Sunday, August 31, 2008

AC 8910 - Thou shalt not covet.....

AC 8910
Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house,
thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife,
and his manservant, and his maidservant,
and his ox, and his ass,
and anything that is thy neighbor's.


That this signifies that one must beware of the love of self and of the world,
and thus lest the evils
which are contained in the preceding commandments
become of the will and so come forth,
is evident from the signification of
"coveting" [concupiscere], as being to will from an evil love.
That "coveting" has this signification,
is because all concupiscence is of some love;
for nothing is coveted [concupiscitur] unless it is loved,
and therefore concupiscence [or "coveting"] is the continuous of love,
in this case of the love of self or of the world,
and is as it were the life of its breath.
For that which an evil love breathes is called "concupiscence,"
but that which a good love breathes is called "desire."

Love itself belongs to the other part of the mind, which is called the will,
for whatever a person loves he wills. . .
"thou shalt not covet the things that are thy neighbor's,"
is signified that one must beware lest they become of the will;
for the things which become of the will are appropriated to a person,
because the will is the person himself.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

AC 8908 - Thou shalt not answer against thy neighbor the witness of a lie.

AC 8908.
Thou shalt not answer against thy neighbor the witness of a lie.
That this signifies that good is not to be called evil, nor truth falsity;
thus conversely,
neither is evil to be called good, nor falsity truth. . ..

[2] All with whom there reigns the love of self or the love of the world,
that is, who have as their end eminence, or honors, or wealth, or gain,
do not hesitate to say and persuade others that what is just is unjust,
and that what is unjust is just,
and thus to act the part of witnesses of a lie.
The reason why they are of such a character
is that their will is wholly subject to these loves and their cupidities,
and is wholly occupied and possessed by them;
and then the understanding, which is the other part of the mind,
is indeed able to see what is just and what is unjust;
but is not willing to see,
because the will prevails over the understanding,
and by means of influx persuades it, and at last also blinds it.
These same persons neither have conscience,
nor do they know that it belongs to conscience to call that just which is just,
for no other reason than because it is just,
that is, from the love of what is just.

Friday, August 29, 2008

AC 8905 - Thou shalt not steal

AC 8905
Thou shalt not steal,
signifies that no one's spiritual goods must be taken away from him,
and that those things which belong to the Lord are not to be attributed to self.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

AC 8903 - Thou shalt not commit adultery

AC 8903
Thou shalt not commit adultery,
signifies that those things which are of the doctrine of faith and of charity
are not to be perverted;
thus that the Word is not to be applied to confirm evils and falsities;
also that the laws of order are not to be upset.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

AC 8902 - Thous shalt not kill. Exodus 22:13)

AC 8902
Thou shalt not kill.
That this signifies not to take away spiritual life from anyone,
also not to extinguish faith and charity,
as also not to hold the neighbor in hatred . . ..

The reason why "not to kill" is also in the internal sense
not to hold the neighbor in hatred,
is that he who holds in hatred continually wishes to kill,
and also would kill in act
unless prevented by the fear of the penalty,
of the loss of life, of reputation, and the like.
For hatred is of evil,
is contrary to charity,
and breathes nothing but the murder of him whom it hates:
in the world the murder of his body;
in the other life the murder of his soul.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

AC 8897 - Honor thy father and thy mother. (Exodus 20:12)

AC 8897
Honor thy father and thy mother.
That this signifies love for good and truth,
in the supreme sense for the Lord and for His kingdom...
for when he loves, he also honors,
for in honor there is love.

Monday, August 25, 2008

AC 8888. 8893 - resting on the Sabbath

AC 8888 [3]
... the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens
is called a perpetual sabbath,
thus a perpetual rest and peace,
and there are no longer there six days of labor.

AC 8893
That by "rest in the seventh day" is signified peace and the good of love,
is because before a person is regenerated, or created anew,
he is in an untranquil and restless state,
for his natural life then fights with his spiritual life,
and wishes to rule over it.
Consequently at this time the Lord has labor,
for He fights for a person against the hells which assault.
But as soon as the good of love has been implanted,
the combat ceases,
and rest ensues,
for the person is then introduced into heaven,
and is led by the Lord according to the laws of order there,
thus in peace.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

AC 8881 - "And keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:6)

AC 8881
That "to keep" these denotes to receive,
is because in order that the truths
which are called the truths of faith may be of faith,
and may be living with a person,
these also flow in from the Lord.
They are indeed learned by a person,
and stored up in the memory,
but so long as
a person does not will them,
and consequently does not do them,
they do not become living.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

AC 8863 - the beginning, first & second Commandments

AC 8863
"I am Jehovah thy God,"
signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human
universally reigning in each and all things of good and truth;
"who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of servants,"

signifies liberation by Him from hell;
"Thou shalt have no other gods before My faces,"
signifies that truths must not be thought of
from any other source than the Lord;
"Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image,"
signifies not from self-intelligence;
"nor any likeness,"
signifies a semblance of those things which are from the Divine;
"of that which is in the heavens above,
or that which is in the earth beneath,"

signifies of those things which are in spiritual light,
or of those which are in natural light;
"or that which is in the waters under the earth,"
signifies of those which are in the sensuous corporeal;
"thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them,"
signifies no Divine worship is to be paid them;
"for I Jehovah thy God,"
signifies the Divine from the Lord in each and all things;
"am a zealous God,"
signifies that falsity and evil are therefrom (the sensuous corporeal);
"visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons,"
signifies the consequent prolification of falsity derived from evil;
"upon the thirds and upon the fourths,"
signifies in a long series, and the conjunction of them;
"of them that hate Me,"
signifies who absolutely reject the Divine of the Lord;
"and doing mercy unto thousands,"
signifies good and truth unto them forever;
"of them that love Me,"

signifies who receive the good of love;
"and keep My commandments,"
signifies who receive the truths of faith;
"Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain,"
signifies profanings and blasphemings of the truth and good of faith;
"for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless
that taketh His name in vain,"

signifies that these things cannot be forgiven.

Friday, August 22, 2008

AC 8856 - When a person is being regenerated

AC 8856
When a person is being regenerated,
charity is implanted by means of faith,
even until it becomes that which rules;
and when charity has become this,
he has a new life,
for it is then continually present in his thought,
and continually in his will,
nay, in every single thing of them,
even when he is meditating about other things,
and when he is engaged in business.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

AC 8850 - heaven-made

AC 8850
... they do not fear death,
except on account of leaving their consort,
their children, or their parents;
for they know that they will live after death,
and that they do not go out of life,
because they go into heaven;
and therefore they do not speak of dying,
but of being heaven-made.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

AC 8819 - the Lord appears to everyone according to his quality

AC 8819
. . . the Lord appears to everyone according to his quality . . . .

[2]
The reason for this is
that no one can see God otherwise
than from such things as are in himself,
so that he who is in hatred sees Him from hatred,
he who is in unmercifulness sees Him in unmercifulness;
and on the other hand,
they who are in charity and mercy
see Him from, and thus in, charity and mercy.

AC 8813 - the Divine Providence

AC 8813 [3]
The Divine Providence of the Lord...
is truth Divine proceeding from
the Divine good of the Lord....

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

AC 8805 - "Mount Sinai", "People Israel", "Moses"

AC 8805
It is important to know what is specifically signified by "Mount Sinai;" and also what is represented by the people Israel, and likewise what by Moses in this chapter and in the following chapters of the book of Exodus.

[2] By "MOUNT SINAI" is specifically signified heaven,
out of which truths flow in from the Lord;
therefore by "the coming down of Jehovah upon that mountain"
is signified His presence in heaven.
And as heaven, in which Jehovah is, that is, the Lord,
is signified by "Mount Sinai,"
by it is also signified Divine good united to Divine truth there,
for from this heaven is heaven.

[3] But by the "PEOPLE ISRAEL" near this mountain
is represented the spiritual church
as to the good in which the truths of faith are to be implanted;
for it has been already shown
that they who are of the spiritual church have two states;
the former when they are led through truths to good,
the latter when they are in good and from good in truths;
in the present case,
when they are in the good in which truths are to be implanted,
which state is a middle state between the former and the latter.
The truths which are implanted in good are contained in those things
which were promulgated from Mount Sinai by the Lord,
and were communicated by Moses to the people.

[4] By "MOSES" in this chapter and in the following chapters
is represented truth from the Divine beneath heaven
conjoined with truth Divine in heaven,
and consequently mediating between the Divine in heaven
and the good in which truths are to be implanted
which belongs to the spiritual church,
thus mediating between the Lord and the people.

It is important to know these things for the sake of understanding what follows in the book of Exodus.

From all this it can also be seen
that by "Moses went down from the mountain unto the people"
is signified application and preparation
by means of truth from the Divine
for receiving truths in good.

Monday, August 18, 2008

AC 8793 - promulgated

Definition from: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/promulgated

tr.v. prom·ul·gat·ed, prom·ul·gat·ing, prom·ul·gates
1. To make known (a decree, for example) by public declaration;
announce officially.
2. To put (a law) into effect by formal public announcement.

AC 8793
The ten commandments at that time promulgated from Mount Sinai
are internal truths;
and the laws and statutes,
which are commanded in the following chapters,
are external truths;
by both of these are signified
the truths which are to be implanted in good.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

AC 8780, 8783 - degrees of revelation (Exodus 19:9)

AC 8780 [2]
And Jehovah said unto Moses.
By revelation here in the internal sense is not meant revelation
such as was made to the Israelitish people from Mount Sinai,
namely, that the Lord spoke in a loud voice,
and the people standing around heard;
but such a revelation is meant as is not made with a loud voice,
but inwardly in a person.
This revelation is made by the enlightening of the internal sight,
which is of the understanding,
when a man who is in the affection of truth from good is reading the Word.
This enlightening is then effected by the light of heaven,
which is from the Lord as the sun there....
When the understanding is enlightened by that Divine light,
it then perceives that to be true which is true,
it acknowledges it inwardly in itself, and as it were sees it.
Such is the revelation of those
who are in the affection of truth from good when they are reading the Word.

AC 8783
Truth Divine is not received by anyone
unless it has been accommodated to his apprehension,
consequently unless it appears in a natural form and shape;
for at first human minds apprehend none but earthly and worldly things,
and not at all spiritual and heavenly things.
Wherefore if spiritual and heavenly things were set forth nakedly,
they would be rejected as if they were nothing,
according to the Lord's words in John:

If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not,
how shall you believe, if I told you heavenly things?

(John 3:12).

Saturday, August 16, 2008

AC 8760 - above the heavens and 'in heaven'

AC 8760 [2]
It is said, the Divine truth in heaven,
and afterward, the Divine good in heaven,
for the reason that the Divine Itself is far above the heavens,
not only the Divine good itself,
but also the Divine truth itself
which proceeds immediately from the Divine good.
That these are far above heaven,
is because in itself the Divine is infinite,
and the infinite cannot be conjoined with finite things,
thus not with the angels in the heavens,
except by the putting on of something finite,
and thus by accommodation to reception.
The Divine good itself is also in itself an infinite flame of ardor,
that is, of love, and this flame no angel in heaven can bear,
for he would be consumed like a man
if the flame of the sun were to touch him without intermediate tempering.
Moreover if the light from the flame of the Divine love,
which light is Divine truth,
were to flow in without abatement from its own fiery splendor,
it would blind all who are in heaven.
From all this it can be seen what the difference is
between the Divine good and Divine truth above the heavens,
and the Divine good and Divine truth in the heavens....

Friday, August 15, 2008

AC 8753, 8754 - Sinai

AC 8753 [2]
As regards "Mount Sinai,"
it signifies in the supreme sense Divine truth from Divine good;
"mountain," Divine good;
and "Sinai," Divine truth.

AC 8754
A few words shall here be said
about the good in which truths are to be implanted,
which good is here signified by "the wilderness of Sinai."
He who is being regenerated is led by means of truth
to the intent that he may come to good,
that is, may know it, and then will it, and finally do it.
But when he is being led to good by means of truth,
he first comes to the good
in which the truths of faith have not yet been implanted;
for truths cannot be implanted until he is in good.
Before this they are indeed known,
because they are in the memory,
but at this time they are not in good,
but are outside of good.
Afterward when the man receives new life,
which he first receives when he is in good,
the truths of faith are implanted,
and as it were enter upon a marriage with good in the internal man.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

AC 8743, 8745 - harmony between the external & internal

AC 8743
With the person who has not been regenerated
the external or natural person commands,
and the internal or spiritual person serves;
but with the person who has been regenerated
the internal or spiritual person commands,
and the external or natural serves.
This inversion cannot possibly exist
except through regeneration by the Lord.

AC 8745
But when the external person has been regenerated,
the internal person makes all good consist
in thinking well of the neighbor and willing well to him,
and the external person makes all good consist
in speaking well of him and acting well toward him;
and at last each has as its end
to love the neighbor and to love the Lord,
and not as before to love self and to love the world.
In this case the external or natural person serves,
and the internal or spiritual person commands.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

AC 8725 - good truths

AC 8725
... to will truths,
and from this to do them,
makes them to be good.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

AC 8717 - Divine Blessing

AC 8717 [3]
Divine Blessing is to be happy to eternity,
and that the Lord regards such things as are of brief duration,
as relatively, are the things of this world,
no otherwise than as means to eternal things.
Wherefore also the Lord provides for the good,
who receive His mercy in time,
such things as contribute to the happiness of their eternal life;
riches and honors for those to whom they are not hurtful;
and no riches and honors for those to whom they would be hurtful.
Nevertheless to these latter He gives in time,
in the place of honors and riches,
to be glad with a few things,
and to be more content than the rich and honored.

The whole number is quoted in comments below.

Monday, August 11, 2008

AC 8700 - it is according to order

AC 8700 [2, 3]
The Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is what makes order,
and is order itself.
Consequently as everything that is according to Divine truth
is according to order,
it is possible;
and as everything that is contrary to Divine truth
is contrary to order,
it is impossible.

It is according to order
that faith and charity be implanted in freedom
and not under compulsion,
and that the faith and charity
which have been implanted in freedom, endure;
but not if they have been implanted under compulsion.
The reason is that which is done in freedom
is insinuated into the affection,
and thus into the will of a person....

Sunday, August 10, 2008

AC 8690 - the first state of regeneration

AC 8690
The first state, in which a person is before regeneration,
is here treated of,
which is that he does good from obedience,
and not yet from affection;
but this good is the truth which he does,
because it is done only from command,
thus as yet from compulsion, but not from freedom.
He does good from freedom when he does it from affection;
for everything that flows from the affection which is of love is free.
When a person is in the former state,
then the Lord flows in and leads immediately;
but the immediate influx of the Lord does not come to perception,
because it is into the inmosts of the man;
whereas the influx of the Lord
which is immediate and at the same time mediate,
does come to perception,
and gives affection,
for it is not only into man's inmosts,
but also into his mediates and outmosts.

AC 8685 & 8686 - the judging & leading of truth Divine

AC 8685
And Moses sat to judge the people. (Exodus 18:13)
That "judging" here denotes a disposing,
is because truth Divine does not judge any one,
but flows in and disposes that it may be received,
and according to the reception
judgment then takes place in accordance with the laws of order,
which is mean by the judgment of the Lord....

AC 8686
And the people stood over Moses. (Exodus 18:13)
That this signifies obedience then in conformity with truth Divine,
is evident from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine,
consequently "to stand over him"
signifies to consult truth Divine,
to await an answer from it,
and to do according to this, that is, to obey.
By these words in the internal sense is described the first state,
wherein the person who is being regenerated
is led by means of truth from the Lord;
the truth by means of which he is led in the Word,
for this is truth Divine.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

AC 8678 - pride vs. humility

AC 8678
...pride is to love self more than others,
and to set self above them,
and to wish to exercise command over others;
and they who wish this
also despise others in comparison with self,
and also persecute from hatred and revenge
those who set themselves above them,
or do not pay them respect.

[2]
... pride of heart, which is the love of self,
repels from itself the Divine,
and removes heaven from itself...
which is a state of love toward the neighbor,
and a state of humiliation toward God.
So far as a person can humble himself before the Lord,
and so far as he can love his neighbor as himself...
so far he receives the Divine,
and consequently is so far in heaven.

Friday, August 08, 2008

AC 8658 - Where he was encamped at the mount of God." (Exodus 48:5)

AC 8658
When a person is in the former state, namely,
when he acts from truth and not yet from good, that is,
when he acts from faith and not yet from charity,
he is in a state of undergoing temptations.
By these he is progressively carried to the second state, namely,
that he acts from good, that is,
from charity and the affection of it.
When therefore he comes near to this state,
he is said to be "encamped at the mount of God," that is,
at the good of which he will afterward act.
This is said because in what now follows
the subject treated of is the new disposition
or setting in order
of the truths for entering into this state,
to which the person of the church comes
after he has undergone temptations,
and in what now follows it is the law promulgated from Mount Sinai.
"Mount Sinai" denotes the good in which is truth.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

AC 8639 - what we need to know so we can do

AC 8639
... he who does not know
that the Lord is the Saviour of the human race,
cannot have faith in Him,
love Him,
and thus do good for His sake.
He who does not know
that all good is from Him,
cannot think that his own righteousness
and his own salvation are from Him,
still less can he will it to be so,
thus he cannot live from Him.
He who does not know
that there is a hell,
and that there is a heaven,
nor that there is eternal life,
cannot even think about the life of heaven,
nor apply himself to receiving it;
and so in all other things.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

AC 8625 - two qualities of the Lord

AC 8625
There are two things which are predicated of the Lord,
namely, priesthood and royalty.
The celestial kingdom corresponds to His priesthood,
and the spiritual kingdom to His royalty;
for the Lord is called "Priest" from Divine good,
and "King" from Divine Truth.
This latter, namely, Divine truth,
is involved in the name "Christ,"
and Divine good in the name "Jesus."

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

AC 8604 - "looking upward to the Lord"

AC 8604 [3 - 4]
This Divine truth which is from the Lord flows into the good with a person,
and by means of it draws the person to itself;
for the life which is from the Lord has a power of attracting,
because it is from love,
since all love has in it this power,
inasmuch as it wills to be conjoined,
so as to be a one.
Then therefore a person is in good,
and from good in truth,
he is drawn by the Lord,
and is conjoined with Him.
This is meant by "looking upward to the Lord."
But when a person is not in good,
thus not in truth from good,
then too he is drawn by the Lord,
but cannot be elevated,
because evils and the derivative falsities turn themselves away.
This is meant by "looking downward," or "to self and the world."

That the Lord draws man to Himself, the Lord Himself teaches in John:

I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself (John 12:32).

From all this it can now be seen how it is to be understood
that when the faith looked toward the Lord,
the fighting truth conquered,
and that when the faith looked downward from the Lord to self and the world,
the falsity conquered,
as is signified by Israel prevailing when Moses held up his hand,
and by Amalek prevailing when he let down his hand.

Monday, August 04, 2008

AC 8598 - zeal is one thing, anger another

AC 8598
For from the charity that is in it,
zeal wishes well even to those who are in evil and falsity,
and also does well to them so far as they do not injure the good.
Whereas anger, from the hatred and revenge which are within it,
wishes harm to all with who it fights, whether they be good or evil.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

AC 8573 - What intercession is not, and what it is.

AC 8573
And Moses cried unto Jehovah. (Exodus 17:4)
That this signifies interior lamentation and intercession,
is evident from the signification of "crying," when for Divine aid....
They who do not know what intercession is,
cannot form any other idea about it
than that the Lord continually prays to the Father,
and intercedes for the sinner
who devoutly supplicates and promises repentance.
Nay, the simple think that the Lord sits with the Father,
and pleads with Him for the sinner,
and entreats Him to give him to Himself,
that he may be in His kingdom, and may enjoy eternal happiness.
Such an idea have very many about the intercession spoken of in the Word,
where it is said that the Lord will entreat His Father for them.
But who cannot see
that these things were said according to the ideas of human thought?
For everyone at that time, as also very many at this day,
could not think otherwise of the heavenly kingdom,
than as they think of an earthly kingdom,
because they get the idea about the former from the latter.

[2] As regards intercession, the case is this.
There is intercession in all love,
consequently in all mercy; for mercy is of love.
That he who loves, or who feels compassion, continually intercedes,
can be seen from examples.
A husband who loves his wife,
wishes her to be kindly received by others, and to be well treated;
he does not say this in express terms, but continually thinks it,
consequently is in silence continually entreating it, and interceding for her.
Parents act in like manner in favor of their children whom they love.
In like manner do those also who are in charity for their neighbor;
and they who are in friendship for their friends.
From all this it can be seen that there is constant intercession in all love.

It is the same in respect to the Lord's intercession for the human race,
and in especial for those who are in the good and truth of faith;
for toward them there is Divine, that is, infinite love;
and there is Divine, that is, infinite mercy.
He does not pray the Father for them, and in this way intercede,
for this would be to act altogether after a human manner;
but He continually excuses, and continually forgives,
for He continually feels compassion;
and this is done on the part of the Lord Himself,
for the Lord and the Father are one (John 14:8-12).

[3] A secret that lies still more interiorly hidden in the word "intercession,"
shall also be told.
The Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord continually
intercedes in the manner described,
because it proceeds from the Divine love.
When the Lord was in the world He was the Divine truth;
but since He was glorified, which was effected when He rose again,
He is the Divine good.
It is the Divine good which is meant in the Word in the internal sense
by "the Father,"
and the Divine truth which is meant by "the Son".
And as in the Divine truth, which proceeds from the Divine good,
there is continual intercession,
therefore it is said that the Son entreats the Father,
and intercedes for man.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

AC 8562 - "And there was no water for the people to drink." (Exodus 17:1)

AC 8562
And there was no water for the people to drink.
"water," as being the truth of faith;
"drinking," as being to be instructed in the truths of faith
and to receive them, here, to be refreshed;
For as water and drink refresh the natural life,
so truths and the knowledges of truth refresh the spiritual life.
For he who is in spiritual life longs for the sustenance thereof
from such things as are called heavenly food and drink,
which are the goods and truths of faith;
in like manner as he who is in the natural life
longs for sustenance from such things as are natural food and drink.

[2] That temptation as to truth is now treated of,
is because temptation as to good was treated of just before,
after which temptation they received the manna,
by which is signified good.
For when a person is endowed with good by the Lord,
he comes into a longing for truth,
and this longing is kindled according to the lack of truth,
because good continually strives after truth.
All the genuine affection of truth is from good.
The case herein is like food,
which without drink cannot nourish the natural life;
and it is also like it in that food longs for drink,
with which it may be conjoined so as to serve for use.
This then is the reason why temptation as to truth follows immediately
after temptation as to good.
Temptation attacks that which a man loves and longs for.

Friday, August 01, 2008

AC 8539 - the journey of preparation

AC 8539[2]
... before regeneration
all good is procured by means of truth,
but that after regeneration
man is led of the Lord by means of good;
and that the former state is
signified by "the six days" which precede the seventh,
and that the latter state is signified by
"the seventh day" or "the Sabbath."
From this it is also plain that the former state
was represented by the journeyings
of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years,
and that the latter state
was represented by their introduction into the land of Canaan.
The case herein is that man is outside of heaven
so long as he acts from truth and not from good;
and he comes into heaven when he acts from good....