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957. Till the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated. That this signifies, before evils and falsities are rejected, and those who are in them cast into hell, is evident from the signification of being consummated, as denoting to be finished, but in this case, to be rejected; and from the signification of the seven plagues, as denoting all the evils and falsities which have devastated the church (concerning which see above, n. 949); and from the signification of the seven angels as denoting manifestation (concerning which also see n. 949). Thus by, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated, is signified, before the evils and falsities that are made manifest are rejected. The reason why the same words also signify, before those who are in evils and falsities are cast into hell is, that they relate to the time before the Last Judgment was accomplished, and the good separated from the evil, and the good raised into heaven, and the evil cast into hell, that is before the new heaven and new earth existed. That before that time the Word was in obscurity as to the understanding of it, is signified by none being able to enter into the temple before the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated.
[2] But this mystery must be further explained. The Divine truths that lie interiorly stored up in the Word could not be made known until after the Last Judgment was accomplished. The reason is, that the hells prevailed previous to this; since then the heavens prevail. And a man is in the midst between the hells and the heavens. Therefore when the hells prevail, then the truth of the Word is either perverted, despised, or rejected; but the contrary is the case when the heavens prevail. From these things it is evident why Divine truths are now first discovered, and the spiritual sense of the Word revealed.
This, then, is what is meant by the Word being in obscurity, as to the understanding thereof, before those who are in evils and in falsities are cast into hell.
Continuation concerning the First Precept:-
[3] The idea of God is the chief of all ideas. For a man's communication with heaven and conjunction with the Lord are qualified by this idea. And hence such are his enlightenment, affection for truth and good, perception, intelligence, and wisdom; for these things are not from man, but from the Lord, according to conjunction with Him.
The idea of God is the idea concerning the Lord and His Divine. For no other is God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches in Matthew:
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (28:18).
But the idea concerning the Lord is more or less full, and more or less clear. It is full in the inmost heaven, less full in the middle, and still less full in the ultimate. Therefore those who are in the inmost heaven are in wisdom; those who are in the middle, in intelligence; and those who are in the ultimate, in knowledge. The idea is clear with the angels who are in the centre of the societies of heaven, and less clear with those who are round about, according to the degrees of distance from the centre. All in the heavens have places allotted them according to the fulness and clearness of their idea concerning the Lord; they are also in correspondent wisdom, and in correspondent happiness.
All those who have not an idea of the Divine concerning the Lord, as, for example, the Socinians and Arians, are under the heavens, and devoid of happiness.
Those who have a twofold idea, namely, of an invisible God and of a visible God under the human form, also dwell under the heavens. Nor are they received before they acknowledge one God, and Him as visible. Some in the place of a visible God see, as it were, something aerial, and this from the idea of God's being called a spirit. If this idea with them is not changed into the idea of a man, thus of the Lord, neither are they accepted.
But those who have an idea of God, as of the inmost of nature, are rejected, because they are bound to have the idea of nature as God.
All nations that have believed in one God, and have had an idea concerning Him as a man, are received by the Lord.
From these considerations it is evident who they are that worship God Himself, and who they are that worship other gods; thus, those who live according to the first precept of the Decalogue, and those who do not.
957. Till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be consummated, signifies until evils and falsities have been rejected, and those who are in them cast into hell. This is evident from the signification of "being consummated," as meaning to be ended, but here to be rejected; also from the signification of "the seven plagues," as being all the evils and falsities that have devastated the church (See above, n. 949); also from the signification of "the seven angels," as being manifestation (See n. 949). Thus "till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be consummated" signifies until the evils and falsities that are made manifest are rejected. These words signify also until those who are in evils and falsities have been cast into hell, because they relate to the time before the Last Judgment was accomplished, and before the good had been separated from the evil, and the good had been raised up into heaven and the evil cast into hell, thus before the new heaven and new earth had been established. That "no one was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be consummated" signifies that until that time the Word was in obscurity before the understanding.
[2] But this arcanum must be more fully explained. The Divine truths that lie interiorly stored up in the Word could not be made manifest until after the Last Judgment had been accomplished; and for the reason that before that judgment the hells had prevailed, while since that judgment the heavens prevail; and man is placed in the middle between the hells and the heavens; consequently so long as the hells prevail the truth of the Word is either perverted or despised or rejected; but the reverse takes place when the heavens prevail. From all this it can be seen why Divine truths are now first disclosed and the spiritual sense of the Word revealed. This, then, is the meaning of the statement that the Word was in obscurity in regard to the understanding of it until those who were in evils and falsities had been cast into hell.
(Continuation respecting the First Commandment)
[3] The idea of God is the primary of all ideas; for such as this idea is such is man's communication with heaven and his conjunction with the Lord, and such is his enlightenment, his affection of truth and good, his perception, intelligence, and wisdom; for these are not from man but from the Lord according to conjunction with Him. The idea of God is the idea of the Lord and His Divine, for no other is the God of heaven and the God of earth, as He Himself teaches in Matthew:
All authority has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
But the idea of the Lord is more or less full and more or less clear; it is full in the inmost heaven, less full in the middle, and still less full in the ultimate heaven; therefore those who are in the inmost heaven are in wisdom, those who are in the middle in intelligence, and those who are in the ultimate in knowledge. The idea is clear in the angels who are at the center of the societies of heaven; and less clear in those who are round about, according to the degrees of distance from the center.
[4] All in the heavens have places allotted them according to the fullness and clearness of their idea of the Lord, and they are in correspondent wisdom and in correspondent felicity. All those who have no idea of the Lord as Divine, like the Socinians and Arians, are under the heavens, and are unhappy. Those who have a twofold idea, namely, of an invisible God and of a visible God in a human form, also have their place under the heavens, and are not received until they acknowledge one God, and Him visible. Some in the place of a visible God see as it were something aerial, and this because God is called a spirit. If this idea is not changed with them into the idea of Man, thus of the Lord, they are not accepted. But those who have an idea of God as the inmost of nature are rejected, because they cannot help falling into the idea of nature as being God. All nations that have believed in one God, and have had an idea of Him as Man, are received by the Lord. From all this it can be seen who those are that worship God Himself and who those are that worship other gods, thus who live according to the first commandment of the Decalogue and who do not.
957. "Donec consummarentur septem plagae septem angelorum." - Quod significet antequam mala et falsa rejecta sunt, et illi qui in iis conjecti sunt in infernum, constat ex significatione "consummari", quod sit finiri, hic autem rejici; ex significatione "septem plagarum", quod sint omnia mala et falsa quae devastarunt ecclesiam (de qua supra, n. 949); et ex significatione "septem angelorum", quod sint manifestationes (de qua etiam n. 949): ita per "donec consummarentur septem plagae septem angelorum", significatur antequam rejecta sunt mala et falsa, quae manifestata sunt. Quod etiam per eadem significetur antequam illi qui in malis et falsis sunt in infernum conjecti sunt, est quia intelligitur antequam ultimum judicium factum est, ac boni a malis separati sunt, ac boni elevati in caelum, et mali conjecti in infernum; ita antequam novum caelum et nova terra exstiterunt: quod ante id tempus Verbum coram intellectu in obscuro esset, significatur per quod "nemo potuit ingredi in templum antequam consummarentur septem plagae septem angelorum."
[2] Sed hoc arcanum amplius explicandum est. Divina vera quae interius in Verbo latent recondita, non prius potuerunt manifestari quam postquam ultimum judicium peractum est. Causa est, quia ante illud praevaluerunt inferna, at post illud praevalent caeli; et homo in medio constitutus est inter inferna et inter caelos; quare quando inferna praevalent, tunc verum Verbi vel pervertitur, vel contemnitur, vel rejicitur; contrarium evenit quando caeli praevalent. Ex his constare potest unde est quod nunc primum Divina vera detecta fuerint, ac sensus spiritualis Verbi revelatus. Hoc itaque est quod intelligitur per quod Verbum in obscuro quoad intellectum esset, antequam illi qui in malis et falsis sunt in infernum conjecti sunt.
[3] (Continuatio de Primo Praecepto.)
Idea de Deo est omnium primaria, nam qualis illa est, talis est homini communicatio cum caelo, et conjunctio cum Domino; et inde talis est homini illustratio, affectio veri et boni, perceptio, intelligentia et sapientia; haec enim non ex homine sunt, sed ex Domino secundum conjunctionem cum Ipso. Idea de Deo est idea de Domino ac de Ipsius Divino, nam non alius est Deus caeli et Deus terrae, sicut Ipse docet apud Matthaeum,
"Data est Mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra" (28:18).
Sed idea de Domino est plena magis et minus, et clara magis et minus; plena est in intimo caelo, minus plena in medio, et adhuc minus plena in ultimo; quare illi qui in intimo caelo in sapientia sunt, illi qui in medio in intelligentia, et illi qui in ultimo in scientia; idea clara est apud angelos qui in medio societatum caeli sunt, ac minus clara apud illos qui circum sunt, secundum gradus distantiae a medio.
[4] Omnes in caelis sortiuntur loca secundum plenitudinem et claritatem ideae de Domino; etiam in correspondente sapientia sunt, et in correspondente felicitate. Omnes qui non ideam Divini de Domino habent, quemadmodum Sociniani et Ariani, sub caelis sunt, ac infelices. Illi qui habent ideam duplam, nempe de Deo invisibili et de Deo visibili sub forma humana, etiam sub caelis manent, nec recipiuntur priusquam unum Deum ac Ipsum visibilem agnoscunt. Quidam loco Dei visibilis vident sicut aliquod aereum, et id ex idea quia Deus vocatur spiritus; si apud eos illa idea non vertitur in ideam Hominis, sic Domini, nec acceptantur. Illi autem qui ideam de Deo sicut de intimo Naturae habent, rejiciuntur, quia non possunt quin cadant in ideam Naturae pro Deo. Omnes gentes quae unum Deum crediderunt, ac ideam Hominis de Ipso habuerunt, recipiuntur a Domino. Ex his constare potest quinam sunt qui Ipsum Deum, et qui alios deos, colunt; ita qui secundum primum decalogi praeceptum vivunt, et qui non vivunt.