AC 7089 - The Divine Law

AC 7089

By the Divine law which Moses represents
is meant the Word such as it is in its internal sense,
thus such as it is in the heavens;
but by doctrine is meant the Word
such as it is in its literal sense,
thus as it is on the earth;
how much these differ,
can be seen from what has been thus far unfolded
in respect to the internal sense of the Word.

Take as an illustration the ten commandments,
which specifically are called the "Law."
The literal sense of these is that parents are to be honored,
that murder is not to be committed,
nor adultery, nor theft, and so on;
but the internal sense is that the Lord is to be worshiped;
that hatred must not be felt;
that truth must not be falsified;
and that we must not claim for ourselves
that which belongs to the Lord.
This is how these four commandments of the Decalogue
are understood in heaven,
and the rest also in their own way.
For in the heavens
they know no other Father than the Lord;
therefore by that parents are to be honored,
they understand that the Lord is to be worshiped:
neither do they know in the heavens what killing is,
for they live to eternity;
but instead of killing they understand feeling hatred,
and injuring the spiritual life of anyone;
neither do they know in the heavens
what it is to commit adultery,
and therefore instead they perceive
that which corresponds, namely, not to falsify truth;
and instead of stealing
they perceive not to take anything away from the Lord,
and claim it to themselves,
as for instance good and truth.

Such is this law, and the whole Word too, in the heavens;
thus such it is in the internal sense;
indeed, it is still deeper,
for most things that are thought and said in the heavens
do not fall into words of human speech,
because in the heavens is a spiritual world
and not a natural;
and the things of the spiritual world
transcend those of the natural world,
as immaterial things transcend those which are material.
Yet as material things correspond to immaterial,
the latter can be set forth by means of material things,
thus by natural speech,
but not by spiritual speech.
For spiritual speech is not a speech of material words,
but of spiritual words,
which are ideas modified into words in the spiritual aura,
and represented by variations of heavenly light,
which light in itself is nothing
but Divine intelligence and wisdom
proceeding from the Lord.
From all this it can be seen
what is meant in its genuine sense
by the Divine law which Moses represents,
and what by the doctrine derived from there,
which Aaron represents.