Oil in the Bible represents the Lord’s love, so anointing someone (or something) with oil was a way to make that person (or object) a representative of the Lord. At the ultimate level, of course, the Lord himself, as Jesus, is known as “the Anointed,” used with a similar meaning to “Messiah” or “Christ.” Being the Anointed means that he is love itself, presented to us through divinely true ideas. The fact that kings and priests were anointed meant that they also could represent true ideas coming from good loves, on a lower level.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9954
- ‘And you shall anoint them’ means a representative sign of the Lord in respect of the good of love. This is clear from the meaning of ‘anointing’ as consecrating to serve as a representative sign, dealt with in 9474. The reason why to serve as a representative sign of the Lord in respect of the good of love is meant, or what amounts to the same thing, to serve as a representative sign of the good of love that comes from the Lord, is that ‘oil’, which was used to carry out anointing, means the good of love, 886, 4582, 4638, 9780. It is of interest to know what is implied in all this, since anointing has remained in practice from ancient times down to the present day (monarchs are anointed), andanointing is held to be holy today in just the same way as it was in former times. It was among the ancients – in whose times every act of worship involved the use of representative signs, that is to say, of such things as served to represent realities of a more internal nature, which are those of faith and love derived from the Lord and offered back to Him, thus which are Divine – that the practice ofanointing came in; it came in because ‘the oil’ that was used to carry out the anointing was a sign of the good of love. For the ancients knew that the good of love was the essential reality which gives life to everything constituting the Church and worship. That good is the Essential Being (Esse) of life; for the Divine flows in by way of the good of love with a person and composes his life – heavenly life when truths are received within good. From this it is evident what anointing represented, and that because of its representation objects which had been anointed were called holy and also held to be holy. Such objects served the Church to represent Divine and heavenly realities, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, who is Good itself, thus to represent the good of love which comes from Him, and also the truth of faith, to the extent that this has life from the good of love. This now explains why in ancient times they anointed stones set up as pillars, and also weapons of war, such as shields; later on the altar and all its vessels, as well as the tent of meeting and everything in it; and in addition those who were to serve in the priestly office, and their garments, also prophets, and at length kings, who were therefore called Jehovah’s Anointed. It also became a common practice toanoint oneself and others to bear witness to gladness of mind and goodwill.
[2] 1 They anointed stones set up as pillars
This is clear in the Book of Genesis,
In the morning Jacob rose up early, and took the stone which he had placed as his headrest, and placed it as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. Gen. 28:18.
The reason why stones were anointed in this manner was that truths were meant by ‘stones’, and truths devoid of good do not have the life of heaven, that is, life from the Divine, within them. When therefore stones had been anointed with oil they represented truths oiled with good, and in the highest sense Divine Truth emanating from the Lord’s Divine Good, and so represented the Lord Himself, who was consequently called The Stone of Israel, 6426.
Truths are meant by ‘stones’, see 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, 8941, 9476.
They are in like manner meant by ‘pillars’, 3727, 4580, 9388, 9389.
‘Anointing pillars’ means causing truths to be oiled with good, thus to be the truths of good, and so to exist as good, 3728, 4090, 4582.
The fact that stones set up as pillars were held to be holy is clear in the same chapter of Genesis, where it says,
Jacob called the name of that place Bethel, and said, If I come back in peace to my father’s house, this stone which I have placed as a pillar will be God’s house. Gen. 28:19, 21, 22.
Bethel is [a name meaning] God’s house, and God’s house is the Church, also heaven, and in the highest sense it is the Lord Himself, 3720.
[3] 2 They anointed weapons of war, such as shields
This is clear in Isaiah,
Rise up, O princes, anoint the shield. Isa. 21:5.
And in the second Book of Samuel,
The shield of heroes was defiled, the shield of Saul was notanointed with oil. 2 Sam. 1:21.
The reason why weapons of war were anointed was that they were a sign of truths engaged in conflict against falsities, truths oiled with good being what prevail over them, but not truths devoid of good. When weapons of war had been anointed therefore they represented truths emanating from good that comes from the Lord, thus truths which the Lord Himself, when present with people, employs to fight on their behalf against falsities arising from evil, that is, against the hells. Regarding ‘weapons of war’, that they mean truths engaged in conflict against falsities, see 1788, 2686. For in the Word ‘war’ means spiritual conflict, 1664, 2686, 8273, 8295, and ‘enemies’ the hells, in general evils and falsities, 2851, 8289, 9314.
[4] 3 They anointed the altar and all its vessels, also the tent of meeting and everything in it
This is clear in Moses,
Jehovah said to Moses, You shall anoint the altar and sanctify it. Exod. 29:36.
In the same author,
You shall make the holy anointing oil,* with which you shallanoint the tent of meeting, and the ark of the Testimony, and the table and all its vessels, and the lampstand and all its vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, and the laver and its base. Thus you shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Everyone who touches them will make himself holy. Exod. 30:25-29.
In the same author,
You shall take the oil of anointing, and anoint the dwelling-place and all that is in it, and sanctify it and all its vessels, that it may be holy. You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, and make the altar holy, that the altar may be most holy; and you shall anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it. Exod. 40:9-11.
In the same author,
Moses anointed the dwelling-place and everything that was in it. After this he sprinkled some of the oil over the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its shaft, to sanctify them. Lev. 8:10-12; Num. 7:1.
[5] The reason why the altar had to be anointed, also the dwelling-place and everything there, was that they might represent the Divine and holy things of heaven and of the Church, consequently the holy things of worship. They could not have represented these things unless they had been consecrated to do so by something such as served to represent the good of love. For the Divine comes in through the good of love, and through this good is present in heaven and in the Church, and therefore also in worship. Without that good the Divine cannot come in or be present, only what composes the human self, and with that self hell, and with hell evil and falsity; for the human self is nothing else. From this it is evident why anointing was effected by the use of oil; for ‘oil’ in the representative sense is the good of love, see 886, 4582, 4638, 9780; the altar was the chief representative of the Lord, and consequently of worship springing from the good of love, 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714; and the dwelling-place with the ark in it was the chief representative of heaven in which the Lord was present, 9457, 9481, 9485, 9594, 9596, 9632, 9784. As regards the human self or proprium, that it consists of nothing but evil and falsity, thus nothing but hell, 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812 (end), 5660, 8480, 8941, 8944; and in the measure that what composes the human self is removed, the Lord can be present, 1023, 1044, 4007 (end).
[6] 4 They anointed those who were to serve in the priestly office, and their garments
This is clear in Moses,
Take the oil of anointing, and you shall pour it over Aaron’s head, and you shall anoint him. Exod. 29:7; 30:30.
In the same author,
Clothe Aaron with the holy garments,** and you shall anoint him and make him holy, that he may serve Me in the priestly office. And you shall anoint his sons, as you anointed the father; and it shall be, that their anointing may make them an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.*** Exod. 40:13-15.
In the same author,
Moses poured some of the oil over Aaron’s head, and anointedhim, to make him holy. Then he took some of the oil of anointingand some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it over Aaron, over his garments, over his sons, and over the garments of his sons with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, his sons also, and the garments of his sons with him. Lev. 8:12, 30.
[7] The reason why Aaron had to be anointed, and his sons had to be anointed, also their actual garments, was that they might represent the Lord in respect of Divine Good, and in respect of Divine Truth emanating from that Good, Aaron representing the Lord in respect of that Divine Good and his sons in respect of the emanating Divine Truth, and in general that the priesthood might represent the Lord in respect of all the work of salvation. They had to be anointed in their garments, Exod. 29:29, because Aaron’s garments represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to His celestial kingdom. The celestial kingdom is where the good of love to the Lord derived from the Lord reigns, so that the flow of the Divine into the spiritual kingdom is accomplished by way of the good of love. This was why being consecrated to serve as a representative sign was accomplished by the use of oil, which in the spiritual sense is the good of love.
Aaron represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good, see 9806.
His sons represented the Lord in respect of Divine Truth emanating from Divine Good, 9807.
The priestly office in general represented the Lord in respect of all the work of salvation, 9809.
Aaron’s garments represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to His celestial kingdom, 9814.
His sons’ garments represented the things that emanate from there, 9946, 9950.
The good of love to the Lord reigns in the celestial kingdom, see the places referred to in 9277.
[8] Since being consecrated to serve as a representative sign was accomplished by means of anointing, and since Aaron and his sons represented the Lord and what comes from Him, the holy things of the children of Israel – that is, the gifts which they presented to Jehovah, called ‘heave offerings’ – were given to Aaron and his sons; and they are spoken of as ‘the anointing’ and also as ‘for theanointing’,**** meaning the representation or for the representation of the Lord, and what comes from Him, as is clear from the following in Moses,
The breast of the wave offering, and the flank of the heave offering I have received from the children of Israel, from the sacrifices of peace offerings; I have given them to Aaron and his sons. This is the anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons from the fire offerings to Jehovah, which I decreed to give them, on the day they were anointed,***** from among the children of Israel. Lev. 7:34-36.
And elsewhere in the same author,
Jehovah spoke to Aaron, Behold, I have given you charge of My heave offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel; I have given them to you for the anointing, and to your sons, as a statute forever. Every offering of theirs, even every minchah of theirs, even every sacrifice of sin offering and guilt offering, every wave offering of the children of Israel, all the best****** of pure oil, and all the best****** of the new wine and the grain, their firstfruits which they will give to Jehovah I have given to you. Also every devoted thing in Israel, everything opening the womb, thus every heave offering of holy things [shall be yours]. You shall not have an inheritance in their land, nor shall any portion be yours in their midst. I am your portion and your inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel. Num. 18:8-20.
From these quotations it is evident that ‘the anointing’ means the representation, for it was through being anointed that they were consecrated to serve as a representative sign, a sign which meant that everything in heaven and the Church is made holy through the good of love which comes from the Lord, and that the good of love is the Lord as He is present with them. This explains why it says that Jehovah is his******* ‘portion and inheritance’.
[9] 5 They also anointed prophets
This is clear in the first Book of Kings,
Jehovah said to Elijah, Anoint Hazael as king over the Syrians, and anoint Jehu as king over Israel, and anoint Elisha as prophet in place of you. 1 Kings 19:15, 16.
And in Isaiah,
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me, therefore Jehovah hasanointed Me to bring good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken in heart, to preach liberty to the captives. Isa. 61:1.
The reason why prophets were anointed was that prophets represented the Lord in respect of teachings that present Divine Truth, thus in respect of the Word since this consists of teachings that present Divine Truth. Regarding prophets, that they represented the Word, see 3652, 7269, Elijah and Elisha in particular, 2762, 5247 (end), 9372. And – as the Lord Himself teaches in Luke 4:18-21 – the Lord in respect of His Divine Human is the One who is being represented, and so is the One who ‘He whom Jehovah has anointed’ is used to mean.
[10] 6 Afterwards they anointed kings, and these were called Jehovah’s Anointed
This is clear from a large number of places in the Word, such as 1 Sam. 10:1; 15:1, 17; 16:3, 6, 12; 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam. 1:16; 2:4, 7; 5:3; 19:21; 1 Kings 1:34, 45; 19:15, 16; 2 Kings 9:3; 11:12; 23:30; Lam. 4:20; Hab. 3:13; Ps. 2:2, 6; 20:6; 28:8; 45:7; 84:9; 89:20, 38, 51; 132:17; and elsewhere. The reason why theyanointed kings was in order that they might represent the Lord in respect of judgement based on Divine Truth. Consequently truths that are God’s are meant in the Word by ‘kings’, see 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148.
[11] Kings were called Jehovah’s Anointed, and therefore it was utterly forbidden to do them harm, because ‘Jehovah’s Anointed’ is used to mean the Lord’s Divine Human, though in the sense of the letter the title is applied to a king who had been anointed with oil. While He was in the world the Lord was Divine Truth itself as to His Humanity, and Divine Good itself as to that Essential Being (Esse) constituting the life within Him, the equivalent of which in people is called the soul from the father; for He was conceived from Jehovah. In the Word Jehovah is the Divine Good of Divine Love, and that Good is the Essential Being (Esse) of every human life. Consequently the Lord alone was ‘Jehovah’s Anointed’ in all that He was and in all that He did (ipsa essentia et ipso actu); for Divine Good was within Him, and Divine Truth emanating from that Good was within His Humanity while He was in the world, see the places referred to in 9194, 9315(end). Earthly kings were not Jehovah’s Anointed, but served to represent the Lord, who alone was Jehovah’s Anointed; and this was why, because they had been anointed, it was utterly forbidden to do harm to earthly kings. But the anointing of earthly kings was accomplished by the use of oil, whereas the anointing of the Lord in respect of His Divine Human was accomplished by means of the actual Divine Good of Divine Love which oil represented. This is why He was called Messiah and Christ, Messiah meaning the Anointed in Hebrew, and Christ meaning the like in Greek, John 1:41; 4:25.
[12] From all this it becomes clear that where the term ‘Jehovah’sAnointed’ is used in the Word the Lord is meant, as in Isaiah,
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me, therefore Jehovah hasanointed Me to bring good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken in heart, to preach liberty to the captives. Isa. 61:1.
The truth that the Lord in respect of His Divine Human is the One whom Jehovah had anointed is clear in Luke, where the Lord declares it explicitly in the following words,
The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Jesus, and He unrolled the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me. He has sent Me to bring good tidings to the poor, to heal the crushed at heart,******** to preach good tidings of forgiveness to the bound, and of sight to the blind, to release the wounded with forgiveness, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. After this He rolled up the book, gave it to the minister, and sat down. The eyes however of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. He began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:17-21.
[13] In Daniel,
Know therefore and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks. Dan. 9:25.
‘Building Jerusalem’ means establishing the Church, ‘Jerusalem’ being the Church, 3654. ‘The Messiah, the Prince’, or the AnointedOne, is the Lord in respect of the Divine Human. In the same prophet,
Seventy weeks have been decreed to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. Dan. 9:24.
‘Sealing up vision and prophet’ means drawing to a close those things that have been declared in the Word regarding the Lord and fulfilling them. ‘Anointing the Holy of Holies’ refers to the Lord’s Divine Human in which the Divine Good of Divine Love, or Jehovah, was present.
[14] ‘Jehovah’s Anointed’ is again used to mean the Lord in the following places: In David,
The kings of the earth have set themselves, and the masters of the earth have taken counsel together, against Jehovah and against HisAnointed. I have anointed My king over Zion, the mountain of My holiness. Ps. 2:2, 6.
‘The kings of the earth’ are falsities, and ‘the masters’ evils, that come from the hells, against which the Lord fought while He was in the world, and which He overcame and subdued. ‘Jehovah’sAnointed’ is the Lord in respect of His Divine Human, for from this Human He fought them. ‘Zion, the mountain of holiness’ over which, it says, the Anointed will be king, is the celestial kingdom, which is governed by the good of love. This kingdom is the inmost part of heaven and the inmost of the Church.
[15] In the same author,
I have found My servant David; with the oil of holiness I haveanointed him. Ps. 89:20.
By ‘David’ here the Lord is meant, as also elsewhere, see 1888. ‘The oil of holiness’ with which Jehovah anointed Him is the Divine Good of Divine Love, 886, 4582, 4638. The fact that the Lord is the One who is meant in this verse by ‘David’ is evident from other verses before and after it, for among much else they say,
You spoke in a vision regarding Your Holy One, I will set His hand in the sea, and His right hand in the rivers. He will cry to Me, You are My Father. I will also make Him the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth. I will establish His seed forever, and His throne as the days of the heavens. Ps. 89:19, 25-29.
[16] The like occurs elsewhere in the same author,
In Zion I will make the horn of David to spring forth, I will make ready a lamp for My Anointed; His enemies I will clothe with shame, and upon Himself His crown will flourish. Ps. 132:17, 18.
Here also the Lord is meant by ‘David’, as is evident from previous verses in the Psalm which say,
Behold, we heard of Him in Ephrathah, we found Him in the fields of the wood. We will enter His dwelling-places, we will bow down at His footstool. Your priests will be clothed with righteousness, and Your holy ones will shout for joy. For Your servant David’s sake do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. Ps. 132:6-10.
From these verses it becomes clear that the Lord in respect of His Divine Human is meant by ‘David, Jehovah’s Anointed’.
[17] In Jeremiah,
They pursued us over the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. The Breath******** of our nostrils, Jehovah’sAnointed, was caught in their pits, of whom we had said, In His shadow we shall live among the nations. Lam. 4:19, 20.
Here also ‘Jehovah’s Anointed’ is used to mean the Lord, for the subject is the assault made on Divine Truth by falsities and evils, meant by their pursuing over the mountains and lying in wait in the wilderness. ‘The Breath of nostrils’ is real heavenly life which comes from the Lord, 9818.
[18] From all this it may now be recognized why it was utterly forbidden to do harm to Jehovah’s Anointed, as is again evident from the Word, for example in the first Book of Samuel,
David said, Jehovah forbid me that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah’s Anointed, and raise********** my hand against him, since he is Jehovah’s Anointed. 1 Sam. 24:6, 10.
And in another place,
David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him, for who can raise*********** a hand against Jehovah’s Anointed and be innocent? 1 Sam. 26:9.
In the second Book of Samuel,
David said to him who said he had killed Saul, Your blood is on your own head, because you have said, I have killed Jehovah’sAnointed. 2 Sam. 1:16.
And in another place,
Abishai said, Shall not Shimei be killed on account of this, that he cursed Jehovah’s Anointed? 2 Sam. 19:21.
Shimei was therefore put to death by Solomon’s command, see 1 Kings 2:36-end.
[19] 7 It became a common practice to anoint oneself and others, to bear witness to gladness of mind and goodwill
This is clear in the following places: In Daniel,
I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I did not eat pleasant bread, and flesh and wine did not come to my mouth, and I did notanoint myself at all, until the three whole weeks were completed. Dan. 10:2, 3.
In Matthew,
When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to people to be fasting, but to your Father in secret. Matt. 6:17, 18.
‘Fasting’ means being in mourning. In Amos,
… who drink from bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the best of oils, but feel no grief over the ruin of Joseph. Amos 6:6.
In Ezekiel,
I washed you with water, and washed away the blood from upon you,************ and anointed you with oil. Ezek. 16:9.
This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Church is meant. In Micah,
You will tread olives but not anoint yourself with oil. Micah 6:15.
In Moses,
You will have olive trees within all your borders, but you will notanoint yourself with oil, because your olive will be shaken off. Deut. 28:40.
In Isaiah,
To give them beauty************* for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. Isa. 61:3.
In David,
Your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. Ps. 45:7.
In the same author,
You spread a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You make my head fat with oil. Ps. 23:5.
In the same author,
You will exalt my horn like that of a unicorn; I will grow old with green oil.************** Ps. 92:10.
In the same author,
Wine gladdens the human heart, to cheer the face with oil. Ps. 104:15.
In Mark,
The disciples went out and anointed many sick people with oil, and healed them. Mark 6:13.
In Luke,
Jesus said to Simon, I entered your house, and you did not anointMy head with oil; but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment. Luke 7:44, 46.
[20] From all this it is evident that it became the practice to anointthemselves and others with oil. They did so not with ‘the holy oil’ with which priests, kings, the altar, and the tabernacle wereanointed, but with ordinary oil because this oil was a sign of the gladness and bliss that belong to the good of love. ‘The holy oil’ however was a sign of Divine Good, about which it says, It shall not be poured on human flesh, and as to the composition of it, you shall not make any other like it; it shall be holy to you. The man who prepares any other like it, or who puts any of it on a foreigner, shall be cut off from his people. Exod. 30:32, 33, 38.
* lit. the oil of anointing of holiness
** lit. garments of holiness
*** lit. that for them their anointing may be for the priesthood of an age, into their generations
**** The Hebrew word behind the Latin rendered the anointing in the two quotations that follow is said to have two meanings – 1 Ointment or holy oil, and 2 Consecrated portion.
***** lit. on the day He (or he) anointed them
****** lit. fat
******* i.e. Aaron’s
******** or the contrite in heart
********* lit. Spirit
********** lit. send
*********** lit. will have sent
************ lit. your bloods
************* lit. a turban or some other attractive headdress
************** i.e. first-press oil
AE 375
[7] That oil signifies the good of love, is especially evident from the anointings among the sons of Israel, or in their church, which were performed by oil; for all things of the church were thereby consecrated, and when consecrated they were called holy, as the altar and the vessels thereof, the tent of the assembly and all things therein, likewise those who were appointed to the priesthood and their garments, and further the prophets, and afterwards the kings. Any one can see that oil itself does not sanctify, but that which is signified by oil, which is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord; this is signified by oil; when, therefore, persons or things were anointed with oil, from that moment they became representative, for the oil induced a representation of the Lord, and of the good of love from Him, the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, being the essential holy [element] of heaven and the church, by which everything Divine flows in. Hence the things of heaven and the church, which are called things spiritual, are holy in proportion as they contain this [element].
[8] The reason of the representation of holiness by oil is this: The Lord alone as to the Divine Human is the Anointed of Jehovah, for in Him, from conception, was the essential Divine good of the Divine love, and therefrom His Human was the essential Divine truth when He was in the world, and afterwards, by union with the essential Divine in Himself, He made that also the Divine good of the Divine love; and because all things of the church represented things Divine from the Lord, and, in the highest sense, the Lord Himself – for the church instituted with the sons of Israel was a representative church – therefore oil, by which was signified the Divine good of the Divine love, was used to introduce into representations; and afterwards the things or persons that wereanointed were considered as holy, not that there was any holiness thereby in them, but because holiness was thereby represented in heaven, when they were [engaged] in worship.
[9] These observations are made in order that it may be known that oil signifies the good of love; but to make it more evident, I will explain every particular in order, namely:
[i] That in ancient times they anointed with oil the stones set up for statues.
[ii] Likewise the arms of war, as bucklers and shields.
[iii] Afterwards, that they anointed the altar and all the vessels thereof, and the tent of the assembly and all things therein.
[iv] Also besides, those who were appointed to the priesthood, and also their garments.
[v] And also the prophets.
[vi] And afterwards the kings, who were thence called theanointed.
[vii] That it was customary to anoint themselves and others with oil, to testify gladness of mind and benevolence.
[viii] And that hence it is evident that oil in the Word signifies good; the oil of holiness which was prepared for anointing those things that were to be used in the worship of the church, the Divine good of the Divine love; and oil in general, good and its delight.
[10] (i) That they anointed stones set up for statues, appears in the book of Genesis:
“Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a statue, and poured oil on the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel. And he said, If I come again to my father’s house in peace, this stone which I have set for a statue, shall be the house of God” (xxviii. 18-22).
The reason why stones were thus anointed, was, because by stones were signified truths, and truths without good have no spiritual life, that is, no life from the Divine; but when the stones wereanointed with oil, then they represented truths from good, and in the highest sense, the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine good, who is thence called the Stone of Israel. The stones themselves set up were statues, and were accounted holy, and hence arose the use of statues among the ancients, and afterwards in their temples. Because, then, the stone set up by Jacob was representatively sanctified, therefore, Jacob called the name of the place Bethel, and said that that stone should be the house of God; Bethel signifies the house of God, and the house of God signifies the church as to good, and, in the highest sense, the Lord as to His Divine Human (John ii. 19-22). (The remainder may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia. Besides there also that statues were set up by the ancients for a sign, for a witness, and for worship, n. 3727; that they were at first holy boundaries, n. 3727; that afterwards they were used in worship, n. 4580; what they signified, n. 4580, 10,643. That stones signify truths, and the Stone of Israel the Lord as to Divine truth, n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 9388, 9389, 10,376. That the pouring of oil upon the head of a statue, or anointing it, was done that the representative of truth from good might be introduced, and thus might be used in worship, n. 3728, 4090.)
[11] (ii) That they anointed the arms of war, as bucklers and shields, is seen in Isaiah:
“Arise, ye princes, anoint the shield” (xxi. 5).
And in the second book of Samuel:
“The shield of the heroes is polluted; the shield of Saul Is notanointed with oil” (i. 21).
The reason why the arms of war were anointed was, because they signified truths fighting against falsities; and truths from good are what prevail against them, but not truths without good; therefore the arms of war represented the truths by which the Lord Himself fights in man, against the falsities from evil from hell. (That arms of war signify truths fighting against falsities, may be seen, n. 1788, 2686, and above, n. 131, 367; and that wars in general signify spiritual combats, n. 1664, 2686, 8273, 8295; and enemies, evils and falsities, in general the hells, n. 2831, 8289, 9314.)
[12] (iii) That they anointed the altar and all vessels, also the tent of the assembly and all things therein, is clear in Moses:
“Jehovah said unto Moses, Thou shalt anoint the altar, and sanctify it” (Exod. xxix. 36).
In the same:
“Thou shalt make the oil of the anointing of holiness wherewith thou shalt anoint the tent of the assembly, and the ark of the testimony, and the tables and all the vessels thereof, and the candlestick, and all the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-offering, and all the vessels thereof, and the lavers and the base. Thus shalt thou sanctify them, that they may be holy of holies; every one who would touch them, shall sanctify himself “‘ (Exod. xxx. 25-29; xl. 9-11; Lev. viii. 10-12; Num. vii. 1).
The reason why the altars were anointed, and the tent of the assembly, with all things therein, was that they might represent the Divine and holy things of heaven and the church, consequently, the holy things of worship; and they could not represent them unless they had been consecrated by something significative of the good of love, for the Divine enters by the good of love, and is thereby present, consequently, also in worship, and without it, the Divine neither enters nor is present. (That the altar was an especial representative of the Lord, and thence of worship from the good of love, may be seen, n. 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714; and that the tabernacle with the ark was the special representative of heaven where the Lord is, n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9594, 9632, 9596, 9784.)
[13] (iv) That they anointed those who were appointed to the priesthood, and their garments, is clear in Moses:
“Take the oil of anointing, and pour it upon the head of Aaron, and thou shalt anoint him” (Exod. xxix. 7 xxx. 30).
In the same:
“Put upon Aaron the garments of holiness, and thou shalt anointhim, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priesthood. And thou shalt anoint his sons, as thou didst anoint the father, and it shall be that their anointing is to them an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations” (Exod. xl. 13-15).
In the same:
“Moses poured of the oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him to sanctify him. And afterwards he took of the oil of anointing, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him (Lev. viii. 6, 12, 30).
The reason why Aaron and his sons were anointed, and their very garments, was, that they might represent the Lord as to the Divine good, and as to Divine truth thence; Aaron, the Lord as to the Divine good, and his sons, [the Lord] as to the Divine truth thence; and in general that the priesthood might represent the Lord as to His work of salvation. The reason of their garments being anointed(Exod. xxix. 29) was, because garments represented spiritual things clothing. (That Aaron represented the Lord as to Divine good, may be seen, n. 9806; that his sons represented the Lord as to Divine truth proceeding from Divine good, n. 9807; that the priesthood in general represented the Lord as to His work of salvation, n. 9809; that the garments of Aaron and his sons represented things spiritual, n. 9814, 9942, 9952.)
[14] Because consecration for the purpose of representation was effected by anointing, and by Aaron and his sons were represented the Lord and what proceeds from him, therefore, to Aaron and his sons were given the holy things of the sons of Israel, which were gifts given to Jehovah, and were called heave offerings; and it is said that they are the anointing, or for the anointing, that is, that they are a representation, or for a representation, of the Lord, and of the Divine things that proceed from Him; as appears from the following passages in Moses:
“The wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the sons of Israel. This anointing of Aaron, and anointing of his sons, out of the burnt offerings of Jehovah, which he commanded to give them in the day that he had anointed them from among the sons of Israel” (Lev. vii. 34-36).
And elsewhere in the same:
“Jehovah spake unto Aaron, Behold I have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings as to the hallowed things of the sons of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. Every gift of theirs as to every meat offering, as to every sacrifice of sin and guilt, every trespass of the sons of Israel, all the fat of the pure oil, and all the fat of the new wine, and of the corn, their first-fruits which they shall give unto Jehovah, I have given them to thee, likewise everything devoted in Israel, every opening of the womb, thus every heave offering of things holy. Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part in the midst of them; I am thy part and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel” (Num. xviii. 8-20).
From these considerations it is clear that anointing denotes representation, because by anointing they were consecrated or inaugurated into representation; and thereby was signified that all consecration into the holiness of heaven and the church is by means of the good of love from the Lord, and that the good of love is the Lord with them; because this is the case, it is said that Jehovah is his part and inheritance.
[15] (v) That they also anointed the prophets, is clear from the first book of Kings:
Jehovah said unto Elijah, “Anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha anoint to be prophet instead of thee” (xix, 15, 16).
And in Isaiah:
“The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; therefore hath Jehovahanointed me to preach good tidings unto the poor” (lxi. 1).
The reason why the prophets were anointed, was, because the prophets represented the Lord as to the doctrine of Divine truth, consequently, as to the Word; for the Word is the doctrine of Divine truth. (That the prophets represented, and thence signified, doctrine from the Word, may be seen, n. 2534, 7269; specifically Elijah and Elisha, n. 2762, 5247 at the end, 9372). That it is the Lord as to the Divine Human who is represented, thus through whom Jehovah anointed, the Lord Himself teaches in Luke (iv. 18-21).
[16] (vi) That they afterwards anointed kings, and that they were called the anointed of Jehovah, is clear from many passages in the Word (as 1 Sam. x. 1; xv. 1; xvi. 3, 6; xxiv. 7, 11; xxvi. 9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam. i. 16; ii. 4, 7; v. 3; xix. 2; 1 Kings i. 34, 35; xix. 15, 16; 2 Kings ix. 3; xi. 12; xxiii. 30; Lam. iv. 20; Hab. iii. 13; Ps. ii. 2, 6; xx. 6; xxviii. 8; xlv. 8; lxxxiv. 10; lxxxix. 21, 39, 51; cxxxii. 17; and elsewhere). The reason why kings were anointed, was, that they might represent the Lord as to judgment from Divine truth; wherefore, by kings in the Word, Divine truths are signified (see above, n. 31). The reason why kings were called the anointed of Jehovah, and why it was therefore sacrilege to injure them, was, because by the anointed of Jehovah is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, although, as to the sense of the letter, it is applied to the king who was anointed with oil; for the Lord, when He was in the world, was the Divine truth itself as to the Human, and was the Divine good itself of the Divine love as to the very esse of His life, which in man is called the soul from the father, for He was conceived of Jehovah, Jehovah in the Word denoting the Divine good of the Divine love, which is the esse of the life of all; hence it is that the Lord alone was the anointed of Jehovah in very essence and in very deed, because the Divine good of the Divine love was in Him, and the Divine truth proceeding from that essential good in His Human when He was in the world. (See above, n. 63, 200, 228, 328; and in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 293-295, 303-305.) But the kings of the earth were not the
anointed of Jehovah; they were so called, because they represented the Lord, who was alone the Anointed of Jehovah, and, therefore, it was sacrilege to hurt the kings of the earth on account of theiranointing; but the anointing of the kings of the earth was effected by oil, whereas the anointing of the Lord as to the Divine Human was accomplished by the Divine good itself of the Divine love, which oil signified and anointing represented; hence it is that the Lord was called the Messiah and Christ, Messiah in the Hebrew tongue signifying anointed, and Christ the same in the Greek tongue (John i. 41; iv. 25).
[17] From these considerations it is evident that when the anointedof Jehovah is mentioned in the Word, in a representative sense the Lord is meant. As in Isaiah:
“The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; therefore Jehovah hathanointed me to preach good tidings unto the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives” (lxi. 1).
That it is the Lord as to the Divine Human, whom Jehovahanointed, is clear in Luke, where the Lord openly declares it in these words:
There was delivered unto Jesus “the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, he hath sent me to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the accepted year of the Lord. After that, closing the book, he gave it to the minister, and sat down. But the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (iv. 17-21).
In Daniel:
“Know therefore, and perceive, that from the going forth of the Word even to the restoration and building of Jerusalem even to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks” (ix. 25).
To build Jerusalem denotes the establishment of the church, Jerusalem denoting the church; Messiah the Prince, or theAnointed, denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human.
[18] In the same:
“Seventy weeks are determined to seal up the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Holy of holies” (ix. 24).
To seal up the vision and the prophet, denotes to conclude the things that are said in the Word concerning the Lord, and to complete them, to anoint the Holy of holies, denotes the Lord’s Divine Human, in which was the Divine good of the Divine love, or Jehovah.
[19] The Lord is also meant by the anointed of Jehovah in the following passages. In David:
“The kings of the earth stood together, and the rulers consulted together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed. I have anointedmy king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness” (Ps. ii. 2, 6).
The kings of the earth denote falsities, and the rulers denote the evils which are from the hells, against which the Lord when He was in the world fought, and which He conquered and subdued. The Anointed of Jehovah is the Lord as to the Divine Human from which He fought; Zion, the mountain of holiness, upon which He is called anointed as a king, is the celestial kingdom, which is in the good of love; this kingdom is the inmost of heaven and the inmost of the church.
[20] In the same:
“I have found David my servant; with the oil of holiness have Ianointed him” (Ps. lxxxix. 20).
By David here, as also elsewhere, is meant the Lord (see above, n. 205); the oil of holiness with which Jehovah anointed him, denotes the Divine good of the Divine love; that it is the Lord who is here meant by David, is evident from the things which precede and those which follow, for it is said,
“Thou spakest in vision of thy Holy One, and saidst, I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall call me, my Father. Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. His seed will I establish for ever, and his throne as the days of the heavens” (verses 19, 25-27, 29; besides many other passages).
Similarly elsewhere in the same:
In Zion “will I make the horn of David to bud; I will prepare a lamp for mine anointed; his enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish” (Ps. cxxxii. 17, 18).
That here also the Lord is meant by David is evident from the preceding verses, in which it is said,
“We heard of him in Ephratah; we found him in the fields of the wood. We will go into his habitation; we will bow down ourselves at his footstool. Thy priests shall be clothed with justice; and thy saints shall shout for joy. For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the faces of thine anointed” (verses 6-8, and following).
From this it is evident that the Lord as to His Divine Human is here meant by David, the anointed of Jehovah.
[21] In Jeremiah:
“They pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations” (Lam. iv. 19, 20).
Here, also, by the anointed of Jehovah is meant the Lord, for the assault on Divine truth by evils and falsities is here treated of, which is signified by, upon the mountains they pursued, and in the wilderness laid wait; the breath of the nostrils denotes heavenly life itself which is from the Lord (n. 9818).
[22] From these things it may now be known, why it was accounted sacrilege to injure the anointed of Jehovah, as is also plain from the Word. Thus, in the first book of Samuel:
David said, “Jehovah forbid that I should do this word unto my Lord, the anointed of Jehovah, and that I should put forth my hand against him, because he is the anointed of Jehovah” (xxiv. 6, 10).
So again:
“David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and be guiltless?” (xxvi. 9).
In the second book of Samuel:
David said unto him, who said that he had slain Saul, “Thy blood be upon thy head; for thou hast said, I have slain the anointed of Jehovah” (i. 16).
And in another place:
“Abishai said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, that he cursed the anointed of Jehovah?” (xix. 21).
(That Shimei was therefore slain, by command of Solomon, may be seen in 1 Kings ii. 36, to the end.)
[23] (vii) That it was customary to anoint themselves and others with oil, to testify gladness of mind and goodwill, is clear from the following passages. In Amos:
“Who drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the first-fruits of the oils, but they are not grieved for the breach of Joseph” (vi. 6).
In Micah:
“Thou shalt tread the olive, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil” (vi. 15), “for thou wilt not be glad.”
In Moses:
“Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil” (Deut. xxviii. 40).
Similarly in Isaiah:
“To give them a head-dress instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning” (lxi. 3).
In David:
“Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Ps. xlv. 7).
In the same:
“My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn; I shall grow old in fresh oil” (Ps. xcii. 10).
In the same:
“Wine maketh glad the heart of man, to make merry the faces with oil” (Ps. civ. 15).
In Luke:
Jesus said to Simon, “I entered into thine house, and my head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment” (vii. 44, 46).
In Matthew:
“But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face, that ye may not appear unto men to fast” (vi. 17).
[24] To fast signifies to mourn, because in mourning they fasted, and desisted from the expression of gladness, therefore they were then not in the habit of anointing themselves with oil; as in Daniel:
“I Daniel was mourning three weeks. I ate not the bread of desires, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither was I anointedwith anointing, until three weeks of days were fulfilled” (x. 2, 3).
From these passages it is plain that it was a customary thing toanoint themselves and others with oil; not with the oil of holiness, with which the priests, the kings, the altar and tabernacle wereanointed, but with common oil, because this oil signified gladness and satisfaction, which is of the love of good; whereas the oil of holiness signified the Divine good; concerning which it is said:
“Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured, and in quality thereof ye shall not make any like it; it shall be holy unto you. He who shall prepare any like it, or who shall put, any of it upon a stranger, shall be cut off from his people” (Exod. xxx. 32, 33, 38).
[25] (viii) That hence it is evident that oil in the Word signifies good; the oil of holiness, which was prepared for anointing those things that were used in the worship of the church [signifying] the Divine good of the Divine love, and oil in general, good and its delight, is evident also from other passages in the Word where oil is mentioned, as from the following.
AE 684
[2] It is said, “the kingdoms of the world are become our Lord’s and His Christ’s,” and Lord here means the same as Jehovah in the Old Testament, and Father in the New, namely, the Lord as to the Divine itself and also as to the Divine Good; and Christ means the same as God in the Old Testament, and Son of God in the New, namely, the Lord as to the Divine Human and also as to the Divine Truth. For “Christ” has a signification similar to that of Anointed, Messiah, and King; and Anointed, Messiah, and King, mean the Lord as to the Divine Truth, and also as to the Divine Human when He was in the world, for then the Lord, as to His Human, was Divine Truth. The signification therefore of the Anointed of Jehovah is similar; for the Divine itself, which is called Jehovah and Father, and was in its essence the Divine Good of the Divine Love, anointed the Divine Human, which is called the Son of God, and which in its essence, while it was in the world, was Divine Truth; for anointing signified that the Divine Human of the Lord proceeded from His very Divine, and consequently was the Divine Truth from His Divine Good.
[3] It is evident therefore that the Lord alone, as to the Divine Human, was essentially the Anointed of Jehovah, but that kings and priests were called representatively the anointed of Jehovah, for the oil with which the anointing was performed, signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love. Now, because the Divine Truth with the Lord was that which was anointed by the Divine Good, therefore Christ, and similarly Messiah and Anointed, and also King, signify the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of the Divine Love of the Lord. That this is the case is evident from passages in the Word where Christ, Messiah, and Anointedare mentioned.
[4] That Christ is the Messiah or Anointed is evident in John:
Andrew “findeth his brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, when interpreted, Christ” (i. 42).
And in the same:
The woman of Samaria said, “I know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ” (iv. 25).
From these passages it is evident that the Lord is called Christ because he was the Messiah, whose coming was predicted in the Word of the Old Testament; for Anointed is “Christ” in the Greek tongue, and “Messiah” in the Hebrew, and a King is one anointed. It is for this reason that the Lord was called King of Israel, and King of the Jews, which He also confessed before Pilate. “The King of the Jews,” therefore, was written upon the cross (Matt. xxvii. 11, 29, 37, 42; Luke xxiii. 1-4, 35-40).
And in John:
“Nathanael said, Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel” (i. 49).
[5] And because Anointed, Messiah, Christ, and King are synonymous terms, so also has Son of God the same meaning, and each of these names in the spiritual sense signifies the Divine Truth; that King has this signification may be seen above (n. 31, 553, 625). Son of God also has the same meaning, because sons, in the Word, signify truths, and thus Son of God signifies Divine Truth; that sons signify truths may be seen above (n. 166).
[6] The signification of Christ and Messiah is also similar. That Christ signifies the Divine Truth, is evident in Matthew:
“Be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ” (xxiii. 8).
Rabbi and teacher signify one who teaches truth, thus, in the abstract, the doctrine of truth, and, in the highest sense, the Divine Truth, which is Christ; that the Lord alone is the Divine Truth, is therefore meant by, be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ.
[7] In the same:
“See that no one seduce you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and shall seduce many. If any one say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there will arise false Christs and false prophets” (xxiv. 4, 5, 23, 24; Mark xiii. 21-23).
This must not be understood as meaning that there will arise those who will call themselves the Christ or Christs, but those who will falsify the Word, and say that this or that is Divine Truth when it is not. Those who confirm falsities from the Word are meant by false Christs, and those who propagate falsities of doctrine are meant by false prophets. For these two chapters treat of the successive vastation of the church, thus of the falsification of the Word, and at length of the profanation of truth therefrom. But these things may be seen further explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 3353-3356, and n. 3897-3901).
[8] And because the Son of God also signifies the Divine Truth, as just said, therefore He is sometimes called Christ the Son of God (as in Matt. xxvi. 63; Mark xiv. 61; Luke iv. 41; xxii. 66 to the end; John vi. 69; xi. 26, 27; xx. 31). In a word, the Lord, when He was in the world, was called Christ, Messiah, Anointed, and King, because in Him alone was the Divine Good of the Divine Love, from which proceeds the Divine Truth, and this was represented byanointing. For the oil with which anointing was performed signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and the king who was anointed, the Divine Truth; therefore kings, when they wereanointed, represented the Lord, and were called the anointed of Jehovah. But yet the Lord alone as to His Divine Human, was theAnointed of Jehovah since the Divine Good of the Divine Love was in Him, and this was Jehovah and the Father from whom the Lord had the esse of life. For it is well known that He was conceived of Jehovah, consequently it was from the Divine Good of the Divine Love, which was in Him from conception, that the Lord was Divine Truth as to His Human as long as He was in the world. From this it is evident that the Lord alone was essentially the Anointed of Jehovah, but that kings were representatively called the anointed of Jehovah. For this reason then the Lord, as to His Divine Human, was called Messiah and Christ, that is,Anointed.
[9] This is also evident from the following passages.
In Isaiah:
“The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me, therefore Jehovah hathanointed me to declare good tidings to the poor, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to the captives, to the bound, to the blind, to proclaim the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all that mourn” (lxi. 1, 2).
This plainly is said of the Lord; it means that the Lord Jehovihanointed His Divine Human to declare good tidings to the poor, and sent it to bind up the broken hearted, and so on, for these things the Lord performed from His Human. But the particulars of this passage may be seen explained above (n. 183, 375:15, 612).
[10] In the same:
“Why have the nations raised a tumult, and the peoples meditated vanity? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers consulted together against Jehovah and against his anointed. I haveanointed my king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness. I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee; ask of me and I will give the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, for his anger will kindle shortly; blessed are all they that trust in him” (Psalm ii. 1, 2, 6-8, 12).
That the Anointed of Jehovah means here the Lord as to the Divine Human is clear, for it is said, “Jehovah hath said unto me, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, kiss the Son lest ye perish, blessed are all they that trust in him.” This, in the sense of the letter, is indeed said of David, but David, in the Word, means the Lord as to the Divine Truth, or as King, as may be seen above (n. 205). It is also evident that the Lord’s coming, and after that a last judgment by Him, and finally His sovereignty over all things of the world are there treated of.
[11] The spiritual things which lie hidden, and are signified in the particulars of this passage are as follows: The nations have raised a tumult, and the peoples have meditated vanity, signifies the state of the church and of the former heaven that was to pass away, nations denoting those who are in evils, and peoples those who are in falsities, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331:10, 625). The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers consulted together against Jehovah, and against His Anointed, signifies the falsities of the church and its evils, as being altogether opposed to the Divine Good and the Divine Truth, and thus opposed to the Lord, the kings of the earth denoting the falsities of the church, and the rulers its evils, while Jehovah denotes the Lord as to the Divine itself, thus as to the Divine Good, and Anointed the Lord as to the Divine Human, thus as to the Divine Truth.
[12] I have anointed my king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness, signifies the Human of the Lord as to Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and thence His sovereignty over all things of heaven and the church, Zion and the mountain of holiness denoting heaven and the church, consequently also all things of heaven and the church. I will declare the decree signifies an arcanum of the Divine Will and Providence. Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, signifies the Lord as the Anointed, Messiah, Christ, and King, thus as to His Human conceived and afterwards born of the Divine itself or Jehovah; this day signifies what is decreed from eternity, and looks therefrom to the conjunction and union accomplished in time.
[13] Ask of me, and I will give the nations for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession, signifies His sovereignty and dominion over all things of heaven and the church, which shall be His. Kiss the Son signifies conjunction with the Lord by love, to kiss signifying conjunction from love; lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way, signifies lest evils come upon you and ye be condemned, for to be angry, when stated of the Lord, signifies the turning away of men from Him, consequently their anger and not the Lord’s; and evils are what turn themselves away, and then become angry. For his anger will kindle shortly signifies the Last Judgment, and the casting down of the evil into hell. Blessed are all they that trust in him signifies salvation by love to the Lord and faith in Him.
[14] Again:
“Thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, in thy glory and thine honour; and in thine honour mount, ride upon the word of truth, and of the meekness of justice, and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things; thy darts are sharp, the peoples shall fall under thee, the enemies of the king from the heart. Thy throne, O God, for an age and to eternity; a sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of thy kingdom; Thou hast loved justice and hated evil; therefore God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy above thy companions, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, all thy garments; the daughters of kings are among thy precious women; the queen standeth at thy right hand in best gold of Ophir” (Psalm xlv. 2-9).
That these things also are said of the Lord is evident from all the particulars of that Psalm, and consequently that it is Himself of whom it is said, “God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, all thy garments.” What these things signify is evident from their connection, as follows. That He has Divine Wisdom, and that the doctrine of Divine Truth is from Him, is signified by, Thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips; to be fair signifies to be wise, the sons of men signify those that are intelligent in Divine truths, and lips signify doctrinals.
[15] His Omnipotence from the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good, and thence the destruction of falsities and evils, and the subjugation of the hells is signified by, gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty One, in thy glory and thine honour, and in thine honour mount, ride upon the word of truth, thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things; thy darts are sharp, the people shall fall under thee, the enemies of the king from the heart. Sword signifies truth combating against falsity, and destroying it; a chariot just as word of truth signifies the doctrine of truth; to ride signifies to instruct and combat; the right hand signifies omnipotence; darts signify truths combating, peoples those who are in falsities of evil, and the enemies of the king those who are opposed to truths, thus the hells.
[16] That thence the sovereignty and dominion would be His to eternity, is signified by Thy throne, O God, for an age and to eternity; a sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of thy kingdom, sceptre of rectitude denoting the Divine Truth to which belongs power and sovereignty. That as He delivered the good from damnation by destroying the evil, so therefore did the Divine itself unite itself to His Human is signified by, Thou hast loved justice and hated evil, therefore God hath anointed thee, thy God, with the oil of joy above thy companions. To love justice and to hate evil signifies to deliver the good from damnation by destroying the evil; to anoint with the oil of joy signifies to unite Himself by victories in temptations, God, thy God, signifies the reciprocal union of the Human with the Divine and of the Divine with the Human.
[17] Divine truths united to Divine goods are signified by, He hathanointed with myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, all thy garments; myrrh signifies good of the ultimate degree, aloes good of the second, and cassia good of the third degree, as also do those three spices when mixed with the oil of olive, out of which the oil of holiness foranointing was made (Exod. xxx. 23, 24), and that oil signified the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and the garments which wereanointed signified Divine truths.
[18] That those who have spiritual affections for truth form His kingdom is signified by, the daughters of kings are amongst thy precious women, daughters of kings denoting the spiritual affections for truth, which are called precious when truths are genuine. And that heaven and the church are in His protection and are conjoined to Him, because in love to Him from Him, is signified by, the queen standeth at thy right hand in best gold of Ophir, queen signifying heaven and the church, at thy right hand signifying in His protection from conjunction with Him, and best gold of Ophir the good of love to the Lord.
[19] In the same:
“I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish thy seed even to eternity, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation. Thou hast spoken in vision to thine Holy One, and hast said, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people; I have found David my servant, with the oil of my holiness have Ianointed him, with whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him. I will beat down his enemies before him, and will smite them that hate him. I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers; he shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation; also I will make him my first-born, high above the kings of the earth; and my covenant shall be steadfast for him, and I will establish his seed to eternity, and his throne as the days of the heavens. Once have I sworn by my holiness I will not lie unto David, his seed shall endure to eternity, and his throne as the sun before me, as the moon it shall be established to eternity, a faithful witness in the clouds” (Psalm lxxxix. 3, 4, 19-21, 23, 25-29, 35-37).
That by David here is not meant David, but the Lord, as to His kingship, which is the spiritual Divine, and is called the Divine Truth, is evident from all that is here said of David, namely, that his seed and throne shall be as the days of the heavens, and as the sun and the moon to eternity, that he shall set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers, and that he shall call Jehovah Father, and shall be [His] first-born, high above the kings of the earth, with other things that could not be said of David, and his sons, and his throne. That by David in the Word is meant the Lord, may be seen above (n. 205).
[20] But to proceed to particulars. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, signifies the union of His Divine with the Human, to make a covenant signifying to be united, to swear signifying to confirm the union, while chosen is said of good, and servant of truth. I will establish thy seed even to eternity, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation, signifies the Divine Truth, and heaven and the church from Him, seed denoting the Divine Truth and those who receive it, and throne, heaven and the church.
[21] Thou hast spoken in vision to thine Holy One, signifies a prophetic interior truth (arcanum) concerning the Lord. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, signifies the Divine Truth through which the Divine Good performs all things, which is called a help upon one that is mighty, and, elsewhere, the right hand of Jehovah Divine majesty and power therefrom is signified by the exaltation of one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant, with the oil of holiness have I anointed him, signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human and union with the Divine itself, which union is called, in the Word of the New Testament, glorification. This union is meant by being anointed with the oil of holiness, for the oil of holiness signifies the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and to be anointedsignifies to be united to the Divine Truth, which was of the Lord’s Human in the world.
[22] With whom my hand shall be established, mine arm also shall strengthen him, signifies omnipotence therefrom, the hand denoting the omnipotence of truth from good, and the arm the omnipotence of good by means of truth. I will beat down his enemies before him, and will smite them that hate him, signifies combat with victory against falsities and evils, thus against the hells. I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers, signifies the extension of His dominion and kingdom over all things of heaven and the church; for seas and rivers are the ultimates of heaven, and the ultimates signify all things.
[23] He shall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation, signifies the Divine Human which is the Son of God, who was conceived of Him, and afterwards born, and because the Lord’s Human had Divine Truth and Divine Power therefrom it is also called God and the Rock of salvation. Also I will make him my first-born, high above the kings of the earth, signifies, that He is above all the good and truth of heaven and the church, because the goods and truths therein are from Him; and my covenant shall be steadfast for Him, signifies eternal union; I will establish his seed to eternity, and his throne as the days of the heavens, has the same signification here as above, days of the heavens denoting the states of the whole heaven, which are from His Divine.
[24] Once have I sworn by my holiness, I will not lie unto David, signifies eternal confirmation, because from the Divine, concerning the Lord, and concerning the union of His Human with the Divine itself; his seed shall endure to eternity, and his throne as the sun before me, as the moon it shall be established to eternity has the same signification as above, where seed and throne are named. It is said as the sun and moon, because eternity as to the Divine Good is stated of the sun, and as to the Divine Truth of the moon, for these are signified by the sun and the moon. A faithful witness in the clouds, signifies acknowledgment and confession from the Word concerning the Divine in the Human of the Lord; that this is a witness in the clouds, may be seen above (n. 10, 27, 228, 392, 649).
[25] In the same:
“O Jehovah, remember David, all his affliction who sware unto Jehovah, and vowed to the mighty one of Jacob, surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go up upon the couch of my bed, until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the mighty one of Jacob. Lo, we have heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood; we will enter into his habitations, we will bow down ourselves at his footstool. Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy; for thy servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed.” In Zion “will I make the horn of David to bud, I will set a lamp for mine anointed, his enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish” (Psalm cxxxii. 1-3, 5-10, 17, 18).
Here also David and Anointed or Christ do not mean David, but the Lord as to the Divine Human, for it is said, that his habitations, that is, of the Mighty One of Jacob, are found in Ephratah, which is Bethlehem, and that they would bow themselves down at his footstool; but that this is so will appear better from the explanation of the details in their order.
[26] Who sware to Jehovah, and vowed to the mighty one of Jacob, signifies irrevocable affirmation before the Lord, who is called Jehovah, from the Divine in primaries, and the Mighty One of Jacob, from the Divine in ultimates, in which the Divine power is in its fulness. Surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go up upon the couch of my bed, signifies not to enter into and know the things which pertain to the church and its doctrine, the tent of the house denoting the holy things of the church, and the couch of a bed, its doctrine; until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob, signifies, before I shall know of the coming of the Lord, and the interior truths (arcana) concerning the union of His Human with the Divine; these things are, in the highest sense, the place of Jehovah, and the habitations of the Lord’s Divine Human.
[27] Lo, we have heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood, signifies in the spiritual sense of the Word, and also in the natural; for Ephratah and Bethlehem signify the spiritual-natural, and the fields of the wood the natural, both pertaining to the Word, for there the Lord is found. We will enter into his habitations, we will bow down ourselves at his footstool, signifies that He is there found, for He is the Word. His habitations here mean the things of the spiritual sense of the Word, and are thus the heavens, since these are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and his footstool denotes the things of the natural sense of the Word, thus also the church, since in the church Divine truths are in their ultimates, which to the spiritual things of the Word and of the heavens, thus to the Lord Himself who dwells therein, serve as a footstool.
[28] Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength, signifies the union of the Divine itself, with the Human in the Lord, and peace therefrom to all in heaven and the church, the rest of Jehovah denoting that union, and the ark of his strength heaven and the church. Let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy, signifies worship thence from love with those who are in celestial good, and worship from charity with those who are in spiritual good; for priests denote those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, while those who are in the spiritual kingdom are called saints.
[29] For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thineanointed, signifies that they may be enkindled by love and enlightened by the light of truth, when Divine Truth has been united with Divine Good in the Lord, thus the Divine itself with the Human and the Human with the Divine. For David as a servant signifies the Human of the Lord as to Divine Truth, and Anointedsignifies the same united with Divine Good, and His face signifies Divine Love and enlightenment therefrom. In Zion will I make the horn of David to bud, signifies the power of Divine Truth from Him in heaven and in the church. I will set a lamp for mineanointed, signifies the enlightenment of Divine Truth from the union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord, lamp denoting Divine Truth as to enlightenment. His enemies will I clothe with shame, signifies the subjugation of the hells, and the consequent dispersion of evils. But upon himself shall his crown flourish, signifies perpetual and eternal victory over them.
[30] From the passages quoted from the Word, it is evident that the Lord is called Anointed, that is Messiah or Christ, from the union of Divine Good with Divine Truth in His Human, for from that union the Lord’s Human is meant by the Anointed of Jehovah.
[31] Similarly in the First Book of Samuel:
“Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, and will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed” (ii. 10).
This is contained in the prophetic [song] of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, before there was any king or anointed over Israel, therefore by King and Anointed is here meant the Lord, to whom strength is given, and whose horn is exalted when the Divine is united with the Human. Strength signifies the power of good over evil, and horn the power of truth over falsity; and truth is said to be exalted when it becomes interior, and in the same degree also it becomes more powerful.
[32] The anointed has a similar meaning in Lamentations:
“The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, In his shadow shall we live amongst the nations” (iv. 20).
The anointed of Jehovah, in the sense of the letter, means here the king who was made captive, but in the spiritual sense the Lord is meant, therefore it is said, the breath of our nostrils, that is, the life of the perception of good and truth. Taken in the pits, signifies rejection by those who are in falsities of evil, pits denoting falsities of doctrine. To live in his shadow, signifies to be under His protection against the falsities of evil, which are signified by nations.
[33] Since the Anointed, Messiah, or Christ, signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human, thus as to Divine Good united with Divine Truth, therefore by anointing, that union is signified concerning which the Lord says:
“I am in the Father and the Father in me; believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me” (John xiv. 7-11);
and elsewhere,
“The Father and I are one; know ye and believe, that I am in the Father and the Father in me” (John x. 30, 38).
And because this was represented by the anointing of Aaron and his sons, therefore the holy things of the sons of Israel which belonged to Jehovah Himself, were given to Aaron and his sons for the anointing (Numb. xviii. 8). These holy things belonging to Jehovah, which were given to Aaron and his sons are enumerated from verses 9 to 19 of that chapter. But see what has been said before (n. 375:13, 15) concerning anointings, namely, that the Lord alone, as to the Divine Human, was the Anointed of Jehovah, because in Him was the Divine Good of Divine Love, which was signified by oil, and that all other anointings with oil were only representative of Him. We have said these things concerning theAnointed of Jehovah, since the Anointed of Jehovah is Christ, in order that it may be known that by the Lord and His Christ, in this passage in the Apocalypse, are not meant two, but one, that is they are one, as are the Anointed of Jehovah and the Lord’s Christ (Luke ii. 26).
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[2] Anointing with holy oil was commanded because oil symbolized the goodness of love and represented the Lord, who in His humanity is Himself Jehovah’s anointed and His onlyanointed, being anointed not with oil, but with the Divine goodness itself of Divine love. Consequently He is also called the Messiah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament (John 1:41, 4:25), Messiah and Christ meaning “the Anointed.”
That is why priests, kings, and all ecclesiastical vessels wereanointed, and having been anointed were called holy�–�not that they were holy in themselves, but because by virtue of theanointing they represented the Lord in His Divine humanity. Consequently it was a sacrilege to harm a king, because he was Jehovah’s anointed (1�Samuel 24:6, 10, 26:9; 2�Samuel 1:16, 19:21).