Arcana Coelestia #2176
2176. 'Take quickly three measures of meal of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes' means the celestial existence of His love in that state. This is clear from the meaning of 'meal', 'fine flour', and 'a cake', dealt with in the paragraph immediately after this. That such matters are embodied here no one can possibly believe who fixes his mind on the literal sense, or sense of the words, even less if he fixes it on the historical events described by them; for he will be thinking not only about what Sarah was told to prepare but also about the men who came to Abraham and not about there being deeper things hidden within these descriptions. This is the reason why he is able to believe still less that arcana lie concealed in the historical sections of the Word as much as they do in prophetical parts. For historical descriptions draw the attention of the mind very much to themselves and obscure the things that are interior. Nevertheless the fact that arcana are present within those descriptions, hidden deeply within them, becomes clear from the single consideration that it is the Lord's Word, which has been written not only for man's benefit but at the same time for heaven's as well. Indeed it has been written in such a way that when man reads it, angels at the same time gain heavenly ideas from it; so that by means of the Word heaven is joined to the human race. What 'meal', 'fine flour', and 'cakes' are used to mean in the internal sense follows next.
Hosea 8
1
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
3
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
6
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
10
Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
11
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
13
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
