Arcana Coelestia #34
34. Love and faith cannot possibly be separated for they constitute one and the same thing. This is why, when first the [great] lights are dealt with and they are taken to be one, it is said [using a singular verb with a plural noun], 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens'. Let some marvels relating to this be mentioned here. Since celestial angels possess from the Lord that kind of love, they possess by virtue of that love every cognition of faith, and by virtue of that love the kind of life and light of understanding that almost defies description altogether. On the other hand spirits who without love have a knowledge of the doctrinal matters concerning faith live such cold lives and are in such dull light that they cannot approach even the outer gateway to heaven before running off in the opposite direction. Some claim to have believed in the Lord, but they have not lived according to His teaching. The Lord refers to these people in Matthew as follows,
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does My will. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? and so on. Matthew 7:21-22-end.
[2] From this is clear that those who have love have faith as well, and so heavenly life, whereas those who claim to have faith and yet have none of the life inherent in love do not. The life of faith devoid of love is like sunlight devoid of warmth, as is the case in wintertime when nothing grows and every single thing is inactive and dies off. But faith deriving from love is like the sunlight in springtime when everything grows and blossoms, for it is the warmth of the sun that brings it out. It is similar with spiritual and celestial things, which are normally represented in the Word by the things found in the world and on earth. An absence of faith, and faith devoid of love, are also compared by the Lord to winter where He foretold the close of the age in Mark,
Pray that your flight may not happen in winter, for those will be days of affliction. Mark 13:18-19.
'Flight' means the final period, also the time when a person dies; 'winter' is life which is destitute of love, 'days of affliction' his wretched condition in the next life.
Isaiah 33
1
Woe to you who destroy, but you weren't destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed.
2
Yahweh, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3
At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered.
4
Your spoil will be gathered as the caterpillar gathers. Men will leap on it as locusts leap.
5
Yahweh is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6
There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.
7
Behold, their valiant ones cry outside; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8
The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn't respect man.
9
The land mourns and languishes. Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
10
"Now I will arise," says Yahweh; "Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.
11
You will conceive chaff. You will bring forth stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you.
12
The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
13
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might."
14
The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?
15
He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil--
16
he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.
17
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. They will see a distant land.
18
Your heart will meditate on the terror. Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed? Where is he who counted the towers?
19
You will no longer see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that you can't comprehend, with a strange language that you can't understand.
20
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won't be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
21
But there Yahweh will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, neither will any gallant ship pass by there.
22
For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will save us.
23
Your rigging is untied. They couldn't strengthen the foot of their mast. They couldn't spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil was divided. The lame took the prey.
24
The inhabitant won't say, "I am sick." The people who dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity.
