New Heaven (The Rational Mind Formed by the Word), New Earth (The External Perspective) (3 mins)

Heaven and earth and levels of heaven Arcana Coelestia 8043[3] … also, as in Isaiah: Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb: I am Jehovah, that doeth all things; that spreadeth out the heavens alone; and that stretcheth out the earth by Myself (Isa. 44:24); by “the heavens and the earth” is meant in the general sense the church internal and external (n. 82, 1411, 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535), and in the particular sense the internal and external of the church with the man who has been regenerated; and by “spreading out” and “stretching out” is signified to make or create by Divine power (n. 7673), for which reason the Lord, as the Regenerator, is called “the Maker,” and “the Creator,” and regeneration is called “a new creation.” AC8054. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of “the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,” as being heaven, here the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity. (That “the land of Canaan” denotes the Lord’s kingdom in heaven and earth, or the church, see n. 1413, 1437, 1585, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4116, 4240, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 5757, 6516.) Evils and falsities are signified by the nations here named-evil from the falsity of evil by “the Canaanite” (n. 4818); falsity from which is evil by “the Hittite” (n. 2913); evil and the derivative falsity by “the Amorite” (n. 1857, 6306); idolatry in which is something of good by “the Hivite” (n. 6860); and idolatry in which there is something of truth by “the Jebusite” (n. 6860). (That before the coming of the Lord the region of heaven into which they who were of the spiritual church would come, was occupied by evils and falsities, see n. 6858.) [2] As to what further concerns this subject, be it known that before the Lord’s coming heaven was not distinguished into three heavens, namely into the inmost or third, the middle or second, and the ultimate or first, as it was after the Lord’s coming; but was one. The spiritual heaven was not yet formed. The region where the spiritual heaven was to be, was occupied by those who were in falsity and evil, but who could be kept in some truth and good by external means, especially by means of ideas of eminence and dignity, just as is the case in the world, where they who are in evil and falsity are nevertheless obliged to as it were think and speak truths, and as it were will and do goods, by external means, which are honors and gains. The reason why this region of heaven was then occupied by such spirits, was that good ones were lacking, and they who were of the spiritual church had not as yet been prepared, and yet every place had to be filled by spirits, in order that there might be continuity from the Lord down to man, for without continuity man would have perished. At this day also there are some regions of heaven occupied by such; but they who are there are withheld by a strong force from the doing of evils. Immediately above the head are they who deceive and seduce by means of innocence; but above them are the celestial from the Most Ancient Church, who keep them in bonds with such force that they cannot possibly occasion what is evil to anyone. Behind the back part of the head there is also at this day a region which had been a region of heaven, that is occupied by the evil; and another in front toward the left. [3] There is also a continual endeavor on the part of the evil to invade the places where the good are, and they actually do invade them as soon as they are not filled by the good, which endeavor it has often been granted me to notice. These regions are thus occupied when the evil are increased and the good diminished in the world; for in this case evil spirits come near to man, and good spirits recede from him; and insofar as these recede, so far the regions nearest to man are occupied by the evil. When this condition becomes general, the inhabitants of these regions are completely changed. Much is the case when the church is near its end, for then evil and falsity prevail. But about the end of the church the evil are cast down, and the regions they had occupied are given to the good, who in the meantime have been prepared for heaven. This is meant by these words in John: There was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels; but they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven (Rev. 12:7, 8). This state of heaven was represented by the land of Canaan, in that the nations occupied it; and by the sons of Israel, in that they cast those nations out from it; for by the “land of Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, thus heaven and the church, as can be seen from the passages cited above.  On the rational mind Apocalypse Explained 644 [3] Moreover, there are in every man two minds, an interior which is called the spiritual mind, and another, the exterior which is called the natural mind. The spiritual mind is created for the reception of light from heaven, but the natural mind for the reception of light from the world. The spiritual mind, therefore, which is man’s interior mind, is heaven with him, and the natural mind, which is man’s exterior mind, is the world with him. The interior mind, which is heaven with man, is opened so far as man acknowledges the Divine of the Lord, and man so far acknowledges this as he is in the good of love and charity and in the truths of doctrine and faith. But this interior mind, which is heaven with man, is unopened so far as man does not acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and does not live the life of love and faith; and that mind is shut so far as man is in evils and in falsities therefrom; and when it is shut then the natural mind with man becomes a hell; for in the natural mind are evil and its falsity, consequently when the spiritual mind which is heaven with man is shut, the natural mind which is hell rules. Divine Providence 321 [2] It is also clear that he who believes that everything he thinks and does is from himself is not unlike a beast, for he thinks only from the natural mind which man has in common with the beasts, and not from the spiritual rational mind which is the truly human mind; for this mind acknowledges that God alone thinks from Himself, and that man thinks from God. Therefore, one who thinks only from the natural mind knows no difference between a man and a beast except that a man speaks and a beast makes sounds, and he believes that they both die in a similar manner. The Word Explained 3640. [And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and Jehovah gave voices and hail, and fire came down to the earth; and Jehovah made hail to rain upon the land of Egypt], vs. 23. Here come various things which must be explained. By the rod in this text is meant power, which comes from God Messiah alone. Thus the rod is the same as the “hand” mentioned above [vs. 22] which also signifies power, but, relatively to Moses, an instrumental power or force, Moses being only the instrument or organ of the power of God Messiah. Toward heaven, that is, to the atmosphere, this being frequently called heaven, whence came the hail. Just as previously [it was stretched] to the dust of the land from which came the lice [chap. 8:16]; to the ash of the furnace, from which came the boils [chap. 9:8]; upon the streams and pools, from which came the frogs [chap. 853, etc.; so now it is stretched to the atmosphere. When, however, as above [n. 3637, 3639] these words are applied to man, his superior heaven is the rational mind, while his inferior heaven is the natural mind; but in the Egyptian man who blasphemes, they are atmospheres, being a superior and an inferior.  AE 569[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory. [8] But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of “the four angels bound at the river Euphrates,” and afterwards the signification of “loosing” them. “The angels bound at the river Euphrates” signify the guard against man’s natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges. Learn More & Practice With Us: LP Institute & Resources: logopraxis-institute.online Member Practice Community: logopraxis.online Contact Us: [email protected]