102. It was related to me by angels of heaven that there was a Word among the Ancients written by pure correspondences, but that it was lost; and I was told that it is still preserved among them, and is in use among the Ancients in their heaven who had that Word when they were in the world. Those Ancients, among whom that Word is still in use in heaven, were in part from the land of Canaan and from its neighbouring countries, as Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia, Chaldea, Assyria, Egypt, Sidon, Tyre and Nineveh. The inhabitants of all these kingdoms were in representative worship, and consequently were versed in the science of correspondences. The wisdom of that time was derived from that science, and by its means they had interior perception and communication with the heavens. Those who had an interior knowledge of the correspondences of that Word were called wise and intelligent, but in later times, diviners and magi.
[2] But because that Word was full of such correspondences as remotely signified celestial and spiritual things and consequently began to be falsified by many, therefore of the Lord's Divine Providence it gradually disappeared in course of time, and at length was lost; and another Word was given, written by correspondences not so remote; and this was given through the Prophets among the Children of Israel. In this Word, however, there were retained many names of places in the land of Canaan and in parts of Asia round about; and in this Word they signify the same things as in the Ancient Word. It was for this reason that Abram was commanded to go to that land, and that his posterity from Jacob were introduced into it.
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