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).

3048. The servant took ten camels, of the camels of his lord, and departed. That this signifies general memory-knowledges in the natural man, is evident from the signification here of “servant,” as being the natural man (see above, n. 3019, 3020) and from the signification of “ten,” as being remains (that these are goods and truths with man stored up by the Lord, may be seen above, n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 1050, 1906, 2284; and that “ten,” or remains, when predicated of the Lord, are the Divine things which the Lord acquired for Himself, n. 1738, 1906); and also from the signification of “camels,” as being general memory-knowledges; and because these were Divine, or acquired by the Lord, it is said that they were “ten,” and then it is said that they were “camels, of the camels of his lord.” That he “departed,” signifies the initiation thereby which is treated of in this chapter.

[2] The subject here is the process of the conjunction of truth with good in the Lord’s Divine rational; first, the process of initiation (n. 3012-3013), the nature of which is described in a series; here, that the Lord separated in the natural man the things which were from Himself, that is, which were Divine, from those which were of the maternal. The things which were from Himself, or which were Divine, are the things by which the initiation was effected; and they are here the “ten camels, of the camels of his lord.” And hence it is that in the following verses much mention is made of “camels” as that he made the camels fall on their knees without the city (verse 11); that Rebekah also gave drink to the camels (verses 14, 19-20); that they were brought into the house, and that straw and provender were given them (verses 31-32); and further, that Rebekah and her girls rode upon the camels (verse 61); and that Isaac saw the camels coming; and when Rebekah saw Isaac, that she alighted off her camel (verses 63-64). Camels are mentioned so often because of the internal sense, in which they signify the general memory-knowledges in the natural man, from which comes the affection of truth which is to be initiated into the affection of good in the rational, and this in the usual way, as shown above; for the rational as to truth cannot possibly be born and perfected without memory-knowledges and knowledges.

[3] That “camels” signify general memory-knowledges is evident from other passages in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Isaiah:

The prophecy of the beasts of the south: In the land of straitness and distress; from whence come the young lion and the old lion, the viper and the flying fire serpent; they carry their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels, to a people that shall not profit; for Egypt shall help in vain and to no purpose (Isaiah 30:6-7).

The “beasts of the south” denote those who are in the light of knowledges, or in knowledges, but in a life of evil; “carrying their riches upon the shoulder of young asses” denotes the knowledges pertaining to their rational (that a “young ass” is rational truth may be seen above, n. 2781); “their treasures upon the hump of camels,” denotes the knowledges pertaining to their natural; the camels’ “hump” is what is natural; the “camels” themselves signify the general memory-knowledges which are there; the “treasures” are the knowledges which they hold as precious; that “Egypt shall help in vain and to no purpose” denotes that memory-knowledges are of no use to them; that “Egypt” is memory-knowledge may be seen above (n. 1164-1165, 1186, 1462, 2588 the end). That “camels” here are not camels is plain; for it is said “the young lion and the old lion carry their treasures upon the hump of camels”; and anyone can see that some arcanum of the church is hereby signified.

[4] Again:

The prophecy of the wilderness of the sea: Thus hath the Lord said, Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth: and he saw a chariot, a pair of horsemen, a chariot of an ass, a chariot of a camel, and he hearkened diligently. And he answered and said, Babel is fallen, is fallen (Isaiah 21:1, 6-7, 9).

The “wilderness of the sea” here denotes the emptiness of memory-knowledges that are not for use; a “chariot of an ass,” a collection of particular memory-knowledges; a “chariot of a camel,” a collection of general memory-knowledges in the natural man. It is the empty reasonings with those signified by “Babel” which are thus described.

[5] Again:

Thy heart shall be enlarged because the multitude of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee. The abundance of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah (Isaiah 60:5-6).

This is concerning the Lord, and concerning the Divine celestial and spiritual things in His natural: the “multitude of the sea” denotes the immense supply of natural truth; the “wealth of the nations,” the immense supply of natural good; the “abundance of camels,” the abundant supply of general memory-knowledges; “gold and frankincense,” goods and truths, which are the “praises of Jehovah;” “from Sheba” is from the celestial things of love and faith (see n. 113, 117, 1171). That:

The queen of Sheba came to Solomon to Jerusalem with exceeding great riches, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones (1 Kings 10:1-2)

represented the wisdom and intelligence which came to the Lord, who in the internal sense here is “Solomon.” The “camels bearing spices, gold, and precious stones” are the things of wisdom and intelligence in the natural man.

[6] In Jeremiah:

To Arabia, and to the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel smote: Arise ye, go up to Arabia, and lay waste the sons of the East. Their tents shall they take, and they shall carry away for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels. And their camels shall be a booty, and I will scatter them to every wind (Jeremiah 49:28-29, 32).

Here “Arabia and the kingdoms of Hazor,” in the opposite sense, denote those who are in knowledges of celestial and spiritual things, but for the end of no other use than that they may be esteemed wise and intelligent by themselves and the world; the “camels which should be taken away from them, and should be for a booty, and should be scattered to every wind,” are in general the memory-knowledges and the knowledges of good and truth which are also taken away from them in the life of the body by their believing contrary things, and in the other life wholly.

[7] In Zechariah:

And this shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; thus shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of every beast (Zech. 14:12, 15).

Here the “plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass,” denotes the privation of intellectual things, which thus succeed in order from rational things to natural things (what is meant by the “horse,” may be seen above, n. 2761, 2762; what by the “mule” n. 2781; and what by the “ass,” n. 2781); “camels” denote the general memory-knowledges in the natural man. The like was signified by the murrain in Egypt, which was “Upon the cattle in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels,cupon herd and upon flock” (Exodus 9:2-3).

[8] From these passages it is evident that by “camels” in the internal sense of the Word are signified the general memory-knowledges of the natural man. General memory-knowledges are those which include in themselves many particulars, and these singulars; and they form in general the natural man as to the intellectual part of it.

684. It is said that "The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's," and this signifies that Divine Good and Divine Truth are received, when the evil have been separated from the good and cast into hell; for then both the higher and lower heavens can be in enlightenment, and thence in the perception of good and truth, which could not be the case, so long as the evil were conjoined with the good, because so long as that conjunction exists, the interiors of the angels, who are in the lower heavens, cannot be opened, but only the exteriors; and the Lord does not reign with spirits and men in externals separated from internals, but in internals, and from these in externals. For this reason before the interiors of the angels of the ultimate heaven were opened, which are spiritual and celestial, that heaven did not become the kingdom of the Lord as it did after the separation of the evil from them.

[2] It is said, "the kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's," and Lord here means the same as Jehovah in the Old Testament, and Father in the New, namely, the Lord as to the Divine itself and also as to the Divine Good; and Christ means the same as God in the Old Testament, and Son of God in the New, namely, the Lord as to the Divine Human and also as to the Divine Truth. For "Christ" has a signification similar to that of Anointed, Messiah, and King; and Anointed, Messiah, and King, mean the Lord as to the Divine Truth, and also as to the Divine Human when He was in the world, for then the Lord, as to His Human, was Divine Truth. The signification therefore of the Anointed of Jehovah is similar; for the Divine itself, which is called Jehovah and Father, and was in its essence the Divine Good of the Divine Love, anointed the Divine Human, which is called the Son of God, and which in its essence, while it was in the world, was Divine Truth; for anointing signified that the Divine Human of the Lord proceeded from His very Divine, and consequently was the Divine Truth from His Divine Good.

[3] It is evident therefore that the Lord alone, as to the Divine Human, was essentially the Anointed of Jehovah, but that kings and priests were called representatively the anointed of Jehovah, for the oil with which the anointing was performed, signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love. Now, because the Divine Truth with the Lord was that which was anointed by the Divine Good, therefore Christ, and similarly Messiah and Anointed, and also King, signify the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of the Divine Love of the Lord. That this is the case is evident from passages in the Word where Christ, Messiah, and Anointed are mentioned.

[4] That Christ is the Messiah or Anointed is evident in John:

Andrew "findeth his brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, when interpreted, Christ" (John 1:41).

And in the same:

The woman of Samaria said, "I know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ" (4:25).

From these passages it is evident that the Lord is called Christ because he was the Messiah, whose coming was predicted in the Word of the Old Testament; for Anointed is "Christ" in the Greek tongue, and "Messiah" in the Hebrew, and a King is one anointed. It is for this reason that the Lord was called King of Israel, and King of the Jews, which He also confessed before Pilate. "The King of the Jews," therefore, was written upon the cross (Matthew 27:11, 29, 37, 42; Luke 23:1-4, 35-40).

And in John:

"Nathanael said, Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel" (1:49).

[5] And because Anointed, Messiah, Christ, and King are synonymous terms, so also has Son of God the same meaning, and each of these names in the spiritual sense signifies the Divine Truth; that King has this signification may be seen above (n. 31, 553, 625). Son of God also has the same meaning, because sons, in the Word, signify truths, and thus Son of God signifies Divine Truth; that sons signify truths may be seen above (n. 166).

[6] The signification of Christ and Messiah is also similar. That Christ signifies the Divine Truth, is evident in Matthew:

"Be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ" (23:8).

Rabbi and teacher signify one who teaches truth, thus, in the abstract, the doctrine of truth, and, in the highest sense, the Divine Truth, which is Christ; that the Lord alone is the Divine Truth, is therefore meant by, be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ.

[7] In the same:

"See that no one seduce you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and shall seduce many. If any one say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there will arise false Christs and false prophets" (24:4, 5, 23, 24; Mark 13:21-23).

This must not be understood as meaning that there will arise those who will call themselves the Christ or Christs, but those who will falsify the Word, and say that this or that is Divine Truth when it is not. Those who confirm falsities from the Word are meant by false Christs, and those who propagate falsities of doctrine are meant by false prophets. For these two chapters treat of the successive vastation of the church, thus of the falsification of the Word, and at length of the profanation of truth therefrom. But these things may be seen further explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3353-3356, and n. 3897-3901).

[8] And because the Son of God also signifies the Divine Truth, as just said, therefore He is sometimes called Christ the Son of God (as in Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; Luke 4:41; 22:66 to the end; John 6:69; 11:26, 27; 20:31). In a word, the Lord, when He was in the world, was called Christ, Messiah, Anointed, and King, because in Him alone was the Divine Good of the Divine Love, from which proceeds the Divine Truth, and this was represented by anointing. For the oil with which anointing was performed signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and the king who was anointed, the Divine Truth; therefore kings, when they were anointed, represented the Lord, and were called the anointed of Jehovah. But yet the Lord alone as to His Divine Human, was the Anointed of Jehovah since the Divine Good of the Divine Love was in Him, and this was Jehovah and the Father from whom the Lord had the esse of life. For it is well known that He was conceived of Jehovah, consequently it was from the Divine Good of the Divine Love, which was in Him from conception, that the Lord was Divine Truth as to His Human as long as He was in the world. From this it is evident that the Lord alone was essentially the Anointed of Jehovah, but that kings were representatively called the anointed of Jehovah. For this reason then the Lord, as to His Divine Human, was called Messiah and Christ, that is, Anointed.

[9] This is also evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me, therefore Jehovah hath anointed me to declare good tidings to the poor, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to the captives, to the bound, to the blind, to proclaim the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all that mourn" (61:1, 2).

This plainly is said of the Lord; it means that the Lord Jehovih anointed His Divine Human to declare good tidings to the poor, and sent it to bind up the broken hearted, and so on, for these things the Lord performed from His Human. But the particulars of this passage may be seen explained above (n. 183, 375:15, 612).

[10] In the same:

"Why have the nations raised a tumult, and the peoples meditated vanity? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers consulted together against Jehovah and against his anointed. I have anointed my king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness. I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee; ask of me and I will give the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, for his anger will kindle shortly; blessed are all they that trust in him" (Psalm 2:1, 2, 6-8, 12).

That the Anointed of Jehovah means here the Lord as to the Divine Human is clear, for it is said, "Jehovah hath said unto me, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, kiss the Son lest ye perish, blessed are all they that trust in him." This, in the sense of the letter, is indeed said of David, but David, in the Word, means the Lord as to the Divine Truth, or as King, as may be seen above (n. 205). It is also evident that the Lord's coming, and after that a last judgment by Him, and finally His sovereignty over all things of the world are there treated of.

[11] The spiritual things which lie hidden, and are signified in the particulars of this passage are as follows: The nations have raised a tumult, and the peoples have meditated vanity, signifies the state of the church and of the former heaven that was to pass away, nations denoting those who are in evils, and peoples those who are in falsities, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331:10, 625). The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers consulted together against Jehovah, and against His Anointed, signifies the falsities of the church and its evils, as being altogether opposed to the Divine Good and the Divine Truth, and thus opposed to the Lord, the kings of the earth denoting the falsities of the church, and the rulers its evils, while Jehovah denotes the Lord as to the Divine itself, thus as to the Divine Good, and Anointed the Lord as to the Divine Human, thus as to the Divine Truth.

[12] I have anointed my king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness, signifies the Human of the Lord as to Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and thence His sovereignty over all things of heaven and the church, Zion and the mountain of holiness denoting heaven and the church, consequently also all things of heaven and the church. I will declare the decree signifies an arcanum of the Divine Will and Providence. Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, signifies the Lord as the Anointed, Messiah, Christ, and King, thus as to His Human conceived and afterwards born of the Divine itself or Jehovah; this day signifies what is decreed from eternity, and looks therefrom to the conjunction and union accomplished in time.

[13] Ask of me, and I will give the nations for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession, signifies His sovereignty and dominion over all things of heaven and the church, which shall be His. Kiss the Son signifies conjunction with the Lord by love, to kiss signifying conjunction from love; lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way, signifies lest evils come upon you and ye be condemned, for to be angry, when stated of the Lord, signifies the turning away of men from Him, consequently their anger and not the Lord's; and evils are what turn themselves away, and then become angry. For his anger will kindle shortly signifies the Last Judgment, and the casting down of the evil into hell. Blessed are all they that trust in him signifies salvation by love to the Lord and faith in Him.

[14] Again:

"Thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, in thy glory and thine honour; and in thine honour mount, ride upon the word of truth, and of the meekness of justice, and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things; thy darts are sharp, the peoples shall fall under thee, the enemies of the king from the heart. Thy throne, O God, for an age and to eternity; a sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of thy kingdom; Thou hast loved justice and hated evil; therefore God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy above thy companions, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, all thy garments; the daughters of kings are among thy precious women; the queen standeth at thy right hand in best gold of Ophir" (Psalm 45:2-9).

That these things also are said of the Lord is evident from all the particulars of that Psalm, and consequently that it is Himself of whom it is said, "God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, all thy garments." What these things signify is evident from their connection, as follows. That He has Divine Wisdom, and that the doctrine of Divine Truth is from Him, is signified by, Thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips; to be fair signifies to be wise, the sons of men signify those that are intelligent in Divine truths, and lips signify doctrinals.

[15] His Omnipotence from the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good, and thence the destruction of falsities and evils, and the subjugation of the hells is signified by, gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty One, in thy glory and thine honour, and in thine honour mount, ride upon the word of truth, thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things; thy darts are sharp, the people shall fall under thee, the enemies of the king from the heart. Sword signifies truth combating against falsity, and destroying it; a chariot just as word of truth signifies the doctrine of truth; to ride signifies to instruct and combat; the right hand signifies omnipotence; darts signify truths combating, peoples those who are in falsities of evil, and the enemies of the king those who are opposed to truths, thus the hells.

[16] That thence the sovereignty and dominion would be His to eternity, is signified by Thy throne, O God, for an age and to eternity; a sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of thy kingdom, sceptre of rectitude denoting the Divine Truth to which belongs power and sovereignty. That as He delivered the good from damnation by destroying the evil, so therefore did the Divine itself unite itself to His Human is signified by, Thou hast loved justice and hated evil, therefore God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy above thy companions. To love justice and to hate evil signifies to deliver the good from damnation by destroying the evil; to anoint with the oil of joy signifies to unite Himself by victories in temptations, God, thy God, signifies the reciprocal union of the Human with the Divine and of the Divine with the Human.

[17] Divine truths united to Divine goods are signified by, He hath anointed with myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, all thy garments; myrrh signifies good of the ultimate degree, aloes good of the second, and cassia good of the third degree, as also do those three spices when mixed with the oil of olive, out of which the oil of holiness for anointing was made (Exodus 30:23, 24), and that oil signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and the garments which were anointed signified Divine truths.

[18] That those who have spiritual affections for truth form His kingdom is signified by, the daughters of kings are amongst thy precious women, daughters of kings denoting the spiritual affections for truth, which are called precious when truths are genuine. And that heaven and the church are in His protection and are conjoined to Him, because in love to Him from Him, is signified by, the queen standeth at thy right hand in best gold of Ophir, queen signifying heaven and the church, at thy right hand signifying in His protection from conjunction with Him, and best gold of Ophir the good of love to the Lord.

[19] In the same:

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish thy seed even to eternity, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation. Thou hast spoken in vision to thine Holy One, and hast said, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people; I have found David my servant, with the oil of my holiness have I anointed him, with whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him. I will beat down his enemies before him, and will smite them that hate him. I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers; he shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation; also I will make him my first-born, high above the kings of the earth; and my covenant shall be steadfast for him, and I will establish his seed to eternity, and his throne as the days of the heavens. Once have I sworn by my holiness I will not lie unto David, his seed shall endure to eternity, and his throne as the sun before me, as the moon it shall be established to eternity, a faithful witness in the clouds" (Psalm 89:3, 4, 19-21, 23, 25-29, 35-37).

That by David here is not meant David, but the Lord, as to His kingship, which is the spiritual Divine, and is called the Divine Truth, is evident from all that is here said of David, namely, that his seed and throne shall be as the days of the heavens, and as the sun and the moon to eternity, that he shall set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers, and that he shall call Jehovah Father, and shall be [His] first-born, high above the kings of the earth, with other things that could not be said of David, and his sons, and his throne. That by David in the Word is meant the Lord, may be seen above (n. 205).

[20] But to proceed to particulars. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, signifies the union of His Divine with the Human, to make a covenant signifying to be united, to swear signifying to confirm the union, while chosen is said of good, and servant of truth. I will establish thy seed even to eternity, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation, signifies the Divine Truth, and heaven and the church from Him, seed denoting the Divine Truth and those who receive it, and throne, heaven and the church.

[21] Thou hast spoken in vision to thine Holy One, signifies a prophetic interior truth (arcanum) concerning the Lord. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, signifies the Divine Truth through which the Divine Good performs all things, which is called a help upon one that is mighty, and, elsewhere, the right hand of Jehovah; Divine majesty and power therefrom is signified by the exaltation of one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant, with the oil of holiness have I anointed him, signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human and union with the Divine itself, which union is called, in the Word of the New Testament, glorification. This union is meant by being anointed with the oil of holiness, for the oil of holiness signifies the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and to be anointed signifies to be united to the Divine Truth, which was of the Lord's Human in the world.

[22] With whom my hand shall be established, mine arm also shall strengthen him, signifies omnipotence therefrom, the hand denoting the omnipotence of truth from good, and the arm the omnipotence of good by means of truth. I will beat down his enemies before him, and will smite them that hate him, signifies combat with victory against falsities and evils, thus against the hells. I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers, signifies the extension of His dominion and kingdom over all things of heaven and the church; for seas and rivers are the ultimates of heaven, and the ultimates signify all things.

[23] He shall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation, signifies the Divine Human which is the Son of God, who was conceived of Him, and afterwards born, and because the Lord's Human had Divine Truth and Divine Power therefrom it is also called God and the Rock of salvation. Also I will make him my first-born, high above the kings of the earth, signifies, that He is above all the good and truth of heaven and the church, because the goods and truths therein are from Him; and my covenant shall be steadfast for Him, signifies eternal union; I will establish his seed to eternity, and his throne as the days of the heavens, has the same signification here as above, days of the heavens denoting the states of the whole heaven, which are from His Divine.

[24] Once have I sworn by my holiness, I will not lie unto David, signifies eternal confirmation, because from the Divine, concerning the Lord, and concerning the union of His Human with the Divine itself; his seed shall endure to eternity, and his throne as the sun before me, as the moon it shall be established to eternity has the same signification as above, where seed and throne are named. It is said as the sun and moon, because eternity as to the Divine Good is stated of the sun, and as to the Divine Truth of the moon, for these are signified by the sun and the moon. A faithful witness in the clouds, signifies acknowledgment and confession from the Word concerning the Divine in the Human of the Lord; that this is a witness in the clouds, may be seen above (n. 10, 27, 228, 392, 649).

[25] In the same:

"O Jehovah, remember David, all his affliction who sware unto Jehovah, and vowed to the mighty one of Jacob, surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go up upon the couch of my bed, until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the mighty one of Jacob. Lo, we have heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood; we will enter into his habitations, we will bow down ourselves at his footstool. Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy; for thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed." In Zion "will I make the horn of David to bud, I will set a lamp for mine anointed, his enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish" (Psalm 132:1-3, 5-10, 17, 18).

Here also David and Anointed or Christ do not mean David, but the Lord as to the Divine Human, for it is said, that his habitations, that is, of the Mighty One of Jacob, are found in Ephratah, which is Bethlehem, and that they would bow themselves down at his footstool; but that this is so will appear better from the explanation of the details in their order.

[26] Who sware to Jehovah, and vowed to the mighty one of Jacob, signifies irrevocable affirmation before the Lord, who is called Jehovah, from the Divine in primaries, and the Mighty One of Jacob, from the Divine in ultimates, in which the Divine power is in its fulness. Surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go up upon the couch of my bed, signifies not to enter into and know the things which pertain to the church and its doctrine, the tent of the house denoting the holy things of the church, and the couch of a bed, its doctrine; until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob, signifies, before I shall know of the coming of the Lord, and the interior truths (arcana) concerning the union of His Human with the Divine; these things are, in the highest sense, the place of Jehovah, and the habitations of the Lord's Divine Human.

[27] Lo, we have heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood, signifies in the spiritual sense of the Word, and also in the natural; for Ephratah and Bethlehem signify the spiritual-natural, and the fields of the wood the natural, both pertaining to the Word, for there the Lord is found. We will enter into his habitations, we will bow down ourselves at his footstool, signifies that He is there found, for He is the Word. His habitations here mean the things of the spiritual sense of the Word, and are thus the heavens, since these are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and his footstool denotes the things of the natural sense of the Word, thus also the church, since in the church Divine truths are in their ultimates, which to the spiritual things of the Word and of the heavens, thus to the Lord Himself who dwells therein, serve as a footstool.

[28] Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength, signifies the union of the Divine itself, with the Human in the Lord, and peace therefrom to all in heaven and the church, the rest of Jehovah denoting that union, and the ark of his strength heaven and the church. Let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy, signifies worship thence from love with those who are in celestial good, and worship from charity with those who are in spiritual good; for priests denote those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, while those who are in the spiritual kingdom are called saints.

[29] For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed, signifies that they may be enkindled by love and enlightened by the light of truth, when Divine Truth has been united with Divine Good in the Lord, thus the Divine itself with the Human and the Human with the Divine. For David as a servant signifies the Human of the Lord as to Divine Truth, and Anointed signifies the same united with Divine Good, and His face signifies Divine Love and enlightenment therefrom. In Zion will I make the horn of David to bud, signifies the power of Divine Truth from Him in heaven and in the church. I will set a lamp for mine anointed, signifies the enlightenment of Divine Truth from the union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord, lamp denoting Divine Truth as to enlightenment. His enemies will I clothe with shame, signifies the subjugation of the hells, and the consequent dispersion of evils. But upon himself shall his crown flourish, signifies perpetual and eternal victory over them.

[30] From the passages quoted from the Word, it is evident that the Lord is called Anointed, that is Messiah or Christ, from the union of Divine Good with Divine Truth in His Human, for from that union the Lord's Human is meant by the Anointed of Jehovah.

[31] Similarly in the First Book of Samuel:

"Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, and will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed" (2:10).

This is contained in the prophetic [song] of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, before there was any king or anointed over Israel, therefore by King and Anointed is here meant the Lord, to whom strength is given, and whose horn is exalted when the Divine is united with the Human. Strength signifies the power of good over evil, and horn the power of truth over falsity; and truth is said to be exalted when it becomes interior, and in the same degree also it becomes more powerful.

[32] The anointed has a similar meaning in Lamentations:

"The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, In his shadow shall we live amongst the nations" (4:20).

The anointed of Jehovah, in the sense of the letter, means here the king who was made captive, but in the spiritual sense the Lord is meant, therefore it is said, the breath of our nostrils, that is, the life of the perception of good and truth. Taken in the pits, signifies rejection by those who are in falsities of evil, pits denoting falsities of doctrine. To live in his shadow, signifies to be under His protection against the falsities of evil, which are signified by nations.

[33] Since the Anointed, Messiah, or Christ, signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human, thus as to Divine Good united with Divine Truth, therefore by anointing, that union is signified concerning which the Lord says:

"I am in the Father and the Father in me; believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me" (John 14:7-11);

and elsewhere,

"The Father and I are one; know ye and believe, that I am in the Father and the Father in me" (John 10:30, 38).

And because this was represented by the anointing of Aaron and his sons, therefore the holy things of the sons of Israel which belonged to Jehovah Himself, were given to Aaron and his sons for the anointing (Numbers 18:8). These holy things belonging to Jehovah, which were given to Aaron and his sons are enumerated from verses 9 to 19 of that chapter. But see what has been said before (n. 375:13, 15) concerning anointings, namely, that the Lord alone, as to the Divine Human, was the Anointed of Jehovah, because in Him was the Divine Good of Divine Love, which was signified by oil, and that all other anointings with oil were only representative of Him. We have said these things concerning the Anointed of Jehovah, since the Anointed of Jehovah is Christ, in order that it may be known that by the Lord and His Christ, in this passage in the Apocalypse, are not meant two, but one, that is they are one, as are the Anointed of Jehovah and the Lord's Christ (Luke 2:26).

[34] Because the Lord is treated of here, it is important that an explanation should be given of what is said of the Messiah in Daniel, in order to make it clear why He was called Christ, that is, Messiah or Anointed.

"Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people, and upon thy city of holiness, to finish the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the justice of the ages, and to seal up the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies. Know, therefore, and understand, from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem, even to Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks; afterwards in sixty and two weeks, the street and the ditch shall be restored and built, but in straitness of times. But after sixty and two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself. Then the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, so that the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Yet he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and meal-offering to cease. At length upon the bird of abominations desolation, and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation" (Dan. 9:24-27).

The meaning of these words has been examined and explained by many learned men, as to the literal sense only, but not yet as to the spiritual sense, for this sense has not been hitherto known in the Christian world. In this sense the above words have the following signification. Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people, signifies the time and state of the church which then existed with the Jews, even to its end, "seven" and "seventy" signifying fulness from beginning to end, and people those who then belonged to the church; and upon thy city of holiness, signifies the time and state of the end of the church as to the doctrine of truth from the Word, city signifying doctrine of truth, and the city of holiness Divine Truth, which is the Word.

[35] To finish the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to expiate iniquity, signifies when there is nothing but falsities and evils in the church, thus when iniquity is fulfilled and consummated; for the end does not come until this is done; the reason of this is given in the Last Judgment. For if the end came before this, the simple - good who are conjoined as to externals with those who simulate truths and goods, and hypocritically make a display of them in externals - would perish; therefore it is added, "to bring in the justice of the ages," which signifies to save those who are in the good of faith and of charity. And to seal up the vision and the prophet, signifies to fulfil all things contained in the Word; to anoint the holy of holies, signifies to unite the Divine Itself with the Human in the Lord, for this is the holy of holies.

[36] Know, therefore, and understand from the going forth of the Word, signifies from the end of the Word of the Old Testament, since this had to be fulfilled in the Lord; for all things of the Word of the Old Testament treat in the highest sense of the Lord, and of the glorification of His Human, and thus of His dominion over all things of heaven and of the world. To restore and build Jerusalem, signifies when the new church was to be established, Jerusalem signifying that church, and to build signifying to establish anew; even to Messiah the Prince, signifies even to the Lord and Divine Truth in Him and from Him; for the Lord is called the Messiah from the Divine Human and Prince from Divine Truth.

[37] Seven weeks signify a full time and state; afterwards in sixty and two weeks the street and the ditch shall be restored and built, signifies the full time and state after His coming until the church with its truths and doctrine is established, sixty, like three or six, signifying a full time and state for the implantation of truth, and two signifying those things as to good, thus sixty and two together signify the marriage of truth with a little good; street signifies truth of doctrine, and ditch, doctrine - the signification of street may be seen above (n. 652), and of ditch or well (n. 537). But in straitness of times, signifies scarcely and with difficulty, because with nations that have little perception of spiritual truth.

[38] But after sixty and two weeks, signifies after a full time and state of the church established as to truth and as to good; Messiah shall be cut off, signifies that they shall fall away from the Lord, and this took place chiefly with the Babylonians, through their transferring the Divine power of the Lord to the Popes, and thus through not acknowledging the Divine in His Human; but not for himself, signifies that yet the power is His and the Divine is His.

[39] Then the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, signifies that thus doctrine and the church will perish through falsities, city signifying doctrine, sanctuary, the church, and the prince that shall come, the reigning falsity. So that the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even to the end of the war desolations are determined, signifies the falsification of truth, even until there is no longer any combat between truth and falsity; a flood signifies the falsification of truth, war, the combat between truth and falsity, and desolation, the last state of the church, when there is no longer any truth, but merely falsity.

[40] Yet he shall confirm a covenant [with many] for one week, signifies the period of the Reformation when the Word was again read, and the Lord acknowledged, that is, the Divine in His Human; this acknowledgment, and conjunction therefrom with the Lord by means of the Word, is signified by covenant, and the period of the Reformation by one week. But in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the meal-offering to cease, signifies that still interiorly with those Reformed there will be no truth and good in worship, sacrifice signifying worship from truths, and the meal-offering worship from goods. The midst of the week does not signify the midst of that time, but the inmost of the state of the Reformed, for midst signifies inmost, and week, the state of the church. There was no truth and good interiorly in worship after the Reformation, because they adopted faith as the essential of the church, and separated it from charity, and when faith is separated from charity, then in the inmost of worship there is neither truth nor good, for the inmost of worship is the good of charity, and from that the truth of faith proceeds.

[41] At length upon the bird of abominations desolation, signifies the extinction of all truth by the separation of faith from charity, the bird of abominations signifying faith alone, thus faith separated from charity. For a bird signifies thought concerning the truths of the Word and the understanding of them, which becomes a bird of abominations when there is no spiritual affection for truth, which enlightens and teaches truth, but only a natural affection, which is for the sake of reputation, glory, honour, and gain; and this affection, because it is infernal, is abominable, since it is the source of falsities only. And even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation, signifies its last [state], when there is no longer anything of truth and faith remaining, and when a last judgment takes place.

[42] That these last words in Daniel were a prediction concerning the end of the Christian church, is evident from the Lord's words in Matthew:

"When ye shall see the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, let him who readeth understand" (24:15).

For the subject treated of in that chapter is the consummation of the age, thus the gradual vastation of the Christian church; therefore the devastation of that church is meant by those words in Daniel; but what they signify in the spiritual sense, has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3652). From this it is now evident what is signified by the kingdoms of the world are become the Lord's and His Christ's; also what is signified by the Lord's Christ, or the Christ of the Lord, in Luke, where Simeon was promised "by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord" (2:26).