313. Verse 6. And I saw, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, signifies in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens. This is evident from the signification of "in the midst," as being the inmost, and therefore the whole (of which presently); from the signification of "throne," as being heaven in the whole complex (of which above, n. 253; from the signification of "the four animals" as being the Lord's providence and guard that heaven be not approached except through the good of love (of which see above, n. 277; and as that guard is especially in the third or inmost heaven, since all who are there are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, that heaven is signified especially by "the four animals" (which will be more clearly seen from what follows in this chapter). It is also evident from the signification of "elders" as being those who are in truths from good (of which also see above n. 270; here, therefore, those who are in the middle or second heaven, since all who are there are in truths from good; for there are these two heavens, the third and second, distinguished from each other by this, that those in the third heaven are in love to the Lord, and those in the second in charity towards the neighbor; those in charity towards the neighbor are in truths from good. From this it can be seen what is especially signified by the "four animals" and the "elders."

[2] But the "four animals" signify in general all Divine good in the whole heaven, which guards; and the "elders" signify in general all Divine truth proceeding from Divine good in the whole heaven; both guard because they are united; thus "the four animals and the elders," together, signify Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and therefore the entire angelic heaven, but especially the two inmost heavens. This is so for the reason that angels are not angels from what is their own [ex proprio], but from the Divine good and the Divine truth that they receive; for it is the Divine with them, that is, the Divine received by them, that causes them to be angels, and causes heaven, which is made up of them, to be called heaven (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 2-12, 51-86).

[3] That "the midst" or "in the midst" signifies the inmost, and therefore the whole, can be seen from many passages in the Word; but first let something be said to explain whence it is that because "the midst" signifies the inmost it also signifies the whole. This may be illustrated by comparison with light, with the sun, with the arrangement of all in the heavens, and also of all who are of the church on earth. By comparison with light: Light in the midst propagates itself round about or from the center to circumferences in every direction; and because from the inmost it is propagated and fills the spaces around, thence "in the midst" signifies also the whole. By comparison with the sun: The sun is in the midst because it is the center of its universe; because from it are the heat and light in its system, therefore the sun "in the midst" signifies its presence in every direction, or throughout the whole. By comparison with the arrangement of all in the heavens: There are three heavens, and the inmost of them is the third heaven; this flows into the two lower heavens, and makes them to be one with it by communication which is effected by influx from the inmost. Moreover, in every society of the heavens that which is inmost is also the most perfect; those, therefore, who are round about in that society are in light and intelligence according to their degree of distance from the inmost (See in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 43, 50, 189). By comparison with those who are in the church on earth: The Lord's church is spread through the whole world; but its inmost is where the Lord is known and acknowledged, and where the Word is; from that inmost, light and intelligence are propagated to all who are round about and are of the church, but this propagation of light and intelligence is effected in heaven (of which see in the work on Heaven and Hell 308). From this it can be seen that "the midst" or "in the midst," as it signifies the inmost, signifies also the whole. This makes clear what is meant by "I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing," namely, the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens.

[4] "The midst" also signifies the inmost, and therefore the whole, in many passages in the Word, as in the following. In Isaiah:

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

"Inhabitant of Zion" signifies the like as "daughter of Zion," namely, the celestial church, that is the church that is in the good of love to the Lord; "great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee" signifies the Lord, that He is everywhere and throughout the whole there.

[5] In David:

We have considered Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple. As is Thy name, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth (Psalms 48:9-10).

"Temple" signifies the church that is in truths from good which is called a spiritual church; "in the midst of it" is in its inmost, and thence in the whole of it; therefore it is said, "as is Thy name, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth," meaning even to the ultimates of the church, the "earth" is the church.

[6] In the same:

God is my King of old, working salvations in the midst of the earth (Psalms 74:12);

"working salvations in the midst of the earth" signifying in every direction.

[7] In the same:

God stood in the congregation of God, in the midst of the gods He will judge (Psalms 82:1).

"The congregation of God" signifies heaven; "in the midst of the gods" signifies with all angels there, thus in the whole heaven; for the angels are called gods from the Divine truth that they receive from the Lord, for "God" in the Word signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth proceeding from Him, and constituting heaven (See above, n. 24, 130, 220a, 222a, 302).

[8] In Moses:

Behold, I send an angel before thee; beware of his face, since My name is in the midst of him (Exodus 23:20-21).

"Angel" here, in the highest sense, means the Lord; "My name in the midst of him," means that all Divine good and Divine truth are in him (See above, n. 102, 135, 224).

[9] In Luke:

Jesus said of the last times, Then let them that are in Judea flee on the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out (Luke 21:21).

This treats of the consummation of the age, by which is meant the last time of the church, when judgment takes place. "Judea" does not mean Judea, but the church; and the "mountains" do not mean mountains, but the good of love to the Lord; and as these things are said respecting the end of the church, it is clear what is signified by "let them that are in Judea flee on the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out;" namely, that when judgment takes place all those of the church who are in the good of love to the Lord shall be safe.

[10] In Isaiah:

In that day shall Israel be third to Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isaiah 19:24-25).

"Israel" means the spiritual of the church; "Assyria" the rational of the men thereof; and "Egypt" cognitions and knowledges [cognitiones et scientifica]. From this it can be seen what is signified by "Israel shall be the third to Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land," namely, that everything there shall be spiritual, both the rational and the recognizing and knowing faculty [cognitivum et scientificum]; for when the inmost is spiritual, which is truth from good, then the rational also which is therefrom is spiritual, and likewise the knowing faculty, for both are formed from the inmost, which is truth from good, or the spiritual.

[11] In Jeremiah:

My heart in the midst of me is broken, all my bones are shattered (Jeremiah 23:9).

"The heart broken in the midst of me" signifies grief from inmosts to ultimates, that is, through the whole; therefore it is also said, "all my bones are shattered," "bones" signifying the ultimates.

[12] In the following passages, also, "in the midst" signifies in the whole, or throughout the whole. In Isaiah:

It shall be in the midst of the earth, in the midst of the peoples, as the beating of an olive-tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is completed (Isaiah 24:13).

These things were said of the church vastated in respect to good and to truth, and in which there is nothing but evil and falsity. "In the midst of the earth" means that throughout the whole of the church there is evil; and "in the midst of the peoples" means that throughout the whole of it there is falsity; therefore it is compared to "the beating of an olive-tree," and to "the gleanings left when the vintage is completed;" "olive" signifying the good of the church, "vintage" the truth thereof, and "beating" and "gleanings" thereof signify vastation.

[13] In David:

They search out perversities, for the midst of men and the heart are deep (Psalms 64:6).

The "midst of man" means the intellectual where truth should be; and the "heart" the voluntary where good should be; here, both of these perverted, the latter into evil, and the former into falsity.

[14] In the same:

There is no certainty in the mouth of anyone; perdition is their midst (Psalms 5:9).

In the same:

They bless with their mouth, but in their midst they curse (Psalms 62:4).

In the same:

The saying of the transgression to the wicked in the midst of my heart is, there is no dread of God before his eyes (Psalms 36:1).

In Jeremiah:

They have taught their tongue to speak a lie: their ¹ dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me (Jeremiah 9:5-6).

Also in these and in many other passages, "in the midst" signifies in the whole, because in the inmost; for such as the inmost is, such is the whole; since from the inmost all the rest are brought forth and derived, as the body is from its soul; the inmost of everything is also what is called the soul. For example: The inmost of man is his will and understanding therefrom, and such as is the will and the understanding, thence, such is the whole man; so again, the inmost of man is his love and faith therefrom, and such as is his love and the faith, thence such is the whole man.

[15] That the whole man is such as his midst or inmost is, is also the meaning of the Lord's words in Matthew:

The lamp of the body is the eye; if the eye be good the whole body is light; if the eye be evil the whole body is darkened (Matthew 6:22-23).

The "eye" signifies man's understanding (See above, n. 37, 152), if this is good, that is, if it is made up of truths that are from good, the whole man is such, which is signified by "the whole body is light;" but on the other hand, if the understanding is made up of the falsities of evil, the whole man is such, as is signified by "the whole body is darkened." The eye is called "good;" but in the Greek the eye is called "single," and "single," means that there is unity, and there is unity when truth is from good, or the understanding is from the will. Also, the "right eye" signifies the understanding of good, and the "left eye" the understanding of truth; if these make one, there is a "single eye," thus a "good eye."

Bilješke:

10132. 'Lambs, the sons of a year, each day' means the good of innocence in every state. This is clear from the meaning of 'lambs' as the good of innocence, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'the sons of a year' as a form of it that is child-like but has truths implanted in it, also dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'each day' as in every state. For 'a day' means a state, and 'the morning' and 'the evening' of a day, when the burnt offerings of lambs were presented, mean every state.

'A day' means a state, see 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 7680.

Changes of states are like the changes in a day of morning, midday, evening, night, and morning again, 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426.

[2] The fact that the good of innocence is meant by 'lambs' is clear from places in the Word where 'lambs' are mentioned, as in Isaiah,

The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child will lead them. A suckling will play over the viper's hole, and a weaned child will put out his hand onto the basilisk's den. They will not corrupt themselves on all My holy mountain. And it will happen on that day, that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who is standing as an ensign of the peoples; and His rest will be glory. Isaiah 11:6, 8-10.

These words describe the state of peace and innocence in the heavens and in the Church after the Lord came into the world. And because a state of peace and innocence is being described the lamb, kid, and calf are mentioned, also a little child, suckling, and weaned child, every one of which means the good of innocence. Inmost good of innocence is meant by 'the lamb', interior good of innocence by 'the kid', and exterior good of innocence by 'the calf'; and these three degrees of good are likewise meant by 'a child', 'a suckling', and 'a weaned one'. 'The holy mountain' is heaven and the Church where the good of innocence resides; 'the nations' are those who have that good within them; and 'the root of Jesse' is the Lord, who is the source of that good. For the good of love coming from Him and offered back to Him, also called celestial good, constitutes the good of innocence.

[3] 'The lamb' means the good of innocence in general, and the inmost good of innocence in particular. This is clear from the fact that it is mentioned first, and also from the fact that the Lord Himself is referred to as the Lamb, as will be seen below.

'The kid' means the interior good of innocence, see 3519, 4871.

'The calf (or young bull)' means the exterior good of innocence, 430, 9391.

'A child' means innocence, 5236, as do 'a suckling', 'a weaned child', that is, an infant, 430, 2280, 3183, 3494, 5608.

'The holy mountain' is where the good of love to the Lord resides, 6435, 8758.

'The nations' means those who have that good within them, 1416, 6005.

That the good of love to the Lord, called celestial good, constitutes the good of innocence is clear from those who are in the inmost heaven. Because they have that good within them they appear naked, as young children; they do so because nakedness depicts innocence, as does early childhood, see the places referred to in 9277, and what has been stated in 3887, 9680.

[4] It says that 'the wolf will dwell with the lamb' because 'the wolf' means those who are opposed to innocence, as also in the same prophet,

The wolf and the lamb will feed together. They will not do evil nor destroy on all My holy mountain. Isaiah 65:25.

And in Luke,

Jesus said to the disciples whom He sent out, Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Luke 10:3.

[5] Since the Lord when He was in the world was - as to His Human - Innocence itself, and since for this reason innocence emanates wholly from Him, the Lord is called the Lamb, and the Lamb of God, as in Isaiah,

Send the Lamb of the Ruler of the land from the rock towards the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. Isaiah 16:1.

In the same prophet,

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He is led like a lamb to the slaughter. Isaiah 53:7.

In John,

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming; he said, Behold, the Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world. John 1:29, 36.

In Revelation,

The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them and will guide them to living springs of water. Revelation 7:17.

And elsewhere in the same book,

These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were bought from men (homo), being the firstfruits to God and the Lamb. Revelation 14:4.

And many times elsewhere in Revelation besides these two places, such as Revelation 5:6, 8, 12-13; 6:1, 16; 7:9-10, 14; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:9, 14, 22-23, 27; 22:1, 3.

[6] It was because those who possess innocence are meant by 'lambs' that the Lord first told Peter Feed My lambs, then afterwards Feed My sheep, and again, Feed My sheep, John 21:15-17. 'Lambs' in this instance are those who are governed by the good of love to the Lord, for they possess the good of innocence more than all others, whereas 'sheep' are those governed by the good of charity towards the neighbour and those governed by the good of faith.

[7] The word 'lambs' is used with a similar meaning in Isaiah,

Behold, the Lord Jehovih comes with might, and His arm exercises dominion for Him. He will pasture His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs into His arm, He will carry them in His bosom, He will gently lead the sucklings ¹ . Isaiah 40:10-11.

These verses refer, it is evident, to the Lord. Since those who are governed by love to Him and who for this reason possess the good of innocence are meant by 'lambs' it is said that 'He will gather them into His arm' and 'He will carry them in His bosom'. For these people are joined to the Lord through love, and love is spiritual togetherness. And this also is why those verses go on to say, 'He will gently lead the sucklings', for sucklings and young children are those who possess the good of innocence, 430, 2280, 3183, 3494.

[8] From all this one may now see what the burnt offerings and sacrifices of lambs mean, why they were offered each day, on each sabbath, at each new moon, at each feast, and every day during the feast of Passover, and why at the feast of Passover the lamb called the Passover lamb was eaten, spoken of as follows in Moses,

This month shall be for you the head of months; the first shall it be for you in respect of months of the year. You shall take a member of the flock, a male, from the lambs or from the kids. And they shall take some of the blood and put it onto the [two] doorposts and onto the lintel, and onto the houses in which they will eat it. They shall not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted with fire. Exodus 12:1ff.

The feast of Passover was a sign of the deliverance from damnation of those who receive the Lord in love and faith, 9286-9292, thus who possess the good of innocence; for the good of innocence is inmostly present in love and faith and is their soul. This is why it says that they were to put the animal's blood onto doorposts, lintel, and houses; for where the good of innocence is, hell cannot come in. The reason why they were to eat it roasted with fire was that this was a sign of the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord received from the Lord.

[9] Because a lamb was a sign of innocence, when the days [of purification] after giving birth had been fulfilled a lamb, the son of a year ² was offered as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or else a turtledove was offered as a sacrifice, Leviticus 12:6. The young pigeon or the turtledove was a sign of innocence, just as the lamb was. By 'giving birth' is meant in the spiritual sense the Church's giving birth, giving birth to the good of love; for no other kind of birth is thought of in heaven. And by the burnt offering and sacrifice of those creatures is meant purification from evils by means of the good of innocence; for this good is what the Divine flows into and uses to effect such purification.

[10] The reason why someone who sinned through error had to offer a lamb or a a female kid, or two turtledoves, or two young pigeons as a guilt-offering, Leviticus 5:1-13, was that 'sin through error' is sin owing to lack of knowledge, and if the lack of knowledge has innocence within it purification takes place. Regarding a Nazirite also it says that when he had completed his Naziriteship he had to offer a lamb, the son of a year ² , as a burnt offering, a ewe lamb, the daughter of a year ² , as a sin-sacrifice, and one ram as a eucharistic sacrifice, and also a basket of unleavened bread, cakes mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, Numbers 6:13-15. All these - the lamb, ewe lamb, ram, unleavened bread, cakes, wafers, and oil - mean celestial things, that is, aspects of love to the Lord received from the Lord. The reason why they were offered as a sacrifice by a Nazirite after the days of his Naziriteship had been fulfilled was that a Nazirite represented the celestial man, or the Lord in respect of the Divine Celestial, 3301, the Divine Celestial being what is Divine and the Lord's in the inmost heaven, and what is Divine there being innocence.

[11] From all this it may be recognized that 'a lamb' means the good of innocence, for all beasts that were sacrificed meant some aspect of the Church. It may be recognized primarily from the fact that the Lord Himself is called the Lamb, as is clear from the places referred to above; also that those people are called 'lambs' who love the Lord, as in Isaiah 40:10-11, and in John 21:15; and in addition that upright people are called 'sheep', for example in Matthew 15:21-29; 25:31-41; 26:31; John 10:7-16, 26-31; 21:16-17, and elsewhere, while bad people are called 'goats', Matthew 25:32; Zechariah 10:3; Daniel 8:5-11, 25. All useful and gentle beasts mean good affections and inclinations, while useless and savage ones mean evil affections and inclinations, see the places referred to in 9280.

[12] The good of innocence is meant not only by 'a lamb' but also by 'a ram' and by 'a young bull'. But the difference is that the inmost good of innocence is meant by 'a lamb', interior or middle good of innocence by 'a ram', and external good of innocence by 'a young bull'; for a person has an external level, an internal level, and an inmost level, on each of which the good of innocence must be present if the person is to be regenerate, the good of innocence being the very essence of all good. Because those three degrees of innocence are meant by a young bull, a ram, and a lamb, these three animals were offered as a sacrifice and a burnt offering whenever purification by means of that good was represented. That is, they were offered at each new moon, at feasts, on the day of firstfruits, and when the altar was consecrated, as is evident in Numbers 7:15, 21, 27, 33ff; 28:1-end; 29:1-end. For the meaning of 'a young bull' as the external good of innocence, 29:see9391, 9990, and that of 'a ram' as the internal good of innocence, 10042. As regards what innocence is, what it is like with young children, what it is like with the simple lacking in knowledge, and what it is like with the wise, see the places referred to in 10021(end).

[13] When it says that the lamb to be offered as a burnt offering had to be 'the son of a year', the meaning was that then it was a lamb; for when it was more than a year old it was a sheep. And since a lamb was so to speak an infant sheep, the kind of good that belongs to infancy or early childhood, which is the good of innocence, was meant by it. This also was why lambs were offered as a burnt offering in the first month of the year, when the Passover was celebrated, Exodus 12:2ff, Numbers 28:16, 19; on the day of firstfruits, Numbers 28:26-27; and on the day on which the sheaf was waved, Leviticus 23:11-12. For by the first month of the year, the day of firstfruits, and the day of waving the sheaf the state of early childhood, and so the state of innocence, was also meant.

Bilješke: