Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 12:3-6
[2] But how the case is with what is contained in this verse cannot possibly be known unless it is known how it is with the societies in heaven; for the consociations of the sons of Israel according to tribes, families, and houses represented these societies. With the societies in heaven the case is this. The universal heaven is one society, which is ruled by the Lord as one man; the general societies there are as many as are the members, the viscera, and the organs in man; but the specific societies are as many as are the little viscera contained within each viscus, member, and organ; and the particular societies are as many as in these little viscera there are lesser parts constituting a greater one. That this is the case is plain from the correspondences of man, and of his members, organs, and viscera, with the Grand Man, that is, with heaven, which has been treated of from experience at the end of many chapters. From all this it can be seen how the case is with the distinctions of societies in heaven.
[3] But with each society in particular the case is this: it consists of many angels who are in agreement in respect to goods; these goods are various, for each angel has his peculiar good; but these various concordant goods are disposed by the Lord into such a form that together they present one good. Such societies were represented by the houses of the fathers among the sons of Israel. This is the reason why the sons of Israel were distinguished not only into tribes, but also into families and houses; and when they are mentioned, that the names of their fathers in order even to the tribe are mentioned; as of the father of Samuel, that he was of Mount Ephraim, whose "name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph" (1 Sam. 1:1); also of the father of Saul, that he was "of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man a Benjamite" (1 Sam.. 9:1); and so of very many others. Such mention was made in order that in heaven might be known the quality of the good which being successively derived from the first, was represented by the one spoken of.
[4] Moreover in heaven the case is this. If a society is not complete, as it should be, there are then taken from elsewhere, from some neighboring society, as many as will fill up the form of that good, according to the necessity in each state, and its changes; for the form of the good varies as the state is changed. But be it further known that in the third or inmost heaven, which is next above the heaven where the spiritual are (for these constitute the middle or second heaven), innocence reigns, because the Lord, who is innocence itself, flows in immediately into that heaven; whereas into the second heaven, where the spiritual are, the Lord flows in with innocence mediately, namely, through the third heaven.
[5] This influx is that by which the societies in the second heaven are disposed or arranged in order according to their goods; and therefore the states of the good are changed according to the influx of innocence; and consequently the conjunctions of the societies there are varied. From all this it can be seen how is to be understood that which is in this verse in the internal sense, namely, that if the particular good of anyone is not sufficient for the innocence, conjunction shall be effected with the nearest good of truth, in order that the good may be filled up, conformably to the innocence, from so many truths of good, according to the appropriation of the innocence.
. A lamb unblemished. That this signifies innocence unspotted, is evident from the signification of "a lamb," as being innocence (n. 7832); and from the signification of "unblemished," as being without a spot, thus unspotted. It was to be without a blemish and unspotted, because in the spiritual world every blemish signifies some falsity or evil. . A male. That this signifies which is of the faith of charity, is evident from the signification of "a male," as being the truth of faith (n. 2046, 4005), thus the faith of charity; for the truth of faith is not the truth of faith unless it is together with the good of charity, and especially unless it is from it. The reason why the paschal animal was to be a male, was that the paschal animal signified the innocence of those who were of the spiritual church; and they who are of the spiritual church are in no other good than that which in itself is the truth of faith, for this is called good when it is brought into act from the affection of charity (n. 7835). Hence it is that the animal was to be a male. In other cases in the sacrifices, female animals of the flock were employed, when worship from good was to be represented. . A son of a year shall be for you. That this signifies a full state, is evident from the signification of "a son," as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704); and from the signification of "a year," as being an entire period from beginning to end (n. 2906), thus a full state. What a full state is must be stated. A state is called "full," when the good is such that there is not anything lacking for the reception of the influx of innocence. The truths of faith conjoined with the good of charity cause good to be such; for spiritual good receives its quality from the truths of faith. This is here meant by the "full state" which is signified by the "son of a year." But the state is not full when truths have not as yet qualified good, so that this can receive the corresponding states of innocence. This state first becomes full when truths are regarded from good; and it is not yet full when good is regarded from truths. In this latter state are they who are being regenerated, but in the former are they who are regenerated. The former are in truth leading to good, but the latter are in truth which is from good; or the former are in obedience to truth, but the latter are in the affection of doing truth; and therefore the former are men of the external church, but the latter of the internal church. As by the "son of a year" was signified a full state, therefore it was so many times commanded that a lamb or a kid "a son of a year" should be sacrificed, as in (Exod. 29:38; Lev. 9:3; 12:6; 14:10; 23:12, 18, 19; Num. 6:12; 7:15, 87, 88; 15:27; 28:9, 11); and where the new temple is treated of in Ezekiel:--The prince shall prepare a lamb the son of its year without blemish for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah daily, each morning shall he prepare it (Ezek. 46:13);
where by the "new temple" is meant the Lord‘s spiritual kingdom; by the "prince," those who are in genuine truths and thence in good; by "the burnt-offering of a lamb," the worship of the Lord from the good of innocence; and by the "son of a year," a full state.
. Ye shall take it from the lambs and from the she goats . That this signifies the good of innocence exterior and interior, is evident from the signification of a "lamb," as being the good of innocence (n. 3994); and from the signification of a "she-goat" or "kid," as being the good of truth in which is innocence (n. 3995, 4005, 4006, 4871). A "lamb" denotes the interior good of innocence, and a "kid," or a "she-goat," the exterior good of innocence, (n. 3519). What is meant by the interior and the exterior good of innocence shall be briefly told. In every good there must be innocence that it may be good; without innocence good is as if without its soul. The reason is that the Lord flows in by means of innocence, and by means of it vivifies the good with those who are being regenerated. The good which innocence vivifies is internal and external; internal good is with those who are called men of the internal church; but external good is with those who are men of the external church. Men of the internal church are they who have qualified their good by means of interior truths, such as are those of the internal sense of the Word; but men of the external church are they who have qualified their good by means of exterior truths, such as are those of the literal sense of the Word. Men of the internal church are they who do what is good to the neighbor from the affection of charity; but men of the external church are they who do it from obedience. Every man while being regenerated first becomes a man of the external church, and afterward a man of the internal church. They who are of the internal church are in intelligence and wisdom in advance of those who are of the external church, and are therefore more interiorly in heaven. From all this it is now evident what the interior and exterior good of innocence are. . And it shall be for you to be kept. That this signifies the time and state of initiation, is evident from the signification of the "tenth day from which the animal was to be kept until the fourteenth day," as being a state of initiation of the interiors (n. 7831). . Even unto the fourteenth day of the month. That this signifies unto a holy state, is evident from the signification of "the fourteenth day," as being a holy state. "Day" denotes state, (n. 7831). But "fourteen" has the same signification as "seven". "Seven" denotes what is holy, (n. 395, 423, 716, 881, 5265, 5268). Numbers multiplied have a like signification with the simple numbers (n. 5291, 5335, 5708). Hence it is that the passover was to begin on the fourteenth day of the month, was to last seven days, and was to cease on the twenty-first day, which day also signifies what is holy, because it arises from the multiplication of three into seven. Hence it was that on the first day of the passover there was to be a holy convocation, and on the twenty-first day a holy convocation (verse 16). . And the whole congregation of the assemblage of Israel shall kill it. That this signifies preparation for the enjoyment by all in general who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of "killing," when said of the lamb or goat to be used for the passover, as being preparation for enjoyment, namely, of the good of innocence, which is signified by the "lamb" and the "goat;" and from the signification of "the whole congregation of the assemblage of Israel," as being by all in general who are of the spiritual church (n. 7830); by the "congregation of the assemblage" are signified the truths of good which belong to those who are of that church, for "congregation" is predicated of truth (n. 6355), and "assemblage" of good. . Between the two evenings. That this signifies the last state, and the first, is evident from the signification of "evening," as being a state of falsity, and also a state of ignorance of truth; for the shade of evening denotes falsity, and also ignorance of truth. For all the times of the day, like all the times of the year, in the spiritual sense signify alternations of states in respect to truth and good (n. 5672, 5962, 6110). Their end and their beginning is "evening;" and therefore when it is said "between the two evenings," all the states are involved. Here therefore by "between the two evenings" is signified the state of liberation of those who are in truth from good, and the state of damnation of those who are in falsity from evil, which states are signified by the departure of the sons of Israel out of Egypt, when the firstborn there were given up to death. That this is called "evening," is evident from these words in Moses:--Thou shalt sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun has gone down, at the set time of thy going out from Egypt (Deut. 16:6).
[2] From all this it is evident that the end of the state of infestations and the beginning of the state of liberation of those who are represented by the sons of Israel, is meant by "between the two evenings." With these, from this beginning, the state tends to morning, which is elevation into heaven. Moreover by "between the two evenings" is meant the end of the state of infestations and the beginning of the state of damnation of those who are represented by the Egyptians, but the state of these latter tends to night, which is casting down into hell. The casting down of these latter into hell is represented by the immersion in the sea Suph; but the elevation of the former into heaven is represented by the introduction into the land of Canaan.
[3] In the Word throughout mention is made of "evening," and by it is signified the last time of the church, and also its first time; the last with those among whom the church is ceasing, and the first with those among whom it is beginning. For this reason by "evening" is primarily signified the coming of the Lord; for then was the end of the former church and the beginning of a new church, the first state of which is also called "evening," because the man of the church begins from obscure light, and advances to clear light, which to him is "morning."
[4] That the coming of the Lord into the world is signified by "evening and morning," is evident in Daniel:--
I heard a holy one speaking, How long is this vision, the continual (sacrifice), and the transgression, the trampling on the holy thing, and on the army? And he said unto me, Even unto the evening, the morning, two thousand three hundred; for then shall the holy thing be justified (Daniel 8:13, 14);
that here by "evening" is meant the last time, when the church was completely vastated, and the Lord came into the world; and by "morning," the light and the rising of a new church from Him, is evident.
[5] In like manner in Zechariah:--
There shall be one day which shall be known to Jehovah; not day, nor night, for about the time of evening there shall be light (Zech. 14:7).
In Zephaniah:--
Let there be at last a territory left for the house of Judah; they shall feed thereon; in the houses of Ashkelon they shall have quiet in the evening, when Jehovah their God shall visit them, and bring again their captivity (Zephaniah 2:7);
"evening" denotes the first state of the rising church. As "evening" signified the last state of the old church and the first of the new, it was therefore commanded that Aaron and his sons should make the lamp go up from evening even unto morning before Jehovah (Exod. 27:20, 21).
[6] That "evening" denotes the last state of the church, when there is dense falsity because there is no faith, and dense evil because there is no charity, is plain in these passages:--
Woe unto you! for the day goeth away, because the shadows of the evening are stretched out (Jer. 6:4).
I spake unto the people in the morning; and at evening my wife died (Ezek. 24:18);
"wife" denotes the church.
In the morning it shall blossom, and it shall pass away; in the evening he shall cut it off, it shall wither (Ps. 90:6).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |