9327. I will send My terror before thee. That this signifies the terror of those who are in the evils of falsity, on account of the truths of good, is evident from the signification of “terror,” as being the terror of those who are in the evils of falsity; and from the signification of “the sons of Israel,” before whom the terror was to be sent, as being those who are in spiritual good, that is, in the truth of good (see n. 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5820, 5833, 7957, 8234, 8805). (That the nations of the land of Canaan to whom terror was sent on account of the sons of Israel, signify the evils of falsity and the falsities of evil, see n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 1573, 1574, 1868, 4517, 6306, 8065, 8317.) Therefore by the words, “I will send My terror before thee” is signified the terror of those who are in the evils of falsity on account of the truths of good.

[2] The case herein is this. All power in the spiritual world is from the truths which are from good, thus from the truths which proceed from the Lord. This can be plainly seen from the fact that the Lord disposes all things in heaven, and all things in hell, and also all things in the world, by means of the truths which are from Himself; for the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is that very thing through which all things have come into existence, and through which all things subsist. That this is so is not comprehended by those who think solely from what is material, as those think who ascribe the origin and maintenance of all things to nature. These can have no idea about truths except that they are devoid of power, being matters of mere thought, concerning which they perceive nothing essential, and still less anything substantial; although they know that the thought directs the whole body, and excites its parts to motion, precisely in accordance with its own quality; likewise that there is nothing in the universe that does not bear relation to the truth which is from good. (That it is truth which has all power, and which is the veriest essential, see n. 8200.) From all this it is evident that the angels have power from the truth Divine which is from the Lord, and that from this they are called “powers.” The nature of the power possessed by truths from good, that is, truths from the Lord, may be seen from the experience recorded concerning the arm, which corresponds to such truth, in n. 4932-4935.

[3] Seeing that truth has all power, it follows that falsity from evil has no power whatever, because it is the privation of truth from good, thus the privation of power. Consequently they who are in hell-all there being in falsities from evil-have no power whatever; and therefore thousands of them can be driven away, cast down, and dispersed by one angel of heaven, much as a mote in the air is driven away by the breath of the mouth. From all this it can be seen why those who are in the evils of falsity feel terror on account of the truths of good. This terror is called “the terror of God” (Genesis 35:5; Job 13:21). And in Ezekiel:

I will put My terror in the land of the living; when he shall be made to lie down in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude (Ezekiel 32:32).

If he shall reject My statutes, and if your soul shall abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My commandments, I will send dismay into their hearts, that the sound of a driven leaf may chase them; and they may flee as one fleeth from the sword; and may fall when none pursueth (Leviticus 26:15, 36);

here is described the terror of those who are in the evils of falsity, and in the falsities of evil. It is said that “the sound of a leaf shall chase them, and they shall flee as one fleeth from the sword” because “leaf” signifies truth (n. 885), and “sword” signifies truth fighting against the falsity of evil (n. 2799, 6353, 8294). That such have no power whatever against truth, is signified by “they shall fall when none pursueth.”

8200. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. That this signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over hell, is evident from the signification of “stretching out the hand,” as being the rule of power (see n. 7673, 8183); from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (of which frequently); and from the signification of “the sea,” here the sea Suph, as being hell (n. 8099, 8137, 8138). It is said “the rule of the power of truth Divine,” because all Divine power is through the truth which proceeds from the Lord. This created all things, according to this in John:

All things were made by means of the Word, and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3);

“the Word” denotes the Lord as to Divine truth; by means of this truth all things in heaven and in hell are set in order; from this also is all order on the earth; all the miracles were brought by means of it; in short, Divine truth has in it all power, insomuch that it is power itself. There are some in the other life who are in truth in advance of others, and they are in such power therefrom that they can pass through the hells without any danger. They who are in the hells flee in every direction at their presence. There are some also who by means of truth from the Divine exercise power magically. Of the Lord’s Divine mercy more shall be said of both of these at the end of the chapters, when the hells will be spoken of. They who pay attention to the causes of things from things external and earthly, cannot perceive otherwise than that truth from the Divine is a mere affair of thought, of no real essence; but on the contrary it is the veriest essentiality from which are all the essences of things in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural.