4550. And they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the stranger which were in their hand. That this signifies that it rejected all falsities as much as possible, is evident from the signification of the “gods of the stranger,” as being falsities (see n. 4544); and from the signification of “which were in their hand,” as being as much as possible, for the “hand” signifies power (n. 878, 3387). Hence, “being in the hand” denotes being in their power, or as much as possible. Their “giving them to Jacob” denotes that good rejected them, for by Jacob in this chapter is represented the good of the natural (n. 4538).

4538. And God said unto Jacob. That this signifies the perception of natural good, such as Jacob now represents, from the Divine, is evident from the signification in the historicals of the Word of “to say,” as being to perceive (n. 1602, 1791, 1815, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2061, 2080, 2238, 2260, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509), wherefore that “God said” denotes perception from the Divine; and from the representation of Jacob, who here in the supreme sense is the Lord as to natural good. In the preceding pages it has been shown what Jacob represents in the Word; and as he represents various things, the subject shall be briefly explained.

[2] In the supreme sense Jacob represents in general the Lord’s Divine natural. But as the Lord glorified His natural, it was different in the beginning from what it was in the progression, and at the end. Therefore Jacob represented various things, namely, in the beginning the Lord’s natural as to truth, in the progression the Lord’s natural as to the good of truth, and at the end the Lord’s natural as to good. For the Lord’s glorification proceeded from truth to the good of truth, and finally to good, as has already been frequently shown. Now as this is the end, Jacob represents the Lord as to natural good. (See what has already been shown on these points, namely, that in the supreme sense Jacob represents the Lord’s Divine natural, in the beginning as to truth, n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599; and in the progression, the Lord’s Divine natural as to the good of truth, n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 4234, 4273, 4337.) The reason why Jacob now represents the Lord’s Divine natural as to good, is that this is the end, as before said.

[3] This was the process when the Lord made His natural Divine, and the process is similar also when the Lord regenerates man; for it pleased the Lord to make His Human Divine in the same order as that in which He makes man new. It is for this reason that it has been repeatedly stated that man’s regeneration is an image of the Lord’s glorification (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402). When the Lord makes man new He first instructs him in the truths of faith, for without the truths of faith man does not know what the Lord is, what heaven is, and what hell is, nor even that they exist; and still less does he know the innumerable things relating to the Lord, to His kingdom in heaven, and to His kingdom on earth, that is, to the church; neither does he know what and of what nature are the things opposite to these, which relate to hell.

[4] Before he has learned these things, he cannot know what good is, by which is not meant civil good and moral good, for these are learned in the world by means of laws and statutes, and by reflections upon the morals of men, and therefore the nations outside the church also know such things; but by good is meant spiritual good, which good is called in the Word charity; and this good is in general to will and do good to others for no selfish reason, but from the delight of the affection. This good is spiritual good, and to it no man can attain except by means of the truths of faith, which are taught by the Lord by means of the Word and preachings of the Word.

[5] After a man has been instructed in the truths of faith, he is gradually led by the Lord to will the truth, and also from willing to do it. This truth is called the good of truth, for the good of truth is truth in will and act; and it is called the good of truth because the truth which has been of doctrine then becomes of the life. At last, when the man perceives delight in willing good and in doing it from will, it is no longer called the good of truth, but good; for he is then regenerate, and no more wills and does good from truth, but truth from good; and the truth which he then does is also as it were good, for it derives its essence from its origin, which is good. From all this it is evident why and whence it is that Jacob in the supreme sense represents the Lord’s natural as to good. The reason why Jacob here represents this good, is that in the internal sense further progress is now treated of, namely, toward the interior things of the natural, which are “Israel” (n. 4536). No one who is being regenerated by the Lord can be led to these interior things until the truth with him has become good.