Psalm 13:3 The sleep of death

 

                                                                https://artpictures.club 

Psalm 13:3 'Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;' King James Version

The word Sleep is used to mean different things in the Bible. Here it talks about the sleep of death. Normal sleep and the sleep of death are actually similar. In both cases the spirit leaves the physical body and goes to the Spirit World for a temporary visit or a more permanent stay. The difference between these two states is the Silver Cord which connects the person's spirit body to their physical body. When a person dies the Silver Cord is cut, or loosed, so there is no life force flowing into the physical body to keep it alive, therefore it dies allowing the spirit body to continue its life in the Spirit World.

'Or ever the silver cord be loosed... Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.' -Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

The top figure in the Chart represents the "Mighty I AM Presence" and the middle figure represents the Higher Mental Body.

The Beloved Archangel Michael teaches us concerning the Silver Cord: "Every Individual's Flame of Life in the Heart is drawn from the Heart of the Higher Mental Body, and directly connected by a Light Ray which has been referred to through the centuries as "the silver cord." It is an expression the outer world has used - and that is your connection, My Dear Ones, with the Love of the Universe that gives All, creates All, sustains All, harmonizes all, purifies, illumines, raises and ever-expands all Happiness, all Perfection to all of Life." ('The Voice of the I AM' 1972 January p16)

"Beloved Children of Earth, you stand upon the Threshold of the Ages. [Golden Age] ...The cycle changes and we enter a New Dispensation... In this New Order the discipline for the neophyte [a new convert] will be the focusing and the maintaining of his attention entirely upon the three highest centers [chakras] of the body, and he will do all his work at these points. Only the centers in the heart, throat, and head will receive conscious consideration and attention. The entire effort of the aspirant will be to hold his attention upon these, for only by looking away from the lower centers will he ever be able to rise out of misery and limitation. The center at the top of the head is the highest focus in the human body, and there the Silver Cord of Liquid White Light from the Great Source of Creation enters. When the attention of the mind is held fast upon this, the Door of the Soul is opened and the Threefold Activity of the Pure White Light encircles the waist just below the solar plexus, cutting off forever the destructive activities of the animal nature in man. This permits his soul to leap forth into its Complete Divine Activity, united once more with the Perfection of Its Source, and Eternally thereafter Master of all human creation - which means the discords of earth. Sincere students should meditate frequently upon the Perfect Action of the Golden Light within the head, for It will illumine and teach the outer mind all good things. This is the Light of the God Within. One should feel It filling his entire consciousness, his body and world. This is the 'Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' and there is no human being in existence who has not some of this Light within him..." -Beloved Master Lanto ('Unveiled Mysteries' by Godfre Ray King, p255-256) 

T. Lobsang Rampa teaches in his book 'Chapters of Life' concerning the different stages of Meditation: "The second stage of meditation is that which brings the physical body in rapport with the Overself... Before one can meditate to this and higher standards, it is essential that one has a pure and lust-free life... The fourth stage of meditation takes us by way of the Silver Cord up to our Overself, and then by way of the Golden Cord of our Overself into the presence of that Great Entity which, for want of a better term down here, we call 'God.' (p150-151) He also teaches: "At last the fully evolved entity merges with the Overself." ('Feeding the Flame' p133) 

For more information see the Post: Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (At death) the spirit returns to God

Guide to the Deeper Spiritual Truth Hidden in the Bible.: Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (At death) the spirit returns to God

2 Peter 2:4 God cast them down to hell into chains of darkness

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; -2 Peter 2:4 King James Version (KJV)

Divine Providence, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1764], tr. by William Frederic Wunsch [1851] at sacred-texts.com

166.

...There is spiritual light and natural light, one like the other in outward appearance, but dissimilar in internal appearance. For natural light comes from the sun of the natural world..., but spiritual light... is from the sun of the spiritual world.... This light, not nature's, enlightens the human intellect...

[2] There are three degrees of light in the spiritual world: celestial, spiritual and spiritual-natural. Celestial light is a flaming, ruddy light and is the light of those who are in the third heaven; spiritual light is a gleaming white light and is the light of those in the middle heaven; and spiritual-natural light is like daylight in our world. This is the light of those who are in the lowest heaven and of those in the world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell; with the good in that world it is like the light of summer on earth and with the evil like winter's light.

It should be known, however, that light in the spiritual world has nothing in common with light in the natural world; they are as different as what is living and what is lifeless. It is plain, then, from what has been said that it is spiritual light and not the natural light before our eyes that enlightens the understanding. Man does not know this, not having known anything hitherto about spiritual light. In the work _Heaven and Hell_ we have shown (nn. 126-140) that spiritual light has its origin in divine wisdom and truth.

167.

Having spoken about the light of heaven, we should say something about the light of hell. This also is of three degrees. The light in the lowest hell is like that from fiery coals; in the middle hell like that from the flame of a hearth; and in the highest hell like that from candles and to some like moonlight at night. All this is spiritual light and not natural, for all natural light is dead and extinguishes the understanding. As has been shown, those in hell possess the faculty of understanding called rationality; rationality itself comes from spiritual light and not from natural light. The spiritual light which they have in rationality is turned, however, into infernal [hellish] light, as the light of day is into the dark of night.

[2] Nevertheless, all those in the spiritual world, whether in the heavens or the hells, see in their own light as clearly as man sees in his by day. This is because everyone's eyesight is formed to receive the light in which it finds itself. Thus the eyesight of the angels of heaven is formed to receive the light in which they see, and the sight of the spirits of hell is formed to receive their light; this is comparatively like that of birds of night and bats, which see objects at night and in the evening as clearly as other birds see them by day, for their eyes are formed to receive their light.

[3] The difference between the one light and the other appears very clearly, however, to those who look from one to the other. When, for instance, an angel of heaven looks into hell he sees only thick darkness, and when a spirit of hell looks into heaven he sees only thick darkness there. For heavenly wisdom is like thick darkness to those in hell; in turn, infernal insanity is like thick darkness to those in heaven. It is plain from all this that such as a man's understanding is, such is the light he has, and that after death everyone comes into his own light, for he sees in no other. In the spiritual world, moreover, where all are spiritual even to the body, the eyes of all are formed to see by their own light. Everyone's life-love fashions an understanding for itself and thus a light, also, for love is like the fire of life and from this comes the light of life.

Heaven and Hell, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by John C. Ager [1900] at sacred-texts.com

548.

...When man enters the other life he is received first by angels, who perform for him all good offices, and talk with him about the Lord, heaven, and the angelic life, and instruct him in things that are true and good. But if the man, now a spirit, be one who knew about these things in the world, but in heart denied or despised them, after some conversation he desires and seeks to get away from these angels. As soon as the angels perceive this they leave him. After some interaction with others he at length unites himself with those who are in evil like his own... When this takes place he turns himself away from the Lord and turns his face towards the hell to which he had been joined in the world, in which those abide who are in a like love of evil. All this makes clear that the Lord draws every spirit to Himself by means of angels and by means of influx from heaven; but those spirits that are in evil completely resist, and as it were tear themselves away from the Lord, and are drawn by their own evil, thus by hell, as if by a rope. And as they are so drawn, and by reason of their love of evil are eager to follow, it is evident that they themselves cast themselves into hell by their own free choice. Men in the world because of their idea of hell are unable to believe that this is so. In fact, in the other life before the eyes of those who are outside of hell it does not so appear; but only so to those who cast themselves into hell, for such enter of their own accord. Those who enter from a burning love of evil appear to be cast headlong, with the head downwards and the feet upwards. It is because of this appearance that they seem to be cast into hell by Divine power... From all this it can be seen that the Lord casts no one into hell, but everyone casts himself into hell, both while he is living in the world and also after death when he comes among spirits...

Divine Providence, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1764], tr. by William Frederic Wunsch [1851] at sacred-texts.com

296.

...[3] ..._An evil man from himself continually leads himself more deeply into his evils._ He does so "from himself" because all evil is from man, for, as was said, he turns good, which is from the Lord, into evil. He leads himself more and more deeply into evil for the reason, essentially, that as he wills and commits evil, he enters more and more interiorly and also more and more deeply into infernal societies. Hence the enjoyment of evil increases, too, and occupies his thoughts until he feels nothing more agreeable. One who has entered more interiorly and deeply into infernal [hellish] societies becomes like one bound by chains. So long as he lives in the world, however, he does not feel his chains... but after death... those chains... become galling. [causing annoyance or resentment; annoying]

Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea foaming... shame

                                                   istockphoto-971255032-612x612.jpg

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. -Jude 13 King James Version (KJV)

True Christian Religion, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1771], tr. by John C. Ager [1906] at sacred-texts.com

INDEX TO THE MEMORABLE RELATIONS... V. From evil spirits who were just above hell a sound was heard like the roaring of the sea...

Jude 1:13 Wandering stars in darkness

                                                    istockphoto-824831786-612x612.jpg

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. -Jude 13 King James Version (KJV)

Secrets of Heaven by Emanuel Swedenborg

1128. I saw someone wreathed in a kind of cloud, on whose face were quite a few wandering stars, 1 which symbolize falsities...

Footnotes:
1. See Jude 1:13, in which certain evil people are compared to wandering stars.

Apocalypse Revealed, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1766], tr. by John Whitehead [1912], at sacred-texts.com

804.

...Falsities... [or false spiritual beliefs] in the spiritual world appear like clouds, dark and black according to their quality... [Those] whose falsities were like dusky clouds interposed between the Lord and men on earth; and were likewise like cold, that takes away spiritual heat, which is the love of good, and truth.

Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

7711.

...the signification of "thick darkness," ...being a complete privation [the loss or absence] of truth and good. In various places in the Word mention is made of "darkness" and also at the same time of "thick darkness," and then "darkness" is predicated of falsity, and "thick darkness" of evil together with it. But the word by which "thick darkness" is expressed... means the densest darkness, by which in the internal sense are signified such falsities as spring from evil. Such falsities arise with those who have been of the church, and have lived a life of evil contrary to the precepts of faith which they have known. The evil from which these falsities spring, is against the church, against heaven, and against the Lord, thus is diametrically against good and truth. This state is now described by "thick darkness." ...[4] "Darkness" also signifies ignorance of truth, such as there is with the Gentiles; and "thick darkness," ignorance of good; in Isaiah: In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of thick darkness and out of darkness (Isa. 29:18). If thou satisfy the afflicted soul, thy light shall rise up in the darkness, and thy thick darkness shall be as the noon day (Isa. 58:10)...

Apocalypse Revealed, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1766], tr. by John Whitehead [1912], at sacred-texts.com

312.

...the reason why "black" signifies what is not true, thus falsity, is because black is the opposite of white, and white is predicated of truth...; white also derives its origin from light, and black from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light is truth. But in the spiritual world there exists blackness from a twofold origin, one from the absence of flaming light, which light is with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other from the absence of bright light, which is the light with those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; the latter blackness has the same signification as "darkness," but the former [first mentioned] as "thick darkness." There is a difference between these two kinds of blackness, the one is abominable, the other not so much so; it is the same with the falsities which they signify. They who appear in the abominable kind of blackness are called devils, such holding truth in abomination... But they appear in that kind of blackness, which is not abominable, who are called satans; these do not abominate truth, but are averse to it... That "black," in the Word, is spoken of falsity, may appear from these passages: ...In the day when thou goest down into hell, I will make Lebanon black over thee (Ezek. 31:15). The sun became black as sackcloth of hair (Rev. 6:12). The sun, the moon, and the stars, became black (Jer. 4:27-28; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 2:10; 3:15; and elsewhere)...

.

2 Kings 2:11-13 A chariot of fire & horses of fire

'And it came to pass as they still went on, and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it... And he saw him no more... He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him.'

The chariot of fire and the horses of fire I personally believe represent the strait and narrow Way to travel up into heaven, which is a World of Divine Fire, while still in the physical body. Jesus also demonstrated that this was possible by using the Violet Consuming Flame to raise the vibrations of His dead physical body up to the point that He could ride the Violet Flame up into heaven.

Emanuel Swedenborg gives a different interpretation of the chariot of fire and the horses of fire: 

White Horse, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by John Whitehead [1892], at sacred-texts.com

3.

That a horse signifies the understanding, is from no other source than from the representatives in the spiritual world. In that world horses are frequently seen, and persons sitting upon horses, and also chariots; and there everyone knows that they signify intellectual and doctrinal things. I have often observed, when any were thinking from their understanding, that at such times they appeared as if riding on horses; their meditation was thus represented before others, they themselves not knowing it. There is also a place there, where many assemble who think and speak from the understanding concerning the truths of doctrine; and when others approach, they see, the whole plain full of chariots and horses; and novitiate [the period or state of being a novice, esp. in a religious order] spirits, who wonder whence this is, are instructed that it is an appearance resulting from their intellectual thought. That place is called the assembly of the intelligent and the wise. I have likewise seen bright horses and chariots of fire, when some were taken up into heaven, which was a sign that they were then instructed in the truths of heavenly doctrine, and became intelligent, and thus were taken up; on seeing which, it occurred to my mind, what is signified by "the chariot of fire and the horses of fire by which Elijah was taken up into heaven;" and what is signified by "the horses and chariots of fire" that were seen by the young man of Elisha, when his eyes were opened.

4.

That such is the signification of "chariots" and "horses" was well known in the ancient churches; for those churches were representative churches, and with those who were in them, the science of correspondences and representations was the chief of all sciences.

Apocalypse Revealed, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1766], tr. by John Whitehead [1912], at sacred-texts.com

875.

...Awaking one morning from sleep, I saw two angels descending out of heaven, one from the southern quarter of heaven and the other from the eastern quarter of heaven, both in chariots to which which white horses were harnessed. The chariot in which the angel from the southern quarter of heaven was conveyed, shone like silver, and the chariot in which the angel from the eastern quarter of heaven was conveyed, shone like gold; and the reins which they held in their hands were refulgent as from the flamy light of the dawn. Thus these two angels were seen by me at a distance; but when they came nearer, they did not appear in a chariot, but in their angelic form which is human. He who came from the eastern quarter of heaven, was clad in a bright purple garment, and he who came from the southern quarter of heaven in a garment of hyacinthine blue. When they were below under the heavens, they ran to meet each other, as if they strove which should be first, and mutually embraced and kissed each other. I heard that these two angels, when they lived on earth, had been conjoined in interior friendship; but now one was in the eastern heaven and the other in the southern heaven. In the eastern heaven are they who are in love from the Lord; but in the southern heaven are they who are in wisdom from the Lord. [2] When they had spoken some time about the magnificence of their heavens, this came up in their discourse, whether heaven in its essence is love, or whether it is wisdom. They immediately agreed that one is of the other, but discussed which was the original. The angel who was from the heaven of wisdom asked the other, what love is; to which he replied, "That love, originating from the Lord as a sun, is the vital heat of angels and men, thus their life: that the derivations of love are called affections; and that by these are produced perceptions and thus thoughts, whence it follows that wisdom in its origin is love..." After discoursing together for some time on these and such like subjects, the angels departed, and as they retired each to his own heaven, their heads appeared encompassed with stars: and when they were some distance from me, they again seemed to be borne in chariots as before...

Conjugial Love, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1768] at sacred-texts.com

42.

...RESPECTING THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. ...One morning I was looking upwards into heaven and saw over me three expanses one above another; I saw that the first expanse, which was nearest, opened, and presently the second which was above it, and lastly the third which was highest; and... I perceived, that above the first expanse were the angels who compose the first or lowest heaven; above the second expanse were the angels who compose the second or middle heaven; and above the third expanse were the angels who compose the third or highest heaven. I wondered at first what all this meant: and presently I heard from heaven a voice as of a trumpet, saying, "We have perceived, and now see, that you are meditating on CONJUGIAL [matrimonial —used to distinguish the Swedenborgian conception of marriage as a spiritual union] LOVE; and we are aware that no one on earth as yet knows what true conjugial love is in its origin and in its essence; and yet it is of importance that it should be known: therefore it has pleased the Lord to open the heavens to you in order that illustrating light and consequent perception may flow into the interiors of your mind. With us in the heavens, especially in the third heaven, our heavenly delights are principally derived from conjugial love; therefore, in consequence of leave granted us, we will send down to you a conjugial pair for your inspection and observation;" and lo! instantly there appeared a chariot descending from the highest or third heaven, in which I saw one angel; but as it approached I saw therein two. The chariot at a distance glittered before my eyes like a diamond, and to it were harnessed young horses white as snow; and those who sat in the chariot held in their hands two turtle-doves, and called to me, saying, "Do you wish us to come nearer to you? but in this case take heed, lest the radiance, which is from the heaven whence we have descended, and is of a flaming quality, penetrate too interiorly... I replied, "I will observe your caution; come nearer:" so they came nearer; and lo! it was a husband and his wife; who said, "We are a conjugial pair: we have lived happy in heaven from the earliest period, which you call the golden age, and have continued during that time in the same bloom of youth in which you now see us." I viewed each of them attentively, because I perceived they represented conjugial love in its life and in its decoration; in its life in their faces, and in its decoration in their raiment; for all the angels are affections [feelings] of love in a human form. The ruling affection itself shines forth from their faces; and from the affection, and according to it, the kind and quality of their raiment is derived and determined: therefore it is said in heaven, that every one is clothed by his own affection. The husband appeared of a middle age, between manhood and youth: from his eyes darted forth sparkling light derived from the wisdom of love; by virtue of which light his face was radiant from its inmost ground; and in consequence of such radiance the surface of his skin had a kind of refulgence, whereby his whole face was one resplendent comeliness. He was dressed in an upper robe which reached down to his feet and underneath it was a vesture of hyacinthine blue, girded about with a golden band, upon which were three precious stones, two sapphires on the sides, and a carbuncle in the middle; his stockings were of bright shining linen, with threads of silver interwoven, and his shoes were of velvet: such was the representative form of conjugial love with the husband. With the wife it was this; I saw her face, and I did not see it; I saw it as essential beauty, and I did not see it because this beauty was inexpressible; for in her face there was a splendor of flaming light, such as the angels in the third heaven enjoy, and this light made my sight dim; so that I was lost in astonishment: she observing this addressed me, saying, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see nothing but conjugial love and the form thereof; but I see, and I do not see." Hereupon she turned herself sideways from her husband; and then I was enabled to view her more attentively. Her eyes were bright and sparkling from the light of her own heaven, which light, as was said, is of a flaming quality, which it derives from the love of wisdom; for in that heaven wives love their husbands from their wisdom, and in it, and husbands love their wives from that love of wisdom and in it, as directed towards themselves; and thus they are united. This was the origin of her beauty; which was such that it would be impossible for any painter to imitate and exhibit it in its form, for he has no colors bright and vivid enough to express its lustre; nor is it in the power of his art to depict such beauty: her hair was arranged in becoming order so as to correspond with her beauty; and in it were inserted diadems [a jewelled crown or headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty] of flowers; she had a necklace of carbuncles, from which hung a rosary of chrysolites; and she wore pearl bracelets: her upper robe was scarlet, and underneath it she had a purple stomacher, [a V-shaped piece of decorative cloth, worn over the chest and stomach] fastened in front with clasps of rubies; but what surprised me was, that the colors varied according to her aspect in regard to her husband, being sometimes more glittering, sometimes less; if she were looking towards him, more, if sideways, less. When I had made these observations, they again talked with me; and when the husband was speaking, he spoke at the same time as from his wife; and when the wife was speaking, she spoke at the same time as from her husband; such was the union of their minds from whence speech flows; and on this occasion I also heard the tone of voice of conjugial love; inwardly it was simultaneous, and it proceeded from the delights of a state of peace and innocence. At length they said, "We are recalled; we must depart;"and instantly they again appeared to be conveyed in a chariot as before  and instantly they again appeared to be conveyed in a chariot as before. They went by a paved way through flowering shrubberies, from the beds of which arose olive and orange-trees laden with fruit: and when they approached their own heaven, they were met by several virgins, who welcomed and introduced them.

Matthew 2:19 An angel appeareth in a dream

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph... -Matthew 2:19 Bible, King James Version

The Dream world is the Spirit world therefore God and the angels can interact with mankind through their dreams. Most of the time however the daily messages from God through our dreams are symbolic so they may not make any sense until we unlock their meaning.

Personally I keep a Dream and Vision Journal and I often use, as a guide, the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg to help me interpret a dream. The site I use is 

https://newchristianbiblestudy.org/advanced-search/

then click on Swedenborg's works and type in key words such as; flooding signifies. As a result a list of quotes will appear which may help to unlock the dream's symbolism.

Matthew 22:32 God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

latterdaysaintmag.com/a-detailed-and-amazing-vision-of-the-world-of-spirits
                             

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. -Matthew 22:32 King James Version (KJV)

Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

10597.

The Word teaches that man lives after death, as where it is said that "God is not the God of the dead but of the living" (Matt 22:32); that after death Lazarus was taken up into heaven, but the rich man was cast into hell (Luke 16:22, 23); that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are there (Matt. 8:11; 22:32; Luke 16:23-25, 29); that Jesus said to the thief, "This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43); and in other places...