5420. And bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth. That this signifies humiliation, is evident from the signification of “bowing down themselves,” as being humiliation (see n. 2153), and of “with their faces to the earth,” as being the humiliation of adoration (n. 1999). By humiliation here is not meant humiliation from acknowledgment, thus internal humiliation, but external humiliation, because it was in the presence of the governor of the land in accordance with established custom. That not internal but external humiliation is meant, is because there was not yet correspondence, and through correspondence conjunction. When the natural is in this state it can indeed humble itself, even to the last degree, but only from acquired habit. It is a gesture without the genuine affection that produces it, thus it is of the body without its soul. Such is the humiliation here meant.

1277. The case is the very same with men, as to their souls, which are constantly bound to some society of spirits and of angels. They too have a situation in the kingdom of the Lord according to the nature of their life, and according to their state. It matters not that they are distant from each other on earth even though it were many thousands of miles-still they can be together in the same society-those who live in charity in an angelic society, and those who live in hatred and such evils in an infernal society. In like manner it matters not that there be many together on earth in one place, for still they are all distinct in accordance with the nature of their life and of their state, and each one may be in a different society. Men who are distant from each other some hundreds or thousands of miles, when they appear to the internal sense may be so near each other that some of them may touch, according to their situation. Thus if there were a number of persons on earth whose spiritual sight was opened, they might be together and converse together, though one was in India and another in Europe, which also has been shown me. Thus are all men on earth, both generally and individually, most closely present to the Lord, and under His view and providence.