Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 188

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188. The angels of whom the Lord's celestial kingdom consists dwell for the most part in elevated places that appear as mountains rising from the ground. The angels of whom the Lord's spiritual kingdom consists dwell in less elevated places that appear like hills, while the angels who are in the lowest parts of heaven dwell in places that appear like rocks of stone. All these things come into existence from correspondence, for interior things correspond to higher things and exterior things to lower things.# This is why, in the Word, "mountains" signify celestial love, "hills", spiritual love, and "rocks", faith.## # In the Word interior things are expressed by higher things and higher things signify interior things (n. 2148, 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325). What is "high" signifies what is internal, and likewise heaven (n. 1735, 2148, 4210, 4599, 8153). ## In heaven, mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands are seen exactly the same as in the world (n. 10608). On the mountains angels who are in the good of love dwell, on the hills those who are in the good of charity, on the rocks those who are in the good of faith (n. 10438). Therefore in the Word the good of love is signified by "mountains" (n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438, 10608). The good of charity is signified by "hills" (n. 6435, 10438). The good and truth of faith is signified by "rocks" (n. 8581, 10580). "Stone", of which rock consists, in like manner signifies the truth of faith (n. 114, 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376). This is why heaven is signified by "mountains" (n. 8327, 8805, 9420). And the highest part of heaven by "the summit of a mountain" (n. 9422, 9434, 10608). Also why the ancients had their holy worship on mountains (n. 796, 2722).


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