Logopraxis

And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day, as when there was straw. 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 and sacrifice to Jehovah. And now go ye, 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 saw that they were in evil when it was said, Ye shall not take 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 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.

Exodus 5: 13-23

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 3743. But they who are not in love to the Lord and toward their neighbor, consequently who are not in the life of good and truth, are not able to acknowledge that there is only one influent life, and still less that this life is from the Lord. But all such are indignant, nay, feel aversion, when it is said that they do not live from themselves. The love of self is the cause of this; and wonderful to say, although shown by living experience in the other life that they do not live from themselves, and although being at the time convinced they say that it is so, yet afterwards they persist in the same opinion, and imagine that if they lived from another, and not from themselves, all the delight of their life would perish; for they are not aware that the reverse is the truth. For this reason the wicked appropriate evil to themselves, because they do not believe that evils are from hell; and good cannot be appropriated to them, because they believe good to be from themselves, and not from the Lord. Nevertheless the wicked, and also those in hell, are forms recipient of life from the Lord, but such forms that they either reject, or suffocate, or pervert good and truth; and thus the goods and truths which are from the Lord’s life become with them evils and falsities. The case herein is like that of the light of the sun, which although single and white, is yet varied as it passes through or flows into various forms, and thereby produces beautiful and pleasing colors, as well as those which are not beautiful and not pleasing. 

Arcana Coelestia 3318 [2] Man is nothing but an organ, or vessel, which receives life from the Lord; for man does not live from himself (n. 290, 1954, 2021, 2536, 2706, 2886-3001). The life which inflows with man from the Lord is from His Divine love. This love, or the life thence derived, inflows and applies itself to the vessels which are in man’s rational, and to those which are in his natural. In consequence of the hereditary evil into which man is born, and of the actual evil which he acquires, these vessels are in a contrary position within him relatively to the inflowing life, yet insofar as the life which flows in can dispose the vessels to receive it, it does so dispose them. These vessels in the rational man, and in the natural, are what are called truths, but in themselves they are merely perceptions of the variations of form of these vessels, and of the changes of state according to which in divers ways these variations come forth, being effected in the most subtle substances, by methods inexpressible (n. 2487). Good itself, which has life from the Lord, or which is life, is that which flows in and disposes.

[3] When therefore these vessels, which are to be varied as to forms, are as before said in a contrary position and direction in respect to the life, it is evident that they must be reduced to a position in accordance with the life, or into compliance with it. This cannot possibly be effected so long as the man is in that state into which he is born, and to which he has reduced himself; for the vessels are not obedient, being obstinately resistant, and hardening themselves against the heavenly order according to which the life acts; for the good which moves them, and with which they comply, is of the love of self and of the world; which good, from the gross heat that is in it, causes them to be of such a quality; and therefore before they can be rendered compliant and fit to receive anything of the life of the Lord’s love, they must be softened. This softening is effected by no other means than temptations; for temptations remove all that is of the love of self and of contempt for others in comparison with self, consequently all that is of self-glory, and also of hatred and revenge on this account. When therefore the vessels have been somewhat tempered and subdued by temptations, they begin to become yielding to, and compliant with, the life of the Lord’s love, which continually flows in with man.

[4] Hence then it is that good begins to be conjoined with truths; first in the rational man, and afterwards in the natural; for as before said truths are nothing else than perceptions of the variations of form according to states that are continually being changed; and these perceptions are from the life which flows in. This is the reason why man is regenerated, that is, made new, by temptations; or what is the same, by spiritual combats; and that he is afterwards gifted with another nature; being made mild, humble, simple, and contrite in heart. From these considerations it may now be seen what use temptations promote, namely, that good from the Lord may not only flow in, but may also dispose the vessels to obedience, and thus conjoin itself with them. 

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 141. Innumerable things might be said about man’s Own in describing its nature with the corporeal and worldly man, with the spiritual man, and with the celestial man. With the corporeal and worldly man, his Own is his all, he knows of nothing else than his Own, and imagines, as before said, that if he were to lose this Own he would perish.

With the spiritual man also his Own has a similar appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and gives wisdom and understanding, and consequently the power to think and to act, yet this knowledge is rather the profession of his lips than the belief of his heart.

But the celestial man discerns that the Lord is the life of all and gives the power to think and to act, for he perceives that it is really so. He never desires his Own, nevertheless an Own is given him by the Lord, which is conjoined with all perception of what is good and true, and with all happiness. The angels are in such an Own, and are at the same time in the highest peace and tranquility, for in their Own are those things which are the Lord’s, who governs their Own, or them by means of their Own. This Own is the veriest celestial itself, whereas that of the corporeal man is infernal.

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.

CLICK TO PRINT READING

7303. Verses 14-24. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go. Go unto Pharaoh in the morning; behold he goeth out unto the waters; and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river; and the rod which was turned into a serpent take in thy hand. And thou shalt say unto him, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness; and behold hitherto thou hast not heard. Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; behold I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned into blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, and over their pools, and over every gathering of their waters, and they shall be blood; and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt, both in the woods and in the stones. And Moses and Aaron did so, as Jehovah commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and there was blood in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart was made hard, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house, and did not set his heart even to this. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink; for they could not drink of the waters of the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses signifies Divine instruction; Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go, signifies that they obstinately determined not to release those whom they infest; go unto Pharaoh in the morning, signifies elevation to things more confirmatory; behold he goeth out unto the waters, signifies that then they who were infesting would be in falsities from fallacies; and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river, signifies influx according to the state; and the rod that was turned into a serpent take in thy hand, signifies power like the former; and thou shalt say unto him, signifies command; Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, signifies from the Divine of the church to those who were infesting; Let My people go, signifies that they should release; that they may serve Me in the wilderness, signifies worship in what is obscure; and behold hitherto thou hast not heard, signifies no obedience; thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah, signifies that they may be in fear of the Divine; behold, I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, signifies power over the falsities which are from fallacies; and they shall be turned into blood, signifies that they shall falsify truths; and the fish that is in the river shall die, signifies that the memory-knowledge of truth shall be extinguished; and the river shall stink, signifies aversion for it; and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river, signifies that they would desire to know scarcely anything about it; and Jehovah said unto Moses, signifies execution; Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, signifies power against the falsities of those who infest; over their streams, over their rivers, signifies against the things of doctrine; and over their pools, signifies against the memory-knowledges that were of service to them; and over every gathering of their waters, signifies where there is any falsity; and they shall be blood, signifies that they shall falsify truths; and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt, signifies total falsification; both in woods and in stones, signifies of the good that is of charity and of the truth that is of faith; and Moses and Aaron did so as Jehovah commanded, signifies the effect; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, signifies strong power against the falsities; unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants, signifies in the notice of all who were infesting; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood, signifies the consequent falsification of all truth; and the fish that was in the river died, signifies the memory-knowledge of truth also extinguished; and the river stank, signifies aversion; and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river, signifies that they desired to know scarcely anything about it; and there was blood in all the land of Egypt, signifies total falsification; and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments, signifies that their falsifiers fashioned the like by abusing order; and Pharaoh's heart was made hard, signifies obstinacy; and he heard them not, signifies no reception and no obedience; as Jehovah had spoken, signifies according to the prediction; and Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house, signifies thought and reflection from falsities; and did not set his heart even to this, signifies resistance from the will, and the consequent obstinacy; and all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink, signifies a thorough search for truth which they might apply to falsities; for they could not drink of the waters of the river, signifies no application from mere falsities.

7304. And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies Divine instruction, is evident from the signification of saying, when anything is commanded anew, as being instruction (see n. 7186, 7267, 7288), here Divine instruction, because Jehovah said, namely, instruction how to act further.

7305. Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go. That this signifies that they obstinately determined not to release those whom they infest, is evident from the signification of the heart being made heavy, as also being made firm, and hardened, as being obstinacy (as above, n. 7272, 7300); from the signification of refusing to let go, as being not to release; and from the representation of Pharaoh, of whom this is said, as being those who infest (of which above).

7306. Go unto Pharaoh in the morning. That this signifies elevation to things more confirmatory, is evident from the signification of going, or entering to Pharaoh, as being communication (see n. 7000), here communication of things confirmatory that it is the Divine which warns them to desist from infestations; and from the signification of morning, as being a state of enlightenment and revelation (see n. 3458, 3723, 5097, 5740), here elevation, because predicated of those who are in falsities and who cannot be enlightened, but can be elevated in respect to attention. The reason why they who are in falsities cannot be enlightened, is that falsities reject and extinguish all the light which enlightens, which light is received solely by truths.

7307. Behold he goeth out unto the waters. That this signifies that then they who were infesting would be in falsities from fallacies, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest (of which above); and from the signification of waters, here the waters of Egypt, as being falsities from fallacies. That these falsities, or falsities from this origin, are here signified, is because by the serpent into which the rod of Aaron was turned these falsities are signified (see n. 7293). (That waters denote truths, and in the opposite sense falsities, see n. 739, 790, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668; and that the river of Egypt denotes falsity, n. 6693.)

7308. And stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river. That this signifies influx according to the state, is evident from the signification of standing to meet, as being influx, for when it is said of the law Divine which is represented by Moses, that it should stand to meet those who are in falsities and infest, who are represented by Pharaoh, nothing else can be signified by standing to meet than influx and thence reception, and thus a noticing; and from the signification of the bank of the river, as being the state of falsity in which they were who were infesting. That the river of Egypt denotes falsity (see n. 6693), here falsity from fallacies (n. 7307); but the bank, which is like a containant, because it surrounds and includes, denotes the state of this falsity; for everything has its state, in which and according to which it is.

7309. And the rod that was turned into a serpent take in thy hand. That this signifies power like the former, is evident from the signification of a rod, as being power (n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 7026); that it is power like the former, is signified by his taking the rod that was turned into a serpent; and from the signification of hand, as also being power, but spiritual power, from which comes the natural power signified by a rod (n. 6947, 7011).

7310. And thou shalt say unto him. That this signifies a command, is evident from the signification of saying, when by the law Divine that is represented by Moses to those who are in falsities who are represented by Pharaoh, as being a command.

7311. Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying. That this signifies from the Divine of the church to those who were infesting, is evident from the signification of the Hebrews, as being the things of the church (see n. 5136, 6675, 6684, 6738); the Divine of the church is Jehovah the God of the Hebrews,...

And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have given thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee, and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, and let him send the sons of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh will not hear you; and I will give My hand upon the Egyptians, and lead forth My armies, My people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, with great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and lead forth the sons of Israel from the midst of them. And Moses and Aaron did so; as Jehovah commanded them, so did they. And Moses was a son of eighty years, and Aaron a son of three and eighty years, when they spoke unto Pharaoh. Exodus 7:1-7

Arcana Coelestia 7273. And I will multiply my signs and My wonders. That this signifies warnings of every kind, nor shall anything be wanting, is evident from the signification of “signs and wonders,” as being confirmations of the truth (see n. 3900, 6870, 7012), and also means of Divine power (n. 6910); here warnings; for thereby they both saw that they were in falsities, and saw the Divine power, and in this way were warned. The reason why it is said that to those who are in falsities warnings are given of every kind, nor shall anything be wanting, is that the condemnation of those who are in evils is not effected in a moment when they come into the other life, but after they have first been visited, that is, examined. The examinations are made in order that they themselves may take notice that they cannot but be condemned, because they have not lived differently, and also in order that spirits and angels may know that they have been of such a character; so that they can no longer be excused either by themselves or by others. The order in accordance with which they are examined is the order of truth Divine, which is such that nothing whatever is wanting. The order of truth Divine, which is for the evil who are being condemned, differs from that of truth Divine for the good who are being saved. The difference is, that the order for the evil who are being condemned, is of truth Divine separated from Divine good, thus from mercy, because they have not received the Divine good, and thus have rejected mercy. But the order which is for the good who are being saved, is of truth Divine conjoined with Divine good, thus with mercy; because they have received the Divine good, thus the mercy of the Lord. By degrees, as the evil are examined in accordance with order, so also are they judged and condemned. This shows that warnings of every kind are given, in order that nothing may be wanting before they are condemned to hell. These then are the things which are signified by the signs and wonders wrought in Egypt, before the firstborn were slain, and the Egyptians perished in the sea Suph; for the sea Suph denotes hell.

AC 7265. In this chapter the subject treated of in the internal sense is the first three degrees of vastation. The first, which is that mere fallacies began to reign with them, whence came falsities, is described by the serpent into which the rod of Aaron was turned. The second, which is that truths themselves became falsities with them, and that falsities became truths, is described by the blood into which the waters were turned. The third degree, which is that from falsities they reasoned against the truths and goods of the church, is described by the frogs out of the river.

AC 7260. The names which they gave to those toward whom they were to exercise charity, were many; some they called blind, some lame, some maimed, some poor, also miserable and afflicted, some orphans, some widows; but in general they called those hungry to whom they were to give to eat, those thirsty to whom they were to give to drink, sojourners whom they were to gather in, naked whom they were to clothe, sick whom they were to visit, and in prison to whom they were to come (as to which see above, n. 4954-4959).

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 4151 6] That this is the case has frequently been shown to spirits who had come recently from the world into the other life. But some of them have said that if all evil and falsity also flow in, nothing of evil and falsity can be attributed to them, and they are not in fault, because these come from another source. But they received for answer that they had appropriated evil and falsity by believing that they think and will of themselves; whereas if they had believed as the case really is, they would not then have appropriated the evil and falsity, for they would have believed all good and truth to be from the Lord; and if they had believed this, they would have suffered themselves to be led by the Lord, and therefore would have been in a different state; and then the evil which entered into their thought and will would not have affected them, because not evil but good would have gone out of them; for it is not the things that enter in, but those which go out that affect us; according to the Lord’s words in Mark 7:15.

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.

The stirring of the pot (a parable to the rebellious house)

‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Put on a pot, set it on,

And also pour water into it.

4 Gather pieces of meat in it,

Every good piece,

The thigh and the shoulder.

Fill it with choice cuts;

5 Take the choice of the flock.

Also pile fuel bones under it,

Make it boil well,

And let the cuts simmer in it.”

6 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Woe to the bloody city,

To the pot whose scum is in it,

And whose scum is not gone from it!

Bring it out piece by piece,

On which no lot has fallen.

7 For her blood is in her midst;

She set it on top of a rock;

She did not pour it on the ground,

To cover it with dust.

8 That it may raise up fury and take vengeance,

I have set her blood on top of a rock,

That it may not be covered.”

9 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Woe to the bloody city!

I too will make the pyre great.

10 Heap on the wood,

Kindle the fire;

Cook the meat well,

Mix in the spices,

And let the cuts be burned up.

11 “Then set the pot empty on the coals,

That it may become hot and its bronze may burn,

That its filthiness may be melted in it,

That its scum may be consumed.

12 She has grown weary with lies,

And her great scum has not gone from her.

Let her scum be in the fire!

13 In your filthiness is lewdness.

Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed,

You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore,

Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.

14 I, the Lord, have spoken it;

It shall come to pass, and I will do it;

I will not hold back,

Nor will I spare,

Nor will I relent;

According to your ways

And according to your deeds

[e]They will judge you,”

Says the Lord God.’ ”

Ezekiel 24

Arcana Coelestia 3742. That there is one only life, which is from the Lord alone, and that angels, spirits, and men are only recipients of life, has been made known to me by experience so manifold as to leave not even the slightest doubt. Heaven itself is in the perception that this is the case, insomuch that the angels manifestly perceive the influx, and also how it flows in; and likewise the fullness and quality of their reception of it. When they are in a fuller state of reception they are then in their peace and happiness; otherwise they are in a state of unrest and of a certain anxiety. Nevertheless the life of the Lord is so appropriated to them as to cause them to feel that they live from themselves, but yet they know that it is not from themselves. The appropriation of the Lord’s life comes from His love and mercy toward the universal human race, in that He wills to give Himself to everyone, and all that is His, and in that He actually does give them insofar as they receive, that is to say, insofar as they are in the life of good and in the life of truth, as being likenesses and images of Him. And as such a Divine endeavor is continually proceeding from the Lord, as before said His life is appropriated.

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.

True Christian Religion 470. II. MAN IS NOT LIFE, BUT A FORM FOR THE RECEPTION OF LIFE 1 FROM GOD.

It is generally believed that life is in a man and is his own, and consequently that he is not only a form receptive of life, but actually is life. This general belief arises from the appearance, for he lives, that is, he feels, thinks, speaks and acts altogether as of himself. This proposition, then, that man is a form receptive of life, and not life itself, cannot but seem to be like something hitherto unheard of, or like a paradox, opposed to sensual thought, because contrary to the appearance. The cause of this fallacious belief that man actually is life, and consequently that life is inherent in him from creation and is afterwards propagated by descent, I have indicated as due to appearance. The cause, however, of this fallacy derived from appearance is that most men at this day are natural, and few are spiritual. The natural man judges from appearances, and the fallacies thence derived are diametrically opposed to this truth, that man is merely a form receptive of life and not life itself.

Real appearances

Heaven and Hell 175. As all things that correspond to interiors also represent them they are called representatives; and as they differ in each case in accordance with the state of the interiors they are called appearances. Nevertheless, the things that appear before the eyes of angels in heaven and are perceived by their senses appear to their eyes and senses as fully living as things on earth appear to man, and even much more clearly, distinctly and perceptibly. Appearances from this source in heaven are called real appearances, because they have real existence. There are appearances also that are not real, which are things that become visible, but do not correspond to interiors.

Arcana Coelestia 3485. The representations that come forth in the other life are appearances, but living ones, because they are from the light of life. The light of life is the Divine wisdom, which is from the Lord alone. Hence all things that come forth from this light are real; and are not like those things that come forth from the light of the world. Wherefore they who are in the other life have sometimes said that the things they see there are real things, and the things which man sees are in comparison not real; because the former things live, and thus immediately affect their life, while the latter things do not live, thus do not immediately affect the life, except insofar and in such a manner as the things in their minds which are of this world’s light conjoin themselves fitly and correspondently with the things of the light of heaven. From all this it is now evident what representations are, and what correspondences.

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.

CLICK TO PRINT READING

7287. Verses 8-13. And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall say unto you, saying, Give you a wonder, then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh; it shall become a water-serpent. And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh; and they did so as Jehovah had commanded; and Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent. And Pharaoh called also the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments. And they cast forth every man his rod, and they became water-serpents; and Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh's heart was made firm, and he heard them not; as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, signifies instruction; When Pharaoh shall say unto you, signifies if they have doubt concerning the Divine; saying, give you a wonder, signifies and they therefore desire to be confirmed; then thou shalt say unto Aaron, signifies influx and communication; Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, signifies the power which is shown; it shall become a water-serpent, signifies that thereby mere fallacies and the derivative falsities will reign among them; and Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and they did so as Jehovah had commanded, signifies the effect; and Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent, signifies that mere fallacies and the derivative falsities would reign among them; and Pharaoh called also the wise men and the sorcerers, signifies abuse of Divine order; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments, signifies thus to appearance the same by perverting the ends of order; and they cast forth every man his rod, and they became water-serpents, signifies power from order that they became dull in respect to the noticing of truth; and Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods, signifies that this power was taken away from them; and Pharaoh's heart was made firm, signifies obstinacy; and he heard them not, signifies that they who were in evils from falsities did not receive; as Jehovah had spoken, signifies prediction.

7288. And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying. That this signifies instruction, is evident from the signification of Jehovah said, as being instruction (n. 6879, 6881, 6883, 6891).

7289. When Pharaoh shall say unto you. That this signifies if they have doubt concerning the Divine, is evident from what now follows, namely, if Pharaoh shall say, Give you a wonder, which words plainly imply doubt concerning the Divine; for to desire a wonder is to doubt until it is confirmed to the senses.

7290. Saying, Give you a wonder. That this signifies, and they therefore desire to be confirmed, is evident from the signification of wonders and signs, as being confirmations of truths (see n. 3900, 6870). As regards the wonders and signs treated of in what follows, be it known that they were done among such as were in external worship, and did not desire to know anything about internal worship, for they who were in such worship had to be driven by external means. This is the reason why miracles were done among the Israelitish and Jewish people, for they were in external worship only. In the absence of their desire for internal worship they had to be in external, in order that they might represent holy things in outward ones, and that in this way there might be communication with heaven as by something of a church, for correspondences, representatives, and significatives conjoin the natural world with the spiritual. This is the reason why so many miracles were done in that nation.

[2] But miracles are not done among those who are in internal worship, that is, in charity and faith, because to these they are hurtful, for miracles compel belief, and what is compelled does not remain, but is dissipated. The inward things of worship, which are faith and charity, must be implanted in freedom, for then they are appropriated, and what is so appropriated remains; whereas that which is implanted in compulsion, remains outside the internal man in the external, because nothing enters into the internal man except by means of intellectual ideas, which are reasons; for the ground which there receives is an enlightened rational. Hence it is that no miracles are wrought at this day. That they would be hurtful, can be seen from what has been said; for they drive men to believe, and fix their ideas in the external man that the case is so; and if the internal man afterward denies that which the miracles have confirmed, there results an opposition and collision of the internal and external man; and finally when the ideas derived from miracles are dissipated, there is effected a conjunction of falsity and truth, and thus a profanation. From this it is evident how injurious at the present day are miracles in a church in which the inward things of worship have been disclosed. These moreover are the things signified by the Lord's words to Thomas:

Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who see not, and believe (John 20:29);

thus they are blessed who do not believe through miracles.

[3] But miracles are not injurious to those who are in external worship without internal, for with such there can be no opposition of the internal and external man, thus no collision, consequently no profanation. That miracles do not contribute anything to faith, may be sufficiently evident from the miracles wrought among the people of Israel in Egypt, and in the wilderness, in that they had no effect at all upon them. Although that people had recently seen so many miracles in Egypt, and afterward the sea Suph divided, and the Egyptians sunk therein; the pillar of a cloud going before them by day, and the pillar of fire by night; the manna daily raining down from heaven and although they saw Mount Sinai smoking, and heard Jehovah speaking thence, besides other miracles, nevertheless in the midst of such things they fell away from all faith, and from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of a calf (Exod. 32); from which it is plain what is the effect of miracles.

[4] Still less would be their effect at this day, when it is not acknowledged that there is anything from the spiritual world, and when everything of the kind which takes place, and which is not attributed to nature, is denied; for denial universally reigns against the Divine influx and government in the earth. And therefore if the man of the church were at this day to see the veriest Divine miracles, he would first bring them down into nature, and there defile them, and afterward would reject them as phantasms, and finally would laugh at all who attributed them to the Divine, and not to nature. That miracles are of no effect is also evident from the Lord's words in Luke:

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead (Luke 16:31).

7291. And thou shalt say unto Aaron. That this signifies influx and communication, namely, of the law Divine which Moses represents, with the doctrine which Aaron represents, is evident from the signification of saying, when by Moses to Aaron, as being influx and communication (see n. 6291). Saying here signifies the same as speaking, namely, both influx and communication (that speaking has this signification, see n. 7270). This influx and communication cannot be expressed in the historical part of the Word except by saying, and speaking. That the law Divine which Moses represents flowed into the doctrine which Aaron represents, is because the law Divine is internal truth, and doctrine is external truth; and it is a general rule that internal things flow into external things, and not vice versa, because internal things are purer and simple in comparison, while external things are gross, for they are the generals of internal things.

7292. Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh. That this signifies the power which is shown, is evident from the signification of a rod, as being power (n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026); and from the signification of casting before Pharaoh, as being to show; for that which is cast before the eyes is shown.

7293. It shall become a water-serpent. That this signifies that thereby mere fallacies and the derivative falsities will reign among them, is evident from the signification of a serpent, as being the sensuous and bodily (see n. 6949), thence fallacies, for the sensuous and bodily, separated from the rational, that is, not subordinate to it, is full of fallacies, so that it is scarcely anything but fallacies (see n. 6948, 6949). It is a water-serpent that is here signified, for in the original, serpent is here expressed by the same term as whale, which is the largest fish of the sea, and a whale signifies memory-knowledges in general. As therefore by the Egyptians are signified falsities from fallacies, this word signifies a serpent, that is, a water- serpent, because it stands for the whale that is in the waters, and because the waters of Egypt are falsities.

[2] That Pharaoh or Egypt is called a whale is evident in Ezekiel:

Speak and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers (Ezek. 29:3).

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art become like a young lion of the nations; and thou art as whales in the seas; and thou hast come forth with thy streams, thou hast troubled thy streams (Ezek. 32:2).

In these passages by a whale are signified memory-knowledges in general, by which, because they are from the sensuous man, the things that belong to faith are perverted. That a whale denotes memory-knowledge in general,...

And Moses spoke thus unto the sons of Israel; and they heard not Moses for distress of spirit, and for hard service. And Jehovah spoke unto Moses, saying, Come, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and let him send the sons of Israel out of his land. And Moses spoke before Jehovah, saying, Behold the sons of Israel have not heard me; and how shall Pharaoh hear me, and I am uncircumcised in lips? And Jehovah spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a command unto the sons of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to lead forth the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt. These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman; these are the families of Simeon. And these are the names of the sons of Leviticus according to their births; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Leviticus were a hundred and thirty and seven years. The sons of Gershon; Libni and Shimei, according to their families. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred and thirty and three years. And the sons of Merari; Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Leviticus according to their births. And Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister for a woman; and she bare him Aaron and Moses; and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years. And the sons of Izhar; Korah and Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael and Elzaphan, and Sithri. And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Aminadab, the sister of Nahshon, for a woman; and she bare him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah; Assir and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel for a woman; and she bare him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families. This is the Aaron and Moses to whom Jehovah said, Lead forth the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to lead forth the sons of Israel from Egypt. This is the Moses and Aaron. And it was in the day that Jehovah spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt, And Jehovah spoke unto Moses, saying, I am Jehovah; speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak unto thee. And Moses said before Jehovah, Behold I am uncircumcised in lips, and how shall Pharaoh hear me?

Exodus 6:9-30

Stammering

Arcana Coelestia 7225. [2] From these passages it is evident that “to be uncircumcised” denotes to be impure; and as everything impure is from impure loves, which are the love of the world and the love of self, therefore by “uncircumcised” is signified that which impedes the influx of good and truth. Where these loves are, the inflowing good and truth are extinguished, for they are contraries, like heaven and hell. Hence by the “uncircumcised ear” is signified disobedience, and by the “uncircumcised heart” the rejection of good and truth, which is especially the case when these loves have fortified themselves with falsity as with a wall. [3] That Moses, because he stammered, calls himself “uncircumcised in lips,” is for the sake of the internal sense, that thereby might be signified that they who are in falsities, who are represented by Pharaoh, would not hearken to the things that would be said to them from the law Divine, because they who are in falsities call the truths which are of the law Divine, falsities; and the falsities which are contrary to the truths of the law Divine they call truths, for they are wholly in the opposite. Hence by them the truths of doctrine are not perceived otherwise than as impure; even heavenly loves appear to them impure. Moreover, when they approach any heavenly society, they have an offensive smell, and when they are sensible of it, they suppose that it emanates from the heavenly society, although it is from themselves; for an offensive smell is not perceived except near its opposite.

The spirits of Venus section describes the same thing as what is in the chapter

AC 7250. Being of this character, when they come into the other life they are very much infested by falsities and evils. Their hells appear around that earth, and do not communicate with the hells of the evil of our earth, because they are of a wholly different genius and disposition; hence also their evils and falsities are of quite another kind. But they who are such that they can be saved are in places of vastation, and are there reduced to the extremity of despair; for evils and falsities of that kind cannot be removed in any other way. When they are in a state of despair, they cry out that they are beasts, brutes, abominations, hatreds, and thus that they are damned. Some of them when in such a state cry out also against heaven, but for this they are excused, because it is from despair. The Lord moderates it, lest they should break out into reproaches beyond certain fixed limits. When they have suffered to the utmost, as their bodily things are then as it were dead, they are at last saved.

AC 7248. I have been told that the inhabitants of that planet who, when they die and become spirits, appear on this side, are very much delighted with plunder, and especially with eating of their plunder; their delight when they think about eating of their plunder was communicated to me, and I noticed that it was intense. That there have been inhabitants on this earth also of such a ferine nature, is plain from the histories of various nations, also from the inhabitants of the land of Canaan (1 Samuel 30:16), and likewise from the Jewish and Israelitish nation even in the time of David, in that they made yearly raids, and plundered the nations, and rejoiced over their prey. As regards these inhabitants of the planet Venus, they are indeed delighted with plunder, but yet are not cruel. They cast the men whom they rob into the water, and so put them to death, but they save as many as they can; and those whom they so put to death they afterward bury, a sign that they have some humanity. In this they differ from the Jews, who took delight in casting out those whom they slew, and exposing them to be devoured by the beasts of the forest and by the birds, and sometimes in putting them to death in a savage and cruel manner (2 Samuel 12:31). How much delight the Jews had in such things, it was also given me to perceive from the sphere of many of them communicated to me, who approached quickly and then fled away.

Anxiety and weakness

AC 7217. That the deprivation of spiritual truth and good gives birth to such anxiety, and consequently to such distress, cannot be believed by those who are not in faith and charity; for these suppose that to be in distress on this account is weakness and sickliness of mind. The reason is that they do not place anything real in faith and charity, nor therefore in those things which belong to their souls and to heaven, but only in wealth and eminence, thus in the things of the body and the world. They also think, “What are faith and charity but mere words? What is conscience even? To feel distressed by these things is the same as being distressed by such things as a man sees within him from the silly creations of his fancy, and which he imagines to have some existence, although they have not any. Wealth and high position we can see with our eyes, and we know that they exist by the pleasure they afford, for they excite in our whole bodies an expansion and a fullness of joy.” So think merely natural men, and so do they speak among themselves. But spiritual men think differently, for these have their chief life in their spirit, thus in the things that belong to their spirit, that is, in faith and charity; and therefore when they believe themselves deprived of the truths and goods of faith and charity, they are affected with anguish, as are they who are in the anguish of death, for they see before them spiritual death, that is, damnation. As before said, to the merely natural these persons appear weak and sickly in spirit, but they are strong and healthy; whereas they who are merely natural appear to themselves strong and healthy, and also are so as to the body, but as to the spirit they are quite weakly, because spiritually dead. If they could see what kind of a spirit they have, they would acknowledge it to be so; but they do not see the spirit until the body has died.

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.