Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 39035367. Go unto Joseph. That this signifies that it was from thecelestial of the spiritual is evident from the representation of Josephas being the celestial of the spiritual (of which often above). “To gounto him” signifies that it was from him, namely, the good of truthwhich is signified by the “bread for which the people cried untoPharaoh” (see n. 5365).5368. What he saith to you, do. That this signifies provided thereis obedience is evident from the signification of “doing whatanyone says” as being to obey. By this is signified that good isadjoined to truth in the natural, provided the natural applies itselfand obeys. Something must be said about the natural’s applyingitself and obeying. They who are in worldly things only, and yetmore they who are in bodily things, and still more they who are inearthly ones, cannot apprehend what is meant by saying that thenatural ought to apply itself and obey. They suppose that there isonly one thing that acts in man, and therefore that there is not onething in him to command, and another to obey; and yet it is theinternal man that should command, and the external that shouldobey, and that does obey when the man has not the world as theend, but heaven, and not self but the neighbor, consequently whenhe regards bodily and worldly things as means and not as the end;and he so regards them when he loves his neighbor more thanhimself, and the things of heaven more than those of the world.When this is the case, the natural obeys; the natural is the same asthe external man.5369. And the famine was over all the faces of the earth. That thissignifies when there was desolation even to despair is evident fromthe signification of “famine” as being desolation (of which above, n.5360, 5362, 5364); and from the signification of the “earth” asbeing the natural. When famine is said to be “over all the faces” ofthis, despair is signified, because the desolation is then everywhere;for the height and extremity of desolation is despair (see n.5279–5280).5370. And Joseph opened all the storehouses. 1 That this signifiescommunication from remains is evident from the signification of