53. Further, the spirit of Moses sets down in its figure the death of the patriarch Isaac, and says: And Jacob came to his father Isaac to the head city in Mamre, called Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac were strangers. And Isaac was an hundred and eighty years old, and gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people (Gen. xxxv. 27-29). This is a figure, showing that the children of Christ in this pilgrimage are but strange children, and have nothing for their own in the world, and come all again in the end to their Father who has created them; as Jacob came again to his father before his end. Thus also are we, in this pilgrimage in these earthly churches, but household servants and strange children, for we must in the end go into our Father's right country, viz. into the angelical Church of Christ.
The Sixty-Fourth Chapter
Of Esau's Genealogy: And of the very excellent and emphatical Figure, which is signified by Joseph the Son of Jacob. And what is thereby to be understood [ Gen. xxxvi.]
1. THE thirty-sixth chapter of Genesis is the genealogy of the potent and princely family of Esau, showing how God gave him much wealth and many children, and children's children; and the spirit sets down a great register in describing his children, and children's children, relating what great princes [and dukes] were descended of him, and possessed the glory of the world: whereas on the other side, when he speaks of Jacob, he does not mention any present worldly glory; but only speaks in the figure of Christ concerning the kingdom to come.
2. Whereby we see very clearly that Esau does stand in the figure of the kingdom of nature, and that the glory of nature fell to be his lot; and that he became a great prince, and begat many princely families. Also we see how God blessed him, and made him great, and how the Holy Spirit, with especial observation^ has recorded and specified his posterity; to signify that we should learn rightly to understand the figure of Jacob and Esau, and not go on so blindly as to condemn Esau into the bottomless pit of hell, as too frequently is done. For we see how his father Isaac did appoint and assign unto him a very rich and wealthy habitation upon the earth, and that to him God would give many temporal blessings. But his figure in Adam's nature must perish; and Christ must arise in him, so that from ESAU the SAU 3 might be done away, and he remain steadfast in the E, 4 as (ein Engel) an angel, whereunto Christ in Jacob's figure would help him.
2 Care and diligence.
3 The swinish, bestial, earthy property.
4 The angelical eternal property.
3. The spirit of Moses gives also to Esau a name, and calls him Edom (Gen. xxxvi. 8), who dwelt upon mount Seir, under which a very secret understanding is couched. For Edom does signify, in the High Tongue, 1 one red coloured, who, in his hard, strong and rough 2 nature, should be tinctured red by the red blood of JESUS CHRIST.
4. And the spirit says further, that the two brothers did separate themselves one from another (Gen. xxxvi. 6), which signifies the natural Adamical Esau, who must be separated with his [evil] will from Jacob, that is, from Christ; for the natural self-will shall not see God. Moreover, it signifies how evil and good should separate themselves in the kingdom of this world, and each possess its own Principle.
5. These names of the children of Esau do, in the Language of Nature, contain their worldly kingdom and dominions, intimating how they have divided themselves, even unto the ends of the world: whereof, in another place,3 seeing it would take up too much room, and the time also of the clear signifying of it is not yet fully at hand. Enough to those that are our schoolfellows.
NOTE
The Third Part of the Mysterium Magnum was published in Germany as a Complete Treatise of itself under the Name of Josephus Redivivus.
But when the whole Book came to be printed together, there was only the First Part, and the Second Part, which comprehended the Third Part also as one with the Second.
53. Further, the spirit of Moses sets down in its figure the death of the patriarch Isaac, and says: And Jacob came to his father Isaac to the head city in Mamre, called Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac were strangers. And Isaac was an hundred and eighty years old, and gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people (Gen. xxxv. 27-29). This is a figure, showing that the children of Christ in this pilgrimage are but strange children, and have nothing for their own in the world, and come all again in the end to their Father who has created them; as Jacob came again to his father before his end. Thus also are we, in this pilgrimage in these earthly churches, but household servants and strange children, for we must in the end go into our Father's right country, viz. into the angelical Church of Christ.
The Sixty-Fourth Chapter
Of Esau's Genealogy: And of the very excellent and emphatical Figure, which is signified by Joseph the Son of Jacob. And what is thereby to be understood [ Gen. xxxvi.]
1. THE thirty-sixth chapter of Genesis is the genealogy of the potent and princely family of Esau, showing how God gave him much wealth and many children, and children's children; and the spirit sets down a great register in describing his children, and children's children, relating what great princes [and dukes] were descended of him, and possessed the glory of the world: whereas on the other side, when he speaks of Jacob, he does not mention any present worldly glory; but only speaks in the figure of Christ concerning the kingdom to come.
2. Whereby we see very clearly that Esau does stand in the figure of the kingdom of nature, and that the glory of nature fell to be his lot; and that he became a great prince, and begat many princely families. Also we see how God blessed him, and made him great, and how the Holy Spirit, with especial observation^ has recorded and specified his posterity; to signify that we should learn rightly to understand the figure of Jacob and Esau, and not go on so blindly as to condemn Esau into the bottomless pit of hell, as too frequently is done. For we see how his father Isaac did appoint and assign unto him a very rich and wealthy habitation upon the earth, and that to him God would give many temporal blessings. But his figure in Adam's nature must perish; and Christ must arise in him, so that from ESAU the SAU 3 might be done away, and he remain steadfast in the E, 4 as (ein Engel) an angel, whereunto Christ in Jacob's figure would help him.
2 Care and diligence.
3 The swinish, bestial, earthy property.
4 The angelical eternal property.
3. The spirit of Moses gives also to Esau a name, and calls him Edom (Gen. xxxvi. 8), who dwelt upon mount Seir, under which a very secret understanding is couched. For Edom does signify, in the High Tongue, 1 one red coloured, who, in his hard, strong and rough 2 nature, should be tinctured red by the red blood of JESUS CHRIST.
4. And the spirit says further, that the two brothers did separate themselves one from another (Gen. xxxvi. 6), which signifies the natural Adamical Esau, who must be separated with his [evil] will from Jacob, that is, from Christ; for the natural self-will shall not see God. Moreover, it signifies how evil and good should separate themselves in the kingdom of this world, and each possess its own Principle.
5. These names of the children of Esau do, in the Language of Nature, contain their worldly kingdom and dominions, intimating how they have divided themselves, even unto the ends of the world: whereof, in another place,3 seeing it would take up too much room, and the time also of the clear signifying of it is not yet fully at hand. Enough to those that are our schoolfellows.
NOTE
The Third Part of the Mysterium Magnum was published in Germany as a Complete Treatise of itself under the Name of Josephus Redivivus.
But when the whole Book came to be printed together, there was only the First Part, and the Second Part, which comprehended the Third Part also as one with the Second.
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