9141. And it shall desolate in the field of another. That this signifies the consuming of the cohering goods, is evident from the signification of “to desolate,” as being to deprive through cupidities, thus to consume (of which below); and from the signification of “in the field of another,” as being the cohering goods; for “a field” denotes the church, and the things in a field denote goods (see n. 9139); thus those which are “in the field of another,” denote the adjacent goods which cohere; for the goods with man are like generations on the earth, and consequently are in various degrees of nearness and coherence (n. 9079). Those which are not in the same house, or together in the same family, but yet are related, are what are meant by being “in the field of another.”

[2] That “to desolate” denotes to deprive through cupidities, and thus to consume, is because by the word which is used in the original tongue for “to desolate” is properly signified to set on fire and burn, thus also to feed on and consume. And as this is the derivation of the word, “to desolate” here signifies the consuming that is done by cupidities; for the cupidities in a man are consuming fires. There is in man the fire of life, and the light of life. The fire of life is his love, and the light of life is his faith. The love of good (that is, love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor) makes the fire of life in a good man and in an angel of heaven; and the love of truth and the faith of truth make the light of life in them. But the love of evil (that is, the love of self and the love of the world) makes the fire of life in an evil man and in a spirit of hell; and the love and faith of what is false make the light of life in them. But the love of evil is called in the Word the “burning of fire,” because it burns and consumes those things which belong to the love of good and truth. (That the “burning of fire” has this signification, see n. 1297, 1861, 5215, 9055.)

[3] That a consuming by cupidities is signified by this word in the original tongue, is plain from the following passages, in Isaiah:

Jehovah will come into judgment with the elders of His people, and the prices thereof. Ye have consumed [set fire to] the vineyard (Isaiah 3:14).

The breath of Jehovah, like a river of sulphur, doth consume [burn] it (Isaiah 30:33);

“a river of sulphur” denotes falsities from the evils of the love of self and the love of the world (n. 2446).

[4] In Ezekiel:

The inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both shield and buckler, with bow and with arrows, and with hand staff and with spear, and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years, that they shall bring no wood out of the field, nor cut down any out of the forests (Ezekiel 39:9-10);

thus is described the consuming and desolating of good and truth through cupidities. But who will see this, unless he knows what is signified by “the inhabitants of the cities of Israel,” also what by “weapons,” “shield,” “buckler,” “bow with arrows,” by “hand staff and spear,” by “seven years,” and by “wood out of the field, and out of the forests.” (That “inhabitants” denote goods, see n. 2268, 2451, 2463, 2712; that “cities” denote truths, and consequently doctrinal things from the Word, n. 2268, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492; and that “Israel” denotes the church, n. 4286, 6426, 6637.) Consequently “the inhabitants of the cities of Israel” denote the goods of the doctrinal things of the church; and in the opposite sense, these goods turned into evils and falsities. (That “shield,” “buckler,” and “arrows of the bow” denote truths of doctrine from the Word, whereby there is protection from the falsities of evil, see n. 2686, 2709, 6421; that a “hand staff” denotes the power of truth from good, n. 4876, 7026; in like manner a “spear,” but interior power; that “seven years” denote a full state, thus to the full, n. 6508, 8976; thus “to kindle a fire for seven years” denotes to consume to the full through cupidities; “wood out of the field” denotes the interior goods of the church, n. 3720, 8354; “field” being the church, n. 2971, 3766, 7502, 7571; and “wood out of the forests,” exterior goods, n. 3220, 9011.) When these things are known it may be known that by the above prophecies is described the consuming of all things of the church through cupidities until nothing of the good and truth of the internal and external church remains, which is signified by “they shall kindle a fire for seven years, so that they shall bring no wood out of the field, nor cut down any out of the forests.”

[5] By the same expression is also described the consuming of the good and truth of the church, in Malachi:

Behold the day cometh, burning as an oven, wherein all that sin proudly, and every worker of wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall consume [kindle] them, said Jehovah Zebaoth, which shall leave them neither root nor branch (Malachi 4:1);

“the day that cometh” denotes the last time of the church, when the loves of self and of the world shall reign, and shall consume all the truths and goods of the church, until nothing survives in the man’s internal and external, which is signified by “shall leave them neither root nor branch.” The “root” of good and truth is in man’s internal, and the “branch” is in his external. From this then it is evident that “to desolate” signifies to consume through cupidities, as is the case elsewhere in the Word.

4876. And thy staff that is in thy hand. That this signifies by means of its power, that is, of that truth, is evident from the signification of a “staff,” as being power, of which presently; and from the signification of a “hand,” as being also power (n. 878, 3091, 3387, 3563). It is said “that is in thy hand,” because the power of that lowest truth is signified such as belonged to the religiosity of the Jewish nation, which here is “Judah.” That power is predicated of truth may be seen above (n. 3091, 3563). A “staff” is frequently mentioned in the Word, and it is surprising that scarcely anyone at this day knows that anything in the spiritual world was represented by it, as where Moses was commanded that whenever miracles were wrought, he was to lift up his staff, and thereby they were wrought. This was known among Gentiles also, as is evident from their fabulous tales in which staffs are ascribed to magicians. That a “staff” signifies power, is because it is a support; for it supports the hand and arm, and through them the whole body; wherefore a staff takes on the signification of the part which it immediately supports, that is, the hand and arm, by both of which in the Word is signified the power of truth. Moreover, it will be seen at the end of the chapters that in the Grand Man the hand and arm correspond to this power.

[2] That by a staff was represented power, appears, as just said, from what is related of Moses, in that he was commanded to take a staff (or rod), with which he was to do miracles; and that he took the rod of God in his hand (Exodus 4:17, 20); that when smitten by the rod, the waters in Egypt became blood (Exodus 7:15, 19-20); that when the rod was stretched out over the streams, frogs came up (Exodus 8:1-11); that when the dust was smitten by the rod, it became lice (Exodus 8:16-20); that when the rod was stretched out toward heaven, there was hail (Exodus 9:23); and that when the rod was stretched out over the land, locusts came up (Exodus 10:3-21). As the hand is the principal, by which power is signified, and a rod is the instrumental, therefore miracles were also wrought when his hand was stretched forth (Exodus 10:12-13); when his hand was stretched forth toward heaven, there was thick darkness over the land of Egypt (Exodus 10:21-22); and when his hand was stretched forth over the sea Suph, by an east wind the sea was made dry land; and on again stretching forth his hand, the waters returned (Exodus 14:21, 26-27).

[3] Moreover, when the rock of Horeb was smitten with the rod, waters flowed out (Exodus 17:5-6; Numbers 20:7-10). When Joshua fought against Amalek, “Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:9, 11). From these passages it is very evident that a rod or staff, like the hand, represented power, and in the supreme sense the Divine omnipotence of the Lord; and it is also evident that at that time representatives constituted the externals of the church; and that the internals, which are spiritual and celestial things such as are in heaven, corresponded to them; and that from this came their efficacy. From this it is also plain how irrational those are who believe that there was any power infused into the staff or the hand of Moses.

[4] That in the spiritual sense, a “staff” is power, appears also from many passages in the prophets, as in Isaiah: Behold the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth doth take away from Jerusalem staff and stay, the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water (Isaiah 3:1); the “staff of bread” denotes support and power from the good of love, and the “staff of water,” support and power from the truth of faith. That “bread” is the good of love may be seen above (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735); and that “water” is the truth of faith (n. 28, 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424). The “staff of bread” is mentioned in like manner in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:16; 5:16; 14:13; and Psalms 105:16).

[5] Again in Isaiah:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, O My people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, who shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff upon thee, in the way of Egypt. Jehovah shall stir up against him a scourge, as in the plague of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and his staff shall be over the sea, and he shall lift it up in the way of Egypt (Isaiah 10:24, 26); where “staff” denotes power from reasoning and memory-knowledge, such as is the power of those who reason from memory-knowledges against the truths of faith, and either pervert them or make them of no account. This is signified by the “rod” with which Asshur shall smite, and by the “staff” which he shall lift up in the way of Egypt. That by “Asshur” is meant reasoning may be seen above (n. 1186); and that by “Egypt” is meant memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462).

[6] In like manner in Zechariah:

The pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart away (Zech. 10:11).

In Isaiah:

Thou hast trusted on the staff of a bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it (Isaiah 36:6);

“Egypt” denotes memory-knowledges, as above; power from them in spiritual things is the “staff of a bruised reed;” the “hand” which it goes into and pierces, is power from the Word. Again:

Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of the rulers (Isaiah 14:5); where “staff” and “rod” manifestly denote power.

[7] In Jeremiah:

Grieve, all ye circuits of Moab, and say, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of beauty (Jeremiah 48:17).

The “staff of strength” denotes power from good, and the “staff of beauty” power from truth.

[8] In Hosea:

My people interrogate their wood, and their staff will answer them; for the spirit of whoredom hath led them astray (Hos. 4:12);

“interrogating wood” means consulting evils; the “staff answering” means that falsity is thence, which has power from the evil which they confirm; the “spirit of whoredom” denotes a life of falsity from evil.

In David:

Yea, when I walk in the valley of shadow, I will fear not evil to me; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me (Psalms 23:4);

“Thy rod and Thy staff” denote the Divine truth and good, which have power. Again:

The staff of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the just (Psalms 125:3).

[9] Again:

Thou shalt crush them with a rod of iron; thou shalt scatter them like a potter’s vessels (Psalms 2:9);

a “rod of iron” denotes the power of spiritual truth in natural, for all natural truth in which there is spiritual truth has power; “iron” is natural truth (n. 425, 426). So also in Revelation:

He that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; that he may pasture them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers (Revelation 2:26-27; and also 12:5; 19:15).

[10] Because a staff represented the power of truth, that is, the power of good through truth, therefore kings had scepters, which were made like short staffs; for by kings the Lord is represented as to truth, the Divine truth being the royalty itself (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581). The scepter signifies the power belonging to them, not by dignity, but by the truth which should rule, and no other truth than that which is from good; thus principally the Divine truth, and with Christians the Lord, from whom is all Divine truth.