6524. 'The elders of his house' means the things that would accord with good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the elders' as the chief characteristics of wisdom, thus things that accord with good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'house' as good, dealt with in 2559, 3652, 3720, 4982. The reason why 'elders' means the chief characteristics of wisdom is that in the Word 'old people' means those who are wise, and - in a sense detached from persons - wisdom. Since 'the twelve tribes of Israel' meant all truths and forms of good in their entirety, they had princes and also elders set over them. 'Princes' meant the leading truths constituting intelligence, and 'elders' the chief characteristics of wisdom, thus those of good.

[2] For the meaning of 'princes' as the leading truths constituting intelligence, see 1482, 2089, 5044. But as regards the meaning of 'elders' as the chief characteristics of wisdom, and of 'old people' as wisdom, this is evident from the following places: In David,

They will extol Jehovah in the congregation of the people, and in the assembly of the old they will praise Him. Psalms 107:32.

'The congregation of the people' stands for those who are ruled by truths constituting intelligence, since 'congregation' is used with reference to truths, 6355, as also is 'people', 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581; 'the assembly of the old' stands for those who are ruled by good, which belongs to wisdom since wisdom is concerned with life, thus with what is good, whereas intelligence is concerned with knowing, thus with what is true, 1555. In the same author,

I am wiser than the old, because I have kept Your commands. Psalms 119:100.

'The old' plainly stands for one who is wise. Likewise in Job,

In the old there is wisdom, in length of days intelligence. Job 12:12.

In Moses,

You shall rise before grey hair and respect the face of an old person. Leviticus 19:32.

This command was given because 'old people' represented wisdom.

[3] In John,

On the thrones I saw twenty-four elders seated, clad in white garments, who had on their heads crowns of gold. Revelation 4:4.

'Elders' stands for aspects of wisdom, thus of good. That these are meant by the elders is evident from the description of the elders - they sat on thrones, were clad in white garments, and had crowns of gold on their heads. 'Thrones' are truths constituting intelligence which are derived from good belonging to wisdom, 5313. 'White garments' has a similar meaning, 'garments' being truths, 1073, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5954, and 'white' that which has reference to truth, 3301, 5319. 'Crowns of gold on their heads' are forms of the good of wisdom; for 'gold' is the good of love, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, and 'head' is the celestial, the seat of wisdom, 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436. Those who are in the third or inmost heaven, thus who are nearest the Lord, are called the wise, whereas those in the middle or second heaven, thus who are not as near the Lord, are called intelligent.

[4] In the same book,

All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures. Revelation 7:11.

Again 'the elders' stands for aspects of wisdom, as it does in the following places: In Isaiah,

The boy will uplift himself against the old man, and the despised against the honourable. Isaiah 7:5.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory. Isaiah 24:23.

In Jeremiah,

My priests and my elders breathed their last in the city, for they sought food for themselves, with which they would renew their soul. Lamentations 1:19.

In the same prophet,

Her king and her princes are among the nations; the law is no more. The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they become silent. Lamentations 2:9-10.

In the same prophet,

They have ravished women in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah. Princes have been hung up by their hands, the faces of the old men have not been honoured, the elders have ceased from the gate. Lamentations 5:11-12, 14.

In Ezekiel,

Misery will come upon misery, and rumour will be upon rumour. Therefore they will seek a vision from the prophet, but the law has perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king will mourn, and the prince will be wrapped in stupidity. Ezekiel 7:26-27.

In Zechariah,

Old men and women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. ¹ Zechariah 8:4.

So that 'the elders' might represent things that constitute wisdom, some of Moses' spirit was taken and imparted to them, by which they prophesied, Numbers 11:16 and following verses.

In the contrary sense 'elders' stands for the things that are the opposites of the aspects of wisdom, Ezekiel 8:11-12.

Footnotes:

1259. There is something further to be said about 'nations' meaning goods and evils within worship: In most ancient times people dwelt distinguished into separate nations, families, and houses, as stated already, in order that the Church on earth might represent the Lord's kingdom where all people are distinguished into communities, those communities into larger ones, and these into still larger, all these distinctions existing according to general and specific differences of love and faith, about which see 684, 685. Thus the Lord's kingdom is similarly distinguished so to speak into houses, families, and nations. This is why 'houses, families, and nations' in the Word means the goods that stem from love and its derivative faith, where also a careful distinction is made between nations and people. 'Nation' means good or evil, but 'people' truth or falsity. And this distinction is preserved so consistently as never to vary, as becomes clear from the following places:

[2] In Isaiah,

There will be on that day the root of Jesse which is standing as an ensign of the peoples; towards that root the nations will seek to go, and his rest will be glory. On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to acquire the remnants of His people, who remain from Asshur, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will raise an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah. Isaiah 11:10-12.

Here 'peoples' stands for the truths of the Church, 'nations' for its goods, between which a clear distinction is made. The subject here is the Lord's kingdom and the Church, and in the universal sense every regenerate person. The names mentioned mean the things that have been described already. 'Israel' means the spiritual things of the Church, 'Judah' its celestial things. In the same prophet,

This people walking in darkness have seen a great light. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased its joy. Isaiah 9:2-3.

Here 'people' stands for truths, hence the reference to 'their walking in darkness and seeing a [great] light'. 'Nation' stands for goods.

[3] In the same prophet,

What will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion, and in her the wretched members of His people will put their trust. Isaiah 14:32.

Here likewise 'nation' stands for good, 'people' for truth. In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will swallow up on this mountain the face ¹ of the covering, of the covering over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations. Isaiah 25:7.

This refers to a new Church, that is, the Church of the nations. 'People' stands for its truths, 'nations' for its goods. In the same prophet,

Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Isaiah 26:2.

Here 'nation' plainly stands for goods. In the same prophet,

All the nations will be gathered together, and the peoples will be assembled. Isaiah 43:9

This too refers to the Church of the nations. 'Nations' stands for its goods, and 'peoples' for its truths. And since the two are distinct and separate from each other, both are dealt with; otherwise it would be a pointless repetition. In the same prophet,

The Lord Jehovih said, Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and raise My ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom and carry your daughters on their shoulder. Isaiah 49:22.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom, 'nations' again standing for goods, and 'peoples' for truths.

[4] In the same prophet,

You will break out to the right and to the left, and your seed will inherit the nations, and they will dwell in the desolate cities. Isaiah 54:3.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom and to the Church called the Church of the nations. That 'the nations' stands for goods that stem from charity, or what amounts to the same, for people with whom the goods of charity exist, is clear from the promise that their 'seed', or faith, 'will inherit them'. 'Cities' stands for truths. In the same prophet,

Lo, I have given Him as a witness to the peoples, a Prince and Lawgiver to the peoples Lo, you will call a nation you do not know, and a nation that knew you not will run to you. Isaiah 55:4-5.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom. 'Peoples' stands for truths, 'nations' for goods. In the Church those who are endowed with goods that stem from charity are 'nations' while those who are endowed with truths of faith are 'peoples'. For goods and truths are attributes of the subjects to which they apply. In the same prophet,

Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Then you will see and overflow, and your heart will be astounded and enlarged, because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the armies of the nations will come to you. Isaiah 60:3, 5.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom and the Church of the nations. 'Nations' stands for goods, while 'kings', who go together with 'peoples', stands for truths.

[5] In Zephaniah,

The remnants of My people will plunder them, and the residue of My nation will inherit them. Zephaniah 2:9.

In Zechariah,

Many peoples and numerous nations will come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:22.

'Jerusalem' stands for the Lord's kingdom and for the Church, 'peoples' those with whom the truths of faith predominate, 'nations' for those with whom the goods of charity do so, and therefore they are mentioned separately. In David,

You will deliver me from the strivings of the people; You will set me as the head of nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. Psalms 18:43.

Here similarly 'people' stands for those with whom truths predominate, 'nations' for those with whom good does so. And because these are what constitute the member of the Church, both are mentioned. In the same author,

The peoples will confess You, O God, all the peoples will confess You; the nations will be glad and exultant, for You will judge the peoples with uprightness, and You will guide the nations into the land. Psalms 67:3-4.

'Peoples' clearly stands for those with whom truths of faith predominate, and 'nations' for those with whom the good of charity predominates.

[6] In Moses,

Remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation; ask your father and he will show you, and your elders and they will tell you, When the Most High gave to the nations an inheritance and separated the sons of man, He fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:7-8.

This refers to the Most Ancient Church and the Ancient Churches, which are respectively 'the days of old' and 'the years of generation after generation'. Those with whom the good of charity predominated were called 'the nations' to whom an inheritance was given. 'The sons of man' and in the next sentence 'the peoples' mean those with whom the truths of faith deriving from charity predominated. Since 'the nations' means the goods of the Church and 'the peoples' its truths, it was therefore said of Esau and Jacob when they were still in the womb,

Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from your bowels. Genesis 25:23.

These places now make clear what the Church of the nations is in the genuine sense. The Most Ancient Church was the true Church of the nations, as was the Ancient Church after that.

[7] Since those governed by charity are called 'nations' and those governed by faith are called 'peoples', the Lord's priesthood is therefore associated with 'nations' because it has reference to celestial things, which are goods, while His kingship is associated with 'peoples' because it has reference to spiritual things, which are truths This distinction was also represented in the Jewish Church in which they were 'a nation' before they had kings, but became 'a people' after they received them.

Footnotes: