955. (Verse 8) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. That this signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the natural sense, in light and power from the Divine truth in the spiritual sense, is evident from the signification of the temple, as denoting Divine truth, or the Word in the natural sense, illuminated from the Divine truth in the spiritual sense (concerning which see above, n. 948); and from the signification of smoke, as denoting the understanding of the Word in the natural sense, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the glory of God, as denoting the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth, in the spiritual sense (concerning which see n. 33, 288, 345, 874); and from the signification of the power (virtus) of God, as denoting Divine power (potentia); for in the natural sense of the Word there are glory and power (virtus), or light and power (potentia) from its spiritual sense, but not without that sense. Those are without that sense who do not regard the Word as holy, and to whom, therefore, the Divine truth therein is without light and power, whereas to those who regard the Word as holy, there are that light and power, the reason being that these are conjoined with heaven by means of the spiritual sense, although they are ignorant of this. It is evident, therefore, that by the temple being filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power, is signified, that the Word, in the natural sense, is in light and power from the Divine truth, in the spiritual sense.
[2] The reason why smoke signifies the understanding of the Word in the natural sense is, that the same is signified by smoke as by cloud; and that by cloud is signified the Word in the natural sense, may be seen (n. 36, 504, 594, 906). And because the same is here signified by smoke as by the smoke of the incense; and that the smoke of the incense also signifies the Word in that natural sense, may be seen (n. 494, 539, at the end). The reason of this signification of smoke is, that smoke is from fire; and by fire is signified love in both senses; and by holy fire, celestial love. The Word is similar in the sense of the letter illuminated and, as it were, enkindled from the spiritual sense, namely, that as to the understanding of it, the truth there is in obscurity, as from smoke, as it were, before the falsities and evils which overspread the light, and cause blindness, are dissipated; this is also meant by no one being able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated.
[3] Divine truth in the natural sense is also signified by smoke in Isaiah:
"Jehovah shall create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon the convocations thereof, a cloud by day; and a smoke and splendour of a flame of fire by night. For upon all the glory shall be a covering" (4:5).
Again:-
"And the posts of the door were moved at the voice of the seraphim that cried; and the house was filled with smoke" (6:4).
Similarly by the smoke seen upon Sinai, when the law was promulgated; and elsewhere in the Word, by the smoking of the mountains when Jehovah descended; also by the smoking linen (Isaiah 42:3); and by the smoke of the incense ascending from the prayers of the saints (Apoc. 8:4).
Continuation concerning the First Precept:-
[4] When a man shuns evils and turns away from them because they are sins, he not only sees from the light of heaven that there is a God, and that He is one, but also that God is a Man. For he desires to see his God, and he cannot see Him otherwise than as a man. In this way the ancients before and after Abraham saw God. Similarly the nations in lands outside the church see God from an interior perception, especially those who are interiorly wise, although they are not so from knowledges. So also all infants, children, and the well-disposed simple see God; and also the inhabitants of all the earths see God. For they say, that what is invisible cannot enter into one's belief, because no idea can be formed of it.
The reason is, that the man who shuns evils and turns away from them as sins thinks from heaven. And the whole heaven, and every one therein, is in no other idea concerning God than that He is man. Nor can he have any other, because the whole heaven is a man in the greatest form; and the Divine proceeding from the Lord makes heaven. Therefore it is impossible for the angels to think of God otherwise than according to that Divine form, which is the human form, for angelic thoughts pervade heaven.
That the whole heaven in the aggregate resembles one man may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 51-87); and that the angels think according to the form of heaven, (n. 200-212) in that work.
[5] This idea of God flows in from heaven with all in the world, and resides in their spirit. But it appears as if it were exterminated in the church with those who are intelligent from the proprium. In fact, it is so exterminated as though it were an impossible idea. The reason is, that they think of God from space. But the same persons think differently when they become spirits; this has been made evident to me from much experience. For in the spiritual world an indeterminate idea of God is no idea. Therefore the idea is of some one who either sits on high, or elsewhere, and gives responses.
From the general influx from the spiritual world, men have received ideas of God as a man, these being various according to the state of perception. This is why the Triune God with us is designated as Persons; and why God the Father is shown in temples painted as a man, the Ancient of Days. It is also from general influx, that men both living and dead, who are called saints, are adored as gods by the common people in Christian Gentilism, and that the statues of them are loved. The case is the same with many nations elsewhere; and also with the ancients in Greece, in Rome, and in Asia, who had many gods, all of whom were seen by them as men.
These things are said, in order that it may be known, that to see God as a man is implanted in man's spirit. That is called implanted, which is from general influx.
