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7845 Verses 7-11. And they shall take of the blood, and put it upon the two posts and upon the lintel, upon the houses in which they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and things unleavened; upon things bitter they shall eat it. Eat ye not of it raw, and by boiling boiled in waters, but roast with fire; its head upon its legs and upon its midst. And ye shall not leave of it until the morning; and that which is left of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; this is the passover of Jehovah. And they shall take of the blood, signifies the holy truth which is of the good of innocence; and shall put it upon the two posts and upon the lintel, signifies the truths and the goods of the natural; upon the houses, signifies those things which are of the will of good; in which they shall eat it, signifies enjoyment; and they shall eat the flesh, signifies the enjoyment of good; in that night, signifies along with the damnation of the evil; roast with fire, signifies the good which is of love; and things unleavened, signifies purified from all falsity; upon things bitter, signifies by means of the undelightful things of temptations; they shall eat it, signifies enjoyment; eat ye not of it raw, signifies that it shall not be without love; and by boiling boiled in waters, signifies that it shall not go forth from truth; but roast with fire, signifies that it shall go forth from love; its head upon its legs and upon its midst, signifies from the inmost to the external; and ye shall not leave of it until the morning, signifies the duration of this state before a state of enlightenment in heaven; and that which is left of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire, signifies a state of the means for the end through temptations; and thus shall ye eat it, signifies enjoyment in a state of separation from the evil who had infested, and preservation then; your loins girded, signifies in respect to the interiors; your shoes on your feet, signifies in respect to the exteriors; and your staff in your hand, signifies in respect to the intermediates; and ye shall eat it in haste, signifies the affection of separation; this is the passover of Jehovah, signifies the presence of the Lord and liberation by Him.

7846 And they shall take of the blood. That this signifies the holy truth which is of the good of innocence, is evident from the signification of blood, as being holy truth proceeding from the Lord (see n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326); and because it is the blood of a lamb, and by a lamb is signified the good of innocence (n. 3994), it denotes the holy truth which is of the good of innocence.

7847 And shall put it upon the two posts and upon the lintel. That this signifies the truths and the goods of the natural, is evident from the signification of the posts of a door, as being the truths of the natural; and from the signification of the lintel, as being its goods. The posts and the lintel have this signification because by a house is signified man himself, or his mind, and by those things which belong to a door are signified the things which serve to introduce. That these are the truths and the goods of the natural is evident; for the natural man is instructed before the rational, and the things which the man then learns are natural things, in which are successively instilled spiritual things, 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 signification to the forehead and hands with man. Angelic ideas are of such a nature that natural things bear relation to such things as belong to man. The reason is that the spiritual world or heaven is in the form of a man, and all things of that world, that is, all spiritual things, which are truths and goods, bear relation to this form, as has been shown at the end of many chapters in treating of correspondences. And whereas in angelic ideas natural things become spiritual, so also does a house, which to the angels is the mind of man; 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.[2] That the posts and the lintel have a like signification to the forehead and hands with man, 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 (Deut. 6:5, 8-9; 11:13, 18, 20);because they involve a similar meaning, both are mentioned.[3] 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 signified the spiritual church. Posts and lintels are there frequently mentioned, and they are also measured, which would never have been done unless they had signified 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 (Ezek. 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 (Ezek. 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.[4] 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 Ezek. 40:9-10, 14, 16, 24; 41:21, 25, which measuring would have been of no importance unless the lintels, and likewise the numbers, signified some thing of the church. Because the posts and the lintels signified the truths and goods in the natural which serve for introduction, therefore in that new temple they were made square in prospect (Ezek. 41:21); and therefore in the temple of Solomon the posts were made of olive wood (1 Kings 6:31, 33). Olive wood signified the good of truth, or the good which is of the spiritual church.

7848 Upon the houses. That this signifies those things which are of the will of good, is evident from the signification of a house, as being a man (see n. 3128), and as being the mind of man (n. 3538, 4973, 5023, 7353), consequently that which is of the will, here that which is of the will of good. The reason why by a house is also signified the will, is that by it is signified man, and man is man chiefly from his will. Moreover, whether we speak of man, or of his mind, it is the same; for man is not man from the form of his body, but from his mind; and man is such as his mind is, that is, such as his understanding and will are, especially such as his will is.

7849 In which they shall eat it. That this signifies enjoyment, is evident from the signification of eating, as being appropriation (see n. 3168, 3513, 4745), but here enjoyment, because a state of initiation is treated of. The case herein is this: when those who before the Lord's coming had been detained in custody in the lower earth (n. 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828) were to be liberated, they had to be prepared to receive the influx of good and truth from the Lord, for they were to pass through the midst of hell; and lest in that passage evils and falsities should flow in from the infernal spirits round about, they had to be prepared, so that they might then be in a full state of truth and good. But of the Lord's Divine mercy that passage shall be spoken of in what follows. This preparation, or initiation to a state of reception of good and truth, is described by the things which were to be done between the tenth day of the month and the fourteenth day, and which were to be observed in respect to the eating of the paschal lamb.

7850 And they shall eat the flesh. That this signifies the enjoyment of good, is evident from the signification of to eat, as being enjoyment (of which just above, n. 7849); and from the signification of flesh, as being what is man's own vivified by the Divine Human of the Lord, thus all celestial and spiritual good with man (see n. 3813, 6968). That flesh has this signification was well known among the ancients, and yet at this day it is so unknown that everyone would be surprised on being told that flesh has such a signification. If it is said that it is a spiritual correspondent, this is not understood. If it is said that it is a significative, this is indeed understood, but in another sense than that in which it is a significative correspondent, namely, as something quite separate; when yet a spiritual or significative correspondent is conjoined with that to which it corresponds as is a man's sight with his eye; his hearing with his ear; his thought, which is spiritual, with the form of his interiors,...

And Moses said, Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt. And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the millstones; and every firstborn of beast. And there shall be a great cry in the whole land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it anymore. And to all the sons of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, from man and even to beast; that ye may know that Jehovah doth separate between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that is at thy feet; and thereafter I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in the wrath of anger. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh will not hear you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

Exodus 11:4-10

AC 7774 “And Moses said, Thus said Jehovah,” signifies instruction; “About midnight,” signifies when the devastation is total; “I will go out into the midst of Egypt,” signifies the presence of the Divine then everywhere; “and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die,” signifies the damnation then of faith separate from charity; “from the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne,” signifies the falsified truths of faith which are in the first place; “even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the millstones,” signifies the falsified truths of faith which are in the last place; “and every first-born of beast” signifies the adulterated goods of faith; “and there shall be a great cry in the whole land of Egypt,” signifies interior lamentation; “such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it anymore” signifies that the state was such that there could not be any like it; “and to all the sons of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue,” signifies that among those who were of the spiritual church there should not be the least of damnation and lamentation; “from man and even to beast,” signifies neither as to truth nor as to good; “that ye may know that Jehovah doth separate between the Egyptians and Israel,” signifies that it may be known what is the nature of the difference between those who are in evil and those who are in good; “and all these thy servants shall come down unto me,” signifies those who are subordinate; “and bow down themselves to me,” signifies respect from fear on account of truth Divine; “saying, Get thee out, and all the people that is at thy feet,” signifies supplication that they may depart from those who are in truth from the Divine, from the highest to the lowest; “and thereafter I will go out,” signifies that truth Divine will depart; “and he went out from before Pharaoh in the wrath of anger,” signifies the rending asunder of the presence of truth Divine from those who are about to be damned.

The proprium that is not the Lord's is damned

AC 7784 [2] By those who are of the spiritual church (that is, who are in the good of this church) not having the least of damnation, is not to be understood that they are devoid of all evil; but that they are withheld from evil in good by the Lord. That which is their own(proprium) is nothing but what is evil and damned; but that which is the Lord’s own(Proprium) and which they receive is good, consequently is devoid of all damnation. Thus it is meant that there is nothing of damnation with those who are in the Lord.

The spirits of Jupiter

7801 There are many kinds of spirits from the planet Jupiter, but there are three with which I have been in company, and with which I have often spoken. One kind, which is also the lowest, appear dark, almost black. They are contemned by others, and are called “chastisers,” because they chastise the inhabitants of their earth who live evilly; they are continually desirous to come to heaven.

Another kind have shining faces, as from the reflected light of a candle. These appear to sit like idols, for they suffer themselves to be adored by others, especially by the servants whom they had in the world; for there they persuaded them that they were mediators with the Lord; they are called by them “saints,” and also “lords.”

The third kind, which is the best, excel the rest in intelligence and wisdom. They appear in blue clothing, or clothing of the color of the sky, with interwoven little grains of gold. But the angels themselves who are from that earth, are together with the angels of the rest of the earths; for all who are truly angels constitute one general heaven.

7803 As regards the speech of spirits with the inhabitants of the planet Jupiter, there are spirits who chastise; there are those who instruct; and there are those who rule them. The spirits who chastise apply themselves to the left side, and incline themselves toward the back; and when they are there, they draw forth from the man’s memory all his deeds and thoughts; for this is easy to spirits, because, when they come to a man, they come instantly into all his memory (n. 6199, 6193, 6198, 6199, 6214). If they find that he has done evil or thought evil, they reprove him, and also chastise him with a pain in the joints of the feet or of the hands, or with pain about the epigastric region; this moreover, spirits can do dexterously, when it is permitted. When such chastisers come to a man, they excite horror together with fear; whereby he is aware of their approach. Evil spirits can excite fear when they approach anyone, especially those who when they lived in the world had been robbers. 

AC 7804 The spirits who instruct, however, also apply themselves to the left side of those whom they instruct, but more in front. They also reprove, but gently, and presently teach how they ought to live. These also appear dark, yet not as the former, like clouds; but as if clothed with sackcloth. These are called “instructors,” but the former “chastisers.”

AC 7805 When these spirits are present, angelic spirits also, likewise from their earth, are present, and take their seat at the head, and as it were fill it in a special manner. Their presence is also perceived there as a gentle breathing, for they are afraid lest the man should perceive even the least pain or anxiety from their approach and influx. They rule the chastising and instructing spirits, preventing the former from doing worse to the man than is permitted by the Lord, and enjoining the latter to speak the truth. 

The judgement is from the Lord alone

AC 7811 From all this it can be seen that their angels, who sit at the head, exercise a kind of judicature over the man, for the angels permit, moderate, restrain, and inflow. But it was given me to say to them that they ought not to believe that they judge; but that the Lord alone is the Judge, and that from Him flow in with them all the things which they direct and enjoin upon the chastising and instructing spirits, and that these things only appear as if from them.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7752. All things in the universe bear relation to Good and Truth. That which does not bear relation to good and truth is not in Divine order; and that which does not bear relation to both together, produces nothing. Good is that which produces, and truth is that by which it produces.

AC 7755 The first of the church is good, the second is truth; or the first of the church is charity, and the second is faith. For the truth of the doctrine of faith is for the sake of the good of life. That which is the end for the sake of which something else exists, this is the first.

The memory corresponds to the stomach

Apocalypse Explained 242. [4] This may be illustrated by a comparison with the stomachs of birds and beasts of the earth that are called ruminating stomachs. Into these they first collect their food, and afterwards by degrees take it out and eat it, and thus nourish the blood; food thus becomes a part of their life. With man the memory corresponds to these stomachs; and man is endowed with memory instead of these because he is spiritual; into this he first gathers spiritual foods, which are knowledges, and afterwards he takes them out by a sort of ruminating, that is, by thinking and willing, and appropriates them, and thus makes them a part of his life. From this comparison, although trifling, it can be seen that knowledges, unless implanted in the life by thinking and willing them and then doing them, are like food that remains unconsumed in ruminating stomachs, where it either becomes putrid or is vomited out. Moreover, the circle of man’s life is to know,  to understand, to will, and to do; for man’s spiritual life begins with knowing, passes next to understanding, then to willing, and finally to doing. From this it is clear that so long as knowledges are in the memory they are merely in the entrance to the life, and that they are not fully in man until they are in acts, and the more fully they are in acts the more fully they are in the understanding and will. [5] It was further shown that the faith of knowledges before it becomes the faith of life is historical faith, the nature of which is well known, namely, that it is believed because another has said it; until this has been made man’s own it is an alien thing, or something with ourself belonging to someone else. Historical faith, moreover, is like a belief in things unknown, for it is said that things must be believed though not understood, yea, that they must not be searched into by the understanding; and yet spiritual faith is such that in it truths themselves are seen and are consequently believed. In heaven no one believes any truth unless he sees it or has seen it; for they say, “Who can believe that a thing is so unless he sees it? It may possibly be false.” And only the evil can believe what is false; for the evil from evil see falsities, but the good from good see truths; and as good is from the Lord, so also seeing truth from good is from the Lord. Angels see truths because the light of heaven, in which they are, is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; all, therefore, even those in the world, who are in that light are able to see truth. (Of the light of heaven, and that it is such, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140.)

For when a man dies and enters the other life, his life is circumstanced like food, ...

AC 5175. For when a man dies and enters the other life, his life is circumstanced like food, which is softly taken hold of by the lips and is then passed through the mouth, fauces, and esophagus, into the stomach, and this according to the nature that has been contracted in the life of the body by means of various activities. At first most spirits are treated gently, being kept in the company of angels and good spirits, which is represented by the food being first touched softly by the lips, and then tasted by the tongue to discover its quality. Food that is soft, and in which there is what is sweet, oily, and spirituous, is at once absorbed by the veins, and carried into the circulation; but food that is hard, and in which there is what is bitter, noisome, and but little nutritious, is mastered with more difficulty, being let down through the esophagus into the stomach, where it is churned in various ways and windings; and food that is still harder, more noisome, and innutritious, is thrust down into the intestines, and at last into the rectum, where first is hell; and finally it is cast out, and becomes excrement. It is similar with the life of man after death. He is at first kept in externals, and because in these he had led a civil and moral life, he is with angels and upright spirits; but after external things are taken away from him it becomes plain of what quality he had been inwardly in respect to his thoughts and affections, and finally in respect to his ends, his life remaining according to these last.

AC 5176. So long as spirits are in the state in which they are like food in the stomach, so long they are not in the Grand Man, but are being introduced into it; but when they are representatively in the blood, they are then in the Grand Man.

Download Correspondences of the Bible: The Human Body  By John Worcester

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7764 THE INTERNAL SENSE.Verses 1-3. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go from hence; when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence. Say now in the ears of the people, and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold. And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the eyes of the people. “And Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction; “Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt,” signifies the end of vastation, which is damnation; “afterward he will let you go from hence,” signifies that then they will be left; “when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence,” signifies that they will leave them completely, and will hold them in aversion, and shun their presence; “say now in the ears of the people,” signifies instruction and obedience; “and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold,” signifies that the memory-knowledges of truth and good taken away from the evil who have been of the church, will be bestowed upon the good who are of it; “and Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians,” signifies the fear of those who are in evils on account of those who are of the spiritual church, by reason of the plagues; “moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt,” signifies respect now for truth Divine; “in the eyes of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the eyes of the people,” signifies with those who were in subordination there.

AC 6914... by “favor” is not meant favor, for they who are in falsities and evils never have any favor for anyone; but if they benefit anyone, or do not injure him, it is from fear of plagues; this is the source of their favor, and this is the “favor” which is here meant in the internal sense. The internal sense sets forth things such as they are, not such as they are presented in the letter; and applies each to the subject. That this is so, is plain also from what follows concerning the Egyptians, in that they did not let the sons of Israel go from any favor, but from fear on account of further plagues (Exodus 11:1; 12:33).

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

New Jeruslaem and its Heavenly Doctrine 196...It is called spiritual temptation when the truths of faith which a man believes in his heart, and according to which he loves to live, are assaulted within him, especially when the good of love, in which he places his spiritual life, is assaulted. Those assaults take place in various ways; as by influx of scandals against truths and goods into the thoughts and the will; also by a continual drawing forth, and bringing to remembrance, of the evils which one has committed, and of the falsities which he has thought, thus by inundation of such things; and at the same time by an apparent shutting up of the interiors of the mind, and, consequently, of communication with heaven, by which the capacity of thinking from his own faith, and of willing from his own love, are intercepted. These things are effected by the evil spirits who are present with man; and when they take place, they appear under the form of interior anxieties and pains of conscience; for they affect and torment man's spiritual life, because he supposes that they proceed, not from evil spirits, but from his own interiors. Man does not know that such assaults are 1 from evil spirits because he does not know that spirits are present with him, evil spirits in his evils, and good spirits in his goods; and that they are in his thoughts and affections. These temptations are most grievous when they are accompanied with bodily pains; and still more so, when those pains are of long continuance, and no deliverance is granted, even although the Divine mercy is implored; hence results despair, which is the end.

Arcana Coelestia 7720. Verses 24-end And Pharaoh called Moses, and said, Go, serve Jehovah; only your flocks and your herds will stay behind. Your little children also will go with you. And Moses said, You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, and we must make them to Jehovah our God. And our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take some of them to serve Jehovah our God, and we ourselves do not know what we must serve Jehovah with until we get there. And Jehovah made Pharaoh's heart unyielding, and he would not send them away. And Pharaoh said to him, Go away from me; take care not to see my face again. For on the day you see my face you will die. And Moses said, Rightly have you spoken; I will not see your face again.

'And Pharaoh called Moses' means the presence of the law of God. 'And said, Go, serve Jehovah' means that they are to be left alone in order that they may worship the Lord their God. 'Only your flocks and your herds will stay behind' means but not from good. 'Your little children also will go with you' means that [they may worship Him] from truth. 'And Moses said' means the reply. 'You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings' means that they must leave alone all the means through which worship must be offered. 'And we must make them to Jehovah our God' means which [worship] is acceptable to the Lord. 'And our livestock also must go with us' means that this [worship] must be from the good of truth. 'Not a hoof shall be left behind' means that nothing at all of the truth from good shall be lacking. 'For we must take some of them to serve Jehovah our God' means that they must be used in worship of the Lord. 'And we ourselves do not know what we must serve Jehovah our God with' means that what exactly will be needed for the worship to be performed is unknown. 'Until we get there' means until they have been removed from those steeped in utter falsities arising from evil. 'And Jehovah made Pharaoh's heart unyielding' means that they remained obstinately opposed to the Divine. 'And he would not send them away means that they had no mind to leave them. 'And Pharaoh said to him' means flaming anger at this point with God's truth. 'Go away from me means that he wished to know nothing at all about it. 'Take care not to see my face again' means that it should not enter their mind. 'For on the day you see my face you will die' means that if it did enter their mind it would be extirpated. 'And Moses said' means the reply. 'Rightly have you spoken' means that that is in truth so. 'I will not see your face again' means that God's truth will not enter their mind again.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Falsities from evil

Arcana Coelestia 7689 ... the evil have no truth by faith, but only the memory-knowledge of the truth which is of faith. Some evil men who are in the church persuade themselves that they are in truth by faith, but they are not; they are in falsity, and are against the truth of faith. That they are in falsity is hidden with them so long as they are in the world, but this hidden falsity comes forth and manifests itself in the other life when they are being devastated as to the truths of faith which they had known.

They who are not willing that others should know what they speak, pass judgment on others

AC 7747. Afterward the spirits of Mars inflowed from above into my face. The influx felt like a light rain falling in streaks, which was a sign that they were not in the affection of truth and good, for this is represented by what is streaked. They then spoke plainly with me, saying that the inhabitants of their earth so speak with one another. They were then told that this is evil, because in this way they obstruct internal things, and recede from them to external ones, which they also deprive of their life; and especially because it is not sincere to speak so, for they who are sincere do not wish to speak or even think anything which others may not know, yea, all others, and even the whole heaven; whereas they who are not willing that others should know what they speak, pass judgment on others, think ill of them and well of themselves, and at last contract such a habit that they think and speak ill even of the church, of heaven, nay, of the Lord Himself.

On darkness, light and the Lord's coming bringing judgement

AC 7711. And there shall be thick darkness over the land of Egypt. That this signifies a complete privation of truth and good, is evident from the signification of “thick darkness,” as being a complete privation of truth and good. In various places in the Word mention is made of “darkness” and also at the same time of “thick darkness,” and then “darkness” is predicated of falsity, and “thick darkness” of evil together with it. But the word by which “thick darkness” is expressed in this verse means the densest darkness, by which in the internal sense are signified such falsities as spring from evil. Such falsities arise with those who have been of the church, and have lived a life of evil contrary to the precepts of faith which they have known. The evil from which these falsities spring, is against the church, against heaven, and against the Lord, thus is diametrically against good and truth. This state is now described by “thick darkness.”

[2] That in the Word both “darkness” and “thick darkness” are mentioned together, and that “darkness” then denotes the privation of truth, and thick darkness the privation of both truth and good, can he seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

Judgment is far from us, and righteousness overtaketh us not; we await the light, but behold darkness; and brightnesses, but we walk in thick darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, yea, we grope as they that have no eyes; we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among the living we are as the dead (Isaiah 59:9-10);

“judgment is far from us,” and “righteousness overtaketh us not,” denotes that there is neither truth nor good; (that “judgment” is predicated of truth, and “righteousness” of good, see n. 2235, 3997); “to await the light” denotes to await truth; and “to await brightnesses” denotes to await the good of truth, for the brightness of light is from good. That “darkness” is here opposed to “light” and “judgment,” thus to truth; and that “thick darkness” is opposed to “brightness” and “righteousness,” thus to good, is evident; and therefore “darkness” denotes the privation of truth, and “thick darkness,” the privation of both truth and good.

In Amos:

Is not the day of Jehovah darkness, and not light? and thick darkness and no brightness in it? (Amos 5:20); where the meaning is similar.

The day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of cloud and obscurity (Joel 2:1-2).

The day of Jehovah is a day of wasting and devastation, a day of darkness and of thick darkness (Zeph. 1:15); where “darkness” denotes the privation of truth; and “thick darkness,” the privation of truth and good; if “thick darkness” signified nothing more than “darkness,” it would be an empty repetition, which would be far from the Holy Word.

[3] It is common in the Word to find two expressions of one thing, one of which relates to truth, or to falsity; and the other to good, or to evil. So in Isaiah:

He shall look unto the earth, and behold distress and darkness, dimmed with distress, and driven in thick darkness (Isaiah 8:22).

[4] “Darkness” also signifies ignorance of truth, such as there is with the Gentiles; and “thick darkness,” ignorance of good; in Isaiah:

In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of thick darkness and out of darkness (Isaiah 29:18).

If thou satisfy the afflicted soul, thy light shall rise up in the darkness, and thy thick darkness shall be as the noon day (Isaiah 58:10); (that “darkness” denotes falsities, see n. 7688).

On the wind being gentle or devastating

AC 7679. And in its origin, being Divine, the good of love and of charity is most gentle, consequently it is so in its advance into heaven; but when it sinks down to the hells, it becomes harsh and severe, because it is turned into this by those who are there. Therefore the influx and presence of this Divine good there not only torments, but also devastates them. From all this also it is that by a “wind from the east,” or an “east wind” is signified a means of destruction.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

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7814 Exodus 12

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY

Man has been so created that he 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.

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.

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 man, because then he does not suffer himself to be uplifted.

7817 They who are in the good of charity and of faith look above themselves, because they are uplifted by the Lord; but they who are not in the good of charity and of faith look below themselves, because they are not uplifted by the Lord. Man looks below himself when he turns the influx of truth and good from the Lord to himself. He who turns to himself the good and truth flowing in from the Lord, sees himself and the world before him, and does not see the Lord with His good and truth, because they are behind him, and therefore come into such obscurity to him that he cares nothing for them, and at last he denies them.

7818 By looking above self and below self, is meant to have as the end, or to love above all things. Thus by looking above self is meant to have as the end, or to love above all things, what is of the Lord and heaven; and by looking below self is meant to have as the end, or to love above all things, what is of self and the world. The interiors of man also actually turn themselves to where the love turns itself.

7819 The man who is in the good of charity and faith loves also himself and the world, but no otherwise than as the means to an end are loved. The love of self with him looks to the love of the Lord, for he loves himself as a means to the end that he may serve the Lord; and the love of the world with him looks to the love of the neighbor, for he loves the world as a means for the sake of the end that he may be of service to the neighbor. When therefore the means is loved for the sake of the end, it is not the means that is loved, but the end.

7820 From this it can be seen that they who are in worldly glory, that is, in eminence and opulence above others, can look above themselves to the Lord equally as can those who are not in eminence and opulence; for they look above themselves when they regard eminence and opulence as means, and not as the end.

7821 To look above self is proper to man, but to look below self is proper to beasts. From this it follows that insofar as a man looks below himself or downward, so far he is a beast, and also so far is an image of hell; and that insofar as he looks above himself or upward, so far he is a man, and also so far is an image of the Lord.

EXODUS 12

1 And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

2 This month is to you the head of the months; this is the first to you in the months of the year.

3 Speak ye unto all the assemblage of Israel, saying, In the tenth of this month they shall take to them everyone a lamb,* for the house of his fathers, a lamb for the house.

4 And if the house is too little for a lamb, then let him take he and his neighbor near unto his house in the number of the souls; everyone for the mouth of his eating shall ye count for the lamb.

5 A lamb unblemished, a male, a son of a year shall be for you; ye shall take it from the lambs and from the she-goats.

6 And it shall be for you to be kept even unto the fourteenth day of this month; and the whole congregation of the assemblage of Israel shall kill it between the two evenings.

7 And they shall take of the blood, and put it upon the two posts and upon the lintel, upon the houses in which they shall eat it.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and things unleavened; upon things bitter they shall eat it.

9 Eat ye not of it raw, and by boiling boiled in water, but roast with fire; its head upon its legs and upon its midst.

10 And ye shall not leave of it until the morning; and that which is left of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

11 And thus shall ye eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; this is the passover of Jehovah.

12 And I will pass through the land of Egypt in that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man and even unto beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will do judgments: I am Jehovah.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a sign upon the houses where ye are; and I shall see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall not be in you a plague for a destroyer, when I smite the land of Egypt.

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to Jehovah in your generations; ye shall keep it by an eternal statute.

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened things; even on the first day ye shall cause leaven to cease from your houses; for everyone that eateth what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, even that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

16 And there shall be for you in the first day a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no work shall be done in them, save that which every soul must eat, this only shall be done by you.

17 And ye shall observe the unleavened things, because in this same day I have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: and ye shall keep this day in your generations by an eternal statute.

18 In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, ye shall eat unleavened things, until the one and twentieth day of the month, in the evening.

19 Seven days leaven shall not be found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel, in the sojourner, and in the native of the land.

20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings ye shall eat things unleavened.

21 And Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw ye forth, and take you an animal of the flock according to your families, and kill ye the passover.

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and ye shall touch the lintel and the two posts with the blood that is in the basin; and no one of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

23 And Jehovah will pass through to inflict a plague on Egypt; and He will see the blood upon the lintel, and upon the two posts, and Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come unto your houses to inflict a plague.

24 And ye shall keep this word for a statute to thee and to thy sons forever.

25 And it shall be that when ye shall come unto the land which Jehovah will give you, as He hath spoken, that ye shall keep this service.

26 And it shall be, when your sons shall say unto you, What is this service to you?

27 That ye shall say, This is the sacrifice of the passover to Jehovah, in that He passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He inflicted a plague on Egypt, and liberated our houses. And the people bent itself, and bowed itself.

28 And the sons of Israel went and they did as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

29 And it came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne even unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the house of the pit; and all the firstborn of beast.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in that night, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; because there was not a house where there was not one dead.

31 And he called Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, Rise up, go ye out from the midst of my people, both ye and the sons of Israel; and go, serve Jehovah, according to your speaking.

32 Also your flocks, also your herds, take ye, as ye spoke, and go; and bless me also.

33 And Egypt was strong upon the people, hastening to send them out of the land; for they said, We be all dead.

34 And the people carried their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs bound up in their clothes upon their shoulder.

35 And the sons of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments.

36 And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they lent to them. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

37 And the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, besides babe.

38 And a great mixed multitude also went up with them; and flock, and herd, a very great acquisition.

39 And they baked the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt into unleavened cakes, for it had not been leavened; because they were driven out of Egypt, and could not tarry, and moreover they had not prepared for themselves any provision for the journey.

40 And the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they dwelt in Egypt was thirty years and four hundred years.

41 And it was at the end of the thirty years and four hundred years, even it was in this same day, all the armies of Jehovah went forth from the land of Egypt.

42 A night of watches is this to Jehovah,...

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go from hence; when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence. Say now in the ears of the people, and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold. And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the eyes of the people. 

Exodus 11:1-3

Natural vs Spiritual Good

Arcana Coelestia 7761. A clear distinction must be made between spiritual good and natural good. As before said, spiritual good has its quality from the truths of faith, their abundance, and their connection; but natural good is born with the man, and also arises by accident, as by misfortunes, diseases, and the like. Natural good saves no one, but spiritual good saves all. The reason is that the good which is formed through the truths of faith is a plane into which heaven can flow, that is, the Lord through heaven, and lead man, and withhold him from evil, and afterward uplift him into heaven; but not so natural good; and therefore they who are in natural good can be as easily carried away by falsity as by truth, provided the falsity appears in the form of truth; and they can be as easily led by evil as by good, provided the evil is presented as good. They are like feathers in the wind.

The transfer of the vessels

AC 7770 And let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold. That this signifies that the memory-knowledges of truth and good, taken away from the evil who have been of the church, will be bestowed upon the good who are of it, is evident from the signification of “vessels of silver and vessels of gold,” as being memory-knowledges of truth and good. That “silver” denotes truth, and “gold” good, see n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658, 6112; and that “vessels” denote memory-knowledges, n. 3068, 3079.) Memory-knowledges are called vessels of truth and good, because they contain them. 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. .... (2)....the very memory-knowledges of truth and good which have been possessed by those of the church who have known the arcana of faith and yet have lived a life of evil, are transferred to those who are of the spiritual church.... [3] The reason is that 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.

Substitution example of swapping 'practise' for 'good' and 'understanding of the Word' for 'truth'

THE DOCTRINE OF SPIRITUAL PRACTISE(aka charity)(3 essentials of the church – love the Lord, love the Word, practise charity)

All things in the universe bear relation to Practise and Understanding of the Word. That which does not bear relation to practise and understanding of the Word is not in Divine order; and that which does not bear relation to both together, produces nothing. Practise is that which produces, and understanding of the Word is that by which it produces.

7753 These facts may illustrate how the case is with spiritual practise and understanding of the Word, which are called charity and faith; namely, that all things which belong to the church bear relation to these, and those which do not bear relation to them have nothing of the church in them; and also that which does not contain both within it produces no fruit, that is, no practise of charity or of faith.

7754 For in order that anything may be produced, there must be two forces, one which is called active, the other which is called passive; the one without the other brings forth nothing. Such forces, or lives, are charity and faith in the man of the church.7755 The first of the church is practise, the second is understanding of the Word; or the first of the church is charity, and the second is faith. For the understanding of the Word of the doctrine of faith is for the sake of the practise of life. That which is the end for the sake of which something else exists, this is the first.

7756 With the conjunction of the practise which is of charity, and the understanding of the Word which is of faith, in man, the case is this. The practise which is of charity enters through the soul into man(will), but the understanding of the Word which is of faith enters through the hearing(intellect); the former flows in immediately from the Lord, but the latter mediately through the Word. Hence the way by which the practise of charity enters is called the internal way; and the way by which the understanding of the Word of faith enters is called the external way. That which enters by the internal way is not perceived, because it is not plainly subject to sensation; whereas that which enters by the external way is perceived, because it is plainly subject to sensation. For this reason everything of the church is attributed to faith. It is otherwise with those who have been regenerated; with such the practise that is of charity is plainly perceived.

7757 The conjunction of the practise of charity with the understanding of the Word of faith is effected in the interiors of man. The practise itself (the will to) which flows in from the Lord adopts understanding of the Word there, and appropriates it to itself, and thereby causes the practise with the man to be charity, and the understanding of the Word to be faith; or the charity to be charity, and the faith to be faith. Without this conjunction charity is not charity, but only natural practise ( ie. If not joined with the understanding of the Word, doctrine, then it must be joined with understanding drawn from the senses, man’s own intellect); 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.

7758 When understanding of the Word has been conjoined with practise it is no longer called understanding of the Word, but practise; and so when faith has been conjoined with charity it is no longer called faith, but charity; the reason is that the man then wills and does the understanding of the Word, and that which he wills and does is called practise.

7759 With the conjunction of the practise of charity with the understanding of the Word of faith, the case, further, is this. This practise obtains its quality from understanding of the Word, and understanding of the Word its essence from practise. From this it follows that the quality of practise is according to the understanding of the Word with which it is conjoined; and therefore practise becomes genuine if the understanding of the Word with which it is conjoined is genuine. Genuine understanding of the Word of faith is possible within the church, but not out of it, for within the church is the Word.

7760 Moreover, the practise of charity receives its quality also from the abundance of the understanding of the Word of faith; likewise from the connections of one understanding of the Word with another; thus is formed spiritual practise with man.

7761 A clear distinction must be made between spiritual practise and natural practise( ie. External worship/practise). As before said, spiritual practises have their quality from the understanding of the Word of faith, their abundance, and their connection; but natural practises are born with the man, and also arise by accidents, as by misfortunes, diseases, and the like. Natural practise saves no one(state), but spiritual practise saves all. The reason is that the practise which is formed through the understanding of the Word of faith is a plane into which heaven can flow, that is, the Lord through heaven, and lead man, and withhold him from evil, and afterward uplift him into heaven; but not so natural practise; and therefore they who are in natural practise can be as easily carried away by falsity as by understanding of the Word, provided the falsity appears in the form of understanding of the Word; and they can be as easily led by evil as by practise, provided the evil is presented as practise. They are like feathers in the wind.

7762 The confidence of trust which is said to be of faith and is called faith, is not spiritual confidence or trust, but natural. Spiritual confidence or trust has its essence and life from the practise of love (love to the Lord, to love = lived acknowledgement of the Lord as the one true source and authority); but not from the understanding of the Word of faith separate. The confidence of faith separate is dead; and therefore there cannot be true confidence with those who have led an evil life. Moreover, that confidence which depends on salvation through the Lord’s merit, irrespective of what the life has been, is likewise not from understanding of the Word.

Original text

7752 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY

All things in the universe bear relation to Good and Truth. That which does not bear relation to good and truth is not in Divine order; and that which does not bear relation to both together, produces nothing. Good is that which produces, and truth is that by which it produces.

...

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Transcript of this 3 part Third Round series (PDF)

The 3 Humans

This Third Round is part of a 3 part series on the glorification of the Lord. The following passage is a good reference for this work:

Doctrine of the Lord 35. vi. By successive steps the Lord put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human, and is the Son of God. That in the Lord were the Divine and the human, the Divine from Jehovah the Father, and the human from the virgin Mary, is known. Hence He was God and Man, having a Divine essence and a human nature; a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother; and therefore was equal to the Father as to the Divine, and less than the Father as to the human. It is also known that this human nature from the mother was not transmuted into the Divine essence, nor commingled with it, for this is taught in the Doctrine of Faith which is called the Athanasian Creed. For a human nature cannot be transmuted into the Divine essence, nor can it be commingled therewith. [2] In accordance with the same creed is also our doctrine, that the Divine assumed the Human, that is, united itself to it, as a soul to its body, so that they were not two, but one Person. From this it follows that the Lord put off the human from the mother, which in itself was like that of another man, and thus material, and put on a Human from the Father, which in itself was like His Divine, and thus substantial, so that the Human too became Divine.

The holiness of the Word

Arcana Coelestia 4922... anyone believing that the Word is holy can recognize that each has a specific meaning, and anyone believing that the Word is holy for the reason that it has been sent down from the Lord by way of heaven can recognize that the celestial and spiritual things belonging to His kingdom are meant.

AC 10057...If people believe that the Word is holy and has been inspired by God in every single part, they must also believe that every single established practice in the sacrifices and burnt offerings embraces and contains such arcana within it. Yet what it is that those practices embrace and contain within them cannot by any means be known on earth unless it is known what is meant in heaven by such things. What is meant, however, the internal sense of the Word alone teaches, since this unfolds correspondences. For all things that exist in the natural world correspond to those which exist in the spiritual world, because the former comes into being from and is held in being by the latter.

AC 5274(7)... all the details of the Word are holy; but the holiness therein is not apparent to the understanding, except that of one who knows its internal sense; nevertheless by influx from heaven it comes to the perception of him who believes the Word to be holy. This influx is effected through the internal sense in which the angels are; and although this sense is not understood by the man, still it affects him, because the affection of the angels who are in it is communicated. From this it is plain also that the Word has been given to man in order that he may have communication with heaven, and that the Divine truth which is in heaven may affect him by means of the influx.

Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 18. iii. From the spiritual sense it is that the Word is Divinely inspired, and is holy in every word. It is said in the church that the Word is holy, and this because Jehovah God spoke it; but as its holiness is not apparent from the letter alone, he who on this account once doubts its holiness, afterwards confirms his doubt when reading the Word by many things in it, for he then thinks, Can this be holy; can this be Divine? 

As a person regenerates, they come to see more clearly how the Word is Divine – that it is the Lord Himself in His Divine Human

AC 3993(1,7) ... In these things there does not appear anything Divine, whereas all things of the Word both in general and in particular, down to the smallest jot, are Divine. Moreover to know all this is not of the slightest avail for salvation; and yet the Word, being Divine, contains within it nothing that is not conducive to salvation and eternal life. [2] From all this, and the like things elsewhere, everyone may conclude that some arcanum is contained within, and that each one of the particulars, notwithstanding its being of such a character in the letter, yields things more Divine within. But what they yield within cannot possibly appear to anyone, except from the internal sense; that is, unless he knows how these things are perceived by the angels, who are in the spiritual sense while man is in the historic natural sense... But how these can serve this purpose is an arcanum which can indeed be presented clearly before those who are in the light of heaven, because as before said within this light there is intelligence; but it cannot be clearly presented before those who are in the light of the world, unless their light of the world has been enlightened by the light of heaven, as is the case with those who have been regenerated; for every regenerate person sees goods and truths in his natural light from the light of heaven, because the light of heaven produces his intellectual sight, and the light of the world his natural sight.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

The 3 Humans

This Third Round is part of a 3 part series on the glorification of the Lord. The following passage is a good reference for this work:

Doctrine of the Lord 35. vi. By successive steps the Lord put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human, and is the Son of God. That in the Lord were the Divine and the human, the Divine from Jehovah the Father, and the human from the virgin Mary, is known. Hence He was God and Man, having a Divine essence and a human nature; a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother; and therefore was equal to the Father as to the Divine, and less than the Father as to the human. It is also known that this human nature from the mother was not transmuted into the Divine essence, nor commingled with it, for this is taught in the Doctrine of Faith which is called the Athanasian Creed. For a human nature cannot be transmuted into the Divine essence, nor can it be commingled therewith. [2] In accordance with the same creed is also our doctrine, that the Divine assumed the Human, that is, united itself to it, as a soul to its body, so that they were not two, but one Person. From this it follows that the Lord put off the human from the mother, which in itself was like that of another man, and thus material, and put on a Human from the Father, which in itself was like His Divine, and thus substantial, so that the Human too became Divine.

Arcana Coelestia 3061(3)... Jehovah, who is the Lord as to the Divine Essence, descended and took upon Himself a Human, by conception Divine, and by birth from a virgin such as is that of another man; but this He expelled, and by Divine means made Divine the Human that was born, from which proceeds all the Holy. Thus the Divine Human became an essence by itself which fills the universal heaven, and which also makes it possible for those to be saved who could not be saved before. This then is the Lord, who as to the Divine Human is alone Man, and from whom man has it that he is man (n. 49, 288, 477, 565, 1894).

See also The Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem 302.

The historicals/literal sense/sense of the letter are not the Word

Arcana Coelestia 1504. The historicals are what represent the Lord; the words themselves are significative of the things that are represented. But being historical, the mind of the reader cannot but be held in them; especially at this day, when most persons, and indeed nearly all, do not believe that there is an internal sense, and still less that it exists in every word; and it may be that in spite of the fact that the internal sense has been so plainly shown thus far, they will not even now acknowledge its existence, and this for the reason that the internal sense appears to recede so far from the sense of the letter as to be scarcely recognized in it. And yet that these historicals cannot be the Word they might know from the mere fact that when separated from the internal sense there is no more of the Divine in them than in any other history; whereas the internal sense makes the Word to be Divine. [2] That the internal sense is the Word itself, is evident from many things that have been revealed, as, “Out of Egypt have I called My son” (Matthew 2:15); besides many others. The Lord Himself also, after His resurrection, taught the disciples what had been written concerning Him in Moses and the Prophets (Luke 24:27); and thus that there is nothing written in the Word that does not regard Him, His kingdom, and the church. These are the spiritual and celestial things of the Word; but the things contained in the literal sense are for the most part worldly, corporeal, and earthly;

AC 6884... the historicals of the Word cannot enter into heaven; for the historical of the Word is natural and worldly, and those who are in heaven are in no ideas but what are spiritual, so that they understand the Word spiritually; and what is worldly, which is of the sense of the letter of the Word, is at the very threshold of heaven turned into the spiritual sense. That this is so, can in some measure be seen from the fact that man also frequently turns those things which are said into such as engage his whole thought; thus he who is in unclean things, into what is unclean; and he who is in clean things, into what is clean.

White Horse 10 ...The Word is understood differently by angels in the heavens, and by men on earth; the former perceiving the internal or spiritual sense, whilst the latter see only the external or natural sense (1887, 2396). The angels perceive the Word in its internal sense, and not in its external sense, proved from the experience of those who have conversed with me from heaven, when I was reading the Word (1769-1772). The ideas of the thought and also the speech of angels are spiritual, but the ideas and speech of men natural; that therefore there is an internal sense, which is spiritual, for the use of angels, illustrated from experience (2333). Nevertheless the sense of the letter(literal sense) of the Word serves the spiritual ideas of angels as a means of conveyance, comparatively as the words of speech do with men to convey the sense of a subject (2143). The things relating to the internal sense of the Word fall into such things as are of the light of heaven, thus into angelic perception (2618, 2619, 2629, 3086). Therefore those things which the angels perceive from the Word, are precious to them (2540, 2541, 2545, 2551). Angels do not understand a single expression of the Word in its literal sense (64, 65, 1434, 1929). They do not know the names of persons and places recorded in the Word (1434, 1888, 4442, 4480). Names cannot enter into heaven, nor be pronounced there (1876, 1888). All the names in the Word signify things, and in heaven they are changed into ideas of the things (768, 1888, 4310, 4442, 5225, 5287, 10329). Angels also think abstractly from persons (6613, 8343, 8985, 9007). How elegant the internal sense of the Word is, even where nothing but mere names occur, shown by examples from the Word (1224, 1888, 2395). Many names also in series express one thing in the internal sense (5905). Likewise all numbers in the Word signify things (482, 487, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3152, 4264, 6175, 9488, 9659, 10217, 10253). Spirits also perceive the Word in its internal sense in proportion as their interiors are open into heaven (1771). The sense of the letter(literal sense) of the Word, which is the natural sense, is instantly changed into the spiritual sense with the angels, because there is a correspondence (5648). And this without their hearing or knowing what is in the literal or external sense (10215). Thus the sense of the letter(literal sense) or the external sense is only with man, and proceeds no further (2015).

The letter is not the 'sense of the letter' (literal sense)

Doctrine of Sacred Scripture  71. As to the Word in heaven, it is written in the spiritual style, which differs entirely from the natural style. The spiritual style consists of letters only, each of which involves a meaning; and there are points above the letters, which exalt the sense.  

Example given of working with the Text re the Most Ancient Church and the Nephilim

AC 7686... In the internal sense those are specifically treated of who before the Lord’s coming were in the lower earth, and could not be uplifted into heaven before the Lord came into the world, and assumed the Human, and made it Divine (n. 6854, 6914). Meanwhile they were infested by the evil, who also had been of the church, and had confessed the truths of faith, but had lived a life of evil. They who before the Lord’s coming had been of the church and had been evil as to life, were in such falsity as had not been before, and shall not be afterward. The reason was that they who were called “Nephilim,” also “Anakim” and “Rephaim,” and were of the last posterity of the Most Ancient Church, were not yet shut up in hell, but wandered about and infused dire and deadly persuasions wherever they could, thus also into the evil in the church. This was the source of such falsity. (With respect to these “Nephilim,” and their direful persuasions, see n. 310, 560, 562, 563, 570, 581, 585, 607, 660, 805, 808, 1034, 1120, 1265-1272, 1673.) When the Lord was in the world, these were cast by Him into their hell, which is on the left in front at some distance. Unless this had been done, very few could have been saved, for the falsity which they infused had a direful persuasive power, and was deadly, such as never had been, and such as never can again be. With this falsity those had been imbued who before the Lord’s coming infested those who were of the spiritual church. This is what is meant in the internal sense by the above words. These are they who are specifically treated of; but in general all are meant who are of the church and who infest the upright in the other life, of whom there are very many at this day.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.