Heaven and Hell/17
XVII
Changes of State of the Angels in Heaven
154. By changes of state of angels their changes in respect to love and faith, and wisdom and intelligence therefrom, are meant, thus their changes in respect to states of life. States are predicated of life and of what belongs to life; and as angelic life is a life of love and faith, and of wisdom and intelligence therefrom, states are predicated of these and are called states of love and faith, and states of wisdom and intelligence. How with angels these states are changed shall now be told.
155. Angels are not constantly in the same state in respect to love,
and in consequence in the same state in respect to wisdom; for all
their wisdom is from their love and in accordance with their love.
Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state
of love not so intense. The state decreases by degrees from its
greatest degree to its least. When in their greatest degree of love
they are in the light and warmth of their life, or in a clear and
delightful state; but in their least degree they are in shade and
cold, or in an obscure and undelightful state. From this last state
they return again to the first, and so on, these alternations
following one after another with variety. There is a sequence of
these states like the varied states of light and shade, or of heat
and cold, or like morning, noon, evening, and night, day after day in
the world, with unceasing variety throughout the year. There is also
a correspondence, morning corresponding to the state of their love in
its clearness, noon to the state of their wisdom in its clearness,
evening to the state of their wisdom in its obscurity, and night to a
state of no love or wisdom. But it must be understood that there is
no correspondence of night with the states of life of those in
heaven, although there is what corresponds to the dawn that precedes
morning; what corresponds to night is with those in hell.[1] From
this correspondence "day" and "year" signify in the Word states of
life in general; "heat" and "light" signify love and wisdom;
"morning" the first and highest degree of love "noon" wisdom in its
light; "evening" wisdom in its shade; "dawn" the obscurity that
precedes the morning; and "night" the absence of love and wisdom.[2]
156. Together with the state of the angels' interiors which pertain
to their love and wisdom, the states of various things that are
outside of them and that they see with their eyes are changed; for
the things outside of them take on an appearance that is in accord
with the things within them. But what things these are, and what kind
of things they are, shall be told presently in the chapter on
Representatives and Appearances in Heaven.
157. Every angel undergoes and passes through such changes of state,
and also every society in general, and yet each one differently, for
the reason that they differ in love and wisdom, those in the middle
being in a more perfect state than those round about even to the
circumference (see above, n. 43, 128). But it would be tedious to
specify the differences, since the changes each one undergoes are in
accord with the quality of his love and faith. From this it happens
that while one may be in clearness and delight another may be in
obscurity and lack of delight, and this at the same time within the
same society. So, too, the state differs in different societies; it
is different in the societies of the celestial kingdom from what it
is in those of the spiritual kingdom. These differences in the
changes of state are in general like the variations of the states of
days in different climates on the earth, for with some it is morning
when with others it is evening, and with some it is hot when with
others it is cold.
158. I have been taught from heaven why there are such changes of
state there. The angels said that there are many reasons-first, the
delight of life and of heaven, which they have from love and wisdom
from the Lord, would gradually lose its value if they were in it
continually, as happens with those that are in allurements and
pleasures without variety. A second reason is that angels, as well as
men, have what is their own [proprium], which is loving self; and all
that are in heaven are withheld from what is their own, and so far as
they are withheld from it by the Lord are in love and wisdom; but so
far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self; and
because everyone loves what is his own and is drawn by it[3] they
have changes of state or successive alternations. A third reason is
that they are in this way perfected, for they thus become accustomed
to being held in love to the Lord and withheld from love of self;
also that by alternations between delight and lack of delight the
perception and sense of good becomes more exquisite.[4] The angels
added that their changes of state are not caused by the Lord, since
the Lord as a sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that
is, with love and wisdom; but the cause is in themselves, in that
they love what is their own, and this continually leads them away.
This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, that
the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold and of light and
shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun, since it
stands unchanged, but the cause is in the earth.
159. I have been shown how the Lord as a sun appears to the angels of
the celestial kingdom in their first state, in their second state,
and in their third state. I saw the Lord as a sun, at first glowing
and brilliant with a splendor that cannot be described; and I was
told that such is the appearance of the Lord as a sun to the angels
in their first state. Afterwards there appeared a great obscure belt
about the sun, and by this its first glow and brilliancy, which gave
it such splendor, began to be dulled, and I was told that such is the
appearance of the sun to them in their second state. Then the belt
seemed by degrees to grow darker, and the sun to appear less glowing,
and this by degrees until at length it took on a shining whiteness;
and I was told that such is the appearance of the sun to them in
their third state. After this, that shining whiteness was seen to
move to the left towards the moon of heaven, and to add itself to her
light; and in consequence the moon shone forth with unwonted
splendor; and I was told that such is the fourth state of those in
the celestial kingdom and the first state of those in the spiritual
kingdom, and that in both kingdoms changes of state have such
alternations; yet not in the whole kingdom at once, but in one
society after another. Furthermore, I was told that these
alternations are not fixed, but come upon them sooner or later
without their knowledge. And it was added that the sun in itself is
not thus changed or moved; but it takes on this appearance in accord
with their successive progressions of state, since the Lord appears
to everyone in accord with what his state is, thus glowing when one
is in intense love and less glowing and finally shining white as his
love subsides; and the quality of each one's state was represented by
the obscure belt that induced upon the sun these apparent variations
in its glow and light.
160. When angels are in the last of these states, which is when they
are in what is their own, they begin to be sad. I have talked with
them when they were in that state and have seen their sadness; but
they said that they hoped to return soon to their former state, and
thus into heaven again, as it were; for to them it is heaven to be
withheld from what is their own.
161. There are also changes of state in the hells, but these will be
described later when hell is treated of.
- ↑ In heaven there is a state corresponding to the dawn that precedes morning, but no state corresponding to night (n. 6110). The "dawn" signifies a middle state between the last and the first (n. 10134).
- ↑ Alternations of state in respect to enlightenment and perception occur in heaven, like the times of day in the world (n. 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426, 9213, 10605). In the Word "day" and "year" signify all states in general (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 4850, 10656). "Morning" signifies the beginning of a new state, and a state of love (n. 7218, 8426, 8427, 10114, 10134). "Evening" signifies a state of declining light and love (n. 10134, 10135). "Night" signifies a state of no love or faith (n. 221, 709, 2353, 6000, 6110, 7870, 7947).
- ↑ Man's own [proprium] is loving self (n. 694, 731, 4317, 5660). The Lord cannot be present unless what is man's own is set aside (n. 1023, 1044). It is actually set aside when one is held in good by the Lord (n. 9334-9336, 9447, 9452-9454, 9938).
- ↑ The angels are being perfected to eternity (n. 4803, 6648). In the heavens one state is never just like another, and from this there is an unceasing process of perfection (n. 10200).