3721. And this is the gate of heaven. That this signifies the ultimate wherein order closes, through which ultimate there is apparently as it were an entrance from nature, is evident from the signification of “gate” as being that through which there is going out and coming in. That this signifies the ultimate in which order closes, is because the natural which is represented by Jacob is treated of. (What is meant by “gate,” is evident from what was said and shown above, n. 2851, 3187; and that the natural is the ultimate of order is evident from what has been adduced, n. 775, 2181, 2987-3002, 3020, 3147, 3167, 3483, 3489, 3513, 3570, 3576, 3671.) That through this ultimate there is apparently as it were an entrance from nature, is because it is the natural mind in man through which the things of heaven (that is, of the Lord) flow and descend into nature; and through the same mind the things of nature ascend (n. 3702); but that the entrance is only apparently from nature through the natural mind into things interior, may be seen from what has been frequently stated and shown above.

[2] It appears to man that the objects of the world enter through his bodily or external senses, and affect the interiors; and thus that there is an entrance from the ultimate of order into what is within; but that this is a mere appearance and fallacy is manifest from the general rule that posterior things cannot flow into prior; or what is the same, lower things into higher; or what is the same, exterior things into interior; or what is still the same, the things which are of the world and of nature into those which are of heaven and of spirit; for the former are of a grosser nature, and the latter of a purer one; and those grosser things which are of the external or natural man come forth and subsist from those which are of the internal or rational man; and they cannot affect the purer things, but are affected by the purer things. How the case is with this influx, inasmuch as the very appearance and fallacy persuade altogether contrary to it, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told hereafter when treating on the subject of influx. From this then it is said that through the ultimate in which order closes, there is apparently as it were an entrance from nature.

1868. That these things are signified by these nations it would be too tedious to confirm from the Word; and there is no need to do so here, because they are merely named. Some of them have been treated of above; the “Rephaim” as signifying the persuasions of falsity (n. 567, 581, 1673); the “Amorite” as signifying evils (n. 1680); the “Canaanite” as signifying evils (above at verse 16); the “Perizzite” as signifying falsities (n. 1574). What is the specific signification of the other nations, shall of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told in what follows, as they occur.

[2] As regards the nations which are to be expelled from the Lord’s kingdom, the case is this. In the other life the evil and diabolical spirits desire nothing more than to come up into the world of spirits and infest the good spirits, but as often as they do so they are cast out, in like manner as in a man who is being regenerated the falsities and evils which have taken possession of him are subjugated and dissipated, and the goods and truths of the Lord’s kingdom are implanted in their place.

[3] These were represented by the nations that were expelled from the land of Canaan by the sons of Jacob; and the same were represented by the Jews themselves, who were afterwards expelled from the land. The same occurred with many nations of old that represented similar things, as the Horites who were driven from Mount Seir by the descendants of Esau (spoken of in Deuteronomy 2:12, 22); and the Avvim who were expelled by the Caphtorim (mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:23); also the Emim or Rephaim who were driven out by the Moabites (spoken of in Deuteronomy 2:9-11); and also the Zamzummim who were expelled by the Ammonites (mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:19-21); besides many others spoken of in the Prophets.