Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 225consecrated to idols, as being evils of every kind (of which more inwhat follows); and from the signification of “committingwhoredom,” as being to falsify truths (of which also morepresently). That Balaam counselled Balak to invite the sons of Israelto the sacrifices of his gods appears from what was shown in thepreceding article, and from these words of Moses:Israel abode in Shittim, where the people began to commitwhoredom with the daughters of Moab; for he called 9 the people untothe sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down totheir gods. Especially did the people join themselves to Baal-peor;therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel. And those thatwere slain were four and twenty thousand (Num. 25:1–3, 9).It was among the statutes where sacrifices were instituted that somepart of the sacrifices, especially of the thank-offerings, should beburnt from the altar, and some part eaten in the holy place. The“sacrifices” themselves signified worship from love and faith, andthe “eating” of them signified appropriation of the good thereof.(That “sacrifices” signified all things of worship from the good oflove and faith, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936,10042; and “eating” the appropriation of goods, n. 10109.) As theeating of things sanctified to Jehovah signified the appropriation ofgood, so the eating of the sacrifices offered to the gods of thenations, and which were called “idol sacrifices,” signified theappropriation of evil.[2] That to “commit whoredom,” in the spiritual sense, signifiesto become imbued with falsities, so also to falsify truths, can beseen from many passages in the Word. The same was signified bythe whoredoms of the sons of Israel with the daughters of Moab;for all historical parts of the Word involve spiritual things andsignify them (as can be seen from the explanations of Genesis andExodus, called Arcana Coelestia). And as the eating of idol sacrificesby the sons of Israel and their whoredoms with the daughters ofMoab involved such things (for what things signify they involve),therefore it was commanded that the heads of the people should behung up to Jehovah before the sun; and for the same reasonPhinehas the son of Eleazar thrust through a man of Israel and a