Arcana Coelestia, Vol. VI (1915) - Page 18

x. 1-10, 28; xi. 31, 32; xii. 14, 15; xxxi. 19-24; Deut. Deuteronomy xxiii. 10-14). [3] That the "camp of God" denotes heaven may also be seen in Joel:—

The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled, the sun and the moon were blackened, and the stars withdrew their brightness, and Jehovah uttered His voice before His army, for His camp is exceeding many, for numerous is he that doeth His word (ii. 10, 11).

In Zechariah:—

I will encamp at my house from the army, on account of him who passeth by, and on account of him who goeth away, lest the extortioner should pass over them (ix. 8).

In John:—

Gog and Magog went up over the plain of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; but fire came up from God and consumed them (Rev. Revelation xx. 9);

"Gog and Magog" denote those who are in external worship that is separated from internal and made idolatrous (n. 1151); the "plain of the earth" denotes the truth of the church (that a "plain" is the truth which is of doctrine may be seen above, n. 2450; and that the "earth" is the church, n. 556, 662, 1066, 1067, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355); the "camp of the saints" denotes the heaven or kingdom of the Lord on the earth, which is the church. [4] As most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise has a "camp," which then signifies evils and falsities, consequently hell; as in David:—

Though the evil should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear (Ps. Psalm xxvii. 3).

In the same:—

God hath scattered the bones of them that encamp against me; thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them (Ps. liii. 5).

By the camp of Assyria, in which the angel of Jehovah smote a hundred and eighty-five thousand (Isa. Isaiah xxxvii. 36), nothing else is meant; and the same by the camp of the Egyptians (Exod. Exodus xiv. 20).

4237. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim. That this signifies the quality of the state, is evident from the signification of "calling a name," as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 3421); and from the signification of "place" as being state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387).