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.

25. That are in sight of his throne. That this signifies presence and providence, is evident from the signification of sight which is from the Divine, as being presence, and thence providence - concerning which more will be said in what follows - and from the signification of the throne of God, as denoting Divine truth going forth from the Lord, and thus heaven, because heaven is its receptacle (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 5313, 6397). The reason why sight denotes presence is, because by aspect and sight are signified the understanding and thought therefrom; and in the understanding everything appears present that is the object of thought. This is why, in the spiritual world, those appear present with whom another desires to speak, provided the person has some idea of them from having seen them in the world, especially if this has been the case with both. Consequently friends meet there, and also wives and husbands; the reason is, that the internal sight, which is the understanding, in a spirit, acts as one with his external sight or sight of the eye. And as spaces in the spiritual world are not like spaces in the natural world, what any one desires to see in the former is near, and what is not desired is far off. It is from this fact that aspect signifies presence. (That aspect and sight signify the understanding, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 10705; and that thence it signifies presence, n. 4723; and that spaces in heaven are not like spaces in the world, see the work, Heaven and Hell 191-199.) The reason why aspect, when used of the Lord, as in this place, signifies His Divine presence is, that the Lord knows all men, and those who are in love and faith towards the Lord know Him; this is why the Lord is present with them in the goods of love and in the truths of faith which they have from Him. Those things are the Lord in heaven and in the church; for the things which go forth from the Lord, are not only His, but are Himself. It is therefore plain, how the Lord is in man; thus, how those words are to be understood which He spoke in John:

"Abide in me, and I in you; he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit" (15:4, 5).

In the same:

"If a man love me, he will keep my word; and my Father and I will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (14:23).

And again, in the same:

Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye know the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (14:17).

The Comforter, the Spirit of truth, is the Divine truth going forth from the Lord; or, what is the same, is the Lord as to Divine truth; and the disciples are all those who are in goods and thence in truths; it is therefore said, "He shall be in you."

Again, in the same:

"The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14).

The Word also is Divine truth; and that the Word is the Lord is clear, for it is said that the Word was made flesh. (That the Word signifies Divine truth, and the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4692, 5075, 9987.) The reason why sight here signifies providence also is because all presence of the Lord is providence (as may be evident from what is said in the little work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 267-279; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 9, 12, 145).