Logopraxis

Arcana Coelestia 7012. Wherewith thou shalt do the signs. That this signifies the consequent enlightenment and confirmation of truths, is evident from the signification of a “sign,” as being the confirmation of truths (see n. 6870); that it also denotes enlightenment, is because the confirmation of truths is effected by means of enlightenment from the Lord when a man studies the Word with the end of knowing truths. As regards enlightenment and the consequent confirmation of truths, be it known that they who are in externals without an internal (as were the Jews and the Israelites) cannot be enlightened; thus neither can they be confirmed in truths, whereas when they who are in externals and at the same time in internals read the Word, they are enlightened, and in their enlightenment see truths, in which they are afterward more and more confirmed; and, wonderful to say, everyone has such enlightenment as is his affection of truth; and such affection of truth as is his good of life. Hence also it is that they who are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth, but for the sake of their own advantage, are not at all enlightened when they read the Word, but are only confirmed in doctrinal things, no matter of what kind, whether false, as heresies are, or entirely contrary to truths, as are the Jewish ones; for they do not seek the kingdom of the Lord, but the world; not faith, but fame; thus not heavenly riches, but only earthly; and if perchance they are seized with a desire of knowing truths from the Word, falsities present themselves instead of truths, and at last there is denial of all things. These things have been said in order that it may be known what enlightenment is, and the consequent confirmation of truth.

AC7017. And I shall see whether they yet live. That this signifies the perception of that life, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand and perceive (see n. 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of “living,” as being spiritual life (n. 5407). By the perception of that life is meant the perception which precedes; for when anyone proposes anything to himself, he perceives it as present, because he puts his mind into the state of that thing; and from this there are longings and consequent delight as if the thing were present. Thus the mediate ends conjoin themselves with the ultimate end, and make as it were one end.

The state of Man is in a different state of reception/spiritual development than the Spirit and Angel states of mind

AC 6997...For when fear is instilled in love, it becomes holy from the holy of love; and then it is not fear of the Lord’s being angry and punishing, but lest they should act against good itself ... man( STATES) is such that what he sees and apprehends from his sensuous, he believes; and what he does not see nor apprehend from his sensuous, he does not believe; thus does not receive.

AC 6996...It was shown above (n. 6982, 6985), that the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Lord’s Divine Human cannot be heard and perceived by any man, nor even by an angel. Therefore in order that it may be heard and perceived, there must be mediation, which mediation is effected through heaven, and afterward through the angels and spirits with the man.

[2] This can be plainly known from the fact that man(STATES) cannot even hear the spirits(STATES) who are with him speaking with one another; and if he heard he could not perceive, because the speech of spirits(STATES) is without human words, and is the universal speech of all languages. Moreover spirits(STATES) cannot hear angels(STATES); and if they heard they could not perceive, because the angelic speech(STATE) is still more universal. Nay, the angels(STATES) of the inmost heaven can be still less heard and perceived, because their speech is not a speech of ideas, but of affections which are of celestial love.

 

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

And he said, In me, my Lord, send I pray by the hand Thou wilt send. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and He said, Is there not Aaron, thy brother, the Levite? I know that speaking he will speak. And also behold he goeth forth to meet thee; and he will see thee, and he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and shalt put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall be that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God. And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs. And Moses went, and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, Let me go, I pray, and return unto my brethren who are in Egypt, and I shall see whether they yet live. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. And Jehovah said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt; because all the men seeking thy soul are dead. And Moses took his wife and his sons, and made them ride upon the ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Exodus 4:13-20

Arcana Coelestia 7016. And said to him, Let me go, I pray, and return unto my brethren who are in Egypt. That this signifies elevation to more interior and more spiritual life in the natural, is evident from the signification of “going and returning,” as being what is successive of life, and here the successive of life is elevation to interior and more spiritual life, thus nearer to the Divine, for when “going and returning” are said of the Lord, who is represented by Moses, there is meant elevation to the Divine being or Jehovah who is in Him, and from whom He is; from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here the “brethren,” as being the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and thence the spiritual church (see n. 6426, 6637); and from the signification of “Egypt” as being the natural (n. 6147, 6252). Hence it is plain that by “let me go and return unto my brethren who are in Egypt,” is signified elevation to more interior and more spiritual life in the natural. For as the dwelling of Moses in Midian signified life with those who are in the truth of simple good, thus in simple good (see n. 7015), so now dwelling with the sons of Israel signifies life with those who are in the truth and good of the spiritual church, which life is more interior and spiritual than the former. (That the good and truth of this church are in the natural, see n. 4286, 4402)

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

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7080. Exodus 5

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.

7081. The very life of man is his love; and such as his love is, such is his life; nay, such is the whole man. But it is the ruling or reigning love, that is, the love of that which he has as the end, which makes the man. This love has subordinate to itself many particular and singular loves, which are derivations, and appear under a different shape; but still the ruling love is in each one of them, and directs them, and through them, as through mediate ends, looks to and aims at its end, which is the first and last of them all; and this both directly and indirectly.

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.

7083. The heat and light in the natural world arise from the sun of the world; but spiritual heat and light, or love and faith, arise from the sun of heaven. The sun of heaven is the Lord; the heat which comes from Him as a sun is love, and the light which comes from Him as a sun is faith. That the Lord is light is evident from these words in John:

Jesus said, I am the light of the world, he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12);

and that the Lord is a sun is evident in Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matt. 17:2).

7084. From this correspondence it can also be known how the case is with faith and with love. Faith without love is like light without heat, as is the light of winter; and faith with love is like light with heat, as is the light of spring. That in the light of spring each and all things grow and flower, is known; and also that in the light of winter all things become torpid and die. It is similar with faith and love.

7085. Now as love is the source of man's life, and as the whole man is such as is his love, and also as love is spiritual conjunction, it follows that all in the other life are consociated according to the loves; for everyone's life, that is, his love, follows him. They who are in love toward the neighbor, and in love to God, are consociate in heaven; but they who are in the love of self and the love of the world are consociate in hell; for the love of self is opposite to love to God, and the love of the world is opposite to love toward the neighbor.

7086. It is said love to God, and there is meant love to the Lord, because in Him is the Trinity, and He is the Lord of heaven, for He has all power in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).

EXODUS 5

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye have made them cease from their burdens.

6. And Pharaoh commanded in that day the taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying,

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Let the service be made heavier upon the men, and let them do it; and let them not regard the words of a lie.

10. 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.

11. Go ye yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nothing whatever shall be taken away from your service.

12. And the people scattered into all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Complete ye your works, the work of a day in its day, as when there was straw.

14. 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?

15. And the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore doest thou so to thy servants?

16. 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.

17. And he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

18. And now go ye, serve ye, and straw shall not be given you, and the tale of bricks shall ye give.

19. 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.

20. And they met Moses and Aaron standing to meet them as they went forth from Pharaoh.

21. 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.

22. And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Lord, wherefore hast Thou done evilly to this people? Why is this that Thou hast sent me?

23. 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.

7087. THE CONTENTS.

In this chapter in the internal sense the subject of the infestation by falsities of those who are of the spiritual church is continued. First those who were infesting are treated of-that they paid no attention whatever to the Divine exhortation; and next that afterward they infested still more, by injecting fallacies and fictitious falsities, which those who belonged to the spiritual church could not shake off; and as in this condition they could not remove from themselves those who were infesting, they lamented before the Divine.

7088. THE INTERNAL SENSE.

Verses 1-4. 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. 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.

7089. And afterward Moses and Aaron came. That this signifies the Divine law and the doctrine thence derived, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Lord as to the Divine law (see n. 6752); and from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of good and truth (n. 6998). By the Divine law which Moses represents is meant the Word such as it is in its internal sense, thus such as it is in the heavens; but by doctrin

And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see all the wonders which I have put in thy hand, and thou shalt do them before Pharaoh; and I will harden his heart, and he will not send away the people. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, My son, My firstborn, is Israel, and I say unto thee, Send My son away, that he may serve Me; and if thou refuse to send him away, behold I will slay thy son, thy firstborn.

And it came to pass in the way, in the inn, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him. And Zipporah took a stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and made it touch his feet; and she said, Because a bridegroom of bloods art thou to me. And He ceased from him. Then she said, A bridegroom of bloods as to circumcisions.

Exodus 4: 21-26

Arcana Coelestia 7040... “And it came to pass in the way, in the inn,” signifies that the posterity of Jacob were in externals without an internal; “that Jehovah met him,” signifies opposition; “and sought to kill him,” signifies that a representative church could not be instituted with that posterity; “and Zipporah took a stone,” signifies the quality shown by the representative church by means of truth; “and cut off the foreskin of her son,” signifies the removal of filthy loves, and thereby the laying bare of the internal; “and made it touch his feet,” signifies that the quality of the natural was then shown; “and she said, Because a bridegroom of bloods art thou to me,” signifies that it was full of all violence and hostility against truth and good; “and He ceased from him,” signifies that it was permitted that they should represent; “then she said, A bridegroom of bloods as to circumcisions,” signifies that although the internal was full of violence and hostility against truth and good, still circumcision was to be received as a sign representative of purification from filthy loves.

Angels have alternating states and are perfected by this continual movement

Heaven and Hell 158. I have been informed from heaven why there are such changes of state there. The angels said that there are many reasons. First, the delight of life and of heaven which they have from the love and wisdom that are from the Lord, would gradually become worthless if they were in it continually, as is the case with those who are in delights and pleasures without variety. A second reason is that angels as well as men, have a proprium, and this consists in loving self. All in heaven are withheld from their proprium, and in so far as they are withheld from it by the Lord, to that extent they are in love and wisdom. But so far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self, and because everyone loves his proprium and it draws him,  they have changes of state or successive alternations. A third reason is that they are in this way perfected, for they thus establish a habit of being held in love to the Lord and of being withheld from the love of self. Also by alternations between delight and lack of delight, the perception and sensation of good becomes more exquisite. The angels added that the Lord does not bring about their changes of state, since He, as a Sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that is, with love and wisdom. But the cause is in themselves in that they love what is their proprium and this continually leads them away. This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, showing that the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold, and of light and shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun which remains stationary, but the cause is in the earth.

The house built on the rock

Matthew 7:24-27. Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

In Him we live, and move, and have our being

Arcana Coelestia (Potts) 2892. The state of one who leads a good life and who believes that the Lord governs the universe, and that He alone is the source of everything good that flows from love and charity, and of everything true that is a matter of faith, and indeed that He is the source of all life - thus the state of one who believes that 'in Him we live, and move, and have our being' - is such that he can have heavenly freedom conferred on him, and with that freedom peace as well. For he trusts solely in the Lord and has no anxious cares about all else; he is quite sure that all things work for his good, blessedness, and happiness for ever. But one who believes that he governs himself is constantly agitated, being carried along into evil desires, into anxious cares about things of the future, and thus into a vast number of anxieties. And such being his belief, evil desires and false persuasions also cling to him.

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 Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see all the wonders which I have put in thy hand, and thou shalt do them before Pharaoh; and I will harden his heart, and he will not send away the people. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, My son, My firstborn, is Israel, and I say unto thee, Send My son away, that he may serve Me; and if thou refuse to send him away, behold I will slay thy son, thy firstborn.

And it came to pass in the way, in the inn, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him. And Zipporah took a stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and made it touch his feet; and she said, Because a bridegroom of bloods art thou to me. And He ceased from him. Then she said, A bridegroom of bloods as to circumcisions.

Exodus 4: 21-26

Arcana Coelestia 7027...“And Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies perception from the Divine; “When thou goest to return into Egypt,” signifies spiritual life in the natural; “see all the wonders which I have put in thy hand,” signifies means of power from the spiritual then; “and thou shalt do them before Pharaoh,” signifies against infesting falsities; “and I will harden his heart, and he will not send away the people,” signifies obstinacy, and thus not yet liberation; “and thou shalt say unto Pharaoh,” signifies exhortation; “Thus said Jehovah,” signifies from the Divine; “My son, My firstborn, is Israel,” signifies that they who are in spiritual truth and good have been adopted; “and I say unto thee,” signifies command; “Send My son away,” signifies that they should abstain from infesting the truths of the church; “that he may serve Me,” signifies elevation into heaven in order to perform uses therefrom; “and if thou refuse to send him away,” signifies obstinacy even to the last; “behold I will slay thy son, thy firstborn,” signifies the extinction of faith without charity, and the consequent devastation of truth 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.

From the Logopraxis Workbook: Step 2 - Creating a Task

When Struggling to Engage with the Text

If coming to the Text is a struggle, or staying with it is a struggle, or finding a principle or task is a struggle - then take the opportunity to step back and use the struggle as the basis for your work. Observe what the struggle brings up for you. For instance:

• What is your response to the struggle?

• What kind of self-talk arises?

• What is the quality of this dialogue?

• Where does this come from?

Working with the Text in this way allows the Lord to build what is of Himself in us, as the basis for new ways of thinking and feeling.

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 1838. .. for the Lord appears according to the state of each person... take as an example, vastation, punishment, and condemnation, which are attributed to the Lord in many passages of the Word; when nevertheless they belong to the man of the church, who vastates, punishes, and condemns himself. It appears before man as if the Lord vastated, punished, and condemned; and because it appears so, it is so expressed according to the appearances; for if man were not instructed by appearances, he would not suffer himself to be instructed at all. What is contrary to the appearance he does not believe or comprehend, except at a later period, when he possesses judgment and has been gifted with the faith of charity.

Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 38...The celestial, the spiritual, and the natural proceed from the Lord in successive order, and in the ultimate are in simultaneous order; and it is in this way that the celestial and spiritual senses of the Word are simultaneous in its natural sense. When this is comprehended, it may be seen how the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, is the basis, containant, and support of its spiritual and celestial senses; and how in the sense of the letter of the Word Divine good and Divine truth are in their fullness, in their holiness, and in their power.

DSS 39...the sense of the letter the Word is the very Word itself, for within this sense there are spirit and life, the spiritual sense being its spirit, and the celestial sense its life.

DSS 40. The truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are in part not naked truths, but appearances of truth, and are as it were likenesses and comparisons taken from things such as exist in nature, and thus accommodated and adapted to the apprehension of the simple and of little children. But being correspondences they are receptacles and abodes of genuine truth; and are like enclosing and containing vessels, as a crystal cup encloses noble wine, and as a silver plate holds palatable food. They are also like garments which clothe, as swathings do an infant, and a pretty dress a maiden. They are also like the memory-knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man which contain within them perceptions and affections of truth of the spiritual man. The naked truths themselves which are enclosed, held, clothed, and contained, are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and the naked goods are in its celestial sense.

DSS 41. Such being the Word in the sense of the letter, it follows that they who are in Divine truths, and in the faith that the Word within, in its bosom, is Divine holiness - and much more they who are in the faith that it is from its spiritual and celestial senses that the Word is Divine holiness - see Divine truths in natural light while reading the Word in enlightenment from the Lord. For the light of heaven (in which is the spiritual sense of the Word) flows into the natural light in which is its sense of the letter, and illumines man's intellectual called the rational, and causes him to see and recognize Divine truths, both where they stand in plain view, and where they lie concealed. With some these Divine truths flow in along with the light of heaven; sometimes even when they are not aware of it.

 

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.

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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.

7053. And Jehovah said unto Aaron. That this signifies the truth of doctrine, and perception therein from the Divine, is evident from the signification of saying, as being perception (of which frequently above), hence Jehovah said, denotes perception from the Divine and from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of truth and good (see n. 6998, 7009), thus its truth. For all doctrine is of truth, because doctrine treats of truth and the good thence derived, which is called the doctrine of faith; and of good and the truth thence derived, which is called the doctrine of charity; but both are of truth.

7054. Go to meet Moses. That this signifies that it should be conjoined with the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine, is evident from the signification of going to meet, as being to be conjoined; and from the representation of Moses, as being the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine (see above, n. 7010).

7055. Into the wilderness. That this signifies where previously it is not so, namely, conjunction, is evident from the signification of wilderness, as being where as yet there is little vitality (see n. 1927), thus where there is no good and the derivative truth (n. 4736), for thence is vitality; here, where there is no conjunction of the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine with the truth proceeding immediately. 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] Take as another example the prophets, through whom the Word was written. They wrote as the spirit from the Divine dictated, for the very words which they wrote were uttered in their ears. With them there was truth proceeding mediately from the Divine, that is, through heaven, but not for this reason the truth which proceeded immediately from the Divine; because they had no perception of what all the details signified in the internal sense. For when these two kinds of truth have been conjoined, then, as already said, there is perception. Such conjunction rarely exists with man, but it does so with all who are in heaven, especially with those who are in the inmost or third heaven; nor does it exist with a man unless he has been so far regenerated as to be capable of being elevated from the sensuous even toward his rational, and thus of being set in the light of heaven, where angels are. 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. From all this it can now be seen what is here meant by the wilderness-that it denotes where there is no conjunction.

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 immediately, 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.

7057. And kissed him. That this signifies the affection of conjunction, is evident from the signification of kissing, as being conjunction from affection (see n. 3573, 3574, 4353, 5929, 6260).

7058. And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah. That this 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, is evident from the signification of telling, as being influx (see n. 5966); from the representation of Moses, as being the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord (see n. 7010, 7054); from the representation of Aaron, as being the truth proceeding mediately from the Divine of the Lord (see n. 7009); and from the signification of all the words of Jehovah, as being the details of doctrine. Instruction is signified by Moses told the words to Aaron, for instruction from the Divine is effected by means of influx, which influx is signified by telling. From all this it is evident that by Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah is signified 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.

[2] There is instruction in the details of doctrine, when the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord is conjoined with the truth which proceeds mediately, for then there is perception (of which above, n. 7055)....

'He would fall down dead'

Arcana Coelestia 5849. The two spirits adjoined to man cause him to be in communication with hell, and the two angels cause him to be in communication with heaven. Without communication with heaven and hell, man could not live even a moment. If these communications were taken away, the man would fall dead as a stock; for then would be taken away the connection with the First Esse, that is, with the Lord. This has also been shown me by much experience. The spirits with me were removed a little, and then as they were removed I began as it were to expire, and indeed should have expired if they had not been sent back. But I know that few will believe there is any spirit with them, nor even that there are any spirits; and this chiefly for the reason that at this day there is no faith, because no charity, and thus it is not believed that there is a hell, nor even that there is a heaven, nor consequently that there is any life after death. Another reason is that they do not see spirits with their eyes; for they say, “If I should see, I would believe; what I see, this is; but what I do not see, I do not know whether it is.”

AC 4067...Everything that a man thinks and wills is from this source, insomuch that if the societies of spirits and angels in which he is were taken away, he would that moment have no thought and no will, and would even fall down absolutely dead. Such is the state of man, although he believes that he has all things from himself, and that there is neither a hell nor a heaven; or that hell is far removed from him, and heaven also.

All are connected to each other

AC 6193. As in this way spirits possess all things of a man’s thought and will, and angels things which are still more interior, and as the man is thus most closely conjoined with them, therefore the man must necessarily perceive and feel that it is he himself who thinks and wills; for the communications in the other life are of such a nature that in a society containing similar spirits each one believes that to be his own which is another’s. And therefore when the good come into heavenly society, they at once enter into all the intelligence and wisdom of that society, insomuch that they know no otherwise than that these are in themselves. And such also is the case with a man, and with a spirit who is attendant upon him. The things which flow in from the spirits who are from hell are evils and falsities, but those which flow in from the angels who are from heaven are goods and truths. Thus by means of influxes opposite to each other the man is kept in the midst, thus in freedom. As the things which flow in from the angels, flow in through the more inward interiors, they are not so apparent to the outward sense as are those which flow in from evil spirits. Moreover the angels are of such a character that they never desire to hear that the influxes of good and truth are from themselves, but that they are from the Lord, and they are indignant if it is thought otherwise; for they are in the manifest perception that it is so, and they love nothing more than to will and think not from themselves, but from the Lord. On the other hand, evil spirits are angry if told that they do not think and will from themselves, because this is contrary to the delight of their loves; and they are more angry when told that life is not in them, but that it flows in. When this is shown them by experience to the life, which has often been done, they then indeed confess that it is so, for they cannot speak contrary to experience; but still after some delay they deny it, and then they are not willing that it should be any further confirmed by experience.

To read/listen Its Elephants All The Way Down visit

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 heavens occupied by evils and falsities

Arcana Coelestia 6858...  Before the coming of the Lord into the world, evil genii and spirits occupied all that region of heaven to which the spiritual were afterward taken up; for before the coming of the Lord many such roamed at large and infested the good, especially the spiritual who were in the lower earth; but after the coming of the Lord they were all thrust down into their hells, and that region was set free, and was given for an inheritance to those who were of the spiritual church. It has been frequently observed that as soon as any place is left by good spirits it is occupied by evil ones; and that the evil are driven out of it, and as soon as this is done it again passes to those who are in good. The reason is that the infernals continually burn to destroy the things of heaven, especially those to which they are in opposition; and therefore when any place is left, being then without protection, it is immediately occupied by the evil.

What is man, that he could be pure?

And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?

If God puts no trust in His saints,

And the heavens are not pure in His sight,

How much less man, who is abominable and filthy,

Who drinks iniquity like water!

Job 15:14-16

 

Twilight in states of heaven

AC 6110... in the other life they who are in desolation are soon afterward refreshed, and attain their desires. By means of such alternations are all made perfect. It is worthy of note that the alternations of the day in the natural world-morning, midday, evening, night, and again morning-perfectly represent the alternations in the spiritual world, with only this difference: that the alternations of the spiritual world flow into the understanding and the will, and sustain those things which are of the life; while the alternations in the natural world flow into those things which are of the body, and sustain them.

[4] What is still more worthy of note is that the shades of evening and the darkness of night do not come from the Lord, but from things that belong to angels, spirits, and men. For the Lord as a Sun is continually shining and flowing in, but evils and falsities from what is one’s own, being in men, spirits, and angels, turn and convert them from the Lord, and thus lead them into the shades of evening, and those who are evil into the darkness of night; in like manner as the sun of our world is continually shining and inflowing, but the earth by its rotation turns itself away from it, and brings itself into shade and darkness.

[5] The reason why these alternations take place in the natural world is that the natural world comes forth from the spiritual world, and therefore also subsists from it; and hence it is that universal nature is a theater representative of the Lord’s kingdom (see n. 3483, 4939). The reason why these alternations exist in the spiritual world is that all who are in heaven may be continually perfected. From this there are such alternations also in the natural world, for otherwise all things therein would perish with drought.

[6] Yet be it known that in heaven there is no night, but only evening, which is succeeded by the twilight that precedes the morning. But in hell there is night. There are alternations there also, but these are opposite to the alternations in heaven; for in hell morning is the heat of cupidities, noon is the itching of falsities, evening is anxiety, and night is torment. Yet through all these alternations the night dominates, and it is only the variations of shade and of the darkness of night that present these alternations.

[7] Be it further known that in the spiritual world the alternations with one person are not like those with another; and also that the alternations there are not distinguished into stated times, because it is the variations of state that present them to view; for in place of times in the natural world there are states in the spiritual world (n. 1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916).

For more on the internal being regenerated first, and heaven and earth being the internal and external of the natural see the Round Three: We Are Not Human - We Are Becoming Human. How?

 

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.