5899. 'For a great escape' means deliverance from damnation. This is clear from the meaning of 'an escape' as deliverance from damnation, a deliverance accomplished by means of remnants, that is, by means of the forms of good and truth present with a person, stored away by the Lord in him. People who accept those forms of good and truth, that is, who allow them to be implanted in themselves interiorly, escape damnation and are among 'those who are left'. This explains why in various places in the Word where reference is made to 'those who are left', or to 'a remnant', 'an escape' is mentioned, as it is here by Joseph and also elsewhere, such as in Isaiah,

On that day the fruit of the land will be magnificence and an adornment for the escape of Israel. And it will happen, that he who remains in Zion, and he who is left in Jerusalem, will be called holy. Isaiah 4:2-3.

In the same prophet,

On that day, the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob that escaped, ¹ will no more lean on him that smote them. Isaiah 10:20-22.

In the same prophet,

Moreover, those that are left of the house of Judah and who escape ² will take root downwards and bear fruit upwards. For out of Jerusalem will go a remnant, and those who escape ³ from mount Zion. Isaiah 37:31-32.

In Ezekiel,

I will cause some to be left, in that you will have some who will have escaped from the sword among the nations when you are dispersed in the earth. Then those of you that escape will remember Me. Ezekiel 6:8-9.

In Joel,

It will happen, that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will escape. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be an escape, as Jehovah has said, and among those that are left whom Jehovah is calling. Joel 2:32.

In Jeremiah,

None will escape, nor will any of the remnant of Judah be left. Jeremiah 44:12, 14.

All these places show what is meant by 'escaping', which is this: The people to escape are those who have remnants, and 'escaping' means being delivered from damnation.

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21. In Asia, signifies those who are in the light of intelligence. This can be seen by a spiritual idea only, such as angels have, concerning the regions of this earth. When Asia is named, angels perceive the south; when Europe is named, the north; and when Africa, the east; and as by the "south" is signified the clear light of intelligence, so that light is signified by "Asia." This perception has been granted also to me, as often as I have been in the spiritual idea and have thought of Asia. Such is the spiritual idea of Asia, because the church was there in ancient times, and then extended over many regions there; therefore, those who are in heaven from that country are in the light of intelligence. For this reason, when Asia is thought of, a light like that which is in the south of heaven flows in. (That in ancient times, and also in the most ancient, the church was in Asia, extending through many kingdoms there, see the quotations from the Arcana Coelestia in the little work on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 247; and that the "south" signifies the light of intelligence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153, where the Four Quarters in Heaven are treated of.) By "Asia," however, the inhabitants of Asia are not here meant, but all, wheresoever they are, who are in the spiritual light of intelligence, or, what is the same, who are in truths from good; for those who are in truths from good are in the spiritual light of intelligence; and all such constitute the Lord's church.

(That the Lord's church exists also among the Gentiles, although specifically where the Lord is known and the Word is read, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 318-328; and on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 244, 246.)