Increase Our Faith

1. And He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that offenses will not come, but woe [unto him] by whom they come.

2. It were better for him that an ass’s millstone were set around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

3. Take heed to yourselves; and if thy brother sin against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

4. And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive him.”

5. And the apostles said to the Lord, “Add to our faith.”

6. And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

The lesson of the mulberry tree

The story of the rich man and Lazarus contains powerful lessons, not just for the Pharisees but for the disciples as well. It is easy to imagine the disciples listening in, hanging on every word, unclear about details, but getting the gist of what Jesus wants them to know. And the gist is this: Jesus is telling them to love people, to reach out to the poor, and do their very best because it is in this life that they will make the choices that determine their eternal destiny.

As the lessons continue, Jesus says to His disciples, “Offenses must come, but woe to him through whom they do come” (Luke 17:1). Jesus is here referring to the fact that spiritual trials are a part of life, and cannot be avoided. In other words, “offenses must come.” Or, to put it another way, we cannot be reformed and regenerated without undergoing some form of spiritual combat. And yet, we do not have to succumb. Even though we may be sorely tried, there is always enough grace given—if we are willing to receive it—to sustain us in the trials of life. What this means, then, is that offenses will come to us. This cannot be avoided. But they need not come through us.

To put it simply, in the course of our spiritual development, we will face inner challenges. Destructive habits and attitudes will inevitably rise up, endeavoring to rule over us. These are the “offences” that “must come” to us. It’s all part of the journey. Simply having negative thoughts and feelings cannot harm us. But if we accept these thoughts and feelings, dwell on them, and even act on them, they not only come to us, but they also come through us. This is what leads to human misery, not only for ourselves, but also for others. And that’s why Jesus says, “Woe unto him through whom these offenses come.” ¹

Jesus’ warning about the necessity of offenses is a reminder that we should not be deterred when offenses come. Rather, we should see them as a necessary part of the journey, and not allow them to discourage us. Anyone who embarks on the spiritual journey must be prepared to complete the voyage, fully aware that, at times, it may lead through rough waters.

The beginning of every spiritual journey starts with learning truth and then making an effort to live according to that truth. No matter how simple the truth or how meager the effort, this is the start of the greatest journey we will ever take. At first, we will take baby steps, moving forward in faith, uncertain and unsure, but innocently trusting that God will guide us and strengthen us. These tender efforts and initial beginnings are the “little ones” in us. They are the first and most preliminary stages on the path of regeneration.

Once we begin, we are not to turn back, no matter what tribulations come. To succumb, to turn back, would lead us into an even darker place than the one we were in before we began. Turning back would be a denial of the tender affections that got us started, those states of innocent trust in the Lord. Jesus refers to this denial as an offense against “the little ones” in us. Therefore, Jesus says, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:2). ²

This means that we need to be extremely careful as we begin our spiritual journey, paying careful attention to anything that would oppose those “little ones” in us. As a specific example, Jesus focuses on forgiveness. He especially wants His disciples to be aware of resentments, grudges, and hard-hearted feelings because they are diametrically opposed to the tender feelings associated with forgiveness. As Jesus puts it, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). Jesus then adds, “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (Luke 17:4).

The disciples are amazed. Forgiveness is a radical idea for them. It would be hard enough to forgive someone once, but seven times in one day seems impossible. Even if that person would say, “I repent” every time, it would still be beyond their comprehension. Knowing that this is going to be extremely difficult, requiring much greater faith than they have, the disciples turn to Jesus and say, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). ³

Like the disciples, we may sometimes feel that our faith is weak and that we need to have God increase it. But the reality is that God’s presence is always with us, and that it is possible to experience greater and greater faith. We only need to believe that we can do His will if we pray for the power to do so. As Jesus says, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (Luke 17:6).

The mulberry tree in this parable refers to false principles in our mind—false principles that we can root out and send back to hell (plant in the sea) by simply speaking the word of truth. After all, Jesus says, “If you have faith as a mustard seed,” all you need to do is say to this mulberry tree, “be uprooted,” and it will be cast into the sea. It seems, then, that plucking the tree from the ground and planting it in the sea is accomplished through a spoken word. But the idea of a “spoken” word is not to be taken too literally.

More deeply, the words, “Say to this mulberry tree,” refer to the power of our thoughts. When a right understanding of spiritual principles are at work in our mind, these thoughts can wield tremendous power. It is not about the power to pluck up physical trees, but rather the power to pluck up false principles and cast them far from us (“plant them in the sea”). While it does us no good to pluck up physical mulberry trees or move physical mountains, it does us a world of spiritual good to remove false ideas from our mind and replace them with truth from the Lord’s Word. This parable, then, is not about uprooting and removing mulberry trees. It’s about uprooting and removing those things that impede the reception of spiritual life as it flows in from the Lord. ⁴

All of this is related to the seeming impossibility of forgiving a brother who sins repeatedly, even when that brother continues to say, “I repent.” When the disciples hear this, they sense that it will take much greater faith than they currently have. Therefore, they say to Jesus, “Increase our faith.”

A practical application

The statement, “Increase our faith,” which is also translated, “add to our faith,” is a prayer for the opening of our understanding. It is a prayer for a proper understanding so that we may know God’s will and do it. For example, if we have been hurt deeply, we might falsely believe that we can never forgive that person. This false idea must be uprooted. And this is precisely what Jesus does through the lesson of the mulberry tree. The mulberry tree of false belief must first be uprooted so that the Lord can “increase our faith”—that is, expand our understanding. As a practical application, then, the words, “increase our faith, Lord,” could be used as a daily prayer for enlightenment. It is to pray, “Lord help me to cast out this false belief and this self-centered thought so I can learn what is true. Heavenly Father, increase my faith and expand my understanding.” ⁵

The Unprofitable Servant

7. “But which of you, having a servant plowing or shepherding, will tell him straightway when he comes in out of the field: ‘Go along, recline [to eat]’?

8. But will he not rather tell him, ‘Prepare [something] with which I may sup, and having girded yourself, minister to me till I have eaten and drunk, and after these things thou mayest eat and drink?’

9. Does he have thankfulness for that servant because he did the things that were ordered him? I think not.

10. So likewise you, when you have done all things that are instructed you, say, ‘We are useless servants; we have done that which we ought to do.’”

As we have seen, the Gospel According to Luke continues to focus on the opening of our understanding. It begins with the words “having had perfect understanding,” and consistently returns to this theme. It is like a recurring melody in a great symphony. Over and over again, Jesus takes His disciples aside to instruct them and to “increase their faith” by perfecting their understanding. This begins, however, by casting out false beliefs. Like the mulberry tree in the previous episode, false beliefs must first be uprooted before true beliefs can be implanted. This is how faith can grow. In brief, faith can be increased according to the increase in our understanding of truth. Instead of praying for the faith that surpasses understanding, we can pray for the understanding that deepens our faith. ⁶

Rewards and punishments

The instruction of the disciples continues in the next episode. Jesus has already spoken to them about the nature of forgiveness. This time, Jesus will be teaching them about rewards and punishments. For the disciples, one of their oldest beliefs, perhaps the most deeply rooted of all, is the idea of reward. A brief survey of Hebrew scriptures easily demonstrates that the relationship between God and His people was seen primarily as a system of physical rewards for good behavior. For example, when God called Abraham, He promised to bless him and make his name great. This blessing was to be in the form of sheep, oxen, donkeys, servants, land, and innumerable descendants (Genesis 12:16;13:15,16). In addition, their livestock would increase abundantly, and their farmlands would yield crops bountifully (Deuteronomy 30:11,12). Their only requirement was to obey God’s commandments.

Their idea of God, then, is a distant, divine Being who demands strict obedience. Those who are obedient will be rewarded richly, abundantly, and copiously—but primarily physically. And this is always dependent upon their external behavior. As it is written, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God” (2 Samuel: 22:21-22). The disciples, then, having been raised in that tradition, retain the idea that God will reward good behavior with prosperity and punish bad behavior with poverty. For them this seems to be an unambiguous teaching. Simply put, if they obeyed God’s commands, they would prosper; if they disobeyed God’s commands, they would perish.

It is important, however, to understand that the history of the children of Israel parallels the history of human development. For the most part, rewards and punishments serve as primary motivations for children. They will behave well if they are promised a reward; and they will refrain from wrongdoing if they are threatened with a punishment. This is fine as a beginning. Eventually, as they grow and mature, we expect them to move on to higher motives. As people grow beyond childhood, we expect them to do good because it is good—not because they will be rewarded; we expect people to avoid wrongdoing because they care for other people, not because they are afraid of getting caught or being punished. This is the kind of maturity that uses intelligence to understand what is true, and then exerts effort to do what is good. ⁷

Jesus begins the lesson about rewards and punishments with a question. He asks His disciples, “Which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?” (Luke 17:7). In asking His disciples this simple question, Jesus is inviting them to put themselves in the place of the master who has a servant. According to the understanding of the disciples, it would be entirely out of place for the master to prepare a meal for the servant—even if the servant had been working all day in the fields. Servants, by definition, must serve their master. They are not to be served. Jesus begins by simply reminding them of what they already believe.

Jesus then continues with another question. He asks, “But will the master not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?” (Luke 17:8). Jesus’ question is about the current beliefs that involved the relationship between a master and a servant. According to custom, the servants may eat, but only after they have completed their chores, and only after the master has already been served. Moreover, since this is a servant’s duty, there is no expectation that the master should thank him. As Jesus puts it, “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not” (Luke 17:9).

This is where the story begins to take on a deeper meaning. Jesus is using the parable about the master and the servant to introduce His disciples to a new understanding of what it means to serve. He knows that the mindset of His disciples is steeped in the idea that they will get physical rewards for keeping God’s commandments. At the very least, God will say, “Thank you.” Not just that, but God will demonstrate His gratitude by rewarding them with physical prosperity and material blessings. Jesus, however, gently leads them away from this false belief by telling them that the master will not be thanking the servant for merely doing his job. That’s why Jesus asks, “Does the master thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded him?” And then He answers His own question by saying, “I don’t think so.”

While earthly rewards are fine, and can serve an important use, the higher truth is that the spiritual rewards that accompany selfless service far outweigh any material rewards we could ever receive. When we are not thinking about obtaining an earthly reward, whether it be money or gratitude or praise, we experience—in the very act of serving—the blessings of heaven. These blessings flow in, unabated, because there is nothing of self-love, pride, or conceit to block them. It is for this reason that Jesus adds, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:10). Seen this way, Jesus is saying, “Be grateful that you have an opportunity to serve. In selfless service you will experience the joy of heaven.”

The parable about the unprofitable servant, then, is about rewards. Jesus is preparing His disciples to go out and preach the gospel. But they should know, beforehand, that they should not expect external rewards. It’s as if He is saying, “Just do your job. And as you do so, sincerely and diligently, with no thought of reward, you will experience intrinsic rewards that are far greater than those that come with riches, high honors, and positions of power. Therefore, whatever you do, do it not for a reward, but simply from love, and you will experience the joys of heaven.” ⁸

A practical application

Imagine that there were a few things in your life that you absolutely hated to do. Let’s suppose they include mopping floors and raking leaves. Then imagine that you meet an old friend whom you haven’t seen in years. Your friend was once full of life, but now has a terminal illness and is confined to a wheelchair. Every day your friend is getting weaker, unable to do the most menial tasks. When you get back home, you are struck with a new realization and a dramatic shift in the way you see your life. You have a new appreciation for doing even the most menial tasks. The thought comes, I don’t have to mop the floor; I get to mop the floor. I don’t have to rake the leaves; I get to rake the leaves. In other words, you get to do those things that used to annoy you. But now you do them gladly, with appreciation for the fact that you can. Lifting your thoughts a little higher, you transfer this attitude to your spiritual life. You realize that you don’t have to keep the commandments. Instead, you get to keep the commandments. Moreover, you no longer keep them out of a sense of duty and obligation, but rather you keep them out of a deep feeling of gratitude and love.” ⁹

The Grateful Leper

11. And it came to pass as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12. And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten leprous men, who stood afar off;

13. And they lifted up [their] voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us!”

14. And seeing [them] He said to them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And it came to pass, in their going away, they were cleansed.

15. And one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned, [and] with a great voice glorified God,

16. And fell on [his] face by His feet, giving Him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.

17. And Jesus answering said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where [are] the nine?

18. There were not found any that returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner.”

19. And He said to him, “Stand up, go [thy way]; thy faith has saved thee.”

The lesson of the previous parable focuses on the duties of a servant. Through this parable, Jesus is teaching His disciples about their duty to keep the commandments without thought of reward, simply because it is their duty to do so. More deeply, Jesus is teaching an eternal lesson about true rewards—the rewards that are inherent in selfless service. Our primary motive, in whatever we do, should not be material prosperity or financial gain; nor should we be seeking to accrue honors or advance our reputations. Whenever we serve with no thought of reward, we will experience the spiritual blessings that are associated with doing good. When we let go of the lesser, we receive the greater. It is a fundamental spiritual law.

But the question arises, How can we get to the point where we no longer seek external rewards? The answer lies in the realization that the good we do is from God who works into and through us. To the extent that we can acknowledge this, we will no longer have the need to take credit for the good that we do; nor will we desire the praise and admiration of others. In brief, we do not seek any glory for ourselves because we realize that all glory belongs to God.

In the story which follows, Jesus illustrates another aspect of this new teaching. It is the story of ten lepers, all of whom are healed by Jesus, but only one of whom returns to thank Him. The one who returns is especially grateful. As it is written, “Now one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:16).

Significantly, this Samaritan is the only leper who returns and gives thanks. The incident causes Jesus to say, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18). Jesus then turns to the one who returned in gratitude, and says to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).

It should be noted that the other nine lepers were also cleansed, simply by following Jesus’ command. Jesus had said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). Faith is demonstrated not just in the hearing, but also in the doing. Therefore we read, “As they went, they were cleansed.” And so it is with us. The healing process begins not just when we listen to God’s Word, but when we act on it. But in order for the healing to be complete, we must also return to acknowledge the source of our healing. We must acknowledge the One who heals us from every spiritual ill, and cleanses us from every spiritual failing. That is why Jesus has additional words of blessing for the Samaritan who returned to thank Jesus and glorify God. Jesus says to him, “Arise,” He says. “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

The episode of the ten lepers is a continuation of the stories about faith and how it increases in us. The nine lepers may have been cleansed of their physical afflictions. But the one who returned to praise and glorify God received a deeper healing, one that would continue beyond the grave. It was a healing of faith. In this regard it should be noted that the one who returned was a Samaritan—considered to be a despised “heathen”—and yet it was the Samaritan who demonstrated the greatest faith of all.

This is the kind of “increased faith” that Jesus has been teaching about in the two preceding episodes. It is this “increased faith” that recognizes the true source of all spiritual healing, and therefore gives glory to God. Like the leper who fell on his face before Jesus, whenever we humble ourselves and give thanks to the Lord, we open the way to experience the “kingdom of God.” ¹⁰

A practical application

While we should not expect to receive praise for what we do for others, we should always remember to give glory to God. This is not because God needs our praise, but rather because we need to come into that state of humility where we recognize that we can do nothing of ourselves. Gratitude to God, then, becomes an essential aspect of our spiritual life. We are to continually give the credit, the glory, and the honor to God with the understanding that all good is freely given and should be returned to its rightful owner. If someone praises us for good work we do, we can reply with a gracious “Thank you,” while inwardly acknowledging that God, the rightful owner, deserves all the praise and gratitude. Like the grateful leper who returned to thank and praise God, we should also remember to give credit to God. In return, God blesses us—without our even seeking it—with the treasures of heaven. ¹¹

The Kingdom of God

20. And being questioned by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God comes not with observation.

21. Neither shall they say, ‘Behold, [it is] here! or, Behold, [it is] there!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The previous episode was about the heavenly treasures that are in store for us when we perform useful services without any thought of reward. Whenever we choose to live in this manner, it is as though the Lord’s kingdom is already within us. It is fitting, therefore, that the subject of the kingdom of God should occur in the next episode. We read, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). ¹²

This time Jesus is instructing the Pharisees. He is striving to move them away from their external orientation and their fixation on the material world, toward more internal, genuinely spiritual concerns. He wants them to understand that the kingdom of God is not something that they will see with their physical eyes, but rather something they can only experience with their spiritual senses. This is why Jesus tells them that “The kingdom of God is within you.”

This is an important moment in Luke’s narrative. Up to this point, the Pharisees have displayed nothing but contempt and hatred for Jesus, plotting in secret to murder Him. Nevertheless, Jesus still asserts that even the Pharisees have the capacity to receive heaven into themselves. This is because God’s love and wisdom is constantly flowing into everyone—into saints and into sinners, into lepers and Samaritans, and even into Pharisees. Therefore, when Jesus tells the Pharisees that “the kingdom of God is within you,” He is saying that heaven is not “on high,” nor is it coming in the future. Rather it is a state of mind they can come into right now, at this very moment, to the extent that they put away selfishness and choose to live according to the truth that God gives to them—especially the truth that all the good they do is from God. In brief, they could enter heaven the moment they choose to let heaven enter them. ¹³

Although the Pharisees persistently refuse to receive the love and the truth Jesus offers, the capacity to receive these heavenly qualities is still within them. In the same way, the capacity to receive the kingdom of God is in everyone, and is never taken away. ¹⁴

The Son of Man

22. And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you shall long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you shall not see.

23. And they shall say to you, ‘Behold here!’ or, ‘Behold there!’ Go not away, nor pursue.

24. For just as the lightning that flashes out of the [one part] under heaven shines to the [other part] under heaven, so shall also the Son of Man be in His day.

25. But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.

26. And even as it came to pass in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.

27. They ate, they drank, they wed, they were given to be wed, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28. Likewise also as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29. But the day Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all.

30. According to these things shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

31. In that day whoever shall be on the housetop, and his vessels in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not turn around to what [is] behind.

32. Remember Lot’s wife.

33. Whoever shall seek to save his soul, shall lose it; and whoever shall lose it, shall preserve it alive.

34. I say to you, In that night two [men] shall be in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35. Two [women] shall be grinding [grain] together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36. Two [men] shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Turning to the disciples, Jesus now talks about the Son of Man. Interestingly, His choice of language is almost identical to the choice of language He used when speaking to the Pharisees, but with an important difference. To the Pharisees He said that the kingdom of God does not come with outward observation. If people were to say, “See here!” or See there!” they must not believe it, for the kingdom of God is within them.

Jesus has a similar message for His disciples, but with a different emphasis. To them He says that when they desire to see “the Son of Man,” people will tell them, “Look here!” or Look there!” (Luke 17:23). In the same way that He told the Pharisees to stop looking for outward signs of the kingdom, Jesus tells the disciples not to listen to people who say that the Son of Man is here or there. Rather, Jesus tells them that the Son of Man will come as “lightning that flashes out of one part of heaven and shines to the other part of heaven” (Luke 17:24).

The term “Son of Man” refers to the truth Jesus came to offer. This is the divine truth that can illuminate the mind like lightning flashing across a dark sky. Jesus knows that His words will eventually make an impression on the disciples. It will, however, take time. They will often be confused, contentious, even doubt-filled, but flashes of enlightenment will come; the lightning of Jesus’ wisdom will flash across the dark sky of their minds, and they will begin to have glimpses of the truth. ¹⁵

Jesus then warns His disciples that the road ahead will not be easy. Jesus knows that He will become a living representative of what people will do to the truth that He came to offer. They will treat the truth in the same way that they have treated Jesus. It will be despised, condemned, and rejected. As Jesus puts it, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:25). This, of course, is nothing new. It was true also in the days of Noah when the voice of truth came to warn people of the looming destruction. But the people were heedless of the truth. As Jesus puts it, “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:27). ¹⁶

The lesson of Noah is quite clear. Without truth we will drown in a sea of falsity. It was similar in the days of Lot: “They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built” (Luke 17:28). But they did not heed the voice of truth, spoken through the angels who came to them, saying, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere on the plain. Escape to the mountains lest you be destroyed” (Genesis 19:17). And because they did not heed the voice of truth, they all perished. As Jesus puts it, “On the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:29).

Jesus reminds the disciples of these stories of destruction to let them know that something similar is happening in their own time. The voice of truth is once again among them, and once again people are not listening. They continue to look back to the belief systems of a bygone era, which now hold them in captivity and will soon bring about their ruin.

In the midst of these destructive, self-serving belief systems, Jesus arrives to bring new truth—truth that could lift them, like Noah, above the floods of false belief, and lead them, like Lot, out of the heat of Sodom-like self-love. This is the “lightning” Jesus refers to. It is the Son of Man—the Divine Truth—which comes to reveal a new understanding of God, a new way of loving one’s neighbor, and a new understanding of life’s purpose. As Jesus puts it, “Even so will it be in that day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:30).

The narrative now shifts to a detailed picture of what will take place “in that day” and “in that night” when the Son of Man comes. As it is written, “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in his house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Again, Jesus reminds them of the end that befell those who “looked back,” and the doom that came upon those who clung to the material objects that were in their households. Spiritually speaking, Jesus is referring to our tendency to “look back” to the old belief systems that can no longer sustain us.

The phrase “look back” relates to the understanding which has the capacity for “seeing” higher truth but, unfortunately, looks back to one’s own way of seeing reality, especially when self-interest is involved. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures when speaking about those who should be leading and protecting the people, “His watchmen are blind and ignorant…. They are shepherds who cannot understand. They all look back to their own way, every one of them for their own gain” (Isaiah 56:10-11). ¹⁷

When higher truth comes into our life—the coming of the Son of Man—we are not to look back. It may feel as though we are giving up something that has become an essential part of who we are. This is because we so often define ourselves by our acquired and customary belief systems. Letting go of those habitual patterns of thought might feel like we are losing a part of ourselves—even dying. Jesus, however, urges us to go ahead and give them up, even if it feels like the loss of life. As Jesus puts it, “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Luke 17:33).

Interestingly, this reference to “losing one’s life” continues the series of “losses” beginning with the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Those stories about loss were followed by the parable of the unjust steward who lost his livelihood and the story about the rich man who feasted sumptuously every day, but failed to give to the poor. Therefore, he lost his life. In this case, Jesus speaks about the importance of giving up that which we think is our very life—the false beliefs that we have about happiness, especially the idea that the whole of happiness consists in material blessings. In this regard, if we stubbornly cling to false beliefs, we will lose our opportunity to experience a life that is truly spiritual. But if we let go of those false beliefs, choosing instead to receive higher truth, our life will be preserved. ¹⁸

The importance of intentions

As Jesus approaches the end of this series of warnings, He adds three more predictions about coming catastrophes. As He puts it, “In that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17:34-36).

In order to understand these words, we need to realize that Jesus is not speaking about events that will take place in time and space. Rather, He is speaking about spiritual realities: “Two men in one bed” is a scriptural phrase that stands for the idea that two people can have the same doctrine, but apply it differently—one in a way that favors self-love, the other in a way that favors love to God and to the neighbor. In sacred scripture a “bed” represents a person’s belief system, the place where the mind rests. ¹⁹

Similarly, two women can be grinding meal together. Although they are both doing similar work, their intentions may be quite different; one may have good intentions, while the other has selfish intentions. This can also be true for two men who are working together in the same field. One might be governed by good motives while the other might be governed by self-serving motives. In each of the three cases, whether it’s two men in one bed, or two women grinding meal, or two men working in a field—those with good intentions and noble motives will be “taken” by God, while those with selfish intentions and corrupt motives will be “left behind.” Being “taken by God” means that they will experience heavenly states; being “left behind” means that they will be left to suffer the consequences of their own self-centered decisions. ²⁰

What we see in each case is the all-important doctrine of intentionality. In the end, it is our intentions that matter, not our understanding of doctrine or the uses we perform. Above all, we need to ask ourselves, “What is in our heart?” “What affections rule?” and “What are our deeper motives?” Our intentions—heavenly or hellish—will ultimately save or condemn us; they will determine our heaven or our hell. ²¹

A practical application

It is often said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” This is usually taken to mean that it’s important to follow through on our plans and realize our dreams. But we need to look deeper. Intentions matter. We can do all the good in the world, but if we do it for selfish reasons, it does us no good. Therefore, as a spiritual practice, set an intention to subordinate self-will so that God’s will can work through you. It might be as simple as intending to care for a child or help a friend. Your intention is to allow the Lord to be present through you. This happens when you pray for and manifest the Lord’s qualities (kindness, consideration, understanding, etc.). Notice what happens.

The Gift of Rationality

37. And they answering said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body [is], there the eagles will be gathered.”

This series of episodes begins with a highly pertinent question asked by the Pharisees: “When will the kingdom of God come?” And it ends with another significant question, this time asked by the disciples: “Where will it take place?” Their questions are about time and space. But when we look more deeply, these temporal/spatial questions are no longer relevant. The time is now; and the place is here. The kingdom of God is within us, and the Son of Man is coming to us at this very moment to save us from the destructiveness of our self-centered, materialistic states—states that are so harmful that they can be compared to a dead, decaying body. It is for this reason that Jesus ends this episode with the memorable but disturbing words, “Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together” (Luke 17:37).

Jesus is using powerful imagery to warn about the destruction in store for those who refuse to listen to the Son of Man when the truth of His teaching flashes like lightning across their minds. Those who are unwilling to be led by that truth, but prefer instead to “look back” to their selfish reasonings, will be like birds of prey devouring decaying bodies. Instead of being lifted up on eagles’ wings to experience higher states of understanding, their selfish reasonings will bring them down and prevent them from seeing the big picture. Although they could soar on high with spiritual sight comparable to the vision of an eagle, they remain in their lower, self-centered beliefs, seeing nothing in front of them except objects on which they can feed.

Herein lies both our tragedy and our triumph. Each of us is given the gift of rationality. We can abuse that faculty, using it to justify our selfish interests through cunning and clever reasoning. Or we can use that gift as it is intended, enabling us to see higher truth so that we might be led by it, live according to it, and experience the kingdom of heaven. The choice is always ours. ²²

Footnotes:

518. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters, signifies that consequently all understanding of truth perished and thereby the doctrine of the church. This is evident from the signification of "falling" from heaven, as being, in reference to stars, to perish (of which presently); also from the signification of "the third part," as being everything (of which above, n. 506, here all, because it is said of the understanding of truth and of doctrine, which are signified by "rivers" and "fountains of waters;" also from the signification of "rivers," as being the understanding of truth (of which presently); and from the signification of "fountains of waters," as being the Word and doctrine from the Word, thus "fountains" mean the truths of the Word and doctrinals (of which above, n. 483).

[2] When "to fall" is predicated of stars, which mean the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (as above), it signifies to perish, because when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is turned into falsity, and when Divine truth becomes falsity it perishes. This is signified also by:

The stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25);

namely, that in the last time of the church the knowledges of truth and good will perish. That when Divine truth in the spiritual world falls out of heaven to the earth there, where the evil are, it is changed into falsity and thus perishes, may be seen above (n. 413, 418, 419, 489); for Divine truth is changed into falsity of the same character as the evil belonging to those into whom it flows. This becomes evident from the following experience: It has been granted me to observe carefully how Divine truth was changed into falsity while it was passing down deep into hell, and it was perceived that it was changed successively as it flowed down, at length even into what was most false.

[3] "Rivers" signify the understanding of truth, likewise intelligence, because "waters" signify truths, and the understanding is the receptacle and complex of truths, as a river is of waters, and because thought from the understanding, which is intelligence, is like a stream of truth. From the same origin, namely, from the signification of "waters" as being truths, a "fountain" signifies the Word and the doctrine of truth, and "pools," "lakes," and "seas," signify the knowledges of truth in the complex. That "waters" signify truths, and "living waters" truths from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 71, 483); and also in the following passages in this article.

[4] That "rivers" and "streams" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence can be seen from the Word where "rivers" and "streams" are mentioned. Thus in Isaiah:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the Lord, also of the reformation of the Gentiles, and of the establishment of the church among them. "The lame who shall leap as a hart" signifies one who is not in genuine good because he is not in the knowledges of truth and good; "the tongue of the dumb which shall sing" signifies confession of the Lord by those who are in ignorance of the truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that there shall be truths where there were none before; "and brooks in the plain of the desert" signifies that there shall be intelligence where there was none before, "wilderness" meaning where there is no truth, and "plain of the desert" where there is no intelligence; "waters" mean truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[5] In the same:

I will open rivers on the heights, and fountains will I place in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into springs of waters (Isaiah 41:18).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord; "to open rivers on the heights" means to bestow interior intelligence; and "to place fountains in the midst of valleys" means to instruct the external man in truths. (The rest may be seen explained in n. 483.)

[6] In the same:

Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even place a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl; because I will give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

This treats of the Lord and of a new church to be established by Him, which is meant by "Behold I am doing a new thing; now it shall spring forth;" "to place a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" signifies that there shall be truth and the understanding of truth where there were none before, "way" meaning truth leading to heaven, and "rivers" understanding; "to give drink to the people" signifies to instruct those who desire it; "the wild beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl" signify those who know truths and goods merely from memory, and do not understand and perceive them; these speak about truth with no idea of truth, depending solely upon others.

[7] In the same:

I will pour out waters upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring (Isaiah 44:3).

"To pour out waters upon him that is thirsty" signifies to instruct in truths those who are in the affection of truth; "to pour streams upon the dry land" signifies to give intelligence to those who are in a desire for truth from good; the like is signified by "pouring out the spirit and the blessing;" for God's "spirit" signifies Divine truth, and "blessing" its multiplication and fructification, thus intelligence. Who does not see that here and above, waters and streams, wilderness and desert, are not meant, but such things as pertain to the church? Therefore it is here added, "I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring."

[8] In Moses:

For Jehovah leadeth thee to a land of brooks of water, of fountains, of depths flowing forth in valley and mountain (Deuteronomy 8:7).

The land of Canaan, to which Jehovah was to lead them, signifies the church, therefore "brooks of water, fountains, and depths flowing forth in valley and mountain," signify such things as belong to the church; "brooks of water" signifying the understanding of truth, "fountains" doctrinals from the Word, and "depths flowing forth in valley and mountain" the knowledges of truth and good in the natural and in the spiritual man.

[9] In Isaiah:

Look upon Zion and Jerusalem, where the glorious Jehovah will be with us a place of rivers, of streams, of breadth of spaces; no ship of oar shall go therein, and no magnificent ship shall pass through it (Isaiah 33:20, 21).

Here, too, "a place of rivers and streams" signifies wisdom and intelligence (the signification of the rest is explained above, n. 514.

[10] In Joel:

In that day the mountains shall drop down must, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah and shall water the brook of Shittim (Joel 3:18).

(This also has been explained above, n. 433, 483.) "The fountain that shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah" signifies the truth of doctrine out of heaven from the Lord; and "the brook of Shittim that it shall water," signifies the illustration of the understanding.

[11] In Ezekiel:

The waters issued out from under the threshold of the house of God towards the east. The man led me and brought me back upon the bank of the river. When I returned, behold upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. He said, Every living soul that creepeth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; whence there are exceeding many fish, because these waters come thither and are healed, that everything may live whither the river cometh. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed; it is renewed in its months, because its waters flow out of the sanctuary (Ezekiel 47:1-12).

This, too, has been explained above (n. 422, 513), which makes evident that "the waters flowing out of the house of God towards the east" signify Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and flowing in with those who are in the good of love; and that "the river, upon the bank of which was every tree for food, and by the waters of which every soul that creepeth lived, whence there were many fish," signifies intelligence from the reception of Divine truth, from which all things with man, his affections and perceptions, as well as his cognitions and knowledges and the thoughts therefrom acquire spiritual life.

[12] In Jeremiah:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah; He shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that sendeth forth his roots by the stream, and he shall not see when the heat shall come, his leaf shall be green (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).

"The tree planted by the waters" means a man with whom there are truths from the Lord; "he sendeth forth his roots by the stream" means the extension of intelligence from the spiritual man into the natural. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 481.)

Where trees and gardens are treated of in the Word, waters and rivers to water them are also mentioned, for the reason that "trees" signify perceptions and knowledges, and "waters" and "rivers" truths and understanding therefrom; for without the understanding of truths man is like a garden where there is no water, whose trees wither away.

[13] As in Moses:

As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river, as lign-aloes – three times which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar-trees beside the waters (Numbers 24:6).

This is said of the sons of Israel, by whom the church is signified which was then to be planted. This church is compared to valleys which are planted, and to a garden by the river, because "valleys" signify the intelligence of the natural man, and a "garden" the intelligence of the spiritual man, and it is compared to lign-aloes – three times and cedar-trees, because "lign-aloes – three times" signify the things of the natural man, and "cedar-trees" the things of the rational man; since these all live from the influx of Divine truth from the Lord they are said to be planted "by the river and beside the waters," which signifies Divine truth flowing in, from which is intelligence.

[14] As "the garden in Eden" or "paradise" means the wisdom and intelligence that the most ancient people had who lived before the flood, so where their wisdom is described, the influx of Divine truth, and of intelligence thence, is also described in these words:

A river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and was in four heads (Genesis 2:10, et seq.). "A river from Eden" signifies wisdom from love, which is Eden; "to water the garden" means to bestow intelligence; intelligence is described by the four rivers there treated of. (This may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 107-121.)

[15] In Ezekiel:

Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon. The waters made it grow, the abyss made it high, so that with its rivers it went round about its plant, and sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field (Ezekiel 31:3, 4).

"Asshur" signifies the rational man, or the rational of man, likewise "the cedar in Lebanon;" and because the genuine rational is perfected by the knowledges of truth and good it is said that "the waters made it grow, and the abyss made it high," "waters" meaning truths, and "the abyss" the knowledges of truth in the natural man; the increase of intelligence is signified by "with its rivers it went round about its plant;" and the multiplication of the knowledges of truth by "it sent out its conduits unto all the trees of the field."

[16] In David:

Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt. Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Psalms 80:8, 11).

"A vine out of Egypt" means the sons of Israel, who are called a "vine" because they represented the spiritual church, which is what "vine" signifies in the Word; their tarrying in Egypt represented their first initiation into the things of the church, for "Egypt" signified the knowledges [scientifica] subservient to the things of the church when, therefore, "the vine" signifies the church, and "Egypt" the knowledge serving it, it is evident what is signified in the spiritual sense by "Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt." The extension of the intelligence of the church even to things known and things rational is signified by "Thou hast sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river;" "to send out boughs and shoots" meaning multiplication and extension, the "sea" knowledge []scientificum]; and the "river," which here is the Euphrates, the rational. The extension of the church and the multiplication of its truths and of intelligence therefrom are described by the extension of the land of Canaan to the Sea Suph, to the sea of the Philistines, and to the river Euphrates.

[17] In Moses:

And I will set thy border from the Sea Suph even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness even to the river (Exodus 23:31).

"The borders of the land of Canaan" signify the ultimates of the church, which are true knowledges [scientifica vera], cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and things rational. "The Sea Suph" signifies true knowledge; "the sea of the Philistines," where Tyre and Sidon were, signifies the knowledges of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word; and "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational; for knowledges [scientifica] serve the cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and both these serve the rational, and the rational serves intelligence, which is given by means of spiritual truths joined to spiritual good.

[18] The like that is here said of the church and its extension is said of the Lord's power over all things of heaven and the church, in David:

I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers (Psalms 89:25).

This is said of David, by whom is here meant the Lord; the Lord's power, even to the ultimates of heaven and the church, thus over the whole heaven, and over everything of the church, is signified by "setting the hand in the sea, and the right hand in the rivers," "hand" and "right hand" signify power, and the "sea" and "rivers" the ultimates of heaven and the church. The ultimates of heaven are seas and rivers, as has been several times said above. These were represented by the two seas and by the two rivers that formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The two seas were the sea of Egypt and the sea of the Philistines, where were Tyre and Sidon; and the two rivers were the Euphrates and the Jordan. But the Jordan was the boundary between the interior land of Canaan and the exterior; in the exterior were the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Likewise in Zechariah:

His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10).

This, too, is said of the Lord, and has a like meaning; His dominion even to the ultimates of heaven and the church means over all things of heaven and the church, for the ultimates are the boundaries.

[19] In David:

Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting. The rivers have lifted up, O Jehovah, the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers have lifted up their roaring. More than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea, Jehovah is glorious (Psalms 93:2-4).

This, too, is said of the Lord; His dominion from eternity to eternity over heaven and earth is signified by "Thy throne is established from then; Thou art from everlasting." The glorification of the Lord because of His coming and because of the consequent salvation of mankind is signified by "the rivers have lifted up their voice (and their roaring);" for "rivers," here three times mentioned, signify all things of man's intelligence, both in the internal and in the external man. Divine truth from the Lord, through which there is power and through which there is salvation, is signified by "more than the voices of many glorious waters, more than the waves of the sea," "waters" meaning truths, and "the voices of many glorious waters" Divine truths.

[20] The glorification and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart are thus described elsewhere in David:

Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound, the world and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing aloud together (Psalms 98:7, 8).

The glorification of the Lord by the universal heaven is signified by these words. The glorification from its ultimates is signified by "Let the sea and the fullness thereof give forth a sound;" the glorification from the whole heaven is signified by "let the world and they that dwell therein give forth a sound," "the world" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its truths, and "they that dwell therein" signifying the universal heaven in respect to its goods; for "inhabitants" signify in the Word those who are in the goods of heaven and the church, and thus the goods of such. The glorification of the Lord by the truths of intelligence and by the goods of love, is signified by "let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing aloud together," "rivers" meaning the truths of intelligence, and "mountains" the goods of love.

[21] Divine truth from the Lord, the reception of which is the source of intelligence, is signified by "the waters from the rock in Horeb" (Exodus 17:6), thus spoken of in David:

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and made them to drink out of the great abysses, and He brought flowing waters out of the rock, and made the waters to run down like rivers. He smote the rock, so that the waters gushed out and the brooks overflowed (Psalms 78:15, 16, 20).

And again:

He opened the rock that the waters might flow; the rivers ran in the dry places (Psalms 105:41).

The "rock" here means the Lord; and the "waters that flowed out therefrom" mean Divine truth from Him; and the "rivers" signify intelligence and wisdom therefrom; "to drink of the great abysses" signifies to imbibe and perceive the arcana of wisdom.

[22] In John:

Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that cometh unto Me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This saith He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him were to receive (John 7:37-39).

"To come to the Lord and drink" signifies to receive from Him the truths of doctrine and belief therein; that spiritual intelligence is therefrom is signified by "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," "living water" being Divine truth which is from the Lord alone, "rivers" the things belonging to intelligence, and the "belly" thought from memory, for to this the belly corresponds; and as "rivers of living water" signify intelligence through Divine truth from the Lord it is added, "this saith He of the spirit which they that believe on Him were to receive," "the spirit that they were to receive from the Lord," meaning Divine truth and intelligence therefrom; so, too, the Lord called the spirit that they received "the spirit of truth" (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15).

[23] In David:

Jehovah hath founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:2).

The "world" signifies heaven and the church in the whole complex, the "seas" signify cognitions and knowledges which are the ultimates of the church, and in particular, the cognitions of truth and good, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word; "rivers" signify introduction through knowledges into heavenly intelligence. This makes clear the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense, namely, that the interior things of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual, are founded upon the cognitions of truth and good which are in the sense of the letter of the Word rationally understood. It is said, "He hath founded the world upon the seas and established it upon the rivers," because there are seas and rivers in the boundaries of heaven, represented by the Sea Suph, the sea of the Philistines, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan, which were the boundaries of the land of Canaan; and because what is ultimate means in the Word what is lowest, it is said that Jehovah "founded" and "established" upon these. Evidently the earth is not founded upon seas and rivers.

[24] In the same:

The Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, He hath filled with dead bodies, He hath stricken through the head over many a land. He drinketh out of the brook in the way; therefore shall He exalt the head (Psalms 110:5-7).

This is said of the Lord, and of His combat against falsities and evils from the hells, and of their subjugation. "Kings" mean falsities from hell, and "nations" evils therefrom. The Lord's Divine power is meant by "the Lord at the right hand;" "He hath stricken through them in the day of His anger, He hath judged among the nations, and He hath filled with dead bodies," signifies the subjugation and destruction of evils and falsities from the hells; "the head that He hath stricken through in many a land," means the love of self, which is the source of all evils and falsities; "to strike through in many a land" signifies total destruction and damnation; "the brook out of which the head drinketh," and because of which "it shall be exalted," signifies the Word in the letter, "to drink out of it" meaning to learn something from it, and "to lift up the head" meaning to resist for a time; for all those who are in falsities from evil cannot be cast down into hell until the things that they know from the Word are taken away from them, since all things of the Word communicate with heaven, by which communication they exalt the head; but when these are taken away they are cast down into hell. This is the meaning of these words, which no one can see except by means of the spiritual sense and a knowledge of the quality of the Word.

[25] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was Thine anger against the rivers? Was Thy wrath against the sea? Because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation (Habakkuk 3:8).

This is a supplication that the church may be guarded and not perish; the "rivers" and the "sea" signify all things of the church, because they are its ultimates (as above); "to ride upon horses," in reference to Jehovah, that is, the Lord, signifies the Divine wisdom which is in the Word; and "chariots" signify doctrinals therefrom.

[26] In David:

We will not fear when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved from ¹ the heart of the seas; the waters thereof shall be in tumult, shall be made turbid, the mountains shall quake in the pride thereof. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the holy city of God, the dwelling places of the Most High; God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved (Psalms 46:2-5).

This involves in the spiritual sense, that although the church and all things thereof perish, still the Word and the Divine truth it contains shall not perish; for the "earth" signifies the church; "mountains" signify the goods of love; "waters" truths; and "to be changed," "to be moved," "to be in tumult" "to be made turbid" and "to quake" signify the states of these when they perish, and falsities and evils enter in their place, consequently the states of the church when it is vastated in respect to goods and desolated in respect to truths (See above, n. 304, 405, where this is more completely explained). That the Word or Divine truth for the church is not to perish is signified by "There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God; she shall not be changed;" "river" signifying here the like as "fountain," namely, the Word, because "streams" are predicated of it, by which are signified truths; the "city of God" signifies the church in respect to doctrine; "to make glad" signifies influx and reception from joy of heart, and "not to be changed" signifies not to perish in any respect.

[27] In Isaiah:

Then the waters shall fail in ² the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry, and the rivers shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and flag shall wither; the paper reeds by the stream near the mouth of the stream, and all seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more (Isaiah 19:5-7).

This is said of Egypt, which signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man, and its "stream" the cognition and apperception of truth, and in the contrary sense the apperception of falsity; that these are to perish is signified by "the stream shall dry up and become dry;" that thus there would be no longer truths, not even natural and sensual truths, which are the lowest, is signified by "the reed and flag shall wither, the paper reeds by the stream, and all the seed of the stream shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more."

[28] In the same:

I have digged and have drunk waters; and with the sole of my steps have I dried up all the streams of Egypt (Isaiah 37:25).

These are the words of Senacherib, the king of Assyria, by whom the perverted rational destroying all knowledge and apperception of truth is signified; this is signified by his "drying up with the sole of his steps all the streams of Egypt." The "streams of Egypt" signify knowledges and apperceptions of truth, because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to knowledges (scientifica), and cognition and apperception belong to the natural man, as intelligence does to the spiritual man.

[29] In Ezekiel:

They shall draw out their swords against Egypt, to fill the land with the slain. Then will I make the rivers dry land, and will sell the land into the hand of evil ones; and I will make the land waste, and the fullness thereof, by the hand of strangers (Ezekiel 30:11, 12).

"Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] of the natural man serving the intelligence of the rational and spiritual man. The destruction of true knowledges [scientifica] by falsities is signified by "They shall draw out their swords against Egypt," "swords" signifying falsities destroying truths; the "slain" signify those who are destroyed by falsities; "to make the rivers dry land" signifies that there shall no longer be any cognition or apperception of truth; "to sell the land into the hand of evil ones and to make it waste by the hand of strangers," signifies to destroy by evils and by falsities, "strangers" signifying falsities.

[30] In Zechariah:

All the depths of the river shall be dried up, and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart away (Zechariah 10:11).

"All the depths of the river (namely, the Euphrates) shall be dried up" signifies that all the acute reasonings from self-intelligence shall perish; the "pride of Assyria" signifies the self-intelligence of the perverted rational; "the staff of Egypt shall depart away" signifies that the knowledges [scientifica] that serve such reasonings shall be of no avail.

[31] In Isaiah:

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herb; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools (Isaiah 42:15).

"I will lay waste mountains and hills" signifies that the goods of love and charity will perish; "and dry up all their herb" signifies that the truths that are from those goods will perish; "I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools," signifies that intelligence and knowledge of truth will perish.

[32] In the same:

Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers into a wilderness; their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die (Isaiah 50:2).

(See above, n. 342), where this is explained.)

In Nahum:

He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers (Nahum 1:4).

In David:

Jehovah maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water springs into dry ground (Psalms 107:33).

In Job:

A man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? The waters depart from the sea, and the river drieth up and becometh dry (Job14:10, 11).

[33] It has been shown thus far that "rivers" signify the understanding of truth and intelligence. In the contrary sense "rivers" signify the understanding of falsity and reasoning from self-intelligence which is in favor of falsities and opposes truths, as is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

He shall send ambassadors by the sea to a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (1 Isaiah 18:2).

"Rivers" here signify the falsities of self-intelligence that destroy. (What the rest signifies see explained above, n. 304, 331.) In the same:

When thou shalt pass through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee (Isaiah 43:2).

"To pass through waters and through rivers and not be overflowed" signifies that falsities and reasonings from falsities against truths shall not corrupt.

[34] In Jeremiah:

Behold waters rising up out of the north, which like ³ an overflowing stream shall overflow the land and its fullness (Jeremiah 47:2).

"Waters out of the north" signify the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; these are compared to "a stream overflowing the land," because a "stream" signifies reasoning from falsities, the "land" the church, and "its overflow by a stream" its destruction by falsities.

[35] In David:

Unless Jehovah were for us when man rises up against us, then the waters had overflowed us, the river had gone over our soul; then the waters of the proud had gone over our soul (Psalms 124:2, 4, 5).

The "waters of the proud" here mentioned, signify falsities favoring the love of self and confirming it, also the falsities of doctrine from self-intelligence; the "river" signifies reasoning from falsities against truths; this makes clear what is meant by "Unless Jehovah were for us, when man rises up against us," namely, when man from himself, from self-love, and from self-intelligence, rises up and endeavors to destroy the truths of the church; for this treats of Israel, by whom the church is signified; the "waters that had overflowed them," and the "rivers that had gone over their soul," signify falsities and reasonings from falsities, and the consequent destruction of the spiritual life that man has through truths and through a life according to them; "waters" signify falsities, "rivers" reasonings from them, and "overflowing and going over the soul" signifies the destruction of spiritual life.

[36] In Isaiah:

Behold, the Lord will make to go up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; and he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow (Isaiah 8:7, 8).

"Assyria" and its king signify in the Word the rational, here the rational perverted; so "his river" which was the Euphrates, means reasoning, and "the waters of the river" mean falsities confirmed by reasonings; these therefore are signified by "the waters of the river, strong and many," which are called "strong" from cupidity, and "many" from falsity; the abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of the good of the church is signified by "the waters of the river shall go up over all his channels, and over all his banks," also "he shall go through Judah, and shall overflow," "Judah" signifying the church where the Word is.

[37] In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18).

The "waters of Sihor," or of Egypt, signify false knowledges, or knowledges confirming falsities, and "the waters of the river" signify false reasonings from these, thus such as are from self-intelligence; that such falsities and reasonings must not be imbibed is what these words signify.

[38] In the same:

Towards the north, by the bank of the river Euphrates, have they stumbled and fallen. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the streams? Egypt cometh up like a stream, and his waters are tossed like streams; for he saith, I will come up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those that dwell in it (Jeremiah 46:6-8).

This signifies the destruction of the church and of its truths by false reasonings from confirming knowledges [scientifica]; the "north" signifies those in whom and from whom there is falsity, the "river Euphrates" false reasonings, "Egypt" confirming knowledges, the "waters that are tossed" falsities themselves, and "to come up, to cover the earth, to destroy the city and those that dwell in it," signifies the destruction of the church and of its doctrine, the "earth" meaning the church, the "city" doctrine of truth, and "those that dwell in it" its goods. Like things are signified by the Nile, "the river of Egypt," and by the Euphrates, "the river of Assyria," elsewhere in the Word (as in Isaiah 7:18, 19; 11:15, 16; Ezekiel 29:3-5, 10; 31:15; 32:2; Psalms 74:14, 15; 78:44; Exodus 7:17-21); also by "the rivers of Babylon" (Psalms 137:1). As all spiritual temptations come through falsities that break into the thoughts and infest the interior mind, thus through reasonings from falsities, so temptations are signified by the inundations of waters and by the irruptions of rivers and torrents. As in Jonah:

Thou hadst cast me into the depths, even into the heart of the seas; and the river was round about me; all Thy waves and Thy billows passed over me (Jonah 2:3).

In David:

The cords of death compassed me, and the brooks of Belial terrified me (Psalms 18:4).

In Matthew:

And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; yet it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:25, 27).

In Luke:

When a flood arose, the stream dashed against that house and could not shake it; for it had been founded upon a rock (Luke 6:48, 49).

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