4642. 'He being Edom' means the Natural and bodily degree of the Lord's Divine Human. This is clear from the representation of 'Edom' as the Lord's Divine Human as regards natural good to which doctrinal matters concerning truth have been allied, dealt with in 3302, 3322, 4241, and so as regards the Natural and bodily degree. For so far as their relationship to truth is concerned matters of doctrine are so to speak its body; that is, in the spiritual sense they form the bodily parts of natural truth. This explains why 'Edom' represents the Natural and bodily degree of the Lord's Divine Human. The reason why doctrine is like the bodily covering given to truth is that in itself doctrine is not truth; rather truth resides within doctrine as the soul does within the body.

[2] In the verses that follow now the subject is the Lord's Divine Natural Good. But mere names are used to describe the derivatives within this, for the reason, as stated above, that the derivatives within that Good are far beyond the understanding any man possesses, and even beyond that of an angel. For angels are finite beings, and that which is finite cannot comprehend that which is Infinite. Even so, when this chapter is read a general impression is conveyed to angels of the derivatives contained in the names that are given. It is conveyed to them by an influx of Divine Love from the Lord, and this influx by a heavenly flame which gives them a feeling for what Divine Good is.

[3] Anyone who thinks that the Word is not inspired even to the smallest letter, or who thinks that the Word is inspired in some other manner than one in which strings of detailed information represent Divine matters, and so also celestial and spiritual ones, and that such strings of information have those matters as their spiritual meaning, cannot do other than suppose that the names used imply nothing more than genealogical details to do with the people descended from Esau. What real connection do genealogical details have with the Word; do they have anything Divine within them? But all names in the Word have spiritual realities as their meaning, see 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888, 4442, as well as every other place where explanations are given regarding the spiritual meanings of names.

2401. 'And said, Rise up, go out of this place' means that they were not to remain in a state of evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'rising up' and 'going out', and also of 'place'. 'Rising up' occurs often in the Word, being one of the common expressions found there, but little thought is given to what else it may mean. In the internal sense however it entails, as it does here, being raised up from evil to good, for the mind is raised up when it draws back from evil, 2388. 'Going out' means drawing back or not remaining, while 'place' means a state of evil, 2393. From this it is evident what the meaning is here.

[2] The character of people who possess cognitions of truth but at the same time lead a life of evil has been stated frequently already - that as long as they lead a life of evil they believe nothing; for to will evil and consequently to do it, and at the same time in faith to acknowledge truth, is not possible. From this it is also evident that a person cannot be saved by thinking and speaking what is true, nor even what is good, if he wills nothing but evil, and as a consequence of what he wills does nothing but evil. Man's will itself is what lives on after death, and not so much his thinking apart from that which flows from his will.

[3] Since therefore a person's character after death is determined by what he wills, one can see what he is able to think about the truths of faith he has absorbed, indeed taught, seeing that these condemn him. He is in this case so disinclined to think from them that he avoids them altogether. Indeed insofar as he is allowed, he curses them, as the devil's crew do. People who have not been taught about the life after death may imagine that they will find it easy at that time to receive faith when they see that the Lord governs the whole of heaven, and when they hear that heaven is loving Him and the neighbour. But evil people are as far removed from being able to receive faith, that is, from having the will to believe, as hell is from heaven. They are in fact totally immersed in evil and in falsity derived from this. From their mere arrival itself or presence it is recognized and perceived that they are against the Lord and against the neighbour and so against what is good and consequently against what is true. There is an unmentionable sphere which emanates from the life of their will and so of their thinking, 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504.

[4] If it were possible for people to believe and become good merely by receiving instruction in the next life no one would be left in hell; for no matter how many, the Lord desires to raise them all up to heaven towards Himself. For His mercy is infinite since it is Divine mercy itself and is indeed directed towards the whole human race, and so towards the evil as well as the good.