From Documents concerning the life and character of Emanuel Swedenborg by Tafel, J. F. I. (Johann Friedrich Immanuel), 1796-1863; Smithson, J. H. (John Henry), 1803-1877, ed. and tr; Bush, George, 1796-1859, ed, Vol 1. HIS LETTERS TO DR. OETINGER. Pg 153 Document 25

Concerning the Natural and Spiritual Sense of the Word. That there is an internal or spiritual sense in the Word, in its external or natural sense, as a diamond in its matrix, or as a beautiful infant in its swaddling clothes, is a truth which has heretofore been altogether unknown in the Christian world, and hence also it is altogether unknown what is meant by the Consummation of the Age, the Coming of the Lord, the Last Judgment, and by the New Jerusalem, on which subjects many things are spoken and predicted in the Word of each Testament, both Old and New. Without the unfolding and unswathing of the literal sense of the Word by its spiritual sense, who can know intellectually what is signified by the things which the Lord predicted in Matt, xxiv., and also in the Revelations, and in like manner in Daniel, and in the Prophets, in many passages. Make the experiment yourself, if you are so disposed, by reading those passages of the prophetical Word, which treat sometimes of wild beasts and cattle, sometimes of forests and brakes, sometimes of valleys and mountains, sometimes of bats, of ochim, tziim, satyrs ; try whether you can perceive anything Divine therein, unless you believe it to lie concealed inwardly, inasmuch as it was inspired of God, just as a diamond lies concealed in its matrix, as was said above. That the diamonds, or treasures, which lie concealed within, are those things which the internal sense contains, is fully demonstrated in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the Sacred Scripture, 5-26 : and in the same doctrine it is further proved, that the literal sense is the basis, continent, and firmament of its spiritual sense, 27-36 ; also, that the Divine truth in the literal sense of the Word is in its fulness, in” its sanctity, and in its power, 37-49 ; and, likewise, that the doctrine of the church is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and to be confirmed thereby, 50-61 ; and, moreover, that by the literal sense of the Word, through the medium of its spiritual sense, there is effected conjunction with the Lord, and consociation with the angels, 62-69.

Exodus 8. 1. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 2. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 3. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments, and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 4. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah. 5. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou honor over me, till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses? Only in the river shall they be left. 6. And he said, Unto the morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like Jehovah our God. 7. And the frogs shall be removed from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; only in the river shall they be left. 8. And Moses and Aaron went out from before Pharaoh; and Moses cried unto Jehovah upon the word of the frogs which He had laid on Pharaoh. 9. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 10. And they gathered them together in heaps and heaps; and the land stank. 11. And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing, and he made heavy his heart, and heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. 12. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it shall become lice in all the land of Egypt. 13. And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the land, and there was louse on man and on beast; all the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt. 14. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, and they could not; and there was louse on man and on beast. 15. And the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh’s heart was made firm, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. 16. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he goeth forth unto the waters; and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 17. For if thou let not My people go, behold I send against thee, and against thy servants, and against thy people, and into thy houses, the noisome fly; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with the noisome fly, and also the land whereon they are. 18. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, upon which My people stand, that no noisome fly be there; to the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land. 19. And I will set redemption between My people and thy people; unto the morrow shall this sign be. 20. And Jehovah did so; and there came the grievous noisome fly into the house of Pharaoh, and into the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was destroyed from before the noisome fly.

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.