9294. And the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy works, which thou sowedst in the field. That this signifies the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving on account of the implantation of truth in good, is evident from the signification of “a feast,” as being the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving (of which above, n. 9286, 9287); from the signification of “the harvest,” as being the fruitification of truth, and thus the implantation of it in good; from the signification of “the first fruits,” or the beginnings of the works, as being those things which are the last of instruction and the first of life (of which below); from the signification of “sowing,” as being instructing (n. 9272); and from the signification of “the field,” as being the church as to good, thus the good of the church (n. 2971, 3500, 3766, 7502, 9139, 9141). From all which it is evident that by “the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy works which thou hast sown in the field,” is signified the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving on account of the implantation of truth in good.

[2] That these things are signified by this feast, is evident from what was said above (n. 9286), namely, that three feasts were instituted on account of the liberation of man from damnation, thus on account of his regeneration; for by regeneration man is liberated from hell and introduced into heaven. And therefore the first feast, which was called “the feast of unleavened things,” signifies purification from falsities; consequently this second feast signifies the implantation of truth in good; and the third feast, the implantation of good. For during man’s regeneration he is first purified from the falsities which spring from the evil of the loves of self and of the world, which is effected by his receiving instruction concerning evil, hell, and damnation, and also concerning good, heaven, and eternal happiness; and by his thus suffering himself to be withheld from doing, willing, and thinking evils. When the soil has been thus prepared, then the truths of faith are sown, for before this they are not received. But the truths which are sown must be implanted in good, because they have no soil anywhere else, nor can they strike root anywhere else. They are implanted in good when the man wills the truth, loves it, and does it. This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation, is signified by this feast, which is called “the feast of the harvest of the first fruits of thy works;” for “harvest” signifies truths producing good.

[3] When truths have been implanted in good, the man is no longer led of the Lord by means of truths, but by means of good, which is effected when he wills good and does good from the affection of love, that is, from charity. This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation, is signified by the third feast, which is called “the feast of ingathering.”

[4] These three feasts were also called “the feast of the passover,” “the feast of weeks,” and “the feast of tabernacles” (see Exodus 34:18-23; Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 16:1-17). Similar things to those represented by these three feasts were represented by the bringing out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, by their introduction into the land of Canaan, and by their dwelling there. For by the bringing out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt the like was represented as by the first feast, which was called “the passover.” That this is so may be seen from what has been shown concerning the passover (n. 7093, 7867, 7995); for the bringing out of the sons of Israel, on account of which this feast was instituted, signified the liberation of those who were of the spiritual church from the falsities whereby they were infested (n. 7240, 7317, 9197).

[5] And by the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan the like was represented as by this second feast, which was called “the feast of the firstfruits of works,” and also “the feast of weeks,” namely, the implantation of truth in good; for “the land of Canaan” denotes the church in respect to good, thus the good of the church (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4240, 4447, 4517, 5136, 6516); and abstractedly from persons “the sons of Israel” denote spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879, 5951).

[6] The like was represented by the dwelling of the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan as by the third feast, which was called “the feast of the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, and of the ingathering from the threshing-floor and the wine-press,” called also “the feast of tabernacles,” namely, the implantation of good, and therefore life in heaven. From all this it is now evident why the three feasts were instituted, namely, that it was for the sake of the bringing out from hell of the human race, that wishes to receive new life from the Lord, and their introduction into heaven. This was effected by the Lord through His coming into the world.

9141. And it shall desolate in the field of another. That this signifies the consuming of the cohering goods, is evident from the signification of “to desolate,” as being to deprive through cupidities, thus to consume (of which below); and from the signification of “in the field of another,” as being the cohering goods; for “a field” denotes the church, and the things in a field denote goods (see n. 9139); thus those which are “in the field of another,” denote the adjacent goods which cohere; for the goods with man are like generations on the earth, and consequently are in various degrees of nearness and coherence (n. 9079). Those which are not in the same house, or together in the same family, but yet are related, are what are meant by being “in the field of another.”

[2] That “to desolate” denotes to deprive through cupidities, and thus to consume, is because by the word which is used in the original tongue for “to desolate” is properly signified to set on fire and burn, thus also to feed on and consume. And as this is the derivation of the word, “to desolate” here signifies the consuming that is done by cupidities; for the cupidities in a man are consuming fires. There is in man the fire of life, and the light of life. The fire of life is his love, and the light of life is his faith. The love of good (that is, love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor) makes the fire of life in a good man and in an angel of heaven; and the love of truth and the faith of truth make the light of life in them. But the love of evil (that is, the love of self and the love of the world) makes the fire of life in an evil man and in a spirit of hell; and the love and faith of what is false make the light of life in them. But the love of evil is called in the Word the “burning of fire,” because it burns and consumes those things which belong to the love of good and truth. (That the “burning of fire” has this signification, see n. 1297, 1861, 5215, 9055.)

[3] That a consuming by cupidities is signified by this word in the original tongue, is plain from the following passages, in Isaiah:

Jehovah will come into judgment with the elders of His people, and the prices thereof. Ye have consumed [set fire to] the vineyard (Isaiah 3:14).

The breath of Jehovah, like a river of sulphur, doth consume [burn] it (Isaiah 30:33);

“a river of sulphur” denotes falsities from the evils of the love of self and the love of the world (n. 2446).

[4] In Ezekiel:

The inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both shield and buckler, with bow and with arrows, and with hand staff and with spear, and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years, that they shall bring no wood out of the field, nor cut down any out of the forests (Ezekiel 39:9-10);

thus is described the consuming and desolating of good and truth through cupidities. But who will see this, unless he knows what is signified by “the inhabitants of the cities of Israel,” also what by “weapons,” “shield,” “buckler,” “bow with arrows,” by “hand staff and spear,” by “seven years,” and by “wood out of the field, and out of the forests.” (That “inhabitants” denote goods, see n. 2268, 2451, 2463, 2712; that “cities” denote truths, and consequently doctrinal things from the Word, n. 2268, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492; and that “Israel” denotes the church, n. 4286, 6426, 6637.) Consequently “the inhabitants of the cities of Israel” denote the goods of the doctrinal things of the church; and in the opposite sense, these goods turned into evils and falsities. (That “shield,” “buckler,” and “arrows of the bow” denote truths of doctrine from the Word, whereby there is protection from the falsities of evil, see n. 2686, 2709, 6421; that a “hand staff” denotes the power of truth from good, n. 4876, 7026; in like manner a “spear,” but interior power; that “seven years” denote a full state, thus to the full, n. 6508, 8976; thus “to kindle a fire for seven years” denotes to consume to the full through cupidities; “wood out of the field” denotes the interior goods of the church, n. 3720, 8354; “field” being the church, n. 2971, 3766, 7502, 7571; and “wood out of the forests,” exterior goods, n. 3220, 9011.) When these things are known it may be known that by the above prophecies is described the consuming of all things of the church through cupidities until nothing of the good and truth of the internal and external church remains, which is signified by “they shall kindle a fire for seven years, so that they shall bring no wood out of the field, nor cut down any out of the forests.”

[5] By the same expression is also described the consuming of the good and truth of the church, in Malachi:

Behold the day cometh, burning as an oven, wherein all that sin proudly, and every worker of wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall consume [kindle] them, said Jehovah Zebaoth, which shall leave them neither root nor branch (Malachi 4:1);

“the day that cometh” denotes the last time of the church, when the loves of self and of the world shall reign, and shall consume all the truths and goods of the church, until nothing survives in the man’s internal and external, which is signified by “shall leave them neither root nor branch.” The “root” of good and truth is in man’s internal, and the “branch” is in his external. From this then it is evident that “to desolate” signifies to consume through cupidities, as is the case elsewhere in the Word.