Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 13:17-18
[2] The opinion concerning faith alone or separate is not new, or of this time only, but existed in the ancient churches, and came into use together with evil of life. It is also described in the Word throughout, but by names: first by "Cain," in that he slew his brother Abel (n. 337, 340, 1179); "Cain" there, in the internal representative sense, denotes such faith, and "Abel" denotes charity. It is also described by "Ham," when he was cursed by his father (n. 1062, 1063); afterward by "Reuben," in that he went up on his father’s bed (n. 3870, 4601); and by "Simeon and Levi," in that they slew Hamor and the men of Shechem, and were therefore cursed by their father (n. 3870, 6352). This faith is also described by the "Egyptians," and by their firstborn being slain (n. 7766, 7778), and by the Egyptians being sunk in the sea Suph. It is also described by the "Philistines" (n. 3412, 3413), and likewise by "Tyre and Sidon" throughout the prophets, where by the "Philistines" is signified the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and by "Tyre and Sidon" the knowledges themselves, interior and exterior. Lastly it is also described by "Peter," when he thrice denied the Lord (n. 6000, 6073). But see what has been already shown concerning this faith (n. 36, 379, 389, 916, 1017, 1076, 1077, 1162, 1176, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2049, 2116, 2228, 2231, 2261, 2343, 2349, 2364, 2383, 2385, 2401, 2435, 2982, 3146, 3242, 3325, 3412, 3413, 3416, 3427, 3773, 4663, 4672, 4673, 4683, 4721, 4730, 4766, 4783, 4925, 5351, 5820, 5826, 6269, 6272, 6273, 6348, 6353, 7039, 7097, 7127, 7317, 7502, 7545, 7623-7627, 7724, 7779, 7790, 7950).
. Because that was near. That this signifies that it first comes up, is evident from the signification of "near," when said of faith separate, as being that it first comes up. How it is to be understood that the opinion concerning faith separate or alone first comes up, shall be briefly told. Evil of life is attended with its own falsity, which falsity lies hidden in the man who is in evil of life, and sometimes he is not aware that it is in him; but as soon as he thinks about the truths of the church, and especially when he thinks about salvation, then this falsity comes forth and clearly shows itself, and if it cannot deny the truth itself in respect to its general statement, it explains it in favor of its own evil, and thus falsifies it; consequently, when he is thinking about faith and charity, which are the essentials of the church and of salvation, faith at once comes up, but not charity, because charity is opposite to evil of life; and therefore he also sets charity aside, and chooses faith alone. From all this it is evident that the truths of faith are near, but not the goods of faith; that is, that the former come up first, and not the latter.[2] From this erroneous and false principle afterward follow many false and erroneous nations; as that good works effect nothing for salvation; that a man‘s life does not follow him after death; that man is then saved by merely alone through faith, howsoever he has lived in the world; that the most wicked is saved by faith in the last hour of his life; that evils are wiped away in a moment. These and the like things are thought out and established from this principle, and are consequently so many links in a chain. But they would be perceived to be utterly different if charity and life were the first principle.
. For God said. That this signifies the Divine foresight, is evident from the signification of "God said," when of things future, as being the Divine foresight (n. 5361, 6946). . Perchance the people will repent when they see war. That this signifies that they will turn aside from truth by reason of assaults, is evident from the signification of "to repent," as being to turn aside from truth; and from the signification of "war," as being spiritual combats (n. 1664, 1788, 2686), thus assaults. That "to repent" denotes to turn aside from truth, is because by the departure of the sons of Israel from Egypt, and by their stay in the wilderness, and by their introduction into the land of Canaan, is signified that they were continually led to good, and so to heaven. Hence by "repenting and returning to Egypt" is signified to depart from good, thus to turn aside from truth; for by "Egypt" or "the Egyptians" are signified those who are in faith separate from charity, and who are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6692, 7039, 7097, 7317, 7766, 7926).[2] As regards assaults by those who are in truth of faith which is not from good, who are signified by "the Philistines," be it known that in the other life these infest the well-disposed, and continually assault the good of faith, that is, charity; for the principles which they have caught at in the world they carry with them into the other life, and retain them until they have been vastated, that is, are deprived of all the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and are let down into hell. There are at this day great numbers of such spirits, and they dwell to the right in front, in a plane beneath the sole of the foot; their dwelling-place is a kind of city. It has often been granted me to speak with them from there, and to hear their reasonings in favor of faith alone, which are acute; and their assaults against charity, which are stubborn. These then are the things which in the internal sense are meant by their not being led by the way of the land of the Philistines, and by their perchance repenting when they saw war.
. And return to Egypt. That this signifies that from this there would be a fall into falsities which are utterly contrary to the truths and goods of faith, is evident from the signification of "Egypt," as being what is contrary to the truths and goods of faith (n. 6692, 7039, 7097, 7317, 7766, 7926); that to return thither denotes to fall into falsities is evident. . And God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness. That this signifies that under the Divine auspices they were brought to confirm the truths and goods of faith through temptations, is evident from the signification of "God led," as being Providence (n. 8093), or what is the same, the Divine auspices and from the signification of "the way of the wilderness," as being to undergo temptations, thus to confirm the truths and goods of faith, for they are confirmed by temptations. By "`wilderness" is signified where there is what is uninhabited and uncultivated (n. 2708), in the spiritual sense, where are no good and truth, and also where truth is not yet conjoined with good. Thus by "wilderness" is signified the state of those with whom conjunction will be effected; and as conjunction is not effected except through temptations, these also are signified, but only when the number "forty" is added, whether "forty years," or "forty months," or "forty days;" for "forty" signifies temptations and their duration whatever this may be (n. 730, 862, 2272, 2273). These things are signified by the sojournings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years; moreover the temptations which they underwent are described. That they were led into the wilderness in order that they might undergo these temptations and might thus represent them, is clear from these words in Moses:--Thou shalt remember all the way in which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to afflict thee, to tempt thee, to know what was in thy heart. He fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, to afflict thee, and to tempt thee, to do thee good in thy future time (Deut. 8:2, 6).
As by "forty" were signified temptations and their duration, and by the "wilderness" the state of those who undergo them, therefore when the Lord was tempted, He also went out into the wilderness, and was there forty days (Matt. 4:1, 2; Luke 4:1, 2; Mark 1:12, 13).
. The sea Suph. That this signifies the damnation which they were first to pass through, is evident from the signification of "the sea Suph," as being the hell where are those who are in faith separate from charity, and in a life of evil; and as "the sea Suph" denotes hell, it also denotes damnation. In regard to their having first to pass through damnation, the case is this. When those who had been of the spiritual church, and until the coming of the Lord had been detained in the lower earth, and there infested by those who had been in faith separate from charity, were liberated, they were not at once taken up into heaven, but were first brought into a second state of purification, which is that of temptations; for the truths and goods of faith can neither be confirmed nor conjoined without temptations, and until these had been confirmed and conjoined, they could not be raised into heaven. These things were represented by the sons of Israel not being at once introduced into the land of Canaan, but being first led into the wilderness, where they remained forty years, and in the meantime underwent various temptations which are described in the books of Moses.[2] As regards the fact that they first passed through the sea Suph, by which is signified the hell of those who are in faith separate and in a life of evil, thus through the midst of damnation, be it known that this hell is in front deep down beneath the hells of adulterers, and spreads rather widely toward the left, being separated from the hells of adulterers by waters as of a sea. To the right there, but deeper, is where those are gathered together who are in the truth of faith, but not in the good of faith, who are signified by the "Philistines" (n. 8096); but the lower earth where those are who are being infested, is beneath the sole of the foot, a little in front. They who are liberated from infestations are not brought toward the right, for here are those who are signified by the "Philistines;" but they are brought to the left, through the midst of the hell above spoken of, and they emerge to the left, where there is as it were a wilderness. I have twice been allowed to see that those who are being delivered from infestations pass by this way. While they are passing through, they are so protected by the Lord that not the slightest evil can touch them, still less anything of damnation, for they are encompassed with a column of angels, with whom the Lord is present: this was represented by the passage of the sons of Israel through the sea Suph.
[3] This was also meant by these words in Isaiah:--
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah Art Thou not it that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep? that hath set the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? (Isa. 51:9, 10);
the "arm of Jehovah" denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human; "the waters of the great deep," and "the depths of the sea," denote the hell where are those who are in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil; the waters as of a sea beneath which they are, are falsities, for in the other life falsities are seen as dense and dark clouds, and also as inundations of water (n. 739, 4423, 7307); "the redeemed who were to pass over" denote those who have been liberated by the Lord.
[4] In the same:--
Jehovah hath remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, saying, where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put the spirit of His holiness in the midst of them? (Isa. 63:11).
In this prophetic utterance by Moses is meant the Lord, who also is "the shepherd of the flock;" by "the people whom He brought up out of the sea," are meant those who were liberated from damnation.
[5] In Jeremiah:--
The earth trembled at the voice of their fall; there Was a cry, the voice thereof was heard in the sea Suph (Jer. 49:21);
"the sea Suph" denotes hell, for Edom and its damnation are here treated of, and it is said that "the voice thereof was heard from the sea Suph," when yet not they, but the Egyptians were immersed in that sea, which shows that "the sea Suph" signifies hell and damnation. By "Edom" are here signified those who from the evil of the love of self reject the truths of doctrine, and embrace falsities (n. 3322). From all this it can now be seen what is signified by "the sea Suph" in the internal representative sense, and what by the passage through it of the sons of Israel, and by the immersion of the Egyptians therein, as described in the following chapter.
. And the sons of Israel went up and spied out of the land of Egypt. That this signifies that they were taken away from a state of infestations, and thus prepared to undergo temptations, is evident from the signification of "going up armed," as being that they well prepared, here, to undergo temptations, because they were led through the sea Suph into the wilderness. "The wilderness" denotes a state of undergoing temptations, (n. 8098); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church; and from the signification of "the land of Egypt," as being a state of infestations (n. 7278). "To go up out of the land of Egypt" denotes to be taken away, or liberated. From all this it is evident that "the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt" denotes that they were taken away from a state of infestations, and were thus prepared to undergo temptations. For the difference between temptations and infestations (n. 7474). EXODUS 13:17-18 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
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