Spiritual Meaning of Linen

Spiritual Meaning of

Linen

That wool denotes truth from a celestial origin, which in itself is good, is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned; as in Hosea:--

She said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax. Therefore will I return, and take my grain in its time, and will rescue My wool and My flax (Hosea 2:5, 9);

the perverted church is here treated of, which is here called the mother; the lovers with whom she is said to have committed whoredom, denote those who pervert goods and truths; bread and water denote the internal goods of love and truths of faith; wool and flax denote the same, but external.

[3] In Daniel:--

I beheld till the thrones were cast forth, and the Ancient of Days did sit; His garment was like the white snow, and the hair of His head was like the clean wool (Daniel 7:9);

the vastation of the church in respect to all the truth of faith, and its restoration by the Lord, are here treated of; a complete vastation is signified by the thrones being cast forth; the Ancient of Days denotes the Lord as to celestial good, such as was in the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church, and which in the Word is called ancient; its external truth is signified by the garment that was like the white snow; and its external good by the hair of the head that was like the clean wool. In like manner in John:--

In the midst of the seven lampstands was one like to the Son of man; His head and His hair were white as white wool, as snow (Rev. 1:13, 14).

[4] Such truth, which being a form of celestial good, is in itself good, is also signified by wool in these passages Damascus was thy merchant in wine of Helbon, and wool of Zachar (Ezek. 27:18).

Though your sins be as double-dyed, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like scarlet, they shall be as wool (Isa. 1:18).

[5] As by the garments of Aaron were represented such things as belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, thus the spiritual things or truth, his garments of holiness were of linen, and not of wool; for linen denotes spiritual truth, but wool celestial truth, which relatively is good. For this reason it is said in Ezekiel:--

The priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, when they enter in at the gate' of the inner court, they shall put on garments of linen; and no wool shall come upon them. Linen tires shall be upon their heads, breeches of linen upon their loins (Ezek. 44:15, 17, 18).

That the garments of Aaron also were not of wool, but of linen, is evident from (Leviticus 16:4, 32).

[6] From all this it can be seen that linen signifies spiritual truth, which is the truth of the good of faith; but that wool signifies celestial truth, which is the truth of the good of love; and as those who are in the latter truth cannot be in the former truth, for the two differ as do the light from the sun and the light from the stars, therefore it was decreed that a mixed garment of wool and linen was not to be worn (Deut. 22:11). That there is such a distinction between the celestial and the spiritual, and that the two are not together in one subject, (AC 9277).

from AC 9470

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Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.