2878. A DISCOURSE WITH CERTAIN JEWS CONCERNING THE LAND OF CANAAN. I spoke with certain quite learned Jews concerning God the Messiah, that he is represented by the sacrifices, and that he is Jehovah God of Israel who was to come: also concerning the land of Canaan, that he would introduce the faithful into the land of Canaan, by which cannot be understood any land but heaven, for what would it profit them to be introduced into some land, where they would live only forty to fifty years, and die. Wherefore by the land of Canaan is understood heaven, where is life eternal. What is forty and fifty years but a little point, and scarcely this, as respects eternity, in which life they [now] are. Then (I now add [this]) what need have their dead of such a land, of whom there are myriads in comparison with those who live. When they heard [this] they said, whence do you have these things: they seemed as if they paid attention thereto. It was granted to reply that this is everywhere in the prophets, who if they are understood, these things are patent: for example, that the prophets speak concerning such things, it was given to say that Ezekiel (if I mistake not) describes the new Jerusalem and new Temple. These things cannot be understood, unless it is understood of what nature is the heaven, which is signified by these things. - 1748, August 21.