138 HEAVEN and HELL §266
a. On angels’ wisdom—that it is incomprehensible and inexpressible: 2795 , 2796 , 2802 , 3314 ,
3404 , 3405 , 9094 , 9176.
b. To the extent that we are raised from more outward to more inward concerns, we come into
the light and therefore into intelligence: 6183 , 6313. This raising really happens: 7816 , 10330. Being
raised from outer to more inward concerns is like rising from a fog into the light: 4598. Our more
outward levels are farther from the Divine and therefore relatively cloudy: 6451 ; and also relatively
disorganized: 996 , 3855. Our deeper levels are more perfect because they are nearer the Divine:
5146 , 5147. In our inner nature there are thousands and thousands of things that outwardly look
like a single generalization: 5707. So the deeper our thought and perception are, the clearer they
are: 5920.Angels’ thoughts are not diverted to earthly and material concerns or
interrupted by the cares and needs of life, so they are not distracted by
such things from the joys of wisdom the way our thoughts are in this
world. They are given everything by the Lord for free: they are clothed
for free, fed for free, housed for free (§§ 181 – 190 ); and beyond this, they
are provided with joys and pleasures in proportion to their acceptance of
wisdom from the Lord.
All this has been presented to show where angels derive this kind of
wisdom.a267 The reason angels can accept so much wisdom is that their deeper
levels are open, and wisdom, like any perfection, increases as one moves
toward the deeper levels and as they are opened.b
In every angel there are three levels of life corresponding to the
three heavens (see §§ 29 – 40 ). People whose fi rst level has been opened
are in the fi rst or most remote heaven. People whose second level has
been opened are in the second or intermediate heaven. People whose
third level has been opened are in the third or inmost heaven. The wis-
dom of angels in heaven is according to these levels; so the wisdom of
angels of the third heaven vastly transcends the wisdom of angels of the
intermediate heaven, and their wisdom in turn transcends that of angels
of the farthest heaven (see above, §§ 209 – 210 , and on the nature of the
levels, see § 38 ).
The reason for these differences is that the elements of the higher
levels are detailed, and those of the lower are general, the general ones
being inclusive of the details. The ratio of details to generalizations is on
the order of thousands or ten thousands to one, so this is the ratio
between the wisdom of angels of a higher heaven and that of angels of a
lower heaven.
However, the wisdom of these latter angels similarly transcends our
wisdom, for we are engrossed in our bodies and their sensory operations,