Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 19:12
[2] As regards those being saved who are in the truth of faith, provided they recede from evil, the case is this. The truths of faith are the very receiving vessels of good (n. 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269); and they receive good in so far as the man recedes from evil; for good continually flows in from the Lord, and it is the evil of life that hinders its being received in the truths which are with man in his memory or knowledge. Therefore in so far as a man recedes from evil, so far good enters and applies itself to his truths; and then the truth of faith with him becomes the good of faith. A man may indeed know truth, may also confess it under the incitement of some worldly cause, may even be persuaded that it is true; and yet this truth does not live so long as he is in a life of evil. For such a man is like a tree on which there are leaves, but no fruit; and his truth is like light in which there is no heat, such as there is in the time of winter when nothing grows. But when there is heat in it, the light then becomes such as there is in the time of spring, when all things grow. In the Word truth is compared to light and is called "light," but heat is compared to love, and is also called spiritual heat. In the other life also truth manifests itself by light, and good by heat; but truth without good by cold light, and truth with good by light similar to that of spring. This shows what the truth of faith is without the good of charity. Hence it is that the sons-in-law and the sons, by whom such truths are signified, were not saved; but only Lot with his daughters.
[3] As it is here said that those also who are in the truth of faith are saved, provided they recede from evil, be it known that these are they who profess faith and think nothing about charity for the reason that they have been so instructed, and do not know what charity is (supposing that it consists merely in the giving of our own to others, and in pitying everybody), and who also do not know what the neighbor is toward whom charity is to be exercised (for they suppose that the neighbor is almost everybody, without distinction), and yet who live in the life of charity toward the neighbor, because in the life of good. It does these persons no harm to profess faith along with all the rest, for in their faith there is charity, since this means all the good of life in general and in particular. What therefore charity is, and what the neighbor, will of the Lord‘s Divine mercy be told in what follows.
. That the "sons-in-law" are the truths that are associated with the affections of good and of truth, in this case that were to be associated, is evident from the signification of "sons-in-law." In the Word " a man" signifies truth, and a "wife" good (n. 265, 749, 915, 1007), for the reason that between truth and good there is a likeness of a marriage (n. 1432, 1904, 2173). Hence "sons-in-law" signify the knowledges of truth, with which are associated the affections of good (denoted by the "daughters"), but which here are to be associated, for it is said afterwards, in (verse 14), that Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law that were marrying, that is, were about to marry his daughters. . That the "sons" are truths, or what is the same, are they who are in truths, is evident from the signification of "sons," as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147). . That the "daughters" are affections of good, and of truth, or what is the same, are those who are in these affections, is evident from the signification of "daughters," as being these affections (n. 2362). . That "whomsoever thou hast in the city," denotes whatever derives anything from truth, is evident from the signification of a "city," as being what is doctrinal, thus truth in its complex (n. 402, 2268). . That the "place" is a state of evil, is evident from the signification of "place," as being state (n. 1273-1275, 1377), here a state of evil, because it was Sodom, by which is signified evil in general (n. 2220, 2246, 2322). GENESIS 19:12 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |