Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 3725namely, that the most ancient church, which was before the flood,was in the land of Canaan (n. 567, 3686, 4447, 4454); that part ofthe ancient church, which was after the flood, was there (see n.3686, 4447); also that a second ancient church, which was calledthe Hebrew church, was there (n. 4516, 4517); that for the samereason Abram was commanded to go there, and that land was givento his posterity (n. 3686, 4447); that from this the land of Canaanrepresented the Lord’s kingdom (n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 4240,4447); and that it is for this reason that by “earth” or “land” in theWord is signified the church (see n. 566, 662, 1066, 1068, 1262,1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4447, 4535).5137. And here also have I done nothing. That this signifiesinnocence is evident without explication; for not to do anythingevil is the part of innocence.5138. That they should put me into the pit. That this signifiesrejection among falsities is evident from the signification of a “pit”as being falsity (see n. 4728, 4744, 5038). Evil has been treated ofabove—that celestial things were alienated by it (n. 5134, 5135);but here falsity is treated of, for where the one is mentioned in theWord, the other is mentioned also, that is to say, where evil ismentioned, falsity also is mentioned; because where good is treatedof, there also truth is treated of, in order that there may be amarriage in everything of the Word. For the heavenly marriage isthat of good and truth, but the infernal marriage is that of evil andfalsity; because where there is evil, there is also falsity, joining itselfto evil as a wife to her husband; and where there is good there isalso truth, because truth conjoins itself with good as a wife with herhusband. Hence the quality of the faith may be known from thelife; for good is of the life and truth is of the faith, and conversely itis the same with evil and falsity. (That there is a marriage ineverything of the Word may be seen above, n. 683, 793, 801,2173, 2516, 2712, 4137e.)5139. Verses 16–19. And the prince of the bakers saw that he hadinterpreted good, and he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, andbehold three baskets with holes in them upon my head; and in the