Capítulo 1 (EL CIELO): El Dios del Cielo es el Señor

2. Lo primero será saber quien es el Dios del cielo, puesto que de ello dependen las demás cosas. En el cielo entero sólo el Señor es reconocido por Dios del cielo y ningún otro. Allí dicen, como Él mismo enseñó:

Que Él es uno con el Padre; que el Padre es en Él y Él en el Padre; que quien ve a Él, ve al Padre y que todo lo Santo procede de Él (Juan 10:30, 38; 14:9-11; 16:13-15).

He hablado varias veces con los ángeles sobre este particular, y siempre han dicho, que en el cielo no se puede partir lo Divino en tres, porque saben y sienten que la Divinidad es única, y que es única en el Señor. También han dicho, que los de la iglesia que llegan del mundo, teniendo la idea de tres Divinidades (Divinas Personas), no pueden ser admitidos en el cielo, puesto que su pensamiento pasa continuamente de uno a otro, y allí no es permitido pensar tres y decir uno; porque cada uno en el cielo habla por el pensamiento, siendo así que allí el hablar es pensar, o sea el pensar es hablar, por lo cual los que en el mundo han dividido la Divinidad en tres, formándose separada idea de cada uno, y no habiéndolos reunido y concentrado en el Señor, no pueden ser recibidos, porque en el cielo tiene lugar una comunicación de todo pensamiento; por lo cual si allí entrase alguien que pensara tres y dijera uno, sería en seguida descubierto y rechazado. Pero hay que saber que todos aquellos que no han separado la verdad del bien, o sea la fe del amor, al ser instruidos en la otra vida, reciben el celestial concepto del Señor de que Él es el Dios del universo. Otra cosa sucede con los que han separado la fe de la vida, es decir, los que no han vivido conforme a los preceptos de la verdadera fe.

1116. In the cup with which she hath mixed, mix unto her double. That this signifies much retribution in proportion to their profanation of truth is evident from the signification of a cup, which denotes truth, and, in the opposite sense, falsity, because a cup has a signification similar to that of wine, as may be seen above (n. 887, 1045); from the signification of mixing, which denotes to profane, for he who intermingles falsity with truth, or truth with falsity, profanes - which we shall speak of presently; and from the signification of double, which denotes much, and which is said of retribution; concerning this see just above (n. 1115). Mixing signifies to profane, because it is said of the wine in the cup, which signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity; and when truth and falsity are intermingled, then there is profanation; concerning this see above (n. 1053-1063). Mixing has a similar signification in David:

"There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and he hath mixed the wine, he hath filled it with mixture, and he hath poured out thence, but the dregs thereof all the impious of the earth shall suck out and drink" (Psalm 75:8).

The cup in the hand of Jehovah, and the wine, signify Divine Truth. By mixing and by mixture is signified profanation, for the intermingling of falsity with truth is meant. By pouring out thence and by the impious of the earth sucking out the dregs and drinking them, is signified the punishment of profanation. From these things it is evident that mixing with the cup has here a signification similar to that in the Apocalypse.

[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- It was from this implanted [capability] that the most ancient people, to a greater degree than their posterity, worshipped a visible God under a human form. The Word bears witness that they also saw God as Man, as for example, Adam heard the voice of Jehovah walking in the garden; Moses spoke with Jehovah face to face; Abraham saw Jehovah in the midst of three angels; and Lot spoke with two angels. Jehovah was also seen as Man by Hagar, Gideon, and Joshua; by Daniel he was seen as the Ancient of Days, and as the Son of Man; similarly He was seen by John, as the Son of Man in the midst of seven lampstands, and also by the other prophets.

That it was the Lord who was seen by them, he himself teaches where he says, that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, and that he saw and was glad (John 8:56); also, that he was before Abraham was (ver. 58), and that he was before the world was (John 17:5, 24).

[3] It was not the Father but the Son who was seen, because the Divine Esse, which is the Father, cannot be seen except by means of the Divine Existere, which is the Divine Human. That it was not the Divine Esse, called the Father, that was seen, the Lord also teaches in John:

"The Father himself who hath sent me, he hath borne witness of me; ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form" (5:37).

In the same,

"Not that any one hath seen the Father, save he who is with" the Father, "he hath seen the Father" (6:46).

And again,

"No one hath seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath brought [him] forth to view" (1:18).

From these passages it is clear, that the Divine Esse, which is the Father, was not seen by the ancients, nor could be seen, and yet that it was seen by means of the Divine Existere, which is the Son.

Since esse is in its existere, as the soul is in its body, therefore he who sees the Divine Existere or Son, sees also the Divine Esse or Father, and this the Lord proves in these words:

"Philip said, Lord, show us the Father; Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he who seeth me, hath seen the Father, how sayest thou then, Show us the Father" (John 14:8, 9).

It is evident from these words, that the Lord is the Divine Existere, in which is the Divine Esse; thus that he is the God-Man, who was seen by the ancients. It follows from what has been adduced, that the Word must also be understood according to the sense of the letter, as to God having a face, eyes, and ears, and also hands and feet.