922. Verse 20. And the wine-press was trodden without the city, signifies the bringing forth of falsity from evil out of hell. This is evident from the signification of "treading the wine-press," as being to bring forth truth from good, and in the contrary sense to bring forth falsity from evil, since "grapes," from which wine is made in the wine-press, signify the good of charity, and in the contrary sense evil; and from good truth is brought forth, and from evil falsity. That this, as well as falsifications of the Word, are signified by "the great wine-press of the anger of God," can be seen from the preceding article n. 920. The above is evident also from the signification of "without the city," as being from hell, for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth from the Word (See above, n. 223), while "without the city" signifies the doctrine of falsity from the Word falsified; and as the falsification of the Word is from hell, "without the city" means out of hell. In the Word "city" signifies doctrine, and "the city of David," that is, Zion, and "the city of Jerusalem," signify the church as to the Word and as to doctrine from the Word, therefore "without the city" signifies, not from the Word and doctrine from the Word; and what is not from the Word and from doctrine therefrom is from hell. "Without the city" has a like signification as "without the camp" of the sons of Israel in the desert, for their "camp" signified heaven and the church, and "without the camp," signified hell. For this reason the lepers and all that were unclean were sent out of the camp (Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:1-6); and the excrements, by which things infernal were signified, were left without the camp (Deuteronomy 23:13, 14).

[2] That the "wine-press" and "treading it" signify the bringing forth of falsity from evil and the bringing forth of truth from good, can be seen from the Word where "wine-press" is mentioned. That it signifies the bringing forth of falsity from evil can be seen from the following passages. In Lamentations:

The Lord hath prostrated all my strong ones in the midst of me, He hath proclaimed against me an appointed time for breaking my young men; the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the daughter of Judah (Lamentations 1:15).

This treats of the end of the church with the Jewish nation; and "the strong ones whom the Lord hath prostrated in the midst thereof" signifies the destruction of the love of good; those who are in love of good are called in the Word "strong ones," because good from its love prevails over the hells, and is therefore "strong." "In the midst" signifies all and everywhere. "To break the young men" signifies the destruction of all the understanding of truth; "an appointed time" means when both the goods and the truths of the church were all devastated with that nation; this time was when the Lord came into the world, and is what is meant by "the fullness of times." So "the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the daughter of Judah" signifies the perversion of the church and the adulteration of the Word that is brought forth from evils of life and falsities of doctrine, "the daughter of Judah" being the church from the doctrine of truth from the Word, and "wine-press" being the bringing forth of falsity from evil, and the consequent adulteration of the Word and overthrow of the church. In the sense of the letter this is attributed to the Lord; but this is reversed in the spiritual sense, in which it is meant that this was done by that nation itself.

[3] In Joel:

Send forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get ye down, for the wine-press is full, the vats have overflowed; for their wickedness is great (Joel 3:13.)

The devastation of the church as to good and as to truth is thus described; and "the wine-press is full and the vats have overflowed" signifies that there was nothing except falsities from evil. (The rest may be seen explained, n. 911.

In Hosea:

Be not glad, O Israel, over a likeness, like the nations: for thou hast committed whoredom under thy God; thou hast loved the reward of whoredom upon all corn-floors; the floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall be false to her (Hosea 9:2).

This treats of the falsification of the Word; "the floor and the wine-press shall not feed them" signifies that they will not draw from the Word the goods and truths that nourish the soul. (But this passage also has been explained above, n. 695)

[4] In Jeremiah:

Upon thy vintage hath the spoiler fallen; therefore gladness and joy are gathered out of Carmel, and out of the land of Moab; and I have caused the wine to cease from the wine-presses; none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting (Jeremiah 48:32-34).

What is signified by "the vintage" upon which the spoiler hath fallen, and what by "the gladness and joy" that were gathered, may be seen above n. 919; that there is no longer any truth because there is no good is signified by "I have caused the wine to cease from the wine-presses;" and that there is no longer any joy from any spiritual love is signified by "none shall tread with shouting," "shouting" meaning the rejoicing of those that tread the wine press.

[5] In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments sprinkled from Bozrah, He that is honorable in His apparel, walking in the multitude of His strength? I that speak in justice, mighty to save. Wherefore art Thou red in Thy garment, and Thy garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press? I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people not a man was with Me; therefore have I trodden them in mine anger, and trampled them in My wrath; therefore their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My raiment (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This is said of the Lord, and of His combats against all the hells; and as He fought against them from the Human, in which was the Divine Itself, it is said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments sprinkled from Bozrah?" which signifies fighting from the good of love and from truth, which are from the Divine; for Edom means red, and Bozrah gathering the vintage; and "red" is predicated of good, and "gathering the vintage" of truth; and because this is what Edom and Bozrah mean, the expressions "red" and "as one treading in the wine-press" are afterwards used. And as the Divine good and the Divine truth that are here meant are the Word in the letter, and this is what is signified by the Lord's "garments" it is said, "garments sprinkled," also "honorable in His apparel." And as all strength in the Word is in the letter it is said, "walking in the multitude of His strength." Judgment from His Divine upon the good and upon the evil and consequent salvation, is meant by "I that speak in justice, mighty to save." The violence offered to the Word by the Jewish nation is signified by "Wherefore art Thou red in Thy garments, and Thy garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press?" "Red in garment" is predicated of the violence offered to the Divine good of the Word, which is meant above by "Edom," and "garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press" is predicated of the violence offered to Divine truth in the Word, which is meant above by "Bozrah." "The Lord's garments" signify the Word in the letter, to which violence was offered through adulterations and falsifications of it. The casting down of the hells and of their falsities by His own power is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people not a man was with Me." The casting down into the hells of those who were in direful evils and in falsities therefrom is signified by "I have trodden them in Mine anger and trampled them in My wrath;" "anger" is predicated of evils, and "wrath" of falsities; and these are attributed to the Lord; although it is those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom that are angry and wrathful against the Lord. And as the judgment by which the hells were subjugated was accomplished by the Lord by means of temptations admitted into His Human, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross, it is said, "therefore their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My raiment." For by all things of His passion and by the last temptation on the cross the Lord represented the violence offered by the Jewish nation to the Word, that is, to Divine truth (See above, n. 183, 195, 627, 655, 805).

[6] That "wine-press" and "treading it" signify the bringing forth of truth from good, because "the grape" signifies spiritual good, and "wine from the grape" truth from that good, can be seen from the following passages.

In Joel:

Rejoice, ye sons of Zion, the floors are full of corn, and the winepresses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:23, 24).

"Sons of Zion" signify those who are in wisdom from the Divine truth; "the floors are full of corn" signifies that they have celestial good in abundance; "the wine-presses overflow with new wine and oil" signifies that from the good of charity they have truth and its delight.

[7] In Matthew:

A man, a householder, planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower; and let it out to husbandmen, who slew the servants sent to them, and finally the son (Matthew 21:33).

The "vineyard" which the householder planted signifies the church that was instituted with the sons of Jacob; the "hedge" which he set about it signifies protection from the falsities of evil, which are from hell; "and digged a wine-press in it" signifies that it had spiritual good; "and built a tower" signifies interior truths from that good which looked to heaven; "and let it out to husbandmen" signifies to that people; "they slew the servants that were sent to them" signifies that they slew the prophets; "and finally the son" signifies the Lord.

[8] In Isaiah:

My beloved had a vineyard in a horn of a son of oil, which he fenced and gathered out the stones, and planted it with a noble vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a wine-press in it; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes (Isaiah 5:1, 2).

"Vineyard," "tower," and "wine-press," have a like signification here as just above in Matthew. (The rest may be seen explained n. 918. In most passages, where "vintage" and "wine press" are mentioned, the "harvest" and "corn floor" are also mentioned (as in Hosea 9:1, 2; Joel 2:23, 24; 3:13; Numbers 18:26-30; Deuteronomy 15:14; 16:13; 2 Kings 6:27); and for the reason that "harvest" and "corn-floor," from "corn" and "bread" signify the good of celestial love, which is love to the Lord; and "vintage" and "wine-press," from the "grape" and the "wine," signify the good of spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor; for these two loves make one, like an efficient cause and its effect. This has been said because here in Revelation the "harvest" is mentioned, and afterwards the "vintage" in the same way. (For the "harvest" see verses 14, 15; and the "vintage," verse 19.)

638. Verse 4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, signifies the good of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, and the truth of doctrine and of faith from which are heaven and the church. This is evident from the signification of an "olive yard," "olive tree," and "olive," as being, in a broad sense, the Lord's celestial kingdom and thus the celestial church; which is distinguished from other churches in this, that those from whom that church exists are in love to the Lord and in love towards the neighbor. This is why "olive tree" and "olive" signify each of these loves, that is, the good of each love. (That "olive tree" and "olive" signify that church, or those goods of the church, will be seen in what follows.) This is evident also from the signification of a "lampstand," as being in a broad sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and thus the spiritual church, and as the chief thing of that church is truth of doctrine and truth of faith, so these also are signified by the "lampstands." (That this is the meaning of a "lamp stand" in the spiritual sense, see above, n. 62)

[2] It is said that "the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands" (which yet are four), because "two" signifies conjunction and thence a one. For there are two things that make a one, namely, good and truth; good is not good except it be from truth, and truth is not truth except it be from good; consequently it is only when these two make a one that they have being and existence. This conjunction into one is called the heavenly marriage, and heaven and the church are from that marriage. It is similar with the celestial good, which is signified by "the two olive trees," and with the spiritual good, which is signified by "the two lampstands." For the good in the Lord's celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord, and the truth of that good is called the good of love towards a brother and companion; while the good in the Lord's spiritual kingdom is the good of charity towards the neighbor, and the truth of that good is called the good of faith. But a just idea of these things can scarcely be had unless it is known what celestial good is, and what spiritual good is, and what the difference between them is. This makes clear why it is that "the two witnesses" are called "two olive trees and two lampstands." (That "two" signifies conjunction into one, or the heavenly marriage, see above, n. 532, at the end .)

[3] An "olive tree" signifies the celestial church, because "trees" in general signify perceptions and knowledges, and every church is a church from the knowledges of truth and good, and according to their perception; and "oil" signifies the good of love (See above, n. 375); so an "olive yard" and "olive tree" signify the church in which that good reigns. There are three trees that especially signify the church, namely, the "olive tree," the "vine," and the "fig tree," the "olive tree" signifying the celestial church, "the vine" the spiritual church, and the "fig tree" the external, celestial and spiritual church.

[4] That such is the signification of "the two olive trees and the two lampstands" anyone can see and conclude from this, that they are called "witnesses," and thus are what bear witness of the Lord, that is, acknowledge and confess Him; also from what is said of them in what follows, that "the beast killed them," and afterwards that "the spirit of life from God entered into them," which could not be said of olive trees and lampstands, unless these signified such things as are from the Lord with the angels of heaven and with the men of the church, and bear witness of the Lord, that is, cause angels and men to bear witness of Him. For angels and men cannot from themselves bear witness of the Lord, but the good and truth that are with them from the Lord do this, that is, the Lord Himself from His good and truth with them.

[5] In many passages in the Word gardens and forests, also olive yards and vineyards and also trees of many kinds, as the olive tree, the vine, the fig tree, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak are mentioned; but no one has known heretofore that each of these signifies something spiritual belonging to heaven and the church, except that a "vineyard" signifies the church; but not only does a "vineyard" signify the church but also an "olive yard," and a "forest of cedar" or "Lebanon," and even trees, such as the "olive tree," the "vine," the "fig tree," the "cedar;" and it is because these signify the church and the spiritual things belonging thereto that they are so often mentioned in the Word.

[6] In respect to gardens and forests: "gardens or paradises" signify in particular the intelligence and wisdom which the men of the church have; and "forests or groves" signify the intelligence of the natural man, which regarded in itself is knowledge [scientia] serviceable to the intelligence of the spiritual man; but an "olive yard" and "vineyard" signify the church, "olive yard" the celestial church, or the church that is in the good of love to the Lord, and "vineyard" the spiritual church, or the church that is in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and thence in the truths of faith. The "olive" and "vine" have a like signification; and this because "oil" signifies the good of love to the Lord, and "wine" the good of charity towards the neighbor and the good of faith; while a "fig tree" signifies the church both celestial and spiritual, but external. These things have these significations from representatives in the spiritual world, and thus from correspondence; for in the inmost heaven, where the Lord's celestial kingdom is, and where love to the Lord reigns, the paradises and forests consist of olive yards and fig trees; but in the second heaven they consist of vineyards and many kinds of fruit bearing trees; in like manner in the lowest heaven, but with the difference that in this heaven the trees are not so noble. Such things exist in the heavens, because they correspond to the wisdom, intelligence, love, charity, and faith of the angels who are in those heavens. From this it can now be seen why "the witnesses" are called "olive trees," namely, because "olive trees" mean all who constitute the Lord's celestial church, that is, who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of love towards a brother and companion.

[7] That such is the signification in the Word of "olive yards," "olive trees," and "olives," can be seen from the following passages. In Zechariah:

Two olive trees near the lampstand, one on the right side of the bowl and the other near its left side; and two olive berries; these are the two sons of the olive tree standing by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:3, 11, 12, 14).

This treats of the foundation of the house or temple by Zerubbabel; and the "house" or "temple" signifies the church, therefore a "lampstand" was seen by the prophet, and "near it two olive trees," almost the same as what was seen by John here in Revelation; and the "two olive trees" and "olive berries" signify celestial goods, which are the goods of love to the Lord and of love towards a brother and companion; the former good is signified by "the olive tree seen at the right side of the bowl," and the latter by "the olive tree seen near the left side." The truths of this good are meant by "the sons of the olive tree standing by the Lord of the whole earth," "to stand by Him" signifying to be and to exist from Him.

[8] Because these goods are signified by "olive trees":

The cherubim in the midst of the house or temple were made of olive wood, likewise the doors to the adytum, and the door posts (1 Kings 6:23-33).

For the "cherubim," as well as the doors and posts to the adytum of the temple, signified the guard that there be no approach to the Lord except through the good of love; the "adytum" signified where the Lord is, and "olive wood" the good of love, because "the olive yard," "the olive tree," and "the olive" signify the celestial things that are of love.

[9] Because "the olive yard" and "the olive tree" signified a church that is in love to the Lord:

The oil of holiness with which all the holy things of the church were anointed was made of olive oil and spices mixed with it (Exodus 30:23, 24).

For all things of the church are holy Divine things just so far as they are derived from love to the Lord; therefore by means of that oil a representation of the Lord and of heaven and the church was established. (See an explanation of these things in Arcana Coelestia.)

[10] For the same reason:

Pure olive oil was beaten for the light in the Tent of meeting, which was lighted up every evening (Exodus 27:20; Leviticus 24:2).

That "light" or the "lamp stand" there signified the Lord's spiritual church, and the "fire" kindled in the lamps signified spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor; the "pure olive oil beaten" from which was the fire has a similar signification (respecting which see Arcana Coelestia on that passage).

[11] That "olive tree" and "olive" signify the good of love is evident also from the following passages. In Hosea:

I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and he shall infix his roots as Lebanon; his branches shall spread; and his honor shall be as that of the olive, and his odor as that of Lebanon (Hosea 14:5, 6).

This is said of the spiritual church, which is signified by "Israel;" "to be to him as the dew" signifies the existence and spiritual new birth of that church; the first state of its new birth or regeneration is signified by "he shall blossom as the lily," "lily" signifying the blossoming that precedes the fruit; the second state of regeneration is signified by "he shall infix his roots," which state is its existence in the natural, for there the roots are fixed; the third state is signified by "his branches shall spread," which signifies the multiplication of knowledges and of cognitions; the fifth ¹ state, which is the state of fruit bearing, is signified by "his honor shall be as that of the olive," the "olive" signifying the good of love, of which "honor" is predicated (that "honor" is predicated of the good of love, see above, n. 288, 345); and the sixth ² state, which is the state of intelligence and wisdom, is signified by "his odor as that of Lebanon," "odor" signifying perception, and "Lebanon" rationality, from which are intelligence and wisdom.

[12] In David:

I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God for an age and forever (Psalms 52:8).

It is said "like a green olive tree in the house of God," because a "green olive tree" signifies the good of love springing up by means of the truth of the Word; and the "house of God" signifies the church.

[13] In the same:

Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine on the sides of thy house; thy sons like olive plants around thy tables; thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah (Psalms 128:3, 4).

In the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, this refers to a wife and sons, and the enjoyments arising from marriage and prolification, but in the internal sense, which is the sense of the spirit of the Word, "wife" signifies the affection of truth, and "sons" the truths themselves springing therefrom; for every truth in which there is life is born from the affection of truth; and because a "wife" signifies that affection she is compared to a fruitful vine, since a "vine" signifies the church, and a "fruitful vine" the church in respect to the affection of truth. A "house" signifies the spiritual mind, and its "sides" signify all things in the natural man; "sons" signify the truths that are born from that spiritual affection, and these are compared to "olive plants," because through truths the goods of love and charity, which are olive trees, are brought forth; "around the tables" signifies the enjoyments arising from spiritual appropriation and nourishment.

[14] In Moses:

It shall be when Jehovah thy God hath brought thee into the land, He shall give thee great and good cities which thou buildedst not, and houses full of every good thing which thou filledst not, and cisterns hewn out which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive yards which thou plantedst not (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).

The meaning of these words in the spiritual sense is altogether different from their meaning in the historical sense; for in the spiritual sense "the land of Canaan," into which they were to be brought, signifies the church; therefore "cities," "houses," "cisterns," "vineyards," and "olive yards" signify such things as belong to the church; "great and good cities" signify the doctrinals, which teach the goods of love and charity; "houses full of every good thing" signify all things of wisdom; "cisterns hewn out" signify all things of intelligence in the natural man, which are cognitions and knowledges; "vineyards and olive yards" signify all things of the church in respect to truths and goods.

[15] It is related of Noah:

That he sent forth a dove out of the ark, which returned to him about the time of evening, bearing in its mouth the leaf of an olive plucked off, so that he knew that the waters were abated (Genesis 8:10, 11).

This describes in the spiritual sense the regeneration of the man of the church, signified by "Noah and his sons;" here the "dove" sent out a second time signifies the second successive state, which is the state when, falsities having been removed, spiritual good begins to spring forth through truths; for a "leaf" signifies truth, and "olive" the good springing forth therefrom, and "waters" signify falsities. (This may be seen more fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 870-892.)

[16] In Zechariah:

His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before the faces of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be cloven asunder, a part thereof toward the east and toward the sea with a valley exceeding great, and a part of the mountain shall withdraw toward the north, and a part of it toward the south (Zechariah 14:4).

What this signifies has been explained above n. 405, where it was shown that "the Mount of Olives" signifies the Divine love. For the Mount of Olives was on the east of Jerusalem, and "Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; and every church and every truth of doctrine is illuminated and receives light from the Lord in the east; and the east in heaven is where the Lord appears as a sun; and as the "sun" signifies the Divine love, so the "east" and "the Mount of Olives," which was on the east of Jerusalem, have the same signification. Because that mountain, as has been said, signified the Lord's Divine love, the Lord was accustomed to stay on it, as in the Gospels:

That Jesus every day was teaching in the temple, and every night He went out and lodged in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1);

That upon that mountain He spoke with His disciples about the Last Judgment (Matthew 24:3, et seq.; Mark 13:3, et seq.);

And that He went therefrom to Jerusalem and suffered; besides many other things (Matthew 21:1; 26:30; Mark 11:1; 14:26; Luke 19:29, 37; 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1).

All these things took place because "the Mount of Olives" signified the Divine love; and things significative, because they were representative of heaven and the church, were what at that time conjoined the Lord with heaven and the world. Moreover, the angels of the inmost or third heaven dwell in the east upon mountains, where olive trees abound more than all other trees.

[17] In Jeremiah:

Jehovah called thy name a green olive tree, beautiful with fruit of form; at the voice of a great tumult He hath kindled a fire upon it, and they have broken its branches; for Jehovah of Hosts, who planted thee, hath spoken evil against thee, because of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah (Jeremiah 11:16, 17).

Here the house of Judah and Israel is called "a green olive tree, beautiful with fruit of form," because "the olive tree" and its "fruit" signify the good of love, and "green" and "beautiful in form" signify the truth of that good, from which comes intelligence; for "the house of Judah" signifies the church in respect to the good of love, and "the house of Israel" the church in respect to the truth of that good; "to call its name" signifies its quality; the destruction and vastation of that church by the love of evil is described by "Jehovah hath kindled a fire upon it, and hath broken its branches," "fire" signifying the love of evil, and "branches" truths, which are said "to be broken" when they perish by reason of that love. This is attributed to Jehovah because of the appearance that all evil of punishment ³ seems to be from God, because He is omnipotent and does not avert it; for it is not known that to avert the evil of punishment would be contrary to order, for if it were averted evil would increase until there would be no good remaining.

[18] In Isaiah:

So shall it be in the midst of the land, in the midst of the peoples, as the beating of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done (Isaiah 24:13).

This, too, is said of the vastation of the church in respect to celestial good, and in respect to spiritual good; celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is in its essence truth from that good; celestial good is signified by the "olive tree," and spiritual good which is the truth from celestial good is signified by the "vintage;" vastation is signified by the "beating" and "gleanings" after the consummation.

[19] In Moses:

Thou shalt plant vineyards and cultivate them, but the wine thou shalt not drink, for the worm shall devour it; thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil, because thy olive shall be shaken off (Deuteronomy 28:39, 40).

A "vineyard" signifies the spiritual church, and an "olive tree" the celestial church, so a "vineyard" signifies also the truth of the church, and an "olive tree" its good; therefore "to plant a vineyard and cultivate it and not drink the wine" signifies that although the church is established and truths of doctrine are taught, still truths will neither affect nor perfect, "wine" signifying the truth of doctrine; "for the worm shall devour it" signifies that falsities will destroy; "thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border" signifies that there will be the goods of love from the Lord through the Word and preachings from the Word throughout the church; "not to anoint with oil" signifies no enjoyment, nevertheless, of any good, or any joy therefrom; "thy olive shall be shaken off" signifies that that good will perish. This has reference to the curse if they should worship other gods, and should not keep the statutes and judgments.

[20] In Micah:

Thou shalt tread the olive but shalt not anoint thee with oil, and the new wine but thou shalt not drink wine (Mic. Micah 6:15).

In Amos:

I have smitten with blasting and mildew your many gardens and your vineyards; and the palmerworm hath devoured your fig trees and your olive trees; yet have ye not returned unto Me (Amos 4:9).

"Gardens" signify such things as belong to spiritual intelligence; "blasting and mildew" signify evil and falsity in what is most external, or from the corporeal-sensual; "vineyards" signify the spiritual or interior truths of the church; "fig trees" exterior goods and truths, which are also called moral; but "olive trees" the goods of the church; and the "palmerworm" signifies falsity destroying good.

[21] In Habakkuk:

The fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall there be produce on the vines, the labor of the olive yard shall dissemble, and the field shall yield no food (Habakkuk 3:17).

Here, too, the "fig tree" signifies the externals of the church, "vines" its internals; the "olive yard" its goods; and the "field" the church itself with man.

[22] In the first book of Samuel:

The king shall take your fields and your vineyards and your olive yards, and shall give them to his servants (1 Samuel 8:14).

Here, too, "fields," "vineyards," and "olive yards" have the same signification. The right of the king is here treated of, by which is meant and described the dominion of the natural man over the spiritual, namely, that it will destroy all the truths and goods of the church, and make them serve the natural man, and thus evils and falsities.

[23] In the book of Judges:

Jotham said unto the citizens of Shechem, who had made Abimelech king, The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Shall I make my fatness to cease, which God and men honor in me, and go to move myself over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Shall I make my sweetness to cease, and my good produce; and go to move myself over the trees? And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us. But the vine said unto them, Shall I cause my new wine to cease, that maketh glad God and men, and go to move myself over the trees? And all the trees said unto the thorn bush, Come thou, reign over us. And the thorn bush said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me for a king over you, come and put your trust in my shadow, but if not, let anger ⁴ go out from the thorn bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon (Judges 9:7-15).

These words of Jotham signify that the citizens of Shechem were not willing to have celestial good, which is the "olive tree," nor the truth of that good, which is the "vine," nor moral good, that is, external celestial and spiritual good, which is the "fig tree," to reign over them, but the evil of falsity, which appeared to them as good, which is the "thorn bush;" the fire from this is the evil of lust; the "cedars of Lebanon" are things rational which are from truths. From the passages quoted above it can be seen that in most places the olive tree and the vineyard are mentioned together, which is done because of the marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word; for "olive tree" and "oil" signify the good of the church, and "vineyard" and "wine" the truth of that good. (That "oil" signifies the good of love, and the delight of heaven therefrom, may be seen above, n. 375; and that "wine" signifies the good of charity and truth of faith, n. 376)

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