12. The Word has been written through correspondences, and thus through representative ideas

The Word as regards its literal sense has been written through correspondences alone, and thus through such things as represent and signify the spiritual aspects of heaven and the Church: 1404, 1408-1409, 1540, 1619, 1659, 1709, 1783, 2179, 2763, 2899. This was done because of the internal sense in each particular instance: 2899; thus too for the sake of heaven, since those who are in heaven do not understand the Word according to its literal or natural sense but according to its internal, or spiritual sense: 2899. The Lord spoke through correspondences, through representative and signifying ideas, because He spoke from His divine being: 9049, 9063, 9086, 10126, 10276. The Lord thus spoke directly to the world and at the same time to heaven: 2533, 4807, 9049, 9063, 9086. Whatever the Lord spoke filled the whole of heaven: ¹ 4637. The historical narratives of the Word are representative, and their actual words have significances: 1540, 1659, 1709, 1783, 2686. The Word could not have been written in any other style for there to be communication through it with heaven: 2899, 6943, 9401. Those who treat the Word with contempt because of its simple and seemingly uncultivated style, and think that they would accept it if it had been written in a different style, are greatly mistaken: 8783. Also, the manner and style of writing of the most ancient authors was through correspondences and representative ideas: 605, 1756, 9942. I found through my own experience that the wise men of ancient times were delighted by the Word, because they found there representative and significant ideas: 2592-2593. If someone of the most ancient Church had read the Word, he would have seen clearly those things which are in the internal sense and obscurely those things in the external sense: 4493. The sons of Jacob were brought down into the land of Canaan because all places in that land were from very ancient times made representative: 1585, 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516; and so that the Word might be written there, where places were to be named because of their internal meaning: 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516. But in fact the Word in its external sense was altered on account of that people, though not as regards its internal sense: 10453, 10461, 10603-10604. Many passages from the Word are quoted about that nation, which must however be understood according to their internal sense-that is, other than according to the literal sense: 7051. Since that nation represented the Church, and because the Word was written among and about that nation, therefore heavenly ideas were signified by their names, for example Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Ephraim, Joseph and the rest; and by Judah in the internal sense is signified the Lord as regards celestial love, and His heavenly kingdom: 3654, 3881, 5583, 5782, 6362-6381.

So that it may be known what are the correspondences and their nature, and what is the nature of the representations in the Word, something will also be said about those. All things which correspond also represent and then signify something, such that correspondences and representations go together as one: 2896, 2899, 2973, 2987, 2989-2990, 3002, 3225. What those correspondences and representations are, from my own experience and examples: 2763, 2987-3002, 3213-3226, 3337-3352, 3472-3485, 4218-4228, 9280. The knowledge of correspondences and representations was the most important field of knowledge among the ancients: 3021, 3419, 4280, 4749, 4844, 4964, 4966, 6004, 7729, 10252; especially among people in eastern parts: 5702, 6692, 7097, 7779, 9391, 10252, 10407; in Egypt more than other places: 5702, 6692, 7097, 7779, 9391, 10407; even among the Gentiles, for example in Greece and elsewhere: 2762, 7729. But today it is among the lost fields of knowledge, especially in Europe: 2894-2895, 2995, 3630, 3632, 3747-3749, 4581, 4966, 10252. But always that type of knowledge is more important than all others, since without it the Word is not understood; nor are the rites of the Jewish Church which are written about in the Word; nor is it known what the nature of heaven is, nor is it known what that which is spiritual is, nor how it happens that there is an inflowing of the spiritual into the natural, nor how there is an inflowing of the soul into the body, and many other things: 4280, and in passages cited above. All things which appear among spirits and angels are representative in accord with correspondences: 1971, 3213-3226, 3475, 3485, 9457, 9481, 9576-9577. Heaven is full of representations: 1521, 1532, 1619. Representations are more beautiful and perfect the more interior they are in heaven: 3475. Representations there are real appearances since they come from the light of heaven, which is the divine truth; and this itself is the essential part of all things that are in existence: 3485.

The reason why every single thing in the spiritual world is represented in the natural world is that what is internal clothes itself as appropriate in what is its external guise, through which it presents itself visibly, and becomes apparent: 6275, 6284, 6299. Thus, an end clothes itself in suitable guises in order to present itself as a cause in a lower sphere, and then as an effect in a still lower sphere; and when an end passes by way of a cause into an effect, it presents itself visibly, or becomes apparent right before the eyes: 5711.

This is illustrated by the inflowing of the soul into the body: namely, the soul is clothed with such things in the body through which everything it thinks and wishes can present itself and become apparent visibly; therefore when thought flows down into the body it is represented by such gestures and actions as correspond to it: 2988. Quite clearly the feelings of the mind are represented in the face by its various expressions, to such an extent that they are seen there: 4791-4805, 5695. From this it is plain that in every single thing within the natural order there lies hidden deep inside a cause and an end from the spiritual world: 3562, 5711 since things which are in the natural order are final effects, within which are prior causes: 4240, 4939, 5651, 6275, 6284, 6299, 9216. Whatever is internal is that which is represented, and what is external that which serves to represent it: 4292.

What correspondences and representations are may be further seen in the work Heaven and Hell, where the correspondence of all things of heaven with all human things is dealt with: 87-102; the correspondence of heaven with all things of earth: 103-115; and representations and appearances in heaven: 170-176.

Since all things in the natural order are representative of spiritual and celestial realities, in ancient times there were churches in which all the external observances or rituals were representative: 519, 521, 2896. The Church was set up among the children of Israel as a representative church: 1003, 2179, 10149. There all the rituals were external forms representing the internal things of heaven and the Church: 4288, 4874. The representative things of the Church and worship ceased when the Lord came into the world and manifested Himself, because the Lord revealed the internal things of the Church, and all things of that Church, in a supreme sense, had regard to Him: 4835.

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3085. These two verses describe the affection for truth - its origin, its nature, and the initial stage of its introduction. Its origin is described by the words 'Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother'. These words convey in the internal sense the whole origin of that affection, see 3077, 3078. Its nature is described by the words 'her pitcher was on her shoulder', and 'the girl was very good looking'. These words describe its nature, see 3079-3081. The initial stage of its introduction is described by the words 'she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher, and went up', as may be seen in 3082-3084. But these considerations, as stated above, are beyond the grasp not only of any ordinary human intellect but also of one that is more advanced. For such is the nature of the things contained in the internal sense in this chapter and in some of those that follow.

[2] The reason for this is that the idea can hardly enter anyone's head that there is a constant Divine influx by way of the internal man into the external man - that is, the idea that celestial and spiritual things flow by way of the rational man into the natural man, or what amounts to the same, into the natural things belonging to the external. Also, the idea that by means of that influx truths are constantly being summoned out of the natural man, raised up, and implanted in the good that is present in the rational can hardly enter in. And if not even these things are known to take place, what possibility is there of anyone knowing how the whole process takes place, a process involving wisdom so great, as it is from the Divine, that not the tiniest fraction can ever be explored? Only its most general aspects can be seen.

[3] This therefore being so, let no one be surprised that the things present here in the internal sense cannot be described intelligibly, and the things which are described are beyond human comprehension, for they have reference to and describe that process. Furthermore the internal sense exists chiefly for angels, to the end that by means of the Word communication may exist between heaven and man; and to the angels these things are among such as give them great delight, because food in heaven consists of everything that constitutes intelligence and wisdom. And to them the blessedness of wisdom and intelligence consists in whatever has the Lord as its subject.

4137. 'For I might have sent you away with gladness and with songs' means the state in which - thinking from the proprium - it had believed itself to be as regards truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'I might have sent you away' as that it would have separated itself in freedom. But the fact that it had not separated itself when in that state is clear from what has been stated already in 4113. From this it is evident that these words were uttered by Laban in the state in which - thinking from the proprium - he had believed himself to be. For when a person's belief is based on his own thought it is not the truth, whereas when it is not based on his own thought but is received from the Lord it is based on the truth. The state referred to at this point is a state as regards truths, and this is meant by 'sending away with gladness and with songs', for gladness and songs have reference to truths.

[2] In the Word the expressions 'gladness' and 'joy' are used in various places, sometimes the two appearing together. But 'gladness' is used when truth or the affection for truth is the subject, and 'joy' when good or the affection for good is, as in Isaiah,

Behold, joy and gladness consist in slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. Isaiah 22:13.

Here 'joy' has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth. In the same prophet,

There will be an outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine, all gladness will be made desolate, and the joy of the earth ¹ will be banished. Isaiah 24:11.

In the same prophet,

The ransomed of Jehovah will return, and come to Zion with song, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they will obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10; 51:11.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah will comfort Zion. Joy and gladness will be found in her, confession and the voice of song. Isaiah 51:3.

In Jeremiah,

I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land will become a waste. Jeremiah 7:34; 25:10.

In the same prophet,

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those that say, Give thanks ² to Jehovah Zebaoth. Jeremiah 33:11.

In the same prophet,

Joy and exultation have been plucked from Carmel, and from the land of Moab. Jeremiah 48:33

In Joel,

Is not the food cut off before our eyes, gladness and exultation from the house of our God? Joel 1:16.

In Zechariah, The fast will be to the house of Judah one of joy and gladness and good feasts. Zechariah 8:19.

[3] Anyone who does not know that the heavenly marriage, that is, the marriage of good and truth, is present in every detail of the Word might suppose that these two - joy and gladness - are exactly the same as each other and that both are used merely for the sake of greater emphasis, so that one of them is superfluous. But this is not the case, for not even the smallest part of an expression is used which lacks the spiritual sense. In the places that have been quoted, and in others too, 'joy' has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth, see also 3118. The fact that 'songs' also has reference to truths is clear from many places in the Word where songs are mentioned, for example Isaiah 5:1; 24:9; 26:1; 30:29; 42:10; Ezekiel 26:13; Amos 5:23; and elsewhere.

[4] It should be recognized that everything in the Lord's kingdom has reference either to good or to truth, that is, to the things that are aspects of love or to those that are aspects of faith wedded to charity. Those which have reference to good or aspects of love are called celestial, while those which have reference to truth or aspects of faith wedded to charity are called spiritual. Since in every single detail of the Word the Lord's kingdom is the subject and in the highest sense the Lord Himself; and since the Lord's kingdom consists in a marriage of goodness and truth, or the heavenly marriage, and the Lord Himself is the one in whom the Divine marriage exists and from whom the heavenly marriage derives, that marriage is present in every single part of the Word. It stands out in particular in the Prophets where repetitions of one and the same thing occur with merely a change of words. In no case however are those repetitions pointless, for one expression means that which is celestial, that is, which has to do with love or good, and the other that which is spiritual, that is, which has to do with faith wedded to charity, or with truth. These considerations show how the heavenly marriage, that is, the Lord's kingdom, is present in every detail of the Word, and how in the highest sense the Divine marriage itself or the Lord is present there.

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