8665. 'And they asked, a man his companion, as regards peace' means the mutual, Divine celestial state. This is clear from the meaning of 'asking as regards peace' as association in respect of the Divine celestial state, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'a man his companion' as mutually. The reason why 'asking as regards peace' means association in respect of the Divine celestial state is that in the internal sense 'asking as regards peace' means asking about another's life, its prosperity and happiness, whereas in the highest sense, in which Divine Good and God's truth are the subject, 'asking as regards peace' means association in respect of the Divine celestial state. For 'peace' in the highest sense means the Lord and consequently the state in the inmost heaven, the home of those who live in love to the Lord and therefore in innocence. They more than all others live also in peace because they abide in the Lord, their state being called Divine celestial. So it is that 'peace' here is used to mean that state. For what 'peace' means in the highest sense and in the internal sense, see 3780, 4681, 5662, 8455.

8456. 'And the deposit of dew went up' means an introduction of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'going up' here as being dispersed and so not appearing to view; and from the meaning of 'dew' as the truth of peace, dealt with immediately above. The deposit of dew onto the manna means an introduction of truth, for the truth of peace is Divine Truth that goes forth from the Lord and is present in heaven. This being inmost, it introduces itself into the truth underneath it and gives it life, as dew usually enlivens grass or crops on which it settles in the morning. When the truth underneath is given life by it the truth of peace goes up; that is, it no longer seems to be there; only the truth that has received life from it is to be seen. This is how the truth of faith is born; for no truth contained in doctrine or in the Word becomes a truth residing with a person until it has received life from the Divine. It receives that life through the introduction of truth that goes forth from the Lord, called the truth of peace. This truth is not the truth of faith; rather it is the life or soul of the truth of faith. It organizes into a heavenly form everything within the truth which is called the truth of faith, and also after that the truths themselves in relation to each other. All this goes to show what happens when the introduction of truth by means of the truth of peace takes place in a person. It should in addition be recognized that the lower or more external levels of a person who is being regenerated receive life from higher or more internal levels in order, so that the truth of faith receives life from the truth of peace, and this from the Lord Himself. Life from the Lord is introduced into those who are being regenerated in consecutive stages coming down from Him, that is, down through the inmost part and so through interior levels into exterior. With those who have been regenerated therefore the way lies open right through to the Lord, but with those who have not been regenerated it is closed.