360. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand, signifies the doctrine of good and truth with those who will be of the Lord's New Heaven and New Church. By "Joseph" is signified the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, in the spiritual sense, the spiritual kingdom; and, in the natural sense, fructification and multiplication; but by "Joseph" is here signified the doctrine of good and truth, which is with those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. Joseph here has this signification, because he is named after the tribe of Zebulon, and before the tribe of Benjamin, thus in the middle; and the tribe which is first named in a series or class, signifies some love which is of the will; and the tribe which is named after it signifies something of wisdom which is of the understanding; and the tribe which is named last signifies some use or effect derived from them. Thus each series is full. As Joseph signifies the Lord's spiritual kingdom, therefore he was made ruler in Egypt (Gen. 41:38-44; Psalm 105:17-22); where each particular signifies such things as are of the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The spiritual kingdom is the Lord's royalty; and the celestial kingdom is His priesthood.
[2] "Joseph," here signifies the doctrine of good and truth, because he is here in the place of Ephraim; and by "Ephraim" is signified the intellectual of the church; see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 79); and the intellectual of the church is all from the doctrine of good and truth from the Word. The reason why Joseph is here in the place of Ephraim, is because Manasseh, who was Joseph's other son, and signified the voluntary of the church, was before reckoned among the tribes (n. 355). The intellectual of the church being derived from the doctrine of good and truth, therefore that intellectual, and also that doctrine, are signified by "Joseph" in the following passages:
Joseph is the son of a fruitful one, even a fruitful one near a fountain; in the strength of his bow he shall sit; he shall be blessed with the blessings of heaven from above, and with the blessings of the deep that lieth below (Gen. 49:22-26).
"A fountain" signifies the Word, and "a bow" doctrine (n. 299).
Blessed of Jehovah is the land of Joseph, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep lying below; and for the precious things of the products of the sun, and for the precious things of the products of the moons, and for the precious things of the earth and its fulness; let it come upon the head of Joseph (Deut. 33:13-17).
By "the precious things" are signified the knowledges of good and truth, from which is doctrine:
Who drink from bowls of wine, and are not grieved for the breaking of Joseph (Amos 6:6).
And I will make the house of Judah powerful, and I will save the house of Joseph; and they shall be like mighty Ephraim, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine (Zech. 10:6-7).
Here also "Joseph" signifies doctrine, and "wine," the truth of it from good (n. 316).