Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 41:46-49
[2] A fulness of remains is signified also by "thirty," by "sixty," and by a "hundred," in Mark:--
The seed that fell into the good ground yielded fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, one thirty, and another sixty, and another a hundred (Mark 4:8, 20);
as all these numbers arise from ten by multiplication, they signify a fulness of remains. And as man cannot be regenerated, that is, be admitted to the spiritual combats through which regeneration is effected, until he has received remains to the full, it was ordained that the Levites should not do any work in the tent of meeting until they had completed thirty years, which work or function is also called "warfare," as we read in Moses:--
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, from a son of thirty years and upward to a son of fifty years, everyone that cometh to the warfare, to do the work in the tent of meeting (Num. 4:2, 3).
Something similar is said of the sons of Gershon, and of the sons of Merari (Num. 4:22, 23, 29, 30, 35, 39, 43). The like is involved in David’s being thirty years old when he began to reign (2 Sam. 5:4).
[3] From all this it is now plain why the Lord did not manifest Himself until He was thirty years of age (Luke 3:23); for He was then in the fulness of remains. But the remains the Lord had He Himself procured for Himself, and they were of the Divine; and by means of them He united the Human essence to the Divine essence, and made the Human essence Divine (n. 1906). From Him then it is that "thirty years" signify a full state as to remains, and that the priests the Levites entered upon their functions when they were thirty years old, and that David, because he was to represent the Lord as to the royalty, did not begin to reign until he was thirty; for every representative is derived from the Lord, and therefore every representative looks to the Lord.
. When he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. That this signifies when its presence was in the natural, is evident from the signification of "standing before anyone," as being presence; and from the representation of Pharaoh king of Egypt, as being a new state of the natural, or a new natural man (n. 5079, 5080), thus the natural in which the celestial of the spiritual now was, and which the celestial of the spiritual now made its own - as is also signified by the words immediately following, "and Joseph went out from before Pharaoh." . And Joseph went out from before Pharaoh. That this signifies when the natural in general belonged to the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of "going out," as being to belong thereto; and from the representation of Joseph as being the celestial of the spiritual, and of Pharaoh as being the natural. That "to go out" is to belong thereto, or to be its own, is plain from what precedes and what follows, and also from the spiritual sense of this expression; for "to go out" or proceed, in the spiritual sense, is to present one‘s self before another in a form accommodated to him, thus to present one’s self the same, but in a different form. In this sense "going out" is said of the Lord in John:--Jesus said about Himself, I went out and am come from God (John 8:42).
The Father loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I went out from God. I went out from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said, We believe that thou wentest out from God (John 16:27-30).
They knew of a truth that I went out from God (John 17:8).
[2] To illustrate what is meant by "going out" or proceeding, let us take the following examples. Truth is said to "go out" or proceed from good, when truth is the form of good, or when truth is good in a form that the understanding can apprehend. The understanding also may be said to "go out" or proceed from the will, when the understanding is the will formed, or when it is the will in a form perceivable by the internal sight. So in regard to the thought of the understanding, this may be said to "go out" or proceed when it becomes speech; and of the will, that it "goes out" when it becomes action. Thought clothes itself with another form when it becomes speech, but still it is the thought that so goes out or proceeds; for the words and tones with which it is clothed are mere additions that cause the thought to be appropriately perceived. In like manner the will becomes of another form when it becomes action, but still it is the will that is presented in such a form; the gestures and movements that are put on are merely additions that cause the will to appear and affect the beholder appropriately. So also it may be said of the external man, that it "goes out" or proceeds from the internal man, nay, that it does so substantially, because the external man is nothing else than the internal man so formed that it may act suitably in the world in which it is. From all this it is evident what "to go out" or proceed is in the spiritual sense, namely, that when predicated of the Lord it is the Divine formed as a Man and thereby accommodated to the perception of those who believe; nevertheless both of these are one.
. And passed over into all the land of Egypt. That this signifies when it made everything therein (namely in the natural) subordinate and submissive, is evident from the signification of "all the land of Egypt," as being both naturals (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). From this it follows that "to pass over into all that land" is to make everything in the natural subordinate and submissive. . And the earth made gatherings (collections) in the seven years of abundance of produce. That this signifies the first states when truths are multiplied in series, is evident from the signification of "seven years," as being the first states, for the seven years of abundance of produce came first, and the seven years of famine came after. "Years" are states, (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of "abundance of produce," as being the multiplication of truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292); by "the earth made" is signified that this multiplication took place in the natural, for the "earth" here is the natural (n. 5338); and from the signification of "gatherings," as being series. In regard to the series signified by "gatherings," the case is this. With the man who is being reformed, general truths are first insinuated, then the particulars of the generals, and finally the singulars of the particulars; the particulars are arranged under the generals, and the singulars under the particulars (n. 2384, 3057, 4269, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208). These arrangings or settings in order are signified in the Word by "bundles," here by "handfuls" or "gatherings," and they are nothing but the series into which truths when multiplied are arranged or set in order. With the regenerate these series are according to the setting in order of the societies in the heavens; but with those who are not and cannot be regenerated, they are according to the setting in order of the societies in the hells. Hence the man who is in evil, and thence in falsity, is a hell in the least form; and the man who is in good, and thence in truth, is a heaven in the least form. But in regard to these series, of the Lord‘s Divine mercy more elsewhere. . And he gathered together all the food of the seven years. That this signifies the preservation of truth adjoined to good multiplied during the first times, is evident from the signification of "gathering together," as here being to preserve; for he gathered it together and put it in the cities and in the midst, and by this is signified that he stored it up in the interiors, thus that he preserved it, for it came into use in the years of famine; and from the signification of "food," as being all that by which the internal man is nourished. That this is good and truth, is evident from the correspondence of the earthly food by which the outward man is nourished, with the spiritual food by which the internal man is nourished. Here therefore it is truth adjoined to good, for this is what is preserved and stored up in the interiors. By the "seven years" are signified the first states when truths are multiplied (n. 5339). From this it is plain that the preservation of truth adjoined to good, multiplied during the first times, is signified by "he gathered together all the food of the seven years." It is said "the preservation of truth adjoined to good," but as few know what truth adjoined to good is, and still less how and when truth is adjoined to good, something must be said about it. Truth is conjoined with good when a man feels delight in doing well to the neighbor for the sake of what is true and good, and not for the sake of self or the world. When a man is in this affection, the truths he hears or reads or thinks are conjoined with good, as is usually noticeable from the affection of truth for the sake of that end. . That were in the land of Egypt. That this signifies that was in the natural, is evident from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus the natural. . And put the food in the cities. That this signifies that he stored it up in the interiors, namely, truths adjoined to good, is evident from the signification here of "putting," as being to store up; from the signification of "food," as being truth adjoined to good (n. 4340); and from the signification of "cities," as being the interiors of the natural mind (n. 5297). That truths adjoined to good are stored up in the interiors of the natural mind, and there preserved for use in after life, especially for use in temptations during man’s regeneration, is a secret known to few at this day; and therefore something must be said about this. For by the "seven years of abundance of produce" are signified the truths first multiplied, and by the corn being "put in the cities" and "in the midst" is signified that these truths adjoined to good are stored up in man‘s interiors: and by the "seven years of famine," and by the sustenance at that time from the gatherings, is signified a state of regeneration through truths adjoined to good, stored up in the interiors.[2] The secret is this from earliest infancy even to the first of childhood, man is being introduced by the Lord into heaven, and indeed among celestial angels, by whom he is kept in a state of innocence; a state in which infants are up to the first of childhood. When the age of childhood begins, the child gradually puts off the state of innocence, though he is still kept in a state of charity by means of the affection of mutual charity toward those like himself, which state with many continues up to youth, and meanwhile he is among spiritual angels. Then, because he begins to think from himself and to act accordingly, he can no longer be kept in charity as before; for he then calls forth inherited evils, by which he suffers himself to be led. When this state comes, the goods of charity and innocence that he had previously received, are banished according to the degree in which he thinks evils and confirms them by act; and yet they are not banished, but are withdrawn by the Lord toward the interiors and there stored up.
[3] But as he does not yet know truths, the goods of innocence and charity he had received in the two preceding states have not yet been qualified, for truths give quality to good, and good gives essence to truths; wherefore from this age he is imbued with truths by instruction, and especially by means of his own thoughts and confirmations from them. In so far therefore as he is then in the affection of good, so far truths are conjoined with good in him by the Lord (n. 5340), and are stored up for use. This state is what is signified by the "seven years of abundance of produce." It is these truths adjoined to good that in the proper sense are called "remains." In so far therefore as the man suffers himself to be regenerated, so far the remains serve for use; for so far a supply from them is drawn forth by the Lord, and is sent back into the natural, in order to produce a correspondence of the exteriors with the interiors, or of what is natural with what is spiritual; and this is effected in the state signified by the "seven years of famine." Such is the secret.
[4] The man of the church at this day believes that no matter what anyone’s life is, he may of mercy be received into heaven, and there enjoy eternal bliss; for he supposes admission to be all that is necessary. But he is much mistaken, for no one can be admitted and received into heaven unless he has received spiritual life, and no one can receive spiritual life unless he is being regenerated, and no one can be regenerated except through the good of life conjoined with the truth of doctrine: from this he has spiritual life. That no one can come into heaven unless he has received spiritual life through regeneration, the Lord plainly declares in John:--
Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3);
and then He says:--
Verily, verily I say to thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5);
"water" is the truth of doctrine (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976), and "spirit" is the good of life. No one enters by baptism; but baptism is significative of that regeneration which the man of the church ought to keep in mind.
. The food of the field of the city. That this signifies things that belong and are suitable to them, namely, truths adjoined to good in the interiors, is evident from the signification of "food," as being truths adjoined to good (n. 5340, 5342). The truths that belong and are suitable to the interiors are signified by the "food of the field of the city" because the field belonged to the city, and made its surrounding compass. Things that do this signify in the internal sense things suitable and belonging thereto; wherefore also it is immediately said, "that which was round about it, put he in the midst thereof." The reason why those things which make the surrounding compass signify things that belong and are suitable to, is that all truths joined to good are arranged in series; and the series are such that in the midst or inmost of each series there is truth joined to good, and round about this midst or inmost are the truths belonging and suitable thereto, and so on in order to the very outermost, where the series vanishes. The series themselves are also similarly arranged in relation to one another, but are varied according to changes of state. That there are such arrangements of truths joined to good, is wont to be presented to the very sight in the other life; for in the light of heaven, in which are intelligence and wisdom, such things can be presented to view, though not in the light of the world; nor in the light of heaven with the man whose interiors are not open; and yet they may be acknowledged by him from rational insight, and in this way be rationally seen from the light of heaven. These arrangings originate from the arrangings of the angelic societies in heaven; for as these are arranged, so are the series of truths joined to good arranged in the regenerate; for the latter correspond to the former. . That which was round about it he put in the midst thereof. That this signifies that the things previously in the exterior natural it stored up in the interiors of the interior natural, is evident from the signification of "round about," as being the things outside, thus which were in the exterior natural; and from the signification of the "midst," as being the things within (n. 1074, 2940, 2973), thus which were in the interior natural. That "in the midst thereof," or of the city, denotes in the interiors of the interior natural, is because the interiors are signified by a "city" (n. 5297, 5342). The interior things of the interior natural are those in it called spiritual, and the spiritual things therein are those which are from the light of heaven, from which light are illumined the things therein which are from the light of the world, and which are properly called natural; in the spiritual things therein are stored up truths adjoined to good. The spiritual things therein are those which correspond to the angelic societies in the second heaven, with which heaven man communicates by means of remains. This is the heaven that is opened when man is being regenerated, and is closed when he does not suffer himself to be regenerated; for remains - or truths and goods stored up in the interiors -are nothing else than correspondences with the societies of that heaven. . And Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, exceeding much. That this signifies the multiplying of truth from good, is evident from the signification of "heaping up," as here being to multiply and from the signification of "corn," as being truth in the will and in act (n. 5295), the multiplying of which, when compared to the sand of the sea, signifies that it is from good, and here from the good of the celestial of the spiritual by influx; for truth in the interiors is never multiplied from any other source than good. The multiplying of the truth which is not from good is not the multiplying of truth, because it is not truth, however much in the outward form it may appear to be truth. It is a sort of image with no life in it, and being dead, does not approach truth; for truth to be truth in man, must live from good, that is, through good from the Lord; and when it so lives, multiplying may be predicated of it in the spiritual sense. That the multiplying of truth is solely from good, may be seen from the fact that nothing can be multiplied except from something like a marriage, and truth cannot enter into marriage with anything but good; if with anything else, it is not marriage, but adultery. What therefore is multiplied from marriage is legitimate, thus is truth; but what is multiplied from adultery is not legitimate, but spurious, thus is not truth. . Until he ceased to number, because it was without number. That this signifies such as had in it the celestial from the Divine, is evident from the fact that the truth in which is the celestial from the Divine is without limit, thus is without number. Only the Lord, who is here represented by Joseph, had such truth when He was in the world; and the glorification of His natural is here treated of in the supreme sense. GENESIS 41:46-49 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
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