The Swedenborg Library Vol 1/Chapter 21
XXI.
THE FORMER HEAVEN AND EARTH.
Y the first heaven is not understood the heaven formed of those who have become angels from the first creation of the world to the present time; for that heaven is abiding, and endures to eternity. For all who enter heaven are under the Lord's protection, and he who has once been received by the Lord, can never be plucked away from Him. But by the first heaven is understood a heaven which was composed of others than those who have become angels, and for the most part of those who could not become angels. It is this heaven of which it is said that it "passed away." It was called heaven because they who were in it dwelt on high, forming societies upon rocks and mountains, and living in delights similar to the natural, but never in any that were spiritual. For very many who depart from the earth into the spiritual world, believe themselves in heaven when they are on high, and in heavenly joy when they are in world-like delights. Hence it was called heaven, but "the first heaven which passed away."
It is moreover to be observed that this heaven which is called the first, did not consist of any who had lived before the Lord's coming into the world; but all who composed it lived after his coming, for a last judgment is effected at the end of every church, a former heaven being then abolished, and a new one created or formed. For all who led an outwardly moral life, and lived in piety and sanctity that was external, although not internal, were tolerated from the beginning to the end of the church; and this so long as the internals which belong to the thoughts and intentions, could be held in bonds by the laws of society, civil and moral. But at the end of the church their internals are unveiled, and judgment is then executed upon them. Hence a last judgment has been executed upon the inhabitants of this planet twice before, and is now for the third time. Thus a heaven and an earth have twice passed away, and a new heaven and a new earth have been created; for the heaven and the earth are the church in either world.
Hence it is plain that the new heaven and the new earth mentioned in the prophets of the Old Testament, are not that new heaven and new earth mentioned in the Apocalypse; but that the former existed from the Lord when He was in the world, and the latter exist from Him now. Concerning the heaven and the earth in the prophets of the Old Testament, it is written, "Behold I am about to create a new heaven and a new earth; neither shall the former be remembered" (Isaiah lxv. 17).
OF WHOM THE FIRST HEAVEN CONSISTED.
The first heaven was composed of all upon whom the last judgment was executed; for it was not executed upon those in hell, nor those in heaven, nor those in the world of spirits, nor upon any who were yet living in this world; but solely upon those who had made to themselves the likeness of a heaven, of whom the greater part were on mountains and rocks. These also were they whom the Lord meant by the goats which He placed on the left (Matt. xxv. 32, 33).
Hence it may be seen that the first heaven existed not merely from Christians, but also from Mahometans and Gentiles who had all formed to themselves such heavens in their own places. . . They were those who lived in the world in external and never in internal sanctity; who were just and sincere for the sake of civil and moral laws, but not for the sake of Divine laws; who were external or natural therefore, and not internal or spiritual men; who were also in the doctrinals of the church, and able to teach them, but whose lives were not accordant with them; and who filled various offices and performed uses, but not for the sake of uses.
These, and all throughout the whole world who were like them, and lived after the Lord's coming, constituted the first heaven. This heaven therefore was such as the world and church upon earth is among those who do good, not because it is good but because they fear the laws and the loss of fame, honor and gain. They who do good from no other origin, do not fear God but men, and are destitute of conscience.
In the first heaven of the Reformed there was a large proportion of spirits who believed that man is saved by faith alone, and did not live the life of faith, which is charity; and who loved much to be seen of men. In all these spirits, so long as they were associated together, their interiors were closed that they might not appear; but when the last judgment was at hand they were opened; and it was then found that inwardly they were obsessed by falsities and evils of every kind, and that they were against the Divine, and were actually in hell. For every one after death is immediately bound to his like,—the good to their like in heaven, but the evil to their like in hell; yet they do not go to them before their interiors are unveiled; in the mean time they may live together in society with those who resemble them in externals.
But it is to be observed that all who were inwardly good or spiritual, were separated from those spirits, and elevated into heaven; and that all who were outwardly as well as inwardly evil, were also separated from them, and cast into hell; and this from the time immediately succeeding the Lord's advent, down to the last time when the judgment was; and that those only were left to form societies among themselves, who constituted the first heaven, and were of the kind above described.
WHY JUDGMENT WAS DELAYED.
There were many reasons why such societies or heavens were tolerated; the principal of which was, that by external sanctity, sincerity and justice, they were conjoined with the simple-good who were either in the lowest heaven, or were still in the world of spirits and not yet introduced into heaven. For in the spiritual world there is a communication and thence conjunction of all with their like; and the simple-good in the lowest heaven and in the world of spirits, look principally to externals, yet are not inwardly evil. Therefore if these spirits had been forcibly removed from them before the appointed time, heaven would have suffered in its ultimates; and yet it is the ultimate upon which the superior heaven subsists as upon its own basis.
That these spirits were tolerated until the last time on this account, the Lord teaches in Matt. xiii. 27-30, 37-40. The consummation of this Age is the last time of the church; the tares are those who are inwardly evil; the wheat are those who are inwardly good; the gathering the tares together and binding them in bundles to burn, is the last judgment. (Also verses 47-49.) (L. J. n. 66-70.)