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535. And I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth.- That this signifies the cognitions of truth falsified, and thus turned into falsities, is evident from the signification of stars, which denote the cognitions of good and truth (see above, n. 72, 402); and from the signification of falling and falling from heaven, which denotes to perish, and this is the case with the cognitions of truth when they are denied, and falsified; in this case, when they are falsified. For this book does not treat of those who deny truths, but of those who falsify them, since those who deny truths are not amongst those who are in the former heaven, and are cast down thence into hell at the day of a last judgment, for these are cast thither immediately after death; but those who falsify truths from various causes are treated of in this book, because they made themselves a heaven which was afterwards destroyed. The cognitions of good and truth from the Word are falsified by those, who acknowledge the Word, but apply it in favour of their own loves, and of the principles which are from their own intelligence, for thus they turn the truths of the Word into falsities, and thus the cognitions of good and truth with them perish. From these considerations it is evident that the star from heaven fallen unto the earth, signifies that the cognitions of truth were falsified, and thus turned into falsities (similarly above, n. 517).
[2] That to fall down, or to fall from heaven to the earth, signifies to perish, that is, no longer to have a place in heaven, but to be cast down thence and conjoined with hell, is evident from what follows, where it is said, "And to him was given the key of the well of the abyss," and that "he opened it," the well of the abyss denoting the hell where and whence are the falsities of evil. The signification of falling from heaven unto the earth, above in the Apocalypse, is similar:
"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth" (6:13).
And again:
The dragon "with his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth" (12:4).
And in Daniel:
And the horn of the he-goat "waxed great, even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down some of the host, and of the stars to the ground, and trampled upon them" (8:10).
And in Matthew:
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the stars shall fall from heaven" (24:29).
The same is also signified by the words of the Lord in Luke:
Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven" (10:18).
Satan means all the falsity that destroys truth, for the hells where such falsities are, and whence they arise, are called Satan, and the hells where and whence the evils are which destroy goods, are called the Devil, wherefore by Satan as lightning falling from heaven, is meant, that all the falsity which destroyed the truth of the Word, was cast down out of heaven. The same is meant by the great dragon being cast upon the earth and his angels with him, whose place was no more found in heaven (Apoc. 12:8, 9). From these considerations it is evident, that by falling, and being cast down out of heaven to the earth, is signified, no longer to have a place in heaven, but in hell, consequently to perish. The earth, here also, signifies that which is cursed, as was shown above (n. 304 at the end).
[3] The reason why those who falsify the truths of the Word by interpretations for the purpose of confirming evils of the life, avert themselves from heaven, and turn themselves to hell, is, that the conjunction of heaven with man is by means of the Word, for heaven is in the spiritual sense of the Word, and man is in its natural sense, wherefore the conjunction of heaven with the world is by means of the Word; on this account, also, the Word is called a covenant, and a covenant denotes conjunction. This is the reason why those cannot be conjoined with heaven who apply the Word to evils of the life, and to false principles from [their] own intelligence, and those who are not conjoined with heaven are conjoined with hell; for man must be either in heaven or in hell, as he is not allowed to hang between both. But with those who apply the Word to falsities which do not disagree with good of life, such as the upright Gentiles possess who have not the Word, and the simple-minded in the church who believe in the Lord, and lead a good life, the Lord also applies their falsities to good, and turns them to heaven, since from their falsities they look to good. For the essential thing in heaven is the good of life, which is the same as the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbour; for according to that good, every one there has intelligence, wisdom, and perception of truth. This therefore is what is meant by the falsification of truth from the Word, here signified by the star from heaven fallen unto the earth.
535. And I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth, signifies the knowledges of truth falsified, and thus turned into falsities. This is evident from the signification of "stars," as being the knowledges of good and truth (of which above, n. 72, 402); and from the signification of "gliding" and "falling from heaven," as being to perish; and the knowledges of truth perish when denied and when falsified, here when falsified; for this book does not treat of those who deny truths, but of those who falsify them. For those who deny truths are not among those who are in "the former heaven," and who are cast down therefrom into hell at the day of the Last Judgment, for such are cast down thither immediately after death. But in this book those who, for various reasons, falsify truths are treated of, for such made for themselves a heaven that was afterwards destroyed. Those falsify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word who acknowledge the Word but apply it to favor their loves and to favor principles that are from self-intelligence, thus they turn the truths of the Word into falsities, and thus the knowledges of good and truth with them perish. From this it can be seen that "a star from heaven fallen unto the earth" signifies that the knowledges of truth are falsified, and thus turned into falsities (See above, n. 517).
[2] "To fall down" or "to fall from heaven unto the earth" signifies to perish, that is, to have no longer any place in heaven but to be cast down therefrom and conjoined with hell, as is evident from what follows, where it is said "there was given unto him the key of the pit of the abyss, and he opened it," "the pit of the abyss" signifying the hell where and from which are the falsities of evil. "To fall from heaven unto the earth" has a similar signification above in Revelation:
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth (304.
[3] Because heaven is conjoined with man by means of the Word, those who falsify the truths of the Word by interpretations to confirm evils of life avert themselves from heaven and turn themselves to hell. For heaven is in the spiritual sense of the Word, and man is in its natural sense; consequently heaven is conjoined with the world by means of the Word. For this reason the Word is also called a "covenant" and a covenant is a conjunction. This is why those who apply the Word to evils of life and to the false principles that are from self-intelligence cannot be conjoined with heaven; and those who are not conjoined with heaven are conjoined with hell; for man must be either in heaven or in hell; it is not permitted him to hang between the two. But those who apply the Word to such falsities as do not disagree with the good of life, such as exist with the upright Gentiles that do not have the Word and with the simple in the church who believe in the Lord and lead a good life, because from their falsities they look to good, have such falsities applied by the Lord to good, and are turned towards heaven; for the essential thing in heaven is the good of life, which is the same as the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor; for in heaven everyone has perception of truth, intelligence, and wisdom, in accordance with that good. This makes clear what is meant by falsifying the truth from the Word, which is here signified by "a star from heaven fallen unto the earth."
535. "Et vidi stellam e caelo delapsam in terram." - Quod significet cognitiones veri falsificatas et sic versas in falsa, constat ex significatione "stellarum", quod sint cognitiones boni et veri (de qui supra, n. 72, 402); et ex significatione "labi" et "cadere e caelo", quod sit perire; et cognitiones veri pereunt cum negantur et cum falsificantur; hic cum falsificantur, nam in hoc Libro non agitur de illis qui negant vera, sed de illis qui falsificant illa: qui enim negant vera, non sunt inter illos qui in priori caelo sunt, et inde die ultimi judicii dejiciuntur in infernum; hi enim statim post mortem illuc conjiciuntur: at illi qui falsificant vera ex variis causis, sunt de quibus in hoc Libro agitur, quoniam illi fecerunt sibi caelum quod postea destructum est. Illi cognitiones veri et boni, quae ex Verbo, falsificant, qui agnoscunt Verbum sed illud applicant ad favorem suorum amorum, et ad favorem principiorum quae ex propria intelligentia, ita vertunt vera Verbi in falsa; sic cognitiones boni et veri apud illos pereunt. Ex his constare potest quod per "stellam e caelo delapsam in terram" significetur quod cognitiones veri falsificatae sint, et sic versae in falsa (similiter ac supra, n. 517).
[2] Quod "delabi" seu "cadere e caelo in terram" significet perire, hoc est, non locum amplius habere in caelo, sed inde dejici et conjungi inferno, patet a sequentibus, ubi dicitur quod "data ei sit clavis putei abyssi", et quod "aperuerit illum"; per "puteum abyssi" significatur infernum ubi et unde falsa mali. Simile significatur per "cadere e caelo in terram" supra in Apocalypsi,
"Et stellae caeli ceciderunt in terram" (6:13);
et alibi,
Draco cauda sua "traxit tertiam partem stellarum caeli, et projecit eas in terram" (12:4);
apud Danielem,
Cornu hirci caprarum "crevit usque ad exercitum caelorum, et dejecit in terram de exercitu, et de stellis, et conculcavit illa" (8:10);
apud Matthaeum,
"Statim post afflictionem dierum istorum sol obscurabitur et stellae cadent de caelo" (24:29).
Simile significatur per Domini verba apud Lucam,
Dixit Jesus, "Vidi satanam sicut fulmen e caelo cadentem" (10:18 1
):
per "satanam" intelligitur omne falsum quod destruit verum; inferna enim ubi talia falsa, et unde illa, vocantur "satanas; at inferna ubi et unde sunt mala quae destruunt bona, vocantur "diabolus": quare per quod "satanas sicut fulmen e caelo ceciderit", intelligitur quod omne falsum, quod destruxit verum Verbi, e caelo dejectum sit: similiter,
Quod dejectus sit draco magnus in terram, et angeli illius cum illo, et quod locus eorum non inventus sit amplius in caelo ([Apoc.] 12:8, 9).
Ex his constare potest, quod "labi", "cadere" et "dejici e caelo in terram", significet non amplius habere locum in caelo, sed in inferno, ita perire: per "terram" etiam ibi significatur damnatum (ut supra, n. 304 [g] ad finem, ostensum est).
[3] Quod illi qui falsificant vera Verbi per interpretationes ad confirmandum mala vitae, se avertant a caelo et convertant ad infernum, est quia per Verbum est conjunctio caeli cum homine: caelum enim est in sensu Verbi spirituali, et homo est in sensu ejus naturali; quare caeli cum mundo est conjunctio per Verbum: ideo etiam Verbum vocatur "foedus", ac foedus est conjunctio. Ex eo est, quod qui Verbum applicant ad mala vitae et ad principia falsa quae ex propria intelligentia, non possint conjungi caelo: et qui non conjuncti sunt caelo, illi conjunguntur inferno; nam homo vel erit in caelo vel erit in inferno; non licet ei inter utrumque pendere. At qui applicant Verbum ad talia falsa quae non discordant cum bono vitae, qualia sunt apud gentes probas quae non habent Verbum, et apud simplices in ecclesia qui credunt in Dominum et bene vivunt, illorum falsa, quia ex illis spectant bonum, etiam a Domino applicantur ad bonum, et vertuntur ad caelum: essentiale enim in caelo est bonum vitae, quod idem est cum bono amoris in Dominum, et cum bono charitatis erga proximum; nam secundum id bonum est cuivis ibi perceptio veri, intelligentia et sapientia. Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per falsificationem veri ex Verbo, quae hic significatur per "stellam e caelo delapsam in terram."
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.