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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

主よ、私の兄弟が私に対して罪を犯すのは何度までですか。7回までですか？"

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

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

ルカによる朗読の中で、主は似たようなことを言っている：

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes:

391. I saw under the altar, signifies those who were preserved under heaven. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to make manifest (See above, n. 351); also from the signification of "altar" as being, in the nearest sense, worship from the good of love to the Lord; in a more interior sense, heaven and the church, which are in that love; and in the inmost sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love. "Under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven, because it is said that he "saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held," and by these are meant those who were preserved under heaven until the Last Judgment; but as this is not yet known in the world, I will tell how it is. In the small work on The Last Judgement it has been shown that before the Last Judgement took place there was a semblance of heaven which is meant by "the former heaven that passed away" (Revelation 21:1) and that this heaven consisted of those who were in external worship without internal, and who therefore lived an external moral life, although they were merely natural and not spiritual. Those of whom this heaven consisted before the Last Judgment were seen in the spiritual world above the earth, also upon mountains, hills, and rocks, and therefore believed themselves to be in heaven; but those of whom this heaven consisted, because they were in an external moral life only and not at the same time in an internal spiritual life, were cast down; and when these had been cast down, all those who had been preserved by the Lord, and concealed here and there, for the most part in the lower earth, were elevated and transferred to these same places, that is, upon the mountains, hills, and rocks where the others had formerly been, and out of these a new heaven was formed. These who had been preserved and then elevated were from those in the world who had lived a life of charity, and who were in the spiritual affection of truth. The elevation of these into the places of the others I have often witnessed. It is these who are meant by "the souls of those slain seen under the altar," and because they were guarded by the Lord in the lower earth, and this earth is under heaven, so "I saw under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven. But these are particularly treated of in Revelation 20:4-5, 12-13, where more will be told about them; meanwhile see what is said in the small work on The Last Judgement (n. 65-72) of "the former heaven that passed away," and "the new heaven" that was formed by the Lord after the Last Judgment. This much will suffice to afford some light for understanding what is said in the two following verses, namely, that they who were under the altar "cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth? And there were given to them white robes; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled."

[2] "Under the altar" signifies under heaven, because the "altar," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, for the Lord is heaven and the church, since everything of heaven and the church, or everything of love and faith which make heaven and the church with angel and man, are from the Lord, and thence are His; but in a general sense the "altar" signifies all worship of the Lord and especially representative worship, such as there was with the sons of Israel. "The altar" signifies all worship, because "worship" in that church consisted mainly in offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices; for these were offered for every sin and guilt, also from good will to please Jehovah (these were called eucharistic or voluntary sacrifices), also for cleansings of every kind. Moreover, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices inaugurations were also effected into everything holy of the church, as is evident from the sacrifices at the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood, the inauguration of the tent of meeting, and afterwards of the temple. And as the worship of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, these also were offered daily, namely, every morning and evening, and were called in one word "the continual," besides a great number at every feast; so in the Word the "continual-offering" signifies all representative worship. From this it can be seen that worship, and particularly the representative worship of that nation, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices. For this reason the altar upon which these were made, and which contained them, signifies in the Word all worship in general. Worship means not external worship only, but also internal worship; and internal worship comprehends everything of love and everything of faith, thus everything that constitutes the church or, heaven with man, in a word, that causes the Lord to be with him.

Heaven was represented before John by an altar, for this reason also, that the whole Word was written by representatives, and by such representatives as were with the sons of Israel; in order, therefore, that the Word might be similar in both Testaments, the things in this book and that were seen by John, are like those in other parts, that is, an altar of incense was seen, the incense itself with the censers, likewise the tabernacle, the ark, and other like things. But at the present day such things never appear to any angel, or to any man whose sight is opened into heaven. The altar, the ark, and like things do not appear in heaven at the present day, because to the ancients sacrifices were wholly unknown, and after the Lord's coming they were entirely abolished. Sacrifices were begun by Eber, and were continued afterwards among his posterity, who were called Hebrews, and were tolerated among the sons of Israel who were from Eber, especially because a worship once begun and rooted in the mind is not abolished by the Lord, but is bent to signify what is holy in religion (See Arcana Coelestia 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042).

[3] That "the altar" signifies, in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love, and that in a relative sense it signifies heaven and the church, and in general all worship, and in particular representative worship, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy habitations, that I may come unto the altar of God, unto God (Psalms 43:3-4).

It is clearly evident that "the altar of God" here means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for these words treat of the way to heaven and to the Lord there; the way to heaven is meant by "send out Thy light and truth; let them lead me;" "light" meaning the illustration in which truths appear; heaven, into which it leads is meant by "let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy habitations;" "mountain of holiness" meaning heaven where the Lord's celestial kingdom is, in which the good of love reigns; while those heavens are called "habitations" where the Lord's spiritual kingdom is, in which truth from that good reigns; and as both are meant it is said, "that I may go unto the altar of God, unto God," "altar of God" meaning where the Lord is in the good of love, and "God" where the Lord is in truth from that good; for the Lord is called "God," from Divine truth, and "Jehovah" from Divine good. In the Jewish Church there were two things that, in the highest sense, signified the Lord's Divine Human, namely, the altar and the temple; the altar, the Divine Human in relation to Divine good; the temple, in relation to Divine truth proceeding from that good. These two signified the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, because all things of worship in that church represented the Divine things that proceed from the Lord, called celestial and spiritual, and the worship itself was chiefly performed upon the altar and in the temple, therefore, these two represented the Lord Himself.

[4] That the temple represented His Divine Human He teaches in plain terms in John:

The Jews said, What sign showest Thou that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:18-23; also Matthew 26:61 elsewhere).

When the disciples were showing Him the buildings of the temple, the Lord said:

That there shall not be left stone upon stone that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2);

signifying that the Lord was wholly denied among them, on which account also the temple was destroyed from its foundation.

[5] That "the altar" also signified the Lord's Divine Human, may be concluded from the Lord's words in Matthew:

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, for ye say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Also, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? For he that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by everything thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:16-22).

It is here said that the temple sanctifies the gold that is in it, and that the altar sanctifies the gift that is upon it; and thus that the temple and the altar were most holy, and that all sanctification was from them; therefore "the temple" and "altar" signify the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for from that everything holy of heaven and the church proceeds. If this is not the meaning how could the temple or the altar sanctify anything? Nor can worship itself sanctify, but the Lord alone, who is worshiped, and from whom is the good and truth of worship; for this reason it is said that the gift does not sanctify, but the altar, "the gift" meaning the sacrifices that constituted the worship; and because the Jews did not understand this, but taught otherwise, they were called by the Lord "fools and blind."

[6] Because this was signified by the altar, all who touched it were sanctified as is evident in Moses:

Seven days thou shalt sanctify [the altar], that the altar may be the holy of holies; whosoever shall touch the altar shall be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).

"To touch" signifies to communicate, to transfer, and to receive (See Arcana Coelestia 10130), here the Divine that proceeds from the Lord; and as this was signified by "touching," and those who touched were sanctified, it follows that in the highest sense the Lord Himself is signified by the "altar," for there is nothing holy from any other source. Moreover, all worship is worship of the Lord and from the Lord; and as worship in that church consisted chiefly of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, so the "altar" signified the Divine Itself from which [a quo] and this Divine is the Lord's Divine Human.

[7] It was therefore also commanded:

That the fire upon the altar should burn continually, and never be extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13);

also that from that fire the lamps should be lighted in the tent of meeting, and that they were to take from that fire in the censers and burn incense; for "the fire" signified the Divine love which is in the Lord alone (See above, n. 68).

[8] Because "the fire of the altar" signifies the Divine love, the prophet Isaiah was sanctified by it:

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, in whose hand was a burning coal, which he had taken from off the altar, and he touched my mouth, and said, This hath touched thy lips; therefore thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:6-7).

What these words signify in their series can be seen when it is known that "the altar" signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and "the fire" on it the Divine good of his Divine love; that the prophet's "mouth and lips" signify the doctrine of good and truth; and that "to touch" signifies to communicate; "iniquity which was taken away" signifies falsity, and "sin" evil; for "iniquity" is predicated of the life of falsity, that is, of a life contrary to truths, and "sin" of the life of evil, that is, of a life contrary to good.

[9] In Isaiah:

All the flocks of Arabia shall be brought together unto Thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto Thee; they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment (Isaiah 60:7).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and this is said of the Lord Himself; "all the flocks of Arabia that are to be brought together," and "the rams of Nebaioth that are to minister" signify all spiritual goods, external and internal, "flocks" signify external goods, and "rams" internal goods, and "Arabia" and "Nebaioth" things spiritual; "they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment" signifies the Lord's Divine Human, in which they will be, "altar" signifying His Divine Human in relation to Divine good, and "house of adornment" the same in relation to Divine truth. That the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is here meant is evident from the preceding part of that chapter, where it is said that "Jehovah shall arise upon Thee, and His glory shall be seen upon Thee," with what follows, which describes the Divine wisdom with which the Lord will be filled in respect to His Human.

[10] As "the altar" signifies in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human, "altar" therefore signifies also heaven and the church; for the angelic heaven, viewed in itself, is from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; from this it is that the angelic heaven in the whole complex is as one man; wherefore that heaven is called the Greatest Man (See what is said about this in Heaven and Hell 59-86; and about the church, n. 57). And as all worship is from the Lord, for it is the Divine communicated to man from the Lord, in which is the Lord Himself, thence "altar" signifies also in general, everything of worship that proceeds from the good of love; and "temple" the worship that proceeds from truths from that good; for all worship is either from love or from faith, either from good or from truth; worship from the good of love is such as exists in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and worship from truths from that good, which truths are called the truths of faith, is such as exists in the Lord's spiritual kingdom (about which see also in the same work, n. 20-28).

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified by "altar" in the following passages. In David:

How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of Hosts! My soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God. Yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house (Psalms 84:1-4).

"Altars" here mean the heavens, for it is said, "How amiable are Thy tabernacles; my soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah," and afterwards it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts;" "tabernacles" mean the higher heavens, and "courts" the lower heavens where is the entrance; these are also called "altars" from worship; and as all worship is from the good of love by means of truths it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God;" for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "King" and "God" from Divine truth; and because the heavens are meant, it is also said, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house," "the house of Jehovah God" meaning heaven in the whole complex. It is also said, "yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow her nest," because "bird" signifies spiritual truth and "swallow" natural truth, by which there is worship; and as all truth by which there is worship is from the good of love, it is first said, "my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God," "heart and flesh" signifying the good of love, and "sing for joy" worship from the delight of good.

[12] Heaven and the church are also meant by "altar" in these passages in Revelation:

There was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood and said to me, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein (Revelation 11:1).

I heard another angel out of the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments (Rev. 16:7).

In David:

I wash mine hands in innocence, and compass Thine altar, O Jehovah, that I may make the voice of confession to be heard (Psalms 26:6-7).

"To wash the hands in innocence" signifies to be purified from evils and falsities; "to compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies conjunction with the Lord by worship from the good of love; and because this is a worship by means of truths from good, it is added, "that I may make the voice of confession to be heard," "to make the voice of confession to be heard" meaning worship from truths. "To compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies the conjunction of the Lord by means of worship from the good of love, because "Jehovah" is predicated of the good of love, and "to compass" signifies to embrace with worship, thus to be conjoined.

[13] In Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts; every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres [the city of Cheres]. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside the border thereof (Isaiah 19:18-19).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man, and its knowing faculty [scientificum]; "in that day" signifies the Lord's coming and the state of those who will then be in true knowledges [scientifica] from the Lord; "five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan" signify many truths of doctrine which are genuine truths of the church, "five" meaning many, "cities" the truths of doctrine, and "the lips of Canaan" genuine doctrinals of the church; "to swear to Jehovah of Hosts" signifies those that confess the Lord; "Jehovah of Hosts," mentioned here and in many other passages in the Word, means the Lord in respect to all good and truth; for "Hosts" [Zebaoth] in the original signifies armies, and "armies" signify in the spiritual sense all the goods and truths of heaven and the church (See Arcana Coelestia 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019). This, therefore is the meaning of "Jehovah Zebaoth" or "Jehovah of Hosts;" "every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres" signifies the doctrine glittering from spiritual truths in natural, for "Ir" means city, and "city" signifies doctrine; "Cheres" means a glittering like that of the sun; "in that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifies that there shall then be worship of the Lord from the good of love by means of true knowledges that are in the natural man; "an altar to Jehovah" signifying the worship of the Lord from the good of love, "in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifying by means of knowledges that are in the natural man, true knowledges meaning also cognitions from the sense of the letter of the Word; "and a pillar to Jehovah besides the border thereof" signifies the worship of the Lord from the truths of faith, "a pillar (statue)" signifying worship from the truths of faith, and "the border of Egypt" signifying the ultimates; the ultimates of the natural man are things of the senses.

[14] In the same:

When he shall lay all the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered, the groves and sun statues shall rise no more (Isaiah 27:9).

This is said of Jacob and Israel, by whom the church is signified, here the church that is to be destroyed; its destruction in respect to the truths of worship is described by "laying the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered," "the stones of the altar" meaning the truths of worship, "as chalk stones scattered" mean as falsities that do not cohere; "the groves and sun statues shall rise no more" signifies that there shall no longer be any worship from spiritual and natural truths, "groves" signifying worship from spiritual truths, and "sun statues" worship from natural truths.

[15] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath cast off His altar; He hath abhorred His sanctuary; He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces (Lamentations 2:7).

This is a lamentation over the vastation of all things of the church; that the church has been vastated in respect to all goods is signified by "the Lord hath cast off His altar;" that it has been vastated in respect to all truths is signified by "He hath abhorred His sanctuary." (That "sanctuary" is predicated of the church in respect to truths, see above, n. 204.) That falsities and evils have entered into all things of the church is signified by "He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;" "enemy" signifies evil and falsity, "to shut up in his hands" signifies that these have seized and entered, "the walls of palaces" signifies all protecting truths, "palaces" mean the things of doctrine.

[16] In Isaiah:

Everyone that keepeth the sabbath, and holdeth to My covenant, them will I bring in upon the mountain of My holiness, and will make them glad in the house of My prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon My altar (Isaiah 56:6-7).

"Sabbath" signifies the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, thus with those who are therein; so "to keep the sabbath" signifies to be in conjunction with the Lord; and "to hold to his covenant" signifies conjunction by a life according to the Lord's commandments; "covenant" means conjunction, and a life according to the commandments is what conjoins; for this reason the commandments of the Decalogue were called "a covenant;" "them will I bring in upon the mountain of holiness" signifies that He will endow them with the good of love, "the mountain of holiness" meaning the heaven in which the good of love to the Lord is, consequently also such good of love as there is in that heaven; "I will make them glad in the house of My prayer" signifies that He will endow them with spiritual truths, "the house of prayer," or the temple, meaning the heaven where spiritual truths are, consequently also such spiritual truths as there are in that heaven; "their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon Mine altar" signifies worship from the good of love grateful from spiritual truths, "burnt-offerings" signifying worship from the good of love, and "sacrifices" worship from truths that are from that good; truths from good are what are called spiritual truths; "upon the altar" signifies in heaven and the church.

[17] In David:

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness, and with whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar (Psalms 51:18-19).

"Zion" means the church that is in the good of love, and "Jerusalem" the church that is in the truths of doctrine; therefore, "to do good in good pleasure unto Zion, and to build the walls of Jerusalem" signifies to restore the church by leading it into the good of love and by instructing it in the truths of doctrine. Worship then from the good of love is signified by "then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness and with whole burnt-offering," "righteousness" is predicated of celestial good, and "whole burnt-offering" signifies love; and worship then from the good of charity is signified by "then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar," "bullocks" signifying natural good, which is the good of charity.

[18] In the same:

God is Jehovah who enlighteneth us; bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar. Thou art my God (Psalms 118:27-28).

"To enlighten" signifies to illustrate in truths; "to bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar" signifies to conjoin all things of worship, "to bind with ropes" meaning to conjoin, "the festal-offering to the horns of the altar" meaning all things of worship, "horns" mean all things because they are the ultimates, and "the festal-offering" and "altar" mean worship. All things of worship are conjoined when externals are conjoined with internals, and goods with truths.

[19] In Luke:

The blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world shall be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple (Luke 11:50-51).

This does not mean that the blood of all the prophets from the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel, shall be required of the Jewish nation, for blood is not required from anyone but of him who sheds it; but these words mean that that nation had falsified all truth and adulterated all good; for "the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world" signifies the falsification of all the truth there had ever been in the church; "blood" meaning falsification, "prophets" the truths of doctrine, and "from the foundation of the world," meaning all that there had ever been in the church; "the foundation of the world" meaning the establishment of the church. "From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple," signifies the adulteration of all good, and the consequent extinction of the worship of the Lord; "the blood of Abel unto Zachariah" means the adulteration of all good; "to be slain between the altar and the temple" means the extinction of all good and all truth in worship, for "altar" signifies worship from good, and "temple" the worship from truth, as has been said above; "between these" means where there is conjunction, and where there is not conjunction there is neither good nor truth. The altar was outside the tent of meeting, and outside the temple; therefore what was done between the two signified communication and conjunction (See Arcana Coelestia 10001, 10025; and that "Abel" signifies the good of charity, n. 342, 374, 1179[1], 3325). It is evident that neither Abel nor Zachariah is meant here in the spiritual sense, since in the Word names signify things.

[20] In Matthew:

Jesus said, if thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave the gift before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

"To offer a gift upon the altar" means in the spiritual sense to worship God, and to worship God means worship both internal and external, namely, from love and from faith, and thus from the life; this is meant because in the Jewish Church worship consisted chiefly in offering sacrifices or gifts upon the altar, and the chief thing is taken for the whole. From this the meaning of these words of the Lord in the spiritual sense can be seen, namely, that Divine worship consists primarily in charity towards the neighbor, and not in piety without that; "to offer a gift upon the altar" means worship from piety, and "to be reconciled to a brother" means worship from charity, and this is truly worship, and such as this is such is the worship from piety. (On this see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 123-129; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 222, 224, 358-360, 528, 529, 535; and above, n. 325.)

[21] That "If thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar" signifies in all worship, is evident from the Lord's words in Luke 17:4 [Matthew 18:22, where it is said that the brother or neighbor must be forgiven all the time, "seventy times seven" there signifying always.

Because such things are signified by "altar," the altar was made either of wood or of ground, or of whole stones, upon which iron had not been moved, also it was overlaid with brass. The altar was made of wood, because "wood" signifies good; it was also made of ground because "ground" has a like signification; it was made of whole stones, because such "stones" signified truths formed out of good, or good in form, and it was forbidden to fit these stones by any hammer, axe, or instrument of iron, to signify that nothing of self-intelligence must come near to the formation of it; that it was overlaid with brass signified that it represented good in every part, for "brass" signifies good in externals.

[22] That the altar was made of wood is evident in Moses:

Thou shalt make the altar of shittim-wood, five cubits long and broad; it shall be foursquare. And thou shalt make horns for it. And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; the board-work shall be hollow (Exodus 27:1-8).

And in Ezekiel:

The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length of it two cubits; its corners, the length of it, and the walls of it, were of wood. Then he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah (Ezekiel 41:22).

Moreover, the altar was made of wood, and overlaid with brass, for the sake of use, that it might be carried about, and removed from place to place in the wilderness, where the sons of Israel then were; also because "wood" signifies good, and "shittim-wood" good of righteousness, or the good of the Lord's merit. (That "wood" signifies good, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354; and that "shittim-wood" signifies the good of righteousness or of merit, which belongs to the Lord only, n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178.) But that the altar was built also of ground, and if of stones, then of whole stones, and not hewn by any iron instrument, is further evident in Moses:

An altar [of ground] thou shalt make unto Me, that thou mayest sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offering. If thou makest to Me an altar of stones thou shalt not build it of hewn stones, for if thou move a tool upon it thou wilt profane it (Exodus 20:24-25).

If an altar of stones be built, no iron shall be struck upon the stones (Deuteronomy 27:5-6).

[23] Thus far it has been shown what "altar" signifies in the genuine sense; from this it is clear what "altar" signifies in the contrary sense, namely, idolatrous worship, or infernal worship, which has place only with those who profess religion, but yet love and thus worship self and the world above all things; and when they do this they love evil and falsity; therefore "the altar," in reference to such, signifies worship from evil, and "the statues" which they also had, worship from falsity, and therefore also hell. That this is the signification of "altar," in the contrary sense, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look ¹ to that which his fingers have made, or to the groves or the sun-statues (Isaiah 17:7-8).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that men shall then be led into the goods of life, and be instructed in the truths of doctrine, is meant by "In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel." The Lord is called "Maker" because He leads into the goods of life, for these make man; and He is called "the Holy One of Israel" because He teaches the truths of doctrine; therefore it is added, "a man shall have respect," and "his eyes shall look;" man is called "man" from the good of life, and "eyes" are predicated of the understanding of truth, thus of the truths of doctrine. That there will then be no worship from self-love, from which are the evils of life, nor from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine, is signified by "he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look to that which his fingers have made," "altars, the work of his hands," mean worship from self-love, from which are evils of life, and "that which his fingers have made" means worship from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine; "groves and sun-statues" signify a religion from falsities and evils therefrom, "groves," a religious principle from falsities, and "sun-statues" a religious principle from the evils of falsity.

[24] In Jeremiah:

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven ² upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; as I remember their sons, their altar, and their groves, by the green tree upon the high hills (Jeremiah 17:1-2

This declares that the idolatrous worship of the Jewish nation was so deeply rooted that it could not be removed. That it was too deeply rooted to be removed is signified by "the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" deeply-rooted falsity is meant by "it is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond," and deeply-rooted evil is meant by "it is graven upon the table of the heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" it is said "upon the horns of the altars," because idolatrous worship is meant. The "sons whom He remembers," signify the falsities of evil; "the altars" idolatrous worship from evil; "the groves by the green tree" such worship from falsities; "upon the high hills" signifies the adulteration of good and the falsification of truths; for at that time, when all things of worship were representative of celestial and spiritual things, they had worship in groves and upon hills, for the reason that "trees," of which groves consist, signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, and this according to the kind of trees; and because "hills" signified the goods of charity, and spiritual angels who dwell in the spiritual world upon hills are in such goods, so in ancient times worship was performed upon hills; but this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nation, lest they should profane the holy things that were represented; for in respect to worship that nation was in externals only, their internal was merely idolatrous. (That trees signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, according to their kind, see Arcana Coelestia 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692; for this reason the ancients worshiped in groves under trees, according to their significations, n. 2722, 4552; why this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nations, n. 2722; why "hills" signify goods of charity, n. 6435, 10438)

[25] In Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit like unto himself; when his fruit is plentiful he multiplieth altars; when his land is good they make goodly statues. Their heart is smooth, now are they laid waste; he shall demolish their altars, he shall devastate their statues (Hosea 10:1-2);

"Israel" here signifies the church, which is called "an empty vine" when there is no longer any truth; its worship from evils is meant by "the altars which he multiplies;" and worship from falsities is meant by the "statues which he makes goodly;" that this is done so far as these abound is signified by "when his fruit is plentiful" and "when his land is good." That worship from evils and falsities shall be destroyed is signified by "he shall demolish their altars, and shall devastate their statues." (That "statues" signify worship from truths, and in a contrary sense, worship from falsities, thus idolatrous worship, see Arcana Coelestia 3727[1-8], 4580, 10643.)

[26] In Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the water courses and to the valleys, I bring in a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places; and your altar shall be laid waste; your sun images shall be broken; yea, I will make your slain to fall before your idols (Ezekiel 6:3, 4, 6, 13).

"The Lord Jehovih said to the mountains, hills, water courses, and valleys," does not signify to all who dwell there, but to all idolaters, that is, to all who instituted worship upon mountains and hills, and near water-courses and in valleys, which was done because of the representation and consequent signification of these; "to bring a sword upon you, and to destroy the high places, and to lay waste the altars, and to break the sun images" signifies to destroy all things of idolatrous worship by means of falsities and evils, for it is by means of these that idolatrous worship destroys itself; "the sword" signifies falsities destroying, "the high places" idolatrous worship in general, "altars" the same from evil loves, and "sun images" the same from the falsities of doctrine; "to make the slain to fall before the idols" signifies the damnation of those who perish by falsities; "slain" signifying those who perish by falsities, "idols" the falsities of worship in general, and "to fall" to be damned.

[27] In Hosea:

Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, they have made ³ for him altars for sinning (Hosea 8:11).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellect of the church, here the intellect perverted; "to multiply altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of falsities; and "to make altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of evils; for in the Word, "to multiply" is predicated of truths, and in a contrary sense of falsities, and "to make" is predicated of good, and in a contrary sense of evil; this is why the two are mentioned, and yet it is not a vain repetition.

[28] In the same:

Samaria is discomfited, her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters and the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle come up on their altars (Hosea 10:7-8).

"Samaria" signified the spiritual church, that is the church in which charity and faith make one; but after it became perverted "Samaria" signified the church in which charity is separated from faith, and in which faith is even declared to be the essential; therefore also it then signified the church in which there is no longer any truth, because there is no good, but in place of good the evil of life, and in place of truth the falsity of doctrine. This is here signified by "Samaria is discomfited;" the falsity of its doctrine is signified by "her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters," "king" signifying truth, and in a contrary sense, as here, falsity; "foam upon the faces of the waters" signifying what is empty and separated from truths, "waters" meaning truths; "the high places of Aven shall be destroyed" signifies the destruction of principles of falsity and of the reasonings therefrom of those who are in that worship, which viewed in itself is interiorly idolatrous; for those who are in the evil of life and the falsities of doctrine worship themselves and the world; "the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars" signifies that truth falsified and evil therefrom, shall be in all their worship, "altars" meaning all worship.

391h.

[29] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, that the horns of the altar may be hewn down and fall to the earth (Amos 3:14).

"To visit the transgressions of Israel upon him" signifies their last state, in the spiritual sense their state after death, when they are to be judged; it is said "to visit," instead of to judge, because visitation always precedes judgment; "the altars of Bethel" signify the worship from evil; "the horns of the altar" signify worship from falsities, thus these signify all things of worship; and that these are to be destroyed is signified by "the horns shall be hewn down and fall to the earth." It is said, "I will visit upon the altars of Bethel," because Jeroboam separated the Israelites from the Jews, and erected two altars, one in Bethel and the other in Dan; and as "Bethel" and "Dan" signify the ultimates in the church, and the ultimates in the man of the church are called natural-sensual things, or natural-worldly and corporeal, so these are signified by "Bethel," and "Dan," the ultimates of good by "Bethel," and the ultimates of truth by "Dan;" therefore these two altars signify worship in ultimates or in things most external, such as is the worship of those who separate charity from their faith, and acknowledge faith alone to be the means of salvation.

Such persons therefore, think of religion in the natural-sensual; consequently they neither understand nor desire to understand any of the things they say they believe, saying that the understanding must be under obedience to faith. Such as these were represented by the Israelites separated from the Jews, or by Samaria separated from Jerusalem, and the worship of such was represented by the altars in Bethel and Dan; such worship, insofar as it is separated from charity, is no worship, for in it the mouth speaks apart from the understanding and the will, that is, apart from the mind; apart from the understanding, because they say that men ought to believe even though they do not understand; and apart from the will because they put aside deeds or goods of charity.

[30] That such worship is no worship is signified by what is said in the first book of Kings:

When Jeroboam stood by the altar in Bethel, the man of God cried out to him that the altar should be rent, and the ashes poured out; and so it came to pass (1 Kings 12:26 at the end; 1 Kings 13:1-6).

"The altar should be rent and the ashes poured out" signifies that there was no worship whatever. Faith separated from charity was then signified by "Samaria," because the Jewish kingdom signified the celestial church, that is, the church that is in the good of love, and the Israelitish kingdom signified the spiritual church which is in the truths from that good. This was signified by the Jewish and Israelitish kingdom while they were under one king, or while they were united; but when they were separated, the Israelitish kingdom signified truth separated from good, or what is the same, faith separated from charity. Moreover, worship is signified by "the altar," because it is signified by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices that were offered upon it, in many other passages too numerous to be cited. And because idolatrous worship was signified by "the altars of the nations," therefore it was commanded that they should be everywhere destroyed (See Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3; Judges 2:2).

[31] This makes clear that altars were in use among all the posterity of Eber, thus among all who were called Hebrews, who for the most part were in the land of Canaan and its immediate neighborhood; likewise in Syria, from which Abraham came. That there were altars in the land of Canaan and its neighborhood is evident from the altars mentioned there as destroyed:

That there were altars in Syria is evident from the account of those built by Balaam, who was from Syria (Numbers 23:1).

Also from the altar in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-15).

Also from the Egyptian abominating the Hebrews on account of their sacrifices (Exodus 8:26);

Even so that they were unwilling to eat bread with them (Genesis 43:32).

The reason of this was that to the Ancient Church, which was a representative church and extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, sacrifices were unknown, and when they were instituted by Eber it looked upon them as abominable, that is, that they should wish to appease God by the slaughter of different animals, thus by blood. Among those who were of the Ancient Church were also the Egyptians; but as they applied representatives to magic that church became extinct among them. They were unwilling to eat bread with the Hebrews, because at that time "dinners" and "suppers" represented and thus signified spiritual consociation, which is consociation and conjunction through those things that pertain to the church; and "bread" signified in general all spiritual food and thus "dining" and "supping" all conjunction.

[32] (That the Ancient Church extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, namely through Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia, even to Tyre and Zidon, through the land of Canaan, on both sides of the Jordan, see Arcana Coelestia 1238, 2385; that it was a representative church, n. 519, 521, 2896; respecting the church instituted by Eber, which was called the Hebrew Church, n. 1238, 1341, 1343, 4516, 4517. That sacrifices were first begun by Eber, and were afterwards in use among his posterity, n. 1128, 1343, 2180, 10042. That sacrifices were not commanded, but only permitted, shown from the Word; why they were said to have been commanded, n. 922, 2180, 2818; that it was necessary that altars and sacrifices should be mentioned, and that Divine worship should be signified by them, because the Word was written in that nation, and the historical Word treated of that nation, n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604)

Footnotes:

324. And golden bowls full of incense, signifies confession from spiritual goods. This is evident from the signification of "golden bowls," which are also called "censers," and "incense pans," as being truths from good; for "bowls," like all containing vessels, signify truths, and "gold," of which they were made, signifies good, therefore "golden bowls" are truths from good. (That "vessels" signify truths, because truths serve good as recipient and containing vessels, see Arcana Coelestia 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318; also "the vessels of the altars," "of burnt offering," and "of incense," n. 9723, 9724; and that "gold" signifies good, above, n. 242 It is evident also from the signification of "incense," as being those things of worship that are done from spiritual good, or from the good of charity, and are therefore gratefully perceived. Such things are signified by "incense," because all things that are instituted in the Israelitish nation were representative of celestial and spiritual things; so also were the things relating to odor; things of pleasant odor represented pleasant perception, but those of unpleasant odor unpleasant perception. On this account incense was made of fragrant spices, myrrh, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. Moreover, there is a correspondence between odor and perception, as can be seen from this, that in the spiritual world, where all things perceived by the senses correspond, the perceptive of good and truth is made sensible as fragrance from pleasant odors, and vice versa (respecting this see what is shown from experience, Arcana Coelestia 1514, 1517-1519, 1631, 4626, 4628, 4630, 4631, 5711-5717). From this it is that also in the common language of men, to smell means to perceive; for such expressions, like many others, have come into human discourse from correspondence; for the spirit of man is actually in the spiritual world, although man is not conscious of it. Moreover, the faculty of perception that man has, is what produces in his body the sense of smell, and this too from correspondence. But this is an arcanum that can with difficulty be credited, because it has been hitherto unknown. It is to be noted that this sweet smell or fragrance is produced by the good of love and charity, but by means of truth, not by good itself without truth, still less by means of the truth that is called truth of faith without good; for good without truth has nothing perceptive, neither has truth without good.

[2] "Incense" signifies those things of worship that are done from spiritual good, because spiritual good has its origin and existence from celestial good, which good is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and is therefore the very good of heaven, for that good is immediately from the Lord, and the Lord is with angels in that good as in what is His. This is even so far true that whether you say that the Lord is in them and they in the Lord, or that the Lord is with them in that good and they are in the Lord when in that good, it is the same. Spiritual good, which has its origin and existence from celestial good, is the good of charity towards the neighbor; worship from this good is what is signified by "incense." As all worship of the Lord comes from good, although through truths, and as there are two universal goods that make the heavens and distinguish them into two kingdoms, namely, celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor, therefore with the sons of Israel there were two altars, one for burnt offerings, the other for incense-offerings; the altar of burnt offering signifying worship from the good of celestial love, and the altar of incense worship from the good of spiritual love; thence it is clear what was represented by "incense."

[3] That this is so can be seen from passages in the Word where the two are mentioned. As in Moses:

Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and thou shalt put it before the veil that is over the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy-seat. And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of spices every morning, when dressing the lamps he shall burn it, and in making the lamps to ascend between the evenings he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah in your generations. Ye shall make no strange incense to ascend thereon, nor burnt-sacrifice, nor meal-offering, nor drink-offering (Exodus 30:1-10).

That this "altar," and the "burning incense" upon it, signified worship from spiritual good, is evident from its having been placed in the tent of meeting without the veil, where also were the lamps; and the tent signified the Lord's spiritual kingdom; while that part of the tent that was within the veil signified the Lord's celestial kingdom, as can be seen from what is shown in Arcana Coelestia 9457, 9481, 9485) respecting the tent, in which was the table for the bread of faces, and in which was the altar of incense and the lampstand, also respecting the ark, in which was the Testimony, and upon which was the mercy-seat (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 10545). It is there shown that the things that were in the tent without the veil, namely, the lamp stand, the altar of incense, and the table for the bread, signified such things as are of the spiritual kingdom, all of which have reference to spiritual good and its truth. The "table, upon which was the bread of faces," signified the reception of celestial good in spiritual good (See n. 9527); the "lampstand" with the "lamps" signified the spiritual itself of that kingdom (n. 9548, 9551, 9556, 9561, 9572, 9783); the "altar of incense" signified worship from spiritual good; and because worship from spiritual good was signified by burning incense upon that altar, and the spiritual itself by the "lampstand," it was commanded that Aaron should burn incense upon it every morning and evening, when he dressed the lamps. (But these things are more fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 10176-10213, where these particulars are treated of.)

[4] And because spiritual good has its origin and existence from celestial good (as was said above), not only was that altar placed near the veil that was over the ark, but it was also commanded that when Aaron should make atonement for himself and for his house, he should bring the incense within the veil, which signified the influx, communication, and conjunction of celestial good and spiritual good. Of this it is written in Moses:

When Aaron shall make an atonement for himself and for his house he shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering; and he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of the incense of spices, and he shall bring it within the veil, that he may put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah; and the cloud of the incense shall cover the mercy-seat that is upon the Testimony, that he die not (Leviticus 16:11-13).

That "he should take fire from off the altar of burnt-offering," and "should put incense upon the fire," signified that spiritual good, which is the good of charity, has existence and proceeds from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord (that the "fire of the altar" signified that good, see Arcana Coelestia 4489, 6314, 6832, 9714, and elsewhere). This is why the fire for burning incense was not taken from anywhere else than from the altar of burnt-offering. When Aaron made atonement for himself and his house he was to burn the incense within the veil because Aaron as chief priest represented the Lord in respect to the good of love, and by his functions he represented the things that proceed from that good, all of which relate to spiritual good; spiritual good, unless it is from celestial good, is not good; except for this Aaron's function could not have been from the Divine, or could not have represented anything of the Divine; and this is why Aaron was threatened with death unless he did as he was commanded.

[5] For the same reason also Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, were consumed by fire from heaven because they burnt incense from other fire than the fire of the altar of burnt-offering, which is offering worship from a love other than love to the Lord; respecting which it is thus written in Moses:

Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer and put strange fire therein, and laid incense thereon. Therefore fire went out from before Jehovah and devoured them, and they died, afterwards they were carried without the camp (Leviticus 10:1-5).

"They were carried without the camp" signified that their worship was not from heaven, because not from love to the Lord; for "the camp of the sons of Israel" represented heaven and the (See Arcana Coelestia 4236, 10038).

[6] Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their company, were swallowed up by the earth, although they took fire from the altar and burnt incense, because "their murmuring against Moses and Aaron" signified the profanation of the good of celestial love; for "Moses" and "Aaron" represented the Lord and "to murmur" (that is, to rebel) against the Lord and at the same time to perform holy offices, is profanation; but as they took the fire from the altar, that fire was cast out, and their censers were made into a covering for the altar; respecting which it is thus written in Moses:

Moses said to them that they should take fire and put it into their censers which was also done; but they were swallowed up (Numbers 16).

But afterwards it was commanded:

That they should gather up the censers, and scatter the fire hitherwards; and of the censers, which were of brass, they should make broad plates, a covering to the altar, because they had been sanctified (Numbers 16:37-38).

The censers had been sanctified by the "fire of the altar," which signified Divine celestial love.

[7] Because spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor, derives its essence and soul from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, therefore also "frankincense," which signifies spiritual good, was put upon the "bread of faces," which signified celestial good; as can be seen from these words in Moses:

And frankincense shall be put upon the bread of faces which is upon the table in the tent of meeting, that the bread may be for a memorial (Leviticus 24:7).

"That the bread may be for a memorial" signifies that the Lord may receive and give heed; for all worship of the Lord which is truly worship comes from celestial good through spiritual good; for spiritual good, which is charity towards the neighbor, is an effect of celestial good, for charity towards the neighbor is the performance of uses, and living a moral life from a heavenly origin (respecting which see Heaven and Hell 390, 484, 529, 530-535; and The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-107), this, therefore, is spiritual good; while celestial good is looking to the Lord and acknowledging that every good and truth is from Him, and that from man, or from what is man's own, there is nothing but evil.

[8] That the incense was to be burned from no other fire than the fire of the altar of burnt-offering, which signified celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is also evident from other passages, as in Moses:

When the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron, and were attacked by the plague, then Aaron took fire from the altar, and put it in a censer, and placed incense on it, and he ran into the midst of them; and the plague was stayed (Numbers 16:41, 46-48, and also in Revelation 8:3-5).

[9] That "incense" and "frankincense" signify spiritual good, and "burning incense" worship acceptable because of that good, and therefore hearing and reception by the Lord, can be seen from the following.

In Isaiah:

A troop of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and of Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense; and they shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah (Isaiah 60:6).

Here the Lord's coming is treated of; the "troop of camels" and the "dromedaries of Midian and Ephah" signify the knowledges of truth and good in abundance; "all they from Sheba shall come" signifies from the knowledges of genuine truth and good (that "Sheba" signified such knowledges, see Arcana Coelestia 1171, 3240); "gold and frankincense," which they shall bring, signify worship from spiritual good that is from celestial good; "gold" signifying celestial good, and "frankincense" spiritual good. Because worship from these is signified it is said, "and they shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah;" "proclaiming the praises of Jehovah" signifying the proclamation of good tidings respecting the Lord, and worship of Him.

[10] In Matthew:

The wise men from the east opened their treasures, and offered gifts to the newborn Lord, gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

"The wise men from the east" also signified those who are in the knowledges of truth and good; the worship of such from celestial good, spiritual good, and natural good is signified by "they offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh;" for "gold" signifies celestial good, "frankincense" spiritual good, and "myrrh" natural good. That these had such a signification was still known to many in the east, therefore they were also called "sons of the east," by whom in the Word those who are in the knowledges of truth and good are meant (See Arcana Coelestia 3249, 3762), for the knowledge of correspondences had remained among them; therefore that they might testify their joy of heart they offered such things as signified every good from first to last; and this is what was predicted in Isaiah, that they "were to come from Sheba, and bring gold and frankincense, and proclaim the praises of Jehovah" (of which just above).

[11] In Malachi:

From the rising of the sun even unto its going down My name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name, and a clean meal offering (Malachi 1:11).

"From the rising of the sun even unto its going down My name shall be great among the nations" signifies that the church and worship of the Lord shall be everywhere with those who are in good; "from the rising of the sun to its going down" signifying every place where there is good; "My name shall be great" signifying the acknowledgment and worship of the Lord; and "nations" signifying those who are in good; "incense shall be offered unto My name, and a clean meal offering" signifies the worship of the Lord from spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor, and from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord; worship from spiritual good is signified by "incense offering," and from celestial good by "meal offering." (That a "meal offering" signifies that good, see Arcana Coelestia 4581, 10079, 10137)

[12] "Incense" and "meal-offering" have a like signification in David:

Give ear unto my voice when I call unto Thee. Let my prayers be accepted as incense before Thee; the lifting up of my hands as the evening meal-offering (Psalms 141:1, 2).

And in Isaiah:

Thou hast brought to Me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings, and thou hast not honored Me with thy sacrifices. I have not made thee to serve by a meal-offering, nor wearied thee by frankincense (Isaiah 43:23).

As all worship of the Lord comes from spiritual good that is from celestial good, therefore the two, "meal-offering" and "frankincense" are mentioned separately in the letter, yet in the internal or spiritual sense they are to be understood conjointly, but the one from the other.

[13] So in Jeremiah:

They shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the circuits of Jerusalem, bringing burnt-offering and sacrifice, and meal-offering and frankincense (Jeremiah 17:26).

Here "Judah" and "Jerusalem" do not mean Judah and Jerusalem, but the Lord's church, which is in the good of love and in the doctrine of charity therefrom; worship from these is signified by "burnt-offering and sacrifice," also by "meal-offering and frankincense."

[14] Because "meal-offering" signified the good of celestial love, and "frankincense" the good of spiritual love, upon the meal-offering of fine flour were put oil and frankincense, as appears in Moses:

When a soul would offer the offering of a meal-offering unto Jehovah, fine flour shall be his offering, upon which he shall pour oil, and shall put upon it frankincense; and the priest shall take out of it his handful of the fine flour and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof, and he shall burn it for a memorial upon the altar (Leviticus 2:1-2).

This meal-offering was instituted because "fine flour" signifies genuine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 9995); and since this truth is from good, namely, from celestial good, and from consequent spiritual good, "oil and frankincense" were put upon it; "oil" signifying the good of celestial love, and "frankincense" the good of spiritual love; in the internal sense, the one from the other. There were also other kinds of meal-offerings that were prepared with oil that had a like signification.

[15] In Ezekiel:

Thou hast taken the garments of thy embroidery, and hast covered the images of the male, with which thou didst commit whoredom; and didst set My oil and My incense before them (Ezekiel 16:18-19).

This is said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church in respect to doctrine, here doctrine altogether perverted. The "images of the male," which "she covered with the garments of her embroidery, and with which she committed whoredom," signify the falsities that they made, by perverse interpretations, to appear as truths, thus they signify falsified truths, "garments of embroidery" meaning the knowledges of truth from the Word, and "to commit whoredom" meaning to falsify; to set My oil and My incense before them" signifies to adulterate both the good of celestial love and the good of spiritual love; and these are adulterated when the Word is applied to the loves of self and of the world.

[16] In Moses:

They shall teach Jacob Thy judgments, and Israel Thy law; they shall put incense in Thy nostrils, and a burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deuteronomy 33:10).

This is the prophecy of Moses respecting Levi, by whom the priesthood is signified, and because the priesthood was representative of the Lord in respect to the good of love, both celestial and spiritual, therefore it is said, "they shall put incense in Thy nostrils, and a burnt-offering upon Thine altar;" "incense" signifying worship from spiritual good, and "burnt offering upon the altar" worship from celestial good; "in the nostrils" signifying to the perception.

[17] In David:

I will go into Thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay my vows unto Thee. I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, rams with incense (Psalms 66:13, 15).

"To offer burnt-offerings of fatlings" signifies worship from the good of celestial love; "to offer rams with incense" signifies worship from the good of spiritual love; "incense" and "ram" signifying that good.

[18] In Revelation:

Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up out of the angel's hand before God. Afterwards the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it into the earth (Revelation 8:3-5).

What this means will be told in the explanation of these words in what follows; here it need merely be said that "incense" signifies worship from spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor. Such worship is signified also by "the prayers of the saints;" it is therefore said "that there was given unto him much incense, that he might offer it with prayers of the saints;" and then that "the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God." That the "prayers of the saints" signify worship from spiritual good will be seen in the next paragraph, so also what is meant by worship from spiritual good, or from the good of charity.

[19] In Isaiah:

A people that provoke Me to anger continually before My faces; that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon bricks (Isaiah 65:3).

Here "sacrificing" and "burning incense" have the contrary signification, namely, worship from the falsities of doctrine that are from self-intelligence; "gardens" signify intelligence, here self-intelligence, and "bricks" falsities therefrom; "to sacrifice" and "to burn incense" signify worship. (That the ancients held Divine worship in gardens and groves in accordance with the significations of the trees therein, but that this was forbidden among the Israelitish nation, lest they should frame to themselves a worship from the selfhood [ex proprio], see n. 2722, 4552)

[20] In Hosea:

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth, because the shadow thereof is good, therefore your daughters commit whoredom, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery Hosea 4:13).

This describes worship from the love of self and from the love of the world, and from the falsities of doctrine therefrom; worship from the love of self is meant by "sacrificing upon the tops of the mountains;" worship from the love of the world, by "burning incense upon the hills;" and worship from the falsities of doctrine, by "sacrificing and burning incense under the oak, the poplar, and the terebinth;" the "top of the mountains" signifying celestial love, here the love of self; "hills" spiritual love, here, the love of the world; for the love of self is the contrary of celestial love, and the love of the world is the contrary of spiritual love; "the oak, the poplar, and the terebinth," signify the lowest goods of truth and truths of good of the natural man, here the evils of falsity and the falsities of its evil; "because the shadow thereof is good" signifies complacence; the falsifications of spiritual good therefrom are signified by "therefore your daughters commit whoredom," and the adulteration of celestial good by "your daughters-in-law commit adultery."

[21] In Jeremiah:

[According to] the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number [of the streets] of Jerusalem have ye set up altars, altars to burn incense unto Baal (Jeremiah 11:13, 17).

"Cities" here do not mean cities, nor "gods" gods, nor the "streets of Jerusalem" streets there; but "cities" signify the doctrinals of falsity; "gods" the falsities themselves; and the streets of Jerusalem the falsities of the doctrine of the church. "To set up altars, altars to burn incense unto Baal," signifies worship from the love of self and from the love of the world (as above). This nation did set up altars and burn incense to Baal; but as all things of their worship were representative, the things that were done according to the statutes were representative of things celestial and spiritual; consequently the things that were done contrary to the statutes were representative of things infernal; therefore by "altars set up to the gods," and by "incense offered to Baal," these contrary things are signified.

[22] In the same:

I will speak with them judgments upon all their evil, in that they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, and have bowed themselves down to the works of their own hands (Jeremiah 1:16).

"To burn incense to other gods," and "to bow themselves down to the works of their own hands," signifies worship from the falsities that are from self-intelligence; "other gods" meaning falsities, and the "works of their own hands" what is from self-intelligence.

[23] The like is signified by:

Burning incense to gods (Jeremiah 11:12; 44:3, 5, 8, 15, 18);

Likewise burning incense to graven images (Hosea 11:2);

And burning incense to vanity (Jeremiah 18:15);

The like as above is signified by burning incense to Baal (Jeremiah 7:9; Hosea 2:13);

Likewise by burning incense to Melecheth, or the queen of the heavens (Jeremiah 44:17-19, 21, 25).

"Melecheth of the heavens" signifies falsities in the whole complex.

[24] Moreover, "burning incense" signifies those things of worship that are perceived as grateful, and "incense" signifies spiritual good, because all things that were instituted in the Israelitish nation were representative of things celestial and spiritual; for the church with them was not as the church at this day, which is internal, but it was external; and the externals represented and thus signified the internal things of the church, such as were disclosed by the Lord in the Word of the New Testament; for this reason their church was called a representative church. The externals of that church consisted of such things in the world of nature as corresponded to the affections of good and truth in the spiritual world; consequently when those who were of that church were in externals in respect to worship, those who were in the spiritual world, that is, in heaven, were in the internals, and conjoined themselves with those who were in externals; it was in this way that heaven at that time made one with the men on the earth.

[25] From this it can be seen why there was a table for the bread in the tent of meeting, and why there was a lampstand with lamps, and an altar for incense. For "bread" represented and thence signified the good of love proceeding from the Lord, or celestial good; the "lampstand with lamps" represented and thence signified spiritual good and truth; and "incense" represented and thence signified worship; and because all Divine worship that is perceived as grateful is from spiritual good, therefore that good was signified by "incense." In order that this gratification might be represented the incense was made from fragrant spices, and this also from correspondence; for fragrant odors correspond to the pleasantnesses and delights that are in the thoughts and perceptions from the joy of spiritual love. For this reason incense corresponded to such things as are received as grateful by the Lord and perceived as grateful by angels. This gratification is solely from spiritual good, or from the good of charity towards the neighbor; for this good is celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord in effect; for celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is brought into effect solely through spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor; consequently to be in this good and to exercise it is to love and worship the Lord. (What charity toward the neighbor is, and what it is to exercise it, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-107.)

[26] As the "oil" by which anointings were made signified celestial good or the good of love to the Lord, and "incense" signified spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbor, and as the latter is from the former (as was said above), therefore in Exodus (chapter 30) the preparation of the anointing oil is first treated of, and immediately afterwards the preparation of the incense; the preparation of the anointing oil from verse 23 to 33, and the preparation of the incense from verse 34 to 38. And as the incense-offering is here treated of I will quote what is there commanded regarding the preparation of incense, namely:

Take unto thee fragrant spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum; fragrant spices and pure frankincense, like quantity with like quantity shall it be. And thou shalt make it an incense, a perfume the work of the perfumer, salted, pure, holy; and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the Testimony of the Tent of meeting, where I will meet thee; it shall be unto you the holy of holies. And the incense that thou makest ye shall not make in its quality for yourselves; it shall be unto thee holy to Jehovah. The man who shall make like unto it to smell thereof shall be cut off from his peoples (Exodus 30:34-38).

(But what these particulars signify, see Arcana Coelestia 10289-10310, where they are explained consecutively.) Here it may be said merely that frankincense was the primary ingredient, and the other three were added for the sake of their odor; therefore it is said of the frankincense, that "a like quantity with a like quantity it shall be," or as much of one as of the other; in like manner as with the anointing oil, in which the oil of the olive was the primary ingredient, and the other things in it were significative (Exodus 30:23-33). From this it is clear why frankincense has the same signification as incense when compounded, namely spiritual good.

[27] As the fragrances pertaining to odor correspond to spiritual pleasantnesses, or to the pleasantnesses arising from spiritual good, so also what is received by the Lord as most grateful is called an:

Odor of rest (Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 12; 3:5; 4:31; 6:15, 21; 8:28; 23:8, 13, 18; Numbers 15:3; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36).

In Ezekiel:

By the odor of rest I will be pleased with you (Ezekiel 20:41).

In Moses:

If ye will not walk in My precepts, but will go contrary to Me, I will not smell the odor of your rest (Leviticus 26:27, 31).

And in Hosea:

His branches shall spread, and he shall be as the honor of the olive, and his odor as that of Lebanon (Hosea 14:6).

This is said of Israel; "the honor of the olive" signifies celestial good, and "the odor of Lebanon" spiritual good, from its gratefulness. (That "honor" is predicated of celestial good, see above, n. 288; that the "olive" also signifies that good, see Arcana Coelestia 9277, 10261; that "odor" signifies what is perceived as grateful according to the quality of love and faith, n. 1514-1519, 3577, 4624-4634, 4748, 5621, 10292; that the "odor of rest" signifies the perceptive of peace, n. 925, 10054; what this is see in the work on Heaven and Hell 284-290.)