Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
To deprive truth of self-derived life — depriving truth of life is not extinguishing it, but vivifying it
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob. (Genesis 27:41)The days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother. That this signifies the inversion and privation of the self-derived life of truth, is evident from the signification of "days of mourning," as being the inversion of the state; and from the signification of "killing Jacob his brother," as being to deprive truth of self-derived life.
The same may be seen from what is continually taking place in the other life, where all the good that flows down from heaven to those who are in evil is turned into evil, and with the infernals into the opposite; in like manner truth into falsity. Therefore, on the other hand the evil and falsity that is with such spirits is in heaven good and truth, and in order that it may become good, there are spirits in the way who reject the ideas of evil and falsity, so that the idea of good and truth may be presented.
Moreover when that which is evil and false approaches those who are in good and truth, it does not appear as evil and falsity, but under another form in accordance with the nature and state of their goodness.
From this it is evident that in the internal sense to "kill Jacob the brother" is not to kill, but is a privation of that life which is not compatible with truth; for truth has no life of itself, but from good, inasmuch as truth is only a vessel recipient of good; and that in good there is life, but not in truth, except that which is from good. Wherefore the privation of the self-derived life of truth is not the extinction of truth, but its vivification; for when truth appears to itself to have life from itself, then it has no life, except such life as in itself is not life; but when it is deprived of this, it is then gifted with real life, namely, through good from the Lord, who is life itself.
This plainly appears from those who are in the other life. With such as are in truth alone, the ideas appear closed, so that those things which are of heaven cannot flow in, except only in a manner so general that the influx is scarcely known to be from heaven. Whereas with such as are at the same time in good, their ideas appear open, so that the things which are of heaven flow in as into a heaven in miniature, or as into an image of themselves - for they flow in by means of the good that is in them through truths.
Truth is deprived of self-derived life when good begins to be in the prior place, or to have the dominion.
The reason why these things are called the "mourning for a father," is that days of mourning signify inversion of state, which inversion of state was signified above by the exceeding great shuddering with which Isaac shuddered, and by the great and exceeding bitter cry with which Esau cried out.
(from Arcana Coelestia 3607)
The Purpose to Invert
And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you. (Genesis 27:42)Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee. That this signifies the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life, is evident from the signification of "comforting one's self" for anyone, as being to appease unrest of mind with hope concerning anyone, or concerning anything, "concerning thee" implying the inversion of the state of truth, and from the signification of "to kill thee," that is, Jacob, as being to deprive truth of self-derived life, where it was shown that depriving truth of life is not extinguishing it, but vivifying it.
For the case with respect to the life of truth is this:
When they who are in truth, or in the affection of truth, do not live according to the truth which they know and with which they are affected, there is then somewhat of pleasure and delight derived from the love of self or the love of the world, which has adjoined itself to the affection of truth, and which appears as good, when yet it is not good, except as regards the use, in that - truths may thus be introduced and learned - which afterwards may be serviceable to real good and its life. When truth is in this state, that is, they who are in the affection of truth, then truth is said to have self-derived life, which is not life, as is evident from the fact that in the love of self, and the love of the world, or in their pleasure and delight, there is not life; but in celestial and spiritual love, and in their delight and pleasure. Therefore when truth, that is, they who are in such an affection of truth, are deprived of that life, they then for the first time receive life, or are then for the first time vivified.These things cannot possibly be apprehended by those who are in the affection of self and of the world, for they believe that no other life is possible; consequently that if they should be deprived of that life, they would altogether cease to live - for they who are in that life can in no wise know what spiritual and heavenly life is. When yet the fact is that when they are deprived of that life of the affection of self and of the world, then life flows in from the Lord such as is the angelic and heavenly life, together with ineffable wisdom and happiness; and when the former life is viewed from this life, it appears as no life, or as the unclean life of brute animals, inasmuch as there is nothing of the Divine therein, except that they can think and speak, and thus appear in external form like others.
In respect to the circumstance that good had the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life, which is signified by Esau comforting himself for Jacob to kill him, the case is this:
with a man who is being regenerated, the good in him is continually in the purpose to invert the state, and to reduce it into such order that truth may not be in the prior place, but in the posterior; as is consonant with the state of heaven. But this purpose lies deeply concealed, nor is it observed until the purpose has been effected.The case herein is as it is with conjugial love, which does not appear during infancy and childhood, but still lies hidden within; nor does it come forth until each and all things have been so disposed that it can manifest itself; meanwhile it produces all means that are suited to itself; that is, they are produced.
The case is the same in the vegetable kingdom: in every tree and in every plant there lies inmostly concealed an endeavor to produce fruits or seeds; but this endeavor cannot manifest itself until it has first produced all the means, namely, branches, leaves, and flowers, which being produced the endeavor comes forth into act.
So also is it with those who are born anew:
the conjugial principle of good and truth long lies hidden within; but still it is present as an endeavor in the efficient cause and thence in the effect; yet it does not appear until all things have been disposed into order; and when they have been so disposed, it for the first time comes forth and manifests itself.It is this endeavor which is meant by the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life.
(from Arcana Coelestia 3610)