3707. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth. That this signifies that Divine truth natural would be as natural good, is evident from the signification of “seed,” as being truth (see above, n. 3706); hence “thy seed,” or the seed of Jacob, is Divine truth natural, for by Jacob is represented the Lord’s Divine natural, as shown above-and from the signification of the “dust of the earth,” as being good (see n. 1610). Therefore “thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,” signifies in the internal sense that Divine truth natural should be as Divine good natural. That the “dust of the earth” signifies good, is because by “earth” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, consequently good, as shown above (n. 3705); the “dust of that earth” therefore signifies good, but natural good, because by “earth,” as also shown above, is signified that which is lower in the Lord’s kingdom, thus the natural; while “heaven,” when it also is mentioned, signifies that which is interior, or the rational. This is the reason why fructification of good and multiplication of truth are expressed in the Word throughout by “seed becoming as the stars of the heavens and as the dust of the earth.” By the “stars of the heavens” are there signified rational things; and by the “dust of the earth,” natural things, which thus increase. What is meant by natural truth being as natural good, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be explained hereafter.

3138. These three verses treat of the preparation and enlightenment of the natural man in order that the truth might be called forth thence which was to be conjoined with good in the rational. But with preparation and enlightenment the case is as follows: There are two lights which form the intellectual things of man-the light of heaven, and the light of the world; the light of heaven is from the Lord, who to angels in the other life is a Sun and Moon (see n. 1053, 1521, 1529, 1530); the light of the world is from the sun and moon which appear before the bodily sight. The internal man has its sight and its understanding from the light of heaven; but the external man has its sight and its understanding from the light of the world. The influx of the light of heaven into the things which are of the world’s light, effects enlightenment and at the same time observance; an observance of truth if there is correspondence, and an observance of falsity instead of truth if there is not correspondence. But enlightenment and observance are impossible unless there is affection or love, which is spiritual heat, and which gives life to the things that are enlightened by the light; comparatively as the sun’s light does not give life to the things of the vegetable kingdom, but the heat that is in the light, as is evident from the seasons of the year.

[2] In the verses which next follow, the preparation is further described-namely, that the light of heaven which is the Lord’s Divine light inflowed into the things that were of the light of the world in His natural man, in order that He might bring out thence the truth which was to be conjoined with good in the rational; thus by the ordinary way. And therefore in order that the Lord might make the human Divine by the ordinary way, He came into the world; that is, it was His will to be born as a man, and to be instructed as a man, and to be reborn as a man; but with the difference that man is reborn of the Lord, whereas the Lord not only regenerated Himself, but also glorified Himself, that is, made Himself Divine; and further, that a man is made new by an influx of charity and faith, but the Lord, by the Divine love which was in Him and which was His. Hence it may be seen that the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord; or what is the same, that in the process of the regeneration of man may be seen as in an image, although remotely, the process of the Lord’s glorification.