6649. 'And the land was filled with them' means even to the point at which the Church was complete. This is clear from the meaning of 'being filled' as that which is complete; and from the meaning of 'the land' as the Church, dealt with in 82, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1411, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577. 'The land of Goshen' where the children of Israel now were means the Church. The fact that this was where the Church was before the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan is clear from what follows - from the absence there of the plagues which occurred elsewhere in Egypt, and also from the presence of light there while darkness reigned elsewhere, Exodus 10:21-23, making that territory entirely separate from all other territories in Egypt. The same fact is also clear from the consideration that 'the land of Goshen' means the middle or inmost part of the natural, 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068, and so means the Church since the spiritual Church exists in the inmost part of the natural.

6028. 'To show [the way] before him to Goshen' means regarding the middle of the natural, that is to say, a communication regarding it. This is clear from the meaning of 'Goshen' as the middle, that is, the inmost part of the natural, dealt with in 5910. By the middle or inmost part of the natural is meant the best part there; for the best good exists in the middle, that is, in the centre or inmost part. Then surrounding it in every direction lie other grades of good, which follow a heavenly pattern and are positioned near to or further away from the best part in the middle in keeping with their degree of goodness. This is how different degrees of good are arranged into order with a regenerate person. But with the evil the grossest evils exist in the middle and all good is banished to the outermost parts, where it is constantly being pushed right outside. This pattern exists with evil persons in particular and in the hells in general, and is accordingly the hellish pattern. From what has now been said about the existence of the best part in the middle and other grades of good in order outside it one may see what is meant by a communication of the good of the Church with the internal celestial regarding the middle of the natural.