Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 3:16-20
The disciples said unto Jesus, Tell us when shall these things shall be? and what is the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? (Matthew 24:3);
and then the Lord instructed the disciples about the last time of the church, as can be seen from what has been unfolded above (n. 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3897-3901, 4056-4060, 4229-4231, 4422-4424); and He said that when all these things should come to pass, "then shall appear the sign of the Son of man, and then shall all the tribes of the earth wail, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory" (Matt. 24:30).
[2] That by the "coming of the Lord" is not meant His appearing with angels in the clouds, but acknowledgment in hearts by love and faith (n. 3353, 3900); also His appearing from the Word, the inmost or supreme sense of which treats of the Lord alone (n. 4060). This coming is meant by the coming of the Lord which takes place when an old church is rejected, and a new church is set up again by the Lord. And as newness of the church was now to be restored with the posterity of Jacob, it is said, "Visiting I have visited you," as was also said by Joseph when he died:--
Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; and visiting God will visit you, and will make you come up out of this land unto the land which He sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Gen. 50:24);
by "visiting to visit you," in the sense of the letter, is here signified liberation from slavery in Egypt, and introduction into the land of Canaan; but this is not the spiritual content of the Word, but the natural. The spiritual of the Word treats of the Lord, of His kingdom and church, and of love and faith; and therefore by "visiting to visit" in the spiritual sense is meant liberation from falsities, and thus initiation into what is of the Lord‘s church and kingdom, thus the coming of the Lord in love and faith with those who will be of the new church.
. And that which is done to you in Egypt. That this signifies the endeavor to subjugate, is evident from what goes before, in regard to the affliction and oppression of the sons of Israel, that is, of those who are of the spiritual church; this is what is meant by "that which was done to you in Egypt." Those afflictions and oppression signify infestations and endeavors to subjugate, (n. 6633, 6666, 6668, 6670, 6671, 6851, 6852, 6863). . And I say, I will make you come up out of the affliction of Egypt. That this signifies a raising and liberation from infestation by false memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of "making to come up," as being a raising toward interior things (n. 3084, 4539, 5406, 5817, 6007), a raising toward interior things is a raising from infestation by falsities to the truths and goods of faith, hence also "to make to come up" denotes liberation; from the signification of "affliction," as being infestation (n. 6663, 6851); and from the signification of "Egypt," as being false memory-knowledge (n. 6651, 6679, 6683). . Unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evils and falsities, is evident from what was shown above (n. 6854, 6858). The "Canaanites" and the "Hittites" denote those who are in evils from falsities, (n. 6858; the "Amorites" and the "Perizzites" denote those who are in evils and the derivative falsities, (n. 6859); and the "Hivites" and the "Jebusites" denote those who are in idolatry in which there is somewhat of good and truth, (n. 6860). . Unto a land flowing with milk and honey. That this signifies where are pleasantness and delight, is evident from the signification of "milk and honey," as being pleasantness and delight (n. 6857). . And they shall hear thy voice. That this signifies obedience, is evident from the signification of "hearing," as being obedience (n. 2542, 3869, 4652-4660). . And thou shalt go in, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt. That this signifies communication with those who are in falsities and who have infested, is evident from the signification of "going in," as being communication, for "to go in," in the spiritual sense, is to communicate to another one’s thought; from the representation of Moses, as being the law from the Divine (n. 6827); from the signification of "elders," as being the intelligent (n. 6523, 6525, 6890); and from the representation of Pharaoh, or the king of Egypt, as being falsity infesting the truths of the church (n. 6651, 6679, 6683). From all this it is evident that by "go in, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt" is signified the communication of such things as are of the law from the Divine, and of the intelligence thence derived, to those who are in falsities and who infested. . And ye shall say unto him. That this signifies influx, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being influx (n. 5743, 6152, 6291). That "to say" here denotes influx, is because the communication of such thing as are of the law from the Divine, and of the intelligence thence derived (n. 6901), is effected by influx. . Jehovah God of the Hebrews hath met with us. That this signifies the Divine of the Lord in the church, and His command, is evident from the signification of "the Hebrews," as being the church (n. 5136, 6675, 6684); that "Jehovah God" denotes the Divine of the Lord, is because by "Jehovah" no other is meant in the Word than the Lord (n. 1736, 2921; 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6303); and from the signification of "meeting," as here being a command; for by "meeting" is here meant that He spake with them, and gave orders. That this is involved in "meeting," is evident from the fact that it is not further said what He spake, but His command immediately follows. . And now let us go we pray a way of three days into the wilderness. That this signifies the life of truth in a state altogether removed from falsities, although in obscurity, is evident from the signification of "going," as being life (n. 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605); from the signification of "a way," as being truth (n. 627, 2333); from the signification of "three days," as being a full state (n. 2788, 4495), thus when removal from falsities is treated of, it denotes a state altogether removed from them (that "to put a way of three days" denotes to completely separate, (n. 4010); and from the signification of a "wilderness," as being what is uninhabited and uncultivated (n. 2708, 3900), which in the spiritual sense denotes obscurity of faith. For the subject here treated of is the setting up of a spiritual church, signified by the "sons of Israel;" and they who are of that church are relatively in obscurity in respect to the good and truth of faith (n. 2708, 2715, 2716, 2718, 2831, 2849, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3246, 3833, 4402, 6289, 6500, 6865). The life of truth is the life which they live who are of the spiritual church; for the truth which they know from the Word, or from the doctrine of their church, when it is made of the life, is called good, but it is truth in act. . That we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God. That this signifies thus the worship of the Lord, is evident from the signification of "sacrificing," as being worship in general (n. 923); for in the Hebrew church, and afterward with the posterity of Jacob, all worship had reference to sacrifices, as can be seen from the fact that they were offered daily, and many at every festival; also at inaugurations, at purifications, for sins, for guilt, besides in consequence of vows, and of free-will. Hence it is that by "sacrifices" is signified worship in general. That it is the worship of the Lord which is signified by "sacrificing to Jehovah God," is very evident from the fact that sacrifices represented none other than the Lord, and the Divine celestial and spiritual things which are from Him (n. 1823, 2180 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519); and also from the fact that by "Jehovah God" in the Word none other than the Lord is meant (n. 6903); by "Jehovah" His Divine Being, and by "God" the Divine Coming-forth thence derived; thus by "Jehovah" the Divine good of His Divine love, and by "God the Divine truth proceeding from His Divine good. . And I know. That this signifies foresight, is evident from the signification of "knowing," when predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, as being foresight (n. 6853). . That the king of Egypt will not allow you to go. That this signifies that falsity will oppose itself, is evident from the signification of "not allowing you to go," as being to oppose itself, for he who does not allow, when it is said that there is a Divine command (n. 6903), and who denies leave to anyone to worship God, sets himself in opposition, as all are wont to do who are in falsity that is confirmed in themselves; from the representation of Pharaoh or the king of Egypt, as being falsity (n. 6651, 6679, 6683); and from the signification of "to go," namely "a way of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to Jehovah God," as being to live according to truth in a state altogether removed from falsities, and to worship the Lord in this way (n. 6904).[2] How the case is with those who are in falsity, and who are represented by the king of Egypt, in that they set themselves in opposition to those who are in truths, must be told. In the world they who are in falsity do not openly oppose themselves to those who are in truth, for external bonds restrain them, which are fears lest they should appear to be against the laws of the realm and of the church, so that they could not seem to be good citizens; for in this world everyone wishes to seem just and true in outward form, and the wicked more so than the well-disposed, in order that they may captivate the minds of others, and deceive for the sake of gain and honors. Nevertheless inwardly they set themselves in opposition, for whenever they hear anyone professing the truths of the church, not from his office but from zeal, they ridicule inwardly, and they would openly deride if external bonds did not then restrain them. When such come into the other life, external bonds no longer restrain them, for these are then taken away from them in order that everyone may appear in his true character; and then they openly set themselves in opposition to those who are in truths, and infest them in every possible way. This is then the very delight of their life; and when they are warned not to do such things, because if they do not desist, they will at last be removed altogether and thrust down into hell, still they pay no attention to this, but constantly persist in the infestation as before, so greatly are they in the delight of life from falsity, and this taking such possession of them that they do not admit anything which is of intelligence. These are the things signified by the words "the king of Egypt will not allow you to go," and which are represented by Pharaoh, in that he so often set himself in opposition. The removal of such spirits, and the thrusting of them down into hell, is represented by the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the sea Suph.
[3] They who are in evil of life, and from this in falsity, are in the light of the world, for this is the light by which intellectual objects are seen; this light, with those who are in falsity from evil, has a ruddy glow, and the more so in proportion as they are more in falsity from evil. The glory of the world, which is from the love of self, kindles this light, and causes its glow; and because this is so, truths appear therein wholly as falsities, and falsities wholly as truths. The reason is that heavenly light cannot flow into a beam of that light, but becomes thick darkness when with it; hence it is that such are in a strong persuasion in favor of falsities against truths; because in that light they see them in this way. but with those who are in truths from good, the light of the world does not glow, but is obscure; while the light of heaven with them is clear and bright, and because this light is so clear, truths appear in it as truths, and falsities as falsities. For when this light falls upon falsities, which in the light of the world separate from the light of heaven appear as truths, it not only obscures but altogether extinguishes them. This light, namely, the light of heaven, becomes successively brighter and brighter with them, and at last so much so that the light of the world cannot be compared to it. From all this appears the reason why they who are in falsities from evil, from so strong a persuasion oppose themselves to those who are in truths, which opposition has been treated of above.
. And not by a strong hand. That this signifies that the power of those who are of the spiritual church will not prevail against them, is evident from the signification of "hand," as being power (n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937); hence "not by a strong hand" denotes power which will not prevail. That the power of those who are of the spiritual church is here meant, is plain from the words which presently follow, "and I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders," whereby is signified that they would be overcome by power from the Divine, and by the means of this power. . And I will put forth My land. That this signifies power from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "hand," as being power (n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937); and as Jehovah or the Lord says this of Himself, it denotes power from the Divine. . And smite Egypt with all My wonders. That this signifies the means of Divine power against falsities, is evident from the signification of "Egypt," as being falsity; and from the signification of "wonders," as being the means of Divine power, whereby they are subjugated who are in evils and infest. That "wonders" denote the means of Divine power, by which they are subjugated who are in falsities, is evident from the wonders or miracles done in Egypt, whereby the Egyptians were at last driven to send away the sons of Israel; every such wonder or miracle there signifies a means of Divine power. . Which I will do in the midst thereof. That this signifies which shall touch them directly, is evident from the signification of "the midst," as being what is within (n. 1074, 2940, 2973), thus what directly touches; for that which directly touches anyone, is within him; but that which does not touch directly, is also without, for it strikes obliquely, and in part passes by. . And afterward he will send you away. That this signifies the driving away of those who are in falsities, and the liberation of those who are in truths, is evident from the signification of "sending," or "letting go," as here being to be driven away; for they who are in falsities never let go, even though it were to eternity, unless they are driven away; therefore by "sending," in the internal sense, is here signified driving away, and the consequent liberation. EXODUS 3:16-20 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
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