275. Verse 6. And in sight of the throne a glassy sea like crystal, signifies the appearance of [Divine] truth in ultimates where its generals are, and its pellucidity by virtue of the influx of Divine truth united to Divine good in firsts. This is evident from the signification of "in sight of the throne," as being appearance; also from the signification of "glassy," as being pellucid. It is also said "like crystal," that pellucidity from the influx of Divine truth united to Divine good in firsts may be described; this is signified by "the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne" (as shown just above, n. 274. In this and what precedes, the state of the whole heaven arranged in order for judgment is described, and its ultimate is meant by "the glassy sea like crystal." The truth of the ultimate heaven is signified by "a glassy sea" because "sea" signifies the generals of truth, such truth as exists in the ultimates of heaven, and with man in the natural man, which truth is called knowledge [scientificum]. The "sea" signifies such truths because in the sea is the gathering together of waters, and "waters" signify truths (See above, n. 71).

[2] That this is the signification of "sea" is evident from many passages in the Word, a number of which I will cite here. In Isaiah:

I will shut up the Egyptians into the land of a hard lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them. Then the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry (Isaiah 19:4, 6).

By "the Egyptians" knowledges [scientiae] that are of the natural man are meant; "the hard lord into whose hands they should be shut up" signifies the evil of self-love; "a fierce king" signifies falsity therefrom; "the waters shall fail from the sea" signifies that with all the abundance of knowledges [scientiarum] there still are no truths; and "the river shall dry up and become dry" signifies that there is no doctrine of truth and no intelligence therefrom.

[3] In the same:

Jehovah will visit with His sword, hard, great, and strong, upon leviathan the stretched out serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent, and will slay the whales that are in the sea (Isaiah 27:1).

This is also said of "Egypt," by which knowledges [scientiae] that are of the natural man are signified; "leviathan the stretched out serpent" signifies those who reject all things which they do not see with the eyes, thus the merely sensual, who are without faith, because they do not comprehend. "Leviathan the crooked serpent" signifies those who, for the same reason, do not believe, and yet say that they believe. "The sword, hard, and great, and strong, with which they shall be visited," signifies the extinction of all truth, for "sword" signifies falsity destroying truth. "The whales in the sea," that shall be slain, signify knowledges [scientifica] in general. (That these are signified by "whales," see Arcana Coelestia 7293.)

[4] In the same:

Let the inhabitants of the isle be still; thou merchant of Zidon passing over the sea, they have filled thee. Blush, O Zidon, for the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, and I have not brought forth, and I have not brought up young men, and have not raised up virgins; when the report comes to Egypt they shall be seized with grief, as by the report respecting Tyre (Isaiah 23:2-5).

"Zidon" and "Tyre" signify the knowledges of good and truth; therefore it is said "the merchant of Zidon passing over the sea," "merchant" meaning one who acquires these knowledges for himself and communicates them. That they acquired for themselves thereby nothing of good and truth is signified by "the sea said, I have not travailed and I have not brought forth, I have not brought up young men, and have not raised up virgins;" "to travail and bring forth" is to produce something from knowledges; "young men" mean truths, and "virgins" goods. That the use of cognitions and knowledges (cognitionum et scientiarum) would therefore perish, is signified by "when the report comes to Egypt they shall be seized with grief, as by the report respecting Tyre."

[5] In Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and cast away their robes, and strip off their broidered garments, they shall be clothed with terrors. They shall take up a lamentation over thee, and shall say, How hast thou perished, thou that dwelt by the seas, the renowned city which was strong in the sea; therefore the islands in the sea shall be dismayed at thy outcome (Ezekiel 26:15-18).

These things are said of "Tyre," which signifies the cognitions of truth, the neglect and loss of which are thus described; the "princes of the sea that shall come down from their thrones" signify primary cognitions; that these together with knowledges [scientificis] shall be abandoned is signified by "they shall cast away their robes, and strip off their broidered garments;" "broidered work," is knowledges [scientificum]; "the city that dwelt by the seas and was strong in the sea" signifies the power of knowing in all abundance ("seas" signify collections); "the islands in the sea" signify nations more remote from truths that long for cognitions, of which it is said "therefore the islands in the sea shall be dismayed at thy outcome."

[6] In Isaiah:

They shall not do evil nor corrupt themselves in all the mountain of My holiness; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge [scientifia] of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).

This treats of a new heaven and a new church, which are meant by "mountain of holiness," in which "they shall not do evil nor corrupt themselves;" their understanding of truth from the Lord is described by "the earth shall be full of the knowledge [scientia] of Jehovah; "and as waters" signify truths, and the "sea" the fullness of them, it is said, "as the waters cover the sea."

[7] In the same:

By My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall become putrid because there is no water, and shall die of thirst (Isaiah 50:2).

"To dry up the sea" signifies an entire lack of the general knowledges of truth; "to make the rivers a wilderness" signifies the deprivation of all truth and of intelligence therefrom; "the fish shall become putrid" signifies that the knowledges [scientifica] pertaining to the natural man shall be without any spiritual life; this takes place when they are applied to confirm falsities in opposition to the truths of the church; "by cause there is no water" signifies because there is no truth; "to die of thirst" signifies the extinction of truth. (That "rivers" signify the things of intelligence, see Arcana Coelestia 108, 2702[1-17], Arcana Coelestia 2702[1-17], 3051; that "wilderness" signifies where there is no good because there is no truth, n. 2708, 4736, 7055; that "fish" signifies the knowledge [scientificum] pertaining to the natural man, n. 40, 991; that "water" signifies truth, n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 5668, 8568; and that "to die of thirst" signifies the absence of spiritual life from lack of truth, n. Arcana Coelestia 8568[1-10].

[8] In David:

O Jehovah, Thou rulest in the uprising of the sea; when it raiseth up its waves (Psalms 89:9).

The "sea" here signifies the natural man, because in the natural man are the generals of truth; "the uprising of the sea" signifies its exalting itself against the Divine, denying the things that are of the church; the "waves" which it raiseth up signify falsities.

[9] In the same:

Jehovah hath founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:2).

The "world" signifies the church; the "seas" knowledges in general which are in the natural man; and "rivers" the truths of faith; upon these two the church has its foundation.

[10] In Amos:

Jehovah, who buildeth His steps in the heavens, and calleth the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the faces of the earth (Amos 9:6).

"The steps that Jehovah buildeth in the heavens" signify interior truths which are called spiritual; "the waters of the sea" signify exterior truths, which are natural because they are in the natural man; "to pour them out upon the faces of the earth" signifies upon the men of the church, for the "earth" is the church.

[11] In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap; He giveth the deeps in treasuries (Psalms 33:6-7).

"The word of Jehovah by which the heavens were made," and "the breath of His mouth by which all the hosts of them were made," signify Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; "the hosts of the heavens" are all things of love and faith; "the waters of the sea that He gathereth together as an heap" signify the knowledges of truth, and truths in general, which are together in the natural man; "the deeps that He gives in treasuries" signify sensual knowledges [scientifica sensualia], which are the most general and ultimate things of the natural man, and in which at the same time are interior or higher truths, therefore they are called "treasures."

[12] In the same:

Jehovah hath founded the earth upon its bases, that it be not removed for ever and ever. Thou hast covered it with the deep as with a vesture (Psalms 104:5-6).

The "earth" signifies the church; "the bases on which Jehovah hath founded it for ever" are the knowledges of truth and good; "the deep with which He hath covered it as with a vesture" signifies sensual knowledge [scientificum sensuale], which is the ultimate of the natural man, and being the ultimate, it is said that "He covered it as with a vesture."

[13] In the same:

Jehovah, Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in many waters, yet Thy footsteps have not been known (Psalms 77:19).

In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah, I who have given a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters (Isaiah 43:16).

That "sea" here does not mean the sea, nor "waters" the waters, is clear, since it is said that therein "are the way and the path of Jehovah;" therefore by "sea" and by "waters" are meant such things as Jehovah or the Lord is in, which are the knowledges of truth in general from the Word, and the truths therein; "the sea" being such knowledges, and "waters" truths. Knowledges and truths differ in this, that knowledges are of the natural man, and truths of the spiritual man.

[14] In Jeremiah:

Behold, I will plead thy cause, and will revenge thy revenging; that I may dry up the sea of Babylon, and make dry her fountain. The sea shall come up upon Babylon, she shall be covered with the multitude of its waves (Jeremiah 51:36, 42).

By "Babylon" those who profane goods are meant; "the sea of Babylon" means their traditions, which are the adulterations of good from the Word; "the waves" are the falsities from these; their destruction at the Last Judgment is hereby described.

[15] In the same:

A people coming from the north, and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice maketh a tumult like the sea, and they ride upon horses (Jeremiah 50:41, 42).

"A people coming from the north" are those who are in falsities from evil; "the great nation" means evils; and "many kings" falsities; "the sides of the earth" are the things outside of the church, and those that are not of the church, for the "earth" means the church; "their voice maketh a tumult like the sea" means falsity from the natural man exalting itself against the truth of the church; "the horses upon which they ride" are reasonings from the fallacies of the senses.

[16] In the same:

Jehovah giveth the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for light by night, stirring up the sea so that the waves thereof roar (Jeremiah 31:35).

"The sun from which is the light of day" signifies the good of celestial love, from which is the perception of truth; "the statutes of the moon and stars, from which is the light of night," signify truths from spiritual good and from knowledges, by which there is intelligence; "the sea that is stirred up, and the waves that roar," signify the generals of truth in the natural man, and knowledges [scientifica].

[17] In Isaiah:

The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot be quiet, but its waters cast up filth and mire (Isaiah 57:20).

"The troubled sea which is like the wicked," signifies reasonings from falsities; "the waters that cast up filth and mire," signify the falsities themselves, from which come evils of life and falsities of doctrine.

[18] In Ezekiel:

I will stretch out Mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast (Ezekiel 25:16).

"The Philistines" signify those who are in the doctrine of faith alone, and "the remnant of the sea coast that shall be destroyed," signifies all things of truth.

[19] In Hosea:

I will not return to destroy Ephraim. They shall go after Jehovah; and the sons from the sea shall draw near with honor, with honor shall they come as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria (Hosea 11:9-11).

"Ephraim" signifies the church in respect to the understanding of truth; "the sons from the sea, who shall draw near," signify truths from a common fountain, which is the Word; "a bird out of Egypt" signifies knowledge [scientificum] agreeing; and "a dove out of the land of Assyria" signifies the rational.

[20] In Zechariah:

In that day living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; part of them to the eastern sea, and part of them to the hinder sea (Zechariah 14:8).

"Living waters from Jerusalem" signify truths from a spiritual origin in the church, which are the truths that are received by man when he is illustrated by the Lord while he is reading the Word. "Jerusalem" is the church in respect to doctrine, the "sea" signifies the natural man, into which those things that are in the spiritual man descend; the "eastern sea" signifies the natural man in respect to good; and the "hinder sea" the natural man in respect to truth; and as the natural man is in the generals of truth, "sea" also signifies the general of truth.

[21] He who knows nothing about the spiritual man, and the truths and goods that are therein, may suppose that the truths that are in the natural man, and are called cognitions and knowledges [scientifica] are not merely the generals of truth, but are all there is of truth with man. But let him know that the truths in the spiritual man, from which those are that are in the natural, are incomparably more numerous; but these truths in the spiritual man do not come to the perception of the natural man until he enters the spiritual world, which is after death; for then man puts off the natural and puts on the spiritual. That this is so can be seen from this fact alone, that angels are in intelligence and wisdom ineffable as compared with man, and yet they are from the human race. (That angels are from the human race, see in the small work onThe Last Judgment 14-22 and 23-27)

[22] As the "sea" signifies the generals of truth, therefore the great vessel, which was for general washing, was called "the brazen sea" (1 Kings 7:23-26); for the "washings" represented purifications from falsities and evils, and "waters" signify truths, by which purifications are effected; and as all truths are from good, the containing vessel was made of brass, and was therefore called "the barren sea," for brass signifies good. Spiritual purification, which is called purification from falsities and evils, is there fully described by the measurements of that vessel, and by the bases thereof, understood in a spiritual sense. From what has been brought forward it can be seen that "sea" signifies the generals of truth or the knowledges of truth together and collectively. But what further is signified by "sea" will be shown in the explanation of what follows, for "sea" is used in various senses (as in Revelation 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8, 9; 10:2, 8; 12:12; 13:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:13; 21:1).

7102. De peur qu'il ne tombe sur nous par la peste et par l'épée, signifie pour éviter la damnation du mal et du faux : on le voit par la signification de peur qu'il ne tombe, en ce que c'est de peur qu'ils n'encourent, savoir, la damnation ; par la signification de la peste, en ce que c'est la damnation du mal, ainsi qu'il va être expliqué ; et par la signification de l'épée, en ce que c'est la vastation du vrai, puis la punition du faux, numéro 2799, par conséquent aussi la damnation, car la punition du faux, après que le vrai a été dévasté, est la damnation. Dans la Parole, il est fait mention de quatre Genres de vastations et de punitions, savoir, l'Épée, la Famine, la Bête mauvaise, et la Peste ; et par l'Épée est signifié la vastation du vrai et la punition du faux ; par la Famine, la vastation du bien et la punition du mal ; par la Bête mauvaise, la punition du mal provenant du faux ; par la Peste, la punition du mal qui provient non du faux mais du mal ; et parce que la punition est signifiée, la damnation est aussi signifiée, car elle est la punition de ceux qui persévèrent dans le mal : il est ainsi parlé de ces quatre Genres de punitions dans Ézéchiel :

« Quand j'aurai envoyé mes quatre mauvais Jugements, l'Épée, et la Famine, et la Bête mauvaise, et la Peste, sur Jérusalem, pour en retrancher l'homme et la bête. » - Ézéchiel 14:21.

Dans le Même :

« J'enverrai sur vous la Famine, et la Bête mauvaise, et je te priverai de tes enfants, et la Peste et le sang passeront au travers de toi, principalement j'amènerai l'Épée sur toi. » - Ézéchiel 5:17. Que la Peste signifie la punition du mal et la damnation du mal, cela est évident par les passages qui suivent ; dans Ézéchiel :

« Ceux qui (sont) dans les lieux dévastés mourront par l'Épée, et celui qui (est) sur les faces du champ, je le donnerai à la Bête pour en être dévoré, et ceux qui sont dans les forteresses et dans les cavernes mourront de la Peste. » Ézéchiel 33:27 ; mourir, par l'épée dans les lieux dévastés, c'est être dans la vastation du vrai et par suite dans la damnation du faux ; être dévoré par la bête sur les faces du champ, c'est la damnation de ceux qui sont dans le mal provenant du faux ; mourir de la peste dans les forteresses et dans les cavernes, c'est la damnation du mal qui se fortifie par le faux.

Dans le Même :

« L'Épée au dehors, et la Peste et la Famine au dedans ; celui qui (sera) dans le champ mourra par l'Epée, mais celui qui (sera) dans la ville, la Famine et la Peste le dévoreront. » - Ézéchiel 7:15, - l'Epée, c'est la vastation du vrai et la damnation du faux ; la famine et la peste, c'est la vastation du bien et la damnation du mal ; il est dit : l'épée au dehors, et la famine et la peste au dedans, parce que la vastation du vrai est en dehors, et que la vastation du bien est en dedans ; mais quand on vit selon le faux, la damnation est signifiée par « celui qui sera dans le champ mourra par l'épée, et quand on vit dans le mal qui est défendu par le faux, la damnation est signifiée par « celui qui sera dans la ville, la famine et la peste le dévoreront. »

Dans le Lévitique :

« J'amènerai sur vous l'Épée vengeresse, la vengeance de l'alliance ; alors si vous vous rassemblez dans vos villes, j'enverrai la Peste au milieu de vous, et je vous livrerai dans la main de l'ennemi ; quand je vous aurai rompu le bâton du pain. » Lévitique 26:25-26 ; ici pareillement l'Épée, c'est la vastation du vrai et la damnation du faux ; la peste est la damnation du mal ; la vastation du bien, qui est signifiée par la famine, est décrite en ce qu'il leur rompra le bâton du pain ; les villes dans lesquelles ils se rassembleront, signifient pareillement comme ci-dessus les faux par lesquels ils défendent les maux ; que les villes soient les vrais, ainsi dans le sens opposé les faux, on le voit numéro 402, 2268, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493.

Dans Ézéchiel :

« Parce que tu as souillé mon sanctuaire par toutes tes abominations, une troisième partie de toi mourront de la Peste, et seront consumés par la Famine au milieu de toi ; ensuite une troisième partie tomberont par l'Epée autour de toi ; enfin je disperserai une troisième partie à tout vent, de sorte que je tirerai l'Épée après eux. » - Ézéchiel 5:11-12 ; la famine est la damnation du mal, l'épée est la damnation du faux ; disperser à tout vent et tirer l'épée après eux, c'est dissiper les vrais et saisir les faux.

Dans Jérémie :

« Quand ils offriront l'holocauste ou la minchah, Moi je n'y donnerai point mon approbation, mais par l'Épée, la Famine et la Peste Moi je les consumerai. » - Jérémie 14:12.

Dans le Même :

« Je frapperai les habitants de cette ville, et l'homme et la bête, d'une grande Peste ils mourront ; ensuite je livrerai Sédékias roi de Juda, et ses serviteurs, et le peuple, et dans cette ville les réchappes de la Peste, et de l'Épée, et de la Famine, dans la main de Nébuchadnézar ; celui qui restera dans cette ville, mourra par l'Épée, et par la Famine, et par la Peste ; mais celui qui en sortira et se rendra aux Chaldéens qui vous assiègent, vivra, et son âme lui sera en butin. » Jérémie 21:6-7, 9.

Dans le Même :

« J'enverrai sur eux l'Epée, la Famine et la Peste, jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient consumés de dessus de la terre. » Jérémie 24:10.

Là aussi par l'Épée est signifiée la vastation du vrai, par la Famine la vastation du bien, par la Peste la damnation ; et en outre par l'Épée, la Famine et la Peste dans les passages suivants, , Jérémie 32:24, 36. , 22. Jérémie 44:13. Ézéchiel 12:16.

Comme ces trois fléaux se suivent en ordre, c'est pour cela qu'ils furent tous trois proposés à David par le Prophète Gad, savoir :

« Ou sept années de Famine, ou trois mois de fuite devant les ennemis, ou trois jours de Peste dans la terre. » - 2 Samuel 24:13 ; la fuite devant les ennemis, c'est devant l'Épée.

Dans Amos :

« J'ai envoyé contre vous la Peste dans le chemin de l'Egypte, j'ai tué par l'Épée vos jeunes gens avec captivité de vos chevaux. » - Amos 4:10 ;

La Peste dans le chemin de l'Egypte, c'est la vastation du bien par les faux, qui sont le chemin de l'Egypte ; j'ai tué par l'Épée les jeunes gens avec captivité des chevaux, c'est la vastation du vrai, les jeunes gens signifient les vrais et les chevaux les intellectuels, numéro 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534.

Dans Ézéchiel :

« La Peste et le Sang passeront au travers de toi. » - Ézéchiel 5:17.

Dans le Même :

« J'enverrai sur elle la Peste et le Sang ; dans ses places. » - Ézéchiel 28:23.

Là, la Peste est le bien adultéré, et le sang le vrai falsifié ; que le sang soit le vrai falsifié, on le voit numéro 4735, 6978.

Dans David :

« Tu ne craindras point pour toi devant la terreur de nuit, devant la flèche qui vole de jour, devant la Peste qui se glisse dans les ténèbres, devant la mort qui dévaste à midi. » - Psaumes 91:5-6 ;

La terreur de nuit, c'est le faux qui est caché, la flèche qui vole de jour, c'est le faux qui est à découvert ; la Peste qui se glisse dans les ténèbres, c'est le mal qui est caché ; la mort qui dévaste à midi, c'est le mal qui est à découvert ; que la peste soit le mal et la damnation du mal, cela est évident en ce qu'il est dit la mort, qui dans ce passage n'est distinguée de la peste, que parce qu'il est dit de la mort qu'elle dévaste à midi, et de la peste qu'elle se glisse dans les ténèbres.

Dans le Même :

« Il fraya un chemin à sa colère, il ne préserva point leur âme de la mort, et il mit fin à leur vie par la Peste. » - Psaumes 78:50.

Là, il s'agit des Égyptiens ; la Peste, c'est tout genre de mal, et la damnation du mal.