Spiritual Meaning of

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The signification of the heart being made firm, being hardened, and being made heavy, is obstinacy (AC 7272, 7300, 7305). Its being said that Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, in the internal sense signifies that they themselves, and not Jehovah, made firm their heart, that is, that they were determined; for it is the evil with man which makes him firm or determined against the Divine; and evil comes from man, and flows in from hell, but not from heaven. Nothing but good flows in through heaven from the Lord; evil cannot come forth from good, still less from the veriest Good; evil comes forth from its own origin, namely, from things contrary to love to God and to love to the neighbor; such origins exist in man, and not at all in God. From this it is evident that when it is said in the Word that God leads into evil, this is said according to the appearance (AC 2447, 6991, 6997).

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