new church life: september/october 2017
From just a few of the
relevant teachings it
seems clear that the
Lord has attached
considerable importance
to this work that, sadly,
now gives some people
associated with the New
Church considerable
trouble.
Arcana Coelestia by the Lord through
Swedenborg and were presented in
a separate published book on the
beginning of the New Jerusalem in
both worlds as a part of its doctrine.
(See, for example, Spiritual Diary/
Spiritual Experiences 5946)
In fact there is some reason to
believe that this may have been the
first work, after a small treatise on
the White Horse, to have been drawn
out of the Arcana Coelestia for this
purpose. Three times the Lord chose
to present this teaching! There must
be something of real importance
here if the Lord chose to use so
much of his aging servant’s time to
three times write out and then twice
publish the results.
As further evidence of the significance of the teachings of this work, Earths
In The Universe, notice what is twice recorded in memorable relations, first in
Conjugial Love 532 and then in True Christian Religion 846. “As to my spirit I
was once taken up into the angelic heaven and into one of its societies. Some of
the wise men there then came to me and asked, ‘What news from earth?’ I told
them: ‘This is new: The Lord has revealed arcana which surpass in excellence
the arcana hitherto revealed from the beginning of the Church.’
“To their question, ‘What are these arcana?’ I answered, ‘They are
these: [Seven paragraphs follow enumerating some of these arcana, concluding
as follows:] Futhermore, revelation has been made concerning the inhabitants
of the Planets and concerning the Earths in the Universe; besides many
memorable and wonderful things from the spiritual world, whereby much that
pertains to wisdom has been disclosed from heaven.” (Conjugial Love 532)
As indicated above, from just a few of the relevant teachings, it seems clear
that the Lord has attached considerable importance to this work that, sadly,
now gives some people associated with the New Church considerable trouble.
What could be so important about this work? This has been a matter of
some speculation in the New Church. I will not say much about it here except
to draw attention to just one teaching that occurs near the beginning of that
part of the work which has the heading: “The Earths In The Starry Heaven, a
teaching that may provide some insight into this matter.”
The context here is that Swedenborg, from the Lord, is commenting on the
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