7268. See, I have given thee a god to Pharaoh. That this signifies the law Divine, and its power over those who are in falsities, is evident from the signification of “giving thee a god,” as being the Divine truth, or what is the same, the Divine law, and also its power (for in the Word where truth is treated of, and also the power of truth, the name “God” is used, but where good is treated of, the name “Jehovah,” see n. 300, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3910, 3921, 4287, 4295, 4402, 7010); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities and infest (n. 6651, 6679, 6683). As to what further regards the signification of “God,” be it known that in the supreme sense “God” denotes the Divine which is above the heavens, but in the internal sense “God” denotes the Divine which is in the heavens. The Divine which is above the heavens is the Divine good, but the Divine in the heavens is the Divine truth; for from the Divine good proceeds the Divine truth, and makes heaven, and disposes it. For that which is properly called “heaven” is nothing else than the Divine formed there, because the angels who are in heaven are human forms recipient of the Divine, and constituting a common form, which is that of man.

[2] And because the Divine truth in the heavens is that which in the Word of the Old Testament is meant by “God,” in the original language God is called Elohim in the plural; and as the angels who are in the heavens are recipient of the Divine truth, they also are called “gods,” as in David:

Who in heaven shall compare himself to Jehovah? or shall be likened to Jehovah among the sons of the gods? (Psalms 89:6).

Give to Jehovah, O ye sons of the gods, give to Jehovah glory and strength (Psalms 29:1).

I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High (Psalms 82:6).

Jesus said, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? So He called them gods to whom the Word came (John 10:34-35).

And also in the passages where the Lord is called God of gods, and Lord of lords (Genesis 46:2-3; Deuteronomy 10:17; Numbers 16:22; Daniel 11:36; Psalms 136:2-3).

From all this it can be seen in what sense Moses is called a “god,” here a “god to Pharaoh,” and a “god to Aaron” (Exodus 4:16), namely, because Moses represented the Divine law, which is the Divine truth, and is called the “Word.” Hence also it is that Aaron is here called his “prophet,” and in a former passage his “mouth,” that is, one who utters in a form adapted to the understanding the Divine truth which proceeds immediately from the Lord, and which transcends all understanding. And as a “prophet” denotes one who teaches and utters Divine truth in a form adapted to the understanding, a “prophet” also denotes the doctrine of the church; of which in what now follows.

3296. And the elder shall serve the younger. That this signifies that for a time the good of truth should be inferior, is evident from the signification of the “elder,” as being good; from the signification of “serving,” as being inferior; and from the signification of the “younger,” as being truth. How the case herein is may be seen from what follows, where it is described under the representation of Esau and Jacob; for as before said by Esau is represented good, and by Jacob, truth. That there was struggling or combat concerning priority and dominion, is described in the internal sense by Jacob’s taking away from Esau the birthright, and also his blessing; yet that this was done only for a time is manifest from Isaac’s prophecy concerning Esau.

And upon thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck (Genesis 27:40).

[2] That these things have an internal sense, and that what they signify cannot be known without the internal sense (namely, what is signified by two nations being in the womb, and by two peoples being separated from the bowels, and by one people prevailing over the other, and the elder serving the younger), is evident; and that they signify what has been said, is evident from what follows, where much will be said on this subject. Moreover it can with difficulty be believed that these expressions involve such things unless it is known how the case is with good and truth, and concerning the birth of the one from the other, and the change of state in man when he is being regenerated. In the internal sense indeed the Lord is treated of, and here how He made His natural Divine; nevertheless in the representative sense the regeneration of man is also treated of; for man’s regeneration is an image of the Lord’s glorification (n. 3043, 3138, 3212); that is, in regeneration as in a certain image it appears how the Lord glorified His Human, or what is the same, made it Divine. For as the Lord altogether changed His human state into the Divine, so also in man, when He regenerates him, the Lord utterly changes the man’s state, for He makes his old man new.