The Spiritual World: Talks for Children by George de Charms

10.  Government in Heaven

In heaven, where all the angels love the Lord and seek to make each other happy by performing uses for one another; where no one has the least desire to take away what belongs to others; where there is no jealousy, no hatred, no lust for revenge; where, in short, there is no evil love that would lead to the commission of any crime - you would suppose that there was no need for governments. For we think of governments in this world as the means of protecting the good against the evil by punishing all who seek to injure their neighbors. And there are so many evil people in the world that our courts of justice are kept busy all the time, judging what is right and what is wrong, administering the law, and preserving order. If they should cease to operate - even for a short time - the country would be destroyed; for terrible evils would be committed, and the lives of all the good people would be endangered. But surely there would be no need for such courts or judges, or officers of the law in heaven!

This is the way we often think of our government, because it is the use of government which most openly appears. But perhaps you never realized that all the officers of the law do many other things besides punish criminals. They help people who are good, and who only need to know the law to obey it gladly. They do this all the time, and in various ways. They show people those things that are best for them, and for the whole country. They make laws, which only those who are in the love of governing from the Lord could see were necessary to the prosperity of the country. These laws affect those who obey them, as well as those who break them. They point out the way in which they are to do their work so that it may be of the greatest benefit to all.

If you have ever been in a city you have seen all the buses, and the automobiles, and the trucks going up and down the streets. There are hundreds and hundreds of them passing a single corner every day, going in every direction. Unless there was someone who could direct all this traffic- tell them when to stop, and when to go, and which way to turn - there would be many terrible accidents, and the streets would become clogged with vehicles, so that no one could pass; and there would be no order, and consequently no work could be done. It is true that some people try to break the laws governing this traffic, and these must be punished. But it is also true that most of the people - both those on foot and those in the vehicles - are very glad to keep the law, and realize how important it is to do so. But unless there were someone to show them, they would not know how.

It is the same with all the uses of the country - the railroad companies, the great manufacturers, the farmers - all would be in hopeless confusion unless there were laws to guide them, and officials who_. knew the law, to tell them what to do. The whole country would become clogged with things, and many people would be in want while others had more than they could use, unless we had a government. And this, even if there were no criminals - if all men were good, and were trying to do the right thing.

You remember that when the Children of Israel came out of Egypt governors were placed over them. So it is that even in heaven governments are needed, and, together with them, rulers, and judges, and officers, and guides, and guards. The Lord Himself is the great King, who is over the whole of heaven. He provides all the laws of heaven - and wonderful laws they are, that maintain perfect order in so vast a kingdom, where dwell all the people who have been created from the beginning of time. But under Him there is a ruler of every society in heaven. This ruler is called not a king, but a prince. For he himself would not know the laws governing his society unless the Lord instructed him. He learns the law from the Lord, and he teaches and instructs those under him, and these then teach others, until all are informed.

Swedenborg once visited a society of heaven, and saw the prince of that society. He would not have known how to go there, but the Lord gave him an angel guide who was an officer well versed in the laws of that society, and who could tell him what to do. As they came to the city they found gates, and at the gates stood guards. Unless the angel had been with him, the guards would not have opened the gates. The guards were also officers, who were protecting that society from any who might try to enter it without the Lord's permission. As soon as they had entered through the gates the angel told the guards that they wished to see the prince, and a messenger was sent to his palace to tell him they had come. It was in the morning, and he could not see them at that time as he was busy. with the work of his office. But he sent word that attendants were to take them to a house where they might wait for him; and there he sent others to teach them, and to entertain them until they could see him. He then invited them to dinner; and they were given garments like those worn by others in that society, because without these they could not enter the palace of the prince. Then they went to the palace, where they saw wonderful things - tables of silver overlaid with gold; large precious stones carved into beautiful shapes for various uses; trees with golden and silver fruit, and flowers more beautiful than any ever seen on earth. Here in this gorgeous palace dwelled the prince; and when the time came they saw him enter the great banquet hall, with all his courtiers, and officers, and councilors and judges of the courts, and guards, in a long procession, one hundred and twenty in number.

The prince was dressed in a long purple robe that reached down to his ankles, embroidered with stars of silver. Under this was a bright silk tunic of blue, with a girdle on which was embroidered in gold an eagle brooding over her young at the top of a tree. This was the emblem of the society. All the courtiers and councilors and judges were also beautifully dressed, but not so richly as their prince.

So you see there are governments in heaven; and although all there desire to do what is right, and there are no criminals, there are great uses for law, and for officers to tell about them.

We are told in the Writings that those who love their country while they live on earth learn to love the Lord's kingdom in the other world. And all who keep the laws of their country will keep the laws of heaven also. For this reason it is most important that we should love our country and obey her laws, not merely because in this way we avoid punishment, but because by so doing we are being prepared to come into a society of heaven where we may serve the Lord in performing a heavenly use.

Lesson: Exodus 18: 13-23

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