919. Verse 23. And the city hath no need of the sun, and the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and its lamp is the Lamb, signifies that the men of that church will not be in self-love and in their own intelligence, and thence in natural light alone, but in spiritual light from the Divine truth of the Word from the Lord alone. By "the sun" is here signified natural love separated from spiritual love, which is self-love; and by "the moon" is signified intelligence, also natural faith, separated from intelligence and spiritual faith, which is their own intelligence and faith from self; this love, and this intelligence and faith, are here signified by "the sun and moon," the shining of which will not be needed by those who will be in the Lord's New Church. By "the glory of God" which lightens it is signified the Divine truth of the Word (n. 629). And because that enlightenment is from the Lord, it is said "and the lamp thereof is the Lamb." Similar to this is the signification of the following passage in Isaiah:
Thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and thy God thy adornment; thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah shall be to thee for a light of eternity; thy people also shall be all just (Isa. 60:18-21). By "the sun and moon" which shall no more shine is meant self-love and their own intelligence; and by "the sun and moon" which shall no more set, are meant love from the Lord to the Lord, and intelligence and faith from Him; and by "Jehovah shall be for a light of eternity" is signified the same as here, "that the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof." That "the sun" signifies love to the Lord, and in the opposite sense self-love, may be seen above (n. 53, 414); and that "the moon" signifies intelligence from the Lord and faith from Him (n. 332, 413-414), therefore "the moon" in the opposite sense signifies their own intelligence and faith from themselves. Since by "the sun" in the opposite sense is signified self-love, and by "the moon" one's own intelligence and faith from himself, therefore it was an abomination to adore the sun, moon, and stars, as may appear (in Jer. 8:1-2; in Ezek. 8:15-16; in Zeph. 1:5); and that such were stoned (Deut. 17:2-3, 5).
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