And elsewhere.  In these passages the “sun” signifies love, and the “moon” faith, and the “stars” knowledges of good and truth.{1} These are said to be darkened, to lose their light, and to fall from heaven, when they are no more.  That the Lord is seen as a sun in heaven is evident also from His appearance when transfigured before Peter, James, and John,

     That His face did shine as the sun (Matt. 17:2).

These disciples thus saw the Lord when they were withdrawn from the body, and were in the light of heaven.  It was because of this correspondence that the ancient people, with whom was a representative church, turned the face to the sun in the east when they were in Divine worship; and for the same reason they gave to their temples an eastern aspect.

  {Footnote 1} “Stars” and “constellations” in the Word signify
  knowledges of good and truth (n. 2495, 2849, 4697).

120.  How great the Divine love is and what it is can be seen by comparison with the sun of the world, that it is most ardent, if you will believe it, much more ardent than that sun.  For this reason the Lord as a sun does not flow without mediums into the heavens, but the ardor of His love is gradually tempered on the way.  These temperings appear as radiant belts about the sun; furthermore, the angels are veiled with a thin adapting cloud to prevent their being harmed by the influx.{1} For this reason the heavens are more or less near in accordance with reception.  As the higher heavens are in good of love they are nearest to the Lord as the sun; and as the lower heavens are in good of faith they are farther away from Him.  But those that are in no good, like those in hell, are farthest away, at different distances in accordance with their opposition to good.{2}

{Footnote 1} What the Lord’s Divine love is, and how great it is, illustrated by comparison with the fire of this world’s sun (n. 6834, 6849, 8644).  The Lord’s Divine love is love toward the whole human race to save it (n. 1820, 1865, 2253, 6872).  The love that first goes forth from the fire of the Lord’s love does not enter heaven, but is seen as radiant belts about the sun (n. 7270).  The angels are veiled with a corresponding thin cloud, to prevent their being harmed by the glow of burning love (n. 6849).

{Footnote 2} The Lord’s presence with the angels is in proportion to their reception of good of love and faith from Him (n. 904, 4198, 4320, 6280, 6832, 7042, 8819, 9680, 9682, 9683, 10106, 10811).  The Lord appears to each one in accordance with what he is (n. 1861, 3235, 4198, 4206).  The hells are at a distance from the heavens because they cannot bear the presence of Divine love from the Lord (n. 4299, 7519, 7738, 7989, 8137, 8265, 9327).  For this reason the hells are very far away from the heavens, and this is the “great gulf” (n. 9346, 10187).

121.  When, however, the Lord appears in heaven,