741. Which seduceth the whole world.- That this signifies that they pervert all things of the church, is evident from the signification of the whole world, as denoting all things of the church, of which we shall speak presently; and as all things of the church are signified by the whole world, therefore to seduce it signifies to pervert those things. For all things of the church are perverted when the good of charity, which is the good of life, is separated and removed from faith, as not contributing to salvation or having anything to do with it; all things of the Word, and all things of the church are consequently falsified. For the Lord says, that the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments, to love God above all things, and the neighbour as oneself; and these two commandments signify to live and act according to the commandments of the Word; for to love is to will and act, since what a man loves interiorly, this he wills, and what he wills, this he does. The law and the prophets signify all things of the Word.

[2] There are two principles of evil and falsity into which the church successively falls. The one is the love of having dominion over all things of the church and of heaven, which dominion is meant in the Word by Babel or Babylonia - into this the church falls as a result of evil; the other is the separation of faith from charity, in consequence of which all the good of life perishes; this is meant in the Word by Philistea, and is signified by the he-goat in Daniel, and by the dragon in the Apocalypse; into this the church falls through falsity.

But since this chapter treats of the dragon, which primarily signifies the religion of faith separated from charity, I will refer to some of the methods by which the defenders of faith separated [from charity] lead the world astray. They lead the world astray particularly by teaching, that as no one from himself can do good, that in itself is good, and without placing merit therein, therefore good works can contribute nothing to salvation; they nevertheless say that goods ought to be done on account of the public good, and that these are the goods meant in the Word, in preachings therefrom, and in some of the prayers of the church. But how great an error this is shall now be explained. When a man does good from the Word, that is, because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word, he does not then do it from himself, but from the Lord, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 14), and the Lord is in those things which man has from the Word, as He also teaches in these words in John:

"He that keepeth my word, I will come unto him, and will make my abode with him" (14:23).

This is why the Lord so often teaches that His words and commandments must be done and that those who do them shall have life eternal, also that every one will be judged according to his works. It follows from this that those who do good from the Word do good from the Lord; and good from the Lord is truly good, and so far as it is from the Lord, so far there is no merit in it.

[3] That good done from the Word, that is from the Lord, is truly good, is also clear from these words in the Apocalypse:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (3:20).

This shows that the Lord is ever and unceasingly present, and bestows upon man the effort to do good, but that man must open the door, that is, must receive the Lord; and he receives Him when he does good from His Word. Although this appears to man to be done as of himself, yet it is not of man, but of the Lord with him. It has this appearance to man, because he has no other feeling than that he thinks from himself, and acts from himself, although when he thinks and acts from the Word, he does so as of himself, therefore he then also believes that he does this from the Lord.

[4] From this it can be seen, that the good which a man does from the Word is spiritual good, and that it conjoins man to the Lord and to heaven. But the good which a man does for the sake of the world and for the sake of communities in the world, which is called civil and moral good, conjoins him to the world and not to heaven. Moreover, the conjunction of the truth of faith is with spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, because faith in itself is spiritual, and what is spiritual cannot be conjoined with any other good than what is equally spiritual. But civil and moral good, separated from spiritual good, is not good in itself, because it is from man, in fact, so far as self and the world lie concealed in it, so far it is evil; this good therefore cannot be conjoined with faith, and if it were conjoined, faith would be dissipated.

[5] To seduce the whole world signifies to pervert all things of the church, because by world in general is signified the church as to all things pertaining to it, both goods and truths, but specifically it signifies the church as to good; and this is the signification of world (orbem) when earth (terra) also is mentioned. That the earth (terra) in the Word signifies the church, has been shown above (n. 304, 697); but when the world (orbis) also is mentioned, then the earth signifies the church as to truth. For there are two things that make the church, namely, truth and good, and these two are signified by earth and world in the following passages.

[6] In Isaiah:

"With my soul have I desired thee in the night; with my spirit also in the midst of me have I waited for thee in the morning; for when thou teachest the earth thy judgments, the inhabitants of the world learn justice" (26:9).

Night signifies a state when there is no light of truth, and morning a state when there is the light of truth; the latter state is from love, but the former exists when there is as yet no love. Therefore by the soul which desired Jehovah in the night is signified the life which is not yet in the light of truth, and by the spirit in the midst of him with which he waited for Jehovah in the morning, is signified the life which is in the light of truth, and consequently the words are added, "For when thou teachest the earth thy judgments, the inhabitants of the world learn justice," which signifies that the church is in truths from the Lord, and by means of truths in good, the earth signifying the church as to truths, and the world the church as to good. For judgment, in the Word, refers to truth, and justice to good, while inhabitants signify the men of the church, who are in goods of doctrine and thus of life. That judgment, in the Word, refers to truth, and justice to good, may be seen in theArcana Coelestia 2235, 9857); and that to dwell or inhabit signifies to live, and thence, inhabitants signify those who are in the good of doctrine and thus of life, may be seen above (n. 133, 479, 662).

[7] In Lamentations:

"The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world believed not that the enemy and the foe would enter into the gates of Jerusalem" (4:12).

The kings of the earth signify the men of the church who are in truths, and the inhabitants of the world the men of the church who are in good. That kings signify those who are in truths, may be seen above (n. 31, 553, 625); and that inhabitants signify those who are in good has been shown just above. This makes it clear that the earth signifies the church as to truths, and the world the church as to good. And because all things of the doctrine of the church were destroyed by falsities and evils, it is said that they believed not that the enemy and the foe would enter into the gates of Jerusalem, the enemy signifying the falsities which destroyed the truths of the church, meant by the kings of the earth, and the foe signifying the evils which destroyed the goods of the church, meant by the inhabitants of the world, and Jerusalem signifying the church as to doctrine.

[8] And in David:

"Let all the earth fear Jehovah, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him" (Psalm 33:8).

Here also by the earth are signified those who are in the truths of the church, and by the inhabitants of the world, those who are in the goods of the church.

In the same:

"The earth is Jehovah's, and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the streams" (Psalm 24:1, 2).

The earth here again signifies the church as to truth, and the fulness thereof signifies all truths collectively; while the world signifies the church as to good, and the inhabitants thereof goods collectively. The signification of founding it upon the seas and establishing it upon the streams may be seen above (n. 275:9, 518:23).

[9] And in Isaiah:

"We have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought salvation in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have [not] fallen" (26:18).

Here too the earth stands for the church as to truths, and the world for the church as to goods; the rest has been explained above (n. 721:4).

In the same:

"Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people; let the earth hear and the fulness thereof, the world and all its offspring" (34:1).

That by nations are meant those who are in goods, and by people those who are in truths, may be seen above (n. 175, 331, 625); therefore it is said, "Let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof, the world and all its offspring"; for by the earth and the fulness thereof is signified the church as to all truths, and by the world and all its offspring, the church as to all goods.

[10] In the same:

"All ye inhabitants of the world and ye dwellers on the earth, when the sign of the mountains shall be lifted up, behold ye; and when the trumpet shall be sounded, hear ye" (18:3).

By the inhabitants of the world and the dwellers on the earth are signified all in the church who are in goods and truths, as above; the Lord's coming is signified by When the sign of the mountains shall be lifted up, behold ye, and when the trumpet shall be sounded, hear ye, - the sign upon the mountains and the sounding of the trumpet signifying a calling together to the church.

[11] In David:

"Before Jehovah, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world in justice and the peoples in truth" (Psalm 96:13; Psalm 98:9).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and the last judgment at that time. Because the world signifies those of the church who are in good, and peoples those who are in truths, therefore it is said that "he shall judge the world in justice and the peoples in truth"; justice as well as the world refers to good.

In the same:

"Before the mountains were brought forth, and the earth and the world were formed, from everlasting and even to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).

The mountains signify those who dwell upon mountains in the heavens, and these are such as are in celestial good, while the earth and the world signify the church from those who are in truths and in goods.

[12] In the same:

"Jehovah reigneth, he puts on majesty, Jehovah puts on strength, he girdeth himself; the world also shall be established, nor shall it be moved; thy throne is made firm from of old, thou art from eternity" (Psalm 93:1, 2).

This is said of the Lord who was about to come into the world; and because He has glory and power from the Human which He united to His Divine, it is said that He puts on majesty and strength, and that He girdeth Himself; for the Lord assumed the Human in order that He might have power to subjugate the hells. The church which He was about to establish, and protect for ever, is signified by the world which shall be established, and shall not be moved, and by the throne which shall be made firm; for by the world is signified heaven and the church as to the reception of Divine Good, and by the throne, heaven and the church as to the reception of Divine Truth.

[13] In the same:

"Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth; the world also shall be established, neither shall it be moved; he shall judge the peoples in uprightness; the heavens shall be glad and the earth shall rejoice" (Psalm 96:10, 11).

This also is said of the Lord's coming, and concerning the church to be established by Him and protected to eternity, which is signified by the world that shall be established and shall not be moved, as above. And because the world, signifies the church as to good, therefore it is also said concerning the peoples whom He shall judge in uprightness; peoples, like the earth, signify those who are in the truths of the church, therefore they are called peoples of the earth, and inhabitants of the world; uprightness denotes truths. The joy of those who are in the church in the heavens and in the church on earth is signified by The heavens shall be glad and the earth shall rejoice.

[14] In the same:

Jehovah "shall judge the world in justice, he shall judge the peoples in uprightness" (Psalm 9:8).

Since the world means the church as to good, and "justice" is used in reference to good, therefore it is said, "Jehovah shall judge the world in justice;" and as those who are in truths are called peoples, and uprightness denotes truths as above, therefore it is said, "He shall judge the peoples in uprightness."

In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah maketh the earth by his power, and prepareth the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretcheth out the heavens" (10:12; 51:15).

Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, signifies that the Lord establishes the church by the power of Divine Truth; He prepareth the world by His wisdom, signifies that the church which is in good He forms from Divine Good by means of Divine Truth; By His understanding He stretcheth out the heavens, signifies that thus He enlarges the heavens.

[15] In David:

"The heavens and the earth are thine, the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded" (Psalm 89:11).

The heavens and the earth signify the church in the heavens and on earth, each as to truths, while the world and the fulness thereof signifies the church in the heavens and in the earths, each as to goods, fulness denoting goods and truths in their whole extent.

Again:

"If I should be hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fulness thereof" (Psalm 50:12).

This is said of sacrifices, that the Lord does not delight in them, but in confession and works, for it is added, "Should I eat the flesh of the mighty, or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice to God confession, and pay thy vows to the Most High" (verses 13, 14). Therefore, if I should be hungry, signifies if I should desire sacrifices; but because the Lord desires worship from goods and truths, it is said, "For the world is mine and the fulness thereof," fulness signifying goods and truths in their whole extent, as above. This is said indeed of the beasts which were sacrificed, but these signify in the spiritual sense various kinds of good and truth.

[16] In Matthew:

"This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come" (24:14).

Since the world signifies the church as to good, therefore it is said that this Gospel shall be preached unto all nations, for the nations who are to hear and receive signify all those who are in good; moreover, nations also signify all those who are in evils, who also will hear; and then the world signifies the whole church when in evils; therefore it is also said that "then shall the end come."

[17] In the First Book of Samuel:

Jehovah "raiseth up the humbled out of the dust, he raiseth the needy from the dunghill, to cause them to sit with princes, and he shall make them to inherit a throne of glory, for the bases of the earth are Jehovah's, and he hath set the world upon them" (2:8).

This is the prophecy of Hannah the mother of Samuel. To raise up the humbled out of the dust, and the needy from the dunghill, signifies the instruction and enlightenment of the nations in interior truths, which would be revealed by the Lord, and thus removal from evils and falsities. The bases of the earth signify exterior truths, such as those of the sense of the letter of the Word, for interior truths are founded upon these; therefore the world which he hath set upon them signifies the church as to all its goods and truths. But concerning these things see above (n. 253, 304).

[18] In Isaiah:

"Jacob shall cause them that are to come to take root, Israel shall blossom and flourish, so that the faces of the world shall be filled with the produce" (27:6).

Jacob means the external church, and Israel the internal church; and because the internal of the church is founded upon its externals, and internals are thus multiplied and made fruitful, it is said that "Jacob shall cause them that are to come to take root, and that Israel shall blossom and flourish;" the resulting fructification of the church is signified by The faces of the world shall be filled with the produce.

[19] In the same:

"Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh kingdoms tremble, that hath turned the world into a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof? Prepare slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers, that they rise not up and possess the earth, and the faces of the world be filled with cities" (14:16, 17, 21).

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babel is meant, that is, the love of ruling over heaven and over the earth; therefore to move the earth, to make kingdoms tremble, to turn the world into a wilderness and destroy the cities thereof, signifies to destroy all things of the church, the earth denoting the church as to truth, kingdoms the churches distinguished according to truths, the world the church as to good, and cities doctrinals. To prepare slaughter for his sons, for the iniquities of their fathers, signifies the destruction of the falsities that arise from their evils. Lest they possess the earth, and fill the faces of the world with cities, signifies lest falsities and evils, and doctrinals from them, take possession of the whole church.

[20] In the same:

"The earth shall mourn and be confounded, the world shall languish and be confounded, they shall languish, the loftiness of the people of the earth, and the earth itself shall be polluted under its inhabitants" (Isaiah 24:4, 5).

This describes the desolation of the church as to its truths and goods, on account of the pride of [man's] own intelligence, and the profanation of truths that are from good. The desolation is described by mourning, being confounded, and languishing; the church as to truths and as to goods is signified by the earth and by the world; the pride of [man's] own intelligence by The loftiness of the people of the earth, and the profanation of truths which are from good, by The earth shall be polluted under its inhabitants.

[21] In Nahum:

"The mountains shall tremble before him, and the hills shall melt; the earth shall be burnt up before him, and the world, and all that dwell therein" (1:5).

The signification of the mountains that shall tremble, and of the hills that shall melt, may be seen above (n. 400:7, 405). But the earth and the world, and all that dwell therein shall be burnt up, signifies that the church as to all its truths and goods will perish by infernal love.

[22] In David:

"The channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were disclosed, at thy rebuke, O Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils" (Psalm 18:15; 2 Sam. 22:16).

That all things of the church as to its truths and goods were overturned from their foundation, is signified by The channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were disclosed, the channels of waters denoting the truths, and the foundations of the world its goods; and to appear and be disclosed denote to be overturned from the foundations. That this destruction arises from the hatred and fury of the evil against Divine things is signified by At Thy rebuke, O Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils; the rebuke and the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah has the same signification as His anger and wrath, elsewhere mentioned in the Word. But because there is no anger or wrath in the Lord against the evil, but the evil cherish these against the Lord, and these appear to them when they perish to be from the Lord, therefore it is put in this way, according to the appearance; the blast of the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah means the east wind, which destroys by drought, and overturns by its penetrating power.

[23] In the same:

"The voice of thunder in the world; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook" (Psalm 77:18).

"His lightnings shall enlighten the world, the earth shall see and fear, the mountains shall melt like wax before Jehovah, before the Lord of the whole earth" (Psalm 97:4, 5).

This describes the state of the wicked on account of the Lord's presence in His Divine Truth, which state is similar to that of the sons of Israel when the Lord appeared to them upon mount Sinai. That they then heard thunders, saw lightnings, and that the mountain appeared in a consuming fire like that of a furnace, and that they feared exceedingly, is known from the Word. This was because they were evil in heart; for the Lord appears to every one according to his quality, to the good as a recreating fire, and to the evil as a consuming fire. This makes evident the signification of The voice of Thy thunder in the world, the lightnings lightened the world, the earth shook and trembled, and the mountains melted before Jehovah, the Lord of the whole earth; the world meaning all those of the church who are in goods, but here, those who are in evils, while the earth means all those of the church who are in truths, but here, those who are in falsities.

[24] In Isaiah:

"I will visit upon the world its wickedness, and upon the impious their iniquity" (13:11).

By the world here also are meant those of the church who are in evils, and the impious those who are in falsities. Therefore it is said, I will visit upon the world its wickedness, and upon the impious their iniquity, wickedness denoting evil, while iniquity is said of falsities.

[25] In Job:

"They shall drive him from light into darkness, and chase him out of the world" (18:18).

Since light signifies truth, and the world the good of the church, and since the impious when they depart from truth into falsity also cast themselves from good into evil, it is therefore, said They shall drive him from light into darkness, and shall chase him out of the world, darkness denoting falsities, and to chase out of the world denoting to cast out from the good of the church.

[26] In Luke:

"Men fainting through fear and for expectation of those things which shall come upon the world; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, and then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud" of the heavens "with power and much glory" (21:26, 27).

This is said of the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth, because there is no good; the state of heaven at that time is described by the words, Men shall be faint through fear and expectation of those things which shall come upon the world. This describes the fear of those who are in the heavens, lest everything pertaining to the church as to its good, and thus as to its truths, should perish, and also expectation of help from the Lord, The tottering of the power of Divine Truth is signified by the shaking of the powers of the heavens, the powers of the heavens denoting Divine truths as to power. That the Lord will then make Divine Truth manifest, which possesses power, and from which comes intelligence, is signified by Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud of the heavens with power and much glory.

[27] Similar things are signified by the earth and by the world in the following words in the Apocalypse:

"They are the spirits of demons doing signs to go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to war" (16:14).

It is said unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, because one thing of the church is signified by the earth, and another by the world. Since the world signifies the church as to good, therefore it also signifies all things of the church; for good is the essential of the church, consequently, where there is good there also is truth, for all good desires truth, and wishes to be conjoined with truth, and to be spiritually nourished by it; this also is mutual.

253. (Verse 21) He that overcometh, to him will I grant to sit with me in my throne. That this signifies that he who endures to the end of life will be conjoined with heaven where the Lord is, is evident from the signification of overcoming as being to remain in the spiritual affection of truth even to the end of life (concerning which see above, n. 128), but in this case in a state of faith from charity, because that is the subject treated of. The reason why to overcome has such a signification is that a man, so long as he lives in the world, fights against the evils and falsities therefrom which pertain to him; and he who so fights, and remains in the faith of charity, even to the end of life, overcomes; and he who overcomes in the world overcomes to eternity, because a man is such after death as was his life in the world. And from the signification of to sit with me in My throne, as being to be conjoined with heaven where the Lord is; for by throne is signified heaven, and by sitting with the Lord is signified to be together with Him, thus to be conjoined to Him.

[2] In the Word mention is frequently made of a throne, and by it, when said of the Lord, is signified in general heaven, specifically the spiritual heaven, and in the abstract the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, because this constitutes heaven. Hence also a throne is predicated of judgment, since all judgment is effected from truths. That such is the signification of a throne in the Word is evident from the following passage. In Isaiah:

"Jehovah said, the heavens are my throne" (Isaiah 66:1).

In David:

"Jehovah hath prepared his throne in the heavens" (Psalms 103:19).

In Matthew:

"He that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon" (Matthew 23:22).

That by throne is here signified heaven is evident; for it is said that heaven is Jehovah's throne, that He hath prepared His throne in the heavens, and that he who sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God. Not that Jehovah, or the Lord, there sits upon a throne, but that throne is said of His Divine in the heavens; and also it sometimes appears as a throne to those to whom it is granted to look into heaven. That the Lord was thus seen is evident in Isaiah:

"I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and his skirts filled the temple" (Isaiah 6:1).

Jehovah's skirts filling the temple signifies that the Divine truth proceeding from Him filled the ultimate of heaven and the church; for by the skirts of the Lord is signified in general the proceeding Divine, and specifically the Divine truth which is in the extremes of heaven and in the church (as may be seen above, n. 220).

[3] In Ezekiel:

Above the expanse which was over the head of the cherubs, "as it were the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne, and upon the likeness of the throne, a likeness as it were the appearance of a man upon it above" (Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1).

The reason why the throne appeared like a sapphire stone was, that a sapphire signified the Divine truth of the Lord proceeding from His Divine good, and hence spiritual truth pellucid from celestial good (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 9407, 9873). Thus the throne in this case signifies the whole heaven; for heaven is heaven from the Divine truth. (What cherubs signify, may be seen, n. 9277, end, 9506, 9673.)

[4] In the Apocalypse:

"Behold, a throne set in heaven, and one sat on the throne; there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; before the throne, there was a sea of glass like unto crystal; round about the throne, were four animals full of eyes before and behind" (Revelation 4:2-6, 9, 10).

That heaven is here described as to Divine truth will be seen in the explanation of those words in the following chapter. The same is also signified in this passage:

"A pure river, clear as crystal, proceeded out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Revelation 22:1).

The reason why a pure river clear as crystal was seen proceeding out of the throne was that a river signifies Divine truth; so also does crystal.

[5] The same is signified in the Word by the throne of David, because by David in the prophetical parts of the Word is not meant David, but the Lord as to His royalty which is the Divine truth in the spiritual heaven, which is the second heaven.

Thus in Luke:

The angel said to Mary, "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David" (Luke 1:32).

And in Isaiah:

"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it in judgment and in justice, henceforth and even to eternity" (Isaiah 9:6, 7).

That David is not here meant, nor his throne upon which the Lord should sit, is plain, for the Lord's kingdom was not on earth but in heaven; therefore by the throne of David is meant heaven as to the Divine truth (as may be seen above, n. 205). The like is meant in the Psalms of David, where he speaks of his throne and of his kingdom; as in the whole of Psalm 89, where also it is said:

"I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever; and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation. Judgment and justice are the support of thy throne; I will set his throne as the days of the heavens" (verses3, 4, 14, 29).

That the Lord is there meant by David, may be seen above (n. 205.) The like is also signified by the throne of glory, where it is said of the Lord; for glory signifies Divine truth; as in Matthew:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (Matthew 25:31).

(That glory signifies the Divine truth in heaven, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429, and above, n. 33.)

Hence it is clear what is signified by the throne of glory in Jeremiah:

"Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory" (Jeremiah 14:21, and Jeremiah 17:12); by which is signified that Divine truth should not be disgraced. The same is meant by Jerusalem being called the throne of Jehovah; for by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, and doctrine is Divine truth. Hence it is also clear how these words in Jeremiah are to be understood:

"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all the nations shall be gathered together unto it" (Jeremiah 3:17).

In David:

"Jerusalem is builded; whither the tribes go up. And there are set the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David" (Psalms 122:3-5).

In Ezekiel:

"The glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose face was toward the east; he said unto me, Son of man, behold the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever" (Ezekiel 43:4, 7).

(That Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine, thus the Divine truth in the heavens and on earth, for this makes the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3654, 9166, and above, n. 223.) Because all judgment is effected from truths, and judgment in the heavens from Divine truth, therefore a throne is also mentioned where the Lord is treated of as to judgment, as above in Matthew (25:31), and in David (Psalms 122:3-5); and moreover in David:

"O Jehovah, thou hast executed my judgment; thou sattest on the throne, a judge of justice; thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the wicked: Jehovah shall sit for ever; he will prepare his throne for judgment" (Psalms 9:4, 5, 7).

[6] It is also said in the Word throughout, that others shall sit upon thrones as well as the Lord; but still by such thrones are not meant thrones, but Divine truths. Thus in the first book of Samuel:

"He raiseth up the depressed out of the dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill, to set them among princes, and he will make them inherit the throne of glory" (1 Samuel 2:8).

In the Apocalypse:

The four-and-twenty elders who were before the throne of God, upon their thrones (Revelation 11:16).

In another place:

"I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" (Revelation 20:4).

And in Matthew:

"Ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28, and Luke 22:30).

By thrones are there meant Divine truths, according to, and from which all are to be judged. By twelve and by twenty-four are signified all, and they are said of truths; by elders and disciples are also signified Divine truths, as also by the tribes. When these things are known it will be evident what is meant by thrones in the passages here adduced; also by that which is now treated of: "He that overcometh, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne." (That twelve signifies all, and is predicated of truths may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913; that the same is signified by twenty-four, because that number is double the number twelve, and arises thence by multiplication, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973. That by the elders of Israel are signified all those in the church who are in truths from good, n. 6524, 6525, 6890, 7912, 8578, 8585, 9376, 9404: similarly by the twelve disciples of the n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; also by the twelve tribes, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, 7836, 7891).

[7] From these considerations it is evident what was represented by the throne built by Solomon, concerning which it is thus written in the first book of the Kings:

"Solomon made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps, and the head of the throne was round; and behind it were hands on the one side and on the other near the place of the seat, and two lions standing near the hands; and there were twelve lions standing upon the six steps, on the one side and on the other: there was not the like made in any kingdom" (1 Kings 10:18-20).

Here by ivory is signified the Divine truth in ultimates: by the head being round, the correspondent good; by the gold with which it was overlaid is signified Divine good from which is Divine truth. By the six steps are signified all things from first to last; by the hands is signified all power; by the lions are signified the truths of the church in their power: by twelve, all. Because throne, where it is said of the Lord, signifies heaven as to all Divine truth, so in an opposite sense it signifies hell as to all falsity. In this opposite sense, it is mentioned above (Revelation 2:13; Isaiah 14:9, 13; 47:1; Hagg. 2:22; Dan. 7:9; Luke 1:52; and elsewhere).