9294. And the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy works, which thou sowedst in the field. That this signifies the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving on account of the implantation of truth in good, is evident from the signification of “a feast,” as being the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving (of which above, n. 9286, 9287); from the signification of “the harvest,” as being the fruitification of truth, and thus the implantation of it in good; from the signification of “the first fruits,” or the beginnings of the works, as being those things which are the last of instruction and the first of life (of which below); from the signification of “sowing,” as being instructing (n. 9272); and from the signification of “the field,” as being the church as to good, thus the good of the church (n. 2971, 3500, 3766, 7502, 9139, 9141). From all which it is evident that by “the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy works which thou hast sown in the field,” is signified the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving on account of the implantation of truth in good.

[2] That these things are signified by this feast, is evident from what was said above (n. 9286), namely, that three feasts were instituted on account of the liberation of man from damnation, thus on account of his regeneration; for by regeneration man is liberated from hell and introduced into heaven. And therefore the first feast, which was called “the feast of unleavened things,” signifies purification from falsities; consequently this second feast signifies the implantation of truth in good; and the third feast, the implantation of good. For during man’s regeneration he is first purified from the falsities which spring from the evil of the loves of self and of the world, which is effected by his receiving instruction concerning evil, hell, and damnation, and also concerning good, heaven, and eternal happiness; and by his thus suffering himself to be withheld from doing, willing, and thinking evils. When the soil has been thus prepared, then the truths of faith are sown, for before this they are not received. But the truths which are sown must be implanted in good, because they have no soil anywhere else, nor can they strike root anywhere else. They are implanted in good when the man wills the truth, loves it, and does it. This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation, is signified by this feast, which is called “the feast of the harvest of the first fruits of thy works;” for “harvest” signifies truths producing good.

[3] When truths have been implanted in good, the man is no longer led of the Lord by means of truths, but by means of good, which is effected when he wills good and does good from the affection of love, that is, from charity. This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation, is signified by the third feast, which is called “the feast of ingathering.”

[4] These three feasts were also called “the feast of the passover,” “the feast of weeks,” and “the feast of tabernacles” (see Exodus 34:18-23; Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 16:1-17). Similar things to those represented by these three feasts were represented by the bringing out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, by their introduction into the land of Canaan, and by their dwelling there. For by the bringing out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt the like was represented as by the first feast, which was called “the passover.” That this is so may be seen from what has been shown concerning the passover (n. 7093, 7867, 7995); for the bringing out of the sons of Israel, on account of which this feast was instituted, signified the liberation of those who were of the spiritual church from the falsities whereby they were infested (n. 7240, 7317, 9197).

[5] And by the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan the like was represented as by this second feast, which was called “the feast of the firstfruits of works,” and also “the feast of weeks,” namely, the implantation of truth in good; for “the land of Canaan” denotes the church in respect to good, thus the good of the church (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4240, 4447, 4517, 5136, 6516); and abstractedly from persons “the sons of Israel” denote spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879, 5951).

[6] The like was represented by the dwelling of the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan as by the third feast, which was called “the feast of the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, and of the ingathering from the threshing-floor and the wine-press,” called also “the feast of tabernacles,” namely, the implantation of good, and therefore life in heaven. From all this it is now evident why the three feasts were instituted, namely, that it was for the sake of the bringing out from hell of the human race, that wishes to receive new life from the Lord, and their introduction into heaven. This was effected by the Lord through His coming into the world.

1675. The Horites in their Mount Seir. That this signifies the persuasions of falsity that are from the love of self, is evident from the signification of “the Horites,” and from the signification of “Seir.” As regards the Horites, they were those who dwelt in Mount Seir, as is evident (Genesis 36:8) f (Genesis 36:20) rom Genesis 36:8, 20, etc., where Esau is spoken of, who is called Edom. By “Esau” or “Edom,” in the genuine sense, is signified the Lord as to His Human Essence; and He is also represented by Esau or Edom, as may be seen from many passages of the Word both historical and prophetical; concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. And as they who are in persuasions of falsity were represented by the Horites, and as at that time representatives came forth into actual realization, therefore the driving out of the Horites from Mount Seir by the descendants of Esau had a similar representation.

[2] Of this it is said in Moses:

That also is accounted a land of Rephaim; Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; and Jehovah destroyed them from before them, and they had them in possession, and dwelt in their place. As He did for the sons of Esau, that dwelt in Seir, in that He destroyed the Horites from before them; and they had them in possession, and dwelt in their place (Deuteronomy 2:20-22).

These things represent and signify the same as what is here related concerning Chedorlaomer, namely, that Chedorlaomer and the kings with him smote the Horites in Mount Seir; for by Chedorlaomer, as before said, are represented the Lord’s good and truth in His childhood, thus the Lord’s Human Essence in respect to good and truth at that time, by which He destroyed the persuasions of falsity, that is, the hells filled with such a crew of the devil, that attempted to destroy the world of spirits, and consequently the human race, by persuasions of falsity.

[3] And as Esau or Edom represented the Lord in respect to His Human Essence, Mount Seir also, and Paran represented the things that belonged to His Human Essence, namely, the celestial things of love. This is evident from the blessing of Moses:

Jehovah came from Sinai, and arose to them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came from the ten thousands of holiness; from His right hand was a fire of law unto them, yea, He loveth the peoples (Deuteronomy 33:2-3

that “Jehovah arose from Mount Seir, and shone forth from Mount Paran,” signifies nothing else than the Lord’s Human Essence. Everyone may know that to rise from Mount Seir, and to shine forth from Mount Paran, signifies neither mountains nor their inhabitants, but Divine realities, thus the celestial things of the Lord’s Human Essence, of which it is predicated that Jehovah arose and shone forth from it.

[4] That “Seir” has this signification is evident from the Song of Deborah and Barak, in the book of Judges:

O Jehovah, when Thou wentest forth out of Seir, when Thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped drops, the clouds also dropped waters, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah the God of Israel (5:4-5); where to “go forth out of Seir,” and to “depart out of the field of Edom,” have no other signification.

[5] This is even more manifest in the prophecy of Balaam (who was one of the sons of the east, or from Syria, where there was a remnant of the Ancient Church), as given in Moses:

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh; there shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise up out of Israel, and Edom shall be an inheritance, Seir also shall be an inheritance, belonging to His enemies (Numbers 24:17-18); where “to see Him, but not now,” to “behold Him, but not nigh,” is the Lord’s coming into the world; whose Human Essence is called “a star out of Jacob,” which is to arise, and also “Edom,” and “Seir”; that Edom and Seir were not to be the inheritance, is plain to everyone. That “Seir, belonging to His enemies,” or the mountain of His enemies, should be an inheritance, means the same as in many other places, where it is said that the enemies were to be expelled, and their land possessed.

[6] That Mount Paran also, or El-paran, named in this verse, signifies the same, is evident likewise in Habakkuk:

God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His honor covered the heavens, and the earth was filled with His praise (Hab. 3:3).

But it is to be known that mountains and lands have and take a signification from those who inhabit them; from the Horites when the Horites dwelt there; and when these were expelled, from those who expelled them, as from Esau or Edom, and also from other sources; and therefore the signification exists in two senses, the genuine and the opposite; in the genuine the places in question denote the Lord’s Human Essence; in the opposite, the love of self. The Lord’s Human Essence is celestial love itself, and the opposite to celestial love is the love of self. So the Horites here signify the persuasions of falsity from the love of self.

[7] There are persuasions of falsity from the love of self, and there are persuasions of falsity from the love of the world; the persuasions that are from the love of self are most foul; but the persuasions from the love of the world are not so foul. The persuasions of falsity from the love of self are opposite to the celestial things of love; but the persuasions of falsity from the love of the world are opposite to the spiritual things of love. Persuasions from the love of self carry with them a desire to exercise command over all things; and so far as restraints are relaxed to them, they rush on, even to desire to exercise command over the universe, and even over Jehovah Himself, as has been shown. Therefore persuasions of this kind are not tolerated in the other life. But persuasions from the love of the world do not rush on so far; but only to the insanity of not being contented with one’s lot. They vainly affect a heavenly joy, and desire to appropriate the goods of others, but not so much with the disposition to exercise command. But the differences that exist among these persuasions are innumerable.