6344. And the beginning of my forces. That this signifies that through it is the first power in truth, is evident from the signification of the “beginning of forces,” as being the first power; and as “forces” are predicated of truth, it is the first power in truth that is signified, in like manner as in Isaiah:

Jehovah giveth strength to the wearied one, and to him that hath no forces He multiplieth power (Isaiah 40:29); where “strength” is predicated of good, and “forces” of truth, and “power” of both. How it is to be understood that through faith there is power in good, and the first power in truth, which is signified by “Reuben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my forces,” shall be briefly told. All the power in the spiritual world is from good through truth. Without good, truth has no power whatever, for truth is like a body, and good is like the soul of this body, and in order that the soul may do anything, it must be by means of the body. Hence it is plain that truth without good has no power whatever, just as the body without the soul has no power; for the body is then a carcass, and so also is truth without good.

[2] When the faith of truth through good is first born, the power appears to be in truth. This power is what is called the “first power in truth through faith,” and is signified by the “beginning of forces,” as also elsewhere in the Word where “birthright” is treated of; as in David:

He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of forces in the tents of Ham (Psalms 78:51).

And in another place:

He smote all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their forces (Psalms 105:36).

Also in Deuteronomy:

He shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the hated one, to give him two parts of all that shall be found for him; in that he is the beginning of his forces, the right of the birthright is his (Deuteronomy 21:17).

[3] As by the “firstborn” is signified in the genuine sense the good that is of charity, but in the sense according to the appearance the truth that is of faith (see n. 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930), and as these two are the foundations of the church, therefore by the ancients the firstborn was called the “strength of the father, and the beginning of his forces.” That such was the signification is plainly evident from the fact that every firstborn belonged to Jehovah or the Lord, and that in the stead of all the firstborn the tribe of Leviticus was accepted and the priesthood given to it.

[4] Scarcely anyone in this world can know what is the nature of the power that is in truth from good; but it is known to those who are in the other life; thus by revelation thence. They who are in truth from good, that is, in faith from charity, are in power through truth from good. In this power are all the angels, and from this the angels are called in the Word “powers;” for they are in the power of restraining evil spirits, one angel being able to restrain a thousand all at once. They exercise their power chiefly when with man, in defending him at times against many hells, and this in a thousand and a thousand ways.

[5] They have this power by means of the truth that is of faith from the good that is of charity; but as they have their faith from the Lord, it is the Lord alone who is the power in them. This power which is through faith from the Lord is meant by the Lord’s words to Peter:

Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matthew 16:18-19).

This was said to Peter, because by him was represented faith (see preface to Genesis 22, andalso3750, 4738, 6000, 6073); and by “Peter,” wherever in the Word he is called “Peter,” as here, is signified in the internal sense, faith, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to faith.

4922. And bound double-dyed upon his hand. That this signifies that she put a mark upon it, namely, upon the power, and that “double-dyed” is good, is evident from the signification of “binding upon the hand,” as being to put a mark upon power, for the “hand” is power (n. 4920); and from the signification of “double-dyed” as being good, and indeed spiritual good. That “double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, is because it was of a scarlet color; and the color of scarlet when seen in the other life signifies spiritual good, that is, the good of charity toward the neighbor. For all colors visible in the other life signify something of good and truth, because they come into existence from the light of heaven, which in itself is wisdom and intelligence from the Lord’s Divine. The variations or modifications of that light are the consequent variations, and so to speak modifications, of wisdom and intelligence, consequently of good and truth. That the light in heaven is from the Divine wisdom and intelligence of the Lord, who appears there as a sun, may be seen above (n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3225, 3337, 3339, 3340, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4180, 4214, 4302, 4405, 4408, 4413, 4415, 4523-4533). That colors are from this source, and that they are the variations and modifications of that light, and consequently of intelligence and wisdom, may be seen above (n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4677, 4742).

[2] That “double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, is plain from the passages in the Word in which it is mentioned, as in Jeremiah:

If then thou art laid waste what wilt thou do? If thou clothest thyself with double-dyed, and adornest thyself with an ornament of gold, in vain shalt thou make thyself beautiful; the lovers will abhor thee (Jeremiah 4:30); where Judah is spoken of; “clothing thyself with double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, and “adorning thyself with an ornament of gold” denotes celestial good. In the second book of Samuel:

David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan, and wrote to teach the sons of Judah the bow. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in double-dyed, with delights, and put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:17-18, 24); where “teaching the bow” is teaching the doctrine of love and charity, for a “bow” signifies this doctrine; “clothing in double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, as before; and “putting an ornament of gold upon the apparel” denotes celestial good.

[3] Because this was the signification of “double-dyed,” it was commanded that double-dyed scarlet should be used on the curtains of the tabernacle, on the veil, on the covering for the door of the tent, on the covering for the gate of the court, on the table of faces when they journeyed, and on Aaron’s garments of holiness, as on the ephod, the breastplate of judgment, and the fringe of the robe of the ephod—as is evident from the following passages:

[4] Thou shalt make for the tabernacle ten curtains; of fine-twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed (Exodus 26:1).

Thou shalt make a veil of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 26:31).

Thou shalt make a covering for the door of the tent, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 26:36).

For the gate of the court thou shalt make a covering of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen, the work of the embroiderer (Exodus 27:16).

When the camp setteth forward they shall spread upon the table of faces a cloth of scarlet double-dyed, and cover the same with a covering of badger’s skin (Numbers 4:5, 7-8).

Thou shalt make the ephod of gold, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed and fine-twined linen, the work of the artificer. Likewise on the belt (Exodus 28:6, 8).

Thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the artificer; like the work of the ephod, of gold, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 27:15).

Upon the fringe of the robe of the ephod [thou shalt make] pomegranates of blue, and of crimson, and of scarlet double-dyed (Exodus 27:33 [NCBSW: 28:33]).

[5] As the tent of assembly with the ark represented heaven, therefore the above-mentioned colors were commanded to be used; and they signify in their order the celestial and spiritual things there, “blue and crimson” signifying celestial goods and truths, and “scarlet double-dyed and fine-twined linen,” spiritual goods and truths. Everyone who believes the Word to be holy can know that everything in it has some signification; and whoever believes that the Word is holy because it was sent down by the Lord through heaven, can know that the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom are signified. In like manner it was commanded that cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop should be used in the cleansing from leprosy (Leviticus 14:4, 6 (Leviticus 14:6), 52); and that cedar wood, and hyssop, and double-dyed crimson should be cast upon the burning of a red heifer, from which was to be prepared the water of separation (Numbers 19:6, 9).

[6] The profanation of good and truth is described by similar expressions in Revelation.

I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was clothed in crimson and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her whoredoms (Revelation 17:3-4).

Woe, woe, the great city, she that was clothed in fine linen, and crimson, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone and pearls (Revelation 18:16);

speaking of Babylon, by which is signified the profanation of good (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326), here the profanation of good and truth, which is Babylonish. In the prophets of the Old Testament, “Babylon” is the profanation of good, and “Chaldea” the profanation of truth.

[7] “Scarlet,” in the opposite sense, signifies the evil which is opposite to spiritual good, as in Isaiah:

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

That “scarlet” signifies this evil is because “blood”—also from its redness—signifies in the genuine sense spiritual good, or charity toward the neighbor, but in the opposite sense violence offered to charity.