Summary Ideas about Correspondence

Some Summary Ideas about Correspondence
— by Erik Sandstrom Sr. —

1. Correspondences "comedown," rather than "rise up." The lower is derived from the higher, not the other way around.

    E. g., The natural, or literal, sense of the Word is formed from the spiritual, or internal, sense, not the spiritual from the natural. When we explain the natural sense according to correspondences, we are simply unfolding what was already in the living spiritual sense and is constantly there.

2. Correspondence, influx, and discrete degrees are virtually synonymous terms. There can be no influx without corresponding levels, and these levels, or degrees, are discrete.

Again: Whenever discrete degrees are in correspondence, there is at once influx.

Influx is effected by correspondences

Let application of this be made to living conatus, and to living force, and to living motion.

Living conatus in man, who is a living subject, is his will united to his understanding; living forces in man are the interior constituents of his body, in all of which there are motor fibers interlacing in various ways; and living motion in man is action, which is produced through these forces by the will united to the understanding. For the interior things pertaining to the will and understanding make the first degree; the interior things pertaining to the body make the second degree; and the whole body, which is the complex of these, makes the third degree. That the interior things pertaining to the mind have no power except through forces in the body, also that forces have no power except through the action of the body itself, is well known. These three do not act by what is continuous, but by what is discrete; and to act by what is discrete is to act by correspondences. The interiors of the mind correspond to the interiors of the body, and the interiors of the body correspond to the exteriors, through which actions come forth; consequently the two prior degrees have power through the exteriors of the body. It may seem as if conatus and forces in man have some power even when there is no action, as in sleep and in states of rest, but still at such times the determinations of conatus and forces are directed into the general motor organs of the body, which are the heart and the lungs; but when their action ceases the forces also cease, and, with the forces, the conatus.    (DLW 219).

    E. g., Thought and speech correspond (if the person is sincere); thought and speech are on discrete levels; and thought flows into speech, not speech into thought.

3. It follows that true correspondences are dynamic, not static—not like a graph. There is at once influx, from one discrete degree into another, when these degrees are in correspondence. This law keeps the natural world alive from the spiritual.

    E. g., When the external mind (which speaks and acts) is brought into order by repentance and self-compulsion, then it comes into a state of correspondence with the internal mind (where conscience is); and since there is now correspondence, therefore conscience flows into the external mind and fills it with its essence, so that the external as to quality is like the internal.

"Blessed is the man who is in correspondence, that is, whose external man corresponds to his internal man"

So long as he lives in the body, man can feel and perceive but little of this; for the celestial and spiritual things with him fall into the natural things in his external man, and he there loses the sensation and perception of them. Moreover the representatives and correspondences in his external man are such that they do not appear like the things in the internal man to which they correspond, and which they represent; therefore neither can they come to his knowledge until he has put off those external things. When this happens, blessed is the man who is in correspondence, that is, whose external man corresponds to his internal man. (AC 2994).

4. There is synonymity between the three terms when there is a state of order, not when there is disorder. When there is disorder, there can be representation, but not correspondence.

    E. g., If an insincere person speaks, then what he says may represent good affections and true concepts, but there is no correspondence with his actual affections and thoughts. Nor is there a straight influx, for the actual affections and thoughts wish to remain in hiding and therefore appoint substitutes to act for them.

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me" (Matt. 15:8, ls. 29:13).

There is an Ordering and Actuating downward motion through Correspondences, thereby bringing material together from each region.

From Arcana Coelestia 5131:2 —

To enable end, cause and effect to follow one another and act as one, the effect must correspond to the cause, and the cause must correspond to the end.

Nevertheless, the end does not manifest itself as the cause, nor does the cause manifest itself as the effect.

Rather to enable the cause to exist, the end must act on the level where the cause belongs, calling on assistant means to help it – the end – to bring the cause into existence; and to enable the effect to exist, the cause likewise must act on the level where the effect belongs, by calling on assistant means to help it – the cause – to bring the effect into existence.

These assistant means are the ones that correspond; and because they correspond, the end can exist within the cause and bring the cause into operation, and the cause can exist within the effect and bring the effect into operation.

When the Lord Fills the Word with Life

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Concerning The Holy Scripture Or Word
In Which Are Stored Up Divine Things
Which Are Open Before Good Spirits And Angels

When the Word of the Lord is being read by a man who loves the Word and lives in charity, or by a man who from simplicity of heart believes what is written and has not formed principles contrary to the truth of faith which is in the internal sense, it is presented by the Lord before the angels in such beauty and in such pleasantness, with representatives also, and this with inexpressible variety in accordance with all their state at the time, that every particular is perceived as if it had life, which life is that which is in the Word, and from which the Word had birth when it was sent down from heaven. From this cause the Word of the Lord is such, that although in the letter it appears crude, there are stored up in it spiritual and celestial things which lie open before good spirits, and before angels, when the Word is being read by man.

That the Word of the Lord is so presented before good spirits and before angels, it has been given me to hear and to see; and I am therefore permitted to relate the experiences themselves: —

A certain spirit came to me not long after his departure from the body, as I was able to infer from the fact that he did not yet know that he was in the other life, but supposed that he was living in the world. It was perceived that he had been devoted to studies, concerning which I spoke with him. But he was suddenly taken up on high; and, surprised at this, I imagined that he was one of those who aspire to high things, for such are wont to be taken up on high; or else that he placed heaven at a great height, for such likewise are often carried up on high, that they may know from experience that heaven is not in what is high, but in what is internal.

But I soon perceived that he was taken up to the angelic spirits, (the second heaven), who were in front, a little to the right, at the entrance to heaven. He then spoke with me from thence, saying that he saw things more sublime than human minds could at all comprehend. While this was taking place, I was reading the first chapter of Deuteronomy, about the Jewish people, in that men were sent to explore the land of Canaan and what was in it. While I was reading this, he said that he perceived nothing of the sense of the letter, but the things in the spiritual sense, and that these were wonders which he could not describe. This was in the first entrance to the heaven of angelic spirits; what wonders then would be perceived in that heaven itself! and what in the angelic heaven!

Certain spirits who were with me, and who before had not believed that the Word of the Lord is of such a nature, then began to repent of their unbelief; they said, in that state, that they believed because they heard the spirit say that he heard, saw, and perceived that it was so.

But other spirits still persisted in their unbelief, and said that it was not so, but that these things were fancies; and therefore they too were suddenly taken up, and spoke with me from thence; and they confessed that it was anything but fancy, because they really perceived that it was so; and by a more exquisite perception indeed than can ever be given to any sense during the life of the body.

Soon others also were taken up into the same heaven, and among them one whom I had known in the life of the body, who testified to the same effect, saying also, among other things, that he was too much amazed to be able to describe the glory of the Word in its internal sense. Then, speaking from a kind of pity, he said that it was strange that men knew nothing at all of such things. He said further that from where he then was he could look most deeply into my thoughts and my affections, and perceived in them more things than he could tell; such as causes, influxes, whence they came, and from whom; the ideas, and how they were mixed with earthly things, and that these were to be wholly separated; besides other things.

On two occasions afterwards I saw others taken up into the second heaven, among the angelic spirits; and they spoke with me thence while I was reading the third chapter of Deuteronomy from beginning to end. They said that they were solely in the interior sense of the Word; at the same time asserting that there was not a tittle in which there was not a spiritual sense that coheres most beautifully with all the rest, and further that the names signify real things. Thus they too were confirmed; because they had not believed before that each and all things in the Word have been inspired by the Lord; and this they wished to confirm before others by an oath, but it was not permitted.

Certain spirits also were in unbelief concerning the Word of the Lord, as to there being such things stored up in its bosom, or within it; for in the other life spirits are in unbelief like that in which they had been in the life of the body; and this is not dissipated except by means provided by the Lord, and by living experiences. On this account, while I was reading some of the Psalms of David, the deeper insight or mind of these spirits was opened. These were not taken up among angelic spirits. They then perceived the interior things of the Word in those Psalms; and being amazed at them said that they had never believed such things.

The same portion of the Word was then heard by many other spirits; but they all apprehended it in different ways: —

With some it filled the ideas of their thought with many pleasant and delightful things, thus with a kind of life in accordance with the capacity of each one, and at the same time with an efficacy that penetrated to their inmosts, and this to such a degree with some that they seemed to be uplifted toward the interiors of heaven, and nearer and nearer to the Lord, according to the degree in which they were affected by the truths and the goods therewith injoined.

The Word was then at the same time brought to some who had no apprehension of its internal sense, but only of the external or literal sense; and to them the letter appeared to have no life.

From all this it was manifest what the Word is when the Lord fills it with life - that it is of such efficacy that it penetrates to the inmosts; also what it is when He does not fill it with life - that it is then the letter only, with scarcely any life.

Of the Lord's Divine mercy I too have been permitted in the same way to see the Lord's Word in its beauty in the internal sense, and this many times; not as it is while the words are being explained as to the internal sense in detail, but with all things both in general and particular brought together into a single series or connection, which may be said to be the seeing of a heavenly paradise from an earthly one.

Spirits who had found delight and joy in the Word of the Lord during their life in the body, have in the other life a kind of joyous heavenly warmth which it has also been permitted me to feel. The warmth of those who had some measure of this delight was communicated to me. It was like a vernal heat, beginning in the region of the lips, and diffusing itself about the cheeks, and thence as far as the ears, ascending also to the eyes, and descending toward the middle region of the breast.

The warmth of those who had been still more affected by delight in the Word of the Lord, and by the interior things of it which the Lord Himself had taught, was also communicated to me; beginning at the breast it ascended thence toward the chin, and descended toward the loins. The warmth of those who had been even more delighted and affected, was still more interiorly joyous and vernal, extending indeed from the loins upward toward the breast, and thence through the left arm to the hands. I was instructed by the angels that this is really the case, and that the approach of those spirits brings such warmths, although they themselves do not feel them, because they are in them, just as infants, children, and youths are not commonly sensible of their own warmth which they have in greater measure than adults and old people, because they are in it.

I was also made sensible of the warmth of some, who had indeed been delighted with the Word, but had not been solicitous about the understanding of it; their warmth was felt in the right arm only.

As regards the warmth: evil spirits also can by their artifices produce a warmth which counterfeits delight, and can communicate it to others; but it is only an external warmth, without an origin from internals. Such warmth is that which putrefies and converts food into excrement, like the heat of adulterers, and that of those who have been immersed in filthy pleasures.

There are spirits who do not desire to hear anything about the interior things of the Word; and even should they understand them, they are still unwilling. They are chiefly those who have placed merit in works, and who therefore have done goods from the love of self and of the world, or for the sake of the rank or wealth to be gained for themselves, and the consequent reputation, thus not for the sake of the Lord's kingdom. In the other life such desire more than others to enter heaven; but they remain outside of it; for they are unwilling to be imbued with the knowledges of truth, and thereby to be affected with good. They interpret the meaning of the Word from the letter according to their fancies, and by advancing whatever favors their cupidities with its approval. Such were represented by an old woman who had a face not comely, but of even snowy paleness, with irregular features [cui inerant inordinata], which made her ugly. But those who admit and love the interior things of the Word, were represented by a girl in early maidenhood, or in the flower of youth, handsomely dressed, and adorned with garlands and heavenly ornaments.

I have conversed with certain spirits concerning the Word, saying that it has been necessary that of the Lord's Divine Providence some revelation should come into existence, for a revelation or Word is the general recipient vessel of spiritual and celestial things, thus conjoining heaven and earth; and that without it they would have been disjoined, and the human race would have perished. And besides it is necessary that there should be heavenly truths somewhere, by which man may be instructed, because he was born for heavenly things, and, after the life of the body, ought to come among those who are heavenly; for the truths of faith are the laws of order in the kingdom in which he is to live forever.

It may seem a paradox, but still it is most true, that the angels understand the internal sense of the Word better and more fully when little boys and girls are reading it, than when it is read by adult persons who are not in the faith of charity. The cause has been told me, and is that little boys and girls are in a state of mutual love and innocence, and thus their most tender vessels are almost heavenly, and are simply capacities for receiving, which therefore can be disposed by the Lord; although this does not come to their perception, except by a certain delight suited to their genius. It was said by the angels that the Word of the Lord is a dead letter; but that in him that reads it is vivified by the Lord according to the capacity of each one; and that it becomes living according to the life of his charity and his state of innocence, and this with inexpressible variety.

(Arcana Coelestia 1767-1776)

The Medium of Conjunction

Selection from Heaven and Hell ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
ALL THINGS OF THE EARTH
 AND IN GENERAL
ALL THINGS OF THE WORLD
ARE CORRESPONDENCES

All things of the earth are distinguished into three kinds, called kingdoms, namely, the animal kingdom, the vegetable kingdom and the mineral kingdom.

The things in the animal kingdom are correspondences in the first degree, because they live.

The things in the vegetable kingdom are correspondences in the second degree, because they merely grow.

The things in the mineral kingdom are correspondences in the third degree because they neither live nor grow.

The correspondences in the animal kingdom are living creatures of various kinds, both those that walk and creep on the ground as well as those that fly in the air. These are not named specifically as they are well known.

The correspondences in the vegetable kingdom are all things that grow and flourish in gardens, forests, fields and meadows. These, too, are not named as they are well known.

The correspondences in the mineral kingdom are metals, more and less noble, stones, precious and not precious, earths of various kinds and also waters.

Besides these, there are also the correspondences prepared from those by human activity for use, such as foods of every kind, clothing, homes, buildings and many other things.

The things above the earth as the sun, the moon, the stars, 

and also those in the atmospheres as clouds, mists, rain, lightning and thunder are likewise correspondences.

Things resulting from the presence or absence of the sun, as light and shade, heat and cold are also correspondences as well as those that follow in succession therefrom, as the seasons of the year which are called spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the times of the day, morning, noon, evening and night.

IN A WORD, ALL THINGS THAT COME INTO EXISTENCE IN NATURE, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST ARE CORRESPONDENCES.

They are correspondences because the natural world with all things belonging to it comes into existence and continues in existence from the spiritual world, and both worlds from the Divine. It is said to continue in existence also because everything continues in existence by virtue of that from which it comes into existence, for, continuing in existence is a perpetual coming into existence, and because not a thing can continue in existence from itself, but from something prior to itself, thus from the First. Therefore, if separated from that it would utterly perish and vanish.

EVERYTHING IN NATURE THAT COMES INTO EXISTENCE AND CONTINUES IN EXISTENCE FROM DIVINE ORDER IS A CORRESPONDENCE.

The Divine good that proceeds from the Lord makes Divine order. It begins from Him, goes forth from Him through the heavens in succession into the world, and is terminated there in ultimates. The things that are there in accordance with order are correspondences. All things there which are good and perfect for use are in accordance with order, for all good is good according to use, while the form has relation to truth since truth is the form of good. For this reason all things which are in Divine order in the whole world and also partake of the nature of the world, have relation to good and truth.

That all things in the world come into existence from the Divine, and are clothed with such things in nature as enable them to exist there and perform a use, and thus to correspond, is clearly evident from individual things seen in both the animal and vegetable kingdoms. In both there are things that anyone, if he thinks interiorly, can see to be from heaven.

For illustration a few things out of a countless number may be mentioned, first some things in the Animal Kingdom.

Many people are aware what knowledge there is implanted as it were in every animal. Bees know how to gather honey from flowers, to build cells out of wax in which they store their honey and thus provide food for themselves and their own [hive] even for the coming winter. That a new generation may be born, their queen lays eggs, and the rest take care of them and cover them. The whole hive live under a certain form of government which all in the hive know by instinct. They preserve the working bees and cast out the drones, depriving them of their wings, besides other wonderful things which they have from heaven for the sake of use. For, throughout the world, their wax serves the human race for candles, and their honey for sweetening food.

And what happens in the case of caterpillars (vermiculus), the meanest creatures in the animal kingdom? They know how to get food from the juice of leaves suited to them, and afterwards at the appointed time to invest themselves with a covering and place themselves, as it were, in a womb and so hatch out an offspring of their own kind. Some are first changed into nymphs and chrysalides which spin threads; and this travail being over, they come forth clad with a different body and, furnished with wings, fly in the air as in their heaven. They celebrate marriages, lay eggs and provide for themselves a posterity.

Besides these specific instances, all creatures that fly in the sky know in general the food suitable for their nourishment, not only what it is but even where to find it. They know how to build nests for themselves, each species different from any other, to lay eggs in the nest, to sit upon them, hatch their young and feed them, and to turn them out of the home when they are able to be independent. They also know their enemies that they have to avoid and their friends with whom they may associate, and this from earliest infancy; not to mention the wonders in the eggs themselves in which all things lie ready in their order for the formation and nourishment of the embryo chick, besides innumerable other things.

Who, thinking from any rational wisdom, will ever say that these things are from any other source than the spiritual world to which the natural world is of service in wrapping around it a body that is derived from it or for presenting as an effect that which is spiritual in its cause? The beasts of the earth and the fowls of the air are born into all this knowledge while man, who is superior to them, is not. The reason is that animals are in the order of their life and have not been able to destroy what is in them from the spiritual world, because they have no rational [faculty]. Man, on the other hand, who thinks from the spiritual world, having perverted what is in him from that world by a life contrary to order, which his rational faculty has favoured, must needs be born into mere ignorance and afterwards be led back by Divine means into the order of heaven.

How the things of the Vegetable Kingdom correspond can be confirmed from many instances.

For example, little seeds grow into trees, put forth leaves, produce flowers and then fruit, in which again they deposit seeds. These things take place in succession and exist together in an order so wonderful as to be indescribable in a few words. Volumes might be filled and yet there would be still deeper arcana, relating more closely to their uses, which knowledge would be unable to exhaust. Since these things, too, are from the spiritual world, or heaven, which is in the form of man, as has been shown above in the relevant section, so all the particulars in this kingdom have a certain relation to such things as are in man, as is well known to some in the learned world. It has been made clear to me by much experience that all things in this kingdom also are correspondences. For, often when I have been in gardens, and have been looking at the trees, fruits, flowers and vegetables there, I have observed their correspondences in heaven, and have spoken with those in whom these were, and have been taught whence and what they were.

To know, however, the spiritual things in heaven to which natural things in the world correspond is possible to no one at the present day except from heaven, since the knowledge of correspondences has now been entirely lost. But the nature of the correspondence of spiritual things with natural I would illustrate by some examples.

The living creatures of the earth, in general, correspond to affections, gentle and useful creatures to good affections, fierce and useless ones to evil affections. In particular, cattle and their young correspond to the affections of the natural mind, sheep and lambs to the affections of the spiritual mind, while winged creatures, according to their species, correspond to the intellectual things of either mind.

For this reason, various animals, as cattle and their young, rams, sheep, she-goats, he-goats, he-lambs and she-lambs, also pigeons and turtle-doves were received for a sacred use in the Israelitish Church which was a representative Church, and sacrifices and burnt-offerings were made of them. For in that use they corresponded to things spiritual, and in heaven these were understood in accordance with correspondences. Moreover, animals according to their kinds and species, are affections, because they are living, and the life of each one is solely from, and in accordance with affection. Consequently, every animal has an innate knowledge in accord with its life's affection. Man, too, is similar to animals as to his natural man. Therefore, he is compared to them in common speech. For example, if he is gentle he is called a sheep or a lamb, if fierce, a bear or wolf, if cunning, a fox or a serpent, and so on.

There is a like correspondence with the things in the vegetable kingdom.

In general, a garden corresponds to heaven as to intelligence and wisdom, so that heaven is called the garden of God and paradise, and by man the heavenly paradise. Trees, according to their species, correspond to the perceptions and cognitions of good and truth from which intelligence and wisdom come. For this reason, the ancient people who had a knowledge of correspondences, held their sacred worship in groves. For the same reason, trees are so often mentioned in the Word, such as the vine, the olive, the cedar and others, and heaven, the Church and man are compared to them, and the good works they do are compared to fruits. Also the food derived from trees, especially from the grain harvests of the field, corresponds to affections of good and truth because these affections nourish the spiritual life, as earthly food does the natural life. Hence, bread, in a general sense, corresponds to the affection of all good, because it is the food that, beyond other foods, sustains life and because by bread is meant all food. Indeed, it is on account of this correspondence that the Lord calls Himself the Bread of life, and that loaves of bread had a holy use in the Israelitish Church, for they were placed on the table in the tabernacle and were called the bread of faces (A.V. shew-bread). All the Divine worship that was performed by means of sacrifices and burnt-offerings was also termed bread. Moreover, because of this correspondence the most holy act of worship in the Christian Church is the Holy Supper in which bread and wine are given. From these few examples the nature of correspondence can be confirmed.

How the conjunction of heaven with the world is effected by means of correspondences, will also be told in a few words.

The Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of ends which are uses, or what is the same thing, a kingdom of uses which are ends. On this account, the universe has been so created and formed by the Divine that uses may be everywhere clothed in such a way as to be presented in act or in effect, first in heaven and afterwards in the world, thus by degrees and successively down to the ultimates of nature. Hence it is evident that the correspondence of natural things with spiritual things, or of the world with heaven, is through uses and that uses conjoin. And the forms in which uses are clothed are correspondences and means of conjunction just to the extent that they are forms of uses.

In nature, in its threefold kingdom, all things that come into existence in accordance with order are forms of uses, or effects formed from use for use, and this is why the things in nature are correspondences.

With man, however, so far as he lives in accordance with Divine order, thus, so far as he is in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbour, to that extent, his actions are uses in form and are correspondences by means of which he is conjoined with heaven. To love the Lord and the neighbour means in general to perform uses.

Further, it ought to be known that man is the means by which the natural world is conjoined with the spiritual world, that is, man is the medium of conjunction; for in him there is a natural world and also a spiritual world. Therefore, to the extent that man is spiritual, so far he is the medium of conjunction; but, to the extent that a man is natural and not spiritual, he is not a medium of conjunction. Nevertheless, apart from the mediation of man, Divine influx into the world and also into the things of the world pertaining to man, goes on, but  not into man's rational faculty.

As all things that are in accordance with Divine order correspond to heaven, so all things contrary to Divine order correspond to hell. The things that correspond to heaven have relation to good and truth. Those things that correspond to hell have relation to evil and falsity.

Something will now be said about the knowledge of correspondences and its use.

It was said above that the spiritual world, which is heaven, is conjoined to the natural world by means of correspondences. Therefore, by means of correspondences, communication with heaven is granted to man. For the angels of heaven do not think from natural things, as man does. Consequently, when man is in the knowledge of correspondences, he is able, in regard to the thoughts of his mind, to be together with the angels, and thus, as to his spiritual or internal man, to be conjoined with them. In order that there may be conjunction of heaven with man, the Word has been written by means of pure correspondences, for all things in it in general and particular are correspondences. If man, therefore, were in the knowledge of correspondences, he would understand the Word as to its spiritual sense and would thereby be enabled to know arcana of which he sees nothing in the sense of the letter. For in the Word there is a literal sense and these is a spiritual sense. The literal sense consists of such things as are in the world, but the spiritual sense of such things as are in heaven, and since the conjunction of heaven with the world is by means of correspondences, therefore such a Word was given in which the details down to the least jot (iota) are in correspondence.

I have been taught from heaven that the Most Ancient Peoples on our earth, who were celestial men, thought from correspondences themselves, the natural things of the world before their eyes serving them as the means of thinking in this way. Being of such character, they were in fellowship with angels and spoke with them. Thus, through them heaven was conjoined to the world. For this reason, that period was called the Golden Age, of which it is said by ancient writers that the inhabitants of heaven dwelt with men and associated with them as friends with friends. But, after their times, there succeeded those who thought not from correspondences themselves but from a knowledge of correspondences, and there was then also a conjunction of heaven with man, but not so intimate. Their period is what is called the Silver Age. After this, there followed men who had some knowledge of correspondences but did not think from that knowledge, on account of their being in natural good and not, like those before them, in spiritual good. This period was called the Copper Age. After those times, men gradually became external, and finally corporeal, and then the knowledge of correspondences was completely lost, and with it a true idea of heaven and of the many things pertaining to heaven. It was also from correspondence that these ages were named from gold, silver and copper, because from correspondence "gold" signifies the celestial good in which were the Most Ancient People; "silver" signifies the spiritual good in which were the Ancient People after them; and "copper" signifies the natural good in which were the next posterity; while "iron" from which the last age was named signifies hard truth apart from good.

(from Heaven and Hell 103 - 115)

The Roman Catholic Religious Persuasion

Selection from Apocalypse Revealed ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth, signifies the Roman Catholic religious persuasion as to the quality of its interiors, which were hidden, that from its origin from the love of dominating from self-love, over the holy things of the church and over heaven, thus over all things relating to the Lord and His Word, it defiled and profaned the things which relate to the Word, and thence to the church.

• By "written upon her forehead" is signified to be implanted in the love, for "the forehead" signifies the love.

• By "mystery" is signified what is concealed interiorly.

• By "Babylon the great" is signified the Roman Catholic religious persuasion and all its quality.

... the Papists, among whom they who have claimed to themselves the power of opening and shutting heaven are meant by "Babylon." Here therefore it shall first be said what is specifically meant by "Babylon." By "Babylon" or "Babel" is meant the love of dominion over the holy things of the church from self-love, and because that love ascends in proportion as the reins are relaxed to it, and as the holy things of the church are also the holy things of heaven, therefore by "Babylon" or "Babel" is also signified dominion over heaven. And because this love thus acts the part of the devil, because it aspires to the same things, it cannot do otherwise than profane things holy, by adulterating the goods and truths of the Word, therefore by "Babylon" or "Babel" is also signified the profanation of what is holy, and the adulteration of the good and truth of the Word. Such is the signification of "Babylon" here in Revelation, and of "Babel" in the prophetic and historical Word, in these passages:

Concerning Babel: Behold the day of Jehovah cometh cruel; the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light; the sun is darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not cause her light [lumen] to shine. I will cause the exaltation of the proud to cease, and I will humble the pride of the violent. Babel, the ornament of kingdoms, shall be as God's overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; the tziim shall lie there, their houses shall be filled with the ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and the satyrs shall dance there; the ijim shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of her delights (Isa. 13:1, 9-11, 19, 21-22). Besides many other things in the whole of the chapter.

Thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel: Thy magnificence is brought down into hell; thou hast fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend the heavens, above the stars of God I will exalt my throne, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like the Most High; but yet thou shalt be brought down to hell; I will rise against thee, and will cut off from Babel the name and residue (Isa. 14:4, 11-15, 22). Besides more things in the whole chapter.

Jehovah hath spoken against Babel: Your mother was exceedingly ashamed, she that brought you forth was suffused with shame; behold, the last end shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Set yourselves in array against Babel round about, shoot against her, spare no arrows; how is Babel become a desolation among the nations! She acted insolently against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel. A drought is upon her waters, that they may dry up, because it is a land of graven images, and it glories in horrible things; therefore the ziim shall dwell there with the ijim, and the owls shall dwell therein, as God's overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jer. 50:1, 12, 14, 23, 29, 31, 38-40). Besides many other things concerning "Babel" in that whole chapter.

Babel is a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken; the nations have drunk of her wine, therefore they are mad; forsake her, for her judgment hath reached to the heavens, and hath lifted itself up even to the clouds; behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, that destroyest the whole earth. I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a mountain of burning. I will visit upon Bel in Babel; I will bring forth his morsel out of his mouth, that the nations may no longer flow together unto him; yea the wall of Babel shall fall. Behold the days are coming, in which I will visit upon the graven images of Babel, that her whole land may be ashamed. Though Babel should ascend into the heavens, and though she should fortify the high places of her strength, from Me shall wasters come. Yea, I will make drunk her princes and her wise ones, and her leaders, and her primates, that they may sleep the sleep of an age, and not awake (Jer. 51:1, 7, 9, 25, 44, 47, 53, 57). Besides many other things concerning "Babel" in that whole chapter.

Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel, sit on the earth; there is no throne; take the millstones and grind meal; uncover the thigh, pass over the streams, thy nakedness shall be uncovered, thy disgrace shall be seen. Thou hast said, I shall be mistress to eternity; thou didst not remember the end; thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, No one seeth me; thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath seduced thee, when thou saidst in thy heart, I, and there is none else like me; devastation shall come suddenly, thou shalt not know; persist in thy enchantments, in the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast labored from thy youth, peradventure they will be able to profit, peradventure thou shalt become terrible (Isa. 47:1-3, 7, 10-12). Besides other things concerning "Babel" in that chapter.

Similar things are signified by:

The city and tower whose head was in heaven, which they that came from the east attempted to build in the valley of Shinar, whose speech Jehovah descending from heaven confounded; whence the name of the place was called "Babel" [confusion] (Gen. 11:1-9).

Similar things are signified by the following passages in Daniel:

By the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, the feet of which were partly iron and partly clay, which the stone cut out not by a hand smote and ground to pieces, and all the parts of the statue became as the chaff in the threshing floors; and the stone became a great rock (Dan. 2:31-47).

By the great image which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel made, and commanded that they should fall down and adore before it; and that they who would not should be cast into the furnace of fire (Dan. 3:1-7 seq.).

By the tree that grew until its height reached unto heaven, and the sight of it unto the end of the earth, which a watcher and a holy one, coming down from heaven, commanded to hew down, to cut off, to strip off, and to scatter; and because the king of Babel was represented by it, it came to pass that he was driven away from man, dwelt with the beasts, and ate the herbage like an ox (Dan. 4:1 to the end).

By Belshazzar king of Babel drinking wine with his nobles, wives, and concubines, out of the vessels of gold and silver of the temple of Jerusalem, and praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, and stone; on account of which there was a writing on the wall, and the king himself was slain the same day (Dan. 5:1 to the end).

By the decree of Darius the Mede, king of Babel; that no one for thirty days should seek anything from God or man, but from the king alone; if otherwise, he should be cast into the den of lions (Dan. 6:8 to the end).

And by the four beasts seen by Daniel to come up out of the sea, of which the fourth, terrible, strong, having great teeth of iron, it devoured and crushed in pieces, and trampled the residue with his feet; and that then the judgment was set, and the books were opened, and the beast was slain, and given into the burning of fire; and that then there was seen coming with the clouds of heaven one like the Son of man, to whom was given dominion and glory and the kingdom, and all peoples, and nations and tongues shall worship Him; His dominion is the dominion of an age which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Dan. 7:1-14 seq.).

(from Apocalypse Revealed 717)

• By "whoredoms" are signified the adulterations of the good and truth of the Word; and also their defilements.

• By "abominations" are signified the profanations of the holy things of the church, as also just above.

• By "the earth" is signified the church.

• By "mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth" is signified their origin.

Now because these words were written on her forehead, and by "written on the forehead" is signified to be implanted in the love, and their love is the love of dominating from the love of self, over all things of the church and over heaven, thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, therefore this is signified.

From these things it may be seen, that by "written upon her forehead, Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth," is signified the Roman Catholic religious persuasion as to its interior hidden quality, that from its origin from the love of dominating from self-love over the holy things of the church, and over heaven, and thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, it has defiled and profaned those things which are of the Word, and thence of the church.

•  That it is the love of dominating over all things of the church, is known from the authority claimed over the souls of men and over all things relating to their worship.

• That it is over heaven is known from the authority they assume of loosing and binding, and thus of opening and shutting.

• That it is over all things of the Lord is known from the vicarship, by which they attribute to themselves all that is His.

• That it is over all things of the Word is also known from their reserving to themselves alone the right of interpretation.

It is called the love of dominating from the love of self, because there is also a love of dominion from the love of uses, which two loves are diametrically opposite to one another, for the love of dominating from the love of self is diabolical, for it regards itself only, and the world for the sake of self; but the love of dominion from the love of uses is celestial, for it regards the Lord, from whom all things which proceed are uses, and uses to him consist in doing good to the church for the sake of the salvation of souls; wherefore this love abominates the love of dominating from the love of self.

(from Apocalypse Revealed 729)

Correspondences, Representatives and Significatives

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

In the Ancient Church there were doctrinal things and there were memory-knowledges. The doctrinal things treated of love to God and of charity toward the neighbor; but the memory-knowledges treated of the correspondences of the natural world with the spiritual world, and of the representatives of spiritual and celestial things in things natural and earthly. Such were the memory-knowledges of those who were in the Ancient Church.

Egypt was one of those countries and kingdoms where the Ancient Church was; but as in Egypt it was chiefly memory-knowledges that were handed down to posterity, therefore such knowledge in general is signified by "Egypt;" and it is for this reason also that Egypt is so often treated of in the prophetic Word, and by it such knowledge is specifically meant. The very magic of the Egyptians also had its origin thence; for they were acquainted with the correspondences of the natural world with the spiritual, and afterward, when the church among them was at an end, these correspondences were abused by being turned to magical things. Now because they had such knowledges (that taught correspondences, and also representatives and significatives) and as these knowledges were of service to the doctrinal things of the church, especially to the understanding of those things which were said in their Word (that the Ancient Church had a Word both prophetic and historic, similar to the present Word, but yet a different one —

There were books also in the Ancient Word that were entitled "The Wars of Jehovah;" as is evident in Moses (Num. 21:14-16); which, being written in the prophetic style, had an internal sense, and treated of the combats and temptations of the Lord, and also of those of the church, and of the men of the church. This is manifest from the fact that some things were taken from these books by Moses; and also from other books of that church called "The Books of the Prophetic Enunciators" (respecting which see Num. 21:27-30), in which almost the same words are found as in Jeremiah (compare Num. 21:28, and Jer. 48:45).

From this it may also be concluded that the Ancient Church had writings both historic and prophetic that were Divine and inspired, and that in their internal sense treated of the Lord and His kingdom; and that these were the Word to them, as are to us those historic and prophetic books which in the sense of the letter treat of the Jews and Israelites, but in their internal sense of the Lord, and of the things which are His. (from Arcana Coelestia 2686)

therefore by "being brought down to Egypt" is signified to the memory-knowledges of the church.

(from Arcana Coelestia 4964)

~~~

— THINGS PRIMARY FOR INTERPRETATION —

Things primary for interpretation are those which primarily conduce to the interpretation of the Word, and thus to the understanding of the doctrinal things of love to God and of charity toward the neighbor, which are from the Word.

Be it known that the memory-knowledges of the ancients were altogether different from those of the present day. As before said the memory-knowledges of the ancients treated of the correspondence of things in the natural world with things in the spiritual world. The memory-knowledges which are now called philosophy, such as that of Aristotle and others like him, were unknown to them. This is evident also from the books of the ancient writers, most of which were written in language that signified, represented, and corresponded to interior things, as is evident from the following instances, not to mention others.

They located Helicon on a mountain, and by it they meant heaven; they gave to Parnassus a place below on a hill, by which they meant memory-knowledges, where they said that a flying horse, called Pegasus, broke open a fountain with his hoof; the sciences they called virgins, with other such traditions.

For they knew from correspondences and representatives that a mountain denotes heaven; a hill, that heaven which is beneath, or which is with man; a horse, the understanding; the wings with which he flew, spiritual things; a hoof, the natural mind; a fountain, intelligence; the three virgins who were called the Graces, affections of good; and the virgins who were called the Muses, affections of truth. So also they assigned to the sun horses, the food of which they called ambrosia, and their drink, nectar; for they knew that the sun signified celestial love, horses the intellectual things therefrom; and that food signifies celestial things, and drink spiritual things.

From the ancients also there still survives the custom for kings at their coronation to sit upon a silver throne, to be clothed with a crimson robe, to be anointed with oil, to wear a crown on the head, and to carry a scepter, sword, and keys in their hands, to ride in royal pomp upon a white horse whose hoofs are shod with silver, and to be waited on at table by the chiefs of the kingdom, with other ceremonies; for they knew that a king represented Divine truth which is from Divine good, and hence they knew what is signified by a silver throne, a crimson robe, anointing oil, a crown, a scepter, a sword, keys, a white horse, hoofs shod with silver, and being waited on by chief men.

Who at this day knows these significations, and where are the knowledges that teach them? Men call such things emblems, not knowing anything whatever about correspondence and representation.

From all this it is evident of what nature were the knowledges of the ancients, and that they brought them into a knowledge of spiritual and heavenly things which at this day are scarcely known to exist.

The knowledges which succeeded those of the ancients, and are properly called philosophy, rather draw away the mind from the knowledge of such things, because they can also be applied to the confirmation of falsities; and moreover when truths are confirmed by means of them, they plunge the mind into darkness, because they are for the most part bare expressions, whereby confirmations are effected which are comprehended by few, and regarding which even these few are not agreed.

From this it is evident how far mankind has receded from the erudition of the ancients, which led to wisdom.

The Gentiles received those knowledges from the Ancient Church, the external worship of which consisted in representatives and significatives, and the internal in those things which were represented and signified. These were the knowledges which, in the genuine sense, are signified by "Egypt."

An Egyptian man. That this signifies natural truth, is evident from the signification of a "man," as being truth, and from the signification of "Egypt," as being memory-knowledge in general, treated of just above; and because "Egypt" is memory-knowledge, it is also the natural; for all the memory-knowledge in man is natural, because it is in his natural man, even the memory-knowledge concerning spiritual and celestial things. The reason of this is that man sees these knowledges in the natural, and from it; and those which he does not see from the natural, he does not apprehend.

The regenerate man, who is called spiritual; and the unregenerate man, who is merely natural, see these knowledges in different ways —

With the regenerate man - the knowledges are enlightened by the light of heaven

With the unregenerate man - not so, but by the light which flows in through spirits who are in falsity and evil, which light is indeed from the light of heaven, but becomes in them opaque, like the light of evening or of night; for such spirits, and hence such men, see as owls-clearly at night, and obscurely in the daytime, that is, they see falsities clearly and truths obscurely; and hence see clearly the things of the world, and obscurely, if at all, the things of heaven.

From these considerations it is evident that genuine memory-knowledge is natural truth; for all genuine memory-knowledge, such as is signified by "Egypt" in a good sense, is natural truth.

(from Arcana Coelestia 4966 - 4967)

A Succession of Correspondences

Selections from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
To remember and to be mindful of the Lord is from no other source than faith

He who receives and has faith is continually mindful of the Lord, even when he is thinking or speaking of other things, and also when he is discharging his public, private, or domestic duties, although he is not aware that he is then mindful of the Lord; for the remembrance of the Lord by those who are in faith reigns universally with them, and what reigns universally is not perceived, except while the thought is directed to it.

This may be illustrated by various things with man.

He who is in any love, whatever it may be, is continually thinking about whatever belongs to that love; and this although he is engaged in thought, in speech, or in action relative to other things.

In the other life this is very evident from the spiritual spheres about everyone; for simply from these spheres it is known in what faith and in what love are all who are there, and this even though they are thinking and speaking of something entirely different; for that which reigns universally in anyone produces a sphere of the same, and displays his life before others. From this may be seen what is meant when it is said that we must be constantly thinking about the Lord, salvation, and the life after death.

All who are in faith from charity do this, and therefore they do not think ill of the neighbor, and they have justice and equity in everything of their thought, speech, and action; for that which reigns universally flows into particulars and guides and governs them, because the Lord keeps the mind in such things as are of charity and the derivative faith and thus disposes everything in conformity therewith.

The sphere of faith from charity is the sphere which reigns in heaven; for the Lord flows in with love, and through love with charity, consequently with the truths which are of faith; and from this they who are in heaven are said to be in the Lord.

The Rebirth of the Sensuous

The sensuous, like the rational, is born again by means of faith, but by the faith into which charity flows. Unless charity flows into faith and gives it life, faith cannot reign universally; for what a man loves reigns, and not what he merely knows and holds in his memory. (from no 5130)

Correspondence of Exterior Natural and Interior Natural

When it is well with thee. That this signifies when there is correspondence, is evident from the signification of its "being well with thee," when the rebirth or regeneration of the exterior natural or sensuous is treated of, as being correspondence; for it is not well with it until it corresponds.

What correspondence is

There is a correspondence of sensuous with natural things, a correspondence of natural with spiritual things, a correspondence of spiritual with celestial things, and finally a correspondence of celestial things with the Divine of the Lord; thus there is a succession of correspondences from the Divine down to the ultimate natural.

But as an idea of the nature of correspondences can with difficulty be formed by those who have never thought about them before, it may be well to say a few words on the subject.

End, Cause, Effect

It is known from philosophy that the end is the first of the cause, and that the cause is the first of the effect. That the end, the cause, and the effect may follow in order, and act as a one, it is needful that the effect should correspond to the cause, and the cause to the end. But still the end does not appear as the cause, nor the cause as the effect; for in order that the end may produce the cause, it must take to itself administrant means from the region where the cause is, by which means the end may produce the cause; and in order that the cause may produce the effect, it also must take to itself administrant means from the region where the effect is, by which means the cause may produce the effect. These administrant means are what correspond; and because they correspond, the end can be in the cause and can actuate the cause, and the cause can be in the effect and can actuate the effect; consequently the end through the cause can actuate the effect. It is otherwise when there is no correspondence; for then the end has no cause in which it may be, still less an effect in which it may be, but is changed and varied in the cause, and finally in the effect, according to the form made by the administrant means.

All things in general and in particular in man, nay, all things in general and in particular in nature, succeed one another as end, cause, and effect; and when they thus correspond to one another, they act as a one; for then the end is the all in all things of the cause, and through the cause is the all in all things of the effect. As for example, when heavenly love is the end, the will the cause, and action the effect, if there is correspondence, then heavenly love flows into the will, and the will into the action, and they so act as a one that by means of the correspondence the action is as it were the love; or as when the faith of charity is the end, thought the cause, and speech the effect, then if there is correspondence, faith from charity flows into the thought, and this into the speech, and they so act as a one, that by means of the correspondence the speech is as it were the end. In order however that the end, which is love and faith, may produce the cause, which is will and thought, it must take to itself administrant means in the rational mind that will correspond; for without administrant means that correspond, the end, which is love or faith, cannot be received, however much it may flow in from the Lord through heaven. From this it is plain that the interiors and the exteriors of man, that is, what is rational, natural, and sensuous in him must be brought into correspondence, in order that he may receive the Divine influx, and consequently that he may be born again; and that it is not well with him till then. This is the reason why here by "when it is well with thee" is signified correspondence. (from no. 5131)

The Reception of Charity

Faith and charity will make a one in the sensuous when this is being reborn. That "mercy" signifies charity is because all who are in charity are in mercy, or in other words all who love the neighbor are merciful to him; and therefore acts of charity are described in the Word by works of mercy; as in Matthew:

I was hungry and ye gave Me to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye gathered Me; naked and ye clothed Me; I was sick and ye visited Me; I was in prison and ye came unto Me (Matt. 25:35-36)

and in other places by benefiting the poor, the afflicted, the widows, and the fatherless.

The Mercy of Charity — The Mercy of Friendship

In its essence charity is to will well to the neighbor, to be affected with good, and to acknowledge good as the neighbor, consequently those who are in good, with a difference according to the degree of their good; and hence charity, because it is affected with good, is affected with mercy toward those who are in miseries. The good of charity has this within it because it descends from the Lord's love toward the whole human race, which love is mercy because all the human race is settled in miseries.

Mercy sometimes shows itself in the evil, who are in no charity; but this is grief on account of what they themselves suffer, for it is shown toward their friends who make one with them, and when their friends suffer, they suffer. This mercy is not the mercy of charity, but is the mercy of friendship for the sake of self, which regarded in itself is unmercifulness; for it despises or hates all others besides itself, thus besides the friends who make one with it. (from no. 5132)

Communication with the Interior Natural

By "communication with the interior natural" is meant conjunction by correspondence. The interior natural is that which receives ideas of truth and good from the rational, and stores them up for use, consequently which communicates immediately with the rational; but the exterior natural is that which receives images and thence ideas of things from the world through the senses.

The Fallacies of the Senses

These ideas, unless enlightened by those which are in the interior natural, present fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses. When man is in these fallacies, he believes nothing but what agrees with them, and what they confirm, as is the case if there is no correspondence; and there is no correspondence unless the man is imbued with charity, for charity is the uniting means, because in the good of it there is life from the Lord, which disposes truth into order, so that the form of charity, or charity in an image, may come into existence. This form appears visibly in the other life, and is the angelic form itself. Hence all the angels are forms of charity, the beauty of which is from the truths which are of faith, and the life of this beauty is from the good which is of charity. (from no. 5133)

Deliverance of Good from evils

When faith is received in the exterior natural (which is here treated of above no. 5130), correspondence is effected (no. 5131), and charity is received (no. 5132), and thus communication is effected with the interior natural (no. 5133), which is then delivered from the evils whereby the celestial was alienated.

Moreover, when the natural is being regenerated by means of charity and faith, it is delivered from evils; for evils are then separated, and are cast out from the center where they were before, to the circumferences, whither the light of truth from good does not reach. In this way are evils separated in man, and yet are retained, for they cannot be entirely destroyed.

But with the Lord, who made the natural in Himself Divine, evils and falsities were utterly cast out and destroyed; for the Divine can have nothing in common with evils and falsities, nor be terminated in them, as is the case with man; for the Divine is the very being of good and of truth, which is infinitely removed from what is evil and false.

(Selections from Arcana Coelestia 5130 - 5134)

Except from Doctrine of Genuine Truth

Selection from Apocalypse Revealed ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:11-13)

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, signifies the spiritual sense of the Word revealed by the Lord, and the interior understanding of the Word disclosed thereby; which is the coming of the Lord. By "heaven was seen open" is signified a revelation from the Lord, and the manifestation, concerning which below. By "a horse" is signified the understanding of the Word, and by "a white horse" the interior understanding of the Word; and as this is signified by "a white horse," and as the spiritual sense is the interior understanding of the Word, therefore that sense is signified here by "the white horse." The reason that this is the coming of the Lord, is because it manifestly appears by that sense that the Lord is the Word, and that the Word treats of Him alone, and that He is the God of heaven and earth, and that from Him alone the New Church exists. The Lord said that:

They should see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with glory and power (Matt. 17:5; 24:30; 26:64; Mark 14:61, 62; Luke 9:34-35; 21:27; Rev. 1:7; Acts 1:9, 11).

And the Lord said this also where He spoke with the disciples concerning the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the church, when the judgment takes place.

Everyone who does not think beyond the sense of the letter, believes that when the Last Judgment shall come, the Lord will appear in the clouds of heaven with the angels and sounds of trumpets. But that this is not meant, but that He will appear in the Word, may be evident from this explanation in number 24: —

~~~

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)

Behold He cometh with the clouds of heaven, signifies that the Lord will reveal Himself in the literal sense of the Word, and will open its spiritual sense in the end of the church. He who does not know anything of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, cannot know what was meant by the Lord that "He will come in the clouds of heaven"; for He said to the high priest, who adjured Him to say whether He was the Christ the Son of God:

Thou hast said I am; and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62).

And where the Lord speaks to His disciples of the consummation of the age, He says:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matt. 24:30; Mark 13:26).

By "the clouds of heaven" in which He is to come, nothing else is meant but the Word in its literal sense; and by "the glory" in which they will see Him, the Word in its spiritual sense. That this is the case, is difficult to be believed by those who do not think beyond the sense of the letter of the Word; with such, "a cloud" is a cloud, and thence is their belief that the Lord will appear in the clouds of heaven, when the Last Judgment is at hand. But this idea falls, when it is known what "a cloud" is, and that it is the Divine truth in ultimates, thus the Word in the sense of the letter.

In the spiritual world there appear clouds as well as in the natural world; but the clouds in the spiritual world appear beneath the heavens, with those who are in the sense of the letter of the Word, darker or brighter according to their understanding and reception of the Word — the reason is, that the light of heaven there is the Divine truth, and darkness there is falsities; consequently "bright clouds" are the Divine truth veiled in appearances of truth, such as the Word is in the letter with those who are in truths; and "dark clouds" are the Divine truths covered with fallacies and confirmed appearances, such as the Word is in the letter with those who are in falsities. I have often seen those clouds, and it was evident whence and what they are. Now because the Lord, after the glorification of His Human, was made the Divine truth, or the Word, even in ultimates, He said unto the high priest, that, "Hereafter they should see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven."

But His saying to His disciples, that "in the consummation of the age the sign of the Son of man should appear, and that they should see Him coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory," signifies that at the end of the church, when the Last Judgment shall take place, He will appear in the Word, and reveal the spiritual sense, which is also accomplished at this day, because now is the end of the church, and the Last Judgment has taken place, as may appear from the small works recently published. This, therefore, is what is meant in Revelation, by "behold He cometh with clouds"; also in the following passages:

I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man (Rev. 14:14).

As also in Daniel:

I saw in the night visions, and behold the Son of man coming with clouds (Dan. 7:13).

That by "the Son of man" is meant the Lord as to the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord (n. 19-28).

That also by "clouds" in other parts of the Word, is meant the Divine truth in ultimates, and thence the Word in the letter, may be seen in other passages where clouds are mentioned; as in these:

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven, and in magnificence upon the clouds (Deut. 33:26).

Sing unto God, praise His name, extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Ps. 68:4).

Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud (Isa. 19:1).

"To ride upon the clouds," signifies to be in the wisdom of the Word, for "a horse" signifies the understanding of the Word; who cannot see that Jehovah does not ride upon the clouds?

God rode upon a cherub, and placed the clouds of the heavens His tent (Ps. 18:10-11).

Here there is a similar signification; "cherubs" also signify the Word; tent signifies a habitation.

Jehovah layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters, He maketh the cloud His chariot (Ps. 104:3).

"Waters" signify truths, "chambers" signify doctrinals, and "chariot" doctrine, all which, because they are from the sense of the letter of the Word, are called "clouds."

He bindeth up the waters in His clouds, and the cloud is not broken under them; He spreadeth His cloud over His throne (Job 26:8-9).

In like manner:

God caused the light of His cloud to shine (Job 37:15).

Give ye strength unto God, strength upon the clouds (Ps. 68:34).

"The light of a cloud" signifies the Divine truth of the Word, and "strength" signifies Divine power there.

Thou, O Lucifer, hast said in thine heart, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud; I will become like the Most High (Isa. 14:14).

Forsake ye, Babylon, for she hath lifted herself up even to the clouds (Jer. 51:9).

By "Lucifer," and "Babylon" are signified those who profane the goods and truths of the Word, therefore these truths are meant there by "clouds."

Jehovah spread a cloud for a covering (Ps. 105:39).

Jehovah createth upon every habitation of Zion a cloud by day, for upon all the glory shall be a covering (Isa. 4:5).

Here, also, by "cloud," is meant the Word in the sense of the letter, which sense, as it includes and covers the spiritual sense, is called "a covering upon the glory." That the literal sense of the Word is a covering, lest its spiritual sense should be injured, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 33); and that it is a guard (n. 97).

The Divine truth in ultimates, which is the same with the Word in the sense of the letter, is also represented by the "cloud," in which Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai, and promulgated the law (Exod. 19:9; 34:5). Also by the "cloud" which covered Peter, James, and John, when Jesus was transfigured, concerning which it is written:

While Peter yet spake, behold a cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34-35).

The Lord in this transfiguration, caused Himself to be seen as the Word; therefore a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice was heard out of the cloud, that He is the Son of God; "the voice out of the cloud" is out of the Word. That by "cloud," in the opposite sense, is meant the Word as to the sense of the letter falsified, will be seen elsewhere. (from Apocalypse Revealed 24)

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And the Lord appears manifestly in the spiritual sense of the Word.

It appears not only that He is the Word, that is, the Divine truth itself, and that He is the inmost of the Word, and thence the all of it; but also that He Himself is the one God, in whom is the Trinity, and thus the only God of heaven and earth; and moreover that He came into the world, that He might glorify His Human, that is, make it Divine. The Human which He glorified, that is, made Divine, was the natural human, which He could not glorify or make Divine but by taking on the human in a virgin in the natural world; to which He then united His Divine, which He had from eternity. That unition was effected by temptations admitted into the human that He had taken, the last of which was the passion of the cross, and at the same time by the fulfilling of all things of the Word; not only by the fulfilling of all things of the Word in its natural sense, but also by the fulfilling of all things of the Word in its spiritual sense and in its celestial sense; in which, as was said above, He alone is treated of.

But on these things, see what are manifested in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture.

Now, because the Lord is the Word, and the Word became flesh (John 1:1-2, 14), and the Word became flesh that He might fulfill it, it is manifest that the Lord's coming in the Word is meant by His appearing "in the clouds of heaven."

It is manifest that the Lord's appearing in the Word is meant, because the interior understanding of the Word is signified by "the white horse," and it is said that the name of Him that sat upon the horse is "The Word of God," and that His name is "King of kings and Lord of lords" (verses 13, 16). It is now manifest from this, that by "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse," is signified the spiritual sense of the Word revealed by the Lord, and thereby the interior understanding of it disclosed; which also is the coming of the Lord. That the spiritual sense of the Word is at this day revealed, concerning which no one in the Christian world has before known anything, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where the two books of Moses, Genesis and Exodus are explained according to that sense; also in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 5-26); in a little work Concerning the White Horse from beginning to end, and in the things collected there from the Arcana Coelestia concerning the Sacred Scripture; and besides in these explanations upon Revelation, where not a single verse can be understood without the spiritual sense.

(from Apocalypse Revealed 820)

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Selection from De Verbo ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— The Word of the Lord from Experience —
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE

No one can see the spiritual sense except from the doctrine of genuine truth; from this doctrine the spiritual sense can be seen, when there is some knowledge of correspondences. He who is in false doctrine cannot see anything of the spiritual sense. He draws out and applies the correspondences which he sees to the falsities of his doctrine; and thus he can still more falsify the Word. Wherefore the true spiritual sense of the Word is from the Lord alone. This is the reason why it is not permitted anyone in the natural world, nor in the spiritual world, to investigate the spiritual sense of the Word from the sense of its letter, unless he is wholly in the doctrine of Divine truth and in enlightenment from the Lord, wherefore from the doctrine of Divine truth confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, the spiritual sense can be seen, but doctrine can never first be seen from the spiritual sense. He thinks falsely who says with himself, I know many correspondences, I can know the true doctrine of the Divine Word, the spiritual sense will teach it to me. This cannot be done. But, as has been said, let him say with himself, I know the doctrine of Divine truth, now I can see the spiritual sense, provided I know correspondences. But still this must be in enlightenment from the Lord, because the spiritual sense is Divine truth itself in its light, and is meant by glory, and the sense of the letter by a cloud in passages in the Word where these are mentioned.

(De Verbo 21)

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Selection from Doctrine of Sacred Scripture ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

It might be believed that the doctrine of genuine truth could be procured by means of the spiritual sense of the Word which is furnished through a knowledge of correspondences. But doctrine is not procured by means of that sense, but is only lighted up and corroborated. For as said before (n. 26), no one comes into the spiritual sense of the Word by means of correspondences unless he is first in genuine truths from doctrine. If a man is not first in genuine truths he may falsify the Word by means of some correspondences with which he is acquainted, by connecting them together and interpreting them so as to confirm that which cleaves to his mind from some principle previously received. Moreover the spiritual sense of the Word is not given anyone except by the Lord alone, and it is guarded by Him as heaven is guarded, for heaven is in it. It is better therefore for man to study the Word in the sense of the letter; from this alone is doctrine furnished.

(Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 56)