970. And they became blood. That this signifies that it was destroyed through falsifications, is evident from the signification of blood, as denoting truth falsified (see above, n. 966). Therefore by the rivers and fountains becoming blood, is signified that the faculty of understanding the truths of the Word was destroyed through falsifications.

Every man indeed has the faculty of understanding truths for it is this faculty by which he is distinguished from beasts. This also is left with every man, even with the evil; for that is man's spiritual, and the most essential means of his regeneration. For man is regenerated by the Lord by means of truths, which, unless he could understand them, could not be received, nor, consequently, could he be reformed; for to receive what cannot be understood leads to nothing.

That this is the case has also been confirmed by experience in the spiritual world. It was a subject of talk among spirits, whether every one has the faculty of understanding truths; and an infernal spirit was taken to witness whether he could understand the truths of heaven. It was found that he understood them when he heard them quite as well as a good spirit; but still that he did not wish to understand them, for he turned away from them, because they were opposed to the evils and the falsities therefrom that constituted his delight. And it was said that a man by that faculty has conjunction with the Lord, because it is proper to man.

The reason why that faculty is said to be destroyed through falsifications is, that those who have falsified the Word are not willing to understand actual truths; and these appear not to be able, although they are able, if they were but willing. For while their minds cling to opposites, they are rejected truths; and, as one deaf, they do not hear them. But when opposites are removed, it is like the ears of the deaf being opened.

These things are said in order that it may be known how it is to be understood that the faculty of understanding the truths of the Word is destroyed through falsifications.

Continuation concerning the Fifth Precept:-

[2] It was said above, that communication with heaven is not granted before evils and the falsities therefrom are removed, by which the natural mind is closed up; for these are like black clouds between the sun and the eye; or like a wall between the light (lux) of heaven, and the light (lumen) of a candle in a chamber. For a man is, as it were, shut up in a chamber, where he sees by the light of a candle, so long as he is in the light (lumen) of the natural man only; but as soon as the natural man is purified from evils and the falsities therefrom, then it is as if he saw the things which are of heaven from the light thereof through windows in that wall. For as soon as evils are removed, then the higher mind is opened, which is called the spiritual mind; and this, strictly considered, is a type or image of heaven. By means of this mind the Lord flows in and causes him to see from the light of heaven. And by this also he reforms, and at length regenerates, the natural man, implanting therein truths instead of falsities, and goods instead of evils. This the Lord does by means of spiritual love, which is the love of truth and good. A man then is placed in the midst between two loves - the love of evil and the love of good; when the love of evil recedes, the love of good succeeds in its place. The love of evil is removed solely by a life according to the precepts of the Decalogue, that is, by desisting from the evils there enumerated because they are sins; and, lastly, by shunning them as infernal.

[3] In a word, so long as man does not desist from evils because they are sins, the spiritual mind is shut; but as soon as he desists from evils because they are sins, the spiritual mind is opened, and with that mind heaven also. And heaven having been opened, a man comes into another light as to all things relating to the church, to heaven, and life eternal; although the difference between this light and that which preceded it can scarcely be noticed by him while he lives in the world. The reason is, that a man thinks in a natural manner in the world even concerning spiritual things; and spiritual things are included in natural ideas, until he passes from the natural into the spiritual world, where spiritual things are then revealed, perceived, and made clear.