We read again from 'The Inhabitants of Other Earths'.
"Therefore, since it was my desire to obtain this knowledge, and as the things it has been given me to know are worthy of being related, it is allowed to relate them at the close of the following chapters".
In understanding the internal sense we find in one's and in the present case Swedenborg's desire to understand the Lord, Heaven and the Church and that there comes the knowledge of goodness and truth - the life and the soul - not only into the rational in man, but is the Lord's presence there. Furthermore, in this statement, we see that through Swedenborg the means whereby the Lord's goods and truths are revealed, such as the things concerning the Lord, the Church, and man's regeneration, was recorded here and is a part of the Word of the Divine Human.
It is the Divine good within, it is those truths that originate in man in goodness and faith that the Lord's Revelation or Word has entered, thus bringing man life and soul in order that the presence of the Lord is within his rational and that it is written within his heart and mind in a new understanding and will. It was in Swedenborg as the qualities of a servant that such knowledge was seen and written down for man's use.
Continuing we read,
"I have not spoken with the actual inhabitants of the earths, but with spirits and angels who had been inhabitants there; and this not for a day or a week, but for many months, with open instruction from Heaven as to whence they were. That there are many earths, and human beings upon them, and spirits and angels from them, is very well known in the other life; for it is granted to every one, if he desires it, to speak with them.
Again, when it is understood in its spiritual sense, we learn the following.
The qualities of divine truth that originate in good in man, in this case Swedenborg, do not commune directly with the external man, that is, the natural man who is of such other churches, but with their internal man, those with whom were both in the good of doctrine and in life there from, even in the celestial life. Such spiritual communication is with the goods and the truths with spiritual men and with angels that have such qualities from the Lord while in any other churches. Such communication of knowledge is taught through the interior or rational of man truths concerning their state of reformation, regeneration, or of their state of temptation so as to learn where in Heaven or in the 'Grand Man' are they of use. (Such teaching is not only of their general life or state; it is not just of a man's various states, but is of the states of truth in the man of those other churches and of their states leading to their regeneration and to Heaven.) Knowledge of other churches and the salvation of men in other churches are taught in the spiritual world, and those in other churches come into Heaven, even as do Christians who are regenerated. The Lord permits communication with others of other religions in the spiritual world when a person wills to know and understand the truth.
Note we have discovered that it is not the natural planets in the universe with other human beings on them that is here meant, but it is other churches that are of other religions that are spoken of. We also see that those of other churches are taught and led into the various states that lead to Heaven. And, we learn that what is written here in 'Memorial Relations' is the Truth, that is, it is the Word.
However, if we would take every phrase in this short chapter, there would be too much to explain in this lecture, for there is a significance or representative for every word. So, let us examine only various statements that are of interest and that might be questioned as to their meaning all the while realizing that our mind wished to draw attention to the natural sense of the Word.
"There are spirits who in the Grand Man who have reference to the memory: they are from the planet Mercury. They are allowed to wander about, and to enquire for themselves cognitions of things that are in the universe, and they are also allowed to pass beyond the system of this sun into other systems. They have said that there are earths with humans on them, not only in this system, but also in the universe, in immense numbers" (AC6606).
Is this proof that there are inhabitants, human beings, on the planet or earth called Mercury and other planets? After all, Swedenborg said that he did, while in the spirit, speak with other spirits coming from Mercury. However, let us just look at the words 'universe' and 'system of this sun' or 'solar system' as it is called elsewhere. They are words that tend to keep our thoughts natural, for hasn't God created the universe and all that is in it and isn't it what is finite and not infinite? That is what our natural understand tells us. Yet, God did not just create the natural universe. He is also the author of all spiritual things in the spiritual world as well. Basically, can a physical universe exist without an internal or spiritual? Anyone who thinks so denies the existence of the spiritual world and of life there. Any religion, any individual in the different religions, and the 'churches' established from them, says that the universe is created by Divine love. When looked at in this way isn't in the creation of the universe an end from that Divine love and isn't it from Divine Wisdom that there is a means to promote that end? Isn't mediate causes the means to effect such uses? Thus, there is an end, cause, and effect, and so a celestial, spiritual, and natural of the universe. So, what are we talking of here? We have an idea here of what is meant in the words "spirits who are in the 'Grand Man'" as having reference to the memory. What we are speaking of is Heaven in which all who are regenerated or saved come into. Thus, it can be understood that there is a correspondence of a man's body with the Greatest or Grand Man of Heaven, each being a part thereof and their functions and uses. You may see correspondences in all the various members, viscera, and organs functions and uses in our body all supporting, working to an end - life in Heaven with the Lord.
In that respect we can understand how spirits from Mercury are wandering 'as it were' throughout the universe. And, have we not shown that the universe is spiritual as well as natural and isn't it in the spiritual world where spirits are? Cannot we see such a correspondence within man as the physical universe, with Heaven, that is, with the Grand Man of Heaven?
"Therefore, since it was my desire to obtain this knowledge, and as the things it has been given me to know are worthy of being related, it is allowed to relate them at the close of the following chapters".
In understanding the internal sense we find in one's and in the present case Swedenborg's desire to understand the Lord, Heaven and the Church and that there comes the knowledge of goodness and truth - the life and the soul - not only into the rational in man, but is the Lord's presence there. Furthermore, in this statement, we see that through Swedenborg the means whereby the Lord's goods and truths are revealed, such as the things concerning the Lord, the Church, and man's regeneration, was recorded here and is a part of the Word of the Divine Human.
It is the Divine good within, it is those truths that originate in man in goodness and faith that the Lord's Revelation or Word has entered, thus bringing man life and soul in order that the presence of the Lord is within his rational and that it is written within his heart and mind in a new understanding and will. It was in Swedenborg as the qualities of a servant that such knowledge was seen and written down for man's use.
Continuing we read,
"I have not spoken with the actual inhabitants of the earths, but with spirits and angels who had been inhabitants there; and this not for a day or a week, but for many months, with open instruction from Heaven as to whence they were. That there are many earths, and human beings upon them, and spirits and angels from them, is very well known in the other life; for it is granted to every one, if he desires it, to speak with them.
Again, when it is understood in its spiritual sense, we learn the following.
The qualities of divine truth that originate in good in man, in this case Swedenborg, do not commune directly with the external man, that is, the natural man who is of such other churches, but with their internal man, those with whom were both in the good of doctrine and in life there from, even in the celestial life. Such spiritual communication is with the goods and the truths with spiritual men and with angels that have such qualities from the Lord while in any other churches. Such communication of knowledge is taught through the interior or rational of man truths concerning their state of reformation, regeneration, or of their state of temptation so as to learn where in Heaven or in the 'Grand Man' are they of use. (Such teaching is not only of their general life or state; it is not just of a man's various states, but is of the states of truth in the man of those other churches and of their states leading to their regeneration and to Heaven.) Knowledge of other churches and the salvation of men in other churches are taught in the spiritual world, and those in other churches come into Heaven, even as do Christians who are regenerated. The Lord permits communication with others of other religions in the spiritual world when a person wills to know and understand the truth.
Note we have discovered that it is not the natural planets in the universe with other human beings on them that is here meant, but it is other churches that are of other religions that are spoken of. We also see that those of other churches are taught and led into the various states that lead to Heaven. And, we learn that what is written here in 'Memorial Relations' is the Truth, that is, it is the Word.
However, if we would take every phrase in this short chapter, there would be too much to explain in this lecture, for there is a significance or representative for every word. So, let us examine only various statements that are of interest and that might be questioned as to their meaning all the while realizing that our mind wished to draw attention to the natural sense of the Word.
"There are spirits who in the Grand Man who have reference to the memory: they are from the planet Mercury. They are allowed to wander about, and to enquire for themselves cognitions of things that are in the universe, and they are also allowed to pass beyond the system of this sun into other systems. They have said that there are earths with humans on them, not only in this system, but also in the universe, in immense numbers" (AC6606).
Is this proof that there are inhabitants, human beings, on the planet or earth called Mercury and other planets? After all, Swedenborg said that he did, while in the spirit, speak with other spirits coming from Mercury. However, let us just look at the words 'universe' and 'system of this sun' or 'solar system' as it is called elsewhere. They are words that tend to keep our thoughts natural, for hasn't God created the universe and all that is in it and isn't it what is finite and not infinite? That is what our natural understand tells us. Yet, God did not just create the natural universe. He is also the author of all spiritual things in the spiritual world as well. Basically, can a physical universe exist without an internal or spiritual? Anyone who thinks so denies the existence of the spiritual world and of life there. Any religion, any individual in the different religions, and the 'churches' established from them, says that the universe is created by Divine love. When looked at in this way isn't in the creation of the universe an end from that Divine love and isn't it from Divine Wisdom that there is a means to promote that end? Isn't mediate causes the means to effect such uses? Thus, there is an end, cause, and effect, and so a celestial, spiritual, and natural of the universe. So, what are we talking of here? We have an idea here of what is meant in the words "spirits who are in the 'Grand Man'" as having reference to the memory. What we are speaking of is Heaven in which all who are regenerated or saved come into. Thus, it can be understood that there is a correspondence of a man's body with the Greatest or Grand Man of Heaven, each being a part thereof and their functions and uses. You may see correspondences in all the various members, viscera, and organs functions and uses in our body all supporting, working to an end - life in Heaven with the Lord.
In that respect we can understand how spirits from Mercury are wandering 'as it were' throughout the universe. And, have we not shown that the universe is spiritual as well as natural and isn't it in the spiritual world where spirits are? Cannot we see such a correspondence within man as the physical universe, with Heaven, that is, with the Grand Man of Heaven?