Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 596280b. [2] That “man” in the Word signifies the affection of truthand wisdom therefrom, is evident from the following passages. InIsaiah:Lord, how long? He said, until cities be devastated that they maybe without inhabitant, and the houses that there may be no man inthem, and the ground be devastated to a waste. Jehovah shall removeman, and forsaken places shall be multiplied in the midst of the land(6:11, 12).These things were not said of the devastation of the earth, thatthere should no longer be cities and houses therein, or that in thesethere should be no inhabitant or man, but they were said of thedevastation of good and truth in the church; “cities” signifying thetruths of doctrine; “inhabitant” the good of doctrine; “houses” theinteriors of man which are of his mind; and “man” the spiritualaffection of truth and wisdom therefrom. This is signified by “thehouses shall be devastated, that there may be no man in them.” The“land” that shall be devastated to a waste signifies the church. Fromthis it is clear what is signified by “removing man,” and by“multiplying the forsaken places in the midst of the land;” “aforsaken place” signifying where there is no good because there isno truth.[3] In the same:I will make a man more rare than pure gold; even a man than thegold of Ophir (13:12).A “man” (virum hominem) signifies intelligence, and “man”(hominem) wisdom, and that these were about to be at an end issignified by their being “made rare.” Intelligence is distinguishedfrom wisdom by this, that intelligence is the understanding of truthsuch as the spiritual man has, and wisdom is the understanding oftruth such as the celestial man has, whose understanding is fromthe will of good. From this it is clear what is here signified by“man” (virum hominem), and what by “man” (hominem).[4] In the same: