401. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, signifies that all the good of love was separated, and thence all the truth of faith falsified. This is evident from the signification of "sun" as being in the highest sense the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thence with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord (of which presently); also from the signification of "black as sackcloth of hair," as being separated; "black" is predicated of thick darkness, thus of what does not appear from any light. It is said "as sackcloth of hair," because it means the sensual of man, which is the lowest of the natural, and is thus round about the interiors, in which it induces thick darkness. Man has two minds, a spiritual and a natural; the spiritual mind thinks and perceives from the light of heaven, but the natural mind thinks and perceives from the light of the world; from the latter, man has a light that is called natural light [lumen]. This natural mind is what is called the natural man, but the spiritual mind is what is called the spiritual man. As the natural mind is below or outside of the spiritual mind it is also round about it, for it enwraps it on every side; therefore it is called "sackcloth of hair" or "hairy;" for when the spiritual mind, which is the higher and interior mind, is closed, then the natural mind, which is the lower and exterior, is in thick darkness in respect to all things of heaven and the church; for all the light that the natural mind has, and that constitutes its intelligence, is from the light of his spiritual mind, and this light is the light of heaven. The sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural, is also in the light of heaven like something hairy; from this it is that "hair" signifies the ultimate of the natural man, which is the sensual (See Arcana Coelestia n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573). These things have been said that it may be known why it is that "the sun became black as sackcloth of hair."

[2] The above is evident also from the signification of the "moon" as being spiritual truth, which is called the truth of faith (of which presently); also from the signification of "became as blood," as being that truth was falsified; for "blood" in the genuine sense signifies Divine truth, and in the contrary sense, violence offered to Divine truth, thus Divine truth falsified (that this is the signification of "blood" in the Word, see above, n.329; this makes clear what "the moon became as blood" signifies. "The sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thus with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and "the moon" signifies spiritual truth, because the Lord in the heaven of celestial angels appears as a sun, and in the heaven of spiritual angels as a moon. His appearing as a sun is from His Divine love, for Divine love appears as a fire, from which angels in the heavens have their heat; consequently celestial and spiritual "fire" in the Word mean love. The Lord's appearing as a moon is from the light that is from that sun, for the moon derives her light [lumen] from that sun, and light in heaven is Divine truth, consequently "light" in the Word signifies Divine truth. (But of the Sun and the Moon in the Heavens, and the Heat and Light Therefrom, see what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell (116-125, 126-140)

[3] That in the Word "sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and with man the good of love to the Lord, and the "moon" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth spiritual, is evident from the following passages. In Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as light (Matthew 17:1-2).

Because the Lord was then seen in His Divine, He appeared in respect to His face "as the sun," and in respect to His garments "as the light," because the face corresponds to love, and "garments" correspond to truths; and "His face did shine as the sun" because Divine love was in Him, and "His garments became as light" because Divine truth was from Him; for the light in Heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun. (That "the face" in reference to the Lord means love and every good, see Arcana Coelestia 5585, 9306, 9546, 9888; and that "garments" in reference to the Lord signify Divine truth, see above, n. 64, 195.) In like manner the Lord appears in heaven before the angels when He presents Himself before them, but He then appears out of the sun. He was therefore seen in like manner by John when he was in the spirit, as appears in Revelation, where it is said that:

The face of the Son of man was seen as the sun shineth in his power (Revelation 1:16).

It was evidently the Lord who was seen (See above, n. 63).

[4] Likewise when the Lord was seen by John as an angel, respecting which we read:

And I saw a strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud, and a rainbow about his head, and his face was as the sun (Revelation 10:1);

for "angels" in the Word in its spiritual sense do not mean angels, but something Divine from the Lord, since the Divine that appears from them is not theirs, but the Lord's with them. So, too, the Divine truth they speak, which is full of wisdom, they do not speak from themselves, but from the Lord, for they have been men, and men have all wisdom and intelligence from the Lord. This makes clear that in the Word "angel" means the Lord, who also then appeared as a sun. (That in the Word, "angel" means something Divine from the Lord, seeArcana Coelestia 1925, 2821, 3039, 4085, 6280, 8192; that this is why in the Word angels are called gods, n.4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8192.)

[5] So, too, when the church was represented as a woman, the sun also then appeared around her; which is thus described in Revelation:

A great sign was seen in heaven; a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1).

That "the woman" here signifies the church will be seen in the explanation that will be given in what follows. (That "woman" signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia 252, 253, 749, 770.) And because the church is from the Lord she was seen encompassed with the sun. What is signified by "the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," will also be shown in that explanation.

[6] It is therefore said by David:

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, from the brightness after rain (2 Samuel 23:3-4

"The God of Israel" and "Rock of Israel" here mean the Lord in relation to the church, and in relation to Divine truth therein, "the God of Israel" in relation to the church, and "Rock of Israel" in relation to Divine truth therein; and as the Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven, and the Divine truth proceeding from Him is the light of that heaven, therefore it is said of the Divine which He spoke, which is Divine truth, that it is "as the light of the morning when the sun riseth;" because this is pure, and proceeds from His Divine love, it is added, "a morning without clouds, from brightness after rain," for the brightness of the light, or of Divine truth proceeding from Him, is from Divine love; "after rain" signifies after communication and reception, for its brightness is then with angels and men to whom it is communicated and by whom it is received. (That "the Rock of Israel," and "the Stone of Israel," mean the Lord in relation to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8581, 10580; and that "light" is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun, thus out of His Divine love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140.)

[7] In like manner it is said of those who love Jehovah, in the book of Judges:

Let them that love Him be as the going forth of the sun in his might (Judges 5:31).

That in the Word "Jehovah" means the Lord in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love may be seen in theArcana Coelestia 1736, 2921, 3035, 5041, 6303, 6281, 8864, 9315, 9373, 10146). Of those who love Him it is said, "as the going forth of the sun in his might," which signifies the Lord's Divine love in them. Of such it is also said that "they shall shine as the sun," in Matthew:

The righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of My ¹ Father (Matthew 13:43).

In the Word those are called "righteous" who love the Lord, that is, from love do His commandments; and in respect to their faces they shine with an effulgence like that of the sun, because the Lord's Divine love is communicated to them and received by them, whereby the Lord is in their midst, that is, in their interiors, which manifest themselves in the face. (That those who are in good of love to the Lord are called "righteous," see above, n.204)

[8] In David:

His seed shall be to eternity, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established as the moon to eternity, and as a faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:36-37).

This is said of the Lord, and of His heaven and church, for by "David," who is here treated of in the sense of the letter, is meant the Lord (See above, n. 205); "his seed which shall be to eternity" signifies Divine truth, and also those who receive it; "his throne as the sun before Me" signifies the heaven and church of the Lord, which are in celestial good, which is the good of love; "the throne established as the moon to eternity" signifies the heaven and the church that are in spiritual good, which is Divine truth; "a faithful witness in the clouds" signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, which is called "a witness" because it witnesses, "clouds" meaning the sense of the letter of the Word.

[9] In the same:

They shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations. In His days shall the righteous flourish; and much peace till the moon be no more. His name shall be to eternity; before the sun shall He have the name of Son; and all nations shall be blessed in Him (Psalms 72:5, 7, 17).

This, too, is said of the Lord, for this whole Psalm treats of Him; and as the Lord appears in heaven to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in His spiritual kingdom as a moon, it is said "they shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations;" "in that day the righteous shall flourish, and much peace till the moon be no more," signifies that those who are in love to the Lord will be in truths from that good, for with those who are in the celestial kingdom, that is, in love to the Lord, truths are implanted; those are called "righteous" who are in the good of love, and "peace" is predicated of that good. But that it may be known how this is to be understood, "till the moon be no more," it shall be told. The light proceeding from the Lord as a sun differs from the light proceeding from the Lord as a moon in the heavens, as the light of the sun in the world by day differs from the light of the moon in the world by night; the intelligence of those who are in the light of the sun of heaven differs in like manner from the intelligence of those who are in the light of the moon there; wherefore those who are in the light of the sun there are in pure Divine truth; but those who are in the light of the moon there are not in pure Divine truth, for they are in many falsities, which they have derived from the sense of the letter of the Word not understood, and yet these falsities appear to them as truths. From this it can be seen that "till the moon be no more" signifies till there no longer exists with them falsity appearing as truth, but pure truth which makes one with the good of love. It must be known however, that the falsities of those who are in the light of the moon in the heavens are falsities in which there is no evil, and that such falsities, therefore, are accepted by the Lord as if they were truths (respecting these falsities, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 21). This, therefore, is what is signified by "till the moon be no more," that is, with those who are meant by "the righteous in whom there is much peace." But in the highest sense, by these words the Lord in relation to His Divine Human, that this shall be the Divine good of the Divine love, is meant, therefore it is also added, "before the sun He shall have the name of Son," "Son" meaning the Lord's Divine Human. And as "nations" mean all who are in good, or who receive the good of love from the Lord, it is said, "and all nations shall be blessed in Him." (That "nations" signify those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truths, may be seen above, n. 331.)

[10] In Isaiah:

There shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall. And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:25-26).

This is said of the Last Judgment, which is meant by "the day of great slaughter, when the towers shall fall," "the towers that shall fall" meaning those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, in particular, those who are in the love of ruling by means of the holy things of the church (See in the work on The Last Judgment 56, 58). That to those who are in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor it shall then be given to understand truths, is signified by "there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters." Those "upon a high mountain" mean those who are in the good of love to the Lord, "high mountain" signifying that good; those "upon the lofty hill" mean those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, "hill" signifying that good; "streams, rivulets of water" signify intelligence from truths. That there shall then be truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as before there was truth in the celestial kingdom, and that the truth in the celestial kingdom shall then become the good of love is meant by "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" for "light" means Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, "the light of the moon" Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom, and "the light of the sun" Divine truth in the celestial kingdom; "sevenfold" signifies full and perfect, and truth is full and perfect when it becomes good, or good in form. It can be seen that this means, not the sun and moon on the earth, but the sun and moon in the heavens. It is to be known that when a last judgment is being effected the Lord appears in the heavens in much greater effulgence and splendor than at other times, and this because the angels there must be more powerfully defended; for lower things, with which the exteriors of the angels have communication, are then in a state of disturbance. Therefore, as the Last Judgment is here treated of, it is said, "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" and therefore it is also said that "there shall be streams, rivulets of waters, upon every high mountain, and upon every lofty hill," which signifies abundant intelligence with those who are upon the higher mountains and higher hills, for on the lower mountains and hills is where the judgment then takes place. (That the Lord appears to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in his spiritual kingdom as a moon, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that the light from these is Divine truth, n. 127-140)

[11] In the same:

Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:20).

This treats of the Lord, and of the new heaven and new earth, that is, of the church to be established by Him. That to those in that church the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor should not perish is meant by "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw;" for to those who are in the good of love to the Lord He appears as a sun, and to those who are in truths from the good of charity towards the neighbor He appears as a moon; so "thy sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord, and "thy moon" the good of charity, which, in its essence, is truth from good. That they shall continue to eternity in truths from the good of love, and in truths from the good of charity is meant by "Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled," "the light of eternity" is predicated of those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and "fulfilling the days of mourning" of those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, or in truths from good; for with those who were of the ancient churches, "mourning" represented grief on account of the loss or destruction of truth and good; "fulfilled" signifies ended, thus that they shall be in truths from good. From this the signification of "the sun became as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," can be seen, namely, that the good of love to the Lord was separated, and thus truth was falsified.

[12] Nearly the same is signified in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Behold the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy its sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light; the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright. I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity (Isaiah 13:9-11).

"The day of Jehovah, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger," signifies the day of the Last Judgment; "the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light, the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," signifies that the knowledges of good and truth have perished, as well as the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbor, and thence the truth that is called the truth of faith; for "stars" signify the knowledges of good, "constellations" the knowledges of truth, "the sun" the good of love to the Lord, and "the moon" the good of charity towards the neighbor, which, in its essence, is truth from good, and is called the truth of faith. The sun is said "to be darkened in its rising," and the moon "not to make her light to be bright;" not that the sun and moon in the angelic heavens are darkened, for the sun there is always in its effulgence, and the moon in its splendor; but before those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, goods and truths are thus obscured; it is therefore according to the appearance that it is so said, for those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom turn themselves away from the good of love and charity, consequently from the Lord, and then they will nothing but evil and think nothing but falsity, and those who will and think no other, see nothing but thick darkness and darkness in such things as pertain to heaven and the church. Because such are meant by those with whom "the sun is darkened, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," it is said, "to lay the earth waste, and He shall destroy its sinners out of it," and afterwards, "I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," "earth" and "world" signifying the church, "laying it waste" signifying that there is no longer any good, and "visiting evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," signifying the Last Judgment.

[13] In Ezekiel:

When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light in the heavens will I make black over thee, and I will give darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:7-8).

This is said of Pharaoh king of Egypt, by whom is here signified the natural man separate from the spiritual; which when it is separated is wholly in thick darkness and in darkness in regard to all things of heaven and the church, and so far as it is separated denies them; for the natural man sees nothing in such things from itself, but only through the spiritual man from the Lord, since the natural man is in the heat and light of the world, while the spiritual man is in the heat and light of heaven. From this it is clear what is meant by the particulars here, namely, "When I extinguish thee I will cover the heavens" signifies the interiors, which are in the light of heaven; "I will make the stars thereof black" signifies the knowledges of good and truth; "I will cover the sun with a cloud" signifies the good of love to the Lord; "the moon shall not make her light to shine" signifies the good of charity towards the neighbor and the truth of faith therefrom; "all the luminaries of light will I make black over thee" signifies all truths; and "I will give darkness upon thy land" signifies falsities.

[14] In Joel:

The day of Jehovah cometh. A day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and obscurity. Before Him the earth trembleth, the sun and the moon were black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 2:1-2, 10).

In the same:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Joel 2:31).

In the same:

The day of Jehovah is near in the valley cut off. The sun and the moon were made black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 3:14-15).

In the Gospels:

Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-25).

In Revelation:

The fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; and the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night likewise (Revelation 8:12).

In another place:

Out of the pit of the abyss there went up a smoke as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun was darkened and the air by the smoke (Revelation 9:2).

It is clear from what has been said above, that in these passages "the sun and moon made black and darkened" means that there was no longer any good or any truth; therefore they are not further explained.

[15] Because such things are signified by "the sun darkened," therefore the sun was darkened when the Lord was upon the cross, because He was entirely rejected by the church that then was with the Jews, who were consequently in dense darkness, or in falsities. This is thus described in Luke:

At the sixth hour darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened (Luke 23:44-45).

This was done as a sign and token that the Lord was denied, and that thence there was no good nor truth with those who were of the church; for with them all signs from the heavens represented and signified such things as are of the church, because the church with them was a representative church, or consisted of such things in externals as represented and thus signified the internal things of the church. That "darkness came over all the land" signified that with those who were of the church there was nothing except the falsities of evil, "all the land" meaning all the church, and "darkness" signifying falsities; that it continued for three hours, namely, "from the sixth to the ninth hour," signifies that there remained mere falsity, and no truth whatever, for "three" signifies full, whole, and entirely, and "six" and "nine" signify all things in the complex, here falsities and evils; and because there were falsities and evils with them, from the Lord's having been denied, therefore it is said, "and darkness came, and the sun was darkened;" "the sun" that was obscured, meaning the Lord, who is said to be "obscured" when falsities so prevail in the church that He is not acknowledged, and evils so prevail that He is crucified. (That each and every thing related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion is significative may be seen above, n.64, 83, 195c at the end.)

[16] In Micah:

Jehovah said against the prophets that cause the people to err, It shall be night unto you for vision; and darkness shall be to you for divination; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them (Micah 3:5-6).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense, may be seen above n. 372, where they are explained. In Amos:

It shall come to pass in that day, that I will cause the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in a day of light (Amos 8:9).

This signifies that in the church, where the Word is from which it might be known what is good and true, there is nevertheless nothing but evil and falsity. "To cause the sun to set," and "to darken the earth" signify the evil of life, and the falsity of doctrine in the church; for "the rising of the sun" signifies the good of love, which is the good of the life, and "the setting of the sun" signifies the evil of love, which is the evil of the life; and "the darkening of the earth" signifies the consequent falsity of doctrine, "darkness" signifying falsities, and "the earth" the church; "at noon," and "in the day of light" signify when there might be the knowledges of good and truth, because they have the Word, "noon" signifying where there are the knowledges of good, and the "day of light" where there are the knowledges of truth. Such knowledges as are from the Word are meant, because it is the church where the Word is that is here treated of.

[17] In Habakkuk:

The mountains were moved; the overflowing of waters passed by. Sun and moon stood in their habitation; Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness (Habakkuk 3:10-11).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and of the Last Judgment then accomplished by Him; "the mountains were moved, the overflowing of waters passed by" signifies that those who were in the love of self and the world were cast out by the falsities of evil into which they were let; "mountains" signifying the loves of self and the world, and "the overflowing of waters" to be let into falsities from those loves, "waters" meaning falsities, and "overflowing" to be let into them. That by those in that state genuine truths and goods are not seen, but instead of these, fatuous truths and goods, which in themselves are falsities and evils is signified by, "Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness;" "arrows" or "lightnings" signifying fatuous truths, which in themselves are falsities, and "the lightning of the spear" signifying fatuous goods which in themselves are the evils of falsity. Moreover, such signs appear in the spiritual world, in the case of those who are in falsities from the loves of self and the world, when the Last Judgment takes place, and these are cast out.

[18] As in this prophecy it is said, "Sun and moon stood in their habitation," the significance of the sun's resting in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon shall also be explained, which is thus described in Joshua:

Then spoke Joshua to Jehovah, and he said in the eyes of Israel, Sun, rest thou in Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Aijalon; and the sun rested, and the moon stayed, until the nation was avenged upon its enemies. Is not this written upon the book of the Upright? And the sun stood in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day (Jos. Joshua 10:12-13).

That the sun is said to have stood in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon, signifies that the church was altogether vastated in respect to all good and truth, for a battle was then going on against the king of Jerusalem and the kings of the Amorites; and "the king of Jerusalem" signifies the truth of the church wholly vastated by falsities, and "the kings of the Amorites" signify the good of the church vastated by evils; therefore those kings were smitten with hailstones, which signify the dire falsities of evil. It is said that the sun and the moon stood in their place, that is, before the sons of Israel, that they might see their enemies; but this, although it is told as history is a prophecy, as is evident from its being said, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" which was a prophetical book from which this was taken; so it was from the same book that it was said, "Until the nation was avenged upon its enemies," and not, "Until the sons of Israel were avenged upon their enemies," the term "nation" being used prophetically. This is evident also from the fact that if this miracle had occurred altogether in this way, the whole nature of the world would have been inverted, which is not the case with the other miracles in the Word. That it might be known, therefore, that this was said prophetically, it is added, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" And yet it is not to be doubted, that there was given to them a light out of heaven, a light in Gibeon like that of the sun, and a light in the valley of Aijalon like that of the moon.

[19] In Jeremiah:

She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul; her sun shall go down while it is yet day, it shall be ashamed and blush; and the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies (Jeremiah 15:9).

"She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul," signifies that the church to which the Word is given and through it all truths, is about to perish; "to bear seven" meaning to be gifted with all the truths of the church (as in the first book of Samuel, 1 Samuel 2:5, see above, n. 257. "Her sun shall go down while it is yet day" signifies that the good of the church is about to perish, although the church has the Word, and might through the Word be in light; "it, namely, the sun, shall be ashamed and blush" signifies because good and truth are not received, but evil and falsity (as is evident also from the next quotation from Isaiah); "the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies" signifies that all the remaining good and truth will perish through the falsity from evil; "remnant" meaning all that remains; "to be given to the sword" meaning to perish on account of falsities; "enemies" meaning evils.

[20] In Isaiah:

Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the Kings of the earth who are upon the earth. Then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed (Isaiah 24:21, 23).

"To visit" signifies to destroy, because visitation precedes judgment, when those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are destroyed; "the host of the height in the height" signifies all evils that are from the love of self, "host" signifying all evils; "the kings of the earth" falsities of every kind, and "the earth" the church. This makes clear the signification of "Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth." It is said "upon the host of the height in the height" because those who are in the love of self seek in the spiritual world high places; "then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed," signifies that there is no longer any reception of Divine truth and Divine good, "moon" and "sun" signifying the truth of faith and the good of love, and these are said "to blush and be ashamed" when they are no longer received, but falsity and evil are received in their place.

[21] In David:

Jehovah, who hath made the heavens by His intelligence, who hath spread out the earth upon the waters; who hath made great luminaries, the sun for rule by day, the moon and stars for rule by night: Who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them (Psalms 136:5-11).

He who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word must suppose that there is nothing involved in these words except what appears in the sense of the letter; and yet every particular involves such things as pertain to angelic wisdom, which are all celestial Divine and spiritual Divine things. This describes the new creation, or regeneration of the men of the church, of whom the church consists; "the heavens" which Jehovah hath made by His intelligence, signify the internal things of the men of the church, which, in one expression, are called the spiritual man, where intelligence has its seat, and where their heaven is; "the earth" which He hath spread out upon the waters, signifies the external of the church, which in one expression, is called the natural man; this is said to be "spread out upon the waters" because there the truths are by which man is regenerated, "waters" meaning truths; "the great luminaries, the sun, moon, and stars," signify the good of love, truth from that good, and the knowledges of good and truth, "the sun," the good of love, "the moon" truth from that good, and "the stars" the knowledges of good and truth. The sun is said to have been made "for rule by day," because "day" signifies the light of the spiritual man, for the spiritual man has illustration and perception from the good of love; the moon and the stars are said to have been made "for rule by night," because "night" signifies the light of the natural man, and its light, as compared with the light of the spiritual man, is like the light of night from the moon and the stars as compared with the light of day from the sun. Because this treats of the regeneration of the men of the church it follows, "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them;" "Egypt" signifying the natural man, such as it is by birth, namely, in mere falsities from evil; "their firstborn" mean primary things; the destruction of these while man is being regenerated is meant by "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn;" "Israel" signifies the spiritual man; and "to bring him out from the midst of them" signifies to open the spiritual man, and thus to regenerate; for the Lord regenerates the man of the church by dispersing the falsities from evils that are in the natural man, and by opening the spiritual man, and this is effected by the Lord by means of spiritual light, which is Divine truth.

[22] Like things are signified by these words in Genesis:

God made two great luminaries; the great luminary to rule by day, and the lesser luminary to rule by night, and the stars (Genesis 1:16).

For that chapter treats of the new creation, or the regeneration of the men of whom the Most Ancient Church consisted, and this is described in the sense of the letter, by the creation of heaven and earth. Like things are signified, too, by these words in Jeremiah:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih ² who giveth the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for light by night (Jeremiah 31:35).

"The statutes of the moon and stars" signify all things that are done in the natural man according to the laws of order.

[23] In David:

Praise ye Jehovah, all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts; praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light; praise Him, ye heavens of heavens (Psalms 148:2-4).

"To praise Jehovah" signifies to worship Him; "angels" signify those who are in Divine truths from the good of love, for such are angels; "all the hosts" signify goods and truths in the whole complex; "sun and moon" signify the good of love and the truth from that good; "the stars of light" signify the knowledges of truth from good; "the heavens of heavens" signify goods and truths both internal and external; and as man worships the Lord from those things that are with him from the Lord, thus from the goods and truths that are with him, and as man is a man from these, therefore it is said to them, namely, to the sun, moon, and stars, which signify goods and truths, that they "shall praise," that is, worship, Jehovah. Who does not know that the sun, moon, and stars do not praise, that is, worship?

[24] In Moses:

Of Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be His land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath, and for the precious things of the increase of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months (Deuteronomy 33:13, 14).

This is said in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses; and because "Joseph" means the spiritual-celestial, who are those that are highest in the spiritual kingdom, and thus most closely communicate with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "His land" signifies that spiritual kingdom, likewise the church that consists of such; "the precious things of heaven, the dew, and the deep also that lieth beneath" signify things spiritual-celestial in the internal and the external man; "the precious things of the increase of the sun, and the precious things of the produce of the months," signify all things that proceed from the Lord's celestial kingdom, and all things that proceed from His spiritual kingdom, thus the goods and truths therefrom, "the sun" signifying the good of love to the Lord from the Lord which is the good that those have who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "its increase" signifying all things that proceed from it; "the produce of the months" signifies all things that proceed from the Lord's spiritual kingdom, "months" here signifying the like as "the moon," namely, truths from good, for the same word is used for both in the original. But this that has been said must seem obscure to one who knows nothing about the two kingdoms of heaven, the celestial and the spiritual, and about their conjunction by intermediates. (But respecting these kingdoms and the intermediates, see what is said in Heaven and Hell 20-28.)

[25] In Isaiah:

I will make thy suns a ruby, and thy gates of stones of carbuncles, and all thy border of stones of desire (Isaiah 54:12).

This is said of the nations outside of the church, from whom a new church was to be established by the Lord. "I will make thy suns a ruby" signifies that goods will be brilliant from the fire of love, "suns" here meaning the goods of love, and "the ruby" meaning a brilliance as from fire; "I will make thy gates of stones of carbuncles" signifies that truths will be resplendent from good, "gates" meaning introductory truths, in particular the doctrines that are from good, for all truths of doctrine that are genuine proceed from good, and are of good; and "stones of carbuncles" signify their brightness from good; in fact, all precious stones signify truths from good, and their color, brightness, and fire indicate the quality of the truth from good. "I will make all their border of stones of desire" signifies that true knowledges [scientifica], which belong to the natural man, will be pleasant and enjoyable from good; for "border" has the same meaning as "foundation," and this means the natural man, for in the things in it the goods and truths of the spiritual man are terminated, and "stones of desire" mean truths pleasant and enjoyable from good; by these are meant the goods and truths of the Word which those who constitute the new church will have, and which will be such. That the "sun" signifies the good of love is evident, too, from their being called "suns," in the plural.

[26] In Job:

Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much? did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness? and hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth? (Job 31:25-28).

These words mean in the spiritual sense that he had not acquired for himself intelligence from what was his own [ex proprio], and had taken no merit to himself for his intelligence, and had not gloried in it; for "Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much?" signifies, had he gloried over having intelligence, and having acquired it for himself from what was his own [ex propria]? "means" signify the knowledges of good and truth, by which intelligence is gained; "and because my hand had found much" signifies to have acquired from what is one's own [ex propria]; "did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness" signifies to have spiritual truths, which constitute intelligence, "light" and the "moon" signifying spiritual truths; "hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth?" signifies, have I therefore gloried inwardly, and have I claimed them to myself?

[27] In Matthew:

That ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens; who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

This treats of charity towards the neighbor, as is evident from what there precedes and follows, and, in particular of the Jews, who accounted the Gentiles as enemies, and their own people as friends. That they ought to love the Gentiles the same as their own people the Lord makes clear by this comparison; but as all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences, and from that are significative, as other things are that are not said comparatively, so it is with this comparison; and "the Father in the heavens maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" signifies that the Lord flows in from heaven with the Divine good of love and with Divine truth, with those who are outside of the Jewish church as much as with those who are within it, "sun" also here signifying the good of love, and "rain" the Divine truth. "The evil and the unjust" signify in the internal sense those who were of the Jewish Church, since they did not receive; and "the good and the just" signify those who were outside of that church and did receive. In general, all the evil and the good, and the just and the unjust, are here meant, for the Lord flows in with good and truth equally with all, but all do not receive equally.

[28] Because "the sun" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine love, He is called "the Sun of righteousness (in Malachi 4:2); and "a Sun and Shield" (in David, Psalms 84:11). Because "the sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord with man, "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all who are in the good of love to the Lord, from the first to the last; "from the rising of the sun" meaning from the first, and "unto the going down of the sun" meaning to the last, as in the following passages. In Malachi:

From the rising of the sun even unto its going down is My name great among the nations (Malachi 1:11).

In David:

From the rising of the sun unto its going down the name of Jehovah is to be praised (Psalms 113:3).

In the same:

God, Jehovah God speaketh, and shall call the earth from the rising of the sun unto its going down (Psalms 50:1).

In Isaiah:

That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its going down, that there is none beside Me (Isaiah 45:6).

In the same:

From the going down of the sun shall they fear the name of Jehovah, and His glory from the rising of the sun (Isaiah 59:19).

I shall raise up one that shall come from the north, and from the rising of the sun one who shall call upon My name (Isaiah 41:25).

"From the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love to the Lord, because all in heaven dwell according to quarters. Those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell from the east to the west; those who dwell in the east are those who are in a clear good of love, and those who dwell in the west are those who are in an obscure good of love. This is why "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love. The words in Isaiah, "I will raise up one that will come from the north and from the rising of the sun" signify those who are outside of the church, and those who are inside of it; for "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, thus those who are outside of the church, because they are in obscurity in regard to truths from not having the Word, and thence not knowing anything about the Lord; and "the rising of the sun" signifies those who are within the church, because they have the Word, in which the Lord is always present, and so in His rising. (That "the east" or "the rising of the sun," and "the west" or "the setting of the sun," mean the good of love in clearness and the good of love in obscurity, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 141, 148-150; and that "the north" means truth in obscurity, in the same chapter, n 148-150; for the Four Quarters in the Spiritual World are there treated of.)

Again, "the setting of the sun" signifies the state of the church when it is in ignorance, which is its first state; and "the rising of the sun" signifies its state when it is in light. "The setting of the sun" also signifies the state of the church when it is in evils and falsities therefrom; and "the rising of the sun" when it is in goods and in truths therefrom.

[29] The first state of the church, when it is still in ignorance, is signified by the commencement of the passover in the evening when the sun was set, according to these words of Moses:

Thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, when the sun shall have set in the stated time of thy going forth out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 16:6).

For "the feast of the passover" signified the celebration of the Lord on account of deliverance from damnation, which is effected by regeneration; and in the highest sense a remembrance of the glorification of the Lord's Human, because deliverance is from that (See Arcana Coelestia 7093, 7867, 9286-9292, 10655). And because the first state of regeneration is a state of ignorance, the beginning of that feast was "at even, when the sun had set." Again, that state is signified by "the going forth of the sons of Israel out of Egypt," for in Egypt they were in a servile state, and thus in a state of ignorance; therefore it is said, "in the stated time of the going forth out of Egypt."

[30] The last state of the church, when the church is in falsities and evils, for this state is its last, is signified by "the setting of the sun" in Moses:

When the sun was about setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror and great darkness fell upon him. At length, when the sun had set, and it had become dark, behold, a furnace of smoke, and a torch of fire that passed through between these pieces (Genesis 15:12, 17).

These things are said of the posterity of Abram from Jacob, that is, of the Israelitish and Jewish nation; and "when the sun was about setting," and "at length, when the sun had set," signify the last state of the church in that nation, that they were in mere falsities and evils; "great darkness" and "a furnace of smoke," signify falsities from evil; and "a torch of fire" signifies the dire love of self, from which came their evils and falsities.

[31] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "sun" and "moon" and in that sense "sun" signifies the love of self, and "moon," the falsities therefrom. "Sun and moon" have this signification because those who are in natural thought only, and not in spiritual thought, do not think beyond nature; therefore when they see that from these two luminaries, or from their light and heat, all things arise and, as it were, live upon the earth, they suppose that these luminaries rule the universe; above this they do not raise their thoughts. This all do who are in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, for such are merely natural and sensual men, and the merely natural and sensual man does not think beyond nature, for what he does not see and touch he believes to be nothing.

With the ancients, all things of the church consisted of the representatives of spiritual things in natural; with them therefore, "the sun" signified the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "the moon" the Lord in relation to Divine truth, consequently in worship they turned their faces to the rising of the sun; and those among them who were in the love of self, and were therefore merely natural and sensual, began to worship as their highest gods the sun and the moon that they saw with their eyes; but because those alone did this, or persuaded others to do it, who were in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, therefore "the sun" signifies the love of self, and "the moon" the falsity therefrom. This becomes still more evident in the case of spirits in the other life who in the world had been such; these turn the face away from the Lord, and turn it towards something there that is dark and in thick darkness, which is in the place of the sun and moon of the world, over against the sun and moon of the angelic heaven (on which more may be seen in the work onHeaven and Hell 122, 123). By persons like this the worship of the sun and moon was instituted in ancient times, when all Divine worship was representative; but at this day, when representatives have ceased, the worship of the sun and moon does not exist in the Christian world, but in its place the worship of self, which exists with those in whom the love of ruling predominates. This makes clear the signification of "sun and moon" in the contrary sense.

[32] That in ancient times the sun and moon were worshiped is evident from the fact that the Gentiles dedicated shrines to them, which are spoken of in many histories. That the Egyptians as well as the Jews and Israelites worshiped the sun and moon is evident from the Word. That the Egyptians did, see in Jeremiah:

The King of Babylon shall come, and shall smite the land of Egypt, and shall break in pieces the pillars of the house of the sun in the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:11, 13).

That the Jews and Israelites did, see in Ezekiel:

I beheld their faces towards the east; and the same bowed themselves towards the rising of the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).

This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem. In the second book of Kings:

Josiah ³ the King put down the idolatrous priests, them that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, to the moon, and to the stars, and to all of the hosts of the heavens. He furthermore took away the horses that the kings of Judah had set up to the sun at the entering in of the house of Jehovah, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire (2 Kings 23:5, 11).

In Jeremiah:

They shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, and the bones of his priests, and the bones of his prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and they shall spread them to the sun and the moon and all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served (Jeremiah 8:1-2);

and also Jeremiah 44:17-19, 25; Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3, 5.

[33] Because "Moab" in the Word signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and their worship signifies the worship of self, therefore when the Israelitish people drew near to the worship of the Moabitish people, it was commanded that the chiefs of the people should be hung up before the sun; respecting which it is thus written in Moses:

The daughters of Moab called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. Especially did Israel join himself unto Baalpeor; therefore Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up before the sun (Numbers 25:1-4).

"Moab" signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and who consequently adulterate the goods of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 2468, 8315).

[34] From this it is also clear that the sun of the world signifies the love of self. Because the love of self lets man down into what is his own [proprium] and holds him there, for it looks continually to self, and man's own is nothing but evil, and from evil comes every falsity, therefore "the heat of the sun" signifies adulterated truth, which in its essence is the falsity of evil. This is signified by "the heat of the sun" in the following passages. In Revelation:

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire (Revelation 16:8).

And elsewhere:

They shall hunger no more, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat (Revelation 7:16).

In David:

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, He shall keep thy soul (Psalms 121:6, 7).

The "sun" here means the love of self, and the "moon" the falsity therefrom; because from that love is all evil, and from evil all falsity, therefore it is said, "Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, and He shall keep thy soul," "soul" signifying the life of truth.

[35] In Matthew:

Other seeds fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth; and when the sun was risen they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away (Matthew 13:5-6; Mark 4:5-6).

"Seeds" signify the truths from the Word, that is, the truths man receives from the Lord, for it is afterwards said, that it is "the Son of man that soweth." "Rocky places" signify a historical faith, which is another's faith in oneself, which is believing a thing to be true, not because one sees it in himself, but because another in whom he has confidence has said it. "Earth" signifies spiritual good, because this receives truths as soil does seeds; "the sun's rising" signifies the love of self; and "to be scorched" and "to wither away" signify to be adulterated and to perish. This makes clear what is signified by these words of the Lord in series, namely, that the truths that are implanted from infancy from the Word or from preaching, when man begins to think from himself, are adulterated and perish by lusts from the love of self. All things in the Word are, indeed, truths, but they are adulterated by the ideas of thought concerning them, and by the way they are applied, consequently with such persons truths are not truths except in respect to the mere utterance of them. This is so because all the life of truth is from spiritual good, and spiritual good has its seat in the higher or interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind. This mind cannot be opened with those who are in the love of self, for in everything they look to self. If they lift their eyes to heaven, still the thought of their spirit is held in the consideration of self; consequently from the fire of its own glory it incites the external and corporeal sensual things which have been taught from childhood, to the imitation of such affections as belong to the spiritual man.

[36] It is written in Jonah that "the gourd that came up over him withered, and that the sun beat upon his head, so that he fell sick." As this cannot be understood without explanation by the internal sense, it shall be explained in a few words. It is thus told in Jonah:

Jehovah prepared a gourd that came up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head to deliver him from his evil, and Jonah was glad over the gourd. And God prepared a worm, when the dawn came up the following day, and it smote the gourd that it dried up. And it came to pass when the sun arose that God prepared a scorching east wind; and the sun smote upon the head of Jonah, and he fell sick so that he asked that his soul might die. Then God said to Jonah, is it well for thee to be angry over the gourd? He said, It is well for me to be angry, even unto death. Jehovah said, Thou wouldest spare the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, nor didst thou make it grow up, because thou didst become the son of the night ⁴ and the son of night perisheth; shall not I spare Nineveh, the great city, in which are more than twelve myriads ⁵ of men? (Jonah 4:6-11).

This is a description of the genius of the Jewish nation, that they are in the love of self and in falsities therefrom. Jonah was of that nation, and therefore also was sent to Nineveh; for the Jewish nation had the Word, and was therefore able to teach those who were outside of the church and who are called Gentiles; these are signified by "Nineveh." Because the Jewish nation was, above others, in the love of self and in the falsities from that love, they did not wish well to any but themselves, thus not to the Gentiles, but these they hated. Because that nation was such, and Jonah represented it, he was very angry that Jehovah should spare Nineveh, for it is said:

Jonah was ill with a great illness, so that he was angry, and from the illness of anger he said, Take, O Jehovah, my soul from me, for my death is better than my life (Jonah 4:1, 3).

This evil in that nation is signified by the gourd which the worm smote so that it dried up. "The sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self which was in that nation; and "the scorching east wind" the falsity therefrom; and "the worm that smote the gourd" signifies the destruction of this evil and the falsity thence. That this is the signification of "the gourd" is evident from its being said in this description that Jonah at first "was glad over the gourd," and after the gourd had been smitten by the worm and had dried up that "he was angry over it, even unto death," and also from its being said that "he had pity over the gourd." That the Jewish nation, because it was in such a love and in such falsity therefrom was liable to damnation is meant by these words to Jonah, "thou didst not cause it to grow up, because thou didst become a son of night, ⁶ and a son of night perisheth." (That such was the Jewish nation, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)

[37] The love of self is signified here and in the preceding passages, because "the sun" in the genuine spiritual sense signifies love to the Lord, and the love of self is the opposite of this love.

Moreover, the Lord's Divine love, which is present with everyone, is turned into the love of self with the evil; for everything that flows in is changed in the recipient subject into what agrees with its own nature; as the pure heat of the sun is turned into an offensive smell in subjects of such a nature, and the pure light of the sun into hideous colors in objects of such reception; this is why "the sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self that is in him; likewise "the sun that was risen" by which the seeds were scorched upon the rocky places, mentioned in Matthew.

[38] In Revelation:

The city New Jerusalem hath no need of the sun and moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).

"The sun" here, of which the city New Jerusalem shall have no need, signifies natural love, which, viewed in itself is the love of self and the world; and "the moon" signifies natural light, for natural light, viewed in itself is from natural love, and the quality of the light is according to the quality of the love; while spiritual love and spiritual light are signified by "the glory of God shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof."

[39] That such is the sense of these words is very evident from the following from Isaiah:

The sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee; but Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and thy God for thine adornment. Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:19-20).

In the first part of this passage "the sun and moon" have the same meaning as above in Revelation, namely, "the sun" signifies merely natural love, and "the moon" natural light therefrom; but in the latter part of the passage "the sun and moon" mean the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, and that sun signifies the Lord's Divine love, and the moon Divine truth, as was explained above. For it is first said, "the sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee;" and afterwards it is said, "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw." From all this it is now evident what "sun and moon" signify in both senses.

각주:

3325. 'Sell me - as if today - your birthright' means that in the short term the doctrine of truth was apparently prior. This is clear from the meaning of 'selling' as claiming for oneself; from the meaning of 'as if today' as in the short term (for in the internal sense of the Word 'today' means that which is perpetual and eternal, 2838. But to avoid its meaning perpetual and eternal the expression 'as if today' is used, the expression as if indicating that it was so apparently); and from the meaning of 'birthright' as the fact that it - that is to say, the doctrine of truth, which Jacob represents, 3305 - is prior.

[2] By the expressions prior and priority of place, describing the birthright, are meant not only first in time but also first in degree; that is to say, it is a question of which one is to have dominion, good or truth? For until it has been joined to good truth is always prior; or what amounts to the same, until they have been regenerated, people governed by truth believe that truth is prior to and higher than good. That is how it appears at that time; but once truth with them has been joined to good, that is, once they have been regenerated, they see and perceive that truth is posterior and lower than good, and with them good has dominion over truth. This is what is meant by that which Isaac his father told Esau,

Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above. And by your sword you will live, and you will serve your brother; and it will be, when you have dominion, that you will break his yoke from above your neck Genesis 27:39-40.

[3] But because within the Church those who are not being regenerated outnumber those who are, and those who are not base their judgements on what is the appearance, it has therefore been disputed, even from ancient times, whether priority of place belongs to truth or to good. With those who have not been regenerated and also with those who are not completely regenerate the opinion prevails that truth is prior, for they have not yet acquired a perception of good; and as long as anybody is without a perception of good he is in the dark or ignorant regarding these matters. But because those who have been regenerated are governed by good itself, they are able to discern from resulting intelligence and wisdom what good is, and that good comes from the Lord and flows in by way of the internal man into the external, doing so constantly without the person being aware of it. They are able to perceive that it joins itself to the truths of doctrine that are in the memory, and that as a consequence good in itself is prior even though it has not appeared so beforehand. This then is why the dispute arose about which one was prior and higher than the other, a dispute which was represented by Esau and Jacob, as well as by Perez and Zerah, Judah's sons by Tamar, Genesis 38:28-30, and also after that by Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, Genesis 48:13-14, 17-20. The dispute arises because the spiritual Church is such that it has to be led to good by means of truth, and while being led to good it does not have the perception of good except insofar as this, quantitatively and qualitatively, lies concealed within the affection for truth. At that time it is indistinguishable from the delight of self-love and of love of the world which exists at the same time within that affection and is believed to be good.

[4] Good however is the firstborn, that is, good flowing from love to the Lord and from love towards the neighbour, for no other good is good except that which flows from these. This becomes clear from the fact that life is present within good but not within truth except the life received from good, and from the fact that good flows into truths and gives them life, as may be seen clearly from what has been stated and shown already in 3324 about good and truth. For this reason all in whom love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour are present are called 'the firstborn'. They were also represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn creatures - that is, when these are understood in the relative sense; for the Lord is the Firstborn, and those people are likenesses and images of Him.

[5] The Lord as regards His Divine Human is the Firstborn. This is clear in David,

He will cry to Me, You are My Father, My God, and the Rock of My Salvation; I will also make Him the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for Him for ever, and My covenant will stand firm for Him, and I will establish His seed for ever, and His throne as the days of the heavens. Psalms 89:26-29.

This refers to the Lord. And in John,

From Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the Firstborn from mortal men, and Prince of the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:5.

And to fulfil those things that had been written regarding Him and that represented Him He was also the Firstborn Son, Luke 2:7, 22-23.

[6] The Lord also calls 'the firstborn' those in whom love to Him and charity towards the neighbour are present because they are likenesses and images of Him This is clear in John,

The hundred and forty-four thousand purchased from the earth - these are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; these have been purchased from men as firstfruits (the firstborn) to God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless before God's throne. Revelation 14:3-5.

'A hundred and forty-four', or twelve times twelve, stands for those who have the faith that is grounded in charity, 3272, 'thousands' for countless numbers or for them all, 2575, 'virgins' for the good that flows from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbour, 2362, 3081, and so for those with whom innocence is present, which is also the meaning of 'following the Lamb' since the Lord by virtue of His innocence is called 'the Lamb'. This is why they are called the firstfruits or the firstborn.

[7] From these quotations it is evident that the Lord as regards the Divine Human was represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn beings, as also are those with whom love to Him is present, for they abide in the Lord. But the firstborn beings mentioned in the Word have a dual representation. They represent the Lord as regards Divine celestial love and as regards Divine spiritual love. The Lord's Divine celestial love is specific to the celestial Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are called celestial on account of their love to the Lord. The Lord's Divine spiritual love is specific to the spiritual Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are referred to as spiritual on account of their love to the neighbour. The Lord's Divine love goes out to all, but because people receive it variously - the celestial person in one way, the spiritual in another - it is said to be specific.

[8] Concerning the firstborn beings which represented the Lord as regards Divine celestial love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the celestial Church, the following is said in Moses,

The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. You shall do the same with your oxen and your flock. Seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth you shall give it to Me. And you shall be men who are sanctified to Me. Exodus 22:29-31.

The reason why it was to stay seven days with its mother was that the seventh day meant the celestial man, 84-87, and that seven consequently means that which is holy, 395, 433, 716, 881. The reason why on the eighth day they were to be given to Jehovah was that the eighth day meant the continuation from a new beginning, that is to say, the continuation of love, 2044. In the same author,

The firstborn among beasts, which is given as the firstborn to Jehovah, no man shall consecrate it; whether an ox or of the herd, it is Jehovah's. Leviticus 27:26, 27.

In the same author,

The firstfruits of all that is in the land, which they bring to Jehovah, shall be yours (Aaron's); every clean person in your house shall eat them. All that opens the womb among all flesh which they offer to Jehovah, man and beast, shall be yours. Nevertheless you shall redeem the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of unclean beasts you shall redeem. The firstborn of an ox, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. Their blood you shall sprinkle over the altar and burn their fat as a fire-offering for an odour of rest to Jehovah. Numbers 18:13, 15-18.

In the same author,

Every firstborn male that is born among your herds and among your flocks you shall sanctify to Jehovah your God; you shall do no work by means of the firstborn of your oxen, and you shall not shear the firstborn of your flock. And if there is a blemish in it, lameness or blindness, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Jehovah your God. Deuteronomy 15:19-22.

[9] Because 'the firstborn [among beasts]' represented the Lord and those who are the Lord's by virtue of love to Him, the tribe of Levi was therefore taken instead of all the firstborn, the reason for this being that Levi represented the Lord as regards His love. Also, Levi means love, for Levi is a name that means to cling to and to be joined together - and 'to cling to' and 'to be joined together' in the internal sense is love. This will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on, at Genesis 29:34. Regarding the Levites the following is said in Moses,

Jehovah spoke to Moses. saying, Behold, I Myself will take the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every firstborn, that which opens the womb, from the children of Israel; and the Levites will be Mine. For every firstborn is Mine; on the day I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified every firstborn for Myself in Israel; from man even to beast they shall be Mine. Numbers 3:11-13.

In the same author,

Jehovah said to Moses, Number every firstborn male from the children of Israel, a month old and over, and take the number of their names. And take the Levites for Me - I am Jehovah - instead of every firstborn among the children of Israel, and the beast of the Levites instead of every firstborn among the beasts of the children of Israel. Numbers 3:40-41, and following verses.

Also Numbers 8:14, 16-18. And the Levites were given to Aaron, Numbers 8:19, because Aaron represented the Lord as regards the priesthood, that is, as regards Divine love; for the priesthood represented the Lord's Divine love, see 1728, 2015 (end).

[10] Concerning the firstborn creatures however which represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the spiritual Church, the following is said in Jeremiah,

With weeping they will come, and with supplications I will lead them, I will bring them to springs of water in a straight path on which they will not stumble; and I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be My firstborn. Jeremiah 31:9.

This refers to a new spiritual Church. 'Israel' stands for spiritual good, 'Ephraim' for spiritual truth, who is called 'the firstborn' because the subject is a Church that is to be established in which the understanding - which is the holder of truth - is apparently the firstborn. Indeed Ephraim took Reuben's place and became the firstborn, Genesis 48:5, 20; 1 Chronicles 5:1. He did so because Joseph, whose sons were Ephraim and Manasseh, represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love. But fundamentally Israel, that is, spiritual good, is the firstborn. This is clear in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My firstborn son is Israel, and I say to you, Send My son so that he may serve Me, and you have refused to send him; behold, I kill your son, the firstborn. Exodus 4:22-23.

Here 'Israel' in the highest sense is the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and in the relative sense those in whom spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, is present.

[11] In the case of the spiritual Church, in the beginning or when it is about to be established, it is the doctrine of truth that is the firstborn with the external Church and the truth taught by doctrine the firstborn with the internal Church - or what amounts to the same, the doctrine of faith is the firstborn with the external Church and faith itself with the internal Church. But once it has been set up, or is a reality among its members, it is the good flowing from charity that is the firstborn with the external Church and charity itself with the internal Church. When however the Church does not allow itself to be established, as happens when it is no longer possible for the member of the Church to be regenerated, it gradually retreats from charity and turns aside to faith. Furthermore it no longer concerns itself with life but with doctrine; and when that happens it casts itself into shadows and sinks into falsities and evils. In so doing it ceases to be a Church and brings about its own annihilation. This was represented by Cain, in that he slew Abel his brother - Cain meaning faith separated from charity, and Abel the charity which he annihilated, see 340, 342, 357, 362, and following paragraphs. Later on it was represented by Ham - and Canaan his son - in that he mocked Noah his father, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179. After that it was represented by Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, in that he defiled his father's bed, Genesis 35:22, and at length by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in that these afflicted the children of Israel. It is clear from the Word that all these were accursed, as the following shows:

Cain

Jehovah said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. Genesis 4:10-11.

Ham and Canaan

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and pointed it out to his two brothers. And Noah awoke from his wine. He said, Cursed be Canaan, a slave of slaves will he be to his brothers. Genesis 9:22, 24-25.

Reuben

Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength, and the beginning of my power, excelling in eminence, and excelling in might. Unstable as water, may you not excel, for you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch. Genesis 49:3-4.

This was why he was deprived of the birthright, 1 Chronicles 5:1. The same was represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and therefore their firstborn sons and firstborn creatures were slain. This is clear from their representation as facts, 1164, 1165, 1186, for whenever anyone enters into the arcana of faith along the path of factual knowledge, he no longer believes anything, apart from that which he is able to grasp through sensory evidence and factual knowledge. In that case things which belong to the doctrine of faith, and above all those which are matters of charity, he perverts and annihilates.

[12] These are the considerations which are represented in the internal sense by the slaying of the firstborn sons and firstborn creatures of Egypt, referred to in Moses as follows,

I will pass through the land of Egypt during that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man even to beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement; I am Jehovah. And the blood will be a sign on your houses where you are; and when I see the blood I will pass by over you, and the plague will not be on you for a destroyer when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:12-13.

'The firstborn of Egypt' is doctrinal teaching regarding faith and regarding charity, which is perverted, as has been stated, by means of facts. 'The gods of Egypt' on whom judgement would be executed are falsities. No plague would be brought by the destroyer where there was blood on houses means in the highest sense the place where the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love resides, and in the relative sense where spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, resides, see 1001.

[13] Further reference to Pharaoh and the Egyptians is made in the same book as follows,

Moses said, Thus said Jehovah, As at midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and Pharaoh's firstborn who was to sit on his throne, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the beasts. But on all the children of Israel not a dog will move its tongue, from man even to beast. Exodus 11:4-7.

And after that,

It happened at midnight, that Jehovah struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh's firstborn who was to sit on his throne even to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, ¹ and all the firstborn of the beasts. Exodus 12:29.

The reason why it took place at midnight was that 'night' means the final state of the Church when there is no faith any longer because there is no charity any longer, 221, 709, 1712, 2353. In David,

He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of powers in the tents of Ham. Psalms 78:51.

In the same author,

Then Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham. God struck all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their powers. Psalms 105:23, 36.

'The tents of Ham' is the name given to the worship of the Egyptians, which is based on false assumptions that result from truth separated from good, or what amounts to the same, from faith separated from charity - 'tents' meaning worship, see 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, and 'Ham' faith separated from charity, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179.

[14] This confirms yet again that 'the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt' had no other meaning. Now because all the firstborn of Egypt had been slain, and yet so that the firstborn might represent the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love and at the same time represent those who are governed by that love, [the Israelites] were commanded to sanctify all the firstborn the instant they were leaving. These matters are stated in Moses as follows,

Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel; with man and with beast let them be Mine. You shall make over to Jehovah all that opens the womb, and every firstling of a beast, that are yours; the males shall be Jehovah's. And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem in the herd. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And it shall be - when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? - that you shall say to him, By a strong hand Jehovah led us out of Egypt, from the home of slaves. And so it was, that Pharaoh hardened himself against sending us away, and Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of the beasts. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that open the womb, the males, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. Exodus 13:1-2, 12-15; 34:19-20; Numbers 33:3-4.

From all these quotations one may now see what is meant in the spiritual sense by the birthright.

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