5836. 'It will be, when he sees that the boy is not there, that he will die' means that spiritual good will perish, that is, if the truth which is 'Benjamin' were to depart. This is clear from the representation of 'Israel' as spiritual good, dealt with previously, and from the meaning of 'dying' as ceasing to be what it once was, 494, and so perishing. As regards the perishing of good if its truth were to depart, see above in 5830, 5832, 5837.

5846. THE PRESENCE OF SPIRITS AND ANGELS

THE SPIRITS AND ANGELS PRESENT WITH A PERSON

Considered generally the inflow from the spiritual world into a person is as follows: There is nothing that a person thinks or wills that can originate within himself. Rather, everything flows into him; goodness and truth flow in from the Lord by way of heaven, thus through the angels present with the person, evil and falsity from hell, thus through the evil spirits present with him. And what flows in enters his thought and will. I realize that this will appear to be utter nonsense because it is contrary to the appearance; but actual experience will settle the truth of the matter.