8764. 'And [how] I bore you on eagles' wings' means and that as a result they were raised by means of truths to heavenly light. This is clear from the meaning of 'bearing someone on eagles' wings' as being raised on high, even to heavenly light; for 'bearing' means being raised, 'wings' spiritual truths, and 'an eagle' the rational in respect of truth (regarding this meaning of 'eagle', see 3901); for eagles fly on high. By the visible heaven or sky the ancients understood the angelic heaven. The simple also believed that angels had their home up there, and in addition that since places on high were nearer the sun and stars, heavenly light itself shone there. So it is that 'being borne on eagles' wings' means being taken on high into that light. The reason why one is raised into it by means of the truths of faith is that the truth of faith is what raises a person right up to heaven, where the good of faith is. The rational in respect of truth is meant by 'an eagle' because the rational level of a person is his heaven or sky, and in relation to it the natural level is so to speak the earth. For the rational constitutes the internal man and the natural the external.

[2] The reason why 'wings' are spiritual truths is that birds in general mean intellectual concepts and thoughts, 40, 745, 776, 3219, 5149, 7441, and therefore 'wings' are spiritual truths since all real understanding is formed from them. An understanding formed from falsities, no matter how clear and sharp-sighted it may seem to be, is no real understanding. Real understanding sees in the light of heaven, and the light of heaven is spiritual truth, that is, the truth of faith. Consequently where the truth of faith does not exist there is no light, only thick darkness; and an understanding set in thick darkness is no understanding at all. 'Wings' are also power, which spiritual truth possesses, derived from its good; for the wings on birds are like the hands and arms on a human being, and 'arms' and 'hands' mean power, 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7538, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, 8305. Regarding the power which spiritual truth possesses, derived from good, see 3563, 4931, 5623, 6344, 6423.

[3] The fact that 'wings' are spiritual truths or the truths of faith, possessing power derived from good, is evident from places elsewhere in the Word. Consequently when wings are attributed to the Divine, Divine Truth possessing almighty power is meant by them, for example where they are attributed to cherubs, by whom the Lord's providence is meant, as in Ezekiel,

Each cherub had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their wings were straight up, [the wing] of one towards [that of I the other; each had wings covering their bodies. I heard the sound of [their] wings, like the sound of great waters, like the voice of Shaddai, when they were coming, the sound ¹ of tumult, like the sound ¹ of a camp. When they stood they let down their wings. I heard the sound ¹ of their wings, brushing together ² , [the wing] of one towards [that of] the other, and the noise ¹ of the wheels beside them. The sound ¹ of the wings of the cherubs was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of God Shaddai. The likeness of the hands of a human being was under their wings. Ezekiel 1:4, 6, 23-24; 3:13; 10:5, 21.

[4] 'Wings' here are God's truth. This is clear from the details contained in the description, both from the detail that the wings were straight up, one towards the other, and that they covered their bodies, as well as the details that the sound of them when it was heard was like the sound of great waters, like the noise of the wheels, and like the voice of Shaddai, and also the detail that the likeness of the hands of a human being was under their wings. The wings going straight up, one towards the other, represented the fellowship of all in the Divine. Their covering the cherubs' bodies was a sign that Divine Truth clothed Divine Good from which it comes forth; for Divine Good is the flame, and Divine Truth is the light emanating from it. This light encircles and so clothes that flame all round. The actual flame is not visible in heaven, only the light containing the flame, which is thereby felt as heat, which is love. The sound heard 'like the sound of many waters' means the nature of Divine Truth as it exists in heaven; and the like is meant by the sound of it being like the noise of the wheels and like the voice of Shaddai. For 'sound' and 'voice' are attributed to Divine Truth. This explains why the words 'the sound of great waters' are used, for 'waters' are truths, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8137, 8138, 8568; also the words 'the noise of the wheels', for 'wheels' are truths belonging to religious teachings, since 'chariots' are teachings that uphold truth, 5321, 5945, 8146, 8148, 8215; as well as 'the voice of God Shaddai', for 'God Shaddai' is truth rebuking in temptations and subsequently bringing comfort, 1992, 4572, 5628. 'The likeness of the hands of a human being under their wings' was a sign of the almighty power that Divine Truth possesses, for 'hands' are power, and in the highest sense almighty power when they are attributed to the Lord.

[5] From all this one may see what was represented by the wings of the cherubs who were over the mercy seat which was over the ark of the covenant, and by their being spread out upwards and covering the mercy seat, Exodus 25:20; also what the cherubs on the curtains of the tabernacle and on the veil represented, and in Solomon's temple too. In a similar way one may see what those all around within the new house represented, as described in Ezekiel 41:18-20; likewise what is meant by the four living creatures around the throne, each one of which had for itself six wings round about, Revelation 4:8, and what by the seraphim standing above the throne, each of which had six wings, Isaiah 6:1-2.

[6] The fact that 'wings' in the internal sense are spiritual truths or the truths of faith is clear in Ezekiel,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, A great eagle with great wings with long pinions full of feathers, ³ in its embroidery, came on Lebanon and took a twig of the cedar. He carried it into a land of commerce. After that he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a seed field; he took it to great waters. It sprouted and became a spreading vine. And there was another eagle with great wings and full of feathers, ⁴ and behold, the vine directed its roots towards it, and sent out its branches to it, in a good field, by many waters. It was planted to produce branches, and to bear fruit, in order that it might become a magnificent vine. Ezekiel 17:1-8.

This prophecy describes the establishment of the spiritual Church by the Lord. 'The eagle' referred to here is faith, 'its great wings and long pinions' are the truths of faith, and 'its embroidery' is factual knowledge. Growth out of all this is described by 'a twig of the cedar from Lebanon, by 'a land of commerce', and 'the seed of the land in a seed field, [taken] to great waters', the actual Church arising from this being 'a vine'. For the meaning of 'a vine' as the spiritual Church, see 1069, 5113, and as the external Church, 6375. But 'a magnificent vine' planted by another eagle is the internal Church, 6376; for the external aspect of the Church is described by the one eagle, and the internal aspect of it by the other. The prophet describes later on in the same chapter how this Church established among the Ancients was perverted among the Jews.

[7] The truth of faith is in like manner meant by 'wings' in David,

If you lie between the rows, ⁵ [you will be like] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with the yellow of gold. Psalms 68:13.

'The wings of a dove' are the truths of faith, 'dove' meaning faith, see 870. They are said to be 'covered with silver' because 'silver' is truth derived from good, 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 7999.

[8] The meaning of 'wings' as God's truth is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

Those who await Jehovah are renewed with strength; they mount up with wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31.

In David,

God rode on a cherub, and flew; He was borne on the wings of the wind. Psalms 18:10; 104:3.

This refers to Divine Truth and its power. In the same author,

Jehovah will cover you under His wing, and under His wings will you put your trust. Truth is a shield and buckler. Psalms 91:4.

'Being covered by Jehovah's wing, and putting one's trust under His wings' stands for protection and trust that belong to faith. The like is meant by being hidden under the shadow of God's wings, Psalms 17:8; trusting in the shadow of His wings, Psalms 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; singing in the shadow of His wings, Psalms 63:7.

[9] Most things also have a contrary meaning, and this is no less so with 'wings'. In that contrary sense 'wings' means falsities, as in John,

From the smoke of the pit of the abyss there went out locusts, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariot horses running to war. Revelation 9:3, 9..

Here 'wings' are falsities fighting against truth, for 'locusts' are falsities in the things that are outermost, 7643.

Footnotes:

6914. 'And I will give this people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians means fear, on account of the plagues, which those steeped in falsities had of those belonging to the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving favour' as fear on account of the plagues, dealt with below; from the representation of the children of Israel, to whom 'people' refers here, as those belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 6637; and from the representation of 'the Egyptians' as those who are steeped in falsities, often dealt with already. The fact that 'giving favour in the eyes of the Egyptians' means fear on account of the plagues that is present in those steeped in falsities is clear when one understands the matters described in the internal sense; for the subject is those who are steeped in falsities, meant by 'the Egyptians' - with the truths and forms of good which are to be taken away from them and passed on to those who belong to the spiritual Church. And since the subject is those who are steeped in falsities, 'favour' does not mean favour, for people who are steeped in falsities and evils do not feel in any way at all disposed to show favour towards anyone. If they treat anyone well or do not treat him badly they do so through fear of 'plagues'; these are the reason for their show of favour. This favour is the kind meant here in the internal sense. The internal sense displays things as they really are, not as they are made to stand in the letter, and makes every detail relevant to the subject. The truth of this is also evident from what follows regarding the Egyptians, where it is evident that they did not let the children of Israel go out of any disposition to show them favour, only out of fear on account of further plagues, Exodus 11:1; 12:33.

[2] These two verses, when they say that the women of Israel were to ask the Egyptian women for silver, gold, and clothes, refer to 'the plundering' of the Egyptians. And because what is meant by this cannot at all be known except from a revelation describing things that take place in the next life - for the internal sense contains the kinds of things that take place among angels and spirits - the matter must therefore be discussed. Before the Lord's Coming the lower parts of heaven had been occupied by evil genii and spirits; but afterwards they were driven out from there and that region was given to those who belonged to the spiritual Church, see above in 6858. As long as the evil genii and spirits were there they were under constant watch by angels belonging to a higher heaven and were thereby restrained from committing evil deeds openly. At the present day too some who are more devious than others because they mislead people by their pretence of innocence and charity are under watch by celestial ones, and so long as they are under it they are held back from their unspeakable tricks. They are directly overhead; but the celestial angels under whose watch they are kept are even higher. This has allowed me to know what the situation was like of the evil genii and spirits who occupied the lower region of heaven before the Lord's Coming; during that time they were held back by angels belonging to a higher heaven from committing evil deeds openly.

[3] But as for the way in which they were held back from committing evil deeds openly, this too I have been allowed to know. They were kept in check by external restraints, which were fear of the loss of position and reputation, and fear that they would be deprived of places they hold in that region of heaven and would be thrust down into hell; and at that time good yet simple spirits were attached to them. It was like what happens with people in the world. Even though inwardly they may be devils those external restraints force them to keep up a pretence of honourableness and righteousness and to do good. And to ensure that they go on behaving in these ways spirits who are governed by simple good are attached to them. The situation was similar with the evil who were in the lower region of heaven before the Lord's Coming. At that time too they could be driven by selfish kinds of love to speak what was true and do what was good. They were not unlike wicked priests, indeed even very wicked ones, who inwardly are devils, but who can proclaim the teachings of their Church with such passion and seeming zeal that they move the hearts of their hearers to godliness. Yet all the while they are ruled by self-love and love of the world, for the thought of their own position and gain reigns in every part of them and is what fires them to proclaim those teachings in such a way. There are evil spirits present with them, ruled by the same kind of love and consequently thinking in the same kind of way, who lead them; but good yet simple spirits are attached to them. From all this one may recognize what the state of heaven was like before the Lord's Coming.

[4] But after the Lord's Coming the states of heaven and hell were completely altered; for then the evil genii and spirits who occupied the lower region of heaven were cast down and were replaced by those raised up there who belonged to the spiritual Church. At that time the evil who were cast down had the external restraints taken away from them, which, as stated above, were fear of the loss of position and gain and deprivation of places they hold in that region. They were thus left to their inner selves, which were entirely devilish and hellish, and so were banished to the hells. The removal of external restraints is effected in the next life by withdrawing the good spirits who have been attached to them; and when they have been withdrawn the evil can no more maintain any pretence of goodness, righteousness, or honourableness, but can only behave in accord with what they had been like inwardly in the world, that is, in accord with what they had really thought and desired, which they had concealed from others there, their only wish being to do what is evil. The good yet simple spirits who were withdrawn from those evil spirits were assigned or attached to those who belonged to the spiritual Church, to whom that region of heaven was given as a possession. This is why they were enriched with the truths and forms of good which the evil genii and spirits had had previously. Enrichment with truths and forms of good is effected in the next life by means of the attachment of spirits with whom truth and goodness are present; for communication is effected through them.

[5] These things are what are meant by the statement that the children of Israel would not go out of Egypt empty-handed, and that a woman should ask of her female neighbour, and of the female guest in her house, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and clothes, and in so doing would plunder the Egyptians. Anyone can see that unless the kinds of things described above had been represented the Divine would never have commanded them to use that kind of guile against the Egyptians; for all behaviour like that is very far removed from the Divine. But since those people were completely representative they were allowed by the Divine, because such a thing would be done to the evil in the next life, to act in that kind of way. It should be recognized that very many things which were commanded by Jehovah or the Lord do not in the internal sense mean things that were commanded by Him but those that were permitted.