NEUOFFENBARUNG← Secrets of Heaven · Volume 10 · Contents
8913. Verses 15-17. And all the people saw the voices, and the torches, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and the people saw, and they quaked, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear; and let not God speak with us, lest perchance we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; because God is come to tempt you, and that the fear of Him may be before your faces, that ye sin not. “And all the people saw the voices, and the torches,” signifies the perception of truths Divine from good; “and the voice of the trumpet,” signifies the same things through heaven; “and the mountain smoking,” signifies the good itself of truth not perceptible except in the external form; “and the people saw, and they quaked,” signifies the tremor which there is when they are received; “and they stood afar off,” signifies remoteness from internal things; “and they said unto Moses,” signifies complaint; “Speak thou with us,” signifies the reception of truth in an accommodated form, which in this manner they would obey; “and let not God speak with us,” signifies truth in a form not accommodated; “lest perchance we die,” signifies that thus the life of heaven with them would perish; “and Moses said unto the people,” signifies information; “Fear not, because God has come to tempt you,” signifies that the life of heaven will not perish; this is merely that it may be known that it exists, and what is its quality; “and that the fear of Him may be before your faces, that ye sin not,” signifies holy fear therefrom of the Divine, and the consequent preservation of spiritual life.
8914. And all the people saw the voices, and the torches. That this signifies the perception of truths Divine from good, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand and perceive (see n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the signification of “voices” or thunderings, as being truths Divine (n. 7573, 8813); and from the signification of “torches” or lightnings, as being the brightnesses which truths have from the good of love, and which strike through and penetrate (see n. 8813).
[2] By truths Divine from good are here meant all the commandments of the Decalogue, which were pronounced from Mount Sinai out of the midst of thunderings and lightnings; these being then displayed because the thunderings signified truths Divine, which are also for this reason called “voices;” and the lightnings signified the brightnesses which truths have from good, which are also for this reason called “torches” or flames. (That “flames” denote Divine truths proceeding from the Lord’s Divine good, see n. 6832.)
8915. And the voice of the trumpet. That this signifies the same things through heaven, namely, Divine truths from good, is evident from the signification of “the voice of the trumpet,” as being the state of the angelic heaven encompassing the Divine, and as being truth Divine therefrom (see n. 8815, 8823); from which it can be seen what is signified by the words of the Lord where He foretells concerning the consummation of the age, or the last time of the church, that then the Lord shall send His angels with a great voice of a trumpet, who shall gather together His elect from the four winds (Matt. 24:31). He who does not know that all the words of the Lord have stored up within them also heavenly and Divine things, that is, that there is in them an internal sense, will believe that when the Last Judgment is at hand, angels will appear, and will announce it, and will also gather together the elect with the voice of a trumpet. But that by “the voice of a trumpet” is not there meant the voice of a trumpet, but truth Divine in the internal form through heaven, and the evangelization thereof, see n. 4060, 8815, 8823.
8916. And the mountain smoking. That this signifies the good itself of truth not perceptible except in the external form, is evident from the signification of a “mountain,” here Mount Sinai, as being the Divine good united to the Divine truth in heaven (see n. 8805); and from the signification of “smoking,” as being in the external form. That this is meant by “smoking,” is because Divine truth, or the Word in the internal form, is like light and like flame, but in the external form it is like a cloud and like smoke. The reason is that truth Divine, or the Word in the internal form, is such as it is in heaven, thus such as it is in the light there; but in the external form it is such as it is in the world, thus such as it is in the light there; and relatively to the light of heaven, the light of the world is like a cloud, or like smoke relatively to flame. Truth Divine, or the Word in the internal form, is the internal sense of the Word, and in the external form it is its external or literal sense; that this literal sense is called a “cloud,” see the preface to Genesis 18, and elsewhere (n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8781); and that it is called “smoke” is because by “smoke” is signified what is obscure of truth (n. 8819). That the mountain appeared smoking before the sons of Israel, was not because the Divine there was of such a quality, but because the Divine appears to everyone according to the quality of him who sees it; and the quality of those who then saw was that they made everything of worship to consist in externals, and nothing in internals; and that consequently they understood the Word only according to the sense of the letter. Therefore in respect to the truth which was being promulgated, the Divine must needs appear to them as smoke, that is, as obscure; whence it is also said that they “stood afar off,” by which is signified that they were remote from internal things. But on this more below.
8917. And when the people saw, they quaked. That this signifies the tremor which there is when Divine truths are received, is evident from the signification of “to quake,” as being a tremor, here a tremor such as there is when Divine truths are received (concerning which tremor, see n. 5459, 8816).
8918. And they stood afar off. That this signifies remoteness from internal things, is evident from the signification of “standing afar off,” as being remotely, here, from internal things, because from Mount Sinai, by which is signified heaven and the Divine there (see n. 8805). Whether you say “remotely from the Divine,” or “from heaven,” or “from internal things,” it is the same, because heaven is in internal things. For the internal of man is in the light of heaven, and his external is in the light of the world; or what is the same, the soul or spirit of man is in heaven, but his body in the world. Heaven is nearer to the Divine than the world, because in heaven the Divine of the Lord reigns, and is the all in all. As further regards the signification of “afar off,” be it known that in the spiritual sense “afar off” has no reference to space, but to the Divine, thus to good and truth. Distance from the very good itself which proceeds from the Divine, causes the appearance of distance in heaven. The angelic societies there appear distinct and even remote from one another; but as already said this idea of space comes from distance from the good and truth which are from the Divine of the Lord. This must needs appear a paradox, nay, absurd, to many in the world. The reason is that the thoughts and their ideas with man are founded upon spaces and times, insomuch that man cannot think without them. Consequently if you abstract times and spaces from a man’s thought, he scarcely perceives anything. Nevertheless the angels in heaven think absolutely without any idea of time and space, and with such fullness that in intelligence and wisdom their thoughts surpass the thoughts of man thousands, nay, myriads of times; and, wonderful to say, if there occurs to them an idea derived from time and space, shade and thick darkness at once come to their minds, because they then fall from the light of heaven into the light of nature, which to them is thick darkness.
[2] (That there are no spaces and times in the other life, but states; or that the appearances of spaces and times arise from the variations of state in respect to good and truth, see n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 3404, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381.) From this then it is evident what “standing afar off” signifies in the spiritual sense, namely, remoteness from heaven where the Divine is; here, remoteness from internal things, because, as said above, that nation which then stood afar off from Mount Sinai was very remote from internal things, for it was in external things only, and it made everything of Divine worship to consist in these. Moreover to do so was permitted that nation, because thus it could represent heavenly and Divine things; for in order to be representative an external is required, and is also possible without an internal (n. 3147, 3670, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4307, 8588).
[3] “Afar off” signifies remoteness from good and truth, which are from the Divine, thus remoteness from internal things, also in the following passages. In Luke:
In hell the rich man lifting up his eyes saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Abraham said to him, Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; that those who would pass over from hence to you cannot; neither can those who are there pass over to us (Luke 16:23, 26).
By “Abraham” is not meant Abraham, for he is not known in heaven; but in the supreme sense the Lord, and in the relative sense those in heaven who are in the good of love and faith in the Lord (n. 1834, 1876, 1965, 1989, 2011, 3245, 3305, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6894). They who are in hell are said to “see those who are in heaven afar off,” because they are in a state most remote from good and truth. The “great gulf” between them denotes the remoteness itself from good, which also gives the appearance of an intervening gulf.
[4] They who think from an idea of space, as do all men in the world, perceive no otherwise than that hell is far distant from man, and that heaven is so too. But the case is otherwise. Hell and heaven are near to man, yea, in man; hell in an evil man, and heaven in a good man. Moreover everyone comes after death into that hell or into that heaven in which he has been while in the world. But the state is then changed; the hell which was not perceived in the world becomes perceptible, and the heaven which was not perceived in the world becomes perceptible; the heaven full of all happiness, and the hell of all unhappiness. That heaven is within us, the Lord teaches in Luke:
The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21).
See “afar off” also in the following:
They come from a land afar off, from the extremity of the heavens (Isa. 13:5; also Jer. 5:15).
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge My might (Isa. 33:13).
I will say to the north, Give; and to the south, Keep not back; bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the extremity of the earth. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears (Isa. 43:6, 8; also 49:12).
Attend, O isles, unto Me; hearken, ye peoples, from far (Isa. 49:1; also Jer. 31:10).
The voice of the cry of the daughter of My people from a land afar off: Is not Jehovah in Zion? Is not her King in her? (Jer. 8:19).
Jehovah, Thou hast planted them, and they have also taken root. But Thou art near in their mouth, but far off from their reins (Jer. 12:2).
Am I a God near, and not a God afar off? (Jer. 23:23).
In all these passages “afar off” signifies remoteness from good.
8919. And they said unto Moses. That this signifies complaint, is evident from what follows in this verse; for what they said are complaints.
8920. Speak thou with us, and we will hear. That this signifies the reception of truth in an accommodated form which so they would obey, is evident from the signification of “speaking,” as being influx and communication (n. 2951, 3060, 4131, 5481, 5797, 6228, 7270, 8128), therefore also reception, for that which flows in and is communicated is received; and from the representation of Moses, who was to speak, as being truth from the Divine beneath heaven conjoined with truth Divine in heaven, thus mediating between the Lord and the people (n. 8760, 8787, 8805); hence it is that “Moses” here denotes truth in an accommodated form.
[2] As regards truth in an accommodated form, be it known that when truth Divine descends through the heavens to men, as the Word has descended, it is on the way accommodated to all, both to those who are in the heavens, and to those who are on the earth. But truth Divine is in quite a different form in the heavens from what it is in the world. In the heavens it is such as is the internal sense of the Word; in the world it is such as is its sense in the letter. Nay, in the heavens themselves it is in diverse forms, in one form in the inmost or third heaven, in another form in the middle or second heaven, and in still another in the first or ultimate heaven. The form of truth Divine, that is, the perception, thought, and utterance of it, in the inmost or third heaven, so transcends that in the middle or second heaven, that in this heaven it cannot be apprehended, it is so Divine and exalted; for it contains innumerable things that cannot be uttered in the second heaven; it consists of mere changes of state in respect to the affections of love. But the form of truth Divine in the middle or second heaven transcends in like manner that in the first or ultimate heaven, and still more the form of truth Divine in the world. Hence it is that the things which are uttered in those heavens are such as no human mind has ever perceived, nor any ear heard, as those know from experience who have been raised into heaven.
[3] They who do not know this believe that in the heavens they think no otherwise and speak no otherwise than on the earth; but this they believe because they do not know that the interiors of man are in a more exalted state than his exteriors, and that the thought and speech of those who are in the heavens is celestial and spiritual, but of those who are on the earth it is natural, the difference between which is so great that it cannot be described in words (but concerning these kinds of speech, see n. 1634-1650, 1757-1759, 1876, 2157, 2472, 2476, 3342-3345, 4104, 4609, 5225, 5287, 6040, 6982, 7002, 7089, 7131, 7191, 7381, 8343, 8733, 8734).
[4] From all this it is also evident that unless truth Divine or the Word were presented in an accommodated form, it could not be apprehended; for if it were in a more exalted form than the state of perception, it would not fall into the understanding, thus not into the faith. Hence it is that truth Divine was given to man such as is the Word in the letter; for if it were to appear such as it is in heaven, no man would apprehend it, and on the first view and notice would reject it, because it would not fall into such things as are of natural light; and moreover it would be full of arcana such as could in no wise enter into any idea of man, because they are altogether repugnant to the appearances and fallacies which are derived from the world through the external senses; to say nothing of the deeper arcana which lie hidden within these arcana in manifold series, and that cannot possibly be expressed except by means of variations and changes of state of heavenly light and flame, by which angelic speech and thought are carried on.
8921. And let not God speak with us. That this signifies truth in a form not accommodated, is evident from what precedes; for by “Moses” is signified truth Divine beneath heaven conjoined with truth Divine in heaven, thus mediating between the Lord and the people, consequently truth Divine in an accommodated form (as just shown above, n. 8920). Consequently by “let not God speak with us,” is signified truth Divine in a form not accommodated; for by “God” is here meant the Lord as to Divine truth in heaven (n. 8805), consequently the Divine truth itself; which is also the reason why it is said “God,” and not “Jehovah;” for in the Word where “God” is named, the Lord as to Divine truth is meant; but where “Jehovah” is named the Lord as to Divine good is meant (n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4295, 4402, 7091, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8867).
8922. Lest perchance we die. That this signifies that thus the life of heaven with them would perish, is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being to die spiritually (see n. 6119), thus to perish in respect to the life of heaven. That truth Divine in a form not accommodated has this effect, is evident from what was shown just above (n. 8920). For truth in a form not accommodated, such as it is in heaven, transcends the apprehension, and that which transcends the apprehension is not received, and that which is not received does not flow into any faith, thus neither into the life of faith, which is the life of heaven. For man is regenerated, that is, receives the life of heaven, by means of the truth Divine which is of faith (n. 2046, 2063, 2189, 2979, 3155, 3876, 3877, 5893, 5912, 6247, 8635-8640, 8772).
8923. And Moses said unto the people. That this signifies information, is evident from the signification of “saying,” here by Moses unto the people, as being information; for the things which he said are matters of information about that of which they complained. In like manner in other places by “saying” is signified information, when information is given about the subject of inquiry (see n. 7769, 7793, 7825, 8041).
8924. Fear not, because God is come to tempt you. That this signifies that the life of heaven will not perish; this is merely that it may be known that it exists, and what is its quality; this is evident from the signification of “not fearing,” namely, that they will die, as being that they will perish in respect to the life of heaven (see n. 8922); and from the signification of “to tempt you,” as being to teach that there is a life of heaven and what its quality is. That this is signified by “tempting,” is because all spiritual temptation teaches and confirms such things with man. For temptations are to the intent that the faith of truth, and the affection of truth, and afterward the affection of good, may be implanted and inrooted, and that thus the man may receive new life, which is the life of heaven.
[2] For temptations are combats with evils and falsities, and when the man conquers these, he is confirmed, for he fights from truths and for truths against falsity and evil. That he fights from truths and for truths, the man is not sensible of at the time, because truths are in the interiors; and therefore they do not come manifestly to sense, which is of the exteriors; but that it is from them and for them is evident from the fact that there is combat and afterward victory, which is not possible except by collisions of things opposite to each other: the opposites are evil and good, and falsity and truth.
[3] But be it known that the man does not fight, but the Lord for the man, and indeed against the hells, which then attempt to attack and subdue the man (see n. 840, 1661, 1692, 8159, 8168, 8172, 8175, 8176). From all this it is evident that by the words “Fear not, for God is come to tempt you,” is signified that they ought not to fear that the life of heaven will perish, for this comes to pass that they may be taught and know that there is a life of heaven, and also what its quality is. (But concerning temptations, see what has been already said and shown, n. 2272, 2768, 3318, 3927, 3928, 4249, 4299, 4341, 4572, 5036, 5246, 5356, 6144, 6574, 6611, 6657, 6663, 6666, 6829, 8131, 8273, 8351, 8367, 8370, 8403, 8567.)
8925. And that the fear of Him may be before your faces, that ye sin not. That this signifies holy fear therefrom of the Divine, and the consequent preservation of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of “the fear of God,” as being a holy fear of the Divine (of which below); from the signification of “faces,” as being the interiors (n. 1999, 2434, 3527, 4066, 4796, 4797, 5102, 5585, 5592); consequently “the fear of God before their faces” denotes a holy fear of the Divine in their interiors; and from the signification of “that ye sin not,” as being the preservation of spiritual life, for spiritual life is preserved by not sinning. To sin is to do and think what is evil and false intentionally and from the will, for the things which are done intentionally and from the will are such as come forth out of the heart and defile the man (Matt. 15:11, 17-19), consequently which destroy spiritual life with him (n. 8910). As regards the holy fear which is signified in the Word by “the fear of God,” be it known that this fear is love, but love such as is the love of little children toward their parents, of parents toward their children, of consorts toward each other, who fear to do anything which displeases, thus which in any way does injury to love. Such fear is insinuated into love during man’s regeneration. As this fear is in agreement with love, and can be within and actually is within or united to love, it is for this reason called holy fear, and is the fear of sinning or doing contrary to the commandments, thus contrary to the Lord. But this fear differs with everyone according to the quality and amount of the love (see what has been shown about it in n. 2826, 3718, 3719, 5459, 7280, 7788).
8926. Verses 18-20.* And the people stood afar off, and Moses came near unto the thick darkness where God was. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, Ye have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver and gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you. “And the people stood afar off,” signifies remoteness from internal truths; “and Moses came near unto the thick darkness where God was,” signifies conjunction still of the truth of spiritual good with truth Divine; “and Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction further; “Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel,” signifies those who are of the spiritual church; “Ye have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven,” signifies all things of the Word by means of influx from the Divine through heaven; “ye shall not make with Me gods of silver and gods of gold,” signifies that they should wholly abstain from such things as in the external form appear as true and good, but in the internal form are false and evil; “ye shall not make unto you,” signifies that they must carefully beware.
* Verses 21-23 in the English Bible.
8927. And the people stood afar off. That this signifies remoteness from internal truths, is evident from the signification of “standing afar off,” as being remoteness from internal things (of which above, n. 8918).
8928. And Moses came near unto the thick darkness where God was. That this signifies the conjunction still of the truth of spiritual good with truth Divine, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine beneath heaven conjoined with truth Divine in heaven, consequently mediating (see n. 8760, 8787, 8805), thus the truth of spiritual good, for this is truth Divine beneath heaven, in which truth is the spiritual church that is represented by the sons of Israel-this truth is represented by Moses as the head of that church (n. 7041); from the signification of “coming near,” as being conjunction, for to come near unto the Divine is to be conjoined therewith; and from the signification of “thick darkness,” as being truth Divine relatively to those who are of the spiritual church, also relatively to that people which Moses was in charge of as their leader. That truth Divine is thick darkness to that church and that people, is because they are not in any light in respect to truths Divine.
[2] In the first place, those who are of the spiritual church believe that they are in light; but that they are in obscurity, nay, in thick darkness, in respect to truth Divine, is evident from the fact that they do not know from any internal perception that what the church says is true, but merely from the fact that the church says so; and this they confirm with themselves whether it be false or true; and he who is not in any internal perception concerning truth Divine is in thick darkness, or what is the same thing, to him Divine truth is thick darkness. For example, they who are of the spiritual church do not know, nor desire to know, that there is any internal sense of the Word; and if perchance they were to believe it, it would not be from any internal perception that it is so, but from persuasion from some other source.
[3] To take another example: they who are of the spiritual church say that faith is the only means of salvation, even without charity and its goods. This they believe because the church says so, nor do they come to such a light of perception as to perceive that there is no faith except where there is charity, and that the one belongs to the other as consort to consort; consequently that charity is an essential of the church, because it is of good. From this also it is plain in what obscurity, or in what thick darkness, the spiritual church is. And because they are in this thick darkness they divide the church into as many churches as there are diverse doctrines concerning the truths of faith; which they would not do if they were in light. For he who is in light never doubts, still less denies, that love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor are essentials of the church, and that upon them are based all the truths of the Word, consequently all the truths of faith. The case is similar with all the other truths which hang upon this and are called truths of faith. (But these things have been more plainly shown above, n. 2708, 2715, 2831, 2849, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3246, 6289, 6427, 6865, 6945, 7233. That they who are of the spiritual church do not attain unto the first threshold of the wisdom, or unto the first ray of light, in which they are who are of the celestial church, see n. 2718, 3833, 6500.)
[4] Another reason why Moses is said to have entered into thick darkness when he came near unto God, is that Moses as a leader represented the Israelitish and Jewish people, which was in such thick darkness concerning internal truths as to be wholly ignorant of them, for they made everything of worship and everything Divine to consist in external things. This is the reason why to them the Divine was thick darkness; for it is known to everyone that the Divine is never in darkness, but in light, for the Divine is light itself; and therefore when it is called “thick darkness” it is relatively to those who are in no light, for unto such the Divine truths make the light of heaven appear no otherwise; because they are not believed, and are even denied. And the Divine appears unto everyone according to the quality of his life and faith, consequently as light to those who are in light, and as thick darkness to those who are in thick darkness. (That the Israelitish and Jewish people was of such a quality, see n. 3479, 3769, 4281, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4433, 4680, 4825, 4832, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4903, 6304; also that the Lord appeared unto them upon Mount Sinai in smoke, in a cloud, and in thick darkness, in accordance with their quality, n. 1891, 6832, 8814, 8819.)
8929. And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies instruction further, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being instruction, for “saying” involves what follows, here instruction (as also elsewhere, n. 6879, 6881, 6883, 6891, 7186, 7267, 7304, 7380, 8127).
8930. Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (see n. 6426, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805).
8931. Ye have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven. That this signifies all things of the Word by means of influx from the Divine through heaven, is evident from the signification of “speaking from heaven,” when by Jehovah to those who are of the church, who are represented by the sons of Israel (n. 8930), as being truth Divine, or the Word from the Divine through heaven; for that which Jehovah speaks is truth Divine, thus the Word which is in the church; and that which He speaks passes through heaven.
[2] Be it known that heaven is not in any certain and determinate place, thus not, according to the common opinion, on high; but heaven is where the Divine is, thus with everyone and in everyone who is in charity and faith; for charity and faith are heaven, because they are from the Divine, and there also the angels dwell. That heaven is where the Divine is, that is, where the Lord is, is evident from the fact that Mount Sinai, from which the Lord spoke, is here called “heaven;” and this is also the reason why by “Mount Sinai” is signified heaven, from which is Divine truth (n. 8805).
[3] That all things of the Word are signified, is because Jehovah or the Lord then began to reveal the Word which should serve the human race for doctrine and life, first by Moses, and afterward by the prophets. In order therefore that they might know that the Word was from the Divine through heaven, the Lord Himself willed to come down, and with a living voice proclaim the ten commandments, and thus show that all that follows of the law, that is, of the Word, was in like manner by means of influx from the Divine through heaven.
8932. Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver and gods of gold. That this signifies that they should wholly abstain from such things as in the external form appear as true and good, but in the internal form are false and evil, is evident from the signification of “making gods,” as being to worship, for he who makes unto himself gods does it for the sake of worship; from the signification of “silver,” as being truth, consequently in the opposite sense, falsity; and from the signification of “gold,” as being good, and consequently in the opposite sense, evil (see n. 113, 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 7999). That those things are meant which appear true and good in the external form, but in the internal are false and evil, is because it is said, “Ye shall not make them with Me,” that is, with Jehovah God; for Divine truth itself and Divine good itself are in internals and are likewise in externals; but in externals Divine truth and good are in representative types; for external things in a type have reference to and represent internal things. External things are false and evil whenever, being separate from internal things, they are accounted holy or are worshiped; and yet they still appear as true and good, because they represent what is true and good. These things are signified by “making with Jehovah God gods of silver and gods of gold.”
[2] This commandment follows immediately after the ten commandments, for the reason that the Israelitish and Jewish people was such that it accounted holy, and worshiped altogether as Divine, external things separated from internal (n. 3479, 3769, 4281, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4433, 4680, 4825, 4832, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4903, 6304, 6832, 8814, 8819). That it may be further known what and of what quality are those things which in the external form appear as true and good, but in the internal are false and evil, let us take as an example all the rites of the Jewish Church; as the sacrifices, incenses, washings, and many others. In the external form these were true and good, not of themselves, but because in a type they had reference to or represented internal truths and goods, which are of love and faith in the Lord. When such things were accounted holy in the external form, and especially when they were worshiped, as by the Jews and Israelites when becoming idolaters they applied them to the worship of strange gods, they then retained nothing of the truths and goods which in a type they had reference to or represented, except the appearance, because in the internal form they were falsities and evils.
[3] The case was similar with all the other things which with that people were types representative of heavenly and Divine things. For as soon as the external things which represented internal things were applied to the worship of other gods, they became idols which they worshiped, or gods of silver and of gold which they made with Jehovah God; for then in external form they appeared as true and good, but in the internal they were false and evil.
[4] In general “gods of silver and of gold” denote all the falsities and derivative evils of worship, which are rendered like truth and good by wrong applications and interpretations of the Word, and at the same time by reasonings from self-intelligence. Such things are signified by “the gods of silver and of gold” in the following passages. In Isaiah:
In that day a man shall cast forth his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to bow down to, to the moles and to the bats; to enter into the clefts of the rocks, and into the clefts of the crags (Isa. 2:20, 21).
“Moles and bats” denote those who are in darkness, that is, in falsities and in the derivative evils.
[5] Again in Isaiah:
In that day they shall cast away every man his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you, a sin (Isa. 31:7).
“Which the hands have made” denotes those things which are from self-intelligence. Again:
The craftsman casteth a graven image, and the caster overlayeth it with gold, and casteth silver chains (Isa. 40:19).
“Graven images” denote those things which are from one’s own (see n. 8869); “to overlay with gold” denotes to make them appear good in the external form; “casting silver chains,” denotes to make them cohere together as if connected with truths. (That “gold” denotes good, and “silver” truth, may be seen in the passages cited above.)
[6] In like manner in Jeremiah:
The statutes of the nations are vanity: surely he cutteth out wood from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman. He decketh it with gold and with silver; they fasten them with nails and with hammers, that it sway not to and fro (Jer. 10:3, 4).
In Hosea:
The Ephraimites sin more and more, and make them a molten image of silver, idols in their intelligence, all the work of the craftsmen (Hos. 13:2).
“Ephraim” denotes the intellectual of the church (n. 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); “a molten image of silver” denotes falsity appearing as truth, wherefore it is said “in their intelligence”; “all the work of the craftsmen” denotes that all was through reasonings from their own.
[7] In Habakkuk:
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, This shall teach. Behold this is fixed with gold and silver, but there is no breath in the midst of it (Hab. 2:19).
“Wood” denotes evil; “stone” falsity; “fixed with gold and silver” denotes the appearance of good and truth by means of applications. In Daniel:
Belshazzar said while he well tasted the wine, that they should bring the vessels of gold and of silver which his father Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of the temple that was in Jerusalem; that the king and his great ones, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom. And they drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, of stone (Dan. 5:2-4, 23).
“The vessels of gold and of silver, which were from the temple of Jerusalem,” represented the goods and truths of the church and kingdom of the Lord; “to drink wine out of them” signified to profane by means of evils and falsities, which are “the gods of gold and of silver.”
[8] In David:
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of a man’s hands. They have a mouth, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not (Ps. 115:4, 5; 135:15-16).
“The silver and gold which are idols” denote falsities and evils; “the work of a man’s hands” denote that they are from self-intelligence. In Moses:
The graven images of the gods of the nations shall ye burn with fire; thou shalt not covet the silver and the gold that is on them, to take it unto thee, for that is an abomination to Jehovah thy God; therefore thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, that there become what is accursed, like unto it, thou shalt utterly abhor it (Deut. 7:25-26).
“The silver and gold upon graven images” denote the falsities and evils which are worshiped as truths and goods by reason of the appearance that is induced on them.
8933. Ye shall not make unto you. That this signifies that they must carefully beware, is evident from the fact that it is again said that it was not to be done. The iteration or repetition involves that it was not to be done at all, or that they must carefully beware.
8934. Verses 21-23.* An altar of ground thou shalt make to Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings, thy flocks, and thy herds; in every place where I shall put the memory of My name, I will come unto thee and I will bless thee. And if thou make Me an altar of stones, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou move thy tool upon it, thou wilt profane it. And thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it. “An altar of ground thou shalt make unto Me,” signifies a representative of worship in general from good; “and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings,” signifies worship specifically according to the state of the spiritual life of each one; “thy flocks, and thy herds,” signifies goods internal and external; “in every place where I shall put the memory of My name,” signifies a state of faith in the Lord with everyone; “I will come unto thee and I will bless thee,” signifies the presence of the Divine then, and influx; “and if thou wake Me an altar of stones,” signifies a representative of worship in general from truths; “thou shalt not build it of hewn stones,” signifies that it must not be from self-intelligence; “for if thou move thy tool upon it,” signifies if it is from one’s own; “thou wilt profane it,” signifies that then there will be no worship; “and thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar,” signifies no elevation to interior things which are celestial; “that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it,” signifies the idea of thought concerning them thus full of falsities, which idea will then be made manifest.
* Verses 24-26 in the English Bible.
8935. An altar of ground thou shalt make unto Me. That this signifies a representative of worship in general from good, is evident from the signification of “an altar,” as being the principal representative of the Lord, and consequently of the worship of Him (see n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541); and from the signification of “ground,” as being good. That “ground” denotes good is because by “ground” is signified the church which is in good (n. 566). Hence Adam was said to be “from the ground” (Gen. 2:7; 3:19), for by him was signified the man of the celestial church, or the church which is in good (n. 478, 479). There are two things from which the worship of the Lord is effected; good and truth. Worship from good was represented by an altar of ground, but worship from truth was represented by an altar of stones; both kinds of altars are here treated of. These two things from which worship is effected are called faith and charity; worship from truth bears relation to faith, and worship from good to charity. As regards worship from faith and worship from charity, or from truth and from good, the case is this. Before a man is regenerated he is in worship from truth, but when he has been regenerated, he is in worship from good. For before a man has been regenerated he is led by means of truth to good, that is, by means of faith to charity; but when he has been regenerated he is in good and thence in truth; that is, he is in charity and thence in faith (n. 8516, 8539, 8643, 8648, 8658). These two kinds of worship are what are represented by altars of ground and of stone. (That an altar is the chief representative of the worship of the Lord, because thereon were made burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and these were the things in which the Divine worship of the Hebrew nation, and thus of the Israelitish and Jewish nation, chiefly consisted, see n. 923, 1343, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, 6905.)
8936. And shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings. That this signifies worship specifically according to the state of the spiritual life of each one, is evident from the signification of “burnt-offerings and sacrifices,” as being all internal worship in general, with variety according to the various kinds of celestial and spiritual things, that is, of good which is of love to the Lord, and of truth which is of faith in the Lord (see n. 922, 923, 2165, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, 6905), thus according to every state of spiritual life specifically. From this it was that sacrifices were instituted of kinds so various, as, besides the daily sacrifices, those of the Sabbaths, of the feasts, of the new moons, of inaugurations, of sanctifications, also for every guilt, for sin, for cleansing, for healing, and for birth. From this also it was that according to the state [to be represented] various kinds of animals were employed, as oxen, bullocks, lambs, rams, she-goats, and he-goats, by which were specifically signified the various goods of spiritual life.
8937. Thy flocks, and thy herds. That this signifies goods internal and external, is evident from the signification of “flocks,” as being internal goods, and from the signification of “herds,” as being external goods (see n. 2566, 5913). That by “flocks” are signified internal goods; is because to flocks belong lambs, sheep, kids, she-goats, rams, and he-goats, by which are signified such things as are of innocence, and of celestial and spiritual love in the internal man; and that by “herds” are signified external goods, is because to herds belong oxen, bullocks, calves, by which are signified such things as are of good and truth in the external man. (What is signified by “oxen,” see n. 2180, 2566, 2781; what by “bullocks,” and by “calves,” n. 1824, 2830; what by “lambs,” n. 3519, 3994, 7840; what by “sheep,” n. 4169; what by “kids,” and by “she-goats,” n. 3519, 4005, 4006, 4871; what by “rams,” n. 2830, 4170; and what by “he-goats,” n. 4169, 4769.)
8938. In every place where I shall put the memory of My name. That this signifies a state of faith in the Lord with everyone, is evident from the signification of “place,” as being state (see n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 3404, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381); thus “every place” denotes the state of everyone, or with everyone. That a state of faith is signified, is because the “name of Jehovah” signifies everything in one complex by which the Lord is worshiped, thus all things of faith and charity (n. 2724, 3006, 6674); consequently “to put the memory of the name of Jehovah God” denotes with whom, or in whose heart, are charity and faith from the Lord. It is according to the sense of the letter that they were to sacrifice burnt-offerings and thank-offerings, thus their flocks and their herds, in Jerusalem, which was the place chosen by the Lord for the worship of Himself, thus in which He put the memory of His name. According to the internal sense, however, place is not meant, but every man in whom are faith and charity; for in the internal sense by “place” is not signified place, but state; neither by “name” is there signified name, but faith and worship; thus there is meant the man who is in a state of reception of faith from the Lord. Moreover in Jerusalem, which was the place where the Lord was worshiped by burnt-offerings and thank-offerings, were represented all things that belong to the church. Consequently by “Jerusalem” in the Word, and by the “New Jerusalem” in Revelation, is signified the church of the Lord; and the church of the Lord is with everyone who is in a state of reception of charity and faith from the Lord; for a man is himself a church, and a number in whom is the church make the church in general. Hence it is also evident that by “in every place in which I put the memory of My name” is signified a state of faith with everyone.
8939. I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. That this signifies the presence of the Divine then, and influx, is evident from the signification of “coming unto” anyone, when it is said by Jehovah, as being presence (see also n. 5934, 6063, 6089); and from the signification of “to be blessed,” when by Jehovah, as being to be gifted with faith and charity (n. 2846, 3406, 4981, 6091, 6099, 8674), thus also their flowing in, for faith and charity flow in from the Lord with man. These things are “a blessing” in the internal sense, for they are what render man blessed and happy to eternity. During man’s life in the world, the things which he calls blessings are those which render him blessed and happy in time, such as riches and honors. But the things which are meant in the internal sense of the Word are not temporal things, but eternal things, compared with which temporal things are of no account. For there is no ratio between what is temporal and what is eternal, not even if the time be extended to thousands or myriads of years, for these have an end, but that which is eternal has no end. Wherefore that which is eternal is, for that which is without end is, because it has being from the Divine, which is infinite, and the infinite as to time is the eternal. But that which is temporal relatively is not, because when it is ended it is no more. Hence also it is plain that “blessing” in the spiritual sense is that which has within it being from the Divine, thus the things of eternal life, consequently those which are of charity and faith.
[2] That worldly blessing is nothing in comparison with heavenly blessing, which is eternal, the Lord thus teaches in Matthew:
What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? (Matt. 16:26).
But the man who is in worldly and earthly things does not apprehend this saying, for worldly and earthly things suffocate it, and cause him not even to believe that there is an eternal life. And yet I can asseverate that as soon as a man dies he is in the other life, and lives as a spirit among spirits, and that he then appears to himself and to others in that life in all respects like a man in the world, endowed with every sense internal and external (n. 1881); consequently that the death of the body is only the casting off of such things as had served for use and service in the world; and moreover that death itself is a continuation of life, but in another world, which is invisible to the eyes of the earthly body, yet is there seen in a light exceeding a thousand times the midday light of the world.
[3] As I know this from the living experience of so many years, which is still continued, I solemnly declare it. I still speak, and I have spoken, with almost all whom I had known in the world and who are dead, with some after two or three days from their decease. Very many of them were exceedingly indignant that they had not believed at all in a life which was to continue after death. I have spoken with them not merely for a day, but for months and years; and it has also been given me to see their states of life in succession, or in progress, either to hell or to heaven. Wherefore let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth. Let him also know and believe that the Word is the only doctrine which teaches how a man must live in the world in order to be happy to eternity.
8940. And if thou make Me an altar of stones. That this signifies a representative of worship in general from truths, is evident from the signification of “an altar,” as being a representative of Divine worship in general (see n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489); and from the signification of “stones,” as being truths (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, 8609). There is worship of the Lord from good, and there is worship of Him from truth. The worship of the Lord from good was represented by an altar of ground, and the worship from truth by an altar of stone (as to both kinds of worship, see above, n. 8935). As an “altar of stone” signified worship from truth, it was therefore commanded that such an altar should be erected as soon as they passed over the Jordan and came into the land of Canaan, and upon it were to be written the commandments of the law, that is, truths Divine from heaven; for by the “ten commandments” are signified all truths Divine in sum total. Concerning this altar it is thus written in Moses:
When ye shall pass over Jordan, thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster; and then thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law. After, thou shalt build there an altar unto Jehovah thy God, an altar of stones, upon which thou shalt not strike iron. Thou shalt build the altar of Jehovah thy God of whole stones, and thou shalt cause to go up upon it burnt-offerings, and thank-offerings. And thou shalt write upon the stones of the altar the words of the law very plainly (Deut. 27:1-8; Josh. 8:30-32).
[2] The reason why the words of the law were to be written upon the stones of the altar, was that by “stones” were signified truths, and by “an altar of stones,” worship from truths. This also was the reason why the ten commandments, which signified Divine truths in the complex, were written on tables of stone. That this was to be done as soon as they had passed over the Jordan, was because the Jordan, which was the first and the last boundary of the land of Canaan on the side of the wilderness, signified introduction into the church or heaven, which is effected by means of the knowledges of truth and good, thus by means of truths from the Word (n. 4255); for all the rivers which were boundaries of that land signified the first and the last things of the Lord’s kingdom (n. 4116, 4240). By the “stones of the altar” are signified the truths of faith also in Isaiah:
He shall take away sin when He maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are scattered (Isa. 27:9);
speaking of the vastation of the church; “the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are scattered” denotes that so it shall be with the truths of faith which are of worship. As regards altars in general, they were of ground, of stones, of brass, of wood, and also of gold-of brass, wood, and gold, because these signified good. (Concerning an altar of brass, see Ezekiel 9:2; concerning an altar of wood, 41:22; and concerning an altar of gold, which was the altar of incense, see 1 Kings 6:22; 7:48; Rev. 8:3.) (That “brass” signifies good, see n. 425, 1551; that “wood” does so, n. 643, 2784, 2812, 3720, 8354; and likewise “gold,” see n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658.)
8941. Thou shalt not build it of hewn stones. That this signifies that it must not be from self-intelligence, is evident from the signification of “hewn stones,” as being such things as are from self-intelligence; for “stones” denote truths (see n. 8940); and to “hew,” or fit, them denotes to hatch or devise truths, or such things as resemble truths, from one’s own, or from self-intelligence. For things which are hatched or devised from one’s own, or from self-intelligence, have their life from man, which life is no life, because man’s own is nothing but evil (n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876,874-876, 987, 1047, 5660, 5786, 8480); whereas that which is not from man’s own, but from the Divine, has life in itself, because all life is from the Divine. The worship of the Lord from truth is here treated of, for this worship is signified by “an altar of stones” (n. 8940).
[2] The truths from which the Lord is to be worshiped are to be taken solely from the Word, for in every detail of the Word there is life from the Divine. When truths are taken from one’s own, they regard and have as their end dignity and eminence over all in the world, and likewise earthly possessions and wealth above all men, and therefore they have in them the love of self and of the world, thus all evils in the complex (n. 7488, 8318). But truths which are from the Word regard and have as their end eternal life, and have in them love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, thus all goods in the complex. When truths are hatched from one’s own, or from self-intelligence, they rule over the truths which are from the Divine, because these are applied to confirm them; when yet the contrary should be the case, namely, that truths from the Divine should rule, and those which are from self-intelligence should serve. Those which are from one’s own, or from self-intelligence, are called truths, but they are not truths; they only appear as truths in the external form, for they are rendered like truths by means of applications from the literal sense of the Word, and by reasonings, while in the internal form they are falsities (what and of what quality they are, see above, n. 8932).
[3] There are in the world two religiosities which are from self-intelligence-one in which the love of self and of the world is everything, which religion is that which is called in the Word “Babel;” it is inwardly profane from the love of self and of the world, and outwardly holy from the Word which has been applied to confirm. The other religiosity is that in which the light of nature is everything; they who are in this acknowledge nothing as truth which they do not apprehend. Some from this religiosity acknowledge the Word, but they apply it for confirmation, thus to serve. Some however do not acknowledge the Word; but these make the Divine to consist in nature, for their light, being of nature, falls into nature, and cannot be enlightened by the light of heaven, because they reject the Word from which is all enlightenment. Those who are from these two religiosities are in hell, because they are void of heavenly life, which they cannot receive because they have rejected the Word. And those of them who have applied the Word for confirmation, have made the Word of none effect in their hearts; but because of its great authority with the common people, they have used it for this service, in order to give weight to the devices of their own intelligence. From all this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by the altar not being to be built of hewn stones.
[4] By “hewn stone” is signified that which is from self-intelligence in the following passages also:
That the people may know, Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in haughtiness and pride of heart, The bricks are fallen, and we will build with hewn stone (Isa. 9:9, 10).
Although I cry and shout, He hath shut out my prayers, He hath fenced about my ways with hewn stone, He hath overturned my paths (Lam. 3:8, 9).
Forasmuch as ye trample upon the worn one, and seize from him the burden of wheat; ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them (Amos 5:11).
In these passages “hewn stone” denotes such things in matters of faith as are from self-intelligence.
[5] Such being the signification of “hewn stone,” therefore the altar first built in the land of Canaan by the sons of Israel after they had passed over the Jordan, was built of unhewn stones; for by the passage over the Jordan was represented introduction into the kingdom of the Lord, which is effected by means of the truths of faith. Of this altar it is thus written in Joshua:
Joshua built an altar unto Jehovah the God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the sons of Israel, an altar of whole stones, upon which no man had moved iron (Josh. 8:30, 31; also Deut. 27:1-8).
[6] In like manner the temple of Jerusalem was built of whole stones unhewn, of which it is thus written in the first book of the Kings:
As to the house itself, when it was in building, it was built of whole stone, as it was brought; for there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tools of iron heard in the house, while it was in building (1 Kings 6:7).
For by the temple of the Lord was represented the Lord as to Divine truth. That the Lord was represented by the temple, He Himself teaches in John 2:19, 21, 22; and that He was represented as to the Divine truth, was because this truth was there taught; for which reason also it was built of stones, because by “stones” was signified Divine truth (n. 8940); and hence also the Lord Himself was called the “Stone of Israel” (n. 6426).
[7] From all this it is now evident what was signified by the stone of the altar, and what also by the stone of the temple, likewise what by the stones being whole and unhewn, namely, that religion was to be formed by truths from the Lord, thus from the Word, and not from self-intelligence. Truths which are from self-intelligence are thus described also in Isaiah:
The workman casteth a graven image, and the founder overlayeth it with gold, and casteth silver chains. He seeketh an intelligent workman to prepare a graven image (Isa. 40:19, 20).
“A graven image” denotes a religiosity that is from one’s own, which is set up to be worshiped as Divine (see n. 8869); “the workman” denotes those who hatch and devise from one’s own; that they may appear like truths is described by his “overlaying it with gold,” “casting silver chains,” and “seeking an intelligent workman.”
[8] Again:
They that form a graven image are all of them vanity. All his fellows shall be ashamed, and the workmen themselves. He fashioneth the iron with the tongs, and worketh with coal, and formeth it with sharp hammers; thus he worketh it with the arm of his strength; he fashioneth pieces of wood, he stretcheth out a thread, and marketh it off with a rule; he maketh it into its angles, and defineth it with a compass, that he may make it in the form of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house (Isa. 44:9, 11-13).
in this passage also is described a religiosity which is from self-intelligence. In like manner in Jeremiah:
The statutes of the nations are vanity; surely he cutteth out wood from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with an axe. He decketh it with silver and with gold; he fasteneth it with nails and with hammers (Jer. 10:3, 4).
And also in Hosea:
Nevertheless now they sin more and more, and make them a molten image of silver, idols in their intelligence, all the work of the craftsmen (Hos. 13:2).
A religiosity that is hatched from self-intelligence, and not derived from the Word, is meant in the internal sense by “idols” and “strange gods,” by “molten images” and “graven images,” for the things which are from one’s own are nothing else, because in themselves they are dead, and yet are adored as living.
8942. For if thou move thy tool upon it. That this signifies if it is from one’s own, is evident from the signification of a “tool,” as being truth devised, thus from one’s own; for the tool is of iron, by which stones are cut and fashioned into form. Here therefore it is man’s own, for this fashions the things which are to be of religion, in order that they may appear in the form of truth. Instead of “tool,” the term “iron” is sometimes used, and sometimes “axe” (see Deut. 27:5; Josh. 8:30, 31; 1 Kings 6:7; Isa. 44:11, 12; Jer. 10:3), and by these instruments are signified such things as are of self-intelligence, and which devise.
8943. Thou wilt profane it. That this signifies that then there will be no worship, is evident from the signification of “profaning,” as being to cause that there is not any worship. For that which is from self-intelligence is in itself void of life, nay, is spiritually dead, for man’s own is nothing but evil; and therefore if Divine worship is performed from it, this worship is nothing else than the worship of an idol, graven or molten, wherein there is no spirit, that is, no life. But that which is from the Word is alone serviceable for Divine worship, because it is in itself alive. For within everything of the Word there is a spiritual sense, which treats of the Lord’s kingdom; and within this sense is the Divine, because the Word in its inmost sense treats of the Lord alone; from this is the sanctity and the life of the Word, and not from any other source. The Word is like a Divine man; the literal sense is as it were his body, but the internal sense is as it were his soul; which shows that the literal sense has life through the internal sense. It appears as if the literal sense vanishes or dies through the internal sense; but on the contrary it does not vanish, still less dies; but through the internal sense it lives. From all this it is now evident that worship truly Divine has its existence from those things which are of the Word, and in no case from those things which are of self-intelligence. Hence it is that by “if thou move a tool upon the altar thou wilt profane it,” is signified, if thou devise not from the Word, but from self-intelligence such things as must be of Divine worship, there is no worship.
8944. It is believed in the world that a man is able to know from the light of nature, thus without revelation, many things that belong to religion; as that there is a God, that He is to be worshipped, and also that He is to be loved, likewise that man will live after death, and many other things that depend upon these; and yet these things being such as are from self-intelligence. But I have been instructed by much experience that of himself, and without revelation, man knows nothing whatever about Divine things, and about the things that belong to heavenly and spiritual life. For man is born into the evils of the love of self and of the world, which are of such a nature that they shut out the influx from the heavens, and open influx from the hells; thus such as make man blind, and incline him to deny that there is a Divine, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that there is a life after death. This is very manifest from the learned in the world, who by means of knowledges have carried the light of their nature above the light of others; for it is known that these deny the Divine, and acknowledge nature in place of the Divine, more than others; and also that when they speak from the heart, and not from doctrine, they deny the life after death, likewise heaven and hell, consequently all things of faith, which they call bonds for the common people. From this it is plain what is the quality of the light of nature without revelation. It has also been shown that many who have written upon natural theology, and from the light of their nature have skillfully confirmed those things which belonged to the doctrine of their church, in the other life at heart deny these same things more than others do; and also deny the Word itself, which they attempt utterly to destroy; for in the other life hearts speak. It has also been shown that the same can receive nothing of influx out of heaven, but only from the hells. Hence it was plain what is the quality of the light of nature without revelation; consequently what is the quality of that which comes from man’s own intelligence.
[2] But two considerations have arisen which bring the mind into doubt upon this subject: first, that the ancients who were Gentiles nevertheless knew that there is a Divine, that this is to be worshiped, and that man as to the soul is immortal; second, that these things are known also to many nations at this day, with whom there is no revelation. But as regards the ancients, they did not know these things from the light of their own nature, but from revelation, which had spread from the church even unto them; for the Lord’s church had been in the land of Canaan from the most ancient times (see n. 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516). From this source such things as pertained to Divine worship spread to the nations round about, and likewise to the neighboring Greeks, and from these to the Italians or Romans. From this source both Greeks and Romans had knowledges about the Supreme Deity, and the immortality of the soul, of which their learned men wrote.
[3] As regards the nations at this day who also know that there is a Divine, and that there is a life after death, these have not had this knowledge from the light of their own nature, but from a religiosity derived by them from ancient times, which had been founded on such things as had spread in various ways from the church, which had revelation. This was of the Lord’s Divine Providence. Moreover, those of them who from their religiosity acknowledge a Divine over all things, and from their religiosity perform the duties of charity to their neighbor, when instructed in the other life receive the truths of faith, and are saved (see n. 2589-2604).
8945. And thou shalt not go up on steps unto the altar. That this signifies no elevation to interior things which are celestial, is evident from the signification of “going up by steps,” as being to raise oneself to higher or interior things (whether we say “interior things,” or “higher things,” it is the same, for interior things appear as higher, see n. 2148, 3084, 4210, 4599); and from the signification of “an altar,” as being the chief representative of the Lord (n. 921, 2777, 2811); thus by “going up on steps unto Mine altar” is signified to raise oneself to the Lord, consequently to interior things which are celestial; for the Lord is more present in interior things. Those things are called celestial which are in the inmost heaven, and those spiritual which are in the middle heaven. For heaven is distinguished into two kingdoms, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. They who are in the celestial kingdom are in the inmost or third heaven, thus nearest to the Lord; for they who are there are in love to the Lord and in innocence, consequently in wisdom above all the other angels. But they who are in the spiritual kingdom are in the middle or second heaven, thus more remote from the Lord; they who are there are in charity toward the neighbor, and through charity are with the Lord. (Concerning these two kingdoms and the difference between them, see n. 2048, 2088, 2227, 2507, 2669, 2708, 2715, 2718, 3235, 3246, 3374, 3887, 4448, 4585, 4938, 4939, 5113, 5922, 6367, 6435, 7877.)
[2] It is to be explained in a few words how the case is with respect to the elevation toward interior things, thus toward celestial things, which is signified by “going up on steps unto the altar.” It is not granted anyone in the other life to be raised higher into heaven than to the degree of good in which he is; for if he is raised higher, his defilements, that is, the evils of his loves and the falsities therefrom, are made manifest. For the more interior, the more pure and holy, it is in heaven. They who are in a more impure state are kept in a lower sphere, where their impurities are not perceived and do not appear, because they are in a grosser good, and a more obscure truth.
[3] It sometimes happens that they who come into heaven desire to come into a more interior heaven, believing that so they will enjoy greater joy. In order that this desire which clings to them may be removed, they are indeed raised into a more interior heaven; but when they come thither, they begin to be distressed by reason of the evils of their loves, which evils then come to their perception, and they also become ugly by reason of the falsities from the evils with them. On perceiving these things, they cast themselves down from the more interior heaven, and do not return into a tranquil and peaceful state until they come into their former station. These are the things which are signified by the statute, “Thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it.”
[4] The case is similar with those who are beneath heaven. If these desire to ascend into heaven before they have been prepared, when they are raised there they feel torment almost infernal, and appear to themselves like carcasses. Even the very life with them labors, like the life of those who are in the death agony; and therefore they cast themselves down headlong, and afterward no more desire to ascend above the state of life in which they are.
[5] Be it known that in the other life heaven is denied by the Lord to no one, and that as many as desire can be admitted. (Heaven consists of societies of angels who are in the good of love toward the neighbor and of love to the Lord; and when any are admitted into heaven, they are let into such societies.) But when the sphere of their life, that is, when the life of their love, is not in agreement, then conflict arises, from which they have anguish and downcasting. In this way they are instructed about the life of heaven, and the state of their own life in comparison, also about the fact that no one has heaven merely by being received or admitted (as is the common opinion in the world), and that by his life in the world a man may become of such a character that he can be with those who are in heaven (see what has been already said and shown on this subject from experience, n. 3938, 4225, 4226, 4299, 4674, 5057, 5058, 7186, 7519, 8794, 8797). These are the things which are signified by the statute, “Thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it;” and also by a similar statute in Exod. 28:42, 43.
[6] It is said “go up on steps,” for the reason that elevation to interior things appears in the world of spirits, where celestial and spiritual things are presented in forms like those of the world, as an ascent by steps. This representative it has often been given me to see. For this reason also it was that the angels were seen by Jacob in his dream going up to the Lord by the steps of a ladder (Gen. 28:12). Therefore also by “steps” in the Word is signified ascent to higher things, that is, to interior things, as in Ezekiel 40:6, 22, 26, 31, 34; and in Amos:
The Lord Jehovih Zebaoth buildeth His steps in the heavens (Amos 9:6).
8946. That thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it. That this signifies the idea of thought concerning them thus full of falsities, which idea will then be made manifest, is evident from the signification of “nakedness,” as being that which is destitute of truths (see n. 5433), thus an idea of thought full of falsities; and from the signification of being “uncovered,” as being to be made manifest. How the case herein is, has been explained just above (n. 8945), namely, that a man, a spirit, or an angel, when raised more interiorly into heaven, appears such as he is as to both his lives; as to the life of his thought with respect to truths, and as to the life of his will with respect to goods; for the more interior the advance into the heavens, the purer is the good, and the purer the truth. In order therefore that the falsities which are of the thought, and the evils which are of the will, should not appear, but be hidden, they are kept in lower parts, where they are in a comparatively obscure light. From all this also it can be seen what was meant by the saying that “no one can see Jehovah and live;” for Jehovah is pure love, and from Him is pure light, and to be seen in these is to perish. Therefore also the angels themselves in heaven are covered with a cloud (n. 6849); and all who are in hell are veiled in thick clouds (n. 3340, 8137, 8138, 8814, 8819); for clouds there are falsities.
8947. ON THE SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS OF THE PLANET SATURN
The spirits from that earth, and likewise the earth itself, appear in front at a considerable distance, in the plane at the lower part of the knees; and when the eye is opened thither, a multitude of spirits from that earth come into view. They are seen on this side of that earth, and to the right.
8948. It has also been given me to speak with them, and thereby to know their quality as compared with others. They are upright, and they are modest. And as they esteem themselves small as compared with others, therefore also in the other life they appear small; for the appearance of everyone in the other life is according to his mind, and according to his life.
8949. In worship they are very humble; for therein they account themselves as nothing. They worship our Lord, and acknowledge Him as the One Only God. For the Lord sometimes appears to those who are on that earth in an angelic form, and thus as a man; and then the Divine beams forth from the face and affects their mind. Moreover when the inhabitants become of age, they speak with spirits, by whom they are instructed concerning the Lord, and how He is to be worshiped; also how they ought to live.
8950. When any wish to lead astray the spirits of that earth, and draw them away from faith in the Lord, or from humility toward Him, and from uprightness of life, they say that they wish to die. Then little knives are seen in their hands, by which they seem to wish to pierce their breasts. When they are asked why they do so, they say that they would rather die than be led away from the Lord. Sometimes the spirits of our earth laugh at these things, and infest them with questionings why they do so. But they answer that they know very well that they are not going to kill themselves, and that this is only an appearance proceeding from the will of their mind, showing that they would rather die than be drawn away from the worship of the Lord.
8951. There are some also on that earth who call their light at night, which is great, the Lord; but these are separated from the rest, and are not tolerated among them. This nocturnal light is shed from the great belt which encompasses that earth at a distance, and from the moons which are called the satellites of Saturn.
8952. They were asked about that great belt, which appears from our earth to be elevated above the horizon of that planet, and to vary its positions. They said that it does not appear to them as a belt, but only as a snowy light in the heavens in various directions.
8953. The inhabitants and spirits of that earth bear relation to that in man which is in the middle between spiritual sense and natural sense; but they withdraw from the natural and draw near to the spiritual. Therefore it is that these spirits often seem to themselves to be carried away, or caught up, into heaven, and afterward to be let back, thus alternately. For whatever is of spiritual sense is in heaven; but whatever is of natural sense is beneath heaven.
8954. There are no cities there, nor kingdoms, but they live distinguished into families, each family apart from others, thus man and wife together with their children. When the children marry, they are separated from the house of their parents, and have no more concern about it. Wherefore the spirits from that earth are seen two and two.
8955. All on that earth, otherwise than on ours, know that they shall live after death; and therefore they make no account of their bodies, except insofar as may be necessary for the life, which they say is to remain and serve the Lord. For this reason also they do not bury the bodies of the dead, but cast them forth and cover them with branches of trees from the forest.
8956. They have also little solicitude about food and clothing. They live on fruits and vegetables of various kinds which their earth produces. And they are but scantily clothed, for they are encompassed with a thick skin or coat* which wards off the cold.
* That is, their own natural skin is so thick that they need but little other clothing. See Spiritual Experiences, n. 1522-3. [REVISED]
8957. A continuation about the spirits and inhabitants of the earth Saturn will be found at the end of the following chapter.
8958. CHAPTER 21
THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY
They who are being regenerated undergo Temptations.
8959. Temptations are spiritual combats in man. For they are combats between the evil that is in him from hell, and the good that is in him from the Lord.
8960. Temptation is induced by evil spirits who dwell with man in his evils and falsities; these spirits excite his evils, and accuse him. But angels from the Lord, who dwell in his goods and truths, call forth the truths of faith which are with him, and defend him.
8961. That which is dealt with in Temptations relates to the dominion of the evil that is with the man from hell, and of the good that is with him from the Lord. The evil that wishes to have dominion is in the natural or external man, but the good is in the spiritual or internal man; hence it is that in Temptations that which is dealt with also relates to the dominion of the one over the other; if evil conquers, the natural man has dominion over the spiritual; if good conquers, the spiritual man has dominion over the natural.
8962. These combats are carried on by means of truths of faith which are from the Word. The man must fight against evils and falsities from these; if he fights from anything else, he does not conquer, because the Lord is not in anything else.
8963. As the combat is carried on by means of truths of faith which are from the Word, the man is not admitted into combat until he is in the knowledges of truth and of good, and has obtained therefrom some spiritual life; and therefore these combats do not arise with man until he has come to years of maturity.
8964. He who has not with him truths of faith from the Word by which he may fight, thus who has not any spiritual life in himself from these, is not admitted into any combat, because he yields; and if a man yields, his state after Temptation becomes worse than his state before Temptation, for evil has then acquired to itself power over good, and falsity over truth.
8965. As at this day faith is rare, for the church is at its end, therefore at this day few undergo any spiritual Temptations. Hence it is that it is scarcely known what they are, and to what they conduce.
8966. Temptations conduce to the confirmation of the truths of faith, also to the implantation of them, and the insinuation of them into the will, that they may become goods of charity. For, as before said, man fights from the truths of faith against evils and falsities; and because his mind is then in truths, when he conquers he confirms himself in them and implants them; and also accounts as an enemy, and rejects from himself, the evils and falsities which have assailed him. Moreover through Temptations the concupiscences which are of the loves of self and of the world are subdued, and the man becomes humble. Thus he is rendered fit to receive the life of heaven from the Lord, which life is the new life, such as belongs to the regenerated man.
8967. As through temptations the truths of faith are confirmed, and the goods of charity implanted, and also the concupiscences of evil are subdued, it follows that through Temptations the spiritual or internal man acquires dominion over the natural or external man, thus the good which is of charity and faith over the evil which is of the love of self and of the world. When this is effected, the man has enlightenment, and perception of what is true and what is good, and also of what is evil and false; and consequently he has intelligence and wisdom, which afterward increase day by day.
8968. When a man is being introduced through the truths of faith to the good of charity, he undergoes Temptations; but when he is in the good of charity, Temptations cease, for he is then in heaven.
8969. In Temptations man ought to fight against evils and falsities as from himself, but still believe that he does so from the Lord. If during the Temptation itself he does not believe this, because he is then in obscurity, still he should believe it after the Temptation. If after Temptation the man does not believe that the Lord alone has fought for him and conquered for him, he has undergone only external Temptation, which Temptation does not penetrate deeply, nor cause anything of faith and of charity to take root.
EXODUS 21
1. And these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
2. When thou shalt buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh year he shall go out free for nothing.
3. If in his body he shall come in, in his body he shall go out; if he is master of a woman, then his woman shall go out with him.
4. If his master shall give him a woman, and she bear him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall be his master’s, and he shall go out in his body.
5. And if saying the servant shall say, I love my master, my woman, and my children; I will not go out free:
6. Then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore through his ear with his awl; and he shall serve him forever.
7. And when a man shall sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out according to the going out of the menservants.
8. If she be evil in the eyes of her master, so that he will not betroth her, then she shall be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange people he shall have no power, in his acting treacherously against her.
9. And if he shall betroth her to his son, he shall do to her according to the judgment of daughters.
10. If he shall take him another; her food, her covering, and her conjugial due, he shall not diminish.
11. And if he shall not do these three to her, then she shall go out free with no silver.
12. He that smiteth a man, and he die, dying he shall die.
13. And he that hath not lain in wait, and God caused it to happen to his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14. And when a man shall act of set purpose against his companion, to kill him with deceit; thou shalt take him from Mine altar that he may die.
15. And he that smiteth his father and his mother, dying he shall die.
16. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, and if he shall be found in his hand, dying he shall die.
17. And he that curseth his father and his mother, dying he shall die.
18. And when men shall dispute, and a man shall smite his companion with a stone, or with his fist, and he dieth not, and lieth down in bed:
19. If he rise and walk abroad upon his staff, the smiter shall be guiltless; only he shall give his cessation, and healing shall heal him.
20. And when a man shall smite his manservant, or his maidservant, with a rod, and he die under his hand; in being avenged he shall be avenged.
21. Nevertheless if he shall stand for a day or two, he shall not be avenged, because he is his silver.
22. And when men shall quarrel, and shall strike a pregnant woman, and her births go forth, and harm is not done, with fining he shall be fined, as the woman’s master shall lay upon him; and he shall give according to the judges.
23. And if harm is done, then thou shalt give soul for soul,
24. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25. Burning for burning, wound for wound, blow for blow.
26. And when a man shall smite the eye of his manservant, or the eye of his maidservant, and shall destroy it; he shall let him go free for his eye.
27. And if he shall knock out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth.
28. And when an ox shall strike with the horn a man or a woman, and he dieth, with stoning the ox shall be stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; and the master of the ox shall be guiltless.
29. But if the ox were wont to strike with his horn from yesterday the day before yesterday, and it hath been attested to his master, and he hath not watched him, and he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his master also shall die.
30. If expiation be laid on him, then he shall give the redemption of his soul according to all that is laid upon him.
31. Whether he have struck with the horn a son, or struck with the horn a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done to him.
32. If the ox shall strike with the horn a manservant, or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33. And when a man shall open a pit, or when a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass shall fall in there:
34. The master of the pit shall repay; he shall pay silver to its master, and the dead one shall be his.
35. And when a man’s ox shall strike the ox of his companion, and he die; then they shall sell the living ox, and shall divide the silver of it; and the dead one also they shall divide.
36. Or if it be known that the ox was wont to strike with the horn from yesterday the day before yesterday, and his master hath not watched him; repaying he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead one shall be his.
37.* When a man shall steal an ox, or one of the flock, and shall kill it, or sell it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four of the small cattle for one of the small cattle.
* In the English Bible this is verse 1 of chapter 22. [REVISER.]
8970. THE CONTENTS.
In this chapter in the internal sense the subject treated of is those who injure or destroy, in themselves or in others, the truth of faith or the good of charity; what is the penalty; and what the restoration. Such things are here involved in the judgments or laws relating to servants, to the death or injury occasioned to companions or to servants, also relating to oxen that strike with the horn, and to a pit.
8971. THE INTERNAL SENSE
That the Word is holy, nay, most holy, is known to everyone within the church. This is not only acknowledged, but is also perceived, by those who are in the truths of faith and in a life according to them, for when reading the Word they are continually kept in the idea of what is holy. But those who are not in the truths of faith and in a life according to them do not acknowledge, still less perceive, anything of holiness in the Word. When these persons read the Word, they do not see anything higher in it than in any other writing. And they who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word also say to themselves when they read it, that the writings of men are finer, because insofar as regards the literal sense they are composed in a finer style. This has been shown me by living experience with regard to those in the other life who in their hearts have denied that the Word has been inspired by the Divine. But when they were told that the Word is holy and Divine as to every jot and smallest point in it, they stood amazed, and marveled whence this could be. And when they were told further, and also shown to the life, that all things which are in the Word contain in them a spiritual sense which does not appear in the letter, and that this sense of the Word is with the angels in heaven when the Word is being read by man, they then acknowledged it because it was shown; but they said that they did not know this in the world, and that because they did not know it, they are free from blame. But when these same persons were examined, it was observed that they had lived just as they liked, without any restraints from conscience, and had therefore at heart denied the Divine, heaven and hell, the life after death, and all other matters of faith, and that this was the cause of their not having acknowledged the holiness of the Word. And it was further shown that all those who have been in the truths of faith and in a life according to them, have held the Word to be holy, and have also while reading it perceived in themselves that it is so. From this they were convinced that the cause was not in the Word, but in themselves. For with those who are in a life of good the interiors are open into heaven, whence the holiness of the Word flows in from the angels; whereas with those who are in a life of evil the interiors are closed toward heaven, but are open into hell, whence there flows in the contrary.
[2] Take for example the judgments or laws in this chapter about menservants, maidservants, and oxen. They who deny the holiness of the Word, because they are in a life of evil, will say that in these judgments or laws they do not see anything Divine-as when it is said that a manservant who does not desire to go away free should be brought to a door or a doorpost, and his master should bore through his ear with an awl, and accordingly he should serve forever; also that if a manservant who is smitten shall live a day or two, his master who smote him shall not be punished, because he is his silver; as also that a manservant should be free for the loss of an eye or a tooth; and that an ox striking with the horn should be stoned, besides the other things there mentioned. They who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word regard these things as not worthy of the Word, and still less worthy to be dictated by Jehovah Himself on Mount Sinai; in like manner do they regard all other things that are in the Word, whether historical or prophetical. But the reason why they so regard them is that heaven is closed to them on account of their life of evil, consequently they have a contrary perception. The case is quite different with those who are in a life of good.
[3] Whence comes the holiness of the Word which flows in from heaven, is evident from all that has hitherto been said and shown about the internal sense of the Word; namely, that the Word alone has an internal sense, and that this sense treats of such things as belong to heaven, which are the things of eternal life, and that inmostly it treats of the Lord alone, thus of holy things, nay, of Divine things themselves which are most holy; and that this sense is for the angels who are with man while the Word is being read, consequently that there is from this source an influx of holiness, and a perception of it, with those who are in the life of faith and charity. As regards the judgments or laws in this chapter about menservants, maidservants, and oxen, these contain in the internal sense such things as are of Divine order with respect to those who are in the truth of faith, and also with respect to those who injure or destroy the things which belong to faith and charity, and those which belong to love to the Lord; and in the inmost sense, those things which would injure or destroy the Lord Himself. From this everyone can see how holy in themselves these judgments are, however little they appear so in the letter.
8972. Verse 1. And these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them, signifies exterior truths, such as there must be in the civil state where there is a representative church, and which flow from the internal truths which are of order in the heavens. That these things are signified by “the judgments which were to be set before the sons of Israel” is evident from the signification of “judgments,” as being truths (see n. 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695). The reason why “judgments” denote truths is that all judgment is effected by means of truths; consequently by “doing judgment” in the Word is signified doing truth, that is, judging according to truths. But by “judgments,” in the plural, are signified civil laws, thus exterior truths such as are in the civil state. It is said “where there is a representative church,” for the reason that interiorly they contain and involve in them those truths which are of order in the heavens, as can be seen from their internal sense.
[2] The laws which were enacted and commanded the sons of Israel by the Lord were distinguished into “commandments,” “judgments,” and “statutes.” Those were called “commandments” which belonged to life; those “judgments” which belonged to the civil state; and those “statutes” which belonged to worship. As regards “judgments” specifically, they are such things as are contained in this chapter, and also in several chapters that follow. They served for laws in a church wherein the internal things which are of heaven and the church were represented by external things. But they do not serve for laws in a church wherein internal things are no longer represented by external, as in the Christian Church. The reason is that to the man of this Church internal things have been revealed, and therefore communication with heaven is effected by means of internal things, and not by means of external things, as before. This is the reason why the man of the Christian Church is not bound to observe in their external form those things which are called “judgments” and “statutes,” but in their internal form. Nevertheless holiness abides in them, because they contain holy things within them, as do also all and each of the things commanded in the Word about sacrifices. Although these things have been abrogated, they nevertheless are holy things of the Word by reason of the Divine things which are in them, and which they represented. For when they are read by a Christian man, the Divine things that are within them, and that were represented, are perceived in the heavens, and fill the angels with that which is holy, and at the same time by influx from the angels they fill the man who reads, especially if he himself then thinks of the Divine things that are within them. From this it is plain that the Word even of the Old Testament is most holy.
[3] That the laws enacted by the Lord and commanded the sons of Israel were distinguished into “commandments” which relate to life, into “judgments” which relate to the civil state, and into “statutes” which relate to worship, is plain in the following passages:
Jehovah said unto Moses, Go, say to them, return ye into your tents. But as for thee, stand thou here with Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them (Deut. 5:28, 30, 31).
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you (Deut. 6:1).
Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them (Deut. 7:11).
If his sons forsake My law, and walk not In My judgments; if they profane My statutes, and keep not My commandments; I will visit their transgression with the rod (Ps. 89:30-32).
[4] Moreover all the laws, insofar as they belonged to the representative church, were in general called “judgments” and “statutes,” as in Moses:
Now, therefore, O Israel, hear the statutes and the judgments which I will teach you, that ye may do them. What great nation is there that hath statutes and judgments so just as all this law, which I will give before you this day? (Deut. 4:1, 8; 5:1).
Jerusalem hath changed My judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are round about her; for they have rejected My judgments, and have not walked in My statutes (Ezek. 5:6, 7).
Let them walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, to do the truth (Ezek. 18:9).
Besides many other places (as Lev. 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deut. 26:17; Ezek. 11:12, 20; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24).
8973. Verses 2-6. When thou shalt buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh year he shall go out free for nothing. If in his body he shall come in, in his body he shall go out; if he is master of a woman, then his woman shall go out with him. If his master shall give him a woman, and she shall bear him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall be his master’s, and he shall go out in his body. And if saying the servant shall say, I love my master, my woman, and my children; I will not go out free; then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him unto the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore through his ear with his awl; and he shall serve him forever.
“When thou shalt buy a Hebrew servant,” signifies those within the church who are in the truths of doctrine and not in good according to them; “six years he shall serve,” signifies a state of labor and of some combat and of the consequent confirmation of truth; “and in the seventh year he shall go out free for nothing,” signifies a state of truth confirmed without exertion on his part; “if in his body he shall come in,” signifies truth without delight; “in his body he shall go out,” signifies a state of truth without delight also after combat; “if he is master of a woman,” signifies truth with delight adjoined; “then his woman shall go out with him,” signifies a state of truth with delight conjoined also after combat; “if his master shall give him a woman,” signifies good from the spiritual adjoined to truth while in combat; “and she bear him sons or daughters,” signifies the truths and goods thence derived; “the woman and her children shall be his master’s,” signifies that good adjoined to truth by the spiritual, together with the goods and truths thence derived, shall not be appropriated to truth; “and he shall go out in his body,” signifies the state after combat, which is merely one of confirmed and implanted truth; “and if saying the servant shall say,” signifies thought then from the implanted truth; “I love my master, my woman, and my children,” signifies the delight of the remembrance of spiritual goods; “I will not go out free,” signifies the delight of obedience; “then his master shall bring him unto God,” signifies a state into which he then enters according to Divine order; “and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post,” signifies a state of communication of truth confirmed and implanted with spiritual good; “and his master shall bore through his ear with his awl,” signifies a representative of obedience; “and he shall serve him forever,” signifies to eternity.
8974. When thou shalt buy a Hebrew servant. That this signifies those within the church who are in the truths of doctrine and not in good according to them, is evident from the signification of “buying,” as being to procure and appropriate to oneself (see n. 4397, 5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426, 7999); and from the signification of “a Hebrew servant,” as being those within the church who are in the truths of doctrine and not in good of life according to them; for “servant” is predicated of those who are in truth and not in the corresponding good, and in general, of truth relatively to good (n. 3409), and “Hebrew” is predicated of those things which are of the church, and of those things which are of some service (that it is predicated of those things which are of the church, see n. 5136, 5236, 6675, 6684; also that it is predicated of those things which are of some service, n. 1703, 1741, 5013). As in what now follows, the menservants and maidservants of the sons of Israel are treated of, it must be told what the statutes concerning them involve in the internal sense. Everyone can see that the statutes contain within them secret things of heaven, because they were spoken and commanded orally by Jehovah to Moses on Mount Sinai, and because they follow immediately after the words of the Decalogue. Apart from such secret things they would be merely civil and public laws like the laws of other nations on earth, in which there is no secret thing of heaven. But the secret things here contained are not manifest except to the angels in the heavens, consequently not to men except by the internal sense; for this teaches how the angels perceive the Word, consequently it teaches the secret things that are within the Word. What and of what quality these secret things are, will be plain in the following explication of each particular.
[2] That a general idea may be had, it shall be briefly told what is specifically meant by “Hebrew servants” in the internal sense. In the spiritual church, which the sons of Israel represented, there are two kinds of men: there are those who are in the truth of faith and not in the corresponding good of life, and there are those who are in the good of charity and in the corresponding truth of faith. They who are in the good of charity and in the corresponding truth of faith are they who constitute the very church itself, and are men of the internal church. In the internal sense of the Word these are they who are called the “sons of Israel.” These are of themselves free, because they are in good; for they who are led by the Lord by means of good are free (n. 892, 905, 2870-2893). But they who are in the truth of faith and not in the corresponding good of life are men of the external spiritual church. These are they who in the internal sense of the Word are meant by the “Hebrew servants.” They are represented by servants because those things which are of the external church are relatively nothing else than things of service. The case is similar also with the truth of faith relatively to the good of charity; for the truth of faith serves for introducing the man of the church into the good of charity.
[3] Be it known moreover that he who makes everything of the church, thus everything of salvation, to consist in the truth of faith and not in the good of charity, and who also does good from obedience only and not from the affection which is of the love, cannot be regenerated, as can those who are in the good of charity, that is, who do what is good from the affection of love. They can indeed be reformed, but not regenerated. Their reformation is here treated of in the internal sense in the laws concerning menservants and concerning maidservants. The secret things of this reformation are not at this day known to anyone, for the reason that an almost total ignorance prevails within the church of what the truth of faith effects toward salvation, and what the good of charity effects. Nay, it is not known what charity is, or that charity and faith must marry together for anything of the church to exist in man; for the marriage of good and truth is the church itself, because it is heaven in man (n. 2173, 2618, 2728, 2729, 2803, 3132, 3155, 4434, 4823, 5194, 5502, 6179).
8975. Six years he shall serve. That this signifies a state of labor and of some combat and of the consequent confirmation of truth, is evident from the signification of “six years,” as being states of labor and combat (that “six” signifies labor and combat see n. 737, 900, 8888; and that “years” signify states, n. 487, 488, 493, 893, 7839). That the confirmation of truth is also signified, is because spiritual truth, which is called the truth of faith, is confirmed by labor and combat. It is said “somewhat of combat,” because they who are in the truth of faith and not in the corresponding good of life are not admitted into any grievous combat, that is, into temptation, because they would yield. For the Lord cannot flow in with them by means of good, and thus defend them against the evils and falsities which assail in temptations. They are only external men, and whatever flows in from the Lord must flow in through the internal man into the external. When men are not in the good of charity, the internal man is not open, for good is that which opens the internal man, and which dwells there.
8976. And in the seventh year he shall go out free for nothing. That this signifies a state of truth confirmed without exertion on his part, is evident from the signification of “the seventh year,” as being a state of the conjunction of good and truth; for by “the seventh year” is signified the like as by “the seventh day,” or “the Sabbath” (that by this is signified the conjunction of good and truth, or the heavenly marriage, thus the state of peace which succeeds after a state of servitude, see n. 8494, 8495, 8510, 8888, 8890, 8893). But here, as those who are in truth and not in the corresponding good of life are treated of, by “the seventh year” is signified a state of confirmed truth. The reason is that with such there is no conjunction of truth and good, as there is with those who are in the good of charity, and who are understood in the representative sense by the sons of Israel; but instead of this conjunction there is the confirmation of truth. And from the signification of “for nothing” [gratis], as being without exertion on their part; for when they are in labor and in some combat the truth of faith with them is confirmed by the Lord without any exertion of theirs. The like is signified by “for nothing,” or “freely,” in these passages:
I will give unto him that is athirst from the fountain of the water of life freely (Rev. 21:6.)
He that heareth, let him say, Come; and he that is athirst, let him come; and he that will, let him take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17).
Everyone that thirsteth, go ye to the water, and he that hath no silver; go ye, buy and eat; go ye, I say, buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isa. 55:1).
“The waters” denote truths from the Word; “wine,” the truth of good therefrom; and “milk,” the good of truth.
8977. If in his body he shall come in. That this signifies truth without delight, is evident from the signification of “body,” as being truth alone, thus truth without its delight; for by “body” is meant the manservant alone without a woman, thus without delight, for the “woman” of a manservant denotes delight conjoined with truth, as will be plain from what follows. With regard to this secret the case is this. The men of the external church, who were represented by the Hebrew servants, are they who learn truth from no delight, but solely for the reason that it is the truth of the church, by means of which they believe that they can be saved. It is this necessity which enjoins them to learn and to know it. These are they who in the internal sense are meant by “menservants who come in their body and go out in their body.” With these, truth is merely confirmed. In the other life such persons are in the entrance to heaven, and not in heaven itself; they are called “the cuticulars,” because in the Grand Man they correspond to the skin (see n. 5553-5559).
[2] But they who are in truth to which delight is adjoined are they who in the internal sense are here meant by the menservants who come with a woman, for “the woman” signifies good, when “the man” signifies truth; but here “woman” signifies delight, for in the man of the external church this takes the place of good. The good in which this man is, is not from a spiritual origin, but from a natural origin, for it has its relish from the delight of living and of teaching truth for the sake of gain or for the sake of honor, consequently for the sake of self. This is the reason why it is called “delight,” but not “good.” In the external form it does indeed appear as good, but because it is natural good, that is, because it has its origin from the world, and not from heaven, it is called delight.
[3] But good from a spiritual origin is meant in the internal sense by the woman whom the master gives his servant; but this cannot be conjoined; and therefore it was decreed that when the manservant should go forth, the woman should be the master’s, and also her sons and daughters. For spiritual good is good not for the sake of gain, or for the sake of honor; but for the sake of the church, and for the sake of the salvation of the neighbor. Such good cannot be conjoined with those who are in the externals of the church, for it is the very good of charity, and it springs from the affection which is of love. For they who are in the externals of the church cannot be affected by the truths of faith in any other way than chiefly for the sake of themselves, and secondarily for the sake of the church; and they who are of such a character can indeed act according to truths, thus can do what is good, not from affection, but from obedience. These are they who in the internal sense are meant by those who desire to serve forever.
[4] These are the arcana which in the internal sense are contained in these statutes concerning menservants, and which can in no wise be apprehended except by those who are in the good of charity; but not by those who are in the truths of faith without this good. The reason is that they who are in the good of charity are in the light of heaven, and from this light they see the things which are in the light of the world; whereas they who are in the truth of faith, and not in the good of charity, are in the light of the world, from which light the things which are in heaven cannot be seen. For the light of heaven is above, that is, within; but the light of the world is beneath or without, and lower or exterior things can be seen from higher or interior ones, but not the reverse; for heaven can flow into the world, but not the world into heaven (n. 3721, 5119, 5259, 5779, 6322).
8978. In his body he shall go out. That this signifies a state of truth without delight also after combat, is evident from the signification of “body,” as being truth without delight (of which just above, n. 8977); and from the signification of “going out,” as being after he has served six years, thus a state after combat; for by the service of six years is signified a state of labor and of combat (n. 8975). (How this is, is plain from what has just been said above, n. 8977.)
8979. If he is master* of a woman. That this signifies truth with delight conjoined, is evident from the signification of “master,” as being truth (of which below) and from the signification of “a woman,” as being good, but here delight (of which also below). That “a master” denotes truth, is because by “master” is here meant the manservant as the woman’s man, and in the internal sense by a “manservant,” as also by a woman’s “man,” is signified truth. (That truth is signified by “a manservant,” see n. 8974; also that it is signified by “a man,” n. 3134, 3309, 3459, 7716.) That “a woman” denotes delight is because by the woman of a man is signified in the internal sense good (n. 915, 2517, 4823, 6014, 8337). But as by a manservant from the Israelitish people is represented a man of the external church, who indeed has truth of doctrine, but not the corresponding good (n. 8974), because he does not do truth for the sake of truth, nor good for the sake of good, but that he may be recompensed; therefore in the truth and good which he does, there is the idea of self, and this idea does not belong to good, but to delight; for in the spiritual sense nothing is called “good” except that which belongs to love to the Lord and to love toward the neighbor. This good does indeed appear also as delight in the natural man; but it is the spiritual that is within it that makes it to be good.
[2] That it may be further known how the case is in regard to this, it is to be borne in mind that the man of the internal church acts from charity, thus from the affection which is of love toward the neighbor; whereas the man of the external church does not act from the good of charity, but from the truth of faith; thus not from the affection which is of love toward the neighbor, but from obedience, because it has been so commanded. It flows from this that the man of the internal church is free, but the man of the external church is relatively a servant; for he who acts from the affection which is of love, acts from freedom (n. 2870-2893); but he who acts from obedience does not act from freedom, for to obey is not freedom. This is the reason why he who acts from the good of charity is a true man of the spiritual church, and therefore in the Word is represented by Israel, whereas he who does not act from the good of charity, but from the truth of faith, is not a true man of the spiritual church, but is relatively his servant; and he was therefore represented by the manservant who was called a “Hebrew servant,” because bought from the sons of Israel.
* “Master” is dominus all through this chapter. [REVISER]
8980. Then his woman shall go out with him. That this signifies a state of truth with delight also conjoined after combat, is evident from the signification of “going out,” namely, from service, as being the state after combat (see n. 8975); and from the signification of “a woman,” as being the conjoined delight (of which just above, n. 8979). From all this it is evident who were here represented by menservants, namely, they who are in the faith of the doctrinal things of their church, and not in the corresponding good, but in a delight which counterfeits the corresponding good. Their service with their master signifies their state before they can be admitted into heaven, and their going out from service signifies their state when they are received into heaven. But as they are merely in the faith of the doctrinal things of their church, and not in the corresponding good, thus not in the truth of good, that is, in the faith of charity, therefore they cannot be admitted further into heaven than to the entrance of it. For they who are in the entrance to heaven communicate by the truth which is of faith with those who are in heaven, and by delight conjoined with truth with those who are outside of heaven-no otherwise than as do the skins or coats which encompass the body, which by the sense of touch communicate with the world, and by a fibrous connection, with the life of the soul in the body. From this it is that they who are in the entrance to heaven, and are represented by the Hebrew servants, are called “the cuticulars” in the Grand Man (n. 5552-5559). But such are of as many genera and species as are the cuticles or coats in the body; for there are those which encompass the whole body; there are those which encompass the interiors in general, as the peritoneum, the pleura, the pericardium; and there are those which specifically encompass each of the viscera therein. All are relatively things of service.
8981. If his master shall give him a woman. That this signifies good from the spiritual adjoined to truth while in combat, is evident from the signification of “master,” as here being the spiritual; for by “master” is here meant someone of the sons of Israel, and by the “sons of Israel” are signified those who are true men of the spiritual church, that is, who do what is good from the affection which is of love, or what is the same, from charity. (That “the sons of Israel” denote the men of the spiritual church, see n. 6426, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805; consequently by the same in the abstract sense are signified spiritual truths and goods, n. 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5833, 5879.) From this it is that by “master” is here signified the spiritual. And from the signification of “giving him a woman,” as being to adjoin good to truth; for “to give,” when said of a woman, denotes to adjoin, and “a manservant” denotes one who is in the truth of doctrine and not in the corresponding good (n. 8974); and “a woman” denotes delight (n. 8980), but here good, because it is given (that is, adjoined) from the spiritual; for all that which comes from the spiritual is called “good,” because the spiritual itself is the good of charity (that “a woman” denotes good, see n. 915, 2517, 4823, 6014, 8337). The reason why it denotes in combat, is that it is said that if his master have given him a woman, at the end of his service the woman should be the master’s. From this it is evident that the woman was the manservant’s while he was in service, and not afterward; thus while in combat, and not after combat; for by the service of six years is signified labor and combat (n. 8975).
[2] Who cannot see that in this statute there is a secret which cannot be known except by him to whom it has been revealed? For in the external form it appears contrary to Divine justice that a woman given to a manservant should remain the master’s when the servant went out from service, seeing that a woman ought to be her man’s forever. Of the same character are also many other things that were commanded the sons of Israel by Jehovah, as that they should ask of the Egyptians vessels of gold and of silver, and garments, and thus should spoil them; besides other things of a similar nature spoken of in their places. But although, as has been said, in the outward form these things appear contrary to Divine justice, they nevertheless are not so, for they flow from the laws of Divine order in the heavens, which laws are the very laws themselves of justice; but these laws are not clear unless they are unfolded from the sense of the letter by means of the internal sense. The law from which this statute flows is that spiritual good cannot be conjoined with those who are in the externals of the church from infancy, but can only be adjoined to them so long as they are in combat, and that after combat it recedes.
[3] That it may be clear how the case herein is (for it is a secret), it shall be briefly explained. They who from infancy have thought little about eternal life, thus about the salvation of their soul, but only of worldly life and its prosperity, and yet have lived a good moral life, and have also believed in the truths of the doctrine of their church, when they come to more adult age, cannot be reformed otherwise than by the adjoining of spiritual good when they are in combat; but still they do not retain this good, but only confirm the truths of their doctrine by means of it. The reason why they are of this character is that in their past life they have indulged worldly loves; and when these loves have been rooted in, they do not suffer spiritual good to be conjoined with truth, because these loves are altogether repugnant to that good. Nevertheless spiritual good can take possession of the thought when these loves become inactive, as is the case when they are in anxiety, in misfortunes, and in sicknesses, and the like. Then the affection of well-doing from charity flows in, but this affection serves only for confirming and rooting in more deeply the truths of doctrine; but it cannot be conjoined with truth. The reason is that this influent affection of charity fills only the intellectual part of the mind, but does not enter into its will part, and that which does not enter into the will part is not appropriated, thus is not conjoined, because the conjunction of good and truth with man is effected when truth enters the will; consequently when the man wills truth, and from willing does it. Then for the first time truth becomes good, or what is the same, faith becomes charity.
[4] This cannot be effected with those who from infancy have indulged the loves of the world, and yet are in the truth of the doctrine of their church; for their will part is possessed by these loves, which are wholly in opposition to and reject spiritual good. They merely admit this into the intellectual part of the mind, that is, into the thought, when these loves are dormant, which is the case, as said above, in a state of sickness or of misfortune, or in anxiety, consequently in labor, and in some combat. This is the secret which lies hidden in this statute. And as this statute was thus representative of the law of Divine order with respect to those who are in the truth of doctrine and not in the corresponding good, therefore in the representative church it was in agreement with Divine justice, even in the external form.
8982. And she bear him sons or daughters. That this signifies the truths and goods thence derived, is evident from the signification of “sons,” as being truths (see n. 489, 491, 535, 1147, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 4257); and from the signification of “daughters,” as being goods (n. 489-491, 2362, 3024). That derived truths and goods are signified is plain, because by the woman who is the mother of whom they are born, is signified spiritual good (n. 8981), and in the internal sense by “births” are signified derivations (n. 1330, 3263, 3279).
8983. The woman and her children shall be his master’s. That this signifies that good adjoined to truth by the spiritual, together with the truths and goods thence derived, shall not be appropriated to truth, is evident from the signification of “the woman,” as being spiritual good adjoined to truth when in combat (of which above, n. 8981); from the signification of “children,” as being derived truths and goods (of which just above, n. 8982); and from the signification of “shall be his master’s,” as being that they shall belong to the spiritual from which they are, and not to truth (for “the master” denotes the spiritual, n. 8981, and “the manservant,” truth without the corresponding good, n. 8974; consequently that they shall not be appropriated to this truth). For in the internal sense by “man and woman” is signified the conjunction of truth and good, because marriage on earth represents the heavenly marriage which is that of good and truth; and moreover conjugial love corresponds to this marriage (n. 2727-2759, 2803).
[2] But between a manservant and a woman given him by his master there is no marriage, but only a coupling like that of a concubine with a man, which coupling does not correspond to the heavenly marriage; and therefore it is dissolved when the manservant goes forth, for then the woman together with the children become the master’s. The reason why such a coupling takes place, is that the truth which is represented by the manservant is in the external man, and the good which is represented by the woman is in the internal man; and the good of the internal man cannot be conjoined with the truth of the external unless conjunction has been previously effected in the internal man. This cannot be done, because the manservant represents the merely external man who has not the corresponding good, and to whom it cannot be appropriated. That the good of the internal man cannot be conjoined with the truth of the external unless conjunction has been first effected in the internal man, can be seen from what has been already said about the regeneration of man (n. 3321, 3469, 3493, 3573, 3616, 3882, 4353); for regeneration is the conjunction of good and truth.
8984. And he shall go out in his body. That this signifies the state after combat, which is merely one of confirmed and implanted truth, is evident from the signification of “going out,” namely, from service, as being the state after combat (see above, n. 8980); and from the signification of “in his body,” as being with truth without good (n. 8977, 8978). The reason why it denotes a state of confirmed and implanted truth, is that this is signified by “going out in the seventh year” (n. 8976), and here that spiritual good, which is represented by the woman, had served to confirm that truth, and also to implant new truth (n. 8981).
8985. And if saying the servant shall say. That this signifies thought then from the implanted truth, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being thought (see n. 7094, 7107, 7244); and from the signification of “manservant,” as being truth without the corresponding good (n. 8974); here, this truth confirmed and implanted, because it is said of that servant when he was about to go forth (n. 8984). It is said that “manservant” denotes truth, but there is meant the man who is in truth without the corresponding good. The reason why truth is called a “manservant,” and not the man who is in such truth, is that abstract speech, that is, speech separate from man, is angelic speech. For in heaven they think about a thing apart from the person, because when the person also is there thought of, the society which is in the thing in question is excited, and thus the thought is determined thither, and is fixed. For in heaven where the thought is, there the presence is; and presence would bend to itself the thoughts of those who are in the society, and would thus disturb the influx from the Divine there. It is otherwise when they think abstractedly about a thing; in this case the thought diffuses itself in every direction according to the heavenly form which the influx proceeding from the Divine produces, and this without the disturbance of any society. For it insinuates itself into the general spheres of the societies, and in this case does not touch or move anyone in the society; thus does not divert anyone from the freedom of thinking according to the influx from the Divine. In a word, abstracted thought can pervade the whole heaven without stopping anywhere; but thought determined to person, or to place, is fixed and stays.
8986. I love my master, my woman, and my children. That this signifies the delight of the remembrance of spiritual goods, is evident from the signification of “loving,” as here being the delight of remembrance (of which below); from the signification of “master,” as being the spiritual good which is the source (see above, n. 8981); from the signification of “woman,” as being the good that is adjoined from the spiritual (n. 8981); and from the signification of “children,” as being the goods and truths thence derived (see n. 8982); consequently by “master, woman, and children,” taken together, are signified spiritual goods. That the delight of the remembrance of such goods is signified by “loving,” is because they who were represented by the Hebrew menservants are those who within the church are in truths of doctrine and not in good in accordance with these truths (see n. 8974, 8976). Such cannot be affected with truth for the sake of good, but for the sake of delight; and therefore by “loving,” here, because it is said of such, is signified the delight of remembrance.
8987. I will not go out free. That this signifies the delight of obedience, is evident from the signification of “going out free,” as being the state after combat, which is merely a state of confirmed and implanted truth (of which above, n. 8976, 8980, 8984); for the service, which was of six years, and is called “a week” in Genesis 29:27, 28, signifies labor or some combat, such as those have who are in truths and not in the corresponding good, and who in the spiritual sense are meant by the “Hebrew menservants.” These are of such a nature that they cannot be regenerated, but only reformed. For to be regenerated is said of those who suffer themselves to be brought by the Lord, by means of the truths called the truths of faith, to the good of spiritual life; but to be reformed is said of those who cannot be brought to the good of spiritual life by means of the truths which are of faith; but only to the delight of natural life.
[2] They who suffer themselves to be regenerated, act from affection according to the precepts of faith; but they who do not suffer themselves to be regenerated, but only to be reformed, do not act from affection, but from obedience. The difference is this. They who act from affection, act from the heart, and thus from freedom, and they also do truth for the sake of truth, and good for the sake of good, and thus they exercise charity for the sake of the neighbor; but they who act from obedience do not thus act from the heart, consequently not from freedom. If they seem to themselves to act from the heart and from freedom, it is for the sake of something of self-glory which causes it to be so perceived; and they do not do truth for the sake of truth, nor good for the sake of good, but for the sake of the delight arising from this glory. Thus they do not practice charity toward the neighbor for the sake of the neighbor, but in order to be seen, and in order to be recompensed. From this it is evident who and of what quality are they who are represented by the sons of Israel, and who and of what quality are they who are represented by the Hebrew menservants.
[3] But within the church at this day the knowledge of this distinction has been lost. The reason is that the church at this day is proclaimed and said to be from faith and not from charity; and few know what faith is; most persons believing that faith consists in knowing those things which the doctrine of the church teaches, and in being persuaded that they are true; but not that it consists in living according to them. Life according to them they call “moral life,” which they separate from the doctrine of the church, and entitle it Moral Theology. But the learned believe that faith is confidence or trust that they are saved by the Lord’s having suffered for them, and redeemed them from hell; and they say that those are saved who have this confidence; thus by faith alone. But such persons do not consider that there cannot be the confidence of faith, except with those who live a life of charity.
[4] These are the reasons why knowledge has been lost concerning the difference between those who are in truths of faith and not in the corresponding good of life, and those who are in good of life corresponding with the truths of faith; and because this knowledge has been lost, what has now been said about those who are in truths and not in good, who are signified by “the Hebrew menservants,” cannot but appear strange.
8988. Then his master shall bring him unto God. That this signifies a state into which he then enters according to Divine order, is evident from the signification of “bringing unto God,” when those are treated of who are in truths and cannot be in good, as being to cause them to enter into a state according to Divine order; for by “bringing unto” is signified to enter; and by “God” is signified Divine order (of which in what follows). That these things are signified is plain from what follows in this verse, in which is described the state of those who are in truths and not in the corresponding good, namely, that it is a state of perpetual obedience. For they who are in this state are in servitude relatively to those who are in good that corresponds with truths; because as these latter act from good, they act from affection; and they who act from affection, act from the will, thus of themselves; for whatsoever is of the will with man is his own, seeing that the being of man’s life is his will. But they who act merely from obedience do not act from their will, but from the will of their master; thus not from themselves, but from another; and therefore they are relatively in servitude. To act from truths, and not from good, is to act solely from the intellectual part; for truths bear relation to the intellectual part, and goods to the will part; and to act from the intellectual part, and not from the will part, is to act from that which stands without and serves, because the understanding has been given to man to receive truths, and to introduce them into the will, that they may become goods; for truths are called goods when they become of the will.
[2] But to serve the Lord, by doing according to His commandments, and thus by obeying Him, is not to be a servant, but is to be free, for the veriest freedom of man consists in being led of the Lord (n. 892, 905, 2870, 2872), because the Lord inspires into the very will of man the good from which he is to act, and though it is from the Lord, still it is perceived as if it were from self, thus from freedom. This freedom is possessed by all who are in the Lord, and it is conjoined with inexpressible happiness.
[3] The term “God” here denotes Divine order, because in the Word “God” is named where truth is treated of, and “Jehovah” where good is treated of (n. 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402, 7010, 7268, 8867); and therefore in the supreme sense the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord is “God,” and His Divine good from which the Divine truth proceeds is “Jehovah.” The reason is that the Divine good is Being itself, and the Divine truth is the derivative Coming-forth; for that which proceeds comes forth by so doing. The case is similar with good and truth in heaven, or with the angels, and also in the church with men. The good there is being itself, and the truth is the derivative coming-forth; or what is the same, love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor are the very being of heaven and of the church, but faith is the derivative coming-forth. From this it is clear whence it is that “God” denotes also Divine order, for it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord which makes order in heaven, insomuch that Divine truth is order itself. (That Divine truth is order, see n. 1728, 1919, 7995, 8700.) And therefore when a man or an angel receives Divine truth from the Lord in good, there is with him the order which is in the heavens, consequently he is a heaven or kingdom of the Lord in particular; and this in the degree in which he is in good from truths, and afterward in the degree in which he is in truths from good; and-what is a secret-the angels themselves appear in a human form in the heavens absolutely according to the truths which pertain to them in good, with a beauty and brightness according to the quality of the good from truths. As to their souls so also do the men of the church appear in heaven. It is the Divine truth itself proceeding from the Lord that leads to this, as can be seen from what has been shown about heaven as the Grand Man, and about its correspondence with everything in man, at the end of many chapters.
[4] This secret is what is meant by these words of John in Revelation:
He measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem, a hundred and forty and four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Rev. 21:17).
Who can possibly understand these words that does not know what is signified by “the holy Jerusalem;” what by “the wall” thereof; what by a “measure;” what by “the number one hundred and forty and four;” and thus what by “a man, that is, an angel?” By “the new and holy Jerusalem” is signified the New Church of the Lord which is at this day about to succeed the Christian Church (n. 2117); by “the wall” are signified the truths of faith which will defend that church (n. 6419); by “measuring” and “the measure” is signified its state as to truth (n. 3104); by the number “one hundred and forty and four” is signified the like as by “twelve,” for one hundred and forty-four is a number compounded of twelve multiplied into twelve. (That by these numbers are signified all truths in the complex, see n. 7973). From this it is clear what is signified by “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel,” namely, truth itself proceeding from the Lord in its own form, which as before said is the form of an angel man in heaven. All this makes clear the secret involved in the above words, namely, that by them are described the truths of that Church which is to succeed the Christian Church existing at this day.
[5] That these are truths from good is described in the next following verse in these words:
The building of the wall thereof was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like to pure glass (Rev. 21:18).
By “jasper” is signified truth such as will be the truth of that church, for by stones in general are signified truths (n. 1298, 3720, 6426), and by “precious stones,” truths which are from the Lord (n. 643); by “gold” is signified the good of love and of wisdom (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658). Who could ever foresee that such things are involved in the above words? and who cannot see from this that innumerable arcana lie hidden in the Word, which in no wise appear to anyone except through the internal sense? and that by this sense, as by a key, are opened truths Divine such as are in heaven, consequently heaven and the Lord Himself, who, in the inmost sense, is the all in all of the Word.
8989. And he shall bring him to the door, or unto the door post. That this signifies a state of communication of truth confirmed and implanted with spiritual good, is evident from the signification of a “door,” as being the introduction of truth to good (see n. 2356, 2385), here of truth confirmed and implanted, which is signified by a Hebrew manservant after a service of six years (n. 8976, 8984), and as “a door” denotes introduction, it also denotes communication, for one room communicates with another by means of a door; and from the signification of “door-post,” as being the conjunction of such truth with good, for a door-post stands between two rooms and joins them together. Who cannot see that this ritual for the menservants who remain contains in it some secret, and indeed a Divine one? for it was dictated and commanded by Jehovah from Mount Sinai. They who do not believe that there is anything more holy and Divine in the Word than that which appears in the letter, must needs wonder that these and many other things contained in this chapter and in the following chapters were dictated by Jehovah in a living voice; for in the letter they appear to be such things as are contained in the laws of nations-as this concerning menservants-that one who did not wish to go forth from service should be brought to a door or to a door-post, and should have his ear bored through with an awl by his master. In the sense of the letter this does not savor of anything Divine; nevertheless it is most Divine; but this does not appear except through the internal sense. The internal sense is that they who are in mere truths and not in the corresponding good, but yet are in the delight of the remembrance of spiritual goods (n. 8986, 8987), have some communication and conjunction with spiritual good.
[2] This was represented by the ear of the servant being bored through at a door or at a door-post by his master; for “a door” denotes communication, and “a door-post” conjunction; the “ear” denotes obedience; and boring it through with an awl is representative of the state in which he would remain. Thus do the angels perceive these things who are with a man who is reading this word. For the angels do not think of a door or of a door-post, nor of an ear and its boring, nor even of a manservant; but instead thereof they think of the aforesaid communication and conjunction. For the angels are in the understanding of such things, because they are in light; and the things presented to them are spiritual and heavenly, not natural and worldly as are the things contained in the sense of the letter of the Word; for the sense of the letter of the Word is natural and worldly, but its internal sense is spiritual and heavenly; the literal sense is for men, the internal sense is for the angels, consequently there is a communication and conjunction of heaven with man by means of the Word.
[3] In order that the arcana which are contained in this procedure with menservants that remain with their master may be opened still further, it must be told whence it is that “a door” and “a door-post” signify communication and conjunction. Angels and spirits have habitations which appear quite like those which are in the world (see n. 1116, 1626-1628, 1631, 4622), and-what is a secret-each and all things that appear in their habitations are significative of spiritual things; for they flow forth from the spiritual things which are in heaven, and which are consequently in their minds. Communications of truth with good are there presented to view by means of doors, and conjunctions by means of door-posts, and other things by the rooms themselves, by the courts, by the windows, and by the various adornments. That this is so, a man at this day, especially one who is merely natural, cannot believe, because such things are not manifest to the senses of the body. Nevertheless that such things were seen by the prophets when their interiors had been opened into heaven, is evident from the Word. They have also been perceived and seen by me a thousand times. I have moreover frequently heard them say, when their thoughts were in communication with me, that “the doors of their rooms were opened,” and when they did not communicate, that they “were closed.”
[4] From this it is that mention is made of “doors” in the Word, where communication is treated of, as in Isaiah:
Go, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy door after thee; hide thyself as for a little moment, until the anger be overpast (Isa. 26:20).
“To shut the door after oneself until the anger be overpast” denotes no communication with evils, which are “the anger” (see n. 3614, 5034, 5798, 6358, 6359, 6997, 8284, 8483). In Malachi:
Shall He receive faces from you? said Jehovah Zebaoth. Who is there even among you that would rather shut the doors? and not kindle a light upon Mine altar in vain (Mal. 1:9, 10).
“To shut the doors” denotes not to communicate with holy or Divine things. In Zechariah:
Open thy doors O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars (Zech. 11:1).
“To open the doors” denotes to afford a passage or communication.
[5] In David:
He commanded the skies from above; He set open the doors of the heavens (Ps. 78:23).
“To set open the doors of the heavens” denotes to give communication with the truths and goods which are from the Lord in the heavens. Again:
I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God, rather than dwell in the tents of wickedness (Ps. 84:10).
“To stand at the door” denotes to communicate abroad with good, which is “the house of God” (n. 3720). Again:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; be ye lifted up, ye doors of the world; that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7, 9).
“The doors of the world being lifted up” denotes the opening and elevation of hearts to the Lord, who is “the King of glory,” and so to give communication, that is, that He may flow in with the good of charity and with the truth of faith. The Lord is called “the King of glory” from the truth which is from good.
[6] In Isaiah:
Jehovah said to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings: to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I Jehovah, who have called thee by thy name, am the God of Israel (Isa. 45:1-3);
speaking of the Lord as to His Human, who in the representative sense is “Cyrus;” to “open the doors before him” denotes to give entrance to the Divine Itself. Hence it is that even as to His Human He is called “God,” here “the God of Israel.”
[7] In John:
Behold I have set before thee an open door, which no one can shut; for thou hast a little power, and hast kept My word (Rev. 3:8).
“To set an open door” denotes communication with heaven. In the same:
After these things I saw, and behold a door opened In heaven. I heard, Come up hither, that I may show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter (Rev. 4:1).
Here “a door” plainly denotes communication, because it is said of the revelation which he was about to receive from heaven. From this also it is plain that communication is there represented by a door, as was said above. In the same:
Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (Rev. 3:20).
Here also “a door” plainly denotes entrance and communication with heaven, where the Lord is, and thus with the Lord.
[8] In like manner in Matthew:
The bridegroom came, and the virgins went in to the wedding, and the door was shut. At last came the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not (Matt. 25:10-12).
What these words signify in the internal sense, see at n. 4635-4638, namely, that “the virgins” denote those who are within the church; “to have oil in their lamps” denotes the good of charity in the truths of faith; and “not to have oil in their lamps” denotes to have the truths of faith, and no good of charity therein; to these latter the door is said to be “shut,” because they do not communicate with heaven, that is, through heaven with the Lord. Communication with heaven, and through heaven, is effected by means of the good of charity and of love, but not truths, which are called the truths of faith, without good therein; and therefore these latter are called “foolish virgins,” but the former “prudent virgins.”
[9] So in Luke:
Many shall seek to enter, but shall not be able. From the time when the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but He answering will say to you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say to you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:24-27).
Here also “a door” plainly denotes entrance and communication, as above. That they to whom the door is shut and who knock thereat and are not let in, are those who are in truths of faith from the Word and not in the good of charity, is signified by “eating and drinking in the presence of the Lord and hearing the Lord teach in the streets,” and yet not living the life of faith; for they who do not live this life are “workers of iniquity.”
[10] In John:
Verily, verily, I say into you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the door; by Me if anyone shall enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:1, 2, 9).
“To enter in by the door” denotes by the truth which is of faith to the good of charity and of love, thus to the Lord, for the Lord is good itself; He is also the truth which introduces, thus likewise the “door,” for faith is from Him.
[11] That by “a door” is signified communication, appears like a metaphorical way of speaking, or like a comparison; but in the Word there are no metaphorical expressions or comparisons, but real correspondences. Even the comparisons therein are made by such things as correspond, as can be seen from what has been said about a door, namely, that doors actually appear in heaven with angels and spirits, and that their opening and shutting are according to the communications. And so in everything else.
8990. And his master shall bore through his ear with his awl. That this signifies a representative of obedience, is evident from the signification of “the ear,” as being obedience (see n. 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660); and from the signification of “boring through with an awl,” namely, to the door, or to the door-post, as being to affix; here, as obedience is treated of, as being to assign; and therefore it follows that “he shall serve him forever,” that is, shall be obedient. From this it is plain that the boring through of the ear with an awl to the door or to the door-post by his master is representative of obedience.
[2] How the case herein is, can be seen from what precedes, namely, that they who are in truths alone, and not in the corresponding good, that is, who are in faith and not in charity, are not free, but are servants. For they who act from good, or charity, are free, because they act from themselves; for to act from good, or charity, is to act from the heart, that is, from the will, thus from what is one’s own; for that which is of the will belongs to the man, and that which is done from the will is said to go forth from the heart. But they who are only in the truths of faith and not in the good of charity, are relatively servants, for they do not act from themselves, because they have no good in themselves from which to act; but it is outside of themselves, and they act from it as often as they remember it. They who are of this character even to the end of life, remain after death in this state; and they cannot be brought to a state so as to act from the affection of charity, thus from good, but only from obedience. In the Grand Man, which is heaven, these persons constitute those things which serve the interiors, such as the membranes and skins (n. 8977, 8980).
[3] From all this it can be seen how the case is with faith alone, thus with those who from doctrine set faith in the first place, and the good of charity in the second place, and even in the last place. They who actually, that is, in the life itself, so regard faith, are Hebrew servants in the representative sense. From all this it may also be concluded how the case is with those who make everything of salvation to consist in the truths of faith, and nothing in the good of charity; namely, that actually, or in the life itself, they cannot enter into heaven; for good reigns in heaven, and not truth without good; neither is truth truth, nor faith faith, except with those who are in good.
[4] That the boring through of the ear with an awl by his master is representative of obedience, is plain also from the fact that to affix the ear to the door is to cause attention to be given to those things which his master, who is in the room, commands; thus it is to hear continually, and consequently to obey; here in the spiritual sense the things which good wills and commands, for by the master of the servant is represented spiritual good (n. 8981, 8986). As “the ear” signifies the hearing which is of obedience, therefore by virtue of an origin coming from the spiritual world there has flowed into human speech the expression, “to pinch the ear,” meaning to cause a person to be attentive, and to remember; in like manner the expressions “to hear,” and “to hearken to,” anyone, meaning to obey. For the interior sense of very many expressions has flowed from the spiritual world by virtue of correspondences; in like manner as when we speak of “spiritual light,” and the consequent “sight,” as denoting what is of faith; also of “spiritual fire,” and the consequent “life,” as denoting what is of love.
[5] The reason why the boring through of the ear was to be done with an awl, was because by an “awl” is signified the like as by a “peg,” or a “nail,” namely, an affixing or joining to, and in the spiritual sense an assignment to anything; but the awl was an instrument of service, and therefore serves to represent assignment to perpetual obedience on the part of the servant. That “pegs” or “nails” signify an affixing, or adjoining to, is evident from the passages where they are mentioned; as in Isa. 22:23; 33:20; 41:7; 54:2; Jer. 10:4; Exod. 27:19; 38:31; Num. 3:37; 4:32.
8991. And he shall serve him forever. That this signifies to eternity, is evident from the signification of “serving,” as being to obey, for servants are they who obey, and masters are they who command; that those who were represented by the menservants denote those who have done what is good from obedience, but not from the affection of charity, is evident from what precedes; and from the signification of “forever,” as being to eternity. In the sense of the letter “forever” here signifies service with his master even to the end of his life; but in the internal or spiritual sense it signifies what is eternal, because it signifies the state after death. It is said “to eternity,” because they who do what is good from the obedience of faith, and not from the affection of charity, who are represented by the menservants, in the other life can never be brought to a state of good, that is, to act from good; because everyone’s life remains after death. Such as a man is when he dies, such he remains; according to the common saying, “as the tree falls so it lies;” not that he is such as he is near the hours of death, but such as from the whole course of his life he is when he dies. And therefore they who during their life in the world have become habituated to doing what is good from obedience only, and not from charity, remain such to eternity. They are indeed perfected in respect to obedience; but they do not attain to anything of charity.
8992. Verses 7-11. And when a man shall sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out according to the going out of the menservants. If she be evil in the eyes of her master, so that he will not betroth her, then he shall let her be redeemed: to sell her to a strange people he shall have no power in his acting treacherously against her. And if he shall betroth her to his son, he shall do to her according to the judgment of daughters. If he shall take him another; her food, her covering, and her conjugial due, he shall not diminish. And if he shall not do these three to her, then she shall go out free with no silver. “And when a man shall sell his daughter to be a maidservant,” signifies the affection of truth from natural delight; “she shall not go out according to the going out of the menservants,” signifies a state not like truth without affection; “if she be evil in the eyes of her master,” signifies if the affection of truth from natural delight does not agree with spiritual truth; “so that he will not betroth her,” signifies so that it cannot be conjoined; “then he shall let her be redeemed,” signifies alienation from these truths; “to sell her to a strange people he shall have no power,” signifies not to those who are not of the faith of the church; “in his acting treacherously against her,” signifies this being contrary to the laws of Divine order; “and if he shall betroth her to his son,” signifies if it agrees with any derived truth so that it can be conjoined therewith; “he shall do to her according to the judgment of daughters,” signifies that it shall be as is the genuine affection of truth; “if he shall take him another,” signifies conjunction with the affection of truth from another stock; “her food, her clothing, and her conjugial due he shall not diminish,” signifies no deprivation of the interior life which is “food,” nor of the exterior life which is “clothing,” thus no deprivation of conjunction which is the “conjugial due;” “and if he shall not do these three to her,” signifies the deprivation of these; “she shall go out free with no silver,” signifies alienation therefrom without truth conjoined with it.
Emanuel Swedenborg · Clowes / Potts English edition · Source edition · German edition.