Arcana Coelestia #3103
3103. And the man took a jewel of gold. That this signifies Divine good, is evident from the signification of a “jewel of gold,” as being good; and here, because in the internal sense the Lord is treated of, it signifies the Divine good; and because this is from the rational, the term “man” [vir] is used (that a “man” denotes the rational, may be seen above, n. 265, 749, 1007). In ancient times, when the forms of worship in churches were representative, and it was known what they signified, when marriages were being entered upon it was customary to give the bride a jewel of gold and bracelets, because the church was represented by the bride, its good by the jewel, and its truth by the bracelets; and because it was known that the conjugial love with the bride and the wife descends from the marriage of the Lord’s Divine good and Divine truth (n. 2508, 2618, 2727-2729). The jewel of gold was put upon the nose, as is evident also from what is said afterwards, that he “put the jewel upon her nose” (verse 47), for the reason that the nose signified the life of good, from the respiration there, which in the internal sense is life, and also from the fragrance, which is what is grateful to the love, the good of which it is (n. 96, 97).
[2] That the “jewel” was the badge of marriage as to good, is evident also from other passages of the Word as in Ezekiel:
I decked thee with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain upon thy throat; and I put a jewel upon thy nose (Ezekiel 16:11-12); concerning the Ancient Church, here called “Jerusalem,” which is described as a bride, to whom were given bracelets, a chain, and a jewel. “Bracelets upon the hands” were a badge representative of truth; and a “jewel upon the nose” was a badge representative of good.
[3] In Isaiah:
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, the Lord will make bald the crown of their head, and will take away the rings, and the nose jewels, the changes of garments, and the mantles (Isaiah 3:16-18, 21-22).
The “daughters of Zion who are haughty,” denote the affections of evil within the church (n. 2362, 3024); the “rings and the nose jewels which will be removed,” denote good and its badges; the “changes of garments and the mantles,” truth and its badges.
[4] In Hosea:
I will visit upon her the days of the Baalim to which she burned incense; and she put on her nose jewel and her ornaments, and went after her lovers (Hos. 2:13);
treating of the perverted church, and the new church after it. The “nose jewel” here also denotes a badge of the good of the church. When these jewels were fitted to the ears, they also signified good, but good in act; and in the opposite sense evil in act (as in Genesis 35:4; Exodus 32:2-3).
Isaiah 2
1
This is what Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2
It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.
3
Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
4
He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5
House of Jacob, come, and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.
6
For you have forsaken your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled from the east, with those who practice divination like the Philistines, and they clasp hands with the children of foreigners.
7
Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures. Their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.
8
Their land also is full of idols. They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.
9
Man is brought low, and mankind is humbled; therefore don't forgive them.
10
Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty.
11
The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the haughtiness of men will be bowed down, and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day.
12
For there will be a day of Yahweh of Armies for all that is proud and haughty, and for all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low:
13
For all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, for all the oaks of Bashan,
14
For all the high mountains, for all the hills that are lifted up,
15
For every lofty tower, for every fortified wall,
16
For all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery.
17
The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Yahweh alone shall be exalted in that day.
18
The idols shall utterly pass away.
19
Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
20
In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
21
To go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
22
Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?
