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Arcana Coelestia #2761

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2761. That 'a white horse' means an understanding of the Word as regards its interior contents, or what amounts to the same, as regards the internal sense of the Word is clear from the meaning of 'a horse' as the understanding part of the mind. In prophetical parts of the Word 'a horse' and 'a rider' are referred to many times, but up to now nobody has known that 'a horse' means the understanding part of the mind, and 'a rider' one who has intelligence, as in the prophecy of Jacob, who by then was Israel, concerning Dan,

Dan will be a serpent on the road, a darting serpent on the path, biting the horse's heels; and its rider will fall backwards. I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah. Genesis 49:17-18.

'A serpent' means one who reasons about Divine arcana on the basis of sensory evidence and factual knowledge, see 195. 'Road' and 'path' mean truth, 627, 2333, 'heel' means the lowest part of the natural, 259, 'horse' an understanding of the Word, and 'rider' one who teaches. From this it is evident what these prophetical words mean, namely that one who reasons about the truths of faith on the basis of sensory evidence and factual knowledge is interested solely in the lowest things belonging to the natural world and so believes nothing, which is 'falling backwards'. And this is why the words 'I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah' are added.

[2] In Habakkuk,

O God, You ride on Your horses, Your chariots are salvation. You made Your horses to tread in the sea. Habakkuk 3:8, 15.

Here 'horses' stands for Divine Truths that are in the Word, 'chariots' for doctrine drawn from them, 'the sea' for cognitions, 28, 2120. And since these belong to an understanding of the Word from God, it is said, 'You made Your horses to tread in the sea'. Here, as in the quotation above from the Book of Revelation, horses are attributed to God, but this attribution would not be possible if they did not have such a meaning.

[3] In David,

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; exalt Him who rides on the clouds by His name lain. Psalms 68:4.

'Riding on the clouds' stands for an understanding of the Word as regards its interior contents or internal sense; for 'clouds' means the Word in the letter which has the internal sense within it - see the Preface to Genesis 18, where the meaning of 'the Lord's coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory' is explained.

[4] In the same author,

Jehovah bowed the heavens and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet, and He rode on a cherub. Psalms 18:9-10.

'Thick darkness' here stands for clouds, 'riding on a cherub' for the Lord's providence preventing man's entering of himself into the mysteries of faith that are in the Word, 308. In Zechariah,

On that day there will be on the horse-bells, Holiness to Jehovah. Zechariah 14:20. 'The horse-bells' stands for an understanding of the spiritual things of the Word, which are holy.

[5] In Jeremiah,

There will enter through the gates of this city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city will be inhabited for ever. Jeremiah 17:25-26; 22:4.

'The city of Jerusalem' stands for the Lord's spiritual kingdom and Church. 'Kings' stands for truths, 1672, 2015, 2069, 'princes' for the first and foremost commandments of truth, 1482, 2089, 'David' for the Lord, 1888, 'men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem' for those in whom there exists good that flows from love, charity, and faith, 2268, 2451, 2712. Thus 'riding in chariots and on horses' stands for being furnished with the doctrine of truth received from an internal understanding of the Word.

[6] In Isaiah, Then will you take delight in Jehovah and I will cause you to ride over the high places of the earth and cause you to eat the heritage of Jacob. Isaiah 58:14.

'Riding over the high places of the earth' stands for intelligence. In David,

A love song. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, [gird on] your glory and majesty. And in your majesty go on, ride on the word of truth, and of the meekness of righteousness. And your right hand will teach you marvellous things. Psalms 45:1, 3-4.

'Riding on the word of truth' stands plainly for intelligence based on truth, 'on the word of the meekness of righteousness' for wisdom based on good.

[7] In Zechariah,

On that day, said Jehovah, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. And on the house of Judah I will open My eyes, and every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness. Zechariah 12:4.

Here also 'horse' plainly stands for the understanding which was to be 'stricken with panic and blindness', and 'rider' for him with intelligence who was to be 'stricken with madness'. In Hosea,

Take away all iniquity and accept that which is good, and we will render the praises 1 of our lips. Asshur will not save us, we will not ride on horses, and we will no more say Our God' to the work of our hands. Hosea 14:2-3.

'Asshur' stands for reasoning, 119, 1186, 'horse' for self-intelligence. 'Horse' and 'rider' are referred to in very many other places besides these.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the calves

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

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Apocalypse Explained #281

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281. And the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. That this signifies the appearance in ultimates of the Divine guardianship and providence as to intelligence and circumspection in every direction is evident from the signification of an eagle, as being intelligence, in this case the Divine intelligence of the guardianship and providence of the Lord. The reason why an eagle denotes intelligence is that intelligence is in the light of heaven, and an eagle flies on high to be there, and to look about on every side; hence it is that the face of the cherub appeared like a flying eagle, for to fly signifies presence and circumspection roundabout, and when said of the Divine, it signifies omnipresence. The reason why eagle signifies intelligence is also that the birds of heaven, in a good sense, signify things intellectual and rational, and the eagle above all others, because it not only flies high, but possesses a most acute sight. (That the birds of heaven signify intellectual and rational things in each sense may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441).

[2] That an eagle signifies intelligence is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:

"A great eagle with great wings, long pinions, full of feathers, which had embroidering, came upon Lebanon, and took a small branch of a cedar. He plucked off the head of its shoots, and carried it down into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of dealers in spices. He took of the seed of the land, and placed it in the field of the sower; he took it to great waters, and placed it circumspectly; and it budded and became a luxuriant vine of low stature, so that its branches looked to him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, which produced branches and sent out boughs to him. There was also another great eagle with great wings and full of feathers; and, behold, this vine did bend its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him to water him from the little beds of its plantation. It was planted in a good field near many waters to form the bough, and to bear fruit, that it might be for a vine of magnificence" (17:1-8).

The subject here treated of is the establishment of the spiritual church by the Lord; and, in the internal sense, the process of its establishment, or of the regeneration of the man of that church, is described from beginning to end. By the first eagle is described the process of the regeneration of the natural or external man, by means of scientifics (scientifica) and by means of knowledges (cognitiones) from the Word; and by the other eagle is described the process of the regeneration of the spiritual or internal man by means of truths from good; hence by the first eagle is signified the intelligence of the natural man, and by the second the intelligence of the spiritual man.

What these particulars signify shall be explained in a few words. The first eagle is said to have great wings, long pinions, and to be full of feathers, and thereby are signified the abundance of the knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions of truth and good, from which is derived the first intelligence, or the intelligence of the natural man. It is therefore said that it had embroidering, for by embroidering is signified what pertains to knowledge and cognition (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 9688). It came upon Lebanon, and took a small branch of cedar, signifies that it took some knowledges (cognitiones) of truth from the doctrine of the church which is from the Word; for by Lebanon is signified that doctrine, and by the small branch of a cedar are signified knowledges. He plucked off the head of its shoots and carried it into a land of traffic signifies primary cognitions therefrom, to which it applied (by the head of the shoots are signified primary knowledges, and by the land of traffic is signified the natural man, to which knowledge (scientia) belongs). In a city of dealers in spices, signifies among truths from good in the natural man. (That spices signify truths which are grateful because from good, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4748, 5621, 9474, 9475, 10199, 10254). He took of the seed of the land, and placed it in the field of the sower, he took it to great waters and placed it circumspectly, signifies multiplication. The seed of the land denotes the truth of the church; the field of the sower denotes the good by virtue of which it grows. Great waters signify the knowledges of truth and good; to place circumspectly denotes separation from falsities. And it budded and became a luxuriant vine, so that its branches looked towards him, and the roots thereof were under him signifies the church arising from the arrangement of the knowledges of truth, and their application to use. So it became a vine which produced branches, and sent out boughs signifies the beginning of the spiritual church, and the continuous increase of truths. (That vine signifies the spiritual church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1069, 6375, 9277.) Hitherto the beginning of the church in the natural or external man has been described; its establishment, which takes place in the spiritual or internal man, is now described by the other eagle. Because this signifies spiritual intelligence, it is said that the vine bent its roots and sent its branches towards him, namely, the eagle, for by roots are signified knowledges (scientiae), and by branches the cognitions (cognitiones) of truth and good, which are all applied to the truths which are in the spiritual or internal man, since without their spiritual application man has no wisdom. The multiplication and fructification of truth from good, thus the increase of intelligence, is described by the vine being planted in a good field, near many waters, to form the bough, and to bear fruit, that it might be a vine of magnificence. Here, by the good field is signified the church as to the good of charity; many waters signify the knowledges of good and truth. To form the bough is to multiply truths; and to bear fruit is to produce goods, which are uses. A vine of magnificence is the spiritual church, thus internal and external. (But these things, because they are arcana of regeneration and of the establishment of the church with man, may be better perceived from what is adduced in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem from Arcana Coelestia, concerning knowledges (scientiae) and knowledges (cognitiones), n.51, and concerning regeneration, n. 183.)

[3] That eagle signifies intelligence is also evident in Isaiah:

"They that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength, and mount up with wings as eagles" (40:31).

To mount up with wings as eagles denotes ascent into the light of heaven, thus into intelligence.

[4] Again, in David:

"Jehovah satisfieth thy mouth; so that thou art renewed as the eagle" (Psalm 103:5).

To be renewed as the eagle, means as to intelligence.

[5] Again, in Moses:

"Ye have seen how I bare you as on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself" (Exodus 19:4).

By bearing them as on eagles' wings and bringing them is also signified into intelligence, because into heaven and the light thereof.

[6] Again:

Jehovah "found him in a desert land; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the pupil of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so Jehovah alone did lead him" (Deuteronomy 32:10-12).

Here the establishment of the Ancient Church is treated of, and the first reformation of those who belonged to that church; their first state is meant by the desert land in which Jehovah found them. This land denotes a state in which there is no good because there is no truth. Their instruction in truths, the guarding of them from falsities, and the opening of the interiors of their mind that they may come into the light of heaven and so into the understanding of truth and good, which is intelligence, is described by the eagle stirring up her nest, fluttering over her young, and bearing them upon her wings; comparison is here made with the eagle, because the eagle signifies intelligence.

[7] In 2 Samuel:

"Saul and Jonathan were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions" (1:23).

By Saul as king, and by Jonathan as son of a king, the truth of the church is signified; and because intelligence and power are therefrom, it is said that they were swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions; swiftness in the Word, when said of intelligence, signifying the affection of truth. For David wrote his lamentation over Saul and Jonathan to teach the sons of Judah the bow; and by the sons of Judah are signified the truths of the church, and by the bow is meant the doctrine of truth fighting against falsities.

[8] In Job:

"Doth the hawk fly by thy intelligence, and stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? In the rock she dwelleth and passeth the night, thence she seeketh her food, and her eyes behold afar off; and where the slain are, there is she" (39:26-30).

Here the subject treated of is intelligence, which no one can procure from himself or from proprium; wherefore it is said, "Doth the hawk fly by thy intelligence, and stretch her wings towards the south?" by which is signified man's leading himself into the light of intelligence, which is signified by the south; but, in this case, that he cannot. The intelligence itself, which is that of the spiritual man, is described by the eagle mounting up, making her nest on high, dwelling and passing the night on the rock; also by her thence searching out her food, and her eyes beholding afar off. That no one has such intelligence from himself is signified by the question, "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command?" But that nothing but falsities can proceed from man's own intelligence is signified by where the slain are, there is she. The slain in the Word signify those with whom truths are extinguished by falsities (see Arcana Coelestia 4503).

[9] From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the words of the Lord when the disciples asked Him where the Last Judgment would be:

They said unto Him, "Where, Lord? He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:37).

By the body is here signified the spiritual world, where all men are together, good and evil. By eagles are signified those who are in truths, and also those who are in falsities, thus those who are in true intelligence and those who are in false intelligence. False intelligence is from man's proprium, but true intelligence is from the Lord, by means of the Word.

[10] The falsities which are from man's own intelligence are also described by eagles in the following passages in the Word. In Jeremiah:

"Behold he ascendeth as clouds, and his chariots are as a storm, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us, for we are spoiled" (4:13).

The subject here treated of is the desolation of truth in the church, and by the clouds which ascend are signified falsities; by the chariots which are as a storm is signified the doctrine of falsities; their eagerness and pleasure in reasoning against truths and destroying them is signified by their horses being swifter than eagles, for by swiftness and haste in the Word is signified incitement by affection and lust (see Arcana Coelestia 7695, 7866), and by horses the understanding of truth, and, in the opposite sense, the understanding of falsity, or reasoning from fallacies against truths (see Arcana Coelestia 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148, 8381). And because horses signify the understanding of truth, and eagles intelligence, in this place man's own intelligence, which is reasoning from falsities, it is therefore said, "their horses are swifter than eagles."

[11] In Lamentations:

"Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the heavens" (4:19).

In Habakkuk:

"Their horses are swifter than leopards, and are fiercer than the wolves of evening: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, whence his horsemen come from far; they fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They come all for violence" (1:8, 9).

The eagle here, in like manner, signifies reasoning from falsities against truths, which is reasoning from man's own intelligence.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.