4281. That by “the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint in his wrestling with him,” is signified that this conjunction was wholly injured and displaced in Jacob’s posterity, is evident from the signification of being “out of joint” in the sense in question, as being to be displaced, and thus to be injured. That the “hollow of the thigh” denotes conjunction, is manifest from what was said above (n. 4280); and because in the Word “Jacob” denotes not only Jacob, but also all his posterity, as is evident from many passages in the Word (Numbers 23:7, 10, 21, 2 23:23; 24:5, 1 24:17, 19; Deuteronomy 33:10; Isaiah 40:27; 43:1, 22; 44:1-2, 21; 48:12; 59:20; Jeremiah 10:16, 25; 30:7, 10, 18; 31:7, 11; 46:27-28; Hosea 10:11 Amos 7:2; Micah 2:12; 3:8; Psalms 14:7; 24:6; 59:13; 78:5; 99:4 and elsewhere).

[2] That Jacob and his posterity were of such a character that with them celestial and spiritual love could not be conjoined with natural good (that is, the internal or spiritual man with the external or natural man), is manifest from everything which is related of that nation in the Word; for they did not know, nor were they willing to know, what the internal or spiritual man is, and therefore this was not revealed to them; for they believed that nothing exists in man except that which is external and natural. In all their worship they had regard to nothing else, insomuch that Divine worship was to them no otherwise than idolatrous; for when internal worship is separated from external, it is merely idolatrous. The church that was instituted with them was not a church, but only the representative of a church; for which reason that church is called a representative church. That a representative of a church is possible with such people may be seen above (n. 1361, 3670, 4208).

[3] For in representations the person is not reflected upon, but the thing which is represented; and therefore Divine, celestial, and spiritual things were represented not only by persons, but also by inanimate things, as by Aaron’s garments, the ark, the altar, the oxen and sheep that were sacrificed, the lampstand with its lamps, the bread of arrangement upon the golden table, the oil with which they were anointed, the frankincense, and other like things. Hence it was that their kings, the evil as well as the good, represented the Lord’s royalty; and the high priests, the evil as well as the good, represented the things that belong to the Lord’s Divine priesthood, when they discharged their office in an outward form according to the statutes and precepts. In order therefore that the representative of a church might come forth among them, such statutes and laws were given them by manifest revelation as were altogether representative; and therefore so long as they were in them and observed them strictly, so long they were able to represent; but when they turned aside from them, as to the statutes and laws of other nations, and especially to the worship of another god, they then deprived themselves of the faculty of representing. For this reason they were driven by outward means, such as captivities, disasters, threats, and miracles, to laws and statutes truly representative; but not by internal means, as are those who have internal worship in external. These things are signified by the “hollow of Jacob’s thigh being out of joint,” taken in the internal historical sense, which regards Jacob and his posterity.

7877. And I shall see the blood. That this signifies the noticing of this truth by those who inflict the damnation, is evident from the signification of “to see,” as being to understand and to notice (see n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400), that it denotes a noticing by those who inflict the damnation, follows below; and from the signification of “blood,” as being the truth of the good of innocence (as above, n. 7846).

[2] What the truth of the good of innocence is, must be told. The good of innocence is the good of love to the Lord; for they who are in this love are in innocence. Therefore they who are in the inmost or third heaven are in innocence in advance of the rest, because they are in love to the Lord. From innocence they who are there appear to others like little children, and yet they are the wisest of all who are in heaven (see n. 2306); for innocence dwells in wisdom (see n. 2305, 3494, 4797). The truth of the good of innocence which is with them is not the truth of faith, but is the good of charity. For they who are in the third heaven do not know what faith is; thus neither do they know what its truth is; for they are in the perception of the truth that is of faith, from which they instantly know that a thing is so; nor do they ever reason about it, whether it be so, still less dispute about it. That they are in perception in this manner, does not fall within the scope of memory-knowledge. It is otherwise with the spiritual, who are in the second heaven. These are led to the good which is of charity through the truth which is of faith; and therefore they reason whether a thing is true, or not, because they do not perceive whether it is; consequently with them truths become memory-knowledge, and are called doctrinal things of faith.

[3] (That they who are in the inmost or third heaven are in such a state that they perceive what is the truth of faith, and therefore do not refer it to memory-knowledge, see n. 202, 337, 2715, 2718, 3246, 4448.) How it is that by Jehovah’s saying, “I shall see,” thus saying it concerning Himself, is signified a noticing by those who inflict damnation, that is, by the infernals, can be seen from what has been shown above, namely, that evil is attributed to Jehovah, or the Lord, although nothing of evil comes forth from Him, but from hell (n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7643). That evil is permitted, has the appearance as if it were from him who permits, seeing that he has the power to take it away. Thus in the present case, that the firstborn of the Egyptians were given to death, is attributed to Jehovah, for it is said, “I will pass through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt; and it came to pass at midnight that Jehovah smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the house of the pit” (verses 12-29); and yet in this verse he is called “a destroyer” who does this: “the blood shall be to you for a sign upon the houses where ye are; and I shall see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall not be in you a plague for a destroyer.”

[4] The case is similar with respect to the devastation of the evil in the other life, and the damnation and casting down into hell, which in the internal sense are meant by the “plagues,” and by the death of the firstborn, and by the immersion in the sea Suph. Jehovah, or the Lord, vastates no one, still less damns and casts down into hell; but it is the evil spirit himself who does this to himself: it is the evil that is in him. From this then it is that by “I shall see the blood” is signified a noticing by those who inflict damnation.

[5] How the case is with permission cannot be told in a few words, because it involves very many arcana. That the wicked are damned and are tormented, is not a permission from the Lord as of one who wills it, but as of one who does not will, but cannot bring a remedy in view of the urgency and resistance of the end, which is the salvation of the whole human race; for if He were to bring a remedy, it would be doing evil, which is quite contrary to the Divine. But on this subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said elsewhere.

3670. And He will give thee the blessing of Abraham. That this signifies the conjunction of the Divine Itself with the good and truth of the natural, is evident from the signification of a “blessing,” as being conjunction (n. 3660, 3667); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord’s Divine Itself which is called the “Father” (concerning which see n. 2011, 3251, 3439). And inasmuch as these words are spoken to Jacob, by whom there would be represented the Lord’s Divine natural as to the Divine good and truth therein, therefore the conjunction of the Divine Itself with the good and truth of the natural is what is signified, in the internal sense, by “He will give thee the blessing of Abraham.” In the sense of the letter, it is the possession of the land of Canaan that is meant by the “blessing of Abraham,” and also by the words which follow: “to cause thee to inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham;” and according to this sense do all apprehend the words who believe that the historicals of the Word do not contain within them things more heavenly and secret: and especially so do the Jewish nation, who on the strength of these words claim for themselves privileges above every other nation and people. Their fathers understood the words in the same manner, and especially were they so understood by Jacob, whose quality is evident from what was said just above (n. 3667), in that he would not have known Jehovah, nor have been willing to acknowledge Him, unless He had given him corporeal and worldly blessings. But that neither Abraham, nor Isaac, nor Jacob was meant, and that by Jacob is represented the Lord as to the natural which He would make Divine, is abundantly manifest from the explications given above. That it is immaterial what is the quality of the man who represents, as to whether he is evil or good, and that evil men equally with good men can represent and have represented the Lord’s Divine, may be seen above (n. 665, 1097, 1361).

[2] The same may be seen from the representatives which exist even to this day; for all kings, whoever they may be, and of whatever quality, by the royalty itself that appertains to them represent the Lord; in like manner all priests, whoever and of whatever quality they may be, by the priestly office itself. The royal and the priestly office itself is holy, whatever be the quality of him who ministers therein; and this is the reason why the Word taught by an evil man is equally holy, and also the sacrament of baptism and the Holy Supper, and other such things. And from this it is also evident that no king can possibly claim for himself anything of the sanctity that belongs to his royalty; nor any priest anything of the sanctity that belongs to his priesthood. Insofar as either claims anything thereof to himself, or attributes it to himself, so far he brands himself with the character of a spiritual thief, or with the mark of spiritual theft; and also insofar as he does evil, that is, acts contrary to what is just and equitable, and contrary to what is good and true, so far a king puts off the representative of holy royalty, and a priest the representative of holy priesthood, and represents the opposite. For this reason in the representative Jewish Church there were so many laws enjoined concerning the holiness in which priests especially should be during their ministration-on which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, more will be said in what follows.