Afterlife: A Guided Tour of Heaven and Its Wonders - Swedenborg ...

AFTERLIFE
turned toward heaven, and that this was the source of the
Lord’s union with the human race at that time. After
those times, though, there was not the same kind of direct
rev e lation, but an indirect revelation through correspon -
dences. All their divine worship consisted of these; so the
churches of those times were called symbolic churches.
They knew what cor re spon dences and representations
were and that every thing on earth answered to spiritual
things in heaven and the church (or represented them,
which amounts to the same thing). In this way, the natu -
ral elements that con stituted their outward worship
served them as means for thinking spiritually and there -
fore thinking with angels.
Once all knowledge of correspondences and represen -
ta tions had been lost, then a Word was written in which
all the words and the meanings of the words are corre -
spon dences and therefore contain that spiritual or inner
meaning in which angels are engaged. So when we read
the Word and grasp it in its literal or outward meaning,
angels grasp it in its inner or spiritual meaning. In fact, all
the thought of angels is spiritual, while ours is natural.
These two kinds of thought do seem different, but they are
one because they correspond.
I have talked with angels about the Word on occasion,
and have told them that it is looked down on by some peo -
ple because of its pedestrian style. They know absolutely
nothing about its deeper meaning and therefore do not
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