Arcana Coelestia #1286
1286. That a “lip” signifies doctrine, is evident from the following passages in the Word.
In Isaiah:
The seraphim cried and said, Holy, holy, holy, Jehovah of Armies. And the prophet said, Woe is me! for I am cut off, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of Armies. Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, and he touched my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:3, 5-7).
“Lips” here denote the interior things of man, thus internal worship, from which is adoration, as is here represented with the prophet. That his lips were touched, and that thus his iniquity was taken away and his sin expiated, anyone may see was a representative of interior things that are signified by the “lips,” which are things of charity and its doctrine.
[2] Again:
Jehovah shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).
In the internal sense this does not mean that Jehovah smites with the rod of His mouth, and slays the wicked with the breath of His lips, but that a wicked man does this to himself; “the breath of the lips” is doctrine, which with the wicked is false. Again:
I create the increase of the lips, peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I heal him (Isaiah 57:19).
“The increase of the lips” denotes doctrine.
[3] In Ezekiel:
Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak My words unto them. For thou art not sent to a people deep of lip, and heavy of tongue, but to the house of Israel; not to many peoples deep of lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou canst not understand. If I had sent thee to them, would they not have hearkened unto thee? But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee, for they will not hearken unto Me, for all the house of Israel are of a hardened forehead, and hard of heart (Ezekiel 3:4-7).
“Deep of lip” is predicated of the nations which although in falsity of doctrine were yet in charity, and are therefore said to “hearken;” but they who are not in charity are said to be of “a hardened forehead, and a hard heart.”
[4] In Zephaniah:
Then will I turn to the people with a clear lip, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve Him with one shoulder (Zephaniah 3:9).
“A clear lip” manifestly denotes doctrine.
In Malachi:
The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the angel of Jehovah of Armies (Malachi 2:6-7)
This is said of Levi, by whom the Lord is represented; “lips” denote doctrine from charity.
In David:
Who say, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are with us (Psalms 12:4).
Here “lips” denote falsities. Again:
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise Thee with lips of songs (Psalms 63:5).
In Isaiah:
In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lip of Canaan, and swearing to Jehovah of Armies (Isaiah 19:18)
“lip” denotes doctrine.
Malachi 1
1
An oracle: the word of Yahweh to Israel by Malachi.
2
"I have loved you," says Yahweh. Yet you say, "How have you loved us?" "Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?" says Yahweh, "Yet I loved Jacob;
3
but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness."
4
Whereas Edom says, "We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places;" thus says Yahweh of Armies, "They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them 'The Wicked Land,' even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever."
5
Your eyes will see, and you will say, "Yahweh is great--even beyond the border of Israel!"
6
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised your name?'
7
You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, 'How have we polluted you?' In that you say, 'Yahweh's table contemptible.'
8
When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn't that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn't that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?" says Yahweh of Armies.
9
"Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?" says Yahweh of Armies.
10
"Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you," says Yahweh of Armies, "neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
11
For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations," says Yahweh of Armies.
12
"But you profane it, in that you say, 'Yahweh's table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.'
13
You say also, 'Behold, what a weariness it is!' and you have sniffed at it," says Yahweh of Armies; "and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?" says Yahweh.
14
"But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King," says Yahweh of Armies, "and my name is awesome among the nations."
