3863. For she said, Because Jehovah hath seen. That in the supreme sense this signifies foresight, in the internal sense faith, in the interior sense understanding, and in the external sense sight, in the present case faith from the Lord, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” concerning which in what follows. From what has been said above, it may be seen that the twelve tribes, named from the twelve sons of Jacob, signified all things of truth and good, or of faith and love, thus all things of the church, and that each tribe signified some universal; thus the twelve tribes signified the twelve universals which comprehend and include within them all things whatsoever that belong to the church; and in the universal sense, all things that belong to the Lord’s kingdom. The universal which “Reuben” signifies, is faith. The reason why faith is the first universal, is that when man is being regenerated or becoming a church, he must first learn and become imbued with the things of faith, that is, of spiritual truth; for he is introduced by means of the doctrine of faith, or of truth. For man is of such a nature that of himself he does not know what heavenly good is, but must learn it from doctrine, which is called the doctrine of faith. Every doctrine of faith regards life as the end, and therefore good, for good is life.

[2] It was a controverted point among the ancients, which was the firstborn of the church, the truth which is of faith, or the good which is of love. They who maintained that the truth which is of faith is the firstborn, argued from the external appearance, and determined this to be the first, because truth is and ought to be first learned, and because by means of it man is introduced to good. But they knew not that good is essentially the firstborn, and that it is insinuated by the Lord through the internal man, in order that it may adopt and receive the truth which is introduced through the external man; nor were they aware that in good there is life from the Lord, and that in truth there is no life but that which it has through good; thus that good is the soul of truth, and appropriates to itself and puts on truth as the soul does its body. From this we can see that according to the external appearance truth is in the first place, and is as it were the firstborn while man is being regenerated; although good is essentially in the first place, and is the firstborn, and is placed first when man has been regenerated. (That this is the case may be seen above, n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701.)

[3] As the subject treated of in this chapter, and in those which precede, is the regeneration of the natural, and here its first state, which is that of introduction by means of truth to good, therefore the first son of Jacob, or Reuben, was named from “Jehovah seeing,” which in the internal sense signifies faith from the Lord. Regarded in itself, faith is a faith in the understanding and a faith in the will; to know and understand the truth which is of faith is called faith in the understanding; but to will the truth which is of faith is called faith in the will. Faith in the understanding is that which is signified by “Reuben;” but faith in the will is what is signified by “Simeon.” That faith in the understanding, or the understanding of truth, precedes faith in the will, or the willing of truth, must be evident to everyone; for when anything is unknown to man (such as heavenly good), he must first know that it exists, and understand what it is, before he can will it.

[4] That in the external sense “to see” signifies sight, is evident without explication; and that in the interior sense “to see” signifies understanding, may also be evident, for the sight of the internal man is nothing else than understanding, and therefore in common discourse understanding is called internal sight, and light is predicated of it, as of external sight, and is called intellectual light. That in the internal sense “to see” denotes faith from the Lord, is evident from the fact that the interior understanding has no other objects than those which are of truth and good, for these are the objects of faith. This interior understanding, or internal sight, which has for its objects the truths which are of faith, does not manifest itself so much as does the understanding which has for its objects the truths of civic and moral life, for the reason that it is within the latter, and is in the light of heaven, which light is in obscurity so long as man is in the light of the world. Nevertheless with those who have been regenerated, it reveals itself, especially by conscience. That in the supreme sense “to see” is foresight, must be evident, for the intelligence which is predicated of the Lord is infinite intelligence, which is nothing else than foresight.

[5] That “seeing,” from which Reuben was named, in the internal sense signifies faith from the Lord, is manifest from very many passages in the Word, of which the following may be adduced:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard; and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, and shall see it, shall live. Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon a standard; and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, and he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived again (Numbers 21:8-9).

That the brazen serpent represented the Lord as to the external sensuous or natural, may be seen above (n. 197; and that “brass” signifies the natural (n. 425, 1551). That faith in Him was represented by the living again of those who saw, or looked upon it, the Lord Himself teaches in John:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but should have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

[6] In Isaiah:

The Lord said, Go and say unto this people, Hearing hear ye, but do not understand; and seeing see ye, and do not know; make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand (Isaiah 6:9-10).

That “seeing and not knowing” here signifies understanding what is true and yet not acknowledging it, is manifest; and that “blinding the eyes, lest they should see with their eyes” signifies depriving them of the understanding of truth; and that “seeing” here signifies faith in the Lord, is evident from the Lord’s words in Matthew 13:13-14; and in John 12:36-37, 39-40.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Son of man thou dwellest in the midst of the house of rebellion, who have eyes to see, but see not; who have ears to hear, and hear not (Ezekiel 12:2);

“having eyes to see but not seeing” signifies that they were able to understand the truths of faith, but were not willing, and this because of evils (which are the “house of rebellion”) inducing a deceptive light on falsities, and darkness on truths, according to these words in Isaiah:

This is a people of rebellion, lying sons, sons that would not hear the law of Jehovah; who have said to the seers, See not; and to them that have vision, See not for us right things, speak to us smooth things, see illusions (Isaiah 30:9-10).

Again:

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined (Isaiah 9:2); where “seeing a great light” signifies receiving and believing the truths which are of faith. On those who are in faith heavenly light is said to “shine,” for the light which is in heaven is Divine truth from Divine good.

[8] Again:

Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your heads, the seers hath He covered (Isaiah 29:10);

“to close the eyes” denotes to close the understanding of truth (that “the eye” denotes the understanding, see above, n. 2701); “covering the seers” denotes to cover those who know and teach the truths of faith. Seers were formerly called “prophets,” and that “prophets” denote those who teach, and also the truths of doctrine, may be seen above (n. 2534). Again:

The priest and the prophet err through strong drink; they err among the seers; they stumble in judgment (Isaiah 28:7); where the sense is the same; that the “judgment” wherein they “stumble” is the truth of faith may be seen above (n. 2235). Again:

The eyes of them that see shall not be closed, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isaiah 32:3.

[9] Again:

Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty, they shall see the land of far distances (Isaiah 33:17);

“to behold the king in beauty” denotes the truths of faith which are from the Lord, which are called “beautiful” from good; “to see the land of far distances” denotes the good of love. (That a “king” is the truth of faith may be seen above, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670; that “beautiful” is predicated from good, n. 553, 3080, 3821; and that “land” is the good of love, n. 620, 636, 3368, 3379.) In Matthew:

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8); where it is manifest that “to see God” is to believe in Him, thus to see Him by faith; for they who are in faith, from faith see God, because God is in faith, and is that in faith which constitutes true faith.

[10] Again:

If thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out; for it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the gehenna of fire (Matthew 18:9).

That in this passage the “eye” does not mean the eye, and that it is not to be plucked out, is manifest, for this does not cause to stumble; but the understanding of truth, which is here meant by the “eye” (n. 2701). That it is better not to know and apprehend the truths of faith, than to know and apprehend them and yet live a life of evil, is signified by its “being better to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the gehenna of fire.”

[11] In the same:

Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, but did not see them (Matthew 13:16-17; John 12:40);

“seeing” here denotes knowing and understanding the things which are of faith in the Lord, thus faith; for they were not blessed because they saw the Lord, and saw His miracles, but because they believed; as may be seen from these words in John:

I said unto you, that ye also have seen Me, and believe not. This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, should have eternal life. Not that anyone hath seen the Father, save He that is with the Father, He hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath eternal life (John 6:36, 40, 46-47);

“seeing and not believing” denotes knowing the truths of faith and not receiving them; “seeing and believing” denotes knowing and receiving them; “no one having seen the Father save He that is with the Father” denotes that Divine good cannot be acknowledged except by means of Divine truth (That the “Father” is Divine good, and the “Son” Divine truth, may be se en above, n. 3704.) Hence the internal sense is that no one can have celestial good unless He acknowledges the Lord.

[12] In like manner in the same Evangelist:

No one hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him (John 1:18).

And again:

Jesus said, He that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness (John 12:45-46); where it is said plainly that “to see” is to believe, or to have faith. Again:

Jesus said, If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him. He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father (John 14:7, 9).

Again:

The Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; I will not leave you orphans; I come unto you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me; because I live ye shall live also (John 14:17-19); where “seeing” signifies having faith, for the Lord is seen only by faith, because faith is the eye of love, the Lord being seen by love through faith, and love being the life of faith; wherefore it is said, “Ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also.”

[13] Again:

Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they who see not may see; and that they who see may be made blind. The Pharisees said, Are we also blind? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would not have sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth (John 9:39-41);

here “they who see” denote those who imagine themselves to be more intelligent than others, concerning whom it is said that they “should be made blind,” that is, should not receive faith. (That “not to see,” or “to be blind,” is predicated of those who are in falsities, and also of those who are in ignorance, may be seen above, n. 2383) In Luke:

Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not hear (Luke 8:10).

Again:

I say unto you, There be some standing here who shall not taste of death, until they see the kingdom of God (Luke 9:27; Mark 9:1);

“to see the kingdom of God” denotes to believe. Again:

Jesus said unto His disciples, The days shall come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but ye shall not see (Luke 17:22); where the consummation of the age, or last time of the church, is treated of, when there is no longer any faith.

[14] Again:

It came to pass when Jesus sat down with them, that He took the bread, and blessed, and breaking, gave to them; and their eyes were opened, and they knew Him (Luke 24:30-31);

by which was signified that the Lord appears by good, but not by truth without good, for “bread” is the good of love (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813). From these and other passages it is evident that “seeing,” in the internal sense, signifies faith from the Lord, for there is no other faith which is faith than that which comes from the Lord. This also enables man to “see,” that is, to believe; but faith from self, or from what is man’s own, is not faith, for it causes him to see falsities as truths, and truths as falsities; and if he sees truths as truths, still he does not see, because he does not believe, for he sees himself in them, and not the Lord.

[15] That “to see” is to have faith in the Lord, is very plain from what has been frequently said above concerning the light of heaven, namely, that being from the Lord, it is attended with intelligence and wisdom, consequently with faith in Him; for faith in the Lord is inwardly within intelligence and wisdom; wherefore “to see” from that light, as angels do, can signify nothing else than faith in the Lord. The Lord Himself also is in that light, because it proceeds from Him. It is that light also which shines within the conscience of those who have faith in the Lord, although while he lives in the body the man is unaware of the fact, for it is then obscured by the light of the world.

3603. That thou shalt break his yoke from upon thy neck. That this signifies that the conjunction would then be through good, and that truth would be of good, is evident from the signification of “breaking a yoke from upon the neck,” as being liberation (that by the “neck” is signified influx and communication, and the consequent conjunction; and that by a “yoke upon the neck” is signified restraint and interception, see above, n. 3542); thus “breaking the yoke from upon the neck” denotes liberation from restraint, and interception; and therefore it denotes conjunction through good; and also that truth becomes of good; for where there is no longer any restraint and interception, good flows in and conjoins itself with truth.

[2] How the case herein is may be seen from what has been already said and shown; but few comprehend in what consists the apparent priority of truth and in the meanwhile the inferiority of good, and this principally because few reflect on such things, and do not even reflect upon good, in that it is distinct from truth. Moreover all those are ignorant of what good is who live a life of the love of self and of the world, for they do not believe that there can be any good except that which is from this source; and because they are ignorant of what good is, they are also ignorant of what truth is, for truth is of good. They do indeed know from revelation that it is good to love God and the neighbor, and that truth consists of doctrinal things derived from the Word, but inasmuch as they do not live according to these things, they have no perception of such good and truth, but merely have knowledges separated from these. Nay, even those who are being regenerated do not know what good is until they have been regenerated; for before this they supposed that truth was good, and that to do according to truth was good, when yet that which they then do is not good, but truth. When man is in this state, he is in the state which is described by “Jacob” and in the “blessing” given to him; but when he comes into a state of doing good from the affection of good-that is, when he is regenerate-he then comes into the state which is described in the blessing given to Esau.

[3] This may be illustrated by those things which appear with man in his first and second ages, and afterwards in his third and fourth. In his first age man knows only by memory the things contained in the Word, and in like manner what is in the doctrinal matters of faith; and he believes himself to be good when he is acquainted with many things therefrom, and can apply some of them, not to his own life, but to the life of others. In his second age, when he is more grown up, he is not content to know only by memory the things contained in the Word and in doctrine, but begins to reflect upon them from his own thought, and insofar as he adds thereto from his own thought, insofar he is pleased; and thereupon he is in the affection of truth from a kind of worldly love, which love is also the means of his learning many things that without it would be left unlearned. In his third age, if he is one of those who can be regenerated, he begins to think about use, and to reflect on what he reads in the Word and imbibes from doctrinal matters for the sake of use; and when he is in this state the order is inverted, so that truth is no longer so much put in the first place. But in his fourth age, when comes the age of his regeneration, because then the state is full (see n. 2636), he loves the Word and the doctrinal things that are from the Word-that is, truth-for the sake of the good of life, consequently from the good of life. Thus good comes to be in the prior place, which until this time was apparently in the posterior place.

[4] The reason why good was apparently in the posterior place, is that it lay inmostly concealed in all his affection; nor could it manifest itself, inasmuch as outside of it there were such things as it could not agree with, namely, vain and empty things such as are those of self-glory and the glory of the world; but after the man has been regenerated these things recede; and the good, which had lain inmostly concealed, comes forth as it were from its place of confinement, and flows into those things which are outside, and makes truths its own, that is, truths of good, and thus manifests itself.

[5] In the meantime, like that involuntary which is in his voluntary, the good in the man is in everything he thinks, and thence in everything he does. Man knows not that he has this involuntary, because he perceives nothing else in himself except that which is his own; that is, the voluntary. This involuntary is two-fold, the one being his heredity that he has from his father and mother, while the other flows in through heaven from the Lord. As a man grows up, if he is such as not to suffer himself to be regenerated, that which he has hereditarily from his parents manifests itself more and more; for he takes evils from it, and makes them his own, or proper to himself. But with those who are being regenerated the involuntary which is from the Lord through heaven manifests itself in adult age; and in the meantime it has disposed and governed each and all things of their thought and also of their will, although it has not been visible.