3693. And passed the night there, for the sun was set. That this signifies life in what is obscure, is evident from the signification of “night,” as being a state of shade (n. 1712); thus “passing the night” signifies living in this state; and from the signification of the “sun being set,” as being to be in what is obscure; for it is then “evening,” and that “evening” signifies that which is obscure, may be seen above (n. 3056). By that which is obscure is here meant obscurity of intelligence in respect to truth, and obscurity of wisdom in respect to good; for the light which the angels have from the Lord has within it intelligence and wisdom, and is also thence derived (see n. 1521, 1524, 1529, 1530, 3138, 3167, 3195, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3637, 3643); and therefore insofar as they are in light, so far they are also in intelligence and wisdom; but insofar as they are not in light, thus insofar as they are in shade, so far they are not in intelligence and wisdom (n. 2776, 3190, 3337). It is for this reason that in common speech “light” is predicated of the things of the understanding. Man is not aware of this reason, and therefore believes that these terms are used merely by way of comparison. Men use many other forms of expression that flow from a perception of such things as exist in the other life, in which they are as to their spirits, and that have been received in conversation because they are interiorly acknowledged, but are blotted out of notice by the things of the body, which are of such a nature as to extinguish the things of perception in which man’s interior man is.

[2] That in the Word the “setting of the sun” signifies the falsity and evil in which they are who have no charity and faith; thus that it signifies also the last time of the church, may be seen above (n. 1837); and also that it signifies obscurity in respect to those things which are of good and truth, such as exists with those who are in a degree more remote from Divine doctrinal things, may be seen above (n. 3691). That the “setting of the sun,” or the “sun being set,” has these significations, may be seen from the following passages in the Word.

In Micah:

Night unto you instead of vision; and darkness unto you instead of divination; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them (Micah 3:6);

“the sun shall go down upon the prophets” signifies that they have no longer any truth and understanding of truth; “prophets” denote those who teach the truths of doctrine (see n. 2534).

In Amos:

It shall come to pass in that day that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the day of light; and I will turn your feast into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation (Amos 8:9-10);

“to cause the sun to go down at noon” denotes obscurity as to truth with those who are in the knowledges of good and truth (that “noon” signifies a state of light, or of the knowledges of truth, see above, n. 1458, 3195).

[3] In Isaiah:

Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah shall be thine everlasting light (Isaiah 60:20); where the Lord’s kingdom is treated of; the “sun shall no more go down” denotes that they shall be in the life of good and in wisdom, because in the Lord’s celestial love and light; “the moon shall not withdraw itself” denotes that they shall be in the life of truth, and in intelligence, because in the Lord’s spiritual love and light. (That in the other life the Lord is a sun to the celestial angels, and a moon to the spiritual angels, and that hence they have wisdom and intelligence, see above, n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643.) From this it is evident what is meant in the internal sense of the Word by the rising” and “setting” of the sun.

[4] In David:

O Jehovah my God Thou art very great; Thou hast put on glory and honor; who covereth Himself with light as with a garment; He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain; he made the moon for appointed festivals; He knoweth the going down of the sun. Thou disposest the darkness that it may become night (Psalms 104:1-2, 19-20);

here in like manner the “moon” denotes intelligence, and the “sun” wisdom, from the Lord; the “going down of the sun” denotes the obscurity of each; “to dispose the darkness that it may become night,” signifies the moderating of a state of obscurity. That the angels have changes of state between the highest degree of light and a less degree, or between the highest degree of wisdom and a less degree, and that these changes of state are as the morning when the sun rises, and as midday when it is in its greatest altitude, and as the evening when it sets, and afterwards as morning again, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown elsewhere.

[5] In Joshua:

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border (Josh. 1:4); where there is described the extension of the land of Canaan, by which is signified in the internal sense the Lord’s kingdom (see n. 1607, 3038, 3481); (that the “river Euphrates” is one border of it, that is, of things spiritual and celestial, see above, n. 1866; and that the great sea” and the “going down of the sun” is another, by which is represented the ultimate, which is relatively obscure; also that all the borders and all the places in that land are representative, n. 1585).

[6] In Moses:

If in taking a pledge thou shalt take for a pledge thy neighbor’s garment, thou shalt restore it unto him before the sun goeth down; for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin, wherein he shall sleep (Exodus 22:26-27).

And again

If he be a poor man, thou shalt not lie down upon his pledge; thou shalt surely restore to him the pledge before the sun goeth down, and he shall bless thee, and it shall be righteousness unto thee before Jehovah thy God (Deuteronomy 24:12-13).

That in this law, as in all the rest, there is what is representative and significative of the Divine law, which is that of good and truth in the Lord’s kingdom, from which this law comes, is manifest from its particulars. That it contains as the very ground of the law that a man’s companions ought not to be deprived of external truths, which are the doctrinal things according to which they live, and their rituals; and that such truths are the “garment,” may be seen above (n. 297, 1073, 2576). “Restoring the pledge before the sun “went down,” denotes before truth perishes with him; and because this truth is external, it is said that “the garment is for his skin in which he shall sleep.”

[7] Again:

The soul that hath touched what is unclean shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat of the holy things; but when he has bathed his flesh in water, and the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterwards he shall eat of the holy things (Leviticus 22:6-7).

And again:

He that is not clean, toward evening shall bathe himself in waters; and when the sun is down, he shall enter into the midst of the camp (Deuteronomy 23:10-11).

That this law also has its origin in the laws of good and truth, or the laws of order in the Lord’s kingdom, is evident; otherwise it would never have been commanded that the unclean person should be unclean until the evening, and should then wash himself with waters, and after the sun was down should be clean. The law of order in the Lord’s kingdom from which the above law comes, is that when good and angelic spirits lapse into a state of the love of self, and thereby into a state of falsity, they are then remitted a little into their natural or lower state, and are there imbued with knowledges of good and truth that bear upon the matter in question, which is signified by “washing themselves with waters in the evening.” (That “washing with waters” denotes to be purified from falsities, may be seen above, n. 3147, 3148; and that “waters” are the knowledges of truth, n. 28, 680, 739, 2702, 3058.) And after they have been in that obscure state which is signified by the “going down of the sun,” they return into their former state, which is signified by their “being clean,” and “entering into the midst of the camp,” on which subject of the Lord’s Divine mercy something shall be said elsewhere from experience. From what has been said it is now evident that when mentioned in the Word the “going down of the sun” with the good signifies an obscure state as to truth; and with the evil a state of falsity.

1025. And with your seed after you. That this signifies those who are being created anew, is evident from the signification of “seed” and also from what follows. From the signification of “seed” inasmuch as “seed” signifies in the literal sense posterity, but in the internal sense faith; and since, as has been often said, there is no faith except where there is charity, it is charity itself which is meant in the internal sense by “seed.” From what follows it is evident that not only the man who is within the church is meant, but also the man who is without the church, thus the whole human race. Wherever there is charity, even among nations most remote from the church, there is “seed” for heavenly seed is charity. No man can do anything of good from himself, but all good is from the Lord. The good which the Gentiles do is also from the Lord, of whom, by the Divine mercy of the Lord, hereafter. That the “seed of God” is faith, has been shown before n. 255). By faith there, and elsewhere, is meant the charity from which is faith; for there is no other faith that is faith, than the faith of charity.

[2] It is the same also in other places in the Word where “seed” is named, as the “seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” by which is signified love or charity. For Abraham represented the celestial love, and Isaac the spiritual love, which are of the internal man. Jacob represented the same, but that of the external man. It is so not only in the prophetic, but also in the historic parts of the Word. The history in the Word is not perceived in heaven, but what is signified by it. The Word was written not only for man, but also for angels. When man reads the Word and takes from it nothing but the literal sense, angels then take not the literal, but the internal sense. The material, worldly, and corporeal ideas which man has when he reads the Word, become with angels spiritual and heavenly ideas-as when man reads about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the angels do not think at all of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but of what is represented and thus signified by them.

[3] So with Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the angels do not know of these persons, nor perceive anything else than the Ancient Church; and the interior angels do not even perceive the church, but the faith of that church, and according to the connection the state of the things treated of. Thus when “seed” is mentioned in the Word (as here the seed of Noah, that a covenant was made with them and with their seed after them), angels do not perceive such a posterity; for there was no Noah, but the Ancient Church was so called; and by “seed” angels understand charity, which was the essential of the faith of that church. And again when in the history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob their “seed” is spoken of, angels never understand the posterity of these men, but all in the universe, both in the church and out of it, in whom there is heavenly seed, or charity; and the interior angels perceive love itself—abstractedly—which is heavenly seed.

[4] That by “seed” is signified love, and also everyone in whom there is love, is evident from the following passages in Genesis:

And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land (Genesis 12:7);

and again:

All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed, forever; and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:15-16).

Those who are in the sense of the letter do not apprehend anything else than that by “seed” is meant the posterity of Abram, and by this “land” the land of Canaan, especially as this land was given to his posterity. But those who are in the internal sense, as is the whole heaven, by the “seed of Abram” perceive nothing else than love; by the “land of Canaan” nothing else than the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens and on the earth; and in the land’s being given them they perceive nothing but its representation, of which, by the Divine mercy of the Lord, elsewhere. And again it is said of Abram:

Jehovah led him forth abroad, and said, Look up now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be (Genesis 15:15).Here likewise Abram is named because he represented love, or saving faith; and by his “seed” no other posterity is meant, in the internal sense, than all in the universe who have love.

[5] Again:

And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee, and I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be to them for God; this is My covenant, which thou shalt keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee, that every male be circumcised unto you (Genesis 17:7-8, 10).

Here “establishing His covenant” likewise signifies the conjunction of the Lord with men throughout the universe by love, which love was represented by Abram. From this it is evident what is signified by his “seed” namely, all in the universe who have love. The covenant here treated of was circumcision, by which is never understood in heaven circumcision of the flesh, but circumcision of the heart, which those have who have love. Circumcision was a representative of regeneration by love, as is clearly explained in Moses:

And Jehovah thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live (Deuteronomy 30:6), from which it is evident what circumcision is in the internal sense; and therefore wherever circumcision is mentioned, nothing else is meant than love and charity, and the life therefrom.

[6] That by the “seed of Abraham” all in the universe who have love are signified, is evident also from the words of the Lord to Abraham and to Isaac. To Abraham, after he was willing to sacrifice Isaac as commanded, the Lord said:

In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall inherit the gate of thine enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 22:17-18), where it is plainly evident that by “seed” is meant all in the universe who have love.

[7] As Abraham represented celestial love, as already said, so Isaac represented spiritual love; and therefore by the “seed of Isaac” nothing else is signified than every man in whom there is spiritual love, or charity. Of him it is said:

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 26:3-4, 24), where it is manifest that all nations are meant who are in charity. Celestial love was represented by Abraham as the father of the spiritual love that was represented by Isaac; for the spiritual is born of the celestial, as shown above.

[8] As Jacob represented the externals of the church, which come forth from the internals, and thus all things springing in the external man from love and charity, by his “seed” is signified all in the universe who have external worship in which is internal, and who do works of charity in which there is charity from the Lord. Of this “seed” it was said to Jacob after he had seen the ladder in his dream:

I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the ground be blessed (Genesis 28:13-14; 32:12; 48:4).

[9] That such is the signification of “seed” is evident from the passages of the Word cited above n. 255); and also from the following.

In Isaiah:

But thou, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, My friend (Isaiah 41:8), where the subject is the regeneration of man; and, as is often the case, a distinction is made between Israel and Jacob, and by “Israel” is signified the internal spiritual church, by “Jacob” the externals of the same church, and both are called the “seed of Abraham” that is, of the celestial church, because the celestial, spiritual, and natural follow one another in succession.

In Jeremiah:

I had planted thee a wholly noble vine, a seed of truth; how then art thou turned into the degenerate ones of a strange vine unto Me? (Jeremiah 2:21).

This is said of the spiritual church, which is a “noble vine” whose charity, or faith of charity, is called a “seed of truth.”

[10] Again:

As the army of the heavens cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites that minister unto Me (Jeremiah 33:22), where “seed” plainly denotes heavenly seed, for by David is signified the Lord. That the seed of David was not as the army of the heavens that cannot be numbered, neither as the sand of the sea that cannot be measured, is known to everyone.

Again:

Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous offshoot, and He shall reign as king and shall act intelligently, and shall do judgment and righteousness in the land; in His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell confidently; and this is His name whereby He shall be called, Jehovah our righteousness; therefore behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that they shall no more say, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt but, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country (Jeremiah 23:5-8).

Here things very different from those appearing in the letter are signified. David is not meant by “David” nor Judah by “Judah” nor Israel by “Israel;” but by “David” is signified the Lord, by “Judah” what is celestial, by “Israel” what is spiritual; and therefore by “the seed of Israel” those who have charity, or the faith of charity.

[11] In David:

Ye that fear Jehovah, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and stand in awe of Him, all ye the seed of Israel (Psalms 22:23), where by “the seed of Israel” no other seed is meant than the spiritual church.

In Isaiah:

A seed of holiness is the stock thereof (Isaiah 6:13), meaning remains which are holy, because they are the Lord’s.

Again:

I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah a possessor of My mountains; and Mine elect shall possess it, and My servants shall dwell there (Isaiah 65:9), where the celestial church, external and internal, is treated of.

Again:

They shall not generate for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them (Isaiah 65:23),

where the subject is the new heavens and the new earth, or the kingdom of the Lord. Those who are therein, being “generated” from love, or regenerated, are called the “seed of the blessed of Jehovah.”