Spiritual Meaning of Precious stones

Spiritual Meaning of

Precious stones

That the precious stones which were in the breastplate signified Divine truths from Divine good, is evident from the passages in the Word where precious stones are mentioned; as with John in the Apocalypse:--

The foundations of the wall of the city New Jerusalem were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx;' the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst (Rev. 21:19, 20);

that these precious stones signify the truths of the church, which are truths Divine, is evident from the signification of the city New Jerusalem, of its wall, and the foundations of the wall. The New Jerusalem signifies the New Church which will succeed our present church; for the book of the Apocalypse treats of the state of the church as it is now, even to its end; and then of the New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven; its walls denote the truths of faith which defend; and its foundations denote truths from good; these truths themselves in their order are designated by the precious stones there named. Everyone can see that Jerusalem is not to come down out of heaven, and that the rest of what is said about it will not happen as described; but that in each particular of the description such things are signified as pertain to the church. That the truths of faith are meant by the foundations of its wall, is evident from the fact that these truths are what protect the church from every attack, even as walls protect a city. That Jerusalem denotes the church, (AC 2117, 9166); and that walls denote the truths of faith that protect the church, (AC 6419); and that foundations denote truths from good, (AC 9643).

[3] In Ezekiel:--

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Thou art full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the tarshish, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the carbuncle, and gold. Thou hast been in the mountain of holiness of God; thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezek. 28:12-14);

here also by the precious stones are signified truths from good; for in the internal representative sense Tyre denotes one who is in intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges of good and truth (AC 1201) therefore it is said of its king that he is full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, wisdom being predicated of good, and beauty of truth; for all the wisdom in the heavens is from good, and all the beauty there is from the truths thence derived. Eden the garden signifies intelligence from good (AC 100); the garden, intelligence itself (AC 100, 108, 2702). From this it is evident that by the stones there mentioned are signified truths from good.

from AC 9863

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Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.