862. That 'it happened at the end of forty days' means the duration of the former state, and the beginning of the one that followed, is clear from the meaning of 'forty', see 730, where, the subject being temptation, the phrase 'forty days and forty nights' was used, which meant the duration of temptation. Here, since the subject is the state following temptation, 'forty days' is mentioned but not forty nights. The reason is that charity now starts to appear, which in the Word is compared to the day and is called the day. Faith however which precedes but has not yet been so joined to charity is compared to the night and is called the night, as in Genesis 1:16, and elsewhere in the Word. Faith is also called 'the night' in the Word because it receives its light from charity, just as the moon does from the sun. Faith is therefore also compared to the moon and is called the moon; and love or charity is compared to the sun and is called the sun. 'Forty days', or the duration of time meant by them, refers both to the things that precede and to those that follow; hence the statement 'at the end of forty days', which accordingly means both the duration of the previous state, and the beginning of the one being described now. This then begins the description of the second state following temptation of the member of this Church.

7678. 'And Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt' means exercising the power of God's truth over the entire natural of the molesting ones. This is clear from the meaning of 'stretching out the rod' as an exercising of power, dealt with above in 7673; from the representation of 'Moses' as God's truth, dealt with in 6752, 7010, 7014, 7382; and from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the natural of those who molest, dealt with above in 7674. The Divine power which is described by 'the hand of Moses' is the power of God's truth. All power belongs to truth, see 3091, 5623, 6344, 6423, 6948; indeed the power that Divine Truth going forth from Divine Goodness possesses is such that it has created all things throughout the universe. That Truth is meant by 'the Word' in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through Him. John 1:1, 3.

This explains why miracles were performed through Moses, for 'Moses' represents Divine Truth. Most people think that the Word or Divine Truth is merely what Jehovah has spoken and what He commands so to be done - this and nothing more. But in fact it is the Essential Being itself (Ipsum Essentiale), the source from which all things exist and the means by which they are kept in existence. That Essential Being (Esse) which emanates from Him and, arising from it, the Coming-into-Being (Existere) of all things is what is meant by Divine Truth. Some light on all this can be gained by considering the angels. From them emanates a sphere of charity and faith which is clearly perceptible and which also produces wondrous effects. From these one may form some idea of Divine Truth which emanates from the Lord's Divine Goodness.