Spiritual Meaning of Door

Spiritual Meaning of

Door

A door and a door-post signify communication and conjunction. Angels and spirits have habitations which appear quite like those which are in the world (AC 1116, 1626-1628, 1631, 4622), and-what is a secret each and all things that appear in their habitations are significative of spiritual things; for they flow forth from the spiritual things which are in heaven, and which are consequently in their minds. Communications of truth with good are there presented to view by means of doors, and conjunctions by means of door-posts, and other things by the rooms themselves, by the courts, by the windows, and by the various adornments. That this is so, a man at this day, especially one who is merely natural, cannot believe, because such things are not manifest to the senses of the body. Nevertheless that such things were seen by the prophets when their interiors had been opened into heaven, is evident from the Word. They have also been perceived and seen by me a thousand times. I have moreover frequently heard them say, when their thoughts were in communication with me, that the doors of their rooms were opened, and when they did not communicate, that they were closed.

[4] From this it is that mention is made of doors in the Word, where communication is treated of, as in Isaiah:--

Go, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy door after thee; hide thyself as for a little moment, until the anger be overpast (Isa 26:20);

to shut the door after one's self until the anger be overpast denotes no communication with evils, which are the anger (AC 3614, 5034, 5798, 6358, 6359, 6997, 8284, 8483). In Malachi:--

Shall He receive faces from you? said Jehovah Zebaoth. Who is there even among you that would rather shut the door? and not kindle a light upon Mine altar in vain (Mal. 1:9, 10);

to shut the doors denotes not to communicate with holy or Divine things. In Zechariah:--

Open thy doors O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars (Zech. 11:1);

to open the doors denotes to afford a passage or communication.

[5] In David:--

He commanded the skies from above; He set open the doors of the heavens (Ps. 78:23);

to set open the doors of the heavens denotes to give communication with the truths and goods which are from the Lord in the heavens. Again:--

I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God, rather than dwell in the tents of wickedness (Ps. 84:10);

to stand at the door denotes to communicate abroad with good, which is the house of God (AC 3720). Again:--

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; be ye lifted up, ye door of the world; that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7, 9);

the doors of the world being lifted up denotes the opening and elevation of hearts to the Lord, who is the King of glory, and so to give communication, that is, that He may flow in with the good of charity and with the truth of faith. The Lord is called the King of glory from the truth which is from good.

[6] In Isaiah:--

Jehovah said to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings: to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I Jehovah, who have called thee by thy name, am the God of Israel (Isa. 45:1-3);

speaking of the Lord as to His Human, who in the representative sense is Cyrus; to open the doors before him denotes to give entrance to the Divine Itself. Hence it is that even as to His Human He is called God, here the God of Israel.

[7] In John:--

Behold I have set before thee an open door, which no one can shut; for thou hast a little power, and hast kept My word (Rev. 3:8);

to set an open door denotes communication with heaven. In the same:--

Alter these things I saw, and behold a door opened In heaven. I heard, Come up hither, that I may show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter (Rev. 4:1);

here a door plainly denotes communication, because it is said of the revelation which he was about to receive from heaven. From this also it is plain that communication is there represented by a door, as was said above. In the same:--

Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and lie with Me (Rev. 3:20);

here also a door plainly denotes entrance and communication with heaven, where the Lord is, and thus with the Lord.

[8] In like manner in Matthew:--

The bridegroom came, and the virgins went in to the wedding, and the door was shut. At last came the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not (Matt. 25:10-12);

what these words signify in the internal sense, see at (AC 4635-4638), namely, that the virgins denote those who are within the church; to have oil in their lamps denotes the good of charity in the truths of faith; and not to have oil in their lamps denotes to have the truths of faith, and no good of charity therein; to these latter the door is said to be shut, because they do not communicate with heaven, that is, through heaven with the Lord. Communication with heaven, and through heaven, is effected by means of the good of charity and of love, but not truths, which are called the truths of faith, without good therein; and therefore these latter a re called foolish virgins, but the former prudent virgins.

[9] So in Luke:--

Many shall seek to enter, but shall not he able. From the time when the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but He answering will say to you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast ought in our streets. But He shall say to you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:24-27);

here also a door plainly denotes entrance and communication, as above. That they to whom the door is shut and who knock thereat and are not let in, are those who are in truths of faith from the Word and not in the good of charity, is signified by eating and drinking in the presence of the Lord and hearing the Lord teach in the streets, and yet not living the life of faith; for they who do not live this life are workers of iniquity.

[10] In John:--

Verily, verily, I say into you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the door; by Me if anyone shall enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:1, 2, 9);

to enter in by the door denotes by the truth which is of faith to the good of charity and of love, thus to the Lord, for the Lord is good itself; He is also the truth which introduces, thus likewise the door, for faith is from Him.

[11] That by a door is signified communication, appears like a metaphorical way of speaking, or like a comparison; but in the Word there are no metaphorical expressions or comparisons, but real correspondences. Even the comparisons therein are made by such things as correspond, as can be seen from what has been said about a door, namely, that doors actually appear in heaven with angels and spirits, and that their opening and shutting are according to the communications. And so in everything else.

from AC 8989

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Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.