Arcana Coelestia #3142
3142. 'And I have swept the house' means all things had been prepared and filled with goods. This is clear from the meaning of 'sweeping' as preparing and being filled, dealt with immediately below, and from the meaning of 'a house' as good, dealt with in 2233, 2234, 2559. And a person himself, from the good which governs him, is called a house, 3128. The reason why 'sweeping' means preparing and being filled is that nothing else is asked of anyone except to 'sweep his house', that is, to reject evil desires and resulting false persuasions. If he does this he is filled with all forms of good, for good from the Lord is constantly flowing in. It flows into 'the house', that is, into the person who has been cleansed of such things as hinder influx, that is, which turn away, or pervert, or stifle inflowing good. Hence the proverbial expression used by the ancients about sweeping or cleansing the house, and also about sweeping and preparing the way. 'Sweeping the house' was used to mean cleansing oneself of evils and thereby preparing oneself for goods to enter, while 'sweeping the way' was used to mean preparing oneself for the reception of truths; for 'a house' meant good, 3128, and 'the way' truth, 627, 2333.
[2] As in Isaiah,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Sweep (prepare) the way of Jehovah; make straight in the lonely place a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3.
In the same prophet,
Level out, level out, sweep (prepare) the way; remove the stumbling block from My people's way. Isaiah 57:14.
In the same prophet,
Go through, go through into the gates; sweep (prepare) the way of the people. Level out, level out the way; gather out the stones. Isaiah 62:10.
In Malachi,
Behold, I am sending My angel, and he will sweep (prepare) the way before Me; and suddenly there will come to His temple the Lord whom you are seeking. Malachi 3:1.
In these places 'sweeping the way' stands for getting oneself ready and preparing to receive truth. They refer to the Lord's coming, for which people were to prepare themselves so as to receive the truth of faith, and through that the good of charity, and through this in turn eternal salvation.
[3] In David,
You caused a vine to journey out of Egypt. You cast out the nations, and You planted it, You swept before it and caused its root to be rooted, and it filled the land. Psalms 80:8-9.
This refers in the highest sense to the Lord. 'A vine out of Egypt' is truth based on facts, 'casting out the nations' cleansing from evils, 'sweeping before it' preparing for goods to fill it. 'Sweeping the house' also means in the contrary sense the person who dispossesses himself of all goods and truths and so is filled with evils and falsities, as in Luke,
If the unclean spirit finds no rest he says, I will return to my house out of which I came. And if when he comes he finds it swept and decorated, he goes away and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. Luke 11:24-26; Matthew 12:43-45.
Luke 10
1
Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come.
2
Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.
3
Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
4
Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way.
5
Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'
6
If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.
7
Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don't go from house to house.
8
Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you.
9
Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God has come near to you.'
10
But into whatever city you enter, and they don't receive you, go out into its streets and say,
11
'Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near to you.'
12
I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
13
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.
15
You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.
16
Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17
The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!"
18
He said to them, "I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
19
Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
20
Nevertheless, don't rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21
In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight."
22
Turning to the disciples, he said, "All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him."
23
Turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see,
24
for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them."
25
Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26
He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
27
He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
28
He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."
29
But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
30
Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31
By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32
In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33
But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34
came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35
On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.'
36
Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?"
37
He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
38
It happened as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39
She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me."
41
Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42
but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."
