595. And the rainbow over his head.- That this signifies the interior things of the Word, is evident from the signification of a rainbow, as denoting the Divine Truth as it is in the spiritual sense of the Word, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being over the head, as denoting what is interior; for "above" and "higher" signify within and interior, as is evident from this fact, that when mention is made of "interior," then "higher" is understood in heaven. For the heavens where the interior angels, or the interiorly wise are, appear also above the heavens where the exterior angels, or the exteriorly wise are. For this reason the three heavens are distinct one from another in regard to altitude, the inmost or third heaven appearing above the middle or second heaven, and this above the ultimate or first.

[2] The reason why higher signifies what is interior, is, that when higher and lower things are together, that is exist simultaneously, as in the head of man, they then co-exist in that order; so that those things which were above in successive order, become interior, and those which were below in successive order, become exterior, consequently higher signifies interior and lower exterior things. This may be illustrated by the idea of a surface (superficies), in the centre of which are purer, and in the peripheries denser things. Things superior and inferior form such a surface, when they become one, and constitute what is simultaneous. The signification of the angel encompassed with a cloud, spoken of above, is clear from these observations, since to be encompassed, for the same reason, and from the same idea, denotes to be from without and below.

[3] A rainbow signifies interior Divine Truth, as the Word is in the spiritual sense, because the light of heaven, like the light of the world, according to its incidence upon objects, and its modification therein, produces variegations of colours, and also rainbows; these also I have been permitted occasionally to see in the angelic heaven, as may be seen described in the Arcana Coelestia 1623-1625). But the rainbows which appear in the angelic heaven differ from the rainbows which appear in the world in this, that the rainbows of heaven are from a spiritual origin, whereas the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin. For the rainbows of heaven are from the light which proceeds from the Lord as the Sun, and because that Sun is in its essence the Divine Love of the Lord, and the light therefrom is Divine Truth, hence the variegations of light, which are seen as rainbows, are diversities of intelligence and wisdom with the angels. It is from this fact that rainbows there signify the form and beauty of spiritual Divine Truth; but the rainbows of the world are from a natural origin, that is from the sun of the world and its light, and are therefore only modifications and consequent variegations of light from the waters falling from a cloud. And since there are coloured appearances in the spiritual world similar to those in the natural world, and such appearances are correspondences, therefore the rainbows of the world signify the same as the rainbows of heaven, that is, spiritual Divine truths in their form and beauty. These truths are such as those of the Word in the spiritual sense.

[4] Similar things are signified by the rainbows in Ezekiel:

"Above the expanse that was over the head" of the cherubim "was the likeness of a throne as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness of the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as it were the appearance of a burning coal, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins and upward, but from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah" (1:26-28).

Since the cherubim signify providence and care in order that the Lord may not be approached except by means of the good of love, therefore there appeared a throne, and upon the throne the appearance of a man, and the throne signifies the entire heaven, and the man upon the throne, the Lord Himself. By the appearance of a burning coal, as the appearance of fire, from the appearance of his loins and upward, is signified celestial Divine Love, which reigns in the higher heavens; for the higher heavens are represented by the upper part of the body, from the loins upward, to which they correspond, for these heavens form that [part] in the Grand Man (Maximus Homo), which is heaven. Fire like a burning coal, signifies that love, and similarly the loins, for the loins correspond to the marriage of good and truth, in which those are who are in the higher heavens, therefore heaven is called a marriage, and the Lord is called the Bridegroom and Husband, while heaven and the church are called a bride and wife. That from his loins downward, he appeared as the brightness of fire, which was like a rainbow, signifies spiritual Divine Love, which reigns in the lower heavens, for the region of the body from the loins even to the soles of the feet corresponds to that love. And because that love proceeds from celestial Divine Love, it is called fire and its brightness, Divine Truth from the Divine Good of love being that which shines and presents the appearance of a rainbow. It is therefore evident, that the translucence of spiritual Divine Truth through natural Divine Truth, presents that appearance in the heavens, and is consequently signified by it, as stated above. But these things may be more clearly understood from what is stated in Heaven and Hell concerning heaven, that from the Divine Human of the Lord it has reference to one man (n. 59-86); concerning the correspondence of all things of heaven with all things of man (n. 87-102); and, in the Arcana Coelestia concerning the correspondence of the loins (n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 5060-5062).

[5] The signification of the bow in the cloud, or the rainbow, in the book of Genesis is similar:

"God said" to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living soul that is with you, unto the generations of an age; I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass that in beclouding myself with a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living soul in all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I see it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul in all flesh that is upon the earth" (9:12-17).

He who does not know that in every part of the Word there is also a spiritual sense, may imagine that the bow in the cloud, called a rainbow, appears as a sign that the earth shall be no more destroyed by a flood, when yet that bow is from causes in nature, and is mediately produced when the rays of light from the sun strike upon the watery particles of rain from a cloud, it is therefore evident that there were also similar bows or rainbows before the flood. By the rainbows, therefore, which are seen by men on earth, from the correspondence between things spiritual and things natural, are understood the rainbows seen by the angels in the spiritual world, all of which exist from the light of heaven and its modification in the spiritual-natural sphere of that world, consequently from spiritual Divine Truth, and its translucence in natural Divine Truth; for all the light in heaven is spiritual, and is in its essence Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord. It is therefore evident that the bow in the cloud, or the rainbow, signifies spiritual Divine Truth, translucent through natural Divine Truth, and this translucence exists with those who are reformed or regenerated by the Lord by means of Divine Truth and a life according to it; the translucence itself also appears in the heavens as a rainbow. By the sign of a covenant is signified the presence and conjunction of the Lord with them, for a covenant denotes conjunction. This sign was given, because the flood, which then destroyed the human race, signified the deadly falsities of evil, by which the posterity of the Most Ancient Church perished; the restitution and establishment of a new church called the Ancient Church by Divine Truth conjoined to spiritual good, which in its essence is charity, is representatively shown by rainbows in heaven, and is therefore signified by rainbows in the world. As these words involve many interior things which cannot be briefly unfolded, they may be seen explained in detail in the Arcana Coelestia 1031-1059).

822. Whose stroke of death was healed, signifies and thus the discordance was cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith. This is evident from the signification of "the stroke of death was healed" with the first beast, as being the discordance apparently cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith (See above, n. 786), where the same words occur). It is said, the discordance cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith, but what the nature of the conjunctions devised by them is, namely, that they are rather separations, may be seen in the place cited above.

[2] As it has been shown that in the Word of the Evangelists the apostle John signifies good works, which are also called the goods of charity and the goods of life, and that it was on account of this signification that John reclined on the Lord's breast, I will now show what good works are; but here only that they include in themselves all things of charity and faith that are with man. No one has known heretofore that all things of man's life are in his works, since works seem to be mere movements, which are called actions because they are alive with man, and are called speech because they are effected by movements of the mouth, tongue, and larynx. And yet these are what make manifest the charity and faith in man, and also complete and perfect them; and this for the reason that neither faith nor charity is with man until they actually exist; and they actually exist in works.

[3] All the things of charity and faith that are with man are in works, because works are the activities arising from his will and thought; and all things of the will and thought are brought forth and poured out into works, precisely as all things of cause into effects, and all things of a seed and tree into fruits; for works are their complements. That this is so is not apparent before man's eyes, but is apparent perceptibly before the angels. When man is in the exercise of charity the sphere of all his affections and of the consequent thoughts is seen about him like clear water, and sometimes like a cloud, either bright white or obscure; and this sphere contains all things of his mind in their complex; and from it what is the quality of the man in respect to all things belonging to him is known to the angels. The reason is that everyone is his own love; and the works therefrom are what cause that love to be active, and when it is active it pours itself out round about him. This spiritual sphere manifests itself not only before the sight as an undulation, but also before the sight in various representative forms, and this to the extent that by those representatives the man, spirit, or angel, is seen precisely as he is.

[4] Another reason why works contain in themselves all things of the mind is that all successive things, which advance in their order from highest to lowest, or from first things to last, form in things lowest or ultimate what is simultaneous, in which all things higher or prior coexist. But what successive order is and what simultaneous order is may be seen above (n. 595, 666), also in the Arcana Coelestia 634, 3691, 4145, 5114, 5897, 6239, 6326, 6465, 9215, 9216, 9828, 9836, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335. Moreover, works are the ultimate things of man springing from his interiors, which are in successive order. From all this it is clear that in these works all things of man's will and thought, consequently all things of his love and faith coexist. This, then, is why works are so often commanded in the Word by the Lord, and why man must be judged according to his works.

[5] From this it is clear what kind of man he is who separates faith from works, namely, that he has no faith, and that his works are evil, springing from the love of self and of the world, covered over and encompassed by such things as pertain to faith, but contaminated and profaned by the evils that are within. When, therefore, such a man is let into his interiors, as takes place after death when he becomes a spirit, all things belonging to his faith, which constituted the circumferences, are cast off and scattered. From this it can be seen why John, who represented the goods of charity or good works, reclined at the Lord's breast, and that he and not Peter followed the Lord; also why he abode with the Lord's mother after the Lord's resurrection.