4302. And he halted upon his thigh. That this signifies that truths were not yet disposed into such an order that all together with good might enter into celestial spiritual good; is evident from the signification of “halting,” as being to be in good in which there are not yet genuine truths, but general ones into which genuine truths can be insinuated, and such as do not disagree with genuine truths (of which hereafter). But in the supreme sense, in which the Lord is treated of, by “halting upon the thigh” is signified that truths had not yet been disposed into such an order that all together with good might enter into celestial spiritual good. (That the “thigh” is celestial spiritual good may be seen above, n. 4277, 4278.)

[2] As regards the order in which truths must be when they enter into good (here celestial spiritual good), neither can this be set forth to the apprehension; for it must first be known what order is, and then what is the order of truths; also what celestial spiritual good is, and then how truths enter into it by means of good. Although these things should be described, they still would not be manifest except to those who are in heavenly perception, and by no means to those who are in natural perception alone. For they who are in heavenly perception are in the light of heaven from the Lord, in which light there is intelligence and wisdom. But they who are in natural light are not in any intelligence and wisdom, except insofar as the light of heaven flows into this light, and so disposes it that the things which are of heaven may appear as in a mirror, or in a certain representative image, in the things which are of natural light; for without the influx of the light of heaven, natural light presents nothing of spiritual truth to view.

[3] This only can be said respecting the order in which truths must be in order that they may enter into good—that all truths, like goods, both as to generals and as to particulars, and even as to the veriest singulars, in heaven are disposed into such an order that the one regards the other in such a form as do the members, organs, and viscera of the human body, or their uses, have mutual regard to one another, in general, also in particular, and likewise in the veriest singulars, and thus effect that all are a one. It is from this order in which truths and goods are disposed that heaven itself is called the Grand Man. Its life itself is from the Lord, who from Himself disposes all things in general and in particular into such order; and hence heaven is a likeness and an image of the Lord; and therefore when truths are disposed into such an order as that in which heaven is, they are then in heavenly order and can enter into good. The truths and goods with every angel are in such an order; and the truths and goods with every man who is being regenerated are also being disposed, into such an order. In a word, the order of heaven is the disposal of the truths that are of faith in the goods that are of charity toward the neighbor, and the disposal of these goods in the good that is of love to the Lord.

[4] That “to halt” denotes to be in good in which there are not yet genuine truths, but nevertheless general truths into which genuine truth can be insinuated, and such as do not disagree with genuine truths; and thus that the “lame” are those who are in good, but not in genuine good because of their ignorance of truth (that is, in such good as are the Gentiles who live in mutual charity), may be seen from those passages in the Word where the “lame” and the “halt” are mentioned in a good sense. As in Isaiah:

The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing (Isaiah 35:5-6).

In Jeremiah:

Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the sides of the earth, among them the blind and the lame one, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together (Jeremiah 31:8).

In Micah:

In that day, saith Jehovah, I will gather her that halteth, and I will assemble her that is driven, and I will make her that halteth for remains, and her that was driven a numerous nation; and Jehovah shall reign over them in the mountain of Zion, from henceforth and to eternity (Micah 4:6-7).

In Zephaniah:

At that time I will save her that halteth, and assemble her that was driven, and I will make them a praise and a name (Zeph. 3:19).

That in these passages by the “lame” and the “halt” are not meant the lame and the halt, may be seen by everyone, for it is said of them that they “shall leap,” “shall be assembled,” “shall be made for remains,” and “shall be saved;” but it is evident that those are signified who are in good and not so much in truths, as is the case with well-disposed Gentiles, and also with those of a similar nature within the church.

[5] Such are also meant by the “lame” of whom the Lord speaks in Luke:

Jesus said, When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind; then thou shalt be blessed (Luke 14:13-14).

And in the same:

The master of the house said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the lame, and the blind (Luke 14:21).

The Ancient Church distinguished into classes the neighbor or neighbors toward whom they were to perform the works of charity; and some they called “maimed,” some “lame,” some “blind,” and some “deaf,” meaning those who were spiritually so. Some also they called the “hungry,” the “thirsty,” “strangers,” the “naked,” the “sick,” the “captives” (Matthew 25:33-36); and some “widows,” “orphans,” the “needy,” the “poor,” and the “miserable;” by whom they meant no other than those who were such as to truth and good, and who were to be suitably instructed, led on their way, and thus provided for as to their souls. But as at this day charity does not make the church, but faith, what is meant in the Word by these persons is altogether unknown; and yet it is manifest to everyone that it is not meant that the maimed, the lame, and the blind are to be called to a feast, and that it was not commanded by the master of the house that such should be brought in, but that those are meant who are spiritually such; also that in every thing spoken by the Lord there is what is Divine, consequently a celestial and spiritual sense.

[6] Similar is the meaning of the Lord’s words in Mark:

If thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off; it is good for thee to enter into life lame, rather than having two feet to be cast into the gehenna of fire, into fire unquenchable (Mark 9:45; Matthew 18:8);

by the “foot which must be cut off” if it caused stumbling, is meant the natural, which is constantly opposing itself to the spiritual—that it must be destroyed if it attempt to impair truths; and thus that on account of the disagreement and dissuasion of the natural man, it is better to be in simple good, although in the denial of truth. This is signified by “entering into life lame.” (That the “foot” is the natural may be seen above, n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280)

[7] By the “lame” in the Word are also signified those who are in no good, and thence in no truth, as in Isaiah:

Then shall the prey that multiplieth be divided, the lame shall plunder the prey (Isaiah 33:23).

In David:

When I am halting they are glad and gather themselves together; the lame whom I knew not gather themselves together against me (Psalms 35:15).

And because such are signified by the “lame,” it was forbidden to sacrifice anything that was lame (Deuteronomy 15:21-22; Malachi 1:8, 13); and also that anyone of the seed of Aaron who was lame should discharge the office of the priesthood (Leviticus 21:18). It is similar with the lame as with the blind, for the “blind” in a good sense signify those who are in ignorance of truth, and in the opposite sense those who are in falsities (n. 2383).

[8] In the original language the “lame” is expressed by one word, and “he that halteth” by another, and by the “lame” in the proper sense are signified those who are in natural good into which spiritual truths cannot flow, on account of natural appearances and the fallacies of the senses; and in the opposite sense those who are in no natural good, but in evil, which altogether obstructs the influx of spiritual truth; whereas by “him that halteth,” in the proper sense, are signified those who are in natural good into which general truths are admitted, but on account of their ignorance, not particular and singular truths; and in the opposite sense, those who are in evil and thus do not admit even general truths.

2162. Wash ye your feet. That this signifies that [the Divine] should put on something natural, in order that, in the state in which the Lord then was, He might the better perceive, may be seen from the signification of “feet,” as being natural things, and also likewise from the series of things. That arcana here lie hidden may to some extent be seen from the fact that Abraham prayed the three men to take a little water and wash their feet, and to recline under a tree; when yet he knew that it was the Lord or Jehovah; and also from the fact that otherwise such things would not have been mentioned.

[2] That “feet” signify natural things, is evident from the representatives in the other life, and from the derivative representatives among the most ancient people, and thus in the Word. Celestial and spiritual things are represented by the head and its belongings; rational things and their belongings, by the breast and its belongings; natural things and their belongings, by the feet and their belongings. Hence it is that the “sole” and the “heel” of the foot signify the lowest natural things (concerning which see n. 259); and a “shoe” the lowest things of all, which are unclean (concerning which see n. 1748).

[3] Similar things are signified by the representations in the dreams and visions in the Prophets-as by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar,

The head of which was good gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay (Daniel 2:32-33),

where the “head” signifies celestial things, which are inmost, and are “gold” (as shown, n. 113, 1551, 1552); the “breast and arms” spiritual or rational things, which are “silver” (as shown, n. 1551); but the “feet” are the lower things, which are natural, the truths of which are signified by “iron,” and the goods by “clay” [argillum seu lutum]. That “iron” denotes truth, may be seen above (n. 425, 426); also that “clay” denotes good (n. 1300); in the present case both being natural. Such is the order of succession in the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and in the church which is the Lord’s kingdom on earth, and also in everyone who is a kingdom of the Lord.

[4] The case is similar with the vision that Daniel saw, of which it is said:

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the beryl [tarshish], and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like the brightness of burnished brass (Daniel 10:5-6).

Specifically, by these words are signified the interiors of the Word as to goods and truths; the “arms” and “feet” are its exteriors, which are the sense of the letter, because natural things are therein, for the exterior things of the Word are taken from natural things. What each part signifies besides, namely, the loins, body, face, eyes, and the many other things of man, is evident from the representatives in the other life, concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said when we come to treat of the Grand Man, which is the Lord’s heaven, and of the derivative representatives in the world of spirits.

[5] That which we read concerning Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders-that “they saw the God of Israel, under whose feet there was as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as it were the substance of heaven as to purity” (Exodus 24:9-10)—signifies that they saw only the externals of the church represented in natural things; and also the literal sense of the Word, in which likewise external things are represented by natural things-as before said-which are the “feet under which was as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as it were the substance of heaven.” That it was the Lord who was seen by them, but only in those lower or natural things, is evident, for He is called “the God of Israel,” whom all things of the church represented, and all things of the Word in the internal sense signified. For the Lord is presented to view in accordance with the things which are at the time signified-in John, as a Man upon a white horse, when He signified the Word, as is plainly said (Revelation 19:11, 13).

[6] The animals seen by Ezekiel, which were cherubs, are described as to celestial and spiritual things-among other representatives-by their faces and wings, but as to natural things, as follows:

Their feet, a straight foot; and the sole of their feet as the sole of a calf’s foot; and they glittered like the brightness of burnished brass (Ezekiel 1:7).

The feet (that is, the natural things) are said to have “glittered like burnished brass,” for the reason that “brass” signifies natural good (n. 425, 1551). It was much the same with the Lord’s appearance to John as the “Son of man:”

Whose eyes were as a flame of fire, and His feet like unto burnished brass (Revelation 1:14-15; 2:18).

[7] That the “feet” signify natural things, may be further evident from the passages that now follow.

In John:

I saw a strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud, and a rainbow about his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire; and he had in his hand a little book open; and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth (Revelation 10:1-2).

By this angel there is in like manner signified the Word; the quality of which in the internal sense is signified by the “rainbow about his head,” and by “his face being as the sun;” but the external sense, or that of the letter, by the “feet.” The “sea” denotes natural truths, the “earth” natural goods, which shows what is signified by his putting “his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth.”

[8] A “footstool” is mentioned in various passages of the Word; but it is not known what it signifies in the internal sense. As in Isaiah:

Jehovah said, The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is that house which ye will build unto Me? and where is that place of My rest? (Isaiah 66:1).

The “heavens” are the celestial and spiritual things (thus the inmost things) of both the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and of the Lord’s kingdom on the earth, that is, in the church, and also in every man who is a kingdom of the Lord or a church; thus they also denote celestial and spiritual things as regarded in themselves, which are those of love and charity and of the derivative faith; and thus are all things which are of internal worship, and in like manner all things which are of the internal sense of the Word: these are the “heavens,” and are called the Lord’s “throne.” But the “earth” is all lower things that correspond to these-as the lower rational and natural things, whereof also things celestial and spiritual are predicated from correspondence; such as are the things which are in the lower heavens, also those in the church and in external worship, and in the literal sense of the Word; in short, all such things as proceed from things internal and are presented in things external-these, being natural things, are called the “earth” and the Lord’s “footstool.” (What “heaven and earth” denote in the internal sense, may be seen above, n. 82, 1733; also what the “new heaven and the new earth” denote, n. 2117, 2118 end ; and that man is a little heaven, n. 911, 978, 1900)

[9] In like manner in Jeremiah:

The Lord covereth the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger; He hath cast down from the heavens unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and hath not remembered His footstool in the day of His anger (Lam. 2:1).

Also in David:

Exalt ye Jehovah our God, and bow yourselves down at His footstool, Holy is He (Psalms 99:5). And again:

We will enter into His tabernacles, we will bow down at His footstool (Psalms 132:7).

In the Representative Church-thus among the Jews-it was supposed that the house of God and the temple were His footstool, for they knew not that external representative worship was signified by the house of God and the temple; and what the internals of the church were (which were signified by “heaven,” or God’s “throne”), they were utterly ignorant of.

[10] Again:

The saying of Jehovah unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool (Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:42-45; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43).

Here in like manner a “footstool” signifies natural things, both those which are sensuous, and those of memory-knowledge, and the derivative rational things of man, which are called “enemies” when they pervert worship, and do this from the literal sense of the Word, so that there is worship solely in externals, and either no internal worship, or else that which is filthy (see n. 1094, 1175, 1182). When things natural and rational are thus perverted and defiled, they are called “enemies;” but because, regarded in themselves, they have reference to internal worship-when this is restored, they become as before said a “footstool,” whether they are things of external worship, or of the literal sense of the Word.

[11] In Isaiah:

The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine, and the box together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet honorable (Isaiah 60:13),

where the subject is the Lord’s kingdom and church, the celestial-spiritual things of which are the “glory of Lebanon” (that is, the cedars), and its celestial natural things are the “fir-tree, the pine, and the box” (as also in the Word elsewhere), and thus the things which are of external worship; of which it is said, “I will make the place of My feet honorable;” and this cannot be made honorable by the fir, the pine, and the box, but by the things which they signify.

[12] That the “feet” signify these things, is evident also from the representatives in the Jewish Church-as from Aaron and his sons washing their hands and their feet before entering into the tabernacle (Exodus 30:19-20; 40:31-32). No one can fail to see that arcana were thus represented, for what is the washing of the hands and feet but an external affair which is of no avail unless the internal is clean and pure? Nor can the internal be cleaned and purified by such a washing. But as all the rites of that church were significative of internal things, which are celestial and spiritual, such is the case here also: it is cleanness of external worship that is here signified, and external worship is clean when there is internal worship within it. Hence their lavers were of brass, and also that great laver that was called the brazen sea, and the ten smaller lavers of brass around the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7:23, 38); because “brass” represented the good of external worship, which is the same as natural good (concerning which signification of “brass,” see n. 425, 1551).

[13] In like manner it was a representative that,

A man of the seed of Aaron in whom there was a fracture of the foot or a fracture of the hand, should not approach to offer the offering made by fire to Jehovah (Leviticus 21:19, 21).

By those who had a “fracture” in the feet or hands were represented such as are in perverted external worship.

[14] That “feet” signify natural things, is further evident in other passages that occur in the Prophets, as in these propheticals in Moses:

Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be accepted of his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil; the iron and brass of thy shoe (Deuteronomy 33:24-25).

No one can understand these words unless it is known what “oil,” the “foot,” “iron,” “brass,” and a “shoe” signify in the internal sense. That “foot” is the natural, and “shoe” the still lower natural, such as is the corporeal sensual, may be seen above (n. 1748); also that “oil” is the celestial (n. 886), “iron” natural truth (n. 425, 426), and “brass” natural good (n. 425, 1551), which shows what these words involve.

[15] In Nahum:

The way of Jehovah is in the storm and tempest, and the clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3),

where the “dust of the feet” signifies the natural and corporeal things with man, whence come the “clouds.” The same also is signified by these words in David:

Jehovah bowed the heavens, and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet (Psalms 18:9).

[16] When the goods and truths of faith are perverted by means of natural light, as it is called, this is described in the Word by the “feet” and “hoofs” of a beast, whereby waters are disturbed, and food is trampled upon. As in Ezekiel:

Thou hast come forth into the rivers, and hast troubled the waters with thy feet; and trampled the streams thereof. I will destroy every beast thereof from off many waters; and the foot of man shall not trouble them any more, nor the hoof of beast (Ezekiel 32:2, 13).

Egypt is here treated of, by which are signified memory-knowledges [scientiae] (as has been shown, n. 1164, 1165, 1462); so that by the “feet” and “hoofs” by which the streams and waters are troubled are signified memory-knowledges [scientifica] derived from sensuous and natural things, from which they reason about the arcana of faith; nor do they believe until these arcana are comprehended by means of such knowledges; and this is not to believe at all, for the more such persons reason, the less do they believe (see n. 128-130, 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1385). From all this it is now evident that by “feet” in the Word are signified natural things; but what more is signified, is evident from the series of things.