340. And blessing. That this signifies acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord on account of those things, and thanksgiving that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them, is clear from the signification of blessing when it is said concerning the Lord, as denoting acknowledgment, here the acknowledgment that to Him belong Omnipotence, Omniscience, Providence, Divine good, and Divine truth, these being signified by His being worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, honour, and glory, and also glorification on that account. Moreover, blessing, when said of the Lord, signifies thanksgiving that from Him is all the good of love and the truth of faith, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. Because acknowledgment and glorification on account of those things, and also thanksgiving, are here signified by blessing, therefore, it is said, in the last place or as a fitting end, by those angels who glorified the Lord. Those things are signified by blessing when said of the Lord, because nothing is a blessing but what is given by the Lord, for that alone is blessed, because it is Divine and eternal, and contains in itself heaven and eternal happiness; all other things, which have not in themselves what is Divine and eternal, are not a blessing, although they may be so called (see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 269, 270).

[2] That blessing, when it is mentioned in the Word, signifies such things, is evident from the passages there understood in the internal sense. But first some passages shall be adduced, in which blessed and blessing are spoken of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, and where it is said, blessed be God, in order that it may be seen that these signify acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. In Luke:

"The mouth" of Zacharias "was opened and he spake, blessing God." And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and made redemption for his people" (1:64, 67, 68).

Zacharias said this when, filled with the Spirit, he prophesied concerning the Lord; and by blessing God, and by, "blessed be the Lord God of Israel," are signified glorification and thanksgiving that He delivers and frees from hell those who receive Him. It is, therefore, also said, "for he hath visited and made redemption for his people Israel." By redemption is signified liberation from hell, and by His people are signified those who are in truths from good, thus those who receive Him. That by redemption is signified liberation and deliverance from hell, may be seen above, n. 328; and that by people are signified those who are in truths from good, may be seen above, n. 331.

[3] In the same:

Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms, "and blessed God; and said, Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples" (2:28-31).

Here, to bless God manifestly means, to glorify and give thanks that the Lord came into the world to save all who receive Him; therefore he calls the Lord the salvation which his eyes saw, which is prepared for all people. They are called His people who are in truths from good, thus who thereby receive Him, as was said above.

[4] In David:

"They have seen thy goings, O God. The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation" (Psalms 68:24-26).

To bless God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation, signifies to glorify the Lord from spiritual truths, which are truths from good. By congregations in the Word are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in spiritual truths, and, abstractedly, those truths themselves; and by the fountain of salvation is signified spiritual good, because thereby is salvation. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and spiritual truth is the truth of faith from that good. (That congregations in the Word are predicated of spiritual truths, may be seen, n. 6355, 7843.) Because by blessing in the congregations is signified glorification from spiritual truths, and by blessing from the fountain of salvation is signified [glorification] from spiritual good, therefore God is said of the former, and Lord of the latter; for God is mentioned in the Word, where truths are treated of, and Jehovah and Lord, where good is treated of. That glorification is meant by blessing, is clear from what immediately follows after these words, "The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels," by which glorification is signified from spiritual truths and goods (as may be seen above, n. 323, 326).

[5] In the same:

"O sing unto Jehovah a new song; sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day. Recount his glory among the nations" (Psalms 96:1-3).

That to bless Jehovah here denotes to glorify Him, and to give thanks unto Him, is plain; and because all glorification of Him is from spiritual truths and from spiritual good, therefore, it is said, "bless his name, proclaim his salvation from day to day"; name also is said of truths, and salvation of good. To sing a song signifies to glorify from those truths and from that good, as may be seen above, n. 323, 326.

[6] In Moses:

Jehovah chose the sons of Levi, "to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 10:8; 21:5).

Because the sons of Levi were appointed for Divine worship, and all Divine worship takes place from spiritual good and the truths thence, therefore, it is said that Jehovah chose them "to minister unto him, and to bless in his name"; and by ministering is signified worship from spiritual good, and by blessing is signified worship from spiritual truths. That to minister is said of worship from good, may be seen above, n. 155.

[7] In David:

"O Jehovah, thou hast prevented the King with the blessings of good; thou hast set a crown of pure gold on his head. Thou layest glory and honour upon him. For thou placest upon him blessings for ever" (Psalms 21:1, 3, 5, 6).

By the King here is not meant David, but the Lord, who is called King from the Divine Spiritual which proceeds from His Divine Human. And because blessing signifies acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are from Him, it is hence plain what is signified by, "Thou hast prevented the King with the blessings of good," and by, "thou placest upon him blessings for ever." Blessings of good signify truths from good; a crown of pure gold signifies the good from which these are; honour and glory signify the Divine good and the Divine truth. (That by David in the Word is meant the Lord, may be seen above, n. 205, similarly by king, in the Psalms, n. 31; that by the crown of kings is signified the Divine good, n. 272, similarly by gold, n. 242; and that by honour and glory are signified the Divine good and the Divine truth, n. 288.)

[8] From these considerations it is evident what blessed signifies when said of the Lord, as in the following passages:

The disciples cried with a great voice, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Luke 19:37, 38).

The multitude cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9, 10; John 12:12, 13).

Jesus said, "Ye shall not see me henceforth, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23:38, 39; Luke 13:35).

"The High Priest asked Jesus, Art thou then the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" (Mark 14:61).

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, signifies glorified, because from Him are all Divine truth and Divine good. The name of the Lord signifies everything by which He is worshipped; and because all that has reference to the good of love and to the truth of faith, therefore, these things are signified by the name of the Lord. (That the Lord's name signifies everything by which He is worshipped, may be seen above (n. 102, 135, 148, 224); and that the Lord is called Lord from the Divine Good, in the Arcana Coelestia 4973, 9167, 9194).)

[9] In Moses:

Melchizedek blessed Abram, and said, "Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand" (Genesis 14:18-20).

Here it is said, "Blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand," and it signifies that glorification and thanksgiving are His on that account. Those, therefore, who receive Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord, are called

"Blessed" (Psalms 37:22; 115:15; Matthew 25:34).

[10] That by blessing when said of man, is meant nothing else but the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, because in them are heaven and eternal happiness, is evident from the following passages:

In David:

"The clean in hands and the pure in heart shall bear the blessing from before Jehovah, and justice from the God of our salvation" (Psalms 24:4, 5).

He that is clean in hands signifies those who are in truths from faith, and the pure in heart those who are in good from love; concerning such it is said that they shall bear the blessing from before Jehovah, and justice from the God of salvation, and by bearing the blessing is signified the reception of Divine truth and by bearing justice the reception of Divine good. That justice is predicated of good, may be seen above, n. 204; and in the Arcana Coelestia 2235, 9857.

[11] In Moses:

"Thus shall ye bless the sons of Israel, Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee, and give thee peace. Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel; and I will bless them" (Num. 6:23-27).

From these words unfolded by the internal sense it is evident what blessing involves in summary; namely, that Jehovah, that is, the Lord from the Divine love, flows in with Divine truth and with Divine good with those who receive Him. The Divine love, from which the Lord flows in, is meant by the faces of Jehovah; the Divine truth, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee"; and the Divine good, with which He flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee"; protection from evils and falsities, which otherwise would take away the influx, is meant by, "keep thee and be gracious unto thee"; heaven and eternal happiness, which the Lord gives by His Divine truth and His Divine good, are meant by, give thee peace; communication and conjunction with those who receive Him, are meant by, "Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel," the name of Jehovah signifying the Divine proceeding which, in general, is called Divine truth and Divine good, and the sons of Israel signifying those who are of the church, thus who receive [the Lord], concerning whom it is therefore said, and "I will bless them." That this is the internal or spiritual sense of these words is evident from this fact, that by the faces of Jehovah is signified the Divine love, by making them to shine is signified the influx of Divine truth, and by lifting them up the influx of Divine good; that these things may be better understood it shall be explained whence these significations arise. The Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, for it is His Divine love which thus appears; this, therefore, is meant by the face of Jehovah; the light which thence proceeds is the Divine truth, this therefore is what is meant by making His faces to shine; the heat also which thence proceeds is the Divine good, this therefore is what is meant by lifting up His faces, for by lifting up is signified to reveal Himself, which is effected from the Divine good by means of the Divine truth. (That the Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, and that such appearance is that of His Divine love, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that the light thence is the Divine truth, also that the heat thence is the Divine good, n. 126-140. That peace signifies the celestial delight which inmostly affects every good with blessedness, and that it thence signifies heaven and eternal happiness, may be seen in the same work, n. 284-290; and that the sons of Israel signify those who belong to the church, consequently, the church, in the Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8805, 9340.)

[12] In Ezekiel:

"I will give them the circuits of my hill [as] a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its time, there shall be rams of blessing; then the tree shall give its fruit, the earth shall give its produce" (34:26, 27).

He who sees the Word merely in its natural sense, believes that such things only as are mentioned in that sense are meant by blessing, namely, that rain shall be given to make fruitful the gardens and fields, and so that the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce; but it is a spiritual blessing which is meant, for by rain is signified everything Divine which flows in with man from the Lord out of heaven; that truths shall produce good, and that good shall produce truths, is signified by, the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce. The earth denotes the church, as does also a garden in which there are trees; by these, and by the circuits of My hill which I shall give as a blessing, are signified the internal and external with the men of the church; a circuit signifies what is outside or below, and hill signifies what is within or above, specifically, where there is charity, for this is within. (That a hill signifies where charity is, may be seen, n. 6435, 10438.)

[13] In David:

"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy sons like olive plants around thy tables. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah. Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel" (Psalms 128).

Here also by, to be blessed, is not meant to be blessed naturally, as that [a man] should eat the labour of his hands, that his wife should be fruitful, that many sons should be about his tables, and that this should be in Zion and in Jerusalem; but to be blessed spiritually is meant. For by them that fear Jehovah, are meant those who love to do His precepts; therefore it is said, blessed is he that feareth Jehovah, and walketh in His ways; to walk in His ways signifying to do His precepts. By the labour of his hands which he shall eat, is signified the study of the life according to them. By the wife by the sides of his house, is signified the affection of spiritual truth in all things that he thinks and does; therefore it is also said, "as a fruitful vine," for by a vine is signified the spiritual church from the affection of truth. By the sons around his tables are signified the truths of good thence; tables denoting instructions; therefore it is also said, "like olive-plants," the plants signifying truths, and the olives goods. By Zion is signified heaven whence those things are, and by Jerusalem doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion, that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. By peace upon Israel is signified all spiritual good in general and in particular, Israel denoting the church.

[14] In the same:

"As the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore" (Psalms 133:3).

The marriage of good and truth is here treated of, and their fructification and multiplication. The latter and the former are signified by, the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion, the mountains of Zion signifying where the goods of celestial love are; therefore it is also said, "there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore."

[15] In Moses:

"If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep the covenant and the mercy; and he will love thee, and bless thee, and will bless the fruit of thy belly, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil, the young of thy oxen, and of the rams of thy flock. Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And Jehovah will take away from you every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, which thou hast known, he shall not lay upon thee; but will put them upon all that hate thee. And thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; thine eye shall not spare them" (Deuteronomy 7:12-16).

By all these words spiritual things are meant, thus spiritual blessings; the sense of the letter which is natural, and for those who are in the natural world, and thence in a natural idea, involving and signifying those things; therefore, from the spiritual sense of the Word it is evident what is meant by being blessed in general and in particular. By the fruit of the belly and by the fruit of the earth, by the corn, the new wine, and the oil, by the young of the oxen, and of the rams of the flock, are meant the multiplications of truth and the fructifications of good, thus spiritual blessings. (What is signified specifically by each may be seen in various places in the Arcana Coelestia, and in the explanations of this prophetic book.) There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle, signifies the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good in the internal and the external man; and by Jehovah taking away from them every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, is signified the removal of all evils and falsities; the evil sicknesses of Egypt denoting the falsities arising from evils in the natural man. The haters, upon whom Jehovah will put them, denote those who are against the goods and truths of the church. The dispersion of the evils and falsities that are opposed to the truths and goods of the church, is signified by, thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; and the continual shunning of them by, thine eye shall not spare them. That by these things those who do the Lord's precepts are blessed is meant by, "If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy; He will love thee, and bless thee." Covenant and mercy denote a conjunction from love by them; conjunction by good is meant by the covenant, and by, He will love thee; and conjunction by truth thence is meant by mercy, and by, He will bless thee.

[16] In the same:

"He shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, with blessings of the deep that lieth under, with blessings of the breasts and of the womb" (Genesis 49:25).

These things are said of Joseph, by whom is here signified the Lord's spiritual kingdom; and by the blessings of heaven from above are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the internal or spiritual man; by the blessings of the deep that lieth under, are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the external or natural man; and by blessings of the breasts and of the womb, are signified spiritual and celestial goods.

[17] In Joel:

"Who knoweth? Let him return, and it will repent" Jehovah God "and he will leave behind him a blessing, a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah our God" (2:14).

Because by blessing is signified spiritual blessing, which in general has reference to good and truth proceeding from the Lord, and given to man, it is therefore said, he shall leave behind him a blessing, a meat-offering, and a drink-offering from our God. The meat-offering, which was bread, signifies good, and the drink-offering, which was wine, signifies truth, both from the Lord, for it is said, from our God.

[18] In Isaiah:

"In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that the Assyrian may come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (19:23-25).

By Israel, Assyria, and Egypt, are signified the three things that are with the men of the church, namely, the Spiritual, the Rational, and the Scientific; by Israel the Spiritual, by Assyria the Rational, and by Egypt the scientific. Inasmuch as the whole Rational of man is formed by scientifics, and both are from the spiritual part which is from heaven from the Lord (for all understanding of truth and all application of knowledges to truths are thence), it is therefore said that there shall be a highway from Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria; and that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian; and afterwards, that Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land. The midst signifies the inmost from which the rest, or from which the whole is derived (as may be seen above, n. [313] ¹ ); and the land, the church where these things are; and because it is the Spiritual from which the Rational and the Scientific are applied to genuine truths, therefore Israel is called the inheritance, or the heir of the house who possesses all things; and Assyria, the work of My hands, because the Rational is thence formed; and Egypt is called a blessed people, because, in the Scientific, as in their ultimate, all things are together; from these considerations also it is evident that by a blessing in the Word is meant a spiritual blessing.

[19] In Zechariah:

"As ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I liberate you that ye may be a blessing" (8:13).

These things are said concerning the devastated church, and concerning the church to be established by the Lord. The house of Judah and the house of Israel signify the church, here in both senses. The church devastated is called a curse, because therein are evil and falsity; but the church to be established is called a blessing, because therein are good and truth.

[20] In David:

"Salvation unto Jehovah, thy blessing upon thy people" (Psalms 3:3).

The blessing of Jehovah upon His people signifies the influx and reception of good and truth; those are called the people of Jehovah who are in spiritual good (see above, n. 331).

[21] In Moses:

"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing. I will also bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:2, 3).

In the same:

"All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him" (Genesis 18:18).

These things are said concerning Abraham, and by him, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and, in a respective sense, the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the celestial church. Hence it is evident what is signified by I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing, namely, that therein shall be Divine good and Divine truth; a great nation being said of Divine good (see above, n. 331), and a blessing of Divine truth. I will bless them that bless thee, signifies that Divine truth shall be with those who receive it, and the falsity of evil with those who do not receive it. In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him, signifies that from the reception of Divine truth and Divine good they have heaven and eternal happiness. The families of the earth signify those who are in truths from good, families denoting truths, nations denoting goods. Blessing signifies that hence they have heaven and eternal happiness.

[22] The same is signified by the blessing of Israel and Jacob. In the same:

"Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (Num. 24:9).

And in the same:

"And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and shall spread itself towards the west, and towards the east, and towards the north, and towards the south; and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:14).

By Israel and Jacob also, in the highest sense, the Lord is meant, and, in the respective sense, the Lord's spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church; by Israel that church internal, by Jacob [that church] external. By the seed that shall be as the dust of the earth, and which shall spread itself towards the west, the east, the north, and the south, is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by those who belong to that church; the fructification of good thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the west and the east, and the multiplication of truth thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the north and the south. (That those quarters have such significations, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 141-153.)

[23] That the Lord blessed the bread, the wine, the fishes which He gave to the disciples and to the people (Matthew 14:15, 21, 22; 15:32; 26:26, 27; Mark 6:41; 8:6, 7; 14:22, 23; Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30), signified the communication of His Divine, and thus conjunction with them by means of goods and truths, which are signified by bread and wine, and also by fishes; bread and wine signify goods and truths in the spiritual man, and fishes signify goods and truths in the natural.

[24] In Isaiah:

"He shall call his servants by another name; he who blesseth himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth; because the former distresses shall be delivered to forgetfulness " (65:15, 16).

By blessing himself is signified self-instruction in Divine truths, and the application of them to life. The reason why this is signified by swearing, is, because an oath, in the internal sense, signifies confirmation in oneself, and conviction that it is so, and this is effected from good by means of truths; truths are confirmed and proved with man only from good. A new church is here treated of; and by calling by another name is signified its quality as to truth and good.

[25] In Jeremiah:

"Swear by the living Jehovah, in truth, in judgment, and in justice; the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory" (4:2).

The same is here signified by swearing and blessing themselves; the nations which shall bless themselves in Jehovah signify those who are in good.

[26] By blessing, in the opposite sense, is signified to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe the same. As in Isaiah:

"He who slayeth an ox smiteth a man, he who offers frankincense blesseth vanity; they have also chosen these things in their own ways" (66:3).

To slay or sacrifice an ox, and to smite a man, signify to worship God in externals, and yet to reject all truth. By sacrificing an ox is signified worship from those things which represented natural good, for an ox denotes natural good; and by smiting a man is signified to reject and deny the truth, man in the Word denoting truth. To offer incense and to bless vanity, signify to worship God from such things as represented spiritual good, and yet to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe them; an offering of incense denoting worship from spiritual good, and vanity denoting evil and the falsity of evil.

Footnotes:

223.And the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. That this signifies the doctrine of the New Church in the heavens is evident from the signification of the city of my God, as being the doctrine of Divine truth (which will be treated of presently); and from the signification of the New Jerusalem, as being the church as to doctrine (concerning which see the small work, The New Jerusalem 6); and from the signification of which cometh down out of heaven from my God, as denoting that it is out of heaven from the Divine truth there. (That by God in the Word is meant Divine truth, may be seen above, n. 220, 222.) And because Divine truth, which is in heaven, and which comes down therefrom, is from the Lord alone, therefore the Lord calls it His God. That by the city of my God is signified the doctrine of Divine truth, may seem, at first sight, far fetched, because it seems difficult for the mind to think of doctrine when a city is mentioned, and to think of the church when the earth is mentioned; but nevertheless nothing else is meant in the spiritual sense by cities in the Word; the reason is, that the idea of a city, or town, is merely natural, but the idea of doctrine as a city is spiritual. Because the angels are spiritual they can have no other idea of a city than that of the people therein as to their doctrine, as they have no other idea of a land than of a nation as to the church, or as to what is religious there. The reason of this also is that the societies into which the heavens are divided are, for the most part, like cities, and they all differ one from another as to the reception of Divine truth in good; hence also it is that the angels have the idea of the doctrine of truth when a city is mentioned. (That the heavens are divided into societies according to the differences of the good of love and faith, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 41-50; and that their dwellings are arranged in the form of cities, n. 184 in the same work.)

That by cities in the Word are signified doctrines is evident from many passages, of which we shall only adduce the following, by way of confirmation.

[2] In Jeremiah:

"Behold, I have given thee for a defenced city against the whole land" (1:18).

These things are said to the prophet, because by a prophet in the Word is signified one who teaches truth, and in the abstract the doctrine of truth. Such being the signification of a prophet, it is therefore said unto him, "I have given thee for a defenced city," by which is therefore signified the doctrine of truth defending against falsities. (That by prophet in the Word is signified one who teaches truth, and, in the abstract, the doctrine of truth, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2534, 7269.) Again:

"The crown of your gracefulness cometh down. The cities of the south are shut" (13:18, 19).

The subject here treated of is the falsification of truth; and by the crown of their gracefulness coming down is meant that intelligence shall come down; and by the cities of the south being shut is meant that all the truths of doctrine, which otherwise would have been in light, will be obscured. (That a crown denotes intelligence and wisdom may be seen above, n. 126, 218; and that the south denotes a state of light, see the work, Heaven and Hell 148, 149, 151.)

[3] In Isaiah:

"Thou hast made counsels from afar, truth and faithfulness; and thou hast made of a city a heap, of a defenced city a ruin, a palace of strangers of a city, that it may not be built for ever; wherefore a strong people shall honour thee, a city of strong nations shall fear thee" (25:1-3).

The vastation of the former church, and the establishment of a new one, are here treated of; the vastation of the church as to doctrine, is meant by making of a city an heap, a defenced city a ruin, a palace of strangers of a city; and the establishment of a new church as to doctrine, is meant by, A strong people shall honour thee, the city of the strong nations shall fear thee.

Again:

In that day shall the song be sung in the land of Judah, We have a strong city; salvation will He appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the just nation which keepeth faithfulnesses may enter in (26:1, 2).

Here, by a strong city, is signified the doctrine of genuine truth, which falsities cannot destroy; walls and bulwarks signify truths for defence; gates, admission (see above, n. 208). The just nation keeping faithfulnesses denotes those who are in good and thence in truths.

[4] Again:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer: thou art cut down to the earth, that made the world into a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they may not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities" (14:12, 17, 21).

By Lucifer is here meant Babel, where all the truth of the doctrine of the church was either falsified or annihilated. By the world which he made into a wilderness, and the cities thereof which he destroyed, are signified the church and its doctrinals. Preparing slaughter for his sons that they may not rise, signifies that its falsities should be destroyed. By their not possessing the land, and not filling the faces of the world with cities, is signified that they should be prevented from establishing such a church and such doctrine. In the Apocalypse:

"The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell" (16:19).

In this passage Babel is treated of; its false doctrines are meant by the city divided into three parts, and the evils therefrom by the cities of the nations which are said to have fallen.

[5] In David:

"The redeemed of Jehovah wandered in the wilderness in the solitude of the way; they found no city of habitation; hungry and thirsty, he led them forth by a right way, that they might go to a city of habitation" (Psalms 107:2, 4, 5, 7).

To wander in a wilderness and in the solitude of the way denotes that they were in want of the knowledges of truth and good. That they could not find a city of habitation denotes that there was no doctrine of truth according to which they might live. The hungry and thirsty are those who were in the desire of knowing good and truth. To lead them by a right way that they might go to a city of habitation signifies to lead them into genuine truth and the doctrine of life.

In Isaiah:

"I said, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities are devastated that they may be without inhabitant, and the houses without a man, and the land be reduced to a desert" (6:11).

The total vastation of the church is here treated of; cities signify truths of doctrine; houses, the goods thereof; and land, the church.

[6] Again:

"The land shall be utterly emptied, the land shall be confounded, the land shall be profaned under its inhabitants; the empty city shall be broken, every house shall be shut, a cry over the wine in the streets, the remnant in the city wasteness, and the gate shall be smitten even to devastation" (24:3-5, 10-12).

Here also the devastation of the church is treated of; for by the land, which is said to be utterly emptied, confounded and profaned, is signified the church. By city is signified the truth of doctrine, and by house, the good thereof. By wine over which there is a cry in the streets is signified the truth of doctrine falsified, respecting which there is contest and indignation.

[7] In Zephaniah:

"I will cut off the nations; I will desolate their streets, and their cities shall be laid waste" (3:6).

Nations denote those who are in evils, streets denote truths, and cities doctrines. In Jeremiah:

"The lion cometh up from the thicket to reduce thy land to wasteness, thy cities shall be destroyed; I saw Carmel a desert, and all cities thereof desolate; for this the land shall mourn; before the voice of the horseman and the archers the whole city fleeth; the whole city is deserted, not a man dwelling therein" (4:7, 26, 28, 29).

By the lion coming up from the thicket is signified falsity proceeding from evil; the land denotes the church, and cities denote the truths of doctrine. By Carmel is meant the spiritual church. The voice of the horseman and archers, on account of which it is said the whole city shall flee, denotes reasonings and combat from falsities.

[8] Again:

"The spoiler shall come upon every city, so that no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed" (48:8).

By these words also is described the total vastation of the church, until nothing of the truth of doctrine remains. Again:

"Behold, waters rising up out of the north, which shall become an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, the city and them that dwell therein" (47:2).

Here, by an overflowing flood is also signified vastation.

Again:

"If ye hallow the day of the Sabbath, there shall enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes riding in chariots and on horses, and this city shall be inhabited to eternity" (17:24, 25).

By hallowing the Sabbath, in the spiritual sense, is signified the holy acknowledgment of the Divine Human of the Lord and of His conjunction with heaven and the church. By kings and princes entering in through the gates of the city, are signified the truths of the church; their riding in chariots and on horses signifies that they shall be in the truths of doctrine and in intelligence; the city, which is Jerusalem, is the church as to doctrine: such is the spiritual sense of these words: such is it in heaven.

[9] Again, in Zechariah:

"Thus said Jehovah; I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" (8:3, 5).

[10] By Zion in this passage is not meant Zion, nor by Jerusalem, Jerusalem; but by Zion is signified the celestial church, and by Jerusalem that church as to the doctrine of truth; this is why it is that it is called a city of truth. By the streets of the city are signified truths of doctrine; by boys and girls playing in the streets thereof are signified the affections of truth and good. (That by Zion is signified the celestial church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2362, 9055: that by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, n. 402, 3654, 9166, in the small work, The New Jerusalem 6. That by streets are signified truths of doctrine, n. 2336; that by boys girls are signified affections of truth good in which there is innocence 3067, 3110, 3179, 5236, 6742; that to play denotes what pertains to interior festivity, which is that of the affection of truth and good, n. 10416.) Because Zion signifies the celestial church, and Jerusalem the church as to the doctrine of truth, therefore Zion is called the city of Jehovah, and Jerusalem the holy city, the city of God, and the city of the great king: as in Isaiah:

"They shall call thee, The city of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel" (60:14).

In Ezekiel:

The prophet saw upon a high mountain the frame of a city on the south; and an angel measured the city, the wall, the gates, the chambers, and the porch of the gate; and the name of the city was Jehovah there (40:1, and following verses; 48:35).

In Isaiah:

"Behold, Jehovah hath caused it to be heard, even to the extremity of the land, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; thou shalt be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken" (62:11, 12).

In David:

"As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever" (Psalms 48:8).

(What the celestial church is, and what the spiritual church, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 20-28.) Those two cities are called holy cities, in Isaiah:

"Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation" (64:10).

Jerusalem in particular is called the holy city, in the Apocalypse:

The gentiles shall tread the holy city under foot (11:2).

In another place:

"I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (21:2).

In Matthew:

"The devil took Jesus into the holy city" (4:5).

[11] And again:

"They came out of the tombs, and went into the holy city" (27:53).

Jerusalem was called the holy city because it signified the church as to the doctrine of truth; and Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord is what is called holy (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 6788, 8302, 9229, 9820, 10361).

That without such representation and resulting signification, that city was not at all holy, but rather profane, is evident from the circumstance that the Lord was there rejected and crucified; therefore also it is called Sodom and Egypt in the Apocalypse (11:8). But because it signified the church as to the doctrine of truth, it was not only called the holy city, but also the city of God, and the city of the great king; as in David:

"A river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her" (Psalms 46:4, 5).

Again:

"Great is Jehovah in the city of our God, beautiful for situation, the city of the great king" (Psalms 48:1, 2).

And in Matthew:

"Thou shalt not swear by the earth, for it is God's footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king" (5:35).

The reason why Jerusalem was called the city of God was, that by God in the Word of the Old Testament is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (as may be seen above, n. 220, 222). And the reason why it was called the city of the great king was, that by king, when said of the Lord, is likewise signified Divine truth proceeding from Him (as also may be seen above, n. 31).

This now is why Jerusalem is called

The city of truth (Zechariah 8:3).

[12] In Isaiah:

"Thus said Jehovah, thy Redeemer and Former from the womb; I frustrate the tokens of the liars, turning wise men backward, and making their knowledge foolish; saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built; and I will raise up the waste places thereof" (44:24-26).

This passage treats of the rejection of the church the doctrine of which is from man's own intelligence, and of the establishment of a new church, the doctrine of which is from the Lord. Doctrine from man's own intelligence is meant by, I frustrate the tokens of the liars, turning wise men backward, and making their knowledge foolish. And the doctrine which is from the Lord is meant by,

"Saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built."

[13] In Jeremiah:

"Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall be laid waste" (7:17, 34).

The cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, in this passage, also signify the truths of doctrine; the voice of joy and the voice of gladness signify delight from the affection of good and truth; the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride signify those affections themselves; and their being caused to cease, is meant by the land being laid waste; the land signifies the church.

[14] In Isaiah:

"I will commix Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight a man against his brother, and a man against his companion; city against city, kingdom against kingdom. In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak with the lip of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of Egypt" (19:2, 18, 19).

By Egypt is meant the natural man and his Scientific. By their fighting, a man against his brother, and a man against his companion, is meant, that they should fight against good and truth. City against city, and kingdom against kingdom, signifies doctrine against doctrine, and church against church. In that day, signifies the coming of the Lord, and the state, at that time, of those who are natural and in scientific truths (veris scientificis). Five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lip of Canaan, signify truths of doctrine in abundance, in accord with the genuine truths of the church; five denote many, or in abundance, cities truths of doctrine. The lip of Canaan signifies the genuine truths of the church; an altar to Jehovah there signifies worship from the good of love.

[15] Again:

"The paths are devastated, he that passeth through the way hath ceased; he hath despised the cities, he regardeth not man. The earth mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon hath faded away" (33:8, 9).

By the paths which are devastated, and the way which is not passed through, are denoted truths leading to heaven, which are the truths of the church; to despise the cities denotes to despise truths of doctrine, and to regard not man signifies not to regard truth and good. By the earth which mourneth and languisheth is signified the church as to good; Lebanon which hath faded away denotes the church as to truth.

[16] Again:

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife. Enlarge the place of thy tent; thy seed shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited" (54:1-3).

The barren that did not bear signifies the nations who have not as yet possessed truths from the Word; the sons of the desolate denote truths which will be received; the sons of the married wife denote truths with those who are in the church. To enlarge the place of the tent, denotes that they shall worship from good; seed denotes truth thence derived; the nations which it shall inherit denote goods; and the cities which shall be inhabited, denote doctrines therefrom.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"I will bring upon them every good; they shall buy fields with silver, and that by writing in a book, in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south" (32:42-44; 33:13).

These things are said of those in the church who are in good and thence in truths. To buy fields with silver denotes to procure for themselves the good of the church by means of truths; to write in a book denotes to implant in the life; the cities of Judah and the cities of the mountain, denote truths of doctrine pertaining to those who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom; the cities of the plain, and the cities of the south denote truths of doctrine pertaining to those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom.

[18] In Matthew:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do they light a lamp, and put it under a bushel" (5:14, 15).

These things were said to the disciples, by whom are signified all truths and goods in the aggregate: therefore it is said, ye are the light of the world; for by light is signified Divine truth and intelligence therefrom. From this signification of those words, it is therefore said, A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid, neither [can] a lamp be lighted and put under a bushel; for by a city set on a mountain, is signified truth of doctrine from the good of love; and by a lamp is signified, in general, truth from good, and intelligence therefrom.

[19] Again:

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself does not stand" (12:25).

By kingdom, in the spiritual sense, is signified the church; by city and house, the truth and good of its doctrine, which do not stand but fall, if they do not fully agree.

[20] Again:

Jesus sent forth the twelve disciples, saying unto them, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into a city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (10:5, 6).

The way of the Gentiles into which they were not to go signifies falsity from evil; the city of the Samaritans into which they were forbidden to enter signifies the false doctrine of those who reject the Lord; the lost sheep of the house of Israel signify those who are in the good of charity and thence in faith, Israel, denoting these, wherever they are. That the city of the Samaritans signifies the false doctrine of those who reject the Lord, is, because the Samaritans did not receive Him (as may be seen in Luke 9:52-56).

[21] Again, in Matthew:

Jesus said, "when they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another" (10:23).

Here also by city is meant the doctrine of falsity from evil; and that where this exists, the doctrine of truth would not be admitted, is meant by its being said, "If they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another."

[22] In Luke:

"The master of the house being angry, said to the servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind" (14:21).

By going into the streets and lanes of the city is signified that they should inquire where those are who receive the truths of doctrine; for streets and lanes denote truths of doctrine, as above, and city denotes doctrine. The poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind, signify those who are not in truths and goods, but yet desire them. (Who are specifically signified by the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind, may be seen [in extracts] from Arcana Coelestia, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 107.)

[23] Again:

A nobleman going away in order to receive for himself a kingdom, gave to his servants ten pounds to trade with; when he returned he commanded the servants to be called. "The first came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. He said unto him, Good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, thou shalt have authority over ten cities. Soon the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. He said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities" (Luke 19:12-19, and the following verses).

By these words, in the spiritual sense, much more is signified than can be expressed in a few words; it only need be remarked, that by cities are not meant cities, but the doctrinals of truth and good; and by having power over them, intelligence and wisdom; by ten much, and by five some. (That ten in the Word signifies much, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1988, 3107, 4638, 9757; and that five signify some, see n. 4638, 9604.) From these considerations it is now evident that by the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, is signified the doctrine of the new church, which is in the heavens. (This doctrine also has been given in a special small work, entitled The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine.)