594. Encompassed with a cloud.- That this signifies the ultimate of the Word, is evident from the signification of being encompassed, as denoting what is outside of one, for that which is around is also outside, since it is beyond in the circumference; in this case therefore it denotes the ultimate; and from the signification of a cloud, as denoting Divine Truth in the ultimates, consequently the Word in the sense of the letter. This signification of cloud is evident from appearances in the spiritual world; also from the Word, where clouds are mentioned. From appearances in the spiritual world, as follows; the whole angelic heaven consists solely of the Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, the reception of which makes angels. In the highest heaven this truth appears like the pure aura which is called ether; in the lower heaven, as less pure, almost like the atmosphere, which is called air; in the lowest heaven it appears like a thin watery element, upon which vapour rests like a cloud. Such is the appearance of Divine Truth according to degrees in descent. A similar appearance is seen when the angels of the higher heavens speak concerning Divine truths, their discourse, in such case, appearing to the sight of those who are in the lowest heaven under the aspect of a cloud, which flies hither and thither, while the more intelligent among them know from its motion, brightness, and form, what the angels of the higher heavens are mutually discoursing about. The reason why a cloud signifies Divine Truth in ultimates is therefore evident. Because many expressions in the Word are chosen from appearances in the spiritual world, and consequently have a similar signification, therefore this is the case also with respect to clouds.

[2] That a cloud signifies in the Word the sense of the letter, which is Divine Truth in ultimates, is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Matthew:

"Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain, and was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. While Peter "was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, hear ye him" (17:1-10; Mark 9:1-11).

And in Luke:

While "Peter was thus speaking, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they feared as they entered the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son; hear ye him" (9:34, 35).

The Lord in this transfiguration also represented the Divine Truth, which is the Word. For the Lord, when He was in the world, made His Human Divine Truth, and when He departed out of the world, He made His Human Divine Good by union with the Divine itself, which was in Him from conception. That the Lord made His Human Divine Truth when He was in the world, and afterwards Divine Good, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 303, 304, 305, 306), and that the Lord is the Word (n. 263). For this reason all the circumstances of the transfiguration of the Lord, signify Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of the Lord. The Divine Good of the Divine Love, which was in Him, and from which was the Divine Truth in His Human, was represented by His face shining as the sun, for the face represents the interiors, therefore these shine forth through the face, and the sun signifies the Divine Love; see above (n. 401:3, 412:1-10). The Divine Truth was represented by the Lord's garments which were like the light. Garments in the Word signify truths, and the garments of the Lord the Divine Truth; see above (n. 64, 271, 395); on this account also they appeared like the light; for Divine Truth is the cause of light in the angelic heaven, and is therefore signified by light in the Word; concerning which more may be seen in Heaven and Hell 126-140). Because the Word, which is the Divine Truth, was represented, therefore Moses and Elias were seen speaking with him, Moses and Elias signifying the Word, Moses the historical, and Elias the prophetical Word; but the Word in the letter was represented by the cloud which overshadowed the disciples, and into which they entered. For the disciples, in the Word, represented the church, which, at that time and afterwards, was only in truths from the sense of the letter. And because revelation and responses are given by means of the Divine Truth in ultimates, as stated in the article above, and this truth is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word, therefore a voice was heard out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him," denoting that He is the Divine Truth, or the Word.

[3] He who does not know that a cloud in the spiritual sense of the Word means the Word in the letter, cannot know the interior truth involved in these words; That in the consummation of the age "they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory" (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; 14:61, 62; Luke 21:27).

And in the Apocalypse:

"Behold," Jesus Christ "cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him" (1:7).

And again:

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man" (14:14).

And in Daniel:

"I saw in visions of the night, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of the heavens" (7:13).

He who is ignorant of the fact that clouds signify the truths of the Word in the sense of the letter, cannot but suppose that in the consummation of the age, that is, in the end of the church, the Lord will come in the clouds of heaven, and manifest himself to the world. But it is well known that since the giving of the Word, the Lord manifests Himself by means of that alone, for the Word, which is the Divine Truth, is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church. From this it is first evident, that the manifestation there predicted signifies His manifestation in the Word; and the manifestation of the Lord in the Word was accomplished by His opening and revealing its internal or spiritual sense, for in this sense is the Divine Truth itself, such as it is in heaven, and the Divine Truth in heaven is the Lord Himself there. It is now therefore evident that by the Lord's coming in the clouds of heaven with glory, is signified the revelation of Him in the sense of the letter of the Word from its spiritual sense. The clouds of heaven signify those things that are of the sense of the letter, and glory those that are of the spiritual sense, as may be seen in Heaven and Hell 1); and the revelation itself of the spiritual sense, in the White Horse; the Son of man also signifies the Lord as to Divine Truth, as may be seen above (n. 63, 151).

[4] That a cloud signifies the Divine Truth in ultimates, consequently the Word in the sense of the letter, is still further evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud, and cometh into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt are put in commotion before Him, and the heart of the Egyptian melteth in the midst of him " (19:1).

By Egypt in these words is not meant Egypt, but the natural man separated from the spiritual, which is then in falsities and evils, and by means of these perverts all the truths and goods of the church. That those falsities and evils destroy it, when truth from good flows in from the Lord, is described by these words of the prophet understood in the internal sense. Jehovah riding upon a light cloud, signifies the Lord enlightening the understanding with truths, to ride, when used in reference to Jehovah, or the Lord, denoting to enlighten the understanding, and a light cloud denoting truth; that then the idols of Egypt are put in commotion, and the heart of the Egyptian melteth, signifies, that the evils and falsities of the natural man separated from the spiritual, then destroy him, idols denoting falsities, the heart denoting evils, and Egypt, the natural man.

[5] So in Moses:

"There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth in heaven and in his magnificence upon the clouds, the dwelling-place of the God of antiquity, and underneath (are) the arms of the world" (Deuteronomy 33:26, 27).

Here also by riding in the heaven on the clouds, is signified to enlighten the understanding by the influx of spiritual truth into natural truth, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word. Because the Divine Truth in the heavens is spiritual, and the Divine Truth in the earths (terris) is natural, and the latter is enlightened by the former, therefore it is said, "and in his magnificence upon the clouds." "The dwelling-place of the God of antiquity," denotes the Divine Truth with the angels, while the expression "the arms of the world" denotes truths with men; the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are meant by the arms of the world, for that sense is the very strength of Divine Truth, arms signifying strength. That the strength of Divine Truth is in the sense of the letter of the Word may be seen in the article above.

[6] So in David:

God "rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea he was carried upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his hiding-place; his pavilion round about him, darkness of waters, clouds of the heavens. At the brightness before him the clouds passed" (Psalm 18:10-12).

Here also the enlightenment of the Word is described, and thence the enlightenment of the church. Enlightenment by the influx of Divine Truth out of the heavens is signified by, he rode upon a cherub, and did fly. Divine truth in ultimates, which is enlightened, is signified by the wings of the wind, darkness of waters, and clouds of the heavens; the various degrees of the understanding which receives enlightenment are signified by those things. That the obscurities of the ultimate sense are consequently removed, is meant by, at the brightness before him the clouds passed.

[7] So again:

"Sing unto God, praise his name; extol him that rideth upon the clouds" (Psalm 68:4).

By Him that rideth upon the clouds, is here also meant the Lord as to enlightenment. Clouds denote truths in the ultimates, which are enlightened, and this enlightenment takes place by the influx of light, which is Divine Truth, out of the spiritual world or heaven.

[8] So in Nahum:

"The way of Jehovah is in storms and tempest, and the clouds are the dust of his feet" (1:3).

Truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word, is called the clouds, the dust of the feet of Jehovah, because it is the natural and lowest [truth], in which the Divine Truth in heaven, which is spiritual, terminates, and upon which also it subsists. Divine Truth in ultimates, because little understood unless it be enlightened out of heaven, and therefore a ground of disputation and controversy, is meant by the storm and the tempest, in which is the way of Jehovah, spiritual storm and tempest denoting disputation concerning the genuine sense [of the Word], which nevertheless the Lord enlightens by influx in the case of those who desire the truth.

[9] So in David:

"His seed shall be for ever, and his throne as the sun before thee. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in the clouds" (89:36, 37).

These things are said of the Lord, and by the seed which shall endure for ever, is signified the Divine Truth from Him. His throne which shall be as the sun, and as the moon, signifies heaven and the church, as to the good of love, and as to the truth of faith; throne signifies heaven and the church, "as the sun" signifies as to the good of love, and "as the moon" signifies as to the truth of faith. A faithful witness in the clouds, signifies that He is the Divine Truth; for "witness," when used in reference to the Lord, signifies that which goes forth from Him, and this bears witness concerning Him because it is of Him.

[10] Again:

Jehovah "layeth his chambers in the waters; who maketh the clouds his chariot; who walketh upon the wings of the wind" (Psalm 104:3).

These few words are descriptive of heaven and the church, and at the same time of doctrine from the Word. Jehovah layeth his chambers in the waters, signifies that the Lord forms heaven and the church from Divine Truths; waters signify Divine Truths, the chambers of Jehovah signify the heavens and the church, and to lay, signifies to form. Who maketh the clouds his chariot, signifies doctrine from ultimate Divine Truths, clouds denoting ultimate Divine Truths, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, and a chariot denoting doctrine; this is said because everything of the doctrine of the church must be formed from, and confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word. Who walketh upon the wings of the wind, signifies life communicated to doctrine from spiritual influx, to walk signifying to live, and, when used in reference to the Lord, life itself, the wings of the wind denoting the spiritual things of the Word. That waters signify truths, may be seen above (n.71, 483, 518, 537, 538).

[11] So in Isaiah:

"I will lay" my vineyard "waste; I will even command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" (5:5, 6).

These words mean that then there shall be no understanding of Divine Truth or the Word in the church; the vineyard denotes the church, clouds denote the Word in the letter, and by their raining no rain, is meant that there shall be no understanding of Divine Truth from the Word.

[12] Again, in David:

Jehovah, "who covereth the heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains" (Psalm 147:8).

To cover the heavens with clouds, signifies to defend and keep together the spiritual things of the Word which are in the heavens, by natural truths such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word. Who prepareth rain for the earth, signifies instruction thence for the church; who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, signifies nourishment by means of it for those who are in the good of love.

[13] The same is signified by the following words in Isaiah:

"Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down with justice; let the earth open, and bring forth salvation" (45:8).

And in Judges:

"Jehovah, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedest out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens also dropped, the clouds also dropped waters" (5:4).

Going forth out of Seir, and marching out of the field of Edom, signifies in reference to Jehovah, the enlightenment of the Gentiles by the Lord, when He assumed the Human. By the earth trembling, is signified the completely changed state of the church at that time. By the heavens dropping, and the clouds dropping waters, are signified instruction, influx, and the perception of Divine Truth; to drop signifies instruction and influx, water denotes truths, the heavens denote the interior things of truth, and clouds, the exterior, such as they are in the sense of the letter of the Word.

[14] Again, in David:

"The clouds dropped waters; the skies uttered a voice, thy darts also went forth" (Psalms 77:17).

By the clouds dropping waters, is signified that genuine truths are from the sense of the letter of the Word; by the skies uttering a voice is signified influx from the heavens; by thy darts also went forth, are signified Divine Truths therefrom.

So in Job:

God "bindeth up the waters in his clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He spreadeth his cloud upon" his throne (26:8, 9).

Here, also, clouds denote ultimate truths in order, and because these contain in themselves and include spiritual truths, so that they may not be dissipated, this is expressed and signified by God binding up the waters in His clouds, and by the cloud not being rent. Because exterior truths which are called natural, also encompass and enclose interior truths, which are called spiritual, and are proper to the angels of the heavens, this fact is expressed and signified by, "He spreadeth his cloud upon his throne."

[15] And in Isaiah:

"Jehovah said, I will take my rest, and I will behold in my dwelling-place as a clear heat upon light, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest" (18:4).

A cloud of dew signifies truth fructifying from good.

Again, in the same prophet:

"Jehovah will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon all her assemblies, a cloud by day, and the smoke and shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a covering" (4:5).

Here the dwelling-place of Mount Zion signifies the good of the celestial church, and her assemblies signify the truths of that good; its defence, lest it should be injured from too much light or from too much shade, is signified by the cloud by day, and the smoke and shining of a flaming fire by night. And since all spiritual good and truth are preserved by natural good and truth from being injured, it is therefore said that upon all the glory shall be a covering, glory denoting spiritual good and truth.

[16] The same is signified by, "The cloud upon the tabernacle by day and the fire by night" (Exodus 40:36-38; Num. 9:15-17 to end; 10:11, 12, 34; 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:33). Also by Jehovah going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21), and by the pillar of a cloud that stood between the camp of the sons of Israel and the camp of the Egyptians (Exodus 14:19-21).

And in David:

God “led them in a cloud by day, and all the night in the light of fire” (Psalm 78:14).

And again:

"Egypt was glad when they departed; for the fear of them fell upon them. He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give them light in the night" (Psalm 105:38, 39).

The reason why a cloud was upon the tabernacle by day, and a fire by night, was, that the tabernacle represented heaven and the church, the cloud, the presence of the Lord by means of Divine Truth, and the fire, His presence by means of Divine Good, which is called the good of faith, each ultimate in order, therefore they were as coverings for the tabernacle; on this account it is said in the passages adduced above from David and Isaiah: "Over all the glory shall be a covering and, "be spread a cloud for a covering."

The same is signified by the cloud which covered Mount Horeb, and into which Moses entered; also by the cloud in which Jehovah descended on Mount Sinai, and by the pillar of a cloud which stood at the door of the tent of Moses (Exodus 24:15-17, 18; 19:16, 18; 34:5; 33:9, 10).

[17] This is also the signification of the cloud in the following passages in Ezekiel:

"I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it" (1:4).

And again:

"The cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of Jehovah went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Jehovah's glory" (10:3, 4).

The cherubim here signify the Lord's care, that he may not be approached except through the good of love; hence cherubim signify the heavens, particularly, the inmost or third heaven, because the angels of that heaven receive Divine Truth in the good of love, therefore it is Divine Truth that defends, which, in its essence, is the good of love. This Divine Truth, as it descends out of the inmost heaven into the lower heavens, and at length into the world where men are, from being pure becomes gradually denser. This is the reason why it appears in the lowest degree like a cloud, which signifies the Divine Truth accommodated to the apprehension of the angels in the lowest heaven, who are spiritual-natural, and, lastly, to the apprehension of men in the natural world. And because the Divine Truth in this degree is similar to the Divine Truth as it is in the sense of the letter of the Word, therefore a cloud signifies the Word as to the sense of the letter. This Divine Truth is that which filled the court like a cloud, and lastly the house, at the right side of which the cherubim stood. And because this Divine Truth is interiorly spiritual, and shines from celestial light, therefore it is called glory, and it is said that the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of Jehovah. Hence also it is said in Job:

"When" "God causeth the light of his cloud to shine?" (Job 36:15).

[18] Since the higher heavens appear to the eyes of those who are in the lower heavens as though covered over with a thin bright cloud, because the lower angels cannot behold the higher or interior Divine except according to their quality, therefore also the Divine Truth in the higher heavens, or what is the same thing, the higher heavens themselves, are in some passages of the Word meant by clouds. For whether we say Divine Truth, or the heavens, it is the same thing, since the heavens are heavens from the Divine Truth, and the angels there are angels from the reception of it. In this sense clouds are mentioned in Isaiah:

Lucifer, "thou saidst in thine heart, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud; I will become like the Most High" (14:14).

And in Jeremiah:

"Forsake" Babylon, "and let us go everyone into his own land; for her judgment hath reached unto the heavens, and she hath lifted up herself even to the clouds" (51:9).

And in David:

"Ascribe ye strength unto God; over Israel is his majesty, and his strength is in the clouds" (Psalm 68:34).

In these passages clouds signify the same thing as the waters above the firmament (Genesis 1:7), and the waters above the heavens (Psalm 148:4); for clouds are formed of water. That waters signify Divine Truth, may be seen above (n. 7, 483, 518).

[19] Since there are clouds of a thinner and brighter quality, and also of a denser and darker kind, and because the thinner and brighter appear beneath the heavens, but the denser and darker about many of the hells, it is therefore evident that, in the opposite sense, clouds also signify the falsities of evil, which are contrary to truths from good; as in the following passages.

Thus in Ezekiel:

As for Egypt, "a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity" (30:18).

Again, in the same prophet:

He shall ascend, "like a cloud to cover the land" (38:9).

And again:

The sheep "scattered in the day of cloud and thick darkness" (34:12).

Hence also the last judgment, when those who are in falsities of evil are about to perish, is called "A day of cloud and obscurity" (Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:15). The signification of "the cloud, and thick darkness," which appeared to the sons of Israel when the law was given from Mount Sinai, is similar (Deuteronomy 4:11, 12, 15; 5:22, 26). For although Jehovah, that is, the Lord, descended upon that mountain in a bright cloud, yet it appeared before the eyes of the people, who were in falsities of evil, like a gloomy cloud; see the Arcana Coelestia 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551).

329. Because it is said, "Thou hast redeemed us to God in thy blood," and this is understood within the church entirely according to the sense of the letter, and not according to any spiritual sense, I wish also to show, that by blood is not meant blood, or the Lord's passion upon the cross, but the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and the reception thereof by man; consequently, that by, "Thou hast redeemed us in thy blood," is denoted that He has delivered and freed from hell those who acknowledge Him, and receive Divine truth from Him (as has been said above, n. 328). In illustration of this point I desire to adduce the following. Because all things that were commanded, in the Israelitish church, were representatives of celestial and spiritual things, and not the least thing was otherwise, therefore it was also commanded, when the paschal supper was first instituted,

That they should take of the blood, and sprinkle it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post, upon the houses wherein they should eat the paschal lamb; "and the blood shall be for you for a sign upon the houses where you are, and when I shall see the blood, I will pass over you, nor shall there be any plague upon you from the destroyer, when I shall pass through the land of Egypt."

And further:

"Ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two sideposts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. And Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptian; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the smiter to come into your houses to smite you (Exodus 12:7, 13, 22, 23).

He who does not know that there is any spiritual sense in the Word, believes that by blood is here meant the Lord's blood upon the cross; but this is not at all understood in heaven. But by the paschal supper here the angels there understand the same as by the Holy Supper instituted by the Lord, in which instead of the paschal lamb there are bread and wine; and then the Lord said that the bread was His flesh and that the wine was His blood; and any one knows, or may know, that bread and wine are what nourish the body, the bread as meat and the wine as drink, and that in the Word, which in its inmost is spiritual, those things also must be spiritually understood.

[2] Thus bread means all spiritual meat, and wine all spiritual drink; spiritual meat is all the good that is communicated and imparted to man by the Lord, and spiritual drink is all the truth that is communicated and imparted to him by the Lord; these two, namely, good and truth, or love and faith, make a man spiritual; it is said, or love and faith, because all good is of love, and all truth of faith. Hence it is evident that by bread is meant the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and as to man, that [good] received by him; and that by wine is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and as to man, that [truth] received by him. Because the Lord says that His flesh is bread, and His blood is wine, it is evident that by the Lord's flesh is meant the Divine good of His Divine love, and that by eating it, is meant to receive it, to appropriate to oneself, and thus to be conjoined with the Lord; and that by the Lord's blood is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His Divine love, and that by drinking it is meant to receive that [truth], to appropriate to oneself, and thus to be conjoined with the Lord.

[3] Spiritual nourishment also is from the good and truth which proceed from the Lord, as all the nourishment of the body is from meat and drink; hence also is their correspondence, which is such, that where anything of meat, or that serves, for meat, is named in the Word, good is meant, and where anything of drink is named, or what serves for drink, truth is meant. From these considerations it is evident, that by the blood from the Paschal lamb, which the sons of Israel were commanded to sprinkle upon the two posts, and upon the lintel of their houses, is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; this also on being received in faith and life, protects man against the evils which rise up out of hell, for the Lord is with man in His Divine truth, for it is of the Lord Himself with him, yea, it is Himself with him. Who that thinks from sound reason cannot see that the Lord is not in His blood with any one, but in His Divine, which is the good of love and the good of faith received by man? What, however, each particular there signifies, namely, what the two posts and the lintel, what the destroyer and smiter, and what Egypt, and what many other things in that chapter, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where they are explained.

[4] From these observations it is clear now, without further explanation, what is signified by the Lord's words when He instituted the Holy Supper:

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, brake, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. I say unto you that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it with you in the kingdom of God" (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20).

Because by wine is meant Divine truth nourishing spiritual life, therefore the Lord says to them, "I say unto you that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the kingdom of God." Hence it is evident that what is meant is [something] spiritual, for He says, that He would drink with them, and that in the kingdom of God, or in heaven, and also that He would eat with them of the Paschal lamb there (Luke 22:16).

[5] From what has been said above it is also clear what is signified by these words of the Lord:

"The bread that I will give is my flesh. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. This is the bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:51-58).

That the Lord's flesh is Divine good and His blood Divine truth, both of them from Him, is evident from this fact, that those are the things that nourish the soul; hence it is said, "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

And because a man by the Divine good and truth is conjoined to the Lord, therefore it is also said, "Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, shall have eternal life," and also, "He abideth in me and I in him." The reason why the Lord thus spoke, namely, why He said His flesh and His blood, and not His Divine good and His Divine truth, is, that the sense of the letter of the Word might be composed of such things as correspond to spiritual things, in which the angels are; hence the conjunction of the men of the church by means of the Word with them, which could not be otherwise effected (see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 252, 258-262; and the work concerning Heaven and Hell 303-310).

[6] Because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and by the reception thereof by man conjunction with the Lord is effected, therefore the blood is called the blood of the covenant, for covenant signifies conjunction. The blood is called the blood of the covenant by the Lord when He instituted the Holy Supper; for He said,

"Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new covenant" or testament (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).

It is also called the blood of the covenant in Moses; where these [passages occur]:

"Moses came" from Mount Sinai "and told the people all the words of Jehovah, and all the judgments. And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the mount. And he sent youths of the sons of Israel, and offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed bullocks as sacrifices of peace unto Jehovah. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people; and they said, All that Jehovah hath said will we do and hear. And he took the blood, and sprinkled it upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah hath concluded with you upon all these words. And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as the work of a sapphire stone, and as the substance of heaven for purity" (Exodus 24:3-8, 10).

That blood here signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and received by man, and thence conjunction, is evident, for half of it was sprinkled upon the altar, and half upon the people; for by the altar was signified all worship that is from the good of love, and by the people, those who perform worship, and receive the good of love by means of truths; for all reception of Divine good is effected by means of truths made truths of life, and conjunction thence is by the good in those truths. That there is conjunction by the good in those truths, or by truths made truths of life, and that blood was a representative thereof, is quite clear from the words here, for this was done when Moses descended from mount Sinai, whence the Law was promulgated, and also the statutes and judgments which were to be observed; and it is said that Moses wrote all those words of Jehovah, and read them in the ears of the people, who said, "All that Jehovah hath said will we do and hear," which they said twice, as may be seen in verses 3 and 7.

[7] Words or truths become truths of life by doing them; and because Moses wrote those words, he called them "the Book of the Covenant," by which is signified that there is conjunction by its means. By the law promulgated by Jehovah from mount Sinai, and by the statutes and judgments which were also commanded at that time, is signified all Divine truth, or Divine truth in its whole compass. Hence it is that these things are called "the Book of the Covenant," and the ark in which that book was placed, the "Ark of the Covenant," covenant signifying conjunction. Because the Divine truth, by which there is conjunction, proceeds from the Lord, therefore also the Lord was seen by them and under the feet as the work of sapphire stone. That He was so seen under the feet signifies that the Divine truth is such in ultimates. The Divine truth in ultimates is the Divine truth in the sense of the letter of the Word; the work of sapphire stone signifies the transparency thereof from Divine truth in the internal or spiritual sense; the God of Israel is the Lord. (That the sapphire stone signifies transparency from internal truths, may be seen, n. 9407; and that the God of Israel is the Lord as to the Divine Human, may be seen above, n. 328.) Hence now it is evident, that a covenant or conjunction is made by Divine truth, and that the blood sprinkled upon the altar, and half thereof upon the people, was a representative of it, because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by man, as has been said above. (That a covenant signifies conjunction may be seen, n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632. That the law, in a strict sense, signifies the ten precepts of the Decalogue, and, in a broad sense, the whole Word, thus all Divine truth, n. 2606, 3382, 6752, 7463, 9417. That mount Sinai thence signifies heaven where the Lord is, from whom is Divine truth, or from whom is the law, in both the strict and broad sense, n. 8399, 8753, 8793, 8805, 9420; and that the altar was the principal representative of the Lord, and of the worship of Him from the good of love, n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714, 9963, 9964, 10123, 10151, 10242, 10245, 10642.)

[8] Because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by man, whence there is conjunction, therefore, all things representative of things Divine proceeding from the Lord, which are also called celestial and spiritual, were consecrated by oil and by blood, and were then called holy. The reason why they were consecrated by oil and blood, that they might represent, was because by oil was signified the Divine good of the Divine love, and by blood the Divine truth thence proceeding, for truth proceeds from good. That consecrations and sanctifications were made by oil, will be seen in the following pages, under the proper article; here only those passages shall be mentioned, which relate to blood; as:

When Aaron and his sons were sanctified, that blood was sprinkled upon the horns of the altar and round about the altar; and upon Aaron and his sons, and upon their garments (Exodus 29:12, 16, 21; Leviticus 8:24).

That blood was sprinkled seven times before the veil which was upon the ark, and upon the horns of the altar of incense (Leviticus 4:6, 7, 17, 18).

That before Aaron entered within the veil to the mercy-seat, he should sacrifice, and burn incense, and should sprinkle the blood with the finger on the mercy-seat seven times towards the east (Leviticus 16:12-15).

That the blood of the burnt-offering and of the sacrifice should be sprinkled upon the altar, around the altar, and at the bottom of the altar (Leviticus 1:5, 11, 15; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:25, 30, 34; 5:9; 8:15, 24; 17:6; Num. 18:17; Deuteronomy 12:27).

That the blood should be sprinkled upon the horns of the altar, and thus the altar should be purified (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:18, 19).

The reason why the blood from the burnt-offerings and sacrifices was sprinkled, and poured out upon the altar, around the altar, or at the foundation thereof was, because the altar with the burnt-offerings and sacrifices upon it represented and thence signified all worship from the good of love and the truths thence; and because truths proceed from good, therefore the blood was sprinkled on, and poured out, around the altar, for around signifies proceeding.

[9] But these things may be more evident from what has been shown concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices in the Arcana Coelestia, as from the following: That burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified all things of worship from the good of love, and the truths thence, n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042. That therefore burnt-offerings and sacrifices were called bread, n. 2165, because bread signifies every thing that nourishes spiritual life, n. 2165, 3478, 4976, 5147, 5915, 6118, 8410, 8418, 9323, 10686. That burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified Divine, celestial, and spiritual things, which are the internals of the church, from which are all things of worship, n. 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, with a variation according to the variety of worship, n. 2805, 6905, 8936. That, therefore, there were many kinds of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and in them various processes, and also various animals of which they consisted, n. 2830, 9391, 9990. That the various things which they specifically signified, may be known from the particulars of the process unfolded by the internal sense, n. 10042. That in the rituals and processes of the sacrifices are contained mysteries of heaven, n. 10057. That in general there are contained [in them] arcana of the glorification of the Lord's Human, and in a respective sense arcana of man's regeneration and his purification from evils and falsities, n. 9990, 10022, 10042, 10053, 10057. What was signified by the meat-offerings, which were bread and cakes, which also were offered in sacrifice, n. 10079; what by the drink-offering, which was wine, n. 4581, 10137.

[10] These things being understood, it can be known from them that by the blood of the sacrifice also elsewhere in the Word is signified Divine truth; as in Ezekiel:

"Say to the bird of every wing, and to the beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves from every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. And ye shall be satiated at my table with horse, with chariot, with every man of war: So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).

The restoration of the church is the subject here treated of, and by Israel and Jacob are meant all who belong to the church, concerning whom therefore these things are said. By a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel are signified all things of their worship; by flesh and by fat is signified the good of love, and by blood truth from that good, from which worship the abundance of both is described by their eating flesh and fat to satiety, and drinking blood even to drunkenness, and this from the sacrifice; wherefore it is also said, they shall be satiated at my table with horse, chariot, and every man of war; for by horse is signified the understanding of truth, by chariot doctrine, and by a man of war truth fighting against falsity and destroying it. Who cannot see that by the blood here mentioned, is not meant blood, as that they should drink the blood of the princes of the earth, and that they should drink blood even to drunkenness from the sacrifice? The princes of the earth signify the principal truths of the church; hence their blood signifies spiritual nourishment from those truths. Because such things are signified, therefore, in this chapter, it is also said lastly concerning Israel, by whom is signified the church:

"Then will I not hide my faces any longer from them for I will pour out my spirit upon Israel" (verse 29).

The reason why it is said, say to the bird of every wing and to the beast of the field, is because by the bird of every wing is signified spiritual truth in its whole compass, and by the beast of the field the affection of good. (That by birds in the Word are signified things spiritual, see n. 745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441; in like manner by wings, n. 8764, 9514. That by beasts are signified affections, and by the beasts of the field the affections of good, n. 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198, 9090, 9280, 10609; and that hence both birds and beasts were used in sacrifices, n. 1823, 3519, 7523, 9280.)

[11] In confirmation that the beast of the field and the fowl signify such things, I will adduce here only one passage from the Word:

"In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the ground; and the bow and the sword and the battle will I break off from the earth. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; and I will betroth thee unto me in justice and in judgment, and in mercy and in compassions, and I will betroth thee unto me in truth" (Hosea 2:18, 19, 20).

Here, by making a covenant with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, is signified with the affections of good and with spiritual truths, for with these the Lord is conjoined to man, the Lord being in these things with him; hence it is called a covenant with them, covenant denoting conjunction. That beasts signify the affections of good, and birds things spiritual, will be fully shown in the following pages under their proper articles.

[12] Because the fat in sacrifices signified Divine good, and the blood Divine truth, both from the Lord, and both received by man, effected conjunction, the posterity of Jacob, or the Jews and Israelites, were therefore forbidden to eat any fat or any blood (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:11-14; Deuteronomy 12:16, 23-25; 15:23). The reason of this was, because that nation was not in any good of love, nor in any truth of good, but in the falsities of evil; and to eat fat and blood signified with them the mingling of truth from good with falsity from evil, which is profanation; hence also it is evident that by blood is signified the Divine truth. That fat or fatness in the Word signifies the good of love, may be seen, n. 353, 5943, 6409, 10033. And that the Jews and Israelites were solely in externals and not in internals, and, consequently, not in spiritual truths and goods, but in falsities of evil; and that all things of their worship were externals separated from things internal, and that still by things external they could represent the internal things of worship, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.

[13] Because the blood in the sacrifices signified Divine truth, therefore also it was forbidden them

to sacrifice upon what was leavened the blood of the sacrifice (Exodus 23:18; 34:25).

For by leaven is signified falsity, and by what was leavened truth falsified (see n. 2342, 7906, 8051, 9992).

[14] The reason why the Lord's flesh signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, and why His blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from that good, is, because there are two things which proceed from the Lord's Divine Human, namely, Divine good and Divine truth, hence the latter is His blood, and the former is His flesh. That which proceeds is the Divine-celestial and the Divine-spiritual, which constitute the heavens in general and in particular. (But this will better appear from what has been shown in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, under the following articles, namely, that the Divine of the Lord makes heaven, n. 7-12; that the Divine of the Lord in heaven is love to Him, and charity towards the neighbour, n. 13-19; that hence the whole heaven in the whole and in part has reference to one man, n. 59-77; that this is from the Lord's Divine Human, n. 78-87; and moreover from what [has been] shown concerning the sun in heaven, and concerning the light and heat thence, and that the heat is the Divine good, and the light the Divine truth, both proceeding from the Lord, n. 116-140. From all these considerations it may in some degree be comprehended, whence it is that the Divine proceeding is meant by flesh and blood, namely, the Divine good by flesh and the Divine truth by blood.)

[15] There are also two things with man which constitute his spiritual life, namely, the good of love and the truth of faith; the will is the receptacle of the good of love with him, and the understanding is the receptacle of the truth of faith with him. All things of the mind, that is, of the will and understanding, have a correspondence with all things of the body, wherefore, the latter are moved at the command of the former. The correspondence of the will is in general with the flesh, and the correspondence of the understanding is with the blood; hence it is that man's voluntary proprium is meant in the Word by flesh, and the intellectual proprium by blood; as in Matthew:

"Jesus said to Simon, Blessed art thou, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee" (16:17).

These things are adduced, that it may be known that in the Word things voluntary and intellectual, thus spiritual, are meant by flesh and blood, where they are said of man, and things Divine where they are said of the Lord. But these observations are intended for those whose minds can be elevated above natural ideas and can see causes.

[16] This also is what is signified by the blood and water which issued out of the Lord's side concerning which it is thus written in John:

"One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw testifieth, and his testimony is sure; he knoweth that he saith true things, that ye also might believe" (19:34, 35).

These things were done that they might signify the Lord's conjunction with the human race by means of the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His love. Breast signifies Divine love; blood and water signify Divine truth proceeding; blood the Divine truth which is for the spiritual man, and water the Divine truth which is for the natural [man]; for all things related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion are also significative (see above, n. 83, 195 at end). And because those things signify His love, and man's salvation by the Divine truth proceeding from Him, therefore the evangelist also says: "He that saw testifieth, and his testimony is sure; he knoweth that he saith true things, that ye also might believe."

[17] To what has been already adduced, I desire to add the following passages from the Word. In Zechariah:

"Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh. And he shall speak peace unto the nations; and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee, also, by the blood of thy covenant I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water" (9:9-11).

These things are spoken concerning the Lord, and the establishment of the church among the nations by Him. By the blood of the covenant is here meant the Divine truth, by which conjunction of the Lord [shall be effected], with those who shall be of His church, as stated above; wherefore it is also said, "I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water," for by those are signified the nations that are in falsities from ignorance; the pit in which there is no water signifies where there is no truth, and to send them forth thence, signifies to liberate them from them. That by water is signified the truth of the church, may be seen above, n. 71; and that by the bound in the pit are signified those who are in falsities from ignorance, and, nevertheless, in the desire of knowing truths, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4728, 4744, 5038, 6854, 7950.

[18] In David:

God "shall save the souls of the needy; he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his eyes. And he shall live, and he shall give him of the gold of Sheba; and shall pray for him continually; all the day shall he bless him. Upon the top of the mountains his fruit shall be shaken" (Psalms 72:13-16).

The needy are here treated of, by whom are signified those who desire truths from a spiritual affection. Concerning these it is said, that from deceit and violence He shall redeem their soul; by which is signified their liberation from evils and falsities, which destroy the goods of love and the truths of faith. That their reception of Divine truth is acceptable and grateful to the Lord, is signified by, their blood shall be precious in His eyes; blood here denoting the Divine truth received. Their reformation is described by these words: "He shall live, and he shall give him of the gold of Sheba; and shall pray for him continually; all the day shall he bless him." The gold of Sheba denotes the good of charity; to pray for them continually signifies that they shall be continually withheld from falsities, and kept in truths; and He shall bless him, signifies that they shall be continually in the good of charity and faith; wherefore it is also said, "Upon the top of the mountains his fruit shall be shaken," the top of the mountains signifying heaven, whence they have the good of love from the Lord, which is the fruit.

[19] In Moses:

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; who shall bind to the vine his ass's foal, and to the noble vine the son of his she-ass, whilst he washeth his garments in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:10, 11).

In this prophetical declaration the Lord is treated of, concerning whom it is said, "He shall bind to the vine his ass's foal, and to the noble vine the son of his she-ass, he shall wash his garments in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes"; and by a vine is signified the church, and by wine and the blood of grapes is signified the Divine truth. What the other things signify may be seen in the explanation of those words in the Arcana Coelestia. The same is meant by the blood of grapes in Deuteronomy 32:14; where the subject treated of is the Ancient Church reformed by the Divine truth.

[20] From what has been shown in this and the preceding article, it is evident to those who acknowledge the spiritual sense of the Word, that by, "Thou hast redeemed us to God in thy blood," is meant conjunction with the Divine by the acknowledgment of the Lord, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him; and that the same is meant by blood in the twelfth chapter of this prophetical book, where it is said:

That Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony (verse 11).

It is said, the blood of the Lamb, and the word of the testimony, because the blood of the Lamb signifies the reception of Divine truth from the Lord, and the word of the testimony the acknowledgment of His Divine Human.

[21] That blood signifies the Divine truth is still further evident from its opposite sense, in which blood signifies violence offered to the Divine truth by the falsities of evil, and its destruction thereby; and because opposites also show what is signified in the genuine sense, therefore I desire to adduce some passages in which blood and bloods signify that. It is to be observed that most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, and that from that sense it may be known what is signified in the genuine sense; let these therefore serve for illustration. In the Apocalypse:

"The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living animal in the sea died. And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood" (16:3, 4).

And elsewhere:

The two witnesses "have power over the waters, to turn them into blood" (Apoc. 11:6).

In Isaiah:

"The waters of Nimrim shall be desolations; and the waters of Dimon are full of blood" (15:6, 9).

In David:

"He sent darkness, and made it dark. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish" (Psalms 105:28, 29).

From these passages from the opposite it appears what blood signifies; for blood, in the genuine sense, signifies the Divine truth, and with the recipients truth from good; hence, in the opposite sense, it signifies violence offered to the Divine truth, and with those who do that, falsity from evil. This opposite signification appears from this circumstance, that the waters of the sea, the rivers, and fountains, are said to be turned into blood; for by waters are signified truths, wherefore by blood there falsities which destroy truths. By the living animal in the sea, and by the fish, are signified true scientifics; thus by their dying and being slain by blood are signified those truths also destroyed. That by waters are signified truths, may be seen above, n. 71; and that by fish are signified the true scientifics of the natural man, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 40, 991.

[22] Again, in the Apocalypse:

"I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the whole moon became [as] blood" (6:12).

In Joel:

"I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth; blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great day of Jehovah come" (2:30, 31).

Here also from the opposite it is known, that blood signifies violence offered to the Divine truth; for by the sun in the Word is signified the Divine Celestial, which is the Divine good, and by the moon is signified the Divine Spiritual, which is the Divine truth; therefore it is said that the moon shall be turned into blood. That the moon has this signification may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 118, 119.

[23] In Isaiah:

"He who walketh in justice, and speaketh righteousness, who stoppeth his ear lest he hear bloods, and shutteth his eyes lest he see evil" (33:15).

To stop the ear lest he hear bloods, denotes lest he hear falsities from evil.

In David:

"Thou wilt destroy them that speak a lie; a man of bloods and deceit Jehovah abominates" (Psalms 5:6).

The man of bloods and deceit [is used] for those who are in falsities from evil, and therefore it is said, "Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies"; lies in the Word signifying falsities.

In Isaiah:

"And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy unto him, every one that is written to life in Jerusalem. When the Lord shall have washed the excrement of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away the bloods of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of cleansing" (4:3, 4).

Because by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, it is therefore said, When He shall have washed away its bloods out of the midst thereof, by which, therefore, are signified the falsities of evil. By the spirit of judgment is signified the Divine truth, and because this purifies, it is said by the spirit of cleansing.

[24] In Ezekiel:

"In the day wherein thou wast born, I passed by beside thee, and I saw thee trodden under foot in thy bloods, and I said to thee, In thy bloods, live; yea, I said to thee, In thy bloods, live; I have washed thee; and I have washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I have anointed thee with oil" (16:5, 6, 9, 22, 36, 38).

The subject here treated of is Jerusalem, by which is signified the church as to the doctrine of truth, first here concerning the falsities of evil in which it was before it was reformed, and afterwards concerning its reformation. The falsities of evil are signified by its being seen trodden under foot in bloods; and its reformation by His having washed, and washed away the bloods, and anointed with oil. To wash signifies to purify by truths; to wash away bloods signifies to remove the falsities of evil; and to anoint with oil signifies to gift with the good of love.

[25] In Lamentations:

"For the sins of the prophets" of Jerusalem, "and the iniquities of her priests; that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. They have wandered blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments" (4:13, 14).

By the prophets of Jerusalem are signified those who will teach the truths of doctrine, and by the priests those who will lead by truths to good; here, in the opposite sense, because it is said for their sins. By shedding the blood of the just is signified to falsify truths and to adulterate goods; therefore it is said, "They have wandered blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments." To wander blind in the streets, signifies not to see truths at all, streets denoting truths; polluted with blood, signifies to be wholly in falsities; by its being said, the things that they cannot they touch with [their] garments, signifies that what they cannot pervert they falsify, garments denoting the truths that invest interior things, which truths are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word.

In Isaiah:

"All the crowd shall be confounded by the earthquake, and the garment is polluted with bloods" (9:5).

The earthquake signifies the perversion of the church by the falsification of truth, and the garment polluted with bloods signifies the falsification of the sense of the letter of the Word.

[26] In Jeremiah:

"Wickedness hast thou taught for thy ways, in the wings also is found the blood of innocent souls, in the act of digging through I found them not, but in all these" (2:34).

Here by the blood found in the wings is signified the same as above by, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments, wings being garments. That he did not find them in the act of digging through, but in all of them, signifies that the truths themselves they dared not destroy, but that they falsified the truths of the sense of the letter, wings signifying those truths.

[27] In Isaiah:

"Your hands are full of bloods" (1:15).

In the same:

"For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath meditated perverseness. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity" (59:3, 7).

Their hands being defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity, signifies that in all things belonging to them there is falsity and evil of falsity; the hands and the fingers signify power, and hence everything that they have in which there is power. Because these things are signified, therefore it is also said, your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath meditated perverseness; lies denoting falsities, and perverseness denoting the evil of falsity. That their feet make haste to shed innocent blood, signifies to destroy the good of love and charity, this being signified by shedding innocent blood; the good of innocence is that from which are all the good and truth of heaven and the church (as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 276-283). From these considerations it is evident what is signified, in the general sense, by bloods in the plural, namely, the violence offered both to the truths and the goods of the Word and of the church. Because by shedding innocent blood is signified to destroy the good of love and charity, therefore, every kind of precaution was taken lest innocent blood should be shed, and if it was shed, that the land might be expiated (Deuteronomy 19:10, 13; 21:1-9); for the land signifies the church.

[28] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah goeth forth out of his place to visit the iniquity of the earth; then shall the earth disclose her bloods, and shall no more cover her slain" (26:21).

By the bloods that the earth shall disclose, are signified all the falsities and evils that have destroyed the truths and goods of the church, the earth denoting the church where those things are; by the slain are signified those who have perished by them. That the slain signify those who have perished by falsities and evils, may be seen, n. 315.

In the Apocalypse:

In Babylon "was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (18:24).

The blood of prophets and of saints means truths and goods extinguished; and the slain those who have perished by falsities and evils, as mentioned just above.

[29] The same is meant by:

"The blood of the prophets which was shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel even to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar" (Matthew 23:30, 34, 35; Luke 11:50, 51).

In the spiritual sense, by Abel are meant those who are in the good of charity, and, apart from person, that good itself; and by Cain those who make faith alone the only means of salvation, and the good of charity of no account, and thence reject and slay it; and by Zacharias are meant those who are in truths of doctrine, and, apart from person, the truth itself of doctrine; hence by the blood of both is signified the extinction of all good and truth; by their slaying him between the temple and the altar, is signified, in the spiritual sense, every kind of rejection of the Lord; for the temple signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, and the altar Him as to Divine good, and, between them, signifies both together. (That Abel, in a representative sense, denotes the good of charity, may be seen, n. 342, 354, 1179, 3325; and that Cain denotes faith alone, separate from charity, n. 340, 347, 1179, 3325. That a prophet signifies the doctrine of truth, n. 2534, 7269. That the temple signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, and the altar Him as to Divine good, and, in the respective sense, the Lord's kingdom and church as to those, n. 2777, 3720, 9714, 10642. That between both signifies where there is the marriage of the Divine good and the Divine truth, n. 10001, 10025.)

[30] In the Word, it is often said of those condemned to death, that their bloods were upon them, and thereby, in the spiritual sense, is meant that damnation was upon them on account of the falsities and evils by which they have destroyed the truths and goods of the church; for by bloods in general are signified all falsities of doctrine, of life, and of worship, from which are the evils that destroy the church. These evils are in part recounted in Ezekiel (18:10-13). These are also signified by bloods, in John:

"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (1:12, 13).

By the Lord's name are meant all the truths and goods by which He is to be worshipped; by bloods are meant all falsities and evils that destroy; by the will of the flesh, and by the will of man, are signified all evils of love and falsities of faith; for flesh signifies man's voluntary proprium from which is all evil, and man (vir) signifies man's intellectual proprium from which is all falsity, the will denoting where those things are; to be born of God, is to be regenerated by the truths of faith, and by a life according to them.