8754. A brief statement will be made here about good in which truths are to be implanted, meant here by 'the wilderness of Sinai'. A person who is being regenerated is led by the Lord at first by means of truth, and later on by means of good, see 7923, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701. The person who is being regenerated is led by means of truth to the end that he may come to good, that is, come to know it, then intend it, and finally do it. But when he is being led to good by means of truth he comes first to good which has not as yet had the truths of faith implanted within it; for truths cannot be implanted until he is governed by good. He already knows them, it is true, because they are present in his memory; yet they do not at this time reside within good but lie outside good. Later on when the person receives a new life, which he first receives when he is governed by good, the truths of faith are implanted, and within the internal man they enter into a marriage so to speak with good. This good in which the truths of faith have not as yet been implanted but which is nevertheless so arranged that it can receive them is meant here by 'the wilderness of Sinai'. No other kind of good than Christian good is meant, regarding which see 8635-8638.

7382. 'Stretch out your hand with your rod' means the power of inward truth directed through outward truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'hand' as spiritual power, which belongs to inward truth, and from the representation of 'rod' as natural power, which belongs to outward truth, both dealt with in 6947, 6948. For the fact that all power in the spiritual world belongs to truth, see 3091, 3787, 4931, 6344, 6423, 6948. Since 'Moses' represents inward law, which is the same as inward truth, and 'Aaron' represents outward law, which is the same as outward truth, and since inward truth flows into outward truth and gives it power, 7381, Moses' word of command to Aaron 'stretch out your hand with your rod' means the power of inward truth directed through outward truth.