AR 849 - angels; AR 851 - resurrection

AR 849

Angels act, indeed, as though of themselves,

but because they regard primarily

the useful services they perform,

they act from the Lord,

from whom originates every useful endeavor.

AR 851

Resurrection symbolizes salvation and eternal life . . ..

For there is but one resurrection to life.

There is no second one.

. . . For once conjoined with the Lord,

people remain conjoined with Him to eternity,

and this in heaven. 

As the Lord says:

I am the resurrection and the life.

Whoever believes in Me,

though he die, shall live.

Everyone who lives

and believes in Me

shall not die to eternity.

(John 11:25,26)

Revelation 8: The Seventh Seal

When He opened the seventh seal,

there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

And I saw the seven angels

who stand before God,

and to them were given seven trumpets.

Another angel,

who had a golden censer,

came and stood at the altar.

He was given much incense to offer,

with the prayers of all the saints,

on the golden altar before the throne.

The smoke of the incense,

together with the prayers of the saints,

went up before God from the angel's hand.

Then the angel took the censer,

filled it with fire from the altar,

and hurled it on the earth;

and there came peals of thunder,

rumblings,

flashes of lightning

and an earthquake.

(Revelation 8:1-5)

The Two Great Commandments

One of the teachers of the law came

and heard them debating.

Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer,

he asked Him,

"Of all the commandments,

which is the most important?"

"The most important one," Jesus answered,

"is this:

'Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God is one Lord.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind

and with all your strength.'

The second is this:

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

There is no commandment greater than these."

(Mark 12:28-31)

AR 841 - not turning to the Lord directly

AR 841

He laid hold of the dragon,

that serpent of old,

which is the Devil and Satan.

(Revelation 20:2)

All people, indeed, who do not turn directly to the Lord

think sensually about matters having to do with the church,

and cannot think spiritually,

for the Lord is the true light.

Consequently people who do not turn to the Lord directly

cannot think in the light of spiritual light,

which is the light of heaven,

but do so in the light of the natural light

divorced from spiritual light,

which is to think sensually.

They are for that reason called that serpent of old.

People who do not turn to the Lord directly

and refrain from evils as being sins,

remain in their sins,

which is why the dragon is called the Devil.

And because the same people

are caught up in falsities are regards their doctrine,

the dragon is therefore called Satan.

Revelation 7: They Serve Him Day and Night

. . . "they are before the throne of God

and serve Him day and night in His temple;

and He who sits on the throne

will spread His tent over them.

Never again will they hunger;

never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat upon them,

nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne

will be their Shepherd;

He will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away

every tear from their eyes.

(Revelation 7:15-17)

To Serve

. . . whoever wants to be first

must be slave of all.

For even the Son of Man

did not come to be served,

but to serve,

and to give His life

as the ransom for many."

(Mark 10:44-45)

AR 836 - swords!

AR 836

And the rest were slain with the sword

of Him who sat on the horse,

which went out from His mouth.

(Revelation 19:21)

To be slain means symbolically . . . to be slain spiritually,

which is to perish in respect to one's soul.

The sword of Him who sat on the horse,

which went forth from His mouth,

symbolizes the Word's truths

combating the falsities accompanying evil.

For various kinds of swords

symbolize truth fighting against falsity,

and falsity fighting against truth.

However, a sword on the thigh

means a combat from love;

a sword in the hand, or dagger,

means a combat with power;

and a sword from the mouth

means a combat from doctrine.

Consequently the sword that went forth

from the mouth of the Lord

means a combat from the Word against falsities,

as it is the Word that goes forth

from the mouth of the Lord.

Revelation 6: The Seals

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals.

Then I heard one of the four living creatures say

in a voice like thunder, "Come!"

I looked, and there before me was a white horse!

Its rider held a bow,

and he was given a crown,

and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal,

I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.

Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth

and to make men slay each other.

To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal,

I heard the third living creature say, "Come!"

I looked, and there before me was a black horse!

Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal,

I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say,

"Come!"  I looked,

and there before me was a pale horse!

Its rider was named Death,

and Hades was following close behind him.

When He opened the fifth seal,

I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slain

because of the word of God

and the testimony they had maintained.

I watched as he opened the sixth seal.

There was a great earthquake.

The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair,

the whole moon turned blood red,

and the stars in the sky fell to the earth . . ..

(Revelation 6:1-5,7-8,9,12-14)

A Prophet Without Honor

Jesus left there and went to His hometown,

accompanied by His disciples.

When the Sabbath came,

He began to teach in the synagogue,

and many who heard Him were amazed.

"Where did the Man get these things?" they asked.

"What's this wisdom that has been given Him,

that He even does miracles!

Isn't this the carpenter?

Isn't this Mary's son

and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?

Aren't His sisters here with us?"

And they took offense at Him.

Jesus said to them,

"Only in his hometown,

among his relatives and in his own house

is a prophet without honor."

He could not do any miracles there,

except lay His hands on a few sick people

and heal them.

And He was amazed at their lack of faith.

(Matthew 6:1-6)

AR 830 - the Lord is God of the universe; AR 834 - false prophets

AR 830

And He has on His garment

and on His thigh

a name written:

"King of kings and Lord of lords."

(Revelation 19:16)

This symbolically means

that the Lord teaches in the Word who He is,

that He is the Divine truth of Divine wisdom

and the Divine goodness of Divine love,

thus that He is the God of the universe.


AR 834

. . . a false prophet symbolizes

people who teach and preach falsities

by twisting the Word's truths.

Revelation 5: The Scroll and the Lamb

Then I saw in the right hand of Him

who sat on the throne

a scroll with writing on both sides

and sealed with seven seals.

. . . Then I saw a Lamb,

looking as if it had been slain,

standing in the center of throne,

encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

He had seven horns and seven eyes,

which are the seven spirits of God

and sent out into all the earth.
He came and took the scroll

from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

. . . Then I heard every creature in heaven

and on earth and under the earth and on the sea

and all that is in them, singing:

"To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power

for ever and ever!"

(Revelation 5:1,6-7,13)

His Purpose

After John was put in prison,

Jesus went into Galilee,

proclaiming the good news of God.

"The time has come," He said.

"The kingdom of God is near.

Repent and believe the good news!"

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee,

He saw Simon and his brother Andrew

casting a net into the lake,

for they were fishermen.

"Come, follow Me," Jesus said,

"and I will make you fishers of men."

At once they left their nets and followed Him.

When He had gone a little farther,

He saw James son of Zebedee

and his brother John in a boat,

preparing their nets.

Without delay He called them,

and they left their father Zebedee

in the boat with the hired men

and followed Him.

They went to Capernaum,

and when the Sabbath came,

Jesus went into the synagogue

and began to teach . . .

as one who had authority,

not as the teachers of the law.

. . . As soon as they left the synagogue,

they went with James and John

to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever,

and they told Jesus about her.

So He went to her,

took her hand and helped her up.
The fever left her

and she began to wait on them.

. . . Very early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

Jesus got up, left the house

and went off to a solitary place,

where He prayed.

Simon and his companions went to look for Him,

and when they found Him, they exclaimed:

"Everyone is looking for You!"

Jesus replied,

"Let us go somewhere else -

to the nearby villages -

so I can preach there also.

That is why I have come."

(Mark 1:14-21,22,29-31,35-38)

AR 815 - fine linen & righteous acts; AR 823 - jewels & truths

AR 815

. . . fine linen symbolizes genuine truths,

which are truths gained through the Word

from the Lord.

Righteous acts symbolize good lives

in the case of people governed by truths.

Saints symbolize people

who are of the Lord's church.

. . . in the natural sense

a righteous person is

everyone who lives rightly

in accordance with civil and moral laws.

But in the spiritual sense

that person is called righteous

who lives rightly

in accordance with Divine laws,

and Divine laws are truths from the Word.

Someone who believes that he is righteous

and so living a good life

without living in accordance with truth

is much deceived.

For a person cannot be reformed and regenerated

and so become good,

except by means of truths

and by a life in accordance with those truths.

. . . This is clearly apparent

in the case of angels in heaven.

The more they are governed by truths

and live in accordance with them,

the brighter white the garments

in which they appear clothed.

That is because they enjoy a brighter light.

AR 823

On the head means, symbolically, from the Lord,

for the head symbolizes wisdom springing from love,

and a person is governed from the head

by  wisdom springing from love.

. . . The Word's Divine truths

correspond in the spiritual world to jewels,

and owing to the correspondence,

so appear there,

and are seen in heaven on the heads of people

who regard the Word as holy.

Jewels accordingly symbolize

the Word's Divine truths in its literal sense.

That is because the literal sense

is made translucent

by its spiritual and celestial senses,

as jewels are by light.

Revelation 4: A Throne in Heaven

At once I was in the Spirit,

and there before me was a throne in heaven

with Someone sitting on it.

And the One who sat there

had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.

A rainbow, resembling an emerald,

encircled the throne.

Surrounding the throne

were twenty-four other thrones,

and seated on them were twenty-four elders.

There were dressed in white

and had crowns of gold on their heads.

From the throne came flashes of lightning,

rumblings and peals of thunder.

Before the throne,

seven lamps were blazing.

These are the seven spirits of God.

Also before the throne

there was what looked like

a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

(Revelation 4:2-6)

After the Sabbath

There was a violent earthquake,

for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven,

and going to the tomb,

rolled back the stone and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning,

and his clothes were white as snow.

(Matthew 28:2-3)

AR 806 - the Lord is not angry; AR 814 - linen & cotton

AR 806

Anger and revenge are attributed to the Lord

when evil people are separated from the good

and cast into hell,

as happens at the time of a last judgment.

That time is therefore called

wrath and a day of wrath,

and a day of vengeance.

Not that the Lord is angry or vengeful,

but that those people are angry at the Lord

and filled with vengeance against Him.

The case is like that of a criminal

after sentence has been passed,

who is angry at the law

and filled with vengeance against the judge.

For the law is not angry,

not is the judge taking revenge.

AR 814

The fine linen is said to be clean and bright

because cleanliness symbolizes

something that is free of evil,

thus something that glistens

as a result of goodness,

and brightness symbolizes

something that is free of falsity,

thus something pure as a result of truth.

. . . Fine line is also called cotton,

so that this, too, symbolizes genuine truth . . .

Revelation 3: I am coming soon.

I am coming soon.

Hold on to what you have,

so that no one will take your crown.

Him who overcomes

I will make a pillar in the temple of My God.

Never again will he leave it.

I will write on him the name of My God

and the name of the city of My God,

the New Jerusalem,

which is coming down out of heaven from My God;

and I will also write on him My new name.

"Those whom I love

I rebuke and discipline.

So be earnest, and repent.

Here I am!

I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears My voice

and opens the door,

I will come in

and eat with him,

and he with Me.

To him who overcomes,

I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne,

just as I overcame

and sat down with My Father on His throne.

He who has an ear,

let him hear

what the spirit says to the churches."

(Revelation 3:11-12, 19-22)

When Will This Happen?

Jesus left the temple and was walking away

when His disciples came up to Him

to call His attention to its buildings.

"Do you see all these things?"  He asked.

"I tell you the truth,

not one stone here will be left on another;

every one will be thrown down."

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,

the disciples came to Him privately.

"Tell us," they said, "When will this happen,

and what will be the sign of your coming

and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answered:

"Watch out that no one deceives you.

For many will come in My name,

claiming, 'I am the Christ,' 

and will deceive many.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars,

but see to it that you are not alarmed.

Such things must happen,

but the end is still to come.

Nation will rise against nation,

and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be famines

and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of birth pains.

"Then you will be handed over

to be persecuted and put to death,

and you will be hated by all nations

because of Me.

At that time many will turn away from the faith

and will betray and hate each other,

and many false prophets will appear

and deceive many people.

Because of the increase of wickedness,

the love of most will grow cold,

but he who stands firm to the end

will be saved.

. . . "No one knows about that day or hour,

not even the angels in heaven,

but only the Father.

As it was in the days of Noah,

so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

(Matthew 24:1-13, 36-37)

AR 804 - Salvation, Glory, Honor, Power

AR 804

"Salvation and glory

and honor and power

to the Lord Our God!"

(Revelation 19:1)

Salvation to the Lord our God

symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession

that salvation is made possible by the Lord.

Glory and honor to the Lord our God

symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession

that the Lord is the source

of Divine truth and Divine good,

thus that these are received from Him.

Power to the Lord our God

symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession

that the power is the Lord's.

Revelation 2 - To him who overcomes

To him who overcomes

and does My will to the end,

I will give authority over the nations -

'He will rule them with an iron scepter;

He will dash them to pieces like pottery' -

Just as I have received authority from My Father.

I will also give him the morning star.

He who has an ear,

let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

(Revelation 2:26-29)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

you who kill the prophets

and stone those sent to you,

how often I have longed

to gather your children together,

as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,

but you were not willing.

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

For I tell you,

you will not see Me again

until you say,

'Blessed is He

who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

(Matthew 23:37-39)

AR 796 - the light of a lamp & loving the Lord

AR 796

The light of a lamp symbolizes enlightenment by the Lord

and a consequent perception of spiritual truth.

That is because the light means the light of heaven,

which is the light angels have,

and people, too, as regards their intellect,

because the light in its essence is Divine wisdom.

For it emanates from the Lord

as the sun of the spiritual world,

which in its essence is the Divine love in Divine wisdom,

and the only light that can emanate from it

is the light of Divine wisdom,

and the only warmth

the warmth of Divine love.

Since that light comes from the Lord,

and the Lord is omnipresent in it and by means of it,

therefore it is the means of all enlightenment

and the consequent perception of spiritual truth,

a perception that those people have

who love Divine truths spiritually, that is,

who love Divine truths because they are true,

thus because they are Divine.

Plainly this is what it is to love the Lord.

For the Lord is omnipresent in that light,

inasmuch as Divine love and wisdom

do not exist in space,

but are present wherever they are received,

in accordance with their reception.

He was the true light

which enlightens every person

coming into the world.(John 1:4-12)

Revelation 1 - Every Eye Will See Him

The revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave Him

to show His servants what must soon take place.

He made it known

by sending His angel to His servant John,

who testifies to everything he saw -

that is, the word of God

and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one

who reads the words of this prophecy,

and blessed are those who hear it

and take to heart what is written in it,

because the time is near.

. . . Look, He is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see Him,

even those who pierced Him;

and all the peoples of the earth will mourn

because of Him.

So shall it be!

Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega,"

says the Lord God,

"who is,

and who was,

and who is to come,

the Almighty."

. . . I turned around to see the voice

that was speaking to me.

And when I turned

I saw seven golden lampstands,

and among the lampstands

was someone "like a Son of Man" . . ..

(Revelation 1:1-3,7-8, 12-13)

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

He called a little child 

and had him stand among them.

And He said:

"I tell you the truth,

unless you change and become like little children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child

is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this

in My name, welcomes Me.

But if anyone causes one of these little ones

who believe in Me to sin,

it would be better for him

to have a large millstone hung around his neck

and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

(Matthew 18:1-6)

AR 793 - craftsmen

AR 793

In the spiritual sense of the Word,

a craftsman symbolizes an intelligent person

and a thinking one by virtue of his intellect -

in a good sense,

someone who uses his intellect

to think thoughts that are true,

and in a bad sense,

someone who uses his intellect

to think thoughts that are false,

which are internal.

By virtue of their arts and crafts, too

and the correspondence of these,

craftsmen symbolize such things as have to do with

wisdom, intelligence and knowledge.

We say, by virtue of their correspondence,

because a person's every work,

likewise his very undertaking,

corresponds to such things

as have to do with the intelligence of angels,

provided it is of some use.

But the works of craftsmen

in gold, silver and precious stones

correspond to some matters or objects

of angelic intelligence,

the works of craftsmen

in bronze, iron, wood and stone to others,

and the works of craftsmen

in other valuable endeavors,

such as the making of cloth, linens, garments

and clothing of various kinds,

to still others.

All of these arts and crafts have, as we said,

a correspondence, because they are works.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat

and go on ahead of Him to the other side,

while He dismissed the crowd.

After He had dismissed them,

He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.

When evening came,

He was there alone,

but the boat was already

a considerable distance from land,

buffeted by the waves

because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night

Jesus went out to them,

walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake,

there were terrified.

"It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them:

"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's You," Peter replied,

"Tell me to come to You on the water."

"Come," He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat,

walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid

and, beginning to sink, cried out, 

"Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand

and caught him.

"You of little faith," He said,

"Why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat,

the wind died down.

Then those who were in the boat

worshiped Him, saying,

"Truly You are the Son of God."

When they had crossed over,

they landed at Gennesaret.

And when the men of that place recognized Jesus,

they sent word to all the surrounding country.

People brought all their sick to Him

and begged Him to let the sick

just touch the edge of His cloak,

and all who touched Him were healed.

(Matthew 14:22-36)

AR 783 - purgatory

AR 783 [2]

As regards purgatory,

I can assert that it is nothing

but a Roman Catholic fiction

invented for the sake of material gains,

and that it neither exists nor can exist.

After death, every person comes first

into the world of spirits,

which is midway between heaven and hell,

and there he is prepared either for heaven or for hell,

each according to his life in the world.

Moreover, no one suffers any torment in that world,

but an evil person first meets with torment

when, after being prepared, he enters hell.

Come to Me

Come to Me,

all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you

and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy

and My burden light.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

AR 777 - doctrine & worship

AR 777

Things having to do with doctrine are put first,

and things having to do with worship follow,

since worship has its character

from the goods and truths of doctrine.

For the church's worship is nothing but an outward act

whose internal elements ought to be those of doctrine.

Without them

the worship is lacking its essence, life and soul.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine

and puts them into practice

is like a wise man

who built his house on the rock.

The rain came down, the streams rose,

and the winds blew and beat against that house;

yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of Mine

and does not put them into practice

is like a foolish man

who build his house on sand.

The rain came down, the streams rose,

and the winds blew and beat against that house,

and it fell with a great crash."

When Jesus had finished saying these things,

the crowds were amazed at His teaching,

because He taught as one who had authority,

and not as their teachers of the law.

(Matthew 7:24-29)

AR 766, 769 - the Lord's presence and power

AR 766

. . . the Lord does not judge anyone to hell.

Rather people themselves do,

for when they sense the angelic atmosphere

flowing down out of heaven from the Lord,

they flee away and cast themselves into hell.

AR 769 [2] - taken from LJ 57

For all power in heaven

is the power of truth springing from goodness,

or of goodness by means of truth.

. . . because all goodness and all truth

come from the Lord,

and nothing from any man . . ..

The Temptations in the Desert

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert

to be tempted by the devil.

After fasting forty days and forty nights,

He was hungry.

The tempter came to Him and said,

"If You are the Son of God,

tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written:

'Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word

that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took Him to the holy city

and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple.

"If you are the Son of God," he said,

"throw yourself down.  For it is written:

'He will command His angels concerning You,

and they will lift You up in their hands,

so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him,

"It is also written:

'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain

and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world

and their splendor.

"All this I will give You," he said,

"if You will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him,

"Away from Me, Satan!  For it is written:

'Worship the Lord your God,

and serve Him only.'"

Then the devil left Him,

and the angels came and attended Him.

(Matthew 4:1-11)

AR 760 - merchants or traders

AR 760 [3]

In the Word,

to be a merchant or trader means, symbolically,

to be engaged in procuring for oneself spiritual riches,

which are concepts of truth and goodness,

and in an opposite sense,

concepts of falsity and evil,

and to use the first to gain heaven,

and the second to gain the world.

For that reason

the Lord likened the kingdom of heaven

to a merchant seeking beautiful pearls (Matthew 13:45,46),

and the people in the church to servants

who were given talent with which to

trade and gain more (Matthew 25:14-30),

or who were given ten minas with which to likewise

trade and gain more (Luke 19:12-26).

The Day of the Lord

"Surely the day is coming;

it will burn like a furnace.

All the arrogant and every evildoer

will be stubble,

and that day that is coming

will set them on fire,"

says the Lord Almighty.

"Not a root or a branch will be left to them.

But for you who revere My name,

the Sun of righteousness will rise

with healing in its wings.

And you will go out

and leap like calves released from the stall.

Then you will trample down the wicked;

they will be ashes under the soles of your feet

on the day when I do these things,"

says the Lord Almighty.

(Malachi 4:1-3)

AR 754 - the light of heaven

AR 754

. . . Divine truth

emanating from the Lord

is the light of heaven,

which enlightens angels

and produces their wisdom.

On That Day

"I will refine them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on My name

and I will answer them;

I will say,

'They are My people,'

and they will say,

'The Lord is our God.'"

(Zechariah 13:9)

AR 739 - the celestial and spiritual meanings

AR 739

The Word is Divine good itself and Divine truth itself

because in each and every particular of it

there is a marriage of the Lord and the church

and so a marriage of goodness and truth.

It also has in every particular

a celestial meaning and a spiritual meaning,

and the celestial meaning has in it Divine goodness,

while the spiritual meaning has in it Divine truth.

Moreover, these are present in the Word

because the Lord embodies the Word.

It May Seem Marvelous

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

"It may seem marvelous

to the remnant of this people at this time,

but will it seem marvelous to Me?"

declares the Lord Almighty.

(Zechariah 8:6)

AR 735 - the Word still endures

AR 735

The Word still endures

because it is Divine,

and the Lord is present in it.

Zephaniah's Words

Seek the Lord,

all you humble of the land,

you who do what He commands.

Seek righteousness,

seek humility . . ..

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;

never again will you fear any harm.

On that day they will say to Jerusalem,

"Do not fear, O Zion;

do not let you hands hang limp.

The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

(Zephaniah 1:3; 3:15-17)

AR 729 - two kinds of love of dominion

AR 729 [2]

. . . a love of exercising dominion

from a love of self is diabolical,

for it has regard for self only

and for the world 

in the service of self.

In contrast, a love of exercising dominion

from a love of performing useful services

is heavenly,

for it has regard for the Lord,

from whom emanate only useful endeavors,

and useful endeavors to it

are to do good to the church

for the salvation of souls.

This latter love consequently abhors

a love of exercising dominion 
from a love of self.

The Lord to Habakkuk

"Look at the nations and watch -

and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days

that you would not believe,

even if you were told."

"Of what value is an idol,

since a man has carved it?

Or an image that teaches lies?

But the Lord is in His holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before Him."

(Habakkuk 1:5; 2:18,20)

AR 719 - The Lord Is King

AR 720

. . . kings symbolize people who possess

truths springing from goodness from the Lord,

and so in an abstract sense

the truths themselves that spring from goodness . . ..

Watch and Wait

But as for me,

I watch in hope for the Lord,

I wait for God my Savior;

my God will hear me.

(Micah 7:7)

AR 718 - making a church a church

AR 718

. . . it is the Lord and the Word

that make the church a church,

and its perfection depends on

its acknowledgment of the Lord

and on its understanding of the Word.

The Mountain of the Lord

In the last days

the mount of the Lord's temple

will be established

as chief among the mountains;

it will be raised above the hills,

and peoples will stream to it.

Many nations will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us His ways,

so that we may walk in His paths."

The law will go out from Zion,

the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He will judge between many peoples

and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.

They will beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against nation,

nor will they train for war anymore.

Every man will sit under his own vine

and under his own fig tree,

and no one will make them afraid,

for the Lord Almighty has spoken.

All the nations may walk in the name of their gods;

we will walk in the name of the Lord our God

for ever and ever.

(Micah 4:1-5)

AR 715 - What does it mean to blaspheme God?

AR 715

To blaspheme God means . . .

to deny and not to acknowledge

that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth,

and to deny and not acknowledge likewise

the truth in the Word.