on.{1} All this makes clear that marriages in heaven are not like marriages on earth.  In heaven marryings are spiritual, and cannot properly be called marryings, but conjunctions of minds from the conjunction of good and truth.  But on earth there are marryings, because these are not of the spirit alone but also of the flesh.  And as there are no marryings in heaven, consorts there are not called husband and wife; but from the angelic idea of the joining of two minds into one, each consort designates the other by a name signifying one’s own, mutually and reciprocally.  This shows how the Lord’s words in regard to marrying and giving in marriage (Luke 20:35, 36), are to be understood.

{Footnote 1} Conceptions, pregnancies, births, and generations signify those that are spiritual, that is, such as pertain to good and truth, or to love and faith (n. 613, 1145, 1255, 2020, 2584, 3860, 3868, 4070, 4668, 6239, 8042, 9325, 10249).  Therefore generation and birth signify regeneration and rebirth through faith and love (n. 5160, 5598, 9042, 9845).  Mother signifies the church in respect to truth, and thus the truth of the church; father the church in respect to good, and thus the good of the church (n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897).  Sons signify affections for truth, and thus truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807).  Daughters signify affections for good, and the goods (n. 489-491, 2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6778, 9055).  Son-in-law signifies truth associated with affection for good (n. 2389).  Daughter-in-law signifies good associated with its truth (n. 4843).

383.  I have also been permitted to see how marriages are contracted in the heavens.  As everywhere in heaven those who are alike are united and those who are unlike are separated, so every society in heaven consists of those who are alike.  Like are brought to like not by themselves but by the Lord (see above, n. 41, 43, 44, seq.); and equally consort to consort whose minds can be joined into one are drawn together; and consequently at first sight they inmostly love each other, and see themselves to be consorts, and enter into marriage.  For this reason all marriages in heaven are from the Lord alone.  They have also marriage feasts; and these are attended by many; but the festivities differ in different societies.

384.  Marriages on the earth are most holy in the sight of the angels of heaven because they are seminaries of the human race, and also of the angels of heaven (heaven being from the human race, as already shown under that head), also because these marriages are from a spiritual origin, namely, from the marriage of good and truth, and because the Lord’s Divine flows especially into marriage love.  Adulteries on the other hand are regarded by the angels as profane because they are contrary to marriage love; for as in marriages the angels behold the marriage of good and truth, which is heaven, so in adulteries they behold the marriage of falsity and evil, which is