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.