687. And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God upon their thrones.- That this signifies the higher heavens in light and power from the Lord to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment, which is shortly to come, is evident from the signification of the four and twenty elders, as denoting the higher heavens (concerning which see above, n. 322, 362, 462); and from the signification of sitting upon thrones, as denoting to be in the act of judging, for thrones signify the heavens, and sitting upon thrones signifies to judge. And because the angels of heaven do not judge, but the Lord alone, and since the Lord arranges those heavens by influx and presence in order to perform judgment therefrom upon those who have been gathered together below the heavens, therefore these words signify that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment.

[2] That this is the internal sense of these words is clear from what follows in this chapter, and also from what has been said above upon this subject. From the things that follow in this chapter it is plain that the higher heavens are in light and power from the Lord; this is the reason why they fell upon their faces and adored the Lord, and gave thanks that He had taken His great power and entered upon the kingdom, and why afterwards, the temple was opened in heaven, and the ark of the covenant was seen in the temple, this signifying the light there, and the former signifying the power there, from the Lord alone. It is also plain that it means to separate the evil from the good before the day of the Last Judgment, for it is said that "the nations were angered, and that Thine anger is come, and the time of judging the dead"; and afterwards, that there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail, which signifies the separation of the evil from the good, and the sign that the Last Judgment was at hand. Because these are the things treated of, and as the four and twenty elders sitting before God upon the thrones mean the higher heavens arranged for effecting therefrom the Last Judgment, it follows that such things are involved in these words.

[3] From what has been said above upon this subject it is clear that the higher heavens, before the Last Judgment, were brought into a state of light and power, in order that there might be influx from them into the lower parts, by means of which the evil might be separated from the good, and the evil afterwards cast down into the hells, as may be seen above (n. 411, 413, 418, 419, 426, 493, 497, 674, 675, 676).

[4] That a throne signifies in general heaven, and in particular the heavens where the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is, and in an abstract sense, the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and that this is said of judgment, may also be seen above (n. 253, 297, 343, 460, 482). It is also shewn there, that although it is said of the four and twenty elders that they sat upon thrones, and similarly of the apostles that they should sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, and also of the angels, that they will come with the Lord to judgment, yet it is the Lord alone who will judge. For the four and twenty elders, the twelve apostles, and the angels, mean all the truths of the church, and, briefly, the Divine Truth, from which judgment takes place. And because Divine Truth is meant by these, and all Divine Truth proceeds from the Lord, therefore judgment belongs to the Lord alone. Who cannot see that it would not be possible for any angel to judge myriads of myriads, every one according to the state of his love and faith, both in his internal man and in his external, but for the Lord alone, from the Divine which is in Him, and which proceeds from Him; also, that to judge all in the heavens, and all in the earths, belongs to infinite wisdom and infinite power, not the least part of which falls to finite beings such as angels are, and such as the elders of Israel, and the apostles of the Lord were? All of these taken together, could not judge even a single man or a single spirit. For he who is to judge must see all the states of the man who is to be judged, from infancy to the end of his life in the world, and the future state of his life afterwards to eternity; for in the entire purpose, and thence in each and every particular of judgment, there must be what is eternal and infinite, and this is in and from the Divine alone, for it is the Divine that is infinite and eternal.

[5] In the Word mention is made of walking before God, of standing before God, and, as here, of sitting before God; what standing before God signifies may be seen above (n. 414); and what by walking before God (n. 97). What sitting before God signifies, as here in reference to the four and twenty elders, is evident from the passages in the Word where to sit is mentioned. For in the spiritual world everything pertaining to man's movements or rest signifies things pertaining to his life, because they proceed therefrom. Walking and progressions relate to the movements of man, and consequently signify progress of life, or progress of the thought from a purpose of the will. But standing and sitting have reference to man's rest, and therefore signify the esse of life, from which is its existere, thus they signify causing to live. Therefore to sit upon thrones, in reference to judgment, signifies to be in the act of judging, thus also to judge; from this the expression "to sit in judgment" is used, which means to execute judgment. So "to sit upon a throne" in reference to a kingdom signifies to be king or to reign.

[6] What sitting moreover signifies, in the spiritual sense, is evident from the following passages.

In David:

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, and standeth not in the way of sinners, and sitteth not in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1).

Here it is said, to walk, to stand, and to sit, because these follow one another, for to walk pertains to the life of thought from intention, to stand pertains to the life of intention from the will, and to sit to the life of the will, thus to the esse of the life. Counsel also, of which to walk is said, regards the thought; way, in which one is said to stand, regards intention, while to sit in a seat refers to the will, which is the esse of a man's life.

[7] Since Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is the very esse of the life of all, therefore to sit is said of Him.

In David:

"Jehovah shall sit to eternity" (Psalm 9:7).

In the same:

"Jehovah sitteth at the flood, and sitteth as King to eternity" (Psalm 29:10).

In the same:

"God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness" (Psalm 47:8).

In Matthew:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (25:31).

To sit upon the throne of His glory signifies to be in His Divine Truth, from which is judgment. Similarly elsewhere in the same:

"When the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (19:28; Luke 22:30).

Since angels, also the twelve apostles, and the twelve tribes of Israel, signify all the truths of the church, and, in the highest sense, the Divine Truth, therefore to sit upon thrones does not mean that they themselves, but the Lord as to Divine Truth, from which is Judgment, will so sit; and to judge the twelve tribes of Israel signifies to judge all according to the truths of their church. It is therefore evident that to sit upon a throne, when said of the Lord, signifies to be in the act of judging, thus to judge. It is said a throne of glory, because glory signifies the Divine Truth, as may be seen above (n. 34, 288, 345, 678).

[8] In the Evangelists;

"David said in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet" (Luke 20:42, 43; Mark 12:36; Psalm 110:1).

The Lord said to my Lord, signifies the Divine itself, which is called the Father, to the Divine Human, which is the Son. Sit Thou at My right hand, signifies Divine Power, or Omnipotence by means of Divine Truth; until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet, signifies until the hells are conquered and subjugated, and the evil are cast into them, enemies meaning the hells, thus the evil, and the footstool of the feet signifies the lowest region under the heavens, under which are the hells; for the Lord, while in the world, was Divine Truth, to which belongs omnipotence, and by means of which He conquered and subjugated the hells.

[9] In the same:

"Jesus said, Henceforth shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61, 62; Luke 22:69).

To sit on the right hand of power signifies the Divine Omnipotence of the Lord over the heavens and over the earths, after He had subjugated the hells and glorified His Human. To come on the clouds of heaven signifies by means of Divine Truth in the heavens; for after the Lord had united His Human with the Divine itself, Divine Truth went forth from Him; and He Himself is therein with angels and with men, because He is in the Word, which is Divine Truth, in which and from which is the Divine Omnipotence.

[10] And again:

"The Lord, after he had spoken with them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19).

To sit down at the right hand of God has a similar signification, namely, His Divine Omnipotence by means of Divine Truth; from which it is clear that to sit denotes to be, and to sit at the right hand denotes to be omnipotent.

Because to sit signifies to be, therefore to sit upon a throne signifies to be king and to reign, as in Exodus 11:5; Deuteronomy 17:18; 1 Kings 1:13, 17, 20; Jeremiah 17:25; 22:2, 30; and elsewhere; similarly, "To sit on the right hand and on the left" (Matthew 20:21, 23; Mark 10:37, 40).

[11] In Isaiah:

"Come down and sit upon the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel, sit on the earth, there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans; sit in silence and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for they shall no more call thee mistress of kingdoms; hear this thou voluptuous one, that sittest carelessly, saying, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know bereavement" (47:1, 5, 8).

The subject treated of here is the profanation of good and truth; for the daughter of Babel signifies the profanation of good, and the daughter of the Chaldeans the profanation of truth; for the reason that the Divine goods and truths which are in the Word and from the Word, are used as the means of gaining dominion. For this reason the Babylonians and Chaldeans regard themselves, that is their own dominion, as ends, and the holy things of the church from the Word as means; thus they do not look to the Lord and His dominion as an end, nor to their neighbour and to love towards him. Come down and sit upon the dust and on the earth, signifies to be in evils, and in consequent damnation. Sit in silence and go into darkness, signifies to be in falsities, and in consequent damnation. To sit carelessly signifies to be in the confident belief that their dominion will continue, and that they will not perish. Not to sit as a widow, and not to know bereavement, signifies to be in no lack of followers, dependents, and worshippers. There is no throne for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans, they shall no more call thee mistress of kingdoms, signifies that such shall no longer have dominion because of their overthrow and damnation in the day of the Last Judgment, of which this chapter treats.

[12] In the same:

"Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, on the sides of the north" (14:13).

These things also are spoken of Babel, who is here called Lucifer, and of the lust of his profane love of ruling over all things of heaven; but what in particular is meant by exalting a throne above the stars of God, and by sitting on the mount of assembly and on the sides of the north, will be shown in the following pages when Babylon is treated of; here also to sit signifies to be, and has reference to dominion.

[13] In Ezekiel:

"All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones; they shall sit upon the earth" (26:16):

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church as to the knowledges of truth, but here the church vastated, in which these knowledges have been falsified; therefore by all the princes of the sea coming down from their thrones is signified that knowledges of truth shall no more reign in the men of that church, for all sovereignty belongs to Divine Truth. To come down from the thrones signifies from governing, thus not to rule; and the princes of the sea denote the knowledges of truth, and those who are in them. They shall sit upon the earth signifies that they will be in falsifications, thus in falsities; upon thrones signifies to be in the truths of heaven, and to sit upon the earth signifies to be in falsities, since under the lands (sub terris) in the spiritual world are the hells, from which evils and falsities are continually exhaling. The signification of sitting in the following passages is similar.

[14] In Luke:

"Who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (1:79).

In Isaiah:

"To open the blind eyes, to lead the bound out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house" (42:7)

In Jeremiah:

"I sat not in the council of mockers, and I rejoiced; I sat solitary because of thy hand, for thou hast filled me with indignation" (15:17).

In David:

"I have not sat with men of vanity, nor have I gone in with the hidden" (Psalm 26:4).

In Luke:

That day "shall come as a snare upon all who sit upon the faces of the whole earth" (21:35).

Since to sit signifies to be and also to abide in one state, and pertains to the will, it is therefore said in David,

"Jehovah, thou hast searched me and known me; thou knowest my sitting and my rising, thou understandest my thought afar off" (Psalm 139:1, 2).

To know his sitting has reference to the esse of life which is the will; rising, has reference to the intention therefrom; and because thought follows from the intention of the will, it is added, "Thou understandest my thought afar off."

[15] In Micah:

"Then shall he stand and feed in the name of Jehovah, and they shall sit, for now shall he increase unto the ends of the earth" (5:4).

This is said of the Lord and of the doctrine of Divine Truth from Him, which is meant by then shall he stand and feed in the name of Jehovah; and that the men of the church will be in that doctrine is signified by they shall sit; and that the doctrine of Divine Truth will endure to eternity is signified by he shall increase unto the ends of the earth.

[16] Similarly in Isaiah:

"Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit, O Jerusalem, loose the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion" (52:2).

This is said of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that church, together with its doctrine, is here signified by Jerusalem, and by the daughter of Zion; to reject falsities and evils and to be in truths and goods is signified by shaking herself from the dust, arising and sitting, also by loose the bands of the neck, O captive daughter of Zion, bands of the neck signifying falsities, that prevent the entrance of truths.

[17] That to sit is an expression significative of the existence and permanence of the state of an object and of life, is evident from those passages in the Word where the expressions to sit before Jehovah, to stand before Him, and to walk before Him, occur. To sit before Jehovah denotes to be with Him, thus also to will and to act from Him; and to stand before Him denotes to have regard for and to understand what He wills; while to walk before Him denotes to live according to His precepts, thus from Him. Because to sit involves such things, therefore the corresponding Hebrew word signifies to remain and to dwell. Because to sit has this signification, therefore an angel of the Lord was seen sitting upon the stone, which he had rolled away from the entrance to the tomb (Matthew 28:2); and also angels were seen in the tomb, sitting one at the head, and the other at the feet (John 20:12; Mark 16:5). The things that were seen were representative of the Lord's glorification and of introduction into heaven by Him; for the stone which was placed before the sepulchre, and was rolled away by the angel, signifies Divine Truth, consequently the Word, which was closed by the Jews, but opened by the Lord. That stone signifies truth, and, in the highest sense, Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 417) and in Heaven and Hell 534:3). And because a sepulchre and pre-eminently the sepulchre where the Lord was, signifies, in the spiritual sense, resurrection and also regeneration, and angels in the Word signify Divine Truth, therefore angels were seen, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet, the angel at the head signifying Divine Truth in primaries, and the angel at the feet Divine Truth in ultimates, both proceeding from the Lord, by means of which, when received, regeneration takes place, and there is a resurrection. That to be buried, burial and a sepulchre, signify regeneration and resurrection, may be seen above (n. 659); and that angels, in the highest sense, signify the Lord as to Divine Truth, and in the relative sense the recipients of Divine Truth, and thus, abstractly, Divine truths from the Lord (n. 130, 200, 302). Moreover it is also said that "they sat before Jehovah" when they were in great joy; they were also said to sit when in great sorrow, the reason being that sitting has reference to the esse of man, which pertains to his will and love. That they wept and sat before may be seen in Judges (20:26; 21:2),

659. And shall not suffer [their bodies] to be put in sepulchres.- That this signifies their rejection and damnation is evident from the signification of not being put in sepulchres, or of not being buried, as denoting eternal damnation. For "to be buried," in the Word, signifies awakening unto life and resurrection, since when a man dies and is buried, he then awakens or arises again into life eternal. For man lives after death equally as in the world, but he lays down the earthly or material body, which served him for use in the natural world, and continues his life in a spiritual body. Therefore burial is only a casting off as it were of the covering which he bore about in the natural world. The reason why burial signifies awakening unto life eternal, or resurrection, is, because the angels do not know what the death of man is, nor consequently what his burial is, since there is neither death nor burial with them, and yet they perceive all things spiritually; when therefore the death of man is mentioned in the Word, instead of death they perceive his departure from one world into another, and when burial is mentioned, they perceive his resurrection into life. It follows consequently that "not to be buried" signifies resurrection, not unto life, but unto damnation, by which is meant spiritual death. Every man, indeed, after his departure out of the world, is awakened and rises again, but some to life and some to damnation; and because to be buried signifies resurrection to life, therefore not to be buried signifies damnation, but, in this case, of those who reject the goods of love and truths of doctrine, which are signified by the two witnesses, therefore not being put in sepulchres, or not being buried, does not mean damnation except in the idea of those only who condemn such things. What is signified therefore by sepulchres, in the Word, also by being buried and not being buried, is evident from the following passages.

[2] That sepulchres signify unclean things, consequently also infernal things, because of the carcases and bones which are in them, is evident from many passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

"A people that provoke me to anger before my faces continually, that burn incense upon bricks, that sit in sepulchres, and pass the night in waste places, that eat the flesh of swine" (65:3, 4).

To provoke Jehovah to anger before His faces signifies to sin against the truths and goods of the Word, and to depart from the worship therein commanded, the faces of Jehovah denoting the things revealed in the Word. To burn incense upon bricks signifies worship from falsities of doctrine, bricks denoting falsities of doctrine, and to burn incense denoting worship from them. To sit in sepulchres signifies to be in filthy loves; to pass the night in waste places signifies to remain and live in falsities, waste places denoting where there are no truths; to eat the flesh of swine signifies to make infernal evils one's own.

[3] In Moses:

"Whosoever shall have touched one upon the surface of a field, that is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or the bone of a man, or a sepulchre, shall be unclean seven days," and afterwards he shall be purified (Numbers 19:16, 18).

To touch signifies, in the Word, to communicate. Therefore lest falsities and evils should be communicated, and thus appropriated, it was forbidden to touch unclean things, as in this case, one slain with a sword, a dead body, the bone of a man, and a sepulchre. For one slain with a sword signifies one who has perished by falsities, and who has consequently been condemned to hell. A dead body signifies one who has perished by evils, the bone of a man signifies infernal falsity, and sepulchre, infernal evil.

[4] In Ezekiel:

"Wail over the multitude of Egypt and cause her to descend with them that go down into the pit; they shall fall in the midst of them that are slain with the sword; Asshur is there and all his company, his sepulchres are round about him, all the slain who fell by the sword to whom sepulchres were given in the sides of the pit, and his company is round about his sepulchres; Elam and all his multitude is round about his sepulchres, all the uncircumcised slain with the sword" (32:18, 20, 22, 24).

The multitude of Egypt signifies the scientifics of the natural man, which are dead, because they do not descend and take form as effects, conclusions, and confirmations, from the truths of the spiritual man; Asshur signifies reasonings from such scientifics. Therefore by, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cause her to descend with them that go down into the pit, is signified grief on account of the damnation of those who are in these things, the pit denoting the hell where such dead scientifics reign, that is, scientifics separated from truths, because applied to confirm falsities of doctrine and evils of life. Those slain with the sword signify, here as above, those who are condemned to hell on account of falsities. Asshur is there and all his company signifies reasonings from those falsities. The sepulchres which are round about Asshur and in the sides of the pit, where Elam is, and all the uncircumcised slain with the sword, signify the hells where those falsities are, that is, those who are in such falsities.

[5] It is to be noted that falsities and evils of every kind correspond to unclean and loathsome things in the natural world, and the more direful falsities and evils to cadaverous and also fetid excrementitious matter, and falsities and evils of a milder kind to marshy places; consequently the dwellings in the hells of those who are in such falsities and evils appear like pits and sepulchres. And, if you are disposed to believe it, such evil genii and spirits also dwell in the sepulchres, privies, and marshes that are in our world, although they are ignorant of the fact, the reason being, that they correspond, and things that correspond are joined together. The same may be concluded also from this fact that nothing is more delightful than the smell of a corpse to those who have been assassins and poisoners, also to those who have taken delight in violating women; and there is also nothing more delightful than the smell of excrement to those who have been filled with the love of commanding, also to those who have taken delight in adulteries and no delight in marriages. And there is nothing more delightful than a marshy, and also a urinous vapour to those who have confirmed themselves in falsities, and have extinguished in themselves the affection for truth. This is why the hells, in which they are, have an appearance in agreement with the correspondent delights, some as pits, and some as sepulchres.

[6] It is evident also from these considerations why it was that those who were possessed by demons were in the sepulchres and came out therefrom (Matthew 8:28, and following verses; Mark 5:2, 3, 5; Luke 8:27), namely, because those who were possessed were, while they lived in the world, in falsities from evil, or in knowledges from the Word, which they rendered dead by applying them to confirm evils, and to destroy the genuine truths of the church, especially the truths concerning the Lord, the Word, and a life after death, which dead knowledges are called, in the Word, traditions. It was for this reason that those who were possessed by such as had become demons, were in the sepulchres, and the demons themselves were afterwards cast out into the swine which cast themselves headlong into the sea (Matthew 8:31-33). They were cast into swine, because they had lived in the world in sordid avarice, for such avarice corresponds to swine and thence signifies them; the reason why these cast themselves headlong into the sea, was, because the sea there signifies hell.

[7] In David:

"I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am become as a man that has no strength. I am among the dead, neglected, as the slain that lie in the sepulchre, whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand; thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower [parts] in darkness, in the depths. Shall thy mercy be declared in the sepulchre, thy truth in destruction?" (Psalm 88:4-6, 11).

The subject there treated of is temptations, in the highest sense the temptations of the Lord; this describes what these were, namely, that He seemed to Himself to be as it were in hell among the damned, so fierce and great were the temptations which the Lord sustained; therefore "I am counted with them that go down into the pit" signifies that He seemed to Himself to be as it were in hell, the pit denoting hell. I am become as a man that hath no strength, signifies that He then seemed to Himself to be as it were without power, for temptations plunge a man into evils and falsities, in which there is no power. Amongst the dead, neglected, signifies among those in whom there is nothing of truth and good, and who are therefore cast away; as the slain that lie in the sepulchre, signifies as those who are in falsities from evil, the slain denoting those who perish by falsities, and the sepulchre denoting hell because those who are in hell are spiritually dead; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand, signifies who are deprived of all truth and good. Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower [parts], signifies in the places of hell where such are; in darkness signifies as it were in falsities; in the depths signifies as it were in evils.

[8] A prayer arising from grief then follows, that He may be delivered from temptations; and for this among other reasons, "Shall thy mercy be declared in the sepulchre, and thy truth in destruction?" which signifies that in hell, where and from which evils and falsities are, Divine Good and Divine Truth cannot be proclaimed, mercy denoting the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and truth the Divine Truth of the Divine Wisdom; the sepulchre denotes the hell where and from which evils are, and destruction denotes the hell where and from which falsities are. From these things it is also evident that by sepulchre is meant hell, especially from this, that those who are in hell are spiritually dead.

[9] In Isaiah:

"That he might give the impious to their sepulchre, and the rich in their deaths" (53:9).

This is also said of the Lord, of whom the whole chapter treats; here concerning His victory over the hells. The impious whom He would give to the sepulchre mean the evil who will be cast down into hell; here a sepulchre plainly denotes hell, which is called a sepulchre from those in it who are spiritually dead. The rich whom He would give in their deaths mean those of the church who are in falsities from evil, who are called rich from the knowledges of truth and good which they possess from the Word; falsities from evil are signified by deaths, because they who are in them are spiritually dead.

[10] Those who think evil about God and the neighbour, and yet speak well, and those who think insanely about the truths of faith and the goods of love but speak sanely, are inwardly sepulchres whited without, according to these words of the Lord:

"Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27, 29; Luke 11:47, 48).

[11] In David:

"There is no rectitude in the mouth of anyone, their midst is destruction; their throat is an open sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue" (Psalm 5:9).

In the mouth signifies outwardly, and the midst inwardly. That inwardly there is hell is signified by, their throat is an open sepulchre; and that outwardly there is hypocrisy, and apparent sanity is signified by, they flatter with their tongue. From these and other passages in the Word it is evident what is signified by sepulchre.

[12] When therefore those who are in falsities from evil are treated of, then by their sepulchre is meant the hell from which and in which that falsity is; but when those who are in truths from good are treated of, then by sepulchre is meant the removal and rejection of falsity from evil, and by burial is meant awakening and resurrection into life, also regeneration. For with man who is in truths from good falsity from evil is removed and cast out into hell, and the man himself, as to his interiors, which belong to his spirit, rises again, and enters into the life of truth from good, which is spiritual life. In this sense burial is meant in the following passages.

[13] In John:

"Marvel not, for the hour cometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and shall come forth; they that have done good [things] unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil [things] unto the resurrection of judgment" (5:28, 29).

This does not mean that those who are in the sepulchres or tombs shall hear the voice of the Lord and come forth, since all after death equally as in the world live as men, with this difference only, that after death they live in a spiritual and not in a material body. Therefore by going forth out of the tombs is signified out of the material body, and this happens first with every one immediately after death, and afterwards when a last judgment takes place, for then the exteriors are removed and the interiors are opened in all those with whom this had not previously been. Those whose interiors are heavenly rise unto life, but those whose interiors are infernal rise unto death, this is signified by, those who have done good [things] shall go forth unto the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil [things] unto the resurrection of judgment.

[14] That this is meant by going forth out of the tombs or sepulchres is still more evident in Ezekiel:

"Behold I will open your sepulchres, and cause you to come up out of your sepulchres, O my people, and bring you upon the land of Israel, that ye may know that I am Jehovah, when I shall have opened your sepulchres, and have caused you to come up out of your sepulchres, O my people, and shall have put my spirit in you that ye may live, and have placed you upon your own land" (37:12-14).

The subject here treated of is the dry bones seen by the prophet upon the faces of the valley, upon which sinews appeared to be stretched, and flesh came upon them, and they were covered with skin; and when the spirit of God was sent into them, they lived again and stood upon their feet. That those bones mean the whole house of Israel, is plainly declared in these words: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel, behold they say, Our bones are dried up, our hope is perished; as for us we are cut off" (verse 11). The house of Israel is likened to dry bones, because they were in falsities and evils, which have no life, because of their non-correspondence with heaven as to sinews, flesh, and skin; for bones signify truths in the ultimate of order, upon which spiritual truths are based, but dry bones signify falsities from evil. It is therefore evident that by opening the sepulchres, and causing the people to come up out of the sepulchres, is signified to raise up out of falsities from evil, thus from the dead, and to impart truths from good, thus life, and this life is the spirit of God from which they lived again. This then is the meaning of causing the people to come up out of the sepulchres; the church to be formed out of these is signified by the land of Israel, upon which they shall be brought, and upon which they shall be placed.

[15] It is recorded in Matthew, that after the passion of the Lord the tombs were opened, and many bodies of those that slept came out of their tombs, went into the holy city, and appeared to many (27:52, 53). The tombs being opened, and many bodies of them that slept appearing, has a similar signification to that which is stated above in Ezekiel, where it is said that Jehovah would open the sepulchres, and cause them to come up out of the sepulchres, namely, the regeneration of the faithful and their resurrection unto life; not that the bodies themselves, which lay in the tombs, rose again, but that there was the appearance of this (apparuerunt) in order that both regeneration and resurrection unto life from the Lord might be signified. Moreover, these same words mean those who are said in the Word "to be bound in the pit," whom the Lord liberated after He had finished the whole work of redemption. For many of the faithful could not be saved until the Lord had come into the world and subjugated the hells; in the meantime they were detained in places which are called pits, even up to the coming of the Lord, and they were liberated by the Lord immediately after His coming. These pits were also represented by the tombs that were opened, and those who were therein by "those that slept," who after the Lord's resurrection, as it is said, "appeared to many in the holy city;" the holy city was Zion and Jerusalem, but by these is meant heaven, whither they were raised up by the Lord, for both Zion and Jerusalem were rather profane than holy.

[16] From these things it is evident what that miracle and that appearance represented and signified. Since the land of Canaan not only signified the church, but also heaven, and since burial signified resurrection unto life, therefore Abraham bought of Ephron a field in which was the cave of Machpelah which was before Mamre (Gen. 23), and there Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with their wives, were buried (Genesis 23, 25:9, 10; 35:29; 49:1). The particulars related concerning that cave, namely, that it was in the field of Ephron, which was before Mamre, and so on, signified resurrection unto life, as may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia. On this account also, Joseph commanded that his bones should be brought up into the land of Canaan (Genesis 50:24-26), and this was done (Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32); and for the reason that the land of Canaan as has been said, signified the heavenly Canaan, which is heaven. Because of the representation of resurrection into heaven by burial, also David and the kings after him were buried in Zion (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43; 14:17, 18; 15:8, 24; 22:50; 2 Kings 8:24; 12:21; 14:20; 15:7, 38; 16:20). The reason of this was, that Zion signified the celestial church and heaven, where the Lord is.

[17] That burial signifies resurrection is also evident from this fact, that it is frequently said that the dead "have been gathered to their fathers" and "to their people." "To their fathers," in Genesis:

Jehovah said unto Abraham, "Thou shalt come to thy fathers in peace, and shall be buried in a good old age" (15:15);

and in the Second Book of Kings:

Jehovah said of Josiah, king of Judah, "Behold I gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy sepulchre in peace" (22:20).

And "to [their] people," in Genesis:

"Abraham expired and died in a good old age, an old man and full [of days], and was gathered to his people" (25:8).

And in another place:

"Isaac expired and died, and was gathered to his people an old man and full of days" (Genesis 35:29);

and again:

"Jacob expired, and was gathered to his people" (49:33).

To their fathers and to their people denote to their own, that is, to their like in the other life, for every one after death comes to his like, with whom he will live for ever. It cannot mean to be gathered to their fathers, and to their people in the sepulchre, for it is also said concerning Abraham, that he should be gathered to his fathers, and that he was gathered to his people, when he died, and was buried in a new tomb, where none of his fathers, or of his people, except Sarah his wife, was buried before.

[18] In Job:

"Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle is peace, and thy children as the herb of the land; thou shalt come in old age unto the sepulchre, as the coming up of a shock of corn (acervi) in its season" (5:24-26).

A Tabernacle, in the Word, signifies what is holy in worship and the good of love, because Divine worship, in the most ancient times, was celebrated in tabernacles, and because their worship was from the good of celestial love, therefore a tabernacle also signifies that good. Since genuine peace pertains to celestial good, therefore it is said, "Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle is peace." The truths from that good and their increments are signified by the children who shall be as the herb of the land; for sons and children, and also the herb of the land, signify truths from good. That after a man is imbued with wisdom he will come into heaven is signified by, thou shalt come in old age into the sepulchre, old age denoting wisdom, and to come into the sepulchre, or to be buried, denoting resurrection; because this is meant it is therefore said, "as the coming up of a shock of corn in its season."

[19] From these few instances it is evident that sepulchres, because of the dead carcases and the bones therein, signify infernal things, but that burial signifies the rejection of these, and therefore resurrection. For when man casts aside or puts off his material body, he then puts on a spiritual body, with which he rises again; consequently the death of a man, in the spiritual sense, signifies the continuation of his life, although in a bad sense it signifies damnation, which is spiritual death. Since burial, in regard to man, signifies resurrection, and also regeneration, therefore burial, in regard to the Lord, signifies the glorification of His Human. For the Lord glorified, that is, made Divine, His whole Human, therefore He rose again on the third day with the Human glorified, that is, made Divine. Unless this had been accomplished, no man could have risen again to life. For man has resurrection to life solely from the Lord, and indeed from the fact that He united the Divine with His Human; from this union which is properly meant by glorification, man has salvation. This also is involved in what the Lord said concerning the woman who poured balsamic ointment upon His head, that she did it unto His burial (Matthew 26:7, 12; Mark 14:8; John 12:7); for anointing signifies that glorification; and because man from it has salvation, therefore He said concerning that woman,

"Verily, I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this [woman] hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" (Matthew 26:13).

This was also represented by the man that was cast into the sepulchre of Elisha reviving when he touched his bones (2 Kings 13:20, 21), for Elisha represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, which constitutes the life of heaven, into which man is raised up.

[20] Since to be buried and burial signify both resuscitation into life, and regeneration; therefore not to be buried, and to be dragged out of the tombs, signify neither resurrection to heaven nor regeneration, but resurrection to hell, and consequently damnation; as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Thou art cast out of thy sepulchre as an abominable branch, the raiment of the slain thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot; thou shalt not be united with them in the sepulchre, for thou has destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people, the seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever" (14:19, 20).

This is said concerning the king of Babel, who signifies the profanation of Divine Truth. Therefore, thou art cast out of thy sepulchre, signifies condemned to hell. As an abominable branch, the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, signifies the falsification of truth and its profanation, an abominable branch denoting truth falsified, and the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, denoting truth adulterated and altogether destroyed by direful falsities. Who go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot, signifies to the hell where the falsities of evil are, a carcase trodden under foot denoting an infernal spirit, in whom everything is spiritually dead, because good has been altogether destroyed. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, signifies no consociation with those who have risen again to life; for to be in the sepulchre, or to be buried, signifies that resurrection; and on the other hand to be cast out of the sepulchre signifies damnation. Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people, signifies that the church and those therein who were in truths from good has been destroyed by the falsities of evil. The seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever signifies eternal severance and separation.

[21] In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah hath said concerning the sons and concerning the daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who shall bare them, and concerning their fathers who shall beget them in this land; they shall die of grievous deaths, so that they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, they shall be consumed by the sword, or by famine, that their carcase may be for food to the birds of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth" (16:3, 4).

These things are said of the church vastated as to all good and truth. Sons and daughters, and mothers and fathers, in the spiritual sense, do not mean sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, but the truths and goods of the church, both exterior and interior; sons and daughters denote truths and goods exterior, mothers and fathers truths and goods interior, which are called mothers and fathers because they beget and bring forth the exterior. They shall die of grievous deaths, so that they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried, signifies condemnation to hell on account of direful falsities. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies infernal filth which is the evil that defiles the good and truth of the church. To be consumed by sword or famine, signifies to be destroyed by falsities and evils. That their carcase may be for food to the birds of the heavens and to the beast of the earth, signifies to be consumed and to be yet further consumed by the desires of the love for evil and falsity.

[22] In the same:

"A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth, for Jehovah hath a controversy against the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh, he will give up the wicked to the sword; the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end of the earth, they shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried; they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth" (Jeremiah 25:31-33).

By these words is described the devastation of the church at its end when a last judgment takes place. The tumult even to the end of the earth, because Jehovah hath a controversy against the nations, signifies the dismay of all those who are of the church when they are visited and their evils are disclosed, the earth denoting the church, the nations, those who are in evils, and abstractedly, evils and the controversy of Jehovah against them denoting visitation and disclosure. He will enter into judgment with all flesh, signifies the universal judgment which takes place at the end of the church; He will give up the wicked to the sword, signifies that the unfaithful will perish by their own falsities. The slain of Jehovah in that day shall be from the end of the earth unto the end of the earth, signifies those who perish by falsities of every kind, the slain of Jehovah denoting those who perish by falsities, and from the end of the earth to the end of the earth denoting from primaries to the ultimates of the church, consequently falsities of every kind. They shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried, signifies that there will be no longer any restoration and salvation, but condemnation, lamentation signifying grief because such is the state of man, and no lamentation signifying no grief, because man is such as to admit of no restoration. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies merely falsity and evil, without any reception of life from heaven; for if man does not receive life by means of the truths of faith and goods of charity, he is merely dead, being in mere falsities of evil and evils of falsity, which are "a carcase and dung upon the faces of the earth."

[23] In the same:

Against the prophets who prophesy a lie in the name of Jehovah: "The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast away in the streets of Jerusalem; because of famine and the sword, there shall be none to bury them, themselves, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters" (Jerem.14:15, 16).

Here not to be buried denotes not to rise again to life, but to damnation; the rest may be seen explained above (652:34).

In the same:

"At that time they shall bring the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of the princes thereof, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their sepulchres, and shall spread them out to the sun, and to the moon, and to all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and which they have gone after, and which they have sought, and to which they have bowed themselves down; they shall not be gathered, nor buried, they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth" (8:1, 2).

By bringing out the bones from the sepulchres is signified to separate from the peoples, that is, to cast out from communion with those who are in heaven, among the damned without, as is the case when the evil enter the societies of the good, and are cast out afterwards, when discovered. For concerning those who are buried it is said that they are gathered to their peoples, as above concerning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, therefore to be brought out of the sepulchre denotes to be cast out from them. All those who are of the church, also all things pertaining to the church, are signified by the kings, princes, priests, prophets, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; kings signifying the truths of the church themselves in their whole extent; princes, principal truths; priests, the goods of doctrine; prophets, the truths of doctrine; and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all things of the church depending thereon;

[24] here, by their bones, which are to be brought out, are signified falsities and evils, which have nothing in common with truths and goods. To spread them out to the sun, to the moon, and to all the host of the heavens, signifies to give them up to devilish loves, and thence to evils and falsities which are from hell. For the sun signifies love in both senses, the moon faith from that love, in both senses, and the host of the heavens, falsities and evils of every kind. Hence therefore to spread out the bones to these, means to give them over wholly to such things, in order that they may be nothing but loves and desires of evil and falsity. Which they have loved, which they have served, which they have gone after, which they have sought, and to which they have bowed themselves down, signifies exterior and interior affection and proneness for such things and worship therefrom. They shall not be gathered, nor buried, signifies that they shall never return to the societies of heaven, but will remain with those who are in hell. They shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth, signifies what is dead and unclean such as is cast out and trodden under foot. It is evident from these things what is signified by Josiah the king taking the bones out of the sepulchres and burning them upon the altar (2 Kings 23:16); by Jezebel being eaten by the dogs in the field, and none to bury her (2 Kings 9:10); and by Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, being buried with the burial of an ass, taken out, and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 22:19).

[25] The signification of being buried in Tophet, and in the valley of Hinnom, in Jeremiah, is similar:

"Behold the days come in which it shall no more be called Tophet, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter; and they shall bury in Tophet till there is no room, and the carcase of this people shall be for food to the bird of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and none shall frighten them away" (7:32, 33).

And in the same:

"I will break this people and this city as the vessel of a potter is broken, which cannot be repaired any more, and they shall bury in Tophet, because there will be no place to bury, and I will make this city as Tophet" (19:11, 12).

Tophet and the valley of Hinnom signified the hells, Tophet, the hell at the back, which is called the devil, and the valley of Hinnom, the hell in front, which is called Satan, since all the places in the city of Jerusalem, and outside of it, corresponded to places in the spiritual world, for there the dwelling places are according to Divine order. In the midst are those who are in the greatest light or wisdom; in the borders, those who are in the least; to the east and west, those who are in love; to the south and north, those who are in intelligence. Such is the arrangement of the whole heaven, so also in every society there, in every city, and in every house, and this because the lesser forms in the heavens are all according to the likeness of the greatest form. And since Jerusalem signified heaven and the church as to doctrine, therefore also the places there were representative according to their quarters and their distances from the temple and from Zion; consequently Tophet and the valley of Hinnom, being most unclean places and wickedly idolatrous, represented and thence signified the hells. The signification of burying in Tophet, and in the valley of Hinnom, is evident from these things.