14
And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
Arcana Coelestia #5954
5954. 'And to them all he gave each one changes of garments' means truths brought in touch with good. This is clear from the meaning of 'garments' as truths, dealt with below, so that 'changes of garments' are truths that are new, and truths are made new when they are brought in touch with good, for then they receive life. The subject is the joining of the natural man to the spiritual, or the external man to the internal. When the joining together is effected the truths undergo change and are made new since they receive life from the good that flows into them, see just above in 5951. 'Changing one's garments' was representative of the need to put on holy truths, and this is also the origin of 'changes of garments', see 4545.
[2] The reason why in the Word truths are meant by 'garments' is that truths clothe good in almost the same way as blood vessels contain blood or fibres contain spirit. 'A garment' also has truth as its meaning because spirits, and angels too, are seen wearing garments; and each spirit or angel is attired in a way that accords with the truths that reside with him. Those seen wearing white garments are spirits or angels whose truths of faith act as paths to good, whereas those seen wearing brightly shining garments are ones whose truths of faith radiate from good. For it is good radiated through truth that produces the shining brightness, see 5248.
[3] The wearing of garments by spirits and angels is also evident from the Word where mention is made of angels that have been seen, as in Matthew,
The appearance of the angel sitting at the Lord's tomb was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. Matthew 28:3.
In John,
On the thrones I saw twenty-four elders seated, clad in white garments. Revelation 4:4.
In the same book,
He who sat on the white horse was clothed in a garment dyed with blood, and His name is called the Word of God. His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses, clothed in linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:11, 13-14.
'Garments white as snow' and 'white linen' mean holy truths, for whiteness' and 'brightness' have reference to truths, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, for the reason that they are very nearly as bright as light, and the light which radiates from the Lord is Divine Truth. This explains why, when the Lord was transfigured, His garments looked like the light, as described in Matthew,
When Jesus was transfigured His face shone like the sun, and His garments became like the light. Matthew 17:2.
It is well known in the Church that 'the light' is Divine Truth; but its comparison to a garment is clear in David,
Jehovah covers Himself with light, as if with a garment. Psalms 104:2.
[4] The fact that 'garments' are truths is evident from many places in the Word, as in Matthew,
When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man (homo) who was not wearing a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment? Therefore he was cast out into outer darkness. Matthew 22:11-13.
Who exactly are meant by the one 'not wearing a wedding garment', see 2132. In Isaiah,
Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for no more may there come in to you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 52:1.
'Beautiful garments' stands for truths that spring from good.
[5] In Ezekiel,
I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shed you with badger, and I swathed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. Your garments were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. Ezekiel 16:10, 13.
This refers to Jerusalem, by which is meant at this point the spiritual Ancient Church, which was established by the Lord after the celestial Most Ancient Church breathed its last. The truths bestowed on that Church are described as 'garments'. 'Embroidered cloth' is factual knowledge. When such knowledge is genuine it also manifests itself in the next life as embroidered cloth and as lace, as I have also been allowed to see. 'Fine linen' and 'silk' are truths springing from good; but in heaven those fabrics are utterly bright and transparent because they are in the light there.
[6] In the same prophet,
Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, and violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Ezekiel 27:7.
This refers to Tyre, by which the cognitions of truth and good are represented, 1201. When genuine ones, these are 'fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt'. Resulting good, which is the good of truth, is meant by 'violet' and 'purple'.
[7] In David,
All glorious is the king's daughter, in her clothing with gold interweavings; in embroidered robes she will be led to the king. Psalms 45:13-14.
'The king's daughter' stands for the affection for truth. 'Her clothing with gold interweavings' stands for truths that have good within them. 'Embroidered robes' stands for the lowest truths. In John,
You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white ones, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments. Revelation 3:4-5.
'Not soiling one's garments' stands for not defiling truths with falsities.
[8] In the same book,
Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked, and men see his shame. Revelation 16:15.
'Garments' in a similar way stands for truths. Truths of faith drawn from the Word are what are meant, strictly speaking, by 'garments'. Anyone who has not acquired those truths from there - or who has not, as gentiles do, acquired truths or something like them from the religion to which he belongs - and applied them to life, is not in touch with good, no matter how much he may think that he is. For having no truths from the Word or from what his religion teaches he allows himself to be led by reasonings received as much from evil spirits as from good ones, and cannot thus be given protection by the angels. This is what is meant by being awake and keeping one's garments, so that one may not walk naked and men see one's shame.
[9] In Zechariah,
Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and so stood before the angel, who said to those standing before him, Remove the filthy garments from upon 1 him. But he said to him, See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you, by putting on you a change of garments. Zechariah 3:3-4.
'Filthy garments' stands for truths defiled by falsities deriving from evil. Once these were removed therefore and others were put on, the words 'See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you' are used. But anyone can recognize that iniquity does not pass away through a changing of garments, from which anyone may also deduce that a changing of garments was a representative act, as was also the washing of garments, which was commanded when people were purified, for example when they drew near Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:14, or when they were cleansed from impurities, Leviticus 11:25, 40; 14:8-9; Numbers 8:6-7; 19:21; 31:19-24.
[10] Cleansings from impurities are effected by means of the truths of faith since they teach what good is, what charity is, what the neighbour is, and what faith is. They also teach the existence of the Lord, heaven, and eternal life. Without truths to teach them people have no knowledge of these things or even of their existence. Who left to himself knows other than this, that the good which goes with self-love and love of the world is the only kind of good in a person? For both constitute the delight of his life. Can anyone know except from the truths of faith about the existence of another kind of good that can be imparted to a person, namely the good of love to God or the good of charity towards the neighbour? Can anyone know that those kinds of good have heavenly life within them, or that those kinds of good flow in from the Lord by way of heaven in the measure that the person ceases to love himself more than others and the world more than heaven? From all this it becomes clear that the purification which was represented by the washing of garments is effected by means of the truths of faith.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin means before but the Hebrew means upon, which Swedenborg has in another place where he quotes this verse.
Numbers 32
1
Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for livestock;
2
the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying,
3
"Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
4
the land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock."
5
They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; don't bring us over the Jordan."
6
Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here?
7
Why do you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Yahweh has given them?
8
Your fathers did so when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9
For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Yahweh had given them.
10
Yahweh's anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying,
11
'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
12
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have followed Yahweh completely.'
13
Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of Yahweh, was consumed.
14
"Behold, you have risen up in your fathers' place, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel.
15
For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people."
16
They came near to him, and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones:
17
but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18
We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
19
For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward."
20
Moses said to them, "If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war,
21
and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him,
22
and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh.
23
"But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out.
24
Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth."
25
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, "Your servants will do as my lord commands.
26
Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead;
27
but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before Yahweh to battle, as my lord says."
28
So Moses commanded concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Israel.
29
Moses said to them, "If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before Yahweh, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:
30
but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan."
31
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, "As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do.
32
We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance [shall remain] with us beyond the Jordan."
33
Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities of it with [their] borders, even the cities of the surrounding land.
34
The children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
35
and Atrothshophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,
36
and Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
37
The children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,
38
and Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah: and they gave other names to the cities which they built.
39
The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein.
40
Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein.
41
Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its towns, and called them Havvoth Jair.
42
Nobah went and took Kenath, and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
