707. A woman encompassed with the sun.- That this signifies the church with those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in love towards the neighbour, is evident from the signification of woman, as denoting the spiritual affection for truth, from which the church is a church, consequently also the church in regard to that affection (concerning which see above, n. 555) - it follows that this means a new church to be established by the Lord at the end of the present church in the Christian world; and from the signification of the sun, as meaning the Lord as to Divine Love, thus also love to the Lord from the Lord (concerning which also see above, n. 401, 412); and from the signification of being encompassed, as denoting to live from it; for the life of the love of every one, not only that of a man but also that of a spirit and of an angel, forms a sphere about them, from which they are perceived, as to their quality, even afar off. Also by means of that sphere consociations and conjunctions are effected in the heavens, and also in the hells. And because the subject here treated of is the church, which is in love to the Lord from the Lord, and because that church is meant by the woman, and that love by the sun, therefore the woman encompassed with the sun signifies the church with those who are in love to the Lord from the Lord. We have also said "and thence in love towards their neighbour," because love towards the neighbour is derived from love to the Lord, as what is posterior from its prior, or what is exterior from its interior, in a word, as an effect from its efficient cause. For love to the Lord is to love and will those things that are from the Lord, consequently those things which the Lord has commanded in the Word; and love towards the neighbour is to act from that will, thus it consists in the performance of uses, which are effects. That the woman signifies a new church, which is to be established by the Lord, at the end of that which exists in the Christian world, is evident from what follows in this chapter, namely, that she brought forth a male child, which the dragon wished to devour, and which was caught up unto God, and that the woman fled into a wilderness, and that there also the dragon wished to destroy her. For from what follows it will be evident that the male child means the truth of the doctrine of that church, and the dragon those who are opposed to the truths of that doctrine. That the church (here meant by the woman) is the same church as the New Jerusalem, which is described in chap. 21, and in verse 9 there, is called the bride, the Lamb's wife, will be seen in the explanation of that chapter.
Genesis 17
1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
6
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
15
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
18
And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
19
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
22
And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
24
And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25
And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
27
And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.
