The Universe of the Spiritual World and the Universe of the Natural World
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Psalms 136: 3-9 John 17: 19-23
Earths in the Universe 2
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Psalms 136: 3-9 John 17: 19-23
Earths in the Universe 2
With regard, in general, to the Divine worship of the inhabitants of other earths: all there, who are not idolaters, acknowledge the Lord to be the One only God; for they adore the divine, not as an invisible Divine, but as visible, for this reason, besides others, that when the Divine appears to them it is in the Human Form, as He formerly did to Abraham, and others on this earth; and all who adore the Divine under the Human form are accepted by the Lord (Earths in the Universe 7)
Anyone who has studied the Word of the Divine Human - the Third or Last Testament - to any extent learns that by the word 'earths' in the Word are many different things implied. As for instance the creation of man even before his regeneration is called an 'earth' and another is all things that are inferior corresponding to the inferior heavens and the church in its external worship are in the literal sense of the Word meant having proceeded from internal things and becoming fixed and external which is meant the natural or ultimates. However, this is not so with the word 'universe'. Most people think the universe is that what he sees with his natural eyes while he is in the natural state. Yet, one may also learn that in the spiritual world there is also a universe - the spiritual universe. We know the Lord has created the physical universe by means of Love, Wisdom and Use and this was through ends, causes and effects that are forever connected, as in all love there is an end, further in all wisdom a promotion of an end through causes, and again through them to effects which are uses. One also learns that this world and its universe have proceeded from the Lord through the heavens and is the foundation of heaven. This we had learned in prior sermons relating to the Lord's Love and Wisdom, without with which would be nothing unless there was also Use. Thus, there is also seen the spiritual world or the spiritual universe even as the natural universe is a work of divine love, divine wisdom and of uses from firsts to lasts.
Generally though, it is the church in this world that is meant by the word 'earth' in the Word. Now, also, it is common knowledge that there have been many different churches then the one spoken about in the Scriptures and so not just ours - the Christian - or the one's that preceded it which were the Jewish and Israelites, the Ancient and Most Ancient. In truth, there have been many churches that have arose or came into being, some that are still on this world and some that may no longer exist having become too corrupted. And that from these different churches men have come into the spiritual world and from them even into heaven even though in these churches there are different customs, ways of life and worship then in ours. In truth, there are as many churches as there are men just as there are as many heavens as angels - each angel being a heaven. However, there are also different societies of spirits in the spiritual world and different societies of angels in heaven just as on this terrestrial globe or world there are different societies and churches in which are inhabitants, that is, those that are instructed in the good of doctrine to the good of life. Though, there are those in the good of faith alone and thus into the evils of life.
In number 3 in "Earths in the Universe" it is implied that wherever there is an earth there are human beings and that it is from the human race that a heaven is. Human beings in the spiritual world no longer have physical bodies, but spiritual or angelic to ability they can be perfected and these come from God who is Man It goes on explaining what some spirits told Emanuel Swedenborg that we (anyone) can with our eyes and with the aid of a telescope see the earths in our solar system and that these earths or planets, each rotate around the sun and on their own axis bringing the years, seasons and days and the times of day and night. Then they pose the question: 'How is it possible for anyone acquainted with these facts, if he thinks from reason assert that these bodies are uninhabited'? Are we to take this passage literally? In the spiritual sense by 'bodies' is meant the understanding and will of men and by 'uninhabited' refers to those who not in the good of life. As far as we today can tell by scientific investigation there is no evidence of any life on them or as having had on them. Though recently scientists think there they might have found evidence of water. If there were life in the far remote past then any human race or church on them has long since ended. What does that say about the likelihood of the creation of mankind or of human beings being on any of the planets of our solar system? If there were inhabitants on them why are they gone now; were they of no longer any use in Heaven - in the Grand Man? Doesn't heaven correspond to man, even to each member of him, and to his affection? In number 4 the premise of many men on different worlds is continued (remember the spirits in the spiritual world are speaking to Emanuel Swedenborg) saying that because of the immensity of the universe in heavens with their innumerable numbers that if one weighs the facts shouldn't he conclude that an end of such is a heavenly kingdom from the men coming from them.
If we, like Emmanuel Swedenborg did, could visit the spiritual world then wouldn't the spiritual heavens - the starry heaven - be visible to us too? Then shouldn't these words be seen in their relation to the spiritual world not this natural world? The angelic heavens is so immense and it corresponds to man, to each member, each organ and viscous, and each affection thereof and isn't it said heaven is before the Lord as a Grand Man? In truth the stars of heaven seen in the spiritual world signify both spiritual men of good and truth and also men of evil and falsity, while the many suns read about in number 4 refer to both the Lord's divine love, the good of love that come from Him and also the opposite - the denial of the Lord's divinity which adulterates the good and truth.
Now since by 'earth' is meant men both of the Church and men out of the church and since heaven comes from the churches, then can we not see that it is not just the Christian Church that makes heaven the Kingdom of God, but many different churches all of which have believed their God and Lord to be true and lived a good life.
What Swedenborg learned about these various churches or 'earths' was that there were some spirits that delighted in acquiring knowledge from other churches or 'earths' in the spiritual world or that universe, and that they were permitted to go to them of different beliefs concerning God searching for that knowledge. We are informed that these spirits were from the planet called Mercury. Of course this searching was not done in the natural universe. Needless to say the word 'Mercury' in the Word is a signification of something internal concerning this church's beliefs.
We are told that the inhabitants of other 'earths' that if they are not idolaters, and acknowledge the Lord to be the One only God and as such adore the Divine, though not invisible, but visible.are accepted into heaven. Even though today many Christians Churches believe God is invisible. Then we learned that this is because when the Divine appears to them it is in the Human Form as He did to Abraham and others in our Church. Thus they are accepted by the Lord. This is the idea they have of God and thus comprehend the Human Form and if not the interior sight of their thought concerning God vanishes just as when we being still in this world look into the universe when nothing limits our view and our thought falls into nature. Of course this is said that in the literal sense that we on earth in the many different religions and churches may now learn today how one can learn of the Divine Human and become conjoined with the Lord and enter heaven. From what Emanuel Swedenborg learned and wrote about the following different Spirits in the world of spirits it becomes evident that they were unaware that the Lord had assumed the Human in the Christian Church. Still they knew the Lord had to come to the mankind that a man would have salvation and w2hen they learned that He did appeared were please. One sees here that this church or 'earth' existed before the Lord's New Church.
Now we of the Lord's New Church from the Word of the Divine Human which is called the Third or Last Testament know that when one first comes into the spiritual world still believes they are in this physical world; so anyone of the Christian world or Church sees the same surroundings as here. We have also learned that if there is a desire to see another person, say for instance a friend or love one, they will immediately be present before them. We have learned that it was given to Emanuel Swedenborg the ability to speak with other spirits and angels that were not of our Church or 'earth'. Is not this presence of other churches' inhabitants from that same desire?
Now, of course, a person can read these passages in "Earths in the Universe" in their literal sense and accept them as literally true as do many in the Christian world literally accept the Word of the Lord as true and then upon coming into the spiritual world can be taught and learn about what was meant in the Word and the Divine Human and if they were idolaters would also not accept the Divine Human in the spiritual world. Notwithstanding their understanding would not preclude them from coming into heaven as long as they did not worship others gods and if they acknowledged the Lord as the one Only God and adored the Divine who is in the Human Form as was just mentioned concerning the spirits of other 'earths'. It is not the life, customs, and worship of the inhabitants coming from any church that prevent a man from entering into anyone of the states of heaven - natural (where natural spirits are) or lowest, spiritual or middle and celestial or highest - heaven being a correspondence of man and of each single part of him and of each affection of him. You may still want to believe there are earths not of this universe or solar system on which inhabitants live and churches are that come into the spiritual world and into heaven. Amen
Generally though, it is the church in this world that is meant by the word 'earth' in the Word. Now, also, it is common knowledge that there have been many different churches then the one spoken about in the Scriptures and so not just ours - the Christian - or the one's that preceded it which were the Jewish and Israelites, the Ancient and Most Ancient. In truth, there have been many churches that have arose or came into being, some that are still on this world and some that may no longer exist having become too corrupted. And that from these different churches men have come into the spiritual world and from them even into heaven even though in these churches there are different customs, ways of life and worship then in ours. In truth, there are as many churches as there are men just as there are as many heavens as angels - each angel being a heaven. However, there are also different societies of spirits in the spiritual world and different societies of angels in heaven just as on this terrestrial globe or world there are different societies and churches in which are inhabitants, that is, those that are instructed in the good of doctrine to the good of life. Though, there are those in the good of faith alone and thus into the evils of life.
In number 3 in "Earths in the Universe" it is implied that wherever there is an earth there are human beings and that it is from the human race that a heaven is. Human beings in the spiritual world no longer have physical bodies, but spiritual or angelic to ability they can be perfected and these come from God who is Man It goes on explaining what some spirits told Emanuel Swedenborg that we (anyone) can with our eyes and with the aid of a telescope see the earths in our solar system and that these earths or planets, each rotate around the sun and on their own axis bringing the years, seasons and days and the times of day and night. Then they pose the question: 'How is it possible for anyone acquainted with these facts, if he thinks from reason assert that these bodies are uninhabited'? Are we to take this passage literally? In the spiritual sense by 'bodies' is meant the understanding and will of men and by 'uninhabited' refers to those who not in the good of life. As far as we today can tell by scientific investigation there is no evidence of any life on them or as having had on them. Though recently scientists think there they might have found evidence of water. If there were life in the far remote past then any human race or church on them has long since ended. What does that say about the likelihood of the creation of mankind or of human beings being on any of the planets of our solar system? If there were inhabitants on them why are they gone now; were they of no longer any use in Heaven - in the Grand Man? Doesn't heaven correspond to man, even to each member of him, and to his affection? In number 4 the premise of many men on different worlds is continued (remember the spirits in the spiritual world are speaking to Emanuel Swedenborg) saying that because of the immensity of the universe in heavens with their innumerable numbers that if one weighs the facts shouldn't he conclude that an end of such is a heavenly kingdom from the men coming from them.
If we, like Emmanuel Swedenborg did, could visit the spiritual world then wouldn't the spiritual heavens - the starry heaven - be visible to us too? Then shouldn't these words be seen in their relation to the spiritual world not this natural world? The angelic heavens is so immense and it corresponds to man, to each member, each organ and viscous, and each affection thereof and isn't it said heaven is before the Lord as a Grand Man? In truth the stars of heaven seen in the spiritual world signify both spiritual men of good and truth and also men of evil and falsity, while the many suns read about in number 4 refer to both the Lord's divine love, the good of love that come from Him and also the opposite - the denial of the Lord's divinity which adulterates the good and truth.
Now since by 'earth' is meant men both of the Church and men out of the church and since heaven comes from the churches, then can we not see that it is not just the Christian Church that makes heaven the Kingdom of God, but many different churches all of which have believed their God and Lord to be true and lived a good life.
What Swedenborg learned about these various churches or 'earths' was that there were some spirits that delighted in acquiring knowledge from other churches or 'earths' in the spiritual world or that universe, and that they were permitted to go to them of different beliefs concerning God searching for that knowledge. We are informed that these spirits were from the planet called Mercury. Of course this searching was not done in the natural universe. Needless to say the word 'Mercury' in the Word is a signification of something internal concerning this church's beliefs.
We are told that the inhabitants of other 'earths' that if they are not idolaters, and acknowledge the Lord to be the One only God and as such adore the Divine, though not invisible, but visible.are accepted into heaven. Even though today many Christians Churches believe God is invisible. Then we learned that this is because when the Divine appears to them it is in the Human Form as He did to Abraham and others in our Church. Thus they are accepted by the Lord. This is the idea they have of God and thus comprehend the Human Form and if not the interior sight of their thought concerning God vanishes just as when we being still in this world look into the universe when nothing limits our view and our thought falls into nature. Of course this is said that in the literal sense that we on earth in the many different religions and churches may now learn today how one can learn of the Divine Human and become conjoined with the Lord and enter heaven. From what Emanuel Swedenborg learned and wrote about the following different Spirits in the world of spirits it becomes evident that they were unaware that the Lord had assumed the Human in the Christian Church. Still they knew the Lord had to come to the mankind that a man would have salvation and w2hen they learned that He did appeared were please. One sees here that this church or 'earth' existed before the Lord's New Church.
Now we of the Lord's New Church from the Word of the Divine Human which is called the Third or Last Testament know that when one first comes into the spiritual world still believes they are in this physical world; so anyone of the Christian world or Church sees the same surroundings as here. We have also learned that if there is a desire to see another person, say for instance a friend or love one, they will immediately be present before them. We have learned that it was given to Emanuel Swedenborg the ability to speak with other spirits and angels that were not of our Church or 'earth'. Is not this presence of other churches' inhabitants from that same desire?
Now, of course, a person can read these passages in "Earths in the Universe" in their literal sense and accept them as literally true as do many in the Christian world literally accept the Word of the Lord as true and then upon coming into the spiritual world can be taught and learn about what was meant in the Word and the Divine Human and if they were idolaters would also not accept the Divine Human in the spiritual world. Notwithstanding their understanding would not preclude them from coming into heaven as long as they did not worship others gods and if they acknowledged the Lord as the one Only God and adored the Divine who is in the Human Form as was just mentioned concerning the spirits of other 'earths'. It is not the life, customs, and worship of the inhabitants coming from any church that prevent a man from entering into anyone of the states of heaven - natural (where natural spirits are) or lowest, spiritual or middle and celestial or highest - heaven being a correspondence of man and of each single part of him and of each affection of him. You may still want to believe there are earths not of this universe or solar system on which inhabitants live and churches are that come into the spiritual world and into heaven. Amen
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