There are two things which proceed from the Lord and from this in their origin are Divine: the one is Good, and the other is Truth. These consequently are the two things which reign in heaven, nay, which make heaven. In the church these two things are called charity and faith.
7624 When Good and Truth proceed from the Lord they are completely united, and so united as to be not two, but one. Consequently they are one in heaven; and because they are one in heaven, heaven is an image of the Lord. It would be the same with the church if charity and faith therein were a one.
7625 An idea of the good which is of charity and of the truth which is of faith may be formed from the sun and its light; when the light which proceeds from the sun is conjoined with heat, as is the case in spring and summer, then all things of the earth sprout forth and live; but when there is no heat in the light, as in winter time, then all things of the earth become torpid and die. Moreover, in the Word the Lord is compared to the “sun;” and truth conjoined with good, which proceeds from Him, is compared to “light;” and also in the Word the truth of faith is called “light,” and the good of love is called “fire.” Moreover, love is the fire of life, and faith is the light of life.
7626 From all this an idea can also be formed about the man of the church, as to what he is when with him faith is conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a garden and a paradise; and what he is when with him faith is not conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a desert and a land covered with snow.
7627 From the mere light of his natural man everyone can see that Truth and Good are in agreement, and also that they can be conjoined together; and that truth and evil are in disagreement, and that they cannot be conjoined together; and in like manner faith and charity. Experience itself testifies the same; that he who is in evil as to life is either in falsity as to faith, or is in no faith, or is quite opposed to faith. And (what is a secret) he who is in evil as to life is in the falsity of his evil, although he believes that he is in truth. That he so believes is because he is in persuasive faith, of which in what follows.
1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh; because I have made heavy his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may put these My signs in the midst of him.
2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have set in them, and that ye may know that I am Jehovah.
3 And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me.
4 For if thou refuse to let My people go, behold tomorrow I will bring the locust into thy border.
5 And it shall cover the surface of the land, and one shall not be able to see the land; and it shall devour the residue of that which is escaped that is left to you from the hail; and it shall devour every tree that sprouteth forth to you out of the field.
6 And thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which thy fathers saw not, nor thy father’s fathers, since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day. And he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh.
7 And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this be a snare to us? Send the men away, and let them serve Jehovah their God; knowest thou not yet that Egypt is perishing?
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought back unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them, Go ye, serve Jehovah your God; who and who are going?
9 And Moses said, We will go with our boys, and with our old men; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flock and with our herd, will we go; because we have a feast of Jehovah.
10 And he said unto them, So shall Jehovah be with you, when I let you go, and your babe; see ye that evil is before your faces.
11 Not so; go I pray, ye that are young men, and serve Jehovah; because this ye seek. And he drove them out from the faces of Pharaoh.
12 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand over the land of Egypt for the locust, and it shall come up upon the land of Egypt, and shall devour all the herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Jehovah brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locust.
14 And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the border of Egypt, very grievous; before it there was no such locust as this, and after it there shall not be such.
15 And it covered the surface of the whole land, and the land was darkened; and it devoured all the herb of the land, and all the fruit of the tree which the hail had left; and there was not left any green thing in the tree and in the herb of the field, in the whole land of Egypt.
16 And Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron; and he said, I have sinned to Jehovah your God, and to you.
17 And now forgive I pray my sin only this once, and supplicate ye to Jehovah your God that He remove from upon me this death only.
18 And he went out from before Pharaoh, and supplicated unto Jehovah.
19 And Jehovah turned an exceeding strong sea wind, and took up the locust, and cast it into the sea Suph; there was not left one locust in all the border of Egypt.
20 And Jehovah made firm Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.
21 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, and there shall be thick darkness upon the land of Egypt, and one shall grope in thick darkness.
22 And Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven; and there was a most dense thick darkness in the whole land of Egypt three days.
23 They saw not a man his brother, and there rose not up anyone from what was under him for three days; and all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve Jehovah; only your flock and your herd shall stay; your babe also shall go with you.
25 And Moses said, Thou shalt also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may perform it unto Jehovah our God.
26 And our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof we must take to serve Jehovah our God; and we know not with what we must serve Jehovah until we come thither.
27 And Jehovah made firm Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
28 And Pharaoh said to him, Go away from before me, take heed to thyself that thou see my faces no more; for in the day thou seest my faces thou shalt die.
29 And Moses said, Thou hast rightly spoken; I will see thy faces again no more.
7628 THE CONTENTS.
In this chapter in the internal sense there is further continued the subject of the vastation of those who infest those who are of the spiritual church. The ninth and tenth states or degrees of vastation, which are described by the “locust” and by the “thick darkness,” whereby is signified falsity from evil devastating all things of the church with them, are now treated of.
7629 THE INTERNAL SENSE.
Verses 1-6. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, because I have made heavy his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may put these My signs in the midst of him; and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have set in them, and that ye may know that I am Jehovah. And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if thou refuse to let My people go, behold tomorrow I bring the locust into thy border; and it shall cover the surface of the land, that one shall not be able to see the land; and it shall devour the residue of that which is escaped that is left to you from the hail; and it shall devour every tree that sprouteth forth to you out of the field; and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, which thy fathers saw not, nor thy fathers’ fathers, since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day. And he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh. “And Jehovah said unto Moses” signifies a command; “Come unto Pharaoh” signifies the presence of truth from the Divine with those who infest; “because I have made heavy his heart, and the heart of his servants,” signifies that they all in general were determined; “that I may put these my signs in the midst of them,” signifies that the evil may know that they are in evil, and that the good may be enlightened as to the state of those within the church who live evilly; “and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt,” signifies that they who are in truth and good may know what befalls those who are of the church and infest the upright; “and My signs which I have set in them,” signifies that they may be enlightened with respect to the state of those who are of the church and live evilly; “and that ye may know that I am Jehovah,” signifies that thus it may be known to them that the Lord is the only God; “and Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh,” signifies the presence of truth Divine; “and said unto him,” signifies discernment; “Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews,” signifies a command from the Lord, who is the God of the church; “How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me?” signifies disobedience; “let My people go, that they may serve Me,” signifies that they should leave those who are of the spiritual church, that they may worship the Lord; “for if thou refuse to let My people go,” signifies if they would not leave them; “behold tomorrow I bring the locust into thy border,” signifies that falsity will take possession of their extremes; “and it shall cover the surface of the land,” signifies the ultimates of the natural mind thence derived; “that one shall not be able to see the land,” signifies the consequent darkening of the whole natural mind; “and it shall devour the residue of that which is escaped that is left to you from the hail,” signifies the consuming of all things that have anything from truths; “and it shall devour every tree that sprouteth forth to you out of the field,” signifies thus the consuming of all the knowledges which they have from the church; “and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians,” signifies that falsity will reign in each and all things in the natural, from its interior to its outermost; “which thy fathers saw not, nor thy father’s fathers, since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day,” signifies that from ancient time such falsity has not been in the church as there is there; “and he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh,” signifies privation of discernment, and separation.
7630 And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies a command, namely, one that was to be brought before Pharaoh, is evident from the signification of “saying,” when by Jehovah to those who infest, as being a command (see n. 7036, 7107, 7310).
7631 Come unto Pharaoh. That this signifies the presence of truth from the Divine with those who infest, is evident from the signification of “coming” or “entering” to anyone as being presence (see n. 5934, 6003, 6089, 7498); from the representation of Moses, as being truth from the Divine (see n. 6771, 6827); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who in the other life infest those who are of the spiritual church (n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228).
7632 For I have made heavy his heart, and the heart of his servants. That this signifies that they all in general were determined, is evident from the signification of “making heavy,” “making hard,” and “making firm, the heart,” as being to be determined (see n. 7272, 7300, 7305); and from the representation of Pharaoh, whose heart was made heavy, as being those who infest; and when it is said “he and his servants,” all in general are signified, for the servants together with him constitute the household. Its being said that Jehovah “made heavy the heart of Pharaoh,” in the internal sense signifies that Pharaoh made heavy his own heart. In ancient times, for the sake of the simple, all evil was attributed to Jehovah; and this because the simple could not know, and most of them could not comprehend, how that which came to pass could come from any other source than Jehovah; nor how it is to be understood that Jehovah permits the diabolical crew to occasion evil, and why He does not prevent it, when yet He has all power. As the simple could not apprehend this, nor scarcely even the intelligent, it was therefore said, as believed by many, that even evil had sprung from Jehovah. This is a common thing in the Word, the sense of the letter of which is in accordance with the faith of the simple. (That the evil which in the Word is attributed to Jehovah, is from man, see n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533.)
7633 That I may set these My signs in the midst of them. That this signifies that the evil may know that they are in evil, and that the good may be enlightened as to the state of those within the church who live evilly, is evident from the signification of “signs,” as being confirmations of truths, and thus knowledges (see n. 6870), and also enlightenments (n. 7012); hence “to set signs in the midst of them” denotes that the evil may know that they are in evil. That it also denotes that the good may be enlightened as to the state of those within the church who live evilly, is plain from what presently follows, where it is said, “and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have set in them,” whereby is signified that they who are in truth and good may know what befalls those of the church who infest the upright. (That they who in the other life infest the upright are those who have been of the church and have known the precepts of faith, and yet have lived contrary to them, see n. 7317, 7502, 7545, 7554.)
7634 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt. That this signifies that they who are in truth and good may know what befalls those who are of the church and infest the upright, is evident from the signification of “telling in the ears,” as being that they may know and take notice; and from the signification of “son,” and “son’s son,” as being those who are in truth and good. (That “son” denotes truth, see n. 489-491, 1147, 2623, 3373; also that the “sons of sons” denote the things derived, n. 6583.) Here “sons” denote those who are in truth and also in good, because by them are signified those who are of the church; and therefore “thy son’s son” is said to Moses, by whom is represented the law Divine, which is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine good; thus it is the Divine truth to which is united the Divine good (n. 7623, 7624), from which is the church: and from the signification of “what things I have wrought in Egypt,” as being that which befalls those who in the other life infest the upright. That by “signs” is signified that which befalls, and by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians” those who in the other life infest, is evident from what has been said before. (That they who infest have been of the church may be seen above, n. 7633.)
7635 And My signs which I have set in them. That this signifies that they may be enlightened with respect to the state of those who are of the church and live evilly, is evident from what was said above (n. 7633), where are like words.
7636 That ye may know that I am Jehovah. That this signifies that thus it may be known to them that the Lord is the only God, is evident from the signification of “that ye may know,” as being that it may be known to them. That by “I am Jehovah” is signified that the Lord is the only God, is because the name “Jehovah” signifies Is, thus Him from whom is the being and coming-forth of all things, who cannot but be the sole and only one. (That “Jehovah” denotes the Lord, see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956; and that by these words is meant that He is the only God, n. 7401, 7444, 7544, 7598.)
7637 And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh. That this signifies the presence of truth Divine, is evident from the signification of “coming” or “entering,” as being presence (as above, n. 7631); and from the representation of Moses and Aaron, as being truth Divine-Moses the internal, Aaron the external (n. 7089, 7382).
7638 And said unto him. That this signifies discernment, is evident from the signification of “saving,” as being to notice (see n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509, 5743, 5877); that by “they said” is here meant to discern, is because by Moses and Aaron is represented truth Divine, and by “to come,” the presence thereof; and discernment is from the presence of truth Divine.
7639 Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews. That this signifies a command from the Lord, who is the God of the church, is evident from the signification of “saying,” when by Jehovah to those who infest, as being a command (as above, n. 7630); and from the signification of “the Hebrews,” as being those who are of the church (n. 5136, 6675, 6684, 6738). (That “Jehovah God” denotes the Lord, see above, n. 7636.)
7640 How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me? That this signifies no obedience, is evident from the signification of “refusing to be humbled,” as being not to obey. This is signified because it is said to those who are in evil, who cannot be humbled before the Divine; for there are two things in humiliation, namely, the acknowledgment of self, that it is nothing but evil, and that relatively to the Divine it is as nothing; and the acknowledgment of the Divine, that it is nothing but good, and is infinite. These two things are not possible with the evil, because they are in the love of self. If they humble themselves it is either from fear, or that they may be honored or enriched; thus they humble themselves only as to the body, and not as to the mind, which sometimes then jeers. Such is the humiliation of fear, and also that for the sake of gain and honor. Such it is before the Divine, although they do not know this; for the internal with those who are in evil from the love of self is solely to regard and magnify themselves, and to turn away from all who do not favor. As humiliation is not possible with the evil, therefore in the internal sense by “to be humbled” is signified obedience, and thus by “refusing to be humbled” is signified no obedience.
7641 Let My people go, that they may serve Me. That this signifies that they should leave those who are of the spiritual church in order that they may worship the Lord, is evident from what was said above (n. 7500), where are the same words.
7642 For if thou refuse to let my people go. That this signifies if they did not leave them, is evident from the signification of “to let go,” as being to leave (as frequently above); thus “refusing to let go” denotes not to be willing to leave.
7643 Behold tomorrow I bring the locust into thy border. That this signifies that falsity will take possession of their extremes,* is evident from the signification of “the locust,” as being falsities in the extremes (of which below); from the signification of “border,” as being the extremes; and from the signification of “bringing,” because predicated of falsity, as being to take possession of. It is said that “Jehovah will bring,” but thereby is meant that it will be brought, that is, by evil. The case is the same here as when it is attributed to Jehovah (that is, to the Lord) that He made heavy Pharaoh’s heart, when yet this is from man, from his evil in him, as shown above (n. 7632). That evil is not from the Lord, but that it arises from man, is because man turns to himself that good which flows in from the Lord, and instead of regarding the Lord and what is of the Lord in all things, he regards himself. Hence comes the concupiscence of reigning over all, and of possessing all that belongs to others; and hence come contempt for others, and hatred, revenge, and cruelty toward those who do not favor and be friendly to one’s self; hence also comes contempt for all things that are of faith and charity, because when these flow in from the Lord they are turned to self, thus away from the Lord.
[2] From all this it can be seen that man turns into evil the very good which flows in from the Lord. From this also it is that the evil in the other life remove as far as possible from heaven; for when heaven comes near them, that is, when good and truth flow in more strongly, they then rush the more strongly into the opposite, that is, into evil and falsity; and in the degree that evil and falsity increase, they expel truth from themselves, and devastate themselves; and then also in the same degree they rush into the evils of penalty, for in the other life evils and their penalties are joined together.
[3] The Lord is continually bringing the heavens into order, and is constantly receiving new residents of heaven, to whom He gives dwelling places and inheritances; and when He does this, heaven approaches, that is, flows in more strongly, causing the infernal spirits to rush more strongly into evils and falsities, and into the penalties of these; and in consequence of this rushing into evils and falsities, they as before said vastate themselves; and this does not cease with them until they have completely devastated themselves, and cast themselves deeply into the hells. From all this it can be seen that nothing else than good proceeds from the Lord, and that the evil is from those themselves who are in evil. All this shows how is to be understood what is said of Jehovah (that is, of the Lord), that “He made heavy Pharaoh’s heart,” and here that “He brings the locust,” by which is signified falsity from evil in the extremes.
[4] In the Word, where the vastation of the evil is treated of, mention is sometimes made of the “locust” and of the “caterpillar,” and by the “locust” in the internal sense is there meant the falsity which vastates the extremes. For as before shown, the natural with man is interior and exterior; the falsity which is in the extremes of the natural, being meant by the “locust,” and the evil therein by the “caterpillar.” As by the “locust” is meant the falsity which is in the extremes of the natural, therefore it is said that the locust would be brought “into the border,” and would “cover the surface of the earth;” and afterward (verse 14), “the locust went up upon the land of Egypt, and rested in all the border of Egypt, and it covered the surface of the whole land.” By the “border” and by the “surface” are signified the extremes and ultimates in which the interiors rest, that is, terminate.
[5] The same is meant by the “locust” and the “caterpillar” in David:
He sent among them swarms, which consumed them; and the frog, which destroyed them; and He gave their produce to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust (Ps. 78:45-46).
He said that the locust should come, and the caterpillar, so that there was no number (Ps. 105:34).
These things are said of Egypt, and the “caterpillar” is mentioned, although there is no mention made of it in Moses, but only of the “locust.” The reason why the “caterpillar” also is mentioned, is that by it is signified evil; and by the “locust” falsity; each in the extremes of the natural. But when the “locust” alone is mentioned, it signifies both falsity and evil together, for the “locust” denotes falsity from evil.
[6] In Nahum:
There shall the fire devour thee, the sword shall cut thee off, it shall devour thee like the caterpillar; multiply thyself like the caterpillar, multiply thyself like the locust. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of the heavens; the caterpillar hath spread himself, and hath flown away. Thy crowned ones are as the locust, thy commanders are as the locust of the locusts (Nah. 3:15-17);
the subject here treated of is the “city of bloods,” by which is signified the doctrine of falsity; and because falsity and evil are especially multiplied in the extremes of the natural, for therein are the fallacies of the senses that originate from the objects of the world, and of the earth, and also pleasures from various kinds of appetites, therefore the multiplication of evil and falsity is also described by “the caterpillar and the locust,” as also in the book of Judges (6:5; 7:12), and in Jeremiah (46:23). (That the sensuous, which is the lowest of the natural, is very full of fallacies and the derivative falsities, see n. 5084, 5089, 5094, 6310, 6311, 6313, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624, 6948, 6949.)
[7] In Joel:
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust devoured; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm devoured; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar devoured. Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, in that it is cut off. For a nation will come up upon My land, strong, and without number, and will reduce My vine into a waste, and My fig-tree into froth (Joel 1:4-7).
The threshing floors are full of pure grain, and the vats overflow with new wine and oil; and I will compensate to you the years that the locust hath consumed, the cankerworm, the caterpillar, and the palmerworm (Joel 2:24-25);
where the “locust” denotes falsity in the extremes vastating truths and goods. In Moses:
Thou shalt bring out much seed into the field, but shalt gather little, because the locust shall consume it. Thou shalt plant vineyards, but thou shalt neither drink the wine, nor gather; for the worm shall devour it (Deut. 28:38-39);
where the “locust” denotes falsity from evil.
[8] In John:
Out of the smoke of the opened abyss there went forth locusts on the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power; and it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any tree, but only such men as had not the seal of God upon their foreheads; and it was given them that they should not kill them, but should torment them five months; and the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as it were the faces of men; and they had hair as the hair of women; and their teeth were as the teeth of lions; and they had breastplates, as it were of iron; and the voice of their wings was as the voice of the chariots of many horses running to war; and they had tails like scorpions; and stings were in their tails, that they might hurt men five months. They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon (Rev. 9:3-11);
what is signified by all these things no one can see except from the internal sense. From the details clearly seen therein according to the internal sense, it is evident that by “locusts” are there signified reasonings from fallacies and the falsities thence derived, also confirmed by philosophical things. Thus also by the “locusts” are signified the falsities which are in the extremes with man, and which are more earthly and corporeal than all other falsities; and by which man may be easily deceived and seduced, for he apprehends what is obvious to the senses, and with difficulty what is opposed to the senses.
[9] That it may be known that such is the signification of “locusts,” the contents of this passage may be set forth in detail. The “abyss out of which the locusts came up” denotes hell; the “grass of the earth which they were not to hurt” denotes memory-knowledge; the “tree” denotes the knowledges of good and truth; the “men” denote the affections of good; their “hurting these, and not the grass of the earth and the tree,” denotes that truth and good can be understood although the life is not in accordance therewith; “they who have the seal upon their foreheads” denotes those who have been regenerated; their “tormenting five months those who had not the seal of God upon their foreheads” denotes that they should vastate them; that “the locusts were like horses prepared for war,” denotes reasonings from falsities, whereby there is combat against the truths of the church; “crowns upon their heads like gold, and their faces as men’s faces,” denotes that the reasonings appear like truth, and as it were from good; “hair as of women, and teeth as the teeth of lions,” denotes the external things of the natural, that is, sensuous things, or the fallacies therein, which make an appearance of good; “breastplates of iron” denote external things which make an appearance of truth; “the voice of the wings like that of the chariots of many horses running to war,” denotes the falsities of doctrine from which and for which they fight; “tails like scorpions and stings in their tails” denote the harm which such things bring; the “king of the abyss” denotes infernal falsity; “Abaddon” denotes perdition; “Apollyon” denotes reasoning from falsities appearing as from truth, especially if by those who are believed wise it is confirmed by philosophical things wrongly applied, for the blind admiration of their wisdom leads to faith in them.
[10] By the “locust” in a good sense is signified ultimate and most general truth, and also its pleasantness; hence John’s food was “locusts and wild honey” (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6). These were his food for the reason that John represented the Word, and by his food, as also by his clothing which was of camel’s hair with a leathern girdle, he represented the Word in the external sense, for external pleasantness is signified by the “locust and wild honey” (see n. 5620); and external truth by the “garment of camel’s hair” and by the “leathern girdle” (n. 3301). Hence it is that by John is meant Elias, who was to come and announce the advent of the Lord. (That “Elias” denotes the Word, see the preface to the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, and n. 2762, 5247.) That locusts are among the small animals to be eaten, see Lev. 11:22.
7644 And it shall cover the surface of the land. That this signifies the ultimates of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “the surface,” as being things external, thus ultimate; and from the signification of “the land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301).
7645 That one shall not be able to see the land. That this signifies the consequent darkening of the whole natural mind, is evident from the signification of “not being able to see,” as being a darkening, that is, no perception of truth; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (as above, n. 7644). How the case herein is, that from the vastation of the extremes or outermost things in the natural the whole natural mind is darkened, shall be briefly told. The interiors in man terminate in his ultimates, that is, in his outermost things, and there the successive things in him are together. When there is nothing but falsity and evil in the ultimates, then the truths and goods which flow in from the interiors into the ultimates, flow there into evils and falsities, and consequently are there turned into such things, and for this reason there appears nothing but what is false and evil in the whole natural. This is meant by the darkening of the whole natural mind which is signified by “not being able to see the land.” From this also it is that when infernal spirits have been devastated they are in the outermost things of the natural; nor is their light, which is called intellectual light, unlike that of this world, which in the other life becomes thick darkness in the presence of the light of heaven. As the outermost of the natural, which is called the sensuous, is replete with fallacies and the falsities thence derived, and with pleasures and the evils thence derived (see n. 6844, 6845), and as the hells are in this light, therefore when a man is being regenerated he is endowed by the Lord with the capacity of being elevated from this sensuous toward more interior things (n. 6183, 6313, 7442).
7646 And it shall devour the residue of that which is escaped that is left to you from the hail. That this signifies the consuming of all things that have anything from truth, is evident from the signification of “to devour,” as being to be consumed; and from the signification of “the residue of that which is escaped that is left from the hail,” as being the truth not consumed by the former falsity which is signified by the “hail.” (That “hail” denotes falsity, see n. 7553, 7574.) The falsities which the “hail” signifies are falsities in the exterior natural; but the falsities which the “locust” signifies are falsities in its extremes, and these falsities are what consume the most general truths and goods; for what is exterior is also more general, and what is external is most general. When the generals have been destroyed, the particulars are dispersed; for it is generals that contain, and particulars that are contained.
7647 And it shall devour every tree that sprouteth forth to you out of the field. That this signifies thus the consuming of all the knowledges which they have from the church, is evident from the signification of “to devour,” as being to consume (as just above, n. 7646); from the signification of “tree,” as being perception, also knowledges of truth and good (n. 2722, 2972); and from the signification of “field,” as being the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 4440, 7502, 7571).
7648 And thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians. That this signifies that falsity will reign in each and all things in the natural, from its interior to its outermost, is evident from the signification of “to be filled,” as being to reign (of which presently); and from the signification of the “houses of Pharaoh, the houses of all his servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians,” as being each and all things in the natural (see n. 7353, 7355), here from its interior to its outermost (according to the things unfolded above, n. 7645). That “to be filled” denotes to reign, is because when the mind of man is filled with falsities from evils, insomuch that he has a delight in seducing by means of falsities and in doing evils, then it is said that “falsity reigns with him,” and the affection itself is said to be “reigning.” That is said “to reign universally” which fills the whole mind of man, that is, both his thought and his will; that which a man loves above all things and regards as the ultimate end, thus reigns with him; and this is in the veriest singulars of his will and of his thought. Of what nature is that which universally reigns, can be known from the delight when it succeeds, and from the pain when it does not succeed. That which universally reigns with a man, makes the visible presentation of his spirit, his face being wholly in accordance with it. If evil and falsity are that which reigns, the form of his spirit is diabolical; but if good and truth are that which reigns, the form is angelic; for regarded in itself the spirit is the affection in form, and the ruling affection is its veriest form, and the rest of its affections apply themselves to it.
7649 Which thy fathers saw not, nor thy fathers’ fathers, since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day. That this signifies that from ancient time such falsity has not been in the church as there is there, is evident from the signification of “which they saw not” (that is, the locust), as being that there had not been such falsity (that the “locust” denotes falsity in the extremes, see above, n. 7643); from the signification of “fathers,” and of “father’s fathers,” as being from ancient time; and from the signification of “the ground,” as being the church (n. 566, 1068). “Since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day” signifies the state in which the church was from that time to this. (That “day” denotes state, see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 2788, 3462, 4850; and how this is, n. 7686.)
7650 And he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh. That this signifies privation of discernment, and separation is evident from the representation of Moses, of whom it is said that he “looked back and went out,” as being truth from the Divine; from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest (of whom above, n. 7631); from the signification of “looking back,” as being the privation of discernment, for a man is deprived of discernment when truth from the Divine looks back, that is, averts itself, that is to say, when the man averts himself from it; and from the signification of “going out,” as being separation (see n. 6100, 7404).
