27 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
-Matthew 27:1-5 King James Version (KJV)
Spiritual Experiences by Emanuel Swedenborg (Buss) n. 1336
1336. CONCERNING ONE WHO HAD KILLED HIMSELF
A certain one in the life of the body had committed suicide by stabbing himself with a knife, having been driven to desperation through melancholia, to which he had been driven by diabolical spirits. He came to me complaining that he was being miserably treated by evil spirits, and said that he was among the furies who were continually provoking him.
A certain one in the life of the body had committed suicide by stabbing himself with a knife, having been driven to desperation through melancholia, to which he had been driven by diabolical spirits. He came to me complaining that he was being miserably treated by evil spirits, and said that he was among the furies who were continually provoking him.
[1347. CONCERNING THE FURIOUS CREW, OR THE FURIES
Those become like furies after death who in the world have lived, as very many of the lowest class have, continually in brawls and thefts, who think nothing about eternal life and consequently have no belief, but live almost constantly in contentions and enmities, provoking others, insulting them in various ways, bringing harm upon them by which they are delighted, and stealing as often as the opportunity occurs. Those also become like furies who are like these inwardly, though better behaved because they have been brought up differently and fear the penalties of the law. They appear naked, both males and females, with their hair flying about them, and yet the hair round about is cut, not hanging down the back, but bound around the head like a broom.]
The place where he was, was in the lower earth [just above the hells,] a little to the left. He also seemed to me to have a knife in his hand which he wanted to drive into his breast; he labored hard with that knife, wanting to cast it away from him but in vain.
Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 1771
1771. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE IN THE LOWER EARTH.
(((((There are in the lower earth many mansions or many places where those are detained who are undergoing preparation [before they are taken up into heaven.] ...[Their position is] nearly under the left foot [of heaven which is in the form of a man,] a little in front, and rising up to a very considerable altitude. Many are held in a kind of obscurity, especially such as are in almost a middle state between the life of the body and its sleep; and there they think scarcely at all, barely remembering at times what they had done in their lifetime from a rash and evil prompting, but still not so that they are tormented by conscience on account of it; for those in that region are not such as have done evil with a clear conscience and of set purpose, but yet they have perpetrated evil, although it has been from imprudence,))))) for they might have known in the life of the body that it was evil, as they were thus instructed from the Word of the Lord; but the Word of the Lord, after their principles were firmly adopted, could not penetrate, inasmuch as they persisted in the imprudence of their life.
Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com
4728. ...men who have been in principles of falsity are after death kept awhile under the lower earth, until falsities have been removed from them, and as it were rejected to the sides. These places are called "pits," and those who go into them are such as must be in vastation (n. 1106-1113, 2699, 2701, 2704)... The lower earth is next under the feet [of heaven which is in the form of a man] and the region round about for a short distance. Here are most persons after death, before they are taken up into heaven. This earth is also frequently mentioned in the Word. Beneath it are the places of vastation, which are called "pits," and below them and round about for a considerable extent, are hells. [2] From this it is in some measure plain what is meant by "hell," what [is meant] by the "lower earth," and what [is meant] by a "pit," when mentioned in the Word, as in Isaiah: Thou hast been brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Thou hast been cast forth out of thy grave like an abominable shoot, the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit (Isa. 14:15, 19); speaking of the king of Babylon, by whom is represented the profanation of truth; for a "king" is truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581), and "Babylon" profanation (n. 1182, 1326). "Hell" is where the damned are, and their damnation is compared to an abominable shoot, and to the raiment of those that are slain and thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit. The "raiment of those that are slain" is truth profaned; "those thrust through with the sword" are they in whom truth has been extinguished; the "pit" is falsity which must be vastated;
[Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 5071
5071. All who come into the other life are vastated. Those who have been in good, in the world, are vastated as to evils and the falses thence arising; and they are, then, in their own good and in the truth thence arising. But those who have been in evil, are vastated as to truths and goods, if they have any; and they are, then, in their own evil and in the falsity arising from it. Hence, the good become images of their own good, and the evil, images of their own evil. The latter are, thus, cast down into hell; the former are raised up to heaven. Vastations last, with some, a long time, according to the quantity and quality of the good or evil. They are wont to continue for several years...]
"stones" are the borders, whence also they are called the "sides," for round about the pits are hells. (That "raiment" is truth, see above, n. 2576; that the "raiment of those that are slain" is truth profaned, for the "blood" by which it is stained is what is profane, n. 1003; and that "those thrust through with a sword" are they in whom truth has been extinguished, n. 4503). From this it is also plain that without the internal sense it could not possibly be known what is here meant. [3] So too in Ezekiel: When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, to the people of an age, and shall make thee to dwell in the earth of the lower regions, in desolations from an age, that thou dwell not with them that go down into the pit; then will I set adornment in the land of the living (Ezek. 26:20); "they that descend into the pit" denote those who are sent into vastation; "not to dwell with them that go down into the pit" means to be delivered from falsities. [4] Again: That none of all the trees of the waters exalt themselves for their stature, neither send their branch among the tangled boughs, nor stand over them for their height, all that drink water; they shall all be delivered unto death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to them that go down into the pit. I will make the nations to shake at the sound of his ruin, when I make him go down into hell with them that go down into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and chief of Lebanon, all that drink waters, shall be comforted in the lower earth (Ezek. 31:14, 16)... [5] Again: Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cause her to go down, even her, and the daughters of the august nations, unto the earth of the lower regions, with them that go down into the pit. Asshur is there, whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, all slain by the sword (Ezek. 32:18, 22-23); the signification of which may be seen from what has been explained above. In David: O Jehovah, Thou hast brought up my soul from hell; Thou hast kept me alive, from among them that go down into the pit (Ps. 30:3). Again: I am accounted with them that go down into the pit; I am accounted as a man that hath no strength. Thou hast set me in a pit of the lower regions, in darkness, in the depths (Ps. 88:4, 6) ...[6] That a "pit" is the vastation of falsity, and in the abstract sense falsity, is still more evident in Isaiah: They shall be gathered with a gathering as the bound to the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; yet after a multitude of days shall they be visited (Isa. 24:22) ...In David: Unto thee O Jehovah will I cry, my Rock be not Thou silent unto me, lest if Thou be silent unto me I seem like them that go down into the pit (Ps. 28:1). Again: Jehovah brought me up also out of a pit of vastation, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock (Ps. 40:2). Let not the billow of waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me (Ps. 69:15). [8] Again: He sent His word, and healed them, and rescued them from their pits (Ps. 107:20); "from their pits" denoting from falsities. Again: Make haste, answer me, O Jehovah; my spirit is consumed, hide not Thy faces from me, lest I become like them that go down into the pit (Ps. 143:7). As a "pit" signifies falsity, and the "blind" signify those who are in falsities (n. 2383), the Lord therefore says, Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind, for if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit (Matt. 15:14; Luke 6:39). Something similar to what was represented by Joseph was also represented by Jeremiah the prophet, concerning which he says: They took Jeremiah, and cast him into the pit that was in the court of the guard; and they let down Jeremiah with cords, into the pit where was no water (Jer. 38:6); that is, they rejected Divine truths among falsities in which was nothing of truth.
[Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 5071
5071. All who come into the other life are vastated. Those who have been in good, in the world, are vastated as to evils and the falses thence arising; and they are, then, in their own good and in the truth thence arising. But those who have been in evil, are vastated as to truths and goods, if they have any; and they are, then, in their own evil and in the falsity arising from it. Hence, the good become images of their own good, and the evil, images of their own evil. The latter are, thus, cast down into hell; the former are raised up to heaven. Vastations last, with some, a long time, according to the quantity and quality of the good or evil. They are wont to continue for several years...]
"stones" are the borders, whence also they are called the "sides," for round about the pits are hells. (That "raiment" is truth, see above, n. 2576; that the "raiment of those that are slain" is truth profaned, for the "blood" by which it is stained is what is profane, n. 1003; and that "those thrust through with a sword" are they in whom truth has been extinguished, n. 4503). From this it is also plain that without the internal sense it could not possibly be known what is here meant. [3] So too in Ezekiel: When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, to the people of an age, and shall make thee to dwell in the earth of the lower regions, in desolations from an age, that thou dwell not with them that go down into the pit; then will I set adornment in the land of the living (Ezek. 26:20); "they that descend into the pit" denote those who are sent into vastation; "not to dwell with them that go down into the pit" means to be delivered from falsities. [4] Again: That none of all the trees of the waters exalt themselves for their stature, neither send their branch among the tangled boughs, nor stand over them for their height, all that drink water; they shall all be delivered unto death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to them that go down into the pit. I will make the nations to shake at the sound of his ruin, when I make him go down into hell with them that go down into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and chief of Lebanon, all that drink waters, shall be comforted in the lower earth (Ezek. 31:14, 16)... [5] Again: Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cause her to go down, even her, and the daughters of the august nations, unto the earth of the lower regions, with them that go down into the pit. Asshur is there, whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, all slain by the sword (Ezek. 32:18, 22-23); the signification of which may be seen from what has been explained above. In David: O Jehovah, Thou hast brought up my soul from hell; Thou hast kept me alive, from among them that go down into the pit (Ps. 30:3). Again: I am accounted with them that go down into the pit; I am accounted as a man that hath no strength. Thou hast set me in a pit of the lower regions, in darkness, in the depths (Ps. 88:4, 6) ...[6] That a "pit" is the vastation of falsity, and in the abstract sense falsity, is still more evident in Isaiah: They shall be gathered with a gathering as the bound to the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; yet after a multitude of days shall they be visited (Isa. 24:22) ...In David: Unto thee O Jehovah will I cry, my Rock be not Thou silent unto me, lest if Thou be silent unto me I seem like them that go down into the pit (Ps. 28:1). Again: Jehovah brought me up also out of a pit of vastation, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock (Ps. 40:2). Let not the billow of waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me (Ps. 69:15). [8] Again: He sent His word, and healed them, and rescued them from their pits (Ps. 107:20); "from their pits" denoting from falsities. Again: Make haste, answer me, O Jehovah; my spirit is consumed, hide not Thy faces from me, lest I become like them that go down into the pit (Ps. 143:7). As a "pit" signifies falsity, and the "blind" signify those who are in falsities (n. 2383), the Lord therefore says, Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind, for if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit (Matt. 15:14; Luke 6:39). Something similar to what was represented by Joseph was also represented by Jeremiah the prophet, concerning which he says: They took Jeremiah, and cast him into the pit that was in the court of the guard; and they let down Jeremiah with cords, into the pit where was no water (Jer. 38:6); that is, they rejected Divine truths among falsities in which was nothing of truth.
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