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Numbers Chapter 16

Summary of the Spiritual Sense

1. On the opposition of those in faith without charity to the true church. They support themselves apparently by the primary doctrines of the church; they approve Divine Good as well as Divine Truth; and they urge that every man is led by selfish love, vers. 1-3.
2. But the man of the true church comes into profound humiliation on being thus tempted; he depends upon influx from the Lord through the heavens; he sees that the wicked are allowed to assume the appearance of genuine worship; he condemns their vain assumptions, and their discontent; and he knows that their pretensions will be thoroughly tested, vers. 4-19.
3. Also revelation is made, and exhortation is given to the true church to separate themselves, which actually happens; and the false church continues its opposition, vers. 20-27.
4. Concerning the judgement and condemnation of those in faith without charity, vers. 28-35.
5. Concerning the preservation of true external worship, although that which is false and selfish is rejected, vers. 36-40.
6. And also concerning the effect of false external worship, and true external worship, the former resulting in the destruction of spiritual life by the destruction of remains, and the latter in its preservation, vers. 41-50.

1.  Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath the son of Levi, denotes those who are in faith alone in a state of the church which is merely external, and who act from strong natural affection, which, —in its purity,—is derived from Divine Truth and Divine Good, because by Korah is meant bald, frozen, icy, and therefore by him are denoted those in faith alone, in a state of the church which is merely external, 3301⁸, 934, by IzhAR is meant fine olive oil, and therefore by him is denoted, in the best sense, a state of good derived from truth, but here, in the opposite sense, strong natural affection, 886; by Kohath is meant congregation, assembly, and therefore by him is denoted the truth of the church, and in the highest sense Divine Truth in its brightness, 7843, chap 3:17, 29, 9684, and by Levi is meant adhering, and therefore by him is denoted charity or good, and in the highest sense Divine Good, 3875; Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, denote those who delight in mere ceremonies, and those who falsify the truth, both—in their best form— derived from Divine Truth conjoined with Divine Good, because by Dathan are meant laws or rites, and therefore by him is denoted delight in mere ceremonies, 3147³ by Abiram is meant the father of fraud, or a high father, and therefore by him are denoted, in this rase, those who falsify the truth, 3703, 4459, 795, and by Eliab is meant God my father, and therefore by him is denoted Divine Truth conjoined to Divine Good, 2001, 3703; On the son of Peleth, denotes those who, from the violence of their evil passions, destroy the heavenly life, because by On is meant pain, or force, or iniquity, and therefore by him is denoted the violence of evil passions, 5713, 8168, 9937, while by Peleth,—the meaning of which does not appear in the lists consulted,—as a son or descendant of Reuben, is evidently denoted some form of faith without charity which is destructive of the heavenly life, 2435; Dathan, Abiram, and On, being all sons of Reuben, denotes three forms of corrupted faith gradually more intensified as the signification of each shows; their being associated with Korah, denotes the conjunction of falsities with evil; and their taking men, denotes that, although all these principles are outwardly of the church, as to faith in the understanding, they are in reality exalted against the truth, 3870.

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2.  Their rising up against Moses, denotes exaltation against Divine Truth, 10413, 7010; "with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation," denotes supporting themselves, in their rebellion, apparently by the primary doctrines of the church, 1482, 7843, 3654; princes of the congregation, or rather assembly, denotes having relation to affection, 7843; called to the assembly, denotes as to intelligence, the original word in this instance being that often translated "meeting," 9373, 3755; men of renown denotes, according to the series, as to activity, 2009; and two hundred and fifty denotes in sufficiency as to the conjunction of falsity and evil, 10255.

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3.  Assembling themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, denotes that this combination of the wicked is not only against Divine Truth but also against Divine Good, 7010, 9946, 6338; saying to them, denotes the insinuation of falsities with the man of the church in temptation, 1822; "you take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them," denotes that what is affirmed to be from good and truth is from pride and the love of ruling, 9946, 7010, 7843, 8788, 2001; and "wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the assembly," or rather congregation, "of the Lord," denotes that, in reality, every man is led by selfish love; and that by this the Lord governs him, 10413, 7843, 2001. The "congregation" here denotes falsities derived from evils which the wicked affirm to be truths derived from good.

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4.  Moses falling upon his face when he heard it, denotes that the truly spiritual man, being thus tempted, comes into profound humiliation, 7010, 3507, 1999.

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5.  Speaking to Korah and all his company saying, denotes opposition to the influx of evil and falsity from the hells, by influx from the Lord through the heavens involving the perception, ver. 1, 2951, 1822; in the morning the Lord showing who are His and who is holy, denotes that the real truth will be made manifest in a state of illustration from the Lord as to those who are in genuine truth and genuine good, 4214, 2001, 9229; causing him to come near to Him, denotes that genuine truth has conjunction with good, 3572; and causing him whom He shall choose to come near to Him, denotes that genuine good has conjunction with the Lord, 3755, 9229.

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6.  "This do; take you censers, Korah and all his company," denotes that, nevertheless, the Lord permits those who are interiorly in evils and falsities to assume the appearance of sincere worship, ver. 1, 5755, 9475, 5120².

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7.  Putting fire into the censers, and incense upon them before the Lord to-morrow, denotes this even as to the zeal of love to the Lord and charity to the neighbour continually, 934, 9475, 3998; the man whom the Lord shall choose being holy, denotes that Divine Love Itself decides who is in truth and who is in good, 2001, 3755, 9229; and "you take too much upon you, you sons of Levi," denotes that the real character of man is determined by his state internally, and not by his state externally, wherein he assumes the appearance of charity, 6172, 3875.

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8.  Moses saying to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi," denotes that the man of the true church perceives from Divine Truth, and by his obedience to that truth, causes the tempters to feel his opposition to them, discerning, ver. 9, 7010, 1522, ver. 1, 2542, 3875.

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9.  "Seemeth it but a small thing to you," denotes that it is of the greatest importance to understand, as appears from the evident meaning of the words, namely, that it was not a small thing, 3946, 8458, 3877; the God of Israel separating the Levites from the congregation, or assembly of Israel, denotes that charity and not faith alone is that which distinguishes the man of the Spiritual Church particularly, chap 1:49, 50, 3875, 3877; the God of Israel denotes that the man of the church contends from Divine Truth against evil, 2001, 4286, 4287; being brought near, denotes that charity gives conjunction with the Lord, 3572; to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, denotes that it is the function of the spiritual man, who is in charity, to minister to the celestial man, who is in love to the Lord, chap 1:50, 3210, 9946; and standing before the congregation, or assembly, to minister to them, denotes that charity, at the same time, ministers to the natural man, because, in this case, the assembly in relation to the Levites denotes what is external and thus the natural man, 3136, 7843, 5164³. And that charity is a medium of conjunction may be seen 9275³.

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10.  By the Lord bringing Korah near, and all his brethren the sons of Levi, denotes that by such conjunction the external man is hallowed or sanctified, 3755, 9229, 3875, 7843; and by "seek you the priesthood also," is denoted that the spiritual man cannot perform the functions of the celestial, ver. 1, 9946.

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11.  "Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord," denotes that the corrupted spiritual man with his falsities is in opposition even to Divine Good Itself, ver. 1, 2001; and "what is Aaron that you murmur against him? " denotes opposition, not simply to celestial good, which claims no merit, ver. 1, 9946, 2715², 4007.

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12.  Moses sending to call Dathan and Abiram; and their saying, "We will not come up," denotes that the Divine Truth investigates the state of the corrupted man, as to external worship, and the falsification of truths, which worship and truths are, in their purity, derived from truth conjoined with good; but it is the thought of the corrupted man, that he will not submit to Divine Truth, 7010, 2397, 3659, ver. 1, 1543.

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13.  "Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey?" denotes because he regards as all-important the pleasures and delights of the merely natural man, 3946, 8458, 1543, 5406, 5620³; "to kill us in the wilderness," denotes that he despises the instruction and restraint, which the course of regeneration imposes, 4727, 2708; and "but you must needs make yourself a prince over us," denotes that he despises the (so-called) assumption that the Divine Law is primary in the church, 7010, 4859², 1482.

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14.  Moses not having brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey, denotes that the corrupted man does not believe in the heavenly life of truth and goodness with their delights in the natural man, 5620³; not giving them an inheritance of fields and vineyards, denotes that he does not believe in goodness and truth as the real inheritance of man from the Lord, 9139, 2658; Moses putting out the eyes of those men, denotes that they consider that their own intelligence, derived from selfish love, is true intelligence, 7010, 2148, ver. 1; and their not being willing to come up, denotes determined opposition to Divine Truth both as to the will and understanding, 1543.

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15.  Moses being very angry, denotes that the wicked are averted from Divine Truth, 7010, 5034; saying to the Lord "Respect not You their offering," denotes that the man of the church, in temptation, perceives that they are only in the hypocritical acknowledgement of the Lord, 7010, 1822, 2001, 9293, 10420; and not taking one ass from them, nor hurting one of them, denotes that Divine Truth, in regeneration is not destructive of the natural powers in their integrity, and that neither is it disposed to injure the natural affections, 1949, 9055.

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16.  Moses saying to Korah, "Be those and all your congregation, or assembly, before the Lord, you and they, and Aaron to-morrow," denotes the dictate of Divine Truth, that those who are in faith alone with its errors, as well as those who are in genuine good, must alike submit themselves to Divine Judgement continually, 7010, 1822, ver. 1, 7843, 2001, 9946, 3998.

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17.  Taking every man his censer, denotes that every one will, in the Judgement, reveal his true character in his outward actions, because, specifically, the censer denotes the external or outward life, which is the receptacle and expression of the internal, 5120²; putting incense upon them, denotes the internal worship expressed in the external, 9475; bringing each man his censer, with the incense, before the Lord, denotes that this is effected by the nearer presence of the Lord, which discovers the exact quality of each individual, as to the external state derived from the internal, 3572, 223, 2001; two hundred and fifty censers, denotes the exact quality of every one, whether it be little or much, as to good and truth, 10255; and you also and Aaron, each his censer, denotes that this applies especially to the ruling principles as to evil or good, ver. 1, 9946.

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18.  Taking every man his censer; putting fire in them; laying incense thereon; and standing at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron, denotes that this also actually takes place in the intermediate state, where both the wicked and the good are assembled. ver. 17, 934, 3136, 2356, 2357, 35402, 7010, 9946.

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19.  Korah assembling all the congregation against them into the door of the tent of meeting, denotes that the wicked, with all their errors, are eager to rely on the spiritual things of the church from selfish love, ver. 1, 7843, 2356, 2357, 3540³, 7010, 9946; and the glory of the Lord appearing to all the congregation, denotes that in the Judgement the power of Divine Good and Divine Truth conjoined, becomes manifested to all, 8427.

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20.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is denoted Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010; by Aaron is denoted Divine Good, 9946; and by saying is denoted perception, 1822.

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21.  "Separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment," denotes that, in the first place, they are about to be overwhelmed in the extremity of temptation, and to perish from the dominion of evil. This appears by considering that Moses and Aaron represent Divine Truth and Divine Good, 7010, 9946; that, with regard to the wicked, these are separated from them in the Judgement, or, in other words, that they are totally vastated and left to their own life of evil, which is denoted by the Lord consuming them in a moment, 2438, 10431, 3356; and that with regard to the good, this verse describes the extremity of temptation, separating themselves therefore signifying that they can no longer endure the presence of evil, and being consumed in a moment, the perception that they are about to be overwhelmed by their own evils, 8165.

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22.  Moses and Aaron falling upon their faces, denotes a more profound degree of humiliation, 7010, 9946, 1999; their saying, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh," denotes the acknowledgement that the Lord governs man by Divine Truth operating first in his spiritual degree, which operation shall afterwards manifest itself in his natural degree, 2535, 2001, 10283; and "shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?" denotes that although evil in the temptation appears to prevail, in reality it is their natural man which appears to be in aversion from the Lord, ver. 1, 7843, 5798.

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23.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010; and by saying is denoted perception, 1822.

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24.  Speaking to the congregation, or assembly, saying, "Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram," denotes that their external man is, as the effect of the temptation, to be entirely separated from evils and falsities, 2951, 3395, 1543, 3540³, ver. 1.

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25.  Moses rising up, and going to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel following him, denotes that then they feel an elevation as to Divine Truth and Divine Good in themselves which clearly manifests the falsity of external worship without internal, and of the profanation of truth by evil affections, 7010, 1543, 6524, 3335.

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26.  Speaking to the congregation and saying, "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins," denotes perception and thought that the external man as well as the internal is separated from the evils and falsities, which cause the temptation, yea, from all contact therewith, by which means the wicked are entirely vastated, and the good are delivered, 2951, 3395, 5827, 1566, ver. 1, 10130, 8165.

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27.  Getting up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, denotes that the spiritual man, as to both his internal and external powers, is completely delivered from false worship, 7843, 1543, 1566, ver. 1, 2973; and Dathan and Abiram coming out, and standing at the door of their tents, and their wives and their sons and their little ones, denotes that those who are in merely external worship, and in falsities from evil, are made manifest as to their true character, and thus as to affections, as to thoughts, and as to the appearance of innocence, ver. 1, 9927, 3136, 2356, 1566, 915, 489. 430.

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28.  Moses saying, "Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind," denotes that, further, there is now perception from Divine Truth, even in the external man, thus separated, that there shall be testification with them that all salvation and purification are from the Lord, and not at all from man himself, 7010, 1822, 7843, 2230, 2001, 6996, 63, 8329.

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29.  "If these men die the common death of all men; or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not spoken by me," denotes that if those who have perverted the good of the church, and falsified its truths deliberately, are saved of themselves, by giving up the life of evil and falsity, in the Judgement, because the Lord has provided that all may be saved who are willing, then indeed is Divine Truth, or the Word, not a revelation from Divine Good as a means of salvation, ver. 1, 1408, 6588, 7010, 2001.

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30.  By the Lord making a new thing, or creating a creation, is denoted that if, on the other hand, it is already manifested from Divine Good, through the revelation of truths not before known, 10373; by the ground opening her mouth, and swallowing them up with all that appertain to them, is denoted that by confirmation in the life of evil the corrupted man is given up to all the falsities proceeding therefrom, both as to the internal and external of his life, 8306; by going down alive into the pit, or into Sheol, is denoted that he is then delighted with nothing more than his own evil by which he is condemned to hell, 8306, 695; and by understanding that these men have despised the Lord, is denoted that then it will be seen that evil was chosen deliberately, 2230, 1608, 2001.

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31.  It coming to pass, denotes a change or somewhat new, 4979; Moses making an end of speaking all these words, clearly denotes according to Divine Truth, 7010, 1288, and the ground cleaving to pieces that was under them, denotes that, in the Judgement, all the outward professions on which the corrupted man relies, are taken away from him, 8306, 566, 990, 8184, 4564.

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32.  The earth opening her mouth and swallowing them up, and their households, and all that appertained to Korah, and all their goods, denotes that he is overwhelmed in his own merely natural delights, thereby condemning himself to hell, and this completely as to every faculty of the will, and every power of the understanding, 8306, ver. 1, 3128, 7120, 1717.

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33.  They and all that appertained to them going down alive into the pit, or into Sheol, the earth closing over them, and their perishing from among the assembly, denotes that thus the corrupted man enters into his eternal condition of life in the hells; his external man is made one with his internal; and he is no longer in the intermediate state, in which regeneration alone is possible by means of truths, 8306, 695, 2576, 913, 7655, 7843.

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34.  All Israel round about them fleeing at the cry of them; and saying, "lest the earth swallow us up," denotes that the man of the church who is in temptations, is delivered by the Lord from the infestations of the wicked, because he perceives that the confirmation of what is of the spiritual man by the natural man, when it is falsity conjoined with evil, is spiritual death, 3654, 2973, 7563, 2240, 1822, 8306, ver. 32.

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35.  Fire coming forth from the Lord and devouring the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, denotes that the Divine Love, in the heart of the regenerated member of the church, entirely overcomes all tendency to profane worship by making it external only, 934. 5149, ver. 2.

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36.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010: and by saying is denoted perception, 1822.

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37.  Speaking to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are holy, denotes perception to the men of the Spiritual Church, derived from the Celestial, through orderly influx, that the externals of worship, considered in themselves, are to be elevated and preserved; and that the profane love which perverts them is at the same time to be rejected, because external worship is the proper receptacle of what is internal, and is, therefore, holy, 2951, 10017, 9812, 3613, 9475, 5120, 1309, 934, 9956.

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38.  "Even the censers of these sinners against their own lives," denotes even that external worship which is merely representative of what is internal, the abuse of which causes spiritual death, because external worship separated from internal may represent true worship, but is not the expression of it, 9475, 5120, and because such external worship is like a dead body without spiritual life, 1000, and is therefore sinful, Isaiah 1:4, 11, 12, 622; "and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar," denotes that all external worship ought to be the ultimate form of true internal worship, because what is beaten, or spread out, denotes the adaptation of the external man as a receptacle of the regenerated internal by Divine power, 8043 on Isaiah 44:24; the plates denote such a receptacle as corresponds to, and therefore adequately manifests the internal, 9930, 9932; at the same time, the plate as a covering, denotes that which veils interior good and truth, and also conceals from man, during regeneration the full depravity and dangers of the merely selfish life, as one meaning of the Hebrew word for plate here used, shows, 2576; and the altar denotes the true worship of the Lord, 4541; "for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are holy," denotes that, with the wicked, Externals, without corresponding Internals, are at least an outward acknowledgement of the Lord in worship, and are, on that account, holy, 9293; and "they shall be a sign to the children of Israel," denotes that, to the man of the church, they are useful as guides and as incentives to internal worship, 2037, 3654.

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39.  Eleazar the priest taking the brazen censers, which they that were burnt had offered; and their being beaten out for a covering of the altar, denotes that, therefore, also the man of the Spiritual Church devoutly engages in external worship from natural good, even as, apparently, does he who is in selfish love internally, and is at length consumed by it; and thus external worship becomes truly the expression of that which is internal, 10017, 9812, 9475, 5120, 425, 9293, ver. 38.

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40.  Being a memorial to the children of Israel, denotes a token to the man of the church in all its states, 6888, 3654; no stranger, not of the seed of Aaron coming near to burn incense before the Lord, denotes that no affection which is not derived from celestial good constitutes true spiritual worship, 1097, 10249, 3572, 9475, 10579; not being as Korah and his company, denotes rejection lest man should come into the profanation of good and truth, ver. 2; and "as the Lord commanded him by the hand of Moses," denotes that this is the dictate of Divine Truth from Divine Good, 2001, 5486, 878, 7010.

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41.  On the morrow all the congregation, or rather assembly, of the children of Israel murmuring against Moses and against Aaron saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord," denotes that, for the time being, the man of the church, who is in Externals, is opposed to Divine Truth and Divine Good, which constitutes the internal church, being persuaded that outward worship, for the sake of self only, is true worship from Divine Good, 10497, 7843, 3654, 8351, 7010, 9946, 3387, 1259, 2001.

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42.  It coming to pass, denotes a change, or somewhat new, 4979; all the congregation assembled against Moses and against Aaron, denotes in such a state, ver. 41; and looking toward the tent of meeting, and behold the cloud covering it, and the glory of the Lord appearing, denotes the perception that there is, in temptation, a nearer approach of the Lord through the Word in its literal or spiritual sense, 2150, 5922⁶, 3540³.

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43.  Moses and Aaron coming to the front of the tent of meeting, denotes that Divine. Truth and Divine Good are manifested, 7010, 9946, 3572.

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44.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010; and by saying is denoted perception, 1822.

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45.  "Get you up from among this congregation," or assembly, "that I may consume them in a moment"; and their falling upon their faces, denotes that a state of external worship without internal, when persisted in, causes the separation of interior good and truth; and will result in the destruction of internal worship, unless there be repentance and humiliation, 1543, 7843, 10431, 1999.

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46.  Moses saying to Aaron, denotes a dictate of Divine Truth to the man of the church who is in good, 7010, 1822, 9946; taking the censer, putting fire therein, and laying incense thereon, denotes that external worship must be combined with real worship from love and from truth from the Lord, 9475, 5120, 934; carrying the censer quickly to the congregation, and making atonement for them, denotes that this must certainly be done zealously by the natural man, in order that the evil of mere external worship may be removed, 9475, 5120, 7843, 10042, 9946; and wrath going out from the Lord and the plague beginning, denotes that, otherwise, man is averted from the Lord and remains are destroyed, 5034, 5798, 10219.

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47.  Aaron taking as Moses spoke, and running into the midst of the assembly, or rather congregation, denotes that the man of the internal church recognizes the truth of all this, being in good, and eagerly endeavours to make his external worship harmonious with his internal, 9946, 7010, 2951, 3131, 7843; the plague being begun among the people, denotes the perception that merely outward devotion is destructive of remains, 10019, 1259; and putting on incense and making atonement for the people, denotes that, therefore, it must be continually removed by the Lord, 9475, 5120, 10042, 9946.

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48.  Aaron standing between the dead and the living, and the plague being stayed, denotes that when the man of the church earnestly separates from himself all selfish motives in worship, and is zealous to worship the Lord from genuine truth and good, then are remains preserved with him, 9946, 3136, 81, 10219.

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49.  They that died of the plague being fourteen thousand and seven hundred besides those that died about the matter of Korah, denotes that there must be the destruction of remains when man totally profanes the good and truth of the church, as well as when he makes outward devotion the all of worship, 81, 10219, 4177, 8400, vers. 32, 33.

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50.  Aaron returning to Moses to the door of the tent of meeting and the plague being stayed, denotes that when good is conjoined with truth internally, and there is also full acknowledgement of the Lord externally, then is the worship of the Lord perfect, and remains are no longer destroyed, 9946, 7010, 2356, 3540³, 10219.

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Discussion

In commencing our commentary on this chapter, it will be useful to observe how the meaning of the four names, Levi, Kohath, Izhar and Korah, gives their correspondence and thence their spiritual signification. Levi was named from cleaving to, or adhering, and therefore signifies love or charity, by which only there is conjunction with the Lord, and between one person and another; Kohath means congregation, or assembly, and therefore he signifies the truth that is conjoined with love, or charity, being first derived from it, as a son from a father; and hence Levi and Kohath, in the best sense, clearly represent internal good and truth, or the celestial and spiritual principles in man respectively. Again, Izhar means fine olive oil, and therefore, in the highest sense, denotes celestial love, but in this case, because he was the son of Kohath, external or natural good derived from spiritual truth, or what is often called the good of truth; and Korah means bald, frozen, icy, and therefore signifies the absence of the truth and good denoted by the hair of the head, and by warmth, but as the son of Izhar, truth without good, or what is the same, faith without charity, or faith alone, as it is commonly called.

Hence, then, we see that it is not a mere supposition, or assumption that Korah and his supporters, in rebellion against Moses and Aaron, represent that state of the church in general, or of an individual in particular, in which faith without charity prevails, and consequently, in which there is no true love to the Lord and the neighbour, which properly constitutes genuine worship. And it is here to be noted, therefore, that Korah and his company represent a degraded state of the church, because there could not be a state of faith without charity otherwise; and that, therefore, also they represent the degraded state of the Christian Church, which the Lord foretold, when He was in the world, and of which He said, " the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt 24:12), and "when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth" (Luke 18:8). But these prophecies have now actually been fulfilled. For not only has the Christian Church of the past been degraded and corrupted by the prevailing love of dominion and ecclesiastical supremacy on the one hand, but also by the prevailing doctrine of salvation by faith alone on the other. And as this is a matter of true history at the present time, therefore it may justly be concluded that the present age is the age of the Lord's second advent, as taught in the doctrine of the New Church (HH 1; TCR 779), and as confirmed by the revelation of the internal sense of the Word. And that is why it is now possible to show clearly, that in our chapter, we have so wonderful and so striking a description of the evil consequences that must follow, in the case of all those who think that they can be saved by faith in the doctrines of the church only, without having lived according to the Lord's commandments. For it is written, "Not every one that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. vii. 21). And here it is only necessary to add that, as may be seen in the explanation in giving the references, the meanings of all the other names given in these introductory sentences are equally significant; and how especially remarkable it is, that persons of the tribe of Reuben, who signifies faith in the understanding, should have been the leaders with Korah in claiming an equal right with Moses and Aaron to assume the function of lawgivers and of the priesthood.

But the next section shows, to begin with, that we are all tempted, more or less, to rest in faith alone; and continues by showing how it is to be resisted. And we see from ver. 4, that a state of humility is the first essential of safety; and that the second is dependence upon the Lord for a state of illustration. "In the morning the Lord will show who are His and who is holy." Moreover, we may notice here also, the repetition in the latter part of the following verse, involving the proper use of both the intellect and the heart, or will, in those who truly worship the Lord, holiness here having relation to the former, and the Lord's choosing to the latter. And then a profound truth follows. For those in faith alone are allowed for a long time, which is involved in the expression, "to-morrow," to assume the appearance of being a genuine church, and of apparently saving many souls. And this occurs for two reasons: first, because it is good that men should be induced, in certain states, to reform themselves, even by means of doctrine, having the appearance of the truth, apparently supported by the Word, and seeming to result in an orderly life; and, secondly, because, in similar states, such persons cannot apprehend the genuine truths of the Word in its literal sense.

But those who are interiorly enlightened perceive and condemn the presumptions of the wicked, who are in faith alone; affirm also that were they even in faith from charity, internally, as well as externally and in appearance only, they could not perform the functions of the celestial, denoted by the priesthood; and condemn them for separating truth from good, or faith from love, signified by Korah and his company murmuring against Aaron.

This, however, is not all. For those who are interiorly enlightened, and are here represented by Moses, also scrutinize and condemn those whose worship consists in mere ceremonies, denoted by Dathan, and those who wickedly falsify the truth, signified by Abiram; but these are persistent in their externalism; prefer the delights of the merely natural man; and suppose that they would actually lose all enjoyment of life in the obscurity of their state of instruction and restraint, signified by being killed in the wilderness. And thus they are averted from Divine Truth, while the man of the true church in his temptation is led to see their hypocrisy, and recognizes that a truly religious life does not deprive man of legitimate natural delights, but on the contrary sanctifies them. But the concluding part of the section is indeed very impressive, since it shows that, in the Judgement about to take place, evil and error, and merely external worship will be fully exposed and separated; and that the good will realize their own heavenly life, and be established in the interior truths of the Word, which is appropriately represented by the glory of the Lord appearing.

And now it follows, in the third section, as a preliminary experience to the good, that it seems to them in their extremity, that they are about to perish, which is represented by the determination of the Lord to destroy the whole congregation, while the same statement involves that the wicked will in reality be entirely vastated; for the word here translated "congregation," should really be rendered "assembly," and therefore it denotes, on the one hand, the good, and on the other hand, the wicked, as to the state of their wills, and it is the state of the will and not the state of the understanding that decides in the Judgement. Moreover, it appears clearly from what follows, that, in this verse, the assembly is only assumed to be in evil, while yet it was not so, it only denoting, as far as the good are concerned, the state of their external man in the temptation; and this is the reason why they were afterwards separated from Korah and his company as well as Moses and Aaron, this finely representing the result of the temptation, namely, that the external man is more closely conjoined, and thus harmonized, with the internal (ver. 27). But again, there is another very interesting thing arising from ver. 22. In the first instance, it was Moses only who fell upon his face (ver. 4); but here it is both Moses and Aaron, and this is why a greater degree of humiliation is denoted. For temptations reveal more and more to the spiritual man, that, of himself, he is nothing but evil, and that, from the Lord, he receives all good continually. And therefore he now acknowledges that it is the internal man that sins, or that consents to the promptings of evil spirits through his external man, and therefore that the natural man is not the real culprit. For the internal man must decide whether the natural man is to be governed by selfishness or by the Lord; and when, as here described, he confesses his sin, acknowledging his dependence on the Lord only, then, as it is said, although evil in the temptation appears to prevail, yet it is the Lord by Divine truth and good that really does so, and the natural man is now only apparently in aversion, as is signified by the Lord being angry with the whole congregation, or rather assembly; by the instruction given to them; and by their separating themselves, accordingly. And now, therefore, what a grand experience it is, when we are thus victorious by the Lord's help; when we can perceive that our natural man is becoming not only submissive but harmonious; and when we can truly from the heart both see and feel that we are realizing the Lord's life of genuine love and charity by the renunciation of our own selfish life!

The fourth section next demands our attention, as it contains important teaching in its internal sense. We all can remember the saying of Paul, "I die daily," and can see what he means. He was continually giving up the life of selfishness. This, then, is what is meant by dying the common death of all men. For no man can be regenerated without dying this death; and that this life is to be entirely given up, or in other words, that this death is to be finally endured in the Judgement, appears from the signification of the visitation of all men. "It is appointed to all men once to die, and after this comes the Judgement" (Heb 9:27). See the reference, 6588 and also 10509. We must die physically, and also by giving up the selfish life in the Judgement. Hence, then, we see what is meant spiritually by dying the common death of all men; and, moreover, it is called common, because any one who chooses may thus die and thus be regenerated; and then when the Judgement comes he will be prepared for heaven.

But now what is the new thing described in ver. 30? Is it to be entirely overwhelmed and given up to the merely natural life, which is to go down alive into the pit, or into Sheol? By no means. For this is what has always happened to the wicked who confirmed themselves in their wickedness. But the real character of what is meant by the condemnation of the wicked to hell for their wickedness, has not always been known; and therefore, when it does become known by a revelation of Divine Truth, generally, in the consummation of the age, or specifically to each individual who by Judgement is condemned, and to the good who witness the condemnation, then it is called a new thing. And hence, therefore, the interpretation given of vers. 30-35, according to the correspondences of the various terms as they occur. But also the interpretation of the last verse of the section requires a few words of comment. For we must consider why the two hundred and fifty men who offered the incense received a punishment different from that of the rest? Those men, be it here observed, had a double representation. As associated with Korah, they denoted those in faith alone who perverted the primary doctrines of the church, falsifying them in order to confirm themselves in the selfish life, and in the persuasion that they could live that life, and yet be saved. Thus they represented evil and falsity confirmed internally, while the rest signified the same confirmed externally, so that correspondentially, the latter were swallowed up by the earth, while the former were consumed by fire, because they denote such as are more deeply immersed in selfish love than the rest. On the other hand, however, these princes represented the primary doctrines of the church among the good who having overcome in their temptation, separated themselves from a perverted worship, the consequence being that, in them, these doctrines, or truths, were conjoined with good; for this also is signified by fire coming forth from the Lord and consuming those princes. But see for illustration 1 Kings 18:38.

And this consideration naturally prepares us for understanding our last sections, which are certainly not without interest to us as the conclusion of the account. For the preservation of the censers of those who offered the incense conveys the very important lesson that external worship is always to be preserved, while all selfish motives by which it may be influenced are to be continually rejected. And is it not indeed a fact which every one may verify for himself, that men do engage, even in the worship of the Lord, often from selfish and worldly motives? Yea, do we not know that even persons in the process of regeneration may do this while yet internally they do mean when they do any good work, or attend the services of the sanctuary, that they are willing to thus worship the Lord truly. And these thoughts may lead us to the reflection as to the reason why Eleazar the son of Aaron was instructed to collect the censers and preserve them. It was to denote that it is the function of the spiritual man rather than of the celestial, or of the understanding rather than of the will, to guide the affections and to elevate the thoughts in the performance of uses, or in seasons of devotion, so that the worship of the Lord therein may not be perverted, or profaned by the mixture therewith of inferior motives. And then the symbolism that the censers should be made into plates as a covering of the altar, is very suggestive that all external acts ought not only to be the expression of true internal motives, but also their defence and protection. For who does not know very well from experience that good motives, either in work or in worship, will quickly pass away if they are not thus adequately expressed and represented in words and in actions?

And well, therefore, is it said further in connection with this work that it should be for a memorial that there is no true worship at all, and no true usefulness at all, which has not good for its motive, and truth as its means, or in other words, that love to the Lord, love to the neighbour, and the love of uses thence alone constitute the real worship of the Lord. Let us mark well the teaching that immediately follows. And this, first of all, is that, notwithstanding a person may well know, that his inward motive should be the love of the Lord and the neighbour, yet external motives for doing good and for worshiping the Lord may, for a time, prevail. And therefore it happens that there must of necessity be more revelation, and additional conflict, until the man of the church is convinced that external worship must be combined with real internal worship, in order that the evil of merely external worship may be removed. For these certainly involve the destruction of all heavenly principles internally. And now, therefore, we see that the external man must finally be brought into perfect harmony with the internal, and that this is represented most appropriately by Aaron making atonement for the people. For true atonement is nothing else but the reconciliation of man with the Lord, by the Lord (2 Cor 5:19), and the reconciliation of the external man with the internal, by the internal from the Lord. But, on the other hand, let it here be noted also that persistence in merely the selfish worship of the Lord, in a state of faith without charity, represented by the rebellion of Korah, involves also the profanation of the truth and the total destruction of remains; and that, therefore, the man of the church should never rest in the great conflict of life, until good is conjoined with truth in himself, both externally and internally, as represented by Aaron returning to Moses at the door of the tent of meeting.