Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 268
38
The Wise and the Simple in Heaven
346. It is believed that in heaven the wise will have more
glory and eminence than the simple, because it is said in
Daniel:
They that are intelligent shall shine as with the brightness of
the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the
stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3).
But few know who are meant by the “intelligent” and by those
that “turn many to righteousness.” The common belief is that
they are such as are called the accomplished and learned,
especially such as have taught in the church and have surpassed
others in acquirements and in preaching, and still more such
among them as have converted many to the faith. In the world
all such are regarded as the intelligent; nevertheless such are not
the intelligent in heaven that are spoken of in these words,
unless their intelligence is heavenly intelligence. What this is
will now be told.
347. Heavenly intelligence is interior intelligence, arising
from a love for truth, not with any glory in the world nor any
glory in heaven as an end, but with the truth itself as an end,
by which they are inmostly affected and with which they are
inmostly delighted. Those who are affected by and delighted
with the truth itself are affected by and delighted with the light
of heaven; and those who are affected by and delighted with
the light of heaven are also affected by and delighted with
Divine truth, and indeed with the Lord himself; for the light of
heaven is Divine truth, and Divine truth is the Lord in heaven