354. Come and see. That this signifies attention and perception, is clear from the signification of coming when anything is made visible, as denoting to attend; for by coming, in the spiritual sense, is meant to draw near with the sight, thus to attend; all attention also is from the presence of the sight in the object; and from the signification of beholding, as denoting perception, for by seeing in the Word is signified to understand (as may be seen above, n. 11, 260); here to perceive, because out of the inmost heaven; for what comes out of the inmost heaven, is perceived; but what comes out of the middle heaven, is understood. The reason is, that the inmost heaven is in the good of love, but the middle heaven is in the truths therefrom, and all perception is from good, and all understanding from truths. (Concerning this fact see above, n. 307; what perception is may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 140.)

119. And the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not. That this signifies vituperation from those who think themselves to be in the knowledges of good and truth because they have the Word, and yet it is not so, is evident from the signification of blasphemy, as being scandalous reproach and vituperation; and from the signification of Jews, as being those who are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; for Judah, in the highest sense of the Word, signifies the Lord as to celestial love, in the internal sense, the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and the Word, and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, which is of the celestial church (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3881, 6363). It is therefore evident by the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not is signified scandalous reproach and vituperation from those who say that they acknowledge the Lord, and are in His kingdom, and in true doctrine because they have the Word, and yet are not; and, in general, those who say they are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, and nevertheless are in falsities and evils.

[2] Those who are ignorant of the internal sense of the Word, cannot but suppose that, in the prophetic parts of the Word, by Judah and the Jews are meant Judah and the Jews; but these are not there meant by these names, but all those who are in the true doctrine of the church, thus those who are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; and, in the opposite sense, those who are in false doctrine, thus who adulterate the truths and goods of the Word. That Judah and the Jews are not meant is evident from this consideration alone, that there is an internal sense in all the details of the Word, and also in the names of persons and places. This sense treats solely of the things of heaven and the church, therefore such things are also signified by the names Judah and Israel. And whereas a church was instituted with them in which all things were representative and significative of celestial things, therefore by their names was signified that which essentially constitutes the church, namely, in the highest sense, the Lord Himself; in the internal sense, His Word; and, in the external sense, doctrine from the Word, as said above.

It is therefore evident how much those are mistaken who believe, according to the letter, that the Jews are to be brought back into the land of Canaan, and that they are elected and destined for heaven in preference to others; whereas few from that nation are saved, because none are saved but those who believe in the Lord; and he who believes in the Lord in the world, believes in Him after his departure out of the world; but that nation altogether casts Him out from its belief.

[3] That by Judah is meant the Lord as to His kingdom and as to the Word, may be seen from the prophecy of Israel concerning his sons, which, when it is unfolded by the internal sense, shows what each tribe represented in the church. That the tribe of Judah represented the Lord's kingdom, or the church where the Word is, is quite clear from what is said concerning Judah:

"Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be; who shall bind to the vine the foal of his ass, and to the noble vine the son of his she-ass; whilst he washeth his garment in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:9, 10, 11).

That the particulars mentioned signify the Lord's kingdom, or the church, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia, where they are explained.

[4] He who knows that by Judah, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and, in the internal sense, His kingdom and Word, and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, also, in an opposite sense, those who deny the Lord and adulterate the Word, may know what is signified by Judah in many other places of the Word; as in these following:

"Hear ye, O house of Jacob, called by the name of Israel, and they have gone forth from the waters of Judah" (Isaiah 48:1).

The house of Jacob, and Israel, is the church; to go forth from the waters of Judah signifies from doctrine out of the Word, for the church is thence. (That waters denote truths of doctrine from the Word, may be seen above, n. 71.)

"The sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their borders. It shall come to pass in that day, that all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and Judah shall sit to eternity" (Joel 3:6, 18, 20).

To sell the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Grecians, is to falsify the goods and truths of the church; in that day, denotes when that church is at its end and a new one established among the Gentiles; all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, signifies abundance of truths and goods from the Word, to those who are in the New Church; that these are from the Word is signified by the fountain going forth out of the house of Jehovah. It is therefore clear that by Judah who shall sit to eternity, is not meant Judah, or the Jewish nation, but all those who are in good by means of truths from the Word.

[5] Similar things are meant by Judah in the following passages:

"I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them. Then shall the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land; for great is the day of Jezreel" (Hosea 1:7, 11).

"Then many nations shall adhere to Jehovah in that day; they shall be to me for a people, for I will dwell in thee; then Jehovah shall make Judah a heritage to himself, his portion upon the land of holiness, and shall again choose Jerusalem" (Zech. 2:11, 12).

"Jehovah Zebaoth shall visit his flock, the house of Judah, and shall make them [as] a horse of glory in the war: I will render the house of Judah powerful" (Zech. 10:3, 6).

"God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah; and they shall dwell there, and inherit it. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they who love the name of Jehovah shall dwell therein" (Psalms 69:35, 36).

"And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains, that mine elect may, possess it" (Isaiah 65:9);

besides in many other places. (That the Jewish nation is not meant in the Word in these and other places where they are called elect and heirs, may be further seen from what is adduced concerning that nation from Arcana Coelestia, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.) From these considerations it is now evident what is signified by "The blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not."