10569. 'And how will it ever be made known that I have found grace in Your eyes, I and Your people? Will it not be in Your going with us?' means acceptance in preference to others if the Divine shows Himself among them. This is clear from the meaning of 'being made known', when it has reference to the Divine among them, as being revealed; from the meaning of 'finding grace in Jehovah's eyes' as being accepted, dealt with above in 10563, in this instance being accepted in preference to others since the words that follow state that if accepted 'I and Your people will be made more distinguished than all the people who are on the face of the ground'; and from the meaning of 'going with us', when it has reference to Jehovah, as the Divine acting as leader, at this point into the land of Canaan, dealt with above in 10567. From all this it is evident that 'how will it ever be made known that I have found grace in Your eyes, I and Your people? Will it not be in Your going with us?' means acceptance in preference to others if the Divine shows Himself among them.

[2] When the words 'in Jehovah's eyes' are used the meaning is the Lord's Divine presence within the truths and forms of the good of faith and love residing with people on earth and with angels in heaven. The reason why the Lord is present within truths and forms of the good of faith and love is that these originate in the Lord Himself, and when the Lord is present within these things as they reside with people on earth or with angels, He is present in what is His residing with them and not in what is their own or their proprium, since this is evil. So it is also that in the Word, in places where people who are receptive of the things which are Divine and the Lord's are the subject, faith and also a receptive understanding is meant by 'the eyes'; for the understanding is the eye within, and faith is the truth that is seen and perceived by it. Regarding 'the eyes', that when people are the subject in the Word, faith and also the understanding are meant by them, see 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051.

[3] The origin of this sight must also be stated. A real light exists that enlightens the understanding, altogether distinct and separate from the light which enables the eyes of the body to see. The light which enlightens the understanding comes from heaven, whereas that which enables the eyes of the body to see exists in the world. The light of heaven flows from the Lord as the Sun there and is essentially Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good. From this it is evident why it is that by 'the eyes', when they are attributed to Jehovah, the Lord's Divine presence is meant, and that by 'the eyes', when they are attributed to people receptive of the Lord's Divine Truth or His light, faith and an enlightened understanding are meant.

[4] The existence of the real light that enlightens human minds and forms the understanding is not known in the world, even though people attribute vision and light to the understanding, and even though very many times in the Word the Lord is called the Light, which is taken to mean that He is seen by means of faith and the light of faith. The fact that the real light is what enlightens human minds, and that Divine Truth emanating from the Lord as the Sun is that Light, imparting an intelligent understanding of truth where it is received, see in the places referred to in 9548, 9684, and also what is said in 9570, 9571(end), 9594.

[5] From all this it becomes clear what is meant in the Word by 'Jehovah's eyes', as in Isaiah,

Incline Your ear, O Jehovah, and hear; and open Your eyes, O Jehovah, and see. Isaiah 37:17.

In Jeremiah,

I will set My eye on them for good, and I will bring them back onto their land and build them. Jeremiah 24:6.

In David,

Behold, the eye of Jehovah is on those who fear Him. Psalms 33:18.

And in the same author,

Jehovah is in His holy temple, Jehovah's throne is in heaven; His eyes see, and His eyelids test the sons of man. Psalms 11:4.

And elsewhere.

3195. 'And was dwelling in the land of the south' means consequently in Divine light. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling' as living, dealt with in 1293, and from the fact that it has reference to good, 2268, 2451, 2712; and from the meaning of 'the land of the south' as Divine light. For 'the south' means light, indeed the light of intelligence, which is wisdom, 1458, but 'the land of the south' the place and state where that light exists. Thus the whole verse here 'Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, and was dwelling in the land of the south' means that Divine Rational Good, because it had been born from Divine Truth, was in Divine light.

[2] Light is mentioned many times in the Word, and in the internal sense it means truth springing from good. In the highest internal sense however 'light' means the Lord Himself since He is Good and Truth themselves. He Himself is also in actual fact the light in heaven, but this is infinitely brighter than the light on earth, see 1053, 1117, 1521-1533, 1619-1632. In that light spirits and angels behold one another, and by means of it all the glory that exists in heaven is clearly visible. In brightness that light seems to be much the same as the light in the world, but this is not the case, for it is not a natural light but a spiritual one. It holds wisdom within itself, so much so that it is nothing else than wisdom that shines in this manner before the eyes of those in heaven. Consequently the wiser the angels are, the brighter the light surrounding them, 2776. This light also enlightens the understanding of man, especially of one who is regenerate, but man does not discern it during his lifetime because the light of the world reigns at that time. Evil spirits too in the next life behold one another, and also behold many representatives which manifest themselves in the world of spirits. They do so indeed by the light of heaven. Yet it is an inferior light like that coming from a coal fire, for when the light of heaven reaches them it is turned into this inferior light.

[3] As for the source itself of light, this from eternity has existed from the Lord alone, for Divine Good itself and Divine Truth itself, the source of light, is the Lord. The Divine Human which existed from eternity, John 17:5, was that actual light. Because such light was unable any longer to influence the human race which had retreated so far from good and truth, and so from the light, and had cast itself into darkness, the Lord was therefore willing to be born and assume the Human itself. Indeed in so doing He was able to bring light not only to man's rational concepts but also to his natural ideas. For the Lord made Divine within Himself both the Rational and the Natural so that people who were in such gross darkness could have light.

[4] As regards the Lord's being 'the light', that is, Good and Truth themselves, and so the source of all intelligence and wisdom, and consequently of salvation, this becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John came to bear witness to the light. He was not that light but [came] to bear witness to the light. He was the true light which enlightens every man coming into the world. John 1:1, 4, 7-9.

'The Word' was Divine Truth, and so the Lord Himself as regards the Divine Human, of which it is said that 'the Word was with God, and the Word was God'.

[5] In the same gospel,

This is the judgement, that light has come into the world, but men preferred darkness rather than light. John 3:19.

'Light' stands for Divine Truth. In the same gospel,

Jesus said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk darkness but will have the light of life. John 8:12.

In the same gospel,

The light is with you for a brief while longer. Walk, as long as you have the light, lest the darkness overtakes you. As long as you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be sons of the light. John 12:35-36.

In the same gospel,

He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as light into the world in order that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.

John 12:45-46.

In Luke,

My eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. Luke 2:30-32.

This is Simeon's prophecy regarding the Lord which was made after

His birth.

[6] In Matthew,

The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light; and for those sitting in the region and shadow of death, the light has arisen. Matthew 4:16; Isaiah 9:2.

From all these places it is quite evident that as regards Divine Good and Truth within the Divine Human the Lord is called 'the light'. The same is also seen in prophetical parts of the Old Testament, as in Isaiah,

The light of Israel will be a fire, and his Holy One a flame. Isaiah 10:17.

In the same prophet,

I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and I will give You for a covenant of the people, and a light of the nations. Isaiah 42:6.

In the same prophet,

I have given You as a light of the nations, that You may be My salvation right to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:6.

In the same prophet,

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Jehovah has risen upon you. Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:1, 3.

[7] All the light of heaven, consequently wisdom and intelligence, come from the Lord. This is taught in John,

The Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, has no need of the sun or of the moon to shed light in it; the glory of God will give it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Revelation 21:2-3.

And further regarding the same city,

There will be no night there, nor do they need a lamp or light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. Revelation 22:5.

[8] Also in Isaiah,

The sun will no longer be to you a light by day, and for brightness the moon will not give light to you, but Jehovah will be to you an everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will no longer go down and your moon will not be withdrawn, for Jehovah will be to you an everlasting light. Isaiah 60:19-20.

'The sun will no longer be a light by day, and for brightness the moon will not give its light' stands for the fact that it is not the things that belong to natural light but those that belong to spiritual light which are meant by 'Jehovah will be an everlasting light'. The name Jehovah used here and elsewhere in the Old Testament means the Lord, see 1343, 1736, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035.

[9] His being the light of heaven was also disclosed to the three disciples Peter, James, and John - that is to say, at the Transfiguration when His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as the light, Matthew 17:2. 'Face like the sun' meant Divine Good, 'garments as the light' Divine Truth. From this one may know what is meant by the words that occur in the blessing,

Jehovah make His face shine upon you and be merciful to you. Numbers 6:25.

'Jehovah's face' is mercy, peace, and good, see 222, 223; and as 'the sun' means Divine Love, the Lord's Divine Love is accordingly seen in the angelic heaven as the sun, 30-38, 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495.