Commentary

 

Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings

This list of Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings was originally compiled by W. C. Henderson in 1960 but has since been updated.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

True Christian Religion #841

Study this Passage

  
/ 853  
  

841. The Jews in the spiritual world.

Before the Last judgment, which took place in 1757, the Jews were to be seen in a valley to the left of the Christian centre. Following it they were transferred to the north and forbidden to have any contact with Christians, except for wanderers outside the cities. In that quarter there are two large cities to which Jews were taken after death; before the Judgment they were both called Jerusalem, but afterwards they were given another name, since after the Judgment 'Jerusalem' meant the church in respect of its teaching in which the Lord alone is worshipped. They have converted Jews set over them in their cities, who warn them not to speak insultingly of Christ, and punish those who still do so. The streets of their cities are full of mud, ankle deep, and their houses are so full of rubbish that they smell too bad for them to be entered. Afterwards I observed that many of that nation had found somewhere to live in the southern quarter. When I asked who they were, I was told it was those who had paid little heed to the worship practised by the rest, and had mental reservations about whether the Messiah would ever come, as well as those who had thought rationally about various subjects in the world and had followed reason in their lives. The greater number of these are the Jews known as Portuguese.

  
/ 853  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.