§23 two kingdoms 15
a. There is an infi nite variety, and nothing can ever be identical to anything else: 7236 , 9002.
There is an infi nite variety in heaven as well: 684 , 690 , 3744 , 5598 , 7236. The varieties in heaven
are varieties of what is good: 3744 , 4005 , 7236 , 7833 , 7836 , 9002. By this means all the communi-
ties in heaven and every angel in a community are distinguishable from each other: 690 , 3241 ,
3519 , 3804 , 3986 , 4067 , 4149 , 4263 , 7236 , 7833 , 7836. Still, they all form one entity by means of
love from the Lord: 457 , 3986.
b. Overall, heaven is divided into two kingdoms, a heavenly kingdom and a spiritual kingdom:
3887 , 4138. Angels of the heavenly kingdom accept the Lord’s divine [nature] in their volitional
side, and therefore more deeply than do spiritual angels, who accept it into their cognitive side:
5113 , 6367 , 8521 , 9935 [ 9915 ], 9995 , 10124.
c. The heavens that constitute the heavenly kingdom are called “higher,” while those that consti-
tute the spiritual kingdom are called “lower”: 10068.
d. Deeper matters are expressed as higher, and higher matters as deeper: 2148 , 3084 , 4599 ,
5146 , 8325.
Heaven Is Divided into Two Kingdoms
20
S
INCE there are infi nite varieties in heaven—since no community and
in fact no individual is just like any othera—heaven is therefore dividedoverall, more specifi cally, and in detail. Overall, it is divided into two
kingdoms, more specifi cally into three heavens, and in detail into count-
less communities. We will now discuss the details. They are called “king-
doms” because heaven is called “the kingdom of God.”
There are angels who accept the divine nature that emanates from 21
the Lord on a deeper level and angels who accept it less deeply. The ones
who accept it more deeply are called heavenly angels, and the ones who
accept it less deeply are called spiritual angels. Heaven is therefore divided
into two kingdoms, one called the heavenly kingdom and the other
called the spiritual kingdom.b
Because the angels who make up the heavenly kingdom accept the 22
Lord’s divine nature on a deeper level, they are called more inward or
higher angels. The heavens they constitute are therefore called more
inward or higher heavens.c We use the words “higher” and “lower” as a
way of referring to more inward things and more outward things.d
The love that envelops people in the heavenly kingdom is called 23
heavenly love, and the love that envelops people in the spiritual kingdom
is called spiritual love. Heavenly love is love for the Lord, and spiritual
love is thoughtfulness toward one’s neighbor. Further, since all “good” is