6858. Unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite. That this signifies the region occupied by evils from falsities, is evident from the representation of the Canaanites, as being evils from the falsities of evil (see n. 4818); and from the representation of the Hittites, as being falsities from which are evils (n. 2913). (By the nations in the land of Canaan which are enumerated here and also in other plac es, as Genesis 15:18-19; Exodus 23:23, 28; 33:2; 34:11; Deuteronomy 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 24:11; Judges 3:5, are signified all kinds of evil and falsity.) What is meant by the region occupied by evils from falsities, and also by the other kinds of evil and falsity, must be told. Before the coming of the Lord into the world, evil genii and spirits occupied all that region of heaven to which the spiritual were afterward taken up; for before the coming of the Lord many such roamed at large and infested the good, especially the spiritual who were in the lower earth; but after the coming of the Lord they were all thrust down into their hells, and that region was set free, and was given for an inheritance to those who were of the spiritual church. It has been frequently observed that as soon as any place is left by good spirits it is occupied by evil ones; and that the evil are driven out of it, and as soon as this is done it again passes to those who are in good. The reason is that the infernals continually burn to destroy the things of heaven, especially those to which they are in opposition; and therefore when any place is left, being then without protection, it is immediately occupied by the evil. As before said, this is especially meant by the region occupied by evils and falsities, which is signified by the place where the nations were that were to be driven out. This, together with what was said above (n. 6854) is a great mystery, which cannot be known without being revealed.

2054. For an eternal covenant. That this signifies conjunction, is evident from the signification of a “covenant,” as being conjunction, explained before. As those are here treated of who are within the church, the “covenant” is again spoken of; and it is here called an eternal covenant, both because it is most especially necessary for those within the church to be “circumcised,” that is, purified from the loves of self and of the world (as shown above, n. 2051); and also because with them there is the nearest conjunction of the Lord and His heaven, since this is effected by means of the goods and truths of faith. There is indeed a conjunction with those also who are outside of the church, but a more remote one, because they are not in the goods and truths of faith (as before said, n. 2049). The church, in the Lord’s kingdom, is circumstanced as are the heart and lungs in man. Man’s interior things are conjoined with his external things by means of the heart and lungs, and from these live all the surrounding viscera. Such also is the case with the human race: the conjunction of the Lord and His heaven is nearest with the church, but more remote with those who are outside of the church, who are circumstanced as are the organs that live by means of the heart and lungs. The celestial are like the heart, and the spiritual are like the lungs. Because of the necessity for the purification of both of these, they who are within the church are here treated of specifically, and the “covenant” is stated twice.