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644. These have power to shut heaven, that the rain rain not in the days of their prophecy.- That this signifies that those who reject the goods and truths of heaven and of the church, which proceed from the Lord, do not receive any influx out of heaven, is evident from the signification of shutting heaven, as denoting lest any influx out of heaven should be received, of which we shall speak presently; from the signification of rain, as denoting truth fertilizing, which is truth from which good is derived, and which flows down out of heaven, concerning this also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of "their prophecy," as denoting prediction concerning the Lord, and His coming, and concerning the good of love to Him and the truths of faith in regard to Him. The days of the prophecy of the two witnesses means principally this revelation and preaching from this revelation (praedicatio) at the end of the church. The reason why the Lord is especially preached at the end of the church, by the two witnesses, is, because the two witnesses, which are the good of love and the truth of faith directed to Him, principally testify concerning Him, therefore it is said in what follows that "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Apoc. 19:10).
[2] The reason why to shut heaven denotes to prevent any influx out of heaven from being received, is, that the words follow, "that the rain rain not," which signify the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven. For it is known that all the good of love and all the truth of faith flow-in out of heaven, that is, from the Lord through heaven, with man, and also that this influx takes place continually; it therefore follows that the good of love and the truth of faith are in no sense man's, but the Lord's with him. Each of these flows in, in the measure that they are not prevented by evil and falsity since these shut heaven and prevent influx. For evil and good, and falsity and truth, are opposites, therefore where the one is, the other cannot be; for evil in man prevents the good from entering and falsity prevents the truth, while good causes the removal of evil, and truth the removal of falsity; for they are as opposite as heaven and hell; the one therefore acts against the other with a perpetual effort to destroy it, and the one that is strong enough destroys the other.
[3] There are also in every man two minds, the one interior, called the spiritual mind, the other exterior, called the natural mind. The spiritual mind is created for the reception of light from heaven, but the natural mind for the reception of light from the world; therefore the spiritual mind, which is the interior mind of man, is heaven in him, and the natural mind, which is his exterior mind, is his world. The interior mind, which is heaven in man, is opened in proportion as man acknowledges the Divine of the Lord, and man so far acknowledges as he is in the good of love and of charity, and in the truths of doctrine and of faith. But this interior mind, which is heaven in man, so far as he does not acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and does not live a life of love and of faith, is not opened; and that mind is so far closed as a man is in evils and thence in falsities, and when it is closed, then the natural mind in man becomes infernal. For evil and its falsity are in the natural mind, and therefore when the spiritual mind, which is heaven in man, is closed, then the natural mind, which is hell, is dominant. From these things the meaning of the words, "heaven is closed that the rain rain not," is clear.
[4] It is said of the witnesses that they have power to shut heaven; yet they do not shut it, but evil and falsity, which have the rule in the men of the church at its end, close it. This is said of the two witnesses in a manner similar to what was said above, that fire shall go forth out of their mouth, and devour their enemies, although fire does not go forth from them and devour, as explained in the two articles above. The reason why that the rain rain not signifies that there is no influx of Divine Truth out of heaven, is, that water, from which rain comes signifies the truth of the Word, and thence the truth of doctrine and of faith, as may be seen above (n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538). And because rain water descends out of the clouds in heaven, therefore by raining rain is signified the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord in heaven; and because rain fertilizes the earth, therefore it signifies the Divine Truth fertilizing and fructifying the church, whence also by rain is signified spiritual blessing.
[5] That by rain, in the Word, is not meant rain, but the inflowing Divine, from which intelligence and wisdom, as well as the good of love and the truth of faith in man, grow and fructify; and that by raining is signified influx, is evident from the following passages.
Thus in Moses:
"My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My word shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the grass, and as drops upon the herb" (Deuteronomy 32:2).
Doctrine is here compared to rain, because rain signifies the proceeding Divine Truth, from which is every thing of doctrine; for all comparisons in the Word are also from correspondences. Because rain signifies the Divine Truth flowing down, it is therefore said, "My doctrine shall flow down as the rain." By dew is signified "good," and this is also signified by "word," therefore it is said, "My word shall distil as the dew"; intelligence and wisdom therefrom are signified by the small rain upon the grass, and by drops upon the herb; for as the grass and the herb of the field grow by reason of the waters of rain and dew, so do intelligence and wisdom from the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord. This was said by Moses, because in that chapter the twelve tribes of Israel are treated of, who, in the spiritual sense, signify all the truths and goods of the church, consequently doctrine in its whole compass.
[6] So again:
"The land which ye shall go over to possess it, is a land of mountains and valleys; it drinketh the waters of the rain of heaven. And I will give the rain of your land in its season, the early and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine (mustum), and thine oil." But if ye shall serve other gods, and shall not walk in my statutes, "the anger of Jehovah shall be kindled against you; he will shut heaven that there be no rain, and the land shall not yield her produce." (Deuteronomy 11:11, 14, 16, 17).
These words describe the land of Canaan and its fruitfulness; but because that land in the spiritual sense signifies the church, it follows that all the things contained in that description signify such things as pertain to the church, as the mountains, valleys, corn, wine (mustum), oil, produce, and rain. A land of mountains and valleys signifies the higher and lower, or the internal and external things of the church; the internal things of the church are in the internal man, which is also called the spiritual man, and the external things of the church are in the external man, which is called the natural man. That each of these is of such a quality as to receive the influx of Divine truth, is signified by drinking the waters of the rain of heaven; that the Divine Truth flows-in in each state, that is, when the man of the church is in his spiritual state and when he is in his natural state, is signified by the rain being given in its season, the early and the latter rain. For the man of the church is alternately in a spiritual state and in a natural state, and the influx and reception of Divine Truth in the spiritual state is meant by the early or morning rain, and in the natural state by the latter or evening rain. Spiritual and celestial good and truth, which the man of the church thence possesses, are meant by the corn, wine (mustum), and oil, which they shall gather in. That falsities of doctrine and of worship would prevent the influx and reception of Divine Truth, whence there would be no growth of the spiritual life, is signified by the words, "if ye shall serve other gods, there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield her produce," other gods denoting falsities of doctrine and of worship.
[7] Again:
"If ye walk in my statutes, and observe my precepts and do them; and the earth shall yield its produce, and the tree of the field shall yield its fruit" (Leviticus 26:3, 4).
Here by the rain which shall be given in its season, and the produce of the land, are signified similar things to those above. And because the church at that time was an external church, representative of interior spiritual things, therefore also it came to pass when they walked in the statutes, and observed the precepts, and did them, that they had rain in its season, and the earth yielded its produce, and the tree of the field its fruit; but still rain and thence produce were representative and significative, rain representing and signifying the inflowing Divine, produce the truth of doctrine and the understanding of truth, and fruit of the tree the good of love and the will of good.
[8] This is evident from the fact rain was withheld, and thence a famine took place in the land of Israel, for three years and a half, under Ahab, because they served other gods, and slew the prophets (1 Kings xvii. and xviii.; Luke 4:25). This represented, and thence signified, that no Divine truth flowing-in out of heaven could be received on account of the falsities of evil, signified by other gods and by Baal, whom they worshipped. By killing the prophets is also signified to destroy Divine [truth]; for by a prophet, in the Word, is signified the doctrine of truth from the Word.
[9] In Isaiah:
"I will make" my vineyard "a desolation; it shall not be pruned nor weeded, so that the briar and the thorn shall come up; and I will command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it" (5:6).
Here also it is said of Jehovah that He makes the vineyard a desolation, and commands the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, although this is not done by Jehovah, that is, by the Lord, for He always flows-in with the evil as well as the good, which is meant by His sending His rain upon the just and upon the unjust (Matthew 5:45); but the cause is in the man of the church, for the reason that he does not receive any influx of Divine Truth, and the man who does not receive this closes the interiors of his mind, which are the recipients, and when these are shut, then the Divine influx is rejected. The vineyard, which is made a desolation, signifies the church; by its being neither pruned nor weeded is signified that it cannot be cultivated and so prepared for reception; by the briar and thorn which shall come up, are signified the falsities of evil; by commanding the clouds that they rain no rain, is signified that no influx of Divine truth out of heaven is received.
[10] In Jeremiah:
"The showers have been withheld, and there hath been no latter rain, but notwithstanding the forehead of a harlot remained to thee, thou hast refused to be ashamed" (3:3).
Again:
"They said not in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth the rain and the early and the latter rain in its season; He reserveth unto us the weeks, the appointed times of harvest; your iniquities make these to decline" (5:24, 25).
In Amos:
"I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest, so that I caused it indeed to rain upon one city, and I caused it not to rain upon another city; one field received the rain, but the field upon which it rained not, withered; whence two three cities wandered to one city to drink waters, but they were not satisfied; nevertheless ye have not returned unto me" (4:7, 8).
In Ezekiel:
"Son of man, say, Thou art a land that is not cleansed, that hath no rain in the day of anger; a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst of her" (22:24, 25).
In Zechariah:
"Whosoever of the families of the land shall not go up to Jerusalem to adore Jehovah Zebaoth, there shall be no rain upon them" (14:17).
In these passages also rain signifies the reception of the influx of Divine Truth, from which comes spiritual intelligence; and that there is no such intelligence by any influx because of the evils and falsities which refuse to receive it and which reject it, is signified by there being no rain.
[11] In Jeremiah:
"The mighty sent their little ones to seek waters; they came unto the pits and found no waters, because the earth was chapt, for there had been no rain upon the earth; the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads" (14:3, 4).
By the mighty are meant those who teach and lead, and by their little ones, those who are taught and led. Waters signify truths of doctrine; pits in which there is no water signify doctrinals in which there are no truths. By there being no rain upon the earth is signified that no influx of Divine Truth is received because of the falsities in the church; by the husbandmen who were ashamed and covered their heads, are signified those who teach, and their grief.
[12] In Isaiah:
"Then Jehovah shall give rain to thy seed, with which thou shalt sow the earth, and bread of the produce of the earth, and it shall be fat and rich; thy cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow" (30:23).
These words refer to the coming of the Lord. The influx of Divine Truth proceeding from Him, is signified by the rain which the Lord shall then give to the seed, rain signifying the Divine influx, seed the truth of the Word. To sow the land signifies to plant and form the church in man. The bread of the produce which Jehovah will give, signifies the good of love and of charity, which is produced by the truths of the Word, vivified by Divine influx. Fat and rich signifies filled with the good of love and truths therefrom, for fat is said of good, and rich of truths. By the cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow, is signified the extension and multiplication of these from the Divine influx, and thence spiritual nourishment, cattle denoting the goods and truths with man, that day, the coming of the Lord, and a broad meadow, the Word, by means of which the Divine influx and spiritual nourishment come; breadth is said of the extension and multiplication of truth.
[13] In the same:
"As the rain cometh down and the snow out of heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me in vain, but it shall accomplish that which I desire, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (55:10, 11).
Here the Word which goeth forth out of the mouth of God is compared to the rain and snow from heaven, because by the Word, the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and which flows into us by means of the Word, is meant; the rain and snow descending from heaven have a similar meaning, by the rain is signified spiritual truth, which is appropriated to man, and by snow, natural truth, which, when only in the memory, is like snow, but becomes spiritual by love just as snow becomes rain water by heat. By watering the earth that it may bring forth and bud, is signified to vivify the church, that it may produce the truth of doctrine and of faith and the good of love and of charity; the truth of doctrine and of faith being signified by the seed which it giveth to the sower, and the good of love and of charity by the bread which it giveth to the eater. It shall not return to me in vain, but it shall accomplish that which I desire, signifies that it shall be received, and that man from it shall be led to look to the Lord.
[14] In Ezekiel:
"I will give them and the places round about my hill a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its season, there shall be rains of blessing; then the tree of the field shall yield its fruit and the earth shall yield its produce" (34:26, 27).
The places round about the hill of Jehovah mean all who are in truths of doctrine and thence in the good of charity. By sending down the rain in its season is signified the influx of Divine Truth, accommodated to the affection and desire of receiving and because the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth are thence, they are called rains of blessing. And it is said that the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its produce; the tree of the field and the earth signify the church and the man of the church, the fruit of the tree of the field signifies the fructification of good, the multiplication of whose truth is signified by the produce of the earth.
[15] And in Joel:
"Sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah your God, for he shall give you the former rain in justice, yea, he shall cause to descend for you the rain, the former and the latter, in the first, that the floors may be full of pure corn, and the presses overflow with wine (mustum), and oil" (204). That the Lord continually flows-in with the good of love into truths, is signified by the words, "He shall cause the rain to descend, the former and the latter, as at first." That thence they will have the good of brotherly and social love, is signified by the floors being full of pure corn; and that from the same source they will have the truth and good of love to the Lord, is signified by the presses overflowing with wine (mustum) and oil. Those who belong to the celestial church of the Lord possess the good of brotherly and social love; this love with those who belong to the spiritual church of the Lord is called "charity towards the neighbour."
[16] In Zechariah:
"Ask of Jehovah rain in its season; Jehovah will make clouds and will give them the rain of the shower, to a man the herb in the field" (10:1).
Rain here also signifies the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, from which man possesses spiritual intelligence, rain of the shower signifies Divine Truth flowing-in abundantly, while by giving the herb in the field is signified knowledge of truth and good from the Word and intelligence therefrom.
[17] In David:
"Thou visitest the earth, and delightest in it, thou greatly enrichest it; the river of God is full of waters, thou preparest their corn, and so thou establishest it. Water the furrows thereof; settle the ridges thereof; make it soft with drops; bless the budding thereof" (Psalm 65:9, 10).
The earth here signifies the church; the river full of waters signifies doctrine full of truths; by watering the furrows, settling the ridges, and making it soft with drops, is signified to fill with the knowledges of good and truth. By preparing the corn is signified every thing that nourishes the soul, therefore it is said, "so thou establishest the earth," that is, the church; by blessing the budding thereof is signified to continually bring forth anew and to cause truths to spring up.
[18] Again:
"Thou, O God, causest the rain of benevolences to come down" (Psalm 68:9);
and again:
"He shall come down like the rain upon the grass of the meadow, as drops into the cleft of the earth, in his days the just shall flourish" (Psalm 72:6, 7).
In these passages also rain does not signify rain, but the influx of Divine Truth with man, from which he receives spiritual life.
In Job:
"My word they will not repeat, and my speech will drop upon them, and they will wait for me as for the rain, and they will open their mouth for the latter rain" (29:22, 23).
That rain here means truth which is spoken by any one and which flows-in to another, is clear, for word, speech, and to open the mouth, signify truth proceeding from any one by means of speech; therefore it is called rain, and the latter rain, and it is said also to drop, which means to speak.
[19] In Jeremiah:
"The maker of the earth by his power prepareth the world, by his wisdom and by his understanding he stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice which he uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he maketh the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth the wind out of his treasuries" (10:12, 13; 51:16; Psalm 135:7).
The world which the Maker of the earth prepares by His power signifies the church in all the earth; power signifies the power of Divine Truth. By the heavens which He stretcheth out by wisdom and understanding, is signified the church in the heavens corresponding to the church on earth; wisdom and understanding signify the proceeding Divine, from which angels and men receive the wisdom of good and the understanding of truth, to stretch out signifying the formation and extension of the heavens in general, and the extension of intelligence and wisdom with every one who receives. At the voice which He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, signifies that from the proceeding Divine are spiritual truths in immense abundance, voice denoting the proceeding Divine, waters truths, and multitude abundance. He maketh the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, signifies truths in ultimates, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of the letter, in which are spiritual truths, the end of the earth denoting the ultimates of the church, vapours denoting truths for those who are in ultimates, while to make them ascend denotes, from them, because contained in them, that is, in ultimates, to give spiritual truths, which especially fructify the church. He maketh lightnings with rain signifies illustration from the influx of Divine Truth with them; and bringeth the wind out of His treasuries signifies spiritual things in the Word from heaven.
[20] In Luke:
"When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway it is said, There cometh rain, and so it is; and when the south wind bloweth, it is said, There will be heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and of heaven, how is it that ye do not interpret this time?" (12:54-56).
The Lord teaches by this comparison that they see earthly things but not heavenly things; and the comparison itself, as in the case of all comparisons in the Word, is made from correspondences. For by the cloud rising in the west is signified the coming of the Lord at the end of the church, predicted in the Word, the cloud denoting the Word in the letter, the rising of it the coming of the Lord, and the west the end of the church. Straightway it is said, There cometh rain, signifies that then there is the influx of Divine Truth; and when ye perceive the south wind blowing, signifies preaching concerning His coming; it is said, There will be heat, signifies that then there is the influx of Divine Good. The same words also signify contentions and combats of truth from good with falsities from evil, rain and heat also signifying these contentions and combats; for this comparison follows immediately after the Lord's word, that He came not to send peace on the earth, but division; and that the father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother (Luke 12:51-53). These words signify such contention and combat; that the same is also signified by rain will be seen below. Because this comparison considered in its spiritual sense involves the coming of the Lord, and because they would not acknowledge Him through blindness caused by falsities although He might have been known to them from the Word, therefore these words follow, "Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and of heaven, but ye do not interpret this time," namely, the time of His coming, and the conflict which then took place between the falsity of evil and the truth of good.
[21] In Hosea:
"Let us know, and let us follow on to know Jehovah; his going forth is prepared as the cloud, and he shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth" (6:3).
These words are said of the Lord and His coming. And because all Divine Truth proceeds from Him, and angels and men have life and salvation from this, therefore it is said that "He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth." To water the earth signifies to make the church fruitful, and it is said to be made fruitful when truths are multiplied and intelligence thence increases, and when goods are fructified, and celestial love thence increases.
[22] In the Second Book of Samuel:
"The Rock of Israel spake to me, as the light of the morning the sun riseth, of a morning without clouds; from clear shining after rain grass out of the earth" (23:3, 4).
These words also refer to the Lord, who is called the Rock of Israel from Divine Truth which proceeds from Him. That Divine Truth proceeds from His Divine Good is meant by the words "as the light of the morning the sun riseth." Comparison is made with light, because light signifies the proceeding Divine Truth, and with the morning, because the morning signifies the Divine Good, and with the rising sun, because the east, and the sun, signify the Divine Love; that these are without obscurity is signified by the light of a morning without clouds. The enlightenment of the man of the church by means of the reception and after the reception of Divine Truth from the Divine Good of the Lord, is signified by the words "from clear shining after rain," clear shining denoting illustration, and rain denoting influx and consequent reception. That thence those who are of the church have knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom, is signified by grass out of the earth, grass, like pasture, denoting spiritual nourishment, and thence knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, which are spiritual foods, while the earth denotes the church and the man of the church.
[23] In Matthew:
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt and persecute you, that ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens, who maketh his sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust" (5:44, 45).
Charity towards the neighbour, which is to will good, and to do good, even to one's enemies, is first described, by the expressions loving them, blessing them, and praying for them, for genuine charity regards only the good of another. To love, in this place, signifies charity; to bless, instruction, and to pray, intercession, the reason is, that charity inwardly has for an end the doing of good. That this is the very Divine with man, as it is with regenerated men, is signified by the words "that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens." The Father in the heavens is the proceeding Divine; for all who receive this are called sons of the Father, that is, of the Lord. The sun which He maketh to rise upon the evil and the good signifies the inflowing Divine Good; and the rain which He sendeth upon the just and the unjust signifies the inflowing Divine Truth. For the proceeding Divine which is "the Father in the heavens," equally flows-in with the evil and the good, but the reception of it depends upon man, although it is not as one man from another, but as from himself; for the power to receive is continually given to him, and also flows-in as far as he removes opposing evils, and does this from the power that is continually given him, the power itself appearing to be the man's, although it is from the Lord.
[24] From these considerations it is now evident that rain in the Word signifies the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, whence man has spiritual life; and this because waters, of which rain consists, signify the truth of doctrine and the truth of faith. But because waters, in the opposite sense, signify falsities of doctrine and of faith, therefore also rain of the shower, or shower, equally as inundations of waters and a flood, signify not only falsities destroying truths, but also temptations, in which man either falls or conquers. These are signified by shower in Matthew:
"Every one who heareth my words, and doeth them, I will liken to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, yet it fell not. But he who heareth my words, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (7:24-27).
The rain and the floods here mean temptations, in which man conquers and in which he falls; waters the falsities which usually flow-in in temptations, while the floods, which are here inundations of waters from the rain, signify temptations. The winds which also blow and beat signify the thoughts going forth thence; for temptations arise through irruptions of falsities caused by evil spirits to rush into the thoughts. By the house against which they beat, is signified man, properly his mind, which consists of understanding or thought, and of will or affection. He who receives the words of the Lord, that is, Divine truths, in that part of his mind only which pertains to thought or understanding, and not at the same time in that other part which pertains to affection or will, succumbs in temptations, and falls into grievous falsities, which are the falsities of evil; therefore it is said, "great was the fall of it." But he who receives Divine truths in both parts, as well in the will as in the understanding, conquers in temptations. The rock upon which that house is founded, signifies the Lord as to Divine Truth, or Divine Truth received in the soul and heart, that is, in faith and love, which is in the understanding and will. But by the sand is signified Divine Truth received merely in the memory, and thence in some slight degree in the thought, consequently scattered and unconnected, because intermixed with falsities, and falsified by ideas. From these things, therefore, it is evident what is meant by hearing [the Lord's] words and not doing them. That such is the meaning of the above words is more distinctly evident from those which immediately precede.
[25] By an inundating rain or shower is signified an inundation of falsities also in Ezekiel:
"Say unto them that plaster untempered mortar, that it shall fall because an inundating rain, because ye, O hail-stones, shall fall, and a wind of storms shall break through; thus saith the Lord Jehovih, I will cause a wind of storms to break through in my wrath, and an inundating rain in mine anger, and stones of hail in ardour for consummation, and I will destroy the wall which ye plaster with untempered mortar" (13:11, 13, 14).
By plastering with untempered mortar signifies confirmation of falsity by fallacies; through these falsity appears like truth. The stones of hail signify truths without good, thus without any spiritual life, all of which inwardly are falsities, for the ideas that are dead, cause them to be merely like shells and pictures in which there is nothing living; such are the scientific truths (scientifica vera) of the natural man into which there flows nothing from the spiritual. The inundating rain and wind of storms signify falsities in abundance rushing in and imaginary things, also contentions concerning truths, which render the seeing of anything of truth impossible, and so destroy man.
[26] In the same:
"I will contend with" Gog, "with pestilence and blood, and an inundating rain, and hail-stones, fire and sulphur, I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his wings, and upon the many people who are with him" (38:22).
By Gog are meant those who are in external worship without any internal; and because that worship similarly consists as it were of shells, in which the kernels are either putrified or corroded by worms, therefore they are called an inundating rain and hail-stones, which signify falsities in abundance rushing in and imaginary things which destroy man; evils of falsity and falsities of evil are signified by fire and sulphur.
[27] By the deluge of waters, concerning which it is said that it inundated the whole earth, and destroyed all except Noah and his sons (Gen. vii., viii.), is also signified an inundation of falsities, by which the Most Ancient church was at length destroyed; by Noah and his sons is signified the new church - which must be called the Ancient Church - and its establishment after the devastation of the Most Ancient Church. But the details by which that deluge, and the salvation of the family of Noah, are described in those chapters, may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia. That waters signify truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, may be seen above (n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538); and that inundations of waters signify inundations of falsities and temptations, may also be seen above (n. 518:38).
644. Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain no rain in the days of their prophecy, signifies that those who reject the goods and truths of heaven and the church that proceed from the Lord, receive no influx out of heaven. This is evident from the signification of "shutting heaven," as being lest any influx out of heaven be received (of which presently); also from the signification of "rain," as being truth fertilizing, which is truth from which there is good that flows down out of heaven (of which also presently); also from the signification of "their prophecy," as being prediction respecting the Lord and His coming, and respecting the good of love to Him and the truths of faith in Him. This revelation and the proclamation of this revelation at the end of the church is what is chiefly meant by "the days of the prophecy of the two witnesses." It is the Lord that is chiefly proclaimed at the end of the church by "the two witnesses," because "the two witnesses," which are the good of love to the Lord and the truth of faith in Him, are what chiefly bear witness of Him, therefore it is afterwards said that:
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
[2] "To shut heaven" means to prevent the reception of any influx out of heaven, because it is added, "that it rain no rain," which signifies influx of Divine truth out of heaven. For it is well known that every good of love and every truth of faith flows in out of heaven, that is, from the Lord through heaven, with man, and that it flows in continually; from which it follows that neither the good of love nor the truth of faith is in anywise man's, but is the Lord's with him. These both flow insofar as evil and falsity do not obstruct; it is these that shut heaven so that there is no influx; for evil and good, and falsity and truth, are opposites, consequently where the one is the other cannot be; for evil with man prevents the entrance of good, and falsity the entrance of truth; while good causes evil to be removed, and truth falsity; for these are opposites, as heaven and hell are opposites; therefore the one acts against the other with an unceasing endeavor to destroy, and the one that prevails destroys the other.
[3] Moreover, there are in every man two minds, an interior which is called the spiritual mind, and another, the exterior which is called the natural mind. The spiritual mind is created for the reception of light from heaven, but the natural mind for the reception of light from the world. The spiritual mind, therefore, which is man's interior mind, is heaven with him, and the natural mind, which is man's exterior mind, is the world with him. The interior mind, which is heaven with man, is opened so far as man acknowledges the Divine of the Lord, and man so far acknowledges this as he is in the good of love and charity and in the truths of doctrine and faith. But this interior mind, which is heaven with man, is unopened so far as man does not acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and does not live the life of love and faith; and that mind is shut so far as man is in evils and in falsities therefrom; and when it is shut then the natural mind with man becomes a hell; for in the natural mind are evil and its falsity, consequently when the spiritual mind which is heaven with man is shut, the natural mind which is hell rules. From this it can be seen what is meant by "heaven is shut that it rain no rain. "
[4] It is said that the two witnesses have power "to shut heaven," but still these do not shut it, but the evil and falsity shut it that rule with the men of the church at its end. This is said of "the two witnesses," as was said above that "fire shall go forth out of their mouth and shall devour their enemies," and yet no fire goes forth from them and devours (as has been said in the two articles above). "That it rain no rain" signifies no influx of Divine truth out of heaven, because "water," which makes rain, signifies the truth of the Word, and the truth of doctrine and faith therefrom (See above, n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538); and as rain water descends out of the clouds in heaven, so "to rain rain" signifies the influx of Divine truth from the Lord in heaven, and as rain fertilizes the earth, so "rain" signifies Divine truth fertilizing and making fruitful the church, for which reason "rain" signifies also spiritual blessing.
[5] That "rain" in the Word does not mean rain, but the inflowing Divine, which causes intelligence and wisdom, and also the good of love and the truth of faith in man, to grow and become fruitful, and that "to rain" signifies influx can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:
My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My word shall distill as the dew, as the drops on the grass, and as the showers on the herb (Deuteronomy 27:2).
Doctrine is here compared to rain, because "rain" signifies the Divine truth proceeding, from which is everything of doctrine; for all comparisons in the Word are also from correspondences. Because "rain" signifies the Divine truth flowing down it is said, "My doctrine shall flow down as the rain." "Dew" signifies good, and since "word" has the same signification, therefore it is said, "My word shall distill as the dew." So intelligence and wisdom therefrom are signified by "the drops on the grass," and by "the showers on the herbs," for as the grass and herb of the field grow from the waters of the rain and dew, so do intelligence and wisdom by the influx of Divine truth from the Lord. This is first said by Moses, because in this chapter he is speaking of the twelve tribes of Israel, which signify in the spiritual sense all truths and goods of the church, and thus doctrine in the whole complex.
[6] In the same:
The land which ye shall pass over to possess it is a land of mountains and valleys, of the rain of heaven it drinketh waters. And I will give the rain of your land in its time, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil. But if ye shall serve other gods, and shall not walk in my statutes, the anger of Jehovah shall glow against you; He will shut heaven that there be no rain, and the land shall not yield her produce (Deuteronomy 11:11, 14, 16, 17).
This describes the land of Canaan and its fruitfulness; but as that land means in the spiritual sense the church, it follows that all things of this description signify such things as belong to the church, as "mountains," "valleys," "corn," "new wine," "oil," "produce," and "rain." "A land of mountains and valleys" signifies the higher and lower, or internal and external things of the church; the internal things of the church are with the internal man, which is also called the spiritual man, and the external things of the church are with the external man, which is called the natural man; that both these are such as to receive the influx of Divine truth is signified by "of the rain of heaven it drinketh waters." That Divine truth inflows in both states, that is, when the man of the church is in his spiritual state and when he is in his natural state, is signified by "the rain given in its time, the former rain and the latter rain;" for the man of the church is by turns in a spiritual state and in a natural state, and the influx and reception of Divine truth in a spiritual state is meant by "the former or morning rain," and in a natural state by "the latter or evening rain;" spiritual and celestial good and truth which the man of the church has therefrom is meant by the "corn," "new wine," and "oil," which they shall gather in; that the falsities of doctrine and of worship will prevent the influx and reception of Divine truth, and in consequence, the increase of spiritual life, is signified by "if ye shall serve other gods there shall be no rain, and the land will not yield her produce," "other gods" signifying the falsities of doctrine and of worship.
[7] In the same:
If ye walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, the land shall yield its produce, and the tree of the field shall yield its fruit (Leviticus 26:3, 4).
Here "the rain that shall be given in its time, and the produce of the land," have a similar signification as above; and as the church was at that time an external church, representative of interior spiritual things, so when they walked in the statutes, and kept the commandments and did them, it came about that they had rain in its time, and the earth yielded its produce, and the tree of the field its fruit; and yet the rain and the produce thence were representative and significative, "rain" represented the Divine flowing in, "the produce," the truth of doctrine and the understanding of truth, and "the fruit of the tree," the good of love and the will of good.
[8] This can be seen from its being said:
That the rain was withheld, and consequently there was a famine in the land of Israel for three years and a half, under Ahab, because they served other gods and killed the prophets (1 Kings 17:1; (1_Kings 1 Kings 18:1);Luke 4:25).
This was a representative, and thus a significative, that no Divine truth flowing in out of heaven could be received because of the falsities of evil, which were signified by "other gods" and by "Baal," whom they worshiped. "Killing the prophets" signified also the destruction of the Divine, for a "prophet" signifies in the Word the doctrine of truth from the Word.
[9] In Isaiah:
I will lay waste My vineyard; it shall not be pruned nor hoed, that the briar and the bramble may come up; and I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it (Isaiah 5:6).
Here, too, it is said of Jehovah that He layeth waste His vineyard, "and commandeth the clouds that they rain no rain upon it;" and yet this is not done by Jehovah, that is, the Lord, for He always flows in both with the evil and with the good, which is meant by His "sending His rain upon the just and upon the unjust" (Matthew 5:45); but the cause is with the man of the church, that he does not receive any influx of Divine truth, for the man who does not receive closes up with himself the interiors of his mind, which receive; and when these are shut the inflowing Divine is rejected. The "vineyard" which is laid waste signifies the church; "it is not pruned nor hoed" signifies no ability to be cultivated and so prepared to receive; "the briar and bramble" which shall come up signify the falsities of evil; "to command the clouds that they rain no rain" signifies that no influx of Divine truth from heaven is received.
[10] In Jeremiah:
The showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and still the forehead of a harlot woman remained to thee, thou didst refuse to be ashamed (Jeremiah 3:3).
They said not in their heart, Come, let us fear Jehovah our God; that giveth the rain, and the former and the latter rain in its time. He keepeth unto us the weeks, the stated times of harvest; your iniquities make these things to turn away (Jeremiah 5:24, 25).
In Amos:
I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest, so that I might cause it to rain upon one city, and not cause it to rain upon another city; one field received the rain, but the field upon which it did not rain dried up; therefore two, three cities wandered unto one city to drink waters, yet they were not satisfied; nevertheless ye have not returned unto Me (Amos 4:7, 8).
In Ezekiel:
Son of man, say, thou art a land that is not cleansed, that hath no rain in the day of anger; there is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst of her (Ezekiel 22:24, 25).
In Zechariah:
Whosoever of the families of the land shall not go up to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah of Hosts, upon them there shall be no rain (Zechariah 14:17).
In these passages also "rain" signifies the reception of the influx of Divine truth, which is the source of spiritual intelligence; and that there is "no rain" signifies that no such intelligence is given by any influx because of the evils and falsities that refuse to receive and that reject it.
[11] In Jeremiah:
The nobles sent their little ones for water; they came to the pits and found no waters, because the land was broken, for there had been no rain upon the earth; the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered up the head (Jeremiah 14:3, 4).
"Nobles" mean those who teach and lead, and "little ones" those who are taught and led; "waters" signify the truths of doctrine; "pits in which there are no waters" signify doctrinals in which there are no truths; "there had been no rain upon the earth" signifies that no influx of Divine truth is received by reason of the falsities in the church; "the husbandmen were ashamed and covered up the head" signifies those who teach, and their grief.
[12] In Isaiah:
Then Jehovah shall give rain to thy seed with which thou sowest the land; and the bread of the increase of the land, and it shall be fat and rich; thy cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow (Isaiah 30:23).
This would be when the Lord should come. The influx of Divine truth proceeding from Him is signified by "the rain" which the Lord will then give to the seed, "rain" meaning Divine influx, and "seed" the truth of the Word; "to sow the land" signifies to plant and form the church in oneself; "the bread of the increase which Jehovah will give" signifies the good of love and charity, which is produced by the truths of the Word vivified by Divine influx; "fat and rich" signifies full of the good of love and truths therefrom, for "fat" is predicated of good, and "rich" of truths; "the cattle shall feed in that day in a broad meadow" signifies the extension and multiplication of good and truth by Divine influx, and consequent spiritual nourishment, "cattle" meaning the goods and truths in man, "that day" the Lord's coming, and "a broad meadow" the Word, through which is Divine influx and spiritual nourishment; "breadth" is predicated of the extension and multiplication of truth.
[13] In the same:
As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither but irrigateth the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and to bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me empty, but it shall do what I will, and it shall prosper in that to which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10, 11).
Here "the Word" which goeth forth out of the mouth of God is compared to the rain and snow from heaven, because "the Word" means Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, which with us flows in through the Word; "rain and snow coming down out of heaven" have a similar meaning, "rain" signifying spiritual truth, which has been appropriated to man, and "snow" natural truth, which is like snow when it is in the memory only; but it is made spiritual by love, as snow is made rain water by heat. "To irrigate the earth and to make it to bring forth and to bud" signifies to vivify the church that it may bring forth the truth of doctrine and of faith, and the good of love and of charity; the truth of doctrine and of faith is signified by "the seed that it gives to the sower," and the good of love and of charity by "the bread that it gives to the eater;" "it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall do what I will," signifies that it shall be received, and that by it man shall be led to look to the Lord.
[14] In Ezekiel:
I will give them and the circuits of My hill a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its time, they shall be rains of blessing; then the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce (Ezekiel 34:26, 27).
"The circuits of the hill of Jehovah" mean all who are in the truths of doctrine and thence in the good of charity; "to send down the rain in its time" signifies the influx of Divine truth adapted to the affection and will of the one receiving; and as the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth are therefrom, they are called "the rains of blessing," and it is said that "the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce;" "the tree of the field" and "the land" signifying the church and the man of the church, and "the fruit of the tree of the field" the fructification of good, and "the produce of the earth" the multiplication of its truth.
[15] In Joel:
Rejoice, ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God, for He shall give you the former rain in righteousness, yea, He shall cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first, that the floors may be full of pure grain, and the vats overflow with new wine and oil (204). That the Lord continually flows into truths with the good of love is signified by "He shall cause to come down the former rain and the latter rain, in the first;" that from this they have the good of love towards a brother and companion is signified by "their floors are full of pure grain;" and that from this they have the truth and the good of love to the Lord is signified by "the vats overflow with new wine and oil." Those who are of the Lord's celestial church have the good of love towards a brother and companion; and this love, with those who are of the Lord's spiritual church, is called charity towards the neighbor.
[16] In Zechariah:
Ask of Jehovah the rain in its time; 1Jehovah will make mists and will give to them the shower of rain, to a man the herb in the field (Zechariah 10:1).
Here, too, "rain" signifies the influx of Divine truth from the Lord, from which man has spiritual intelligence; "the shower of rain" signifies Divine truth flowing in abundantly, and "to give the herb in the field" signifies the knowledge of truth and good from the Word and intelligence therefrom.
[17] In David:
Thou dost visit the earth and gladden it, thou greatly enrichest it; the stream of God is full of waters, thou preparest their grain, and so thou dost establish it. Water its furrows; settle its ridges; dissolve it with showers; bless its budding (Psalms 65:9, 10).
The "earth" signifies here the church; "the stream full of waters" signifies the doctrine full of truths; "to water its furrows, to settle its ridges, and to dissolve it with showers" signifies to fill with the knowledges of good and truth; "to prepare grain" signifies everything that nourishes the soul; therefore it is added, "so thou dost establish the earth," that is, the church; "to bless the budding" signifies to produce continually anew and to cause truths to spring forth.
[18] In the same:
O God, thou makest the rain of good will to drop down (Psalms 68:9).
In the same:
He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, like drops in the fissure of the earth; in his days shall the righteous flourish (Psalms 72:6, 7).
In these passages "rain" does not mean rain, but the influx of Divine truth with man, from which he has spiritual life. In Job:
My word they will not repeat, and my speech will drop upon them, and they will wait for me as for the rain, and they will open their mouth for the latter rain (Job 29:22, 23).
Evidently "rain" here means truth spoken by anyone, and flowing into another, for "word," "speech," and "opening the mouth" signify truth going forth from anyone by speech; this is why it is called "rain," and "latter rain," and is said "to drop," which here means to speak.
[19] In Jeremiah:
The Maker of the earth by His power prepareth the world, by His wisdom and by His understanding He stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice that He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and He maketh the vapors to go up from the end of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the showers, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries (Jeremiah 10:12, 13; 51:16; Psalms 135:7).
"The world which the Maker of the earth prepares by His power" signifies the church in the whole globe, "power" signifying the potency of Divine truth; "the heavens which He stretcheth out by wisdom and understanding" signify the church in the heavens corresponding to the church on earth, "wisdom and understanding" signifying the Divine proceeding, from which angels and men have the wisdom of good and the understanding of truth, and "to stretch out" signifying the formation and extension of the heavens in general, and the extension of understanding and wisdom with everyone who receives; "at the voice that He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens" signifies that from the Divine proceeding there are spiritual truths in immeasurable abundance, "voice" signifying the Divine proceeding, "waters" truths, and "multitude" abundance; "He maketh the vapors to go up from the end of the earth" signifies truths in ultimates, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of the letter, in which are spiritual truths, "the end of the earth" signifying the ultimates of the church, "vapors" truths for those who are in ultimates, and "to make them to go up" meaning to give spiritual truths from ultimates because they are in ultimates, for spiritual truths are what especially make the church fruitful; "He maketh lightning for the showers" signifies enlightenment from influx of Divine truth with them; "and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries" signifies spiritual things in the Word from heaven.
[20] In Luke:
When ye see a cloud rising in the west straightway it is said, There cometh a shower, and so it cometh to pass; and when ye see the south wind blowing it is said, There will be a scorching heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of the earth and of heaven, how is it that ye do not discern this time? (Luke 12:54-56)
By this comparison the Lord teaches that they see earthly things but not heavenly things; and the comparison itself, like all other comparisons in the Word, is derived from correspondences; for "a cloud rising in the west" signifies the Lord's coming at the end of the church predicted in the Word, "cloud" signifying the Word in the letter, "rising" the Lord's coming, and the "west" the end of the church; "straightway it is said, There cometh a shower" signifies that then there will be an influx of Divine truth; "and when ye see the south wind blowing" signifies the proclamation of His coming; "it is said, There will be a scorching heat" signifies that then there will be an influx of Divine good. The same words signify also contentions and combats of truth from good with falsities from evil, "shower and scorching heat" signifying also such contentions and combats; for this comparison follows the words of the Lord:
That He came not to give peace on the earth, but division, and that the father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother (Luke 12:51-53);
and these words signify such contention and combat; that "shower" also has this signification may be seen below. Because this comparison, regarded in its spiritual sense, implies the coming of the Lord, and because from blindness induced by falsities they did not acknowledge Him, although they might have known Him from the Word, it therefore follows:
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of the earth and of heaven, but ye do not discern this time (verse 56);
that is, the time of His coming, and the conflict of the falsity of evil with the truth of good that then took place.
[21] In Hosea:
Let us know, and let us follow on to know Jehovah; His going forth is prepared as the clouds; and He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that irrigateth the earth (Hosea 6:3).
This is said of the Lord and His coming; and as all Divine truth proceeds from Him, from which angels and men have life and salvation, it is said "He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that irrigateth the earth," "to irrigate the earth" signifying to render fertile the church, which is said to be rendered fertile when truths are multiplied and thence intelligence increases, and when goods are made fruitful, and thence celestial love increases.
[22] In the second book of Samuel:
The rock of Israel spake to me; as the light of morning the sun riseth, of a morning without clouds; from the brightness after rain there is grass out of the earth (2 Samuel 23:3, 4).
This is said of the Lord, who from the Divine truth that proceeds from Him is called "the Rock of Israel." That Divine truth proceeds from His Divine good is meant by "as the light of the morning the sun riseth." There is a comparison with light because "light" signifies the Divine truth proceeding, and with the morning because "morning" signifies the Divine good, and with the rising sun because "rising" and the "sun" signify the Divine love; that these are without obscurity is signified by "the light of a morning without clouds;" the enlightenment of the man of the church by the reception and after the reception of Divine truth from the Lord's Divine good is signified by "from the brightness after rain," "brightness" signifying enlightenment, and "rain" influx and consequent reception. That those who are of the church have therefrom knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, is signified by "the grass out of the earth," "grass," like "pasture," signifying spiritual nourishment, and thence knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, which are spiritual food, and the "earth" signifying the church and the man of the church.
[23] In Matthew:
Love your enemies, bless 2them that curse you, bless them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt and persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens; who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:44, 45).
Here first charity towards the neighbor, which is to wish good and do good even to enemies, is described by "loving them, blessing them, and praying for them," for genuine charity regards only the good of another. Here "to love" signifies charity, "to bless" instruction, and "to pray" intercession, and for the reason that inwardly in charity there is the end to do good. That this is the Divine itself with man, such as it is with regenerate men, is signified by "that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens," "Father in the heavens" means the Divine proceeding, for all who receive this are called "sons of the Father," that is, of the Lord; "the sun that He maketh to rise on the evil and on the good" signifies the Divine good flowing in; and "the rain that He sendeth on the just and on the unjust" signifies the Divine truth flowing in; for the Divine proceeding which is "the Father in the heavens," flows in with the evil equally as with the good, but the reception of it must be on man's part, yet not on man's part as from man, but as if from man, for the ability to receive is given to man continually, and it also flows in to the extent that man removes the evils that oppose, and does this also from the ability that is continually given, the ability itself appearing to be man's, although it is of the Lord.
[24] From this it can now be seen that "rain" signifies in the Word the influx of the Divine truth from the Lord, from which man has spiritual life, and this because "waters," of which rain consists, signify the truth of doctrine and the truth of faith. But as "waters," in the contrary sense, signify the falsities of doctrine and of faith, so "showers of rain" or "a shower," as well as "inundations of waters" and a "flood," signify not only falsities destroying truths, but also temptations in which man either yields or conquers. This is the signification of shower [imber] in Matthew:
Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them I will liken to a prudent man who built his house upon a rock; and the shower descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, yet it fell not. But everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the shower descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27).
Here "shower" and "rivers" mean temptations, in which man conquers or in which he yields; "waters" mean the falsities that usually inflow in temptations; and "rivers," which here are inundations of water from a shower, signify temptations; "the winds that blow and beat" signify the thoughts that arise therefrom, for temptations arise through the breaking in of falsities injected by evil spirits into the thoughts. The "house" they beat upon signifies man, strictly his mind, which consists of understanding or thought and of will or affection; he that receives the words of the Lord, that is, Divine truths, in one part of the mind only, which is that of the thought or understanding, and not at the same time in the other part, which is that of the affection or will, yields in temptations, and falls into grievous falsities, which are the falsities of evil; therefore it is said, "great was the fall of it;" but he who receives Divine truths in both parts, that is, both in the understanding and in the will, conquers in temptations. The "rock" upon which that house is founded signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, or Divine truth received by the soul and heart, that is, by faith and love, in other words, by the understanding and will; while the "sand" signifies Divine truth received only in the memory, and somewhat therefrom in the thought, and thus in a scattered and disconnected way, because intermixed with falsities, and falsified by notions. This makes clear what is meant by "hearing the words and not doing them." That this is the sense of these words can be seen more clearly from what precedes them.
[25] An "overflowing rain" or "shower" signifies an inundation of falsities also in Ezekiel:
Say unto them that daub on what is unfit that it shall fall, because an overflowing rain, because 3ye, O hailstones, shall fall, and a wind of tempests shall break through. Thus said the Lord Jehovih, I will make a wind of tempest to break through in My wrath, and an overflowing rain in Mine anger, and hailstones in wrath for a consummation, and I will throw down the wall that ye have daubed with what is unfit (Ezekiel 13:11, 13, 14).
"Daubing with what is unfit" signifies the confirmation of falsity by fallacies, whereby falsity appears as truth; "hailstones" signify truths without good, thus without any spiritual life, which are all inwardly falsities, for ideas that are dead cause them to be merely shells, and like pictures in which there is nothing living; such truths merely known belong to the natural man, into which nothing from the spiritual flows. "The overflowing rain and the wind of tempests" signify falsities rushing in copiously, and things imaginary, and disputes about truths, which make it impossible for anything of truth to be seen, and which thus destroy man.
[26] In the same:
I will plead with Gog with pestilence and with blood, and I will rain an overflowing rain and hailstones, fire and brimstone, upon him and upon his troops, and upon the many people who are with him (Ezekiel 38:22).
"Gog" means such as are in external worship without any internal worship; and as such worship consists of what are like shells, the kernels of which are either rotten or have been eaten out by worms, these things are called "overflowing rain and hailstones," which signify falsities rushing in copiously and things imaginary which destroy man. The evils of falsity and the falsities of evil are signified by "fire and brimstone."
[27] The "flood of waters," of which it is said:
That it overflowed the whole earth and destroyed all except Noah and his sons (71, 483, 518, 537, 538; and that "the overflowings of waters" signify the overflowings of falsities and temptations, see also above, n. 518 .)
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "the time, the latter rain," as found in Arcana Coelestia 7571.
2. The Greek has "do good," as found in Arcana Coelestia 2371, 3605, etc.
3. In 503 we find "by which."
644. [Vers. 6.] "Hi habent potestatem claudere caelum, ut non pluat pluvia in diebus illorum prophetiae." - Quod significet quod illi qui rejiciunt bona et vera caeli et ecclesiae, quae a Domino procedunt, non aliquem influxum e caelo recipiant, constat ex significatione "claudere caelum", quod sit ne aliquis influxus e caelo recipiatur (de qua sequitur); ex significatione "pluviae", quod sit verum fecundans, quod est verum ex quo bonum quod e caelo defluit (de qua etiam sequitur); et ex significatione "prophetiae eorum", quod sit praedictio de Domino, deque Ipsius adventu, et de bono amoris in Ipsum et de veris fidei in Ipsum; haec revelatio, et ex revelatione praedicatio in fine ecclesiae, est quae principaliter intelligitur per "dies prophetiae duorum testium": quod sit Dominus qui in fine ecclesiae imprimis praedicatur a binis testibus, est quia "bini testes", qui sunt bonum amoris et verum fidei in Dominum, principaliter testantur de Ipso; quare in sequentibus dicitur
Quod "testimonium Jesu sit spiritus prophetiae" (Apocalypsis 19:10).
[2] Quod "claudere caelum" sit inhibere ne aliquis influxus e caelo recipiatur, est quia sequitur, "ne pluat pluvia", per quod significatur influxus Divini Veri e caelo; notum enim est quod omne bonum amoris et omne verum fidei influat e caelo, hoc est, a Domino per caelum apud hominem, tum quod continue influat; unde sequitur quod utrumque illud, tam bonum amoris quam verum fidei, nullatenus sit hominis, sed Domini apud illum: utrumque illud influit, quantum malum et falsum non obstant; haec sunt quae claudunt caelum, ne influant: nam malum et bonum, ac falsum et verum, opposita sunt; quapropter ubi unum est, non potest alterum esse; malum enim apud hominem inhibet ne intret bonum, ac falsum ne intret verum, ac bonum facit ut removeatur malum, et verum ut removeatur falsum; sunt enim opposita sicut sunt caelum et infernum; quapropter unum agit contra alterum cum perpetuo conatu destruendi, ac destruit quod valet.
[3] Sunt etiam apud unumquemvis hominem binae mentes, una interior quae vocatur mens spiritualis, et altera exterior quae vocatur mens naturalis; mens spiritualis est creata ad receptionem lucis e caelo, mens autem naturalis ad receptionem lucis e mundo; quare mens spiritualis, quae est interior mens hominis, est caelum apud illum, et mens naturalis, quae est exterior mens hominis, est mundus apud illum. Mens interior, quae est caelum apud hominem, aperitur quantum homo agnoscit Divinum Domini; et tantum homo agnoscit quantum est in bono amoris et charitatis ac in veris doctrinae et fidei; at mens haec interior, quae est caelum apud hominem, tantum non aperitur quantum non agnoscit Divinum Domini, et non vivit vitam amoris et fidei; et mens illa tantum clauditur quantum homo in malis et inde falsis est; quae cum clausa est, tunc mens naturalis fit infernum apud hominem: in mente enim naturali est malum et falsum ejus; quare cum clausa est mens spiritualis, quae est caelum apud illum, tunc dominatur naturalis mens quae est infernum. Ex his constare potest quomodo intelligendum est quod "claudatur caelum ne pluat pluvia."
[4] Dicitur hoc de "binis testibus", quod illi potestatem "claudendi caelum" habeant; sed usque non illi claudunt; at malum et falsum, quod apud homines ecclesiae in fine ejus regnat, claudunt: dicitur hoc de testibus similiter ut supra quod "ignis exibit ex ore illorum, et devorabit inimicos", cum tamen non ex illis aliquis ignis exit et devorat (ut in binis superioribus articulis dictum est).
Quod "ne pluat pluvia" significet ne influxus Divini Veri e caelo sit, est quia "aqua", ex qua pluvia, significat verum Verbi, et inde verum doctrinae et fidei (videatur supra, n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538); et quia aqua pluvialis descendit e nubibus in caelo, ideo per "pluere pluviam" significatur influxus Divini Veri a Domino in caelo; et quia pluvia fecundat terram, ideo per "pluviam" significatur Divinum Verum fecundans et fructificans ecclesiam; unde quoque per "pluviam" significatur benedictio spiritualis.
[5] Quod per "pluviam" in Verbo non intelligatur pluvia, sed Divinum influens, ex quo intelligentia et sapientia tum bonum amoris et verum fidei apud hominem crescit et se fructificat; et quod per "pluere" significetur influxus, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Mosen,
"Defluet sicut pluvia doctrina mea, stillabit sicut ros verbum meum; sicut stillae super gramen, et sicut guttae super herbam" (Deuteronomius 32:2):
doctrina hic comparatur pluviae, quia per "pluviam" significatur Divinum Verum procedens, ex quo omne doctrinae; comparationes enim omnes in Verbo etiam ex correspondentiis sunt: quia per "pluviam" significatur Divinum Verum defluens, ideo dicitur, "Defluet sicut pluvia doctrina mea"; per "rorem" significatur bonum, et quia id etiam significatur per "verbum", ideo dicitur, "Stillabit sicut ros verbum meum": intelligentia et sapientia inde significatur per "stillas super gramen" et per "guttas super herbas"; nam sicut gramen et herba agri crescunt ex aquis pluviae et roris, ita intelligentia et sapientia ex influxu Divini Veri a Domino. Hoc praemittitur a Mose, quia in eo capite de duodecim tribubus Israelis, per quas in sensu spirituali significantur omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, proinde doctrina in toto complexu.
[6] Apud eundem,
"Terra, quam vos transituri ad possidendum illam, est terra montium et vallium; ad pluviam caeli bibit aquas.... .Et dabo pluviam terrae vestrae in tempore suo, tempestivam et serotinam, ut colligas frumentum tuum, et mustum tuum et oleum tuum.".... Si vero serviveritis aliis diis, et non in statutis meis ambulaveritis, "excandescet ira Jehovae contra vos, claudet caelum ut non sit pluvia, et terra non det proventum" (Deuteronomius 11:11, 14, 16, 17):
ita describitur terra Canaan et ejus fecunditas; sed quia per illam terram in spirituali sensu intelligitur ecclesia, sequitur quod omnia descriptionis significent talia quae sunt ecclesiae ; sicut "montes", "valles", "frumentum", "mustum", "oleum", "proventus", "pluvia": "terra montium et vallium" significat ecclesiae superiora et inferiora, seu interna et externa; interna ecclesiae sunt apud hominem internum, qui etiam vocatur spiritualis homo, et externa ecclesiae sunt apud hominem externum, qui vocatur naturalis homo: quod utraque talia sint ut recipiant influxum Divini Veri, significatur per quod "ad pluviam caeli bibat aquas": quod Divinum Verum influat in utroque statu, nempe dum homo ecclesiae est in statu suo spirituali ac in statu suo naturali, significatur per quod "dabitur pluvia in tempore suo tempestiva et serotina"; homo enim ecclesiae est per vices in statu spirituali et in statu naturali; influxus et receptio Divini Veri in statu spirituali intelligitur per "pluviam tempestivam" seu matutinam, et in statu naturali per "pluviam serotinam" et vespertinam: bonum et verum spirituale et caeleste, quae inde homini ecclesiae sunt, intelliguntur per "frumentum, mustum et oleum", quae colligent: quod falsa doctrinae et cultus inhibitura sint, ut non influat et recipiatur Divinum Verum, unde non aliquod incrementum vitae spiritualis, significatur per "Si serviveritis aliis diis, non erit pluvia, et terra non dabit proventum"; per "alios deos" significantur falsa doctrinae et cultus.
[7] Apud eundem,
"Si in statutis meis ambulaveritis, et praecepta mea observaveritis, et feceritis ea, .... et dabit terra proventum.., ac arbor agri dabit fructum suum" (Leviticus 26:3, 4):
hic per "pluvias quae darentur in tempore suo", et per "proventum e terra", similia quae supra significantur; et quia ecclesia eo tempore fuit ecclesia externa repraesentativa interiorum spiritualium, ideo etiam cum ambulaverunt in statutis et observaverunt praecepta et fecerunt illa, factum est quod acceperint pluvias in tempore suo, et quod terra dederit proventum suum, et arbor agri fructum: sed usque pluviae et inde proventus repraesentabant et significabant, "pluviae" Divinum influens, "proventus" verum doctrinae et intellectum veri, et "fructus arboris" bonum amoris et voluntatem boni;
[8] quod constare potest ex eo,
Quod inhibita fuerit pluvia, et inde facta fames in terra Israelis per annos tres et dimidium, sub Achabo, quia aliis diis serviverunt, et prophetas occiderunt (1 Reg. 27, et cap. 1
48; et Luca 4:25):
hoc erat repraesentativum et inde significativum, quod non aliquod Divinum Verum e caelo influens potuerit recipi, propter falsa mali, quae significantur per "deos alios" et per "Baalem", quos coluerunt; per "occidere prophetas" etiam significatur destruere Divinum, per "prophetam" enim in Verbo significatur doctrina veri ex Verbo.
[9] Apud Esaiam,
"Ponam" vineam meam "in desolationem, non putabitur, neque sarrietur, ut ascendat sentis et vepris; et nubibus praecipiam, ut non faciant pluere super eam pluviam" (5:6):
etiam hic dicitur de Jehovah quod "ponat vineam in desolationem", et quod "praecipiat nubibus ut non pluant pluviam super eam", cum tamen hoc non fiat a Jehovah, hoc est, Domino; nam Ille semper influit tam apud malos quam apud bonos, quod intelligitur per quod
"pluviam mittet super justos et injustos" (Matthaeus 5:45);
sed causa est apud hominem ecclesiae, quod non recipiat aliquem influxum Divini Veri; nam homo qui non recipit, is claudit apud se interiora mentis quae recipiunt, quibus clausis rejicitur Divinum influens: per "vineam" quae ponetur in desolationem, significatur ecclesia; per "non putari et sarriri" significatur non posse excoli et sic praeparari ad recipiendum; per "sentem et veprem" quae ascendent, significantur falsa mali; per "praecipere nubibus ut non pluant pluviam" significatur quod e caelo non aliquis influxus Divini Veri recipiatur.
[10] Apud Jeremiam,
"Inhibiti sunt imbres, et pluvia serotina non facta est, sed tamen frons mulieris meretricis mansit tibi, renuisti pudefieri" (3:3);
apud eundem,
"Non dixerunt in corde suo, Timeamus, agite, Jehovam Deum nostrum, dantem pluviam et imbrem tempestivum et serotinum in tempore suo; septimanas, stata tempora messis servat nobis; iniquitates vestrae declinare faciunt haec" (5:24, 25);
apud Amos,
"Ego prohibui a vobis pluviam, cum adhuc tres menses ad messem usque, ita ut pluere quidem fecerim super unam urbem, et super urbem alteram non fecerim pluere; ager unus pluviam acceperit, sed ager super quem non pluit exaruerit: unde vagatae sunt duae tres urbes ad urbem unam ad bibendum aquas, nec tamen satiatae sunt, nihilominus non reversi estis ad Me" (4:7, 8);
apud Ezechielem,
"Fili hominis, dic, Tu terra, quae non mundata, cui non pluvia in dic irae, conjuratio prophetarum ejus in medio ejus" (22:24, 25);
apud Sachariam,
"Qui non ascenderit de familiis terrae ad Hierosolymam, ad adorandum Jehovam Zebaoth, non super eos erit pluvia" (14:17):
in his locis etiam "pluvia" significat receptionem influxus Divini Veri, ex quo intelligentia spiritualis; et quod non intelligentia illa detur per aliquem influxum propter mala et falsa quae renuunt recipere et quae rejiciunt illum, significatur per quod "non pluvia."
[11] Apud Jeremiam,
"Magnates miserunt minorennes aquae causa; venerunt ad foveas nec invenerunt aquas;.... propterea quod terra confracta sit, quod non facta sit pluvia in terra: pudefacti sunt agricolae, obtexerunt caput" (14:3, 4):
per "magnates" intelliguntur qui docent et ducunt, et per "minorennes" qui docentur et ducuntur; per "aquas" significantur vera doctrinae; per "foveas in quibus non aquae significantur doctrinalia in quibus non vera; per quod "non facta sit pluvia in terra" significatur quod non aliquis influxus Divini Veri recipiatur ob falsa in ecclesia; per "agricolas qui pudefacti, et obtexerunt caput", significantur docentes et illorum dolor.
[12] Apud Esaiam,
"Tunc dabit Jehovah pluviam semini tuo, quo conseris terram, et panem proventus terrae; et erit pingue et opulentum; pascent pecora tua in die illo in prato lato" (30:23);
haec quando venturus est Dominus: influxus Divini Veri procedentis ab Ipso significatur per "pluviam quam semini tunc dabit Dominus"; "pluvia" est influxus Divinus, "semen" est verum Verbi: "conserere terram" significat plantare et apud se formare ecclesiam; per "panem proventus", quem Jehovah dabit, significatur bonum amoris et charitatis quod producitur per vera Verbi vivificata per influxum Divinum; per "pingue et opulentum" significatur plenum bono amoris et veris inde, "pingue" enim dicitur de bono, et "opulentum" de veris: per "pascent pecora in die illo in prato lato" significatur extensio et multiplicatio eorum ex influxu Divino, et inde nutritio spiritualis; "pecora" sunt bona et vera apud hominem, "dies ille" est adventus Domini, "pratum latum" est Verbum per quod Divinus influxus et nutritio spiritualis; "latum" dicitur ab extensione et multiplicatione veri.
[13] Apud eundem,
"Sicut descendit pluvia et nix e caelo, nec eo revertitur, sed irrigat terram, et parere facit eam, et germinare facit eam, ut det semen seminanti et panem comedenti; sic erit Verbum meum quod exibit ex ore meo; non revertetur ad Me frustra, sed faciet quod volo, et prospere aget ad quod misi illud" (55:10, 11):
hic comparatur Verbum, quod exit ex ore Dei, pluviae et nivi e caelo, quia per "Verbum" intelligitur Divinum Verum a Domino procedens, quod apud nos influit per Verbum, similiter ac per "pluviam et nivem descendentem e caelo"; per "pluviam" significatur Verum spirituale quod appropriatum est homini, et per "nivem" verum naturale, quod est sicut nix dum modo in memoria, sed fit spirituale per amorem sicut nix fit aqua pluviae per calorem: per "irrigare terram, ac parere et germinare facere eam", significatur vivificare ecclesiam ut producat verum doctrinae et fidei ac bonum amoris et charitatis; verum doctrinae et fidei significatur per "semen quod dat seminanti", ac bonum amoris et charitatis per "panem quem dat comedenti"; quod "non revertetur ad Me frustra, sed faciet quod volo", significatur quod recipietur, et quod homo ex eo ducetur spectare ad Dominum.
[14] Apud Ezechielem,
"Dabo eos et circuitus collis mei benedictionem, et demittam pluviam in tempore suo, pluviae benedictionis erunt: tunc dabit arbor agri fructum suum, et terra dabit proventum suum" (34:26, 27):
per "circuitus collis Jehovae" intelliguntur omnes qui in veris doctrinae et inde in bono charitatis sunt; per "demittere pluviam in tempore suo" significatur influxus Divini Veri convenienter secundum affectionem ac voluntatem recipiendi; et quia inde fructificatio boni et multiplicatio veri, vocantur "pluviae benedictionis", et dicitur quod "arbor agri dabit fructum suum, et terra dabit proventum suum"; per "arborem agri" et "terram" significatur ecclesia et homo ecclesiae, per "fructum arboris agri" fructificatio boni, et per "proventum terrae" multiplicatio veri ejus.
[15] Apud Joelem,
"Filii Zionis, gaudete et laetamini in Jehovah Deo vestro; quia dabit vobis pluviam tempestivam in justitiam, immo descendere faciet vobis pluviam tempestivam et serotinam in primo; ut plenae sint areae frumento puro, et exundent torcularia mustum et oleum" (2:23, 24):
per "filios Zionis" significantur illi qui in genuinis veris sunt, per quae illis bonum amoris; nam per "Zionem" significatur ecclesia caelestis quae in bono amoris in Dominum est per genuina vera: quod Dominus apud illos influat cum bono amoris, et ex illo in vera, significatur per quod "dabit illis pluviam tempestivam in justitiam"; "justitia" in Verbo praedicatur de bono amoris, et per "justos" intelliguntur qui in illo bono sunt (videatur supra, n. 204 [a]): quod influat cum bono amoris in vera continue, significatur per quod "descendere faciat pluviam tempestivam et serotinam in primo"; quod inde illis bonum amoris erga fratrem et socium, significatur per quod "illis plenae sint areae frumento puro"; et quod inde illis sit verum ac bonum amoris in Dominum, significatur per quod "exundent torcularia mustum et oleum." Apud illos qui ab ecclesia caelesti Domini sunt, est bonum amoris erga fratrem et socium; qui amor apud illos qui ab ecclesia spirituali Domini sunt, vocatur charitas erga proximum.
[16] Apud Sachariam
"Petite a Jehovah pluviam in tempore 2
suo, Jehovah faciet nimbos, et pluviam imbris dabit illis, viro herbam in agro" (10:1):
per "pluviam" etiam hic significatur influxus Divini Veri a Domino, ex quo homini intelligentia spiritualis; "pluvia imbris" significat Divinum Verum in copia influens; et per "dare herbam in agro" significatur cognitio veri et boni ex Verbo, et inde intelligentia.
[17] Apud Davidem,
"Visitas terram, et delectaris ea, valde ditas eam, rivus Dei plenus aquis, praeparas frumentum eorum, et sic stabilis eam; sulcos ejus irriga, demitte turmas ejus, stillis liquefac illam, germini ejus benedic" (Psalms 65:10, 11 [B.A. 9, 10]):
per "terram" ibi significatur ecclesia; per "rivum plenum aquis significatur doctrina plena veris; per "sulcos ejus irrigare, demittere turmas, et stillis liquefacere", significatur implere cognitionibus boni et veri; per "praeparare frumentum" significatur omne quod nutrit animam; quare additur, "Sic stabilis terram", hoc est, ecclesiam: per "benedicere germini" significatur e novo jugiter producere et nascere facere vera.
[18] Apud eundem,
"Pluviam benevolentiarum stillare facis, Deus" (Psalms 68:10 [b. A [9]);
apud eundem,
"Descendet sicut pluvia super herbam prati.., sicut guttae in fissuram terrae; florebit in diebus Ejus justus" ( 3
in his locis "pluvia" nec significat pluviam, sed influxum Divini Veri apud hominem, ex quo illi vita spiritualis.
Apud Hiobum,
"Verbum meum non iterabunt, et super illos stillabit sermo meus; et exspectabunt sicut pluviam me, et os suum aperient ad pluviam serotinam" (29:22, 23):
quod per "pluviam" ibi intelligatur verum quod ab aliquo dicitur, et apud alterum influit, patet; nam "verbum", "sermo", et "os aperire" significat verum ab aliquo exiens per loquelam; inde dicitur "pluvia", et "pluvia serotina", tum "stillare" per quod ibi significatur loqui.
[19] Apud Jeremiam,
"Factor terrae per virtutem suam praeparat orbem, per sapientiam suam et per intelligentiam suam extendit caelos; ad vocem quam dat Ille, multitudo aquarum in caelis, et ascendere facit vapores a fine terrae; fulgura imbri facit, et educit ventum e thesauris suis" (10:12, 13; 51:16: Psalms 135:7):
per "orbem", quem Factor terrae per virtutem praeparat, significatur ecclesia in universo terrarum orbe; "virtus" significat potentiam Divini Veri: per "caelos" quos per sapientiam et intelligentiam extendit, significatur ecclesia in caelis correspondens ecclesiae in terris: "sapientia" et "intelligentia" significat Divinum procedens ex quo sapientia boni et intelligentia veri est angelis et hominibus; "extendere" significat formationem et extensionem caelorum in communi, et extensionem intelligentiae et sapientiae apud unumquemvis qui recipit: "ad vocem quam dat Ille, multitudo aquarum in caelis", significat quod ex Divino procedente sint spiritualia vera in immensa copia; "vox" significat Divinum procedens, "aquae" significant vera, et "multitudo" copiam: "ascendere facit vapores a fine terrae" significat vera in ultimis, qualia sunt vera Verbi in sensu litterae in quibus vera spiritualia; "finis terrae" significat ultima ecclesiae, et "vapores" significant vera pro illis qui in ultimis, et "ascendere facere" est ex illis quia in illis, nempe ultimis, dare vera spiritualia quae imprimis fructificant ecclesiam: "fulgura imbri facit" significat illustrationem ab influxu Divini Veri apud illos: "et educit ventum e thesauris suis" significat spiritualia in Verbo e caelo.
[20] Apud Lucam,
"Quando videritis nubem orientem in occasibus, statim dicitur, Imber venit, et fit ita; et quando austrum spirantem, dicitur quod aestus erit, et fit: hypocritae, faciem terrae et caeli scitis probare; tempus hoc quomodo non probatis?" (12:54-56):
per hanc comparationem docet Dominus quod videant terrena, non autem caelestia; et ipsa comparatio, sicut omnes comparationes in Verbo, ex correspondentiis desumpta est; nam per "nubem orientem in occasibus" significatur adventus Domini in fine ecclesiae praedictus in Verbo; "nubes" significat Verbum in littera, "oriens" significat adventum Ipsius, et "occasus" significat finem ecclesiae: "statim dicitur quod imber venit" significat quod tunc influxus Divini Veri: "et quando videritis, austrum spirantem" significat praedicationem de adventu Ipsius; "dicitur quod aestus erit" significat quod tunc influxus Divini Boni. Eadem illa etiam significant contentiones et pugnas veri ex bono cum falsis ex malo, nam "imber" et "aestus" etiam significant contentiones et pugnas illas; sequitur enim haec comparatio post verba Domini,
Quod non venerit ad pacem dandam in terra, sed discidium; et quod dividetur pater contra filium, et filius contra patrem, mater contra filiam et filia contra matrem (vers. 51-53)
per quae verba significatur contentio et pugna illa; quod "imber" etiam illam significet, videbitur infra. Quia comparatio illa in sensu spirituali spectata involvit adventum Ipsius, et quod ex caecitate a falsis inducta non agnoverint Ipsum, tametsi notum illis ex Verbo potuisset esse, ideo sequitur,
"Hypocritae, faciem terrae et caeli scitis probare, tempus autem hoc non probatis" [ (vers. 56)] ;
nempe tempus adventus Ipsius, et tunc conflictus falsi mali cum vero boni.
[21] Apud Hoscheam,
"Cognoscamus et persequamur ad cognoscendum Jehovam; sicut 4
nubes paratus exitus Ipsius. et veniet sicut pluvia nobis, sicut pluvia serotina irrigat terram" (6:3):
haec de Domino et de Ipsius adventu; et quia ab Ipso procedit omne Divinum Verum, ex quo vita et salus angelis et hominibus, ideo dicitur quod "veniet sicut pluvia nobis, sicut pluvia serotina irrigat terram"; "irrigare terram" significat fecundare ecclesiam, quae fecundari dicitur cum multiplicantur vera et inde crescit intelligentia, et cum fructificantur bona et inde crescit caelestis amor.
[22] In Libro Secundo Samuelis,
"Mihi locuta est Petra Israelis sicut lux matutae oritur sol, matutae sine nubibus, a splendore post pluviam gramen e terra (23:3, 4):
haec quoque de Domino, qui, ex Divino Vero quod ab Ipso procedit, vocatur "Petra Israelis": quod Divinum Verum ex Divino Bono Ipsius procedat, intelligitur per "Sicut lux matutae oritur sol"; comparatio est cum luce quia "lux" significat Divinum Verum procedens, et cum matuta quia "mane" significat Divinum Bonum, et cum oriente sole quia "oriens" et "sol" significat Divinum Amorem; quod illa sint absque obscuro, significatur per "lucem matutae sine nubibus": illustratio hominis ecclesiae per receptionem et post receptionem Divini Veri ex Divino Bono Domini, significatur per "a splendore post pluviam"; "splendor" significat illustrationem, ac "pluvia" influxum et inde receptionem: quod inde scientia, intelligentia et sapientia illis qui ab ecclesia sunt, significatur per "gramen e terra"; "gramen" significat nutritionem spiritualem, simile quod "pascuum", et inde scientiam, intelligentiam et sapientiam, quae sunt cibi spirituales; et per "terram" significatur ecclesia et homo ecclesiae.
[23] Apud Matthaeum,
"Amate inimicos vestros, benedicite maledicentibus vobis, 5
benefacite odio habentibus vos, et orate pro laedentibus et persequentibus vos; ut sitis filii Patris vestri qui in caelis, qui solem suum exoriri facit super malos et bonos, et pluviam mittit super justos et injustos" (5:44, 45):
describitur primum charitas erga proximum, quae est bonum velle et bonum facere etiam inimicis, per quod "amarent illos", "benedicerent illis", et "orarent pro illis"; nam genuina charitas non spectat nisi quam bonum alterius: ibi "amare" significat charitatem, "benedicere" instructionem, et "orare" intercessionem; causa est quia intus in charitate est finis benefaciendi: quod hoc sit ipsum Divinum apud hominem, sicut est apud homines regeneratos, significatur per "ut sitis filii Patris vestri in caelis"; "Pater in caelis" est Divinum procedens, nam omnes qui recipiunt illud dicuntur "filii Patris", hoc est, Domini: per "solem" quem exoriri facit super malos et bonos, significatur Divinum Bonum influens; et per "pluviam" quam mittit super justos et injustos, significatur Divinum Verum influens; nam Divinum procedens, quod est "Pater in caelis", aeque influit apud malos et bonos, sed receptio ejus erit ab homine; tametsi non ita ab homine ut ab homine, sed sicut ab ipso; nam facultas recipiendi continue ei datur, et quoque influit, quantum homo mala obstantia, etiam ex facultate quae continue datur, removet; et ipsa facultas apparet sicut hominis, tametsi est Domini.
[24] Ex his nunc constare potest quod per "pluviam" in Verbo significetur influxus Divini Veri a Domino, unde vita ei spiritualis; et hoc quia per "aquas", ex quibus pluvia, significatur verum doctrinae et verum fidei: at quia per "aquas" in opposito sensu significantur falsa doctrinae et fidei, ideo etiam per "pluviam imbris" seu per "imbrem", aeque ac per "aquarum inundationes" et per "diluvium", significantur non modo falsa destruentia vera, sed etiam tentationes, in quibus homo vel succumbit vel vincit. Haec significantur per "imbrem" apud Matthaeum,
"Omnis qui audit verba mea et facit ea, comparabo 6
eum Viro prudenti, qui aedificavit domum suam super petra: et descendit imber, et venerunt flumina, et flarunt venti, et irruerunt in domum illam, tamen non cecidit.... . At qui audit verba mea et non facit illa, comparabitur viro stulto, qui aedificavit domum..super arena; et descendit imber, et venerunt flumina, et flarunt venti, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit, et erat casus ejus magnus" (7:24-27):
per "imbrem" et per flumina" hic intelliguntur tentationes, in quibus homo vincit et in quibus succumbit; per "aquas" falsa quae in tentationibus solito influunt; et per "flumina", quae ibi sunt inundationes aquarum ex imbre, significantur tentationes; per "ventos" qui etiam flant et irruunt, significantur emergentes inde cogitationes, nam tentationes existunt per irruptiones falsorum injectas a malis spiritibus in cogitationes: per "domum", in quam irruunt, significatur homo, proprie ejus mens quae ex intellectu seu cogitatione et ex voluntate seu affectione consistit; qui modo una parte mentis, quae est cogitationis seu intellectus, recipit verba Domini, hoc est, Divina vera, et non simul parte altera quae est affectionis seu voluntatis, ille homo in tentationibus succumbit, et cadit in gravia falsa, quae sunt falsa mali; quare dicitur, "Erat casus ejus magnus"; at qui utraque parte, nempe tam intellectu quam voluntate recipit Divina vera, is in tentationibus vincit: per "petram", super qua fundatur domus illa, significatur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, seu Divinum Verum receptum anima et corde, hoc est, fide et amore, quod est intellectu et voluntate; at per "arenam" significatur Divinum Verum receptum modo in memoria et inde aliquantum in cogitatione, et inde sparsum et inconnexum, quia interpolatum a falsis, et falsificatum per ideas: ex his itaque patet quid intelligitur per "audire verba et non facere illa": quod hic sensus illorum verborum sit, clarius ex mox praecedentibus ibi constare potest.
[25] Per "pluviam inundantem" seu "imbrem" significatur inundatio falsorum etiam apud Ezechielem,
"Dic ad incrustantes ineptum quod cadet, quia pluvia inundans, 7
quia vos lapides grandinis cadent, et ventus procellarum perrumpet: .... sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Faciam perrumpere ventum procellarum in excandescentia mea, et pluviam inundantem in ira mea, et lapides grandinis in fervore in consummationem, et destruam parietem quem incrustatis inepto" ( 8
per "incrustationem inepti" significatur confirmatio falsi per fallacias, per quas falsum apparet sicut verum; per "lapides grandinis" significantur vera absque bono, ita absque aliqua vita spirituali, quae omnia intus falsa sunt; nam ideae, quae mortuae, faciunt ut sint modo crustae ac sicut picturae in quibus nihil vivi; talia scientifica vera sunt naturalis hominis in quem non influit aliquid e spirituali: per "pluviam inundantem" et per "ventum procellarum" significantur falsa in copia irruentia et imaginaria, ac contentiones de veris, quae faciunt ut nihil veri possit videri, et sic hominem perdunt.
[26] Apud eundem,
"Disceptabo cum" Gogo "peste et sanguine, et pluviam inundantem et lapides grandinis, ignem et sulphur pluere faciam super eum, et super alas ejus, et super populos multos qui cum illo" (38:22 9
):
per "Gogum" intelliguntur qui in externo cultu absque ullo cultu interno sunt; et quia is cultus similiter consistit sicut ex crustis, in quibus nuclei putrefacti sunt, vel exesi a vermibus, ideo dicuntur "pluvia inundans" et "lapides grandinis", per quae significantur falsa in copia irruentia et imaginaria, quae hominem perdunt; mala falsi et falsa mali significantur per "ignem" et "sulphur."
[27] Per "diluvium aquarum", de quo dicitur
Quod inundaverit totam terram, et perdiderit omnes praeter Noachum et ejus filios (Gen. cap. 7 et 8),
etiam significatur inundatio falsorum, ex qua tandem Ecclesia Antiquissima destructa est; per "Noachum et ejus filios" significatur ecclesia nova quae Ecclesia Antiqua dicenda est, et ejus post devastationem Ecclesiae Antiquissimae instauratio. (sed singula, per quae diluvium et per quae salvatio familiae Noachicae in illis capitibus descripta sunt, videantur in Arcanis Caelestibus explicata.
Quod "aquae" significent vera, ac in opposito sensu falsa videatur supra, n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538: et quod "inundationes aquarum" significent inundationes falsorum ac tentationes, etiam supra, n. 518 [e], fin. )
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