Logopraxis

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

5905. Verses 9-13. Haste ye and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph, God hath set me for lord to all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not; and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; and I will sustain thee there; for there are yet five years of famine: lest thou be rooted out, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. And behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that with my mouth I am speaking unto you. And ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that ye have seen; and haste ye, and bring down my father hither. “Haste ye and go up to my father,” signifies to spiritual good; “and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph,” signifies the perception of this good about the internal celestial; “God hath set me for lord to all Egypt,” signifies that it arranges each and all things in the natural; “come down unto me, tarry not,” signifies sure conjunction; “and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen,” signifies the midst in the natural; “and thou shalt be near unto me,” signifies perpetual conjunction; “thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons,” signifies spiritual good and all things that are from it and that are from these; “and thy flocks, and thy herds,” signifies natural good interior and exterior; “and all that thou hast,” signifies whatever is therefrom; “and I will sustain thee there,” signifies continuous influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial; “for there are yet five years of famine,” signifies the duration of the lack of good; “lest thou be rooted out,” signifies lest it perish; “thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast,” signifies spiritual good and all that belongs to it; “and behold your eyes see,” signifies a testifying from perception; “and the eyes of my brother Benjamin,” signifies from the perception of the intermediate; “that with my mouth I am speaking unto you,” signifies manifestation; “and ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt,” signifies the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good; “and all that ye see,” signifies whatsoever was there noticed and perceived; “and haste ye, and bring down my father hither,” signifies close conjunction.

5906. Haste ye and go up to my father. That this signifies to spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833). That spiritual good is the father of the internal celestial, when yet spiritual good is relatively external because from the natural, is because before the internal man comes forth, the man must be external. For progression is made in order from things exterior to things interior, as from memory-knowledges to intellectual things, for outer things must then serve as a plane to inner ones. It is from this progression, or from this birth, that the external is called the “father” of the internal; consequently spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel,” the “father” of the internal celestial, which is “Joseph.”

5907. And say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph. That this signifies the perception thereof about the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which frequently above); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (see n. 5869, 5877). That there is signified the perception of spiritual good, which is “Israel,” about the internal celestial, which is “Joseph,” is because “hath said thy son Joseph” in the internal sense is the perceptivity of the influx from the internal celestial into spiritual good.

5908. God hath set me for lord to all Egypt. That this signifies that it arranges each and all things in the natural, is evident from the signification of “being set for lord,” as being to arrange (as above, n. 5903, 5904); and from the signification of “all Egypt,” as being the memory-knowledges in the natural, thus each and all things therein, for the natural consists of memory-knowledges. (That “Egypt” is memory-knowledge has been shown many times.)

5909. Come down unto me, tarry not. That this signifies sure conjunction, is evident from the signification of “coming down,” or “coming unto me,” as being conjunction; and from the signification of “tarry not,” as being what is sure.

5910. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen. That this signifies the midst in the natural, is evident from the signification of “dwelling,” as being to live (see n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451); and from the signification of the “land of Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost. And because this land was in Egypt, and by “Egypt” is signified the memory-knowledge which is in the natural, it is the midst or the inmost in the natural. For Goshen was the best tract in the land of Egypt, and that which is best in the natural, where memory-knowledges are, is in the midst or in the center; for good itself is there as something like a sun, and gives light thence to the truths which are at the sides.

5911. And thou shalt be near unto me. That this signifies perpetual conjunction, is evident from the signification of “being near,” as being perpetual conjunction; for by “coming unto Joseph” is signified conjunction (see n. 5909). Therefore to be “near to him,” thus continually nigh him, is perpetual conjunction.

5912. Thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons. That this signifies spiritual good and all things that are from it and that are from these, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is “thou,” as being spiritual good (of which above, n. 5906); from the signification of “his sons,” as being the things that are from this good, which are truths in the natural, and are represented by his sons; and from the signification of “sons’ sons,” as being the things that are from these, namely, the truths again born and derived. For when good is in the first place, and has dominion, it continually produces truths. It multiplies them around itself and also around each truth, and makes each truth like a little star, in the center of which there is a bright light. Nor does good only multiply truths around itself, but it also produces truths from truths by derivations in succession, which are the “sons’ sons,” or grandsons; and so on. Joseph invites his brethren to him no otherwise than through his father, saying that he should come with his sons and with his sons’ sons. The reason is, that there is no conjunction of the internal celestial with truths in the natural except through the intermediate.

5913. And thy flocks, and thy herds. That this signifies natural good interior and exterior, is evident from the signification of “flock,” as being interior good (see n. 2566), here interior natural good, because they were the flocks of Israel, by whom is represented spiritual good from the natural (n. 5906); and from the signification of “herd,” as being exterior natural good. That by “herd” is signified exterior good, and by “flocks” interior good, is because the beasts which constituted the herd, as oxen and bullocks, in the sacrifices signified the external goods of charity, also the goods of the external man; but those which constituted the flocks, as lambs, sheep, and goats, signified the internal goods of charity, also the goods of the internal man; and therefore they who are in these latter goods are called in the Word by the one word “flock,” and he who leads them is called the “shepherd.”

5914. And all that thou hast. That this signifies whatever is therefrom, is evident from the signification of “all that thou hast,” as being that which is therefrom; for the goods and truths in the natural are from spiritual good as a father; hence being from it, they are of it.

5915. And I will sustain thee there. That this signifies continuous influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of “sustaining,” when it is said by Joseph, by whom is represented the internal celestial, as being the influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial; sustenance in the spiritual sense being nothing else than the influx of good and of truth through heaven from the Lord. From this are the angels sustained, and from this is the soul of man (that is, his internal man) sustained. To this sustenance corresponds the sustenance of the external man by food and drink; and therefore by “food” is signified good, and by “drink,” truth. Such also is the correspondence, that when a man is partaking of food, the angels with him are in the idea of good and truth, and wonderful to say with a difference according to the species of the food. Thus when a man in the Holy Supper receives the bread and the wine, the angels with him are in the idea of the good of love and the good of faith (n. 3464, 3735), for the reason that bread corresponds to the good of love, and wine to the good of faith; and because they correspond, they also signify the same in the Word.

5916. For there are yet five years of famine. That this signifies the duration of the lack of good, is evident from what has been said and unfolded above about “famine” and about “five” (n. 5893, 5894).

5917. Lest thou be rooted out. That this signifies lest it perish, is evident without explication.

5918. Thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. That this signifies spiritual good and all that belongs to it, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is “Thou,” as being spiritual good (of which above). That “thy household and all that thou hast” is all that belongs to it, is manifest.

5919. And behold your eyes see. That this signifies a testifying from perception, is evident from the signification of “eyes” and of “seeing,” as being perception (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); that testifying is signified, is plain.

5920. And the eyes of my brother Benjamin. That this signifies especially from the perception of the intermediate, is evident from the signification of “eyes” and of “seeing,” as being to understand and thence to perceive (as above, n. 5919); and from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5639, 5688, 5822). The case herein is this. As Benjamin represented the intermediate, and this intermediate was interior truth (n. 5600, 5631), immediately depending upon internal good, which is “Joseph,” it had on this account a clearer and more exquisite perception than the truths which were beneath or more external, which his ten brethren represented. For the nearer truth and good are to the internal, the more perfect a perceptivity have they, being more deeply in the light of heaven, and thus nearer to the Lord. For the influx of Divine good and truth from the Lord advances through continuous mediations, and thus successions; and therefore they who are in first principles or beginnings receive the influx with a clearer perception (because more immediately) than they who are in intermediates and ultimates. There is a successive obscuration of good and of truth (as there is of light) according to distances, for the more imperfect things which follow in succession by degrees, cause dimness. From all this it is evident what “a testifying especially from the perception of the intermediate” means, for the intermediate is interior, and the truths which the sons of Jacob represent are exterior.

5921. That with my mouth I am speaking unto you. That this signifies manifestation, is evident from the fact that the first testifying was that their eyes saw, the second was that the eyes of Benjamin saw, and now the third is that with his mouth he was speaking unto them, whereby all doubt was removed that he was Joseph; consequently he had fully manifested himself. Hence these words involve manifestation.

5922. And ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt. That this signifies the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good, is evident from the signification of “telling,” as being to communicate; from the signification of “glory,” as being the spiritual heaven (of which below); from the signification of “Egypt,” as being the memory-knowledges in the natural, thus the natural (as above, n. 5908); and from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father” with whom communication was to be made, as being spiritual good (of which above, n. 5906). From this it is plain that by “Ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt” is signified the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good.

5923. And all that ye see. That this signifies whatever was there noticed and perceived, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand and thence to perceive and to notice (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400).

5924. And haste ye, and bring down my father hither. That this signifies close conjunction, is evident from what was said above (n. 5909); and as the same thing is here said again, and from the affection of love, it denotes close conjunction.

Apocalypse Explained 195 [14]

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

41. VI. THE HEAVENS CONSIST OF INNUMERABLE SOCIETIES.

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42. Moreover, the angelic societies in the heavens are at a distance from each other as their goods differ in general and in particular. For in the spiritual world the only ground of distance is difference in the state of interiors, thus in the heavens difference in the states of love, those who differ much being far apart, and those who differ but little being but little apart, and likeness causing them to be together.[1]

43. All who are in the same society are arranged in like manner in respect to each other; those who are more perfect, that is, who excel in good, thus in love, wisdom, and intelligence, being in the middle; those who are less pre-eminent being round about at a distance in accordance with the decrease of their perfection. The arrangement is like light diminishing from the middle to the circumference, those who are in the middle being in the greatest light, and those towards the circumference in less and less.

44. Like are drawn spontaneously as it were to their like; for with their like they are as if with their own and at home, but with others they are as if with strangers and abroad; also when with their like they are in their freedom, and consequently in every delight of life.

45. All this makes clear that all in the heavens are affiliated by good, and are distinguished according to the quality of the good. Nevertheless it is not the angels who thus affiliate themselves, but the Lord, from whom the good is. The Lord leads them, conjoins and separates them, and preserves them in freedom proportionate to their good. Thus He holds everyone in the life of his love and faith, of his intelligence and wisdom, and the resulting happiness.[1]

46. Again, all who are in like good, even though they have never seen each other before, know each other, just as men in the world do their kinsmen, near relations, and friends; and for the reason that in the other life there are none but spiritual kinships, relationships, and friendships, thus such as spring from love and faith.[1] This it has sometimes been granted me to see, when I have been in the spirit, and thus withdrawn from the body, and in the society of angels. Some of those I then saw seemed as if I had known them from childhood, but others as if not known at all. Those whom I seemed to have known from childhood were such as were in a state similar to that of my spirit; but those who seemed unknown were in a dissimilar state.

47. All who form the same angelic society resemble each other in countenance in a general way, but not in particulars. How these general resemblances are related to differences in particulars can in some measure be seen from like things in the world. It is well known that with every race there is a certain general resemblance of face and eyes, by which it is known and distinguished from all other races. This is still more true of different families. In the heavens this is much more fully the case, because there all the interior affections appear in and shine forth from the face, for there the face is the external and representative form of those affections. No one there can have any other face than that of his own affection. It was also shown how this general likeness is varied in particulars with individuals in the same society. A face like an angel’s appeared to me, and this was varied in accordance with such affections for good and truth as are in those who belong to a single society. These changes went on for a long time, and I noticed that the same face in general continued as a ground work, all besides being what was derived and produced from that. Thus by means of this face the affections of the whole society were exhibited, whereby the faces of those in it are varied. For, as has been said above, the faces of angels are the forms of their interiors, thus of the affections that belong to their love and faith.

48. From this it also comes to pass that an angel who excels in wisdom instantly sees the quality of another from his face. In heaven no one can conceal his interiors by his expression, or feign, or really deceive and mislead by craft or hypocrisy. There are hypocrites who are experts in disguising their interiors and fashioning their exteriors into the form of that good in which those are who belong to a society, and who thus make themselves appear angels of light; and these sometimes insinuate themselves into a society; but they cannot stay there long, for they begin to suffer inward pain and torture, to grow livid in the face, and to become as it were lifeless. These changes arise from the contrariety of the life that flows in and affects them. Therefore they quickly cast themselves down into hell where their like are, and no longer want to ascend. These are such as are meant by the man found among the invited guests at the feast not clothed with a wedding garment, who was cast out into outer darkness Matt. 22 verses 11, seq.).

49. All the societies of heaven have communication with one another, though not by open interaction; for few go out of their own society into another, since going out of their own society is like going away from themselves or from their own life, and passing into another life which is less congenial. But all the societies communicate by an extension of the sphere that goes forth from the life of each. This sphere of the life is the sphere of the affections of love and faith. This sphere extends itself far and wide into the surrounding societies, and farther and wider in proportion as the affections are the more interior and perfect.[1] In the measure of that extension do the angels have intelligence and wisdom. Those that are in the inmost heaven and in the middle of it have extension into the entire heavens; thus there is a sharing of all in heaven with each one, and of each one with all.[2] But this extension will be considered more fully hereafter, where the form of heaven in accord with which the angelic societies are arranged, and also the wisdom and intelligence of angels, will be treated of, for in accordance with that form all extension of affections and thoughts proceeds.

50. It has been said above that in the heavens there are larger and smaller societies. The larger consist of myriads of angels, the smaller of some thousands, and the least of some hundreds. There are also some that dwell apart, house by house as it were, and family by family. Although these live in this scattered way, they are arranged in order like those who live in societies, the wiser in the middle and the more simple in the borders. Such are more closely under the Divine auspices of the Lord, and are the best of the angels.

51. EACH SOCIETY IS A HEAVEN IN A SMALLER FORM, AND EACH ANGEL IN THE SMALLEST FORM.

52. That each society is a heaven in a smaller form can be seen from this also, that each society there has a heavenly form like that of heaven as a whole. In the whole heavens those who are superior to the rest are in the middle, with the less excellent round about in a decreasing order even to the borders (as stated in a preceding chapter, n. 43). It can be seen also from this, that the Lord directs all in the whole heaven as if they were a single angel; and the same is true of all in each society; and as a consequence an entire angelic society sometimes appears in angelic form like a single angel, as I have been permitted by the Lord to see. Moreover, when the Lord appears in the midst of the angels He does not appear as one surrounded by many, but the appearance is as a one, in an angelic form. This is why the Lord is called “an angel” in the Word, and why an entire society is so called. “Michael,” “Gabriel,” and “Raphael” are no other than angelic societies so named from their function.[1]

53. As an entire society is a heaven in a smaller form, so an angel is a heaven in the smallest form. For heaven is not outside of the angel, but is within him, since the interior things which belong to his mind are arranged into the form of heaven, thus for the reception of all things of heaven that are outside of him. These also he receives according to the quality of the good that is in him from the Lord. It is from this that an angel is a heaven.

54. It can in no sense be said that heaven is outside of any one; it is within him. For it is in accordance with the heaven that is within him that each angel receives the heaven that is outside of him. This makes clear how greatly misled is he who believes that to come into heaven is simply to be taken up among angels, without regard to what one’s interior life may be, thus that heaven is granted to each one by mercy apart from means;[1] when, in fact, unless heaven is within one, nothing of the heaven that is outside can flow in and be received There are many spirits who have this idea. Because of this belief they have been taken up into heaven; but when they came there, because their interior life was contrary to the angelic life, their intellectual faculties began to be blinded until they became like fools; and they began to be tortured in their voluntary faculties until they became like madmen. In a word, if those that have lived wickedly come into heaven they gasp for breath and writhe about, like fishes out of water in the air, or like animals in ether in an airpump when the air has been exhausted. From this it can be seen that heaven is not outside of a man, but within him.[2]

55. As everyone receives the heaven that is outside of him in accordance with the quality of the heaven that is within him, so in like manner does everyone receive the Lord, since it is the Divine of the Lord that makes heaven. And for this reason when the Lord becomes manifestly present in any society His appearance there is in accord with the quality of the good in which the society is, thus not the same in one society as in another. This diversity is not in the Lord; it is in the angels who behold Him from their own good, and thus in accordance with their good. And they are affected by His appearance in accordance with the quality of their love, those who love Him inmostly being inmostly affected, and those who love Him less being less affected; while the evil who are outside of heaven are tortured by His presence. When the Lord is seen in any society He is seen as an angel, but is distinguished from others by the Divine that shines through.

56. Again, heaven is where the Lord is acknowledged, believed in, and loved. Variety in worship of the Lord from the variety of good in different societies is not harmful, but beneficial, for the perfection of heaven is therefrom. This can scarcely be made clear to the comprehension without employing terms that are in common use in the learned world, and showing by means of these how unity, that it may be perfect, must be formed from variety. Every whole exists from various parts, since a whole without constituents is not anything; it has no form, and therefore no quality. But when a whole exists from various parts, and the various parts are in a perfect form, in which each attaches itself like a congenial friend to another in series, then the quality is perfect. So heaven is a whole from various parts arranged in a most perfect form, for the heavenly form is the most perfect of all forms. That this is the ground of all perfection is evident from the nature of all beauty, agreeableness and delight, by which the senses and the mind are affected; for these qualities spring and flow from no other source than the concert and harmony of many concordant and congenial parts, either coexisting in order or following in order, and never from a whole without many parts. From this is the saying that variety gives delight; and the nature of variety, as is known, is what determines the delight. From all this it can be seen as in a mirror how perfection comes from variety even in heaven. For from the things that exist in the natural world the things of the spiritual world can be seen as in a mirror.[1]

57. What has been said of heaven may be said also of the church, for the church is the Lord’s heaven on earth. There are also many churches, each one of which is called a church, and so far as the good of love and faith reigns therein is a church. Here, too, the Lord out of various parts forms a unity, that is, one church out of many churches.[1] And the like may be said of the man of the church in particular that is said of the church in general, namely, that the church is within man and not outside of him; and that every man is a church in whom the Lord is present in the good of love and of faith.[2] Again, the same may be said of a man that has the church in him as of an angel that has heaven in him, namely, that he is a church in the smallest form, as an angel is a heaven in the smallest form; and furthermore that a man that has the church in him, equally with an angel, is a heaven. For man was created that he might come into heaven and become an angel; consequently he that has good from the Lord is a man-angel.[3] What man has in common with an angel and what he has in contrast with angels may be mentioned. It is granted to man, equally with the angel, to have his interiors conformed to the image of heaven, and to become, so far as he is in the good of love and faith, an image of heaven. But it is granted to man and not to angels to have his exteriors conform to the image of the world; and so far as he is in good to have the world in him subordinated to heaven and made to serve heaven.[4] And then the Lord is present in him both in the world and in heaven just as if he were in his heaven. For the Lord is in His Divine order in both worlds, since God is order.[5]

58. Finally it should be said that he who has heaven in himself has it not only in the largest or most general things pertaining to him but also in every least or particular thing, and that these least things repeat in an image the greatest. This comes from the fact that everyone is his own love, and is such as his ruling love is. That which reigns flows into the particulars and arranges them, and every where induces a likeness of itself.[1] In the heavens love to the Lord is the ruling love, for there the Lord is loved above all things. Hence the Lord there is the All-in-all, flowing into all and each, arranging them, clothing them with a likeness of Himself, and making it to be heaven wherever He is. This is what makes an angel to be a heaven in the smallest form, a society to be a heaven in a larger form, and all the societies taken together a heaven in the largest form. That the Divine of the Lord is what makes heaven, and that He is the All-in-all, may be seen above (numbers 7-12).

Man is such as is the ruling quality of his life in. 987, 1040, 1568, 3570,6571, 6935, 6938, 8853-8858, 10076, 10109, 10110, 10284). When love and faith rule they are in all the particulars of man’s life, although he does not know it (see numbers 8854, 8864, 8865).

59. ALL HEAVEN IN THE AGGREGATE REFLECTS A SINGLE MAN.

60. That into such a form and image celestial and spiritual things are arranged and joined cannot be seen by those who have no right idea of spiritual and heavenly things. Such think that the earthy and material things of which man’s outmost nature is composed are what makes the man; and that apart from these man is not a man. But let them know that it is not from these that man is a man, but from his ability to understand what is true and to will what is good. Such understanding and willing are the spiritual and celestial things of which man is made. Moreover, it is known that everyone’s quality is determined by the quality of his understanding and will; and it can also be known that his earthly body is formed to serve the understanding and the will in the world, and to skillfully accomplish their uses in the outmost sphere of nature. For this reason the body by itself can do nothing, but is moved always in entire subservience to the bidding of the understanding and will, even to the extent that whatever a man thinks he speaks with his tongue and lips, and whatever he wills he does with his body and limbs, and thus the understanding and the will are what act, while the body by itself does nothing. Evidently, then, the things of the understanding and will are what make man; and as these act into the minutest particulars of the body, as what is internal into what is external, they must be in a like form, and on this account man is called an internal or spiritual man. Heaven is such a man in its greatest and most perfect form.

61. Such being the angelic idea of man, the angels give no thought to what a man does with his body, but only to the will from which the body acts. This they call the man himself, and the understanding they call the man so far as it acts in unison with the will.[1]

62. The angels, it is true, do not see heaven in its whole complex in the human form, for heaven as a whole does not come within view of any angel; but remote societies, consisting of many thousands of angels, they sometimes see as a one in the human form; and from a society, as from a part, they draw their conclusion as to the general, which is heaven. For in the most perfect form generals are like the parts, and parts are like the generals, with simply such a difference as there is between like things of greater or less magnitude; consequently, the angels say that since the Divine from what is inmost or highest sees all things, so in the Lord’s sight heaven as a whole must be in the human form.

63. Heaven being such, it is ruled by the Lord as a single man is ruled, thus as a one. For although man, as we know, consists of an innumerable variety of parts, not only as a whole but also in each part-as a whole, of members, organs, and viscera; and in each part, of series of fibers, nerves, and blood-vessels, thus of members within members, and of parts within parts-nevertheless, when he acts he acts as a single man. Such likewise is heaven under the auspices and direction of the Lord.

64. So many different things in man act as a one, because there is no least thing in him that does not do something for the general welfare and perform some use. The general performs a use for its parts, and the parts for the general, for the general is composed of the parts and the parts constitute the general; therefore they provide for each other, have regard for each other, and are joined together in such a form that each thing and all things have reference to the general and its good; thus it is that they act as one. [2] In the heavens there are like affiliations. Those there are conjoined according to uses in a like form; and consequently those who do not perform uses for the common good are cast out of heaven as something heterogeneous. To perform use is to will well to others for the sake of the common good; but to will well to others not for the sake of the common good but for the sake of self is not to perform use. These latter are such as love themselves supremely, while the former are such as love the Lord supremely. Thence it is that those who are in heaven act as a one; and this they do from the Lord, not from themselves, for they look to Him as the Only One, the source of all things, and they regard His kingdom as the general, the good of which is to be sought. This is what is meant by the Lord’s words,

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6 verse 33).

“To seek His righteousness” means to seek His good.[1] [3] Those who in the world love their country’s good more than their own, and their neighbor’s good as their own, are they who in the other life love and seek the Lord’s kingdom; for there the Lord’s kingdom takes the place of country; and those who love doing good to others, not with self as an end but with good as an end, love the neighbor; for in heaven good is the neighbor.[2] All such are in the Greatest Man, that is, heaven.

65. As the whole heaven reflects a single man, and is a Divine spiritual man in the largest form, even in figure, so heaven like a man is arranged into members and parts, and these are similarly named. Moreover, angels know in what member this or that society is. This society, they say, is in a certain part or province of the head, that in a certain part or province of the breast, that in a certain part or province of the loins, and so on. In general, the highest or third heaven forms the head down to the neck; the middle or second heaven forms the breast down to the loins and knees; the lowest or first heaven forms the feet down to the soles, and also the arms down to the fingers. For the arms and hands belong to the lowest parts of man, although at the sides. From this again it is plain why there are three heavens.

66. The spirits that are beneath heaven are greatly astonished when they hear that heaven is not only above but below, for they have a like faith and opinion as men in the world, that heaven is nowhere but above, for they do not know that the arrangement of the heavens is like the arrangement of the members, organs, and viscera in man, some of which are above and some below; or like the arrangement of the parts in each of the members, organs, and viscera, some of which are within and some without. Hence their confused notions about heaven.

67. These things about heaven as the Greatest Man are set forth, because what follows in regard to heaven cannot be at all comprehended until these things are known, neither can there be any clear idea of the form of heaven, of the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, of the conjunction of heaven with man, of the influx of the spiritual world into the natural, or any idea at all of correspondence-subjects to be treated of in their proper order in what now follows. To throw some light on these subjects, therefore, the above has been premised.

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Arcana Coelestia 5728. THE BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTER THE FORTY-FOURTH

1. And he commanded him that was over his house, saying, Fill the men’s bags with food, as much as they can carry, and put every one’s silver in his bag’s mouth.

Doctrine of the Lord 35 [3]

As from His birth the Lord had a human from the mother, and as He by successive steps put it off, it follows that while He was in the world He had two states, the one called the state of humiliation or emptying out [exinanitio], and the other the state of glorification or unition with the Divine called the Father. He was in the state of humiliation at the time and in the degree that He was in the human from the mother; and in that of glorification at the time and in the degree that He was in the Human from the Father. In the state of humiliation He prayed to the Father as to one who was other than Himself; but in the state of glorification He spoke with the Father as with Himself. In this latter state He said that the Father was in Him and He in the Father, and that the Father and He were one. But in the state of humiliation He underwent temptations, and suffered the cross, and prayed to the Father not to forsake Him. For the Divine could not be tempted, much less could it suffer the cross. From what has been said it is now evident that by means of temptations and continual victories in them, and by the passion of the cross which was the last of the temptations, the Lord completely conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human, as has been shown above.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 5854

It is therefore an inviolable law of God that a person should be left in freedom, and that goodness and truth, or charity and faith, should be implanted when he is in freedom, and by no means under compulsion.