Arcana Coelestia 7093. That they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness. That this signifies that from a glad mind they may worship the Lord in the obscurity of faith in which they are, is evident from the signification of “holding a feast,” as being worship from a glad mind (of which presently), that it is the Lord to whom they were to hold the feast, and who is here meant by “Me,” or by “Jehovah,” may be seen above, n. 7091; and from the signification of a “wilderness,” as being the obscurity of faith  (That they who are of the spiritual church are relatively in obscurity of faith,  [2] The reason why “holding a feast” signifies worship from a glad mind, is that the feast was to be held at a way of three days from Egypt, thus in a state of no infestation by falsities, that is, in a state of liberty; for he who is being liberated from falsities and from the distress in which he then is, from a glad mind gives thanks to God; thus “holds a feast.” Moreover, the feasts which were instituted with that people, and which were three every year, are likewise said to have been instituted in memory of their liberation from slavery in Egypt; that is, in the spiritual sense, in memory of liberation from infestation by falsities, through the Lord’s coming into the world. Therefore it was also commanded that on those occasions they should be glad.

[5] That there was to be gladness in the feasts, and thus that “to hold a feast” is to worship from a glad mind, is also plain from the following passages.

In Isaiah: Ye shall have a song as in the nights when a feast is hallowed (Isaiah 30:29).

In Nahum: Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! Keep thy feasts, O Judah, render thy vows; for Belial shall no longer pass through thee; he is wholly cut off (Nah. 1:15).

In Zechariah: The fasts shall be to the house of Judah for joy and for gladness, and for good feasts; only love ye truth and peace (Zech. 8:19).

In Hosea: I will cause all her joy to cease, her feast, her new moon (Hos. 2:11).

And in Amos: I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into a lament (Amos 8:10).

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

7178. Exodus 6

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY

No one can know what good is, as understood in the spiritual sense, unless he knows what love toward the neighbor and love to God are; and no one can know what evil is, unless he knows what the love of self and the love of the world are. Nor can anyone know from inward acknowledgment what the truth is which is of faith, unless he knows what good is, and unless he is in good; nor can anyone know what falsity is, unless he knows what evil is. Consequently no one can examine himself unless he knows what good from its two loves is, and what truth from good is; and unless he knows what evil from its two loves is, and what falsity from evil is.

7179. There are two faculties in man, one is called the understanding, and the other the will; the will has been given man for the sake of the good which is of love, and the understanding for the sake of the truth which is of faith; for the good which is of love has relation to the will, and the truth which is of faith has relation to the understanding; the one faculty communicates in a wonderful way with the other. They join themselves together in those who are in good and thence in truth; and they also join themselves together in those who are in evil and thence in falsity; with both classes these two faculties make one mind. But it is otherwise with those who are in truth as to faith, and in evil as to life; and also with those who are in falsity as to faith, and in apparent good as to life.

7180. Man is not allowed to divide his mind, and to sunder these two faculties from each other; that is, to understand and speak truth, and to will and do evil; for then one faculty would look upward or toward heaven, and the other downward or toward hell, and thus the man would hang between the two. But let him know that the will carries him away, and the understanding favors. From all this it is evident how the case is with faith and with love, and how with the state of man if they are separated.

7181. Nothing is more necessary to man than to know whether heaven be in him, or hell; for in one or the other he must live to eternity. In order that he may know this, it is necessary that he should know what good is, and what evil, for good makes heaven, and evil makes hell; the doctrine of charity teaches about both.

7182. Love to God is said, and by this is meant love to the Lord, for there is no other God; the Father is in Him (John 14:9-11), and the Holy of the Spirit is from Him (John 16:13-15).

EXODUS 6

1. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

7183. THE CONTENTS.

7184. Afterward is described the Lord’s spiritual kingdom as to faith and as to charity, and next as to doctrine, also as to the reception of the law Divine. Reuben and Simeon and their families represent the things of faith; Levi and his families those of charity; Aaron and his families the things of doctrine; and Moses those of the law Divine.

7185. THE INTERNAL SENSE.

7186. And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies instruction about the law Divine, is evident from the signification of “Jehovah said,” as being instruction from the Divine (of which below); and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752, 7014). That “Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction about the law Divine, is because at the end of the preceding chapter it was believed from the law Divine, that it would come to pass that those who are of the spiritual church would be immediately liberated from infestations; when yet it is according to order that the evil who infest should be removed by degrees, and that they who are of the spiritual church should be liberated by degrees; for such is the Divine order; and therefore such is the law Divine; for all law Divine is of order, insomuch that whether we say the law Divine, or the law of Divine order, it is the same.

7187. Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh. That this signifies manifest perception as to what shall befall those who infest, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being perception (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400), here manifest perception, because it is said of instruction from the Divine; from the signification of “what I will do,” as being what shall befall; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest by means of injected falsities (n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142).

7188. For by a strong hand shall he let them go. That this signifies that with all force and power they shall flee from them, is evident from the signification of a “strong hand,” as being all force and power (that “hand” denotes power, see n. 878, 3387, 4931, 5327, 5328, 6947, 7011); and from the signification of “letting them go,” as being to flee from them. The case herein is this. When the infernals are deterred by punishments from doing evils, they at last abstain from infestation, and desire to leave those who are being infested, and to flee away; but as it is the sole delight of their life to do evil and to infest, they therefore cannot abstain unless they employ all force and power to remove themselves; for as the delight of anyone’s life is of his love, it is of his life, and carries him away, nor can it be resisted unless the undelight of punishment prevails over the delight of doing evil; hence come the punishments of the evil in the other life.

7189. And by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. That this signifies that with all force and power they shall make them flee from their neighborhood, is evident from the signification, of a “strong hand,” as being with all force and power (of which just above, n. 7188); from the signification of “driving them out,” as being to put to flight; and from the signification of “their land,” as being their neighborhood. (That the land where they of the spiritual church are infested by falsities is near the hells which infest, and is called the “lower earth,” see n. 7090.) Hence “from their land” denotes from their neighborhood.

7190. Verses 2-8. And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai; and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. And I also set up My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, in that the Egyptians make them to serve; and I have remembered My covenant. Wherefore say to the sons of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will liberate you from their service; and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments; and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you for God, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, who leadeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it you for a heritage: I am Jehovah.

7191. And God spoke unto Moses. That this signifies what is new but continuous with what was before, is evident from the fact that we often read in continuation of the text, “Jehovah said,” and “Jehovah spoke,” as also in this chapter, verse 1, “Jehovah said unto Moses,” in this verse, “God spoke unto Moses,” and similarly in verses 10, 13, 28, 29, and also in other places, which repetition signifies nothing else than something new that begins there, which, however, is to be connected with what goes before. (That “Jehovah said” denotes newness of perception, see n. 2061, 2238, 2260.) Be it known that the Word in its original tongue is devoid of stops, and therefore instead of them there were such phrases; and instead of the lesser stops or distinctions there was “and,” which is the reason why this occurs so frequently. Angelic speech also is continuous, with stops indeed, but such that what precedes is wonderfully connected with what follows; for angelic ideas are very full of realities, and of countless things that are unutterable, and to man, while in the world, incomprehensible; and therefore the endings of the preceding periods can be fully connected with the beginnings of the following ones; and in this way one series can be formed out of many. Astonishing and incredible to say, the form of heaven is represented in the angelic discourse, and therefore in all angelic discourse there is a harmony like that of songs, which at every stop closes in a word of one syllable, thus in a unity; and I have been told that the reason of this is that each and all things in heaven have relation to the one God as to their end. From all this also it was evident that everything of thought and of the consequent discourse flows in through heaven from the Lord, and that from this there is such a harmony in discourse closing in a unity.

7192. And said unto him, I am Jehovah. That this signifies confirmation from the Divine which is irrevocable, can be seen without explication; for nothing can be confirmed by Jehovah, that is, by the Lord, except by Himself: it cannot be confirmed by heaven, because this is far beneath Him, still less by anything in the world; but in order that there may be Divine confirmation which is eternal and irrevocable, it must be by the Divine Itself. Such confirmation, namely, “I am Jehovah,” occurs frequently in Moses (as in Exod. 12:12; Lev. 18:5, 6; 19:12, 14, 18, 28, 30, 32, 37; 20:8; 21:12; 22:2-3, 8, 30-33; 26:2, 45; Num. 3:13, 41, 45). And in the prophets we read, “said Jehovah,” by which likewise is meant confirmation by the Divine (as in Isa. 3:15; 14:22, 23; 17:6; 22:14, 25; 43:12; 52:5; Jer. 2:22; 3:1, 10, 13, 20; 8:12; 12:17; 13:25; 25:7, 29; 16:16; 23:7, 24, 29, 31; and many other places). Confirmation by the Divine is also made by the Divine Human, thus also by Himself, in Isaiah:

7193. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai. That this signifies the temptations of the Lord as to the Human, and the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations, is evident from the signification of “appearing,” or “being seen,” when said of Jehovah, as being perception from the Divine (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 5400); and from the representation of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, as being the Lord as to the Divine Itself, and as to the Divine Human (n. 6804, 6847); but here, as Jehovah speaks and says that “He appeared to them,” the Lord is signified as to the human, that is, the human before it was made Divine. By “Abraham” is signified the celestial in this human; by “Isaac,” the spiritual; and by “Jacob,” the natural.

7194. And by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. That this signifies that they of the spiritual church in a state of temptations did not think of the Divine things of the church, is evident from the signification of the “name Jehovah,” as being everything in one complex by which God is worshiped (see n. 2724, 3006, 6674), thus everything Divine in the church. By the “name Jehovah” is properly meant the Divine Human of the Lord (see n. 2628, 6887), and because by this and from it proceeds everything of faith and everything of love, which are the Divine things in the church, this is, in one complex, everything of Divine worship. And from the signification of “not being known,” as being not to be known, or not to be thought of, that is to say, the Divine things of the church in the state of temptations which are signified by “God Shaddai”‘ and therefore it is said that He was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but not by His name Jehovah. This is the internal sense of these words; but the external or historic sense is different, and from this latter sense it is evident that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not worship Jehovah, but God Shaddai (n. 1992, 3667, 5628), and that Abraham knew not Jehovah (see n. 1356, 2559). But that “Jehovah” is named in the historicals concerning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is because that Word was written by Moses, to whom the name “Jehovah” was made known, and in these historicals “Jehovah” is named for the sake of the internal sense; for everywhere in the Word “Jehovah” is named when the subject treated of is the good of love, whereas “God” is named when it is the truth of faith (n. 709, 732, 1096, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402).

7195. And I have also set up My covenant with them. That this signifies even then conjunction through the Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “covenant,” as being conjunction (see n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804); and from the representation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who here are those with whom is the covenant, as being the Divine Human of the Lord (n. 6804, 6847). From all this it is evident what is the internal sense of these words; the proximate, that the union of the Divine Itself is with the Divine Human; and from this the sense which follows that there is a conjunction through the Divine Human of the Divine Itself with those who are of the spiritual church. For, as sometimes previously shown, they who were of the spiritual church were saved through the Divine Human of the Lord (n. 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091). It is said “even then,” in order that this may be joined with what immediately precedes, namely, that there was conjunction then, when in a state of temptations they did not think about the Divine things in the church; for the Lord is more present in a state of temptations than out of this state, although it appears otherwise (n. 840).

7196. To give them the land of Canaan. That this signifies by means of which conjunction they would be uplifted into heaven, is evident from the signification of “the land of Canaan,” as being the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and as being the church (see n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 4447, 6516). That to be uplifted into heaven is signified by “giving that land,” is plain, for they to whom heaven is given are lifted up.

7197. The land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. That this signifies where the things of faith and charity are, about which they have been instructed, and according to which they have lived, is evident from the signification of “land,” as being the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens and on earth (of which just above, n. 7196), thus also the things of the Lord’s kingdom, which, it is known, are faith and charity, and therefore these also are signified by the “land of Canaan” where the subject treated of is the instruction and life which are signified by “sojourning;” and from the signification of “sojourning,” as being instruction and life (n. 1463, 2025, 3672). From this it is evident that by “the land of their sojournings wherein they sojourned” is signified where the things of faith and charity are, about which they have been instructed and according to which they have lived. The case herein is this. In the other life heaven is given to everyone in accordance with the things of faith and charity in him, for charity and faith make heaven with everyone; but when it is said that charity and faith make heaven, there is meant the life of charity and faith. But note well that the life which has heaven in it, is a life according to the truths and goods of faith about which the man has been instructed. Unless these are the rules and principles of his life, in vain does he look for heaven, no matter how he has lived; for without these truths and goods a man is like a reed which is shaken by every wind; for he is bent by evils equally as by goods, because he has nothing of truth and good made firm within him, whereby he may be kept by the angels in truths and goods, and be withdrawn from the falsities and evils which the infernals are continually injecting. In a word, the life of Christian good is what makes heaven; not a life of natural good.

7198. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel. That this signifies their grief from the combat, is evident from the signification of “groaning,” as being grief from combat; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those of the spiritual church who are infested by falsities and are thence in combat.

7199. Because the Egyptians make them to serve. That this signifies with those who are in falsities, who are endeavoring to subjugate, is evident from the signification of “the Egyptians,” as being those who are in falsities (see n. 6692, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142); and from the signification of “making to serve,” as being to endeavor to subjugate (n. 6666, 6670, 6671).

7200. And I have remembered my covenant. That this signifies that there was release from them because of conjunction, is evident from the signification of “remembering the covenant,” namely, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them the land of Canaan, as being liberation or release from the infestations signified by the servitudes in Egypt, and an uplifting to heaven; and from the signification of “covenant,” as being conjunction (see n. 7195). It is said that because of the conjunction they were to be liberated and uplifted into heaven; for conjunction with the Lord is effected through faith and love, because the truths of faith and the goods of love proceed from the Lord, and the things which proceed from Him are His, insomuch that they are Himself; and therefore they who receive these things are conjoined with Him; and they who are conjoined with Him cannot but be uplifted to Him, that is, into heaven.

7201. Wherefore say to the sons of Israel. That this signifies that the law Divine shall give to those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom to notice, is evident from the representation of Moses, to whom it is said that he “should say to the sons of Israel,” as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752); from the signification of “saying” as being to notice (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2506, 2515, 2619, 2862, 3509, 5877), here to give to notice, because it is said of the law Divine that it should “say;” and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 6426, 6637).

7202. I am Jehovah. That this signifies confirmation from the Divine, is evident from what was said above (n. 7192).

7203. And I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. That this signifies that the Lord will release them from the infestations of those who are in falsities, is evident from the signification of “leading out,” as being to release; from the signification of “burdens,” as being infestations by falsities, thus combats (see n. 6757, 7104, 7105); and from the signification of “the Egyptians,” as being those who infest by means of injected falsities (of which just above, n. 7199).

7204. And I will liberate you from their service. That this signifies fully from the endeavor to subjugate, is evident from the signification of “service,” as being an endeavor to subjugate (see n. 6666, 6670, 6671).

7205. And I will redeem you with a stretched out arm. That this signifies leading forth from hell by virtue of Divine power, is evident from the signification of “redeeming,” as being to bring forth from hell (that “redemption” is said of bondage, of evil, and of death – that men are released from these – thus that it is said of hell, and that the Lord as to the Divine Human is called the “Redeemer,” see n. 6281) and from the signification of a “stretched out arm,” as being Divine power. That “arm” denotes power, see n. 478, 4931, 4932, 4934, 4935; but that a “stretched out arm” denotes omnipotence or Divine power, is because when an arm appears stretched out in the heavens, there is represented power from the Divine; and when not stretched out, but bent, there is represented power in a general sense. Hence then it is, that in the Word, Divine power is very often expressed by a “stretched out arm,” and by a “strong hand,” as in these passages:

7206. And with great judgments. That this signifies according to the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “judgments,” as being truths (see n. 2235, 6397), and in the supreme sense, where it is said of the Lord, as being truths Divine; which truths are nothing but the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord, for all order is from Him, thus all the laws of order. The whole heaven, consequently also the universe, is in accordance with these laws. The laws of order, or the truths which proceed from the Lord, in accordance with which is the whole heaven, and the universe, are what are called “the Word by which all things were made” (John 1:1-3); for the “Word” denotes Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Divine Human of the Lord; and hence it is that all things in the spiritual world and also in the natural world have relation to truth, as can be seen by him who reflects.

7207. And I will take you to Me for a people. That this signifies that they shall be added to those in heaven who serve the Lord there, is evident from the signification of “taking for a people,” when said by Jehovah or the Lord, as being to receive among those who are in heaven; for they who are in heaven are called the “people of the Lord,” and the same also when they are in the world, because as to their souls they are then also in heaven (see n. 687, 697, 3255, 4067, 4073, 4077). That by these words is signified that they who are of the spiritual church shall be added to those in heaven who there serve the Lord, is because before the Lord’s coming they had been detained in the lower earth, and were uplifted into heaven when the Lord rose again, and were then added to those who serve the Lord (n. 6854, 6914, 7090).

7208. And I will be to you for God. That this signifies that they shall also receive the Divine, is evident from the signification of “being to them for God,” when this is said by Jehovah or the Lord, as being to receive the Divine; for to all those who are in heaven it is given to receive the Divine, that is, Divine good and truth, thus wisdom and intelligence, consequently the happiness of a life from uses, which are the exercises of charity. These things are signified by “I will be to you for God.”

7209. And ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God. That this signifies a noticing then that the Lord alone is God, is evident from the signification of “knowing,” as being to notice. That “I am Jehovah your God” denotes that the Lord alone is God, is because by “Jehovah” in the Word no other is meant than the Lord (see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905); and also because in heaven they know and perceive that the Lord is the Lord of heaven, and thus is the Lord of the universe, as He Himself says in Matthew that He “has all power in the heavens and on earth” (Matt. 28:18); and that Jehovah “does not give His glory to any other than Himself” (Isa. 42:8); also that He is “one with the Father” (John 14:9-11); and that the “Holy Spirit” is the holy which proceeds from Him (John 16:13-15); thus that the Lord is the only God.

7210. Who bringeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt. That this signifies who has liberated from infestations by falsities, is evident from what was said above (n. 7203), where are the like words.

7211. And I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. That this signifies an uplifting by the Divine power to heaven, where the Divine Human of the Lord is all, is evident from the signification of “bringing to the land,” namely, to Canaan, as being to uplift to heaven (that the “land of Canaan” denotes the Lord’s kingdom or heaven, see n. 7196); from the signification of “lifting up the hand,” when said of Jehovah or the Lord, as being by Divine power (that “hand” denotes power, see n. 878, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 6947, 7011); and from the representation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as being the Lord as to the Divine Itself and as to the Divine Human (n. 6804, 6847); here the Lord as to the Divine Human, because this is the all in heaven. The reason why the Divine Human is the all in heaven, is that no one there, not even an angel of the inmost or third heaven, can have any idea about the Divine Itself, according to the Lord’s words in John: “No one hath ever seen God” (John 1:18); “Ye have neither heard the voice of the Father at any time, nor seen His shape” (John 5:37). For the angels are finite, and what is finite cannot have an idea of the Infinite; and therefore unless in heaven they had in respect to God the idea of a human shape, they would have no idea, or an unbecoming one; and thus they could not be conjoined with the Divine either by faith or by love; and this being the case, in heaven they perceive the Divine in a human form; whence it is that the Divine Human in the heavens is the all in their regards, and hence is the all in their faith and love; whence comes the conjunction through which is salvation (n. 6700).

7212. And I will give it you for an inheritance. That this signifies the Lord’s life there to eternity, is evident from the signification of “inheritance,” when predicated of heaven, as being the Lord’s life (see n. 2658); and because everything given as an inheritance is the perpetual, and in heaven the eternal, possession of him to whom it is given, because there they live to eternity, the Lord’s life there to eternity is signified. That the Lord’s life is in heaven, consequently that those who are there are in His life, is because they are in the truth and good which proceed from the Lord, and the good which is in the truth is the Lord Himself, and the truth in which is the good is the life from the Lord from which all live. From all this it is evident that they who are in good and thence in truth, as are all in the heavens, are in the Lord’s life.

7213. I am Jehovah. That this signifies confirmation from the Divine, is evident from what was said above (see n. 7192, 7202).

And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye have made them cease from their burdens. And Pharaoh commanded in that day the taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make bricks, as yesterday and the day before yesterday; let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not take away from it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let the service be made heavier upon the men, and let them do it; and let them not regard the words of a lie. And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus said Pharaoh, I will by no means give you straw. Go ye yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nothing whatever shall be taken away from your service. And the people scattered into all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day, as when there was straw. Exodus 5: 5-13

Arcana Coelestia 7106… “And Pharaoh said,” signifies the will of those who infest the truths of the church; “Behold the people of the land are now many,” signifies the multitude of those who are of the spiritual church; “and ye have made them cease from their burdens,” signifies that they have not infested enough; “and Pharaoh commanded in that day,” signifies the cupidity of infesting the truths of the church while in that state; “the taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying,” signifies those who most closely infest and most closely receive; “Ye shall no more give the people straw,” signifies the lowest memory-knowledges which are the most general of all; “to make bricks,” signifies for the things fictitious and false that will be injected; “as yesterday and the day before yesterday,” signifies not as in the former state “let them go and gather straw for themselves,” signifies that they should procure for themselves these lowest memory-knowledges; “and the tale of bricks, which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday, ye shall lay upon them,” signifies that the things fictitious and false must be injected in abundance as before; “ye shall not take away from it,” signifies without diminution; “for they are idle,” signifies that they are not assaulted enough; “therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God,” signifies that consequently they have so much thought about such worship; “let the service be made heavier upon the men,” signifies that the assault should be increased; “and let them do it,” signifies to obtain the effect; “and let them not regard the words of a lie,” signifies lest they turn to truths.

AC 7123… “And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers,” signifies the sending forth and presence of those who most closely infest, and of those who most closely receive; “and they spoke to the people, saying,” signifies perception; “Thus said Pharaoh,” signifies about the infestations; “I will by no means give you straw,” signifies no longer thence the most general memory-knowledges; “Go ye yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it,” signifies that they should procure these for themselves elsewhere, wherever they could; “for nothing whatever shall be taken away from your service,” signifies injections of falsities without diminution; “and the people scattered into all the land of Egypt,” signifies that they overspread the natural mind on every side; “to gather stubble for straw,” signifies to find some truth of memory-knowledge; “and the taskmasters were urgent,” signifies that they who most closely infested were insistent; “saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day,” signifies that they should serve falsities so called in every state; “as when there was straw,” signifies just as they served their truths so called.

The straw

AC 7112. Ye shall no more give the people straw. That this signifies the lowest memory-knowledges and the most general of all, is evident from the signification of “chaff” or “straw,” as being truths of memory-knowledge (see n. 3114), and indeed memory-knowledges the lowest and most general of all, for the lowest food in a spiritual sense is straw or chaff, because it is the food of beasts. Those knowledges are called lowest which are full of fallacies of the senses, which the evil abuse to pervert goods and truths, and thus to defend evils and falsities; for on account of fallacies these knowledges can be turned in favor of principles of falsity and of cupidities of evil. Moreover such knowledges are the most general of all, and unless they are filled with truths less general and more particular, they may be of service to falsities and evils, but in proportion as they are filled with truths, they are of less service to them. Such are the knowledges whereby they who in the world have professed faith alone, and yet have lived a life of evil, infest the upright in the other life; but as these knowledges are dispelled by the angels, it is now said that they should not give straw to make brick, that is, that they did not add these to the fictitious and false things that would be injected… That “straw” or “grass” denotes the lowest memory-knowledge, and that “bricks” denote things fictitious and false, can be seen from many considerations; for all herbage and straw have no other signification; but seeds, barley, wheat, and the like denote interior truths and goods; and stones not artificial denote truths.

The faith that used to serve us

AC 7122…Such infestation is permitted to the end that falsities may be removed, and truths be instilled, which cannot possibly be done without infestation; for after death there clings to a man, and there is in his memories, everything of his thought in the world, of his intention, of his will, of his speech, and of his action, for nothing is obliterated. That these things have been impressed on his memories, especially on the interior memory, which is properly the memory of his spirit, see n. 2469, 2470, 2474, 2475. And this being so, it must needs be that there cling to him things foul and filthy, and also evil and false, from his life in the world; and which cause the truths which the man has also learned, and the goods which he has imbued, to be hidden. For truths and goods cannot come forth among such things; and therefore before truths and goods can appear, and the man be thus associated with those who are in heaven, it is necessary that these evils and falsities be uncovered, so that he may see them and know them, and thus learn what is true and what is good. This cannot possibly be done without combat with the evils and falsities in himself; which combat takes place actually, the evil spirits exciting falsities and evils, and the angels excusing if the end has been good, and instilling truths. This is perceived as if it were in himself, as is the case with temptation in man, which is felt no otherwise than as being in him, when yet it is the combat of angels with evil spirits outside of him (see n. 3927, 4249, 4307, 5036, 6657). That this is so has been granted me to know with certainty from much experience. These things have been said in order that it may be known why infestation by falsities takes place with those who are of the spiritual church, which infestation has been treated of in the above verses, and is treated of also in those which follow.

AC 7127. I will by no means give you straw. That this signifies no longer thence the most general memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “by no means giving,” as being no longer to furnish; and from the signification of “straw,” as being the most general memory-knowledges of all (see n. 7112). How the case herein is has already been told. But it must be told further, that in the other life those who have been of the church, and have persuaded themselves that faith alone saves, yet have not lived the life of faith, but a life of evil, especially put straw (that is, the most general memory-knowledges of all) before the upright whom they are infesting. These men are of the same character there as they had been in the world; they are acquainted with confirming arguments in favor of faith alone, by which they say that man is saved no matter how he had lived; but these confirming arguments are nothing but reasonings that agree with the given proposition; for everything, even what is most false, can be confirmed by reasonings, and can also be presented to the simple as true, by means of the arts of eloquence and of inference. [2] For this purpose they especially employ such things from the Word as are the most general of all, and which without the internal sense of the word can be drawn to favor any opinion whatever. Such are the things which they put before those who are of the spiritual church; and by means of which they infest them; although they are nothing but chaff or straw for making bricks, for they exclude the most essential thing of all, namely, charity. They indeed say that works of charity are the fruits of faith, but still they make these works of no account, and persuade their hearers that man is saved by faith alone no matter what his life has been, even in life’s last moments; thus by faith without its fruits, consequently without the life of faith and charity. [3] So long as such things are put before the upright in the other life, these wield fighting arguments, and are able to defend themselves, for they see that reasonings are fallacious when the essential, which is charity, is thus excluded, and also when they see that no regard is paid to the life. From everything in the other life, both in general and in particular, they see these things as in clear day. Such then is what is meant by the memory-knowledges the lowest and most general of all, which are signified by “straw.” They who have persuaded themselves that faith alone saves, and yet have lived a life of evil, are in hell at a considerable depth toward the right, a little in front; and I have heard them from thence infesting the upright with reasonings; but these, being led of the Lord by the angels, rejected the reasonings as being empty, and they also exposed the fallacies which were in the confirmations and arguments from the general things of the Word.

To gather stubble, to search for spiritual principles in scientifics/memory knowledge ‘as if of self’

AC 7131. To gather stubble for straw. That this signifies to find some truth of memory-knowledge,  is evident from the signification of “stubble for straw,” as being the truth of memory-knowledge, for “stubble” denotes such truth as is accommodated to the memory-knowledge that is signified by “straw.” That “stubble” denotes such truth is because it is the stalk in the top of which is the seed, and by “seeds” in the word are signified truths and goods; thus by the stalk which is beneath them is signified the general vessel of truth, consequently the truth of memory-knowledge; for the memory-knowledges of faith and charity are indeed truths, but general truths, thus are the recipient vessels of particular and singular truths, as can also be seen by everyone. For example: it is a truth of memory-knowledge that charity toward the neighbor is the essential of the church; also that faith cannot be except where charity is; and likewise that truth and good can be conjoined, but not truth and evil, nor good and falsity; besides many similar truths, which are truths of memory-knowledge. That these can be enriched with innumerable things, can be seen from the fact that volumes can be written about them, and yet the singular truths, which are the interior things of faith, can never be described, for these can only be seen in the light of heaven, and do not fall into natural words. These truths are like charity, which is spiritual affection, and which for the most part cannot be expressed by words, except its most general things, namely, those which put on a natural dress, and which can be compared with such things as are in the world. These things have been said in order that it may be known what general memory-knowledges are.

We come to see what good and truth is by seeing what it is not

AC 7118…They who infest, as far as possible hinder the upright whom they infest from thinking about the Lord; as soon as any thought of the Lord openly occurs, they at once take it away, which they know how to do in a skillful manner. But as with those who are being infested, thought about the Lord is nevertheless universal, thus too interior to be in plain view (for it flows in through heaven), therefore as soon as they cease to be infested, they come into thought about the Lord, for that which flows in from heaven and reigns universally, reveals itself in every free state.

AC 926. When the verb ‘says’ is used of Jehovah, nothing else is meant than ‘is so’ or ‘is not so’, or ‘happens’ or ‘does not happen’; for no other verb can be used of Jehovah than Is. The things which are said of Jehovah throughout the Word are there for the benefit of people who cannot grasp anything apart from that which comes within man’s actual experience. That is why the sense of the letter takes the form it does. The simple in heart are able to be taught from appearances as they belong to man’s actual experience, for their knowledge of things goes scarcely any further than that based on sensory experience; therefore it is their mental grasp of things that determines the way anything is said in the Word.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye have made them cease from their burdens. And Pharaoh commanded in that day the taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make bricks, as yesterday and the day before yesterday; let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not take away from it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let the service be made heavier upon the men, and let them do it; and let them not regard the words of a lie. And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus said Pharaoh, I will by no means give you straw. Go ye yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nothing whatever shall be taken away from your service. And the people scattered into all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day, as when there was straw.

Exodus 5: 5-13

Arcana Coelestia 7106… “And Pharaoh said,” signifies the will of those who infest the truths of the church; “Behold the people of the land are now many,” signifies the multitude of those who are of the spiritual church; “and ye have made them cease from their burdens,” signifies that they have not infested enough; “and Pharaoh commanded in that day,” signifies the cupidity of infesting the truths of the church while in that state; “the taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying,” signifies those who most closely infest and most closely receive; “Ye shall no more give the people straw,” signifies the lowest memory-knowledges which are the most general of all; “to make bricks,” signifies for the things fictitious and false that will be injected; “as yesterday and the day before yesterday,” signifies not as in the former state “let them go and gather straw for themselves,” signifies that they should procure for themselves these lowest memory-knowledges; “and the tale of bricks, which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday, ye shall lay upon them,” signifies that the things fictitious and false must be injected in abundance as before; “ye shall not take away from it,” signifies without diminution; “for they are idle,” signifies that they are not assaulted enough; “therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God,” signifies that consequently they have so much thought about such worship; “let the service be made heavier upon the men,” signifies that the assault should be increased; “and let them do it,” signifies to obtain the effect; “and let them not regard the words of a lie,” signifies lest they turn to truths.

AC 7123… “And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers,” signifies the sending forth and presence of those who most closely infest, and of those who most closely receive; “and they spoke to the people, saying,” signifies perception; “Thus said Pharaoh,” signifies about the infestations; “I will by no means give you straw,” signifies no longer thence the most general memory-knowledges; “Go ye yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it,” signifies that they should procure these for themselves elsewhere, wherever they could; “for nothing whatever shall be taken away from your service,” signifies injections of falsities without diminution; “and the people scattered into all the land of Egypt,” signifies that they overspread the natural mind on every side; “to gather stubble for straw,” signifies to find some truth of memory-knowledge; “and the taskmasters were urgent,” signifies that they who most closely infested were insistent; “saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day,” signifies that they should serve falsities so called in every state; “as when there was straw,” signifies just as they served their truths so called.

The straw

AC 7112. Ye shall no more give the people straw. That this signifies the lowest memory-knowledges and the most general of all, is evident from the signification of “chaff” or “straw,” as being truths of memory-knowledge (see n. 3114), and indeed memory-knowledges the lowest and most general of all, for the lowest food in a spiritual sense is straw or chaff, because it is the food of beasts. Those knowledges are called lowest which are full of fallacies of the senses, which the evil abuse to pervert goods and truths, and thus to defend evils and falsities; for on account of fallacies these knowledges can be turned in favor of principles of falsity and of cupidities of evil. Moreover such knowledges are the most general of all, and unless they are filled with truths less general and more particular, they may be of service to falsities and evils, but in proportion as they are filled with truths, they are of less service to them. Such are the knowledges whereby they who in the world have professed faith alone, and yet have lived a life of evil, infest the upright in the other life; but as these knowledges are dispelled by the angels, it is now said that they should not give straw to make brick, that is, that they did not add these to the fictitious and false things that would be injected… That “straw” or “grass” denotes the lowest memory-knowledge, and that “bricks” denote things fictitious and false, can be seen from many considerations; for all herbage and straw have no other signification; but seeds, barley, wheat, and the like denote interior truths and goods; and stones not artificial denote truths.

The faith that used to serve us

AC 7122…Such infestation is permitted to the end that falsities may be removed, and truths be instilled, which cannot possibly be done without infestation; for after death there clings to a man, and there is in his memories, everything of his thought in the world, of his intention, of his will, of his speech, and of his action, for nothing is obliterated. That these things have been impressed on his memories, especially on the interior memory, which is properly the memory of his spirit, see n. 2469, 2470, 2474, 2475. And this being so, it must needs be that there cling to him things foul and filthy, and also evil and false, from his life in the world; and which cause the truths which the man has also learned, and the goods which he has imbued, to be hidden. For truths and goods cannot come forth among such things; and therefore before truths and goods can appear, and the man be thus associated with those who are in heaven, it is necessary that these evils and falsities be uncovered, so that he may see them and know them, and thus learn what is true and what is good. This cannot possibly be done without combat with the evils and falsities in himself; which combat takes place actually, the evil spirits exciting falsities and evils, and the angels excusing if the end has been good, and instilling truths. This is perceived as if it were in himself, as is the case with temptation in man, which is felt no otherwise than as being in him, when yet it is the combat of angels with evil spirits outside of him (see n. 3927, 4249, 4307, 5036, 6657). That this is so has been granted me to know with certainty from much experience. These things have been said in order that it may be known why infestation by falsities takes place with those who are of the spiritual church, which infestation has been treated of in the above verses, and is treated of also in those which follow.

AC 7127. I will by no means give you straw. That this signifies no longer thence the most general memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “by no means giving,” as being no longer to furnish; and from the signification of “straw,” as being the most general memory-knowledges of all (see n. 7112). How the case herein is has already been told. But it must be told further, that in the other life those who have been of the church, and have persuaded themselves that faith alone saves, yet have not lived the life of faith, but a life of evil, especially put straw (that is, the most general memory-knowledges of all) before the upright whom they are infesting. These men are of the same character there as they had been in the world; they are acquainted with confirming arguments in favor of faith alone, by which they say that man is saved no matter how he had lived; but these confirming arguments are nothing but reasonings that agree with the given proposition; for everything, even what is most false, can be confirmed by reasonings, and can also be presented to the simple as true, by means of the arts of eloquence and of inference. [2] For this purpose they especially employ such things from the Word as are the most general of all, and which without the internal sense of the word can be drawn to favor any opinion whatever. Such are the things which they put before those who are of the spiritual church; and by means of which they infest them; although they are nothing but chaff or straw for making bricks, for they exclude the most essential thing of all, namely, charity. They indeed say that works of charity are the fruits of faith, but still they make these works of no account, and persuade their hearers that man is saved by faith alone no matter what his life has been, even in life’s last moments; thus by faith without its fruits, consequently without the life of faith and charity. [3] So long as such things are put before the upright in the other life, these wield fighting arguments, and are able to defend themselves, for they see that reasonings are fallacious when the essential, which is charity, is thus excluded, and also when they see that no regard is paid to the life. From everything in the other life, both in general and in particular, they see these things as in clear day. Such then is what is meant by the memory-knowledges the lowest and most general of all, which are signified by “straw.” They who have persuaded themselves that faith alone saves, and yet have lived a life of evil, are in hell at a considerable depth toward the right, a little in front; and I have heard them from thence infesting the upright with reasonings; but these, being led of the Lord by the angels, rejected the reasonings as being empty, and they also exposed the fallacies which were in the confirmations and arguments from the general things of the Word.

To gather stubble, to search for spiritual principles in scientifics/memory knowledge ‘as if of self’

AC 7131. To gather stubble for straw. That this signifies to find some truth of memory-knowledge,  is evident from the signification of “stubble for straw,” as being the truth of memory-knowledge, for “stubble” denotes such truth as is accommodated to the memory-knowledge that is signified by “straw.” That “stubble” denotes such truth is because it is the stalk in the top of which is the seed, and by “seeds” in the word are signified truths and goods; thus by the stalk which is beneath them is signified the general vessel of truth, consequently the truth of memory-knowledge; for the memory-knowledges of faith and charity are indeed truths, but general truths, thus are the recipient vessels of particular and singular truths, as can also be seen by everyone. For example: it is a truth of memory-knowledge that charity toward the neighbor is the essential of the church; also that faith cannot be except where charity is; and likewise that truth and good can be conjoined, but not truth and evil, nor good and falsity; besides many similar truths, which are truths of memory-knowledge. That these can be enriched with innumerable things, can be seen from the fact that volumes can be written about them, and yet the singular truths, which are the interior things of faith, can never be described, for these can only be seen in the light of heaven, and do not fall into natural words. These truths are like charity, which is spiritual affection, and which for the most part cannot be expressed by words, except its most general things, namely, those which put on a natural dress, and which can be compared with such things as are in the world. These things have been said in order that it may be known what general memory-knowledges are.

We come to see what good and truth is by seeing what it is not

AC 7118…They who infest, as far as possible hinder the upright whom they infest from thinking about the Lord; as soon as any thought of the Lord openly occurs, they at once take it away, which they know how to do in a skillful manner. But as with those who are being infested, thought about the Lord is nevertheless universal, thus too interior to be in plain view (for it flows in through heaven), therefore as soon as they cease to be infested, they come into thought about the Lord, for that which flows in from heaven and reigns universally, reveals itself in every free state.

AC 926. When the verb ‘says’ is used of Jehovah, nothing else is meant than ‘is so’ or ‘is not so’, or ‘happens’ or ‘does not happen’; for no other verb can be used of Jehovah than Is. The things which are said of Jehovah throughout the Word are there for the benefit of people who cannot grasp anything apart from that which comes within man’s actual experience. That is why the sense of the letter takes the form it does. The simple in heart are able to be taught from appearances as they belong to man’s actual experience, for their knowledge of things goes scarcely any further than that based on sensory experience; therefore it is their mental grasp of things that determines the way anything is said in the Word.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7056. And he went, and met him in the mountain of God. That this signifies conjunction in the good of love there, is evident from the signification of “meeting,” or “coming to meet,” as being conjunction (of which just above, n. 7054); and from the signification of “the mountain of God,” as being the good of Divine love (see n. 6829). The case herein is this. The conjunction of the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine with the truth which proceeds mediately, is not possible except in good, for good is the very soil. Truths are seeds, which do not grow elsewhere than in good as in their soil. Moreover, good is the very soul of truth; from this, truth comes forth, in order to be truth, and from this it lives. [2] The truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine is called truth, but in itself it is good, because it proceeds from the Divine good; but it is the good to which all truth Divine has been united. It is called truth because in heaven it appears as light, but it is a light like that in spring, to which has been united the warmth that vivifies all things of the earth. From all this it can also be seen that the conjunction of the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine with the truth which proceeds mediately, is not possible except in good, consequently not unless the man is affected with truth for the sake of truth, especially for the sake of good, thus for the sake of life, for then the man is in good.

7052. Verses 27-31. And Jehovah said unto Aaron, Go to meet Moses, into the wilderness. And he went and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah, wherewith He had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. And Moses went, and Aaron, and gathered together all the elders of the sons of Israel; and Aaron spoke all the words which Jehovah had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs before the eyes of the people. And the people believed; and they heard that Jehovah had visited the sons of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, and they bent themselves, and bowed themselves down. “And Jehovah said unto Aaron,” signifies the truth of doctrine, and perception therein from the Divine; “Go to meet Moses,” signifies that it should be conjoined with the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine; “into the wilderness,” signifies where previously it is not so; “and he went, and met him in the mountain of God,” signifies conjunction in the good of love therein; “and kissed him,” signifies the affection of conjunction; “and Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah,” signifies the influx of the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord into the truth which proceeds mediately, and instruction in the details of doctrine; “wherewith He had sent him,” signifies which proceed; “and all the signs which He had commanded him,” signifies enlightenment and from this at the same time confirmation; “and Moses went, and Aaron,” signifies the life of the conjunction of both; “and gathered together all the elders of the sons of Israel,” signifies the chief things of wisdom pertaining to the spiritual church; “and Aaron spoke all the words which Jehovah had spoken unto Moses,” signifies doctrine thence from the Divine; “and did the signs before the eyes of the people,” signifies confirmation to apprehension; “and the people believed, and they heard,” signifies faith and hope; “that Jehovah had visited the sons of Israel,” signifies that those who are of the spiritual church would be liberated and saved by the coming of the Lord; “and that He had seen their affliction,” signifies after temptations so great; “and they bent themselves and bowed themselves down,” signifies humiliation.

Love and wisdom appear as separate but are one

Divine Love and Wisdom  39. In man, love and wisdom appear as two separate things, but still in themselves they are one distinctly, because with man, wisdom is such as love is, and love is such as wisdom is. The wisdom that does not make one with its love appears to be wisdom, but is not; while the love that does not make one with its wisdom, appears to be the love of wisdom, but is not. For the one will derive its essence and its life reciprocally from the other. With man, love and wisdom appear as two separate things because with him the faculty of understanding may be elevated into the light of heaven, but not the faculty of loving, except in so far as man acts as he understands. Any apparent wisdom, therefore, which does not make one with the love of wisdom, sinks back into a love which does make one with it, and this may be a love, not of wisdom, nay rather a love of insanity. For a man can know from wisdom that he ought to do this or that, but yet does not do it because he does not love it. But so far as a man does from love what is of wisdom, he is, to that extent, an image of God.

When truth joins with good, or what is mediate joins with immediate

Arcana Coelestia 7055…That conjunction was to be effected there, is signified by “Aaron went to meet Moses in the wilderness.” As to this conjunction, be it known that there may be with a man truth proceeding mediately from the Divine, and yet it may not be conjoined with the truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine. [2] But as this matter is secret, it shall be illustrated by examples. With those who think and teach according to the doctrine of their church confirmed in themselves, and do not know whether they are truths from any other ground than the fact that they are from the doctrine of the church, and that they have been delivered by learned and enlightened men, there can be truth proceeding mediately from the Divine; but still it is not conjoined with the truth that proceeds immediately from the Divine; for if it were conjoined, they would then have the affection of knowing truth for the sake of truth, and especially for the sake of life, whence they would also be endowed with a perception whether the doctrinal things of their church are truths before they confirm them in themselves; and would see in each whether the things confirming are in agreement with the truth itself. (3)…There is indeed with every man Divine influx both immediate and mediate (see n. 6063, 7004), but not conjunction, except with those who have perception of truth from good; for they with whom immediate Divine influx has been conjoined with mediate suffer themselves to be led by the Lord; but they with whom these influxes have not been conjoined, lead themselves, and this they love.

7056…the conjunction of the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine with the truth which proceeds mediately, is not possible except in good, consequently not unless the man is affected with truth for the sake of truth, especially for the sake of good, thus for the sake of life, for then the man is in good. [3] From the following considerations it may be further known how the case is with the conjunction in question. The truth proceeding immediately from the Divine enters into the will of man, this is its way; but the truth which proceeds mediately from the Divine enters into the understanding of man; and therefore conjunction cannot be effected unless the will and the understanding act as a one, that is, unless the will wills good, and the understanding confirms it by truth. When therefore there is conjunction, then the Lord appears as present, and His presence is perceived; but when there is no conjunction, then the Lord is as it were absent; yet His absence is not perceived, unless it is known from some perception what His presence is.

The good of love is the practice of the Word, of truth

Arcana Coelestia 7068. And they bent themselves and bowed themselves down. That this signifies humiliation, is evident from the signification of “bending themselves and bowing themselves down,” as being the effect of humiliation (see n. 2153, 6266); but that “bending themselves” denotes exterior humiliation, and is that of those who are in truth; and that “bowing themselves down” denotes interior humiliation, and is that of those who are in good, may be seen above (n. 5682). That this is so, has often been made plain from those who are in truth and those who are in good; they who are in truth are as it were rigid, and stand erect as if they were hard; and when they ought to humble themselves before the Divine, they only bend the body a little; but those who are in good are as it were soft, and when they humble themselves before the Divine, they bow themselves down to the earth. For truth without good is quite rigid, and when it looks to good as the end, this rigidity begins to soften; but good is in itself soft, and the truth which is being instilled, as it becomes good there, also grows soft. The reason is that truth cannot be ordered in the heavenly form except by good; hence it is in itself hard; for the heavenly form is most free and makes no resistance; and from this the good with which truth has been rightly ordered is like it; and as above said is soft.

Conjugal Love 56… Our host then said, “Let us now join together in some discourse on wisdom. Let the discourse be concerning causes, and for the present concerning the cause of the beauty of the female sex.” They then spoke in turn. [4] A fourth gave this: “The Lord has taken the beauty and grace of life from man(TRUTH/OUR UNDERSTANDING OF) and transcribed them into woman(THE GOOD OF PRACTICE). Hence, without reunion with his beauty and grace in woman(THE GOOD OF PRACTICE), a man(TRUTH) is stern, austere, dry, and unlovely; nor is he wise save for himself alone, and then he is stupid. But when man(TRUTH) is united with his beauty and grace of life in his wife(GOOD OF PRACTICE), he becomes agreeable, pleasant, animated, and lovely, and thus wise.” A fifth gave this: “Women(THE GOOD OF PRACTICE) are created beauties for the sake not of themselves but of men(TRUTH), that men(TRUTH), of themselves hard, may be softened; that their minds, of themselves severe, may become mild, and their hearts, of themselves cold, warm; and they do become such when they become one flesh with their wives.”

And Jehovah said unto Aaron, Go to meet Moses, into the wilderness. And he went and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah, wherewith He had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. And Moses went, and Aaron, and gathered together all the elders of the sons of Israel; and Aaron spoke all the words which Jehovah had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs before the eyes of the people. And the people believed; and they heard that Jehovah had visited the sons of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, and they bent themselves, and bowed themselves down.

Exodus 4: Verses 27-31.

7135. Verses 14-18. And the officers of the sons of Israel were beaten, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, saying, Wherefore do ye not complete your task in making brick, as yesterday and the day before yesterday, also yesterday, also today? And the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore doest thou so to thy servants? There is no straw given to thy servants, and they say to us, Make ye bricks; and behold thy servants are beaten; and thy people have sinned. And he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah. And now go, serve ye, and straw shall not be given you, and the tale of bricks shall ye give. “And the officers of the sons of Israel were beaten,” signifies that they who most closely received and communicated the infestations were injured by the injected falsities; “whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them,” signifies those who were injected by the infesters; “saying, Wherefore do ye not complete your task in making bricks?” signifies that they do not receive and communicate the injections of falsities as had been enjoined; “as yesterday and the day before yesterday,” signifies as in the former state; “also yesterday also today,” signifies the state that will be therefrom; “and the officers of the sons of Israel came,” signifies those who most closely received and communicated; “and cried unto Pharaoh,” signifies indignation testified before those who were infesting; “saying, wherefore doest thou thus to thy servants?” signifies that thus they could not perform the duty enjoined; “there is no straw given to thy servants,” signifies that memory-knowledges containing truth are no longer furnished; “and they say to us, Make ye bricks,” signifies that they must nevertheless endure the injected falsities; “and behold thy servants are beaten,” signifies that in this way the falsities inflict injury; “and thy people have sinned,” signifies that thus they are guilty in having done evil; “and he said,” signifies the answer; “Ye are idle, ye are idle,” signifies that they have not been sufficiently assaulted; “therefore ye say, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah,” signifies that from this comes the thought about such worship; “and now go, serve ye,” signifies continuation of the infestation; “and straw shall not be given you,” signifies without such memory-knowledges; “and the tale of bricks ye shall give,” signifies the falsities which were to be injected in abundance.

7136. And the officers of the sons of Israel were beaten. That this signifies that they who most closely received and communicated the infestations were injured by the injected falsities, is evident from the signification of “being beaten,” as being to be injured by falsities, because by the taskmasters, by whom are signified the infesters, for in the spiritual sense “to be beaten” is not to be beaten, but to be injured in respect to truth and good, that is, in respect to the things of spiritual life; just as “to die” in the spiritual sense is not to die, but to be deprived of truth and good, and to be in falsity and evil, and therefore damned; from the signification of “the officers,” as being those who most closely receive and communicate the infestations (see n. 7111); and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (n. 6426, 6637), with whom they who are signified by the “officers” were in communication.

7137. Whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them. That this signifies those who were injected by the infesters, is evident from the signification of “being set over them,” as being to be injected, because done by injection (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “taskmasters,” as being those who infest (see n. 7111). How this is cannot be known except from experience with such in the other life. It was said above that by “taskmasters” are signified those who most closely infest, and by “officers” those who most closely receive and communicate (n. 7111); they who thus receive and communicate are simple, upright spirits, who are of especial service for such a use; these spirits, by means of arts known only in the other life, are injected by the infesters toward the society with which they thus procure for themselves communication; and this is effected by those who infest and are signified by the “taskmasters;” thus the hells have communication on their side, and they who are being infested on theirs. That this is the case, I have seen a hundred times, if not a thousand, and have also experienced. From all this it is evident that what is signified by these words in the internal sense cannot be known except from experience concerning such things in the other life.

7138. Saying, Wherefore do ye not complete your task in making bricks? That this signifies that they do not receive and communicate the injections of falsities as had been enjoined, is evident from the signification of the “officers” to whom these things are said, as being those who most closely receive and communicate (see n. 7111); from the signification of “completing the task,” as being to do as had been enjoined; and from the signification of “making bricks,” as being to receive things fictitious and false (n. 7113).

7139. As yesterday and the day before yesterday. That this signifies as in the former state, is evident from the signification of “yesterday and the day before” as being a former state (see n. 6983, 7114).

7140. Also yesterday, also today. That this signifies the state that will be therefrom, is evident from the signification of “yesterday,” as being the former state (as just above); and from the signification of “today,” as being what is perpetual (see n. 2838, 3998, 4304, 6165), consequently what is everlasting, and thus that will be as before.

7141. And the officers of the sons of Israel came. That this signifies those who most closely received and communicated, is evident from the signification of “the officers of the sons of Israel,” as being those who most closely receive and communicate the infestations (of which just above, n. 7136).

7142. And cried unto Pharaoh. That this signifies indignation testified before those who were infesting, is evident from the signification of “crying,” as here being to attest indignation, namely, because they had been beaten, that is, injured by the injected falsities; and because straw was not given to make brick, that is, that they were receiving and injecting only things fictitious and false; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest (see n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 7126).

7143. Saying, Wherefore doest thou this to thy servants? That this signifies that thus they could not perform the duty enjoined, is evident from the signification of a “servant,” as being one who ministers, and performs a duty; he is called a “servant” because he is of service, as occasionally occurs in the Word. That he is called a “servant” who obeys, see n. 1713; and that to “serve” denotes study, n. 3824, 3846; and as what now follows involves that they could not endure that service, it is plain that by “wherefore doest thou thus to thy servants?” is signified that thus they could not perform the duty enjoined.

7144. There is no straw given to thy servants. That this signifies that memory-knowledges containing truth are no longer furnished, is evident from the signification of ” straw,” as being memory-knowledges the most general of all (see n. 7112), which, being like vessels that can be filled with truths (n. 4345, 4383, 5208, 7131), are called memory-knowledges, the containers of truth; from the signification of “not being given,” as being not to be furnished; and from the signification of “servants,” as being those who minister and perform a duty (of which just above, n. 7143).

7145. And they say to us, Make ye bricks. That this signifies that they must nevertheless endure the injected falsities, is evident from the signification of “making bricks,” as being to receive things fictitious and false which are injected by the evil (n. 7113), here to endure them.

7146. And behold thy servants are beaten. That this signifies that in this way the falsities inflict injury, is evident from the signification of “being beaten,” as being to be injured by falsities (see n. 7136).

7147. And thy people have sinned. That this signifies that thus they are guilty in that they have done evil, is evident from the signification of “sinning,” as being to become guilty of evil, and in this case that they would deserve to be punished. How the case is in general with what is contained in this and the preceding verse must be told. They who are in the lower earth are infested by falsities and evils injected from the hells round about, in order that evils and falsities may be removed, and truths and goods be instilled, and that in this way they may be brought into a state in which they can be raised up into heaven (see n. 7090, 7122). But near the end they are more severely infested than before; for then truths are taken from them, and mere falsities are permitted to infest them, and this even to despair; for it is of Divine order that the last of infestation and of temptation should be despair (see n. 1787, 2694, 5279, 5280). This was done by Pharaoh in order that this state of those who are of the spiritual church might be represented by the sons of Israel, and this when the infestations were near to the end, that is, when the people were to be liberated and conducted into the land of Canaan. Be it known that infestations are effected in this manner, namely, that falsities and evils from the hells are injected into the thoughts, and also truths and goods from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; this is done because a man and a spirit do not think from themselves, but all things flow in, which although it is quite foreign to our feeling, and therefore seems to be incredible, is nevertheless most true (on this matter see what has already been adduced and shown from experience, n. 2886, 4151, 4249, 5846, 5854, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626). From all this it can be known how it is to be understood that infestations are effected by means of the injection of falsities, and that this is increased even to despair.

7148. And he said. That this signifies the answer, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being answer (n. 7103).

7149. Ye are idle, ye are idle. That this signifies that they have not been sufficiently assaulted, is evident from the signification of “being idle,” as being not to be sufficiently assaulted, namely, by falsities (see n. 7118).

7150. Therefore ye say, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah. That this signifies that from this comes the thought about such worship, is evident from what was said above (n. 7119), where are the like words.

7151. And now go, serve ye. That this signifies the continuation of infestation, is evident from the signification of “serving,” as being to be infested by falsities (see n. 7120, 7129); hence, “go, serve ye” denotes the continuation of the infestation; for they had complained of the service, but the answer was that it should be continued.

7152. And straw shall not be given you. That this signifies without such memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “straw,” as being the most general memory-knowledges, and consequently the containants of truth (see n. 7112, 7144). That they must be without them is signified by “it shall not be given.”

7153. And the tale of bricks ye shall give. That this signifies the falsities which were to be injected in abundance, is evident from what was said above (n. 7116), where are the like words. These then are the things contained in these verses in the internal sense, and which to men may perhaps appear as of but little moment, and also disconnected; nevertheless they are each of them essential to the subject treated of, and cohere most beautifully. That this is so is perceived by the angels, for they see the series and connection of things in the light of heaven, together with countless secret things that are shaped from interior truths, giving rise to a form that is most beautiful and pleasing; which cannot possibly be done by man, because interior truths have been hidden from him, and consequently he cannot connect them together; but they appear to him disconnected, and therefore, as just said, of little moment.

7154. Verses 19-21. And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in evil when it was said, Ye shall not take anything away from your bricks on a day in its day. And they met Moses and Aaron standing to meet them as they went forth from Pharaoh; and they said unto them, Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye have made our odor to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword into their hand to slay us. “And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in evil,” signifies that they saw themselves near damnation; “when it was said, Ye shall not take anything away from your bricks,” signifies because nothing of the injection of falsities was diminished; “on a day in its day,” signifies in every state whatever; “and they met Moses and Aaron,” signifies thought about the law Divine and the doctrine thence derived; “standing to meet them as they went forth from Pharaoh,” signifies manifestation at a time when falsities did not so much infest; “and they said unto them,” signifies perception; “Jehovah look upon you, and judge,” signifies the Divine disposal; “because ye have made our odor to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants,” signifies that by reason of these things all who are in falsities have so great an aversion to our compliance; “to put a sword into their hand to slay us,” signifies that hence they have so great an ardor to destroy the truths of the church by means of falsities.

7155. And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in evil. That this signifies that they saw themselves near damnation, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to perceive (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the signification of the “officers,” as being those who most closely receive and communicate the infestations (n. 7111, 7136); and from the signification of “evil,” as being damnation for regarded in itself evil is hell (n. 6279), thus damnation. That “to be in evil” denotes to be near damnation, is because those who most closely received and communicated the infestations were injured, which is signified by their being beaten by the taskmasters (n. 7136), and because through the falsities that were continually injected they were infested even to despair (n. 7147). Hence it is that by “they saw that they were in evil” is signified that they perceived themselves to be near damnation. For as those who are in despair suppose that they can no longer endure the assaults, they think that they must needs deliver themselves up as captives to falsities, such being the state of despair; but then they begin to be relieved, and to be led as it were out of thick darkness into light.

7156. When it was said, Ye shall not take anything away from your bricks. That this signifies because nothing of the injection of falsities was diminished, is evident from the signification of “not taking anything away,” as being that nothing was to be diminished (as also above, n. 7129); and from the signification of “making bricks,” as being to endure the injected falsities (n. 7113, 7145).

7157. On a day in its day. That this signifies in every state whatever, is evident from the signification of “day by day,” as being in every state whatever (as above, see n. 7133).

7158. And they met Moses and Aaron. That this signifies thought about the Divine law and the doctrine thence derived, is evident from the signification of “meeting,” as being thought, for by their meeting is here meant that they encountered them and spoke with them, which in the internal sense denotes to think about the things which they represent (that “to speak” denotes to think, see n. 2271, 2287, 2619); from the representation of Moses, as being the Divine law (n. 6752); and from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of good and truth (n. 6998, 7009, 7089).

7159. Standing to meet them as they went forth from Pharaoh. That this signifies manifestation at a time when falsities did not so much infest, is evident from the signification of “standing to meet,” when said of the Divine law and doctrine thence derived, as being manifestation; and from the signification of “going forth from Pharaoh,” as being when falsities did not so much infest. (That “Pharaoh” denotes the infesting falsity, see n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142.)

7159a. And they said unto them. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (of which frequently above).

7160. Jehovah look upon you, and judge. That this signifies the Divine disposal, is evident from the signification of “let Jehovah look and judge,” as being the Divine disposal, for that which Jehovah sees and judges, He disposes. By “looking” is signified the Divine perception, properly foresight; and by “judging” is signified the Divine ordering, properly providence. Because these things are signified by these words in the internal sense, it was customary to say, when evil happened by anyone’s fault, “Let Jehovah look and judge.”

7161. Because ye have made odor to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants. That this signifies that by reason of these things all they who are in falsities have so great an aversion to our compliance, is evident from the signification of “making to stink,” as being aversion, of which in what follows; and from the signification of “odor,” as being the perceptivity of what is grateful (see n. 925, 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4626, 4628, 4748); and as “odor” denotes the perceptivity of what is grateful, it denotes the perceptivity of faith and charity, for these are grateful (see n. 1519, 4628, 4748); and because these are grateful, compliance is most grateful, for compliance is the very good itself of faith and charity; hence it is that by “odor” is here signified compliance.

7162. To put a sword into their hand to slay us. That this signifies that hence they have so great an ardor to destroy the truths of the church by means of falsities, is evident from the signification of a “sword,” as being falsity combating and vastating (see n. 2799, 6353, 7102); and from the signification of “slaying,” as being to destroy the things of faith and charity n. 6767). The things of faith and charity are signified by the “sons of Israel,” of whom it is said that they should be “slain;” for the essentials of the spiritual church, which is signified by the “sons of Israel” (n. 6637), are charity and faith.

7163. Verses 22, 23. And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Lord, wherefore hast Thou done evilly to this people? Why is this that Thou hast sent me? For since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath done evilly to this people; and liberating Thou hast not liberated Thy people. “And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said,” signifies complaint from the law Divine; “Lord, wherefore hast Thou done evilly to this people?” signifies that they who are in truths and goods are too much infested by falsities; “why is this that Thou hast sent me?” signifies when yet the law proceeding from the Divine seems to say otherwise; “for since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, “thy name” signifies when the command from the things of the law Divine appeared to those who are in falsities; “he hath done evilly to this people,” signifies that then through the injected falsities those who are in the truths and goods of the church seemed to be injured; “and liberating Thou hast not liberated Thy people,” signifies that they were not released from a state of infestations by falsities.

7164. And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said. That this signifies complaint from the law Divine, is evident from the signification of “returning unto Jehovah,” as being to prefer a complaint to the Divine about the infestation of those who are in truths and goods by those who are in falsities and evils; that “to return to Jehovah” denotes a complaint, is plain from what follows; and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7014); hence the complaint is from the truth which is of the law Divine, that they who are in falsities have such dominion over those who are in truths.

7165. Lord, wherefore hast Thou done evilly to this people? That this signifies that they who are in truths and goods are too much infested by falsities, is evident from the signification of “doing evilly,” as being to permit them to be too much infested by falsities, for in the spiritual sense this is “to do evilly” when said of those who are in truths and goods; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here the “people,” as being those who are of the spiritual church, thus who are in the truths of the church and in its goods (as just above, n. 7162).

7166. Why is this that Thou hast sent me? That this signifies when yet the law proceeding from the Divine seems to say otherwise, is evident from the signification of “why is this?” as being why is it so when it is said otherwise; from the representation of Moses, who says these things of himself, as being the law from the Divine (of which just above, see n. 7164); and from the signification of “being sent,” as being to proceed (n. 4710, 6831). Hence by “Why is this that Thou hast sent me?” is signified that the law proceeding from the Divine seems to say otherwise. As this is said by him who complains of infestation by falsities, it appears as if the law from the Divine said otherwise, and therefore it is said that it seems to say otherwise, when yet it does not say otherwise. For the law from the Divine is the law of order, and the law of order concerning those who are in a state of infestations from falsities is that they must be infested even to despair, and unless they are infested to despair, the uttermost of the use of the infestation is lacking. That temptation is increased even to despair is very evident from the Lord’s temptation in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:38, 39; Mark 14:33-36; Luke 22:44), and also afterward upon the cross (Matt. 27:46), in that it was carried even to a state of despair; and the temptation of the Lord is a pattern of the temptation of the faithful; wherefore the Lord says that whosoever would follow Him must take up his cross (Matt. 10:38; 16:24); for the glorification of the Lord is a pattern of the regeneration of man (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688), and regeneration is effected chiefly by means of temptation.

7167. For since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in Thy name. That this signifies when the command from the things which are of the law Divine appeared to those who are in falsities, is evident from the signification of “coming to speak,” as being to convey a command, here to appear; for a command from the Divine is not conveyed openly to those who are in the hells, but exhortation is made to them through spirits, and hence it appears to them as a command from the Divine; from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities and infest (see n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142); and from the signification of the “name of Jehovah,” as being everything of faith and charity by which the Lord is worshiped (n. 2724, 3006, 6674), thus everything that is of the law Divine, for the law Divine is nothing else than that which is of charity and faith. For the law Divine is truth Divine proceeding from the Lord, and that which proceeds from the Lord is Divine good and truth; and Divine good is love and charity, and Divine truth is faith.

7168. He hath done evilly to this people. That this signifies that then through the injected falsities those who are in the truths and goods of the church seemed to be injured, is evident from the signification of “doing evil,” as being to injure by means of the injected falsities, here to seem to be injured; for they who are in infestation and in temptation cannot be injured by injected falsities, because the Lord protects them; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here “the people,” as being those who are in the truths of the church and its goods (as above, n. 7162).

7169. And liberating thou hast not liberated Thy people. That this signifies that they were not released from a state of infestations by falsities, is evident from the signification of “to be liberated,” as being to be released from a state of infestation by falsities; for in what goes before, the subject treated of is infestations by falsities; hence “to be liberated” here denotes to be released from them. (That “Thy people” denotes those who are in the truths and goods of the church, and are being infested see n. 7165, 7168.)

7170. CONTINUATION ABOUT THE SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH MERCURY.

7171. Be it known that the sun of this world does not at all appear to any spirit, nor anything of its light; for to spirits the light of our sun is like thick darkness. This sun remains in perception with spirits solely from having been seen while they were in the world, and it is presented to them in idea as something that is intensely dark, and this behind them, at a considerable distance, in altitude a little above the plane of the head. The planets within our solar system appear in a fixed position relative to the sun: Mercury behind and a little toward the right; the planet Venus to the left, a little behind; the planet Mars to the left in front; the planet Jupiter in like manner to the left in front, but at a greater distance; the planet Saturn wholly in front at a considerable distance; the Moon to the left rather high up; the satellites also to the left, each relatively to its own planet. Such is the situation of these planets in the ideas of spirits and angels; and the spirits also appear near their own planet, but outside of it.

7172. I once saw that spirits of our earth were with spirits of the earth Mercury, and I heard them talking together; and then among other things the spirits of our earth asked them in whom they believed. They answered that they believed in God; but when further questioned about the God in whom they believed, they were unwilling to say, because it is their custom not to answer questions directly. But then in their turn the spirits from the earth Mercury asked the spirits from our earth in whom they believed. They said that they believed in the Lord God. The spirits of Mercury then said that they perceived that they believed in no God, and that they have the custom of saying with the mouth that they believe, and yet they do not believe. (The spirits of Mercury have an exquisite perception from the fact that by means of perception they are continually exploring what others know.) The spirits of our earth were among those who, in the world, had made a confession of faith from the doctrine of the church, but yet had not lived the life of faith. When the spirits from our earth heard these things, they were silent, because from a perception then given them they acknowledged that it was so.

7173. Certain spirits knew from heaven that a promise had once been made to the spirits of the earth Mercury that they should see the Lord, and therefore they were asked by the spirits about me whether they remembered this promise. They said that they remembered it, but that they did not know whether the promise was of such a nature that they should have no doubt about it. While they were thus talking together, the sun of heaven appeared to them. (The sun of heaven, which is the Lord, is seen only by those who are in the inmost or third heaven; all others see the light from it, and also the moon, n. 1529-1531, 4060.) When the sun was seen, they said that this was not the Lord God, because they saw no face. Meanwhile the spirits were talking together, but I do not know what they said. Then suddenly the sun appeared again, and in the midst of it the Lord encompassed with a solar circle. On seeing this, the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves profoundly, and settled down. Then also the Lord from the sun was seen by spirits of this earth who when they were men had seen Him in the world; and they all one after another, and thus many in order, confessed that it was the Lord Himself; and this they confessed before all the company. Then also the Lord from the sun was seen by the spirits of the planet Jupiter, who said in a plain voice, that it was He Himself whom they had seen on their earth when the God of the universe appeared to them.

7174. After the Lord had been seen, certain ones were brought toward the front to the right, and as they advanced they said that they saw a light much clearer and purer than they had ever seen before, and that no greater light was possible; and it was then eventide here. Those who said this were many.

7175. After some time there was shown me a woman of the inhabitants of the earth Mercury; she had a beautiful face, but it was smaller than that of a woman of our earth; she was also more slender, but of equal height. She wore linen on her head, put on without art, yet becomingly. I also saw a man from that earth, who likewise was more slender in body than the men of our earth; he who appeared was clad in a garment of dark blue, closely fitted to his body, without folds or prominences on either side. But that the inhabitants of that earth think little about their bodies, was evident to me from the fact that when they come into the other life, and become spirits, they do not wish to appear as men, like the spirits of our earth, but as crystal balls. The reason they desire so to appear is that they may remove from themselves material ideas; moreover the knowledges of things immaterial are represented in the other life by crystals.

7176. There were also shown me their species of oxen and cows, which did not indeed differ much from those on our earth, but were smaller and in some respects resembled a kind of deer.

7177. Being asked also about the sun of the world, how it appears from their earth, they said that it appears large, and that it appears larger there than from other earths: they said that they can know this from the idea of other spirits about the sun. They said further that they have a medium temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. I was then allowed to tell them that it has been so provided of the Lord in order that they may not be exposed to too much heat, by reason of their earth being nearer the sun than other earths; for heat does not come from nearness to the sun, but from the height and consequent density of the aerial atmosphere, as is evident from the cold on high mountains, even in hot climates. Moreover, heat varies according to the direct or oblique incidence of the sun’s rays, as is evident from the seasons of winter and summer in every region.

And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah the God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, whose voice I should hear, to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and also I will not let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us; let us go, we pray, a way of three days into the wilderness, and let us sacrifice to Jehovah our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, draw away the people from their works? Go ye unto your burdens.

Exodus 5:1-4

Arcana Coelestia 7088. And afterward Moses and Aaron came,” signifies the Divine law and doctrine thence derived; “and said unto Pharaoh,” signifies exhortation thence to those who are against the truths of the church; “Thus said Jehovah the God of Israel,” signifies that it was from the Divine Human of the Lord; “Let My people go,” signifies that they should desist from infesting them; “that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness,” signifies that from a glad mind they may worship the Lord in the obscurity of faith in which they are; “and Pharaoh said,” signifies contrary thought; “who is Jehovah, whose voice I should hear?” signifies concerning the Lord, to whose exhortation they should hearken; “to let Israel go,” signifies that they should desist; “I know not Jehovah,” signifies that they care not for the Lord; “and also I will not let Israel go,” signifies that neither will they desist from infesting; “and they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us,” signifies that the God Himself of the church has commanded; “let us go we pray a way of three days into the wilderness,” signifies that they must be in a state quite removed from falsities, although in the obscurity of faith; “and let us sacrifice to Jehovah our God,” signifies that they may worship the Lord; “lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword,” signifies to avoid damnation of evil and falsity; “and the king of Egypt said unto them,” signifies the answer from those who are in falsities; “wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, draw away the people from their works?” signifies that their Divine law and doctrine will not release them from sufferings; “go ye unto your burdens,” signifies that they must live in combats.

7080. THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY. In what precedes it has been told what the neighbor is: it is now to be told what the charity or love is which there must be toward the neighbor.

7082. There are two things in the natural world which make the life there, namely, heat and light; and there are two things in the spiritual world which make the life there, namely, love and faith. Heat in the natural world corresponds to love in the spiritual world, and light in the natural world corresponds to faith in the spiritual world. Hence it is that when spiritual heat or fire is mentioned, love is meant; and when spiritual light is mentioned, faith is meant. Moreover, love is actually the vital heat of man, for it is known that man grows warm from love; and faith is actually the light of man, for it can be known that man is illumined from faith.

Truth as the neighbour

AC 5595 Spiritual good is truth made into good; for truth is made into good when a person leads a life in keeping with that truth. When he does this, truth passes into his will and from there into action and becomes part of his life; and when truth becomes part of his life it is no longer called truth but good. But the will which transforms truth into good is the new will formed in the understanding part of his mind; and that good is called spiritual good. Spiritual good differs from celestial good in that celestial good is implanted in the will part of a person’s mind. But this matter has been dealt with quite a number of times before.

AC 10296 with the spiritual all the will has been destroyed, but the understanding is preserved entire by the Lord, and in it there is implanted by the Lord a new will by means of regeneration. This will is the conscience with them, which is a conscience of truth. For whatever is implanted in the understanding and proceeds from the understanding, is truth, because man’s understanding has been allotted to the reception of the truths of faith; but the will to the reception of the goods of love. From this it is evident that in its essence spiritual good is truth.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”

Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses.

But Moses fled from b]">]the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

Exodus 2:11-15

Apocalypse Revealed 455. For their tails were like unto serpents having heads, and with them they hurt, signifies the reason, because they are sensual and inverted, speaking truths with their lips, but falsifying them by the principle which constitutes the head of the doctrine of their religion, and thus they deceive. The like is here signified as above by the locusts, (438-439); but it is there said, that they had “tails like scorpions,” whereas here, like “serpents,” for they who are described by the locusts, speak and persuade from the Word, the sciences, and from erudition; but these only from arguments which are appearances of truth and fallacies; and they who use such arguments ingeniously, and as it were wisely, do indeed deceive, but not in so great a degree.

[2] By “serpent” in the Word, are signified sensual things, which are the ultimates of man’s life, as above, (424); the reason is, because all animals signify the affections of man, wherefore also the affections of angels and spirits, in the spiritual world, appear at a distance as animals, and affections merely sensual, as “serpents;” and this because serpents creep on the ground and lick the dust, and sensual things are the lowest of the understanding and will, being in close contact with the world, and nourished by its objects and delights, which only affect the material senses of the body. Noxious serpents, which are of many kinds, signify the sensual things that depend on the evil affections which constitute the interiors of the mind with those who are insane from the falsities of evil; and harmless serpents signify the sensual things that are dependent on the good affections, which constitute the interiors of the mind with those who are wise from the truths of good.

[3] Sensual things dependent an evil affections, are signified by serpents in these passages:

They lick the dust like a serpent, (Micah 7:17).

Dust shall be the serpent’s bread, (Isaiah 65:25).

He said to the serpent, Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life, (Genesis 3:14).

The sensual is thus described, which, because it communicates with hell, where all are sensual, turns heavenly wisdom into infernal insanity in spiritual things.

Be not glad, Philistia, for out of the serpent’s root shall go forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a flying fiery serpent, (Isaiah 14:29).

They lay asp’s eggs; he that eateth of its eggs dieth, and when one presses it out, a viper is hatched, (Isaiah 59:5).

Because the sons of Israel desired to return into Egypt, they were bitten by serpents, (Numbers 21:4-9).

“To return into Egypt,” signified to become sensual from being spiritual; on which account it is said:

The hirelings of Egypt have turned themselves away, the voice thereof shall go like a serpent, (Jeremiah 46:21-22).

[4] Because Dan was the farthest of the tribes, and thence signified the ultimate of the church, which is the sensual subject to the interiors, it is therefore said thus of him:

Dan is a serpent upon the way biting the horse’s heels, and the rider shall fall backwards, (Genesis 49:17).

By “the horse’s heels” the ultimates of the understanding, which are sensual, are signified: by “biting” is signified to adhere to them: by “the rider” is signified the lack of knowledge from them, by which truths are perverted; for which reason it is said, “His rider shall fall backwards.” Since sensual men are crafty and cunning like foxes, the Lord therefore says:

Be ye prudent as serpents, (Matthew 10:16).

For the sensual man speaks and reasons from appearances and fallacies; and if he is skilled in the gift of arguing, he knows how to confirm every falsity skilfully, and also the heresy concerning faith alone, and still is so dull in the power of seeing truth that it is scarcely possible to be duller.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.