9340. 'And I will set your boundary from the Sea Suph even to the Sea of the Philistines' means the full range of truths from factual ones to interior truths of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'setting the boundary from one place to another', when it refers to spiritual truths, as the full range; from the meaning of 'the Sea Suph' as truths on the levels of the senses and of factual knowledge, which are the lowest levels of the human mind (the Sea Suph was the final boundary of the land of Egypt, and 'Egypt' means factual knowledge in both senses, that is, true factual knowledge and false, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7779 (end), 7926, 8146, 8148; in this instance true factual knowledge is meant since the subject is the full range of spiritual matters of faith among the children of Israel, who represented the spiritual Church, 4286, 4598, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805); and from the meaning of 'the Sea of the Philistines' as interior truths of faith. The reason why these truths are meant by 'the Sea of the Philistines' is that the sea where Tyre and Sidon lay was the boundary of the land of Philistia, and 'Tyre and Sidon' means cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 1201, while 'the land of Philistia' means the knowledge of interior matters of faith, 1197, 2504, 2726, 3463.

[2] Since 'the land of Canaan' represented the Lord's kingdom, which is heaven and the Church, all places in the land therefore meant such things as form part of the Lord's kingdom, or heaven and the Church, which things are called celestial and spiritual, and are connected with the good of love to the Lord and the truths of faith in Him. For this reason the seas and rivers which were boundaries meant the final limits there, and therefore 'from sea to sea' or 'from river to river' meant the full range of those things, as may be seen in 1585, 1866, 4116, 4240, 6516. From all this it becomes clear that 'the boundary from the Sea Suph even to the Sea of the Philistines' means the range of spiritual things, which are matters of truth, from external ones to internal, thus truths ranging from factual ones to interior truths of faith. But the range of celestial things, which are aspects of the good of love, is described next by the words 'from the wilderness even to the River'. The fact that places belonging to the land of Canaan, including seas and rivers, mean such things in the Word, has been shown in explanations everywhere.

[3] What the full range of truths from factual ones to interior truths of faith is must be stated briefly. Truths which exist in the external man are called factual ones, but truths which exist in the internal man are called interior truths of faith. Factual truths reside in a person's memory, and when they are brought out from there they pass into the person's immediate awareness. But interior truths of faith are truths of life itself which are inscribed on the internal man, but few of which show up in the memory. These however are matters which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of more fully elsewhere. Factual truths and interior truths of faith were meant in Genesis 1:6-7 by the waters under the expanse and the waters above the expanse, 24; for the first chapter of Genesis deals in the internal sense with the new creation or the regeneration of a member of the celestial Church.

[4] The reason why 'Philistia', which also bordered on the land of Canaan as far as Tyre and Sidon, meant the interior truths of faith was that there also the representative Ancient Church had existed, as is evident from the remnants of Divine worship among them which are alluded to in historical sections and prophetical parts of the Word in which the Philistines and the land of Philistia are the subject, such as - in the prophetical parts - Jeremiah 25:20; Jeremiah 47:1-end; Ezekiel 16:27, 57; 25:15-16; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:5; Zechariah 9:6; Psalms 56:1; ¹ 60:8; 83:7; 108:9. The situation with the Philistines was the same as it was with all the nations in the land of Canaan, in that they represented the Church's forms of good and its truths, and also evils and falsities. When the representative Ancient Church existed among them they represented celestial things which were aspects of good and spiritual things which were matters of truth. But when they fell away from true representative worship they began to represent devilish things which were aspects of evil and hellish things which were matters of falsity. This is the reason why 'Philistia', like all the other nations belonging to the land of Canaan in the Word, means either forms of good and truths, or else evils and falsities.

[5] The fact that interior truths of faith are meant by 'the Philistines' is clear in David,

Glorious things are to be spoken in you, O city of God. I will mention Rahab and Babel among those who know Me; also Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia. The latter was born here. ² Psalms 87:3-4.

'The city of God' means teachings presenting the truth of faith that are drawn from the Word, 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493, 5297; 'Tyre' means cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 1201, and so does 'Ethiopia', 116, 117. From this it is evident that 'Philistia' means knowledge of the truths of faith.

[6] In Amos,

Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to Me, O children of Israel? Did I not cause Israel to come up from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? Amos 9:7.

This refers to the corruption and destruction of the Church after it had been established. 'The children of the Ethiopians' here are those in possession of cognitions of goodness and truth, which they use to substantiate evils and falsities, 1163, 1164. 'The children of Israel from the land of Egypt' are those who had been brought to spiritual truths and forms of good by means of factual truths, 'the children of Israel' being people in possession of spiritual truths and forms of good, thus in the abstract sense spiritual truths and forms of good, see 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 7957, 8234, and 'the land of Egypt' being factual truth, as shown above. The same is meant by 'the Philistines from Caphtor' and by 'the Syrians from Kir', to whom they are therefore likened. 'The Philistines from Caphtor' are people who had been brought to interior truths by means of exterior ones, but who perverted them and used them to substantiate falsities and evils, 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413, 3762, 8093, 8096, 8099, 8313, whereas 'the Syrians from Kir' are those who were in possession of cognitions of goodness and truth, which they likewise perverted, 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112.

[7] In Jeremiah,

... because of the day that is coming to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that is left, for Jehovah is laying waste the Philistines, the remnants of the island of Caphtor. Jeremiah 47:4.

The subject in Jeremiah 47 is the laying waste of the Church's truths of faith, interior truths of faith being meant by 'the Philistines' and exterior truths by 'the remnants of the island of Caphtor'.

[8] In Joel,

What have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders of Philistia? Swiftly I will return your recompense upon your own head, inasmuch as you have taken My silver and My gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples. Joel 3:4-5.

'All the borders of Philistia' stands for all the interior and the exterior truths of faith; 'carrying silver and gold, and good and desirable treasures into their temples' stands for perverting truths and forms of good, and profaning them by putting them together with evils and falsities. For the meaning of 'silver and gold' as truths and forms of good, see 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 8932.

[9] In Obadiah,

At that time those in the south will be the heirs of the mountain of Esau, and of the plain of the Philistines, and they will become the heirs of the field of Ephraim; but Benjamin [will be the heir] of Gilead. Obad. verse 19.

This refers to the establishment of the Church; but spiritual things are implied by the names. 'Those in the south' are people who dwell in the light of truth, 1458, 3195, 3708, 5672, 5962; 'the mountain of Esau' is the good of love, 3300, 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576; 'the plain of the Philistines' is the truth of faith, 'the plain' being also that which constitutes matters of doctrine about faith, 2418; 'Ephraim' is the Church's power of understanding, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267; 'Benjamin' is the Church's spiritual-celestial truth, 3969, 4592, 5686, 5689, 6440; and 'Gilead' is the corresponding exterior good, 4117, 4124, 4747.

[10] In Isaiah,

He will gather the outcasts of Israel, and will assemble the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. They will fly down onto the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea, together they will plunder the sons of the east. Isaiah 11:12, 14.

Here 'Israel' and 'Judah' are not used to mean Israel and Judah; rather, 'Israel' means those who are governed by the good of faith, and 'Judah' those who are governed by the good of love. 'Flying down onto the shoulder of the Philistines' stands for receiving and taking into possession interior truths of faith; and 'plundering the sons of the east' stands for receiving and taking into possession interior forms of the good of faith, for 'the sons of the east' are people who are governed by forms of the good of faith and with whom cognitions or knowledge of good exists, 3249. 3762. For the meaning of 'plundering' as receiving and taking into possession, see what has been shown in 6914, 6917, regarding the plundering of the Egyptians by the children of Israel.

[11] Since 'the land of Philistia' meant knowledge of the interior truths of faith, and since Abraham and Isaac represented the Lord, and the sojourning of these two in places meant instruction received by the Lord in the truths and forms of the good of faith and love, which belong to God's wisdom, therefore - to provide a figurative representation of this - Abraham was commanded to sojourn in Philistia, Genesis 20:1-end, and so too was Isaac, Genesis 26:1-24. Therefore also Abimelech king of the Philistines made a covenant with Abraham, Genesis 21:22-end, and also with Isaac, Genesis 26:26-end. Regarding all this, see the explanations to those chapters.

Footnotes:

893. (Verse 12) Here is the patience of the saints. That this signifies the persecutions and temptations of those who are not in that faith, but in charity, is evident from the signification of patience, as denoting temptations (concerning which see above, n. 813); that persecutions also are denoted will be seen below; and from the signification of saints, as denoting those who are in truths from good (see n. 204); thus, those who are in charity. For those who are in truths from good are also in faith; but they know that charity and faith act as one, like good and truth, or like will and understanding, or like affection and thought. And because they act as one, faith with them is also charity. For whatever is thought from charity, because it pertains to charity, is essentially charity, although it is called faith as to its existence. For nothing can exist in thought, but that which is from some affection, and consequently belongs to affection, for this is as the esse, and thus as the life and soul of thought. It is the same with charity and faith. It follows, therefore, that faith cannot exist except from charity; also, that the quality of faith is entirely according to the charity. But more will be said upon this subject elsewhere.

[2] The persecutions of those who are in charity by those who are in faith separate from charity are not of such a nature at this day as to cause them to be banished and rejected from the communions of the Christian world, but to be reviled and condemned by those who are in faith alone. For no one who lives well, and says that to live well is necessary to salvation, can be banished and rejected, in whatever kingdom he may be. The reason is, that this entirely agrees with the Word, and that every one sees from rational light that he ought to live well. But still, they are condemned by those who are in faith alone as persons who cannot be saved, because of the merit in good works, and because of the works done from man not being good, with several things besides, by which they confirm justification and salvation by faith alone.

This is quite clear in the case of those who belong to the Moravian Communion. The Moravians more than others are defenders of a faith separate. They condemn those who do not hold this faith, so far as to assert that such persons are not living, but utterly dead; and that all those who, during their life, think of doing good from religion are cast out from heaven. Those who do not belong to that Communion, but are members of churches where works are rejected as not being a means of salvation, do not blaspheme in this way; but still they think in a sinister way about works; especially those who, by their writings and preaching, or by reasonings, have strongly confirmed themselves in justification by faith alone. These persecutions are meant here by patience; and also in chapter 12 of the Apocalypse, by

The dragon standing before the woman, who was about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth, he might devour her offspring; and afterwards persecuting the woman, and casting after her out of his mouth water as a flood, to cause her to be swallowed up by the flood; also by the dragon being angry with the woman, and going to war with the rest of her seed, who observe the commands of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (vers. 4, 15, 17).

Also by what is said concerning the beast (13:5, 6, 7, 15). That they also suffer persecutions because of the acknowledgment and confession of the Divine Human in the Lord will be seen in what follows.

[3] But as to temptations, here also meant by patience, they are spiritual temptations, which those undergo who receive genuine charity from the Lord; for they have to fight against the evils that are inherent in every man from his birth; and, in the case of some, against the falsities concerning faith alone which, from childhood, they have received from masters and preachers. These falsities and evils are removed by the combats of temptations. This is what is meant by the cross in the following passages:

Jesus said, "Whosoever doth not take up his cross, and follow after me, is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38; Luke 14:27).

Jesus said to his disciples, "If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).

In these passages by the cross are meant temptations, and by following the Lord, is meant to acknowledge His Divine and to do His precepts. That this is the meaning of following the Lord, may be seen above (n. 864). The reason why temptations are meant by the cross is, that the evils and the falsities therefrom, adhering to man from his birth, infest and consequently torment those who are natural while they are becoming spiritual. And because those evils and the falsities therefrom, which infest and torment, cannot be dispersed except by temptations, therefore these are signified by the cross. Therefore the Lord says, that they are to deny themselves, and take up the cross; that is, that they are to reject what is their own - the cross is man's proprium, against which he is to fight.

[4] Again:

Jesus said to the rich man, who asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life, "Thou knowest the commandments: thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not defraud; honour thy father and mother. He answering said, All these things have I kept from my youth. Jesus looked upon him, and loved him; yet he said unto him, One thing is wanting to thee; go sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, so shalt thou have treasure in the heavens, and come and follow me, taking up the cross" (Mark 10:17, 19-21).

Here also by following the Lord, and taking up the cross, things similar to the above are signified, that is, to acknowledge the Lord's Divine, and the Lord as the God of heaven and earth; for without this acknowledgment no one can abstain from evils, and do good, unless from himself and unless it be merit-seeking, the good that is good in itself, and not merit-seeking good, being solely from the Lord. If, therefore, the Lord is not acknowledged, and also if it is not acknowledged that all good is from Him, there can be no salvation. But, before any one can do [good] from the Lord, he must undergo temptations. The reason is, that, by temptations, man's internal, by which he is conjoined with heaven, is opened. Now because no one can do the commandments without the Lord, therefore the Lord said, One thing is wanting to thee; sell all that thou hast, and come and follow Me, taking up the cross; that is, he should acknowledge the Lord, and undergo temptations. That he should sell all that he had, and give to the poor, signifies, in the spiritual sense, that he should put away from himself and reject what is his own; thus, the same is signified as by self-denial, in the passages quoted above. And by giving to the poor, in the spiritual sense, is signified to do the works of charity. The reason why the Lord thus spoke to him was, that he was rich; and riches, in the spiritual sense, signify the knowledges of good and truth, and, in the case of this man, who was a Jew, the knowledges of evil and falsity, because they were traditions. It is therefore evident that the Lord there and elsewhere spoke by correspondences.

[5] Temptations, also, are signified by the cup of which they were to drink:

Jesus said unto James and John, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup which I shall drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said, We are able. And Jesus said to them, Ye shall indeed drink the cup which I shall drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared" (Mark 10:38-40).

By drinking the cup which the Lord drank, is signified the same as above by the cross, that is, to undergo temptations. And by the baptism with which the Lord was baptized, is signified to be regenerated by temptations. But between the cup which the Lord drank, and the cup which they are to drink, there is the same difference as between the temptations of the Lord and the temptations of men. The temptations of the Lord were most grievous, and endured against all the hells; for the Lord subjugated all the hells by temptations admitted into Himself; whereas the temptations of men are endured against evils and falsities from the hells with them, in which the Lord fights and not man himself, except against certain griefs.

Between the baptism with which the Lord was baptized, and the baptism with which men are baptized, there is a difference like that between the glorification and regeneration.

The Lord by temptations glorified His Human by His own power; whereas men are regenerated not from their own power, but by the Lord. For baptism signifies to be regenerated by temptations; whereas the baptism of the Lord signified the glorification of His Human by temptations.

That by baptism is signified regeneration and also temptations, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 187-193). And that the Lord glorified His Human, and made it Divine, as He regenerates man and makes him spiritual, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1725, 1729, 1733, 3318, 3381, 3382, 4286).