AE 1088 [5]
The "cherubim" mean in the Word a guard and protection that the holy things of heaven not be violated, and that the Lord be approached only through love; consequently these signify the sense of the letter of the Word, because that is what guards and protects.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
AE 1085 - our Word, Its holiness, and the angels
AE 1085 [2]
As the angels of the three heavens receive their wisdom from the Lord through the Word with them, and as their Words make one with our Word by correspondences, it also follows that the sense of the letter of our Word is the basis, support, and foundation of the wisdom of the angels of heaven. For the heavens rest upon the human race as a house rests upon its foundation; so the wisdom of the angels of heaven rests in like manner upon the knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of men from the sense of the letter of the Word, for as been said above, communication and conjunction with the heavens are effected through the sense of the letter of the Word. So it is, that of the Lord's Divine Providence it has come to pass, that the Word as to the sense of the letter from its first revelation has not been mutilated, not even as to an expression and letter in the original text, for every expression is a support, and in some measure the letters. From all this it is clear what a profanation it is to falsify the truths and adulterate the goods of the Word, and how infernal it is to deny or weaken its holiness. As soon as that is done, for that man of the church heaven is closed. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven, is the blasphemy of the Word by those who deny its holiness.
As the angels of the three heavens receive their wisdom from the Lord through the Word with them, and as their Words make one with our Word by correspondences, it also follows that the sense of the letter of our Word is the basis, support, and foundation of the wisdom of the angels of heaven. For the heavens rest upon the human race as a house rests upon its foundation; so the wisdom of the angels of heaven rests in like manner upon the knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of men from the sense of the letter of the Word, for as been said above, communication and conjunction with the heavens are effected through the sense of the letter of the Word. So it is, that of the Lord's Divine Providence it has come to pass, that the Word as to the sense of the letter from its first revelation has not been mutilated, not even as to an expression and letter in the original text, for every expression is a support, and in some measure the letters. From all this it is clear what a profanation it is to falsify the truths and adulterate the goods of the Word, and how infernal it is to deny or weaken its holiness. As soon as that is done, for that man of the church heaven is closed. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven, is the blasphemy of the Word by those who deny its holiness.
Monday, October 30, 2006
AE 1083 - "Thou shalt not steal"
AE 1083 [4]
When... "Thou shalt not steal" is read, by "stealing" a man understands stealing, defrauding, and taking away under any pretense his neighbor's goods. But an angel of the spiritual kingdom by "stealing" understands depriving another of his truths and goods by means of falsities and evils, while an angel of the celestial kingdom by "not to steal" understands not to attribute to himself the things that are the Lord's as the good of life and the truth of faith; for thereby good becomes not good, and truth not truth, because they are from men.
When... "Thou shalt not steal" is read, by "stealing" a man understands stealing, defrauding, and taking away under any pretense his neighbor's goods. But an angel of the spiritual kingdom by "stealing" understands depriving another of his truths and goods by means of falsities and evils, while an angel of the celestial kingdom by "not to steal" understands not to attribute to himself the things that are the Lord's as the good of life and the truth of faith; for thereby good becomes not good, and truth not truth, because they are from men.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
AE 1077 - a source of wisdom & intelligence
AE 1077 [2]
The Word of the Lord is wonderful in this,
that in every particular of it
there is a reciprocal union of good and truth
which testifies that the Word is the Divine proceeding from the Lord
which is the Divine good and the Divine truth reciprocally united . . ..
There is a marriage of good and truth, also of truth and good,
in every particular of the Word,
in order that it may be a source of wisdom
to angels and of intelligence to mankind . . .
The Word of the Lord is wonderful in this,
that in every particular of it
there is a reciprocal union of good and truth
which testifies that the Word is the Divine proceeding from the Lord
which is the Divine good and the Divine truth reciprocally united . . ..
There is a marriage of good and truth, also of truth and good,
in every particular of the Word,
in order that it may be a source of wisdom
to angels and of intelligence to mankind . . .
Saturday, October 28, 2006
AE 1072 - the Word is like a garden
AE 1072 [2]
That the Word is holy and Divine from inmosts to outermosts
is not evident to the man who leads himself,
but is evident to the man whom the Lord leads.
For the man who leads himself sees only the external of the Word,
and judges from its style;
but the man whom the Lord leads
judges of the external of the Word from the holiness that is in it.
The Word is like a garden,
that may be called a heavenly paradise,
in which are dainties and delightful things of every kind,
dainties from the fruits,
and delightful things from the flowers;
and in the middle of it trees of life,
and near them fountains of living water,
and round about trees of the forest,
and near them rivers.
The man who leads himself judges of that paradise,
which is the Word,
from its circumference, where the trees of the forest are;
but the man whom the Lord leads judges of it from the middle of it,
where the trees of life are.
The man whom the Lord leads is actually in the middle of it,
and looks to the Lord;
but the man who leads himself actually sits down at the circumference,
and looks away from it to the world.
That the Word is holy and Divine from inmosts to outermosts
is not evident to the man who leads himself,
but is evident to the man whom the Lord leads.
For the man who leads himself sees only the external of the Word,
and judges from its style;
but the man whom the Lord leads
judges of the external of the Word from the holiness that is in it.
The Word is like a garden,
that may be called a heavenly paradise,
in which are dainties and delightful things of every kind,
dainties from the fruits,
and delightful things from the flowers;
and in the middle of it trees of life,
and near them fountains of living water,
and round about trees of the forest,
and near them rivers.
The man who leads himself judges of that paradise,
which is the Word,
from its circumference, where the trees of the forest are;
but the man whom the Lord leads judges of it from the middle of it,
where the trees of life are.
The man whom the Lord leads is actually in the middle of it,
and looks to the Lord;
but the man who leads himself actually sits down at the circumference,
and looks away from it to the world.
Friday, October 27, 2006
AE 1066 - the Word
AE 1006 [3]
The Word is Divine truth itself,
which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men.
... as the Word is the Divine truth, it is also the Lord....
The rest of this number gives a beautiful explanation of the senses of the Word, and then gives a detailed look at the sense of the letter of the Word. You can find it if you click on the word "comments" under this passage.
The Word is Divine truth itself,
which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men.
... as the Word is the Divine truth, it is also the Lord....
The rest of this number gives a beautiful explanation of the senses of the Word, and then gives a detailed look at the sense of the letter of the Word. You can find it if you click on the word "comments" under this passage.
AE 1064 - the fifth kind of profanation
AE 1064 [3]
This kind is not like the others that have been treated of, for it consists in jesting from the Word and about the Word. For those who make jokes from the Word do not regard it as holy, and those who joke about it hold it in no esteem. And yet the Word is the very Divine truth of the Lord with men, and the Lord is present in the Word, and heaven also; for every particular of the Word communicates with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; therefore to jest from the Word and about the Word is to bespatter the holy things of heaven with the dust of the earth.
This kind is not like the others that have been treated of, for it consists in jesting from the Word and about the Word. For those who make jokes from the Word do not regard it as holy, and those who joke about it hold it in no esteem. And yet the Word is the very Divine truth of the Lord with men, and the Lord is present in the Word, and heaven also; for every particular of the Word communicates with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; therefore to jest from the Word and about the Word is to bespatter the holy things of heaven with the dust of the earth.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
AE 1061 - the Word serves heaven
AE 1061
... the Word in the letter must be natural,
in every particular of which the spiritual sense must be stored up;
otherwise the Word would not serve the heavens as a basis;
nor would it serve the church as the means for its conjunction with heaven.
... the Word in the letter must be natural,
in every particular of which the spiritual sense must be stored up;
otherwise the Word would not serve the heavens as a basis;
nor would it serve the church as the means for its conjunction with heaven.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
AE 1050 - the light of heaven
AE 1050 [2]
A person has two minds, the natural and the spiritual. The natural mind is opened to him by the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good, and the spiritual mind is opened by a life according to these; and this is effected in those who know, acknowledge, and believe the truths of the Word and live according to them.... When the spiritual mind has been opened, the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, flows through it into the natural mind, and there arranges truths in corresponding order.
[cognitions - thinking, remembering, learning, using language)
A person has two minds, the natural and the spiritual. The natural mind is opened to him by the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good, and the spiritual mind is opened by a life according to these; and this is effected in those who know, acknowledge, and believe the truths of the Word and live according to them.... When the spiritual mind has been opened, the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, flows through it into the natural mind, and there arranges truths in corresponding order.
[cognitions - thinking, remembering, learning, using language)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
AE 1043 - equilibrium
AE 1043 [3]
All angels, spirits, and men are kept by the Lord in equilibrium between good and evil, and thus between truth and falsity, in order that they may be in freedom; and thus may be led from evil to good and from falsity to truth easily and as if by themselves, although in fact they are led by the Lord.
All angels, spirits, and men are kept by the Lord in equilibrium between good and evil, and thus between truth and falsity, in order that they may be in freedom; and thus may be led from evil to good and from falsity to truth easily and as if by themselves, although in fact they are led by the Lord.
Monday, October 23, 2006
AE 1038 - beasts
AE 1038 [2]
The divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts".... Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church.... And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of Divine power is called a "Lion."
The divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts".... Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church.... And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of Divine power is called a "Lion."
Sunday, October 22, 2006
AE 1032 - heaven or hell?
AE 1032 [2]
Man is either led from heaven or he is led from hell;
he cannot be led by both at the same time;
and he is led from heaven when he is led by the Lord,
and from hell when he is led by self.
... when man thinks in that elevated state
he thinks truth from the Lord
and does good from Him.
Man is either led from heaven or he is led from hell;
he cannot be led by both at the same time;
and he is led from heaven when he is led by the Lord,
and from hell when he is led by self.
... when man thinks in that elevated state
he thinks truth from the Lord
and does good from Him.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
AE 1029a - Babylon
AE 1029a
"Babylon (or Babel)" means the church consisting of those who by means of the holy things of the church strive to gain dominion over the whole world, and this by dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves authority to save whomsoever they will; and these finally seek dominion over heaven and hell and make it their own. And to this end they draw and transfer to themselves all the Lord's authority, as if it had been given them by Him. The church consisting of such is very different in the beginning from what it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are as it were in zeal for the Lord, for the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal the fire of domineering lies hidden; and in process of time as dominion increases this breaks forth; and so far as it comes into act the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end; and when dominion becomes the end the holy things of the church are applied to that end, and thus to themselves; and then they not only ascribe the salvation of souls to their own authority, but they also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this they pervert every good and every truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are "Babylon."
"Babylon (or Babel)" means the church consisting of those who by means of the holy things of the church strive to gain dominion over the whole world, and this by dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves authority to save whomsoever they will; and these finally seek dominion over heaven and hell and make it their own. And to this end they draw and transfer to themselves all the Lord's authority, as if it had been given them by Him. The church consisting of such is very different in the beginning from what it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are as it were in zeal for the Lord, for the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal the fire of domineering lies hidden; and in process of time as dominion increases this breaks forth; and so far as it comes into act the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end; and when dominion becomes the end the holy things of the church are applied to that end, and thus to themselves; and then they not only ascribe the salvation of souls to their own authority, but they also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this they pervert every good and every truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are "Babylon."
Friday, October 20, 2006
AE 1027 - we can be in the Lord, and the Lord in us
AE 1027 [3]
... a person does not conjoin himself to the Lord, but that the Lord alone conjoins a person to Himself, and that conjunction is effected by doing...
AE 1027 [4]
... when a person through the last six commandments conjoins himself to the Lord as if of himself, the Lord then conjoins Himself to a person through the first three commandments, which are that man must acknowledge God, must believe in the Lord, and must keep His name holy. This a person does not believe, however much he man think that he does, unless the evils forbidden in the other table, that is, in the last six commandments, he abstains from as sins. These are the things pertaining to the covenant on the part of the Lord and on the part of man, through which there is reciprocal conjunction, which is that a person may be in the Lord and the Lord in a person.
... a person does not conjoin himself to the Lord, but that the Lord alone conjoins a person to Himself, and that conjunction is effected by doing...
AE 1027 [4]
... when a person through the last six commandments conjoins himself to the Lord as if of himself, the Lord then conjoins Himself to a person through the first three commandments, which are that man must acknowledge God, must believe in the Lord, and must keep His name holy. This a person does not believe, however much he man think that he does, unless the evils forbidden in the other table, that is, in the last six commandments, he abstains from as sins. These are the things pertaining to the covenant on the part of the Lord and on the part of man, through which there is reciprocal conjunction, which is that a person may be in the Lord and the Lord in a person.
AE 1022 - Thou shalt not covet
AE 1022 [3]
... all lusts are of love, for it is love that covets; and as there are two evils loves to which all lusts have reference, namely, the love of the world and the love of self, it follows that the lust of the ninth commandment has reference to the love of the world, and the lust of this (the tenth) commandment to the love of self, especially to the love of ruling. (... all evils and the falsities therefrom flow from these two loves...)
... all lusts are of love, for it is love that covets; and as there are two evils loves to which all lusts have reference, namely, the love of the world and the love of self, it follows that the lust of the ninth commandment has reference to the love of the world, and the lust of this (the tenth) commandment to the love of self, especially to the love of ruling. (... all evils and the falsities therefrom flow from these two loves...)
Thursday, October 19, 2006
AE 1014, 1017 - "Thou shalt not kill"
AE 1012 [4]
The more remote sense of this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," which is called the celestial spiritual sense, is that one shall not take away from man the faith and love of God, and thus his spiritual life. This is murder itself, because from this life man is a man, the life of the body serving this life as the instrumental cause serves its principal cause. Moreover, from this spiritual murder, moral murder is derived; consequently he who is in the one is also in the other; for he who wills to take away a man's spiritual life is in hatred against him if he cannot take it away, for he hates the faith and love with him, and thus the man himself. These three, namely, spiritual murder, which pertains to faith and love, moral murder, which pertains to reputation and honor, and natural murder, which pertains to the body, follow in a series one from the other, like cause and effect.
AE 1017
When a man abstains from hatred and turns away from it and shuns it as diabolical, then love, charity, mercy and clemency flow in through the heaven from the Lord, and then first the works which he does are works of love and charity.... So long as hatred is not put away, so long man is merely natural...nor can he become spiritual before hatred, with its root, which is the love of ruling over all, is removed; for the fire of heaven, which is spiritual love, cannot flow in so long as the fire of hell, which is hatred, stands in the way and shuts it out.
The more remote sense of this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," which is called the celestial spiritual sense, is that one shall not take away from man the faith and love of God, and thus his spiritual life. This is murder itself, because from this life man is a man, the life of the body serving this life as the instrumental cause serves its principal cause. Moreover, from this spiritual murder, moral murder is derived; consequently he who is in the one is also in the other; for he who wills to take away a man's spiritual life is in hatred against him if he cannot take it away, for he hates the faith and love with him, and thus the man himself. These three, namely, spiritual murder, which pertains to faith and love, moral murder, which pertains to reputation and honor, and natural murder, which pertains to the body, follow in a series one from the other, like cause and effect.
AE 1017
When a man abstains from hatred and turns away from it and shuns it as diabolical, then love, charity, mercy and clemency flow in through the heaven from the Lord, and then first the works which he does are works of love and charity.... So long as hatred is not put away, so long man is merely natural...nor can he become spiritual before hatred, with its root, which is the love of ruling over all, is removed; for the fire of heaven, which is spiritual love, cannot flow in so long as the fire of hell, which is hatred, stands in the way and shuts it out.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
AE 1006 - Happy is he that is awake
AE 1006
Happy is he that is awake, (Rev. 16:15)
signifies the happy state of those who look to the Lord.
This is evident from the signification of "happy,"
as being to be in a happy state;
also from the signification of "being awake,"
as being to acquire for oneself spiritual life;
and this is acquired by man's looking to the Lord,
because the Lord is Life itself,
and from Him alone is life eternal.
Happy is he that is awake, (Rev. 16:15)
signifies the happy state of those who look to the Lord.
This is evident from the signification of "happy,"
as being to be in a happy state;
also from the signification of "being awake,"
as being to acquire for oneself spiritual life;
and this is acquired by man's looking to the Lord,
because the Lord is Life itself,
and from Him alone is life eternal.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
AE 1003 - faith alone
AE 1003 [2]
... faith involves that a thing must be believed,
however it may appear to the understanding;
and when the understanding is taken away from faith
enlightenment also is taken away....
... faith involves that a thing must be believed,
however it may appear to the understanding;
and when the understanding is taken away from faith
enlightenment also is taken away....
Monday, October 16, 2006
AE 997 [4] - Peace
AE 997 [4]
Peace is happiness of heart and soul
arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church,
as well as from the conjunction of good and truth,
when all conflict and combat of evil and falsity
with good and truth has ceased....
Peace is happiness of heart and soul
arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church,
as well as from the conjunction of good and truth,
when all conflict and combat of evil and falsity
with good and truth has ceased....
AE 997 - the influx of Divine Truth
AE 997 [2]
Something shall now be said about the influx into men of Divine truth from the Lord. From the Lord as a sun both heat and light proceed; but the heat is Divine good, and the light is Divine truth. The light, which is Divine truth, flows into and enters into every angel of heaven, and also into every man in the world, and gives internal sight, which is the sight of the understanding. For every man, not as to his body but as to his spirit, has a faculty for receiving that light, that is, for understanding the Divine truth. And that faculty is opened as the man grows up, and cultivates and forms his rational according to order, by the knowledges [scientifica] and by the cognitions [cognitiones] of good and truth. But the heat, which is Divine good, does not flow into an angel or a man as the light, which is Divine truth, does, for the reason that man is born into evils of every kind, and evils obstruct; consequently evils must first be removed before the heat, which is Divine good, can flow in; and evils are removed by looking upon them as sins against God and shunning them, by praying to the Lord for help; and so far as a man thus receives Divine good so far he comes into the light of understanding Divine truth. For the way of Divine truth into a man who is reformed is through the good of the will, and of the life therefrom with him.
Something shall now be said about the influx into men of Divine truth from the Lord. From the Lord as a sun both heat and light proceed; but the heat is Divine good, and the light is Divine truth. The light, which is Divine truth, flows into and enters into every angel of heaven, and also into every man in the world, and gives internal sight, which is the sight of the understanding. For every man, not as to his body but as to his spirit, has a faculty for receiving that light, that is, for understanding the Divine truth. And that faculty is opened as the man grows up, and cultivates and forms his rational according to order, by the knowledges [scientifica] and by the cognitions [cognitiones] of good and truth. But the heat, which is Divine good, does not flow into an angel or a man as the light, which is Divine truth, does, for the reason that man is born into evils of every kind, and evils obstruct; consequently evils must first be removed before the heat, which is Divine good, can flow in; and evils are removed by looking upon them as sins against God and shunning them, by praying to the Lord for help; and so far as a man thus receives Divine good so far he comes into the light of understanding Divine truth. For the way of Divine truth into a man who is reformed is through the good of the will, and of the life therefrom with him.
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