Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 12:7-11
[2] That the "posts" and the "lintel" have a like signification to the forehead and hands with man, appears from these words in Moses:--
Thou shalt love Jehovah thy God from thy whole heart, and from thy whole soul, and from all thy forces; thou shalt bind them for a sin upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes; and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Deut. 6:5, 8, 9; 11:13, 18, 20);
because they involve a similar meaning, both are mentioned.
[3] That in the spiritual sense the "lintel and posts" denote the goods and truths of the natural through which there is introduction to spiritual things, is evident from the description of the new temple in Ezekiel, by which is signified the spiritual church. "Posts and lintels" are there frequently mentioned, and they are also measured, which would never have been done unless they had signified something of the church and of heaven, that is, something spiritual; as in the following passages in that prophet:--
The priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering, and shall put it upon the post of the house, and upon the four corners of the projection of the altar, and upon the post of the gate of the inner court, on the first day of the month (Ezek. 45:18, 19).
The prince shall enter by way of the porch without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt-offering; then shall be adore upon the threshold of the gate (Ezek. 45:2);
that by the "temple" here is not meant a temple, but the church of the Lord, everyone man know; for such things as have there been described in many chapters never came to pass, nor will come to pass.
[4] That in the supreme sense by "temple" is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, He Himself teaches in (John 2:19-22). Therefore in the representative sense by a "temple" is meant His church. That an angel measured the lintels of that new temple, see (Ezek. 40:9, 10, 14, 26, 24; 41:21, 25), which measuring would have been of no importance unless the lintels, and likewise the numbers, signified some thing of the church. Because the "posts" and the "lintels" signified the truths and goods in the natural which serve for introduction, therefore in that new temple they were made square in prospect (Ezek. 41:21); and therefore in the temple of Solomon the posts were made of olive wood (1 Kings 6:31, 33). "Olive wood" signified the good of truth, or the good which is of the spiritual church.
. Upon the houses. That this signifies those things which are of the will of good, is evident from the signification of a "house," as being a man (n. 3128), and as being the mind of man (n. 3538, 4973, 5023, 7353), consequently that which is of the will, here that which is of the will of good. The reason why by a "house" is also signified the will, is that by it is signified man, and man is man chiefly from his will. Moreover whether we speak of man, or of his mind, it is the same; for man is not man from the form of his body, but from his mind; and man is such as his mind is, that is, such as his understanding and will are, especially such as his will is. . In which they shall eat it. That this signifies enjoyment, is evident from the signification of "eating," as being appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 4745), but here enjoyment, because a state of initiation is treated of. The case herein is this when those who before the Lord’s coming had been detained in custody in the lower earth (n. 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828) were to be liberated, they had to be prepared to receive the influx of good and truth from the Lord, for they were to pass through the midst of hell; and lest in that passage evils and falsities should flow in from the infernal spirits round about, they had to be prepared, so that they might then be in a full state of truth and good. but of the Lord‘s Divine mercy that passage shall be spoken of in what follows. This preparation, or initiation to a state of reception of good and truth, is described by the things which were to be done between the tenth day of the month and the fourteenth day, and which were to be observed in respect to the eating of the paschal lamb. . And they shall eat the flesh. That this signifies the enjoyment of good, is evident from the signification of "to eat," as being enjoyment (n. 7849); and from the signification of "flesh," as being what is man’s own vivified by the Divine Human of the Lord, thus all celestial and spiritual good with man (n. 3813, 6968). That "flesh" has this signification was well known among the ancients, and yet at this day it is so unknown that everyone would be surprised on being told that "flesh" has such a signification. If it is said that it is a spiritual correspondent, this is not understood. If it is said that it is a significative, this is indeed understood, but in another sense than that in which it is a significative correspondent, namely, as something quite separate; when yet a spiritual or significative correspondent is conjoined with that to which it corresponds as is a man‘s sight with his eye; his hearing with his ear; his thought, which is spiritual, with the form of his interiors, and through this form with the little organs of speech; or as the will, which also is spiritual, is conjoined with the muscular fibers by which action is produced. such is the case with every spiritual correspondent or significative relatively to its natural, with which there is correspondence.[2] Who cannot see that by "flesh" is not meant flesh, nor by "blood" blood, by the Lord in John:--
Verily, verily, I say to you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you; he that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day; for My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed (John 6:53-55).
That by "flesh" is meant the Divine good of the Divine love of the Lord, which is from His Divine Human, and by "blood" the Divine truth proceeding from His Divine good, and also the man’s reciprocity, is at this day known to few, and they who can know, will not. The reason why they are unwilling to know is that they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth, but only for the sake of worldly reasons, and also because natural men desire to apprehend all things naturally.
[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known what is signified by "eating flesh" at the paschal supper, consequently what at the Holy Supper, which was then instituted. Concerning the bread and the wine which in the Holy Supper signify the same as the flesh and the blood, see (n. 2165, 2177, 2187, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915). That in the spiritual sense of the Word "flesh" does not mean flesh, besides being manifest from other passages, is also very evident from this in the Revelation:--
Come and be ye gathered together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that is thereon, and the flesh of all both free and bond, both small and great (Rev. 19:17, 18);
where by "flesh" are signified goods of various kinds.
. In that night. That this signifies along with the damnation of the evil, is evident from the signification of "night," as being a state of the devastation of truth and good (n. 221, 709, 2353, 7776), thus damnation; for when there is no longer truth and good, but falsity and evil, there is damnation; here the damnation of those who had infested those who were of the spiritual church. . Roast with fire. That this signifies the good which is of love, is evident from the signification of "roast with fire," as being he good of love, for "fire" signifies love (n. 934, 4906, 5215 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324), and "roasted" signifies that which is imbued with love, consequently good. In the Word a distinction is made between what is roasted and what is boiled; and by "roasted" is signified good, because it is done by means of fire, and by "boiled" is meant truth because it is done by means of water; and such is the case here, for it is said, "eat ye not of it raw, nor by boiling boiled in waters, but roast with fire" (verse 9). The reason is that by the paschal lamb is signified the good of innocence, which good is the good of love to the Lord.[2] From all this it is evident what is meant in the spiritual sense by the "roasted fish" in (Luke 24:42, 43); also what by the "fish laid upon the fire," when the Lord also appeared to the disciples, concerning which it is thus written in John:--
When the disciples got down on the land, they see a hearth laid, and a little fish lying thereon, and bread. Jesus cometh and taketh the bread, and giveth them, and the little fish likewise (John 21:9, 13);
by the "fish" is signified the truth of the natural (n. 991); and by the "hearth" good; thus by the "little fish lying thereon," the truth of spiritual good in the natural. He who does not believe that there is an internal sense of the Word must needs believe that nothing of a secret nature is involved in the circumstance that when the Lord appeared to the disciples, there was a fish upon a hearth, and that it was given to them by the Lord to eat.
[3] As by "roast with fire" is signified the good which is of celestial and spiritual love, therefore in the opposite sense by "roast with fire" is signified the evil which is of the love of self and of the world, as in Isaiah:--
He hath burned part thereof in the fire; upon part of it he hath eaten flesh; he hath roasted roast that he might be satisfied; yea, he hath been warmed, and said, Brother, I am warm, I have seen the fire; I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, I have also baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and am eating it (Isa. 44:16, 19)
describing the worshipers of a graven image. By a "graven Image" is signified the falsity of evil, which is so described; "roasting roast" and "roasting flesh" denote to work evil from filthy love. "Fire" in the opposite sense denotes the evil of the love of self and of the world, or of the cupidities which belong to these loves, (n. 1297, 1861, 2446, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575).
. And things unleavened. That this signifies what is purified from all falsity, is evident from the signification of "unleavened" or "unfermented," as being what is purified from falsity (n. 2342). The reason why "unleavened" has this signification, is that "leaven" signifies falsity. . Upon things bitter. That this signifies by means of the undelightful things of temptations, is evident from the signification of "bitter things," or "bitternesses," as being things undelightful, here those which belong to temptations. For the good of innocence, which is represented by the paschal lamb, cannot be appropriated to anyone except through temptations. By "unleavened bread" such good is signified, and because this is appropriated through temptations, the bread was ordered to be eaten upon bitter things; and moreover that bread was to them bread of affliction, like the manna (Deut. 8:15, 16; 16:3), because it was devoid of leaven, that is, of any falsity from evil, for man cannot endure pure truth and pure good. That things undelightful are signified by "bitter things," is plain in IsaiahWoe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isa. 5:20).
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it (Isa. 24:9).
That the undelightful things of temptations are signified by "bitter things" is evident from these words in Exodus:--
At last they came unto Marah, but they could not drink of the waters, on account of their bitterness, because they were bitter. And the people murmured against Moses, who, when he cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah showed him wood which he cast into the waters, and the water‘ were made sweet. There He set for him a statute and a judgment, because there He tried him (Exod. 15:23-25),
And also in John:--
There fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch. The name of the star is called Wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter (John 8:10, 11).
In these passages "bitter waters" denote the undelightful things of temptations; the "men who died of the waters" denote those who succumbed in temptations.
. They shall eat it. That this signifies enjoyment, is evident from what was said above (n. 7849). . Eat ye not of it raw. That this signifies that it shall not be without love, is evident from the signification of "to eat," as being enjoyment (n. 7849); and from the signification of "raw," as being without the good of love. That "raw" has this signification, is clear from the signification of "roasted with fire," as being the good of love (n. 7852); consequently "raw" denotes that which is not roasted with fire, thus that which is without love. . And by boiling boiled in waters. That this signifies that it shall not go forth from the truth which is of faith, is evident from the signification of "waters," as being the truths which are of faith (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668); hence "boiled in waters" denotes that which comes forth therefrom, that is, the good which is from the truth of faith; this good is distinguished from the good which is from love, which is signified by "roasted with fire" (n. 7852). All spiritual good proceeds either from faith (that is, through faith), or from love. When man is being regenerated, the good with him proceeds from the truth of faith; for he then acts in accordance with truth; not from the affection of truth, but from obedience, because it has been so commanded. Afterward however, when he has been regenerated, he does what is good from affection, thus from love. These two states with man are precisely distinguished in the Word, for the reason that man cannot be at the same time in both states. He who is in the first state cannot enter into the other until he has been regenerated; and he who is in the second state must not betake himself to the former. If anyone so betakes himself, he loses the affection of doing what is good from love, and relapses into the state of faith, which had been of service to him to introduce him to good, and he also relapses beyond this state. This is meant in the internal sense by the Lord’s words about the Last judgment in Matthew:--Then let him that is upon the house not go down to take anything out of his house; and let him that is in the field not return backward to take his garments (Matthew 24:17, 18);
and also by Lot‘s wife, in that she looked back behind her (Luke 17:31, 32); whence it can be understood what is meant by enjoying the good which goes forth from love, but not that which goes forth from the truth of faith, which things are signified by the command that they should eat the flesh roasted with fire, but not boiled in Waters.
[2] As by the sacrifices and burnt-offerings was signified the worship of the Lord from faith and love--by sacrifices from faith, and by burnt-offerings from love--and because the glorification of the Lord, and gladness on account of the enjoyment of goods from the Lord, was signified by the repasts made of the sanctified things, therefore it was allowed them then to boil their flesh; for the glorification of the Lord, and gladness on account of the enjoyment of goods, proceed from the affection of truth which is of faith, as does also all confession. That the flesh of the sacrifice was to be boiled, see (Exod. 29:31, 32; 1 Sam. 2:1-15; 1 Kings 19:21). Such is the signification of " boiling" in Zechariah:--
In that day every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto Jehovah Zebaoth; and all they that sacrifice shall come, and shall take of them, and shall boil in them (Zech. 14:21).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |