** The Lord Is Good and Faithful **

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
He has compassion on all He has made.
All you have made will praise You, O Lord;
Your saints will extol You.
They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom
and speak of Your might,
so that all men may know of Your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is faithful to all His promises
and loving toward all He has made.
The Lord upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down,
The eyes of all look to You,
and You give them their food at the proper time.
You open Your hand and satisfy the desires
of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways
and loving toward all He has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise His holy name
for ever and ever.

(Psalm 145:3-21)
 

Advent Reading - December 31

AC 10261 [11]

That the "Mount of Olives"
meant Divine celestial good,
is evident in Zechariah, where it is said:

The feet of Jehovah shall stand
upon the Mount of Olives
which is before the faces of Jerusalem,
and He shall there fight against the nations;
and this mountain shall cleave asunder,
part toward the east,
and toward the sea,
with a great valley;
and part of the mountain shall withdraw
toward the north,
and part toward the south.
(Zechariah 14:4)

There is here described
the state of heaven and the church
when the Lord was in the world,
and fought against the hells and overcame them,
and at the same time
brought back the heavens into order;
the "nations" there against which He fought
denote evils from the hells;
the "Mount of Olives" upon which His feet stood,
denotes the Divine good of the Divine love,
for from this He fought and conquered;
the "cleaving asunder of the mountain
toward the east and toward the sea,
with a great valley,"
means the separation of heaven and hell;
as also does
its "withdrawal toward the north and the south;"
for those are said to be "in the south"
who are in the light of truth;
"in the east," those who are in the love of good;
but "toward the sea," those who are in evils;
and "to the north," those who are in falsities.

AC 10508 - Divine Truth Will Lead

AC 10508

Behold My angel will go before you.
(Exodus 32:34)

That this means that nevertheless Divine truth will lead,
is evident from the meaning of “the angel of Jehovah,”
as being in the supreme sense
the Lord as to the Divine Human,
and in the relative sense
the Divine which is of the Lord
with the angels in the heavens;
and that consequently it signifies Divine truth.
And from the meaning of “going before you,”
as being to lead.

Advent Reading - December 30

AC 4592 [3]

All people whatever are born natural,
with the power of becoming either celestial or spiritual;
but the Lord alone was born spiritual celestial,
and for this reason He was born at Bethlehem,
where is the boundary of the land of Benjamin,
for by “Bethlehem” is meant
the spiritual of the celestial,
and by Benjamin is represented
the spiritual of the celestial.
The reason why the Lord alone
was born spiritual celestial
is that the Divine was in Him.

 

Advent Reading - December 29

The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures:
He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul:
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
(Psalm 23)

The Inner Meaning of Prophets and Psalms  no. 273

Internal Meaning of Psalm 23:

Concerning the Lord:

He teaches and leads to the truths and goods
of heaven and the church; (verses 1-3)

consequently there will be no fear of the hells,
for He guards, and imparts
good and truth in abundance, (verses 4-5)

in heaven with the Lord to eternity (verse 6)

AC 294

Those are called “sheep”
who are endowed with the good of charity,
that is, with spiritual and natural good,
and consequently the Lord is called
the “Shepherd of the sheep”
and those who are endowed with charity
are called His “sheep” as everybody knows.

 

AC 10495 - His Blessing

AC 10495

That He may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
(Exodus 32:29)

That this means the reception of Divine truth
from the Word and thereby conjunction with the Lord,
is evident from the meaning of “a blessing”
as being in general
that which is given to a person by the Lord;
and as everything the Lord gives bears relation
to the good of love and the truth of faith,
this and everything from this
is what is meant by “blessing;”
here therefore
the reception of Divine truth from the Word
and thereby conjunction with the Lord.

Advent Reading - December 28

AR 809 [2] 

That to praise God means, symbolically,
to worship Him,
and therefore that praise of Him is worship of Him,
is clear from many passages in the Word,
of which we will cite just a few:

Suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will toward men."
(Luke 2:13-4)

And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all the things that they had heard and seen,
as it was told unto them.
(Luke 2:20)

 

AC 10484, 1048 - Come Unto Me

AC 10484

And said, Who is for Jehovah? Come unto me.
(Exodus 32:26)

That this means those
who are in external things from what is internal,
is evident from the representation of Moses,
as being the internal.
And whereas the internal of a person is in heaven,
and his external is in the world;
and heaven enters with person
through the internal into the external,
it is evident that by “those who are for Jehovah”
are meant those
who are in external things from what is internal.
When it is said that heaven enters,
the meaning is that the Lord enters,
because the Divine of the Lord makes heaven.

AC 10488

Indeed truth without good is not truth,
for it is only memory-knowledge devoid of life;
consequently truth without good has no power.
By truth from good is meant a life according to truth,
for good is of the life.

Advent Reading - December 27

AC 2921 [6]

That the Lord was Jehovah
is also meant by the angel's words to the shepherds,

To you is born this day a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:11)

'Christ' is used instead
of 'Messiah', 'Anointed One', and 'King',
'the Lord, instead of 'Jehovah' -
'Christ' having regard to truth,
'the Lord' to good.
Anyone who does not examine the Word carefully
cannot know this,
for he believes that our Savior was called Lord
because this was an everyday expression
that was used to offer respect to Him, as to others,
when in reality He was so called
by virtue of His being Jehovah.

 

AC 10468 , 10471 - The External and Internal of the Word

AC 10468

The reason why 'Moses' here represents the internal
is that he is talking to Aaron,
who represents the external.
Here it makes no difference whether you say
the internal and the external sides of the Word
or simply the internal and the external.
For the Word is Divine Truth,
the source of perception that a person has . . ..
It should be remembered
that all perception regarding what is external
comes from what is internal.
For things present on an external level
are visible from an internal level;
but they are not visible
from the external level on which they are present,
and those present on the internal level
are even less visible from there.
This explains why those whose interest lies
in external things and not in what is internal
do not acknowledge internal things,
because they do not discern and see them
with their bodily senses,
and also why some deny the existence of those things,
and everything heavenly and Divine along with them.

AC 10471

Moses is here called “my lord” by Aaron,  (Exodus 32:22)
because relatively the internal is a lord,
and the external is a servant;
for the internal with a person is in heaven,
and consequently when it is open it is the person’s heaven;
while the external with him is in the world, thus is his world;
and the world was made to serve heaven
as a servant his lord.
It is similar with the external of worship,
and likewise with the external of the church,
and also of the Word,
relatively to their internal.   

Advent Reading - December 26

AR 255 [3] - Manger

The manger in the stable . . .
means spiritual instruction for the understanding;
this is the meaning of a manger,
and the same is meant by the manger
in which the Lord lay when an infant,
because a horse, which eats therefrom,
means the understanding of the Word.

Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 40 - Swaddling Cloths

The truths of the sense of the Letter of the Word are,
in some cases, not naked truths,
but appearances of truth, being, as it were,
similitudes and comparisons
taken from such things as are in nature,
accommodated and adequate to the apprehension
of simple people and children;
but because they are correspondences,
they are the receptacles and abodes of genuine truth.
They are like vessels which enclose and contain,
as a crystal cup holds noble wine,
or a silver dish nourishing food.
They are like garments which serve as clothing, 
like swaddling clothes for an infant,
and comely robes for a maiden.
They are also like the knowledge of the natural person,
which comprises the perceptions and affections of truth
of the spiritual person.
The truths themselves unveiled,
which are included, contained, clothed and comprised,
are in the spiritual sense of the Word,
and goods unveiled are in its celestial sense.  

Advent Reading - December 25

And it came to pass in those days,
that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, 
out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, 
which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David.)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, 
being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there,
the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, 
and laid Him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country 
shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,
"Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you;
You shall find the Babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, 
good will toward men."

And it came to pass,
as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another,
Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found
Mary, and Joseph,
and the Babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it,
they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things
which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
(Luke 2:1-20)

AC 10452 - The Lord, His Word

AC 10452 [2-3]

As the conjunction of the Lord with the human race
by means of the Word is spoken of here,
or that of heaven with the world,
it must be told how the case is with regard to this.
Those who do not know the nature of the Word,
cannot possibly believe
that by means of it
there is a conjunction of the Lord with the human race,
and of heaven with the world;
and still less those who despise the Word,
or make no account of it.
But let them know
that the heavens subsist by means of Divine truth,
and that without it there would be no heavens,
and that the human race subsists
by means of heaven;
for unless heaven flowed in with a person,
the person would not be able to think at all,
thus not to will anything rationally.
In order therefore that heaven may subsist,
and the human race by conjunction with it,
the Word has been provided by the Lord,
wherein is Divine truth for angels and for people,
the Word in its spiritual and celestial sense
being of such a nature as to contain within it
angelic wisdom itself
in so surpassing a degree
that it is scarcely possible for a person to form
any conception of its excellence,
although in the letter
it appears very simple and unpolished.

From this it is evident
that heaven is in its wisdom from the Word
when it is being read by a person,
and then at the same time
the person is in conjunction with heaven.
To this end has such a Word been given to people.

** Give Thanks, Sing, and Glory in His Holy Name **

Give thanks to the Lord,
call on His name;
make known among the nations
what He has done.
Sing to Him,
sing praise to Him;
tell of all His wonderful acts.
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and His strength;
seek His face always.

He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.

(Psalm 105:1-4, 7)

Advent Reading - December 24

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him;
and without Him 
was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life;
and the life was the Light of men.

And the light shines in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, 
to bear witness of the Light,
that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light,
but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light,
which lights every man that comes into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world was made by Him,
and the world knew Him not.

He came unto His own,
and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name:

Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.
And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the one only of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.
(John 1:1-14)

AC 5057

. . . all Divine truth in general is called the “Word,”
and the Lord Himself,
from whom comes all Divine truth,
is in the supreme sense the “Word”.

AC 3195 [3]

As regards the very origin of light,
this has been from eternity from the Lord alone;
for Divine good itself and Divine truth,
from which light comes,
is the Lord.
The Divine Human, which was from eternity,
was this light itself.
And whereas this light could no longer
affect the human race,
which had removed itself so far from good and truth,
thus from light,
and had cast itself into darkness,
therefore the Lord willed to put on by birth
the human itself;
for in this way He could illumine
not only the rational
but also the natural things of a person;
for He made both the rational and the natural
in Himself Divine,
in order that He might also be a light
to those who were in such gross darkness.

 

AC 10449 - The Word Was Let Down from Heaven

 AC 10449

And Moses looked back,
and came down from the mountain,
and the two tables of the Testimony were in his hand;
the tables were written on the two crossings,
hereupon and hereupon were they written.
And the tables were the work of God,
and the writing was the writing of God,
graven upon the tables.
(Exodus 32:15-16)

“And Moses looked back
and came down from the mountain,”
means the Word let down from heaven;
“and the two tables of the Testimony were in his hand,”
means the Word of the Lord in special and in general;
“the tables were written on the two crossings,
hereupon and hereupon were they written,”
means by which there is
the conjunction of the Lord with the human race,
or of heaven with the world;
“and the tables were the work of God,
and the writing was the writing of God,
graven upon the tables,”
means that the external and the internal
sense of the Word were from the Divine,
and are Divine truth . . ..

Advent Reading - December 23

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:
His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man
and did not want to expose her to public disgrace,
he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a Son,
and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because He will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel" -
which means, "God with us."

When Joseph woke up,
he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took Mary home as his wife.
But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son.
And he gave him the name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:18-25)  

AC 10436 - Worship and the Church

AC 10436 [2, 3]

Be it known that the church is not the church
from external worship,
but from internal worship;
for external worship is of the body,
but internal worship is of the soul.
Consequently external worship without internal
is of the outward act only,
thus is worship without life from the Divine.
Through the interior things of worship
the person of the church
communicates with the heavens,
to which the external serves as a plane
upon which the interior things may subsist,
as a house upon its foundations;
and when it so subsists it is complete and firm,
and the whole person is directed by the Divine.

. . . the end of all worship
is communication with heaven,
and thereby the conjunction of the Lord with a person.

 

Advent Reading - December 22

AC 2906 [6]

Behold I send My angel,
and he shall prepare the way before Me;
and the Lord whom ye seek
shall suddenly come to His temple,
even the angel of the covenant
whom ye desire;
behold He comes, said Jehovah Zebaoth;
and who may endure the day of His coming?
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
be pleasant unto Jehovah,
according to the days of an age,
and according to the ancient years.
(Malachai 3:1-2, 4)

AC 2906 [6]

. . . where the advent of the Lord is treated of;
the “days of an age” denote the Most Ancient Church;
“ancient years,” the Ancient Church;
the “offering of Judah,” worship from celestial love;
and the “offering of Jerusalem,”
worship from spiritual love;
that Judah is not meant here, nor Jerusalem, is plain.

AC 10431 - The Lord Is Not Always What He Seems

AC 10431

In many passages of the Word it is said of Jehovah
that He burns with anger and is wroth (angry),
and also that He consumes and destroys.
But it is so said because it so appears to the person
who turns himself away from the Lord,
as is the case when he does evil;
and as then he is not heard, and is even punished,
he believes that the Lord is in anger against him;
although the Lord is never angry, and never consumes,
for He is mercy itself and good itself.
From this it is evident what is
the nature of the Word as to the letter, namely,
that it is according to the appearance with a person.
In like manner it is said
that “Jehovah repents,” as in what follows,
when yet Jehovah never repents,
for He foresees all things from eternity;
from which it can be seen
into how many errors those fall
who when reading the Word do not think
beyond the sense of the letter,
thus who read it without doctrine from the Word
to teach them how the case really is.
For those who read the Word
in accordance with doctrine
know that Jehovah is mercy itself and good itself,
and that it cannot possibly be said
of infinite mercy and infinite good
that it burns with anger and consumes.