Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7507

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

7507. 'And nothing will die of all that belongs to the children of Israel' means that they will not be annihilated. This is clear from the meaning of 'nothing dying' as not being annihilated; from the meaning of the livestock, in reference to which it is said that '[nothing] will die', as the truth and good of faith, dealt with above in 7502; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church. The reason why the forms of the good of faith and the truths of faith residing with those who belong to the Church cannot die is that they have been linked through charity to the Divine, and the Divine is life itself and He is eternal. Anything linked to life itself and to what is eternal cannot die or be annihilated. It remains for evermore, constantly being made more perfect. But because matters of faith residing with those who belong to the Church and are damned are not linked to the Divine, and do not consequently have life within them, they die; for they are like lifeless statues. And being lifeless those things are annihilated in the next life, that is, they are taken away.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church