2. The Lord is God of Heaven

First and foremost, we need to know who the God of heaven is, since everything else depends on this. Throughout the whole of heaven, no one is acknowledged as God of heaven except the Lord. Angels say what he himself taught, namely that he is one with the Father, that the Father is in him and he in the Father, that anyone who sees him sees the Father, and that everything holy emanates from him (John 10:30, 38; 14:9-11, 16; 16:13-15). I have often talked with angels about this, and their consistent testimony has been that in heaven they cannot divide the Divine into three because they both know and perceive that the Divine is one and that this "one" is in the Lord. They have also told me that when people arrive from earth with the idea of three divine beings they cannot be admitted to heaven. This is because their thinking vacillates between one opinion and the other, and in heaven they are not allowed to think "three" and say "one." ¹

In heaven people actually speak directly from their thought, so that we have there a kind of thoughtful speech or audible thought. This means that if people have divided the Divine into three in the world and held a separate image of each one without gathering and focusing these three into one, they cannot be accepted. In heaven, there is a communication of all thoughts, so if people arrive who think "three" and say "one," they are recognized immediately for what they are and are sent away.

Still, it needs to be realized that in the other life any people who have not put "good" in one compartment and "true" in another - who have not separated faith from love - accept the heavenly concept of the Lord as God of the universe once they have been taught. It is different, though, with people who have separated their faith from their lives, that is, who have not lived by the guiding principles of true faith.

Footnotes:

9. When it is known that all names in the Word signify things, and that the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes, signify all the goods and truths of the church in the aggregate; and similarly the names of the twelve disciples of the Lord; and that Peter, James, and John, signify faith, charity, and the good of charity, some arcana in the Word may then be seen; as for example, why the Lord gave the name of Peter to Simon, and to James and John the name Boanerges, which signifies sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). For Peter, like rock (petra), signifies the Lord as to truth from good, or faith from charity; and sons of thunder signify those who receive the truths of heaven from the affection which is of love. (That rock (petra) signifies the Lord as to truth from good, or faith from charity, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 8581, 10580; similarly "the stone of Israel," n. 6426; and that thunders signify Divine truths from heaven, n. 7573, 8914, and lightnings the brilliance thereof, n. 8813; hence also thunders are called voices, n. 7573, 8914.)

[2] I will here mention some of the arcana which may be seen, when it is known that Peter signifies faith, and John the good of charity. First, why the Lord said to Peter,

"I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens" (Matthew 16:18, 19).

It appears from the letter as if that power was given to Peter, when nevertheless none was given to him; but it was said thus to him, because Peter signified truth from the good which is from the Lord, and truth from good which is from the Lord has all power, thus the Lord has all power from good by means of truth. (That this is the case may be seen illustrated in the small work, The Last Judgment 57.) Another arcanum, which may be seen when it is known that Peter signifies faith, is, why the Lord said to him, that before the cock crew, he would deny Him thrice, which also happened (Matthew 26:34, and following verses). By this was signified, that in the last time of the church there would be no faith in the Lord, because there would be no charity; for cock-crowing, as well as twilight, signifies the last time of the church (Arcana Coelestia 10134); and three, or three times, signifies what is complete to the end (Arcana Coelestia 2788, 4495, 5159, 9198, 10127. That the end of the church comes when there is no faith, because no charity, may be seen in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39, etc.).

[3] A third arcanum which may be seen, is, the signification of the following words concerning Peter and John:

Jesus said to Peter, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him the second time, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? and said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. And he saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead whither thou wouldest not. And when he had thus spoken, he saith unto him, Follow me. Peter, being turned, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following, and he saith, Lord, this man what? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me" (John 21:15-22).

What these things signify no one can know unless he knows the internal sense, and that Peter signifies faith, and John the good of charity, consequently that Peter signifies those in the church who are in faith, and John, those who are in the good of charity. By Jesus saying three times to Peter, "Lovest thou me?" and Peter saying three times, "I love thee," and Jesus then saying, "Feed my lambs," and "Feed my sheep," is signified, that they who are in faith from love ought to instruct those who are in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity towards the neighbour. For those who are in faith from love are also in truths, and those who are thence in truths, instruct concerning good, and lead to good; for all the spiritual good which a man has is procured and implanted by means of truths. (That lambs signify those who are in the good of innocence and of love to the Lord, may be seen,Arcana Coelestia 3994, 10132; that sheep signify those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 4169, 4809; and that to feed is to instruct, n. 5201, 6078.)

[4] What would be the quality of faith in the first time of the church, and what its quality in the last time is next described by the Lord. The first time of the church is meant by "when thou wast young," and the last time by "when thou shalt be old." That when he was young he girded himself, and walked whither he would, signifies, that, in the first time of the church, they would drink in truths from the good of charity, and would act from freedom; for to act from freedom is to act from the affection of truth from good. "When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and lead whither thou wouldest not," signifies, that in the last time of the church they would no longer drink in truths from the good of charity, that is, they would know them merely because stated by another, and would thus be in a servile state, that being a servile state in which good does not lead. (That garments signify truths, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1073, 2576, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536; and that therefore to gird oneself denotes to drink in and apprehend truths, n. 9952. That to walk is to act and live; that to act from freedom is to act from love or affection, since what a man loves that he does freely, n. 2870, 3158, 8987, 8990, 9585, 9591. That every church begins from charity, but that in process of time it declines to faith, and at length to faith alone, 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094.)

[5] Because, at the last time of the church, faith becomes of such a quality as to reject the good of charity, saying that faith alone constitutes the church and saves, and not the good of life, which is charity, therefore Jesus said to Peter, by whom such faith is there meant, "Follow me." "And, being turned, Peter seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following, and saith, Lord, what this man?" by which is signified, that faith, in the last time of the church, would turn away from the Lord; for it is said of Peter, by whom that faith is signified, that, "being turned," he saw; and he also said of the disciple whom Jesus loved or of John, by whom is signified the good of charity, "what this man?" that is, that he is nothing; but Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee; follow thou me"; by which is signified that the good of charity will follow the Lord, and acknowledge Him, even to the last time of the old church and the first of the New. (That the last time of the old church is called the consummation of the age, and the beginning of the New, the coming of the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4535, 10622.) The fourth arcanum which may hence be seen is, why the Lord loved John more than the rest of the disciples, and why John therefore lay on the breast, or in the bosom, of the Lord (John 13:23; 21:20) viz., that it was because the good of love was in the Lord's mind when He saw John, who represented and signified that good, because it is that good which constitutes heaven and the church, (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 13-19).

[6] The fifth arcanum which becomes evident when it is known that John represented the good of love, is, what is signified by the words of the Lord from the cross to the mother Mary, and to John:

"When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy Son! And he saith to that disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (John 19:26, 27).

By mother and by woman is there meant the church, and by John the good of charity; and by the things said to them, that the church will be where there is the good of charity. (That by woman, in the Word, is meant the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 252, 253, 749, 770, 3160, 6014, 7337, 8994; that the same is signified by mother, n. 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897, 10490. That to take her to his own home is to dwell together, is manifest.) From these considerations it is now evident how great are the arcana which lie concealed in the Word, which are laid open only to those who know its internal or spiritual sense; nor, without that sense, can it be known what is signified by its being said that the twelve apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). By the apostles, in this passage, are not meant the apostles, but all truths from good which are from the Lord; so that those words signify, that the Lord alone will judge all from the truths which are from good, thus, every one according to those truths.

5319. 'And clothed him in robes of fine linen' means an outward sign denoting the celestial of the spiritual, 'robes of fine linen' being truths going forth from the Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'robes' as truths, dealt with in 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248. The reason 'robes of fine linen' means truths going forth from the Divine is that a robe made of fine linen was absolutely white and at the same time shining, and truth going forth from the Divine is represented by robes which have that kind of brightness and splendour. And the reason for this is that heaven derives its brightness and splendour from the light that flows from the Lord; and the light that flows from the Lord is Divine Truth itself, 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 1776, 3195, 3222, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862, 4415, 4419, 4526, 5219. This explains why, when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His clothing appeared as the light, Matthew 17:2; glistening, intensely white like snow, as no fuller on earth could bleach them, Mark 9:3; and dazzling, Luke 9:29. It was Divine Truth itself going forth from the Lord's Divine Human that was represented in this manner. But they are exterior truths that are represented in heaven by the brightness of robes, whereas interior truths are represented by the brightness and splendour of the face. This is why 'being clothed in robes of fine linen' at this point means an outward sign denoting truth going forth from the celestial of the spiritual, for this was what the Lord's Divine consisted in at this time.

[2] There are other places too in the Word where truth going forth from the Divine is meant by 'fine linen' and 'robes of fine linen', as in Ezekiel,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shed you with badger, and swathed you in fine linen, and covered you in silk. Thus were you adorned with gold and silver, and your robes were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth. Ezekiel 16:10, 13.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is used in these verses to mean the Ancient Church. The truths of this Church are described by robes made of embroidered cloth, fine linen, and silk, and by being adorned with gold and silver. 'Embroidered cloth' means truths existing as facts, 'fine linen' natural truths, and 'silk' spiritual truths.

[3] In the same prophet,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you an ensign; violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to Tyre, which too is used to mean the Ancient Church, but so far as cognitions of good and truth are concerned. 'Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, which was its sail' means truth obtained from factual knowledge, which was the outward sign of that Church.

[4] In John,

The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over Babylon, since no one buys their wares any more, wares of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and bronze, and iron, and marble. Revelation 18:11-12.

All the specific commodities mentioned here mean the kinds of things that have to do with the Church and so truth and goodness. Here however they are used in the contrary sense because they are spoken of in reference to Babylon. Anyone may see that such commodities would never have been listed in the Word which has come down from heaven unless each one held something heavenly within it. What other reason can there be for a list of worldly wares when Babylon, meaning an unholy Church, is the subject? Similarly in the same book,

Woe, woe, the great city, you that were clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, covered ¹ with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. Revelation 18:16.

[5] The fact that each commodity means something Divine and heavenly is quite evident in the same book where it states what fine linen is, namely the righteous acts of the saints,

The time of the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. At that time she was given fine linen, clean and shining, to wear; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 19:7-8.

'Fine linen' is 'the righteous acts of the saints' for the reason that all those with whom truth received from the Divine exists are clothed with the Lord's righteousness. For their robes which are bright and shining are products of the light which flows from the Lord. Therefore in heaven truth itself is represented by 'brightness', 3301, 3997, 4007; and people who are being raised to heaven from a state of vastation are seen to be clothed with brightness because they are at this point casting off the robe of their own righteousness and putting on that of the Lord's righteousness.

[6] So that truth from the Divine might be represented in the Jewish Church, they were commanded to use cotton or fine linen in Aaron's vestments, and also in the curtains around the Ark, referred to in Moses as follows,

You shall make in chequered pattern for Aaron a tunic of cotton, and you shall make a turban of cotton. Exodus 28:39.

They made tunics of cotton, the work of a weaver, for Aaron and his sons. Exodus 39:27.

You shall make the Dwelling-place, ten curtains - fine-twined cotton, violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet. Exodus 26:1; 36:8.

You shall make the court of the Dwelling-place. The hangings for the court shall be of fine-twined cotton. Exodus 27:9, 18; 38:9.

The screen for the gate of the court, the work of an embroiderer, violet and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine-twined cotton. Exodus 38:18.

Cotton is fine linen, which they were commanded to use because each object in the Ark and around the Ark, also every detail of Aaron's vestments, were representative of spiritual and celestial realities. From this one may see that a person has only a meagre understanding of the Word if he does not know what such things represent, and scarcely any understanding at all if he thinks that the Word possesses no holiness other than that which presents itself in the letter.

[7] When angels with whom truth from the Divine is present are seen by anyone they are clothed so to speak in fine linen, that is, in shining brightness, as is evident in John where 'a white horse' is referred to,

The One seated on a white horse was clothed in a garment dyed with blood, and His name is called the Word. His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses; they were clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:11, 13-14.

These words show quite plainly that 'fine linen' is an outward sign denoting truth from the Divine, for 'the One seated on a white horse' is the Lord as to the Word; indeed those words state quite explicitly that He is the Word. The Word is truth itself received from the Divine, and 'a white horse' is the internal sense of the Word, see 2760-2762. Consequently truths received from the Divine are meant by 'white horses', for such truths constitute the whole of the internal sense of the Word. This was why His armies were seen 'on white horses' and why 'they were clothed in fine linen, white and clean'.

Footnotes: