7419. “使尘土变作虱子” 表邪恶要从它们当中冒上来. 这从 “虱子” 的含义清楚可知, “虱子” 是指邪恶. 但至于它们是什么样的邪恶, 源于何处, 这从邪恶与这种寄生虫的对应关系可以看出来. 它们主要是感官层面, 也就是完全的外在人中, 或人心智完全的外在层面上的邪恶. 这种对应关系来自以下事实: 虱子生活在皮肤的最表层, 就在那里的污垢之中和鳞屑之下. 那些拥有信仰的知识, 却过着邪恶生活之人的感官层也是这样. 当这种知识从他们那里被夺走时, 如这种人在来世所发生的情形, 他们头脑又粗笨又愚蠢. 他们多次出现在我面前; 肮脏恶臭, 令人厌恶. 这些寄生虫的叮咬就表示邪恶的侵扰. “虱子” 的这层含义无法从圣言中的其它经文那里得到证实, 因为它们只在诗篇 (105:31) 论及埃及时再次被提及.

5621. 'Wax and stacte' means the truths of interior natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'wax', in this case aromatic wax, as the truth of good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'stacte' too as truth derived from good, dealt with in 4748. The truths of interior natural good are meant because these spices are purer substances than resin or honey, and for that reason the mention of them comes second. For in the Word order determines the way in which such substances are listed. 'Wax' is not used here to mean ordinary wax but an aromatic kind, such as storax. This kind of wax is what the word in the original language is used to describe; and the same word is used for spice. From this one may see why this aromatic wax means the truth of good; for all spices, because they are sweet smelling, mean in the internal sense truths that are derived from good.

[2] This may be recognized from the consideration that in heaven truths derived from good are perceived with the same pleasure as sweet scents in the world. Also, when angels' perceptions are converted into odours, which in the Lord's good pleasure happens frequently, they are therefore detected as fragrances coming from spices and from flowers. This is why frankincense and incense were prepared from odiferous substances and put to a sacred use, and also why aromatic substances were mixed with oil for anointing. Anyone who does not know that the cause behind those practices lay among the perceptions enjoyed by those in heaven may suppose that they were practices enjoined solely to make external worship pleasant and that they held nothing of heaven and nothing holy at all within them, consequently that such religious practices held nothing Divine within them. See what has been shown already on these matters:

Frankincense and incense, as well as the fragrant substances in oil for anointing, were representative of spiritual and celestial things, 4748.

Spheres of faith and love are converted into pleasant odours; and therefore pleasant and sweet-smelling odours, also aromatic ones, mean the truths of faith which are derived from the good of love, 1514, 1517-1519, 4618.