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Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
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Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
2800. 'And the two of them went on together' means the closest possible union then [of the Divine itself and the Divine Rational]. This becomes clear without explanation.
2784. 'And split the pieces of wood for the burnt offering' means the merit of righteousness. This is clear from the meaning of 'the pieces of wood' and of 'splitting them' 'Pieces of wood' means goods which are the product of one's own works, and those which are the product of righteousness; and 'splitting pieces of wood' means placing merit in the goods which are the product of one's own works. But as regards 'splitting the wood for the burnt offering' meaning the merit of righteousness, this seems too remote for anyone to know without revelation. The fact that 'splitting pieces of wood' means placing merit in the goods which are the product of one's own works has been made clear to me from the incidents I have witnessed and described in Volume One, in 1110, about hewers of wood being those who, through the goods which they have done, wish to merit salvation. In addition there are others up above, in front and slightly to the right, who come from some other planet. These in the same way have claimed for themselves all good and are seen in like manner to be hewing and splitting wood. Sometimes, when they seem to themselves to be hard at work, their faces shine from the light shed by some ignis fatuus, which is the meritorious good that they attribute to themselves. The reason for such an appearance is that 'wood' is representative of good, as was all the wood in the Ark and in the Temple, and also all the wood placed on the altar when burnt offerings and sacrifices were made. But people who attribute good to themselves and make it meritorious are also said in the Word to worship wood or a graven image made of wood.