152. That hath His eyes as a flame of fire, signifies Divine Providence from His Divine love, also Divine wisdom and intelligence communicated to those who are in love towards Him and from that in faith in Him. That "eyes as a flame of fire," means in reference to the Lord, His Divine Providence from His Divine love, see above (n. 68). This means also Divine wisdom and intelligence communicated to those who are in love towards the Lord, and from that in faith in Him, because "eyes" in the Word signify in reference to man the understanding of truth, and the understanding of truth is intelligence and wisdom; consequently "eyes" signify, in reference to the Lord, Divine wisdom and intelligence proceeding from Him; and what proceeds from Him is communicated to angels and to men who are in love towards Him and from that in faith in Him. All the wisdom and intelligence that angels and men have is the Lord's with them and not their own; and this is also well known in the church; for it is known that all good, which is of love, and all truth, which is of faith, are from God, and nothing thereof from man; and truths interiorly seen and acknowledged constitute intelligence, and these together with goods interiorly perceived and thence seen constitute wisdom. From this then it is that "having His eyes as a flame of fire" also signifies the Lord's Divine wisdom and intelligence communicated to those who are in the goods of love, and from that in faith in Him.

[2] "Eyes" signify the understanding, because all the sight of the eyes with men and angels is from the understanding. That all the sight of the eyes is from the understanding must sound absurd to those who are ignorant of the interior causes of things, out of which effects are presented in the body; those ignorant of these causes believe no otherwise than that the eye sees of itself, that the ear hears of itself, that the tongue tastes of itself, and that the body feels of itself; when yet it is the interior life of man, the life of his spirit, which is the life of his understanding and will, or of his thought and affection that, through the organs of the body, has sensation of the things that are in the world, and thus perceives them naturally. The whole body, with all its sensories, is merely an instrument of its soul, or of its spirit; which is also the reason that when man's spirit is separated from the body the body has no sensation whatever, but the spirit afterwards continues to have sensation as before. (That man's spirit sees, hears, and feels, after it is released from the body equally as before while in the body, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 461-469; and on The Correspondence of the Understanding with the Sight of the Eye, see Arcana Coelestia 4403-4421, 4523-4534.) With beasts, moreover, their interior life, which is also called their soul, has sensation equally through the external organs of their body, but with a difference, in that the sensation of the beast is not rational like man's, thus is not formed from an understanding and will such as man has (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 108, and The Last Judgment 25).

[3] From this, then, it is, that by "eye" in the Word is signified the understanding of truth, or intelligence and wisdom, as may be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Say to this people, hear ye in hearing, but understand not; and see ye in seeing, and know not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and smear their eyes, lest they see with their eyes (Isaiah 6:9-10; John 12:40).

"To smear the eyes, lest they see with their eyes," is to darken the understanding, that they may not understand.

[4] In the same:

Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your heads, the seers hath He covered (Isaiah 29:10);

where "He hath closed the eyes; the prophets and the heads, and the seers hath He covered," is the understanding of truth. "Prophets" are those that teach truths, who are also called "heads," because the head signifies intelligence, and are also called "seers" from the revelation of Divine truth with them.

[5] In the same:

The eyes of them that see shall not be closed, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isaiah 32:3).

"The eyes of them that see" means of those that understand truths. In the same:

Who shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty (Isaiah 33:15, 17).

"To shut the eyes from seeing evil" is not to admit evil into the thought; "their eyes shall behold the king in his beauty" is that they are to understand truth in its light with pleasantness; for by "king" here is not meant a king but truth (See above, n. 31).

[6] In Jeremiah:

Hear now this, O foolish people, who have no heart; who have eyes and see not; who have ears and hear not (Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2).

In Lamentations:

The crown of our head hath fallen; for this our heart hath become faint; and for this our eyes have been darkened (Lamentations 5:16, 17).

"The crown of the head" is wisdom (See above n. 126; the "faint heart" means that the will of good is no more (that "heart" is the will and love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 95). "Eyes" are the understanding of truth, and they are said to be darkened when truth is no longer understood.

[7] In Zechariah:

The punishment of the shepherd forsaking the flock, a sword upon his right eye; and his right eye in growing dim shall be dimmed (Zechariah 11:17).

"The sword upon the right eye," and "the right eye in growing dim shall be dimmed," means that all truth in the understanding is to perish through falsity (that "sword" is the destruction of truth by falsity, see above, n. 131.

[8] In the same:

The plague wherewith Jehovah will strike all the peoples that shall war against Jerusalem; their eyes shall consume away in their sockets (Zechariah 14:12).

"The peoples that shall war against Jerusalem" are those that fight against the church; "Jerusalem" is the church; that "their eyes shall consume away" means that intelligence is to perish because they fight by falsities against truths.

[9] In Zechariah:

I will smite every horse with astonishment, and every horse of the peoples with blindness (Zechariah 12:4).

Here the vastation of the church is treated of; by "horse" is signified the intellectual, therefore the understanding is meant when it is said that the horse should be smitten with astonishment and with blindness. (That "horse" signifies the intellectual, see the small treatise on The White Horse 1-5.)

[10] In David:

Hear me, O Jehovah, my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep [the sleep of] death (Psalms 13:4).

"Lighten the eyes" means the understanding.

In Moses:

Thou shalt not take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise (Deuteronomy 16:19).

"To blind the eyes of the wise" is that they may not see or understand the truth.

[11] In Matthew:

The lamp of the body is the eye: if the eye be single the whole body is light; if the eye be evil the whole body is darkened. If therefore the light be darkness, how great is the darkness (Matthew 6:22, 23; Luke 11:34).

By "eye" here is not meant the eye, but the understanding; by "the eye single" the understanding of truth; by "the eye evil" the understanding of falsity; "darkness" is falsities; "the whole body" is the whole spirit, which is wholly such as the will is and the understanding therefrom; but if it has the understanding of truth from the will of good it is an angel of light; but if it has an understanding of falsity it is a spirit of darkness. By these words the reformation of man through the understanding of truth is described. From this it is clear that he who knows what "eye" signifies can know the arcanum of these words. That man is reformed by means of truths in the understanding, see above (n. 112, 126).

[12] In Matthew:

If thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to enter life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire (Matthew 5:29; 18:9; Mark 9:47).

Here also, by "eye" is not meant the eye, but the understanding thinking; by "the right eye causing to stumble" the understanding thinking evil; "plucking it out and casting it away" is not admitting such evil, but rejecting it; "having one eye" is the understanding thinking not evil, but truth only, for the understanding can think the truth; if it thinks evil it is from the will of evil. It is said "the right eye," because "the right eye" signifies the understanding of good, and the "left eye" the understanding of truth (See Arcana Coelestia 4410, 6923).

[13] In Isaiah:

In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of thick darkness and out of darkness (Isaiah 29:18).

In the same:

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf (Isaiah 35:5).

In the same:

I will give thee for a light of the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to lead him that is bound out of the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the house of prison (Isaiah 42:6, 7).

In the same:

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears (Isaiah 43:8).

"To open the eyes of the blind" is to instruct those who as yet are ignorant of truths, but nevertheless have a longing for them, that is, the Gentiles. The like is signified by:

The Lord's healing the blind (Matthew 9:27-29; 20:29-34 to the end; 21:14; Mark 8:23, 25; Luke 18:35-43; John 9:1-21);

for all the Lord's miracles involved such things as pertain to the church and heaven, therefore they were Divine (See Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9301).

[14] Because the "eye" signified the understanding it was among the statutes pertaining to the sons of Israel:

That no one of the seed of Aaron who was blind or had a blemish in the eye should come nigh to offer sacrifice, or enter within the veil (Leviticus 21:17-23).

That what was blind should not be offered for a sacrifice (Leviticus 22:22; Malachi 1:8);

so also among the curses was:

A fever that should consume the eyes (Leviticus 26:16).

From all this it can now be known what is signified by "the eyes of the Son of God that were as a flame of fire," namely, Divine wisdom and intelligence communicated to those who are in love towards the Lord and thence in faith in Him.

[15] That His Divine Providence is also signified is evident from what was shown above n. 68. To this may be added what is said of the cherubim in Ezekiel, and of the four animals about the throne in Revelation, which also signify the Divine Providence of the Lord, and in particular, a guard that the Lord be not approached except through good. In Ezekiel:

I saw, and behold four wheels near the cherubim; their whole flesh, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes round about (Ezekiel 10:9, 12).

In Revelation:

About the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind; each one had wings full of eyes about and within (Revelation 4:6, 8).

These four "living creatures" also were cherubim, for the description of them is almost like that of the cherubim in Ezekiel. So many "eyes" are ascribed to them because the Lord's Divine Providence, which is signified by "cherubim," is His government of all things in the heavens and on the earth by Divine wisdom; for the Lord by Divine Providence sees all things, disposes all things, and looks out for all things. (That by "cherubim" is signified the Lord's Divine Providence, and in particular, a guard that the Lord be not approached except through good, see n. 9277, 9509, 9673)

3195. 'And was dwelling in the land of the south' means consequently in Divine light. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling' as living, dealt with in 1293, and from the fact that it has reference to good, 2268, 2451, 2712; and from the meaning of 'the land of the south' as Divine light. For 'the south' means light, indeed the light of intelligence, which is wisdom, 1458, but 'the land of the south' the place and state where that light exists. Thus the whole verse here 'Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, and was dwelling in the land of the south' means that Divine Rational Good, because it had been born from Divine Truth, was in Divine light.

[2] Light is mentioned many times in the Word, and in the internal sense it means truth springing from good. In the highest internal sense however 'light' means the Lord Himself since He is Good and Truth themselves. He Himself is also in actual fact the light in heaven, but this is infinitely brighter than the light on earth, see 1053, 1117, 1521-1533, 1619-1632. In that light spirits and angels behold one another, and by means of it all the glory that exists in heaven is clearly visible. In brightness that light seems to be much the same as the light in the world, but this is not the case, for it is not a natural light but a spiritual one. It holds wisdom within itself, so much so that it is nothing else than wisdom that shines in this manner before the eyes of those in heaven. Consequently the wiser the angels are, the brighter the light surrounding them, 2776. This light also enlightens the understanding of man, especially of one who is regenerate, but man does not discern it during his lifetime because the light of the world reigns at that time. Evil spirits too in the next life behold one another, and also behold many representatives which manifest themselves in the world of spirits. They do so indeed by the light of heaven. Yet it is an inferior light like that coming from a coal fire, for when the light of heaven reaches them it is turned into this inferior light.

[3] As for the source itself of light, this from eternity has existed from the Lord alone, for Divine Good itself and Divine Truth itself, the source of light, is the Lord. The Divine Human which existed from eternity, John 17:5, was that actual light. Because such light was unable any longer to influence the human race which had retreated so far from good and truth, and so from the light, and had cast itself into darkness, the Lord was therefore willing to be born and assume the Human itself. Indeed in so doing He was able to bring light not only to man's rational concepts but also to his natural ideas. For the Lord made Divine within Himself both the Rational and the Natural so that people who were in such gross darkness could have light.

[4] As regards the Lord's being 'the light', that is, Good and Truth themselves, and so the source of all intelligence and wisdom, and consequently of salvation, this becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John came to bear witness to the light. He was not that light but [came] to bear witness to the light. He was the true light which enlightens every man coming into the world. John 1:1, 4, 7-9.

'The Word' was Divine Truth, and so the Lord Himself as regards the Divine Human, of which it is said that 'the Word was with God, and the Word was God'.

[5] In the same gospel,

This is the judgement, that light has come into the world, but men preferred darkness rather than light. John 3:19.

'Light' stands for Divine Truth. In the same gospel,

Jesus said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk darkness but will have the light of life. John 8:12.

In the same gospel,

The light is with you for a brief while longer. Walk, as long as you have the light, lest the darkness overtakes you. As long as you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be sons of the light. John 12:35-36.

In the same gospel,

He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as light into the world in order that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.

John 12:45-46.

In Luke,

My eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. Luke 2:30-32.

This is Simeon's prophecy regarding the Lord which was made after

His birth.

[6] In Matthew,

The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light; and for those sitting in the region and shadow of death, the light has arisen. Matthew 4:16; Isaiah 9:2.

From all these places it is quite evident that as regards Divine Good and Truth within the Divine Human the Lord is called 'the light'. The same is also seen in prophetical parts of the Old Testament, as in Isaiah,

The light of Israel will be a fire, and his Holy One a flame. Isaiah 10:17.

In the same prophet,

I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and I will give You for a covenant of the people, and a light of the nations. Isaiah 42:6.

In the same prophet,

I have given You as a light of the nations, that You may be My salvation right to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:6.

In the same prophet,

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Jehovah has risen upon you. Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:1, 3.

[7] All the light of heaven, consequently wisdom and intelligence, come from the Lord. This is taught in John,

The Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, has no need of the sun or of the moon to shed light in it; the glory of God will give it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Revelation 21:2-3.

And further regarding the same city,

There will be no night there, nor do they need a lamp or light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. Revelation 22:5.

[8] Also in Isaiah,

The sun will no longer be to you a light by day, and for brightness the moon will not give light to you, but Jehovah will be to you an everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will no longer go down and your moon will not be withdrawn, for Jehovah will be to you an everlasting light. Isaiah 60:19-20.

'The sun will no longer be a light by day, and for brightness the moon will not give its light' stands for the fact that it is not the things that belong to natural light but those that belong to spiritual light which are meant by 'Jehovah will be an everlasting light'. The name Jehovah used here and elsewhere in the Old Testament means the Lord, see 1343, 1736, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035.

[9] His being the light of heaven was also disclosed to the three disciples Peter, James, and John - that is to say, at the Transfiguration when His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as the light, Matthew 17:2. 'Face like the sun' meant Divine Good, 'garments as the light' Divine Truth. From this one may know what is meant by the words that occur in the blessing,

Jehovah make His face shine upon you and be merciful to you. Numbers 6:25.

'Jehovah's face' is mercy, peace, and good, see 222, 223; and as 'the sun' means Divine Love, the Lord's Divine Love is accordingly seen in the angelic heaven as the sun, 30-38, 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495.