9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

'Urim,' as in Isaiah 24:15, signifies the light from the divine truth proceeding from the Lord.

(参照: Arcana Coelestia 5922)

9325. There shall not be one miscarrying, or barren, in thy land. That this signifies that goods and truths will proceed in their order in continual progression, is evident from the signification of “not miscarrying, or being barren,” as being the progress of regeneration in its order, consequently that goods and truths will proceed in their order in continual progression (of which below); and from the signification of “in the land,” as being in the church (That “land” in the Word denotes the church, see n. 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2571, 2928, 3355, 3368, 3379, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732.) The reason why “the land” signifies the church, is that the land of Canaan is meant, where the church was, and where it had been from the most ancient times (n. 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 8317); and in the spiritual world when a land is mentioned, no land is perceived, but the quality of the nation therein in respect to religion. Therefore when “land” is mentioned in the Word, and the land of Canaan is meant, the church is perceived. From all this it can be seen what is meant in the prophetical parts of the Word by “a new heaven and a new land,” namely, the church internal and external (n. 1850, 3355, 4535); for there are internal men and external men.

[2] That by “there shall not be one miscarrying, or barren, in the land” is signified that goods and truths proceed in their order in continual progression, is because by all things belonging to birth are meant in the internal sense of the Word such things as belong to spiritual birth, thus to regeneration (n. 2584, 3860, 3905, 3915). The things that belong to spiritual birth or regeneration are the truths of faith and the goods of charity, for by means of these a man is conceived and born anew. That such things are signified by “births,” is plain from many passages in the Word, and openly from the words of the Lord to Nicodemus:

Jesus said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Nicodemus said, How can these things be? Jesus answered, Art thou a teacher in Israel, and knowest not these things? (John 3:3-6, 9-10);

“to be born of water and the spirit” denotes through the truths of faith and the good of love (see t he passages cited in n. 9274).

[3] That such things are signified in the Word by “births,” is from the correspondence of marriages on earth with the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth (of which correspondence see above, n. 2727-2759). But at the present day scarcely anyone knows, and perhaps scarcely anyone is willing to acknowledge, that love truly conjugial descends from thence, for the reason that earthly and bodily things are before the eyes, and these extinguish and suffocate all thought about such a correspondence. As love truly conjugial is from this source, therefore in the internal sense of the Word “births,” and “generations,” signify the things of the new birth and generation from the Lord. Hence also it is that “father,” “mother,” “sons,” “daughters,” “sons-in-law,” “daughters-in-law,” “grandsons,” and many other relations derived from marriages, signify goods and truths and their derivations, as frequently shown in these explications. From all this it can now be seen that by “there shall not be one miscarrying, or barren, in the land” is signified that goods and truths shall proceed in their order in continual progression.

[4] That “one miscarrying,” and “one barren,” signify what belongs to miscarriage and barrenness in a spiritual sense, namely, perversions of good and truth, and also vastations and denials of good and truth, is evident from the following passages:

Ephraim, when I have seen it even to Tyre, was planted in beauty; but Ephraim shall bring forth his sons to the slayer. Give them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. Because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house (Hos. 9:13-15);

unless it is known what is signified in the internal sense by “Ephraim,” “Tyre,” “a slayer,” “sons,” “a miscarrying womb,” and “dry breasts,” it cannot in the least be known what these prophetic words involve. That “Ephraim” denotes the intellect of the church, which is an intellect enlightened in respect to the goods and truths of faith derived from the Word, may be seen above (n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); and also that “Tyre” denotes the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201). From this it is plain what is signified by “Ephraim, when I have seen it even to Tyre, was planted in beauty.” That “a slayer” denotes one who deprives of spiritual life, that is, of the life from truth and good, may also be seen above (n. 3607, 6767, 8902); and that “sons” denote the truths of faith (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2813, 3373, 3704, 4257). From this it is plain what is signified by “Ephraim bringing forth his sons to the slayer.” That “the breasts” denote the affections of good and truth, may also be seen (n. 6432); consequently “breasts that are dry” denote no affections; but in their place evil desires to pervert. From this it is plain what is meant by “a miscarrying womb,” namely, the perversion of good and truth. That all these expressions signify things of spiritual life is evident, for it is declared, “because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house.” “Out of the house of Jehovah” denotes out of the church and of heaven (n. 2233, 2234, 3720, 5640).

[5] In Malachi:

I will rebuke the devourer for you, that he may not spoil for you the fruit of the land; neither shall the vine in the field miscarry for you. All nations shall proclaim you blessed; and ye shall be a well-pleasing land (Malachi 3:11-12);

by “the vine in the field not miscarrying” is signified that the truths and goods of faith with those who are in the church shall proceed in their order; for “the vine” denotes the truth and good of the spiritual church (n. 1069, 6375, 6376, 9277); and “the field” denotes the church (n. 2971, 3766, 7502, 9139, 9295). “A well-pleasing land” denotes a church that is pleasing to the Lord; for everyone within the church who has been regenerated through truth and good is a church; which shows what is meant by “ye shall be a well-pleasing land.” (That “land” denotes the church, may be seen above.)

[6] In Moses:

If ye hearken to My judgments to keep and do them, thou shalt be blessed above every people; there shall not be in thee, nor in thy beast, any male unfruitful, or any female barren. Jehovah will take away from thee all sickness, and all the evil diseases of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:12, 14-15).

That “there shall not be any male unfruitful, or any female barren” denotes not any without life from truth and good; thus that they shall be spiritually alive. As “barren” had this signification, the women in the ancient churches deemed themselves devoid of life when they were barren; as did Rachel, who thus spoke of herself to Jacob:

Rachel saw that she did not bear to Jacob, and she said to Jacob, Give me sons, and if not, I am dead (Genesis 30:1. 3908).

[7] By “the barren” are also signified those who are not in good because not in truths, and yet long for truths that they may be in good; as is the case with upright nations outside the church; as in Isaiah:

Sing, O barren, that didst not bear; break forth into singing and shout for joy, that didst not bring forth; for more are the sons of her that is desolate than the sons of her that is married (Isaiah 54:1).

Jehovah raiseth up the worn one out of the dust, He exalteth the needy one from the dunghill; to place him with the prince of his people. He maketh her that is barren to keep house, a glad mother of sons (Psalms 113:7-9).

[8] In the prophecy of Hannah after she had borne Samuel:

The full have hired themselves out, and the hungry have ceased; until the barren one hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed (1 Samuel 2:5).

In the above passages by “the barren” are meant the Gentiles who are summoned to the church, and to whom the church is transferred when the old church ceases, that is, when those who before had been of the church are no longer in faith, because in no charity. This church is what is meant by “her that hath many children and hath failed,” and also by “her that is married,” in the passage from Isaiah. But the other church, that is, the new church of the Gentiles, is meant by the “barren one” and “her that is desolate” who shall have many sons, and also by “her that is barren keeping house, a glad mother of sons.” “To bear seven” denotes to be regenerated to the full; for “seven” there does not mean seven, but to the full (see n. 9228). From all this it is evident what is meant by the following words of the Lord:

The days come in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not brought forth, and the breasts that have not given suck (Luke 23:29); where the subject treated of is the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the church.

[9] In the second book of Kings:

The men of Jericho said unto Elisha, Behold the situation of this city is good; but the waters are evil, and the land is barren. Then Elisha said that they should put salt in a new cruse, and should cast the salt therefrom at the outlet of the waters; and the waters were healed, neither came there any more death or barrenness (2 Kings 2:19-21).

No one can know what these words infold within them except from the internal sense; for all the miracles related in the Word infold within them such things as are in the Lord’s kingdom, or in the church (n. 7337, 7465, 8364, 9086); and therefore it is necessary to know what was represented by Elisha, what was signified by the city of Jericho, what by the evil waters and the barren land, what by a new cruse and the salt in it, and also what by the outlet of the waters into which they were to cast the salt. That Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, see n. 2762; that “waters” signify the truths of faith, n. 28, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 6346, 7307, 8137, 8138, 8568; thus “evil waters” signify truths without good, and “a barren land” signifies the good of the church consequently not alive; “a new cruse,” that is, a new vessel, signifies knowledges of good and truth (n. 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318); “salt” signifies the longing of truth for good (n. 9207); “the outlet of the waters” signifies the natural of man which receives the knowledges of truth and good, and which is amended by the longing of truth for good.

[10] From all this it is evident that this miracle infolded within it the amendment of the church and of the life by the Lord through the Word, and through the consequent longing of truth for good; which amendment is effected when from such a longing the man’s natural receives truths from the Word. That this took place near the city of Jericho, was because this city was situated not far from the Jordan; and by “the Jordan” is signified that in the man of the church which first receives truths, thus the natural (n. 1585, 4255). That it is man’s natural which first receives truths out of the Word from the Lord, and that it is the last to be regenerated, and that when it has been regenerated, the whole man is regenerated, was signified by the Lord’s words to Peter, when He washed the disciples’ feet:

Jesus said, He that is washed needeth not save to have his feet washed, and is clean every whit (John 13:10);

(that the “feet” denote the things of the natural man, and in general the natural itself, see n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328). (That for a man to be regenerated, the natural or external man must be in correspondence with the spiritual or internal man; thus that he is not regenerate until the natural has been regenerated, see n. 2850, 3167, 3286, 3321, 3470, 3493, 3508, 3509, 3518, 3573, 3576, 3579, 3620, 3623, 3671, 3882, 3969, 4353, 4588, 4612, 4618, 5168, 5326, 5373, 5651, 6299, 6454, 7442, 7443, 8742-8747, 9043, 9046, 9061)