12. THE WORLD OF GENESIS original: Mundus Genesios

...in Israel, He shall stand and feed in the strength of Jehovah," verses 1, 3. In the same book: "Feed Your people with Your rod, the flock of Your heritage dwelling alone; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old" original: juxta dies saeculi, 7:14. In Zephaniah: "The remnant of Israel shall feed and rest, and none shall make them afraid," 3:13. In David: "Jehovah is my Shepherd; He shall make me lie down in green pastures, He shall lead me beside the still waters," Psalm 23:1, 2. In the same: "He Himself has made us, and not we ourselves; His people, and the flock of His pasture; therefore we are His, His people and the flock of His pasture," Psalm 100:3. In the Book of Revelation: "The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters," 7:17. In John: "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture," 10:9. In the same: "Jesus said to Peter, 'Feed My lambs'; and a second time, 'Feed My sheep'; and a third time, 'Feed My sheep,'" 21:15, 16, 17.

5202. And behold, seven other cows coming up after them out of the river, which signifies falsities original: falsa that are in the natural mind term: naturalis—the "natural mind" or the level of the soul that deals with the external world and factual knowledge even at its boundary. This is established from the meaning of "cows," which represent the truths of the natural mind (as mentioned just above in section 5198). Consequently, in the opposite sense, "cows" signify falsities. Indeed, most things in the Word have an opposite sense, which is understood by knowing the genuine sense. Therefore, since cows in the genuine sense are natural truths, in the opposite sense they are falsities of the same kind—that is, falsities in the natural mind.

The meaning is also drawn from the "river," which signifies a boundary original: terminus (as seen in sections 5196 and 5197). That this is "at the boundary" is also evident because they are said to "come up out of the river." To "come up" original: ascendere is described as a progression from the exterior toward the interior (sections 3084, 4539, 4969).

We must now explain how this matter stands, as it is discussed in the following sections. In the previous chapter, we dealt with the exterior natural mind—specifically those things belonging to the intellectual class and those belonging to the voluntary class term: voluntary class—referring to the part of the mind associated with the will or desires. We saw that the intellectual things were accepted and the voluntary things were rejected. Those belonging to the intellectual class were represented by the cupbearer original: pincernam, and those to the voluntary class by the baker original: pistorem.

Because the intellectual things were accepted, they were also subordinated to the interior natural mind. These were the subjects of the previous chapter, marking the first stage of the natural mind's rebirth term: renaissance/rebirth—the process of spiritual regeneration. However, this current chapter deals with the influx of the Celestial-Spiritual term: Celestial-Spiritual—a high level of heaven or spiritual state where truth is joined with love into those natural things that were retained—namely, those belonging to the intellectual part. These are signified by the cows that were beautiful in appearance and fat in flesh.

But because the natural mind cannot be reborn through intellectual things alone, there were also voluntary things; for in every single thing, there must be something from both the intellectual and the voluntary for it to be a complete "something." And since the former voluntary part was rejected, a new one must flow in to take its place. This new part comes from the Celestial-Spiritual, which is what this chapter—and its influx into the natural—is about.

The internal sense describes the state of the natural mind here: specifically, that the truths there were exterminated by falsities, and thus the natural mind was left to the Celestial-Spiritual. This is signified by the good cows being eaten by the bad ones, and the full ears of grain being swallowed by the empty ones—and afterward, by Joseph providing for all of Egypt. We will say more about these things in the following sections, by the Lord's Divine Mercy. Furthermore, these are matters that the human intellect can only grasp with difficulty, for they are the secrets of regeneration original: arcana regenerationis, which are countless in themselves. A person can hardly [know any of them]...