Chapter 24.

Jesus Leaves the Temple

1. And Jesus coming out, went from the temple; and His disciples came to [Him] to show Him the buildings of the temple.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem amidst the cheers of the multitude, the people cried out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). Immediately thereafter Jesus went into the temple, threw out the moneychangers, and denounced the hypocritical practices of the religious leaders. No matter what Jesus said or did, the religious leaders remained intractable, refusing to hear His message, or be moved by His miracles. Jesus’ words and actions had no impact on their hardened hearts. Even the list of woes — the last direct message that He gives to them — has no effect. They could not be taught because their minds were already set.

Like the stubborn religious leaders, there are places in us that refuse to acknowledge the Lord. These are the places where we refuse to repent; these are the stubborn habits and behavior patterns that are so deeply entrenched in our lives that it seems that we can never be rid of them. And even when we decide to change our lives, change our ways, and get rid of old habits, we believe that we can do it by ourselves. This takes the form of believing that if we just had enough “will power” we could overcome anything — whether it be a compulsive addiction, an impatient attitude, or an inability to control outbursts of anger. This is tantamount to saying, “I don’t need the Lord, His truth, or His power. I can do it by myself.”

Whenever we succumb to this kind of thinking, our lower nature is still in control. If the Lord’s truth is not in our mind, the chances of success are bleak because, apart from His Word, the Lord cannot lead and guide us. As Jesus said earlier, “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). ¹

The situation is similar as Jesus looks around the temple and sees that there is no reception for what He has to say. There was no place for the Lord’s teachings to dwell. Therefore, the next episode begins with the words, “Jesus went out and departed from the temple” (Matthew 24:1).

The Destruction of the Temple

2. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Amen I say to you, There shall not be left here a stone on a stone, which shall not be undone.”

3. And sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him by themselves, saying, “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what [shall be] the sign of Thine advent, and of the consummation of the age?”

4. And Jesus answering said to them, “Look, [so that] no one lead you astray.

5. For many shall come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and shall deceive many.

6. And you are about to hear of wars and rumors of wars; see [that] you be not alarmed; for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7. For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in [various] places.

8. And all these [are] the beginning of griefs.

9. Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

10. And then shall many be caused to stumble, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many.

12. And on account of the iniquity being multiplied, the love of many shall become cold.

13. But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.

14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all the nations; and then shall the end come.”

Jesus’ disciples, in contrast to the religious leaders, sincerely want to learn from Him. Calling Jesus’ attention to the temple that Jesus just departed from, perhaps for the last time, they seem to asking, “What is going to happen to the temple?” Jesus responds, telling them that the temple is going to be destroyed. “Assuredly I say to you,” Jesus says, “not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2).

The disciples are curious; they want to know more. So they come to Him and say, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus sits down on the Mount of Olives, calls His disciples together, and speaks to them in deeply symbolic language. His words are filled with strong warnings and cataclysmic prophecies. He warns them of the many “false christs” who will come in His name. The disciples must not believe them. He speaks of “wars and rumors of war.” The disciples are not to be troubled by these things. He says that “nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.” The disciples should not worry. There will be “famines, pestilences, and earthquakes,” He says. “They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you” (Matthew 24:4-9). Still, they are to remain undaunted.

These would indeed be the worst of times. Jesus tells them that people will “betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). “Lawlessness will abound,” He says, “and the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). These are all deeply symbolic expressions, each containing a wealth of meaning. But it all begins with Jesus’ words about the temple, “not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2).

At this point, some historical background in necessary. The first temple was built by King Solomon about a thousand years before Jesus’ birth. Employing thirty thousand workers, the temple was built in thirteen years. As it is written, when Solomon finishing building the temple, “He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there” (1 Kings 6:19). This inner sanctuary was called the “Most Holy Place” because “there was nothing in the ark, only the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel” (1 Kings 8:9).

On the day of celebration, when the priests brought the ark containing the Ten Commandments into the temple, a thick, dark cloud filled the house of the Lord. Solomon then proclaimed that this was a miraculous sign from the Lord who had promised that He would dwell in a dark cloud. Therefore, the dark cloud that filled the temple was proof that the temple would be a place to experience the presence of God. As Solomon put it, it would be “a place for the Lord to dwell forever” (1 Kings 8:13).

Sadly, during the sixth century before the birth of Christ, the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem, took people away as prisoners, and burnt the temple to the ground. Seventy years later, when Persia, conquered Babylon, the captives could return to Jerusalem where they took nine years to rebuild the temple. It is this second temple — originally intended to be a dwelling place for the Lord — which Jesus says will be so utterly destroyed that not one stone will lay upon another stone..

It is important to keep in mind that the highest purpose of the temple was to serve as a resting place for the Ten Commandments which were considered to be the “Holy of Holies.” The very stones of the temple, therefore, represent the many truths that support and protect the commandments so that they can be forever available to everyone who wants to live by them. The religious leaders who served in the temple would be especially responsible to preserve these commandments and teach them to the people.

Jesus’ prediction, then, that the temple would be so destroyed that “not one stone will remain on top of another stone,” represents the utter destruction of truth at that time — especially the destruction of that single truth that is the chief cornerstone of the temple — belief in the presence of the Lord. ²

The denial of God’s presence and the consequent rejection of divine truth leads to the utter ruin of humanity. As Jesus puts it, people will “betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). Without the guidance of divine truth, “lawlessness will abound.” People will do whatever they please. And without the presence of divine love, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Nevertheless, even though these times will be extremely difficult, there is still hope. Jesus says, “He who endures to the end shall be saved.” And then Jesus adds this encouraging word of assurance: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations” (Matthew 24:14).

The Abomination of Desolation

15. “When, therefore, you shall see the abomination of desolation declared by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (he that reads, let him consider),”

Despite this glimmer of hope, the prophecy is a dark one. In fact, Jesus refers to it as the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15) spoken of by Daniel the prophet. This is a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, who plundered the temple in 168 BC and set up a statue of the pagan god Zeus in the holy place. As it is written, “And from that time, daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up” (Daniel 12:11).

It was a customary practice for invading nations to symbolize their conquest by setting up their own idols in place of the sacred images of the conquered people. To the conquered Jewish people, however, this was more than a mere symbol of conquest. In the words of Daniel, the desecration of their holy place was considered the “abomination of desolation.” Similarly, when the Lord’s love and wisdom are rejected, abominable things can flow in. This is because the absence of His love and wisdom turns the human mind into a desolate place that can only be filled with abominable things. This is the abomination that comes from desolation. This is the very desolation that Jesus was referring to at the end of the previous chapter. Jesus said to the religious leaders who rejected Him, “See! Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38). And now, in this chapter, Jesus describes, in detail, the abominations that follow such desolation. ³

While these abominations apply literally to the corrupt religious establishment of Jesus’ day, they also apply to each of us. Whenever we focus so much on ourselves that we lose all sense of what truth really is, all concern for the needs of our neighbor, and all awareness of God’s presence in our life, we come into a state of desolation.

It is at this point that our lives become empty of anything genuinely spiritual. Just as Antiochus Epiphanes plundered the temple in Jerusalem, banished all sacrifices to the true God, and established idol worship, there are times when we also choose to worship other gods, especially the gods of self-interest, greed, resentment, and fear. Troubled about the past, and anxious about the future, we do not trust in God’s perfect leading. We therefore make our own rules, and live by our own laws, even while pretending to be dutiful in our religious practices, and compliant with civil law. The fact is, though, that in these states of mind there is no love in our hearts for God or for our neighbor. Even as the holy temple at Jerusalem, under the rule of the religious leaders, was desolate, so too is the human heart when turned away from God and towards self. Whenever the Lord is absent, the human mind becomes a desolate place devoid of anything that is truly spiritual — a place into which can flow abominable thoughts and feelings.

Antiochus Epiphanes may have replaced the daily sacrifice with a statue of Zeus in the temple at Jerusalem; the Pharisees may have corrupted worship through their self-serving traditions; but all this should serve to remind us that if we do not fill our minds and hearts with God’s qualities, we too will think and do abominable things. More than any physical desecration of the temple, or pharisaical practice, this is truly the “abomination of desolation.”

Fleeing Destruction

16. “Then let those that are in Judea flee to the mountains;

17. Let him that is on the housetop not step down to take anything out of his dwelling;

18. And he that is in the field, let him not turn back to take his garments.

19. And woe unto those that have in the womb, and to those that nurse, in those days!

20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath,”

Whenever we find ourselves experiencing the abomination of desolation — a true low point in our life — our only hope is to flee: “Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:16). There will be no time to waste. The flight must be immediate, without hesitation: “Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house, and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes” (Matthew 24:17-18). While this imagery suggests great urgency, there is also a much deeper significance.

The three types of flight which are here described mention successively lower points of elevation: the mountains, a housetop, and a field. These relate to the three degrees of the human mind: the highest degree is compared to a person on a mountaintop; the next highest degree is compared to a person on a housetop; and the lowest degree is compared to a person in a field. Wherever we are spiritually, whether on a mountaintop, on a housetop, or in a field, the general message is always the same: flee from evil. ⁴

However, depending upon where we are in our spiritual development, there are important distinctions to be observed. There are times when we are at the highest point of spiritual consciousness. This is compared to a “mountaintop.” In this state, we have an intuitive, perceptive sense of God’s will. We keep the commandments out of love to the Lord, and have no need to reason about them. At such times, the Lord’s will is written on our hearts. In order to protect this state in ourselves, and not be brought down from it, we are told to escape from Judea and flee to the mountains. Because Judea is the area surrounding Jerusalem (the seat of the corrupted temple) “fleeing from Judea” represents fleeing from all that is evil and false in ourselves. Therefore, we read, “Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:16). ⁵

The next plane of the mind is compared to a “housetop.” In the “housetop” state, our focus is less on loving the Lord, and more on serving the neighbor. This is the spiritual degree of the mind. Because we understand the truth of the Lord’s Word, we want to live according to what the Word teaches. While the Lord’s will is not yet written in our hearts (as in the highest state), it is in our minds. And while a “housetop” is not as high as a “mountaintop,” it is still a good place to be. It’s far above those lower states of consciousness where we relied on our own selfish reasoning (returning to their own house). Therefore, we read, “Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his dwelling” (Matthew 24:17). ⁶

Finally, we come to the third level in this series — the level of the field. While it is much lower than a mountain, and lower than the housetop, it is also a good place to be especially in the beginning of spiritual development. When we are “in the field,” we do the right thing simply because the Lord says so. In this state, we are not acting from love (the mountain) or from understanding (the housetop); rather, we are acting from obedience (the field). When we are “in the field,” we have an uncomplicated, obedient faith in God. We are warned against allowing ourselves to be misled by any teachings that would turn us away from living a good, obedient life, or reverting to former states of doubt. Therefore, we read, “Let him who is in the field, not return to take back his garments” (Matthew 24:18). ⁷

Jesus adds more cautions: “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath” (Matthew 24:19-20). Jesus is speaking about the tremendous upheavals that take place in the human spirit when an old belief system is crumbling, and a new belief system is being born. When new ideas about how to love God and serve the neighbor are conceived in us, it is as though we are pregnant with a new conception. And in the tender, early stages of those new ideas, it is as though we are nursing them into fuller development. We are, in other words, becoming new people, in the process of spiritual rebirth.

This can be a difficult process, especially if we are trying to flee from our old ways. When we are feeling cold towards others, untouched by love or innocence, we are

“traveling in winter”— not a good climate for spiritual growth. Nor can we be touched by love or innocence when we are feeling the extreme heat of self-love. When Jesus warns against “fleeing on the Sabbath,” it sounds like He might be warning about the dangers of doing anything except worshipping on the Sabbath. More interiorly, however, He is speaking about how difficult it is to grow spiritually when we are in hypocritical states of outward piety and self-righteousness. All growth begins, like the growth of a child, in states of love and innocence. The extremes of cold and heat destroy new life. ⁸

Like a Night without Stars

21. “For then shall be great affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be.

22. And except those days should be shortened, all flesh would not have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen those days shall be shortened.

23. Then if anyone shall say to you, ‘Behold, here [is] the Christ, or there,’ believe not.

24. For there shall arise false christs and false prophets, and shall give great signs and miracles, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

25. Behold, I have told you before.

26. If then they shall say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness!’ Go not forth; ‘Behold, [he is] in the bedrooms!’ Believe ye not.

27. For just as the lightning comes forth from the east, and appears to the west, so shall also the advent of the Son of Man be.

28. For wherever the corpse is, thither will the eagles be gathered.

29. And straightway 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 the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”

Throughout these images of flight, Jesus is referring to the terrible afflictions suffered by people who long to do good but cannot because of hostile external and internal forces. The false teachings of religious leaders, the inherited tendencies to evils of every kind, and the widespread infestation of hellish influences everywhere, make it virtually impossible for anyone to do what is right. Such was the situation when Jesus was born on earth.

The violent outward occurrences that Jesus describes — the nations that rise against nations, the famines, the earthquakes — all are representative of the inner upheavals and combats going on in the invisible realms of the human spirit. At the very center of Jesus’ mission was a battle with these unseen, hostile forces, so that people could once again be free to learn the truth and live according to it. It was imperative, therefore, that Jesus enter the battle and take on the hells. In this way, He could free humanity from bondage to hellish influences. Without Jesus’ momentous and triumphant struggle, no soul could have been saved. All this is contained in the words, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world … and unless those days were shortened, no flesh could be saved” (Matthew 24:21-22). ⁹

The overwhelming spiritual infestation at that time required that God personally come in the flesh, in order to take on and subdue the evils that were literally destroying humanity. The last vestiges of love and charity, the last vestiges of faith in God and kindness towards the neighbor, and the last vestiges of understanding of God’s will were at the edge of extinction. The Word of God, given to illuminate the human understanding was darkened and its meaning perverted by a self-serving religious establishment, and an unsuspecting laity.

Jesus therefore counsels His disciples to beware of false prophets and false christs (Matthew 24:24). He teaches them that the truth will not be found “in the desert” (the desolate state of the religious establishment), nor will it be found in “the inner rooms” (personal opinion). In other words, people are not to be deceived by false teachers in the world (the “desert”), or in their own minds (“inner rooms”). Rather, they are to trust in the coming of the Son of Man: “If they say to you ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man ” (Matthew 24:26-27).

Religious teaching and practice had become a wasteland devoid of all truth — a dry and barren desert. It had nothing living within it, and therefore nothing to offer. The fresh water of living truth that should have served for the spiritual refreshment of humanity had ceased. The only thing left in that desert was a dead carcass — rotten food for a decaying world. As Jesus puts it, “For wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28).

It was indeed the darkest of times, and Jesus describes it in deeply symbolic language: “The sun will be darkened,” says Jesus, meaning that everything of love and charity will be rejected. “The moon will not give its light,” meaning that all faith will perish. And finally, “The stars will fall from heaven,” meaning that people will not even have a faint glimmer of what is true any longer (Matthew 24:29). There will no longer be any acknowledgment of the Lord, nor any love to Him, nor any charity toward the neighbor. Evil and ignorance would totally encompass the land like a world without sunlight, like a night without stars. ¹⁰

The Clouds of Heaven

30. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth wail, and shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory.

31. And He shall send His angels with a great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the end of [the] heavens till the end of them.”

And yet, in spite of the darkness that would cover the land, a new and glorious hope would arise. Jesus would come again! Referring to Himself as the “Son of Man,” Jesus says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days . . . they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:29-30).

Jesus clearly says that He will come again “in the clouds of heaven.” But how are we to imagine this? Commentators have disagreed. Some see this event as a very literal coming in the clouds. Jesus will appear in the sky in a dramatic scene that will somehow reveal His power and glory. Others say that whereas His first coming was to teach truth, His second coming will be to reorganize society according to God’s plan and purpose. While the first coming established a spiritual kingdom, the second coming will establish a temporal kingdom.

The idea of an initial spiritual deliverance, followed by a subsequent political deliverance, is intriguing, but not consistent with the eternal principles that Jesus taught. To think otherwise would be to fall into the same mindset that Jesus came to deliver His people from — the mindset that happiness consists in temporal prosperity. It is necessary, therefore, to take a closer look at what is meant by “seeing the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Jesus has consistently demonstrated that the term “Son of Man” refers to the divine truth which He came to give to the world but has “nowhere to lay its head.” Nevertheless, although Jesus has left the temple, He has not given up on humanity. The” Son of Man,” He says, will come again, next time in “the clouds of heaven.” In order to understand this symbolic phrase, we need to remember that the clouds of earth are made up of water. Throughout the Word of God, “water” signifies “truth.” Therefore. the term “clouds of heaven” is scriptural imagery which speaks of heavenly water — that is, spiritual truth. Therefore, it could be said that the Word of God, in the language of sacred scripture, is “heavenly water.” Or, in other words, the literal truths of the Word are “the clouds of heaven.”

Just as the clouds of earth shield us from direct contact with the power and glory of the sun, the clouds of heaven — the literal truths of sacred scripture — shield us from direct contact with the power and glory of the more interior truths that they conceal. This concealment of truth is for our protection. It would tear us apart spiritually if we were exposed to a way of living that we could not sustain, and to truths that surpass our ability to follow. Therefore, God mercifully conceals more interior truth from us in the literal clouds of sacred scripture; and yet, He also reveals them to us when we are ready to live according to them. Indeed, He comes to us through the clouds of heaven. ¹¹

This, then, is the promised “second coming of the Lord.” He came to humanity once in the flesh, as Jesus Christ, and He will come again, in spirit through the revelation of the inner meaning of His Word. He will come as divine truth — the Infinite divine truth accommodated to human understanding. This is the Son of Man who comes to us through the literal truths of the Word — the “clouds of heaven.”

This is what is rightly called “the second coming of the Lord.” It is a coming in glory, for the Lord comes to open to us the shining glory and splendor of His Word. It is also a coming in power; it is the power the Lord gives us to live according to His truth. ¹²

Finally, as Jesus concludes this great promise, He adds that the Son of Man will “send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, and from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31). These words contain the beautiful promise that the truth revealed at the time of the Lord’s second coming will unite all those who are willing to hear it — in the same way that the sound of a trumpet summons people together. As the Lord said to Moses, “Make two silver trumpets…. You shall use them for calling the assembly…. When they blow them, all the assembly shall gather at the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Numbers 1:1-8).

“The great sound of the trumpet,” then, is the voice of divine truth, especially the revelation of the inner meaning of the Word at the time of the Lord’s second coming. Its beautiful sound stirs the heart and calls all to worship the Lord at an internal tabernacle of love and wisdom. The trumpet call of divine truth goes out far and wide, to every people and every nation. And those who are willing to hear that call will respond with their total being, which is meant by the words, “from one end of heaven to the other.” ¹³

The Budding of the Fig Tree

32. “But learn the parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that the summer [is] near.

33. So also you, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is near, at the doors.

34. Amen I say to you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things come to pass.

35. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

36. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not the angels of the heavens, but My Father alone.

37. But just as the days of Noah, so shall be also the advent of the Son of Man.

38. For just as they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, being wed and giving to be wed, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

39. And knew not until the flood came, and took [them] all; so shall be also the advent of the Son of Man.

40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the one shall be left.

41. Two [women] shall be grinding [grain] in the mill; one shall be taken, and one shall be left.

42. Watch therefore, because you know not at what hour your Lord comes.

43. But know ye this, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief comes, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be dug through.

44. On this account be you also prepared, because in the hour you think not, the Son of Man comes.

45. Who therefore is the faithful and prudent servant, whom his Lord has appointed over His household, to give them food in time?

46. Blessed [is] that servant, whom his Lord, when He comes, shall find so doing.

47. Amen I say to you, that He will appoint him over all His belongings.

48. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays to come;

49. And shall begin to strike the fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know;

51. And shall divide him in two, and put his portion with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus has been talking about the great tribulation that is about to take place, the end of the age, and the coming of the Son of Man. The disciples have already asked about these occurrences: “When will these things be?” they said, “and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus now answers by telling them the parable of the fig tree: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree,” He says. “When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the very doors” (Matthew 24:32).

The budding of the fig tree, with its softness and tenderness, is compared to the quality of human goodness at the beginning of our lives, and at the beginning of a new religious era. Jesus is suggesting, through the imagery of the fig tree, that even though the old religious establishment is ending, a new one is about to begin. In fact, it is already in its earliest stages, just beginning to put forth leaves.

Though Jesus has not initiated His disciples very deeply into the complexities of religious doctrine, they already have been given a glimpse of what is essential: they know that in some way He is the Son of God; they know that keeping the commandments is essential for salvation; and they know that religious life consists in a life of useful service without thinking of reward. Though this is a relatively general understanding, it is a vital and tender beginning. In the language of sacred scripture, “the branch has already become tender and put forth leaves … summer is near … at the very doors” (Matthew 24:32-33).

The image of summer being near — even at the very doors is powerful. In the closing episode of this chapter, we find ourselves inside the doors of a house, identified with servants who ought to be busy ordering all things in the house. A “house,” as we have mentioned, is our mind, and the Lord ought to be the Master of our house. That being the case, we should be constantly in the effort to keep things in order, for we never know exactly when the Master will appear at the door. As Jesus say, “Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42). ¹⁴

Traditionally, this passage is interpreted to mean the Last Judgment — the time of our death, when we shall be judged for everything we thought, said, and did while in the world. It is said that no one knows the day or the hour when this will take place, and that it will come unexpectedly. This is because Jesus said, “Be ready, for the Son on Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44).

As Jesus continues the parable, He talks about the “evil servants” whose job it is to take care of the master’s household, provide appropriate food for the family, and keep watch so that thieves do not break in. In this parable, the “household” is the human mind;

appropriate food is the Word of God; and “preventing thieves from breaking in” is guarding against evil desires and false thoughts that want to break in and destroy us. However, because these evil servants believed that the master had “delayed His coming,” they neglected their household responsibilities. Instead “they beat the other servants, ate, drank, and got drunk with other drunkards” (Matthew 24:49).

For people like this, a sudden and unexpected “Last Judgment” is a frightening possibility. If God — the master of the house — showed up suddenly to see what was being done, they would be in serious trouble. As Jesus puts it, “the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect Him and at an hour he is not aware of. And he will cut him to pieces and assign him to a place with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51).

Admittedly, this sounds very scary — especially for anyone raised with the idea that an angry God is coming to judge humanity and cast everyone into hell — unless we immediately repent and reform. But that’s an old idea of an angry God. In the new idea of God, and the new religion that Jesus came to establish, the coming of the Lord is a blessed event. In this new religion, which is about to dawn like a fig tree about to bud, God comes to bless us and lead us into every happiness. He comes to offer truth that reveals to us not only the way we should go, but also the many obstacles in the way — greed which shuts out generosity, anxiety which shuts out faith, and hate which shuts out love. If a person winds up in hell, or in a hellish state, it is not because an angry God put that person there. It’s because that person chose to be there. ¹⁵

All this is meant by the “coming of the Son of Man, first on earth as God in human form, and then again, in “the clouds of heaven” through the revelation of the inner meaning of His Word. The second coming of the Lord, then, is a glorious prophecy of how a new understanding of religion will arise in each of us. Just as Jesus says, it will come to us unexpectedly: “No man knows the day or the hour.” But surely, it will come, in a way that we have not imagined. Our job is only to be ready — to continue to worship God, to read the Word, and to keep the commandments as we understand them.

In the process, we will be given wonderful glimpses of spiritual truth. Our eyes will be open to see and understand things that we have never understood before. And these insights will come to us as a great blessing. Therefore, we read: “Blessed is that servant whom his Master, when He comes, will find him so doing…The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of” (Matthew 24:44, 46, 50).

For the faithful, the coming of the Son of Man, then, is not something to be feared; rather, it is to be anticipated with great joy. In that day, the eyes of the faithful will be opened to a new and deeper understanding of the Word. The cold, dark and barren states of winter will be over; and the fig tree of useful service will begin to bud. In that day, we will know that summer is near, and the Master is at the door.

Bilješke:

518. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters, signifies that consequently all understanding of truth perished and thereby the doctrine of the church. This is evident from the signification of "falling" from heaven, as being, in reference to stars, to perish (of which presently); also from the signification of "the third part," as being everything (of which above, n. 506, here all, because it is said of the understanding of truth and of doctrine, which are signified by "rivers" and "fountains of waters;" also from the signification of "rivers," as being the understanding of truth (of which presently); and from the signification of "fountains of waters," as being the Word and doctrine from the Word, thus "fountains" mean the truths of the Word and doctrinals (of which above, n. 483).

[2] When "to fall" is predicated of stars, which mean the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (as above), it signifies to perish, because when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is turned into falsity, and when Divine truth becomes falsity it perishes. This is signified also by:

The stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25);

namely, that in the last time of the church the knowledges of truth and good will perish. That when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is changed into falsity and thus perishes, may be seen above (n. 413, 418, 419, 489); for Divine truth is changed into falsity of the same character as the evil belonging to those into whom it flows. This becomes evident from the following experience: It has been granted me to observe carefully how Divine truth was changed into falsity while it was passing down deep into hell, and it was perceived that it was changed successively as it flowed down, at length even into what was most false.

[3] "Rivers" signify the understanding of truth, likewise intelligence, because "waters" signify truths, and the understanding is the receptacle and complex of truths, as a river is of waters, and because thought from the understanding, which is intelligence, is like a stream of truth. From the same origin, namely, from the signification of "waters" as being truths, a "fountain" signifies the Word and the doctrine of truth, and "pools," "lakes," and "seas," signify the knowledges of truth in the complex. That "waters" signify truths, and "living waters" truths from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 71, 483); and also in the following passages in this article.

[4] That "rivers" and "streams" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence can be seen from the Word where "rivers" and "streams" are mentioned. Thus in Isaiah:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the Lord, also of the reformation of the Gentiles, and of the establishment of the church among them. "The lame who shall leap as a hart" signifies one who is not in genuine good because he is not in the knowledges of truth and good; "the tongue of the dumb which shall sing" signifies confession of the Lord by those who are in ignorance of the truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that there shall be truths where there were none before; "and brooks in the plain of the desert" signifies that there shall be intelligence where there was none before, "wilderness" meaning where there is no truth, and "plain of the desert" where there is no intelligence; "waters" mean truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[5] In the same:

I will open rivers on the 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 41:18).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord; "to open rivers on the heights" means to bestow interior intelligence; and "to place fountains in the midst of valleys" means to instruct the external man in truths. (The rest may be seen explained in n. 483.)

[6] In the same:

Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even place a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl; because I will give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

This treats of the Lord and of a new church to be established by Him, which is meant by "Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth;" "to place a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" signifies that there shall be truth and the understanding of truth where there were none before, "way" meaning truth leading to heaven, and "rivers" understanding; "to give drink to the people" signifies to instruct those who desire it; "the wild beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl" signify those who know truths and goods merely from memory, and do not understand and perceive them; these speak about truth with no idea of truth, depending solely upon others.

[7] In the same:

I will pour out waters upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring (Isaiah 44:3).

"To pour out waters upon him that is thirsty" signifies to instruct in truths those who are in the affection of truth; "to pour streams upon the dry land" signifies to give intelligence to those who are in a desire for truth from good; the like is signified by "pouring out the spirit and the blessing;" for God's "spirit" signifies Divine truth, and "blessing" its multiplication and fructification, thus intelligence. Who does not see that here and above, waters and streams, wilderness and desert, are not meant, but such things as pertain to the church? Therefore it is here added, "I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring."

[8] In Moses:

For Jehovah leadeth thee to a land of brooks of water, of fountains, of depths flowing forth in valley and mountain (Deuteronomy 8:7).

The land of Canaan, to which Jehovah was to lead them, signifies the church, therefore "brooks of water, fountains, and depths flowing forth in valley and mountain," signify such things as belong to the church; "brooks of water" signifying the understanding of truth, "fountains" doctrinals from the Word, and "depths flowing forth in valley and mountain" the knowledges of truth and good in the natural and in the spiritual man.

[9] In Isaiah:

Look upon Zion and Jerusalem, where the glorious Jehovah will be with us a place of rivers, of streams, of breadth of spaces; no ship of oar shall go therein, and no magnificent ship shall pass through it (Isaiah 33:20, 21).

Here, too, "a place of rivers and streams" signifies wisdom and intelligence (the signification of the rest is explained above, n. 514.

[10] In Joel:

In that day the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses 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).

(This also has been explained above, n. 433, 483.) "The fountain that shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah" signifies the truth of doctrine out of heaven from the Lord; and "the brook of Shittim that it shall water," signifies the illustration of the understanding.

[11] In Ezekiel:

The waters issued out from under the threshold of the house of God towards the east. The man led me and brought me back upon the bank of the river. When I returned, behold upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. He said, Every living soul that creepeth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; whence there are exceeding many fish, because these waters come thither and are healed, that everything may live whither the river cometh. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed; it is renewed in its months, because its waters flow out of the sanctuary (Ezekiel 47:1-12).

This, too, has been explained above (n. 422, 513), which makes evident that "the waters flowing out of the house of God towards the east" signify Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and flowing in with those who are in the good of love; and that "the river, upon the bank of which was every tree for food, and by the waters of which every soul that creepeth lived, whence there were many fish," signifies intelligence from the reception of Divine truth, from which all things with man, his affections and perceptions, as well as his cognitions and knowledges and the thoughts therefrom acquire spiritual life.

[12] In Jeremiah:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah; He shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that sendeth forth his roots by the stream, and he shall not see when the heat shall come, his leaf shall be green (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).

"The tree planted by the waters" means a man with whom there are truths from the Lord; "he sendeth forth his roots by the stream" means the extension of intelligence from the spiritual man into the natural. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 481.)

Where trees and gardens are treated of in the Word, waters and rivers to water them are also mentioned, for the reason that "trees" signify perceptions and knowledges, and "waters" and "rivers" truths and understanding therefrom; for without the understanding of truths man is like a garden where there is no water, whose trees wither away.

[13] As in Moses:

As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river, as lign-aloes – three times which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar-trees beside the waters (Numbers 24:6).

This is said of the sons of Israel, by whom the church is signified which was then to be planted. This church is compared to valleys which are planted, and to a garden by the river, because "valleys" signify the intelligence of the natural man, and a "garden" the intelligence of the spiritual man, and it is compared to lign-aloes – three times and cedar-trees, because "lign-aloes – three times" signify the things of the natural man, and "cedar-trees" the things of the rational man; since these all live from the influx of Divine truth from the Lord they are said to be planted "by the river and beside the waters," which signifies Divine truth flowing in, from which is intelligence.

[14] As "the garden in Eden" or "paradise" means the wisdom and intelligence that the most ancient people had who lived before the flood, so where their wisdom is described, the influx of Divine truth, and of intelligence thence, is also described in these words:

A river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and was in four heads (Genesis 2:10, et seq.). "A river from Eden" signifies wisdom from love, which is Eden; "to water the garden" means to bestow intelligence; intelligence is described by the four rivers there treated of. (This may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 107-121.)

[15] In Ezekiel:

Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon. The waters made it grow, the abyss made it high, so that with its rivers it went round about its plant, and sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field (Ezekiel 31:3, 4).

"Asshur" signifies the rational man, or the rational of man, likewise "the cedar in Lebanon;" and because the genuine rational is perfected by the knowledges of truth and good it is said that "the waters made it grow, and the abyss made it high," "waters" meaning truths, and "the abyss" the knowledges of truth in the natural man; the increase of intelligence is signified by "with its rivers it went round about its plant;" and the multiplication of the knowledges of truth by "it sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field."

[16] In David:

Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt. Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Psalms 80:8, 11).

"A vine out of Egypt" means the sons of Israel, who are called a "vine" because they represented the spiritual church, which is what "vine" signifies in the Word; their tarrying in Egypt represented their first initiation into the things of the church, for "Egypt" signified the knowledges [scientifica] subservient to the things of the church when, therefore, "the vine" signifies the church, and "Egypt" the knowledge serving it, it is evident what is signified in the spiritual sense by "Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt." The extension of the intelligence of the church even to things known and things rational is signified by "Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river;" "to send out boughs and shoots" meaning multiplication and extension, the "sea" knowledge []scientificum]; and the "river," which here is the Euphrates, the rational. The extension of the church and the multiplication of its truths and of intelligence therefrom are described by the extension of the land of Canaan to the Sea Suph, to the sea of the Philistines, and to the river Euphrates.

[17] In Moses:

And I will set thy border from the Sea Suph even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness even to the river (Exodus 23:31).

"The borders of the land of Canaan" signify the ultimates of the church, which are true knowledges [scientifica vera], cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and things rational. "The Sea Suph" signifies true knowledge; "the sea of the Philistines," where Tyre and Sidon were, signifies the knowledges of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word; and "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational; for knowledges [scientifica] serve the cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and both these serve the rational, and the rational serves intelligence, which is given by means of spiritual truths joined to spiritual good.

[18] The like that is here said of the church and its extension is said of the Lord's power over all things of heaven and the church, in David:

I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers (Psalms 89:25).

This is said of David, by whom is here meant the Lord; the Lord's power, even to the ultimates of heaven and the church, thus over the whole heaven, and over everything of the church, is signified by "setting the hand in the sea, and the right hand in the rivers," "hand" and "right hand" signify power, and the "sea" and "rivers" the ultimates of heaven and the church. The ultimates of heaven are seas and rivers, as has been several times said above. These were represented by the two seas and by the two rivers that formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The two seas were the sea of Egypt and the sea of the Philistines, where were Tyre and Sidon; and the two rivers were the Euphrates and the Jordan. But the Jordan was the boundary between the interior land of Canaan and the exterior; in the exterior were the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Likewise in Zechariah:

His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10).

This, too, is said of the Lord, and has a like meaning; His dominion even to the ultimates of heaven and the church means over all things of heaven and the church, for the ultimates are the boundaries.

[19] In David:

Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting. The rivers have lifted up, O Jehovah, the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers have lifted up their roaring. More than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea, Jehovah is glorious (Psalms 93:2-4).

This, too, is said of the Lord; His dominion from eternity to eternity over heaven and earth is signified by "Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting." The glorification of the Lord because of His coming and because of the consequent salvation of mankind is signified by "the rivers have lifted up their voice (and their roaring);" for "rivers," here three times mentioned, signify all things of man's intelligence, both in the internal and in the external man. Divine truth from the Lord, through which there is power and through which there is salvation, is signified by "more than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea," "waters" meaning truths, and "the voices of many glorious waters" Divine truths.

[20] The glorification and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart are thus described elsewhere in David:

Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound, the world and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing aloud together (Psalms 98:7, 8).

The glorification of the Lord by the universal heaven is signified by these words. The glorification from its ultimates is signified by "Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound;" the glorification from the whole heaven is signified by "let the world and they that dwell therein give forth a sound," "the world" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its truths, and "they that dwell therein" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its goods; for "inhabitants" signify in the Word those who are in the goods of heaven and the church, and thus the goods of such. The glorification of the Lord by the truths of intelligence and by the goods of love, is signified by "let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing aloud together," "rivers" meaning the truths of intelligence, and "mountains" the goods of love.

[21] Divine truth from the Lord, the reception of which is the source of intelligence, is signified by "the waters from the rock in Horeb" (Exodus 17:6), thus spoken of in David:

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and made them to drink out of the great abysses, and He brought flowing waters out of the rock, and made the waters to run down like rivers. He smote the rock, so that the waters gushed out and the brooks overflowed (Psalms 78:15, 16, 20).

And again:

He opened the rock that the waters might flow; the rivers ran in the dry places (Psalms 105:41).

The "rock" here means the Lord; and the "waters that flowed out therefrom" mean Divine truth from Him; and the "rivers" signify intelligence and wisdom therefrom; "to drink of the great abysses" signifies to imbibe and perceive the arcana of wisdom.

[22] In John:

Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that cometh unto Me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This saith He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him were to receive (John 7:37-39).

"To come to the Lord and drink" signifies to receive from Him the truths of doctrine and belief therein; that spiritual intelligence is therefrom is signified by "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," "living water" being Divine truth which is from the Lord alone, "rivers" the things belonging to intelligence, and the "belly" thought from memory, for to this the belly corresponds; and as "rivers of living water" signify intelligence through Divine truth from the Lord it is added, "this saith He of the spirit which they that believe on Him were to receive," "the spirit that they were to receive from the Lord," meaning Divine truth and intelligence therefrom; so, too, the Lord called the spirit that they received "the spirit of truth" (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15).

[23] In David:

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

The "world" signifies heaven and the church in the whole complex, the "seas" signify cognitions and knowledges which are the ultimates of the church, and in particular, the cognitions of truth and good, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word; "rivers" signify introduction through knowledges into heavenly intelligence. This makes clear the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense, namely, that the interior things of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual, are founded upon the cognitions of truth and good which are in the sense of the letter of the Word rationally understood. It is said, "He hath founded the world upon the seas and established it upon the rivers," because there are seas and rivers in the boundaries of heaven, represented by the Sea Suph, the sea of the Philistines, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan, which were the boundaries of the land of Canaan; and because what is ultimate means in the Word what is lowest, it is said that Jehovah "founded" and "established" upon these. Evidently the earth is not founded upon seas and rivers.

[24] In the same:

The Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, He hath filled with dead bodies, He hath stricken through the head over many a land. He drinketh out of the brook in the way; therefore shall He exalt the head (Psalms 110:5-7).

This is said of the Lord, and of His combat against falsities and evils from the hells, and of their subjugation. "Kings" mean falsities from hell, and "nations" evils therefrom. The Lord's Divine power is meant by "the Lord at the right hand;" "He hath stricken through them in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, and He hath filled with dead bodies," signifies the subjugation and destruction of evils and falsities from the hells; "the head that He hath stricken through in many a land," means the love of self, which is the source of all evils and falsities; "to strike through in many a land" signifies total destruction and damnation; "the brook out of which the head drinketh," and because of which "it shall be exalted," signifies the Word in the letter, "to drink out of it" meaning to learn something from it, and "to lift up the head" meaning to resist for a time; for all those who are in falsities from evil cannot be cast down into hell until the things that they know from the Word are taken away from them, since all things of the Word communicate with heaven, by which communication they exalt the head; but when these are taken away they are cast down into hell. This is the meaning of these words, which no one can see except by means of the spiritual sense and a knowledge of the quality of the Word.

[25] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was Thine anger against the rivers? Was Thy wrath against the sea? Because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation (Habakkuk 3:8).

This is a supplication that the church may be guarded and not perish; the "rivers" and the "sea" signify all things of the church, because they are its ultimates (as above); "to ride upon horses," in reference to Jehovah, that is, the Lord, signifies the Divine wisdom which is in the Word; and "chariots" signify doctrinals therefrom.

[26] In David:

We will not fear when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved from ¹ the heart of the seas; the waters thereof shall be in tumult, shall be made turbid, the mountains shall quake in the pride thereof. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the holy city of God, the dwelling places of the Most High; God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved (Psalms 46:2-5).

This involves in the spiritual sense, that although the church and all things thereof perish, still the Word and the Divine truth it contains shall not perish; for the "earth" signifies the church; "mountains" signify the goods of love; "waters" truths; and "to be changed," "to be moved," "to be in tumult" "to be made turbid" and "to quake" signify the states of these when they perish, and falsities and evils enter in their place, consequently the states of the church when it is vastated in respect to goods and desolated in respect to truths (See above, n. 304, 405, where this is more completely explained). That the Word or Divine truth for the church is not to perish is signified by "There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God; she shall not be changed;" "river" signifying here the like as "fountain," namely, the Word, because "streams" are predicated of it, by which are signified truths; the "city of God" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; "to make glad" signifies influx and reception from joy of heart, and "not to be changed" signifies not to perish in any respect.

[27] In Isaiah:

Then the waters shall fail in ² the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry, and the rivers shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and flag shall wither; the paper reeds by the stream near the mouth of the stream, and all seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more (Isaiah 19:5-7).

This is said of Egypt, which signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man, and its "stream" the cognition and apperception of truth, and in the contrary sense the apperception of falsity; that these are to perish is signified by "the stream shall dry up and become dry;" that thus there would be no longer truths, not even natural and sensual truths, which are the lowest, is signified by "the reed and flag shall wither, the paper reeds by the stream, and all the seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more."

[28] In the same:

I have digged and have drunk waters; and with the sole of my steps have I dried up all the streams of Egypt (Isaiah 37:25).

These are the words of Senacherib, the king of Assyria, by whom the perverted rational destroying all knowledge and apperception of truth is signified; this is signified by his "drying up with the sole of his steps all the streams of Egypt." The "streams of Egypt" signify knowledges and apperceptions of truth, because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to knowledges (scientifica), and cognition and apperception belong to the natural man, as intelligence does to the spiritual man.

[29] In Ezekiel:

They shall draw out their swords against Egypt, to fill the land with the slain. Then will I make the rivers dry land, and will sell the land into the hand of evil ones; and I will make the land waste, and the fullness thereof, by the hand of strangers (Ezekiel 30:11, 12).

"Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man serving the intelligence of the rational and spiritual man. The destruction of true knowledges [scientifica] by falsities is signified by "They shall draw out their swords against Egypt," "swords" signifying falsities destroying truths; the "slain" signify those who are destroyed by falsities; "to make the rivers dry land" signifies that there shall no longer be any cognition or apperception of truth; "to sell the land into the hand of evil ones and to make it waste by the hand of strangers," signifies to destroy by evils and by falsities, "strangers" signifying falsities.

[30] In Zechariah:

All the depths of the river shall be dried up, and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart away (Zechariah 10:11).

"All the depths of the river (namely, the Euphrates) shall be dried up" signifies that all the acute reasonings from self-intelligence shall perish; the "pride of Assyria" signifies the self-intelligence of the perverted rational; "the staff of Egypt shall depart away" signifies that the knowledges [scientifica] that serve such reasonings shall be of no avail.

[31] In Isaiah:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herb; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools (Isaiah 42:15).

"I will lay waste mountains and hills" signifies that the goods of love and charity will perish; "and dry up all their herb" signifies that the truths that are from those goods will perish; "I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools," signifies that intelligence and knowledge of truth will perish.

[32] In the same:

Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers into a wilderness; their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die (Isaiah 50:2).

(See above, n. 342), where this is explained.)

In Nahum:

He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers (Nahum 1:4).

In David:

Jehovah maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water springs into dry ground (Psalms 107:33).

In Job:

A man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? The waters depart from the sea, and the river drieth up and becometh dry (Job14:10, 11).

[33] It has been shown thus far that "rivers" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence. In the contrary sense "rivers" signify the understanding of falsity and reasoning from self-intelligence which is in favor of falsities and opposes truths, as is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

He shall send ambassadors by the sea to a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (1 Isaiah 18:2).

"Rivers" here signify the falsities of self-intelligence that destroy. (What the rest signifies see explained above, n. 304, 331.) In the same:

When thou shalt pass through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee (Isaiah 43:2).

"To pass through waters and through rivers and not be overflowed" signifies that falsities and reasonings from falsities against truths shall not corrupt.

[34] In Jeremiah:

Behold waters rising up out of the north, which like ³ an overflowing stream shall overflow the land and its fullness (Jeremiah 47:2).

"Waters out of the north" signify the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; these are compared to "a stream overflowing the land," because a "stream" signifies reasoning from falsities, the "land" the church, and "its overflow by a stream" its destruction by falsities.

[35] In David:

Unless Jehovah were for us when man rises up against us, then the waters had overflowed us, the river had gone over our soul; then the waters of the proud had gone over our soul (Psalms 124:2, 4, 5).

The "waters of the proud" here mentioned, signify falsities favoring the love of self and confirming it, also the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; the "river" signifies reasoning from falsities against truths; this makes clear what is meant by "Unless Jehovah were for us, when man rises up against us," namely, when man from himself, from self-love, and from self-intelligence, rises up and endeavors to destroy the truths of the church; for this treats of Israel, by whom the church is signified; the "waters that had overflowed them," and the "rivers that had gone over their soul," signify falsities and reasonings from falsities, and the consequent destruction of the spiritual life that man has through truths and through a life according to them; "waters" signify falsities, "rivers" reasonings from them, and "overflowing and going over the soul" signifies the destruction of spiritual life.

[36] In Isaiah:

Behold, the Lord will make to go up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; and he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow (Isaiah 8:7, 8).

"Assyria" and its king signify in the Word the rational, here the rational perverted; so "his river" which was the Euphrates, means reasoning, and "the waters of the river" mean falsities confirmed by reasonings; these therefore are signified by "the waters of the river, strong and many," which are called "strong" from cupidity, and "many" from falsity; the abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of the good of the church is signified by "the waters of the river shall go up over all his channels, and over all his banks," also "he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow," "Judah" signifying the church where the Word is.

[37] In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18).

The "waters of Sihor," or of Egypt, signify false knowledges, or knowledges confirming falsities, and "the waters of the river" signify false reasonings from these, thus such as are from self-intelligence; that such falsities and reasonings must not be imbibed is what these words signify.

[38] In the same:

Towards the north, by the bank of the river Euphrates, have they stumbled and fallen. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the streams? Egypt cometh up like a stream, and his waters are tossed like streams; for he saith, I will come up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those that dwell in it (Jeremiah 46:6-8).

This signifies the destruction of the church and of its truths by false reasonings from confirming knowledges [scientifica]; the "north" signifies those in whom and from whom there is falsity, the "river Euphrates" false reasonings, "Egypt" confirming knowledges, the "waters that are tossed" falsities themselves, and "to come up, to cover the earth, to destroy the city and those that dwell in it," signifies the destruction of the church and of its doctrine, the "earth" meaning the church, the "city" doctrine of truth, and "those that dwell in it" its goods. Like things are signified by the Nile, "the river of Egypt," and by the Euphrates, "the river of Assyria," elsewhere in the Word (as in Isaiah 7:18, 19; 11:15, 16; Ezekiel 29:3-5, 10; 31:15; 32:2; Psalms 74:14, 15; 78:44; Exodus 7:17-21); also by "the rivers of Babylon" (Psalms 137:1). As all spiritual temptations come through falsities that break into the thoughts and infest the interior mind, thus through reasonings from falsities, so temptations are signified by the inundations of waters and by the irruptions of rivers and torrents. As in Jonah:

Thou hadst cast me into the depths, even into the heart of the seas; and the river was round about me; all Thy waves and Thy billows passed over me (Jonah 2:3).

In David:

The cords of death compassed me, and the brooks of Belial terrified me (Psalms 18:4).

In Matthew:

And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; yet it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:25, 27).

In Luke:

When a flood arose, the stream dashed against that house and could not shake it; for it had been founded upon a rock (Luke 6:48, 49).

Bilješke: