6105. 'As Pharaoh had commanded' means with the acquiescence of the natural, where factual knowledge resides. This is clear from the meaning of 'commanding' as influx, dealt with in 5486, 5732; but in this case acquiescence is meant, for the natural, which 'Pharaoh' represents, owes its whole existence to the internal flowing into it. Consequently what the natural commands does indeed appear to be a direction coming from there, but in fact it comes from the internal; thus it is an acquiescence. The relationship of a person's natural to his internal is virtually the same as that of a person's speech to his thought. It seems as though a person's speech gives a command or issues a direction; but in fact thought does so.

5732. 'And he commanded the one who was over his house, saying' means an influx from itself. This is clear from the meaning of 'commanding as an influx, dealt with in 5486, and from the meaning of 'the one who was over his house' as the one who was to serve as communicator. The fact that the influx came from itself - from the internal celestial man, which 'Joseph' represents - is self-evident. The reason why 'commanding' means influx is that no one in heaven is given commands or orders. On the contrary one shares his thoughts and the other freely acts in accordance with them. The communication of thought, together with a desire to see something put into effect, is influx; and on the part of the receiver it is perception, which is why 'commanding' also means perception, 3661, 3682.

[2] Furthermore those in heaven not only think but also talk to one another - about those things that are matters of wisdom. Yet there is not in what they say any trace of an order given to another; for no one wishes to be the master and consequently regard another as his slave. Rather, each wishes to minister and be of service to another. From this one may see what form of government exists in heaven, the form described by the Lord in Matthew,

It shall not be so among you, but whoever has the wish to become great among you must be your minister, and whoever has the wish to be first must be your servant. Matthew 20:26-27.

And in the same gospel,

He who is the greatest of you shall be your minister; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

This is how a person who has heartfelt love of his neighbour behaves - a person who feels delight and bliss in doing good to others for no selfish reason, that is, one who has charity towards the neighbour.