Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 95
tempered on the way. These temperings appear as radiant belts
about the sun; furthermore, the angels are veiled with a thin
adapting cloud to prevent their being harmed by the influx. 92
For this reason the heavens are more or less near in accordance
with reception. As the higher heavens are in good of love they
are nearest to the Lord as the sun; and as the lower heavens are
in good of faith they are farther away from him. But those that
are in no good, like those in hell, are farthest away, at different
distances in accordance with their opposition to good. 93
121. When, however, the Lord appears in heaven, which
often occurs, he does not appear encompassed with a sun, but
in the form of an angel, yet distinguished from angels by the
Divine shining through from his face, since he is not there in
person, for in person the Lord is constantly encompassed by
the sun, but he is present by look. For it is a common
occurrence in heaven for persons to appear to be present in a
place where their look is fixed or is terminated, even when this
place is far away from where they really are. This presence is
92. What the Lord’s Divine love is, and how great it is, is illustrated by
comparison with the fire of this world’s sun (n. 6834, 6849, 8644).
The Lord’s Divine love is love toward the whole human race to save it
(n. 1820, 1865, 2253, 6872).
The love that first goes forth from the fire of the Lord’s love does not
enter heaven, but is seen as radiant belts about the sun (n. 7270).
The angels are veiled with a corresponding thin cloud, to prevent their
being harmed by the inflow of burning love (n. 6849).
93. The Lord’s presence with the angels is in proportion to their
reception of good of love and faith from Him (n. 904, 4198, 4320, 6280,
6832, 7042, 8819, 9680, 9682, 9683, 10106, 10811).
The Lord appears to each one in accordance with what he is (n. 1861,
3235, 4198, 4206).
The hells are at a distance from the heavens because they cannot bear
the presence of Divine love from the Lord (n. 4299, 7519, 7738, 7989,
8137, 8265, 9327).
For this reason the hells are very far away from the heavens, and this is
the “great gulf” (n. 9346, 10187).