"Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:3

Additional readings: Isaiah 1:1-20

In the childhood of the human race, before men had departed from right ways of life, heaven was near to them. They could be led directly by the Lord, for their hearts and minds were open to him. Of this Golden Age of the human race it is written, "Man walked with God." But we have all read in the history of the human race as revealed in the Scripture the account of how many departed from the way of life and, following the devices of his own heart, closed his mind to the direct reception of goodness and truth from the Lord, until finally he reached a state in which all true knowledge of God and heaven was lost.

Then the Lord came to bring salvation to mankind, and preparation for His reception was made through John the Baptist, the messenger sent in fulfillment of a prophecy given centuries before. John’s message is our text: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And when John was put to death, and the Lord began His active ministry in the world, the words of our text were also His first message. For He came to make clear the way of life, and wrong ideas held possession of the minds of men then, as they do of many minds today.

It is not by chance that this first message turns our thoughts to heaven. The purpose of our creation is that we may so live that we shall find our homes in heaven. Belief in heaven had been lost, along with the knowledge about it. And today belief in heaven is for the most part vague, and many think that eternal life does not mean personal existence in the spiritual world, but only the persistence of one’s influence in this world. Great men like Homer, Plato, Moses, Shakespeare, Gladstone, Lincoln, Pasteur, and many others perpetuate themselves in the influence they exert in the minds of living men. This, they say, is what is meant by immortality, by everlasting life. But we should realize that this type of everlasting life is open to the evil as well as to the good. A Diocletian may be remembered forever as well as the beloved Apostle. We need to know the truth that men and women, as individuals, live forever after death in the spiritual world.

But this is not the implication of the text which I have chosen for consideration this morning." The kingdom of heaven is at hand." We know that heaven is not in some remote part of the natural sky, that we cannot say, "Lo, here, or Lo, there" (Luke 17:21). But we are still apt to think of it as far away. We are also inclined to think of it as remote in time. We speak commonly of the "future" world. In the thought of some even, it lies at the indefinitely remote time, when they expect a general resurrection along with others; death is the gateway of heaven, but heaven still seems too distant to be of much practical and present interest.

But the truth is that heaven is far away neither in space nor in time. It is here, it is now, it is "at hand." We live in it now, or we may do so. It is a present reality, the most real and the most important element of the life we are now living. When we speak of heaven, and of living for heaven, we are not, as some charge, setting our hearts on something far away, and despising the real world in which we now are. If one lives for a far-off heaven — and no doubt some have lived so — he may be careless of this world’s joys and sorrows, of opportunities for usefulness, keeping his eyes fixed on some vision of the future. But we may live for heaven and still live thoroughly in the present. We ought to value heaven as the most real of present realities. The Gospel is true: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

We are taught in the New Church that heaven is essentially a state of human feeling, thought and life, a state in which love to the Lord and love to the neighbor are the ruling motives. We are taught that no outward paradise which could be made by human or by Divine skill would be a heaven if those affections were absent from the heart, that there is no real or lasting satisfaction except in the exercise of these affections. It follows that we can come into heaven in this world, and live in heaven while we live on earth, for we may learn here to love the Lord and one another, and to find our chief enjoyment in the exercise of these heavenly loves.

But this is an abstract way of speaking. Concretely, heaven is not merely a heavenly state in ourselves; it is the great world of human beings who are living in that state, those people in whose hearts are heavenly affections, whose minds are bright with spiritual light, and whose hands are busy with heavenly works. There are many such people in this world. There are countless more who have gone from the earth to the spiritual world, and are there living the same good life under freer and happier conditions. All these people are heaven.

When we have love to the Lord and the neighbor in ourselves, we are brought spiritually near to those in like affections, both of this world and of the spiritual world. It is not a figure of speech when we say that heaven is about us when we are in heavenly states. It is a literal and positive fact. Heaven is so really around us at such times that if it were granted to us, as it was to Elisha’s servant and to others in Bible days to have our spiritual eyes opened, we should see the angels who are our companions and the beautiful land in which they dwell. Among them we should see and recognize some who were dear to us on earth, who still love and help us, and there would be some whom we had not known before but who would from the first glance seem to us as old friends, because they have similar desires and thoughts. And we should recognize them as the source of our happiness.

The Lord created the world and all things in it. All things in the world were made for man to use and enjoy, from the very materials of the earth to all the myriad things of the vegetable and animal kingdoms, the beast of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea. For man’s needs of food, clothing, shelter, for gratification of his senses, and the improvement of his mind these things were made. All these were created and given to man for blessings. But they are subject to one important condition: man must indeed labor to make these things of service to himself, but he must also use them in the service of others. Only so can he have any security or peace. The world of nature and of human beings is not for one man, or a few men, or a nation to control or exploit. Indeed we cannot rightly claim sovereignty over ourselves. We need the guidance of the Lord. And whatever under the Divine Providence we have been able to acquire, whether of material wealth, or of skill, or of learning, we did not acquire it by our unaided efforts. Our daily knowledge of the happenings in the world, our libraries, our schools are made possible by the labor of mind and body of other men and women, great or humble, living or dead. We depend on others and they on us, and life and security today, as always, depend upon the honesty and good will of the community in which we live.

Yet we should also realize that behind the labors and sufferings and the honesty and good will of men stands the Lord. Through His power alone man achieves progress. It is a law of the Divine Providence that man must act in freedom according to reason. This applies to the life of nations as well as to the life of individuals. But the Lord is present and operative always.

For infinitely wise and good reasons, the Lord does not draw the veil aside for us and allow us to see the heavenly world. Some argue that if only they could see heaven, they would believe in it. But to see that world as an outward, objective reality would destroy our freedom. We should be lured by its outward attractiveness, and it would be less possible for us to come into its true spirit.

When we are living in selfish and evil affections, we are in hell. Not only is hell within us at such times but it is also about us, not by a figure of speech, but actually. We are breathing its poisoned atmosphere and, if our eyes were opened, we should see the forms and faces of those who find their life in evil and who exult in influencing others to evil. Why, at least then, does the Lord not draw the veil aside and show us the terribleness of evil? The sight might for the moment frighten us, but we should be less able to shun evil freely because it is evil, and our power to escape permanently from it would be greatly lessened.

If we are tempted to question the Lord’s Providence in not revealing to us more openly the conditions of the good and evil in the spiritual world, we do well to remember His words, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them….If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:29-31).

The Lord said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). We should seek those good things which endure forever, and should not sacrifice them for the sake of money or health or life itself. To acquire love to the Lord and to the neighbor is the only thing worth living for. Our business dealings should have as their motive the love of use, of service to others. The most necessary thing in making a home is having in it the sunshine of heaven. The only absolute requirement for our happiness as we go to and fro in the ways of the world is that heaven shall go with us. This is to live for heaven, and yet to live must fully in the present. This is the practical meaning of living for heaven.

It may be stated still more simply. Heaven is not heaven from locality, neither is it heaven from anything which belongs to the angels as their own. It is heaven from what is received from the Lord into the lives and hearts of the angels. To be near the Lord, not in place merely, but in heart, to feel the protection and peace of His presence is heaven. Heaven is being near to the Lord and keeping near to Him. There is no other heaven for men or angels.

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand." When John first spoke this message, the kingdom of heaven was in a special sense at hand, because the Lord had come to live with men and to make Himself accessible to them. A power to heal and bless went forth from the Lord during His life on earth. Men obsessed felt his saving power and sat at His feet clothed and in their right mind.

At the Transfiguration Peter said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here" (Matthew 17:4, Mark 9:5, Luke 9:33). In following the Lord, in hearing His Word and in doing His work, they were tasting of heaven. But we need to note that the mere physical nearness of the Lord did not make heaven. Some cried out with fear at His approach. It was not heaven to them. It was not heaven to those who followed Him to accuse and to betray Him. His presence was a blessing only to those who in some measure drew near to Him in spirit.

Even in the Lord’s coming on earth the kingdom of heaven was not forced on me. It was made accessible to them; it was brought within their reach.

It is brought within our reach. Just as there is no royal road to knowledge, there is no royal road to heaven. We must cease to do evil before we can learn to do well. Repentance, the willingness to recognize and acknowledge our faults and weaknesses and to struggle to overcome them opens the door. Heavenly life comes into the soul when selfish desires are replaced by kindly thoughts and the desire to serve. The Lord tell us to seek these heavenly virtues now, not for the sake of honor for ourselves, but that we may be really kind and helpful to others, that our lives may have something of the Lord’s love in them. Then we shall find that life here makes one with heavenly life, and that our Heavenly Father is the Source of happiness in both alike.

721. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth.- That this signifies the hatred of those meant by the dragon, against the church in those who will be in the doctrine, and thus in the life of love and charity from the Lord, is evident from the signification of the dragon, as denoting those who have a knowledge of the cognitions (scientia cognitionum) of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, and do not live according to it (concerning which see above n. 714), from the signification of the woman, as denoting the church which is in doctrine, and thence in the life, of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour (concerning which see above n. 707) - the hatred of those signified by the dragon, against that church and its doctrine, is meant by standing before the woman about to bring forth, and by wishing to devour the child; and from the signification of bringing forth, as denoting to bring forth such things as pertain to the church, which are doctrinals, here those concerning love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, for the male child which the woman brought forth signifies the doctrine of that church.

Such things are signified by bringing forth, because generations, births, and nativities in the Word mean spiritual generations, births, and nativities, which are effected by means of truths and by a life according to them.

[2] For this reason spiritual generation, which is called regeneration, when treated of in the Word, is described by natural generation and birth. As in John:

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, unless a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit" (3:3-6).

Since Nicodemus did not understand the spiritual meaning of the Lord's words that a man must be born anew, the Lord explained that to be born again signified to be born of water and the spirit, thus to be regenerated, that is by means of truths from the Word, and by a life according to them, for water signifies truths, and spirit a life according to them. But in other places in the Word, where to travail, to bring forth, to beget, and to be born are mentioned, there is no explanation, and yet spiritual travailing, birth, nativity, and bringing forth are meant, since the Word in the letter is natural, but in its bosom, spiritual. To bring forth signifies to bring forth spiritually, because the man who is being regenerated is similarly conceived as it were, carried in the womb, born, and educated, as a man is conceived of his father, carried in the womb of his mother, born and afterwards educated.

[3] In order to substantiate the spiritual signification of births and nativities in the Word, some passages shall be here cited from it.

In Isaiah:

"Blush, O Zidon, the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed neither brought forth, I have not trained up young men, nor brought up virgins; when the report comes from Egypt, they shall be seized with grief as at the report of Tyre" (23:4, 5).

Zidon and Tyre signify the knowledges of good and truth from the Word. That the church has neither acquired anything of intelligence and wisdom through these, nor performed any uses, is signified by not travailing, not bringing forth, not training up young men, not bringing up virgins - young men denoting the truths of the church, and virgins its goods; but these things may be seen explained above (n. 275).

[4] In the same:

"Thy chastening is upon them, as a woman with child that draweth near to her delivery she crieth out in her pangs; so have we done before thee, Jehovah; we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought salvation in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; thy dead shall live" (26:16-19).

These things are said of the last times of the church, when falsities and evils increase to such a degree, that men cannot be reformed and regenerated; this state is meant by the chastening of Jehovah upon them. That then it will be difficult to perceive and acquire any truth is signified by a woman with child, who draws near to her delivery, crying out in her pangs. That in the place of truths they imbibe vanities, in which there are no truths, is signified by "we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind," wind signifying such vanities; that no uses of life come from these is signified by "we have not wrought salvation" to Jehovah. That still when the Lord should come into the world they must be taught and regenerated by means of truths from Him is signified by "thy dead shall live," and by the words that follow.

[5] In the same:

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail, for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife" (54:1).

This treats of the Lord's coming and of a new church to be established by Him among the nations, meant by the barren who did not bear, and by the desolate who shall have many sons; they are called barren because they knew not the Lord, neither had the Word in which are truths, and therefore they could not be regenerated; sons denote truths from the Lord through the Word. A church which possesses the Word, from which the Lord is known, is meant by the married wife who has no sons; the joy of those who are of a new church, and who had not truths before, is signified by "break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail," to travail denoting to bear in the womb.

[6] In the First Book of Samuel:

"They who were driven have girt themselves with strength, they that are full have hired themselves out for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased, even till the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed" (2:5).

This is the prophetic song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Those driven that must be girded with strength mean the nations with whom the church was to be, who are therefore called driven from a want of the knowledges of truth, and who are therefore cast out by those of the church, at that time the Jewish church; to be girded with strength signifies that they have truths from good, and thus power. They that are full have hired themselves for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased, mean those who were of the Jewish church, who are said to be full because they had truths in abundance, and to be hired for bread because they could be led to learn and to do them only as hirelings. That they did not desire to know them is signified by they that are hungry have ceased. The same church is also meant by she that hath many children hath failed. But the nations that would acknowledge the Lord, and receive the Word, and thus suffer themselves to be born anew into the church, are meant by the barren that shall bear seven; seven signifies all and many, and is used in reference to the holy things of the church.

[7] In Jeremiah:

"She that bare seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul, her sun shall set while it is yet day" (15:9).

This signifies that a church which possesses all truths because it possesses the Word, shall perish, even until nothing of truth and good will remain. To bear seven, signifies to be gifted with all truths from the Word; to languish, and for the sun to set, signify to perish gradually and at length completely; to breathe out the soul, signifies to perish as to all truths, and for the sun to set, signifies as to all the goods of love; while it is yet day, signifies while the Word is still acknowledged.

[8] In Isaiah:

"Before she travailed she brought forth; before pain came upon her she was delivered of a male child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such a thing? Hath the earth travailed for one day? Shall a nation be born at once? As soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her sons. Shall I break and not bring forth, saith Jehovah, shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? Rejoice with Jerusalem, exult in her, all ye that love her, that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations" (66:7-11).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and of the establishment of the church with the nations. Their reformation and regeneration is described by travailing, bringing forth, being delivered of a male child, and by breaking the matrix and bringing forth; for, as stated above, a man who is born anew is similarly conceived as it were, carried in the womb, born, educated, and grows up, as from a father and mother. Zion and Jerusalem mean the church and its doctrine; and to suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, signifies to be fully instructed in truths from good from the delight of love according to desire; the one day in which these things shall take place signifies the Lord's coming.

[9] In David:

"From before the Lord thou art in travail, O earth, from before the God of Jacob" (Psalm 114:7).

Thou art in travail, O earth, signifies the establishment of the church, or the reformation of those who will be of the church; to travail denoting to receive truths and to be reformed, and the earth denoting the church. It is said from before the Lord, and from before the God of Jacob, because reformation as to good and as to truth is meant; for the Lord is called Lord from good and God from truth.

[10] Again in Jeremiah:

"Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the sides of the earth; among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she that is bringing forth together, a great company they shall return hither" (31:8).

This also treats of the restoration of the church among the nations by the Lord. The nations that are in falsities, and in appearances of truth, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of the letter, are meant by the land of the north, and by the sides of the earth, the north signifying falsities, and the sides of the earth such ultimate truths; it is thus also said, "Among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she that brings forth together," the blind denoting those who are not in truths, and the lame those who are not in goods, the woman with child those who receive truths, and she who brings forth those who do them. That the church will be formed of these is signified by Behold, I bring them, I will gather them together, and a great company they shall return hither.

[11] In Isaiah:

"Look unto the rock out of which ye were hewn, and to the digging of the pit out of which ye were digged; look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah who bare you; for I have called him only, and I will bless him, and multiply him; for Jehovah will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah" (51:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord, and a new church from Him. The Lord as to Divine Truth, and as to the doctrine of truth, is meant by the rock out of which they were hewn, and by the pit out of which they were digged, as may be seen above (n. 411). But the Lord as to the Divine, from which reformation comes, is meant by Abraham to whom they shall look, and to Sarah who bare them; for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Word, do not mean those persons, but the Lord as to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1893, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847). But the heavenly marriage, which is that of Divine Good and Divine Truth, from which all reformation comes, and thus the church, is signified by Abraham, and Sarah, who bare them. Since the Lord is meant by Abraham, it is said, I have called him only, and I will bless him, and I will multiply him," and "Jehovah will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places," Zion denoting a new church, waste places, truths destroyed, and to comfort, the restoration of the church. That those who will be of that church will acknowledge the Lord, and receive love to Him, and thence wisdom, is signified by His making her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah, Eden signifying love to the Lord, and garden of Jehovah wisdom therefrom.

[12] In Micah:

"O hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee the kingdom shall come and shall return, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Now wherefore dost thou shout in shouting? Is there no king in thee? hath thy counsellor perished, that pain seizeth thee as a woman in travail? Be in travail, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion; now thou shalt go out from the city, and shalt dwell in the field" (4:8-10).

The subject here treated of is the spiritual captivity in which the faithful are, when they remain in the church where there is no more truth and good. Their lamentation because they are in that church is signified by "wherefore dost thou shout in shouting," also by pain seizeth thee as a woman in travail when notwithstanding they have the truths of doctrine and also the understanding of them is signified by "Is there no king in thee? hath thy counsellor perished," king signifying truth of doctrine from the Word, and counsellor the understanding of it. That with those who are in the good of charity, and thus in truths of doctrine there will be a church, is signified by the daughter of Zion to whom the kingdom shall come, and by the daughter of Jerusalem, kingdom also signifying the church. The establishment of the church and the reformation of those who are of the church is meant by "Be in travail, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion." "Now thou shalt go out from the city, and shalt dwell in the field," signifies that they will depart from doctrine in which there are no longer any truth and good, and will abide where these abound, city denoting the doctrine from which they will depart, field denoting where truths and goods abound, while to go out denotes to depart, namely, from that doctrine, and to be thus delivered from spiritual captivity.

[13] In David:

Jehovah "raiseth the exhausted out of the dust, he lifteth up the needy from the dunghill, to place him with princes, with the princes of his people he maketh the barren woman to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons" (Psalm 113:7-9).

That those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus not in goods, must be instructed from the Lord in truths, is signified by Jehovah raising the exhausted out of the dust, and lifting up the needy from the dunghill, the exhausted and the needy denoting those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus not in goods. The primary truths of the church in which they must be instructed are signified by princes, the princes of the people, with whom they are to be placed. That those who previously had not life from the marriage of truth and good shall possess it, is signified by making "the barren woman to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons," to dwell denoting to live, the house of the barren woman, where there was no marriage of truth and good, and the glad mother of sons, the church, where there are nascent truths from good.

[14] In Hosea:

"As to Ephraim, as a bird shall his glory fly away, from the birth and from the belly and from conception" (9:11).

That this signifies that all understanding of truth will perish from ultimates to primaries, may be seen above, (n. 710:4), where it is explained.

In Luke:

"Woe to them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days; for there shall be great distress, and in this people anger" (21:23).

And in the same:

"Behold, the days shall come, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the bellies that have not borne, and the paps which have not suckled" (23:29; also Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17).

That this is said of those who live at the end of the church, when no genuine truths can be received without being falsified, may also be seen above (n. 710:8).

[15] In Jeremiah:

"The partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth, acquiring riches, but not with judgment; in the midst of his days he forsaketh them, and in his latter end becometh foolish" (17:11.).

The partridge means those who learn many things from the Word, and from the doctrines of the church, but not for the sake of the uses of life, to bring forth denoting to perform uses, thus to live, and thus to be reformed; the riches which he acquireth not with judgment signify spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of truth and good, - to acquire these not for the sake of uses is to acquire riches not with judgment; that those knowledges which do not enter into the life perish is signified by "in the midst of his days he forsaketh them"; that at length they will have no knowledges of truth that are not falsified, is signified by, in his latter end he shall become foolish.

[16] Since a mother signifies the church, and sons and daughters its truths and goods, and since in the ancient churches, and afterwards in the Jewish church, all things were representative, and thus significative, therefore it was a reproach and dishonour to women to be barren; for this reason Rachel was angry with Jacob that she bare no children, and said, when she brought forth Joseph, "God hath gathered up my reproach" (Genesis 30:1, 23). For the same cause, after Elizabeth had conceived she said, "Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men" (Luke 1:24, 25). Thus also it is evident that to travail, to bring forth, and to be born, signify the procreation of such things as pertain to the church.

[17] In Isaiah:

"Woe to him that saith to a father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, with what travailest thou?" (45:10).

This also is said of man's reformation, that it is from the Lord and not from man.

In the same:

King Hezekiah said, when he heard the words of Rabshakeh, "This day is a day of straitness, and of chiding and contumely, and the sons are come to the mouth of the matrix, and there is not strength to bring forth" (37:3).

That truths from the Word may be heard and known, and yet reformation not be affected by them; is signified by "the sons are come to the matrix, and there is no strength to bring forth", to bring forth signifies to render truths fruitful by doing them, from which comes reformation; that this was a grief of heart and mind, and a reproach to the church, is signified by "a day of straitness, of chiding and contumely."

[18] In Ezekiel:

"I will pour out my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt, and will cut off the multitude of No; I will give fire in Egypt; Sin shall travail, and there shall not be power to break through" (30:15, 16).

Egypt, Sin, and No, signify the scientifics (scientifica) and fallacies pertaining to the natural man, which hinder man's reformation by truths from the Word; that they will know truths, yet not receive them in the life, and thus be incapable of reformation, is signified by Sin shall travail in labour, but there shall not be power to break through, that is, the matrix. Since to travail signifies to receive the truths of the Word by hearing or reading, and to bring forth signifies to make them fruitful and produce them in act, which is to live according to them, and so to be reformed, therefore when these things take place with straitness and difficulty, because of the falsities and evils which rule in the church, and which hinder and pervert its truths and goods, it is then said that they are seized with pain as of a woman in travail. And as this is the case at the end of the church, it is therefore said, in the Word, of those living at that time, as in this chapter of the Apocalypse: "That the woman being with child, cried out, travailing, and in pain to bring forth" (verse 2), which signifies that spiritual truths and goods, which are from the Word, can be received only with the greatest difficulty and with straitness, because of the opposing evils and falsities then in the church, and which occupy the minds of those who attend to religious things.

[19] This also is signified by the pains as of one in travail, in Jeremiah:

"I heard a voice as of one sick, as of one in travail with her first-born, the voice of the daughter of Zion; she sigheth, she stretcheth out her hands. Woe to me now, for my soul is made desolate by the slayers" (4:31).

The daughter of Zion means a church which is in truths of doctrine from the good of love; this is said to sigh and to stretch out the hands, because her soul is made desolate by the slayers, slayers denoting those who destroy man's spiritual life by falsities and evils. And as on this account spiritual truths and goods cannot be received except with straitness and difficulty, therefore there is said to be lamentation as of one sick and in travail with her first-born, the first-born signifying the first thing of the church, from which all other things follow as from their beginning.

[20] In the same:

"We have heard the fame" of a people coming from the land of the north; "our hands are slackened, straitness hath seized us, pain as of a woman in travail; go not out into the field, and go not into the way, because of the sword of the enemy, terror on every side" (6:24, 25).

The people coming from the land of the north mean those who are in falsities of evil, and, in an abstract sense, the falsities of evil which are in the church, at that time vastated. That then truths will be received in faith and love with the greatest difficulty, because of the opposing falsities of evil, and that there will be pain and grief of mind and heart as a consequence, is signified by the hands are slackened, straitness hath seized on them, and pain as of a woman in travail. That at such a time the things of the church and its doctrine are not to be consulted is signified by "go not out into the field, go not into the way," the field denoting the church, and the way, doctrine. The reason of this is that falsity from hell rushes in, which falsifies and extinguishes the truth, and which is signified by the sword of the enemy and terror on every side, sword denoting falsity destroying truth, enemy denoting hell, and terror, spiritual death.

[21] From this it is evident what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

"Then let him who is on the house not come down to take anything out of the house, and let him who is in the field not return back. Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days; then shall be great affliction, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now" (24:17-19, 21).

This also is said of the state of the church near its end, when falsities of evil and evils of falsity have rule, and the truths of the Word are not received except when falsified and adulterated; this is meant by "woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days," and also by "great affliction." But this with the rest of that chapter may be seen consecutively explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[22] In Jeremiah:

"Ask and see whether a male doth bring forth? Wherefore do I see every man, his hands upon his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces turned into paleness? because that day is great so that none is like it" (30:6, 7).

This again refers to the last state of the church, when a last judgment takes place; the great day is the Lord's coming and judgment at that time from Him. To ask and see whether a male doth bring forth, signifies whether the truth of the Word without good of life can produce anything of the church, since everything of the church is the result of the marriage of good and truth, male (mas) signifying the truth of the church, and wife the good of the church. Wherefore do I see every man, his hands upon his loins, as a woman in travail? signifies why is it thought that truth without good produces those things that pertain to the church; the loins signify marriage, in the spiritual sense - the marriage of truth and good, but the loins of a man as of a woman in travail signify, as if there could be a marriage of truth alone without good. All faces are turned into paleness, signifies that there is nothing of good, because nothing of love and charity, the face denoting the affections which pertain to the love of good, therefore paleness signifies those affections extinguished.

[23] In Isaiah:

"My loins are filled with great pain, pains take hold upon me, as the pains of a woman in travail" (21:3).

This also is said of the last state of the church, when its truths and goods can be received only with much painful effort, because of the evils and falsities which then hinder. The loins, that are said to be filled with pain, signify the marriage of good and truth, from which are heaven and the church, and these are said to be filled with pain, when truth cannot be conjoined with good; this therefore is the signification of pains as of a woman in travail, that take hold upon them.

[24] Pain as of a woman in travail is also said of those who, on account of falsities conjoined with evils of life, are unable any longer to receive truths, which they still desire to receive although destruction threatens, especially in the spiritual world, when a last judgment is at hand, but with fruitless effort and endeavour. This is signified by the pains of a woman in travail in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Howl ye, for the day of Jehovah is nigh; therefore, all hands are slackened, and every heart of man melteth, and they are sore afraid; pangs and pains take hold of them, they are in travail like a woman, a man is amazed at his companion, their faces are faces of flames" (13:6-8).

The day of Jehovah that is near, signifies the last judgment accomplished by the Lord when He was in the world; their terror at that time on account of the impending destruction is signified by "all hands are slackened, and every heart of man melteth, and they are sore afraid." That their efforts to receive the truths and goods of heaven and of the church are then fruitless, because of the falsities of evil in which they were and still are, is signified by Pangs and pains take hold of them; they are in travail like a woman. That they are in the evils of hatred and anger is signified by their faces being faces of flames.

[25] In Jeremiah:

"O inhabitant in Lebanon, having thy nest in the cedars, what favour wilt thou find when pains shall come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail? I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul" (22:23, 25).

This is said of those that have the Word, and thus truths and the understanding of them; these are said to dwell in Lebanon, and to have a nest in the cedars; the destruction of such at the last judgment, and their endeavour then to receive truths, but in vain, because of the hindrances arising from the falsities of evil, is signified by What favour wilt thou find when pains come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail? That the falsities of evil from hell will then carry them away is signified by I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul.

In the same:

"Damascus is become feeble; she hath turned herself to flee, and horror hath taken hold upon her, straitness and pains have seized upon her as a woman in travail" (49:24).

[26] In the same:

"The king of Babel heard the fame" of the people coming from the north, "thus his hands are become feeble, straitness hath taken hold of him, pain as of a woman in travail" (50:43).

In Moses:

"The peoples heard; the pain of travailing women hath seized the inhabitants of Philistia" (Exodus 15:14).

The pains of a woman in travail have a signification in these passages similar to that in those above.

In Hosea:

"The pains of a woman in travail shall come upon" Ephraim; "he is a son not wise, for he doth not stay his time in the womb of sons" (13:13).

These words may be seen explained above (n. 710:18).

In Moses:

Jehovah God said unto the woman, "In multiplying I will multiply thy pain, and thy conception; in pain shalt thou bring forth sons; and thy obedience shall be to thy husband (vir), and he shall rule over thee" (Genesis 3:16).

These words do not mean that women shall bring forth sons in pain, but by the woman is meant the church, which from celestial had become natural, this being signified by eating of the tree of knowledge (scientia). That the man of the church can with difficulty be regenerated by means of truths, and by a life according to them, and that he must undergo temptations in order that truths may be implanted, and conjoined to good, is signified by pain and conception being multiplied, and by bringing forth sons in pain, conception signifying the reception of truth which is from good, and to bring forth sons, signifying to produce truths from the marriage of truth and good. Since in the natural man there are lusts (concupiscentiae) from the love of self and of the world, and since these cannot be removed except by means of truths, therefore it is said that her obedience shall be to her husband, and he shall rule over her; husband (vir), here as well as in other parts of the Word, denoting the truth of the church. That a man is reformed and regenerated by means of truths, and by means of a life according to them, has been shown above. From these things it is now evident that conceptions, births, nativities, and generations in the Word, signify spiritual conceptions, births, nativities, and generations.