3926. 'A second son to Jacob' means a second general truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, a general truth being meant at this point, as is clear from what has been stated and shown above concerning the twelve sons of Jacob and concerning the twelve tribes named after them; that is to say, the general aspects of the Church, and consequently the general aspects of faith and love, or of truth and good, are meant and represented by those sons. They also mean in the contrary sense every general aspect of that which is not faith or love, that is, every aspect of falsity and evil, as will be evident from what is said further on.

1398. There were once many spirits around me who were far from good. An angel came, and I saw that the spirits could not endure his presence, for they backed further and further away as he drew nearer. This amazed me, but I was given to see that the spirits could not abide the sphere he brought with him. From this it was also clear, and from other experience as well, that one angel is able to drive away tens of thousands of evil spirits, for they cannot withstand the sphere of mutual love. Nevertheless I perceived that this angel's sphere had been tempered through links with other angels. If it had not been modified every one of those spirits would have been put to flight. This shows what kind of perception exists in the next life, and how spirits are joined together into communities or withheld from such associations, in accordance with perceptions.