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Ezekiel 34

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1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?

3 You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don't feed the sheep.

4 You haven't strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them.

5 They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.

6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill: yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was none who searched or sought.

7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh:

8 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't feed my sheep;

9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh:

10 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.

11 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

13 I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

14 I will feed them with good pasture; and on the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Israel.

15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord Yahweh.

16 I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

17 As for you, O my flock, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.

18 Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? and to have drunk of the clear waters, but you must foul the residue with your feet?

19 As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.

20 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

21 Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad;

22 therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.

23 I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 I, Yahweh, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Yahweh, have spoken it.

25 I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

26 I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing.

27 The tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.

28 They shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the animals of the earth devour them; but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.

29 I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more.

30 They shall know that I, Yahweh, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord Yahweh.

31 You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, says the Lord Yahweh.

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 365

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[7] In the same:

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

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

[8] In Luke:

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

And in Matthew:

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

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

[9] In Luke:

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

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

[10] In the same:

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

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

[11] In the same:

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

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

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

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

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

[12] Again in Moses:

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

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

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

[13] And in the same:

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

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

[14] In Moses:

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

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

[15] In David:

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

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

[16] In the same:

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

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

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

[17] In Isaiah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

[20] In the same:

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

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

[21] In Isaiah:

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

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

[22] In the same:

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

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

[23] In the same:

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

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

[24] In the same:

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

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

[25] In Ezekiel:

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

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

[26] In Malachi:

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

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

[27] In Ezekiel:

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

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

[28] In Zechariah:

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

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

[29] In David:

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

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

[30] In Isaiah:

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

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

[31] In the same:

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

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

[32] In Jeremiah:

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

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

[33] In David:

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

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

[34] In Haggai:

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

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

[35] In David:

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

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

[36] In the same:

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

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

[37] In the same:

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

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

[38] In the same:

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

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

Jerusalem was called Shalomim (Jeremiah 13:19).

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

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

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

[39] In Isaiah:

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

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

[40] In the same:

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

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

[41] In the same:

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

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

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

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

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

In the same:

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

In David:

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

In Ezekiel:

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

In Jeremiah:

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

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

In David:

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

In Lamentations:

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

besides other passages.

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

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

"odor of rest" signifying the perception of peace.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The photolithograph has "justice."

2. "King" in the photolithograph; see 405, 612; AC 3780; AR 306, 478.

3. The photolithograph has "healing."

4. The photolithograph has "gates."

5. See 374:12 [printed text has 365; however, that does not make any sense and 374:12 is more likely], and Arcana Coelestia 2851, in which "God" occurs instead of "name." The Hebrew is "God."

6. The photolithograph reads "Jehovah," as also in AR 306. But "justice" occurs in AC 3780; HH 287.

7. The photolithograph has "his." See AC 2240; AR 885.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Explained # 374

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374. Verse 6. A measure of wheat for a denarius, and three measures of barley for a denarius, signifies that the genuine good of the church, as also the genuine truth of the church, is of no account to them. This is evident from the signification of "measure" [choenix] (which was the Greek measure for wheat and barley), as being the quality of estimation, for "measures" in the Word (as was said in the article above), signify the quality of a thing in respect to good and in respect to truth. It is evident also from the signification of "wheat," as being the good of the church in general (of which presently); also from the signification of "barley," as being the truth of that good (of which presently); and from the signification of "a denarius," the standard of estimation, as being as of no account. Because this was the smallest coin, it signifies the least worth, but here as of no account. The reason for this is that "the red horse" (mentioned above), signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good, and "the black horse" the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to truth (See above, n. 364, 372); and when the understanding of the Word in respect to good and in respect to truth has been destroyed, then the genuine good and the genuine truth of the church are estimated as of no account. The "denarius" is here taken as the standard of estimation, because some piece of money must be taken that some price may be expressed in the sense of the letter, since it is said that "a balance was in the hand of him that sat upon the horse," and that "the wheat and the barley were measured;" consequently the smallest coin of all was taken as the standard of the estimation of the price; and as there was no longer any understanding of the Word in respect to good and in respect to truth, a "denarius" in the spiritual sense here signifies as of no account.

[2] It is said, "a measure of wheat and three measures of barley," because "one" is predicated of good, and "three" of truths; and "one," when predicated of good, signifies what is perfect, thus also what is genuine; and "three," when predicated of truths, signifies what is full, thus also what is genuine; consequently "a measure of wheat and three measures of barley" signify the genuine good and the genuine truth of the church. "Wheat" signifies good, and "barley" its truth, because all things belonging to the field signify the things that belong to the church; and things belonging to the field, as crops of various kinds, serve for food; and things for food and for the nourishment of the body signify in the spiritual sense such things as nourish the soul or mind, all of which have relation to the good of love and the truth of faith; thus especially wheat and barley, because bread is made from them. (That foods of every kind signify spiritual food, thus the things of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, consequently the good and truth from which these are, see Arcana Coelestia 3114, 4459, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 5915, 8408, 8562, 9003. Of "bread" in general, see the work on The New Jerusalem, n. 218; that "field" signifies the church, seeArcana Coelestia 2971, 3766, 9139.)

That "wheat" and "barley" have such a signification is from correspondence, as is evident from the things that appear in the spiritual world, where all appearances are correspondences. There plains, fields, crops of various kinds, and also bread appear; from this is the knowledge that they are correspondences, and consequently that they have significations according to correspondences.

[3] That "wheat" and "barley" signify the good and truth of the church, "wheat" its good, and "barley" its truth, can be seen also from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned, as from the following. In Jeremiah:

Jehovah, who hath dispersed Israel, will bring him together and will keep him as a shepherd doth his drove; for Jehovah hath ransomed Jacob, and hath redeemed him out of the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore shall they come and sing aloud in the height of Zion, and shall flow together unto the good of Jehovah, to the wheat, to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the sons of the flock, and of the herd; and their soul shall become as a watered garden (Jeremiah 31:10-12).

This treats of the establishment of a new church; "Israel" and "Jacob" signify that church, "Israel" the internal spiritual church, and "Jacob" the external; for every church is internal and external. Its establishment is described by "Jehovah will bring him together and will keep him as a shepherd doth his drove, for He hath ransomed Jacob, and hath redeemed him out of the hand of him that was stronger than he;" "to redeem" signifies to reform (See above, n. 328; "out of the hand of him that was stronger than he" signifies out of evil and falsity, which before had possession; the internal joy or joy of heart arising from celestial good and truths therefrom that such have, is signified by "therefore shall they come and sing aloud in the height of Zion, and shall flow together unto the good of Jehovah, to the wheat, to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the sons of the flock and of the herd," "to sing in the height of Zion" signifying internal celestial joy, or such as is in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "to sing aloud" meaning that joy (See above, n. 326, "height" what is internal, and "Zion" the celestial kingdom; "wheat" signifies the good of the natural man, "new wine" its truth; "oil" the good of the spiritual man, "the sons of the flock" spiritual truths, and "the sons of the herd" natural truths; because these are what are signified they are called "the good of Jehovah." That such have intelligence and wisdom from this source is signified by "their soul shall become as a watered garden," for "garden" in the Word signifies intelligence, and "watered" continual growth. "Wheat," "new wine," "oil," "the sons of a flock and of the herd," are plainly not here meant, for it is said, "Jehovah hath ransomed Jacob, and their soul shall become as a watered garden. "

[4] In Joel:

The field was devastated, the ground mourned; for the corn was devastated, the new wine was dried up, the oil languished. The husbandmen were ashamed, the vine-dressers howled for the wheat and for the barley, because the harvest of the field hath perished (Joel 1:10, 11).

This is not said of a field and its barrenness, but of the church and its vastation; therefore "field," "ground," "corn," "new wine," and "oil" do not mean these things themselves, but "field" and "ground" mean the church, "field" the church in relation to the reception and bringing forth of truth and good, and "ground" the church in respect to the nation that is in it; "corn" means good of every kind in the external man; "new wine" the truth also therein; "oil" the good in the internal man; "the husbandmen that were ashamed," and "the vine-dressers that howled for the wheat and for the barley" signify those who are of the church, "wheat" and "barley" signifying the good and truth of the church; and "the harvest of the field that thus perished" signifying all worship from good and truth.

[5] In Jeremiah:

Upon all the heights in the wilderness the devastators have come; because the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the end of the land even to the end of the land; no flesh hath peace. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns (Jeremiah 12:12-13).

This, too is said of the church and its vastation; "the heights in the wilderness upon which the devastators have come" signify that every good of charity has perished through evils and falsities, "heights" in the Word signifying where there is the good of charity, and in an abstract sense that good itself, "wilderness" signifies where there is no good because no truth, and "devastators" signify the evils and falsities through which good and truth perish; "the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the end of the land even to the end of the land" signifies falsity destroying all things of the church, "the sword devouring" meaning falsity destroying, and "from the end of the land even to the end of the land" signifying all things of the church; "no flesh hath peace" signifies that there is no longer internal rest, because of the dominion of evil and falsity; "they have sown wheat and have reaped thorns" signifies that instead of the goods of truth there are the evils of falsity, "wheat" meaning the goods of truth, and "thorns" the evils of falsity.

[6] In the same:

Ishmael, who was of the seed of the kingdom, slew Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land, and all the Jews who were with him, and the Chaldeans, also the men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria; but ten men were found among them who said unto Ishmael, Put us not to death, for we have things hid in the field, wheat and barley, and oil and honey. So he forbare, and put them not to death (Jeremiah 41:1-8).

These historical statements describe, in the internal sense, the damnation of those who profane holy things; for "Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the land," and "the Jews who were with him," and "the Chaldeans," and "the men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria," mean those who profane, and in the abstract sense, profanations of every kind, "the king of Babylon" signifying the profanation of good and truth. Their damnation is signified by their being put to death, for "to be put to death" signifies to be slain spiritually (See n. 315; but "the ten men who said to Ishmael, put us not to death for we have things hid in the field, wheat and barley, and oil and honey," mean those who have not profaned the holy things of the church, because inwardly they have good and truth; for those who profane have nothing of good and truth inwardly, but only outwardly when they speak and preach, while those who do not profane have good and truth inwardly; this is meant by their saying that "they have things hid in the field, wheat, barley, oil, and honey," "wheat and barley" signifying the goods and truths of the external man, "oil" the good of the internal man, and "honey" the delight thereof; "ten men" signify all who are such, "ten" signifying all persons and all things; that "he forbare and put them not to death" signifies that they were not profane, thus not damned; "Ishmael" represents those who are in the genuine truths of the church, which is also signified by "the seed of the kingdom," of which he was. Such are the things involved in this history, the histories in the Word equally with the prophecies having an internal sense.

[7] In Moses:

Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth in valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine, and fig-tree, and pomegranate; a land of oil olive and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7-8

In the sense of the letter this is a description of the land of Canaan, but in the spiritual sense the Lord's church is described, since this is meant in that sense by "the land of Canaan;" and all kinds of good and truth pertaining to the church are enumerated. The land is called "a land of brooks of water," because "brooks of water" signify the doctrinals of truth; "fountains and depths going forth in valley and mountain" signify interior and exterior truths from the Word, "fountains," interior truths therefrom, and "depths" exterior truths. The latter are said to go forth "out of the valley," because "a valley" signifies what is lower and exterior, where such truths are; and the former are said "to go forth out of the mountain," because a "mountain" signifies what is higher and interior, where truths of that kind are; "a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree, and pomegranate," signifies the church in respect to good and truth of every kind, "wheat and barley" signifying good and truth from a celestial origin, "vine and fig-tree" good and truth from a spiritual origin, and "pomegranate" knowledges of good and truth; and "a land of oil olive and honey" signifies the church in respect to the good of love and its enjoyment. One who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word believes no otherwise than that this merely describes the land of Canaan; but in that case the Word would be merely natural, and not spiritual, and yet the Word everywhere is in its bosom spiritual, and it is spiritual when by these words are understood the spiritual things they signify, namely, goods and truths of every kind. (But what "brooks," "fountains," "depths," "valley," "mountain," "vine," "fig-tree," "pomegranate," "olive," "oil" and "honey" signify is shown in Arcana Coelestia, all of which would be too extended to cite here; but many of these things have been shown and will be shown in this explanation of Revelation, and these may be consulted in their places.)

[8] In Job:

If I have eaten the strength (of the earth) without silver, and have made the soul of its [masters] to expire, let the thorn come forth instead of wheat, and the wild vine instead of barley (Job 31:39-40).

"To eat the strength of the earth without silver" signifies to appropriate to oneself the good of the church without the truth, "earth" meaning the church, and "silver" truth; and "to make the soul of its [masters] to expire" signifies thus to empty out the spiritual life; "let the thorn come forth instead of wheat, and the wild vine instead of barley" signifies that evil will be held for good, and falsity for truth, "wheat" meaning good, "thorn" evil, "barley" truth, and "wild vine" falsity; for good can be acquired only by means of truths.

[9] In Isaiah:

I have heard a consummation and decision from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth. Will the ploughman plough all day for sowing? will he open and harrow his ground? when he hath made plain the faces thereof doth he not scatter the fennel? and doth he not put in the measured wheat and the appointed barley and the appointed spelt? Thus doth he chasten him for judgment, his God doth instruct him (Isaiah 28:22, 24-26).

This in the spiritual sense describes the total destruction of the church with the Jewish and Israelitish nation, and teaches that it is of no avail to learn and know the Word except for the purpose of applying its good and truth to the use of life; from this source and no other is intelligence from the Lord. That the church with that nation was wholly destroyed is meant by "I have heard a consummation and decision from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth," "consummation and decision" meaning the complete destruction, and "the whole earth," the whole church, that is, every thing of it; that it is of no avail to learn and know the Word is signified by "will the ploughman plough all day for sowing? Will he open and harrow his ground?" "to plough for sowing" meaning to learn, and "to harrow the ground" meaning to deposit in the memory. That the good and truth of the Word should be applied to the use of life is signified by "when he hath made plain the faces thereof, doth he not scatter the fennel, and put in the measured wheat and the appointed barley and the appointed spelt?" "When he hath made plain the faces of the ground he scattereth the fennel" signifies when there is preparation by the Word; "the measured wheat and the appointed barley and the appointed spelt" signify the application of good and truth to the use of life, "wheat" meaning good, "barley" truth, and "spelt" knowledges; and that from this source and no other is intelligence from the Lord is signified by "thus doth he chasten for judgment, his God doth instruct him," "judgment" signifying intelligence, and "his God doth instruct him" signifying that it is from the Lord.

[10] In Moses:

Jehovah made him ride upon the high places of the earth, and fed him with the increase of the fields; He made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock; butter of the herd and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, and of rams, the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of the kidneys of wheat; and thou drinkest the blood of grapes, unmixed wine (Deuteronomy 32:13-14).

This is said of the Ancient Church established by the Lord after the flood, which was in intelligence and wisdom, because it was in the good of charity and in the faith therefrom. This intelligence and wisdom from the Lord is signified by "Jehovah made him to ride upon the high places of the earth, and fed him with the increase of the fields;" the celestial and spiritual goods that they received through truths are described by "He made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock; butter of the herd and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, and of rams, the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of the kidneys of wheat; and thou drinkest the blood of grapes, unmixed wine," "wheat" signifying here in a general sense all good, and "blood of grapes" and "unmixed wine" all truth therefrom.

[11] In David:

O that My people would hearken unto Me, and Israel would walk in My ways! I would feed 1 them with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock I would satisfy them (Psalms 81:13, 16).

"Fat of wheat," and "honey out of the rock with which they would be fed and satisfied" signify good of every kind from celestial good and enjoyment thereof from the Lord; for "fat" signifies celestial good, "wheat" good of every kind, "honey" the enjoyment of good, and "rock" the Lord. That those who live according to the Lord's commandments will possess these things is meant by "O that My people would hearken unto me, and Israel would walk in My ways!" "Ways" in the Word signifying truths and also commandments, and "to walk" signifying to live.

[12] In the same:

Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. For He strengtheneth the bars of thy gates, He blesseth thy sons in the midst of thee. He maketh thy border peace, and satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat (Psalms 147:12-14).

"Jerusalem" and "Zion" mean the church; "Jerusalem" the church in respect to the truths of doctrine, and "Zion" the church in respect to the goods of love; "He maketh thy border peace" signifies all things of heaven and the church, for "border" signifies all these things; "He satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat" signifies with every good of love and with wisdom, "fat" signifying the good of love, and "wheat" all things from it, which are goods because they are from good; these things being signified, it is said, "the fat of wheat."

[13] In Hosea:

Jehovah said to the prophet, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her companion, and an adulteress, even as the love of Jehovah to the sons of Israel, who regard other gods, and love flagons of grapes. And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley (Hosea 3:1-2).

This represented what the Jewish and Israelitish church was in respect to doctrine and worship, namely that by vain traditions it had falsified all things of the Word, though worshiping it as holy; "a woman beloved of her companion, and an adulteress whom the prophet should love" signifies such a church, "a woman" signifying the church, and "beloved of her companion and an adulteress" the falsification of truth and the adulteration of good; "even as the love of Jehovah to the sons of Israel, who regard other gods" signifies the falsities of doctrine and the evils of worship; these are signified by "regarding other gods;" "loving flagons of grapes" signifies the Word in the sense of the letter alone, for "wine" signifies the truths of doctrine from the Word, "grapes" its goods from which are truths, and "a flagon" signifies that which contains, thus the ultimate sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, and which they apply to their falsities and evils. "He bought her to him for fifteen pieces of silver" signifies for a small price, "fifteen" meaning very little; "a homer of barley" and "half a homer of barley" signifying so little of good and truths as to be scarcely any.

[14] In Matthew:

John said of Jesus, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire; whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor; and will gather the wheat into the garner; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:11-12).

"To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire" signifies to reform the church and to regenerate the man of the church by means of Divine truth and Divine good; "to baptize" signifying to reform and to regenerate, "the Holy Spirit" Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and "fire" the Divine good of His Divine love. "The wheat that He will gather into the garner" signifies good of every kind that is of heavenly origin, which He is to preserve to eternity, thus those who are in good; and "the chaff that He will burn with unquenchable fire" signifies falsity of every kind that is of infernal origin, which He is to destroy, thus those who are in falsity; and because "wheat," "garner," and "chaff" are mentioned, "fan" and "floor" are also mentioned, "fan" signifying separation, and "floor" signifying where separation is effected.

[15] In the same:

Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares, and went away. But when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. And the servants of the householder coming said unto him, Lord, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? Then he said unto them, A man, an enemy hath done this. But the servants said, wilt thou then that we going out gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up at the same time the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the season of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn (Matthew 13:24-30).

What these words involve is very clear from the spiritual sense, for the particulars here are correspondences. For when the Lord was in the world, He spoke by pure correspondences, because He spoke from the Divine. Here the Last Judgment is treated of when there must be a separation of the good from the evil, and the good are to come into heaven, and the evil into hell. "The good seed in the field that the man sowed" signifies the truths of the church that are from good, "field" signifying the church where these are, and "sowing" signifying influx and reception, thus also instruction; "the man who sowed" means the Lord through the Word, in which are all the truths of the church; "while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares, and went away," signifies that with natural men the falsities of evil flow in from hell, and are received; for "to sleep" signifies to live a natural life separated from the spiritual life (See above 187), and "enemy" signifies hell, and "tares" signify the evils of falsity. What the remainder to the end signifies, can be seen from what is presented in the small work on The Last Judgment 70); for it involves arcana that are there explained; here it need only be said that "wheat" signifies the good of truth, and therefore those who are in good through truths; and that "tares" signify the evil of falsity, and therefore those who are in evil through falsities. That these things are said of the Last Judgment is evident from what follows in the same chapter, where it is said:

He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the seed are the sons of the kingdom; the tares are the sons of the evil one; the enemy is the devil; the harvest is the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:37-39).

"The consummation of the age" is the last time of the church when judgment takes place. From these passages quoted from the Word it can be seen that "wheat" signifies the good of the church in general, and "barley" its truth.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. In AC 6377 we read "He would feed."

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.