9334. 'Lest perhaps the land becomes desolate' means a deficiency in that case, and little spiritual life, that is to say, if the removal were hurried. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land' as the Church in general and also in particular, the Church in particular being a person who becomes an embodiment of the Church, since the Church exists within a person and comprises one who has been regenerated (for the meaning of 'the land' as the Church in general, see 9325, and for its meaning as the Church in particular, or a person who has been regenerated, 82, 620, 636, 913, 1411, 1733, 2117, 2118 (end), 2571, 3368, 3379; this person is also called 'the land' in Malachi,

All the nations will declare you blessed, and you will be a land of delight. Malachi 3:12.) and from the meaning of 'desolate' as a deficiency, and little spiritual life. For 'desolate', when used in reference to the Church within a person, means a deficiency of truth and good, thus also a deficiency of spiritual life since that life is provided by these. The implications of this, that there is a deficiency and little spiritual life if falsities and evils are removed hurriedly, are that when a person undergoes regeneration, which is accomplished by the implantation of spiritual truth and good, and at the same time by the removal of falsity and evil, the regeneration is not hurried but takes place slowly.

[2] The reason for this is that all the things the person has thought, intended, or done since early childhood have entered into the composition of his life. They have also formed themselves into a network which is such that one cannot be moved without all of them together being moved. For a wicked person is an image of hell, and a good person is an image of heaven; and also the evils and falsities with a wicked person are interconnected in the same way as the communities of hell are with one another, of which that person is a part, while the forms of good and the truths with a good person are interconnected in the same way as heavenly communities are with one another, of which this person is a part. From this it is evident that the evils and falsities with a wicked person cannot be removed suddenly from where they are. They can be removed only in the measure that forms of good and truths in their proper order have been implanted more deeply within the person; for heaven with a person removes hell. If the removal were done suddenly the person would pass out, for the whole network of things, every single one, would be thrown into confusion and deprive him of his life.

[3] The fact that regeneration or the implantation of the life of heaven with a person begins when he is a young child and continues right on to the final phase of his life in the world, and the fact that after life in the world his perfection continues for evermore, see 2679, 3203, 3584, 3665, 3690, 3701, 4377, 4551, 4552, 5126, 6751, 8772, 9103, 9296, 9297, and in particular 5122, 5398, 5912, 9258. Also, and this is an arcanum, a person's regeneration in the world is merely the foundation for the unending perfection of his life. The person who has led a good life undergoes perfection in the next life; see what has been shown regarding young children, in 2289-2309, and regarding the state and condition of gentiles there, in 2589-2604.

2679. 'And she went and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba' means a state of wandering from one position to another in matters of doctrine regarding faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'going and wandering in the wilderness' as a state of wandering from one position to another, and from the meaning of 'Beersheba' as the doctrine of faith, dealt with at the end of this chapter, where it is said that Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant in Beersheba, verse 32, and Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, verse 33. The present verse describes the nature of the state to begin with of those who are being reformed, that is to say, it is a state when they are carried away into various errors. For they are given by the Lord to think much about eternal life, and so to think much about the truths of faith; but because they do so from the proprium, as has been stated, they cannot do other than wander into this position and then into that both in doctrine and in life. Thus they hold to that as being the truth which has been instilled into them since early childhood, or which is impressed on them by others, or which they think out for themselves, quite apart from the consideration that various affections of which they are not aware exist to mislead them. These people are like fruit as yet unripe, to which shape, beauty, and flavour cannot be given in an instant, or like tender blades of corn which are unable to flower or to grow ears in an instant. The ideas however which enter in at that time, even though they are for the most part erroneous, are nevertheless such as may serve to promote growth; and later on when those persons are being reformed, such erroneous ideas are partly separated, and partly are of use in imparting so to speak nourishment and juices to the life that follows. These in turn can be adapted partly to the implantation subsequently of goods and truths by the Lord, and partly to serving as the ultimate planes for spiritual things. Thus they serve continuously as means to reformation, which means follow consecutively in an unbroken chain and order. For every least thing with man is foreseen by the Lord and is provided by Him for his future state which continues for ever. This is done for his own good, to the extent that this is in any way possible and the person allows himself to be led by the Lord.