7678. 'And Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt' means exercising the power of God's truth over the entire natural of the molesting ones. This is clear from the meaning of 'stretching out the rod' as an exercising of power, dealt with above in 7673; from the representation of 'Moses' as God's truth, dealt with in 6752, 7010, 7014, 7382; and from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the natural of those who molest, dealt with above in 7674. The Divine power which is described by 'the hand of Moses' is the power of God's truth. All power belongs to truth, see 3091, 5623, 6344, 6423, 6948; indeed the power that Divine Truth going forth from Divine Goodness possesses is such that it has created all things throughout the universe. That Truth is meant by 'the Word' in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through Him. John 1:1, 3.

This explains why miracles were performed through Moses, for 'Moses' represents Divine Truth. Most people think that the Word or Divine Truth is merely what Jehovah has spoken and what He commands so to be done - this and nothing more. But in fact it is the Essential Being itself (Ipsum Essentiale), the source from which all things exist and the means by which they are kept in existence. That Essential Being (Esse) which emanates from Him and, arising from it, the Coming-into-Being (Existere) of all things is what is meant by Divine Truth. Some light on all this can be gained by considering the angels. From them emanates a sphere of charity and faith which is clearly perceptible and which also produces wondrous effects. From these one may form some idea of Divine Truth which emanates from the Lord's Divine Goodness.

1250. That 'the mountain of the east' means charity, indeed charity from the Lord, is clear from the meaning of 'a mountain' in the Word as love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, as shown already in 795. And that 'the east' means the Lord, and consequently the celestial things of love and charity, see again what has appeared already in 101, and also in the following places: In Ezekiel,

The cherubs lifted up their wings. The glory of Jehovah went up from over the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain, which is on the east of the city. Ezekiel 11:22-23.

Here 'the mountain which is on the east' means nothing other than the celestial manifestation of the love and the charity that is the Lord's, for it is said that 'the glory of Jehovah stood there'. In the same prophet,

He brought me to the gate, to the gate facing the way of the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. Ezekiel 43:1-2.

Here 'the east' has a similar meaning.

[2] In the same prophet,

And he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east, and it was shut. And Jehovah said to me, This gate shall be shut and not opened, and no man shall enter by it; but Jehovah, the God of Israel, will enter by it. Ezekiel 44:1-2.

Here similarly 'the east' stands for the celestial manifestation of the love that is the Lord's alone. In the same prophet,

When the prince makes a freewill offering, a burnt offering, and peace offerings, as a freewill offering to Jehovah, one shall open for him the gate facing towards the east, and he shall make his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he shall do on the sabbath day Ezekiel 46:12.

Here similarly it stands for that which is celestial, which essentially is love to the Lord.

[3] In the same prophet,

He brought me back to the door of the house, and behold, waters were issuing out from below the threshold of the house towards the east, for the house faced east. Ezekiel 47:1, 8.

This refers to the new Jerusalem 'The east' stands for the Lord, and so for the celestial manifestation of love, while 'waters' means things that are spiritual. Here the same is meant by 'the mountain of the east'. Furthermore those who dwelt in Syria were called 'the sons of the east', who will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of later on.