Arcana Coelestia #4696
4696. 'And behold, the sun and the moon' means natural good and natural truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the sun' as celestial good, dealt with in 1529, 1530, 2120, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060; and from the meaning of 'the moon' as spiritual good, which is truth, dealt with in 1529, 1530, 2495. In the highest sense 'the sun' means the Lord because He is seen as the sun by those in heaven who are governed by celestial love, and in the highest sense 'the moon' too means the Lord because He is seen as the moon by those in heaven who are governed by spiritual love. Also He is the source of every ray of light in heaven. Consequently the light received from the sun there is the celestial form of love, which is good, and the light received from the moon there is the spiritual form of love, which is truth. Here therefore 'the sun' means natural good and 'the moon' natural truth, since these two sources of light are used to refer to Jacob and Leah (as is evident from verse 10, where Jacob says, 'Shall we indeed come - I and your mother, and your brothers - to bow down to you to the earth?') and 'Jacob' represents natural good and 'Leah' natural truth, as shown already in various places. The Divine which comes from the Lord is in the highest sense the Divine within Him, but in the relative sense is the Divine going forth from Him. The Divine good received from Him is that which is called celestial, and the Divine truth received from Him is that which is referred to as spiritual. When the rational receives these it is in this case the good and truth of the rational that are meant; but when the natural receives them it is the good and truth of the natural that are meant. Here the good and truth of the natural are meant because the words used refer to Jacob and Leah.
Psalms 79
1
O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
2
The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3
Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4
We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5
How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
6
Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7
For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8
O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
10
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
11
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13
So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
