Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 17:10-13
[2] What is meant by truths in successive order shall be briefly told. Each and all things in universal nature come forth from interior things in order, being derivations and successions. But interior things do not cohere with exterior things by continuity, but they are distinct, and are conjoined by means of protrusions like fibers, through which there are communications. An idea of the nature of these derivations and consequent successions in general, may be obtained from fruits, as from citrons, apples, and the like. The most external things are the skins which encompass them; the interior things are the pulp which is enclosed; the still more interior things are the seeds, which are encompassed with cases outwardly, and next themselves with membranes; beneath which is the inner pulp, containing the first form, as a soul; from which again come new trees and new fruits.
[3] All these things are in successive order, and are distinct from one another, and are also joined together. The communication of the interior things with the exterior is effected in a wonderful way by means of passings over that are as it were fibrous. At first, while forming, they almost cohere, but in course of time they are separated; for before the first form, which is the inmost in the seed, can be expanded into forms like its parents, it must be successively opened; and when it is being opened and begins to grow, the pulps with which it is encompassed adapt themselves, serving first as soil, next as fertilizing sap; after this period, which is its period in the womb, it is born, and is then left to the soil of the earth, wherein it has been sown in the form of seed.
[4] From all this an idea can be formed how the case is with derivatives in successive order. As it is in the vegetable kingdom, so also it is in the animal kingdom, but in this much more perfectly. There are in the animal kingdom exterior, and interior, and inmost things, in like manner in successive order, which are distinct from one another, and are also joined together; but they differ in the fact that the forms in the animal kingdom have been created to receive life. Consequently, as the forms recipient of life are in successive order, so also are the lives which result therefrom; for the forms or substances recipient of life are the subjects, and the things that result from their changes and modifications are the forces, which are to be called "lives," because they are living forces.
[5] From all this it can now be seen what is meant by "Divine truths in successive order;" for all things that belong to life bear relation to truth, and their perfection to good, and in the opposite sense to falsity, and their imperfection to evil. The passings over from one to the other in successive order are also called "degrees."
. Went up to the top of the hill, signifies in the good of charity. . And it was when Moses lifted up his hand. That this signifies when the faith looked toward the Lord, with those who were of the spiritual church, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine; and from the signification of "lifting up the hand," as being to determine the spiritual power upward, thus to the Lord. That "the hand" denotes spiritual power, see (n. 6947, 7011); and because it denotes spiritual power it denotes faith; for all power in the spiritual world against falsities from evil, belongs to truth from good, or to faith from charity (n. 3563, 4932).[2] What it is to look toward the Lord, and what it is to look toward the world and self; thus what it is to look above self, and what to look below self (n. 7814-7821); namely, that to look above self is to look to the neighbor, to our country, to the church, to heaven, thus to the Lord (n. 7814, 7815, 7817); that to look below self is to look to the world and to self (n. 7817); that to look above self and below self is to have as the end and to love above all things (n. 7818); that man is distinguished from brutes by the fact that he can look above self and below self, and that when he looks above self, he is a man, but when below self, he is a beast (n. 7821); and that to look above self is to be elevated by the Lord (n. 7816), for the Lord flows in with every man through the truth which is from Himself, whereby He gives life to man, because the light which is from the Lord is Divine truth, and is life (John 1:4).
[3] This Divine truth which is from the Lord flows into the good with man, and by means of it draws the man to itself; for the life which is from the Lord has a power of attracting, because it is from love, since all love has in it this power, inasmuch as it wills to be conjoined, so as to be a one. then therefore a man is in good, and from good in truth, he is drawn by the Lord, and is conjoined with Him. This is meant by "looking upward to the Lord." But when a man is not in good, thus not in truth from good, then too he is drawn by the Lord, but cannot be elevated, because evils and the derivative falsities turn themselves away. This is meant by "looking downward," or "to self and the world."
[4] That the Lord draws man to Himself, the Lord Himself teaches in John:--
I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself (John 12:32).
From all this it can now be seen how it is to be understood that when the faith looked toward the Lord, the fighting truth conquered, and that when the faith looked downward from the Lord to self and the world, the falsity conquered, as is signified by Israel prevailing when Moses held up his hand, and by Amalek prevailing when he let down his hand.
. Israel prevailed. That this signifies that then the fighting truth conquered, is evident from the signification of "prevailing," as being to conquer; and from the representation of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church, here those who fight from truths against the falsities from interior evil. . And when he let down his hand. That this signifies when the faith with them looked downward, or away from the Lord, to self and the world, is evident from the things unfolded just above (n. 8604). The reason why the faith that looks to the Lord conquers, is that in this case the Lord fights, for the Lord is the faith, because the faith is from Him. But the faith which looks away from the Lord to self and the world yields, because the man then fights from himself. . Amalek prevailed. That this signifies that then the falsity conquered, is evident from the signification of "prevailing," as being to conquer; and from the representation of Amalek, as being falsity from interior evil (n. 8593). By Israel now conquering, and now Amalek, was represented that they who are of the spiritual church cannot be in a faith that continuously looks to the Lord, but that they are by turns in a faith which looks to themselves and the world; for they who are of that church are in obscurity, and consequently in weakness, as to faith. That such is their quality, (n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6639, 6865, 6945, 7233). Hence it is that Amalek was not extirpated by Joshua, nor afterward by the judges, nor by the kings, in the land of Canaan, notwithstanding the command that he should be blotted out (n. 8593). . And Moses‘ hands were heavy. That this signifies that the power of looking upward to the Lord failed, is evident from the signification of "hands," as being the powers that belong to faith (n. 8604); and from the signification of "heavy," or that the strength to lift up the hands was diminished, as being that the power of looking upward to the Lord failed; for by "lifting up the hands" is signified faith looking upward to the Lord (n. 8604), and by "letting down the hand," faith looking downward from the Lord (n. 8606). . And they took a stone. That this signifies truth Divine in the ultimate of order, is evident from the signification of "a stone," as being truth (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3789, 6426), here truth in the ultimate of order, because it was put under him and he sat upon it. Moreover a common stone signifies lower truth, but a precious stone higher or interior truth. What truth in the ultimate of order is, can be seen from what was said above (n. 8603) concerning truths in successive order, namely, that there are interior truths and exterior truths. Those which are last or ultimate are meant by "truths in the ultimate of order." . And put it under him, and he sat upon it. That this signifies correspondence with truth in the first of order, can be seen from the fact that this stone supported Moses, and by Moses is represented truth in the first of order, or the truth Divine which proceeds immediately from the Lord. When the truth in the ultimate of order corresponds to this truth, then this truth is supported, because then they act as a one. For interior things are conjoined with exterior and finally with the last or ultimate by means of correspondences; then the truth which is first has strength in that which is last, because it is in this and acts by means of it. But if there is no correspondence, there is disjunction; consequently the truth which is first has no strength in the last or ultimate. What correspondence is, can be seen from what has been abundantly adduced at the end of many chapters concerning the correspondence with the Grand Man of all things appertaining to man. . And Aaron and Hur. That this signifies truths in order, is evident from the representation of Aaron and Hur, as being lower truths in successive order relatively to the truth that is in the first of order which is represented by Moses (n. 8603). . Held up his hands. That this signifies the upholding of the power of the fighting truth, is evident from the signification of "hands," as being power (n. 878, 4931-4937, 7518, 8050, 8153), here the power of the fighting truth which is represented by Joshua (n. 8595). That the upholding of the fighting truth is what is signified by "Aaron and Hur holding up the hands of Moses," is because Joshua prevailed through the uplifting of the hands of Moses. . One on one side, and the other on the other. That this signifies on all sides, is evident from the fact that "one on one side, and the other on the other" means at the right hand and at the left, and in the spiritual sense "at the right hand and at the left" denotes on all sides, for the right and the left are not determinations to a certain quarter, but to every quarter, according to whatever direction the man turns himself. Still more is this the case in the spiritual world, where the determinations of spaces are not at all as they are in the natural world; for in the spiritual world what is at the right appears at the right in every turning or turning right round; in like manner what is at the left (n. 4321, 4882). . And it was, his hands were steady. That this signifies the strength of power then, is evident from the signification of "hands," as being power (n. 8612). Hence the strength of power is signified by the hands being made steady through being held up. . Until the setting of the sun. That this signifies when this state ceased, namely, the state of combat with falsity from interior evil, is evident from the fact that the times of the day, from the rising of the sun to its setting, and again to its rising, signify the changes of state which those undergo who are in the other life. The end of this state is signified by the time of the sun’s setting, and hence by "until the setting of the sun," is signified when this state ceased. The times of the day from the rising of the sun to its setting signify states and their changes, (n. 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426).[2] Every person who reflects can see that the things which are related in these verses contain arcana which do not appear in the letter--as that Moses stood on a hill, and had a rod in his hand; that Joshua conquered when Moses lifted up his hands, and Amalek conquered when Moses let down his hands; that they put a stone under him upon which he sat; and that Aaron and Hur held up his hands, and this until the setting of the sun. Unless all and everyone of these things had corresponded to things that are in heaven, they could not have contributed anything to the battle with Amalek.
[3] Correspondences have all power, insomuch that what is done on earth according to correspondences avails in heaven, because correspondences are from the Divine. They who are in the good of love and of faith are in correspondence, and the Divine does all things that appertain to them, for from the Divine come the good of love and the good of faith. All the miracles recorded in the Word were done by means of correspondences. The Word has been so written that every particular therein even to the most minute corresponds to things that are in heaven. Consequently the Word has Divine power; and it conjoins heaven with earth, for when the Word is read on earth, the angels in heaven are moved unto the holiness that is in the internal sense. This is effected by means of the correspondences of all the several expressions in the Word.
. And Joshua weakened Amalek and his people. That this signifies the lessening of the power with those who are in the falsity from interior evil, is evident from the signification of "weakening," as being a lessening of the power; and from the representation, of Amalek and his people, as being those who are in the falsity from interior evil (n. 8593). . With the edge of the sword. That this signifies by means of fighting truth, is evident from the signification of "a sword," as being fighting truth (n. 2799, 8294). EXODUS 17:10-13 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |