3085. These two verses describe the affection for truth - its origin, its nature, and the initial stage of its introduction. Its origin is described by the words 'Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother'. These words convey in the internal sense the whole origin of that affection, see 3077, 3078. Its nature is described by the words 'her pitcher was on her shoulder', and 'the girl was very good looking'. These words describe its nature, see 3079-3081. The initial stage of its introduction is described by the words 'she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher, and went up', as may be seen in 3082-3084. But these considerations, as stated above, are beyond the grasp not only of any ordinary human intellect but also of one that is more advanced. For such is the nature of the things contained in the internal sense in this chapter and in some of those that follow.

[2] The reason for this is that the idea can hardly enter anyone's head that there is a constant Divine influx by way of the internal man into the external man - that is, the idea that celestial and spiritual things flow by way of the rational man into the natural man, or what amounts to the same, into the natural things belonging to the external. Also, the idea that by means of that influx truths are constantly being summoned out of the natural man, raised up, and implanted in the good that is present in the rational can hardly enter in. And if not even these things are known to take place, what possibility is there of anyone knowing how the whole process takes place, a process involving wisdom so great, as it is from the Divine, that not the tiniest fraction can ever be explored? Only its most general aspects can be seen.

[3] This therefore being so, let no one be surprised that the things present here in the internal sense cannot be described intelligibly, and the things which are described are beyond human comprehension, for they have reference to and describe that process. Furthermore the internal sense exists chiefly for angels, to the end that by means of the Word communication may exist between heaven and man; and to the angels these things are among such as give them great delight, because food in heaven consists of everything that constitutes intelligence and wisdom. And to them the blessedness of wisdom and intelligence consists in whatever has the Lord as its subject.

6620. From all this one may now know that every item in the Word also holds infinite details within it, for the Word has come down from the Lord by way of heaven. Yet to those whose ideas are closed it seems to be utterly simple, without complexity. I once talked about this matter to spirits who refused to accept that anything lies concealed inwardly in the Word. I said that things infinite and indescribable were present within it that are indiscernible by those who possess ideas that are closed. As a consequence, I said, such people accept nothing else than the literal sense, which they interpret to suit their own pre-conceived ideas and own desires, and in so doing they block off access to what lies concealed within the Word; and as for any ideas they do have, they either rid themselves of them or lock them away. What an idea looks like when it is closed, and what it looks like when open, was also demonstrated at this time; for this is easy to demonstrate in the light of heaven. A closed idea appeared looking like a black spot in which nothing else could be seen; but an open idea looked like an area of light in which there was so to speak a fiery glow towards which every particular thing there was directed. The fiery glow represented the Lord, and the things looking towards it represented heaven. It was said that every idea received from the Lord contains an image of the entire heaven, because it comes from Him who is heaven.