Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 4726

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4726. Behold this lord of dreams cometh. That this signifies that those things were empty, is evident from the signification of "dreams," as being preachings (n. 4682), here preachings of Divine truth, because it is said of Joseph. But because Divine truth as to its essentials is rejected by those who are in faith alone (as was shown in regard to the Lord's Divine Human and charity), therefore by "dreams" are here signified empty things; for to such persons falsities appear as truths, and truths as falsities, or if not as falsities, yet as empty things; and the "lord of dreams" is the preacher of these. That Divine truths appear to such persons as empty, is evident from many things-as for example, it is a Divine truth that the Word is holy and Divinely inspired as to every jot, and that its holiness and Divine inspiration are in consequence of everything in it being representative and significative of heavenly and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom. But when the Word is open to the internal sense, and it is taught what its particulars represent and signify, then such as are in faith alone reject these things as empty, saying that they are of no use; although these heavenly and spiritual things are what would affect the internal man with greater delight than worldly things affect the external man; and so in many other instances.


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