8764. And I bare you on eagles’ wings. That this signifies and that thus by means of truths they were raised to heavenly light, is evident from the signification of “bearing anyone on eagles’ wings,” as being to be raised on high even into heavenly light; for by “bearing” is signified to be raised, by “wings” are signified spiritual truths, and by “an eagle,” the rational as to truth. (That “an eagle” has this signification, see n. 3901, for eagles fly on high.) For by the visible heaven the ancients understood the angelic heaven. Moreover the simple believed that there was the home of the angels, and also that on high, because nearer the sun and stars, was heavenly light itself. Hence it is that “to be borne on eagles’ wings” denotes to be borne on high into that light. That raising thither is effected by means of the truths of faith, is because the truth of faith is what raises man even to heaven, where its good is. That the rational as to truth is “an eagle,” is because the rational of man is his heaven, and the natural is relatively like the earth, for the rational constitutes the internal man, and the natural the external man.

[2] That “wings” denote spiritual truths, is because “birds” in general signify intellectual things and thoughts (n. 40, 745, 776, 3219, 5149, 7441); consequently “wings” denote spiritual truths, because all the intellectual is from these truths. The intellectual derived from falsities, however discerning and acute it appears, is not the intellectual; for the intellectual sees from the light of heaven, and the light of heaven is spiritual truth, that is, the truth of faith. Wherefore where there is no truth of faith, there is no light, but thick darkness, and an intellectual in thick darkness is no intellectual. “Wings” also denote the powers which belong to spiritual truth from its good; for the wings with birds are like the hands or arms with man, and by the “arms” and “hands” are signified powers (n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, 8305). (That there is power in spiritual truth from good, see n. 3563, 4931, 5623, 6344, 6423.)

[3] That “wings” denote spiritual truths, or truths of faith which have power from good, is manifest from other passages in the Word. Wherefore when “wings” are attributed to the Divine, by them is signified the Divine truth which has omnipotence; as where they are attributed to the cherubs, by which is signified the Providence of the Lord, as in Ezekiel:

Every cherub had four faces, and every one of them had four wings; their wings were erect, the one toward the other; every one had wings that covered their bodies. I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of great waters, like the voice of Shaddai; when they went, a voice of tumult like the voice of a camp; when they stood, they let down their wings. I heard the voice of their wings kissing one another, and the voice of the wheels beside them. The voice of the wings of the cherubs was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Shaddai. The likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings (Ezekiel 1:6, 23-24; 3:13; 10:5, 21).

[4] That here “wings” denote truth Divine is evident from each particular of the description, as well as from the fact that the wings were erect the one toward the other, that they covered their bodies, and that the sound of them was heard like the sound of great waters, like the voice of wheels, and like the voice of Shaddai, and also that the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. That the wings were “erect the one toward the other” represented the consociation of all in the Divine; that they “covered their bodies” signified that the Divine truth was a covering to the Divine good from which it proceeds. For the Divine good is a flame, and the Divine truth is the light therefrom, encompassing and thus covering the flame. The flame itself does not appear in heaven, but only the light in which the flame is, and which is thus perceived as heat, which is love. That “a sound was heard like the sound of great waters” signifies the quality of Divine truth in heaven; in like manner “its voice like the voice of wheels, and like the voice of Shaddai;” for “sound” and “voice” are attributed to Divine truth. It is therefore said, “the voice of great waters,” because “waters” denote truths (see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8137, 8138, 8568), as also “the voice of the wheels,” because “wheels” denote the truths of doctrinal things, for the reason that “chariots” denote doctrines of truth (n. 5321, 5945, 8146, 8148, 8215); and also “the voice of God Shaddai,” because “God Shaddai” denotes truth chiding in temptations and afterward consoling (n. 1992, 4572, 5628). “The likeness of the hands of a man under the wings” signified the omnipotence which belongs to Divine truth, because “hands” denote power, and in the supreme sense omnipotence, when they are attributed to the Lord.

[5] From all this it can be seen what was represented by the wings of the cherubs that were over the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the covenant, and by their being expanded upward, and covering the mercy-seat (Exodus 25:20); also what the cherubs represented on the curtains of the tabernacle and on the veil, and likewise in the temple of Solomon; in like manner what they represented round about the new house described in Ezekiel 41:18-20; also what was signified by “the four animals round about the throne,” each of which “had for itself six wings round about” (Revelation 4:6, 8); and what by “the seraphim standing above the throne,” each one of which “had six wings” (Isaiah 6:1-2).

[6] That in the internal sense “wings” denote spiritual truths, or the truths of faith, is evident in Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, A great eagle, great in wings, long in pinions, full of feathers which had broidery, came upon Lebanon, and took a little twig of the cedar, and carried it into a land of traffic; thereafter it took of the seed of the land, and set it in a field of sowing; it took it unto great waters, it sprouted and became a luxuriant vine. And there was another eagle, great in wings and full of feathers, to which behold the vine applied its roots, and sent forth its shoots unto it, in a good field by many waters; it was planted to make branch, and to bear fruit, that it might be for a vine of magnificence (Ezekiel 17:3-8).

This prophetic utterance describes the setting up again of a spiritual church by the Lord. The “eagle” there spoken of denotes faith; “great in wings and long in pinions” denotes the truths of faith; “broidery” denotes memory-knowledge; growth therefrom is described by “the little twig of the cedar from Lebanon,” by “a land of traffic,” “the seed of the land in a field of sowing, beside great waters;” the church itself thence arising is “the vine.” (That “a vine” denotes the spiritual church, see n. 1069, 5113; and that it denotes the external church, n. 6375; but “the vine of magnificence” which was from the other eagle, denotes the internal church, n. 6376; for the external of the church is described by one eagle, and its internal by the other.) Afterward is described by the prophet in the same chapter how that church which was set up with the ancients was perverted with the Jews.

[7] In like manner by “wings” is signified the truth of faith in David:

If ye will lie among the ranks, the wings of a dove will be overlaid with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold (Psalms 68:13).

“The wings of a dove” denote the truths of faith (that “a dove” denotes faith, see n. 870); they are said to be “overlaid with silver,” because “silver” denotes truth from good (n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 7999).

[8] That “wings” denote truth Divine, is also evident from the following passages:

They that await Jehovah are renewed in strength, they go up with wing like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).

God rode upon a cherub, and did fly, He was carried upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:10; 104:3);

treating of the Divine truth and its power. Again:

Jehovah shall cover thee under His wing, and under His wings shalt thou confide; truth is a shield and a buckler (Psalms 91:4).

“To be covered with the wing of Jehovah,” and “to confide under His wings,” denote the protection and confidence that belong to faith. The like is meant by being “under the shadow of God’s wings” (Psalms 17:8); “confiding in the shadow of His wings” (Psalms 36:7; 57:1; 61:4); and “singing in the shadow of His wings” (Psalms 63:7).

[9] As most expressions have also an opposite sense, so likewise have “wings,” in which sense “wings” signify falsities, as in John:

Out of the smoke of the pit of the abyss came forth locusts, and the voice of their wings was as the voice of many horses rushing to war (Revelation 9:2-3, 9); where “wings” denote falsities fighting against truth, for a “locust” denotes falsity in the extremes (n. 7643).

8568. And the people thirsted there for the waters. That this signifies an increase of longing for truth, is evident from the signification of “thirsting,” as being to strive after and long for, and as being predicated of truth, as “hungering” is predicated of good; and from the signification of “water,” as being the truth of faith (see n. 8562). That “to thirst” denotes to strive after and long for the truth which is signified by “water,” is very plain from many passages in the Word, as in Amos:

Behold the days come wherein I will send a famine into the land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it; in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the young men faint with thirst (Amos 8:11-13).

A longing to know truth is here described by “thirsting;” the longing for truth is signified by “I will not send a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah;” the lack of truth and the consequent privation of spiritual life are described by, “in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the young men faint with thirst;” “beautiful virgins” denote those who are in affections of good, and “young men” those who are in affections of truth.

[2] In Isaiah:

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, eat, come ye and buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isaiah 55:1).

“Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,” manifestly denotes one who longs for the truths of faith; “to buy wine and milk without price” denotes to procure the truth and good of faith for themselves from the Lord, thus gratuitously (that “waters” denote the truth of faith, see n. 8562; that “wine” denotes the good of faith, n. 6377, and also “milk,” n. 2184). Everyone can see that by “coming to the waters and buying wine and milk,” is not here meant wine and milk, but such things as are of heaven and the church.

[3] In like manner in John:

I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life free (Revelation 21:6); where “the fountain of the water of life” denotes the truth and good of faith; “he that is athirst” denotes one who longs from affection, according to the Lord’s words in John:

Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, Everyone that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but he that drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (John 4:13-14).

Here “water” plainly denotes the truth of faith from the Word, thus from the Lord; “never thirsting” here denotes that truth shall no longer fail him.

[4] In like manner elsewhere in John:

Jesus said, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Jesus cried, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall flow streams of living water (John 7:37-38).

In these passages “to thirst” denotes to long for truth; “to drink” denotes to be instructed; “streams of living water” denote Divine truth, which is from the Lord alone.

[5] In Isaiah:

Bring ye waters to meet him that is thirsty; O ye inhabitants of the land of Tema, come before the wanderer with his bread (Isaiah 21:14); where “bringing waters to meet him that is thirsty” denotes instructing in truths him who longs for them, and thus refreshing the life of his soul. In the same:

The fool will speak folly, and his heart will do iniquity, to do hypocrisy, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry one, and he will make the drink of the thirsty one to fail (Isa 32);

“the hungry one” denotes him who longs for good; and “he that thirsteth for drink,” him who longs for truth.

[6] Again:

The poor and needy seek water but there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I will open rivers upon the hillsides, and I will put fountains in the midst of the valleys, the wilderness for a pool of waters, and the dry land for springs of waters (Isaiah 41:17-18);

everyone can plainly see that “seeking water” denotes seeking truth; that “failing for thirst” denotes being deprived of spiritual life from a lack of truth; that “rivers,” “fountains,” “a pool,” and “springs of waters” denote the truths of faith in which they were to be instructed.

[7] Again:

Say ye, Jehovah hath redeemed his servant Jacob; then shall they not thirst, He shall lead them in the wastes; He shall cause the waters to flow out of the rock for them, and He will cleave the rock that the waters may flow out (Isaiah 48:20-21);

“they shall not thirst” denotes that truths shall not fail them; “waters” here manifestly denote the truths of faith. Again:

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, so that even upon the springs of waters He will lead them (Isaiah 49:10);

“they shall not hunger” denotes that good shall not fail them; “they shall not thirst” denotes that truth shall not fail them; “springs of waters” denote the knowledges of truth from the Word.

[8] In like manner in Moses:

Jehovah leadeth thee through the great and fearful wilderness, of the serpent, of the fire-serpent, and of the scorpion, and of thirst, where are no waters; who bringeth forth for thee waters out of the stone of the crag (Deuteronomy 8:15). Again in Isaiah:

Behold your God will come; then in the wilderness shall waters break out, and rivers in the plain of the desert; and the dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty one for springs of waters (Isaiah 35:4, 6-7);

“the waters in the wilderness that shall break out,” “rivers,” “a pool,” “springs of waters,” plainly denote the truths of faith and the knowledges of them, which would be given from the Lord when He should come into the world.

[9] In David:

O God, my God, in the morning do I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee, in a land of drought, and weary without waters (Psalms 68:1); where “thirsting” is predicated of truth; “weary without waters” denotes that there are no truths. “Thirst” denotes a lack of truth and the consequent privation of spiritual life, in Isaiah:

Therefore My people will go into exile, for not acknowledging, and their glory are men of famine, and their multitude are parched with thirst (Isaiah 5:13).

I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh because there is no water, and dieth for thirst (Isaiah 50:2).

[10] From these passages it can now be seen what is signified in this chapter by there being “no water for the people to drink” (verse 1); by their saying, “Give us water and we will drink” (verse 2); by “the people thirsting there for waters” (verse 3); by that “there shall come waters out of the rock” (verse 6). Consequently by their murmuring on account of the lack of water is signified temptation from the lack of truth; for when a man comes into temptation from the lack of truth, he is kept in a vehement longing for it, and at the same time in despair of eternal salvation on this account: these things then cause suffering, and complaint.