1. [64.] THE DIVINE WISDOM

I. THE DIVINE WISDOM, IN THE HEAVENS BEFORE THE SIGHT OF ANGELS, IS SEEN AS LIGHT

In the Lord there is Love and there is Wisdom: Love in Him is Being (Esse), and Wisdom in Him is Existing (Existere) ¹ ; nevertheless, these in Him are not two, but one; for the Wisdom is of the Love, and the Love is of the Wisdom, and by reason of this union, which is reciprocal, there results a One. This One is the Divine Love that in the heavens becomes visible to angels as a Sun. The reciprocal union of the Divine Wisdom and the Divine Love is meant by these words of the Lord:

Believest thou not, Philip, that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me (John 14:10-11).

Also:

I and the Father are one (John 10:30).

[65.] These two things, which in the Lord are a One, do indeed proceed forth as two distinct things from Himself as a Sun, the Wisdom as light and the Love as heat; yet it is only to outward appearance that they proceed forth as two distinct things: in themselves they are not distinct, the light being of the heat, and the heat being of the light; for just as they are one in the Sun, so they are one in the least point. That which proceeds forth from the Sun is also the Sun in the least parts of it, and consequently is the Sun universally in every point. The expressions "every point" and "least part" are used, but spatial points and spatial parts are not meant, for there is nothing of space in what is Divine, this being spiritual, not natural.

[2] [66.] The fact that Love and Wisdom, in proceeding forth from the Lord as a Sun, are to outward appearance two distinct things, the Wisdom visible as light, and the Love perceptible as heat, has this result that they are received as two distinct things by angels; some angels receive more from the heat, which is Love, and some receive more from the light, which is Wisdom. Accordingly the angels comprising the heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms. Those who have received more from the heat, which is Love, than from the light, which is Wisdom, make one kingdom, and are called celestial angels; the highest heavens consist of these. Whereas those who have received more from the light, which is Wisdom, than from the heat, which is Love, make the other kingdom, and are called spiritual angels; the lower heavens consist of these. These latter are said to have received more from the light, which is Wisdom, than from the heat, which is Love, but this "more" is only an apparent "more," for they are no wiser than in proportion as the love with them makes one with their wisdom; this is the reason spiritual angels are called intelligent rather than wise. These things are concerning the light in the Lord, the light proceeding forth from Him, and the light in angels.

[3] [67.] The Divine Wisdom, appearing in the heavens as light, in its essence is not light: it clothes itself with light, so as to appear before the sight of angels. In its essence that Wisdom is Divine Truth, and the light is the outward appearance of it and the correspondent of it. With the light of wisdom it is the same as with the heat of love, spoken of above. As the light corresponds to the Wisdom, and as the Lord is the Divine Wisdom, therefore also in the Word in many places He is called "light," as in the following:

That was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9).

Jesus said, I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

Jesus said, Yet a little while is the Light with you: walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness take possession of you.... While ye have the Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be sons of light.... I am come a Light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness (John 12:35-36, 46).

And a number of other places. Furthermore, the Lord's Divine Wisdom was represented by His garments at the transfiguration, in that

their appearance was like light, "shining and white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them" (Mark 9:3; Matthew 17:2).

"Garments" in the Word signify truths of wisdom; on this account all angels in the heavens appear clothed in accordance with the truths of their knowledge, of their intelligence, and of their wisdom.

[4] [68.] It is evident in heaven, though not in the world, that light is the outward appearance of Wisdom and the correspondent of it, there being no light in heaven other than spiritual light, which is the light of Wisdom, illuminating all things that come into existence there from the Divine Love. The wisdom with angels enables them to understand these in their essence, and the light enables them to see them in their form. The light in each heaven, therefore, is equivalent in degree to the wisdom with angels there. In the highest heavens the light is flame-coloured, flashing as if from lustrous gold: this is because they are in wisdom. In the heavens below these the light is white, shining brightly as if from gleaming silver: this is because they are in intelligence. And in the lowest heavens the light is like the noonday light in the world: this is because they are in knowledge. The light in the higher heavens is brilliant, exactly like a star glittering and shining brightly in itself by night, and there is light continuously because the Sun there does not set. It is this same light that enlightens the Understanding of those men in the world who are in the love of being wise, but it is not seen by them because they are natural, not spiritual; it is possible to see it, for it has been seen by me, but only with the eyes of my spirit. Moreover, it has been granted me to perceive that when I was in the light of the highest heaven, I was in wisdom, when in the light of the second heaven I was in intelligence, and when in the light of the lowest heaven I was in knowledge, whereas, when I was in natural light, I was in ignorance of spiritual things.

[5] [69.] In order that I might know in what light the learned in the world are at this day, there appeared before me two ways: one was called the Way of Wisdom, the other the Way of Folly. At the end of the Way of Wisdom stood a palace in light: at the end of the Way of Folly stood something resembling a palace, but it was in shadow. Some three hundred learned men had been assembled together and were given the choice of going which way they wished. Two hundred and sixty were seen to take the Way of Folly and only forty the Way of Wisdom. Those who took the Way of Wisdom entered the palace in light, in which were magnificent things: they were given garments of fine linen, and became angels. Those, on the other hand, who took the Way of Folly were desirous of entering what had looked like a palace when in shadow-but behold, it was an actors' stage where they donned theatrical costumes, and, wearing masks, posed as soothsayers, and became fools. I was afterwards told that at this day the foolish learned who are in natural light are, relatively to the wise learned who are in spiritual light, as many and as foolish; and that all who have a love for discerning whether a thing is true that some one else says, have spiritual light: whereas those who have a love merely for confirming what someone else has said, have natural light.

Footnotes:

107. (ix) FROM THIS TIME ON NO ONE FROM CHRISTIAN COUNTRIES CAN COME INTO HEAVEN, UNLESS HE BELIEVES IN THE LORD GOD THE SAVIOUR, AND APPROACHES HIM ALONE.

We read in Isaiah:

Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former ones shall not be remembered, neither shall they rise above the heart, and behold, I shall make Jerusalem an exultation, and its people happiness, Isaiah 65:17-18.

and in Revelation:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and I saw the holy Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband; and He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I shall make all things new, Revelation 21:1-2, 5.

We read in many places that only those who are written down in the Book of Life of the Lamb will enter heaven (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27). Heaven there does not mean the heaven we see with our eyes, but the heaven of the angels; Jerusalem is no city coming out of the sky, but a church which will come down from the Lord out of the other heaven; and the Book of Life of the Lamb does not mean some book written in heaven which is to be opened, but the Word, which is from the Lord and about Him. In the preceding sections of this chapter the doctrine that Jehovah God, who is called the Creator and Father, came down and took upon Himself human form, in order that He could be approached and be joined, has been confirmed, proved and established. Does anyone on approaching a person address himself to his soul? How could one do so? Rather he addresses himself to the person whom he sees before him, and speaks to him directly face to face. The case is similar with God the Father and God the Son, since God the Father is in the Son, as the soul is in the body.

[2] The following passages in the Word establish that one must believe in the Lord God the Saviour:

God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3:15-16.

He who believes in the Son is not judged, but he who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God, John 3:18.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God will rest upon him, John 3:36.

The bread of God is that which comes from heaven, and gives life to the world; he who comes to me shall not be hungry, and he who believes in me shall never be thirsty, John 6:33, 35.

This is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have everlasting life, and I should raise him up on the last day, John 6:40.

They said to Jesus, What shall we do to perform God's work? Jesus answered, This is God's work, to believe in Him whom the Father has sent, John 6:28-29.

In truth, I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life, John 6:47.

Jesus cried out saying, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, streams of living water will flow from his belly, John 7:37-38.

If you have not believed that I am, you will die in your sins, John 8:24.

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and life; he who believes in me, though he die, shall live; but everyone who lives and believes in me shall not ever die, John 11:25-26.

Jesus said, I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness, John 12:46; 8:12.

So long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may be sons of light, John 12:36.

We read that they will abide in the Lord and the Lord in them (John 14:20; 15:1-5; 17:23), which they can do through faith.

Paul preached both to Jews and to gentiles repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts of the Apostles 20:21.

I am the way, truth and life; no one comes to the Father except through me, John 14:6.

[3] The following passages prove that he who believes in the Son believes in the Father, since, as said before, the Father is in Him, just as the soul is in the body:

If you knew me, you would also know my Father, John 8:19; 14:7.

He who sees me sees Him who sent me, John 12:45.

He who receives me receives Him who sent me, John 13:20.

The reason is that no one can see the Father and live (Exodus 33:20). For this reason the Lord says:

No one has ever seen God; His only-begotten Son who is in the Father's revealed Him, John 1:18.

No one has seen the Father, except Him who is with the Father; He has seen the Father, John 6:46.

You have never heard the Father's voice, nor have you seen His appearance, John 5:37.

But those who do not know anything about the Lord, like those in two of the three continents, Asia and Africa, not to mention the Indies, if they believe in one God, and live in accordance with the commandments of their own religion, are saved by their faith and their life. Sin is imputed to those who know, not to those who are ignorant, just as blind people who knock into things are not blamed. For the Lord says:

If you were blind, you would not have any sin; but now you say that you can see, therefore your sin remains, John 9:41.