239. 'And in the midst of the throne and around the throne four animals' signifies the Lord's Word from firsts in ultimates, and its guards. I know that they are going to be astonished because it is said that 'four animals' signify the Word. It will be seen in the things that follow that they do signify it. These 'animals' are the same as the cherubs in Ezekiel. There they are also called 'animals' in the first chapter, but 'cherubs' in the tenth chapter, and they were as here, a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. In the Hebrew language they are called 'chajoth', and this word indeed signifies 'animals', but it is derived from 'chaja', which is 'life', in consequence of which also Adam's wife was called 'Chaja' (Gen. iii 20). 'Animal' in the singular is also called 'chaja' in Ezekiel, and therefore those animals also can be called 'living'. Nor does it matter that the Word is described by means of 'animals', since the Lord Himself in the Word is sometimes called a 'Lion', and frequently a 'Lamb', and those who are in charity from the Lord are called 'sheep'. Moreover the understanding of the Word in the following [pages] is called a 'horse'. That the Word is signified by those 'animals' or 'cherubs' is plain from the fact that they were seen 'in the midst of the throne and around the throne', and in the midst of the throne was the Lord. And because the Lord is the Word, they could not be seen anywhere else. That they were also 'around the throne' was because they were in the angelic heaven, where the Word also is. [2] That the Word and its guards is signified by 'cherubs' has been shown in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE (n. 97), where are these words:-
The sense of the letter of the Word is a guard for the genuine truths that lie hidden within; and it is a guard on account of its being possible for that sense to be turned this way and that, that is, to be expounded in accordance with [the way] it has been taken, and by this means for the internal of the Word not to be injured or violated. For it is not harmful that the sense of the letter should be understood by one person differently than by another, but it is harmful if the Divine truths that lie hidden within are perverted, for by this means violence is done to the Word. Lest this should occur, the sense of the letter guards, and it guards in the case of those who are in untruths derived from a religion, and who do not confirm those untruths, for these do not occasion any violence. This 'guard' is signified by 'cherubs', and in the Word is also described by means of them. This guard is signified by the 'cherubs' which, after Adam was cast out of the garden of Eden with his wife, were placed at its entrance, concerning which these words are selected:-
When Jehovah God had driven out the roan, He made to dwell from the east of the garden of Eden cherubs, and the flame of a sword turning itself from this direction and that, to guard the way of the tree of life Gen. iii 23, 24.
By 'cherubs' is signified a guard. By 'the way of the tree of life' is signified the entrance to the Lord, which men have by means of the Word. By 'the flame of a sword turning itself from this direction and that' is signified Divine Truth in ultimates, which is just like the Word in the sense of the letter, which can be turned in such a manner as has been stated. [3] A similar thing is signified by the 'cherubs' made of gold placed the two extremities of the propitiatory that was above the in the tabernacle (Exod. xxv 18-21); and because this is signified by the 'cherubs', therefore Jehovah spoke between them with Moses (Exod. xxv 22; xxx 6; Num. vii 89). Nothing else was signified by the 'cherubs 'upon the curtains of the tabernacle and upon the veil there (Exod. xxvi 31); for the curtains and the veils of the tabernacle used to represent the ultimates of heaven and the Church, thus also the ultimates of the Word. Nor was anything else signified by the 'cherubs' in the midst of the Jerusalem temple (Templi Hierosolymitani) (1 Kings vi 23-28); and by the 'cherubs' carved upon the walls and doors of the temple (1 Kings vi 29, 32, 35); likewise by the 'cherubs 'in the new temple (Ezek. xli 18-20). [4] Since by 'cherubs' was signified a guard, so that the Lord, heaven, and the Divine Truths such as is inside the Word, should not be approached immediately but mediately through the ultimates it is therefore said of the king of Tyre:-
Thou, sealing up the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, hast been in the garden of Eden, every precious stone thy covering; thou, O cherub, the out-spreading of him who covers; I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, in the midst of the stones of fire Ezek. xxviii 12-14, 16.
By 'Tyre' the Church is signified as to cognitions of truths and good; and consequently by its king is signified the Word, where and whence are these cognitions. It is plain that here the Word in its ultimate, which is the sense of the letter, is signified by him [the king of Tyre], and a guard by the 'cherub', for it is said 'Thou, sealing up the measure, every precious stone thy covering' and 'thou, O cherub, the outspreading of him who covers'. By the 'precious stones' which are indeed named there, are signified the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word (n. 231 [AR]). [5] Since by 'cherubs' is signified Divine Truth in ultimates as a guard, it is therefore said in David:-
Shepherd of Israel, Who art seated upon the cherubs, shine forth Ps. lxxx 1 [H.B. 2].
Jehovah sits upon the cherubs Ps. xcix 1.
Jehovah bowed the heavens, and came down, and rode upon the cherubs Ps. xviii 10, 11 [H.B. 9, 10].
'To ride upon the cherubs', 'to be seated', and 'to sit upon them', is [to be] upon the ultimate of the Word. The Divine Truth in the Word, and its quality, is described by the 'cherubs' in Ezekiel in the first, ninth, and tenth chapters. But as no one is able to know what is signified by the details of the description of them, except one to whom the spiritual sense has been opened, and as this has been uncovered to me, it will be stated what in the main is signified by all the things that are recorded about the four 'animals' or 'cherubs' in the first chapter of Ezekiel, which are the following:-
[6] The external Divine sphere of the Word is described (verse 4). It is represented as a man (verse 5). The conjunction with things spiritual and celestial (verse 6). The natural of the Word, what its quality is (verse 7). The spiritual and celestial of the Word conjoined with the natural, what its quality is (vers. 8, 9). The Divine love of good and truth, celestial, spiritual, and natural therein, distinctly and together (vers. 10, 11). That they look to a one (verse 12). The sphere of the Word out of the Lord's Divine Good and Divine Truth, as a result of which the Word is alive (vers. 13, 14). The doctrine of good and truth in the Word and [derived] out of it (vers. 15-21). The Lord's Divine above and in it (vers. 22, 23); also [proceeding] out of it (vers. 24, 25). That the Lord is above the heavens (verse 26). That Divine Love and Divine Wisdom are His (vers. 27, 28)
These are summaries.* * SS 97 has 'These summaries have indeed been compared with the Word in heaven, and are in conformity therewith'.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church