Arcana Coelestia # 6663
6663. 'And according as they afflicted them, so they multiplied' means that in the measure that there were molestations, so the truths increased. This is clear from the meaning of 'afflicting' as molestation, and from the meaning of 'multiplying' as increasing in truths, dealt with above in 6656. Since people at the present day cannot, without experience of what goes on in the next life, know what such molestations are like, something must be said about them. The majority of spirits who come from the world and have led a life in keeping with the Lord's commandments are subjected to molestation before they can be raised to heaven and become attached to communities there. The molestation is caused by the evils and falsities residing with them and takes place for the purpose of removing those evils and falsities, see 6639; for they are impurities which those spirits acquired during their lifetime and are wholly out of keeping with heaven. The molestations come about by engulfing those spirits in their own evils and falsities. While they are engulfed in them other spirits steeped in similar evils and falsities are present, and these others strive in every way to lead them away from what is true and good. Yet they are not engulfed too deeply in their evils and falsities for the Lord's influence coming by way of the angels to prevail. What happens is controlled precisely, as if weighed in a balance, to the end that the one who suffers molestation may appear to himself to be in freedom and so to be fighting on his own against the evils and falsities, yet acknowledging - if not at the time, then subsequently - that all power to resist has come from the Lord, see 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660. While all this is going on, not only are previously implanted truths and forms of good made stronger but also more are introduced. This is how it is with all spiritual conflict in which the one involved becomes the victor.
[2] The truth of this is also evident from everyday experience, for anyone who defends his opinion against others attacking it becomes all the more convinced of his opinion and also at the same time discovers further ideas which he has not previously taken note of that strengthen it, as well as many that refute opposing ideas. He thus becomes more firmly established in his opinion and also illuminates it with further ideas. The same applies but in a far more perfect way to spiritual conflicts, because that kind of conflict takes place in the spirit and has to do with forms of good and with truths, and especially because - since the conflict is over eternal life and salvation - the Lord is present and leads by means of angels. As a general rule in such conflicts the Lord turns all evils intended by the hells into good, and therefore the hells are not allowed to evoke evils in excess of or different from those which can be turned into good appropriate for the person involved in the conflict. The reason why things happen in this way is that the Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of usefulness, and therefore nothing can take place there unless good can come out of it. From all this one may now see how to understand the idea that truths increase in the measure that there are molestations, meant by 'according as they afflicted them, so they multiplied'.
Genesis 16
1
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2
Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
3
Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
4
He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5
Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you."
6
But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes." Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
7
The angel of Yahweh found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8
He said, "Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, where did you come from? where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai."
9
The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands."
10
The angel of Yahweh said to her, "I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude."
11
The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
12
He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers."
13
She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees," for she said, "Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?"
14
Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15
Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
16
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
