8215. 'And He took off the wheels of his chariots' means that the power to advance falsities was taken away. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking off' as taking away; from the meaning of 'wheel' as the power to go forward, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'Pharaoh's chariots' as doctrinal teachings that uphold falsity, dealt with in 8146, 8148, thus as falsities. What 'wheel' means in the genuine sense may be recognized from the meaning of 'chariot'. There were two kinds of chariots ¹ - those used to carry merchandise, and those used in battle. Chariots used for carrying merchandise served to mean doctrinal teachings that conveyed the truth, or in the contrary sense to mean those that conveyed falsity. Chariots used in battle likewise served to mean doctrinal teachings in either of those senses, but teachings involved in conflict. That is, they were used to mean actual truths or actual falsities lined up for conflict. From this one may see what 'a chariot wheel' is used to mean, namely the power to move forward, here to advance falsities and fight against truths. Since this power belongs to the understanding part of a person's mind, 'wheel' also means the understanding so far as matters of doctrine are concerned.

[2] In the next life chariots are frequently seen, laden with various kinds of merchandise; and these chariots differ from one another in outward appearance and size. When they are seen they serve to mean truths in their entirety, or doctrinal teachings, which are so to speak receptacles of truth, while their 'merchandise' serves to mean knowledge or cognitions that have different kinds of use. These things are seen in heaven when religious teachings are the object of conversation among angels. For since angels' conversation is incomprehensible to people who are below them, representatives are used to present it. To some it is presented, as has been stated, by means of chariots, which represent visually to them every single detail of the conversation; from that representation the contents of the conversation can be understood and seen in an instant. Some details are seen in the outward appearance of the chariot, some in its structure, some in its colour, some in its wheels, some in the horses pulling it, and others in the merchandise that the chariot is carrying. From these representatives springs the use of 'chariots' in the Word to mean doctrinal teachings.

[3] From all this one may in some measure be able to see that 'chariot wheels' means power that the understanding possesses; for just as a chariot is moved and sent forward by means of its wheels, so are the truths contained in doctrinal teachings sent into action by the power of understanding. This is also the meaning of 'wheels' in Isaiah,

Whose arrows are sharp, and all bows bent. His horses' hoofs are considered as flint, His wheels as the whirlwind. Isaiah 5:28.

This refers to one who lays truth waste, 'arrows' being falsities, and 'bows' false doctrine, 2686, 2709, while 'the hoofs' of the horses are the sensory knowledge belonging to perverted powers of understanding, 7729, 'wheels' powers to pervert and destroy truths, like a whirlwind.

[4] In Ezekiel,

I saw the living creatures, and behold, one wheel was on the earth with [each of] the living creatures, beside its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their works were like a kind of tarshish, ² and the four had the same likeness. In addition the appearance of them, and their works, was like a wheel in the middle of a wheel. They went along on four sides in the direction they went; they did not turn aside as they went. Their rims were so high that they were awesome; ³ in addition their rims were full of eyes round about all four of them. Thus when the living creatures went, the wheels went along with them. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Ezekiel 1:15-21; 10:9-14.

The Lord's providence is meant by 'the four living creatures', which were cherubs, 308, and Divine intelligence, or foresight, by 'the wheels'. This is why it says that the wheels went along together with the living creatures, that their rims were full of eyes, and also that the spirit of the living creatures, which was the truth of wisdom, was in them.

[5] In Daniel,

I saw, until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days was seated His clothing was white as snow, the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire; His wheels were burning fire. Daniel 7:9.

'The Ancient of Days' here is the Lord in respect of Divine Goodness; 'the thrones' that were placed are falsities; 'His clothing' is God's truth in its outward appearance; 'the hair of His head' is God's goodness in its outward appearance; 'His throne' is heaven and the Church; 'His wheels' are forms of wisdom and intelligence, that is, God's truths, and 'burning fire' the flames of love and charity. Under the ten lavers around Solomon's temple there were also

Wheels of bronze. The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel; their axles, ⁴ and their rims ⁵ , and their tires, and their spokes were all of cast [bronze]. 1 Kings 7:30-33.

Those 'lavers' or stands served to mean the receptacles of truth by means of which a person is purified and regenerated. 'The wheels' served to mean the powers of understanding by means of which advances are made.

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5728. Genesis 44

1. And he commanded the one who was over his house, saying, Fill the men's pouches with food, as much as they can carry; and put each one's silver in the mouth of his pouch.

2. And you are to put my cup, the cup made of silver, in the mouth of the pouch of the youngest, and his silver for grain; and he did according to Joseph's word which he spoke.

3. Morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4. They went out of the city, not far distant. And Joseph said to the one who was over his house, Rise up, pursue the men and overtake them; and you are to say to them, Why are you repaying evil for good?

5. Is not this what my lord drinks from; and does he not certainly practise divination in this? You have done evil in what you have done.

6. And he overtook them, and spoke those words to them.

7. And they said to him, Why does my lord speak words such as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing as this.

8. Behold, the silver which we found in the mouth of our pouches we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; and how could we steal from your lord's house silver or gold?

9. With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die; and we also will be slaves to my lord.

10. And he said, Now also, according to your words, so let it be: He with whom it is found will be my slave, and you will be innocent.

11. And they hurried and caused to come down, each one his pouch to the earth; and they opened each one his pouch.

12. And he searched; he began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's pouch.

13. And they rent their clothes; and each one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.

14. And Judah and his brothers entered Joseph's house, and he, he was still there; and they fell before him to the earth.

15. And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that you have done? Did you not know that a man such as I certainly practises divination?

16. And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord, what shall we speak? And how shall we be acquitted? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, even ourselves, even he in whose hand the cup was found.

17. And [Joseph] said, Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he will be my slave, and you, go up in peace to your father.

18. And Judah approached him and said, By me, ¹ my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, for as you are, so is Pharaoh.

19. My lord questioned his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother?

20. And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, the youngest one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left to his mother, and his father loves him.

21. And you said to your servants, Cause him to come down to me, and I will set my eye on him.

22. And we said to my lord, The boy cannot leave his father; and should he leave his father, [his father] will die.

23. And you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.

24. And so it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him my lord's words.

25. And our father said, Return, buy us a little food.

26. And we said, We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us we will go down, for we cannot see the man's face if our youngest brother is not with us.

27. And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28. And one went out from me, and I said, He has surely been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him since.

29. And you are taking this one also from before my face, and should harm befall him, you will cause my grey hair to go down in evil to the grave.

30. And now, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, and his soul being bound up with his soul,

31. It will be, when he sees that the boy is not there, that he will die, and your servants will cause the grey hair of your servant our father to go down in sorrow to the grave.

32. For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, If I do not bring him back to you I shall be sinning against my father all my days.

33. And now, I beg you, let your servant stay instead of the boy, a slave to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

34. For how am I to go up to my father, and the boy is not with me? Perhaps I shall see the evil which will come upon my father.

CONTENTS

This chapter deals in the internal sense with the intermediary between the internal celestial man and the external natural man. First comes a description which shows that from itself the internal celestial man filled the intermediary with spiritual truth. The intermediary is 'Benjamin', while the spiritual truth present there is 'Joseph's silver cup'; the internal celestial man is 'Joseph', and the external natural man is 'the ten sons of Jacob'.

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