HH 387, 391, 394 - Occupations of the Angels

HH 387

. . . with all in the heavens
goods are goods in act,
which are uses.
Everyone there performs a use,
for the Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of uses.

HH 391

As all the societies in the heavens are distinct
in accordance with their goods
so they are distinct in accordance with their uses,
goods being goods in act,
that is, goods of charity which are uses.
There are societies employed
in taking care of little children;
others in instructing and educating them
as they grow up;
others in instructing and educating in like manner
the boys and girls
who have acquired a good disposition
from their education in the world,
and in consequence have come into heaven.
There are other societies that teach
the simple good from the Christian world,
and lead them into the way to heaven;
there are others that in like manner
teach and lead the various heathen nations.
There are some societies
that protect from infestations by evil spirits
novitiate spirits newly arrived from the world;
there are some that attend upon the spirits
who are in the lower earth;
also some that attend upon spirits
who are in the hells,
and restrain them from tormenting each other
beyond prescribed limits;
and there are some that attend upon those
who are being raised from the dead.
In general, angels from each society
are sent to people to watch over them
and to lead them away from
evil affections and consequent thoughts,
and to inspire them with good affections
so far as they will receive them in freedom;
and by means of these they also control
the deeds or works of people
by removing as far as possible evil intentions.
When angels are with men they dwell,
as it were, in their affections;
and they are near to a person just in the degree
in which he is in good from truths,
and are distant from him just in the degree
in which his life is distant from good. 
But all these employments of angels
are employments of the Lord through the angels,
for the angels perform them
not from themselves
but from the Lord.
For this reason,
in the Word in its internal sense "angels" mean,
not angels, but something of the Lord;
and this is why angels are called "gods" in the Word.

HH 394

In heaven each one is in his own occupation
in accordance with correspondence,
and the correspondence is not with the occupation
but with the use of each occupation.
He who in heaven
comes into the employment or occupation
corresponding to his use
is in exactly the same state of life
as when he was in the world,
since what is spiritual and what is natural
make one by correspondences.
Yet there is this difference,
that he is then in an interior delight,
because in a spiritual life, which is an interior life,
and therefore more receptive of heavenly blessedness.