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731. Where she hath a place prepared by God.- That this signifies its state, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many, is evident from the signification of place, as denoting state (concerning which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of being prepared by God, as denoting to be provided by the Lord, for what is done by man is prepared, but what is done by the Lord is provided. Also to be provided is said of the state that is signified by place, while to be prepared is said of place. It signifies that the state in the meantime may be provided among many, because by the woman fleeing into the wilderness is signified that the church is as yet among few, because among those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths, as may be seen in the preceding article (n. 730). It therefore follows that these words, namely, "where the woman hath a place prepared by God," signify the state of the church, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many; and that also the words, "that they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days" signify until it grows to fulness, of which below (n. 732). But this state of the church meant by the place of the woman in the wilderness is more fully dealt with in what follows in this chapter; for it is said that to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she should be nourished a time and times and half a time from the face of the dragon; besides other circumstances,
[2] The reason why place signifies state is that spaces, places, and distances in the spiritual world are in their origin states of life. These indeed appear there just as in this world, yet they differ in this respect, that the quality of every one is known from the place where he dwells, and the place where any one dwells is known from what he is. Thus it is in general in regard to the places of all according to the quarters, and in particular as to their places in societies, and also individually as to their places in houses, and even in rooms. It is evident from this that place and quality of state make one, and this for the reason that all the things in the spiritual world that appear before the eyes, even the lands (terroe), are correspondences of things spiritual. This is why place signifies state. That spaces, places, and distances are, in their origin, states, and thus, in the Word, signify states, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 191-199), in the article on space in heaven. For the same reason also it is customary in our world to designate state by place; as, for example, "to be established in a high place," "in an eminent place," and "in a distinguished place," are terms used for "a high, an eminent and distinguished state."
[3] From these things it is evident what is meant by the Lord's saying to His disciples, that in his Father's house there are many mansions, and that He would go to prepare a place for them; and that if He went and prepared a place for them, He would come and take them to Himself (John 14:2, 3).
To prepare a place for them signifies to provide heaven for every one according to the state of his life, for by the disciples are meant all those who were to be of His Church. And in Luke,
"When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man, he wandereth through dry places seeking rest" (11:24).
The unclean spirit going out of a man signifies the removal of evils and the falsities thence from a man who repents; the dry places through which he wanders seeking rest, signify the states of evil and falsity that belong to his life. So in other parts of the Word where place and places are mentioned.
731. Where she hath a place prepared by God, signifies the state of the church that in the meantime provision may be made for it among more. This is evident from the signification of "place," as being state (of which presently); also from the signification of "prepared by God," as being to be provided by the Lord, for what is done by man is prepared, but what is done by the Lord is provided. Moreover, to be provided is predicated of the state that is signified by "place," while "to be prepared" is predicated of "place." It signifies that the state in the meantime may be provided among more, because the woman's fleeing into the wilderness signifies that the church is as yet among few, because with those who are not in good and consequently not in truths (See the preceding article, n. 730; therefore it follows that these words, namely, "where the woman hath a place prepared by God" signify the state of the church, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among more; and what next follows, namely, "that they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days," signifies until it grows to fullness (See below, n. 732. But this state of the church that is meant by "the place of the woman in the wilderness" is more fully treated of in what follows in this chapter, for it is said that "there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she would be nourished a time and times and half a time from the face of the dragon," with many other things.
[2] "Place" signifies state because spaces, places, and distances, in the spiritual world, are in their origin states of life. These, indeed, appear there just the same as in this world, and yet they are different in this respect, that the quality of everyone is known from the place where he dwells, and where he dwells is known from what he is; thus it is in general in respect to the places of all according to quarters, and also in particular in respect to places in societies, and more particularly in respect to places in the houses, and even in the rooms. From this it is clear that place and quality of state act as one, and this for the reason that all things in the spiritual world that appear before the eyes, even to the lands, are correspondences of things spiritual; this is why "place" signifies state. (That spaces, places, and distances, are in their origin states, and thence in the Word signify states, see (Heaven and Hell 191-199) in the work on Heaven and Hell 191-199, in the article on Space in Heaven. ) For the same reason it is customary in our world to designate state by place, as to have a high place, an eminent place, and a distinguished place, for a high, eminent or distinguished state.
[3] From this it may appear what is meant by the Lord's words to His disciples:
That in His Father's house there are many mansions, and that He would go to prepare a place for them; and if He should go and prepare a place for them that He would come and take them to Himself (John 14:2, 3).
"To prepare a place for them" signifies to provide heaven for everyone according to the state of his life, for "the disciples" mean all who are to be of His church. And in Luke:
When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man he wandereth through dry places seeking rest (Luke 11:24).
"The unclean spirit going out of a man" signifies the removal of evils and the consequent falsities from man when he is repentant; the "dry places through which he wanders seeking rest" signify the states of evil and falsity that belong to his life. So elsewhere in the Word where place and places are mentioned.
731. "Ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo." - Quod significet statum ejus ut interea provideatur apud plures, constat ex significatione "loci", quod sit status (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "praeparari a Deo", quod sit provideri a Domino; nam quod ab homine fit, hoc praeparatur; quod autem a Domino, hoc providetur: de statu etiam qui significatur per "locum", dicitur provideri, dum de loco, "praeparari." Quod significetur ut status interea provideatur apud plures, est quia per quod "mulier fugerit in desertum" significatur quod ecclesia adhuc inter paucos, quia apud illos qui non in bono sunt et inde nec in veris videatur mox praecedens articulus, n. 730 [a]); inde sequitur quod per haec, nempe, "ubi mulier habet locum praeparatum a Deo", significetur status ecclesiae ut interea provideatur inter plures, et quod per adhuc sequentia, nempe, "ut alant eam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta", significetur usque dum crescit in plenum (de quo mox infra, n. 732). Sed de hoc statu ecclesiae, qui intelligitur per "locum mulieris in deserto", in sequentibus hujus capitis amplius agitur; dicitur enim quod "mulieri datae sint duae alae aquilae magnae, ut volaret in desertum in locum suum, ubi aleretur tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis a facie draconis"; praeter plura.
[2] Quod "locus" significet statum, est ex eo, quod spatia, loca, distantiae in mundo spirituali sint in sua origine status vitae: apparent quidem illa prorsus sicut in hoc mundo; sed usque differunt in eo, quod quisque ex loco ubi habitat noscatur qualis est, et quisque ex quali suo noscatur ubi habitat; ita in communi quoad loca omnium secundum plagas, ac ita in particulari quoad loca in societatibus, et quoque in singulari quoad loca in domibus, immo in cameris: inde patet quod locus et quale status unum agant, et hoc ex causa quia omnia quae in spirituali mundo sunt, quae coram oculis apparent, usque ad terras, sunt correspondentiae spiritualium; inde est quod "locus" significet statum. (Quod spatia, loca et distantiae in sua origine sint status, ac inde in Verbo significant status, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 191-199, ubi De Spatio in Caelo actum est.) Inde quoque est quod in nostro mundo receptum sit statum vocare locum; ut quod constitutus sit "in loco celso", "in loco eminenti", et "in loco illustri", pro in statu celso, eminenti et illustri.
[3] Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per quod Dominus dixerit discipulis,
Quod in domo Patris sui mansiones multae sint, et quod abeat ad paran dum illis locum, et si abiverit et paraverit illis locum quod venturus et assumpturus illos ad Se Ipsum (Johannes 14:2, 3):
per "parare illis locum" significatur providere caelum cuivis secundum statum vitae ejus; nam per "discipulos" intelliguntur omnes qui ab ecclesia Ipsius futuri sunt. Et apud Lucam,
"Quando immundus spiritus exit ab homine, peragrat sicca loca quaerens requiem" (11:24):
per "immundum spiritum exeuntem ab homine" intelligitur remotio malorum et inde falsorum ab homine qui paenitentiam agit; per "sicca loca" quae peragrat quaerens requiem, significantur status mali et falsi qui sunt vitae ejus. Praeter alibi in Verbo, ubi "locus" ac "loca" dicuntur.