Arcana Coelestia #4715
4715. 'And he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron' means going forth from the Divine Natural and Sensory degrees. This is clear from the meaning of 'being sent' as going forth and teaching, dealt with above in 4710; from the meaning of 'a valley' as things that are low, dealt with in 1723, 3417; and from the meaning of 'Hebron' as the Lord's Church as regards good, dealt with in 2909. The words used at this point accordingly mean that it was to teach the lower things of the Church, for the reason that people would not grasp the higher ones. Indeed one who teaches faith and not charity cannot possibly discern the higher and more internal things of the Church since he does not possess the wherewithal that leads him to see and lays down for him whether a particular idea is part of faith or is the truth. But if he teaches charity he is in that case in possession of good. Good lays down the truth for him and leads him, for all truth stems from good and has to do with good; or what amounts to the same, every aspect of faith stems from charity and has to do with charity. The fact that everything taught by doctrine has regard to life anybody can recognize from natural enlightenment alone.
[2] The meaning 'going forth from the Divine Natural and Sensory degrees' carried by the words used here is their higher meaning. For the expression 'lower things of the Church' is used to describe those which have their origin in the Lord's Divine Natural and Sensory degrees. Not that within the Lord these things are lower ones - for within the Lord and within His Divine Human everything is Infinite, indeed He is Jehovah as regards both Essences, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023. Those things are lower because of what the situation is with man. People who are sensory-minded rely on ideas as grasped by the senses to think of things which exist within the Lord and which go forth from the Lord, and those who are natural-minded rely on natural ideas. The nature of the recipients is the reason for the way any matter is stated. People however who are heavenly-minded and are as a consequence truly rational do perceive interior things. These are the ones of whom it is said that they teach from the Lord's Divine Rational. This, as has been stated, is the higher meaning which these words carry.
[3] The meaning of 'a valley' as the lower things of the Church may be seen from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
The prophecy of the valley of vision. What is this, that you have gone up, every one onto the housetops? The Lord Jehovih Zebaoth has a day of tumult and of trampling and of confusion in the valley of vision. Isaiah 22:1, 5.
'The valley of vision' stands for false notions about spiritual things - notions formed from sensory impressions, and so from lower things. In the same prophet,
The choicest of your valleys were filled with chariots, and the horsemen positioned themselves at the gate. Isaiah 22:7.
'The choicest of the valleys' stands for goods and truths within the natural or external man. In the same prophet,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah; make plain in the lonely place a highway for our God; every valley will be lifted up. Isaiah 40:3-4.
'Valley' stands for things that are lowly.
[4] In Jeremiah,
How will you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the baalim. Look at your way in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. Jeremiah 2:23.
'The valley' stands for factual knowledge and sensory impressions, which are lower things, by means of which they would pervert truths. In the same prophet,
I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, said Jehovah, you who say, Who will come down against us? Jeremiah 21:13.
'Inhabitant of the valley' and 'rock of the plain' stand for faith which has no charity in it. In the same prophet,
He who lays waste will come upon every city, and no city will escape; but the valley will perish, and the plain will be destroyed. Jeremiah 48:8.
Here the meaning is similar. In the same prophet,
You will not boast of valleys; your valley has flowed away, O perverse daughter. Jeremiah 49:4.
'Valley' stands for the external things within worship which are also the lowest.
[5] In Ezekiel,
I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of those that pass over. There they will bury Gog and all his multitude, from which they will call it the valley of the multitude of Gog. Ezekiel 39:11, 15.
'Gog' stands for those whose worship is external devoid of internal, 1151, which is why the expressions 'his grave', 'the valley of those that pass over', and 'the valley of his multitude' are used. In David,
Even when I walk in the valley of the shadow I will fear no evil. Psalms 23:4.
'The valley of the shadow' stands for lower things which, compared with others, are in shadow.
[6] Because valleys lay between mountains and hills and beneath them, 'valleys' therefore means the lower or more external things of the Church; for 'hills' and 'mountains' mean the higher or more internal things of it, 'hills' things of charity and 'mountains' those of love to the Lord, 795, 1430, 2722, 4210. And because 'the land of Canaan' means the Lord's kingdom and His Church, that Church is therefore called,
A land of mountain's and valleys, on the arrival of the rain of heaven it drinks water. Deuteronomy 11:11.
The reason Joseph is said at this point of have been sent out of the Valley of Hebron is that he was sent to those who taught about faith, 4705.
Those who are governed by faith, not by charity, adhere to lower things, for with them faith exists merely in the memory and consequently on the lips, not in the heart and consequently in action.
Luke 2
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Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
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This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
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All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
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Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
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to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
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It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.
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She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
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Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
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The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
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For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
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This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
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Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
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"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men."
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It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
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They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
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When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
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All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
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But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
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The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
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When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord
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(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"),
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and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
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Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
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It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
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He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law,
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then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
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"Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
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for my eyes have seen your salvation,
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which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
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a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."
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Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,
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and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
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Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
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There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
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and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn't depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day.
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Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
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When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
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The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
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His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
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When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,
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and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn't know it,
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but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
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When they didn't find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
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It happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
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All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
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When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you."
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He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"
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They didn't understand the saying which he spoke to them.
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And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
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And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
