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1. FOR Zion's sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest; until her justice go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth.
VERSES 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12. Throughout the whole this chapter the advent of the Lord is treated of, and also the church to be established by Him. It is this New Church which is understood by "Jerusalem; which shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shalldeclare," and which shall be "a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a (royal diadem in the palm of her God; in which "Jehovah shall delight [or be well pleased]," and which shall be called "a city sought out, and not forsaken." By these words Jerusalem cannot be understood, in which, when the Lord came into the world, were the Jews; for that Jerusalem was,in everything, contrary to what is here said, and. should rather be called, "Sodom," as indeed it is called in Apoc, xi, 8; Isaiah iii. 9; Jer. xxiii. 14; Ezek. xvi. 46, 48. A. E. 1289.
Verse 1. I will not rest, until her justice go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth.-" Salvation burning as a lamp;" signifies that the Truth of Faith shall be from the Good of Love. A. E. 274.
2. And the nations shall see thy justice, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall declare.
Verse 2. Thou shalt be called by a new name, &c.-"Called by a new name," denotes the quality of the state of the interior life, which no one knows but he who receives it; for the quality of the state of the interior life is altogether unknown to those who are not in the interior life. They only are in the interior life who are principled in love to the Lord, and no others are principled in love to the Lord but those who acknowledge the Divine in His Human, or that His Human is Divine. That to love the Lord is to live according to His precepts, may be seen in A. C. 10, 143, 10,153. Interior life is the spiritual life in which the angels of heaven are, but exterior life is the natural life in which are all who are not in heaven; with those also who live according to the precepts of the Lord, and acknowledge the Divine in His Human, the interior mind is opened and man then becomes spiritual; but they who do not thus live, nor thus acknowledge, remain natural. A. E. 148.
As to a "new name," see also above, Chap. iv. 1, Exposition.
3. And thou shalt be a Crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the palm of thy God.
Verse 3. By "Zion and Jerusalem" is understood the church; by "Zion" the church which is in Good, and by "Jerusalem" the church which is in Truths derived from that Good; hence it is called " a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah and a royal diadem in the palm of thy God;" the "crown of beauty" denoting wisdom, which is of Good, and a "royal diadem" intelligence, which is of Truth; and whereas by a "crown" is signified wisdom, which is of Good, therefore it is said "in the hand of Jehovah;" and whereas by "diadem" is signified the intelligence which is of Truth, therefore it is said "in the palm of God;" for, where Good is treated of; the name of "Jehovah" is used, and where Truth is treated of, the name of "God," as may be seen, A. C.2586, 2769. A. E. 272.
4. No more shall it be said unto thee, THOU FORSAKEN! neither to thy land shall it be said any more, THOU DESOLATE! But thou shalt be called, MY-DELIGHT-IS-IN-THEE! and to thy land it shall be said, THOU-ART-MARRIED! for Jehovah shall delight in thee, and thy land shall be married.
Verses 4, 5. He who does not know the internal sense of the Word may imagine that such things as are said in these verses about "marriage," are only comparisons, such as are used in common discourse; and hence that the church is compared to a "daughter," a "virgin," and a "wife," and that thus the things which belong to faith and charity are compared to the things which belong to "marriage.'' But in the Word all things are representative of spiritual und celestial things, and are real oorrespondences; for the Word has come down from heaven, and because it has come down thence, it is, in its origin, Divine, celestial, and spiritual, to which those things which are of the literal sense correspond; hence it follows that the things which are of the "heavenly marriage," which is the conjunction of Good with Truth, fall into correspondences, thus into those things which are of marriages upon earth. Hence it is that the Lord compared "the kingdom of heaven,", that is, His kingdom in heaven, and His kingdom on earth, which is the church, with "a certain king who made a marriage feast for his son, and invited many to it." (Matt, xxii. 2, 3.) See also Matt. xxv. 1. A. C. 4434.
5. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as is the joy of the bridegroom over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
Verse 5. And as is the joy of the bridegroom. over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.-The "joy over the bride," &c., signifies, heaven and felicity, arising from the conjunction of Good and Truth in man and in angel. A. C. 9182.
That "marriages" are most holy, and from heaven; and also that "adulteries" are most wicked, and from hell, see above, Chap. lvii. 3, Exposition.
6. Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, have I set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall not be silent. O ye that commemorate Jehovah, be not silent;
7. And allow Him no silence, until He establish, and until He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Verse 6. The "walls of Jerusalem" signify the Truths of faith, which defend the:" city," or the doctrinals of Truth from the Word, and, in the opposite sense, the falses which are to be destroyed. That "walls," in a good sense, signify the Truths of faith which defend, is evident from Isaiah xxvi, 1; xlix. 16; lx. 18. (See the Exposition. ),That a "wall,", in the opposite sense, signifies the falses which are to be destroyed, see lsaiah xxii. 5, 9, 10; xxv. 12, Exposition. A. C.6419.
Have I set watchmen.-What "watchmen" signify, in a good sense see Chap, lii. 8; and in a bad sense, see Chap. lvi. 10, Exposition.
8. Jehovah hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: I will no more give thy corn for food to thine enemies; nor shall the sons of the alien drink thy wine, for which thou hast laboured:
Verse 8. And in Jeremiah:-"Jehovah of Hosts hath sworn by His soul." (li. 14.) And in Amos:-" The Lord Jehovih hath sworn by His holiness." (iv. 2.) And again:-"Jehovah hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob." (viii. 7.) And in Jeremiah:-" Behold, I have sworn by My great name." (xliv. 26.) By Jehovah being said to "swear, by His right hand, by His soul, by His holiness, and by His name," is signified by the Divine Truth; for by " the right hand of Jehovah," by "the arm of His strength," by "His holiness," by "His name," and by "His soul," is understood the Lord as to Divine Truth, thus Divine Truth proceeding from Him; the same is signified by "the excellency of Jacob," for by "the Mighty One of Jacob" is understood the Lord as to Divine Truth. A. E. 608.
As to what is meant by "swearing," when said of Jehovah, see above, Chap. xlv, 23, Exposition.
Nor shall the sons of the alien drink thy wine, &c.-That "the son of the alien" signify falses, see Chap. lx. 10, Exposition.
[To "drink thy wine" means, when predicated of "aliens" or falses, to pervert the Truth of the Word and of the church.]
Verses 8, 9. I will no more give thy corn for food to thine enemies nor shall the sons of the alien drink thy wine, for which thou hast laboured,&c.-Speaking here of "Jerusalem," whereby the church is signified as to doctrine. By the "corn," therefore, which "shall no more be given for food to the enemy," and by the "new wine;" which "the sons of the alien shall not drink," is signified, in general, the Good and Truth of the church, which shall no more be consumed by evils and falses,-"enemies," in this passage, denoting evils, and the "sons of the alien" falses; and "eating, or food to be given them," and "drinking," denoting to consume. That Good and Truths shall abide with those who receive them, and thence apply them to use, is signified by "They that gather it shall eat it, and they that collect it shall drink it;" the worship, thence derived is signified by "praising Jehovah, and drinking in the courts of holiness." A. E. 376.
9. But they that gather it shall eat it, and praise Jehovah; and they that collect it shall drink it, in the courts of My holiness.
Verse 9. By "gathering the corn and wine," is signified instruction in the Goods and Truths of doctrine and of the church; by "they shall eat, and shall praise Jehovah," is denoted appropriation and the worship of the Lord; by "they that collect it shall drink it in the courts of My holiness," is understood the fruition of Divine Truth, and thence of felicity, in the heavens. A.E. 630.
They that collect it shall drink it in the courts of My holiness.--There are three heavens, the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate; the inmost was represented by the "Tabernacle," in which was the Ark of the Testimony; the middle was signified by the "Sanctuary" out of the veil; and the ultimate by the "Court." This heaven is called the "court," because in it are they who are in the Good of Faith, and not yet in the Good of Charity towards the neighbour; they who are in the Good of Charity are in the middle heaven. They who are in the ultimate heaven, which is called the "court," are called angelic spirits; they who are in the middle heaven are called spiritual angels; but they who are in the inmost heaven, celestial angels. The Good itself of Faith, which is the Good of the ultimate heaven, is also a "court," for by it man is introduced into the Good of Charity towards the neighbour, which is the Good of the middle heaven. It is to be noted, that the Good appertaining to man makes his heaven, and that his heaven is such as his Good is. There are three Goods which follow in order, the Good of faith, the Good of charity towards the neighbour, and the Good of love to the Lord; the Good of faith makes the ultimate or first heaven, as was said above; the Good of charity towards the neighbour, the middle or second heaven; and the Good of love to the Lord makes the inmost or third heaven. That it may yet be better known how the case is with the heavens, it may be expedient to say a few words on the subject. The heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms; into the celestial kingdom and into the spiritual kingdom, and in each there is an internal and an external; in the internal of the celestial kingdom are they who are in the Good of love to the Lord, and in its external are they who are in the Good of mutual love; but in the internal of the spiritual kingdom are they who are in the Good of charity towards the neighbour, and in its external are they who are in the Good of faith; see n. 9680. The external of each heaven is what is called the ultimate or first heaven, and was represented by the "court;" hence it is that the "court" was two-fold- about the Temple; the exterior and interior; the "exterior court" denoted those who are in the external of the spiritual kingdom, and the "interior court" those who are in the external of the celestial kingdom. Concerning those two ''courts" of the Temple at Jerusalem, see 1 Kings vi.3, 36; 2 Kings xxi.5; concerning the "outer court" of the New Temple in Ezekiel, see chap. xl. 17, 31, 34; xlii, 1; and concerning the "inner cour" there, see chap. xl. 23, 28, 32, 44; xlii. 3; xliii, 5. Hence it is evident that in the ultimate heaven, which was represented by the "outer court" of the Temple, is the Good of faith, which makes it; and, in the ultimate heaven, which was represented by the "inner court," is the Good of mutual love; they who are in the Good of mutual love are in the affection of Good for the sake of Good, they who are in the Good of faith are in the affection of Truth for the sake of Truth; for Good has rule in the celestial kingdom, but Truth in the spiritual kingdom. That the ultimate heaven is signified by "courts," is evident from the passages in the Word where. they are named as in Ezek. x. 3-5; xliii. 4-6; Psalm lxv. 4; and in Isaiah lxii. 9. In these and in other passages "courts" denote the ultimate heavens, for the interior or superior heavens are called "the House of Jehovah," and "His Temple." A. C. 9741.
10. Pass through, pass through the gates; sweep the way for the people! cast ye up, cast ye up the highway; clear it from the stones! iift up a standard for the peoples!
Verse 10. By "gates" are signified the knowledges of Truth and of Good from the Word, because by them man is introduced into the church; for the "wall," in which are the gates, signifies the Word as to its literal sense, from which the doctrine is derived which leads into the church. Because "gates" signify introductory Truths, which are knowledges from the Word therefore "the elders of the city sat in the gates, and pronounced judgment," as is evident from Deut. xxi. 18-22; xxii. 15; and from Lam. v. 14. A. R. 899.
As to the further meaning of "gates," see above, Chap. iii. 26; xxii. 7; xxvi. 1,2; xxviii. 6; liv. 12; lx. 11, 12, 18, Exposition.
Sweep [or prepare] the way for the people! --For what is involved in these words see above, Chap. lvii. 14, Exposition.
Cast ye up the highway.--That "ways" and "paths" signify Truths, and a "highway" the Truth of Good, see Chap. xxxv. 8, Exposition.
Clear it from the stones.-["Stones, in a good sense, signify Truths, but in the opposite sense, as in this passage, falses and fallacies, which must be removed from the way of Truth.]
Lift up a standard for the peoples!-As to the signification of "standard," see Chap. xiii. 2, Exposition.
11. Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Lo! thy Salvation cometh! lo! His reward is with Him, and the recompense of His work before Him.
Verse 11. And again:-"Behold, the Lord Jehovih shall come with power; behold His reward is with Him, and the recompense of His work before Him." (lsa. xl. 10.) And in the Apocalypse:-" Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according as his work shall be." (xxii. 12.) "Behold, the Lord Jehovih shall come with power," "Lo! thy Salvation cometh!" and "Behold, He cometh quickly," signify the first und second advent of the Lord. "His reward is with Him," signifies heaven, and all things thereto appertaining, as above; inasmuch as where the Lord is, there is heaven; for heaven is not heaven from the angels there, but from the Lord with the angels. That they shall receive heaven according to the love and affection of Good'and Truth from the Lord, is understood by "the recompense of His work before Him," and by "giving to everyone according as his work shall be;" by the "work" for which heaven shall be given as a reward, nothing else is meant than what proceeds from the love or affection of Good and Truth, inasmuch as nothing else can produce heaven in man; for every work. derives all that it has from the love or affection whence it proceeds, as the effect derives all that it has from the efficient cause; wherefore, according to the quality of the love or affection, such is the work. Hence it may appear what is understood by "the work, according to which it shall be given to everyone, and what by "the recompense of His work, A.E.695.
As to the true nature of "heavenly reward," see above, Chap. iii. 11, Exposition.
Verses 11, 12. Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Lo! thy salvation cometh! &c.-Here also the advent of the Lord is treated of, and the establishment of the church from Him. The "daughter of Zion" signifies the church which is in love to the Lord. His advent is understood by "Lo! thy Salvation cometh! lo! His reward is with Him" &c. Those who are reformed and regenerated by Him are understood by "the redeemed of Jehovah." The reason why they are called the "redeemed," is, because they are liberated from evils through regeneration, and are claimed by the Lord and conjoined to Him. A. E. 328.
12. And they shall call them, The people of holiness, The redeemed of Jehovah; and thou shalt be called, The SOUGHT OUT, The CITY NOT FORSAKEN!
Verse 12. Those are called "holy" who live according to the Truths of the 'Word, not that they are holy but that the Truths which, are in them are holy; and the Truths are holy when they are from the Lord who is in them, and the Lord is in them when they are the Truths of His Word. Hence it is that the angels are called "holy;" (Matt. xxv, 31.) also the prophets; (Luke i. 70.) in like manner the apostles; (Apoc. xviii. 20.) hence also it is that the temple is called "the temple of holiness,;" (Psalm v. 7; lxv. 4.) and that Zion is called " the mountain of holimess;" (Isa. lxv. 11.) and the church "a people of holiness. (lsa. lxii. 12.) The reason why they are called "holy" is, because the" angels," in the abstract sense, signify divine Truths from, the Lord; "prophets," Truths of doctrine; and "apostles," the Truths of the church. That "no one is holy from himself, not even the angels," may be seen in Job xv. 14, 15, but from the Lord, because "the Lord alone is Holy." (Apoc xv. 4.) A. R. 586.
Thou shalt be called, The sought out, The city not forsaken!-[A city "sought out" is a doctrine in which is the pure Truth of the Word, and a "city not forsaken" is a doctrine In which is the genuine Good of the Word.]
Author: Emanuel Swedenborg [Compiled by J. H. Smithson 1860]
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