860. From these considerations it also becomes clear that all regeneration advances from evening to morning, as is mentioned six times in Genesis 1 where the regeneration of man is the subject. Here the evening is described in verses 2-3, the morning in verses 4-5. The present verse describes the first ray of light or the morning of this state as 'the tops of the mountains appearing'.

5803. 'We have a father, an old man' means that spiritual good is their source. This is clear from the representation of Israel, to whom 'a father refers here, as spiritual good, which is the source, dealt with just above in 5801. As regards Israel's representation, see 4286, 4292, 4570, where it is shown that he represents the spiritual Church, in particular the internal aspect of it, which is the good of truth or spiritual good from the natural. What spiritual good or the good of truth is, see 5526, 5773.