Apocalypse Explained #449
449. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord, is evident from the representation of Benjamin and of the tribe named after him, as denoting the Spiritual-celestial in the natural man, like Joseph in the spiritual. The Spiritual-celestial is truth conjoined to good. For truth, regarded in itself, is spiritual, and good celestial; hence Benjamin and his tribe signify the conjunction of truth and good in the Natural, here therefore the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord; for those who are in natural good and truth from the spiritual and the celestial are in the ultimate heaven. Those who are in the ultimate heaven are either spiritual-natural, or celestial-natural. The spiritual-natural in that heaven belong to the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and the celestial-natural belong to the celestial kingdom of the Lord; wherefore the spiritual-natural communicate with the second heaven, where all are spiritual, but the celestial-natural communicate with the third heaven, where all are celestial, as stated above.
[2] It is evident from these things what Joseph and Benjamin, who were brethren, signify in the Word. Since Benjamin signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural man, and consequently truth conjoined to good in those who are in the ultimate heaven, therefore he was also the last son born to Jacob, and was called by him the son of the right hand, for Benjamin, in the original language, signifies the son of the right hand; and also he was born in Bethlehem, which city signifies truth conjoined to good in the Natural. That he was born in Bethlehem, see Genesis (35:16-19). He was born last, because the Natural, consisting of truth conjoined to good, is the ultimate of the church in man. For there are in man three degrees of life, the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate. The inmost degree is that in which those are who dwell in the inmost or third heaven, the middle degree that in which those are who dwell in the middle or second heaven, and the ultimate degree that in which those are who dwell in the ultimate or first heaven. Therefore those who are in the inmost degree are called celestial, those in the middle are called spiritual, and those in the ultimate degree are called either spiritual-natural or celestial-natural. The conjunction of those in the ultimate heaven with the Lord is signified by Benjamin. Concerning these three degrees of life in a man and in an angel, see Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435). These are the reasons why Benjamin was the last born of the sons of Jacob.
[3] He was called the son of the right hand, because son signifies truth, and right hand the power of truth from good, and all power in the spiritual world is in truth from good in the natural man. In this resides all the power possessed by the spiritual man, because the efficient cause is in the spiritual man, and the effect in the Natural, and all the power of the efficient cause is brought into active operation by means of the effect. That all the power of the spiritual man is in the Natural, and [acts] by means of the Natural, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia. (n. 9836). For this reason he was called Benjamin, that is, son of the right hand. And because Bethlehem has a similar signification, that is, truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore also David was born there and also anointed king (1 Sam. 16:1-14; 17:12). For David as a king represented the Lord as to truth from good, which is also signified by a king, as may be seen above (n. 29, 31, 205). And the Lord also was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1, 5, 6) because He was born King, and from His birth truth in Him was conjoined to good. For every infant is born natural, and the Natural is first opened because it is nearest to the external senses and the world, and with all men it is ignorant of truth and inclined to evil, but with the Lord alone the Natural hungered for good and desired truth. The ruling affection with man is from the father, for it is his soul, but with the Lord the affection or soul from the Father was the Divine Itself, which is the Divine Good of the Divine Love.
[4] Because Benjamin and his tribe signify truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore his lot in the land of Canaan was between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph; and Jerusalem also, which was then inhabited by the Jebusite, fell to that tribe for an inheritance (Joshua 18:11-28); so that the sons of Benjamin dwelt there with the Jews, who afterwards occupied that city. The tribe of Benjamin was granted a lot between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph, because that tribe represented and thence signified the conjunction of good and truth; for Judah signifies the good of the church, and Joseph, the truth of the church. The reason why Jerusalem was given to that tribe was, that Jerusalem signified the church in regard to doctrine and worship, and all the doctrine of the church is the doctrine of truth conjoined to good, and all worship according to doctrine takes place by means of the natural man, for, as stated above, worship is an effect from the efficient cause in the spiritual man.
[5] From these observations the signification of Benjamin in the following passages is evident.
In Jeremiah:
If ye hallow the sabbath "they shall come in from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountain, and from the south, bringing the burnt-offering, and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense" (17:26).
The reason why such things are said to be the result of hallowing the sabbath is that the sabbath signified the union of the Divine and the Divine Human in the Lord, and in the respective sense (sensu respectivo), the conjunction of His Divine Human with heaven and the church; and in general the conjunction of good and truth, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 8495, 8510, 10356, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730). The cities of Judah, the places about Jerusalem, and the land of Benjamin, signify truths conjoined to good in the natural man. The cities of Judah, signify the truths of good, the places about Jerusalem, the truths of doctrine in the natural man, and the land of Benjamin, their conjunction. For cities signify truths, and Judah signifies the good of the church; Jerusalem the doctrine of truth. The places round-about signify such things as are around, or beneath, which are the truths of good in the natural man; and the land of Benjamin signifies the church as to the conjunction of those things in the natural man. From the plain, from the mountain, and from the south, signifies good and truth in the natural man from a celestial and from a spiritual origin. The plain signifies good and truth in the natural man, because those who are in the ultimate heaven, and are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural (of which above) dwell in plains or below mountains and hills. The mountain signifies those who are in celestial good, and the south, those who are in spiritual good, and therefore in the light of truth. To bring the burnt-offering and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense, signifies worship from celestial good and from spiritual good in the natural man. The burnt-offering signifies worship from celestial good, the sacrifice, worship from spiritual good; the meat-offering and frankincense signify good and the truth of good in the natural man. These are the things signified by the above words. For what other object could there be in saying that if they hallowed the sabbath they should come in from the cities of Judah, from the places about Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the plain, the mountain, and the south? Why not from the whole land of Canaan?
[6] Because these details signify such things as relate to heaven and the church, therefore similar things are also mentioned elsewhere in the same prophet:
"In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth" (Jeremiah 33:13).
So again:
"They shall buy fields for money, and write it in a book, and cause witnesses to witness it in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south; because I will bring back their captivity, saith Jehovah" (Jeremiah 32:44).
In these passages similar things are signified as above by the land of Benjamin, the places round-about Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, the mountain, the plain, and the south; therefore, Benjamin signifies the conjunction of truth and good in the natural man, and thus the conjunction of truth and good with those who are in the ultimate heaven.
[7] In the same prophet:
"Assemble yourselves, ye sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet, and upon the house of the vineyard kindle a fire, for evil looketh out of the north, and great destruction" (6:1).
The subject here treated of in the spiritual sense is the devastation of the church in regard to truth and good, because it is against Zion and Jerusalem, for Zion signifies the good of the church, and Jerusalem, its truth. And because the sons of Benjamin signify the conjunction of good and truth they are therefore commanded to assemble themselves out of the midst of Jerusalem, to blow the trumpet, and kindle a fire upon the house of the vineyard. To blow the trumpet, signifies combat against that church from truths which are from good. The house of the vineyard signifies that church itself, and to kindle a fire upon it, its destruction by evil loves. The north from which the evil looketh signifies the falsity of evil; and the great destruction signifies the dissipation of good and truth.
[8] Again, in David:
"Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, and come to save us" (Psalm 80:1, 2).
Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, do not mean Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, but those who are in natural truth and good, and in whom there is the conjunction of these. See above (n. 440:6), where this passage is explained.
[9] In the same:
"Bless ye God in the congregations; the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. There is little Benjamin their ruler, the princes of Judah, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali" (Psalm 68:26, 27).
In these passages, neither Benjamin, nor the princes of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali, are meant, but those things pertaining to the church, which are signified by those tribes. Little Benjamin there signifies the innocence of the natural man. The innocence of the natural man consists in the conjunction of good and truth therein. This passage also is explained above (n. 439:5).
[10] In the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:
"And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah, he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, dwelling between his shoulders" (Deuteronomy 33:12).
Benjamin here signifies the Word in the ultimate sense, which is natural. For the Word is described in this blessing pronounced by Moses, and each tribe signifies some essential of it. And because in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is natural, there is the marriage of good and truth, as we have shown in many places, therefore he is called the beloved of Jehovah, and it is said "that he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."
[11] To dwell between the shoulders, denotes to dwell in security and in power. The signification of Benjamin in the prophecy of Israel the father concerning his sons (Genesis 49:27) is explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6439-6444). Benjamin in that prophecy is the last spoken of, because he signifies the ultimate of heaven and of the church, the ultimate being the Natural in which truth is conjoined to good.
[12] Because these things are signified by Benjamin, therefore the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin encamped in the wilderness about the tent of the congregation, on the west side (Num. 2:18-24); and these three tribes signify all those who are in natural truth and good, and in the conjunction thereof. Ephraim signifies truth [in the natural man], Manasseh, good, as shown above, and Benjamin, the conjunction of these. The reason why they encamped on the west side, was, that in heaven, those dwell in the west and in the north, who are in the obscurity of good, and in the obscurity of truth, consequently those who are in natural good and truth; but those dwell in the east and in the south in heaven, who are in the lucidity of good and truth. Concerning this circumstance see the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153).
[13] From what has been stated it is now evident that Benjamin, in the Word, signifies the conjunction of good and truth in the natural man, and conjunction with the Spiritual by means of good; for all that good which is good in the natural man flows in from the spiritual man, that is, by means of the spiritual man from the Lord. Without such influx good does not exist in the natural man. Therefore Benjamin also signifies the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and Joseph, the conjunction of the celestial man with the spiritual.
Jeremiah 32
1
The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.
2
Now at that time the king of Babylon's army was besieging Jerusalem; and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the king of Judah's house.
3
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why do you prophesy, and say, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
4
and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall see his eyes;
5
and he shall bring Zedekiah to Babylon, and he shall be there until I visit him, says Yahweh: though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not prosper?
6
Jeremiah said, The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
7
Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle shall come to you, saying, Buy my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is yours to Buy it.
8
So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of Yahweh, and said to me, Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of Yahweh.
9
I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel my uncle's son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
10
I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
11
So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open;
12
and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses who subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
13
I commanded Baruch before them, saying,
14
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel; that they may continue many days.
15
For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in this land.
16
Now after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to Yahweh, saying,
17
Ah Lord Yahweh! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you,
18
who show loving kindness to thousands, and recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the great, the mighty God, Yahweh of Armies is his name;
19
great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
20
who performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even to this day, both in Israel and among [other] men; and made yourself a name, as in this day;
21
and brought forth your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror;
22
and gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
23
and they came in, and possessed it, but they didn't obey your voice, neither walked in your law; they have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do: therefore you have caused all this evil to come on them.
24
Behold, the mounds, they are come to the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence; and what you have spoken has happened; and behold, you see it.
25
You have said to me, Lord Yahweh, Buy the field for money, and call witnesses; whereas the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
26
Then came the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, saying,
27
Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
28
Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
29
and the Chaldeans, who fight against this city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.
30
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says Yahweh.
31
For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
32
because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33
They have turned to me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.
34
But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
35
They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through [the fire] to Molech; which I didn't command them, neither did it come into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
36
Now therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning this city, about which you say, It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence:
37
Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries, where I have driven them in my anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them again to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38
and they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
39
and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
40
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me.
41
Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
42
For thus says Yahweh: Like as I have brought all this great evil on this people, so will I bring on them all the good that I have promised them.
43
Fields shall be bought in this land, about which you say, It is desolate, without man or animal; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
44
Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe the deeds, and seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the hill country, and in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South: for I will cause their captivity to return, says Yahweh.
