AC 7433 - The Noisome Fly; AC 7437 - Thinking; AC 7439 - Mercy

AC 7433 - The Noisome Fly - Exodus 8:17-18

. . . "behold I send against you, and against your servants,
and against your people, and into your houses,
the noisome fly"
means that they would have malevolent falsity
in all things and in each;
"and the houses of the Egyptians
shall be filled with the noisome fly,
and also the land whereon they are"
means that the falsities of malevolence
will take possession of all things of the natural mind;
and I will sever in that day the land of Goshen,
upon which My people stands,
that no noisome fly be there"
means that they shall not be able to infest
by falsities of malevolence
those who are of the spiritual church,
although they will be near them . . .

AC 7437 [3] - Thinking

. . . those who are in evils
cannot do otherwise than think from evils to falsities.
It is the same also with those who are in a state of good,
in that they cannot do otherwise
than think from good to truths;
for good and truth are conjoined,
and also evil and falsity,
insomuch that he who knows that anyone is in good,
can (he) know that he is in the truth of his good;
and that he who is in evil is in the falsity of his evil;
and that he is in this falsity
in proportion as he excels
in the gift of reasoning and perverting.
And also, in proportion as he is in the fear
of the loss of reputation
for the sake of gain and honors,
and in proportion as he desires
to be in the freedom of doing evil.
Strange to say,
after such persons have
for some time
defended evils by means of falsities,
they at last persuade themselves
that evils are goods,
and that falsities are truths.

AC 7439 [3] - Mercy

. . . a person must be prepared for heaven
by his whole life in the world,
and that this is done of the Lord's mercy,
and that none are admitted into heaven
from mercy alone,
regardless of how they have lived in the world.

AC 7410 - Dust & Lice; AC 7430 - The Finger of God

AC 7410 - Dust & Lice (Exodus 8:13-14)

. . . "and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod,"
means the power of internal truth through external truth;
"and smote the dust of the land,"
means that things damned were removed;
"and there was lice on man and on beast,"
means the interior and exterior evils
derived from cupidities (greeds for money);
"all the dust of the land
became louse in all the land of Egypt,"
means that these evils were from
the things that had been damned;
"and the magicians did so with their enchantments,
to bring forth lice,"
means an endeavor to pervert Divine order,
and to portray the like in these things also;
"and they could not,"
means in vain . . .

AC 7430 - The Finger of God

This is the finger of God.
(Exodus 8:15)

That this means that the power was from the Divine,
is evident from the meaning of "the finger of God,"
as being power from the Divine;
that "finger" denotes power
is because the fingers belong to the hands,
and by "hands" is meant power . . ..

AC 7406 - Moses Begged the Lord and the Lord Took Away the Frogs

AC 7406

And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses.
(Exodus 8:12)

That this means that it was so done
according to the word of the Lord,
is evident from the fact
that what Moses supplicated
was indeed from the mouth of Moses,
but still was from the Lord;
for whatever a person thinks and then speaks,
and whatever he wills and then does,
flows in,
the person being merely a recipient organ;
just so it was with what Moses spoke and did;
therefore here by
"Jehovah did according to the word of Moses"
is meant that it was so done
according to the word of the Lord.

(That "Jehovah" in the Word denotes the Lord,
see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023,
3035, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905.)

 

AC 7378 - Exodus Chap. 8 - Frogs Con't, Lice, Noisome Fly; AC 7381 - Internal & External Law

AC 7378 - Exodus Chap. 8 - Frogs Con't, Lice, Noisome Fly

Reasonings from mere falsities are meant by "the frogs;"
which subject is continued in this chapter . . ..
The fourth degree is
that they were in evils
which destroyed every good with them,
also whatever they had from natural good;
these are meant by the lice from the dust of the land.
The fifth degree is
that they were in falsities from these evils,
whereby every truth would be destroyed;
these are signified by the noisome fly.

AC 7381 [2-3]

As the internal law which Moses represents
is truth accommodated to angels,
and the external law which Aaron represents
is truth accommodated to people,
I may here say something about them.
Truth accommodated to angels
is for the most part incomprehensible to people,
as is evident from the fact
that things are seen and said in heaven
such as eye has never seen, nor ear has ever heard.
The reason is that the things said among the angels
are spiritual things
which have been abstracted from natural things,
and consequently are remote from
the ideas and expressions of human speech;
for a person has formed his ideas
from the things in nature, and indeed in grosser nature,
that is, from those
which he has seen in the world and upon the earth,
and has touched by sense,
which things are material.
The ideas of interior thought with a person,
although they are above material things,
nevertheless terminate in material things,
and where they terminate, there they appear to be,
and from this he perceives that which he is thinking.
From this it is evident how the case is
with that truth of faith, and what is its quality,
which falls into the thought of a person,
and is called the external law,
and is represented by Aaron.

To illustrate this by an example:
A person cannot possibly think
without the idea of time and space,
which idea adheres
to almost everything which he thinks;
if ideas from time and space
were taken away from a person,
he would not know what he is thinking;
and scarcely whether he is thinking.
But in the ideas of the angels
there is nothing from time and space,
but instead of these there are states . . ..

 

AC 7352 - "Frogs" - Reasoning; AC 7356 - The Chief Delights of the Evil

AC 7352 - "Frogs" - Reasoning

And the river shall make frogs to creep forth.
(Exodus 7:28)

That this means that there will be
reasonings from these falsities,
is evident from the meaning of "the river of Egypt,"
as being falsity;
and from the meaning of "frogs,"
as being reasonings.

That "frogs" denote reasonings
is because they are in waters,
where they make a chattering noise and croak,
and are also among things unclean.
What reasoning from mere falsities is,
shall be illustrated by some examples.

• That a person reasons from mere falsities
  who attributes all things to nature,
  and scarcely anything to the Divine;
  when yet all things are from the Divine,
  and nature is only the instrumental means
  by which the Divine works.
• He reasons from mere falsities
  who believes that a person is like a beast,
  only more perfect,
  because he can think;
  and thus that a person will die like a beast;
  by thus denying the conjunction
  of a person with the Divine
  through the thought which is of faith,
  and the affection which is of love,
  and consequently his resurrection and life eternal,
  such a person speaks from mere falsities.
• In like manner is one who believes that there is no hell.
• And also he who believes that all a person has
  is the delight of this world's life,
  and therefore he must enjoy this,
  because when he dies, he dies altogether.
• He reasons from mere falsities
  who believes that all things depend
  upon his own sagacity, and on fortune;
  and not on the Divine Providence,
  except such as is universal.
• And also he who believes that religion
  is good for nothing except to keep the simple in bonds.
• Especially do they reason from mere falsities
  who believe that the Word is not Divine.
  

In short, all those reason from mere falsities
who utterly deny truths Divine.

AC 7356 - The Chief Delights of the Evil

It is moreover one of the chief delights of the evil
to spread falsities,
to confirm them,
to deride truths,
and especially to seduce others.

 

AC 7317 - Waters Into Blood; AC 7318 - What Is the Falsification of Truth?

AC 7317 - Waters Into Blood

And they shall be turned into blood.
(Exodus 7:17)

That this means that they shall falsify truths,
is evident from the meaning of "blood,"
as being truth falsified;
for "blood" in the genuine sense
denotes the truth proceeding from the Lord,
thus the holy of faith;
this is meant by "blood" in the Holy Supper;
but in the opposite sense "blood"
denotes violence done to Divine truth,
and as this violence is done by means of falsifications,
"blood" denotes the falsification of truth.

AC 7318 - What Is the Falsification of Truth?

What the falsification of truth is
shall be illustrated by some examples.

• Truth is falsified when from reasonings
  it is concluded and said
  that because no one can do what is good from himself,
  therefore good effects nothing toward salvation.
  
  
• Truth is also falsified when it is said
  that all the good which a person does regards himself
  and is done for the sake of recompense,
  and this being so,
  works of charity are not to be done.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that because all good is from the Lord,
  therefore a person ought to do nothing of good,
  but should await influx.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it said
  that truth can exist in a person
  without the good which is of charity,
  thus faith without charity.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that no one can enter into heaven
  except one who is miserable and poor;
  also when it is said,
  unless he gives all he has to the poor
  and reduces himself to miseries.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that everyone can be admitted into heaven from mercy,
  no matter how he has lived.
  
  
• Truth is still more falsified when it is said
  that there has been given to a person the power
  of admitting into heaven whomsoever he pleases.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that sins are wiped and washed away like filth by water;
  
  
• and truth is still more falsified when it is said
  that a person has the power of remitting sins,
  and that when they have been remitted,
  they are altogether wiped away,
  and the person is pure.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that the Lord has taken all sins upon Himself,
  and so has taken them away,
  and that thus a person can be saved,
  no matter what his life is.
  
  
• Truth is falsified when it is said
  that no one is saved
  except one who is within the church.
  The reasonings by which such falsification is effected,
  are that they who are within the church
  have been baptized,
  have the Word, know about the Lord,
  about the resurrection, life eternal, heaven, and hell,
  and thus they know what the faith is
  by which they can be justified.
  

There are countless such things as these,
for there is not a single truth which cannot be falsified,
and the falsification confirmed by reasonings from fallacies.

AC 7296 - Misuse of Order; AC 7298 - Fallacies

AC 7296 - Misuse of Order

A misuse of order and of correspondences
exists when things that belong to order
are not applied to good ends but to evil ones,
for example to exercising control over others
and bringing about their destruction;
for salvation, thus the doing of good to all,
is the end that order holds in view.
From this one may see what one is to understand
by a misuse of order, meant by 'the sorcerers'.

AC 7298 - Fallacies

. . . in proportion as fallacies
cause truths not to be noticed,
so dullness induced.

 

AC 7273 - Signs and Wonders

AC 7273

And I will multiply my signs and My wonders.
(Exodus 7:3)

That this means warnings of every kind,
nor shall anything be wanting,
is evident from the meaning of "signs and wonders,"
as being confirmations of the truth,
and also means of Divine power;
here warnings;
for thereby they both (Moses & Aaron) saw
that they were in falsities,
and saw the Divine power,
and in this way were warned.

The reason why it is said that to those who are in falsities
warnings are given of every kind,
nor shall anything be wanting,
is that the condemnation of those who are in evils
is not effected in a moment
when they come into the other life,
but after they have first been visited, that is, examined.
The examinations are made
in order that they themselves may take notice
that they cannot but be condemned,
because they have not lived differently,
and also in order that spirits and angels may know
that they have been of such a character;
so that they can no longer be excused
either by themselves or by others.
The order in accordance with which they are examined
is the order of truth Divine,
which is such that nothing whatever is wanting.
The order of truth Divine,
which is for the evil who are being condemned,
differs from that of truth Divine for the good
who are being saved.
The difference is,
that the order for the evil who are being condemned,
is of truth Divine separated from Divine good,
thus from mercy,
because they have not received the Divine good,
and thus have rejected mercy.
But the order which is for the good
who are being saved,
is of truth Divine conjoined with Divine good,
thus with mercy;
because they have received the Divine good,
thus the mercy of the Lord.
As the evil are examined in accordance with order,
by degrees, so also are they judged and condemned.
This shows that warnings of every kind are given,
in order that nothing may be wanting
before they are condemned to hell.
These then are the things which are meant
by the signs and wonders wrought in Egypt,
before the firstborn were slain,
and the Egyptians perished in the sea Suph;
for the sea Suph denotes hell.

AC 7264-7265 - Exodus 7 Is About Different Vastations

AC 7264-7265

The subject treated of in the internal sense in what follows
is the vastation,
and at last the damnation,
of those who are in falsities and evils.
The process of their devastation is described
by the eleven plagues
brought on the Egyptians and their land.

In this chapter
the subject treated of in the internal sense
is the first three degrees of vastation.
The first, which is
that mere fallacies began to reign with them,
from which came falsities,
is described by the serpent
into which the rod of Aaron was turned.
The second, which is
that truths themselves became falsities with them,
and that falsities became truths,
is described by the blood
into which the waters were turned.
The third degree, which is
that from falsities they reasoned against
the truths and goods of the church,
is described by the frogs out of the river.

 

AC 7225 - "Uncircumcised" or Unclean or Impure

AC 7225 [2-3]

. . . "to be uncircumcised" denotes to be impure;
and as everything impure is from impure loves,
which are the love of the world and the love of self,
therefore by "uncircumcised" is meant
that which impedes the influx of good and truth.
Where these loves are,
the inflowing good and truth are extinguished,
for they are contraries, like heaven and hell.
So by the "uncircumcised ear" is meant disobedience,
and by the "uncircumcised heart"
the rejection of good and truth,
which is especially the case
when these loves have fortified themselves with falsity
as with a wall.

That Moses, because he stammered,
calls himself "uncircumcised in lips,"
is for the sake of the internal sense,
that thereby might be meant
that those who are in falsities,
who are represented by Pharaoh,
would not listen to the things that would be said to them
from the law Divine,
because those who are in falsities
call the truths which are of the law Divine, falsities;
and the falsities which are contrary to
the truths of the law Divine
they call truths,
for they are wholly in the opposite.
Consequently by them the truths of doctrine
are not perceived otherwise than as impure;
even heavenly loves appear to them impure.

AC 7233 - The Enlightened Intellectual

AC 7233 [3]

For the enlightened intellectual discriminates
between apparent truths and real truths,
especially between falsities and truths,
although it does not judge about real truths in themselves.

But the intellectual cannot be enlightened
unless it is believed
that love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor
are the principal and essential things of the church.
He who proceeds from the acknowledgment of these,
provided he himself is in them,
sees innumerable truths;
indeed he sees very many secrets disclosed to him,
and this from interior acknowledgment,
according to the degree of the enlightenment
from the Lord.

AC 7205 - "Stretched Out Arm"

AC 7205

And I will redeem you with a stretched out arm.
(Exodus 6:6)

That this means leading forth from hell
by virtue of Divine power,
 is evident from the meaning of "redeeming,"
as being to bring forth from hell,
and from the meaning of a "stretched out arm,"
as being Divine power.
. . . "arm" denotes power;
but that a "stretched out arm"
denotes omnipotence or Divine power,
is because
when an arm appears stretched out in the heavens,
there is represented power from the Divine;
and when not stretched out, but bent,
there is represented power in a general sense.
So then it is, that in the Word,
Divine power is very often expressed by
a "stretched out arm," and by a "strong hand,"
as in these passages:

I have made the earth, the man, and the beast,
that are upon the faces of the earth,
by My great power and by My stretched-out arm.
(Jeremiah 27:5)

I will lead you out from the peoples,
and will gather you
out of the lands wherein you are scattered,
by a strong hand and by a stretched-out arm.
(Ezekiel 20:34).

AC 7191 - Before Punctuation

AC 7191

And God spoke unto Moses.
(Exodus 6:2)

That this means
what is new but continuous with what was before,
is evident from the fact
that we often read in continuation of the text,
"Jehovah said," and "Jehovah spoke,"
as also in this chapter, verse 1,
"Jehovah said unto Moses,"
in this verse, "God spoke unto Moses,"
and similarly in verses 10, 13, 28, 29,
and also in other places,
which repetition means nothing else
than something new that begins there,
which, however, is to be connected with what goes before.

Be it known that the Word in its original tongue
is devoid of stops (punctuation),
and therefore instead of them there were such phrases;
and instead of the lesser stops or distinctions
there was "and,"
which is the reason why this occurs so frequently.
Angelic speech also is continuous,
with stops indeed,
but such that what precedes
is wonderfully connected with what follows;
for angelic ideas are very full of realities,
and of countless things that are unutterable,
and to a person, while in the world, incomprehensible;
and therefore the endings of the preceding periods
can be fully connected
with the beginnings of the following ones;
and in this way one series can be formed out of many.
Astonishing and incredible to say,
the form of heaven is represented
in the angelic discourse,
and therefore in all angelic discourse
there is a harmony like that of songs,
which at every stop closes in a word of one syllable,
thus in a unity;
and I have been told that the reason of this is
that each and all things in heaven
have relation to the one God as to their end.
From all this also it was evident
that everything of thought
and of the consequent discourse
flows in through heaven from the Lord,
and that from this
there is such a harmony in discourse closing in a unity.

AC 7186 - Evil Is Removed by Degrees

AC 7186 [1, 3]

That "Jehovah said unto Moses,"
means instruction about the law Divine,
is because at the end of the preceding chapter
it was believed from the law Divine,
that it would come to pass
that those who are of the spiritual church
would be immediately liberated from infestations;
when yet it is according to order
that the evil who infest
should be removed by degrees,
and that they who are of the spiritual church
should be liberated by degrees;
for such is the Divine order;
and therefore such is the law Divine;
for all law Divine is of order,
insomuch that whether we say the law Divine,
or the law of Divine order, it is the same.

Those who believe that a person
can be immediately introduced into heaven,
and that this is solely of the Lord's mercy,
are very much mistaken.
If this were possible,
all whatsoever who are in hell
would be raised into heaven,
for the Lord's mercy extends to all.
But it is according to order
that everyone carries with him his life
which he had lived in the world,
and his state in the other life is according to this,
and that the mercy of the Lord flows in with all,
but is diversely received,
and by those who are in evil, is rejected;
and as in the world
they have permeated themselves with evil,
they also retain it in the other life,
nor is amendment possible in the other life,
for the tree lies where it has fallen.
From all this it is evident
that it is according to order
that those who have lived in good,
and with whom there are also gross and impure things
which pertain to the love of the world and the love of self,
cannot be associated with those who are in the heavens
until these things have been removed.
From all this it is evident
that liberation from infestations
is effected successively by degrees.

AC 7167 - The Law Divine

AC 7167

For the law Divine
is truth Divine proceeding from the Lord,
and that which proceeds from the Lord
is Divine good and truth;
and Divine good is love and charity,
and Divine truth is faith.

AC 7155 - "They Saw They Were in Evil"; AC 7161 - Odor and Stink

AC 7155 - "They Saw They Were in Evil

. . . that by "they saw that they were in evil" (Exodus 5:19)
is meant that they perceived themselves
to be near damnation.
For as those who are in despair
suppose that they can no longer endure the assaults,
they think that they must need
to deliver themselves up as captives to falsities,
such being the state of despair;
but then they begin to be relieved,
and to be led as it were out of thick darkness into light.

AC 7161 - Odor and Stink

. . . the meaning of "odor,"
as being the perceptivity of what is grateful;
and as "odor" denotes the perceptivity of what is grateful,
it denotes the perceptivity of faith and charity,
for these are grateful;
and because these are grateful,
compliance is most grateful,
for compliance is the very good itself of faith and charity;
so here it is that by "odor" is here meant compliance.

As "odor" denotes all that which is grateful to the Lord,
so "stink" denotes that which is ungrateful to the Lord,
consequently "stink" denotes aversion,
and also abomination.
Moreover, "stink" actually corresponds to
the aversion and abomination which are of falsity and evil.
As "stink" denotes that which belongs to aversion,
it is used in the Word to denote aversion . . ..

AC 7131 - Stubble for Straw; AC 7153 - What Seems to Matter Little

AC 7131 - Stubble for Straw

To gather stubble for straw.
(Exodus 5:12)

That this means to find some truth of memory-knowledge,
is evident from the meaning of "stubble for straw,"
as being the truth of memory-knowledge,
for "stubble" denotes such truth
as is accommodated to the memory-knowledge
that is signified by "straw."
That "stubble" denotes such truth
is because it is the stalk in the top of which is the seed,
and by "seeds" in the Word are meant truths and goods;
thus by the stalk which is beneath them
is meant the general vessel of truth,
consequently the truth of memory-knowledge;
for the memory-knowledges of faith and charity
are indeed truths, but general truths,
thus are the recipient vessels
of particular and singular truths,
as can also be seen by everyone.

AC 7153 - What Seems to Matter Little

These then are the things contained in these verses
in the internal sense,
and which to people
may perhaps appear as of but little moment,
and also disconnected;
nevertheless they are each of them
essential to the subject treated of,
and cohere most beautifully.
That this is so is perceived by the angels,
for they see the series and connection of things
in the light of heaven,
together with countless secret things
that are shaped from interior truths,
giving rise to a form that is most beautiful and pleasing;
which cannot possibly be done by a person,
because interior truths have been hidden from him,
and consequently he cannot connect them together;
but they appear to him disconnected,
and therefore, as just said, of little moment.

AC 7122 - The Combat for Our Soul

AC 7122

. . . before truths and goods can appear,
and the person can then be associated
with those who are in heaven,
it is necessary that these evils and falsities be uncovered,
so that he may see them and know them,
and thus learn what is true and what is good.
This cannot possibly be done
without combat with the evils and falsities in himself;
which combat takes place actually,
the evil spirits exciting falsities and evils,
and the angels excusing if the end has been good,
and instilling truths.
This is perceived as if it were in himself,
as is the case with temptation in a person,
which is felt no otherwise than as being in him,
when yet it is
the combat of angels with evil spirits outside of him.

AC 7090 - Temptations and the Church Militant

AC 7090 [3-4]

At this day also,
those who are of the church and have filled their ideas
with worldly and also with earthly things,
and have caused the truths of faith
to be joined to such things,
are let down to the lower earth,
and are also in combats there;
and this until these worldly and earthly things
have been separated from the truths of faith,
and such things have been implanted
as will prevent their being further joined together.
When this is over,
they are lifted up from there into heaven;
for until such things have been removed,
they cannot possibly be with the angels,
because these worldly and earthly things
are darkness and defilements,
which do not accord with the light and purity of heaven.
These worldly and earthly things
cannot be separated and removed
except by means of combats against falsities.
These combats take place in this way:
they who are in the lower earth
are infested by the fallacies and derivative falsities
which are sent forth from the infernals round about,
but are refuted by the Lord through heaven;
and at the same time truths are instilled,
and these truths appear
as if they were in those who are in the combats.

So it is that the spiritual church is to be called "militant."
But at this day it is rarely a militant church
with anyone in the world,
for while the person of the church lives in the world
he cannot endure combat,
because of the crowd of evil ones
in the midst of whom he is;
and because of the flesh in which he is,
which is weak.
In the other life
a person can be kept firmly in the bonds of conscience,
but not so in the world;
for if in the world he is brought into anything of despair,
as those are wont to be who are in combats,
he forthwith bursts these bonds;
and if he bursts them,
he then yields;
and if he so yields,
it is all over with his salvation.
So it is that few within the church at this day
are admitted by the Lord
into combats for truths against falsities.
These combats are spiritual temptations.

AC 7089 - The Divine Law

AC 7089

By the Divine law which Moses represents
is meant the Word such as it is in its internal sense,
thus such as it is in the heavens;
but by doctrine is meant the Word
such as it is in its literal sense,
thus as it is on the earth;
how much these differ,
can be seen from what has been thus far unfolded
in respect to the internal sense of the Word.

Take as an illustration the ten commandments,
which specifically are called the "Law."
The literal sense of these is that parents are to be honored,
that murder is not to be committed,
nor adultery, nor theft, and so on;
but the internal sense is that the Lord is to be worshiped;
that hatred must not be felt;
that truth must not be falsified;
and that we must not claim for ourselves
that which belongs to the Lord.
This is how these four commandments of the Decalogue
are understood in heaven,
and the rest also in their own way.
For in the heavens
they know no other Father than the Lord;
therefore by that parents are to be honored,
they understand that the Lord is to be worshiped:
neither do they know in the heavens what killing is,
for they live to eternity;
but instead of killing they understand feeling hatred,
and injuring the spiritual life of anyone;
neither do they know in the heavens
what it is to commit adultery,
and therefore instead they perceive
that which corresponds, namely, not to falsify truth;
and instead of stealing
they perceive not to take anything away from the Lord,
and claim it to themselves,
as for instance good and truth.

Such is this law, and the whole Word too, in the heavens;
thus such it is in the internal sense;
indeed, it is still deeper,
for most things that are thought and said in the heavens
do not fall into words of human speech,
because in the heavens is a spiritual world
and not a natural;
and the things of the spiritual world
transcend those of the natural world,
as immaterial things transcend those which are material.
Yet as material things correspond to immaterial,
the latter can be set forth by means of material things,
thus by natural speech,
but not by spiritual speech.
For spiritual speech is not a speech of material words,
but of spiritual words,
which are ideas modified into words in the spiritual aura,
and represented by variations of heavenly light,
which light in itself is nothing
but Divine intelligence and wisdom
proceeding from the Lord.
From all this it can be seen
what is meant in its genuine sense
by the Divine law which Moses represents,
and what by the doctrine derived from there,
which Aaron represents.

AC 7083 - Heat and Light

AC 7083

The heat and light in the natural world
arise from the sun of the world;
but spiritual heat and light, or love and faith,
arise from the sun of heaven.
The sun of heaven is the Lord;
the heat which comes from Him as a sun is love,
and the light which comes from Him as a sun is faith.
That the Lord is light is evident from these words in John:

Jesus said, I am the light of the world,
he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life.
(John 8:12);

and that the Lord is a sun is evident in Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured,
His face shone as the sun,
and His garments became white as the light.
(Matthew 17:2)  

AC 7058 - Moses, Aaron, the Lord and the Truth Proceeding

AC 7058 [1, 3]

And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah.
(Exodus 4:30)

That this signifies the influx
of the truth proceeding immediately
from the Divine of the Lord
into the truth which proceeds mediately,
and instruction in the details of doctrine,
is evident from the signification of "telling," as being influx;
from the representation of Moses,
as being the truth proceeding immediately
from the Divine of the Lord;
from the representation of Aaron,
as being the truth proceeding mediately
from the Divine of the Lord;
and from the signification of "all the words of Jehovah,"
as being the details of doctrine.
Instruction is signified by
"Moses told the words to Aaron,"
for instruction from the Divine
is effected by means of influx,
which influx is signified by "telling."
From all this it is evident that
by "Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah"
is signified the influx of the truth
proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord
into the truth which proceeds mediately,
and instruction in the details of doctrine.

It is said truth proceeding immediately
from the Divine of the Lord,
although in the internal sense
the subject here treated of is the Lord
when He was in the world,
and when He called upon His Father
as separate from Himself.
But how the case herein is,
has been occasionally told before, namely,
that the Divine Itself, or Jehovah, was in Him,
for He was conceived of Jehovah;
and therefore He also calls Him His "Father,"
and Himself His "Son."
But the Lord was then in the human
that was infirm by heredity from the mother,
and insofar as He was in this,
so far Jehovah or the Divine Itself
which was in Him appeared to be absent;
but insofar as the Lord was in the Human glorified,
or made Divine,
so far Jehovah or the Divine Itself was present,
and in the very Human.
From this then it can be known how it is to be understood
that the truth
which had proceeded immediately from the Divine
was from the Divine of the Lord.

AC 7044 - Purification and the Truths of Faith; AC 7048 - Representing or Being a Church; AC 7051 - The Mercy of the Lord

AC 7044 - Purification and the Truths of Faith

The reason why purification
is effected by means of the truths of faith,
is that these teach what is good,
and also what is evil,
and thus what ought to be done,
and what ought not to be done;
and when a person knows these truths,
and wills to act according to them,
he is then led by the Lord,
and is purified by His Divine means.

AC 7048 - Representing or Being a Church

That is one thing to represent a church,
and another to be a church,
is evident from the fact
that even the evil can represent a church,
but none except the good can be a church;
for to represent a church is merely external.

AC 7051 - The Mercy of the Lord

. . . the mercy of the Lord is toward
every person who abstains from evil
and is willing to live in good,
and thus who suffers himself
to be led of the Lord and to be regenerated,
which is effected by the unbroken course of his life.

 

AC 7038 - "To Serve the Lord"

AC 7038

That "to serve the Lord" denotes to perform uses,
is because true worship consists in the performance of uses,
thus in the exercises of charity.
He who believes that serving the Lord
consists solely in frequenting a place of worship,
in hearing preaching there, and in praying,
and that this is sufficient,
is much mistaken.
The very worship of the Lord consists in performing uses;
and during a person's life in the world
uses consist in everyone's discharging aright
his duty in his station,
thus from the heart being of service to his country,
to societies, and to the neighbor,
in dealing sincerely with his fellow,
and in performing kind offices with prudence
in accordance with each person's character.
These uses are chiefly the works of charity,
and are those whereby the Lord is chiefly worshiped.
Frequenting a place of worship,
hearing sermons, and saying prayers,
are also necessary;
but without the above uses they avail nothing,
because they are not of the life,
but teach what the life must be.
The angels in heaven have all happiness from uses,
and according to uses,
so that to them uses are heaven.

AC 7014 - Moses in Mount Horeb Then With Jethro

AC 7014

When Moses was in Mount Horeb
with Jehovah seen in a flame,
he then represented the Lord as to Divine truth;
but now with Jethro his father-in-law,
who is the good of the church
which is in the truth of simple good,
he represents the Lord as to truth from the Divine.
Here and elsewhere in the Word,
in the internal sense,
are described all the states of the Lord's life in the world,
how He then made His Human Divine.
That the states were successive,
can be seen from the fact
that the Lord when an infant was like an infant,
and that He afterward grew in intelligence and wisdom,
and continually instilled into these the Divine love,
even until He became the Divine love,
that is, the Divine being or Jehovah,
as to His Human also.
And as the Lord in this way successively put on the Divine,
He therefore first made Himself truth from the Divine,
afterward Divine truth, and at last the Divine good.
These were the steps of the glorification of the Lord
which are described here
and elsewhere in the internal sense of the Word.

AC 7007 - Reformation Requires Freedom Not Compulsion; AC 7012 - Enlightenment and Confirmation of Truths

AC 7007 - Reformation Requires Freedom Not Compulsion

. . . the Lord leaves to everyone his own freedom;
for unless a person is in freedom,
he can never be reformed.
Compulsion does not reform,
because it inroots nothing,
for that which is compulsory is not of a person's will;
but that which is free is of his will.
Nevertheless good and truth,
in order to be a person's as his own,
must be inrooted in his will,
for that which is outside the will is not the person's.
For this reason everyone is left to his freedom,
a person is allowed to think evil, and to do evil,
insofar as external fears do not restrain.
And also for the same reason,
in this world the wicked person is apparently glad
and in his glory more than the upright;
but the glorying and gladness of the wicked
are external, or of the body,
which in the other life
are turned into infernal unhappiness;
whereas the glorying and gladness of the upright
are internal, or of the spirit,
and remain and become heavenly happiness.

AC 7012 - Enlightenment and Confirmation of Truths

. . . the confirmation of truths
is effected by means of enlightenment from the Lord
when a person studies the Word
with the end of knowing truths.
As regards enlightenment
and the consequent confirmation of truths,
be it known that those
who are in externals without an internal
(as were the Jews and the Israelites)
cannot be enlightened;
thus neither can they be confirmed in truths,
whereas when those
who are in externals and at the same time in internals
read the Word, they are enlightened,
and in their enlightenment see truths,
in which they are afterward more and more confirmed;
and, wonderful to say,
everyone has such enlightenment
as is his affection of truth;
and such affection of truth as is his good of life.
Also so it is that those
who are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth,
but for the sake of their own advantage,
are not at all enlightened when they read the Word,
but are only confirmed in doctrinal things,
no matter of what kind,
whether false, as heresies are,
or entirely contrary to truths . . .;
for they do not seek the kingdom of the Lord,
but the world;
not faith, but fame;
thus not heavenly riches, but only earthly;
and if perchance they are seized with a desire
of knowing truths from the Word,
falsities present themselves instead of truths,
and at last there is denial of all things.
These things have been said
in order that it may be known
what enlightenment is,
and the consequent confirmation of truth.

AC 6997 - The Lord's Mercy

AC 6997 [5, 6]

. . . it is of Divine order
that goods are attended with rewards;
and so it is
that evils are attended with punishments . . ..

. . . all the punishments of the evil
arise from the mercy of the Lord toward the good,
lest these should be harmed by the evil;
yet the Lord does not impose the punishments on them,
but they do so upon themselves,
for in the other life
evils and punishments are conjoined together.
Especially do the evil impose punishments on themselves
when the Lord does mercy to the good,
for then evils increase upon them,
and consequently punishments.
It is from this
that instead of the "anger of Jehovah,"
by which are meant the punishments of the evil,
the angels understand mercy.

AC 6993 - Understanding the Lord's Divine Human

AC 6993

For from the Lord's Divine Human itself
proceeds Divine truth,
which is called the "Holy Spirit";
and because when the Lord was in the world
He was Himself the Divine truth,
He Himself taught the things that were of love and faith,
and at that time not by the Holy Spirit,
as He Himself teaches in John:

The Holy Spirit was not yet,
because Jesus was not yet glorified.
(John 7:39)

But after the Lord
even as to the Human
was made Jehovah, that is, Divine good,
which was after the resurrection,
then He was no longer Divine truth,
but this proceeded from His Divine good.
That the "Holy Spirit" is the Divine truth
which proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human,
and not any spirit or spirits from eternity,
is very evident from the Lord's words
cited in the passage above,
namely, that "the Holy Spirit was not yet";
also that a spirit cannot himself proceed,
but the holy of the spirit,
that is, the holy which proceeds from the Lord,
and which a spirit utters.

From all this then it follows that the whole trinity,
namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
is perfect in the Lord,
and thus that there is one God,
and not three,
who being distinct as to persons
are said to constitute one Divine.
That in the Word mention has been made of
"Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"
was that people might acknowledge the Lord
and also the Divine in Him.
For mankind was in such thick darkness,
as he also is at this day,
that otherwise he would not have acknowledged
any Divine in the Lord's Human;
for this, being wholly incomprehensible,
would have been to him above all belief.
And moreover it is a truth that there is a Trine,
but in one, namely, in the Lord;
and it is also acknowledged in Christian churches
that the Trine dwells perfectly in Him.
Moreover, the Lord openly taught
that He was one with the Father (John 14:9-12);
and that the holy, which the Holy Spirit speaks,
is not of the Spirit but of the Lord; in John:

The Paraclete, the Spirit of truth,
will not speak from Himself,
but whatever He hears,
He will speak.
He will glorify Me,
for He will take of what is Mine,
and announce it to you.
(John 16:13-14)

AC 6980, 6982 - Moses Represents the Lord as to the Divine Law in His Human

AC 6980

And Moses said unto Jehovah.
(Exodus 4:10)

That this means perception from the Divine
is evident from the meaning of "saying,"
in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive;
and from the representation of Moses
as being the Lord
in respect to the Divine law in the Human
when He was in the world.
The Divine which is the source,
is meant by "Jehovah."
Consequently, it is plain
that by "Moses said unto Jehovah" is meant
that the Lord from His Divine
had perception in His Human.

AC 6982

I am not a man of words.
(Exodus 4:10)

That this means that he has no speech,
is evident from the meaning of "not a man of words,"
as being not to have the faculty of speaking,
thus to have no speech.
How this is shall be told.
Here in the supreme sense
the subject treated of is the Lord,
for Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine,
thus as to truth Divine.
The truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine
cannot be heard by anyone,
not even by any angel;
for in order to be heard
the Divine must first become human;
and it becomes human
when it passes through the heavens;
and when it has passed through the heavens
it is presented in human form, and becomes speech,
which speech is uttered by spirits,
who when they are in this state,
are called the "Holy Spirit,"
and this is said to proceed from the Divine,
because the holy of the spirit,
or the holy truth which the spirit then speaks,
proceeds from the Lord.
From this it can be seen
that the truth
which proceeds immediately from the Divine
cannot be presented to anyone as discourse or speech,
except through the Holy Spirit.
This is meant in the supreme sense
by the statement that Moses,
who represents the Lord as to truth Divine,
says that "he is not a man of words;"
and by the fact that Aaron his brother
was adjoined to him,
who was to him "for a mouth,"
and he to Aaron "for God."

AC 6970 - Faith in Worldly Things and Faith in Spiritual Things

AC 6970

The internal sense does not treat of worldly things,
as does the external historic sense;
but of spiritual things.
Faith in worldly things is quite different
from faith in spiritual things, as for example:
to believe that people will do as they speak;
that a person is true or not true;
that to insure success, a person should do so and so,
and not otherwise;
that what is said or written is worthy of credit, or not,
besides numberless like things;
such are matters of faith in worldly things,
as also here
that the sons of Israel
were to be liberated from bondage in Egypt.
But to believe that there is a heaven and a hell;
that people will live after death,
the good in happiness to eternity,
the evil in unhappiness;
that the life remains with everyone;
that faith and charity make spiritual life,
and that this is the life which the angels have in heaven;
that the Lord has all power in the heavens and on earth,
as He Himself says (Matt. 28:18);
that from Him we live;
that the Word is the doctrine of heavenly and Divine truths;
and the like -
such are matters of faith in spiritual things,
and are here meant by "believing."

Then Jesus came to them and said,
"All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to Me."
(Matthew 28:18)

 

Readings for Lent 2023

For many in the Christian world the observance of Lent in preparation for Easter is an important time.

In respect for this tradition, attached are two PDF files for a reading of the Gospels during Lent:

-- One is reading the Gospels in the order they occur, from the first of Matthew to the end of John.  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Xh7Sa8BDJs_Oao_yQofgSDeLo5AhLUueWrc2COIgEkQ/edit?usp=sharing

-- The other is a reading of the Gospels in the order of events, as best as can be determined. There are many of these 'harmonies'. Unfortunately because the Gospels themselves don't give the same stories in the same order (probably because of the internal sense of each which is different), it isn't always easy to marry the narrative. But if one is wondering what story happened when, this is will give a somewhat accurate picture. If you just want to read what happens from Palm Sunday to Easter morning, that is clearly noted.
"Lent Reading Gospel Order 2023" 

 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Nqa6SB6CZuXAaxSYwh4sOYuJR0oBDz9huHl_eOap4f0/edit?usp=sharing 

Note:  Some of the formatting in Excel did not copy well into Google Files. 
My apologies, but should still be workable.

 

AC 6916 - That Good May Become Good; AC 6936 - Taking Care of Body and Mind

AC 6916 - That Good May Become Good

. . . in order that good may become good,
there must be truths to qualify it.
The reason is that when anyone lives according to truths,
the truths themselves then become goods;
and therefore such as is the quality of the truth,
such becomes the good.
This good afterward associates and adjoins to itself
no other truths than such
as are in accord with its own quality,
consequently no other than such as are helpful,
thus which are in the neighborhood and in the house.

AC 6936 - Taking Care of Body and Mind

Everyone ought to take care of his body
in respect to its food and clothing.
This must come first,
but to the end
that there may be a sound mind in a sound body.
And everyone ought to take care of his mind
in respect to its food, namely,
in respect to such things
as belong to intelligence and wisdom,
to the end that his mind may thus be in a state
to serve the Lord;
he who does this,
takes good care of himself for eternity.
But he who takes care of his body merely
for the sake of the body,
and does not think of soundness of mind,
and who does not take care of his mind
in respect to such things as are of intelligence and wisdom,
but in respect to such things as are contrary thereto,
takes bad care of himself for eternity.
From all this it is evident in what way
everyone ought to be neighbor to himself,
namely, not in the first place but in the last;
for the end must not be for himself, but for others;
and where the end is, there is the first.

AC 6904 - The Life of Truth

AC 6904

The life of truth is the life which those live
who are of the spiritual church;
for the truth which they know from the Word,
or from the doctrine of their church,
when it is made of the life,
is called good,
but it is truth in act.

AC 6880 - "I AM WHO I AM."

AC 6880

"I AM WHO I AM."
(Exodus 3:14)

That this means the Being and Coming-forth
of all things in the universe,
is evident from the fact that "I AM" is Being,
and because He alone is Being,
it is said in the nominative case.
That it is twice said "I AM," that is, "I AM WHO I AM,"
is because the one means Being
and the other Coming-forth;
thus the one signifies the Divine Itself,
which is called the "Father,"
and the other the Divine Human,
which is called the "Son;"
for the Divine Human comes-forth from the Divine Itself.

But when the Lord as to the Human
also was made the Divine Being [Esse] or Jehovah,
then the Divine truth,
which proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human,
is the Divine Coming-forth from the Divine Being.
From this it can be seen
that the Divine Being cannot communicate Itself to anyone
except through the Divine Coming-forth;
that is, the Divine Itself cannot communicate Itself
except through the Divine Human,
and the Divine Human can not communicate itself
except through the Divine truth,
which is the Holy of the Spirit:
this is meant by its being said
that all things were made by the Word (John 1:3).

It appears to a person as if the Divine truth were not such
that anything can come forth by means of it;
for it is believed that it is like a voice,
which being uttered with the lips, is dissipated.
But it is altogether otherwise;
the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord
is the veriest (most complete) reality,
and such a reality that all things have come forth from it,
and all things subsist from it;
for whatever proceeds from the Lord
is the veriest (most complete) reality in the universe;
and such is the Divine truth, which is called the "Word,"
through which all things were made.

AC 6879 - The First of the Church

AC 6879

. . . the first of the church
is the knowledge that there is a God,
and that He is to be worshiped.
His first quality to be known
is that He created the universe,
and that the created universe subsists from Him.

 

AC 6873 - 3 Instructions From the Burning Bush; AC 6876 - "The God of Your Fathers"

AC 6873 - 3 Instructions From the Burning Bush

And Moses said unto God,
Behold I come unto the sons of Israel,
and say to them,
The God of your fathers has sent me unto you;
and they say to me, What is His name?
What shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses,
I AM WHO I AM;
and He said, Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel,
I AM has sent me unto you.
And God said further unto Moses,
Thus shall you say unto the sons of Israel,
Jehovah the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob,
has sent me unto you;
this is My name forever,
and this is My memorial unto generation and generation.
(Exodus 3:13-15)

"And Moses said unto God,"
means perception from the Divine;
"Behold I come unto the sons of Israel,"
means about those who are of the spiritual church;
"and say unto them,
The God of your fathers has sent me unto you,"
means that the Divine of the Ancient Church
will be with those who are of the spiritual church;
"and they say to me, What is His name?"
means His quality;
"what shall I say unto them?"
means what answer;
"and God said unto Moses,"
means the first instruction;
"I AM WHO I AM,"
means the Being and Coming-forth
of all things in the universe;
"and He said, Thus shall you say unto the sons of Israel,"
means the second instruction;
"I AM has sent me unto you,"
means that the Divine Coming-forth shall be in that church;
"and God said further unto Moses,
Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel,"
means the third instruction;
"Jehovah the God of your fathers,"
means the Divine of the Ancient Church;
"the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob,"
means the Divine Itself,
and the Divine Human, thus the Lord;
"has sent me unto you,"
means that He will be in their church;
"this is My name forever,"
means that the Divine Human
is the quality of the Divine Itself;
"and this is My memorial unto generation and generation,"
means that He must be worshiped perpetually.

AC 6876 - "The God of Your Fathers"

And say unto them,
The God of your fathers has sent me unto you.
(Exodus 3:13)

That this means that the Divine of the Ancient Church
will be with those of the spiritual church
is evident from the meaning of the "God of their fathers"
as being the Divine of the Ancient Church;
from the representation of the sons of Israel,
here meant by "you" as being those of the spiritual church;
and from the meaning of "being sent" as being to proceed;
here that he will be with them,
for it is said of the Divine of the Ancient Church
that this shall be in the spiritual church,
which is represented by the sons of Israel.

The Divine which was of the Ancient Church
was the Lord as to the Divine Human;
the Ancient Church had this from the Most Ancient,
and also from the fact
that Jehovah was seen by them in a human form.
When therefore they thought of Jehovah,
they did not think of a universal entity,
of which they could have had no idea,
but of the Human Divine,
into which they could determine their thought;
for in this way they could both think of Jehovah
and be conjoined with Him by love.
Those who were of the Ancient Church,
and especially those of the Most Ancient,
were much wiser than the people of our times,
and yet they could not think otherwise of Jehovah
than as of a Man, whose Human was Divine;
nor did there then flow into their thought
any unbecoming idea taken from the natural man,
and his infirmity and evil,
but that which flowed in concerning Him was all holy.
The angels themselves,
who so far excel men in wisdom,
cannot think otherwise of the Divine,
for they see the Lord in the Divine Human;
they know that an angel,
with whom all things are finite,
can have no idea whatever of the Infinite,
except by what is like the finite.

That in ancient times
they adored Jehovah under a human Divine
is very evident from the angels seen by
Abraham in human form, also afterward by Lot,
and likewise by Joshua, by Gideon, and by Manoah,
which angels were called "Jehovah,"
and were adored as the God of the universe.
At this day if Jehovah were to appear in the church as a man,
people would take offense,
and would think that He could not possibly be
the Creator and Lord of the universe,
because He was seen as a man;
and moreover they would not have any other idea of Him
than as of a common man.
In this they believe themselves wiser than the ancients,
not knowing that in this
they are altogether removed from wisdom;
for when the idea of the thought is directed
to a universal entity altogether incomprehensible,
the idea falls into nothing, and is totally dissipated;
and then in its place comes the idea of nature,
to which each and all things are attributed.
Consequently, at this day
the worship of nature is so common,
especially in the Christian world.

AC 6866, 6872 - The State of the Lord's Humiliation When he Was in the World

AC 6866

So far as the Lord was in the human not yet made Divine,
so far He was in humiliation;
but so far as He was in the Human made Divine,
so far He could not be in humiliation,
for so far He was God and Jehovah.
The reason why He was in humiliation
when in the human not yet made Divine,
was that the human which He took from the mother
was evil by heredity,
and this could not come near to the Divine
without humiliation;
for in genuine humiliation
a person divests himself of all ability
to think and do anything from himself,
and wholly leaves himself to the Divine,
and thus draws near to the Divine.
The Divine was indeed in the Lord,
because He was conceived of Jehovah,
but this appeared remote
insofar as His human
was in the heredity from the mother;
for in spiritual and heavenly things
it is unlikeness of state
that causes removal and absence,
and it is likeness of state
that causes approach and presence;
and it is love that makes likeness and unlikeness.
All this shows from where came the state of humiliation
with the Lord when He was in the world;
but afterward, when He put off all the human
which He took from the mother,
insomuch that He was no longer her son,
and put on the Divine,
then the state of humiliation ceased,
for then He was one with Jehovah.

AC 6872 [2, 4]

Every person's quality is known from his love;
for love is the being of the life of everyone,
from it springing the veriest life itself;
such therefore as the love is with a person,
such is the person.
. . . if there is with a person
the love of God and the love of the neighbor,
and consequently the love of good and truth,
also of what is just and honorable,
then however he may appear in the outward form,
he is an angel as to his spirit
which lives after death.
But He with whom there is Divine love,
which was with the Lord alone, is God;
thus His Human was made Divine
when He received in the Human
the love of His Father, which was the being of His life.
From all this it can be seen what is meant by
the perception and acknowledgment
of the Divine from love.

From all this it can be seen
that a person is made altogether new
when he is being regenerated,
for then each and all things with him
are so disposed as to receive heavenly loves.
Nevertheless with a person
the prior forms are not destroyed,
but only removed;
but with the Lord the prior forms,
which were from the maternal,
were completely destroyed and extirpated,
and Divine forms were received in their place.
For the Divine love does not agree
with any but a Divine form;
all other forms it absolutely casts out;
so it is that the Lord when glorified
was no longer the son of Mary.

AC 6853 - For I have Known Their Sorrows; AC 6860 - The Hivite and the Jebusite

AC 6853 - For I have Known Their Sorrows

For I have known their sorrows.
(Exodus 3:7)

That this means foresight in regard to
how much they would be immersed in falsities,
is evident from the meaning of "knowing,"
when said of the Lord, as being foresight
(that "to know" denotes foresight is
because the Lord knows each and all things from eternity);
and from the signification of "sorrows,"
as being immersion in falsities;
for when those who are in good
are immersed in falsities,
they come into anguish and anxieties,
and are tormented;
for they love truths and abhor falsities,
and constantly think about salvation,
and about their unhappiness
if falsities should rule with them.
But those who are not in good,
care not whether they are in falsities or in truths,
for they do not think at all about salvation,
or about unhappiness,
because they do not believe in these things.
The delights of the loves of self and of the world
take away all belief about the life after death.
These persons are perpetually immersed in falsities.
Immersion in falsities appears in the other life
like one who is immersed in waves,
which according to the abundance of falsities
rise higher and higher,
until at last they rise over his head;
the waves appearing thinner or denser
according to the quality of the falsities.
With the wicked
the immersion appears as a mistiness
and as a cloudiness more or less dusky,
which compasses them about,
and quite separates them
from the serenity of the light of heaven.

AC 6860 - The Hivite and the Jebusite

And the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
(Exodus 3:8)

That this means occupied by idolatry
in which there is something of good and truth,
is evident from the representation of the Hivite,
as being idolatry in which there is something of good;
and from the representation of the Jebusite,
as being idolatry in which there is something of truth.
That such things are meant by these nations,
can be seen from the fact
that it was permitted that a covenant should be made
with the Gibeonites
by Joshua and the elders (Josh. 9:3 seq.);
and that they were made hewers of wood
and drawers of water for the house of God (verses 23, 27);
that these were Hivites see verse 7, and 11:19.
That by the Jebusites are represented
those who were in idolatry,
but in which there was something of truth,
can be seen from the fact
that the Jebusites were long tolerated in Jerusalem,
and were not driven out of it
(Josh. 15:63; 18:28; 2 Sam. 5:6-10).

AC 6489 - The Lord's Protection of Us

AC 6489 [1-2]

. . . the Lord is presented before a person
in no other way than by an internal looking,
which is effected through the faith that is from charity.
If the Lord appears to anyone in an outward form,
still it is the interiors which are affected,
for the Divine penetrates to the inmosts.
In regard to the interiors not being injured
by the presence of the Divine Itself,
and that on this account they were protected,
the case is this.
The Divine Itself is pure love,
and pure love is like a fire which is more ardent
than the fire of the sun of this world;
and therefore if the Divine love in its purity
were to flow into any angel, spirit, or person,
they would utterly perish.
So it is that Jehovah or the Lord
is in the Word so often called a "consuming fire."
Lest therefore the angels in heaven should be injured
by the influx of heat from the Lord as a sun,
they are each of them veiled over
by a certain thin and suitable cloud,
whereby the heat flowing in from that sun is tempered.

That without this preservation
everyone would perish at the presence of the Divine
was known to the ancients;
and therefore they were afraid to see God,
as is evident in the book of Judges:

Gideon saw that he was an angel of Jehovah;
and therefore Gideon said,
Ah Lord Jehovih,
forasmuch as I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face.
And Jehovah said to him,
Peace be to thee;
fear not, for thou shalt not die.
(Judges 6:22-23)

Manoah said unto his wife,

Dying we shall die, because we have seen God.
(Judges 13:22).

And in the book of Exodus:

Jehovah said unto Moses,
Thou canst not see My faces,
for no man shall see Me and live.
(Exodus 33:20)

When therefore it was given Moses to see God,
he was put into a hole of the rock (verse 22);
by which was represented the obscurity of faith,
and also the cloudiness which covered him over,
and by which he was protected.

AC 6844, 6845 - "Take off your shoes from upon your feet"

AC 6844

Take off your shoes from upon your feet'
(Exodus 3:5)

means that the powers of the senses,
which form the external levels of the natural,
should be removed.
This is clear from the meaning of 'shoes'
as the powers of the senses
forming the external levels of the natural;
and from the meaning of 'feet' as the natural.
'Taking off' plainly means removing
since one is talking about the powers of the senses.
Particular expressions have to be used
in application to the actual matter to which they refer;
thus 'being taken off' is applied to shoes,
and 'being removed' to the powers of the senses.
The implications of all this need to be stated.
Everyone can see that shoes here represent
something that was not in agreement with the holy Divine,
and thus that to pull off the shoes
was representative of the removal of such things
Without this representation
what would it matter to the Divine
whether a person drew near in shoes or in bare feet,
provided that inwardly he is the kind of person
who can draw near the Divine in faith and love?
Therefore the powers of the senses
are meant by 'shoes',
and those powers,
which form the external levels of the natural,
are by nature such that they cannot remain
when one thinks with reverence about the Divine.
Consequently because it was a time
when representatives had to be observed,
Moses was not allowed to draw near with his shoes on.

The reason why the powers of the senses
that form the external levels of the natural
are by nature such that they cannot receive the Divine
is that they are steeped in ideas
of worldly, bodily, and also earthly things
because they are the first to receive them.
Therefore sensory impressions
contained in the memory as a result of
the activity of the senses
draw their nature from the light and heat of the world,
and hardly at all from the light and heat of heaven.
As a consequence they are the last things
that can be regenerated, that is,
receive something of the light of heaven.
This explains why,
when a person is ruled by his senses
and sensory impressions control his thinking,
he inevitably thinks of the Divine
as he does of earthly things.
If also he is ruled by evil
those impressions make him think in ways
altogether contrary to the Divine.
When therefore a person thinks
about the kinds of things that have to do with
faith and love to God he is raised,
if he is governed by good,
from the powers of the senses
which form the external levels of the natural
to more internal levels,
consequently from earthly and worldly things
nearer to celestial and spiritual ones.

This is something people do not know about,
the reason being that they do not know
that internal levels distinct and separate from external ones
are present within them,
or that thought exists on increasingly internal levels
as well as on more external ones.
And unaware of these things
a person cannot reflect on them.
But see what has been stated already
about thought ruled by sensory impressions:

-- People whose thought is ruled by sensory impressions
have little wisdom.

-- A person may be raised above the level of the senses,
and when he is raised he comes into a quite gentle light;
and this happens especially to those
who are being regenerated.

AC 6845

Consequently when a person is about to receive the Divine,
that is, matters of faith and love,
he is raised from the powers of the senses;
and once he has been raised from them,
the Divine no longer flows in there,
into the external level of the senses,
but into the more internal level
to which the person has been raised.
 

AC 6843 - The Lord Warns Moses, "Do not draw near here."

AC 6843

'And He said, Do not draw near here'
means that in thinking about the Divine
he should not do so as yet
with the powers of the senses.
This is clear from the meaning of 'drawing near Jehovah'
as thinking about the Divine.
The reason why the expression 'drawing near'
when used of a person's approach to the Lord
means thought about the Divine
is that a person cannot draw near the Divine physically
in the way one person draws near another,
 only mentally, that is, in thought and will.
No other kind of approach can be made to the Divine,
for the Divine is above the things
that belong to space and time
and is present in those things with a person
which are called states,
that is to say, states of love and states of faith,
thus states of both powers of the mind - will and thought.
It is by means of these
that a person can draw near the Divine.
This explains why here 'Do not draw near here'
means that in thinking about the Divine
he should not do so with his outward sensory powers,
meant by his shoes which he had first to take off.
The expression 'as yet' is used
because the outward sensory powers of the natural
are regenerated last
and so are the last to receive influx from the Divine.
And the state which is the subject here
was not yet such
that the sensory powers could receive
the things that flowed in.

AC 6834 - He Made Himself the Law Divine

AC 6834

The Divine good of the Divine love
is the very solar fire in the other life,
which fire is so ardent
that if it were to light on anyone
without an intermediate tempering,
even on an angel of the inmost heaven,
he would be deprived of all sense, and would perish.
Such is the ardor of the Lord's Divine love.
But when the Lord was in the world,
and united the human essence to the Divine essence,
He received the fire of this love in His Human,
and united it to the truth there
when He made Himself the law Divine.
This then is what is meant by the Divine truth
being united to the Divine good in the natural.

AC 6825 - The First Three Chapters of Exodus; AC 6828 - The Wilderness; AC 6829 - During and After Temptation

AC 6825 - The First Three Chapters of Exodus

In the first chapter, in the internal sense,
the subject treated of
was the infestation by falsities and evils of those
who are of the church;
in the second chapter
it was the beginnings and successive states
of truth Divine with them;
in this chapter in the internal sense
the subject treated of is their liberation;
and then for the first time they are instructed
who the God is who has liberated them,
that it is the Lord;
and that He introduces them into heaven
after they have been endowed
with a large amount of truth and good.

AC 6828 - The Wilderness

. . . he who is in temptation
is in vastation and in desolation,
because the falsity and evil in him
come out and darken and almost take away
the influx of truth and good from the Lord;
and the truth which flows in
does not appear to him to have sufficient life
to disperse the falsities and evils.
Moreover, evil spirits are then present,
who inject grief, and despair of salvation.
That a "wilderness" means such a state,
is evident from very many passages in the Word;
and as a "wilderness" meant a state of temptation,
and the number "forty" its duration,
however long or short,
therefore the sons of Israel
were in the wilderness forty years;
and therefore the Lord was in the wilderness
forty days when He was tempted (Matt. 4:2; Mark 1:13).

AC 6829 - During and After Temptation

When a person is in temptation,
he is beset round by falsities and evils
which impede the influx of light from the Divine,
that is, the influx of truth and good,
and then the person is as it were in darkness.
Darkness in the other life
is nothing else than being besieged by falsities,
for these take away the light
from the person who is in temptation,
and thus the perception of consolation by truths.
But when the person emerges from temptation,
then the light appears with its spiritual heat,
that is, truth with its good,
and from this he has gladness after anxiety.
This is the morning
which in the other life follows the night.
The reason why good is then perceived,
and truth appears,
is that after temptation
truth and good penetrate toward the interiors,
and there take root.
For when a person is in temptation,
he is as it were in hunger for good,
and in thirst for truth;
and therefore when he emerges
he draws in good as a hungry man devours food,
and receives truth as a thirsty man imbibes drink.
Moreover, when light from the Divine appears,
falsities and evils are removed,
and when these are removed,
the way is opened for truth and good
to penetrate more interiorly.
These are the reasons why after temptations
the good of love appears with its light from the Lord.
That after the obscurity and anxiety of temptations,
brightness and gladness appear,
is known to all in the other life,
because it is there a common occurrence.

AC 6818 - Loving Good

AC 6818

. . . each individual person is the neighbor,
yet no one person in the same way as another,
and that one governed by good
is pre-eminently the neighbor,
which means that the good present with a person
is what one should love.
For when one loves good
one loves the Lord
since the Lord is the One from whom Good comes,
who is present within Good,
and who is Good itself.

AC 6804 - "Covenant"

AC 6804 [5]

That a "covenant" denotes conjunction (joining together)
can be seen from the covenants made between kingdoms,
and that by these they are joined together;
and that there are stipulations on each side,
which are to be kept,
in order that the conjunction may be inviolate.
These stipulations or compacts are also called a "covenant."
The stipulations or compacts
which in the Word are called a "covenant"
are on the part of man,
in a close sense,
the ten commandments, or Decalogue;
in a wider sense
they are all the statutes, commandments,
laws, testimonies, precepts,
which the Lord decreed from Mount Sinai through Moses;
and in a sense still more wide
they are the books of Moses,
the contents of which were to be observed
on the part of the sons of Israel.
On the part of the Lord
the "covenant" is mercy and election.

** Heal Me, O Lord **

Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for You are the One I praise.

(Jeremiah 17:14)

AC 6789 - The Truth Which Is of the Law from the Divine

AC 6789 [2]

True memory-knowledge,
which is here represented by Moses,
is the truth of the external church;
this truth arises from the truth
which is of the law from the Divine,
which truth also is "Moses",
and the truth which is of the law from the Divine
is the truth of the internal church.
Unless external truth is from internal truth,
it cannot be conjoined with good.
Take the Word as an illustration.
Unless the internal of the Word flows in
with those who read the Word
and abide in the literal sense,
no conjunction is effected
of truth from the Word with good;
and the internal of the Word flows in
and is conjoined with good
when the person esteems the Word holy;
and he esteems it holy when he is in good.

AC 6779 - Being in Evils

AC 6779

. . . those who are in evils never acknowledge
that charity and its works contribute to salvation,
because they cannot acknowledge
what is contrary to their life,
as this would be contrary to themselves.
And because they are in evils,
they do not even know what charity is,
nor therefore what the works of charity are.

AC 6757 - The Word Was Written; AC 6769 - "Moses Feared"

AC 6757 - The Word Was Written

. . . the Word has been written
not for people only,
but also for the spirits and angels.

AC 6769 - "Moses Feared"

And Moses feared, and said,
Surely the word is known.
(Exodus 1:14)

That this means that he was among
alienated memory-knowledges,
and not yet in truths so as to be safe,
is evident from the meaning of "fearing,"
as being not to be in safety,
for then there is fear.
That he is not in safety is because he is not in truths;
for those who are in truths
are in safety wherever they go,
even in the midst of the hells.
That those who are not yet in truths are not in safety
is because things not true communicate with evil spirits.

 

AC 6751 - The Planes of Regeneration

AC 6751

When he is being regenerated,
a person advances in the things of faith
almost as he advances in the truths not of faith
when he is growing to maturity;
in this growth, sensuous things are the first plane;
then memory-knowledges;
and upon these planes judgment afterward grows,
with one person more, with another less.
During a person's regeneration,
the generals of faith,
or the rudiments of the doctrine of the church,
are the first plane;
then the particulars of doctrine and of faith;
afterward successively things more interior.
These planes are what are enlightened
by the light of heaven;
from there comes the intellectual,
and the power of perceiving faith and the good of charity.

AC 6737 - Compassion Is From the Lord; AC 6745 - Zion and Jerusalem

AC 6737 - Compassion Is From the Lord

And she had compassion on him.
(Exodus 1:6)

. . . the meaning of "having compassion,"
as being an influx of charity from the Lord;
for when anyone from charity sees another in misery
(as Pharaoh's daughter does here
when she saw the child in the ark of rush and weeping),
compassion arises;
and as this is from the Lord, it is an admonition.
Moreover, when those who are in perception feel compassion,
they know that they are admonished by the Lord to give aid.

AC 6745 [4] - Zion and Jerusalem

When Zion and Jerusalem are mentioned together,
they mean the celestial Church,
'Zion' the internal part of it
and 'Jerusalem' the external . . ..
But when Jerusalem is mentioned without Zion
in most cases it means the spiritual Church.

 

AC 6723 - Baby Moses in His Humble Ark

AC 6723 [3-4]

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."

So it was that 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 since the ark represented something so very holy,
the mercy seat with the cherubim
was placed over the ark,
and next to the veil concealing
it there was the lampstand with lamps
and the table of gold with loaves,
both of which were signs of 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 6706 - The Neighbor and the Lord

AC 6706

The distinguishing differences of the neighbor,
which a person 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 person,
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 person of the church
than to live according to what he knows.