Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 580on the east of Eden, and the flame of a sword turning hither andthither, to guard the way of the tree of life.” The “east of Eden”signifies where the good of celestial love enters; “the flame of asword turning hither and thither” signifies truth from that good,protecting; and “the tree of life” signifies the Divine that is fromthe Lord in the higher heavens, which is the good of love andcharity and heavenly joy therefrom. From this it is clear that“cherubim” signify guards that these heavens be not approachedexcept through the good of love and charity; for this reason they arealso said “to guard the way of the tree of life.” (That the “east”signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia,n. 1250,3708; that“Eden” signifies wisdom therefrom, n. 99,100; that “sword”signifies truth combating against falsity and dispersing it, thus truthprotecting, above, n. 73, 131a; that “flame” signifies truth fromcelestial good, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3222, 6832, 9570; that “the treeof life” signifies the good of love from the Lord and the heavenlyjoy therefrom, see above, n. 109, 110.)277b. [4] Because of this signification of “cherubim” twocherubim of solid gold were placed upon the mercy-seat which wasupon the ark, thus described in Moses:Thou shalt make cherubim, of solid gold thou shalt make them,from the two ends of the mercy seat; out of the mercy seat thou shaltmake the cherubim. And the cherubim shall spread out their wingsupwards, covering the mercy seat with their wings; towards the mercyseat shall be the faces of the cherubim. And thou shalt put the mercyseat upon the arc. And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak withthee between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:18–22; 37:7–9).The “ark” and the “tent” represented the higher heavens; the “ark,”in which was the testimony or law, represented the inmost or thirdheaven; the “tabernacle,” which was without the veil, the middle orsecond heaven; the “mercy seat” the hearing and reception of allthings of worship which are from the good of love and charity; the“cherubim” guards; and the “gold,” of which they were made thegood of love. From this it is also clear that the “two cherubim”represented guards that the higher heavens be not approachedexcept through the good of love and charity. (That the “tabernacle”in general represented heaven where the Lord is, see Arcana