Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 41:25-27
[2] That "seven" signifies holy things comes from the signification of numbers in the world of spirits, where every number involves some thing. Numbers, simple and compound, have sometimes appeared to my sight, and once in a long series; and when I wondered what they signified, I was told that they came forth from angelic speech, and that sometimes real things are wont to be expressed by numbers. These numbers do not appear in heaven, but in the world of spirits, where such things are presented to view. This was known to the most ancient people who were celestial men and conversed with angels, and hence they formed an ecclesiastical reckoning by means of numbers, by which they expressed universally the things they expressed particularly by words. But what each number had involved did not remain with their posterity, except only what was signified by the simple numbers, two, three, six, seven, eight, twelve and derivatively by twenty-four, seventy-two, and seventy-seven--especially that by "seven" was signified what is most holy, in the supreme sense the Divine Itself, and in the representative sense the celestial of love. This is the reason why the state of the celestial man was signified by the "seventh day" (n. 84-87). That numbers signify real things, is obvious from very many numbers in the Word, as from these in the Revelation:--
Let him that hath intelligence compute the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev. 13:18).
And again:--
The angel measured the wall of the hold Jerusalem, a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is of an angel (Rev. 21:17);
the number a hundred and forty-four is from twelve multiplied into itself, and from this comes seventy-two.
. And the seven good ears are seven years. That this signifies states of the multiplication of truth in the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of "ears" of corn, as being in a good sense memory-knowledges (n. 5212), and consequently truths of the exterior natural, for these are called memory-knowledges; and from the signification of "years," as being states (n. 5265). What "seven" signifies can also be seen there. . The dream is one. That this signifies that there will be both by conjunction, is evident from what was said above (n. 5263). . And the seven thin and evil kine that came no after them are seven years. That this signifies states of the multiplication of falsity that infests the interior natural, is evident from the signification of "kine," as being in the genuine sense truths in the interior natural (n. 5198, 5265), but in the opposite sense falsity therein (n. 5202), and therefore the former are called "good" kine, but the latter "thin and evil;" from the signification of "coming up," as being progression toward interior things (n. 5202); and from the signification of "years," as being states (n. 5265). As "seven" signifies what is holy, so too in the opposite sense it signifies what is profane; for most of the expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, and this for the reason that the same things that take place in heaven, on flowing down toward hell, are turned into the opposite things, and actually become opposite. Hence the holy things signified by "seven" there become profane.[2] That by "seven" both holy and profane things are signified, may be confirmed from the passages in the Revelation alone where seven is mentioned. First, that holy things are signified:--
John to the seven churches, Grace and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven spirits that are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).
These things saith He that hath the seven spirits, and the seven stars (Rev. 3:1).
Out of the throne went forth seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).
I saw upon the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals (Rev. 5:1).
I saw and behold in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb, as thou it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Rev. 5:6).
To the seven angels were given seven trumpets (Rev. 8:2).
In the days of the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God should be consummated (Rev. 10:7).
The seven angels that had the seven plagues went forth from the temple, clothed in linen white and shining, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. Then one of the four animals gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials (Rev. 15:6, 7).
[3] That in the opposite sense "seven" signifies profane things is plain from these passages also in the Revelation:--
Behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems (Rev. 12:3).
I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads a name of blasphemy (Rev. 13:1).
I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Here is intelligence, if anyone hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sitteth upon them; and they are seven kings. The beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth king, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition (Rev. 17:3, 7, 9-11).
[2] During his reformation a man first learns truths from the Word or from doctrine, and stores them up in the memory. When one who cannot be reformed has learnt truths and stored them up in the memory, he believes that this is sufficient; but he is much mistaken. The truths he has acquired must be initiated and conjoined with good; and this cannot be done so long as the evils of the love of self and the love of the world remain in the natural man. These loves were the first introducers, but the truths cannot possibly be conjoined with them; and therefore in order that conjunction may be effected, the truths introduced and retained by these loves must first be banished, though they are not really banished, but are drawn within so as not to appear, for which reason it is called a "seeming" privation of truth. When this has been done, the natural is illumined from within, and the evils of the love of self and the love of the world give way; and in the degree in which they give way truths are stored up, and are conjoined with good. The state when man is seemingly deprived of the truths is called in the Word "desolation," and is also compared to "evening," in which man is before he comes into the morning; and therefore in the representative church the day began from the evening.
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| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |