6088. About food in the spiritual world

They eat and drink there just as in the natural world, but all the food there is from a spiritual origin, so it is not prepared but simply given daily. When it is lunchtime and also dinnertime, a table with food appears for the time, and disappears when lunch or dinner has been eaten.

[2] All spirits, however many, are fed in keeping with their positions: the governors sumptuously, with table settings that are indescribable as regards their high quality, the rest less richly, in keeping with their status.

[3] N.B. Everyone is given food depending on to the work they do. Those who do not have some governmental office, business or trade get no food but beg. I have seen men of high standing begging for this reason, because they have not wanted to do any work, and even distinguished women.

؉ have seen high-standing individuals who had lived magnificently in the world given only milk and bread, and when they complained that they were not given more, it was said that they had done no work, and no food is given to those who are slothful and idly passing time. As a result they were reduced to performing some menial task so they could eat. Besides this they go to such as actually work, and as a favor get to eat with them, but this does not last long. They can buy bread in their own places, but no other foodstuffs. The reason is that certain ones want to be paid for the work they do, and because they work under these conditions, they can be paid money for buying bread, but the purchase [of other foodstuffs] is not possible except for those who are good In such positions bread comes gratis. Besides other like things.

[4] In the hells all are driven to performing useful services, and those who do not work receive no food, or clothing, or bed, so they are driven to laborious tasks. The reason is because idleness is the root of all wickedness, for in idleness the mind spreads out to various evil acts and false thoughts, but is restricted to one while on a task.

[5] Food cannot be kept to the next day: worms breed as in the manna [Ex. 16:20]. This is meant in the Lord's prayer: "Give us our daily bread" [Matt. 6:11]; and also as regards the paschal lamb that nothing was to be stored for the next day [Deut. 16:4],and that as regards the sacrifices [nothing was to be kept beyond the third day (Lev. 7:16; 19:6)].

[6] Because food is from a spiritual origin, and consequently in itself spiritual, and because spirits and angels are human beings and fitted with a spiritual body, therefore such spiritual food serves them. Therefore the spiritual person is nourished spiritually and the material person naturally. As all things that appear in the spiritual world correspond to affections and so to the thoughts of the understanding, from these they have houses, palaces, clothing, fields, gardens, pleasure gardens, which are also all from a spiritual origin. And because good affection together with the understanding's thought of truth cannot exist in idleness, but is dissipated, therefore food is not given otherwise than according to correspondences; and besides this, the works of those who are in hell have correspondences with the heavens, but not with infernal spirits themselves, just as happened with the Israelite and Judaic nation. Although it was evil, their representative worship nevertheless still corresponded [to heavenly things]. What their correspondences were may be seen in the doctrine of the new Jerusalem, number [Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248].

[7] Their food was seen very clearly to be similar to food in our world, to foods of every kind, even accompanied by various delicacies. There are also table decorations that cannot be described in natural language.

92. APOCALYPSE. CHAPTER 2.

1. To the angel of the Ephesian Church write: These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand; He that walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands;

2. I know thy works, and thy toil, and thy endurance, and that thou canst not bear the evil, and hast tried them that say that they are apostles, and they are not, and hast found them liars;

3. And hast borne and hast endurance, and for My name's sake hast toiled, and hast not failed.

4. But I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity.

5. Be mindful, therefore, of whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; but if not, I will come unto thee quickly, and will move thy lampstand out of its place, except thou repent.

6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

8. And to the angel of the church of the Smyrneans write: These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead and is alive:

9. I know thy works, and affliction, and poverty, but thou art rich; ¹ and the blasphemy of them who say that they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10. Fear not the things which thou art to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have affliction ten days: be thou faithful even till death, and I will give thee the crown of life.

11. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death.

12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith He that hath the sharp two-edged sword,

13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest My name, and didst not deny My faith, even in the days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14. But I have against thee a few things: that thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices, and to commit whoredom.

15. So thou also hast then that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16. Repent; or else I will come to thee quickly, and will fight against thee with the sword or My mouth.

17. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth except he that receiveth.

18. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, that hath His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass.

19. I know thy works and charity, and ministry and faith, and thine endurance, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first.

20. But I have against thee a few things; that thou, sufferest the woman Jezebel, that calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit whoredom, and to eat idol-sacrifices.

21. And I gave her time that she might repent of her whoredom; and she repented not.

22. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those that commit adultery with her into great affliction, except they repent of their works.

23. And her sons I will kill with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say; I put upon you no other burden.

25. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come.

26. And he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end, I will give him power over the nations.

27. And he shall rule them with an iron rod; as earthen vessels shall they be shivered, as I also have received from My Father.

28. And I will give him the morning star.

29. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

In the preceding pages it has been told what is meant by the "seven churches" and by the "angels" thereof; namely, by the "seven churches" all who are in truths from good, and by the "seven angels" all in heaven that correspond to them (See n. 20, 90); and since heaven and the church make one by correspondence, it is said in what follows, "To the angel of the church, write," and not, Write to the church. It is so said for this reason also, that there must be correspondence in order that the church may be a church with man; if there were no correspondence, there would be no communication of heaven, thus no heaven, with man; and if heaven were not with him neither would the church be with him. (See The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 241-248. What the correspondence of the man of the church with heaven is, cannot be told in a few words, but whoever desires may be taught what it is in what is said and shown in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-115 291-310.) In a word, there is correspondence when man has become spiritual, and man becomes spiritual when he acknowledges the Divine and especially the Lord, and loves to live according to the precepts in the Word, for when he does this he is conjoined with heaven; and then the spiritual corresponds with the natural which is with him. I am aware that to many these things may seem to exceed their comprehension; but the reason is that it is not the delight of their love to know them; if it were the delight of their love, not only would they perceive them clearly, but they would also be eager to know much more of such things; for a man desires what he loves, and what he loves is his delight; moreover, whatever is loved enters both with joy and with light into the idea of the mind.

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