3816. 'Should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your reward be?' means that there must be a means by which they are joined together. This is clear from the meaning of 'serving for nothing' as without any binding agreement, and from the meaning of 'reward' as the means by which they were joined together. The expression 'reward' is used frequently in the Word, and in the places where it occurs nothing else is meant in the internal sense than a means by which things are joined together. The reason for this is that angels utterly refuse to listen to any talk of reward being due on account of anything in themselves. Indeed they utterly loathe the very idea of a reward for the sake of any good or good action. For they know that with everyone the proprium, or that which is his own, is nothing but evil, and this being so, that whatever they do from the proprium or what is their own would hold the reverse of any reward within it. Angels also know that all good originates in the Lord, and that it flows in from Him, and solely out of mercy. Thus it is not on account of that which begins in themselves that they think about reward; indeed good itself ceases to be good when there is thought of reward on account of it, for a selfish end in view then instantly attaches itself. And to the extent this end attaches itself it introduces a denial that good originates in the Lord and is imparted out of mercy. This therefore removes the influx of good and consequently removes heaven and the blessedness present in good and in the affection for good. The affection for good, that is, love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, includes blessing and happiness within it. These are present in the affection or love itself. Doing something for reasons of affection and the blessing it brings and doing it at the same time for the sake of reward are utterly contrary motives. This is why angels do not perceive any reward at all when reward is mentioned in the Word but that which the Lord grants them for nothing and out of mercy.

[2] But reward serves as a means to join together in the case of those who have not yet reached that point; for those who have not yet been brought into good and the affection for it, that is, who are not yet wholly regenerate, inevitably think of reward as well; for they do not do the good they do from an affection for good but from an affection for their own blessedness and happiness, and at the same time from fear of hell. But when a person is being regenerated this is reversed and becomes an affection for good. And when it is an affection for good he no longer has reward in view.

[3] This may be illustrated from aspects of public life. Someone who loves his country and is so governed by an affection for it that he desires out of goodwill to further its welfare would be hurt if prevented from doing so and would plead to be given an opportunity to further its welfare. For such is the object of his affection and consequently of his desire and blessedness. Indeed such a person receives honours and is promoted to important positions because these are the means by which he serves his country even though those honours and positions are called rewards. But people who have no affection for their country, only for themselves and for the world, act for the sake of position and wealth, which are also their ends in view. Such people put themselves before their country, that is, their own good before the common good, and in comparison with the others are sordid. And yet more than all others they want it to be seen that they do what they do from a love that is sincere. But when they think about this on their own they deny that anyone acts from such love, and are amazed that anyone is able to do so. Those whose attitude during their lifetime is such towards their country or the public good have the same attitude in the next life towards the Lord's kingdom, for a person's affection or love follows him, since affection or love constitute the life of everyone.

7231. Since these verses consist of mere names detailed explanation can be dispensed with, especially as it has been shown already what Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Aaron, and Moses represent, and their sons and grandsons who are named here are simply further generations descending from those things they represent.

'Reuben' represents faith present in the understanding, see 3861, 3866, 4731, 4734, 4761.

'Simeon' represents faith present in the will and expressed in action, 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482, 5626, 5630.

'Levi' represents charity, 3875, 3877, 4497, 4503.

'Aaron' represents the teachings of the Church, 6998, 7009, 7089.

'Moses' represents the law from God, 6771, 6827.

The reason why Reuben, Simeon, Levi and their sons are mentioned here, and not the remaining fathers of the tribes together with their sons in their proper order, cannot be known except from the internal sense. One can see that the list of names has been provided in this chapter to make known the matter of Aaron and Moses' parentage and birth. Yet the genealogy of Levi would have been sufficient to do this, for nothing whatever about Reuben and Simeon, or about their sons, helps to make that matter known. But the reason why these are mentioned, which is evident only from the internal sense, is that the spiritual Church, which is represented by 'the children of Israel', is the subject.

[2] That Church is brought into being with a person through faith present within what he knows and then within his understanding, the kind of faith that is represented by 'Reuben and his sons'. After this, when the Church with the person grows, that faith passes into his will, and from will into action. At this point the person has the truth of faith in his will and puts it into practice because it is what has been commanded in the Word. This phase of faith is represented by 'Simeon'. Finally within his will, that is, his new will, an affection characteristic of charity is perceptible, so that his wish to do what is good is motivated not by faith, as it was previously, but by charity towards the neighbour. For when a person's regeneration has come that far he is a member of the spiritual Church, since he now has that Church within him. This charity and the affection belonging to it is what' Levi' represents.

This then explains why the families of Reuben and also of Simeon are listed, and finally the family of Levi, who, as has been stated, represents charity, which is what gives the Church its spiritual character. 'Aaron' represents the external dimension of that Church, and 'Moses' the internal dimension. The internal dimension of the Church is referred to as the law from God, the external dimension as teachings derived from it. The law from God - the internal dimension of the Church - is also the Word in its internal sense, and the teachings derived from it are the Word in its external sense. For Moses and Aaron's representation of these, see 7089.