年度之门

艾米丽·简·莱莫雷牧师的讲道

读物：

以赛亚书26:1-4， 42:5-8

马太福音7:7-14

启示录22:14

天堂的秘密2851

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我对那年的大门的那位男子说：“给我一盏灯，让我可以安全地踏入未知之地。”

他回答说：“进到黑暗中，把手伸到上帝的手中。那将比光明和安全比已知的方法对您更好。”

于是我走了出去，找到了上帝的手，高兴地走进了深夜。他带领我走向山丘，在孤独的东方度过了新的一天。

由Minnie Louise Haskins

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我们站在年度之门，从许多方面来说都是通往未知世界的门槛。 “给我一点光，我可以安全地踏入未知之地。”

我们从《圣经》和有关门的著作中读了许多段落。闸门在内部和外部之间建立了联系。他们提出了一个选择-是打开还是关闭它-进入还是离开。

封闭的大门使我们犹豫不决。在这个苏菲语中，大门为我们所说的话提供了沉思和反思：

在您讲话之前，让您的话语通过三个门。

在第一道门问自己，“是真的吗？”

在第二个询问中，“有必要吗？”

在第三道门问：“好吗？”

如何最好地度过这个新年？有通常的解决方案–减肥，变得更健康，更有条理，并与亲人在一起花费更多的时间。但是，更深层次的决议或意图正在呼唤新的起点，新的起点。第一-将上帝置于我们生活的中心-将主耶稣基督视为我们这一天的开始，中间和结束。一个好习惯是每天数次祈祷-提高我们的观点-优先事项。即使是抬头和暂停的身体动作，也可以将烦恼，不满的情绪转变为矫正的时刻–这是我们大惊小怪的大部分事情的转折。

亚种鉴定是一个很好的提醒。在永恒的主持下-重要的是什么？不是大多数让我们担心和困扰的事情。从长远来看，以上帝为中心，真正重要的事情显而易见，而没有减少的事情。

那么，我们如何将自己的手放在上帝的手中？我们如何向所有善良，真实，明智，善良与和平的人敞开心?？我们如何关闭自私，不友善，怨恨，感恩和暴力的大门？

通过我们每天所做的事情。

Fr说：“我们做任何事情的方式就是我们做一切的方式。”方济各会牧师理查德·罗尔（Richard Rohr）。

我们要注意什么并给我们时间？我们爱什么？

新年似乎是盘点的好时机，这是对去年的反思，与其说我们已经成为成就者，不如说是我们取得的成就。对我们来说最重要的是什么？我们的重点是什么？或就像瑞典堡会问的那样，我们爱什么？因为我们就是我们所爱的！

我们了解到我们每个人都有两个大门。通往天堂的大门被天使包围，通往美好与真实。

地狱之门被恶魔包围，导致了邪恶和虚假。

这些门在我们里面。我们可以选择，什么决定我们的选择？我们爱什么！

每年，每周，每天，每时每刻，我们都可以自由选择自己是谁，给我们带来快乐的地方，如何度过宝贵的时间–我们所爱和所爱。

而且请记住，如果我们不诚实地喜欢我们在库存中看到的东西，我们可以悔改！回转！改变我们的方向！改变主意！改变我们的爱！

瑞典堡描述了我们所看不见的东西-我们的精神同伴-我们所保留的公司，并且在很大程度上没有意识到。像客人一样，他们也应邀而来。

我们被精神上的客人包围，受到我们的精神状态的邀请：天使和善良的灵魂通过天门而来；邪恶或邪恶的灵魂从地狱之门传来。我的高中拉丁语老师曾经称这些人为“地下室男孩”。

今天谈论邪恶，内gui，悔改或地狱已经过时了。这些术语已经过时，令人不舒服，我们真的不想提醒他们。但是从瑞典堡的一切教导来看，这些都是精神现实。

邪恶在我们的世界（如果人们阅读报纸和看电视）中还活得很好，并且在我们每个人中，都有一定的内省！当我们诚实地意识到自己的意图和情感时，我们就会知道这一点！

邪恶与双胞胎一样，是与上帝对立的一切，自私，不诚实，贪婪，卑鄙和残忍。但是邪恶也会以欺骗性的面容出现-我们可以证明我们的怨恨，我们的无情和我们的宽容立场是合理的。罪意味着失去印记，印记就是上帝。所有使我们远离上帝的事物都使我们怀念那个标记！

内–一种非常必要的情绪，它使我们想要悔改–而不是沉迷，而是要我们悔改–说服我们改变方向！

恶魔–这些是我们被告知要与之斗争的最真实的精神伴侣，最终是为我们的精神生活而战。我们处于平衡状态。我们在两个大门之间。

一句古老的佛教谚语说：每个人都被赋予通往天门的钥匙；相同的钥匙打开了地狱之门。”钥匙就是我们所爱。

我们做出的每一个决定要么喂食我们的粪便（我们永生的意志），要么喂食我们的“遗体”-那是珍贵的宝藏，是我们自出生前所经历的所有美好事物的仓库。遗留权是我们与生俱来的权利，我们从中汲取灵感，并以真诚的思想和良好的行为将其永久添加。

由于大多数新年决议的首要重点是减肥（如果需要的话，我也不反对），让我们尝试使用该概念进行精神减肥–减轻负面情绪的负担，批评的不良习惯，投诉，八卦，刺激，烦恼，容易冒犯，愤怒–我们知道的清单还在不断增加。减肥的饮食是良好的思想，诚实的行为，真实的意图。关闭坏消息，打开好消息。支持鼓励他人的充满希望的乐观主义；寻求无回报的善举。

保罗在给腓立比人的信中写道，想想这些事情。

“无论什么是真实的，无论什么东西都是高尚的，无论什么东西都是正义的，无论什么东西都是纯正的，无论什么东西都是可爱的，或者什么东西值得报道，如果有什么美德，或者有什么值得称赞的冥想的话。” 腓立比书4:8。

灵魂健康的这种转变所需要的锻炼是属灵的锻炼，这种锻炼使抽象成为现实，实现了我们所说的信念。也许今年我们可以接受精神锻炼：

- 冥想

-祷告

-Lectio Devina –缓慢而有目的地阅读圣经和其他圣书。

我的一位亲爱的朋友习惯于思考哪种精神影响她，然后要求上帝在那儿散发有害的影响。而且，她已经发展了一种在一切美好事物发生时感谢主的习惯。

我们可以打开天堂之门。天使可以随时冲进来，只要我们爱上善良，真善美，主与彼此之间，就可以使大门摆动开。这些选择打开了这些大门。

我们每个人都需要提醒，以帮助我们做出正确的选择。我们忘记得如此之快，而被我们时代的喧嚣分心。我们将电视，广播，计算机，电话和i-pads连接到一起-一种世俗文化，沉浸在自然而非灵性的环境中。但是，让我们转向神和天堂之门，这是不自然的。这是不自然的。这是精神上的。以下是一些对我有所帮助的提醒。

安排时间与耶和华约见：每天早晨和上床睡觉之前，都是为耶和华预留的两个常用时间。感到生气时，抬起您的思想和视野，并在门口向天使寻求帮助。尝试从我们女儿的一位朋友那里学到的一句话：祝福并释放！要努力在每个人和万物中看到上帝。

让丑陋的状态过去吧-祝福你的敌人，记住那些不同意或不喜欢我们的人可能是我们最好的属灵老师。我们可以看到我们对他们的反应，通常是反映出使我们恼火的行为的反应。有人告诉我们，爱我们的敌人以及我们的邻居。

我们需要注意我们的想法。

从古代吠陀经：

“注意你的想法，它们变成了文字。

留心您的话语，它们成为行动。

看着你的动作，它们成为习惯。

注意你的习惯，他们会成为角色。

看着你的角色，这就是你的命运。”

最重要的是检测我们喜欢的东西，因为这将确定我们徘徊的那扇门，然后进入。

进入新年时，我们有了圣餐是多么吉祥。有什么更好的开始方式，首先寻求天国-将最重要的事情放在首位？

这是乔伊斯·鲁普姐妹的美丽祈祷：

神秘的奥秘

等待门槛

在这个新的一年里

你打开大门

向我招手：

（你说）“来吧！来！

不要警惕等待着你的事情

当您进入未知地形时，

不要怀疑你的能力

从喜悦和悲伤中成长。

因为我和你在一起

我将成为您的向导。

我将成为您的保护者

您将永远不会孤单。”

新年的守护者

我抛开了我的恐惧，担忧，担忧，

我向神秘，美丽向我敞开心life，

好客的问题，

到无尽的机会

在我的关系中发现你

以及所有无声的奇迹

那会吸引我到你的心。

我欢迎您的光临

并带着希望走进新的一年。

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“走进黑暗，把手伸向上帝的手中。”

当我们站在新年之门时，我们将握着他的手–我们将遵循谁的灵感，谁的影响力将决定我们成为谁，这确实很重要。

从 诗篇118:19-20：

“向我敞开义门。

我会通过他们，

我会赞美主。

这是主的门，

义人必借此进入。”

阿们！

2799. 'And he took in his hand the fire and the knife' means the good of love and the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the fire' as the good of love, dealt with in 934, and from the meaning of 'the knife' as the truth of faith. As regards 'the knife' used on the victims in sacrifices meaning the truth of faith, this may be seen from the meaning of 'a sword' or 'a small sword' in the Word, for the expression 'small sword' is used instead of 'knife'. Both have the same meaning, the only difference being that 'a knife' which was used on sacrificial victims meant the truth of faith, whereas 'a sword' meant truth engaged in conflict. Now since the word 'knife' occurs but rarely in the Word, for a hidden reason given below, ¹ let the meaning of 'a sword' be shown. In the internal sense 'a sword' means the truth of faith engaged in conflict, and also the vastation of truth; and in the contrary sense it means falsity engaged in conflict and the punishment of falsity.

[2] A sword means the truth of faith engaged in conflict This becomes clear from the following places: In David,

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One; prosper in Your glory and honour, ride on the word of truth, and Your right hand will teach You marvellous things. Psalms 45:3-4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In the same author,

The merciful will exalt in glory, they will sing on their beds. The high praises of God will be in their throats and an extremely sharp sword in their hand. Psalms 149:5-6.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's body ² He made mention of My name, and made My mouth like a sharp sword, and made Me into a polished arrow. Isaiah 49:1-2.

'A sharp sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict, 'a polished arrow' for the truth of doctrine, see 2686, 2709. In the same prophet,

Asshur will fall by a sword, not of man (vir); a sword, not of man (homo), will devour him; and he will flee before the sword, and his young men will become tributary. Isaiah 31:8.

'Asshur' stands for reasoning in Divine things, 119, 1186, 'a sword, not of man (vir)' and 'not of man (homo)' stand for falsity, 'the sword before which he will flee' stands for truth engaged in conflict.

[3] In Zechariah,

Turn to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare I will render double to you - I who have bent for Myself Judah as a bow, I have filled Ephraim, and have roused your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan; and I will set you as the sword of one who is mighty, and Jehovah will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. Zechariah 9:12-14.

'The sword of one who is mighty' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man was holding in His right hand seven stars; out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword was going forth, and His countenance was like the sun shining in full strength. Revelation 1:13, 16.

And further on,

These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword, I will come to you quickly and engage in conflict with them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:12, 16.

'A sharp two-edged sword' plainly stands for truth engaged in conflict, which was therefore represented as 'a sword going out of His mouth'.

[4] In the same book,

Out of the mouth of Him who sat on the white horse went forth a sharp sword, and with it He is to smite the nations. And they were slain by the sword of Him sitting on the horse, which went out of His mouth. Revelation 19:15, 21.

Here it is plain that 'a sword going out of His mouth' means truth engaged in conflict. The one 'sitting on the white horse' is the Word, and thus the Lord who is the Word; see above 2760-2763. This explains what the Lord says in Matthew,

Do not think that I have come to bring peace on to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34.

And in Luke,

Now he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag. But he who has none, let him sell his garments and buy a sword. They said to Him, Behold, Lord, here are two swords. And Jesus said, It is enough. Luke 22:36-38.

'A sword' here is used to mean nothing else than the truth, from which and for which they were to engage in conflict.

[5] In Hosea,

I will make for them a covenant on that day with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish ³ the bow, and the sword, and war from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety. Hosea 2:18.

Here the subject is the Lord's kingdom. 'Abolishing the bow, the sword, and war' means the absence of any conflict there over doctrine and truth. In Joshua,

Joshua lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, a man was standing before him, with a sword drawn in his hand. He said to Joshua, I am the Prince of the army of Jehovah; and Joshua fell on his face to the earth. Joshua 5:13-14.

These words, which refer to the time when Joshua together with the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan, are used to mean the entry - of those who have faith - into the Lord's kingdom. Truth engaged in conflict, which is the Church's, is 'the sword drawn in the hand of the Prince of the army of Jehovah'.

[6] But as for 'small swords' or 'knives' meaning the truth of faith, this becomes clear from the fact that they were used not only in sacrifices but also in circumcision. Those used in circumcision were made of flint and were called 'small swords of flint', as is evident in Joshua,

Jehovah said to Joshua, Make small swords of flint for yourself; and again, circumcise the children of Israel a second time. And Joshua made small swords of flint for himself, and circumcised the children of Israel on the hill of the foreskins. Joshua 5:2-3.

'Circumcision' was a representative of purification from self-love and love of the world, see 2039, 2632. And because such purification is achieved by means of the truths of faith, 'small swords of flint' were therefore used, 2039 (end), 2046 (end).

[7] II A sword means the vastation of truth This is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

These two will happen to you; who is to condole with you? Vastation and demolition, and famine and sword; who is to comfort you? Your sons fainted, they lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:19-20.

'Famine' stands for vastation of good, and 'sword' for vastation of truth. 'Lying at the head of every street' stands for being deprived of all truth. 'Street' means truth, 2336; and for what vastation is, see 301-304, 407, 408, 410, 411. In the same prophet,

I will destine ⁴ you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter, because I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. Isaiah 65:12.

[8] In the same prophet,

By fire Jehovah will judge, and by sword, all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah will be many. Isaiah 66:16.

'The slain of Jehovah' stands for those who have undergone vastation. In Jeremiah,

On all the hills in the wilderness those who cause devastation have come, for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. There is no peace for any flesh. They have sown wheat and reaped thorns. Jeremiah 12:12-13.

'The sword of Jehovah' plainly stands for the vastation of truth. In the same prophet,

They have lied against Jehovah and said, It is not He; and no evil will come upon us; neither shall we see sword and famine. And the prophets will become wind, and there is no utterance in them. Jeremiah 5:12-13.

[9] In the same prophet,

I am visiting them; the young men will die by the sword; their sons and their daughters will die by famine. Jeremiah 11:22.

In the same prophet,

When they offer burnt offering and minchah I will not accept them, for I am consuming them by sword and by famine and by pestilence. And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovih, behold, the prophets say to them, You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine. Jeremiah 14:12-13.

In the same prophet,

The city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans fighting against it, in face of the sword, and famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah 32:24, 36.

In the same prophet,

I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are consumed from the ground which I gave to them and their fathers. Jeremiah 24:10.

[10] In these places vastation is described as 'sword, famine, and pestilence'. 'Sword' describes the vastation of truth, 'famine' the vastation of good, and 'pestilence' preying upon even to destruction. In Ezekiel,

Son of man, Take a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and over your beard. And you are to take balances and you are to divide the hair. A third part you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third part you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third part you are to scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. A third part will die of pestilence, and be consumed with famine in the midst [of you], and a third part will fall by the sword round about [you], and a third part I will scatter to every wind; and I will unsheathe the sword after them. Ezekiel 5:1-2, 12, 17.

This refers to the vastation of natural truth, which is described in this fashion. In the same prophet,

The sword is without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field will die by the sword, and him that is in the city famine and pestilence will devour. Ezekiel 7:15.

[11] In the same prophet,

Say to the land of Israel, Thus said Jehovah, Behold, I am against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north; and all flesh will know that I Jehovah have drawn My sword out of its sheath, and it will not return any more. The word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said Jehovah, Say: A sword, a sword has been sharpened and also polished, sharpened, for great slaughter, so that it is polished to flash like lightning! Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih against the children of Ammon, and against their reproach, Say: A sword, a sword is bared for the slaughter, and polished to consume because [polished to shine like] lightning - while they see vanity for you, while they divine a lie for you. Ezekiel 21:3-5, 8-20, 28-29.

Here 'a sword' means nothing other than vastation, as is evident in the internal sense from each detail included here.

[12] In the same prophet,

The king of Babel will destroy your towers with his swords. By reason of the abundance of horses their dust will cover you; by reason of the noise of horsemen, and wheels, and chariots, your walls will be shaken. With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:9-11.

What 'Babel' is, see 1326, and that it causes vastation, 1327. In David, If he does not turn back God will whet His sword, bend His bow, and make it ready. Psalms 7:12.

In Jeremiah,

I said, Ah, Lord, truly You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, You will have peace; but the sword has reached even to the soul. Jeremiah 4:10.

[13] In the same prophet,

Declare in Egypt, and cause it to be heard in Migdol, Stand up and prepare yourself, for the sword will devour round about you. Jeremiah 46:14.

In the same prophet,

A sword over the Chaldeans and against the inhabitants of Babel, and against her rulers, and against her wise men! A sword against the boasters, and they will become insane! A sword against her mighty men, and they will be dismayed! A sword against her horses, and against her chariots, and against the whole mingled crowd in her midst, and they will become as women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered! A drought on her waters, and they will dry up! Jeremiah 50:35-38.

'A sword' plainly stands for the vastation of truth, for it is said to be 'a sword against the wise men, against the boasters, against the mighty men, against the horses and chariots, against the treasures', and that there will be 'a drought on the waters and they will dry up'.

[14] In the same prophet,

We have given the hand to Egypt, to Asshur to be satisfied with bread. Slaves have had dominion over us; there is nobody to free us from their hand. In [peril of] our souls we acquired our bread, in face of the sword of the wilderness. Lamentations 5:6, 8-9.

In Hosea,

He will not return to the land of Egypt, and Asshur will be his king, because they have refused to return to Me. And the sword will come down on his cities, and consume his bars, and devour because of their counsels. Hosea 11:5-6.

In Amos.

I have sent the pestilence upon you in the way of Egypt, I have slain your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. ⁵ Amos 4:10.

'In the way of Egypt' stands for the facts which cause vastation when, on the basis of these, people reason in Divine things. 'Captured horses' stands for the understanding when stripped of its own inherent qualities.

[15] III A sword in the contrary sense means falsity engaged in conflict. This becomes clear in David,

As to my soul, I lie in the midst of lions setting on fire the children of men; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongues a sharp sword. Psalms 57:4.

In the same author,

Behold, they belch out with their mouths, swords are in their lips - for who hears? Psalms 59:7.

In Isaiah,

You are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable stock, a garment of the slain pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a dead body trodden underfoot. Isaiah 14:19

This refers to Lucifer. In Jeremiah,

In vain have I smitten your sons, they took no correction Your own sword is devouring your prophets, like a ravaging lion. O generation, observe the Word of Jehovah, Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Jeremiah 2:30-31.

[16] In the same prophet,

Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword, terror is all around. Jeremiah 6:25-26.

In the same prophet,

Take the cup of the wine of wrath and make all the nations to which I send you drink it. And they will drink and reel, and go mad in face of the sword which I am sending among them. Drink and get drunk, and vomit, and fall, and do not get up again in face of the sword. Jeremiah 25:15-16, 27.

In the same prophet,

Go up, O horses; rage, O chariots; let the mighty men go forth, Cush and Put, that handle the shield, and the Ludim that handle and bend the bow. And that day is to the Lord Jehovih of hosts a day of vengeance. And the sword will devour, and be sated, and become drunk on their blood. Jeremiah 46:9-10.

[17] In Ezekiel,

They will strip you of your garments, and take the jewels ⁶ of your glory, and leave you naked and bare. And they will bring up an assembly upon you, and they will stone you with stones; they will run you through with their swords. Ezekiel 16:39-40.

This refers to the abominations of Jerusalem. In Zechariah,

Woe to the worthless shepherd, the deserter of the flock! The sword will fall upon his arm and upon his right eye. His arm will be wholly withered, and his right eye utterly darkened. Zechariah 11:17.

In Hosea,

They thought what was evil against Me. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. Hosea 7:15-16.

[18] In Luke,

There will be great distress over the earth, and wrath on that people; for they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive among all the gentiles; ⁷ at length Jerusalem will be trodden down by the gentiles. ⁷ Luke 21:23-24.

Here the Lord was referring to the close of the age - in the sense of the letter to the dispersion of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem, but in the internal sense to the final state of the Church. 'Falling by the edge of the sword' means that there was no truth any longer, but merely falsity. 'All the gentiles' means every kind of evil among which 'they will be led captive'. 'The gentiles' - or 'the nations' - means evils, see 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, and 'Jerusalem' means the Church, 2117, which will be so 'trodden down' by them.

[19] IV A sword also means the punishment of falsity

This is clear in Isaiah,

On that day Jehovah will make a visitation with His hard and great and strong sword upon Leviathan the full-length serpent, ⁸ and upon Leviathan the twisting serpent, and He will slay the monsters that are in the sea. Isaiah 27:1.

This refers to those who by means of reasonings based on sensory evidence and factual knowledge enter into the mysteries of faith. 'The hard, great, and strong sword' stands for the punishments of the falsity that results from those reasonings.

[20] When one reads about people being put to, and being slain by, the edge of the sword, sometimes including 'both men and women, young people and old, oxen, sheep, and asses', the meaning in the internal sense is punishment consisting in the condemnation of falsity, as in Joshua 6:21; 8:24-25; 10:28, 30, 37, 39; 11:10-12, 14; 13:22; 19:47; Judges 1:8, 25; 4:15-16; 18:27; 20:37; 1 Samuel 15:8; 2 Kings 10:25; and elsewhere. This also explains why it was commanded to put to the sword any city which worshipped other gods, and to destroy it utterly and to burn it with fire, and to let it remain a heap for ever, Deuteronomy 13:12-18. 'The sword' stands for the punishment of falsity, 'fire' for the punishment of evil. The angel of Jehovah with a drawn sword who stood in the path against Balaam, Numbers 22:22, 31, meant the truth which stood in the way of the falsity which possessed Balaam. For that reason also he was slain with a sword, Numbers 31:8.

[21] The meaning of 'a sword' in the genuine sense as truth engaged in conflict, and in the contrary sense as falsity engaged in it, also the vastation of truth and the punishment of falsity, has its origin in the representatives that occur in the next life. For in that life, when anyone utters that which he knows to be false, daggers so to speak instantly come down over his head and strike terror, while truth engaged in conflict is represented there as well by objects which have sharp points like the tips of swords; for such is the nature of truth if it is devoid of good, but if it exists together with good it is rounded and gentle. Such being the origin of the meaning of a sword, therefore with angels, whenever a knife, spear, small sword, or sword is mentioned in the Word, truth engaged in conflict comes to mind.

[22] The reason why a knife is hardly mentioned at all in the Word is that in the next life there are evil spirits who are called 'knifers'. They seem to have knives hanging by their sides, and the reason for this is that they possess so brutal a nature that they wish to cut everyone's throat with their knife. This is why knives are not mentioned, but small swords and swords, for the latter being implements normally used in battle give rise to the idea of war and so of truth engaged in conflict.

[23] Because it was well known to the ancients that a small sword, a lance, and a knife meant truth, the gentiles, who received the practice through tradition, were therefore accustomed during sacrifices to stab and slash themselves, even until they bled, with small swords, lances, or knives, as one reads of the priests of Baal,

The priests of Baal cried out with a loud voice and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until blood gushed out. 1 Kings 18:28.

As regards all weapons of war in the Word meaning things that have to do with spiritual conflict, each one having some specific meaning, see 2686.

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