3256. 'And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him' means that the representation of the Lord was now taken over by Isaac and Ishmael. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'burying', namely being raised up and rising again, as shown in 2916, 2917. The subject being that state where the representation of the Lord portrayed by means of Abraham came to an end, and the representation portrayed by Isaac and Ishmael now begins, 'burying' therefore means here the rise of that state. Phrases that carry a spiritual meaning depend for their exact meaning on the things to which they refer. With regard to representatives in the Word, they are continuous even though they seem to be broken off by the deaths of those who have played representative roles. Their deaths however do not mean any breaking off but a continuation, and therefore even their burial means that the representation was raised up again and continued in someone else.

2379. 'And brought Lot into the house to them' means that the Lord affords protection to those with whom the good of charity is present. This is clear from the representation of 'Lot' as those with whom the good of charity is present, dealt with above, and from the meaning of 'bringing into the house to them' as affording protection. 'Being brought into the house' means being brought into good; and those who are brought into good are brought into heaven; and those who are brought into heaven are brought to the Lord and are consequently protected against every assault on their souls. As to his soul, anyone with whom good is present is in communion with angels; and so while living in the body he is nevertheless in heaven, though he is not directly conscious of it and is unable to perceive angelic joy because he is engrossed in bodily things and undergoing preparation [for heaven], see 1277.