1. A

Abaddon [Abaddon]. See Destroyer.

Abomination [abominatio]. The evils enumerated in the second table of the Decalogue are called abominations, shown n. 891.

Abyss [abyssus]. A description of the pit of the abyss, where they are who have confirmed in themselves faith alone separated from charity, n. 421, 442.

Accuse, to [accusare]. Accuser and to accuse, when spoken of the devil, signifies to bring forth various things out of man, and to condemn, n. 554.

Adore, to [adorare]. To adore signifies to acknowledge as holy or sacred, n. 579, 580, 588, 630. When spoken with respect to the Lord, it signifies to acknowledge him as the God of heaven and earth, and to adore him, n. 630.

Adultery [adulterium]. To commit adultery and whoredom signifies to adulterate and to falsify the goods and truths of the Word, illustrated and shown n. 134. The reason is, because in the Word and in every part thereof there is a marriage of the Lord and the church, also a marriage of good and truth, which constitutes the church; concerning which, n. 134, 359, 380, 812, 816, 881, 955. See Marriage and Bridegroom. That by the great harlot of Babylon is signified the adulteration and profanation of the Word, n. 719. See Papists.

Afar off [longinquum]. Afar off signifies remoteness of state, that is, removed from such things as constitute states of good and truth, and thence appertain to the church, illustrated and shown n. 769. The contrary is signified by near, n. 947. See At hand. To stand afar off, and to lament over damnation signifies to be in a state remote from damnation and in fear, n. 769,783, 787.

Affection [affectio]. See Love.

Affliction [afflictio]. Affliction signifies the state of the church infested by evils and falsities, shown n. 33. It also signifies temptations, n. 377. Affliction is predicated of falsities, n. 95,137.

After [post]. To walk after another signifies to obey, shown n. 578.

Air [aer]. What is signified by air, see n. 708.

Alas [vae]. See Woe.

Allelujah [alleluia]. It signifies praise ye God; it was an expression of thanksgiving, confession, and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart, shown n. 803, 807, 808. See To praise.

Altar [altare]. In the church amongst the children of Israel there were two altars, one for burnt offerings, the other for incense; and by the altar for burnt offerings is represented, and thence signified worship from celestial love, and by the altar for incense, worship from spiritual love illustrated and shown n. 392, 649. See Sacrifice and Incense. The altar for burnt offerings also signifies the celestial kingdom of the Lord, n. 649. Fire was continually burning upon the altar of burnt offering, and that hence fire was taken in the censer, and offered with incense, shown n. 395. That fire signifies the Divine celestial love, n. 395. See Fire.

Amen [amen]. Amen signifies confirmation from the truth, and since the Lord is truth itself, it signifies confirmation from the Lord, shown n. 23, 61, 199, 292, and it also signifies consent of all, n. 375.

Amphitheater [amphitheatrum]. Concerning the amphitheater where the dragons held their diversions, illustrated n. 655. Concerning their diversions there, see Faith.

Angel [angelus]. By angel, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, in a respective sense, heaven, also a heavenly society, and likewise Divine truth, n. 647, 910. By angel, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, illustrated and shown n. 5, 258, 344, 465, 647, 910, also by the seven angels, n. 657. By angel and angels are signified heaven because heaven is heaven from the Lord, n. 5, 342, 910. By Michael and Gabriel are not meant any archangel but societies of heaven and ministries therein, by Michael are meant societies of angels, whose special ministry is to teach, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that God the Father and he are one; and by Gabriel are meant societies of angels, wherein is taught, that Jehovah came into the world, and that his human is the son of God, n. 77, 548, 564. Angel signifies Divine truth n. 900, 910. Concerning the angels of the third heaven, n. 120, and in the following. An angel does not speak with man out of heaven, but the Lord through heaven; but when an angel is to talk with man, he is sent out of heaven, and talks with man from the Lord, n. 816 See Heaven. The angels are not superior men, but their equals; the reason why they excel men in wisdom is because they are in spiritual light, but men in natural light 818. Angels and spirits know nothing of man, with whom they do not speak; the reason is because they are consociated by correspondences, n. 943. Angels are consociated with men, but the Lord only is conjoined with them n. 818, 946. Angels are not to be invoked, much less worshiped, but only the Lord, n. 818. He is an angel of heaven who receives the Lord in love and faith, n. 344.

Animals [animalia]. See Beasts. Concerning the four animals, see Cherubim.

Anointing, to Anoint [unctio, ungere]. See Oil.

Antipas [Antipas]. The martyr, that is, a confessor of the truth, n. 112.

Apes [simia]. Concerning apes mounted on horses, and seated thereon with their bodies reversed: who they were, and of what nature and quality, illustrated n. 839.

Apocalypse [Apocalypsis]. The Apocalypse treats concerning the last state of the Christian church, afterwards concerning the last judgment, and lastly concerning the new church, which is the new Jerusalem, and not concerning the empires or kingdoms of the world, Preface, and n. 2, 227, 387, 483, 543. In series it treats of the falsities in the church, inasmuch as the truths of the new church cannot be received before those falsities are discovered and removed, n. 700. The Apocalypse was manifested to John by the Lord, and it is now opened by him, preface, and n. 953, 954, 957. Nothing shall be added or taken away from what is written in Revelation signifies that nothing shall be added or taken away from the truths of the new church which contain prophecies, and are now revealed, illustrated n. 957–959. The last words in Revelation are the words of betrothal between the Lord and the church to marriage, n. 960.

Apostles [apostoli]. By the disciples of the Lord are meant those who are taught and instructed in the goods and truths of the church, n. 79. By apostles are meant those who teach the goods and truths of the church, and the twelve apostles of the Lord consequently represent and thence in the Word signify the church as to all the goods and truths thereof, n. 5, 233, 790, 903, 915. What is signified by Peter, James, and John, n. 5. The same is signified by the apostles sitting on twelve thrones, and judging the twelve tribes of Israel, n. 233, 798. The apostles are called holy, because they represent holy things, n. 790.

Ark [arca]. See Decalogue.

Armageddon [Armageddon]. Armageddon signifies the love of honor, dominion, and preeminence, shown n. 707. To gather together to war, in Armageddon signifies a state of combat from falsities against truths, and a desire of destroying the new church, arising from a love of dominion or power and preeminence, n. 707, illustrated n. 839. Concerning the combat in Armageddon with respect to the understanding of the Lord’s prayer in its beginning, illustrated n. 839. See Prayer.

Arms [arma]. Arms signifies such things as belong to spiritual war, shown n. 436. See War. Breast plates signify argument, shown n. 436, 450.

Army or Host [exercitus]. An army signifies those who are in Divine goods and truths, and thence abstractly goods and truths, and in the opposite sense, those who are in evils and falsities, and thence abstractly evils and falsities, illustrated and shown n. 447, 833. Therefore the sun, moon, and the stars, are called hosts or armies, shown n. 447. By sun, moon, and stars, are signified the goods and truths of the church, also its evils and falsities, n. 413. See Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Artificer [artifex]. An artificer signifies a man who is intelligent, and who from understanding thinks truths, and, in the opposite sense, who from self-derived intelligence thinks falsities, illustrated and shown n. 793. Every kind of device in the world corresponds with such things as belong to angelic wisdom, illustrated n. 793.

Asher [Ascher]. Asher in the highest sense signifies eternity, in the spiritual sense, eternal happiness, in the natural sense, the affection of good and truth, also the love of being useful, which is called mutual love, shown n. 353.

Asia [Asia]. Asia signifies those who are in the light of truth from the Word, illustrated n. 11. Concerning Great Tartary in Asia, n. 11. See Tartary.

Assyria or Ashur [Assyria]. It signifies the rational faculty of the church, illustrated n. 444. See Euphrates.

At Hand, Near, Nearness [prope, propinquum]. At hand and near signifies nearness of state, also that it is absolutely necessary, illustrated n. 947. See also Afar Off, and Shortly.

Atmospheres [atmospherae]. In the spiritual world there are atmospheres like ether, air, and water, in which the angels of the three heavens dwell, and those atmospheres are spiritual, n. 238, 878.

Axe [securis]. An axe signifies the falsity from one’s own intelligence, illustrated and shown n. 847.

900. And over the gates twelve angels, with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. This symbolizes the Divine truths and goods of heaven in those concepts, which are also the Divine truths and goods of the church, and at the same time safeguards to keep someone from entering into them unless he does so from the Lord.

The twelve angels symbolize here all the truths and goods of heaven, since in the highest sense angels symbolize the Lord, in a more general sense heaven, which is composed of angels, and in a more particular sense the truths and goods of heaven from the Lord. See nos. 5, 170, 258, 344, 415, 465, 647, 648, 657, 718. Here they symbolize the truths and goods of heaven, because the statement follows, "with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel," and these symbolize all the truths and goods of the church (no. 349).

Being over the gates means, symbolically, in those concepts, inasmuch as "over" in the Word symbolically means "within." The reason is that the highest component in sequential order becomes the inmost in concurrent order. Consequently the third heaven is called both the highest heaven and the inmost heaven. That is why "over the gates" symbolically means in the concepts of truth. The names written on the angels symbolize their whole character, thus also the character within them, for every quality in outward expressions originates from inner attributes.

It is apparent that the same words symbolize safeguards to keep someone from entering the church without having those concepts from the Lord, because the angels were seen standing over the gates, and the names of the tribes of Israel were also written on them.

We say that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are present in the concepts coming from the Word that serve to introduce into the church, because when concepts of truth and good from the Word have in them a spiritual quality from heaven from the Lord, they are called not concepts, but truths. But if those concepts do not have in them a spiritual quality from heaven from the Lord, they are nothing more than articles of knowledge.