59. 4. God is omniscient; that is, he is aware of, sees, and knows everything down to the least detail that happens in keeping with the divine design, and by contrast is aware of, sees, and knows what goes against the divine design. God is omniscient, that is, he is aware of, sees, and knows all things, because he is wisdom itself and light itself. Wisdom itself is aware of all things. Light itself sees all things.

We showed above [37] that God is wisdom itself. He is light itself because he is the sun of the angelic heaven that enlightens the intellect of all, both angels and people. As our eye is illuminated by the light of the physical sun, so our intellect is illuminated by the light of the spiritual sun - not only illuminated, but also filled with intelligence (depending on how much we love receiving it), since spiritual light is essentially wisdom.

This is why it says in David that God dwells in inaccessible light [Psalms 104:2; see also 1 Timothy 6:16]; and why it says in the Book of Revelation that in the New Jerusalem they do not need lamps because the Lord God enlightens them [Revelation 21:23]; and why it says in John that the Word that was with God and was God is the light that enlightens everyone who comes into the world [John 1:1, 9]. The "Word" in this last reference means divine wisdom. This is why the more wisdom angels have, the brighter a light they are in; and why when "light" is mentioned in the Word it means wisdom.

730. The Holy Supper is similar to a covenant; after the terms are agreed upon, it is signed and sealed. The Lord's blood is the covenant, as he himself teaches. When he lifted the cup and gave it to the disciples he said, "Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new testament" (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). The new testament means the new covenant. Therefore the Word that was written through the prophets before the Lord's Coming is called the Old Testament or Old Covenant, and the Word written through the Gospel writers and apostles after his Coming is called the New Testament or New Covenant. On the point that blood and also the wine in the Holy Supper mean the divine truth contained in the Word, see the fifth and seventh sections under the second heading of this chapter [706, 708]. The covenant that the Lord has made with us and we have made with the Lord is the Word. The Lord came down as the Word, that is, divine truth. Because his blood is divine truth, the blood in the Israelite church (a church that represented the Christian church to come) was called the blood of the covenant (Exodus 24:8; Zechariah 9:11), and the Lord was called a covenant to the people (Isaiah 42:6; 49:8; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalms 111:9).

[2] According to the orderly sequence practiced in the world, a signature is absolutely necessary in order to finalize an agreement - a step that comes only after the terms have been worked out. What good is a will or a bequest without a signature? What good is a judicial statement without a signed opinion at the bottom to confirm the judgment? What good is it to be granted national authority if you have no charter to prove it? What good is a verbal offer of a promotion if there is no accompanying letter of confirmation? What good is taking possession of a house if you have no signed agreement of sale with the previous owner? What good does it do to run toward a goal or race for a finish line and a prize if there is no goal or finish line where the prizes will be handed out, and the official has given you no firm indication that he will make good on his promises if you win?

These last analogies have been added solely for the sake of illustration, however, so that everyone including the uneducated will perceive that taking the Holy Supper is like receiving [God's] signature, seal, certificate, or evidentiary letter to prove even to the angels that we have been adopted as God's children; and also that taking the Holy Supper is like being given the key to our home in heaven where we will live forever.