[2] It is said that the two witnesses are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands (which are however four), because two signifies conjunction and thence one. For there are two things that make one - good and truth. Good is not good unless from truth, and truth is not truth unless from good; when therefore those two make one, then they first are and exist. This conjunction into one is called the heavenly marriage, and from that marriage are heaven and the church. It is similar in regard to celestial good, signified by the two olive trees, and spiritual good, signified by the two lampstands. For the good in the celestial kingdom of the Lord is the good of love to the Lord, and the truth of that good is called the good of love towards a brother and companion; while the good in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the truth of that good is called the good of faith. But it is difficult to form a just idea of these things, unless the quality of celestial good and the quality of spiritual good are known, and the difference between them. From these considerations the reason is evident why the two witnesses are called two olive trees and two lampstands. That two signifies conjunction into one, or the heavenly marriage, may be seen above (n. 532, at end).

[3] The reason why the olive tree signifies the celestial church, is, that trees in general signify perceptions and knowledges (cognitiones), and every church is a church from its knowledges of truth and good, and according to the perception of them; and because oil signifies the good of love, as may be seen above (n. 375), therefore an olive garden and an olive tree signify the church in which that good reigns. There are three trees which chiefly signify the church - the olive, the vine, and the fig, the olive signifying the celestial church, the vine the spiritual church, and the fig tree the external celestial and spiritual church.

[4] That such things as are here described are signified by the two olive trees and the two lampstands, any one may see and conclude from this, that they are called witnesses, and thus are those things that bear witness concerning the Lord, or, acknowledge and confess Him; also from the fact that it is afterwards said concerning them, that the beast slew them, and afterwards that the spirit of life from God entered into them. This could not be said of olive trees and candlesticks, unless they signified such things as the angels of heaven and the men of the church possess from the Lord, and which bear witness concerning the Lord, or cause angels and men to bear witness concerning Him. For angels and men cannot bear witness from themselves concerning the Lord, but the good and the truth which they have from the Lord do this, that is to say, the Lord Himself, from His own good and truth in them, bears witness of Himself.

[5] In many places in the Word mention is frequently made of gardens and woods, of olive gardens and vineyards, also of trees of various kinds, as the olive, the vine, the fig, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak; but no one hitherto has known that each of them signifies something spiritual pertaining to heaven and the church - with the exception that a vineyard signifies the church. But not only does a vineyard signify the church, but also an olive garden; also the forest of cedar or Lebanon. In fact the same is the case also with the trees, as the olive, the vine, the fig, the cedar; and it is because they signify the church, and the spiritual things which belong to it, that they are so often mentioned in the Word.

In regard to gardens and forests the case is this, that gardens or paradises signify specially the intelligence and wisdom which pertains to the men of the church, while forests or groves signify the intelligence of the natural man, which, considered in itself, is knowledge serviceable to the intelligence of the spiritual man; but the olive garden and vineyard signify the church, the olive garden the celestial church, or the church which is in the good of love to the Lord, and the vineyard the spiritual church, or the church which is in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and thence in the truths of faith. The olive and the vine have a similar signification, because oil signifies the good of love to the Lord, and wine (vinum) the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith; but the fig tree signifies each church both the celestial and the spiritual, but external.

[6] These things have such significations from representatives in the spiritual world, thus from correspondence. For in the inmost heaven, where the celestial kingdom of the Lord is, and where love to the Lord reigns, olive gardens and fig trees form the paradises and forests; but in the second heaven they consist of vineyards, and various kinds of fruit-bearing trees; similarly in the ultimate heaven, but with this difference, that in this heaven the trees are not so noble. Such things exist in the heavens, because they correspond to the wisdom, intelligence, love, charity, and faith of the angels who are in those heavens. It is evident now from these things that the witnesses are called olive trees, because olive trees mean all those who form the celestial church of the Lord, or who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of brotherly and social love.

[7] The signification of olive gardens, olive trees, and olives, in the Word, is evident from the following passages.

In Zechariah:

"Two olive trees by" the lampstand, "one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side thereof; and two berries of olives; these are the two sons of the olive tree standing by the Lord of the whole earth" (iv. 3, 11, 12, 14).

The subject treated of here is the foundation of the house or temple by Zerubbabel; and by the house or temple is signified the church, therefore a lampstand was seen by the prophet, and near it two olive trees, almost similar to what was seen by John in the Apocalypse. By the two olive trees and the olive berries are signified celestial goods, which are the goods of love to the Lord and of brotherly and social love; the former good is signified by the olive tree seen near the right hand of the bowl, and the latter by the olive tree at the left; the truths of this good are meant by the sons of the olive tree standing near the Lord of the whole earth, to stand near Him denoting to be and exist from Him.

[8] Since olive trees signified those goods, therefore the cherubim in the midst of the house or temple were made of olive wood, also the doors to the adytum (or oracle), and the posts (1 Kings vi. 23-33). For the cherubim, like the doors and posts to the adytum of the temple, signified protection lest the Lord should be approached except by the good of love. The adytum (or oracle) signified where the Lord is, and olive wood the good of love, because an olive garden, an olive tree, and an olive denote the celestial things of love.

[9] Because an olive garden and an olive tree signify the church which is in love to the Lord, therefore the oil of holiness, with which all of the holy things of the church were anointed, was made from the oil of olive, and aromatics mixed with it (Exod. xxx. 23, 24). For in the measure that every thing pertaining to the church is derived from love to the Lord, so far is it holy and Divine; therefore by means of that oil a representative of the Lord, of heaven and of the church was formed. These things are explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[10] For the same reason, pure oil of the olive was beaten for the luminary in the tent of meeting, which was lit every evening (Exod. xxvii. 20; Levit. xxiv. 2). By that luminary or lampstand is there signified the spiritual church of the Lord, and the fire kindled in the lamps signified spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour; the oil of the olive pure and beaten which was the source of the fire has a similar signification. See what is said concerning this in the Arcana Coelestia, in its proper place.

[11] That the olive tree and olive signify the good of love is also evident from the following passages.

In Hosea:

"I will be as the dew to Israel, he shall blossom as the lily, and he shall strike his roots as Lebanon; his branches shall spread, and his honour shall be as of the olive, and his odour as of Lebanon" (xiv. 5, 6, 7).

These things are said concerning the spiritual church, signified by Israel. To be to him as the dew signifies the spiritual existence and rebirth thereof. He shall blossom as the lily signifies the first state of the rebirth or regeneration thereof, the lily denoting the blossom which precedes the fruit. He shall strike his roots signifies the second state of regeneration, which state is its existence in the natural man, for there the roots are fixed; his branches shall spread, which signifies the multiplication of truth scientific (verum scientificum) and of cognitions, denotes the third state. His honour shall be as of the olive signifies the fifth state, which is a state of fructification, the olive denoting the good of love and honour being said in reference to it. That honour is said of the good of love, may be seen above (n. 288, 345). And the sixth state, which is a state of intelligence and wisdom, is signified by his odour being to him as of Lebanon, odour denoting perception, and Lebanon rationality, from which are intelligence and wisdom.

[12] And in David:

"I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God to an age and for ever" (Psalm lii 8).

It is said, "like a green olive tree in the house of God," because the green olive signifies the good of love, springing up by means of the truth of the Word; and the house of God signifies the church.

[13] Again:

"Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in the sides of thy house, thy sons as olive plants round about thy tables; thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah" (Psalm cxxviii. 3, 4).

By these words, in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, are meant a wife and sons, and the delights arising from marriage and prolification, but in the internal sense, which is the sense of the spirit of the Word, by wife is signified the affection for truth, and by sons, the truths themselves that spring from it. For all truth, in which there is life, is born from the affection for truth; and since by wife is signified that affection, she is compared to a fruitful vine, because a vine signifies the church, and a fruitful vine, the church as to the affection for truth. By the house is signified the spiritual mind, and by its sides are signified every thing in the natural man. By sons are signified the truths which are born from that spiritual affection, these being compared to olive plants, because by means of truths the goods of love and charity are produced, which are denoted by olives. By round about the tables are signified the delights arising from spiritual appropriation and nourishment.

[14] And in Moses:

"It shall come to pass when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land, he shall give thee great and good cities which thou buildedst not, and houses full of every good which thou filledst not, and hewn cisterns which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-yards which thou plantedst not" (Deut. vi. 10, 11).

The meaning of these words, in the spiritual sense, is altogether different from what it is in the historical sense. For in the spiritual sense by the land of Canaan, into which they were to be brought, is signified the church, therefore cities, houses, cisterns, vineyards, and olive gardens, signify such things as pertain to the church; great and good cities signify doctrinals, which teach the goods of love and of charity; houses full of every good signify all things pertaining to wisdom; hewn out cisterns signify every thing of intelligence in the natural man, which are cognitions and knowledges (scientiae), and vineyards and olive-yards signify every thing pertaining to the church as to truths and goods.

[15] It is related concerning Noah, that he sent out a dove from the ark, which returned to him about the time of evening, bearing the leaf of an olive plucked off in its mouth, and that so he knew that the waters were diminished (Gen. viii. 10, 11). By these things, in the spiritual sense, the regeneration of the man of the church, signified by Noah and his sons, is described: here, the dove that was sent out a second time signifies the second successive state, or the state in which spiritual good begins to exist by means of truths, falsities having been removed; for the leaf signifies truth, the olive, good arising therefrom; and the waters signify falsities. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 870-892).

[16] In Zechariah:

"In that day his feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives, which is before the faces of Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall be cloven asunder, and part thereof toward the rising and toward the sea with a very great valley; and part of the mountain shall recede toward the north, and part thereof toward the south" (xiv. 4).

The signification of these things had been explained above (n. 405:23), where it was shown that the mount of Olives signifies the Divine Love: for the mount of Olives was on the east of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine; and every church, and all the truth of doctrine, are enlightened and receive light from the Lord in the east; and where the Lord appears as the Sun is the east in heaven; and because the sun signifies the Divine Love, therefore the east and the mount of Olives, which was on the east of Jerusalem, have the same signification. Because that mountain signified, as stated, the Divine Love of the Lord, therefore the Lord commonly tarried upon it. According to the Evangelists, Jesus taught in the day time in the temple, and at night he went out and abode in the mount which is called the mount of Olives (Luke xxi. 37; xxii, 39; John viii. 1); and upon that mountain he spake with his disciples concerning the last Judgment (Matt. xxiv. 3; Mark xiii. 3); and he went thence to Jerusalem and suffered, besides several other circumstances (Matt. xxi. 1; xxvi. 30; Mark xi. 1; xiv. 26; Luke xix. 29, 37; xxi. 37; xxii. 39; John viii. 1). All these things took place there, because the mount of Olives signified the Divine Love; and because things significative were representative of heaven and of the church, they at that time conjoined the Lord with heaven and the world. Also the angels of the inmost or third heaven dwell in the east, upon mountains, where olive trees flourish more than all other trees.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah hath called thy name a green olive, fair of form with fruit; at the voice of a great tumult he hath kindled a fire upon it, and the branches thereof are broken; for Jehovah Zebaoth, who planted thee, hath spoken evil against thee, on account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah " (xi. 16, 17).

Here, the house of Judah and of Israel is called a green olive, fair of form with fruit, because by the olive and its fruit is signified the good of love, and by green and fair in form is signified the truth of that good, from which comes intelligence; for the house of Judah signifies the church as to the good of love, and the house of Israel the church as to the truth of that good; to call the name signifies the quality thereof. The destruction and vastation of that church by the love of evil is described by Jehovah kindling a fire upon it and breaking its branches; the fire signifies the love of evil, and the branches signify truths, which are said to be broken when they perish by reason of that love. This is attributed to Jehovah, from the appearance that all evil of punishment seems to be from God, since He, being omnipotent, does not avert it; for it is not known that to avert the evil of punishment would be contrary to order. For, if evil were averted, it would increase until no good would remain.

[18] In Isaiah:

"So shall it be in the midst of the land, in the midst of the peoples, as the beating of an olive tree, as grape-gleaning when the vintage is done" (xxiv. 13).

These words also refer to the vastation of the church as to celestial good, and as to spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is in its essence truth from that good; celestial good is signified by the olive, and spiritual good, which is truth from celestial good, is signified by the vintage; vastation is signified by the beating and the grape-gleanings after consummation.

[19] In Moses:

"Thou shalt plant vineyards and dress them, but thou shalt not drink the wine, because the worm shall devour it; thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil, because thine olive tree shall be shaken " (Deut. xxviii. 39, 40).

A vineyard signifies the spiritual church, and the olive tree the celestial church, so a vineyard also signifies the truth of the church, and the olive tree its good; therefore by planting a vineyard and dressing it, and not drinking the wine (vinum), is signified that although the church may be established and the truths of doctrine taught, still truths will produce neither effect nor result, wine (vinum) denoting the truth of doctrine. Because the worm shall devour it signifies that falsities will destroy it; thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border signifies that there shall be the goods of love from the Lord by means of the Word, and preachings from the Word, in the whole church. But thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil signifies still not to enjoy any good, and thence any joy; for thine olive tree shall be shaken signifies that that good will perish; these things are said concerning the curse which would come upon them if other gods were worshipped, and if the statutes and the judgments were not kept.

[20] In Micah:

"Thou shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with the oil; and the new wine (mustum), but thou shalt not drink the wine (vinum)" (vi. 15).

In Amos:

"I have smitten with blasting and mildew the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards, and your fig trees and your olive trees the caterpillar hath eaten; yet have ye not returned unto me" (iv. 9).

By gardens are signified those things that pertain to spiritual intelligence; blasting and mildew signify evil and falsity in extremes, or from the corporeal-Sensual. Vineyards signify the spiritual or interior truths of the church, fig trees exterior goods and truths, which are also called moral; but olive trees signify the goods of the church, and the caterpillar signifies falsity destroying good.

[21] In Habakkuk:

"The fig tree shall not flourish, and there shall be no produce in the vines, the labour of the olive gardens shall fail, and the field shall yield no food" (iii. 17).

By the fig tree here also are signified the external things of the church; by the vines, the internal things thereof; the olive garden signifies its goods, and the field, the church itself in man.

[22] In the First Book of Samuel:

The king "will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive gardens, and give them to his servants" (viii. 14).

Here also fields, vineyards, and olive gardens have a similar signification, the subject treated of being the right of a king, by which the dominion of the natural man over the spiritual is there meant and described, which is such that it will destroy all the truths and goods of the church, and make them serve the natural man, and therefore evils and falsities.

[23] In the Book of Judges: Jotham said unto the citizens of Shechem, who had made Abimelech king,

"The trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive, Reign thou over us; but the olive said to them, Shall I make my fatness to cease, which God and men honour in me, and go to move myself over the trees? And the trees said unto the fig tree, Come, reign thou over us; but the fig tree said unto them, Shall I make my sweetness to cease, and my good produce, and go to move myself over the trees? Then the trees said unto the vine, Come, reign thou over us; but the vine said unto them, Shall I cause my new wine to cease, that maketh glad God and man, and go to move myself over the trees? And all the trees said to the bramble, Come thou and reign over us; and the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me for a king over you, come and confide in my shade, but if not, let fire go out from the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon" (ix. 7-15).

These words of Jotham signify that the citizens of Shechem were not willing that celestial good, denoted by the olive, neither the truth of that good, denoted by the vine, nor moral good, which is external celestial and spiritual good, signified by the fig tree, should reign over them, but the evil of falsity, which appeared to them as good, denoted by the bramble, the fire from which denotes the evil of lust (concupiscentia). The cedars of Lebanon denote rational things from truths.

[24] It is evident from the passages above adduced that the olive tree and the vineyard, in many places, are named together, and this is the case because there is a marriage of good and truth in every detail of the Word; for by the olive tree and oil the good of the church is signified, and by the vineyard and wine (vinum) the truth of that good. Oil signifies the good of love and the delight of heaven thence, as may be seen above (n. 375); and wine (vinum) signifies the good of charity and the truth of faith (n. 376).