5898. 'And for the bestowal of life on you' means the spiritual life from there that is bestowed on the truths in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'bestowing life' as spiritual life, dealt with above in 5890. For spiritual life is gained entirely from remnants, which is why the words 'the spiritual life from there' are used. And because they are the source from which that life is obtained, the reference to 'a remnant' is followed immediately by the words 'for the bestowal of life on you', that is to say, on the truths in the natural, which are represented by Jacob's sons, 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512.

660. That 'a flood' means a deluge of evil and falsity is clear from what has been stated already about the descendants of the Most Ancient Church being possessed with filthy desires and immersing doctrinal matters concerning faith in them. This immersing led to false persuasions within them which annihilated all truth and good and simultaneously closed off the road for remnants and so made it impossible for them to do their work. It was inevitable therefore that these men would destroy themselves. When the road for remnants has been closed off a person is no longer human, for he can no longer be protected by angels but is wholly and completely possessed by evil spirits who long and desire to do nothing else but annihilate man. It was this that led to the death of the people who existed before the Flood, a death described by 'a flood' or utter deluge. Indeed the influx of delusions and desires from evil spirits is not unlike a flood. Consequently in various places in the Word that influx is called a flood or a deluge, as in the Lord's Divine mercy will be seen in the preliminary remarks to the next chapter. ¹

Poznámky pod čarou: