8408. When we sat by the flesh-pot. That this signifies a life according to what they like, and as they had desired, is evident from the signification of a “pot,” as being a containant of good, and in the opposite sense a containant of evil (of which below); and from the signification of “flesh,” as being the heavenly own, thus good, and in the opposite sense man’s own, thus evil (of which also below); and as by “flesh” is signified one’s own, so by “sitting by the flesh-pot” is signified a life according to what they like, and as they desire, for this life is the life of one’s own. A “pot” denotes a containant of good, and in the opposite sense a containant of evil, for the reason that by the flesh which is boiled in it is signified good, and in the opposite sense evil. As a “pot” has this signification, therefore by it is also signified the corporeal or natural of man, because these are the containants of good or of evil. Therefore in the universal sense by a “pot” is signified a man, and in a still more universal sense a people or a city, and then “flesh” signifies the good or the evil therein; as in Ezekiel:

The men that devise iniquity, and that give wicked counsel in this city, saying, It is not near, itself is the pot, We are the flesh; therefore thus said the Lord Jehovih, Your slain whom ye have put in the midst of it, these are the flesh, but itself is the pot (40:2, 3, 7);

here “the pot” denotes the city, or the people there; and “the flesh” denotes evil; for “the slain,” who are called “the flesh,” denote those with whom good and truth have been extinguished (see n. 4503).

[2] Again:

Utter a parable against the house of rebellion, and say unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah, Set on the pot, set it on, and also pour the pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice of the bones; said the Lord Jehovih, Woe to the city of bloods, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it (Ezekiel 24:3-4, 6);

here “the pot” denotes a city, or the people there, in whom is the evil of the profanation of good; the good which is “the flesh” there, is “the thigh and the shoulder,” the evil is “the scum” therefrom; the profanation of good is the remaining “scum;” therefore also it is called “the city of bloods.”

[3] In Jeremiah:

Jehovah said unto Jeremiah, What seest thou? I said, I see a pot that is boiling, whose face is toward the north; then Jehovah said, From the north evil shall be opened upon all the inhabitants of the land (1:13-14);

here a “boiling pot” denotes a people whom falsities have taken possession of; “the north” denotes the sensuous and corporeal of man from which evil springs. The end of the church is here treated of, when the external, consequently the sensuous and corporeal, and with these falsity and evil, rule; for the Lord’s church goes successively from internal to external, and then expires.

[4] In Zechariah:

In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah; and the pots in the house of Jehovah shall be like the bowls before the altar; and every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to Jehovah Zebaoth, and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them and shall boil in them (14:20-21).

The salvation of the faithful is here treated of; the faithful are “the pots,” so called from the reception of good from the Lord, and from this the pot is called “Holiness to Jehovah;” “the bells of the horses upon which is Holiness” denote truths corresponding to good. As “pots” denote recipients and containants of good, therefore also these together with the rest of the vessels of the altar were made of brass (Exodus 38:3); for “brass” signifies the good of the natural (see n. 425, 1551).

[5] Moreover by “a pot” is signified doctrine, because of its containing the good and truth of the church. Doctrine is signified by “the pot” in which by command of Elisha pottage was boiled for the sons of the prophets of which we read in the second book of Kings:

Elisha returned to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land, when the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: he said to his lad, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets: one went out into the field to gather vegetables, and found a vine of the field, and gathered from it wild gourds of the field, and shred them into the pot of pottage: while they were eating of the pottage they cried, Death in the pot, O man of God! but he said that they should take meal, which he threw into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, and let them eat; then there was no evil thing in the pot (4:38-41);

be it known that all Divine miracles involve such things as are of the Lord’s kingdom and church (n. 7337, 8364), and that Elisha represents the Word of the the Lord, (n. 2762), and the prophets the doctrines therefrom (n. 2534, 7269); whence it is evident what of the church was represented by this miracle, namely, that the good of the church which has been falsified becomes good by means of truth from the Word; “famine” denotes a lack of the knowledges of truth and of good; “the pot,” doctrine; “pottage,” the good of the external rituals of the Jewish church; “wild gourds from the vine of the field,” falsification; “meal,” truth from the Word (n. 2177), whereby that which has been falsified, and which is “death in the pot,” becomes good. That “pots” signify containants of good, is because they were among the useful vessels in which food was prepared, and by food and all kinds of it are signified such things as nourish the soul, thus affections of good and of truth (n. 681, 1480, 3114, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5915).

1551. In silver. That this signifies truths, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth. The most ancient people compared the goods and truths in man to metals; the inmost or the celestial goods, which are of love to the Lord, to gold; the truths which are from these, to silver; but the lower or natural goods, to copper; and the lower truths, to iron; nor did they simply compare them, but they likewise called them so. Hence periods of time were also likened to the same metals, and were called the golden, the silver, the copper, and the iron ages; for the ages followed one another in this order. The golden age was the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial man; the silver age was the time of the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual man; the copper age was the time of the succeeding church; and to this succeeded the iron age. Similar things are also signified by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, whose “head was of good gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron” (Daniel 2:32-33). That this was to be the series, or that the periods of the church succeeded one another in this order, is evident from the same Prophet, and in the same chapter.

[2] That in the internal sense of the Word, “silver,” wherever named, signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity, is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness (Isaiah 60:17); where it is evident what each metal means. The Lord’s coming, and His celestial kingdom and church, are there treated of; “gold for brass,” is celestial good instead of natural good; “silver for iron,” is spiritual truth instead of natural truth; “brass for wood,” is natural good instead of corporeal good; “iron for stones,” is natural truth instead of sensuous truth. In the same:

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, go ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver; go ye, buy and eat (Isaiah 55:1);

“he that hath no silver,” is he who is in ignorance of truth, and yet in the good of charity, like many within the church, and the nations outside the church.

[3] In the same:

The isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish in the beginning, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of Jehovah thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 60:9).

Here a new church, or that of the Gentiles, is treated of specifically, and the Lord’s kingdom universally; “the ships from Tarshish” denote knowledges; “silver,” truths; and “gold,” goods; for these are the things which they shall “bring to the name of Jehovah.”

In Ezekiel:

Thou didst take the vessels of thine adorning of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of a male (Ezekiel 16:17).

Here “gold” denotes the knowledges of celestial things; “silver,” those of spiritual things. In the same:

Thou wast adorned with gold and silver, and thy raiment was fine linen and silk, and broidered work (Ezekiel 16:13).

This is said of Jerusalem, by which the Lord’s church is signified, and the adornment of which is thus described. Again:

Behold, thou art wise, there is no secret that they have hidden from thee; in thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures (Ezekiel 28:3-4

This is said of Tyre, and it is plain that here “gold” is the wealth of wisdom, and “silver” the wealth of intelligence.

[4] In Joel:

Ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly desirable things (Joel 3:5).

This is said concerning Tyre, Zidon, and Philistia; by which are signified knowledges, which are “the gold and the silver” that they have carried into their temples.

In Haggai:

The choice of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory; the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine; the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Haggai 2:7-9); where the Lord’s church is treated of, concerning which “gold” and “silver” are predicated.

In Malachi:

He shall sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and shall purify the sons of Leviticus (Malachi 3:3); where the Lord’s coming is treated of.

In David:

The discourses of Jehovah are pure discourses, silver smelted in a crucible of earth, smelted seven times (Psalms 12:6).

The “silver purified seven times,” denotes Divine truth. In respect to the command given to the sons of Israel, when they were to go out of Egypt:

Every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that is a guest in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters, and shall spoil the Egyptians (Exodus 3:22; 11:2-3; 12:35-36);

everyone can see that the sons of Israel would by no means have been told thus to steal, and to spoil the Egyptians, unless some arcana were thus to be represented; but what the arcana are may be seen from the signification of “silver,” of “gold,” and of “garments,” and of “Egypt;” and it may also be seen that much the same was there represented as is here represented by Abram, who was rich in silver and gold from Egypt.

[5] As “silver” signifies truth, so in the opposite sense it signifies falsity; for they who are in falsity think that falsity is truth; as is also evident in the Prophets.

In Moses:

Thou shalt not covet the silver and the gold of the nations, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God; detesting thou shalt detest it (Deuteronomy 7:25-26);

“the gold of the nations” denotes evils, and their “silver” falsities. Again:

Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, and gods of gold shall ye not make unto you (Exodus 20:23);

by which in the internal sense nothing else is signified than falsities and cupidities; “gods of silver” are falsities; and “gods of gold” are cupidities.

In Isaiah:

In that day shall they cast away every man his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin (Isaiah 31:7);

“idols of silver and idols of gold,” denote similar things as before; “your own hands have made them,” means that they are from man’s Own.

In Jeremiah:

They are become brutish and foolish; a teaching of vanities is that stock; silver beaten out is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the founder; blue and crimson are their clothing, it is all the work of the wise (Jeremiah 10:8-9);

denoting the like things, as is very evident.