5512. 'And took us for men spying out the land' means that it saw the truths known to the Church as ones existing there for the sake of gain. This is clear from the representation of the sons of Jacob, to whom 'us' refers here, as the truths known to the Church that were present in the natural, dealt with in 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458; and from the meaning of 'spies' or 'men spying out the land' as people interested in the truths known to the Church solely for the sake of gain, dealt with in 5432.

3344. The communication of angels who belong to the heaven more interior still, which is the third heaven, is also representative, but it is such as cannot possibly be conceived by any idea in the mind, nor accordingly be described. Their pattern of thought is present inwardly in man, yet only in one in whom celestial love, that is, love to the Lord, is present; and following his separation from the body he enters into that pattern of thought as though born to it, even though, as has been stated, he could not conceive anything at all of this with any idea present in his own mind while he was living in the body. In short, by means of the representatives that are combined with ideas, communication so to speak comes to life. Of all the forms this communication takes, that among men is the least lively because their form of it involves spoken words. The form it takes among angels of the first heaven is more lively, that among angels of the second is more lively still, while that among angels of the third heaven is the most lively of all, since these angels receive the Lord's life more fully than others. Whatever comes from the Lord is in itself living.