Arcana Coelestia # 8078
8078. 'And all that open it among the asses you shall redeem with a member of the flock' means that merely natural faith must not be ascribed to the Lord, only the truth of innocence present within it. This is clear from the meaning of 'that which opens' as that which is born first in a regenerate person or is the firstborn, namely faith (it has been shown already that 'the firstborn' means faith); from the meaning of 'ass' as the natural, for 'ass' means factual knowledge, 5492, 5741, also subservience, 5958, 6389, and the natural as well (since factual knowledge belongs to the natural, and the natural in relation to the spiritual is subservient), so that '[all] that open it among the asses' here means merely natural faith, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'redeeming' as giving something else instead (the fact that 'redeeming' has this meaning is evident from the full message implied by these words, which is that 'you shall not make over to Jehovah one that opens it among the asses, but you shall redeem it with a member of the flock',
[2] and 'making over to Jehovah' means ascribing to the Lord, just as 'sanctifying' and 'sacrificing' do, see just above in 8074, so that 'not making it over but redeeming it' means not ascribing it but giving something else instead); and from the meaning of 'a member of the flock' as the truth of innocence. 'A member of the flock' means the truth of innocence because the expression is used to mean lamb or kid, and innocence is meant by these, 3519, 3994, 7840, at this point the truth of innocence since neither the word 'lamb' nor the word 'kid' is used, but 'a member of the flock'. From all this it is evident that 'all that open it among the asses you shall redeem with a member of the flock' means that merely natural faith is not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence present within it.
[3] Merely natural faith is faith that is instilled along the outward but not the inward path. One type of it is faith that depends entirely on the senses, which exists when a person believes something to be so because he has seen it with his eye or touched it with his hand. The Lord referred to this kind of faith when He said to Thomas,
Because you have seen, Thomas, you have believed; blessed are those who do not see yet believe. John 20:29
Another type is faith induced by miracles, which exists when a person believes something to be so solely as a result of miracles; regarding this kind of faith see 7290. And another type is authoritarian faith, which exists when a person believes something to be so because another in whom he trusts has declared it.
[4] But spiritual faith is that which is instilled along the inward path at the same time as the outward one. The instilling along the inward path gives rise to belief, and what is instilled at the same time along the outward path serves to corroborate it. The spiritual element of faith is charitable affection, and consequently an affection for truth for the sake of true service and for life's sake. These cause faith to be spiritual. Faith is instilled along the inward path when a person reads the Word and at the same time receives enlightenment from the Lord. This enlightenment is given to him in accordance with his affection, that is, in accordance with the reason he has for wishing to know the truth.
[5] These considerations now show what merely natural faith is, and that because such faith is not spiritual it cannot be ascribed to the Lord, that is, there can be no acknowledgement or belief that comes from the Lord. For the Lord flows in through the affection for truth and good; and faith is an inward affection, see 8034. The truth of innocence which can be present within that merely natural faith and can be accredited to the Lord is anything that a person believes in innocence to be true. From all this one may now see how to understand the explanation that merely natural faith must not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence present within it.
Exodus 13
1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine."
3
Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
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This day you go forth in the month Abib.
5
It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.
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Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh.
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Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall there be yeast seen with you, in all your borders.
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You shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.'
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It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt.
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You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
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"It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you,
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that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be Yahweh's.
13
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.
14
It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' that you shall tell him, 'By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;
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and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'
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It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us forth out of Egypt."
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It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God didn't lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;"
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but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
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Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you."
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They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
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Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:
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the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn't depart from before the people.
