Spiritual Meaning of Wheel

Spiritual Meaning of

Wheel

It can in some measure be seen that by the wheel of chariots is signified the power of understanding; for as a chariot moves and goes forward by means of the wheels, so the truths which are of doctrinal things move forward by means of the understanding. This is also signified by wheels in Isaiah:--

Whose arrows are sharp, and all the bows bent; the hoofs of his horses are accounted as rock; his wheels as a whirlwind (Isa. 5:28);

speaking of him who vastates truth: arrows denote falsities; and a bow the doctrine of falsity (AC 2686, 2709); the hoofs of the horses denote sensuous memory-knowledges from a perverted understanding (AC 7729); wheels, the powers of perverting and destroying truths, like a whirlwind.

[4] In Ezekiel:--

I saw the living creatures, when behold one wheel on the earth with the living creatures, beside the four faces thereof. The appearance of the wheels and their work was as the look of a beryl; and they four had the same likeness; moreover their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the midst of a wheel; where they went, they went upon their four squares; they turned not when they went. [As for] their circles, they had height and they had fear; moreover their circles were full of eyes round about for them four: thus when the living creatures went, the wheels went with them; the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels (Ezek. 1:15-20; 10:9-17);

by the four living creatures which were cherubs, is signified the providence of the Lord (AC 308); by the wheels, Divine intelligence, or foresight; from which it is said that the wheels went together with the living creatures, and that their circles were full of eyes, also that the spirit of the living creature was in them, that is, the truth of wisdom.

[5] In Daniel:--

I saw even until the thrones were cast forth, and the Ancient of days did sit: His garment like the white snow; the hair of His head like the clean wool; His throne flames of fire; His wheels burning fire (Daniel 7:9);

here the Ancient of days denotes the Lord as to Divine good; the thrones cast forth denote falsities His garment denotes truth Divine in the external form; the hair of His head denotes good Divine in the external form; His throne denotes heaven and the church; the wheels denote the things of wisdom and of intelligence, thus truths Divine; burning fire denotes the things of love and charity. Under the ten basins around the temple of Solomon there were also wheels of brass; the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel; their hands, and their backs, and their tires, and their spokes, were all molten (1 Kings 7:30-33); by these basins or bases were signified receptacles of the truth, by means of which a man is purified and regenerated; by the wheels were signified the intellectual powers, whereby is advancement.

from AC 8215

Back to Words index, Back to Artifact words index

Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.