5638. 'And stood before Joseph' means the presence there of the celestial of the spiritual. This is clear from the meaning of 'standing before someone as the presence; and from the representation of 'Joseph' as the celestial of the spiritual, often dealt with already. The presence of the celestial of the spiritual in both parts of the natural was represented by Joseph's being made the lord over the whole of Egypt. That is, his lordship over it meant the presence of the celestial of the spiritual within the interior areas of factual knowledge; and this knowledge exists within the natural. Regarding the lordship of the celestial over both parts of the natural, see 5316, 5324, 5326-5328, 5333, 5337, 5373, the truths represented by 'the ten sons of Jacob' being truths within the natural.

636. 'I will destroy them together with the earth' means that the human race would perish together with the Church. This is clear from the fact that here the phrase 'together with the earth' is used. In fact, as previously stated, 'earth' in a broad sense means love and so the celestial things of the Church. Here because no love, nor anything celestial, was left it means self-love and that which is contrary to the celestial aspect of the Church. Despite this the member of the Church still existed because he possessed doctrinal matters concerning faith. For as has been stated, love includes faith within itself, and faith includes cognitions of faith, just as the earth includes the ground, and the ground includes the field.