Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 3865the Word are signified things of the understanding (see n.2760–2762, 3217), and therefore by a “chariot” are signifieddoctrinal things and the memory-knowledges belonging thereto.[4] That “chariots” denote the doctrinal things of the church, andalso memory-knowledges, has been evident to me from the chariotsso often seen in the other life. There is also a place to the right nearthe lower earth where chariots and horses appear, with stalls set inorder, and where are seen walking and conversing men who in theworld have been learned, and have regarded the life as the end oflearning. Such things appear to them from the angels in the higherheavens; for when these are discoursing about things of theunderstanding, of doctrine, and of knowledge, such objects appearto the spirits there.[5] That such things are signified by “chariots” and “horses” isvery obvious from the fact that Elijah appeared to be carried intoheaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and that he and alsoElisha were called “the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof,”as we read in the second book of Kings:Behold a chariot of fire and horses of fire came between them; andElijah went up in a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and hecried, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsementhereof (2 Kings 2:11–12);and regarding Elisha in the same book:When Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died, andJoash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept before his faces,and said, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsementhereof (2 Kings 13:14);the reason why they were so called is that by both Elijah and Elishawas represented the Lord as to the Word (see preface to chapter 18of Genesis, and n. 2762, 5247e). The Word itself is chiefly thedoctrine of good and truth, for from it is everything of doctrine. Itwas for the same reason that to the boy whose eyes Jehovah opened,