AC 10452 - the use of the Word

AC 10452 [2-4]
. . . the heavens subsist by means of Divine truth,
and that without it there would be no heavens,
and that the human race subsists by means of heaven;
for unless heaven flowed in with a person,
the person would not be able to think at all,
thus not to will anything rationally.
In order therefore that heaven may subsist,
and the human race by conjunction with it,
the Word has been provided by the Lord,
wherein is Divine truth for angels and for mankind,
the Word in its spiritual and celestial sense
being of such a nature as to contain within it
angelic wisdom itself in so surpassing a degree
that it is scarcely possible
for a person to form any conception of its excellence,
although in the letter it appears very simple and unpolished.

From this it is evident that heaven is in its wisdom from the Word
when it is being read by a person,
and then at the same time the person is in conjunction with heaven.
To this end has such a Word been given to mankind.

From this it follows that if this medium of conjunction were not in the world,
conjunction with heaven would perish,
and with this conjunction
all good of the will and all truth of the understanding in a person,
and with these that very humanity which consociates man with man;
consequently evil and falsity would be in full possession,
whereby one society would perish after another.
For it would be as
when a person walks in thick darkness and stumbles wherever he goes;
and it would be as when the head is in a delirium,
in consequence of which
the body is carried madly and insanely even to its destruction;
and it would be as when the heart fails,
causing the organs and members to cease to perform their uses,
until the whole body dies.

Such would be the state of person unless heaven were conjoined with him,
and heaven would not be conjoined with him
unless there were the Word;
or unless Divine truth were communicated immediately through angels,
as in ancient times.
When heaven is mentioned, the Divine also is meant,
for the Divine of the Lord makes heaven;
so that to be conjoined with heaven is to be conjoined with the Lord;
and to be disjoined from heaven is to be disjoined from the Lord;
and to be disjoined from the Lord is to perish;
for the whole disposal of things for good,
which is called Providence,
is from this source;
and were such disposal removed,
all things would rush into evil, and so into devastation.
From all this it can be seen what is the use of the Word;
but few will believe that the Word is of such a nature and of so great a use.