で(1 サムエル記上24:16-21), サウル王は涙ながらにダビデに悪いことをしたと認める。彼はダビデの命を求めたが、ダビデは彼に憐れみを示した。この時のダビデの憐れみは、主ご自身が憐れみをもって悪に応えられることを表している。私たちがその模範に従うべきことは明らかだ。福音書の中で、主は、私たちは敵さえも愛しなさいと言われている(マタイによる福音書5:44; ルカによる福音書6:35).

ダビデがサウルに慈悲を示したからこそ、二人の間に和解が生まれた。ダビデがサウルに逆襲していたら、そうはならなかっただろう。しかし、それから間もなく、サウルはダビデを殺そうと、再びダビデの命を狙っている。和解はそこまでだ！そしてダビデは再びサウルに憐れみを示し、サウルは再び悔い改める。しかし、ダビデがサウルをもう信用していないことは明らかだ。ダビデとサウルは別々の道を歩むことになり、御言葉は次のように語っている：

ダビデは心の中でこう言った。ペリシテ人の国へすみやかに逃れることほど、わたしにとってよいことはない。だから、私は彼の手から逃れよう。"(1 サムエル記上27:1)

サウルは「私はもうあなたに危害を加えない」と言った（。1 サムエル記上26:21), しかし、ダビデがサウルからのその種の約束をもはや信じていないことは明らかだ。誰が彼を責めることができようか？

彼がサウルに憐れみを示したこと、つまり、彼が眠っている間に王を刺すことを仲間に禁じたことは、まだ良いことなのだ(1 サムエル記上26:8). 主は私たちが慈悲をもって悪に立ち向かうことを望んでおられる。何度も何度も、主は私たちに赦すように言われる。しかし、人々が私たちの赦しを、悪いことを繰り返すための白紙委任状として扱うように見えるとき、私たちはどうすればいいのだろうか？私たちを傷つけるようなことを積極的にしている人々、あるいは、長い間に確立されたパターンのために一緒にいて安心できない人々に対して、私たちはどのように憐れみを示せばいいのだろうか？それを探ってみよう。一言で言えば、人を愛し、同時に彼らから自分を守ることは可能なのだ。どうやって？

主は、和解と境界線の設定とのバランスについて、次のように語っておられます。 マタイによる福音書18:15-17. これらの指示は、誰かが私たちを傷つけるようなことをしたときに、主が私たちに望んでおられるプロセスを概説している。

「あなたの兄弟があなたに対して罪を犯したなら、行って、あなたと彼だけの間で、彼にその非を示しなさい。もし彼があなたの言うことを聞くなら、あなたは兄弟を取り戻したことになる。二、三人の証人の口によって、すべての言葉が立証されるようにするためである。もし彼がその人たちの言うことを聞こうとしないなら、それを集会で話しなさい。もしその人が集会でも聞くことを拒むなら、あなたがたには、その人を異邦人や徴税人と同じようにしておきなさい。

あなたの兄弟があなたに対して罪を犯すなら」(マタイによる福音書18:15), しかし、主が「兄弟」という言葉を隣人一般を意味する言葉として使っているのは明らかだ（参照）。 アルカナ・コエレスティア 2360:6, 7; 黙示録の説明 746:15).

これらの指示は、私たちが関係を持つ誰かが、私たちを傷つけるようなことをしているときはいつでも当てはまる。

最後に主が言われるのは、もし私たちが「兄弟」とうまくやれないなら、その人を「異教徒、徴税人」(マタイによる福音書18:17). もしこの指示のうち、私たちが注意を払うのがその部分だけだとしたら、かなり厳しく聞こえるだろう。しかし、もし私たちがこの指示の一部にしか注意を払わないのであれば、私たちは要点を見逃していることになる。私たちには従うべきプロセスがあり、一度に一歩ずつ進むように意図されている。人間として、私たちはオール・オア・ナッシング思考に陥りがちだ。誰かに腹を立てているときや、相手の行動が私たちを不安にさせる場合は特にそうだ。私たちは、"この人とは親密で、私たちの間に境界線はない "か、"この人とは距離を置いていて、私たちの間に絆はない "かのどちらかだと考える。認知的にはそうである必要はないとわかっていても、私たちの感情はしばしば、そうあるべきだと言う。中庸の立場を保つには成熟が必要であり、知恵が必要なのだ。つまり、他人の行動が私たちに与えている害を認め、対処することで、その人との関係を完全に断ち切ることはない。それは最も簡単な道でも、最も自然な道でもない。しかし、主が私たちに求めておられる道なのだ。

主は、もし兄弟が私たちに対して罪を犯したなら、最初の一歩は「行って、あなたとその兄弟だけの間で、彼の非を告げる」ことだと言われる(マタイによる福音書18:15). これが最初のステップであることは、とても理にかなっている。誰かと問題があれば、そのことについて話し合う。重要なのは、これが最初のステップであることを確認する必要があるということだ。ステップ2は他の人を巻き込むことだが、時にはステップ1を踏む前にステップ2を踏んでしまうこともある。その人の行動について話す前に、私たちを怒らせた人について友人に愚痴をこぼすのだ。そうすると、たいていは恨みが深まるばかりだ。時には、自分を傷つけた相手と話す前に、助言を得たいと思うこともある。メンターや専門家に助言を求めるのは適切なことかもしれない。しかし、問題を他人事にしてはいけない。少なくとも、すぐには。誰かに腹を立てているのであれば、まずは大人同士の付き合いとして話をすることから始めよう。そうすることで、実際の和解につながるのだ。あなたの兄弟があなたに対して罪を犯したなら、行って、あなたとその兄弟だけの間でその非を言いなさい。もし彼があなたの話を聞くなら、あなたは兄弟を得たことになる」(マタイによる福音書18:15).

もちろん、これは危険な状況に身を置くべきだという意味ではない。誰かが私たちをひどく傷つけた場合、その人と一対一で会うのは安全ではないと感じるかもしれない。この教えの精神は、必要なとき以外はステップ1をスキップしてはならないということだ。そして、最初の会話で自分を守るためにできることがある。ダビデの本を見習って、私たちを傷つけた相手と距離を置いて話すことができる(1 サムエル記上26:13). 電話で話すか、手紙を書くか。あるいは、レストランなどの公共の場で、より安全だと感じられる場所で会話をすることもできる。

一対一で会話をしても、兄弟がまだ私たちの話を聞こうとしないなら、主は私たちが "もう一人か二人 "連れて行くことができると言われる。(マタイによる福音書18:15). つまり、その時点で、必要であれば他の人を巻き込むことができる。1人か2人でいい。エスカレートしすぎる。もちろん、適切な人選も重要だ。巻き込む人は、賢明で冷静な人でなければならない。理想的なのは、私たち自身と、私たちが不満を抱いている相手の両方から信頼されている人たちだ。第三者を巻き込むと、事態がエスカレートすることを念頭に置く必要がある。もし他の人を巻き込む必要があるなら、主はそうすることができると言っておられる。

第三のステップは、「教会に言う」ことである(マタイによる福音書18:17). これは、礼拝後の軽食のために集まったときに、互いの不満を言い合うべきだという意味ではない。ここで "教会"（ἐκλησία）と訳されているギリシャ語は、単に "集まり "や "集会 "を意味する。つまり主が言いたいのは、もし誰かが私たちの言うことを聞かず、私たちや信頼できる一握りの人々がそれについて話したにもかかわらず、その人を傷つけるような行動を改めないなら、私たちはその不満について率直に話すことが許されるということだ。それが有益なことであれば、私たちは地域社会を巻き込むことができる。おそらく「教会に話す」ということは、ある種の公的な仲裁を求めることが許されているということだろう。古代では、教会の指導者たちがそのようなことをしていただろう。現在では、公的な仲裁を望むなら、通常は裁判所に行く。

の主の言葉によれば、最後の段階は次のようなものだ。 マタイによる福音書18, というのは、兄弟を「異教徒で徴税人」(マタイによる福音書18:17). これは、問題のある人物を軽蔑したり、非難したり、憎んだりすることが許されるという意味ではない。単に、他のすべてが失敗し、私たちを傷つけた人が私たちを傷つけ続けている場合、私たちは彼らから自分自身を切り離すことが許されているということです。私たちは、その人を私たちの領域の一部ではない誰かとして扱うことが許されているのだ。実際には、これは私たちを傷つけた人との交流やコミュニケーションを制限することを含むだろう。

主は、私たちはこのようなことをすることを許されていると言っておられる--必要であれば、私たちは境界線を設けることを許されている。しかし、従うべきプロセスがある。感情を傷つけられたからといって、そのままエスカレートして加害者との関係を断つことはできない。そして、ここが本当に難しいところなのだが、主が私たちに許される境界線についてこう言われた直後に、主は弟子たちとこんな会話をしている：

主よ、私の兄弟が私に対して罪を犯すのは何度までですか。7回までですか？"

イエスは彼に言われた、「わたしは、七回までとは言わない。(マタイによる福音書18:21-22)

新教の天の教理では、「七の七十倍」とは「数えずに常に」という意味だと言われている(黙示録257:4, 391:21).

ルカによる朗読の中で、主は似たようなことを言っている：

あなたの兄弟があなたに対して罪を犯したならば、彼を戒めなさい。また、もしその兄弟が一日に七度あなたに対して罪を犯し、一日に七度「悔い改めます」と言って戻って来るなら、あなたはその兄弟を赦さなければならない。(ルカによる福音書17:3, 4)

主は、私たちは境界線を設けることを許されていると言っておられるが、同時に、人が私たちを傷つけるたびに、その人を赦す必要があるとも言っておられる。そしてこの説教の要点は、私たちはその両方を同時に行うことができるということだ。赦すということは、人にひどい仕打ちをする許可を与えることとは違う。誰かを赦すということは、その人を自分の下に置く権利を放棄することである。許すということは、憎む権利を放棄することだ。憎しみは魂を毒するからだ。

ある意味、人を赦すということは、赦す相手のことですらない。赦すことは、主との関係を正すことなのだ。ヨセフの兄弟たちが彼に赦しを求めたとき、彼はこう答えた。創世記50:19). つまり、兄弟を裁くのも罪を赦すのも自分の仕事ではないと。それは神の仕事だった。他の人間が赦しに値するかどうかを判断することは、私たちの仕事ではない。私たちは隣人を愛するように命じられており、敵をも愛するように命じられている。そして、もし誰かを愛そうとするなら、恨みを持ち続けることはできない。憎むことを自分に許すことはできない。しかし、人を愛することと、その人との間に境界線を設けることは、同時に起こりうることなのだ。その真理を保持することは、中間にスペースを保持することであり、「どちらか一方」思考を避けることである。その中間のスペースを保つには、知恵と成熟が必要であり、それが主が私たちに求めていることなのだ。

最後に、天の教典の一節を見て、私たちが悪を選んだときの天使たちの扱い方を説明しよう。

天使たちはいつも私たちと共にいて、私たちには見ることも感じることもできない方法で私たちを守っている。(天界の秘義5854)

彼らがいてくれるのは良いことだ！別の箇所では、もし彼らが私たちとともにいなかったら、私たちは「すぐに滅びる」と言われている(天界の秘義50). 私たちが悪を選ぶとき、天使たちを遠ざけてしまうのだ。

しかし、天使たちは完全に離れていくわけではない。私たちが悪を選んだとき、天使たちはまだ私たちと一緒にいる。私たちが悪に深く沈めば沈むほど、天使たちは遠ざかっていく。彼らは私たちの近くにいることを望み、近くで私たちを愛することを望む。しかし、それができない場合、彼らは遠くから私たちを愛する。私たちはときどき、愛と距離は互いに排他的なものだと思い込んでしまうことがある。しかし、そうではない。私たちは天使たちの例に倣うことができる。必要であれば、遠くから愛することもできる。天使たち自身が、主の模範に従っているのだ--主は悪を善とは言わず、それにもかかわらず赦す用意があり、主を呼び求める者すべてに憐れみを豊かに注いでくださる方なのだから(詩編86:5). ¹

Фусноти:

175. I will give him power over the nations, signifies over the evils within him, which will then be scattered by the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "nations," as being evils (of which presently); and from the signification of "giving power over them," as being that these (the evils) will then be dispersed by the Lord. "To have power," in reference to "over the nations," means to scatter in reference to evils; thus there is an adaptation of words to their subjects. It is said that evils will be scattered by the Lord, for the Lord scatters evils by means of truths. He first discovers them to man by means of truths, and when man acknowledges the evils, the Lord scatters them. (That the Lord alone does this, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 200.) "Nations and peoples" are often mentioned in the Word, and those who know nothing of the spiritual or internal sense of the Word, believe that peoples and nations are to be understood. But "peoples" mean those who are in truths, or in the contrary sense those who are in falsities, and "nations" those who are in goods, or in the contrary sense, those who are in evils. And as such are meant by "peoples" and by "nations," so abstractly from persons "peoples" mean truths or falsities, and "nations" goods and evils; for the true spiritual sense is abstracted from persons, spaces, times, and like things, that are proper to nature.

[2] With these the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is at one; and the sense that is at one with these serves as a basis to the sense that is apart from them. For all things that are in nature are ultimates of Divine order, and the Divine does not rest in the middle, but flows down even to its ultimates, and there subsists. From this it is that the Word in the letter is such as it is, and unless it were such it would not serve as a basis for the wisdom of angels who are spiritual. It can be seen from this how mistaken those are who despise the Word on account of its style. "Nations" signify those who are in good, and in the abstract, goods, because men who lived in ancient times were divided into nations, families, and houses; and they then loved each other mutually; and the father of a nation loved the whole nation which was from him; thus the good of love reigned among them. For this reason "nations" signified goods. But when men came into the opposite state, which took place in the following ages when empires were established, then "nations" signified evils. (See further on this subject in the small work on The Earths in the Universe 49, 90, 173, 174.)

[3] That "nations" in the Word signify either goods or evils, and "people" either truths or falsities, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Nations shall walk to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising. Then shalt Thou see and flow together, and Thine heart shall be enlarged, because the multitude of the sea is converted unto Thee, the army of the nations come unto Thee; Thy gates shall be opened continually, they shall not be shut by day and by night, that men may bring unto Thee the army of the nations, and their kings shall be brought; for the nation or kingdom that will not serve Thee shall perish; and the nations by wasting shall be wasted. Thou shalt suck the milk of nations, even the breasts of kings shalt Thou suck. The little one shall become a thousand, and the few a numerous nation (Isaiah 60:3, 5, 11-12, 16, 22).

Here the Lord is treated of; and by "nations" all who are in the good of love to Him are meant, and by "kings" all who are in the truths of faith in Him. From this it is manifest who are meant by the "nations" that "shall walk to Thy light;" and by "the army of the nations that shall be brought;" also, who are meant by "the kings" that "shall walk to the brightness of Thy rising;" and by "the kings of the nations" that "shall be brought;" also, what is meant by "Thou shalt suck the milk of nations and the breasts of kings" ("milk" is the delight of the good of love, likewise "breasts," for milk is from them). The multiplication of truth and the fructification of good are described by the "little one shall become a thousand, and the few a numerous nation." But by "the nations that shall be wasted" are meant all that are in evils, and also the evils themselves.

[4] In the same:

Behold I will lift up My hand towards the nations, and set up Mine ensign towards the peoples, that they may bring thy sons in the bosom, and carry thy daughters upon the shoulder; and kings shall be thy nourishers and the chief women thy sucklers; with the face to the earth shall they bow down to thee (Isaiah 49:22, 23).

here also the Lord is treated of, and those who shall worship and adore Him. To "lift up His hand towards the nations, and His ensign towards the peoples, " ¹ is to join to Himself all who are in the goods of love and in truths therefrom; of these it is said that "they shall bring thy sons in the bosom, and carry thy daughters upon the shoulder;" "sons" are the affections of truth, and "daughters" the affections of good (see above, n. 166). And of these it is said that their "kings shall be thy nourishers, and the chief women thy sucklers." "Kings" are truths themselves, "chief women" are the goods thereof; and as man is regenerated by both of these, and also nourished, it is said that they shall be "nourishers" and "sucklers." (That man is regenerated by means of truths and a life according to them, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 23, 24, 27, 186.) This is the internal sense of these words; without that sense who could understand them?

[5] In the same:

Jehovah said, Behold I spread out upon Jerusalem peace as a river, and as a torrent the glory of the nations, that ye may suck. He will come to gather all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory. They shall declare My glory among the nations; then shall they bring your brethren out of all nations, as a gift to Jehovah, upon horses and upon the chariot, to the mountain of My holiness (Isaiah 66:12, 18-20).

Here "Jerusalem" is the Lord's church in the heavens and on the earth; it is said the church in the heavens, for the church is there also (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 221-227). By "nations and tongues" all who are in the goods of love and in truths therefrom are meant. It is said that "they shall bring out of all nations a gift to Jehovah, upon horses and upon the chariot;" "a gift to Jehovah" is worship from the good of love; "horses and chariots" are intellectuals and doctrinals, for these are the source and foundation of worship. (That this is what "horses and chariots" signify, see The White Horse 1-5.)

[6] In the same:

It shall be in that day that a Root of Jesse, which shall stand for a sign of the people, the nations shall seek (Isaiah 11:10). "The root of Jesse" is the Lord; "to stand for a sign of the people" means that it may be seen by those who are in truths; "the nations which shall seek," are those who are in the good of love. It is believed that "nations" here mean the nations that are to approach and acknowledge the Lord, from which is to be the church that is called the church of the Gentiles; but these are not meant by "nation" but all who are in love to the Lord and faith in Him, whether within the church or out of it (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 308, 318-328).

[7] In the same:

A strong people shall honor Thee, the city of the powerful nations shall fear thee (Isaiah 25:3).

In the same:

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation may enter in. Thou hast increased the nation, O Jehovah, Thou hast increased the nation, Thou art glorified (Isaiah 26:2, 15).

In the same:

Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples (Isaiah 34:1).

In the same:

I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

In Jeremiah:

The nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory (Jeremiah 4:2).

In the same:

Who will not fear Thee, O king of nations? and in all their kingdom there is none like unto Thee (Jeremiah 10:7).

In Daniel:

I was seeing in the night visions, and behold with the clouds of heaven One like the Son of man. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).

In David:

The peoples shall give thanks unto Thee, O God; all the peoples shall give thanks unto Thee. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou shalt judge the peoples with equity, and shalt lead the nations upon the earth (Psalms 67:3, 4).

In the same:

That I may see the good of Thy chosen, and be glad in the joy of Thy nations (Psalms 106:5).

In Revelation:

The glory and honor of the nations shall be brought into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:26).

In Isaiah:

Ye shall be called priests of Jehovah; ministers of your ² God, it shall be said to you. Ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye glory (Isaiah 61:6).

In the Lamentations:

The breath of our nostrils, the Anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we had said, In His shadow we shall live among the nations (Lamentations 4:20).

In these passages, by "nations" all who are in love to the Lord, whether within the church where the Word is or outside it, are meant.

[8] That by "nations" in a contrary sense those who are in evils are meant, and in the abstract, evils themselves, can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

I will bring a nation upon you from far, it is a mighty nation; it is a nation of an age, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know. It shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread; it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters; it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree; it shall impoverish the cities with the sword (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

The vastation of the church is here treated of; and by "nation" is meant the evil that will consummate it; it is therefore said, that "it shall eat up the harvest and the bread," "the sons and daughters," "the vine and the fig-tree," and "shall impoverish the cities with the sword;" by which all the goods of love and the truths of faith are signified; by "harvest" a state of the reception of truth from good (See Arcana Coelestia 9295); by "bread" the good of love (See in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 218); by "sons and daughters" the affections of truth and good (See above, n. 166); by "vine" the internal church, thus the internal things of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 1069, 5113, 6376, 9277); by "fig-tree" the external church, thus the external things of the church (Arcana Coelestia 5113); by "cities" doctrines (Arcana Coelestia 402, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493); by "sword" falsity destroying (See above, n. 73, 131). From this it can be seen that by "nations" is signified the evil that destroys all these.

[9] In the same:

Behold I lay stumbling-blocks before this people, that they may stumble upon them, the fathers and the sons together. Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation from the sides of the earth. They have no compassion, their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses (Jeremiah 6:21-23).

Here also "nation" means evil, and "peoples" falsities, "the stumbling-blocks upon which the fathers and the sons stumble" are the perversions of good and truth ("fathers" are goods, and "sons" truths therefrom). It is said, "a people from the land of the north, and a nation from the sides of the earth," for the "north" signifies falsity from evil, and "the sides of the earth" signify what is outside of the church, thus evils remote from the goods of the church. "To roar like the sea, and to ride upon horses," is to persuade by fallacies of the senses, and by reasonings therefrom.

[10] In Ezekiel:

The land is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence, wherefore I will bring the worst of the nations, that they may occupy their houses; the king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with stupor (Ezekiel 7:23-24, 27).

The "land" is the church; "full of the judgment of bloods" is to be in falsities that destroy goods; "city" is doctrine; "full of violence" is to use force against the good of charity; "the worst of the nations" are direful falsities from evil; "to occupy their houses" is to possess their minds; "the king who shall mourn" is the truth of the church; "the prince who shall be clothed with stupor," is subservient truth. (That the "land" is the church, see Arcana Coelestia 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643; that "bloods" are falsities destroying good, n. 374, 1005, 4735, 5476, 9127; that "city" is doctrine, n. 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493; that "violence" is using force against the good of charity, n. 6353; that "houses" are the things of man that belong to his mind, n. 710, 2231, 2233, 2559, 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023, 6690, 7353, 7848, 7910, 7929, 9150; that "the king who shall mourn" is the truth of the church, see above n. 31.)

[11] In David:

Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to naught, He overthroweth the thoughts of the peoples (Psalms 33:10).

"Nations" mean those who are in evils, and "peoples" those who are in falsities; and because both are signified, it is said that "Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to naught, and overthroweth the thoughts of the peoples," which are two expressions, as it were, of one thing, yet they are distinct in the internal sense, in which "nations" signify one thing, and "peoples" another.

[12] In Luke:

Then they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive among all nations, and at length Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the nations, until the time of the nations be fulfilled. Then there shall be signs in sun, moon, and stars, and upon the earth anguish of nations, the sea and the waves roaring (Luke 21:24-25).

The consummation of the age is here treated of, which is the last time of the church, when there is no longer any faith because there is no charity, or no truth because there is no good. This is here described by correspondences: "to fall by the edge of the sword" is to be destroyed by falsities; "to be led captive among all nations" is to be possessed by evils of every kind; "Jerusalem, which shall be trodden down," is the church; the "sun" is love to the Lord; the "moon" faith in Him; the "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; the "signs" in them mean that these are to perish; "the sea and the waves that shall roar" are fallacies and reasonings therefrom.

[13] In Matthew:

Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. And they shall deliver you unto affliction, and ye shall be hated of all the nations for My name's sake (Matthew 24:7, 9; Luke 21:10, 11).

These things also were said by the Lord respecting the last time of the church; and by "nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" is signified that there will be conflicts of evils and falsities among themselves; by "famines and pestilences" are signified the failure and wasting of truths; by "earthquakes" the perversion of the church; by "being hated of all nations" is signified to be hated by all who are in evil; "the name of the Lord," for the sake of which they shall be hated, signifies all things of love and faith whereby the Lord is worshiped (See above, n. 102, 135).

[14] In Ezekiel:

Behold Asshur a cedar in Lebanon. He has become high, and his branches have been multiplied. In his branches have all the fowl of the heavens built their nests, and under his branches all the beasts of the field have brought forth, and in his shade have dwelt all great nations. But his heart is lifted up in his height; therefore I will give him into the hand of the strong one of the nations, strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations, and they shall cast him down; whence all peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow, and have abandoned him (Ezekiel 31:3, 5, 6, 10-12).

These things no one can understand unless he has a knowledge of the spiritual or internal sense of the Word. He will believe them to be mere comparisons, in which there is no spiritual signification; when yet all the particulars therein signify things of heaven and the church; therefore they shall be explained briefly. "Asshur" is the rational of the man of the church which is illustrated; this is called "a cedar in Lebanon," because a "cedar" has the same signification as "Asshur," specifically truth from good in the rational; and "Lebanon" is the mind where the rational resides, because there were cedars in Lebanon.

By "his branches that were multiplied" are meant truths therefrom; "the fowl of the heavens that built their nests in his branches" are the affections of truth; and "the beasts of the field that brought forth under his branches" are the affections of good; the "great nations that dwelt in his shade" are the goods of love; "his heart lifted up in his height" is the love of self; "to be given into the hands of the strong one of the nations," and "to be cast down by the violent of the nations," means that evils from that love will destroy goods and truths; "the peoples of the earth that went down from his shadow and abandoned him" are all truths of the church. From this it is manifest that "nations" signify goods, and in the contrary sense evils; by "the nations that dwelt in his shade," goods; and by "the nations that cut him off, and cast him down," evils. (See, moreover, what is said and shown about nations and their signification in Arcana Coelestia, namely, that by "nations" in the Word are meant those who are in good, and consequently goods themselves, n. 1059, 1159, 1258, 1260, 1416, 1849, 6005; "the assembly of the nations," truths and goods, n. 4574, 7830; "the holy nation," the spiritual kingdom, n. 9255, 9256; when it is said "nation and people," by "nation" those who are in celestial good are meant, and by "people" those who are in spiritual good, n. 10288. That by "nations," especially the nations of the land of Canaan, evils and falsities of every kind are meant, n. 1059, 1205, 1868, 6306, 8054, 8317, 9320, 9327).

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