588. Which can neither see nor hear nor walk, signifies in which and from which there is nothing of the understanding of truth or the perception of good, and thus nothing of spiritual life. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to understand truth (See above, n. 11, 260, 529); also from the signification of "to hear," as being to perceive and obey (See also above, n. 14, 249), and as being to have understanding to perceive, n. 529; also from the signification of "to walk," as being to live spiritually, and in reference to the Lord that it is life itself (See above, n. 97). From this it is clear that "not to see, to hear, or to walk," signifies that there is no understanding of truth, no perception of good, and thence no spiritual life; these are not in idols or from them, for "idols" signify the falsities of doctrine, of religion, and of worship, and such things are not in falsities, but in truths that are from good; in truths and from them is all understanding, all perception from the will of good, and consequently spiritual life. It is said "consequently," because spiritual life consists in the understanding of truth and in perception from the will of good; for truths are in the light of heaven, and this so much that the truths themselves give light in heaven, and this because the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes all light in the spiritual world, and that light gives all intelligence and wisdom to angels.

Now as truths themselves are of the light it follows that falsities are of no light, for they extinguish light, consequently falsities are called in the Word "darkness" (See above, n. 526); and as they are darkness, they are the shadow of spiritual death. But it is to be known that the falsities of evil constitute such darkness, not falsities that are not from evil. "To hear" signifies perception from the will of good, and thence obedience, because speech enters the ear at the same time with the sound, and the truths uttered enter the understanding and thence the thought, while sounds enter the will and thence the affection. That in the spiritual world sounds present and produce the affection which is of the will, and the words of the sound the thought which is of the understanding, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 236, 241, and above n. 323. From this it can be seen why "to hear" and "to hearken" also signify to obey, and the "ear" and "hearing" obedience.

10698. 'And afterwards all the children of Israel approached' means all who, although their interest lay in things on an outward level devoid of what was inward, would nevertheless represent those on an inward level. This is clear from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those whose interest lay in things on an outward level devoid of those on an inward one, dealt with just above in 10692. The reason why those who would represent things on an inward level is also meant is that Moses won for that nation the concession that it should represent the Church even though they were by nature such that no Church could be established among them. No Church can exist among those whose interest lies in things on an outward level devoid of what is inward, because the Church resides with a person on an inward level and not on an outward one devoid of the inward. For a person is in contact with heaven and with the Lord through the inward level; when this does not exist, that is, when it has been closed off, he is in contact with hell. But although the children of Israel were by nature such that it was impossible for them to have any contact with heaven through the inward level, they were nevertheless able to represent such things as belonged to the Church and heaven. This was accomplished solely by means of outward things to which inward ones correspond; and it was on account of this that they were accepted.

No Church existed among that nation, only a representative of the Church, see in the places referred to in 9320 (end), 10396.

Through the outward things which represented inward ones contact with heaven was effected, see again in the places referred to in 9320 (end), 10396, and also what is said in 10492, 10500, 10549-10551, 10570, 10575, 10602, 10629.