AC 1404-1405 - Genesis 12: The Histories Begin

AC  1404-1405

In these things now before us,
which are true histories,
all the statements and words
both in general and in particular
have in the internal sense
an entirely different meaning
from that which they bear in the sense of the letter;
but the histories themselves are representative.
Abram, who is first treated of,
represents in general the Lord,
and specifically the celestial man;
Isaac, who is afterwards treated of,
in like manner represents in general the Lord,
and specifically the spiritual man;
Jacob also in general represents the Lord,
and specifically the natural man.
Thus they represent the things
which are of the Lord, of His kingdom,
and of the church.

But the internal sense,
as has already been clearly shown,
is of such a nature
that all things in general and in particular
are to be understood abstractly from the letter,
just as if the letter did not exist;
for in the internal sense is the Word's soul and life,
which does not become clear
unless the sense of the letter as it were vanishes.
Thus, from the Lord,
do the angels perceive the Word
when it is being read by a person.