Logopraxis

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.