9039. 'Since he is his silver' means that which has been acquired from the self. This is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, at this point truth that has been acquired by the self since it refers to a slave who has been bought. The words 'truth that has been acquired by the self' describe that which a person believes to be the truth - even though it is not the truth - because he has drawn it from preconceptions adopted by the self. This is what truth is like with those who explain the Word without having been enlightened by the light of heaven, that is, who read it without an affection for truth for the sake of goodness of life, since they are unenlightened. If this truth is disposed of after full contemplation of it, there is no punishment of death, that is, no damnation, because it is not a spiritual Divine truth. But if it is disposed of before full contemplation, there is damnation, for it is a casting aside of the truth of faith itself. What has become part of anyone's faith, even though not the truth, must not be cast aside without full contemplation of it. If it is cast aside before this the tender beginnings of spiritual life in the person are rooted out. For this reason also the Lord never breaks this kind of truth with a person, but so far as is possible He bends it.

[2] Let an example serve to shed light on this. Take someone who believes that the glory and consequently the joy of heaven consist in domination over many, and who uses this accepted idea to explain the Lord's words which declare that the slaves who had earned ten minas and five minas were to have power over ten cities and over five cities, Luke 19:11-26, using also the Lord's words to the disciples, that they would sit on thrones and would judge the twelve tribes of Israel, Luke 22:30. If that person disposes of his faith, which is a belief in truth he has acquired from the literal sense of the Word, before full contemplation of it, he causes the loss of his spiritual life. But if after full contemplation he uses other words to explain what the Lord said - the Lord's words that whoever has the wish to be the greatest must be the least, and whoever has the wish to be the first must be the slave of all, Matthew 20:26-28; Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:24-27 - then if he disposes of his belief that heavenly glory and joy come out of having dominion over many, he does not cause any loss of his spiritual life. For by 'the cities' over which those who had earned the mines were to have power are meant the truths of faith, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, and therefore intelligence and wisdom; and the same things are meant by 'the thrones' on which the disciples were going to sit, 2129, 6397.

[3] Those in heaven who by virtue of the truths of faith excel others in intelligence and wisdom are also so humble that they ascribe the whole of their power to the Lord and none whatever to themselves. Therefore they find no glory or joy at all in dominating, only in serving. And when this is their state they excel others in dominion, and also in glory and joy; but they do so not because of any wish to dominate, as has been stated, only because of a desire springing from love and charity, which is a desire to serve others. For the Lord flows in with power with those who are humble, but not with those who are haughty, because the humble accept His influx whereas the haughty reject it, 7489, 7491, 7492.

2128. The idea of a Last Judgement as it took place before the eyes of the evil, such as I have witnessed two or three times, has been as follows: When the spirits around me had so amalgamated into destructive communities that they were in the ascendancy and did not allow themselves, by the law of equilibrium which order ensures, to be controlled in such a way that they did not vex other communities excessively or begin to do them harm from their superior strength, a sizable squadron of spirits then appeared on the scene from the quarter in front, slightly to the right and above. As they approached a tumultuous sound was heard, as if coming in waves and roaring. When they heard it the spirits were filled with dismay and terror, and confusion resulted. At that point the spirits within those communities were scattered, one this way and another that, so that they melted away from one another and did not know one anothers' whereabouts. While all this was taking place it seemed to those spirits just as if it was a Last Judgement accompanied by the destruction of all things. Some uttered lamentations, others in terror lost heart so to speak; in short, a sense of doom like that of a final reckoning was seizing them all.

[2] The sound of those approaching from the quarter in front was heard by them in different ways. To some it was the sound of armed cavalry, to others something else, all depending on their state of fear and the delusions this aroused in them. I myself perceived it as a continuous rumbling coming in waves, and indeed of many doing so simultaneously. I was informed by those near me that squadrons like these arrive on the scene from that quarter when communities have, as has been stated, been harmfully grouped together in this manner. They know, I was told, how to break them up and part them one from another, and at the same time how to strike terror into them, so that their one thought is to take flight. I was further informed that by means of disbandments and dispersals all spirits are then brought back into order by the Lord, and also that such activity is meant in the Word by 'the east wind'.