification of the Lord by the whole heaven. Glorification from the ultimates thereof is signified by the sea roaring and the fulness thereof. The glorification from the whole heaven is signified by let the world roar and they that dwell therein, the world signifying the whole heaven as to its truths, and they that dwell therein signifying the whole heaven as to its goods. For inhabitants, in the Word, signify those who are in the goods of heaven and the church, and thus the goods of them. The glorification of the Lord by means of the truths of intelligence, and the goods of love, is signified by the rivers clapping their hands, and the mountains being joyful. Rivers denote the truths of intelligence, and mountains the goods of love.

[21] Divine Truth from the Lord, from whose reception there is intelligence, is signified by the waters from the rock in Horeb (Exodus 17:6), concerning which it is thus written in David:

"He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great abysses. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. He smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed" (Psalm 78:15, 16, 20).

And again:

"He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; rivers ran in the dry places" (Psalm 105:41).

The rock there means the Lord; and the waters which flowed thence mean the Divine Truth from Him, and the rivers mean intelligence and wisdom therefrom. By giving them drink as out of great abysses, is signified to drink in and perceive the interior things of wisdom.

[22] So in John:

Jesus said, "If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink." He that cometh to me, "as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water; this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive" (John 7:37, 38, [39]).

By coming to the Lord, and drinking, is signified to receive from Him the truths of doctrine, and the faith thereof. That spiritual intelligence springs therefrom is signified by "out of his belly shall flow streams of living water," living water denoting the Divine Truth which is from the Lord alone; streams the things which are of intelligence, and the belly, thought from the memory, for to this the belly corresponds. And because streams of living water signify intelligence by means of the Divine Truth from the Lord, it is therefore added, "But this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." The spirit which they should receive from the Lord denotes the Divine Truth, and thence intelligence, wherefore also the Lord calls the spirit which they should receive, the spirit of truth (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15).

[23] In David,

Jehovah "hath founded" the world "upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers" (Psalm 24:2).

By the world is signified heaven and the church in their whole compass. The seas signify cognitions and knowledges (scientiae) which are the ultimates of the church, and specifically, the cognitions of truth and good, such as they are in the sense of the letter of the Word. The floods signify introduction by means of these into celestial intelligence. Hence the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense is evident, namely, that the interior things of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual, are founded upon the cognitions of truth and good, contained in the sense of the letter of the Word, rationally understood. It is said, "He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods," because seas and floods are in the boundaries of heaven, and were represented by the Sea Suph (Red Sea), the sea of the Philistines, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan, which were the boundaries of the land of Canaan. And because ultimates, in the Word, signify lowest things, it is said that Jehovah hath founded and established the [world] upon them. That the earth is not founded upon the seas and floods, is evident.

[24] Again:

"The Lord at thy right hand hath smitten kings in the day of his wrath. He hath judged among the nations, he hath filled [the earth] with the dead bodies, he hath smitten the head over much country. He shall drink of the stream in the way; therefore shall he lift up the head" (Psalm 110:5-7).

These things are said concerning the Lord, and His combat against falsities and evils from hell, and their entire subjugation. By kings are meant falsities from hell, and by the nations are meant the evils therefrom. His Divine power is meant by "The Lord at the right hand." The subjugation and destruction of falsities and evils from the hells, is signified by His smiting them in the day of His wrath, His judging among the nations, and His filling [the earth] with dead bodies. By the head which He smote over much country, is meant the love of self, from which all evils and falsities proceed, and smiting over much country denotes total destruction and damnation. By the stream in the way, of which the head shall drink, and in consequence of which shall exalt itself, is signified the Word in the letter, to drink of it, denoting to learn something therefrom, and to lift up the head, denoting continued resistance. For none of those who are in falsities from evil, can be cast down into hell, before those things which they know from the Word are taken away from them, because all things of the Word communicate with heaven, and by that communication they lift up the head, but when those things are taken away, then they are cast down into hell. This is the meaning of those words, which no one could understand without the spiritual sense, and the knowledge therefrom of the nature of the Word.

[25] Thus also in Habakkuk:

"Was Jehovah enraged with the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea? because thou didst ride upon thy horses, thy chariots salvation" (3:8).

These words contain a supplication that the church may be guarded and not perish. The rivers and the sea signify all things of the church, because they are the ultimates thereof, as shown above. Riding upon horses, when stated of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, signifies the Divine Wisdom which is in the Word; and chariots signify doctrinals therefrom.

[26] Again, in David:

"Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be changed, and though the mountains shake in the heart of the seas; the waters thereof shall be in tumult and be troubled, the mountains shall tremble with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the holy city of God, the dwelling places of the Most High, God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved" (Psalm 46:2-5).

These words, in the spiritual sense, mean, that although the church with all things thereof, perish, still the Word, and the Divine Truth therein, shall not perish. For the earth signifies the church, mountains signify the goods of love, and waters, truths, and by being changed, shaken, put in tumult, troubled, and trembling, are signified the states thereof, when they perish, and falsities and evils enter in their place, consequently, the states of the church when its goods are vastated and its truths desolated. The details of this passage may be seen explained above (n. 304:17 and 405:45). That the Word shall not perish, or the Divine Truth which is for the church, is signified by the river, whose streams shall make glad the city of God, it shall not be changed. A river here has the same signification as fountain, namely the Word, because its streams, which signify truths, are spoken of. The city of God signifies the church as to doctrine, to make glad, signifies influx and reception from joy of heart, and not to be changed signifies not to perish, as to any thing.

[27] Again, in Isaiah:

"Then the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up, the streams shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds, near the stream, near the mouth of the stream, and all seed of the stream, shall wither, it shall be driven away, and be no more" (19:5, 6, 7).

These things are said concerning Egypt, which signifies the Scientific of the natural man. The stream signifies the cognition and perception of truth, and, in the opposite sense, the apperception of falsity. That these would perish is signified by the stream being wasted and dried up, and that thus truths would be no longer, not even natural and sensual truths, which are the lowest of all, is signified by the reed and the flags withering, the paper reeds near the stream, and all the seed of the stream withering, and being driven away, so as to be no more.

[28] Again, in the same prophet:

"I have digged, and drunk waters; and with the sole of my foot have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt" (Isaiah 37:25).

These are the words of Senacherib the king of Assyria, who signifies the Rational perverted, destroying all cognition and apperception of truth; this is signified by his drying up with the sole of his foot all the rivers of Egypt. The rivers of Egypt signify the cognitions and apperceptions of truth, because Egypt signifies the natural man as to scientifics; and cognition and perception belong to the natural man, as intelligence does to the spiritual man.

[29] So again, in Ezekiel:

"They shall draw their swords against Egypt, that they may fill the land with the slain. And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; and I will make the land waste, and the fulness thereof, by the hand of strangers" (Ezekiel 30:11, 12).

Egypt signifies the Scientific of the natural man, serviceable to the intelligence of the rational and spiritual man. That scientific truths are destroyed, is signified by "They shall draw their swords against Egypt," swords signifying falsities destroying truths. By the slain are signified those who perish by falsities; by making the rivers dry, is signified that there shall be no more cognition and apperception of truth. To sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and to make it waste by the hand of strangers, signifies to destroy by means of evils and falsities; for strangers denote falsities.

[30] Again, in Zechariah:

"All the depths of the stream shall be dried up; and the pride of Ashur shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall pass away" (Zechariah 10:11).

All the depths of the river shall be dried up (that is the Euphrates), signifies that all subtle reasonings from [man's] own intelligence shall perish. The pride of Ashur, signifies [man's] own intelligence which pertains to the perverted Rational. The staff of Egypt shall depart away, signifies that the scientifics serviceable to such reasonings shall avail nothing.

[31] Again, in Isaiah:

"I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools" (Isaiah 42:15).

I will make waste mountains and hills, signifies that the goods of love and charity will perish; and dry up all their herbs, signifies that the truths from those goods shall perish; I will make the rivers islands, and dry up the pools, signifies that intelligence and the cognition of truth shall perish.

[32] Again, in the same prophet:

"Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish shall stink, because there is no water, and shall die" (Isaiah 50:2).

This passage is explained above (n. 342:8).

Again, in Nahum:

"He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and dryeth up all the streams" (Nahum 1:4).

And in David:

Jehovah "turneth rivers into a desert, and the water-springs into dry ground" (Psalm 107:33).

And in Job:

"Man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? The waters fail from the sea, and the river is wasted and dryeth up" (Job 14:10, 11).

[33] So far it has been shown, that rivers signify the understanding of truth and intelligence. But that in the opposite sense, rivers signify the understanding of falsity, and reasoning from [man's] own intelligence, which is in favour of falsities in opposition to truths, is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"He will send messengers on the sea to a nation scattered and peeled, whose land the rivers have spoiled" (Isaiah 18:2).

Rivers here signify the falsities of [man's] own intelligence, which have destroyed. The explanation of the rest may be seen above (n. 304:22 and 331:5).

So again:

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm thee" (43:2).

To pass through the waters and through the rivers, and not to be overwhelmed, signifies that falsities, and reasonings from falsities against truths, shall not corrupt.

[34] In Jeremiah:

"Behold waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land, and the fulness of it" (Jeremiah 47:2).

Waters out of the north signify the falsities of doctrine from [man's] own intelligence; these are compared to a stream overflowing the land, because a stream signifies reasoning from falsities, and by the land, is meant the church, whose destruction by falsities is compared to an inundation by a stream.

[35] Again, in David:

"Had it not been Jehovah who was with us, when man rose up against us; then the waters had overwhelmed us, the river had gone over our soul; then the waters of the proud had gone over our soul" (Psalm 124:2, 4, 5).

By the waters of the proud here mentioned are signified falsities that favour the love of self and confirm it, and also falsities of doctrine from [man's] own intelligence. A river or stream signifies reasoning from these falsities against truths. It is evident therefore that these words, "Had it not been Jehovah who was with us, when man rose up against us," signify, when man from himself, from his own love and intelligence rises up and endeavours to destroy the truths of the church. For the subject treated of is Israel, by whom is signified the church. The waters that would have overwhelmed them, and the rivers that would have gone over their soul, signify falsities and reasonings from them, and consequently the destruction of spiritual life, which man receives by means of truths and a life according to them. Waters signify falsities, rivers, reasonings from them, and by overwhelming and going over the soul, is signified the destruction of spiritual life.

[36] In Isaiah:

"Behold, the Lord will bring up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks; and he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow" (Isaiah 8:7, [8]).

Assyria, and the king of Assyria, in the Word, signify the Rational, here the Rational perverted. Therefore his river, which was Euphrates, means reasoning, and the waters of the river mean falsities confirmed by reasonings; these therefore are signified by the waters of the river, strong and many, which are called strong from desire, and many from falsity. The abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of the good of the church, is signified by the waters of the river coming up over all his channels, and going over all his banks, also, by passing through Judah and overflowing. Judah signifies the church where the Word is.

[37] So in Jeremiah:

"What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" (Jeremiah 2:18).

By the waters of Shihor, or of Egypt, are signified false scientifics, or scientifics that confirm falsities, and by the waters of the river, are signified false reasonings from them, and thus reasonings from [man's] own intelligence. These words signify that neither the former nor the latter must be received into the mind.

[38] Again, in the same prophet:

"They have stumbled and fallen toward the north by the river Euphrates. Who is this that cometh up as a stream, [whose waters] are put in commotion like streams? Egypt cometh up as a stream, and as streams his waters are put in commotion; for he saith, I will ascend, and I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof" (Jeremiah 46:6, 7, 8).

These words signify the destruction of the church and its truths by false reasonings from confirming scientifics. By the north are signified those with whom falsity prevails, and whence it proceeds. The river Euphrates signifies false reasonings; Egypt, confirming scientifics; the waters put in commotion signify falsities themselves; and ascending, covering the earth, destroying the city and them that dwell in it, signify the destruction of the church and of its doctrine. The earth denotes the church, city the doctrine of truth, and they that dwell in it, its goods. Similar things are signified by the Nile the river of Egypt, and by the Euphrates the river of Assyria, in other parts of the Word; as in Isaiah 7:18, 19; 11:15, 16; Ezekiel 29:3, 4, 5, 10; 31:15; 32:2; Psalm 74:14, 15; Psalm 78:44; Exodus 7:17-21; also by the rivers of Babylon (Psalm 137:1). Since all spiritual temptations are caused by falsities which break into the thoughts, and infest the interior mind, thus by reasonings from them, therefore also temptations are signified by inundations of waters, and by a bursting in of streams and torrents, as in Jonah:

"Thou didst cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas; and the stream compassed me about; all thy billows and thy waves passed over me" (Jonah 2:3).

And in David:

"The cords of death (Sheol) compassed me, and the floods of Belial made me afraid" (Psalm 18:4).

And in Matthew:

"The rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7:25).

So in Luke:

"And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, but could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock" (Luke 6:48).

419. That the wind should not blow. - That this signifies lest the good should be hurt, and the evil rejected before the day, is evident from the signification of wind as denoting the proceeding Divine, which is the Divine Good united with the Divine Truth; therefore, that "the wind should not blow," signifies that it might flow in softly and gently. "That that wind should not blow upon the earth" signifies that the good should not be injured, and the evil rejected before the day, for the reason that separations of the good from the evil, and castings out of the evil, in the spiritual world, are effected by various degrees of modification and of intensity of the Divine which proceeds from the Lord as the Sun. When this flows in gently, then the good are separated from the evil; and when powerfully, the evil are rejected. The reason for this is that when the Divine from the Lord flows in gently, there is everywhere a state of calm and serenity, in which every one appears such as he is as to the state of his good, for then every one stands forth in the light; wherefore, those who are in good from a spiritual origin are then separated from those who are in good from a natural origin only; for the Lord looks upon those who are in spiritual good, leads them, and thus separates them. Those who are in good from a spiritual origin, are they of whom it is afterwards said, that they are sealed upon their foreheads, for they are spiritual, and angels of heaven; but those who are in good from a natural origin only, are not good, because they are not spiritual, for the good which they seem to have is evil, because it regards itself and the world as an end. They do good in an external form for their own glory, honour, and gain, and not for their neighbour's good; and, therefore, they do good only to gain the respect of men. The merely natural are those who are not sealed, and who are afterwards rejected. But when the Divine from the Lord flows in powerfully, then the goods which the evil have are dissipated, because in themselves they are not goods, but evils, and evils cannot sustain the influx of the Divine; therefore it comes to pass, that their exteriors are closed, and this being the case, their interiors are opened, in which there is nothing but evils and the falsities thence; and so they come into grief, anguish, and torment, and, on account of these, cast themselves down into the hells, where there are similar evils and falsities.

[2] When the influx of the Divine is intensified, which is the case when the evil are to be removed, then lower down in the spiritual world there arises a strong wind, like a storm or tempest; this wind is what is called in the Word the east wind, which we shall also speak of presently. Hence also the casting down of the evil is described in the Word by strong and impetuous winds, by storms and tempests. By the wind of Jehovah is signified the same as by the spirit of Jehovah, for the wind of respiration is meant, which is also called breath; therefore in the Hebrew tongue, and in many other languages, spirit and wind are expressed by the same word. This is the reason why the greater part of men have no other idea of spirit and of spirits, than as of wind, such as the wind of respiration; and so the opinion prevails in the learned world also that spirits and angels are like wind, possessing only the power of thought. This also is the reason why few suffer themselves to be convinced that spirits and angels are men, possessing a body, face, and organs of sensation, like men in this world. The reason why by wind and breath, when used in reference to man, is signified the life of truth, or a life according to the truths or precepts of the Lord, is that respiration, which is the function of the lungs, corresponds to that life, while the heart and its motion correspond to the life of good; for there are two lives, which make one in man, the life of truth, and the life of good. The life of truth is the life of his understanding, but the life of good is the life of his will; for truths reside in the understanding, because they constitute the understanding, but goods reside in the will, because they constitute the will. The same is signified in the Word by the soul and heart, when they are mentioned together.

[3] From these considerations it is evident that the wind and spirit of Jehovah mean the Divine Truth; and the four winds, the Divine Truth united with Divine Good. Since wind means the wind or breath of respiration, which signifies Divine Truth and spiritual life in those who receive it, therefore that wind is also called the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah, the breath of his mouth, and respiration, as is evident from the following passages.

In Ezekiel:

"I beheld, and sinews and flesh came up" upon the dry bones, "and the skin covered them above, but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit, Thus saith the Lord Jehovih; Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live" (37:8, 9).

It was shewn in the preceding article, that dry bones here denote those in whom there is no spiritual life, or in whom there is not any life by means of the Divine Truth. The inbreathing of it by the Lord, is signified by, "Prophesy unto the spirit, and say to the spirit, Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." It is evident that by the spirit here named is meant the spirit of respiration, for there were nerves, flesh, and skin, but as yet there was no respiration; therefore it is said, "Say unto the spirit, Breathe upon these." Hence it is evident that spirit or wind signifies spiritual life. That common respiration is not meant, is plain from the fact that it is said, that those dry bones were the house of Israel, that is, that it was destitute of spiritual life; and from its being afterwards said of them, "I will put my spirit in you, that ye may live, and I will place you in your own land" (Ezekiel 37:14); which signifies that they were to be regenerated in order that a church might be formed from them. Regeneration is effected by a life according to Divine Truth, from which there is spiritual life; and to be placed in their own land, signifies to become a church, the land of Canaan signifying the church.

[4] In Moses:

Jehovah "breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives, and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7).

Here also, in the sense of the letter, is meant the wind of respiration, since it is said he breathed into his nostrils; but that spiritual life is meant, which is the life of intelligence and wisdom by means of Divine Truth, is evident from its being said that He breathed the breath of lives, and that man thus became a living soul. The breath of lives and living soul denote spiritual life; for, without this soul man is called dead, although he lives so far as the body and the senses are concerned. It is therefore plain that soul, spirit, and wind, in the Word, mean spiritual life.

[5] In John:

Jesus said to the disciples, "Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit" (20:21, 22).

By the Lord's breathing and saying to them, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit," is signified the same as by Jehovah breathing into Adam's nostrils the breath of lives, which means spiritual life; for the Holy Spirit signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, from which arises spiritual life. That they should teach this from the Lord, is signified by these words: "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you." For the Lord when in the world was the Divine Truth itself, which He taught from His Divine Good which was in Him from conception. This Divine is what the Lord here and in other places calls the Father; and because, when He went out of the world, He united Divine Truth with Divine Good, in order that they might be one in Himself, and as the Divine Truth then proceeded from Him, He therefore said, "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you." That the wind of respiration signifies spiritual life, and this from correspondence, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3883-3896). All who are in the spiritual world also are known as to their quality from their respiration alone. Those who are in the life of the respiration of heaven, are amongst the angels; but those who are not in that respiration, cannot breathe if they come into heaven, and so they suffer pain as though from suffocation. Concerning this fact, see Arcana Coelestia 1119, 3887, 3889, 3892, 3893). It is in agreement with this correspondence that the term inspiration is used, that the prophets are said to be inspired, and the Word divinely inspired.

[6] From these observations the signification of these words of the Lord in John is evident:

"Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the spirit" (John 3:5, 7, 8).

To be born again means to be regenerated; and because man is regenerated by a life according to Divine Truth, and all Divine Truth by which he is regenerated proceeds from the Lord, and flows into man without his knowledge, it is therefore said, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth." Thus is described the life of the spirit of man, which he has by regeneration; wind denoting the Divine Truth, by which that life is acquired. Man during his abode in the world, does not at all know how this flows in from the Lord, for he then thinks from his natural man, and has a faint perception only of anything which flows from the spiritual man into the natural, therefore this is what is meant by "Thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth." The water of which man is born signifies truth from the Word, and the spirit a life according to it.

[7] That water signifies truth, may be seen above (n. 71).

In Lamentations:

"The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations" (4:20).

By the anointed of Jehovah is here meant the Lord as the Divine Truth, for the anointed of Jehovah signifies the same as king. That a king in the highest sense signifies the Lord as to Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 31), and that the anointed of Jehovah signifies the same, see above (n. 375). Hence it is said, "the breath of our nostrils, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live;" for breath and wind of the nostrils, in the highest sense, signify the Divine Truth, as said above. That the Divine Truth perished by means of the falsities of evil, is signified by being taken in their pits, pits denoting the falsities of evil.

[8] Again, in Lamentations:

"Thou hast heard my voice," Jehovah "hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry" (3:56).

"To hide thine ear at my breathing, at my cry," signifies, in regard to worship, confession, and prayers, which are from truths and goods, for all worship, confession, and prayer must be from both truths and goods, in order to be heard. If from truths alone, they are not heard, because there is no life in them, for the life of truth is from good. Breathing is there spoken of truths, and cry, of goods. That cry is spoken of goods will be seen elsewhere.

[9] Again, in Moses:

"All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of lives, of all that was upon the dry land, died" (Genesis 7:22).

Every one can see that these words in the sense of the letter mean, that every thing upon the earth was destroyed by the flood, thus all men, except Noah and his sons; but what they signify in the spiritual sense, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 805, 806), where it is shewn that by the breath of the spirit of lives in the nostrils is meant spiritual life, such as the men of the Most Ancient Church had; for the flood signifies the end of that church and a last judgment, which took place at the time when everything of the church had become extinct.

So in David:

"They have ears, but they hear not; yea, there is no breath in their mouth" (Psalm 135:17).

No breath in their mouth, signifies that there was no truth in their thought, for mouth signifies thought.

[10] Again, in Jeremiah:

"And the wild asses breathed out the wind like whales; their eyes are consumed because there is no herb" (14:5, 6).

To breathe out the wind like whales, signifies, that no truth was granted them; and "because there is no herb," denotes that there was no truth in the church. Since the evil are cast down by a more vehement influx of Divine Truth and Good, proceeding from the Lord as the Sun, as stated above, therefore, also, the casting down of those who are in the falsities of evil is described by the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah; as in Isaiah:

"For Tophet is prepared of old; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah like a stream of brimstone doth kindle them" (30:33).

In David:

"The channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at the rebuke of Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils" (Psalm 18:15).

In Moses:

"And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were heaped up together. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them" (Exodus 15:8, 10).

And in Job:

"They that plough iniquity, by the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed" (Job 4:8, 9).

By the blast, breath, and breathing of the nostrils of Jehovah, is meant the proceeding Divine, by which the evil are dispersed and cast down, when it flows in strongly and with intensity. But this influx will be spoken of in what follows, where storms, tempests, and the east wind, are treated of.

[11] That the wind of the earth signifies the proceeding Divine, arises also from correspondence with the winds in the spiritual world. For winds also exist in the spiritual world, arising from the direction of the influx of the Divine, and they extend to the lower parts of the earth there. In the heavens rarely any but gentle winds are perceived; but they are frequently perceived with those who dwell below upon the lands (terroe), for they increase in proportion to descent. Their directions are from the quarters into which the Divine flows, especially from the north; and because the winds there have a spiritual origin, they therefore also signify spiritual things, in general the Divine Truth, from which they exist. Thus, in David:

Jehovah "layeth his chambers in the waters; he maketh the clouds his chariot; he walketh upon the wings of the wind; he maketh his angels winds; his ministers a flaming fire" (Psalm 104:3, 4).

By waters, clouds, and wings of the wind, is signified Divine Truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; because this is in ultimates it is said, "He layeth his chambers in the waters; he maketh the clouds his chariot; he walketh upon the wings of the wind;" waters denoting truth in ultimates, and similarly clouds and wings of the wind; chariot signifies truth of doctrine. "He maketh his angels winds, his ministers a flaming fire," signifies that He makes them recipients of Divine Truth and Divine Good. By angels are meant those who are in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and because they are recipients of Divine Truth, it is said, He maketh them winds. By ministers are meant those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and because they are recipients of the Divine Good, it is said, He maketh them a flaming fire, a flaming fire denoting the good of love and thence truth. That those who are in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord are recipients of the Divine truth, and those who are in the celestial kingdom recipients of the Divine Good, may be seen in the Heaven and Hell 20-28). That angels are called angels from the reception of Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 130:2, 412:7), and that ministers are called ministers from the reception of Divine Good, may also be seen above (n. 155); and that fire signifies the good of love (n. 68).

[12] Again, in David:

Jehovah "Bowed the heavens, and came down; and thick darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, he was borne upon the wings of the wind" (Psalm 18:9, 10).

By Jehovah bowing to the heavens and coming down, is signified the visitation, which precedes a last judgment; by the thick darkness under His feet, are signified falsities of evil in the lower parts; by His riding upon a cherub, His flying, and being carried upon the wings of the wind is signified Omnipresence with the Divine, and the wings of the wind denote Divine Truth in ultimates, as above.

[13] Again, in Jeremiah:

"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries" (10:12, 13; 51:15, 16).

And again, in David:

"He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries" (Psalm 135:7).

These things in the spiritual sense, describe the reformation of man, and the establishment of the church. From this reformation and this establishment the Lord is called the Maker of the earth, and elsewhere the Former and Creator; earth denoting the church. The Divine Good by means of which reformation is effected, is signified by His establishing the world by His wisdom; world denotes the church, and has reference to good. The Divine Truth by means of which this is also effected, is signified by, the voice which he uttereth, a multitude of waters in the heavens. The voice which he uttereth, signifies the influx of the Divine Truth; the multitude of waters in the heavens, signifies reception, waters denoting truths. Ultimate truths, which are knowledges from the sense of the letter of the Word, are signified by vapours from the end of the earth; spiritual things thence are signified by lightnings for the rain, lightnings having reference to the light of heaven, and rain to influx; reformation thence by means of Divine Truth from the Lord, is signified by, "He bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries." All these things are in this way understood in the heavens.

[14] Again, in David:

"He casteth forth his hail like morsels: who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his Word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. He declareth his Word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel" (Psalm 147:17-19).

By these words also, reformation is described, but in regard to the natural man; the scientifics therein, and the knowledges which a man possesses before reformation are signified by, "Hail like morsels; who can stand before his cold?" For man previous to reformation is altogether cold, and that cold is also distinctly felt when the Divine flows in out of heaven; and because such cold is dissipated when the Divine Good and the Divine Truth are received, that is when reformation takes place, it is therefore said, "He sendeth out his Word, and melteth them; he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow." By the Word is signified the Divine Good united with the Divine Truth; by the wind is signified Divine Truth, and by the waters flowing, the reception of truth; and because this is the signification of the above words, it is therefore added, "He declareth his Word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel." Jacob and Israel signify the church, the former, the church which is in good, the latter, the church which is in truths. Statutes and judgments denote external and internal truths from good.

[15] So again:

"Praise Jehovah; fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his Word" (Psalm 148:7, 8).

It is evident that fire and hail, snow and vapour, and wind signify things different from these; for what purpose could be served in the Divine Word by saying that they should praise Jehovah? But by fire and hail, snow and vapours, are signified the delights of the loves of the natural man, and his scientifics and knowledges; for these, before man is reformed and made spiritual, are fire, and hail, and snow and vapour; and the sphere of their life, when it flows forth from them causes similar things to appear in the spiritual world. To worship the Lord from those things, is signified by their praising Jehovah, for to praise is to worship. But by the stormy wind is signified the Divine Truth as to reception; wherefore it is also said, stormy wind fulfilling his Word. To fulfil His Word signifies to receive in the life the things pertaining to doctrine.

[16] Because everything in the Word has also an opposite sense, so also has wind, and in that sense it signifies falsity, as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Behold they are all iniquity, their works are naught; their molten images are wind and emptiness" (41:29).

Wind and emptiness denote the falsities of evil, and the evils of falsity; wind denotes the falsities of evil, and emptiness, the evils of falsity; for where there is emptiness and vacuity, or, in other words, where there is neither good nor truth, there are evil and falsity. That falsities are there signified by wind is plain, from the fact that it is said, "They are all iniquity, their works are naught"; and also because it is said, "their molten images are wind and emptiness"; for molten images signify the things which man brings forth from his own intelligence, all of which are evils and falsities.

In Jeremiah:

"The prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in them" (5:13).

Prophets signify those who teach truths, and in the abstract, truths of doctrine, but in this case falsities of doctrine which are signified by wind; therefore it is also said, "the Word is not in them," the Word signifying the Divine Truth.

[17] Again:

"I will scatter them as the stubble that passeth away unto the wind of the desert" (13:24).

The wind of the desert signifies where there is no truth, consequently, where there is only falsity; for desert in the Word signifies where there is no good, because there is no truth.

Again in the same prophet:

"The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity" (22:22).

Shepherds in the Word signify those who teach the good of life and lead to it, this being accomplished by means of truths, but in this case, by shepherds are meant those who do not teach the good of life, still less lead to it, because they are in falsities; this is meant by, "the wind shall feed all thy shepherds," wind denoting the falsity which they seize upon and love. The lovers who shall go into captivity signify the delights of the love of self and the love of the world, and therefore the delights of the evil; lovers denote those delights, and captivity denotes detention in the hells.

[18] Again in Hosea:

"Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; he daily multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried into Egypt" (12:1).

Ephraim signifies the Intellectual of the church; the Assyrian, reasoning; and Egypt, the Scientific; therefore by, "Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind," is signified that those in the church who are intelligent take up with falsities by means of which truths are completely driven out, for wind denotes what is false, and the east wind falsity withering and dissipating truths. Because of this signification of wind and the east wind, it is also said, "he daily multiplieth lies and desolation," a lie denoting falsity, and desolation the dissipation of truth. By their making a covenant with the Assyrian, and by oil being carried into Egypt, is signified, that by reasoning from scientifics falsely applied, they pervert the truths and goods of the church. To make a covenant with the Assyrian, signifies to reason from falsities and to destroy truths, and to carry oil into Egypt, signifies to destroy the good of the church by means of scientifics. For he who is in principles of falsity applies to them the scientifics which he has received from childhood, for his understanding sees nothing else, since the understanding is formed from either truths or falsities; if from truths, then a man sees truths, if from falsities, then he sees falsities, and these he sees in the natural man, in whose memory scientifics reside, from which he selects such as favour his ideas, and those which do not favour them are either perverted or rejected.

[19] Again, in the same prophet:

"Ephraim is joined to idols. Their wine is gone; they have committed whoredom continually; they have loved; they have added shame to her shield. The wind hath bound her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices" (Hosea 4:17-19).

Ephraim signifies the church in regard to the understanding of truth; but in the present case, the understanding of that which is not true but false, falsities of the church being meant by idols; the signification of "Ephraim is joined to idols," is therefore evident. By the wind in its wings is signified reasoning from fallacies, from which falsities arise. The signification of the rest is explained above (n. 283:16 and 376:38). The same is signified in Zechariah by the wind in the wings (5:9).

So in Jeremiah:

"And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil; and I will scatter them unto every wind, the cut off of the corner" (49:32).

By dispersing them into every wind is signified into every kind of falsity and evil, truths and goods having been dissipated. The rest of the prophecy is explained above (n. 417:7).

[20] Again, in Ezekiel:

"And a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them" (5:2, 12).

This is said concerning the hair of the head and of the beard, which the prophet was commanded to shave with a razor; and hair signifies the ultimate of truth in the church, for the entire heaven and the entire church in the sight of the Lord are as one man, and therefore all things of heaven and the church correspond to all things of man, both those without and those within him. See Heaven and Hell 87-102). The hair of the head and the hair of the beard being the ultimates of man, correspond to the ultimates of truth and good. The ultimates of truth and good are of such a quality as the ultimate truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. That these ultimates were perverted, falsified, and adulterated by the Jews, is signified by what is stated here concerning the hair of the head and of the beard of the prophet. A third part of the hair being scattered into every wind signifies the dissipation of all truth; when this is the case mere falsities are seized upon, and it is therefore said, "I will draw out a sword after them," a sword signifying the destruction of truth by falsity. See above (n. 131). Without the knowledge of this signification of the hair, who could understand what is involved in the command given to the prophet, that he should shave off the hair of his head and of his beard, burn a third part of it with fire in the midst of the city, take a third part and smite about it with a sword, and scatter a third part into every wind, and draw out a sword after them?

[21] That the falsification of truth by the Jews is signified by these things is very evident from what follows in the same chapter, where, among other things, it is said, "This is Jerusalem. And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her" (Ezekiel 5:5, 6).

In the same:

"And I will scatter to every wind all his hands; and I will draw out the sword after them" (Ezekiel 12:14).

These words have a similar meaning.

In Matthew:

"And the rain descended, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7:25).

Here, by the rain descending, and the winds blowing, are signified temptations, and consequently also falsities rushing in; for as spiritual temptations are nothing else but infestations of the mind by falsities and evils, therefore winds also here signify falsities. The rest is explained above (n. 411).

[22] It has been before stated, that in the spiritual world, just as in the natural world, strong winds and storms exist; but the storms in the spiritual world exist from the influx of the Divine into the lower parts where those are who are in evils and falsities. That influx, as it descends out of the heavens towards the lands (terroe), which are below, becomes denser and has the appearance of clouds which with the evil are dense and opaque, according to the degree and quality of their evil. These clouds are appearances of falsity from evil, and arise from the spheres of their life, for every angel and every spirit is encompassed by the sphere of his life. When the Divine goes forth powerfully from the Lord as the Sun, and flows into these dense and opaque clouds, a storm arises which is seen by the spirits there just as storms are seen by men on the earth. I was sometimes permitted to have experience of these storms, and also of the east wind, by which the evil were dispersed and cast into the hells, at the time when the Last Judgment was taking place. It is clear from these considerations what storms, tempests, and impetuous winds signify in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Thou shalt scatter them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall disperse them" (Isaiah 41:16).

And in Jeremiah:

"Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, his fury has gone forth, even a grievous whirlwind; it shall burst upon the head of the wicked" (Jeremiah 23:19; 30:23).

And in David:

"I will hasten my escape from the stormy wind and tempest" (Psalm 55:8).

Again:

"O my God, pursue them with thy tempest, and terrify them with thy storm" (Psalm 83:13, 15).

And in Ezekiel:

"I will make the storm-winds to burst through in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower, in mine anger, for a consummation" (Ezekiel 13:13).

And in Jeremiah:

"Evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the sides of the earth" (Jeremiah 25:32).

Again in Isaiah:

"Thou shalt be visited by Jehovah of hosts with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire" (Isaiah 29:6).

And in Amos:

"I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rahab, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with a tempest in the day of the storm" (Amos 1:14).

And in Zechariah:

"The Lord Jehovih shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with the tempests of the south" (Zechariah 9:14).

In Nahum:

"Jehovah hath his way in the tempest and in the storm" (Nahum 1:3).

In David:

"Upon the wicked, the wind of the tempests, the portion of the cup of the wicked" (Psalm 11:6).

Again:

"God shall come and shall not keep silence; and it shall be very tempestuous round about him" (Psalm 50:3).

And in Hosea:

"They sow the wind, and they shall reap the tempest" (Hosea 8:7).

In these passages storms and tempests signify the dispersion of falsities and evils, because those who are in falsities of evil are cast down into hell by a stormy wind.

[23] In David:

"They who go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, and lifteth up the waves thereof. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still" (Psalm 107:23, 25, 29).

These things refer to temptations and liberation from them; the stormy wind, and the lifting up of the waves of the sea signify temptations, because spiritual temptations are caused by falsities rushing into the thoughts, from which arise pains of conscience and grief of mind and soul, and these are signified by "He raiseth the stormy wind and lifteth up the waves thereof." Liberation from them is signified by, "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still."

[24] The same is signified by these words in Mark:

"And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awoke him, and say unto him, Carest thou not that we perish? And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:37-39).

Also in Luke:

"As they sailed he fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. And they came to him and awoke him, saying Master, Master, we perish. Then he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm" (Luke 8:23, 24).

This, like all the miracles of the Lord, contains arcana of heaven, and interior things of the church. Divine miracles differ from those that are not divine in this, that Divine miracles also signify Divine things, because the Divine is in them, but miracles not divine have no signification, because there is nothing of the Divine in them. And, moreover, in the description of the Divine miracles in the Word, and in every detail of it, there is a spiritual sense. The above miracle refers to spiritual temptations. The great storm of wind that caused the waves to beat into the ship, so that it was full, signifies those temptations; and deliverance from these is signified by Jesus awakening when they were in great fear, rebuking the wind, and saying to the sea, "Peace, be still;" and by the ceasing of the wind, and the great calm. Every word contains a spiritual sense. We shall not here however explain it in detail, but merely say that a whirlwind and a tempest signify temptations, which are irruptions of falsities, or inundations of the mind by falsities. This is also evident from the fact that the wind and the waves were rebuked, and from the Lord's words to the sea, "Peace, be still," as being said to those things, or to those who induce temptations.

[25] Moreover the winds in the spiritual world, appear to arise from different quarters, some from the south, some from the north, and some from the east. Those which come from the south disperse truths with those who are in falsities, and those which come from the east disperse goods with those who are in evils. The reason why winds disperse these, is, that winds exist from a strong and powerful influx of the Divine through the heavens into the lower parts, [of the world of spirits], and where the influx reaches, it fills truths and goods, that is the minds and souls of those who are in truths and goods, with the Divine. Therefore those whose minds and souls are merely falsities and evils as to the interiors, and truths mingled with falsities, and goods with evils as to the exteriors, cannot sustain such influx from the Divine, and consequently they betake themselves to their own falsities and evils which they actually love, and reject the truths and goods which they love merely for the sake of themselves and of appearances.

[26] The effect produced by the wind coming from the east, called the east wind, is evident from what we have stated, for it disperses all the goods and truths of which the evil had made an external display before the world, and talked about for the sake of appearance, therefore withering and drying up are ascribed to this wind. "Withered" signifies a state in which there is no good, and "dried up" a state in which there is no truth. This is evident from those passages of the Word, where this wind is mentioned.

Thus, in Ezekiel:

Behold the planted vine. "Shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it?" (Ezekiel 17:10).

Again, in the same:

The vine "was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit; the rods of her strength were broken and withered" (Ezekiel 19:12).

And in Hosea:

Ephraim, "fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; it shall spoil the treasure of every vessel of desire" (Hosea 13:15).

And in Jonah:

"And it came to pass when the sun arose, that God prepared a withering east wind" (Jonah 4:8).

[27] That the east wind also destroys everything where the evil are, their lands (terroe), their dwellings, and their treasures, may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment 61). The reason why this destruction takes place is that lands, dwellings, and treasures, in the spiritual world, are correspondences, therefore, when these perish, the things which correspond perish also, and consequently when the land where the evil dwell in that world is destroyed, the face of a new land appears for the good. Because the east wind in the spiritual world has such power, therefore, on account of its correspondence an east wind arose which divided the Sea Suph (Red Sea) (Exodus 14:21); which brought the locust (Exodus 10:13). It is called a rough wind (Isaiah 27:8) breaking the ships of Tarshish (Psalm 48:7); breaking in the heart of the seas (Ezekiel 27:26); and scattering enemies (Jeremiah 18:17).