8626. Jehovah shall have war against Amalek from generation to generation. That this signifies that they were brought under the yoke and were cast into hell, from which by reason of the Lord’s Divine power they can never rise up, is evident from the signification of “Jehovah having war,” as being a casting into hell: and from the signification of “from generation to generation,” as being perpetually, thus that they can never rise up from it. (That this was by the Divine power of the Lord, see just above, n. 8625.) That “Jehovah having war” denotes a casting into hell, is because “Jehovah having war” denotes perpetual victory. The infernal genii cannot possibly wage war and fight against Jehovah, that is, against the Lord; yet it appears to them that they fight, and even that they sometimes conquer, when they subjugate those who are in evil; but still they have no power whatever against the Divine. The least exercise of Divine power by a single nod instantly subdues the whole diabolical crew, even if it consists of myriads of myriads; but still it gives them the opportunity to act insofar as their doing so may be of use, and insofar as their evil can be turned by the Lord into good. On this subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, elsewhere. From all this it can in some measure be seen that by “Jehovah having war with Amalek from generation to generation” is signified subjugation and casting into hell, from which by reason of the Lord’s Divine power they can never rise up.

8625. And he said, Because there is a hand against the throne of Jah. That this signifies because they wish to do violence to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of “a hand against anyone,” as being to do violence; and from the signification of “the throne of Jah,” as being the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. That “the throne of Jah” denotes the Lord’s spiritual kingdom is because “a throne” is predicated of the Lord’s royalty; and the Lord’s spiritual kingdom corresponds to His royalty. There are two things which are predicated of the Lord, namely, priesthood and royalty. The celestial kingdom corresponds to His priesthood, and the spiritual kingdom to His royalty; for the Lord is called “Priest” from Divine good, and “King” from Divine truth. This latter, namely, Divine truth, is involved in the name “Christ,” and Divine good in the name “Jesus” (see n. 1728, 2015, 3004, 3009, 6148). “Throne” is predicated of the Lord’s royalty, consequently of His spiritual kingdom, and in like manner “Jah.” (What “throne” signifies, see n. 5213; and what “Jah,” n. 8267)

[2] As regards the subject itself, namely, that they who are represented by Amalek (who are infernal genii that are in the falsity from interior evil) wish to do violence to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, this has been unfolded above (n. 8593, 8622). They who were in the falsity of this evil could not be warded off from those who were of the spiritual church until the Lord came into the world and made the human in Himself Divine. They were then shut up in hell, whence they can never rise up; moreover, the communication which is effected through influx, was quite taken away. For the man of the spiritual church is in obscurity as to the truth of faith, and acknowledges it as truth because the church has said so, and not because he has perceived it to be truth. With these men this truth becomes good, and consequently a matter of conscience. If malignant genii were to flow into their obscurity, they would destroy the conscience in a thousand ways; for they do not act into the truths of faith therein, but into the affections themselves; and wheresoever they notice anything of the affection of good, they pervert it in a moment so secretly that it cannot possibly be noticed. They attack the very ends. In a word, their malignity cannot be described; but it may be compared to an unseen deadly poison, which penetrates to the very marrows. Concerning these genii, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more shall be said from experience at the end of the chapters.