23. The idolatries of nations in ancient times arose from a knowledge of correspondences because all things that appear on the earth have a correspondence, as trees, cattle and birds of every kind, also fishes and all other things. The ancients who had a knowledge of correspondences made for themselves images corresponding to heavenly things, and they took delight in them because they signified things of heaven and consequently of the Church. These images, therefore, they set up, not only in their temples but also in their homes, not to worship them but that they might remind them of the heavenly thing which they signified. Thus, in Egypt and elsewhere there were effigies of calves, oxen, serpents, also children, old men and virgins; because calves and oxen signified the affections and powers of the natural man; serpents, the prudence of the sensual man; children, innocence and charity; old men, wisdom; and virgins, affections of truth; and so on. When, however, the knowledge of correspondences was lost, their posterity began to worship as holy, and at length as deities, the images and likenesses set up by the ancients, because these were in and about their temples.
[2] So, too, with other nations; as with the Philistines in Ashdod, where Dagon was worshipped, concerning which see 1 Samuel v 1 to the end. This image in the upper part was like a man, and in the lower part like a fish, and was so devised because a man signifies intelligence and a fish knowledge; and these make one. On account of their knowledge of correspondences also the ancients worshipped in gardens and groves, according to the different kinds of trees growing in them, and also on mountains and hills; because gardens and groves signified wisdom and intelligence, and every tree something that had relation to these. Thus, the olive signified the good of love; the vine, truth from that good; the cedar, rational good and truth; while a mountain signified the highest heaven, and a hill, the heaven beneath it.
[3] The knowledge of correspondences remained among many eastern nations even until the Coming of the Lord. This may be seen from the story of the wise men from the East, who came to the Lord at His nativity.
A star went before them, and they brought with them gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matt. ii 1, 2, 9-11.
For the star which went before them signified knowledge from heaven; gold, celestial good; frankincense, spiritual good; and myrrh, natural good; and from these three all worship proceeds.
[4] Still there was no knowledge whatever of correspondences among the Israelitish and Jewish nation, although all the particulars of their worship, all the judgments and statutes given to them through Moses, and everything contained in the Word were pure correspondences. The reason of this was that they were at heart idolaters and of such a nature that they were not even willing to know that any part of their worship had a celestial and spiritual meaning; for they desired that all those things and things connected with them should be holy of themselves. If, therefore, the celestial and spiritual things had been revealed to them, they would not only have rejected, but would even have profaned them. For this reason heaven was so closed to them that they hardly knew that there was a life eternal. That such was the case is very evident from the fact that they did not acknowledge the Lord, although the whole Sacred Scripture prophesied concerning Him, and foretold Him. They rejected Him for the sole reason that He taught them about a heavenly and not about an earthly kingdom; for they desired a Messiah who should exalt them above all the nations in the whole world, and not one who should make their eternal salvation His chief regard. Moreover, they declare that the Word contains within itself many arcana,* which they term mystic; but they have no desire to know that these relate to the Lord. They are, however, willing to know when it is said that they relate to gold. * Arcanum (plur. arcana), what is shut up, enclosed, from arceo to shut up, and arca, an ark, chest, or box. Usual connotation, hidden things.
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