38
Mas si las hago, y aunque a mí no me creáis, creed a las obras; para que conozcáis y creáis que el Padre es en mí, y yo en él.
Juan 10:38
Apocalypse Revealed #618
618. And no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand. This symbolically means that no other Christians could understand and so acknowledge out of love and faith that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth but those received by the Lord into this new heaven.
The song symbolizes an acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord as being God of heaven and earth (nos. 279, 617). To learn means, symbolically, to perceive inwardly in oneself that something is the case, which is to understand and so to accept and acknowledge. Someone who learns without perceiving learns and does not learn, because he does not retain what he has learned. The hundred and forty-four thousand mean people who acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth (no. 612:1-4).
Other Christians were unable to learn that song, that is, to acknowledge that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, because from early childhood they had had impressed on them that there were three persons in the Godhead, each distinct from the others. For the doctrine of the trinity 1 contains the statement, "There is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit," and also, "The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God." And even though they find it added there that the three are one, still in their thinking they divide the Divine essence into three, despite the fact that it cannot be divided.
For that reason they also approach the Father, because He is first in order. And church leaders moreover taught them to pray to the Father to send the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Son. This entrenched in their thinking the idea of three persons, and they could not then think of the Son as God, on a par with the Father and one with the Father, but thought of the Son as being on a par with any other person, even though He alone as to His humanity is the embodiment of righteousness and is called "Jehovah our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16).
[2] Because of that idea in their thinking, it came about that they could not comprehend how the Lord as one born in the world could be God of heaven and earth, and still less be alone God, despite how often they heard and read all those passages we cited in no. 613 above, including the following there:
"All things that the Father has are Mine." (John 16:15)
"He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me." (John 12:45)
...the Father had given all things into (the Son's) hands... (John 13:3)
"Father..., ...You have given (Me) authority over all flesh... All that is Mine are Yours, and what are Yours are Mine...." (John 17:1-3, 10)
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18)
There is the further fact that He was conceived of Jehovah as His Father, and therefore that His soul came from Him (Luke 1:34-35, 38). He possesses therefore the Divine essence. Many similar statements are found in addition elsewhere. That these statements are said in reference to the Lord born in the world is something everyone can see. As for example, that He and the Father are one, and that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. Or that whoever sees Him, sees the Father. (See John 10:28-38; 14:6-11.)
Even though those Christians hear and read these things, still they cannot let go of the idea they have conceived from childhood and later had affirmed by teachers - an idea that so closed up their rationality that they could not see, that is, could not understand these words of the Lord:
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber... I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved... (John 10:1, 9)
[3] They also could not see that the Lord glorified His humanity, that is, that He united it to the Divinity of the Father, namely to the Divinity that He had in Him from conception, in order that the human race might be united to God the Father in Him and through Him. This was the reason for the Lord's advent into the world, and for the glorification of His humanity, as is plainly taught in John 14, 15, 17. For He says,
In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch... withered... into the fire... (John 15:5-6)
For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified in the truth... that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You..., I in them and You in Me... (John 17:19, 21, 23, 26)
See also John 6:56, and elsewhere.
It is clearly apparent from these passages that the Lord's advent into the world and the glorification of His humanity had as a goal the conjunction of people with God the Father in the Lord and through Him, thus that it is He who is to be approached.
This the Lord also confirmed by His saying so many times that people must believe in Him to have eternal life (see no. 553 above).
[4] Who cannot see that the Lord said all these things about Himself in His humanity, and that He never would have said, or could have said, that He was in people and people in Him, and that they must believe in Him to have eternal life, unless His humanity was Divine?
To ask the Father in the Lord's name 2 does not mean to go directly to God the Father, neither does it mean to ask for the sake of the Son, but it means to go to the Lord, and to the Father through Him, because the Father is present in the Son, and they are one, as the Lord Himself teaches. This is the symbolic meaning of "in His name," as can also be seen from the following:
...he who does not believe (in the Son) is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17-18)
...these things are written that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31)
(Jesus) said..., "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me." (Luke 9:48)
"Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do...." (John 14:13-14)
And so on in other places, where something in the name of the Lord is mentioned: Matthew 7:22; 18:5, 20; 19:29; 23:39; Mark 9:37; 16:17; Luke 13:35; 19:38; 24:47; John 1:12; 2:23; 5:43; 12:13; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26-27; 17:6.
The symbolism of the name of God, and that the Father's name is the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity, may be seen in nos. 81, 165, 584 above.
Notas a pie de página:
1. I.e., the Athanasian Creed.
2. John 15:16; 16:23
Jeremiah 23
1
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says Yahweh.
2
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Yahweh.
3
I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
4
I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, says Yahweh.
5
Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
6
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name by which he shall be called: Yahweh our righteousness.
7
Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that they shall no more say, As Yahweh lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8
but, As Yahweh lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them. They shall dwell in their own land.
9
Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Yahweh, and because of his holy words.
10
For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right;
11
for both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in my house have I found their wickedness, says Yahweh.
12
Therefore their way shall be to them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation, says Yahweh.
13
I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14
In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none does return from his wickedness: they are all of them become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.
15
Therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.
16
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, Don't listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.
17
They say continually to those who despise me, Yahweh has said, You shall have peace; and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come on you.
18
For who has stood in the council of Yahweh, that he should perceive and hear his word? who has marked my word, and heard it?
19
Behold, the storm of Yahweh, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, yes, a whirling storm: it shall burst on the head of the wicked.
20
The anger of Yahweh shall not return, until he has executed, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly.
21
I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I didn't speak to them, yet they prophesied.
22
But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23
Am I a God at hand, says Yahweh, and not a God afar off?
24
Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? says Yahweh. Don't I fill heaven and earth? says Yahweh.
25
I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26
How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?
27
who think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.
28
The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? says Yahweh.
29
Isn't my word like fire? says Yahweh; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who steal my words everyone from his neighbor.
31
Behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who use their tongues, and say, He says.
32
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says Yahweh, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I didn't send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, says Yahweh.
33
When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask you, saying, What is the burden of Yahweh? Then you shall tell them, What burden! I will cast you off, says Yahweh.
34
As for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, who shall say, The burden of Yahweh, I will even punish that man and his house.
35
You shall say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his brother, What has Yahweh answered? and, What has Yahweh spoken?
36
You shall mention the burden of Yahweh no more: for every man's own word shall be his burden; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of Yahweh of Armies our God.
37
You shall say to the prophet, What has Yahweh answered you? and, What has Yahweh spoken?
38
But if you say, The burden of Yahweh; therefore thus says Yahweh: Because you say this word, The burden of Yahweh, and I have sent to you, saying, You shall not say, The burden of Yahweh;
39
therefore, behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from my presence:
40
and I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
