Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 269sees truth it falsifies it, and if it sees good it adulterates it; forheaven flows into the natural or external man through the spiritualor internal man, and not immediately into the natural or external;into it the world flows immediately. And when the natural worldwith man is not governed by the spiritual world, the bond withheaven is broken; and when this is broken man makes the world hisall, and heaven of little or no account; so also self as all, and God oflittle or no account. When the external or natural man is in such astate it is in falsities from the evils that spring forth out of the loveof self and the world. As “bed,” therefore, signifies the natural man,it also signifies the doctrine of falsities.[3] “Bed” signifies the natural man, because the natural manunderlies the spiritual, thus the spiritual lies on it and on the thingsthat are in it as on its own bed. That “bed” signifies the naturalman, also the doctrinals that are in it, can be seen from the passagesin the word where “bed” is mentioned, as in the following. InAmos:As the shepherd hath rescued out of the mouth of the lion two legsand a bit of an ear, so shall the sons of Israel be rescued that dwell inSamaria on the corner of a bed, and on the end of a couch (Amos 3:12).“Lion” signifies the church, here those therein that destroy goodsand truths; “legs and a bit of an ear” are the goods that are in thenatural man, and something of perception of truth therefrom; “thesons of Israel that dwell in Samaria” are those of the church; “onthe corner of the bed, and on the end of a couch,” are those in alittle natural light from the spiritual, and in some truths therefrom.[4] In the same:Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountainsof Samaria; to them that lie upon the beds of ivory, and stretchthemselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, andthe calves out of the midst of the stall; that devise for themselvesinstruments of song; that drink out of bowls of wine, and anointthemselves with the firstlings of the oils: but they are not grieved overthe breach of Joseph (Amos 6:4–6).