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670. And they ascended into heaven in a cloud.- That this signifies separation as to things internal, and their protection, is evident from the signification of ascending into heaven, when spoken of the two witnesses, as denoting separation from the evil, that is, from those who are in falsities of doctrine from evils of life, and also protection (concerning this see the preceding article, n. 669); and from the signification of a cloud, as denoting the ultimate of Divine Truth, or the external of the Word, which is called the sense of its letter (concerning this see above, n. 36, 594). It is this external in which also many of the evil are. For all who lead an evil life think in themselves in opposition to the truths and goods of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, although they are in externals. The reason of this is, that they are in the love of evil from life, and love attracts to its side the interiors of the mind, thus the thoughts of its spirit; such persons therefore, when left to themselves to think alone, altogether deny those things which with their lips they confess before the world. It is this external, which also exists with the impious and the evil, that is here meant by a cloud; therefore their ascending into heaven in a cloud signifies separation as to internals, but not as to externals. Separation as to internals, and not as to externals, is meant, because the internals of the two witnesses were spiritual and celestial, but the internals of the evil were infernal and devilish; and spiritual and celestial internals are actually in heaven, therefore it is said that they ascended thither, in order that they might be separated from the evil as to internals, lest the latter should suffer injury.
[2] In order that what is particularly involved in the ascent into heaven of the two witnesses that were slain and lived again may be known, it shall be stated in a few words. At the end of the church, when there is no faith because no charity, the interior things of the Word, which are to serve the new church for doctrine and life, are disclosed. This was done by the Lord Himself, when the end of the Jewish Church was at hand, for then the Lord Himself came into the world, and opened the interior things of the Word, especially those relating to Himself, to love to Him, to love towards the neighbour, and to faith in Him; these previously lay concealed in the interiors of the Word, because they were in its representatives, and consequently in everything pertaining to the church and worship. Those truths therefore which the Lord unfolded were interior truths, and in themselves spiritual, which afterwards served the new church for doctrine and life, as stated just above. But still they were not immediately received, nor till after a considerable lapse of time, as is well known from ecclesiastical history. The reason was, that they could not be received until all things in the spiritual world had been reduced to order, for the spiritual world is conjoined to the natural world with men; unless therefore that world had been first reduced to order, the goods of love and truths of doctrine could not have been understood or perceived by men in the natural world. This was the reason why so long a period intervened before the Christian church was universally established in Europe; for all effects existing in the natural world, especially those which relate to the things of the church, derive their origin from causes in the spiritual world. These things are mentioned in order that it may be known that by the two witnesses being commanded to ascend into heaven is signified in particular that the goods of love and truths of doctrine disclosed at the last time of the church, might not be injured by the evil.
[3] The case was similar when the most ancient church, which was before the flood, came to its end, for then the representatives of celestial things, which existed among the most ancient people, were collected together by those who were called Enoch, and reserved for the use of the new church after the flood. This was called a representative church, because its laws and statutes, and in general its worship, consisted of representatives, or of such things in the natural world as corresponded to spiritual things in the spiritual world. The same thing was done with these, for they were separated from the evil by being taken into heaven, and thus protected, and this went on until the old church reached its close and the time when the new church was to be established; this is described by these words in Genesis:
"And Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him" (Arcana Coelestia 518-523).
[4] The case is similar to-day. The church, which is called the Christian church, has to-day (hodie) come to its end, therefore the arcana of heaven and of the church are now revealed by the Lord, to serve as the doctrine of life and faith for the new church which is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Apocalypse. This doctrine also has been taken up into heaven, lest harm should be done to it by the evil before the establishment of the New Church. This then is the signification of these words concerning the two witnesses, that "they ascended into heaven"; and also of the words of the following chapter, where of the woman about to bring forth a child, before whom the dragon stood, it is said, "that the child was caught up to God, and to His throne" (Apoc. 12:5). What is specifically meant there by the woman and by the child will be stated in the explanation of the following chapter. From these considerations it is now evident what kind of interior truth is involved in what is said of the two witnesses that ascended by command into heaven in a cloud.
670. And they went up into heaven in the cloud, signifies separation in respect to things internal, and their protection. This is evident from the signification of "going up into heaven," in reference to the two witnesses, as being separation from the evil, that is, from those who are in the falsities of doctrine from evils of life, and also protection see preceding article, n. 669; also from the signification of "the cloud," as being the ultimate of Divine truth, or the external of the Word, which is called the sense of its letter (of which above, n. 36, 594). Many of the evil also are in this external, for all who lead an evil life think in themselves in opposition to the goods and truths of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, although they may be in the externals of these, and for this reason, that from the life they are in the love of evil, and love draws to its own side the interiors of the mind, thus the thoughts of its spirit, consequently when such are left to think alone by themselves they wholly deny those things that they confess with their lips before the world. It is this external, which is also with the impious and the evil, that is here meant by "the cloud." For this reason, by "they went up into heaven in the cloud," separation in respect to internals is meant, but not in respect to externals. Separation in respect to internals is meant, and not in respect to externals, because the internals of the two witnesses were spiritual and celestial, while the internals of the evil were infernal and diabolical; and internals that are celestial and spiritual are actually in heaven; therefore they are said to have "gone up thither," in order that as to internals they might be separated from the evil, that their internals might not be harmed.
[2] A few words shall be said to make known what in particular is involved in "the going up into heaven of the two witnesses that were slain and lived again." At the end of the church, when there is no faith because there is no charity, the interior things of the Word which are to serve the New Church for doctrine and life are disclosed. This was done by the Lord Himself, when the end of the Jewish Church was at hand; for the Lord Himself then came into the world and opened the interiors of the Word, especially those relating to Himself, love to Him and love towards the neighbor, and faith in Him, which before lay hidden in the interiors of the Word, since they were in its representatives, and thence in the particular things of the church and of worship. These truths, therefore, that were disclosed by the Lord were interior truths, and in themselves spiritual; and these afterwards served the New Church for doctrine and life, as has been said just above. These truths, however, were not immediately received, nor until after a considerable lapse of time, as is well known from ecclesiastical history; and for the reason that they could not be received until all things in the spiritual world had been reduced to order; for as the spiritual world is conjoined to the natural world with men, so unless that world had been first reduced to order, men in the natural world could not have understood or perceived the goods of love and the truths of doctrine; this is why so long a time intervened before the Christian Church was universally established in the European world; for all effects that exist in the natural world derive their origin from causes in the spiritual world, especially those that relate to the things of the church. These things have been said to make known what is signified in particular by the command to the two witnesses "to go up into heaven," namely, that no harm be done by the evil to the goods of love and the truths of doctrine that are disclosed in the last time of the church.
[3] It was similar when the Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, came to its end, for then the representatives of celestial things, which existed among the most ancient people, were gathered up into one body by those who were called "Enoch," and were preserved for the use of the New Church after the flood; and this was called a representative church, because its laws and statutes, and in general its worship, consisted of representatives, or of such things in the natural world as corresponded to spiritual things in the spiritual world. The like was done with these, that is, they were separated from the evil by being taken into heaven and thus protected, and this till the old church came to its end, when a New Church was to be established. This is described by these words in Genesis:
And Enoch walked with God and he was no more, for God took him (Arcana Coelestia 518-523), where this is explained.
[4] The like is done at the present day. This church, which is called Christian, has at this day come to its end, therefore the arcana of heaven and the church have now been revealed by the Lord, to serve as the doctrine of life and faith for the New Church, which is meant by "the New Jerusalem" in Revelation. This doctrine, too, has been taken up into heaven lest harm be done to it by the evil before the establishment of the New Church. Such, therefore, is the signification of this respecting the two witnesses, that "they went up into heaven;" also of what follows in the next chapter, where it treats of "the woman about to bring forth a child," before whom stood the dragon:
That the child was caught up to God and to His throne (Revelation 12:5).
What is there meant in particular by the "woman" and the "child" will be told in the explanation of the next chapter. From this it can now be seen what arcanum is involved in what is here said of the two witnesses that by command "they went up into heaven in the cloud."
670. "Et ascenderunt in caelum in nube." - Quod significet separationem quoad interna, et eorum tutationem, constat ex significatione "ascendere in caelum", cum de binis testibus, quod sit separatio a malis, qui nempe in falsis doctrinae ex malis vitae sunt, et quoque tutela (de qua in mox praecedente articulo, n. 669); et ex significatione "nubis", quod sit ultimum Divini Veri seu externum Verbi, quod vocatur sensus litterae ejus (de qua supra, n. 36, 594); hoc externum est in quo etiam plures mali sunt, nam omnes qui malam vitam agunt, tametsi in externis sunt, usque cogitant in se contra vera et bona Verbi, doctrinae et ecclesiae; causa est quia in amore mali sunt ex vita, et amor trahit interiora mentis, ita spiritus ejus cogitationes, in suas partes; quapropter illi, dum sibi solis relicti cogitant, prorsus negant illa quae ore coram mundo confitentur; hoc externum, quod etiam datur apud impios et malos, est quod hic intelligitur per "nubem": quare quod "ascenderint in caelum in nube" significat separationem quoad interna, non autem quoad externa: quod intelligatur separatio quoad interna et non quoad externa, est quia interna binorum testium erant spiritualia et caelestia, at interna malorum infernalia et diabolica; ac interna spiritualia et caelestia actualiter sunt in caelo, quare dicitur quod "illuc ascenderint", ob causam ut a malis separarentur quoad interna, ne illa laederentur.
[2] Ut sciatur quid "ascensus testium", occisorum et rursus viventium, "in caelum", in specie involvit, paucis dicetur. In fine ecclesiae, quando non fides quia non charitas, tunc interiora Verbi manifestantur, quae inservitura sunt novae ecclesiae pro doctrina et vita: hoc factum est ab Ipso Domino quando finis Ecclesiae Judaicae instabat; Ipse tunc Dominus in mundum venit, et interiora Verbi aperuit, imprimis de Se Ipso, de amore in Ipsum, de amore erga proximum, et de fide in Ipsum, quae prius recondita latuerunt in interioribus Verbi, quia in repraesentativis ejus, et inde in singulis ecclesiae et cultus; illa itaque vera, quae Dominus retexit, erant vera interiora et in se spiritualia, quae postea inserviverunt ecclesiae novae pro doctrina et vita, ut modo dictum est: sed usque illa non statim recepta fuerunt, nisi post insignem temporis tractum, ut ex historia ecclesiastica notum est; causa erat, quia non recipi potuerunt antequam omnia in mundo spirituali in ordinem redacta sunt; nam mundus spiritualis conjunctus est mundo naturali apud homines; quare nisi ille mundus primum in ordinem redactus fuisset, bona amoris et vera doctrinae ab hominibus in mundo naturali non intelligi nec percipi potuerunt; haec causa fuit quod tantum temporis intercesserit antequam Christiana Ecclesia in orbe Europaeo universaliter instaurata fuit; omnes enim effectus, qui existunt in mundo naturali, trahunt suas origines ex causis in mundo spirituali, imprimis qui res ecclesiae concernunt. Haec dicta sunt ut sciatur quid in specie significatur per quod mandatum sit binis testibus ut "ascenderent in caelum", nempe ut bona amoris et vera doctrinae, ultimo tempore ecclesiae manifestata, non laederentur a malis.
[3] Simile factum est quando Antiquissima Ecclesia, quae fuit ante diluvium, ad finem suum pervenit; tunc repraesentativa caelestium, quae fuerunt apud antiquissimos, in unum collecta sunt ab illis qui Chanochus vocati sunt, ac reservata ad usum novae ecclesiae post diluvium; quae ecclesia repraesentativa dicta fuit, quia ejus leges et statuta, et in genere cultus, constabant ex repraesentativis, seu ex talibus in naturali mundo quae correspondebant spiritualibus in mundo spirituali; cum his similiter factum est, nempe quod separata sint a malis per assumptionem in caelum, et sic tutata, et hoc usque dum vetus ecclesia ad suum ultimum pervenit, et quando nova ecclesia instauranda erat: hoc describitur per haec verba in Genesi,
"Et ambulavit Chanoch cum Deo, et non amplius, quia sumpsit illum Deus" (5:24):
quod talia per "Chanochum", per ejus "ambulationem coram Deo", et "assumptionem a Deo", in sensu spirituali intelligantur, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 518-523), ubi illa explicata sunt.
[4] Similiter hodie factum est: Ecclesia haec, quae Christiana vocatur, hodie ad finem suum pervenit; quapropter nunc arcana caeli et ecclesiae a Domino revelata sunt, inservitura novae ecclesiae, quae per "Novam Hierosolymam" in Apocalypsi intelligitur, pro doctrina vitae et fidei; haec etiam doctrina assumpta est in caelum, ne ante instaurationem novae ecclesiae laedatur a malis: hoc itaque est quod significatur per haec de binis testibus, quod "ascenderint in caelum"; et quoque per verba sequentis capitis, ubi agitur de "muliere paritura puerum", coram qua stetit draco,
Quod puer raptus sit ad Deum, et ad thronum Ipsius (Apocalypsis 12:5):
quid in specie per "mulierem" et per "puerum" ibi intelligitur, in explicatione super caput sequens dicetur. Ex his nunc constare potest, quale arcanum involvunt haec de binis testibus, quod ex mandato "ascenderint in caelum in nube."