10683. Because upon the mouth of these words I make a covenant with thee and with Israel. That this signifies that by means of them there is conjunction with those who are in external and internal worship, is evident from the signification of “upon the mouth of these words,” as being by means of those primary truths which are to be observed (of which above, n. 10682); from the signification of “making a covenant,” as being conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778); from the representation of Moses, with whom, and with Israel, it is said that the covenant is made, as being that external of the Word, of the church, and of worship in which there is what is internal (n. 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614); and from the signification of “Israel,” as being the internal of the church and of worship (n. 4286, 4292, 4570, 6426). It is from this that it is said that the covenant is made “with Moses and with Israel,” and not with “the sons of Israel,” for by “the sons of Israel” in this chapter and in the preceding one are meant those who are in the external of the church, of worship, and of the Word without what is internal (n. 10454-10457, 10461, 10498, 10549-10551, 10570, 10575, 10629).

[2] It shall here be briefly stated what the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship is; what is the external of them in which there is what is internal; and what is the external without what is internal. In the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship, are those who love to do truth for the sake of truth from internal affection, thus from spiritual affection. In the external of them in which there is what is internal, are those who love truth for the sake of truth; but from external affection, thus from natural affection. These latter are men of the external church; but the former are of the internal church; for in every church there are internal men and there are external men. But those who are in external worship without what is internal, do not love truth for the sake of truth, but for the sake of profit in the world; thus they do not love to do truths except for the sake of themselves, or in order that they may be seen. These are not within the church, but are outside of it.

[3] When those who love to do truth for the sake of truth from internal or spiritual affection hear truths, they rejoice, and think about a life in accordance with them. But when those who love truth for the sake of truth from external or natural affection hear truth, they also rejoice; but they do not think about a life in accordance with it; nevertheless unknown to them it flows in from the internal. But those who love truth for the sake of profit in the world think nothing about the life, neither does anything flow in from the internal, for they make truths to be things of memory only, to the end that they may speak of them.

[4] Those who love to do truth for the sake of truth, love the Lord, because truth is from the Lord, and the Lord causes it to become good through their willing and doing it, so that it becomes of the life with the man; for truth does not become of the life until it enters the will. That which is in the will can be known and perceived from the fact that the man does it, and still more from his loving to do it, for insofar as a man wills truth, so far he loves it.

[5] To love truth for the sake of truth, and for the sake of living according to it, is thus described by the Lord in Matthew:

Whosoever receiveth you receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. Whosoever receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and whosoever receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. Yea, whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a drink of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (Matthew 10:40-42).

A person not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word cannot know what is signified by “receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, and a disciple of the Lord in the name of a disciple,” and that these will receive a reward according to the reception. For without this sense, who knows what is signified by “receiving anyone in his name?”

[6] But those who are in the internal sense do not attend to the person, but to the thing which the person signifies, thus not to a disciple or a prophet, but to the things which a disciple and a prophet signify. In the internal sense a “disciple” signifies the truth of life; and a “prophet” signifies the truth of doctrine; “in the name of” anyone, signifies on account of his quality. From this it is evident what is signified by these words of the Lord, namely, that those who love truth for the sake of truth, and who love to do truth for the sake of truth, love the Lord and receive heaven into themselves; for the reward which is from the Lord is the affection of truth for the sake of truth; and heaven is in the affection of truth for the sake of truth.

[7] (That “disciples” denote all things of love and of faith in the complex, thus specifically those who are led by the Lord, may be seen in n. 3488, 3858, 6397; that a “prophet” denotes the truth of doctrine, n. 2534, 7269; that “name” denotes quality, n. 144, 145, 1896, 2009, 2724, 6674, 9310; that “reward” denotes the affection of truth and good, n. 3956, 6388; that in the internal sense a person is turned into the idea of a thing, n. 5225, 5287, 5434, 8343, 8985, 9007, 10282; and that to do truth for the sake of truth is to love the Lord, n. 10336)

6426. From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. That this signifies that from this is all good and truth in the spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of a “shepherd,” as being one who leads to the good of charity by means of the truth of faith (see n. 344, 3795, 6044); here in the supreme sense, because the Lord is treated of, it signifies good and truth itself; from the signification of “stone,” as being truth (see n. 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798); and from the representation of Israel, as being the spiritual church (see n. 3305, 4286); for “Israel” is spiritual good, or the good of truth (n. 4286, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and as the good of truth is the very essential of the spiritual church, therefore by “Israel” the spiritual church is signified, and in a higher sense the Lord’s spiritual kingdom.

[2] From all this it is evident that by “from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel” is signified that from this is all the good and truth of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. That in the highest sense the “stone of Israel” denotes the Lord in respect to the truth that is in His spiritual kingdom, is because by “stone” in general is signified the temple, and specifically its foundation, and by the “temple” is signified the Lord’s Divine Human (as is evident in John 2:19, 21), and also by its foundation (Matthew 21:42, 44; and Isaiah 28:16). That in the highest sense a “stone” denotes the Lord as to the Divine truth that is of His spiritual kingdom, is evident in David:

The stone which the architects rejected, is become the head of the corner. This was done from Jehovah: it is marvelous in our eyes (Psalms 118:22-23).

That the “stone” here is the Lord, is evident in Luke:

It is written, The stone which the architects rejected, the same is become the head of the whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken; but upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Luke 20:17-18).

These words the Lord speaks concerning Himself. And in Isaiah:

Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread; for He shall be for a sanctuary, although a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, to the two houses of Israel; many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken (Isaiah 8:13-15); where the subject treated of is the Lord. Again:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold I will lay for a foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, of a precious corner, of a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not hurry (Isaiah 28:16).

In Zechariah:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and shall make them as a horse of glory in war; from Him is the corner stone, from Him the nail, from Him the war bow (Zech. 10:3-4).

[3] In Daniel:

Thou sawest even until a stone was cut out which was not done with hands, and it smote the image upon its feet, that were iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. The stone that smote the image became a great rock, and filled the whole earth. The God of the heavens shall make a kingdom rise up that shall not be destroyed forever, nor shall His kingdom be left to another people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but itself shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the rock, which was not done with hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45);

here by a “stone” in the highest sense is meant the Lord, and in the relative sense His spiritual kingdom; that the stone was “cut out of a rock” signifies that it was from the truth of faith, for this is signified in the Word by a “rock;” and as the truth of faith is signified by “stone” and “rock,” it is the Lord’s spiritual kingdom that is also signified, for this is in the truth of faith, and from this in good.

[4] By the “stone” also upon which Jacob slept, and which he afterward set for a pillar, the like is signified, of which it is written:

Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew it not; and he feared, and said, How terrible is this place! this is nothing but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had set for his pillows, and set it for a pillar, and poured oil upon the head of it; and he said, This stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God’s house (Genesis 28:16-18, 22).

That in the highest sense the ancients understood the Lord by a “stone,” and in the representative sense His spiritual kingdom, is also clear in Joshua:

Joshua set up a stone under the oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said unto the universal people, Behold, this stone shall be to us for a witness; for it hath heard all the discourses of Jehovah, which He spake to us; and it shall be for a witness against you, lest ye deny your God (Josh. 24:26-27).