(AC) - A Disclosure of the Hidden Treasures of Heaven Contained in the Holy Scripture or Word of the Lord, Together with Amazing Things Seen in the World of Spirits and in the Heaven of Angels

AC 7337

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7337. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments. That this signifies that their falsifiers fashioned the like, is evident from the signification of the Egyptian magic and enchantments, as being abuses of Divine order (see n. 5223, 6052, 7296). As regards miracles, be it known that Divine miracles differ from magical miracles as heaven does from hell. Divine miracles proceed from Divine truth and advance according to order, the effects in ultimates being miracles when it pleases the Lord that they be presented in this form. Hence it is that all Divine miracles represent states of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens, and of the Lord's kingdom in the earth, that is, of the church. This is the internal form of Divine miracles. Such is the case with all the miracles done in Egypt, and also with all others that are mentioned in the Word. All miracles which the Lord Himself wrought when He was in the world signified the coming state of the church; thus that the eyes of the blind were opened and the ears of the deaf, that the tongues of the dumb were loosed, that the lame walked, and the maimed and also the lepers were healed, signified that such men as are represented by the blind, deaf, dumb, lame, maimed, and leprous, would receive the gospel and be spiritually healed, and this through the coming of the Lord into the world. Such are Divine miracles in their internal form.
[2] But magical miracles involve nothing at all, being wrought by the evil to acquire power over others; yet they appear in the external form like Divine miracles, and this for the reason that they flow from order, and order appears alike in the ultimates where miracles are presented. For example: the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord has in it all power, and hence it is that even in truths in the ultimates of order there is power; and therefore the evil acquire power and rule over others by means of truths.
[3] Take also as an example the fact that in the other life it is according to order that states of affection and thought cause the idea of place and distance; and that the inhabitants appear distant from one another, so far as they are in a diverse state. This order is from the Divine, to the intent that all who are in the Grand Man may be distinct from one another. Magicians in the other life abuse this order, for they induce on others changes of state, and in this way at one time transport them on high, and at another into the deep, and also cast them into societies where they may serve them as subjects; and so in countless other ways. From all this it is evident that magical miracles, although in outward form similar to Divine miracles, nevertheless have within them a contrary end, namely, that of destroying the things of the church; whereas Divine miracles have within them the end of building up the things of the church. The case herein is like that of two beautiful women, one of whom is inwardly wholly rotten from whoredom, and the other absolutely pure within from chastity or genuine conjugial love. Their outward forms are alike, but their inward forms differ as do heaven and hell.

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