7295. And Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent. That this signifies that mere fallacies and the derivative falsities would reign among them, is evident from the signification of “casting a rod,” as being to show power (of which just above, n. 7292); from the representation of Pharaoh and his servants, as being those who infest by falsities; and from the signification of “water-serpents,” as being fallacies and the consequent falsities (of which also just above, n. 7293).

[2] This prophetic sign signifies the first warning to desist given to those who infest. For when the evil who in the other life infest the upright, first come there from the world, they have good spirits and angels adjoined to them, as when they lived as men in the body; for even evil men have also angels with them, in order that they may be able, if they will, to turn themselves to heaven, and to receive influx thence and be reformed. It is for this reason (everything of the life following them) that at first they are associated with angels. But when from their life in the world they are such that they cannot receive the influx of truth and good from heaven, then the angels and good spirits gradually recede from them; and as these recede, they become less and less rational; for to be rational comes through heaven from the Lord.

[3] The first degree of the taking away and deprivation of the influx of truth and good is here described by the rod of Aaron being turned into a serpent, whereby is signified that mere fallacies would reign, and the falsities thence derived. The second degree is described by the waters of Egypt being turned into blood, whereby is signified that truths themselves were falsified. The third degree is that from the waters there crept forth frogs, whereby are signified reasonings from mere falsities; and so on. By such degrees also are the evil in the other life deprived of the understanding of truth and good.