10021. And thou shalt bring near the bullock. That this signifies the state of application of the natural or external man, such as he is in his infancy, is evident from the signification of “bringing near,” as being presence and conjunction (see n. 9378, 9997, 10001), and also application (n. 8439); here application for purification and the reception of good and truth from the Divine, for this is signified by this sacrifice and by sacrifices in general; and from the signification of “the bullock,” as being the good of charity and of innocence in the natural or external man (n. 9391), thus the external or natural man as he is in his infancy, for then he is in the good of innocence; and while he is in this state, he is also in a state of application for purification and for the reception of good and truth from the Divine.

[2] As these are the things now treated of in the internal sense, it must be told how the case herein is. When a man is being regenerated, which takes place when he comes to mature age, he is then first led into a state of innocence; but into a state of external innocence, almost like that of little children, whose innocence is external innocence that dwells in ignorance. During the man’s regeneration, this state is the plane of the new life, and moreover the man is then like an infant; for when he is being regenerated, he is conceived anew, is born, becomes an infant, and grows up to maturity, which is effected by means of truth implanted in good; and insofar as he then comes into genuine good, so far he comes into the good of internal innocence, which innocence dwells in wisdom. And as the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord, it is clear that the Lord glorified Himself, that is, made His Human Divine, in this way; for in the internal sense in this chapter the subject treated of is the Lord’s glorification (n. 9985). But as the glorification of the Lord in respect to His Human transcends the understanding, therefore in order that it may in some measure be apprehended, it is unfolded by means of its image or likeness. These things have been premised in order that it may be known what is meant by purification, and by the reception of good and truth, and by their conjunction, which are signified by sacrifices in general, and here in particular by the sacrifices of the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. That the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord, see n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688: That the innocence of infants is external innocence, and dwells in ignorance, n. 2305, 2306, 3495, 3504, 4563, 4797, 5608, 9301: That the man who is being regenerated is conceived anew, is born, becomes an infant and a child, and grows up to maturity, n. 3203: That the innocence of infancy is a plane, n. 2780, 3183, 3994, 4797, 5608, 7840: That the knowledges of truth and good are implanted in the innocence of infancy as their plane, n. 1616, 2299, 3504, 4797: That the innocence of the regenerate is internal innocence, and dwells in wisdom, n. 1616, 3495, 3994, 4797, 5608, 9301, 9939: The difference between the external innocence of little children, and the internal innocence of the wise, n. 2280, 4563, 9301: That such is the case can be seen from the education and regeneration of little children in the other life, n. 2289-2309: That all the good of the church and of heaven has innocence in it, and that without innocence good is not good, n. 2736, 2780, 6013, 7840, 7887, 9262: What innocence is, n. 3994, 4001, 4797, 5236, 6107, 6765, 7902, 9262, 9936.

3296. And the elder shall serve the younger. That this signifies that for a time the good of truth should be inferior, is evident from the signification of the “elder,” as being good; from the signification of “serving,” as being inferior; and from the signification of the “younger,” as being truth. How the case herein is may be seen from what follows, where it is described under the representation of Esau and Jacob; for as before said by Esau is represented good, and by Jacob, truth. That there was struggling or combat concerning priority and dominion, is described in the internal sense by Jacob’s taking away from Esau the birthright, and also his blessing; yet that this was done only for a time is manifest from Isaac’s prophecy concerning Esau.

And upon thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck (Genesis 27:40).

[2] That these things have an internal sense, and that what they signify cannot be known without the internal sense (namely, what is signified by two nations being in the womb, and by two peoples being separated from the bowels, and by one people prevailing over the other, and the elder serving the younger), is evident; and that they signify what has been said, is evident from what follows, where much will be said on this subject. Moreover it can with difficulty be believed that these expressions involve such things unless it is known how the case is with good and truth, and concerning the birth of the one from the other, and the change of state in man when he is being regenerated. In the internal sense indeed the Lord is treated of, and here how He made His natural Divine; nevertheless in the representative sense the regeneration of man is also treated of; for man’s regeneration is an image of the Lord’s glorification (n. 3043, 3138, 3212); that is, in regeneration as in a certain image it appears how the Lord glorified His Human, or what is the same, made it Divine. For as the Lord altogether changed His human state into the Divine, so also in man, when He regenerates him, the Lord utterly changes the man’s state, for He makes his old man new.