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

AC 8263 - To God Alone Shall Be Glory and Honor

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

AC 8271 - Humiliation

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

AC 8237 - Perspective; AC 8240 - Belief and Trust

AC 8237 - Perspective

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

AC 8240 - Belief and Trust

And they believed.
(Exodus 14:31)

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

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

AC 8227

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

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

AC 8214 - Actions and Reactions

AC 8214

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

AC 8191, 8194 - Crossing the Sea

AC 8191

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

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

AC 8194

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

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

 

AC 8179 - Prayers in Temptations

AC 8179 [2-3]

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

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

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

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

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

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

AC 8171

Do not be afraid.
(Exodus 14:13)

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

AC 8172

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

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

AC 8175

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

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

AC 8159 - The Lord Always Fights For Us

  AC 8159 [1, 2, 3-4, 5]

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

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

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

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

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

AC 8148 - The Persuasive Faith of Pharaoh and the Egyptians

AC 8148 [2-4]

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

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

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

AC 8137 - The Divine Effect

AC 8137 [3]

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

AC 8111 - Goodness

AC 8111

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

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

AC 8093 [2] - Choosing Faith Alone

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

AC 8094

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

AC 8099 [2] - Being Delivered from Infestations

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

 

AC 8078 - Different Sorts of Faith

AC 8078 [3-4]

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

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

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

AC 8051 - Making Falsity One's Own

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

AC 8056 - Milk and Honey

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

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

AC 8043 - The Maker and Former"

AC 8043 [1, 2]

For he who is conceived anew,
comes as it were again into the womb;
and he who is born anew,
goes forth as it were again from the womb;
but that which is conceived in the womb
and born from the womb
is not a person as a person,
but is the faith of charity,
for this makes the spiritual of person,
thus as it were makes the person himself anew,
for then his life is derived from this.

. . . the Lord is called "the Maker and Former from the womb,"
because He regenerates a person,
and from natural makes him spiritual;
and as regeneration is effected by means of truth and good,
therefore it is said
that He "will pour out water upon him that is thirsty,
and His spirit upon his seed;"
for by "water" is meant the truth which is of faith,
and by "spirit" the good which is of charity.

AC 8020 - If There Was Not Something Spiritual; AC 8028 - The Preparation Work of the Angels and John the Baptist

AC 8020 - If There Was Not Something Spiritual

If there were not something spiritual
in the whole and in each detail (of the Word),
the angels who are with a person
when he reads the Word
would comprehend but little,
indeed scarcely anything, from the Word;
for the angels comprehend spiritually
all things that have been described
in the Word
in a natural manner.

AC 8028 - The Work of the Angels and John the Baptist

  . . . when angels are about to come,
a spirit is sent before to prepare the way,
and that he excites fear,
and gives admonition to receive the angels courteously;
and that he interrupts;
also that at first he does not understand
what the angels speak,
but afterward when he has been reduced to a better state
he understands;
in a word, that he is continually at hand,
and prepares the lower mind,
and endeavors to avert things unworthy.
In regard to this
there occurred to me a thought about John the Baptist,
that it was according to the order of heaven
for him to be sent before
and announce the coming of the Lord,
and that he should prepare the way
that He might be worthily received,
according to what is written in
Matt. 3:3; Luke 1:17; 3:4; John 1:23.

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
"A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'"
(Matthew 3:3)

"And he will go on before the Lord,
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous --
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
(Luke 1:17)

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet,
"I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,
'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"
(John 1:23)

 

AC 7995 - The Laws of Order; AC 7999 - What Happens During Regeneration; AC 8002 - Regeneration Changes Perspective

AC 7995 - The Laws of Order

. . . all the statutes commanded to the sons of Israel
were laws of order in the external form,
but those things which they represented and signified
were laws of order in the internal form.
Laws of order are truths which are from good;
the complex of all the laws of order
is the Divine truth proceeding from
the Divine good of the Lord.
From this it is evident
that the Divine Itself of the Lord in heaven is order,
the Divine good the essential of order,
and the Divine truth its formal.

AC 7999 - What Happens in Regeneration

When a person is being regenerated,
his internal and external,
that is, the spiritual and the natural,
at first are at variance,
for the spiritual wills what is of heaven,
but the natural what is of the world.
But the spiritual then continually inflows into the natural
and brings it into agreement;
this is effected by means of truth;
and what the spiritual brings to itself in the natural
is called "bought with silver,"
that is, acquired and appropriated by means of truth.

AC 8002 [8] - Regeneration Changes Perspective

. . . before he is regenerated
a person cannot but think of reward;
but it is otherwise when he has been regenerated;
he is then indignant if anyone thinks
that he benefits his neighbor for the sake of reward,
for he feels delight and blessedness
in imparting benefits,
and not in recompense.

 

AC 7984 - What Is Vastation? AC 7989 - The Night Watches of Jehovah

AC 7984 [2] - What Is Vastation?

Vastation is deprivation.
That the evil who had been of the church
were vastated as to all good and truth,
has already been shown;
for the successive degrees of vastation
were signified by the plagues in Egypt.
But the good are vastated as to evil and falsity;
with them these are successively separated,
that is, rejected to the sides,
and goods and truth are brought together
toward the midst.
This collecting together of good and truth
is meant by "remains;"
and when they have a full state of remains,
they are then raised into heaven.
This state is that which is signified by "thirty,"
and the vastation by "four hundred."
The vastation of evil and falsity,
and the instilling of good and truth, with the good,
are effected by means of infestations,
and by means of temptations.
By the one, falsities and evils are removed;
and by the other, goods and truths, are put on;
and this even until the state becomes full.

AC 7989

A night of watches is this to Jehovah.
(Exodus 7:42)

That this means the presence of the Lord
with those who are in truth and good,
and with those who are in evil
and from evil in mere falsity,
is evident from the signification of "night,"
as being a state of damnation;
and from the meaning of the "watches to Jehovah,"
as being the presence of the Lord
and consequent protection;
for by the presence of the Lord
those are enlightened who are in good
and from good in truth,
and those are made blind
who are in evil and from that evil in falsity;
and also by the presence of the Lord
those are brought out from damnation
who are to be raised into heaven,
for they are withheld from evil and are kept in good,
and this by a strong force from the Lord;
and by the presence of the Lord
those also who are to be cast down into hell
are brought into damnation,
for according to the degree of the Lord's presence
they are in evil.
Consequently then it is
that this state and this time are called
"a night of watches to Jehovah."
The presence of the Lord
is described in what follows
by the pillar of cloud by day
and the pillar of fire by night,
to lead them (Exodus 13:21);
and His presence both with those
who were in good and truth,
and with those who were in evil and falsity,
is described by that pillar interposing itself
between the camp of Israel
and the camp of the Egyptians,
and that when Jehovah looked forth from it
to the camp of the Egyptians,
the Egyptians were immersed in the sea Suph
(Exodus 14:19, 20, 24-27).

AC 7977 - Flock and Herd

AC 7977

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

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

AC 7957, 7966 - The Spiritual Church; AC 7964 - Opposites Repel

AC 7957 - The Spiritual Church

For the spiritual church is distinguished
from the celestial church in this,
that through truth which is of faith
it is introduced into the good which is of charity,
thus that it has truth for its essential.
The initiation is effected through truth,
for through truth they are instructed what must be done,
and when they do this truth,
it is called good.
From this good,
when they have been initiated,
they afterward see truths,
according to which they again act.
From this it is evident
that whether you say "those who are of the spiritual church,"
or "those who are in truth through which is good,
and in truth which is from good,"
it is the same.

AC 7966 [2]

These are the two states
in which those who are of the spiritual church,
when in good,
are kept by the Lord --
the first, that from the good which is of the will
they see and think truth;
the second, that from this marriage of good and truth
they produce truths,
which by willing them and doing them,
again become goods,
and so on continually.
Such are the productions and derivations of truth
with those who are of the spiritual church.
In the spiritual world this is presented representatively
as a tree with leaves and fruits;
the leaves there are truths;
the fruits are the goods of truth;
the seeds are the goods themselves,
from which are the rest.

AC 7964 - Opposites Repel

. . . those who are in mere falsity from evil
are so averse to those who are in truth from good
that they cannot endure even their presence.

AC 7944 - Going and Doing; AC 7945 - "And So They Did"

AC 7944

And the sons of Israel went and they did
as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron.
(Exodus 7:28)

That this means that those who are of the spiritual church
will obey truth Divine,
is evident from the meaning of "going and doing,"
as being to obey;
from the representation of the sons of Israel,
as being those who are of the spiritual church;
and from the representation of Moses and Aaron,
as being truth Divine;
Moses internal truth,
and Aaron external.

AC 7945

So did they.
(Exodus 7:28)

That this means performance from the will,
is evident from the fact that it is said a second time "they did,"
and that the first time
it means performance from the understanding,
and this second time from the will.
For it is common in the Word
for a thing to be seemingly repeated;
but the first mention
relates to the truth which is of the understanding,
and the second to the good which is of the will.
The reason is that in every detail of the Word
there is the heavenly marriage,
which is that of good and truth;
and, in the supreme sense, the Divine marriage,
which is that of the Divine good in the Lord
and of the Divine truth proceeding from Him.
From this also it can be seen
that the Word is most holy.

AC 7919 - "Hyssop"; AC 7920 - Natural Good and Good of the Natural

AC 7919 [1, 2]

. . . "hyssop" denotes external truth as a means of purification,
because all spiritual purification is effected by means of truths.
For the earthly and worldly loves
from which a person is to be purified,
are not recognized except by means of truths,
and when these are instilled by the Lord,
there is also instilled at the same time
horror for these loves as for things unclean and damnable,
the effect of which is
that when anything of the kind flows into the thought,
this feeling of horror returns,
and consequently aversion for such things.
Thus a person is purified by truths as by an external means.

As "hyssop" has this meaning,
it was therefore employed in cleansings,
which in the internal sense
meant purifications from falsities and evils . . ..

AC7920

Natural good is that which a person has hereditarily;
and the good of the natural
is that which he has from the Lord by regeneration.

AC 7902 - When Truth is Purified From Falsity; AC 7910 - Those Who Are In the Lord

AC 7902

. . . truth is said to be purified from falsity
when the person is capable
of being kept by the Lord
in the good of innocence.
Innocence consists in acknowledging
that in oneself there is nothing but evil,
and that all good is from the Lord;
and also in believing
that a person does not know or perceive
anything from himself,
but from the Lord,
thus also the truth which is of faith.
When person is in this state,
then falsity can be removed from him,
and truth can be instilled by the Lord.
This state is what is meant by the unleavened things,
and also by the eating of the paschal lamb.

AC 7910

. . . be it known that with those who are in the Lord,
that is, who are in the life of faith and charity,
good dwells in the interiors,
and the more interiorly it dwells with them,
the purer and the more heavenly the good is;
but truth dwells in the exteriors,
and the more exteriorly it dwells with them,
the more is truth widowed from good.
The reason is
that a person as to his interiors is in heaven,
and as to his inmosts is near the Lord,
but as to exteriors he is in the world;
and so it is that the truths which are of faith
enter by an external way,
but good by an internal way,
also that the appropriation of truth
is effected in the interiors where good is.

AC 7873 - "Gods"; AC 7884 - An Eternal Statute

AC 7873 - "Gods"

In the Word "gods" are often mentioned.
When the angels are so called, truths are meant;
consequently in the opposite sense
by "the gods of the nations," are meant falsities.
That truths are called "gods"
is because truth proceeds from the Divine Itself,
and in itself is Divine;
consequently they who receive it are called "gods"-
not that they are gods,
but that the truth which is with them is Divine.
That is why in the original tongue God is called "Elohim,"
in the plural.
The Divine Itself is the Divine good,
but that which proceeds from it is the Divine truth,
which fills the universal heaven.

AC 7884 - An Eternal Statute

That "an eternal statute" denotes the order of heaven,
is because all the statutes
that were commanded to the sons of Israel
were such as flowed from the order of heaven;
consequently they also represented
the things that are of heaven.
By worship according to the order of heaven
is meant all practicing of good
according to the Lord's precepts.
By the worship of God at this day
is chiefly meant the oral worship in a temple,
both morning and evening.
But the worship of God
does not consist essentially in this,
but in a life of uses;
this latter worship is according to the order of heaven.
Oral worship is also worship,
but it is of no avail whatever
unless there is the worship that belongs to the life;
for this worship is of the heart;
and oral worship, that it may be worship,
must proceed from this.

AC 7847 - Posts and the Lintel; AC 7848 - Houses and Minds

AC 7847 - Posts and the Lintel

. . . the natural person is instructed before the rational,
and the things which the person then learns
are natural things,
in which spiritual things are successively instilled,
which are interior.
From this it is evident how the natural
in respect to truths and goods
serves to introduce.
Moreover, the lintel and the posts have a like meaning
to the forehead and hands with a person.
Angelic ideas are of such a nature
that natural things bear relation
to such things as belong to a person.
The reason is that the spiritual world or heaven
is in the form of a person,
and all things of that world, that is, all spiritual things,
which are truths and goods,
bear relation to this form . . ..
And whereas in angelic ideas
natural things become spiritual,
so also does a house,
which to the angels is the mind of a person;
the bedchambers and inner rooms
being the interiors of the mind;
and the windows, the doors, the posts, and the lintels,
the exteriors of the mind, which introduce.
As angelic ideas are of such a nature,
they are also living;
and so when the things in the natural world
which are dead objects,
pass into the spiritual world,
they become living objects;
for everything spiritual is living,
because it proceeds from the Lord.

That the "posts" and the "lintel" have a like meaning
to the forehead and hands with a person,
appears from these words in Moses:

Thou shalt love Jehovah thy God from thy whole heart,
and from thy whole soul, and from all thy forces;
thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand,
and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes;
and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house,
and on thy gates
(Deuteronomy 6:5, 8-9; 11:13, 18, 20);

because they involve a similar meaning, both are mentioned.

That in the spiritual sense the "lintel and posts"
denote the goods and truths of the natural
through which there is introduction to spiritual things,
is evident from the description of the new temple in Ezekiel,
by which is meant the spiritual church.
"Posts and lintels" are there frequently mentioned,
and they are also measured,
which would never have been done
unless they had meant something
of the church and of heaven,
that is, something spiritual;
as in the following passages in that prophet:

The priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering,
and shall put it upon the post of the house,
and upon the four corners of the projection of the altar,
and upon the post of the gate of the inner court,
on the first day of the month.
(Ezekiel. 45:18-19)

The prince shall enter by way of the porch without,
and shall stand by the post of the gate,
and the priests shall prepare his burnt-offering;
then shall he adore upon the threshold of the gate
(Ezekiel 46:2);

that by the "temple" here is not meant a temple,
but the church of the Lord,
everyone can know;
for such things as have there been described
in many chapters
never came to pass, nor will come to pass.

That in the supreme sense by "temple"
is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human,
He Himself teaches in John 2:19-22.
Therefore in the representative sense
by a "temple" is meant His church.
That an angel measured the lintels of that new temple,
see Ezekiel 40:9-10, 14, 16, 24; 41:21, 25,
which measuring would have been of no importance
unless the lintels, and likewise the numbers,
meant some thing of the church.
Because the "posts" and the "lintels"
mean the truths and goods in the natural
which serve for introduction,
therefore in that new temple
they were made square in prospect (Ezekiel 41:21);
and therefore in the temple of Solomon
the posts were made of olive wood (1 Kings 6:31, 33).
"Olive wood" mean the good of truth,
or the good which is of the spiritual church.

AC 7848 - Houses and Minds

The reason why by a "house" is also meant the will,
is that by it
is meaning a person,
and a person is a person chiefly from his will.
Moreover, whether we speak of a person,
or of his mind, it is the same;
for a person is not a person from the form of his body,
but from his mind;
and a person is such as his mind is,
that is, such as his understanding and will are,
especially such as his will is.

AC 7839 - A Full State

AC 7839

A state is called "full,"
when the good is such that there is not anything lacking
for the reception of the influx of innocence.
The truths of faith conjoined with the good of charity
cause good to be such;
for spiritual good receives its quality from the truths of faith.
This is here meant by the "full state"
which is signified by the "son of a year."
But the state is not full
when truths have not as yet qualified good,
so that this can receive
the corresponding states of innocence.
This state first becomes full
when truths are regarded from good;
and it is not yet full
when good is regarded from truths.
In this latter state are they who are being regenerated,
but in the former are they who are regenerated.
The former are in truth leading to good,
but the latter are in truth which is from good;
or the former are in obedience to truth,
but the latter are in the affection of doing truth;
and therefore the former are people of the external church,
but the latter of the internal church.

AC 7814 - 7816: Look Up!

AC 7814

People have been so created that we can look upward,
or above himself;
and can also look downward, or below himself.
To look above himself
is to look to his neighbor, to his country, to the church,
to heaven, especially to the Lord;
but to look below himself
is to look to the earth, to the world, and especially to himself.

AC 7815

That to look to his neighbor, to his country, and to the church,
is to look above himself,
is because this is to look to the Lord;
for the Lord is in charity,
and it is of charity to look
to the neighbor, to one's country, and to the church,
that is, to will well to them.
But they look below themselves
who turn themselves away from these,
and will well only to themselves.

AC 7816

To look above oneself is to be uplifted by the Lord;
for no one can look above himself,
unless he is uplifted by Him who is above.
But to look below himself is of a person,
because then he does not suffer himself to be uplifted.

AC 7802 - Long Ago

AC 7802

It was also a common thing on our earth in ancient times
to speak with spirits and angels, from a like cause,
namely, that those people thought about heaven,
and little about the world.
But this living communication with heaven
was in time closed,
as a person from internal became external,
that is, as he began to think about the world
and little about heaven,
and especially when he no longer believed
that there is a heaven or a hell,
nor that there is in himself a spirit person who lives after death.
For at this day it is believed that the body lives from itself,
and not from its spirit;
and therefore unless a person could now have faith
that he is to rise again with the body,
he would have no belief in a resurrection.

AC 7796 - "Moses and Aaron did these wonders."

AC 7796

And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh.
(Exodus 11: 10)

It is said that "Moses and Aaron did these wonders,"
when yet they were not done by them,
but by the Divine;
but it is so said
because by Moses and Aaron is represented truth Divine,
and the wonders were wrought by the Divine
by means of truth proceeding from Itself;
for all things which are done by the Divine Itself
are done by means of truth proceeding from Itself;
the Divine Itself is the being [esse] of all things,
whereas the truth proceeding from It
is the derivative manifestation [existere] of all things;
Good Itself, which is the Divine Esse,
produces all things by means of its truth.

 

AC 7780 - Millstones

AC 7780

It is said "behind the millstones"
because a "millstone" is predicated of
those things which are of faith;
for by millstones grain is ground into flour,
and is thus prepared for bread;
and by "flour" is meant the truth from which is good,
and by "bread" that very good
which is derived from those truths.
Thus "to sit at the millstones"
is to learn and be filled with such things
as may be serviceable to faith,
and through faith to charity.
For this reason the ancients, when they described
the first rudiments of the doctrine of faith,
described them by "sitting at the millstones,"
and the things which were still more rudimentary
by "sitting behind the millstones."

Because of such a meaning,
the Lord, where He teaches about
the last time of the church, says:

Two women shall be grinding at the mill,
the one shall be taken and the other left
(Matthew 24:41),

which would never have been said unless a "mill"
had meant those things which are of faith.

As to the truths of faith which are in the first place,
and those which are in the last,
be it known that those truths of faith
which immediately proceed from the good of charity
are what are in the first place,
for they are goods in form;
but the truths which are in the last place are naked truths;
for when truths are successively derived,
they recede at each step from good,
and finally become naked truths.
Such truths are meant by
"maidservants behind the millstones."

AC 7778 - The Outcome of Faith Without Charity

AC 7778 [1-3]

. . . the "firstborn in the land of Egypt"
denotes faith without charity.

As regards faith without charity,
it is to be said further
that faith without charity is not faith,
but only the memory-knowledge
of such things as are of faith;
for the truths of faith look to charity as their ultimate end,
and afterward proceed from charity as their first end.
From this it is clear
that those things which are of faith
have no existence with those who are not in charity,
and yet it is known
that the memory-knowledge of the truths of faith
does exist with them.
This memory-knowledge is that which they call faith.
And when the memory-knowledges
of the truth and good of faith
are applied by them to confirm falsities and evils,
then the truths and goods of faith
no longer exist with them,
because the truths and goods
give assent to the falsities and evils which they serve,
for then those very falsities and evils
which they confirm are seen in them.

Those things which are of genuine faith
look upward to heaven and to the Lord;
but those which are of faith separate from charity
look downward,
and when they confirm evils and falsities
they look toward hell.
From this also it is evident
that faith separate from charity is not faith.
From all this it can be seen what is meant by
the damnation of faith separate from charity,
namely, that it is the damnation of
the falsified truth and adulterated good of faith;
for when good has been falsified
it is no longer truth but falsity,
and when good has been adulterated
it is no longer good but evil;
and faith itself is no longer the faith of truth and good,
but of falsity and evil,
no matter how it may appear and sound
in the outward form.
And (what is a secret)
the quality of everyone's faith is such
as is the quality of his life.
If therefore the life has been damned,
so also has the faith;
for it is the faith of falsity
when the life is a life of evil.

AC 7770 - Are Memory-knowledges the Essential Truths and Goods of Faith?

AC 7770 [1, 3]

It is believed that the memory-knowledges of truth and good
are the very truths and goods of faith;
but they are not.
It is the affections of truth and good that make faith,
and these flow into memory-knowledges,
as into their vessels.

. . . with the evil
the knowledges of good and truth are applied to evil uses,
and with the good
the knowledges of good and truth are applied to good uses;
the knowledges are the same,
but the application to uses
effects their quality with each person.
The case herein is like that of worldly riches,
which with one person are disposed for good uses,
with another for evil uses;
consequently riches are such with each person
as are the uses unto which they are disposed.
From this also it is evident that the same knowledges,
like the same riches,
which the evil had possessed,
can be with the good and serve for good uses.

AC 7757-7758 - When Good Is Conjoined With Truth

AC 7757

The conjunction of the good of charity with the truth of faith
is effected in the interiors of a person.
The good itself which flows in from the Lord
adopts truth there,
and appropriates it to itself,
and thereby causes the good with the person to be good,
and the truth to be truth;
or the charity to be charity,
and the faith to be faith.
Without this conjunction charity is not charity,
but only natural goodness;
neither is faith faith,
but only the memory-knowledge of such things
as are of faith,
and in some cases a persuasion
that a thing is so for the sake of earning gain or honor.

AC 7758

When truth has been conjoined with good
it is no longer called truth, but good;
and so when faith has been conjoined with charity
it is no longer called faith, but charity;
the reason is
that the person then wills and does the truth,
and that which he wills and does is called good.

AC 7724 - True Worship: An Offering Made from Good Through Truth

 AC 7724

The truest kind of worship consists in an offering
made from good through truth,
for the Lord is present in good;
but worship offered from truth without good is not worship,
only outward religious ceremony and action alone
with nothing real in them
since without good
truth is no more than the knowledge of truth.
To become the truth of faith
that knowledge must be combined with good,
and when combined with good
it passes into the internal person and becomes faith.
. . . By the good from which worship springs
one should understand the good of life,
good that has been made spiritual
through combination with truth,
for spiritual good derives its particular nature from truth,
and the essence of truth is good,
so that good is the soul of truth.
From this one may again see what truth without good is like,
namely like a body without its soul, that is, like a corpse.

Three Quotes from Micah

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us His ways,
so that we may walk in His paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Every man will sit under his own vine
and under his own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
(Micah 4:2, 5)

******************************************************

He has shown you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
(Micah 6:8)

******************************************************

But as for me,
I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my savior;
my God will hear me.
(Micah 7:7)

******************************************************

AC 7715 - Three Days

AC 7715

For three days.
(Exodus 10:22)

That this signifies a full state,
is evident from the signification of "three days,"
as being a full state.
By a full state is meant an entire state
from beginning to end;
for every state has its beginning,
its increments,
and its maximum.
This period is what is meant by a full state,
and is signified by "three days."

AC 7696 - Pharaoh Says, "I have sinned."

AC 7696

And he said, I have sinned to Jehovah your God,
and to you.
(Exodus 10:16)

That this means confession
that they have not obeyed the Divine and the truth,
is evident from the meaning of "sinning,"
as being to do contrary to Divine order,
and to avert and separate one's self from it,
thus from good and truth,
consequently it also denotes not to obey
the Divine and the truth,
for he who does not obey averts himself.
The Divine is what is meant by "Jehovah your God,"
and the truth by "Moses and Aaron".

 

AC 7693 - What Is the Sensuous Person?

AC 7693

The sensuous person,
or he who thinks and acts from the sensuous,
is he who believes nothing
except what is obvious to the outward senses,
and who is led solely by the bodily appetites,
by pleasures, and by concupiscences,
and not by reasons,
believing those to be reasons which favor such things.
Such being the sensuous person,
he therefore rejects everything internal,
until at last he is not willing even to hear it mentioned;
consequently at heart he denies whatever is of heaven;
the life after death he certainly does not believe in,
because he makes life to consist solely in the body,
and therefore he supposes
that he himself will die like a beast.
He thinks as it were in the surface,
that is, in the ultimates or in the extremes,
and is quite ignorant of the existence of an interior thought
according to the perception of truth and good.
The reason why he does not know this,
nor even that there is an internal person,
is because his interiors look downward
to the things of the world, of the body, and of the earth,
with which they make a one;
consequently they have been removed
from looking upward, or to heaven,
because they look in the opposite direction.
To look upward, or to heaven,
is not to think about the things that belong to heaven,
but it is to have these things as the end,
that is, to love them more than all other things;
for a person's interiors turn to where his love turns,
and consequently so does his thought.
From all this it can be seen
what is the nature of a person's sensuous,
that is, of his natural in the extremes;
for that person is called sensuous
who thinks from what is sensuous.

AC 7673 - Stretching Out the Arm

AC 7673

Stretch out thy hand.
(Exodus 10:12)

That "to stretch out the hand" denotes the rule of power
is because the hand or arm has power
when it is stretched out;
and therefore when it is said of Jehovah
that "He stretches out the hand" or "arm,"
there is meant power unlimited or infinite in act.
This is the reason why Jehovah so often said to Moses
when miracles were to be done,
that he should "stretch out his hand" or "rod," . . ..

Also, in many passages
omnipotence is described by
"Jehovah stretching out His hand,"
as also by "His outstretched hand,"
and by "His outstretched arm" --
by "Jehovah stretching out the hand," . . ..

It is also said of Jehovah
that "He stretches out the heaven,"
and here also by "stretching out" is meant omnipotence;
that is, that He enlarges the boundaries of heaven,
and fills its inhabitants with life and wisdom . . ..

From all this it can now be seen why
Moses was commanded to stretch out his hand and rod,
and that then miracles were done;
and that thus by "stretching out the hand"
is meant the rule of power,
and in the supreme sense omnipotence.

AC 7652, 7655 - The Evil

AC 7652

. . . the evil never advise what is good
except from fear.

AC 7655

. . . the evil call all those "simple"
who are of the church
and live according to its goods and truths,
that is, a life of faith and charity.

AC 7636 - "I am Jehovah"; AC 7640 - Obedience and Humility

AC 7636 - "I am Jehovah"

That by "I am Jehovah"
is meant that the Lord is the only God,
is because the name "Jehovah" means Is,
thus Him from whom is
the being and coming-forth of all things,
who cannot but be the sole and only one.

AC 7640 - Obedience and Humility

How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me?
(Exodus 10:3)

That this means no obedience,
is evident from the meaning of "refusing to be humbled,"
as being not to obey.
This is meant because it is said to those who are in evil,
who cannot be humbled before the Divine;
for there are two things in humiliation,
namely, the acknowledgment of self,
that it is nothing but evil,
and that relatively to the Divine it is as nothing;
and the acknowledgment of the Divine,
that it is nothing but good, and is infinite.
These two things are not possible with the evil,
because they are in the love of self.
If they humble themselves it is either from fear,
or that they may be honored or enriched;
thus they humble themselves only as to the body,
and not as to the mind,
which sometimes then jeers.
Such is the humiliation of fear,
and also that for the sake of gain and honor.
Such it is before the Divine,
although they do not know this;
for the internal with those
who are in evil from the love of self
is solely to regard and magnify themselves,
and to turn away from all who do not favor.
As humiliation is not possible with the evil,
therefore in the internal sense by "to be humbled"
is meant obedience,
and thus by "refusing to be humbled"
is meant no obedience.

AC 7601 - Flax

AC 7601 [2-3, 5, 6]

It is from representatives in heaven
that "flax" means truth.
In heaven those who are in the truth of the natural
appear clothed in white,
which white appears as of linen.

The truth itself of the natural is also there represented
as if woven from the purer threads of the flax.
These threads appear like threads of silk
-- bright, beautifully translucent, and soft;
and the clothing made of them appears similar
if the truth which is so represented is from good;
but on the other hand these threads,
which are like those of flax,
do not appear translucent, nor bright, nor soft,
but hard and brittle,
and yet white,
if the truth which is so represented is not from good.

As "flax" means the truth of the exterior natural,
and the exterior natural is what clothes the interiors,
therefore this truth is what was represented by
the linen garments with which the angels were clothed;
and also by the garments of flax (or linen)
with which Aaron was clothed
when he ministered in the holy place . . ..

From all this it can also be seen why the Lord,
when He washed the feet of His disciples,
girded Himself with a linen towel,
and wiped their feet with the linen towel
with which He was girded (John 13:4, 5);
for the washing of the feet meant purification from sins,
which is effected by means of the truths of faith,
for by means of these a person is taught how to live.

AC 7596 - Gestures; AC 7598 - The Church is the Lord's

AC 7596 - Gestures

There are gestures or actions of the body
which correspond to every affection of the mind,
as falling on the knees corresponds to humiliation,
and prostration to the earth to deeper humiliation;
but the spreading out of the hands toward heaven
corresponds to supplication, and so on.
These gestures or acts in the Word
signify the very affections to which they correspond,
for the reason that they represent them.
From this it can be seen what representations are.

AC 7598 - The Church Is the Lord's

. . . the church is the Lord's,
thus the Lord is the only God of the church.
 

AC 598 - Mercy or Grace?; AC 7573 - Voices

AC 598 [2] - Mercy or Grace?

In the Word however
a distinction is made between mercy and grace,
a distinction which depends in fact
on differences in those who are their recipients.
Mercy applies to those who are celestial,
but grace to those who are spiritual,
for celestial people acknowledge nothing other than mercy,
while spiritual acknowledge hardly anything other than grace.
Celestial people do not know what grace is,
while the spiritual scarcely know what mercy is,
for they make mercy and grace to be one and the same.
The reason for the difference
springs from each one's humility.
People in whom there is humility of heart
plead for the Lord's mercy,
but those in whom there is humility of mind
seek His grace.
Or if the latter do plead for mercy
they do so in a state of temptation
or with the lips only and not with the heart.

AC 7573 [1, 6] - "Voices"

And Jehovah gave voices of thunder.
(Exodus 9:23)

As regards truth Divine in heaven and in hell,
which truth is meant by the "voices,"
. . . in heaven truth Divine is mild and gentle,
but in hell is terrible.

. . . "voices" denote truth Divine;
"thunders," those who carry it
and bring it from heaven to earth.
Everyone can see that by "thunders" and "voices"
are meant Divine things, not thunders and sounds;
and because they mean Divine things,
and are called "the voices of Jehovah,"
it is evident that they denote Divine truth.
It was for this reason
that when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai
and promulgated Divine truth
there were voices, lightnings, and thunders
(Exodus 19:16; 20:18);
and He spoke out of the midst of the fire
(Deuteronomy 4:11-12; 5:22-25).

AC 7555, 7556 - Gather in Your Cattle (Exodus 9:19-21)

AC 7555

"And now send, gather in your cattle,"
means that the truth of good should be collected;
"and all that you have in the field,"
means which is of the church;
"every man and beast,"
means interior and exterior good;
"that shall be found in the field,"
means that is of the church;
"and shall not be brought to the house,"
means which is not reserved;
"the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die,"
means that they shall be quite destroyed by falsity;
"he that feared the word of Jehovah
of the servants of Pharaoh,"
means those things in the natural mind
which were of the Lord;
"made his servants and his cattle flee unto the houses,"
means that they were stored up
and reserved in the interiors;
"and he that did not set his heart
unto the word of Jehovah,"
means the things which were not from the Lord;
"left his servants and his cattle in the field,"
means that they were not stored up and reserved.

AC 7556

The subject treated of in this verse
and in the two following,
is the good and truth which are reserved by the Lord,
even with the evil;
for the good and truth
which have not been adjoined to evils and falsities,
are not vastated;
but are stored up by the Lord in the interiors,
and are afterward brought forth for use.
The reservation of good and truth
with a person by the Lord
is meant by "remains" in the Word.

 

AC 7550 - The Lord's Power and Glory in the Word

AC 7550

That Jehovah or the Lord
in this and in many other passages
wills that His might and power may appear,
and His name be told,
and elsewhere that He be humbly worshiped and adored,
seems as if He desires to show forth His glory,
and as if He loves adoration for the sake of Himself.
But quite different is the real case.
It is not for the sake of Himself,
but for the sake of the human race;
not from self-glory,
but from love;
for He wills to be conjoined with the human race,
and to give them eternal life and happiness.
This cannot be done unless
the person is in humble worship;
and there can be no humble worship
unless the person acknowledges and believes
that he himself is dust and ashes,
that is, nothing but evil,
and that Jehovah or the Lord
is the Greatest and the Holiest,
and that he dare not from himself approach Him.
When a person is in such humble worship,
then the Lord can flow in with the life of His love,
and give heaven and eternal happiness.
This is the reason why Jehovah or the Lord
so greatly extols
His own power and glory in the Word.

AC 7517 - "Jehovah said" Means New Instruction; AC 7533 - Pharaoh's Stubborn Heart

AC 7517 - "Jehovah said" Means New Instruction

And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron.
(Exodus 9:8)           

That this means a new instruction
is evident from the signification of "Jehovah said,"
as being instruction;
that it is a new instruction
is because a new state is now treated of,
the former being ended.
The instruction which is from Jehovah
is given by means of the truth which proceeds from Him.
The truth which proceeds from Jehovah
is represented by Moses and Aaron;
internal truth by Moses,
and external truth by Aaron.

AC 7533 - Pharaoh's Stubborn Heart

And Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh.
(Exodus 9:12)

That this means that they were determined,
is evident from the meaning of
"the heart being made firm," "being hardened,"
and "being made heavy,"
as being obstinacy.
Its being said that
"Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh,"
in the internal sense means that they themselves,
and not Jehovah,
made firm their heart,
that is, that they were determined;
for it is the evil with a person
which makes him firm or determined against the Divine;
and evil comes from a person,
and flows in from hell,
but not from heaven.
Nothing but good flows in through heaven from the Lord;
evil cannot come forth from good,
still less from the veriest Good;
evil comes forth from its own origin,
 namely, from things contrary to love to God
and to love to the neighbor;
such origins exist in person,
and not at all in God.
From this it is evident that when it is said in the Word
that "God leads into evil,"
this is said according to the appearance.

AC 7503 - Animals

AC 7503

On the horses, on the asses, on the camels.
(Exodus 9:3)

That this means the intellectual things
and the memory-knowledges of the truth that is of faith,
is evident from the meaning of "horses,"
as being things of the intellect;
from the meaning of "asses,"
as being things that are of service to the intellect,
so also memory-knowledges;
and from the meaning of "camels,"
as being memory-knowledges in general.
These three animals mean things
that belong to the intellectual part;
the other animals,
which pertain to the herd and to the flock,
mean things that are of the will part.
As regards the intellectual part,
it is this which receives the truths of faith;
for the intellect is the internal sight,
which is enlightened by the light of heaven,
and insofar as it is enlightened,
it notices, sees, and acknowledges the truths of faith
when it reads the Word.
From here it is that those
who are in perception of the truth of faith,
are called "intelligent" and "wise," and also "enlightened."

AC 7501 - What Evil Spirits Do; AC 7502 - "Field"

AC 7501 - What Evil Spirits Do

When evil spirits assault anyone,
they know how to instill themselves
into the delights that belong to his cupidities (greeds),
and also into the pleasant feelings
connected with his principles,
thus into all things of his love;
and so long as they are engaged in this instilling
they withhold the person whom they are infesting
as if bound,
nor can he be loosed,
however he struggles,
except with the Lord's Divine aid,
for love
and instilling into the delight of the love
conjoin.
Such is the art
employed by evil spirits and genii in the other life.
The same thing is seen in this world;
for he who instills himself into another's delight
which is of his love,
holds him bound and also leads him.

AC 7502 - "Field"

That "field" denotes the church
is because the seeds sown in a field
mean the truths which are of faith,
and also because the produce from the field,
such as wheat, barley, spelt, and so forth,
denotes the goods which are of charity,
and the truths which are of faith,
thus such things as belong to the church.

AC 7499 - He Made His Human Divine Good

AC 7499

In the Word the Lord is called "Jehovah" as to Divine good,
for Divine good is the Divine Itself;
and the Lord is called the "Son of God" as to Divine truth,
for Divine truth proceeds from the Divine good
as a son from a father,
and also is said to be "born:"
how this is shall be further told.
When the Lord was in the world
He made His Human Divine truth,
and then called the Divine good
which is Jehovah, His "Father;"
because, as just said,
Divine truth proceeds and is born from Divine good.
But after the Lord had fully glorified Himself,
which was done
when He endured the last of temptation on the cross,
He then made His Human also Divine good,
that is, Jehovah;
and thereby the Divine truth itself
proceeded from His Divine Human.
The Divine truth is what is called the "Holy Spirit,"
and is the holy which proceeds from the Divine Human.
From this is evident
what is meant by the Lord's words in John:

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

AC 7463 - Why Pharaoh Relented Then Hardened His Heart

AC 7463 [1-2]

As regards the presence and the removal
of truth Divine with the evil,
be it known that truth from the Divine
sometimes appears to them,
and this through the presence of an angel near them;
but truth from the Divine
does not flow in with them through the interiors,
as with the good,
because with them the interiors have been closed;
but it affects their exteriors only.
When this happens they are in fear,
and from this in humiliation,
for the presence of truth from the Divine
strikes them with dismay,
and inspires them with fear as of death;
but when truth from the Divine is removed
they return into their former state and are devoid of fear.
This is what is meant by
the presence of the appearance of truth Divine,
and by its removal.
This also was represented by Pharaoh,
in that when Moses was present
he humbled himself and promised to let the people go,
that they might sacrifice to Jehovah;
but when Moses had gone forth from him
he made heavy his heart;
for as shown above,
Moses represented the law Divine, or truth Divine.

That the law Divine is the same as truth Divine,
is because the "law Divine" signifies the Word,
and thus truth Divine.

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.)