Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 14:26-28
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AC 8220. Verses 26-28. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, and let the waters return upon the Egyptians, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned, at the turn of the morning, to the strength of its flow; and the Egyptians fled to meet it; and Jehovah shook out the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the army of Pharaoh that came after them into the sea; there was not left of them even one. "And Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies influx; "Stretch out thy hand over the sea," signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over hell; "and let the waters return upon the Egyptians," signifies that the falsities would flow back to them, and would environ those who are in falsities from evil; "upon his chariots and upon his horsemen," signifies doctrinal things of falsity, and reasonings from a perverted understanding; "and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea," signifies, as above, the rule of Divine power over hell; "and the sea returned, at the turn of the morning, to the strength of its flow," signifies the flowing back to them of the falsities from evil, by reason of the presence of the Lord; "and the Egyptians fled to meet it," signifies that they immersed themselves in the falsities from evil; "and Jehovah shook out the Egyptians into the midst of the sea," signifies that thus they cast themselves into hell, where are falsities from evil; "and the waters returned," signifies the return of the falsities into them; "and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the army of Pharaoh," signifies that their own falsities hid them; "that came in after them into the sea," signifies that took possession of them; "there was not left of them even one," signifies all and each.

AC 8221. And "Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies influx, is evident from the signification of "Jehovah said," when concerning the rule of power to be exercised by means of Divine truth, which is represented by Moses, as being influx (n. 7291, 7381).

AC 8222. Stretch out thy hand over the sea. That this signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over hell, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 8200), where are like words.

AC 8223. And let the waters return upon the Egyptians. That this signifies that the falsities from evil would flow back to those, and would environ those, who are in falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of "waters," as being falsities (n. 6346, 7307, 8137, 8138); consequently by "let the waters return" is signified the flowing back or return of the falsity, here also an environment, because by the waters of the sea Suph, which denote the falsities from evil of those who being of the church had been in faith separate and in a life of evil; and from the signification of "the Egyptians," as being those who are in falsities from evil. How the case herein is, that the falsities would flow back or return to those who intended to pour them forth upon those who were in truth and good, who are represented by the sons of Israel, see above (n. 8214), namely, that the evil which is intended to others returns upon themselves, and that this arises from the law of Divine order: "Do not to another save only what thou wouldest others should do to thee’ (Matt. 7:12). From this law, which in the spiritual world is constant and perpetual, the laws of retaliation delivered in the representative church derived their origin; namely, the following:--

From these passages it is clearly evident that these laws originate from that universal law which in the spiritual world is constant and perpetual, namely, that thou art not to do to others except as thou wouldst that others should do to thee. Thus it is clear how it is to be understood that the falsities from evil which are intended to be inflicted on others, flow back or return upon the persons themselves.

[2] But the case with this law in the other life is further as follows. When the like, or retaliation, is evil, it is inflicted by the evil, and never by the good; that is, it comes from the hells, and never from the heavens. For the hells, or the evil who are there, are in the continual cupidity of doing evil to others, for this is the very delight of their life; and therefore as soon as it is permitted, they do evil, caring not to whom, whether he is evil or good, whether he is a companion or an enemy; and as it is from a law of order that evil returns upon those who intend evil, consequently, when it is permitted by the law, they rush on them. This is done by the evil who are in the hells, never by the good who are in the heavens, for these latter are in the continual desire of doing good to others, because this is the delight of their life; and therefore as soon as there is an opportunity, they do good both to foes and to friends, nay, they do not resist evil, for the laws of order defend and protect what is good and true. Hence it is that the Lord says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say to you that evil must not be resisted. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; but I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, impart benefits to them that hate you; that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens" (Matt. 5:38, 39, 43-45).

[3] It frequently happens in the other life that when evil spirits wish to inflict evil on the good, they are grievously punished, and that the evil which they intend to others returns upon themselves. At the time this appears as if it were revenge from the good; but it is not revenge, neither is it from the good, but from the evil, to whom an opportunity is then given from the law of order. Nay, the good do not wish evil to them, but still they cannot take away the evil of punishment, because they are then kept in the intention of good just like a judge when he sees a malefactor being punished, or like a father when he sees his son punished by his master. The evil who punish do it from the cupidity of doing evil; but the good from the affection of doing good. From all this it can be seen what is meant by the Lord‘s words concerning love for an enemy, in Matthew, as above; and concerning the law of retaliation, which was not abrogated by the Lord, but explained; namely, that they who are in heavenly love ought not to have delight in retaliation or revenge, but in imparting benefits; and that the very law of order, which protects what is good, performs it from itself, through the evil ones.

AC 8224. Upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. That this signifies doctrinal things of falsity, and reasonings from a perverted understanding, is evident from the signification of the "chariots of Pharaoh," as being doctrinal things of falsity (n. 8146, 8148, 8215); and from the signification of "horsemen," as being reasonings from a perverted understanding (n. 8146, 8148).

AC 8225. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, signifies the rule of Divine power over hell (n. 8200, 8222).

AC 8226. And the sea returned, at the turn of the morning, to the strength of its flow. That this signifies the flowing back to them of the falsities from evil by reason of the presence of the Lord, is evident from the signification of "returning," when said of the falsities from evil which are signified by the "waters of the sea Suph," as being a flowing back or return to them (n. 8223); from the signification of "the sea," here of the waters of the sea, as being falsities from evil which are in hell (n. 6346, 7307, 8137); from the signification of "the turn of the morning," as being the presence of the Lord; and from the signification of "to the strength of its flow," as being according to the general state and order in hell; for in the hells there is order equally as in the heavens, because in the hells there is consociation by means of evils, as in the heavens by means of goods, but the consociation in the hells is like that of robbers. That "at the turn of the morning" denotes the presence of the Lord, can be seen from what was shown above concerning the morning (n. 8211), namely, that "the morning" denotes a state of thick darkness and destruction to the evil, and a state of enlightenment and salvation to the good, and this from the mere presence of the Lord (n. 7989, 8137, 8138, 8188), that is, from the presence of His Divine Human (n. 8159).

[2] The like to what is here said of "the Egyptians" is said of "Babel" in Jeremiah:--

by "Babel" here are signified those who have been of the church and have profaned good; and by "Chaldea," those who have profaned truth; their intellectual part and the derivative doctrinal things and reasonings are here also signified by "horse," "chariot," and "him that is borne therein;" and vastation, by their "being scattered." The Lord as to the Divine Human, by virtue of whose presence their scattering is effected, is meant by these words: "He is the Former of all things, chiefly of the rod of His inheritance, Jehovah Zebaoth is His name; Thou art my hammer and weapons of war; and by Thee will I scatter the nations; and by Thee will I destroy kingdoms;" "nations" denote evils, and "kingdoms" falsities. From all this also it is evident that the evils which they do to others flow back or return upon themselves, for it is said that "their evil shall be recompensed to them;" and also in various places in the Word it is said that in the day of visitation vengeance shall be taken, and that there shall be an avenging.

AC 8227. And the Egyptians fled to meet it. That this signifies that they immersed themselves in the falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of "fleeing to meet the sea," as being to immerse themselves in the falsities from evil which are signified by the waters of that sea (n. 8226). The case herein is this. He who does not know the interior things of causes, cannot believe otherwise than that the evils which be fall the evil, such as punishments, vastations, damnations, and finally casting into hell, are from the Divine; for so it does absolutely appear, because such things arise from the presence of the Divine (n. 8137, 8138, 8188); but still nothing of the kind befalls them from the Divine, but from themselves. The Divine and its presence have for their sole end the protection and salvation of the good; and when the Divine is present with these, and protects them against the evil, then the evil are still more inflamed against them, and more still against the Divine Itself, for this latter they hate most intensely (they who hate good, intensely hate the Divine); consequently they make an attack upon these, and in so far as they do this, so far do they by virtue of the law of order cast themselves into punishments, vastations, damnation, and at last into hell. From all this it can be seen that the Divine (that is, the Lord) does nothing but good, and does evil to no one, but that they who are in evil cast themselves into such things. This is what is signified by "the Egyptians fled to meet the sea," that is, that they immersed themselves in falsities from evil.

[2] As regards this matter something further shall be said. It is believed that evils too are from the Divine, because the Divine permits them, and does not take them away; and he who permits and does not take away when he is able, appears to will, and thus to be the cause. but the Divine permits because it cannot prevent, or take away; for the Divine wills nothing but good; and if it were to prevent and take away evils, that is, those of punishments, vastations, persecutions, temptations, and the like, then it would will evil, for then such persons could not be amended, and evil would increase until it had the dominion over good. The case herein is like that of a king who acquits the guilty: he is the cause of the evil afterward done by them in the kingdom; and is also the cause of the consequent license taken by others; not to mention the fact that the evil person would be confirmed in evil; and therefore a just and good king, though able to take away punishments, nevertheless cannot do it, for in this way he would not do good, but evil. Be it known that all the punishments, and also the temptations, in the other life, have good as their end.

AC 8228. And Jehovah shook out the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. That this signifies that thus they cast themselves into hell where are falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of "shaking out into the midst of the sea," as being to cast into falsities from evil, for these falsities are signified by the waters of that sea (n. 6346, 7307, 8137, 8138). That evils which in the sense of the letter of the Word are attributed to Jehovah - that is, to the Lord - are from the very ones who are in evil, and nothing of them from the Lord, and that the Word in its internal sense is so to be understood, see (n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7877, 7926, 8227).

AC 8229. And the waters returned. That this signifies the return of the falsities into them, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 8223, 8226).

AC 8230. And covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the army of Pharaoh. That this signifies that their own falsities hid them, is evident from the signification of "covering," as being to overwhelm, and thus to hide; and from the signification of "the chariots and the horsemen of Pharaoh," as being doctrinal things of falsity, and reasonings, fighting against truths and goods, in general the very falsities from evil. "Chariots" denote doctrinal things of falsity, and "horsemen" reasonings from a perverted understanding, (n. 8146, 8148); and they denote these fighting against truths and goods, (n. 8215).

AC 8231. That came after them into the sea. That this signifies that took possession of them, is evident from the signification of "those which came after them," when said of the waters of the sea, by which are signified falsities from evil, as being to take possession of.

AC 8232. There was not left of them even one. That this signifies all and each, is evident without explication. In this verse the subject treated of is the immersion or casting into hell of those who have been in falsities from evil. But what immersion and casting into hell are, is known to few, it being supposed that it is a casting down into a certain place where is the devil with his crew, who torment those who are there. But such is not the case with this matter. Casting into hell is nothing else than a crowding by mere falsities which are from evil, in which evil they had been when in the world. When they have been crowded there by these falsities, they are in hell, and the evils and falsities in which they then are, torment them. But the torment does not arise from their grieving at the evil which they have done, but from their not being able to do evil, which is the delight of their life; for when they do evil to others in hell, they are punished and tormented by those to whom they do it. They chiefly do evil to one another from the cupidity of exercising command, and of subjugating others with this end in view, which is done (if others do not suffer themselves to be subjugated) by a thousand methods of punishments and torments. But the lordships there, which they continually aspire to, take turns, those who had punished and tormented others being subsequently punished and tormented by these others; and this until at last this kind of ardor abates from the fear of the penalty. From all this it can now be seen whence comes hell, and what hell is. The fire of hell is nothing else than concupiscence originating in the love of self, which inflames and torments (n. 6314, 7324, 7575).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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