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The Northern Border: Damascus

AC 1715. The farthest boundary of the land of Canaan, beyond Dan, is described as being Damascus, as in Amos:

You have taken up Siccuth your king, and Chiun your images; the star of your gods which ye made to yourselves, and I will cause you to go away beyond Damascus (Amos 5:26-27).

The boundary of the holy land, or of the Lord’s kingdom, toward the north, is also called the “boundary of Damascus” (Ezek. 47:16-18, 48:1).

AC 1796. Damascus was the principal city of Syria, where there were remains of the worship of the Ancient Church, and from which came Eber, or the Hebrew nation, with which there was nothing but the external of the church.

The Eastern Border: The Jordan River

AC 6537. The Jordan was the first boundary in respect to the land of Canaan; and as by the “land of Canaan” is signified the church, therefore by the “Jordan” is signified those things which are the first of the church, or by means of which entrance to the church is opened.

AC 4255. That the “Jordan” denotes initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, is because it was a boundary of the land of Canaan.... All the boundaries of that land signified things that are first and last of the Lord’s kingdom, and also those that are first and last of His church, and thus those that are first and last of the celestial and spiritual things which constitute His kingdom and His church... Hence the Jordan, because it was a boundary, signified initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, for these knowledges are first; and at last, when the man becomes a church, or a kingdom of the Lord, they become last.

TCR 510. That repentance is the first thing of the church, is very evident from the Word. John the Baptist, who was sent beforehand to prepare men for the church which the Lord was about to establish, when he baptized, at the same time he preached repentance. And therefore his baptism was called the baptism of repentance, for the reason that baptism signified spiritual washing, which is a cleansing from sin. John did this in the Jordan, because the Jordan signified introduction into the church, for it was the first boundary of the land of Canaan where the church was. The Lord Himself also preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins, teaching thereby that repentance is the first thing of the church, and that so far as man repents his sins are put away, and so far as they are put away, they are forgiven. And still further, the Lord commanded His twelve apostles, and also the seventy whom He sent forth, to preach repentance. From all this it is clear that the first thing of the church is repentance.

AE 475:18-19. “The waters of Jordan” signified the truths that introduce into the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for the river Jordan was the first boundary across which the land of Canaan was entered, and “the land of Canaan” signified the church. This is why “the waters of Jordan” signified introductory truths, which are the first knowledges of truth and good from the Word. Because of this signification of “the waters of Jordan,” Naaman was commanded to wash himself in them seven times, which signified purification from falsified truths; “seven times” signifies fully, and is predicated of holy things, such as truths Divine are. Because “seven times” has this signification, it is said that “his flesh came again like the flesh of a little lad,” the flesh coming again signifying spiritual life, such as those have who are regenerated through Divine truths.

[19] Because “the waters of Jordan” signified the truths that introduce into the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and “washing” in them signified purification from falsities, and consequent reformation and regeneration by the Lord, therefore baptism was instituted, which was first performed in the Jordan by John (Matt. 3:11-16; Mark 1:4-13). This rite signified initiation into the knowledges from the Word about the Lord, His coming, and salvation by Him. And as man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of truths from the Word, baptism was commanded by the Lord (Matt. 28:19); for it is by means of truths from the Word that man is reformed and regenerated, and it is the Lord who reforms and regenerates.

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