4542. When thou fleddest from before Esau thy brother. That this signifies when truth was set before good, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine natural (see n. 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576, 3599). That the signification is when truth was set before good, may be seen from the explications given about Jacob (Genesis 27), when he fled before Esau, for the cause of his flight was that Jacob had taken away the birthright from Esau, by which is signified that truth had set itself before good; for Jacob there represents the truth of the Lord’s natural, and Esau its good. The reason why truth had set itself before good was that when anyone is being regenerated, truth is apparently in the first place; but after he has been regenerated, good is in the first place and truth is in a secondary place (see n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3610, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337). Hence it is, that “when thou fleddest from before Esau thy brother” signifies when truth was set before good.

3610. Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee. That this signifies the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life, is evident from the signification of “comforting one’s self” for anyone, as being to appease unrest of mind with hope concerning anyone, or concerning anything, “concerning thee” implying the inversion of the state of truth-and from the signification of “to kill thee,” that is, Jacob, as being to deprive truth of self-derived life (concerning which just above, n. 3607, where it was shown that depriving truth of life is not extinguishing it, but vivifying it). For the case with respect to the life of truth is this: When they who are in truth, or in the affection of truth, do not live according to the truth which they know and with which they are affected, there is then somewhat of pleasure and delight derived from the love of self or the love of the world, which has adjoined itself to the affection of truth, and which appears as good, when yet it is not good, except as regards the use, in that truths may thus be introduced and learned which afterwards may be serviceable to real good and its life. When truth is in this state, that is, they who are in the affection of truth, then truth is said to have self-derived life, which is not life, as is evident from the fact that in the love of self, and the love of the world, or in their pleasure and delight, there is not life; but in celestial and spiritual love, and in their delight and pleasure. Therefore when truth, that is, they who are in such an affection of truth, are deprived of that life, they then for the first time receive life, or are then for the first time vivified.

[2] These things cannot possibly be apprehended by those who are in the affection of self and of the world, for they believe that no other life is possible; consequently that if they should be deprived of that life, they would altogether cease to live; for they who are in that life can in no wise know what spiritual and heavenly life is. When yet the fact is that when they are deprived of that life of the affection of self and of the world, then life flows in from the Lord such as is the angelic and heavenly life, together with ineffable wisdom and happiness; and when the former life is viewed from this life, it appears as no life, or as the unclean life of brute animals, inasmuch as there is nothing of the Divine therein, except that they can think and speak, and thus appear in external form like others.

[3] In respect to the circumstance that good had the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life, which is signified by Esau comforting himself for Jacob to kill him, the case is this: with a man who is being regenerated, the good in him is continually in the purpose to invert the state, and to reduce it into such order that truth may not be in the prior place, but in the posterior; as is consonant with the state of heaven. But this purpose lies deeply concealed, nor is it observed until the purpose has been effected. The case herein is as it is with conjugial love, which does not appear during infancy and childhood, but still lies hidden within; nor does it come forth until each and all things have been so disposed that it can manifest itself; meanwhile it produces all means that are suited to itself; that is, they are produced. The case is the same in the vegetable kingdom: in every tree and in every plant there lies inmostly concealed an endeavor to produce fruits or seeds; but this endeavor cannot manifest itself until it has first produced all the means, namely, branches, leaves, and flowers, which being produced the endeavor comes forth into act.

[4] So also is it with those who are born anew: the conjugial principle of good and truth long lies hidden within; but still it is present as an endeavor in the efficient cause and thence in the effect; yet it does not appear until all things have been disposed into order; and when they have been so disposed, it for the first time comes forth and manifests itself. It is this endeavor which is meant by the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life. Hence it is manifest that the internal sense is altogether different from that which is expressed in the sense of the letter, namely, that it treats of the reduction of truth into order, and its vivification, and not of the destruction and privation of its life.