376. Hitherto it has been shown that oil signifies celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord. It shall now also be shown that wine signifies spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the good of faith; and because this good in its essence is truth, therefore it is said in the general explanation, "See thou hurt not the oil and the wine," which signifies that hurt should not be done to the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, either as to good or as to truth, or what is the same, that injury should not be offered to the goods and truths of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. The reason why the good of charity and the good of faith are in their essence truth, is because that good is implanted by the Lord in man's intellectual part by means of truths which are called the truths of faith, and when man lives according to them, then those truths become goods; for by truths a new will is formed in that part, and whatever proceeds from the will is called good. This will also is the same as conscience, and conscience is a conscience of truth, for it is formed by means of truths of every kind from the doctrine of the church, and from the sense of the letter of the Word. But on this subject see more in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 130-138; and the extracts therein from the Arcana Coelestia, n. 139-141.) This now is why by wine is signified truth.

[2] Moreover, there are goods and truths internal and external; the internal goods and truths are signified by the oil and the wine which are not to be injured; but the external goods and truths are signified by the wheat and barley; external goods and truths are those in the sense of the letter of the Word, but internal goods and truths are those in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word; or, external goods and truths are such as are in the lower heavens, with the angels there, namely, in the ultimates of heaven, but internal goods and truths are such as are in the higher heavens, namely, in the third and second, with the angels there. The latter goods and truths are themselves genuine goods and truths, but the former are truths and goods which correspond, thus are correspondences; the former have immediate communication with the angels of heaven, whereas the latter have not an immediate but a mediate communication by correspondences. Hence it is that the Jews, because they were only in the sense of the letter, and not in the knowledge of the signification of things in the spiritual sense, could not injure the spiritual sense thereof either as to good or as to truth, consequently, they could not injure genuine goods and truths. This also is the case with the Christian Church at this day, which cannot injure the genuine goods and truths of the spiritual sense of the Word, for it is in ignorance of that sense, and, consequently, also ignorant of genuine goods and truths.

[3] The reason why the spiritual sense of the Word has not been made known to Christians, is, because the genuine goods and truths, such as are in the higher heavens, lie concealed in the spiritual sense of the Word; and so long as those goods and truths were not perceived and known, that sense could not be opened, for they could not be seen. The reason why genuine goods and truths have not been perceived and known in the Christian churches, is, because those churches have, in general, been divided into the papal and the evangelical; and in the papal church they are altogether ignorant of truths, because those who are therein do not depend upon the Word, thus upon the Lord, who is the Word, that is, the Divine truth, but upon the Pope, from whose mouth scarcely anything proceeds but what is from the love of ruling, and this love is from hell. Therefore, scarcely a single truth pertaining to the church exists with them; but in the evangelical churches faith alone has been assumed for the essential means of salvation, and thereby the good of love and charity has been rejected as not essential, and where good is rejected there no truth that is really truth can exist, all truth being from good. For the Lord flows into man's good, and by means of good enlightens him, and gives him light to perceive truths, therefore, without that light, which is the very spiritual life of man, there can be no truth. However it may sound like truth, because from the Word, it is truth falsified by the ideas which a man holds concerning it; for from faith separated from charity, or from truths without good, no other result can follow.

Hence then it is, that the spiritual sense of the Word could not be opened to the Christian churches; for if it had been opened, they would have falsified and perverted it by ideas from fallacies, and so would have profaned it. For this reason also no one will hereafter be admitted into the spiritual sense of the Word unless he is in genuine truths from good; and no one can be in genuine truths from good unless in his heart he acknowledges the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth, for from Him is every good and truth therefrom. The reason why the spiritual sense of the Word is, at this day, opened, and therewith also genuine truths and goods disclosed, is, because the Last Judgment has been accomplished by the Lord, and thus all things in the heavens and in the hells are reduced to order. And as a result it can be provided by the Lord that the genuine truths and goods, in the spiritual sense of the Word, shall not be injured, which could not have been provided for before (see the small work concerning the Last Judgment 73).

[4] That wine signifies spiritual good, or the good of charity and the good of faith, which in its essence is truth, is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Isaiah:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; buy wine and milk without money and without price" (55:1).

Every one can see that it is not wine and milk, which they would buy without money; therefore by wine and milk are signified spiritual things, namely, by wine spiritual good, which in its essence is truth, as was said above, and by milk the good of that truth. That these are freely given by the Lord to such as are ignorant of truth and good, and yet desire them, is signified by "he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat, buy without money." To buy signifies to procure to oneself; and to eat to appropriate to oneself, which is done by application as of oneself. That those who are ignorant of truth and good, and yet desire them, are meant, is evident, for it is said, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters"; to thirst signifying to desire, and waters signifying truths, here the Word wherein they are contained.

[5] In Joel:

"It shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk; all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters" (3:18).

Here the Lord's coming, and a new heaven and a new church from Him, are treated of. That the mountains in the land of Canaan, or in Judea, did not then drop down new wine, nor the hills flow with milk, and that neither did the rivers of Judah flow with waters more than formerly, is known, therefore, by those words are meant something other than new wine, milk, and waters, also than mountains, hills, rivers, namely, that by the mountains dropping down new wine (mustum) or wine (vinum), is meant every genuine truth from the good of love to the Lord. By the hills flowing with milk, is meant spiritual life from the good of charity towards the neighbour; and by all the rivers of Judah flowing with waters, are meant truths from the particulars of the Word. For by Judah is signified the Lord's celestial kingdom, and also the Word (as may be seen, n. 3881, 6363). Hence by its rivers are signified the particulars thereof. (That by mountains is signified the good of love to the Lord, n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438, 10608; and by hills the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 6435, 10438; and this because in heaven those dwell on mountains who are in the good of love to the Lord, and, upon hills those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 10438; and in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 188.)

[6] In Amos:

"Behold, the days come, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop new wine, and all the hills shall melt. I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities; and they shall sit and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Then will I plant them upon their land" (9:13-15).

In this chapter the vastation of the church is first treated of; and afterwards its restoration by the Lord. By the people Israel also is not meant that people, but those with whom the church was to be established. By the ploughman overtaking the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth the seed, is signified that he who receives good and truth shall also perform uses, or bear fruit, thus that they will be together with the member of the church. By the mountains dropping down new wine, and all the hills melting, is signified as just above, that from the good of love to the Lord, and from the good of charity towards the neighbour, there would be truths in abundance, new wine here or wine denoting truth. By the captivity of the people Israel, which should be brought back, is signified the restoration of the church among the Gentiles, for by captivity is meant spiritual captivity, in which those are who are remote from goods and truths, and yet desire them (see n. 9164). By the waste cities, which they shall build, are signified the doctrinals of truth and good from the Word hitherto destroyed, and afterwards to be restored; by the vineyards which they shall plant, and of which they shall drink the wine, are signified all things of the church from which is intelligence, a vineyard signifying the spiritual church, whence by vineyards are signified all things of the church. By wine is signified the truth thereof in general; and by drinking it is signified to be instructed and become intelligent, thus intelligence; and by the gardens which they shall make, and of which they shall eat the fruit, is signified wisdom, gardens denoting all things of intelligence, and the fruit of them signifying goods of life; thus by eating their fruit is signified the appropriation of good, thus wisdom, for wisdom is formed when truths are committed to the life; and because these things are meant, it is therefore said of Israel, I will plant them upon their land.

[7] In Moses:

"He bindeth his ass's-colt to the vine, the son of his she-ass unto the choice vine; he washeth his raiment in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes; his eyes are red with wine, and his teeth white with milk" (Genesis 49:11, 12).

This occurs in the prophecy of Israel the father concerning Judah, by whom is not here meant Judah, but the Lord as to the celestial kingdom; and by wine and the blood of grapes is meant the Divine truth. (What the other things signify, and that wine signifies Divine truth, because it relates to the Lord, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 6375-6381.)

[8] In the same:

"Jacob brought of his venison to his father Isaac, and he did eat; and he brought him wine, and he drank. And Isaac blessed him, saying, God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatnesses of the earth, and plenty of corn and new wine" (Genesis 27:25-28, 37).

Those who do not know that the Word is spiritual in every particular, may suppose that by Isaac here is meant Isaac, and by Jacob, Jacob; and hence that by the fatnesses of the earth, and by the corn and new wine, no higher are meant; whereas by Isaac here was represented the Lord, and by Jacob the church; hence by the fatnesses of the earth, celestial things of the good of love; and by corn and new wine, all the good and truth of the church. (But these words may also be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3570, 3579, 3580.)

[9] In the same:

If ye shall hearken unto my precepts, I will give rain to your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, and thou shalt gather in thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil" (Deuteronomy 11:13, 14).

These blessings of the earth were promised to the sons of Israel if they would hear and do Jehovah's precepts, which also attended them, because with them the church was representative, and the things that were said and commanded by Jehovah corresponded to spiritual things, thus the blessings of the earth to the blessings of heaven. The blessings of heaven, to which the blessings of the earth correspond, have all reference to such things as belong to the good of love and the truth of faith; such blessings, therefore, are signified by the former and the latter rain, for rain specifically signifies the Divine truth flowing in out of heaven, from which all things of the church and heaven with man are born, grow, and are brought forth; wherefore by the corn, new wine, and oil, which they should gather, are signified every good and truth of the external and internal man.

[10] In the same:

"Thus Israel dwelt securely, solitary at the fountain of Jacob, in a land of corn and new wine; his heavens also dropped down dew" (Deuteronomy 33:28).

This was the conclusion of the blessings of the children of Israel by Moses, which were all prophetical; and every son and every tribe of Israel signified something of the church, as in Genesis 44. Here Israel signifies the church itself; and by dwelling securely and solitary at the fountain of Jacob, is signified to live without infestation from evils and falsities, and to be led by the Lord alone by means of Divine truth; the fountain of Jacob denoting Divine truth and the Word. And by living in a land of corn and new wine, is signified in all the good and truth of the church; and by his heavens also shall drop down dew, is signified influx out of heaven.

[11] In the same:

"He made him ride upon the high places of the earth, and gave him butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, and of rams of the sons of Bashan, and of goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the blood of the grape, pure wine" (Deuteronomy 32:13, 14).

These things are said of the Ancient Church, which was that before the Israelitish Church, and was in the good of charity and in the truths of faith. The goods of every kind, in which it was, are meant by those things, namely, by butter of the herd, milk of the flock, the fat of lambs, the fat of rams, the fat of goats, the fat of kidneys of wheat; and the spiritual truths by the blood of the grape and pure wine (merum).

[12] In Jeremiah:

"They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovah, to the wheat, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the sons of the flock and of the herd" (31:12).

By wheat, new wine, and oil, are signified goods and truths of every kind (what they mean specifically may be seen above, n. 374).

In Isaiah:

"Jehovah hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no longer give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall no more drink thy new wine (mustum), for which thou hast laboured; but they who gather it, shall eat it, and praise Jehovah; and they who bring it together, shall drink it in the courts of holiness" (62:8, 9).

These things are said concerning Jerusalem, by which is signified the church as to doctrine. By the corn, therefore, which shall no longer be given as food for the enemies, and by the new wine, which the sons of the stranger shall not drink, are signified in general the good and truth of the church, which shall no longer be consumed by evils and falsities; enemies here denoting evils; and the sons of the stranger, falsities; and eating or food, to be given unto them; and drinking denoting to consume. That goods and truths shall abide with those who receive them, and thence make use of them, is signified by, "they who gather it, shall eat it; and they who bring it together, shall drink it." The worship from these is signified by praising Jehovah, and drinking in the courts of holiness.

[13] In the same:

"Joy is taken away, and exultation from Carmel; and in the vineyards there is no singing, there is no shouting for joy; the treader treadeth not out the wine in the wine-press; I have made the vintage shouting to cease" (16:10).

The taking away of heavenly delight from good and the truths thence, because good and truth itself, is thus described. The good of the church is meant by Carmel, and the truths thence by vineyards and by treading out the wine in the wine-presses; the delights thereof, which are taken away, by joy, exultation, singing, shouting, and vintage shouting; for it was customary to sing in the vineyards, and in the wine-presses, when the grape was trodden into wine, on account of the representation of the delights from truths, which were signified by wine.

[14] In Jeremiah:

"O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee above the weeping of Jazer; thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer; the spoiler is fallen upon thy fruits of autumn, and upon thy vintage. Whence is collected joy and gladness out of Carmel, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused the wine to fall in the wine-presses; none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting" (48:32, 33).

Here also the removal of heavenly delight, from the good of love and the truths thence, is treated of, for all heavenly delight is in these and from these. Lamentation over it is meant by grievous weeping; the deprivation thereof, by which joy and gladness is collected out of Carmel, also by the spoiler falling upon them, by [the wine] failing, and the shouting being no shouting; the good which was taken away, for which there was lamentation, is meant by the fruits of autumn; and the truths of good which were taken away, by the vintage and by the wine in the wine-presses. That truths were banished, and that they perished by scientifics, is meant by the wine of Sibmah, and by the plants thereof having gone over the sea, even to the sea of Jazer, the sea signifying the scientific part.

[15] In Lamentations:

"The infant and the suckling faint in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, Where is the corn and the wine? when they faint as one that is slain in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out upon the bosom of their mothers" (2:11, 12).

These words contain a lamentation over the Jewish Church, that all the good and truth thereof have perished, and the lamentation is described by the infant and the suckling who faint in the streets of the city, and say to their mothers, Where is the corn and the wine? the infant and the suckling signify those who are in the good of innocence, and in the abstract, the good of innocence itself, by which good is meant every good of the church, because it is the essential of all the goods of it (see the work concerning Heaven and Hell 276-283, 285, 288, 341, 382). By the streets of the city are signified truths of doctrine; by mothers are signified all things of the church; and by corn and wine are signified all the good and truth thereof in general. The reason why it is said that they faint as one slain in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out upon the bosom of their mothers, is, because one that is slain signifies those who perish spiritually through deprivation of truth, and by the soul is signified spiritual life. (That the streets of the city in which they faint signify truths of doctrine, may be seen, n. 2336; and that the mother, into whose bosom the soul is poured out, signifies the church, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897.)

[16] In Zephaniah:

"Their wealth shall be a prey, and their houses a waste: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof" (1:13).

By the wealth that shall be for a prey, is signified spiritual wealth, which is the knowledges of good and truth; by the houses becoming a waste are signified those things in man that pertain to the church; from which, when they are devastated, [men] then profit and receive nothing, although they hear them and see them in the Word, is signified by, building and not inhabiting, and planting vineyards, and not drinking the wine thereof; houses denoting the goods of the church, and vineyards together with wine denoting the truths thereof.

[17] Similar things are meant in Micah:

"Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olive, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil and new wine, but shalt not drink wine" (6:15).

In Amos:

"Vineyards of desire shall ye plant, but ye shall not drink the wine of them" (5:11).

And in Hosea:

"The corn-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them. They shall not make wine-offerings to Jehovah, and they shall not be pleasing unto him" (9:2, 4).

By the corn-floor and the wine-press are signified the same as by corn and wine, because in these places they are brought together; that they shall not profit from the things heard, is signified by, they "shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them"; and hence their worship was not accepted, is signified by, "they shall not make wine-offerings to Jehovah, and they shall not be pleasing," namely, the libations, unto Him.

[18] In Joel:

"Awake ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, which is cut off from your mouth. The field is wasted, the land mourned, for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth; the husbandmen were ashamed; the vinedressers howled" (1:5, 10, 11).

What is signified by these words, in the spiritual sense, may be seen above (n. 374), where they are explained; and that by wine and new wine is meant the truth of the church, and by vinedressers those who are in truths and teach them; the subject here treated of being the devastated church, in which goods and truths have perished.

[19] In Ezekiel:

"Damascus was thy trader by the multitude of thy works, by the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zachar" (27:18).

This is said of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the knowledges of good and truth; and by Damascus, which was a city of Syria, is signified the scientific part concordant; and by the tradings, which are treated of in that chapter, are signified the acquisition and communication, and also the use, of them. Because Damascus signifies the scientific part concordant, it is therefore said, it was a trader by the multitude of all works and riches; and by works, from which uses are effected, are signified the knowledges of good, and by riches the knowledges of truth; and because the knowledges of truth and good are in the natural man, for therein is everything cognizable, perceptible, and knowable, it is therefore said, in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zachar; the wine of Helbon signifying natural truth, and the wool of Zachar natural good.

[20] In Isaiah:

"A curse shall devour the earth. The new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish, all the merry-hearted shall sigh. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of emptiness shall be broken; every house shall be shut up, that no man come in" (24:6, 7, 9, 10).

By these words is described the perversion of the church, which is when falsity rules in the place of truth, whence there is no longer any good, for man has good by means of truths. By the earth which the curse shall devour, is signified the church; the curse denoting the perversion thereof; by the new wine mourning, and the vine languishing, is signified all the truth of the church, to mourn and to languish signifying its deprivation; that there shall no longer be any heavenly delight and blessing, is signified by, all the merry-hearted shall sigh, they shall not drink wine with a song; that they shall turn away from all things which agree with truths, is signified by, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it, strong drink signifying the things that are from truths and agree with them; but that the doctrine of falsity shall be destroyed, is signified by, the city of emptiness shall be broken, a city denoting doctrine, and emptiness denoting falsity; and that good and wisdom shall be no longer with man, is signified by, every house shall be shut up, that no man come in, which takes place when there is no truth, but falsity only.

[21] In Amos:

"Who drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the first-fruits of the oils; but they are not grieved for the breaking of Joseph" (6:6).

In this, and the preceding part of the chapter, those are described who are in external worship without internal, such as the Jews were formerly, and are at the present day. The bowls of wine, out of which they drink, denote the externals of truth from which is their worship; and the first-fruits of the oils, with which they anoint themselves, denote the externals of good, from which also their worship comes. Joseph signifies the internal of the church, or its spiritual; and their not being affected because it perished, is signified by, they are not grieved for his breaking. (That external worship without internal, is no worship, may be seen, n. 1094, 1175, 7724; that the Jews were formerly and are at the present time in external worship without internal, n. 1200, 3147, 3479, 8871; that Joseph signifies the spiritual church, and hence also the spiritual of the church, n. 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417.)

[22] In Zechariah:

"I will render powerful the house of Judah, and I will keep the house of Joseph; hence they shall be as the powerful Ephraim, and their heart shall be glad as if with wine" (10:6, 7).

By the house of Judah is signified the Lord's celestial church, and by the house of Joseph the Lord's spiritual church; and by rendering powerful their houses, is signified to multiply with them truths from good, for all power is of truth from good; hence it is said, that they shall be as the powerful Ephraim; by Ephraim is signified the understanding of truth from good, [which] is thus called powerful from its multiplication; heavenly delight thence is signified by, their heart shall be glad as if with wine, wine denoting truth from good, from which that delight comes. (That all power belongs to truths from good, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 228-233; and also above, n. 209, 333; that Judah in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, in the Arcana Coelestia 3881, 6363; and Ephraim, the Intellectual of the church, n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.)

[23] In Daniel:

"Belshazzar king of Babylon, and his princes, and his wives, and his concubines, drank wine out of the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem, and they praised the gods [of gold,] silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone. Therefore there was written on the wall, numbered, weighed, divided. And he ¹ was afterwards driven out from the sons of man, and his dwelling was with the wild asses" (5:2-5, 21).

In the internal sense the profanation of good and truth is here described, which also Babel or Babylon denotes; for by drinking wine out of the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem, is signified to imbibe the truths of the church from the Word, to drink wine denoting to imbibe truths, and the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem denoting those things that pertain to the doctrine of the church from the Word; and to praise the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone, signifies worship from the love of self and of the world; for by those gods is signified idolatrous worship of every kind, and profanation; that therefore it was written on the wall, numbered, weighed, divided, signifies separation from all things of heaven and the church. That he ¹ was afterwards driven out from the sons of man, and had his dwelling with the wild asses, signifies separated from all truth, and the allotment of his life with the infernals; the sons of man denoting the truths of the church; wild asses denoting those who are in dire falsities, such as are in the hells; and dwelling denoting the lot which is of the life.

[24] In Joel:

"They have cast lots over my people; for they have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, which they drank" (3:3).

By casting lots over the people, is signified to dissipate the truths of the church, to cast lots signifying to dissipate, and the people signifying the church as to truths, thus also the truths of the church; by giving a boy for a harlot, is signified to falsify truth, for a boy denotes the truth of the church, and a harlot denotes falsity; and by selling a girl for wine which they drank, is signified to pervert the good of the church by truth falsified, a girl denoting the good of the church, and wine denoting truth falsified.

[25] Because wine signified the truth of the church which is from good, therefore it was commanded that, with the sacrifices upon the altar, they should also offer a meat-offering and a drink-offering, and the meat-offering was bread, and the drink-offering wine, by which was signified the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and from the truths thence, all worship being from these. (Concerning the drink-offerings and the different portions of wine in them at the different sacrifices, see Exodus 29:40, 41; Leviticus 23:13, 18; Num. 6:1-4, 15, 17; 15:4-7, 10, 24; 28:7-10, 24, 31; 29:6, 11, 19, 22, 25, 27, 28, 31, 34, 38, 39; and in addition Genesis 35:14). Hence it is evident what is signified in Joel:

"The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the house of Jehovah, the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, mourned" (1:9).

This means, that worship from the good of love, and the truths thence, had perished. Who cannot see that the meat-offering and drink-offering, which were bread and wine, could not be pleasing to Jehovah in worship, unless they had signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church?

[26] From these considerations it is now evident what the bread and wine in the Holy Supper involve, namely, bread the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and wine the good of faith which in its essence is truth. (But concerning the Holy Supper, and concerning the bread and wine therein, see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222.)

Because wine signifies the good of faith, which in its essence is truth, therefore, the Lord, when He instituted the sacrament of the Supper, said,

"I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29).

"I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come" (Luke 22:18).

By the fruit of the vine, or the wine, which the Lord would drink new with them in His Father's kingdom, or when the kingdom of God should come, is meant that all Divine truth in heaven and the church would then proceed from His Divine Human; therefore He calls it new, and He calls it also the New Testament in His blood (verse 20); for the Lord's blood signifies the same as wine (see above, n. 30, 328, 329). And because, after the Lord rose again, all the Divine proceeds from Him, therefore He says that He will drink it with them when the kingdom of God shall come, and it came when He reduced all things to order in the heavens and in the hells. That the kingdom of God came with the Lord, and is from Him, is evident from

Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 12:28; 16:28; Mark 1:14, 15; 9:1; Luke 1:32, 33; 9:11, 27, 60; 10:11; 16:16; 17:20, 21; 23:42, 51; John 18:36.

Because, now, as bread signifies the good of love, and wine the good of faith, which in its essence is truth from that good, and, in the highest sense, bread the Lord as to the Divine good, and wine the Lord as to the Divine truth; and because there is a correspondence between spiritual things and natural, and there is such a correspondence, so that, when man thinks of bread and wine, the angels think of the good of love and the good of faith; and because all things of heaven and the church have reference to the good of love and the good of faith, therefore, the Holy Supper was instituted by the Lord, that by it there might be a conjunction of the angels of heaven with the men of the church.

[27] Such things being meant by bread and wine in heaven, therefore

"Melchizedek king of Salem" going out to meet Abram, "brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God." And he blessed Abram (Genesis 14:18,19).

By Melchizedek is here represented the Lord as to the Divine good and Divine truth; by him as a priest the Divine good, and by him as a king the Divine truth; therefore he brought forth bread and wine, because by bread is signified the Divine good, and by wine is signified the Divine truth; or, applied to man, by bread is signified the good of love to the Lord, and by wine the good of faith, which is from the reception of Divine truth.

The same is signified by the Lord by wine in the following.

[28] In Matthew:

"They do not put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out; but they put [new] wine into new bottles, and both are preserved" (9:17).

In Luke:

"And no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith the old is better" (5:39).

Because all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences, so also is this comparison; and by wine is signified truth, by old wine, the truth of the old or Jewish Church; and by bottles are signified those things that contain; by old bottles, the statutes and judgments of the Jewish Church, and by new bottles, the Lord's precepts and commandments. That the statutes and judgments of the Jewish Church, which especially concerned the sacrifices and representative worship, are not in agreement with the truths of the Christian Church, is meant by, "they do not put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break and the wine runneth out, but they put [new] wine into new bottles, and both are preserved together." That those who were born and educated in the externals of the Jewish Church could not be led immediately into the internals of the Christian Church, is signified by, "no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for be saith the old is better."

[29] The same is signified by the water turned into wine in Cana of Galilee, concerning which it is thus written in John:

In the marriage in Cana of Galilee, when the wine failed, "there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the purifying of the Jews. Jesus said, Fill the water-pots, which they filled to the brim. Then he said unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water that was made wine, he called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when they have had enough, that which is worse; thou hast kept the good wine until now" (2:1-10).

It should be known that all the miracles performed by the Lord, as well as all the miracles of Him recorded in the Old Testament, signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church, that is, that they contained such things within them, and that hence His miracles were Divine (see the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9051), this miracle similarly. By a marriage here, as elsewhere in the Word throughout, is signified the church; in Cana of Galilee that amongst the Gentiles; and by water is signified the truth of the external church, such as was the truth of the Jewish Church from the sense of the letter of the Word; and by wine is signified the truth of the internal church, such as is the truth of the Christian Church. Hence the Lord's making the water wine, signifies that He would make the truths of the external church truths of the internal church, by opening the internal things that lay concealed in them. By the six water-pots of stone, set after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, are signified all those things in the Word, and thence in the Jewish Church and its worship, all of which were representative and significative of things Divine in the Lord, and from the Lord, which contained things internal. Therefore also, there were six of stone, set for the purifying of the Jews, the number six signifying all, and being said of truths, stone signifies truth, and the purification of the Jews purification from sins, thus all things of the Jewish Church. For the church regards purification from sins as its all, for in proportion as any one is purified therefrom, in the same proportion he becomes a church. By the ruler of the feast are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth; his saying to the bridegroom, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have had enough, that which is worse; thou hast kept the good wine until now," signifies that every church commences by truths from good, but afterwards ends in truths not from good, and that still, at the end of the church, truth from good, or genuine truth, is given from the Lord.

[30] Because wine signifies the truth of the church, and oil the good thereof, therefore, the Lord says, in the parable of the man who was wounded by thieves,

That the Samaritan poured oil and wine into his wounds (Luke 10:33, 34).

Here by the man wounded by thieves are meant those who are infested and wounded as to their conscience by evil men, who are robbers; and by the Samaritan are meant the Gentiles, who are in the good of charity; hence by pouring into his wounds oil and wine are signified the spiritual things that heal a man thus injured, oil denoting the good of love and wine the good of faith or truth. What the other particulars signify, namely, that he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and bade them take care of him, may be seen above (n. 375), where they are explained. That wine signifies the truth of the church is evident, not only from the passages adduced, but also from others in the Word (as Isaiah 1:21, 22; 25:6; 36:17; Hos. 7:4, 5, 14; 14:5, 7; Amos. 2:8; Zech. 9:15, 17; Psalms 104:15).

[31] Because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has wine, and in that sense it signifies truth falsified, and also falsity, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, to the flower of his decaying glory, which is upon the head of the valley of the fat ones confused with wine; the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under the feet; these stray through wine, and through strong drink they wander from the way; the priests and the prophets stray through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they wander from the way through wine, they stray among the seeing, they totter in judgment" (28:1, 3, 7).

These things are said of those who are insane in spiritual things, because they believe themselves to be intelligent from themselves, and, consequently, glory in it; the state of such is here described by pure correspondences. Those who are insane in spiritual things or in truths, are meant by drunkards, and those who thence believe themselves intelligent, by Ephraim; and the vaunting of their intelligence or erudition thence, by the crown of pride; for those who are in falsities of doctrine, and have confirmed themselves therein, when they are enlightened and see truths in the other life, become, as it were, drunkards. Such the learned become, who have confirmed themselves in falsities, and to confirm oneself in falsities is to do so from oneself and not from the Lord. Hence it is clear what is signified by, "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim." By "the flower of decaying glory which is on the head of the valley of the fat ones confused with wine," is signified the truth of the church destroyed in its birth from the vaunting of man's own intelligence, which pertains to the natural man separated from the spiritual, who then sees falsity instead of truth. The flower of glory denotes truth in its birth falling or perishing, the head of the valley of the fat ones denotes the intelligence of the natural man; confused with wine denotes those who see falsity instead of truth; "the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under the feet," signifies that that intelligence shall entirely perish; "these stray through wine, and through strong drink they wander from the way," signifies by falsities and by such things as are therefrom; "the priest and the prophet stray through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they wander from the way through wine," signifies that those who ought to be in the doctrine of good and truth are of such a quality, and apart from persons, that their doctrine itself is of such a quality; "they stray among the seeing, they totter in judgment," signifies that they do not see the truths of intelligence. That such things are signified by these words no one can see except from the spiritual sense, without which it could not be known that the crown and the head signify intelligence; that drunkards signify those who are insane in things spiritual; that Ephraim signifies the understanding, here man's own or from himself; that valley signifies the lower things of the mind, which are natural and sensual, and that a priest and prophet signify the doctrine of good and truth.

[32] In the same:

"Pause, wonder, be astonished, and make a cry; they are drunken, and not with wine; they stagger, and not with strong drink. For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your heads, the seers hath he covered" (29:9, 10).

These things are said of those who can see nothing of truth when they hear and read it from the Word; those who are such are called drunken, not with wine, and they stagger, and not with strong drink; wine signifying specifically the truth of the spiritual, and hence of the rational man, and strong drink the truth of the natural man thence. Because such are meant, it is, therefore, said, Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the spirit of sleep denoting no perception, and the closed eyes denoting no understanding. "The prophets and your heads hath he covered," signifies those who were in the doctrine of truth, and thence wise and intelligent; prophets signifying those who are in the doctrine of truth, and abstractedly the doctrine itself; the heads signifying the wise, and in the abstract wisdom; and the seers signifying the intelligent, and in the abstract intelligence. Wonder at the greatness of their stupidity, is described by, "Pause, wonder, be astonished," and lamentation over them by, "make a cry." Such are those who are in a life of evil, and are at the same time in principles of falsity, however learned they may be supposed to be; for by a life of evil the perception of good is shut out, from which thought has life and light, and by principles of falsity the understanding of truth is shut out, whence they see only from the sensual man, and not at all from the spiritual.

[33] In the same:

"Dogs obdurate in soul, they know not satiety; the same are the shepherds, they know not to understand; Come, I will take wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink" (Isaiah 56:10-12).

These [words] are said of those who care for nothing but worldly and terrestrial things, by which the internal spiritual man is closed. From having no perception of good and no understanding of truth, they are called dogs obdurate in soul, which know not satiety, that is, who cannot receive good; to know here signifies to be able, and satiety the reception of good, for satiety is predicated of food, by which spiritual nourishment is signified. That neither have they any understanding of truth, is meant by, "the same are the shepherds, they know not to understand"; those being called shepherds who believe themselves able to instruct others, for to feed denotes to instruct; and because such love falsities and things falsified, it is therefore added, "Come, I will take wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink."

[34] In Jeremiah:

"Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine. Behold, I fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings thereof that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness" (13:12, 13).

Here also by wine is signified falsity, and by every bottle which shall be filled with wine is signified the mind [mens] of man, because that is a recipient of truth or falsity, as a bottle is of wine. By the kings thereof that sit upon the throne of David, are signified those who should otherwise be in Divine truths; by the priests, those who should be in Divine goods; by prophets, those who are in doctrine; by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all who belong to the church; and by the drunkenness with which they shall be filled is signified insanity in spiritual things.

[35] In the same:

"I am become as a drunkard, and as a man whom wine hath entered, because of Jehovah, and because of the word of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers" (23:9, 10).

This is a lamentation over the adulteration of good, and the falsification of truth in the church, which is signified by the land being full of adulterers; those things are signified by adulteries, and the church, by the land. Insanity in spiritual things through reasonings from evils against Divine goods, and from falsities against Divine truths, is signified by, I am become as a drunkard, and as a man whom wine hath entered, because of Jehovah, and because of the word of His holiness. To become as a drunkard and as a man whom wine hath entered, signifies perturbation of mind, and insanity from reasonings from evils and falsities; because of Jehovah, signifies because of Divine goods, and because of the word of His holiness, signifies because of Divine truths.

[36] In Isaiah:

"Hear this, thou afflicted and drunken, but not with wine" (51:21).

By the drunken but not with wine, are here meant those who are in falsities from ignorance of the truth.

Noah drank of the wine, and was drunken, and hence lay naked in the midst of his tent (Genesis 9:21).

In the spiritual sense something altogether different is meant from what appears in the sense of the letter; similarly by,

Lot was made drunken by his daughters, and they then lay with him (Genesis 19:32-34).

What is meant by the drunkenness of Noah, in the spiritual sense, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1070-1081; and what by the drunkenness of Lot, n. 2465 at the end. By drunkenness also elsewhere in the Word is signified insanity in spiritual things, also falling into errors (as Isaiah 19:11, 12, 14; Jeremiah 25:27; 51:7; Joel 1:5, 6, 7; Leviticus 10:8, 9).

[37] That by wine, in an opposite sense, is signified falsity, also appears in Isaiah:

"Woe unto them that rise early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue unto twilight, till wine inflames them. But they regard not the work of Jehovah, and see not the work of his hands. Woe to the wise in their own eyes, and the intelligent before their own faces. Woe unto the heroes to drink wine, and the men of strength to mingle strong drink" (5:11, 12, 21, 22).

These things are said of those who frame for themselves doctrinals from their own intelligence, and not from the Lord, or out of the Word from Him, whence they are mere falsities; therefore by, "Woe to them who, rising early in the morning, follow strong drink, to them that linger unto twilight, till wine inflames them. But they regard not the work of Jehovah, and see not the work of his hands," are signified the perverted states of those who believe themselves to be enlightened from themselves, whence they are in falsities of doctrine, and care not for the Word, from which they may know goods and truths of life and of doctrine. To rise early in the morning, and continue till twilight, signifies to be enlightened; and to follow strong drink, and to be inflamed with wine, signify to pour forth doctrinals from themselves; not to regard the work of Jehovah, and not to see the work of His hands, signifies not to care for the Word, and the goods of life and truths of doctrine there discovered; the work of Jehovah being said of goods of life, and the work of His hands of the truths of doctrine, both from the Word. Because such persons are meant, therefore, it is said, "Woe to the wise in their own eyes, and the intelligent before their own faces!" and by the wise in their own eyes are signified those who are so from their own intelligence; and by the intelligent before their own faces are signified those who are so from their own affection; the eyes signifying understanding, and the face, affection. And by, "Woe unto the heroes to drink wine, and the men of strength to mingle strong drink," are signified to such as aspire after great things, and are ingenious in confirming the falsities that favour the loves of self and their own principles; heroes denoting those who aspire to great things; men of strength, those who are ingenious, and seem to themselves to be intelligent. To drink wine denotes to imbibe falsities, and to mingle strong drink denotes to confirm them; such are all those who are in the love of self, and who seek after the fame of learning, for such are in their proprium, and cannot be raised above it; therefore their thought is in the corporeal Sensual, to which no truth appears, and by which no spiritual good is perceived; whereas those who are not in the love of self, and who seek intelligence for the sake of the uses of life, are raised by the Lord from the proprium into the light of heaven - they themselves not knowing - and are thereby enlightened.

[38] In Hosea:

"Whoredom and new wine have possessed the heart. My people interrogate wood, and their staff answereth them; for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their God. Ephraim is joined to idols; their wine hath departed; they commit whoredom continually" (4:11, 12, 17, 18).

It is here treated of those who falsify truths, the falsification of truth being signified by whoredom, and the falsity thence by new wine; hence it is evident what is signified by, "whoredom and new wine have possessed the heart; the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, they have committed whoredom under their God, and the wine hath departed, they commit whoredom continually," namely, that they falsify Divine truths, and that, consequently, they have not any truth; to commit whoredom under their God, signifies to falsify Divine truths, and the wine hath departed, signifies that, consequently, they have not any truth. By Ephraim being joined to idols, are signified those who are in their own intelligence, and by the idols to which he is joined are signified the falsities of their religion. By, "My people interrogate wood, and their staff answereth them," is signified that they consult their self-love, and cherish it from their own intelligence; for wood, or an idol of wood, which they interrogate signifies self-love, and the staff which answers, signifies power, thus intelligence from the proprium.

[39] In the Apocalypse:

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen; that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. If any one worship the beast, he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mixed pure in the cup of the wrath of God; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (14:8-10).

In another place:

"I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication; and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (17:1, 2).

And again:

"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her" (18:3).

By the wine of the wrath of God is signified the falsity of evil, and by the wine of fornication is signified truth falsified; what is meant by the other expressions will be seen in the explanation of them, likewise what by these words in the Apocalypse:

"Babylon the great came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of God's wrath" (16:19).

What is signified by the wine of God's wrath is also signified by the chalice or cup of God's wrath.

[40] In Jeremiah:

"Babylon hath been a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken; the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad" (Jeremiah 51:7).

And in David:

"There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and he hath mixed wine in it; he hath filled it with mixture; and he hath poured it out; but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink" (Psalms 75:8).

Because by the meat-offering and the drink-offering, which were bread and wine, are signified worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, hence in an opposite sense, by the meat- and drink-offering is signified worship from the evils of the love of evil, and from the falsities of faith; this was signified by the meat-offering and drink-offering that were offered to idols and other gods (Isaiah 65:11; 57:6; Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19; Ezekiel 20:28; Deuteronomy 32:38; and elsewhere). From the signification of wine it is evident what is signified in the Word by a vineyard, by a vine, by the branches thereof, and by the grapes; namely, that by a vineyard is signified the spiritual church, or the church that is in the truths and goods of doctrine from the Word; by the vine, the doctrine itself; by its branches the truths from which the doctrine is formed; and by the grapes, which are the fruit of the vineyards and vines, the goods of charity and the goods of faith; but of these it shall be treated elsewhere.

Footnotes:

811. That "captivity" signifies in the Word spiritual captivity, which is a shutting out from Divine truths, that is, from the understanding of them in the Word, also destruction by the falsities of evil and by the evils of falsity, can be seen from passages in the Word where "captivity" is mentioned; as in the following. In Luke:

They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem shall finally be trampled down (Luke 21:24).

This chapter treats of the consummation of the age, which means the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth remaining. "To fall by the edge of the sword" at that time signifies the destruction of truth by falsities; "sword" signifying the combat of falsity against truth, and also the destruction of truth by falsities. "They shall be led captive among all nations" signifies persuasions and thence obsessions by evils of every kind; for when truths have been destroyed not only do falsities succeed in their place, but evils also. "All nations" signify evils of every kind; "Jerusalem shall be trampled down" signifies a complete destruction and perversion of the doctrine of the church; "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, and "to be trampled down" signifying to be wholly destroyed, which is done chiefly by falsifications and adulterations of the Word.

[2] In Ezekiel:

They shall be led captive among the nations, and the altars shall be laid waste, and the idols shall be broken, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you (Ezekiel 6:1-10).

"The altars being laid waste" signifies that all worship from the good of love shall perish; "the idols becoming broken" signifies that all worship from the truths of that good shall perish; and "the slain shall fall in the midst of you" signifies that they shall perish by falsities, "to be slain by the sword" signifying this.

[3] In Lamentations:

Hear, all ye people, and behold my grief; my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity (Lamentations 1:18).

This is a lamentation over the devastation of all truth in the church; this lamentation is described by "Hear, all ye people, and behold my grief;" that all the affection of truth has been destroyed is signified by "my virgins have gone into captivity," a "virgin" signifying the affection of truth; and that all understanding of truth has been destroyed is signified by "my young men have gone into captivity," "young men" signifying the understanding of truth and intelligence.

[4] In Amos:

If they have gone into captivity before their adversaries, thence do I command the sword that it may slay them (Amos 9:4).

"If they have gone into captivity before their adversaries" signifies, if they have suffered evils to take possession of them; "adversaries" meaning evils, and "to go into captivity" meaning to be possessed by them. "Thence do I command the sword that it may slay them" signifies that falsities will shut them out from the understanding of truths, and will destroy them.

[5] In David:

God abandoned the habitation of Shiloh, the tent He inhabited among men; and He gave His strength into captivity, and His splendor into the hand of the adversary (Psalms 78:60, 61).

"The habitation of Shiloh" signifies the church that is in the good of love, and the "tent" signifies the church that is in the truths of doctrine; thence it is clear what is signified by "God abandoned the habitation of Shiloh, the tent He inhabited among men," namely, that the goods of love and the truths of doctrine have been destroyed. The "strength" that He gave into captivity signifies spiritual truth from celestial good; and "to give into captivity" signifies to shut out from an understanding of it, and thus destruction by falsities; and the "splendor that He gave into the hand of the adversary" signifies natural truth from spiritual; this is signified by "splendor;" and its destruction by evils is signified by "being given into the hand of the adversary."

[6] In Ezekiel:

The prophet was commanded to remove out of the place, and to bring out the vessels of removal through the wall before their eyes, to bring them out in the darkness, and to cover his face that he see not the earth; and say, I am your prodigy; like as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity (Ezekiel 12:1-12).

By this the prophet represented the state of the church at that time, that there were no longer any truths remaining that had not been destroyed by falsities. For all the prophets represented the church in respect to doctrine from the Word. "To remove out of the place," and "to bring out the vessels of removal through the wall in darkness, and to cover his face that he see not the earth," represented that all the truths of doctrine from the Word had been cast out; "to remove out of the place" signifies rejection; "vessels of removal" signify the truths of doctrine; the "wall" through which he brought them out signifies the ultimate, which encompasses and defends truths (the ultimate of doctrine being the sense of the letter of the Word, which is called a "wall" because it contains and includes the spiritual sense); the "darkness" in which he was to bring them out signifies falsities; "to cover his face that he see not the earth" signifies that truths of good are no longer seen in the church. Because the prophet represented these things it is said, "like as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile and into captivity." Thence it is clear that "to go into exile" signifies the dispersion of truth, and "to go into captivity" signifies to be possessed by falsities.

[7] In Habakkuk:

I will raise up the Chaldeans, a nation that marcheth into the breadths of the land; it shall gather captivity like the sand; it shall mock at kings and rulers shall be a derision unto it (Habakkuk 1:6, 9, 10).

"The Chaldeans" signify those who destroy the truths of the church; "the breadths of the land" signify the truths of the church; that they will destroy all truths by falsities is signified by "it shall gather captivity like the sand;" that the truths and goods of the Word will be derided and blasphemed is signified by "that nation shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto it," "kings" signifying the truths of the Word, and "rulers" its goods.

[8] In Jeremiah:

Nebuchadnezzar shall come and shall smite the land of Egypt, they who are for death to death, they who are for captivity to captivity, they who are for the sword to the sword; and I will kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt that he may burn them up, and carry them away captive; finally he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd arrayeth himself with his garment (Jeremiah 43:11, 12).

"Nebuchadnezzar," or "the king of Babylon," means in the Word those who destroy all things of the church by evils; and "the Chaldeans" those who destroy all things of the church by falsities; and in an abstract sense "the king of Babylon" signifies the evils that destroy, and "the Chaldeans" their falsities. "Nebuchadnezzar shall come and smite the land of Egypt" signifies the destruction of the natural man in respect to all goods and all truths thence from the Word; "they who are for death to death" signifies destruction by evils; "they who are for captivity to captivity" signifies destruction by shutting out from and deprivation of truth; "they who are for the sword to the sword" signifies destruction by falsities thence; "to kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt that he may burn them up, or carry them away captive," signifies that the loves of self and of the world will destroy all things of the natural man by evils and falsities; "fire" signifying those loves; "houses of Egypt" signify all things of the natural man; "to burn them up" signifies to destroy by evil loves, and "to carry them away captive" signifies to destroy by falsities thence. "Finally he shall array himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd arrayeth himself with his garment" signifies that the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity will possess the whole natural man. This is compared to the garment of a shepherd, because a "garment" signifies truth clothing good, but here falsity clothing evil; for the natural man is like a garment to the spiritual man, for it encompasses and includes it.

[9] In Jeremiah:

They who are for death to death, they who are for famine to famine, and they who are for captivity to captivity (Jeremiah 15:2).

This describes the total vastation of good and truth in the church; for in the preceding verse it is said, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My soul could not be towards this people; cast them out before My face, that they may go forth;" therefore "they who are for death to death" signifies that those who reject goods perish by evils; "they who are for famine to famine" signifies that those who reject truths perish by falsities; "they who are for captivity to captivity" signifies that those who love evils and falsities are taken possession of by them.

[10] In Isaiah:

Like as My servant Isaiah hath gone naked and barefoot three years, so shall the king of Assyria lead the captivity of Egypt, and the crowd of Cush that is to be carried away, boys and old men, naked and barefoot, even the buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt (Isaiah 20:3, 4).

"The king of Assyria" signifies reasoning from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man; and "Egypt" signifies the natural man; so "the king of Assyria shall lead the captivity of Egypt" signifies that reasoning from falsities will destroy all the truths in the natural man, which are such as the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 532.)

[11] In Daniel:

Also their gods with their princes, with their vessels of desire, silver and gold, shall he carry captive into Egypt; and he shall stand more years than the king of the north. The intelligent of the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall together by the sword and by flame and by captivity and by depredation, for days (Daniel 11:8, 33).

This treats of the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, "the king of the north" signifying falsity ruling in the church, and "the king of the south" truth defending the church against falsity; that nevertheless falsities will predominate in the church in the latter end of days is here foretold and described. "Their gods and their princes, and vessels of desire, and silver and gold, that shall be carried captive into Egypt," signify that the defending truth will take away all truths and goods of the church from those who are in falsities; its spiritual truths are signified by "their gods and princes," natural truths by "their vessels of desire," and all truth and good in general by "silver and gold," and the taking away and defense of these is signified by "carrying captive into Egypt." "To fall together by sword and flame" signifies to perish by falsities and evils therefrom; and "to fall together by captivity and depredation" signifies the deprivation of all things of truth and good.

[12] In Jeremiah:

When the prophet was given over to the prison he prophesied that all Judah should be carried away into captivity to Babylon, and should there die and be buried (Jeremiah 20:1-6; 27).

This "prophet," like "prophet" in general, signifies the doctrine of the church from the Word; his being "given over to the prison" represented that the like was done in respect to the church and its doctrine, which is signified by all Judah being carried away into captivity to Babylon. The captivity of the tribe of Judah in Babylon seventy years represented the complete destruction of truth and devastation of the church.

[13] In the same:

The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity; then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness (Jeremiah 22:22).

"Shepherds" in an abstract sense signify the goods of the church, and "lovers" its truths; the "wind" that shall feed the shepherds signifies the hollowness and emptiness of doctrine; the "captivity" into which the lovers shall go signifies a shutting out from all truths and from the understanding of them; "to be ashamed and confounded" signifies to be destitute of all good and truth; for thus, when they come among the angels, are they ashamed and confounded.

[14] In Moses:

I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the stain and of captivity, and the gall of the revenges of the adversary (Deuteronomy 32:42).

"To make arrows drunk with blood" signifies the delirium of mind from the Word falsified; "the sword shall devour flesh" signifies that falsities will destroy all things of good; "with the blood of the slain and of captivity" signifies the extinction and shutting out of all truth, "slain" meaning the extinction of truth by falsities, and "captivity" the shutting out of truth by falsities. "With the gall of the revenges of the adversary" signifies with the malice and cruelty of hell; "the gall of revenges" meaning malice and cruelty, and the "adversary" meaning hell.

[15] In Isaiah:

Bel hath bowed low, Nebo hath stooped, their idols are to the wild beast and to the beast; they have stooped and bowed low together, and their soul shall go into captivity (Isaiah 46:1, 2).

"Their idols to the wild beast and to the beast" signifies that their falsities are infernal falsities, and evils therefrom; "they have stooped and bowed low together" signifies that they will fall apart; "their soul shall go into captivity" signifies that they shall go into hell, where they will be shut out from all truth.

[16] In Obadiah:

In that day strangers led his strength captive, and aliens entered his gates and cast the lot upon Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:11).

This is said of Edom, which signifies the truth of the natural man, but here the falsity; "the strangers that led his strength captive" signify the falsities of the church destroying its truths, "strength" signifying truth, since all spiritual strength consists in truths; "the aliens who entered the gates" signify the falsities of doctrine destroying the truths through which entrance is given into interior truths; "Jerusalem, upon which they cast the lot," signifies the doctrine of the church from the Word, thus dispersed, "to cast the lot" meaning to disperse.

[17] In Jeremiah:

Woe to thee, Moab, the people of Chemosh have perished; for thy sons are taken into captivity, and thy daughters into captivity; yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab (Jeremiah 48:46, 47).

"Moab" means those who are in natural delight, and who therefore adulterate the goods of the Word; "the people of Chemosh" mean those who are in natural truth; "sons are taken into captivity and daughters into captivity" signifies that the truths and goods of their church are shut out by falsities and evils; "sons" meaning truths, and "daughters" goods; "I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the end of days" signifies that truths will be opened to those who are meant by "Moab," and they will be instructed in them, "the end of days" signifying the Lord's coming.

[18] In many places in the Word it is said that "captives are to be brought back," and captives mean the Gentiles; and these are called "captives" because they are shut out from truths, which, however, will be opened to them by the Lord. As in Isaiah:

Jehovah hath anointed Me to proclaim good tidings unto the poor; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken in heart; to preach liberty to the captives, and to the bound, to the blind (Isaiah 61:1).

This is said of the Lord; and "the poor" to whom Jehovah hath anointed Him to preach good tidings signify those who are in few truths, and yet desire truths that their soul may be sustained by them; "the broken in heart" signify those who in consequence are in grief; "the captives" to whom He was to preach liberty signify those who are shut out from truths and thus from goods; and to these truths are to be opened, and by them they will be imbued with goods. The "bound" and the "blind" signify those to whom it is denied to see truths, meaning the Gentiles that afterwards received truths from the Lord.

[19] In the same:

I have raised him up in justice, and I will make straight all his ways; he shall build My city and he shall let go My captivity, not for price nor reward (Isaiah 45:13).

This, too, is said of the Lord; and the "justice" in which Jehovah hath raised him up signifies the good of love; and "his ways which He will make straight" signify the truths proceeding from good; the "city which he shall build" signifies the doctrine of the church; and the "captivity which he shall let go" signifies the opening and revelation of Divine truths with those who had heretofore been shut out from them. That the Lord will do these things freely is signified by "not for price nor reward."

[20] In Jeremiah:

The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah are oppressed together, and all that take them captive hold them fast, they refuse to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; pleading He will plead their cause, and will give quiet to the land (Jeremiah 50:33, 34).

This also is said of the Lord, who is meant by "their Redeemer is strong;" "to plead their cause" signifies visitation and judgment upon those who oppress them by falsities, and consequent deliverance from them; "to give quiet to the land" signifies protection from falsities, "the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah," who are said to be oppressed, do not mean the sons of Israel and of Judah, but the Gentiles that are in truths and goods from the Lord; and as these are restrained by those who deceive them and shut out truths from them, it is said that "those that take them captive hold them fast, and refuse to let them go."

[21] In David:

Thou hast ascended on high; Thou hast led captivity captive (Psalms 68:18).

This, again, is said of the Lord; and "to lead captivity captive" signifies to deliver from the falsities that have held them captive. In Isaiah:

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or shall the captivity of the just be delivered? For thus Jehovah hath said, Even the captivity of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the violent shall be delivered (Isaiah 49:24, 25).

This also is said of the Lord, and of the bringing back of the sons of Zion from captivity; and "the sons of Zion" mean those who are in love to the Lord and in truths therefrom. That they had been shut out from truths by those who eagerly confirmed falsities, and yet they were delivered by the Lord, is signified by "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, and shall the captivity of the just be delivered?"

[22] In David:

Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel? When Jehovah shall bring back the captivity of His people Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad (Psalms 14:7; 53:6).

Here also "Zion" means those who are in the good of love from the Lord; deliverance from evils by the Lord and salvation are meant by "Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel?" "To bring back the captivity of His people" means deliverance from falsities and evils; "Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad," means the joy with those who are in the external church and of those who are in the internal church because of their deliverance, "Jacob" meaning those who are of the external church, and "Israel" those who are of the internal church; and both mean the Gentiles.

[23] In Jeremiah:

Fear not, My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel; behold I will keep thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of thy captivity, so that Jacob may return, and be quiet and tranquil, and none shall make him afraid (Jeremiah 46:27; 30:10).

Here, too, "Jacob and Israel" mean the Gentiles, "Jacob" those who are of the external church, and "Israel" those who are of the internal church; "to keep them from afar" signifies to save them although they are far from salvation; "to keep from the land of captivity" signifies to deliver from the falsities by which they have been shut out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church; "to return and be quiet and tranquil, and none shall make afraid," signifies to be protected from falsities which are from hell.

[24] In the same:

All that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, all shall go into captivity; and they that plundered thee shall be for plunder; and all that preyed upon thee will I give for a prey. I will bring back the captivity of the tents of Jacob; and I will have compassion on his habitations, that the city may be built upon its own heap, and the palace shall be inhabited after its own manner (Jeremiah 30:16, 18).

"All that devour thee shall be devoured, all thine adversaries shall go into captivity, and they that plundered thee shall be for plunder, and all that preyed upon thee will I give for a prey," has a similar signification as the passage in Revelation here explained, namely, "if anyone shall lead into captivity he shall go into captivity; and if anyone shall kill with the sword he must be killed with the sword." (What the rest signifies has been explained above, n. 799.)

[25] In the same:

I will be found of you, and I will bring back your captivity, and I will bring you together out of all nations, and I will bring you back to the place whence I caused you to depart (Jeremiah 29:14).

This, too, describes the deliverance of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity, which is a shutting out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church, whereby salvation is effected. In Zephaniah:

In that time I will bring you, and in time will bring you together unto Me, for I will give you for a name and a praise to all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes (Zephaniah 3:20).

This, too, means the bringing back of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity. In Amos:

I will bring back the captivity of My people Israel, that they may build the waste cities and inhabit them, and plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof; and they shall make gardens and eat the fruit of them (Amos 9:14).

This may be seen explained above (n. 376, 405).

[26] In Isaiah:

Put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness; for there shall not add to come any more into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean; shake thyself from the dust; sit, O Jerusalem; open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion (Isaiah 52:1, 2).

"Zion" means a church that is in the good of love to the Lord; truth from that good is signified by the "strength that Zion shall put on;" and the truths of doctrine of that church are signified by "the garments of splendor that Jerusalem shall put on." "The uncircumcised and the unclean, who shall not add to come any more," signify the evils of earthly loves and their falsities; "to shake herself from the dust, to arise and to sit," signifies, in respect to Jerusalem, deliverance from infernal falsities and elevation to the truths of heaven. "To open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion," signifies deliverance from being withheld from truths by falsities that hinder the reception of influx out of heaven, "daughter of Zion" meaning those who are in the affection of truth from the good of love from the Lord. In the verses that follow it is said of the sons of Israel:

That they sojourned in Egypt, and that Assyria oppressed them (Isaiah 4);

which signifies that they were shut out from truths by reasonings from the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man.

[27] In the same:

The peoples shall take them and shall lead them to their place, and the house of Israel shall possess them for a heritage upon the land of Jehovah, for manservants and for maidservants; that they may thus take captive them whose captives they were, and they shall have dominion over their exactors (Isaiah 14:2).

This, too, treats of the bringing back of the sons of Israel, and by sons of Israel the Gentiles are meant. That those who shut out others from truths and lead them astray by falsities are shut out from truths and led astray by falsities, is signified by "they shall take captive them whose captives they were, and they shall have dominion over their exactors."

[28] In Hosea:

In the house of Israel I have seen a filthy thing; there is Ephraim's whoredom; Israel is polluted and Judah hath set a harvest for thee, when I shall bring back the captivity of My people (Hosea 6:10, 11).

This treats of the state of the church among the Jews about the time of the Lord's coming; "Ephraim's whoredom," which is "the filthy thing in the house of Israel," signifies the falsification of the Word; "whoredom" signifying falsification, and "Ephraim" the understanding of the Word. "Israel is polluted, and Judah hath set a harvest for thee," signifies that the church was in mere falsities, and that they applied the Word to confirm falsities, "Judah" signifying the Word, and "harvest" the abundance of such things in the Word as they applied. That this would be the state of the Jewish Church when truths should be opened before the Gentiles, by which they might be delivered from falsities, is signified by "when I shall bring back the captivity of My people."

[29] In the historical parts of the Word the captivities of the sons of Israel by various enemies, and their deliverances, have a like signification, as:

That they were forced to serve Cushan, king of Syria, and were delivered by Othniel (Judges 3);

That they served Eglon, king of Moab, and were delivered by Ehud (Judges 3);

That they were given over to Jabin, king of Canaan, and delivered by Deborah (Judges 4);

That they were given over to the Midianites, and delivered by Gideon (Judges 6);

That they were given over to the Philistines and Ammonites, and delivered by Jephthah (Judges 10, Judges 11).

Similar things were signified by:

The captivity of the Jews seventy years in Babylon (2 Kings 25).

For the historical parts of the Word are all representative of such things as pertain to the church, and the expressions by which the historical facts are described are all significative.

[30] The "bound" have a similar signification in the Word as "captives," as in the following passages:

The bound in the pit shall be gathered together, and they shall be shut up in a prison; but after a multitude of days shall they be visited (Isaiah 24:22).

By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit wherein is no water (Zechariah 9:11).

The sighing of the bound shall come before Thee (Psalms 79:11).

He hath made the world into a wilderness and destroyed his ¹ 22 cities. He hath opened not the house for His bound ones (Isaiah 14:17).

To open the blind eyes, to lead him that is bound out of prison, them that sit in darkness out of the prison house (Isaiah 42:7).

The king said, I was in prison, and ye came ² unto me (Matthew 25:36).

Jesus said, Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? (Luke 13:16).

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