7678. And Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt. That this signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over the whole natural of the infesters, is evident from the signification of “stretching out the rod,” as being the rule of power (of which above, n. 7673); from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (see n. 6752, 7004, 7010, 7382); and from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being the natural of the infesters (of which above, n. 7674). The Divine power which is described by “the hand of Moses” is the power of truth Divine (that all power is of truth, see n. 3091, 5623, 6344, 6423, 6948); nay, such power has the Divine truth which proceed from the Divine good, that through it have been created all things in the universe. “The Word” signifies this truth in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word, all things were made by Him (John 1:1, 3);

and from this it is that miracles were done by Moses, for Moses represents Divine truth. It is believed by most people that the Word, or Divine truth, is only speech from Jehovah, and a command that it be so done, and nothing further; but it is the very Essential, from which and by which are all things. That being [Esse] which proceeds from Him, and consequently the coming forth [existere] of all things, is what is meant by “Divine truth.” This can be illustrated from the angels; from whom there proceeds a sphere of charity and faith that is sensibly perceived, and that also produces wonderful effects; from which some idea can be formed of the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord.

1250. That “a mountain of the east” signifies charity, and in fact charity from the Lord, is evident from the signification of a “mountain” in the Word, as being love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, as has been shown before n. 795 and that “the east” signifies the Lord, and things celestial from Him, which are of love and charity, may be seen above n. 101), as well as from the following passages.

In Ezekiel:

The cherubim lifted up their wings, and the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east of the city (Ezekiel 11:22-23).

Here “the mountain which is on the east” signifies nothing else than what is celestial, which is of love and charity, and which is of the Lord, for it is said that “the glory of Jehovah stood” thereon. Again:

He brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh to the way of the east; and behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east (Ezekiel 43:1-2),

where “the east” has a like signification.

[2] Again:

He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary which looketh toward the east, and it was shut. And Jehovah said unto me, This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it, but Jehovah the God of Israel shall enter in by it (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

Here likewise “the east” denotes what is celestial, which is of love, which is of the Lord alone. And again:

When the prince shall make a freewill offering, a burnt-offering, and peace-offerings, a freewill offering unto Jehovah, one shall open for Him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall make his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, as he shall do on the Sabbath day (Ezekiel 46:12),

in like manner denoting what is celestial, which is of love to the Lord.

[3] And in another place:

He brought me back unto the door of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the face of the house was toward the east (Ezekiel 47:1, 8),

speaking of the New Jerusalem “the east” denotes the Lord, and thus the celestial, which is of love; “waters” are things spiritual. The same is signified in the passage before us by “a mountain of the east.” Moreover they who dwelt in Syria were called “sons of the east,” concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter.