34. The Divine Infinite is present in human beings as in images of itself, as is evident from the Word, where we read:

At length God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; so God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, Genesis 1:26-27 From this it follows that a human being is an organ capable of receiving God, and that its capability as an organ depends upon its capacity to receive. The human mind, which determines that a human being is human and how far he is so, is organised into three zones in accordance with the three degrees. In the first degree is the celestial zone, in which are the angels of the highest heaven; in the second degree is the spiritual zone in which are the angels of the middle heaven; and in the third degree is the natural zone in which are the angels of the lowest heaven.

[2] The human mind, organised as it is according to those three degrees, is a means of receiving Divine influence, but the Divine influence does not penetrate further than the extent to which a person clears the way or opens the door. If he does so up to the highest or celestial degree, then a person truly becomes an image of God, and after his death an angel of the highest heaven. But if he clears the way or opens the door only to the middle or spiritual degree, then although he becomes an image of God it is not to such a pitch of perfection, and after his death he becomes an angel of the middle heaven. But if he clears the way or opens the door only to the lowest or natural degree, then if he acknowledges God and worships Him with true piety, he becomes an image of God in the lowest degree, and after his death becomes an angel of the lowest heaven.

[3] If, however, he does not acknowledge God and worship Him with true piety, he puts off the image of God and becomes like an animal, apart from possessing the faculty of understanding and therefore of speech. If he then shuts off the highest natural degree, which corresponds to the highest celestial, he becomes so far as love is concerned like an animal. If he shuts off the middle natural degree, which corresponds to the middle spiritual, he becomes so far as love is concerned like a fox, and as far as the sight of the understanding is concerned like a nocturnal bird. But if he also shuts off the spiritual part of the lowest natural degree, he becomes so far as love is concerned like a savage beast, and as far as his understanding of truth is concerned like a fish.

[4] Divine Life, which by radiation from the sun of the heaven of angels makes human beings act, can be compared with the light from the sun of this world and its radiation affecting a diaphanous object. The way life is received in the highest degree is like light striking a diamond; in the second degree like light striking a crystal, and in the lowest degree like light striking glass or a transparent membrane. But if the spiritual part of this degree is totally shut off, which happens when the existence of God is denied and Satan is worshipped, the way life from God is received is like light falling upon dark objects on earth, such as rotten wood or a lump of mud or dung, and so on. For then a person becomes a spiritual corpse.

3300. 'And the first came out, ruddy all over, like a hairy garment' ¹ means good constituting the life of natural truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming out' as being born, from the meaning of 'ruddy' as good constituting the life, dealt with below, and from the meaning of 'a hairy garment' as the truth of the natural, also dealt with below. His being 'the first' means that in essence good is prior, as stated above in 3299. It is also called 'a hairy garment' so as to mean that good was clothed with truth as in a thin casing or body, as also stated above in 3299. In the Word 'a tunic' means nothing else in the internal sense than something that clothes another thing, and that also is why truths are compared to garments, 1073, 2576.

[2] The reason why 'ruddy' or 'red' means good constituting the life is that all good flows from love, and love itself is celestial and spiritual fire. Love is also compared to and actually called fire, see 933-936, as well as being compared to and actually called blood, 1001. Because both fire and blood are red, good that flows from love is meant by 'ruddy' and 'red', as may also be seen from the following places in the Word: In the prophecy of Jacob, who by then was Israel,

He will wash his clothing in wine and his garment in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. Genesis 49:11-12.

This refers to Judah, who is used here to mean the Lord, as may be clear to anyone. 'Clothing' here and 'garment' are the Lord's Divine Natural. 'wine' and 'the blood of grapes' are the Divine Good and Divine Truth of the Natural - Divine Good being spoken of as 'eyes redder than wine', and Divine Truth as 'teeth whiter than milk'. It is the joining together of good and truth within the Natural that is described in this fashion.

[3] In Isaiah,

Who is this who is coming from Edom, red as to his clothing, and his clothes like his that treads in the winepress? Isaiah 63:1-2.

Here 'Edom' stands for the Divine Good of the Lord's Divine Natural, as will be evident later on. 'Red as to clothing' is the good of truth, and 'clothes like his that treads in the winepress' the truth of good. In Jeremiah,

Her Nazirites were brighter than snow, they were whiter than milk. They were ruddier in body ² than rubies, polished like sapphire. ³ Lamentations 4:7.

'Nazirites' represented the Lord's Divine Human, in particular the Divine Natural, and so the good of the latter was represented by their being 'ruddier in body than rubies'.

[4] Because 'red' meant good, in particular the good of the natural, the Jewish Church - in which every single thing was representative of the Lord, and from this of His kingdom, and consequently of good and truth which are the source of the Lord's kingdom - was therefore commanded to have a covering for the tabernacle of red-rams' skins, Exodus 25:5; 26:14; 35:5-7, 23; 36:19. That Church was also commanded to prepare the water for making atonement from the ashes of the red heifer that had been burnt, Numbers 19:2 and following verses. Unless the colour red had been a sign of something heavenly in the Lord's kingdom, it would never have been commanded that the rams should be red and that the heifer should be red. The fact that they represented sacred things anyone acknowledges who considers the Word to be sacred. Because the colour red had that meaning, therefore also the coverings of the Tabernacle were interwoven with, and had loops made of, scarlet, purple, and violet yarn, Exodus 35:6.

[5] Seeing that almost everything also has a contrary sense, as often stated, so too has 'red'. In the contrary sense 'red' means evil that is the outcome of self-love, the reasons for this being that the desires belonging to self-love are compared to and actually called fire, 934 (end), 1297, 1527, 1528, 1861, 2446, and are likewise compared to and actually called blood, 374, 954, 1005. Consequently 'red' in the contrary sense means those things, as in Isaiah,

Jehovah said, Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, ⁴ they will be as wool. Isaiah 1:18.

In Nahum,

The shields of the mighty men of Belial have been made red, the mighty men are in crimson!; enveloped in the fire of torches are the chariots on the day [of preparation]. Nahum 2:3.

In John,

Another sign appeared in heaven, Behold, a great fiery-red dragon having seven heads, and on his heads seven jewels. Revelation 12:3.

In the same book,

I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; to him a crown was given; he went out conquering and to conquer. Then there came out another horse, fiery-red; and he who sat on the horse was permitted to take peace away from the earth, and so that men would slay one another. Therefore to him was given a great sword. After that a black horse came out, and at length a pale horse, whose name is death. Revelation 6:2-8.

Footnotes: