10400. For as for this Moses, the man that made us come up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath become of him. That this signifies that it is altogether unknown what other Divine truth there is in the Word, which raises man from what is external into what is internal, and makes the church, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word, thus as being Divine truth (of which in the places cited in n. 9372); consequently doubt and denial that there is any other Divine truth than that which stands forth in the sense of the letter, is signified by the words, “as for this man Moses, we know not what hath become of him.” It is said “this man,” because by “man” in the Word is signified truth (see n. 3134, 3309, 3459, 7716, 9007). And from the signification of “bringing the sons of Israel up out of the land of Egypt,” as being elevation out of the natural or external man to the internal or spiritual man, in order that he may become the church; for by “the land of Egypt” is signified the natural or the external of the church; by “making to come up” is signified elevation; and by “the sons of Israel” is signified the church. (That “the land of Egypt” denotes the natural or external of the church, see the places cited in n. 9391; also that “making to come up” denotes to raise from the external to the internal, n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007; thus from the natural man to the spiritual; and that “the sons of Israel” denote the church, see the places cited in n. 9340.)

[2] From all this it is evident that by the words, “as for this Moses, the man that made us to come up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath become of him,” is signified that it is altogether unknown what other Divine truth there is in the Word, which raises man from what is external into what is internal, and makes the church, than that which stands forth in the sense of the letter. So likewise do all those think and speak who are in external things without internal; and all those are in external things without internal who are in the loves of self and of the world. For with such the internal man is closed, and only the external man is open; and that which the external man without the internal sees when he reads the Word, he sees in thick darkness, because in spiritual things natural light, without light from heaven, is mere thick darkness, and light from heaven enters through the internal man into the external and enlightens it. From this it is that so many heresies have arisen, and that the Word is called by some the Book of Heresies, and that it is wholly unknown that there is anything internal in the Word; and those who think that there is such an internal still do not know wherein it lies. That it is such who are meant by the dragon which drew with its tail the third part of the stars from heaven and cast them to the earth (Revelation 12) will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown elsewhere.

[3] Let such observe as will, whether at the present day anyone knows otherwise than that the Divine itself of the Word is the sense of its letter. But let them consider also whether anyone can know the Divine truths of the Word in this sense except by means of doctrine therefrom, and that if he has not doctrine for a lamp he is carried away into errors, wherever the obscurity of his understanding and the delight of his will lead and draw him. The doctrine which must be for a lamp is what the internal sense teaches, thus it is the internal sense itself, which in some measure lies open to everyone (even if he does not know what the internal sense is) who is in what is external from what is internal, that is, whose internal man is open. For heaven (which is in the internal sense of the Word) flows in with such a man when he reads the Word, enlightens him, and gives him perception, and thus teaches him. Nay, if you will believe it, with man the internal man is of itself in the internal sense of the Word, because it is a heaven in the least form, and consequently when it is open it is with the angels in heaven, and is therefore also in like perception with them. This can also be seen from the fact that the interior intellectual ideas of man are not such as are his natural ideas, to which nevertheless they correspond.

[4] But of the nature of these ideas man is not aware so long as he lives in the body; but he comes into them spontaneously when he comes into the other life, because they are implanted in him, and by means of them he is forthwith in fellowship with the angels. From this it is evident that the man whose internal is open, is in the internal sense of the Word, although he is not aware of it. From this he has enlightenment when he reads the Word, but according to the light that he can have by means of the knowledges which he has. (But who these are, see n. 9025, 9382, 9409, 9410, 9424, 9430, 10105, 10324)

3134. Saying, Thus spoke the man unto me. That this signifies the inclination of truth in the natural man, is in like manner evident from the affection in these words, and also from what the man, or Abraham’s servant, spoke to Rebekah; from which it is evident that it is the inclination that is signified; and also from the signification of a “man” as being truth (see n. 265, 749, 1007), here truth in the natural man from the Divine-because the man is here Abraham’s elder servant, by whom is signified the natural man (as may be seen above, n. 3019). In the Word, especially the prophetic, the word “man” [vir] often occurs; as “man and wife,” “man and woman,” “man and inhabitant,” also “man [vir] and man [homo]”; and in such places by “man” [vir] in the internal sense is signified that which is of the understanding, which is truth; and by “wife,” “woman,” “inhabitant,” and “man” [homo], that which is of the will, which is good. As in Isaiah:

I see, and there is no man; even among them, and there is no counselor (Isaiah 41:28);

“no man” denotes no one intelligent, thus no truth. Again:

I came, and there was no man; I called, and there was none to answer (Isaiah 50:2).

The meaning here being the same.

[2] Again:

Truth hath stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter; and truth hath been taken away; and he that departeth from evil is mad. And Jehovah saw, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no judgment, and no man, and He was amazed (Isaiah 59:14-16).

“No man” plainly means no one intelligent, and thus in the universal sense no truth. It here treats of the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth; and it is therefore said, “truth hath stumbled in the street, uprightness cannot enter, truth hath been taken away.” (That “street” also is predicated of truth, may be seen above, n. 2336; and “judgment” also, n. 2235.) In Jeremiah:

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth judgment, that seeketh truth (Jeremiah 5:1).

Here a “man” evidently denotes one who is intelligent; and also truth.

In Zephaniah:

I will make their streets desolate, that none passeth by; their cities shall be devastated, so that there shall be no man; that there shall be no inhabitant (Zeph. 3:6).

“No man” denotes no truth; “no inhabitant,” no good (see above, n. 2268, 2451, 2712, and many other places).