Explanation of Deuteronomy 32:8
Napsal(a) Alexander Payne
Verse 8. When the Lord from the inmost principles of the soul began to arrange the affections in heavenly order by regeneration, when He separated what could be regenerated by love to Himself, He furnished the mind with truths necessary for salvation in complete order. [Note.—With reference to the last two verses the following passage is given in the Arcana Coelestia 6075: "Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation and generation. When the Most High gave an inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of man, He appointed the boundaries of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel. When Jeshurun waxed fat he forsook God. He sacrificed to demons, to gods who came not near, and your fathers knew not" (Deuteronomy 32:7-8, 15, 17). This passage occurs in the prophetic song of Moses, wherein the Ancient Church is treated of from verses 7-15, and the posterity of Jacob from verses 15-44; the state of the Most Ancient Church, which was before the Flood, is signified by the days of eternity; and the state of the Ancient Church, which was after the Flood, by the years of generation and generation; the state of their good by the inheritance which the Most High gave to the nations, and the state of their truth by the Most High separating the sons of men, appointing the boundaries of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel; this number, or twelve, denotes all the truths of faith in the complex. As explained in the preface, the endeavour is made in this Study of the Book of Deuteronomy to develop the internal sense as it applies to the individual soul, and not as it applies to mankind as a whole: but the one sense is involved within the other; for the mind of man is a microcosm, and an individual in regeneration has to go through the same changes that mankind has gone through collectively. We have had our Most Ancient Church in the innocence of infancy; our Ancient Church in the period of youth; and the destiny desired for us by the Lord, if we will follow Him, is that we should ultimately be brought to that state which is described by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation (Revelation 19:0—22:0), and by verses 36-43 of this chapter; in which the innocence of infancy is united to the wisdom of adult age.]
Matthew 14:13-22
13
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.
14
Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
15
When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, "This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food."
16
But Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat."
17
They told him, "We only have here five loaves and two fish."
18
He said, "Bring them here to me."
19
He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
20
They all ate, and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
21
Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
