10151. And the altar. That this signifies receptivity of the Divine from the Lord in the higher heavens, is evident from the signification of "sanctifying," as being receptivity of the Divine from the Lord (see above, n. 10149); and from the signification of "the altar," as being a representative of the Lord as to Divine good (n. 9964), here as to the Divine good proceeding from Him in the heavens where it is received, thus in the higher heavens, for there the Lord is received as to Divine good; but in the lower heavens the Lord is received as to Divine truth (as was shown just above, n. 10150). [2] Be it known that whatever represented the Lord Himself also represented heaven, for the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, when received by the angels, makes heaven. Thus in respect to what is their own the angels themselves do not make heaven; but in respect to the Divine which they receive from the Lord. That this is so can be seen from the fact that each one of them there acknowledges, believes, and also perceives, that there is nothing of good from himself, but only from the Lord; and that whatever is from himself is not good; thus wholly according to the doctrine of the church, that all good comes from above. As this is so, it follows that it is the Divine of the Lord which makes the heavenly life with them, consequently heaven. From this it can be seen how it is to be understood that the Lord is the all in all of heaven; also that the Lord dwells there in His own; and likewise that by an "angel" in the Word is signified something of the Lord (as has been shown in the preceding pages throughout). [3] So it is with the church. In respect to what is their own the men of the church do not make the church, but in respect to what is Divine which they receive from the Lord; for everyone in the church who does not acknowledge and believe that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from God, is not of the church; for he wishes to love God from himself, and to believe in God from himself, which, however, no one can do. From this also it is evident that the Divine of the Lord makes the church, as it makes heaven. Moreover, the church is the Lord's heaven on earth; consequently the Lord is also the all in all in the church, as He is in heaven, and there dwells in His own with men, as He does with the angels in heaven. Moreover, after their life in the world, the men of the church who in this way receive what is Divine of the Lord in love and faith, become angels of heaven; and no others. [4] That the Divine of the Lord makes His kingdom with man, that is, heaven and the church with him, the Lord also teaches in John: