796. Verse 23. And the light of a lamp shall not shine in thee anymore signifies that they who are in that religious persuasion from doctrine and from a life according to it, have no enlightenment from the Lord, and thence no perception of spiritual truth. By "the light of a lamp" is signified enlightenment from the Lord and thence the perception of spiritual truth; for by "light" is meant the light of heaven, in which the angels are, and men also as to the understanding; which light in its essence is the Divine wisdom; for it proceeds from the Lord as the sun of the spiritual world, which in its substance is the Divine love of the Divine wisdom; from which no other light can proceed than that which is of the Divine wisdom, nor any other heat than that which is of the Divine love. That it is so, is demonstrated in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom (n. 83-172). Since that light is from the Lord, and the Lord is omnipresent by it and in it, therefore all enlightenment is effected by it, and thence the perception of spiritual truth, which those have who love Divine truths spiritually, that is, who love truths because they are truths, thus because they are Divine. That this is to love the Lord, is manifest; for the Lord is omnipresent in that light, because the Divine love and the Divine wisdom are not in place, but are where they are received, and according to the reception.
[2] That they who are in the Roman Catholic religious persuasion have not any enlightenment, and perception of spiritual truth thence, may be evident from this, that they do not love any spiritual light; for the origin of spiritual light is from the Lord, as was said; and no others can accept that light, nor receive it, but they who are conjoined with the Lord; and conjunction with the Lord is effected solely by the acknowledgment and worship of Him, and at the same time by a life according to His commandments from the Word. The acknowledgment and worship of the Lord, and the reading of the Word, cause the presence of the Lord; but these two together with a life according to His commandments effect conjunction with Him. In Babylon it is the contrary; there the Lord is acknowledged, but without dominion; and the Word is acknowledged, but without the reading of it. Instead of the Lord the pope is there worshiped, and instead of the Word the papal bulls are acknowledged, according to which they live, and not according to the commandments of the Word. And those bulls have for their end the dominion of the pope and his ministers over heaven and the world, and the commandments of the Word have for their end the Lord's dominion over heaven and the world; and these are diametrically opposite to each other, like hell and heaven. These things are said, that it may be known, that they have altogether no light of a lamp, that is, enlightenment, and thence the perception of spiritual truth, who are in the Babylonish religious persuasion from doctrine and from a life according to it.
[3] That the Lord is the Light, from which is all the enlightenment and perception of spiritual truth, is manifest from these passages:
He was the true Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:4-12).
This is concerning the Lord:
This is the judgment, that the Light is come into the world; he that doeth the truth cometh to the Light (John 3:19, 21).
Jesus said, Yet a little while is the Light with you; walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness seize upon you; while ye have the Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be sons of the Light (John 12:35, 36).
Jesus said, I am come a Light into the world, that everyone who believeth in Me, may not abide in darkness (John 12:46).
Jesus said, I am the Light of the world (John 9:5).
Simeon said, Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, a Light for the revelation of the nations (Luke 2:30-32).
The people sitting in darkness have seen a great Light; and to them that sit in the region and shadow of death, Light has arisen (Matt. 4:16; Isa. 9:2).
I have given thee for a Light of the nations, that thou mayest be My salvation even unto the extremity of the earth (Isa. 49:6).
The city New Jerusalem hath no need of the sun and moon to shine in it, for the glory of God enlighteneth it, and the lamp of it is the Lamb (Rev. 21:23; 22:5).
It is manifest from these passages, that the Lord is the Light, from which are all enlightenment and thence perception of truth; and because the Lord is the Light, the devil is thick darkness; and the devil is the love of ruling over all the holy Divine things of the Lord, and thus over Himself; and as far as dominion is given to it, so far it darkens, extinguishes, sets on fire, and burns up, the holy Divine things of the Lord.