796. [verse 23] 'And the light of a lamp shall not shine in thee any more' signifies that those who are in that form of religion by virtue of doctrine and a life in accordance therewith do not have any enlightenment from the Lord, nor consequently any perception of spiritual truth. By 'the light of a lamp' is signified enlightenment from the Lord, and consequently a perception of spiritual truth; for by 'the light' is understood the light of heaven in which angels are, and men also as to the understanding. This light in its essence is Divine Wisdom, for it proceeds from the Lord as the Sun of the spiritual world, and this in its own substance is Divine Love of Divine Wisdom out of which no other light can proceed than that which is of Divine Wisdom, nor any other heat than that which is of Divine Love. That this is the case has been demonstrated in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE LOVE AND WI5DOM (n. 83-172). Since that light is from the Lord, and the Lord by means of it and in it is omnipresent, therefore by its means all enlightenment is effected, and consequently the perception of spiritual truth which those have who love Divine Truths spiritually, that is, who love truths because they are true, thus because they are Divine. That this is to love the Lord, is plain; for the Lord is omnipresent in that light, because Divine Love and Wisdom are not in space but are where they are received and in accordance with the reception. [2] That those who are in the Roman Catholic form of religion do not have any enlightenment and consequent perception of spiritual truth can be established from the fact that they do not love any spiritual light. For the origin of spiritual light is from the Lord, as has been said, and no others can accept or receive that light but those who have been conjoined with the Lord; and conjunction with the Lord is effected solely by the acknowledgment and worship of Him, and at the same time by a life in accordance with His precepts out of the Word. The acknowledgment and worship of the Lord and the reading of the Word bring about the Lord's presence, but those two together with a life in accordance with His precepts effect a conjunction with Him. In Babylon it is the contrary; there the Lord is acknowledged, but without dominion, and the Word is acknowledged, but without the reading of it. Instead of the Lord the pope is worshipped there, and in place of the Word papal bulls are acknowledged. They live in accordance with these and not in accordance with the precepts of the Word. Also those bulls have for an end the dominion of the pope and his ministers over heaven and the world, whereas the precepts of the Word have for an end the Lord's dominion over heaven and the world; and the latter and the former are diametrically opposite to each other, like hell and heaven. These things have been said so that it may be known that there is no 'light of a lamp' at all, that is, no enlightenment and consequent perception of spiritual truth, with those who are in the Babylonish form of religion by virtue of doctrine and a life in accordance therewith. [3] That the Lord is 'the Light' out of which there is all enlightenment and perception of spiritual truth is plain from these statements:-
He was the true Light, which enlightens every man coming into the world John 4-12.
These [words were said] of the Lord.
This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world; he who does the truth comes to the Light John i 19, 21.
Jesus said, Yet a little while is the Light with you; walk while you have the Light, lest darkness seize upon you: while you have the Light believe in the Light, that you may be sons of the Light John xii 35, 36
Jesus said, I the Light hare come into the world, that every one who believes in Me may not remain in darkness John xii 46.
Jesus said, lam the Light of the world John ix 5.
Simeon said, Mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, the Light for the revelation pertaining to the nations Luke ii 30-32.
The people sitting in darkness has seen the great Light, to those sitting in the region and shadow of death the Light has arisen Matt. iv 16; Isa. ix 2 [H.B. 1].
I will give Thee for the Light of the nations, that Thou mayest be My salvation to the extremity of the land Isa. xlix 6.
The city New Jerusalem has no need of the sun and the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God enlightens it, and the Lamp thereof is the Lamb Rev. xxi 23; xxii 5.
It is plain from these statements that the Lord is the Light out of which there is all enlightenment and the consequent perception of truth; and because the Lord is the Light, the devil is a dense darkness. And the devil is the love of dominating over all the holy Divine things of the Lord, and thus over Him; and in proportion as dominion is given to that love, so far it darkens, extinguishes, sets on fire and burns up the holy Divine things of the Lord.
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