Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 49:8-12
[2] That a "lion" denotes the good of celestial love and the derivative truth, in its power, and also that in the opposite sense it denotes the evil of the love of self in its power, is evident from passages in the Word where a "lion" is mentioned. That it denotes the good of celestial love is evident in John:--
Behold the lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath conquered to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof (Rev. 5:5);
here the Lord is called a "lion" from the omnipotence belonging to His Divine love and the Divine truth thence derived. In other passages in the Word, Jehovah or the Lord is compared to a "lion," as in Hosea:--
They shall go after Jehovah; He shall roar like a lion; for Be shall roar, and the sons shall come with honor from the sea (Hosea 11:10).
[3] In Isaiah:--
Thus said Jehovah unto me, Like as when the lion roareth, and the young lion over his prey, if a fulness of shepherds come running upon him, he is not dismayed at their voice, and is not afflicted by their tumult; so shall Jehovah Zebaoth come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof (Isa. 31:4);
here the omnipotence of Divine good is compared to a "lion," and the omnipotence of the Divine truth thence derived is compared to a "young lion," for it is said that "Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon the hill thereof;" for "Mount Zion" signifies the good of Divine love, and the "hill thereof," the Divine truth thence derived (n. 795, 796, 1430, 4210).
[4] For the same reason the four animals in Ezekiel and in John, by which are meant cherubs, had the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. In Ezekiel:--
The likeness of the faces of the four animals: the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side had they four; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; and they four had the face of an eagle (Ezek. 1:10; 10:14).
And in John:--
Before the throne were four animals full of eyes before and behind. And the first animal was like a lion, and the second animal like a calf the third animal had a face as a man, the fourth animal was like a flying eagle (Rev. 4:6, 7).
That these animals were cherubs is said in Ezekiel 10, and is also plain from the description of them in John, namely, that they had eyes before and behind; for by "cherubs" are signified the Lord‘s foresight and providence (n. 308): that they had the face of a lion was from the omnipotence of Divine truth from Divine good, which is of providence. It was similar with the cherubs about the new temple, in (Ezekiel 41:19).
[5] That the celestial, who are in power from good and the derivative truth, which are from the Lord, are meant by "lions," is evident in David:--
There is no want to them that fear Jehovah. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good (Ps. 34:9, 10).
Again:--
The lions roar after their prey, and to seek their food from God. The sun ariseth, they are gathered together, and lay them down in their habitations (Ps. 104:21, 22).
And in the prophecy of Balaam:--
At that time it shall be said to Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought! Behold the people shall rise up as an old lion, and as a young lion shall he lift himself up; he shall not rest until he eat the prey (Num. 13:23, 24).
[6] And again:--
When Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, he said, He boweth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as an old lion, who shall rouse him up? (Num. 24:2, 9).
It is the celestial that is here described, because it was the celestial order that the tribes represented by their encampment which Balaam saw in spirit when he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes (n. 6335). This order is from the Divine good through the Divine truth from the Lord, and in this order is all power, here denoted by the "lion which boweth down and coucheth."
[7] In Micah:--
The remains of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who if he go down, treadeth down and scattereth, and there is none rescuing. Let thy hand be exalted over thine enemies, and let all thy foes be cut off (Micah 5:8, 9);
where the "lion" and "young lion" denote celestial good and celestial truth, which are the "remains of Jacob." The meaning is similar in (Isaiah 21:8; Jer. 25:38; Ezek. 32:2; Zech. 11:3). The like was represented by the lions at the ivory throne of Solomon, two at the sides of the throne, and twelve upon the six steps (1 Kings 10:18-20); also by the lions upon the borders of the ten bases of brass (1 Kings 7:29, 36).
[8] That in the opposite sense a "lion" signifies the evil of the love of self in its power, is plain from the following passages:--
No lion shall be there, and no ravenous beast shall go up thereon, It shall not be found there; but they shall go free; thus the redeemed of Jehovah shall return and shall come to Zion with singing (Isa. 35:9, 10).
In Jeremiah:--
Why is Israel become a prey? The young lions rear against him, they utter their voice, they reduce his land to a waste (Jer. 2:14, 15).
Again:--
The lion cometh up from his bramble, and the destroyer of the nations hath journeyed, he went forth from his place to reduce the land into a waste (Jer. 4:7).
Again:--
They have not known the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God. Wherefore a lion out of the forest hath smitten them, and a wolf of the plains will lay them waste (Jer. 5:4, 6).
And in Nahum:--
Where is the habitation of the lions, and the pasture of the young lions; where the lion stalked, the old lion, the lion’s whelp, and none made afraid? The lion seizeth enough for his whelps, and strangleth for his old lionesses, and filleth his caves with prey, and his habitations with ravin. Behold I am against thee, saith Jehovah Zebaoth, and I will burn her chariot in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions; and I will cut off thy prey from the earth (Nahum 2:11-13);
speaking of Nineveh. In the above passages a "lion" denotes the power possessed by the evil of the love of self when it destroys and lays waste; and so in (Jer. 12:8; 49:19; 50:17, 44; 51:38; Ezek. 19:2-11; 33:2; Joel 1:6; Zeph. 3:3; Ps. 57:5; 58:6; 91:13; Rev. 13:2).
. From the prey my son thou art gone up. That this signifies that from the Lord through what is celestial there is deliverance of many from hell, is evident from the signification of "going up from the prey," as being deliverance from hell; and from the representation of Judah, who is here "my son," as being the Divine celestial (n. 6363). That "to go up from the prey" denotes deliverance from hell is because man of himself is in hell, for his will and thought from his own is nothing but evil and its falsity, by which he has been so bound to hell that he cannot be torn away without violence This tearing away and deliverance is what is called the "prey;" and because this is done from the Lord‘s Divine good, it is said that from the Lord through what is celestial is the deliverance of many from hell.[2] But be it known that no one can be torn away and delivered from hell unless in the life of the body he has been in spiritual good, that is, in charity through faith; for unless he has been in this good through faith, there is nothing to receive the good which flows in from the Lord; but it flows through, except that which can be fixed somewhere; and therefore these persons cannot be torn away or delivered from hell. For all the states that a man has acquired in the life of the body are retained in the other life, and are filled; with the good the states of good are retained and filled with good, and by means of these states they are elevated into heaven; and with the evil the states of evil are retained and filled with evil, and by means of these states they sink down into hell. This is the meaning of the saying that as a man dies, so he remains. This shows who they are that can be delivered by the Lord from hell by means of the Divine celestial.
. He bowed, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion. That this signifies the good of love and the derivative truth in their power, is evident from the signification of "bowing," as being to put forth his power, for when a lion crouches (as when it sees its prey) it hardens its sinews and gathers strength; from the signification of "couching," as being to lie in safety and without dread; and from the signification of a "lion" and an "old lion," as being the good of love and the derivative truth in their power (n. 6367). A "young lion" denotes one who is in power through truth from good, and an "old lion" one who is in power through good. For they who are in celestial good never fight, but are safe through good; because where they come, the evil flee away, for the evil cannot endure their presence (n. 6365); it is these who are signified by an "old lion." . Who shall rouse him up? That this signifies that he is safe among all in the hells, is evident from the signification of "who shall rouse him up," as being to be safe. That it denotes among all in the hells is because he is safe among all evils, even in the midst of the hells; for love to the Lord and toward the neighbor has this effect, because they who are in this love are most closely conjoined with the Lord, and are in the Lord, because they are in the Divine which proceeds from Him; hence nothing of evil can reach them. Be it known that there are innumerable hells, distinct according to the genera of evils and the derivative falsities, and according to the species of these, and the details of the species; and that in each hell there is order; and that this order is preserved by the Lord, both immediately, and mediately through the celestial angels; at times also angels are sent thither to bring into order what is disorderly there; and when they are there, they are in safety. This is what is meant by the safety among all in the hells of him who is in what is celestial. . The scepter shall not be removed from Judah. That this signifies that sovereignty shall not depart from the celestial kingdom, is evident from the signification of "being removed," as being to depart; from the signification of "scepter," as being sovereignty, and indeed the sovereignty of truth from good (n. 4876), for a scepter is a badge of royal power, and by royalty is signified truth (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 6148); and from the representation of Judah, as being the celestial kingdom (n. 6363). Hence it is plain that by the "scepter not being removed from Judah" is signified that the sovereignty shall not depart from the celestial kingdom.[2] From the sense of the letter it appears that by what is contained in this verse is meant that the kingdom should not be removed from the Jewish people until the Lord came. This also is true, yet in this historic truth, as in everything else, there is an internal sense; for that the kingdom should not be removed from the Jewish people, is a worldly matter; but the Spiritual truth of the internal sense appears when by "scepter" is understood sovereignty, and by "Judah" the celestial kingdom. But that sovereignty should depart from the celestial kingdom when the Lord came, is a secret that no one can know except from revelation. The case is this. Before the coming of the Lord into the world, there was influx of life with men and with spirits from Jehovah or the Lord through the celestial kingdom, that is, through the angels who were in that kingdom, and hence they then had the sovereignty. But when the Lord came into the world, and thereby made the Human in Himself Divine, He put on just that which was with the angels of the celestial kingdom, thus He put on this sovereignty. For previously the Divine transflux through that heaven had been the Divine Human; it was also the Divine Man which was presented to view when Jehovah so appeared; but this Divine Human ceased when the Lord Himself made the Human in Himself Divine. This shows how the case is with this secret. The angels of that kingdom have indeed great sovereignty now, but only in so far as they are in the Lord’s Divine Human through love to Him. (n. 1990, 2803, 3061, 4180, 4687, 5110, 6280).
. And a lawgiver from between his feet. That this signifies truths from this good in lower things, is evident from the signification of a "lawgiver," as being truths; and from the signification of "feet," as being natural things (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328), thus lower things, for natural things are beneath, and celestial things are above. It is said a "lawgiver from between his feet" in‘ order that the spiritual of the celestial may be signified, or the truth which is from good, for at that time the spiritual kingdom was not such as it was after the Lord’s coming - distinct from the celestial kingdom - but was one with the celestial kingdom, being merely its external; therefore also it is said "from between his feet," in order that truth which is from good may be signified; for this is signified by this inner side of the feet, from its communication with the loins. Of this truth it is also said that it should be "removed when Shiloh came," that is, its sovereignty should be removed, just as was the sovereignty of the celestial (n. 6371); for the celestial kingdom at that time exercised its sovereignty by means of this truth; and because this was so, this truth is called a "lawgiver." This truth is also meant in the internal sense by a "lawgiver" in Isaiah:--Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king (Isa. 33:22);
where "judge" denotes that He acts from good; "lawgiver," that He acts from truth from this good; "king," that He acts from truth thus they follow in order And in David:--
Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine, and Ephraim is the strength of My head, Judah is My lawgiver (Ps. 60:7; 108:8);
where "Judah a lawgiver" is celestial good and its celestial truth. In Moses:--
The fountain, the princes digged it, the nobles of the people digged it out, by the lawgiver, with their staves (Num. 21:18).
And again:--
Gad saw the first fruits for himself, for there was the portion of the hidden lawgiver; whence came the heads of the people; he wrought the righteousness of Jehovah, and His judgments with Israel (Deut. 33:21);
where also "lawgiver" denotes truth from good.
. Until Shiloh come. That this signifies the coming of the Lord, and the tranquility of peace then, is evident from the signification of "Shiloh," as being the Lord, who is called "Shiloh" from the fact that He pacified and made all things tranquil; for in the original, "Shiloh" is derived from a word which means tranquillity. The reason why the Lord is here called "Shiloh" is plain from what was said above (n. 6371, 6372) about the celestial kingdom and its sovereignty; for when the Divine was presented to view through that kingdom there was in tranquillity, because the things in heaven, and the things in hell, could not thereby be reduced into order, for the Divine which flowed through that kingdom could not be pure, because heaven is not pure; thus neither was that kingdom so strong that all things could by means of it be kept in order; and therefore also the infernal and diabolical spirits were then raising themselves up from the hells and were ruling over the souls who were arriving from the world. The result was that none could be saved but the celestial; and at last scarcely they, unless the Lord had taken on the Human and had made this in Himself Divine; whereby the Lord reduced all things into order, first those in heaven, and afterward those in the hells; thus producing the tranquillity of peace. That the spiritual, that is, they who were of the spiritual church, were saved by the Lord‘s coming, may be seen above, (n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834); and that the Lord, when in the world, reduced all things into order, (n. 1820, 4286, 4287): that the Divine truth from Jehovah or the Lord flowed in through heaven into the human race, but because this did not suffice when man removed himself from good, the Lord came into the world and made the Human in Himself Divine, in order that from the very Divine Human of the Lord the Divine truth might proceed, and thus might save man, who should receive good through truth, may also be seen above, (n. 4180, 6280). . And to him is the obedience of the peoples. That this signifies that from His Divine Human should proceed truths which could be received, is evident from the signification of "obedience," as being the reception of truths which proceed from the Lord; and from the signification of "peoples," as being those who are in truths, thus also truths (n. 1259, 1260, 3581), and hence those who are of the spiritual church (n. 2928). . He binds his young ass unto the vine. That this signifies conjunction through truth in the natural for the external church, is evident from the signification of "binding," as being to be conjoined; from the signification of a "vine," as being the spiritual church (n. 1069, 5113), here the external spiritual church, because by a "choice vine," presently mentioned, is signified the internal church; and from the signification of an "ass," as being truth in the natural (n. 2781). Hence it is plain that by "he binds to the vine his young ass" is signified conjunction through truth in the natural with the external church. . And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine. That this signifies (through) truth from the rational for the internal church, is evident from the signification of a "vine," as being the spiritual church (n. 1069, 5113), thus a "choice vine" is the internal church, for the internal of the church is more excellent than its external; and from the signification of an "ass‘s colt," as being rational truth (n. 2781). The external of the church is distinguished from its internal in that the former is in the natural, thus in the external man; but the latter is in the rational, thus in the internal man. They who are in the external of the church are in truth, but they who are in its internal, are in good; the former are not so much affected with the good of charity as with the truth of faith; but the latter are affected with the good of charity and thence with the truth of faith. The latter are they who are signified by the "choice vine," but the former by the "vine." . He washes his clothing in wine. That this signifies that His natural is Divine truth from His Divine good, is evident from the signification of "washing," as being to purify (n. 3147); from the signification of "wine," as being the good of love toward the neighbor, and the good of faith, and in the supreme sense Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord; and from the signification of "clothing," as being what is exterior, which covers what is interior (n. 5248); thus the natural, for this is exterior, and covers the rational which is interior; hence also "clothing" denotes truth, because truth is exterior, and covers good which is interior (n. 2576, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954).[2] That "wine" denotes love toward the neighbor and the good of faith, may be seen from what has been shown in respect to the bread and wine in the Holy Supper (n. 2165, 2177, 3464, 4581, 5915), namely, that the "bread" is the good of celestial love, and that the "wine" is the good of spiritual love. This may be seen also from the meat-offering and the drink-offering in the sacrifices, in which the "meat-offering" signified the good of love, and the "drink-offering" the good of faith, the meat-offering consisting of such things as signified the good of love, and the drink-offering of wine which signified the good of faith; moreover the very sacrifices were called "bread" (n. 2165). That a drink-offering of wine was employed in the sacrifices may be seen in (Exod. 29:40; Lev. 23:12, 13, 18, 19; Num. 15:2-15; 28:6, 7, 18; 29:1-7).
[3] That "wine" signifies love toward the neighbor and the good of faith, is plain also from Isaiah:--
Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isa. 55:1);
everyone must know that they were not to buy wine and milk, but that which is signified by wine and milk, that is, love toward the neighbor and faith; these are given by the Lord without silver and without price.
[4] And in Hosea:--
The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them. Ephraim shall return into Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria. They shall not pour out wine to Jehovah; and their sacrifices shall not be pleasing unto Him (Hosea 9:2-4);
here also in the internal sense are meant the good of love and the good of faith, that they ceased; the good of love is the "threshing-floor," from the grain there and the bread that comes from it; and the good of faith is the "winepress," the "new wine," and the "libation of wine:" that "Ephraim shall return into Egypt" denotes that the intellectual should consult memory-knowledges with respect to the secrets of faith; "they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria" denotes that which results from the consequent reasoning. "Ephraim" is the intellectual of the church, (n. 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267); also "Egypt" is memory-knowledge, (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5702); and "Assyria" reasoning, (n. 1186). Moreover the very connection shows that there is more in the words than appears in the letter; for in the internal sense there is coherence, but not in the external; as when it is said that "the threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them," and that "the new wine shall deceive them," and presently that "Ephraim shall return into Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria;" and moreover without the internal sense what could be meant by "Ephraim returning into Egypt," and by their "eating what is unclean in Assyria?"
[5] The cessation of mutual love and of the good of faith is also described by a "winepress" and "wine" in Jeremiah:--
Upon thy vintage hath the waster fallen; whence gladness was gathered, and joy from Carmel, and from the land of Moab, for I have caused wine to cease from the winepresses; he will not tread hedad (Jer. 48:32, 33).
[6] That "wine" signifies the good of mutual love and of faith, is plain also in John:--
I heard a voice out of the midst of the four animals saying, Hurt not the oil and the wine (Rev. 6:6);
where "oil" is the good of celestial love; and "wine," the good of spiritual love.
[7] The like is meant by "oil and wine" in the Lord’s parable about the Samaritan, in Luke:--
A certain Samaritan as he journeyed, and seeing him who had been wounded by thieves, was moved with compassion, wherefore coming to him he bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine (Luke 10:33, 34);
where "pouring in oil and wine" signifies that he performed the works of love and of charity. "Oil" denotes the good of love, (n. 886, 3728). The like was meant by the ancients pouring oil and wine upon a pillar when they sanctified it (Gen. 35:14); (n. 4581, 4582).
[8] That "wine" denotes the good of love and of faith, is plain from the Lord‘s words which He said of wine when He instituted the Holy Supper:--
I say to you that I will not drink henceforth of this product of the vine until that day when I shall drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matt. 26:29; Luke 22:17, 18);
everyone can see that He would not drink wine there, but that there is signified the good of love and of faith, which He would give to those who are of His kingdom. The like is signified by "wine" in (Isa. 24:9, 11; Lam. 2:11, 12; Hos. 14:7; Amos 9:13, 14; Zech. 9:15, 17; Luke 5:37-39).
[9] As "wine" signifies the good of love and of faith, therefore in the supreme sense it signifies the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord, for from this by influx the man who receives it has the good of love and of faith.
[10] As most expressions in the Word have also a contrary sense, so also has "wine," In which sense "wine" signifies falsity from evil, as in Isaiah:--
Woe unto them that rise up in the morning under the dawn, and follow strong drink; that tarry into the twilight, that wine may inflame them! Woe to the heroes to drink wine, and to men of strength to mingle strong drink (Isa. 5:11, 22).
Again:
These also err through wine, and through strong drink go astray; the priest and the prophet err through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they go astray through strong drink; they err among the seer, they stumble in judgment (Isa. 28:7).
Again:--
The shepherds know not to understand, they all look back to their own way. Come ye, I will take wine, and we will be drunken with strong drink; and let there be, on the morrow, as on this day, a great abundance (Isa. 56:11, 12).
And further in (Jer. 13:12; Hos. 4:11; 7:5; Amos 2:8; Micah 2:11; Ps. 75:8; Deut. 32:33). Falsity from evil is also signified by the "cup of the wine of anger" (Jer. 25:15, 16; Rev. 14:8, 10; 16:19); and by the "winepress of the wine of the fury of the anger of God" (Rev. 19:15); and by the "wine of whoredom" (Rev. 17:2; 18:3).
. And his covering in the blood of grapes. That this signifies that His intellectual is Divine good from His Divine love, is evident from the signification of the "blood of grapes," as being the good of love, and in the supreme sense the Lord‘s Divine good from His Divine love; and from the signification of a "covering," as being the intellectual, for the intellectual is a recipient, and that which receives, being a vessel, is like a covering. That by a "covering" is signified the intellectual, and by "clothing" the natural (n. 6377), is because there the subject treated of is what is external, but here what is internal; for in the Word, on account of the heavenly marriage, where it treats of what is external it treats also of what is internal; and where it treats of truth it treats also of good (n. 6343). This sometimes appears like a repetition of the same thing, as here: "He washes his clothing in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes," where "wine" and the "blood of grapes" appear to be the same, and also "clothing" and "covering;" but they are not the same, because what is external and what is internal are thus expressed.[2] That the "blood of grapes" denotes the Divine good from the Divine love of the Lord, is plain from the signification of "blood," as being the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord (n. 4735); and by "grapes" in the supreme sense is signified the Lord’s Divine good which those have who are in His spiritual kingdom; and hence by "grapes" in the relative sense is signified the good of charity (n. 5117). By the "blood of the grape" the like is also signified in the song of Moses:--
Butter of the herd and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs and of rams the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou shalt drink the blood of the grape unmixed (Deut. 32:14).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |