The Spiritual Sense of the Word

Selection from DeVerbo ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

WORD OF THE LORD FROM EXPERIENCE

CORRESPONDENCES

Each and all things which are in nature, correspond to spiritual things; similarly each and all things which are in the human body, as may be seen in two articles in the work on Heaven and Hell. But it is not known at this day what correspondence is, but in the most ancient times the science of correspondences was the science of sciences, thus the universal science, so that the most ancient people wrote all their manuscripts and books by correspondences. The fables of the most ancient times and the hieroglyphics of the Egyptians are nothing else: the book of Job, which is a book of the Ancient Church, is full of correspondences.

All the ancient churches were churches representative of heavenly things; all their rites and also their statutes, according to which their worship was instituted, consisted of nothing but correspondences. Similarly the church with the sons of Jacob; the burnt offerings and sacrifices with all their particulars, were correspondences; likewise the tabernacle with the single things therein, as also their feasts, such as the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of tabernacles, and the feast of first fruits, and also all their statutes and judgments; and because correspondences are such things as exist in the ultimates of nature, and because all things of nature correspond, and the things which correspond also signify, therefore the sense of the letter of the Word consists of nothing but correspondences. The Lord also, because He spoke from His Divine, and spoke the Word, spoke therefore also by correspondences. What is from the Divine, and in itself is Divine, in the ultimate falls into such things as correspond to Divine, celestial and spiritual things, thus such as in their bosom conceal and signify celestial and spiritual things. What, further, correspondences are, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, in which the correspondences which are in Genesis and in Exodus are explained. And again a collection of citations from that work concerning correspondences, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem and in the treatise on Heaven and Hell. The spiritual or internal sense of the Word is nothing else than the sense of the letter unfolded according to correspondences; for it teaches the spiritual which is perceived by angels in the heavens, while man in the world is thinking in a natural way of that which he reads in the Word.

I have heard and perceived from heaven that the men of the Most Ancient Church, who are those meant in the spiritual sense of the first chapters of Genesis by Adam and Eve, were so consociated with the angels of heaven, that they could speak with them by correspondences, and hence the state of their wisdom was such that whatever they saw on earth, they perceived at the same time spiritually, thus conjointly with the angels. It was told me that Enoch, of whom mention is made in Genesis (Chap. 5:21-24), with his associates, collected correspondences from the mouth of those people, and transmitted the knowledge of them to posterity. From this it came to pass, that the science of correspondences not only was known, but was also cultivated, in many kingdoms of Asia, and especially in Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia, and also in Canaan. From thence it was carried over to Greece, but was there turned into fables, as may be sufficiently evident from what is told of Olympus, Helicon and Pindus near Athens, and also of the winged horse called Pegasus, as, that with the hoof he broke open a fountain, by which the nine virgins [the Muses], established their seats. For a mountain, and thus Helicon, from correspondence signifies the higher heaven; the hill under the mountain, which was Pindus, signifies the heaven below it; the winged horse, or Pegasus, signifies the understanding enlightened by the spiritual; the fountain signifies intelligence and learning, and the nine virgins signify the knowledges of truth and the sciences. Similar were the rest of the things which are called fabulous, which were written by the most ancient writers in Greece, and which were collected together and described by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.

But when the representatives of the church in the course of time were turned into idolatries, then by the Divine Providence of the Lord that science was successively obliterated, and with the Israelitish and Jewish nation it was altogether destroyed and extinguished. The worship of that nation was indeed altogether representative, but still they did not know what any representative thing signified. For they were altogether natural men, and hence they were neither able nor willing to know anything about the spiritual man and about his faith and love, consequently nothing about correspondences.

That the idolatries of the nations in ancient times derived their origin from the science of correspondences amongst them, was because all things that appear upon the earth have a correspondence, as not only trees, but also cattle and birds of every kind, as well as fishes, and the rest. The ancients, who were in the science of correspondences, made themselves images, which corresponded to spiritual things, and they were delighted with those things, because they signified such things as are of heaven and thence of the church, they therefore not only placed them in their temples, but also in their houses, not for the purpose of adoration, but for the recollection of the heavenly thing that was signified, thence in Egypt there were set up calves, oxen, serpents, boys, old men, virgins, and many other things. For a calf signified the innocence of the natural man, oxen affections of the natural man, serpents the prudence of the sensual man, a boy innocence, old men wisdom, virgins affections for truth, and so on. After the science of correspondences was there lost, their posterity, who were ignorant what the images and likenesses set up by the ancients signified, began to worship them as holy, and finally as deities, because they were placed in and near the temples.

The Egyptian hieroglyphics are from the same origin. So was it also with other nations, as with the Philistines in Ashdod, where was Dagon, formed like a man above and like a fish below, which image was so contrived because a man signifies rational intelligence, and a fish natural knowledge. From similar origin was the worship of the ancients in gardens and groves according to the kinds of trees, as also their sacred worship upon mountains; for gardens and groves signified spiritual intelligence, and each tree something thereof, as the olive its good of love, the vine its truth of the doctrine of faith, the cedar its rational, and so on. A mountain signified heaven, and therefore the worship of the most ancient people was upon mountains. That the science of correspondences remained with many oriental nations until the coming of the Lord, may be evident from the wise men from the East, who came to the Lord when He was born.

Therefore a star went before them, and they brought with them gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It was also said to the shepherds, in order that they might know that it was the Lord Himself, that it should be a sign unto them, that they should see Him in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, because there was no place in the inn. "The star" which went before the wise men signified knowledge from heaven, for stars in the Word signify knowledges. "The gold" signified celestial good, "frankincense" spiritual good, and "myrrh" natural good; all worship being from these three. "The manger" in which the infant Lord was found by the shepherds, signifies spiritual nourishment, because horses, which are fed from a manger, signify intellectual things. "The inn" where there was no place signified the Jewish Church, in which at that time there was no spiritual nourishment, because everything of the Word and thence everything of worship with them, had then been adulterated and perverted. Hence it is said that this would be for a sign to them that it was the Lord (Luke 2:12).

Nevertheless, the science of correspondences was altogether none with the Israelitish and Jewish nation, although all things of their worship, and all the statutes and judgments given to them, and all things of the Word, were pure correspondences. The reason was that that nation was idolatrous in heart, and such that it did not even wish to know that anything of their worship signified anything celestial and spiritual. For they wished that all these things should be holy from themselves and with them in externals. Wherefore if spiritual and celestial things had been disclosed to them, they would not only have rejected, but would also have profaned them. For this reason heaven was closed to them so that they scarcely knew that they were to live after death. That this is so, is manifestly evident. They do not acknowledge the Lord, although the whole Sacred Scripture prophesied concerning Him, and predicted Him they rejected Him for this sole reason, that He taught them of the heavenly kingdom, and not concerning an earthly kingdom, for they wanted a Messiah who would exalt them above all nations in the whole world, and they did not wish any Messiah who would provide for their eternal salvation. Moreover, they say the Word contains in itself many arcana, which are called mystical, but they do not wish to know that these treat of the Lord and His Kingdom; but they do wish to know when it is said that they are concerning gold and alchemy.

That this science was not disclosed after those times, was because the Christians in the primitive church were very simple, that it could not be disclosed to them, for if disclosed, it would have been of no use to them, nor would it have been comprehended. After those times darkness arose over the entire Christian world, on account of the Papacy, which at length became Babylon, and they who are of Babel, and have confirmed themselves in its falsities, are for the most part natural, sensual men, and these are neither able nor willing to apprehend what is spiritual, thus what is the correspondence of natural things with spiritual. [MARGINAL NOTE.] For thus they would be convinced that by Peter is not meant Peter, also that the Word even to its inmosts is Divine; and that a papal decree is of no account in comparison.

But after the Reformation, because they began to make a distinction between faith and charity, and to worship one God under three Persons, the three Gods, whom they only named one, heavenly truths were then concealed from them, lest if revealed they should falsify them and bend them to faith alone, and none of them to charity and love. If therefore the spiritual sense of the Word had then been revealed, they would have shut heaven to themselves even by the falsification of its truths.

For everyone is allowed to understand the sense of the letter of the Word in simplicity, provided he does not confirm the appearances of truth which are there, so far as to destroy genuine truth; for to interpret the Word as to its spiritual sense from falsities of doctrine, closes heaven, and does not open it; but to interpret the spiritual sense from truths of doctrine, opens heaven, because that is the sense in which the angels are, and so man by means of it thinks together with angels, and thus conjoins them to himself in his intellectual mind.

But if a man is in falsities of doctrine and wishes to explore the spiritual sense from some knowledge of correspondences, he falsifies it. It is otherwise if man is already in genuine truths; that sense agrees with truths and appears from them, because that sense is in the light of heaven. Cloud on the other hand agrees with falsities, and if anything of this truth should appear, instead of the light of heaven thick darkness would arise, for angels turn themselves away from him, and so close heaven to him. The spiritual sense of the Word is meant by the inner garment of the Lord, which was without seam, and which the soldiers were not permitted to divide; but the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is meant by His outer garments, which the soldiers divided. Garments in the Word signify truths, and the Lord's garments Divine truth, wherefore also the garments of the Lord, when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, appeared shining white, like light.

At this day the spiritual sense of the Word has been revealed from the Lord, because the doctrine of genuine truth has now been revealed, which doctrine is partly contained in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, in which Swedenborg writes:

To add a few words respecting the doctrine which is delivered in the following pages. This, also, is from heaven, because it is from the spiritual sense of the Word, and the spiritual sense of the Word is the same with the doctrine that is in heaven; for there is a church in heaven as well as on earth. In heaven there are the Word and doctrine from the Word, there are temples there, and preaching in them; there are also both ecclesiastical and civil governments there: in a word, the only difference between the things which are in heaven, and those which are on earth, is, that in heaven all things exist in a state of greater perfection, since those who are there are spiritual, and spiritual things immensely exceed in perfection those that are natural. That such things exist in heaven may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell throughout, particularly in the article concerning Governments in Heaven (n. 213-220); and also in the article on Divine Worship in Heaven (n. 221-227). From these things it may be evident what is meant by "the holy city, New Jerusalem, was seen to descend from God out of heaven." But I proceed to the doctrine itself, which is for the New Church, and which is called Heavenly Doctrine, because it was revealed to me out of heaven; to deliver this doctrine is the design of the present book. (The New Jerusalem and It's Heavenly Doctrine​ 7)

and now in the small works, which are being given to the public — The Four Leading Doctrines — Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Holy Scripture, Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem from the Ten Commandments, Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith and because that doctrine, and no other, agrees with the spiritual sense of the Word, therefore that sense, together with the science of correspondences, has now for the first time been disclosed. That sense is also signified by the Lord's appearing in the clouds of heaven with glory and power (Matt. 24:30, 31), in which chapter it treats of the consummation of the age, by which is meant the last time of the church.

By the cloud of heaven, there and elsewhere in the Word, is signified the Word in the letter, which there, in respect to the spiritual sense, is as a cloud. But by the glory there, as also elsewhere in the Word, is signified the Word in the spiritual sense, which also is the Divine truth in light; and by the power is signified its power in the Word. The revelation of the Word as to the spiritual sense was also promised in Revelation, where that sense is meant by the "White Horse" (Chapter 19:11 to 14), and by the great supper of God, to which all were invited and gathered together (Rev. 19:17). By many that sense will not be acknowledged for a long time. Those alone who are in the falsities of doctrine, especially in regard to the Lord, and who do not admit truths, will not acknowledge this is meant by the beast and by the kings of the earth, who make war with the one sitting upon the white horse (Rev. 19:19). By "the beast" are meant the Roman Catholics, as in Rev. 17:3, and by "the kings of the earth" are meant the Reformed who are in falsities of doctrine. The mystical things which some seek in the Word, are nothing else than the spiritual and celestial senses.

(from DeVerbo 7[17-21])

Protection of the Doctrine

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.  (Revelation 12:1-6)

And her offspring was caught up unto God and His throne, signifies the protection of the doctrine by the Lord, because it is for the New Church. This is evident from the signification of "the offspring" (or the son, a male) brought forth by "the woman arrayed with the sun, under whose feet was the moon, and upon whose head was a crown of twelve stars," as being doctrine from the Word, and indeed, the doctrine of truth, that is, the doctrine of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, and finally of faith. Also from the signification of "caught up unto God and His throne," as being protection by the Lord from "the dragon" that stood before the woman about to bring forth, with the intent and desire of devouring what was brought forth. That protection by the Lord from those who are meant by "the dragon" is here signified by these words.

And as that doctrine was to be the doctrine of the church that is called the New Jerusalem, therefore it is said protection because it is for the New Church. It is said "caught up unto God and His throne," "God" meaning the Lord, and "His throne" heaven; it is caught up to the Lord and to heaven because this doctrine is from the Lord, and heaven is in this doctrine.

DOCUMENT OF THE BOAT

What is here said of the offspring born of the woman, who "was caught up unto God," is also said of Enoch, the son of Jared, but in these words:

Enoch walked with God, and was no more; because God took him (Gen. 5:24).

Who are here meant by "Enoch," and what "Enoch" signifies, has been disclosed to me from heaven, namely, those of the men of the Most Ancient Church who collected together the representatives and correspondences of natural things with spiritual; for the men of the Most Ancient Church were in the spiritual understanding and perception of all things they saw with their eyes, and thence from the objects in the world they saw through to the spiritual things corresponding to the objects. Because the Lord foresaw that this spiritual perception would perish with their posterity, and with that perception also the knowledge of correspondences through which the human race has conjunction with heaven, therefore the Lord provided that some of those who lived with the most ancient people should collect together the correspondences, and gather them into a manuscript; these are here meant by "Enoch," and that manuscript is what is here signified. Because that manuscript was to serve the coming churches that were to be established by the Lord after the deluge [Noah's flood] with the knowledge and cognition of the spiritual things that are in natural things, it was preserved by the Lord for their use, and was also guarded, lest the last posterity of the Most Ancient Church, who were evil, should offer injury to it. This, therefore, is what is signified in the spiritual sense by "Enoch was no more, because God took Him." From this it can be seen what is signified by "the offspring of the woman was caught up unto God and His throne."

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days.

• "And the woman fled into the wilderness," signifies the church among a few, because with those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths;
• "where she hath a place prepared by God," signifies its state, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among more;
• "that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days," signifies until it grows to fullness.

And the woman fled into the wilderness, signifies the church among a few, because with those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths. This is evident from the signification of "woman," as being the church —

A woman arrayed with the sun, signifies the church with those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in love towards the neighbor. This is evident from the signification of "woman," as being the spiritual affection of truth, from which the church is a church, consequently also the church in respect to that affection

That "woman" signifies the church in respect to the affection of truth, or the affection of the truth of the church, can be seen also from these words in Isaiah:

Then seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and we will clothe ourselves with our own raiment; only let thy name be called upon us; gather thou up our reproach (4:1).

This treats of the end of the church, when there is no longer any truth, for these words precede:

Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy strength in the war (3:25);

which signify that the understanding of truth will be destroyed by falsities, so that there will be no more resistance in combats; and it is added:

In that day shall the shoot of Jehovah be for splendor and glory (4:2);

which signifies that truth will spring up anew in the church; for this is said of the Lord's coming. "Seven women shall take hold of one man" signifies that truth will be desired and sought from affection but will not be found; "man" signifying truth, "women" affections or longings for truth, and "seven" holiness. That instruction in genuine truths, and thus spiritual nourishment would not be found, is signified by saying "we will eat our own bread, and we will clothe ourselves with our own raiment;" "bread" signifying instruction and spiritual nourishment, and "raiment" truth clothing good; that truth only can be applied and by application conjoined is signified by "only let thy name be called upon us;" and as all esteem is from the spiritual affection of truth and conjunction therefrom, and otherwise there is no esteem, it is said, "gather thou up or take away our reproach."

In Matthew:

Then shall two be in the field, one shall be taken and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill, one shall be taken and the other left (24:40, 41).

By the first two are meant men, and women by the last two; and "men" signify those who are in truths, and "women" those who are in good from the affection of truth; here, however, "men" mean those who are in falsities, and "women" those who are in evils from the affection of falsity, for it is said that "one shall be taken and the other shall be left;" meaning that those shall be saved who are in truths from affection, and those shall be condemned who are in evils from affection. "Field" signifies the church; "to grind" signifies to acquire for themselves truths of doctrine from the Word; those who apply these truths to good are signified by those who "shall be taken," and those who apply them to evil are signified by those who "shall be left." (But this may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 4334, 4335.)

In Moses:

A man's garment shall not be upon a woman, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God (Deut. 22:5).

"Man and his garment" signifies truth, and "woman and her garment" signifies the affection of truth. These in every man are as distinct as understanding and will are, or as thought which is of the understanding, and affection which is of the will are; and unless they were distinct, the sexes would be confounded, and there would be no marriage, for in marriage man is the truth which is of the thought, and woman is affection.

That man and woman were both so created that they may be two and yet one, is evident from the book of Genesis in which it is said of the creation of the two:

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them (Gen. 1:27; 5:2).

And afterwards:

The man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; for this she shall be called wife, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh (Gen. 2:23, 24; Mark 10:6-9).

Man here means the church in general and in particular. The church in particular is the man of the church, or the man in whom the church is. "God created man in His own image" signifies in the image of heaven; for "God," that is, Elohim, in the plural, signifies the Divine proceeding that makes heaven, and the man who is a church is a heaven in the least form, for he corresponds to all things of heaven (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 7-12, 51-58).

"Male" signifies here, as above, the truth which is of the understanding, and "female" the good which is of the will; the wife is said to be "bone of man's bones, and flesh of his flesh," to signify that good, which is the wife, is from truth, which is the man, "bone" signifying truth before it is vivified, that is, conjoined to good, such as is the truth of the memory with man; and because all good is formed from truths it is said, "because she was taken out of man."

That "the man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife" signifies that truth must be of good, and that thus both must become one good; this is signified by "they shall be one flesh," "flesh" signifying good, and also a human being.

But the things here said cannot enter the understanding of man, except with few, unless it is known that the first two chapters of Genesis treat of the new creation, that is, of the regeneration of the men of the church

• the first chapter of their regeneration
• the second of their intelligence and wisdom

"male and female," or "man and wife," mean in the spiritual sense the conjunction of truth and good, which is called the heavenly marriage, into which marriage man comes when he is regenerated and becomes a church; and man has been regenerated and has become a church when he is in good and in truths therefrom, which is meant by "the man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be as one flesh." (selections from n. 555)

(But a still clearer idea of these things may be had from what is said in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, On Good and Truth, n. 11-19; On the Will and Understanding, n. 28-33; On Regeneration, n. 173-182; also respecting the good from which are truths, n. 24.)

It follows that this means the New Church to be established by the Lord after the end of the present church, which is in the Christian world. This is evident also from the signification of the "sun," as being the Lord in relation to the Divine love, thus also love to the Lord from the Lord; also from the signification of "arrayed" as being to live from that love, for the life of the love of everyone, both of man and of spirit and angel, forms a sphere about them from which what is their quality is perceived, even afar off; moreover, by means of that sphere consociations and conjunctions are effected in the heavens and also in the hells; and as here the church which is in love to the Lord from the Lord is treated of, and that church is meant by "the woman," and that love by "the sun," so "the woman arrayed with the sun" signifies the church with those who are in love to the Lord from the Lord.

It is added, and thence in love towards the neighbor, because love towards the neighbor is derived from love to the Lord, as what is posterior is derived from its prior, or what is exterior from its interior; in a word, as an effect from its effecting cause; for love to the Lord is to love and to will those things that are of the Lord, consequently those things that the Lord has commanded in the Word, and love towards the neighbor is to act from that will, thus it consists in the performance of uses, which are effects.

That this "woman" signifies the New Church, which is to be established by the Lord after the end of the church now existing in the Christian world, can be seen from what follows in this chapter, namely, that "she brought forth a son, a male child which the dragon wished to devour, and that was caught up to God," and that "the woman fled into the wilderness," and there too "the dragon wished to destroy her;" for from what follows it will be seen that "the son a male" means the truth of the doctrine of that church, and "the dragon" means those who are opposed to the truths of that doctrine.

That the church here meant by the "woman" is the same church as "the New Jerusalem" that is described Revelation chap. 21, and is there (verse 9) called "the bride, the Lamb's wife"  (from no. 707)

From the signification of "wilderness," as being where there are no truths because there is no good; also from the signification of "fleeing" thither, as meaning to tarry among those who are not in truths because they are not in good; and as there are at the end of the church but few who are in truths from good, it signifies among a few. From this it is clear what these words involve, namely, that the New Church that is called the Holy Jerusalem, which is signified by "the woman," can as yet be instituted only with a few, by reason that the former church is become a wilderness; and the church is called a "wilderness" when there is no longer any good; and where there is no good there are no truths. When the church is such, evils and falsities reign, which hinder the reception of its doctrine, that is, the doctrine of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, with its truths; and when doctrine is not received there is no church, for the church is from doctrine.

NO TRUTHS WHERE THERE IS NO GOOD

Something shall first be said of there being no truths where there is no good. By good is meant the good of the life according to the truths of doctrine from the Word. The reason is because the Lord never flows immediately into truths with man, but mediately through his good; for good is of the will, and the will is the man himself; from the will the understanding is produced and formed; for the understanding is adjoined to the will so that what the will loves the understanding sees, and also brings forth into light; consequently if the will is not in good, but is in evil, then the influx of truth from the Lord into the understanding has no effect, for it is dissipated, because it is not loved, yea, it is perverted, and the truth is falsified.

From this it is clear why the Lord does not flow immediately into man's understanding except so far as the will is in good. With every man the Lord can enlighten the understanding, and thus flow in with Divine truths, since there is given to every man the ability to understand truth, and this for the sake of his reformation; nevertheless the Lord does not flow in, because truths do not remain except so far as the will has been reformed.

Moreover, it is dangerous to so enlighten the understanding in truths as to produce belief except so far as the will acts as one with it; since man can then pervert, adulterate, and profane truths, which is most hurtful.

Furthermore, so far as truths are known and understood and are not at the same time lived, they are nothing but lifeless truths, and lifeless truths are like statues that have no life.

From this it can be seen why it is that there are no truths where there is no good, that is, not in essence but only in form.

The man of the church at its end is such, because man then loves supremely such things as belong to the body and the world; and when these are loved supremely then the things pertaining to the Lord and heaven are not loved, for no one can serve two masters at the same time but that he will love the one and hate the other, since they are opposites. For from the love of the body, which is the love of self, and from the love of the world, which is the love of riches, when these are loved above all things, evils of every kind flow forth, and from evils falsities, and these are the opposites of goods and truths, which come forth from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbor. These few words will make clear why it is that the woman is said "to have fled into the wilderness," that is, among a few, because of being with those who are not in good, and thus not in truths.

• In the Word wilderness and also solitude and waste places are mentioned in many passages, and these signify the state of the church when there is no longer any truth in it because there is no good. This state of the church is called a "wilderness" because in the spiritual world the place where those dwell who are not in truths because they are not in good is like a wilderness, where there is no verdure in the plains, nor harvest in the fields, nor fruit trees in the gardens, but a barren land, parched and dry;
• Moreover "wilderness" signifies in the Word the state of the church with the Gentiles who are in ignorance of truth, and yet are in the good of life according to their religious principle, from which they have a desire for truths.
• "Wilderness," signifies also in the Word the state of those who are in temptations, because in temptations goods and truths are shut in by the evils and falsities that come forth and are presented to the mind.
• "Wilderness" has these significations in the Word can be seen from the passages therein where "wilderness" is mentioned.

(from Apocalypse Explained 728-730:1-4)

The Word In The Heavens

Selection from DeVerbo ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

WORD OF THE LORD FROM EXPERIENCE

The Word is in all the heavens. It is read there as in the world and they preach from it, for it is the Divine truth from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom; since without the Word no one knows anything of the Lord, of love and faith, of redemption, or of any other arcana of heavenly wisdom. Yea, without the Word there would be no heaven, as without the Word there would be no church in the world, thus there would be no conjunction with the Lord. That there is no such thing as natural theology without revelation, and in the Christian world without the Word.... If it cannot exist in the world, neither can it exist after death, for such as a man is as to his religion in the world, such he is as to his religion after death when he becomes a spirit; and the whole heaven does not consist of any angels created before the world, or with the world, but of those who have been men, and were then interiorly angels. These through the Word come in heaven into spiritual wisdom, which is interior wisdom, because the Word there is spiritual.

The Word in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is not like the Word in the world — in the world the Word is natural, but in that kingdom it is spiritual. The difference is as that between its natural sense and its spiritual sense, and what this spiritual sense is has been shown in many places in the Arcana Coelestia, where all things in Genesis and Exodus have been explained according to that sense.

SUCH IS THE DIFFERENCE

Such is the difference that no word is the same —

• instead of names there are in the spiritual sense things
• instead of numbers and historical facts are things relating to the church

But, what is wonderful, when an angel reads the Word in heaven, he knows not otherwise than that it is like the Word which he read in the world. The reason is that he no longer has any natural ideas, but in their place spiritual ideas, and the natural and the spiritual are so conjoined by correspondences that they make, as it were, one. When therefore one comes from what is natural into what is spiritual, it appears to him as if it were the same. Yea, an angel does not know that he is wiser than he had been in the world, although he has wisdom so supereminent as to be ineffable in comparison. Nor can he know the distinction, because in his spiritual state he knows nothing of his natural state, in which he was in the world. Neither can he compare and discriminate them, because he does not return into his former state, and so make a comparison. Nevertheless an angel is perfected in wisdom continually, in heaven more than in the world, because he is in purer affection for spiritual truth.

But the Word in the celestial kingdom of the Lord is of far greater excellence and wisdom than is the Word which is in His spiritual kingdom; and they differ in a degree similar to that of the difference between the natural Word which is in the world, and the spiritual Word of which we have been speaking; for in that Word there is an inmost sense, which is called the celestial, in which all things of the Word treat of the Lord alone. In this Word instead of Jehovah is read the Lord, and instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, also instead of David, Moses, Elijah, and the other prophets, the Lord is named, and His Divine as meant by them is distinguished by peculiar marks. By the names of the tribes of Israel, which are twelve, and also by the names of the apostles in the Word, something of the Lord as to the church is read; and so throughout. From this it has been made plain to me that the whole Sacred Scripture in its inmost sense treats of the Lord alone. There is a like difference between those two Words, the spiritual and the celestial, as between the thoughts which are of the understanding, and the affections, which are of the will; for the angels of the celestial kingdom are in love toward the Lord, and thence in the affection of good, and the angels of the spiritual kingdom are in faith in the Lord, and thence in the perception of truth.

The spiritual Word and the celestial Word differ also as to the writing. The writing of the spiritual Word is of letters which are similar to the type letters in our world, but every letter expresses a meaning. If, therefore, you should see that writing, you would not understand a single expression, for it is written letter next to letter in a continuous series, with little lines and points above and below, being written according to spiritual speech, which has nothing in common with natural speech. The angels, in proportion as they are wiser, see in their Word so written, more interior arcana than simpler angels see. The hidden things therein appear clearly before the eyes of the wise, but not before, the eyes of the simple; in like manner as with our Word, though still more so, in which also the wise see more than the simple.

But the writing of the celestial Word is composed of letters unknown in the world. They are indeed alphabetic letters, but each one is made up of curved lines, with little horns above and below, and there are dots or points in the letters, and also below and above them. It was said that the most ancient people on this earth had such writing, agreeing in some respects, but only slightly, with Hebrew writing. By such writing are expressed the affections of love, so that it involves more arcana than they themselves can utter, and they express these unutterable arcana which they perceive from their Word, by representations. The wisdom which lies hid in this Word, transcends the wisdom which is in the spiritual Word as thousands to one.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THREE WORDS

That the difference between the three Words — the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial — may be understood, let us take for illustration the first chapters of Genesis, which treat of Adam, his wife, and paradise.

• In the natural Word which is in the world, is described the creation of the world and the first creation of man, and its and his pleasures and earthly delights; and by the persons named after him even to the flood, are meant his posterity, and by the numbers their ages.

• In the spiritual Word, which is with the angels of the spiritual kingdom, are not meant those things, but in the first chapter is described the reformation and regeneration of the men of the Most Ancient Church, which is also called the new creation. In the second chapter, by "paradise" is described the intelligence of the men of that church; by "Adam" and his "wife," that church itself, and by their posterity, even to the flood, are described the changes of state of that church, until it declined, and finally its destruction by the flood.

• In the celestial Word, or in the Word which is with the angels in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, in the first chapter is described the glorification of the Lord's Human. Instead of "paradise" is described His Divine wisdom; by "Adam" himself is there meant the Lord as to the Divine itself, and at the same time the Divine Human; and by his "wife," the church, which is called "Chavah" [Eve], from life, because it has life from the Lord. Of her Adam said that she was his "bone" and his "flesh," and that they were "one flesh," because the church is from the Lord and of Him, and as one with Him. By the names which are the posterity of Adam, are there described the successive states of reception of the Lord, and of conjunction with Him, by the men of that church, even until there was no longer any reception, and therefore no conjunction.

When therefore these first chapters of our Word are read by upright men, and especially when they are read by little boys and girls, and they are affected with joy from the state of the creation of all things, and from paradise, then those senses are evolved, and the spiritual angels understand them according to their Word, and the celestial angels according to theirs, without knowing that the man or child is reading it; for those senses are evolved in their order, because they correspond, and correspondences are such from creation.

From these things it is plain what the Word is in its bosom, namely, that there are in it three senses —

• the ultimate which is natural for man, and which in many places treats of worldly things, and where it treats of Divine things, still they are described by such things as are in the world;
•  a middle sense which is spiritual, in which are described such things as relate to the church; and • an inmost sense which is celestial, in which are contained such things as relate to the Lord.

For all nature is a theater representative of the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord's kingdom, which is heaven, and the church, is a theater representative of the Lord Himself; for as the Lord glorified His Human, so also He regenerates man, and as He regenerates man, so also He created him.

From this it may be evident what is the nature of the Word in its bosom.  The natural Word, such as is in the world, in Christendom, contains within itself both the spiritual Word and the celestial Word; for the spiritual sense of our Word is the Word in the heavens which constitute the Lord's spiritual kingdom; and the celestial sense of our Word, which is its inmost sense, is the Word in the heavens which constitute the Lord's celestial kingdom. Consequently in our natural Word is contained both the spiritual Word and the celestial Word; but in the spiritual Word and the celestial Word is not contained the natural Word. For this reason the Word of our world is the most full of the Divine wisdom, and therefore more holy than the Words of the heavens.

(from DeVerbo 14[30-35])