358. 'Out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand sealed' signifies the good of life with those who will belong to the New Heaven and the Lord's New Church. By 'Issachar' is signified in the highest sense the Divine Good of Truth and Truth of Good, in the spiritual sense the heavenly conjugial love that is of good and truth, and in the natural sense reward, Here, however, [it is] the good of life, because in this division it is the third in order, and the third in any division signifies the ultimate that is produced out of the previous two, as an effect out of its causes; and the effect out of the spiritual love that is love towards the neighbour, and is signified by 'Simeon', through the affection of truth, which is signified by 'Levi', produces the good of life that is 'Issachar'. He was indeed named from 'hire' (Gen. xxx 17, 18), thus from 'reward', and the good of life has reward in itself, Some such thing is also signified by 'Issachar' in his blessing by Moses:-
Rejoice, Zebulon, in thy going out, Issachar, in thy tents. They shall call the people unto the mountain, there they shall sacrifice the sacrifices of justice, because they shall suck the abundance of the sea, and the covered things of the hidden things of the sand Deut. xxxiii 18, 19.
However, by 'Issachar' in his blessing by the father Israel (Gen. xlix 14, 15) a merit-seeking good of life is signified, as may be seen in ARCANA CAELESTIA published at London (n. 6388).
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church