"Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:3

Additional readings: Isaiah 1:1-20

In the childhood of the human race, before men had departed from right ways of life, heaven was near to them. They could be led directly by the Lord, for their hearts and minds were open to him. Of this Golden Age of the human race it is written, "Man walked with God." But we have all read in the history of the human race as revealed in the Scripture the account of how many departed from the way of life and, following the devices of his own heart, closed his mind to the direct reception of goodness and truth from the Lord, until finally he reached a state in which all true knowledge of God and heaven was lost.

Then the Lord came to bring salvation to mankind, and preparation for His reception was made through John the Baptist, the messenger sent in fulfillment of a prophecy given centuries before. John’s message is our text: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And when John was put to death, and the Lord began His active ministry in the world, the words of our text were also His first message. For He came to make clear the way of life, and wrong ideas held possession of the minds of men then, as they do of many minds today.

It is not by chance that this first message turns our thoughts to heaven. The purpose of our creation is that we may so live that we shall find our homes in heaven. Belief in heaven had been lost, along with the knowledge about it. And today belief in heaven is for the most part vague, and many think that eternal life does not mean personal existence in the spiritual world, but only the persistence of one’s influence in this world. Great men like Homer, Plato, Moses, Shakespeare, Gladstone, Lincoln, Pasteur, and many others perpetuate themselves in the influence they exert in the minds of living men. This, they say, is what is meant by immortality, by everlasting life. But we should realize that this type of everlasting life is open to the evil as well as to the good. A Diocletian may be remembered forever as well as the beloved Apostle. We need to know the truth that men and women, as individuals, live forever after death in the spiritual world.

But this is not the implication of the text which I have chosen for consideration this morning." The kingdom of heaven is at hand." We know that heaven is not in some remote part of the natural sky, that we cannot say, "Lo, here, or Lo, there" (Luke 17:21). But we are still apt to think of it as far away. We are also inclined to think of it as remote in time. We speak commonly of the "future" world. In the thought of some even, it lies at the indefinitely remote time, when they expect a general resurrection along with others; death is the gateway of heaven, but heaven still seems too distant to be of much practical and present interest.

But the truth is that heaven is far away neither in space nor in time. It is here, it is now, it is "at hand." We live in it now, or we may do so. It is a present reality, the most real and the most important element of the life we are now living. When we speak of heaven, and of living for heaven, we are not, as some charge, setting our hearts on something far away, and despising the real world in which we now are. If one lives for a far-off heaven — and no doubt some have lived so — he may be careless of this world’s joys and sorrows, of opportunities for usefulness, keeping his eyes fixed on some vision of the future. But we may live for heaven and still live thoroughly in the present. We ought to value heaven as the most real of present realities. The Gospel is true: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

We are taught in the New Church that heaven is essentially a state of human feeling, thought and life, a state in which love to the Lord and love to the neighbor are the ruling motives. We are taught that no outward paradise which could be made by human or by Divine skill would be a heaven if those affections were absent from the heart, that there is no real or lasting satisfaction except in the exercise of these affections. It follows that we can come into heaven in this world, and live in heaven while we live on earth, for we may learn here to love the Lord and one another, and to find our chief enjoyment in the exercise of these heavenly loves.

But this is an abstract way of speaking. Concretely, heaven is not merely a heavenly state in ourselves; it is the great world of human beings who are living in that state, those people in whose hearts are heavenly affections, whose minds are bright with spiritual light, and whose hands are busy with heavenly works. There are many such people in this world. There are countless more who have gone from the earth to the spiritual world, and are there living the same good life under freer and happier conditions. All these people are heaven.

When we have love to the Lord and the neighbor in ourselves, we are brought spiritually near to those in like affections, both of this world and of the spiritual world. It is not a figure of speech when we say that heaven is about us when we are in heavenly states. It is a literal and positive fact. Heaven is so really around us at such times that if it were granted to us, as it was to Elisha’s servant and to others in Bible days to have our spiritual eyes opened, we should see the angels who are our companions and the beautiful land in which they dwell. Among them we should see and recognize some who were dear to us on earth, who still love and help us, and there would be some whom we had not known before but who would from the first glance seem to us as old friends, because they have similar desires and thoughts. And we should recognize them as the source of our happiness.

The Lord created the world and all things in it. All things in the world were made for man to use and enjoy, from the very materials of the earth to all the myriad things of the vegetable and animal kingdoms, the beast of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea. For man’s needs of food, clothing, shelter, for gratification of his senses, and the improvement of his mind these things were made. All these were created and given to man for blessings. But they are subject to one important condition: man must indeed labor to make these things of service to himself, but he must also use them in the service of others. Only so can he have any security or peace. The world of nature and of human beings is not for one man, or a few men, or a nation to control or exploit. Indeed we cannot rightly claim sovereignty over ourselves. We need the guidance of the Lord. And whatever under the Divine Providence we have been able to acquire, whether of material wealth, or of skill, or of learning, we did not acquire it by our unaided efforts. Our daily knowledge of the happenings in the world, our libraries, our schools are made possible by the labor of mind and body of other men and women, great or humble, living or dead. We depend on others and they on us, and life and security today, as always, depend upon the honesty and good will of the community in which we live.

Yet we should also realize that behind the labors and sufferings and the honesty and good will of men stands the Lord. Through His power alone man achieves progress. It is a law of the Divine Providence that man must act in freedom according to reason. This applies to the life of nations as well as to the life of individuals. But the Lord is present and operative always.

For infinitely wise and good reasons, the Lord does not draw the veil aside for us and allow us to see the heavenly world. Some argue that if only they could see heaven, they would believe in it. But to see that world as an outward, objective reality would destroy our freedom. We should be lured by its outward attractiveness, and it would be less possible for us to come into its true spirit.

When we are living in selfish and evil affections, we are in hell. Not only is hell within us at such times but it is also about us, not by a figure of speech, but actually. We are breathing its poisoned atmosphere and, if our eyes were opened, we should see the forms and faces of those who find their life in evil and who exult in influencing others to evil. Why, at least then, does the Lord not draw the veil aside and show us the terribleness of evil? The sight might for the moment frighten us, but we should be less able to shun evil freely because it is evil, and our power to escape permanently from it would be greatly lessened.

If we are tempted to question the Lord’s Providence in not revealing to us more openly the conditions of the good and evil in the spiritual world, we do well to remember His words, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them….If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:29-31).

The Lord said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). We should seek those good things which endure forever, and should not sacrifice them for the sake of money or health or life itself. To acquire love to the Lord and to the neighbor is the only thing worth living for. Our business dealings should have as their motive the love of use, of service to others. The most necessary thing in making a home is having in it the sunshine of heaven. The only absolute requirement for our happiness as we go to and fro in the ways of the world is that heaven shall go with us. This is to live for heaven, and yet to live must fully in the present. This is the practical meaning of living for heaven.

It may be stated still more simply. Heaven is not heaven from locality, neither is it heaven from anything which belongs to the angels as their own. It is heaven from what is received from the Lord into the lives and hearts of the angels. To be near the Lord, not in place merely, but in heart, to feel the protection and peace of His presence is heaven. Heaven is being near to the Lord and keeping near to Him. There is no other heaven for men or angels.

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand." When John first spoke this message, the kingdom of heaven was in a special sense at hand, because the Lord had come to live with men and to make Himself accessible to them. A power to heal and bless went forth from the Lord during His life on earth. Men obsessed felt his saving power and sat at His feet clothed and in their right mind.

At the Transfiguration Peter said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here" (Matthew 17:4, Mark 9:5, Luke 9:33). In following the Lord, in hearing His Word and in doing His work, they were tasting of heaven. But we need to note that the mere physical nearness of the Lord did not make heaven. Some cried out with fear at His approach. It was not heaven to them. It was not heaven to those who followed Him to accuse and to betray Him. His presence was a blessing only to those who in some measure drew near to Him in spirit.

Even in the Lord’s coming on earth the kingdom of heaven was not forced on me. It was made accessible to them; it was brought within their reach.

It is brought within our reach. Just as there is no royal road to knowledge, there is no royal road to heaven. We must cease to do evil before we can learn to do well. Repentance, the willingness to recognize and acknowledge our faults and weaknesses and to struggle to overcome them opens the door. Heavenly life comes into the soul when selfish desires are replaced by kindly thoughts and the desire to serve. The Lord tell us to seek these heavenly virtues now, not for the sake of honor for ourselves, but that we may be really kind and helpful to others, that our lives may have something of the Lord’s love in them. Then we shall find that life here makes one with heavenly life, and that our Heavenly Father is the Source of happiness in both alike.

458. And palms in their hands, signifies in the good of life according to truths. This is evident from the signification of a "palm," as being the good of truth, that is, spiritual good (of which presently); also from the signification of "hands" as being power, and thus all ability in man (of which above, n. 72, 79); therefore that "palms were in their hands" signifies that the good of truth was in them, or that they were in good of truth. The good of truth, when it is with anyone, is the good of life, for truth becomes good by a life according to it; before that truth is not good in anyone. For when truth is merely in the memory and in thought therefrom it is not good, but it becomes good when it comes into the will and thence into act; for it is the will that transforms truth into good. This is shown by the fact that whatever a man wills he calls good, and whatever he thinks he calls truth. Man's interior will, which is the will of his spirit, is the receptacle of his love, for that which a man loves from his spirit he wills, and that which he thence wills he does; therefore the truth that is of his will is also of his love, and that which is of his love he calls good. This makes evident how good is formed in man by means of truths, and that every good that is good in man is the good of life. It is believed that there is good of thought also, although not of the will, since man can have in thought that this or that is good; but yet this is not good, but truth; the thought that there is such a thing as good is a truth; and knowing and thus thinking that a thing is good is regarded as a truth; but when that truth in the thought is so loved as to be willed, and from being willed is done, then, since it belongs to the love, it becomes good.

[2] This may be illustrated by the following example. There were spirits who in the life of the body had believed charity, and not faith alone, to be the essential of the church, and thus essential to salvation; nevertheless they had not lived the life of charity, for this was merely their thought and conclusion. But they were told that merely thinking, and from thought believing, that charity saves, and not willing and acting accordingly, is similar to believing that faith alone saves; therefore they were cast out. This makes evident that merely thinking good, and not willing and doing it, does not constitute good with anyone. The like would be true if a man should gain a knowledge of truths and goods themselves, and from mere thought should bear witness to them, without giving them life by willing and doing them. This has been said to make known that the good of truth, that is, spiritual good, when it is in anyone, is the good of life; and it is this that is signified by "palms in their hands."

[3] Because "palms" signify spiritual good, therefore in the temple built by Solomon there were, besides other things, palms sculptured on the walls, as described in the first book of Kings:

Solomon carved all the walls of the house round about with openings of cherubim and palm-trees and openings of flowers, within and without. Likewise upon the two doors (1 Kings 6:29, 32).

"The walls of the house" signify the ultimates of heaven and the church, which are effects that go forth from things interior, and the "doors" signify the entrance into heaven and the church; the "cherubim" upon them signify celestial good, which is the good of the inmost heaven; the "palms" spiritual good, which is the good of the second heaven; and "the flowers" spiritual-natural good, which is the good of the lowest heaven: thus these three signify the goods of the three heavens in their order. But in the highest sense, the "cherubim" signify the Lord's Divine Providence, and also guard; "palms" the Lord's Divine wisdom; and "flowers" His Divine intelligence; for Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, is received in the third or inmost heaven as Divine Providence, in the second or middle heaven as Divine wisdom; and in the first or lowest heaven as Divine intelligence.

[4] The "cherubim and palms" in the "new temple" have a similar significance in Ezekiel:

In the new temple there were made cherubim and palm-trees, so that a palm-tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and the cherub had two faces; from the ground unto above the door. Cherubim and palm-trees were made on the walls and on the folding doors (Ezekiel 41:18-20, 25, 26).

The "new temple" here signifies a new church to be established by the Lord when He came into the world; for this description of a new city, a new temple, and a new earth, signifies all things of a new church, and thence of a new heaven, and these are described by pure correspondences.

Because "the feast of tabernacles" signified the implantation of good by means of truths, it was commanded:

That they should then take the fruit of the tree of honor, leaves of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and should be glad before Jehovah seven days (Leviticus 23:39, 40).

"The fruit of the tree of honor" signifies celestial good, "palm-trees" spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, "boughs of thick trees" scientific truth with its good, and "willows of the brook" the lowest truths and goods of the natural man, which belong to external sensual things; thus these four signify all goods and truths in their order, from first to last in man.

[5] Because "palms" signify spiritual good, and from spiritual good is all joy of the heart, for spiritual good is the affection itself or the love of spiritual truth, therefore formerly by "palms in their hands" men testified their joy of heart, and also that they were acting from good. This is the signification of the following:

Many who came to the feast when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried out, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel (John 12:12, 13).

[6] The "palm" signifies also spiritual good, or the good of truth, in the following passages. In David:

The righteous shall flourish as the palm-tree; he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon. They that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall grow up in the courts of our God (Psalms 92:12, 13).

"The righteous" signifies those who are in good, for by the "righteous" in the Word those who are in the good of love are meant, and by the "holy" those who are in truths from that good (See above, n. 204); consequently it is said of the "righteous" that "he shall flourish as the palm-tree, and grow as the cedar in Lebanon," for the fructification of good with him is meant by "he shall flourish as the palm-tree," and the multiplication of truth by "he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon;" the "palm" signifying spiritual good, the "cedar" the truth of that good, and "Lebanon" the spiritual church. The "house of Jehovah in which they are planted," and "the courts in which they shall grow up," signify heaven and the church, "the house of Jehovah" the internal church, and "the courts" the external church; planting is effected in the interiors of man, where the good of love and of charity resides, and growing up takes place in the exteriors of man, where the good of life resides.

[7] In Joel:

The vine is withered, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, all the trees of the field are dried up; joy is dried up from the sons of man (Joel 1:12).

This describes the desolating of truth and good in the church, and thence of all joy of heart, that is, of all spiritual joy; for the "vine" signifies the spiritual good and truth of the church, the "fig-tree" the natural good and truth therefrom, and the "pomegranate" sensual truth and good, which is the ultimate of the natural; "palm" signifies joy of heart, from spiritual good, and "apple" the same from natural good derived from spiritual good; the "trees of the field that are dried up," signify the perceptions of good and the knowledges of truth, that there are none; and because spiritual joy and natural joy therefrom are signified by the "palm-tree" and the "apple-tree," it is added, "joy is dried up from the sons of man;" "sons of man" meaning in the Word those who are in truths from good, and "joy" signifying spiritual joy, which is solely from good through truths. Who cannot see that vine, fig-tree, pomegranate, palm-tree, apple-tree, and the trees of the field are not here meant? Why should it be said in the Word and of what consequence is it to the church to say that these trees are withered and dried up?

[8] In Jeremiah:

One cutteth wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. He doth deck it with silver and with gold; he doth fasten them with nails and with hammers, that it move not; they are firm like a palm-tree (Jeremiah 10:3-5).

This describes natural good separate from spiritual, which is good from one's own (proprium), but this regarded in itself is not good, but the delight of cupidity chiefly from the love of self and the world, which is felt as a good. How man so forms this in himself as to give it the appearance of good, and to induce a persuasion that it is good, is described by "One cutteth wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe;" "wood" signifying good, here such good; "forest" the natural, here the natural separate from the spiritual; "the work of the hands of the workman with the axe" signifies what is from one's own [proprium] and from self-intelligence; the confirmation of this by means of truths and goods from the Word, which are thereby falsified, is described by "he doth deck it with silver and with gold," "silver" meaning truth, and "gold" good from the Word; making these to cohere by confirmations from one's own [proprium] is described by "he doth fasten them with nails and with hammers, that it move not;" their thus appearing as good formed by truths is signified by "they are firm like a palm-tree."

[9] In Moses:

They came to Elim, where were twelve fountains of waters and seventy palm-trees; and they encamped there by the waters (Exod. 15:27; Num. 33:9).

This history also contains a spiritual sense, for there is a spiritual sense in all the histories of the Word. Here "they came to Elim" signifies a state of illustration and affection, thus consolation after temptation; "twelve fountains of water" signify that they then had truths in all abundance; "seventy palm-trees" signify that they had goods of truths likewise; "and they encamped by the waters" signifies the arrangement of truth by good after temptation (this may be seen further explained in Arcana Coelestia, n. 8366-8370).

[10] Because "Jericho" signifies the good of truth:

That city was called the city of palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16; 3:13);

for all names of places and cities in the Word signify such things as pertain to heaven and the church, which are called spiritual; and "Jericho" signifies the good of truth. Because of this signification of "Jericho," the Lord in the parable of the Samaritan said:

That he was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:30);

which signifies by means of truths to good; for "Jerusalem" signifies the truth of doctrine, and "Jericho" the good of truth, which is the good of life, and this he exercised towards the man wounded by robbers.

[11] Again, because of this signification of Jericho:

When Joshua was by Jericho he saw a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand, who said to Joshua, Put off thy shoe from off thy foot in the place whereon thou standest, for it is holy. And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13, 15).

So, too, when the sons of Israel had taken Jericho by carrying the ark round about it, the silver and the gold and the vessels of brass and of iron which they found there they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah (Joshua 6:24). From the above it is evident why Jericho was called "the city of palm-trees."

[12] Furthermore, in the spiritual world, in the paradises where the angels are who are in spiritual good or in the good of truth, palm-trees are seen in great abundance, from which also it is clear that the "palm-tree" signifies the good of truth; for all things that appear in that world are representatives of the state of life and of the affections, thus of the good and truth with angels.