Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 8553

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8553. When a man is of this character, the order of life in him is inverted. That which ought to rule serves, and that which ought to serve rules. For his salvation to be possible this order in the man must be wholly inverted. This is effected by the Lord through regeneration. EXODUS 17

1. And all the assemblage of the sons of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys according to the mouth of Jehovah, and they encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink. 2. And the people quarreled with Moses, and they said, Give ye us water and we will drink. And Moses said to them, why quarrel ye with me? why do ye tempt Jehovah? 3. And the people thirsted there for waters, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this, that thou hast made us come up out of Egypt, to make me die, and my sons, and my cattle, with thirst? 4. And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, What shall I do to this people? a little more and they stone me. 5. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6. Behold, I stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come waters out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so before the eyes of the elders of Israel. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the sons of Israel, and because of their tempting Jehovah, saying, Is Jehovah in the midst of us, or not? 8. And Amalek came, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight against Amalek: tomorrow I stand upon the top of the hill, and the rod of God in my hand. 10. And Joshua did as Moses had said to him, in fighting against Amalek; and Moses, and Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11. And it was, when Moses lifted up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, that Amalek prevailed. 12. And Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other; and it was, his hands were steady until the setting of the sun. 13. And Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14. And Jehovah said unto Moses, write this for a memorial in the book, and put it in the ears of Joshua, that blotting I will blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. 15. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi. 16. And he said, Because there is a hand against the throne of Jah, Jehovah shall have war against Amalek from generation to generation.


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