813. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. This signifies that these are the things by means of which temptation takes place, and afterwards the implantation of truth from good among those who are made spiritual by the Lord, is evident from the signification of the patience of the saints, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of faith, as denoting the implantation of truth; and from the signification of saints, as denoting those who are in truths from good from the Lord (concerning which see above, n. 204). Thus those who are made spiritual by the Lord are meant; for man is made spiritual by means of truths from good.

The reason why faith signifies the implantation of truth is, that faith in man is truth acknowledged in the heart; for unless it is acknowledged in the heart it cannot be his own faith. This is why, in the Old Testament, faith is nowhere mentioned, but truth instead of it. Indeed, the ancients, among whom the church existed, had not the least notion that faith was anything else but truth. They said, indeed, that they believed in God; but they understood by this the knowledge and understanding of truths, and at the same time, the willing and doing of them, and this from the Lord. It is, therefore, evident that faith signifies the implantation of truth.

[2] The reason why the patience of the saints signifies the temptation of the faithful, or of those who are made spiritual by the Lord is, that patience signifies spiritual patience, which is patience in sustaining temptations. And those are in that patience who, in themselves, fight against the falsities that are contained in and adhere to the dogma of faith alone, confirmed by reasonings from the natural man, also from a sinister application, and thereby a falsification, of the Word. The temptations which they sustain while they fight against falsities, are meant by patience. The signification of patience in Luke is similar:

[3] "Ye shall be delivered up by parents, and brethren, and kindred, and friends; they shall also put some of you to death; yea, ye shall be hated of all, on account of my name; in your patience possess ye your souls" (21:16, 17, 19).

These words are spoken of the last time of the church, when judgment takes place. The temptations which the faithful shall then undergo on account of truths, are described by being delivered up by fathers, brethren, kindred, and friends, and by being put to death; also by being hated on account of the Lord's name. By parents, brethren, kindred, and friends, are meant those who belong to the same church, but are in evils and falsities. That these will undergo temptations are meant by being delivered up to death and being hated. Hence now the preservation of the life of truth amongst falsities, is signified by possessing their souls in patience, the soul signifying the life of truth.

[4] To the same purpose are these words:

"Those who are sowed in good land, are they who hear the Word in a simple and good heart, and retain it, and bring forth fruit in patience" (8:15).

To bring forth fruit in patience signifies to do truths and goods, although they live amongst falsities and evils, that is, amongst those who are in falsities and evils. The Lord's patience in temptations, of which He suffered the most grievous, is described in these words in Isaiah:

"He sustained exaction, and he was afflicted, yet as a lamb he opened not his mouth" (53:7).

To sustain exaction signifies temptations. To be afflicted signifies their grievousness. To open not His mouth signifies patience.

4240. 'To the land of Seir' means celestial-natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of Seir' in the highest sense as the Lord's celestial-natural good. The reason why 'the land of Seir' has this meaning is that Mount Seir formed a boundary to the land of Canaan on one side, Joshua 11:16-17, and all boundaries such as rivers, mountains, and stretches of land represented the things that came last, 1585, 1866, 4116. Indeed these boundaries acquired their individual representations from the land of Canaan contained within them, which land represented the Lord's heavenly kingdom, and in the highest sense His Divine Human, see 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705. Things that are last, existing as boundaries, are those which are called natural, for natural things are the boundaries holding spiritual and celestial realities within them. This is so in the heavens, for the inmost or third heaven is celestial because it is governed by love to the Lord; the intermediate or second heaven is spiritual because it is governed by love towards the neighbour; and the last or first heaven is celestial-natural and spiritual-natural because it is governed by simple good, which is the last degree of order there. And the same is true with the regenerate person who is a miniature heaven. From all this one may now see the origin of the meaning of 'the land of Seir' as celestial-natural good. 'Esau' too, who dwelt there, represents that good, as has been shown above, and therefore the land where he dwelt has the same meaning. For lands take on the particular representations of their inhabitants, 1675.

[2] From all this one may now see what is meant in the Word by 'Seir', as in Moses,

Jehovah came from Sinai, and dawned from Seir upon them; He shone from Mount Paran, and came out of myriads of holiness. Deuteronomy 33:2-3.

In the Song of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges,

O Jehovah, when You went forth from Seir, when You set out from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, the clouds indeed dropped water, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah God of Israel. Judges 5:4-5.

In Balaam's prophecy,

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will arise out of Jacob, and a sceptre will rise up out of Israel. And Edom will be an inheritance and Seir will be an inheritance of his enemies; and Israel is gaining strength. Numbers 24:17-18.

Anyone can see that in these places 'Seir' means some aspect of the Lord, since it is said that 'Jehovah dawned from Seir', that 'He went forth from Seir and set out from the field of Edom', and that 'Edom and Seir will be an inheritance'. But what aspect of the Lord is meant no one can know except from the internal sense of the Word. It is the Lord's Divine Human that is meant, and in particular the good of the Divine Natural within that Human, as may be seen from what has been mentioned above. 'Dawning from and going out of Seir' means that He made even the Natural Divine in order that this also might be a source of light, that is, of intelligence and wisdom, and in this way He might become Jehovah not only as regards the Human Rational but also as regards the Human Natural. This is why it is said that 'Jehovah dawned from Seir' and 'Jehovah went out of Seir' - the Lord being Jehovah, see 1343, 1736, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035. Something similar is embodied in the prophetic utterance concerning Dumah,

One is calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, Morning comes, and also the night. Isaiah 21:11-12.

[3] In the relative sense 'the land of Seir' strictly speaking means the Lord's kingdom existing with those outside the Church, that is, with gentiles when the Church is being established among them, while the previous or old Church is simultaneously falling away from charity and faith. As is clear from many places in the Word, light comes at that time to those who are in darkness. And this is strictly speaking the meaning of 'dawning from Seir', and of 'going forth from Seir and setting out from the field of Edom'. It is also the meaning of 'Seir will be an inheritance', as well as of the words in Isaiah, 'One is calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, Morning comes, and also the night.' 'Morning comes' means the Lord's advent, 2405, 2780, and as a consequence enlightenment coming to people who are 'in the night', that is, who dwell in ignorance; but that enlightenment is from the Lord's Divine Natural, 4211. Since most things in the Word also have a contrary sense, so too does the name 'Seir', as in Ezekiel 25:8-9; 35:2-15, and in various places in the historical parts of the Word.

2360. He calls them 'brothers' because it was from good that he made his appeal. This is clear from the meaning of 'brother', for 'brother' in the Word has the same meaning as 'neighbour', the reason being that everyone ought to love his neighbour as himself. Thus 'brothers' were called such out of love, or what amounts to the same, from good. The origin of naming and greeting the neighbour in this way lies in heaven where the Lord is Father of all and loves all as His children; and so love is spiritual conjunction. From this the whole of heaven resembles so to speak one family born from love and charity, 685, 917.

[2] All the children of Israel therefore, since they represented the Lord's heavenly kingdom, that is, the kingdom of love and charity, were among themselves called 'brothers' and also 'companions', though they were called 'companions' not from the good of love but from the truth of faith, as in Isaiah,

Every one helps his companion and says to his brother, Be firm. Isaiah 41:6.

In Jeremiah,

Thus shall you say, every one to his companion and every one to his brother, What has Jehovah answered? and what has Jehovah spoken? Jeremiah 23:35.

In David,

For my brothers' and my companions' sakes I will say. Peace be within you! Psalms 122:8.

In Moses,

He shall not press his companion and his brother, because Jehovah's release has been proclaimed. Deuteronomy 15:2-3.

In Isaiah,

I will confound Egypt with Egypt, and they will fight, every one against his brother, and every one against his companion. Isaiah 19:2.

In Jeremiah,

Take heed, every one, of his companion and put no trust in any brother, for every brother will supplant wholly, and every companion will utter slanders. Jeremiah 9:4.

[3] The fact that all belonging to that Church were called by the one name 'brothers' may be seen in Isaiah,

They will bring all your brothers from all nations as an offering to Jehovah, on horses, and in chariots, and in covered wagons, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to My holy mountain, Jerusalem. Isaiah 66:20.

People, like the Jews, who know nothing beyond the sense of the letter believe that none else are meant than the descendants of Jacob, and also that those descendants will be brought back to Jerusalem on horses, and in chariots, and in covered wagons, and on mules by those whom they call the gentiles. But the word 'brothers' is used to mean all who are governed by good, 'horses, chariots, and wagons' to mean the things that belong to truth and good, and 'Jerusalem' the Lord's kingdom.

[4] In Moses,

When there is a needy person among you, one of your brothers, within one of your gates, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand against your needy brother. Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

In the same author,

From among your brothers shall you set a king over you; you may not place over you a foreigner, who is not your brother. And his heart shall not be lifted up above his brothers. Deuteronomy 17:15, 20.

In the same author,

Jehovah your God will raise up for you from the midst of you, from your brothers, a prophet like me; Him shall you obey. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.

[5] From these quotations it is evident that the Jews and Israelites all called one another brothers, but allies they called companions. But because they discerned nothing beyond the historical and worldly descriptions of the Word they consequently believed that they called one another brothers because they were all children of one forefather, namely Abraham. They were not called brothers in the Word for this reason however but from the good which they represented. Furthermore 'Abraham' in the internal sense means nothing else than love itself, that is, the Lord, 1893, 1965, 1989, 2011, whose sons who therefore are brothers - are those who are governed by good, all those in fact who are called 'the neighbour', as the Lord teaches in Matthew,

One is your Master, Christ, and all you are brothers. Matthew 23:8.

[6] In the same gospel,

Whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgement; whoever says to his brother, Raca! will be liable to the Sanhedrin. If you offer your gift on the altar and there remember that your brother-has something against you, leave the gift there before the altar, go away and first be reconciled to your brother. Matthew 5:22-24.

In the same gospel,

Why do you notice the speck which is in your brother's eye? How will you say to your brother, Let me cast the speck out of your eye? Matthew 7:2-4.

In the same gospel,

If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. Matthew 18:15.

In the same gospel,

Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I ought to forgive him? Matthew 18:21.

In the same gospel,

So also My heavenly Father will do to you if you from your hearts do not forgive - everyone his brother's trespasses. Matthew 18:35.

[7] From all this it is plain that all men everywhere, being the neighbour, are called brothers. They are called 'brothers' because everyone ought to love the neighbour as himself, so that they are called such from love or good. And because the Lord is Good itself and views everyone from good, and is Himself the Neighbour in the highest sense of all, He Himself refers to them as 'brothers', as in John,

Jesus said to Mary, Go to My brothers. John 20:17.

And in Matthew,

The king will answer them and say, Truly I say to you, insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40.

From this it is now clear that 'brother' is a term expressive of love.