9390. 'And he sent boys of the children of Israel' means those things that belong to innocence and charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'boys of the children of Israel' as things which belong to innocence and charity among members of the Church. For 'sucklings', 'young children', and 'boys' mean those who have innocence and charity, or in the abstract sense, without reference to persons, those things which belong to innocence and charity, 430, 5236; and 'the children of Israel' means members of the Church, or in the abstract sense, without reference to persons, the Church itself, 9340.
Arcana Coelestia #9320
9320. 'For you shall utterly destroy them' means that evils must be completely removed. This is clear from the meaning of 'destroying' - when it has reference to evils and falsities, meant by the nations of the land of Canaan and their gods - as removing. The reason why 'destroying' means removing is that those governed by goodness and truth never destroy those ruled by evil and falsity, but merely move them away. This they do because good, not evil, governs their actions, and good comes from the Lord, who never destroys anyone. Those ruled by evil however and consequently by falsity try to destroy, and so far as they can they do destroy those governed by good. This they do because evil rules their actions. But since, when they try to do so, they make their attack on good which comes from the Lord, thus on what is of God, they destroy themselves, that is, they hurl themselves into damnation and into hell. Such is the law of order. And why it is such, see 4299, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7926, 7989, 8137, 8146, 8265, 8945, 8946.
[2] The reason why the Israelites and Jews were to destroy the nations of the land of Canaan was that they themselves represented spiritual and heavenly realities, while the nations represented hellish and devilish things, which can never exist together with those realities since they are opposites. The reason why they were allowed to destroy the nations was that no Church existed among them, only a representative of the Church, so that the Lord was not present among them either except through things of a representative nature, 4307. For they were interested in outward forms but not their inner substances, that is, in the worship that represented goodness and truth but not goodness and truth themselves. People like this are allowed to destroy, kill, and consign to slaughter and complete destruction. But people who are interested in outward forms and at the same time in their inner substance are not allowed to do those things, since their actions must be governed by good, and good comes from the Lord.
[3] The fact that the Jews and Israelites were such is declared explicitly by Moses,
Do not say in your heart, when Jehovah your God has thrust out the nations before you, Because of my righteousness Jehovah has brought me in to possess this land. It is not because of your righteousness and because of the uprightness of your heart; for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:4-6.
And elsewhere,
They are a nation from whom counsel has perished, nor is there intelligence in them. From the vine of Sodom comes their vine, and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison, they have clusters of bitterness. The poison of snakes (draco) is their wine, and the cruel poison of asps. Is not this hidden away with Me, sealed up in My treasuries? Deuteronomy 32:28, 32-34.
'The vine' in the internal sense means the Church, 1069, 5113, 6375, 6376, 9277; 'grapes' and 'clusters' mean the internal forms and the external forms of that Church's good, 1071, 5117, 6378; and 'wine' means that Church's internal truth, 1071, 1798, 6377. From this one may see what is meant by the assertions that their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah, that their grapes are grapes of poison and clusters of bitterness, and that their wine is the poison of snakes and the cruel poison of asps. The fact that all this was known to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, is meant by the remarks about its being hidden away with Him and sealed up in His treasuries.
[4] In John,
Jesus said to the Jews, You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth. John 8:44.
This is why they are called a wicked and adulterous generation, Matthew 12:39, as well as a brood of vipers, Matthew 3:7; 12:34; 23:33; Luke 3:7. That they were like this is also described by the Lord in His parables in Matthew 21:33-45; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 14:16-24; 20:9ff.
Regarding that nation, that it was the worst nation; that in their worship they were interested in outward forms but not their inner substance; that no Church existed among them, only a representative of the Church; but that nevertheless they were able to represent the internal realities of the Church, see 3398, 3479, 3480, 3732 (end), 3881 (end), 4208, 4281, 4288-4290, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4317, 4429, 4433, 4444, 4500, 4503, 4680, 4815, 4818, 4820, 4825, 4832, 4837, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4899, 4903, 4911-4913, 5057, 5998, 6304, 6832, 6877, 7048, 7051, 7248, 7401, 7439, 8301, 8588, 8788, 8806, 8814, 8819, 8871, 8882, 9284.
John 16
1
"These things have I spoken to you, so that you wouldn't be caused to stumble.
2
They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
3
They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4
But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn't tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
5
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
6
But because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart.
7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the Counselor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8
When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;
9
about sin, because they don't believe in me;
10
about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won't see me any more;
11
about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
12
"I have yet many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now.
13
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
14
He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you.
15
All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.
16
A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me."
17
Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you won't see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;' and, 'Because I go to the Father?'"
18
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."
19
Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, "Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, 'A little while, and you won't see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?'
20
Most certainly I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
21
A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn't remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.
22
Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
23
"In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
24
Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
25
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
26
In that day you will ask in my name; and I don't say to you, that I will pray to the Father for you,
27
for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
28
I came out from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father."
29
His disciples said to him, "Behold, now you speak plainly, and speak no figures of speech.
30
Now we know that you know all things, and don't need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came forth from God."
31
Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32
Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33
I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world."
