7688. And the land was darkened. That this signifies that falsity was brought in where truth was, is evident from the signification of “darkness,” as being falsities (see n. 1839, 1860, 4418, 4531); thus “to be darkened” is to be in falsity; and as the devastation of those who have been of the church and have known truths, but have lived a life of evil, is here treated of, therefore by “the land was darkened” is signified falsity where truth was. Truth in the internal sense is signified by “light,” and therefore falsity is signified by “darkness;” for truth and falsity are opposites, like light and darkness; and they who are in truth actually have light, and they who are in falsity actually have darkness. The light in which they are who are in falsity in the other life, becomes thick darkness at the presence of the light of heaven, and thicker darkness with those who have been of the church, because they had been in falsity against the truth of faith, according to the Lord’s words:

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:23).

The sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness (Matthew 8:12);

“the sons of the kingdom” denote those who are of the church; “the outer darkness” denotes more grievous falsities; it is called “outer” because falsities in the outermosts or extremes are more grievous.

[2] That falsities are called “darkness,” is evident from many passages in the Word, as in John:

The light is come into the world, but men have loved the darkness more than the light; for their works were evil (John 3:19).

Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness take hold of you; I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in the darkness (John 12:35, 46);

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20).

Give glory to Jehovah your God before He bring darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight, then ye shall await light, but He will put it into the shadow of death, He will put it into thick darkness (Jeremiah 13:16).

When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens, and I will blacken the stars thereof; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light of heaven will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:7-8).

The day of Jehovah cometh, it is near, a day of darkness, and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of obscurity (Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18-20).

This day is a day of wrath, a day of wasting and devastation, a day of darkness and thick darkness (Zeph. 1:15).

In these passages “darkness” signifies falsities. In the Word “darkness” also signifies ignorance of truth, such as the Gentiles are in who have not the Word and know nothing of the Lord.