460. 'Which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk' signifies in which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life. These things are said because idolaters believe that their idols see and hear, for they make them gods. Nevertheless by these words such things are not understood, but it is understood that there is nothing of spiritual or truly rational life in untruths of worship, for by 'to see' and 'to hear' is signified to understand and to perceive (n. 7, 25, 87); and by 'to walk' is signified to live (n. 167). Consequently by these three things spiritual and truly rational life is signified. These things are signified because untruths of worship are signified by idols, and in them there is nothing of spiritual and rational life. That idols do not see, hear and walk is too obvious to be mentioned here unless there were something signified therein. Similar things are also said elsewhere in the Word concerning idols, as in these places:-
They neither know, nor understand, and their eyes do not see, nor do their hearts know, they have no knowledge and intelligence Isa. xliv 9, 18, 19.
They neither speak nor walk Jer. x 3-10.
They have mouths but they speak not, and they have eyes but they see not Ps. cxv 5; cxxxv 15, 16.
Similar things are signified by these statements, because by 'idols' are signified untruths of worship, and in untruths of worship there is nothing of life that is life.
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