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Ce invata in realitate Biblia ?

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#55
arpisz

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View Postadi_m, on Mar 4 2009, 14:17, said:

Este  rational  ceea  ce  spuneti  dv.Insa  nu  este  vorba  doar  de  hartie  ci  dovezile  istorice  si  arheologice sprijina  aceste  lucruri...
Vorbind despre relațiile existente între arheologie și consemnările istorice ale Bibliei, profesorul David Noel Freedman declară: „În ansamblu, arheologia tinde, prin urmare, să confirme valoarea istorică a relatării biblice. În cea mai mare parte a sa, cronologia, începînd din era patriarhală pînă în epoca N[oului] T[estament], corespunde datelor furnizate de arheologie. Descoperirile viitoare vor confirma probabil poziția moderată din prezent că tradiția biblică are rădăcini istorice și a fost transmisă cu fidelitate, deși nu este istorie în sens critic sau științific.“Nu  ar  avea  sens, de  exemplu,moartea  crestinilor martiri din  primul  secol ...Probabil  si  dv. ati  auzit  de  martirizarea  acestora  la  Roma sau in  alte  locuri....
si probabil ca va demonstra ca moise stia sa construiasca bombe nucleare .... dar cine stie ce o sa mai aibe unii ca David Noel Freedman ca au demonstrat.

DECI BAGA LA CAP IERIHONUL NU EXISTA CAND SE ZICE CA IMBECILII AIA CREDINCIOSI LAU ATACAT ... NU EXISTE DOVEZ PENTRU EXOD IN ISTORIA EGIPTEANA ... ETC

#56
adi_m

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Daniel a  consemnat  multe  profetii.De  exemplu in Daniel, capitolul 7 ,puterea mondială babiloneană era ilustrată printr-un leu, cea persană printr-un urs și cea greacă printr-un leopard cu patru aripi pe spate și patru capete. Apoi Daniel vede o a patra fiară sălbatică, „înspăimîntătoare și teribilă și extraordinar de puternică......, și avea zece coarne“ (Daniel 7:2–7). Această a patra fiară sălbatică prefigura puternicul Imperiu Roman, care a început să se contureze aproximativ la trei secole după consemnarea profeției de către Daniel.
Cu privire la Roma, îngerul a profețit: „Cît despre a patra fiară, un al patrulea regat va ajunge să existe pe pămînt, care va fi deosebit de toate celelalte regate; și ea va devora tot pămîntul și îl va călca în picioare și îl va zdrobi“ (Daniel 7:23). Cu  privire  la  acest  lucru, H. G. Wells, a  spus: „Noua putere romană, care avea să domnească peste lumea apuseană în al doilea și în primul secol înainte de Cristos, era, sub mai multe aspecte, deosebită de oricare dintre marile imperii care au dominat pînă atunci lumea civilizată.“ Republică la început, ea s-a transformat în monarhie. Contrar imperiilor care au precedat-o, ea nu a fost creată de către un cuceritor, ci a cunoscut o ascensiune irezistibilă pe parcursul secolelor. Ea a durat mult mai mult timp și a domnit peste un teritoriu mult mai întins decît oricare alt imperiu anterior.
Dar ce reprezintă cele zece coarne ale acestei enorme fiare? Îngerul a dat următoarea explicație: „Iar cît despre cele zece coarne, din acel regat se vor ridica zece regi; și încă un altul se va ridica după ei, și el însuși va fi deosebit de primii, și el va umili trei regi“ (Daniel 7:24). Cum s-a realizat aceasta?
Cînd declinul Imperiului Roman a început în secolul al V-lea e.n., el nu a fost înlocuit imediat de către o nouă putere mondială. El s-a dezmembrat mai degrabă într-un anumit număr de regate, cei „zece regi“. Cu timpul, Imperiul Britanic a triumfat asupra celor trei imperii rivale, Spania, Franța și Țările de Jos, devenind principala putere mondială. În felul acesta „cornul“ nou venit a umilit „trei regi“.
De  unde  a  stiut Daniel aceste  lucruri  care  tin  de  istoria  moderna ?...
Da, Biblia  este  Cuvantul  lui  Dumnezeu...

View Postarpisz, on Mar 4 2009, 07:25, said:

si probabil ca va demonstra ca moise stia sa construiasca bombe nucleare .... dar cine stie ce o sa mai aibe unii ca David Noel Freedman ca au demonstrat.

DECI BAGA LA CAP IERIHONUL NU EXISTA CAND SE ZICE CA IMBECILII AIA CREDINCIOSI LAU ATACAT ... NU EXISTE DOVEZ PENTRU EXOD IN ISTORIA EGIPTEANA ... ETC
Interesanta  obiectia  dv.Conform Bibliei, Ierihonul a fost primul oraș cucerit de Iosua în timpul cînd îi conducea pe israeliți în țara Canaan. Cronologia biblică plasează căderea acestui oraș în prima jumătate a secolului al XV-lea înaintea erei noastre. Odată cucerit, Ierihonul a fost complet ars, rămînînd nelocuit timp de secole.
Înainte de izbucnirea celui de al doilea război mondial, profesorul John Garstang a efectuat săpături pe presupusul loc al orașului Ierihon. El a constatat că orașul era foarte vechi și că fusese de mai multe ori distrus și reconstruit. Garstang consemnează că la una dintre distrugerile orașului zidurile s-au prăbușit ca în urma unui cutremur de pămînt și că orașul fusese complet ars. El a plasat acest eveniment în jurul anului 1400 î.e.n., dată destul de apropiată de cea pe care versiunea biblică o stabilește pentru cucerirea Ierihonului de către Iosua.Deci,  Biblia  este  demna  de  incredere  si  sustinuta  chiar  si  de  dovezi  arheologice...

#57
adi_m

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Cine  este  Dumnezeu ?Care  este  numele  sau ?Raspunsul  la  aceste  intrebari  este  foarte  important  pentru  o  persoana  ce  doreste  sa  se  apropie  de  Dumnezeu...Ce  spune  Biblia  in  aceasta  privinta ?...Cu  privire  la   numele  lui  Dumnezeu in Psalmul  83:18  citim:"ca să se știe că tu, al cărui nume este Iehova,
numai tu ești Cel Preaînalt peste tot pământul
"
Da,  este  firesc ca  Dumnezeu  sa  aiba  nume,  asa  cum  dv. ca  si  om  aveti  un  nume...Multe  religii  au  ascuns si  chiar  au  eliminat  folosirea  numelui  lui  Dumnezeu,insa  Biblia arata  clar  ca  folosirea  numelui  lui  Dumnezeu  este  esentiala  pentru  a te  inchina  in  modul  acceptat  de  EL...
"Fiindcă „oricine va chema numele lui Iehova va fi salvat“. Romani 10 :13  Folositi  si  dv.  acest  nume  cand vorbiti  de  Dumnezeu ?

#58
adi_m

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Multi oameni  neaga  ca  exista  Dumnezeu  datorita  nedreptatilor din lumea  actuala.Ba mai  mult, unii  invatatori  relogiosi  dau  vina  pe  Dumnezeu pentru  toate  lucrurile  rele  care  se  intampla.Dar  ce  invata  in  realitate Biblia ?
  "De aceea, oameni cu inima plină de pricepere, ascultați-mă!
Departe de adevăratul Dumnezeu să facă ce este rău
și de Cel Atotputernic să facă ce este nedrept!"Iov  34:10

Da,  asa  cum  subliniaza  de  repetate  ori  Biblia,Dumnezeu  nu  este  cauza  suferintei si  problemelor  actuale...Va  inlatura  Dumnezeu  rautatea si  pe  cei  care  o  cauzeaza ?
In  aceasta  directie Biblia  spune :"Fiindcă răufăcătorii vor fi nimiciți,
dar cei ce speră în Iehova vor stăpâni pământul.Încă puțin și cel rău nu va mai fi,te vei uita la locul unde era și nu va mai fi.
 Dar cei smeriți vor stăpâni pământulși își vor găsi desfătarea în belșug de pace...."Psalmul 37:9-11
Da,  Dumnezeu are  puterea   si  dorinta  de  a  pune  capat  rautatii...Dv. nu  ati  dori  sa  fiti  printre  cei  care "vor  stapani pamantul"?

#59
arpisz

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View Postadi_m, on Mar 4 2009, 14:33, said:

Interesanta  obiectia  dv.Conform Bibliei, Ierihonul a fost primul oraș cucerit de Iosua în timpul cînd îi conducea pe israeliți în țara Canaan. Cronologia biblică plasează căderea acestui oraș în prima jumătate a secolului al XV-lea înaintea erei noastre. Odată cucerit, Ierihonul a fost complet ars, rămînînd nelocuit timp de secole.
Înainte de izbucnirea celui de al doilea război mondial, profesorul John Garstang a efectuat săpături pe presupusul loc al orașului Ierihon. El a constatat că orașul era foarte vechi și că fusese de mai multe ori distrus și reconstruit. Garstang consemnează că la una dintre distrugerile orașului zidurile s-au prăbușit ca în urma unui cutremur de pămînt și că orașul fusese complet ars. El a plasat acest eveniment în jurul anului 1400 î.e.n., dată destul de apropiată de cea pe care versiunea biblică o stabilește pentru cucerirea Ierihonului de către Iosua.Deci,  Biblia  este  demna  de  incredere  si  sustinuta  chiar  si  de  dovezi  arheologice...
obiectia mea este o datare carbon 14 din 1995 sau 96 care estima distrugere jerihonului 1310 i.en cu o deviatie de 7 ani
dar hai sa luam egiptul antic.... ia spunemi te rog care este perioada de domnia a lui amenhotep 4 ? 1353 BC ? 1336 BC sau 1351? 1334 BC sau dupa parerea ilustrului garstgang? 1500 i.en?
si tu ai tupeul sa numesti biblia document istoric

Edited by arpisz, 05 March 2009 - 18:43.


#60
cristifettik10

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Ce este de fapt biblia

#61
arpisz

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View Postcristifettik10, on Mar 5 2009, 18:39, said:

Ce este de fapt biblia
beletristica

#62
cristifettik10

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View Postarpisz, on Mar 5 2009, 18:47, said:

beletristica
SF

#63
arpisz

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View Postcristifettik10, on Mar 5 2009, 18:48, said:

SF
da, da da am uitat latura cu serpii vorbitori cu suflete zbuciumate si cu porci

low budget

#64
0b11

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AC EXODUS Chapter 1

AC 6627. Prefatory to the chapters of the Book of Exodus are to be Doctrinal things; first, Doctrinal things of Charity; afterward, Doctrinal things of Faith; in order that what has been delivered in the Explications in a scattered form may be set forth in a connected one; and that in this way the Doctrine may appear in its order, such as is and ought to be the Doctrine of the church that it may agree with the good and truth in heaven.

AC 6628. In the preceding Explications it has been shown, as occasion offered, that the Doctrine of Charity was the doctrine in the Ancient Churches, and that this doctrine conjoined all the churches, and so made one out of many; for they acknowledged as men of the church all who lived in the good of charity, and called them brethren, however greatly they might be at variance in the truths which at this day are called the truths of faith.  In these one instructed another, and this was among their works of charity; nor were they indignant if one did not accede to the opinion of another, knowing that everyone receives truth in proportion as he is in good.

AC 6629. Such being the character of the Ancient Churches, they were more interior men, and being more interior they were more wise; for those who are in the good of love and of charity are as to the internal man in heaven, and in an angelic society there which is in like good. From this they have an elevation of mind to interior things, and consequently to the things of wisdom; for wisdom can come from no other source than heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; and in heaven there is wisdom, because there they are in good.

AC 6630. But in course of time this ancient wisdom decreased; for in so far as the human race removed itself from the good of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor, so far it also removed itself from wisdom, because so far it removed itself from heaven. From this it is that man from internal became external, and this successively.

AC 6631. And when man became external, he also became worldly and corporeal; and when he is of this character he no longer cares for the things of heaven; for they have been so far removed as not to be believed to exist; because the delights of earthly loves, and with these all evils which from these loves are delightful to him, then take complete possession of the whole man; and then all that he hears about the life after death, about heaven, and about hell, is like chaff in the wind, which flies away as fast as it is seen.

AC 6632. From this also it is that the Doctrine of Charity, which was so precious among the ancients, is at this day one of the lost things; for who at this day knows what in the genuine sense charity is, and what in the genuine sense the neighbor is?  when yet this doctrine abounds in arcana so many and so great that it cannot be described as to a thousandth part. The whole Sacred Scripture is nothing else than the doctrine of love and of charity, as the Lord also teaches, saying,

�Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from all thy heart, and in all thy soul, and in all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment: the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; on these two commandments hang the law and the prophets� (Matt. 22:37-40).

�The law and the prophets� are the Word in all and each of its parts.

AC 6633. As the doctrine of charity is at this day one of the lost things, and as the doctrine of faith is consequently much alienated from the truth, this doctrine may of the Lord�s Divine mercy be delivered before the several chapters of the Book of Exodus, and thus be restored to the church.


EXODUS 1:1-22

1. And these are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his house they came.
2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4. Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5. And all the souls that came out of the thigh of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt.
6. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
7. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive, and multiplied, and become very exceeding numerous; and the land was filled with them.
8. And there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
9. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we.
10. Come, let us use prudence with it,   peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen, and it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us, and go up out of the land.
11. And they set over it princes of tributes, in order to afflict it with burdens. And it built cities of storehouses for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses.
12. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied, and so it was increased. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel.
13. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with cruelty:
14. And they rendered their life bitter with grievous service, in clay, and in bricks, and in all service in the field, with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty.
15. And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
16. And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; and if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17. And the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake to them, and they kept the boys alive.
18. And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive?
19. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are living, and have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them.
20. And God did well to the midwives; and the people was multiplied and became very numerous.
21. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses.
22. And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river, and every daughter ye shall keep alive.


THE CONTENTS

AC 6634. In the first chapter, in the internal sense, the subject treated of is the state of the renewed church, when good acts the first part, and is made fruitful by the multiplication of the truths of faith.

AC 6635. Afterward the manifestation of these truths by falsities and evils in the natural is treated of, and that through this infestation the good would be made still more fruitful by means of truths.  Down to the end the chapter continues to treat of this infestation and its increase in the series in which it takes place, and of the consequent implantation and confirmation of truth from good.

Edited by 0b11, 05 March 2009 - 19:02.


#65
konami

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33. Nu vă lăsați înșelați. Tovărășiile rele strică obiceiurile bune.
34. Treziți-vă cum se cuvine și nu păcătuiți. Căci unii nu au cunoștință de Dumnezeu; o spun spre rușinea voastră.
35. Dar va zice cineva: Cum înviază morții? Și cu ce trup au să vină?
36. Nebun ce ești! Tu ce semeni nu dă viață, dacă nu va fi murit.
37. Și ceea ce semeni nu este trupul ce va să fie, ci grăunte gol, poate de grâu, sau de altceva din celelalte;
38. Iar Dumnezeu îi dă un trup, precum a voit, și fiecărei semințe un trup al său.
39. Nu toate trupurile sunt același trup, ci unul este trupul oamenilor și altul este trupul dobitoacelor și altul este trupul păsărilor și altul este trupul peștilor.
40. Sunt și trupuri cerești și trupuri pământești; dar alta este slava celor cerești și alta a celor pământești.
41. Alta este strălucirea soarelui și alta strălucirea lunii și alta strălucirea stelelor. Căci stea de stea se deosebește în strălucire.
42. Așa este și învierea morților: Se seamănă (trupul) întru stricăciune, înviază întru nestricăciune;
43. Se seamănă întru necinste, înviază întru slavă, se seamănă întru slăbiciune, înviază întru putere;
44. Se seamănă trup firesc, înviază trup duhovnicesc. Dacă este trup firesc, este și trup duhovnicesc.
45. Precum și este scris: "Făcutu-s-a omul cel dintâi, Adam, cu suflet viu; iar Adam cel de pe urmă cu duh dătător de viață";
46. Dar nu este întâi cel duhovnicesc, ci cel firesc, apoi cel duhovnicesc.
47. Omul cel dintâi este din pământ, pământesc; omul cel de-al doilea este din cer.
48. Cum este cel pământesc, așa sunt și cei pământești; și cum este cel ceresc, așa sunt și cei cerești.
49. Și după cum am purtat chipul celui pământesc, să purtăm și chipul celui ceresc.
50. Aceasta însă zic, fraților: Carnea și sângele nu pot să moștenească împărăția lui Dumnezeu, nici stricăciunea nu moștenește nestricăciunea.
51. Iată, taină vă spun vouă: Nu toți vom muri, dar toți ne vom schimba,
52. Deodată, într-o clipeală de ochi la trâmbița cea de apoi. Căci trâmbița va suna și morții vor învia nestricăcioși, iar noi ne vom schimba.
53. Căci trebuie ca acest trup stricăcios să se îmbrace în nestricăciune și acest (trup) muritor să se îmbrace în nemurire.
54. Iar când acest (trup) stricăcios se va îmbrăca în nestricăciune și acest (trup) muritor se va îmbrăca în nemurire, atunci va fi cuvântul care este scris: "Moartea a fost înghițită de biruință.
55. Unde îți este, moarte, biruința ta? Unde îți este, moarte, boldul tău?".


cum comentati ? :)

#66
0b11

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THE INTERNAL SENSE

AC 6636. Verses 1-5. And these are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his house they came. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin. Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the thigh of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt.  �And these are the names of the sons of Israel,� signifies the quality of the church; �that came into Egypt with Jacob,� signifies after truths had been initiated into memory-knowledges; �a man and his house they came,� signifies as to truth and as to good; �Reuben, Simeon; Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher,� signify this process from beginning to end; �and all the soul that came out of the thigh of Jacob,� signifies all things that were from general truth; �were seventy souls,� signifies what is full; �and Joseph was in Egypt,� signifies that the internal celestial was in the natural.

AC 6637. And these are the names of the sons of Israel. That this signifies the quality of the church, is evident from the signification of �name,� as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 3421); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879, 5951); and from the representation of Israel, as being the good of truth, or spiritual good (n. 3654, 4598, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833). As Israel represents the good of truth, or spiritual good, and his sons spiritual truths in the natural, therefore the sons of Israel represent the church; for the church is the church from spiritual good and from the derivative truths. He who is not in spiritual good, that is, in the good of charity, and in spiritual truths, that is, in the truths of faith, is not of the church, in spite of his having been born within it. For the whole heavenly kingdom of the Lord is in the good of love and of faith; and unless the church is in the like, it cannot be the church, because it is not conjoined with heaven, for the church is the Lord�s kingdom on earth.

[2] Its being called the church is not from the fact that the Word is there, and that there are doctrinal things therefrom, nor from the fact that the Lord is known there, and that the sacraments are there; but it is the church from the fact that men live according to the Word, or according to doctrine from the Word, and so that the doctrine is the rule of life. They who are not of this character are not of the church, but are outside of it; and they who live in evil, thus they who live contrary to doctrine, are further outside the church than the Gentiles who know nothing whatever of the Word, of the Lord, and of the sacraments; for the former, because they know the goods and truths of the Church, extinguish the church in themselves, which the Gentiles cannot do, because they do not know them.  Be it further known that everyone who lives in the good of charity and of faith is a church and kingdom of the Lord, and from this is called a temple, and also a house, of God.  The church in general is constituted of those who are churches in particular, however far apart they may be.  This then is the church which is meant here and in what follows by the �sons of Israel.�

AC 6638. That came into Egypt with Jacob.  That this signifies after truths had been initiated into memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of �Egypt,� as being memory-knowledges (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125); and from the representation of Jacob, as being truth, and also good, in the natural, or the natural as to truth and good (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599, 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, 4009, 4234, 4286, 4337, 4538, 5306, 5533, 5535, 6001, 6236).  That to �come into Egypt� is to be initiated into memory-knowledges, can be seen from the explications of the things in those chapters which treat of the journeying of the sons of Jacob to Egypt to buy corn, and afterward of their coming thither with Jacob. How the case is with the initiation of the truths of the church into memory-knowledges, (n. 6004, 6023, 6052, 6071, 6077). From all this it is evident that by the sons of Israel coming into Egypt are signified truths initiated into memory-knowledges.

AC 6639. A man and his house they came.  That this signifies as to truth and as to good, is evident from the signification of a� man (vir),� as being truth (n. 3134, 3459); and from the signification of a �house,� as being good (n. 3720, 4982).  As in those chapters in Genesis which treat of the coming of the sons of Jacob, and of Jacob himself, into Egypt to Joseph, the subject treated of in the internal sense was the initiation of the truths of the church into memory-knowledges, and as the church has not been set up anew until this initiation has taken place, here therefore, according to the series of things in the internal sense, the renewed church is treated of, and how it is continually infested by memory-knowledges and falsities. For however well truths have been initiated and the church set up with a man, still such knowledges and falsities are continually rising up and assaulting what is of the church in him. It is this which is represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians afflicting the sons of Israel, and being desirous to kill their infant boys.

[2] He who does not know how the case is with the assailing of the truth of the church by such knowledges and falsities with those who are of the church in the other life, can in no wise believe that it is so. The man of the church who comes into the other life must be purified from such things as infest truths and goods; otherwise he cannot be uplifted into heaven, and be there in a society which has been purified from such things. If he were to be uplifted thither sooner, he would be like a dense earthly vapor in a serene aura, or like a black mass in a bright light. In order therefore that a man of the church who has recently come from the world may be purified, he is kept in a state to be assailed by memory-knowledges which disagree with truths, and also by falsities, and this until these knowledges become of no account, and are removed This seldom takes place with man during his life in the body, but in the other life it takes place with those who are to be uplifted into heaven, and this with much variety. From much experience, which would fill many pages if all were adduced, it has been given me to know that it is so.

[3] These are the things which in the internal sense are described by the sons of Israel being oppressed by the Egyptians, and being afterward delivered, and at last, after various states in the wilderness, being brought into the land of Canaan. That such is the case can in no wise be comprehended by those who believe that salvation is merely an introduction into heaven from mercy, that is granted to everyone who from apparent trust, which is called faith, has thought that because the Lord has suffered for him, he will be saved no matter how he has lived. For if salvation were merely an introduction into heaven from mercy, all in the whole world would be saved, because the Lord, who is mercy itself, wills the salvation of all, and the death or damnation of no one.

AC 6640. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.  That these  signify this process from beginning to end, namely, that of the setting up anew of the church, to be described in what follows, is evident from the signification of the sons of Jacob, and also of the tribes named from them, as being all things of good and of truth, that is, all things of love and of faith, in the complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335); but with variety according to the order in which they are named (n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603); thus things innumerable, and all things of the Lord�s church and kingdom both in general and in particular (n. 6337). But what they specifically signify when named in this or in another order, no one knows but the Lord alone, nor anyone in heaven but from the Lord, where the truths and goods which are signified are shown by means of lights to which is adjoined perception.

[2] As the twelve tribes represented the Lord�s kingdom and all things therein, therefore in order that these lights also might be represented, and thereby all the truths and goods of the church, twelve precious stones in their order were engraved and set in gold, one stone for each tribe, and this was called the �breastplate,� and was placed on Aaron�s ephod, and from this by varying flashes of light they received answers, to which was adjoined either a living voice, or an internal perception.  Hence also it is evident that the twelve tribes of Israel signify all the truths and goods of the Lord�s kingdom and church in the complex, and this variously according to the order in which they are named.  That they are here named in another order than that of birth, is plain from the fact that Issachar and Zebulun are named before Dan and Naphtali, though the latter were born before them; also Benjamin before Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, when yet Benjamin was born last; also that Gad and Asher are named last of all. In like manner in other parts of the Word, where they are named in still different orders.

AC 6641. And all the soul that came out of the thigh of Jacob.  That this signifies all things that were from general truth, is evident from the signification of soul,� as being in the general sense man, here the man of the spiritual church, but in the internal sense �soul� denotes truth and good, because from this man is man, (n. 6605, 6626); from the signification of �thigh,� as being conjugial love (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 5050-5062); and as the �thigh� denotes conjugial love, it denotes all love both celestial and spiritual (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 4575), hence to �come out of the thigh� signifies truth and good from the heavenly marriage, consequently the truth and good of the church, for these, when they are genuine, have been born of the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth; and from the representation of Jacob, as being truth and also good in the natural, but in general, because his �sons� are the distinct truths and goods in this general (n. 6637). That Jacob here represents truths in general, is because the spiritual church is treated of, for this church begins from truths in general, and by means of these is introduced to its good; for with the man of the spiritual church it is not known what spiritual good is, and so it is not acknowledged except through truth, because he has no perception of truth from good, as the man of the celestial church has.

AC 6642. Were seventy souls.  That this signifies what is full, is evident from the signification of �seventy,� as being what is full (n. 6508).

AC 6643. And Joseph was in Egypt.  That this signifies that the internal celestial was in the natural, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877, 6224); and from the signification of �Egypt,� as being the natural (n. 6147, 6252). That the internal celestial was in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and there disposed all things, was represented by Joseph�s being made ruler over all the land of Egypt, and by his being set over the house of Pharaoh. This was represented because the subject treated of in the internal sense is the setting up anew of a spiritual church; and because the natural could not be made a church unless the internal celestial were there, and did all things. But on this subject see (n. 6275, 6284, 6299, 6451, 6587).

AC 6644. Verses 6, 7. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive, and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous; and the land was filled with them. �And Joseph died,� signifies that the case would now be different with the internal of the church; �and all his brethren, and all that generation,� signifies also with the external in particular and in general; �and the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive,� signifies that the truths of the church increased as to good; �and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous,� signifies that they increased very much as to truths from good; �and the land was filled with them,� signifies even to fulness of the church.

AC 6645. And Joseph died.  That this signifies that the case would now be different with the internal of the church, is evident from the signification of �dying,� as being the end of a former state and the beginning of a new one, thus that the state of the church would now be different. �To die� denotes to cease to be such, (n. 494, 6587, 6593). It denotes the end of a former representation, (n. 3253, 3259, 3276, 6302). The representation of Joseph is the internal (n. 6177, 6224).  The state of the church as it now is, is described in what follows in the internal sense; also the state of its external, which is signified by �his brethren died, and all that generation.�

[2] The case with the church in man is that it successively undergoes new states; for as man is strengthened in the truth of faith and the good of charity, so he is introduced into other states, the former state then serving as a plane for the following state, and so on continually.  Thus the man who is a church, or who is being regenerated, is continually led toward more interior things, thus more interiorly into heaven. That it is so done is because the Lord from love, which is infinite because Divine, wills to draw man even to Himself, and so to bless him with all glory and happiness, as also is very evident from the Lord�s words in John:--

I pray that they all may be one, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us. The glow which Thou hast given Me I have given them, that they may be one even as We are one; I in them and Thou in Me. Father, I will that they whom Thou hast given Me be also with Me where I am; that they may see My glory which Thou hast given Me; for I have made known unto them Thy name, and I will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:21-24, 26).

[3] That these are words of Divine love toward all who receive, is very evident, and may be further evident from the fact that the Lord appears in the other life as a sun, and from it fills the universal heaven with heat and light. The flame of this sun is nothing else than the Divine love, and the light from it is the holy of love, which is the Divine truth. From this can be seen how great the Lord�s love is. From this then it is that they who are of the church are successively brought into new states, and thus continually more interiorly into heaven, consequently nearer to the Lord.

AC 6646. And all his brethren, and all that generation. That this signifies with the external also in particular and in general, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob who are here the �brethren,� as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); thus its external; and from the signification of �that generation,� as being the external of the church in general, for �generation� here involves the same as the �brethren of Joseph,� but in a relatively general sense.

AC 6647. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive.  That this signifies that the truths of the church increased as to good, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879), and the church (n. 6637); from the signification of �to be fruitful,� as being to increase as to good (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847, 3146); and from the signification of �to be productive,� as being further derivation; for when the church has been set up anew with man, then good continually increases and is derived, both in the internal, and also toward and in the external. That with those of the spiritual church good increases by means of truths, has already been often shown; for the man of the spiritual church has not perception, as the man of the celestial church has, and therefore he does not know what the good of the church, or spiritual good, is, except by means of truths. Therefore when the man of the spiritual church is being regenerated, truths are stirred up by the Lord through the angels who are with him, and thereupon he is led into good. But when the man has been regenerated, then both truth and good together are stirred up, and in this way he is led. With the man of the spiritual church however, such as is the truth, such is the good, and hence such is the conscience, which is to him as perception, according to which he lives.

AC 6648. And multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous.  That this signifies that they increased very much as to truths from good, is evident from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to increase as to truths (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847); and from the signification of �becoming numerous,� as being further derivation, thus the increase of truth continually. The reason why it denotes the increase of truth from good, is that the subject now treated of is the renewed church; for with the church in man the case is this: while it is being set up anew the man is in truths and by means of these good increases; but when the church with him has been set up anew, then the man is in good, and from good in truths, which then increase continually--but little during his life in the world, because here cares for food and clothing, and for other things, act as a hindrance; but in the other life immeasurably, and this perpetually to eternity; for the wisdom which is from the Divine has no end. Thus the angels are perfected continually, and thus all are perfected who become angels when they come into the other life; for every thing which is of wisdom is of infinite extension, and the things of wisdom are infinite in number. From this it can be seen that wisdom can increase to eternity, and yet not reach far beyond the first degree; for the reason that the Divine is infinite, and that such is the case with what is from the infinite.

AC 6649. And the land was filled with them.  That this signifies even to fulness of the church, is evident from the signification of �being filled,� as being what is full; and from the signification of �land,� as being the church (n. 82, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1411, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577). By the �land of Goshen,� where the sons of Israel now were, is signified the church.  That the church was there before the sons of Israel came into the land of Canaan, is evident from what follows, namely, that none of the plagues were there which were in other parts of Egypt, also that there was light there, when in other places there was darkness (Exod. 10:21-23), and that thus that land was quite separated from the rest of the lands in Egypt; and it is further evident from the fact that by the �land of Goshen� is signified the middle or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068), thus the church, for the spiritual church is in the inmost of the natural.

AC 6650. Verses 8-14. And there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we.  Come, let us use prudence with it  ; peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen, and it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us, and go up out of the land. And they set over it princes of tributes, in order to afflict it with burdens. And it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied, and so it was increased. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with cruelty; and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service, in clay, and in bricks, and in all service in the field, with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty.  �And there arose a new king over Egypt,� signifies separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church; �who knew not Joseph,� signifies which were completely alienated from the internal; �and he said unto his people,� signifies subordinate memory-knowledges; �Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we,� signifies that the truths of the church prevail over alienated memory-knowledges; �come, let us use prudence with it,� signifies cunning; �peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen,� signifies prevalence if it grows; �and it will also join itself to our enemies and fight against us,� signifies that thus their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened; �and go up out of the land,� signifies that thus the church will be set up anew; �and they set over it princes of tributes, signifies falsities that would compel to serve; �to afflict it with burdens,� signifies a growing worse through servitudes �and it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh,� signifies doctrines from falsified truths in the natural where alienated memory-knowledges are; �Pithom and Raamses,� signifies their quality; �and as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied,� signifies that truths grew according to the infestations; �and so it increased,� signifies that they were strengthened; �and they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel,� signifies greater aversion; �and the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve,� signifies an intention to subjugate; �with cruelty,� signifies unmercifulness; �and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service,� signifies until the intention to subjugate became troublesome; �in clay, and in bricks,� signifies by reason of the evils which they contrived, and the falsities which they devised; �and in all service in the field,� signifies the intention to subjugate directed against the things of the church; �with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty,� signifies the intention to subjugate in many ways by reason of unmercifulness.

AC 6651. And there arose a new king over Egypt.  That this signifies separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, who is here the �king,� as being memory-knowledge in general (n. 6015).  He is called a �king,� because a �king� in the genuine sense signifies truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148), and in the opposite sense falsity; and when by the �king� is meant Pharaoh, false memory-knowledge is signified, that is, memory-knowledge which is opposed to the truths of the church. From this also a �new king� is mentioned, for he who was king in Joseph�s time represented memory-knowledge that was in agreement with the truths of the church. �Egypt� denotes memory-knowledge, here in particular, (n. 6638).

AC 6652. Who knew not Joseph.  That this signifies which were completely alienated from the internal, is evident from the signification of �not knowing,� as being to be alienated; for he who does not know truth, and does not desire to know it, is alienated from the truth of the church; that alienation is here signified is plain from what follows, for he severely and cruelly afflicted the sons of Israel, by whom is represented the church, (n. 6637); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (n. 6177, 6224).  Memory-knowledges alienated from the internal are memory-knowledges opposed to the church; for the good and truth which make the church flow in through the internal; and if these are not received by the natural, the internal is closed, and so the man is alienated from good and truth, and then no other memory-knowledges which are in the natural are acknowledged as truths than those which are false.  These are then multiplied, and the truths themselves are cast out of doors.

AC 6653. And he said unto his people.  That this signifies subordinate memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of �people,� as being truths, and in the opposite sense falsities (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581), here memory-knowledges separated from truth, because it is the people of Egypt. �Egypt� is memory-knowledge, (n. 6638). That they are subordinate memory-knowledges is because it is said that �the king said unto his people.� That by�people� are signified truths, is because in the word those are called a �people� who are under a king, and by a �king� is signified truth (n. 6651). By a �people� are signified truths, but those are meant who are in truths. The reason why truths are spoken of abstractedly, is that spirits and angels so think and speak, for in this way they comprehend a subject in a universal manner, and at the same time singly the particulars belonging to it, without reflecting specifically on any people that is in truths, which reflection would withdraw the mind from a universal idea, thus from extension of view, consequently from wisdom. For determination of the thought to any specific people, as also to any person, limits and confines the ideas, and turns them from the perception of a subject as it is from one boundary to the other. As is the case with the idea of a �people,� so is it with other denominations which in the internal sense signify things unbounded as with a �nation� as being good, with a �king� as being truth, with a �prince� as being primary truth, with a �priest� as being good, and with a �son,� �daughter,� �son-in-law,� �daughter-in-law,� �brother,� �sister,� �father,� �mother,� and many other denominations.

AC 6654. Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we.  That this signifies that the truths of the church prevail over alienated memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the truths and goods of the church (n. 6647); from the signification of �many� and �numerous,� as being to prevail. �To be multiplied,� or �to become many and numerous,� is said of truth, (n. 6648); and from the representation of the king of Egypt and his people, who are here meant by �more than we,� as being alienated memory-knowledges (n. 6652). Hence it is plain that by �Behold the people of Israel are many and numerous more than we� is signified that truths prevail over alienated memory-knowledges.

AC 6655. Come, let us use prudence with it.  That this signifies cunning, is evident from the signification of �prudence,� when said of the evil, who have been alienated from truth and good, as being cunning; for that which the evil do from cunning, and also from deceit, they call prudence.  Of the cunning which is signified by �prudence,� something may here be related. All who are in evil call cunning �prudence,� and make intelligence and wisdom to consist in nothing else.  They who are of this character in the world become worse in the other life, and there act continually from cunning against things good and true; and those are recognized as intelligent and wise among them who seem to themselves able to invalidate and destroy truths by falsities, no matter by what art or wickedness. From this it can be seen what is the quality of men within the church when they make prudence to consist in cunning: that they have communication with the hells.  Those who are true men of the church are so far removed from cunning that they absolutely abhor it; and those of them who are as the angels, desire that if it were possible their minds should be open, so that what they think may be manifest to everyone; for they intend nothing but good toward their neighbor, and if they see evil in anyone they excuse it. It is otherwise with those who are in evil; these are afraid lest anything which they think and will should show itself; for they intend nothing but evil to the neighbor; if good, it is for the sake of self; and if they do what is good, it is only in the outward form, that they may appear good for the sake of gain and honor; for they know that what is good and true, just and fair, and also what is honorable, have a strong hidden power of attracting minds, even of those who are evil.

AC 6656. Peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen.  That this signifies prevalence if it grows, is evident from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to grow as to truths (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847); and from the signification of �wars,� as being combats concerning truths and falsities, that is, spiritual combats (n. 1664, 2686); and because it follows that �it will also join itself to our enemies,� their prevalence in these combats is signified.

AC 6657. And it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us.  That this signifies that so their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened, is evident from the signification of �joining themselves to,� as being to be strengthened, for armies are strengthened when a multitude is joined to them; from the signification of �enemies,� as being companions who fight along with them; and from the signification of �fighting against us,� as being to occasion evil, for when anyone is fought against, evil is occasioned him in so far as it cannot be resisted. The case herein is this. There is around every man, and also around every good spirit, a general sphere of endeavors from hell, and a general sphere of endeavors from heaven. The sphere from hell is one of endeavors to do evil and to destroy; and the sphere from heaven is one of endeavors to do good and to save (n. 6477). These are general spheres: in like manner there are particular spheres around each man, for spirits from hell are with him, and also angels from heaven (n. 5846-5866, 5976-5993). From this a man is in equilibrium, and has freedom to think and will evil, and freedom to think and will good.

[2] When therefore the man of the church comes into temptation, which takes place when he is let into his evil, there is then a combat around him between the spirits from hell and the angels from heaven (n. 3927, 4249, 5036), which combat lasts so long as the man is kept in his evil. In this combat it sometimes appears to the spirits from hell that they will conquer, and then they rise up; sometimes that they will be conquered, and then they withdraw, because they then fear that more angels from heaven will join themselves against them, and so that they will be cast down into hell, from which they will no more come out, which also takes place when they have been conquered. This is what is meant by the prevalence if it grows, and that their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened.�

[3] When the spirits from hell fight against the angels, they are in the world of spirits, and are in freedom there (n. 5852).  From all this it can now be seen what is meant in the internal sense by the sons of Israel being so infested and oppressed by the Egyptians, and by their being multiplied the more, the more they were infested; and by Jehovah, that is, the Lord, fighting for them, and restraining the Egyptians by plagues, and at last submerging them all in the sea Suph.

AC 6658. And go up out of the land.  That this signifies that thus the church will be set up anew, is evident from the signification of �going up,� as being to be elevated, namely, toward more interior things of the church (n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), and from the signification of �land,� here the land of Goshen, as being the church (n. 6649). To be elevated toward more interior things, which is signified by �going up out of the land and coming into the land of Canaan,� denotes that the church will be set up anew.  The church has indeed been set up anew with a man when he does what is good from affection; but still it has not been fully set up anew until he has fought against evils and falsities, thus until he has endured temptations; after this he becomes truly a church, and then is introduced into heaven, which is represented by the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan.

AC 6659. And they set over it princes of tributes.  That this signifies falsities that would compel to serve, is evident from the signification of �princes,� as being primary truths (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); here in the opposite sense primary falsities and from the signification of �tributes,� to which they were driven by the princes set over them, as being servitudes (n. 6394).

AC 6660. To afflict it with burdens.  That this signifies a growing worse through servitudes, is evident from the signification of �afflicting,� as being a growing worse; and from the signification of �burdens,� which were tributes, as being servitudes.

AC 6661. And it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh. That this signifies doctrines from falsified truths in the natural where alienated memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of �cities,� as being doctrines in both senses (n. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493); from the signification of �store-houses,� as being falsified truths, and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5160, 5799, 6015); that alienated memory-knowledges are there, may be seen above (n. 6651, 6652). That the cities of storehouses which the people of Israel built for Pharaoh denote doctrines from falsified truths, is because they who are in memory-knowledges alienated from truth, who are here signified by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, pervert and falsify all the truths of the church, and make for themselves doctrines from the truths so perverted and falsified.

[2] The word by which in the original tongue �store-houses� are expressed, signifies also �arsenals,� and likewise �treasuries,� which, in the internal sense, are of a nearly like signification. For storehouses are places where produce is collected, and by �produce� is signified truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292, 5402), and, in the opposite sense, falsity; and arsenals are places where arms of war are stored, by which are signified such things as pertain to truth fighting against falsities, and in the opposite sense to falsity fighting against truths (n. 1788, 2685). Treasuries are places where wealth is stored, and by �wealth� and �riches� are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 4508), in the opposite sense the knowledges of evil and falsity; thus by �cities of store.  houses,� or �of arsenals,� or �of treasuries,� are signified in general, doctrines from falsified truths.

AC 6662. Pithom and Raamses.  That this signifies their quality, namely, of doctrines from falsified truths, is evident from names in the Word, as being the quality and state of the thing being treated of.

AC 6663. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied. That this signifies that truths grew according to the infestations, is evident from the signification of �afflicting,� as being infestation; and from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to grow in respect to truths (n. 6656). How the case herein is shall be told, because without experience of what is done in the other life, no one can now know what it is. Most spirits who come from the world and have lived the life of the Lord�s commandments, before they can be uplifted into heaven and joined to societies there, are infested by the evils and falsities pertaining to them, to the end that they may be removed (n. 6639); for there are impurities which they have contracted in the life of the body that in no wise agree with heaven.  The infestations take place by their being immersed in their evils and falsities; and while they are in them, spirits who are in like evils and falsities are present, and labor by every means to lead them away from truth and good.  But still they are not immersed so deeply in their evils and falsities that the influx through the angels from the Lord may not Prevail; and the balance is maintained with exactness.  The purpose of this is, that he who is infested may seem to himself to be in freedom, and thus to fight against the evils and falsities of himself, yet with the acknowledgment, if not at the time, yet afterward, that all the power of resisting was from the Lord (n. 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660).  When this is being done, not only are the truths and goods strengthened which had been implanted before, but more are insinuated; this being the result of every spiritual combat in which the combatant is victorious. That it is so is also plain from common experience; for he who defends his opinion against others who attack it, confirms himself the more in his opinion, and then also finds other confirmations of it which he had not before observed, and also others which deny the opposite; and in this way he Strengthens himself in his opinion, and also illustrates it with further considerations.  This is still more perfectly the case with spiritual combats, because the combat takes place in the spirit, and concerns goods and truths; and especially because the Lord is present and leads by the angels; for the contest is concerning eternal life and salvation,.  It is common in such combats for the Lord to turn into good all the evils which the hells intend; wherefore it is not permitted them to bring forth more or other evils than can be turned into good that is suited to him who is in combat.  The reason of this originates in the fact that the Lord�s kingdom is a kingdom of uses, and therefore nothing can be done there that is not a source of good. From all this it can now be seen how it is to be understood that truths grow according to infestations, which is signified by �as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied.�

AC 6664. And so it was increased.  That this signifies that they, namely, truths, were strengthened, is evident from the signification of �increasing,� when said of truths multiplied by means of infestations from evils and falsities, as being to be strengthened; for no other truths remain than those which are strengthened; wherefore as many as are the truths strengthened, by so many are they increased. Truths are strengthened by infestations, (n. 6663).

AC 6665. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel.  That this signifies greater aversion, is evident from the signification of �being moved with loathing,� as being aversion, here greater aversion, because they were still more multiplied and increased by afflictions.

AC 6666. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve.  That this signifies an intention to subjugate, is evident from the signification of �making to serve,� as being subjugation, here the intention to subjugate, because they are in the continual endeavor to subjugate, but in no wise prevail against the good; from the signification of the �Egyptians,� as being separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6651); and from the signification of the �sons of Israel,� as being the church (n. 6637). Hence it is evident that by �the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve� is signified the intention to subjugate by those who are in separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church.

[2] As regards the intention to subjugate, such as exists with the evil who are from hell, I have also been given to know this. Such is their endeavor and intention to subjugate those who are in good and truth that it cannot be described; for they make use of all malice, all cunning and fraud, all deceit, and all cruelty, so great and of such a nature that if these were told in part only, hardly anyone in the world could believe it; so cunning and artful are their devices, and so execrable. In a word, these infernals are of such a nature that they cannot possibly be resisted by any man, nor even by any angel, but by the Lord alone. The reason why they are possessed with such an endeavor and intention is that all their delight of life, thus their life itself, consists in doing evil; and therefore nothing else occupies their thoughts, consequently they intend nothing else. They are quite unable to do what is good, because this is repugnant to them: if they do what is good, it is for the sake of self, thus is done to self.

[3] From such spirits the hells are at this day immensely increased, and wonderful to say, especially from those who are within the church, on account of the cunning, deceit, hatred, revenge, and adultery, which flourish there more than elsewhere; for within the church cunning is now esteemed ingenious, and adultery honorable, and they who deem otherwise are laughed at.  Its being so within the church at this day is a sign that its last time is at hand, for �Except there be an end, no flesh would be saved,� according to the Lord�s words in (Matt. 24:22); because all evil is contagious, and infects, as lees do the lump, thus at last all.

AC 6667. With cruelty.  That this signifies unmercifulness, can be seen without explication; for they who have just been treated of have no mercy, because they have no love of the neighbor, but only the love of self.  The love of the neighbor which appears with them is nothing but the love of self; for in so far as another favors them, that is, so far as he is theirs, so far he is loved; but in so far as he does not favor them, or in so far as he is not theirs, so far he is rejected; and if he had previously been a friend, so far he is hated.  Such things lie hidden in the love of self, nor do they show themselves in the world, but in the other life, where they burst forth.  The reason why they there burst forth is that externals are there taken away, and then it appears what the man has been inwardly.

AC 6668. And they rendered their life bitter with grievous service.  That this signifies until the intention to subjugate became troublesome, is evident from the signification of �the life being rendered bitter,� as being to become troublesome; and from the signification of �servitude,� as being subjugation, here the intention to subjugate (n. 6666).

AC 6669. In clay, and in bricks.  That this signifies by reason of the evils which they contrived, and the falsities which they devised, is evident from the signification of �clay,� as being good, and in the opposite sense evil; and from the signification of �bricks,� as being the falsities which they devise (n. 1296); concerning the evils and falsities which the infernals contrive and devise, (n. 6666). That �clay� denotes evil from which is falsity, is plain from the following passages in the Word:--

The wicked are like the driven sea, when it cannot rest; its waters cast up mire and clay (Isa. 57:20);

�mire� denotes falsity from which is evil; and �clay,� evil from which is falsity.

[2] In Jeremiah:--

Thy feet are sunk in the clay, they have gone backward (Jer. 38:22);

�the feet sunk in the clay� denotes the natural sunk in evil.

Draw thee waters for the siege, strengthen thy fortresses; enter into the mire, and tread the clay, repair the brick-kiln; there shall the fire devour thee, and the sword shall cut thee off (Nahum 3:14, 15);

�to tread the clay� denotes to think from evil what is false.

He shall say, Woe to him that multiplieth what is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with clay!  Shall they not rise up suddenly that bite thee? (Hab. 2:6, 7);

�to lade himself with clay� denotes with evil.

[3] In David:--

Jehovah hath made me to come out of the pit of devastation, out of the mire of clay, and He hath set my feet upon a rock (Ps. 40:2).

I sank in deep clay where there is no standing. I am come into depths of waters, and the wave overwhelmed me; rescue me out of the clay, lest I be submerged, and out of the depths of waters; and let not the deep swallow me up (Ps. 69:2, 14, 15);

�clay� denotes evil, from which is falsity.  In Isaiah:--

The rulers shall come as clay, and as the potter treadeth the mire (Isa. 41:25).

[4] �Clay,� however, denotes good in the following passages:--

Now, Jehovah, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand (Isa. 64:8);

�clay� denotes the man of the church who is being formed, thus the good of faith by means of which man is formed, that is, reformed.

[5] So in Jeremiah:--

Jehovah said to Jeremiah, Arise, and go down to the potter�s house, and there I will make thee to hear My words.  I went down therefore into the potter�s house, and behold he wrought his work upon the board; but the vessel he was making was spoiled, as clay in the hand of the potter; and he turned back and made it another vessel, as was right in the hand of the potter to make it. Then was the word of Jehovah effected unto me, saying, Cannot I do with you, O house of Israel, as this potter? saith Jehovah.  Behold, as the clay in the hand of the potter, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel (Jer. 18:1-6);

the �house of Israel� denotes the church which was to be formed; and as the formation is done by means of the good of charity and the truth of faith, and these are signified by �clay� and the �potter�s vessel,� therefore the prophet was ordered to go into the potter�s house, which would not have been done unless these things had been signified by �clay� and the �potter�s vessel.�

[6] Jehovah, or the Lord, is called a �potter,� and the man who is being reformed is called �clay,� namely, in (Isa. 29:15, 16; 45:9; Job 10:9; 33:6).  That the Lord made clay with spittle, and anointed the eyes of the man born blind, and commanded him to wash in the pool of Siloam, and that thereupon he that was blind was made to see (John 9:6, 7, 11), was done because there was represented the reformation of a man who has been born in ignorance of truth, and that reformation is made through the good of faith, which is the �clay.�

AC 6670. And in all service in the field.  That this signifies the intention to subjugate directed against the things of the church, is evident from the signification of �service,� as being the intention to subjugate (n. 6666); and from the signification of �field,� as being the church (n. 2971, 3766).

AC 6671. With all their service wherein they made them to serve with cruelty.  That this signifies the intention to subjugate in many ways by reason of unmercifulness, is evident from the signification of �service,� as being the intention to subjugate (n. 6666, 6668, 6670), and because it is said �all service,� there is signified that it is done in many ways; and from the signification of �cruelty,� as being unmercifulness (n. 6667).

AC 6672. Verses 15-21. And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; If it be a son, then ye shall kill him; and if it be a daughter, then she shall live.  And the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake to them, and they kept the boys alive. And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Became the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are living, and they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them. And God did well to the midwives; and the people was multiplied and became very numerous.  And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses.  �And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women,� signifies influx from the separated memory-knowledges into the natural, where the true memory-knowledges of the church are; �of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,� signifies the quality and state of the natural where memory-knowledges are; �and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools,� signifies a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into memory-knowledges; �if it be a son, then ye shall kill him,� signifies if it is truth, that they should destroy it in any way they could; �and if it be a daughter, then she shall live,� signifies that they should not do so if it is good; �and the midwives feared God,� signifies that true memory-knowledges were guarded because by the Divine; �and did not as the king of Egypt spake to them,� signifies that it was not done as they who were in falsities intended; �and they kept the boys alive,� signifies that truths being of good were preserved; �and the king of Egypt called the midwives,� signifies that they who were in falsities conspired against those who were in true memory-knowledges in the natural; �and said unto them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive?� signifies anger because truths were not destroyed; �and the midwives said unto Pharaoh,� signifies a discernment of these true memory-knowledges in the natural; �Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women,� signifies that the memory-knowledges of the church are not like the memory-knowledges opposed to them; �for they are living,� signifies that spiritual life is in them; �and they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them,� signifies that the natural has no knowledge before they have life; �and God did well to the midwives,� signifies that the natural was blessed by the Divine; �and the people was multiplied and became very numerous,� signifies that truths therein were brought forth continually, and so increased; �and it came to pass, because the midwives feared God,� signifies because true memory-knowledges were guarded by the Divine; �that He made them houses,� signifies that they were disposed into the heavenly form.

AC 6673. And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women.  That this signifies influx from the separated memory-knowledges into the natural where the true memory-knowledges of the church are, is evident from the signification of �saying,� as being influx (n. 5743, 6291); from the signification of the �king of Egypt,� as being separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6651); from the signification of �midwives,� as being the natural (n. 4588, 4921); and from the signification of the �Hebrews,� as being the things of the church (n. 5136, 5236); thus also true memory-knowledges which are of the church. That midwives� denote the natural, is because the natural receives that which flows in from the internal, and thus as it were acts as a midwife.

AC 6674. Of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah.  That this signifies the quality and state of the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of �name,� as being quality (n. 144, 145, 1896, 2009), and also state (n. 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298); for all names in the Word signify things, and comprise in sum total all things that belong to the subject that is being treated of, thus its quality and state; here therefore the names �Shiphrah and Puah� signify the quality and state of the natural where true memory-knowledges are, because this is the subject treated of, as is plain from what precedes (n. 6673).

[2] He who does not know that a name denotes the quality and state of the subject being treated of, can believe that where a name is mentioned, the name merely is meant; thus when the Lord speaks of His �name,� that it is merely the name, when yet it is the quality of the worship, that is, everything of faith and charity by which He is to be worshiped, as in these passages:--

Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20);

here the �name� is not meant, but worship from faith and charity.

As many as received, to them gave He power to be the sons of God, to them that believe in His name (John 1:12);

here also by �name� is meant faith and charity, whereby the Lord is worshiped.

These things have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His name (John 20:31);

where the sense is the same.

[3] Again:--

If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:13, 14);

Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you (John 15:16; 16:23, 24).

Here it is not meant that they should ask the Father in the Lord�s name, but that they should ask the Lord Himself; for there is no way open to the Divine Good which is the �Father� (n. 3704), except through the Lord�s Divine Human, as is also known in the churches; and therefore to ask the Lord Himself is to ask according to the truths of faith, and whatever is asked in accordance with these truths is granted, as the Lord Himself says in the previous passage from John:--

If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:14).

This can be seen further from the fact that the Lord is the �name� of Jehovah, of which thus in Moses:--

I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way; beware of His faces, and hear His voice, and do not provoke Him, because My name is in the midst of Him (Exod. 23:20, 21).

[4] In John:--

Father, glorify Thy name: there came forth a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it again (John 12:28).

I have manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world. I have made known unto them Thy name, and I will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:6, 26).

From these passages it is plain that the Lord as to the Divine Human is the �name� of Jehovah, or His whole quality; hence all Divine worship is from the Divine Human, and it is this which is to be worshiped; for thus is worshiped the Divine Itself, to which no thought reaches in any other way, and if no thought, no conjunction.

[5] That the �name� of the Lord is everything of faith and love by which the Lord is to be worshiped, is still more plain from the following passages:--

Ye shall be hated of all for My name�s sake (Matt. 10:22).

Whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me (Matt. 18:5).

Everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for My name�s sake; shall receive a hundredfold (Matt. 19:29).

They cried, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matt. 21:9).

Verily I say to you, For ye shall not see Me until the time shall come when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Luke 13:35).

Whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (Mark 9:41).

The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons obey us in Thy name. Jesus said to them, In this rejoice not, that the spirits obey you, but rather rejoice that your names have been written in heaven (Luke 10:17, 20);

�names written in heaven� are not names, but the quality of their faith and charity.

[6] So it is with �names written in the book of life,� in the following passages:--

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments.  He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before the Father and before His angels (Rev. 3:4, 5).

He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.  He calleth His own sheep by name (John 10:2, 3).

Jehovah said unto Moses, I know thee by name (Exod. 33:12, 17).

Many believed in His name, when they saw His signs which He did (John 2:23).

He that believeth in Him is not judged, but he that believeth not is judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).

They shall fear the name of Jehovah from the west (Isa. 59:19).

All people walk everyone in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God (Micah 4:5).

[7] In Moses:--

They were to worship Jehovah God in the place which He should choose, and should put His name (Deut. 21:5, 11, 14).

Also in (Isa. 18:7; Jer. 7:12; Isa. 26:8, 13; 41:25; 43:7; 49:1; 50:10; 52:5; 62:2; Jer. 23:27; 26:16; Ezek. 20:14, 44; 36:21-23; Micah 5:4; Mal. 1:11; Deut. 10:8; Rev. 2:17; 3:12; 13:8; 14:11; 15:2; 17:8; 19:12, 13, 16; 22:3, 4).

[8] That the �name of Jehovah� denotes everything by which He is worshiped, thus in the supreme sense everything that proceeds from the Lord, is evident from the benediction:--

Jehovah bless thee and keep thee, Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and have mercy on thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace. So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel (Num. 6:23-27).

From all this it is now clear what is meant by this commandment of the Decalogue:--

Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him innocent that taketh His name in vain (Exod. 20:7);

also by Hallowed be Thy name, in the Lord�s prayer (Matt. 6:9).

AC 6675. And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools.  That this signifies a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of �doing the office of a midwife,� as being reception of the good and truth flowing in from the internal into the natural, for the natural is a �midwife� in so far as it receives the influx (n. 4588, 6673); from the signification of �the Hebrew women,� as being things of the church (n. 5136, 5236); from the signification of �seeing,� as being to discern (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of �stools,� as being those things in the natural which receive the goods and truths flowing in from the internal, thus true memory-knowledges, for these receive. Hence it is evident that by �When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools,� is signified a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into the memory-knowledges of the church which are in the natural.

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cristifettik10

cristifettik10

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View Post0b11, on Mar 5 2009, 19:03, said:

THE INTERNAL SENSE

AC 6636. Verses 1-5. And these are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his house they came. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin. Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the thigh of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt.  �And these are the names of the sons of Israel,� signifies the quality of the church; �that came into Egypt with Jacob,� signifies after truths had been initiated into memory-knowledges; �a man and his house they came,� signifies as to truth and as to good; �Reuben, Simeon; Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher,� signify this process from beginning to end; �and all the soul that came out of the thigh of Jacob,� signifies all things that were from general truth; �were seventy souls,� signifies what is full; �and Joseph was in Egypt,� signifies that the internal celestial was in the natural.

AC 6637. And these are the names of the sons of Israel. That this signifies the quality of the church, is evident from the signification of �name,� as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 3421); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879, 5951); and from the representation of Israel, as being the good of truth, or spiritual good (n. 3654, 4598, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833). As Israel represents the good of truth, or spiritual good, and his sons spiritual truths in the natural, therefore the sons of Israel represent the church; for the church is the church from spiritual good and from the derivative truths. He who is not in spiritual good, that is, in the good of charity, and in spiritual truths, that is, in the truths of faith, is not of the church, in spite of his having been born within it. For the whole heavenly kingdom of the Lord is in the good of love and of faith; and unless the church is in the like, it cannot be the church, because it is not conjoined with heaven, for the church is the Lord�s kingdom on earth.

[2] Its being called the church is not from the fact that the Word is there, and that there are doctrinal things therefrom, nor from the fact that the Lord is known there, and that the sacraments are there; but it is the church from the fact that men live according to the Word, or according to doctrine from the Word, and so that the doctrine is the rule of life. They who are not of this character are not of the church, but are outside of it; and they who live in evil, thus they who live contrary to doctrine, are further outside the church than the Gentiles who know nothing whatever of the Word, of the Lord, and of the sacraments; for the former, because they know the goods and truths of the Church, extinguish the church in themselves, which the Gentiles cannot do, because they do not know them.  Be it further known that everyone who lives in the good of charity and of faith is a church and kingdom of the Lord, and from this is called a temple, and also a house, of God.  The church in general is constituted of those who are churches in particular, however far apart they may be.  This then is the church which is meant here and in what follows by the �sons of Israel.�

AC 6638. That came into Egypt with Jacob.  That this signifies after truths had been initiated into memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of �Egypt,� as being memory-knowledges (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125); and from the representation of Jacob, as being truth, and also good, in the natural, or the natural as to truth and good (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599, 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, 4009, 4234, 4286, 4337, 4538, 5306, 5533, 5535, 6001, 6236).  That to �come into Egypt� is to be initiated into memory-knowledges, can be seen from the explications of the things in those chapters which treat of the journeying of the sons of Jacob to Egypt to buy corn, and afterward of their coming thither with Jacob. How the case is with the initiation of the truths of the church into memory-knowledges, (n. 6004, 6023, 6052, 6071, 6077). From all this it is evident that by the sons of Israel coming into Egypt are signified truths initiated into memory-knowledges.

AC 6639. A man and his house they came.  That this signifies as to truth and as to good, is evident from the signification of a� man (vir),� as being truth (n. 3134, 3459); and from the signification of a �house,� as being good (n. 3720, 4982).  As in those chapters in Genesis which treat of the coming of the sons of Jacob, and of Jacob himself, into Egypt to Joseph, the subject treated of in the internal sense was the initiation of the truths of the church into memory-knowledges, and as the church has not been set up anew until this initiation has taken place, here therefore, according to the series of things in the internal sense, the renewed church is treated of, and how it is continually infested by memory-knowledges and falsities. For however well truths have been initiated and the church set up with a man, still such knowledges and falsities are continually rising up and assaulting what is of the church in him. It is this which is represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians afflicting the sons of Israel, and being desirous to kill their infant boys.

[2] He who does not know how the case is with the assailing of the truth of the church by such knowledges and falsities with those who are of the church in the other life, can in no wise believe that it is so. The man of the church who comes into the other life must be purified from such things as infest truths and goods; otherwise he cannot be uplifted into heaven, and be there in a society which has been purified from such things. If he were to be uplifted thither sooner, he would be like a dense earthly vapor in a serene aura, or like a black mass in a bright light. In order therefore that a man of the church who has recently come from the world may be purified, he is kept in a state to be assailed by memory-knowledges which disagree with truths, and also by falsities, and this until these knowledges become of no account, and are removed This seldom takes place with man during his life in the body, but in the other life it takes place with those who are to be uplifted into heaven, and this with much variety. From much experience, which would fill many pages if all were adduced, it has been given me to know that it is so.

[3] These are the things which in the internal sense are described by the sons of Israel being oppressed by the Egyptians, and being afterward delivered, and at last, after various states in the wilderness, being brought into the land of Canaan. That such is the case can in no wise be comprehended by those who believe that salvation is merely an introduction into heaven from mercy, that is granted to everyone who from apparent trust, which is called faith, has thought that because the Lord has suffered for him, he will be saved no matter how he has lived. For if salvation were merely an introduction into heaven from mercy, all in the whole world would be saved, because the Lord, who is mercy itself, wills the salvation of all, and the death or damnation of no one.

AC 6640. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.  That these  signify this process from beginning to end, namely, that of the setting up anew of the church, to be described in what follows, is evident from the signification of the sons of Jacob, and also of the tribes named from them, as being all things of good and of truth, that is, all things of love and of faith, in the complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335); but with variety according to the order in which they are named (n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603); thus things innumerable, and all things of the Lord�s church and kingdom both in general and in particular (n. 6337). But what they specifically signify when named in this or in another order, no one knows but the Lord alone, nor anyone in heaven but from the Lord, where the truths and goods which are signified are shown by means of lights to which is adjoined perception.

[2] As the twelve tribes represented the Lord�s kingdom and all things therein, therefore in order that these lights also might be represented, and thereby all the truths and goods of the church, twelve precious stones in their order were engraved and set in gold, one stone for each tribe, and this was called the �breastplate,� and was placed on Aaron�s ephod, and from this by varying flashes of light they received answers, to which was adjoined either a living voice, or an internal perception.  Hence also it is evident that the twelve tribes of Israel signify all the truths and goods of the Lord�s kingdom and church in the complex, and this variously according to the order in which they are named.  That they are here named in another order than that of birth, is plain from the fact that Issachar and Zebulun are named before Dan and Naphtali, though the latter were born before them; also Benjamin before Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, when yet Benjamin was born last; also that Gad and Asher are named last of all. In like manner in other parts of the Word, where they are named in still different orders.

AC 6641. And all the soul that came out of the thigh of Jacob.  That this signifies all things that were from general truth, is evident from the signification of soul,� as being in the general sense man, here the man of the spiritual church, but in the internal sense �soul� denotes truth and good, because from this man is man, (n. 6605, 6626); from the signification of �thigh,� as being conjugial love (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 5050-5062); and as the �thigh� denotes conjugial love, it denotes all love both celestial and spiritual (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 4575), hence to �come out of the thigh� signifies truth and good from the heavenly marriage, consequently the truth and good of the church, for these, when they are genuine, have been born of the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth; and from the representation of Jacob, as being truth and also good in the natural, but in general, because his �sons� are the distinct truths and goods in this general (n. 6637). That Jacob here represents truths in general, is because the spiritual church is treated of, for this church begins from truths in general, and by means of these is introduced to its good; for with the man of the spiritual church it is not known what spiritual good is, and so it is not acknowledged except through truth, because he has no perception of truth from good, as the man of the celestial church has.

AC 6642. Were seventy souls.  That this signifies what is full, is evident from the signification of �seventy,� as being what is full (n. 6508).

AC 6643. And Joseph was in Egypt.  That this signifies that the internal celestial was in the natural, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877, 6224); and from the signification of �Egypt,� as being the natural (n. 6147, 6252). That the internal celestial was in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and there disposed all things, was represented by Joseph�s being made ruler over all the land of Egypt, and by his being set over the house of Pharaoh. This was represented because the subject treated of in the internal sense is the setting up anew of a spiritual church; and because the natural could not be made a church unless the internal celestial were there, and did all things. But on this subject see (n. 6275, 6284, 6299, 6451, 6587).

AC 6644. Verses 6, 7. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive, and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous; and the land was filled with them. �And Joseph died,� signifies that the case would now be different with the internal of the church; �and all his brethren, and all that generation,� signifies also with the external in particular and in general; �and the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive,� signifies that the truths of the church increased as to good; �and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous,� signifies that they increased very much as to truths from good; �and the land was filled with them,� signifies even to fulness of the church.

AC 6645. And Joseph died.  That this signifies that the case would now be different with the internal of the church, is evident from the signification of �dying,� as being the end of a former state and the beginning of a new one, thus that the state of the church would now be different. �To die� denotes to cease to be such, (n. 494, 6587, 6593). It denotes the end of a former representation, (n. 3253, 3259, 3276, 6302). The representation of Joseph is the internal (n. 6177, 6224).  The state of the church as it now is, is described in what follows in the internal sense; also the state of its external, which is signified by �his brethren died, and all that generation.�

[2] The case with the church in man is that it successively undergoes new states; for as man is strengthened in the truth of faith and the good of charity, so he is introduced into other states, the former state then serving as a plane for the following state, and so on continually.  Thus the man who is a church, or who is being regenerated, is continually led toward more interior things, thus more interiorly into heaven. That it is so done is because the Lord from love, which is infinite because Divine, wills to draw man even to Himself, and so to bless him with all glory and happiness, as also is very evident from the Lord�s words in John:--

I pray that they all may be one, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us. The glow which Thou hast given Me I have given them, that they may be one even as We are one; I in them and Thou in Me. Father, I will that they whom Thou hast given Me be also with Me where I am; that they may see My glory which Thou hast given Me; for I have made known unto them Thy name, and I will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:21-24, 26).

[3] That these are words of Divine love toward all who receive, is very evident, and may be further evident from the fact that the Lord appears in the other life as a sun, and from it fills the universal heaven with heat and light. The flame of this sun is nothing else than the Divine love, and the light from it is the holy of love, which is the Divine truth. From this can be seen how great the Lord�s love is. From this then it is that they who are of the church are successively brought into new states, and thus continually more interiorly into heaven, consequently nearer to the Lord.

AC 6646. And all his brethren, and all that generation. That this signifies with the external also in particular and in general, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob who are here the �brethren,� as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); thus its external; and from the signification of �that generation,� as being the external of the church in general, for �generation� here involves the same as the �brethren of Joseph,� but in a relatively general sense.

AC 6647. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive.  That this signifies that the truths of the church increased as to good, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879), and the church (n. 6637); from the signification of �to be fruitful,� as being to increase as to good (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847, 3146); and from the signification of �to be productive,� as being further derivation; for when the church has been set up anew with man, then good continually increases and is derived, both in the internal, and also toward and in the external. That with those of the spiritual church good increases by means of truths, has already been often shown; for the man of the spiritual church has not perception, as the man of the celestial church has, and therefore he does not know what the good of the church, or spiritual good, is, except by means of truths. Therefore when the man of the spiritual church is being regenerated, truths are stirred up by the Lord through the angels who are with him, and thereupon he is led into good. But when the man has been regenerated, then both truth and good together are stirred up, and in this way he is led. With the man of the spiritual church however, such as is the truth, such is the good, and hence such is the conscience, which is to him as perception, according to which he lives.

AC 6648. And multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous.  That this signifies that they increased very much as to truths from good, is evident from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to increase as to truths (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847); and from the signification of �becoming numerous,� as being further derivation, thus the increase of truth continually. The reason why it denotes the increase of truth from good, is that the subject now treated of is the renewed church; for with the church in man the case is this: while it is being set up anew the man is in truths and by means of these good increases; but when the church with him has been set up anew, then the man is in good, and from good in truths, which then increase continually--but little during his life in the world, because here cares for food and clothing, and for other things, act as a hindrance; but in the other life immeasurably, and this perpetually to eternity; for the wisdom which is from the Divine has no end. Thus the angels are perfected continually, and thus all are perfected who become angels when they come into the other life; for every thing which is of wisdom is of infinite extension, and the things of wisdom are infinite in number. From this it can be seen that wisdom can increase to eternity, and yet not reach far beyond the first degree; for the reason that the Divine is infinite, and that such is the case with what is from the infinite.

AC 6649. And the land was filled with them.  That this signifies even to fulness of the church, is evident from the signification of �being filled,� as being what is full; and from the signification of �land,� as being the church (n. 82, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1411, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577). By the �land of Goshen,� where the sons of Israel now were, is signified the church.  That the church was there before the sons of Israel came into the land of Canaan, is evident from what follows, namely, that none of the plagues were there which were in other parts of Egypt, also that there was light there, when in other places there was darkness (Exod. 10:21-23), and that thus that land was quite separated from the rest of the lands in Egypt; and it is further evident from the fact that by the �land of Goshen� is signified the middle or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068), thus the church, for the spiritual church is in the inmost of the natural.

AC 6650. Verses 8-14. And there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we.  Come, let us use prudence with it  ; peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen, and it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us, and go up out of the land. And they set over it princes of tributes, in order to afflict it with burdens. And it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied, and so it was increased. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with cruelty; and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service, in clay, and in bricks, and in all service in the field, with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty.  �And there arose a new king over Egypt,� signifies separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church; �who knew not Joseph,� signifies which were completely alienated from the internal; �and he said unto his people,� signifies subordinate memory-knowledges; �Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we,� signifies that the truths of the church prevail over alienated memory-knowledges; �come, let us use prudence with it,� signifies cunning; �peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen,� signifies prevalence if it grows; �and it will also join itself to our enemies and fight against us,� signifies that thus their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened; �and go up out of the land,� signifies that thus the church will be set up anew; �and they set over it princes of tributes, signifies falsities that would compel to serve; �to afflict it with burdens,� signifies a growing worse through servitudes �and it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh,� signifies doctrines from falsified truths in the natural where alienated memory-knowledges are; �Pithom and Raamses,� signifies their quality; �and as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied,� signifies that truths grew according to the infestations; �and so it increased,� signifies that they were strengthened; �and they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel,� signifies greater aversion; �and the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve,� signifies an intention to subjugate; �with cruelty,� signifies unmercifulness; �and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service,� signifies until the intention to subjugate became troublesome; �in clay, and in bricks,� signifies by reason of the evils which they contrived, and the falsities which they devised; �and in all service in the field,� signifies the intention to subjugate directed against the things of the church; �with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty,� signifies the intention to subjugate in many ways by reason of unmercifulness.

AC 6651. And there arose a new king over Egypt.  That this signifies separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, who is here the �king,� as being memory-knowledge in general (n. 6015).  He is called a �king,� because a �king� in the genuine sense signifies truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148), and in the opposite sense falsity; and when by the �king� is meant Pharaoh, false memory-knowledge is signified, that is, memory-knowledge which is opposed to the truths of the church. From this also a �new king� is mentioned, for he who was king in Joseph�s time represented memory-knowledge that was in agreement with the truths of the church. �Egypt� denotes memory-knowledge, here in particular, (n. 6638).

AC 6652. Who knew not Joseph.  That this signifies which were completely alienated from the internal, is evident from the signification of �not knowing,� as being to be alienated; for he who does not know truth, and does not desire to know it, is alienated from the truth of the church; that alienation is here signified is plain from what follows, for he severely and cruelly afflicted the sons of Israel, by whom is represented the church, (n. 6637); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (n. 6177, 6224).  Memory-knowledges alienated from the internal are memory-knowledges opposed to the church; for the good and truth which make the church flow in through the internal; and if these are not received by the natural, the internal is closed, and so the man is alienated from good and truth, and then no other memory-knowledges which are in the natural are acknowledged as truths than those which are false.  These are then multiplied, and the truths themselves are cast out of doors.

AC 6653. And he said unto his people.  That this signifies subordinate memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of �people,� as being truths, and in the opposite sense falsities (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581), here memory-knowledges separated from truth, because it is the people of Egypt. �Egypt� is memory-knowledge, (n. 6638). That they are subordinate memory-knowledges is because it is said that �the king said unto his people.� That by�people� are signified truths, is because in the word those are called a �people� who are under a king, and by a �king� is signified truth (n. 6651). By a �people� are signified truths, but those are meant who are in truths. The reason why truths are spoken of abstractedly, is that spirits and angels so think and speak, for in this way they comprehend a subject in a universal manner, and at the same time singly the particulars belonging to it, without reflecting specifically on any people that is in truths, which reflection would withdraw the mind from a universal idea, thus from extension of view, consequently from wisdom. For determination of the thought to any specific people, as also to any person, limits and confines the ideas, and turns them from the perception of a subject as it is from one boundary to the other. As is the case with the idea of a �people,� so is it with other denominations which in the internal sense signify things unbounded as with a �nation� as being good, with a �king� as being truth, with a �prince� as being primary truth, with a �priest� as being good, and with a �son,� �daughter,� �son-in-law,� �daughter-in-law,� �brother,� �sister,� �father,� �mother,� and many other denominations.

AC 6654. Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we.  That this signifies that the truths of the church prevail over alienated memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the truths and goods of the church (n. 6647); from the signification of �many� and �numerous,� as being to prevail. �To be multiplied,� or �to become many and numerous,� is said of truth, (n. 6648); and from the representation of the king of Egypt and his people, who are here meant by �more than we,� as being alienated memory-knowledges (n. 6652). Hence it is plain that by �Behold the people of Israel are many and numerous more than we� is signified that truths prevail over alienated memory-knowledges.

AC 6655. Come, let us use prudence with it.  That this signifies cunning, is evident from the signification of �prudence,� when said of the evil, who have been alienated from truth and good, as being cunning; for that which the evil do from cunning, and also from deceit, they call prudence.  Of the cunning which is signified by �prudence,� something may here be related. All who are in evil call cunning �prudence,� and make intelligence and wisdom to consist in nothing else.  They who are of this character in the world become worse in the other life, and there act continually from cunning against things good and true; and those are recognized as intelligent and wise among them who seem to themselves able to invalidate and destroy truths by falsities, no matter by what art or wickedness. From this it can be seen what is the quality of men within the church when they make prudence to consist in cunning: that they have communication with the hells.  Those who are true men of the church are so far removed from cunning that they absolutely abhor it; and those of them who are as the angels, desire that if it were possible their minds should be open, so that what they think may be manifest to everyone; for they intend nothing but good toward their neighbor, and if they see evil in anyone they excuse it. It is otherwise with those who are in evil; these are afraid lest anything which they think and will should show itself; for they intend nothing but evil to the neighbor; if good, it is for the sake of self; and if they do what is good, it is only in the outward form, that they may appear good for the sake of gain and honor; for they know that what is good and true, just and fair, and also what is honorable, have a strong hidden power of attracting minds, even of those who are evil.

AC 6656. Peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen.  That this signifies prevalence if it grows, is evident from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to grow as to truths (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847); and from the signification of �wars,� as being combats concerning truths and falsities, that is, spiritual combats (n. 1664, 2686); and because it follows that �it will also join itself to our enemies,� their prevalence in these combats is signified.

AC 6657. And it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us.  That this signifies that so their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened, is evident from the signification of �joining themselves to,� as being to be strengthened, for armies are strengthened when a multitude is joined to them; from the signification of �enemies,� as being companions who fight along with them; and from the signification of �fighting against us,� as being to occasion evil, for when anyone is fought against, evil is occasioned him in so far as it cannot be resisted. The case herein is this. There is around every man, and also around every good spirit, a general sphere of endeavors from hell, and a general sphere of endeavors from heaven. The sphere from hell is one of endeavors to do evil and to destroy; and the sphere from heaven is one of endeavors to do good and to save (n. 6477). These are general spheres: in like manner there are particular spheres around each man, for spirits from hell are with him, and also angels from heaven (n. 5846-5866, 5976-5993). From this a man is in equilibrium, and has freedom to think and will evil, and freedom to think and will good.

[2] When therefore the man of the church comes into temptation, which takes place when he is let into his evil, there is then a combat around him between the spirits from hell and the angels from heaven (n. 3927, 4249, 5036), which combat lasts so long as the man is kept in his evil. In this combat it sometimes appears to the spirits from hell that they will conquer, and then they rise up; sometimes that they will be conquered, and then they withdraw, because they then fear that more angels from heaven will join themselves against them, and so that they will be cast down into hell, from which they will no more come out, which also takes place when they have been conquered. This is what is meant by the prevalence if it grows, and that their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened.�

[3] When the spirits from hell fight against the angels, they are in the world of spirits, and are in freedom there (n. 5852).  From all this it can now be seen what is meant in the internal sense by the sons of Israel being so infested and oppressed by the Egyptians, and by their being multiplied the more, the more they were infested; and by Jehovah, that is, the Lord, fighting for them, and restraining the Egyptians by plagues, and at last submerging them all in the sea Suph.

AC 6658. And go up out of the land.  That this signifies that thus the church will be set up anew, is evident from the signification of �going up,� as being to be elevated, namely, toward more interior things of the church (n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), and from the signification of �land,� here the land of Goshen, as being the church (n. 6649). To be elevated toward more interior things, which is signified by �going up out of the land and coming into the land of Canaan,� denotes that the church will be set up anew.  The church has indeed been set up anew with a man when he does what is good from affection; but still it has not been fully set up anew until he has fought against evils and falsities, thus until he has endured temptations; after this he becomes truly a church, and then is introduced into heaven, which is represented by the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan.

AC 6659. And they set over it princes of tributes.  That this signifies falsities that would compel to serve, is evident from the signification of �princes,� as being primary truths (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); here in the opposite sense primary falsities and from the signification of �tributes,� to which they were driven by the princes set over them, as being servitudes (n. 6394).

AC 6660. To afflict it with burdens.  That this signifies a growing worse through servitudes, is evident from the signification of �afflicting,� as being a growing worse; and from the signification of �burdens,� which were tributes, as being servitudes.

AC 6661. And it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh. That this signifies doctrines from falsified truths in the natural where alienated memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of �cities,� as being doctrines in both senses (n. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493); from the signification of �store-houses,� as being falsified truths, and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5160, 5799, 6015); that alienated memory-knowledges are there, may be seen above (n. 6651, 6652). That the cities of storehouses which the people of Israel built for Pharaoh denote doctrines from falsified truths, is because they who are in memory-knowledges alienated from truth, who are here signified by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, pervert and falsify all the truths of the church, and make for themselves doctrines from the truths so perverted and falsified.

[2] The word by which in the original tongue �store-houses� are expressed, signifies also �arsenals,� and likewise �treasuries,� which, in the internal sense, are of a nearly like signification. For storehouses are places where produce is collected, and by �produce� is signified truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292, 5402), and, in the opposite sense, falsity; and arsenals are places where arms of war are stored, by which are signified such things as pertain to truth fighting against falsities, and in the opposite sense to falsity fighting against truths (n. 1788, 2685). Treasuries are places where wealth is stored, and by �wealth� and �riches� are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 4508), in the opposite sense the knowledges of evil and falsity; thus by �cities of store.  houses,� or �of arsenals,� or �of treasuries,� are signified in general, doctrines from falsified truths.

AC 6662. Pithom and Raamses.  That this signifies their quality, namely, of doctrines from falsified truths, is evident from names in the Word, as being the quality and state of the thing being treated of.

AC 6663. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied. That this signifies that truths grew according to the infestations, is evident from the signification of �afflicting,� as being infestation; and from the signification of �being multiplied,� as being to grow in respect to truths (n. 6656). How the case herein is shall be told, because without experience of what is done in the other life, no one can now know what it is. Most spirits who come from the world and have lived the life of the Lord�s commandments, before they can be uplifted into heaven and joined to societies there, are infested by the evils and falsities pertaining to them, to the end that they may be removed (n. 6639); for there are impurities which they have contracted in the life of the body that in no wise agree with heaven.  The infestations take place by their being immersed in their evils and falsities; and while they are in them, spirits who are in like evils and falsities are present, and labor by every means to lead them away from truth and good.  But still they are not immersed so deeply in their evils and falsities that the influx through the angels from the Lord may not Prevail; and the balance is maintained with exactness.  The purpose of this is, that he who is infested may seem to himself to be in freedom, and thus to fight against the evils and falsities of himself, yet with the acknowledgment, if not at the time, yet afterward, that all the power of resisting was from the Lord (n. 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660).  When this is being done, not only are the truths and goods strengthened which had been implanted before, but more are insinuated; this being the result of every spiritual combat in which the combatant is victorious. That it is so is also plain from common experience; for he who defends his opinion against others who attack it, confirms himself the more in his opinion, and then also finds other confirmations of it which he had not before observed, and also others which deny the opposite; and in this way he Strengthens himself in his opinion, and also illustrates it with further considerations.  This is still more perfectly the case with spiritual combats, because the combat takes place in the spirit, and concerns goods and truths; and especially because the Lord is present and leads by the angels; for the contest is concerning eternal life and salvation,.  It is common in such combats for the Lord to turn into good all the evils which the hells intend; wherefore it is not permitted them to bring forth more or other evils than can be turned into good that is suited to him who is in combat.  The reason of this originates in the fact that the Lord�s kingdom is a kingdom of uses, and therefore nothing can be done there that is not a source of good. From all this it can now be seen how it is to be understood that truths grow according to infestations, which is signified by �as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied.�

AC 6664. And so it was increased.  That this signifies that they, namely, truths, were strengthened, is evident from the signification of �increasing,� when said of truths multiplied by means of infestations from evils and falsities, as being to be strengthened; for no other truths remain than those which are strengthened; wherefore as many as are the truths strengthened, by so many are they increased. Truths are strengthened by infestations, (n. 6663).

AC 6665. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel.  That this signifies greater aversion, is evident from the signification of �being moved with loathing,� as being aversion, here greater aversion, because they were still more multiplied and increased by afflictions.

AC 6666. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve.  That this signifies an intention to subjugate, is evident from the signification of �making to serve,� as being subjugation, here the intention to subjugate, because they are in the continual endeavor to subjugate, but in no wise prevail against the good; from the signification of the �Egyptians,� as being separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6651); and from the signification of the �sons of Israel,� as being the church (n. 6637). Hence it is evident that by �the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve� is signified the intention to subjugate by those who are in separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church.

[2] As regards the intention to subjugate, such as exists with the evil who are from hell, I have also been given to know this. Such is their endeavor and intention to subjugate those who are in good and truth that it cannot be described; for they make use of all malice, all cunning and fraud, all deceit, and all cruelty, so great and of such a nature that if these were told in part only, hardly anyone in the world could believe it; so cunning and artful are their devices, and so execrable. In a word, these infernals are of such a nature that they cannot possibly be resisted by any man, nor even by any angel, but by the Lord alone. The reason why they are possessed with such an endeavor and intention is that all their delight of life, thus their life itself, consists in doing evil; and therefore nothing else occupies their thoughts, consequently they intend nothing else. They are quite unable to do what is good, because this is repugnant to them: if they do what is good, it is for the sake of self, thus is done to self.

[3] From such spirits the hells are at this day immensely increased, and wonderful to say, especially from those who are within the church, on account of the cunning, deceit, hatred, revenge, and adultery, which flourish there more than elsewhere; for within the church cunning is now esteemed ingenious, and adultery honorable, and they who deem otherwise are laughed at.  Its being so within the church at this day is a sign that its last time is at hand, for �Except there be an end, no flesh would be saved,� according to the Lord�s words in (Matt. 24:22); because all evil is contagious, and infects, as lees do the lump, thus at last all.

AC 6667. With cruelty.  That this signifies unmercifulness, can be seen without explication; for they who have just been treated of have no mercy, because they have no love of the neighbor, but only the love of self.  The love of the neighbor which appears with them is nothing but the love of self; for in so far as another favors them, that is, so far as he is theirs, so far he is loved; but in so far as he does not favor them, or in so far as he is not theirs, so far he is rejected; and if he had previously been a friend, so far he is hated.  Such things lie hidden in the love of self, nor do they show themselves in the world, but in the other life, where they burst forth.  The reason why they there burst forth is that externals are there taken away, and then it appears what the man has been inwardly.

AC 6668. And they rendered their life bitter with grievous service.  That this signifies until the intention to subjugate became troublesome, is evident from the signification of �the life being rendered bitter,� as being to become troublesome; and from the signification of �servitude,� as being subjugation, here the intention to subjugate (n. 6666).

AC 6669. In clay, and in bricks.  That this signifies by reason of the evils which they contrived, and the falsities which they devised, is evident from the signification of �clay,� as being good, and in the opposite sense evil; and from the signification of �bricks,� as being the falsities which they devise (n. 1296); concerning the evils and falsities which the infernals contrive and devise, (n. 6666). That �clay� denotes evil from which is falsity, is plain from the following passages in the Word:--

The wicked are like the driven sea, when it cannot rest; its waters cast up mire and clay (Isa. 57:20);

�mire� denotes falsity from which is evil; and �clay,� evil from which is falsity.

[2] In Jeremiah:--

Thy feet are sunk in the clay, they have gone backward (Jer. 38:22);

�the feet sunk in the clay� denotes the natural sunk in evil.

Draw thee waters for the siege, strengthen thy fortresses; enter into the mire, and tread the clay, repair the brick-kiln; there shall the fire devour thee, and the sword shall cut thee off (Nahum 3:14, 15);

�to tread the clay� denotes to think from evil what is false.

He shall say, Woe to him that multiplieth what is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with clay!  Shall they not rise up suddenly that bite thee? (Hab. 2:6, 7);

�to lade himself with clay� denotes with evil.

[3] In David:--

Jehovah hath made me to come out of the pit of devastation, out of the mire of clay, and He hath set my feet upon a rock (Ps. 40:2).

I sank in deep clay where there is no standing. I am come into depths of waters, and the wave overwhelmed me; rescue me out of the clay, lest I be submerged, and out of the depths of waters; and let not the deep swallow me up (Ps. 69:2, 14, 15);

�clay� denotes evil, from which is falsity.  In Isaiah:--

The rulers shall come as clay, and as the potter treadeth the mire (Isa. 41:25).

[4] �Clay,� however, denotes good in the following passages:--

Now, Jehovah, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand (Isa. 64:8);

�clay� denotes the man of the church who is being formed, thus the good of faith by means of which man is formed, that is, reformed.

[5] So in Jeremiah:--

Jehovah said to Jeremiah, Arise, and go down to the potter�s house, and there I will make thee to hear My words.  I went down therefore into the potter�s house, and behold he wrought his work upon the board; but the vessel he was making was spoiled, as clay in the hand of the potter; and he turned back and made it another vessel, as was right in the hand of the potter to make it. Then was the word of Jehovah effected unto me, saying, Cannot I do with you, O house of Israel, as this potter? saith Jehovah.  Behold, as the clay in the hand of the potter, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel (Jer. 18:1-6);

the �house of Israel� denotes the church which was to be formed; and as the formation is done by means of the good of charity and the truth of faith, and these are signified by �clay� and the �potter�s vessel,� therefore the prophet was ordered to go into the potter�s house, which would not have been done unless these things had been signified by �clay� and the �potter�s vessel.�

[6] Jehovah, or the Lord, is called a �potter,� and the man who is being reformed is called �clay,� namely, in (Isa. 29:15, 16; 45:9; Job 10:9; 33:6).  That the Lord made clay with spittle, and anointed the eyes of the man born blind, and commanded him to wash in the pool of Siloam, and that thereupon he that was blind was made to see (John 9:6, 7, 11), was done because there was represented the reformation of a man who has been born in ignorance of truth, and that reformation is made through the good of faith, which is the �clay.�

AC 6670. And in all service in the field.  That this signifies the intention to subjugate directed against the things of the church, is evident from the signification of �service,� as being the intention to subjugate (n. 6666); and from the signification of �field,� as being the church (n. 2971, 3766).

AC 6671. With all their service wherein they made them to serve with cruelty.  That this signifies the intention to subjugate in many ways by reason of unmercifulness, is evident from the signification of �service,� as being the intention to subjugate (n. 6666, 6668, 6670), and because it is said �all service,� there is signified that it is done in many ways; and from the signification of �cruelty,� as being unmercifulness (n. 6667).

AC 6672. Verses 15-21. And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; If it be a son, then ye shall kill him; and if it be a daughter, then she shall live.  And the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake to them, and they kept the boys alive. And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Became the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are living, and they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them. And God did well to the midwives; and the people was multiplied and became very numerous.  And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses.  �And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women,� signifies influx from the separated memory-knowledges into the natural, where the true memory-knowledges of the church are; �of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,� signifies the quality and state of the natural where memory-knowledges are; �and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools,� signifies a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into memory-knowledges; �if it be a son, then ye shall kill him,� signifies if it is truth, that they should destroy it in any way they could; �and if it be a daughter, then she shall live,� signifies that they should not do so if it is good; �and the midwives feared God,� signifies that true memory-knowledges were guarded because by the Divine; �and did not as the king of Egypt spake to them,� signifies that it was not done as they who were in falsities intended; �and they kept the boys alive,� signifies that truths being of good were preserved; �and the king of Egypt called the midwives,� signifies that they who were in falsities conspired against those who were in true memory-knowledges in the natural; �and said unto them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive?� signifies anger because truths were not destroyed; �and the midwives said unto Pharaoh,� signifies a discernment of these true memory-knowledges in the natural; �Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women,� signifies that the memory-knowledges of the church are not like the memory-knowledges opposed to them; �for they are living,� signifies that spiritual life is in them; �and they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them,� signifies that the natural has no knowledge before they have life; �and God did well to the midwives,� signifies that the natural was blessed by the Divine; �and the people was multiplied and became very numerous,� signifies that truths therein were brought forth continually, and so increased; �and it came to pass, because the midwives feared God,� signifies because true memory-knowledges were guarded by the Divine; �that He made them houses,� signifies that they were disposed into the heavenly form.

AC 6673. And the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrew women.  That this signifies influx from the separated memory-knowledges into the natural where the true memory-knowledges of the church are, is evident from the signification of �saying,� as being influx (n. 5743, 6291); from the signification of the �king of Egypt,� as being separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6651); from the signification of �midwives,� as being the natural (n. 4588, 4921); and from the signification of the �Hebrews,� as being the things of the church (n. 5136, 5236); thus also true memory-knowledges which are of the church. That midwives� denote the natural, is because the natural receives that which flows in from the internal, and thus as it were acts as a midwife.

AC 6674. Of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah.  That this signifies the quality and state of the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of �name,� as being quality (n. 144, 145, 1896, 2009), and also state (n. 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298); for all names in the Word signify things, and comprise in sum total all things that belong to the subject that is being treated of, thus its quality and state; here therefore the names �Shiphrah and Puah� signify the quality and state of the natural where true memory-knowledges are, because this is the subject treated of, as is plain from what precedes (n. 6673).

[2] He who does not know that a name denotes the quality and state of the subject being treated of, can believe that where a name is mentioned, the name merely is meant; thus when the Lord speaks of His �name,� that it is merely the name, when yet it is the quality of the worship, that is, everything of faith and charity by which He is to be worshiped, as in these passages:--

Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20);

here the �name� is not meant, but worship from faith and charity.

As many as received, to them gave He power to be the sons of God, to them that believe in His name (John 1:12);

here also by �name� is meant faith and charity, whereby the Lord is worshiped.

These things have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His name (John 20:31);

where the sense is the same.

[3] Again:--

If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:13, 14);

Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you (John 15:16; 16:23, 24).

Here it is not meant that they should ask the Father in the Lord�s name, but that they should ask the Lord Himself; for there is no way open to the Divine Good which is the �Father� (n. 3704), except through the Lord�s Divine Human, as is also known in the churches; and therefore to ask the Lord Himself is to ask according to the truths of faith, and whatever is asked in accordance with these truths is granted, as the Lord Himself says in the previous passage from John:--

If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:14).

This can be seen further from the fact that the Lord is the �name� of Jehovah, of which thus in Moses:--

I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way; beware of His faces, and hear His voice, and do not provoke Him, because My name is in the midst of Him (Exod. 23:20, 21).

[4] In John:--

Father, glorify Thy name: there came forth a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it again (John 12:28).

I have manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world. I have made known unto them Thy name, and I will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:6, 26).

From these passages it is plain that the Lord as to the Divine Human is the �name� of Jehovah, or His whole quality; hence all Divine worship is from the Divine Human, and it is this which is to be worshiped; for thus is worshiped the Divine Itself, to which no thought reaches in any other way, and if no thought, no conjunction.

[5] That the �name� of the Lord is everything of faith and love by which the Lord is to be worshiped, is still more plain from the following passages:--

Ye shall be hated of all for My name�s sake (Matt. 10:22).

Whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me (Matt. 18:5).

Everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for My name�s sake; shall receive a hundredfold (Matt. 19:29).

They cried, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matt. 21:9).

Verily I say to you, For ye shall not see Me until the time shall come when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Luke 13:35).

Whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (Mark 9:41).

The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons obey us in Thy name. Jesus said to them, In this rejoice not, that the spirits obey you, but rather rejoice that your names have been written in heaven (Luke 10:17, 20);

�names written in heaven� are not names, but the quality of their faith and charity.

[6] So it is with �names written in the book of life,� in the following passages:--

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments.  He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before the Father and before His angels (Rev. 3:4, 5).

He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.  He calleth His own sheep by name (John 10:2, 3).

Jehovah said unto Moses, I know thee by name (Exod. 33:12, 17).

Many believed in His name, when they saw His signs which He did (John 2:23).

He that believeth in Him is not judged, but he that believeth not is judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).

They shall fear the name of Jehovah from the west (Isa. 59:19).

All people walk everyone in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God (Micah 4:5).

[7] In Moses:--

They were to worship Jehovah God in the place which He should choose, and should put His name (Deut. 21:5, 11, 14).

Also in (Isa. 18:7; Jer. 7:12; Isa. 26:8, 13; 41:25; 43:7; 49:1; 50:10; 52:5; 62:2; Jer. 23:27; 26:16; Ezek. 20:14, 44; 36:21-23; Micah 5:4; Mal. 1:11; Deut. 10:8; Rev. 2:17; 3:12; 13:8; 14:11; 15:2; 17:8; 19:12, 13, 16; 22:3, 4).

[8] That the �name of Jehovah� denotes everything by which He is worshiped, thus in the supreme sense everything that proceeds from the Lord, is evident from the benediction:--

Jehovah bless thee and keep thee, Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and have mercy on thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace. So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel (Num. 6:23-27).

From all this it is now clear what is meant by this commandment of the Decalogue:--

Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him innocent that taketh His name in vain (Exod. 20:7);

also by Hallowed be Thy name, in the Lord�s prayer (Matt. 6:9).

AC 6675. And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools.  That this signifies a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of �doing the office of a midwife,� as being reception of the good and truth flowing in from the internal into the natural, for the natural is a �midwife� in so far as it receives the influx (n. 4588, 6673); from the signification of �the Hebrew women,� as being things of the church (n. 5136, 5236); from the signification of �seeing,� as being to discern (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of �stools,� as being those things in the natural which receive the goods and truths flowing in from the internal, thus true memory-knowledges, for these receive. Hence it is evident that by �When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools,� is signified a discernment of the truth and good flowing in from the internal into the memory-knowledges of the church which are in the natural.
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AC 6676. If it be a son, then ye shall kill him.  That this signifies, if it is truth, that they should destroy it in any way they could, is evident from the signification of �son,� as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of �killing,� as being to destroy, for it is said of truth. But they were to destroy �in any way they could,� for the evil are not able to destroy truths with the good.

AC 6677. And if it be a daughter, then she shall live. That this signifies that they should not do so if it is good, is evident from the signification of �daughter,� as being good (n. 489-491, 2362); and from the signification of �living,� as being not to be destroyed. The reason why the king of Egypt said that a son should be slain, but not a daughter, is plain from the internal sense, which is that they would attempt to destroy truth, but not good; for when the infernals infest, they are allowed to attack truths, but not goods. The reason is that truths are what can be assaulted, but not goods, these being protected by the Lord; and when the infernals attempt to attack goods, they are cast down deep into hell, for they cannot withstand the presence of good, because in all good the Lord is present. Hence it is that the angels, being in good, have such power over infernal spirits that one angel can master thousands of them. Be it known that there is life in good, for good is of love, and love is the life of man. If evil, which is of the love of self and of the world, and which appears good to those who are in these loves, assaults the good which is of heavenly love, the life of the one fights against the life of the other; and as the life from the good of heavenly love is from the Divine, therefore if the life from the love of self and of the world comes into collision with the former life, it begins to be extinguished, for it is suffocated. Thus they are tortured like those who are in the death agony, and therefore they cast themselves headlong into hell, where they again recover their life (n. 3938, 4225, 4226, 5057, 5058). This also is the reason why good cannot be assaulted by evil genii and spirits; and thus that they dare not destroy good. It is otherwise with truth, which has not life in itself; but from good, that is, through good from the Lord.

AC 6678. And the midwives feared God.  That this signifies that true memory-knowledges were guarded because by the Divine, is evident from the signification of �fearing God,� as being to guard what the Divine has commanded (for they who fear God guard or keep the commandments, but as all holy fear, and hence obedience and the guarding of the commandments, are from the Divine, and not at all from man, therefore by �they feared God� is signified that they were guarded by the Divine); and from the signification of midwives,� as being the natural where true memory-knowledges are (n. 4588, 6673, 6675).

AC 6679. And did not as the king of Egypt spake to them. That this signifies that it was not done as those who were in falsities intended, is evident from the signification of �they did not do as he spake,� as being that it was not done as they intended, namely, that those who were in falsities were not able to destroy the truths which are signified by �sons,� but that they intended to destroy them in every way they could (n. 6676); and from the signification of �the king of Egypt,� as being separated memory-knowledge which is opposed to the truth of the church (n. 6651), thus falsity, for this memory-knowledge is falsity.

AC 6680. And they kept the boys alive.  That this signifies that truths, being of good, were preserved, is evident from the signification of �keeping alive,� as being to preserve; and from the signification of �sons,� here called �boys,� as being truths (n. 6676). Sons are here called �boys� because by �boys� is signified the good of innocence (n. 430, 2782, 5236); and therefore �boys� here denote truths which are of good.

AC 6681. And the king of Egypt called the midwives.  That this signifies that they who were in falsities conspired against those who were in true memory-knowledges in the natural, is evident from the signification of �calling,� as here being to conspire, for the reason of the call was to destroy truths, but the plot was made futile because the truths were guarded by the Divine, which is signified by the �midwives fearing God� (n. 6678), (moreover the evil in the other life, who infest the good, really conspire together, as I have been given to know from experience); from the signification of �the king of Egypt,� as being those who are in falsities (n. 6679); and from the signification of �midwives,� as being the natural wherein are true memory-knowledges (n. 4588, 6673, 6675, 6678). Hence it is evident that by �the king of Egypt called the midwives� is signified that they who were in falsities conspired against those who were in true memory-knowledges in the natural.

AC 6682. And said unto them, Wherefore do ye this word, and keep the boys alive?  That this signifies anger because truths were not destroyed, is evident from the signification of �Wherefore do ye this word?� as being words of chiding, thus of anger; from the signification of �keeping alive,� as being not to destroy (n. 6677, 6680); and from the signification of �boys,� as being truths which are of good (n. 6680).

AC 6683. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh.  That this signifies a discernment of these true memory-knowledges in the natural, is evident from the signification of saying,� in the historic parts of the Word, as being a noticing or perception, of which often above; from the signification of �midwives,� as being true memory-knowledges in the natural (n. 6681); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being false memory-knowledges in general (n. 6679, 6681).

AC 6684. Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women.  That this signifies that the memory-knowledges of the church are not like the memory-knowledges opposed to them, is evident from the signification of �the Hebrew women,� as being things of the church (n. 5136, 5236, 6673, 6675); and from the signification of �the Egyptian women,� as being such things as are opposed to the things of the church, which are memory-knowledges, as is plain from what goes before; also from the signification of �Egypt,� as being memory-knowledges (n. 6638), here memory-knowledges opposed to the true memory-knowledges of the church. �Women� denote things of the church, (n. 252, 253).

AC 6685. For they are living.  That this signifies that spiritual life is in them, is evident from the signification of �living,� as being spiritual life (n. 5890), here spiritual life in the things of the church, which are signified by �Hebrew women.� What spiritual life is, has been repeatedly told above, but because few at this day know what the spiritual is, it may here be briefly explained further.  The spiritual in its first origin is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord�s Divine Human; which truth has in it Divine good, because the Divine truth comes forth from the Lord�s Divine Human, which is Divine good.  The Divine truth, in which is Divine good, is the spiritual itself in its origin, and is the life itself which fills heaven, nay, which fills the universe; and where there is a subject, there it flows in.  But in its subjects it is varied according to their form. In the subjects which agree with good, it presents spiritual life; but in the subjects which disagree with good, it presents life opposed to spiritual life, which in the Word is called �death.� From this it is now plain what spiritual life is, namely, that it is to be in truths from good, which proceed from the Lord.

AC 6686. And they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them.  That this signifies that the natural has no knowledge before they have life, that is, the true memory-knowledges which are of the church, is evident from the signification of �midwife,� as being the natural in which are the true memory-knowledges of the church (n. 6681); and from the signification of �bringing forth,� as being what is of faith and charity (n. 3860, 3868, 3905, 3915); thus what is of spiritual life. That the natural has no knowledge, is signified by �before the midwife comes unto them.� In regard to the natural having no knowledge before the true memory-knowledges have life, the case is this. The true memory-knowledges in the natural have all their life from the good which flows in through the internal; when good flows in, the natural knows nothing of it, because the natural is relatively in obscurity. That it is in obscurity is because it is in the light of the world, and hence at the same time in worldly things, into which there comes obscure perception when the light of heaven flows in; and also because in the natural there are general things which are not capable of perceiving singulars, for the more general anything is, the less it perceives singulars, and hence the less it perceives the happenings that come forth in itself; and moreover in the natural there are not goods and truths themselves, but their representatives. Hence then it is that the natural does not know when true memory-knowledges have life, consequently when or how regeneration goes on, according to the Lord�s words in John:--

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so it is with everyone that is born again of the spirit (John 3:8).

By �the natural� is meant the external man, which is also called �the natural man.�

AC 6687. And God did well to the midwives.  That this signifies that the natural was blessed by the Divine, is evident from the signification of �doing well,� when said of God, as being to bless; and from the signification of �midwives,� as being the natural where true memory-knowledges are (n. 4588, 6673, 6675, 6678).

AC 6688. And the people was multiplied, and became very numerous.  That this signifies that truths were brought forth therein continually, and thus increased, is evident from what was said above (n. 6648), where are like words. �People� is predicated of truths, (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581).

AC 6689. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God.  That this signifies because true memory-knowledges were guarded by the Divine, is evident from what was said above (n. 6678), where like words occur.

AC 6690. That He made them houses.  That this signifies that they, namely, the true memory-knowledges in the natural, were disposed into the heavenly form, is evident from the signification of �house,� as being the natural mind (n. 4973, 5023), thus the things of this mind, which here, because midwives are spoken of, are true memory-knowledges in the natural (n. 6687); therefore �to make houses for them� denotes to dispose them into order, and they are disposed into order when they are disposed into the heavenly form.  That such is the signification of �making them houses� cannot easily be known, unless it is known how the case is with the true memory-knowledges of the natural mind; wherefore this shall be briefly told. The memory-knowledges in the natural have been disposed into continuous series; one series coheres with another, and in this way they all cohere together according to various affinities and propinquities; and are circumstanced not unlike families and their generations, for one is born from another, and so they become productive.  Hence the things of the mind, which are goods and truths, were by the ancients called �houses,� the good reigning therein being named �father,� and the truth joined to this good, �mother,� and the derivations �sons,� �daughters,� �sons-in-law,� �daughters-in-law,�� and so forth. But the disposition of true memory-knowledges in the natural varies with every man; for the ruling love induces a form on them, this love being in the midst, and setting in order everything around it.  Those things which most agree with it, it sets next to itself, and everything else in order in accordance with their agreement.  From this the memory-knowledges have their form. If heavenly love rules, then all things are disposed there by the Lord into the heavenly form, which form is like that of heaven, thus is the form of the good of love itself. Into this form truths are disposed, which, when so disposed, make one with good; and then when the one is called forth by the Lord, the other is called forth; that is to say, when the things of faith are called forth, so are those of charity, and the converse. Such is the disposition that is signified by �God made houses for the midwives.�

AC 6691. Verse 22. And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river, and every daughter she shall keep alive.  �And Pharaoh commanded all his people,� signifies general influx into the memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church; �saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river,� signifies that they should immerse in falsities all truths which appear; �and every daughter ye shall keep alive,� signifies that they should not assault good.

AC 6692. And Pharaoh commanded all his people.  That this signifies general influx into the memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church, is evident from the signification of �commanding,� as being influx (n. 5486, 5732) here general influx, because done by Pharaoh, by whom is represented memory-knowledge in general (n. 6015); and from the signification of �his people,� as being memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church. The Egyptians, who here are the �people,� denote memory-knowledges, (n. 6838). That by the �Egyptians� are signified memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church, is because the representatives and significatives of the Ancient Church, which church had also been with them, were there turned into things magical; for by the representatives and significatives of the church of that time there was communication with heaven. This communication was with those who lived in the good of charity, and was open with many; whereas with those who did not live in the good of charity, but in its opposites, open communication was sometimes granted with evil spirits, who had perverted all the truths of the church, and together with these had destroyed its goods, whence came things magical.  This can also be seen from the hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, which also were made use of in sacred things, for by them they signified spiritual things, and perverted Divine order.

[2] Magic is nothing but the perversion of order, and is especially the abuse of correspondences.  It is order that the goods and truths which proceed from the Lord should be received by man.  When this is done, there is order in everything the man intends and thinks.  But when a man does not receive goods and truths according to the order which is from the Lord, but believes that all things are blind flowings, and that if there comes forth anything that has been determined, it is of his own prudence, he perverts order; for he applies to himself the things of order with a view to taking care only of himself, and not of his neighbor, except in so far as his neighbor favors him.  Hence, wonderful to say, all who have firmly impressed on themselves that all things are of their own prudence, and nothing of the Divine providence, are in the other life very prone to magic, and in so far as they can, they imbue it, especially those who in consequence of trusting to themselves, and ascribing everything to their own prudence, have contrived various arts and craftiness to raise themselves above others.  When such men are judged in the other life, they are cast down toward the hells of the magicians, which are in the plane beneath the soles of the feet to the right, a little toward the front, extending to a great distance; in the lowest depths of which are the Egyptians.  Hence then it is that by �Pharaoh,� the �Egyptians,� and �Egypt,� are signified memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church.

[3] Lest therefore the representatives and significatives of the church should be further turned into magic, the lsraelitish people was taken, with whom the representatives and significatives of the church might be restored; which people was of such a nature that it could not make anything magical therefrom, because it was altogether in externals, and had no belief in anything internal, still less in anything spiritual.  With people of such a character, such magic as existed with the Egyptians cannot arise.

AC 6693. Saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river.  That this signifies that they should immerse in falsities all truths which appear, is evident from the signification of� son,� as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of �river,� as being things that belong to intelligence (n. 108, 109, 2702, 3051), here in the opposite sense, things contrary, thus falsities. That �to cast forth� denotes to immerse is manifest.

[2] That the �river of Egypt� denotes what is contrary to intelligence, thus falsity, is evident also in Isaiah:--

The rivers shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall diminish and be dried up; the papyri beside the river, beside the mouth of the river, and all the seed of the river, shall become dry, shall be driven forward; and therefore the fishers shall mourn, and all they that cast a hook into the river shall be sad, and they that spread a net upon the faces of the waters shall languish (Isa.  19:6-8);

that here by the �river of Egypt� no river is meant, nor by �fishers� fishers, but that other things are meant, which do not appear unless it is known what is meant by �Egypt,� by the �river� there, and by �fishers,� is also evident: if these things are known, the sense is manifest.  That by the �river of Egypt� is signified falsity, is plain from the particulars here.

[3] In Jeremiah:--

Who is this that riseth up like the river, whose waters are tossed like the rivers? Egypt riseth up like the river, and his waters are tossed as the rivers; for he hath said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city, and them that dwell therein (Jer. 46:7, 8);

here also the �river of Egypt� denotes falsities; to �go up and cover the earth� denotes to do so to the church; to �destroy� the city,� denotes to destroy the doctrine of the church; �and them that dwell therein,� denotes the goods thence derived. The �earth� is the church (n. 6649); and the �city,� the doctrine of the church, (n. 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4493); and �inhabitants,� the goods therein, (n. 2268, 2451, 2712).

[4] In Ezekiel:--

Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great whale that liest in the midst of his rivers; who hath said, The river is mine, and I have made myself.  Therefore I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will mad the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will make thee go up out of the midst of thy rivers, and every fish of thy rivers shall stick in thy scales.  I will leave thee in the wilderness, and every fish of thy rivers (Ezek. 29:3-5, 9, 10);

what these things signify no one can know without the internal sense (that Egypt is not meant, is evident), thus unless it is known what is meant by �Pharaoh,� and what by a �river,� a �whale,� a �fish,� and �scales.� �Pharaoh� is the natural where memory-knowledge is, (n. 5160, 5799, 6015); and �whales� are the generals of memory-knowledges in the natural, (n. 42); and �fishes� memory-knowledges under the general, (n. 40, 991). �Scales� denote those things which are manifestly external, thus sensuous, to which memory-knowledges which are falsities adhere.  When these things are known, it is evident what is meant in the above passage by the �river of Egypt,� namely, falsity.

[5] Again:--

In that day when Pharaoh shall go down into hell I will make a mourning; I will cover the abyss over him, and I will curb his rivers, and the great waters shall be dammed up (Ezek. 31:15).

Shall not the earth he shaken for this, and everyone mourn that dwelleth therein, so that it shall go up all of it like a brook, and be driven out, and overwhelmed as by the river of Egypt? In that day I will make the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in the day of light (Amos 8:8, 9; 9:5);

the �earth� which shall be �shaken� denotes the church (n. 6649); �to be overwhelmed as by the river of Egypt� denotes to perish by falsities and because falsities are signified, it is said that �the sun shall set at noon,� and that �the earth shall be darkened in the day of light.� By �the sun setting at noon� is signified that the good of celestial love would recede, and by �the earth being darkened in the day of light,� that falsities would take possession of the church. That the �sun� is the good of celestial love, may be seen above (n. 1529, 1530, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4696); also that �darkness� is falsity, (n. 1839, 1860, 4418, 4531); and that the �earth� is the church (n. 82, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1411, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 2355, 4447, 4535, 5577). Everyone can see that other things are signified here than what appear in the letter, as that �the earth shall be shaken,� and that �everyone that dwelleth therein shall mourn,� that �the sun shall set at noon,� and �the earth be darkened in the day of light.� Unless the church is understood by the �earth,� falsity by the �river,� and celestial love by the �sun,� no sense which can be unfolded is found there.

[6] As the �river of Egypt� signifies falsity, therefore Moses was commanded to smite with his staff upon the waters of that river, and they were consequently turned into blood, and every fish died in the river, and the river stank (Exod. 7:17-21); and Aaron also was commanded to stretch out his hand with the rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, whereupon frogs came up over the land of Egypt (Exod. 8:1, 2). That �waters� in the opposite sense signify falsities (n. 790); and as the waters are those of the river, the �river� relatively denotes falsity in general.

AC 6694. And every daughter ye shall keep alive.  That this signifies that they should not assault good, is evident from what was said above (n. 6677), where like words occur.

#69
konami

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View Postkonami, on Mar 5 2009, 19:01, said:

33. Nu vă lăsați înșelați. Tovărășiile rele strică obiceiurile bune.
34. Treziți-vă cum se cuvine și nu păcătuiți. Căci unii nu au cunoștință de Dumnezeu; o spun spre rușinea voastră.
35. Dar va zice cineva: Cum înviază morții? Și cu ce trup au să vină?
36. Nebun ce ești! Tu ce semeni nu dă viață, dacă nu va fi murit.
37. Și ceea ce semeni nu este trupul ce va să fie, ci grăunte gol, poate de grâu, sau de altceva din celelalte;
38. Iar Dumnezeu îi dă un trup, precum a voit, și fiecărei semințe un trup al său.
39. Nu toate trupurile sunt același trup, ci unul este trupul oamenilor și altul este trupul dobitoacelor și altul este trupul păsărilor și altul este trupul peștilor.
40. Sunt și trupuri cerești și trupuri pământești; dar alta este slava celor cerești și alta a celor pământești.
41. Alta este strălucirea soarelui și alta strălucirea lunii și alta strălucirea stelelor. Căci stea de stea se deosebește în strălucire.
42. Așa este și învierea morților: Se seamănă (trupul) întru stricăciune, înviază întru nestricăciune;
43. Se seamănă întru necinste, înviază întru slavă, se seamănă întru slăbiciune, înviază întru putere;
44. Se seamănă trup firesc, înviază trup duhovnicesc. Dacă este trup firesc, este și trup duhovnicesc.
45. Precum și este scris: "Făcutu-s-a omul cel dintâi, Adam, cu suflet viu; iar Adam cel de pe urmă cu duh dătător de viață";
46. Dar nu este întâi cel duhovnicesc, ci cel firesc, apoi cel duhovnicesc.
47. Omul cel dintâi este din pământ, pământesc; omul cel de-al doilea este din cer.
48. Cum este cel pământesc, așa sunt și cei pământești; și cum este cel ceresc, așa sunt și cei cerești.
49. Și după cum am purtat chipul celui pământesc, să purtăm și chipul celui ceresc.
50. Aceasta însă zic, fraților: Carnea și sângele nu pot să moștenească împărăția lui Dumnezeu, nici stricăciunea nu moștenește nestricăciunea.
51. Iată, taină vă spun vouă: Nu toți vom muri, dar toți ne vom schimba,
52. Deodată, într-o clipeală de ochi la trâmbița cea de apoi. Căci trâmbița va suna și morții vor învia nestricăcioși, iar noi ne vom schimba.
53. Căci trebuie ca acest trup stricăcios să se îmbrace în nestricăciune și acest (trup) muritor să se îmbrace în nemurire.
54. Iar când acest (trup) stricăcios se va îmbrăca în nestricăciune și acest (trup) muritor se va îmbrăca în nemurire, atunci va fi cuvântul care este scris: "Moartea a fost înghițită de biruință.
55. Unde îți este, moarte, biruința ta? Unde îți este, moarte, boldul tău?".


cum comentati ? :)

cum comentati ? :D

#70
0b11

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CHAPTER 2

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY

AC 6703. As prefatory to the chapters of the Book of Exodus I have undertaken to deliver the doctrine of charity, it must first be told what the neighbor is, because it is he toward whom charity is to be exercised. For unless it is known who the neighbor is, charity may be exercised in the same manner and without distinction equally toward the evil as toward the good, �whereby charity becomes no charity; for by virtue of its benefactions the evil do ill to the neighbor; but the good do well.

AC 6704. The general opinion at the present day is that every man is equally the neighbor, and that everyone who is in need of help must be benefited. But it is the part of Christian prudence to search �well the quality of a man�s life, and to exercise charity in accordance therewith. The man of the internal church does this with discrimination, thus with intelligence; but as the man of the external church cannot thus discriminate, he does it indiscriminately.

AC 6705. The ancients reduced the neighbor into classes, and named each class according to the names of those who in the world appear to be especially in need; and they taught how charity was to be exercised toward those who were in one class, and how toward those in another; and in this way they reduced the doctrine, and the life according to it, into order. Hence the doctrine of their church contained the laws of life, and hence they saw of what quality was this or that man of the church whom they called �brother,� but with a distinction in the internal sense in accordance with his exercise of charity from the genuine doctrine of the church, or from the doctrine as changed by himself; for as everyone desires to appear blameless, he defends his own life, and therefore either explains or changes the laws of doctrine in his own favor.

AC 6706. The distinguishing differences of the neighbor, which the man of the church ought to wholly know, in order that he may know the quality of charity, vary in accordance with the good which is with everyone; and as all good proceeds from the Lord, the Lord is the neighbor in the highest sense, and in a surpassing degree; and from Him the neighbor originates. From this it follows that in proportion as anyone has of the Lord in him, in the same proportion he is the neighbor; and as no two persons receive the Lord (that is, receive the good which proceeds from Him) in the same way, therefore no two persons are the neighbor in the same way; for without exception all persons in the heavens and on earth differ in good.  Precisely one and the same good never exists in two persons; it must vary in order for each person to subsist by himself.  But all these varieties, thus all the distinguishing differences of the neighbor, which are according to the reception of the Lord, that is, of the good proceeding from Him, can never be known to any man, nor even to any angel, except in general, thus as to their genera and some species of these.  Nor does the Lord require more of the man of the church than to live according to what he knows.

AC 6707. From all this it is now clear that the quality of Christian good determines in what degree each one is the neighbor; for the Lord is present in good, because it is His, and He is present according to the quality of it.  And as the origin of the neighbor must be drawn from the Lord, therefore the distinguishing differences of the neighbor are according to the Lords� presence in good, thus according to the quality of the good.

AC 6708. That the neighbor is according to the quality of the good, is plain from the Lord�s parable of the man �who fell among thieves, �whom, �while half dead, the priest passed by, and also the Levite; but the Samaritan, when he had bound up his �wounds and poured in oil and �wine, set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him; and he, because he exercised the good of charity, is called the �neighbor� (Luke 10:29-37). Hence it may be known that they are the neighbor �who are in good; whereas they who are in evil are indeed the neighbor, but in quite a different respect; and for this reason they are to be benefited in a different �way. But on this subject, of the Lord�s Divine mercy more will be said hereafter.

AC 6709. As it is the quality of the good which determines how everyone is the neighbor, it is the love which does this; for there is not any good which is not of love; from this comes forth all good, and from this also comes forth the quality of the good.

AC 6710. That it is the love �which makes a man to be the neighbor, and that each person is the neighbor according to the quality of his love, is very manifest from those �who are in the love of self.  These acknowledge as the neighbor those �who love them the most; that is, in so far as they are theirs; thus are in themselves.  These they embrace, these they kiss, these they benefit, and these they call brethren; nay, because they are evil, they say that these are the neighbor more than others. All the rest they hold to be the neighbor according as these love them, thus according to the quality and the amount of the love.  much derive the origin of the neighbor from themselves, for it is the love that is the determinant.

AC 6711. But they who do not love themselves more than others, as is the case with all �who are of the Lord�s kingdom, �will derive the origin of the neighbor from Him whom they ought to love above all things, that is, from the Lord; and will regard everyone as the neighbor according to the quality of his love to Him.  They therefore who love others as themselves, and especially those who-like the angels-love others more than themselves, all derive the origin of the neighbor from the Lord; for the Lord Himself is in good, because it proceeds from Him.  Hence also it can be seen that the quality of the love determines who is the neighbor. That the Lord is in good, He Himself teaches in Matthew; for He says to those who had been in good, that they �had given Him to eat,� that they �had given Him to drink, had gathered Him, clothed Him, visited Him, and had come to Him in prison;� and afterward, that �in so far as they had done it to one of the least of His brethren, they had done it to Him� (Matthew 25:34-40).

AC 6712. From all this it is now evident whence the origin of neighbor is to be drawn by the man of the church; and that everyone is the neighbor in the degree in which he is near the Lord; and because the Lord is in the good of charity, that the neighbor is according to the quality of the good, thus according to the quality of the charity.


EXODUS 2:1-25

1. And there went a man from the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi.
2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and she saw him, that he was good, and she hid him three months.
3. And she could no longer hide him; and she took for him an ark of rush, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river.
4. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
5. And Pharaoh�s daughter came down to wash at the river; and her girls were going at the side of the river; and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid, and took it.
6. And she opened it, and saw him, the child; and behold the boy wept.  And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews� children.
7. And his sister said to Pharaoh�s daughter, Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women, that she may suckle the child for thee?
8. And Pharaoh�s daughter said to her, Go.  And the girl went, and called the mother of the child.
9. And Pharaoh�s daughter said to her, Take this child to thee, and suckle him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and suckled him.
10. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh�s daughter, and he was to her as a son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the waters.
11. And it came to pass in those days, and Moses grew, and he went out unto his brethren, and saw their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man, one of his brethren.
12. And he looked forth hither and thither, and saw that there was no man, and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13. And he went out the second day, and beheld two Hebrew men quarreling; and he said to the wicked one, Wherefore smitest thou thy companion?
14. And he said, Who set thee for a man a prince and a judge over us? sayest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?  And Moses feared, and said, Surely the �word is known.
15. And Pharaoh heard this word, and he sought to kill Moses.  And Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he dwelt by a well.
16. And the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came, and drew, and filled the troughs, to give drink to their father�s flock.
17. And the shepherds came, and drove them away; and Moses arose, and helped them; and he gave drink to their flock.
18. And they came unto Reuel their father, and he said, Wherefore hasted ye to come today?
19. And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds; and also drawing he drew for us, and gave drink to the flock.
20. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is this that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
21. And Moses was willing to dwell with the man; and be gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
22. And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land.
23. And it came to pass in these many days that the king of Egypt died; and the sons of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
24. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25. And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took knowledge.


THE CONTENTS

AC 6713. In this chapter in the internal sense the subject treated of is truth Divine, its beginnings and successive states with the man of the church.

AC 6714. In the supreme sense the subject treated of is the Lord, how He as to the Human became the law Divine.  Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine, which is the Word; and in the relative sense he represents truth Divine with the man of the church.

Edited by 0b11, 05 March 2009 - 19:15.


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adi_m

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View Postarpisz, on Mar 5 2009, 11:32, said:

obiectia mea este o datare carbon 14 din 1995 sau 96 care estima distrugere jerihonului 1310 i.en cu o deviatie de 7 ani
dar hai sa luam egiptul antic.... ia spunemi te rog care este perioada de domnia a lui amenhotep 4 ? 1353 BC ? 1336 BC sau 1351? 1334 BC sau dupa parerea ilustrului garstgang? 1500 i.en?
si tu ai tupeul sa numesti biblia document istoric
   Nu  inteleg  despre  cine vorbiti.Biblia  nu  se  declara  o  carte  de  istorie,  dar  ceea  ce  este  consemnat  in  paginile  ei  este  sustinut  de  arheologie  si  istorici, ceea  ce  confirma  veridicitatea ei...

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0b11

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EXODUS - CHAPTER 2

THE INTERNAL SENSE



AC 6715. Verses 1-4.  And there went a man from the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi.  And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and she saw him, that he was good, and she hid him three months.  And she could no longer hide him; and she took for him an ark of rush, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. �And there �went a man from the house of Levi,� signifies the origin of truth from good; �and took a daughter of Levi,� signifies conjunction with good; �and the �woman conceived,� signifies the first of the rising; �and bare a son,� signifies the law Divine in its origin; �and she saw him, that he �was good,� signifies a noticing that it was through heaven; �and she hid him three months,� signifies the fullness of time in which it did not appear; �and she could no longer hide him,� signifies the time when it ought to appear; �and she took for him an ark of rush,� signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth; �and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch,� signifies good mixed with evils and falsities; �and she put the child therein,� signifies that inmostly therein was the law Divine in its origin; �and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river,� signifies that at first it was among false memory-knowledges; �and his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him,� signifies the truth of the church far away from it, and advertence.

AC 6716. And there went a man from the house of Levi. That this signifies the origin of truth from good, is evident from the signification of �a man,� as being truth (n. 3134); and from the signification of �from the house,� as being the origin; and from the representation of Levi, as being good; for Levi in the supreme sense represents the Divine love (n. 3875), and in the internal sense spiritual love (n. 3875, 4497, 4502, 4503); and because he represents love, he represents good, for all good is of love. As regards the origin of truth from good, �which is here signified by �a man from the house of Levi,� be it known that in what follows, in the supreme sense, the subject treated of is the Lord, how as to His Human He became the law Divine, that is, truth itself. It is known that the Lord �was born as are other men, and that �when a child He learned to speak like other children, and that He then grew in knowledge, and also in intelligence, and in �wisdom.

[2] From this it is evident that His Human was not Divine from birth, but that He made it Divine by His own power. That He did this by His own power was because He was conceived of Jehovah, and hence the inmost of His life was Jehovah Himself; for the inmost of the life of every man, which is called the �soul,� is from the father; but what this inmost puts on, which is called the �body,� is from the mother.  That the inmost of life, which is from the father, is continually flowing and working into the external, which is from the mother, and is in the effort to make this like itself, even in the womb, can be seen from sons, in that they are born into the disposition of the father, and sometimes grandsons and great-grandsons into that of the grandfather and great grandfather. The reason of this is that the soul, which is from the father, continually wills to make the external, which is from the mother, a likeness and image of itself.

[3] This being the case with man, it can be seen that it was especially so with the Lord. His inmost was the Divine Itself, because it was Jehovah Himself, for He was His only-begotten Son; and because the inmost was the Divine Itself, was not this, more than in any man, able to make the external, which is from the mother, an image of itself, that is, like itself?  thus making the Human, which was external and from the mother, Divine; and this by His own power, because the Divine, which was inmost, from which He worked into the Human, was His, as the soul of man, which is the inmost, is man�s.  And as the Lord advanced according to Divine order, He made His Human, when He was in the world, Divine truth; but afterward, when He was fully glorified, He made it Divine good, thus one with Jehovah.

[4] How this was done is described in this chapter in the supreme sense, but as the things contained in the supreme sense, all of which treat of the Lord, surpass human understanding, I may in what follows set forth the things contained in this chapter in the internal sense.  These treat of the beginning and successive states of truth Divine with the man of the church, that is, with the man who is being regenerated (n. 6713, 6714).  The reason why these things are contained in the internal sense, is that the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lords Human (n. 3138, 3212, 3245, 3246, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688).

AC 6717. And took a daughter of Levi. That this signifies conjunction with good, is evident from the signification of �taking a daughter� (that is, to wife), as being conjunction; and from the representation of Levi, as being good (n. 6716). How it is to be understood that the truth whose origin is from good, is conjoined with good, shall be told.  The truth which is insinuated by the Lord in the man �who is being regenerated, has its origin from good.  In the first period the good does not show itself, because it is in the internal man, but the truth shows itself, because it is in the external man; and as the internal acts into the external, and not the converse (n. 6322), it is good which acts into truth, and makes this its own, for nothing else than good acknowledges and receives truth.  This is apparent from the affection of truth that is present in the man who is being regenerated.  The affection itself is from good, for an affection which is of love cannot come from any other source. But this truth which is received in this first period, that is, before regeneration, is not the genuine truth of good, but it is the truth of doctrine.  For at this time the man does not consider whether it is truth, but acknowledges it because it is of the doctrine of the church; and so long as he does not consider whether it is truth, and from this acknowledges it, it is not his, and therefore is not appropriated to him. This is the first state �with the man who is being regenerated.

[2] But �when he has been regenerated, then good shows itself, especially by his loving to live according to the truth �which lie of himself acknowledges to be truth.  Then because he wills the truth �which he acknowledges, and acts according to it, it is appropriated to him; because it is not as before merely in the understanding, but is also in the will, and what is in the �will is appropriated And as the understanding then makes one �with the �will, for the understanding acknowledges and the �will performs, there is a conjunction of the two, namely, of good and truth.  When this conjunction has been effected, then as from a marriage, offspring are continually born, �which are truths and goods �with their blessednesses and delights. These two states are �what are meant by the origin of truth from good, and by their conjunction

[3] But the truth which is being conjoined �with good, �which is here signified by �there went a man from the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi,� is not such truth as is received by a man in the first state, for this is the truth of the doctrine of that church in �which he has been born; but it is the very truth itself; for the subject treated of in the supreme sense is the Lord, how He became the law Divine as to the Human; and the truth of this law is what is meant. That its origin is good, is because the Divine, which was the Lord�s inmost and the esse of His life, brought it forth in His Human.  Thus was conjunction effected of this truth with good; for the Divine is nothing else than good.

AC 6718. And the woman conceived. That this signifies the first of the rising, namely, of the law Divine in the Lord�s Human, is evident from the signification of �conceiving,� as being the first of a rising.  By the �woman� is here signified the same as just above by the �daughter of Levi,� whom the man of the house of Levi took, namely, truth conjoined with good.

AC 6719. And bare a son.  That this signifies the law Divine in its origin, is evident from the signification of �bearing,� as being a coming forth (n. 2621, 2629), thus origin; and from the signification of a �son,� as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373), here the law Divine, because by the son is meant Moses; and that Moses represented the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, will be shown in what follows.

AC 6720. And she saw him, that he was good. That this signifies a noticing that it was through heaven, is evident from the signification of �to see,� as being a noticing (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of �good,� here denoting through heaven, because it is said of the law Divine in the Lord.  But that �good� here signifies through heaven, is a secret that cannot be known unless it is disclosed.  When the Lord made His Human Divine, He did this from the Divine, by means of a transflux through heaven-not that heaven contributed anything from itself, but that in order that the Divine Itself might flow into the human, it flowed in through heaven. This transflux was the Divine Human before the advent of the Lord, and was Jehovah Himself in the heavens or the Lord. The Divine which flowed through heaven was the Divine truth, or the Divine law, which Moses represented; and the Divine which flows through heaven, is good.  Hence it is evident whence it is, that by �she saw him,� namely the son, �that he was good,� is signified a noticing that it was through heaven.

AC 6721. And she hid him three months.  That this signifies the fullness of time in which it did not appear, is evident from the signification of �being hid,� as being not to appear; and from the signification of �three months,� as being fullness of time and fullness of state. �Three� denotes �what is full, or an entire period from beginning to end, (n. 2788, 4495); and also a �month,� like a �day� and a �year,� denotes time and state, (n. 2788). Hence �for three months,� denotes a new state.

AC 6722. And she could no longer hide him. That this signifies the time when it ought to appear, is evident from the signification of �being hid,� as being not to appear (n. 6721) hence �to be hid no longer,� denotes to appear.  That the time is meant when it ought to appear is because by the three months in which he was hid was signified fullness of time from beginning to end (n. 6721).

AC 6723. And she took an ark of rush.  That this signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth, is evident from the signification of �an ark,�   as being �what is round about, or that in which anything is inclosed; and from the signification of �rush,� as being what is of low value, but nevertheless derived from truth.  That �rush� denotes what is of low value is evident, and that it denotes what is derived from truth is because a �rush� has this signification, as is clear in Isaiah:--

Woe to the land that is overshadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush; that sendeth envoys to the sea, even in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters (Isa. 18:1, 2);

�the land overshadowed �with wings� denotes the church, which darkens itself by means of reasonings from memory-knowledges; �beyond the rivers of Cush� denotes to the knowledges whereby they confirm false principles (n. 1164); �to send envoys to the sea� denotes to consult memory-knowledges (n. 28); �in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters,� denotes the lowest receptacles of truth.

[2] In the opposite sense:--

The dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty place springs of waters; there shall be grass instead of the reed and the rush (Isa. 35:7);

�grass instead of the reed and the rush,� denotes that there will be true memory-knowledge instead of things in which there is no truth.  That �grass� denotes true memory-knowledge is plain from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned.

[3] As it was provided that Moses should represent the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, specifically the historic Word, it was therefore brought about that when he was an infant he was placed in a little ark, but in one of low value, because he was in his first rising, and because his being there was only a representative; but that afterward when the law Divine itself had shone forth from Mount Sinai, it was placed in an ark which was called the �ark of the testimony.� The law Divine was placed in the ark, (Exod. 40:20; 1 Kings 7:9); and also the books of Moses were placed in it, (Deut. 31:24-26).

[4] Hence the ark was most holy, because it represented the Lord�s Divine Human as to the Divine law; for from the Lord�s Divine Human proceeds the Divine law, or the Divine truth, which is the same as the �Word� mentioned in John:--

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father (John 1:1, 14).

And as the ark represented that most holy thing the propitiatory with the cherubs was placed over the ark; and near the veil thereof the lampstand with its lamps, and the golden table with loaves, both of which signified the Divine love. This then is the reason why Moses, when an infant, because he represented the law Divine, was placed in a little ark.

AC 6724. And daubed it with bitumen and with pitch.That this signifies good mixed with evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of �bitumen,� as being good mixed with evils; and from the signification of �pitch,� as being good mixed with falsities.  Bitumen and pitch have these significations from their being of a fiery nature, and in the Word by what is fiery is signified good, and in the opposite sense evil; but as they are sulphurous, and also black, they signify evil and falsity; as in Isaiah:--

The day of the vengeance of Jehovah; the torrents thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into sulphur, and the land thereof into burning pitch (Isa. 34:8, 9);

�pitch� and �sulphur� denote falsities and evils. Hence then it is that by �she daubed it with bitumen and pitch,� is signified good mixed �with evils and falsities.

[2] As regards the thing itself-that encompassing the truth Divine there was good mixed with evils and falsities, no one can understand this unless he knows how the case is with the reformation of man.  When a man is being reformed, he is kept by the Lord as to his internal in good and truth, but as to his external he is let into his evils and falsities, consequently among infernal spirits who are in these evils and falsities. These hover round him, and endeavor by every method to destroy him.  But the good and truth which flow in through the internal render him so safe that the infernal spirits cannot do him the least harm; for that which acts inwardly prevails immeasurably over that which acts outwardly; because �what is interior, in consequence of being purer, acts upon each and every individual particular of the exterior, and thus disposes the external to its will.  But in this case there must be good and truth in the external, wherein the influx from the internal can be fixed; and in this way good can be among evils and falsities, and yet be in safety. Everyone who is being reformed is let into this state, and in this way the evils and falsities in �which he is, are removed, and goods and truths are inserted in their place.

[3] Unless this secret is known, it cannot possibly be known why around the Divine truth in a man there are goods mixed with evils and falsities, signified by the bitumen and pitch wherewith the little ark was daubed in which the infant was laid. Be it known further that good can be mixed �with evils and falsities, but that nevertheless they are not on this account conjoined, for each shuns the other, and by a law of order each separates itself from the other.  For good is of heaven, and evil and falsity are of hell; therefore, as heaven and hell are separate, so also each and all things from them separate themselves.

AC 6725. And she put the child therein.  That this signifies that inmostly therein was the law Divine in its origin, is evident from the signification of �putting therein,�� as being to be inmostly there, because in the little ark; and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine, here the law Divine in its origin, because he was an infant.

AC 6726. And she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. That this signifies that at first it was among false memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of �sedge,� as being memory-knowledges; and from the signification of the �river of Egypt,� as being falsity (n. 6693). They who are being initiated into truth Divine are at first placed among falsities, (n. 6724). That �sedge� denotes memory-knowledge, is because every herb in the Word signifies some kind of memory-knowledge; the sedge that is at the bank of a river signifies memory-knowledge of low value; as also in Isaiah:--

The streams shall recede, and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up; the reed and the sedge shall wither away (Isa. 19:6);

�streams� denote things of intelligence (n. 2702, 3051); �the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up� denotes things of memory-knowledge; �the reed� and �the sedge� denote the lowest memory-knowledges, which are sensuous.  �Sedge� denotes false memory-knowledges in Jonah:

The waters compassed me about even to the soul; the deep was round about me, the sedge (here seaweed) was bound about my head (Jonah 2:5);

in this prophetic utterance is described a state of temptations; �the waters which compassed even to the soul� denote falsities; that �inundations of waters� denote temptations and desolations, (n. 705, 739, 790, 5725); �the deep round about� is the evil of falsity; �the seaweed bound about the head� denotes false memory-knowledges besetting truth and good, as is the case in a state of desolation.

AC 6727. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.  That this signifies the truth of the church far away from it, and advertence, is evident from the signification of �sister,� as being rational truth (n. 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556, 3160, 3386), thus the truth of the church, for this truth is rational truth; and from the signification of �to know what would be done to him,� as being advertence.

AC 6728. Verses 5-9.  And Pharaoh�s daughter came down to wash at the river; and her girls were going at the side of the river; and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid, and took it. And she opened it and saw him, the child; and behold the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews� children. And his sister said to Pharaoh�s daughter, Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women, that she may suckle the child for thee? And Pharaoh�s daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went, and called the mother of the child. And Pharaoh�s daughter said to her, Take this child to thee, and suckle him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and suckled him. �And Pharaoh�s daughter came down,� signifies the religiosity there; �to wash at the river,� signifies worship from falsity; �and her girls were going at the side of the river,� signifies the ministries of that religiosity that was from falsity; �and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge,� signifies a perception of truth that it was of low value among false memory-knowledge; �and she sent her handmaid,� signifies service; �and took it,� signifies curiosity; �and she opened it, and saw him, the child,� signifies investigation of its quality, and a perception that it was truth from the Divine; �and behold the boy wept,� signifies sadness; �and she had compassion on him,� signifies admonition from the Divine; �and she said, This is one of the Hebrews� children,� signifies that it was of the church itself; �and his sister said to Pharaoh�s daughter,� signifies the truth of the church near the religiosity there; �Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women?�  signifies perception that good was to be insinuated therein by the church itself; �and Pharaoh�s daughter said to her, Go,� signifies consent from the religiosity there; �and the girl went and called the mother of the child,� signifies the truth of good of the church, that it adjoined the things of the church; �and Pharaoh�s daughter said to her,� signifies consent from the religiosity there; �take this child to thee,� signifies that it should adjoin it to itself; �and suckle him for me,� signifies that it should insinuate into it good suited to the religiosity; �and I will give thee thy wages,� signifies recompense; �and the woman took the child, and suckled him,� signifies that good was insinuated into it by the church.

AC 6729. And Pharaoh�s daughter came down. That this signifies the religiosity there, is evident from the signification of �daughter,� as being the affection of truth and good, and hence the church (n. 2362, 3963); and in the opposite sense the affection of falsity and evil, and hence the religiosity that is from these (n. 3024); here a religiosity from false memory-knowledges, because it was the daughter of Pharaoh, for by Pharaoh is here represented false memory-knowledge (n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692). That by �daughters� in the Word are signified churches, can be seen from the numerous passages in which the church is called the �daughter of Zion,� and the �daughter of Jerusalem;� and that by �daughters� are also signified the false religiosities of many nations, is plain also from the passages in which these are called �daughters;� as the �daughter of Tyre� (Ps. 45:12); the �daughter of Edom� (Lam. 4:22); the �daughter of the Chaldeans� and �of Babylon� (Isa. 47:1, 5; Jer. 50:41, 42; 51:33; Zech. 2:7; Ps. 137:8); the �daughter of the Philistines� (Ezek.  16:27, 57); the �daughter of Tarshish� (Isa. 23:10); the �daughter of Egypt,� in Jeremiah:--

Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. Make thee vessels of migration, O thou inhabitress daughter of Egypt.  The daughter of Egypt is put to shame; she is given into the hand of the people of the north (Jeremiah 46:11, 19, 24);

the �daughter of Egypt� denotes the affection of reasoning about the truths of faith, whether a thing be so, from memory-knowledges, when what is negative reigns; thus it denotes the religiosity which thence arises, which is of such nature that nothing but falsity is believed.

AC 6730. To wash at the river.  That this signifies worship from falsity, is evident from the signification of �washing,� as being purification from filth spiritually understood (n. 3147), hence it denotes worship, because worship is for the sake of purification; and from the signification of �river,� in this case the river of Egypt, as being falsity (n. 6693).

AC 6731. And her girls were going at the side of the river. That this signifies the ministries of that religiosity that was from falsity, is evident from the signification of �girls,� as being ministries, for when the �daughter of Pharaoh� signifies a religiosity, her �girls� signify its ministries; and from the signification of the �river,� as being falsity (n. 6730).  Thus the ministries of a religiosity from falsity are signified by �the girls going at the side of the river.�

AC 6732. And she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge. That this signifies a perception of truth that it was of low value among false memory-knowledge, is evident from the signification of �seeing,� as being a perception (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the signification of an �ark of rush,� as being what is of low value but nevertheless derived from truth (n. 6723), thus truth which is of low value; and from the signification of �sedge,� as being false memory-knowledge (n. 6726); thus �in the midst of the sedge� denotes among such memory-knowledge.  How the case herein is has been unfolded above.

AC 6733. And she sent her handmaid.  That this signifies service is evident without explication.

AC 6734. And took it.  That this signifies curiosity, is evident from the signification of �taking it,� namely, the ark, when it was perceived that there was some truth that was of low value among the memory-knowledge (n. 6732), as being curiosity, namely, to know the quality of that truth.

AC 6735. And she opened it, and saw him, the child.  That this signifies investigation of its quality, and a perception that it was truth from the Divine, is evident from the signification of �to open,� as being to investigate of what quality it was, for he who opens in order to see what and of what quality a thing is, investigates; and from the signification of �seeing� as being perception (n. 6732); and from the representation of Moses, who is here �the child,� as being the law Divine or truth Divine, thus truth from the Divine.

AC 6736. And behold the boy wept. That this signifies sadness, is evident without explication.

Edited by 0b11, 05 March 2009 - 19:47.


Anunturi

Chirurgia spinală minim invazivă Chirurgia spinală minim invazivă

Chirurgia spinală minim invazivă oferă pacienților oportunitatea unui tratament eficient, permițându-le o recuperare ultra rapidă și nu în ultimul rând minimizând leziunile induse chirurgical.

Echipa noastră utilizează un spectru larg de tehnici minim invazive, din care enumerăm câteva: endoscopia cu variantele ei (transnazală, transtoracică, transmusculară, etc), microscopul operator, abordurile trans tubulare și nu în ultimul rând infiltrațiile la toate nivelurile coloanei vertebrale.

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