The first major theological work of the Swedish scientist-turned-seer Emanuel Swedenborg, Secrets of Heaven is in one sense a traveler’s account. It reveals the unseen realms that await beyond death – the light, warmth, and harmony of the angelic heavens and the varied darkness of the multitudinous hells. In this second volume, Swedenborg discusses place, distance, and time as it is experienced in the spiritual world. He also describes the ability of spirits to perceive goodness and truth and to know the character of other spirits on first approach. In addition, the work offers a detailed examination of chapters ten through fifteen of Genesis, including the story of the tower of Babel.

The analysis contained within Secrets of Heaven, which covers the books of Genesis and Exodus over the course of fifteen volumes, provides a model for a new way to understand the entire Bible. Prized for both the simplicity of its explanation and the breadth and depth of its vision, Swedenborg’s reading of Scripture discloses layer upon layer of inner meaning, all without undermining the power and import of the literal word.