Spiritual Meaning of

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 Crimson, Red, White

Crimson signifies the celestial love of good. The reason why this is signified by crimson, is that by a red color is signified the good of celestial love. For there are two fundamental colors from which come the rest: the color red, and the color white. The color red signifies the good which is of love; and the color white signifies the truth which is of faith. That the color red signifies the good which is of love, is because it comes from fire, and fire denotes the good of love; and the color white signifies the truth which is of faith, because it comes from light, and light denotes the truth of faith. That fire denotes the good of love, (AC 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 9434); and that light denotes the truth of faith, (AC 2776, 3195, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4413, 4415, 5400, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407); that red denotes the good of love, (AC 3300); and white, the truth of faith, (AC 3993, 4007, 5319).

[2] From this it is evident what the remaining colors signify; for in so far as they partake of red they signify the good of love; and in so far as they partake of white they signify the truth of faith; for all the colors that appear in heaven are modifications of heavenly light and flame upon these two planes. For heavenly light is real light, and in itself is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord; wherefore the modifications of this light and flame are variegations of truth and good, thus of intelligence and wisdom.

[3] This shows why the veils and curtains of the tent, and also the garments of Aaron, were to be woven of blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and fine linen (Exod. 26:1, 31, 36; 27:16; 28:6, 15); namely, that by these things might be represented the celestial things that belong to good, and the spiritual things that belong to truth.

[4] Good from a celestial origin is signified by crimson also in Ezekiel:--

Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy spread, blue and crimson from the Isles of Elishah were thy covering (Ezek. 27:7);

speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of truth and good; blue and crimson for a covering denote the knowledges of truth and good from a celestial origin.

[5] Like things are signified by crimson and fine linen in Luke:--

There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and fared splendidly every day (Luke 16:19);

by the rich man was meant in the internal sense the Jewish nation and the church among them, which was called rich from the knowledges of good and truth from the Word there existing; garments of crimson and fine linen denote these knowledges; garments of crimson, the knowledges of good; and garments of fine linen, the knowledges of truth; both from a celestial origin, because from the Divine. The like is also signified by crimson in the Revelation:--

A woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, arrayed in crimson and scarlet (Rev. 17:3, 4);

treating of Babylon, by which is signified the church wherein the holy things of the Word are applied to profane uses, that is, to such as aim at dominions in heaven and on earth; thus from the infernal love of self and of the world.

from AC 9467

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info