Wednesday, September 10, 2014

The Spiritual Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg, Angels, and Spiritualism

I have just published a new work on Amazon, The Spiritual Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg (5 volumes).  This took longer than expected as it includes a hyperlinked topical index.  It is available on Amazon here., and on Barnes and Noble here.  Here is the book cover:


For the uninitiated I felt it necessary to include a preface to the work, to dispel some certain prejudices in regards to the revelations that Swedenborg received in waking vision over a 27 year period. I think it will sum up just about every possible reaction a reader will have to the work. Instead of including a normal blog here, here is the preface to the work:

PREFACE TO THE SPIRITUAL DIARY

The Spiritual Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg (5 volumes) is a personal record of Swedenborg's waking experiences in the spiritual world, from which he drew upon to compose his later theological works concerning the heavenly doctrines that were revealed to him. The main purpose of these visions were to reveal the Lord's Second Advent in the internal spiritual sense of the Word, and to reveal that each person will continue to live in a spiritual body after death. Some of this has been confirmed by others in modern Near Death Experiences. This Diary is valuable for study for how Swedenborg later referenced much of these experiences in a comprehensive spiritual theology in his published works, all of which have been published separately in the hyperlinked multi-volume work The Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem: Expanded Edition (39 volumes). As the Diary is written in chronological order, it may be hard for the reader to absorb all the information as each entry can switch between topics. To help the reader in this matter, this digital edition also includes a hyperlinked index and references so that the reader can easily read on a particular topic. As the subjects are varied in each entry, it is recommended that the reader start with the index at the end of the five volumes.
As for the reception of Swedenborg's experience, most will probably reject the contents offhand due to disbelief. Swedenborg was aware of this, and described five different levels of reception among readers:
"...it was given to perceive that there are five kinds of reception: First, [those] who wholly reject, who are in another persuasion, and who are enemies of the faith. These reject; for it cannot be received by them, since it [can] not penetrate their minds. Another class, who can receive these things as scientifics, and are delighted with them as scientifics, and as curious things. A third class, which receives, intellectually, so that they receive with sufficient alacrity, but still remain [in respect to] life as before. A fourth class [receives] persuasively, so that it penetrates to the improvement of their lives; they recur to these in certain states, and make use of them. A fifth class, who receive with joy, and are confirmed." (n. 2955)
In Swedenborg's day, he was made aware of the low reception of his published works. The angels responded, that there should be no forced compulsion on what each person should believe:
"I received letters [informing me] that not more than four copies had been sold in two months, and this was made known to the angels: they wondered indeed, but said that it should be left to the Providence of the Lord, which was such as to compel no one, though it might be done, but that it was not fitting that [any others] should read [my work] first but those who were in faith; and that this might be known from [what happened at] the coming of the Lord into the world, who was able to compel men to receive His words and Himself, but [yet] compelled no one, as was also the case afterwards in regard to the apostles; but still there were found those who would receive, to wit, those who were in faith, to whom also the apostles were sent." (n. 4422)
As for the low reception of Swedenborg's works, it was given to him to know that many in the churches themselves are not spiritual, but attend merely out of habit, or whose mind was focused on materialistic matters:
"I heard that many have looked into my books on heaven and hell, etc., and yet have not been satisfied: wherefore, they leave them alone; when, nevertheless, they are arcana of heaven. As I wondered at this, many Christians now in the world, differing as respects life, were instanced: some who do not care for such things; some who care little; some who are in worldly pursuits, which they prefer; some who attend churches only from habit - some one way and some another - and it was discovered that there are very few who receive anything which is from heaven; and that many nauseate and reject it; so that this is the character of men in the Church, at the present day." (n. 5931)
Certainly this attitude prevails at the present day: most have never even heard of Emanuel Swedenborg. Many will reject it as a product of imagination or hallucination. But those who have studied the biography of Emanuel Swedenborg cannot come to this conclusion, for time and time again Swedenborg was able to demonstrate clairvoyant abilities from the spiritual world to those who knew him. These include people such as Queen Ulrica of Sweden, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, the German poet and writer Christoph Wieland, the journalist and diplomat Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, the Swiss poet and physiognomist Johann Kaspar Lavater, Dr. Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling, professor of the Universities of Heidelberg and Marburg, among many others.[*]
Another reaction of some, despite these testimonies of verified clairvoyant experiences, is that Emanuel Swedenborg was insane. This position again is untenable and does not fit with what we know of his character and his work. Swedenborg led an enormously productive life: he was involved with the Swedish Riddarhuset (The House of Nobility), the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament), the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, was assessor-extraordinary of the Swedish mines, and published numerous scientific works and articles. His massive theological works are remarkably consistent. In all of his discourses he was rational, and never became disassociated with reality. Moreover, he never directed attention to himself, and initially published his theological works anonymously.
Given this evidence, one would think the matter is settled and that the theological writings deserve investigation. Not so: certain Christian ministers and writers, who are not worthy of mention, have levelled the charge that Swedenborg was "influenced by the Devil" and received this information from spirits of the dead. Ignorance from false religious principles thus prevails at this day as of old. Many of the prophets had their vision open and saw angels around them:
"And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." (2 Kings 6:17-20)
Many religious leaders are blind leaders of the blind, and make void the revelation of the Word of God from the traditions of men, preferring tradition over a direct heavenly revelation. Nevertheless, scripture indeed does forbid communication with spirits of the dead, so how does one distinguish a lower order spirit from an angel? It is very simple: lower order spirits have a tendency to express a belief in reincarnation, and will deny the Divinity of Jesus Christ. The revelations given to Swedenborg clearly deny reincarnation, explaining its origin from shared memory, and expressly states that Jesus is Jehovah in human form. Are we to believe that the Devil wishes to deceive the world by declaring that Jesus is Divine, and should be worshipped? The accusation is ridiculous: no evil spirit can confirm Jesus as Lord, which Swedenborg also confirmed from his own experience.
Swedenborg was allowed to explore the realms of heaven and hell, and in the process did interact with many angels, spirits, and demons. All of this was to provide knowledge of the afterlife, and a more complete revelation of scripture. Nevertheless, in all that he wrote Swedenborg was guided by the Lord alone, and was protected from following any false doctrine from a spirit or angel:
"Whenever there was any representation, vision, and discourse, I was kept interiorly and intimately in reflection upon it, as to what thence was useful and good, thus what I might learn therefrom; which reflection was not thus attended to by those who presented the representations and visions, and who spoke; yea, sometimes they were indignant when they perceived that I was reflecting. Thus have I been instructed; consequently by no spirit, nor by any angel, but by the Lord alone, from whom is all truth and good; yea, when they wished to instruct me concerning various things, there was scarcely anything but what was false: wherefore I was prohibited from believing anything that they spoke; nor was I permitted to infer any such thing as was proper to them [or akin to their proprium]. Besides, when they wished to persuade me, I perceived an interior or intimate persuasion that the thing was so and so, and not as they wished; which also they wondered at; the perception was manifest, but cannot be easily described to the apprehension of men." (n. 1647)
Swedenborg was given an interior perception of the truth from the Lord, and thus spirits were unable to deceive him:
"It has been granted me to perceive their nature by an interior sense, so that they could by no means deceive me." (n. 131)
With this information the reader should judge the truth of the matter by examining the writings themselves, and comparing them with scripture. Indeed, in most every statement Swedenborg makes he confirms the doctrines from scripture, which can be seen in his published theological works in The Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem: Expanded Edition.
On the opposite side of the spectrum of the older Christian churches who are stuck in their traditions there are spiritualists who seek answers from channeling spirits and not from scripture. Swedenborg confirms that without being under the guidance of the Lord, and in the truth faith, it is dangerous for one's vision to be opened to the spiritual world:
"I spoke with spirits, and it was granted to perceive in spiritual idea that it is most dangerous for any learned person, who is imbued with phantasies, to be able to speak with spirits, or any revelation disclosed to them, and this for many reasons." (n. 3060)
What dangers are there? One's conscience can be opened to such a state as to see one's own sinfulness, and one could be "liable to be tormented with remorse of conscience even unto death" (n. 1959). Thus repentance as to one's life is a necessary first step in any spiritual development. Opening up one's vision too early opens up one to attack from evil spirits, bringing one to a state similar to psychosis. These disorders of the mind originate from evil spirits, yet those in a life according to the true faith are protected:
"WHY SPIRITS DO NOT MANIFEST THEMSELVES BEFORE MEN, AND INSTRUCT MEN CONCERNING THE EXISTENCE AND QUALITY OF SPIRITS.
"There are very many causes which are in the Lord's secret and sanctuary, why such things do not exist. It is permitted to relate only that they cannot be manifested to a man who is not in the knowledges of true faith, because the Lord can thus be present, and take care that spirits, inasmuch as they fly around in troops and squadrons, and desire nothing else than to pervert man, yea, kill him, may not bring harm to man, as regards his body and soul; for when it is allowed them to manifest themselves, then they also operate to the manifest sense, upon the ideas and will of man. It is different with those who are in the knowledges of true faith. The Lord then takes care that such things may not be brought on man." (n. 2393)
Among other reasons why one should not seek answers from channeling spirits, is that many spirits contacted in this matter either tend to be habitual liars, or freely provide information on matters that they do not even know:
"When spirits begin to speak with man, he must beware lest he believe them in anything; for they say almost anything; things are fabricated by them, and they lie; for if they were permitted to relate what heaven is, and how things are in the heavens, they would tell so many lies, and indeed with solemn affirmation, that man would be astonished; wherefore, when spirits were speaking, I was not permitted to have faith in the things which they related. ...For they are extremely fond of fabricating: and whenever any subject of discourse is proposed, they think that they know it, and give their opinions one after another, one in one way, and another in another, altogether as if they knew; and if man then listens and believes, they press on, and deceive, and seduce in divers ways: for example, if they were permitted to tell about things to come, about things unknown in the universal heaven, about all things whatsoever that man desires, yet [they would tell] all the things falsely from themselves; wherefore let men beware lest they believe them. On this account the state of speaking with spirits on this earth is most perilous, unless one is in true faith." (n. 1622)
Thus the condemnation of spiritualism, or the more modern practice of channeling, is quite explicit throughout the revelations given to Emanuel Swedenborg. These sources of information should be read with discernment, which is near impossible without knowledges of the true faith.
Such spiritual matters are probably considered of no account to those who are materialists. Others may choose to be agnostic, waiting to see what happens after they die. But Swedenborg states that those who are agnostic in this life tend to be agnostic in the next, and stay in the state of their will when they died:
"The majority of these are such as have thought in the world, when they heard from preaching, or came into any thought from the speech of another, and seem to be vanquished by some reason which they cannot gainsay that, whether it is or is not, true, they do not know; whether there is a God, whether there is a heaven, whether there is faith, whether such things as belong to the Church; [saying to themselves] "I might easily believe them if I were to see them in another life - if I come thither;" supposing that they will believe if they see for certain, or hear for certain. But this by no means happens. They who have not faith when in the world do not have faith in the other life. I have spoken with such ones; and they were convicted of being in error. They seized upon the truth. And, when they turned the face to me, they believe. But, immediately they turn themselves to their own loves, or turn themselves away from me and to themselves, then they are instantly in the like faith to that in which they were in the world, and altogether against those things which they have heard. Nor are they any longer able to be led to the truths of faith; for the whole interior intellectual life is from their principles: wherefore, [to be so led] would be to destroy that life." (n. 4722m)
Another argument should be considered, that some may say everything has already been revealed in scripture itself, and that nothing more needs to be known. To these people Swedenborg said the following:
"I also spoke concerning those in the world who will simply say that they have the Word and have no need for a [new] revelation, thus rejecting these things which come out of heaven and descend; when nevertheless it here treats of the genuine sense and understanding of the Word and the quality of faith, and many further things which specifically concern the state of those in the other life. For the Word in the ultimate or literal sense simply mentions hell and heaven, with damnation in hell, and felicity in heaven, and yet there are indefinite things in both the one and the other; wherefore the objection that they may have this knowledge only from things revealed is of no avail. For it is also well known that anyone is able to take something from the Word and interpret it according to his own opinions, as long as he adheres to the letter only; and he explains it as he chooses in the interior sense, as can be evident from many things." (n. 1464)
The Spiritual Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg provides a direct account of Swedenborg's experiences, much of which was systematically presented alongside the explanation of the spiritual sense of scripture in his published theological works, for which see The Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem: Expanded Edition. A lot of material was never published and can only be found in this Diary. What is left is for any who seeks to know, to determine the truth of the matter for themselves by reading the revelations that were given, to obtain a deeper understanding of scripture, and from there a reformation of one's life according to this new revelation.


SAMPLE INDEX: TOPICS CONCERNING HEAVEN

From the Spiritual Diary, here is a sample index entry concerning heaven:

Heaven, Heavenly.
The instruction of infants in heaven, 168.
Heavenly food is wisdom, and drink intelligence, 170.
Gentiles, or the uninstructed, come into heaven more easily than the instructed, 204.
How heaven is affected by true faith, 239.
The gentiles, or uninstructed, and the instructed, in their relations to heaven, 214.
The ultimate heaven, i.e. "the former," and sirens there, 240.
The heaven of ignorance, 266.
The ineffableness of heavenly joy, 269.
Societies in an exterior heaven where they think they are in a kind of earthly paradise, 275.
The arrangement of the societies in the exterior heaven, 278.
Why the sphere, the vortices, and the societies of heaven, correspond to the parts of man, 279.
Societies in an exterior heaven where they think they build cities, and give them away, 280.
Swedenborg, on coming into a certain society of an exterior heaven, experienced a sensation of heat in the feet and loins: what this signified, 283.
Heavenly joy, 288.
Angels transferred from an exterior to an interior heaven, and their great happiness thereat, 293.
Spirits raised from the lower earth, or pit, into the exterior, and even interior heaven, 297-9.
In the interior heaven, the delight and happiness are ineffable, 301.
The inmost angels are as pivots or centres, like the stars in the heavens, 303.
The mind falls from hearers when it is in worldly things, 304.
The central or pivotal angels are numerous in every heaven, 305.
The feelings of some on being raised up into an interior heaven, 307.
Spirits recently arrived in the other life can be admitted into the interior heaven, but only temporarily, and under the protection of an angelic sphere, 313.
The least degree of heavenly happiness far exceeds the greatest happiness of man in the world, 314.
Heavenly happiness unendurable to man in the world, 314.
How manifest man's thoughts and ideas are in heaven, and how plainly they are there seen to flow into him, and lead him to speak, 315.
Evil spirits can enter heaven, and be among the angels, 316.
Man's resurrection and introduction into heaven are of the Lord's love and mercy alone, 322.
Jealousy in its origin, and as it exists with infants, is delightful and heavenly, 331.
Even passions and lusts are from a heavenly origin, and flow in through heaven, 331.
The marvellous effect produced in heaven by the reading of the Psalms by man, 335.
Spiritual and celestial knowledges when received in the faith, and engaging the thought of man, affect the whole angelic heavens with delight, 336.
Mohammedans who desired a heaven in which the Lord did not reign, 339.
Mohammed and Mohammedan heaven, 344-6.
Only Mohammedan infants pass at once into the angelic heaven, not the boys and girls, 347.
The indefinite variety that exists in the angelic heaven, 348-9.
Even the least things are displayed to the light in the heavens, 350-1.
Heaven a communion of joys, 359-60.
The heavenly form is such that there is intercommunication of delights and happiness among all in it, 359-60.
Immortality, though characteristic of the hearenly state, is from the Lord alone, 362.
The conatus or effort to act of the heavens is what holds all things together, 369.
Those who, in the world, desire to become greatest in heaven, and to rule over all, become devils, 371.
External joy, as if heavenly, but nevertheless impure, can be induced on man, 379.
One, Abraham, learns experimentally the evanescence of delights not truly heavenly, 379.
A certain external delight, which they call heavenly, is enjoyed even by the wicked, 381.
The Word when read penetrates into the heavens, and into the interiors and inmosts of spirits and angels, 382-3.
All things on earth are representative of heavenly things, and as it were the effect of spiritual things, 396.
Those who after instruction refuse to acknowledge the Lord are rejected from heaven, 408.
The many modes by which heaven is purified of those who are not angels, but have obtained admission, 409-11.
This Abraham's place no more found in heaven, 411.
The words of speech are incapable of expressing anything in the third heaven, 412.
Certain stars cast down from heaven, 417.
Certain spirits who seem to themselves to carry their children in their arms to show to the Lord of heaven, 419.
Those who inquire for Peter in order to be admitted by him into heaven, 421.
Spirits are led to knowledges, and prepared for heaven by means of whatever phantasies they have, 426.
Spirits who are prepared for heaven in sleep, and are vastated by means of dreams, 427.
The numberless varieties of heavenly pleasures and delights, 428.
Spurious heavenly pleasures can be infused by devils, 429.
The kind of objects in the "ultimate angelic heaven," and the kind of happiness of those there, 438.
When good spirits, who have been raised into an interior heaven, return, they seem to themselves to have been in a delicious dream, 456.
The "heaven, of spirits," 458-9.
The stars, a third part of which the dragon drew down from hearen, 466-7.
A state of heavenly peace and happiness, 465.
Three primates who were thrust down from heaven, 476.
The dragon that invaded heaven, 487.
Heaven, as the Lord's body, or Grand Man, 499-500.
The dragon and the stars have been cast down from heaven towards hell: what the dragon tried to do there, 501.
How the spirits of Mohammed are prepared for heaven, 512-4.
The Jovian or Jupiterian angels and heavens, 525.
The Jupiterian heaven is separate from ours, and larger, 552.
A general glorification in singing, by the whole heaven, at once, 608.
The sense of the letter of the Word does not penetrate to heaven, 612.
Spirits who are very high up in the [artificial] heavens, 639-40.
The state of the heavens prior to the first advent, 672-3.
The admission of spirits and a society of spirits into an exterior heaven, 697-706.
Heaven can never be filled, consequently will not be closed to eternity, 702-5.
The great joy of those who are received into heaven, and the paradisiacal loveliness they find there, 709-14.
The casting forth of evil spirits who endeavour by deceit to insinuate themselves into heaven, 715-6.
The situation of the heaven of spirits in the spiritual world, 717.
How the cherishing of filthy loves by spirits is sometimes manifested to them in the heaven of spirits, 1080-2.
Certain rainbow-like decorations which appear in the heaven of good spirits, 1087.
There are evil spirits who cannot be distinguished by the smoothly flowing character of their speech from heavenly spirits, 1168-74.
A tumult in the heaven of spirits arising from differences of opinion respecting truths, and what the truths were, 1316-32.
The heaven of spirits not yet in order, 1341.
The desire and pursuit of honour from men is not heavenly, 780-1.
A spirit who besought Swedenborg to intercede for him that he might go into heaven, 872-4.
The speech of the angels of the exterior heaven, 894-5.
Why evil spirits are sometimes permitted to enter heaven, 1085.
On being first let into heaven, spirits progress from one society to another in order, 1125-6a.
A disturbance in an exterior heaven, 1185-9.
The inmost heaven, 1200.
The vastation punishments of those who assume hypotheses in spiritual and heavenly things, and confirm them by reasonings, 1467-9.
Some spirits are carried into heaven for a short time, and then let down again, 1511.
The various ways in which the Lord is acknowledged in the heavens, 1534-8.
How representations descend from heaven among spirits, 1575-8.
Some in heaven call our earth a putrid well, 1588.
Spirits when taken up into heaven, appear to be taken away from those with whom they were before: illustrated in Swedenborg's case, 1593.
An execrable rabble roving through heaven, 1594-1601.
No one in heaven takes any credit to himself from the teaching and conversion of others, 1643-4.
The Lord knows and arranges all things, even the least, in the whole heaven, and in all earths, 1758-60.
How those spirits are represented who think heaven is to be obtained by humiliations and supplications in prayers, 1850-1.
Neither men nor spirits know even the most general things in the heavens, 1892-3.
The opening of heaven to spirit or to man fraught with danger, 1961.
Those spirits whose anxiety it is to get into heaven, 1962.
The external senses are successively put off as heaven is entered, 1989.
A spirit who was distressed by his anxiety to get into heaven., 2049-50.
A spirit who was lifted np and carried off to heaven, 2061.
The harmonies of the interior heaven are from the more interior states, and come from the Lord, 2115-8.
The delights of good spirits, and of the angels of the interior heaven, 2160.
The Lord provides, sees, perceives and rules all things in heaven and on earth, 2163-5.
The diffusion of the universals of the thought in the world of spirits and in heaven, 2174.
Things spoken in heaven, fall, with men, into things which correspond, 2180c.
The degrees among angels in the interior heaven, 2491.
Certain spirits who, being in faith, were raised up into heaven, 2258.
Material ideas cannot be taken into heaven, nor understood by the angels there, 2285-6.
A conversation with spirits about heaven, 2330-1.
All in the heavens have, in their condition, the greatest joy, 2513.
No angel desires a higher heaven than the Lord deems fitting, 2517-20.
How the representations in the world of spirits flow in from heaven, 2550-6.
How the interior things in heaven are related to such as can reach man's apprehension, 2561-2.
It often happens that spirits are expelled from heaven, 2600.
Those who in any manner wish to merit heaven, put themselves far from heaven, 2652-54.
The varieties of felicities in the heavens, 2720.
The wonderful circulation of ideas in heaven, 2728-31.
A comparison of spiritual and celestial things iu the world of spirits and heaven, with the atmospheres and waters, 2810.
The joy of felicity in heaven that they have who glorify the Lord, 3029.
Those who wish to enter into heaven, when yet they are not in the love of the neighbour, 3061.
Those who are esteemed most learned in the world, and seemed to the world the most enlightened in the Word, have conceived a false idea respecting heaven, 3062.
The greatest in heaven is he who is least, 3120.
In all things of the world of spirits and heaven an equilibrium exists, 3168.
Heaven, that it may be closed, 3208.
The rainbow heaven, 3213.
The influx of men's thoughts into heaven, 254.
He who desires more heavenly joy than he ought, is a cupidity, 3310.
A certain one amongst the wisest of the world; what was his idea concerning heavenly joy, 3348.
How heaven is represented, 3398.
The general law of heaven, 3427.
The Lord alone does everything in the heavens and on earth from His omnipotence. That the evil were above, 3934.
The notion of love and of heaven, 3945-46.
The moon in heaven, 4219.
Heaven and heavenly joy, that some supposed it could be bestowed upon everyone, 4260.
How the case is with representatives and correspondences in heaven, illustrated by the correspondence of knowledge with eating, 4295-6.
licaren and hell, 4593.
The hell of those who are opposed to the inmost of heavenly love, 4636.
Heaven and the sun there, 4639-40.
Heaven with man, 4644-6.
The manner in which some gentiles, from Asiatic regions, make investigation as to whether they are tending towards heaven or hell, 4652.
The heaven of rustics, 4655.
The state of those who are in hell, in respect to those who are in heaven, 4659-60.
Heaven, 4669.
Heaven, and the Word, 4670-1.
The celestial heaven, and the doors there, 4674-6.
The equilibrium between heaven and hell, 4682m.
The light and heat in which heaven is, 4682m..
The communication of heaven with hell, 4684m.
Of those who are in heaven, that the more interior the good in man, the better and more beautiful it is, 4688.
Intelligence and perception in heaven, 4691-2.
Heaven and hell, 4693-8.
Those who believe that heaven is bestowed out of mercy, 4700.
Those who are in intellectual perception, and, as it were, in the light of heaven, and yet are evil, 4741m.
Concerning him who came to the feast or heaven, without a wedding garment, and was cast down, 4751m.
The heavenly marriage and the infernal marriage, 4768.
In heaven there is no joy apart from use, 4773m.
The supplications of the good are heard in heaven as loud cries, and those of the evil in hell, 4821-2.
Heaven, 4826.
Turning to the Lord, and turning from the Lord. Heaven, 4850.
Spiritual generation, as it were, of races and families: thus concerning heaven with man, 4864.
Heaven, 4865-71.
The heavens and a description thereof, 4894-99.
Total devastation (Charles XII.), 4900.
Elevation to heaven by means of phantasies, 4905-6.
Continuation concerning the heavens and the hells, 4907-8.
The heavens, 4923.
Heaven and those who are in faith separate, 4924.
Continuation concerning heaven and the Last Judgment, 4930-2.
Heaven and the Last Judgment, 4944-5.
The Divine Human of the Lord in the heavens from this earth, 5032-3.
Heaven, 5179-83.
Heaven is not a place, but a state of life, 5125.
Heaven and hell, 5148-9.
Heaven cannot be opened to the inhabitants of this earth, 5151.
Heaven and the love of wisdom of those who are there, 5152-4.
Heaven and its joy, 5155-60.
The state of the lowest heaven, 5172-6.
Reflections in the heavens, thus concerning the state of the life of those there, 5177-8.
Continuation concerning the Last Judgment and the destruction of heaven and earth, 5202-3.
The form of heaven and the situation of the peoples and nations there, 5240-8.
The destruction of the old heaven, or the changes there, 5377-5404.
The mountain where the Jews are, and about miracles by means of the Heavenly Doctrine, 5413-20.
The new heaven and the new earth, 5515-18a.
The state of those who are in heaven and in hell, and of those who are not yet vastated, 5527-31.
About heaven, 5546.
Heaven in general and its degrees, 5547-53.
About books and the Word in heaven, 5561-3.
About speech and wisdom in heaven, 5564-66a.
About numbers in heaven, 5571.
How they are admonished in the heavens as to whether their interiors are in a good state, 5601.
About books and the Word in the other life in heaven, 5602-6.
Heaven, 5643-4.
How maidens are educated in the other life and in heaven, 5660-7.
Man at this day does not believe heavenly things, if he thinks about those things which are there, or when they are directly under his observation, 5678-87.
Real appearances in the other life, from comparisons.
Heaven, 5774.
Heaven answers to one man, 5775.
Heaven, 5776.
The state of evil spirits; also influx. Heaven and hell, 5778.
The situation of those who are in the lower earth and in the heavens, 5779-83.
Appearance in the heavens, 5784.
Those who are cast down out of the heavens: Babylon. The former heaven, 5786-92c.
What it is to live as a Christian. That it is not difficult in the Heavenly Doctrine, as it was in Babylon destroyed, 5793-7.
The way which leads to heaven is the same way, as far as the corner-stone, as that which leads to hell, 5798.
The arrangement of the heavens in order. The Last Judgment, 5821.
Those who are in faith alone and not iu life-of what quality they are in heaven, 5827.
Those who are cast down from on high and from heaven, 5831.
How that which is from heaven is received by those of the Church at the present day, 5931.
Signs of the conjunction of a man with heaven, 5933.
Influx of the Word into heaven, and communication with the gentiles, 5947.
The Word in heaven, 5964-65.
The speech of the third heaven, 6084.

So there you have it. Everything you wanted to know about heaven and were afraid to ask. Or did not even think to ask. Or you had no one who could answer the question.





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