8599. 'With the rod of God in my hand' means that this will be a source of power. This is clear from the meaning of 'the rod of God' as Divine power, dealt with in 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 7026; and from the meaning of 'hand' also as power, 8595 (end). The reason why he says that the rod of God would be in his hand is that 'the rod' means outward power and 'hand' inward power, or 'the rod' means natural power and 'hand' spiritual power, 6947, 7011. The expression a source of power is used because truth engaged in conflict has power within it, derived from good; for all the power that truth possesses is derived from the good within it. The reason for this is that the Divine is within good, and through good He is within truth; but He is not within truth devoid of good. For the fact that all the power truth possesses is derived from good, see 3563, 4931; and the fact that all the power good possesses is derived from the Divine is self-evident.

7027. Verses 21-23. And Jehovah said to Moses, Go and return ¹ to Egypt, see all the portents which I have put in your hand; and you are to do them before Pharaoh. And I will harden his heart, and he will not send the people away. And you are to say to Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, Israel is My son, My firstborn. And I say to you, Send My son away, and let him serve Me; and [if] you refuse to send him away, behold, I kill your son, your firstborn. 'And Jehovah said to Moses' means perception from the Divine. 'Go and return to Egypt' means spiritual life in the natural. 'See all the portents which I have put in your hand' means the means used by power from the spiritual at that time. 'And you are to do them before Pharaoh' means against molesting falsities. 'And I will harden his heart, and he will not send the people away' means obstinacy and so a failure to set free as yet. 'And you are to say to Pharaoh' means admonition. 'Thus said Jehovah' means from the Divine. 'Israel is My son, My firstborn' means that those guided and governed by spiritual truth and good have been adopted. 'And I say to you' means a command. 'Send My son away' means that they should refrain from molestation of the truths of the Church. 'And let him serve Me' means being raised into heaven to perform useful services from there. 'And [if] you refuse to send him away' means obstinacy right to the last. 'Behold, I kill your son, your firstborn' means the annihilation of faith devoid of charity, and the consequent devastation of truth among them.

脚注: