9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

1672. And the kings that were with him. That this signifies the apparent truth which is of that good, is evident from the signification of “kings” in the Word. “Kings,” “kingdoms,” and “peoples,” in the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, signify truths and the things which are of truths, as may be abundantly confirmed. In the Word an accurate distinction is made between a “people” and a “nation;” by a “people” are signified truths, and by a “nation” goods, as before shown (n. 1259, 1260). “Kings” are predicated of peoples, but not so much of nations. Before the sons of Israel sought for kings, they were a nation, and represented good, or the celestial; but after they desired a king, and received one, they became a people, and did not represent good or the celestial, but truth or the spiritual; which was the reason why this was imputed to them as a fault (see 1 Samuel 8:7-22, concerning which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy elsewhere). As Chedorlaomer is named here, and it is added, “the kings that were with him,” both good and truth are signified; by “Chedorlaomer,” good, and by “the kings,” truth. But what was the quality of the good and truth at the beginning of the Lord’s temptations has already been stated.

638. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands.- That this signifies the good of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbour, and the truth of doctrine and of faith, from which are heaven and the church, is evident from the signification of an olive garden, olive tree, and olive, as denoting, in a broad sense (in lato sensu), the celestial kingdom of the Lord and thence the celestial church, which differs from other churches in this, that those who form that church are in love to the Lord and in love towards the neighbour; for this reason, by an olive tree and the olive each of those loves, or the good of each love, is signified - that the olive tree and the olive signify that church or those goods of the church will be evident from what follows - and from the signification of a lampstand, as denoting, in a broad sense, the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and thence the spiritual church; and because the chief thing of that church is the truth of doctrine and the truth of faith, therefore these also are meant by the lampstands. That a lampstand has this signification in the spiritual sense may be seen above (n. 62).

[2] It is said that the two witnesses are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands (which are however four), because two signifies conjunction and thence one. For there are two things that make one - good and truth. Good is not good unless from truth, and truth is not truth unless from good; when therefore those two make one, then they first are and exist. This conjunction into one is called the heavenly marriage, and from that marriage are heaven and the church. It is similar in regard to celestial good, signified by the two olive trees, and spiritual good, signified by the two lampstands. For the good in the celestial kingdom of the Lord is the good of love to the Lord, and the truth of that good is called the good of love towards a brother and companion; while the good in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the truth of that good is called the good of faith. But it is difficult to form a just idea of these things, unless the quality of celestial good and the quality of spiritual good are known, and the difference between them. From these considerations the reason is evident why the two witnesses are called two olive trees and two lampstands. That two signifies conjunction into one, or the heavenly marriage, may be seen above (n. 532, at end).

[3] The reason why the olive tree signifies the celestial church, is, that trees in general signify perceptions and knowledges (cognitiones), and every church is a church from its knowledges of truth and good, and according to the perception of them; and because oil signifies the good of love, as may be seen above (n. 375), therefore an olive garden and an olive tree signify the church in which that good reigns. There are three trees which chiefly signify the church - the olive, the vine, and the fig, the olive signifying the celestial church, the vine the spiritual church, and the fig tree the external celestial and spiritual church.

[4] That such things as are here described are signified by the two olive trees and the two lampstands, any one may see and conclude from this, that they are called witnesses, and thus are those things that bear witness concerning the Lord, or, acknowledge and confess Him; also from the fact that it is afterwards said concerning them, that the beast slew them, and afterwards that the spirit of life from God entered into them. This could not be said of olive trees and candlesticks, unless they signified such things as the angels of heaven and the men of the church possess from the Lord, and which bear witness concerning the Lord, or cause angels and men to bear witness concerning Him. For angels and men cannot bear witness from themselves concerning the Lord, but the good and the truth which they have from the Lord do this, that is to say, the Lord Himself, from His own good and truth in them, bears witness of Himself.

[5] In many places in the Word mention is frequently made of gardens and woods, of olive gardens and vineyards, also of trees of various kinds, as the olive, the vine, the fig, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak; but no one hitherto has known that each of them signifies something spiritual pertaining to heaven and the church - with the exception that a vineyard signifies the church. But not only does a vineyard signify the church, but also an olive garden; also the forest of cedar or Lebanon. In fact the same is the case also with the trees, as the olive, the vine, the fig, the cedar; and it is because they signify the church, and the spiritual things which belong to it, that they are so often mentioned in the Word.

In regard to gardens and forests the case is this, that gardens or paradises signify specially the intelligence and wisdom which pertains to the men of the church, while forests or groves signify the intelligence of the natural man, which, considered in itself, is knowledge serviceable to the intelligence of the spiritual man; but the olive garden and vineyard signify the church, the olive garden the celestial church, or the church which is in the good of love to the Lord, and the vineyard the spiritual church, or the church which is in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and thence in the truths of faith. The olive and the vine have a similar signification, because oil signifies the good of love to the Lord, and wine (vinum) the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith; but the fig tree signifies each church both the celestial and the spiritual, but external.

[6] These things have such significations from representatives in the spiritual world, thus from correspondence. For in the inmost heaven, where the celestial kingdom of the Lord is, and where love to the Lord reigns, olive gardens and fig trees form the paradises and forests; but in the second heaven they consist of vineyards, and various kinds of fruit-bearing trees; similarly in the ultimate heaven, but with this difference, that in this heaven the trees are not so noble. Such things exist in the heavens, because they correspond to the wisdom, intelligence, love, charity, and faith of the angels who are in those heavens. It is evident now from these things that the witnesses are called olive trees, because olive trees mean all those who form the celestial church of the Lord, or who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of brotherly and social love.

[7] The signification of olive gardens, olive trees, and olives, in the Word, is evident from the following passages.

In Zechariah:

"Two olive trees by" the lampstand, "one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side thereof; and two berries of olives; these are the two sons of the olive tree standing by the Lord of the whole earth" (4:3, 11, 12, 14).

The subject treated of here is the foundation of the house or temple by Zerubbabel; and by the house or temple is signified the church, therefore a lampstand was seen by the prophet, and near it two olive trees, almost similar to what was seen by John in the Apocalypse. By the two olive trees and the olive berries are signified celestial goods, which are the goods of love to the Lord and of brotherly and social love; the former good is signified by the olive tree seen near the right hand of the bowl, and the latter by the olive tree at the left; the truths of this good are meant by the sons of the olive tree standing near the Lord of the whole earth, to stand near Him denoting to be and exist from Him.

[8] Since olive trees signified those goods, therefore the cherubim in the midst of the house or temple were made of olive wood, also the doors to the adytum (or oracle), and the posts (1 Kings 6:23-33). For the cherubim, like the doors and posts to the adytum of the temple, signified protection lest the Lord should be approached except by the good of love. The adytum (or oracle) signified where the Lord is, and olive wood the good of love, because an olive garden, an olive tree, and an olive denote the celestial things of love.

[9] Because an olive garden and an olive tree signify the church which is in love to the Lord, therefore the oil of holiness, with which all of the holy things of the church were anointed, was made from the oil of olive, and aromatics mixed with it (Exodus 30:23, 24). For in the measure that every thing pertaining to the church is derived from love to the Lord, so far is it holy and Divine; therefore by means of that oil a representative of the Lord, of heaven and of the church was formed. These things are explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[10] For the same reason, pure oil of the olive was beaten for the luminary in the tent of meeting, which was lit every evening (Exodus 27:20; Leviticus 24:2). By that luminary or lampstand is there signified the spiritual church of the Lord, and the fire kindled in the lamps signified spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour; the oil of the olive pure and beaten which was the source of the fire has a similar signification. See what is said concerning this in the Arcana Coelestia, in its proper place.

[11] That the olive tree and olive signify the good of love is also evident from the following passages.

In Hosea:

"I will be as the dew to Israel, he shall blossom as the lily, and he shall strike his roots as Lebanon; his branches shall spread, and his honour shall be as of the olive, and his odour as of Lebanon" (14:5, 6, 7).

These things are said concerning the spiritual church, signified by Israel. To be to him as the dew signifies the spiritual existence and rebirth thereof. He shall blossom as the lily signifies the first state of the rebirth or regeneration thereof, the lily denoting the blossom which precedes the fruit. He shall strike his roots signifies the second state of regeneration, which state is its existence in the natural man, for there the roots are fixed; his branches shall spread, which signifies the multiplication of truth scientific (verum scientificum) and of cognitions, denotes the third state. His honour shall be as of the olive signifies the fifth state, which is a state of fructification, the olive denoting the good of love and honour being said in reference to it. That honour is said of the good of love, may be seen above (n. 288, 345). And the sixth state, which is a state of intelligence and wisdom, is signified by his odour being to him as of Lebanon, odour denoting perception, and Lebanon rationality, from which are intelligence and wisdom.

[12] And in David:

"I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God to an age and for ever" (Psalm 52:8).

It is said, "like a green olive tree in the house of God," because the green olive signifies the good of love, springing up by means of the truth of the Word; and the house of God signifies the church.

[13] Again:

"Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in the sides of thy house, thy sons as olive plants round about thy tables; thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah" (Psalm 128:3, 4).

By these words, in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, are meant a wife and sons, and the delights arising from marriage and prolification, but in the internal sense, which is the sense of the spirit of the Word, by wife is signified the affection for truth, and by sons, the truths themselves that spring from it. For all truth, in which there is life, is born from the affection for truth; and since by wife is signified that affection, she is compared to a fruitful vine, because a vine signifies the church, and a fruitful vine, the church as to the affection for truth. By the house is signified the spiritual mind, and by its sides are signified every thing in the natural man. By sons are signified the truths which are born from that spiritual affection, these being compared to olive plants, because by means of truths the goods of love and charity are produced, which are denoted by olives. By round about the tables are signified the delights arising from spiritual appropriation and nourishment.

[14] And in Moses:

"It shall come to pass when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land, he shall give thee great and good cities which thou buildedst not, and houses full of every good which thou filledst not, and hewn cisterns which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-yards which thou plantedst not" (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).

The meaning of these words, in the spiritual sense, is altogether different from what it is in the historical sense. For in the spiritual sense by the land of Canaan, into which they were to be brought, is signified the church, therefore cities, houses, cisterns, vineyards, and olive gardens, signify such things as pertain to the church; great and good cities signify doctrinals, which teach the goods of love and of charity; houses full of every good signify all things pertaining to wisdom; hewn out cisterns signify every thing of intelligence in the natural man, which are cognitions and knowledges (scientiae), and vineyards and olive-yards signify every thing pertaining to the church as to truths and goods.

[15] It is related concerning Noah, that he sent out a dove from the ark, which returned to him about the time of evening, bearing the leaf of an olive plucked off in its mouth, and that so he knew that the waters were diminished (Genesis 8:10, 11). By these things, in the spiritual sense, the regeneration of the man of the church, signified by Noah and his sons, is described; here, the dove that was sent out a second time signifies the second successive state, or the state in which spiritual good begins to exist by means of truths, falsities having been removed; for the leaf signifies truth, the olive, good arising therefrom; and the waters signify falsities. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 870-892).

[16] In Zechariah:

"In that day his feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives, which is before the faces of Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall be cloven asunder, and part thereof toward the rising and toward the sea with a very great valley; and part of the mountain shall recede toward the north, and part thereof toward the south" (14:4).

The signification of these things had been explained above (n. 405:23), where it was shown that the mount of Olives signifies the Divine Love; for the mount of Olives was on the east of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine; and every church, and all the truth of doctrine, are enlightened and receive light from the Lord in the east; and where the Lord appears as the Sun is the east in heaven; and because the sun signifies the Divine Love, therefore the east and the mount of Olives, which was on the east of Jerusalem, have the same signification. Because that mountain signified, as stated, the Divine Love of the Lord, therefore the Lord commonly tarried upon it. According to the Evangelists, Jesus taught in the day time in the temple, and at night he went out and abode in the mount which is called the mount of Olives (Luke 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1); and upon that mountain he spake with his disciples concerning the last Judgment (Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:3); and he went thence to Jerusalem and suffered, besides several other circumstances (Matthew 21:1; 26:30; Mark 11:1; 14:26; Luke 19:29, 37; 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1). All these things took place there, because the mount of Olives signified the Divine Love; and because things significative were representative of heaven and of the church, they at that time conjoined the Lord with heaven and the world. Also the angels of the inmost or third heaven dwell in the east, upon mountains, where olive trees flourish more than all other trees.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah hath called thy name a green olive, fair of form with fruit; at the voice of a great tumult he hath kindled a fire upon it, and the branches thereof are broken; for Jehovah Zebaoth, who planted thee, hath spoken evil against thee, on account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah" (11:16, 17).

Here, the house of Judah and of Israel is called a green olive, fair of form with fruit, because by the olive and its fruit is signified the good of love, and by green and fair in form is signified the truth of that good, from which comes intelligence; for the house of Judah signifies the church as to the good of love, and the house of Israel the church as to the truth of that good; to call the name signifies the quality thereof. The destruction and vastation of that church by the love of evil is described by Jehovah kindling a fire upon it and breaking its branches; the fire signifies the love of evil, and the branches signify truths, which are said to be broken when they perish by reason of that love. This is attributed to Jehovah, from the appearance that all evil of punishment seems to be from God, since He, being omnipotent, does not avert it; for it is not known that to avert the evil of punishment would be contrary to order. For, if evil were averted, it would increase until no good would remain.

[18] In Isaiah:

"So shall it be in the midst of the land, in the midst of the peoples, as the beating of an olive tree, as grape-gleaning when the vintage is done" (24:13).

These words also refer to the vastation of the church as to celestial good, and as to spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is in its essence truth from that good; celestial good is signified by the olive, and spiritual good, which is truth from celestial good, is signified by the vintage; vastation is signified by the beating and the grape-gleanings after consummation.

[19] In Moses:

"Thou shalt plant vineyards and dress them, but thou shalt not drink the wine, because the worm shall devour it; thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil, because thine olive tree shall be shaken" (Deuteronomy 28:39, 40).

A vineyard signifies the spiritual church, and the olive tree the celestial church, so a vineyard also signifies the truth of the church, and the olive tree its good; therefore by planting a vineyard and dressing it, and not drinking the wine (vinum), is signified that although the church may be established and the truths of doctrine taught, still truths will produce neither effect nor result, wine (vinum) denoting the truth of doctrine. Because the worm shall devour it signifies that falsities will destroy it; thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border signifies that there shall be the goods of love from the Lord by means of the Word, and preachings from the Word, in the whole church. But thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil signifies still not to enjoy any good, and thence any joy; for thine olive tree shall be shaken signifies that that good will perish; these things are said concerning the curse which would come upon them if other gods were worshipped, and if the statutes and the judgments were not kept.

[20] In Micah:

"Thou shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with the oil; and the new wine (mustum), but thou shalt not drink the wine (vinum)" (6:15).

In Amos:

"I have smitten with blasting and mildew the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards, and your fig trees and your olive trees the caterpillar hath eaten; yet have ye not returned unto me" (4:9).

By gardens are signified those things that pertain to spiritual intelligence; blasting and mildew signify evil and falsity in extremes, or from the corporeal-Sensual. Vineyards signify the spiritual or interior truths of the church, fig trees exterior goods and truths, which are also called moral; but olive trees signify the goods of the church, and the caterpillar signifies falsity destroying good.

[21] In Habakkuk:

"The fig tree shall not flourish, and there shall be no produce in the vines, the labour of the olive gardens shall fail, and the field shall yield no food" (3:17).

By the fig tree here also are signified the external things of the church; by the vines, the internal things thereof; the olive garden signifies its goods, and the field, the church itself in man.

[22] In the First Book of Samuel:

The king "will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive gardens, and give them to his servants" (8:14).

Here also fields, vineyards, and olive gardens have a similar signification, the subject treated of being the right of a king, by which the dominion of the natural man over the spiritual is there meant and described, which is such that it will destroy all the truths and goods of the church, and make them serve the natural man, and therefore evils and falsities.

[23] In the Book of Judges: Jotham said unto the citizens of Shechem, who had made Abimelech king,

"The trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive, Reign thou over us; but the olive said to them, Shall I make my fatness to cease, which God and men honour in me, and go to move myself over the trees? And the trees said unto the fig tree, Come, reign thou over us; but the fig tree said unto them, Shall I make my sweetness to cease, and my good produce, and go to move myself over the trees? Then the trees said unto the vine, Come, reign thou over us; but the vine said unto them, Shall I cause my new wine to cease, that maketh glad God and man, and go to move myself over the trees? And all the trees said to the bramble, Come thou and reign over us; and the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me for a king over you, come and confide in my shade, but if not, let fire go out from the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon" (9:7-15).

These words of Jotham signify that the citizens of Shechem were not willing that celestial good, denoted by the olive, neither the truth of that good, denoted by the vine, nor moral good, which is external celestial and spiritual good, signified by the fig tree, should reign over them, but the evil of falsity, which appeared to them as good, denoted by the bramble, the fire from which denotes the evil of lust (concupiscentia). The cedars of Lebanon denote rational things from truths.

[24] It is evident from the passages above adduced that the olive tree and the vineyard, in many places, are named together, and this is the case because there is a marriage of good and truth in every detail of the Word; for by the olive tree and oil the good of the church is signified, and by the vineyard and wine (vinum) the truth of that good. Oil signifies the good of love and the delight of heaven thence, as may be seen above (n. 375); and wine (vinum) signifies the good of charity and the truth of faith (n. 376).