448. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. That this signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven, is clear from the representation and thence the signification of Joseph and his tribe, as denoting the Spiritual of the kingdom and church of the Lord. Joseph here signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven because Joseph signifies the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and this kingdom forms the second heaven. For heaven consists of two kingdoms, the celestial kingdom, and the spiritual kingdom. The celestial kingdom is formed of those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and the spiritual kingdom, of those who are in the second or middle heaven. The conjunction of those who are in the second heaven is signified by Joseph, because he signifies this heaven, and because the conjunction with the Lord of all those who are in the heavens and of those who come into the heavens is treated of in this fourth class, and this conjunction is signified by the tribe of Zebulun the first tribe of that class. And the first tribe of every class and series indicates the subject involved in the tribes which follow, and this subject they in general retain; in this case, therefore, conjunction. For this reason the tribe of Zebulun signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven, the tribe of Joseph, the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven, and the tribe of Benjamin, the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the first heaven.

[2] That Joseph represented, and thence in the Word signifies the Lord as to His spiritual Divine, and in the respective sense (sensu respectivo) the spiritual kingdom, is evident from everything related of Him, both in the historical and prophetical parts of the Word. In the historical part of the Word it is said of Joseph, that he dreamed a dream, and that eleven sheaves stood around his sheaf, and made obeisance to it; and that the sun and moon and eleven stars, made obeisance to him (Genesis 37:5-10). These dreams, in their most obvious sense (sensu proximo), mean that Joseph's brethren and parents should come into Egypt, and there venerate him as the lord of the land; but in the spiritual sense they signify that the church, represented by Jacob and his sons, should submit itself to the Lord. For Joseph, as stated, represents the Lord as to His spiritual Divine, and in the respective sense the spiritual kingdom of the Lord in heaven and on earth. The spiritual kingdom of the Lord on earth is the spiritual church. This church is meant in the internal sense by Jacob and his sons, when they were in Egypt.

[3] Afterwards, the establishment of the church which was to be represented by the sons of Israel is described by Joseph. Therefore Joseph was carried down into Egypt, obtained the rule over the whole land, invited his father and brethren to come there, and supported them. And so long as he was lord of the land, the land of Egypt represented the spiritual church in the Natural; and Jacob and his sons the spiritual church. But the representation by Egypt of the spiritual church in the Natural came to an end when Moses was born, and began to lead the sons of Israel out of Egypt. These things being extensive and various are explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[4] The representation of the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, and the consequent representation of the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, is contained in these words in Moses:

"And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find a man like this man, in whom the spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath made thee to know all this, there is none intelligent and wise as thou; thou shalt be over my house, and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss; only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a necklace of gold upon his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee; and he set him over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, without thee shall no man lift up his hand and foot in all the land of Egypt" (Genesis 41:38-44).

The above passages are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 5306-5329).

[5] It is said that Joseph in the highest sense represents the Lord as to the spiritual Divine; we will therefore first explain what is meant by the spiritual Divine of the Lord. Heaven is divided into two kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom. The Divine itself proceeding from the Lord makes heaven, and the Divine which proceeds from the Lord is Divine Good united to Divine Truth. All those in heaven who receive the Divine Good in a greater degree than the Divine Truth form the celestial kingdom of the Lord, but all those who receive the Divine Truth in a greater degree than the Divine Good form the spiritual kingdom of the Lord. Therefore the Divine of the Lord received by the angels in the celestial kingdom is called the celestial Divine, and the Divine of the Lord received by the angels of the spiritual kingdom is called the spiritual Divine. But it must be observed that the Divine which proceeds from the Lord is so called from reception, and that there are not two Divines, a celestial and a spiritual. For the Divine Good, which from reception is called the celestial Divine, and the Divine Truth, which from reception is called the spiritual Divine, go forth so united, that they are not two but one. These things are more fully explained in the Heaven and Hell 20-28), where the two kingdoms into which the three heavens are distinguished, are treated of; also n. 13, 133, 139, where the proceeding Divine, which is the Divine Good united to Divine Truth is treated of, and it is shown that they are two only in those who receive them.

[6] That the Lord, as to the spiritual Divine, and thence the spiritual kingdom, is signified by Joseph, is also evident from the following passages. In the blessing of the sons of Israel by their father:

"The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one near a fountain, of a daughter, he walketh upon a wall. The archers shall bitterly grieve him, and shall shoot at him, and shall hold him in hatred; and he shall sit in the strength of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. Thence the shepherd, the stone of Israel, from the God of thy father, and he shall help thee, and with Shaddai, and he shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the deep lying beneath, with the blessings of the breasts, and of the womb; the blessings of thy father shall prevail over the blessings of my progenitors, even to the desire of the hills of an age; they shall be for the head of Joseph, and for the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren" (Genesis 49:22-26).

Joseph is the son of a fruitful one, signifies the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church of the Lord, and in the highest sense the Lord as to the spiritual Divine. The son of a fruitful one near a fountain, signifies fructification from truths out of the Word, the son of a fruitful one denoting fructification from truths, and a well the Word. Of a daughter, he walketh upon a wall, signifies to fight from truths which are from good against falsities from evil, a wall denoting the truth defending. They shall bitterly grieve him, signifies resistance from falsities; and shall shoot at him, signifies their fighting from falsities; and hate him, signifies hostility of every kind from falsities of doctrine, for darts and arrows, consequently throwers of darts, and archers, signify combat from truths against falsities of doctrine, but in the present case, from falsities of doctrine against truths. He shall sit in the strength of his bow, signifies safety from truths of doctrine fighting against falsities, bow denoting doctrine. And the arms of his hands shall be made strong, signifies the potency of the powers of combating; by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, signifies from the Omnipotence of the Divine Human of the Lord. Thence the shepherd, the stone of Israel, signifies that all spiritual good and truth in the Lord's kingdom are from that source. From the God of thy father, signifies that He is the God of the Ancient Church; and with Shaddai, signifies the Lord as benefactor after temptations; and he shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, signifies with goods and truths from within (interiori); with the blessings of the deep lying beneath, signifies, with knowledges of truth and good and confirmatory scientifics from without (exteriori); with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb, signifies the spiritual affections thereof and conjunction. The blessings of thy father shall prevail above the blessings of my progenitors, means that the church signified by Joseph is from spiritual truth and good; even to the desire of the hills of an age, signifies from celestial mutual love. They shall be for the head of Joseph, signifies those things as to interiors; and for the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren, signifies, as to exteriors. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6416-6438).

[7] Again, in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:

"To Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath, and for the precious things of the produce of the sun and for the precious things of the product of the months, and for the first-fruits of the mountains of the east, and for the precious things of the hills of an age, and for the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof, and the good pleasure of him that dwelleth in the bush; they shall come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the Nazarite of his brethren" (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

Here is described the spiritual church of the Lord with those who are in the doctrine of truth from the Word, and whose life is in agreement with it, the land of Joseph signifying that church. Blessed for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep lying beneath, signifies from Divine truths from the Word in the spiritual man, and from the influx of the spiritual man into the natural. The precious things of heaven denote Divine truths spiritual, or those which are in the spiritual man, the dew signifies the influx therefrom, and the deep lying beneath signifies the natural man, wherein are the knowledges of truth and good for perception, and confirmatory scientifics. For the precious things of the produce of the sun, and for the precious things of the product of the months, signifies from the truths flowing forth from the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and from the truths flowing forth from the spiritual kingdom of the Lord. The precious things of the sun denote truths from the celestial kingdom, the precious things of the months, truths from the spiritual kingdom, and produce (proventus) and product (productum) the things which flow forth. For the first-fruits of the mountains of the east, and for the precious things of the hills of an age, signifies such genuine truths as were in the Most Ancient Church, and such as were in the Ancient Church; the mountains of the east signify the Most Ancient Church, which was in love to the Lord; that Church is described by the mountains of the east, because a mountain signifies love, and the east the Lord. The hills of an age signify the Ancient Church, which was in charity towards the neighbour, and this Church is described by the hills of an age, because hills signify charity towards the neighbour. That mountains and hills have this signification, may be seen above (n. 405). And for the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof, signifies the spiritual external church, which exists with those who live according to the knowledges of truth and good, the earth denoting that church, and its fulness denoting knowledges in the external man. And for the good pleasure of him who dwelleth in the bush, signifies the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, and that all those things are from Him. They shall come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the Nazarite of his brethren, signifies as to things interior and exterior, as stated above.

[8] In the prophet Zechariah:

"And I will make the house of Judah powerful, and I will save the house of Joseph. And they shall be like mighty Ephraim, and their heart shall rejoice as with wine (vino)" (10:6, 7).

The house of Judah here means the church which is in love to the Lord, and which is called the celestial church; while Joseph means the church which is in the good of charity and in the truths of faith, and which is called the spiritual church. Since the truths of that church have power from good, it is therefore said, "they shall be like mighty Ephraim," for Ephraim signifies truth from good in the natural man, and power belongs to this truth. Their joy from truths is signified by their heart shall rejoice as with wine. Wine (vinum) signifies truth from good.

[9] In Ezekiel:

Jehovah said, "Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel his companions; then take one stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel. And afterwards join them one to another into one stick, that they may both be one in mine hand. Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will place them upon the stick of Judah, and will make them into one stick, and they shall be one in my hand; and I will make them into one nation in the earth in the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all" (37:16-22).

Judah here also signifies the celestial church, which is in the good of love, and Joseph and Ephraim signify the spiritual church, which is in the good of charity and in the truths of faith. That these two churches with the Lord shall be one church, as good and truth are one, is meant by, "I will make them into one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. And I will make them into one nation in the earth, in the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all." This passage is explained above (n. 433:6).

[10] In David:

O God, "thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph" (Psalm 77:15).

The sons of Jacob and Joseph mean those who are in the good of life according to their religion. Jacob in the Word means the external church with those who are in the good of life, and Joseph here means Manasseh and Ephraim, for it is said, "Thou hast redeemed the sons of Joseph," by whom are meant those who in regard to the external man, and therefore as to life, are in good and truth. That these are signified by Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, may be seen above (n. 440). To redeem them with His arm, signifies to save them by His Omnipotence, for such were saved by the Lord by His coming into the world, and could not otherwise have been saved.

[11] In Obadiah:

"In Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall be the heir of their inheritances; and the house of Jacob shall become a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau" (ver. [17,] 18),

Esau and his house here mean those who believe themselves to be intelligent and wise, not from the Lord, but from themselves; for in ver. 8 of that chapter, it is said, "Shall I [not] in that day, saith Jehovah, destroy the wise ones out of Edom, and the intelligent out of mount Esau?" These are they who have confirmed themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word in such things as favour their own loves. The house of Jacob and the house of Joseph mean those who are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine. The house of Jacob means those who are in the good of life, and the house of Joseph, those who are in truths of doctrine. Mount Zion, where there shall be deliverance and holiness, signifies love to the Lord, from whom come salvation and Divine Truth. That the house of Jacob shall be the heir of the inheritances of the house and mountain of Esau, and the house of Jacob a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, signifies that in the place of those meant by Esau, shall succeed those who are in the good of life according to truths of doctrine. For in the spiritual world, it comes to pass that those who have been proud of their own intelligence, and have confirmed themselves from the Word in such things as favour the love of self, and the love of the world, occupy regions and mountains, and make to themselves an appearance of heaven, imagining that heaven belongs to them more than others; but at the appointed time they are cast out of their places, and those succeed them who are in the good of a life, according to truths of the doctrine from the Lord. Upon this subject consult the small work called the Last Judgment. What is signified in the internal sense by the house of Jacob being the heir of their inheritances, and a fire, and by the house of Joseph being a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, is therefore evident.

[12] Again, in Amos:

"Who chant to the sound of the psaltery, and devise for themselves instruments of music like David; that drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the firstfruits of oils; but they are not grieved at the breach of Joseph" (6:5, 6).

These words treat of those who make a pretence of good affections in externals, and adduce many things for the purpose of corroboration from the Word, and yet are interiorly evil. To make a pretence of good affections in externals, is signified by chanting to the sound of the psaltery, devising for themselves instruments of music, and anointing themselves with the first-fruits of oils. To adduce corroborations from the Word is signified by drinking out of bowls of wine. That they would care nothing about the truths of the doctrine of the church, if even the church perished by falsities, is signified by not being grieved at the breach of Joseph, Joseph denoting the spiritual church, which is with those who are in truths of doctrine.

[13] In David:

"Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us" (Psalm 80:1, 2).

Here also, Joseph signifies the spiritual church, which exists with those who are in truths from good, that is in truths of doctrine also as to life. What is here meant by Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, may be seen above (n. 440:6).

[14] Again, in Amos:

"Thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, seek ye me, and ye shall live; lest, like fire, he break through the house of Joseph, and devour, and there be none to quench. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate; it may be that Jehovah of hosts will be merciful unto the remnant of Joseph" (5:4, 6, 15).

The house of Israel signifies the spiritual church, and the house of Joseph, that church as to truths of doctrine. Lest, like fire, he break through the house of Joseph means that the truths of doctrine would perish unless they were in the affection of truth and good, and in a life in agreement with them. That He would preserve with them the truths of doctrine that remained is meant by Jehovah would be merciful to His remnant. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate means if they live according to truths and goods from the Word.

[15] Again, in David:

"Lift up a song, and bring the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow the trumpet in the new moon, at the time appointed on the day of our solemn festival. For this was a statute for Israel. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went forth against the land of Egypt; I heard a language that I knew not" (Psalm 81:2-6).

By lifting up a song, and bringing the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery are meant confession from spiritual and celestial truths, and the delights of the affection for truth and good (see above, n. 323:10, 326:12). Blow the trumpet in the new moon, at the time appointed for the day of our solemn festival, signifies worship from the delight of those affections. This was a statute for Israel; this he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, signifies that those things were for the new church instituted with the sons of Israel, and which was in truths of doctrine. When he went forth against the land of Egypt; I heard a language that I knew not, signifies when the old church was destroyed, which at that time was in falsities of doctrine, signified by a language that I knew not. For Egypt, when Joseph was ruler there, represented the church which is in the cognitions of truth and good, and in confirmatory knowledges (scientiis), but when the sons of Israel began to be hated and ill treated, Egypt then represented the church destroyed, and in which there were only falsities, for it is said that a new king over the Egyptians arose who knew not Joseph (Exodus 1:8); wherefore also the Egyptians, together with Pharaoh, who pursued the sons of Israel, were drowned in the Sea Suph (Red Sea).

[16] That by Joseph in the highest sense is meant the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, is also evident in David:

"Joseph was sold for a servant; whose feet they hurt with fetters; his soul came into iron; until the time that his word came; and the saying of Jehovah tried him. The king sent and loosed him; the ruler of the peoples let him go free. He made him lord of his house and ruler over all his possessions; to bind his princes at pleasure; and teach his elders wisdom. Israel also came into Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham" (Psalms 105:17-23).

Here the Lord is described by Joseph, and it is shown how He was received when He came into the world, and how He was tempted; and then that He became Lord of heaven and earth, that He subjugated the hells, reduced the heavens to order, and established the church. How He was received and tempted, is described by the words "He was sold for a servant; they hurt his feet with fetters; and his soul came into iron." His being sold for a servant signifies that He was esteemed as vile; His feet being hurt with fetters, signifies that He was as it were bound and in prison, because there was no longer any natural good; His soul coming into iron, signifies that there was no longer any natural truth, but falsity. That He conquered the hells by means of the Divine Truth from His Divine is described by the words "until the time that his word came, and the word of Jehovah tried him." His word signifies the Divine Truth, and the saying of Jehovah the Divine Good from which is Divine Truth. That thus the Lord from His Divine gained power for His Human over all things of heaven and earth, is described by the words, "The king sent and loosed him; the ruler of the peoples, let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler over all his possessions." The king who sent, and the ruler of the people who let him go free, signify the Divine Truth and the Divine Good, which were in Him and from Him; king signifies the Divine Truth, and ruler, the Divine Good. For in the Word the Lord is called King from Divine Truth, and Lord and Ruler from Divine Good. The house over which he was made lord, signifies heaven and the church as to good; and possessions, signify heaven and the church as to truth. The signification here is similar to that of the words of the Lord Himself, that all things which the Father hath are His, and all of His are the Father's; and that all power was given to Him over heaven and earth (John 17:10; Matthew 28:16).

That from His Divine He withholds the heavens from falsities, and keeps them in truths, and thus gives them intelligence and wisdom, is described by His binding the princes at his pleasure and teaching his elders wisdom, princes denoting those who are in truths, and elders those who are in intelligence and wisdom. The establishment of the church in the earth by Him is meant by "Then Israel also came into Egypt." Israel signifies the church, for the establishment of the church by the Lord was represented by the sons of Israel coming into Egypt, as well as by the Lord's being carried down into Egypt when He was an infant (Matthew 2:14, 15; Hosea 11:1). That Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham signifies that everything of the church perished at that time. Jacob signifies the church with all those who are in the good of life, and the land of Ham the church destroyed.

[17] Israel and Jacob in this and other passages of the Word, do not mean the sons of Israel and the posterity of Jacob, but all those in whom the church is, wherever they were and are, just as Judah in the Word does not mean the Jewish nation, but the church, formed of those who are in love to the Lord (see above, n. 433). For there was not any church with the sons of Israel, or the posterity of Jacob, the church being merely represented; therefore all who are of the church are signified by them, and not only in the prophetical parts of the Word, but also in its historical parts, as shown in the preceding pages. Consequently Joseph and his tribe do not mean Joseph and his tribe, but in the highest sense, the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, and thence, in the respective sense (in sensu respectivo), the spiritual kingdom of the Lord in the heavens and in the world, as well as those things which make that kingdom, which are the truths of doctrine.

[18] Since the new spiritual church to be established by the Lord is described in Ezekiel, and this church with its doctrine is meant by the new city, the new temple, and the new earth, therefore it is said, "This is the border unto which you shall inherit the land, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, the cords to Joseph" (47:13). Here, Joseph signifies the spiritual church, and cords signify conjunction, and proclamation from that tribe to the rest, and from the rest to it; and the twelve tribes of Israel signify everything pertaining to that church.