364. * that an angel of God the Messiah cannot possibly be fooled, yet he continually persists. So he lives completely in the dark about this matter, in that he surely sees, but does not want to see at all. This is his nature, which is constantly urging him on. He also convinces himself that he is the one who can do all things, and even though he sees thousands and thousands of times that he cannot do the least thing, yet he can never be removed from that fantasy that he can do all things, and that he will possess heaven. He also thinks that he can do all things from his own power, even though he knows by experience that he cannot even set a tiny feather in motion, without being permitted. Nevertheless, he swells up, continually inflated with these arrogant attitudes. There is so much more of the same kind that one has to laugh at him as insane. He is extremely shrewd in plotting - for he is permitted to do this for numerous reasons, especially on account of the temptations into which those on earth must be led in order to be regenerated. He is permitted also so that he may thereby swallow up the actual evil in them [cf. 258]. For no other nutriments are given him, and the rottener the carcass, the more ardently does he seek it and the more eagerly does he devour it. [Power; Spirit]
7386. [Num. 24:] verses 3 and 4. Here Balaam is described in his character as an oracle, or how he conveyed the responses of God the Messiah. For it is known that responses used to be given in different ways, such as by dreams, by visions in the dark; also, with the eyes closed, entirely like daytime visions; by an actual voice, from within and from without; further, by other means spoken of elsewhere [WE 1144, SEWE WE 3, 15-16, 42-44, 114, 341]. Here Balaam is described, that is, his eyes being opened so that he saw the angels of God the Messiah as in daylight, as others also had done; for this was not rare at the time of the earliest Church. Thus angels appeared to Abraham, to Sarai, to Lot, in fact, even to evil people, as angels did to the inhabitants of Sodom [Gen. 19:4-11]; also (if I am not mistaken) to the servant of Elisha [II Kings 6:17]. That Elijah and Elisha belonged to this group is credible from what is told of them. But however clearly an angel may appear before the eyes, it is nevertheless a vision, coming from within. Therefore we read here first of all, "the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened," then also later, "who falls down, with eyes opened wide".* That Balaam was one of these, see [Num.] Chap. 22: verse 31 and also in another place, where it says that God came to Balaam, etc. [verse 9]. Nor can anyone boast of the fact that he has seen angels, just as Abraham could not, and others. For very many evil people have seen an Angel, even the worst, like the inhabitants of Sodom; in fact, it is even said of the Donkey in the Chapter cited above, verses 25 and 27. Therefore, this vision is an illusion of the inner sight; for thus something meets the eyes, as if coming from without, which is actually inwardly in the earthly mind. But different * KJV has "falling into a trance, but having his eyes open."
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church