5899. 'For a great escape' means deliverance from damnation. This is clear from the meaning of 'an escape' as deliverance from damnation, a deliverance accomplished by means of remnants, that is, by means of the forms of good and truth present with a person, stored away by the Lord in him. People who accept those forms of good and truth, that is, who allow them to be implanted in themselves interiorly, escape damnation and are among 'those who are left'. This explains why in various places in the Word where reference is made to 'those who are left', or to 'a remnant', 'an escape' is mentioned, as it is here by Joseph and also elsewhere, such as in Isaiah,
On that day the fruit of the land will be magnificence and an adornment for the escape of Israel. And it will happen, that he who remains in Zion, and he who is left in Jerusalem, will be called holy. Isa 4:2, 3.
In the same prophet,
On that day, the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob that escaped,a will no more lean on him that smote them. Isa 10:20-22.
In the same prophet,
Moreover, those that are left of the house of Judah and who escapeb will take root downwards and bear fruit upwards. For out of Jerusalem will go a remnant, and those who escapec from mount Zion. Isa 37:31, 32.
In Ezekiel,
I will cause some to be left, in that you will have some who will have escaped from the sword among the nations when you are dispersed in the earth. Then those of you that escape will remember Me. Ezek 6:8, 9.
In Joel,
It will happen, that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will escape. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be an escape, as Jehovah has said, and among those that are left whom Jehovah is calling. Joel 2:32.
In Jeremiah,
None will escape, nor will any of the remnant of Judah be left. Jer 44:12, 14.
All these places show what is meant by 'escaping', which is this: The people to escape are those who have remnants, and 'escaping' means being delivered from damnation.
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