517. And there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp.- That this signifies the truth of the Word falsified from the proprium love, is evident from the signification of stars, as denoting the knowledges of truth and good, as well as the truths and goods of knowledges from the Word; concerning which see above (n. 72, 402); and from the signification of burning as a lamp, as denoting to be falsified from the proprium love; to burn being said of the proprium love, because this love is signified by fire, as may be seen above (n. 504:17); and a lamp signifies the truth of the Word, of doctrine, and of faith, as may also be seen above (n. 274). Hence it is evident, that by a great star falling from heaven, and burning as it were a lamp, is signified, the truth of the Word falsified from the proprium love.
[2] It must be known, that all those who are in the love of self, if they study the Word, falsify its truths. The reason of this is, that all truth is out of heaven from the Lord, and nothing [thereof] from the proprium of man; and those who are in the love of self are immersed in their proprium, and they take therefrom every idea of their thought concerning the truths of the Word. Hence it is, that they falsify those things, not as to the sense of the letter of the Word, but as to the understanding of the truth therein; for to understand words otherwise than according to their true sense, is to falsify them.
[3] There are two states of the thoughts of man, the one when he is in thought concerning truths from the Lord, and the other when [he is in thought] from himself. When he is in thought concerning truths from the Lord, then his mind is raised even into the light of heaven, and he consequently has an enlightenment and a just perception of truth; but when he is in thought concerning truths from himself, then his mind falls into the light of the world, and this light, in regard to spiritual things, or to things pertaining to heaven and the church, is thick darkness, in which man can see only such things as shine by means of the fire of the love of self and the love of the world, which things, in themselves, are falsities opposed to truths.
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