10396. And the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain. That this signifies the Israelitish nation when they did not notice in the Word anything from heaven, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” when said of the understanding of the Word, as being notice (see n. 2150, 3764, 3863, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (see the places cited in n. 9372); from the signification of “delaying to come down,” when said of the noticing of Divine truth from the Word, as being not to flow in, for the Divine truth which flows in with man is said to come down from heaven; and from the signification of “Mount Sinai,” as being heaven in respect to Divine truth (see n. 9420). By “the people” is here meant the Israelitish nation in the proper sense, because in this chapter the quality of that nation is described in respect to the noticing of Divine truth from the Word, and in respect to the noticing of the interior things which were represented in what had been commanded the sons of Israel by Jehovah through Moses from Mount Sinai, as related in the preceding chapters (25 to 31 inclusive). From all this it is evident that by the words “the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain,” is signified the Israelitish nation when they did not notice in the Word anything from heaven, thus not anything which was represented in the things commanded from Mount Sinai, which are interior things.

[2] The case herein is this. In the preceding chapters there have been treated of the statutes, the judgments, and the laws which were commanded by Jehovah to the sons of Israel, with whom a church was to be instituted. Each and all of these were external things which represented internal, as has been shown in the explications of these chapters. But the Israelitish nation was of such a nature that they did not at all desire to know anything about the internal things which were represented; but only about the external things in which was the representation. The reason why they were of such a nature was that they were altogether in bodily and earthly loves, and with those who are in these loves the interiors, which otherwise would be open into heaven, are closed. For man has an internal and an external; his internal is for heaven, and his external is for the world. When the external reigns, then worldly, bodily, and earthly things reign; and when the internal reigns, then heavenly things reign. But man has been so created that the external in him may be subordinated to the internal, thus the world to heaven; for as before said, the external is for the world and the internal for heaven. When therefore the external reigns, the internal is closed, for the reason that the man then turns himself from heaven and from the Lord to the world and to himself, and his heart is where he turns himself, consequently his love, and with his love the whole of his life, because the life of man is his love.

[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known how the case is with those who are in bodily and earthly loves; namely, that the interiors with them are closed; and those with whom the interiors have been closed do not acknowledge anything internal, saying that only those things exist which they see with their eyes and touch with their hands, and that all other things which they do not see with their eyes and touch with their hands, have no existence. Consequently they have no faith in the existence of heaven, of the life after death, or that the interior things which the church teaches are anything. Such was the Israelitish nation, and that it was such is described in this chapter.

[4] He who does not know that interior things make the church with man, and not exterior things without interior, cannot know otherwise than that this nation was chosen and also loved by Jehovah above all other nations. But the real fact is very different. That nation was received because it was urgent to be received, yet not in order that any church might be with them, but only the representative of a church, to the end that the Word might be written which should have in such things an ultimate form. The reason why that people is called in the Word the people of Jehovah, the chosen and beloved nation, is that by “Judah” in the Word is meant the celestial church; by “Israel,” the spiritual church; and by all the sons of Jacob, something of the church; likewise by “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” the Lord Himself; as also by “Moses,” “Aaron,” and “David.” But as that nation is the subject treated of in this whole chapter (that a church could not be instituted with it, but only the representative of a church); therefore before proceeding further, see what has been already said and shown concerning that nation; namely, That there was no church among them, but only the representative of a church (n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 4899, 4912, 6304, 7048, 9320): Thus that they were not chosen; but received, because they insisted (n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439): That they were wholly in externals without anything internal (n. 4293, 4311, 4320 ¹ , 4459, 4834, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4903, 4913, 9373, 9380, 9381): That their worship was merely external (n. 3147, 3479, 8871): That they did not wish to know the internal things of worship and of the Word (n. 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680): That on this account it was not granted them to know these things (n. 301-303vvv2, 2520, 3769): That if they had known them, they would have profaned them (n. 3398, 3489, 4289); that nevertheless by means of the externals of worship with them, which were representative of things interior, there was communication with heaven; and in what manner (n. 4311, 4444, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806): That when they were in worship their interiors which were unclean were closed (n. 3480, 9962): That this could be done with that nation, and that on this account they have been preserved even to this day (n. 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377): That they worshiped Jehovah merely in respect to the name (n. 3732, 4299, 6877): That at heart they were idolaters (n. 4208, 4281, 4820, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8882): In general, that it was the worst nation (n. 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 7248, 8819, 9320).

Poznámky pod čarou:

8882. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain. ¹ That this signifies profanations and blasphemings of the truth and good of faith, is evident from the signification of “the name of God,” as being all in the complex by which the Lord is worshiped, thus all the truth and good of faith (see n. 2724, 3006, 6674); and from the signification of “taking in vain,” as being to profane and blaspheme. By “taking the name of God in vain” is properly signified to turn truth into evil, that is, to believe that it is truth, and nevertheless to live in evil; and it also denotes to turn good into falsity, that is, to live holily, and yet not to believe. Both are profanation (n. 4601), for believing is of the understanding, and living is of the will; and therefore in those who believe otherwise than they live, the thought and will are divided. But as the will continually flows into the understanding, for the understanding is the form of the will; that is, the will manifests itself there in light; therefore it is that when a man believes in one way and lives in another, truth and evil, or good and falsity, are conjoined; thus the things that are of heaven with man are conjoined with those which are of hell. This conjunction cannot be dissolved, and thereby the man be healed, except by a pulling asunder which carries away with it everything of spiritual life; and therefore these persons are sent into a hell the most grievous of all, where they are direfully tormented.

[2] This is what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy of the spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. If anyone shall say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come (Matthew 12:31-32).

Also by these words in Luke:

When the unclean spirit hath gone out of a man, he goeth through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out. And if on coming he findeth it swept and garnished, he goeth away and taketh seven other spirits worse than himself: and they enter in and dwell there; and the man’s last things become worse than the first (Luke 11:2426).

[3] By these words is described the profanation of truth from the Lord; by “the unclean spirit when he goeth out” is meant the acknowledgment and faith of truth; by “the house swept” is meant a life contrary to truths; by “his return with seven other spirits” is meant a state of profanation. These are the things which are signified by “taking the name of God in vain.” That such a state with man cannot be healed, thus cannot be forgiven, is signified also by the words which immediately follow, namely, “Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain,” by which is meant that it cannot be forgiven. (For further information about the nature of profanation, and who are guilty of it, see n. 593, 1003, 1008, 1010, 1059, 1327, 1328, 2051, 2426, 3398, 3399, 3402, 3489, 6348, 6595, 6959, 6963, 6971, 8394

[4] By “taking the name of God in vain” is also signified blasphemy, which takes place when those things which are of the Word, or of the doctrine of faith, thus which are holy, are held in derision, and are debased to unclean earthly things, and thus are defiled (see n. 4050, 5390). But by “taking the name of God in vain,” relatively to the Israelitish nation, which did not acknowledge any good and truth of faith (which are signified by “the name of God”), is meant the applying of the name of Jehovah, and also of the commandments and statutes which were commanded them, to the worship of idols, as they did in the wilderness to the worship of the golden calf, unto which they not only offered burnt offerings and sacrifices, and ate of the things sanctified thereby, but also called the day of its celebration “a feast to Jehovah,” as we read in Moses:

Aaron made of the gold a molten calf, and they said, These be thy gods, Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, and made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to Jehovah. And therefore they rose up in the morning of the next day, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought things eucharistic (Exodus 32:4-6).

[5] That those who thus took the name of Jehovah God in vain could not be forgiven, which is signified by their “not being held guiltless,” is evident from the words of Jehovah to Moses at that time concerning them, namely:

Him that hath sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book. Nevertheless go, lead this people in unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee; but in the day of My visitation I will visit their sin upon them (Exodus 32:33-34).

Poznámky pod čarou: