Spiritual Meaning of
Spiritual Meaning of |
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Mountains signify celestial things (which also were called the highest), consequently love and charity, and thereby the goods of love and charity, which are celestial. And in the opposite sense those also are called mountains who are vain glorious; and therefore a mountain stands for the very love of self. The Most Ancient Church is also signified in the Word by mountains, from these being elevated above the earth and nearer as it were to heaven, to the beginnings of things.
[2] That mountains signify the Lord, and all things celestial from Him, or the goods of love and charity, is evident from the following passages in the Word, from which it is plain what they signify in particular cases, for all things in the Word, both in general and in particular, have a signification according to the subject to which they are applied. In David:--
The mountains shall bring peace, and the hills, in righteousness (Ps. 72:3).
Mountains denote here love to the Lord; hills, love toward the neighbor, such as was with the Most Ancient Church, which because of this character is also signified in the Word by mountains and hills. In Ezekiel:--
In the mountain of My holiness, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovih, there shall all the house of Israel serve Me, that whole land (Ezekiel 20:40).
The mountain of holiness here denotes love to the Lord; the mountain of the height of Israel, charity toward the neighbor. In Isaiah:--
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isaiah 2:2),
where mountains denote the Lord, and thence all that is celestial. Again:--
In this mountain shall Jehovah Zebaoth make unto all peoples a feast of fat things, and He will take away in this mountain the face of the covering (Isaiah 25:6, 7).
Mountain here denotes the Lord, and hence all that is celestial.
[3] Again:--
And there shall be upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers, streams of waters (Isaiah 30:25),
where mountains denote goods of love; hills, goods of charity, from which are truths of faith, which are the rivers and streams of waters. Again:--
Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of Jehovah, to the flock of Israel (Isaiah 30:29).
The mountain of Jehovah here denotes the Lord with reference to the goods of love; the Rock of Israel, the Lord with reference to the goods of charity. Again:--
Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof (Isaiah31:4).
Mount Zion, here and elsewhere in many places, denotes the Lord, and hence all that is celestial and which is love; and hills denote what is celestial of lower degree, which is charity.
[4] Again:--
O Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength (Isaiah 40:9).
To go up into the high mountain and bring good tidings, is to worship the Lord from love and charity, which are inmost, and are therefore also called highest, because what is inmost is called highest. Again:--
Let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains (Isaiah 42:11).
The inhabitants of the rock denote those who are in charity; to shout from the top of the mountains is to worship the Lord from love. Again:--
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation (Isaiah 52:7).
To bring good tidings upon the mountains, is likewise to preach the Lord from the doctrine of love and charity, and from these to worship Him. Again:--
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12)
denoting worship of the Lord from love and charity, which are the mountains and the hills; and from the faith thence derived, which are the trees of the field.
[5] Again:--
I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted (Isaiah 49:11)
where mountains denote love and charity; and way and highways, the truths of faith thence derived, which are said to be exalted when they are from love and charity as their inmost. Again:--
He that putteth his trust in Me shall possess the land as a heritage, and shall inherit the mountain of My holiness (Isaiah 57:13)
denoting the Lord's kingdom, wherein is nothing but love and charity. Again:--
I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of My mountains, and Mine elect shall possess it (Isaiah 65:9).
Mountains here denote the Lord's kingdom and celestial goods; Judah, the celestial church. And again:--
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place (Isaiah 57:15).
High here denotes what is holy; and hence it is that on account of their height above the earth, mountains signify the Lord and His holy celestial things. And it was for this reason that the Lord promulgated the Law from Mount Sinai. Love and charity are also meant by the Lord, by mountains, where, speaking of the consummation of the age, He says:--
Then let them that are in Judea flee into the mountains (Matt. 24:16; Luke 21:21; Mark 13:14),
where Judea denotes the vastated church.
from AC 795
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