AC 2533 - Teaching; AC 2534 - "Prophet"

AC 2533 [2]

It was said above
that although the doctrine of faith is in itself Divine,
and therefore
above all human and even angelic comprehension,
it has nevertheless been dictated in the Word
according to a person's comprehension,
in a rational manner.
The case herein is the same as it is with a parent
who is teaching his little boys and girls:
when he is teaching,
he sets forth everything in accordance with their genius,
although he himself thinks from
what is more interior or higher;
otherwise it would be teaching without their learning,
or like casting seed upon a rock.
The case is also the same with the angels
who in the other life instruct the simple in heart:
although these angels are
in celestial and spiritual wisdom,
yet they do not hold themselves
above the comprehension of those whom they teach,
but speak in simplicity with them,
yet rising by degrees as these are instructed;
for if they were to speak from angelic wisdom,
the simple would comprehend nothing at all,
and thus would not be led
to the truths and goods of faith.
The case would be the same
if the Lord had not taught in the Word
in accordance with man's comprehension,
in a rational manner.
Nevertheless in its internal sense
the Word is elevated to the angelic understanding;
and yet that sense,
in its highest elevation
in which it is perceived by the angels,
is infinitely below the Divine.
It is here manifest what the Word is in its origin,
and thus in itself;
and that it thus everywhere
involves more things
than the whole heaven is capable of comprehending,
even as to a small part,
although in the letter
it appears so unimportant and so rude.


AC 2534

In the Word we frequently read of a "prophet;"
and in the sense of the letter
"prophet" means those to whom revelation is made,
also abstractedly, revelation itself;
but in the internal sense
a "prophet" means one who teaches,
and also abstractedly doctrine itself;
and as the Lord (as before said) is doctrine itself,
that is, the Word which teaches,
 He is called a "Prophet," as in Moses:

A Prophet from the midst of you,
of your brethren, like unto me,
will Jehovah thy God raise up;
unto Him shall you be obedient.
(Deuteronomy 18:15, 18)

~ A Prayer: Teach Me ~

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in Your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear Your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God,
with all my heart;
I will glorify Your name forever.
For great is Your love toward me;
You have delivered me
from the depths of the grave.

(Psalm 86:11-13)

 

** Mary Visits Elizabeth and Her Song **

And Mary arose in those days, 
and went into the hill country with haste,
into a city of Judah;
And entered into the house of Zacharias,
and saluted Elisabeth.

And it came to pass, that,
when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit:
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

And why am I so favored,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation
sounded in mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

And blessed is she that believed:
for there shall be a performance of those things
which were told her from the Lord. 

MARY'S SONG

And Mary said,

"My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior,
for He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed.

For He that is mighty hath done to me great things;
and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on them that fear Him
from generation to generation. 

He hath shewed strength with His arm;
He hath scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats,
and exalted them of low degree. 

He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He hath helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy;
as He spake to our fathers,
to Abraham, and to his seed for ever."

And Mary abode with her about three months,
and returned to her own house. 

(Luke 1:39-56)

AC 2531 - Receiving the Divine and His Word

AC 2531 [2-4]

What is Divine is incomprehensible,
because above all understanding, even the angelic;
but still this Divine, which in itself is incomprehensible,
can flow in through the Lord's Divine Human
into a person's rational;
and when it flows into his rational,
it is there received
according to the truths which are therein;
thus variously, and not with one as with another.
Insofar therefore
as the truths with a person are more genuine,
so far the Divine which flows in
is received more perfectly,
and so far the man's understanding is enlightened.

In the Lord's Word are Truths themselves;
but in its literal sense are truths
which are accommodated to the apprehension of those
who are in external worship;
whereas in its internal sense are truths
accommodated to those who are internal people;
that is, to those who are angelic as to doctrine
and at the same time as to life.
. . . it is plain how important it is
that interior truths be known and received.
These truths may indeed be known,
but by no means received,
except by those who have love to the Lord,
or faith in Him;
for as the Lord is the Divine good,
so He is the Divine truth;
consequently He is doctrine itself,
since whatever is in the doctrine of true faith
looks to the Lord,
and looks also to the heavenly kingdom and the church,
and to all things of the heavenly kingdom and the church.
But all these are His,
and are the intermediate ends
through which the last end, that is, the Lord, is regarded.

That the Lord is doctrine itself as to truth and good,
and thus that it is He who alone is regarded in doctrine,
He teaches John:

Jesus said, I am the way, the Truth, and the Life
(John 14:6, 7);

where the "Way" is doctrine,
the "Truth" all that is of doctrine,
and the "Life" the good itself which is the life of the truth.
And that love to Him or faith in Him is what receives . . ..

~ The Lord Is A Sun and A Shield ~

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.  Selah

Better is one day in Your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does He withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

O Lord Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in You.

(Psalm 84: 8, 10-12)

 

** An Angel Appears to Zacharias **

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea,
a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia:
and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elisabeth.
And they were both righteous before God,
walking in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
And they had no child, 
because that Elisabeth was barren,
and they both were now well stricken in years.
And it came to pass,
that while he executed the priest's office
before God in the order of his course.

According to the custom of the priest's office,
his lot was to burn incense
when he went into the temple of the Lord.
And the whole multitude of the people
were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord
standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled,
and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said unto him,
Fear not, Zacharias:
for thy prayer is heard;
and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness;
and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord,
and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink;
and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb.
And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God.
And he shall go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elias,
to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just;
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And Zacharias said unto the angel,
Whereby shall I know this?
for I am an old man,
and my wife well stricken in years.

And the angel answering said unto him,
I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God;
and am sent to speak to you,
and to show you these glad tidings.
And, behold,
you will be dumb, and not able to speak,
until the day that these things shall be performed,
because you believe not my words,
which shall be fulfilled in their season.

And the people waited for Zacharias,
and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.
And when he came out,
he could not speak unto them:
and they perceived
that he had seen a vision in the temple:
for he beckoned unto them,
and remained speechless.

And it came to pass, that, as soon
as the days of his ministration were accomplished,
he departed to his own house.
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived,
and hid herself five months, saying,
Thus has the Lord dealt with me
in the days wherein He looked on me,
to take away my reproach among men.

(Luke 1:5-25)

AC 2519 - Doctrinal Things of Faith; AC 2520 - The Lord's Love

AC 2519

. . . the doctrinal things of faith are in their entirety
from the Divine,
which is infinitely above the human rational.
It is from the Divine
that the rational receives its good and its truth. 
The Divine can enter into the rational,
but not the rational into the Divine;
as the soul can enter into the body, and form it,
but not the body into the soul;
or as light can enter into shade,
and modify it variously into colors;
but not shade into light.

AC 2520 [2]

. . . the zeal of affection
or of love toward the whole human race . . .
directed the Lord's thoughts
while He was still in the maternal human . . ..

~ A Short Prayer ~

Restore us, O Lord God Almighty,
make Your face shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

(Psalm 80:4, 7, 19)

** The Genealogy in Matthew **

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham begat Isaac;
and Isaac begat Jacob;
and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar;
and Phares begat Esrom;
and Esrom begat Aram;
and Aram begat Aminadab;
and Aminadab begat Naasson;
and Naasson begat Salmon;
and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab;
and Booz begat Obed of Ruth;
and Obed begat Jesse;
and Jesse begat David the king.

And David the king begat Solomon
of her that had been the wife of Urias;
and Solomon begat Roboam;
and Roboam begat Abia;
and Abia begat Asa,
and Asa begat Josaphat;
and Josaphat begat Joram;
and Joram begat Ozias;
and Ozias begat Joatham;
and Joatham begat Achaz;
and Achaz begat Ezekias;
and Ezekias begat Manasses;
and Manasses begat Amon;
and Amon begat Josias;
and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren,
about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

And after they were brought to Babylon,
Jechonias begat Salathiel;
and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
and Zorobabel begat Abiud;
and Abiud begat Eliakim;
and Eliakim begat Azor;
and Azor begat Sadoc;
and Sadoc begat Achim;
and Achim begat Eliud;
and Eliud begat Eleazar;
and Eleazar begat Matthan;
and Matthan begat Jacob;
and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

So all the generations
from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;
and from David until the carrying away into Babylon
are fourteen generations;
and from the carrying away into Babylon
unto Christ are fourteen generations. 

(Matthew 1:1-17)

AC 2523 - The Word and the Lord's Life on Earth; AC 2526 - Good Is . . . Truth Is

AC 2523

In the internal sense of the Word
the Lord's whole life is described,
such as it was to be in the world,
even as to the perceptions and thoughts,
for these were foreseen and provided
because from the Divine;
this being done for the additional reason
that all these things might be set forth at that time
as present to the angels,
who perceive the Word according to the internal sense;
and that so the Lord might be before them,
and at the same time
 how by successive steps
He put off the human,
and put on the Divine.
Unless these things
had been as if present to the angels,
through the Word,
and also through all the rites in the Jewish Church,
the Lord would have been obliged
to come into the world immediately
after the fall of the Most Ancient Church,
which is called Man or Adam;
for there was an immediate prophecy
of the Lord's advent (Gen. 3:15);
and what is more,
the human race of that time
could not otherwise have been saved.

As regards the Lord's life itself,
it was a continual progression
of the Human to the Divine,
even to absolute union (as already frequently stated),
for in order that He might combat with the hells
and overcome them,
He must needs do it from the Human;
for there is no combat with the hells from the Divine.
It therefore pleased Him to put on the human
like another man,
to be an infant like another,
to grow up into knowledges,
which things are represented by
Abraham's sojourning in Egypt (chapter 12),
and now in Gerar;
thus it pleased Him to cultivate the rational
as another man,
 and in this way to disperse its shade,
and bring it into light,
and this from His own power.
That the Lord's progression
from the Human to the Divine
was of this nature,
can be denied by no one if he only considers
that He was a little child,
and learned to talk like one; and so on.
But there was this difference:
that the Divine Itself was in Him,
seeing that He was conceived of Jehovah.

AC 2526

. . . good is good from innocence;
and truth is truth from good;
and when these are in their order,
there is then all ability.
 

** An Oracle of Balaam **

And he took up his parable, and said,
Balaam the son of Beor has said,
and the man whose eyes are open has said:
He has said, which heard the words of God,
and knew the knowledge of the most High,
which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

I shall see Him, but not now:
I shall behold Him, but not nigh:
there shall come a Star out of Jacob,
and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
and shall smite the corners of Moab,
and destroy all the children of Sheth.
And Edom shall be a possession,
Seir also shall be a possession for His enemies;
and Israel shall do valiantly.

Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion,
and shall destroy Him that remains of the city.
(Numbers 24:15-19)

AC 3322 [3]

…treats of the coming of the Lord into the world,
whose Human Essence is called a "star out of Jacob,"
and a "scepter out of Israel".

AC 4240 [2]

Everyone can see that in these passages
"Seir" signifies something of the Lord,
for it is said that Jehovah "arose from Seir," … .
To "arise," and to "go forth out of Seir"
denote that He made even His natural Divine,
in order that from this also there might be light,
that is, intelligence and wisdom;
and that in this way He might become Jehovah,
not only as to His Human Rational,
but also as to His Human Natural;
and therefore it is said, "Jehovah arose from Seir,"
and "Jehovah went forth out of Seir." 

 

AC 2515 - Thoughts

 AC 2515

Thoughts from perception exist only with the celestial,
that is, with those who are in love to the Lord;
such thought is the most internal that exists with man;
and it exists with the celestial angels in heaven,
for it is perception from the Lord
by which and from which their thought exists;
and to think contrary to perception is impossible.
Thoughts from conscience are lower,
and exist with the spiritual, that is,
with those who are in the good of charity and faith
as to life and as to doctrine.
Moreover with these persons
to think contrary to conscience is impossible;
for this would be to think against the good and truth
which are dictated to them
from the Lord through conscience.

But thoughts from no conscience exist with those
who do not suffer themselves to be inwardly directed
by what is good and true,
but only by what is evil and false;
that is, not by the Lord,
but by themselves.
Such persons believe
that they inwardly think just as do those
who think from conscience and perception,
for the reason that
they do not know what conscience is,
still less perception;
but the difference is as great as is
that between hell and heaven.
They who think without conscience think
from any cupidities (greeds) and fantasies whatever;
thus from hell;
and when it seems otherwise,
it is from external decorum for the sake of reputation.
But they who think from conscience
think from the affections of good and truth;
thus from heaven.
But as regards the Lord's thought,
it transcended all human understanding,
for it was immediately from the Divine.

** Behold He Comes **

Behold I send My angel
who shall prepare the way before Me;
and the Lord whom you seek
shall suddenly come to His temple,
even the Angel of the covenant whom you desire;
behold He comes
but who may abide the day of His coming?
Then shall the meat-offering
of Judah and of Jerusalem
be pleasant unto Jehovah,
as in the days of old,
and as in former years.
(Malachi 3:1-4)

AC 3881 [8]

. . . where the subject treated of
is clearly the Lord's advent.
It is known that the meat-offering
of Judah and Jerusalem was not then pleasant;
but that worship from love was pleasant,
which is the "meat-offering of Judah;"
and worship from faith derived from love,
which is the "meat-offering of Jerusalem."

AC 2508 - The Heavenly Marriage; AC 2511 - The Lord's First Consulting the Divine Rational

AC 2508

The heavenly marriage itself exists solely
between the Divine good and the Divine truth.
From this there are conceived in a person
the intellectual, the rational, and the faculty of knowing;
for without conception from the heavenly marriage
a person cannot possibly be imbued with
understanding, with reason, or with knowledge,
and consequently cannot be a person.
In proportion therefore
as he receives from the heavenly marriage,
in the same proportion is he a person.
The heavenly marriage is in the Lord Himself,
thus the Lord is this marriage itself,
for He is the Divine good itself
and at the same time the Divine truth.
Angels and people are in the heavenly marriage
insofar as they are in love to the Lord
and in charity toward the neighbor,
and insofar as they are from these loves in faith . . ..

AC 2511

The things contained in this verse (Genesis 20:2)
involve the Lord's first thought
respecting the doctrine of faith,
as to whether it would be well to consult
the rational or not.
The reason why the first thought was
of such a character is
that the Lord progressed according to all Divine order;
and whatever was of the human
into which He was born,
and which He derived from the mother,
must necessarily be put off
in order that He might put on the Divine;
thus also this human thought, namely,
as to whether the rational was to be consulted
in regard to the doctrinal things of faith.

** The House of David Shall Be as God **

Jehovah shall save the tents of Judah first,
that the glory of the house of David,
and the glory of the inhabitant of Jerusalem,
may not exalt itself above Judah.
In that day shall Jehovah defend
the inhabitant of Jerusalem,
and the house of David shall be as God,
and as the angel of Jehovah before them.
And I will pour upon the house of David,
and upon the inhabitant of Jerusalem,
the spirit of grace.
In that day there shall be a fountain
open to the house of David,
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
(Zechariah 12:7-8, 10; 13:1)

AE 205 [3]

Here the Lord's coming is treated of,
and the salvation at that time
of those who are of His spiritual kingdom.
"Tents of Judah" mean the celestial kingdom;
and the
"house of David and the inhabitant of Jerusalem,"
the spiritual kingdom.
The spiritual kingdom is constituted
of those in heaven and on earth
who are in Divine truth,
and the celestial kingdom
of those who are in Divine good.
From this it can be seen what these words mean,
namely, that these two kingdoms shall act as one,
and that one shall not exalt itself above the other.
That "Judah" signifies the Lord
in respect to celestial love . . ..
And that "Jerusalem"
signifies the Lord's spiritual kingdom . . ..
The same is therefore signified by
"the house of David;"
consequently it is here said,
"the house of David shall be as God,
and as the angel of Jehovah;"
"God" also means
the Lord in respect to Divine truth;
and the like is meant by the "angel of Jehovah".

AC 2500 - Progression

 AC 2500

Abraham journeyed from there
toward the land of the south.
(Genesis 20:1)

That this means the Lord's progression
in the goods and truths of faith . . ..

As regards the Lord's instruction in general,
the nature of it is quite plain
from the internal sense of this chapter.
From that sense it is plain that He was taught
through a whole succession of revelations
and so through Divine perceptions and thoughts
from Himself, that is, from His Divine.
These perceptions and thoughts
He implanted in Divine intelligence and wisdom,
and continued to do so
until the perfect union of His Human and His Divine
had been effected.
This way of becoming wise
is not at all open to anyone else,
for it sprang from the Divine itself,
which was His inmost, being the Father's,
from whom He had been conceived.
Thus it sprang from the Divine Love itself
which the Lord alone possessed
and which constituted His desire
to save the entire human race.

It is an arcanum (secret) as yet known
by scarcely anyone
that love itself holds
wisdom and intelligence within it,
but that the nature of these
is determined by that of the love.
The reason wisdom and intelligence exist within love is
that all influx takes place into the love,
or what amounts to the same, into the good,
and so into the life itself of man.
This is the source of the wisdom and intelligence
possessed by angels,
which are beyond description.
It is the source also of the wisdom and intelligence
possessed by men
who are governed by love to the Lord
and charity towards the neighbor.
Although during their lifetime
the latter do not discern at all
the presence with them
of such wisdom and intelligence,
they nevertheless enter into these after death
for the reason that they exist within love itself
and within charity itself.
As for the Lord's love however,
this was infinitely higher
than the love which exists in angels,
for it was Divine Love itself,
and therefore He had within Himself
the supereminence of all wisdom and intelligence.
Yet into the possession of this,
because He was born a human being (homo)
and advanced as a human being
does according to Divine order,
He entered by successive degrees
so that He might in that way
unite His Human to the Divine and make it Divine,
doing so by His own power.

** Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion! **

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

(Zechariah 9:9-10)

AC 2469 - Two Memories; AC 2493 - The Lord Shares Manna

AC 2469

Scarcely anyone has known until now
that everyone has two memories,
one exterior, the other interior,
and that the exterior memory
belongs properly to his body
but the interior to his spirit.

AC 2493

. . . the more interior and perfect the angels are,
the less do they care for past things,
and the less do they think of things to come;
and also that from this comes their happiness.
They say that the Lord gives them
every moment what to think,
and this with blessedness and happiness;
and that they are thus free from cares and anxieties.
Also, that this was meant in the internal sense
by the manna being received daily from heaven;
and by the daily bread in the Lord's Prayer;
and likewise by the instruction
not to be solicitous
about what they should eat and drink,
and wherewithal they should be clothed.
But although the angels do not care for past things,
and are not solicitous about things to come,
they nevertheless have
the most perfect recollection of past things,
and the most perfect mental view of things to come;
because in all their present
there are both the past and the future.
Thus they have a more perfect memory
than can ever be thought of or expressed.

** We Have Waited for Him **

AC 1769 [2]

No other was acknowledged and called Jehovah
by the Jewish Church,
for it worshiped the one God Jehovah,
and this was the more fully the case for the reason -
which was unknown to most of them -
that all the rites of that church represented the Lord,
and all the things of the Word in the internal sense
were significative of Him.

He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away
the tears from off all faces.
And it shall be said in that day,
Lo, this is our God;
we have waited for Him,
and He will save us;
this is Jehovah,
we have waited for Him;
let us exult and be glad in his salvation
(Isaiah 25:8-9);

(Treating of the coming of the Lord.)

AC 2454 - Doctrinal Things

 AC 2454 [1, 5]

. . . doctrinal things,
which are of truth,
. . . a life according to doctrinal things,
which is of good . . ..

Truth is said to turn away from good
and look towards matters of doctrine
when the member of the church
no longer takes to heart what kind of life he leads,
only what kind of doctrine he possesses.
Yet it is life according to doctrine,
not doctrine separate from life,
that makes anyone a member of the church;
for when doctrine is separated from life,
then because good, in which life consists,
has been laid waste (vastated),
truth as well, in which doctrine consists,
is laid waste (vastated),
that is, it becomes 'a pillar of salt'.

~ Find Rest In God ~

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress,
I will never be shaken.

(Psalm 62:1-2)

** Out of Bethlehem **

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for Me
One who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from old,
from ancient times.

He will stand and shepherd His flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.
And the will live securely,
for then His greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
And He will be their peace.

(Micah 5:2, 4-5)

AC 2135 [4]

Thou Bethlehem, the land of Judah,
art in no wise least among the leaders of Judah;
for out of thee shall come forth a Leader,
who shall feed My people Israel.
(Matt. 2:6; compare Micah 5:2)

They who abide in the literal sense, as do the Jews,
know indeed from this passage
that the Lord should be born there;
but as they are expecting a leader and a king
who will bring them back into the land of Canaan,
they therefore explain the words found here
according to the letter;
that is, by the "land of Judah"
they understand the land of Canaan;
by "Israel" they understand Israel,
although they know not where Israel now is;
and by a "Leader" they still understand their Messiah;
when yet other things are meant
by "Judah" and "Israel;"
namely, by "Judah" those who are celestial,
by "Israel," those who are spiritual,
in heaven and on earth;
and by the "Leader" the Lord.

AC 2447 - The Rules of the Laws of Order

AC 2447 [2-4]

All order is from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord,
and according to this order are all things directed by Him
both in general and in particular,
but in many different ways, that is to say,
from Will, from Good-pleasure,
from Leave, and from Permission.
The things that are from His will and good-pleasure
are from the laws of order as to good,
and so also are many of those which are from leave,
and some of those which are from permission.
But when a person separates himself from good
he casts himself into the rule of the laws of order
that are of truth separated from good,
which are such that they condemn;
for all truth condemns a person
and casts him down into hell;
whereas the Lord from good, that is, from mercy,
saves him, and uplifts him into heaven.
From this we see that it is person himself
who condemns himself.

The things done from permission
are mostly of this nature, as for example,
that one devil punishes and torments another;
and innumerable other things of this kind.
These things are from the laws of order
as to truth separated from good;
for the devils could not otherwise be held in bonds,
and withheld from rushing upon
all the well disposed and good,
and eternally destroying them.
It is the prevention of this
which is the good the Lord has in view.
The case here is similar to that which exists on earth,
This is similar to what happens on earth
where a benign and compassionate ruler exists
who intends and does nothing but good.
If he did not allow his laws
to punish evil and criminal persons -
though he himself punishes nobody
but instead grieves that those people are such
that their evils must punish them -
he would leave his kingdom itself
open to plunder by such people;
and this would be a manifestation
of a complete lack of  rigor and of unmercifulness.

This shows that Jehovah
in no wise caused it to rain brimstone and fire,
that is in no wise condemned to hell;
but that the people themselves
who were in evil and consequently in falsity did this,
because they had separated themselves from good,
and so had cast themselves
into the rule of the laws of order
that come from truth alone.

** The Royal Son **

Endow the king with Your justice, O God,
the royal son with Your righteousness.
He will judge Your people in righteousness,
Your afflicted ones with justice.
The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
He will defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
He will crush the oppressor.

He will endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon,
through all generations.
He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In His days the righteous will flourish;
prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.

He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
The desert tribes will bow before Him
and His enemies will lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will bring tribute to Him;
the kings of Sheba and Seba will present Him gifts.
All kings will bow down to Him
and all nations will serve Him.

For He will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from violence,
for precious is their blood in His sight.

Long may He live!
May gold from Sheba be given Him.
May people ever pray for Him
and bless Him all day long.
Let grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
let it thrive like the grass of the field.
May His name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through Him,
and they will call Him blessed.

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to His glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.

(Psalm 72:1-19; listed in Coronis 60)

AC 2434 - His Face

AC 2434

The term "face" is of frequent occurrence in the Word,
and there means the interiors . . .
when the face is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord
it means Mercy, Peace, Good . . ..

~ My Sin Is Always Before Me ~

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak
and justified when You judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely You desire truth in the inner parts;
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop,
and I will be clean;
wash me,
and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
Hide You face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grand me a willing spirit,
to sustain me.

(Psalm 51:1-12)

** The Dawn Arose **

AC 2405 [1, 2, 3-4]

When the dawn arose.
(Genesis 19:15)

That this means when the Lord's kingdom is approaching,
is evident from the meaning in the Word
of the "dawn" or "morning."

This time or state is called in the Word the "dawn,"
because the Lord then comes;
or what is the same,
His kingdom then approaches.
The case is similar with the good,
for at such a time
there shines out with them
a semblance of the morning twilight or dawn;
and therefore in the Word
the advent of the Lord is compared to the "morning,"
and is also called the "morning."

The God of Israel is as the light of the morning,
the sun rises, a morning without clouds;
from the brightness,
from the rain,
there is a growth from the earth.
(2 Samuel 23:4)

The "God of Israel" denotes the Lord;
for no other God of Israel was meant in that church,
and He was represented in each and all things of it.
In Joel:

The day of Jehovah comes,
for it is near at hand;
a day of darkness and of thick darkness,
a day of cloud and obscurity;
as the dawn spread upon the mountains.
(Joel 2:1-2).

Here also
the Lord's advent and His kingdom are treated of;
it is said a "day of darkness and of thick darkness,"
because the good
are then being separated from the evil,
as here Lot from the men of Sodom;
and after the good have been separated,
the evil perish.

That the Lord's advent
or the approach of His kingdom,
is not merely compared to the "morning,"
but is actually called the "morning,"
may be seen in Daniel:

A holy one said,
How long shall be the vision,
the continual sacrifice,
and the transgression that makes waste?
He said unto me,
Until evening and morning,
two thousand three hundred,
then shall the holy one be justified.
The vision of the evening and the morning
which hath been told is truth.
(Daniel 8:13-14, 26)

"Morning" here manifestly denotes the Lord's advent.
 

AC 2425 - The Affections of Good and Truth

AC 2425 [2-4]

Within the affection of truth
of those who are in this affection
there is the affection of good,
but so obscurely that they do not perceive,
thus do not know what the affection of good is,
and what genuine charity is.
They do suppose that they know,
but it is from truth,
thus from memory-knowledge,
and not from good itself.
Nevertheless they do the goods of charity,
not in order to merit anything thereby,
but from obedience;
and this insofar as they apprehend that it is the truth.
For they suffer themselves to be led by the Lord
out of their obscurity of good
by means of the truth
which appears to them to be truth.
For example: being ignorant what the neighbor is,
they do good to everyone
whom they suppose to be the neighbor;
especially to the poor,
because these call themselves poor
on account of being destitute of worldly wealth;
to orphans and widows, because they are so termed;
to strangers, because they are such;
and so on with all the rest
and this they do so long as they are ignorant
what is meant by the poor, by orphans, widows,
strangers, and others.
Nevertheless
seeing that in their affection of apparent truth
there lies in obscurity the affection of good,
by which the Lord leads them to such action,
they are at the same time in good as to their interiors,
and in this good the angels are present with them,
and are delighted there with their appearances of truth
by which such persons are affected.

But those who are in the good of charity,
and from this in the affection of truth,
do all things with discrimination,
for they are in light;
since the light of truth is from no other source than good,
because the Lord flows in by means of good.
These persons do not do good
to the poor, to orphans, to widows, and to strangers,
for the mere reason that they are so termed;
for they know that those who are good,
whether poor or rich,
are neighbors more than all others;
since by the good, good is done to others;
and therefore
insofar as these persons do good to the good,
they do it to others through them.
They also know
how to make distinctions among goods,
and so among good men.
They call the general good itself
their neighbor in a greater degree,
for in this there is regarded
the good of still greater numbers.
As still more
their neighbor to whom charity is to be done
they acknowledge the Lord's kingdom on earth,
which is the church;
and the Lord's kingdom itself in the heavens
even still more.
But they who set the Lord before all these --
who adore Him alone and love Him above all things --
derive the neighbor in all these degrees from Him;
for the Lord alone is the neighbor in the highest sense,
thus all good is the neighbor insofar as it is from Him.

But those who are in the opposite
derive the degrees of the neighbor from themselves,
and acknowledge only those as neighbor
who favor and serve them --
calling no others brethren and friends --
and this with a distinction,
accordingly as they make one with them.
All this shows what the neighbor is,
namely, that a person is our neighbor
according to the love in which he is;
and that he is truly the neighbor
who is in love to the Lord
and in charity toward his neighbor,
and this with every possible difference;
thus it is the good itself with everyone
that determines the point in question.

** One Like the Son of Man **

I saw, and behold, one like the Son of man
came with the clouds of heaven,
and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought Him near before Him;
and there was given Him
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,
that all people, and nations, and languages
should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
(Daniel 7:13-14).

AC 49 [4]

The Lord also frequently calls Himself
the "Son of man" that is, the man,
and, as in Daniel, foretells His coming in glory:

Then shall they see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.
(Matthew 24:30)

The "clouds of heaven"
are the literal sense of the Word;
"power and great glory"
are the internal sense of the Word,
which in all things both in general and in particular
has reference solely to the Lord and His kingdom;
and it is from this
that the internal sense derives its power and glory.

AC 1990 [3]

. . . the Infinite Esse, which is Jehovah,
could not possibly be manifested to man
except through the Human Essence,
thus except through the Lord . . ..
. . . He adopted the Human Essence itself
by being born.
He did so in order that the Infinite Divine
could be joined to man
even though man was so remote.
Otherwise mankind would have
died the death of those for ever damned.

AC 2401 - Our Will, Our Opinions

AC 2401 [1, 2-4]

. . . the mind is elevated when it recedes from evil.

. . . a person cannot be saved
by thinking and speaking what is true,
nor even what is good,
while he wills nothing else,
and from this
his will does nothing else, than evil.
It is the very will of a person that lives after death;
not so his thought,
except that which flows from his will.

As therefore a person is such as his will is,
it is evident what must be
his opinion
of the truths of faith he has learned,
and even taught,
seeing that they condemn him.
So far is he then
from making them the basis of his thoughts,
that he feels a positive aversion for them;
indeed, insofar as he is permitted to do so,
he, like the devil's crew, blasphemes them.
Those who have not been instructed
concerning the life after death
may suppose that it will be easy for them
to receive faith when they see
that the Lord governs the universe,
and when they hear that heaven consists
in loving the Lord and the neighbor;
whereas the truth is
that the evil are as far
from being able to receive faith,
that is, to believe from the will,
as hell is from heaven,
for they are wholly in evil,
and in the falsity derived from it.
That such persons are against the Lord
and against the neighbor,
and therefore against good,
and consequently against truth,
is known and perceived
from their mere approach, or presence.
There is a horrible sphere that exhales
from the life of their will
and of their derivative thought.

If by mere instruction in the other life
it were possible
that people could be brought to believe
and to become good,
there would not be a single person in hell;
for the Lord desires
to raise all without exception to Himself into heaven.
For His mercy is infinite,
because it is the Divine mercy itself,
that is extended toward the whole human race,
and therefore
toward the evil as well as toward the good.
 

** "He Bore Our Sicknesses" **

AC  9937 [6]

. . . it can be known what is meant by all that is said
in the fifty-third chapter of the . . . prophet Isaiah
concerning the Lord,
in which from beginning to end
the state of His temptations is treated of;
thus the state in which He was
while He fought with the hells,
for temptations are nothing else
than combats with these.
This state is thus described:

He bore our sicknesses,
and carried our griefs;
He was pierced for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities;
Jehovah made to fall on Him
the iniquity of us all;
and thus He gave the wicked to their sepulcher;
the will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand;
He shall see from the labor of His soul and be sated;
and by His wisdom shall justify many,
because He has borne their iniquities,
and thus has carried the sin of many.
(Isaiah 53:4-5)

He is also called there "the Arm of Jehovah,"
by which is meant Divine power.
That by "bearing sicknesses," "sorrows," and "iniquities,"
and by "being pierced and bruised by them,"
is meant a state of temptations, is evident;
for in such a state there are griefs of soul,
distresses, and despairs,
which in this way cause anguish.
Such things are induced by the hells,
for in temptations they assault
the very love of him against whom they fight;
the love of everyone being the inmost of his life.
The Lord's love
was the love of saving the human race,
which love was the Esse of His life,
for this love was the Divine in Him.

 

AC 2388 - How the Truth of Faith Becomes the Good of Faith

AC 2388 [2]

The truths of faith are the very receiving vessels of good;
and they receive good
in so far as the person recedes from evil;
for good continually flows in from the Lord,
and it is the evil of life
that hinders its being received into the truths
which are with a person in his memory or knowledge.
Therefore in so far as a person recedes from evil,
so far good enters and applies itself to his truths;
and then the truth of faith with him
becomes the good of faith.

~ The Lord's Presence ~

By day the Lord directs His love,
at night His song is with me --
a prayer to the God of my life.

(Psalm 42:7)

** A Prophet Will Be Raised Up **

Jehovah your God will raise up unto you a Prophet
out of the midst of your brothers,
like unto Me;
Him you shall obey.

(Deuteronomy 18:15)

AC 2534
One reads the word 'prophet' many times in the Word,
and in the sense of the letter
it means those to whom revelation is given,
and also - abstractedly from persons - revelation itself.
But in the internal sense
that word means one who teaches,
and also - abstractedly - doctrine itself.
And because, as has been stated,
the Lord is doctrine itself,
or the Word which teaches,
He is called 'a Prophet' . . .

AC 2383 - "Blindness"

AC 2383 [3, 7]

For judgment am I come into the world,
that they that see not may see,
and that they that see may become blind.
Those of the Pharisees heard these things,
and said, Are we also blind?
Jesus said unto them,
If you were blind, you would not have sin;
but now you say,
We see, therefore your sin remains.
(John 9:39-41)

Here the "blind" in both senses are spoken of,
namely, those who are in falsity,
and those who are in ignorance of truth.
With those who are within the church
and know what the truth is,
"blindness" is falsity;
but with those who do not know what the truth is
(as is the case with those who are outside the church),
"blindness" is ignorance of the truth,
and these are blameless.
_____

I will give You for a light of the people,
to open the blind eyes,
to bring out the bound from the dungeon,
and those that sit in darkness
out of the prison house.
(Isaiah 42:6-7);

where the Lord's advent is treated of,
in that those who are in ignorance of truth
should then be instructed;
for those who are in falsity
do not suffer themselves to be so instructed,
because they are acquainted with the truth
and have confirmed themselves against it,
and have turned the light into darkness,
which cannot be dispelled.

~ Trust, Commit, Be Still, Refrain, Hope ~

Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord
and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in Him and He will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret -- it leads only to evil.
For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord
will inherit the land.

(Psalm 37:3-9)

** The First Prophecy Found in Psalms **

Why have the nations become tumultuous,
and why have the peoples meditated vanity?
The kings of the earth set themselves
and the rulers took counsel together
against Jehovah and against His Anointed.
I have anointed My king upon Zion,
the mountain of My holiness.
I will declare the statute,
Jehovah said unto me,
Thou art My Son,
this day have I begotten Thee;
ask of Me
and I will give the nations for Thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth
for Thy possession.
Kiss the Son,
lest He be angry and ye perish in the way,
for His anger will shortly burn forth;
blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.
(Psalm 2:1, 2, 6-8, 12)

AE 684 [10]

Evidently "the Anointed of Jehovah"
means here the Lord in relation to the Divine Human,
for it is said,
"Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son,
this day have I begotten Thee;
kiss the Son lest ye perish;
blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."
In the sense of the letter this indeed is said of David,
but in the Word "David" means the Lord
in relation to Divine truth, or as a King.
It is evident also that the Lord's coming
and finally the Last Judgment by Him,
and afterwards His sovereignty
over all things of the world,
are here treated of. 

AC 9954 [14]

The kings of the earth have set themselves,
and the rulers have consulted together,
against Jehovah,
and against His Anointed.
I have anointed My king upon Zion,
the mountain of My holiness.
(Psalm 2:2, 6)

"The kings of the earth" denote falsities,
and "the rulers," evils, which are from the hells,
and against which the Lord fought
when He was in the world,
and which He conquered and subdued;
"the Anointed of Jehovah"
denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human,
for from this He fought;
"Zion the mountain of holiness,"
upon which He is said "to be Anointed as the King"
denotes the celestial kingdom,
which is in the good of love.
This kingdom is the inmost of heaven,
and the inmost of the church.

AC 2015 [10]

As "a king" signifies truth,
it may be seen what is meant in the internal sense
when the Lord is called a King and also a Priest;
and also what it was in the Lord
that was represented by kings,
and what by priests.
Kings represented His Divine truth,
and priests His Divine good.
All the laws of order by which
the Lord governs the universe as King,
are truths;
but all the laws by which He governs the universe
as and by which also
He rules truths themselves,
are goods;
for government from truths alone
would condemn everyone to hell;
but government from goods
lifts everyone out from there
and uplifts him into heaven.

AC 2380 - Living a Good Life?

AC 2380 [2-5]

All those are in the good of charity
who have conscience
(that is, who are unwilling to depart in any degree
from what is just and fair, and good and true,
and this for the very sake of
what is just and fair, and good and true,
for this principle is from conscience),
and who from having conscience
think well of the neighbor and desire his welfare,
even should he be an enemy;
and this without any recompense.
These are those who are in the good of charity,
whether they be without the church
or within the church.
If within the church, they adore the Lord,
and willingly hear and do
the things that He has taught.

On the other hand,
those who are in evil have no conscience;
for that which is just and fair they care not,
except insofar as thereby
they can gain the reputation of seeming to care for it.
What the good and truth are
that affect the spiritual life
they know not,
and even reject this as being no life at all.
Further than this:
they think evilly about the neighbor
and desire his injury,
and also inflict injury upon him
if he does not favor them, even if a friend;
and in doing this they feel delight.
Should they do anything good,
it is with a view to recompense.
Such within the church deny the Lord in secret;
and insofar as honor, gain, reputation, or life
are not endangered
they do so openly.

Be it known however
that some persons think they are not in good
when they are,
and some that they are in good
when they are not.
The reason why some think
they are not in good when they are,
is that when they reflect upon
the good in themselves,
it is at once insinuated
by the angels in whose society they are,
that they are not in good,
lest they should attribute the good to themselves,
and lest their thought
should be turned to their own merit,
and thereby
to the setting up of themselves above others.
Without this guardianship
they would fall into temptations.

As regards some supposing themselves to be in good
when they are not,
the cause of this is that when they reflect upon it,
it is immediately insinuated by the evil genii and spirits
in whose companionship they are,
that they are in good
(for the evil believe delight to be good),
and it is suggested
that whatever good they have done to others
for the sake of the love of self and of the world is good
that is to be recompensed even in the other life;
thus that they have merit above others,
whom they despise in comparison with themselves,
and indeed esteem them as of no account.
And, wonderful to say,
if they were to think differently
they would fall into temptations,
in which they would yield.

~ The Lord's Hears and Delivers ~

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and His ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out,
and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
He protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
the Lord redeems His servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.

(Psalm 34:15-22)

** A Prophecy from Deuteronomy **

Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet
out of the midst of thy brethren,
like unto Me;
Him you shall obey.
And I will put My words in His mouth.
Whence it shall come to pass,
that the man who will not obey His words,
I will require it of him.

(Deuteronomy 18:15-18)

AC 2534

One reads the word 'prophet' many times in the Word,
and in the sense of the letter
it means those to whom revelation is given,
and also - abstractedly from persons - revelation itself.
But in the internal sense
that word means one who teaches,
and also - abstractedly - doctrine itself.
And because, as has been stated,
the Lord is doctrine itself,
or the Word which teaches,
He is called 'a Prophet' . . .

Jehovah your God will raise up a Prophet like me
from the midst of you, from your brothers;
Him shall you obey.
(Deuteronomy 18:15, 18)

 

AC 2371 - Good; AC 2372 - Teaching

AC 2371 [2, 3, 5]

. . . no one can merit haven by any good,
nor be saved by it,
but only by the faith with which they acknowledge
the Lord's merit.

In such good are all the angels,
in such are all the regenerate,
and in such are those who perceive delight,
and even bliss,
in good itself,
that is, in the affection of it.

AC 2372

To teach truth is the same as to teach what is good,
because all truth looks to good.

 

~ His Goodness Is A Refuge ~

How great is Your goodness,
which You have stored up for those who fear You,
which You bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in You.
In the shelter of Your presence
You hide them from the intrigues of men;
in Your dwelling
You keep them safe from accusing tongues.

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.

(Psalm 31:19-20, 24)

** See and Behold! Prophecy 2 **

I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not nigh;
there shall arise a star out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise up out of Israel.
(Numbers 24:17)

AC 1675

Where "to see Him, but not now,"
to "behold Him, but not nigh,"
is the Lord's coming into the world;
whose Human Essence is called
"a star out of Jacob,"
which is to arise . . .."

~ The Lord - our Strength, our Savior ~

The Lord is the strength of His people,
a fortress of salvation for His anointed one.

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
bet their shepherd and carry them forever.

(Psalm 28:8-9)

** The First Prophecy of the Lord's Birth Earth and the Need **

AE 739 [5]

How the historical narratives
of the creation of heaven and earth
that are contained in the first chapters of Genesis
down to the story of the Flood,
are to be understood,
no one can know except from the spiritual sense
that is within every particular
of the sense of the letter of the Word.
For these historical narratives
of the creation of heaven and earth,
and of the garden in Eden,
and of the posterity of Adam even to the Flood,
are composed historicals;
and yet they are most holy,
because every particular idea
and every particular expression therein
are correspondences,
and so mean spiritual things.

Genesis 3:44-15:

And the LORD God said unto the serpent,
Because you have done this,
you are cursed above all cattle,
and above every beast of the field;
upon your belly shall you go,
and dust shall you eat all the days of your life:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed;
it shall bruise your head,
and you shalt bruise his heel.

By the "serpent" is here meant all evil in general,
and specifically the love of self;
by the "woman" is meant the church;
by the "seed of the serpent" all infidelity;
by the "seed of the woman" faith in the Lord;
by "He" the Lord Himself;
by the "head of the serpent"
the dominion of evil in general,
and specifically that of the love of self;
by to "trample upon" depression,
so that it should "go upon the belly and eat dust;"
and by the "heel"
the lowest natural (as the corporeal),
which the serpent should "bruise."

AE 739 [10-12]

As the sensual supposes
that wisdom is acquired
by means of knowledges from the world
and by natural knowledges,
and not by any influx out of heaven from the Lord,
therefore from such ignorance and fallacy
the serpent said to the woman,
"You shall not die;
for God does know that in the day you eat thereof
then your eyes shall be opened
and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil;"
for the sensual person believes
that he knows all things,
and that nothing is concealed from him;
but not so the celestial person,
who knows that he knows nothing from himself
but only from the Lord,
and that what he does know is so little
as to be scarcely anything
as compared with what he does not know.
In fact, their posterity believed themselves to be gods,
and that they knew all good and all evil;
but from evil
they were not capable of knowing heavenly good,
but only worldly and corporeal good,
and this in itself is not good;
yet from heavenly good
a person is able to know what is evil.

That the affection of the natural person
persuaded by its sensual
supposed that intelligence
in the things of heaven and the church
may be acquired through knowledge
from the world is meant by,
"the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to give intelligence;"
"woman" here meaning
the affection of the natural person,
which draws its desires from the sensual,
and that affection is such.
That that affection seduced also the rational
is meant by
"the woman took of the fruit of the tree and did eat,
and gave to her husband with her and he did eat,"
"the husband of the woman" meaning the rational.
That they then saw themselves
to be without truths and goods
is meant by
"then the eyes of them both were opened,
and they knew that they were naked;"
the "nakedness that is ashamed"
meaning the deprivation of heavenly love,
and so of good and truth.
That they then clothed themselves with natural truths,
that they might not appear
to be deprived of heavenly truths,
is signified by
"they sewed fig-leaves together
and made themselves girdles;"
the "fig-tree" meaning the natural person,
and "its leaf" true knowledge.

Afterwards what their sensual became,
namely, that it turned itself entirely away from heaven
and turned itself to the world,
and thus received nothing Divine,
is described by the curse of the serpent;
for the sensual with a person cannot be reformed,
consequently when a person is reformed
it is simply removed,
 since it clings to the body
and stands out before the world,
and thus enjoyments from it,
it calls goods,
as it feels them to be.
For this reason it is said that
"the seed of the woman shall crush its head,
and that it shall hurt His heel;"
"the seed of the woman" meaning the Lord;
"the head of the serpent" all evil;
and "the Lord's heel" Divine truth in ultimates
which with us is the sense of the letter of the Word;
this the sensual person,
or the sensual of a person,
perverts and falsifies and thus hurts.
That the sense of the letter is a guard
that the Lord be not approached
except through the appearances of truth,
and not through genuine truths,
by those who are in evils,
is meant by "the cherubim"
which with the flame of a sword turning itself
were placed at the garden of Eden
to guard the way of the tree of lives.

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These annual ** Christmas Quotes **
will run from today until January 6th
as part of our yearly celebration
of the Lord's birth on earth.