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])

The Lord's Coming is According to Order

Selection from Invitation To The New Church ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)

The Lord's Coming is according to order in this respect, that the spring does not come until after the winter; nor the morning, until after the night; that the travailing woman has comfort and joy, only after pain; that states of comfort are after temptations; and that there is genuine life after undergoing death; even as the Lord says, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24). The Lord exhibited the type of this order, when He suffered Himself to be crucified and to die, and when afterwards He rose again; this type signifies the state of the church. . . . The above also is involved in the image which appeared to Nebuchadnezzar, where the Stone at last became a great Rock; it is further involved in the four beasts that came out of the sea; and in what is related there concerning that fearful nation (Daniel chapters 2,3; 7). It is likewise involved in the four ages known to the ancients, the golden, silver, brazen, and iron ages; further, in the ages through which every man passes, from infancy to old age; then is the end of the life of the body, and then comes the life of the spirit, which is the life of all those who have lived well. The same also is involved in the heaven which has first to pass away

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev. 21:1, 2).

The case with the church is the same.

THE KEYS GIVEN TO PETER

The keys of the kingdom of the heavens were given to Peter, because he represented the Lord as to the Divine Truth; and this is what is meant by "a rock," throughout the whole of the Sacred Scripture. On this account [it is said], "On this rock," that is, on this Divine Truth, "I will build My church," namely, on this that the Lord is "THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD."

Such is the signification of a "rock." The "rock" is spoken of in the Word [in the following passages]: Exod. 17:6; 33:21, 22; Num. 20:8-11; Deut. 8:15; 32:4-37; 1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 22:2, 3, 32, 47; 23:3; Ps. 18:2, 31, 46; 28:1; 31:2, 3; 40:2; 42:9; 62:2, 7; 78:16, 20, 35; 89:26; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1; 105:41; Isa. 2:10; 22:16; 42:11; 51:1; 1 Cor. 10:4.)

The "fissures of the rock" mean falsified truths (Rev. 6:15, 16; Isa. 21:19; Jer. 16:16; Song of Sol. 2:14; Isa. 48:21; Jer. 23:29; 49:16; Obad. verse 3; besides in the Evangelists.

When the Son alone became Man, and not the whole Trinity, was not then the Divine Essence which is a one and an indivisible trine, separated, that is, disunited or divided?

PRAYER DEFINING THE NEW CHURCH

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

That the whole of the Lord's Prayer, from beginning to end, has respect to this time; that is, to the time when God, the Father will be worshipped in the Human Form. This appears when this prayer is rightly explained.

That the churches after the times of the Apostles fell away into so many heresies, and that at the present day there are none other than false churches, is because they have not approached the Lord, when yet the Lord is the Word, and the very Light which enlighteneth the whole world. And yet for them it is as impossible to see one single genuine truth from the Word, except what is encompassed with and steeped in falsities, and coheres with falsities, as it is to sail to the Pleiades, or to dig out the gold which is in the center of the earth. Wherefore, in order that true Christian religion might be manifested, it was absolutely necessary that someone should be introduced into the spiritual world, and derive from the mouth of the Lord genuine truths out of the Word. The Lord cannot enlighten anyone with His light, unless He is approached immediately, and acknowledged as the God of heaven.

(Invitation To The New Church 34-38)

Spiritual Mind / Natural Mind

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. (Revelation 9:13-14)

At the very end of the church, man speaks and reasons respecting spiritual things, or the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal-sensual and thus from the fallacies of the senses.  Although therefore man then speaks in favor of Divine things, he does not think in favor of them – for a man is able to speak in one way from the body, while thinking in another way in his spirit; and while the spirit, which thinks from the corporeal-sensual is unable to think in any other way than against Divine things. Nevertheless, from the corporeal-sensual, it is able to speak in favor of them, and this especially for the reason that Divine things are to him the means of acquiring honor and gain.

Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, (Arcana Coelestia 2469 -2494), and he is able to think from either, from the natural memory when he is speaking with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he is speaking from the spirit; but man rarely speaks from the spirit with another, from the spirit he speaks only with himself, which is thinking. They who are sensual men are unable to speak with themselves from their spirit, or to think, in any other way than in favor of nature, consequently in favor of things corporeal and worldly, for the sensual man thinks from the sensual, and not from the spiritual; indeed, he is wholly ignorant of what the spiritual is, because he has closed the spiritual mind in himself, into which heaven flows with its light.

But let us go on to explain these words, that "a voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates."

"The river Euphrates" signifies the rational, and thence also reasoning; this is the signification of this river because it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan

"Assyria" or "Asshur" signifies the rational

"the land of Canaan" the spiritual.

There were three rivers, besides the sea, that were boundaries of the land of Canaan, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan.

"The river of Egypt" signified the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man

"the river Euphrates" signified the rational which is in man from knowledges and cognitions

"the river Jordan" signifies entrance into the internal or spiritual church

for "the regions beyond Jordan," where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had their inheritances allotted them, signified the external or natural church

and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and through it was the passage from one to the other, it signified entrance from the external church, which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. It was for this reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, whereby the natural man is introduced into the church and becomes spiritual.

This explains what these three rivers signify in the Word. All those places also outside of the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the natural man, while those within the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the spiritual man, thus the things of heaven and the church. Therefore the two rivers, "the river of Egypt" (or the Nile), and "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates), signified the terminations of the church, and also the introductions into the church.

TWO FOUNDATIONS OF TRUTH

Moreover, cognitions and knowledges which are signified by "the river of Egypt," are what introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges no one can be introduced into the church nor perceive the things that belong to the church; for the spiritual man sees its spiritual things in knowledges [scientiae] by means of the rational, as man sees himself in a mirror, and recognizes himself in them, that is, its truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by means of cognitions and knowledges, both those known from the Word and those known from the world.

But "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates) signifies the rational, because man by the rational is introduced into the church. By the rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges [scientiae] is able to see things in series, that is, from first and mediate things to see the last, which is called the conclusion, and can therefore analytically arrange, turn over, separate, conjoin, and at length conclude things, even to a further end, and at length to the final end; which is the use that he loves. This, then, is the rational which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves.

Since everyone's rational comes into accord with the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and as man through rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought and becomes a church, so that river signifies the natural* which introduces.
(* Latin has "natural," though the "rational" seems to be intended.)

It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory.

But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected.

Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and afterwards the signification of "loosing" them. "The angels bound at the river Euphrates" signify the guard against man's natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial.

WAYS THAT LEAD TO HELL AND WAYS THAT LEAD TO HEAVEN

Moreover, in the spiritual world there are ways that lead to hell and ways that lead to heaven; also ways that lead from spiritual things to natural and thus to sensual things; and in those ways there are also guards lest anyone should go in the opposite direction, for thus he would fall into heresies and errors, as has just been said. These guards are set by the Lord at the beginning of the establishment of a church, and are also maintained, lest the man of the church from his own reason or his own understanding should invade the Divine things of the Word and thence of the church. But at the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual but are natural, and many are merely sensual, and thus there is no way open with the man of the church from the spiritual man into the natural, then these guards are removed and the ways are opened, and in these opened ways they advance in a contrary order, which is done by reasonings from fallacies. Thus –

It is that the man of the church speaks in favor of Divine things with the mouth, while in heart he thinks against them, that is, he is in favor of Divine things from the body and against them from the spirit; for reasoning respecting Divine things from the natural and sensual man has this effect.

From this then the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and their being "loosed" can now be seen.

That "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, through which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:

Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Gen. 15:18).

In the sense of the letter this describes the extension of the land of Canaan, but in the internal sense it describes the extension of the church from its first boundary to its last

• its first boundary is the knowing faculty [scientificum] which is of the natural man

• the other boundary is the rational which is of the thought

• the first, namely, the knowing faculty, which is of the natural man, is signified by "the river of Egypt," the Nile
•  while the rational, which is of the thought, is signified by "the river of Assyria," the Euphrates

to these two –

• the spiritual church, which is signified by "the land of Canaan," extends itself
• so too does the spiritual mind which is with the man of the church.

Both these, the knowing faculty and the rational, are in the natural man, the one limit of which is the knowing and cognitive faculty, and the other is the intuitive and thinking faculty, and into these limits the spiritual man flows when it flows into the natural man; the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of these is signified by the "covenant" that Jehovah made with Abram. Such is the signification of these words in the internal sense, while in the highest sense, they mean the union of the Divine Essence with the Lord's Human; according to this sense these words are explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 1863-1866).

(from Apocalypse Explained 569[3-10])

Jesus is My Best of Friends

Jesus is My Best of Friends

Jesus is my best of friends,
None like Him ’mongst mortals born;
And shall I whom He defends,
Join the world, His goodness scorn?
Naught shall raise a parting line
To hold me from His tenderest love;
One shall be His will and mine
Lifelong here, for aye above.

Once He suffered death for me;
In that death He conquered sin,
Him redeeming still I see;
Wondrous strength from Him I win.
Who could sullen, sit complaining,
Knowing Christ has sealed his bliss?
Who, the ransom gift disdaining,
E’er could fly such love as His?

In that well proved love I bide;
Naught from Him this heart shall sever.
Angel glory, mortal pride,
Wealth or want shall part us never.
Depth below nor heights above,
E’er shall hold my soul enticed,
Luring from a Father’s love
Mine henceforth in Jesus Christ.

author J. K. Smyth

The Lamb

Selections from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain ...    Revelation 5:6

And I saw, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, signifies in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens. This is evident from the signification of "in the midst," as being the inmost, and therefore the whole (of which presently);

• from the signification of "throne," as being heaven in the whole complex;

• from the signification of "the four animals" as being the Lord's providence and guard that heaven be not approached except through the good of love;

• and as that guard is especially in the third or inmost heaven, since all who are there are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, that heaven is signified especially by "the four animals".

It is also evident from the signification of "elders" as being those who are in truths from good; here, therefore, those who are in the middle or second heaven, since all who are there are in truths from good; for there are these two heavens, the third and second, distinguished from each other by this, that –

• those in the third heaven are in love to the Lord

• those in the second in charity towards the neighbor; those in charity towards the neighbor are in truths from good.

From this it can be seen what is especially signified by the "four animals" and the "elders."

But the "four animals" signify in general all Divine good in the whole heaven, which guards; and the "elders" signify in general all Divine truth proceeding from Divine good in the whole heaven; both guard because they are united; thus "the four animals and the elders," together, signify Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and therefore the entire angelic heaven, but especially the two inmost heavens.

This is so for the reason that angels are not angels from what is their own [ex proprio], but from the Divine good and the Divine truth that they receive; for it is the Divine with them, that is, the Divine received by them, that causes them to be angels, and causes heaven, which is made up of them, to be called heaven (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 2-12, 51-86).

That "the midst" or "in the midst" signifies the inmost, and therefore the whole, can be seen from many passages in the Word.  But first let something be said to explain whence it is that because "the midst" signifies the inmost, it also signifies the whole. This may be illustrated by comparison with light, with the sun, with the arrangement of all in the heavens, and also of all who are of the church on earth.

By comparison with light:

Light in the midst propagates itself round about or from the center to circumferences in every direction; and because from the inmost it is propagated and fills the spaces around, thence "in the midst" signifies also the whole.

By comparison with the sun:

The sun is in the midst because it is the center of its universe; because from it are the heat and light in its system, therefore the sun "in the midst" signifies its presence in every direction, or throughout the whole.

By comparison with the arrangement of all in the heavens:

There are three heavens, and the inmost of them is the third heaven; this flows into the two lower heavens, and makes them to be one with it by communication which is effected by influx from the inmost. Moreover, in every society of the heavens that which is inmost is also the most perfect; those, therefore, who are round about in that society are in light and intelligence according to their degree of distance from the inmost (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 43, 50, 189).

By comparison with those who are in the church on earth:

The Lord's church is spread through the whole world; but its inmost is where the Lord is known and acknowledged, and where the Word is; from that inmost, light and intelligence are propagated to all who are round about and are of the church, but this propagation of light and intelligence is effected in heaven (of which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 308). From this it can be seen that "the midst" or "in the midst," as it signifies the inmost, signifies also the whole. This makes clear what is meant by "I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing," namely, the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens.

THE GOOD OF INNOCENCE

A Lamb standing, signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human. This is evident from the signification of "lamb," as being, in reference to the Lord, Himself in respect to the Divine Human.

The Lord in respect to the Divine Human is called a "lamb" because a "lamb" signifies the good of innocence, and the good of innocence is the good itself of heaven proceeding from the Lord; and so far as angels receive this good, so far they are angels.

This good reigns with angels that are in the third or inmost heaven; for this reason –

• those in that heaven appear as infants before the eyes of other angels.

(What the good of innocence is, and that the angels of heaven are in that good, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, in the chapter treating of The State of Innocence of the Angels of Heaven, n. n. 276-283, also n. 285, 288, 341, 382.)

It is believed in the world that the Lord is called "a Lamb" for the reason that the continual burnt-offering, or what was offered every day, evening and morning, was from lambs, and especially on the Passover days, when a lamb was also eaten; and that the Lord suffered Himself to be sacrificed. Such a reason for His being so called may do for those in the world who do not think beyond the sense of the letter of the Word; but nothing of this kind is perceived in heaven when the term "lamb" is predicated of the Lord; but when "lamb" is mentioned, or is read in the Word,–

• the angels, because they are all in the spiritual sense of the Word, perceive the good of innocence; and when the Lord is so called, they perceive His Divine Human, and at the same time the good of innocence that is from Him.

I know that this will with difficulty be believed, but yet it is true.

That "lamb" in the Word signifies the good of innocence, and in reference to the Lord Himself, "lamb" signifies His Divine Human, can be seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs into His arm, and shall carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead the sucklings (Isa. 40:10-11).

This treats of the Lord's coming–

• the "flock that He shall feed as a shepherd," signify those who are in the good of charity

• the "lambs that He shall gather into His arm," signify those who are in love to Him.

It is this love that, viewed in itself, is innocence; therefore all who are in it are in the heaven of innocence, which is the third heaven; and as this love is signified by lambs, it is also said, "He shall gently lead the sucklings." "Sucklings" and "infants" in the Word mean those who are in innocence (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 277, 280, 329-345).

In the same:

The wolf shall sojourn with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them; and the heifer and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together; the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den (Isa. 11:6-8).

These things are said of the Lord's coming and of His kingdom, also of those therein who are in the good of innocence, that they shall have nothing to fear from the hells and the evils therefrom, because they are protected by the Lord.

The Lord's kingdom is here described by innocences of various kinds, and by their opposites from which they shall be protected.

• a "lamb" means innocence of the inmost degree — its opposite is the "wolf"

• a "kid" means innocence of the second degree — the opposite of which is the "leopard"

• a "calf" means innocence of the last degree — the opposite of which is the "young lion."

(That "lamb," "ram," or "sheep," and "calf," signify three degrees of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 10132.)

• Innocence of the inmost degree is such as belongs to those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and its good is called celestial good;

• innocence of the second degree is such as belongs to those who are in the second or middle heaven, and its good is called spiritual good;

• innocence of the last degree is such as belongs to those who are in the first or the last heaven, and its good is called spiritual-natural good.

(That all who are in the heavens are in some good of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4797.)

Because the goods of innocence are described by the animals above named, it is said further "and a little boy shall lead them," also, "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put forth his hand on the basilisk's den." These degrees of innocence are signified also by "boy," "suckling," and "weaned child." (That "boy" has this signification, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 430, 5236; that "suckling," or infant of the first age, and "weaned child," or infant of the second age, have these significations see n. 3183, 4563, 5608, 6740, 6745.)

Because a "lamb" signifies innocence, or those who are innocent, and a "wolf" those who are against innocence, it is said in like manner in another place in the same prophet:

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; they shall not do evil in the whole mountain of holiness (Isa. 65:25);

"the mountain of holiness" is heaven, especially the inmost heaven. Therefore the Lord said to the seventy whom He sent forth:

I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luke 10:3).

Because "lambs" signify those who are in the love to the Lord, which love is one with innocence, and because "sheep" signify those who are in love towards the neighbor, which love is charity, the Lord said to Peter:

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto Him, Feed My lambs; and afterwards, Feed My sheep (John 21:15-17).

These things were said to Peter, because by "Peter" truth from good, or faith from charity was meant, and truth from good teaches; "to feed" meaning to teach.

(from Apocalypse Explained 313[1-3]; 314[1-5])

Faith in the Lord God the Savior

Selection from True Christian Religion ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Men ought to believe, that is, have faith, in God the Savior Jesus Christ, because that is a faith in a visible God within whom is the invisible; and faith in a visible God, who is at once Man and God, enters into a man —

for faith in its essence is spiritual but in its form is natural; consequently with man such a faith becomes spiritual-natural.

For anything spiritual,
in order to be anything with man,
must have a recipient in the natural.

The naked spiritual does indeed enter into man, but it is not received – it is like the ether, which flows in and out producing no effect – for to produce an effect there must be perception and consequent reception, both of these in his mind; and no such reception is possible with man except in his natural.

On the other hand merely natural faith, or faith destitute of a spiritual essence, is not faith, but only persuasion or knowledge. In externals, persuasion emulates faith; but since there is in its internals no spirituality, neither is there anything saving in it. Such is the faith of all who deny the Divinity of the Lord's Human; such was the Arian faith, and such also is the Socinian faith, because both reject the Lord's Divinity.

What is faith without an object toward which it is determined? Is it not like gazing into the universe, where the sight falls, as it were, into vacuity and is lost? It is like a bird flying beyond the atmosphere into the ether, where, as in a vacuum, it ceases to breathe. The abiding of this faith in man's mind may be compared to that of the winds in the wings of Aeolus* (see below), or of light in a falling star. It rises like a comet with a long tail, and like it passes over and disappears.

In a word, faith in an invisible God is actually blind, since the human mind fails to see its God; and the light of that faith, not being a spiritual-natural faith, is a fatuous light; which light is like that of the glow-worm, or like that seen above marshes or sulphurous glebes** at night, or like the phosphorescence of rotten wood.

From that light nothing comes except what pertains to fantasy, which creates a belief that the apparent is the real, when yet it is not.

Faith in an invisible God shines with no other light than this, especially when God is thought to be a Spirit, and spirit is thought to be like ether. What follows but that man regards God as he does the ether? Consequently he seeks God in the universe; and when he does not find Him there, he believes the nature of the universe to be God. This is the origin of the prevailing naturalism of the day.

Did not the Lord say,

No one ever heard the Father's voice or saw His shape? (John 5:37)

and also,

No man hath seen God at any time, but that the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father hath revealed Him (John 1:18).

No man hath seen the Father, save He who is with the Father, He hath seen the Father (John 6:46).

Also,

No one cometh unto the Father, but through Him (John 14:6).

Furthermore,

He who sees and knows Him sees and knows the Father (John 14:7-12).

But faith in the Lord God the Savior is different; He, being God and Man, can be approached and be seen in thought. Faith in Him is not indeterminate, but has an object from which and to which it proceeds and when once received is permanent, as when anyone has seen an emperor or king, as often as the fact is recalled the image returns. That faith's sight is like one's seeing a bright cloud, and in the midst of it an angel who invites the man to him, so that he may be raised up into heaven. Thus does the Lord appear to those who have faith in Him; He draws near to every man so far as man recognizes and acknowledges Him, which he does, so far as he knows and keeps the Lord's commandments, which are, to shun evils and do good; and at length the Lord comes into man's house, and together with the Father who is in Him, makes His abode with man, according to these words in John:

Jesus said, He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him (14:21, 23).

The foregoing was written in the presence of the Lord's twelve apostles, who were sent to me by the Lord while I was writing it.

(True Christian Religion 339)

* A "bag of winds" refers to a magical sack given to Odysseus by the god Aeolus in Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, containing all unfavorable winds, meant to help him sail home but ultimately unleashing chaos when his crew opened it, believing it held treasure.

** an area of land within an ecclesiastical parish used to support a parish priest