Swedenborg, on Time and State

From the Project Gutenberg copy

154. XVII. CHANGES OF STATE OF THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN.

By changes of state of angels their changes in respect to love and
faith, and wisdom and intelligence therefrom, are meant, thus their
changes in respect to states of life. States are predicated of life
and of what belongs to life; and as angelic life is a life of love
and faith, and of wisdom and intelligence therefrom, states are
predicated of these and are called states of love and faith, and
states of wisdom and intelligence. How with angels these states are
changed shall now be told.


155. Angels are not constantly in the same state in respect to love,
and in consequence in the same state in respect to wisdom; for all
their wisdom is from their love and in accordance with their love.
Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state
of love not so intense. The state decreases by degrees from its
greatest degree to its least. When in their greatest degree of love
they are in the light and warmth of their life, or in a clear and
delightful state; but in their least degree they are in shade and
cold, or in an obscure and undelightful state. From this last state
they return again to the first, and so on, these alternations
following one after another with variety. There is a sequence of
these states like the varied states of light and shade, or of heat
and cold, or like morning, noon, evening, and night, day after day in
the world, with unceasing variety throughout the year. There is also
a correspondence, morning corresponding to the state of their love in
its clearness, noon to the state of their wisdom in its clearness,
evening to the state of their wisdom in its obscurity, and night to a
state of no love or wisdom. But it must be understood that there is
no correspondence of night with the states of life of those in
heaven, although there is what corresponds to the dawn that precedes
morning; what corresponds to night is with those in hell.{1} From
this correspondence "day" and "year" signify in the Word states of
life in general; "heat" and "light" signify love and wisdom;
"morning" the first and highest degree of love "noon" wisdom in its
light; "evening" wisdom in its shade; "dawn" the obscurity that
precedes the morning; and "night" the absence of love and wisdom.{2}

 156. Together with the state of the angels' interiors which pertain
to their love and wisdom, the states of various things that are
outside of them and that they see with their eyes are changed; for
the things outside of them take on an appearance that is in accord
with the things within them. But what things these are, and what kind
of things they are, shall be told presently in the chapter on
Representatives and Appearances in Heaven.


157. Every angel undergoes and passes through such changes of state,
and also every society in general, and yet each one differently, for
the reason that they differ in love and wisdom, those in the middle
being in a more perfect state than those round about even to the
circumference (see above, n. 43, 128). But it would be tedious to
specify the differences, since the changes each one undergoes are in
accord with the quality of his love and faith. From this it happens
that while one may be in clearness and delight another may be in
obscurity and lack of delight, and this at the same time within the
same society. So, too, the state differs in different societies; it
is different in the societies of the celestial kingdom from what it
is in those of the spiritual kingdom. These differences in the
changes of state are in general like the variations of the states of
days in different climates on the earth, for with some it is morning
when with others it is evening, and with some it is hot when with
others it is cold.


158. I have been taught from heaven why there are such changes of
state there. The angels said that there are many reasons-first, the
delight of life and of heaven, which they have from love and wisdom
from the Lord, would gradually lose its value if they were in it
continually, as happens with those that are in allurements and
pleasures without variety. A second reason is that angels, as well as
men, have what is their own [proprium], which is loving self; and all
that are in heaven are withheld from what is their own, and so far as
they are withheld from it by the Lord are in love and wisdom; but so
far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self; and
because everyone loves what is his own and is drawn by it{1} they
have changes of state or successive alternations. A third reason is
that they are in this way perfected, for they thus become accustomed
to being held in love to the Lord and withheld from love of self;
also that by alternations between delight and lack of delight the
perception and sense of good becomes more exquisite.{2} The angels
added that their changes of state are not caused by the Lord, since
the Lord as a sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that
is, with love and wisdom; but the cause is in themselves, in that
they love what is their own, and this continually leads them away.
This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, that
the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold and of light and
shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun, since it
stands unchanged, but the cause is in the earth.

159. I have been shown how the Lord as a sun appears to the angels of
the celestial kingdom in their first state, in their second state,
and in their third state. I saw the Lord as a sun, at first glowing
and brilliant with a splendor that cannot be described; and I was
told that such is the appearance of the Lord as a sun to the angels
in their first state. Afterwards there appeared a great obscure belt
about the sun, and by this its first glow and brilliancy, which gave
it such splendor, began to be dulled, and I was told that such is the
appearance of the sun to them in their second state. Then the belt
seemed by degrees to grow darker, and the sun to appear less glowing,
and this by degrees until at length it took on a shining whiteness;
and I was told that such is the appearance of the sun to them in
their third state. After this, that shining whiteness was seen to
move to the left towards the moon of heaven, and to add itself to her
light; and in consequence the moon shone forth with unwonted
splendor; and I was told that such is the fourth state of those in
the celestial kingdom and the first state of those in the spiritual
kingdom, and that in both kingdoms changes of state have such
alternations; yet not in the whole kingdom at once, but in one
society after another. Furthermore, I was told that these
alternations are not fixed, but come upon them sooner or later
without their knowledge. And it was added that the sun in itself is
not thus changed or moved; but it takes on this appearance in accord
with their successive progressions of state, since the Lord appears
to everyone in accord with what his state is, thus glowing when one
is in intense love and less glowing and finally shining white as his
love subsides; and the quality of each one's state was represented by
the obscure belt that induced upon the sun these apparent variations
in its glow and light.


160. When angels are in the last of these states, which is when they
are in what is their own, they begin to be sad. I have talked with
them when they were in that state and have seen their sadness; but
they said that they hoped to return soon to their former state, and
thus into heaven again, as it were; for to them it is heaven to be
withheld from what is their own.


161. There are also changes of state in the hells, but these will be
described later when hell is treated of.


162. XVIII. TIME IN HEAVEN.

Although there is a succession and a progression of all things in
heaven, as in the world, yet angels have no notion or idea of time
and space; and this so completely that they do not even know at all
what time and space are. Time in heaven will here be considered, and
space in its own chapter.


163. Angels do not know what time is, although with them there is a
successive progression of all things, as there is in the world, and
this so completely that there is no difference whatever; and the
reason is that in heaven instead of years and days there are changes
of state; and where there are years and days there are times, but
where there are changes of state there are states.


164. In the world there are times because the sun of the world
seemingly advances in succession from one degree to another,
producing times that are called seasons of the year; and besides, it
revolves about the earth, producing times that are called times of
day; both of these by fixed alternations. With the sun of heaven it
is different. This does not mark years and days by successive
progressions and revolutions, but in its appearance it marks changes
of state; and this, as has been shown in the preceding chapter, is
not done by fixed alternations. Consequently no idea of time is
possible to angels; but in its place they have an idea of state (see
above n. 154).


165. As angels have no idea derived from time, such as men in the
world have, so neither do they have any idea about time and what
pertains to it. They do not even know what is meant by the terms of
time, such as year, month, week, day, hour, to-day, to-morrow,
yesterday. When angels hear these terms used by man (for angels are
always associated with man by the Lord) in place of them they
perceive state and what pertains to states. Thus the natural thought
of man is turned into spiritual thought with angels. This is why
times in the Word signify states, and the terms of time, as
enumerated above, signify corresponding spiritual things.

166. The like is true of all things that exist from time, as the four
seasons of the year, called spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the
four periods of the day, morning, noon, evening, and night; and the
four ages of man, infancy, youth, manhood, and old age; and all other
things that either exist from time or have a succession in accordance
with time. In thinking of these a man thinks from time, but an angel
from state; and in consequence what there is in them from time with
man is with the angels turned into an idea of state. Spring and
morning are turned into an idea of the state of love and wisdom such
as they are in angels in their first state; summer and noon are
turned into an idea of love and wisdom such as they are in the second
state; autumn and evening such as they are in the third state; night
and winter into an idea of such a state as exists in hell. This is
why these periods have a like significance in the Word (see above,
n. 155). This makes clear how natural things in the thought of man
become spiritual with the angels who are with man.


167. As angels have no notion of time so they have an idea of
eternity different from that which men on the earth have. Eternity
means to the angels infinite state, not infinite time.{1} I was once
thinking about eternity, and was able, with the idea of time, to
perceive what to eternity means, namely, without end, but not what
from eternity means, thus not what God did from eternity before
creation. When anxiety on this account arose in my mind I was raised
up into the sphere of heaven, and thus into the perception that
angels have in respect to eternity; and it was then made clear to me
that eternity must be thought of, not from time but from state; and
then the meaning of from eternity can be seen. This then happened to
me.

168. When angels speak with men they never express themselves in
natural ideas proper to man, all of which are from time, space,
matter, and things analogous thereto, but in spiritual ideas, all of
which are from states and their various changes within the angels and
outside of them. Nevertheless, when these angelic ideas, which are
spiritual, flow into men, they are turned in a moment and of
themselves into natural ideas proper to man, that correspond
perfectly to the spiritual ideas. Neither angels nor men know that
this takes place; but such is all influx of heaven into man. Certain
angels were permitted to enter more nearly into my thoughts, even
into the natural thoughts in which there were many things from time
and space; but as they then understood nothing they suddenly
withdrew; and after they had withdrawn I heard them talking, and
saying that they had been in darkness. [2] It has been granted me to
know by experience how ignorant the angels are about time. There was
a certain one from heaven who was able to enter into natural ideas,
such as man has; and after he had done this I talked with him as man
with man. At first he did not know what it was that I called time,
and I was therefore obliged to tell him all about it, how the sun
appears to be carried about our earth, and to produce years and days,
and how years are thereby divided into four seasons, and also into
months and weeks, and days into twenty-four hours; and how these
times recur by fixed alternations, and how this is the source of
times. On hearing this he was surprised, saying that he knew nothing
about such things, but only what states are. [3] In speaking with him
I added that it is known in the world, for men speak as if they knew
that there is no time in heaven, saying of those who die that they
"leave the things of time," and that they "pass out of time," meaning
by this out of the world. I said also that some know that times in
their origin are states, for they know that times are in exact accord
with the states of their affections, short to those who are in
pleasant and joyous states, long to those who are in unpleasant and
sorrowful states, and various in a state of hope and expectation; and
this therefore leads learned men to inquire what time and space are,
and some know that time belongs to the natural man.


169. The natural man might think that he would be deprived of all
thought if the ideas of time, space, and material things were taken
away; for upon these all the thought of man rests.{1} But let him
know that so far as thoughts partake of time, space, and matter they
are limited and confined, but are unlimited and extended so far as
they do not partake of these, since the mind is in that measure
raised above bodily and worldly things. This is the source of wisdom
to the angels; and such wisdom as is called incomprehensible, because
it does not fall into ideas that are wholly made up of what is
material.

170. XIX. REPRESENTATIVES AND APPEARANCES IN HEAVEN.

The man who thinks from natural light alone is unable to comprehend
that there is any thing in heaven like what is in the world; and for
the reason that from natural light he has previously thought, and
established himself in the idea, that angels are nothing but minds,
and that minds are like ethereal breaths, having no senses like those
of men, thus no eyes, and if no eyes no objects of sight; and yet the
angels have every sense that a man has, and far more exquisite
senses; and the light by which angels see is far brighter than the
light by which man sees. That angels are men in the most complete
form, and enjoy every sense, may be seen above (n. 73-77); and that
the light in heaven is far brighter than the light in the world (n.
126-132).


171. The nature of the objects that are visible to angels in heaven
cannot be described in a few words. For the most part they are like
things on earth, but in form far more perfect, and in number more
abundant. That such things exist in the heavens is evident from
things seen by the prophets,--as by Ezekiel in relation to the new
temple and the new earth (as described from chaps. 40 to 48); by
Daniel (from chap. 7 to 12); by John (from the first chapter of the
Apocalypse to the last); and by others, as described both in the
historic and the prophetic part of the Word. These things were seen
by them when heaven was open to them, and heaven is said to be opened
when the interior sight, which is the sight of man's spirit, is
opened. For what is in the heavens cannot be seen by the eyes of a
man's body, but are seen by the eyes of his spirit; and when it seems
good to the Lord these are opened, and man is then withdrawn from the
natural light that he is in from the bodily senses and is raised up
into spiritual light, which he is in from his spirit. In that light
the things in heaven have been seen by me.


172. But although the things seen in heaven are in large part like
those on the earth, in essence they are unlike them; for the things
in heaven come forth from the sun of heaven, and those on the earth
from the sun of the world. The things that come forth from the sun of
heaven are called spiritual; those that come forth from the sun of
the world are called natural.


173. The things that come forth in heaven do not come forth in the
same manner as those on the earth. All things in heaven come forth
from the Lord in correspondence with the interiors of the angels. For
angels have both interiors and exteriors. All things in their
interiors have relation to love and faith, thus to the will and
understanding, since the will and understanding are their
receptacles; while their exteriors correspond to their interiors.
That exterior things correspond to interior things may be seen above
(n. 87-115). This is illustrated by what has been said above about
the heat and light of heaven, that angels have heat in accordance
with the quality of their love, and light in accordance with the
quality of their wisdom (n. 128-134). The like is true of all other
things that present themselves to the senses of angels.


174. When I have been permitted to be in company with angels, the
things there appeared precisely the same as those in the world; and
so plainly that I would not have known that I was not in the world
and in a king's palace. I also talked with the angels as man with
man.


175. As all things that correspond to interiors also represent them
they are called representatives; and as they differ in each case in
accordance with the state of the interiors they are called
appearances. Nevertheless, the things that appear before the eyes of
angels in heaven and are perceived by their senses appear to their
eyes and senses as fully living as things on earth appear to man, and
even much more clearly, distinctly and perceptibly. Appearances from
this source in heaven are called real appearances, because they have
real existence. There are appearances also that are not real, which
are things that become visible, but do not correspond to
interiors.{1} These will be treated of further on.

 Swedenborg, Heaven and Hell, pages 168-175