494. Verse 4. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God, signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "the smoke of the incense" as being the truths of spiritual good (of which presently); also from the signification of "the prayers of the saints," as being truths from good with those who were to be separated from the evil and saved (of which above, n. 493; also from the signification of this "angel" as being heaven (as above, n. 490; therefore "out of the hand of the angel" means by means of heaven; also from the signification of "before God," as being to be conjoined with the Lord (See above, n. 462, 477, 488); therefore "the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God" signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord effected by means of heaven. "The smoke of the incense" signifies truths from spiritual good, because "frankincense," from which the smoke came, signified spiritual good, and the "fire" with which the frankincense was kindled signified celestial good; thence the "smoke" ascending therefrom signifies truth from good, for all truth proceeds from good. This is why "smoke" became representative; "the smoke of the incense," which was agreeable from its fragrance and sweet odor, was a representative of truth from good; for "fragrance and sweet odor" signify what is agreeable and acceptable (See above, n. 324). "Smoke" has a similar signification in Moses:

The sons of Levi put smoke in Thy nostrils, and a whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deuteronomy 33:10).

"The sons of Levi" mean those who are in truths of spiritual good; these truths are signified by "smoke," and celestial good is signified by "the whole burnt-offering." The smoke of incense is also called "a cloud of incense" (Ezekiel 8:11). Thence also "smoke" in the contrary sense signifies falsity from evil (in Isaiah 34:10; Joel 2:30; Nahum 2:13; Psalms 18:8; 37:20), because the fire that makes such smoke signifies the evil of love.

8973. Verses 2-6 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in his body, he shall go out in his body; ¹ if he is master of a woman, ² his woman shall go out with him. If his master has given him a woman and she has borne him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out in his body ³ . And if the slave says plainly, I love my master, my woman, and my children, I will not go out free; his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.

'When you buy a Hebrew slave' means those within the Church who are imbued with the truths of religious teachings and not with the good that accords with those truths. 'He shall serve for six years' means a state of labour and some conflict, and of consequent strengthening of truth. 'And in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing' means a state of strengthened truth without its works. 'If he comes in his body' means truth without delight. 'He shall go out in his body' means a state of truth without delight, also after conflict. 'If he is master of a woman' means truth together with delight linked to it. 'His woman shall go out with him' means a state of truth together with delight joined to it, also after conflict. 'If his master has given him a woman' means good attached by the spiritual to truth during conflict. 'And she has borne him sons or daughters' means truths and forms of good which are derived from that good. 'The woman and her children shall be her master's' means that the good attached by the spiritual to truth, and the forms of good and the truths derived from that good, must not be assigned to truth as its own. 'And he shall go out in his body' means a state after conflict, which is solely one of strengthened and implanted truth. 'And if the slave says plainly' means thought then springing from the implanted truth. 'I love my master, my woman, and my children' means the delight in remembering forms of spiritual good. 'I will not go out free' means the delight of obedience. 'His master shall bring him to God' means the state he then enters in keeping with Divine order. 'And shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost' means a state in which strengthened and implanted truth communicates with spiritual good. 'And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl' means a representative sign of obedience. 'And he shall serve him forever' means into eternity.

Poznámky pod čarou: