483. And shall guide them unto living fountains of waters, signifies in Divine truths. This is evident from the signification of "living fountains of waters," as being Divine truths, "living" signifying living from the Divine, "fountain" the Word, and "waters" truths therefrom. "Living waters" are often mentioned in the Word, and by them are meant truths that come from the Lord and are received. These are living, because the Lord is Life itself, as He Himself teaches, and that which comes from Life itself is living; while that which comes from man is dead. That the Lord may give life to truths, He flows into them through good, and good makes alive. The Lord also flows in out of the higher or interior parts, and opens the spiritual mind, and imparts to it the affection of truth; and the spiritual affection of truth is the very life of heaven with man. This life is what the Lord insinuates into man by means of truths. This makes clear what is meant here by "living fountains of waters," and by "living waters" in the following passages.

[2] In Isaiah:

When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, their tongue faileth for thirst. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains will I place in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters (Isaiah 41:17, 18).

This treats of the saving of the nations by the Lord, who are called "poor and needy" from the lack and ignorance of truth; their desire to learn truths from those who are in the church, where there were no truths, is described by "they seek waters and there are none, and their tongue faileth for thirst," "water," meaning truth, and "thirst" the desire for truth. That the Lord will instruct them is signified by "I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains will I place in the midst of the valleys;" "to open rivers" meaning to give intelligence, "on the bare heights" meaning in the interior man, "in the midst of the valleys" in the exterior man, and "to place fountains" to instruct in truths; "to make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters" signifies abundance of truth with those who before were in the lack and ignorance thereof, "wilderness" meaning where there is no good because there is no truth, and "dry land" where there is no truth and thence no good; a "pool of waters" and "fountains of waters" signify abundance of the knowledges of truth. This makes clear that "waters," "fountains," "springs," "rivers," and "pools of water," are not here meant, but the knowledges of truth and intelligence therefrom, whence comes salvation.

[3] In the same:

Behold your God will come for vengeance, and will save you. Then the dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty place springs of water (Isaiah 35:4, 7).

This, too, is said of the instruction of the nations in truths, and their reformation by the Lord when He should come into the world; and "the dry place shall became a pool, and the thirsty place springs of waters," has a similar signification as "the wilderness shall become a pool (or collection) of waters, and the dry land springs of waters," in the passage above.

[4] In Jeremiah:

They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them; I will make them go unto the brooks ¹ of waters in the way of right, they shall not stumble in it (Jeremiah 31:9).

This, too, treats of reception of the Lord by the Gentiles; that He would instruct them in genuine truths is signified by "He will lead them unto brooks of waters in the way of right, they shall not stumble in it." In Isaiah:

They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat or the sun smite them; for He that hath compassion on them shall guide them, and unto fountains of waters shall He lead them (Isaiah 49:10).

This also is said of the instruction of the Gentiles by the Lord; instruction in truths is meant by "unto fountains of waters shall He lead them." (What "to hunger" and "to thirst" signify see above, n. 480; also what "heat" and "sun" signify, n. 481)

[5] In Joel:

It shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the water-courses of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah and shall water the brook of Shittim (Joel 3:18).

What is signified by "the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the water-courses of Judah shall flow with waters," may be seen explained above n. 433; and that "a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah and shall water the brook of Shittim" signifies that there shall be truth out of heaven from the Lord illustrating the knowledges and cognitions that are in the natural man.

[6] In David:

Before Thee thou art in travail, O earth, before the God of Jacob; who turned the rock into a pool of waters, the flint into a fountain of waters (Psalms 114:7, 8).

"Pool of waters" and "fountain of waters" here mean truths in abundance, by means of which is the church; for "thou art in travail, O earth," signifies the commencement of the church, which is said "to be in travail" when truths are brought forth therein, "the earth" meaning the church.

[7] In the same:

Jehovah sendeth forth springs into the brooks; they go between the mountains. They give drink to the wild beast of the fields; the wild asses quench their thirst. By them the fowl of the heavens dwell (Psalms 104:10-12).

"To send forth springs into the brooks" signifies to give intelligence by means of truths from the Word; "they go between the mountains" signifies that truths will be from the good of love; "the springs" meaning truths from the Word, "the brooks" the things that are of intelligence, and "mountains" the good of love. The instruction of those who are in the good of the church is signified by "they give drink to the wild beast of the fields;" the instruction of those in the church who desire truths is signified by "the wild asses quench their thirst;" that the understanding is thus perfected is signified by "the fowl shall dwell by them." "The wild beast of the fields" mean in the spiritual sense the Gentiles that are in the good of life, "the wild asses" natural truth, "thirst" the desire for truths, and "the fowl of the heavens" thoughts from the understanding.

[8] In the highest sense, a "fountain" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth or Divine truth from the Lord, consequently the Word, as can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

My people hath done two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no waters (Jeremiah 2:13).

Here Jehovah, that is, the Lord, calls Himself "the fountain of living waters," which signifies the Word, or Divine truth, consequently the Lord Himself, who is the Word; for it is said, "they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters." "To hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no waters," signifies to frame for themselves doctrinals from self-intelligence, in which there are no truths, "cisterns" meaning doctrinals, "broken cisterns" doctrinals that do not hold together, "that hold no waters" signifies in which there are no truths. Such are the doctrinals that are not from the Word, that is, from the Lord through the Word (for the Lord teaches through the Word), but are from self-intelligence; that these are not from the Lord through the Word is meant by "they have forsaken the fountain of living waters."

[9] In the same:

All that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from Me shall be written on the earth, because they have forsaken the fountain of living waters, Jehovah (Jeremiah 17:13).

Here in like manner Jehovah, that is, the Lord, calls Himself "the fountain of living waters" from the Divine truth, which is from Him; "to be written on the earth" signifies to be damned (See above, n. 222).

[10] In David:

They shall be filled with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou makest them drink of the brook of Thy delights; for with Thee is the fountain of life, in Thy light shall we see light (Psalms 36:8, 9).

"Fatness" signifies the good of love, and "the brook of delights" truth from that good; "to make to drink" means to teach; "with Thee is the fountain of life" signifies that with the Lord and from Him is Divine truth; because that is what is signified by "the fountain of life" it is added, "in Thy light shall we see light," for "the light of the Lord" means Divine truth.

[11] In Zechariah:

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for impurity. And in that day I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land; and I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land (Zechariah 13:1, 2).

This also treats of the Lord's coming. That those who are in the Lord's kingdom will then understand the Word, that is, the Divine truth therein, is signified by "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem," "a fountain" signifying the Word, "the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem" the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The Lord's spiritual kingdom is with those in the heavens and on the earth who are in Divine truths; "for sin and for impurity" signifies the removal of evils and falsities by means of truths from the Word. Because the Word or the Divine truth therein is meant by a "fountain" it is said, "In that day I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land;" "idols" signifying a false religion, "prophets" false doctrine, and "the unclean spirit" evils flowing from the falsities of doctrine; for when a man lives according to the falsities of religion and doctrine he becomes an unclean spirit.

[12] That Divine truth from the Lord is meant by a "fountain" the Lord Himself teaches in plain words in John:

When the Lord sat by Jacob's fountain in the field of Samaria, He said to the woman of Samaria, Everyone that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall not thirst forever; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life (John 4:5-20).

It is clear that the "water" that the Lord gives does not mean water, but Divine truth; for it is said that in drinking of the water the woman of Samaria came to draw, one thirsts again, but not of the water that the Lord gives. That "that water shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life" means that in that truth is life. That there is life in truths when the Lord gives them may be seen in this article above. The Lord said these things to the woman of Samaria, when He sat by Jacob's fountain, because by the "Samaritans" the Lord meant the Gentiles that were to receive Divine truths from Him; and by the "woman of Samaria" a church constituted of such; and by "Jacob's fountain" Divine truth from Himself, that is, the Word.

[13] In Moses:

Thus Israel dwelt securely alone by the fountain of Jacob (Deuteronomy 33:28).

This is in the prophecy of Moses respecting the sons of Israel, in the conclusion of that prophecy. Because "Israel" here signifies the church that is in Divine truths from the Word, therefore it is said "by the fountain of Jacob," which means the Word; so, too, the Lord in relation to the Word, for He is the Word because He is Divine truth, as He Himself teaches in John (John 1:1-3, 14). This is said at the end of that prophecy, because in that prophecy the Word is treated of. "Fountain" has a similar meaning in the prophecy of Israel the father respecting Joseph:

The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one by the fountain (Genesis 49:22).

"Fountain" here means the fountain of Jacob, for the field that contained that fountain was given to Joseph by his father (John 4:5, 6). What is signified by "Joseph the son of a fruitful one, the son of a fruitful one by the fountain," may be seen above n. 448. A "fountain" also means the Word, and "fountains" mean Divine truths from the Word, in David:

Bless ye God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of Israel (Psalms 68:26).

In Revelation:

I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely (Revelation 21:6).

In Isaiah:

Then with gladness shall ye draw waters out of the fountains of salvation (Isaiah 12:3).

In David:

All my fountains are in Thee, Jehovah (Psalms 87:7).

[14] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "fountain" and "fountains," and in that sense they signify the doctrine of falsities, and falsities of doctrine. Thus in Jeremiah:

I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry (Jeremiah 51:36).

This is said of Babylon; and her "sea" signifies falsities in one complex, and "fountain" the doctrine of falsity.

[15] In Hosea:

An east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah, coming up from the wilderness; and his fountain shall become dry, and his spring shall be dried up (Hosea 13:15).

This is said of Ephraim, and by him is here meant a perverted understanding of the Word which confirms falsities by means of the Word; its destruction is signified by "his fountain shall become dry, and his spring shall be dried up by the east wind, the wind of Jehovah from the wilderness;" "his fountain" meaning the doctrine of falsity thence, "spring" its falsity, and "the east wind from the wilderness" its destruction by fallacies that are from external sensual things; for external sensual things, when they are not illustrated from things internal, destroy man's understanding, because all fallacies are from that source.

[16] In David:

Thou hast broken up the sea by Thy strength; Thou hast broken the heads of the whales in the waters. Thou hast crushed in the heads of leviathan, and hast given him to be food to the people, for the Ziim. Thou didst cleave fountains and brooks; Thou hast dried up the rivers of strength (Psalms 74:13-15).

Here, too, "fountains" and "brooks" signify false doctrine, which is from self-intelligence; "the rivers of strength" are confirmed principles of falsity therefrom; "the whales" and "leviathan" signify knowledges [scientifica] belonging to the sensual and natural man, from which is all falsity when the spiritual man is closed over them. The sensual and natural man are the seat of what is man's own [proprium], therefore conclusions drawn from those alone are conclusions from one's own [proprium] or from self-intelligence; for the Divine flows in through the spiritual man into the natural, and not into the natural when the spiritual is closed over it, but the spiritual man is opened by means of truths and a life according to them. The "people, the Ziim to whom leviathan is to be given for food," signify those who are in infernal falsities.

각주:

3708. 'And you will break forth towards the sea, and towards the east' means infinite extension of good, while 'towards the north, and towards the south' means infinite extension of truth - thus every state of good and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'breaking forth' as extension, here infinite extension since it has reference to the Lord; from the meaning of 'the sea' or the west as good which is as yet obscure and so at only an initial stage; from the meaning of 'the east' as bright and so perfected good; from the meaning of 'the north' as truth which is still shrouded in obscurity; and from the meaning of 'the south' as truth bathed in light.

[2] Many references are made in the Word to the sea or west, the east, the north, and the south. But because nobody up to now has known that, as with every other single expression, these possessed an internal sense in which they did not mean things to do with the world, as they do in the sense of the letter, but spiritual and celestial things, and that in the highest sense those expressions meant Divine things belonging to the Lord Himself, what else could people have known therefore other than that west, east, north, and south are used in the Word simply to mean the four quarters? What else other than that 'breaking forth' towards those four quarters means a multiplying? But the fact that they do not mean the four quarters or the multiplying of any group of people, but states of good and truth, and the extension of these, may become clear from all the places in the Word, especially those in the Prophets, where reference is made to them. For what west, east, north, or south are is totally unknown in heaven. There the Sun, which is the Lord - unlike the sun of this world which rises and sets, reaching its highest point at midday and its lowest at night - is visible all the time, though how visible depends on the states of those receiving its light; for the light from it holds wisdom and intelligence within it, see 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3341, 3485, 3636, 3643. Consequently it is visible to each individual according to the wisdom and intelligence existing with him. Among those with whom good and truth are present - which are warmth and light, but of the celestial and spiritual kind - the sun is as it is when rising and at midday; but among those with whom good and truth are not present the sun is as it is when setting and at night. From this it is evident that in the internal sense of the Word 'east, south, west, and north' means states of good and truth.

[3] It should be recognized that the Word does not use only the four quarters, as indicated, to describe states of good and truth. It also uses both the annual seasons or states of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the daily times or states of morning, midday, evening, and night. These are used for a similar purpose; but when the subject is the extension of good and truth, the four quarters are employed to describe it. What each one means specifically however may be seen from the places where they are mentioned in the Word. 'East' means the Lord and also the good of love and charity, which comes from the Lord, as shown already in 101, 1250, 3249, and 'south' means the truth bathed in light, in 1458, 3195.

[4] But what 'west' and what 'north' mean in the genuine sense, and what they mean in the contrary sense, may be seen from the following places: In Isaiah,

Fear not, for I am with you; from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the end of the earth. Isaiah 43:5-6

This refers to a new spiritual Church, meant here by Jacob and Israel. 'Bringing the seed from the east and gathering from the west' stands for people governed by good; 'saying to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold' stands for those governed by truth.

[5] In David,

The redeemed of Jehovah will speak, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered together out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. They wandered in the wilderness, in a desolate way; they did not find an inhabited city. ¹ Psalms 107:2-4.

This refers to people who are without knowledge of good and truth. 'From the east and from the west' stands for those without knowledge of good, 'from the north and from the sea' for those without knowledge of truth. Those without knowledge of good are referred to as 'wandering in the wilderness', and those without knowledge of truth as doing so 'in a desolate way'. And those without knowledge of both are referred to as their not finding an inhabited city - 'a city' meaning doctrinal teaching consisting of truth, see 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, and 'a habitation' being used in reference to good, 268, 2451, 2712.

[6] In Isaiah,

Behold, these will come from afar, and behold, those from the north and from the west, and those from the land of Sinim. Isaiah 49:12.

'The north' stands for people in obscurity as regards truth, 'the west' for those in obscurity as regards good. They are said 'to come from afar' because they are remote from the light which flows from the Lord.

[7] In Amos,

Behold, the days are going to come in which I will send a famine on the land. And they will wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east they will run to and fro to seek the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it. Amos 8:11-12.

'A famine' stands for a lack and absence of cognitions, 1460, 3364. 'Wandering from sea to sea' stands for searching for the place where cognitions may be found - 'seas' meaning cognitions in general, 28, 2850. 'Running to and fro from the north even to the east' stands for going from those cognitions that are in obscurity to cognitions that are in the light. As regards cognitions being meant, this is evident because the words 'to seek the Word of God and will not find it' are used.

[8] In Jeremiah,

Proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return, backsliding Israel; I will not cause My face to fall upon you, for I am merciful. In those days the house of Judah will go to the house of Israel, and together they will come out of the north land over the land I gave as a heritage to your fathers. Jeremiah 3:12, 18.

This refers to the restoration of the Church from among the gentiles. 'The north' stands for people without knowledge of truth but who lead a good life. It is evident that neither the north nor the north land is meant here for the reason that Israel did not exist any longer.

[9] In the same prophet,

The living Jehovah who caused the children of Israel to come up out of the north land. Jeremiah 16:15.

'North' in a similar way stands for being without knowledge of truth. In the same prophet,

Behold, I am bringing them from the north land, and I will gather them from the furthest parts of the earth, among them the blind one and the lame. Jeremiah 31:8.

The 'north land' stands for no knowledge of good because of no knowledge of truth. Now because the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom - and therefore also represented good, see above in 3705 - and places within that land, such as Zion and Jerusalem, represented inmost good to which truth was joined, the places which lay away from that land consequently represented obscurity so far as good and truth were concerned. Everything that lies in obscurity is called 'the north land' and also 'the furthest parts of the earth'.

[10] In addition to this, since all good that flows in with light from the Lord is confined within man's obscurity, the north is also called 'an assembly' as in Isaiah,

You said in your heart, I will go up the heavens, above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the furthest parts of the north. Isaiah 14:13.

In the same prophet,

Wail, O gate; cry, O city; you have melted away, O Philistia, all of you, for smoke comes from the north, and not a solitary person in the assemblies. Isaiah 14:31.

In David,

Great is Jehovah and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, the mountain of His holiness - the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, the furthest parts of the north, the city of the great King. Psalms 48:1-2.

And again in the same author,

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours. The world and the fullness of it You have founded; the north and the right hand ² You have created. Psalms 89:11-12.

'The north' here stands for those who are more remote from the light of good and truth, 'the right hand' for those who are closer to them. For the latter are on the Lord's right hand, see 1274, 1276.

[11] In Zechariah,

He saw four chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze. The horses coupled to them were reddish, black, white, and mottled - strong ones. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of the whole earth, the black horses going into the north land; and the white have gone out after them, and the mottled have gone out into the south land. Those going towards the north land have caused My spirit to rest on the north land. Zechariah 6:1-8.

'Chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze' stands for matters of doctrine concerning good. For 'chariots' means matters of doctrine, as will be shown elsewhere, while 'a mountain' means love, see 795, 1430, 2722, and two mountains therefore two kinds of love - celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour. 'Bronze' is good originating in those loves as it exists within the natural, 425, 1551; 'horses' things of the understanding, and so an understanding of matters of doctrine concerning good, 2760-2762, 3217; 'the south land' stands for people who possess cognitions of good and truth, 1458, 3195, 'the north land' for those who are without knowledge of good and truth but who lead a good life, as upright gentiles do among whom, when a new Church is established, God's Spirit is said to rest.

[12] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah who brought up and led back the seed of the house of Israel out of the land towards the north and out of all the lands to where I have driven them, so that they might dwell on their own land. Jeremiah 23:8.

'Out of the land towards the north' stands for away from the obscurity that is due to a lack of knowledge about what is good and true. In the same prophet,

Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze? Jeremiah 15:12.

'Iron' stands for natural truth, 425, 426, 'bronze' for natural good, 425, 1551. These are said to come 'from the north' because they derive from the natural which, though lying in obscurity compared with other degrees, serves as the outer limit of these. It is evident without explanation that this prophetic utterance does not mean the use of iron and bronze from the north, for what would be Divine about that, indeed what connection would it have with what goes before and after if no more than iron and bronze from there were meant?

[13] In Matthew,

I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29.

'Many from the east and from the west' stands for those who possess cognitions and lead a good life, and also for those who are in obscurity and have no knowledge of such cognitions; and so it stands for people inside the Church and those outside it. It has been stated above that states of good are meant by the east and the west. 'Reclining with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' means being with the Lord, see 3305 (end). And the Prophets in a similar way speak of people coming from east and west who are going to be with the Lord in His kingdom or Church, as in Isaiah,

From the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. Isaiah 43:5.

Elsewhere in the same prophet,

They will fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and His glory from the east. Isaiah 59:19.

Elsewhere in the same,

From the rising of the sun and from its setting they will know that there is none besides Me; I am Jehovah and there is no one else. Isaiah 45:6.

Elsewhere in the same,

I will stir up one from the north, and he will come; from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isaiah 41:25.

[14] In addition one may see that east, west, south, and north have these meanings from the following: The Construction of the Tabernacle; The Children of Israel when they were encamped and when they journeyed; The Description of the Land of Canaan; also, The Description of the New Temple, New Jerusalem, and New Land:

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

Everything in it was positioned according to the four quarters, see Exodus 38 - what went on the east and west sides, and what on the south and north, is stated in Exodus 26:18, 20, 22, 27; 27:9, 12, 13; and the requirement that the lampstand was to be placed towards the south across from the table, the table itself being on the north side, Exodus 26:35; 40:22.

[15] THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY WERE ENCAMPED AND WHEN THEY JOURNEYED

Here also positions were determined according to the four quarters. That is to say, they encamped around the Tent of Meeting, with the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun towards the east; the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad towards the south; the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin towards the west; and the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali towards the north, Numbers 2:1- end. In addition to this, the Levites encamped with the Gershonites towards the west, the Kohathites towards the south, the Merarites towards the north; and Moses, Aaron and his sons in front of the Tabernacle towards the east, Numbers 3:23-38. In this way the heavenly order which in the Lord's kingdom exists in accordance with states of good and truth was represented. Towards the south side also they were to sound the call for them to begin their journeys, Numbers 10:6. And even as they took up specific positions when they encamped, so they did when they journeyed, Numbers 2:34.

[16] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND OF CANAAN

First Moses described its border lands - those indeed in the south, those in the west, those in the north, and those in the east, Numbers 34:2-12, as they were again described when the land had been apportioned to the tribes by lot, in Joshua 15 Chapters-19 of Joshua. From these circumstances, and also from the most ancient people who dwelt in the land of Canaan, all places in that land became representatives and meaningful signs determined by their position, distance, and boundaries in relation to the four quarters, 1607, 1866.

[17] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW TEMPLE, NEW JERUSALEM, AND NEW LAND

These also are described in Ezekiel in relation to the four quarters. The structure of the city, for example, started from the south. When dealing with the gateway to the building he says that its sides faced towards the east, towards the north, and towards the south, Ezekiel 40:2, 6, 19, 20-46. When dealing with the measurement of the Temple, he says that its doors looked towards the north and the south, Ezekiel 41:11, while the outer court looked towards the north, the east, the south, and the west, Ezekiel 42:1, 4, 11, 16-19. He also says that the glory of Jehovah the God of Israel came in from the way of the east, Ezekiel 43:1-2, 4. The gates to the outer court are dealt with in Ezekiel 44:1-2, 4; 46:1, 9, 10, 19, 20; and the boundaries of the Holy Land in Chapter 47 - towards the north in verses 15-17, towards the east in verse 18, towards the south in verse 19, towards the west in verse 20; while Chapter 48 specifies in relation to the four quarters the territories allotted to each tribe. And in the description of the Holy Jerusalem it is said that the gates were on the east, north, south, and west, Revelation 21:13. From these references it is quite evident that the four quarters of the world in relation to which those holy things, or representatives of what is holy, were arrayed do not mean in the internal sense the four quarters but states of good and truth within the Lord's kingdom.

[18] In the contrary sense 'the north' and 'the west' mean falsity and evil, as may be seen from the following places: In Jeremiah,

The word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? I said, I am seeing an open pot with it's face towards the north. And Jehovah said, From the north evil will be opened over all the inhabitants of the land. Lo, I am calling all the families of the north to come. Jeremiah 1:13-15.

In the same prophet,

Set up a standard towards Zion; assemble, stay not, for I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction. Jeremiah 4:6.

In the same prophet,

The sound of crashing; behold, it is coming, and a great commotion out of the land of the north to reduce the cities of Judah into a waste. Jeremiah 10:22.

In the same prophet,

In Tekoa sound the trumpet, for evil stares from the north, and great destruction. Behold, a people coming from the land of the north, a mighty nation will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 6:1, 22.

In the same prophet,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings, Pharaoh king of Egypt, and the whole western crowd; all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the west, dwelling in the wilderness, and all the kings of the north, far and near. Jeremiah 25:17-26.

[19] In the same prophet,

The swift will not flee away, nor the strong man escape. Northwards on the bank of the River Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. Who is this coming up like a river? Egypt comes up like the river, for he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those who dwell in it. But that day is to the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth a day of vengeance - for the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth holds a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. A very beautiful heifer is Egypt, but destruction from the north has come. The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame; she has been delivered into the hand of a people from the north. Jeremiah 46:6-10, 20, 24.

In the same prophet,

Thus said Jehovah, Behold, waters rising out of the north which are like a deluging stream, and they will deluge the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it. Jeremiah 47:2.

[20] In the same prophet,

[The word which] Jehovah spoke against Babel: There will come up against her a nation from the north, which will make her land a desolation so that none may dwell in it. Jeremiah 50:1, 3.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am stirring up and bringing up against Babel an assembly of great nations out of the north land, and they will array themselves against her; from there she will be taken. Behold, a people coming out of the north, a mighty nation, and many kings will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 50:9, 41.

In the same prophet,

Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, will sing over Babel, because those who lay waste will come out of the north. Jeremiah 51:48.

In Ezekiel,

Say to Gog, You will come out of your place from the furthest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you. You will come up against My people Israel, like a cloud to cover the land. Ezekiel 38:14-16.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince. I will make you turn back and will split you into six, and make you come up from the furthest parts of the north and bring you onto the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall. On the surface of the field you will fall. Ezekiel 39:1-2, 4-5.

In Zechariah,

Ho! Flee from the land of the north, says Jehovah, for like the four winds of the heavens I will spread you abroad. Ho, Zion! escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babel. Zechariah 2:6-7.

[21] These quotations show what 'the north' means in the contrary sense, namely falsity which is the source of evil, or falsity which is the result of evil. Because falsity which is the source of evil originates in reasoning about Divine things and against Divine things, which reasoning is based on factual knowledge belonging to the natural man, it is called 'a people from the north out of Egypt' - 'Egypt' meaning such factual knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 2588 (end). And because falsity which is the result of evil originates in worship which to outward appearance is holy but interiorly is unholy, it is called 'a nation from the north out of Babel' - 'Babel' meaning such, see 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326, as well as that which lays waste, 1327. Both types of falsity - that which is the source of evil, and that which is the result of evil - are said to come out of Gog, for 'Gog' is worship consisting in external observances devoid of anything internal, which is idolatrous worship, as at all times was that of the Jews. That 'Gog' means such worship, see 1151.

[22] Out of the obscurity in which the natural man dwells either truth can arise or falsity can do so. When anyone allows himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord his obscurity is turned into brightness, for the internal path is opened and so influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place. But when he does not allow himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord, but by his own intelligence, his obscurity is turned into darkness and so into falsity, for the internal path is closed and no influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place, apart from such as enables him to be seen outwardly to be human, when he thinks and so speaks from evil and falsity. This is why 'the north' means truth with those who allow themselves to be enlightened, falsity with those who do not. For the former come up from obscurity, that is, they are raised up to light, but the latter go down from obscurity, that is, remove themselves from light. The former are accordingly brought into [the light of] the south, the latter into [the gloom of] Tartarus.

[23] The fact that 'the north' means the thick darkness of falsity and 'the south' the light of truth is quite evident in Daniel where the ram and the he-goat are the subject, and also where the king of the south and the king of the north are. Referring to the ram and the he-goat it is said that the ram butted with his horns towards the west and towards the north and towards the south, so that none of the beasts could stand before him, and that a he-goat came from the west across the surface of the whole earth, and out of one of his horns there came forth a [little] horn which grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious [land], Daniel 8:4-5, 9. And referring to the king of the south and the king of the north in the place where 'the king of the south' means those possessing cognitions of truth, and 'the king of the north' those who are governed by falsity, it is said that

After some years they will make an alliance, as a result of which the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to negotiate equitable terms but her arm will not gain strength. One will rise from that stem who will enter into the fortress of the king of the north and will prevail and will carry [the gods] they have captured into Egypt. The king of the south will come into the kingdom and fight with the king of the north, and the king of the north will return and raise a multitude greater than the former. Many will stand up against the king of the south. The king of the north will come and take the fortified city and destroy much. The king of the south will be stirred up to battle with a great army, but he will not stand, for they will devise plots against him. After that he will return, but it will not be as previously. The people consisting of those who know their God will stand firm. At length, at the time of the end, the king of the south will clash with him; therefore the king of the north will rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen. In the glorious land many will fall. But rumours will terrify him from the east and from the north, so that he goes forth with great fury. He will come to his end, with none to help him. Daniel 11:1-end.

The fact that 'the king of the south' means those who dwell in the light of truth, 'the king of the north' those who first dwell in shade and then in the thick darkness of falsity, may become clear from the details in that chapter. So it is a description of how the state of the Church is in course of time perverted. They are called kings of the south and of the north because 'kings' in the internal sense of the Word means truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, 1672, 2015, 2069, while 'kingdoms' means things that belong to truth, and in the contrary sense those that belong to falsity, 1672, 2547.

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