10533. Perchance I should consume thee in the way. That this signifies that if what is Divine were to flow in with this nation it would perish, is evident from the signification of “consuming,” as being to perish. That that nation would perish if what is Divine were to flow in with them, is evident, for it is said, “I will not go up in the midst of thee; perchance I should consume thee in the way.” The case herein is this. They who are in external things without what is internal, thus in the loves of self and of the world, cannot possibly receive anything Divine; and therefore the internal with them is kept closed. If the internal were opened with them, and what is Divine were to flow in, they would utterly perish; for their life is from the loves of self and of the world, and there is a perpetual opposition and contrariety between these loves and heavenly loves, and heavenly loves are what is Divine; and therefore their life would be extinguished by the influx of what is Divine. That the Israelitish nation was in external things without what is internal, thus was in these loves, has frequently been shown above.