Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 47:1
[2] Frequent mention has already been made of the influx of the internal into the natural or external, and of the perception of the latter; and it has been shown that the natural subsists and lives by virtue of influx from the internal, that is, through the internal from the Lord. For without influx thence the natural has no life, because it is in the nature of this world, and from this derives all that it has; and the nature of this world is utterly devoid of life; and therefore in order that the natural with man may live, there must be influx from the Lord, not only immediate from Him, but also mediate through the spiritual world, consequently into man’s internal, for this is in the spiritual world; and then from this there must be influx into the natural, in order that this may live. The natural of man is formed to receive life therefrom. This then is what is meant by the influx of the internal celestial into the natural where memory-knowledges are. By virtue of influx from the internal there comes forth perception in the external or natural which is represented by Pharaoh; for influx and perception correspond to each other (n. 5743).
. My father and my brethren. That this signifies spiritual good in the natural, and the truths of the church there, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the "father," as being spiritual good in the natural (n. 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5414, 5879, 5951). The influx and perception spoken of just above (n. 6063) have reference to these, namely, to spiritual good and the truths of the church in the natural. . And their flocks, and their herds. That this signifies the interior and the exterior goods of truth, is evident from the signification of "flocks," as being interior goods, and of "herds," as being exterior goods (n. 5913, 6048). The reason why the goods of truth are signified, is that spiritual good, which is represented by Israel, is the good of truth (n. 4598). The goods which are in heaven and with man are from a double origin, namely, from an origin in the will and from an origin in the understanding. In the good that originates in the will were the most ancient people who were of the celestial church, but in the good that originates in the understanding were the ancient people who were of the spiritual church. In the former good are they who are in the inmost or third heaven, but in the latter good are they who are in the middle or second heaven. What and of what nature is the difference has been frequently told in these explications. The good which originates in the will is the good from which is truth; but the good which originates in the understanding is the good which is from truth, or the good of truth. In itself this good is nothing else than truth in act. . And all that they have, signifies whatever is thence derived (n. 6046). . Have come out of the land of Canaan. That this signifies that they are from the church, is evident from the signification of "coming out of any land," as being to be from thence; and from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the Lord‘s kingdom in the heavens and the Lord’s kingdom on earth, which latter is the church (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4447, 4454, 5136). . And behold they are in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that they are in the midst of the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of "Goshen,"as being the midst or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031). As regards being in the midst of the natural, the case is this. When the goods and truths which are of the church, that is, which are from the Word of the Lord, have been acknowledged, and are received in the natural with faith, they then occupy the middle place there. For those things which are directly under the view are in the midst, but those things which are not directly under the view are at the sides. Hence those things which are in the midst appear clearly, but those which are at the sides appear obscurely. The case herein is the same as it is with the sight of the eye. Those things which are directly under the sight are in the midst, that is, in the center, and appear clearly; but those which are not directly under the sight are remote from the midst, that is, are at the sides, and appear obscurely. For the internal eye, which is the intellectual mind, and which has its sight from the light of heaven, views those things which are in the natural outside of itself, which are memory-knowledges, just as the external eye views objects or a field of objects outside of itself. The internal sight is determined to those things which afford the greatest delight and which are dear to the heart, and upon them it fixes a direct view, as also does the external sight to like things in its fields of objects. Thus the internal sight is determined to the memory-knowledges which are most in accord with the truth and good in which the man is; and then, with him, these memory-knowledges are in the midst. The reason why the internal sight looks at memory-knowledges, is that it is spiritual, and therefore is determined to spiritual things, thus to memory-knowledges, for these fall under the spiritual view. GENESIS 47:1 - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |