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

[2] In Isaiah:

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

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

[3] In the same:

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

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

[4] In Jeremiah:

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

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

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

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

[5] In Joel:

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

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

[6] In David:

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

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

[7] In the same:

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

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

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

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

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

[9] In the same:

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

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

[10] In David:

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

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

[11] In Zechariah:

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

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

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

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

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

[13] In Moses:

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

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

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

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

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

In Revelation:

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

In Isaiah:

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

In David:

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

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

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

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

[15] In Hosea:

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

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

[16] In David:

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

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

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2788. That 'on the third day' means that which has been completed, and the beginning of sanctification, is clear from the meaning of 'the third day'. 'Day' in the Word means state, 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, as also does 'year', and as in general do all periods of time - an hour, day, week, month, year, or age; also morning, midday, evening, and night; and spring, summer, autumn, and winter. And when 'the third' is added to any of these the end of that state, and at the same time the beginning of the next, are meant. Here, the subject being the sanctification of the Lord which was effected by means of temptations, 'the third day' means that which has been completed and at the same time the beginning of sanctification, as also follows from what has been said previously to this. The reason for this meaning is that when He had fulfilled everything the Lord was to rise again on the third day, for the things that were done by the Lord while He lived in the world, that is, the things that were yet to be done by Him, were embodied within the representatives of the Church as though they had already been done. This was as it is with the internal sense of the Word, for with God that which is yet to come to pass and that which already is are one and the same; indeed to Him the whole of eternity is here and now.

[2] This is why the number three was representative not only in the Ancient Church and in the Jewish but also among various gentile nations; see what has been stated about this number in 720, 901, 1825. That such was the origin of the meaning of 'three' is clear in Hosea,

We will return to Jehovah, for He has wounded and will heal us; He has stricken and will bind us up; He will revive us after two days, on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him. Hosea 6:1-2.

Here 'the third day' stands for the coming of the Lord and His resurrection. The same is clear from Jonah, in that he was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights, Jonah 1:17, to which the Lord refers in Matthew as follows,

As Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40.

[3] It should be realized that in the internal sense of the Word 'three days' and 'the third day' have the same meaning, as also do 'three' and 'third' in the following places: In John,

Jesus said to the Jews, Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. He was speaking of the temple of His body. John 2:19-21; Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58; 15:29.

It is a well known fact that the Lord rose again on the third day.

[4] For the same reason the Lord also distinguished three periods in His life: in Luke,

Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, but on the third day I reach completion. Luke 13:32.

Also, the Lord underwent the final temptation, which was that of the Cross, at the third hour of the day, Mark 15:25. Three hours later, that is, at the sixth hour, darkness fell over the whole land, ¹ Luke 23:44. And three hours after that, at the ninth hour, the end came, Mark 15:33-34, 37. But in the morning of the third day He rose again, Mark 16:1-4; Luke 24:7. See also Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Luke 18:33; 24:46. From all this, and especially from the Lord's resurrection on the third day, the number three was representative and possessed a spiritual meaning. This fact becomes clear from the following places in the Word:

When Jehovah came down upon Mount Sinai He told Moses that he was to sanctify the people today and tomorrow and they were to wash their garments and be ready on the third day, for on the third day Jehovah would come down. Exodus 19:10-11, 15-16.

When they travelled from the mountain of Jehovah on a three days' journey, the Ark of Jehovah travelled before them on the three days' journey to search out rest for them. Numbers 10:33.

There was thick darkness for three days in all the land of Egypt, and nobody could see his brother for three days, but the children of Israel had light. Exodus 10:22-23.

[5] The flesh of a sacrifice made as a vow-offering or as a freewill-offering was to be eaten on the first and the second day; nothing was to be kept until the third day but was to be burned, because it was an abomination. So too with the flesh of a sacrifice made as a 'eucharistic' offering; if this was eaten on the third day the one offering the sacrifice would not be accepted and that soul would bear his iniquity. Leviticus 7:16-18; 19:6-7.

Anyone who touched a dead body was to purify himself on the third day, and on the seventh day he would be clean. If he did not do so that soul would be cut off from Israel. And one that was clean was to sprinkle water over the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. Numbers 19:12-13, 19.

Those who had killed someone in battle and had touched one who had been slain were to purify themselves on the third day and on the seventh day. Numbers 31:19.

[6] When they came into the land of Canaan the fruit of a tree was to be uncircumcised for three years and not eaten. Leviticus 19:23.

At the end of three years they were to bring every tenth part of their produce in that year and deposit it within their gates so that the Levite, the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow might eat. Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12.

Three times a year they were to keep a feast to Jehovah. And three times a year every male person was to appear before the face of the Lord Jehovah. Exodus 23:14, 17; Deuteronomy 16:16.

Joshua told the people that in three days they would be crossing the Jordan and inheriting the land. Joshua 1:11; 3:2.

Jehovah called to Samuel three times and the third time he answered Him. 1 Samuel 3:8.

[7] When Saul wished to kill David, David hid in the field until the third evening. Jonathan told David, I will sound out my father on the third day from now. Jonathan said that he would shoot three arrows to the side of the stone. And David fell face to the ground, before Jonathan and bowed down three times.12, 19, 20, 35, 36, 41.

David was to choose one of these three things - either seven years of famine in the land, or his own flight before his enemies for three months, or pestilence in the land for three days. 2 Samuel 24:12-13.

[8] There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. 2 Samuel 21:1.

Elijah stretched himself over the dead boy three times and revived him. 1 Kings 17:21.

When he had built the altar to Jehovah, Elijah told them to pour water over the burnt offering and over the wood three times. 1 Kings 18:34.

Fire consumed the captains of fifty sent on two occasions to Elijah, but not the one sent on the third occasion. 2 Kings 1:13-14.

It was a sign to King Hezekiah that they were to eat in that year what had grown of itself, and in the second year further growth from the same; but in the third year they were to sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of these. 2 Kings 19:29.

[9] Daniel went into his house and had the windows open in his [upper] chamber towards Jerusalem, where three times a day he gave thanks on his knees and prayed. Daniel 6:10, 13.

Daniel was mourning for three whole weeks, not eating pleasant bread, nor drinking wine, nor anointing himself, until the three whole weeks were completed. Daniel 10:2-3.

Isaiah went naked and barefoot three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and against Cush. Isaiah 20:3.

Out of the Lampstand went three branches on either side, and three almond-shaped cups on each branch. Exodus 25:32-33.

In the Urim and Thummim there were three precious stones in each row. Exodus 28:17-20.

[10] In the New Temple there were to be three chambers on this side of the gate and three on that, and all three were to measure the same. And the breadth of the gate to the vestibule of the house was to be three cubits this way and three cubits that. Ezekiel 40:10, 21, 48.

In the New Jerusalem there were to be three gates to the north, three to the east, three to the south, and three to the west. Ezekiel 48:31-34; Revelation 21:13.

The same may be seen in the following places:

Peter denied Jesus three times. Matthew 26:34, 69 and following verses.

The Lord said to Peter three times, Do you love Me? John 21:17.

Also, in the parable about the man who planted a vineyard, he sent servants three times, and at length his own son. Luke 20:12; Mark 12:2, 4-6.

The labourers in the vineyard were hired at the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour. Matthew 20:1-17.

And concerning the fig tree which, because it bore no fruit for three years, was to be cut down. Luke 13:6-7.

[11] Just as a group of three and a third one were representative, so also was a third part, as in the following:

Minchahs consisted of two tenths of fine flour mixed with a third part of a hin of oil, and the wine for the drink-offering was a third of a hin. Numbers 15:6-7; Ezekiel 46:14.

In Ezekiel it is said that he was to run a razor over his head and over his beard, and then to divide his hair, burning a third part in the fire, striking a third around the city with his sword, and scattering a third to the wind. Ezekiel 5:1-2, 11.

In Zechariah it is said that in the whole land, two parts were to be cut off, and the third would be left. Yet this third would be led through fire and tested. Zechariah 13:8-9.

[12] In John it is said that when the first angel sounded there came hail, and fire mixed with blood; and it fell on to the earth so that a third part of the trees were burned. The second angel sounded and so to speak a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea. And a third part of the sea became blood resulting in the death of a third part of the creatures who had their being in the sea. And a third part of the ships was destroyed. The third angel sounded and there fell from the sky a great star burning like a torch and it fell upon a third part of the rivers. The name of the star is Wormwood. The fourth angel sounded and a third part of the sun was struck, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars, so that a third part of these was blacked out, and the day had no light for a third part of it, nor likewise the night. Revelation 8:7-12.

[13] The four angels were released to kill a third part of mankind. Revelation 9:15.

A third part of mankind was killed by these three, fire, smoke, and brimstone, which went forth out of the mouths of the horses. Revelation 9:18.

The dragon drew with his tail a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them down to the earth. Revelation 12:4.

'A third part' however means something which is not yet finished, whereas 'a third' and 'a group of three' mean that which has been finished - evil in the case of the evil, good in the case of the good.

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