Week 4    Day 6

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Issachar’s Place in the Camp and the New Heaven

Issachar’s Place in the Camp of Israel

Numbers 2

3 And on the east toward the sunrise shall they of the banner of the camp of Judah encamp throughout their armies...

5 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Issachar...

7 [Then] the tribe of Zebulun...

9 All that were numbered of the camp of Judah [were] a hundred thousand and eighty thousand and six thousand and four hundred of their armies. They shall journey first.

AE 431:12. The arrangements of the twelve tribes of Israel according to the arrangements of the angelic societies of heaven, consequently according to the form of heaven, are represented in their encampments, as described in Moses, namely:

To the east the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were encamped; and to the south the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; to the west the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin; to the north the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; and the tribe of Levi in the midst of the camp; and in the same order they went forward (Num. 2:1 to the end)....

“The tribe of Judah” signifies the good of love to the Lord, “the tribe of Issachar” the truth of that good, and “the tribe of Zebulun” the marriage of good and truth, which is also called the celestial marriage; so, too, those who dwell in the eastern quarter of heaven are all in the good of love to the Lord and in truths from that good, and thence in the celestial marriage.

AE 445:6. Because “the tribes of Judah, of Issachar, and of Zebulun,” signified the heaven where the good of love is— “the tribe of Judah” that good itself, “the tribe of Issachar” its affection, and “Zebulun” its conjunction with truths—these three tribes pitched [their tents] to the east of the tent of meeting (Num. 2:3-9). For in heaven, those dwell to the east who are in the good of love, and thus in the affection of good and truth, and in the marriage or conjunction of these, that is, in truths in respect to doctrine and in goods in respect to life.

Issachar’s Place in the New Heaven

Revelation 7

7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed 12 thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed 12 thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed 12 thousand.

AR 358. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand, signifies the good of life with those who will be of the Lord’s New Heaven and New Church. By “Issachar” is signified, in the highest sense, the Divine good of truth, and the truth of good; in the spiritual sense, celestial conjugial love, which is the love of good and truth; and, in the natural sense, remuneration. But here [Issachar signifies] the good of life, because in this group it is the third in order, and the third in any group signifies the ultimate, which is produced from the two former ones as the effect from its causes. And the effect from spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor and is signified by Simeon; through the affection of truth, which is signified by Levi; produces the good of life, which is “Issachar.” He was also named from “wage” (Gen. 30:17, 18), thus from remuneration, and the good of life has remuneration in itself.

AE 443. The tribes of Simeon, Levi, and Issachar, which are now mentioned, and which constitute the third class of the sealed, signify those who are in the first or lowest heaven, and who come into that heaven. [See more of this passage in the readings for day two of this week.]

AE 445. Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand sealed, signifies faith and salvation. This is evident from the representation and consequent signification of “Issachar” and his tribe, as being that which makes heaven and salvation with man, for “Issachar” in the original means wage, and love and faith are what make heaven and salvation with man; consequently, both are signified by “the tribe of Issachar.”

“Wage” is frequently spoken of in the Word, as “that they would receive wages,” and by it is understood eternal life, salvation, and by many, heavenly joy; and in the nearest sense, this is the signification of “wage.” If a man is living according to the Lord’s commandments, it is permissible for him to think of eternal life, salvation, and heavenly joy. But it is not permissible for him to keep his mind intent upon [receiving] a wage, for if he does so he has wages as an end, and easily falls into the thought that by his life he deserves heaven and salvation. And this thought causes him to have regard to self in every particular, and such regard to self removes him from heaven; for so far as man looks to self in what he does, he does not look to heaven.

Because of this, “wage” signifies in the Word that in which heaven and salvation are, that is, in general, love and faith, and from them intelligence and wisdom, for in these are salvation and heaven, and consequently heavenly joy, so far as man does not think about wages. From this the signification of “Issachar” and his tribe can be seen.

AE 445:5. But those who do not place merit in the good works they perform by having regard for wages, but place heaven and the felicity of eternal life in thinking and willing well and thence in acting well... are in the spiritual affection of truth and good, which is with those who are in the heavenly marriage, that is, in the marriage of good and truth....

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