There are, in Swedenborg, really two meanings for “build” in the Bible. When something is being built for the first time, or built in the most typical sense, it means collecting relatively external ideas to build up a doctrinal system – which is, in a sense, a structure you can use or live in. In other cases, though, “build” is used in reference to something that has been destroyed. For instance, cities left in ruins from battle can be built again. In those cases “build” refers to removing our desires for evil so we can began a new stage of spiritual growth. In these cases “build” is often used together with “raise up,” which means removing false ways of thinking in the same process.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1488
- ‘And his house’ means which He had gathered together. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘house’ here as facts that are gathered together. Gathering facts together and by means of them raising and building up the external man is not unlike building a house, and therefore similar ideas are meant in various parts of the Word by ‘building’, and by ‘building houses’, as in Isaiah,
I am creating new heavens and a new earth. They will buildhouses and inhabit them; and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not build and another inhabit. Isa. 65:17, 21, 22.
Here ‘houses’ means where there are wisdom and intelligence, thus where there are the cognitions of good and truth, for the Lord’s kingdom is the subject, that is, ‘new heavens and a new earth’. In Jeremiah,
Build houses and inhabit them; and plant gardens and eat their fruit. Jer. 29:5.
Here the meaning is similar. In David,
Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah, who delights greatly in His commandments! Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness stands for ever. Ps. 112:1, 3.
Here ‘wealth and riches’ stands for the wealth and riches of wisdom and intelligence, thus for cognitions, which are ‘in his house’, that is, residing with him.
[2] ‘House’ is also used in the contrary sense: in Zephaniah,
I will visit those who say in their hearts, Jehovah has not done good nor has He done evil; and their wealth will be for plunder, and their houses for desolation, and they will build [rouses and not inhabit them, and they will plant vineyards and not drink [their] wine. Zeph 1:12, 13.
In Haggai,
Go up into the mountain and bring wood and build the house. You looked for much, and behold it was little; and when you brought it home* I blew it away. For what reason? said Jehovah. Because of My house which has been left derelict while you run each to his own house. Therefore above you the heavens have withheld their dew. Hagg. 1:8-10.
‘Houses’ stands for facts through which, by means of reasoning, falsities
come.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1302
- Verse 4 And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower, and its head in heaven; and let us make a name for ourselves, lest perhaps we are scattered over the face* of the whole earth.
‘And they said’ means that this was done. ‘Let us build ourselves a city and a tower’ means that they fabricated a form of doctrine and of worship – ‘a city’ is doctrine, ‘a tower’ worship of self. ‘And its head in heaven’ means to the extent of their ruling over things in heaven. ‘And let us make a name for ourselves’ means that as a result they might gain a reputation for power. ‘Lest perhaps we are scattered over the face* of the whole earth’ means that otherwise they would not receive recognition.
* lit. the faces
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 153
- It is said that the rib was built into a woman, and not as previously, when regeneration was the subject, that the woman was created, or formed, or made. The word ‘built’ is used becausebuilding means reconstructing that which has fallen down. This is how it is used in the Word, where ‘building’ has reference to evils, ‘raising up’ to falsities, and ‘renewing’ to both, as in Isaiah,
They will build up the waste places of old, they will raise up the former desolations, and they will renew the waste cities, the desolations of generation upon generation. Isa. 61:4.
‘Waste places’ here and elsewhere stands for evils, ‘desolations’ for falsities. The expression ‘to build’ is applied to the former, ‘to raise up’ to the latter, and this distinction is also carefully observed in other places in the Prophets: in Jeremiah,
Again I will build you, that you may be built, O virgin of Israel. Jer 31:4.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1310
- Verse 5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of man were building.
‘Jehovah came down’ means judgement on them ‘To see the city and the tower’ means on account of the fact that they had perverted doctrine and profaned worship. ‘Which the sons of man werebuilding’ means which they fabricated for themselves.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4390
- ‘And built a house for himself means an increase of good from truth within that state. This is clear from the meaning of ‘building a house’ as providing the external man with intelligence and wisdom, dealt with in 1488. And because intelligence is essentially truth, and wisdom is essentially good, ‘building a house’ here means an increase of good from truth. ‘A house’ means good, see 2233, 2234, 3128, 3142, 3652, 3720; and what the good of truth is has been stated above in 4337, 4353 – namely, truth in will and action. This truth is such that it is called good; and conscience which is a product of that good is termed the conscience of truth. This good which springs from truth increases in the measure that a person exercises charity which stems from a desire to do good, and so to the extent and degree that he loves his neighbour.