AC 1900 [1, 3]
A person's very life is from the internal man,
which cannot have communication with the external,
except a most obscure communication,
until the receiving vessels that are of the memory
have been formed,
which is effected by means of knowledges.
These are the genuine vessels
in the organic forms of each memory,
and to which the celestial things of love
and the spiritual things of faith can be fitted in;
for they are there arranged by the Lord
according to the idea and image of the societies of heaven,
or of His kingdom,
insomuch that the man becomes, in least form, a heaven,
or a kingdom of the Lord,
as also the minds of those
who are in the celestial things of love
and the spiritual things of faith
are called in the Word.
But these things have been said
for those who love to think more deeply.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Ezekiel Has Another Vision
In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day,
while I was sitting in my house
and the elders of Judah were sitting before me,
the hand of the Sovereign Lord came upon me there.
I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.
From what appeared to be his waist down
he was like fire
and from there up
his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.
He stretched out what looked like a hand
and took me by the hair of my head.
The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven
and in vision of God
He took me to Jerusalem,
to the entrance to the north gate of the inner court,
where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood.
And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel,
as in the vision I had seen in the plain.
(Ezekiel 8:1-5)
while I was sitting in my house
and the elders of Judah were sitting before me,
the hand of the Sovereign Lord came upon me there.
I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.
From what appeared to be his waist down
he was like fire
and from there up
his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.
He stretched out what looked like a hand
and took me by the hair of my head.
The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven
and in vision of God
He took me to Jerusalem,
to the entrance to the north gate of the inner court,
where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood.
And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel,
as in the vision I had seen in the plain.
(Ezekiel 8:1-5)
Saturday, April 29, 2017
AC 1893 - Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob
AC 1893
Sarai, Abram's wife, did not bear unto him.
(Genesis 16:1)
That this signifies that the rational man was not yet,
will be evident from what follows, where Isaac is treated of.
For, as has been said,
there are in every man an internal man,
a rational man that is intermediate,
and an external, which is properly called the natural man.
With the Lord these were represented by
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
the internal man by Abraham,
the rational by Isaac,
and the natural by Jacob.
The internal man in the Lord was Jehovah Himself,
for He was conceived of Jehovah;
on this account He so often called Him His "Father,"
and in the Word He is called
the "Only-begotten of God," and the only "Son of God."
The rational man is not born with man,
but only the capacity for becoming rational,
as all may see from the fact
that new-born infants are not endowed with any reason,
but become rational in process of time
by means of things of sense external and internal,
as they are imbued with knowledges.
In children indeed there is an appearance of rationality,
yet it is not rationality,
but is only a kind of rudiment of it,
which is known from the fact
that reason belongs to adults and men of years.
[2] The rational man in the Lord is treated of in this chapter.
The Divine Rational itself is represented by Isaac;
but the first rational before it was made Divine, by Ishmael;
and therefore that
"Sarai, Abram's wife, did not bear unto him"
here signifies that hitherto there was no Divine rational.
As before said, the Lord was born as are other men,
and as regards all that He drew from Mary the mother
He was like other men;
and as the rational is formed by means of knowledges,
which enter through things of the external senses,
or those of the external man,
therefore His first rational was born
as with any other man;
but as by His own power
He made Divine all the human things
that appertained to Him,
so did He also make the rational Divine.
His first rational is described in this chapter,
and also in chapter 21, where Hagar and Ishmael
are likewise treated of (from verses 9 to 21),
and it is said
that Ishmael was expelled when Isaac grew up,
by whom is represented the Divine rational.
Sarai, Abram's wife, did not bear unto him.
(Genesis 16:1)
That this signifies that the rational man was not yet,
will be evident from what follows, where Isaac is treated of.
For, as has been said,
there are in every man an internal man,
a rational man that is intermediate,
and an external, which is properly called the natural man.
With the Lord these were represented by
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
the internal man by Abraham,
the rational by Isaac,
and the natural by Jacob.
The internal man in the Lord was Jehovah Himself,
for He was conceived of Jehovah;
on this account He so often called Him His "Father,"
and in the Word He is called
the "Only-begotten of God," and the only "Son of God."
The rational man is not born with man,
but only the capacity for becoming rational,
as all may see from the fact
that new-born infants are not endowed with any reason,
but become rational in process of time
by means of things of sense external and internal,
as they are imbued with knowledges.
In children indeed there is an appearance of rationality,
yet it is not rationality,
but is only a kind of rudiment of it,
which is known from the fact
that reason belongs to adults and men of years.
[2] The rational man in the Lord is treated of in this chapter.
The Divine Rational itself is represented by Isaac;
but the first rational before it was made Divine, by Ishmael;
and therefore that
"Sarai, Abram's wife, did not bear unto him"
here signifies that hitherto there was no Divine rational.
As before said, the Lord was born as are other men,
and as regards all that He drew from Mary the mother
He was like other men;
and as the rational is formed by means of knowledges,
which enter through things of the external senses,
or those of the external man,
therefore His first rational was born
as with any other man;
but as by His own power
He made Divine all the human things
that appertained to Him,
so did He also make the rational Divine.
His first rational is described in this chapter,
and also in chapter 21, where Hagar and Ishmael
are likewise treated of (from verses 9 to 21),
and it is said
that Ishmael was expelled when Isaac grew up,
by whom is represented the Divine rational.
The Lord Calls Ezekiel
Then there came a voice
from above the expanse over their heads
as they stood with lowered wings.
Above the expanse over their heads
was what looked like a throne of sapphire,
and high above on the throne
was a figure like that of a Man.
I saw that from what appeared to be His waist up
He looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire,
and that from there down He looked like fire;
and brilliant light surrounded Him.
Like the appearance of a rainbow
in the clouds on a rainy day,
so was the radiance around Him.
This was the appearance of the likeness
of the glory of the Lord.
When I saw it,
I fell face-down,
and I heard the voice of one speaking.
He said to me,
"Son of man, stand up on your feet
and I will speak to you."
As He spoke,
the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet,
and I heard Him speaking to me.
He said: "Son of man,
I am sending you to the Israelites,
to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me;
they and their fathers have been in revolt against Me
to this very day.
The people to whom I am sending you
are obstinate and stubborn.
Say to them,
'This is what the Sovereign Lord says."
And whether they listen or fail to listen --
for they are a rebellious house --
they will know that a prophet has been among them."
(Ezekiel 1:25-28; 2:1-5)
from above the expanse over their heads
as they stood with lowered wings.
Above the expanse over their heads
was what looked like a throne of sapphire,
and high above on the throne
was a figure like that of a Man.
I saw that from what appeared to be His waist up
He looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire,
and that from there down He looked like fire;
and brilliant light surrounded Him.
Like the appearance of a rainbow
in the clouds on a rainy day,
so was the radiance around Him.
This was the appearance of the likeness
of the glory of the Lord.
When I saw it,
I fell face-down,
and I heard the voice of one speaking.
He said to me,
"Son of man, stand up on your feet
and I will speak to you."
As He spoke,
the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet,
and I heard Him speaking to me.
He said: "Son of man,
I am sending you to the Israelites,
to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me;
they and their fathers have been in revolt against Me
to this very day.
The people to whom I am sending you
are obstinate and stubborn.
Say to them,
'This is what the Sovereign Lord says."
And whether they listen or fail to listen --
for they are a rebellious house --
they will know that a prophet has been among them."
(Ezekiel 1:25-28; 2:1-5)
Friday, April 28, 2017
AC 1889 - Abram, Hagar, Ishmael
AC 1889
When the rational is spoken of, or the rational man,
some idea can be formed of it;
but when it is said
that the rational is the intermediate
between the internal and the external,
few if any comprehend it.
Yet as the subject here treated of in the internal sense
is the Lord's Rational Man,
and how it was conceived and born
by the influx of the internal man into the external,
and as it is these very matters
that are involved in the historical facts
stated concerning Abram, Hagar, and Ishmael,
therefore in order to prevent what we have to say
in the following explanation from being utterly unintelligible,
be it known that in every man
there is an internal man,
a rational man which is intermediate,
and an external man,
and that these are most distinct from one another.
When the rational is spoken of, or the rational man,
some idea can be formed of it;
but when it is said
that the rational is the intermediate
between the internal and the external,
few if any comprehend it.
Yet as the subject here treated of in the internal sense
is the Lord's Rational Man,
and how it was conceived and born
by the influx of the internal man into the external,
and as it is these very matters
that are involved in the historical facts
stated concerning Abram, Hagar, and Ishmael,
therefore in order to prevent what we have to say
in the following explanation from being utterly unintelligible,
be it known that in every man
there is an internal man,
a rational man which is intermediate,
and an external man,
and that these are most distinct from one another.
Wait Quietly
The Lord is good
to those whose hope is in Him,
to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
(Lamentations 3:25-26)
to those whose hope is in Him,
to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
(Lamentations 3:25-26)
Thursday, April 27, 2017
AC 1873 - What Is the Fruit of Faith?
AC 1873
. . . good works are the fruit of faith
in the external sense or that of the letter,
but that these good works have no life
unless they proceed from charity;
and that thus the fruit of faith
in the proximate interior sense is charity.
But as charity or love toward the neighbor
ought to proceed from love to the Lord,
this love is the fruit of faith in the internal sense;
and as all love is from the Lord,
it is the Lord Himself.
For thus in the good work is charity;
in charity is love to the Lord;
and in love to the Lord is the Lord Himself.
. . . good works are the fruit of faith
in the external sense or that of the letter,
but that these good works have no life
unless they proceed from charity;
and that thus the fruit of faith
in the proximate interior sense is charity.
But as charity or love toward the neighbor
ought to proceed from love to the Lord,
this love is the fruit of faith in the internal sense;
and as all love is from the Lord,
it is the Lord Himself.
For thus in the good work is charity;
in charity is love to the Lord;
and in love to the Lord is the Lord Himself.
He Made the Earth
He made the earth by His power;
He founded the world by His wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
When He thunders,
the waters in the heavens roar;
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from His storehouses.
(Jeremiah 51:15-16)
He founded the world by His wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
When He thunders,
the waters in the heavens roar;
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from His storehouses.
(Jeremiah 51:15-16)
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
AC 1860 - Darkness & Thick Darkness; AC 1861 - The Appearance of the Lord
AC 1860
In the Word "darkness" signifies falsities,
and "thick darkness" evils.
There is "darkness"
when falsity is in the place of truth;
and there is "thick darkness"
when evil is in the place of good,
or what is precisely the same,
when hatred is in the place of charity.
When hatred is in the place of charity,
the thick darkness is so great
that the man is quite unaware that it is evil,
still less that it is so great an evil
as in the other life
to thrust him down to hell,
for they who are in hatred perceive a kind of delight
and as it were a kind of life in it,
and this delight and life themselves
cause him scarcely to know but that it is good,
for whatever favors a man's pleasure and cupidity,
because it favors his love,
he feels as good,
and this to such a degree
that when he is told that it is infernal
he can scarcely believe it,
still less when he is told that such delight and life
are in the other life
turned the stench of excrement and cadavers.
And still less does he believe
that he is becoming a devil and a horrible image of hell;
for hell consists of nothing but hatreds
and such diabolical forms.
AC 1861 [15]
For Jehovah, or the Lord,
appears to everyone according to his quality --
to celestial angels as a Sun,
to spiritual angels as a Moon,
to all the good as a Light of varied delight and pleasantness,
but to the evil as a smoke and as a consuming fire.
In the Word "darkness" signifies falsities,
and "thick darkness" evils.
There is "darkness"
when falsity is in the place of truth;
and there is "thick darkness"
when evil is in the place of good,
or what is precisely the same,
when hatred is in the place of charity.
When hatred is in the place of charity,
the thick darkness is so great
that the man is quite unaware that it is evil,
still less that it is so great an evil
as in the other life
to thrust him down to hell,
for they who are in hatred perceive a kind of delight
and as it were a kind of life in it,
and this delight and life themselves
cause him scarcely to know but that it is good,
for whatever favors a man's pleasure and cupidity,
because it favors his love,
he feels as good,
and this to such a degree
that when he is told that it is infernal
he can scarcely believe it,
still less when he is told that such delight and life
are in the other life
turned the stench of excrement and cadavers.
And still less does he believe
that he is becoming a devil and a horrible image of hell;
for hell consists of nothing but hatreds
and such diabolical forms.
AC 1861 [15]
For Jehovah, or the Lord,
appears to everyone according to his quality --
to celestial angels as a Sun,
to spiritual angels as a Moon,
to all the good as a Light of varied delight and pleasantness,
but to the evil as a smoke and as a consuming fire.
Lost Sheep
"My people have been lost sheep;
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
Whoever found them
devoured them;
their enemies said, 'We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the Lord
their true pasture,
the Lord, the hope of their fathers.'"
(Jeremiah 50:6-7)
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
Whoever found them
devoured them;
their enemies said, 'We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the Lord
their true pasture,
the Lord, the hope of their fathers.'"
(Jeremiah 50:6-7)
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
AC 1857 - Every Evil
AC 1857 [2-3]
Every evil has its limit
that varies in each individual case,
beyond which it is not allowable to pass.
When an evil person passes beyond this limit
he precipitates himself into the penalty,
and this is so in every particular.
It is the same in general,
the wicked thrust themselves down into hell,
not in a moment, but successively.
This has its origin in the universal law of order
established by the Lord,
that the Lord never casts anyone down into hell;
but that evil casts itself down,
or that the evil person casts himself down,
and this successively,
until the evil has been consummated,
and nothing of good any longer appears.
So long as there is any good,
he is uplifted above hell;
but when there is nothing but evil,
of himself
he is thrust down into it.
Good and evil must first be separated from each other,
for they are opposites;
and no one is allowed to incline both ways.
This is what is signified
by the iniquity of the Amorites having to be consummated.
But with the good the case is otherwise;
they are continually uplifted by the Lord toward heaven,
and their evil is successively wiped away.
Every evil has its limit
that varies in each individual case,
beyond which it is not allowable to pass.
When an evil person passes beyond this limit
he precipitates himself into the penalty,
and this is so in every particular.
It is the same in general,
the wicked thrust themselves down into hell,
not in a moment, but successively.
This has its origin in the universal law of order
established by the Lord,
that the Lord never casts anyone down into hell;
but that evil casts itself down,
or that the evil person casts himself down,
and this successively,
until the evil has been consummated,
and nothing of good any longer appears.
So long as there is any good,
he is uplifted above hell;
but when there is nothing but evil,
of himself
he is thrust down into it.
Good and evil must first be separated from each other,
for they are opposites;
and no one is allowed to incline both ways.
This is what is signified
by the iniquity of the Amorites having to be consummated.
But with the good the case is otherwise;
they are continually uplifted by the Lord toward heaven,
and their evil is successively wiped away.
Monday, April 24, 2017
AC 1844 - The Church Is With Those
AC 1844
At this day men speak of the church as existing
from the mere doctrinals of faith,
and thereby distinguish the churches of the Lord,
not caring what life men live --
whether they cherish inward hatreds,
and tear one another like wild beasts,
rob one another,
and deprive others of reputation, honor, and wealth,
and at heart deny whatever is holy.
And yet with such there is no church at all;
but the church is with those who love the Lord,
and who love the neighbor as themselves,
who have conscience,
and are averse to such hatreds as have been mentioned.
At this day men speak of the church as existing
from the mere doctrinals of faith,
and thereby distinguish the churches of the Lord,
not caring what life men live --
whether they cherish inward hatreds,
and tear one another like wild beasts,
rob one another,
and deprive others of reputation, honor, and wealth,
and at heart deny whatever is holy.
And yet with such there is no church at all;
but the church is with those who love the Lord,
and who love the neighbor as themselves,
who have conscience,
and are averse to such hatreds as have been mentioned.
Jeremiah Released from Prison
The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord
after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard
had released him at Ramah.
He had found Jeremiah bound in chains
among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah
who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah,
he said to him,
"The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place.
And now the Lord has brought it about;
He has done just as He said He would.
All this happened because you people
sinned against the Lord
and did not obey Him.
But today I am freeing you
from the chains on your wrists.
Come with me to Babylon, if you like,
and I will look after you;
but if you do not want to,
then don't go with me.
Look, the whole country is before you;
go wherever you please."
However, before Jeremiah turned to go,
Nebuzaradan added,
"Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam,
the son of Shaphan,
whom the king of Babylon
has appointed over the towns of Judah,
and live with him among the people,
or go anywhere else you please."
Then the commander gave him provisions and a present
and let him go.
So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah
and stayed with him among the people
who were left behind in the land.
(Jeremiah 10:1-6)
after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard
had released him at Ramah.
He had found Jeremiah bound in chains
among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah
who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah,
he said to him,
"The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place.
And now the Lord has brought it about;
He has done just as He said He would.
All this happened because you people
sinned against the Lord
and did not obey Him.
But today I am freeing you
from the chains on your wrists.
Come with me to Babylon, if you like,
and I will look after you;
but if you do not want to,
then don't go with me.
Look, the whole country is before you;
go wherever you please."
However, before Jeremiah turned to go,
Nebuzaradan added,
"Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam,
the son of Shaphan,
whom the king of Babylon
has appointed over the towns of Judah,
and live with him among the people,
or go anywhere else you please."
Then the commander gave him provisions and a present
and let him go.
So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah
and stayed with him among the people
who were left behind in the land.
(Jeremiah 10:1-6)
Sunday, April 23, 2017
AC 1831, 1832 - Celestial Things, Spiritual Things
AC 1831
Celestial things, as has often been said,
are all that pertain to love to the Lord
and to love toward the neighbor.
It is the Lord who gives love and charity;
it is the church that receives.
What unites is conscience,
in which the love and charity are implanted;
and therefore the middle space between the parts
signifies that in person which is called
perception, internal dictate, and conscience.
The things which are above
the perception, dictate, and conscience, are the Lord's;
those which are below, are in man.
Because they thereby mutually regard each other,
there is said to be a parallelism;
and because they correspond to each other,
as the active and the passive,
there is said to be correspondence.
AC 1832 [1,2]
By spiritual things are signified, as often said before,
all the things of faith, consequently all doctrinal things,
for these are called things of faith,
although they are not of faith
until they have been conjoined with charity.
Between these and the Lord
there is not a parallelism and correspondence,
for they are such things as do not flow in
by internal dictate and conscience,
as do those which are of love and charity,
but they flow in by instruction,
and so by hearing,
thus not from the interior,
but from the exterior,
and in this way they form
their vessels or recipients in man.
The greater part of them appear as if they were truths,
but are not truths,
such as those things
which are of the literal sense of the Word,
and are representatives of truth and significatives of truth,
and thus are not in themselves truths;
some of them even being falsities,
which however can serve as vessels and recipients.
But in the Lord there
are none but truths that are essentially such;
and therefore with these
there is no parallelism and correspondence
on the part of those apparent truths,
but still they may be so adapted
as to serve as vessels for the celestial things
which are of love and charity.
These apparent truths are what constitute
the cloud of the intellectual part,
before spoken of,
into which the Lord insinuates charity,
and so makes conscience.
Celestial things, as has often been said,
are all that pertain to love to the Lord
and to love toward the neighbor.
It is the Lord who gives love and charity;
it is the church that receives.
What unites is conscience,
in which the love and charity are implanted;
and therefore the middle space between the parts
signifies that in person which is called
perception, internal dictate, and conscience.
The things which are above
the perception, dictate, and conscience, are the Lord's;
those which are below, are in man.
Because they thereby mutually regard each other,
there is said to be a parallelism;
and because they correspond to each other,
as the active and the passive,
there is said to be correspondence.
AC 1832 [1,2]
By spiritual things are signified, as often said before,
all the things of faith, consequently all doctrinal things,
for these are called things of faith,
although they are not of faith
until they have been conjoined with charity.
Between these and the Lord
there is not a parallelism and correspondence,
for they are such things as do not flow in
by internal dictate and conscience,
as do those which are of love and charity,
but they flow in by instruction,
and so by hearing,
thus not from the interior,
but from the exterior,
and in this way they form
their vessels or recipients in man.
The greater part of them appear as if they were truths,
but are not truths,
such as those things
which are of the literal sense of the Word,
and are representatives of truth and significatives of truth,
and thus are not in themselves truths;
some of them even being falsities,
which however can serve as vessels and recipients.
But in the Lord there
are none but truths that are essentially such;
and therefore with these
there is no parallelism and correspondence
on the part of those apparent truths,
but still they may be so adapted
as to serve as vessels for the celestial things
which are of love and charity.
These apparent truths are what constitute
the cloud of the intellectual part,
before spoken of,
into which the Lord insinuates charity,
and so makes conscience.
The Word of the Lord Comes to Jeremiah Again
While Jeremiah was still confined
in the courtyard of the guard,
the word of the Lord came to him a second time.
"This is what the Lord says,
He who made the earth,
the Lord who formed it and established it --
the Lord is His name.
'Call to me
and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable things
you do not know.'"
(Jeremiah 33:1-3)
in the courtyard of the guard,
the word of the Lord came to him a second time.
"This is what the Lord says,
He who made the earth,
the Lord who formed it and established it --
the Lord is His name.
'Call to me
and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable things
you do not know.'"
(Jeremiah 33:1-3)
Saturday, April 22, 2017
AC 1812 - The Lord's Combats; AC 1820 - Our Temptations
AC 1812 [1,2]
He believed in Jehovah.
(Genesis 15:6)
That this signifies the Lord's faith at that time . . .
which is that while He lived in the world
the Lord was in continual combats of temptations,
and in continual victories,
from a constant inmost confidence and faith
that because He was fighting
for the salvation of the whole human race from pure love,
He could not but conquer;
. . . But in all His combats of temptations
the Lord never fought from the love of self,
or for Himself,
but for all in the universe, consequently,
not that He might become the greatest in heaven,
for this is contrary to the Divine Love,
and scarcely even that He might be the least;
but only that all others might become something,
and be saved.
AC 1820 [1-2]
He who is in temptation
is in doubt concerning the end in view.
The end in view is the love,
against which the evil spirits and evil genii fight,
and thereby put the end in doubt;
and the greater the love is,
the more do they put it in doubt.
If the end which is loved were not put in doubt,
and indeed in despair,
there would be no temptation.
Assurance respecting the result
precedes the victory, and belongs to the victory.
As few know how the case is with temptations,
it may here be briefly explained.
Evil spirits never fight against other things
than those which the person loves;
the more ardently he loves them,
the more fiercely do they wage the combat.
It is evil genii who fight against the things
that pertain to the affection of good,
and evil spirits that fight
against those which pertain to the affection of truth.
As soon as they notice
even the smallest thing which a man loves,
or perceive as it were by scent
what is delightful and dear to him,
they forthwith assault it and endeavor to destroy it,
and thereby the whole person,
for a person's life consists in his loves.
Nothing is more delightful to them
than to destroy a man in this way,
nor would they desist, even to eternity,
unless they were driven away by the Lord.
He believed in Jehovah.
(Genesis 15:6)
That this signifies the Lord's faith at that time . . .
which is that while He lived in the world
the Lord was in continual combats of temptations,
and in continual victories,
from a constant inmost confidence and faith
that because He was fighting
for the salvation of the whole human race from pure love,
He could not but conquer;
. . . But in all His combats of temptations
the Lord never fought from the love of self,
or for Himself,
but for all in the universe, consequently,
not that He might become the greatest in heaven,
for this is contrary to the Divine Love,
and scarcely even that He might be the least;
but only that all others might become something,
and be saved.
AC 1820 [1-2]
He who is in temptation
is in doubt concerning the end in view.
The end in view is the love,
against which the evil spirits and evil genii fight,
and thereby put the end in doubt;
and the greater the love is,
the more do they put it in doubt.
If the end which is loved were not put in doubt,
and indeed in despair,
there would be no temptation.
Assurance respecting the result
precedes the victory, and belongs to the victory.
As few know how the case is with temptations,
it may here be briefly explained.
Evil spirits never fight against other things
than those which the person loves;
the more ardently he loves them,
the more fiercely do they wage the combat.
It is evil genii who fight against the things
that pertain to the affection of good,
and evil spirits that fight
against those which pertain to the affection of truth.
As soon as they notice
even the smallest thing which a man loves,
or perceive as it were by scent
what is delightful and dear to him,
they forthwith assault it and endeavor to destroy it,
and thereby the whole person,
for a person's life consists in his loves.
Nothing is more delightful to them
than to destroy a man in this way,
nor would they desist, even to eternity,
unless they were driven away by the Lord.
Stop Being Sad
This is what the Lord says:
"Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,"
declares the Lord.
(Jeremiah 31:16)
"Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,"
declares the Lord.
(Jeremiah 31:16)
Friday, April 21, 2017
AC 1807 - Look Toward Heaven
AC 1807
And said, Look now toward heaven.
(Genesis 15:5)
That this signifies a representation of the Lord's kingdom
in a mental view of the universe,
may be seen from the signification of "heaven."
"Heaven" in the Word, in the internal sense,
does not signify the heavens which appear to the eyes;
but the Lord's kingdom, universally and particularly.
When a person
who is looking at internal things from external
sees the heavens,
he does not think at all of the starry heaven,
but of the angelic heaven;
and when he sees the sun,
he does not think of the sun,
but of the Lord, as being the Sun of heaven.
So too when he sees the moon, and the stars also;
and when he sees the immensity of the heavens,
he does not think of their immensity,
but of the immeasurable and infinite power of the Lord.
It is the same when he sees all other things,
for there is nothing that is not representative.
[2] In like manner as regards the things on the earth;
as when he beholds the dawning of the day
he does not think of the dawn,
but of the arising of all things from the Lord,
and of progression into the day of wisdom.
So when he sees gardens, groves, and flower-beds,
his eye remains not fixed on any tree,
its blossom, leaf, and fruit;
but on the heavenly things which these represent;
nor on any flower, and its beauty and pleasantness;
but on what they represent in the other life.
For there is nothing beautiful and delightful
in the skies or on the earth,
which is not in some way
representative of the Lord's kingdom.
This is the "looking toward heaven"
which signifies a representation of the Lord's kingdom
in a mental view of the universe.
[3] The reason why
all things in the sky and on earth are representative,
is that they have come forth and do continually come forth,
that is, subsist, from the influx of the Lord through heaven.
It is with these things as it is with the human body,
which comes forth and subsists by means of the soul;
on which account all things in the body
both in general and in particular
are representative of the soul.
The soul is in the use and the end;
but the body is in the performance of them.
All effects, whatever they may be,
are in like manner representatives
of the uses which are the causes;
and the uses are representative of the ends
which belong to the first principles.
[4] Those who are in Divine ideas
never come to a stand in the objects of the external sight;
but from them and in them constantly see internal things.
The veriest internal things themselves
are those which are of the Lord's kingdom,
thus those which are in the veriest end itself.
It is the same with the Word of the Lord;
he who is in Divine things
never regards the Lord's Word from the letter;
but regards the letter and the literal sense
as being representative and significative
of the celestial and spiritual things
of the church and of the Lord's kingdom.
To him the literal sense
is merely an instrumental means for thinking of these.
Such was the Lord's sight.
And said, Look now toward heaven.
(Genesis 15:5)
That this signifies a representation of the Lord's kingdom
in a mental view of the universe,
may be seen from the signification of "heaven."
"Heaven" in the Word, in the internal sense,
does not signify the heavens which appear to the eyes;
but the Lord's kingdom, universally and particularly.
When a person
who is looking at internal things from external
sees the heavens,
he does not think at all of the starry heaven,
but of the angelic heaven;
and when he sees the sun,
he does not think of the sun,
but of the Lord, as being the Sun of heaven.
So too when he sees the moon, and the stars also;
and when he sees the immensity of the heavens,
he does not think of their immensity,
but of the immeasurable and infinite power of the Lord.
It is the same when he sees all other things,
for there is nothing that is not representative.
[2] In like manner as regards the things on the earth;
as when he beholds the dawning of the day
he does not think of the dawn,
but of the arising of all things from the Lord,
and of progression into the day of wisdom.
So when he sees gardens, groves, and flower-beds,
his eye remains not fixed on any tree,
its blossom, leaf, and fruit;
but on the heavenly things which these represent;
nor on any flower, and its beauty and pleasantness;
but on what they represent in the other life.
For there is nothing beautiful and delightful
in the skies or on the earth,
which is not in some way
representative of the Lord's kingdom.
This is the "looking toward heaven"
which signifies a representation of the Lord's kingdom
in a mental view of the universe.
[3] The reason why
all things in the sky and on earth are representative,
is that they have come forth and do continually come forth,
that is, subsist, from the influx of the Lord through heaven.
It is with these things as it is with the human body,
which comes forth and subsists by means of the soul;
on which account all things in the body
both in general and in particular
are representative of the soul.
The soul is in the use and the end;
but the body is in the performance of them.
All effects, whatever they may be,
are in like manner representatives
of the uses which are the causes;
and the uses are representative of the ends
which belong to the first principles.
[4] Those who are in Divine ideas
never come to a stand in the objects of the external sight;
but from them and in them constantly see internal things.
The veriest internal things themselves
are those which are of the Lord's kingdom,
thus those which are in the veriest end itself.
It is the same with the Word of the Lord;
he who is in Divine things
never regards the Lord's Word from the letter;
but regards the letter and the literal sense
as being representative and significative
of the celestial and spiritual things
of the church and of the Lord's kingdom.
To him the literal sense
is merely an instrumental means for thinking of these.
Such was the Lord's sight.
This Is What the Lord Says
Early in the reign of Jehoiakim
son of Josiah king of Judah,
this word came from the Lord:
"This is what the Lord says:
Stand in the courtyard of the Lord's house
and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the Lord.
Tell them everything I command you;
do not omit a word.
Perhaps they will listen
and each will turn from his evil way."
(Jeremiah 26:1-3)
son of Josiah king of Judah,
this word came from the Lord:
"This is what the Lord says:
Stand in the courtyard of the Lord's house
and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the Lord.
Tell them everything I command you;
do not omit a word.
Perhaps they will listen
and each will turn from his evil way."
(Jeremiah 26:1-3)
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