213. That the shame of thy nakedness may not appear, signifies lest the good of celestial love should be profaned and adulterated. No one can know what "the shame of nakedness" signifies, unless he knows that the members of generation in both sexes, which are also called the genitals, correspond to celestial love. That there is a correspondence of man and all his members with the heavens, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, published in London in the year 1758 (n. 87-102); and that the genital members correspond to celestial love, in The Arcana Coelestia, also published in London (n. 5050-5062). As those members correspond to celestial love, which is the love of the third or inmost heaven, and man is born from his parents in loves which are opposite to that love, it is evident, that if he does not acquire to himself the good of love and the truth of wisdom from the Lord, signified by "gold tried in the fire," and by "white garments," he will appear in the opposite love, which is profane. [2] This is signified by "uncovering nakedness" and "revealing shame," in the following passages:
Happy is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame (Rev. 16:15) Daughter of Babylon and of Chaldea, sit on the earth; uncover thy locks, uncover the thigh, pass over the stream; let thy nakedness be uncovered, and let thy reproach also be seen (Isa. 47:1-3). Woe to the city of bloods, because of the multitude of her whoredoms: I will uncover the skirts upon thy face, and will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy disgrace (Nahum 3:1, 4-5). Contend with your mother, lest perchance I set her naked (Hos. 2:2-3). When I passed by thee, I covered thy nakedness, and washed thee, and clothed thee; but thou committedst whoredom; not recollecting thy youth, when thou wast naked and stripped bare; therefore thou hast revealed thy nakedness (Ezek. 16:6 seq.). Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore all speak ill of her, because they saw her nakedness (Lam. 1:8). By "Jerusalem," of which these things are said, the church is meant; and by "committing whoredom" is signified to adulterate and falsify the Word (n. 134). Woe to him that maketh his companion drink, making him drunk, that thou mayest look upon his nakedness: drink also thyself, that thy foreskin may be uncovered (Hab. 2:15-16). [3] He who knows what "nakedness" signifies can understand what is signified by:
Noah, when drunken with wine lay naked in the midst of his tent, and Ham saw and laughed at his nakedness, and Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness, turning away their faces lest they should see it (Gen. 9:21-23). Also why it was ordained that:
Aaron and his sons should not go up by steps upon the altar, lest their nakedness should be uncovered (Exod. 20:26). As also that:
They should make for them breeches of linen to cover the flesh of nakedness, and that they should be upon them when they approached to the altar, and that otherwise they should carry their iniquity, and should die (Exod. 28:42-43). By "nakedness" in these passages are signified the evils into which a man is born, which, because they are opposite to the good of celestial love, are in themselves profane; which are not removed except by truths, and by a life according to them: "linen" also signifies truth (n. 671). [4] By "nakedness" is also signified innocence, and likewise ignorance of good and truth; innocence in the passage:
They were both naked, the man and his wife, and had no cause for shame (Gen. 2:25). Ignorance of good and truth by these:
This is the fast which I choose; to break bread to the hungry; and when thou seest the naked, to cover him (Isa. 58:6-7). Let him give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment (Ezek. 18:7). I hungered, and ye gave Me to eat; I was naked, and ye clothed Me (Matt. 25:35-36).
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