354. 'Out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand sealed' signifies the perception of uses and of what uses are, with those who will be in the New Heaven and in the Lord's New Church. By 'Naphtali' in the highest sense is signified the Peculiar (Proprius) Power of the Lord's Divine Human; in the spiritual sense temptation and victory, and in the natural sense resistance by the natural man; for he was named from 'wrestlings'. Here, however, by 'Naphtali' is signified the perception of uses and of what uses are, because in the series it follows after Asher, by whom is signified the love of uses and also because they who have conquered in temptations have an interior perception of uses, for the interiors of the mind are opened by means of temptations. The perception which these have is described in Jer. xxxi 33, 34; they feel in themselves what is good, and see in themselves what is true. That 'the tribe of Naphtali' signifies angels and men as to that perception can be confirmed from these [statements] in the Word:-
Naphtali upon the high places of the field Judg. v 18.
The 'high places of the field' are the interior things of the Church as to perception.
Naphtali is satisfied with good pleasure, and frill with the blessing of Jehovah; possess thou the west and the south Deut. xxxiii 23.
To 'possess the west' is the good of the love of being serviceable, while the 'south' is the light of wisdom which is that perception.
Naphtali is a hind let loose giving discourses of elegance Gen. xlix 21.
Thus the state after temptation is described as to free eloquence out of perception. It is also recorded that one of the tribe of Naphtali
filled with wisdom, intelligence and knowledge, wrought all Solomon's work on the temple out of bronze Kings vii 14.
The historical parts of the Word, as to names and tribes, are significant just as much as the prophetical.
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