2204. 'And my lord being old' means that the affection for truth was amazed that rational good to which truth was allied was also to cast off the human. This is clear from the representation of 'Abraham', to whom 'my lord' refers here, as rational good and from the representation of 'Sarah' as rational truth, dealt with above in 2198 and elsewhere; and also from the meaning of 'growing old' as casting off the human, also dealt with in 2198. Human rational good is such that it has much within it which is derived from worldly delights, for that good is formed not only from truths but also from the delights of the senses and from many other delights that exist in the world. When a person is being reformed and regenerated spiritual good is implanted by the Lord in those delights, and by means of this good that which is worldly is mellowed, and after that accordingly receives its happiness from that spiritual good. But the Lord completely expelled from the rational everything worldly and so made it Divine. And it is this that amazed rational truth meant by 'Sarah'.

2198. 'Abraham and Sarah were old' means that the human with the Lord was to be cast off. This is clear from the representation of 'Abraham and Sarah', and also from the meaning of 'old' or old age. 'Abraham' here represents the Lord as regards rational good, while 'Sarah' represents the Lord as regards rational truth, as stated above in various places in this chapter. Thus each here represents the human with the Lord, the reason being, as stated above, that Jehovah was now present and spoke to Abraham. And Jehovah was the Lord's Divine itself, not separate from Him even though it presents itself in representative historical events as separate; for by means of historical events it cannot be represented in any other way. But when it is said that Abraham and Sarah were old the meaning is that that human was to be cast off. 'Old age' does not imply anything other than a final period. In the Word reference is made in various places to 'old age' and to the fact that people 'died'. But neither old age nor death of the body is ever perceived in the internal sense, but something other than these which is evident from the whole sequence of thought; for those in the next life do not know what old age is or what death is. What is meant here is evident, as has been said, from the whole train of thought, which is that the Lord was to cast off the human.