AC 7977 - Flock and Herd

AC 7977

And flock, and herd, a very great acquisition.
(Exodus 12:38)

That this means the good acquired by means of truth,
interior and exterior,
in great abundance,
is evident from the meaning of "flock,"
as being interior good,
and from the meaning of "herd,"
as being exterior good.
That it was acquired is meant by "acquisition,"
for with those who are of the spiritual church
all good is acquired by means of truth,
because without the truth which is of faith
they do not know what spiritual truth is,
nor what spiritual good is.
They are indeed capable of knowing civil truth,
also moral truth, and their goods,
because they are in agreement with
things which are in the world,
from which they also have a perception
of these truths and goods.
But spiritual truth and its good
are not in agreement with those things
which are in the world,
and in many cases are even quite at variance with them,
and therefore those of the spiritual church
have to be instructed about them.
These things have been said to show
that with those who are of the spiritual church
all good must be acquired by means of truth.
That "very great" denotes great abundance, is evident.