9264. For I will not justify the wicked. That this signifies that such malignity is contrary to the Divine righteousness, is evident from the signification of “justifying,” as being to declare guiltless and to absolve; but here not to absolve, because it is said, “I will not justify;” that “to justify” means also to declare guiltless and to absolve, is evident from the judicial meaning of this expression; as also in Matthew:

By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matthew 12:37).

Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts (Luke 16:15).

And from the signification of “the wicked,” as being malignity (see n. 9249). Malignity, of which it is here said that it is contrary to the Divine righteousness, consists in destroying the interior and exterior good which is signified by “slaying the innocent and the righteous” (of which just above, n. 9262, 9263); and this good is destroyed when the Divine truth and good which are from the Lord are denied, in which case this is extinguished in the man, and consequently so is the Lord Himself, from whom proceed all good which is good and all truth which is truth. When this takes place, the man no longer has any spiritual life, thus no salvation. This same truth and good are extinguished when the Lord’s Divinity is denied, and also when the Word is denied, for this is Divine truth from the Lord and about the Lord. To deny this, when it has previously been acknowledged and received with faith, and thus to extinguish it, is the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is not forgiven (Matthew 12:31). For the Holy Spirit is the Divine truth and good, because it is the holy proceeding from the the Lord, (n. 9229). This same is also signified by the “shedding of innocent blood,” spoken of just above. That this malignity is not forgiven, because it is contrary to the Divine righteousness, is signified by the words, “I will not justify the wicked.”

7828. This is the first to you in the months of the year. That this signifies the beginning from which will be all the following states to eternity, is evident from the signification of “to be the first,” when it is said of the months of the year, and in the internal sense of the states of life, as being the beginning; from the signification of “months,” as being states (of which just above, n. 7827); and from the signification of “year,” as being a period of life from beginning to end (n. 2906). In the present case, because it is said of those who are of the spiritual church in the other life, the period of whose life has a beginning but not an end, by “year” is signified a period of life from the beginning to eternity (that “year” has also this signification see n. 2906). This month was made the head of months and the first of all, because by it is signified the beginning of the liberation of those who are of the spiritual church, and who up to this time had been in a state of captivity, because detained in the lower earth, and there infested by the evil, who are represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians. That their first state, when they were liberated, was the principal of all and the beginning from which would be all the following states to eternity, is because they who were there were liberated by the coming of the Lord into the world, and because without the coming of the Lord into the world they could not possibly have been saved, and because they were liberated at the time when the Lord rose again. From this it is evident that the state when they were liberated was to them the principal of all states. The case is the same also afterward with all those who are of the spiritual church, who could not possibly have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world, and glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine. That they who were of the spiritual church before the coming of the Lord were detained in the lower earth and were liberated and saved by the Lord, see n. 6854, 6914; and in general, that they who were of the spiritual church have been saved by the Lord’s coming, n. 2661, 2716, 6372, 7035, 7091; and therefore in the supreme sense by these words is signified that the glorification and resurrection of the Lord as to His Human is the source of all salvation.