2475. All things in the whole of nature are a portrayal of the Kingdom of the Lord
I spoke with spirits about worms that become butterflies, that they are a portrayal of heavenly life, in that they had been lowly little worms, creeping in the soil, eating herbs, thus the most worthless creatures. And meanwhile they are being prepared for a kind of figurative heaven suited to them, turning in their cocoons into little, beautiful flying animals. Then being lifted up from the soil into the air, their heaven, they fly, busy themselves with their roses, eating their nectar, playing their marital sports, laying their eggs, and so relishing their happiness. It came out quite clearly that these are portrayals of the reformation and regeneration of the lowly human being, and their being continued in their posterity portrays the eternal in the case of humanity.
Then the conversation turned to other things both in the animate kingdom and in the vegetable kingdom, summarily to the effect that nothing at all exists in those kingdoms that does not portray the kingdom of the Lord with a variety beyond measure. This was confirmed by angels. 1748, 1 July. Also, that if it were not so, not a thing in those kingdoms could possibly exist and continue. All things to the very least in nature originate from the kingdom of the Lord and are thus remote images of it.
2475. THAT ALL THINGS IN UNIVERSAL NATURE ARE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE LORD'S KINGDOM.
I spoke with spirits concerning worms that become butterflies; that they are representations of heavenly life, to wit, that they should be little worms, lowly, creeping on the ground, eating herbs, thus the vilest things; and that meantime they are prepared for a certain representative heaven suitable to them; to wit, that thus through the chrysalis state [per nymphus] they are turned into winged and beautiful insects [animalcula], and then are elevated from the ground into the air, their heaven, [and] fly, and apply themselves to their roses, [and] eat the must [mustum] thereof; celebrate [ludant] their nuptials; lay eggs; and so enjoy their felicity: that these are representations of the reformation and regeneration of humble men was sufficiently manifest; and that these things were continued to their posterity, [and] that they represent the eternal with man. Then the discourse was concerning other things, as well in the animal as in the vegetable kingdom, in general; that nothing is ever given in those kingdoms that does not represent the Lord's kingdom with indefinite variety. This was confirmed by the angels. - 1748, July 1. - Further, that otherwise not anything can exist and subsist in those kingdoms; hence, each and all that are in nature flow so as to be remote images of the Lord's kingdom.
2475. Quod omnia in universa natura sint repraesentationes Regni Domini
Loquutus sum cum spiritibus de vermibus, qui fiunt papiliones, quod sint repraesentationes vitae coelestis, quod nempe vermiculi fuerint, humiles, repentes humi, edentes olera, sic vilissima, et quod interea praeparentur ad coelum quoddam repraesentativum iis conforme, nempe quod sic per nymphas in volatilia animalcula, pulchra, vertantur, et tunc ab humo in aerem, eorum coelum eleventur, volitent, se adplicent suis rosis, mustum earum edant, ludant sua conjugia, ponant ova, et sic fruantur sua felicitate; quod haec repraesentationes sint reformationis et regenerationis hominum humilium satis manifeste constitit; et quod continuentur 1
ea in eorum posteritatem, repraesentat aeternum apud hominem: tunc sermo fuit de aliis, tam 2
in regno animali quam in vegetabili, in genere, quod nihil usquam detur in regnis istis, quod non repraesentat regnum Domini, cum indefinita varietate; quod confirmatum ab angelis. 1748, 1 Julius. Tum, quod alioquin nec quicquam in regnis istis existere, et subsistere possit, inde omnia et singula quae in natura sunt, fluunt, sic ut imagines remotae sint regni Domini.
Footnotes:
1. In the Manuscript continuetur in continuentur emendatum
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has tum