The Persistent Widow

1. And He spoke also a parable to them, [to the end] that men ought always to pray, and not be weary,

2. Saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain city, who feared not God, and had no respect for man.

3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary.’

4. And he was not willing for a time; but afterwards he said in himself, ‘Though I fear not God, and have no respect for man,

5. Yet since this widow makes labor for me, I will avenge her, lest in the end by coming she wear me down.’”

6. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge says.

7. And shall not God do vengeance for His chosen, who cry day and night to Him, and He bear with them?

8. I say to you that He will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?”

The previous chapter was largely a series of warnings. It began with a warning about offending others. Jesus said, “Offenses will come, but woe to him through whom they do come!” (Luke 17:1). Then Jesus gave warnings about ingratitude (Luke 17:9), warnings about looking for the kingdom of God in the wrong places (Luke 17:20), and warnings about the self-destruction in store for those who ignore the divine truth which He describes as “the coming of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:30).

This series of warnings ends with the unsettling image of eagles devouring a decaying body — an image of our rational faculty feeding on and being fed by corrupt desires. This image provides a vivid warning as to what happens when people allow selfish desire to pervert their God-given rationality. It is not hard to imagine that when we are in states like this — when selfish desire overwhelms and controls our rational faculties — that we cannot understand or accept the voice of new truth (the Son of Man), even when it comes into our life like a flash of lightning.

While these are serious warnings, the next parable in the series, introduces a note of hope. Its moral lesson is clear, straightforward, and stated at the very beginning. As it is written, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). This focus on prayer — that it be continual, persistent, determined, and unwavering — serves to awaken the rational faculty and lift it to a higher level. Herein lies our greatest hope. This hope is found in prayer, especially the prayer that the Lord might open our eyes to understand His truth and empower us with the strength to live according to it. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures. “I will lift my eyes unto the hills. From where comes my help? My help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Psalms 121:1-2).

As this episode begins, Jesus’ exhortation to be persistent in our prayers is followed by a description of a judge who did not fear God or care about others. When a widow comes to him seeking justice because of an injury done to her, the judge ignores her concerns. Undeterred by this rejection, the woman perseveres, continually pleading for help. Eventually, the judge relents, not out of pity, but merely because he is tired of hearing the woman’s constant appeal for help. As it is written, the unjust judge says, “Because this widow makes labor for me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming” (Luke 18:5).

Jesus, then, explains the parable, using the widow’s persistence to represent how each of us must be similarly persistent in prayer. As Jesus puts it, “If even an unjust judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to His people who plead with Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off”? (Luke 18:7). Jesus then answers His own question, saying, “Certainly not,” but quickly adds that we must be consistent in our prayers, keeping our mind continually open to the Lord’s coming into our lives with new truth. In other words, we should remain faithful in prayer, looking to the Lord for guidance, help, and support. As Jesus puts it at the conclusion of this episode, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). This key question might also be stated like this: “Will we be ready to receive the divine truth when it comes to us? Does our prayer life adapt us to receive what is flowing in from God from moment to moment, that is, constantly and always?”

The representation of the widow

In this episode, the widow’s persistent efforts to seek justice represents the necessity of being persistent in our prayers. In sacred scripture, “a widow” represents a genuine longing to know the truth and to be connected to it. Just as a widow longs to be reunited with her husband, good longs to be reunited with truth. ¹

This quality of “goodness longing for truth,” represented by the widow, might also be called a “genuine affection for truth.” Scripturally speaking, each of us is a “widow” longing to know God and to understand His will for our lives. However, in order for this to happen, we need to deal with another part of our mind. In this parable, that other part of our mind is represented by an unjust judge who “did not fear God nor regard man” (Luke 18:2). This is the rational faculty, the part of our mind that should be dedicated to the higher use of human reason but often fails to do so. ²

If, however, we have a good heart (the widow), a heart that yearns to know the truth and do it, the rational faculty will eventually comply and be reformed. But it will take persistent prayer on our part. This is why Jesus urges His disciples to continue in prayer and “not lose heart.” At the most literal level, this parable teaches that if an unjust judge can eventually be persuaded to render justice to a person who persists, how much more will God, who is Justice Itself, be persuaded to answer our persistent prayers.

The deeper reality, however, is that God is always with us, ready to answer our persistent prayers. These prayers, spoken in love and from faith, can include, but are not limited to, asking for patience, courage, compassion, understanding, wisdom and empathy. In brief, when our prayers are of this nature, we are asking God to grant us the heavenly and spiritual qualities we will need in order to do His will. ³

To the extent that we cultivate an unselfish, persistent prayer-life, we will also cultivate the rational faculty. The “unjust judge” in us will be replaced by a just judge. As God grants us through His Word the ability to discern rightly between truth and falsity, good and evil, our understanding will grow. Flashes of insight that seem to come from ourselves, but are really from God, will spontaneously arise without any effort on our part. As we have seen, these moments of enlightenment that come to us and help us judge rightly are called, in the language of sacred scripture, “the lightning that flashes from the east to the west” and “the coming of the Son of Man.” The parable of the persistent widow adds another dimension to how we can best adapt ourselves for the reception of this enlightenment. We must pray for it, continually and persistently.

In addition, our prayers must be for qualities that are spiritual and heavenly. A wonderful example of this kind of prayer is given in the Hebrew scriptures. When King Solomon was given the opportunity to pray for anything he wanted, he prayed for “an understanding heart” so that he might govern in ways that are wise and discerning. In response, God said to Him, “Because you have asked for this thing and have not asked for long life, or riches, or the death of your enemies, but have asked for discernment to understand justice … I have given you a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:9-11). ⁴ The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9. And He said also this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were just, and made the rest as nothing:

10. "Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.

11. The Pharisee, standing to himself, prayed these things: 'God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men — rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all things, as many as I possess.'

13. And the publican, standing afar off, was not willing to lift up even [his] eyes to heaven, but struck on his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'

14. I say to you, This [man] came down justified into his house than the other; for everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled, but he that humbles himself shall be exalted."

15. And they brought also to Him babes, that He should touch them, but when the disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.

16. But Jesus called them to [Him], and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.

17. Amen I say to you, whoever shall not accept the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it."

The next parable in this series continues to deal with the subject of prayer. This time, the focus is not so much on the need for persistence, but rather on the attitude of the one who is praying. In other words, what matters is not only our words, or how persistently we repeat them, but also the attitude behind our words.

This time the parable is directed at the Pharisees. As it is written, "He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (Luke 18:9). The parable is about two men who “went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector” (Luke 18:10). In Jesus’ day, tax collectors were seen as traitors who collected taxes from their own people and gave the money that was collected to an oppressive government. Because of this, the Pharisees despised them. They had nothing but contempt for the tax collectors.

On the external level, the Pharisee in the parable considered himself to be “righteous.” After all, he did all the “right” things: he read the scriptures, he attended religious services, he prayed, he fasted, and he made contributions to the temple treasury. The parable, however, takes us beyond external appearances and gives us a glimpse into the inner world of this Pharisee. As it is written, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men — extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I possess” (Luke 18:11-12). Though cloaked as a prayer of thanksgiving to God, the Pharisee’s prayer is really a glorification of himself and a condemnation of others.

The prayer of the tax collector, on the other hand, is very different. He says, quite simply, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

While the parable of the persistent widow illustrates the importance of relentless determination in prayer, the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, offers important instruction about the attitude we need to bring to prayer — an attitude of genuine humility, one in which we recognize our weaknesses and our need for God. This is what truly opens us to receive the love, wisdom, and gentle guidance that God is always offering. Indeed, humility is the essence of prayer and of all true worship. ⁵

The Pharisee, however, is anything but humble. His prayer is filled with self-righteousness and contempt. He says, “I thank You that I am not like other men — extortionists, unjust, adulterers,” and then he goes on to praise himself and his good deeds: “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” This Pharisee, who appears externally righteous is internally filled with contempt for others and inordinate pride in himself. Therefore, it is written that “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.” In other words, this was not speech with God — it was speech with himself.

The tax collector, on the other hand stood “afar off and would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven.” In his utter humility, the tax collector took a place at the back of the temple, head bowed, not even daring to look upwards. Here we have a picture of two men whose external lifestyles are quite different: a pious Pharisee, and a despised tax collector. And yet, it is the tax collector who “went down to his house justified” — that is, in a right relationship with God (Luke 18:14). As Jesus puts it at the conclusion of this episode, “Everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). ⁶

Becoming a child of the kingdom

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector counsels us, especially as we pray, to enter a holy state of humility. In that prayerful state, we admit our sins, acknowledge that without God we can do nothing, and pray for His help.

Jesus then speaks about the necessity of becoming “as a child” in order to receive the kingdom of God. This is one of those places where, at first glance, there seems to be an abrupt break in the narrative. The truth is, however, that the connection is a seamless one. The relationship between a humble prayer life and becoming “as a child” becomes clear when we consider that a little child is dependent on parents for love and protection. Similarly, we can approach our heavenly Father in prayer, seeking to receive His love for others and to be led by the truth that will protect us from false ideas and selfish desires. This is why Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16).

In each of us, there are tender states that are called in the language of sacred scripture, “little children.” These tender states contain intimations of what it means to love and be loved, to hear the truth and receive it with gladness, to feel joy, and experience gratitude. These are the “little children” within us, those precious impressions implanted in us by God in our childhood which can serve as a foundation for greater faith and deeper love as we grow in our understanding of God and in our love for our neighbor. ⁷

It is these innocent states in us that Jesus endeavors to awaken as He concludes this episode with words which are both an assurance and a warning: “Assuredly, I say unto you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 18:17).

A practical application

Earlier in this gospel the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). At that time, Jesus taught them to pray by giving them a specific example, which is called, “The Lord’s Prayer.” However, His instruction did not stop there. As we have seen in the two previous parables, Jesus has also been teaching about the need for persistence and humility in our prayers. It should also be noted that the parable of the persistent widow and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector occur only in the Gospel of Luke. It is a further indication that this gospel, more than any other, focuses on the development of our understanding, the life of the mind, and the higher use of human reason — all of which are essential aspects of prayer. For at the heart of all prayer is opening one’s understanding to truth along with the willingness to live according to it. In fact, it could be said that the person who lives according to truth is continually at prayer.

As a practical application then, select a passage of sacred scripture, one that conveys an important truth to you, and keep it in mind throughout the day. Be both persistent and humble in asking for that truth to become manifest in your life. Remain “continually at prayer and do not lose heart.” ⁸

The Rich Ruler

18. And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19. But Jesus said to him, “Why callest thou Me good? None [is] good except One, God.

20. Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother.”

21. And he said, “All these have I kept from my youth.”

22. And when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “Yet one [thing] is left for thee [to do]: sell all, as much as thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

23. But on hearing these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was exceedingly rich.

24. And when Jesus saw that he had become very sorrowful, He said, “How difficult [it is for those] who have wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!

25. For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich [man] to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Can a person be good without God?

The previous episode ended with the words, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 18:17). Little children trust and rely on their parents. They are dependent on them for the essentials of their natural existence — food, clothing, and shelter. Therefore, in the Word, a “little child” often signifies the innocent willingness to rely on the Lord, to trust in Him, and be dependent upon Him for the essentials of our spiritual existence — love, wisdom, and protection from spiritual enemies.

As we advance in years, we take on more adult responsibilities. We begin to believe, and rightly so, that we can take care of ourselves without the help of our parents. In fact, maturation requires that we move from dependence to independence. While it is important to eventually assume adult responsibilities, a problem arises when people begin to believe that they can manage not only their external world but also their internal world without the help of God.

When it comes to matters of spirituality and religion, this is the independent attitude that says, I’m basically a good person. I keep the commandments. I don’t steal. I don’t lie. I don’t commit adultery. I don’t need any help. This is the idea that a person can be good without God. Being independent of parents because we no longer need their physical support is one thing. But being independent of God is an entirely different matter. In fact, it is impossible to be good without God, as Jesus will now explain through the next parable.

The parable begins when a rich ruler approaches Jesus and asks, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). Before answering his question, Jesus reminds this ruler to be cautious about attributing good to anyone except God: “Why do you call Me good?” says Jesus. “No one is good but One, that is God” (Luke 18:19).

Jesus is taking this opportunity to remind the ruler that God is the source of all goodness, including what appears to be the ruler’s “own” goodness. The lesson is a simple yet profound one: As Jesus puts it, “No one is good but One. That is, God.” The delusion that we can be good apart from God is a powerful one, but if we are to advance in our understanding of the spiritual path, this delusion of an independent life must be dispelled. ⁹

After establishing the foundational truth that no one is good except God, Jesus then goes on to answer the ruler’s question about how to inherit eternal life. “You know the commandments,” says Jesus. “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother” (Luke 18:20). The ruler responds by saying, “All these things I have kept from my youth” (Luke 18:21). Therefore, Jesus says to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22).

While Jesus’ literal words seem to be about giving away all material possessions, His spiritual message is quite different. He is speaking about giving up the false idea that we can be good without God. In other words, when we no longer “own” the idea that goodness is from ourselves, we gain an increased sense of gratitude and humility. This is called, in the language of sacred scripture, “selling all that you have,” which means disowning pride in our own goodness. This is followed by the words, “give to the poor” which means fostering states of humility within ourselves.

If the rich ruler could recognize and put aside his pride, he could begin to nourish those states of humility in himself that had been ignored and underdeveloped. In the language of sacred scripture, he would be “giving to the poor.” As a result, through cultivating the quality of humility in himself, he would receive real treasure, not the kind that perishes. He would have “treasure in heaven.” ¹⁰

For each of us, this is a call to realize that from ourselves we have nothing. To think and believe that we have any goodness from ourselves, or even that we have the power to keep the commandments, is to be inflated with a delusive sense of pride and self-importance. It is to feel that we are very “rich,” when, in fact, we are spiritually impoverished.

Sadly, the rich ruler’s heart is set on earthly treasures, of which he has a great deal, and from which he is unwilling to be separated. Therefore, Jesus’ request that he sell all that he has and give to the poor is a huge disappointment for him. As it is written, “He became very sorrowful, for he was very rich” (Luke 18:23).

The symbolism of a rich “ruler”

As the rich ruler departs, Jesus sees the man’s sorrow and understands his struggle. Turning to those who have gathered, Jesus says, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24). Jesus even goes so far as to say, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). ¹¹

As we continue to study this story, we should keep in mind that in sacred scripture, every parable, every sentence, and every word, when understood spiritually, is given in a seamless order and contains infinite depths of meaning. In this episode, then, the rich ruler symbolizes a tendency in each of us to arrogantly believe that we can govern our inner lives without help from the Lord.

Therefore, it is not an accident that the rich man who is told to sell everything is called a “ruler.” Interestingly, neither the Gospel According to Matthew nor the Gospel According to Mark refer to this rich man as a “ruler.” This term appears only in the Gospel According to Luke. In this case, then, it would refer to the reformation and development of the understanding. When it comes to the inner world of the spirit, to go through the “eye of the needle,” means that we must be willing to be led by the Lord rather than be ruled by our own self-intelligence. By humbly allowing the Lord to be our ruler, we pass through “the eye of the needle” and enter the kingdom of God. ¹²

Leaving It All Behind

26. And they who heard [it] said, “Who then can be saved?”

27. And He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

28. And Peter said, “Behold, we have left all things, and have followed Thee.

29. And He said to them, “Amen I say to you, There is no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

30. Who shall not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Leaving house, parents, brothers, wife, and children

Those who are listening to Jesus take Him quite literally. Jesus has just told them that it is harder for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Surprised and confused, they say “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26).

Jesus then adds an important caveat. He says, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Peter, who is listening, says, “See, we have left all and followed You” (Luke 18:28). Jesus responds to Peter, and to all who are listening, with words that seem to be supportive of Peter’s response. As Jesus puts it, “Truly I tell you, no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Luke 18:29).

Here, again, we see another series of terms that have deeper meaning and are given in a seamless order. It should also be pointed out that in sacred scripture the same word can have either a positive or negative meaning, depending on the context. In listing the things that must be left behind, Jesus begins with the word “house.” In sacred scripture, a “house” signifies our “dwelling-place.” It can be either the “house of the Lord” or the “house of bondage.” In this context, if Jesus is telling us to leave our house, this would refer to the house of bondage, and all the people in that house would symbolize negative states in us that should be left behind.

With this in mind, the term “parents” refers to our inherited tendencies to evils of every kind. The term “brothers” refers to the false and self-serving thoughts that hold us captive. The term “wife” refers to those negative feelings to which we have become “wedded.” Our “children” are these negative states and self-serving thoughts and feelings that have become so much a part of us that we see them as our own. Jesus is saying that if we leave these states behind for the sake of the kingdom of God, we will receive much more in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life. ¹³

A practical application

In the series that includes leaving “house,” “parents,” “brothers,” “wife,” and “children,” we noted that our “house” is the first thing to be given up. This refers to our mental “dwelling-place,” those thoughts and feelings that we dwell on. Therefore, in sacred scripture, leaving one’s “house” refers to leaving behind those thoughts and feelings that keep us dwelling on things that are not in harmony with the will of God. As a spiritual practice, observe the thoughts you “dwell” on and decide which of these “dwelling-places” are to be left behind. Then welcome the positive, constructive thoughts that come to you, seeing them as divine escorts leading you through “the eye of the needle” and into the presence of God. If this seems to be too difficult, call to mind the words of Jesus in this episode, “The things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Going Up to Jerusalem

31. And taking the twelve, He said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and all things must be finished which are written by the prophets respecting the Son of Man.

32. For He shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon,

33. And they shall scourge [Him], and shall kill Him; and the third day He shall rise again.”

34. And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hidden from them, and they knew not the things that were said.

The rich ruler had asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life” and he was basically told to give up everything. As we have seen, this is not necessarily about giving up our material possessions and certainly not about abandoning our families. It’s about giving up everything that separates us from receiving the kingdom of God. This includes the idea that we can understand anything that is true or do anything that is good apart from God. We must experience this realization repeatedly because the illusion is so strong that we live life from ourselves. The truth is that we cannot do anything — not even lift a finger, take a step, or draw a breath — without God. ¹⁴

In sacred scripture, when this great truth and others like it come to us, it is called, “the coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus has already referred to the Son of Man as coming into our lives like a flash of lightning (Luke 17:22). And after He told the parable about the persistent widow, emphasizing the necessity of continual prayer, Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). Now, as the episode about the rich ruler comes to an end, Jesus speaks again about the Son of Man. Taking His twelve disciples aside, He says to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished” (Luke 18:31). ¹⁵

Jesus is referring to the prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures that predict His death at the hands of those who would “despise and reject Him” (Isaiah 53:2) and those who would “laugh Him to scorn” while piercing His hands and feet (Psalms 22:7;16). More deeply, He is also referring to the way people would regard the divine truth that He came to bring. It would be mocked, ridiculed, and spat upon. And yet, it would withstand every trial and eventually emerge victorious, even as Jesus would survive the crucifixion. As Jesus puts it, “And on the third day, He will rise again” (Luke 18:33).

Jesus is telling His disciples to be prepared for the coming trials. He tells them directly that “the Son of Man will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, insulted, and spat upon. And they will scourge Him and put Him to death” (Luke 18:32-33). Jesus is also speaking about how each of us treats divine truth. At first, we may reject it, even mock it and despise it, but eventually — through trial and suffering — we will come to see its central importance in our own lives. Before we accept the truth and allow it to rise in our minds, a false belief must be identified and overthrown. In the context of the preceding episode, it might be the false belief that we are “rich rulers” who can enter heaven by our own efforts while, in truth, we can do nothing without God.

Our acceptance of truth, and the ensuing willingness to live according to it, does not happen instantaneously. It comes about gradually and only after numerous unsuccessful attempts to find happiness apart from God. Throughout our spiritual development, we will necessarily undergo tribulations, not because it is the will of God to punish us or make us suffer, but because spiritual trials help us to understand how much we need the Lord and the truth that He offers. Whenever this realization comes to us, and we acknowledge how much we need God, the divine truth is beginning to rise in our mind. As Jesus puts it, “And on the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:33).

This is the third time Jesus has predicted His death and resurrection. On the literal level, He is speaking about the suffering He is about to undergo in Jerusalem where He will be cruelly beaten and crucified. Again and again, He has told His disciples that this trial is coming soon. On the spiritual level, He is speaking about the necessity of temptation in every person’s life, with the promise that those who trust in the Lord will overcome. In either case, the disciples do not understand. As it is written, “They understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:34).

This third prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection is also given in Matthew and Mark in almost the same language, and in both of these previous gospels this prediction is placed immediately after the discourse on how hard it is for a rich person to enter heaven. But only in Luke, the gospel which focuses on the understanding, are we explicitly told that “they understood none of these things,” that “this saying was hidden from them,” and that “they did not know the things which were spoken.” Each of these terms refers to the opening of the understanding.

As we shall see, the emphasis on the opening of the disciples’ understanding will continue to be a dominant theme in Luke. For example, in the very next episode, a blind man will receive his sight. It is a parable about how each of us can be healed from our spiritual blindness, but only if we are both humble and persistent, trusting that the Lord alone can heal us through the truth of His Word.

A Blind Beggar

35. And it came to pass as He drew near to Jericho, a certain blind [man] sat along the way begging.

36. And hearing the crowd go through, he inquired what it meant.

37. And they reported to him, “Jesus of Nazareth passes by.”

38. And he cried, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”

39. And they who went before rebuked him, that he should be silent; but he cried out much more: “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40. And Jesus standing, ordered him to be brought to Him; and when he was near, He questioned him,

41. Saying, “What willest thou that I shall do to thee?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive [my] sight.”

42. And Jesus said to him, “Receive thy sight; thy faith has saved thee.”

43. And immediately he received his sight; and he followed Him, glorifying God; and all the people when they saw [it] gave praise to God.

The disciples do not always understand what Jesus is saying. As it is written at the close of the previous episode, the disciples “understood none of these things” (Luke 18:34). This is the case for all of us at the beginning of our spiritual journey. There are many things in the Word of God that simply defy our understanding and cause us to wonder, What does this mean? How can this be true? As we learned earlier in this gospel, the Lord has “hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Luke 10:21).

The inability to understand sacred scripture and the truth it conveys is called “spiritual blindness.” When a person does not understand something, it is customary to use expressions like, “I am in the dark” and “I just cannot see what you mean.” On the other hand, when understanding arises, it is customary to use expressions like, “Oh, now I see the light,” or “I see what you mean.” The connection between physical sight and mental vision is an obvious one. ¹⁶

Less obvious, however, is what causes spiritual blindness and how a person can be healed from that condition. In the next episode, which involves a blind man whom Jesus meets along the way, we are given an object lesson about the cause and cure for spiritual blindness. This is especially significant in the Gospel According to Luke with its focus on the understanding of truth and how it can be developed.

Jesus’ encounter with the blind man begins with these words: “As Jesus approached Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude going by, the blind man asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by” (Luke 18:35-37). In contrast to the rich ruler, the poor beggar exhibits an entirely different response. When the poor beggar learns that Jesus is passing by, he does not ask, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Instead, he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38).

The blind beggar’s cry for mercy is similar to the tax collector’s prayer, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). It is also reminiscent of the persistent widow’s pleadings, which were so determined that she finally wearied the unjust judge (Luke 18:5). Even though the people try to silence the blind man, he perseveres. As it is written, “He cried out all the more,” saying, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:39). This combination of persistence and humility catches the attention of Jesus who orders that the blind beggar be brought to Him. And when the beggar is brought near, Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41).

The blind man is accustomed to begging. He could have asked Jesus for money or food, as was his normal routine. Instead, he says, “Lord, that I may receive my sight” (Luke 18:41). This humble yet determined request is instructive. We, too, are to approach God with a humble yet steadfast faith, asking for spiritual sight, knowing that we are blind beggars. It is then that the miracle happens: Jesus says, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you” (Luke 18:42).

This same miracle takes place in both Matthew and Mark, and many of the details are similar. But a significant detail is added in Luke. As it is written, “Immediately he received his sight, and followed Him glorifying God” (Luke 18:43). The additional phrase, “glorifying God” brings to mind the tenth leper who returned to Jesus “and with a loud voice glorified God” (Luke 17:15). The leper’s display of gratitude at that time, even falling down on his face to give thanks, prompted Jesus to say, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).

Whether Jesus is dealing with a leper or a blind man, it becomes clear that the only kind of faith which is truly saving is faith that understands and proclaims our reliance on God. This is the faith that “sees” that it’s not about what we can do; it’s about what God can do through us. Like the blind beggar, when we humbly approach the Lord asking for spiritual sight, our spiritual eyes can be opened, and we see with new understanding. In our humility and gratitude, the desire to praise and glorify His name arises in us. And so, in Luke, the blind beggar, after being given his sight, follows Jesus, glorifying God.

As this episode concludes, the Gospel of Luke adds one more detail that occurs in no other gospel. Once again, it is a reference to sight. As it is written, “And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God” (Luke 18:43). Something similar happens within us when our spiritual understanding begins to open. We see that God is the fount of our every blessing, and the source of our very being. True understanding leads to an overflowing heart — a heart overflowing with gratitude and praise.

In the end, we learn that the cause of spiritual blindness is egotistical pride and confidence in self-intelligence — the belief that we have no need for God. And the cure is humility and faith — the humble belief that without God we can do nothing, and the faith that “the things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). This is the attitude that is contained within the blind beggar’s prayer when he cries out with humility and with persistence, “Son of David, have mercy on me” and adds, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

A practical application

When the blind beggar cried out to Jesus, some of the people rebuked him and told him to keep quiet. But the blind beggar paid no heed to their warning. Instead, it is written that “he cried out all the more” (Luke 18:39). There are times in our own lives when inner voices might tell us to not bother God, that our petty concerns do not matter to Him, and that prayer is useless. However, both the story of the persistent widow, which begins this chapter and the story of the blind beggar which ends it, remind us that we should not listen to discouraging messages, whether they are given by others or if they arise within us. Instead, we should continue to cry out to the Lord, persevering in prayer, knowing that God will grant every request that is consistent with His will. In this regard, try using the words, Lord, that I may receive my sight, as a prayer to the Lord, asking the Lord to open your eyes so that you may understand His Word and see the way in which you should go.

Footnotes:

619. But in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey, signifies outwardly delightful. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being what is exterior; for this treats of the little book and eating it up, and "the little book" signifies the Word, and "eating it up" signifies perception and exploration; thence "the mouth," which first receives, means the external of the Word. It is evident also from the signification of "sweet as honey," as being the delight of natural good. The external of the Word was "sweet as honey," that is, thus delightful, because the external of the Word is such that it can be applied to any love whatever, or to any principle derived therefrom; and these can be confirmed by it. The external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is such because many things in it are written in accordance with the appearances presented to the natural man, and many appearances, when not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those, therefore, who love to live for the body and for the world, by means of these appearances draw over the external of the Word to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.

[2] This was done especially by the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter they held the belief, and also maintain it to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and therefore were a holy nation; that their Jerusalem, the temple there, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were holy of themselves; they did not know, and did not wish to know, that the holiness of all those things proceeded solely from this, that they represented things Divine proceeding from the Lord that are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think that these are holy of themselves, and not because of the Divine things they represent, would be to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. It was similar with their belief respecting the Messiah, that he would be king of the world, and would raise them above all other nations and peoples throughout the globe; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which to them were sweet as honey in the mouth. This is why the things in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are the truths themselves which are not according to appearances; as that the Jewish nation itself was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not chosen; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the Lord's church and doctrine respecting Him and the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices represented the Lord and the holy things that proceed from Him, and that for this and no other reason were they holy. These are truths that are stored up inwardly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense; and these truths they deny, because, as was said, they have falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter; and these things therefore are undelightful to them, like foods that are bitter in the belly.

[3] It is said that the little book was "in the mouth sweet as honey," because "honey" signifies the delight of natural good; that "honey" signifies that delight can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

It was said to the prophet, Open wide thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And I saw and behold, a hand was put forth unto me, and lo, the roll of a book was therein; and when he had spread it before me it was written in front and behind, and written thereon were dirges, moaning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. Then he said unto me, Feed thy belly and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee; and when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said, Go to the house of Israel and speak my words unto them (Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4).

These things involve things altogether similar to those in Revelation. The command to the prophet Ezekiel "to eat the roll of the book" involves something similar as the command to John "to eat the little book," namely, to explore how the Divine truth which is in the Word is yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church; for the prophet Ezekiel and John represent the doctrine of truth and the Word, therefore the exploration was made with them. It was made by eating a book, because "to eat" signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate, as has been shown above; and when this has been ascertained, namely, how the Word was still perceived, it is said to the prophet Ezekiel that "he should go to the house of Israel and speak to them the words of God;" also to the prophet John that "he must prophesy," that is, still teach the Word in the church; and this because the book was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," that is, because the Word in the sense of the letter is still delightful, but for the reason that this sense can be applied to any principles of falsity and to any loves of evil, and can thus serve them in confirming the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life; and when these are separated they become mere delights of the loves of the body and of the world whence are principles of falsity from fallacies.

[4] In Isaiah:

A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good (Isaiah 7:14, 15).

That this was said of the Lord is proved in Matthew (Matthew 1:23). Anyone can see that "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding to them, for it is added, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good," and that is not known by eating butter and honey; but "butter" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, consequently the two signify the Lord's Divine spiritual and Divine natural, and thus His Human, interior and exterior. That the Lord's Human is meant can be seen from its being said that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son;" and that it is Divine from its being said, "and shall call His name God-with-us," "to call a name" signifying the quality of a thing, here what the Divine is, for He was to be called "God-with-us."

[5] "Butter and honey" also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:

Butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (verse 22).

"That remains" mean those that are inwardly and also outwardly good from the Lord, consequently who receive the good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefrom of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural man, is signified by "butter and honey."

[6] In Job:

He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter (Job 20:16, 17).

This is said of hypocrites who talk well and smoothly about God, about the neighbor, and about heaven and the church, and yet think altogether otherwise; and because they cunningly contrive by these means to captivate minds, although in heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That such have no delight in natural good or spiritual good is meant by "He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," "streams" meaning the things of intelligence, and "the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," the things therefrom that are of affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. Every delight of life that abides to eternity is a delight of spiritual good and truth, and from that a delight of natural good and truth; but hypocritical delight is a natural delight separate from spiritual delight, and this delight is turned in the other life into what is direfully infernal. Evidently "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, for where, in the world, can there be found "flowings of brooks of honey and butter"?

[7] "Milk and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey;" and as "milk" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, and these delights are with those who are of the Lord's church, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called:

A land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8, 17; Leviticus 20:24; Numbers 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6).

That in the Word "the land of Canaan" means the church has been shown above (n. 29, 304, 431); and the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; in such the church is formed by the Lord; for the church is in man and not outside of him, consequently is not with those with whom these goods are not. These goods with their delights are signified by "milk and honey."

[8] There was also much honey in the land of Canaan at that time, because at that time the church of the Lord was there, as can be seen from the first book of Samuel, where it is said:

That they came into the forest, where there was honey upon the face of the ground, and there was a stream of honey, and Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey (1 Samuel 14:25-27, 29).

"Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey" because "honey" corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good gives intelligence and enlightens, from which Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as we read in Isaiah, "He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." For at that time correspondences exhibited their effects outwardly, since all things of the Israelitish Church consisted of correspondences, which represented and signified things celestial and spiritual.

[9] Again, "oil and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey" in the following passages. In Moses:

He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock (Deuteronomy 32:13).

This is in the song of Moses, which treats of the church in its beginning, and afterward in its progress, and finally in its end. Those that constituted the Ancient Church are described by these words, not those however who constituted the Israelitish Church, for these were evil from the beginning even to the end, as can be seen from their fathers in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness; but the Ancient Church, the men of which are meant by "their fathers," was that which the Lord "made to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed with the produce of the fields." That to these the good of natural love and the good of spiritual love with their delights were given by means of truths, from which they had their intelligence and according to which they lived, is signified by "he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock," "honey" signifying the delight of natural love, "oil," the delight of spiritual love, and "the cliff" and "the flint of the rock," truth from the Lord. (That "oil" signifies the good of love and charity, may be seen above, n. 375; and that "cliffs" and "rocks" signify truth from the Lord, n. 411, 443)

[10] In David:

I fed ¹ them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them (Psalms 81:16).

"The fat of wheat" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey out of the rock," the delight of natural good through truths from the Lord (as above). It is to be known that natural good is not good unless there is also spiritual good; for all good flows in through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind so far man receives good; that there may be good there must be both, or the two sides, consequently natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, although by man it is still perceived as good. Since there must be both, it is said in the passages cited and yet to be cited, "butter and honey," "milk and honey;" "fat and honey," as also "oil and honey;" and "butter," "milk," "fat," and "oil" signify the good of spiritual love, and "honey" the good of natural love, together with their delights.

[11] In Ezekiel:

Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen and silk and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, and the fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed thee, thou didst set before idols as an odor of rest (Ezekiel 16:13, 19).

This is said about Jerusalem, which signifies the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. Of the Ancient Church it is said "she was decked with gold and silver," which signifies the love of good and truth that the men of that Church had; "the garments of fine linen, silk, and broidered work," signify the knowledges of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth, "fine linen" signifying truth from a celestial origin, "silk" truth from a spiritual origin, and "broidered work" truth from a natural origin, which is called knowledge [scientificum]. "She ate fine flour, honey and oil," signifies the perception of natural and spiritual truth and good, and their appropriation, "to eat" signifying to be appropriated, "fine flour" truth, "honey" natural good, and "oil" spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. "She became exceeding beautiful and prospered even to a kingdom" signifies to become intelligent and wise so as to constitute a church, "beauty" signifying intelligence and wisdom, and a "kingdom" the church. But of the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said that "they set the fine flour, honey, and oil before the images of a male, or idols, as an odor of rest," that is, they perverted the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.

[12] In the same:

Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants in the wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and honey and oil and balsam they gave for thy merchandise (Ezekiel 27:17).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; so, too, "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good themselves belonging to the church; "oil and honey" have a similar signification as above. What is meant here in the spiritual sense by "Judah and the land of Israel," by "the wheats of Minnith and Pannag," and by "balsam," also by "the merchandise of Tyre," may be seen explained above n. 433.

[13] In Moses:

A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth from the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; and of olive oil and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).

This is said of the land of Canaan, which means the church which is in celestial, spiritual, and natural good, and in truths therefrom; but the contents of this verse are explained above (n. 374, 403), showing that "oil and honey" here signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.

[14] In David:

The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether; more desirable than gold and than much fine gold; and sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs (Psalms 19:9, 10).

In the same:

I have not departed from Thy judgment; for Thou hast instructed me. How sweet are Thy words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth (Psalms 119:102, 103).

"Judgments" signify the truths and goods of worship, therefore it is said "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether;" "righteous" signifies the good of life and worship therefrom; and as good is also signified by "gold" and "fine gold," it is said that "they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold," "gold" meaning celestial good, "fine gold" spiritual good, and "desirable" means what belongs to affection and love. Since the goods by which a man is affected are delightful it is said that they are "sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs," and that "the words of Jehovah are sweet to the palate, more than honey to the mouth," "sweet" signifying what is delightful, "honey" natural good, and "the dropping of honeycombs" natural truth. And because "honey" means natural good, and the "mouth" signifies what is external, it is said "more than honey to my mouth," as in Revelation, that "the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth."

[15] In Luke:

Jesus said to the disciples, who believed that they saw a spirit, See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; feel of Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me having. Then He said to them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat it before them (Luke 24:39, 41-43).

From the series of these words regarded in the spiritual sense it is very evident that "honeycomb" and "honey" signify natural good, for the Lord disclosed to His disciples that He had glorified or made Divine His whole Human, even to its natural and sensual; this is signified by "hands and feet" and by "flesh and bones," which they saw and felt, "hands and feet" signifying the ultimate of man which is called the natural, "flesh" its good, and "bones" its truth; for all things that are in the human body correspond to spiritual things, the "flesh" corresponding to the good of the natural man, and the "bones" to its truths. (On this correspondence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-102.) And this the Lord confirmed by eating before the disciples of the broiled fish and honeycomb; "the broiled fish" signifying the truth of good of the natural and sensual man, and "the honeycomb," the good of the truth of the same. The Lord, therefore, by letting them feel of Him, showed and confirmed that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, made Divine; and this He showed, too, by the eating, in that "He ate before them a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb."

[16] As "honey" signifies the good of the natural man, so also:

John the Baptist had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).

For John the Baptist represented something similar as Elijah; wherefore it is also said that "Elijah should come," by whom John is meant. Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, or the Word from the Lord; John had a similar representation; and as the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, John was sent before to preach respecting the Lord's coming, according to the predictions in the Word. And as John represented the Word, therefore he represented the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, by his raiment and also by his food, namely, by his raiment of camel's hair and the leathern girdle about his loins; "camel's hair" signifying the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exterior things of the Word, and "the leathern girdle about the loins," the external bond and connection of these with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. "Locust and wild honey" have a like signification, "locust" signifying the truth of the natural man, and "wild honey" its good. It is the same whether you say the truth and good of the natural man or natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter or the natural sense, for this was what John represented by his raiment and food.

[17] That:

No leaven and no honey were to be offered in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:11);

because "leaven" signifies the falsity of the natural man, and "honey" the delight of good of the natural man, and in the contrary sense the delight of its evil; this is also like leaven when it is mixed with such things as signify things interiorly holy, for natural delight draws its own from the delights of the love of self and of the world; and as the Israelitish nation was in such delights more than other nations, therefore they were forbidden to use honey in their sacrifices. (On the signification of "honey," as meaning the delight of the good of the natural man, see Arcana Coelestia 5650, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530)

[18] That:

When Samson had rent the young lion he found in its carcass a swarm of bees and honey, when he was about to take a wife from the Philistine nation (Judges 14:8);

signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented; for this reason the Philistines were called "uncircumcised," and this term signified that they were without spiritual love and charity and only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Because such a faith destroys the good of charity it was represented by a young lion that attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces, but as Samson was a Nazirite, and by his Naziriteship represented the Lord in respect to His ultimate natural, he rent the lion, and afterwards found in its carcass "a swarm of bees and honey," and this signifies that when such faith has been dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. The other things related of Samson in the book of Judges have a like signification; for there is nothing written in the Word that does not represent and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, and these can be known only by a knowledge of correspondences, and thus from the spiritual sense of the Word.

Footnotes:

304. Verse 3. And no one was able, in heaven nor upon the earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon, signifies manifestation that no one knows and perceives of himself anything whatever of the state of life of all in general, and of each one in particular. This is evident from the signification of "And no one was able to open the book, neither to look thereon," as being that no one of himself knows and perceives the states of the life of all in general and of each one in particular (of which see just above, n. 303); also from the signification of "in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth," being that no one anywhere has such knowledge, not even in the slightest degree; for "in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth," means the three heavens; and by all who are there heaven in its entire complex is meant. And as heaven is heaven from the Divine truth that flows in from the Lord and is received by the angels, and not at all from any self-intelligence of the angels, for this is no intelligence, so the same words signify that no one has any knowledge or perception whatever from himself. That angels in heaven as well as men in the world have a selfhood [proprium], which regarded in itself is nothing but evil, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 592), and as evil receives nothing of intelligence and wisdom, it follows that angels equally with men understand nothing at all of truth from themselves, but solely from the Lord. Angels are such for the reason that all angels are from the human race, and every man retains after death what is his own [suum proprium], and angels are withheld from the evils that pertain to what is their own [proprii eorum] and are kept in goods by the Lord. (That all angels are from the human race, and not one is created such from the beginning, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 14-22; and that they are all withheld from evil, and kept in good by the Lord, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166.)

[2] "In heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth," signify the three heavens, because the angels that are in the third or highest heaven dwell upon mountains; and those that are in the second or middle, upon hills; and those that are in the first or lowest, in plains and valleys below these. For in the spiritual world, where the spirits and angels are, it is just as it is in the natural world where men are, that is, there are lands, hills, and mountains; and in appearance the resemblance is such that there is no difference at all; therefore men after death scarcely know otherwise than that they are still living on the earth, and when the privilege is granted them to look into our world, they see nothing dissimilar. Moreover, the angels who are in the lowest heaven call that heaven where the angels of the third heaven dwell, because it is high above them, and where they themselves dwell they call earth; moreover, the third or highest heaven, which is upon the mountains, does not appear, to those who are below or upon that earth, otherwise than as the highest region of the atmosphere covered with a thin bright cloud appears before us, thus as the sky appears to us. From this it can be seen what is here meant, specifically, by "in heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth." (But more can be seen on this subject in the work on Heaven and Hell, where Appearances in Heaven are treated of, n 170-176; and The Habitations and Dwelling Places of Angels, n. 183-189)

[3] As men have not known that there is a like surface of the earth in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual, therefore they have not perceived otherwise when they have read the Word than that "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven visible before our eyes, and the earth inhabited by men; from this arose the belief in the destruction of heaven and earth, and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth at the day of the Last Judgment; when yet "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven and the earth where spirits and angels dwell, and in the spiritual sense the church with angels and with men (for there is a church with angels equally as with men, as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 221-227). It is said, in the spiritual sense, for an angel is not an angel, nor is a man a man, from the human form, which both have, but because of heaven and the church with them. This is why "heaven" and "earth," where angels and men dwell, signify the church; "heaven" the internal church and also the church with angels, and "earth" the external church and also the church with men. But since it can only with difficulty be believed that "earth" in the Word means the church, because it is not yet known that in every particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, whence a material idea adheres and keeps the thought fixed in the nearest meaning of the expression, I wish to illustrate and confirm it by a number of quotations.

[4] In Isaiah:

Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void, and He shall disfigure the faces thereof; in emptying the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled; the habitable earth shall mourn and be confounded; the world shall be confounded; the earth shall be profaned under its inhabitants; therefore a malediction shall devour the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth shall be burnt up, and a man shall be rare. A shout over the wine in the streets; the gladness of the earth shall be banished; it shall be in the midst of the earth as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is ended. From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, Glory to the righteous. The floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth quake; in breaking the earth is broken, in rending the earth is rent asunder, in moving the earth is moved; in tottering the earth shall totter as one drunken; and it shall be moved to and fro as a veil; but it shall be in that day that Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth (Isaiah 24:1, 3-6, 11, 13, 16, 18-21).

Here it is very clear that "earth" does not mean the earth, but the church. Let the particulars be run over and considered. One who is in a spiritual idea does not think, when "earth" is mentioned, of the earth itself, but of the people on it and their quality; still more is this true of those who are in heaven; who, since they are spiritual, perceive that the church is meant. Here the church destroyed is treated of; its destruction in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith, which constitute it, is described by "Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void," "in emptying the earth shall be emptied, in spoiling it shall be spoiled," "it shall mourn and be confounded," "it shall be profaned," and "a malediction shall devour it;" "the floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of it quake;" "it is broken," "it is rent asunder," "it is moved," "it shall totter as one drunken." These things can be said neither of the earth, nor of any nation, but only of the church.

[5] In the same:

Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not cause their light to shine, the sun hath been darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not bright her light. I will make a man more rare than fine gold; wherefore I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place (Isaiah 13:9-10, 12-13).

It is clear from the particulars understood in the spiritual sense, that "earth" here means the church. The end of the church is here treated of, when truth and good, or faith and charity, are no more. For "the stars and constellations that do not cause their light to shine," signify the knowledges of truth and good; the "sun that has been darkened in its rising," signifies love; the "moon that maketh not bright her light," signifies faith; a "man made more rare than fine gold," signifies intelligence and wisdom: this makes clear what is signified by "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the earth waste. I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place;" "the day of Jehovah" is the last end of the church, when there is the judgment; the "earth" is the church. It can be seen that the earth itself does not quake out of its place, but that the church is removed when love and faith are not. "To quake out of its place" signifies to be removed from its former state.

[6] In the same:

Behold, the Lord, as a deluge of hail, a storm of slaughter, as a deluge of mighty waters. He shall cast down to the earth with the hand. A consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of hosts upon the whole earth (Isaiah 28:2, 22).

This is said of the day of judgment upon those who are of the church. The day of judgment, when the church is at an end is meant by "a consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth;" it is therefore said "as a deluge of hail, a storm of slaughter, as a deluge of mighty waters. He shall cast down to the earth with the hand;" by "hail" and "a deluge of it" falsities that destroy the truths of the church are signified; by "slaughter," and "a storm of it," evils that destroy the goods of the church are signified; by "mighty waters" falsities of evil are signified. (That a "deluge" or "flood" signifies immersion into evils and falsities, and the consequent destruction of the church) see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853 the like is meant by "casting down to the earth," or a violent rain.

[7] In the same:

The land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate (Isaiah 34:9-10).

"Burning pitch" signifies every evil springing from love of self, through which the church entirely perishes and is desolated; it is therefore said, "the land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate." Who does not see that such things are not said of the land itself?

[8] In the same:

The land mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon blusheth, and hath withered away (Isaiah 33:9).

Here also the "land" means the church, which is said "to mourn" and "to languish" when falsities begin to be accepted and acknowledged in place of truths; it is therefore said, "Lebanon blusheth and hath withered away;" "Lebanon" signifying the like as "cedar," namely, the truth of the church.

[9] In Jeremiah:

The lion is gone up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations hath gone forth from his place to make thy land a waste; thy cities shall be destroyed. I saw the earth, when lo, it was void and empty; and towards the heavens, and lo, they had no light. I saw the mountains, and lo, they quaked and all the hills are overturned. Jehovah said, The whole earth shall be a waste. For this shall the land mourn, and the heavens above be black (Jeremiah 4:7, 4:23-24, 27-28).

Here also the vastation of the church is treated of, which takes place when there are no longer truth and good, but falsity and evil in place of them. This vastation is described by "the lion going up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations going forth from his place;" "the lion" and "the destroyer of the nations" signifying falsity and evil, laying waste. The "mountains that quake," and the "hills that are overturned," signify love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor. This is the signification of "mountains" and "hills," because those who are in love to the Lord dwell upon mountains in heaven, and those who are in charity towards the neighbor, upon hills (See what has been said above, also in the work on Heaven and Hell, 188, and in the notes there, letter c, original edition). "The heavens where there was no light, and that were black" signify the interiors of the men of the church, which, when closed by evils and falsities, do not admit light from heaven, but darkness from hell instead. From this it can be seen what is signified by "the lion and the destroyer of the nations making the land a waste;" so likewise by "I saw the earth, and lo, it was void and empty;" also by "the whole earth shall be a waste; for this shall the land mourn," namely, that the earth is not meant, but the church.

[10] In the same:

How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]? for the evil of them that dwell therein the beasts shall be carried off, and the fowl. The whole land is made waste because no man layeth it to heart. Wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns (Jeremiah 12:4, 11-13).

That the "land" here signifies the church is evident, from its being said that "the land shall mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]," and that "the beasts and the birds shall be carried off for the evil of them that dwell therein, and because no man layeth it to heart." "The herb of every field" signifies every truth and good of the church, and the "beasts and the fowl" signify the affections of good and truth; and since the church is signified by the "land," and it is here treated of as being vastated, it is said "wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns." "The bare heights in the wilderness upon which the wasters came" signify the things that are of charity, "wilderness" meaning where there is no good because no truth; "the sword of Jehovah" signifies falsity destroying truth; "from one end of the land to the other end of the land" signifies all things of the church; "to sow wheat and reap thorns" signifies to take from the Word the truths of good and to turn them into the falsities of evil, "wheat" meaning the truths of good, and "thorns" the falsities of evil.

[11] In Isaiah:

Upon the ground of my people shall come up the thorn and briar; the palace shall be deserted; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken (Isaiah 32:13-14).

The "thorn and briar that shall come up upon the ground" signify falsity and evil; the "palace that shall be deserted" signifies where good dwells; and the "multitude of the city that shall be forsaken" signifies where there are truths; for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth.

[12] In the same:

All the land shall be a place of briars and brambles; but as to all the mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe, there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble; but there shall be the sending-forth of the ox and the trampling of the sheep (Isaiah 7:24-25).

"Briars and brambles" signify falsity and evil; which makes evident what is signified by "all the land shall be a place of briars and brambles." "The mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe" signify those who from the love of good do goods, that with them there shall be no falsity and evil, but good, natural as well as spiritual, is signified by "there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble, but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the trampling of sheep;" that is, thither shall oxen be sent, and there the sheep shall trample, "ox" signifying natural good, and "sheep" spiritual good.

[13] In Ezekiel:

Thy mother is a lioness; she couched among lions; one of her whelps went up; he desolated the cities; the land and the fullness thereof was made waste by the voice of his roaring (Ezekiel 19:2-3, 7).

"Mother" signifies the church; a "lioness" and "lions" signify the power of evil and falsity against good and truth; the "roaring of the lion" signifies the lust of destroying and desolating; the "cities that he desolated" signify doctrine with its truths, which makes evident what is signified by "the land and the fullness thereof was laid waste," namely, the whole church.

[14] In the same:

They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment, that the land may be laid waste from the fullness thereof, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein; and the cities that are inhabited shall be desolated, and the land shall be a waste (Ezekiel 12:19-20).

Here "the land and the cities that shall be desolated and shall be a waste" have the same signification as above, namely, "the land" signifies the church, and "cities" doctrine with its truths; it is therefore said, "because of the violence of all them that dwell therein." Since this is what is meant, it is first said that "they shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment," "bread" and "water" in the Word signifying all the good of love and truth of faith (See Arcana Coelestia 9323), and "eating" and "drinking" signifying instruction and appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).

[15] In David:

I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God. Then the earth tottered and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and tottered when He was wroth (Psalms 18:6-7).

Here the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "totter and quake" when it is perverted by the falsification of truths; and then "the foundations of the mountains" are said "to tremble and totter," for the goods of love, which are founded upon the truths of faith, vanish; "mountains" meaning the goods of love (as above), and their "foundations" the truths of faith; which also shows that the "earth" is the church.

[16] In the same:

The earth is Jehovah's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; and He hath founded it upon the seas, He hath established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:1, 2).

The "earth" and the "world" stand for the church, and "fullness" for all things thereof; the "seas upon which He hath founded it," mean the knowledges of truth in general; the "rivers" doctrinals; because the church is founded on both of these, it is said that "He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers." That this cannot be said of the earth and the world is clear to anyone.

[17] In the same:

We will not fear, when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, when the waters thereof are in tumult and do foam. The nations are in tumult, the kingdoms are moved, when He giveth forth His voice the earth shall dissolve (Psalms 46:2-3, 6).

The "earth" evidently means the church, since it is said "to be changed" and "to dissolve," also that "the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, and the waters thereof shall be in tumult," and "the nations are in tumult and the kingdoms are moved." "Mountains" signify (as above) the goods of love, which are said "to be moved in the heart of the seas" when the essential knowledges of truth are perverted; "waters" signify the truths of the church, which are said "to foam" when they are falsified; "nations" signify the goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, its evils; and "kingdoms" the truths of the church, and in a contrary sense, its falsities; and also those who are in the one and the other."

[18] In the same:

O God, Thou hast cast us off; Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us. Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved (Psalms 60:1-2).

It can be seen that these things are said of the church, and not of the earth, for it is said, "Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved;" and as "the earth" signifies the church, and here the church vastated, it is said, "O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us."

[19] In the same:

When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof shall be dissolved; I will make firm the pillars of it (Psalms 75:2-3).

Here, likewise, the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "dissolve" when the truths by which there is good fail; truths, because they support the church, are called its "pillars," which God will make firm; it is not the pillars of the earth evidently that are made firm. As the restoration of the church is here described, it is said, "When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness." The truths of the church, here called the "pillars of the earth," are also called the "bases of the earth" (1 Samuel 2:8); and the "foundations of the earth," in Isaiah:

Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? It is He that dwelleth upon the circle of the earth, that bringeth the princes to nothing; and maketh the judges of the earth as emptiness (Isaiah 40:21-23).

The "princes who will be brought to nothing," and the "judges of the earth, whom He will make as emptiness," signify the things that are from self-intelligence and from one's own judgment.

[20] In Jeremiah:

A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth. Thus said Jehovah, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end thereof (Jeremiah 25:31-33).

The "end of the earth" and the "sides of the earth" signify where the ultimates of the church are, and where evils and falsities begin; and "from the end of the earth to the end thereof" signifies all things of the church; from this it can be known what is signified by "a tumult shall come to the end of the earth," and "a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth," also by "the slain of Jehovah in that day shall be from the end of the earth to the end thereof." The "slain" signify those in whom the truths and goods of the church are extinguished (See Arcana Coelestia 4503[1-11]).

[21] In Isaiah:

The isles saw, they feared; the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near, and came. I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters (Isaiah 41:5, 18).

The establishment of the church among the Gentiles is thus described; they are signified by the "isles" and the "ends of the earth;" for "isles" and "the ends of the earth" in the Word signify those who are far removed from the truths and goods of the church because they do not have the Word, and consequently, are in ignorance. That a church is to be established with such is signified by "I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters." That is called a "wilderness" where there is not yet good because there is not yet truth, and for the same reason it is called "dry land;" a "pool of waters" and a "spring of waters" signify good, because they signify truth; for all spiritual good, which is the good of the church, is acquired by means of truths.

[22] In the same:

Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. Go, ye messengers, to a nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have despoiled (Isaiah 18:1-2).

No one knows what is meant by "a land shadowed with wings," and "a land that the rivers have despoiled," unless he knows that "land" means the church, and "rivers" falsities; "a land shadowed with wings" is a church that is in thick darkness in respect to Divine truths (that these are signified by "wings," see above, n. 283; "beyond the rivers of Cush" signifies in respect to the knowledges themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word, which have been falsified; "a nation trodden down, to which the messengers should go, whose land the rivers have despoiled," signifies those out of the church who are in falsities from ignorance; "rivers" meaning the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense falsities; that "the messengers should go to them" signifies that they should be invited to receive the church.

[23] In the same:

In the fury of Jehovah of Hosts the land is obscured (Isaiah 9:19).

A "land obscured" signifies the things of the church in thick darkness, that is, in falsities; for the falsities of evil are said to be in thick darkness, but truths in light.

[24] In the same:

Jehovah shall remove man, and forsaken places shall be multiplied in the midst of the land (Isaiah 6:12);

"man whom Jehovah shall remove," signifying him who is wise, and abstractly, wisdom (as may be seen above, n. 280; "forsaken places multiplied in the midst of the land" signifying that there shall be no good at all, because no truth; "the midst of the land" meaning where truth is in the highest light; consequently when there is no light there, thick darkness pervades the whole; thus there is nowhere any truth at all.

[25] In the same:

Jehovah shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He put to death the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).

"The rod of Jehovah's mouth which shall smite the earth," signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; "the breath of the lips which shall put to death the wicked," signifies truth in the spiritual sense of the Word; these truths are said "to smite the earth," and "to put to death the wicked," when such are condemned by truths; for by truths everyone is judged and is condemned.

[26] In the same:

The earth is at rest, and is quiet. Hell hath stirred up the Rephaim because of thee, all the powerful of the earth. They that see thee shall say, Is this the man that maketh the earth to tremble, that maketh the kingdoms to quake; that hath made the world as a wilderness and threw down the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they rise not up and possess the land, and the faces of the world be filled with cities. I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains I will tread him down (Isaiah 14:7, 9, 16-17, 20-21, 25).

These things are said of the king of Babylon, by whom is signified the destruction of truth by the love of ruling over heaven and earth; which love the truths of the Word or of the church are made to serve as means; here their damnation is treated of. The "Rephaim whom hell stirred up," mean those who are in the direful persuasion of what is false, who are therefore called the powerful of the earth; "to make the earth to tremble," "to make the kingdoms quake," "to make the world as a wilderness," and "to throw down the cities thereof," signifies to pervert all things of the church; "earth" and "world" mean the church, "kingdoms" the truths that constitute it; and "cities" all things of doctrine. From this it is clear what is signified by, "Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people." The "Assyrian who shall be broken in the land and trodden down upon the mountains," signifies the reasonings from falsities against truths; "to be broken" means to be dispersed, and "to be trodden down" means to be wholly destroyed; "mountains upon which this is done," signify where the good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with such, all reasoning from falsities is dispersed or destroyed.

[27] In the same:

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish; the girdle is no more. Behold the land of the Chaldean; Assyria hath founded it into heaps. Jehovah will visit Tyre, that she may return to the hire of whoredom and commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the faces of the ground (Isaiah 23:1, 10, 23:13, 17).

Neither ships of Tarshish, nor Tyre, nor the land of Chittim, nor the land of the Chaldeans, nor Assyria, are here meant, as can be seen from the particulars in this chapter; but "the ships of Tarshish" mean the knowledges of truth and good, "Tyre" the like; "the land of Chittim" what is idolatrous; "the land of the Chaldeans" the profanation and destruction of truth, and "Assyria" reasoning from falsities. From this it is clear that, "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is desolated" signifies that there were no longer any knowledges of truth; "from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them" signifies idolatry therefrom; "the girdle is no more" signifies that there is no longer any coherence of truth with good; "behold the land of the Chaldeans" signifies that thus there is profanation and destruction of truth; "Assyria hath founded it into heaps" signifies that reasonings from falsities have destroyed it; "to return to the hire of whoredom" and "to commit whoredom with all kingdoms upon the faces of the ground" signifies the falsification of all truths of the whole church.

[28] In the same:

The king of Assyria shall pass on through Judah, he shall overflow and pass through, he shall reach even to the neck; and the flappings of his wings ¹ shall be the fullness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel (Isaiah 8:8).

Here, too, "the king of Assyria" signifies the reasoning from falsities against truths; "he shall pass on through Judah, he shall overflow and pass through" signifies that this shall destroy the good of the church (to "overflow" is predicated of falsities, because they are signified by "waters"); "he shall reach even to the neck" signifies that thus there shall be no longer any communication of good and truth; and "the flappings of his wings shall be the fullness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel" signifies that falsities shall be opposed to all the truths of the Lord's church; "the breadth of the land" signifies the truths of the church (See Heaven and Hell 197), consequently, in a contrary sense, falsities; therefore the "flappings of his wings" signify reasonings from falsities against truths; "fullness" signifies all; thus "the fullness of the breadth of the land" signifies all the truths of the church.

[29] In the same:

In that day shall the bud of Jehovah be for adornment and glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and splendor to those left of Israel (Isaiah 4:2).

The "bud of Jehovah," that shall be for adornment and glory, signifies the truth of the church; and the "fruit of the earth," that shall be for magnificence and splendor, signifies the good of the church; "Israel" signifies the spiritual church. Evidently it is the truth and good of the church, and not the bud and the fruit of the earth, that shall be for adornment, glory, magnificence, and splendor. When it is said the truth and good of the church, the truth of faith and the good of love are meant, for all truth is of faith, and all good is of love.

[30] In the same:

Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah; Thou hast been glorified; Thou hast removed all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 26:15).

The "nation to which Jehovah has added" signifies those who are in the good of love, whom He has claimed to Himself; "the ends of the earth which He has removed" signify the falsities and evils that infest the church, from which He has purified them.

[31] In the same:

Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty, they shall behold a land of far distances (Isaiah 33:17).

"To see the king in his beauty," means to see genuine truth, which is from the Lord alone; "to behold a land of far distances" signifies to behold the extension of intelligence and wisdom.

[32] In the same:

I have given thee for a covenant to the people, to restore the earth. Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song (Isaiah 49:8, 13).

This treats of the Lord and His coming; the establishment of the church by Him is described by "I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth," to "restore the earth" being to reestablish the church; it is known that the Lord did not restore the earth to the Jewish people, but that He established a church among the Gentiles; the joy in consequence is described by, "Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song," "the heavens" being the heavens where angels are who are in the interior truths of the church, "the earth" the church among men, and "the mountains" those who are in the good of love to the Lord.

[33] In Jeremiah:

The land is full of adulterers; for because of malediction the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up (Jeremiah 23:10).

"Adulterers" signify those who adulterate the goods of the church; therefore it is said, "the land is full of adulterers, and because of the malediction the land mourneth;" the "pastures of the wilderness that are dried up" signify no spiritual nourishment in such a church; that is called "wilderness" where there is no truth.

[34] In the same:

A drought is upon her waters, so that they shall become dry; for it is a land of graven images (Jeremiah 50:38).

"A drought upon the waters, so that they shall become dry" signifies that there are no more truths, "waters" being truths; "for it is a land of graven images" signifies the church destroyed by falsities which are from self-intelligence, which they call truths, "graven images" signifying those falsities.

[35] In Ezekiel:

The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth; the earth is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence (Ezekiel 7:2, 23).

"The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth" signifies the last time and the last state of the church, when its end is, the four quarters being all truths and goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, all its falsities and evils, thus all things of the church; "the earth full of the judgment of bloods" signifies that it is filled with evils of every kind, "bloods" being the evils that offer violence to the goods of love and charity and wholly destroy them; "the city full of violence" signifies the doctrine of that church likewise offering violence.

[36] In the same:

All the luminaries of light in heaven will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:8).

"The luminaries of light in the heavens" mean the sun, moon, and stars; the "sun" signifying love, the "moon" faith therefrom, and the "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; from this it is clear what is signified by "I will make them black over thee," namely, that these no longer exist; thence also it is clear what is signified by "I will set darkness upon thy land," namely, that there will be falsities in the church," "darkness" meaning falsities, and "land" the church.

[37] In the same:

Prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and to the hills and to the watercourses and to the valleys, Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown (Ezekiel 36:6, 9).

"The land of Israel" means the church; "mountains, hills, watercourses, and valleys" signify all things of the church from the first to the last things thereof, "mountains" are the goods of love to the Lord, "hills" the goods of charity towards the neighbor-these are the first things of the church; "watercourses and valleys" are truths and goods that are the last things of the church. That this is the meaning can be seen from what was said at the beginning of this article, namely, that those in heaven who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell upon mountains, those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills, and those who are in goods and truths in the lowest heaven in plains and valleys; "watercourses" are the truths of doctrine there; to implant these is signified by "I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown. "

[38] In Hosea:

In that day I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn and the new wine and the oil, and these shall hear Jezreel, ² and I will sow her unto me in the earth (Hosea 2:21-23).

Evidently these things are to be understood spiritually, and not naturally according to the sense of the letter, for it is said that "these shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow her unto me in the earth;" therefore the "heavens" mean the heavens where the Lord is; and the "earth" the church where also the Lord is; "corn, new wine, and oil" signify all the things of spiritual nourishment, which are the goods of love and charity and the truths of faith.

[39] In Malachi:

He shall not destroy for you the fruit of the ground, neither shall the vine in the field be barren to you; all nations shall proclaim you happy, and ye shall be a land of good pleasure (Malachi 3:11-12).

These things are said of those with whom is the church; and because "the fruit of the ground," and "the vine in the field" signify the goods and truths of the church ("fruit" goods, and "the vine" its truths), therefore they are called "a land of good pleasure."

[40] In David:

Let thy good spirit lead me into the land of uprightness; vivify me, O Jehovah, for Thy name's sake (Psalms 143:10-11).

"The land of uprightness" stands for the church in which is the right and the true; and because "the spirit of Jehovah" signifies Divine truth, and everyone receives spiritual life through that, therefore it is said, "Let Thy good spirit lead me," and "vivify me, O Jehovah."

[41] As the "earth" signifies the church, and where the church is there is heaven, therefore heaven is called "the land of the living," and "the land of life;" "the land of the living" in Isaiah:

I said, I shall not see Jah in the land of the living (Isaiah 38:11);

and in Ezekiel:

Who caused terror in the land of the living (Ezekiel 32:23-27).

"The land of life," in David:

Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life (Psalms 27:13).

[42] In Moses:

The stone shall be entire and just, the ephah shall be entire and just, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Deuteronomy 25:15).

"Days to be prolonged upon the earth" does not mean a lengthening of life in the world, but the state of life in the church, thus in heaven; for "to be prolonged" is predicated of good and its increase, and "day" signifies the state of life; and as "a stone entire and just," which was a weight, and "an ephah entire and just," which was a measure, signify truth and good and their quality, and both together signify justice, "stone" signifying truth, and "measure" good, and as not to deceive by weight and measure is to be just, therefore such shall have the life of the church and afterwards life in heaven, which is meant by "their days upon the earth shall be prolonged."

[43] The like is signified by this precept in the Decalogue:

Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Exodus 20:12).

Those who honor father and mother have heaven and the happiness there, because in heaven no other father but the Lord is known, for all there have been generated anew from Him; and in heaven by "mother" the church is meant, and in general, the kingdom of the Lord. It is clear that those who worship the Lord and seek his kingdom will have life in heaven, also that many of those who honor father and mother in the world do not live there long.

[44] In Matthew:

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

"Inheriting the earth" signifies not possession of the earth, but possession of heaven and blessedness there; the "meek" mean those who are in the good of charity.

[45] In Isaiah:

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name God-With-Us: butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good; for before the Lad knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good, the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of its two kings. It shall come to pass in that day, by reason of the abundance of milk they yield, He shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land (Isaiah 7:14-16, 21-22).

It is known that these things were said respecting the Lord and His coming; "butter and honey," which He shall eat, signify the goods of love; "butter" the good of celestial and spiritual love, "honey" the good of natural love; this means that He would appropriate the Divine to Himself even in respect to the Human; "to eat" signifying to appropriate. That "the land shall be forsaken before He knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good" signifies that when He should be born there would not be anything of the church remaining in the whole world; and because those where the church was, rejected every Divine truth and perverted all things of the Word, and explained it in favor of self, it is said of the land, that is, the church, "which thou abhorrest from the presence of its two kings; "king" signifying the truths of heaven and of the church; "two kings" the truth of the Word in the internal or spiritual sense, and the truth of the Word in the external or natural sense. "Milk" signifies truth through which good comes, and as "butter" signifies the good therefrom, "by reason of the abundance of yielding milk, butter shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land" signifies that every truth shall be from good.

[46] In Matthew:

In the consummation of the age, all the tribes of the earth shall lament (Matthew 24:30).

"The consummation of the age" which is treated of in that chapter, is the last time of the church, when judgment takes place; "all the tribes of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church, which are said "to lament" when they are no more.

[47] In Luke:

Then shall there be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring; men expiring for fear and for expectation of the things coming upon the whole earth; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. That day as a snare shall come upon all that dwell upon the face of the whole earth (Luke 21:25-26, 35).

Here also the last time of the church is treated of, when judgment takes place, and the "earth" and the "world" here mean the church. "The distress of nations upon the earth," "the fear and expectation of the things coming upon the earth, and upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth" signifies upon those who are in the spiritual world, not upon those who are in the countries in the natural world. (That there are lands in the spiritual world also, see what is said at the beginning of this article; and that the Last Judgment was accomplished there, see in the small work on The Last Judgment.) It has been told before what "sun," "moon," and "stars" signify, in which are signs, namely, that "sun" signifies love, "moon" faith therefrom, and "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; the "sea and waves roaring" signify the reasonings and assaults of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, wrongly and perversely applied. The "powers of the heavens that shall be shaken" signify the Word in the sense of the letter, since this sense is the foundation of the spiritual truths that are in the heavens. (See Heaven and Hell, in the article that treats of The Conjunction of Heaven with Man by the Word, n. 303-310.)

[48] In Isaiah:

Sing aloud ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob. I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretchest forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself (Isaiah 44:23-24).

"Sing aloud, ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein" signifies all things of heaven and of the church, both internal and external, all of which have reference to good and to truth. Things internal are signified by "the heavens," things external by "the lower parts of the earth;" "mountains" mean the good of love, the "forest" means natural truth, and the "trees" therein mean the knowledges of truth. Because such things are signified, it is said, "for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob," "Jacob" in the Word signifying the external church, and "Israel" the internal church; "to stretch forth the heavens," and "to spread abroad the earth" signifies the church on all sides, which is spread forth and extended by the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good, with those who are of the church.

[49] In Zechariah:

Jehovah stretcheth out the heavens, and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zechariah 12:1).

Here, too, in like manner "heavens" and "earth" signify the church everywhere, thus in respect to its interiors and as to its exteriors; therefore it is also said, "He formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him."

[50] In Jeremiah:

The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens. Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence. At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth (Jeremiah 10:11-13; 51:15-16).

Because the "heavens" and the "earth" signify the church (as above), it is said, "Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence;" and therefore also it is said, "At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth;" "the voice that Jehovah giveth forth" signifies Divine truth proceeding from Him; the "multitude of waters in the heavens" signifies truth in abundance, for "waters" signify truths; and "the vapors that He causeth to ascend from the end of the earth" signify the ultimate truths of the church, "vapors" are those truths; and "the end of the earth" is the ultimate of the church; and as "gods" signify the falsities of doctrine and of worship, which destroy the church, it is said, "The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens."

[51] In David:

Jehovah, who by intelligence maketh the heavens, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters (Psalms 136:5-6).

Because "heaven" and "earth" signify the church, and the church is formed by truths, and the truths of the church constitute intelligence, it is said, "Jehovah maketh the heavens by intelligence, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters," "waters" meaning the truths of the church.

[52] In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah God, that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out, that spreadeth forth the earth and the products thereof, that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isaiah 42:5).

"To create the heavens" and "to spread forth the earth and the products thereof" signifies to form the church and to reform those who are in it, "products" meaning all things of the church; therefore it is said, "that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." That "to create" is to reform, see above n. 294.

[53] In the same:

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the [higher] clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, and bring forth the fruit of salvation. I have made the earth, and created man upon it. Thus said Jehovah who created the heavens; God Himself who formeth the earth and maketh it and prepareth it: I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness (Isaiah 45:8, 12, 18-19).

"Heavens" and "earth" here plainly mean all things of the church, both its internals and externals; for it is said, "Drop down, ye heavens, and let the [higher] clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, and bring forth the fruit of salvation." "Heavens" signify the interiors of the church, because the interiors that are of man's spiritual mind are the heavens with him. (That with the man with whom the church is there is a heaven, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 30-57.) "To create the heavens and to form the earth, and make and prepare it," signifies to fully establish the church.

[54] In the same:

Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered (Isaiah 65:17).

"To create new heavens and a new earth" signifies to establish a new church in respect to its interiors and exteriors, both in the heavens and on earth (as above).

[55] In the same:

Who hath heard a thing like this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I am about to make shall stand before Me, so shall your seed and your name stand (Isaiah 66:8, 22).

Because the "earth" signifies the church, it is said, "shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time?" "To bring forth," and "birth," and "to beget," and "begetting," in the Word, signify spiritual birth and begetting, which are of faith and love, thus reformation and regeneration. What the "new heavens" and the "new earth" signify has been told above.

[56] In Jeremiah:

I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes (Jeremiah 27:5).

"Man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth" signify the affections of truth and good in the spiritual and the natural man (See n. 280; and Arcana Coelestia 7424, 7523, 7872); and since these affections with men constitute the church in them it is said, "I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes." Everyone knows that God gives the earth not alone to those who are right in His eyes, but also to those who are not right, while the church He gives to those only who are right; "right" signifying truth and its affection.

[57] In Isaiah:

The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner (Isaiah 51:6).

The "heavens that shall vanish away," and the "earth that shall wax old like a garment" signify the church; this step by step falls, and at length is desolated; but not so the visible heaven and the habitable earth; therefore it is said, "and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner," "to die" signifying to die spiritually:

The heavens and earth shall pass away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17);

has a like signification.

[58] In Revelation:

Four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow upon the earth (Revelation 7:1).

"The four corners of the earth," and "the four winds of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church in the complex; for they have the like signification as the four quarters of heaven (that these have this signification, see Heaven and Hell, on the four quarters in heaven, n 141-153). To "hold the four winds" signifies that truths and goods do not flow in because they are not received; therefore it is said that "the wind should not blow upon the earth." "The earth" signifies the church elsewhere in Revelation (as Revelation 10:2, 5-6, 8; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8-9, 11; 21:1), as well as in many other places in the Word, too numerous to be cited.

[59] As the church was signified by the "earth" and especially by the "land of Canaan," because the church was there, and as the church which was there was a representative church, so all things there were representative, and all that was said to them by the Lord signified the spiritual or interior things of the church, and this even to the land itself and its products; as in these words in Moses:

If thou wilt keep the commandments, Jehovah will lead thee into a good land, into a land of brooks of waters, of fountains, of depths coming forth out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat, of barley, of vine, of fig, of pomegranate; a land of the olive, of oil, of honey; a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness; it shall lack nothing; a land where the stones are iron and out of the mountains is digged copper; and thou shalt eat, and shalt be satisfied in this good land (Deuteronomy 8:6-10).

This is a description of all things of the church, both its interiors and its exteriors; but to explain what the particulars signify would be tedious and not to the present purpose.

[60] Because the "land" signifies the church it was among the blessings, that if they lived according to the commandments:

The land would yield its increase, evil beasts would cease out of the land, nor would the sword pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3-4, 6).

That "the land would yield its increase" signifies that there would be good and truth in the church; that "evil beasts would cease" signifies that there would not be evil affections and lusts, which destroy the church; that "the sword would not pass through the land" signifies that falsity would not cast out truth.

[61] Again, as the "land" signifies the church, it was also decreed that:

The seventh year should be a sabbath of the land, and that there should be no labor upon it (Leviticus 25:1-8).

It is therefore said also that:

The land was defiled on account of their evils, and would vomit them out because of their abominations (Leviticus 18:25-28).

Because the "land" [or ground] signified the church:

The Lord spat on the earth, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said, Go wash thee in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7, 11, 15);

So the Lord, when the Scribes and Pharisees questioned Him respecting the woman taken in adultery, stooping down, wrote twice on the earth (John 8:6, 8);

which signified that the church was full of adulteries, that is, full of the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth; therefore the Lord said to them:

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her; but they went out one by one, beginning from the elders, even unto the last (John 8:7, 9).

[62] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has the "earth," which in that sense signifies the church vastated; it is vastated when the good of love and the truth of faith are no more, but instead thereof evil and falsity; as these damn man, the "earth" in that sense signifies damnation, as in the following places: Isaiah 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; Lamentations 2:2, 10; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:24; Numbers 16:29-33; 26:10; and elsewhere.

Footnotes: