8505. 'Today you will not find it in the field' means that [then] there will no longer be any acquiring of good through truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'not finding', when it refers to good that is obtained through truth, as no longer acquiring; and from the meaning of 'the field' as a person, at this point a person's mind in which good is implanted through truth. For a person is called a field because he receives the truths of faith, which are the seeds, and brings forth the fruit of the seeds, that is, forms of good.

[2] What this implies will be stated briefly. Before regeneration a person's actions spring from truth; but through that truth good is acquired, for during this time truth becomes good with him when it becomes part of his will and so of his life. But after regeneration his actions spring from good, and through that good truths are gained. To put it more intelligibly, before regeneration a person's actions spring from a spirit of obedience, but after regeneration from affection. The two states are the antithesis of each other; for in the former state truth is dominant, but in the latter good is dominant. Or, in the former state the person looks downwards or backwards, but in the latter upwards or forwards.

[3] When a person has reached the latter state, that is to say, when his actions spring from affection, he is no longer allowed to look back and do good from truth; for now the Lord is flowing into good, and leading him through that good. If in this state he were to look back, that is, to do good from truth, his actions would spring from what is his own; for when a person's actions spring from truth he is guided by self, but when they spring from good he is guided by the Lord. These things are what is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew,

When you see the abomination of desolation, let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house; and let him who is in the field not return to take his clothes. Matthew 24:15-18.

And in Luke,

On that day, whoever will be on the housetop with his vessels in the house let him not come down to take them away; and whoever is in the field, let him likewise not return to the things behind him. Remember Lot's wife. Luke 17:31-32.

For more about what these words imply, see the explanations in 3652, 5895 (end), 5897, 7923, and below in 8506, 8510.

Such are the things meant in the internal sense by the words stating that the man[na] will not be found in the field on the seventh day and that some of the people went out to gather it but did not find any.

7923. 'And you shall not go out, no one out of the door of his house' means that they must remain governed by good that is not to be viewed from truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'not going out' as remaining; and from the meaning of 'house' as good, dealt with in 2233, 2234, 2559, 3652, 3720, 7833-7835, 7848. From this it is evident that 'you shall not go out, no one out of the door of his house' means that they must remain governed by good. The reason why good that is not to be viewed from truth is meant is that remaining in the house is being governed by good, but 'going out of the door of the house' is forsaking good for truth; for good resides on the inside, but truth on the outside, 7910. What viewing truths from good is, see 5895 (end), 5897, 7857. Viewing good from truth is viewing the inside from the outside; but viewing truth from good is viewing the outside from the inside. For as has just been stated, good resides on the inside but truth on the outside. Viewing truth from good is in keeping with order, for the path all Divine influx takes is through interiors into exteriors. But viewing good from truth is not in keeping with order. While a person is being regenerated therefore, order is being turned the right way round, and good or charity is seen to occupy the first place and truth or faith the second.

7910. 'In all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread' means that in their interiors, where good is, truth must be made their own. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwellings' as parts of the mind, thus aspects of intelligence and wisdom, dealt with in 7719, consequently the interiors since intelligence and wisdom reside there, and also good; and from the meaning of 'eating unleavened bread' as making truth one's own, dealt with several times above. As regards the fact that people's interiors are the place where they make things their own, and the fact that the interiors are where good is, it should be recognized that with those who rely on the Lord, that is, who lead a life of faith and charity, good resides in their interiors; and the more deeply it resides in them, the purer and more heavenly that good is. But in their exteriors truth resides; and the more external its seat is, the more bereft of good that truth is. The reason for this is that so far as his interiors are concerned a person is in heaven, the innermost of them being close to the Lord; but so far as his exteriors are concerned he is in the world. Thus it is that the truths of faith enter by an external route, but good by an internal one, 7756, 7757, and thus it also is that people's interiors, where good is, are the place where they make truth their own.