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.

Бележки под линия:

81. "'And have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.'" This symbolizes their effort and work in acquiring for themselves and also teaching the constituents of religion and its accompanying doctrine.

The name of Jehovah or the Lord in the Word does not mean His name, but everything by which He is worshiped. And because He is worshiped in accordance with doctrine in the church, His name means everything pertaining to doctrine, and in the broadest sense, everything pertaining to religion.

These are the meanings of the name of Jehovah, and the reason is that in heaven the only names found are ones that reflect a person's character, and God's character includes everything by which He is worshiped.

One who is not aware of this symbolic meaning of a name in the Word can understand it only as a name; and in this alone there is nothing pertaining to worship and religion.

[2] Someone who keeps in mind, therefore, this symbolic meaning of "the name of Jehovah" when it is mentioned in the Word, will of himself understand its symbolic meaning in the following passages:

In that day you will say: "Confess to Jehovah, call upon His name." (Isaiah 12:4)

...O Jehovah, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name... ...by You we make mention of Your name. (Isaiah 26:8, 13)

From the rising of the sun My name shall be called on. (Isaiah 41:25)

...from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to My name...; for My name shall be great among the nations... ...you profane (My name) when you say, "The table of Jehovah is defiled...." But you sneer at (My name)..., when you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick. (Malachi 1:11-13)

...all peoples walk in the name of their god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God... (Micah 4:5)

Everyone who is called by My name, for My glory I have created him, I have formed him... (Isaiah 43:7)

You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain; ...Jehovah will not hold him innocent who takes His name in vain. (Deuteronomy 5:11)

They were to worship Jehovah in one place, where He should put His name (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 13-14, 18; 16:2, 6, 11, 15-16). And so on in many other places. Who does not see that the name in them does not mean simply a name?

[3] It is the same with the name of the Lord in the New Testament, as in the following places:

(Jesus said,) "You will be hated by all because of My name. (Matthew 10:22; cf. 24:9-10)

...where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)

Everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters... for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and... eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)

As many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

...many believed in His name... (John 2:23)

He who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17-18)

...believing (they will) have life in His name. (John 20:31)

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matthew 21:9; 23:39; Luke 13:35, cf. 19:38)

[4] In respect to His humanity the Lord is the name of the Father, as witness the following:

Father, glorify Your name. (John 12:28)

Hallowed be Your name (and) Your kingdom come. (Matthew 6:9-10)

See also Exodus 23:20-21. ³

"Name" in the case of other people refers to a quality of worship, as in the following:

(A shepherd) calls his own sheep by (their) name... (John 10:3)

You have a few names in Sardis... (Revelation 3:4)

I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem..., and My new name. (Revelation 3:12)

And the like elsewhere.

It can be seen from this now that the statement, "You have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary," symbolizes their effort and work in acquiring for themselves and also teaching the constituents of religion and its accompanying doctrine.