AE 714c [24]
Because he has set his love upon Me I will rescue him,
I will set him on high because he has known My name.
(Psalm 91:14)
. . . to lead away from falsities
and to lead to interior truths and goods
one who is in doctrine from the Word is signified by
"I will rescue him, I will set him on high, who hath known My name,"
"to rescue" meaning to lead away from falsities,
"to set on high" to lead to interior truths,
and "to know My name," to be in doctrine from the Word.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
AE 730d - natural, rational, spiritual, a church; AE 732 - the growth of the New Church
AE 730d [31]
Every person is born natural,
and lives naturally until he becomes rational;
and when he has become rational
he can be led by the Lord and become spiritual;
and this is effected by the implanting of the knowledges of truth from the Word,
and at the same time by the opening of the spiritual mind
which receives the things of heaven,
and by calling forth these knowledges
and elevating them out of the natural person
and conjoining them with the spiritual affection of truth.
This opening and conjunction is possible only through temptations,
because in temptations a person fights interiorly
against the falsities and evils that are in the natural person.
In a word, a person is introduced into the church
and becomes a church through temptations.
This was represented by the wandering
and leading about of the sons of Israel in the wilderness.
The state of the natural person before he is regenerated
was represented by their sojourning in the land of Egypt,
for "the land of Egypt" signified the natural person . . ..
But the spiritual state, which is the state of the church with a person,
was represented by the introduction of the sons of Israel
into the land of Canaan,
for "the land of Canaan" signified the church with its truths and goods,
together with its affections, and delights,
which reside in such a person;
while the reformation and regeneration of a person
before from being natural he becomes spiritual and thus a church,
was represented by their wanderings and journeyings
in the wilderness forty years.
AE 732 [2-3]
There are several reasons why this New Church
that is called the Holy Jerusalem
will first begin with a few,
afterwards to be with more,
and finally to reach fullness.
First, its doctrine,
which is the doctrine of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor,
cannot be acknowledged and thus received
except by those who are interiorly affected by truths,
and those only can be interiorly affected by truths
who have the ability to see them,
and those only see truths
who have cultivated their intellectual faculty,
and have not destroyed it in themselves by the loves of self and of the world.
A second reason is
that the doctrine of that church cannot be acknowledged
and consequently received
but by those who have not confirmed themselves by doctrine
and at the same time by life
in faith alone;
confirmation by doctrine alone does not prevent reception,
but confirmation by life also does prevent,
for such do not know what love to the Lord is,
nor what charity towards the neighbor is,
nor are they willing to know.
A third reason is
that the New Church on the earth grows
according to its increase in the world of spirits,
for spirits from that world are with people,
and they are from such as while they lived on earth
were in the faith of their church,
and none of these receive the doctrine
but those who have been in the spiritual affection of truth;
these only are conjoined to heaven where that doctrine is,
and they conjoin heaven to a person.
Every person is born natural,
and lives naturally until he becomes rational;
and when he has become rational
he can be led by the Lord and become spiritual;
and this is effected by the implanting of the knowledges of truth from the Word,
and at the same time by the opening of the spiritual mind
which receives the things of heaven,
and by calling forth these knowledges
and elevating them out of the natural person
and conjoining them with the spiritual affection of truth.
This opening and conjunction is possible only through temptations,
because in temptations a person fights interiorly
against the falsities and evils that are in the natural person.
In a word, a person is introduced into the church
and becomes a church through temptations.
This was represented by the wandering
and leading about of the sons of Israel in the wilderness.
The state of the natural person before he is regenerated
was represented by their sojourning in the land of Egypt,
for "the land of Egypt" signified the natural person . . ..
But the spiritual state, which is the state of the church with a person,
was represented by the introduction of the sons of Israel
into the land of Canaan,
for "the land of Canaan" signified the church with its truths and goods,
together with its affections, and delights,
which reside in such a person;
while the reformation and regeneration of a person
before from being natural he becomes spiritual and thus a church,
was represented by their wanderings and journeyings
in the wilderness forty years.
AE 732 [2-3]
There are several reasons why this New Church
that is called the Holy Jerusalem
will first begin with a few,
afterwards to be with more,
and finally to reach fullness.
First, its doctrine,
which is the doctrine of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor,
cannot be acknowledged and thus received
except by those who are interiorly affected by truths,
and those only can be interiorly affected by truths
who have the ability to see them,
and those only see truths
who have cultivated their intellectual faculty,
and have not destroyed it in themselves by the loves of self and of the world.
A second reason is
that the doctrine of that church cannot be acknowledged
and consequently received
but by those who have not confirmed themselves by doctrine
and at the same time by life
in faith alone;
confirmation by doctrine alone does not prevent reception,
but confirmation by life also does prevent,
for such do not know what love to the Lord is,
nor what charity towards the neighbor is,
nor are they willing to know.
A third reason is
that the New Church on the earth grows
according to its increase in the world of spirits,
for spirits from that world are with people,
and they are from such as while they lived on earth
were in the faith of their church,
and none of these receive the doctrine
but those who have been in the spiritual affection of truth;
these only are conjoined to heaven where that doctrine is,
and they conjoin heaven to a person.
Friday, February 25, 2011
AE 730a - with every person the Lord can . . .
AE 730a [2]
. . . the Lord does not flow immediately into a person's understanding
except so far as the will is in good.
With every person the Lord can enlighten the understanding,
and thus flow in with Divine truths,
since there is given to every person the ability to understand truth,
and this for the sake of his reformation;
nevertheless the Lord does not flow in,
because truths do not remain except so far as the will has been reformed.
Moreover, it is dangerous
to so enlighten the understanding in truths as to produce belief
except so far as the will acts as one with it;
since a person can then pervert, adulterate, and profane truths,
which is most hurtful.
. . . the Lord does not flow immediately into a person's understanding
except so far as the will is in good.
With every person the Lord can enlighten the understanding,
and thus flow in with Divine truths,
since there is given to every person the ability to understand truth,
and this for the sake of his reformation;
nevertheless the Lord does not flow in,
because truths do not remain except so far as the will has been reformed.
Moreover, it is dangerous
to so enlighten the understanding in truths as to produce belief
except so far as the will acts as one with it;
since a person can then pervert, adulterate, and profane truths,
which is most hurtful.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
AE 727b - "rod & staff"
AE 727b [14]
As "rod and staff" signify the power of Divine truth,
and thus Divine truth in respect to power,
so in the contrary sense "rod and staff"
also signify the power of infernal falsity,
and thence infernal falsity in respect to power.
Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked,
the rod of them that rule.
(Isaiah 14:5)
"To break the staff of the wicked"
signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and
"to break the rod of them that rule"
signifies to destroy the rule of falsity.
As "rod and staff" signify the power of Divine truth,
and thus Divine truth in respect to power,
so in the contrary sense "rod and staff"
also signify the power of infernal falsity,
and thence infernal falsity in respect to power.
Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked,
the rod of them that rule.
(Isaiah 14:5)
"To break the staff of the wicked"
signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and
"to break the rod of them that rule"
signifies to destroy the rule of falsity.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
AE 726 - the Lord's infinite power through Divine truth
AE 726 [4]
. . . spiritual auras and atmospheres
that are nearest to the Lord as a sun are the most pure;
but according to the degrees in which they are removed from Him
they are less and less pure.
Therefore there are three heavens,
the inmost heaven in a purer aura,
the middle heaven in an aura less pure,
and the lowest heaven in an aura still less pure.
These auras or atmospheres, which are spiritual,
because they have sprung from the Lord as a sun,
when made active in common exhibit heat,
but when modified in their least parts exhibit light.
That heat, which in its essence is love,
and that light, which in its essence is wisdom,
are called specifically Divine truth;
but together with the auras, which are also spiritual,
they are called the Divine proceeding.
Now from these the heavens were created, and also the worlds;
for all things that exist in the natural world
are produced from the spiritual world,
as effects from their effecting causes.
From this the creation of heaven and earth
by means of Divine truth proceed from the Lord as a sun,
which is above the angelic heavens,
can be seen as in a natural mirror.
It can also in some degree be comprehended
that the Lord has infinite power by means of the Divine proceeding,
which in general is called Divine truth.
This also is meant by these words in John:
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and God was the Word;
all things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made.
And the world was made by Him.
(John 1:1, 3, 10)
And in David:
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made.
(Psalm 33:6)
"The Word" signifies Divine truth.
. . . spiritual auras and atmospheres
that are nearest to the Lord as a sun are the most pure;
but according to the degrees in which they are removed from Him
they are less and less pure.
Therefore there are three heavens,
the inmost heaven in a purer aura,
the middle heaven in an aura less pure,
and the lowest heaven in an aura still less pure.
These auras or atmospheres, which are spiritual,
because they have sprung from the Lord as a sun,
when made active in common exhibit heat,
but when modified in their least parts exhibit light.
That heat, which in its essence is love,
and that light, which in its essence is wisdom,
are called specifically Divine truth;
but together with the auras, which are also spiritual,
they are called the Divine proceeding.
Now from these the heavens were created, and also the worlds;
for all things that exist in the natural world
are produced from the spiritual world,
as effects from their effecting causes.
From this the creation of heaven and earth
by means of Divine truth proceed from the Lord as a sun,
which is above the angelic heavens,
can be seen as in a natural mirror.
It can also in some degree be comprehended
that the Lord has infinite power by means of the Divine proceeding,
which in general is called Divine truth.
This also is meant by these words in John:
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and God was the Word;
all things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made.
And the world was made by Him.
(John 1:1, 3, 10)
And in David:
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made.
(Psalm 33:6)
"The Word" signifies Divine truth.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Lord Is God (Deuteronomy 4:32-40)
Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Ask now about the former days, long before your time,
from the day God created human beings on the earth;
ask from one end of the heavens to the other.
Has anything so great as this ever happened,
or has anything like it ever been heard of?
Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire,
as you have, and lived?
Has any god ever tried to take for himself
one nation out of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
or by great and awesome deeds,
like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt
before your very eyes?
Ask now about the former days, long before your time,
from the day God created human beings on the earth;
ask from one end of the heavens to the other.
Has anything so great as this ever happened,
or has anything like it ever been heard of?
Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire,
as you have, and lived?
Has any god ever tried to take for himself
one nation out of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
or by great and awesome deeds,
like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt
before your very eyes?
You were shown these things so that you might know
that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other.
From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you.
On earth he showed you his great fire,
and you heard his words from out of the fire.
Because he loved your ancestors
and chose their descendants after them,
he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength,
to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you
and to bring you into their land
to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
Acknowledge and take to heart this day
that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
There is no other.
Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today,
so that it may go well with you and your children after you
and that you may live long in the land
the LORD your God gives you for all time.
Monday, February 21, 2011
AE 724 - doctrine, life & regeneration
AE 724a
. . . every doctrine of he church is a doctrine of truth,
and that truth of doctrine becomes good
and comes to be of love and charity
when from doctrine it passes into life.
AE 724b [8]
... regeneration is the conjunction of goods with truths
and of truths with goods,
and it is the Lord who regenerates,
and the Word that teaches.
. . . every doctrine of he church is a doctrine of truth,
and that truth of doctrine becomes good
and comes to be of love and charity
when from doctrine it passes into life.
AE 724b [8]
... regeneration is the conjunction of goods with truths
and of truths with goods,
and it is the Lord who regenerates,
and the Word that teaches.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
AE 721c - "and she shall bring forth sons in pain"
AE 721c [26]
Jehovah God said to the woman,
In multiplying I will multiply your pain and your conception;
in pain you will bring forth sons;
and your obedience shall be to your man,
and he shall rule over you.
(Genesis 3:16)
This does not mean that women are to bring forth sons in pain,
but "the woman" means the church that from celestial has become natural;
"eating of the tree of knowledge" signifies this.
That the person of the church cannot easily be regenerated
by means of truths and a life according to them,
and that he must endure temptations
that truths may be implanted and conjoined to good,
is signified by "pain and conception shall be multiplied,"
and by "she shall bring forth sons in pain,"
"conception" signifying the reception of truth that is from good,
and "to bring forth sons" signifying to bring forth truths
from the marriage of truth and good.
Because the natural person is full of lusts
from the love of self and of the world,
and these can be removed only by means of truths,
therefore it is said
"your obedience shall be to your man, and he shall rule over you,"
"man" signifying here as elsewhere in the Word the truth of the church.
Jehovah God said to the woman,
In multiplying I will multiply your pain and your conception;
in pain you will bring forth sons;
and your obedience shall be to your man,
and he shall rule over you.
(Genesis 3:16)
This does not mean that women are to bring forth sons in pain,
but "the woman" means the church that from celestial has become natural;
"eating of the tree of knowledge" signifies this.
That the person of the church cannot easily be regenerated
by means of truths and a life according to them,
and that he must endure temptations
that truths may be implanted and conjoined to good,
is signified by "pain and conception shall be multiplied,"
and by "she shall bring forth sons in pain,"
"conception" signifying the reception of truth that is from good,
and "to bring forth sons" signifying to bring forth truths
from the marriage of truth and good.
Because the natural person is full of lusts
from the love of self and of the world,
and these can be removed only by means of truths,
therefore it is said
"your obedience shall be to your man, and he shall rule over you,"
"man" signifying here as elsewhere in the Word the truth of the church.
AE 721c - "and she shall bring forth sons in pain"
AE 721c [26]
Jehovah God said to the woman,
In multiplying I will multiply thy pain and thy conception;
in pain you will bring forth sons;
and your obedience shall be to your man,
and he shall rule over you.
(Genesis 3:16)
This does not mean that women are to bring forth sons in pain,
but "the woman" means the church that from celestial has become natural;
"eating of the tree of knowledge" signifies this.
That the people of the church cannot easily be regenerated
by means of truths and a life according to them,
and that he must endure temptations
that truths may be implanted and conjoined to good,
is signified by "pain and conception shall be multiplied,"
and by "she shall bring forth sons in pain,"
"conception" signifying the reception of truth that is from good,
and "to bring forth sons" signifying to bring forth truths
from the marriage of truth and good.
Because the natural person is full of lusts
from the love of self and of the world,
and these can be removed only by means of truths,
therefore it is said
"your obedience shall be to your man, and he shall rule over you,"
"man" signifying here as elsewhere in the Word the truth of the church.
Jehovah God said to the woman,
In multiplying I will multiply thy pain and thy conception;
in pain you will bring forth sons;
and your obedience shall be to your man,
and he shall rule over you.
(Genesis 3:16)
This does not mean that women are to bring forth sons in pain,
but "the woman" means the church that from celestial has become natural;
"eating of the tree of knowledge" signifies this.
That the people of the church cannot easily be regenerated
by means of truths and a life according to them,
and that he must endure temptations
that truths may be implanted and conjoined to good,
is signified by "pain and conception shall be multiplied,"
and by "she shall bring forth sons in pain,"
"conception" signifying the reception of truth that is from good,
and "to bring forth sons" signifying to bring forth truths
from the marriage of truth and good.
Because the natural person is full of lusts
from the love of self and of the world,
and these can be removed only by means of truths,
therefore it is said
"your obedience shall be to your man, and he shall rule over you,"
"man" signifying here as elsewhere in the Word the truth of the church.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
AE 717a - "precious stones" signify divine truths; AE 717d - the truths of the Word
AE 717a [2]
. . . "precious stones" signify Divine truths.
They mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order,
which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word,
because these are transparent, having in them a spiritual sense,
and in that sense there is the light of heaven,
which makes all things of the sense of the letter of the Word
to be translucently clear, and to be variegated also
according to the series of things in the spiritual sense
from which arise modifications of heavenly light,
that present such colors as appear in the heavens,
and so in precious stones of various kinds.
AE 717d [15,18]
. . . with the evil, the same as with the good,
the Word is still the Word
and its truths are truths in themselves;
and when the evil pervert and falsity the truths of the Word
it yet does not change their essence.
. . . the truths of the Word do not change their essence
when they are with the evil.
. . . "precious stones" signify Divine truths.
They mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order,
which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word,
because these are transparent, having in them a spiritual sense,
and in that sense there is the light of heaven,
which makes all things of the sense of the letter of the Word
to be translucently clear, and to be variegated also
according to the series of things in the spiritual sense
from which arise modifications of heavenly light,
that present such colors as appear in the heavens,
and so in precious stones of various kinds.
AE 717d [15,18]
. . . with the evil, the same as with the good,
the Word is still the Word
and its truths are truths in themselves;
and when the evil pervert and falsity the truths of the Word
it yet does not change their essence.
. . . the truths of the Word do not change their essence
when they are with the evil.
Friday, February 18, 2011
AE 715 - contrary sense
AE 715
. . . in the Word every word has also a contrary sense,
and what is contrary to what is holy is profane.
. . . in the Word every word has also a contrary sense,
and what is contrary to what is holy is profane.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
AE 714b - those in the spiritual affection of truth
AE 714b [10]
. . . all who are in the spiritual affection of truth,
that is, who love truth because it is truth
and because it is serviceable to eternal life
and to the life of the souls of people,
have intelligence from the Lord.
. . . all who are in the spiritual affection of truth,
that is, who love truth because it is truth
and because it is serviceable to eternal life
and to the life of the souls of people,
have intelligence from the Lord.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
AE 714a - spiritual or sensual?
AE 714a
And behold a great red dragon,
signifies all who are merely natural and sensual from the love of self,
and yet have more or less knowledge from the Word
from doctrine therefrom or from preaching,
and think to be saved by knowledge alone apart from life.
. . . all who live for the body and the world,
and not for God and heaven,
become merely natural and sensual . . .
. . . truths from the Word with a life according to them
are what make a person spiritual,
for life is willing truths
and doing them
from a love of them . . .
. . . to love truths
and from love to will them
and from that will
to do them
is from heaven,
that is, through heaven from the Lord,
and is in its nature celestial and Divine . . .
And behold a great red dragon,
signifies all who are merely natural and sensual from the love of self,
and yet have more or less knowledge from the Word
from doctrine therefrom or from preaching,
and think to be saved by knowledge alone apart from life.
. . . all who live for the body and the world,
and not for God and heaven,
become merely natural and sensual . . .
. . . truths from the Word with a life according to them
are what make a person spiritual,
for life is willing truths
and doing them
from a love of them . . .
. . . to love truths
and from love to will them
and from that will
to do them
is from heaven,
that is, through heaven from the Lord,
and is in its nature celestial and Divine . . .
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
AE 711 - the woman clothed with the Sun
AE 711
She cried out travailing and pained to bring forth,
signifies non-reception by those in the church
who are natural and sensual, and their resistance.
She cried out travailing and pained to bring forth,
signifies non-reception by those in the church
who are natural and sensual, and their resistance.
AE 710c - "the babe leaped in the womb"
AE 710c [31]
It is said of John the Baptist:
That he was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb;
and that the babe leaped in the womb at the salutation of Mary.
(Luke 1:15, 41, 44).
This signified that he was to represent the Lord in relation to the Word,
as Elijah did;
for in the Word, which is Divine truth,
there is everywhere the marriage of Divine good and Divine truth,
and Divine good united with Divine truth
is the Divine proceeding from the Lord,
which is called the Holy Spirit.
The leaping in the womb at the salutation of Mary
represented the joy arising from the love of the conjunction of good and truth,
thus the joy of celestial conjugial love,
which is in every particular of the Word.
It is said of John the Baptist:
That he was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb;
and that the babe leaped in the womb at the salutation of Mary.
(Luke 1:15, 41, 44).
This signified that he was to represent the Lord in relation to the Word,
as Elijah did;
for in the Word, which is Divine truth,
there is everywhere the marriage of Divine good and Divine truth,
and Divine good united with Divine truth
is the Divine proceeding from the Lord,
which is called the Holy Spirit.
The leaping in the womb at the salutation of Mary
represented the joy arising from the love of the conjunction of good and truth,
thus the joy of celestial conjugial love,
which is in every particular of the Word.
Monday, February 14, 2011
AE 710c - the circle of marriage
AE 710c [25, 26]
. . . there are marriages in the heavens even as on earth,
but in the heavens the marriages are of like with like;
for man is born to act from the understanding,
but woman from affection,
and the understanding with men is the understanding of truth and good,
and the affection with women is the affection of truth and good;
and as all understanding derives its life from affection,
therefore the two there are joined together,
as the affection which belongs to the will
is joined with the correspondent thought which belongs to the understanding.
. . . yet, in order that the understanding and affection may act as one,
they are so joined together in heaven that the correspondent affection,
which belongs to the woman,
is conjoined with the correspondent understanding
which belongs to the man;
and as a result, both by correspondence have a life that is full of love.
Now because two different affections
cannot correspond to one understanding,
therefore in heaven one man never has and never can have several wives.
"Therefore they are no more twain but one flesh"
signifies that thus the understanding of good and truth
and the affection of good and truth are not two but one,
in like manner as while will and understanding are two
they are nevertheless one;
and the like is true of truth and good and of faith and charity,
which indeed are two but yet one, that is,
when truth is of good and good is of truth,
so also when faith is of charity and charity is of faith;
and this also is the source of conjugial (marriage) love.
. . . there are marriages in the heavens even as on earth,
but in the heavens the marriages are of like with like;
for man is born to act from the understanding,
but woman from affection,
and the understanding with men is the understanding of truth and good,
and the affection with women is the affection of truth and good;
and as all understanding derives its life from affection,
therefore the two there are joined together,
as the affection which belongs to the will
is joined with the correspondent thought which belongs to the understanding.
. . . yet, in order that the understanding and affection may act as one,
they are so joined together in heaven that the correspondent affection,
which belongs to the woman,
is conjoined with the correspondent understanding
which belongs to the man;
and as a result, both by correspondence have a life that is full of love.
Now because two different affections
cannot correspond to one understanding,
therefore in heaven one man never has and never can have several wives.
"Therefore they are no more twain but one flesh"
signifies that thus the understanding of good and truth
and the affection of good and truth are not two but one,
in like manner as while will and understanding are two
they are nevertheless one;
and the like is true of truth and good and of faith and charity,
which indeed are two but yet one, that is,
when truth is of good and good is of truth,
so also when faith is of charity and charity is of faith;
and this also is the source of conjugial (marriage) love.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
AE 710a - "Blessed are they . . ."
AE 710a [9]
Jesus said, Yea, rather blessed are they
that hear the Word of God and keep it.
(Luke 11:28)
"Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it,"
which describes the regeneration
that is effected by truths from the Word and a life according to them;
"to hear the Word of God" signifies to learn truths from the Word,
and "to keep it" signifies to live according to those truths.
Jesus said, Yea, rather blessed are they
that hear the Word of God and keep it.
(Luke 11:28)
"Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it,"
which describes the regeneration
that is effected by truths from the Word and a life according to them;
"to hear the Word of God" signifies to learn truths from the Word,
and "to keep it" signifies to live according to those truths.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
AE 707 - the effects in loving the Lord
AE 707
. . . for love to the Lord
is to love and to will those things that are of the Lord,
consequently those things that the Lord has commanded in the Word,
and love towards the neighbor is to act from that will,
thus it consists in the performance of uses,
which are effects.
. . . for love to the Lord
is to love and to will those things that are of the Lord,
consequently those things that the Lord has commanded in the Word,
and love towards the neighbor is to act from that will,
thus it consists in the performance of uses,
which are effects.
Friday, February 11, 2011
AE 706 - signs and wonders
AE 706a
"Sign" and "wonder" are mentioned in many passages in the Word,
"sign" meaning that which indicates, witnesses,
and persuades respecting the subject of inquiry,
and "wonder" meaning that which stirs up, strikes dumb,
and fills with amazement;
thus a sign moves the understanding and faith,
but a wonder the will and its affection,
for the will and its affection are what are stirred up,
stricken dumb, and filled with amazement,
while the understanding and its faith
are what are persuaded and moved by indications and proofs.
[2] That there is a difference between a sign and a wonder
is evident from the fact that the Jews,
although they had seen so many wonders performed by the Lord,
still sought signs from Him;
and also from the fact
that the prodigies wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness
are sometimes called "signs" and sometimes "wonders,"
and sometimes both.
It is further evident from this,
that in every particular of the Word there is a marriage of truth and good,
and thus also of the understanding and will,
for truth is of the understanding and good of the will,
consequently "signs" there have reference to things
pertaining to truth, and to faith and the understanding,
and "wonders" to the things pertaining to good,
and to affection and the will.
"Sign" and "wonder" are mentioned in many passages in the Word,
"sign" meaning that which indicates, witnesses,
and persuades respecting the subject of inquiry,
and "wonder" meaning that which stirs up, strikes dumb,
and fills with amazement;
thus a sign moves the understanding and faith,
but a wonder the will and its affection,
for the will and its affection are what are stirred up,
stricken dumb, and filled with amazement,
while the understanding and its faith
are what are persuaded and moved by indications and proofs.
[2] That there is a difference between a sign and a wonder
is evident from the fact that the Jews,
although they had seen so many wonders performed by the Lord,
still sought signs from Him;
and also from the fact
that the prodigies wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness
are sometimes called "signs" and sometimes "wonders,"
and sometimes both.
It is further evident from this,
that in every particular of the Word there is a marriage of truth and good,
and thus also of the understanding and will,
for truth is of the understanding and good of the will,
consequently "signs" there have reference to things
pertaining to truth, and to faith and the understanding,
and "wonders" to the things pertaining to good,
and to affection and the will.
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