As there are societies in heaven and the angels live as men, they
have also places of abode, and these differ in accordance with each
one's state of life. They are magnificent for those in higher
dignity, and less magnificent for those in lower condition. I have
frequently talked with angels about the places of abode in heaven,
saying that scarcely any one will believe at the present day that
they have places of abode and dwellings; some because they do not see
them, some because they do not know that angels are men, and some
because they believe that the angelic heaven is the heaven that they
see with their eyes around them, and as this appears empty and they
suppose that angels are ethereal forms, they conclude that they live
in ether. Moreover, they do not comprehend how there can be such
things in the spiritual world as there are in the natural world,
because they know nothing about the spiritual. [2] The angels replied
that they are aware that such ignorance prevails at this day in the
world, and to their astonishment, chiefly within the church, and more
with the intelligent than with those whom they call simple. They said
also that it might be known from the Word that angels are men, since
those that have been seen have been seen as men; and the Lord, who
took all His Human with Him, appeared in like manner. It might be
known also that as angels are men they have dwellings and places of
abode, and do not fly about in air, as some think in their ignorance,
which the angels call insanity, and that although they are called
spirits they are not winds. This they said might be apprehended if
men would only think independently of their acquired notions about
angels and spirits, as they do when they are not bringing into
question and submitting to direct thought whether it is so. For
everyone has a general idea that angels are in the human form, and
have homes which are called the mansions of heaven, which surpass in
magnificence earthly dwellings; but this general idea, which flows in
from heaven, at once falls to nothing when it is brought under direct
scrutiny and inquiry whether it is so, as happens especially with the
learned, who by their own intelligence have closed up heaven to
themselves and the entrance of heavenly light. [3] The like is true
of the belief in the life of man after death. When one speaks of it,
not thinking at the same time about the soul from the light of
worldly learning or from the doctrine of its reunion with the body,
he believes that after death he is to live a man, and among angels if
he has lived well, and that he will then see magnificent things and
perceive joys; but as soon as he turns his thoughts to the doctrine
of reunion with the body, or to his theory about the soul, and the
question arises whether the soul be such, and thus whether this can
be true, his former idea is dissipated.
184. But it is better to present the evidence of experience. Whenever
I have talked with angels face to face, I have been with them in
their abodes. These abodes are precisely like abodes on the earth
which we call houses, but more beautiful. In them there are chambers,
parlors, and bedrooms in great number; there are also courts, and
there are gardens and flower beds and lawns round about. Where they
live together their houses are near each other, arranged one next to
the other in the form of a city, with avenues, streets, and public
squares, exactly like cities on the earth. I have been permitted to
pass through them, looking about on every side, and sometimes
entering the houses. This occurred when my inner sight was opened,
and I was fully awake.{1}
{Footnote 1} Angels have cities, palaces and houses (n.
940-942, 1116, 1626-1631, 4622).
185. I have seen palaces in heaven of such magnificence as cannot be
described. Above they glittered as if made of pure gold, and below as
if made of precious stones, some more splendid than others. It was
the same within. Both words and knowledge are inadequate to describe
the decorations that adorned the rooms. On the side looking to the
south there were parks, where, too, everything shone, in some places
the leaves glistening as if made of silver, and fruit as if made of
gold; while the flowers in their beds formed rainbows with their
colors. Beyond the borders, where the view terminated, were seen
other palaces. Such is the architecture of heaven that you would say
that art there is in its art; and no wonder, because the art itself
is from heaven. The angels said that such things and innumerable
others still more perfect are presented before their eyes by the
Lord; and yet these things are more pleasing to their minds than to
their eyes, because in everyone of them they see a correspondence,
and through the correspondences what is Divine.
186. As to these correspondences I have also been told that not only
the palaces and houses, but all things and each thing, both inside
and outside of them, correspond to the interior things which they
have from the Lord, the house itself in general corresponding to
their good, the particular things inside of a house to the various
things of which their good consists,{1} and the things outside to
truths derived from good, and also to their perceptions and
knowledges {2} and as these things correspond to the goods and truths
they have from the Lord they correspond to their love, and to their
wisdom and intelligence from love, since love belongs to good, wisdom
to good and truth together, and intelligence to truth from good.
These are what the angels perceive when they behold what is around
them, and thus their minds are more delighted and moved by them than
their eyes.
{Footnote 1} "Houses," with their contents, signify the things
in man that belong to his mind, thus his interiors (n. 710,
2233, 2331, 2559, 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023, 6639, 6690, 7353,
7848, 7910, 7929, 9150); consequently the things relating to
good and truth (n. 2233, 2331, 2559, 4982, 7848, 7929). "Rooms"
and "bed-chambers" signify interior things there (n. 3900,
5694, 7353). The "roof of a house" signifies what is inmost (n.
3652, 10184). A "house of wood" signifies what relates to good,
and a "house of stone" what relates to truth (n. 3720).
{Footnote 2} A "garden" or "park" signifies intelligence and
wisdom (n. 100, 108, 3220). What is meant by "the garden of
Eden" and "the garden of Jehovah" (n. 99, 100, 1588). How
magnificent the things seen in parks are in the other life (n.
1122, 1622, 2296, 4528, 4529). "Trees" signify perceptions and
knowledges, from which wisdom and intelligence are derived (n.
103, 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692). "Fruits" signify goods of
love and goods of charity (n. 3146, 7690, 9337).
187. This makes clear why the Lord called Himself the temple at
Jerusalem (John 2:19, 21),{1} namely, because the temple represented
His Divine Human; also why the New Jerusalem was seen to be of pure
gold, its gates of pearls, and its foundations of precious stones
(Apoc. 21), namely, because the New Jerusalem signifies the church
which was afterwards to be established, the twelve gates its truths
leading to good, and the foundations the truths on which the church
is founded.{2}
{Footnote 1} In the highest sense "the house of God" signifies
the Lord's Divine Human in respect to Divine good, and "the
temple" the same in respect to Divine truth; and in a relative
sense, heaven and the church in respect to good and truth (n.
3720).
{Footnote 2} "Jerusalem" signifies the church in which is
genuine doctrine (n. 402, 3654, 9166). "Gates" signify
introduction to the doctrine of the church, and through
doctrine introduction into the church (n. 2943, 4477, 4478).
"Foundation" signifies the truth on which heaven, the church,
and doctrine are founded (n. 9643).
188. The angels of whom the Lord's celestial kingdom consists dwell
for the most part in elevated places that appear as mountains of
soil; the angels of whom the Lord's spiritual kingdom consists dwell
in less elevated places that appear like hills; while the angels in
the lowest parts of heaven dwell in places that appear like ledges of
stone. These things spring from correspondence, for interior things
correspond to higher things, and exterior things to lower things;{1}
and this is why in the Word "mountains" signify celestial love,
"hills" spiritual love, and "rocks" faith.{2}
{Footnote 1} In the Word what is interior is expressed by what
is higher and what is higher signifies what is interior (n.
2148, 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325). What is "high" signifies what is
internal, and likewise heaven (n. 1735, 2148, 4210, 4599,
8153).
{Footnote 2} 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
"mountains" signify the good of love (n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327,
8758, 10438, 10608). "Hills" signify the good of charity (n.
6435, 10438). "Rocks" signify the good and truth of faith (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 "mountains" signify heaven (n. 8327,
8805, 9420). And "the summit of a mountain" signifies the
highest part of heaven (n. 9422, 9434, 10608). Also why the
ancients had their holy worship on mountains (n. 796, 2722).
189. There are also angels who do not live associated together, but
apart, house by house. These dwell in the midst of heaven, since they
are the best of angels.
190. The houses in which angels dwell are not erected, as houses in
the world are, but are given to them gratuitously by the Lord, to
everyone in accordance with his reception of good and truth. They
also change a little in accordance with changes of the state of
interiors of the angels (of which above, n. 154-160). Everything
whatsoever that the angels possess they hold as received from the
Lord; and everything they have need of is given them.