2917. 'I will bury my dead from before me' means that He would emerge and rise up out of the night prevailing among them. This is clear from the meaning of 'burying' as rising again, dealt with immediately above in 2916, and from the meaning of 'one who is dead' as a state when shadow or night, which is the lack of knowledge, has fallen, also dealt with above in 2908, 2912, from which the Lord emerges and rises again with man when He is acknowledged. Previously He is enveloped in night because He does not appear. He rises again with every person who is being regenerated.

2908. 'Sarah died' means night as regards the truths of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'dying', 'one who has died', and 'death', when used in reference to the Church, as its final period when all faith, that is, charity, has breathed its last, for this period is called 'night' in various places in the Word, 221, 709, 1712, 2353, and 'dying' means ceasing to be what it once was, 494; and from the representation of 'Sarah' as Divine truth, dealt with above in 2904. From this it is evident that these things are meant here.