Spiritual Meaning of Wash

Spiritual Meaning of

Wash

That by washing is signified a cleansing from the impurities referred to, is evident in Isaiah:--

Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil (Isa. 1:16)

where it is evident that to wash themselves means to make themselves pure and to put away evils. Again:--

When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of expurgation (Isa. 4:4)

where washing away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purging the blood of Jerusalem, denotes purifying from evils and falsities. In Jeremiah:--

O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall the thoughts of thine iniquity lodge within thee? (Jer. 4:14).

[5] In Ezekiel:--

I washed thee with water, and I washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and anointed thee with oil (Ezek. 16:9)

concerning Jerusalem, by which is there meant the Ancient Church; washing with waters denotes purifying from falsities; washing away bloods denotes purging from evils; anointing with oil denotes filling then with good. In David:--

Wash me from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Ps. 51:2, 7).

Here being washed plainly denotes being purified from evils and their falsities.

from AC 3147

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Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.