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Arcana Coelestia #10360

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10360. And ye shall keep the Sabbath. That this signifies that the Divine Human of the Lord is to be worshiped, is evident from the signification of “keeping,” when said of the Divine, as being to worship; and from the signification of “the Sabbath,” as being in the supreme sense the union of the Divine which is called the “Father” and of the Divine Human which is called the “Son,” thus the Divine Human in which is this union. This union is signified by “the Sabbath,” because by the six days of labor which precede the seventh is signified every state of combat; for in the spiritual sense “labor” does not mean such labor as there is in the world, but such as those who are in the church endure before they enter the church and become the church, which labor is combat against evils and falsities of evil. A like “labor” (in the spiritual sense) was endured by the Lord when He was in the world; for He then fought against the hells, and reduced them and likewise the heavens into order, and at the same time He glorified His Human, that is, He united it to the Divine Itself which He had from conception (see n. 9715, 9809).

[2] The time and state when the Lord was in combats is signified by the six days of labor, but the state when the union had been effected is signified by the seventh day, which is called “the Sabbath,” from “rest,” because the Lord then had rest. Consequently by “the Sabbath” is signified also the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, with the church, with an angel of heaven, and with a man of the church. The reason is that all who are to come into heaven must first be in combats against evils and the falsities of evil, and when these have been separated they enter heaven and are conjoined with the Lord, and then they have rest. It is similar with men in the world. It is known that these must be in combats, that is, that they must undergo temptations, before the good and truth which make the church have been implanted in them; thus before they have been conjoined with the Lord, consequently before they have rest. From this it is evident whence it is that a state of combat is signified by the six days of labor, while rest and also conjunction are signified by the seventh day or the Sabbath.

[3] That the conjunction of good and truth also, is signified by “the Sabbath,” is because when a man is in combats he is in truths; but when truths have been conjoined with good, thus when the man is in good, he then has rest; in like manner as the Lord, when He was in the world, and fought with the hells, was in respect to His Human Divine truth; and when He had united His Human to the Divine Itself, He then, even in respect to His Human, became the Divine good, or Jehovah.

[4] (That the six days which precede the Sabbath denote the combats which precede and prepare for the heavenly marriage, which is the conjunction of good and truth, may be seen in n. 8510, 8888, 9431. As regards the former state, when man is in truths and at the same time in combats against evils and falsities of evils, which state is signified by “the six days of labor,” and as regards the latter state, when he is in good and is led by the Lord, which is signified by “the Sabbath,” see n. 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8539, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 8772, 9139, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274, 9832. That when the Lord was in the world He made His Human first Divine truth, and afterward Divine good, see the places cited in n. 9199, 9315; and that He did this by the combats of temptations, see the places cited in n. 9528.)

[5] Therefore he who knows that by “the Sabbath” in the supreme sense is meant the union of the Divine Itself in the Divine Human of the Lord, may know what those things signify which are so often said in the Word about the Sabbath, as in Isaiah:

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, so that thou doest not thine inclinations on the day of My holiness; but shalt call the Sabbath honorable delights to the Holy One of Jehovah; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own desire, nor speaking a word; then shalt thou delight thyself upon Jehovah; and I will exalt thee on the high places of the earth, and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father (Isaiah 58:13-14);

He who is acquainted with the internal sense of the Word can plainly see that in this passage by “the Sabbath” is signified the state of conjunction of man with the Lord, thus the state when man is led by the Lord and not by himself, which state is when he is in good. For to be led by the Lord, and not by self, is to “turn away the foot from the Sabbath, not to do one’s own inclinations, not to do one’s own ways, not to find one’s own desire, and not to speak a word.” That in this case the church is in him, and also heaven, is signified by that “he shall be exalted on the high places of the earth, and shall be fed with the heritage of Jacob.” Moreover, that “the Sabbath” denotes the Divine Human in which is union, is signified by the Sabbath being called “a day of holiness and of delight to the Holy One of Jehovah.”

[6] And in Jeremiah:

If ye will hallow the Sabbath day, then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in the chariot and on horses (Jeremiah 17:24-25);

He who is not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word will suppose that these things are to be understood according to the sense of the letter, namely, that if they would hallow the Sabbath, kings and princes would enter in by the gates of the city Jerusalem, and would ride in the chariot and on horses. This however is not the meaning; but that those who reverently worship the Divine Human of the Lord shall be in the Divine truths of heaven and of the church; for by “Jerusalem” is meant the church; by “kings and princes,” its Divine truths; by “the throne of David,” heaven where the Lord is; by “chariot,” the doctrine of good and truth; and by “horses,” an enlightened understanding. (That “Jerusalem” denotes the church, see n. 2117, 3654; that “kings” denote Divine truths, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148; that “princes” denote primary truths, n. 1482, 2089, 9954; that a “throne” denotes heaven, n. 5313; that “a chariot” denotes the doctrine of good and truth, n. 5321, 8215; and that “horses” denote an understanding which is enlightened, n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6534)

[7] As by “the Sabbath” was signified the Lord as to the Divine Human in which there is union, it was therefore commanded that the breads of faces should be set in order upon the table every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8). That the Lord as to the Divine Human is meant by “bread” is known in the church. For this reason also when the Lord was in the world He called Himself “the Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 6:1-5).

[8] And therefore when the Lord was in the world, and united His Human to the Divine Itself, He abrogated the Sabbath in respect to representative worship, or in respect to its worship such as was with the Israelitish people; and made the Sabbath day a day of instruction in the doctrine of faith and of love. This is involved in what is written in John:

Jesus healing a certain man on the Sabbath day said to him, Take up thy bed and walk; and he took up his bed and walked. But the Jews said that it was not allowable to carry a bed on the Sabbath day, and sought to kill the Lord, because He loosed the Sabbath (John 5:8-10, 18).

By the “healing of the sick” is signified the purifying of man from evils and the falsities of evil; by a “bed” is signified doctrine; and by “walking” is signified life.

[9] (That all the healings of diseases which were performed by the Lord involve purification from evils and falsities, or restorations to spiritual life, see n. 8364, 9031, 9086; and that “to walk” denotes life, n. 519, 1794, 8417, 8420.) That a “bed” denotes doctrine is evident from the passages in the Word where a “bed” is mentioned, and also from the representatives in the other life, where when a bed appears and one lying on it, there is signified the doctrine in which he is; consequently beds appear there most highly adorned for those who are in truths from good. But no one can know that such things are signified by the above words of the Lord except by the internal sense, for the Lord spoke by correspondences, thus by significatives, because from the Divine.

  
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Arcana Coelestia #9231

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9231. Ye shall cast it to the dog. That this signifies that it is unclean, is evident from the signification of “dogs,” as being those who render the good of faith unclean through falsifications. For in the Word all beasts signify affections and inclinations such as are in man, the gentle and useful beasts signify good affections and inclinations, but the fierce and useless ones signify evil affections and inclinations. The reason why such things are signified by beasts is that the external or natural man takes pleasure in affections and inclinations, and also appetites and senses, similar to those of beasts. But the difference is that man has an internal, called the internal man, which is so distinct from the external that it can see the things that exist in it, and can direct and restrain them, and can also be raised into heaven even to the Lord, and thus be conjoined with Him in thought and affection, and consequently in faith and love. This internal is also so distinct from the external that after death it can be separated from it, and can then live to eternity. By these things man is distinguished from the beasts. But those who are merely natural and sensuous men do not see these things, because their internal man is closed toward heaven; and therefore they do not know how to make any distinction between a man and a beast other than that a man is able to speak, which merely sensuous men make but little account of.

[2] The reason why “dogs” signify those who render the good of faith unclean through falsifications, is that dogs eat unclean things, and also bark at men and bite them. From this also it was that the nations outside the church who were in falsities from evil, were called “dogs” by the Jews, and were accounted most vile. That they were called “dogs” is manifest from the Lord’s words to the Greek woman, the Syrophenician, whose daughter was grievously troubled with a demon:

It is not good to take the children’s bread, and cast it to the dogs. But she said, Certainly, Lord; but even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table (Matthew 15:26-27; Mark 7:27-28).

That “dogs” here signify those who were outside the church, and “children” those who were within the church, is plain.

[3] In like manner in Luke:

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and lived in good cheer and splendor every day. But there was a poor man named Lazarus, who was cast at his door, full of sores, and desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yet even the dogs came, and licked his sores (Luke 16:19-21);

by “the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen,” is signified those who are within the church; “the purple and fine linen” with which he was clothed denoting the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; by “the poor man” is signified those within the church who are in but little good by reason of their ignorance of truth, and yet long to be instructed (n. 9209); that he was called “Lazarus” was from the Lazarus who was raised by the Lord, of whom it is said that the Lord “loved him” (John 11:1-3, 5, 36), that he was the Lord’s “friend” (John 11:11), and that he “reclined at table with the Lord” (John 12:2); his “desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table” signified his longing to learn a few truths from those within the church who had abundance of them; “the dogs which licked his sores” denote those outside the church who are in good, although not in the genuine good of faith; “licking sores” denotes healing them by such means as are within their power.

[4] In John:

Without are dogs, sorcerers, and whoremongers (Revelation 22:15);

“dogs, sorcerers, and whoremongers” denote those who falsify the good and truth of faith, and who are said to be “without,” because they are outside heaven, or the church. That good falsified, and thus made unclean, is signified by “dogs,” is also evident in Matthew:

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).

In Moses:

Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the price of a dog, into the house of Jehovah, for any vow; for both these are an abomination unto thy God (Deuteronomy 23:18);

“the hire of a harlot” denotes falsified truths of faith (that “whoredom” denotes the falsification of the truth of faith, see n. 2466, 2729, 4865, 8904).

[5] In David:

Dogs have compassed me; the assemblages of evildoers have surrounded me, piercing my hands and my feet. Deliver my soul from the sword; and mine only one from the hand of the dog (Psalms 22:16, 20);

“dogs” here denote those who destroy the goods of faith, and who are therefore called “the assemblages of evil-doers;” “to deliver the soul from the sword” denotes from the falsity that lays waste the truth of faith (that a “sword” denotes falsity laying waste the truth of faith, see n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294; and “the soul,” the life of faith, n. 9050). From this also it is evident that “delivering the only one from the hand of the dog” denotes to deliver from the falsity that lays waste the good of faith. That some were to be carried off and “eaten by dogs” (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21, 23, 24; 2 Kings 9:10, 36; Jeremiah 15:3) signified that they would perish by unclean things. That some compared themselves to “dead dogs” (1 Samuel 24:14; 2 Samuel 3:8; 9:8; 16:9) signified that they were to be accounted as utterly worthless, and as such were to be cast out. What is further signified by “dogs” may be seen above (n. 7784).

  
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Arcana Coelestia #2117

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2117. CONCERNING THE LAST JUDGMENT.

Few at this day know what the Last Judgment is. They suppose that it will come together with the destruction of the world; and this gives rise to the notion that the whole globe will perish by fire, together with all things in the visible world; and that then for the first time the dead will rise again and will be brought to judgment, the evil being cast into hell, and the good ascending into heaven. These conjectures originate in the prophetical statements of the Word-where mention is made of a new heaven and a new earth, and also of the New Jerusalem-those who make them not being aware that in the internal sense such prophetical statements have a totally different meaning from that which appears in the sense of the letter; and that by “heaven” is not meant the sky, nor by “earth” the earth, but the Lord’s church in general, and with everyone in particular.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.