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.

Footnotes:

391. I saw under the altar, signifies those who were preserved under heaven. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to make manifest (See above, n. 351); also from the signification of "altar" as being, in the nearest sense, worship from the good of love to the Lord; in a more interior sense, heaven and the church, which are in that love; and in the inmost sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love. "Under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven, because it is said that he "saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held," and by these are meant those who were preserved under heaven until the Last Judgment; but as this is not yet known in the world, I will tell how it is. In the small work on The Last Judgement it has been shown that before the Last Judgement took place there was a semblance of heaven which is meant by "the former heaven that passed away" (Revelation 21:1) and that this heaven consisted of those who were in external worship without internal, and who therefore lived an external moral life, although they were merely natural and not spiritual. Those of whom this heaven consisted before the Last Judgment were seen in the spiritual world above the earth, also upon mountains, hills, and rocks, and therefore believed themselves to be in heaven; but those of whom this heaven consisted, because they were in an external moral life only and not at the same time in an internal spiritual life, were cast down; and when these had been cast down, all those who had been preserved by the Lord, and concealed here and there, for the most part in the lower earth, were elevated and transferred to these same places, that is, upon the mountains, hills, and rocks where the others had formerly been, and out of these a new heaven was formed. These who had been preserved and then elevated were from those in the world who had lived a life of charity, and who were in the spiritual affection of truth. The elevation of these into the places of the others I have often witnessed. It is these who are meant by "the souls of those slain seen under the altar," and because they were guarded by the Lord in the lower earth, and this earth is under heaven, so "I saw under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven. But these are particularly treated of in Revelation 20:4-5, 12-13, where more will be told about them; meanwhile see what is said in the small work on The Last Judgement (n. 65-72) of "the former heaven that passed away," and "the new heaven" that was formed by the Lord after the Last Judgment. This much will suffice to afford some light for understanding what is said in the two following verses, namely, that they who were under the altar "cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth? And there were given to them white robes; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled."

[2] "Under the altar" signifies under heaven, because the "altar," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, for the Lord is heaven and the church, since everything of heaven and the church, or everything of love and faith which make heaven and the church with angel and man, are from the Lord, and thence are His; but in a general sense the "altar" signifies all worship of the Lord and especially representative worship, such as there was with the sons of Israel. "The altar" signifies all worship, because "worship" in that church consisted mainly in offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices; for these were offered for every sin and guilt, also from good will to please Jehovah (these were called eucharistic or voluntary sacrifices), also for cleansings of every kind. Moreover, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices inaugurations were also effected into everything holy of the church, as is evident from the sacrifices at the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood, the inauguration of the tent of meeting, and afterwards of the temple. And as the worship of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, these also were offered daily, namely, every morning and evening, and were called in one word "the continual," besides a great number at every feast; so in the Word the "continual-offering" signifies all representative worship. From this it can be seen that worship, and particularly the representative worship of that nation, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices. For this reason the altar upon which these were made, and which contained them, signifies in the Word all worship in general. Worship means not external worship only, but also internal worship; and internal worship comprehends everything of love and everything of faith, thus everything that constitutes the church or, heaven with man, in a word, that causes the Lord to be with him.

Heaven was represented before John by an altar, for this reason also, that the whole Word was written by representatives, and by such representatives as were with the sons of Israel; in order, therefore, that the Word might be similar in both Testaments, the things in this book and that were seen by John, are like those in other parts, that is, an altar of incense was seen, the incense itself with the censers, likewise the tabernacle, the ark, and other like things. But at the present day such things never appear to any angel, or to any man whose sight is opened into heaven. The altar, the ark, and like things do not appear in heaven at the present day, because to the ancients sacrifices were wholly unknown, and after the Lord's coming they were entirely abolished. Sacrifices were begun by Eber, and were continued afterwards among his posterity, who were called Hebrews, and were tolerated among the sons of Israel who were from Eber, especially because a worship once begun and rooted in the mind is not abolished by the Lord, but is bent to signify what is holy in religion (See Arcana Coelestia 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042, 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042).

[3] That "the altar" signifies, in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love, and that in a relative sense it signifies heaven and the church, and in general all worship, and in particular representative worship, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy habitations, that I may come unto the altar of God, unto God (Psalms 43:3-4).

It is clearly evident that "the altar of God" here means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for these words treat of the way to heaven and to the Lord there; the way to heaven is meant by "send out Thy light and truth; let them lead me;" "light" meaning the illustration in which truths appear; heaven, into which it leads is meant by "let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy habitations;" "mountain of holiness" meaning heaven where the Lord's celestial kingdom is, in which the good of love reigns; while those heavens are called "habitations" where the Lord's spiritual kingdom is, in which truth from that good reigns; and as both are meant it is said, "that I may go unto the altar of God, unto God," "altar of God" meaning where the Lord is in the good of love, and "God" where the Lord is in truth from that good; for the Lord is called "God," from Divine truth, and "Jehovah" from Divine good. In the Jewish Church there were two things that, in the highest sense, signified the Lord's Divine Human, namely, the altar and the temple; the altar, the Divine Human in relation to Divine good; the temple, in relation to Divine truth proceeding from that good. These two signified the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, because all things of worship in that church represented the Divine things that proceed from the Lord, called celestial and spiritual, and the worship itself was chiefly performed upon the altar and in the temple, therefore, these two represented the Lord Himself.

[4] That the temple represented His Divine Human He teaches in plain terms in John:

The Jews said, What sign showest Thou that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:18-23; also Matthew 26:61 elsewhere).

When the disciples were showing Him the buildings of the temple, the Lord said:

That there shall not be left stone upon stone that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2);

signifying that the Lord was wholly denied among them, on which account also the temple was destroyed from its foundation.

[5] That "the altar" also signified the Lord's Divine Human, may be concluded from the Lord's words in Matthew:

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, for ye say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Also, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? For he that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by everything thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:16-22).

It is here said that the temple sanctifies the gold that is in it, and that the altar sanctifies the gift that is upon it; and thus that the temple and the altar were most holy, and that all sanctification was from them; therefore "the temple" and "altar" signify the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for from that everything holy of heaven and the church proceeds. If this is not the meaning how could the temple or the altar sanctify anything? Nor can worship itself sanctify, but the Lord alone, who is worshiped, and from whom is the good and truth of worship; for this reason it is said that the gift does not sanctify, but the altar, "the gift" meaning the sacrifices that constituted the worship; and because the Jews did not understand this, but taught otherwise, they were called by the Lord "fools and blind."

[6] Because this was signified by the altar, all who touched it were sanctified as is evident in Moses:

Seven days thou shalt sanctify [the altar], that the altar may be the holy of holies; whosoever shall touch the altar shall be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).

"To touch" signifies to communicate, to transfer, and to receive (See Arcana Coelestia 10130), here the Divine that proceeds from the Lord; and as this was signified by "touching," and those who touched were sanctified, it follows that in the highest sense the Lord Himself is signified by the "altar," for there is nothing holy from any other source. Moreover, all worship is worship of the Lord and from the Lord; and as worship in that church consisted chiefly of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, so the "altar" signified the Divine Itself from which [a quo]; and this Divine is the Lord's Divine Human.

[7] It was therefore also commanded:

That the fire upon the altar should burn continually, and never be extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13);

also that from that fire the lamps should be lighted in the tent of meeting, and that they were to take from that fire in the censers and burn incense; for "the fire" signified the Divine love which is in the Lord alone (See above, n. 68).

[8] Because "the fire of the altar" signifies the Divine love, the prophet Isaiah was sanctified by it:

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, in whose hand was a burning coal, which he had taken from off the altar, and he touched my mouth, and said, This hath touched thy lips; therefore thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:6-7).

What these words signify in their series can be seen when it is known that "the altar" signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and "the fire" on it the Divine good of his Divine love; that the prophet's "mouth and lips" signify the doctrine of good and truth; and that "to touch" signifies to communicate; "iniquity which was taken away" signifies falsity, and "sin" evil; for "iniquity" is predicated of the life of falsity, that is, of a life contrary to truths, and "sin" of the life of evil, that is, of a life contrary to good.

[9] In Isaiah:

All the flocks of Arabia shall be brought together unto Thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto Thee; they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment (Isaiah 60:7).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and this is said of the Lord Himself; "all the flocks of Arabia that are to be brought together," and "the rams of Nebaioth that are to minister" signify all spiritual goods, external and internal, "flocks" signify external goods, and "rams" internal goods, and "Arabia" and "Nebaioth" things spiritual; "they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment" signifies the Lord's Divine Human, in which they will be, "altar" signifying His Divine Human in relation to Divine good, and "house of adornment" the same in relation to Divine truth. That the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is here meant is evident from the preceding part of that chapter, where it is said that "Jehovah shall arise upon Thee, and His glory shall be seen upon Thee," with what follows, which describes the Divine wisdom with which the Lord will be filled in respect to His Human.

[10] As "the altar" signifies in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human, "altar" therefore signifies also heaven and the church; for the angelic heaven, viewed in itself, is from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; from this it is that the angelic heaven in the whole complex is as one man; wherefore that heaven is called the Greatest Man (See what is said about this in Heaven and Hell 59-86; and about the church, n. 57). And as all worship is from the Lord, for it is the Divine communicated to man from the Lord, in which is the Lord Himself, thence "altar" signifies also in general, everything of worship that proceeds from the good of love; and "temple" the worship that proceeds from truths from that good; for all worship is either from love or from faith, either from good or from truth; worship from the good of love is such as exists in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and worship from truths from that good, which truths are called the truths of faith, is such as exists in the Lord's spiritual kingdom (about which see also in the same work, n. 20-28).

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified by "altar" in the following passages. In David:

How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of Hosts! My soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God. Yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house (Psalms 84:1-4).

"Altars" here mean the heavens, for it is said, "How amiable are Thy tabernacles; my soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah," and afterwards it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts;" "tabernacles" mean the higher heavens, and "courts" the lower heavens where is the entrance; these are also called "altars" from worship; and as all worship is from the good of love by means of truths it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God;" for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "King" and "God" from Divine truth; and because the heavens are meant, it is also said, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house," "the house of Jehovah God" meaning heaven in the whole complex. It is also said, "yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow her nest," because "bird" signifies spiritual truth and "swallow" natural truth, by which there is worship; and as all truth by which there is worship is from the good of love, it is first said, "my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God," "heart and flesh" signifying the good of love, and "sing for joy" worship from the delight of good.

[12] Heaven and the church are also meant by "altar" in these passages in Revelation:

There was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood and said to me, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein (Revelation 11:1).

I heard another angel out of the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments (Rev. 16:7).

In David:

I wash mine hands in innocence, and compass Thine altar, O Jehovah, that I may make the voice of confession to be heard (Psalms 26:6-7).

"To wash the hands in innocence" signifies to be purified from evils and falsities; "to compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies conjunction with the Lord by worship from the good of love; and because this is a worship by means of truths from good, it is added, "that I may make the voice of confession to be heard," "to make the voice of confession to be heard" meaning worship from truths. "To compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies the conjunction of the Lord by means of worship from the good of love, because "Jehovah" is predicated of the good of love, and "to compass" signifies to embrace with worship, thus to be conjoined.

[13] In Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts; every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres [the city of Cheres]. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside the border thereof (Isaiah 19:18-19).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man, and its knowing faculty [scientificum]; "in that day" signifies the Lord's coming and the state of those who will then be in true knowledges [scientifica] from the Lord; "five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan" signify many truths of doctrine which are genuine truths of the church, "five" meaning many, "cities" the truths of doctrine, and "the lips of Canaan" genuine doctrinals of the church; "to swear to Jehovah of Hosts" signifies those that confess the Lord; "Jehovah of Hosts," mentioned here and in many other passages in the Word, means the Lord in respect to all good and truth; for "Hosts" [zebaoth] in the original signifies armies, and "armies" signify in the spiritual sense all the goods and truths of heaven and the church (SeeArcana Coelestia 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019). This, therefore is the meaning of "Jehovah zebaoth" or "Jehovah of Hosts;" "every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres" signifies the doctrine glittering from spiritual truths in natural, for "Ir" means city, and "city" signifies doctrine; "Cheres" means a glittering like that of the sun; "in that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifies that there shall then be worship of the Lord from the good of love by means of true knowledges [scientifica] that are in the natural man; "an altar to Jehovah" signifying the worship of the Lord from the good of love, "in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifying by means of knowledges that are in the natural man, true knowledges meaning also cognitions from the sense of the letter of the Word; "and a pillar to Jehovah besides the border thereof" signifies the worship of the Lord from the truths of faith, "a pillar (statue)" signifying worship from the truths of faith, and "the border of Egypt" signifying the ultimates; the ultimates of the natural man are things of the senses.

[14] In the same:

When he shall lay all the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered, the groves and sun statues shall rise no more (Isaiah 27:9).

This is said of Jacob and Israel, by whom the church is signified, here the church that is to be destroyed; its destruction in respect to the truths of worship is described by "laying the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered," "the stones of the altar" meaning the truths of worship, "as chalk stones scattered" mean as falsities that do not cohere; "the groves and sun statues shall rise no more" signifies that there shall no longer be any worship from spiritual and natural truths, "groves" signifying worship from spiritual truths, and "sun statues" worship from natural truths.

[15] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath cast off His altar; He hath abhorred His sanctuary; He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces (Lamentations 2:7).

This is a lamentation over the vastation of all things of the church; that the church has been vastated in respect to all goods is signified by "the Lord hath cast off His altar;" that it has been vastated in respect to all truths is signified by "He hath abhorred His sanctuary." (That "sanctuary" is predicated of the church in respect to truths, see above, n. 204.) That falsities and evils have entered into all things of the church is signified by "He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;" "enemy" signifies evil and falsity, "to shut up in his hands" signifies that these have seized and entered, "the walls of palaces" signifies all protecting truths, "palaces" mean the things of doctrine.

[16] In Isaiah:

Everyone that keepeth the sabbath, and holdeth to My covenant, them will I bring in upon the mountain of My holiness, and will make them glad in the house of My prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon My altar (Isaiah 56:6-7).

"Sabbath" signifies the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, thus with those who are therein; so "to keep the sabbath" signifies to be in conjunction with the Lord; and "to hold to his covenant" signifies conjunction by a life according to the Lord's commandments; "covenant" means conjunction, and a life according to the commandments is what conjoins; for this reason the commandments of the Decalogue were called "a covenant;" "them will I bring in upon the mountain of holiness" signifies that He will endow them with the good of love, "the mountain of holiness" meaning the heaven in which the good of love to the Lord is, consequently also such good of love as there is in that heaven; "I will make them glad in the house of My prayer" signifies that He will endow them with spiritual truths, "the house of prayer," or the temple, meaning the heaven where spiritual truths are, consequently also such spiritual truths as there are in that heaven; "their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon Mine altar" signifies worship from the good of love grateful from spiritual truths, "burnt-offerings" signifying worship from the good of love, and "sacrifices" worship from truths that are from that good; truths from good are what are called spiritual truths; "upon the altar" signifies in heaven and the church.

[17] In David:

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness, and with whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar (Psalms 51:18-19).

"Zion" means the church that is in the good of love, and "Jerusalem" the church that is in the truths of doctrine; therefore, "to do good in good pleasure unto Zion, and to build the walls of Jerusalem" signifies to restore the church by leading it into the good of love and by instructing it in the truths of doctrine. Worship then from the good of love is signified by "then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness and with whole burnt-offering," "righteousness" is predicated of celestial good, and "whole burnt-offering" signifies love; and worship then from the good of charity is signified by "then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar," "bullocks" signifying natural good, which is the good of charity.

[18] In the same:

God is Jehovah who enlighteneth us; bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar. Thou art my God (Psalms 118:27-28).

"To enlighten" signifies to illustrate in truths; "to bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar" signifies to conjoin all things of worship, "to bind with ropes" meaning to conjoin, "the festal-offering to the horns of the altar" meaning all things of worship, "horns" mean all things because they are the ultimates, and "the festal-offering" and "altar" mean worship. All things of worship are conjoined when externals are conjoined with internals, and goods with truths.

[19] In Luke:

The blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world shall be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple (Luke 11:50-51).

This does not mean that the blood of all the prophets from the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel, shall be required of the Jewish nation, for blood is not required from anyone but of him who sheds it; but these words mean that that nation had falsified all truth and adulterated all good; for "the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world" signifies the falsification of all the truth there had ever been in the church; "blood" meaning falsification, "prophets" the truths of doctrine, and "from the foundation of the world," meaning all that there had ever been in the church; "the foundation of the world" meaning the establishment of the church. "From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple," signifies the adulteration of all good, and the consequent extinction of the worship of the Lord; "the blood of Abel unto Zachariah" means the adulteration of all good; "to be slain between the altar and the temple" means the extinction of all good and all truth in worship, for "altar" signifies worship from good, and "temple" the worship from truth, as has been said above; "between these" means where there is conjunction, and where there is not conjunction there is neither good nor truth. The altar was outside the tent of meeting, and outside the temple; therefore what was done between the two signified communication and conjunction (See Arcana Coelestia 10001, 10025; and that "Abel" signifies the good of charity, n. 342, 374, 1179[1], 3325). It is evident that neither Abel nor Zachariah is meant here in the spiritual sense, since in the Word names signify things.

[20] In Matthew:

Jesus said, if thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave the gift before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

"To offer a gift upon the altar" means in the spiritual sense to worship God, and to worship God means worship both internal and external, namely, from love and from faith, and thus from the life; this is meant because in the Jewish Church worship consisted chiefly in offering sacrifices or gifts upon the altar, and the chief thing is taken for the whole. From this the meaning of these words of the Lord in the spiritual sense can be seen, namely, that Divine worship consists primarily in charity towards the neighbor, and not in piety without that; "to offer a gift upon the altar" means worship from piety, and "to be reconciled to a brother" means worship from charity, and this is truly worship, and such as this is such is the worship from piety. (On this see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 123-129; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 222, 224, 358-360, 528, 529, 535; and above, n. 325.)

[21] That "If thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar" signifies in all worship, is evident from the Lord's words in Luke 17:4 [Matthew 18:22, where it is said that the brother or neighbor must be forgiven all the time, "seventy times seven" there signifying always.

Because such things are signified by "altar," the altar was made either of wood or of ground, or of whole stones, upon which iron had not been moved, also it was overlaid with brass. The altar was made of wood, because "wood" signifies good; it was also made of ground because "ground" has a like signification; it was made of whole stones, because such "stones" signified truths formed out of good, or good in form, and it was forbidden to fit these stones by any hammer, axe, or instrument of iron, to signify that nothing of self-intelligence must come near to the formation of it; that it was overlaid with brass signified that it represented good in every part, for "brass" signifies good in externals.

[22] That the altar was made of wood is evident in Moses:

Thou shalt make the altar of shittim-wood, five cubits long and broad; it shall be foursquare. And thou shalt make horns for it. And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; the board-work shall be hollow (Exodus 27:1-8).

And in Ezekiel:

The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length of it two cubits; its corners, the length of it, and the walls of it, were of wood. Then he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah (Ezekiel 41:22).

Moreover, the altar was made of wood, and overlaid with brass, for the sake of use, that it might be carried about, and removed from place to place in the wilderness, where the sons of Israel then were; also because "wood" signifies good, and "shittim-wood" good of righteousness, or the good of the Lord's merit. (That "wood" signifies good, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354; and that "shittim-wood" signifies the good of righteousness or of merit, which belongs to the Lord only, n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178.) But that the altar was built also of ground, and if of stones, then of whole stones, and not hewn by any iron instrument, is further evident in Moses:

An altar [of ground] thou shalt make unto Me, that thou mayest sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offering. If thou makest to Me an altar of stones thou shalt not build it of hewn stones, for if thou move a tool upon it thou wilt profane it (Exodus 20:24-25).

If an altar of stones be built, no iron shall be struck upon the stones (Deuteronomy 27:5-6).

[23] Thus far it has been shown what "altar" signifies in the genuine sense; from this it is clear what "altar" signifies in the contrary sense, namely, idolatrous worship, or infernal worship, which has place only with those who profess religion, but yet love and thus worship self and the world above all things; and when they do this they love evil and falsity; therefore "the altar," in reference to such, signifies worship from evil, and "the statues" which they also had, worship from falsity, and therefore also hell. That this is the signification of "altar," in the contrary sense, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look ¹ to that which his fingers have made, or to the groves or the sun-statues (Isaiah 17:7-8).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that men shall then be led into the goods of life, and be instructed in the truths of doctrine, is meant by "In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel." The Lord is called "Maker" because He leads into the goods of life, for these make man; and He is called "the Holy One of Israel" because He teaches the truths of doctrine; therefore it is added, "a man shall have respect," and "his eyes shall look;" man is called "man" from the good of life, and "eyes" are predicated of the understanding of truth, thus of the truths of doctrine. That there will then be no worship from self-love, from which are the evils of life, nor from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine, is signified by "he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look to that which his fingers have made," "altars, the work of his hands," mean worship from self-love, from which are evils of life, and "that which his fingers have made" means worship from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine; "groves and sun-statues" signify a religion from falsities and evils therefrom, "groves," a religious principle from falsities, and "sun-statues" a religious principle from the evils of falsity.

[24] In Jeremiah:

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven ² upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; as I remember their sons, their altar, and their groves, by the green tree upon the high hills (Jeremiah 17:1-2

This declares that the idolatrous worship of the Jewish nation was so deeply rooted that it could not be removed. That it was too deeply rooted to be removed is signified by "the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" deeply-rooted falsity is meant by "it is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond," and deeply-rooted evil is meant by "it is graven upon the table of the heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" it is said "upon the horns of the altars," because idolatrous worship is meant. The "sons whom He remembers," signify the falsities of evil; "the altars" idolatrous worship from evil; "the groves by the green tree" such worship from falsities; "upon the high hills" signifies the adulteration of good and the falsification of truths; for at that time, when all things of worship were representative of celestial and spiritual things, they had worship in groves and upon hills, for the reason that "trees," of which groves consist, signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, and this according to the kind of trees; and because "hills" signified the goods of charity, and spiritual angels who dwell in the spiritual world upon hills are in such goods, so in ancient times worship was performed upon hills; but this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nation, lest they should profane the holy things that were represented; for in respect to worship that nation was in externals only, their internal was merely idolatrous. (That trees signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, according to their kind, see Arcana Coelestia 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692; for this reason the ancients worshiped in groves under trees, according to their significations, n. 2722, 4552; why this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nations, n. 2722; why "hills" signify goods of charity, n. 6435, 10438)

[25] In Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit like unto himself; when his fruit is plentiful he multiplieth altars; when his land is good they make goodly statues. Their heart is smooth, now are they laid waste; he shall demolish their altars, he shall devastate their statues (Hosea 10:1-2);

"Israel" here signifies the church, which is called "an empty vine" when there is no longer any truth; its worship from evils is meant by "the altars which he multiplies;" and worship from falsities is meant by the "statues which he makes goodly;" that this is done so far as these abound is signified by "when his fruit is plentiful" and "when his land is good." That worship from evils and falsities shall be destroyed is signified by "he shall demolish their altars, and shall devastate their statues." (That "statues" signify worship from truths, and in a contrary sense, worship from falsities, thus idolatrous worship, see Arcana Coelestia 3727[1-8], 4580, 10643.)

[26] In Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the water courses and to the valleys, I bring in a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places; and your altar shall be laid waste; your sun images shall be broken; yea, I will make your slain to fall before your idols (Ezekiel 6:3, 4, 6, 13).

"The Lord Jehovih said to the mountains, hills, water courses, and valleys," does not signify to all who dwell there, but to all idolaters, that is, to all who instituted worship upon mountains and hills, and near water-courses and in valleys, which was done because of the representation and consequent signification of these; "to bring a sword upon you, and to destroy the high places, and to lay waste the altars, and to break the sun images" signifies to destroy all things of idolatrous worship by means of falsities and evils, for it is by means of these that idolatrous worship destroys itself; "the sword" signifies falsities destroying, "the high places" idolatrous worship in general, "altars" the same from evil loves, and "sun images" the same from the falsities of doctrine; "to make the slain to fall before the idols" signifies the damnation of those who perish by falsities; "slain" signifying those who perish by falsities, "idols" the falsities of worship in general, and "to fall" to be damned.

[27] In Hosea:

Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, they have made ³ for him altars for sinning (Hosea 8:11).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellect of the church, here the intellect perverted; "to multiply altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of falsities; and "to make altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of evils; for in the Word, "to multiply" is predicated of truths, and in a contrary sense of falsities, and "to make" is predicated of good, and in a contrary sense of evil; this is why the two are mentioned, and yet it is not a vain repetition.

[28] In the same:

Samaria is discomfited, her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters and the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle come up on their altars (Hosea 10:7-8).

"Samaria" signified the spiritual church, that is the church in which charity and faith make one; but after it became perverted "Samaria" signified the church in which charity is separated from faith, and in which faith is even declared to be the essential; therefore also it then signified the church in which there is no longer any truth, because there is no good, but in place of good the evil of life, and in place of truth the falsity of doctrine. This is here signified by "Samaria is discomfited;" the falsity of its doctrine is signified by "her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters," "king" signifying truth, and in a contrary sense, as here, falsity; "foam upon the faces of the waters" signifying what is empty and separated from truths, "waters" meaning truths; "the high places of Aven shall be destroyed" signifies the destruction of principles of falsity and of the reasonings therefrom of those who are in that worship, which viewed in itself is interiorly idolatrous; for those who are in the evil of life and the falsities of doctrine worship themselves and the world; "the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars" signifies that truth falsified and evil therefrom, shall be in all their worship, "altars" meaning all worship.

391h.

[29] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, that the horns of the altar may be hewn down and fall to the earth (Amos 3:14).

"To visit the transgressions of Israel upon him" signifies their last state, in the spiritual sense their state after death, when they are to be judged; it is said "to visit," instead of to judge, because visitation always precedes judgment; "the altars of Bethel" signify the worship from evil; "the horns of the altar" signify worship from falsities, thus these signify all things of worship; and that these are to be destroyed is signified by "the horns shall be hewn down and fall to the earth." It is said, "I will visit upon the altars of Bethel," because Jeroboam separated the Israelites from the Jews, and erected two altars, one in Bethel and the other in Dan; and as "Bethel" and "Dan" signify the ultimates in the church, and the ultimates in the man of the church are called natural-sensual things, or natural-worldly and corporeal, so these are signified by "Bethel," and "Dan," the ultimates of good by "Bethel," and the ultimates of truth by "Dan;" therefore these two altars signify worship in ultimates or in things most external, such as is the worship of those who separate charity from their faith, and acknowledge faith alone to be the means of salvation.

Such persons therefore, think of religion in the natural-sensual; consequently they neither understand nor desire to understand any of the things they say they believe, saying that the understanding must be under obedience to faith. Such as these were represented by the Israelites separated from the Jews, or by Samaria separated from Jerusalem, and the worship of such was represented by the altars in Bethel and Dan; such worship, insofar as it is separated from charity, is no worship, for in it the mouth speaks apart from the understanding and the will, that is, apart from the mind; apart from the understanding, because they say that men ought to believe even though they do not understand; and apart from the will because they put aside deeds or goods of charity.

[30] That such worship is no worship is signified by what is said in the first book of Kings:

When Jeroboam stood by the altar in Bethel, the man of God cried out to him that the altar should be rent, and the ashes poured out; and so it came to pass (1 Kings 12:26 the end; 1 Kings 13:1-6).

"The altar should be rent and the ashes poured out" signifies that there was no worship whatever. Faith separated from charity was then signified by "Samaria," because the Jewish kingdom signified the celestial church, that is, the church that is in the good of love, and the Israelitish kingdom signified the spiritual church which is in the truths from that good. This was signified by the Jewish and Israelitish kingdom while they were under one king, or while they were united; but when they were separated, the Israelitish kingdom signified truth separated from good, or what is the same, faith separated from charity. Moreover, worship is signified by "the altar," because it is signified by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices that were offered upon it, in many other passages too numerous to be cited. And because idolatrous worship was signified by "the altars of the nations," therefore it was commanded that they should be everywhere destroyed (See Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3; Judges 2:2).

[31] This makes clear that altars were in use among all the posterity of Eber, thus among all who were called Hebrews, who for the most part were in the land of Canaan and its immediate neighborhood; likewise in Syria, from which Abraham came. That there were altars in the land of Canaan and its neighborhood is evident from the altars mentioned there as destroyed:

That there were altars in Syria is evident from the account of those built by Balaam, who was from Syria (Numbers 23:1).

Also from the altar in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-15).

Also from the Egyptian abominating the Hebrews on account of their sacrifices (Exodus 8:26);

Even so that they were unwilling to eat bread with them (Genesis 43:32).

The reason of this was that to the Ancient Church, which was a representative church and extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, sacrifices were unknown, and when they were instituted by Eber it looked upon them as abominable, that is, that they should wish to appease God by the slaughter of different animals, thus by blood. Among those who were of the Ancient Church were also the Egyptians; but as they applied representatives to magic that church became extinct among them. They were unwilling to eat bread with the Hebrews, because at that time "dinners" and "suppers" represented and thus signified spiritual consociation, which is consociation and conjunction through those things that pertain to the church; and "bread" signified in general all spiritual food and thus "dining" and "supping" all conjunction.

[32] (That the Ancient Church extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, namely through Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia, even to Tyre and Zidon, through the land of Canaan, on both sides of the Jordan, see Arcana Coelestia 1238, 2385; that it was a representative church, n. 519, 521, 2896; respecting the church instituted by Eber, which was called the Hebrew Church, n. 1238, 1341, 1343, 4516, 4517. That sacrifices were first begun by Eber, and were afterwards in use among his posterity, n. 1128, 1343, 2180, 10042. That sacrifices were not commanded, but only permitted, shown from the Word; why they were said to have been commanded, n. 922, 2180, 2818; that it was necessary that altars and sacrifices should be mentioned, and that Divine worship should be signified by them, because the Word was written in that nation, and the historical Word treated of that nation, n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604)

Footnotes: