STARS

FIXED STARS >> Knowledges of Good and Truth >> Angels, Societies of Angels
WANDERING STARS >> Knowledges of Evil and Falsity >> Evil Spirits, their Associations

 I have also been permitted to see that an entire angelic society, where the Lord is visibly present, appears as a one in the human form. There appeared on high towards   the east something like a cloud, from glowing white becoming red, and with little stars round about, which was descending; and as it gradually descended it became brighter, and at last appeared in a perfect human form. The little stars round about the cloud were angels, who so appeared by virtue of light from the Lord. [HH69]

 And number the stars. That this signifies a representation of what is good and true in a mental view of the constellations, is evident from what has just been said; and also from the representation and signification of "the stars," as being things good and true. The "stars" are frequently mentioned in the Word, and everywhere they signify things good and true, and also, in the contrary sense, things evil and false; or what is the same, they signify angels or societies of angels, and also in the contrary sense evil spirits and their associations. When they signify angels or societies of angels, they are then fixed stars; but when evil spirits and their associations, they are wandering stars, as I have very frequently seen.

[2] That all things in the skies and on the earth are representative of celestial and spiritual things, has been evidenced by this plain indication, that things similar to those which appear before the eyes in the sky and on the earth, are also presented to view in the world of spirits, and this as plainly as in clear day; and there they are nothing but representatives. For instance, when the starry heaven appears, and the stars therein are fixed, it is instantly known that they signify things good and true; and when the stars appear wandering, it is instantly known that they signify things evil and false. From the very glow and sparkle of the stars it may also be known of what kind they are; besides numberless other things. Hence, if one is willing to think wisely, he may know what is the origin of all things on the earth, namely, that it is the Lord; and the reason why they come forth on the earth not ideally but actually, is that all things, both celestial and spiritual, which are from the Lord, are living and essential, or as they are called substantial, and therefore they come forth into actual existence in ultimate nature (see n. 1632).

[3] That the stars represent and signify things good and true, may be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Isaiah:

The stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shine not with their light; the sun has been darkened in his going forth, and the moon doth not cause her light to shine; and I will visit evil upon the world, and their iniquity upon the wicked (Isa. 13:10-11);

where the day of visitation is treated of. Everyone can see that by "the stars" and "constellations" here are not meant the stars and constellations, but things true and good; and by "the sun," love; and by "the moon," faith; for the evils and falsities which cause darkness are treated of.

[4] In Ezekiel:

When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light I will make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezek. 32:7-8),

where the meaning is similar. In Joel:

The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled, the sun and the moon were blackened, and the stars withdrew their shining (Joel 2:10; 3:15),

where the meaning is similar. In David:

Praise Jehovah, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light; praise Him, ye heavens of heavens (Ps. 148:3-4),

meaning the same.

[5] That by the "stars" are not meant the stars, but things good and true, or what is the same, those who are in things good and true, as the angels are, is plainly said in John:

I saw the Son of man; and He had in His right hand seven stars. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest upon My right hand, and the seven candlesticks: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches (Rev. 1:13, 16, 20).

[6] Again:

The fourth angel sounded, so that the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night in like manner (Rev. 8:12),

where it is clearly evident that what is good and true was darkened. In Daniel:

There came forth a little horn, which grew exceedingly toward the south and toward the east and toward adornment [decus] and it grew even to the army of the heavens; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them (Dan. 8:9-10),

which words plainly show that "the army of the heavens" and "the stars" are things good and true, which were trampled upon.

[7] From these passages may be seen what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

In the consummation of the age, immediately after the affliction of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Matt. 24:29).

And in Luke:

There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations in despair, the sea and the waves roaring (Luke 21:25);

where by "the sun" the sun is not meant at all, nor by "the moon" the moon, nor by "the stars" the stars, nor by "the sea" the sea; but the things which they represent, namely, by "the sun" the celestial things of love, by "the moon" the spiritual things, by "the stars" things good and true, that is, the knowledges of what is good and true, which are thus darkened near the consummation of the age, when there is no faith, that is, no charity. [AC1808]

And eleven stars. That this signifies the knowledges of good and truth, is evident from the signification of "stars," as being the knowledges of good and truth. That "stars" have this signification in the Word is because they are small luminaries which shine at night, when they give forth into our atmosphere gleams of light, just as knowledges give forth gleams of good and truth. That such knowledges are signified by "stars," is evident from many passages in the Word, as in Jeremiah:

Thus said Jehovah who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirreth up the sea that the waves thereof are tumultuous (Jer. 31:35);

where a new church is treated of, and by "giving the sun for a light by day" is signified the good of love and of charity, and by "giving the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night" is signified truth and knowledges.

[2] So too in David:

Jehovah who made great luminaries, the sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night (Ps. 136:7-9);

one who knows nothing of the internal sense of the Word will believe that by the "sun" here is meant the sun of the world, and by the "moon and stars," the moon and stars of the world; but from this arises no spiritual and heavenly sense, and yet the Word is heavenly in every particular; from which again it is evident that the goods of love and charity, and the truths of faith, together with the knowledges of these, are what is signified.

[3] So also in the first chapter of Genesis, where the new creation of the celestial man is described:

God said, Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to distinguish between the day and the night; and let them be for signs and for stated times, and for days and for years; and let them be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth; and it was so. And God made two great luminaries; the greater luminary to rule by day, and the lesser luminary to rule by night; and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, and to rule in the day and in the night, and to distinguish between the light and the darkness (Gen. 1:14-18; see n. 30-38).

[4] In Matthew:

 Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Matt. 24:29);

that here by the "sun and moon" are signified love and charity, or good and truth, and by the "stars" knowledges, may be seen above (n. 4060); and because the last day or the last state of the church is here treated of, by "the sun being darkened and the moon not giving her light" is signified that then the good of love and of charity will perish; and by "the stars falling from heaven," that the knowledges of good and of truth will also perish.

[5] That these things are signified, is evident from the prophetic parts of the Word, in which similar things are said of the last state of the church, as in Isaiah:

Behold the day of Jehovah cometh cruel, to make the earth a waste, and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light; the sun shall be darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine (Isa. 13:9-10).

In Joel:

The day of Jehovah is near. The sun and the moon have been blackened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining (Joel 3:14, 16).

In Ezekiel:

When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens, and I will blacken the stars thereof; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine, all the luminaries of light in heaven will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezek. 32:7-8).

And in Revelation:

The fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner (Rev. 8:12).

[6] Moreover, that "stars" are the knowledges of good and truth is plain from the following passages: in Daniel:

Out of one of the horns of the he-goat came forth a little horn, and it grew exceedingly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward adornment. And it grew even to the army of the heavens; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them (Dan. 8:9-10);

and in Revelation:

The great dragon with his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth (Rev. 12:4).

That "stars" are not meant in these passages, is evident. In Daniel and Revelation is described the state of the church in its last times.

[7] Likewise in David:

Jehovah counteth the number of the stars; He giveth names to all (Ps. 147:4).

Again:

Praise ye Jehovah, sun and moon, praise Him all ye stars of light (Ps. 148:3).

And in Revelation:

A great sign was seen in heaven; a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev. 12:1).

[8] As "stars" signify the knowledges of good and truth, they signify also the doctrinals of the church, for these are knowledges. The doctrinal respecting faith separate from charity in the last times, is thus described by a star in Revelation:

The third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter (Rev. 8:10-11);

the waters made bitter by this star are truths, and the "rivers and fountains of waters" are intelligence thence and wisdom from the Word. (That "waters" are truths may be seen above, n. 2702, 3058, 3424; that "rivers" are intelligence, n. 3051; and that "fountains" are wisdom from the Word, n. 2702, 3424.) [AC4697]

And having in His right hand seven stars, signifies all the knowledges of good and truth in the Word, which are thence with the angels of heaven and with the men of the church. Around the angels, when they are below the heavens, there appear, as it were, little stars in great abundance; and in like manner, around spirits, who, when they lived in the world, had acquired to themselves knowledges of good and truth, or truths of life and doctrine from the Word. These stars appear fixed, with those who are in genuine truths from the Word; but wandering with those who are in falsified truths. Concerning those little stars, as also concerning the stars which appear there in the firmament, I could relate wonderful things, but it does not belong to this work: hence it is evident that by "stars" are signified the knowledges of good and truth from the Word. "The Son of man had them in His right hand," signifies, that they are from the Lord alone through the Word. That "seven" signify all, may be seen above (n. 10).

[2] That the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, are signified by "stars," may also appear from these passages:

I will lay the earth waste; The stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not give their light (Isa. 13:9-10).

"The earth" which shall be laid waste, is the church; which being vastated, the knowledges of good and truth in the Word do not appear:

And when I shall extinguish thee, I will cover the heavens and make the stars thereof dark: All the luminaries of light will I make dark over thee, and I will set darkness upon the land (Ezek. 32:7-8).

"Darkness upon the land," means falsities in the church:

The sun and the moon have been darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their splendor (Joel 2:10; 3:15).
After the affliction of those days shall the sun be obscured, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24).
The stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs (Rev. 6:13).
A star fell from heaven to the earth (Rev. 9:1).
By "stars falling from heaven" are not meant stars, but that the knowledges of good and truth will perish.

[3] This is still more evident from its being said, that:

The dragon drew down the third part of the stars from heaven (Rev. 12:4).

Also that:

The he-goat cast down some of the stars and trampled them (Dan. 8:9-11).

Therefore in the next verse in Daniel it is also said that:

It cast down the truth to the earth (Dan. 8:12).

The knowledges of good and truth are also signified by "stars," in these passages:

Jehovah telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by names (Ps. 147:4).

Praise Jehovah, all ye stars of light (Ps. 148:3).
The stars fought in their ways (Judges 5:20).
From hence it appears what is meant by these words in Daniel:
And the intelligent shall be resplendent as the splendor of the expanse, justifying many as the stars for ages of ages (Dan. 12:3).

The "intelligent" are those who are in truths; "justifying" those who are in goods. [AR51]

Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)