Swedenborg Arcana Caelestia Vol. V (1750)

5194. And it happened at the end of two full years original Latin: Et factum a fine biennii dierum. This signifies the state following a "conjunction"—specifically, the conjunction of the sensory things belonging to the outer natural mind with those of the inner natural mind, which were discussed in the previous chapter. This meaning is drawn from the phrase "two full years" (literally, a "biennium of days"), which represents a state of conjunction. The number "two" signifies conjunction (see sections 1686, 3519). Furthermore, both "years" and "days" signify states (for "years," see 487, 488, 493, 893; for "days," see 23, 487, 488, 493, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850).

The reason the number two signifies conjunction is that every single thing in the spiritual world—and consequently everything in the natural world—relates to two things: good and truth. Good acts as the active, influencing force, while truth acts as the passive, receiving force. Because everything relates to these two, and nothing is ever produced unless they become one through a kind of marriage, "two" signifies conjunction. This likeness of marriage exists in all parts of nature and its three kingdoms; without it, nothing at all exists. For anything to come into being in the natural world, there must be both heat and light. In the spiritual world, heat corresponds to the good of love, and light corresponds to the truth of faith. These two, heat and light, must act as one for anything to be produced. If they do not act as one—as happens during winter—nothing is produced at all.

This same principle clearly applies to human beings in a spiritual sense. A person has two faculties: the will and the understanding. The will is formed to receive spiritual heat (the good of love and charity), and the understanding is formed to receive spiritual light (the truth of faith). Unless these two act as one within a person, nothing is produced. The good of love without the truth of faith cannot define or give quality to anything, and the truth of faith without the good of love cannot accomplish anything. Therefore, for a person to be in a "heavenly marriage," these two must become one. This is why ancient people likened every single thing in the world and every part of a human being to marriages (see 54, 55, 568, 718, 747, 917, 1432, 2173, 2516, 2731, 2739, 2758, 3132, 4434, 4834, 5138). From these examples, we can see why "two" signifies conjunction.

5195. And Pharaoh dreamed original Latin: Et Pharao somnians. This signifies what was foreseen concerning the natural mind. This is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, who symbolizes the "natural" the part of the mind that deals with the external world (see 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160), and from the meaning of "dreaming," which signifies a prediction of future events. In the highest sense, dreaming refers to Divine Foresight original: Praevidentia (see 3698, 4682, 5091, 5092, 5104).

Because this involves Foresight (what is seen in advance), it also involves Providence original: Providentia (what is provided for), for one cannot exist without the other. Divine Providence looks toward an eternal state of progression; if this state were not foreseen, it could not be provided for. To provide for the present without also foreseeing the future—and thus providing for the future within the present—would be a process without a goal, without order, and consequently without wisdom or intelligence. In other words, it would not be from the Divine.

However, the term "Providence" is used in relation to what is good, while "Foresight" is used in relation to what is not good (see 5155). Foresight cannot be applied to good because good is within the Divine; it exists from the Divine itself and according to Divine order. But Foresight is applied to what is not good and what is evil, for these exist outside the Divine, originating from others who act against the Divine. Therefore, because "Providence" is used regarding good, it is also used regarding...