Spiritual Meaning of
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The signification of drinking is to be instructed. In the Word throughout mention is made of drinking; and where the good and truth of faith are treated of, there drinking signifies being instructed in them and receiving them. As in Isaiah:--
The new wine shall mourn, the vine languisheth, all the glad of heart shall sigh they shall not drink wine with a song, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it (Isaiah 24:7, 9);
not drinking wine with a song, denotes not being instructed from the affection of truth and not being delighted thereby; that strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it, denotes aversion. In the same:--
It shall be as when a thirsty one dreameth, and behold he drinketh; but he awaketh, and behold he is weary, and his soul hath appetite (Isaiah 29:8);
a thirsty one denotes one who desires to be instructed; drinking, being instructed, but in things that are vain
[2] In Jeremiah:--
We have drunk our water for silver; our wood cometh for a price (Lam. 5:4)
drinking waters for silver denotes being instructed not with-out cost, and also attributing truth to one's self. That it is given free of cost, and thus that it is not from one's self, but from the Lord, is thus taught in Isaiah:--
Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and be that hath no silver come ye, buy (Isa. 55:1).
Also in John:--
Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37, 38);
where by drinking is signified being instructed, and receiving. In Luke:--
They shall say, We did eat and drink in Thy presence, and Thou didst teach in our streets but the Lord says, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27);
where eating and drinking in the Lord's presence, denotes instructing and preaching the good and truth of faith from knowledges that are from the Word, which is meant by the words, Thou didst teach in our streets. But as they did this from themselves, for the sake of their own honor and gain, and thus from no affection of good and truth, and were thus in knowledges of truth but in a life of evil, it is said, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity.
[3] In the same:--
Jesus, speaking to the disciples, said, That ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:30).
That they do not eat and drink in the kingdom of the Lord, and that there is no table there, is plain to every one; so that by eating and drinking at the Lord's table in His kingdom, something else is signified, namely, enjoying the perception of good and truth. So too with what the Lord says in Matthew:--
I say unto you, that I will not drink henceforth of this product of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you in My Father's kingdom (Matthew 26:29);
where drinking signifies instructing to the life concerning truths, and giving perception of good and truth. These words of the Lord:--
Be not anxious for your life (anima), what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on (Matt. 6:25, 31; Luke 12:29);
are significative of spiritual things, namely, that the all of faith as to good and truth is given by the Lord. In John:--
Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life (John 4:7-14);
where drinking manifestly denotes being instructed in good and truth, and receiving them.
from AC 3069
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| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |