AC 8455 - Dew - the Truth of Peace

AC 8455

There was a deposit of dew round about the camp.
(Exodus 16:13)

"Dew" signifies the truth of peace
because in the morning it comes down from heaven
and appears upon the herbage like fine rain,
and has also stored up in it
something of sweetness or delight more than rain has,
whereby the grass and the crops of the field are gladdened;
and "morning" denotes a state of peace.
, , , peace is . . . like dawn on the earth,
which gladdens minds with universal delight;
and the truth of peace is like the light of the dawn.
This truth, which is called "the truth of peace,"
is the very Divine truth in heaven from the Lord,
which universally affects all who are there,
and makes heaven to be heaven;
for peace has in it confidence in the Lord,
that He directs all things,
and provides all things,
and that He leads to a good end.
When a person is in this faith,
he is in peace,
for he then fears nothing,
and no solicitude about things to come disquiets him.
A person comes into this state
in proportion as he comes into love to the Lord.

All evil, especially self-confidence,
takes away a state of peace.
It is believed that an evil person is at peace
when he is in gladness and tranquility
because all things succeed with him.
But this is not peace;
it is the delight and tranquillity of cupidities (greeds),
which counterfeit a state of peace.
But in the other life this delight,
being opposite to the delight of peace,
is turned into what is undelightful,
for this lies hidden within it.
In the other life the exteriors are successively unfolded
even to the inmosts,
and peace is the inmost in all delight,
even in what is undelightful with the person who is in good.
So far therefore as he puts off what is external,
so far a state of peace is revealed,
and so far he is affected with
satisfaction, blessedness, and happiness,
the origin of which is from the Lord Himself.

Concerning the state of peace which prevails in heaven
it can be said
that it is such as cannot be described by any words,
neither, so long as he is in the world,
can it come into the thought and perception of a person,
by means of any idea derived from the world.
It is then above all sense.
Tranquility of mind, content, and gladness from success,
are relatively nothing;
for these affect only his externals;
whereas peace affects the inmost things of all --
the first substances,
and the beginnings of substances in the person,
and therefrom distributes and pours itself forth
into the substantiates and derivatives,
and affects them with pleasantness;
and affects the origins of ideas,
consequently the person's ends of life,
with satisfaction and happiness;
and thus makes the mind of the person a heaven.

AC 8452 - Quail in the Evening and Natural Delight

AC 8452

That "the quail" denotes natural delight
is because it was a bird of the sea,
and by a bird of the sea is meant what is natural,
and by its flesh, which was longed for,
is meant delight.
That it also denotes through which is good,
is because it was given in the evening.
For when in the other life
there is a state which corresponds to evening,
then good spirits, and also angels,
are remitted into the state of the natural affections
in which they had been when in the world,
consequently into the delights of their natural person.
The reason is that good may come out of it,
that is, that they may thereby be perfected.
All are perfected
by the implantation of faith and charity
in the external or natural person;
for unless these are there implanted,
good and truth cannot flow in
from the internal or spiritual person,
that is, from the Lord through this person,
because there is no reception;
and if there is no reception,
the influx is stopped and perishes,
indeed, the internal person also is closed.
From this it is plain
that the natural must be brought
into a state of accommodation,
in order that it may be a receptacle.
This is effected by means of delights;
for the goods that belong to the natural person
are called delights,
because they are felt.

 

AC 8450 - The Evening Quail and the Morning Dew

AC 8450. Verses 1-15.

And it was in the evening
that the quail came up,
and covered the camp;
and in the morning
there was a deposit of dew round about the camp.
And the deposit of dew went up,
and behold upon the faces of the wilderness
a small round thing, small as the hoar frost upon the earth.
And the sons of Israel saw,
and they said a man to his brother, What is this [Man hoc]?
for they knew not what it was.
And Moses said unto them,
This is the bread which Jehovah has given you to eat.
(Exodus 16:1-15)

"And it was in the evening,"
means the end of the state;
"that the quail came up,"
means natural delight through which is good;
"and covered the camp,"
means that it filled the natural of the man;
"and in the morning,"
means the beginning of a new state;
"there was a deposit of dew round about the camp,"
means the truth of peace adjoining itself;
"and the deposit of dew went up,"
means the insinuation of truth;
"and behold upon the faces of the wilderness,"
means a new will part;
"a small round thing,"
means the good of truth in the first formation;
"small as the hoar frost upon the earth,"
means truth in the form of good consistent and flowing;
"and the sons of Israel saw,"
means a perception;
"and they said a man to his brother,"
means amazement;
"What is this? for they knew not what it was,"
means at what was not known;
"and Moses said unto them,"
means information through truth from the Divine;
"This is the bread which Jehovah has given you to eat,"
means that this is the good which must be appropriated
and make their life,
in the supreme sense that this is the Lord in you.

AC 8443 - The Lord's Truth is SO MUCH

AC 8443

Truth Divine is not of one degree, but of many.
Truth Divine in the first degree,
and also in the second,
is that which proceeds immediately from the Lord;
this is above the angelic understanding.
But truth Divine in the third degree
is such as is in the inmost or third heaven;
this is such that it cannot in the least
be apprehended by a person.
Truth Divine in the fourth degree
is such as is in the middle or second heaven;
neither is this intelligible to a person.
But truth Divine in the fifth degree
is such as is in the ultimate or first heaven;
this can be perceived
in some small measure by a person
provided he is enlightened;
but still it is such that a great part of it
cannot be expressed by human words;
and when it falls into the ideas,
it produces the faculty of perceiving
and also of believing that the case is so.
But truth Divine in the sixth degree
is such as is with a person,
accommodated to his perception;
thus it is the sense of the letter of the Word.
This sense, or this truth,
is represented by the cloud,
and the interior truths
are represented by the glory in the cloud.
This is the reason why Jehovah (that is, the Lord)
so often appeared to Moses
and to the sons of Israel in a cloud
(see Exodus 24:15, 16; 40:34, 35; 1 Kings 8:10, 11;
Matthew 24:30; and other places).
The appearing of the Lord is by means of Divine truth,
and moreover is Divine truth.
That a "cloud" denotes truth
accommodated to the perception,
is from the representatives in the other life,
where angelic speech of the higher heavens
appears to those who are beneath as light,
and also as the brightness from light;
whereas the speech of the angels of a lower heaven
appears as a bright cloud,
in form various, and in density or rarity
 according to the quality of the truths.
From all this it can be seen
that by "the glory of Jehovah seen in the cloud"
is meant the presence of the Lord in truth
accommodated to the perception.

AC 8431 - Manna and Quail; AC 8432 - Desiring Good and Evil

AC 8431 - Manna and Quail

Be it known that by "the manna"
is meant the good of the internal or spiritual person,
but by "the quail" the good of the external or natural person,
which is called delight;
and that such is their meaning is evident from the fact
that the manna was given in the morning time,
but the quail in the evening time;
and by that which is given in the morning time
is meant spiritual good,
and by that which is given in the evening time
is meant natural good or delight.
For in the other life
the state of morning is when spiritual good,
or the good of the internal person,
is in clearness;
and natural good, or the good of the external person,
is in obscurity:
but the state of evening is when natural good,
or the good of the external person,
is in clearness and spiritual good,
or the good of the internal person, is in obscurity.
These alternations thus succeed each other
also to the intent that the person may be perfected,
especially that good may be appropriated to him,
which in the state of evening
is effected by means of delight.

AC 8432 - Desiring Good and Evil

. . . the good which flows in from the Lord
is not given as much as people desire,
but as much as they can receive;
whereas evil is allowed as much as they desire.

AC 8414 - Raining Bread From Heaven; AC 8423 - Producing Fruit

AC 8414 - Raining Bread From Heaven

And Jehovah said unto Moses,
Behold, I am making it rain bread for you from heaven,
and the people shall go out,
and they shall gather the word of a day in its day,
in order that I may try them,
whether they walk in My law, or not.
And it shall be in the sixth day, t
hat they shall prepare that which they have brought,
and there shall be double
over what they shall gather day by day.
(Exodus 16:4-5)

"And Jehovah said unto Moses,"
means consolation from the Lord;
"Behold, I am making it rain bread for you from heaven,"
means that heavenly good shall flow in;
"and the people shall go out,"
means life therefrom;
"and they shall gather the word of a day in its day,"
means continually according to need;
"in order that I may try them,"
means that thereby they will be examined;
"whether they will walk in My law, or not,"
means whether they can live a life of truth and good;
"and it shall be in the sixth day,"
means in the end of every state;
"that they shall prepare that which they have brought,"
means the disposal of the appropriated goods;
"and there shall be double
over what they gather day by day,"
means that the goods are to be conjoined.

AC 8423 - Producing Fruit

. . . without love or charity
faith can produce no fruit;
but that fruit must be from the two conjoined.

AC 8413 - The Natural Life Is Removed and Spiritual Life Given

AC 8413 [2-3]

When the good of charity,
which makes the spiritual life,
is to be insinuated,
the delight of the pleasures
which had made the natural life is removed.
When this delight is removed,
the person comes into temptation,
for he believes
that if he is deprived of the delight of pleasures,
he is deprived of all life,
because his natural life consists in this delight,
or good, as he calls it.
But he does not know
that when this delight of life is removed,
spiritual delight, or good,
is insinuated by the Lord in its place.
It is this good that is signified by the "manna;"
the former good or delight being meant by
the "flesh and bread in the land of Egypt,"
and the privation of this being meant by "hunger."

But it is to be carefully observed
that the person who is being regenerated
is not deprived of the delight of the pleasures
of the body and lower mind,
for he fully enjoys this delight after regeneration,
and more fully than before,
but in inverse ratio.
Before regeneration,
the delight of pleasures was everything of his life;
but after regeneration,
the good of charity becomes everything of his life;
and then the delight of pleasures serves as a means,
and as an ultimate plane,
in which spiritual good
with its happiness and blessedness terminates.
When therefore the order is to be inverted,
the former delight of pleasures expires
and becomes no delight,
and a new delight from a spiritual origin
is insinuated in its place.

AC 8397 - And They Journeyed; AC 8399 - Good Before & After Regeneration

AC 8397 - And They Journeyed

. . . movements do not mean movements,
nor journeyings, journeyings;
but changes and successions of states.

AC 8399 - Good Before & After Regeneration

The good that is from truth
is the good that is in the spiritual person
before regeneration,
for he then does good from truth,
that is, because it has been so commanded,
consequently from obedience;
whereas the good from which is truth
is the good which is in the spiritual person
after regeneration,
for he then does good from affection.
The former good is meant by "Sin,"
the latter by "Sinai."

 

AC 8370 - The Setting In Order of Truths

AC 8370

It is said "by means of the good of love,"
because all setting in order of truths
is effected by means of the good of love;
for it is under and according to good
that truths apply themselves,
and make with good as it were one body.
It is said
"according to the image of the person in whom they are,"
because the image of a person's spirit --
which is the person himself,
for it is the inward person --
is precisely according to the setting in order
of the truths from good with him.
Hence it is that when angels are made present,
a sphere of the good of love pours out from them,
and affects those who are present,
and truths of faith shine forth from their faces.
In the spiritual world such things appear,
and are openly perceived.
It is said that this setting in order
is effected after temptation,
because goods and truths are implanted in a person
by means of temptations,
but are not set in order until afterward;
for the state of temptation is turbulent,
but the state after temptation is tranquil.
The setting in order is effected in tranquility.
On this account also temptations
are followed by what is pleasant
by reason of enlightenment from truth,
and by what is delightful
by reason of the affection of good.

AC 8351 - The Use of Temptations; AC 8364 - The Diseases the Lord Healed

AC 8351 [2] - The Use of Temptations

. . . faith cannot possibly be implanted
in those who are of the spiritual church
except through temptations,
thus neither can charity;
for in temptations the person is in combat
against falsity and evil.
These -- falsity and evil -- flow into
the external person from the hells,
while good and truth flow in through
the internal person from the Lord;
thus by virtue of the combat
of the internal person with the external,
which is called "temptation."
And insofar, then, as the external person
is reduced to obedience under the internal,
so far faith and charity are implanted;
for the external or natural of a person
is the receptacle of truth and good from the internal person.
If the receptacle is not accommodated,
it does not receive anything which flows in from within;
but either rejects, or extinguishes, or stifles it,
so there is no regeneration.
Consequently it is that there must be temptation
in order that the person may be regenerated,
which is effected through the implanting of faith and charity,
and thus through the formation
of a new will and a new understanding.

AC 8364 [6] - The Diseases the Lord Healed

As diseases represented
the hurtful and evil things of the spiritual life,
therefore by the diseases which the Lord healed
is meant liberation from various kinds of evil and falsity
which infested the church and the human race,
and which would have led to spiritual death.
For Divine miracles are distinguished from other miracles
by the fact that they involve and have regard to
states of the church and of the heavenly kingdom.
Therefore the Lord's miracles
consisted chiefly in the healing of diseases.

AC 8328 - The Divine That Is in The Heavens

AC 8328

The Divine that is in the heavens
is the Good which is in the Divine Truth
that proceeds from the Lord;
but the Divine above the heavens
is the Divine Good Itself.
By "a place for Thee to dwell in"
is signified heaven
where is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord,
for this makes heaven.
How the case is with the Divine truth
that proceeds from the Lord,
that it is in heaven good,
may be illustrated by comparison with the sun,
and with the light that is from the sun.
In the sun is fire,
but from the sun proceeds light,
which light has within itself heat,
from which gardens sprout forth,
and become like paradises.
The very fire of the sun does not pass to the earth
(for it would burn up and consume all things),
but the light wherein is heat from the fire of the sun.
In the spiritual sense this light is the Divine Truth;
the heat is the good in the Truth
from the Divine Good;
and the resultant paradise is heaven.

AC 8326 - "Planting" and Regeneration

AC  8326

And plant them.
(Exodus 15:17)

That this means regeneration continually,
is evident from the meaning of "planting,"
as being to regenerate,
for regeneration is circumstanced like planting.
For when a tree is planted,
it grows into branches, leaves, and fruits,
and from the seeds of the fruits
it grows into new trees; and so on.
Similar is the case with regeneration in a person,
and therefore in the Word
a person is also compared to a tree,
and a regenerate person to a garden or paradise;
the truths of faith with him are compared to the leaves,
and the goods of charity to the fruits,
the seeds from which come new trees
to the truths which are from good,
or what is the same, to the faith which is from charity.
It is said "regeneration continually,"
because regeneration begins in a person,
but never ceases,
being continually perfected,
not only while he lives in the world,
but also in the other life to eternity;
and yet it can never arrive at any such perfection
that it can be compared to the Divine.

AC 8321 - Those Who Have Lived the Life of Charity

AC 8321

It is said
"in the capacity of receiving
the truth of good and the good of truth,"
because no others are in this capacity
than those who have lived a life of charity.
This life gives this capacity.
Hugely do those err who believe
that faith without charity can confer this quality;
for faith without charity is hard and resistant,
and rejects all the influx from the Lord;
but charity with faith is yielding and gentle
and receives the influx.
From this it is that charity gives this capacity,
but not faith without charity;
and as charity gives this capacity,
it is this also which saves;
for those who are saved
are not saved through charity from themselves,
but through charity from the Lord,
consequently through the capacity of receiving it.

 

AC 8307 - The Role of Resisting Evil in Receiving Mercy

AC 8307

With regard to mercy from the Lord the case is this.
The mercy of the Lord is perpetual with every person,
for the Lord wills to save all people, whoever they are;
but this mercy cannot flow in
until evils have been removed,
for evils and the derivative falsities stand opposed,
and prevent it.
But as soon as evils are removed,
mercy flows in, that is, good from mercy from the Lord,
which good is charity and faith.
From this it can be seen
that the mercy of the Lord is universal,
that is, toward all,
and that it is also special toward those
who abstain from evils.
A person can abstain from evils from himself;
but he cannot receive good from himself.
That a person can abstain from evils from himself
is because the Lord continually
inflows into the will of a person with this endeavor,
and thereby puts in his freedom to desist from evils,
as also to apply himself to good.
The Lord also gives him the faculty of understanding truth,
but that he does not understand
is because he does not wish to understand,
and this on account of the evil that is of the life;
for falsity defends evil, and truth condemns it.
Hence it is that a person cannot be
presented with spiritual good by the Lord,
thus cannot be led through mercy,
unless he desists from evils.

AC 8300 - From a Song of Moses; AC 8301 - Real Truths from Good

AC 8300 - From a Song of Moses

Who is like You among the gods, O Jehovah?
Who is like You, magnificent in holiness,
to be venerated with praises,
doing wonders?
You stretched out Your right hand,
the earth swallowed them.
In Your mercy You have led this people
[whom] you have redeemed;
in Your strength You have brought them
to the dwelling-place of Your holiness.
(Exodus 15:11-13)

'Who is like You among the gods, O Jehovah?'
means that every truth of good
emanates from the Lord's Divine Human.
'Who is like You in holiness'
means that He is the Source of everything holy.
'To be venerated with praises'
means that to Him alone belong glory and thanksgiving.
'Doing wonders?'
means that He is the Source of all the means
through which comes power.
'You stretched out Your right hand'
means that the exercising of power over all things
became apparent from this.
'The earth swallowed them'
means that as a result simply of His presence
damnation and hell befell them.
'In Your mercy You have led this people'
means the Divine flowing in among those
who have been refraining from evils
and consequently receiving good.
'You have redeemed'
means those whom He has delivered from hell.
'In Your strength You have brought them
to the dwelling-place of Your holiness'
means that the Lord's Divine power
has raised them to heaven, to the Divine there.

AC 8301 - Real Truths from Good

. . . truths can proceed from everybody;
but the truths of good only from the Lord . . ..

AC 8281 - The Right Hand of Jehovah

AC 8281 [6]

. . . the Lord came into the world,
 and there became Divine truth,
and afterward Divine good from which is Divine truth,
in order that He might
shut up all evils and falsities in the hells,
and gather together goods and truths into the heavens,
and there dispose them into Divine order.
From all this it is now evident
that by "the right hand of Jehovah" in the Word
is meant the omnipotence
which the Divine has by means of Divine truth.
That "the right hand" denotes eminent power,
derives its origin from the fact
that those who in the Grand Man or heaven
have relation to the shoulders, the arms, and the hands,
are they who are powerful
from the truth which is from good;
that is, from the faith which is from love.

 

AC 8279 - "Depth" and High"

AC 8279

The reason why "depth" denotes hell relatively to evil,
is that it is opposite to "high," by which is meant heaven,
and which is predicated of good.
Moreover evil corresponds to what is heavy on earth,
which sinks by its own weight;
thus also to the heaviness of a stone,
when by a "stone" is signified falsity.

AC 8263 - To God Alone Shall Be Glory and Honor; AC 8271 - Humiliation

AC 8263 - To God Alone Shall Be Glory and Honor

It is said in the Word throughout
that to God alone shall be glory and honor.
He who does not know
the interior things of the Word may believe
the Lord desires and loves glory like a person in the world;
and also for the reason
that it is due to Him
in preference to all in the universe;
but the Lord does not desire glory for the sake of Himself,
but for the sake of the person who glorifies Him.
The person who glorifies Him
does it from a holy reverence for Him
in that He is the Supreme One,
and from a humbling of himself as being relatively nothing;
and because in the glorification of the Lord by the person
there is the result of both holy reverence and humiliation,
the person is then in a state
to receive the influx of good from the Lord,
thus also to receive love to Him.
It is from this that the Lord desires a person to glorify Him.

AC 8271 - Humiliation

Humiliation is the essential of Divine worship.
When a person is in this essential
he is then in a state of receiving from the Lord
the truth which is of faith
and the good which is of charity,
consequently in a state of worshiping Him.
But if person exalts himself before the Lord,
he then closes the interiors of his mind
for the reception of good and truth from the Lord.

AC 8237 - Perspective; AC 8240 - Belief and Trust

AC 8237 - Perspective

. . . evils can be seen from good,
but not goods from evil,
for good is higher
and evil is lower.

AC 8240 - Belief and Trust

And they believed.
(Exodus 14:31)

That this means faith and trust,
is evident from the meaning of "believing,"
as being to have faith, and also to have trust;
for he who has faith has trust also.
Trust belongs to love through faith,
consequently trust in Jehovah, that is, in the Lord,
is possible only with those
who are in love to the Lord and toward the neighbor,
because with others there is no faith.

AC 8227 - The Lord Does Not Will Evil to Anyone But Wills Their Salvation

AC 8227

He who does not know the interior things of causes,
cannot believe otherwise
than that the evils which befall the evil,
such as punishments, vastations, damnations,
and finally casting into hell,
are from the Divine;
for so it does absolutely appear,
because such things arise from the presence of the Divine;
but still nothing of the kind befalls them from the Divine,
but from themselves.
The Divine and its presence have for their sole end
the protection and salvation of the good;
and when the Divine is present with these,
and protects them against the evil,
then the evil are still more inflamed against them,
and more still against the Divine Itself,
for this latter they hate most intensely
(those who hate good, intensely hate the Divine);
consequently they make an attack upon these,
and insofar as they do this,
so far do they by virtue of the law of order
cast themselves into punishments, vastations, damnation,
and at last into hell.
From all this it can be seen
that the Divine (that is, the Lord) does nothing but good,
and does evil to no one,
but that those who are in evil
cast themselves into such things.
This is what is meant by
"the Egyptians fled to meet the sea,"
that is, that they immersed themselves in falsities from evil.

As regards this matter something further shall be said.
It is believed that evils too are from the Divine,
because the Divine permits them,
and does not take them away;
and he who permits
and does not take away when he is able,
appears to will, and thus to be the cause.
But the Divine permits
because it cannot prevent, or take away;
for the Divine wills nothing but good;
and if it were to prevent and take away evils,
that is, those of punishments, vastations,
persecutions, temptations, and the like,
then it would will evil,
for then such persons could not be amended,
and evil would increase
until it had the dominion over good.
The case herein is like
that of a king who acquits the guilty:
he is the cause of the evil
afterward done by them in the kingdom;
and is also the cause
of the consequent license taken by others;
not to mention the fact
that the evil person would be confirmed in evil;
and therefore a just and good king,
though able to take away punishments,
nevertheless cannot do it,
for in this way he would not do good, but evil.
Be it known that all the punishments,
and also the temptations,
in the other life, have good as their end.

AC 8214 - Actions and Reactions

AC 8214

. . . the evil who by means of
injections of falsity and evil desire
to inflict violence on the good,
cast themselves into the penalty of retaliation,
which is, that the falsities and evils
which they endeavor to inflict,
fall back on themselves.
This punishment, which is called the punishment of retaliation,
comes from the following law of order in heaven:
"All things whatsoever you would
that men should do to you,
do you even so to them:
this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12);
and therefore those who do what is good from good,
or from the heart,
receive what is good from others;
and also on the other hand,
those who do what is evil from evil, or from the heart,
receive what is evil from others.
So it is that every good has its reward attached to it,
and every evil its punishment.

AC 8191, 8194 - Crossing the Sea

AC 8191

And the angel of God set out,
marching before the camp of Israel,
and he went behind them;
and the pillar of cloud set out from before them
and stood behind them;
and it came between
the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel;
and it was a cloud and darkness,
and it lighted up the night;
and the one came not near the other all the night.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea;
and Jehovah made the sea go away
by a strong east wind all night,
and made the sea dry,
and the waters were cleft asunder.
And the sons of Israel
came into the midst of the sea in the dry;
and the waters were a wall to them
on their right hand, and on their left.
(Exodus 19-22)

"And the angel of God set out,"
signifies a setting in order by Divine truth;
"marching before the camp of Israel,"
signifies that was around the truths and goods of the church;
"and he went behind them,"
signifies protection
lest the falsity of evil should flow into the will;
"and the pillar of cloud set out from before them
and stood behind them,"
signifies the presence of the Lord
protecting the things of the will,
as it had previously protected
those of the understanding;
"and it came between
the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel,"
signifies between the falsities of evil on the one side,
and the truths of good on the other;
"and it was a cloud and darkness,"
signifies the condensation of falsity from evil
on the one side;
"and it lighted up the night,"
signifies the enlightenment of truth from good
on the other;
"and the one came not near the other,"
signifies consequently no communication;
"all the night,"
signifies in the obscure state;
"and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,"
signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over hell;
"and Jehovah made the sea go away by a strong east wind,"
signifies the means of the dissipation of falsity;
"all the night,"
signifies in the obscure state;
"and made the sea dry,"
signifies the dissipation of falsity;
"and the waters were cleft asunder,"
signifies separation from truths, and removal;
"and the sons of Israel
came into the midst of the sea in the dry,"
signifies the entrance and passage
of those who were of the spiritual church
through hell in safety,
and without any influx of falsity;
"and the waters were a wall to them
on their right hand, and on their left,"
signifies that they were withheld from falsities on every side.

AC 8194

And he went behind them.
(Exodus 14:19)

That this signifies protection
lest the falsity of evil should flow into the will,
is evident from the signification of
"going behind" the sons of Israel,
as being protection lest the Egyptians should attack;
in the internal sense,
lest the falsities from evil
which are signified by "the Egyptians"
should flow in.
That it denotes lest they should flow into the will,
is because in the Grand Man, or in the spiritual world,
the things of the will are presented at the back, or behind,
and those of the understanding in front, or before.
As regards influx
into the will and into the understanding of a person,
be it known that the Lord takes the utmost care
lest the infernals flow into a person's will;
for if they were to flow into his will
after he had been regenerated or made a church,
it would be all over with him,
because his will is nothing but evil.
So it is that the person of the spiritual church
is regenerated by the Lord in respect to the intellectual part,
and that a new will is formed in this part,
which is completely separated from the
will that the person has by heredity.
From all this it can now be seen from where it is
that by "he went behind them"
is meant protection
lest the falsity of evil should flow into the will.

 

AC 8179 - Prayers in Temptations

AC 8179 [2-3]

Those who are in temptations
are wont to slack their hands
and betake themselves solely to prayers,
which they then ardently pour forth,
not knowing that prayers will not avail,
but that they must fight against the falsities and evils
which are being injected by the hells.
This fight is performed by means of the truths of faith,
which help because they confirm goods and truths
against falsities and evils.
Moreover in the combats of temptations,
the person ought to fight as of himself,
but yet acknowledge and believe that it is of the Lord.
If a person does not fight as of himself,
the good and truth
which flow in through heaven from the Lord
are not appropriated to him;
but when he fights as of himself,
and still believes that it is of the Lord,
then they are appropriated to him.
From this he has an own [proprium] that is new,
which is called the heavenly own [proprium],
and which is a new will.

Moreover those who are in temptations,
and not in some other active life than that of prayers,
do not know
that if the temptations were intermitted (suspended)
before they had been fully carried through,
they would not be prepared for heaven,
and thus could not be saved.
For this reason, moreover, the prayers of those
who are in temptations are but little heard;
for the Lord wills the end,
which is the salvation of the person,
which end He knows,
but person does not;
and the Lord does not heed prayers
that are contrary to the end, which is salvation.
He who conquers in temptations
is also confirmed in the truth stated above;
whereas he who does not conquer
entertains a doubt
with respect to the Divine aid and power,
because he is not heard;
and then sometimes,
because he slacks his hand, he partly yields.
From all this it can be seen what is meant by
there being no need of intercession,
namely, that prayer is not to be relied upon.
For in prayer from the Divine
it is always thought and believed that the Lord alone
knows whether it is profitable or not;
and therefore the suppliant
submits the hearing to the Lord,
and immediately after
prays that the will of the Lord,
and not his own,
may be done,
according to the Lord's words
in His own most grievous temptation at Gethsemane:

Then Jesus went with His disciples
to a place called Gethsemane,
and He said to them,
"Sit here while I go over there and pray."

He went away a second time and prayed,
"My Father, if it is not possible
for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it,
may Your will be done."

So He left them and went away once more
and prayed the third time,
saying the same thing.
(Matthew 26: 39, 42,44)

AC 8171, 8172, 8175 - Moses Tells of the Powerful Salvation of the Lord

AC 8171

Do not be afraid.
(Exodus 14:13)

That this means that they must not despair,
is evident from the meaning of "fearing,"
as being to feel horror, here to despair;
for spiritual fear in temptations is first a horrible dread,
and finally is despair.
Spiritual fear is fear on account of damnation.

AC 8172

Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah.
(Exodus 14:13)

It is here said that they must have faith
that salvation is from the Lord alone,
and not at all from them,
because this is the main thing of faith in temptations.
He who when he is tempted
believes that he can resist from his own strength, yields;
the reason is that he is in what is false,
and that he therefore attributes merit to himself,
and thus demands to be saved of himself,
and thus shuts out the influx from the Divine.
But he who believes
that the Lord alone resists in temptations, conquers;
for he is in the truth,
and attributes the merit to the Lord,
and perceives that he is saved by the Lord alone.
He who is in the faith of charity
ascribes everything of salvation to the Lord,
and nothing to himself.

AC 8175

Jehovah shall wage war for you.
(Exodus 14:14)

That the Lord alone
sustains the combats of temptations,
and conquers,
is because the Divine alone can conquer the hells.
Unless the Divine acted against them,
they would rush in like a vast ocean,
one hell after another,
for the resisting of which
no person can of the slightest avail;
and the less so because in respect to what is his own,
a person is nothing but evil, thus is hell,
from which the Lord then withdraws him,
and afterward withholds him.

AC 8159 - The Lord Always Fights For Us

  AC 8159 [1, 2, 3-4, 5]

All temptation is effected by means of
an influx from the hells,
for the spirits who are from there
excite and draw forth all things in a person
that have been evilly done and evilly thought,
and thereby accuse and condemn him.
Thereupon the conscience is troubled,
and the mind comes into anxiety.
This is done by influx from the hells,
especially from this hell
which is represented by the sea Suph.

. . . As in the verses that now follow,
the subject treated of is the first temptation
of those who had been of the spiritual church,
be it known that they could not undergo temptations
until after the Lord had glorified His Human,
that is, made it Divine,
and in this was present with them.
If they had been tempted before,
they would have yielded,
for those who were of the spiritual church were saved
solely through the Divine Human of the Lord.

As regards temptations, the case with them is . . .
that the hells fight against a person,
and the Lord for a person;
to every falsity the hells inject,
there is an answer from the Divine.
The falsities which are from the hells
are injected and flow into the external or natural person;
but the answer from the Divine flows
into the internal or spiritual person.
This latter influx, which is from the Divine,
does not come to the person's perception
so much as do the falsities;
neither does it move the singulars of his thought,
but its generals, and in such a manner
that it scarcely comes to the perception
otherwise than as hope and the consequent consolation,
in which there are nevertheless innumerable things
of which the person is ignorant,
being such things as are in agreement with
his affection or love,
especially his affection or love of truth and good,
from which he has conscience.

These things have been said
in order that it may be known
that by the life of the sons of Israel in the wilderness
are described in their series the temptations
which those underwent
who had been of the Lord's spiritual church
and had been liberated.
They underwent temptations
in order that they might be further prepared for heaven;
for by means of temptations,
and by these as the only means,
goods and truths are confirmed and are conjoined;
and by means of temptations
charity becomes the charity of faith,
and faith becomes the faith of charity.

. . . But be it known that in temptations
the person does not fight;
but the Lord alone fights for the person,
although it appears as if it were done by the person;
and when the Lord fights for a person
the person conquers in all things.
At this day few are admitted into temptations,
for the reason that they are not in the life of faith,
and therefore not in the conscience of truth;
and he who is not in the conscience of truth
from the good of life, yields;
whereby his subsequent state
becomes worse than the former.

AC 8148 - The Persuasive Faith of Pharaoh and the Egyptians

AC 8148 [2-4]

Be it known that these falsities,
which are here meant by
"Pharaoh, his army, and his people,"
also by his "chariots, horses, and horsemen,"
are especially the falsities of those
who are in persuasive faith, that is,
who persuade themselves
that the doctrinal things of the church in which they are,
are true,
and yet are in a life of evil.
Persuasive faith exists together with evil of life,
but not saving faith;
for persuasive faith is a persuasion
that all things that belong to the doctrine of the church
are true,
not for the sake of truth,
nor for the sake of life,
nor even for the sake of salvation,
for in this they scarcely believe;
but for the sake of self-advantage,
that is, for the sake of getting honors and wealth,
and for the sake of reputation with a view to these.
They learn doctrinal things in order to acquire such things,
thus not to the end
that they may be of service to the church
and the salvation of souls,
but to serve themselves and those who belong to them;
and therefore it is all the same to them
whether these doctrinal things are true, or false;
this they care nothing about,
still less inquire into,
for they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth.
No matter what kind of doctrinal things they may be,
they confirm them;
and when they have confirmed them,
they persuade themselves that they are true,
not considering that falsities
can be confirmed equally as well as truths.

This is the source of persuasive faith,
which, because it has not for its end,
and does not regard, the neighbor and his good,
thus not the Lord,
but self and the world,
that is, honors and self-advantage,
is conjoined with evil of life,
but not with good of life;
for assuredly the faith that is conjoined with this
is saving faith.
This faith is given by the Lord,
but the other is from the person himself.
The one remains to eternity;
the other is dissipated in the other life,
and is also dissipated in the world if nothing is gained by it.
But so long as people profit by it,
they fight for it as for heaven itself,
although it is not for that faith,
but for themselves;
for the things of faith, that is, of doctrine,
are to them as means to an end;
that is, to eminence and opulence.
Those who are in this faith in the world
can with difficulty be distinguished from those
who are in saving faith,
for they speak and preach from an ardor as of zeal
for the doctrine;
but it is an ardor from
the fire of the love of self and of the world.

These are those who are especially meant by
"Pharaoh and the Egyptians,"
and in the other life they are vastated
in respect to this faith;
and this being vastated,
they are in mere falsities from evil,
for falsities then burst forth from the evil.
Every evil is attended with its falsity,
for they are joined together;
and the falsities appear
when they are left to the evil of their life.
The evil is then like a fire,
and the falsities are like the light from it.
This kind of evil and the consequent falsity
is quite different from
other kinds of evils and the consequent falsities,
being more detestable than all others,
because it is contrary to the goods and truths of faith,
and therefore there is profanation in this evil.
(Profanation is the acknowledgment of truth and good
and yet a life contrary thereto.)

AC 8137 - The Divine Effect

AC 8137 [3]

. . . the evil flee from the presence of the Lord,
that is, the presence of the good and truth that are from Him,
feeling horror and torment at their mere approach;
and also by reason of this presence
they become encompassed about
with their own evils and falsities,
for these then burst forth from them;
and indeed these evils and falsities encompass
and are interposed
in order to prevent the Divine from flowing in
and tormenting them.
This is the Divine effect which is here signified by
the "glorification in Pharaoh and in his army."
That this effect is from the Divine Human of the Lord,
is because, as before said,
by the Lord's coming into the world
and assuming the Human and making it Divine,
He cast all falsities and evils into hell,
and reduced truths and goods in the heavens into order,
and liberated from damnation
those who were of the spiritual church.

AC 8111 - Goodness

AC 8111

In the other life
goodness manifests itself
by gentleness and sweetness.

AC 8093 [2], AC 8094 - Why Choose Faith Alone; AC 8099 - Being Delivered from Infestations

AC 8093 [2] - Choosing Faith Alone

The opinion concerning faith alone or separate
is not new, or of this time only,
but existed in the ancient churches,
and came into use together with evil of life.

AC 8094

How it is to be understood
that the opinion concerning faith separate or alone
first comes up, shall be briefly told.
Evil of life is attended with its own falsity,
which falsity lies hidden in the person who is in evil of life,
and sometimes he is not aware that it is in him;
but as soon as he thinks about the truths of the church,
and especially when he thinks about salvation,
then this falsity comes forth and clearly shows itself,
and if it cannot deny the truth itself
in respect to its general statement,
it explains it in favor of its own evil, and thus falsifies it;
consequently, when he is thinking about faith and charity,
which are the essentials of the church and of salvation,
faith at once comes up, but not charity,
because charity is opposite to evil of life;
and therefore he also sets charity aside,
and chooses faith alone.

AC 8099 [2] - Being Delivered from Infestations

. . . those who are being delivered from infestations . . .
are so protected by the Lord
that not the slightest evil can touch them,
still less anything of damnation,
for they are encompassed with a column of angels,
with whom the Lord is present:
this was represented by the passage
of the sons of Israel through the sea Suph.

 

AC 8078 - Different Sorts of Faith

AC 8078 [3-4]

Faith merely natural
is faith which is insinuated by an external
and not by an internal way,
such as sensuous faith,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
because the eye has seen,
and the hand has touched.
This is the faith concerning which the Lord said to Thomas,
"Because you have seen, Thomas, you have believed;
blessed are those who do not see, and believe"
(John 20:29);
and also is like the faith of miracles,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
merely from the miracles,
. . . as also the faith of authority,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
because another,
in whom one has faith, has said it.

But spiritual faith
is that which is insinuated by an internal
and at the same time by an external way;
the insinuation by the internal way
causes it to be believed,
and then that which is insinuated by the external way
causes it to be confirmed.
The spiritual of faith is the affection of charity,
and from this the affection of truth
for the sake of good use and for the sake of life;
these make faith to be spiritual.
The insinuation of faith by the internal way
is effected by the reading of the Word,
and by enlightenment then from the Lord,
which is granted
according to the quality of the affection,
that is, according to the end sought in knowing the truth.

AC 8051 - Making Falsity One's Own; AC 8056 - Milk and Honey

AC 8051 - Making Falsity One's Own

So far as making falsity
and making something falsified one's own are concerned,
it should be recognized
that no falsity as such
or anything falsified as such
can be made his own by anyone
who is governed by good
and therefore wishes to know the truth,
only by someone who is ruled by evil
and therefore has no wish to know the truth.
The reason why one who is governed by good
and therefore wishes to know the truth
cannot make falsity as such his own
is that he thinks in a proper way about God,
about God's kingdom, and about spiritual life,
and therefore uses falsity in such a way
that it is not at odds with them but somehow in agreement.
Thus he softens it,
and none of its harshness or hardness enters his ideas.
If this were not so
scarcely anyone could be saved,
for falsities are more prevalent than truths.
Yet it should be recognized
that people governed by good also have a love of truth,
and therefore in the next life,
when instructed by angels,
they cast falsities aside and embrace truths.
They do this according to the degree
of the love of truth they had in the world.

AC 8056 - Milk and Honey

A land flowing with milk and honey.
(Exodus 13:5)

That this means where are gladness and joy,
is evident from the meaning of
"a land flowing with milk and honey,"
as being what is pleasant and what is delightful,
thus gladness and joy.
It is said "gladness and joy,"
because in the Word "gladness" is predicated of truth,
and "joy" of good;
in like manner "what is pleasant" and "what is delightful;"
moreover "milk" is predicated of the truth of good,
and "honey" of the good of truth.