911. Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the hour is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. That this signifies, that the time is come to collect the good and separate them from the evil, because it is the end of the church; from the signification of thrusting in the sickle, as denoting to collect the good and separate them from the evil, of which we shall speak presently. And from the signification of the hour for reaping has come, as denoting the time for doing this. And from the signification of, for the harvest of the earth is ripe, as denoting the last state or the end of the church. For harvest signifies the last state or the end, and the earth the church. It is evident, therefore, that by Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the hour for reaping is come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe, is signified that the time is come for collecting the good and separating them from the evil, because it is the end of the church.

[2] The reason why, to thrust in the sickle and reap, denotes to collect the good and separate them from the evil is, that by the harvest of the earth is signified the last state of the church, when the Last Judgment takes place and the evil are cast into hell and the good raised into heaven, and thus separated. That such collection, separation, and Last Judgment do not previously take place is evident from what is said in the small work concerning the Last Judgment, and from those things that must be said more fully in the Appendix to that book, which are summarily contained in the Lord's words in Matthew:

Jesus spake this parable. "The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares, and went his way. But when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The servant of the father of the family drew near, and said unto him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. And his disciples drew near unto him, and said, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answering said unto them, He who soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; and the seed are the sons of the kingdom; but the tares are the sons of that evil; but the enemy who sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the consummation of the age; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so it shall be in the consummation of the age. The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, them that work iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father" (13:24-30, 36-43).

By this parable the Lord illustrates all those things that are said in this chapter of the Apocalypse, from verse 14-19, concerning the Son of man having in His hand a sickle and reaping, and the earth being reaped by Him and the angels. For it is therein taught that by the sower is meant the Lord, who is there also called the Son of man; that by the reapers, or those who reap, are meant the angels; and that the tares shall be cast into a furnace of fire, and the good seed gathered into the barn, and that those things could not take place before the consummation of the age, by which is signified the last state of the church; and this, lest the wheat should be rooted out together with the tares.

[3] Since this parable of the Lord contains mysteries concerning the separation of the evil from the good, and concerning the Last Judgment, it is of importance that it should be particularly explained. By the kingdom of the heavens is signified the Lord's church in the heavens and on earth; for the church is in both. By the man who sowed good seed in his field, is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, which is the Word, in the church; the man, who, in the following verses, is called the Son of man, is the Lord as to the Word; the good seed is the Divine truth; and the field is the church where the Word is. While men slept his enemy came and sowed tares, and went his way, signifies, that while men live a natural life, or the life of the world, then evils from hell, they being ignorant of it, secretly insinuate and implant falsities - to sleep signifying a natural life or the life of the world. And this life is sleep compared to spiritual life which is wakefulness. The enemy signifies evils from hell, which bring about that life separated from spiritual life. To sow tares, signifies to insinuate and implant falsities. And went his way, signifies that it was done secretly or without their knowing it. But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also, signifies, when truth grew and produced good, falsities from evil were intermingled, the blade springing up signifying the quality of truth when it is first received, fruit signifying good, and tares falsities from evil; in this case intermingled.

[4] The servants of the father of the family drew near and said unto him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field, whence then hath it tares? signifies those who are in truths from good, perceiving that falsities from evil were intermingled, and complaining of this. The servants of the Lord, signify those who are in truths from good; the father of the family signifies the Lord as to truths from good; father, Him as to good, and family, Him as to truths. The good seed, signifies the field, and the tares, signify the same as above. And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this, signifies that those falsities were from evil in the natural man. And the servants said to him, Lord, wilt thou then that we go and gather up the tares? signifies separation and rejection of the falsities from evil, before that truths from good were received and increased. But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares ye root out the wheat with them, signifies that by this means truth from good also would perish, and its increase. For with the men of the church truths are intermingled with falsities, which cannot be separated and the falsities rejected, until they are reformed.

[5] Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn, signifies that the separation of the falsities from evil, and the rejection of them, cannot be effected before the last state of the church comes; for then the falsities of evil are separated from the truths of good; and the falsities of evil are delivered up to hell, and the truths of good conjoined with heaven; or what is the same thing, the men who are in them.

These things take place in the spiritual world, where all who belong to the church, from its beginning to its end, are separated and judged in this manner. By the harvest is signified the end or the last state of the church; by gathering into bundles, is signified to conjoin together particular species of falsities from evil; by burning is signified to deliver up to hell; and by gathering into the barn, is signified to conjoin with heaven.

[6] He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man, signifies Divine truth from the Lord. The field is the world, signifies the church everywhere. The seed are the sons of the kingdom, signifies that Divine truth is with those who belong to the church. The tares are the children of the evil one, signifies falsities with those who are in evil. The enemy who soweth them is the devil, signifies that those falsities are from evil, which is from hell. The harvest the consummation of the age, signifies the last time and state of the church. The reapers are the angels, signifies that Divine truth from the Lord separates. The Son of man shall send the angels, who shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, signifies that Divine truth from the Lord will remove those who hinder the separation. That work iniquity, signifies that they are those who live wickedly. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, signifies into the hell, where those are who are in the love of self, who hate, and seek revenge. Where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, signifies where it is direful from evils and falsities. Then the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father, signifies, that those who have done the Lord's precepts, shall live in heavenly loves, and in the joys thereof, in heaven - the just denoting those who acknowledge the Lord, and do His precepts. The angels are about to possess such a state after the Last Judgment, because a higher power from heaven was then vindicated, which previously was on the side of hell; and hence comes joy to the angels with continual increase.

[7] It remains to explain in some degree the Lord's words concerning the separation of the evil from the good, namely, "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." By which the separation of the evil from the good, when the Last Judgment is at hand, is signified. The reason why they were not separated before, may be seen in the small work concerning theLast Judgment 59, 70). To this I shall here add, that it is according to Divine Order that things, which in the end are to be separated, should grow conjointly; so that when they come to an end, separation may be effected more easily, and, as it were, spontaneously, or of their own accord. This may be illustrated from a thousand experiences in both worlds, and even from correspondences in the animal and vegetable kingdoms; from which, as in a common mirror, it may be seen, why the evil were not separated from the good, till about the time of the Last Judgment. This is also signified in this part of the Apocalypse, by the angel saying to Him that sat on the cloud, "Reap, for the hour for thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."

[8] By harvest in the following passages is also signified the last state of the church, when the old church is devastated, that is, when there no longer remains any truth and good that is not falsified or rejected. In Joel:

"At the valley of Jehoshaphat will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, get ye down, for the wine-press is full, the vats are overflowed because great is their wickedness" (3:12, 13).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the falsification of the truth of the Word, and the devastation of the church by that means; and in this verse the last state of the church, when the judgment takes place. And this state is described, as in the Apocalypse, by putting forth the sickle, because the harvest is ripe, the harvest denoting the last state. Also by the winepress being full and the vats overflowing, as in this chapter of the Apocalypse (vers. 19, 20). That then judgment takes place is openly declared. The valley of Jehoshaphat, where judgment is executed, signifies the falsification of the Word.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"Cut off him that soweth in Babel, and him that layeth hold of the sickle in time of harvest" (50:16).

And in the same:

"The daughter of Babel is as a threshing floor for threshing her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come" (51:33).

Here also by the time of harvest is meant the last state of the church, when there is no longer any good and truth. Its devastation is described by cutting off him that soweth, and him that layeth hold of the sickle in the time of harvest; also, by threshing as on a threshing floor. By Babel are meant those who seek dominion through the holy things of the church.

[10] In Isaiah:

"I will bewail Jazer, the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh, because the shouting over thy vintage and over thy harvest is fallen" (16:9).

By harvest here also is signified the last state of the church. For by shouting is signified the end, when upon finishing the vintage and gathering in the harvest, they used to triumph and raise a shout; but in the present case to lament, because it is said, "it hath fallen." By Jazer, the vine of Sibmah, and by Heshbon and by Elealeh, are signified the men of the external church, who explain the Word to favour the loves of the world. For those places were given for an inheritance to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, by whom, since they dwelt outside of Jordan, the external church was represented. The vine of Sibmah signifies their church. Their destruction, when the Lord should come and accomplish judgment, is also described in that chapter.

[11] In Jeremiah:

"The harvest is past, the autumn is spent, and we are not saved; upon the breaking of my daughter I am broken" (8:20).

Here also by harvest is signified the last state of the church. By upon the breaking I am broken, is signified grief that there good and truth are no longer, daughter denoting the affection of truth, and thence the church; for it is of the church, and the church is from it.

[12] In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass, when the harvest is collected, the standing corn, and his arm shall reap the ears; and gleanings shall be left in it, as in the shaking of an olive, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful one. In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow, and thy seed to flourish in the morning; the harvest shall be a heap in the day of possession and desperate sorrow" (17:5, 6, 11).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the knowledges of truth and good, which the church has, in that they were destroyed. These are there signified by Damascus, which is treated of in that chapter; and by Arver. Their being destroyed is described by gleanings being left in it, as in the shaking of an olive, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful one. Also by the harvest being a heap in the day of possession, that is, that there shall be no more than one heap; therefore it is also called desperate sorrow. It is evident, therefore, that harvest there signifies the last state of the church; that state is also signified by morning. For when the last state of the church is at hand, it is then morning to those who will belong to the New Church, and evening and night to those who belong to the Old Church. That this is there meant by morning, is evident from the last verse of the chapter, where it is said,

"About the time of evening, behold, terror; before the morning, it is not" (ver. 14).

Terror signifies destruction.

[13] In Joel:

"The husbandmen are ashamed, the vine-dressers howled, for the wheat and for the barley, because the harvest of the field is perished" (1:11).

The devastation of the church as to good and as to truth is meant by the harvest of the field perishing. By husbandmen are meant those who are in the good of the church, and by vine-dressers those who are in its truths; by wheat and barley, good and truth itself. Grief on account of devastation, is signified by being ashamed and howling.

[14] The reason why harvest signifies the last state of the church is, that corn, which is the harvest, signifies the good and the truth therefrom of the church, and field the church itself. That everything intended for natural nourishment, as wheat, barley, oil, wine, and the like, signify those things that are for spiritual nourishment, has been shown above in many places; and the things that are for spiritual nourishment, have reference, in general, to good and truth, and the knowledges thereof, thus to doctrine and to a life according to it. Hence it is said in Jeremiah:

A nation "from afar shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, it shall eat up thy flock and thy herd, it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree, it shall impoverish with the sword thy fenced cities, in which thou dost trust" (5:15, 17).

By a nation from afar, is meant the falsity of evil destroying, from afar denoting far off from good and truth. By harvest and bread are signified the truths and goods of the church that are for nourishment; by sons and daughters the same, generating; by flock and herd, goods and truths spiritual and natural; by the vine and fig-tree, the internal-spiritual and the external-natural church. By the fenced cities in which they trust, are signified doctrinals from one's own intelligence. To be impoverished with the sword signifies to be destroyed by the falsities of evil.

[15] Since by the harvest are signified all those things that spiritually nourish a man, which have reference to truths of doctrine and goods of life, therefore by harvest is signified the church in general and in particular. In general, in these words in the Evangelists:

Jesus said to the disciples, "The harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he may send labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37, 38; Luke 10:2).

By the harvest are here meant all those with whom the church was to be established by the Lord, thus also the church in general; and by labourers are meant all those who will teach from the Lord.

[16] Similarly in John:

Jesus said to the disciples, "[Say ye not] there are yet four months to harvest? Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, that they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit for life eternal. For in this is the saying true, There is one that soweth, and another that reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured. Others have laboured, but ye have entered into their labour" (4:35-38).

These things are said by the Lord concerning the New Church about to be established by Him. That the establishment of that church was now at hand is meant by, lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, that they are white already to harvest. To teach, those who are to belong to that church is signified by reaping; the same as where the Lord speaks elsewhere of collecting and gathering into the barn. That it is not they themselves who teach, that is who collect and gather, but the Lord - forasmuch as those whom the disciples converted to the church, the Lord by angels, that is by Divine truths from the Word, prepared to receive - is meant by there is one that soweth, and another that reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured. Others have laboured, but ye have entered into their labour.

[17] The increase of the church with man in particular, and with men in general from the Lord, is also described by harvest in Mark:

Jesus said, "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth, and should afterwards sleep, and arise night and day; but the seed springeth up and groweth, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit spontaneously, first the blade, afterwards the ear, then the full corn in the ear: but when the fruit is produced, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is ready" (4:26-29).

By the kingdom of God is meant the church of the Lord in the heavens and on earth. That it is implanted in all who receive truths and goods, not from themselves, but from the Lord, is described by the above words, every particular of which corresponds to spiritual things and signifies them; as a man casting seed upon the earth, and afterwards sleeping, and rising night and day, the seed springing up and growing, he knoweth not how. For by the seed is signified Divine truth; by casting the seed into the earth is signified the work of man; by rising day and night is signified in every state; and lastly by putting in the sickle. The other expressions signify the Lord's work; and the harvest, the implantation of the church in general and in particular. For it must be known that although the Lord worketh all things, and man nothing of himself, still it is His will that man, so far as comes to his perception, should work as of himself. For without the co-operation of man, as of himself, there can be no reception of good and truth, thus no implantation and regeneration. For the Lord grants to will; and because this appears to a man to be, as it were, from himself, therefore He grants to him to will as if from himself.

[18] Because such things are signified by harvest, therefore two feasts were instituted with the children of Israel, one of which was called the feast of seven weeks, which was that of the harvest of first-fruits; and the other the feast of tabernacles, which was that of gathering in of the fruits of the earth. The former of these signified the implantation of truth in good, and the latter the production of good, thus regeneration. But by the feast of unleavened bread, or of the Passover, which preceded, was signified liberation from the falsities of evil, which is also the first thing of regeneration.

4535. The preliminary sections of previous chapters - Chapter 26 onwards - explained what the Lord foretold about His Coming or THE CLOSE OF THE AGE. Frequently in those sections it has been shown that His Coming or the Close of the Age means the last period of the Church, which in the Word is called the Last Judgement. Those who do not look beyond the literal sense cannot know of the Last Judgement as anything else than the destruction of the world, the particular source for such an idea being the Book of Revelation. There it is said that [John] saw 'a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away; and there was no more sea', and in addition that he saw 'the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven', Revelation 21:1-2. Prophetical utterances in Isaiah, where similar predictions occur, are also a source of the same idea,

Behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; therefore the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. ¹ Be glad and rejoice for ever in the things I am creating; behold, I will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Isaiah 65:17-18; 66:22.

[2] Those who do not look beyond the literal sense cannot conceive of anything else than this - that the whole sky together with this planet will be annihilated, and then the dead - for the first time - will rise again and dwell in the new heaven and on the new earth. But these places in the Word should not be understood in that way, as may be recognized from other places in the Word where the heavens and the earth are referred to. Those who have any belief in an internal sense can see plainly that 'a new heaven' and 'a new earth' are used to mean a new Church which takes over when the previous one passes away, 1733, 1850, 3355 (end), and that 'heaven' is the internal aspect of that new Church and 'earth' the external aspect of it.

[3] This last period of the previous Church and the first of the new one are also called the Close of the Age, about which the Lord has spoken in Matthew 24. They are called also His Coming, for at that time the Lord departs from the previous Church and comes to the new. The description of that period as the Close of the Age may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,

On that day a remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the God of power. For though your people Israel will be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of it will return. The close has been determined, overflowing with righteousness, for the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth is bringing the whole earth to its close and to its determined end. Isaiah 10:20-23.

In the same prophet,

Now do not be derisive, lest your punishments increase, for a close and a cutting off I have heard from the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth over the whole earth. Isaiah 28:22.

In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, The whole earth will be a waste, yet I will not bring it to a close. Jeremiah 4:27.

In Zephaniah,

I will bring men into distress, and they will go as the blind, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. For Jehovah will bring to a close, indeed to a hasty one, all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:17-18.

From each detail stated here it is evident that 'a close' means the last period of the Church and 'the earth' the Church itself.

[4] The reason why 'the earth (or land)' means the Church is that the land of Canaan was the land where the Church had existed since most ancient times, and later on where among the descendants of Jacob a representative of the Church existed. When this land is said to have been 'brought to a close' it is not the nation dwelling there that is meant but the holiness of worship which existed with the nation where the Church was. For the Word is spiritual; but the actual land is not spiritual, nor is the nation dwelling in it, only that which constitutes the Church there. For evidence that the land of Canaan was the land where the Church had existed from most ancient times, see 567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517; and this explains why 'the land' or 'the earth' in the Word means the Church, 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 3355, 4447. From all this one may see what is meant in Isaiah by 'bringing the whole earth to a close', and in Zephaniah by 'bringing all the inhabitants of the earth to a hasty one'. It is well known that the Jewish nation which inhabited that land was not 'brought to a close' but that the holiness of worship among them was.

[5] This meaning of 'the close' is even clearer in Daniel,

Seventy weeks have been decreed concerning your people and your holy city to bring transgression to a close and to seal up sins and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. In the middle of the week he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease. At length upon the bird of desolations will come desolation; until a close and a cutting off will it drop upon the devastation. Daniel 9:24, 27.

[6] From this one may now see that the close of the age - about which the disciples were asking when they said to the Lord 'What will be the sign of Your coming and of the close of the age?' Matthew 24:3 - does not mean anything else than the final period of the Church. The same is also meant by the Lord's words, which are the very last in the same gospel,

Jesus said to the disciples, Teaching them to observe ² all things whatever I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you at all times ³ even to the close of the age. Matthew 28:20.

The reason why the Lord said that He would be with the disciples even to the close of the age is that the Lord's twelve disciples are similar in meaning to the twelve tribes of Israel. That is to say, they mean all things of love and faith, and therefore all things of the Church, see 3354, 3488, 3858, as do the twelve tribes, 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060. The fact that the Church reaches its close when no charity exists there any longer, nor consequently any faith, has been shown several times already; and that within the Church at the present day, called the Christian Church, scarcely any trace of charity or consequently of faith survives there; and that the close of the age is accordingly now at hand, will in the Lord's Divine mercy be shown further on.

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