Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 41:28-32
[2] That all things that are real have come into existence and do come into existence through the Divine truth that is from the Lord, and thus through the Word, is a secret that has not yet been disclosed. It is believed that by this is meant that all things have been created by Gods saying and commanding as a king in his kingdom. It is not this however that is meant by all things having been made and created through the Word, but it is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good, that is, from the Lord, from which all things have come into existence and do come into existence. The Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good is the veriest reality and the veriest essential in the universe, and it is this that makes and creates. Scarcely anyone has any other idea of the Divine truth than as of a word that issues from the mouth of a speaker and is dispersed in the air. This idea of the Divine truth has produced the opinion that by the "Word" is meant only a command, thus that all things were made merely by a command, and thus not from any real thing that has proceeded from the Divine of the Lord; but as already said it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, the veriest reality and essential, that is the source of all things, and from which are the forms of good and of truth. Regarding this secret however, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said in the following pages.
. What God doeth. What this signifies concerning what is provided, is evident from the signification of "what God doeth," as being what is provided (n. 5264). . He hath caused Pharaoh to see. That this signifies the perception of the natural, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand and perceive (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 4567, 4723), and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural, as already shown. . Behold there come seven years. That this signifies states of providence, is evident from the signification of "years," as being states (n. 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of "coming," as being of providence. For "coming" and "coming to pass," when predicated of the Divine or of that which God does, denotes that which happens in accordance with providence, and consequently is of providence. What God does is providence, (n. 5264, 5273). The seven years of abundance of produce and the seven years of famine are treated of in the following verses, and there by "years" are signified states - by the "years of abundance of produce," states of the multiplication of truth in the natural, and by the "years of famine," states of the lack and privation of truth in the natural. In general by the seven years of abundance of produce and the seven years of famine in the land of Egypt are described in the internal sense the states of man‘s reformation and regeneration, and in the supreme sense the states of the glorification of the Lord’s Human. It was in order that these things might be represented that such events took place in the land of Egypt; and they took place there because by the land of Egypt and by Pharaoh is meant in the internal sense the natural, the glorification of which in the Lord is here treated of.[2] Be it known that the things which came to pass at that time, and which are described in the Word, were representative of the Lord Himself, of the glorifying of His Human, and in the representative sense of His kingdom, consequently of the church in general and of the church in the singular, and thus of the regeneration of man; for by regeneration a man is made the church in the singular. That what took place at that time was representative of such things, was chiefly for the sake of the Word, that it might be written, and thus might contain such things as would represent Divine, celestial, and spiritual things in continuous series, and thus might be of service not only to the man of the church, but also to the angels in heaven; for the angels perceive from it Divine things, and thereby are affected with holy feelings that are communicated to the man who reads the Word with affection, whence he also feels the holiness. This is the reason why such events took place in the land of Egypt.
. Of great abundance of produce in all the land of Egypt. That this signifies the multiplication of truth in both naturals, is evident from the signification of "abundance of produce," as being the multiplication of truth; and from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being both naturals. For by "Egypt" is signified memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966); and as memory-knowledge is signified, so too is the natural, for the reason that what is in the natural is called memory-knowledge; and therefore the "land of Egypt" is the natural mind in which is memory-knowledge. Hence by "all the land of Egypt" is signified both the interior and the exterior natural. The natural is both interior and exterior, (n. 5118, 5126). That "abundance of produce" signifies a multiplication of truth, is because it is contrasted with famine, which signifies a lack of truth. The term by which "abundance of produce" is expressed in the original tongue is one that expresses the opposite of famine, and in the internal sense signifies a full store and sufficiency of knowledges, because "famine" signifies a lack of them. Knowledges are nothing else than the truths of the natural man, but which have not yet been made his own; the multiplication of such truths is here meant. Knowledges do not become truths in man until they are acknowledged by the understanding, which takes place when they are confirmed by him; and these truths do not become his own until he lives according to them; for nothing is made man‘s own except that which becomes of his life, for thus he himself is in the truths, because his life is in them. . And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. That this signifies the states that follow when there is a lack of truth, is evident from the signification of "years," as being states (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of "famine," as being a lack of knowledges (n. 1460, 3364); and from the signification of "after them," as being those which follow. . And all the abundance of produce shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. That this signifies the removal of truth and the apparent privation of it in both naturals, is evident from the signification of "forgetting," or "being forgotten," as being removal and hence apparent privation; and from the signification of "abundance of produce," as being the multiplication of truth, or truth multiplied (n. 5276); and from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind or the natural of man, here both naturals (n. 5276). That "forgetting," or "being forgotten," denotes removal and apparent privation, is because such is the case with the memory and hence with the thought. What a man thinks about is directly under his view, and things related thereto present themselves around in order, even to those unrelated, which are most remote, and thus forgotten. Things opposite are separated from the rest and hang down, and present themselves underneath, and balance those above. This setting in order is effected by means of the good that flows in, and such is the case with all man’s thinking. That such is the case appears from thoughts in the other life; for in the light of heaven thoughts there are wont to be sometimes presented to view, and then such a form of their arrangement is seen. From this it is evident that "forgotten," in the internal sense, is nothing else than removal and apparent privation. . And the famine shall consume the land. That this signifies even to despair, is evident from the signification of "famine," as being a lack of knowledges, and hence a privation of truth (n. 5277, 5278); and from the signification of the "land," here of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278). That it signifies even to despair is because it is said that "the famine shall consume the land;" for when by "land" is signified the natural mind, and by "famine" the privation of truth, nothing else than despair is signified: for then consumption takes place in a spiritual manner In this passage is described a state of desolation caused by the privation of truth, the last stage of which state is despair. That despair is the last stage of this state, is because thereby the delight of the love of self and of the world is removed, and the delight of the love of good and of truth is insinuated in its place; for in the case of those to be regenerated, the despair is about spiritual life, consequently is about the privation of truth and good, because when these persons are deprived of truth and good they despair of spiritual life; hence they have delight and bliss when they come out of their despair. . And the abundance of produce shall not be known in the land. That this signifies that nothing shall be perceived therein of the truth previously there, is evident from the signification of "being known," as being to be perceived; from the signification of "abundance of produce," as being truth multiplied (n. 5276, 5278); and from the signification of "land," here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5279). From this it is plain that by the "abundance of produce not being known in the land" is signified that nothing shall be perceived in the natural concerning the truth previously there.[2] In this verse the subject treated of is the last state of desolation, when there is the despair which next precedes regeneration; and as this is the subject treated of in the present verse, it must be stated how the case is. Every man must be reformed and be born anew or regenerated that he may be able to come into heaven, for "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5, 6). Man is born into sin, which has been increased in a long line from parents, grandparents, and ancestors, and made hereditary, and thus transmitted to the offspring. Every man who is born, is born into all these inherited evils thus increased in succession, and consequently is nothing but sin; and therefore unless he is regenerated he remains wholly in sin. Out in order that man may be regenerated he must first be reformed, and this is done by means of the truths of faith; for he has to learn from the Word and from doctrine therefrom what good is. The knowledges of good from the Word, or from doctrine therefrom, are called the truths of faith, because all the truths of faith spring from good, and flow to good, for they look to good as the end.
[3] This is the first state, and is called the state of reformation. During their childhood and youth most of those who are in the church, are introduced into this state, and yet few are regenerated; for most in the church learn the truths of faith or the knowledges of good for the sake of reputation and honor, and also for gain; and when the truths of faith have been introduced by means of these loves, the man cannot be born anew or regenerated until these loves have been removed. In order therefore that they may be removed, the man is let into a state of temptation, and this in the following manner. The loves referred to are excited by the infernal crew, for they desire to live in them; but the affections of truth and good that have been insinuated from infancy in a state of innocence, and afterward stored up interiorly and preserved for this use, are then excited by angels. The result is a conflict between the evil spirits and the angels which is felt in the man as temptation; and because the conflict is about truths and goods, the truths previously insinuated are as it were banished by means of the falsities injected by the evil spirits, so that they no longer appear (n. 5268-5270). And then as the man suffers himself to be regenerated, the light of truth from good is insinuated by the Lord through an internal way into the natural, into which light the truths are returned in order.
[4] This is the case with the man who is being regenerated; but few at this day are admitted into this state. In so far as they permit it, all do indeed begin to be reformed by means of instruction in the truths and goods of spiritual life; but as soon as they come to the age of early manhood they suffer themselves to be carried away by the world, and thus go over to the side of infernal spirits, by whom they are gradually so estranged from heaven that they scarcely believe any longer that there is a heaven. Thus they cannot be let into any spiritual temptation, for if they were they would at once yield, and then their last state would be worse than the first (Matt. 12:45). From this it may be seen how the case is with what is here contained in the internal sense, namely, with the state of reformation and that of regeneration; but in this verse is described the last state of temptation which is a state of despair (n. 5279).
. By reason of that famine after it, for it shall be very grievous. That this signifies on account of such a lack, is evident from the signification of "famine," as being a lack of the knowledges of good, consequently a lack of truth (n. 5277, 5278), and finally despair on account of such a lack (n. 5279); and from the signification of "very grievous," as being what is huge. The subject of the last state of desolation, which is one of despair, and of its increasing grievousness, is here continued (n. 5279). . And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice. That this signifies because foreseen concerning both naturals, is evident from the signification of a "dream," as being what is foreseen (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of "being doubled twice," as being concerning both naturals, the interior and the exterior. The natural is twofold, interior and exterior, (n. 5118, 5126). It was foreseen concerning the interior natural in the first dream, which was about the kine (n. 5198, 5202), and concerning the exterior natural in the second dream, which was about the ears of corn (n. 5212). Hence "being doubled twice" denotes concerning both. . It is because the word is established by God. That this signifies that it is Divine, may be seen without explication; for "word," when predicated of God, is Divine truth; and when this is said to be "established by God," it signifies that the thing will surely come to pass. . And God is hastening to do it. That this signifies in every event, is evident from the signification of "doing," when predicated of God, as being providence (n. 5264), whence also it is the event, for whatever is of the Divine Providence is certain to be the event; and from the signification of "hastening to do it," as being in every event. In the internal sense, "to hasten" or "haste" does not mean quickly, but certainly, and also fully, thus in every event; for haste implies time, and in the spiritual world there is no time, but instead of time state; thus haste in time has reference there to such a condition of state as corresponds; and the condition of state that corresponds is that there are many things acting together toward the result, and thus insuring a certain and full event. GENESIS 41:28-32 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
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