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Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings

This list of Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings was originally compiled by W. C. Henderson in 1960 but has since been updated.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture #102

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102. That the Word among ancient peoples was written solely in terms of correspondences, but has since been lost, is something reported to me by angels in heaven. And I have been told that this Word is still preserved among them and used by the ancient peoples in that heaven who had that Word when they lived in the world.

Those ancient peoples, among whom that Word is still used in heaven, came partly from the land of Canaan and the lands surrounding it — Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia, Chaldea, Assyria, Egypt, Sidon, Tyre, and Nineveh — and the inhabitants of all those kingdoms practiced a representational worship and so possessed a knowledge of correspondences. The wisdom of that time flowed from that knowledge, and because of it they had an inner perception and communication with the heavens.

Those who had a more interior knowledge of the correspondences of that Word were called wise and intelligent, but later diviners and magi.

[2] However, because that Word was full of correspondences which only remotely symbolized celestial and spiritual things, and many people consequently began to falsify it, therefore in the course of time, of the Lord’s Divine providence it vanished and finally was lost. And another Word, written in terms of correspondences not so remote, was given, and this through prophets among the children of Israel.

Still, this latter Word retained many names of places in the land of Canaan and in Asia round about, which had the same symbolic meanings as in the Ancient Word.

It was for this reason that Abram was commanded to go to that land, and that his posterity descended from Jacob was led into it.

  
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Thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

True Christian Religion #800

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800. The Dutch in the spiritual world.

In my book HEAVEN AND HELL I reported that Christians, who have the Word read to them and who know and acknowledge the Lord, the Redeemer and Saviour, are in the middle of the nations and peoples who make up the whole spiritual world. The reason is that with them the spiritual light is strongest; and it radiates as from a centre towards all the surrounding areas as far as the most distant. How this happens was shown in the chapter on the Sacred Scripture (267-272 above). In this Christian centre the members of the Reformed churches are allotted places in accordance with their ability to receive spiritual light from the Lord. Since the Dutch have this light more deeply and fully infused into their natural illumination, so that they are more disposed than others to receive rational ideas, they have been given dwellings in the east and south of that Christian nucleus. It is their capacity for receiving spiritual heat which locates them in the east, their capacity for receiving spiritual light which locates them in the south. Compass-points in the spiritual world are not like those in the natural world, but the location of dwellings depends upon the way faith and love are received, those in the east excelling in love, those in the south excelling in intelligence; see HEAVEN AND HELL 141-153.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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