9223. The firstfruits of thy grain, and the firstfruits of thy wine, thou shalt not delay. That this signifies that as all the goods and truths of faith are from the Lord, they are to be ascribed to Him and not to self, is evident from the signification of “the firstfruits,” as being those things which must be in the first place, thus those which are to be chief of all (of which below); from the signification of “grain,” as being the good of the truth of faith (see n. 5295, 5410, 5959); from the signification of “wine,” as being the truth of good, thus, the truth of the good of faith (n. 1798, 6377); and from the signification of “not delaying,” when said of the good and truth of faith, as being to ascribe from affection; for that which is not done tardily, but quickly, is done from the affection of love (n. 7695, 7866). That ascription to the Lord is meant, is because the firstfruits, as well as the firstborn, were given to Jehovah, and by Jehovah to Aaron and his seed; and by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the the Lord, (n. 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6945, 6956, 8274, 8864). Wherefore, as “the first fruits of the grain and wine” denote the goods and truths of faith, it is meant that these are to be ascribed to the Lord, because they are from Him. (That everything of thought and of will with man flows in, and that all good and truth are from the Lord, see n. 2886-2888, 3142, 3147, 4151, 4249, 5119, 5147, 5150, 5259, 5482, 5649, 5779, 5854, 5893, 6027, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7270, 7343, 8321, 8685, 8701, 8717, 8728, 8823, 8863, 9110; and the same from experience, n. 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626.)

[2] The firstfruits which were to be offered to the Lord, were the firstfruits of the harvest and the firstfruits of the vintage, also the firstfruits of shearing, and likewise the firstfruits of fruit. The firstfruits of the harvest were ears of corn, parched and green, also the sheaf which was to be waved, and afterward the firstfruits from the threshing floor, which were cakes; but the firstfruits of the vintage were the firstfruits of wine, of must, and of oil; and besides these there were the firstfruits of the sheep-shearing and also the firstfruits of fruit, which were offered in a basket. Moreover, all the firstborn also were offered to the Lord, of which were redeemed the firstborn of men, and also the firstborn of those animals which were not offered in the sacrifices, as the firstborn of asses, of mules, of horses, and the like. The firstfruits and the firstborn were offered to Jehovah, and by Jehovah were given to Aaron and his seed, for the reason that Aaron and his sons, who administered the office of the high-priesthood, represented the Lord. By “the firstfruits of grain and wine” in this verse are meant all the firstfruits of the harvest and the vintage, just now spoken of; for the expressions used in the original tongue are “the fullness of the grain,” and “the tear of the wine;” “fullness” denoting a harvest ripe and gathered in, and “tears” denoting what is made to drop.

[3] What the firstfruits specifically represented (for all the statutes and rituals enjoined upon the sons of Israel by the Lord represented internal things of the church), can be seen from the several kinds of produce the firstfruits of which were given, when viewed in the internal sense. That “grain” denotes the good of faith, and “wine” the truth of faith, may be seen in the passages above cited. That the firstfruits were to be given to Jehovah, signified that it is the first of the church to ascribe all the goods and truths of faith to the Lord, and not to self. To ascribe to the Lord is to know, to acknowledge, and to believe that these things are from the Lord, and nothing of them from self; for as above shown, everything of faith is from the Lord. The “firstfruits” have this signification because they were offerings and gifts, which were thanksgivings for the produce of the earth, and an acknowledgment of blessings from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord; and consequently were an acknowledgment that all things are from Him; and in the internal sense, an acknowledgment of the goods and truths of faith, which are signified by “harvest,” by “grain,” “oil,” “must,” “wine,” “wool,” and “fruits,” of which the firstfruits were given. (Concerning these firstfruits, see Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Leviticus 23:10-11, 20; Numbers 15:19-21; 18:12-13; Deuteronomy 18:4; 26:1-11.) The like is signified by the “firstfruits” in Ezekiel 20:40, and in Micah 7:1-2.

8701. Thou art not able to do it, thou alone. That this signifies without the influx of truth from good ¹ from some other source, is evident from the signification of “doing it alone,” when said of the truth Divine represented by Moses, as being the influx of truth from it alone, and not at the same time from some other source. How the case herein is can be seen from what was said above (n. 8685) concerning the immediate influx of truth Divine, and concerning its influx immediate and at the same time mediate; namely, that the influx of truth Divine is immediate in the first state of man when he is being regenerated; but that the influx is immediate and mediate in the second state, that is, when he has been regenerated. When the influx is immediate, the Lord indeed flows in with good and truth, yet the good is not then perceived, but truth; therefore the man is then led by means of truth, not so much by good. But when the influx is at the same time mediate, then good is perceived, for mediate influx is into the man’s external sensuous; hence it is that the man is then led by the Lord by means of good. In general be it known that a man has not been regenerated until he acts from the affection of good; for he then wills good, and it is delightful and blessed to him to do it. When he is in this state, his life is the life of good, and he is in heaven, for what universally reigns in heaven is good; the truth which is of faith, however, leads man to good, thus to heaven, but does not place him in heaven. The reason of this is that in the other life all are associated together according to the life of the will, not according to the life of the understanding; for where the will is, there the understanding is, but not the reverse: it is so in heaven, and it is so in hell. They who are evil are not sent into hell until they are in the evil of their life; for when they are in this, they are also in the falsity of their evil; in like manner they who are in good are, in heaven, in the truth of their good. In the other life all are reduced to the state of having one mind, namely, that what they will they also think, and they do not think differently from what they will. But in the world it is otherwise, for in the world a man can think differently, and even understand differently, from what he wills; but this in order that he may be reformed, that is, may understand good though he wills evil, and thus may be led by his understanding to will good; but in the other life everyone is led according to his will which has been acquired in the world.

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