5272. This is the word that I spoke unto Pharaoh. That this signifies what the natural thought from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of a “word,” as being a real thing (of which hereafter); from the signification of “speaking,” as being to think (see n. 2271, 2287, 2619, 5259); from the representation of Joseph, who here speaks, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (of which above). From all this it is plain that by “this is the word that I spoke unto Pharaoh” is signified that real thing, or that which the natural thought from the celestial of the spiritual (see also n. 5262). As regards what is meant by the “word,” in the original language by “word” is meant some real thing; and hence Divine revelation is called the “Word,” and so also is the Lord in the supreme sense. And by the “Word,” when predicated of the Lord, and also of revelation from Him, in the proximate sense is signified Divine truth, from which all things that are real have their existence.

[2] That all things that are real have come into existence and do come into existence through the Divine truth that is from the Lord, and thus through the Word, is a secret that has not yet been disclosed. It is believed that by this is meant that all things have been created by God’s saying and commanding as a king in his kingdom. It is not this, however, that is meant by all things having been made and created through the Word, but it is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good, that is, from the Lord, from which all things have come into existence and do come into existence. The Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good is the veriest reality and the veriest essential in the universe, and it is this that makes and creates. Scarcely anyone has any other idea of the Divine truth than as of a word that issues from the mouth of a speaker and is dispersed in the air. This idea of the Divine truth has produced the opinion that by the “Word” is meant only a command, thus that all things were made merely by a command, and thus not from any real thing that has proceeded from the Divine of the Lord; but as already said it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, the veriest reality and essential, that is the source of all things, and from which are the forms of good and of truth. Regarding this secret however, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said in the following pages.

5259. And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph. That this signifies the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, is evident from what was said above (n. 5251), where similar words are used, save only that it is there written that “Pharaoh said unto Joseph,” while here it is said that he “spoke unto him;” for “saying” signifies perception, but “speaking” thought (see n. 2271, 2287, 2619). That by “Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph” is signified the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, and not the converse, is because what is exterior never thinks from itself, but from what is interior, or what is the same thing, what is lower does not think except from what is higher; although while the interior or higher is thinking in the exterior or lower, it appears as if the exterior or lower thought from itself, which, however, is a fallacy. It is like one who sees something in a mirror, and not knowing that a mirror is there, imagines that the object is where it appears to be, when yet it is not there.

[2] Now because the celestial of the spiritual is interior or higher, and the natural is exterior or lower, the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural is signified in the internal sense by “Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph.” In a word, nothing that is beneath can do anything of itself; but that which it can do, it has from what is higher; and because this is so, it evidently follows that everything is from the Most High, that is, from the Divine. Consequently man’s thinking from the understanding and acting from the will, he has from the Most High or from the Divine. But his thinking falsely and acting evilly comes from the form he has impressed upon himself; and his thinking truly and acting well is from the form he has received from the Lord; for it is known that one and the same power and energy produces different motions according to the configurations in the mediates and the extremes; thus in man, life from the Divine produces diverse thoughts and actions, according to the forms.