8148. And he took six hundred chosen chariots. That this signifies all and each of the doctrinal things of falsity which are of faith separate, in their order, is evident from the signification of the number “six hundred,” as being each and all things of the truth and good of faith in one complex, thus in the opposite sense each and all things of the falsity and evil of faith separate from charity (that these are signified by “six hundred” can be seen from what has been shown concerning the number “six hundred thousand,” n. 7973); and from the signification of “chariots,” as being doctrinal things of faith, here of faith separate (see just above, n. 8146). By “chosen chariots” are signified the chief doctrinal things of this faith, on which the rest depend; those which depend on them, or serve them, being signified by “the chariots of Egypt” (of which presently).

[2] Be it known that these falsities, which are here signified by “Pharaoh, his army, and his people,” also by his “chariots, horses, and horsemen,” are especially the falsities of those who are in persuasive faith, that is, who persuade themselves that the doctrinal things of the church in which they are, are true, and yet are in a life of evil. Persuasive faith exists together with evil of life, but not saving faith; for persuasive faith is a persuasion that all things that belong to the doctrine of the church are true, not for the sake of truth, nor for the sake of life, nor even for the sake of salvation, for in this they scarcely believe; but for the sake of self-advantage, that is, for the sake of getting honors and wealth, and for the sake of reputation with a view to these. They learn doctrinal things in order to acquire such things, thus not to the end that they may be of service to the church and the salvation of souls, but to serve themselves and those who belong to them; and therefore it is all the same to them whether these doctrinal things are true, or false; this they care nothing about, still less inquire into, for they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth. No matter what kind of doctrinal things they may be, they confirm them; and when they have confirmed them, they persuade themselves that they are true, not considering that falsities can be confirmed equally as well as truths (n. 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680, 7950).

[3] This is the source of persuasive faith, which, because it has not for its end, and does not regard, the neighbor and his good, thus not the Lord, but self and the world, that is, honors and self-advantage, is conjoined with evil of life, but not with good of life; for assuredly the faith that is conjoined with this is saving faith. This faith is given by the Lord, but the other is from the man himself. The one remains to eternity; the other is dissipated in the other life, and is also dissipated in the world if nothing is gained by it. But so long as men profit by it, they fight for it as for heaven itself, although it is not for that faith, but for themselves; for the things of faith, that is, of doctrine, are to them as means to an end; that is, to eminence and opulence. They who are in this faith in the world can with difficulty be distinguished from those who are in saving faith, for they speak and preach from an ardor as of zeal for the doctrine; but it is an ardor from the fire of the love of self and of the world.

[4] These are they who are especially signified by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians,” and in the other life they are vastated in respect to this faith; and this being vastated, they are in mere falsities from evil, for falsities then burst forth from the evil. Every evil is attended with its falsity, for they are joined together; and the falsities appear when they are left to the evil of their life. The evil is then like a fire, and the falsities are like the light from it. This kind of evil and the consequent falsity is quite different from other kinds of evils and the consequent falsities, being more detestable than all others, because it is contrary to the goods and truths of faith, and therefore there is profanation in this evil. (Profanation is the acknowledgment of truth and good and yet a life contrary thereto, n. 593, 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3898, 4289, 4601, 6959, 6963, 6971)

4601. That Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. That this signifies the profanation of good by means of faith separate, and that and Israel heard signifies that this faith was rejected, is evident from the representation of Reuben as being faith in doctrine and in understanding, which is the first thing of the church (see n. 3861, 3866), here this faith separate from charity (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “lying with Bilhah his father’s concubine,” as being the profanation of good, for “to commit adultery” signifies to pervert or adulterate goods (n. 2466, 2729, 3399), but “to lie with a father’s concubine” is to profane them; and from the signification of “Israel heard,” as being that this faith was rejected. In the proper sense by Israel’s hearing is signified that the spiritual church knew this and assented to it; for by “hearing” is signified hearkening to, and by “Israel” the spiritual church; but that the true church does not assent, will appear from what will be said about Reuben. But in the internal sense is signified that this faith was rejected, for it is not said what Jacob felt and thought about this nefarious deed; nevertheless that he utterly abominated and abhorred it, is manifest from his prophecy respecting Reuben:

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my strength, and the beginning of my might; excellent in honor, and excellent in power. Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel, who wentest up thy father’s bed, then profanedst thou it, he went up my couch (Genesis 49:3-4);

and from Reuben’s being on this account deprived of his birthright (1 Chron. 5:1). Hence it is evident that by “Israel heard” is signified that this faith was rejected. (That “birthright” is the faith of the church may be seen above, n. 352, 2435, 3325.)

[2] The profanation of good is effected by faith separate when the truth of the church and its good are acknowledged and believed, and yet the man lives contrary to them. For with those who separate the things of faith from those of charity in the understanding and thence in life, evil is conjoined with truth and falsity with good; and this conjunction itself is what is called profanation. It is otherwise with those, who, although they know what the truth and good of faith are, still do not at heart believe. (See what has been said and shown before on profanation, n. 301-303vvv2, 571, 582, 593, 1001, 1003, 1008, 1010, 1059, 1327, 1328, 2051, 2426, 3398, 3399, 3402, 3489, 3898, 4050, 4289; also that the profanation of good by faith separate was represented by Cain’s killing Abel; by Ham’s being cursed by his father; and by the Egyptians being swallowed up by the Red Sea, n. 3325; and here also by Reuben, n. 3325, 3870).

[3] In order that those who are of the spiritual church could be saved, the Lord miraculously separated their intellectual part from their will part, and bestowed upon the intellectual the power of receiving a new will (n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 928, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256, 4328, 4493). When therefore the intellectual apprehends and perceives the good which is of faith, and appropriates it to itself, and yet man’s will (that is, his willing evil) still reigns and commands, there is effected the conjunction of truth and evil, and of good and falsity. This conjunction is profanation, and is meant by eating and drinking unworthily in the Holy Supper, said of those from whom the good which is there signified by the “body,” and the truth which is there signified by the “blood,” cannot be separated, because things which have been conjoined in this manner can never be separated to all eternity, and therefore the deepest hell awaits them. But they who know what the truth and good of faith are, and yet do not at heart believe them (as is the case with most people at the present day), cannot profane them, because the intellectual does not receive them and imbue itself with them.

[4] It is the rejection of this separated faith that is here treated of, because in what presently follows truths and goods are treated of in their genuine order, and directly afterwards their conjunction with the rational or intellectual. The sons of Jacob presently named are truths and goods in genuine order, and Isaac is the rational or intellectual. The coming of Jacob and his sons to Isaac, is in the internal sense this conjunction with the intellectual.