8093. That God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines. That this signifies that it was provided by the Divine that they should not pass to truth of faith which is not from good, is evident from the signification of “God led them not by the way,” as being that it was provided by the Divine that they should not pass, for by “leading,” when by God, is signified providence, and by “way” is signified truth (see n. 627, 2333), here to pass to the truth; and from the representation of the Philistines, as being those who are in the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and are not in a life of charity (n. 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413), thus those who are in truth of faith which is not from good. That this is signified by the “Philistines and their land” can be seen from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned, especially in Jeremiah 47, where they are described; and also in Joel 3:5-6; and likewise from the historicals of the Word where are described the wars between the sons of Israel and the Philistines, and their subjugation by the Philistines, and then of the Philistines by the sons of Israel. By the Philistines are there represented those who are in faith separate, or to whom the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith is the main thing, but not a life according thereto; consequently those who teach and believe that faith alone saves.

[2] The opinion concerning faith alone or separate is not new, or of this time only, but existed in the ancient churches, and came into use together with evil of life. It is also described in the Word throughout, but by names: first by “Cain,” in that he slew his brother Abel (see n. 337, 340, 1179); “Cain” there, in the internal representative sense, denotes such faith, and “Abel” denotes charity. It is also described by “Ham,” when he was cursed by his father (n. 1062, 1063); afterward by “Reuben,” in that he went up on his father’s bed (n. 3870, 4601); and by “Simeon and Levi,” in that they slew Hamor and the men of Shechem, and were therefore cursed by their father (n. 3870, 6352). This faith is also described by the “Egyptians,” and by their firstborn being slain (see n. 7766, 7778), and by the Egyptians being sunk in the sea Suph. It is also described by the “Philistines” (n. 3412, 3413), and likewise by “Tyre and Sidon” throughout the prophets, where by the “Philistines” is signified the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and by “Tyre and Sidon” the knowledges themselves, interior and exterior. Lastly it is also described by “Peter,” when he thrice denied the the Lord, (n. 6000, 6073). But see what has been already shown concerning this faith (n. 36, 379, 389, 916, 1017, 1076, 1077, 1162, 1176, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2049, 2116, 2228, 2231, 2261, 2343, 2349, 2364, 2383, 2385, 2401, 2435, 2982, 3146, 3242, 3325, 3412, 3413, 3416, 3427, 3773, 4663, 4672, 4673, 4683, 4721, 4730, 4766, 4783, 4925, 5351, 5820, 5826, 6269, 6272, 6273, 6348, 6353, 7039, 7097, 7127, 7317, 7502, 7545, 7623-7627, 7724, 7779, 7790, 7950).

3413. And filled them with dust. That this signifies by means of earthly things, that is, by the loves of self and of gain, is evident from the signification of “dust,” as being that which is of this nature (n. 249). The meaning is that those called “Philistines” (that is, those who are not in life but in doctrine) obliterate interior truths by earthly loves, which are the love of self and of gain; from these loves they were called the “uncircumcised” (n. 2039, 2044, 2056, 2632). For they who are in these loves cannot but fill the wells of Abraham with dust (that is, obliterate the interior truths of the Word by earthly things), because from these loves they cannot possibly see spiritual things (that is, the things which are of the light of truth from the Lord); for these loves induce darkness, and darkness extinguishes this light. For as before said (n. 3412), on the approach of the light of truth from the Lord, they who are in doctrine only, and not in life, are in total darkness and stupor, and even become angry, and in every way busy themselves to dissipate truths; for the love of self and of gain is of such a nature that it cannot endure the near approach of anything of truth from the Divine. Nevertheless such persons can glory and take pride in the fact that they know truths, nay, they preach them from a kind of zeal; but it is the fires of those loves that kindle and arouse them, and their zeal is merely a fervor thence derived, as is sufficiently evident from the fact that they can preach against their own veriest life with a like zeal or fervor. These are the earthly things by which the Word itself, which is the fountain of all truth, is blocked up.