2325. And Lot saw. That this signifies the conscience, namely, of those who are in the good of charity but in external worship, may be seen from the signification of to “see.” To “see,” in the Word, signifies to understand ( n. 897, 1584, 1806, 1807, 2150); but in the internal sense it signifies to have faith, of which signification we shall speak, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, when we come to the 32nd verse. That to “see” here signifies conscience, is because those who have faith also have conscience. Faith is inseparable from conscience, so inseparable indeed that whether you say faith or conscience it is the same. By faith is meant the faith by means of which there is charity, and which is from charity, thus charity itself; for faith without charity is no faith; and as faith is not possible without charity, so neither is conscience.

2149. Behold three men standing over him. That this signifies the Divine Itself, the Divine Human, and the Holy proceeding, may be seen without explication; for it is known to everyone that there is a Trine, and that this Trine is a One. ¹ That it is a One is plainly evident in this chapter, to wit, in verse 3, where it is said, “He said, My Lord, if I pray I have found grace in Thine eyes, pass Thou not, I pray,” which words were addressed to the three men. And further, in verse 10, “And he said, Returning I will return unto thee.” In verse 13, “And Jehovah said unto Abraham.” In verse 15, “He said, Nay, but thou didst laugh.” In verse 17, “And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do?” In verse 19, “Because I have known him.” In verse 20, “And Jehovah said.” In verse 21, “I will go down, and I will see whether they have made a consummation according to the cry thereof which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.” In verse 23, Abraham said, “Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” In verse 25, “Be it far from Thee to do according to this thing; be it far from Thee.” In verse 26, “And Jehovah said, If I find fifty righteous I will spare the whole place for their sake.” In verse 27, “I have taken upon me to speak unto my Lord.” In verse 28, “Wilt Thou destroy the whole city for five? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.” In verse 29, “He added yet to speak unto Him; He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.” In verse 30, “Let not my Lord be angry; He said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.” In verse 31, “He said, I have taken upon me to speak unto my Lord; He said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.” In verse 32, “Let not I pray my Lord be angry; and He said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.” And in verse 33, “And Jehovah went when He had left off speaking to Abraham.” From all this it may be seen that by the three men who appeared to Abraham was signified the Divine Itself, the Divine Human, and the Holy proceeding; and that this Trine is in itself a One. In the internal sense the subject here treated of is Jehovah, in that He appeared to the Lord, and that the Lord perceived this; but not by an appearing such as there was to Abraham; for it is historically true that three men were seen by Abraham, but this represents the Divine perception, or the perception from the Divine which the Lord had when in the Human, which perception is treated of in what follows.

Note a piè di pagina: