655. Where also our Lord was crucified, signifies by which, namely, by the evils and the falsities therefrom springing from infernal love, He was rejected and condemned. This is evident from this, that evils themselves and their falsities springing from infernal love are what reject and condemn the Lord. These evils and the falsities thence are signified by "Sodom and Egypt," therefore it is said of the city Jerusalem that it is thus "called spiritually," for "to be called spiritually Sodom and Egypt" signifies evil itself, and the falsity therefrom.

[2] The hells are divided into two kingdoms, over against the two kingdoms in the heavens; the kingdom over against the celestial kingdom is at the back, and those who are in it are called genii; this kingdom is what is meant in the Word by "devil;" but the kingdom that is over against the spiritual kingdom is in front, and those who are in it are called evil spirits; this kingdom is what is meant in the Word by "Satan." These hells, or these two kingdoms into which the hells are divided, are meant by "Sodom and Egypt." Whether it is said evils and the falsities therefrom, or these hells, it is the same, since from these all evils and all falsities therefrom ascend.

[3] That the Jews who were at Jerusalem crucified the Lord means that He was crucified by the evils and falsities therefrom which they loved; for all things recorded in the Word respecting the Lord's passion represented the perverted state of the church with that nation. For although they accounted the Word holy, yet by their traditions they perverted all things therein until there was no longer any Divine good or truth remaining with them, and when Divine good and Divine truth, which are in the Word, no longer remain, evils and falsities from infernal love succeed in their place, and these are what crucify the Lord. (That such things are signified by the Lord's passion may be seen above, n. 83, 195, 627. That the Lord is said "to be slain" signifies that he was rejected and denied, see above, n. 328; and that the Jews were such, see above, n. 122, 433, 619; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.248.)

[4] As it is here said "where our Lord was crucified," it shall be told what "crucifixion" (or hanging upon wood) signified with the Jews. They had two modes of capital punishment, crucifixion and stoning; and "crucifixion" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of good in the church, and "stoning" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of truth in the church. "Crucifixion" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of good in the church, for the reason that "wood," upon which they were hung, signified good, and in the contrary sense evil, both pertaining to the will; and "stoning" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of truth in the church, for the reason that "the stone," with which they were stoned, signified truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, both pertaining to the understanding; for all things instituted with the Israelitish and Jewish nation were representative, and thence significative. (That "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, and that a "stone" signifies truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354.) But as it has not been known heretofore why the Jews and Israelites had the punishment of the cross and the punishment of stoning, and it is important that it should be known, I will cite some confirmations from the Word to show that these two punishments were representative.

[5] That "hanging upon wood" or "crucifixion" was inflicted because of the destruction of good in the church, and that it thus represented the evil of infernal love, whence arises a condemnation and curse, can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:

If there be a stubborn and rebellious son, obeying not the voice of his father or mother, all the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he may die. And if there be in a man a crime and judgment of death, and he be put to death, thou shalt hang him upon wood; his carcass shall not remain overnight upon the wood, but burying thou shalt bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a curse of God, and thou shalt not defile thy land (Deuteronomy 21:18, 20-23).

"Not obeying the voice of father or mother" signifies in the spiritual sense to live contrary to the precepts and truths of the church, therefore the penalty for it was stoning; "the men of the city who were to stone him" signify those who are in the doctrine of the church, "city" signifying doctrine. "If there be in a man a crime, a judgment of death, thou shalt hang him upon wood" signifies if one has done evil against the good of the Word and of the church; because this was a capital crime he was to be hung upon wood, for in the Word "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil; "his carcass shall not remain overnight upon the wood, but thou shalt bury him the same day," signifies lest there be a representative of eternal damnation; "thou shalt not defile thy land" signifies that this would be a cause of offense to the church.

[6] In Lamentations:

Our skins are become black like an oven because of the tempests of famine; they ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; their princes were hanged up by the hand, the faces of the elders are not honored, the young men they have led away to grind, and the boys stumble under the wood (Lamentations 5:10-13).

"Zion" means the celestial church, which is in the good of love to the Lord, which church the Jewish nation represented; "the virgins in the cities of Judah" signify the affections of truth from the good of love; "their princes were hanged up by the hand" signifies that truths from good were destroyed by falsities from evil; "the faces of the elders that were not honored" signify the goods of wisdom; "the young men who were led away to grind" signify the truths from good, "to grind" signifying to acquire falsities and to confirm them from the Word; "the boys stumble under the wood" signifies newborn goods perishing through evils.

[7] A "baker" as also "bread" signifies the good of love, and a "butler" as also "wine," the truth of doctrine, therefore:

The baker was hanged on account of his crime against king Pharaoh (Genesis 40:19-22; 41:13).

This may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 5139-5169). Because "Moab" means those who adulterate the goods of the church, and "Baal-peor" signifies the adulteration of good, it came to pass that:

All the chiefs of the people were hung up before the sun, because the people committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab and bowed themselves down to their gods, and joined themselves to Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1-4).

"To commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab" signifies to adulterate the goods of the church; and "to be hung up before the sun" signifies a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of the good of the church.

[8] Because "Ai" signifies the knowledges of good, and in the contrary sense the confirmations of evil:

The king of Ai was hanged on wood, and afterwards thrown down at the entrance of the gate of the city, and the city itself was burned (Joshua 8:26-29).

And because "the five kings of the Amorites" signified evils and falsities therefrom destroying the goods and truths of the church,

Those kings were hanged by Joshua, and afterwards cast into the cave of Makkedah (Joshua 10:26, 27);

"the cave of Makkedah" signifying direful falsity from evil.

[9] Again, "to be hung upon wood or to be crucified" signifies the punishment of evil that destroys the good of the church, in Matthew:

Jesus said, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and scribes; and some of them shall ye kill, crucify, and scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city (Matthew 23:34).

All things the Lord spoke He spoke from the Divine, but the Divine things from which he spoke fell into the ideas of natural thought and consequent expressions according to correspondences, like these here and elsewhere in the Gospels; and as all the words have a spiritual sense, so in that sense prophets, wise men, and scribes, are not here meant, but instead of them the truth and good of doctrine and of the Word; for spiritual thought and speech therefrom, like that of angels, is without the idea of person; so a "prophet" signifies the truth of doctrine, "wise men" the good of doctrine, and "scribes" the Word from which is doctrine; from this it follows that "to kill" has reference to the truth of the doctrine of the church, which is meant by a "prophet;" "to crucify" has reference to the good of doctrine, which is meant by "a wise man," and "to scourge" has reference to the Word, which is meant by a "scribe;" thus "to kill" signifies to extinguish, "to crucify" to destroy, and "to scourge" to pervert. That they will wander from one falsity of doctrine into another is signified by "persecuting them from city to city," "city" signifying doctrine. This is the spiritual sense of these words.

[10] In the same:

Jesus said to the disciples that He must suffer at Jerusalem, and that the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall condemn Him, and deliver Him up to the Gentiles to be mocked, to be scourged, and to be crucified; and the third day He shall rise again (Matthew 20:18, 19; Mark 10:32-34).

The spiritual sense of these words is that Divine truth, in the church where mere falsities of doctrine and evils of life reign, shall be blasphemed, its truth shall be perverted, and its good destroyed. "The Son of man" signifies Divine truth, which is the Word, and "Jerusalem" signifies the church where mere falsities and evils reign; "the chief priests and scribes" signify the adulterations of good and the falsifications of truth, both from infernal love; "to condemn Him and deliver Him to the Gentiles" signifies to assign Divine truth and Divine good to hell and to deliver them to the evils and falsities that are from hell, the "Gentiles" signifying the evils that are from hell and that destroy the goods of the church; "to be mocked, to be scourged, and to be crucified," signifies to blaspheme, falsify and pervert the truth, and to adulterate and destroy the good of the church and of the Word (as above); "and the third day He shall rise again" signifies the complete glorification of the Lord's Human.

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by the Lord's crucifixion, also what is signified by the various mockings then connected with it, as that "they put a crown of thorns on His head," that "they smote Him with a reed," and also that "they spat in His face," with many other things related in the Gospels, this signifying that the Jewish nation treated Divine truth and good itself, which was the Lord, in a like heinous manner; for the Lord suffered the heinous state of that church to be represented in Himself; and this was also signified by:

His bearing their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11).

For it was a common thing for a prophet to take upon himself a representation of the heinous things of the church; thus the prophet Isaiah was commanded to go naked and barefoot three years, to represent the church as destitute of good and truth (Isaiah 20:3, 4); the prophet Ezekiel, bound in cords, laid siege to a tile on which Jerusalem was depicted, and ate a cake of barley made with the dung of an ox, to represent that the truth and good of the church was thus besieged by falsities and polluted by evils (Ezekiel 4:1-13); the prophet Hosea was commanded to take a harlot to himself for a woman, and children of whoredoms, to represent what the quality of the church was at that time (Hosea 1:1-11); with other like things. That this was "bearing the iniquities of the house of Israel" or the church is plainly declared in Ezekiel 4:5, 6. From this it can be seen that all things recorded concerning the passion of the Lord were representative of the state of the church at that time with the Jewish nation.

[12] Thus much respecting the punishment of "hanging upon wood or crucifixion." This is not the place to confirm from the Word that the other punishment, which was "stoning," signified a condemnation and curse because of the destroyed truth of the church, but it can be seen from the passages where "stoning" is mentioned (as in Exodus 21:28-33; Leviticus 24:10-17, 23; Numbers 15:32-37; Deuteronomy 13:10; 17:5-7; 22:20, 21, 24; Ezekiel 16:39-41; 23:45-47; Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34; 20:6; John 8:7; 10:31, 32; and elsewhere).

850. And behold a Lamb standing on the Mount Zion, signifies the presence of the Lord in heaven and in the church for separating the good from the evil and for executing judgment. This is evident from the signification of "Lamb," as being the Lord as to the Divine Human (See above, n. 297, 314, 343, 460, 482); also from the signification of "standing," as meaning to be present and to be conjoined (of which presently); also from the signification of "the Mount Zion," as being heaven and the church, where the Lord reigns by His Divine truth, as can be seen from the passages in the Word where "Mount Zion" is mentioned. But first something shall be said about the Lord's presence in heaven and in the church, for separating the good from the evil and for executing judgment. The presence of the Lord is perpetual in the whole heaven and in the whole church; for heaven is not heaven from what is the angels' own [proprium] in it, nor is the church a church from what is men's own [proprium] in it, but from the Divine of the Lord with them. For an angel's own [proprium] cannot make heaven, nor a man's own [proprium] the church, since the own [proprium], both of angels and of men, is not good. Consequently it is the Divine that goes forth from the Lord, as received by them, that makes heaven and the church in particular with each one, and thus makes heaven and the church in general in all in whom heaven and the church exist. Thence it is evident that the presence of the Lord is perpetual with all who are in heaven and in the church; but it is a presence that is peaceful, tranquil, preserving, and sustaining, by which all things in the heavens and on the earth are held constantly in their order and connection, or are reduced to that order; so, too, in the hells. But the presence that is meant here by "standing upon the Mount Zion" is the unusually active presence of the Lord, for the purpose of effecting an inflow of His Divine through the heavens into the lower parts, that the good there may be separated from the evil, and the evil be cast down from their places where they had formed for themselves a semblance of heavens. But this presence and conjunction of the Lord with the heavens and His consequent influx into the lower parts to effect the judgment has been treated of above (n. 413, 418, 419, 426, 489, 493, 702, 704). It is this presence that is signified elsewhere by "standing," when attributed to the Lord (as in Isaiah 3:13). From all this it can be seen that "behold a Lamb standing on the Mount Zion" signifies the presence of the Lord in heaven and in the church, for separating the good from the evil and for executing judgment.

[2] "Mount Zion" signifies heaven and the church where the Lord reigns by His Divine truth, for the reason that Zion was a city built by David, and in which he afterwards dwelt, and was therefore called "the city of David," and as "David" represented the Lord in respect to His royalty, which is the Divine truth, "Zion" signifies in the Word heaven and the church, where the Lord reigns by His Divine truth. For the same reason the ark of Jehovah, in which the law was deposited, was carried into that city by David; for that law also signifies in a broad sense Divine truth going forth from the Lord. And for the same reason Jerusalem, which lay below that mountain, signifies the church in respect to doctrine; for every doctrine of the church is from the Divine truth that goes forth from the Lord, consequently is from the Word. That city was built upon a mountain for the reason that at that time mountains, because of their height, represented the heavens, and thence also in the Word signify the heavens. The ground of this representation and consequent signification is that the highest heavens, in which are the angels of the third degree, appear at a height above the rest, and before the eyes of others like mountains; and as the highest heavens appear like mountains, and the angels who are upon them are in love to the Lord, so "mountains," and especially "Mount Zion," signify in the Word love to the Lord. (That a "mountain" signifies love see above, n. 405, 510.)

[3] That "Zion" signifies heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by His Divine truth, can be seen from the following passages. In David:

I have anointed My king upon Zion, the mountain of My holiness. I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. I will give the nations for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish in the way, for His anger will shortly burn forth. Happy are all they that trust in Him (Psalms 2:6-8, 12).

This evidently was not said of David, but of the Lord, for it is said, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. I will give the nations for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession;" also "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish in the way; Happy are all they that trust in Him;" nothing of which can be said of David. Therefore "to anoint a king upon Zion, the mountain of holiness," signifies the Lord's rule in heaven and in the church by means of Divine truth. (What "to be anointed" and "one anointed" signify, in reference to the Lord, may be seen above, n. 375.) "King" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, "Zion" heaven and the church, and "to declare the decree" His coming; "Thou art, My Son, this day have I begotten Thee," signifies the Divine Human, which also is the Son of God; that He has all power in the heavens and on earth is meant by "I will give the nations for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession;" that there must be conjunction with Him by love that there may be salvation is signified by "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish in the way." The Last Judgment by Him is signified by "His anger will shortly burn forth;" that those who have faith in Him will then be saved is signified by "Happy are all they that trust in Him." All this makes evident that "Zion" means heaven and the church, where the Lord reigns by means of His Divine truth.

[4] Likewise in Zechariah:

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy king cometh unto thee; He is just and a Deliverer; meek and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the son of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).

That this was said of the Lord and of His kingdom in the heavens and on earth, which kingdom is meant by "Zion" and by "Jerusalem," is evident in the Gospels, where this, when it is fulfilled, is related:

Jesus sent two disciples that they might bring to Him an ass and her colt. This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, sitting upon an ass, and upon a colt, the son of a beast of burden (Matthew 21:1, 2, 4, 5; John 12:14, 15).

That "riding upon an ass and upon a foal of an ass" was a sign of royalty, and therefore the Lord so rode when He entered Jerusalem, and He was therefore called King by the multitude crying aloud, and branches of palm trees and garments were strewn upon the way before Him (verses 7-9), may be seen above n. 31, and as the Lord thus entered Jerusalem as a King it is evident that "Zion" means heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by means of His Divine truth. That the kings of Judah and Israel represented the Lord as to the Divine truth, and that consequently "kings" mean those who are in truths from good from the Lord can be seen above (n. 31, 553, 625); and that especially David represented in the Word the Lord as to royalty, which is the Divine truth (n. 205).

[5] In Isaiah:

O Zion, proclaimer of good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, proclaimer of good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength (Isaiah 40:9, 10).

As this is said of the Lord and of His Kingdom, and this is signified by "Zion and Jerusalem," it is said that "Zion and Jerusalem should proclaim it as good tidings," Zion from good of love, and Jerusalem from truths of doctrine. To proclaim good tidings from good of love is meant by "getting up into a high mountain;" and proclaiming good tidings from truths of doctrine is meant by "lifting up the voice with strength;" "the cities of Judah" signify the doctrine of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor in the whole complex. The Lord as to the Divine truth and the Divine good, who was to come and execute judgment, is meant by, "Behold your God! behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength;" for the Lord is called "God" in the Word from Divine truth, and "Jehovah," and also "Lord Jehovih," from Divine good; and "to come in strength" is to execute judgment, and thus to subjugate the hells.

[6] In Micah:

In the end of the days it shall be that the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the head of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us of His ways and that we may go in His paths; for from Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Then shall He judge among many nations, and shall reprove numerous nations, even afar off. Jehovah shall rule in Mount Zion from henceforth even forever. Thou, O tower of the flock, O hillside of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall come and shall return the former kingdom, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah 4:1-3, 7, 8).

Anyone can see that the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom in the heavens and in the earth are here described; therefore His kingdom, which is heaven and the church, is meant by "the mountain of the house of Jehovah" that will then be established in the head of the mountains. And as "Zion" means heaven and the church in which the Lord is to reign by His Divine truth, while "Jerusalem" means heaven and the church as to doctrine from that Divine truth, it is said, "from Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem." The instruction of all from the Lord is described by what then follows.

[7] In Isaiah:

Cry out and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee (Isaiah 12:6).

In the same:

The redeemed of Jehovah shall return to Zion with singing, and the joy of eternity shall be upon their head (3 Isaiah 35:10).

In Zephaniah:

Sing for joy, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem; Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments; He hath overturned thine adversary. Jehovah is in the midst of thee (Zephaniah 3:14, 15).

In Zechariah:

Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come that I may dwell in the midst of thee; and many nations in that day shall cleave to Jehovah. I will dwell in thee (Zechariah 2:10, 11).

In the same:

I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; whence Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth, and the mountain of Jehovah, the mountain of holiness (Zechariah 8:3).

In David:

Who shall give in Zion the salvation of Israel? When Jehovah shall bring back the captivity of his people Jacob shall exult and Israel shall be glad (Psalms 14:7; 53:6).

In Isaiah:

The Lord Jehovih shall lay in Zion for a foundation a tried stone, a precious corner stone of a well-founded foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste. Then I will set judgment for a rule and justice for a plummet; your covenant with death shall be abolished, and your vision with hell shall not stand (Isaiah 28:16-18).

In the same:

In that day a present unto Jehovah of Hosts shall be brought, a people distracted and plundered, from a terrible people, to the place of the name of Jehovah of Hosts, to Mount Zion (Isaiah 18:7).

In the same:

I have made near My justice, it is not far off, and My salvation shall not tarry; I will place salvation in Zion, My adornment for Israel (Isaiah 46:13).

In the same:

Then a Redeemer shall come to Zion (Isaiah 59:20).

These passages treat of the Lord's coming and of His kingdom in the heavens and on the earth, and as that kingdom is meant by "Zion and Jerusalem" it is said that they shall come thither, and that Jehovah the Holy One and the King of Israel shall dwell there; "Jehovah the Holy One and the King of Israel" meaning the Lord as to Divine truth. This makes clear that "Zion" means heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by Divine truth, and "Jerusalem" heaven and the church as to doctrine from that Divine truth. Who does not see that Zion and Jerusalem, to which the nations should be brought back, and where the Lord should dwell, do not mean Zion and Jerusalem where the Jewish nation was?

[8] It can also be seen from the following passages that "Zion" means heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by Divine truth. In Isaiah:

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and those of her that are brought back in justice (Isaiah 1:27).

In the same:

He that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy to Him, everyone that is written unto life in Jerusalem. Jehovah will create over every dwelling of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day and a smoke and the shining of a flame of fire by night (Isaiah 4:3, 5).

In the same:

Jehovah of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be glory (Isaiah 24:23).

In the same:

Jehovah, who hath His fireplace in Zion, and His oven in Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:9).

In the same:

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwelleth on high; He hath filled Zion with judgment and justice. Look upon Zion, the city of our set feast; let thine eyes see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be destroyed (Isaiah 33:5, 20).

In the same:

The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee; she hath laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head after thee, because thou hast blasphemed and reviled the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 37:22, 23).

In David:

That I may recount all Thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion (Psalms 9:14).

The sides of the north, the city of the great King; God is known in her streets (Psalms 48:2, 3).

In the same:

Encompass ye Zion, and encircle her, number her towers, set your heart to her bulwarks, examine her palaces; and ye shall tell to the generation following that this God is our God forever and ever; He will lead us (Psalms 48:11-14).

In the same:

In Salem is the tabernacle of God, and his dwelling place in Zion (Psalms 76:2).

In the same:

The Lord hath chosen the tribe of Judah, the mountain of Zion which He hath loved (Psalms 78:68).

In the same:

Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are to be spoken in thee, O city of God; Jehovah shall count when He describeth the peoples, This one was born there. All my fountains are in thee (Psalms 87:2, 3, 6, 7).

In the same:

When Jehovah shall bring back the captivity of Zion, then shall our mouth be filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Psalms 126:1, 2).

In the same:

Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion, that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of my ¹ life; that thou mayest see the sons of thy sons, peace upon Israel (Psalms 128:5, 6).

In the same:

Jehovah hath chosen Zion, He hath desired it for a seat for Himself; this is My rest forever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it (Psalms 132:13, 14).

In the same:

Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion (Psalms 134:3).

In the same:

Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem (Psalms 135:21).

In the same:

Jehovah shall reign forever thy God, O Zion, in generation and generation (Psalms 146:10).

In the same:

Let the sons of Zion exalt in their king; let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing psalms with timbrel and harp (Psalms 149:2, 3).

These passages respecting Zion are quoted that everyone may see that in the Word "Zion" does not mean Zion, but heaven and the church where the Lord reigns by means of His Divine truth. Most of these are also prophetic of the Lord, that when He came He would love Zion and dwell there forever; and yet He did not love that city nor Jerusalem, as is evident from His words respecting them; but He loved heaven and the church, where He is received through His Divine truth. This is why Zion is called "His rest," "His dwelling place," "the mountain of Jehovah," "the city of God," "the city of the great King," "the city of truth," and it is said that His kingdom shall be there "to eternity," "forever," and "to generation and generation;" none of which things could by any means be said of the Zion of David, or be meant by it.

[9] As the Lord came into the world to execute judgment, and thereby reduce all things in the hells and in the heavens to order; and as judgment is effected by Divine truth, since this, according to reception, is what makes man spiritual, and according to its laws, which are the Divine commandments in the Word, all judgments are effected in the spiritual world, so the Lord assumed the Human, and during His life in the world made it Divine truth, to the end that He might execute judgment, as has been said. That the Lord made His Human Divine truth is meant in John by:

The Word that was with God, and that was God, and by which all things were made that were made, and by which the world was created (1 :1, seq.).

"The Word" means Divine truth. That the Lord became Divine truth as to His Human is clearly stated as follows:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

The Lord as to Divine truth is also meant by "the Son of man," as the Lord frequently calls Himself in the Gospels; of whom He also says that judgment is to be wrought by Him. Since, then, the Lord executed judgment by His Divine truth, and since "Zion" means heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by His Divine truth, it is said in this chapter of Revelation, which treats of the separation of the good from the evil before the Last Judgment, that "a Lamb was seen standing upon the Mount Zion," which signifies the presence of the Lord in heaven and in the church for separating the good from the evil and for executing judgment, as has been said above.

[10] Because "the mount of Zion" has the same signification elsewhere in the Word, it is said that the Lord will fight from Mount Zion for the church against the evil, and will destroy them; as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

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

This, too, treats of the coming of the Lord and of the redemption or deliverance of the faithful; therefore "to fight upon the mount of Zion and upon the hill thereof" signifies to execute judgment by Divine truth, by which judgment is executed because all are judged according to their reception of it; since Divine truth, or the Word and doctrine therefrom, teach life, and everyone is judged according to the life.

[11] In David:

Jehovah will send help for thee out of the sanctuary, and will sustain thee out of Zion. We will sing of thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. I know that Jehovah saveth His anointed; He answereth him from the heaven of His holiness with the might of the salvation of His right hand (Psalms 20:2, 5, 6).

This, too, was said of the Lord and of His victory over the hells, and the consequent salvation of men. Combats and victories are meant by "answering His anointed from the heaven of His holiness with the might of the salvation of His right hand," and the salvation of the faithful thereby is meant by "His sustaining us out of Zion," and by "singing of His salvation. "

[12] In the same:

Jehovah shall speak, and shall call the earth from the rising of the sun even unto its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shall shine forth, our God shall come. He shall cry out to heaven above and to the earth to judge His people. Gather My saints together unto Me (Psalms 50:1-5).

This plainly treats of judgment upon all from Zion, that is, from the Lord by the Divine truth. The separation of the good from the evil is meant by "He shall call the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down." Judgment upon all is meant by "He shall cry out to heaven above and to the earth to judge the people." The gathering together of the good and their salvation is meant by "gather My saints together unto Me." Divine truth, in which the Lord is in His glory, is meant by "Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God shall shine forth."

[13] In the same:

The saying of Jehovah to my lord, Sit thou at My right hand, until I make thine enemies a stool for thy feet. Jehovah shall send to thee the staff of thy strength out of Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies (Psalms 110:1, 2).

The words of the Lord Himself in Matthew (Matthew 22:44) show that this was said of the Lord. "To sit at the right hand" signifies the Lord's Divine omnipotence; "to make his enemies a stool for his feet" signifies the complete subjugation and surrender of the hells; "the staff of strength out of Zion" signifies Divine truth, which is omnipotent, "Zion" meaning heaven, where the Lord reigns by His Divine truth. His rule over the hells by means of it is signified by "rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." That omnipotence belongs to the Lord alone, and this He has by His Divine truth, may be seen above n. 726. That truths have all power from good, and that good and truth therefrom are from the Lord, may also be seen above (n. 209, 338, 716, 776, 783).

[14] In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy beauty, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness (Isaiah 52:1).

As "Zion" signifies heaven, where the Lord reigns by His Divine truth, and as Divine truth has all power, it is said, "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion." Doctrine therefrom is signified by the "garments of beauty" that Jerusalem will put on.

[15] In Joel:

Jehovah shall roar out of Zion, and shall utter His voice from Jerusalem, that the heavens and the earth may shake. Then shall ye know that I am Jehovah, dwelling in Zion the mountain of My holiness, and that Jerusalem is holiness; no strangers shall pass through her any more (Joel 3:16, 17, 21).

In Amos:

Jehovah shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem (Amos 1:2).

"To roar," and the "roaring of a lion," when predicated of Jehovah, signify an ardent zeal for protecting heaven and the church, and for saving those who are therein by the Divine truth and its power, which is done by destroying the evils and falsities that rise up out of hell (See above, n. 601), and as "Zion" signifies heaven where the Lord reigns by the Divine truth, and "Jerusalem" signifies doctrine therefrom, it is clear what is signified by "Jehovah shall roar out of Zion, and shall utter His voice from Jerusalem." That the Lord is present where He reigns by His Divine truth, both with the angels of heaven and with the men of the church, is signified by "ye shall know that I am Jehovah, dwelling in Zion, the mountain of My holiness." That there shall be no falsities of evil there is signified by "no strangers shall pass through her," "strangers" being the falsities of evil.

[16] In Isaiah:

The day of vengeance of Jehovah, the year of retribution for the controversy of Zion (Isaiah 34:8).

"The day of vengeance of Jehovah and the year of retribution" signifies the Last Judgment, and the condemnation of those who through falsities and evils have laid waste all the truths of the church; which is what is meant by the words "for the controversy of Zion." In David:

Jehovah is great out of Zion, and He is high above all the peoples, the king's strength (Psalms 99:2, 4).

Here Zion is called "the king's strength" from the Divine truth which has power itself.

[17] In the same:

O Jehovah, Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion, for it is time to pity her, for the set time is come; for Thy servants desire the stones thereof, and pity the dust thereof, that the nations may fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory; because Jehovah hath built up Zion, and hath appeared in His glory. The name of Jehovah shall be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples shall be gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah (Psalms 102:13-16, 21, 22).

This treats of the Lord's coming and of the redemption of the faithful by Him. His coming is signified by "the time to pity her," and by "the set time;" truths that are to be restored and truths that have been restored are signified by the "stones" which the servants desire; the establishment of the church and the worship of the Lord from Divine truths is described by what follows.

[18] The devastation of the church by the Jewish nation, by this that they had falsified every Divine truth, is also described throughout the Word by the vastation of Zion. As in Isaiah:

The cities of Thy holiness are become a wilderness; Zion is become a wilderness, and Jerusalem a waste (Isaiah 64:10).

In Lamentations:

The precious sons of Zion, esteemed equal to pure gold, how are they reputed as earthenware bottles, the work of the hands of the potter (Lamentations 4:2-22 to the end; likewise in Isaiah 3:16-26; Jeremiah 6:2; Micah 3:10, 12 here).

"The virgin" and "the daughter of Zion" are mentioned in many places, as in the following: 2 Kings 19:21; Isaiah 1:8; 3:16, 17; 4:4; 10:32; 16:1; 37:22; 52:2; 62:11; Jeremiah 4:31; 6:2, 23; Lamentations 1:6; 2:1, 4, 8, 10, 13, 18; 4:22; Micah 1:13; 4:8, 10, 13; Zephaniah 3:14; Zechariah 2:10; 9:9; Psalms 9:15; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15 and elsewhere. "The daughter of Zion" signifies the spiritual affection for the Divine truth, which is the love of truth for the sake of truth, and the desire for it for the sake of the uses of eternal life. From all this it is now evident what is signified by "the Lamb was seen standing upon the Mount Zion," namely, that in what here follows the separation of the good from the evil for the execution of judgment is treated of.

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