9466. And blue. That this signifies the celestial love of truth, is evident from the signification of "blue" [hyacinthinum] as being the celestial love of truth. That "blue" has this signification is because it belongs to the color of the sky, and because by this color is signified truth from a celestial origin, which is truth from the good of love to the Lord. This good reigns in the inmost heaven, and in the middle or second heaven it is presented to view as crimson and blue; the good itself as crimson, and the derivative truth as blue. For in the other life, and in heaven itself, there appear most beautiful colors, all deriving their origin from good and truth. For the sphere of the affections of good and truth is sensibly presented before the eyes of angels and spirits by means of colors, and specific things by variously colored objects. They are presented to the nostrils also by means of odors. For everything celestial, which is of good, and everything spiritual, which is of truth, is represented in the lower heavens by such things as appear in nature, thus to the very senses of the spirits and angels there. The reason why the spheres of the affection of good and truth are visibly presented by means of colors, is that the colors are modifications of heavenly light, thus of intelligence and wisdom (see n. 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922). [2] This then is the reason why among the things that were collected for the tabernacle, and for the garments of Aaron, were blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and skins of red rams; for by the tabernacle was represented the heaven of the Lord, and by the things of which it was constructed and woven together were represented the celestial and spiritual things that belong to good and truth; in like manner by the garments of Aaron (n. 9457). This is the reason why the veil, within which was the ark of the testimony, was woven of blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and fine linen (Exod. 26:31); in like manner the covering for the door of the tent (verse 36), and likewise the covering of the gate of the court (Exod. 27:16); also why the loops upon the edge of the curtain were of blue (Exod. 26:4). Therefore also it was that the ephod was of gold, blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and fine linen, all interwoven; and likewise the breastplate of judgment (Exod. 28:6, 15). [3] By "blue" is signified the celestial love of truth, and by "garments of blue," the knowledges of truth from this love, in Ezekiel:
Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy spread, that it might be to thee for a sign; blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah were thy covering. These were thy traders with perfect things, with bales of blue and broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezek. 27:7, 24);
speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201); knowledge and the derivative intelligence are described by "broidered work from Egypt," and by "blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah;" "broidered work from Egypt" being the memory-knowledge of truth; "blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah" being the intelligence of truth and good. [4] In the same:
Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredoms in Egypt in their youth, Oholah and Oholibah. Oholah committed whoredom under Me; and doted on the Assyrians her neighbors, clothed in blue, commanders and leaders; horsemen riding on horses (Ezek. 23:2-6);
"Oholah" is Samaria, "Oholibah" is Jerusalem (verse 4). "Samaria" here denotes the spiritual church perverted; "committing whoredom in Egypt" denotes falsifying truths by means of memory-knowledges; "doting on the Assyrians her neighbors" denotes to love the consequent reasonings; "clothed with blue" denotes the appearances of the truth that is from good, because from the literal sense of the Word wrongly unfolded. [5] In like manner in Jeremiah:
Silver beaten out is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the smith and of the hands of the metal caster; blue and crimson are their clothing; all the work of the wise (Jer. 10:9);
speaking of the idols of the house of Israel, by which are signified false doctrinal things confirmed from the external sense of the Word badly unfolded (see n. 9424); "the work of the smith and of the hands of the metal caster," and also "they are all the work of the wise," denote that it was from self-intelligence; "silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz" denote truth and good so appearing in the external form, because from the Word; in like manner "blue and crimson," which were "their clothing." [6] In John:
I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of blue and of sulphur, by whom was the third part of men killed (Rev. 9:17, 18);
where "horses and they that sat on them" denote the inverted and perverted understanding of truth; "breastplates as of fire, of blue, and of sulphur" denote the defense of falsities that are from the evils of diabolical loves. Here therefore "fire" denotes the infernal love of evil; and "blue" the infernal love of falsity; thus in the opposite sense; for most things in the Word have also an opposite sense.
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