275. Verse 6. And in sight of the throne a glassy sea like crystal, signifies the appearance of [Divine] truth in ultimates where its generals are, and its pellucidity by virtue of the influx of Divine truth united to Divine good in firsts. This is evident from the signification of "in sight of the throne," as being appearance; also from the signification of "glassy," as being pellucid. It is also said "like crystal," that pellucidity from the influx of Divine truth united to Divine good in firsts may be described; this is signified by "the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne" (as shown just above, n. 274. In this and what precedes, the state of the whole heaven arranged in order for judgment is described, and its ultimate is meant by "the glassy sea like crystal." The truth of the ultimate heaven is signified by "a glassy sea" because "sea" signifies the generals of truth, such truth as exists in the ultimates of heaven, and with man in the natural man, which truth is called knowledge [scientificum]. The "sea" signifies such truths because in the sea is the gathering together of waters, and "waters" signify truths (See above, n. 71).

[2] That this is the signification of "sea" is evident from many passages in the Word, a number of which I will cite here. In Isaiah:

I will shut up the Egyptians into the land of a hard lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them. Then the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry (Isaiah 19:4, 6).

By "the Egyptians" knowledges [scientiae] that are of the natural man are meant; "the hard lord into whose hands they should be shut up" signifies the evil of self-love; "a fierce king" signifies falsity therefrom; "the waters shall fail from the sea" signifies that with all the abundance of knowledges [scientiarum] there still are no truths; and "the river shall dry up and become dry" signifies that there is no doctrine of truth and no intelligence therefrom.

[3] In the same:

Jehovah will visit with His sword, hard, great, and strong, upon leviathan the stretched out serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent, and will slay the whales that are in the sea (Isaiah 27:1).

This is also said of "Egypt," by which knowledges [scientiae] that are of the natural man are signified; "leviathan the stretched out serpent" signifies those who reject all things which they do not see with the eyes, thus the merely sensual, who are without faith, because they do not comprehend. "Leviathan the crooked serpent" signifies those who, for the same reason, do not believe, and yet say that they believe. "The sword, hard, and great, and strong, with which they shall be visited," signifies the extinction of all truth, for "sword" signifies falsity destroying truth. "The whales in the sea," that shall be slain, signify knowledges [scientifica] in general. (That these are signified by "whales," see Arcana Coelestia 7293.)

[4] In the same:

Let the inhabitants of the isle be still; thou merchant of Zidon passing over the sea, they have filled thee. Blush, O Zidon, for the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, and I have not brought forth, and I have not brought up young men, and have not raised up virgins; when the report comes to Egypt they shall be seized with grief, as by the report respecting Tyre (Isaiah 23:2-5).

"Zidon" and "Tyre" signify the knowledges of good and truth; therefore it is said "the merchant of Zidon passing over the sea," "merchant" meaning one who acquires these knowledges for himself and communicates them. That they acquired for themselves thereby nothing of good and truth is signified by "the sea said, I have not travailed and I have not brought forth, I have not brought up young men, and have not raised up virgins;" "to travail and bring forth" is to produce something from knowledges; "young men" mean truths, and "virgins" goods. That the use of cognitions and knowledges (cognitionum et scientiarum) would therefore perish, is signified by "when the report comes to Egypt they shall be seized with grief, as by the report respecting Tyre."

[5] In Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and cast away their robes, and strip off their broidered garments, they shall be clothed with terrors. They shall take up a lamentation over thee, and shall say, How hast thou perished, thou that dwelt by the seas, the renowned city which was strong in the sea; therefore the islands in the sea shall be dismayed at thy outcome (Ezekiel 26:15-18).

These things are said of "Tyre," which signifies the cognitions of truth, the neglect and loss of which are thus described; the "princes of the sea that shall come down from their thrones" signify primary cognitions; that these together with knowledges [scientificis] shall be abandoned is signified by "they shall cast away their robes, and strip off their broidered garments;" "broidered work," is knowledges [scientificum]; "the city that dwelt by the seas and was strong in the sea" signifies the power of knowing in all abundance ("seas" signify collections); "the islands in the sea" signify nations more remote from truths that long for cognitions, of which it is said "therefore the islands in the sea shall be dismayed at thy outcome."

[6] In Isaiah:

They shall not do evil nor corrupt themselves in all the mountain of My holiness; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge [scientifia] of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).

This treats of a new heaven and a new church, which are meant by "mountain of holiness," in which "they shall not do evil nor corrupt themselves;" their understanding of truth from the Lord is described by "the earth shall be full of the knowledge [scientia] of Jehovah; "and as waters" signify truths, and the "sea" the fullness of them, it is said, "as the waters cover the sea."

[7] In the same:

By My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall become putrid because there is no water, and shall die of thirst (Isaiah 50:2).

"To dry up the sea" signifies an entire lack of the general knowledges of truth; "to make the rivers a wilderness" signifies the deprivation of all truth and of intelligence therefrom; "the fish shall become putrid" signifies that the knowledges [scientifica] pertaining to the natural man shall be without any spiritual life; this takes place when they are applied to confirm falsities in opposition to the truths of the church; "by cause there is no water" signifies because there is no truth; "to die of thirst" signifies the extinction of truth. (That "rivers" signify the things of intelligence, see Arcana Coelestia 108, 2702[1-17], Arcana Coelestia 2702[1-17], 3051; that "wilderness" signifies where there is no good because there is no truth, n. 2708, 4736, 7055; that "fish" signifies the knowledge [scientificum] pertaining to the natural man, n. 40, 991; that "water" signifies truth, n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 5668, 8568; and that "to die of thirst" signifies the absence of spiritual life from lack of truth, n. Arcana Coelestia 8568[1-10].

[8] In David:

O Jehovah, Thou rulest in the uprising of the sea; when it raiseth up its waves (Psalms 89:9).

The "sea" here signifies the natural man, because in the natural man are the generals of truth; "the uprising of the sea" signifies its exalting itself against the Divine, denying the things that are of the church; the "waves" which it raiseth up signify falsities.

[9] In the same:

Jehovah hath founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:2).

The "world" signifies the church; the "seas" knowledges in general which are in the natural man; and "rivers" the truths of faith; upon these two the church has its foundation.

[10] In Amos:

Jehovah, who buildeth His steps in the heavens, and calleth the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the faces of the earth (Amos 9:6).

"The steps that Jehovah buildeth in the heavens" signify interior truths which are called spiritual; "the waters of the sea" signify exterior truths, which are natural because they are in the natural man; "to pour them out upon the faces of the earth" signifies upon the men of the church, for the "earth" is the church.

[11] In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap; He giveth the deeps in treasuries (Psalms 33:6-7).

"The word of Jehovah by which the heavens were made," and "the breath of His mouth by which all the hosts of them were made," signify Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; "the hosts of the heavens" are all things of love and faith; "the waters of the sea that He gathereth together as an heap" signify the knowledges of truth, and truths in general, which are together in the natural man; "the deeps that He gives in treasuries" signify sensual knowledges [scientifica sensualia], which are the most general and ultimate things of the natural man, and in which at the same time are interior or higher truths, therefore they are called "treasures."

[12] In the same:

Jehovah hath founded the earth upon its bases, that it be not removed for ever and ever. Thou hast covered it with the deep as with a vesture (Psalms 104:5-6).

The "earth" signifies the church; "the bases on which Jehovah hath founded it for ever" are the knowledges of truth and good; "the deep with which He hath covered it as with a vesture" signifies sensual knowledge [scientificum sensuale], which is the ultimate of the natural man, and being the ultimate, it is said that "He covered it as with a vesture."

[13] In the same:

Jehovah, Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in many waters, yet Thy footsteps have not been known (Psalms 77:19).

In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah, I who have given a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters (Isaiah 43:16).

That "sea" here does not mean the sea, nor "waters" the waters, is clear, since it is said that therein "are the way and the path of Jehovah;" therefore by "sea" and by "waters" are meant such things as Jehovah or the Lord is in, which are the knowledges of truth in general from the Word, and the truths therein; "the sea" being such knowledges, and "waters" truths. Knowledges and truths differ in this, that knowledges are of the natural man, and truths of the spiritual man.

[14] In Jeremiah:

Behold, I will plead thy cause, and will revenge thy revenging; that I may dry up the sea of Babylon, and make dry her fountain. The sea shall come up upon Babylon, she shall be covered with the multitude of its waves (Jeremiah 51:36, 42).

By "Babylon" those who profane goods are meant; "the sea of Babylon" means their traditions, which are the adulterations of good from the Word; "the waves" are the falsities from these; their destruction at the Last Judgment is hereby described.

[15] In the same:

A people coming from the north, and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice maketh a tumult like the sea, and they ride upon horses (Jeremiah 50:41, 42).

"A people coming from the north" are those who are in falsities from evil; "the great nation" means evils; and "many kings" falsities; "the sides of the earth" are the things outside of the church, and those that are not of the church, for the "earth" means the church; "their voice maketh a tumult like the sea" means falsity from the natural man exalting itself against the truth of the church; "the horses upon which they ride" are reasonings from the fallacies of the senses.

[16] In the same:

Jehovah giveth the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for light by night, stirring up the sea so that the waves thereof roar (Jeremiah 31:35).

"The sun from which is the light of day" signifies the good of celestial love, from which is the perception of truth; "the statutes of the moon and stars, from which is the light of night," signify truths from spiritual good and from knowledges, by which there is intelligence; "the sea that is stirred up, and the waves that roar," signify the generals of truth in the natural man, and knowledges [scientifica].

[17] In Isaiah:

The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot be quiet, but its waters cast up filth and mire (Isaiah 57:20).

"The troubled sea which is like the wicked," signifies reasonings from falsities; "the waters that cast up filth and mire," signify the falsities themselves, from which come evils of life and falsities of doctrine.

[18] In Ezekiel:

I will stretch out Mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast (Ezekiel 25:16).

"The Philistines" signify those who are in the doctrine of faith alone, and "the remnant of the sea coast that shall be destroyed," signifies all things of truth.

[19] In Hosea:

I will not return to destroy Ephraim. They shall go after Jehovah; and the sons from the sea shall draw near with honor, with honor shall they come as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria (Hosea 11:9-11).

"Ephraim" signifies the church in respect to the understanding of truth; "the sons from the sea, who shall draw near," signify truths from a common fountain, which is the Word; "a bird out of Egypt" signifies knowledge [scientificum] agreeing; and "a dove out of the land of Assyria" signifies the rational.

[20] In Zechariah:

In that day living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; part of them to the eastern sea, and part of them to the hinder sea (Zechariah 14:8).

"Living waters from Jerusalem" signify truths from a spiritual origin in the church, which are the truths that are received by man when he is illustrated by the Lord while he is reading the Word. "Jerusalem" is the church in respect to doctrine, the "sea" signifies the natural man, into which those things that are in the spiritual man descend; the "eastern sea" signifies the natural man in respect to good; and the "hinder sea" the natural man in respect to truth; and as the natural man is in the generals of truth, "sea" also signifies the general of truth.

[21] He who knows nothing about the spiritual man, and the truths and goods that are therein, may suppose that the truths that are in the natural man, and are called cognitions and knowledges [scientifica] are not merely the generals of truth, but are all there is of truth with man. But let him know that the truths in the spiritual man, from which those are that are in the natural, are incomparably more numerous; but these truths in the spiritual man do not come to the perception of the natural man until he enters the spiritual world, which is after death; for then man puts off the natural and puts on the spiritual. That this is so can be seen from this fact alone, that angels are in intelligence and wisdom ineffable as compared with man, and yet they are from the human race. (That angels are from the human race, see in the small work onThe Last Judgment 14-22 and 23-27)

[22] As the "sea" signifies the generals of truth, therefore the great vessel, which was for general washing, was called "the brazen sea" (1 Kings 7:23-26); for the "washings" represented purifications from falsities and evils, and "waters" signify truths, by which purifications are effected; and as all truths are from good, the containing vessel was made of brass, and was therefore called "the barren sea," for brass signifies good. Spiritual purification, which is called purification from falsities and evils, is there fully described by the measurements of that vessel, and by the bases thereof, understood in a spiritual sense. From what has been brought forward it can be seen that "sea" signifies the generals of truth or the knowledges of truth together and collectively. But what further is signified by "sea" will be shown in the explanation of what follows, for "sea" is used in various senses (as in Revelation 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8, 9; 10:2, 8; 12:12; 13:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:13; 21:1).

4728. 'And let us throw him into one of the pits' means among falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'pits' as falsities. The reason 'pits' means falsities is that people who are immersed in false assumptions are kept for a considerable time after death beneath the lower earth, until falsities have been removed from them and so to speak cast away to the sidelines. The places situated there are called pits. Those who go there are people who have to undergo vastation, dealt with in 1106-1113, 2699, 2701, 2704. ¹ This is why by 'pits' in the abstract sense falsities are meant. The lower earth is directly below the feet, and is a region that does not extend to any great distance all around. There the majority stay after death before being raised up into heaven. Mention is also made of this lower earth in various places in the Word. Below it are places where vastation takes place, and they are called pits. Beneath these places and extending to quite a distance all around are the hells.

[2] From this one may have some idea of what is meant by hell, the lower earth, or the pit, when these are mentioned in the Word, as in Isaiah,

You have been sent down to hell, to the sides of the pit; you are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable branch, a garment of the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit. Isaiah 14:15, 19.

This refers to the king of Babel, who represents the profanation of truth, for 'a king' represents truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, and 'Babel' profanation, 1182, 1326. 'Hell' is the place where the condemned are, and their state of condemnation is compared to 'an abominable branch' and 'a garment of the slain and of those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit'. 'A garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane; 'those pierced by the sword' means people among whom truth has been annihilated; 'the pit' means falsity that is to be laid waste, 'stones' the limits of that falsity, which are also therefore called 'the sides', for surrounding the pits there are the hells. 'A garment' means truth, 2576, and therefore 'a garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane, for 'the blood' with which it has been stained means that which has been made profane, 1003. 'Those pierced by the sword' means those among whom truth has been annihilated, 4503. From all this it is also evident that without the internal sense one cannot by any means know what these things mean.

[3] In Ezekiel,

When I cause you to go down with those going down to the pit, to the people of old, and I cause you to dwell in the land of the lower ones, in the desolations from of old, so that you do not dwell with those going down to the pit, I will give beauty in the land of the living. Ezekiel 26:20.

'Those going down to the pit' stands for those who are made to undergo vastation. 'Not dwelling with those who go down to the pit' stands for being delivered from falsities.

[4] In the same prophet,

That none of all the trees by the waters may become arrogant because of their height nor send their trunk up among entangled boughs, and that none of all [the trees] that drink water may reach above them because of their height - all will be given over to death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to those going down to the pit. At the sound of its crashing down I will make the nations tremble, when I cause him to go down into hell with those going down to the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon, all those drinking water, will comfort themselves on the lower earth. Ezekiel 31:14, 16.

This refers to Egypt, meaning knowledge, which enters by itself into the mysteries of faith, that is, people who enter into them, 1164, 1165, 1186. What has been stated above makes plain the meaning of hell, the pit, and the lower earth mentioned at this point in the prophet. Nor from anywhere else than the internal sense can anyone see what is meant by 'the trees by the waters', 'the trees of Eden', 'the trunk sent up among entangled boughs', 'the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon', and 'those drinking water'.

[5] In the same prophet,

Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cause it and the daughters of magnificent nations to go down to the lower earth. with those going down into the pit. Asshur is there to whom graves have been given in the sides of the pit, all of them slain with the sword. Ezekiel 32:18, 22-23.

What these words mean may be seen from the explanations given above. In David,

Jehovah, You have caused my soul to come up out of hell; You have caused me to live, out of those going down to the pit. Psalms 30:3.

In the same author,

I have been reckoned with them going down to the pit; I have become as a man with no strength. You have put me in the pit of the lower ones, in darkness, in the depths. Psalms 88:4, 6.

In Jonah,

I had gone down to the bottoms of the mountains; the bars of the land were upon me for ever. Nonetheless You brought up my life from the pit. Jonah 2:6.

This refers to the Lord's temptations, and to deliverance from them. 'The bottoms of the mountains' means where the most condemned are, for the gloomy dark clouds which seemingly surround them are mountains.

[6] As regards 'the pit' meaning falsity laid waste, and in the abstract sense falsity itself, this is clear in addition in Isaiah,

They will be gathered together, in a gathering as the bound for the pit, and they will be shut up in the dungeon; but after a multitude of days they will be visited. Isaiah 24:22.

In the same prophet,

Where is the anger of the oppressor? He that leads out will hasten to open, and he will not die at the pit; nor will bread fail. Isaiah 51:13-14.

In Ezekiel,

Behold, I am bringing strangers upon you, the violent of the nations, who will draw their swords against the loveliness of your wisdom, and they will profane your splendour. They will bring you down into the pit, and you will die the deaths of those slain in the heart of the seas. Ezekiel 28:7-8.

This refers to the prince of Tyre, who means people under the influence of false assumptions.

[7] In Zechariah,

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you, just, meek, and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the young of she-asses. Through the blood of the covenant I will let out your bound ones from the pit in which there is no water. Zechariah 9:9, 11.

'The pit in which there is no water' stands for falsity that has no truth at all within it, as also in verse 24 below where it is said that they cast Joseph into the pit and the pit was empty, having no water in it. In David,

To You, O Jehovah, do I call; my rock, do not be silent to me, lest if You are silent to me I seem like those going down into the pit. Psalms 28:1.

In the same author,

Jehovah caused me to come up out of the pit of VASTATION, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock. Psalms 40:2.

[8] In the same author,

Do not let the flow of waters rush over me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me. Psalms 69:15.

In the same author,

He sent His word and healed them, and rescued them from their pits. Psalms 107:20.

'From pits' stands for from falsities. In the same author,

Make haste, answer me, O Jehovah. My spirit is consumed. Do not hide Your face from me, lest I become like those going down into the pit. Psalms 143:7.

Because 'a pit' means falsity, and 'the blind' those who are immersed in falsities, 2383, the Lord therefore says,

Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. For if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a pit. Matthew 15:13, 14; Luke 6:39.

Something similar to what was represented by Joseph was also represented by the prophet Jeremiah, who describes what happened to him as follows,

They took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit which was in the court of the guard, and let Jeremiah down by ropes into the pit where there was no water. Jeremiah 38:6.

That is, they cast Divine Truths away among falsities that had no truth at all within them.

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