GENESIS 2:18-25
And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make for him a help suitable for
him.
And Jehovah God formed out of the ground every beast of the
field, and every bird of the air, and He brought it to the
man to see what he would call it; and whatever the man called it, the living
creature, that
was its name.
And the man gave names to
every beast, and to the birds of the air,b and
to every wild animal of the field; but for man there was not found a help
suitable for him.
And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man,
and he fell asleep; and He took one of his ribs, and He closed up the flesh in
its place.
And Jehovah God built the rib which He took from the man
into a woman, and brought her to the man.
And the man said, By this change, it is bone from my bones
and flesh from my flesh; for this she will be called Wife, because she was
taken out of man (vir).
Therefore a man (vir) will leave his father and his mother
and will cling to his wife, and they will be one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they
were not ashamed.
131. CONTENTS
The subject is the descendants of the Most Ancient Church,
who set their heart on the proprium.
132. Man's nature being such that he is not content to
be guided by the Lord but desires also to be guided by self and the world -
that is, from the proprium - the proprium that was granted to him is the
subject now, verse 18.
133. First of all he is given to know the affections
for good and the cognitions of truth which the Lord has conferred on him. But
still he sets his heart on this proprium, verses 19, 20.
134. Once he has been brought into a state of the
proprium therefore, a proprium is granted to him, which is described as his rib
that was built into a woman, verses 21-23.
135. Then it is told how celestial and spiritual life
is joined to the proprium, so that this life and proprium appear to be one,
verse 24.
136. It is also told how the Lord introduced innocence
into that proprium so that it might still be not unacceptable, verse 25.
137. THE INTERNAL SENSE The first three chapters of
Genesis deal in general with the Most Ancient Church, which is called Man, from its earliest
down to its final period when it perished. [SIF1] The foregoing section of this chapter dealt
with it in its absolute prime when it was a celestial man. The present section
deals with those people, and their descendants, who set their heart on the
proprium.
138. Verse 18 And Jehovah God said, It is not good that
the man should be alone. I will make for him a help suitable for him. 'Alone'
means that he was not content to be guided by the Lord but desired to have self
and the world as [SIF2] his guide. 'A help suitable for him' means
the proprium, which, further on, is also called 'the rib which was built into a
woman'.
139. In ancient times those who were guided as
celestial people by the Lord were said 'to dwell alone', for the reason that
evil forces, or evil spirits, were infesting them no longer. This was also
represented in the Jewish Church by their dwelling alone after the nations had
been driven out. For this reason several times in the Word the Lord's Church is
described as 'alone', as in Jeremiah,
Rise up, go up against a nation at ease that dwells securely.
It has no gates or bars; they dwell alone. Jer 49:31.
In the prophecy of Moses,
Israel dwelt securely, alone. Deut 33:28.
And plainer still in Balaam's prophecy,
See, a people, it dwells alone, and is not reckoned among
the nations. Num 23:9.
Here 'nations' stands for evils. These descendants of the Most Ancient Church
did not wish to dwell alone[SIF3] ; they did not wish to be a celestial man,
that is, to be guided as a celestial man by the Lord, but to be among the
nations, as also did the Jewish Church. And since this was what they desired it
is said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone'. Indeed when this is
what a person desires, he is already under the influence of evil, and his wish
is granted.
140. That 'a help suitable for him' means the proprium
becomes clear from the nature of the proprium, and from what follows. But
because the member of the Church dealt with here was inherently well-disposed,
he was granted a proprium. But it [only] appeared to be his own, which is why
it is called 'a help suitable for him'.
141. Countless things can be said about the proprium [SIF4] - about what the proprium is like in the
case of the bodily-minded and worldly man, what it is like in the case of the
spiritual man, and what in the case of the celestial man. With the
bodily-minded and worldly
man the proprium is his all[SIF5] . He is unaware of anything else but the
proprium. And, as has been stated, if he were to lose his proprium he would
think that he was dying. With the spiritual man the proprium takes on a similar
appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and that He
confers wisdom and intelligence, and consequently the ability to think and to
act,
it is more a matter of something he says and not so much something he believes.[SIF6] The celestial man however acknowledges
that the Lord is the life of all, who confers the ability to think and act,
because he perceives that this is so. Nor does he ever desire the proprium.
Nevertheless even though he does not desire it the Lord grants him a proprium
which is joined to him with a complete perception of what is good and true, and with complete
happiness[SIF7] . Angels possess a proprium such as this,
and at the same time utmost peace and tranquillity, for their proprium has
within it things that are the Lord's, who is governing their proprium, that is,
governing them by means of their proprium. This proprium is utterly heavenly,
whereas the proprium of the bodily-minded man is hellish. But more about the
proprium further on.
142. Verses 19, 20 And Jehovah God formed out of the
ground every beast of the field, and every bird of the air, and He brought
it to the man to see what he would call it; and whatever the man called it, the
living creature, that was its name. And the man gave names to every beast,
and to the birds of the air, and to every wild animal of the field; but
for man there was not found a help suitable for him.
'Beasts'
means celestial affections, 'birds of the air'c spiritual ones[SIF8] ; that is, 'beasts' means things that
belong to the will, and 'birds' those that belong to the understanding.
'Bringing them to the man to see what he would call them' means enabling him to
know their nature. 'He gave them names means that he did recognize their
nature. But even though he knew the nature of the affections for good and the
cognitions of truth which the Lord had granted him, he still set his heart on
the proprium, which is expressed in the same way as before - 'there was not
found a help suitable for him'.
143. Nowadays it may seem strange that 'beasts' and
'animals' in ancient times meant affections and similar things residing with
man. But because people had heavenly ideas then, and because such things are
also represented in the world of spirits by animals - by such animals in fact
as resemble those affections - this alone is what they therefore understood
when they spoke in this fashion. And this alone is what is meant in the Word
whenever beasts are mentioned in general or in particular. The whole
prophetical section of the Word is full of things such as these, and therefore
anyone who does not know the particular meaning of any beast cannot possibly
understand what the Word contains in the internal sense. But as slated already,
there are two kinds of beasts - evil ones, because they are harmful, and good
ones, because they are harmless. Good beasts, such as sheep, lambs, and doves,
mean good affections. Here, because the subject is the celestial man, or the
celestial-spiritual man, the same applies. The fact that 'beasts' in general
means affections has been confirmed from several places in the Word quoted
already in 45, 46. So there is no need of further confirmation.
144. As to 'calling by name' meaning recognizing their
nature, it must be realized that the ancients understood nothing else by 'a name than
the essential nature of a real thing[SIF9] , and by 'seeing and calling them by name'
recognizing the nature of such. This was why they gave their sons and daughters
names in keeping with the things that were meant by them; for there was
something unique to every name, as a means of knowing the origin and nature of
those children, as will also be seen later on where, in the Lord's Divine
mercy, the twelve sons of Jacob are dealt with. Since therefore a name embodied
a person's origin and nature nothing else was meant by 'calling by name'. This
manner of speaking was customary among them; but anyone who does not understand
is sure to wonder whether they do have these meanings.
145. In the Word too 'name' means the essential nature
of a real thing, and 'seeing and calling by name' knowing characters, as in
Isaiah,
I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoarded
riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Jehovah, the one
calling you by name, the God of Israel. For the sake of My servant Jacob, and
of Israel My chosen, and I have called you by name, I have surnamed you, but
you do not know Me. Isa 45:3, 4. Here 'calling by name' and
'surnaming' mean knowing his character beforehand. In the same prophet,
You will be called by a new name which the mouth of
Jehovah will declare. Isa 62:2.
This stands for his becoming a different person, as is
clear from what precedes and what follows these words. In the same prophet,
O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have
called you by your name, you are Mine. Isa 43:1.
This stands for knowing character. Again in the same
prophet,
Lift up your eyes on high and see; who created these? He
who brings out their host by number; He will call them all by name. Isa 40:26.
This stands for His knowing them all. In Revelation,
You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their
garments. He who conquers will be clad in white garments and I will not blot
his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father
and before His angels. Rev 3:4, 5.
Elsewhere in the same book,
Whose names have not been written in the book of life of
the Lamb. Rev 13:8.
In these places 'names' is in no way used to mean names but
people's characters. Nor in heaven do they know anyone's name, only his
character.
146. These considerations make plain the connection
between the things that are meant. Verse 18 said that 'it is not good that the
man should be alone, I will make for him a help suitable for him', and directly
after that beasts and birds are mentioned even though they have been dealt with
already. Immediately after this the statement is repeated that 'for man there
was not found a help suitable for him', meaning that when he had been made
aware of what he was in character as regards affections for good and cognitions
of truth he still had his heart set on the proprium. In fact, people such as
desire the proprium begin to despise those things that are the Lord's, no
matter how well they are represented and shown to them.
147. Verse 21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to
fall upon the man, and he fell asleep; and He took one of his ribs, and He
closed up the flesh in its place.
'A rib', which is a breast bone, is used to mean man's
proprium when it contains very little life, a proprium indeed that he
cherishes. 'The flesh in place of the rib Is used to mean the proprium when it
does contain some life. 'A deep sleep' is used to mean that state into which he
was brought so that he might seem to himself to have a proprium. This state
resembles sleep because a person in that state is conscious only of living,
thinking, speaking, and acting from himself. But when he starts to realize that
this is false, he is aroused from sleep so to speak and wakes up.
148. The reason man's proprium - a proprium indeed that
he cherishes - is called a rib, which is a breast bone, is that among the most
ancient people the breast meant charity, for it has the heart and lungs within
it, and bones
meant those things that were less valuable [SIF10] because they contain only a very small
amount of life. 'Flesh' however meant that which did possess some life. The
reason why they had this meaning is a very deep arcanum known to the most
ancient people, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on.
149. In the Word also 'bones' means the proprium, a proprium
indeed given life by the Lord, as in Isaiah,
Jehovah will satisfy your soul in arid places, and will
render your bones free; and you will be like a watered garden. Isa 58:11.
In the same prophet,
Then you will see, and your heart will be joyful, and
your bones will flourish like the grass.Isa
66:14.
In David,
All my bones will say, O Jehovah, who is like You? Ps 35:10.
This is plainer still in Ezekiel where he describes the
bones receiving flesh and having spirit put in them,
The hand of Jehovah set me down in the midst of the
valley, and it was full of bones. And He said to me, Prophesy over these bones
and say to them, O dry bones, hear the Word of Jehovah: Thus said the Lord
Jehovih to these bones, Behold, I am bringing spirita into you and you will live.
And I will lay sinews upon you and cause flesh to come over you and cover you
with skin, and I will put spirit you, and you will live; and you will know that
I am Jehovah. Ezek 37:1, 4-6.
[2] Man's proprium when viewed from heaven looks just
like something bony, lifeless, and utterly misshapen, and so in itself
something dead. But once it has received life from the Lord it appears as
something having flesh. For man's proprium is something altogether dead, though
it has the appearance to him of being something; indeed it appears to be
everything. Whatever is living within him comes from the Lord's life; and if
this were to leave him, he would fall down dead as a stone. For he is purely an
organ of life, though the nature of the organ determines that of the
life-affection. The Lord alone possesses Proprium. By His Proprium He has
redeemed man and by His Proprium saves him. The Lord's Proprium is Life, and
from His Proprium man's proprium, which in itself is dead, is given life. The
Lord's Proprium was also meant by His words in Luke,
A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see Me
have. Luke 24:39, 40.
It was also meant by the requirement that no bone of the
Paschal lamb be broken, Exod 12:46.
150. The state of a person when caught up in the
proprium, that is, when he imagines that he lives from himself, is compared to
a deep sleep[SIF11] . Indeed the ancients actually called it 'a
deep sleep' while the Word speaks of people having 'the spirit of deep sleep
poured out on them,[1] and
of their sleeping a perpetual sleep.[2] The
fact that man's proprium is in itself dead, that is, that nobody possesses any
life from himself, has been demonstrated in the world of spirits so completely
that evil spirits who love nothing except the proprium, and insist stubbornly
that they do live from themselves, have been convinced by means of living
experience, and have admitted that they do not live from themselves. With regard
to the human proprium I have for several years now been given a unique
opportunity to know about it - in particular that not a trace of my thinking
began in myself. I have also been allowed to perceive clearly that every idea
constituting my thought flowed in [from somewhere], and sometimes how it flowed
in, and where from. Consequently anyone who imagines that he lives from himself
is in error. And in believing that he does live from himself he takes to
himself everything evil and false, which he would never do if what he believed
and what is actually the case were in agreement.
151. Verse 22 And Jehovah God built the rib which He
took from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man.
'Building means reconstructing that which has fallen down,
'rib' the proprium that has not been given life, 'woman the proprium that has
been given life by the Lord, 'bringing her to the man' that a proprium was
granted to him. Since the descendants of this Church, unlike their ancestors,
did not wish to be the celestial man, but to be their own guides and so set
their heart on the proprium, they were allowed to have one. It was however a
proprium given life by the Lord, which is why it is called 'a woman', and after
that 'a wife'.
152. Anyone paying the matter only scant attention may see
that woman was not formed out of the rib of a man[SIF12] , and that the arcana embodied here are
deeper than anybody has ever been aware of up to now. And that the proprium is
meant by 'the woman may be seen from the consideration that the woman was the
one who was deceived, for nothing but the proprium - or what amounts to the
same, self-love and love of the world - ever deceives a person.
153. It is said that the rib was built into a woman,
and not as previously, when regeneration was the subject, that the woman was
created, or formed, or made. The word 'built' is used because building means
reconstructing that which has fallen down. This is how it is used in the Word,
where 'building' has reference to evils, 'raising up' to falsities, and
'renewing' to both, as in Isaiah,
They will build up the waste places of old, they will
raise up the former desolations, and they will renew the waste cities, the
desolations of generation upon generation. Isa
61:4.
'Waste places' here and elsewhere stands for evils,
'desolations' for falsities. The expression 'to build' is applied to the
former, 'to raise up' to the latter, and this distinction is also carefully
observed in other places in the Prophets: in Jeremiah,
Again I will build you, that you may be built, O virgin
of Israel. Jer 31:4.
154. Nothing evil or false can possibly exist that is
not the proprium or derived from the proprium. For man's proprium is evil
itself, which means that man is nothing but evil and falsity. This has become
clear to me from the fact that when the contents of the proprium are presented
to view in the world of spirits they look so ugly that nobody can paint any
uglier picture. (Those contents vary however according to the nature of the
proprium.) As a result when anyone is offered a glimpse of the contents of his proprium he is
horrified at himself [SIF13] and wishes to run as though from the devil.
On the other hand contents of the proprium which have been given life by the
Lord look beautiful and attractive, varying according to the life to which a
celestial quality that is the Lord's can be added. Indeed people who have
received charity, that is, been made alive by it, look like boys and girls with
very attractive faces. And people who have received innocence look like naked
small children adorned in different ways with garlands of flowers twined around
their breasts, and precious stones in their hair, living and playing in
brightest light, with a sense of happiness stemming from the depths of their
being.
155. These words, 'a rib was built into a woman',
conceal, inmostly, more than anyone can possibly know from the letter. For the
Word of the Lord is such that inmostly it focuses on the Lord Himself and His kingdom.
This is the source of a the life of the Word. Here likewise it is the
heavenly marriage that is focused inmostly. Such is the nature of the heavenly
marriage that it exists within the proprium, and such is its nature that a proprium
given life by the Lord is called the Lord's Bride, and also Wife[SIF14] . The proprium given life in this way by
the Lord is enabled to perceive every good that stems from love, and every
truth of faith. It therefore possesses all wisdom and intelligence coupled with
an indescribable happiness.
[2] But the nature of this proprium - the Lord's Bride
and Wife - that has been given life cannot be described in a few words. Let
just this be said, that angels perceive that they live from the Lord, and yet
when not reflecting on the matter they have no other idea than that they live
from themselves. But there is a universal affection by which they sense that a
change has taken place when they retreat only slightly from the good that stems
from love, or from the truth of faith. Consequently they experience a peace and
happiness that is indescribable when the general perception exists with them
that they live from the Lord. It is this proprium too that is meant in
Jeremiah, where it is said,
Jehovah has created a new thing on the earth, a woman
will surround a man. Jer 31:12.
It is the heavenly marriage that is meant in this quotation
too, the 'woman' meaning the proprium given life by the Lord. The woman is said
'to surround', because the proprium by nature surrounds, just as a rib made
flesh surrounds the heart.
156. Verse 23 And the man said, By this change, it is
bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh; for this she will be called Wife,
because she was taken out of man (vir).
'Bone from bones and flesh from flesh' means the proprium
belonging to the external man, 'bone' the proprium that has been given not much
life, 'flesh' the proprium that has been given life. 'The man' (vir) however
means the internal man. And because, as is said in the next verse, the internal
man was so coupled to the external man, this proprium previously called 'woman'
is now called 'Wife'. 'By this change' means that it happened now, because
there had been a change of state.
157. Because 'bone from bones and flesh from flesh'
meant the proprium belonging to the external man which contained the internal man[SIF15] , all who could be called one' s own were
in ancient times called 'bone from bones and flesh from flesh', whether they
came from the same house or from the same family, or had some other family
connection, as Laban said of Jacob,
Surely you are my bone and my flesh. Gen 29:14.
Referring to his mother's brothers and to 'the family of the
house of his mother's father' Abimelech said,
Remember that I am your bone and your flesh. Judg 9:1-3.
Also the tribes of Israel, in reference to themselves, told
David,
Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Sam 5:1.
158. That 'man' (vir) means the internal man, or what
amounts to the same, one who is intelligent and wise, is clear in Isaiah,
I look, and there is no man, and from these there is no
counsellor. Isa 41:18.
['No man'] stands for no wise and intelligent person. In
Jeremiah,
Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see
if you find a man, if anyone is executing judgement and seeking truth. Jer 5:1.
'Executing judgement' stands for being wise, and 'seeking
truth' for having intelligence.
159. It is not easy to perceive however how these
matters can be so unless the nature of the state of the celestial man is known.
The state of the celestial man is such that the internal man is quite distinct
from the external, so distinct in fact that he perceives what belongs to the internal[SIF16] man and what to the external man, and how
the external man is governed by the Lord through the internal. But because his
descendants desired the proprium, which belongs to the external man, their
state became so altered that they no longer perceived any distinction [SIF17] between the internal man and the external.
Instead they perceived the internal man as being one with the external, for
this is what perception comes to be once man desires the proprium.
160. Verse 24 Therefore a man (vir) will leave his
father and his mother and will cling to his wife, and they will be one flesh.
'Leaving father and mother' is leaving the internal man, for
the internal is that which conceives and gives birth to the external. 'Clinging
to his wife' is in order that the internal man may be within the external.
'Being one flesh' means that they are there together. Previously the internal
man, and the external man deriving from the internal, were spirit, but now they
have become flesh. In this way celestial and spiritual life was joined on to
the proprium in order that they might seemingly be one.
161. These descendants of the Most Ancient Church were
not evil; they
were still good people[SIF18] . And since they desired to live in the
external man or proprium, the Lord did allow it; but He mercifully instilled
something celestial-spiritual. How the internal and external act as one, or how
they appear to be one, cannot be known unless it is known how one flows into
the other. To gain some idea of this, take, for example, an action. Unless
charity, or love and faith, lies within it, and the Lord within these, the
action is not an action that can be called a work of charity or the fruit of
faith.
162. All the laws of truth and right stem from
celestial sources, that is, from the order of life as it exists with the
celestial man; for the whole of heaven is the celestial man, because the Lord
alone is the Celestial Man and the All of every single thing in heaven and in
the celestial man. This is why they are called celestial. Since every law of
truth and right comes down from heavenly sources, that is, from the order of
life as it exists with the celestial man - above all the law that concerns
marriages - the heavenly marriage ought to be the source of and pattern for all
marriages on earth. This marriage consists of one Lord and one heaven, or one
Church whose head is the Lord. The consequent law for marriages is that there
must be one man (vir) and one wife. [SIF19] When this is the case they represent the
heavenly marriage, and area model of the celestial man. This law was not merely
revealed to men (vir) of the Most Ancient Church, but was also inscribed on
their internal man. Consequently a man (vir) in those times had but one wife,
and they formed one house. But when their descendants fell away from being
internal men and became external they began to marry several wives.
[2] Because the men (vir) of the Most Ancient Church by
their marriages represented the heavenly marriage, conjugial love was to them
like heaven and heavenly happiness. But when that Church went into decline they
no longer perceived any happiness in conjugial love, but only in the pleasure
obtained from having several wives, which is characteristic of the external [SIF20] man. This the Lord calls 'hardness of
heart', on account of which Moses allowed them to marry several wives, as the
Lord Himself teaches,
On account of your hardness of heart Moses wrote you this
commandment, but from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.
For this reason man (homo) will leave his father and mother and cling to his
wife, and the two will be as one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one
flesh. What therefore God has joined together man (homo) must not put
asunder. Mark 10:5-9.
163. Verse 25 And they were both naked, the man and his
wife, and they were not ashamed. 'They were naked and they were not ashamed'
means that they were innocent. To be exact, the Lord had instilled innocence
into their proprium to keep it from being unacceptable.
164. As has been stated, man's proprium is nothing but
evil, and when presented to view is terribly ugly; but when charity and
innocence are instilled into the proprium by the Lord it looks fine and attractive,
as stated in 154.
The charity
and innocence [SIF21] not only excuse the proprium, that is, a
person's evil and falsity, but also virtually do away with it, as anyone may
see in the case of young children. When they love one another and their
parents, and at the same time a childlike innocence is evident, evil and false traits at
such times not only go unnoticed but are even pleasing[SIF22] . From this it can be seen that nobody is
allowed into heaven unless he has some measure of innocence in him, as the Lord
said,
Let the young children come to Me and do not hinder them;
of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, Whoever has not received the
kingdom of God like a young child will not enter into it. Taking them up
therefore into His arms, He laid His hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16.
165. The nakedness of which they were not ashamed means
innocence. This is quite clear from what follows. When integrity and innocence
left them they were then ashamed of their nakedness, and it seemed disgraceful
to them, and so they hid themselves. It is additionally clear from the things
represented in the world of spirits that the nakedness of which they were not
ashamed means innocence. Indeed when spirits wish to exonerate themselves and
prove that they are blameless they present themselves naked to witness their
innocence. This is particularly clear with the innocent in heaven, who look
like young children, naked, and wearing garlands round them that accord with
their particular variety of innocence. But those who do not possess so much
innocence appear clothed in splendid and shining clothes - you might call them
brightest silk - like angels when seen from time to time by the prophets.
166. Presented above are things which the Word contains
in this chapter. Yet those which have been uncovered are few. And since the
subject is the celestial man, whom scarcely anyone knows of nowadays, these few
things are bound to seem obscure to some people.
167. But if anyone knew how many arcana each particular
verse contains, he would be astounded. Each one contains so many arcana that
they cannot possibly be numbered off. Yet this is barely evident at all from
the letter. In short, the words of the letter, just as they are, are
represented vividly in the world of spirits in wonderful array. For the world
of spirits is a representative world, and whatever is represented vividly is
perceived by angelic spirits in the second heaven even as to the minor details
within those representatives. And the things perceived by angelic spirits in
this way angels in the third heaven perceive abundantly and fully in
inexpressible angelic ideas. In accordance with the Lord's Good Pleasure, they
perceive them in complete and boundless variety. Such is the Word of the Lord.
GENESIS 6:1-8
And so it was that man began to multiply himself over the
face of the ground, and daughters were born to them.
And the sons of God saw the daughters of man that they were
fair,[3]
and took wives for themselves from all whom they chose.
And Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man for ever,
in that he is flesh; and his days will be a hundred and twenty years.
The Nephilim were in the land in those days, very much so
after the sons of God went in to the daughters of man, who bore children to
them; they were mighty men (vir) who from of old were men (vir) of the name.
And Jehovah saw that the evil of man had been increased on
the earth; and all the imagination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether
evil all the day long.
And Jehovah repented that He had made man on the earth, and
He was grieved in His heart.
And Jehovah said, I will wipe out man whom I have created
from upon the face' of the ground, from man even to beast, even to creeping
thing, and even to birds of the air;[4] for
I repent of having made them.
And Noah found grace in Jehovah's eyes.
CONTENTS
555. With the people where the Church existed
evil desires[SIF24] , meant by 'daughters', began to reign.
They also joined doctrinal
matters [SIF25] concerning faith to their desires and in so
doing they confirmed themselves in evils and falsities, meant by the statement
about 'the sons of God taking to themselves wives from the daughters of man',
verses 1, 2.
556. Since man now had no remnants of good and truth it
is foretold that he would be formed differently so that he would have remnants,
meant by 'a hundred and twenty years', verse 3.
557. People who immersed doctrinal matters concerning
faith in their evil desires and who in consequence of this as well as of
self-love conceived dreadful persuasions concerning their own superiority to others are
the Nephilim[SIF26] , verse 4.
558. As a result the will and perception of good and
truth existed no more, verse 5.
559. The Lord's mercy is described by repenting and
grieving in heart, verse 6. People came to be such that their desires and
persuasions led inevitably to their annihilation, verse 7. Consequently so that
the human race might
be saved, a new [SIF27] Church meant by Noah was to arise, verse 8.
559. The Lord's mercy is described by repenting and
grieving in heart, verse 6. People came to be such that their desires and
persuasions led inevitably to their annihilation, verse 7. Consequently so that
the human race might be saved, a new Church meant by Noah was to arise, verse
8.
560. THE INTERNAL SENSE Before one can go any further,
reference must be made to the Church as it was before the Flood. In general it
went the same way as subsequent Churches, as the Jewish Church before the
Lord's Coming and the Christian Church after; that is, people corrupted and adulterated the
cognitions of true faith.[SIF28] In particular as regards the member of the
Church before the Flood, he conceived dreadful persuasions in the process of
time and immersed the goods and truths of faith in filthy desires, to such an
extent that scarcely any remnants resided with him. And once they had become
such those people suffocated themselves so to speak, for nobody can live
without remnants. Indeed, as already stated, it is remnants that make man's
life superior to that of animals; it is from remnants, or from the Lord through
them, that anyone is enabled to be a human being[SIF29] , to know what good and truth are, and to
reflect on individual things, and so to think and to reason. For remnants alone
are what contain spiritual and celestial life.
561. But what are remnants? Not only the goods and
truths which one has learned from the Word of the Lord from early childhood
onwards and so had imprinted in his memory, but also all resulting states, such
as states of innocence from early childhood; states of love towards parents,
brothers and sisters, teachers, and friends; states of charity towards the
neighbour, and also of compassion on the poor and needy; in short, all states
involving good and truth[SIF30] . These states, together with the goods and
truths that have been imprinted in the memory, are called remnants, which the
Lord preserves with a person and stores away in his internal man, though the
person himself is not at all directly conscious of this. Here they are
separated completely from the things that are the person's own, that is, evils
and falsities. The Lord so preserves all of those states with the individual
that not even the least of them perishes. I have been given to know this from
the fact that every one of man's states from his infancy right through to
extreme old age not only carries over into the next life but also reappears.
Indeed those states are exactly the same as when he lived in the world. Thus
not only are goods and truths in the memory carried over, but also all states
of innocence and charity. And when states of evil and falsity, or wickedness
and false notions, recur - for every single one of these as well, down to the
smallest detail, is carried over and reappears - they are at that time moderated by the
Lord through those states of innocence and charity[SIF31] . From all this it becomes clear that if a
person possessed no remnants, he would inevitably be subject to eternal
condemnation. See what has appeared already in 468.
562. The people before the Flood were such that at
length they possessed practically no remnants at all, the reason being that
they were now of such a disposition that they became steeped in dreadful and
abominable persuasions regarding everything that suggested itself to them or
entered into their thinking. Consequently they had no wish at all to retreat
from such persuasions. And indeed they were possessed so very greatly by
self-love as to imagine that they themselves were like gods and that everything
they thought was divine. Nowhere else has such persuasion arisen with any
set of people before or since that time[SIF32] , for it is deadly or stifling. For this
reason in the next life these people cannot possibly be where other spirits
are, for when they are present, they deprive other spirits, by flowing in with
their own most stubborn persuasions, of all ability to think. These along with
other matters will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on.
563. When such persuasion gets a hold on someone it is like glue in [SIF33] which the goods and truths that would
otherwise be remnants are stuck fast, and as a result remnants can no longer be
stored away; and those that have been stored away cannot be of any use. For
this reason when those people reached the summit of such persuasion they
underwent annihilation caused by themselves, and were drowned by an inundation
not unlike a flood. This is why their annihilation is compared to a flood, and
is also described, according to the custom of the most ancient people, as 'the
Flood'.
564. Verse 1 And so it was that man began to multiply
himself over the face[5] of
the ground, and daughters were born to them.
'Man' here means the human race at that period of time. 'The
face[6] of
the ground' means the whole of that area where the Church was. 'Daughters' here
means the things that constituted the will of that man, and so means evil
desires.
565. 'Man' here means the human race at that period of
time, in particular the race that was evil or corrupt. This becomes clear from
the following verses,
My spirit will not reprove man for ever, in that he is
flesh, verse 3; The evil of man had been increased on the earth; and all the
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil, verse 5;
I will wipe out man whom I have created, verse 7;
and in the next chapter,
All flesh creeping over the earth breathed its last; and
every man, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life. Gen 7:21, 22.
Concerning man it has been stated already that the Lord
alone is Man, and that by virtue of Him every celestial man or celestial Church
is called man, as is every other man or Church. And the same applies also to
every individual, of whatever faith, to distinguish him from animals. But
nobody is man or different from animals except, as has been stated, by virtue
of remnants,
which are the Lord's[SIF34] . Indeed remnants are what enable anyone to
be called man; for it is on account of remnants which are the Lord's and so are
obtained from Him that even the worst human being is called a man. For without
remnants a person is in no sense a man but an utter beast.
566. 'The face of the ground' means the whole of
that area where the Church was. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ground',
for in the Word a careful distinction is made between ground (humus) and land
or earth (terra). Whenever 'ground' is used it means the Church or some aspect
of the Church. This too is the derivation of the name Man or Adam, which means
ground. But when 'land' or earth' occurs in the Word it frequently means where
the Church or some aspect of the Church does not exist, as in Chapter 1 where the word
'land' alone is used, because the Church or regenerate person did not as yet
exist. Not until Chapter 2 is the word 'ground' [SIF35] used because the Church has by now come
into being. The same applies in the present verse and in verses 4, 23, of the
next chapter, where it is said that every being was to be wiped off the
face of the ground, meaning within that area where the Church was; and in
verse 7 of the next chapter, where the subject is the Church that is to be
created, 'to keep their seed alive on the face of the ground'.[7] The
same applies elsewhere in the Word, as in Isaiah,
Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will still
choose Israel, and will set them on their own ground. And the peoples will take
them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will inherit them
on Jehovah's ground. Isa 14:1, 2.
This refers to the Church once it has come into being; but
when in the same chapter the Church does not exist it is called the land,
verses 9, 12, 16, 20, 21, 25, 26.
[2] In the same prophet,
And the ground of Judah will be a terror to Egypt. On
that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak the
languagec of Canaan. Isa 19:17, 18.
Here 'the ground' means where the Church exists, and 'the
land' where it does not. In the same prophet,
The land will surely stagger like a drunken man. Jehovah
will visit the host of the height on high, and the kings of the ground on the
ground. Isa 24:20, 21.
Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah, Because of the
ground which was cracked since there was no rain on the land, the farmers were
put to shame, and covered their heads. Even the hind in the field has
calved. Jer 14:4, 5.
Here 'the land' stands for that which includes the ground,
and 'the ground' for that which includes the field.
[3] In the same prophet,
He led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north
land and out of all the lands to where I have driven them. And they will dwell
on their own ground. Jer 23:8.
Here 'land' and 'lands' mean where Churches do not exist,
'the ground' where the Church or true worship does exist. In the same prophet,
I will render the remnants of Jerusalem, those who are
left in this land, and those who are dwelling in the land of Egypt, and I will
render them as a horror for evil to all the kingdoms of the land. And I will
send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are consumed from the
ground which I gave to them and their fathers. Jer 24:8-10.
'The ground' stands for doctrine and worship arising out of
it. And something similar is found in 25:5 of the same book.
[4] In Ezekiel,
I will gather you out of the lands into which you have
been scattered. And you will acknowledge that I am Jehovah when I bring you
back to the ground of Israel, into the land which I lifted up My hand to give
to your fathers. Ezek. 20:41, 42.
'The ground' stands for internal worship. It is called 'the
land' when internal worship does not exist. In Malachi,
I will rebuke the devourer for you, and he will not ruin
for you the fruit of the ground, nor will the vine in the field fail you. And
all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of that which is
pleasing. Mal. 3:11, 12.
Here 'land' stands for that which includes, and so plainly
stands for man who is actually called 'the land', when 'ground' stands for the
Church or doctrine.
[5] In Moses,
Sing, O Nations, His people. He will reconcile His
ground, His people. Deut. 32:43. This clearly stands for the Church of the
gentiles, which is called 'the ground'.
In Isaiah,
Before the boy knows to refuse evil and to choose good,
the ground will be deserted which you loathe in the presence of its two kings.
Isa. 7:16.
This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The ground will be
deserted' stands for the Church or true doctrine of faith. The words 'ground
'and 'field' are clearly used in this way because they are places that are
sown, as in Isaiah,
He will give rain for your seed with which you may sow
the ground. Oxen and young asses tilling the ground . . . Isa. 30:23, 24.
And in Joel,
The field has been laid waste, and the ground has been
mourning because the corn has been laid waste. Joel 1:10.
From these quotations it is now clear that 'man', who in
Hebrew is called Adam from the word for ground, means the Church.
567. The whole of that region is called the area of the
Church where people who have been instructed in the doctrine of true faith are
situated, as the land of Canaan was when the Jewish Church was there, and as
Europe is where the Christian Church is today. Lands or regions outside of them
are not areas of the Church, or 'the face of the ground'. Where the Church
existed prior to the Flood becomes clear also from the lands which were
encompassed by the rivers flowing out of the garden of Eden, rivers
which are also frequently described [SIF36] in the Word as the boundaries to the land
of Canaan. Where it was situated prior to the Flood is also clear from what
follows that description, for example, from the reference to the Nephilim being
in the land, whose presence then in the land of Canaan is clear from the
statement in Num
13:33 that the sons of Anak came from the Nephilim.
568. 'Daughters' means the things that constituted the
will of that man, and so means evil desires. This is clear from what has been
stated and shown about sons and daughters at verse 4 of the previous chapter,
where 'sons' meant truths and 'daughters' goods. 'Daughters' or goods
constitute the will. But as is a person's character so is his understanding and
his will, and so therefore his 'sons and daughters'. At the moment the subject
is the corrupt human type who has no will but merely evil desire instead, which
people imagine to be the will and actually call the will. For any attribute is
determined by the nature of the subject to which it is attributed. As shown
already, the human type to whom 'daughters' are attributed here is a corrupt
type.
[2] The reason 'daughters' means things constituting
the will, which are evil desires when the will for good is non-existent, while
'sons' means those constituting the understanding, which are delusions when the
understanding of truth is non-existent, is that the female disposition and make-up
is such that the will or evil desire reigns rather than understanding[SIF37] . Every one of their fibres runs in that
direction; and it is their very nature. The male make-up however is such that
the understanding or reason reigns; every one of their fibres too runs in that
direction, and it is their very nature. Consequently the marriage of the two
sexes is like that of the will and the understanding in the individual. And
because nowadays the will for good does not exist, but only evil desire, when
yet it is possible for something of the understanding or reason to exist, so
many laws were for that reason laid down in the Jewish Church concerning the husband's
rights and the wife's obedience[SIF38] .
569. Verse 2 And the sons of God saw the daughters of
man that they were fair, and took wives for themselves from all whom they
chose.
'The sons of God' means doctrinal matters concerning faith,
while 'daughters' here, as previously, means evil desires. 'The sons of God saw
the daughters of man that they were fair, and took wives for themselves from
all whom they chose' means that they joined doctrinal matters concerning faith
to evil desires, indeed to every such desire.
570. The sons of God' means doctrinal matters
concerning faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'sons', dealt with just
above, and also from verse 4 of the previous chapter, where 'sons' meant the
truths of the Church. Truths of the Church are matters of doctrine. These
regarded in themselves were truths because those who are the subject here
possessed them through what had been handed down to them from the most ancient
people. It is for this reason that they are called 'the sons of God', and also
because in relation to them evil desires are called 'the daughters of man'.
Here it is describing the character of those people, that is to say, they were people who
immersed the truths of the Church, which are holy, in their own desires, and in
so doing polluted them[SIF39] , while at the same time confirming
assumptions of which they were thoroughly persuaded. Anyone can judge what the
situation must have been from what he finds in himself and in others. People
who persuade themselves of any idea also confirm themselves in that idea by
everything which they imagine to be the truth, including things in the Word of
the Lord. For when people cling to the assumptions they have adopted and of
which they are persuaded, they make everything favour and support them. And the
more anyone loves himself, the more immovable he becomes. The character of
those people will in the Lord's Divine mercy be described later on along with
their dreadful persuasions, which are such that, miraculously, they are never
allowed to flow in by their reasonings - for if they do they slay the entire
rationality of other spirits present - but only from their evil desires. From
this it is clear what the statement means about the sons of God seeing the
daughters of man that they were fair, and their taking wives for themselves
from all whom they chose, namely that they joined doctrinal matters concerning
faith to evil desires, indeed to every such desire.
571. When anyone is such that he immerses the truths of
faith in his own insane desires he renders truths unholy and deprives himself
of remnants which, though with him still, cannot be brought out[SIF40] . For the instant they are brought out they
in turn are rendered unholy by those things which are already profaned. For
profanations of the Word create hard skin so to speak which blocks and absorbs
into itself the goods and truths constituting remnants. This being so, let man
be on his guard against profaning the Word of the Lord in which eternal truths
are present that have life within them, thought he person who is under the
influence of false assumptions does not believe that they are truths.
572. Verse 7 And Jehovah said, My spirit will not
reprove man forever, in that he is flesh; and his days will be a hundred and
twenty years.
'Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man for ever'
means that man would be led in this fashion no longer. 'In that he is flesh'
means because he became bodily-minded. 'And his days will be a hundred and
twenty years' means that he ought to have remnants of faith. It is also a
prediction concerning the future Church.
573. That 'Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man
for ever' means that man would be led in this fashion no longer is clear from [SIF41] what comes before and after. From what
comes before it is clear that by immersing doctrinal matters or truths
concerning faith in evil desires, they became people who could no longer be
reproved, that is, no longer know what evil is. All ability to perceive
truth and good had been wiped out by their persuasions[SIF42] ; only that which was in keeping with their
persuasions did they believe to be true. From what comes after it is clear that
after the Flood the member of the Church was constituted differently. With him
perception was replaced by conscience through which he could be reproved.
Consequently 'reproof by the spirit of Jehovah' means an inner dictate,
perception or conscience, and 'the spirit of Jehovah' the influx of truth and
good, as in Isaiah also,
I will not contend eternally, nor will I be angry for
ever; for the spirit from before Me would overwhelm, and I have made
souls. Isa 57:16.
574. 'Flesh' means that man became bodily-minded. This
is clear from the meaning of 'flesh' in the Word, where it is used to mean the
whole of mankind in general and the bodily-minded man in particular. It is used
to mean the whole of mankind in Joel,
I will pour out My spirit on all flesh, and your sons and
your daughters will prophesy. Joel
2:28.
'Flesh' stands for mankind, 'spirit' for the influx of
truth and good from the Lord. In David, O You that hearest prayer, to You will
all flesh come. Ps 65:2.
Here 'flesh' stands for the whole of mankind. In Jeremiah,
Cursed is that man (vir) who trusts in man (homo) and
makes flesh his arm. Jer 17:5.
'Flesh' stands for mankind, 'arm' for power. In Ezekiel,
And all flesh will know. Ezek 10:48, 49.
[2] In Zechariah, Be silent, all flesh, before
Jehovah. Zech 2:13. Again
'flesh' stands for the whole of mankind. 'Flesh' stands for the bodily-minded
man in particular in Isaiah,
The Egyptian is man (homo), and not God; and his horses
are flesh and not spirit. Isa 31:3.
'Flesh' here indicates that their factual knowledge is
concerned with things of the body. 'Horses' here and elsewhere in the Word
stands for the rational. In the same prophet,
One will strike down on the right and will be hungry; and
they will eat on the left, and they will not be satisfied. Every man will eat
the flesh of his own arm. Isa 9:20.
Here 'flesh' stands for the things that are man's own, all
of which are of a bodily nature. In the same prophet,
He will fat up from the soul even to the flesh. Isa 10:18.
'Flesh' stands for bodily things. In the same prophet,
The glory of Jehovah will be revealed, and all flesh will
see it together. A voice says, Cry! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is
grass. Isa 40:5, 6.
'Flesh' stands for the whole of mankind as being
bodily-minded.
[3] In the same prophet,
In fire Jehovah will dispute, and by His sword with all
flesh, and the slaina of Jehovah will be
multiplied. Isa 66:16.
'Fire' stands for the punishment of evil desires, 'sword'
for the punishment of falsities, and 'flesh' for the bodily things of man. In
David,
God remembered that they were flesh, a spirit going away
so that it did not turn back. Ps
78:39.
This refers to the people in the wilderness who craved
for flesh, that is, a bodily-minded people. Their craving for flesh represented
their desire for bodily things alone, see Num 11:32-34.
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