Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 14:15-18
[2] As to there being no need of intercession, the case is this. They who are in temptations are wont to slack their hands and betake themselves solely to prayers, which they then ardently pour forth, not knowing that prayers will not avail, but that they must fight against the falsities and evils which are being injected by the hells. This fight is performed by means of the truths of faith, which help because they confirm goods and truths against falsities and evils. Moreover in the combats of temptations, the man ought to fight as of himself, but yet acknowledge and believe that it is of the Lord (n. 8176). If man does not fight as of himself, the good and truth which flow in through heaven from the Lord are not appropriated to him; but when he fights as of himself, and still believes that it is of the Lord, then they are appropriated to him. From this he has an own (proprium) that is new, which is called the heavenly own, and which is a new will.
[3] Moreover they who are in temptations, and not in some other active life than that of prayers, do not know that if the temptations were intermitted before they had been fully carried through, they would not be prepared for heaven, and thus could not be saved. For this reason, moreover, the prayers of those who are in temptations are but little heard; for the Lord wills the end, which is the salvation of the man, which end He knows, but not the man; and the Lord does not heed prayers that are contrary to the end, which is salvation. He who conquers in temptations is also confirmed in the truth stated above; whereas he who does not conquer entertains a doubt with respect to the Divine aid and power, because he is not heard; and then sometimes, because he slacks his hand, he partly yields. From all this it can be seen what is meant by there being no need of intercession, namely, that prayer is not to be relied upon. For in prayer from the Divine it is always thought and believed that the Lord alone knows whether it is profitable or not; and therefore the suppliant submits the hearing to the Lord, and immediately after prays that the will of the Lord, and not his own, may be done, according to the Lord’s words in His own most grievous temptation at Gethsemane (Matt. 26:39, 42, 44).
. Speak unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies influx and perception, is evident from the signification of "speaking," when said of truth Divine, which is represented by Moses, to those who are of the spiritual church, who are "the sons of Israel," as being influx and the consequent perception (n. 2951, 5481, 5797, 7270, 8128). . That they set forward. That this signifies what follows on continuously even until they are prepared, is evident from the signification of "setting forward," as being what is successive and continuous (n. 4375, 4554, 4585, 5996); for thereby is signified that they were not to cry out, that is, to supplicate, but that the journey was to be continued to the sea Suph, and afterward through it to the wilderness, thus through hell, which they should pass through safely, to temptations in successive continuation, even until they should be prepared. By the "sea Suph" is signified hell, (n. 8099, 8137, 8148), and by the "wilderness" a state of undergoing temptations, (n. 8098). . And thou, lift up thy rod. That this signifies the power of Divine truth, is evident from the signification of "rod," as being power (n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026); and from the representation of Moses, to whom it is said that he should "lift up his rod," as being Divine truth. . And stretch out thy hand over the sea. That this signifies the rule of power where the hell of falsity from evil is, is evident from the signification of "stretching out the hand," as being the rule of power (n. 7673); and from the signification of "the sea," here the sea Suph, as being the hell in which are the falsities from evil of those who have been of the church (n. 8099, 8137, 8148). Concerning this bell, of the Lord‘s Divine mercy something further shall be said at the end of the last chapters of Exodus, where the hells will be told about from experience. . And cleave it asunder. That this signifies the consequent dissipation of falsity, is evident from the signification of "cleaving this sea asunder," as being to dissipate the falsities from evil which are in that hell; for the falsities there appear like waters, according to what was shown above (n. 8099, 8137, 8148). For when the angelic pillar in which the Lord is present passes through that sea, then the falsities recede, consequently the waters there--which are falsities--disappear; from which it is evident that "to cleave the sea asunder" signifies the dissipation of the falsities that belong to the hell which is represented by the "sea Suph." . And the sons of Israel shall come into the midst of the sea on the dry. That this signifies that they who are of the spiritual church may pass safely and without the influx of falsity, is evident from the signification of "coming" or entering "into the midst," as being to pass through; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church and from the signification of "on the dry," as being safely, and without the influx of falsity; for by the waters of this sea are signified falsities derived from evil (n. 8137, 8138); consequently by "the dry" is signified without falsity. The like is signified by "dry," and "making dry," in David:--Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan in pieces. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the river; Thou hast made dry the rivers of strength (Ps. 74:14, 15);
"to make dry the rivers of strength" denotes to dissipate the more powerful falsities.
[2] In Zechariah:--
I will gather them, because I will redeem them; I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them unto the land of Gilead and to Lebanon. He shall pass through the sea of distress; but he will smite the waves in the sea, and will make dry all the depths of the stream; and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart. And I will render them mighty in Jehovah (Zech. 10:8-12);
this passage treats of those who trust in themselves and in their own wisdom in spiritual things, and also of the dissipation of falsities by means of temptations: "the land of Egypt" denotes memory-knowledges; "Assyria," the reasonings therefrom; "to pass through the sea of distress," denotes temptations; "to smite the waves in the sea and dry up the depths of the stream," denotes to dissipate the falsities thence derived; "the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart," denotes that they shall not trust any longer in their own wisdom, but in wisdom from the Lord, which is signified by "I will render them mighty in Jehovah."
[3] In like manner in Isaiah:--
That saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof; that saith to the abyss, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers (Isa. 44:26, 27);
"to say to the abyss, be dry," and "to dry up the rivers thereof," denotes to dissipate evils and falsities. But where "waters" signify truths, there "to make dry" signifies a state of no truth, or one without truth, as in Isaiah:--
I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry (Isa. 44:3);
"waters" and "streams" denote truths; "the dry" denotes where there is no truth.
[4] In Jeremiah:--
O sword against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babel, O sword against the horses thereof, and against the chariots thereof; a drought upon the waters, that they may be dried up (Jer. 50:35-38);
"the Chaldeans" denote those who profane truths; and "the inhabitants of Babel," denote those who profane goods (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326); a "sword" denotes truth fighting against falsity, and falsity fighting against truth, consequently vastation (n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102); "horses" denote the intellectual faculty (n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534); "chariots," doctrinal things (n. 5321, 8148); "a drought upon the waters that they may be dried up," denotes that by reason of falsification there is no life in the truths. But where "dry," or "making dry," in the Word, is said of other things, as of trees, of herbs, of harvest, of bones, the contrary to the above is signified. The earth itself is also called "the dry" relatively to the sea, and then "dry" is predicated of good, and "the sea" of truth.
. And I, behold, I harden the heart of the Egyptians. That this signifies the obstinacy of falsity from evil, is evident from the signification of "hardening the heart," as being obstinacy (n. 7272, 7300, 7305, 7616); and from the representation of the Egyptians, as being those who are in falsities from evil (n. 8132, 8135, 8148). When it is said in the Word that "Jehovah hardens the heart" and also "leads into evil," in the internal sense, where the truth itself is in its nakedness, it is meant that they who are in falsity and in evil harden their own heart and lead themselves into evil (n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7877, 7926). . And they shall come after them. That this signifies an endeavor to offer violence by means of the influx of falsity from evil, is evident from the signification of "coming after them," as being the influx of falsity from evil, and also an endeavor to subjugate, thus to offer violence; for by "drawing nigh" is signified influx (n. 8159); by "marching after them," a closer influx and communication (n. 8161); and by "pursuing after them," an endeavor to subjugate (n. 8136, 8152, 8154); consequently by "coming after them" is signified an endeavor to offer violence by means of the influx of falsity from evil. . And I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen. That this signifies that they will see the effect of the dissipation of falsity and of reasonings by virtue of the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of "being glorified in Pharaoh and his army," as being the immersion in hell of those who are in falsity from evil, and the encompassing of them there by falsities as by waters, by reason of the mere presence of the Divine Human of the Lord (n. 8137); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities from evil; from the signification of "army," as being falsities from the signification of "his chariots," as being doctrinal things of falsity; and from the signification of "his horsemen," as being false reasonings (n. 8146, 8156). . And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. That this signifies that it may be known that the Lord is the only God, and besides Him there is none else, is evident from what has been unfolded above (n. 7401, 7444, 7544, 7598, 7636), where like words occur. . When I am glorified in Pharaoh, in his chariots, and in his horsemen, signifies that they will see the effect of the dissipation of falsity, and of the doctrinal things and reasonings of falsity, by the Lord alone (n. 8188). EXODUS 14:15-18 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |